Dio thanked the waiter as he took the dishes and sat back, still sipping the remainder of his wine. "That sounds delightful, Mrs. Stan. I wouldn't want to impose on your hospitality, but a private setting will most definitely be more comfortable for all of us."
–
"Ugh, no!" Miki grumbled, shoving him away. "That's worse than Mikela!"
An idea occured to Silver and she sat up. "Hang on. I just thought of something that might help." She pressed a quick kiss to his temple and jumped up, running upstairs. She returned a moment later with a blanket off his bed. "Here." She said, spreading it over him so he was completely covered. "Now you can still hide."
Vi gives him a gentle smile. "Oh, no. You wouldn't be imposing. I must warn you though, we are currently housing Benjamin's younger brother and his friend. They wouldn't be present, but they can be noisy. "
Ben takes another sip.
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THE OTHER FIFTY KIDS VI?????
-
Cage gasps, as if he's uncovered a scandal. "MIKELA!"
Gabriel sits in utter confusion for a few seconds before a smile crosses his thin lips and a small, scratchy laugh escapes.
Dio nodded and flicked his hand like it was nothing. "Of course. I don't mind at all. I won't be bothered in the slightest. What day works best for you?"
–
Miki clamped her hands over her ears and yelled, "YES, my name is Mikela Rose! Now you know!"
Silver sat down beside him and watched his blanket shrouded form. "Well? Does it help? Why… Gabriel, are you laughing?"
Cage giggles. "HA. Mikela Rose. Hm. Not too shabby. Maybe your parents did know what they were doing."
Gabriel bites his lip, trying to stifle his laugh. "No, I'm just choking." he teases dryly.
-
"Wednesday is fine with us, if it's clear for you. Six o'clock?" Violet asks.
Miki raised an eyebrow. "Cage, I named myself. When I was like five. I think my mother named me Rose but I didn't like it so I made up 'Mikela'."
Silver frowned at him, confused. "Why… why are you laughing then? What's funny?"
–
"Sounds perfect." Dio said. "If we have nothing else to discuss tonight then I shant take up any more of your evening."
“You named yourself????” Cage gasps. “OMG. Why Mikela though?”
Without warning or hesitation, Gabriel sticks his fingers out from under the blanket and pokes her tummy a few times. “You’re silly.”
-
Violet and Ben stand.
“Thank you for meeting us, Mr. Diablo.” Violet gives him a nod with a lovely smile.
Ben slips his coat on and picks the check up off of the table.
Miki threw her hands on the air. "Cuz I was five?? I thought it was a pretty name?? Cuz that's the sort of name a five year old makes up??"
"Ah!" Silver squeaked in surprise and shoved his hand away, giggling. "Don't do that! I don't know why it was funny, I'm just trying to help. Is it better now?" But she thought she already knew the answer.
–
"The pleasure is mine." Dio replied, rising and donning his coat. He gave Violet a bow and shook Ben's hand. "I eagerly await our next appointment."
Ben and Violet head out together, paying and then heading to the car. Ben fumbles for the keys by the car. “To our house, Violet? What were you thinking!”
She rolls her eyes, pulling the keys from her purse and handing them to him. “Benjamin, he is an elemental himself. Calm down. I’m sure we can keep the other quiet for two hours.”
“I seriously doubt that.” He grumbles while climbing into the drivers seat.
-
Cage rolls his eyes. “You didn’t make it up. Mikela is an actual name. You wanna hear a weird name??”
Without second thought, Gabe takes her waist with his cold hands and pulls her down beside him on the couch, “what do you think? Hm?”
Silver let out another squeak as she dropped, her arms falling around his neck. She froze, realizing how suddenly close they were, and her cheeks turned pink. But Gabriel was still completely covered by the blanket, except for his arms around her. A cheeky grin spread over her face when she realized he couldn't see her, and she pressed her lips against the blanket where she knew his mouth was, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
Miki shrugged. "I've never heard it other than just me. But sure, whatever. What's your–" she stopped dead in her sentence as her gaze fell on her sister and Gabriel in the living room. "Oh my goodness, she's kissing him through the blanket."
Cage opens his mouth to speak, but turns to look, automatically taking his phone out and snapping a photo before Gabriel slips his hand over Silver’s mouth, laughing too hard to kiss.
"CAGE." Miki yelled, smacking him on the arm. "Rude! I'm gonna take a picture of you the next time you kiss Robby!"
Silver laughed too, gasping for breath and laying her forehead on his shoulder. "I have… I have… I got blanket fuzz in my mouth." She barely managed to say between peals of laughter.
Cage shushes her, putting a finger to her lips. “Shut up! We’re never going to see them kiss again okay?!?” He fake whispers.
Gabe shoves her off playfully, scooting to the side as his laughter slows.
Miki huffed. "Well, yeah, but what are you gonna do with that, sell prints? You don't need a picture of my sister kissing her boy, Cage. Ugh, weirdo." She rolled her eyes.
Silver fell back against the side of the couch and tried to pick the fuzz off her tongue, only succeeding in making herself laugh harder and sneeze several times.
Gabriel slows down till he’s silent again and turns his head to look her over, even though he can’t see well through the blanket.
Cutie.
Cage furrows his brow and turns to looks at them. “Was Gabe…laughing?”
She finally managed to be still long enough to keep her tongue out and retrieve the offending piece of fluff. When her mouth was finally free of it, she looked up to see him still and quiet. "…what?" She asked.
Miki paused, blinked, and then slowly turned to look at them again. "That wasn't… I think… I didn't know he knew how to laugh!" She ended in a disbelieving whisper.
Gabriel gives his head a small shake. “Nothing.”
Her hair is so blonde. I love it.
Cage looks truly disturbed. “Who is this man??? It’s not Gabriel.”
Silver cocked her head and squinted at him, suspicious, and reached her leg out to poke him with her toe. "Then why are you staring at me?"
Miki grinned. "I think the correct term is 'he's in love with my sister and it has gone to his head'."
Gabriel puts his hand out, leaning forward a little to slip his fingers through a strand of her blonde hair.
Ah, so soft.
Cage nods. “It has. He’s even talked to Ben recently. I’m really impressed.”
Silver paused as he touched her, stilling her breathing to keep from moving. "Gabriel," she whispered after a moment. "What are you doing?"
"Right?" Miki squeaked in excitement. "Aren't they cute??" She glanced back at them again. "Oh my word, look. They're so weird. I love it."
Cage rolls his eyes at them, mumbling “weirdos.” Under his breath.
He doesn’t bother to answer and just stares at the stands of hair in his hands, blinking under the blanket.
Miki squished her cheeks with both hands. "Soooo cuuuuute."
Silver stared at him and realized she wasn't going to get any form of reply. Finally she moved to sit closer to him and rest her head on his shoulder where he could more easily access her hair.
Gabriel weaves his fingers through her hair, putting his other arm around her, and calmly sits.
Cage pulls a Popsicle from the freezer. "Mik, you wanna play some video game with me?"
"Sure! I love playing video games with you." Miki crammed the rest of her pizza into her mouth and put her plate in the sink. She glanced at Silver and Gabriel's now-cold pizza and rolled her eyes. She brought the plates over to them and stood, watching them as they sat on the couch. Silver was leaned into Gabriel, his hand tangled in her hair, and her eyes drifting shut.
"There's food." Miki said, setting the plates down.
Gabriel looks up at Miki, though she can't see his face.
Thank you.
Cage heads upstairs with a jog. "OKAY. I'll see you up there."
(We might do a short time skip of like thirty minutes to when Ben and Vi get back)
(sure that works)
Silver nodded sleepily at Miki and took a piece of pizza, successfully eating half of it before she fell asleep on Gabe's shoulder and her hand dropped into her lap, still holding her crust.
Miki raced up the stairs after Cage and plopped onto Gabriel's bed in the boys' room. "What're we playing?"
