Gabriel’s knees hit the forest floor with a dull thud, scraping them with twigs.
He leans forward, trying to take a deep breath, and wheezing. He presses his forehead to the ground, coughing, and wraps his arms around himself, bringing spreading his wings out as far as he could.
BREATHE.
-
Ryder swallows his bite and raises his eyebrows, thinking of a valid answer.
“I forgot i didn’t bring any. Left em at Ben’s place, just thought I’d left em in the attic.”
Gabe.
The thought hit her like a slap and without thinking she bolted toward where she knew he was. "GABRIEL!" Silver screamed. She couldn't tell what had happened or what was wrong but she knew something was terribly wrong and it had to do with Gabe. "GABRIEL!!!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs as she pelted through the forest, flapping her wings to give speed to her strides.
–
Lackey turned away to hide a smile and stepped into the pantry to refill his trail mix bowl. Dio nodded again, shaking his head a bit.
"It's fine, Ryder. I know you Kavi do things that we humans think are strange and don't understand. I don't mind if you don't explain yourself, just don't lie to me. You never wear shoes." he raised his eyebrows and gave Ryder a look.
He gasps, taking in a deep breath, finally getting some air, and coughs again. He closes his eyes, exhausted from fighting for air. He opens them to look over his torn wings, furrowing his brow imagining Silver’s reaction.
it’s okay. I’ll take care of it and she won’t…
He blinks, fighting to keep his eyes open. She won’t… know…
He closes his eyes.
-
Ryders face flushes pink.
Ok, geez. Why you gotta out me like that.
He gives Dio a snarky grin.
“Alright, sure.”
-
Ben picks up his phone, checking for texts, and furrows his brow.
So help me, if Ryder lays a hand on her I’ll-
He puts his phone to his ear, calling Dio.
"GABE!" Silver's voice grew hoarse as she kept running, her side aching from screaming and not stopping to catch her breath. Soon she felt his pain and knew she was close. "Gabriel!!!" she finally paused for a moment and belt over, her abdomen cramping, and tried to determine exactly where he was. She turned and jogged to her left. After a moment she glimpsed him through the trees and broke into a run again. "Gabriel! Gabe, what happened??"
–
Dio finished his tea and set the cup in the sink as his phone rang. He pulled it out to see it was from Ben and answered, "They're both at my house and they're fine." instead of saying hello.
Lackey returned from the pantry and nudged the mango toward Ryder. Just thank your stars he didn't prod you more over that box you brought in the house.
Ryder gives Lackey a glare.
You mention it to him, and I’ll bite you.
He takes the mango, handing it to Kissa.
“Hold this.”
Ben takes a deep breath.
“Ah. Thank goodness. Did they just get there? I’d like Kissa to come home please. I can come pick her up.”
-
Gabriel flinches, barely hearing Silver, although she’s loud. He squints his eyes open, seeing the forest and Silver as a blur.
Oh my word. Why. I was literally avoiding coming home like this because of you.
He swallows.
act like you’re fine. She’ll think you’re fine.
He moves his hands, trying to push himself up, but groans and hits the ground again, to weak to get up.
wow. Definitely don’t look wounded. Great going.
Lackey smirked. You owe me.
Dio nodded. "They've been here for a little bit." he turned to Kissa–or, the empty spot that Lackey said she was in. "Benjamin says he'd like for you to come home. He can come pick you up."
–
Silver stumbled to a stop and dropped to her knees beside him, reaching out to touch him but pausing, unsure how he was hurt. "Gabriel! Gabe, look at me! What happened? Did someone find you? Where are you—oohhhh, Gabriel, your wing is bleeding." she took a deep breath, more to steady herself than him. Carefully she reached out and touched his shoulder. "Gabriel, where else are you hurt? What happened?"
Kissa nods, although he can’t see her. “I can fly.” She states. “I’d rather him not come, since it’s a decent drive and he was attacked last time he was on the road.”
Ryder turns, furrowing his brow.
Attacked? Dude these bad guys are legit. Gotta have some guts to attack Big Guy.
-
Gabriel closes his eyes, not wanting to say anything.
Agh. I don’t even have the strength to turn invisible right now.
He coughs a little more, and reaches his hand out just a little.
Help me sit up.
"Or I can take you." Dio offered, half to Kissa, have to Ben. "She says she'd rather fly, but I can take her back too. She says she doesn't want you to come out because you got attacked last time."
Lackey leaned against the fridge and bit a cashew in half. How can you be a Kavi in this world and not know about Etienne's network. He's scarier than Ben is.
–
"Hey, hey, hey." she crooned, taking his hand and easing him up to a sitting position. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, above his wings, to help support him. "Where else–Gabriel, did you get shot??" Silver's voice rose in a squeak as she saw a wound on his shoulder and the bloody scrapes on his chest. "Gabriel…" she breathed, moving to get a better look at his shoulder. "Gabe, this is a bullet wound!"
He weakly raises a finger to press it to her lips.
“Shh, shh.” He hushes quietly.
He nuzzles his head onto her shoulder, so the bridge of his nose is against her neck, and relaxes.
Im fine.
He puts one arm behind her and the other across her stomach.
This is… nice.
-
Ryder raises his eyebrows.
Im good at keeping to myself and not getting mixed up with nasty people I guess. You can praise me for it if you want.
Kissa narrows her eyes, not too keen on the idea of Dio driving her. “Ry- Ryder will come.” She demands, taking Ryders arm.
Ben nods on the other side of the phone. “Alright. As long as she gets home safe. And I’d rather her not fly alone if she flys.”
"Gabri-" Silver began, and then froze as he snuggled into her. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him, careful to not press on any of his wounds. "Gabriel, we can't… You're bleeding. We need to go home…" she sighed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you too but we need to get you home so Violet can fix you. Then I'll snuggle you. I promise. Come on. You need to get up. Please."
"Silver!" Miki crashed blindly through the woods, trying to follow her sister. "SILVEEEERRRRRR!!!"
–
Lackey rolled his eyes. Good job being clueless, idiot.
"Okay. I'll let you know if she flies or I take her back." he hung up on Ben and turned to fully face Kissa and Ryder. "Well, it's not exactly the smartest idea for you two to fly over the city to get back home, but I know you'll be invisible. Otherwise I'll call my driver and I'll take you back in the carriage."
He sighs, giving her neck a small and gentle kiss.
Just stay here for a sec.
im okay.
-
Ryder glares.
Ha. Rude.
He turns back to Dio. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Thanks anyways. You ready, Kiss?”
He looks down to her and she nods although he can’t see her.
“Sweet. We’ll go then. Uh, bye.”
He gives them a short wave, then turns invisible and walks out the front door with Kissa.
Silver froze, her cheeks rushing pink as she felt his lips touch her. "Gabri–" she sighed again, dropping her head back, even as her stomach twisted a bit and she felt warm all over. "Gabe, no. We can't do this here. You're bleeding and dying and I need to get you home so Violet can fix you." she opened her eyes and stared at the trees above her. Why can't he do this when he's not dying???
Miki stopped and took a deep breath, yelling "SIIIIIIILLLVEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!!!!" at the top of her lungs until her voice cracked and she leaned over, coughing.
Silver jumped and turned around, still holding Gabriel to her. Miki wasn't too far away, but not too close either. She lifted her hand and closed her eyes, reaching out to Miki.
Miki yelped as something invisible grabbed her arm and began to drag her deeper into the forest. "Hey, hey, SILVER THIS BETTER BE YOU. IF THIS ISN'T YOU THEN I'M GONNA KILL YOU. Oh no what if it's one of those bad guys. SILVER, PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS–" she tripped over a stick and face planted on the ground, but the force holding her arm dragged her up and pulled her on. "SILVER THIS IS SO CREEPY–" she stepped around a tree and saw her sister and Gabriel sitting on the ground, Gabriel either snuggling her, or dead. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what happened here? Is he being sweet? Or is he dead?"
–
Dio nodded. "I'll tell Benjamin. Please be safe." he texted Ben, "Kissa and Ryder are flying home."
Gabriel’s breath evens out and he gently rubs her back with his arm behind her.
Lets stay. I don’t wanna go back.
-
Ryder nods, “we’ll be fine!” He reassures before closing the door. He squeezes Kissa’s hand.
“Ah. Talk about awkward. I’m lowkey embarrassed.”
She blinks.
“Lowkey?”
He grins, making eye contact with her and scrunching his nose. “Oh my word, imma teach you so much slang, girl.”
"Help!" Silver cried, beckoning Miki over. She turned back to Gabriel and bit his ear(gently). "Stop doing that! We're going to get you home now!"
Miki squatted beside them, raising one eyebrow and surveying them up and down. "Okay, so he's bleeding in like five places and he weights ten pounds and yet he has you pinned down with… kisses?"
Silver smacked her sister(hard). "Shut up and help me. He won't move."
Gabriel barely opens his eyes, blinking at Miki.
Ack. Leave me be. You ruined it, she was gonna stay.
He locks his hands around Silver.
I don’t wanna goooooooo.
Miki twisted her lips, thinking. "Okay, he's long, but he's not heavy. We should be able to carry him, or at least hold him on either side and help him walk." she poked at Gabriel's leg thoughtfully.
Silver smacked her hand away from him. "Yes, he's long. He's also about four feet taller than both of us. How are we gonna help him walk?"
Miki groaned and threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know! He's your boyfriend! Why didn't you pick someone shorter?"
Gabriel weakly kicks are Miki, missing her although she’s close.
Touch me again and I’ll bite you.
He grits his teeth and brings his legs up closer to him and Sil, along with his wings.
Ouchouchouchouch.
Silver glared at her. "You are the most unhelpful. Heyheyhey," she said to Gabe as he moved and she could feel his pain. "Lay still, babe."
"No, don't lay still! Get up and help us get you home!" Miki huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm gonna go get Ben and tell him y'all are making out in the woods!"
Silver lifted her hand but Miki dodged out of the way befote she got smacked. "You will NO-"
Silver paused as a gentle hissing sound began, preceding tiny drops of rain falling on them in a light drizzle.
Gabe sighs with the mention of Ben and with great effort and very dizzily, pushes himself off of Sil.
He leans forward and gasps quietly, the rain making his cuts burn.
“Fine.” He hisses in a mumble.
"Nononono," Silver gasped, trying to help him without hurting him any more. "Shh, shh, it's okay. Be careful."
"Actually it's 'yesyesyesyes.'" Miki corrected, standing and pushing her wet hair out of her face. "This is what we want."
"Miki, shut up! You literally are not helping at all."
Miki frowned, watching Gabe with her head tipped. "No, but Sil. Why can't you just float him back home?"
Gabriel puts a hand up, “dont. No. Please don’t. I’ll-“ he coughs, and roughly shoved his soggy hair out of his eyes. “I’ll walk.” He puts his hand out for Miki to grab.
“Just… help me stand.”
Miki grabbed his hand and Silver hooked her arm under his and together they gently pull him to his feet.
"Gabe, that's honestly not a bad idea. I can carry you in my arms and keep from dropping you if I use my powers." Silver said.
He shakes his head roughly, still looking at the ground and weakly standing, heavily leaning on Miki.
“I’m fine. I can walk.” He claims.
No, you caaaaan't, Silver thought to herself, but outloud she just said, "Okay. Let's go. But be careful."
Gabriel nods and takes a shaky step forward, his foot twisting and lurching him forward. But he doesn’t fall and uses Miki to keep himself balanced.
“Sorry.” He whispers.
His wings drag behind him as the girls help him on, filling the wounds with dirt and grass, and giving them new scratches from twigs and rocks.