Miki squinted at the screen. "I didn't see any. You have to tell me when there's a weapon. I can't see them."
Silver wrapped her arms around Gabriel, resting her cheek on his chest. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble."
–
Dio's phone chimed and he set down his book to pick it up. With a sigh he answered it. "Yes, Ryder?"
Cage sighs. “One to your right, Mik. That huge gun.”
Gabriel kisses the top of her head. “You didn’t. Don’t worry about it.”
“Eyyy, can you pick me up please? I’m bringing Vamp back with me and he can’t fly. His wings are… less than great right now? Not to mention some medical conditions. He’ll behave I promise.”
"Wait!" Silver gasped and looked up at Gabriel, grabbing his arms. "You never told us why you got shot!"
"That's a gun?" Miki asked, leaning forward. "I thought it was… a dog or something."
–
"Is he alright?" Dio asked, tossing his book aside and crawling out of his chair. He pulled his phone away from his ear and texted his driver to ready the carriage. "Did something happen?"
Oh great.
Gabriel sighs. “Can we talk about it later? Please? I’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Yeeessss?” Ryder answers. “Looks like he was knifed but he hasn’t talked about it. Violet already bandaged everything.”
Cage rolls his eyes. “A gun. Not a dog. There’s a difference.”
Silver grimaced and glanced over his mostly healed wounds. After a minute she nodded. "Okay." she relented reluctantly. "I just…" she rested her forehead on his chest. "It's okay. Be safe."
"Ohhh! I see it now!" Miki walked her character over and picked up the giant gun. "Now we win everything!"
–
"Good." Dio nodded even though Ryder couldn't see him. He struggled into a coat and shuffled out the door and into his carriage. "I'm on my way. It's about a forty minute drive over to Benjamin's since he's on the far side of the city."
“Okay. Well I’ll see you in a bit.” Ryder says. He hangs up and looks to Gabriel. “Dio is coming to pick us up so we’ve got forty minutes.
Gabriel nods. “Alright.”
Cage beats up a creature, then runs to the next checkpoint. “Miki, come this way! You’re headed the wrong way!”
"Do you need anything?" Silver asked. "Is there anything you need to take with you?"
"What?" Miki cried. "But there's a bunch of stuff over here! And gold! And… Oh." She sighed as she fell in a trap.
Gabriel shakes his head. “No? I can’t think of anything.”
“Take your attic animals.” Cage demands from the couch. “Wait, where are you going?” He pauses the game and turns around. “Are you running away??”
Silver raised an eyebrow at Cage. "Obviously. They're running away to Dio's. Gabriel needs a break from… everything."
Miki nodded in agreement with Cage. "Yes. Take your animals and put them in Dio's attic. He'll never notice."
“He would notice, actually.” Ryder corrects. “Cause the attic just happens to be his bedroom.”
Cage squints. “Weeeird. Welp, I’ll see you when you get back.” He turns back around and leans back into the couch, resuming the game.
Miki frowned at Ryder. "He lives in the attic? Is he an animal?"
Silver sighed and propped her head on Gabriel's chest. "Next time I'm coming with you."
Gabriel gives a small, quiet chuckle. He looks over to Miki, a little worried.
Is everybody weird when they drink? Ryder is always fine when he drinks.
“He is not an animal.” Ryder states. “But he does have a pet. That tall emo that follows him.”
Miki shook herself like the idea repulsed her. "He's not an emu! He's a… vampire thing like Gabriel."
Silver smirked and looked up at him. "Vampire thing?"
Ryder shakes his head. “Never seen him bite, which means he’s not a vampire. Gabriel bites.”
Gabriel turns to glare.
You better not tell another ‘story’.
Miki squinted. "Well, they're still the same breed." She nodded decisively and turned back to the video game.
"Oh!" Silver gasped and grabbed Gabriel's arms again. "That reminds me. Ryder said he kissed you before?"
Gabriel’s eyes widen and he looks back to Ryder.
OH MY WORD WHY.
Ryder chuckles. “Come on, Sil. He’s gonna kill me now.”
Gabriel looks back to Silver. “It’s a lie. It wasn’t a kiss.”
Silver glanced back and forth between them. "Then… what was it? Cuz Ryder was very specific that I wasn't the first person you kissed."
Gabriel glares to Ryder again before looking back to Silver. “An accident. That’s what it was.” He goes to glare at Ryder, but Ryder is invisible.
Hey, don’t try to hide from me. You started this you have to help me out!
Silver continued to squint back and forth, knowing where Ryder was even though she couldn't see him. "Okay… what kind of an accident?" she sighed and shook her head. "Look, guys. I know it happened. I just want to know what happened, okay? I'm not…" she paused. "I'm not mad about it. I just want to know."
"She's gonna be mad." Miki whispered from the couch as she blew up a bunch of bad guys in the game to save Cage.
Ryder chuckles/scoffs.
Ha, not mad?
Gabriel sighs. “Listen, I tripped and happened to fall on him. We were like eight and it was really weird and awkward. I don’t know why he has to boast about it.” He glares at the empty space Ryder occupies.
Ryder shrugs. “Maybe seeing you so irritated makes me feel true joy.”
Silver rolled her eyes and air-smacked the last place she saw Ryder's arm. "That's not even a real kiss! Why did you act like it was a huge thing??" She groaned and turned away from Ryder like she couldn't stand him anymore, and leaned into Gabriel. "That's still kind of gross." she whispered to him.
"Caaaaaaalled it." Miki sang. "She mad, y'all."
Ryder giggles and rubs his arm. “Geeez, I told you it wasn’t a big deal.”
Gabriel sighs, blushing a little. “Well, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Silver looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "I might have you wash your mouth out with soap before I kiss you again, though."
He sighs, borderline exasperated. “Silver, this was over a decade ago.” He protests.
Ryder furrows his brow. “My germs stay around for longer-“ Gabriel elbows him.
“Shut up.”
Silver laughed and hugged him. "I'm just kidding, Gabriel. And I'm sure Ryder had much more harmless germs when he was a kid than he does now." she sent Ryder a glare.