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What does a space reject, dumped off on the planet with limited memories do when it approaches times that require a more romantic touch in life? Well, he consults people around him; which in this case was at the grocery store. The advice given ranged greatly and was mostly terrible. So terrible in fact that he shook it off and instead just did his own thing.
But why the urge for 'romance'? Well, it was approaching spring time, a certain vibe had begun to crawl up his spine and the shared closeness with Jean had been scratching at the back of his mind in a different way. The physical nature of things was still present but the constant presence together was touching deeper into the soul. The way he knew this was because he was writing it, right then. Sitting in the chair in the room they share, pen and paper, Gabriel struggles to form, and then write, the words that he is trying to express. This results in him having a furrowed brow, eraser between teeth, and notebook upon his knees as he looks not at the paper but beyond it to the wall distant.
*
There was so much to do, but in so little time, there weren't enough hours in the day to complete what she had in mind. Registration for Columbia was complete, her grades submitted, everything was looking on the up and up to the point a little song touched her lips. And a skip. She actually skipped like a child who received a new treat, making her way down the hallway, her arms swinging to a slow as she picks up into a walk..
..and suddenly stops there after. Her own brows furrowed, her jaw clenched as she presses a hand against the door to turn the knob itself ever so slowly, entering into the room not quiet, but as she does, she takes in a breath.. spying Gabriel where he sat.
"What's wrong?"
*
Brow still furrowed, his eyes glance up to Jean when she enters and his head shakes slowly. "I'm trying to think of a way to say 'Makes something dark, bright' but more nice than that." The honest response from Gabriel comes as he chews on the end of the pencil for a few moments longer then he adds, "The best I have come up with is like turning on a light. But that is quite terrible." He looks at the paper, sighs and sets it down with the pencil on the small table, instead turning his focus to Jean. "Everything went well then? All done?"
*
"Hm.." Jean murmurs quietly as she closes the door behind her. Her coat was soon pulled off and draped upon the handle as she makes her way into her personal bathroom, the water soon running and then shut off immediately.
"Try.. 'When there is nothing but shadow, the light..' ..uh.." She was stumped. Now she was stuck thinking about what to say, and when the words don't come, she shrugs her shoulders.
"Yes. Everything is done!" She says happily, finally approaching him to press a kiss to the top of his head. "I start classes in March. I wish you would have come with me, it was.. impressive. And large. And there were so many nice people there.. you would have loved it."
*
Gabriel nods, a bit of hesitation flashing through him but it fades quickly as her elation translates into him as well. "This means we will move to the city?" He asks after a moment, eyes reflecting the torn nature he feels himself. He does like the city, but he also does like the grocery store. The Mansion is rather meh to him, as he is quite simple.
"Here, come, lay down." He motions to the bed, moving to stand up as well and starting to crack his knuckles a bit, a common habit he has when preparing to use his hands; usually to give Jean a back or shoulder massage.
*
"Maybe?" Jean says, a bit uncertain. "I do love this room here.. all of my drawings are around.." There were a few new additions, some most notably of Gabriel sleeping..
But, she does as she was told ultimately, carefully discarding her shoes beneath the bed as she crawls atop of it. "What if we move to the apartment that's next to the grocery store?" She asks, using her arms as pillows to rest her head upon them. "Would that make you happy?"
*
He moves, sliding to sit next to her on the bed and his hands do fall on her shoulders, gently starting to work the muscles there with a kneading action that has been practiced on her and rehearsed over the weeks. "Truly, any place we are together will make me happy. You know I do not need much. Just a place to be. I can always probably find a new store to work at if it would be easier for you." The belief that it is the ideal job for him to work in a grocery store is rather ingrained, never thinking that there may be more for him beyond just that.
*
"Well, I am the same. But I sensed sadness. How can I say that we will move to the city knowing that you'd be sad when you're away from a place you call your own?" Her eyes close as she feels his hands upon her back, her shoulders tensing.. then slow relaxing. "I needed this.." She says quietly. "..do you think that one day, you'd go to school too?"
*
The hesitance is both in his lack of words and his emotions before he responds, "I can barely read and barely write. I do not think going to school is really… something that is going to be feasible for me. I do not think I am stupid." He adds that quickly, knowing the annoyance that he gets when he calls himself such things. "But it may not be the best choice. I am probably meant to just be someone who does, not learns. You are the smart one of us. The brains… I am the uhm… meat."
*
There was a slight roll to the side to halt his massage, her hands gripping his within hers as she kisses her fingers lightly. "I wouldn't reduce yourself to just being the meat, as it were, Gabriel." She smiles slightly. "You have more insight than I do, do you not realize that?"
Though she sighs, her hand reaching out to lightly run her fingers through his hair. "I can teach you. It'll be painful. But you'll learn.."
*
"Let your enemies see you weak in places you are strong. And appear strong in places you are weak." Gabriel quotes back to Jean, where he heard it from is a toss up. It is however, notably, from the Art of War; a book he certainly has not read. "It is alright if I am perceived as simple and unknowing. We know the truth." He looks at their hands, the way she kisses his, then pulls them to his lips to kiss hers as well while entwining them further. "How much of … me .. can you feel?"
*
Wow. Jean had never heard of that one before, nor the speak of it from him. It almost made her wonder just how much he really knew and was hidden from him. "But still.. when you're alone, wouldn't you want to read .. bigger books? I'm.. offering you my knowledge. It's small. But it's something."
And yet, his question gives her a little bit of pause, for her fingers clutch his and her gaze turns away, her brow furrowing as she turns herself inward. She wasn't bothering, she was searching for the piece that they share together, which was everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Almost everything. Except for Him."
*
Leaning forward, Gabriel gently presses his forehead to Jean's, letting his mind fill with images and emotions from the previous night. A little smile on his lips curls as he sees if she can feel all of those memories before he whispers softly. "It would be better for me to learn on my own. To earn that knowledge. I do not want to … take a shortcut."
*
Jean closes her eyes as he presses her forehead against hers, her fingers slowly drawing away from his own to rest upon his cheek as she's filled with those memories. The emotions were enough to draw a smile, and a few tears that wet her cheeks to go along with the slight shake of her head. "I know I just.. I'm being selfish.." She admits. "I just want you to have it all, you know? Is that so bad?"
*
"No, it is not bad at all. It is the same way I want you to have it all. But we cannot do such things. It is cheating." He whispers it quietly, reaching a finger up to brush those tears away with a finger tip. "If we move, to a new place. Can we get a puppy?"
*
"Okay.." Jean says quietly, almost as if she were a child scolded. But who else would she get her rights and wrongs from? Though, a puppy? That.. kind of takes her back. So much so that she leans back to study Gabriel as she continues to wipe away her own tears upon the opposite side of her cheek. "A puppy?" Her brows lift, her lips near pouting. "Yes? I mean.. Yes!"
*
"I mean, I wouldn't mind having someone that I could help take care of too. Besides each other. And you seem like a puppy person. And I saw one in the town and thought it would be nice to have one." Gabriel's shoulders lift a bit as he looks at her with a tilt o fhis head. "A new place to live, a new puppy, a new job, and a new school. A lot of new."
*
Jean just smiles, this was the sweetest thing that someone has ever done for her. And while she doesn't say it, he could definitely feel that it was the case. "I.. it's frightening." Jean admits. "I know I'm only twenty four but I've never been on my own -truly- like this. Living with someone that I love, and.. soon to take care of someone we both will love.." She leans forward, kissing the side of his mouth to draw him into a hug. "Are we ready? Is this too much? What about.. Them?"
*
"I thought maybe this might help keep them at bay. The closer we are, the harder it will be for them to break through, right?" Gabriel responds, nuzzling his face against her cheek gently. "I don't know if it means we're ready, but looking at all the people out there. I don't think any of them are really ready."
*
"That's what it feels like.." Jean admits. "..like she loves you as much as I do. Maybe more." She shrugs her shoulders, then lets out a little sigh, he was right. "We're going to be okay.." She says, almost as if she needed to convince herself of this fact. "Right?"
*
"I think so. I mean, we can handle pretty much anything we face, or have so far?" Gabriel's touch continues, gentle and caressing, soothing with emotion and gesture. "We're pretty strong together."
*
Jean leans in to press a kiss against his cheek, her eyes closing gently as she quietly suppresses the grumble of her tummy. "Oh.." She murmurs, leaning back to give him a slight smile. "That's all I needed to hear.." Though, there was a wonder if he felt how she starved herself, and that almost made her feel a bit alarmed. "Gabriel? If.. you don't mind. I'm kind of hungry now.."
*