(no subject)

[greatcherubim]

When; The most recent grab bag weekend! Sunday night. Backdated.
Rating; PG
Characters; Gabriel and Raphael.
Summary; Gabriel has an apology to make.

Gabriel was exhausted. Sleep tugged at her eyelids, and she felt like her entire body might spontaneously give out underneath her. She had a lot on her mind, though, and trying to sleep only caused her to toss and turn. It was readily apparent that until she gave voice to what was on her mind, she wouldn't be able to lie down.

Dressed in a conservative nightgown, with a robe draped around her to further conceal her modesty, she made her way to Raphael's bedroom and rapped lightly on the door. "Raphael?" she called softly. "It's me. There's something I need to tell you."

Comments

[bedsidemanners]

The blood felt like it froze in Raphael's veins. His face contorted, and some tiny part of him was almost grateful Gabriel's gaze had never moved from the floor. He didn't want her to see his expression, the way he couldn't quite control it.

The way he couldn't quite control anything. No one could. Even her, someone who'd always been so certain, so firm-- he wouldn't let this happen to her, his mind was whirling crazily and he knew it, grabbing her shoulder tight, searching for something to hold.

"Tell me what happened. Tell me and I swear I'll take care of it."

[greatcherubim]

Gabriel started to shake. "It's not..."

He was imagining this to be worse than it was. Gabriel could tell. She felt guilty for making him worry like this, but her voice was small and tiny and it was hard to get the words out.

"It's not that. It's simply that Hatter wasn't the only one to ask kiss me. Lu - Kira kissed me, too."

She felt stupid for admitting it. Stupid for putting herself in the same dumb situation twice. And yet that still wasn't the worst part. It was hard to get the words out.

"I kissed him back."

[bedsidemanners]

"What?"

Raphael stared at her, completely disbelieving. His hand dropped from her shoulder. He'd put almost nothing past Kira-- in fact, if she were anyone else Raphael might have thought Kira was being mild. It was the second part that was an impossibility.

"You're not serious, Gabriel."

[greatcherubim]

Gabriel couldn't bring herself to say anything. The words wouldn't come. They felt stuck, wedged in her throat, and she couldn't speak properly. Abashed, she kept looking at the floor, and let her silence speak for her. There was nothing to say. Anything she could have said would have only felt like an excuse, anyway.

[bedsidemanners]

"He..." Raphael trailed helplessly, at an almost utter loss. Surely he'd forced her into it, she'd never have kissed back of her own inclination. Especially not him. Would she? He swallowed, every moment only making him feel more heavy and awkward.

"That isn't your fault either." The words felt almost hollow this time.