Oh. She was just kidding. Gabriel was delighted to see Vanessa had a sense of humor. "Wait.. How is that wound of yours?" she asked so suddenly, Gabriel froze. Thoughts raced in his mind, trying to come up with an excuse. What a fool he felt like, having not thought about this simple thing. He was so used to being around his pack and other werewolves that he had just forgotten about it.
Suddenly, Robyn dropped her mug. Gabriel realized at once what was up... And although he didn't appreciate Robyn making a mess, he did appreciate a mess that got him out of a mess. He grinned at her approvingly when Vanessa was looking the other way. Robyn winked.
"Yeah Robyn, gosh clean that up!" the others said, playing along.
Gabriel took the moment to close the door and jump into the shower.
A few minutes passed... A hot shower. It had been a little while since he had showered at all, but even longer since he had actually had a -hot- shower. He was delighted... It was wonderful. He suddenly felt guilty he had done this before the rest of his pack, so he decided he wouldn't appear delighted once he exited. He would let them shower when they all arrived at the big house... Whatever that even means.
Gabriel thought about the situation, contemplated this whole affair while under the stream of warm water. He had 'saved' Vanessa from being mugged by the bastard-pups, and she had in return saved his life when they came back to beat him up... Then she had offered them some work, and a bit of money... She was the absolutely kindest person Gabriel had ever met, and also the weirdest. Who does this to complete strangers, anyway? And to a gang of hobos, no less. Still... Gabriel could tell she had been through a lot. He would feel it around her. The way she carried itself, it just kind of... Spoke to him. So then she told them about her inherited house outside of town, and the pack had decided to trust Vanessa halfway due to kindness and half because of gratitude owed to her for saving Gabriel, and taking care of him when wounded.
And then there was the fact that Gabriel was starting to realize who she was, what kind of connection they shared... He couldn't quite remember it all, but... This all felt so familiar to him.
She was a lovely person.
-
A few more mintues pass, and Conrad sips his tea quietly, listening to Jaze tell him about a movie he had seen as a kid, way before he was homeless. Thomas was helping Robyn and Vanessa clean up the 'accident'.
"So, Vanessa." Thomas said, approaching her. "I'm sure Gabriel already introduced you to everyone, but I'd like to say hi in person. So hi, nice to meet you." he said and held out his hand to her for a shake (he had made sure to wash his hands before).
"As a group, we really want to thank you, don't we guys?" he continued. Conrad and Jaze looked up, and Robyn rolled her eyes. Conrad spoke next. "Yes, we do... Gabe told us what happened. You were being harassed by some schmucks, and he had stepped in to scare them off, and later they came back to beat him up, so he found his way to your place, where you helped him and nursed him even though it could endanger yourself." he said. Jaze nodded agreeingly. "On behalf of the pack, we thank you, Vanessa. You are a very nice person." said Jaze.
Then, Gabriel came out of the bathroom with the new clothes on and with clean (but not quite dry) hair. The others applauded, teasing him, as he came out. "It feels weird having clean clothes. I don't remember everything being so... Stiff." Gabriel said, smiling at the others. "Hey, you'll make us jealous." Conrad said jokingly.
Gabriel looked at Vanessa. "I'm kidding, of course. I really like these. Thank you for letting me borrow them, and your shower... It's been a while."
After that, the group hung around in Vanessa's living room when nothing special was happening, just chilling with each other, talking, and telling Vanessa about themselves in ways that wouldn't give their secret away.
In the back of his mind, Gabriel was still terrified she'd ask about the wounds again, but he had came up with an excuse. He'd say they still hurt and are sore, and if she wants to see them he will just say it's too sore to life his arm... So that he won't have to show her. Or maybe he could wear fake bandages..? Bah, details...
He caught himself staring at her, and looked away, continuing to talk to the others as if nothing happened. They didn't seem to notice anything either.
Suddenly, Robyn dropped her mug. Gabriel realized at once what was up... And although he didn't appreciate Robyn making a mess, he did appreciate a mess that got him out of a mess. He grinned at her approvingly when Vanessa was looking the other way. Robyn winked.
"Yeah Robyn, gosh clean that up!" the others said, playing along.
Gabriel took the moment to close the door and jump into the shower.
A few minutes passed... A hot shower. It had been a little while since he had showered at all, but even longer since he had actually had a -hot- shower. He was delighted... It was wonderful. He suddenly felt guilty he had done this before the rest of his pack, so he decided he wouldn't appear delighted once he exited. He would let them shower when they all arrived at the big house... Whatever that even means.
Gabriel thought about the situation, contemplated this whole affair while under the stream of warm water. He had 'saved' Vanessa from being mugged by the bastard-pups, and she had in return saved his life when they came back to beat him up... Then she had offered them some work, and a bit of money... She was the absolutely kindest person Gabriel had ever met, and also the weirdest. Who does this to complete strangers, anyway? And to a gang of hobos, no less. Still... Gabriel could tell she had been through a lot. He would feel it around her. The way she carried itself, it just kind of... Spoke to him. So then she told them about her inherited house outside of town, and the pack had decided to trust Vanessa halfway due to kindness and half because of gratitude owed to her for saving Gabriel, and taking care of him when wounded.
And then there was the fact that Gabriel was starting to realize who she was, what kind of connection they shared... He couldn't quite remember it all, but... This all felt so familiar to him.
She was a lovely person.
-
A few more mintues pass, and Conrad sips his tea quietly, listening to Jaze tell him about a movie he had seen as a kid, way before he was homeless. Thomas was helping Robyn and Vanessa clean up the 'accident'.
"So, Vanessa." Thomas said, approaching her. "I'm sure Gabriel already introduced you to everyone, but I'd like to say hi in person. So hi, nice to meet you." he said and held out his hand to her for a shake (he had made sure to wash his hands before).
"As a group, we really want to thank you, don't we guys?" he continued. Conrad and Jaze looked up, and Robyn rolled her eyes. Conrad spoke next. "Yes, we do... Gabe told us what happened. You were being harassed by some schmucks, and he had stepped in to scare them off, and later they came back to beat him up, so he found his way to your place, where you helped him and nursed him even though it could endanger yourself." he said. Jaze nodded agreeingly. "On behalf of the pack, we thank you, Vanessa. You are a very nice person." said Jaze.
Then, Gabriel came out of the bathroom with the new clothes on and with clean (but not quite dry) hair. The others applauded, teasing him, as he came out. "It feels weird having clean clothes. I don't remember everything being so... Stiff." Gabriel said, smiling at the others. "Hey, you'll make us jealous." Conrad said jokingly.
Gabriel looked at Vanessa. "I'm kidding, of course. I really like these. Thank you for letting me borrow them, and your shower... It's been a while."
After that, the group hung around in Vanessa's living room when nothing special was happening, just chilling with each other, talking, and telling Vanessa about themselves in ways that wouldn't give their secret away.
In the back of his mind, Gabriel was still terrified she'd ask about the wounds again, but he had came up with an excuse. He'd say they still hurt and are sore, and if she wants to see them he will just say it's too sore to life his arm... So that he won't have to show her. Or maybe he could wear fake bandages..? Bah, details...
He caught himself staring at her, and looked away, continuing to talk to the others as if nothing happened. They didn't seem to notice anything either.