Part of it, the part that Gabriel was staunchly not admitting to himself, was that he didn't want to be alone. The sandstorm had separated them from the others, so he couldn't even pester his brothers, and after even a month of having them he'd realised--he was tired of being alone.
And Re-l was better than no one at all.
Except that she specifically wanted to be alone. Gabriel let out a long 'hmmmmmm', rolling his eyes upward in exaggerated thought. It was a cover, all a cover, while he thought seriously to weigh up his desire not to be alone and his good will toward giving her what she wanted. If not for the utter, exhausted sincerity of her plea, it wouldn't be nearly so difficult.
Finally he sighed and gave her a crooked smile. "What the Hell; I'm lousy at resisting a pretty lady. But I do think we should stick together, for my sake if not yours. So I'll just be over there, out of sight until you're ready to move on." He jerked his head toward another bunch of rocks at least a hundred feet away.
no subject
And Re-l was better than no one at all.
Except that she specifically wanted to be alone. Gabriel let out a long 'hmmmmmm', rolling his eyes upward in exaggerated thought. It was a cover, all a cover, while he thought seriously to weigh up his desire not to be alone and his good will toward giving her what she wanted. If not for the utter, exhausted sincerity of her plea, it wouldn't be nearly so difficult.
Finally he sighed and gave her a crooked smile. "What the Hell; I'm lousy at resisting a pretty lady. But I do think we should stick together, for my sake if not yours. So I'll just be over there, out of sight until you're ready to move on." He jerked his head toward another bunch of rocks at least a hundred feet away.