@ElderGodSwimwithGamers group
Gabe gave Alex a small smile, keeping his hand on Alex's shoulder.
Gabe gave Alex a small smile, keeping his hand on Alex's shoulder.
Alex swallowed, taking a deep breath. "Thank you." he said softly.
"You're welcome," Gabe said. His hand slipped from Alex's shoulder, but he kept his hand close.
Alex sat down on the bench, looking around the little garden quietly.
Gabe stood for a moment longer, then sat down on the bench. There was a little distance between them. Enough so people won't accuse them of anything.
Alex glanced over at him, and let out a breath. "Thanks for bringing me here." he said softly.
Gabe looked back to Alex when he spoke, smiling.
"You're welcome," he said. He really was enjoying this.
Alex's mouth twitched in a faint, returning smile. He nodded a little bit, looking around the garden.
Gabe looked like he was very relaxed, moving a bit closer to Alex when a loud child ran by again.
Alex flinched, jumping a little bit when the child ran by. His breath caught in his throat, and he shivered.
Gabe lightly put his hand on Alex's leg.
"You think you'll be able to handle people doing that?" he asked.
Alex jumped, eyes widening a little bit as he looked at Gabe. "D-doing…what?"
"Running past, being loud." Gabe watched Alex with soft eyes. He was worried, especially since Alex had reacted like that every time a child had run by.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I-it's just the…the noise, I-I'm not…" he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.
Gabe nodded a little.
"You think you can manage to stay for a bit longer, or do you wanna go back to the apartment?" The one where the ghost was possibly still hanging around.
Alex shook his head. "Can we s-stay here? Just for…for a little bit?" he whispered.
"Of course," Gabe said gently. He stayed close to Alex, giving him a soft smile. "We'll stay as long as you want."
Alex nodded a little bit, closing his eyes for a moment. "Okay. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Gabe said. "You… don't have to stay with me or in the apartment all the time, you know. You could go out on your own if need be." he smiled softly.
Alex shrugged. "I'd get lost." he replied softly.
"I have a lot of connections in this place. Just say you're staying with me and someone will help you out." Gabe smiled at Alex softly.
Alex nodded a little bit. "Oh. Okay." He replied softly.
"I've got your back," Gabe said with a grin.
Alex's lips twitched in a faint smile. "Okay."
Gabe smiled again, relaxing against the back of the bench.
Alex took a deep breath, linking his arms around himself and looking around the garden. Out here in the sunlight, it was all too easy to see how damaged the male really was. That his skin was too pale, his eyes fractured and afraid, his movements trembling and frightened.
Gabe glanced at Alex, smile taking on a sad hint. He'd seen so, so many people like Alex before, but it had never bothered him this much. It had always bothered him, but now it did even more. Still, Gabe knew this would be a long process. He left his hand on the bench between them, there for Alex.
Alex knew better than to reach out and grab at Gabe's hand. Maybe in the privacy of Gabe's apartment he could have done that, but not here. Not in public, where anyone could have seen.
Gabe looked over at Alex again. He knew it must be hard for him, being a sodomite in this world. He wished it wasn't, but it was. People just couldn't handle others giving in to temptation. Maybe the world would change someday, but for now… they'd have to wait. Alex will have to wait, Gabe corrected himself.
"You doing better?"
Alex shrugged his shoulders a little bit, his arms still wound around himself. "I-I don't know…" he replied softly. "I guess that depends on what you m-mean by better…."
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