Cage yawns, big and wide. "Hmm? Donuts? What time is it?"
Violet presses her lips together, suppressing a smile. "Alright. Should I check on her?"
Ben sighs as she pushes the blankets off and stands, "You're going to whether I say you should or not."
She stretches before pulling her robe on.
Miki glanced at the clock. "Twelve-thirty. Go back to bed, Cage." she put the bag on top of the fridge and turned to see Silver still staring at her.
"Sil. Hon. I was fine. If anything happened you would have known."
Silver sighed and dragged herself to a barstool, dropping her head in her hands. "Why didn't you leave a note or a text or something? Miki, you were gone all day and we didn't know where you were. No one even saw you leave!"
"Silver, please go back to bed. I'm home now, everything's fine. You don't need to panic now."
Silver slammed her hands down on the counter in fists. "Yes, I do, Miki! I couldn't panic earlier because… because–"
Miki raised an eyebrow. "Because why?"
Cage stares, more awake now, and watches the exchange.
Violet silently exits her bedroom and joins him at the railing. "Miki, Love? You alright?"
Silver dropped her gaze to the counter, digging her nail against the smooth granite. Miki stiffened as Violet spoke above, but she ignored her.
"What's going on, Sil?" she said, her voice low.
"I can't… Miki, I was so worried." she admitted, choking. "Miki, I don't know what I'd do without you. I can't lose you." she pinched the bridge of her nose, pressing her eyes closed. "I feel like I don't have Ben right now and if I don't have Ben then that leaves you and I can't lose both of you."
Violet swallows and steps away from the railing.
She doesn't have Ben? What does she even mean?
She presses a hand against her collarbone, suddenly feeling sick and hurt for some reason.
Just because the man has flaws doesn't mean you can just ditch him-or give up.
She closes her eyes, giving her head a small shake before heading back to her room.
I'm taking this too personally. I'm too tired for this right now, I'm not thinking straight.
Cage blinks down, listening to them.
What about Gabriel?
Well, you have Gabe, Miki thought, but refrained from saying it outloud. "You haven't lost either of us, babe."
Silver groaned. "I know that but… Miki, everyone is like secretly freaking out cuz I'm mad at him right now and you weren't here and I had to hide in the library all day. I needed you. Everyone needed you."
Miki sighed. "Why are you all so weird." She muttered.
Silver glanced up, hearing her remark. "You're the only NORMAL one here, Mik. We need you."
Cage blinks.
I honestly thought if I spoke much she'd bite my head off like she did Ben's….
Violet tries not to listen to the rest of the conversation, pressing the door open and stepping in. She turns the lights off and climbs back into bed, turning on soft music to play quietly to distract her.
Ben stares, one eyebrow raised. "What?"
Miki chewed her lip for a moment, before speaking. "Silver, why don't you go to bed. I know you're upset and stressed over Ben but it's the middle of the night and you need to get some rest before we try to sort this out."
Silver didn't move for several minutes and then silently got up and trudged up the stairs. But instead of going to hers and Miki's room, she opened the door to Ben's old bedroom and crawled onto his empty bed.
Cage lays his head on the railing and sighs. He waits till Silver has closed the door to speak. "Miki? Can I have a donut?"
Gabriel silently moves from the balcony railing near Cage to follow Silver, invisible. He quietly creaks the door open and stares at her.
Miki looked up at him, having forgotten he was there. "Yeah, sure, kid. You can have yours whenever you want." She waved at him to come down and pulled his donut out of the bag.
Silver lay on her side, facing the dark window, arms wrapped around a pillow. Her wings stretched out behind her on the bed, and her cold blue eyes staring at nothing.
Gabriel slowly blinks his violet, sleepy eyes, and closes the door gently before walking to stand in front of her. He sits beside (not on) the bed in front of her and leans his head on the bed.
It's okay.
Cage smiles, tromping down the stairs to sit at a stool. "How was the shop? Did you walk?"
Silver took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. The air swarmed back on her face as if hit something and she blinked herself out of her daze to reach her hand out. Her fingers met Gabriel's face and she tucked her hand around the back of his neck, subconsciously letting out another calmer, more relaxed sigh.
Miki leaned on the counter and crossed her arms. "Yeah. It was nice. Kinda crowded, but it always is." She rubbed her forehead. "How was it here? Was it as bad as Sil said it was?"
Cage shrugs. "I didn't think so. As far as I know everyone was just walking on eggshells around her because of her… outburst this morning. I dunno if that's the right word though. You know, when she yelled at Ben? Yeah, everyone was on edge around her." He's quiet and stares at the counter while talking.
Gabriel softly smiles, placing his hand over hers.
You'll be alright.
Miki grinned ruefully. "So it was that bad." She came around and ruffled his hair. "She's a lot, kid. I grew up with her, remember? Trust me, I know how much me is."
Slowly Silver's eyes filled with tears, all her pent up emotions finally releasing. "Gabriel," she whispered through the knot in her throat. "Why can't we just be normal? I just want to be normal."
Cage shrugs and takes a bite of his donut, swallowing before continuing. "How old was she when she was kidnapped?"
"You can't be, Silver. I wish you could, but wishing does nothing." He slips his hand on her cheek, making her invisible so she could see him as he stared at her with cold, sleepy eyes. "It's not fair, I know. I'm sorry."
Miki silently counted, flicking her fingers. "Twelve? She was gone for like four or five years and she's been back for two years, so twelve, I think." She rolled her eyes. "If I have our ages right to begin with."
She stared at him, taking in his beautiful, pale face, his purple eyes that tore through everything in her. Slowly she traced his lips with her thumb. "This is the best it's ever been for you, isn't it?" She whispered, her tears still soaking the pillow beneath her. "This is the safest you've ever been, right?"
Cage nods, deep in thought. "hm. It's cool she remembers a little, or she remembered you. I doubt if I met anyone from before I was taken that I'd even remember."
Gabriel sets his pointed teeth.
"No." He whispers. "I- I don't know."
Miki nodded. "Yeah. I mean, she almost didn't remember me. She explains it that she doesn't have real memories of before, but she knows about stuff. Like it's just facts and not anything she experienced. But I'll take that over nothing at all."
Silver gently drew her finger from his forehead down the ridge of his nose. After a while she said, "I wouldn't have met you though. If I was still normal. I wouldn't have you." She smiled a little; a tired, barely softening of her mouth, as she stared into his eyes. "You're worth it." She whispered.
Cage nods. “Yeah. Ben remembers a little I think…. and I remember bits and pieces. But nothing much.” He shrugs and takes another bite.
Gabriel blinks, allowing a soft smile to cross his chapped lips.
I’m not worth it, baby. I wish you knew.
The contrast of his dark lashes with his violet eyes looks like that of a painting in the dim starlight streaming from the open window.
Miki ruffled his hair again, but in a more gentle, subconscious way. She wrapped her arm around his neck and rested her chin on his head. "Yeah. I'm kind of glad she doesn't remember much. They wouldn't be good memories anyway. She's better off now, even with all the other junk we have."
Silver traced her fingernail lightly across his skin, touching his eyebrows, his chin. Her eyes were getting heavy but she wasn't done looking at him yet.
He's so beautiful.
"I love you." she breathed.
(Idk what rlly to do with Cage anymore he’s just eating XD)
Gabriel closes his eyes, letting out a small sigh and resting his cheek on the bed. His fluffy hair falls in place around and over his face and as he falls asleep she slowly becomes visible while he stays invisible.
(you're fine. we can skip after this one)
Silver smiled as she slowly turned transparent and then disappeared completely, and she knew he was sleep and she was the visible one now. She gently ran her fingers through his hair until her eyes couldn't stay open any longer and she drifted away into sleep as well.
(skip til morning?)
(OKAY SKIPPING)
Violet finishes buttoning her blouse and heads out of her bedroom, walking down the stairs to start on the cleaning.
Dio is coming tonight, I should at least deep clean the kitchen.
Kissa peeks over the balcony to watch her pull her hair up and start making eggs for everyone before her cleaning spree.
Miki groaned as she woke up to see the sun alright shining through the window. She dragged herself out of bed and jumped in the shower before trudging down to the kitchen to see who else was up.
Silver snuggled deeper into the nest of pillows and blankets she had made around herself, trying to reclaim the bliss of unconsciousness even as her body decided it was done sleeping.
Kissa silently descends the stairs and sits at the island. “Do you think everyone will actually talk to each other today?”
It takes everything in Violet not to sigh, but she doesn’t. “I hope so.”
Gabriel sits on top of the house, perched in the wind, and blinks over the treetops.
"Well," Miki said, opening the fridge. "Apparently Silver thinks me being here will fix everything so…" she pulled out some coffee creamer and poured herself a cup of coffee. "We can hope. But I don't see how I'm supposed to be magically make it better by my presence." she shrugged.
Silver finally blinked her eyes open and rolled over, looking around the room and remembering why she was in Ben's room instead of her own.
Kissa rolls her eyes. “You’ll only make everyone sick with your presence, eck.” She mumbles.
Violet dishes up a large bowlful of scrambled eggs, “it would definitely help to start out the day well, Kiss.” She gently comments, setting the dish on the counter.
Miki made a face at her and stuck her tongue out. "Yeah, better stay away so I don't give you my normal, human cooties." she laughed and wiggled her fingers at Kissa. "I don't think they've made a vaccine for Miki-itis yet."
Silver sat up and extracted herself from the nest, dragging herself out of the bedroom and standing at the railing looking down at everyone and trying to decide if she wanted to be alive yet or not.
Kissa rolls her eyes, mumbling "oh grow up." under her breath as she turns around and heads to the couch.
Ben closes the bedroom door behind him and stretches. He's visibly confused at the sight of Silver, and checks his watch.
? Why am I up so late??? Vi???
He rubs his eyes, trying to wake himself up, and heads down the stairs for a cup of coffee.
Miki laughed and finished doctoring her coffee before helping herself to a serving of eggs. "See? I'm already helping." She caught sight of Silver standing above them and waved the donut bag, now greasy from holding the second donut overnight. "Hey, Sil. I brought you a donut from that shop in town."