“Okay. Well I’ll see you in a bit.” Ryder says. He hangs up and looks to Gabriel. “Dio is coming to pick us up so we’ve got forty minutes.
Gabriel nods. “Alright.”
Cage beats up a creature, then runs to the next checkpoint. “Miki, come this way! You’re headed the wrong way!”
"Do you need anything?" Silver asked. "Is there anything you need to take with you?"
"What?" Miki cried. "But there's a bunch of stuff over here! And gold! And… Oh." She sighed as she fell in a trap.
Gabriel shakes his head. “No? I can’t think of anything.”
“Take your attic animals.” Cage demands from the couch. “Wait, where are you going?” He pauses the game and turns around. “Are you running away??”
Silver raised an eyebrow at Cage. "Obviously. They're running away to Dio's. Gabriel needs a break from… everything."
Miki nodded in agreement with Cage. "Yes. Take your animals and put them in Dio's attic. He'll never notice."
“He would notice, actually.” Ryder corrects. “Cause the attic just happens to be his bedroom.”
Cage squints. “Weeeird. Welp, I’ll see you when you get back.” He turns back around and leans back into the couch, resuming the game.
Miki frowned at Ryder. "He lives in the attic? Is he an animal?"
Silver sighed and propped her head on Gabriel's chest. "Next time I'm coming with you."
Gabriel gives a small, quiet chuckle. He looks over to Miki, a little worried.
Is everybody weird when they drink? Ryder is always fine when he drinks.
“He is not an animal.” Ryder states. “But he does have a pet. That tall emo that follows him.”
Miki shook herself like the idea repulsed her. "He's not an emu! He's a… vampire thing like Gabriel."
Silver smirked and looked up at him. "Vampire thing?"
Ryder shakes his head. “Never seen him bite, which means he’s not a vampire. Gabriel bites.”
Gabriel turns to glare.
You better not tell another ‘story’.
Miki squinted. "Well, they're still the same breed." She nodded decisively and turned back to the video game.
"Oh!" Silver gasped and grabbed Gabriel's arms again. "That reminds me. Ryder said he kissed you before?"
Gabriel’s eyes widen and he looks back to Ryder.
OH MY WORD WHY.
Ryder chuckles. “Come on, Sil. He’s gonna kill me now.”
Gabriel looks back to Silver. “It’s a lie. It wasn’t a kiss.”
Silver glanced back and forth between them. "Then… what was it? Cuz Ryder was very specific that I wasn't the first person you kissed."
Gabriel glares to Ryder again before looking back to Silver. “An accident. That’s what it was.” He goes to glare at Ryder, but Ryder is invisible.
Hey, don’t try to hide from me. You started this you have to help me out!
Silver continued to squint back and forth, knowing where Ryder was even though she couldn't see him. "Okay… what kind of an accident?" she sighed and shook her head. "Look, guys. I know it happened. I just want to know what happened, okay? I'm not…" she paused. "I'm not mad about it. I just want to know."
"She's gonna be mad." Miki whispered from the couch as she blew up a bunch of bad guys in the game to save Cage.
Ryder chuckles/scoffs.
Ha, not mad?
Gabriel sighs. “Listen, I tripped and happened to fall on him. We were like eight and it was really weird and awkward. I don’t know why he has to boast about it.” He glares at the empty space Ryder occupies.
Ryder shrugs. “Maybe seeing you so irritated makes me feel true joy.”
Silver rolled her eyes and air-smacked the last place she saw Ryder's arm. "That's not even a real kiss! Why did you act like it was a huge thing??" She groaned and turned away from Ryder like she couldn't stand him anymore, and leaned into Gabriel. "That's still kind of gross." she whispered to him.
"Caaaaaaalled it." Miki sang. "She mad, y'all."
Ryder giggles and rubs his arm. “Geeez, I told you it wasn’t a big deal.”
Gabriel sighs, blushing a little. “Well, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Silver looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "I might have you wash your mouth out with soap before I kiss you again, though."
He sighs, borderline exasperated. “Silver, this was over a decade ago.” He protests.
Ryder furrows his brow. “My germs stay around for longer-“ Gabriel elbows him.
“Shut up.”
Silver laughed and hugged him. "I'm just kidding, Gabriel. And I'm sure Ryder had much more harmless germs when he was a kid than he does now." she sent Ryder a glare.
Ryder full on laughs, making Cage jump.
Gabriel gives him another glare.
Do I wanna spend the night at his place???
Dio instructed his driver to stop at the end of the road, as usual, and climbed out, shuffling down the sidewalk. His breath frosted in the cold air and he grumbled under his breath about the temperature. Finally he pulled his phone out and texted Ryder that he was almost there.
Silver glanced up when Ryder's phone chimed. "Is he here?"
Ryder nods, holding his phone in one hand and ruffling Gabriel’s hair with the other hand. “Yeah, let’s go meet him outside. Keep your wings invisible.”
Gabriel nods.
Theyre always invisible? But okay.
Silver hugged Gabriel one more time and then let him go. "Have fun." she said. "And be safe."
Dio stopped at the edge of Ben's property, unsure if it was wise to knock on the door. He hugged himself and stamped his feet, praying Ryder and Gabriel would be out soon.
Gabriel gives Silver a small smile.
I’ll be fine. As crazy as Ryder is, he’s not actually dangerous.
Ryder takes his hand and squeezes it before dragging him outside behind him. The sudden cold air hitting him after stepping out of Ben’s (very very hot) house makes Ryder shiver, but Gabriel doesn’t flinch. He (Gabriel) presses the door closed behind them and turns invisible.
Ryder gives him a glare, starting down the front porch stairs.
I said keep your wings invisible, not your whole body you idiot.
Dio looked up when he heard the door open and shut, but he only saw Ryder. He frowned, concerned, until he saw Ryder turn around and look at something that wasn't there. Ahhh, there he is.
–
Silver dropped onto the couch and watched Miki and Cage play their game. "Who's winning?" she asked.
"Nobody." Miki whispered.
“I’m winning.” Cage corrects firmly. “Or at least I’m claiming that. This game is so confusing.”
Ryder jogs across the yard, still dragging Gabriel, till he’s only a few feet from Dio. He gives him a small smile, “thanks for bringing the driver. It’s not really safe to fly right now, all things considered.”
He motions to the empty space beside him. “I assure you he’s here. Present in mind, just not in body.”
"I thought it was a…" Silver began.
"The game is winning." Miki said. "Against us. Uuggggghhh." she groaned as she died again.
"What are you even trying to do?" Silver asked. "What's the point of this game?"
–
Dio nodded. "Yes. I'd much rather drive you even if the carriage is uncomfortable. Let's go. He's waiting at the end of the road." Dio turned around and lean the way, trotting back up the road as well as he could in all his layered clothing.
Cage shrugs. “Accidentally skipped the intro.”
-
Ryder follows him, waving to the driver once they’re in sight. He shoves Gabriel in before climbing into the carriage himself.
Oh man I hate this thing.
Silver shook her head and rested her cheek on her hand. "I don't understand you two."
"Neither do we." Miki said, resetting her character and trying to catch up to Cage.
Silver glanced over at him. "By the way. She's gonna fall asleep in like 30 minutes and not wake up until tomorrow. Just to warn you."
–
Dio let the Kavi get in the carriage and settle before he climbed up and sat in the leftover space. The driver clucked to the horses and they began the drive back home.