[Gabriel is laughing, not cruelly, never at Alice, but the question and the misunderstanding is possibly the sweetest thing he's ever seen in all his long years. She really is the most precious of creatures, and worth more than all the stars in the heavens and the birds in the trees.
He manages to calm himself down a little, wiping away tears from his eyes and he's still smiling, chuckling softly]
Oh Allie-pie, you are the most wonderful little girl. How about we make some cup-cakes and I'll explain it, hm?
Oh! [She's not sure she understands what she did to make Gabriel laugh or say such a thing. But! She's excited at the idea of spending time with him and making cupcakes!] That sounds splendid!
Yes I'd love to! [Plus, an answer to her question! So, really it's a win win win sort of situation!
[... He's there, with her, grinning from ear to ear.] So, cupcakes and answers. [He holds out his hand to her, heading down to the kitchen]
So... Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered. Allie-pie, you know how sometimes words have more than one meaning, right? Like... enduring? It can either mean something you have to cope with and get through, or something that will last for a long time? Gay is like that. Gay means happy, but... well, to a lot of people it also means men who love other men. Or women who love other women.
[She's holding onto his hand and listening carefully.] So, I'm gay for loving Miss Idris? [There were all sorts of love, it seemed a little silly to label just one a "happy" love. Or well, not happy, apparently?]
[Oh Alice. Gabriel laughs again, knowing he should have been more specific.] Well, that's different. That's familial love. I'm talking about romantic love, sweet-heart. Eros.
So... men who romantically love other men are called gay. Or homosexual. And women who romantically love other women, they're called lesbians.
[They're at the kitchen now, and Gabriel moves to get a bowl out, and some basic ingredients.] What sort of cupcakes are we making? Chocolate-chip? Raspberry ripple? Strawberry jam?
At first they weren't parades. They were marches because they wanted to be acknowledged and be allowed the same rights as everyone else. For a long time, a long long time, they felt that they had to keep it all hidden. So.. they have parades now to show that they are proud to be how they are, and who they are. Do you see?
[This is possibly the strangest conversation he's every had while making cupcakes, but at least Alice is happy and taking it all in. Why parents don't feel they can explain it to their children he just does not know. But humans are very odd creatures, that's one thing he does know.]
Sprinkles? okay! We can do sprinkles! If you can find the sprinkles, that is.
Why did they feel like they had to keep it hidden? If they love someone they love someone! And I'm still not sure why they need they parade. It's not wrong to be proud, but if they were just happy and not so secretive in the beginning they wouldn't need one now... or... well... Why do they still need one if everyone knows?
[Alice blinks. She honestly doesn't understand.]
We've not any! [Oh dear! Did she use all the sprinkles in her cake!?]
Mostly? Because they were frightened. It wasn't something everyone accepted. They thought it was wrong. I don't know why, but that's what it was like. In some places it's not much better, but not everyone is as smart or as understanding as you.
[He reaches forwards, stroking his hand over her hair] I guess the parades are fun too. With dancing and costumes.
No sprinkles? [He looks worried, looking through the kitchen cupboards before shaking his head.] Nope, not a single sweet sprinkle. I guess... Wait! I have an idea!
[And so what if it's silly, Gabriel moves in front of her, fingers limbering up and then press close to her ear, pulling away with a tube of sprinkles. True it's a truck more often done with eggs and money but it works just as well with sugary treats.] We may just be back in business.
Well, no one ever accepts everything at any time. People think I'm far too curious for my own good. [You kinda are, Alice.] But I don't think it's wrong. There must have been some people who didn't care if people didn't like it?
[She blinks and then blushes and smiles as he strokes her hair.] Costumes! [Magic words!] There are costumes?
[And speaking of magic!] Gabriel that's incredible! [She bounces on her toes.]
It's a good thing that I know you're absolutely perfect in every way then, isn't it? A little bit of curiosity never hurt anyone. [He taps her nose, very gently, smiling at her] You've just got to make sure you don't put yourself in danger while getting the answers you want, hm?
[Seriously, is there a cuter kid in the universe? Is there?] There's normally costumes, yes. I don't know if people are putting any together for our little parade, but we can make you one if you want one?
Well, maybe I'll teach you how to do it one day, baby girl. So, those Spinkle cupcakes aren't going to make themselves.
I'm certainly not perfect. [She smiles though.] Well, I don't think I have to worry about danger, not from finding an answer. The answer may be dangerous though.
Oh yes! I think it would be very fun to have a costume! What sort of costumes do they have?
Well, sometimes that's true. But you know, whatever happens, you just have to call for me, and I'll be there, right? [He's serious on that point, pausing in his preparation of the cake ingredients to look at her, and then grins, trying not to be so serious or intense, but he hopes she understands.]
Any costumes they want, really. I've seen a lot of people dressed as pirates and police-officers and angels and devils and all sorts. Do you want one? We can make you one, whatever you like.
[He laughs at her enthusiasm, pushing the mixing bowl towards her] Go on then head chef, give that a good mix.
Of course, you're my guardian angel. [She merely smiles up at him. How many get to say Gabriel the Messenger was your guardian angel and legal guardian?] You'll be the first person I contact.
Oh! Goodness, anything? What about a faerie? Do people dress up as those!
[Alice takes the bowl, mixing the ingredients together. She would so very much like to dress up like a little faerie!]
Good girl. [He grins then, tapping her nose and leaving flower there. And then he draws a long stripe of it down his own nose too, just because he can.] I'll hear you even if you don't say it. Prayers, you know. The whole lot. [Although he can't hear any from Earth anymore. Probably because he's dead down there. Either way...]
Oh, well sometimes they do. But you know, you'd make the best faerie in town. You'd need some pretty special wings, wouldn't you? Not like mine, faeries don't have feathery ones, do they?
[He's trying not to smile, and he's certainly not 'snapped', but Alice does, at the moment, have a pair of iridescent, semi-transparent butterfly wings. They're only an illusion, not physically part of her, but they really look very pretty against the blue of her dress]
That's incredible, Gabriel. You're amazing you know! [She couldn't believe that just by praying he would hear her. It was so splendid of a notion. It was something she took comfort in it.]
Oh faeries have such pretty wings. They have bright colorful wings like a butterfly or a dragonfly! [She shifted and saw in a reflection of the bowl wings. She gasped loudly.] GABRIEL! GABRIEL I HAVE WINGS! [She twirls and the wings flutter.] They're so pretty! Did you do this?
[She was so focused on the wings she couldn't think of the cupcakes.]
[Gabriel is laughing, not cruelly, never at Alice, but the question and the misunderstanding is possibly the sweetest thing he's ever seen in all his long years. She really is the most precious of creatures, and worth more than all the stars in the heavens and the birds in the trees.
He manages to calm himself down a little, wiping away tears from his eyes and he's still smiling, chuckling softly]
Oh Allie-pie, you are the most wonderful little girl. How about we make some cup-cakes and I'll explain it, hm?
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Yes I'd love to! [Plus, an answer to her question! So, really it's a win win win sort of situation!
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[... He's there, with her, grinning from ear to ear.] So, cupcakes and answers. [He holds out his hand to her, heading down to the kitchen]
So... Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered. Allie-pie, you know how sometimes words have more than one meaning, right? Like... enduring? It can either mean something you have to cope with and get through, or something that will last for a long time? Gay is like that. Gay means happy, but... well, to a lot of people it also means men who love other men. Or women who love other women.
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Well, I suppose I'm gay in two ways then!
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So... men who romantically love other men are called gay. Or homosexual. And women who romantically love other women, they're called lesbians.
[They're at the kitchen now, and Gabriel moves to get a bowl out, and some basic ingredients.] What sort of cupcakes are we making? Chocolate-chip? Raspberry ripple? Strawberry jam?
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But... why do they need a parade? There's not a parade for people who just romantically love men and women.
Oh! I know I know I know! Let's make sprinkle cupcakes!
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[This is possibly the strangest conversation he's every had while making cupcakes, but at least Alice is happy and taking it all in. Why parents don't feel they can explain it to their children he just does not know. But humans are very odd creatures, that's one thing he does know.]
Sprinkles? okay! We can do sprinkles! If you can find the sprinkles, that is.
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[Alice blinks. She honestly doesn't understand.]
We've not any! [Oh dear! Did she use all the sprinkles in her cake!?]
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[He reaches forwards, stroking his hand over her hair] I guess the parades are fun too. With dancing and costumes.
No sprinkles? [He looks worried, looking through the kitchen cupboards before shaking his head.] Nope, not a single sweet sprinkle. I guess... Wait! I have an idea!
[And so what if it's silly, Gabriel moves in front of her, fingers limbering up and then press close to her ear, pulling away with a tube of sprinkles. True it's a truck more often done with eggs and money but it works just as well with sugary treats.] We may just be back in business.
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[She blinks and then blushes and smiles as he strokes her hair.] Costumes! [Magic words!] There are costumes?
[And speaking of magic!] Gabriel that's incredible! [She bounces on her toes.]
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[Seriously, is there a cuter kid in the universe? Is there?] There's normally costumes, yes. I don't know if people are putting any together for our little parade, but we can make you one if you want one?
Well, maybe I'll teach you how to do it one day, baby girl. So, those Spinkle cupcakes aren't going to make themselves.
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Oh yes! I think it would be very fun to have a costume! What sort of costumes do they have?
Yes! Yes let's continue with our cupcakes!
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Any costumes they want, really. I've seen a lot of people dressed as pirates and police-officers and angels and devils and all sorts. Do you want one? We can make you one, whatever you like.
[He laughs at her enthusiasm, pushing the mixing bowl towards her] Go on then head chef, give that a good mix.
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Oh! Goodness, anything? What about a faerie? Do people dress up as those!
[Alice takes the bowl, mixing the ingredients together. She would so very much like to dress up like a little faerie!]
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Oh, well sometimes they do. But you know, you'd make the best faerie in town. You'd need some pretty special wings, wouldn't you? Not like mine, faeries don't have feathery ones, do they?
[He's trying not to smile, and he's certainly not 'snapped', but Alice does, at the moment, have a pair of iridescent, semi-transparent butterfly wings. They're only an illusion, not physically part of her, but they really look very pretty against the blue of her dress]
So what comes next, Head Chef?
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Oh faeries have such pretty wings. They have bright colorful wings like a butterfly or a dragonfly! [She shifted and saw in a reflection of the bowl wings. She gasped loudly.] GABRIEL! GABRIEL I HAVE WINGS! [She twirls and the wings flutter.] They're so pretty! Did you do this?
[She was so focused on the wings she couldn't think of the cupcakes.]
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