Gabriel keeps his arm around her, looking around at the rest of the hall with a measured amount of distrust. He hasn't even met all these people, he thinks.
He really isn't more paranoid than he used to be, but he certainly is displaying it more.
She coughs quietly, smiling once and nervously at a very small girl who stares at her for a while before returning to her coloring. Then she tugs down the tarp after hooking her backpack over one shoulder and begins folding it. This soaks her entire front pretty effectively, but she doesn't really mind.
When that's taken care of, she takes Gabriel's hand and starts leading him in the direction of the cots.
"We should find somewhere to sleep, first," she suggests.
He lets her lead, following behind. "All right. I don't think I'm going to be sleepy for awhile. Maybe they have towels somewhere for you." He looks back and forth around the room, trying to take in every detail of it.
"I'll dry, don't worry." She moves purposefully, to the cots, and then draws herself up short.
There is simply no way he'll fit on just one of them, and pushing two end to endwould be uncomfortable and flimsy- but there's the benches to the side, and maybe if they can find a few blankets or pad them or something that might work.
It does occur to her they were both sleeping on floors not too long ago. Benches are a step up. She runs a hand through her hair, tucking the tarp under one arm.
"All right, so...I don't suppose you brought any blankets or anything? I have one, but...I guess I should've thought ahead a little better."
"Oh." Oops. "No, I should have. I didn't think about it." He hadn't expected them to be here very long, although maybe he should have. "But I'll be fine. I wouldn't fit on these anyway. I'll find some place when I get tired, don't worry about me."
The thing he's really not looking forward to is having Madeline there to put his arms around. He figures he'll just curl up near wherever she is, when he is finally hit with the need to sleep. It should have about the same effect, right?
Madeline giggles nervously, putting a hand over her mouth. She even elbows him, gently, putting all mineralwetpenny tastes and sounds out of her mind for now.
"We, ah, we...clearly need handlers or something." She smiles up at him. "We're hopeless. I'll track something down, I mean, there's got to be something around here we can use as a bed, right?"
As things occasionally do, it hasn't occurred to Madeline they might be split up. Sharing a bed with Gabriel (not always sleeping) has become a habit, by now, like a cup of coffee in the morning used to be.
He seems rather surprised at her decision there- she'd be fine in one of the cots. "Hmmm, maybe. If the cots are more comfortable, though, you should take one of them."
There doesn't appear to be much, although he does find a large heavy wool blanket. Folded once, it still has enough room for both of them. He takes up a large section of the floor with it and considers whether it's a good possibility.
She sets the tarp and her backpack down next to the blanket and sits on it experimentally. It's not outrageously comfortable, but it's better than the floor, and she toes off her sneakers to stretch out on it, putting her hands under her head and staring up at the ceiling.
"This'll work," she says, closing her eyes for a while. "I think."
"We'll see how long the storm goes for." She rolls onto her side, opening her eyes to look up at him and keeping one hand under her head. The other helps draw her knees up. "Are you okay? With this?"
"Nothing," she admits, "Or...well, we could've stayed home, but that didn't seem like a good idea...I just, I don't know, you seem a little uncomfortable and...did I pressure you into coming? I think I might've, and..." She sits up, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"I just want to make sure you're okay, that's all."
"Madeline." It's the same stern voice he uses when he thinks she's being unnecessarily worried. "You said that you were worried, that something didn't feel right. I'm inclined to trust that." He puts his hand over hers and nods. "It's okay."
She smiles faintly, tucking her hair behind her ear (passing her hand across her face to do it; must be coincidental that her fingers brush over that particular spot on the bridge of her nose).
"Thank you." She chews on her lip, and holds the kind of steady eye contact she's never been very good at. "You're a good friend, Gabriel."
"If you say so," he says, a very slight smile on his lips.
But it's not long before the stern expression appears again. "Let me know things are feeling worse or better, all right?" The fact that this is a question is an indication he's making progress in some direction or other.
The hail made her clutch her new backpack to her chest, wincing and shivering under the tarp they'd brought on this trip for themselves, this time.
Once they're inside, she stays closely pressed to Gabriel's side, but breathes easier. It's better with the door closed behind them.
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He really isn't more paranoid than he used to be, but he certainly is displaying it more.
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When that's taken care of, she takes Gabriel's hand and starts leading him in the direction of the cots.
"We should find somewhere to sleep, first," she suggests.
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There is simply no way he'll fit on just one of them, and pushing two end to endwould be uncomfortable and flimsy- but there's the benches to the side, and maybe if they can find a few blankets or pad them or something that might work.
It does occur to her they were both sleeping on floors not too long ago. Benches are a step up. She runs a hand through her hair, tucking the tarp under one arm.
"All right, so...I don't suppose you brought any blankets or anything? I have one, but...I guess I should've thought ahead a little better."
Reply
The thing he's really not looking forward to is having Madeline there to put his arms around. He figures he'll just curl up near wherever she is, when he is finally hit with the need to sleep. It should have about the same effect, right?
Reply
"We, ah, we...clearly need handlers or something." She smiles up at him. "We're hopeless. I'll track something down, I mean, there's got to be something around here we can use as a bed, right?"
As things occasionally do, it hasn't occurred to Madeline they might be split up. Sharing a bed with Gabriel (not always sleeping) has become a habit, by now, like a cup of coffee in the morning used to be.
Reply
There doesn't appear to be much, although he does find a large heavy wool blanket. Folded once, it still has enough room for both of them. He takes up a large section of the floor with it and considers whether it's a good possibility.
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"This'll work," she says, closing her eyes for a while. "I think."
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"I just want to make sure you're okay, that's all."
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"Thank you." She chews on her lip, and holds the kind of steady eye contact she's never been very good at. "You're a good friend, Gabriel."
Reply
But it's not long before the stern expression appears again. "Let me know things are feeling worse or better, all right?" The fact that this is a question is an indication he's making progress in some direction or other.
Reply
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