Gabriel Gray - Heroes (way, way pre-canon) - Waysbar Milli

[mm_caz]

The handle of the main door clunks up and down a couple of times, as if someone keeps trying to manipulate it and missing; at last, the door agrees to open and a tall young man with armfuls of heavy cardboard box comes through backwards.

Gabriel has been doing more than just thinking about moving out. He's studied the thick red-bound books with

Comments

[iheartwatches]

To tell the truth, he's not so much nervous of her specifically as of the whole general concept of 'hi I just walked through this door and I do not think it led where I thought it led and also hello clearly non-human regulars how's life in the twilight zone?'. In which situation I'm sure we could forgive anyone for being a little on edge.

Now for a question: would Gabriel Gray, this Gabriel Gray from this place and time and in this place and time, look around to see if she's waving to someone behind him? If it was just a random encounter in the street, probably. But in this instance, the question is not so much is she? as why is she?.

He's slightly reluctant to leave the door to find out -- and anyway, personal space. (Though the narration will leave it up to you, gentle reader, to determine just whose personal space it is he is interested in conserving.) So he doesn't take his left hand away from its fruitless task at the doorhandle.

But that leaves speaking up, or waving back, if he isn't to ignore the girl entirely and lose that chance for-- what? Some answers? Some contact?

Still wary, he lifts his free hand a little in a similar gesture.

[kleinefluegel]

Maybe she likes him because he seems as timid as her, not to mention just as out of place. Where is Heine? Priest? Badou? Any of the others? Maybe this man-- boy-- whatever he is, really-- has misplaced his friends, too. He does look every bit the part of a lost wet dog with a cold, nervous and jittery and worried and all of those things.

Perhaps it's just a desire for normal, human interaction. Not to say that either of them is normal, or entirely human, but surrounded by... whatever it is they're surrounded by, they seem at least a little bit kindred souls.

It is rather unfortunate, Nill notes, that this... person looks rather as if he'd really like to just open the door, please, and slowly back out of this bar. Nill would like to know how she got here in the first place, but, as it seems, neither of their wishes are about to be granted, and she makes a face, biting her lip as she debates stepping out more fully from her hiding spot.

Then he waves back.

The slightest hint of a smile shows-- it's almost obvious that she doesn't get to smile nearly as much as she, perchance, deserves to, and she waves back once more, this time a little less timid about the action.

It's as if she's suddenly made her mind up about the whole ordeal, and resolves to wave in a fashion that would make it seem as if she was beckoning him closer, seemingly inviting him into her little below-the-table cave where it's safe and where other people as uncertain of their surroundings as she is, right now, should be allowed into as well.

With another wave and a flicker of a smile, her as-of-yet body-less floating head disappearing under the table in a rustle of cloth once more. It's in to join the little girl, or nothing, apparently, and Nill waits in grave anticipation, knees tucked up tightly against her front, wondering if her new friend-- here's to hoping-- might join her.

[iheartwatches]

Perhaps it's fortunate that Nill can't speak: if she was to hint to Gabriel that she thinks he looks that much of a wet blanket, he would be terribly annoyed. He usually has far more say over how he looks than to allow that, though then again he's not usually being plucked through time and space.

Now she's retreated back under the table without a word. So what was that all about? There's irritation on the edge of his confusion, and it's probably caused of the confusion as well. It's always so much nicer when the world actually makes sense.

...Maybe she can explain it to him? Or at least attempt to make some sense out of a nonsensical situation; Gabriel wouldn't usually go for the whole teamwork thing, preferring to work things out by himself, but on this occasion he really is coming up blank. So, all right, he'll make his way over to the table, and after another wary glance about he'll crouch down to stare quizzically underneath it. (Though if there's a rabbithole of any kind, he is so not going down it.)

[kleinefluegel]

It isn't as if Nill is in any position to insult someone, let alone call them names. So, perhaps, if the reader were to look a little more closely, they would be able to note that to Nill, such a thing is a compliment.

It means she's not scared of him.

It's rare, when that happens, in someone so young and frail and hurt, past wrongs of supposed greater men clouding her judgment of the world, but when it does, it shines almost beautifully upon those few, lucky chosen.

So perhaps Gabriel isn't used to being plucked through time and space, but one can be certain that even less of the time will the little fourteen year old pluck someone into her inner circle from the big, wide, scary world.

As things stand, the world never makes sense, and Gabriel Gray is merely an anomaly, a stark contrast to the rest of the world which blends into assorted chaos, trying to keep everything clean and neat by the book, standing out enough that Nill decides she likes this shining figure who reminds her a bit of a Mr. Clean in an alternate universe, booky sort of sense, with less earring, less white, less bald, and more sweatervests and clean, if such a thing is possible.

For now, Gabriel, it seems you'll still be working alone. A mute girl never proves to be of much help, no matter which way you turn it. She can't even sign-- Priest never taught her, and life before is fuzzy and frightening and makes her crawl under things like tables just at the thought.

When he approaches-- she can see his shoes; she'd giggle if she could, they look so polished and neat-- she lifts the tablecloth a bit and beckons him inside with one little hand.

[iheartwatches]

You'll have to forgive Gabriel; he can be somewhat oversensitive to insults, even unintentional ones or those which other more secure people would shrug off as a differing opinion. Though, thankfully, even he cannot hear unspoken, unsigned and rather meta examples, and so the world can breathe easy once again.

Whilst we're talking meta, though, he'd appreciate her noticing the shoes. It takes effort to maintain that level of shine.

"...No. I'm not coming under the table." Or did you forget that he's practically built from bricks of dignity?

...

Okay, okay, he likes to think that he's built from bricks of dignity. Not his fault if reality sometimes disagrees; doesn't mean that he has to encourage it to.

Should a clear enough line of sight open up that he can notice her wings, then you can expect the deserved amount of utter astonishment.

[kleinefluegel]

Well, Nill, for one, can be considered very thankful that this man is insecure. She's terrified of most secure men-- Heine and Priest are welcome escapes from this fear, as she knows, by now, that there is no ill-intent. That they're there to help her, save her-- but any other man, she knows Heine would disapprove of.

Seemingly everyone is trying to take advantage of her, according to Heine.

Nill nods again, as if the action should convince him that it is, really, a good idea to come under the table. It's big enough for the two of them. Cozy. Safe.

Her hand comes forward again to wave him in encouragingly, and when it returns to hold the very necessary hole in the tablecloth open for him, then, yes, this hole is indeed large enough for him to see.

If possible, Nill smiles at him. It's sort of a miracle.