fromabovetheclouds

[fromabovetheclouds]

There was an immediate sense of relief as Lenora gave Gabriel an out from all the questions about his personal life. She must've realized she was making him nervous—she was good at reading people like that—but he sensed she wasn't entirely correct about why exactly. That didn't matter. He was more than happy to play along, and let the subject lie for the time being.

"Haha, thank you. Yeah, I guess I'm a bit *too* focused on my career right now," he replied, a hand scratching at the back of his head, lips curling into a sheepish smile. "But don't worry. My coach and my teammates are there to look after me. I'll be okay."

He was surprised at how quickly he'd finished his burger. He supposed it had been a while since he'd had something truly tasty for lunch, and he had been pretty hungry. Speaking of, he still felt like he had room for more. "So, since I don't imagine I'm going to get another chance to pay for lunch anytime soon, how are you feeling about some desert?"

---

Given Lenora wasn't to keen on driving, Gabriel felt it was only courteous that he'd offer to cab along with her. After all, their homes were in the same general direction and neither of them was in great condition for long walks for the time being. He guided the driver to the entrance of his apartment building, giving Lenora a final hug before climbing out.

"I'm really glad we got to meet today," he said, earnestly. "And I'm really glad to hear you're okay. Please, don't hesitate to call me if you ever need help."

For the time being, that was as close as Gabriel was going to get to asking Lenora to hang out again soon. Even after everything that had happened, he was still afraid of coming off as too pushy. He climbed out of the car and walked into his apartment's lobby, not even realizing as his phone slipped out of his jacket's pocket and fell on the car seat.

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Man, she was really digging into him with this, wasn’t she? Gabriel squirmed uncomfortably in his chair—something that could’ve easily been mistaken as embarassment upon being asked about a significant other—at the question.

How was he supposed to explain to Lenora that he didn’t do anything except for training? That he didn’t go out except to the gym? That he’d been living at his apartment for five years now, and still slept on a mattress on the floor in a pretty much barren room?

So far, he’d managed to at least partly conceal how much of a mess he was. He would’ve like to maintain the illusion for a bit longer.

“Well, most of the friends I have I met through the gym, so they’re still training while I’m resting up. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to see each other a lot lately.” That was stretching it: While Gabriel’s gym-mates were all nice and friendly to him, their relationship was more akin to coworkers or familiar acquaintances than friends, and that was with the ones that didn’t hate his guts. “As for a significant other, I don’t… I haven’t really thought about it yet. I guess I’ve just been too busy.”

Oops. Was she making him uncomfortable?

“Hey, hey. No big deal. I’m just being nosy,” Lenora assured him, reaching for her own plate of food. “I was totally like that, too. Threw myself into my studies and all that. And there’s no rush in finding someone – if you even want someone! You’ve got plenty of time. Just don’t forget to have fun sometimes, too.”

#v; face the wind #thislovelylady‌

[fromabovetheclouds]

Man, she was really digging into him with this, wasn't she? Gabriel squirmed uncomfortably in his chair—something that could've easily been mistaken as embarassment upon being asked about a significant other—at the question.

How was he supposed to explain to Lenora that he didn't do anything except for training? That he didn't go out except to the gym? That he'd been living at his apartment for five years now, and still slept on a mattress on the floor in a pretty much barren room?

So far, he'd managed to at least partly conceal how much of a mess he was. He would've like to maintain the illusion for a bit longer.

"Well, most of the friends I have I met through the gym, so they're still training while I'm resting up. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to see each other a lot lately." That was stretching it: While Gabriel's gym-mates were all nice and friendly to him, their relationship was more akin to coworkers or familiar acquaintances than friends, and that was with the ones that didn't hate his guts. "As for a significant other, I don't... I haven't really thought about it yet. I guess I've just been too busy."

fromabovetheclouds‌:

That was fair enough. Gabriel really wasn’t sure how he would’ve handled the sight of a seriously injured Lenora. Not well, he imagined: He had a hard enough time just getting himself to picture such a thing.

“Oh, you really shouldn’t worry about not attending my fights! I always appreciate if you can make it, but I wouldn’t be upset if something got in your way,” he said. And he meant it! He hadn’t resented Lenora or Phoenix for not being there to cheer him on, he’d just been sad at the idea they’d been avoiding him. Now that the matter had been cleared up, he felt sort of silly for having thought such a thing in the first place.

He thanked the waitress as she placed his plate in front of him, not waiting for long before digging into the burger. He hadn’t realized it until he’d smelled the food, but he’d been starving! He took a big bite out of it while listening to Lenora talk about the court procedures.

“Ah, that’s right. I forgot Mr. Wright was a defense attorney,” he said with a smile, wiping his lips with a napkin before continuing. “I vaguely remember Mr. Miles from the wedding. We didn’t talk, but he struck me as being a little bit… Intimidating? In retrospect, he seems well suited to be a prosecutor.”

Oh boy. That was just about the most innocuous question Lenora could’ve asked, and Gabriel was completely unprepared for it. What had he been up to? What did he ever do, other than training and bargain shopping? Was he ready to admit to Lenora he was an antisocial loser yet?

“Not much. Still working really hard, focusing on my career…” He said, giving the most noncommittal non-answer he could think of before taking a sip from his drink, trying to come up with something to say. “I’ve, uh, been trying to learn how to cook omelettes. And I’ve been thinking about decorating my apartment, since I’m not training right now…”

Intimidating. Yeah, Lenora could get how that came off.

“Miles is just socially awkward,” she giggled. “Very serious. But just as passionate about law as my husband is. And a total Steel Samurai fanboy, although that’s not common knowledge,” she added in a low voice, grinning.

Oh, right. He totally lived alone, didn’t he?

“Oh? What about friends and stuff? No significant other?” she teased, very much like the Mom she was. 

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind #Gabriel: oh god is this what it's like to have parents with expectations #Gabriel: I'm not ready for this

[fromabovetheclouds]

That was fair enough. Gabriel really wasn't sure how he would've handled the sight of a seriously injured Lenora. Not well, he imagined: He had a hard enough time just getting himself to picture such a thing.

"Oh, you really shouldn't worry about not attending my fights! I always appreciate if you can make it, but I wouldn't be upset if something got in your way," he said. And he meant it! He hadn't resented Lenora or Phoenix for not being there to cheer him on, he'd just been sad at the idea they'd been avoiding him. Now that the matter had been cleared up, he felt sort of silly for having thought such a thing in the first place.

He thanked the waitress as she placed his plate in front of him, not waiting for long before digging into the burger. He hadn't realized it until he'd smelled the food, but he'd been starving! He took a big bite out of it while listening to Lenora talk about the court procedures.

"Ah, that's right. I forgot Mr. Wright was a defense attorney," he said with a smile, wiping his lips with a napkin before continuing. "I vaguely remember Mr. Miles from the wedding. We didn't talk, but he struck me as being a little bit... Intimidating? In retrospect, he seems well suited to be a prosecutor."

Oh boy. That was just about the most innocuous question Lenora could've asked, and Gabriel was completely unprepared for it. What had he been up to? What did he ever do, other than training and bargain shopping? Was he ready to admit to Lenora he was an antisocial loser yet?

"Not much. Still working really hard, focusing on my career..." He said, giving the most noncommittal non-answer he could think of before taking a sip from his drink, trying to come up with something to say. "I've, uh, been trying to learn how to cook omelettes. And I've been thinking about decorating my apartment, since I'm not training right now..."

fromabovetheclouds‌:

There was no describing the expression of absolute astonishment on Gabriel’s face. The idea that Lenora, the mother of three who’d taken to coddling him from pretty much the moment they’d met—all while knowing nothing about him other than that he was a criminal—could make an “enemy” bitter enough that they’d try to kill her seemed absolutely ludicrous. He almost wanted to ask her if he was being filmed for some sort of gag. This was all too wild to be true.

“Oh, Miss Love…” his brow furrowed, and in a rather uncharacteristic move for Gabriel, he reached forth to put his hand over Lenora’s. “I’m very sorry. I wish I could’ve been there for you during your recovery. I understand you and Mr. Wright had good reasons to keep things secret the way you did, but still, I would’ve wanted to help…”

Although he said that, Gabriel wasn’t sure how he could’ve helped. It wasn’t like there was a lot he could’ve offered Lenora save for get-well-soon cards and fancy flower arrangements. He wasn’t some sort of magical healing shaman, and in a way he was the complete opposite of that. Now if he could’ve just gotten his hands on that woman and her boyfriend, on the other hand…

He shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts out. No, he’d made that mistake once already. That wasn’t the sort of person he was anymore.

“It figures Mr. Wright would be the one to lock them up for good,” he said with a smile. “I got to meet some of his clients at your wedding, and I was stunned at some of their stories. My case sounds like small potatoes, compared to the ones he usually takes on!”

Gabriel was so sweet. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and shook her head, “I didn’t want anyone to see me the way I was. I was pretty messed up.” She still sorta was. “But thank you. I’m glad I was able to explain why we weren’t attending your last fights. I felt so bad!”

The waitress returned with their ordered drinks, then went off again. Moving to take a skip from hers, she added, “And technically he didn’t put them in jail. That’s for prosecutors to do. But his friend Miles – he was at the wedding too, the best man? – allowed him to stand and glare at the prosecutor’s bench. I wish I could’ve been there to see it! Phoenix kept wanting to point out contradictions before Miles could get a word in edgewise.”

She grinned at the thought. If only they had filmed the trial!

“And hey. If you were convicted, it would’ve made your life harder. Your verdict wouldn’t have been a death sentence for you, but it would’ve been for your career. So the stakes were still pretty high, I’d say.”

She sipped at the drink through her straw.

“–Anyway. On to happier things,” she gave a dismissive little hand wave. “What have you been up to?”

#thislovelylady‌ #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

There was no describing the expression of absolute astonishment on Gabriel's face. The idea that Lenora, the mother of three who'd taken to coddling him from pretty much the moment they'd met—all while knowing nothing about him other than that he was a criminal—could make an "enemy" bitter enough that they'd try to kill her seemed absolutely ludicrous. He almost wanted to ask her if he was being filmed for some sort of gag. This was all too wild to be true.

"Oh, Miss Love..." his brow furrowed, and in a rather uncharacteristic move for Gabriel, he reached forth to put his hand over Lenora's. "I'm very sorry. I wish I could've been there for you during your recovery. I understand you and Mr. Wright had good reasons to keep things secret the way you did, but still, I would've wanted to help..."

Although he said that, Gabriel wasn't sure how he could've helped. It wasn't like there was a lot he could've offered Lenora save for get-well-soon cards and fancy flower arrangements. He wasn't some sort of magical healing shaman, and in a way he was the complete opposite of that. Now if he could've just gotten his hands on that woman and her boyfriend, on the other hand...

He shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts out. No, he'd made that mistake once already. That wasn't the sort of person he was anymore.

"It figures Mr. Wright would be the one to lock them up for good," he said with a smile. "I got to meet some of his clients at your wedding, and I was stunned at some of their stories. My case sounds like small potatoes, compared to the ones he usually takes on!"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Ah, of course. Gabriel had been so excited for getting to talk to Lenora again that he’d even forgotten they’d come here to get lunch. Once the waiter came over, he ordered a cheesburguer and some fries for himself, happy he could finally eat some normal-people food. Two weeks later, he’d be back on weight control, so he ought to enjoy it while he could.

A surge of panic tingled down his spine at the mention of a car accident. Gabriel wasn’t sure why: He could clearly see Lenora was safe and well, she was sitting right in front of him, and if the pictures he’d seen were anything to go by, Isabella had come out of it just fine too. He wouldn’t even have noticed the scar if she hadn’t pointed it out, but still…

That was just way too scary.

“Miss Love, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know-” he stopped himself. How could he have known? What a stupid thing to apologize for. “Is everything better now? What happened?”

“Yes, everything’s better now. As for how…” She debated over telling him the whole truth for a few seconds. But he was smart. If he did a bit of digging, he could probably figure it out. She sighed and stirred her complimentary water cup with its little straw. “Well. Short version is that I made an enemy several years ago. A colleague who was jealous of my getting a promotion over her, and tried to frame me for murder as a result. Clearly, I wasn’t convicted. She was. But she got out of jail through some stupid loophole, and plotted with her boyfriend to get revenge.” She made a face, then chuckled and shook her head. “It sounds so dramatic. I mean, I guess it was, but – basically, I didn’t know the boyfriend. He drugged my drink while I was out, just before I got into my car. And, well – I’m fortunate I didn’t kill anyone when I blacked out on the road.”

Even if it wasn’t her fault, she would’ve been devastated. She realized now that she was staring at the table. Looking up, she smiled and added, “Don’t worry, though. Phoenix got them both convicted, with no chance of ever getting out. So it all turned out right in the end!”

#v; face the wind #thislovelylady

[fromabovetheclouds]

Ah, of course. Gabriel had been so excited for getting to talk to Lenora again that he'd even forgotten they'd come here to get lunch. Once the waiter came over, he ordered a cheesburguer and some fries for himself, happy he could finally eat some normal-people food. Two weeks later, he'd be back on weight control, so he ought to enjoy it while he could.

A surge of panic tingled down his spine at the mention of a car accident. Gabriel wasn't sure why: He could clearly see Lenora was safe and well, she was sitting right in front of him, and if the pictures he'd seen were anything to go by, Isabella had come out of it just fine too. He wouldn't even have noticed the scar if she hadn't pointed it out, but still...

That was just way too scary.

"Miss Love, I'm so sorry. I didn't know-" he stopped himself. How could he have known? What a stupid thing to apologize for. "Is everything better now? What happened?"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Gabriel hadn’t been expecting a hug, but it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise. Lenora was soft and warm, and he appreciated the physical contact even when he was too shy to ask for it himself. Besides, it was nice being embraced by someone who wasn’t trying to choke him out for a change.

“Oh, I- I probably won’t be fighting as soon as next month,” he said, sounding somewhat apologetic, even though he knew Lenora didn’t mind and he had no reason to feel sorry. “I had my last fight less than a week ago, and I’m still taking time to heal. I’m not even allowed near the gym for the next few days…”

It wasn’t a bad rhythm for an up-and-coming fighter, especially one that was actually going after the best competition he could find like Gabriel was. Three fights a year was about as good as he was going to get without seriously compromising his health. Or, well, compromising it more than fighting inherently required.

“I won my last two fights pretty convincingly, and my trainer says we might be able to find me a title bout as early as next year,” he smiled. “And you don’t have to come watch when that happens, but if you’d like… Well, I’ll save seats for you and Mr. Wright, yes?”

There was a twinkle in his eyes at the mention of Isabella. Gabriel hadn’t met the child yet, but he’d heard of her birth and seen the pictures posted to social media. She looked like a little ray of sunshine, and even as a baby so similar to her father that it was eerie. It was the eyebrows, he was convinced.

“How is Isabella doing?” He asked. “And how are you doing? After her birth. Are you recovering okay?”

“Oh! Yes, of course! Things should calm down by then. I’d love to see you go for a title!” Although the last times she did witness his fights, she was so tense and practically tearing off poor Phoenix’s arm every time Gabriel got hit. He was so sweet! Who could hurt him?!

“I am glad you’re recovering, though. And…well, Isabella’s wonderful. Healthy. Clever. Already super talkative. Very prone to crying, though. Especially if she wants her Daddy and he’s off at work.” Was it fair to start this conversation before they even ordered their food? She decided no. “As far as my recovery – uh, let’s order our stuff first.”

She waved down a waiter and they gave their orders. Then she settled back into her chair.

“So, Phoenix and I decided not to get everyone worried about it because everything turned out okay. But I was actually in a car accident two weeks before Isabella was due. A bad one.” She pointed out the faded scar on her cheek. “I’m lucky this is all I have to show for it. My leg was broken so it took me two months to recover from that. Plus I’ve been shaky about driving and being out of the house in general since then. This is only like the sixth time I’ve been out of the house since we got out of the hospital.”

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

Ah, of course. Gabriel had been so excited for getting to talk to Lenora again that he'd even forgotten they'd come here to get lunch. Once the waiter came over, he ordered a cheesburguer and some fries for himself, happy he could finally eat some normal-people food. Two weeks later, he'd be back on weight control, so he ought to enjoy it while he could.

A surge of panic tingled down his spine at the mention of a car accident. Gabriel wasn't sure why: He could clearly see Lenora was safe and well, she was sitting right in front of him, and if the pictures he'd seen were anything to go by, Isabella had come out of it just fine too. He wouldn't even have noticed the scar if she hadn't pointed it out, but still...

That was just way too scary.

"Miss Love, I'm so sorry. I didn't know-" he stopped himself. How could he have known? What a stupid thing to apologize for. "Is everything better now? What happened?"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Gabriel hadn’t been expecting a hug, but it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise. Lenora was soft and warm, and he appreciated the physical contact even when he was too shy to ask for it himself. Besides, it was nice being embraced by someone who wasn’t trying to choke him out for a change.

“Oh, I- I probably won’t be fighting as soon as next month,” he said, sounding somewhat apologetic, even though he knew Lenora didn’t mind and he had no reason to feel sorry. “I had my last fight less than a week ago, and I’m still taking time to heal. I’m not even allowed near the gym for the next few days…”

It wasn’t a bad rhythm for an up-and-coming fighter, especially one that was actually going after the best competition he could find like Gabriel was. Three fights a year was about as good as he was going to get without seriously compromising his health. Or, well, compromising it more than fighting inherently required.

“I won my last two fights pretty convincingly, and my trainer says we might be able to find me a title bout as early as next year,” he smiled. “And you don’t have to come watch when that happens, but if you’d like… Well, I’ll save seats for you and Mr. Wright, yes?”

There was a twinkle in his eyes at the mention of Isabella. Gabriel hadn’t met the child yet, but he’d heard of her birth and seen the pictures posted to social media. She looked like a little ray of sunshine, and even as a baby so similar to her father that it was eerie. It was the eyebrows, he was convinced.

“How is Isabella doing?” He asked. “And how are you doing? After her birth. Are you recovering okay?”

“Oh! Yes, of course! Things should calm down by then. I’d love to see you go for a title!” Although the last times she did witness his fights, she was so tense and practically tearing off poor Phoenix’s arm every time Gabriel got hit. He was so sweet! Who could hurt him?!

“I am glad you’re recovering, though. And…well, Isabella’s wonderful. Healthy. Clever. Already super talkative. Very prone to crying, though. Especially if she wants her Daddy and he’s off at work.” Was it fair to start this conversation before they even ordered their food? She decided no. “As far as my recovery – uh, let’s order our stuff first.”

She waved down a waiter and they gave their orders. Then she settled back into her chair.

“So, Phoenix and I decided not to get everyone worried about it because everything turned out okay. But I was actually in a car accident two weeks before Isabella was due. A bad one.” She pointed out the faded scar on her cheek. “I’m lucky this is all I have to show for it. My leg was broken so it took me two months to recover from that. Plus I’ve been shaky about driving and being out of the house in general since then. This is only like the sixth time I’ve been out of the house since we got out of the hospital.”

#thislovelylady‌ #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

Gabriel hadn't been expecting a hug, but it wasn't an unwelcome surprise. Lenora was soft and warm, and he appreciated the physical contact even when he was too shy to ask for it himself. Besides, it was nice being embraced by someone who wasn't trying to choke him out for a change.

"Oh, I- I probably won't be fighting as soon as next month," he said, sounding somewhat apologetic, even though he knew Lenora didn't mind and he had no reason to feel sorry. "I had my last fight less than a week ago, and I'm still taking time to heal. I'm not even allowed near the gym for the next few days..."

It wasn't a bad rhythm for an up-and-coming fighter, especially one that was actually going after the best competition he could find like Gabriel was. Three fights a year was about as good as he was going to get without seriously compromising his health. Or, well, compromising it more than fighting inherently required.

"I won my last two fights pretty convincingly, and my trainer says we might be able to find me a title bout as early as next year," he smiled. "And you don't have to come watch when that happens, but if you'd like... Well, I'll save seats for you and Mr. Wright, yes?"

There was a twinkle in his eyes at the mention of Isabella. Gabriel hadn't met the child yet, but he'd heard of her birth and seen the pictures posted to social media. She looked like a little ray of sunshine, and even as a baby so similar to her father that it was eerie. It was the eyebrows, he was convinced.

"How is Isabella doing?" He asked. "And how are you doing? After her birth. Are you recovering okay?"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Gabriel had intentionally stalled for a few minutes after the call was done, not wanting to show up too early and reveal just how desperate he was. In that time he’d opted to change into something more fashionable than his typical workout rags: A graphic,vintage-looking tee depicting his favorite superhero, Captain America, which meshed well with his worn-out, ragged jeans. He’d also tried to comb his hair, successfully tuning it from an ungoldy mess to a more manageable mess. Not quite what he’d call a victory, but it was better than the alternative.

He arrived at the restaurant and thanked the driver as he stepped out of the car, feeling excited and somewhat nervous as he walked through the door. Lenora had sounded happy to hear from him over the phone, but then again, what if she was just being polite? She was a busy lady after all, and this was her day off—was he wasting the time she could’ve used to get some much needed rest? Maybe he’d been inconsiderate to call at all.

Ah, seemed like it was a bit late to be worrying about that. He spotted Lenora sitting at one of the booths, and waved as he started walking closer.

“Hi miss Love,” he greeted her. “It’s- it’s so nice to see you! It’s been way too long.”

Oh god, was he being guilt-tripy? Quick, change the subject. “This looks like a really nice place,” he said, looking around the diner as he took a seat. “Do you come here often?”

“Gabriel!” She was already standing, moving to give him a tight hug. “It has been. I’m sorry, life has just been crazy.” In more ways than one!

She let him sit and took her seat again herself, nodding to his question.

“Yeah – well, not so much anymore. But I used to a lot when I still worked at the precinct. So it’s a regular spot,” she explained, and then gave him a sheepish look. She really did feel terrible for not being able to see him. He was another of those teens she and Phoenix had practically adopted.

“How have your fights been going? I promise next month we’ll go to another one again! Like I said, we just got really busy – and Isabella doesn’t sleep through the night as well as her brothers did.”

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

Gabriel had intentionally stalled for a few minutes after the call was done, not wanting to show up too early and reveal just how desperate he was. In that time he'd opted to change into something more fashionable than his typical workout rags: A graphic,vintage-looking tee depicting his favorite superhero, Captain America, which meshed well with his worn-out, ragged jeans. He'd also tried to comb his hair, successfully tuning it from an ungoldy mess to a more manageable mess. Not quite what he'd call a victory, but it was better than the alternative.

He arrived at the restaurant and thanked the driver as he stepped out of the car, feeling excited and somewhat nervous as he walked through the door. Lenora had sounded happy to hear from him over the phone, but then again, what if she was just being polite? She was a busy lady after all, and this was her day off—was he wasting the time she could've used to get some much needed rest? Maybe he'd been inconsiderate to call at all.

Ah, seemed like it was a bit late to be worrying about that. He spotted Lenora sitting at one of the booths, and waved as he started walking closer.

"Hi miss Love," he greeted her. "It's- it's so nice to see you! It's been way too long."

Oh god, was he being guilt-tripy? Quick, change the subject. "This looks like a really nice place," he said, looking around the diner as he took a seat. "Do you come here often?"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Gabriel had had half-expected an unenthusiastic rejection when he called Lenora. So to have her accept his offer, especially with such enthusiasm? Well, that caught him off guard altogether. He was glad they were talking via phone as opposed to some sort of video call, because he was sure he was smiling wide enough to light up a whole room.

“Yes, hamburgers sound just perfect right now!” He said, the excitement clear in his voice. He’d actually been eating pretty light over the past few days, so having something meaty and hefty for lunch sounded really good. “I know of a couple new places, but… I’d feel more comfortable if you picked something closer to your home. For the sake of your kids, yes?”

He could make the trip. His dad most likely wouldn’t notice a couple of extra cabs charged to his credit card. And besides, Gabriel never really spent money on anything except the gym, so he liked to believe he was entitled to small luxuries, like transportation, every once in a while.

“Ah, I’d really rather not argue about who will pay over the phone,” he chuckled. “But… I’d appreciate if you allowed me to do it, just this once. It’s my way of celebrating for my last couple of fights, yes?”

Whereas the salary he got from fighting would’ve been meager by most people’s standards, Gabriel’s position of financial security meant he was free to use the extra money for leisure. And seeing as how he’d bought precisely one (1) pack of protein bars since he’d won his last fight… Well, he felt he could afford to treat himself with a semi-decent dinner.

Ah! Closer to home! Yeah, that was best. Gabriel had no idea how helpful that was to her right now – but he would. Of course he would. He deserved to know.

“Fine, if you want to pay, I’ll let you.” She would only insist once. That was her rule. “But yeah! There’s a place two blocks down…”

Lenora made it to the burger joint before Gabriel, as it was such a short ways away, and settled into a booth while she waited for him. She was thankful, at least, that she didn’t walk around with crutches anymore. She could only imagine the poor kid’s reaction to that!

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

Gabriel had had half-expected an unenthusiastic rejection when he called Lenora. So to have her accept his offer, especially with such enthusiasm? Well, that caught him off guard altogether. He was glad they were talking via phone as opposed to some sort of video call, because he was sure he was smiling wide enough to light up a whole room.

"Yes, hamburgers sound just perfect right now!" He said, the excitement clear in his voice. He'd actually been eating pretty light over the past few days, so having something meaty and hefty for lunch sounded really good. "I know of a couple new places, but... I'd feel more comfortable if you picked something closer to your home. For the sake of your kids, yes?"

He could make the trip. His dad most likely wouldn't notice a couple of extra cabs charged to his credit card. And besides, Gabriel never really spent money on anything except the gym, so he liked to believe he was entitled to small luxuries, like transportation, every once in a while.

"Ah, I'd really rather not argue about who will pay over the phone," he chuckled. "But... I'd appreciate if you allowed me to do it, just this once. It's my way of celebrating for my last couple of fights, yes?"

Whereas the salary he got from fighting would've been meager by most people's standards, Gabriel's position of financial security meant he was free to use the extra money for leisure. And seeing as how he'd bought precisely one (1) pack of protein bars since he'd won his last fight... Well, he felt he could afford to treat himself with a semi-decent dinner.

fromabovetheclouds‌:

@thislovelylady

There was nothing Gabriel hated more about MMA than the weeks following a match.

He could tolerate the injuries. Yes, they were bad, but he expected them to an extent. What really got to him, really rattled his brains, was suddenly having so much free time available. Gabriel would spend nearly every waking hour of an average day at the gym, either training, exercising or hanging out with his teammates. He only ever came back home to sleep or change clothes, and it showed in how frugal and ill-fitted his apartment was: Nearly barren save for his bed and a kitchen. He’d been meaning to buy a TV with his fight earnings for months now, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.

He’d just gotten back from the supermarket, and having taken his sweet time to sort through his groceries, now found himself without anything left to do. Looking at the clock, he realized it wasn’t even the afternoon yet, and the concept of spending a full day doing nothing at all seemed daunting to him. Maybe he could check with his friends, see if any of them would like to go out? But who? He considered the possibility as he flipped through his contact list. Gabriel didn’t really know a lot of people outside the gym, and those he did know…

He stopped at Lenora’s profile. He hadn’t talked to her for… What was it, almost eight months now? Not for lack of trying, but every time he called her or Mr. Wright they seemed to be otherwise occupied. After a while, the message kind of sunk that they probably just didn’t want to see him anymore. It made sense. They were a married couple, with children and real jobs. What did they get from hanging out with some teenage misfit such as himself?

Usually, he would’ve just convinced himself to leave her alone, but… Well, he was particularly desperate. After anxiously staring at his phone for a solid 30 minutes, he resolved to call her, each ring from the other end of the line testing his resolve and tempting him to hang up—until finally, someone picked up.

“Eh, uh… Hi? Miss Love?” Gabriel tried, completely unprepared. “It’s me, Gabriel. Yeah, it’s been a while. But I had a day off from the gym, and I understand if you’re really busy, but if you’re not… I was wondering if maybe you’d like to have lunch together? I can treat.”

Today was rough. Even after all the healing she had done, sometimes her body just ached with fatigue. Or with lack of sleep, as the twins had woken up a lot the past couple of nights, which in turn woke up their little sister.

Phoenix was busy with a huge case and Trucy, up until a few days ago, had been out on tour with her magic show. Fortunately, she was here now and had promised to help out with the boys and Izzy now that she was home.

Am I being a bad Mom, shoving it off onto her? She knew the answer was no, but still she wondered. Lenora smiled and blew her a kiss as she headed out into the backyard to play with the boys, Isabella gurgling in her arms. In the meantime, she moved to settle on the couch to–

The phone rang and with a groan, she stood to grab it. Why did they still have a landline, anyway?

She glanced at the caller ID, the number vaguely familiar but unnamed. Upon pickingit up, she heard a familiar, if not nervous voice.

“–Gabriel!” Despite how crappy she felt, her voice matched how her eyes lit up as soon as she recognized him. “Yeah, of course, hon! I actually just am having a day off from watching the kids myself!” Her smile was clearly heard through her voice. “And don’t worry about paying! I’ll treat you. I’ll – “ She almost offered to pick him up, but flinched. No. No, she wasn’t ready to drive with a passenger yet. Definitely not another child. “… I’ll meet you wherever you want to go. Do you want to do some burgers? I know a lot of good places!” Thanks to Maya.

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

@thislovelylady

There was nothing Gabriel hated more about MMA than the weeks following a match.

He could tolerate the injuries. Yes, they were bad, but he expected them to an extent. What really got to him, really rattled his brains, was suddenly having so much free time available. Gabriel would spend nearly every waking hour of an average day at the gym, either training, exercising or hanging out with his teammates. He only ever came back home to sleep or change clothes, and it showed in how frugal and ill-fitted his apartment was: Nearly barren save for his bed and a kitchen. He'd been meaning to buy a TV with his fight earnings for months now, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

He'd just gotten back from the supermarket, and having taken his sweet time to sort through his groceries, now found himself without anything left to do. Looking at the clock, he realized it wasn't even the afternoon yet, and the concept of spending a full day doing nothing at all seemed daunting to him. Maybe he could check with his friends, see if any of them would like to go out? But who? He considered the possibility as he flipped through his contact list. Gabriel didn't really know a lot of people outside the gym, and those he did know...

He stopped at Lenora's profile. He hadn't talked to her for... What was it, almost eight months now? Not for lack of trying, but every time he called her or Mr. Wright they seemed to be otherwise occupied. After a while, the message kind of sunk that they probably just didn't want to see him anymore. It made sense. They were a married couple, with children and real jobs. What did they get from hanging out with some teenage misfit such as himself?

Usually, he would've just convinced himself to leave her alone, but... Well, he was particularly desperate. After anxiously staring at his phone for a solid 30 minutes, he resolved to call her, each ring from the other end of the line testing his resolve and tempting him to hang up—until finally, someone picked up.

"Eh, uh... Hi? Miss Love?" Gabriel tried, completely unprepared. "It's me, Gabriel. Yeah, it's been a while. But I had a day off from the gym, and I understand if you're really busy, but if you're not... I was wondering if maybe you'd like to have lunch together? I can treat."

#v; face the wind #thislovelylady‌

[fromabovetheclouds]

"Yeah," said Gabriel, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Yeah, I guess I'm lucky in that regard."

He was quiet for a moment, idly going to check on his phone. His brow furrowed as he saw the time. Oh, shoot, it looked as if he'd stayed for longer than he'd originally intended. He downed what was lest of his glass in one gulp

"Uh, Miss Love, I hate to be impolite, but I'm afraid I should probably get going," he said, as he stood to leave. "I should have already been back at the gym by now. My coach is going to start wondering where I am."

He walked around the table, putting on his coat along the way. He was still sweaty, and he was sure he didn't smell his best, so rather than going for a hug he merely offered to shake Lenora's hand, making sure to keep a healthy distance.

"I really appreciate your hospitality," he said, with a nod and a smile. "Please, be sure to come watch my fight if you can. It'd mean a lot to have you in the stands."

fromabovetheclouds‌:

These were big news, and Gabriel felt excited, but he also wasn’t quite sure how to react. A part of him wanted to go up to Lenora and hug her, but would that have been too much? He certainly didn’t feel like it would’ve been welcome. Instead he bowed, something he was more used to, and even if eccentric at least it was respectful.

“I’m really happy for you,” he said with an earnest smile. “You and Mr. Wright are both such great people, and you seem like amazing parents. I’m sure your child will be a very happy.”

Gabriel fully meant that, too. In the half hour he’d spent in Lenora’s home, he’d felt like he’d gotten to glimpse at that idyllic middle class family life he’d only ever seen in sitcoms before, and… was it wrong that it made him sort of envious?

He was a privileged kid, he had everything he’d ever needed, and so being jealous of Lenora and her family felt egotistical any way he looked at it. But still, the way Lenora and Phoenix treated each other, and the way she took care of her kids… Gabriel sort of wished he could’ve had something like that in his childhood.

“Heh, I’m afraid not. My family’s actually fairly small. It’s really just my father and I, and we’re not… very close,” he looked down at his cup, his smile sombering somewhat. “He’s a very busy man, so he never had much time to spend with me, but he makes sure I’m taken care of. He actually got me my own apartment when I was thirteen. And he’s the one sponsoring my MMA career, so…”

“–Thirteen?” Was that legal? Well, if he was rich, he could get away with a lot. “My goodness. No wonder you’re so independent!”

Probably lonely, though.

“I’m glad your father supports your dreams, though.” No mention of a mother, hm? Curious. She would bug Phoenix when he came home later. Maybe he knew a bit more about the boy’s situation…

#thislovelylady‌ #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

♡ for zan obviously, and then ♡ maya if you feel like an easy one but if you feel like playing hard mode, ♡ make him say something nice about styx >:3c

Zan: "Your face! It's really cool and interesting, and you're a very expressive person. Just watching you talk is fascinating!"

Maya: "I know you probably don't like them that much, but I think your wings are really pretty. They're really colorful and big and fluffy. I feel like I could take a nap on them."

#ninetailedwisp

[fromabovetheclouds]

These were big news, and Gabriel felt excited, but he also wasn't quite sure how to react. A part of him wanted to go up to Lenora and hug her, but would that have been too much? He certainly didn't feel like it would've been welcome. Instead he bowed, something he was more used to, and even if eccentric at least it was respectful.

"I'm really happy for you," he said with an earnest smile. "You and Mr. Wright are both such great people, and you seem like amazing parents. I'm sure your child will be a very happy."

Gabriel fully meant that, too. In the half hour he'd spent in Lenora's home, he'd felt like he'd gotten to glimpse at that idyllic middle class family life he'd only ever seen in sitcoms before, and... was it wrong that it made him sort of envious?

He was a privileged kid, he had everything he'd ever needed, and so being jealous of Lenora and her family felt egotistical any way he looked at it. But still, the way Lenora and Phoenix treated each other, and the way she took care of her kids... Gabriel sort of wished he could've had something like that in his childhood.

"Heh, I'm afraid not. My family's actually fairly small. It's really just my father and I, and we're not... very close," he looked down at his cup, his smile sombering somewhat. "He's a very busy man, so he never had much time to spend with me, but he makes sure I'm taken care of. He actually got me my own apartment when I was thirteen. And he's the one sponsoring my MMA career, so..."

fromabovetheclouds‌:

Gabriel’s lips curled into a sort of shy smile. Many adults tended to be wary of his career choices and often cautioned him against pursuing his dream. Having someone outside his team so earnestly encouraging to chase after what he wanted… It was refreshing. He liked that feeling.

Besides, she had a really pleasant laugh.

There was a moment of confusion as Lenora made mention of a “this one” punching Lenora’s stomach. Gabriel looked at both of the children sat next to him, brow furrowed, trying to figure out how either of their stubby little arms could reach out to their mother from where they were.

Then it hit him.

“Oh, wait. You mean…?” His eyes went wide, hands coming up to cover his mouth. “Miss Love, I had no idea! Congratulations!”

“Oh! Yes!” Lenora grinned, nodding, “We found out right after getting back from our honeymoon. Didn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops for everyone, though. Thank you.”

What a sweet kid. She was grateful Phoenix had helped him out. Looking at her precious boys, she moved to rustle each one’s hair, “I hope you two will be as nice to your little sister as you are to each other!” They giggled, each nudging up against their mother’s palm.

Looking back at Gabriel, she asked, “Do you have any siblings?”

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

💖💖💖!

"Hmm. Well, you have really cute eyes. And a really cute smile. And I love your laugh. And your hair is also really nice. And you always dress really pretty. And you're such a sweet, kind person! And so smart! And the way you move your hands while you talk is just adorable. And-"

;;this goes on for several hours

#;;ooc #thislovely

[fromabovetheclouds]

Send “💖” and my muse will admit something they find cute about yours.

#;;memes

[fromabovetheclouds]

Gabriel's lips curled into a sort of shy smile. Many adults tended to be wary of his career choices and often cautioned him against pursuing his dream. Having someone outside his team so earnestly encouraging to chase after what he wanted... It was refreshing. He liked that feeling.

Besides, she had a really pleasant laugh.

There was a moment of confusion as Lenora made mention of a "this one" punching Lenora's stomach. Gabriel looked at both of the children sat next to him, brow furrowed, trying to figure out how either of their stubby little arms could reach out to their mother from where they were.

Then it hit him.

"Oh, wait. You mean...?" His eyes went wide, hands coming up to cover his mouth. "Miss Love, I had no idea! Congratulations!"

fromabovetheclouds‌:

That was quite the backstory to Lenora, and it gave Gabriel some much helpful context for what little he knew about her: From humble beginnings, to higher education, to forensic scientist and now mother of three, maintaining a sunny disposition all the while.

She never did stop working, did she? It sounded overwhelming to him, but seeing the grace and fluidity with which she handled it, there was no doubt in his mind she was born for it—whether it was a high-performance professional career, or the demanding life of a mother.

“That’s very admirable,” he said, and he meant it. “I hope things go well with your new lab. You sound really passionate about it.”

Ah, there it was. It seemed like every time Gabriel talked about his career with someone outside the sport, the subject of injury had to come up. Not that he blamed them: It was a serious issue, and they had every reason to be concerned, but it was a grisly subject and not one he particularly enjoyed discussing over an otherwise pleasant meal.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been unfortunate enough to see the effects of CTE up close,” he said, looking down at the table, struggling to maintain his smile. “It’s… really scary stuff. It worries me to think I could end up like that, or that I could contribute to someone else ending up like that…”

There was no avoiding the reality that were brain injuries in combat sports, and fear of them had made Gabriel consider quitting more times than he could count. Still, he always came back in the end. Why? He was a rich kid, he could’ve chosen not to work a day of his life if he wanted to. He didn’t need martial arts. By all means, he was insane for even thinking about pursuing them.

“But you don’t have to worry,” he said, shaking his head as if clearing the bad thoughts away. “I don’t get hit.”

Coming from quiet, demure Gabriel—the same Gabriel who’d struggled to even gather the courage to approach Lenora’s home—the confidence with which she said it was striking. He didn’t get hit. It wasn’t braggadocios or cocky, he simply stated it like he would any other, obvious fact: The sun shone, birds sang, grass grew and, in a sport where every opponent was trying to rip his head straight off of his shoulders, Gabriel didn’t get hit. Yeah, nothing remarkable about that at all.

“Well, good then! That’s a relief.” Lenora laughed at that. An endearing response to his enthusiasm. She was sure he had heard all the warnings before, so there was no need to chide him that there was a ‘first time for everything.’ She wasn’t his mother, after all. “We’ll be sure to keep track of your career, then.”

Her stomach shifted a bit and she laughed, setting her palm on her belly.

“This little one’s been extra punchy lately. Maybe you can give them pointers in a few years!”

#thislovelylady #v; face the wind

[fromabovetheclouds]

It struck Gabriel how calm and in control Phoenix appeared, even after hearing his story. Here he was, standing on the edge of a nervous breakdown but his lawyer looked completely unphased by the situation. It was... oddly comforting. Made him think maybe things would be alright.

"Oh, no. I... I guess I just think of a 'street fight' as anything that takes place outside of a gym. It wasn't anywhere near that premeditated." He rubbed the back of his neck. Clearly, even discussing his recollection of the events made him uncomfortable. Still, he knew it was a necessary if he wanted to help Phoenix in defending him.

"It must've been something like... Seven or eight guys? My friend didn't know any of them. I don't think anyone at the party did. I think they just saw a party going on and decided to crash. They probably knew we weren't going to call the cops. We, uh..." His gaze drifted downwards, shamefully avoiding Phoenix's gaze. "We'd been drinking."

So much could've probably been inferred from his prior mention of 'booze', but he felt it was important that he stated it plainly anyways, for the sake of clarity.

"After a while, I just walked up to the guy who looked like he was in charge and told him to leave. He was sitting in the living room, next to one of my friends." His expression became troubled. Anger? He didn't want to be angry anymore, but he couldn't help it. "I told him they weren't welcome in the house anymore, that they had to leave. At first he ignored me, but when I insisted...

"Well, he got up, and he started just started yelling at me. He said that if I wanted him to leave, then I should make him. Then he started pushing me, and getting all up in my face..." He visibly shrunk in his seat at the unpleasant memory. "I was... really scared, and I looked around and I could see my friends were, too. They weren't going to help me, I needed to take care of the guy myself. So..."

He stopped for a moment, unsure of how to describe what happened next. It had all happened so fast, it seemed like a flash in his memory. What exactly had he done, again?

"Er, do you mind...?" He motioned to get up from his chair. "I think it'd be a lot easier if I could show you."

fromabovetheclouds‌:

The sound of the door opening started Gabriel out of his thoughts. He looked up, half expecting to see one of the cops that had been interrogating him thus far, but was instead met by a strange man in an fancy-looking suit. The lawyer his father had hired for him, he assumed?

Man, he looked… composed. Made Gabriel even more self conscious about his appearance. He already hadn’t dressed up nicely for the party he’d been attending, opting for some rather inelegant baggy jeans and a hoodie, and sitting in a police station for hours probably hadn’t done him many favors. Next to Phoenix, he sort of felt like a slob.

“Ah, Mr. Wright, then? T-thank you for coming to help me.” Gabriel stood from his seat to greet the man, bowing his head slightly before walking over to shake his hand. He was stiff, awkward; clearly nervous. Then again, what could anyone expect of a teenager having his first serious brush with the law? “I’m Gabriel, Gabriel Ivarnakov, but… You probably already know that. It’s nice to meet you.”

Nice probably wouldn’t really have been the best word to describe what he was feeling right now, but that was just the way Gabriel had been taught to greet Adults™. He moved back to his chair, letting out a tense sounding sigh as Phoenix sat across from him.

“I-I don’t know how much you know, but… I sort of got into a street fight.” He twiddled his fingers, avoiding the lawyer’s gaze. “I was at a friend’s house for a party, and these guys… They weren’t even invited, but they walk in, and they start acting like they own the place. They’re drinking my friend’s booze and messing with his stuff, and they’re getting all handsy with the girls…”

Although Gabriel had seemed mostly submissive and placated thus far, it was clear by his tone that even talking about the subject made him angry. “They were like, thirty or something! They were so old! They were making everyone uncomfortable, and my friend,  he didn’t know what to do…”

He could tell the kid was nervous. Who wouldn’t be? Most people would do anything to avoid being put in a situation like this. Phoenix offers an understanding smile. A smile that told the other that he had been here before (more than once, actually) and knew how he was feeling. “I just wish we didn’t have to meet under these circumstances.” It was a shame, but there was nothing that could be done to change the past. All the could do was move forward and do whatever it took to overcome the obstacles set in their path.

As Gabriel begins to recount the events of the party, Phoenix sits quietly and takes in every detail. Unlike his rookie days, he didn’t feel the need to jot down everything. Only the really important pieces of information would be written in his court record once he left the room.

“You said it was a street fight? So, did the fight happen in the house and then continued out in the street?” Even though there would be witnesses from the party, there was a high chance of there being witnesses outside the group that attended the party. It was good to have options when it came time to investigate.

“How many guys were there? And you say they were roughly around thirty?” (I’ll try to ignore that “so old” comment.) “And nobody knew where they were from? Nobody recognized them at all?” It seemed odd for complete strangers to wander into a home like that. “Your friend didn’t know them? They weren’t friends of their parents or neighbors?”

Hands come to clasp in front of him, firm and calm on the table. This wasn’t anywhere close to being the worst case he had dealt with. He’s confident that he could get the kid out of this mess without much hassle.