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bakerstreet2017-07-30 04:04 pm
knockyoursocksoff) wrote in bakerstreet2017-07-30 04:04 pm
Entry tags:
i put a spell on you
The Witch's Curse
A fantasy AU meme where witches are real, and they are vengeful. Specify your character's role: the witch (or sorcerer), the subject of the curse, or the curse breaker. Tag around and pick or RNG a curse.
A fantasy AU meme where witches are real, and they are vengeful. Specify your character's role: the witch (or sorcerer), the subject of the curse, or the curse breaker. Tag around and pick or RNG a curse.
1: Change of Form: human turned animal, mythical beast turned human, human turned inanimate object, human made older/younger, the possibilities are endless
2: Obeisance: you are now cursed to follow the witch's every command and it's useless to resist, or perhaps you simply have to obey every command given you no matter who gives it
3: Curse of Sleep: like princesses before you, you are cursed to sleep for all eternity, or at least until your one true love finds you
4: Possession: be it a demon or any other kind of spirit, your body is no longer your own
5: Isolation: some witches use towers, others use forests of thorns, but either way the message is clear-- you are never seeing the outside world again
6: Resurrection: even death is not an escape from the witch's power, for some can raise the dead
7: Bad Luck: some curses are more minor, only causing you to stub your toe or drop your books, but they're still annoying
8: Defects: you weren't turned to an inhuman shape, but were somehow made hideous, clumsy, or repellent in some way-- maybe you smell terrible, or maybe people who get near you just feel uneasy and want to leave
9: Wounds: you have a wound that simply won't heal-- maybe it's slowly killing you, maybe it's just annoying, but it's not going away
10: Monster Magnet: wherever you go you're always being attacked by creatures, demons or monsters or ghosts, etc, that want to kill you
11: Never to Meet: you become an animal during the day while your true love is human, then you switch forms at night, so you can never both be human at the same time again
12: Death: your death is approaching and you need to find a way to avert it or remove the curse entirely
13: Objectification: you didn't avoid the death curse, and now your soul is bound to an inanimate object, perhaps to provide more power for the witch, to bind a spell to the object and give it power, or maybe just so you can't move on to your next life
14: Cursed Object: maybe it wasn't the witch themselves, but something that used to belong to a witch that put the curse on you, and now you must find a witch who can remove the curse
15: Cursed Ground: your house is built somewhere it really should not have been, and now you have to deal with ghosts or demons or the undead, which will really ruin your property value
16: Wildcard: choose your own adventure!
[adapted from original found here]
2: Obeisance: you are now cursed to follow the witch's every command and it's useless to resist, or perhaps you simply have to obey every command given you no matter who gives it
3: Curse of Sleep: like princesses before you, you are cursed to sleep for all eternity, or at least until your one true love finds you
4: Possession: be it a demon or any other kind of spirit, your body is no longer your own
5: Isolation: some witches use towers, others use forests of thorns, but either way the message is clear-- you are never seeing the outside world again
6: Resurrection: even death is not an escape from the witch's power, for some can raise the dead
7: Bad Luck: some curses are more minor, only causing you to stub your toe or drop your books, but they're still annoying
8: Defects: you weren't turned to an inhuman shape, but were somehow made hideous, clumsy, or repellent in some way-- maybe you smell terrible, or maybe people who get near you just feel uneasy and want to leave
9: Wounds: you have a wound that simply won't heal-- maybe it's slowly killing you, maybe it's just annoying, but it's not going away
10: Monster Magnet: wherever you go you're always being attacked by creatures, demons or monsters or ghosts, etc, that want to kill you
11: Never to Meet: you become an animal during the day while your true love is human, then you switch forms at night, so you can never both be human at the same time again
12: Death: your death is approaching and you need to find a way to avert it or remove the curse entirely
13: Objectification: you didn't avoid the death curse, and now your soul is bound to an inanimate object, perhaps to provide more power for the witch, to bind a spell to the object and give it power, or maybe just so you can't move on to your next life
14: Cursed Object: maybe it wasn't the witch themselves, but something that used to belong to a witch that put the curse on you, and now you must find a witch who can remove the curse
15: Cursed Ground: your house is built somewhere it really should not have been, and now you have to deal with ghosts or demons or the undead, which will really ruin your property value
16: Wildcard: choose your own adventure!
[adapted from original found here]
no subject
"Thanks." He'd been hoping for some help in that department, and he's pretty glad he didn't need to ask if the Lycan was going to need a...sniff of him, or something, before tracking them back to his campsite.
Will's car - a secondhand Volvo that looks like it maybe doesn't deserve to have been dragged this far into the woods - is about ten yards from a one-man tent. Now that they're in a brief clearing, Will can see that the sky is scraped across with pale gray - enough light to see by, not enough light to be certain if anyone's going to turn back soon or not. Will can't help but stare up at it, fading stars and all, as he heads for the tent.
To get keys for his car. He's dragging open the back of the car immediately, going for a first-aid kit. "Do you...need that bullet out?" 'Is it hurting you?' is what he means. Will swallows back some discomfort. He knows he's not the best person for this job, but he also knows that hospitals would absolutely turn them away.
Doctor Lecter is an option, but he's also a three-hour drive away in Maryland. Out this far in the woods, Will's even further from him than usual.
no subject
He waits before answering Will's question; he does need it out, urgently. But what is giving him pause is the how badly it'll hurt. While he's been on the receiving end of more than a few physical punishments and beatings, he knows this'll be different. First aid kits didn't tend to come equipped with anaesthetic, and Will's already disclosed his lack of medical knowledge. That along makes Gabriel incredibly nervous. If he starts to lose blood again or if something goes wrong...
No, that doesn't matter. If he turns back with the bullet still lodged in his leg, the damage will be ten times worse. He needs to just suck it up, get it over with. Whatever happens, happens. And if he makes it til morning, he'll need to remember to thank Will repeatedly. Christ, the guy only wanted to go camping; now he's having to play field surgeon.
After a long few moments, he glances from his wounded leg back to Will, and gives a hesitant, solemn nod.
no subject
The only thing on Will's side right now, aside from first aid certification and a well-stocked kit, is the fact that he keeps gloves in his car. It's a habit from being an active police officer, one he collapsed back into once he'd been asked to consult for Jack again in the field.
They're blue and vinyl, and Will drags them on with familiarity that might seem odd considering his protests that he's no nurse. Unfortunately, forensic science doesn't mean he's had a lot of training in treating living people.
"D'you want to-- lay down in the back seat?" Will's opening the door, stepping aside to leave room. "Just-- if any other hunters come across us, it'll buy us time if no one can see you." And then there's not blood spilled all over the campsite grass, which is ominous even without it being a full moon. No one would benefit from that potential panic spreading around. "I've got a blanket in the trunk, I can lay it over the seat."
Will's holding the first aid kit with one hand and brushing through its contents with the other, checking for anything appropriate for fishing out a bullet--
--Damn. Okay, he's got an idea now.
no subject
His movements getting into the car are less than graceful, but at least Will doesn't own a much larger vehicle, one that he'd need to jump into. It's a relief laying down on something soft and somewhere vaguely warm. He knows he won't be comfortable for very long, but he intends to enjoy it while he can.
He doesn't watch Will as he opens the kit, his heart's already pounding with nerves as it is. Instead he looks around the car itself, quietly distracting himself, trying identifying all the scents clinging to the interior and taking a tiny victory in being right before.
Definitely a dog owner. Definitely has more than one.
no subject
The Lycan goes ahead and gets in his car, and Will breathes a sigh of relief. "I usually try to get to know people's names before I start poking around inside them," Will says with a weak attempt at chuckling, and in that moment he's thinking about dead bodies and not, in fact, anything sexual. "So, uh-- sorry."
And-- oh, right. "I'll be right back." Will strides off, and when he returns, it's with his tackle box.
He places the first aid kit on the car floor, after removing some antiseptic wipes. "I, uh." The next few words are bit out, staccato, apologetic. "I figure the easiest way to scoop out the bullet is going to be with something a lot more delicate than my finger." Will is using the antiseptic wipe to clean off something small and shiny that he's taken out of that tackle box.
As it hits the light, it's clearly a fishing hook. Which means it'll be sharp. Will's just thinking that that's going to end up less painful than him flailing a thick finger in there and risking shoving it in further. At least the fish hook could...well...hook around the bullet? Potentially?
"If it's-- too much, just. Nip at me or something. I'll let you take a break."
no subject
He hears Will leaving, but doesn't make an effort to look round until he's returned, curious as to what he went to get. At first he's not quite sure what it is Will's cleaning off, but then it glints in the light and he quickly looks away again. It makes sense, and maybe it'll work. Maybe this'll all be over before he knows it.
And as much as possible, he's going to try and just let Will do what he needs to - Gabriel can't see himself wanting to take a break if it means prolonging things. That, and he'd be concerned about accidentally catching Will's arm if he nipped at him. That was the last thing either of them needed; one Lycan wounded and another freshly turned.
Once Will gets to work, despite the new waves of pain shooting through him Gabriel can just about hold himself still well enough. Staying quiet is another hurdle entirely. While he didn't pick up the scents of other humans or Lycans before, the scents of the car and now fresh blood are masking any possible third parties and he can't be sure how alone they are.
It's not long before he's unable to keep it down, the whines forced out him not sounds he's used to hearing from himself. But asides from how tensely he's holding himself, he doesn't move. Just tries to remind himself to breathe and not look.
no subject
It's easier, after the hook is inside the wound, to carefully press into flesh and around metal. Will's movements get a little more sure, even if his hands are shaking. Even if he's forgetting to breathe. It's so, so hard to see someone else in pain, it's like digging into a gash in his own leg, but Will's able to keep it together--
Until the whimpering starts. Will hisses through his teeth as if he'd missed and hit his own hand, but of course the sharp metal is still about an inch inside his 'patient' and that's not possible.
"Sorry." Sorry, god he's so fucking sorry. Will has to gnaw on his tongue to keep from babbling, to keep from making small pained noises himself.
It's another two, three heartbeats of shared agony before -- "Shit, thank god." The bullet drags at the wound's mouth and then drops out, wetly rolling once it hits the blanket.
Will hesitates, then presses a gloved hand over the wound, which is bleeding once again after the irritation. "Just let me wrap it." Gauze wrapped around the leg is better than a bandage with sticky ends on fur, surely.
"You did really well," he says, again an inappropriate instinct. He closes his eyes against the embarrassed memory, too late, that this isn't actually a dog.
He's just...going to grab that roll of gauze, now.
no subject
No, this had been the best option. And now it was over. And Will's not reacting badly to the wound bleeding heavily again. All things considered, that could have gone much worse.
He wants to tell Will that he needn't apologise. He was saving Gabriel a lot of pain in the near future by doing this for him when he didn't have to. Will could easily have walked away when they first came across one another, anyone else would have. Even the reassurance this time doesn't register as condescending. Christ, he's glad that's over.
Letting Will wrap the wound in gauze, he finally turns his great head round, ears coming forward as he nudges Will's shoulder once. It's all he can do to say 'thank you' or 'You didn't do too bad yourself.' Whatever Will's drink of choice is - if he drinks at all - he'll be getting a bottle of it. An expensive one. Fuck it, he doesn't use his money for much else, this is more than worth it.
Some time passes before Gabriel eventually lets himself fall asleep. It happens almost accidentally, as though he hadn't realised just how exhausted he was. But like most things, it doesn't last long. Dawn arrives only a short few hours later, and Gabriel's awaking suddenly to the tell-tale pains in his joints. Groggy from sleep, it takes another familiar twinge at the base of his spine to tell him he needs to move.
Thankfully Will left one of the back doors ajar, so Gabriel's clumsily heaves himself to his feet and all but falls out into the frigid morning air with a poorly concealed whimper. Maybe it was enough to wake up Will, hopefully it wasn't. Regardless, he was likely going to wake up in the next ten minutes or so.
This was the second part that he had been dreading, but at least Gabriel knows how long this will last. With the blanket between his teeth, he heads back into the forest, limping as quickly as he can until he has to stop and let the turn occur.
As expected, the bullet wound reopens in splendid fashion, but at least he knows he won't bleed out from it. Wrapping himself hurriedly in the blanket, Gabriel sits back against the nearest tree, head against the bark and his words forced through gritted teeth.
"Jesus fucking Christ..."
sorry, gabe
Will isn't surprised when he wakes with a start. He is surprised when he realizes that the soft sounds of an animal running don't stop after he wakes up.
Will jerks for the door handle, has it open and is reaching for a gun he doesn't have on him (it's dropped in the front seat of his car, he'd been too paranoid about whoever had shot the werewolf to just put it away in its case). That's about how long it takes him to remember what happened last night. ...This morning.
He rubs his eyes with a sigh, checking over the back of his car. Empty. And...specifically lacking the blanket, oddly enough. Okay.
There's some measure of panic to realizing that the Lycan's gone, especially knowing how tedious it would be for him to have walked away, but Will also knows he would have woken up if someone had forcibly taken him from the back of his car. So, where...
Wait - he can see. The pale off-white scrapings of dawn have stretched further and grown more yellow, and Will realizes with a start what must be happening. It's morning.
He sets off at a cautious walk, not a jog, nerves twisting. He's just heard a voice and, while Will feels the emptiness of not having any weapons on him right now, and while he can't possibly recognize a voice he's never heard, he has a feeling that who he's hearing right now is...
"Are you the--" Will stops. Stops and stares at the person collapsed up against the tree just inside the rim of forest around Will's clearing. "You're naked." He says instead, uselessly.
no subject
But an inspection of the bullet wound, breath drawn in through his teeth as it protests his prodding, tells him food and coffee won't be happening for a while yet. He needs his bag, needs his own first-aid kit he keeps well stocked. Modern medicine can do a great many things, but nothing gets silver out of the blood and out of your system faster than rosemary, which he keeps in good supply, and while he won't have any trouble finding where he left his belongings, it's just finding the motivation to move that's tricky.
That thought's interrupted when Gabriel hears the car door close behind him in the clearing, hears Will gradually draw closer. With a quick double check that he's wrapped up enough to cover himself, Gabriel waits for Will spot him.
The observation - obvious as it may be - still manages to make him laugh a little, just under his breath.
"Yeah, ah...we haven't quite gotten the hang of turning without tearing our clothes to shreds.."
A pause.
"...Sorry about taking this." With a small gesture to the blanket itself, "I usually like to buy people a drink before sitting completely nude in their campsite."
no subject
There's just his usual baseline awkwardness left, which is better than what he's felt like for the past few hours. His laughter is a scraping, dry thing, especially this early in the morning, but it's not nothing. "I guess spandex would ruin your fur." And clearly not actually fit. It's also weird imagery that Will regrets almost as soon as he's said it, a foot-in-mouth habit he's apparently not going to give up anytime soon.
Will looks back up when the other man apologizes for - something. His blanket? "What? No, it's-- that's fine--" This time, Will's laughter is an unprepared snort, nasal and soft. Sounds like someone's just gotten him back for the comment about shoving his hands inside unnamed strangers.
"I actually brought whiskey with me." He says, shrugging, hands still fidgeting in his pockets. "Just figured it might be hard to share it while you didn't have thumbs."
Will pauses after that, just-- watching the other. He radiates pain even more clearly than before, now that he's shaped like a human again. Will blinks away. "Did you, uh-- have clothes somewhere?"
no subject
It feels good to laugh, even if it's just a little. It feels nice just to have an excuse to smile, especially after the night they've just been through. A little joking around has been more than earned.
Here comes the moment of truth; with a deep breath and some more cursing, albeit all mentally now, given that he's with company, Gabriel makes himself stand up. It's not an action his body agrees with at all and it hurts like hell, but it's better than it was by miles.
The majority of his weight instinctively shifts to his uninjured leg. While one hand helps steady him against the tree, the other stays clasping the blanket closed. At least it's long enough to keep him decent, even with his height.
"I do, yeah - they're, ah...with the rest of my stuff." He says, looking at the expanse of forest and trees ahead of them with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. It's not hugely far for him to go, but when he can only go at a limping pace, it'll take a frustrating amount of time. At least he doesn't have to do so whilst completely exposed; that's always a plus.
Glancing away from the trees, he looks over at Will properly, his expression softens as he clears his throat, eyes hitting the ground momentarily as he thinks over how best to word what he wants to say. He just hopes it comes across as sincerely as he means it, given the state he's in.
"I probably can't say it enough, but...thank you for last night. You didn't have to help me, a lot of people wouldn't have bothered. Or they would have just killed me, so...I just want you to know I appreciate it. Really, thank you."
no subject
It's different, being this close to one and knowing he is, and looking the consequences of those sorts of rumors in the face. Will feels a choking urge to apologize, like bile rising.
Gabriel getting up, though, has Will instinctively taking a step forward. He moves with such obvious pain, no matter how much Will can see him try to mask it. Will sees his eyes, he sees the dilated pupil and the slight sweat at the edge of his hairline, he sees the way his muscles re-settle to keep weight off his bad leg.
He has an urge to help and absolutely no idea how.
So he has even less concept of how to accept the thanks. Will laughs again, but this time it's a sputtering thing, caustic. "I'd rather you just hadn't gotten shot by a-- by anyone. In the first place." He was going to say 'by a human', but Will looks at who's in front of him and he doesn't see a not-human. He can't make that distinction, now that this man looks...well. Like him.
A hand rubs at the back of his neck, tangles up into his hair. "But--" Will is bad at this, he's terrible at it, especially when now he can't stop thinking about how many times this man must've not gotten help, been left to fend for himself, that he's so touched that someone helped him after he got shot just for existing. "--You're welcome. And-- not to pile on more things you're going to feel obligated to thank me for, but..." Will's face is twisted with discomfort, but it smooths out as he makes himself look at the other. "You'll probably make it back to your clothes faster if I help you get there."
Will doesn't think he's going to enjoy watching this guy walk away solo, if he won't accept his help. Will's already wincing just thinking about it.
no subject
Despite his own teenage years being not so far behind him, he says it with a resigned ease, and means it. A lot of Lycans use this forest to turn, and while hunters are surprisingly rare here, the lack of any other gunshots during the night tells him he was the only unfortunate one this time. Had a teenager or child taken the bullet instead, they likely wouldn't have gotten help.
Weighing that against the night he's just had, he'd do it again in a heartbeat.
It's clear as day that he's made Will uncomfortable somehow, though he can't tell if it was his apology or something else entirely. Or maybe it's his presence as a whole. But then Will's offering to help him to his belongings and that theory becomes just a little fuzzier.
"You don't have to, I don't want to be any more trouble for you." In truth he doesn't really want to accept any more help, but he knows he'll likely have to. He doesn't know how well he can actually walk, and if he falls on his face, getting up again will be ten times worse.
And so, after a beat, he sighs, more at himself than at Will.
"...That being said...if you're sure, I would appreciate it."
no subject
...Also like someone who actually knows what pain early on in life tastes like, and doesn't want anyone else suffering the way they've had to. That thought extinguishes the last embers of anything amusing about this. "--nice of you." It's not the whole story, at all, but it's all Will can choke out, before coffee and to a relative stranger in the woods.
Except most strangers aren't people Will has pointed his gun at and then dug someone else's bullet out of. And most strangers--
Will is struck with a realization so strongly he looks visibly startled by it. He's coming a few steps closer, too, and he can't quite shake the cautious gait he'd had last night when approaching. Not because he's afraid, anymore, but because he just... This man radiates inward focus. He wants to be alone, and Will keeps encroaching on that. But Will can't let him walk away on his own, without help.
If making sure this man finds his clothes and can feel a little more like a person is all Will can offer, after whatever life this man has had? Then it's what Will's going to do.
"I'm sure." And all of those thoughts serve to make Will feel, and sound, very sure. More than he has about most other things he's said this morning. "But--" That realization is going to keep bothering him until he gets the answer. Will smiles, silently laughing at himself - it looks more like a grimace, teeth showing and eyes nearly closed, shoulders up near his ears. "I still don't even know your name."
no subject
He watches as Will steps closer, no longer cringing back but still wary all the same. Gabriel knows now that Will's not a threat, but it's an instinct he can't shake easily. The same epiphany that strikes Will is practically contagious, with a pause lingering in the air as Gabriel realises he's right.
He smiles as well, an expression that suits him far better than a frown or scowl could.
"Yeah, sorry - Gabriel, Starling. It's good to meet you properly."
no subject
Will nods and, after a brief pause, sticks out a hand. Will isn't keen on handshakes but, if he's about to act as a living crutch for a trek through the woods, maybe breaching that physical barrier now will make it easier. "Gabriel. Nice to have a name for the face." He considers that for a second. "And a-- face for the face. Unless that-- Unless your other form is also...you, as far as you're concerned."
Will actually...has no idea what Lycans think of their wolf shapes, now that he's stumbling over that. There's none of the tabloid-gossip frenzy in Will's voice, just earnest trepidation and light curiosity. He's not cruel, as much as he can be accidentally rude. Will isn't looking to take any terrible missteps in talking with him.
no subject
It's becoming clear rather quickly to Gabriel that Will may well have never met a Lycan in person before. Or if he has, he's not spoken at length with them. It would explain his uncertainty at the very least. His smile doesn't waver much as he explains his answer, his tone free of condescension or irritation. It's a common assumption that once they're turned they become mindless beasts; maybe enlightening one person will help do the same for others.
"I mean, this is the face I prefer to meet people with, but it was still me you met last night. We're still ourselves when we turn. As inconvenient and obligatory as they may be, our other forms are a part of us as much as anything else."
He takes a tentative step forward, closely followed by another. Yeah, he's glad he accepted Will's offer of help. He can walk just about, but it hurts more than he thought it might. Still, at least he can swallow it back and pretend isn't there. It's a tactic that's served him well so far in life, he can carry it on now.
He doesn't reach out the same hand to Will's shoulder yet, instead letting it hover at his side. Gabriel doesn't want to touch Will without his permission - not only out of respect for possible boundaries, but also the guy still seems as cautious as Gabriel feels. If Will wants to change his mind, he'd rather keep that option open if he can.
"...While we're on the topic, if you had any questions, I'm happy to answer them. Within reason."
no subject
It's easy enough for a human to hate themselves, if they don't look like how society is expecting them to. Will can't say he'd be shocked if someone so universally feared and sometimes hated as a Lycan might try to pretend only their human-looking face had any value. It's more surprising to hear that that isn't the case, and Will's face-- softens. He looks surprised, but not taken aback. It's a more thoughtful answer than he was expecting.
Gabriel's coming forward, although they're still in an awkward orbit instead of getting anywhere. Will breaches through the remaining space, stooping a bit to make it easier to offer his shoulder up. "If you want to just-- lean on me." Will can tuck up under Gabriel's arm, let Gabriel rest said arm across his own shoulders. It's the most obvious way of helping support some of his weight.
Will blinks at the offer. "Are you-- hoping I'll ask questions?" He's not offended. He just can't help but peel that open invitation apart and look for the reason behind it. He pauses for a moment, thinking about the gaps in his knowledge - honestly, it's more gaps than knowledge at the moment anyway - and falls back into a clear path. "What's the most...useful thing I could ask you? About all of-- this."
no subject
As they start the slow walk back into the woods, it's Gabriel's turn to blink in surprise. In the past people have asked him wildly inappropriate things because they thought it'd be funny, or just because they knew they'd get away with it. It's rare that he's invited questions from a humans - practically unheard of in his mind to have that human ask him in return what specifically he wants to talk about.
A small, almost nervous laugh laces itself with his words as he replies, now trying to think of anything specific he should want to talk about. And only now is he reminded of how much he dislikes talking about himself, although perhaps this doesn't have to count as that.
"Ah...honestly, I hadn't really thought about that...I just know there's so much crap in the news- especially recently...people are scared. I mean, you didn't shoot me in the face when you found me, so I'm getting the feeling you may not be so much. But...I don't know, anything I can clear up, I will. If I can."
no subject
It's not because he's shirtless, or because he's a man, or anything else. It's that this is anyone at all and that it isn't a life or death emergency. Without that adrenaline crashing through social barriers, Will is acutely aware of how awkward it is to be pressed up against someone. Anyone.
Thank god they're talking. Fortunately, it's distracting. Unfortunately, that's because it's re-awakening Will's awareness of how...terrible Gabriel's interactions usually go. "I'm guessing you were expecting to get shot in the face?" Will says, voice too flat to call it a joke. His eyes cut across to watch Gabriel for a moment. "...Which I guess is also reasonable, considering you had just gotten shot." He takes in a slow breath and lets it out even slower. Leaves crunch under their feet, but the trees aren't so thick that they have much trouble walking two-abreast.
"I don't really know...anything about you, honestly. Lycans, I mean. And it's not like-- Everyone's experience is going to be different anyway. You can't just...know everything about someone by reading a few paragraphs describing the statistics of whatever minority group they fit closest to." Will feels himself leaning dangerously close towards a rant. He feels oddly defensive and isn't sure where to put that emotion to good use.
Gabriel's calm uncertainty about everything that's happened this morning has Will's mind still whirling. He asks in one breath "--How old were you?" And then immediately blinks and looks away, still careful not to actually leave Gabriel's side. "Sorry, no that's-- probably too much."
no subject
While they're moving slowly, they are gradually getting closer to where Gabriel abandoned his things. That's one of the many positive points about rosemary; it's ability to heal silver wounds aside, it has a strong smell, and thankfully not an unpleasant one. Even from this distance Gabe can follow it, occasionally adjusting their direction.
Gabriel's thinking of what specifically he should bring up when Will says something else, asks something else, and Gabriel doesn't have to think long about his answer.
"..No, it's fine."
Christ, it feels so long ago now.
"I was thirteen. It was just a case of wrong place, wrong time on my part. Should've listened to the headlines I guess...though that's another thing the media always gets wrong." He casts a glance to Will momentarily, "You only become one if you're bitten on a full moon. Any other time, you'll just have an ER visit to look forward to."
no subject
"Bad things can happen to anyone." Will knows that, deeply, even if not in the exact context they're talking about right now. His voice is somber, eyes on where they're heading. "You'd hope that would make people more compassionate to the victims, but it just makes them afraid of being next." Makes them stupid, in their fear.
Will laughs, just one scoffing syllable of it, too flat and dry for humor. "I feel-- compelled to apologize. But I'm also probably not the best spokesperson for...anything." Let alone the entire rest of the human race.
no subject
Gabriel's own attempt at a laugh isn't much better, more strained than amused, but it's in earnest nonetheless. He'd been tempted to say something similar, but it'd be hard to do so without sounding too self-deprecating; about himself or about Lycans in general.
Thankfully it isn't long before Gabriel's gesturing a little further on ahead. "Okay, it should be around here somewhere." He can't remember exactly where he's going, but his nose rarely leads him astray.
Sure enough, he soon spots his shirt, a black jacket close by, with jeans further on. Usually they'd be folded and put away, but the time usually spent doing so was instead put towards applying pressure to his newly acquired gunshot wound. He almost wants to apologise for leaving his stuff strewn everywhere, like this is specifically Will's forest and he's been rude by leaving his clothes everywhere. At least the bag, an old, well-used leather thing, has been left alone.
Slowing to a stop, Gabriel removes his arm from around Will's shoulder with a word of thanks, not only happy to soon be clothed again but also to give the other some space again. Will didn't need to say anything for Gabriel to know he wasn't all that comfortable with physical contact. There was another thing he felt he needed to apologise for.
One by one, he gather's up his clothes from the forest floor. Bending to grab them is a little awkward, but he manages well enough. Getting dressed is another thing entirely, but again he just about does it once he's ducked behind the tree his bag's leaning against. While he isn't cold at all, the feeling of having his back and shoulders covered is one Gabriel's missed in the short space of time he's been without a shirt. But at least Will was tactful enough not to ask about how he earned his scars.
Jeans on the other hand weren't happening any time soon, not while his wound was still open. But once he has his boxers on at least, Gabriel's much more relaxed about easing himself back to the floor and opening his bag.
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Will can't help it. He's tried to be polite, and he absolutely doesn't want to give the impression it's because of what Gabriel is or isn't, but he just isn't used to prolonged physical contact. Or any physical contact. Growing up in a non-hugging household with no siblings didn't really give him a running start on it, and his life afterwards has been a series of self-isolating moves.
He gives Gabriel as much privacy as is reasonable in the forest, and probably more than he'd get in most locker rooms - Will turns completely to the side, watching the forest in the direction they'd been traveling.
It's not until the sounds of cloth shifting seems to change that he glances back and, seeing that Gabriel's clothed, looks towards him fully again.
Now's the end of it, theoretically. Will took him to his clothes. Although also now that Gabriel's got on just boxers, and not Will's blanket trailing down to his knees, Will can see the edge of the bloodied bandage he'd wrapped last night. "Do you-- have a car nearby or anything?" Gabriel isn't going to walk out of here after all of that, is he? Will's pretty sure they just established walking as a bad idea for him.
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