[ One of these days, it'll stop throwing Gabe when people are careful with him. Back home, most of his hookups were rough and quick. Toss in some friendly banter, go break a headboard or two, thoroughly scandalize the neighbors, and then he'd up and leave. One and done. And then of course there was Jackie, popping in and out of Gabe's life like a wayward cat. Slinking in low and graceful like he knew he'd be welcome and Gabe, like a moron, let him close every goddamn time. How many times can you get cut by a man and still not see it coming?
Enough, as it turns out. Too goddamn many. This should have been more of the same. Funny thing was, even the first time they collided wasn't quite that simple. They stayed together in the aftermath, down in the grass. Not for long - not for long at all, on balance - but it was something. There was -
Trust, Gabe thinks, even if it was small and tentative. They could have fucked each other up. Would've been easy. Expected, even. And they didn't.
Funny, that. And here, Daryl just picks him up and sets him down, back on the mattress. Gentle.
Gabe breathes out slow. He aches, but it's a good ache. He reaches a hand back to tap at the ports in his neck, trying to feel for the heat. For that awful, twisting pressure.
Nothing. ]
Yeah.
[ He closes his eyes and just breathes out. After a moment, he shifts to bump his hand against Daryl's arm. Gentle. ]
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Enough, as it turns out. Too goddamn many. This should have been more of the same. Funny thing was, even the first time they collided wasn't quite that simple. They stayed together in the aftermath, down in the grass. Not for long - not for long at all, on balance - but it was something. There was -
Trust, Gabe thinks, even if it was small and tentative. They could have fucked each other up. Would've been easy. Expected, even. And they didn't.
Funny, that. And here, Daryl just picks him up and sets him down, back on the mattress. Gentle.
Gabe breathes out slow. He aches, but it's a good ache. He reaches a hand back to tap at the ports in his neck, trying to feel for the heat. For that awful, twisting pressure.
Nothing. ]
Yeah.
[ He closes his eyes and just breathes out. After a moment, he shifts to bump his hand against Daryl's arm. Gentle. ]
Think it's stopped. Tell me to do something.
[ A test. Just to make sure. ]