Gabrielxnikephoros - Blog Posts
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel could almost feel the regret coming from the other incubus. It was there, in Silas’ eyes. The other was so gentle, it was almost ridiculous to think about. Then again, Silas was young. Gabriel just wasn’t sure if he had the patience to help the Kyun out for the rest of their time in Corinth Bay. “You’re right about that. I guess I can forgive you.” He turned towards Silas, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave the other cubi a once over. “What was wrong, Silas? What had you so agitated that you thought it’d be cool to…” he waved his hand a little, “weird. Not calm? I don’t know. Ela, sit down. You’re making me stressed by just standing there looking like I stole your pet rock.”
“My pet rock—” the fellow cubi huffed at the idea of something so silly, but took a seat where Gabriel had motioned with ease. Maybe it was the way his exhaustion hung on his expression that caused the reaction he received from him, though Silas hardly thought it warranted any amount of stress. He simply came to explain, even if it wasn’t a conversation that the other really cared to have. “Well. Guess it was the same thing that Kasandra had, that emerald scale,” his tone was calm, though remembering the havoc the scale caused should have unsettled him greatly but it was all over now. Destroyed by the hands of a genasi, finding help in the most unlikely places, “Safiye from the book shop by mine assisted me in getting rid of it after Kas told me more about what it was. The thing had me convinced I needed to keep it by my side.”
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel had idly wondered how Silas had fared during the entire ordeal, though the other incubus had drifted from his mind after their argument. He’d told himself that he didn’t need to take care of the other cubi in the city, not when he had his own issues to deal with – and with the exception of Kasandra. Fran, Silas, and Chris were going to have to just deal. Though that didn’t mean he didn’t care, it was just difficult for him to maintain any kind of balance in his personal life.
The sound of Silas’ voice only made him frown, the usual joy he felt seeing the other somewhat tampered by their last conversation. Setting the book down, he looked at his friend, “Being one of the only librarians here, I can take a break whenever I want.” He flipped the little sign around on the desk to say “on break,” looking at the other incubus expectantly. “Do you need something?”
Being ruthless and unfeeling was never in Silas’s dna. Even after all these years, along with the transition into an incubus, it was hard for him to altogether let go of the person he was in the past. He felt that now more than ever as the guilt was more prominent than before, charcoal irises locking onto Gabriel’s solemn expression, and gave him an empathetic look in return. Gabe wasn’t the one that had lied or acted out of his usual ways, Silas had. Now that the Kyun was mostly back to himself, bags still present under his eyes even with all the sleep, it was easy for him to stick with the path of patience. “I just want to apologize for the way I acted and treated you,” the words came out smooth and heartfelt. It wasn’t hard for him to admit when he had behaved in the wrong fashion, to confront the issue and take accountability, “A friend should never be treated so poorly.” Silas allowed the silence to take over from there, not wanting to add more onto what should be simple. He had overstepped his boundaries once and it was now in Gabriel’s hands to either forgive or keep their divide. How things had been since the two parted ways was hardly any of the fellow cubi’s concern and the destruction of the scale was information he would only give if asked.
Several days had gone by with the curse lifted, but Silas was still showing hints of fatigue. Nightmares had dissipated into solid REM sleep, though the incubus’s body had yet to fully recover. He kept the shop closed for those days, placing a sign for anyone that came by that read “temporarily closed due to illness”, and stayed huddled up in his loft just above. Guilt swiftly crawled into the sheets as he slumbered. The scale had plagued him, changed his core moral compass to something the cubi had never expected nor fully realized. Not until Safiye had ripped it from his grasp to pulverize it, bits of jade and emerald dust fading into nothingness. When he woke, all Silas could think about was his fellow incubus and the way he had treated someone he considered a close friend. Lies and for what reason? An object and a false sense of doing a good deed? Hardly the path the Kyun was known to walk and it showed in the way Gabriel believed him.
The smell of books permeated his nose as the cubi slunk into the library, peeking around each corner in hopes to find the fellow cubi working his usual shift. A text was too impersonal for an apology, charcoal hues bouncing around the room until chocolate locks were seen and Silas made his way over. “Hey—” his usual warm grin and eyes that actually looked as though there was life behind them, “Got a break soon?”
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gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel wasn’t quite sure he believed the other’s excuse, but he had not reason not to take Silas’ words at face value. The other really hadn’t lied to him before, so he didn’t think Silas would start to now. Frowning, even the lights of the carnival couldn’t distract Gabriel enough to focus on what was being said. “I guess…the rosemary tea. It reminds me of how my mother would make it.” He gave a half smile, pointing towards one of the booths, “You want a drink?”
“Definitely,” came from the incubus’ lips a little faster than he originally anticipated, but the exhaustion had him more than off beat. His usual filter that allowed him to actually think before speaking was a bit mangled and all the commotion had Silas’ sensory overloaded. Normally he didn’t drink much other than the occasional sake or cocktail when the moment called for it, charcoal hues bouncing to the booth before heading over with Gabriel, “You aren’t looking too hot yourself, what’s got you anxious?”
gabrielxnikephoros:
“I heard…that Tranquilitea is under the ownership of a shapeshifter who just really fucking likes tea. Then you have the witch at Anxietea who loves the magical brews that do a little more for the person that drinks it. Neither is really better in my opinion, but I’ve also had way too much fucking tea in my life time.” It took Gabriel a few more moments, but he placed his hand against Silas’s chest, “What’s wrong?” He noted the exhaustion that seemed to creep in from the other’s soul – the way he looked far more tired, almost like Kasandra had.
Waving a hand, Silas tried his best to ignore the topic of his own personal health. He had been on the brink of exhaustion all week and each moment the cubi finally made it into deep sleep, the usual nightmare routine would creep in. There was no way he wanted to talk about it fully, even with the look of pure concern hanging on Gabriel’s face and filling Silas with guilt. “Haven’t fully recovered from the Eidolon’s,” a white lie that he hoped didn’t show through given his current state and tried to change the subject back, “I like Anxietea’s Secret Tea Party blend with the rooibos. You can’t tell me you don’t have a favorite.”
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Objects, at times, belonged with certain people. Even those who claimed to not understand Silas’ line of work, artifacts and items had always been important in some degree or fashion. Family heirlooms, precious gems — no one could deny that they had at least one thing they cherished most and wanted to protect. He hadn’t grown to discover what side of the fence his fellow cubi was on, but the shine of the coins and the engravings meant they were from nowhere other than the Byzantine Empire. Years had passed, Silas knew, since those days that he wondered if Gabriel just wanted to forget. He supposed this was a way to test the waters and discover more about his friend. “Found something interesting,” the cubi stated as he pulled the gold coinage from a cloth just behind his shop desk. They had been there for almost a week at this point, Silas stewing on the idea of forcing the interaction, but decided on the more organic approach, “Picked them off another collector at an estate sale.” Which really meant he forced the man’s hand and got a little snack in the process, cheeks taking on a strawberry hue at the thought, “Thought maybe they deserved to be in your hands instead.”
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel huffed out a laugh, “No, no. We’re starting an all out tea war between the owners, Silas. Think big, babe.” He waved his hand in the direction of Tranquilitea. “These two shops have literally hated each other since Anxietea popped up. Don’t ask me why, or how, or what happened, but I live for this kind of petty shit. You can’t tell me you’re not excited.”
Silas had to admit, it would be an interesting time seeing the two shops in a panic while he sipped his tea from in front of his shop and acting as if he had no idea. “Alright, I’ll give you that much,” he hated to say when Gabriel was right about something, but the moment called for it, “But I’m ignoring your request, how did you find you hear about them having beef? There is no way you don't know a little.”
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel waited not so patiently for Silas to hold good on his promise. And as soon as the other incubus exited the store, Gabriel was beside him in a second, “Fucking finally. Now come on. You distract the barista. She’s cute, kinda young for you though. She goes to the college down the road a bit. Don’t get any ideas,” he put his arm around Silas’ shoulders, steering him towards Tranquilitea first. “Then…when I get all their packaged teas, we’ll go to the other one. Switch it up, and watch the madness ensue.”
Eyebrows furrowed slightly at the idea of getting ideas when it came to a college student. If anything, she would accidentally become his meal at any given local bar but the cubi often tried to make sure they weren’t too local. The last thing he needed was for someone to remember his face vividly and want to keep any kind of relation going. “Is that really all we are doing?” a laugh fell from his lips before locking up the shop and walking with the fellow cubi, “Just mixing up tea and watching barista’s swear they made that person a chai latte?”
☎
NAME: Troubriel 🦖
RINGTONE: default
PICTURE: cheers!
LAST TEXT RECEIVED: That wasn’t so bad now was it?
LAST TEXT SENT: Still baffles me, but at least this prank didn’t involve accidental bodily harm.
gabrielxnikephoros:
Gabriel had made his way around the store to stand by Silas finally, tilting his head a little bit more at the snark that exited his friend’s mouth. The other incubus was soft; a kinder spirit than Gabriel had ever met in his entire existence. And that existence was being reminded to him, again. “Oh, so he’s got jokes.” Gabriel huffed out a laugh, shoving Silas lightly, “Unbelievable. I offer you my friendship, my wisdom with all my age, and you just – throw it back at me. Forget it. I’m going to steal the tea recipes and then I’m going to blame you.”
“Alright, see you in about thirty minutes,” the fellow cubi kept the smirk firmly planted on his face as Gabriel attempted to psych him out. Silas wasn’t exactly sure if he really needed another with him in order to do the deed, but assumed another set of hands was probably necessary. Either that or another set of eyes. Regardless, he was involved now for better or worse. “Maybe you can support the bookstore across the street while you wait. I’m sure there is something you haven’t seen yet.”
gabrielxnikephoros:
“Silas, you have to pretend to be a little excited. Don’t give me that look – or I’ll invite Safiye instead and let you watch through your little shop window.” He waved a hand in the direction of Pandora’s Lore, smiling a little at the other cubi. Gabriel sighed dramatically and pulled himself up onto the counter, “A half hour? What do you expect me to do while I wait? Dust your shelves? My hands are far too delicate for that kind of work, darling.”
“You and I both know that’s an empty threat or you would already be at her doorstep,” the fellow cubi retorted with a chuckle, this hardly being the first time something similar fell from Gabriel’s lips when Silas didn’t seem as thrilled as he anticipated. By this time, to his friends dismay, the cubi had fully intended on going along with any plan. He had just grown to love ruffling Gabriel’s feather’s and learning more about him through the reactions. “And I’m sure you can find a way to entertain yourself for a measly half hour— you have made it this long, after all,” a bit of a devious grin emerged onto Silas’ face as his charcoal hues peer at his friend, “What was it like being the first human being, anyway? You’re what— one hundred and ninety thousand now?”
gabrielxnikephoros:
“You, of course,” Gabriel flashed a smile in the other’s direction, glancing away from Silas after a moment so he could actually turn and see what was in the other’s store. It hadn’t taken long for the incubus to decide that he was definitely going to be dragging the other into all sorts of trouble. It had begun some sort of unruly friendship between the two, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the company of Silas. “When are you closing up shop? I think I promised to show you an even better time tonight than like…last week’s night. This one involves a tea recipe stealing scandal.”
“You had me at tea recipe, but started loosing me at stealing scandal,” the fellow cubi said without much conviction, but held onto a curious expression. The last so-called adventure left Silas setting up ground rules for what Gabriel was allowed to toss him into, along with some warning so he could behave accordingly. “And I’ve got a client in a half hour picking up a table, so fortunately for you— I close up shop after that,” a slight grin fluttered back onto Silas’s lips at the idea of what he could be stepping into. For once the unknown gave him more sense of excitement than total dread, a quality that his new friend was the root cause of.
