private 1x1 with Gabriel (IC)

[Gabriel 560]

I let out a sigh and brought my hands together in order to rub some heat into them. Those gloves I left in the kitchen table would have been a blessing right now but eh, I was just supposed to do some fast shopping anyways, nothing like this was written in my dad's note. "Sure, you wanna lead the way then?" I asked, taking a slight sidestep as in to allow him some space to move past me before extending my arm towards the alleys exit in a fairly obvious "you first" gesture, after which I inserted both of them back into my jean jackets kangaroo pockets. He just had to make things super awkward with the dating comment, though I paid it no mind.

Mostly because I was about ready to head back somewhere warm right now so it was useless to complain and nitpick over every little detail like I usually did and instead decided to put on that giddy face that appealed to most. Heck, he was buying me a coffee so it was pretty genuine to say the least.

Edited January 27, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

"Sure" Michael replied as he adjusted his right sleeve and glove to make sure there wasn't any steam coming from his hand, after which he walked past Verna, exiting the alley. After Michael had decided what cafe they would be heading, he checked how close Verna was and asked with appropriate volume, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible, "What brings you here anyway?" "I mean, it didn't seem like coming to the cafe was part of your original plan." "And considering that you are clearly under-dressed for this weather, I guess you didn't plan to stay outside too long." He wasn't sure if it was appropriate questions to ask, but he felt that it was better than staying quiet, even when their destination was about thirty meters away.

Edited January 27, 2018 by Pvt. Cerberus

[Gabriel 560]

My eyes followed him as he made his exit and only then realized that I should probably actually you know, follow him. I hastily threw my hands from my kangaroo pockets and with swift strides caught up with him just in time to answer his question. "Trust me, nothing anyone would be interested in." I said with a sigh as I adjusted my walking pace to match his and dug out the wrinkled piece of paper before I cleared my throat and continued. "One uh...bottle of laundry detergent, carrots, chicken nuggets, a new duster and you get the idea." I sighed yet again as I forcibly jammed the already destroyed looking paper back into my pocket. 

"You're right though, I probably should not leave the actual winter jacket on the hanger back home next time, same with the gloves." I chuckled as my hands escaped back to the kangaroo pockets like birds to the south from winter. "I hope this cafe that you have in mind is not located in the other side of the town?" I refocused my eyes to his face and let out a forced laugh as if that tryhard excuse of a funny comment was actually good.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel
"I see, groceries." Michael acknowledged with a tone that implied that he was the type of person who didn't like shopping for groceries too much. He then added with slight amount of amusement "And don't worry, the cafe is right there." and pointed at the cafe he was talking about, "I have actually never been there, but it can't be that bad, I have seen it being pretty full at times." "Luckily it doesn't seem to be that full now.".

Michael felt slightly bad for Verna's coldness, he wanted to offer his jacked to her like well-mannered person would, but he couldn't because that would mean revealing his hands, and walking around one hand steaming wasn't really a good idea. That made him to want to ask something from Verna, but he wasn't sure if he should because he knew that it would be a very weird question to ask. He decided to go for it, what did he have to lose, Verna knew he was a freak of nature, and he had most likely already more than proved that he was a weird guy all way around, "This is a very weird question I know, but how does it feel to be cold?"

[Gabriel 560]

I tilted my head slightly, following his finger all the way to the window of the cafe we were walking towards. Seemed almost exactly like the place they just came from, only thing noticeably separating them was the nameplate. I merely shrugged and continued walking next to him, chewing my teeth together in order to look like I was chewing bubblegum. A bad habit. Dentists hated it. On the occasional side glance aimed at my new friendo I could sense a certain type of uncertainty on his face, almost as if he was pondering on a world defining question of some sorts but I merely shrugged it off as we continued walking in silence.

But then it came, at least he warned about the question being weird in order to minimize the damage. I let out a quiet noise reminding of clearing ones throat combined with choking as I turned my head to him once again, my eyebrows raised and a flabbergasted look on my face. "Wh-wha..?" I got out before an extended sigh escaped my throat. I raised my right hand to rub my temples as a tiny smirk could be seen forming in the corner of my mouth. "Oh right...what are you, an alien?" I chuckled, now smiling fully at him as I returned the hand where it wouldn't get frozen into a cube. I then proceeded to look around myself as I bit my lip, trying to squeeze out some kind of an intelligible explanation. 

"It feels...not fun. Like...when I get too cold I start to get all achy and miserable. You get these shivers and..." I stopped as I returned my eyes to him, tilting my head again as I now had this slightly confused look upon my face. "...No but seriously...are you from Mars or something?"

Edited February 4, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

Michael gave few, almost nervous laughs, Verna's reaction didn't exactly surprise him, but it still made him slightly uncomfortable since it confirmed his weirdness even more. "I'm from earth as far as I know, I just have never gotten cold, or hot in that matter." "I don't know why exactly, but I think it's some kind of defense mechanism, since otherwise I would be freezing and burning myself all the time with my hands." Now that he mentioned it, he remembered how little he, or anyone really, actually knew about his....specialty, he was just as alien to himself as he was to someone like Verna.  

[Gabriel 560]

I separated my eyes from his when he began answering my not-so-serious question and just stared at the snowy ground in thought as he went on. After he concluded, I merely shrugged with a sigh before raising my head to view the cafe that was soon in a touching range. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense, kind of." I finally responded with a small pout. The answer Michael had given me was so vague that it was almost frustrating, but oh well, he said he didn't know either so I guess I couldn't really blame him. This situation was still more in the "No, this is not real." side of things for me and not getting any exhaustive answers was nerve wracking to say the least. Besides, I was still pretty confused on how I got mixed into this soup in the first place; I was just trying to get some stupid groceries for my stupid parents and now I was walking into a cafe with the superman. 

I had now moved on from grinding my teeth together to snapping my jaw from left to right as I slightly slowed my pace so that we would go through the door one by one instead of cramming in like cattle, making sure to excessively fiddle with the hairband just to be certain that the fuzzy mess that was my hair looked presentable enough.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

Michael wasn't sure what to think about Verna's almost dismissive answer, because he didn't know her well enough to know if she meant it in that way. He also had noticed Verna's teeth grinding and jaw snapping, but decided to not say anything about it because he knew how annoying it was when people complained about things like that. 

Michael entered the cafe, but stayed on the door to keep it open for Verna, and when they both were inside, he looked towards Verna, "So, what would you like?" 

 

(sorry if the quality is little low, I'm on mobile and it's midnight.) 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Pvt. Cerberus

[Gabriel 560]

I gave the guy a little smirk as a response to him doing something as knightly as keeping the door from closing against my face. I could embrace the warmth I hadn't experienced in so long as I stepped in right after him...had been out there in the cold wasteland for like...five minutes, which had of course been five minutes too much. It was an unfamiliar place so I instinctively found my spot next to Michael and didn't wander anywhere too far. Heck, I didn't really know him either but I had been seeing his mug for a few moments now so he went for a friend in my books.

I slightly tilted my head to his direction as he asked me what I would like, and after a minute of awkwardly humming in thought and letting my brains work overtime I responded: "Regular, whole lotta milk, no sugar." As if it had been in my mind the whole time. I then began scanning the place with my eyes, a vapid smile on my face as I expected something to happen other than us just standing near the doorway and doing effectively nothing at all.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

"Aright" Michael simply replied, he didn't mind Verna's.... slow decision, because he also was quite a slow chooser in some things "I let you choose the table."  He walked up to the counter to order "One regular with milk and one iced-latte please. " He paid with cash, without removing his gloves, and when he got the coffee's, he carried Verna's coffee with his right hand, and his own with the left. 

(again, mobile and late) 

[Gabriel 560]

I observed him walking to the counter before I turned to face the table area and no kidding, it wasn't as jam-packed as the previous place. I casually pulled out my phone and began walking towards the tables that were closest to the windows and settled down to the middlemost one there without really even giving it as much as a glance. I leaned against it with my left elbow as my right hand was busy checking the status updates on my phone, a small pout once again finding its way onto my face as my eyes regularly switched between the screen and the coffee stained All Stars decorating my now crossed feet. 

I checked the counter again, and when I saw Michael making his way towards me with two cups in his hands I lazily threw the phone onto the table and turned around so that I was sitting properly instead of hanging from the chair and about to fall down. I really didn't know why he bothered to do any of this, seeing that we lived in a 'Me first, everyone else second' twenty first century society, but damn I couldn't complain. I merely crossed my hands on the table and straightened my back as I waited for my free drink to arrive.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

"There" Michael said with overly friendly tone, as he put Verna's coffee on the table, he was going to put his own coffee on the table too, but he suddenly stopped and muttered under his breath, "For the fuck's sake" he then looked at Verna and said with normal voice "Excuse me" before taking a phone that looked like knock off Nokia 1100 from his pocked and answering it as he sat down. 

"What now!?" It was obvious that whoever it was who called wasn't someone Michael liked "Yes, but it's none of your business." if Verna was to look at Michael's coffee, she would be able to notice it had started freezing up "And what are you going to do about it huh?" his tone was mocking "You do remember what happened last time right?" he rolled his eyes "Blah blah, I know what I'm commited to, I think you are the one who should check their rights, anyways, I'm going to continue life, bye." he then just hanged up and put the phone to his pocked, his coffee was solid in this point. 

Michael looked at Verna,"Sorry about that."

Edited February 10, 2018 by Pvt. Cerberus

[Gabriel 560]

I gave him a soft smirk of approval as he handed me the coffee, but it faded almost instantly as the dudes personality literally took a U turn. A little smirk stretched the corners of my mouth shortly again as he destroyed someone over the phone while I did nothing but looked at him, balancing my chin on top of my crossed fingers. Sure enough, the now frozen coffee in his other hand combined with his current mood would make anyone consider running away before he wrecked the place but even I knew that he didn't have that short of a temper. At least I assumed so...not that I had only known him for the past thirty minutes or so.

"Sorry about what?" I managed to chuckle, although some nervousness clearly apparent in my voice. I was already so accustomed to him being the nice guy that honestly I was not entirely one hundred on the subject of "What should I make out of this?" but I had already decided that being the scaredy cat I was back at the alley would make me look frail as heck. "You sure showed them who's the boss..." I continued with an exaggerated, elongated thoughtful hum as if I was in a quiz or something. "Who was it? Was it your...ex?" 

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

"Ex?" "Ha, I wish." Michael said as he casually moved the frozen coffee to his right hand to melt it before someone noticed, he had returned to his usual tone, "It was...." he took a moment to come up with words, "Whatever you call a boss of a job you don't want to have but are forced to work in." he took more relaxed pose on the chair "And before you ask, I can't tell what the job is." "Professional secrecy and all that." "Let's just say it's related to my....specialty." He sipped his now liquid coffee

[Gabriel 560]

I merely hummed with a chuckle when he gave his answer to my dumb question and moved my eyes to stare at the window as he continued with the secrecy stuff. Yeah, this did sound, and look, like something out of a fantasy book anyways so it would probably be for the best not to press it any further. How could I know if some creepy hitman came after me if he said something he wasn't supposed to? I grabbed the coffee with my right hand and took a sip from it as I continued staring at the cars passing by outside. At least it wasn't as hot as last time.

After a swift silent moment I shifted my eyes back to Michael's mug and shrugged. "I got it I got it...'professional secrecy and all that.'" I moved my left hand to aid with the holding since it actually felt pretty good after getting frozen. I hadn't really planned a conversation beforehand but the more I spent time with him, the less of an awkward circus it got and I followed my previous sentence quite swiftly after whipping my ponytail free, as some of it had gotten stuck in my jacket's hood. "So, how're you coping with it Mike? Everything alright?" 

Edited February 16, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel
The question got Michael slightly off guard, but it didn't show too much because he had used to Verna's company enough to not lock up ever time he had to say something. And Verna calling him Mike helped with it too since Michael took use of nicknames as form of confirmation that they were now 'friends enough' to be more casual (<- sorry for bad wording), "With the job thing?" He asked, but didn't really leave time for Verna to answer "I'm fine, any interaction with my 'boss' just makes me want to bu..." (burn) he paused for fraction of a second "...punch something, hard." Michael sighed and looked at his coffee, "And if you mean my.....situation generally...." "You could say it's....lonely"

[Gabriel 560]

After a yet another sip I placed the cup back onto the table, maybe I'd still let it cool down a little anyways. I placed my chin on top of my crossed hands once again as I listened to him, my blue eyes lazily following Michael as he spoke. I let a sigh-like chuckle escape my mouth, but it was soon faded when he told me about his supposed loneliness. That word could mean a myriad of different things so I raised my eyebrow and leaned my head to the side with a quizzical, yet mildly mischievous smirk. "Lonely huh?" I started with a hum, eventually leaning back on my chair, stretching out my arms towards the ceiling with a yawn. "I'm sure your family keeps you company...your friends? Or...hm..."

I suddenly leaned forwards until my elbows were against the table, my right index finger pointing at Michael. "Don't tell me you live all alone in the middle of nowhere because of this."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel

"Well..." Michael started slightly haltingly after sipping more of his coffee "... it depends on what you define as middle of nowhere." he explained as he looked at Verna to see her reaction "I can see the city from some of my windows..." Though the reason for him living there wasn't what Verna thought, or well, it was, but there was more she didn't know. "... But I don't have any neighbors." 

[Gabriel 560]

"Aha, so you do indeed live in the middle of nowhere!" I exclaimed, although very playfully as my finger still was still pointed at him. I, however, soon collapsed back onto my seat and merely rested my arms on the table, sighing. "Well, that kind of sucks to be honest. I could do without my parents but I really need my friends, so, I don't know if I could ever manage in your situation." My jovial attitude flattened a little when I suddenly sympathized with Michael a lot, my eyes resting on the coffee cup as I wrapped my hands around it again. 

I took a careful sip from it, only refocusing my gaze to Michael after I had properly set it back onto the table. "So you don't uh...get any visitors or nothin'? Like...ever?" I asked him, slight concern in visible in my voice as well as my eyes. usually the only person whose well-being I cared about was my own, but I couldn't help but feel some degree of pity for this guy, and he was a special case after all. 

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Gabriel

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Gabriel
Michael was slightly surprised by Verna's seemingly sudden concern, not because there was anything weird about it as a reaction, but because he wasn't really used to someone....caring enough to be concerned. "Only what you could call business visits..." "...Because I don't really have any friends and my parents live in different city." He felt that he could now safely tell Verna more about where he really lived, so he continued "And I don't even get random passer-by asking for directions since you can't really get lost on a flat asphalt field next to a city" he sipped more of his coffee and continued with obviously faked positive tone "But I have gotten used to it, so it's not that bad of a way to life."