Talk in the Park

Romi

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It was hard not to notice that Gabe was nervous about physical affection. He seemed to like it when he got it, but he also went bright red if Jude so much as held his hand. It was sitting there, on a bench, holding Gabe's hand lightly in the only hand he actually had.

"Would you believe I didn't used to be physically affectionate at all? This is pretty new."
 

ArcanaFate

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"Really? I'm wary about physical affection but I do like it. I just can't handle the attention it gives me for too long. It can be quite overpowering, as you saw." Gabe sighed contently, enjoying the feeling of Angelo's hand in his. It was something he hadn't done for a few years since his last girlfriend, but just being here with someone so supportive was the biggest change of pace he had had in a long while.

"...Am I being too clingy, Angelo? This whole situation has me reeling and all I want to do is latch on and not think about it anymore. But I can't let it go in the slightest."
 

Romi

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"You're really not clingy," Jude said, unable to stop himself from grinning. "Honestly. You're... if anything, I think most people might think you're withdrawn. You're allowed to lean on me without feeling guilty for it, you know. I like it. The..."

He trailed off for a moment, his eyes unfocused for a moment before he caught himself.

"The closeness, I guess. I think I actually like it more without my arm. I don't have to worry about Gill peeking over my shoulder, and I had this weird... ah, lag on the feeling in my arm."
 

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Gabe pulled off his mask, giving Jude a smile. Not a faint smirk, but a genuine heartfelt smile. He scooted closer on the park bench until he was shoulder to shoulder with his... Date? Interested party? Boyfriend? There wasn't quite a good title to put on their relationship exactly, but the teen was content with how it was going so far.

"...That would be uncomfortable, having a god ever watching from your arm. Any moments of intimacy become a peep-show." He shuddered at the thought, but gave a small laugh regardless. "I imagine there was a few awkward moments with Alma that come to mind?"
 

Romi

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"Not as many as you might think," Jude said, suspecting what Gabe was getting at, but not wanting to make it worse by shining a proverbial flashlight on it. "But yeah, it was awkward at times. It was hard to have like... a touching moment without thinking in the back of my head that Giltenn was watching, making mental notes about things. Especially when other people talk about their secrets. It was like... they weren't just telling me. They were also telling Gil."

He let out a sigh, sagging back into the bench. There were quite a few secrets that had gone with Gil.

"Kind of sucks not having an arm, but... I'm hoping Armorer can help with that. He's really good at stuff like that."
 

ArcanaFate

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Gabe wasn't quite sure how to respond at first. This was something a little more serious than the previous joke about a god watching you during your 'private time'. Curse his immature brain. Unsure of what to say, the teen could only give a soft reassurance squeeze of the hand that Angelo still had. He attempted a smile, but held back for a few more moments.

"Do you miss Gill? Not Gill the arm, but the actual being? And I'm sure Armorer will be able to build you a new arm, no problem." Gabe let out a small breath, looking away to stare at the night sky. This was supposed to be a new time of peace, yet here the Halcyonites were, once again suffering from problems far beyond the scope of normal humans.
 

Romi

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"Sometimes," Jude admitted. "I got used to having them there. They were never really friendly or anything, and we had some issues, but... they were a part of my life for a while. A year, maybe. If I hadn't met them..."

He'd almost said 'things would be different', but then his brain corrected itself: He'd be dead.

"I owe them a lot. I kind of feel bad that they felt like they had to run off like that, actually."

Jude let out a sigh, releasing Gabe's hand to rub at the back of his neck almost instinctively.
 

ArcanaFate

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Gabe remained quiet, feeling Jude pull away his hand to rub at his neck. He had noticed the blond would often do it as a nervous tick, something he would do when unsure of how to feel or when he was overthinking. It was cute, in a way. Gabe remained quiet, looking out at the park between the scattered trees and abandoned playground due to night settling over the island. Clouds had mostly blocked out the moon this evening, but pockets of starry sky still shown through to really give the Halloween feel of a spooky night.

"I'm sure Giltenn will come back in their own time, I'm sure. You've been through quite a lot together, so I don't think they'll disappear forever." He leaned back into the park bench, setting the hand closest to Jude down beside him if he wanted to hold it once more. "This has been quite the week, hasn't it? I thought life would be so much simpler here..."
 

Romi

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"Well, it is," Jude admitted. "No one's going to die here. If we get things wrong, then people might be upset. But in the end, no one's died. No one's hurt. The world isn't ending."

He wished things would calm down. He wished that everyone else had the few months he'd had for things to be normal.

"Things'll be better," Jude said after a moment. "Really. We just need to give things a bit of time to calm down."

He didn't bring up Gil. He wasn't sure if he wanted them back. A part of him said yes, but a much bigger part of him said no. There were so many downsides. So many risks and issues. His dad had to come first. His life had to come first.

"Did you want to head home?"
 

ArcanaFate

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"...You're right. I'm just overthinking it. Compared to Halcyon, there is practically no danger here. Buildings aren't collapsing, much less fighting..."

Gabe trailed off, standing up from the bench and facing Jude. He grinned, cheeks slightly pink.

"Depends if I have a kind gentleman to walk me there? If you can't, I won't be hurt. Promise." Gabe held his hand out, waiting for Angelo to take it before the pair walked back to the Halcyon apartments for the second time.
 
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