Twisted Hearts

chapter 8:"Never Mind"

“…Since you’ve grown on him…”

The words teased at Sebastian’s mood, causing anger to boil inside him as he walked alongside Gabriel out of Raven's office The other man his noise practically stuck to the file he’d been given since they’d walked out; Which Sebastian didn’t mind since he got to walk slower and stare at Gabriel’s perfectly shaped rear.

He didn’t mind at all…

His hands twitched with the need to touch him, but he knew at this point Gabriel would just punch him and probably refuse to see him again, which want good given Raven had made him his personal trainer. A small smirk twitched up his lips at the thought of him training Gabriel, he’d love to teach the other man everything he knew about everything, especially…

“Sebastian!”

He flinched at the sound of his name being called, turning over his shoulder to see Jennifer walking up to them. Gabriel had stopped walking and now stood a few feet ahead of him, an adorable look of confusion on his face, Adorable? He shook his head at the word.

Jennifer stopped a few feet from him. A shin of sweat now covered her brow as she panted from her workout, her eyes though sparkled in a way that only he was familiar with. Jennifer was his partner in an undercover case, he considered her a friend. She knew about Gabriel.

“What Jen?”

The smile widened on her face as she looked over his shoulder, at Gabriel. “I knock off early today, I wanted to invite you guys out for drinks tonight, I know this really cool place,”

Sebastian looked back at Gabriel; he couldn’t help the hopeful look in his eyes. If he knew her—and he did, Jennifer was trying to help him in her own crazy way. She knew just how deeply he cared for the man. Gabriel looked hesitant, his eyes drifting from Jennifer to him and Sebastian could see the panic settle in them. His hut twisted as he contemplated this, Gabriel was scared, of being with him?

His face fell as he swallowed hard, it seemed that up until know he hadn’t really thought of the amount of hurt he had caused the other man, he thought that it would be easy to win Gabriel over again, but know, seeing the debt of panic in Gabriel’s eyes, it was like a punch to the gut that hurt like hell.

“I’m sorry, but…I have a lot of work to catch up on, new cases and all,” He muttered, and quickly walked briskly away, his head ducked.

Sebastian swallowed hard the feeling that snaked around his heart and squeezed, was this what rejection felt like? It hurt, was this how Gabriel had felt when he left just like, regardless of his reasons, he did reject Gabriel, he rejected the most important thing in his life.

A hand rested on his arm, slowly rubbing up and down smoothly. He glanced at Jennifer by his side and exhaled roughly, his head falling down.

“Don’t worry Sebastian, he’ll forgive you, I’m sure of it,” He lifted his head slightly, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

“How can you be so sure?”

A smile twitched up her lips, “I could feel the tension between you too, trust me Sebastian Mr. Lawyer over there is crazy about you. He’s just angry and hurt. I don’t blame him,”

Sebastian sighed once again; it was becoming quite the habit these days “I don’t blame him either.”

“Sir, you have a client,”

Gabriel stared up from his laptop, blinking sleepily at his secretary. His eyes felt heavy, he glanced at the clock over her head. Letting out a groan, he’d been working for 5 hours straight, normally that wasn’t a problem but with his mind so occupied he couldn’t think straight. In five hours he’d gotten so little done it was frustrating. 

He resisted the hard sigh that threatened to seep through is lips, taking off his glasses to wipe his eyes.

“No, I have somewhere else to be, redirect the call to someone on the third floor, perhaps Stacey,” He ordered, resting his head against his chair, he swerved it around and heard the door close behind him. It was becoming hard, staying focused, the world felt like it was resting on his shoulders and the pressure was getting to him. 

Taking off his glasses, he gave himself a few minutes to gather his thoughts before pushing off the chair, deciding it was time he met up with Jason to hear what he wanted. Maybe another threat, his heart hammered and he exhaled, feeling his head throb with the approaching headache.

---

His family house came into view as he drove down the road, gripping the wheel slightly harder. He parked right outside, where his dad’s car should have been.

Dad isn’t home, s**t.

The thought came and passed before he could stop himself, he walked out the car, standing there for a few moments as the cold breeze nipped his skin, ruffling his hair as it passed by. It was getting late, a few minutes and the sun would pass over the horizon, cloaking the night in darkness. Unsurely, Gabriel walked up the steps and stood by the door, ringing the bell.

It took just a minute for it open; Alice met his gaze with a look of confusion, which quickly turned into fear. Looking at the young woman Gabriel quickly remembered when shed gone to his home, crying her heart out just yesterday.

“What are you doing here?” She whispered low, frantically turning over her head back into the house.

“Jason texted me, said we needed to talk,” Gabriel glanced over her shoulder as well, unease clawing up his gut, He was used to the cold reception Alice normally gave him, not this. He could see the fear and panic in her eyes as she looked back over her shoulder, her body turning rigid as she caught sight of something, or someone. 

Gwen came down the stairs fast, jumping them two at a time. The first thing Gabriel noticed was that, the second was the pure murderous look she was giving him. A look that summarized all the hatred she’d been giving him since he told her he was gay. It took him back to those first days, when she’d always be muttered scriptures about how he’d go to hell, or muttered faggot every time he did something wrong.

He flinched at the memory, seeing the way Gwen’s eyes shifted from him to her daughter, the look hardened, she looked just about ready to hit Alice and working on instinct he moved into the house, taking a defensive step in front of Alice as Gwen came to a halt, her breath was heavy, eyes wide and bloodshot.

“You” She hissed, shoving her finger in his face. Gabriel thought he could see the anger roll off her in waves, hitting him hard, causing him to take a step back in shock and confusion. He felt Alice grip into his arm from his back, a strangled sob left her. Gwen’s eyes shifted to her daughter, and Gabriel could see with a note of worry the very same disgust she had reserved for him settle in her eyes.

“You did this to her,” Gwen barked, her fingers curling into fists at her side.

He thought it better to remain quite, but curiosity ate at Gabriel until her asked, “What did I do?”

The question only in sighted the anger in Gwen’s eyes, “You and your filthy disgusting lifestyle, I told Andrew to get you some help, to get you away from my daughter but he didn’t…and now she thinks she’s just like you, she thinks she’s one of your kind,”

She said the word like they were anything but humans. But that was all it took for Gabriel to understand. To see what huge change could have happened in Alice’s life to cause her to go to his place in tears, in that moment she must have wanted somebody to understand, somebody who knew the pain. Suddenly Gabriel could see her dilemma, being gay and having a mother like Gwen wasn’t easy, he could finally understand Alice and her pain.

His throat felt restricted, tight as he spoke slow,

“Gwen, it’s not her fault, she can’t change who she is,” He said, slowly licking his dry lips. A laugh erupted from Gwen, one that didn’t sound anything like the woman, she sounded crazy.

“Of course she can, I will not have my daughter live a sinful life, this is just a hiccup, a challenge to test my faith and I will not fail. I’ve already called the pastor, were going to meet him and these crazy ideas out of her mind. Alice get ready, we are meeting Pastor Chris in an hour.”

A sob left Alive from behind Gabriel, causing his throat to tighten until he could barely breathe. He could 

“Alice, I said go upstairs and get ready.” Gwen repeated; a harsh and warning edge in her voice. Gabriel felt Alice shift from behind him and he turned instantly, grasping her shoulders as he met her tear filled eyes. Her lips trembled as more tears added to those that escaladed down her eyes.

“You don’t have to go Alice, there is nothing wrong with you,” He pleaded, his grip on her tightening. She swallowed hard, looking over his shoulder as her mother and a shudder raced through her, she looked terrified., nearly scared to death of the woman.

“I have to go,” She whispered thickly, her voice harsh from crying, tears trailed down her eyes. Causing Gabriel’s heart to break in more pieces than he knew were possible. She shrugged his hands away, they fell at his sides; he didn’t know what to do with them as he watched her leave.

How can you just leave like that? Without a fight? He thought bitterly,

As if you’re any better, isn’t that what you do? You run away from your emotions, you run away from him…

Another harsh voice teased at the back of his mind, causing his teeth to clench.

He turned to Gwen, feeling more anger than he’d ever let himself feel. It coaled around him hard, grasping him in its vice like grip as his chest rose and fell with each hard breath he took. The look of utter satisfaction on the woman’s face made him feel sick, In that moment, he had never hated anyone the way he hated Gwen. 

He exhaled shakily, wiping at his face to clean the tears.