It's lonely but it's safe

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:49 pm

William suddenly had a hard time swallowing. "Never again," he whispered. "They can't do that to him ever again."

He looked at Gabe, hoping to get the slightest hint of compassion from him.

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe looked at the picture.
So they had sent him in before. And apparently, it had done nothing to help him. Unless they had only waited two days and taken the picture. Obviously, being in there couldn't have been a bowl of cherries.

He looked at the face Tom had.
So now that you're out, you seek revenge.
However he might've found the picture heart-wrenching, Gabe refused to let himself take over by sensitive thoughts. He couldn't accept what Tom was trying to do.
"Even out of a center, I think someone with professional aptitudes should regularly come and check on him" he said, trying to keep his voice as emotion-less as possible.

Number of posts : 532 Registration date : 2007-07-07

"You are never going to understand." Mikey said bitterly, shoving his wallet back in his pocket. "He was raped. And no one seemed to give a damn. He hid all it below the surface, and now he has an illness that makes him emotionally unstable. He's scared, and confused, and trying to hide it with anger." He voice softened. "We left him there for a month. When we went to visit him, he cried and begged for us to take him out. He was shaking. When we get back, I'll put him back in there, ok? Haven't you got what you want now?" He glared at Gabe with distaste and walked away, dragging his suitcase behind him.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:05 pm

William stared ahead as he watched the man leave. His hand blindly searched for Gabe's, and he took hold of his fingers.

Deep down, he knew everyone had done what they thought was the best.
At what price?

If he had taken care of Tom instead of leaving him, maybe he wouldn't have turned into the violent man they know now. Would Tom always be afraid to get close to someone?

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

"Sure. Blame it on me" he mumbled so no one but himself could hear.
Now he says he was raped. It would have been too easy for him to mention it before.

Gabe looked down at his hand that William was holding.
"Should we go after him?" he asked, because he clearly didn't know what to do.
Had he went himself, he probably would've gotten punched again.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:17 pm

William shook his head. "I don't want to. I've heard enough like that."

What was worse - a picture of Tom in a psychiatric ward, or his mugshot? Maybe if Tom achieved what he had wanted in the first place, he would be cured.

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe looked at William's worried face and mis-interpreted it.
"You wanna leave him go out there without doing anything?"

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:24 pm

"What do you want me to do? Seriously, Gabriel, don't you think I've done enough?" He let his hand go. "He's obviously mad at me because I've been too blind to notice what was wrong with Tom, and you want me to go after him? You don't know Mikey. When he's angered, he can be worse than Tom. One killer after me is enough."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe looked at the ground.
I noticed he's got a good punch, yes.

"Okay. It's okay. I'm sorry" he said, still looking at the traced patterns that had stayed on the ground.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:33 pm

"It's really not your fault. I hope you don't think that." He looked at Gabe, and noticed blood dripping from his lip. He wiped it with his thumb. "Mikey has a very short temper."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe wiped his lip with the back of his own hand.
"Yeah, I noticed. I guess it must be hard to live what he's living" he said.

Gabe knew William was guilt-ridden at the moment. He didn't want to make matters worse by saying the wrong thing.
"I guess I should've simply shut up. It's just that I... " But he couldn't finish his sentence.

I wanted to make it clear to him that Tom trying to hurt you is something I can't live with.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:45 pm

"...you don't like to have a psycho killer around you? Understandable. I thought the same at first."

He let out a long sigh of exhaustion. "I love Tom with all my heart, but right now I wonder if it's really worth going through this. I never thought I'd have to risk my life to be with someone. Maybe he's faking it and it's part of his whole scheme, you know?"

Maybe he doesn't even know himself.

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

"I don't think we'll be able to know for the moment" Gabe answered. He grabbed the hoodie on the floor. "Might as well put it on" he mumbled as he slid it on. The sleeves were also too short, so he pulled each of them up his arms.
"But I don't think you should be risking your life in this way for him. Normally, I'd be all poetic and say you should, but... "
I don't want you dead.
"... this is on a whole other level" he said. "He's the one who wants to kill you, not some third outer party who's trying to seperate you guys."

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:55 pm

He felt a sob form in his throat, and bit his bottom lip to suppress it. Don't cry, for Christ's sake. You're a grown-up man.

"What am I gonna do, Gabe? It's either me or him..."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe brought himself face to face with William. His hands extend and cupped William's chin softly.
"I know now you think you've done every possible thing wrong" he said "but what you're gonna do now, is follow your gut and then double-check it. Because that's all you can do. No one- not even me- can tell you what to do. No one has the right to."

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:10 pm

He looked away. "If I did what I wanted, you'd say I'm doing it for the wrong reasons."

It's just that I'm not afraid when I'm with you. If you loved me, the choice would be simpler to make.

"No one can tell me what to do," he repeated, "but they can disapprove it."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

"People can always disapprove. But it's your strength that makes it not matter" he said.
"If you're sure of what you gotta do, then what people think should be secondary. Even my opinion shouldn't matter."
Not that I'll ever judge you, he thought.

He looked into William's eyes.
"At this point, it's more important to do the right thing than to worry about what people will think. So do what you think is best, okay?"
He gave William a gentle smile. "I know you can do it" he said.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:26 pm

He gazed absent-mindedly at Gabe's lips and chuckled. "That's the thing. I know I can do it."

But I can't go on loving somebody who doesn't feel the same way. Not again.

"I'll do my best to take care of Tom."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Because that's what you do when you love someone.
Gabe nodded slightly.
"See? That wasn't so hard. Just be careful" he said approvingly.
He let go of William's chin and rubbed his hand on his lip last time.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:07 pm

William hadn't wanted him to let go.

"I will, but..." He hesitated for a moment. "If something turns wrong, will you be there? I mean, if I realize it was a stupid idea, you won't turn your back on me, right?"

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

How could he even ask something like that?
"Of course I won't. Don't worry, 'kay?" he said on a reassuring tone.
He placed his hand on William's shoulder and smiled to him in an encouraging way.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:52 pm

"Okay." He smiled. "Just don't kick Tom's ass."

He leaned forward and kissed Gabe's cheek, his lips half-landing on the corner of the man's mouth. I needed to do it one last time before you could refuse.

"Thanks."

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe's cheeks reddened ever-so-slightly. He couldn't help it. He smiled.
"Don't worry. I'll only kick his ass if he tries to kick anyone else's" he said.

"And that's assuming I can kick his ass" he added laughing.

Subject: Re: It's lonely but it's safe Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:10 pm

"Ha, I know you can, that's for sure. Just promise you won't interfere unless someone's life is in danger. I can take a few punches; same for Michael. But I wouldn't want anyone to touch your pretty face. I need something to stare at, you know?"

Number of posts : 1363 Age : 44 Registration date : 2007-06-25

Gabe's cheeks reddened some more. What was he saying?

He tried to keep it cool.
"Haha, I'll keep it in touch for you" he said.
What am I worrying about? Geez, Gabe. Get over yourself.
"In case something does happen" he said with a laugh "all you gotta do is look into a mirror. You should be perfectly fine with that."

» One isn't so lonely anymore