That was what Skulduggery had been afraid of, when he watched Sanguine drag Gabe down into the concrete outside the Hibernian. Not that Sanguine or Scarab or even Dusk would be able to harm him, but that Sanguine was a cut-and-dry sociopath, and he would be pressed up against Gabe for who-knew-how-long. Pressed up against a soul-reader. Sanguine wouldn't know the effect he was having, but even if he did figure it out - especially if he figured it out - his 'daydreams' would only get worse.
Daydreams. Murder. A man who'd killed countless times, only making Gabe's headache grow worse.
"That can't have been a walk in the park," Skulduggery said softly. "Is it a migraine?" It didn't seem like it; Gabe wasn't anywhere near as bad as he'd been last night. But in a way, he looked almost worse. More physically exhausted. More generally pained. Stiffer. More like a sick human than an injured enhanced being.
"Gabe - " Skulduggery started to ask, but was cut off when he sat down on the bed and Gabriel fell gently against his shoulder instead.
He'd done it before. Back at the Institute, where all of their powers were heavily dampened and Gabe could barely change shape once without needing to rest for minutes on end afterward - back before Skulduggery knew he was an Archangel. But the simple and momentary comfort never affected Skulduggery before quite like it did now. Then, it was a necessary inconvenience. Now, there was nowhere to get to, plenty of softer things to fall against on the bed, nothing needing immediate attention...
In a way, it was easier when Skulduggery didn't know where Gabe was. He could focus on other things. Fletcher, the investigation, Anton... the concern he couldn't deny was ever-present these days shifted to the back of his thoughts and he could do his job. Things were simple. Now, he was the cause of intense suffering in a person who'd never been through physical pain before, and no matter what he did, that suffering didn't stop.
He was making it worse. He had to be making it worse.
He'd put an arm around Gabe's shoulders, Skulduggery realised with a jolt. He didn't remember doing that. With a deep breath to focus back on his original question, Skulduggery squeezed once and let go. "It's not your fault. You're probably the only reason Professor Grouse is still alive." And the speed at which the Engines had been assembled was something Skulduggery would have to ask Kenspeckle about, once the man was awake, but that didn't have any bearing here.
"Why are you repulsed by Sanguine, but not by me?"
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Daydreams. Murder. A man who'd killed countless times, only making Gabe's headache grow worse.
"That can't have been a walk in the park," Skulduggery said softly. "Is it a migraine?" It didn't seem like it; Gabe wasn't anywhere near as bad as he'd been last night. But in a way, he looked almost worse. More physically exhausted. More generally pained. Stiffer. More like a sick human than an injured enhanced being.
"Gabe - " Skulduggery started to ask, but was cut off when he sat down on the bed and Gabriel fell gently against his shoulder instead.
He'd done it before. Back at the Institute, where all of their powers were heavily dampened and Gabe could barely change shape once without needing to rest for minutes on end afterward - back before Skulduggery knew he was an Archangel. But the simple and momentary comfort never affected Skulduggery before quite like it did now. Then, it was a necessary inconvenience. Now, there was nowhere to get to, plenty of softer things to fall against on the bed, nothing needing immediate attention...
In a way, it was easier when Skulduggery didn't know where Gabe was. He could focus on other things. Fletcher, the investigation, Anton... the concern he couldn't deny was ever-present these days shifted to the back of his thoughts and he could do his job. Things were simple. Now, he was the cause of intense suffering in a person who'd never been through physical pain before, and no matter what he did, that suffering didn't stop.
He was making it worse. He had to be making it worse.
He'd put an arm around Gabe's shoulders, Skulduggery realised with a jolt. He didn't remember doing that. With a deep breath to focus back on his original question, Skulduggery squeezed once and let go. "It's not your fault. You're probably the only reason Professor Grouse is still alive." And the speed at which the Engines had been assembled was something Skulduggery would have to ask Kenspeckle about, once the man was awake, but that didn't have any bearing here.
"Why are you repulsed by Sanguine, but not by me?"