Not appreciative, Gabriel translated, nodding to himself. He should have a chat with the others. Ghastly first, he thought. Ghastly would be the most likely to have noticed, the most likely to reach out, the most likely to accept that maybe he'd misstepped with how he'd handled the young sorcerer.
But looking silently at Fletcher now, Gabriel could see that the boy was hurting. Badly. He pretended otherwise, but he wanted so badly to belong and yet those to whom his respect had been given didn't see it at all. He liked Valkyrie, wanted to do things for Valkyrie, wasn't sure how to act around the others. So he pretended. And the others never saw just where his pains were.
Impulsively the Archangel left the scalpel standing upright in a branch and stepped toward Fletcher, enfolding the boy in a hug--arms and wings both, though Fletcher would only feel the latter in terms of being held, being protected, being safe. Gabe opened himself up so Fletcher would feel his understanding and care, and held the embrace for a long moment, enough to let that feeling sink in. Then he kissed Fletcher's forehead and pulled back with a sad, gentle smile, squeezing Fletcher's hands.
"There's a lot of things to do in life," he said, looking at the youth full in the face, "and it's easy, often, for people to get caught up in the things that seem the most important. I can't imagine how difficult that must be to be overlooked for everything else. But they'll see you, Fletcher. One day they'll look at you and they'll see you properly, and know they have someone worth keeping."
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But looking silently at Fletcher now, Gabriel could see that the boy was hurting. Badly. He pretended otherwise, but he wanted so badly to belong and yet those to whom his respect had been given didn't see it at all. He liked Valkyrie, wanted to do things for Valkyrie, wasn't sure how to act around the others. So he pretended. And the others never saw just where his pains were.
Impulsively the Archangel left the scalpel standing upright in a branch and stepped toward Fletcher, enfolding the boy in a hug--arms and wings both, though Fletcher would only feel the latter in terms of being held, being protected, being safe. Gabe opened himself up so Fletcher would feel his understanding and care, and held the embrace for a long moment, enough to let that feeling sink in. Then he kissed Fletcher's forehead and pulled back with a sad, gentle smile, squeezing Fletcher's hands.
"There's a lot of things to do in life," he said, looking at the youth full in the face, "and it's easy, often, for people to get caught up in the things that seem the most important. I can't imagine how difficult that must be to be overlooked for everything else. But they'll see you, Fletcher. One day they'll look at you and they'll see you properly, and know they have someone worth keeping."