weld, weld, weld...what have we, here?

⚔️

“you mean my winner buys the loser drinks plan wasn’t to your liking?” she chalked up the cue she’d selected, grinning as she shrugged her shoulders "damn now i’m actually gonna have to play to win.”

she wasn’t a shark by any stretch of the imagination, but long nights hanging around dex’s bar waiting for him to finish work and close up for the night so she didn’t have to go home and spend any kind of significant time breathing the same air as ann had taught her a thing or two when it came to the game.

“you break, first to sink the eight wins and is therefore entitled to any drink this fine establishment has to offer and limited bragging rights.”

Another chuckle. “I meant terms to win, but if you wanna let me choose...” He passed his cue from palm to palm, watching her and pacing around the table.

The use of limited made Gabe laugh, even as he lined up the break. “Smart call, girly.” The break was a little shaky, but it had been years. It could have been worse - at least he managed to sink the two. “Alright, kitten - you got stripes.”

**~**

Her eyebrows raised. She knew what he was implying and it somehow surprised her that he was being so insistent on it. A line was a line to her, no matter how they were delivered. After she had been on her own for a bit, she fell for them a few times. Though after she could always convince herself that she knew the whole time. That it had been her doing the playing. It was a lie and she knew it but lies were often easier than the truth. She nodded but a faint smile spread across her face, there was no believable answer to his question really. “I’m sure they do.”

A comfortable silence fell for a bit, at least comfortable on her end. She’d noticed not everyone felt that way but she certainly enjoyed spending time with the people that did. Being able to sit quietly with someone was a rare gift. But eventually it would have to break, especially since she wasn’t exactly supposed to be here in the tower that she knew of. Yet she didn’t really want to leave. “So what’s your story, Puppy? How’d you land here in paradise?”

.

Wearing impractical clothing, and prettying up her hair? No way she thought as modestly of herself as she was pretending, and he wouldn’t be convinced otherwise. But she was insisting on playing dumb, so Gabe let the topic drop.

He minded his work, glad for the natural light, until she spoke again. The nickname nearly had him coughing his cigarette out over the side of the tower. He muffled the sounds in his elbow, smoke clutched in his free hand.

After a long minute, he straightened up, wagging a finger at her. “Uh-uh. You can stop that right there, girl. Nobody’s gonna be calling me puppy.” It’d be exactly the thing to get around and undermine his authority. Then what good would he be to this place? He could promise to tinker like Javi, but really odds were better he’d just be out on his ear.

—

It felt unreal and hopeless, following the words of people that Ali didn’t know if she could trust or otherwise which meant that she was close to stepping back into another trap. All she could do was keep walking and hope for the best, even if hope felt difficult to find anymore as she trudged down another pathway that made her believe that she was near something as walls grew up slowly in the distance.

Part of was ready to duck and hide, disappear into the shadows and watch far longer than necessary to ensure that she wasn’t walking into a trap but her water had been out for over a day at this point and food was nothing more than crumbs that she dreamed about. This was it. All she could do was keep going and somehow trust the word of others as she neared the well beaten path towards what looked like an entrance in the wall.

She wiped at her brow, sweat mixed with dirt from the sleepless nights and countless bruises and cuts that covered anything that might have been exposed to the elements — as she spied someone climb down a ladder and come towards her. Holy shit, Lex. Her eyes narrowed at name, the sun messing with her vision until she recognized the figure before her. Her heart jumped into her throat, barely believing that it wasn’t another distrustful dream that would rip out what was left of her heart again. “Gabe?” Her voice was rough from disuse and dust as she watched his arms open and Ali fell in without even thinking twice. 

.

The sound of her voice, rough and pained, flared its own pain in his chest. “Yeah,” he answered, his own voice rough with emotion. How in the hell was it possible? Javier, of course - they’d traveled most of the way together. Their sister? He hoped she would be found - or find her way. but Alexis? How long had it been since he’d seen her last?

Rather than close her into a hug, he scooped her up, another flare in his chest at how light she seemed. “Lemme get you inside, girl.” He kept his voice low, scanning their surroundings once more before turning to carry her through the gate.

— 🔧 —

“I couldn’t fucking go back! You weren’t there - they - they’d said -” He’d had no idea where that had been, where he’d last seen his siblings, not after he’d been pulled away and lost sight of them. It had become a point in the middle of no where on a map that he no longer had, a trail that was erased as soon as it was left. And by the time he had tasted even the hint of fresh air it had been months since he’d seen them. Months in which he’d been tormented with the thought, had it thrown back in his face - that it was his fault they were dead, that he’d done this, that he deserved this. 

They were dead. It had been said again and again, that they were dead - that it was his fault. 

They weren’t there. It had to be…

His fingers curled into his hair, pulled at the strands. It didn’t make sense, there was still a part of him that knew that he’d lost his family, he’d walked them straight to their deaths.

You did this. YOUR fault. THEY’RE DEAD.

He visibly flinched at the noise as the tool was launched at the vehicle, certainly not aimed at him and yet as if he half expected the blow to land. Another crack in his composure that had once been so solid, and he was struggling to stitch the pieces back together. 

“I know - I know - I know -” he mumbled at the words that Gabe spat at him - the accusations that only rang true; He’d done this, that it was his fault. It was - he knew it was. It always was. 

But - he couldn’t -

Don’t just let him walk away.

“Wait -” He couldn’t get his voice to rise above a broken whisper, but he moved - moved to grab onto the front of Gabe’s clothing, then to lift his hands and cup them around either side of his brother’s head. “Please don’t - I -” He could feel him, he was holding him in his hands - but he still couldn’t quite get his head to wrap around it and read it as truth. 

“I thought…I thought you were dead…I thought they killed you…”

The ringing in his ears tried to drown out his brother’s words. Righteous anger, hurt, set his jaw and squared his shoulders. They? Did Javier mean the people here? Why would they tell him his family was dead - is that why they asked Gabriel if he was looking for anyone? Was the damn place gathering information to manipulate people with? The promise of safety, at a price.

He tensed but stopped when Javi grabbed him. Hands flexing around the bike’s grip and staring anywhere but at his brother’s seeking eyes. “Well. They lied.” The words were bitten out, but quieter.

The curse that slips out of his mouth does little to offend her as does the insult sent up her way. Suppose she deserves it. Doesn’t mean she regrets it. That’s not to say she doesn’t wonder what may have come of her had she stayed, but Javier had shown up two months ago. Gabriel is brand new to the town. Something happened. Something she hasn’t asked about, and she’s not feeling particularly nosy about it.

With nothing but the corner of her lip upturned, her smirk is a subtle indication of her amusement. From Javier’s detached and dry reaction to her visiting him, this reaction seems pretty on brand for Gabe. She’d expect nothing less. “Sometimes you just have to watch your own back.” The response is dry, lacking any smugness as well as guilt for Camryn felt neither. It is what it is and that’s all there is too it.

“Aforementioned ‘vile bitch’ is waiting for her relief. Are you coming up, or do you need me to come down first? You might need the extra room up there for that grudge you’re so clearly holding onto.” Either way she isn’t sure she wants to have it be just the two of them up there. It’s not so private she’s fearful, but on the ground she can at least just decide to walk away. So she descends, quickly too, reaching the ground and not being at all sly about the once over she gives Gabriel.

“There, all yours.”

.

“Oh, perfect.Life advice.” He held the ladder from habit more than genuine concern. It wouldn’t occur to him until later that he could have jostled her from it.

Placing a hand over his heart, Gabe fluttered his eyelashes. “Oh, is it? Is it all mine? Well, you’ll probably wanting to be taking it from me, then.” His expression flattened. If it had just been Gabe, he might have just tipped his hat for her outplaying him. But she’d done wrong by his brother and sister - and that wasn’t okay.

And she didn’t even fucking care. That - above all - he would remember. She didn’t care that they could have died for her actions. That she’d left them vulnerable. It was this that Gabe would remember, this that fed his anger.

And to eye him like that? Nope, fuck it.

**~**

Willow froze as he moved. Her memory focused on that night several months ago where she was in a similar situation that ended poorly. She mentally kicked herself, how could she be so stupid to get caught in the same bullshit twice? Her eyes flicked down as he touched her scarf but he just dropped it. She found her breath and quickly covered the reaction by taking another puff of her cigarette. If nothing else, smoking covered other nervous ticks that could be more telling.

It took a moment before her mind caught up with what he said. That her clothes said something about her. She wanted to argue that really all her clothes said was that there wasn’t a JCPenney open anymore but it wouldn’t matter. She wasn’t sure she could deliver the line convincingly while her heart still hammered from the shock of his closeness. Besides, his assumptions told her something about him as well. 

Instead she tilted her head as she looked up at him, a smirk playing across her lips. “Are you saying I’m cute? Oh my hearts all a flutter.” She asked with exaggerated coyness she found much easier to manage with her nerves. Her lashes batted almost mockingly but the look didn’t last. She snickered and shook her head, “How many have you used that one on? Actually,” she lifted her cigarette to her mouth again and raised an eyebrow, “How many has it worked on? Can’t believe anyone’s fallen for it yet.”

.

His smug satisfaction at leaving her speechless evaporated quickly. Something in her reaction... she was scared of him. It made sense to be; Gabe wasn’t exactly a pal she’d known for years. Neither did he give off golden retriever vibes, either. But that was by design.

Gabe sucked his teeth, eyes on his work. "Pretty girls know they’re pretty, Princess. You don’t really need someone else to say it, do you?”

⚔️

“a girl like me?” she’s super tempted to play up to that line, curl her lip slyly and widen her eyes until the appear all doe like with batting lashes, maybe giggle a little for added effect. but to be honest her heart wouldn’t be in it.

it should be, the dudes pretty hot for someone  who looks like he’s hurling towards the line of being too old for her, all dark eyes and don’t-fuck-with-me vibes, her older sister would be at least halfway out of her bra by now if she’d been standing in colette’s place.

“murder mostly.” she rolls her eyes a little, sardonic smile teasing at the edges of her mouth “but only if there’s no chance i’ll get caught, and mostly when there’s a little insurance deal thrown into the mix.”

she has a person now, an apocalypse buddy - slash - make out partner type person (she’s not gonna label it, if she labels it she’ll lose it and she’s not prepared for that), so she can be good and treat the bad boy hottie like a person and not just an object to drool over instead “how about we commandeer the table out back and shoot some pool, winner buys the losers next round?”

His grin widened. “S’what I said.” Her answer surprised Gabe, who barked a laugh. “I’ll remember that. Dunno that insurance exists anymore, though. Sorry to report.”

Gabe shrugged. Shooting pool for drinks wasn’t the worst idea of fun. Hell, she might even be good at it. “Go on, then. Lead the way.” He stood, and held still for the span of several seconds - evaluating both his balance and the view.

How the table wasn’t occupied was a mystery Gabe didn’t care enough to dwell on. He racked the table, allowing his opponent first call of cues. “Okay, girly,” he crooned, leaning a hip against the pool table, “what terms're we setting?"

Where: The Gate

When: Oh baby, just the minute she arrives, of course!

Vehicles approaching were going to be recruiters or runners - usually the latter. There was a chance it might be an outsider, a smaller chance it could be some hostile, but he’d not seen either of those yet.

Outsiders came on foot. Quiet, or crying, or skirting the tree line from justifiable paranoia. He’d been paranoid, too, and wouldn’t judge anyone else coming on the settlement similarly. Movement from that treeline caught his attention, and he snatched at his binoculars to get a better look.

He’d had a crush on her when Javi first brought her home. Not that Lex had ever looked twice at her boyfriend’s little brother. Once that had faded, it had been easy to be friends. Shooting the breeze, joking around, teasing her about aiming higher than Javier. Her busting his chops for not giving his own wife a proper wedding day. And her own wedding day? He’d danced with her then, glad she’d let them have a faster song, instead of obliging him to slow dance.

— 🔧 —

Pissed. 

It wasn’t exactly a new or unexpected emotion on Gabriel. Yet Javier couldn’t place why in the world of all emotions right now that pissed would be the first feeling on the list. They hadn’t seen each other in months, Javier had assumed…when he hadn’t been locked up in that hellhole of a camp, when he hadn’t heard anything more from either his brother or his sister…The only thing that made any sense was that they were both dead. 

Perhaps it was better that way, better they hadn’t gone through the shit that Javi had in that pit.

Yet Gabe was here, alive and well - or well enough - and, of course, was pissed, pointing some accusatory finger in his direction. 

“It’s not…” It wasn’t his, but that didn’t matter - the shop didn’t matter. What mattered was why the fuck Gabe was looking at him like a fucking traitor or something. 

When the words finally left Gabe’s lips, Javier could only snort out a humorless laugh, jaw clenching. “You think I’ve what, just been fuckin’ hanging out here this whole time, just sitting on my hands enjoying the view? Fuck you, Gabe. I thought you were dead, I thought - “ 

.

This time, he did jerk away. Gesturing to Javi’s apparent lack of injuries, and then his own bandaged arm, Gabe snarled, “Between the two of us? Yeah, I’d say you’re the one looking chill.” He wanted to calm down. He wanted to breath the red back, and let Javi say whatever big brother shit he’d say to make Gabe feel foolish. Then they’d have their awkward silence, and then Gabe would make a bad joke and it’d be alright.

Instead, Javi threw gasoline on Gabe’s fire. “Fuck me?” He stormed away, hands flexing at his sides, only to turn back and point at his brother. “Okay, so tell me - what was the proof that we were dead, eh? When you went back to where we split and there were no bodies? Or when you never saw us stumbling around looking for meat? Because those were the only reasons we agreed to stop looking for you.” The only reasons he’d stop looking for their sister. This damn town required people to put work in if he wanted a base - but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t spend every spare second outside.

The idea of her out there alone, facing God knew what, flared anger in Gabe anew, and he snatched the ratchet up to throw at the car. No chance it would hit Javier - his anger was from hurt not any real malice - but it did make a satisfying noise on impact. “You picked that fight. You got us all fucked up and split up. I thought my brother would go down swinging, at least. Thought you’d be out looking for us like we were for you. Not...” He gestured around them, “...sitting around Camp Kumbaya.”