#gabya

Here’s the thing. Gaby was terrified of Illya at first. Deep down sincerely terrified. This was the giant that ripped apart a moving car while she was in it. When he shows up as Solo’s new partner, she is visibly frightened of him. Of course she is! And she has to pretend to be in love with this grim, psychotic brute?!

The mugging scene is a turning point. She sees Illya wrestle that overpowering desire for violence, and restrain it. (Yeah, he punches the guy -- but he doesn’t kill him, as much as he wants to.) She sees not only his restraint, but his vulnerability -- she comforts him, in that scene, soothes him and helps him regain control, this barbarian giant that she was terrified of. Partly because it’s important to the op, sure, but also, I believe, because she sees that he’s losing something important and that’s why he’s upset. He’s human to her now, has emotions and sympathetic motivations and responds to the comfort of another human being.

So the dancing. She’s drunk, and internally screaming about her situation, and her thinking/behavior is accordingly erratic. And she slaps him, just like the mugger. And in so doing, she proves something very important to herself.

Illya will not attack her. Even when provoked, the grim brutal giant will make no attempt to hurt her. Heck, even when she literally jumps him, he loses the wrestling match rather than risk hurting her. He could break her like a twig if he decided to, but he won’t.

That’s when Gaby’s not afraid of him anymore.