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They're the exact same height.
Okay, that's not what Gabby should think of when she runs into a strange kid in the middle of the night. Maybe her priorities aren't straight.
But they're the exact same height! Everyone else in Kagemori manor towers overhead; looking someone straight in the eye without them kneeling down all patronizing-like is a treat. It helps that these are pretty cool eyes to look into: red and wide, pupils sharpened by the hallway lights or maybe surprise.
And besides - it doesn't take a genius to figure out who she's lookin' at, lookin' back at her uncertainly. It's all everyone's been able to talk about today.
"Hey. You're Asa, right?"
The girl hesitates; she's probably been told not to share her name with strangers. Dummy; they're the only two kids in the entire estate, they won't be strangers for long.
Is she scared of Gabby? That'd be a first; everyone's always scared of Gabriel, not her, which really sucks. She can't bring herself to enjoy it right now - from the looks of it everything scares this girl. Doesn't make Gabby anything special.
She tries to smooth out her frown, and checks that Gabriel isn't looming over her shoulder.
"You lookin' for the bathroom or something?"
Asa winces. "I'm sorry. Master Gonzo said that - if I needed anything - I could help myself. And I was hungry, and the hallways are so -" She cuts herself off. "I'm sorry."
"Dude, don't apologize; this place is a maze." Gabby shrugs and resumes quietly stomping down the hall. "I was gonna get a midnight snack anyways."
She gets all the way to the next turn before glancing back; Asa's still frozen there. In the middle of the hallway, as close to the light as she can get. Scared people usually hide in the shadows.
"You comin'?"
She doesn't say 'I don't bite' because. Well.
Asa's stomach growls. Meekly she says, "Yes please."
Gabby grins. She takes her sweet time flicking on the next light so Asa can catch up, staring at the ground as they walk. Gabby glances down, just to make sure her feet aren't weirdly gross or anything. Asa's wearing socks.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Asa." She politely dips her head.
"Yeah, we covered that." Gabby frowns. And Asa's giving her a very pointed look with a pointy, amused little smile. Oh, right, she's being rude. Gabby never had to be told not to share her name; she got in the habit of keeping it to herself.
She spins on her heel, making Asa startle. "I'm Gabby."
"It's nice to meet you." That sharp thing grows into a big smile, though Asa doesn't show her teeth. Then she aims a nod at - "And… what are their names?"
Gabby blinks - of course she can see them. Her daemons had been hanging out close to her hip, just out of sight. But what Gabby thought was a big smile turns into a wonderful grin as they float out into the open, clacking their teeth in greeting.
"Oh. Uh, Gabriel."
"Both of them?"
No one ever asks for their individual names! Gabby tries to point them out while she talks, but they're spinning around too giddily. "That's Joe William Frederic Gabriel I… and the other's Kirk Douglas Woodgrave Gabriel II!"
Asa giggles, reaching out where most people would protectively withdraw delicate fingers. Gabriel stops with the antics and bumps their enamel into her hand, grinding their molars together in a purr.
"Nice to meet you two, too."
That pretty smile drops - just when Gabby's grin must be getting awfully scary. Something in her gut twists, and she jerks her gaze to the dark hallway ahead. "We're almost there - that door to the left at the end. If you don't -"
There's a sharp inhale, and a dry-soft hand is grappling Gabby's rough-dirty one, and Asa drags her along for the last stumbly steps. They slot into eachother's sides for an uncertain second, then Gabby throws a handful of lightswitches.
Asa relaxes as the kitchen is revealed in flashbangs of bulbs blazing to life. She drops Gabby's hand. "Wow."
"I know, right? They've got staff to handle the cooking and these big industrial ovens and everything." Gabby preens, puttering around until she opens the right fridge. It's like some gateway to heaven, glazing their faces with yellow light and cool air. Deserts for tomorrow, all sorts of chilled sweets, and pastries waiting to go in the oven. Even the milk is bougie. "You don't wanna be in here after like 5AM, that's when they start workin' on bread and breakfast. But before then it's all ours."
They could plunder the good stuff - she's done it once or twice on bad nights, hands so full she and Gabriel had to carry some snacks back between their teeth. But Asa's eyes are wide and red and absolutely locked on the red apples and red-pink raspberries so Gabby grabs those, closes the door with her heel and heaves herself up onto a stool. Asa scrambles to join her.
"Oh! Hang on." Gabby hops right back down and selects the biggest knife from the block. She has to stand on her tiptoes to reach it but it's fine, she doesn't even drop it. "Gotta slice 'em up good."
"Okay." Asa doesn't seem bothered by the big knife. Her pursed lips tell on her: she has opinions about preparing apples. She takes the one Gabby hasn't started meticulously dividing up, cradling it in her hands. "Why? Can't you just…"
Crunch - Asa takes a huge bite of the apple and sighs like it's the best thing she's ever had. She chews with her mouth closed, all polite.
Gabby stops staring - can't go cutting her thumb off. "'Cause the skin'll get stuck between your teeth, dummy."
Asa's halfway done with her apple by the time Gabby's cut up hers all fancy-like, the way she saw someone she can't remember - but can remember was important - do it once. They even used a tiny little fork for it, to keep their hands from getting sticky. Which is silly - juices are fine, you can lick 'em off. Not like blood.
"Tada!" Gabby pops a slice into her mouth. It's just a really good, crisp bite of apple. She shoves the cutting board towards Asa. "C'mon, try it."
"Thank you." Did you know you can hold an apple slice daintily? Asa manages it - and perks up after her first bite. "Oh - huh. It is better like this! You're right."
"'Course I am."
They split the apple like that, Asa's half-eaten one forgotten. It's funny; this girl's supposed to be one of those fated twins, right? She just looks so… normal, sneaking a midnight snack. Or what a normal girl should look like. Asa's hair is long and dark and straight and silky, and the brand-new PJs hang off her frame, and she's got a cute little smile while savoring fresh fruit.
Gabby discreetly peeks at her reflection in the fridge door. Messy blonde hair, too beefy for her sleeves and too short for her pajama pants, and with a resting bitch face that impressed Jin.
"Oh - I'm so sorry." In the sheet steel Asa jerks around to Gabriel. They beam at her. Suck-ups. "Did you want a snack, too?"
Gabriel shake a no at her.
"Daemons don't need to eat," Gabby says. To prove the point she tosses the half-eaten apple between their teeth - with a wet snap they crush it. Pieces go flying, PG-rated gore. "And they're mostly two big ol' jaws - they can't swallow even if they wanted to. Pretty good for gobblin' people in half and not much else!"
Asa hums. She frowns at the apple-gristle, red gaze thoughtful. Her decisive grin is so big she has to close her eyes to accommodate it.
"Well I think they're very good at smiling. Aren't you, Gabriel?"
There's a sudden, sharp pang in Gabby's chest.
(Which is weird, for someone so used to pain.)
--
Gabby isn't supposed to be up after lights out. But she's way too old to have a bedtime - and anyways, it's not like Jin can get on her case about it. Asa has her lights on, and Asa's everything is important, so Gabby kind of has to sneak out. You know, just in case. Gabriel wheezes happily as she skips over creaky planks, and they squeeze into the room ahead of her.
"Why're you awake?"
- is what she means to say, which comes out like "Gurk!" because Asa crashes into her so fast the shoji rattles. Gabby yelps, barely remembers to cover her mouth in time - except she can't because Asa's head is in the way and she has Gabby's arms trapped against her sides. Nails prick at her back through her pajamas where Asa's fists dig in.
Gabby barely regains her balance before they both hit the floor. Asa is - she's not dislodged by that, and from what she can see from this angle (hair mostly, and jutting, shaky shoulders) she's not hurt. And not in danger either - the big room is empty except for Gabriel, looping back around to rasp in confusion. She frowns at them.
Asa whispers, "I'm sorry." She doesn't let go. Gabby frowns harder. It's like she can see it somehow: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I promised them I'd be alright, that I'd be okay without them here, but it's so quiet and I'm scared of -"
She cuts herself off. Like she almost said something embarrassing, the sort of thing kids will pick on you for. Like being short. And then she lets go, stumbling backward into the room, into the light, and Gabby's pajamas tickle as the cold night air grasps at her.
Asa's hands are empty and shaking. She sits on the bed; her leg starts bouncing too. It's a very big bed, in a very big room. The lamp is doing its best to illuminate the space. Its best is not enough to stop shadows from pooling in the divots where two grown people should be.
"You ever had a sleepover before?" Gabby blurts out.
"My brother… sometimes would sleep next to my cage."
Holy fuck is that bleak.
"That doesn't count. You're supposed to stay up late in your pajamas watching movies and playing games and gossiping. With snacks and lots of pillows and blankets." Probably. That's what it looks like in movies, at least. She turns to Gabriel for support. "Laughin' with your friends until some parent tells you to shut up and go to bed."
Asa doesn't laugh loud. She smiles, barely showing her teeth at all, and behind those teeth is a sweet and fragile little giggle.
"With your friends?" Asa asks. Gabriel clacks a laugh of their own, and Gabby lets herself hop over the threshold. Sure. Why not?
She doesn't have snacks - but Asa has already gathered up her parents' blankets and pillows, and Gabby has the phone Jin gave her for emergencies. Sure feels like an emergency. She flops on the big bed, takes up as much space as a shortstack can.
Rolling over with a huff she finds Asa properly grinning, like she's already thinking of telling her parents about this. About her new friend, and her first sleepover.
"I'll show you how to make a pillow fort," Gabby says.
--
Gabby isn't supposed to be up after lights out and she doesn't give a shit.
No one can sleep - all the other grunts are running around like headless chickens, and Jin scowled when she demanded something, fucking anything to do. He really didn't like it when she swore. Well fuck him. Fuck him and the Kagemoris and whoever the fuck took -
In her room (her parents' room?) Asa sobs. Gabby doesn't open the door. Her parents are gone - gone-gone. And no one has any idea what the hell happened, or what the hell will happen, and that can't happen to Asa.
She needs a bodyguard. A good one. Gabby's never been good at anything. Which was good enough for Gabriel to like her, and she doesn't need anything more than a mouth to say 'gobble' for Gabriel to be the best daemon pair there is. But she can be a good bodyguard for Asa. Will be.
Gabby peeks over her shoulder again. The lights are on. Asa's fine. She told everyone she was fine, she was a big girl - and she's a terrible liar but everyone let her. It's easier to leave a kid her pride and let her think she's helping. By being small and out of the way and not in the way of the people looking for her parents. Easier, mmhm. Sure is.
Gabriel is grinding their teeth. They got that habit from her. Hell with it. Gabby throws open the door so hard it clatters.
Asa looks - looks awful. Looks hopeful for a second, which is worse, because all that's there framed by the night is Gabby and Gabriel and her pretty face crumples because they're not -
She doesn't move. Gabby, bracing for impact, has nothing to catch. And here she thought she was ready, this time. Stupid. She'll just make things worse. Though - how much worse can it get? Asa's parents are hostages or they're dead. She really has nothing to lose.
Wrong! She does have something to lose - she lost her chance. Asa's breathing in big, sitting up straight, clenching her jaw to fight back the tears. Dummy - that's not good for your teeth.
Her voice is barely even damp. "You couldn't sleep either, Gabby?"
"Nah."
There's momentum, there, that could carry her across the room and onto the bed and into pretending everything is fine. Maybe that'd be the smart thing to do. Gabby creeps over, and the tatami mat is unsteady and her palms are damp. She doesn't know why. Just knows she's holding her breath until the mattress settles under her.
"Scoot over, will you?" Bodyguards should take the spot closest to the door.
Asa scoots, and so Gabby shuffles onto the bed to sit beside her. Asa is staring at her - hopeful, again, that somehow this useless little merc will make everything better. She'd really like to prove her right. To be good at this.
They don't have what they need for a good pillow fort. Gabby settles for making the worst fort ever - just a couple blankets draped over Asa and a couple of lanky teenage arms for structure. Support, maybe.
Asa whimpers. She's crying again, and when Gabby awkwardly dabs at her face with the corner of her pajama sleeve she says, "I'm sorry."
Stop fucking saying you're sorry! I'm sorry. Your parents might be dead and you're alone and you're afraid of the dark and I'm not enough. Gabby bites her tongue. She's lost track of Gabriel; they settle on Asa's head, hissing sweetly.
"I'll stay with you until they get back, alright?" Gabby says, and means it.
--
The sun's comin' up, bleeding through the washi, and Gabby's leaning against the wood frame, nodding off.
She just needs to hold out until - until - dunno anymore. There was a point to it, at one point, but the point is Gabby might have underestimated what it means to pull an all-nighter. Sometime after 4AM she ordered Gabriel to tug her hair if she starts to doze off.
They do it again right then - the sting's just enough to sink her teeth into. C'mon. Just a bit longer.
Problem is there's a perfectly comfy mattress on the floor - all for her. Madoko spat it up and Jin brought over a couple things Scavenger didn't have handy. Because this is her job now: she's really staying forever (until Asa's parents come back. Same difference) and that means sleeping here too. Except good bodyguards don't sleep while their charge is having nightmares - but good bodyguards shouldn't wake them up at night either. So Gabby was kind of stuck sitting, and standing, and pacing, anywhere but that comfy, cozy bed, anywhere but where Asa was tossing and turning.
The duvet is tossed; Asa turns. She rubs the sleep from her eyes.
"Gabby? Oh. Good morning, Gabby - you're up early. Why didn't you wake me up?"
Can't say dunno, was kinda watching you sleep like a weirdo. Instead she says, "Kinda wanted to catch the sunrise; your room has a better view than mine did."
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Asa repeats, soft as the dawn. And adds, "It's our room," which doesn't make Gabby swallow hard or anything.
And Asa's eyes narrow. She heaves herself a little more upright to add, "Gabs."
"Yeah?"
"You didn't sleep, did you." Not a question.
She shrugs, hiding a yawn with her palm. "Yeah."
"Gabby!"
"What? It's no big deal." Her stupid mouth yawns again - ow, she felt that one in her jaw. "Didja sleep well?"
Asa frowns. Untangles her legs from the sheets to sit on the edge of the bed. "… Yes. Better than usual."
Even with all that tossing and turning? The Kagemoris need to vet and hire a therapist ASAP, damn.
"Then it was…" Yawn, oh fuck's sake, "worth it."
Asa's strides up. She's really put some muscle on those bones since showing up here. Not that it takes much to grab Gabby by the shoulders and shove her back and back and back until she topples into the bed. Guh.
Before Gabby's recovered from that Asa's hopped in after her and is tugging the blanket the wrong way around. Gabby doesn't move; it's kinda hard to breathe with a face full of blankets that smell like Asa's hair, except her temple kind of hit Asa's phone and it's just solid enough to focus.
"Don't lose sleep for my sake!" Asa snaps. And then she's stretching out beside Gabby, too close to the door, and peeking out from her blanket grave is a bad idea because they're almost nose to nose and Gabby is way too tired for this. "It's early - Master Gonzo won't be expecting us to be up for a few more hours. I'll get more sleep if you're with me. Please?"
Sure. Makes sense.
Asa yawns. Gabby yawns.
She mumbles, "Gabriel?"
They purr, settling on the duvet as soon as it's pulled up over her. Just a light weight, wobbly like a water balloon.
"You're under orders to watch Asa while I sleep, m'kay? You got it?"
She hates pulling this card, but she's so tired. She's so tired and she can't risk Asa but she can't refuse her, either. Gabriel nods, nuzzling into the blanket, and Asa's got an arm over her to make sure she doesn't escape, which she definitely probably will. Just as soon as she rests her eyes…
--
The sun's comin' up soon, judging by the birdsong, and they're both still awake.
They're crowded into Asa's half of the bed, shooing Gabriel out of the way when they blot out the lamp's glow. She forgets how it happened - they tried reading on their bellies like you see in movies, and side by side, and - eventually they settled with Gabby sitting with her back to Asa's chest. Being short as hell does have some advantages; she's easily stackable for reading purposes.
It's the last volume of the manga Gabby was able to find. And it's a whole struggle to not read too far ahead of Asa, who's still getting the hang this. Her eyes hurt, something's fucked about her neck, and Gabby couldn't be happier.
Asa's yawn tickles her ear. Gabby bonks her jaw lightly.
"Don't go falling asleep on me right before the ending!"
"I don't think I could if I wanted to," Asa breathes. She's in charge of turning pages, since she's the slower reader. Her fingers hesitate on the corner. "What if - what if he's really just using her? What if - after all this, everything she's been through…"
"What are you talkin' about?" Blue Sky Puzzle is a slice-of-life manga with a cool brooding loner introduced in the first chapter. Of course they'll get together. Gabby bites her tongue - right, Asa doesn't know all the tropes. "Hikaru made it - 'course it will have a happy ending."
Asa smiles, turns the page, and the paper rasps. They settle again.
Gabby can't help but read ahead and - what. What??
"Gabs?" Hadn't realized she'd gone stiff until Asa does a few seconds later. There's a long pause as she rereads the last panels, then she's flipping through pages. "What? That's it? There's all this extra text but it's not - what about the guy? What about the school?"
"I can't believe it! It just ends like that?!"
Asa cries, "I know!"
Gabriel floats closer to take a look as well. Good thing Gabby's not in charge of the manga or she'd throw it. She almost tips her head back to groan, but that'd smush her skull into Asa's nose. "Man, Asa - I really thought -"
"It's alright. You didn't know."
They go over the last pages again. Maybe they missed something? Nope, it just… stops. Asa's knees bump into Gabby's thighs, curling in on herself in disappointment. And Gabby by extension.
Fuck this. "There's gotta be another part. This can't be the final issue - maybe Hikaru will let us see the next one early! Let me up!"
Asa does try to let her up. Except they've both been sitting like this for hours, and someone's leg has fallen asleep and the rest of them aches. Gabby barely wobbles upright before - just kind of extracting herself from Asa's arms and flopping back down. Asa kicks off one of the blankets - she tends to run hot. It's cozy. Makes Gabby kinda sleepy.
All the adrenaline outrage offered drains as their weak attempts to get up fail, and fail, and are completely off the table when Gabby somehow ends up with her head on the lightweight duvet draped over Asa's lap. There's a halfhearted attempt to pry Gabby off, which mostly just cards fingers through her hair; that's nice.
Asa wiggles to get a bit more comfortable. "… Hikaru's probably still asleep anyways."
"Yeah."
"And he gets real mad if anyone wakes him up. So maybe we can just…" Asa yawns. So does Gabby. Even Gabriel does, too. "Take a nap? If you'd like?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'd be up for that."
She isn't tired, honest. She's just… happy. Maybe she can hold onto this for a bit longer. Five more minutes, maybe…
--
The piano is going fucking crazy.
Asa's focus is absolute - her lips are drawn into a thin line, frustration pricking at her beauty mark. Black hair has fallen in front of her eye and she brushes it away - has to try again then quickly gets her hands back on the controls. Gabby doesn't realize she's staring until Asa yelps and Gabby jumps and the Switch trills at them that Link has exploded in a mesh of lasers.
"Told you not to hustle straight for Hyrule Castle," Gabby says after a second.
"I know, but - ugh!" Asa's scowl is visible in the black Game Over screen. "There has to be a way to beat these stupid things. And their stupid lasers."
"Sure is."
That scowl flickers Gabby's way; even muted by reflection her eyes are a pointed, demanding red. The intimidation tactic doesn't work; the spaghetti straps of Asa's top crisscross over flaky pink shoulders and the sunburn on her nose and cheeks make her look like she's blushing. Gabby'd better fetch more aloe before bed. She escaped the sun unscathed thanks to her hoodie, though she's not sure it was worth it. Something something equipping Link with the Warm Doublet to explore the desert.
Anyways. Lending Asa her Switch is as good a way as any to keep her from going stir-crazy.
"Gabs," Asa warns. Still not the least bit threatening; she's started picking at her - nope.
Gabby swats Asa's hand. "Stop it - you're not supposed to scratch. And you gotta to discover how to beat Guardians on your own. That's half the fun."
"It's not fun," Asa insists. Though she stops scratching, she transfers that same intensity to gripping the Switch. Game Over stares back at them.
Of course she'd think that. Higashi village was no Hyrule, but… only so many ways a story can lock away a powerful girl. Or maybe she's thinking of her brother, still frozen in time while she gets to… gets to what? Not like Asa can explore and craft and be to her heart's content.
She's had a growth spurt recently; her legs dangle off the bed. When they're smushed together like this she doesn't have to look up at her, not just yet.
Gabby - who hasn't grown an inch since they met - huffs and lets herself slide down the wall a bit. She nudges Asa with her heel.
"Asa." She doesn't look up. "You're supposed to explore the game, do all sorts of sidequests and Shrines and then rescue the princess in the castle when you're ready."
"I'm ready now, though."
Sighing, Gabby makes grabby hands. Asa gently hands over the Switch; her touch kinda stings. Maybe Gabby got sunburnt too.
"Alright, alright - so here's the trick to dealing with Guardians…"
--
The piano is going fucking crazy and Gabby might be too because - crap the cuscene is over!
She scrambles to get her fingers in gear but she's already on the backfoot - there's god-damn bullets flying everywhere and her combo points only tick up pitifully before she's hit. And this chick in red - Jeanne? - backflips up the wall and -
Gabby stops thinking. She's good at that - staying alive and killing things. It's just a game. She's ducked out of real gunfire before, and sure she doesn't have fancy spells or magic hair but she has Gabriel. And you can't do backflips like this in real life. Legs just don't bend like that - fuck, there goes her combo again!
She doesn't think and she gets through the flashback fight with really pathetic numbers and a lousy time, and she drops the Switch onto her lap and glares at the dark ceiling. Stark light cuts under her chin. Gabriel churns through the air, following her gaze.
Bayonetta's harder than she remembers. Probably the Switch port's fault. What did she play it on years ago? A PS3? XBox? Can't remember; it wasn't her console. Just her memories of angel-killing glory, a bright screen late at night.
Still means Gabby got her ass handed to her in the first chapter after talking a big game to Asa. Asa who'd crowded in, leaning in so close Gabby could feel her gasp when that cutscene played. That one, yeah. Wow.
She'd gabbed and gabbed to Asa about how fun this game was and here she is sucking at it. That won't fly. Bayonetta's hard, sure, but Gabby's killed people. She can make big numbers go up and not get distracted by the cool lady with gun heels kicking ass.
Two cool gun ladies, now.
Wow, that fight really got her heart rate goin'. Almost like the real deal; Gabby wipes her sweaty hands on her pajama pants.
Gabby takes off her headphones - she keeps the volume on low, honest, not like she couldn't hear someone sneaking up on them - to catch the very end of Asa's breathy snore. It's cute.
Decisively she hits the menu button and quits out. What's the harm in a lil' practice? Bayonetta's cool, and not real, and has this insane long, black hair, and she's so witty - and her bantering with this badass in red is the best. Badass in red with a magic motorcycle. Would Jin let her get a motorcycle?
Gabby gnaws on her lip. She hasn't reloaded the game yet - good thing too. A second later she's reeling at a sharp tug in her hair.
"Gabriel! What the hell?!"
They let go of her hair, though a few strands stuck between their teeth are plucked as they swirl around giddily. There's no danger, a glance confirms Asa's still asleep, so what -
Gabriel, in their cute and tiny forms, have a total of six lidless eyes.
They somehow manage to waggle eyebrows at her suggestively, chortling.
It's the middle of the night. Even if it wasn't, she's inside. Sure fucking feels like she's out at noon; a glance at her reflection in the Switch and - she's almost as red as her hoodie. Not a sunburn.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
--
Inhale. It tastes like disinfectant, like clean, like you're going to be okay - which is great because Gabby can finally breathe again. So she's getting a lot of that in each big ol' gulp.
It's a stomach ulcer. Asa's going to be fine; a bit loopy on some of the meds, a bit fidgety from being away from the manor. Fine.
The bed is too narrow for even Gabby to squeeze into it without making Asa wince, so she's dragged over a chair and is leaning in close. They have her Switch on the lowest brightness setting possible to conserve the battery, and Asa really wants her to watch.
She's supposed to be keeping watch, but it's fine. They've got plenty of Kagemoris in the hospital, and Gabriel can take one for the team and keep at least one of their eyes out.
"Gabby. Asa."
Figures Gabriel wouldn't give them a heads up about Jin popping in.
Gabby waves at him. "Heyyyy Jinny! You got the -" he holds up the charger. Great - they'd watched so many videos her phone died, and then Asa's phone died too. Big no-no. Jin doesn't bother to throw it when she motions for him to. Lame.
"Sorry I'm late; traffic was unreasonable. I suppose you two must be hungry." He checks the time - that's his slightly more annoyed than usual squint. Squinty-er. "Hm. Hospital cafeteria's closed at this hour. We'll have to check the vending machines downstairs. Gabby, come with me."
"What? Why?"
"Your snack orders are outrageous; I don't want to give Ai indigestion. I'll need the extra hands."
With a long-suffering groan Gabby hops out of the hospital chair. How long had she been shrimping like that? Her back fucking hurts. Cartillage cracks.
"I'll get you something that won't hurt your stomach, 'kay?" Gabby says. Something more substantial than gum. Chips?
"Noooo - Gabby, stay."
On second thought food might be a bit too ambitious; Asa is loopy as hell. Good thing she paused the game or Link would be hella dead.
Gabby's stomach twists. She's not all that hungry either, anymore, but Jin's giving her a look and Asa's also giving her a look. His is all serious and hers is all soft and sleepy and so sure Gabby's going to find her some weird treat she's never seen before.
Asa whines. "You'll be back soon, right?"
"'Course."
So Gabby power walks out of Asa's hospital room - the elevator's probably this way, and it'd be rude to leave Asa waiting after giving her word.
Jin effortlessly catches up. Stupid long legs. "How is she?"
"Why didn't you just ask her?"
"And do you expect Asa to be honest about how she's feeling?"
"Eh, fair." She'd nearly passed out before admitting they needed to go to the hospital. Jin hits the down button; Gabriel grins at their reflections. "Whatever drugs they gave her, it's the good stuff."
Jin mutters about security, and cavities, and there's a sour taste in Gabby's mouth. Probably from being awake for, like, twenty-four hours. The elevator dings.
Later she'd wish she'd stayed. Later she'd wish she'd insisted on just five more minutes, or sticking around to fluff Asa's pillows - just until she fell asleep, just until those fucking second-rate thugs came in and she'd be there to see their skulls crushed between pearly white teeth and Asa would see all that and she'd see it with both her eyes because she wouldn't fucking die.
--
Inhale. Blood. Inhale - still blood. She can't stop breathing it in, fast and shallow and drowning out Asa's weak whines. She can't stop she can't stop she has to stop so she can hear Asa's still breathing. Jin is speeding, one hand on the wheel and the other holding his phone to his mouth as he shouts orders, and how Gabby even knows that much when she can't look away from Asa is - she doesn't know. Gabriel keeps expanding and contracting, wheezing in distress as eyes and molars pop in and out of existence, taking up too much and too little space in the backseat beside them.
"Asa - Asa, come on, you've got to stay awake." Gabby's voice isn't hers, just whatever's left over from all the screaming. A corpse of a voice, a whole dead body slumping from her mouth.
"Gabs… please - I'm okay, I'm alive," Asa says, which are different things, and her head lists to the side and the streetlights catch the thick sheen of blood absolutely fucking coating her neck.
The blood is - it's drying, it's not even all that shiny, but the gold-white flashes make it look syrupy or like jam and Gabby can't stop staring - only stops when a sharp turn sends her shoulder into the car door, hard. Maybe Gabby should have buckled up but she couldn't let Asa go (she's fine) and Jin didn't press the issue.
"Sorry," he says - to them, not whoever is on the phone. He's trying to sound gentle. "How's she doing back there?"
Gabby's going to bite his head off. Asa fucking died - how does he think she's doing?!
Too quiet for Jin to hear Asa murmurs, "I'm fine. Really - I'm just tired." Which is the last thing you want to hear from someone who lost that much fucking blood. "I'm sorry, I've made a mess of the car." Asa's throat works. "And your hoodie."
She hadn't noticed - pros of a red hoodie and the lighting and honestly not giving much of a shit about anything else. Is it bad if she says it's seen worse? Because it's definitely been soaked in way more blood - and bile, and brain matter - before. But this is worse because it's Asa's.
"She's conscious and conversational," Jin says in his snappy-stern boss voice, and the phone buzzes in response, and Madoko pops up to spit out a package of babywipes. Perfect timing - Gabby was about to spit to try and scrub it off Asa's neck.
She tears open the wipes and it's such a relief that Asa flinches at the cool feel of them, even if it makes Gabby feel like shit. Gabby doesn't say sorry - she just focuses on the blood.
"Thank you," Asa whispers. She shifts, looking for the little fish daemon. "Jin, did Ai pick up the Switch? Could you -"
Jin almost says something - Madoko diligently barfs up the Switch. It lands on the seat beside them; Gabby grabs for it blindly.
"Oh - oh no," says Asa. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean -"
The screen is cracked. There's blood on the sticks, sticky on the buttons.
Gabby grunts and keeps scrubbing; she feels Asa swallow. She's got the worst of the mess, and she's littering pink-red Asa's-blood babywipes all over the car, and she peels at Asa's sleeves to make sure there's nothing under the blood but skin.
"Shut up," she says, which is the wrong thing to say but really shut up, shut up and stop fucking apologizing when you're alive. Shut up before you realize I'm the one who should be apologizing.
Asa's blood is the worst thing ever. But it's blood, it's just blood - just her blood - and as sick as it makes her Gabby can breathe it in and stare at it and clean it up. Jin's supposed to be on clean up duty. Whatever.
It's easier than looking at Asa's face - so aware, so tired, so angry - or Asa's eye. Asa's pupil, spitting white and too-much light that catches the blood and the sweat and blurs Gabby's vision until she's seeing spots.
Later she'd wish - she'd just fucking wish.
--
"So - what do you think?"
"Look - I don't know what to tell you Asa," Gabby yawns, heels thunking against the vanity's doors. "Ask someone who gives a crap about looking pretty."
Asa hums, judging her reflection. Her severe expression flickers as Gabriel loops around her face. This is the millionth eyepatch she's tried on, some of them twice. It's been an hour.
"I don't want to look pretty," she protests. Over and over her hands straighten her hair, arranging it over the eyepatch. Gabby's fingers dig into the cold vanitytop. "I guess I… give a crap what you think?"
Aw fuck. When she puts it that way…
Gabby does her a favor and stares. Really looks. Which is a big ask since she's kind of been avoiding looking her in the eye lately.
It's such a pretty red. You know, if you mess with red enough it washes out pink - like Gabby's eyes, or her favorite pajamas. Asa's eyes - eye, her good eye - is light and red, but not pink. Red, but not like blood. She doesn't know how to compare red to anything but blood. Blood or Asa's eyes. Eye.
The eyepatch, right. It's round - and padded and puffy, like there's something to hide under there, which - guess there is. The elastic strap digs into Asa's hair, mussing it, and whatever she choses will probably go under all that but it makes the black cascade like disturbed silk, hiding a pristine, undamaged neck.
And then Gabby catches herself considering the beauty mark and says, "The pointy one - with the thick band." Asa finds it in the pile and holds it up; Gabby nods, glancing away. "Seems like it'd stay in place no matter what. And it looks pretty cool."
Asa cocks her head; her hair swishes invitingly, wafting the scent of floral shampoo. "What? I'm not cool?"
"Sure you are. But this is, like, an extra level of 'don't fuck with me'."
Her scoff is cut off with a huff and not a squeak as Asa leans over. Gabby's sitting on the vanity, which means for once she's got a few inches to stare down at Asa as she hugs her shoulders. It's different. Nice.
"Like I need that when I've got you."
For like half a second she meets Gabriel's eyes in the mirror.
And then Asa is saying something about trying it on again, and you know what? Gabby forgot to undo her braids. Better do that. Better comb them out with her fingers, not looking at anything in particular. One of the adhesive eyepatches flutters to the floor. There's a bright light glazing the mirror, and - it's gone, hidden beneath black polyester.
"You're right!" Asa gasps, turning this way and that appreciatively. Gabby jerks when Asa touches her cheek; the eyepatch must be messing with her depth perception. "Thank you, Gabs." She moves to take it off.
"Are you gonna wear it to bed?"
"Hm… No." And the bright color-clade white is unleashed in full, that broken scrap of reality. Whiter than enamel, somehow. "It's not like I need to hide it when it's just us, right?"
"Yeah."
A pointed rasp.
"And Gabriel," Asa giggles. Her fingers ghost over their teeth affectionately.
Gabby looks away. She won't get any sleep starin' at something so bright all night.
--
"Asa - stop thinking so loud. You good?"
"Yes." She washes her face furiously. "No?" Gabby's caught in the sudsy crossfire. She sidesteps the next splash, staying just close enough to see herself in the mirror as she flosses. "Yeah. Maybe? I'm just - nervous."
Asa stops, head buried in her hands. The faucet gurgles, water catching the sharp power of her eye and holding it, prismatic. "What if Break doesn't work on the barrier? What if Yuru's escaped while I was gone? What if Yuru's dead?! What if he has Seal and he's - he doesn't - "
It's really damn frustrating that all of Asa's fears are Yuru this, Yuru that when they're gonna be executing a raid on a village that kept her in a fucking cage and sent god-damn assassins after her. They bled her like a pig and she's going back. It'd be nice if she could worry about herself for once.
It wouldn't be nice if she worried about Gabby. Gabby doesn't need Asa worrying about her; she'll be chilling. Apparently Higashi is nice this time of year; maybe she'll chew the scenery. Mouth off at those villagers who locked Asa away - you know, if she can do it without biting their heads off. She's just chomping at the bit to pay Higashi village a visit!
Hah, yeah… she and Gabriel are gonna fucking massacre those bastards.
Her reflection's grin has splayed into something faintly terrifying. Good. She flexes her hand - not the fist-open of Break, but the finger-crunch miming jaws - and tosses the floss.
"Cut that out." She shoves Asa gently, just to get access to her toothbrush and the sink. If it makes her look up all the better. "You know those crusty old assholes have been quiet for years - so your big bro's gotta be fine. Break'll do it's thing, I'll do my thing."
Quick dip under the water, toothpaste, and Gabby shoves her electric toothbrush in her mouth. Brrrbrrrbrrr. "Youh'll be grheat."
"Thanks, Gabs." And then Asa is brushing her teeth, too, and they don't talk for about two minutes. Dental hygiene is serious business - serious enough Gabby stomps into the main room and taps on a full-sized Gabriel's jaw to get 'em to open up. Not that these pearly whites need any work, but it helps them feel included, y'know?
Asa appears in the doorframe, watching her inspect the molars with a fond smile. Her eyepatch is back on; it's easier to breathe. "Is there a point to doing this before…" She mimes the 'gobble' perfectly. It's almost the opposite to Break, if you think about it. If you forget about Seal.
"What's wrong with wanting them to look their best?" Gabby grunts as she twists around to check the gumline - pretty good. "Hand me the toothpaste? Thanks," she says, emptying half a tube onto a snow brush Jin ordered online. Would be convenient if toothpaste came in, like, buckets or something, but hey - Gabby'll make do. The daemon pair hum, carefully still.
Gabriel's just - no, they're not just anything. They're amazing, perfect, all that. But they're teeth without a tongue, a mouth without a stomach. No taste, no hunger. Biting without ever getting anything out of it but the satisfaction of something getting chewed up and spat out. Not that they can spit either, though the toothpaste does kinda froth up somehow.
Asa's at her side a second later; they've got two brushes for a reason. When Asa had said she would get her hands dirty from now on, Gabby definitely wasn't expecting this. Toothpaste froth up to the elbows, Gabriel squinting happily as Asa scrubs at something caught just behind an incisor. They laugh at something Asa whispers to Kirk Douglas, and Asa and Gabby sputter and giggle and dash back to the sink to wash off.
There Gabby narrows her eyes. "You didn't floss."
"Isn't it more important we get a good night's sleep for tomorrow?" Asa blinks at her sweetly.
"Agh! Fine - but when your brother drops dead 'cause of bad breath don't come crying to me."
If anything Asa's enthusiasm doubles. It's quantifiable like that. "That means I'll get to talk to him!"
They get through the rest of the routine without incident - Gabby almost forgot about her hair so Asa pulls apart the braids, combs through it with her fingers until she's satisfied. She shuts off the lamp while Gabby cocoons herself, but there's still light in their room. Asa's cell - probably open on that photo of her parents, judging by the colors hitting her face, her watery, determined glare.
"I'll get him out," she tells them.
Then the phone's off, and there's quiet goodnights, and they don't sleep just yet because Asa keeps fussing and asking Gabby questions Gabby does her best to answer until they get drowsier and drowsier. And Asa sleeps, hugging her pillow. Just the tiniest, sweetest furrow between her brows; everything else relaxed and breathing deep.
Only Gabby gets to see her like this.
Even if she wasn't afraid of the dark this would be Asa at her most vulnerable, being the day-twin and all. No - not the day-twin. That blinding, writhing power that everyone wants so fucking badly is hidden away behind her eyepatch. She wears it to bed just for Gabby, just so she can sleep alright. Right now Asa's not Break's wielder, or a cursed twin - she's just the girl in Gabby's bed. In their bed.
As a kid, Gabby had a bad habit of chewing her fingernails. The urge is back. And it's bloated - she has to stick her whole hand in her mouth and bite down hard before she reaches out and touches the girl who absolutely isn't just anything.
Gabby's just a bodyguard. It's more than she ever hoped, to be one thing Asa doesn't have to worry about - that Asa trusts her to be fine, to keep her safe. To be her friend. Just her friend, dummy.
Gabby doesn't look away, not once all night.
--
There's a sudden, sharp pang that strikes through Gabby's calf.
Before she even realizes she's made a noise (stupid, it's not even that bad) Asa is up and frowning, hand frozen reaching for her bum leg. "I'll help you to the kitchen."
"Uh, no you won't - go back to sleep. I just wanted a little snack, no big deal."
Gabby nudges her firmly. Except Gabby is an idiot and does it with her right elbow - you know, the one attached to the shoulder that ate a high-velocity god-damn authentic arrowhead.
She grits her teeth against any sound, but Asa's watching her face too closely. "Gabby…"
"Or Gabriel can carry me."
Her daemons hum, wobbling dubiously. Rude - so what if it's hard to get a good grip on her pajamas? And yeah, maybe her hoodie is in the wash because of all the blood, but they definitely didn't have a problem carting her around earlier!
Asa gasps, aghast. She holds out her palms and, when Gabriel happily settles in her hands, presses her cheek to them, staring at Gabby. Pouting? Really?
"You would really do that to poor Gabriel? After all they've done today?"
Gabriel click their teeth and widen their eyes pathetically. Filthy traitors.
"You know what? I can crawl," Gabby growls.
Before she can shamble forward and make good on the threat Asa catches her - arms around her midriff, cheek squashed against her ribs. Gabby's spine goes ramrod straight, flush hidden by her hair.
"It's late," Asa says quietly, completely at odds with the smile she's pressing into a sliver of skin. "Come on - please? I want to make sure you're okay. And I'm too excited to sleep anyways."
Gabby grumbles. For the effort she just gets squeezed tighter.
"Alright, alright! Sheesh." She bats Asa's hands away. Which is kinda moot when Asa immediately arranges their limbs so she can support Gabby while she finds her feet. Ow - foot, mostly.
Asa murmurs, "Thank you, Gabby." Like she's not the one hauling an invalid to the kitchens at fuckass-o'clock.
Not like she's gonna say 'I told you so,' but Gabby was right to try and shoot her down; this sucks. Asa's too tall to easily deal with Gabby's arm slung over her shoulders and their strides are too different to make this anything but uncomfortable. But Asa's smiling. So.
At least Gabriel handles the light switches, flicking them on with their teeth.
They're limping along at a snail's pace. Gabby sighs. "All this for a couple lil' puncture wounds…"
"Don't say that!" Asa raises her free hand with an imperious finger. "They're not just little puncture wounds. My brother's an expert hunter - those were perfect debilitating shots!" Her eyes are - fucking sparkling?! "Isn't he amazing?"
Sure, amazingly - you know what? Gabby isn't even gonna finish the thought. She'd probably be a similar kind of ruthless if her Asa was under attack. Not that she won't definitely hold a grudge - he could have just fucking aimed to kill her. That wouldn't hurt like a bitch, at least.
It's funny. The guy's just about Asa's height. Doesn't look much like her at all, except for those eyes. Red eyes just like Asa's that weren't the color of blood, just a shade off. Maybe that's the color of hatred.
Asa's still going on and on about how cool and awesome her big bro is. She hasn't noticed Gabby tuning her out, which doesn't sting. Gabby's hobbling along on her right; the eyepatch is a blank, black canvas.
What does sting is the perfectly normal hop Gabby makes that somehow snaps through her torn muscle and has her almost buckling.
"Gabby?"
Ow. "Just - a sec."
Asa hovers. "Hang on - I've got an idea."
And before Gabby knows it she's a glorified backpack. Because Asa's hauled her onto her back; her hands are under Gabby's thighs! Gabriel helpfully nudges her foot so she doesn't fall right off.
One half of the cursed twins, Break's wielder, is giving her a piggyback ride. What the fuck.
"Don't worry, I won't drop you." She's not worried about that.
Asa wobbles but adjusts pretty quickly. Because Gabby's small. Sure is convenient. Maybe that's why Yuru didn't shoot to kill; he just saw another teenager on a battlefield she didn't belong in.
They are making progress way more quickly like this, with Asa doing all the work. All Gabby can do is cling and burry her face in Asa's hair.
"Hey, Asa? … Do you think I'm a runt?"
"What? Of course not." Asa's inhale is a full-body experience. "Since when do you care about your height, Gabs?"
"Eh, guess your big bro is good at insults too."
He isn't. She's been called a runt since before her promised growth spurt was a no-show.
Gabby chews on her words until the next lights flicker on, until she can mumble, "Think I'm a monster, then?"
Her brother thought as much. Her twin, the person Asa's been wanting to see since forever. She'd be kind of pissed if he didn't think she was a monster; she and Gabriel absolutely tore through Higashi village. Gabby fucking fought Jin for the pleasure of killing those assholes.
Asa didn't kill anyone. Asa grew up there; her father was from there. Maybe she had some cousins or something, friends who visited her cage she never told Gabby about. Maybe Gabby killed them, too, chewin' gum with a big grin on her face.
And maybe she could forgive that. She's Asa, she can do the impossible on the reg. But Gabby had to run her monstrous mouth that's all teeth and nothing soft - she had to brag and get herself turned into target practice. And Asa had to patch her up, and help her hobble down a god-damn mountain, and Asa had to leave her brother behind. Because of Gabby.
"I think… I think you did what I couldn't do," Asa says quietly. Then, "Think you can stand?" because they've reached the kitchen. Gabriel turns on the lights for them.
Gabby lands hard, doesn't wince; the floor's cool underfoot. She doesn't look at Asa, efficiently fluttering around the kitchen, because hauling herself onto a stool and then onto the countertop definitely takes up all her attention.
Asa returns with two blushing apples, a cutting board and a reasonable knife. Something about Gabby sitting on her workstation makes her soften.
"You're my best friend, Gabs."
Yeah, and her brother's a backwards barbarian. Kinda throws her judgment into question. Gabby could genuinely be a monster and Asa would let the blood-soaked beast put its head in her lap, trust it wouldn't nip off her fingers. She's practically doing it right now, peeling and slicing the apple just how Gabby likes it, just inches from her hand.
Gabby huffs, stretching out her leg. Doc Sakurazawa redid the bandages after they got back. Sucks; Asa had done a great job.
The rhythmic purr of the knife pauses. "And regardless… you did that for me. You were only there because of me. It's my fault you got hurt. I'm so -"
"Nope! Don't you - Asa." Gabriel gurgles when Gabby leans over to grab Asa's wrist - yeah, fuck, she should have been suspicious Asa was quiet that long. Her face is flushed like she's gonna cry.
Gabby bares her teeth; the smile doesn't reach her eyes, but then again it rarely does. She jeers, "Hey, Asa - come on. You couldn't have stopped me from goin' in there. I haven't had that much fun in ages!"
"Really? I'm glad."
Asa's smile reaches her eyes - both of them, Gabby's sure, creased and affectionate. Her gaze flickers away, to the knife, and Gabby lets her. It's just them and the scent of freshly-sliced apples and the hum of industrial fridges. Shiny and clean and scalding white in the middle of a dark manor, the perfect opposite of a bloodbath. Except Asa's fingers are sticky. Gabby jerks her chin and Gabriel whizzes off to find napkins.
Fun. Yeah, sicking Gabriel on murderous assholes cosplaying as peasants was fun. It felt good to be good at something. But making pillow forts with Asa is fun, even if Gabby sucks at it. Gaming, reading manga. Drawing for Hikaru. They've had plenty of fun over the years. More fun than Gabby deserves, probably.
This isn't fun. This is - Gabby doesn't have the vocabulary for it. It… is. They are.
She wishes, she almost wishes -
"Well," Gabby says carefully, "Maybe not ages." Her hand's on the cutting board, perfectly safe next to the methodical knife. Her fingertips twitch, inch closer. "You're fun. I like hanging out with you plenty."
Asa takes her hand… and puts an apple slice in it. Yeah. Gabby swallows. "Thanks."
She does her very best not to choke on the god-damn fruit (hah-hah-fucking-hah) when Asa pops her fingers in her mouth. The juice - right. Gabriel's not back with napkins yet. Yeah. Did visiting Higashi village erode some of those manners? Is this how they get their revenge? Not with billhooks or arrows or Left or Right but because Gabby bites through her tongue and bleeds out on the kitchen floor?
Asa is, of course, completely oblivious to this. She's lost in thought, pressing her fingers to her mouth, to the curve of a frown. "Do you think - Yuru looked so... so angry. Do you think we'll ever be able to..."
Gabby sighs and nudges Asa with her good knee. "He'll come around." She needs something to chew on - in go two more apple slices.
She doesn't say 'he's your brother - he has to like you'. She can't list all the reasons why any sane person would like Asa; they'd be here all night. She mumbles with her mouth full: "You're the best, Asa. The dude's lucky to have a sister like you. Of course he'll like you."
Asa almost says thank you. Or sorry. Or any of the things she says way too often. She stops herself, considering Gabby seriously. It's something about today, or her brother, or the fizzing fluorescent lights overhead, or the core of an apple rocking at the edge of the cuttingboard, or Gabby's nervous gauze-mummified leg kicking out.
A slow, uncharacteristically smug smile blooms on her face.
"Because you liiiiiike me," she says, drawing out the joke long and light and insubstantial, lips tugged into a teasing shape. But -
What's that one trick, shooting an apple off someone's head? Yeah, the apple isn't on Gabby's head. It's in her mouth, really, but feels like it's in her chest. Split open, an honest stark-white hidden behind her teeth. Asa's got that hopeful look, toothache-sweet, and Gabby -
Gabby scoffs, steals the whole apple and takes a defiant bite of it.
The peel nudges between her incisors, and the juice curls around her molars to pool flat on her tongue, disturbed when she snaps, "Shut up."
Asa laughs; Gabby can taste an orchard. Now's not the time.
"Of course I do, you dummy." Gabby rolls her eyes. It's easy enough to swallow the beaten remains of the slice and hide behind, "That's how I know your big bro will, too."
"Thank you, Gabby."
She's good at this, now - being just what Asa needs her to be. Her monster, her best friend. She can tell from how Asa relaxes, almost messes with her hair before Gabriel swoops in with napkins.
Asa sighs and leans against the countertop, against Gabby's knee, and catches her eye - that's what it is. The exact color of a flushed, perfect apple.
And again - just for now - they're the exact same height.