Chapter Text
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Beautifull fanart made byachemirathateatskids aka Silly_Nuke :D
Gabriel had never liked breaks
Not because he didn't need them, quite the opposite. There was little he appreciated more than a good glass of wine and the morning paper after a long shift. The problem was that breaks slowed everything down just enough for unwanted thoughts to catch up with him, but never enough for him to actually deal with them. They lingered at the back of his mind, circling endlessly until all they left behind was a dull headache
That afternoon, he stepped out behind the café more out of habit than necessity
He lit a cigarette and stared at the worn brick wall of the building across the alley. Inside, the café buzzed with life conversations overlapping, dishes clinking together, the familiar cooing of pigeons drifting through the room. Out back, though, everything was quieter
Peacefully so
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Gabriel sighed the moment he saw the unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. He answered on the second ring
"Gabriel speaking"
The voice on the other end was calm and impeccably professional. It carried the detached courtesy of someone who delivered bad news far more often than anyone ever should. Not cold. Not unkind. Simply practiced
Gabriel crushed the cigarette beneath his heel as the caller asked him to confirm his full name. He straightened instinctively when they mentioned Ms. Willis and asked about his relationship to her. That caught him more off guard than he cared to admit
Still, he took a slow breath and listened. There had been an accident. She had died at the scene. There had been nothing anyone could have done
Gabriel accepted the words with unsettling composure, even as every instinct screamed at him to go find the nearest bottle and forget the rest of the day had ever happened
He didn't interrupt. He didn't ask when it had happened. He didn't ask how
What difference would it make?
How was he supposed to process the fact that someone he had once known, someone he had once loved, was simply... gone?
The decision had already been made for him. There was nothing left to change, nothing left to fix. Everything else had become little more than a detail
Then the caller said a name
Jeremy
Gabriel went rigid. His hand tightened around the metal railing until his knuckles turned white
"He's seventeen" the voice continued "Legally, he's still a minor. None of his older siblings are willing to take custody, and no other family members capable of assuming responsibility have been identified"
Gabriel nodded before realizing the person on the other end couldn't see him. His brothers didn't want him? Every photograph he'd ever received had made them look inseparable
"According to our records, you're his biological father and have consistently fulfilled your financial obligations" the caller said after a moment "Given the circumstances, we're contacting you regarding the possibility of taking custody of the boy"
Gabriel stared down at his hand as a polite silence settled on the other end of the line. A practiced pause. The kind designed to give people room to react
He couldn't immediately say yes or no. It wasn't that he couldn't take him. It wasn't even that he felt he should
He tried to think logically. His mother was deadThe boy, His son, was still a minor and he had nowhere else to go
"Sir?" the voice prompted gently
Gabriel swallowed
"What happens if I refuse?"
There was a brief pause
"If you decline, he'll enter the foster care system" the caller replied, and for the first time there was something beneath the practiced professionalism. Disappointment, perhaps "Given his age, it's unlikely he'd be adopted. Most likely, he'll remain in the system until he turns eighteen and will then be expected to live independently"
Gabriel lifted his gaze. A wild pigeon was perched on top of the dumpster across the alley, staring back at him. He let out a slow breath
"I'll take him" he said quietly
Another pause. Then, softer "He's my son"
Something shifted on the other end of the line. The woman's voice grew lighter. More practical. Almost as if she'd been expecting him to refuse
"Very well" she said "We'll begin preparing the necessary paperwork. Given the circumstances, someone will bring the boy to your home tomorrow morning. Can you confirm that the address we have on file is still current?"
"It is"
"Thank you. Please make sure you're home, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call this number"
He didn't have any
The call ended almost as abruptly as it had begun
Gabriel kept the phone pressed to his ear for another second before lowering it and staring at the screen, as though he needed proof that the conversation had actually happened
The alley behind the café was silent
He took an uncertain step toward the back door before stopping, resting one hand against the brick wall as he drew in a slow, steady breath. The phone disappeared back into his pocket almost automatically
Tomorrow morning
Less than twenty four hours until he met the son he'd never seen in person. The son he'd given up because he'd believed it was the right thing to do. The son he'd never truly stopped regretting
There was no time left to dwell on the past. No point imagining a face he'd only ever known through photographs Tomorrow, someone would knock on his door. Jeremy would be standing on the other side. And Gabriel would have to answer it
That thought alone was enough to set him in motion
He went back inside before his break was even over and slipped behind the counter beside Beatrice, who would be retiring in just a few weeks
The first customer stepped forward. Gabriel greeted them with the same polished smile he always wore. His voice never faltered. His hands moved with practiced precision. No one would have guessed that anything had happened
But something had changed. Between every order he took… Between every polite smile… Between every cup of coffee he placed on the counter… One thought lingered, steady and impossible to ignore
Tomorrow morning
There was no turning back now
Customers came and went
They ordered coffee, laughed with friends, asked for his opinion on the muffins, and filled the café with conversations about things that suddenly felt so wonderfully insignificant. Gabriel smiled when he was supposed to. He nodded at the right moments
He answered every question without hesitation, doing his best to ignore the faint tremor in his hands whenever he reached for another cup.
If there was one thing Gabriel had mastered over the years, it was pretending. Pretending everything was fine. Pretending he was focused on the order in front of him. Pretending the sting gathering at the corners of his eyes wasn't there every time he remembered that some things were gone forever
He would never hold her hand again. Never see that smile that always made everything else disappear. Never take her to another movie. Never hear her laugh. Never get to live the life he'd imagined for them so many times over the years
He kept working. Because routine was easier. Routine didn't ask questions. Routine didn't leave room to think about everything he'd just lost
A room
The guest room
The one at the end of the hallway that had sat empty for months, perhaps even longer
He hardly ever used it
He kept it clean enough that, if one of his coworkers had a little too much to drink after an evening out, they'd have somewhere to sleep it off
That was all it had ever been
A bed
A wardrobe
A desk
Nothing more
It had been furnished for the occasional overnight guest, not for a seventeen-year-old boy. Not for his son.
He handed the woman her change, wished her a pleasant day, and turned to greet the next customer
The guest room
It was empty
No personal belongings. No shelves waiting to be filled. No signs that anyone had ever truly lived there
It wasn't a bedroom. It was simply a room
Food
His refrigerator was organized, stocked well enough for one person, but that was exactly the problem
For one person. There was nothing extra. Nothing that accounted for someone else
He didn't know what Jeremy liked to eat. He didn't even know how much a growing seventeen-year-old was supposed to eat
What would the boy bring with him? Would he have enough clothes?
A toothbrush? Soap? Shampoo?
Would he arrive carrying his whole life in a single bag?
He wasn't ready. Not even close
Gabriel untied the café apron and folded it over one arm before giving a brief nod to the woman working beside him
"I'll be back in a bit"
Without waiting for a response, he let out a quiet sigh and headed straight for Miss Pauling's office. He knocked lightly before slipping inside
"Gabriel?" she asked, looking up from the paperwork spread neatly across her desk "Is everything all right? Do you need something?"
She sat close enough to the door that he didn't have to raise his voice. As always, she assessed him with a single glance
It was subtle. Quick. But her eyes lingered on his hands for just a second too long, noticing the faint tremor he hadn't managed to hide
She didn't ask what had happened. That was one of the things Gabriel admired most about her. Miss Pauling had an uncanny ability to tell when something was wrong without demanding an explanation. If someone wanted to talk, she listened. If they didn't, she simply found a way to help anyway
Part of him wanted to sit down and tell her everything. About the phone call. About Jeremy. About the fact that, by this time tomorrow, his entire life would look different
Instead, he stayed where he was. Straight backed. Composed. Clinging to what little remained of the carefully cultivated image he'd spent years building
"I need to leave early"
Miss Pauling looked up, one eyebrow lifting almost imperceptibly. Gabriel wasn't the kind of employee who left work early. In fact, she couldn't remember a single time he ever had
"Now?"
"If possible" He hesitated for the briefest moment "And... I won't be in tomorrow"
That alone was more time off than he'd ever asked for. She studied him quietly, concern flickering across her face without ever fully settling there
"All right" she said after a moment, stretching her shoulders as she pushed back from her desk "I could use a break from paperwork anyway. I'll cover the register for a while"
Gabriel inclined his head "Thank you"
And that was the end of it. She didn't ask if he was okay. She didn't press him for an explanation. She didn't offer empty reassurances or pretend she could fix whatever had happened
Most importantly… She respected the fact that he hadn't asked for any of those things
Leaving her office, Gabriel headed straight for the staff room. He changed out of his apron, slipped into his coat, and stepped outside
He needed to think
The guest room
At least that part was simple
There was a bed, though the bedding was little more than a spare set tucked away in a closet. He had better linens at home. Those would do
The wardrobe stood empty. Jeremy would have somewhere to unpack his things, assuming he had any. A bedside table would be nice. Maybe a bookshelf
Something to make the room feel less... temporary
Food
He'd have to buy more. A lot more. The problem was, he had no idea what Jeremy actually liked. Did he have any allergies? His mother had never mentioned any
Then again, most of what they'd talked about over the years had been Jeremy. Despite everything, they'd never truly stopped talking. He had cared about her. Deeply
And judging by the fact that she'd never remarried… Perhaps she'd cared about him just as much
The thought tightened something painfully in his chest. No. Not now. He forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat. There would be time to mourn later
Right now, he needed to focus on what came next. On his son. The son he was finally going to meet.
Tomorrow morning
Did he even have a spare toothbrush? Shampoo? A comb? A razor? Did Jeremy shave yet? If he did not… Was Gabriel supposed to teach him?
Outside, the afternoon air had turned cold. A sharp gust of wind bit at his face as he walked. Did Jeremy own a winter coat?
From the moment the phone call had ended, Gabriel had started wondering less about what needed to be done and more about how the boy must be feeling
He tried to imagine it. Losing your mother. Being told you couldn't go home. Finding out the father you'd never met was suddenly coming to take you in
The thought left him feeling strangely hollow.
Not frightened. Not panicked. Just... empty
As though his mind had decided there wasn't room for emotions until the practical problems had been solved first. His life was about to change more dramatically than it ever had before. And he'd have to change with it
Seventeen years
That was how long ago he'd run from the responsibility of becoming a father. Seventeen years he'd lost with someone who shared half his blood
Half his name. Half of who he was. He had no one to ask for advice. He couldn't think of anyone who had a seventeen year old son
And even if he could… He doubted he'd ask. How exactly was he supposed to admit that he'd spent nearly two decades being a coward?
The word lingered in his mind longer than he wanted it to. Coward. His pace slowed. When, exactly, had his life become this? When had everything he'd worked so hard to keep neat and orderly become something he barely recognized?
Tomorrow morning, someone would knock on his front door. And after that… Nothing would ever be the same again
He got home far earlier than he needed to. No one was coming until tomorrow morning. There was no reason to rush. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed the extra time
Time to prepare. Time to make the house feel less like it belonged to a man who had lived alone for years. He started cleaning. Not because it was dirty. It wasn't. Gabriel had always kept his home immaculate. But scrubbing already spotless countertops, dusting shelves that didn't need dusting, and straightening books that were already perfectly aligned gave his hands something to do
If his hands were busy… Maybe his mind would be too
After a while, he drove to the grocery store. He wandered the aisles longer than necessary, filling his cart with things he normally never bought
More bread. More fruit. More milk. More of everything
Enough that, for the first time in years, the refrigerator would look like it belonged to more than one person
He paused in front of the toiletries. An extra toothbrush. Another bottle of shampoo. Body wash. Deodorant
He reached for them almost automatically before realizing he had no idea whether Jeremy used any of those brands. It didn't matter. They were a start
Near the checkout, he stopped again. Candy and chocolate. A few bags of chips. Things that had never really had a place in his kitchen before
The cashier glanced at the growing pile of groceries with mild curiosity, and Gabriel pretended not to notice
Back home, he unpacked everything in careful silence. The refrigerator looked fuller. The bathroom cabinet looked less lonely. It still didn't feel like enough
He stood in the doorway of the guest room. Empty and plain
There wasn't much he could do on such short notice. But there was one thing. He carried his own bedside table down the hallway and set it beside the bed. He hardly used it anyway
Jeremy probably would
After that, he stripped the bed and replaced the old spare bedding with the better set he kept tucked away in the linen closet. Softer sheets. A warmer duvet. Small things. The sort of things that said someone had been expected
When he finished, he stood in the middle of the room and looked around. It still wasn't perfect. It didn't really look like a seventeen year old's bedroom
But he'd done everything he could
All that was left was waiting
Waiting and trying not to think. Not about the woman he'd lost. Not about the life that was already slipping further into the past. Not about seventeen years that neither of them would ever get back
That was how the night passed
He didn't sleep much
By morning, Gabriel found himself standing near the living room window, careful not to look directly outside for too long. He didn't want to seem desperate
The street below carried on as though it were any other morning. Cars rolled past. People hurried to work with coffee cups in hand. Someone walked a dog. Someone else argued into a phone. Every passing vehicle could have been the one. Every stranger could have been bringing his son to him
The ordinary rhythm of the morning felt strangely out of place. Gabriel glanced at the clock. Not much longer
A few minutes later, a dark sedan pulled up outside his building and He knew. He couldn't have explained how, but he knew.
Then the car door opened. A boy stepped out wearing a faded red baseball cap. Gabriel was already moving before he had the chance to second-guess himself. He grabbed his coat, headed downstairs, and pushed through the front entrance
The cold air hit him immediately. Across the sidewalk, a woman in a charcoal colored suit handed Jeremy something small, a folded envelope, perhaps a set of papers
The boy slipped it into the pocket of his hoodie without a word while the car's engine continued idling behind them
She looked like someone who preferred efficiency over conversation. Everything about her was brisk, organized, professional
Jeremy turned toward him. For the first time, Gabriel saw his son with his own eyes. He looked tired. His shoulders were slumped beneath the oversized hoodie, his expression distant, almost guarded
Quiet. So painfully quiet.
Nothing like the countless stories his mother had told over the years. Nothing like the laughing boy she'd described with such warmth
He was simply... standing there
"Mr. Gabriel?" the woman asked
"Yes"
She handed him a thick folder
"Everything you'll need is inside. Medical records, school information, emergency contacts" She offered a practiced, reassuring smile "We've already notified his school of the situation, so there shouldn't be any administrative issues on your end"
The folder felt surprisingly heavy in Gabriel's hands. Far heavier than paper had any right to be
"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us" the woman said "And just so you're aware, someone from our office may stop by at some point to check in and see how both of you are adjusting"
"I understand"
She gave a single nod before turning to Jeremy
"Good luck kid"
There was something gentler in her voice this time. Then she climbed back into the car. The engine hummed softly as the sedan pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the steady flow of morning traffic until even the sound of it faded
Silence settled between them
Gabriel let out a slow breath and straightened his posture almost on instinct. He'd rehearsed this. Over and over, on the drive home, while making the bed, while staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping. He'd thought of a dozen different ways to begin. Something reassuring, something welcoming, something a father was supposed to say
This was supposed to be one of the defining moments of his life. The first words he'd ever speak to his eldest child.
Instead… Every sentence he'd prepared suddenly sounded wrong
Too formal, too familiar, too late
"Hello, Jeremy"
It was the safest thing he could think of. Jeremy answered with a small nod and nothing more.
He didn't say a word. He didn't even look Gabriel in the eye
Gabriel noticed the details instead
The way Jeremy's fingers were wrapped so tightly around the strap of his duffel bag that his knuckles had turned pale. As though letting go wasn't an option. As though it was the only thing grounding him
His jacket wasn't nearly warm enough for the weather
And… That was all he had
One duffel bag. One medium-sized suitcase. An entire seventeen-year life reduced to two pieces of luggage
The realization hit Gabriel with surprising force. He wanted to ask where the rest of Jeremy's things were. Whether something had been left behind. Whether he'd been allowed to keep everything that mattered to him
But the questions caught in his throat. They could wait. Jeremy had already lost enough for one morning. Gabriel adjusted his grip on the folder before stepping aside
"I'll show you the way"
He turned toward the building, careful not to walk too fast. Not because he thought Jeremy couldn't keep up. But because, for the first time in seventeen years.
They were walking together. Gabriel remained unfailingly polite. He spoke the way he might have spoken to a guest
Nothing more
Turning toward the building, he let Jeremy follow at his own pace, resisting the urge to slow down too obviously or glance over his shoulder every few seconds
The stairwell was narrow, amplifying every sound. Their footsteps echoed against the concrete walls in an uneven rhythm, one set just ahead of the other
Neither of them spoke
After a short ride in the elevator, Gabriel unlocked the apartment and stepped aside
"You first"
Jeremy hesitated for only a heartbeat before crossing the threshold
He stopped almost immediately. Not because anything was wrong. Simply because he didn't know where he was supposed to go
Gabriel closed the door behind them. The click of the lock sounded strangely loud in the quiet apartment. He led him into the living room before clearing his throat
"This is..."
He stopped himself
Your house now
The words never made it out
Of course it was. He didn't need to say it. Instead, he gestured toward the hallway.
"The kitchen's through there"He said "And the bathroom is on the left"
The explanation sounded painfully practical. More like directions than a welcome.
Still… It was something
He motioned toward the room at the end of the hall "That'll be your room"
Then, after a brief pause, he added "If you need anything... my room is just across the hall"
Jeremy looked inside "Okay"
It was the first word Gabriel had heard him speak
Quiet
Barely above a murmur. And then the silence returned, settling between them once again
Gabriel set the folder down on the dining table, suddenly unsure what to do with his hands
"You can... take your shoes off"
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Of course Jeremy knew that.
What a ridiculous thing to say. Jeremy glanced down, as if he'd only just realized he was still wearing them
"Oh"
He crouched quickly, slipped them off, and lined them up neatly beside the entryway shelf without another word. Desperate to keep the silence from swallowing them whole, Gabriel continued down the hallway. Behind him, he could hear Jeremy following
The footsteps were hesitant
Careful
He opened the bedroom door. Everything was exactly as he'd left it the night before. The bed neatly made. The fresh linens perfectly smooth. The bedside table he'd moved into place. The empty wardrobe waiting to be filled
Everything was clean and prepared
And somehow… Utterly lifeless
Gabriel stopped in the doorway, choosing not to step inside. It no longer felt like a room that belonged to him. It was Jeremy's now
Or at least… He hoped it would become his
"You can unpack whenever you're ready"
Jeremy walked past him, setting his duffel bag and suitcase beside the bed
"...Thanks"
One word
Small
Quiet
But genuine enough that Gabriel found himself holding on to it longer than he probably should have
Gabriel gave a small nod and stepped back into the hallway, quietly closing the bedroom door behind him
For a brief moment, he considered leaving it slightly ajar. Just enough to hear what Jeremy was doing. Just enough to know he was all right.
But he stopped himself. Most of the parenting articles he'd stayed up reading the night before had repeated the same advice over and over
Respect their privacy
Trust isn't demanded. It's earned.
If he wanted Jeremy to feel safe here… Then this had to be his room
Not a room under surveillance. So Gabriel walked away
The hallway fell silent. The apartment felt different now. Fuller than it had been in years
And somehow… Emptier at the same time
He returned to the living room and sat down on the couch, reaching for the folder. He knew countless stories about the boy. He'd seen photographs every few months. Birthday videos. School plays
Little moments carefully preserved by the woman who had never stopped making sure he knew Jeremy existed, even after everything
But stories weren't the same as facts. He opened the folder
Jeremy Willis
Date of birth
School records
Attendance
Good overall grades
A strong student in art and physical education. Less enthusiastic about literature.
A pattern of tardiness despite otherwise excellent attendance
He turned another page.
Diagnosed with dyslexia
A note from a physician suggesting possible ADHD, though no formal assessment had ever been completed
Gabriel frowned thoughtfully
That… might explain the constant lateness
It wasn't carelessness. Maybe mornings were simply harder for him. Something to keep in mind. He'd probably need to help Jeremy get up on school days.
Should he drive him to school? Both ways? Or only in the mornings? Maybe Jeremy preferred walking? Maybe he hated being driven anywhere?
Maybe… Gabriel closed the folder and rubbed both hands over his face
There were so many things he didn't know. So many decisions he wasn't prepared to make. Time slipped by almost without him noticing. When he finally glanced at the clock, he realized it was already well past lunchtime
He should make something to eat. More importantly… He should make sure Jeremy ate
He opened the refrigerator despite already knowing exactly what was inside. Every shelf was still perfectly organized from yesterday's shopping trip.
His hand reached in almost absentmindedly. Cheese. He paused. Toast
His mother had always made him grilled cheese whenever he was upset. Whenever he'd had a miserable day at school, whenever life felt just a little too heavy. Nothing elaborate
Just buttered bread, melting cheese, and the certainty that someone cared enough to make it. It had always made things feel… not better. Just… Easier
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before fading again
He wondered what she would think if she could see him now
Would she be proud? Or would she quietly shake her head at the choices he'd made all those years ago?
He had no answer
Only a block of cheese in one hand… and a son waiting down the hall
She had always dreamed of having a family. Grandchildren. A house filled with people instead of silence. How would she have reacted if she'd known that her own son had spent seventeen years without ever meeting his child?
She would have been disappointed
The thought came so quickly that it startled him. Perhaps it was for the best that she hadn't lived long enough to see the man he'd become. To see the coward her only son had turned into
He should visit her grave soon
His hands kept moving while his thoughts wandered elsewhere
Bread, butter, eggs
He whisked the eggs together with a pinch of salt and pepper before dipping each slice of bread into the mixture. The motions were familiar, almost automatic, allowing his mind to drift while his hands remembered what to do
A thin layer of oil hissed as it met the hot pan. The smell filled the apartment within minutes
Comforting and familiar
When the last piece was finished, Gabriel arranged everything neatly on a plate before walking down the hallway
He knocked softly on Jeremy's bedroom door. A few seconds passed
"You can come in"
The reply was muffled, quiet enough that Gabriel almost missed it. He opened the door. Jeremy was still sitting on the bed. The duffel bag had been unpacked, its contents tucked neatly into the wardrobe. The suitcase, however, remained exactly where he'd left it
Gabriel couldn't help wondering what was inside. Or perhaps… What Jeremy couldn't bring himself to unpack yet
The boy followed his every movement without saying a word
"I made you something to eat"
He left it at that.
He didn't mention that he'd deliberately made several different kinds of toast. Some with cheese. Some with herbs.
One just the way his own mother used to make them. He had no idea what Jeremy liked. This seemed like the easiest way to find out
Gabriel set the plate down on the desk with quiet care "I figured you might be hungry"
For another moment, neither of them spoke. Then Gabriel gave a small nod toward the food
"You don't have to eat it now" A pause "But... it's there if you want it"
He turned toward the door. Instinct told him to stay. To ask a question. To fill the silence somehow
Instead… He reached for the doorknob
Giving Jeremy space felt like the only thing he was certain he could do right
"Thanks"
Jeremy's voice was as flat and restrained as Gabriel's own. Gabriel gave a small nod before returning to the kitchen
Another plate of toast waited for him on the table, he sat down and forced himself to eat
He wasn't hungry. Not really
But he needed something that still resembled normal life. Something familiar. Something predictable.
The toast had already begun to cool and he barely noticed
The hours drifted by in a strange sort of silence. Not uncomfortable exactly. Just... empty
They didn't talk
Every so often, one of them would leave their room to get a glass of water or use the bathroom. They'd pass each other in the hallway with quiet nods before continuing on without another word
Two people living separate days beneath the same roof. Connected only by the fact that they happened to occupy the same apartment
Once, Gabriel thought about saying something. Anything. He had already opened his mouth when Jeremy stepped out of his room
Ask him how the food was
Ask if he needs anything
Ask if he's settling in
Before Gabriel could force even the first word out, Jeremy slipped into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind him
Gabriel stood alone in the hallway for another moment. Then he let out a slow breath. They had a long way to go. Longer than he'd wanted to admit
Before he realized it, evening had settled over the city
The last traces of sunlight disappeared beyond the rooftops, leaving the apartment wrapped in deep blue shadows. Gabriel walked through the hallway, switching on the small wall lamps instead of the bright overhead lights
The softer glow spread gently through the apartment. He knew how dark the hallway became after sunset. The last thing he wanted was for Jeremy to trip over something in an unfamiliar home
It was a tiny gesture. One Jeremy probably wouldn't even notice. But Gabriel found himself making it anyway
Dinner came and went much like everything else that day. Prepared separately. Eaten separately
The apartment was no longer empty
Yet somehow… It had never felt quieter
He made something simple for dinner, nothing elaborate, just a light meal. He left Jeremy's portion on the kitchen counter before quietly knocking on his bedroom door
"I left dinner in the kitchen"
That was all he said. A quiet "Okay" came from the other side
Gabriel went to bed. Sleep, however, refused to come. Minutes stretched into hours as he lay awake, staring into the darkness while his eyes slowly adjusted to the faint outlines of the room
Then he heard it, the soft scrape of a chair. A cupboard opening. The muted clink of a plate against the countertop
Jeremy was eating
Gabriel closed his eyes. At least he'd eaten something. The apartment fell quiet again
Not completely. He could still hear the occasional creak of floorboards beyond the bedroom wall. The sound of someone pacing, stopping and starting again. Jeremy wasn't asleep, neither was he
Gabriel rolled onto his side and listened. He didn't try to force himself to sleep anymore. Instead, another question settled heavily in his mind
Should he do something? Get up? Knock on Jeremy's door? Ask if he was all right? Say... anything? Tell him everything would be okay?
The thought died almost as soon as it appeared. Would he even believe that?
Gabriel wasn't sure he believed it himself
There were moments in life that had no right answer and this felt like one of them
So he stayed exactly where he was. On the other side of a single wall lived another person now
Jeremy lay awake. Gabriel did too
Separated by only a few feet of plaster and wood, yet feeling impossibly far apart
Neither of them knew what they were supposed to say. Neither of them knew how to exist in this new version of their lives
So they did the only thing they could. They endured the night
Morning wasn't much different. Gabriel wasn't even sure when he'd finally fallen asleep. At some point, darkness had quietly given way to pale sunlight spilling through the curtains, and that alone had pulled him back into consciousness
He got out of bed earlier than usual. There didn't seem to be much point in lying there any longer. The apartment was still
He walked into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. The familiar aroma spread through the room within moments
Rich, warm and comforting
For the first time since the phone call… He felt himself breathe a little easier
Routine. He understood routine
He made several sandwiches without really thinking about it
When they were finished, he ate one standing at the kitchen counter. The rest he arranged neatly on a plate and left on the table. Just in case Jeremy got hungry
Or… Just in case it was easier for the boy to eat if no one was watching
Before leaving for work, Gabriel placed a small note beside the plate. It had his phone number written neatly across the top, followed by a single sentence
If you need anything, I'll be at the café
At least it was the weekend. He didn't have to worry about school just yet
When he left the apartment that morning, he had no idea whether Jeremy would touch the sandwiches. He tried not to think about it during his shift
When he came home that afternoon, the apartment was as quiet as he'd left it. Jeremy was nowhere in sight, but the plate was empty and clean. Washed and drying beside the sink. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, that tiny detail gave him more hope than it probably should have.
The days that followed settled into something resembling a routine. Jeremy only left his room when he absolutely had to
A trip to the bathroom, kitchen, sometimes the front door. Otherwise, he stayed behind the closed bedroom door, reducing the time they spent together to the bare minimum
He left almost no trace of himself. No clothes draped over chairs. No books abandoned on the coffee table. No headphones lying around
Nothing
If someone walked into the apartment, they might never have guessed a seventeen years old lived there
Gabriel never commented on the suitcase that remained closed beside the bed. He noticed it every time he passed the open bedroom door, but he never asked about it
Everyone unpacked grief differently. Perhaps Jeremy simply wasn't ready
Some days the food Gabriel left behind disappeared completely. Other days, he'd come home to find only a few bites missing. He had no frame of reference. No way of knowing whether this was normal teenage behavior… or something else entirely
So instead of asking questions, he quietly started bringing leftovers home from the café.
Fresh pastries, sandwiches that hadn't been sold, slices of pie
He'd leave them on the kitchen counter without saying a word, hoping Jeremy might discover something he actually enjoyed eating
Sometimes, late at night, Gabriel found himself scrolling through old conversations with Jeremy's mother. Reading stories she'd sent over the years, looking through photographs. Watching short videos she'd insisted on sharing
Jeremy laughing on a playground, Jeremy proudly holding up a drawing from school, Jeremy celebrating birthdays Gabriel had only ever witnessed through a phone screen
He looked so alive in those videos. So carefree. It was difficult to reconcile that smiling boy with the quiet teenager now living under his roof
Once, Gabriel tried bringing up school
"I could drive you in the mornings" he offered carefully
Jeremy barely looked up "I'd rather walk" The answer came quickly
Gabriel simply nodded "I understand" And he did
To Jeremy, he was almost a stranger. Why would the boy choose to spend twenty awkward minutes trapped inside a car with someone he barely knew?
That wasn't rejection, not really
It was distance. Distance that seventeen years had created. Distance that wouldn't disappear overnight
There was one thing Gabriel did begin to notice. Jeremy didn't always wake up when he meant to. A few mornings, he slept well past the time he'd intended to get up
So Gabriel made a quiet adjustment to his own routine. Instead of moving silently through the apartment as he always had, he became just a little louder
He let the kettle whistle a little longer, closed a cupboard without cushioning the sound, walked through the hallway with normal footsteps instead of careful ones
Never enough to startle him. Just enough for the sounds of an ordinary morning to drift beneath Jeremy's bedroom door
As if the apartment itself were gently reminding him… It was time to get up
Jeremy texted him exactly once with a single message
When will you be home? I'm locked out
Nothing more
Gabriel replied immediately. That same afternoon, he stopped by a hardware store on his way home and had a second set of keys made
He handed them to Jeremy without making a ceremony out of it
"You should have these"
Jeremy looked at the keys for a moment before slipping them into his pocket "Thanks"
That was the entire conversation and most of their conversations were like that. Almost entirely stripped of emotion
"I'll be home late"
"The bathroom's free"
"Do you know where the umbrella is?"
"There's soup in the fridge"
Neither of them seemed ready for conversations that required anything deeper
Gabriel never mentioned Jeremy's mother. He never spoke her name aloud
He never asked questions. Never shared stories. He didn't know whether he should. He wasn't even sure he had the right. If losing her had left him feeling hollow… He couldn't begin to imagine what it had done to the son she'd raised for seventeen years
There was a gulf between them and neither of them tried to cross it. Perhaps neither of them knew how
Life simply... continued. Gabriel woke up, went to work, came home and repeated it all again the next day
The routine itself hadn't changed, but everything inside it had shifted ever so slightly.
Now there was another person woven into it. Meals became something he prepared for two. Shopping lists grew longer. There were school forms to sign, emails to answer, phone calls to make, appointments to keep track of
Without realizing it, he'd begun organizing his life around someone else's
At the café, almost no one knew. Miss Pauling did, of course, she needed to. If there was ever an emergency, someone had to know where to find him
But beyond that… Gabriel saw no reason to invite the rest of the staff into his private life.
His coworkers were good people, but far too curious for their own good. He could already imagine the questions, teasing, sympathy. He wasn't ready for any of it
When he came home, Jeremy was sometimes sitting quietly in the living room
Other times, the bedroom door would already be closed. More often than not, though… He wasn't home at all
Gabriel never asked where he'd been. Jeremy never volunteered the answer
Some questions could wait
One evening, Gabriel walked into the kitchen and noticed a mug sitting in the sink. Unwashed and still half full of tea. He stood there for a second longer than necessary
Then, without thinking much about it, he washed it. The smile that tugged faintly at the corner of his mouth surprised even him. It was such a small thing. Just a dirty mug
Proof that someone else had been there. Proof that this apartment was no longer occupied by one solitary man moving silently from room to room
The realization warmed him in ways he hadn't expected. Even so… He had absolutely no idea what he was doing. There was no handbook for becoming a father to a seventeen years old overnight
No list of instructions, no reassuring voice telling him he was getting it right
Every decision felt like a guess, every conversation felt like unfamiliar ground
Gabriel had spent years mastering difficult things: Coffee, wine, people. He could read a customer's mood before they reached the counter. He could diffuse an argument with a sentence and charm a room with a smile
But fatherhood… Fatherhood was the first thing in a very long time that refused to yield to experience alone
He could have said something, probably should have. Started a conversation somehow. Asked Jeremy how school was going, asked whether he was sleeping, whether he was eating enough
Anything
Instead, every time the opportunity presented itself, Gabriel found himself saying nothing at all. He was afraid. Afraid that one wrong sentence would shatter the fragile peace they'd managed to build
Silence, awkward as it was, still felt safer than saying the wrong thing. So he settled for quieter ways of caring. He made sure the refrigerator never sat empty. Left grocery money on the kitchen table every week, calling it "allowance" even though Jeremy had never asked for any. Replaced toiletries before they ran out. Bought food without mentioning it
It wasn't ideal, it wasn't what either of them deserved. But somehow… It worked
Days slipped into weeks. Their situation neither dramatically improved nor fell apart. It simply... steadied
Balanced delicately on something Gabriel couldn't quite define. Like a structure held together by careful measurements. One wrong adjustment, and it might collapse
Precision had always been one of his strengths
This, however… This kind of precision seemed forever just beyond his reach
Oddly enough, Gabriel heard Jeremy speak far more through the bedroom wall than he ever did face to face
Late in the evenings, muffled laughter drifted from the boy's room, fragments of conversations, the occasional exasperated groan, arguments over games. Someone telling a joke that made Jeremy laugh, an actual laugh, bright and effortless
It startled Gabriel every time. The boy who barely spoke a dozen words to him could spend hours talking to someone through his laptop
He couldn't even resent it. If anything… It was reassuring. Jeremy still had pieces of his old life. Friends who'd found him despite everything. People who could still make him smile
Then, one rainy afternoon, an idea quietly found its way into Gabriel's mind. The café. It was the only place where he never questioned himself. Behind the counter, every movement came naturally
Every decision made sense, he knew exactly where everything belonged, exactly what needed doing, he understood that place
Jeremy didn't. But… maybe he could
The idea stayed with him for several days before he finally acted on it. One afternoon, just as dark clouds rolled over the city and rain began hammering against the café windows, Gabriel pulled out his phone during a quiet moment
Storm's getting worse.
The café's closer to your school than the apartment.
If you'd like, you can wait here until my shift ends. I'll drive us home afterward.
He stared at the message for a moment before pressing send.
He wasn't expecting a reply Truthfully… He wasn't expecting Jeremy to come at all. Which was why, nearly forty minutes later, the bell above the front door caught his attention
Gabriel looked up automatically. Jeremy stepped inside, rain clinging to the shoulders of his hoodie. Before anyone behind the counter had a chance to greet him, one of the café's pigeons fluttered down from a ceiling beam and landed confidently on Jeremy's shoulder
Then another. Gabriel watched something soften across the boy's face, not exactly a smile, but the tension he'd carried through the door loosened, if only for a heartbeat. His eyes lit up with quiet surprise as the birds cooed contentedly around him, entirely unconcerned by the unfamiliar visitor
They'd accepted him immediately
Gabriel found himself smiling before he realized he was doing it
Across the room, Beatrice had already started making her way toward Jeremy, no doubt intending to bombard the poor boy with warm questions and enough baked goods to feed a family of four
Gabriel intercepted her halfway
"I've got this" he said gently
She studied him for a second before understanding dawned on her face. With a knowing smile, she simply nodded and returned to the counter. Gabriel walked over carrying a plate with a warm pastry and a mug of hot chocolate
"You can sit wherever you'd like" he said, setting the plate down at a table near the window
"I'll be finished in about an hour"
Jeremy glanced from the food to Gabriel then gave a small nod "Okay"
It was only one word, but somehow it felt like progress.
Seeing the way Jeremy had lit up around the birds and knowing Beatrice would be retiring before long, Gabriel couldn't help but think about it. It was one of the few things he could offer without asking for anything in return- a safe place to just be
A few evenings later, he decided the timing was as good as it was ever going to get
Jeremy was in the kitchen making himself dinner, humming quietly under his breath as he stirred something in a pan. It wasn't much, but it was more relaxed than Gabriel had seen him in weeks
"There's... something I wanted to mention" Gabriel said
Jeremy looked over immediately, silently letting him know he was listening
"If you'd like..." Gabriel began carefully "...you could come by the café after school every now and then"
He paused, choosing his next words with almost absurd precision
"You wouldn't have to do anything. Just spend a couple of hours there if you feel like it"
Jeremy didn't interrupt
"If you ever wanted to help out a little..." Gabriel continued "...I'd be happy to pay you"
Another brief pause "But only if you wanted to"
His voice remained calm, deliberately casual
"It isn't really about the work"
Jeremy frowned ever so slightly. "What is it about, then?"
Gabriel glanced toward the window. "It's..." He searched for words that didn't sound foolish "...a nice place to be. You don't have to spend the whole afternoon sitting in the apartment"
"And..." a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth "...Kiki seems to have decided you're one of her favorite humans"
Jeremy couldn't help looking down, almost expecting the tiny pigeon to materialize out of nowhere
A quiet laugh escaped him through his nose "I noticed"
The smile disappeared almost as quickly as it had come. He stared at his plate for several long seconds before speaking again
"Why are you asking?"
Gabriel answered honestly.
"I thought..." He stopped "I think you'd like it there"
"That's all"
Jeremy rolled the fork slowly between his fingers. The offer was tempting. Not because of the money. Not even because of the birds. Mostly because it meant somewhere else to exist
Somewhere that wasn't school and wasn't an apartment where every room reminded him of everything that had changed
Still… He wasn't ready to say yes
"You could just try it once" Gabriel said quietly, noticing the hesitation
"If you hate it, you never have to come back"
No pressure and no expectations
Jeremy nodded once "I'll think about it"
It wasn't a promise, but it wasn't a refusal, either. For Gabriel… That was enough
Neither of them realized it yet, but this was the turning point. Or at least the beginning of one
The following morning, with the weekend finally here, Jeremy surprised Gabriel by getting up at the same time he did. He never actually said he had made up his mind, but the fact that he quietly got dressed and followed Gabriel to the door was answer enough
The drive was short.
For Gabriel, it was the same familiar route he'd taken countless times before. For Jeremy, it was entirely new
Neither of them spoke much. Gabriel didn't try to explain how the café worked or what Jeremy should expect. There was no point rehearsing introductions when the people inside would inevitably make their own and probably much louder once they met him
They entered through the back entrance. The first thing Jeremy noticed was the smell of fresh coffee
Warm pastries straight from the ovens. A hint of vanilla drifting through the air
Somewhere deeper inside came the scrape of chairs across the floor, quiet conversations between early staff, the clink of mugs being stacked before opening
Jeremy slowed for a moment, taking it all in
He had visited the café before, but only as a customer. Seeing it from behind the scenes felt strangely intimate, like stepping onto a theater stage before the audience arrived
Gabriel led him into the staff room. "Wait here for a minute" he said and Jeremy nodded
Gabriel disappeared down the hallway toward Miss Pauling's office, explaining the situation as briefly as he could. As expected, she didn't hesitate
"I'd be happy to have him" she replied almost immediately "We'll ease him into it"
There wasn't a trace of reluctance in her voice. Only practical confidence
Together they returned to the staff room, where Miss Pauling struck up an easy conversation with Jeremy, asking simple questions without making any of them feel like an interrogation
While she kept him company, Gabriel searched through the spare uniforms until he found one that looked close enough to Jeremy's size
Watching the two of them from across the room, he felt something inside him loosen
For the first time since Jeremy had moved in, they weren't trapped inside the apartment, surrounded by awkward silences and conversations neither of them knew how to begin
Here… They didn't have to force anything. There were other people, other voices, other reasons to smile besides trying to repair seventeen years of absence
Oddly enough, the people Gabriel usually considered the most irritating part of his work might turn out to be exactly what Jeremy needed. They had a remarkable talent for filling silence before it had a chance to become uncomfortable
Satisfied that Jeremy was in good hands, Gabriel returned to his usual place behind the counter
By then, the first customers had begun filtering through the front doors. The familiar rhythm settled over him almost immediately.
Orders, coffee, pastries, conversations
For the first time in weeks… The future didn't feel quite so impossible anymore
After a while, Gabriel looked up just in time to see Jeremy and Miss Pauling emerge from the back room
Jeremy had traded his hoodie for one of the café's aprons. A black cap embroidered with the café's logo sat slightly crooked on his head, and clipped to his chest was a small badge that read TRAINING in bold letters
For reasons he couldn't quite explain, the sight made him smile
For the first time since Jeremy had come into his life, they were sharing the same space without suffocating under silence
And somehow… Gabriel had the feeling the café was going to welcome his son far more easily than either of them had expected
Jeremy didn't spend long standing around. There were moments of hesitation, of course. Every now and then he'd stop for a heartbeat, clearly trying to remember what he'd been told or figure out what needed doing next
But he learned quickly, remarkably quickly
Miss Pauling wisely kept him away from anything too complicated at first. He fetched supplies from the stockroom, helped tidy the back area, carried a few drinks out to customers, cleared empty cups from tables, and slowly settled into the rhythm everyone else followed without thinking
It didn't take long before it felt... natural. As if he'd always belonged there. He seemed to understand the flow of the café almost instinctively. Even the pigeons appeared to reach that conclusion before most of the staff did
Several of them landed near him whenever he stepped onto the floor, following him with shameless expectation whenever they thought he might have crumbs
"He's doing better than you were on your first day"
Gabriel blinked, pulled abruptly from his thoughts
"Pardon?"
Beatrice didn't even look up from steaming milk.
"I'm serious. You were an absolute disaster"
She glanced toward Jeremy before adding with a grin
"And thank heavens he inherited his mother's looks instead of yours"
Gabriel gave her a long, unimpressed stare
"You know" he replied dryly "hearing you're finally retiring brings me an unbelievable amount of joy"
She laughed
"Oh, believe me, cher. Me too"
He rolled his eyes, though the corner of his mouth betrayed him. Some arguments were simply tradition
Still… She wasn't wrong
Jeremy looked so much like his mother, that it caught Gabriel off guard whenever he stared for too long. The same bright eyes. The same quick, effortless smile, though it appeared far less often these days. The same lean frame. Even the same tendency to move just a little too fast for his own good
Gabriel watched him nearly bump into a chair before catching himself at the last second and continuing as though nothing had happened
Not graceful, never graceful.
But efficient. Jeremy wasn't interested in doing everything perfectly. He wanted to do it quickly. Well enough
Then move on to whatever came next. And somehow… It worked
Watching him weave between tables, quietly finding his own rhythm among people who had once been strangers, Gabriel felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel since that phone call
Maybe, just maybe… things really could get better
Even though he was still on probation and technically wasn't supposed to handle customers on his own, someone eventually approached Jeremy with a question. The boy answered without missing a beat
The exchange was brief,maybe a little too blunt, a little too casual, but the customer seemed to like his straightforwardness. That was a good sign
Gabriel made a point of not interfering. There would be time later, once Jeremy felt more comfortable, to polish the rough edges
Jeremy moved through the café as though the space had no invisible boundaries. Every now and then he'd step into someone's path or rush past too quickly, startling a few pigeons into fluttering their wings
There was chaos to the way he worked, but it wasn't destructive. If anything, it made the café feel even more alive
Gabriel watched him from the corner of his eye, unable to suppress a faint smile. Miss Pauling seemed equally impressed, letting him make small mistakes instead of stepping in at every opportunity. It was the fastest way to learn
The first mistake that actually called for someone more experienced came a little later
One of the customers, clearly irritated that they hadn't been served yet, waved Jeremy over and immediately launched into an order, rattling off substitutions and custom requests without slowing down
It was far too much information all at once, especially for someone who didn't even have a notepad on him
"So... one of those..." Jeremy began, trying to repeat it back "Without the syrup, and..."
"No, I want two of those" the customer cut in impatiently "Are you even listening?"
Jeremy glanced toward Gabriel, instinctively searching for him. Their eyes met just as Gabriel abandoned the order he'd been packing for one of the regulars and started walking over
Gabriel stepped in before Jeremy could stumble over an answer
"One sugar-free version, one coffee with oat milk and an extra shot of syrup. Is that right, madam?" he asked smoothly, already writing the order down as though he'd been part of the conversation from the beginning
The woman nodded
"Exactly. But this young man-"
"He's still in training" Gabriel interrupted with a practiced smile "Thank you for your patience"
His tone never slipped. Calm. Professional. Polite
Inside, however, he would have happily strangled the woman
Order in hand, he returned behind the counter and packed everything himself. Within moments the rush settled back into its usual rhythm, while Jeremy quietly returned to wiping down tables as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened
Because, really, nothing had happened
An impatient customer had expected too much from someone who'd barely been shown the ropes. It happened. It wasn't Jeremy's fault, and everyone working there knew it
Over the next few hours, situations like that came and went. Sometimes Gabriel stepped in before things got messy; other times he deliberately stayed back, letting Jeremy work through them himself. The boy learned quickly, adapting almost frighteningly fast, and Miss Pauling eventually handed him a small pocket notebook after giving him a crash course on taking orders.
"Keep this on you" she'd told him "Some customers talk faster than they think"
It was less about Jeremy's memory and more about surviving the kind of people who couldn't wait ten seconds before rattling off a customized order
Gabriel had long since lost count of how many customers had tried to order food from Jane simply because he happened to be the closest employee
With every little mishap, Jeremy spent less time dwelling on what he'd done wrong and more time simply moving on to the next task. It was as though he'd begun to understand that if he ever got in over his head, someone would quietly step in before he drowned
Gabriel couldn't have been prouder
In a single day at the café, he'd spoken to Jeremy more times than they had during nearly a month of living under the same roof
Not because either of them had suddenly become more talkative. The café simply gave them reasons to speak
At one point he even found himself rescuing one of Beatrice's orders after she'd absentmindedly ticked the wrong boxes on the order slip
Jeremy watched the exchange from nearby with open curiosity
Beatrice was the most experienced employee in the building. She'd worked there longer than almost anyone else, and yet she'd still made a mistake without anyone making a fuss over it
Nobody sighed, nobody raised their voice, nobody made her feel guilty. Someone simply fixed it, and everyone carried on
Gabriel caught Jeremy glancing between Beatrice and the corrected order, something thoughtful settling behind his eyes
Maybe mistakes didn't have to be disasters, maybe they were simply part of learning
And perhaps, for the first time in a very long while, that was a lesson Jeremy was finally beginning to believe
He moved more quickly now. More confidently. Still a little impulsive, but without that constant hesitation that used to follow every step. And somewhere in the way they passed each other throughout the day, something had shifted
It was invisible to most people. But painfully obvious to the ones who actually paid attention. Especially once Jeremy started stopping by after school for a few hours each afternoon
Dell was the first to notice. He always was. He'd spent his whole life spotting things that needed fixing
"Kid's doing good"
He said it one morning when the two of them happened to meet by the espresso machine. He didn't bother specifying which kid. He didn't have to. Gabriel simply hummed in acknowledgment.
"You are too" Dell added after a moment
Gabriel looked up from his coffee
"...Working on it"
He took another sip, letting the warmth settle before saying anything else
Dell rested a shoulder against the counter, watching the café wake up around them. The first customers were trickling in, chairs scraping across the floor, birds fluttering between the perches overhead
"You've been smiling more"
The words were so matter-of-fact that Gabriel almost looked behind himself to make sure Dell wasn't talking to someone else
"Have I?"
Dell gave a small shrug
"Didn't say it was a bad thing"
Then, just as casually as he'd appeared, he pushed himself away from the counter and headed back toward the play area, toolbox swinging lightly at his side
Gabriel stayed where he was. Coffee forgotten halfway to his lips
Happier
Was that really how he looked now? Had it become that obvious?
He'd spent years perfecting the art of looking exactly the same, no matter what was happening underneath. Calm. Polite. Unreadable
Yet somehow, without realizing it, something had slipped through the cracks
He found himself watching Jeremy from across the café
The boy was carrying a tray with practiced ease now, exchanging a quick joke with one of the regulars before disappearing toward the back with three pigeons faithfully following him as if they'd appointed him one of their own
There was still so much distance between them. So many conversations left unsaid, so many years neither of them could ever get back
But maybe… Maybe they didn't have to fix seventeen years all at once. Maybe it was enough that they were finally moving in the same direction
Gabriel exhaled quietly and took another sip of his coffee, it had gone lukewarm
He didn't mind
For the first time in a very long while, he allowed himself to wonder whether all of this, the awkward dinners, the careful conversations, the silent mornings, the café, Jeremy… might actually turn into something good
Miss Pauling seemed to notice it from a different angle. She noticed the silence they shared
One evening, as he helped her sort paperwork after closing, she glanced up at him over the stack of folders
"Give it time"
She said it as though it were the simplest thing in the world. Gabriel merely nodded
But their first disagreement arrived without warning, the way most things in life did. Jeremy was late. Gabriel had already finished his shift and was waiting in the car. Ten minutes wasn't much and he never would've cared on any other day
But that shift had been exhausting. Beatrice hadn't been feeling well, which meant the rest of the team had quietly picked up her workload, even though they were already short staffed
The driver's door opened. Gabriel looked up as Jeremy climbed into the passenger seat. The teenager barely had the door closed before his shoulders drew in slightly, almost instinctively, like he already knew he'd done something wrong
"You're late"
The words came out sharper than Gabriel intended
"It was only a few minutes" Jeremy replied immediately
"It doesn't matter"
The second the words left his mouth, Gabriel knew they hadn't come out the way he'd meant them to. Silence settled over the car
"Then why even bring it up?"
Jeremy muttered the words under his breath, turning toward the window. Gabriel started the engine. He kept his eyes on the road
Neither of them brought it up again during the drive home. Neither apologized. Neither explained.
But something had shifted. They had only just begun building something between them, and already, a small crack had appeared
When they got home, they both retreated to their own rooms, and by the next morning there was even more distance between them
Somehow, it was worse than the silence they'd shared before. Back then, they avoided each other because they were strangers. Now they did it out of frustration. Out of hurt. Now there was actually a relationship between them, fragile, uncertain and Gabriel had the sinking feeling he might be the one breaking it
Jeremy still threw himself into work the same way he always had, but Gabriel could see the tension beneath every movement
At one point, he overheard Dell asking the boy to slow down, his voice as calm and matter of fact as ever. Jeremy let out a quiet huff, but eased his pace without arguing
Miss Pauling didn't say a word after Gabriel quietly admitted what had happened. She didn't criticize him or offer advice. But over the next few days, he noticed something
She had quietly arranged the schedule so that his shifts and Jeremy's barely overlapped
He never thanked her. She knew he was grateful anyway. She always knew
It gave them both room to sit with their own thoughts
There was something about the whole situation that Gabriel couldn't quite put into words. Even his notoriously nosy coworkers seemed to sense it, giving both of them the space they needed, which was... surprisingly appreciated
He couldn't help noticing how different Jeremy was around customers than he was at home
In the café, he was all restless energy, moving too fast, talking too quickly, leaving little whirlwinds of chaos in his wake
But he was happy. Genuinely happy
And that was something Gabriel still couldn't give him. The thought settled heavily in his chest
If he didn't figure out how to reach his son soon… he was terrified that he'd lose that chance forever
Gabriel found himself watching the boy, who had only recently started taking orders from customers at their tables
"I'm tellin' you, ma'am, it's the best thing we've got" Jeremy said with easy confidence, speaking to the woman as though they'd known each other for years
They hadn't but It didn't seem to matter.
"You know what? You've convinced me. I'll take two"
Jeremy flashed her a bright, effortless smile before hurrying toward the counter, and Gabriel caught himself envying something so small it almost felt ridiculous
Watching his son come alive around other people gesturing animatedly, talking without hesitation, laughing so easily left an unexpected ache somewhere deep in his chest
At some point, without even realizing when it had happened, Jeremy had stopped being simply a responsibility that had landed on Gabriel's doorstep
He'd become someone Gabriel genuinely cared about. Someone he worried about, someone whose happiness mattered
Gabriel always woke before Jeremy. Every single morning, without fail. His day began the same way it always had with coffee. Measured precisely, brewed fresh, identical to the cup he'd made the day before
Eventually, though, a second mug began appearing on the kitchen counter
He never mentioned it. He simply left it there before heading to work. At first it stayed untouched until it went cold. Then, every so often, it would disappear
Before long, it was gone more often than not. Gabriel never knew whether Jeremy actually drank it or quietly poured it down the sink
He never asked. He wasn't even sure it mattered. He kept making it anyway. Almost every morning
One morning, Jeremy came out of his room earlier than usual. Early enough that Gabriel was still in the kitchen
Neither of them had expected to run into the other there. Lately, it had become less of a shared space and more of a hallway they happened to pass through
Without saying a word, Gabriel picked up his own mug and nudged the second one across the counter
Jeremy caught it, glanced up at him, and gave a small nod
"Thanks"
Then he quietly disappeared back into his room, coffee in hand
That evening unfolded much the same way
Not because either of them had planned it
After getting home from work, Gabriel started making sandwiches, more to keep his hands occupied than because he was particularly hungry
Somewhere along the way, he realized he'd made far more than one person could reasonably eat
He carried the plate to the table and began eating in silence
A few minutes later, Jeremy's bedroom door opened. The boy wandered into the kitchen and slowed as he reached the table
"...Mind if I join you?"
Gabriel looked up
"Go ahead"
Jeremy sat down. They ate together without speaking. This silence felt different. Neither of them was trying to find the perfect thing to say or wondering whether they should speak at all.
They simply shared the meal and somehow… that was enough
When they finished, Jeremy gathered his plate, washed it without being asked, and quietly headed back to his room
The change didn't happen overnight. There wasn't a single conversation that fixed everything. No dramatic confession. No heartfelt reconciliation
Instead, there were small things that slowly stopped feeling accidental
Jeremy no longer disappeared into his room the moment they got home. More often than not, he'd linger for a few minutes, joining Gabriel at the table while they ate dinner together
And Gabriel found himself asking questions he never would have asked before. What did Jeremy think of dinner? Should they buy a different brand next time? Did he prefer one kind of cereal over another? Would he rather walk home after work or take the car?
None of the questions were particularly important
But every answer Jeremy gave became another thread, quietly stitching together a relationship that neither of them had ever had the chance to build
They never talked about the past. Not about the years they'd lost neither of them called the other father or son
At least, not out loud
Instead, they learned each other's routines
They memorized schedules without meaning to, adjusted their own habits around them, and little by little, the tension faded
They still made mistakes. But those mistakes no longer carried the weight of their entire relationship
Even their coworkers noticed the difference over the months that followed Jeremy's arrival. Before either of them realized it, nearly a year had passed since that quiet morning when they'd first met as strangers standing awkwardly outside Gabriel's apartment
Their relationship was stronger than either of them could have imagined
Remarkably so, considering how little time they'd actually had
And somehow… that made it all the more beautiful
Jeremy knew Gabriel could be an asshole. Gabriel knew Jeremy had a habit of speaking before he thought. Somehow, they'd both learned to live with it
Every year, on the anniversary of the woman they had both loved, they took the day off. They'd dress properly, stop by the florist, and drive to the cemetery together, leaving fresh flowers beneath the tree that bloomed above her grave
Maybe… afterward, Gabriel would finally take Jeremy to visit his own mother's grave. After all, the boy deserved to meet his grandmother, even if only through the stories etched into a headstone.
Because, in the end... they were family
And nothing would ever change that