Gabe froze for a heartbeat as Mariam’s lips pressed against his, the warmth of the moment stealing his breath more effectively than any trap or ambush ever could. When she pulled away, leaving her words hanging in the air between them, he blinked, his usual razor-sharp wit momentarily dulled.
He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair as Mariam leaned into him, her exhaustion as palpable as the tension still crackling in the air around them. Her analysis of the situation, her calm dissection of what had just happened and who might be behind it, was like a lifeline—a grounding force that reminded him why they worked so well together. She thought, he adapted. She planned, he acted. They survived. Barely, but still.
He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head.
As Mariam speculated about the traps being designed to counter their skills, Gabe nodded, his mind already working through the possibilities.
He turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze with a rare moment of seriousness.
Reaching for her hand, Gabe gave it a light squeeze before pushing himself up onto his feet with a groan. He offered her a hand to help her up, his expression softening just enough to let her see the gratitude behind his usual bravado.
@Mariam DeTyne
Right then... not what I expected, but I can’t say I’m complaining,he finally managed, his trademark smirk creeping back into place, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was a flicker of something deeper there, something he wasn’t ready to unpack just yet.
He let out a slow breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair as Mariam leaned into him, her exhaustion as palpable as the tension still crackling in the air around them. Her analysis of the situation, her calm dissection of what had just happened and who might be behind it, was like a lifeline—a grounding force that reminded him why they worked so well together. She thought, he adapted. She planned, he acted. They survived. Barely, but still.
Eithne, huh?Gabe mused, his voice low as he leaned his head back against the cool stone wall behind them.
Wouldn’t put it past her. She’s got a knack for stirring up trouble, and her list of enemies could rival the Maker’s naughty ledger.He paused, tilting his head to glance at Mariam.
But this feels... targeted. Like someone who knows us. Knows how we work, what we’re capable of. And yeah, as much as I hate to give ‘em credit, they’re damn good at setting traps.
He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head.
Lucky for us, we’re better at getting out of them. Most of the time.His voice softened at the end, the weight of their brush with death settling in again.
As Mariam speculated about the traps being designed to counter their skills, Gabe nodded, his mind already working through the possibilities.
You’re not wrong. Whoever set this up knew what they were doing. They weren’t just trying to kill us—they were trying to make sure we didn’t *walk away*. That means they’re either scared of what we know, or pissed off about what we’ve done. Either way, it’s personal.
He turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze with a rare moment of seriousness.
You’re right about one thing, though—we’re gonna figure this out. Find out who’s pulling the strings and why. And when we do...He smirked again, though there was an edge to it now.
Let’s just say they’ll wish they’d left us alone.
Reaching for her hand, Gabe gave it a light squeeze before pushing himself up onto his feet with a groan. He offered her a hand to help her up, his expression softening just enough to let her see the gratitude behind his usual bravado.
Come on, love. Let’s get the hells out of here before I start getting sentimental. You know how much I hate that.
@Mariam DeTyne
Today, 10:28 AM
