bsumone | ❝ Nobody knows where you’re going ❞

It was still so mind-boggling that someone like Gabriel wanted to be with him. But it made him so happy to know it, even if it's not something they can act on immediately. Not only did Gabriel want to be with him, he was willing to wait. What a big-hearted man he was!

"As long as it takes," he reiterated firmly.

The trial would give Dal time to try to figure some things out on his end. Surely Gabriel didn't want him to keep hooking once they were together, even if he understood better than most that all that sex was meaningless. But what else could he do without any skills, without any ID, without being able to read fluently in English?

Moving back to his side of the table, Dal mulled these things over while he started eating again. First, a few small bites from the curry, then he'd steal a few bites of Gabriel's fried rice. This was nice, just being able to be in the company of someone who actually wanted to spend time with Dal the person, not Dal the whore.

"You gonna stay here 'til it's over?" He didn't mean this hotel specifically, but more in the city. It would be nice if Gabriel was nearby for a while longer.

Edited (extra word this time lol) 2023-05-05 16:26 (UTC)

"I'll be around. I might not be in this hotel but I'll be at the office a good deal."

He ate his own food and stole bites from Dal in return. It was nice like this. Comfortable and quiet. Just the two of them connecting without expectation. He hoped he could always bring about things like this for Dal in the future. That was something he felt the other really deserved.

"So I'll be able to check up on you when you need me to. If you want me to, of course."

Because he wanted it always clear that he would respect whatever Dal's decisions about his life were.

Dal liked this. The comfort of spending time with, not just someone, Gabriel specifically. He was kind and handsome and everything Dal once dreamed about in a future partner And now here he was, very real and very much within reach. So please excuse Dal if he gets a little bit of a dopey stare every now and then.

"You know where to find me." Be it on his usual block or at his little apartment, depending on the time. They had each other's numbers, too. But Dal figured it would probably be best to keep communication to a minimum until the trial is over. It's too important that that man go to jail to risk compromising the case in any way.

"I'll miss ya, so you should check up now and then."

"I will. I promise."

And promises were not something he ever made lightly. He meant them completely. So he would definitely check up on him sometimes. To make sure he was alright and not locked out of his place. That he was safe until he could sweep him away from this life.

"I'll bring crustless sandwiches when I do," he said in a gently teasing way soon after.

He promised. That warmed Dal so much. He's never been the sort of person that people make promises to. Why would they? He's fun they can discard, nothing long-term that requires effort or oaths. But never to Gabriel. Gabriel's never made him feel like he wasn't something of value. Someone of value.

He perks up at the mention of sandwiches, grinning. It's so sweet that Gabriel took note of those little details from the start. "My favorites~!"

"I had a feeling they might be." He'd seen how Dal devoured them, after all. Chuckling gently, he reached over to rest a hand on his head and gently ruffle his hair again. "I'm going to try to make sure you don't have to wait long for me. But until then I'll make sure you're okay as often as I can. You're important to me, Dal."

Could Gabriel please stop making him feel warm and fuzzy for one moment? Actually, please don't. Dal enjoyed hearing those things; he's wanted to hear them for so long. To be important to someone... To be seen and accepted and even wanted after that!

Dal smiled with such fondness and leaned closer to offer Gabriel another bite of curry. Those dark eyes watched him closely, studying, as if he was trying to peer into his mind to discover everything that makes him who he is: what he loves, what bothers him, his favorite music and movies and colors, the places he's been, even the horrors he's seen.

He takes another small bite and almost immediately pockets it in his cheek.

"Gabriel," he asked slowly. "You ever been in love before?"

Leaning over, he accepted the bite then wondered what Dal was thinking about. He seemed to be looking at him so intently. Honestly he was just about to ask about it when he was asked a question instead. Quite a surprising one too.

Gabriel knew he could lie here but he opted not to.

"Yes. Years ago. But, he didn't love me back and it didn't work out in the end. I realized at that time that you could love someone but that didn't always make them right for you. It helped me to understand some of my cases better so I'm grateful for the experience." He took a bite of food and ate it before continuing.

"I know that the one who is right for me is close by. I just have to make sure the timing is right."

Oh, he didn't mind Gabriel's answer one bit. He would've been surprised if he said no. He's such a kind and caring person, surely that must attract love, right? What Gabriel said made sense to him. Hadn't he loved his parents? He just wasn't the right son for them.

"I dunno what it feels like," he admitted. Was he in love with Gabriel? How could he know when he's experienced so little of it in his life? Resting one elbow on the table, Dal cupped his chin in his hand, peering so curiously at him. "Can you tell me what it's like? I wanna know."

Gabriel set his chopsticks down in that moment. Adjusting his glasses, he thought about how to answer this properly, wanting to really explain this to Dal since he'd asked. "When you find someone you love the world just seems to click into place. You feel safe with them and you go from envisioning a life where you're getting to the next minute or day to suddenly you're picturing yourself years in the future with them."

He looked over at him with a smile. "You want to know everything about them so you can bond with them further. When things are dark they're always your light. Being in love feels like you've found that key you need to walk further than you ever have before."

Oh. That all sounded... very familiar. Like Gabriel reached inside and plucked out things Dal already felt. His eyes widen by degrees as the realization set in. Was he already in love with this man? When did that happen? Not that he was complaining. Gabriel was a good man. Kind, caring, understanding. But also determined, brave, and... Well, just sort of wonderful.

A small smile played over his lips and Dal felt his skin grow warmer. "I wanna know everythin' about ya."

His gaze softened as he heard those words. He could reject them for the sake of the case but the fact was that he wanted to be with Dal when this was done. For that reason, he moved around the table to go sit on the floor with him. Taking his hands in his, he smiled warmly at him.

"What do you want to know?"

Oh, they're doing this right now? Dal wasn't prepared!

"Um... How old? Birthday? Blood type?"

That made him chuckle a little. But, he made himself comfortable so that way he could sit there to answer him.

"I'm thirty-two. My birthday is September 25th. My blood type is AB."

“Pets? Favorite color? Kinda music ya like? Um…” Dal looked off to the middle distance as he thought. “Somewhere you wanna go?”

Gabriel smiled more but kept going. "None yet. Blue. I tend to like instrumental things the most for music. And, I'd like to take you to Mexico sometime," he finished off with a grin.

That made Dal’s lips bow slightly. His eyes dropped and his voice was more subdued. “I can’t. No passport.”

Gabriel shook his head then. "Yet. No passport yet. I'll help you fix that in the future."

His eyes go wide once again. It’s still so surprising to hear that Gabriel wants to help him with those things. At length, he squeezed Gabriel’s hands and nodded. Yes, he would accept his help and, someday, they would go to Mexico together.

“Gabriel… do ya mind, I mean, when we’re together…. Will ya be upset if I don’t wanna sleep together right away?”

The question was one he understood and he smiled at him. No hesitation came before he shook his head. "No. You let me know when you're ready. I'll wait as long as you want me to. You are worth that, Dal."

Gabriel probably understood better than most that Dal didn’t exactly enjoy his personal experiences with sex. Has he learned a lot about it in the last eight year? Absolutely. He’s never actually slept with someone out of affection, not once. And maybe he was a little scared that it wouldn’t be any different if… when he finally did.

Dal went quiet a moment, then flashed Gabriel a smile. “Twenty-three. November 26th. Type B. Favorite color also blue. No pets. I wanna see the Louvre one day.”

"So we have two trips to take after we get your paperwork in order. Mexico and the Louvre."

Gabriel smiled brightly at him and then laughed a bit. He liked that he could envision a future with him. Already he was sure that his mother would love him but that was a matter for after the trial was done. Right now it was just nice to sit here and talk like this. To not have to try to be anything other than who they were.

"Have you ever wanted to have pets?"

Dal pressed his lips together to keep his smile in check. At Gabriel's question, he bobbed his head in a few little nods. "I wasn't allowed. My parents didn't want 'em." But Dal always dreamed of having some small pet, some kind of mammal that would be warm and cuddly.

He sat there a moment before holding up his hand to gesture for Gabriel to wait. He got up and skittered over to his things for his notebook. When he came back, he flopped down beside Gabriel and started flipping through the pages. Face after face moved by, some drawings of that diner he spends his time in and the people who work there, too. Then he found what he was looking for: a drawing of a sugar glider. He didn't know what they were called in English.

"This."

Gabriel watched Dal go to the notebook. Scooting closer so he could look, he watched all the faces go by and knew for sure he had to get this young man out in the art world. He belonged there. He could see all of that in every detail that flashed by. But then the drawings stopped moving and he was able to see the right one. And he smiled.

"These are called sugar gliders. And I think that would be a wonderful pet for you to have." And Dal would be able to have them since they were legal outside the five boroughs in New York.

"Sugar gliders," he repeats, carefully sounding out the words. It's not terribly far from how to say it Korean, but he still struggles with getting the R and L sounds correct in English. Flipping to the next page, the little animals covered it in different poses and postures.

"I wanna get two so they don't get lonely."

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