Broken

"...Gabe?" Julian asked. The voice was unmistakable. But why? Why was he calling? Surely, he hadn't yet forgiven Julian for his indiscretion earlier today. But then again, this WAS Gabriel, owner of the world's shortest memory. He easily forgave and, quite literally, forgot. Clearing his throat, he asked again. "Gabe? Is that really you?"

"Of course it is! Look, I'm cold. Come down and open the door! It's raining!"

"And you're on your cellphone in the rain?"

"Exactly. Hurry up before I get electrocuted!" Julian shook his head, hanging up the phone. He didn't really know what was going on but he did know something. He didn't want the poor boy to fry.

Julian walked down the hall to the lobby and used his key to unlock the door, figuring the girls must've locked it when they left. Brushing past him quickly was what looked like a wet dog. "You're soaked," Julian stated the obvious as Gabe started to shake himself dry. He grinned, wringing his hair out.

"Yeah...I didn't know it was supposed to rain."

"Why did you come here? Didn't Mr. Dimartino give you a ride home?"

"Oh, he did. But Aleera didn't let me inside. Somethin' about smelling like a stalker's cologne..."

"I see." Julian looked him over. He seemed so cold, his clothing sticking to his skin. While he probably deserved to be kicked out of Aleera's place, he didn't deserve to catch a cold. Gabe never had the strongest immune system. Clearing his throat, Julian made his offer. "Gabe...why don't you stay for the night?" The raven-haired boy blinked as he finished shaking his hair dry. His bottom lip trembled slightly before being brought into order by his teeth rubbing against the flesh.

"You...sure?" He asked hesitantly, met by Julian's nodding. Then he grinned, "Alright!"

"These should do," Julian said once they walked back to his room. He laid out one of his pajamas on the end of the bed, eyeing Gabe as he began to peel off his damp clothing. "I'll put those in the dryer. They should be dry by morning."

"Thanks," Gabe coughed as he started to redress. "I'm really sorry about this. I don't know why Al acts the way she does, sometimes." Julian shrugged, taking up the wet clothes.

"You know she doesn't approve of Zackariah...she never will. And for you, her own flesh and blood, to...well....you know." Gabe waved him off, dismissing his explanation. Julian then walked off to start the drying process.

When he returned, Gabe was already lying in bed. "Man, your bed is soooooft," He pointed out. Julian chuckled slightly, making his way to the other side.

"Yes, well..you know how fragile my body is. I need softness." Julian climbed on the bed, propping the pillow up against the headboard. A long yawn echoed out of his small throat as he laid back, the single touch of soft fiber against his body causing all to become relaxed. The two men laid in silence, obviously not too worried about talking about earlier events. If Gabe was willing to forget, so was Julian. Not before settling a few things, though. "You know...Faye and Aleera visited me earlier," the blonde man started. His company looked at him casually.

"Oh? Why?"

"To cheer me up."

"Cheer you up? ..oh. Right. How'd they know about that anyways?"

"Inuition?" Gabriel raised his eyebrow before leaning in, mumbling.

"Jules...you sure you ain't just imagined them here? I really doubt Aleera would come cheer ANYONE, even you, up." Julian looked hurt at first. Gabe didn't believe him. But then he thought. The boy did have a point. He was very tired then so he could have very well imagined it.

"Maybe...but then...am I imagining you?" Julian lifted his hand and poked Gabriel, who felt quite real.

"Ow...I don't think so. People aren't supposed to get hurt in dreams, right? God, you have boney fingers..."

Julian didn't really recall what else they talked about. He started slipping into sleep, too tired to keep himself focused. He just nodded at each thing his companion said, slipping under the blankets. Laying on his side, he just continued to stare. Gabriel had just finished another rant about why latex is surpreme when he noticed his friend's head falling and bobbing back up a second later. "You're tired...It's okay for you to go to sleep, you know."

"Mm? N-no...you're talking...it's rude to fall asleep when some...one's..." Finally, his cheek met the pillow in defeat. "Okay...if you say so..." Gabe patted his head, soon slipping himself underneath the covers.

"Good boy. Sleep! And...uh...thanks."

"Mm...what are friends for?"

Julian tossed and he turned. What the? Why was he hearing a phone in the middle of a Norwegian valley? The dancing goats didn't have cellphones on them, did they? He opened one eye, vision blurry. He did see the drooling figure of Gabe, completely dead to the world. But the ringing sustained. It would seem everyone who knew his number these days had horrible internal clocks. He reluctantly lugged himself out of bed and shivered as his feet touched the cold wooden floor. He flung himself over to the phone once he reached the kitchen, the sound nagging in his ears. "Hello?" He asked tiredly as he brought the receiver to his ear.

"Is Gabriel there?" Julian's body immediately woke up when that cool, soft voice reached his ears. No...way...

"...one moment please," Julian struggled out, his voice shaking. He put the phone down, his hand covering the mouthpiece. "That no good...gah..." Taking a deep breath, he brought the receiver back to his lips, "Ah...I'll have to let him call you back. ...Alright....of course. Bye."

Never before had his own footsteps caused all the knickknacks that lined the corridor to shake. Julian just felt like breaking one of them. But he wouldn't. They were gifts, after all. His angered died down only slightly when he reached the bedroom. Gabriel was finally awake, rubbing his eyes as he sat propped up against the headboard. "Hey, Jules. Someone call?"

"Yes...someone called..." He softly seethed as his fingers clutched the doorway, chipping away some of the paint.

"Who was it?" Gabriel asked innocently, stretching his arms slightly.

"Oh...no one special..." Julian choked sarcastically. He let his fingers release the doorway, walking slowly over to Gabriel's side of the bed. Looking down at the confused boy, he asked, "Gabe...why does Zackariah have my number?" The boy's mouth opened, turning into an uncomfortable chuckle.

"Ah...heh...well...uh. I gave it to him?"

"Why?"

"Because...I wanted him to reach me and...well...you know Aleera would kill me if I gave him the house number..." "

So you gave him mine!?"

"Why are you so pissed?" Gabe asked, eyebrow cocked as he rose out of the bed. Julian felt like shaking him violently, asking a billion questions.

To start them off would be, "What makes you think I want him to call here!?"

"Look, I'm so-"

"No. You're not. You never are! Look...I'd do anything for you...really...but not him. He's not welcomed here. He's not even welcomed to call here."

"Come on, give him a chance. What do you have against him?"

"Gabe, I'm not going to go through this with you right now. Now please call him back and tell him not to call here again. I'll be changing my number in the morning."

"That's really immature."

"Gabe, I said I'm no-"

"Just because you're jealous of how awesome he is and how much I like him an-"

"Gabe!"

"What?"

"...Your clothes are probably dry. You can leave now."

"...What?"

"You heard me. I'm tired and unlike you, I have work tomorrow. Please...just...go home. If Aleera won't let you in then why don't you crash at Zackariah's place if you want to be with him so badly?"

"But, Jules..."

"Just go. Please. I don't like yelling at you and my throat is getting sore. Please just go before it starts bleeding."

"You're kicking me out? But you said I'm always welcomed here..."

"I know. I know. Call me a hypocrite. It is 2AM...I don't care anymore."

"Can't this wait 'till mornng?"

"No...no...." The two men fell silent, Julian lost in his own confusion and Gabriel giving up his rebuttal. "...fine," He said coldly.

Julian's eyes followed as Gabriel brushed past him. "I'll leave these in the laundry room."

"Alright..." The echoing footsteps soon faded and he was gone.

He was gone.