The Good Son - 7. "ELLIE"

"Holy shit!" Austin bellowed, his sweaty body collapsing on the bed as he panted profusely. After a couple of seconds, Gabriel fell beside him, his eyes vacant and lifeless. "How can you just keep going like that?" He asked, his head jolting from side to side. He looked at Gabriel and rolled over, hugging the stud's torso and placing his chin on his chest. "Hey, you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," Gabriel replied, his eyes on the ceiling.

"You never talk about yourself," Austin commented, eyes scanning Gabriel's face.

"Not much of a talker." Gabriel expressed evasively.

"I have a friend coming over tonight. Is that alright?" Austin questioned.

"It's your fucking house, Austin," Gabriel stated, chuckling. "Is it the guy we fucked last week?" Gabriel asked, making Austin giggle as he nodded affirmatively. "He's hot." He stated. Austin looked at him and frowned. "What, are you jealous?" Gabriel mocked.

"Kinda..." Austin replied with a longing look. Gabriel looked down at the boy's beautiful green eyes, brushing his face with his hand, exuding a gentleness Austin rarely witnessed from him.

"I wouldn't get attached," Gabriel muttered before turning his head to face the window. "I'm damaged goods," he whispered to himself.

"I hope someone out there can break through there," Austin uttered as he placed his hand over Gabriel's heart. The stud turned his head and looked down, smiling.

"Speaking of breaking through." Gabriel teased, glancing at Austin's smooth bubble butt.

"Jesus Christ, Gabriel! I'm still sore." Austin moaned, sinking his face into the sheets.

"Stop being a pussy." Gabriel grunted as he rolled over and slid his body over Austin's, grinding his hips against the boy's crack.

"Fuck, you're so hard already." The boy whined, his body language switching as he became mesmerized by Gabriel's unrelenting lust. "Where did you get all this stamina," Austin questioned, his body flinching forward as he felt Gabriel's throbbing cock slide inside him.

"Runs in the family..." Gabriel rasped as he trusted deep inside, fucking Austin's hole for the seventh time that day.

Later that evening, Austin was cooking dinner, and Gabriel sat on the couch, his arms stretched forward as he rolled a joint over the coffee table. Someone knocked at the door to the small apartment.

"Can you get that?" Austin requested. Gabriel rolled his eyes and begrudgingly walked up, opening the door.

"Hey!" A young man greeted Gabriel as he stood in the doorway. "Remember me, handsome?" He questioned a visibly unbothered Gabriel.

"Sure. I fucked your ass." Gabriel stated. The guy chuckled.

"What's my name?" The guy challenged, leaning against the doorway. You could hear Austin's giggles from the kitchen.

"Hum...Jake?" Gabriel mumbled, his eyes on the guy's crotch.

I'm up here, Gabriel. And it's Jack, by the way." He stated, walking inside and rushing for the kitchen. He slapped Austin's ass and kissed him before rejoining Gabriel in the living room, already in his seat and taking the joint to his mouth. He stretched his arm and offered Jack a puff.

"Thanks," Jack uttered. "So, what's up?" He asked.

"My dick." Gabriel teased with a smirk, making Jack chuckle slightly.

"Wanna do some blow?" Jack proposed. Gabriel turned his head and stared at him.

"I don't know..." he hesitated as he peeked into Jack's eyes. They wavered, charming and piercing. "Sure, why not?" he finally conceded.

Jack took his hand to his jacket's inner pocket and pulled out a small metal box. He opened it, unfurled the small plastic ball, and laid the cocaine on the coffee table, evenly spreading it in six thin lines.

"Have you ever done this before?" Jack asked as he tapped the small credit card on the table. Gabriel shook his head, leaning forward as he gazed at Jack's eyes profusely. His reckless and fearless countenance further enticed Jack's fascination for the young stud. He leaned forward and sniffed two lines, tilting his head back and brushing his finger over his nose. Gabriel took the rolled one-dollar bill from Jack's hand and sniffed two lines off the table. He felt his nose burn and a tingling feeling on the tip of his fingers, followed by a sudden sense of unclogging around his eyes as if his vision had suddenly cleared and the constant fog he had been feeling lifted. He reclined on the couch and let his body sink on it.

"So?" Jack asked. Gabriel looked at him and smirked as he unbuttoned his trousers. He lifted his ass and dragged them slightly down, exposing his hard cock. Jack looked at it and beamed.

"Save some for me." Austin hollered from the kitchen before pausing as he mixed the salad. He could already hear faint moans coming from the living room. He placed the plastic forks down and stretched his head sideways, peaking inside.

Gabriel's head slanted back as Jack's mouth bounced up and down his cock. Austin chuckled immediately, strolling over and leaning on the doorway, looking at them blissfully before finally stepping over to them. The three men's moans echoed in the distance, and for the next couple of hours, they fucked each other senselessly, fueled by drugs, dulled by their pain and loneliness.

Hours later, Gabriel's eyes opened, his arms feeling numb as they stretched outwards, Austin and Jack sleeping over them. He squeezed from under them, sliding off the bed, and sat at its edge momentarily before standing up. As he reached the living room, he sat on the couch, his body naked and lit by the street lights that crept through the window. As his body stood still, his eyes became lost in thought, and tears began tumbling.

In that small room, surrounded by unfamiliarity, Gabriel's pain started to pierce through. The silence was his biggest enemy, exposing the impairment hidden inside. It was almost as if his whole life had become a blur. Fragments of happiness, buried underneath, unreachable. The night those policemen knocked on his father's doorstep, an invisible line sliced through him, cutting him from his own life.

Since then, in his solitude, Gabriel searched. He yearned to find meaning. Elliot was as much a part of his soul and life as his father was, and he had lost both. He felt amputated, shattered. He would never see his best friend again. And Jonathan was ever so slowly letting him go, much by Gabriel's own doing.

He desperately missed his father's presence, but his longing for the man he loved was as intense as his rage. He needed Jonathan's touch as much as his sacrifice. He had tried desperately to save his son from grief, but Gabriel had unwillingly converted Jonathan's unconditional love into a vessel for his suffering, a punching bag for his despair. Deep down, he knew he was wrong, but he also knew that Jonathan would never renounce him.

Amidst these thoughts, a sense of remorse and despair came over Gabriel. How could he have been so careless with Jonathan's love? How could he have pushed away the one person that would never forsake him? How could he kill his love for his father, the best part of himself and the only thing holding him to his former self? His hands bolted for his face, trying to hide his shame and disgust. He leaned forward and started darting around, anxious to find an escape, something that would numb his senses. Turning his head, he spotted Jack's leather jacket tossed over the side of the couch. He stretched his arm and grabbed it, stuffing his hands aimlessly inside the pockets. As he did, he found a small plastic bag the size of a mothball tucked in it. Inside, a yellow powder. Gabriel smirked and ripped the elastic band around it. He laid the powder on the table slowly, drawing two perfect lines. He rolled the one-dollar bill and snorted them.

He immediately fell back, eyes wadding to the back of his head and a very acute burning sensation on his nose. His fingers came up, and as soon as they touched it, blood began pouring out, falling over his wrists and hands, splashing on his chest.

"Fuck..." Gabriel mumbled before his body convulsed violently, falling to the ground as he felt a warm liquid run down his thighs.

He lay there, slowly blinking as he lost consciousness, legs bathing in a pool of his urine.

 

[In a particularly familiar beach]

Gabriel's feet sank into the sand, the sea water washing over them. He heard a voice as he lifted his head, eyes glistening with tears.

"I was wondering when you'd show up?" Elliot uttered, his eyes on the ocean.

"Where are we?" Gabriel questioned, looking around the desolate beach.

"You tell me. You're the one who got us here, dude." Elliot replied, chuckling.

"This isn't real," Gabriel muttered.

"No. But for something that isn't real, it feels fucking nice, doesn't it?" Elliot teased, making Gabriel chuckle.

"I miss you...so much," Gabriel whispered, his eyes locked on Elliot.

"I know," Elliot stated.

"I wanna stay here with you." Gabriel disclosed.

"You can't. It's not your time yet." Elliot informed, his voice soothing.

"I feel so empty," Gabriel confessed, his eyes shut in pain.

"Empty is good. It makes up more room." Elliot countered.

"For what...?" Gabriel questioned.

"For whatever comes next," Elliot replied, turning his head over to Gabriel and beaming.

"Will we ever see each other again?" Gabriel questioned, tears coming down his face.

"I fucking hope so!" Elliot exclaimed.

"Will it ever go away? The pain?" Gabriel asked, his eyes pleading for the comfort of Elliot's words. His friend let his back fall into the sand, extending his arms outwards.

"Probably not, dude. But that's the point." Elliot uttered. "You're supposed to learn to live with it. Embrace it. It'll make you stronger in the end." He clarified with lips stretched into a tender smile.

Gabriel let his body fall over Elliot, his head nestling into his friend's chest. As he closed his eyes and inhaled, he felt the scent of his Elliot's fragrance.

"Gabe...he needs you. And you need him." Elliot whispered, his voice piercing Gabriel's soul.

"I know," Gabriel conceded, finally acknowledging how much he missed his father's voice, body, and presence.

"Just...don't forget about me, okay?" Elliot entreated.

"Never," Gabriel vowed.

"Good. Now...time to wake up, Scarface." Elliot whispered, his voice echoing inside Gabriel's head, becoming fainter and distant.

 

[5 days later]

Gabriel opened his eyes arduously. They felt glued together. As he regained feeling in his body and his mind zoned in, he was crushed by a sharp pain in his stomach. As he let his head fall to the side, examining the strange and sterile room he was in, he saw someone sitting by the side of the bed, slanted over it, napping.

"Where am I?" Gabriel mumbled, confused and disoriented.

The person's head lifted, and Nathan's tender eyes greeted Gabriel.

"You're at the hospital." Nathan cautiously explained.

"What happened?" Gabriel questioned. His mouth felt dry, so Nathan took a large glass and guided a small straw over his lips. Gabriel drank almost all of it before reclining his head back and exhaling profoundly.

"You overdosed. They found heroin in your system." Nathan revealed.

"Fuck." Gabriel uttered, his eyes on the ceiling.

"Your friends...they left you on the ER steps, Gabriel. Didn't even check you in...you could have died." Nathan stated, his eyes latched on Gabriel, whose head turned as he faced the window. "I..." He stumbled, his voice cracking.

"I know. I'm sorry." Gabriel muttered. "Did you...?" He asked before stumbling on his words.

"I called him," Nathan confirmed before pausing. "He didn't show up." He informed, extending his hand and placing it over Gabriel's leg. "I'm sorry," Nathan uttered as Gabriel looked out the window, his eyes filling with tears.

"I suppose I deserved that. After the way I treated him." Gabriel's weak voice spoke. It came punctured with despair and sorrow.

"He's just hurt," Nathan said as tears ran down Gabriel's face, who finally turned his face to meet his friend. "He'll come around." He whispered as his lips stretched into a comforting smile. "I have to go," Nathan informed reluctantly.

"Stay," Gabriel said as he extended his arm and grabbed Nathan's hand.

"I can't. I have someone waiting..." He divulged.

Gabriel smiled, but inside, his heart ached. Nathan had moved on, it seemed. Everyone had.

"I'm...sorry," Gabriel muttered.

"For what?" Nathan questioned.

"For hurting you. For pushing you away." Gabriel replied, his eyes escaping to the window, his hand pulling away.

Nathan walked around the bed and held Gabriel's hand again. His touch gave Gabriel the strength to face him, their eyes locked in a complicit stare.

"I'm not upset," Nathan reassured before he leaned over Gabriel and tenderly kissed his forehead. "You need to start living again, Gabriel," he whispered into his skin as his lips grazed it.

And just like that, Gabriel's tears broke free. His body shivered and trembled as he wept uncontrollably. Nathan's arms stretched outwards and embraced him, harboring his friend's pain.

"It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay." Nathan's voice spoke like a soft melody of peace and hope.

At that moment, Gabriel's grief finally broke from the prison it had been held in. Gentle flickers of his former light finally emerged. Nathan pulled away, gazing at Gabriel's chestnut eyes, a gentle spark twinkling inside them.

"There you are," Nathan stated, smiling. Gabriel smiled back, tears still sliding down his flushed face.

After a couple of hours of chatting, Nathan finally left. Gabriel was discharged after three days, and Nathan was waiting for him, ready to drive him back to Jonathan's house.

Along the way, Gabriel remained notably silent. His head leaned against his seat as he glanced out the window. But as Nathan drove the car into his old neighborhood, his heart began to race. Soon, they stopped in front of his father's house. Shock took hold of both their faces as they gazed at the red sign buried deep in the middle of the green lawn. It read "ON SALE." Gabriel turned his head to look at Nathan, who just shrugged.

"Do you want me to stick around?" Nathan asked.

"Nah. It's okay." Gabriel answered vacantly, his mind already wandering. "I'll call you later." He said, grabbing his bag and jumping out of the car.

He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, facing the house as Nathan drove off. And finally, after several minutes of standing there, he grabbed his keys, opened the front door, and walked inside.

The silence was overbearing. Gabriel could still feel Jonathan's scent floating around but knew he was alone. He dropped his bag on the floor and roamed around the house, checking everything, slowly realizing the extent of his father's absence. The fridge was practically empty, his room filled with cardboard boxes, and the main power was down. He opened the door to the garage to find Jonathan's car still parked inside before finally walking up the stairs to his father's bedroom. The bed still had its sheets on and was unmade.

Like an uncontrollable urge, Gabriel's legs blundered forward, and he collapsed on top of the mattress, his face buried inside the sheets. He inhaled deeply, sniffing Jonathan's scent off them, his breath hectic like an animal in heat.

"Fuck..." He mumbled as his right hand reached under his body, grabbing his hard cock. He lay there for a while, his heart racing as memories of his father's touch and the feeling of Jonathan's cock sliding inside him came rushing in. "Where are you?" Gabriel whispered, his breath stretching as his face pressed harder against the sheets.

Suddenly, as he veered his head sideways, his eyes glanced through the mirror at Jonathan's open closet door. It was almost empty, with only a few shirts resting on the wire hangers. Gabriel pulled his hand out of his crotch, his eyes frowning, perplexed. He approached the closet door and skimmed his hand over his father's shirts, only for his eyes to veer down. There, under some blankets, was Elliot's suitcase.

"I knew it." He said. But unlike last time, there was no anger in his voice. Instead, there was a tenderness in his semblance, a solace.

He pulled it out and lay it on the bed, carefully opening it. As soon as he did, his eyes closed, Elliot's perfume rushing into him. He fell over it, arms outwards, swathing the suitcase as if it was Elliot himself. Then, slowly, Gabriel lifted his head, his eyes misty and bloated. He started pulling his friend's clothes out, one by one, and laying them neatly over the mattress. He stepped back, pulling the empty case with him as he did, dropping it on the floor. There it was, displayed in front of him, what was left of Elliot.

Gabriel's fingers came up and skimmed his face, drying the moisture left by his tears as it finally dawned on him. Elliot, his best friend, was gone. And no suitcase, clothes, or perfume could undo what had happened. He would never touch, embrace, or make love to him again. He would never smell the scent of his skin or taste the flavor of his cock. And yet, despite this, his best friend felt more alive inside Gabriel than ever. His lips stretched into a smile as he finally understood. Elliot would live forever as long as he kept his promise not to forget his friend's memory.

And for the first time since that tragic night, Gabriel felt hope again.

He started to strip, dropping his clothes on the floor as if he was stripping off his skin, like layers that harbored his darkest moments, being hurled into the wind. Then, as he stood naked, he finally leaned forward, grabbed one of Elliot's shirts and sweatpants, and put them on, grazing his hands softly over them.

"From now on, wherever I go..." Gabriel whispered. You're coming with me," he professed before exiting the room and walking down the stairs into the hallway.

He picked his bag off the floor and strolled to the kitchen counter. He emptied his bag, grabbed all the clothes, and stuffed them inside the washing machine behind the counter. He picked the bag by its base and flipped it, making sure it was empty, when he suddenly heard the noise of something falling to the ground. As his eyes locked on it, they squinted. On the floor lay his copy of Siddhartha's. The one Elliot borrowed. And that Jonathan had later thrown in his face during their quarrel. He had completely forgotten he had it with him. He slanted down and picked it up.

Gabriel pulled one of the stools closer to the counter and sat down, slowly opening the book. The pages had dried a bit and made a scratching sound as he unfurled them. Gabriel grabbed the edge of the book and started skimming the pages like a deck of cards before his fingers halted abruptly. Tucked between the pages was a piece of paper that slid out slowly, falling on the counter, and the corner of the page folded scarcely, marking it. Gabriel rolled the book over and left it open over the table. He picked up the piece of paper, and as soon as he opened it, he immediately recognized Elliot's handwriting.

"Gabe,

This was a fucking sick read!
The guy went through some heavy shit, but I guess things turned out okay in the end.

It made me think of us and this trip.

I suck at this, but...thanks, you know...for always taking care of me.

I love you, dude.

Ellie."

Gabriel's tears tumbled from his eyes, splashing on top of the paper, slightly smudging Elliot's words. But he was smiling. His left hand grabbed the book from the table, turning it around. One of the passages was outlined, and it read:

"Whether it is good or evil, whether life in itself is pain or pleasure, whether it is uncertain that it may perhaps be, that this is not important, but the unity of the world, the coherence of all events, the embracing of the big and the small from the same stream, from the same law of cause, of becoming and dying."

Gabriel's arms crumpled over the counter as he chuckled, his eyes glistening with tears of happiness. He had been carrying his friend's words with him all along, waiting for the time, perhaps, when he would be ready to read them.

His body shot from the stool. He took his house keys and ran out the door, crossing the lawn, sidewalk, and road into the other side of the street. He approached the entrance to the house and knocked on it. After a few seconds, the lights flickered, and an older woman greeted him.

"Gabriel...?" The woman said.

"Hey, Mrs. Sanderson." Gabriel greeted.

"My god, you've grown. You're just as handsome as your father." She noted as she scanned him up and down.

"Do you know where he is?" Gabriel questioned, taking advantage of her comment and attempting to cut the conversation short.

"Oh...honey...I saw him pack some stuff a couple of weeks ago. He took a cab and hasn't been home since." She explained. "I thought he might have said something to you..." She muttered, reacting to Gabriel's bewildered expression.

"Thanks. I'll see you later." Gabriel uttered, already turning away, completely lost and shocked.

He stood on the sidewalk, looking at the street's exit. His gaze was vacant. How could he just run off without saying anything? Had his cruelty and pain driven Jonathan this far away from him? Gabriel's mind rambled aimlessly. Suddenly, everything he felt for his father was coming back. The want, the need, the love. How could he have been so careless with his father's love for him? He had isolated himself in his pain and, by doing so, had sealed Jonathan in his painful solitude. He had prevented his father from doing the only thing that gave his life meaning: loving his son. Anguish overcame Gabriel, and he ran inside the house again.

He scoured it for several hours, trying to find clues pointing him toward Jonathan's whereabouts. But, aside from the car keys tucked away inside one of the small hallway cabinets, he had nothing. He collapsed on the living room couch, his body slumped over it, and his head tilted back as his eyes locked on the ceiling.

"Where the fuck are you?" Gabriel mumbled, rolling the car keys in his hand until it suddenly hit him.

If Jonathan had left the car behind, he likely had traveled somewhere. His body shot from the couch, and he ran for the door that gave access to the garage. Gabriel cornered the car and jumped inside, opening the sliding door and starting the vehicle. He drove off, speeding away from their street to the outskirts of town before he realized the tank needed a refill. He veered into the nearest gas station and parked in front of one of the pumps, jumping off and walking inside the shop.

The old guy behind the counter lifted his head reluctantly.

"Afternoon." The man greeted.

"Hey. 20 bucks on pump 2, please," Gabriel ordered his hand halting as he leaned in to grab the change.

He was so overwhelmed by Jonathan's disappearance that he didn't even realize he stood at the same gas station where Elliot had been shot.

"Is everything alright, son?" The old guy questioned, his eyes locked on Gabriel's dazed expression.

"Yeah...sorry." He mumbled before arresting himself as he stared at the older man. "How long have you worked here, if you don't mind me asking?" He questioned. The man gazed at him with a surprised expression.

"About twenty years, son." The man replied.

"I see," Gabriel mumbled, eyes scanning the store like a relic lost in time. "My best friend. He...got shot here. Guess that makes you the last person to see him alive." He stated before turning to face the older man, whose eyes trembled.

"Fuck." The man murmured. "Sorry, kid." He uttered, trying to mask his shock at Gabriel's bluntness.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too," Gabriel replied. A long silence followed as the two men stood there, darting at each other, until finally, the man extended his arm and returned Gabriel's change. "Take care," Gabriel said, turning around and walking over to the exit.

"Hey, kid." The older man's voice called, stopping Gabriel in his tracks. "For what it's worth...your friend...he seemed happy." The man stated, his words reaching across the store and puncturing Gabriel's heart. He smiled.

"Thank you. For telling me that." Gabriel replied, turning around and leaving.

He filled the tank, stepped inside the car, and stood leaning over the steering wheel before finally reclining back in his seat and grabbing his phone.

"Hey, it's me," Gabriel announced. "Can you meet me at my dad's? I need your help with something." He informed, before driving back to Jonathan's place, parking the car in the garage and waiting by the sidewalk. About thirty minutes later, Nathan's car was docking in front of the house. Without missing a beat, Gabriel jumped inside, closing the door behind him. He sat there, looking at Nathan.

"You know...one of these days, I'll have to introduce you to my boyfriend. Otherwise, he'll think you're just a figure of my imagination." He teased as they both chuckled.

"I know where he is," Gabriel stated.

"Okay," Nathan replied, his eyes locked on Gabriel.

"But I need you to help me get there." Gabriel declared.

Nathan's lips stretched into a smile.

"Where to?" He questioned without hesitation.

A few seconds later, the car was driving off. About an hour later, Nathan was parking it outside the airport. As he turned off the engine and leaned back on his seat, Gabriel's chestnut eyes were waiting for him.

"I don't know what to say..." He muttered, his voice choking with emotion. Nathan sat there, looking at him, his smile unwavering.

"I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way, we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value." Nathan quoted, winking at Gabriel.

"You piece of shit...you've been holding on to that one for a long time, haven't you?" Gabriel uttered before they both broke into laughter. And as their giggles subsided, Gabriel's gaze lingered on Nathan. He bent forward and kissed Nathan's lips tenderly. "Thank you." He said as he pulled away.

"For what?" Nathan questioned.

"...For not giving up on me," Gabriel whispered, skimming his hand gently on Nathan's face. "I'll call you when I get back." He promised.

"Good luck," Nathan uttered as Gabriel grabbed his bag and hopped off the car.

He rushed past the gates and into the airport with renewed hope but also a particularly familiar feeling—something he hadn't felt in a long time. He was anxious. For the next twelve hours, as he sat on that plane, Gabriel's mind wandered through all the events of his life: his early years alone with his father and the first recollections of their relationship, Jonathan's smell, the feeling of his embrace, and the way he held him.

Then, he remembered the day he met Elliot on that bench in the school's courtyard. He remembered how they immediately clicked and how his friend's darkness felt mesmerizing and alluring. He remembered how their intimacy grew and how Elliot's cold exterior slowly melted, unlocking his burning heart, aching to be loved.

And finally, Gabriel remembered their trip and his sexual awakening. He remembered how he finally opened his heart to his father, propelling their hidden desires to blossom untamed. How through his actions, Elliot brought them closer to each other and helped Gabriel break out of his sheltered existence.

As he looked out the window, his eyes hovering over the clouds, Gabriel smiled. He had finally found himself again. Somewhere between his old self and whatever survived his experience with grief, a hybrid made of all-consuming rage, love, and light. Everything flowed at once like a river, not a shadow of the past or a promise of the future, where only the present existed.

After a smooth landing and a long walk through a crowded airport, Gabriel finally reached Puhket's arrival platform. After scanning the large room, his eyes stopped. Sakda, the hotel transfer guide, stood among the crowd, smiling at him. Gabriel rushed over, placing his hand over his shoulder.

"It's good to see you, man." Gabriel greeted as he smiled.

"Good to see you too, sir!" Sakda replied with his characteristically humorous tone.

"Thank you for helping out." Gabriel expressed, rushing for the exit.

"Anytime," Sakda stated.

They eventually reached the parking lot and jumped inside the jeep, driving back through a familiar road until, about an hour later, they finally docked outside the main entrance to the Golden Lotus.

"He's on one of the floating huts. Go. I'll check you in, sir." Sakda suggested.

Gabriel smiled and jumped out of the car, rushing for the entrance, past the reception desk, down the yellow brick path, and over the smooth sand. As he reached the shore, he suddenly halted.

Across from him, a train of floating huts stretched over the water. It was as if he had never left. In the distance, his father's figure stood tall, his naked upper body lit by the torch flames and bright moonlight descending upon the motionless water's surface. Gabriel's eyes glistened with excitement and trepidation. He walked along the planks over to Jonathan's, and as he grew nearer, his pace slowed down before finally coming to a stop as he stepped onto the circular bamboo structure.

As soon as he did, Jonathan turned around, his long hair floating in the night breeze. Gabriel's whole being smiled, inebriated by his father's presence. Jonathan's eyes gaped in shock, and his mouth slightly opened as if he wanted to speak. But no sound evaded his lips. And there, as he stared into his father's eyes, Gabriel's spirit opened up again, all the light held inside finally breaking unrestrained. And once it did, he finally realized that his love for Jonathan had no logic. It was inappropriate, disruptive, impermissible, untamed, boisterous, unbreakable, vulnerable, yet positively indomitable. And Gabriel couldn't bear to hold it in one more second of his life.

Jonathan's shocked face finally cracked, and a smile emerged. And once his luscious lips stretched, Gabriel rushed forward and jumped into his arms, kissing his mouth.

"Dad..." He moaned into his father's mouth.

"Gabriel..." Jonathan whispered, his voice soft and oozing a peculiar, tamed joy.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Gabriel groaned as he sucked on his father's mouth with uncontrollable hunger.

"My light, my Gabriel..." Jonathan whispered, his words ushering Gabriel's soul into that intoxicating place of love and care he so desperately yearned for.

"I love you, Dad. I love you so much." Gabriel cried, his hands and fingers diving inside Jonathan's hair as the stud held the boy's body in his grip. "Don't leave me, please." He begged.

"I'm here, baby. Daddy's here." Jonathan professed, pulling Gabriel's hair and making the boy look at him. "See?" He professed.

Gabriel's eyes glistened, and tears broke from within them. He lunged forward, wrapped his arms around Jonathan's neck, and held him tight.

"Take me inside." Gabriel pleaded. "Make love to me." He begged.

But there was no need to. Jonathan's arms pressed against his skin, their strong and committed touch shaking off any doubt that might still inhabit Gabriel's mind. His father's love was just as strong as it ever was. Stronger even. Jonathan walked inside, holding his son's body in his embrace, and strolled to the circular bed, laying Gabriel over it with the gentleness only he could provide. Gabriel's fingers lingered on his father's chest, skimming his skin as they slid along his hairy chest and chiseled stomach before halting near the stud's swim shorts waistband. The boy could already see the considerable bulge mounting inside. He grabbed the edges of it and yanked them down in one swoop, exposing Jonathan's 9-inch cock. Gabriel smirked, a sense of homecoming washing over him. He took his hand, fingers stretched, and collected the long string of precum that dangled from the cock's tip, bringing it into his mouth and savoring it as he let out a loud moan.

He looked up, his hazelnut eyes submissively teasing his father, who gazed down at him in awe. Jonathan took his hand and brushed Gabriel's face before shoving his right thumb inside his son's mouth, who eagerly sucked on it.

"Good boy." Jonathan groaned as he shoved his finger deeper inside Gabriel's mouth.

Gabriel's lips stretched into a devious smirk, and his hand came up, grabbing his father's wrist and pulling his finger out of his mouth. Without missing a beat, he leaned forward, grabbed Jonathan's dick, and shoved it inside his mouth, stopping to moan in pleasure. His tongue rolled gently around it as he did, teasing the stud's sensitive tip. Jonathan's head fell back in ecstasy, his long hair bouncing along his back. His arms crawled up his upper body, and his hands landed on his face, covering it as he groaned with pleasure.

Gabriel's mouth had mastered every inch of his father's cock, knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how to pleasure it. And no time apart from each other had changed it.

"You like that, Daddy?" Gabriel teased in between licks and sucking motions.

"Fuck yeah," Jonathan growled from under his hands.

Gabriel continued, tongue, lips, and throat working tirelessly to provide his father's cock with the adoration it deserved. And with each movement of his head, the boy dove deeper, driving the monstrous shaft inside his mouth, gagging as he went. His hands came around Jonathan's waist, squeezing his father's firm ass cheeks.

"Fuck my mouth," Gabriel ordered as he pulled back, unleashing a loud gasp.

Jonathan's head came back up, and before his son had time to catch his breath, he shoved his cock back inside, gripping Gabriel's long hair as he thrust his hips. The boy's mouth felt warm, smooth, delicate, and accommodating. Tailored to hold Jonathan's cock in. And despite his best efforts to hold it in, he could already feel his orgasm creeping up. Sensing this, he began to pull out, bearing Gabriel's head by his hair, his dick suspended inches from the boy's mouth as it throbbed. Gabriel's eyes looked up, his mouth open and his tongue sticking out, pleading mercifully for his father to resume. Jonathan continued, fucking his son's mouth and pulling away whenever he felt like busting. They kept going, endlessly edging Jonathan's orgasm, until the stud's voice broke the air with a sounding howl.

"Stop! Not yet..." Jonathan hailed.

Gabriel's head shot back, his eyes glazed, his lips swollen, and his face flushed. Jonathan pushed him back, and the boy's body fell on the bed. As he did, his cock slingshotted upwards, dangling vertically. His father kneeled on the floor and sloped forward, taking his lips to his son's feet. Jonathan started slowly kissing Gabriel's skin, first his feet, then his lower legs, going up his thighs, coating the boy's body with his moist spit.

"Dad..." Gabriel moaned.

"Shhh..." Jonathan coached, squeezing his hands under Gabriel's kneecaps and pulling his legs up. The boy's hole was now fully exposed and puckering anxiously.

"Fuck..." Gabriel whispered with anticipation.

"Nobody's been here since we were last together," Jonathan noted as he stared at Gabriel's hole with pride.

"I couldn't..." Gabriel moaned before Jonathan leaned forward and skimmed his tongue over his son's sphincter.

"What was that?" Jonathan rasped teasingly, ushering his son's confession out.

"I didn't want anyone inside me," Gabriel confessed. "Just you...only you," he revealed as Jonathan's eyes shimmered with emotion.

The stud bent forward again, diving recklessly inside Gabriel's ass. His tongue pushed in, taking in the damp, musky taste of his son's sweaty ass and crack. Jonathan's hands gripped Gabriel's legs, pulling the boy's hips into him, driving his tongue deeper. It swirled with surgical prowess, and with each movement, Gabriel's body shot from the bed, his chest ricocheting upward in complete rapture. Each time he did, he could feel Jonathan's groan and breath shoot inside him, warming his insides as his father's tongue continued to worship his taint. They remained there, completely losing track of time. Gabriel's legs spread at the edge of the bed, with Jonathan's broad back looming over him like a beast as his mouth fed on his son's sphincter. When the hunk pulled away, his beard and Gabriel's crack dripped in saliva and sweat. The scent was intoxicating and undeniably engaging.

"I could eat your ass all day," Jonathan commented, straightening his back and spreading Gabriel's legs further apart.

Then, with his left hand, he stroked his throbbing cock. It was pumping blood, its veins protruding through its thin skin, the tip swollen as it hovered over Gabriel's hole like a giant cucumber. The hunk opened his mouth but halted as his eyes met his son's. He was about to ask for Gabriel's consent, but the answer was inside the boy's eyes. No words required. Gabriel's hand gently grabbed his father's hips, pulling Jonathan into him.

Aided by the moist garnered around the boy's hole, the stud's cock slid in easily, the tip skating in one swoop. Gabriel's fingers gripped Jonathan's skin, reacting to the pleasurable pain. As the giant shaft entered him, his father followed, leaning into his son until his muscular body collapsed on top of the boy, who threw his legs around the stud's waist, resting his feet over Jonathan's tight ass.

"Shit..." Jonathan uttered, his voice skewering Gabriel's skin as his face drilled into the boy's neck. "I missed this." He conveyed.

Gabriel's lips stretched, and his whole face beamed with happiness. He could feel his father's cock swell inside him, and soon, his entire body began to tingle as a rush of ecstasy flowed over him.

"Dad?" Gabriel murmured.

"Yeah?" Jonathan questioned, his body frozen as his dick squirmed uncontrollably.

"Fuck me," Gabriel demanded before taking his hands and holding Jonathan's face, forcing his father to look into his eyes. "Like you fucked him." He prayed.

Jonathan's gaze froze.

"Are...you sure?" He challenged.

"I want you to," Gabriel assured.

Jonathan's face radiated, eyes glazed with tears falling over Gabriel's chest. The stud raised his right hand and brushed his son's face, sliding his fingers down until they clad around the boy's neck. Then, he grabbed Gabriel's left leg with his other hand, forcing his son's knee to touch his chest, exposing and opening the boy's hole wider. The stud leaned forward, his hand pressing against Gabriel's neck and throat, and began bouncing his pelvis up and down.

Gabriel's face immediately reddened, his eyes gaping in surprise as his father's gaze became enveloped in a black layer, a shark-like state of predatory behavior. There was no crescendo. Jonathan was fucking Gabriel's hole into submission, finally unleashing his true nature. Whatever restraint that had been present until now brought on by Jonathan's feelings for his son had vanished entirely. In its place, an unbridled, forceful passion now resided. Gabriel's mouth opened, any sound able to flee now kept at bay by his father's hand grip around his neck as he hammered his hole. It gradually dilated, queefing loudly with each thrust, the boy's legs and feet dangling and shivering, unable to stop the stud's ravishing. In fact, he was voluntarily welcoming it.

Jonathan fucked Gabriel's hole for over ten minutes, with little to no breaks in between, until he finally snapped his head back, his wet hair slicing the air and leaking sweat everywhere.

"Jesus Christ!" Jonathan howled, his hips still moving, his shaft thrusting in and out of Gabriel's lax hole. "Look at that fucking loose pussy." He taunted, finally unleashing his hand from his son's neck. As he did, Gabriel released a loud gasp, his legs falling by the sides as they shivered uncontrollably. "Roll over." He ordered, his voice deepening in tone, sounding increasingly menacing.

Gabriel's hand came up instinctively, attempting to stop his father from grabbing his legs. But Jonathan's power was overwhelming. He forcefully grabbed the boy's wrists, wrenching his arms over his back and forcing him to turn around, locking his hands over his lower back.

"Shhh...we're just getting started," Jonathan warned, punching Gabriel's back with his wrist before climbing over the boy and plowing his cock back in again.

Without a pause, the pounding resumed. The stud's hips clapping against his son's bubble butt echoed across the hut. Gabriel turned his head to the side, finally allowing his voice to break free. But no words were spoken. Only a sharp, dry, slicing wail escorted Jonathan's every thrust. His father pulled his arms up, locking Gabriel's wrists over his head, and descended, gluing his sweaty body to his son's. He continued to fuck the boy, but now his strokes were shorter, deeper. Soon, the stud's tip was pushing on Gabriel's prostate, and by then, the boy's wails turned into whimpers, faint yet pleasurable.

"Oh...my...God..." Gabriel's voice whispered.

Almost instantly, Jonathan pulled up, placed his hands over his son's neck, and pushed him down, lifting his ass as he pounded the boy's hole violently. Gabriel's muffled cries of pain broke from under Jonathan's dominant grip. But the louder the boy shrieked, the harder his father would fuck him. Jonathan showered Gabriel with sweat, drizzling over his son's heated skin. Every muscle in the hunk's body flexed as he fucked his son into submission. And with each jab of his dick, the boy sunk deeper into the mattress.

"Daddy...please..." Gabriel implored before Jonathan swooped back down, covering the boy's mouth with his hand.

"You can take it." Jonathan groaned into his son's ear as he pounded him harder, hitting his prostate and forcing these sharp wails out of him.

Suddenly he felt Gabriel's ass clench around his cock, the boy's inner walls hugging his shaft in a packed embrace.

"What is it?" Jonathan questioned. "Wanna tap out?" He mocked.

Gabriel's eyes turned, gaping in a warning. And soon, Jonathan felt a warm wave of liquid travel slowly through his thighs. To his surprise, it wasn't long before he realized Gabriel was pissing himself all over the sheets. The stud pulled out, finally freeing the boy's hole, which burst in a loud queef. As he slid sideways on the bed, Jonathan could see Gabriel's legs trembling, his thighs shivering like jelly.

"Jesus fucking Christ...fuck!" Gabriel exclaimed, his body wriggling as his hand went over to his hole, which gaped enough that his finger inadvertently slid inside as he did.

He rolled over to look at his father, whose gaze awaited him. A smug smirk riddled with lust and unsettling angst. Gabriel looked down at the sheets, a dark stain spread across them, then back at his father, smirking unwaveringly. For a brief moment, the two men stood there, eyes locked on each other. A match of sorts as both waited for the other one to break. And then, Gabriel's body suddenly lunged sideways as he attempted to flee the bed. But Jonathan's dominance was cunning. The hunk grabbed his son's right foot and yanked him back onto the bed.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Jonathan questioned, pushing Gabriel's body into the mattress, stomach down, lifting his left leg and exposing his hole. It puckered as soon as he did, almost like it taunted the stud.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Gabriel muttered incoherently. "I need a break." He nervously chuckled as he tried to tear away. But it was too late.

Seconds later, he felt Jonathan's cock enter him.

"No fucking way..." The boy giggled between solemn breaths and profound moans.

"Come here," Jonathan whispered as he leaned into his son, turning his head and kissing his lips.

He shoved his tongue inside the boy's mouth, hips bouncing up and down as he pushed his dick inside Gabriel. They lingered there, breathing into each other until the room went silent, and the sound of their bodies clapping together was the only thing heard.

"Daddy..." Gabriel wailed as his father's tongue rolled inside his mouth. "You're loosening me up so much..." He continued, feeling Jonathan's cock trifle his prostate.

Jonathan groaned cavernously amongst heavy breaths that echoed for over twenty minutes as he savagely fucked his boy's gap.

Finally, Jonathan's gentle voice broke through.

"Gabriel...please...tell me to stop." He appealed.

"No," Gabriel replied, his words feeble and exhausted.

"If you don't...I won't be able to." Jonathan whispered, his beard scuffing Gabriel's ear.

"Good." Gabriel's voice replied, his tone shifting entirely.

The boy's head turned, looking up, and he pulled his pelvis forward, unlocking from his father, who collapsed back, his cock standing vertically like a pole and his hairy chest moving up and down. Gabriel tugged himself up and climbed over the stud, saddling him. His hand went behind his back and grabbed Jonathan's cock, aiming it as he slid it back inside. He tilted his head back and released a clangorous, satisfying sigh.

He lingered, eyes on the ceiling, as his father observed every motion of his body until he finally dropped his head forward and locked his eyes on the stud. But as Jonathan's gaze dove inside Gabriel's, his expression began to change, his eyes squinting as he realized. Gabriel had changed. A part of his son's former self still lingered before him. But raw and untamed, a new side of his spirit stared back at Jonathan.

And then he saw it. There, buried inside Gabriel's eyes, clawing his way through the boy's soul and into Jonathan's presence, was Elliot. The most beautiful, haunting, and spiritual phenomenon was being unveiled before Jonathan's eyes. Elliot's soul, the boy who had loved him and challenged his nature and that he had eventually learned to love, was merging with Gabriel. Their essences rejoined in a sensual quandary of desire, yearning, and love.

There they were. Finally.
The holy trinity, together again.

"Impossible..." Jonathan stuttered in disbelief.

"He's here," Gabriel uttered, his eyes glistening with emotion. "Inside me," he whispered as tears fell, tumbling down and detonating on Jonathan's chest. "Can you feel him?" Gabriel asked, his lips stretching into a smile of pure bliss.

Jonathan nodded, swamped by emotion.

Then, Gabriel leaned forward, bringing his face near his father's.

"Breed us, Daddy. We're ready." Gabriel breathed into his father's mouth.

Three thrusts of Jonathan's pelvis and Gabriel felt the first strings of cum explode inside him. Thick, juicy, and lengthy. They seemed endless as Jonathan froze his body. The only thing moving was his cock, twitching as it fired shot after shot of bottled batter. As it began spilling out of Gabriel's hole, Jonathan felt his stomach coated with his son's love juice as the boy unloaded over his father, hands-free.

The two men pumped their load together until, eventually, the high began to subside, and their bodies collapsed on top of each other.

As they did, Gabriel's lips skimmed his father's ear.

"Jonathan...thank you." Elliot's voice echoed inside Jonathan's mind before exhaustion ushered away his consciousness. As it did, a peaceful smile took hold of him.

A few hours later, their tired, naked bodies catnapped comfortably outside the hut, over the wood structure, Gabriel's frame resting over Jonathan's towering body. His legs laced around his father's muscular body, and his head cradled peacefully over the stud's chest. The night air was still and amiable, and the sweat on their bodies drizzled away slowly, ushered out by the delicate evening breeze.

"The Last time we were here, we said we'd never fight again. I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise," Gabriel apologized. Jonathan didn't answer, but Gabriel felt his father's body beam. "Dad?" he whispered.

"Yeah?" Jonathan replied as his hand skimmed Gabriel's back up and down, his fingers skating gracefully over the boy's skin. Gabriel raised his head and placed his chin on Jonathan's chest. His eyes locked on his father's.

"Don't sell the house. I want to move back in with you." Gabriel uttered. Jonathan's hand came up his back and brushed the boy's long, dark brown locks.

"Are you sure?" Jonathan asked, surprised. Gabriel nodded and pulled himself up, closing his eyes and inhaling his father's breath, his nose inches from the stud's mouth.

"Positive." He professed before kissing his father's lips passionately. "I don't want to spend another second of my life away from you." He uttered, feeling Jonathan's cock twitch under his thigh. He leaned further in and nestled his face on his father's neck. "I know I shouldn't love you this way. But I do." He conceded.

Jonathan's grip became tighter, and he pulled himself up, rolling their bodies over, his hard cock lodging between Gabriel's cheeks and his hands holding the boy's face delicately.

"Gabriel, what we feel for each other...who we are...what we do...nobody will ever understand," Jonathan stated, his eyes closed on Gabriel. The boy could feel his father's apprehension.

"I know." Gabriel voiced before bringing his hand up and brushing Jonathan's beard gently. "Fuck them." He uttered as he pulled Jonathan in, sticking his tongue inside the stud's mouth.

The two men lay in a protective cocoon born from their adoration for each other. Jonathan and Gabriel fucked each other until dawn, and from that day on, they never fought again.

 

[6 years later]

"Ready?" Jonathan questioned as he grabbed the car keys from the kitchen table. His hair was now shorter, and he was still sporting his untrimmed beard with a few extra wrinkles growing on the corner of his eyes, but he remained the most stunning, captivating man.

"Yeah," Gabriel replied as he fixed his long hair in the mirror, straightening one of Elliot's shirts he decided to sport that day. He glanced at Jonathan through the mirror as the stud slanted over the kitchen counter. He looked at Gabriel with an awed expression, his lips stretched into a smile. "What?" He asked.

"He'd be proud of you," Jonathan replied, his eyes glinting with sentiment. "Very proud," he expressed. Gabriel smiled, then turned to face his father. He walked over, placed his arms around the stud's neck, and leaned in for a kiss.

"I didn't do this alone, you know?" Gabriel teased as he rubbed his crotch over Jonathan's tight jeans.

"I just fucked your ass this morning." Jonathan groaned.

"You know I'd have you inside me all day if I could." Gabriel taunted.

"Baby..." Jonathan rasped, pushing his son away as he chuckled. "C'mon, we're gonna be late." He uttered, visibly struggling to keep himself from indulging in his son's needs.

They walked outside, got in the car, and drove into town, parking near a large public garden where dozens of small tents spread across extensive green grounds. Hundreds of visitors and volunteers gathered as they piled cardboard boxes into large trucks parked around the forum. A familiar voice broke inside the crowd as Gabriel reached the venue's main stage.

"Hey, stud!" Nathan hollered. Gabriel smiled and lifted his arm in greeting as his friend approached him, holding hands with his handsome boyfriend.

"How are we doing?" Gabriel asked as Nathan leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Over 30k in donations, and it's barely starting." Nathan conveyed enthusiastically.

"Good," Gabriel replied with a smug expression.

As they chatted, a tall woman came rushing in from one of the tents, cell phone in hand and a walkie-talkie strapped to her belt.

"Can I borrow Gabriel for a moment?" the woman asked, addressing the group. Gabriel shrugged and walked away, following the woman inside. "The mayor's here," she informed.

"Right," Gabriel muttered, clearly bored with indulging in his social commitments. Soon, she dragged him inside the tent, where a large group of suited individuals waited for them.

"Ah, our man of the hour!" An older, big-bellied man wearing an oversized suit man uttered. "Nice to see you, Gabriel!" He welcomed, pulling his hand out and shaking Gabriel's industriously.

"Thanks for coming," Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

"This young man has done more for our town in three years than I've done in my twenty years of service." The mayor stated as he preached to the group. "The ELLIE Initiative has contributed significantly to the decrease in juvenile delinquency and has helped reinstate 73 children into loving homes, many translating in subsequent legal adoptions by their foster families." He explained as Gabriel felt the other people's inquisitive eyes scan him indiscriminately. "I can't tell you how proud our community is of having you as one of us. What you've done for these kids is remarkable. You're changing their lives, Gabriel." The mayor sounded with genuine emotion.

"No. They're changing mine, sir." Gabriel stated before feeling his phone vibrate inside his pocket. "Would everyone excuse me?" He politely requested before pulling away to answer the call. "Yeah? Hey...sure. Where?" He questioned, exiting the tent and signaling Jonathan, who promptly rushed over.

"What's up?" Jonathan asked.

"Dana called. I need to run by the school." Gabriel informed.

"I'll drive you there," Jonathan replied as they returned to the car.

They drove a few blocks before Jonathan finally parked in front of Gabriel's old elementary school.

"Want me to wait?" Jonathan questioned.

"Nah. It's okay." Gabriel said. Then he stopped, looking at his father before leaning forward and kissing him. "I love you." He whispered as their lips parted.

"I love you too," Jonathan whispered, their words assembling in a flawless embrace.

Gabriel hopped off the car and walked over to the closed gate. A few seconds later, a young woman came rushing to meet him, waving at Gabriel.

"Hey! Sorry, but it was kind of an emergency." Dana apologized, visibly overwhelmed as the noise from all the children inside echoed across the lot.

"No problem. What's the situation?" Gabriel calmly asked.

"8-year-old. Has been moved around a lot with his older brother. They were very close, and the brother just died. Pneumonia." Dana explained.

"Shit," Gabriel uttered.

"He's been acting violent until a couple of days ago, lashing out at the staff. It's been two weeks. But now, he just sits in the courtyard all day. He won't speak and refuses to eat." Dana reported.

"Okay." Gabriel acknowledged as they stopped near the quad area, his eyes scanning the grounds until they locked on the boy sitting on the bench with his head sank between his shoulders. The same bench Elliot sat on the day they met. Gabriel chuckled slightly.

"What?" Dana questioned, looking at Gabriel with a nonplused expression.

"Nothing. Give me a few minutes alone with him, okay?" Gabriel requested. Dana nodded and walked inside.

Gabriel strode across the yard, his childhood memories flooding his mind. As he approached the boy, his shadow shrouded the kid's petite figure, and soon, his tiny head lifted, his eyes squinting as he glimpsed up at Gabriel.

"Hey, I'm Gabriel. What's your name?" He asked in a calm and soothing voice. The child just sat there, staring at him with these deep blue eyes that caught Gabriel's attention. "Can I sit next to you?" He asked, to which the child just shrugged. Gabriel sat down and stretched his legs forward, crossing them. "I used to go here. Met my best friend on this bench." He recalled as he side-eyed the kid, scanning his reaction. His little hands held the bench, gripping its edges tightly. "Damn, I'm hungry." Gabriel declared, pulling a chocolate cereal bar from one of the inner pockets of his jacket. He could feel the child's eyes eyeing the bar as he ripped the plastic casing.

"Danny..." The child muttered.

"What?" Gabriel questioned, faking his reaction as he purposely munched on the chocolate bar, sighing in pleasure at its taste.

"I'm Danny." The child reiterated, turning his head to face Gabriel, his eyes now locked on the snack.

"Here, you can have the rest." Gabriel offered, extending his hand.

The kid took the snack and began biting on it frantically. Gabriel didn't respond. He just sat back and looked forward. Soon, the boy had eaten the cereal bar and was falling back on his chair, his breath becoming less constrained and heavy.

"Better?" Gabriel finally asked. Danny nodded as his tongue rolled inside his mouth, trying to gather the last pieces of caramel stuck between his teeth.

"Where's your friend?" Danny questioned, his eyes fluttering as he looked up at Gabriel.

"He died," Gabriel answered without hesitation. The child's eyes halted, his gaze deepening.

"Do you miss him?" Danny asked, his confidence regarding Gabriel's presence starting to show.

"Every day," Gabriel replied without reluctance.

Silence took hold until suddenly, Danny's legs began playfully bouncing over the edge of the bench. Gabriel could feel him gradually lowering his defenses, yet he sat in silence.

"I know what you feel, Danny," Gabriel said, his eyes on the concrete pavement. He felt Danny's head veer and the child's eyes lock on him again. "You're afraid that if you step outside this bench, you'll fall into nothing." He continued. "But trust me. You won't." He stated with conviction, finally facing Danny's gaze. Inside it, he saw Elliot as he was all those years ago. A shy boy riddled with pain, yearning for someone's hand to hold. "Now, what do you say we go get something to eat? A proper meal this time." Gabriel suggested. Danny glanced at him, and soon, his lips were stretching, gradually and reluctantly.

"Can you hold me?" Danny asked. Gabriel looked at the kid, brushed the child's hair to the side, and smiled.

"No, but I'll walk with you," he said. The kid smiled at him and stretched his hand, holding Gabriel's—this time willingly.

As they began walking, Danny's childlike curiosity finally kicked in.

"Your friend, what was his name?" He questioned.

"Elliot," Gabriel replied.

"... What was he like?" Danny drilled, his eyes looking up at Gabriel, who looked down, smiling.

"Ah, you would have liked him," Gabriel replied without faltering, his hand around Danny's shoulders as they strolled away together. "...Best person I ever met."

THE END