Hale (haletheking) wrote in onewaythreads, @ 2017-11-05 13:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, ava mills, gideon hale |
Who: Ava and Gideon
Where: Ava’s itty bitty apartment
When: Friday night
What: Re-connecting
Status: Complete
While Ava did NOT want to see Peter, bad enough he responded to her post, there were others from Beacon Hills that she DID want to see. One of them was coming by tonight to say hello. She had rushed home from the cafe after having pulled a few hours of overtime. One of the other barista’s babysitter had detention so Ava’s relief shift had been late. By the time she got home she had a little less than an hour to pick up the apartment and take a shower.
Things didn’t go as planned, of course. She got shampoo in her eyes, nicked her shin shaving then realized she needed to do laundry. All she had to put on were the jeans she’d worn to work that sported a chocolate syrup stain, a tank top that was so worn it was slightly transparent and a button down that was too small in an effort to hide the tank top. Meanwhile, the rest of her clothing was scattered around her apartment. Ava burst into top speed, throwing clothing into cabinets, closets, under the bed...anywhere she could find including the dishwasher, oven, and fridge.
By the time the knock came her place was straightened, but her hair was still damp. That still didn’t stop her from giving a squeal then leaping at Gideon for a hug after she threw open the door.
***
Once Gideon had seen Ava on the net, he could only imagine how Peter felt. Still, he agreed to see her, after all, they were longtime friends once upon a time before their lives had changed. Of course, Gideon stood outside her door, hearing her clean up. He could at least give her time to tidy up before he finally knocked. Once that door open and Ava leaped into Gideon he couldn’t help but laugh as he held the much smaller woman. Only to place her down on her feet.
“It’s good to see you too, Ava.” Is all he would say as he came to glance around her place and soon back at Ava. “You never were a tidy wolf.” He teased lightly as he came to look back in her direction. “So.. How long have you been here Ava?” He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her for the moment.
It was once upon a time, that she and Peter were inseparable, so he wondered how she felt now seeing he was here.
***
“What?” Avan said with a guilty grin. She peered back into her apartment. “This is tidy.” She turned back to Gideon with a smirk. “Now. And don’t judge me. I’ve been working a lot.” She chuckled as she stood aside to invite the older wolf in...well, not all that older now. Somehow.
“A few weeks? A month? Hard to tell sometimes.” Ava made for the small kitchen to get them a couple of beers...so Gideon wouldn’t open the fridge and see her dirty underpants. “I’ve been laying low until I got settled. Hell, I didn’t even realize all of you were here until I finally peeked at the net.”
***
He came to give her a slight nod of his head as he watched her move off towards the kitchen. His head shook once more as he came to take the beer and took a seat at her counter while she situated herself. “Yeah a lot of us are here.” He replied watching her closely. “Two of my children are here.” He said not saying the obvious since she already knew for herself.
That beer would be sipped at, though it didn’t really do anything to them since the alcohol had no effect on their kind unless laced with Wolfsbane.
***
“That must make you happy,” Ava said as she sat down across from Gideon. It was surprisingly good to see him. She’d put Beacon Hills and everyone there behind her. It had taken a long time to stop missing them, but one look at Gideon and Ava realized those years of her family and the Hales weren’t as shoved to the back as she thought they were.
And she really wasn’t going to bring up Peter.
***
“Derek is keeping his distance, Cora and I are working on our relationship.” He stated as he came to watch her for the moment. “So. Peter.” Is all he would say as he came to watch Ava for the moment. He knew she wouldn’t bring it up, so he brought it up instead to get it out in the open.
Still, that beer was sipped at, as he came to lean back on the counter and watch her reaction, as well as her heartbeat to note the visible changes. Since Gideon knew how much they each meant to one another once upon a time.
***
Ava sighed to hear about Derek. That wasn’t like the boy she’d known at all. “Want me to talk to him? He shouldn’t lurk off on his own.” She’d left her family behind and they were all killed. Sure, she’d have been killed along with them if she’d been there, but they wouldn’t have been without her. “And you need to tell me about Cora. I don’t remember her.”
Then he did it. Gideon brought up the forbidden name, and Ava was stuck. Only a few people could corner her and make her talk. One was the alpha from the pack that took her. The other was the man across from her.
Her heartbeat fluttered and her eyes glanced away. All of it was brief, and only a were would have caught it, but everything in that one moment said she was still hurt, but still cared. “What about him?”
***
Of course, Gideon would be the one to bring it up. And he did note the change in her heartbeat and the shift in her eyes. “How are you dealing with that?” He asked as he sipped that beer once more as he came to lean on the counter and give Ava his full attention at this point. When she asked about Cora he had to think for a moment.
“She’s very much like Talia in a sense. She’s also dating a human. The one from the McCall pack.” He informed her, in case she ever came across Cora and Stiles. It was better to give her the heads up about his daughter’s life. Even though he was learning himself.
***
Ava’s frown deepened and she lowered her eyes. “I didn’t think it’d be rough, but it is. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since I left. I thought it was all behind me, but one look at him and…” she broke off with a huff then gestured helplessly. “I’m eighteen again.”
Her fingers raked back through her hair in a blatant sign of agitation. It wasn’t because she felt forced to talk about Peter. Ava trusted Gideon without question, but it was a sign of how messed up she was inside that she leaned enough for her shoulder to touch his. With wolves, touch was reassuring.
“McCall.” Ava didn’t move from where she was, but this subject was easier for her. “The young one, right?
***
Once she came to lean on his shoulder, Gideon placed his arm around her to give her a tight hug. “Talk to him. You might not be the only one feeling eighteen again.” He said lightly as he came to take a final sip of his beer. When asked about McCall being the young one, he simply nodded his head.
“Yes, the young Alpha. He has potential just needs guidance. So I offered to help him.” He replied as he came to glance over at Ava for the moment. “He’s trying.” Is all Gideon would say about Peter for the moment.
***
The arm around her was invitation enough for her to lean against Gideon entirely. Ava didn’t like giving in to emotions. She was tough, damn it, not some wibbly school girl mooning over a guy. Granted, she wasn’t sniffling but her chest felt tight.
“He’s got a kid, Gideon.” It was said almost through clenched teeth. “I did the math. He got this girl’s mom pregnant while he was still dating me. How am I supposed to trust him knowing that?” Ava tilted her head to look up at Gideon, almost pleading for him to have the answer. “He might be trying, but how do I know he won’t just go back to how he was?”
Then her arms slid around Gideon’s waist. “McCall’s lucky to have you.”
***
“I can’t force you to talk to him, but you should know he will be around. He is part of the pack.” He informed her for the moment as he thought. “And if he does go back to his old ways, there are three active Alphas in the area to handle him.” He assured her for the moment as he came to pull away from her to run his hand through his own long hair.
Gideon held a somewhat feral look to him, he always did. When she said McCall, was lucky to have him, he exhaled deeply. “It’s the least I can do. I didn’t get back to Beacon Hills to save Talia’s pack and my family, the least I can do is make sure this pack is safe.”
***
“Yeah, I know.” Once upon a time, she and Peter had something pretty wonderful. Was there a chance to maybe have that again with him? Ava didn’t know. Was she willing to try? She didn’t know that either. Hell, Peter might not want to.
She turned a smirk up at him. “A good basis for a relationship is not having three Alphas looming over us to make sure we behave.” She chuckled as she gave his ribs a tweak then took her arms back when he pulled away.
Ava’s smile was back and warmed as she rubbed his arm in reassurance. Gideon was good people. She knew how he was feeling about Talia’s pack. She’d felt the same way when she’d heard. But the mood needed to be lightened a little. “You’re just a great big softy.”
***
“Knowing you two, three Alphas won’t be enough.” He said with his own smirk. When she nudged his sibs he laughed a bit at this point. “Only a selected few know about that trait.” He said about being a big softy. “A few people claim this place is a second chance. Take advantage of that.” He said as he came to watch her for the moment.
“And you’re not alone here. You have friends who care about you>” He said about himself and Deucalion. But also about Peter. Already he came to grab a piece of paper and write something on it as he handed it to her.
“His address, go talk to him.” Is all he would say as he came to give her a light smile.
***
Ava laughed. Gideon was probably right. She and Peter had caused enough mischief together when things had been good. There was fair to middling chance they’d be that way again...if they could get their shit together.
But amusement faded down to just a slightly nervous smile as she took the paper. It was like being offered a house but she wasn’t allowed to see the inside before saying yes. Ugh. “All right.” If it was anyone but Gideon…
***
He came to smirk as he came to a stand. “Good. Try not to kill him, Cora seems to be like having her uncle around.” He said laughing a bit as he came to toss the empty bottle in the trash and move towards the door.
“Also you, I can see your bra hanging off the ceiling fan.” He said laughing before shutting the door on his way out.