inner_wolf (inner_wolf) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-08-17 17:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, groot, nina pickering |
Who: Gabe (Groot) and Nina
When: Shattered Sight Plot - Monday 17th August
Where: Gabe’s place
What: Gabe’s affected by the plot, a spat ensues
Rating/Warnings: Anger issues and overall grumpiness
Status: Complete
Gabe was having a bad start to the week. For whatever reason, he was in an unusual constant state of irritation. The weird thing was it was only when it involved Nina; when he thought about her, when she texted or called him. While he was at work, he could distract himself with the planting and maintenance, but as soon as he got a text from her, he started grumbling at the Wisteria.
At the moment, he was at home, about to head indoors after spending an hour and change outside in the heat fussing over his garden and doing what legal watering he was allowed to do. He was sweaty and hot, and wiping down his face with a towel thinking of the nice cold shower he was going to take. Just as he reached the door he looked over to see the object of his affection and irritation walking up his driveway. The mixture of emotions was confusing, and his brow knitted together a little as he tried to figure out why she was here without letting him know first. “Hey, babe, what’s up?” His tone wasn’t exactly welcoming, but more along the lines of confusion.
Nina was ridiculously confused, Gabe had thrown her completely when he’d reacted so badly to her needing to cancel their date. It wasn’t something she had to do very often, but they’d really needed her. She knew her shifts weren’t ideal but she had no idea that they caused him any major problems. Hoping he’d just been having a bad day she hadn’t called him until Monday, but when he hadn’t answered she’d gotten worried so asked Merlin to drop her off at his place.
“Hey, you didn’t answer my messages so I came over to see if everything was okay” Nina said, his tone wasn’t his usual pleased to see her tone. Perhaps it wasn’t just a bad day.
Gabe frowned a little, chafing at what felt like nagging. “Oh. I left it in the house. Was out in the yard. I woulda called you back, didn’t need to have Merlin come all this way to drop you off you know.” He opened the door and started to head in, leaving it open so he wasn’t shutting the door in his girlfriend’s face. He saw the phone on the kitchen table and picked it up. A quick swipe of the screen and he saw she’d called a few times. “Seriously? Three times?” He held up the phone as evidence, eyebrows raised.
Nothing in Nina was even remotely thinking about nagging him but after their last conversation she had naturally worried when he hadn’t answered her. “I was worried” she said, “It’s not like you not to answer, especially since we argued Saturday” she added.
Gabe felt a pang of guilt for that spat they had, and for a moment his eyes showed it, but it flashed away as quickly as it came. “Come on, that was barely an argument.” He didn’t want to talk about this, he wanted to take a shower. “And I’m fine. I was just outside.”
Something was definitely wrong, this wasn’t like Gabe at all. “I think it was very decidedly an argument” Nina told him, the way he’d spoken to her, he hadn’t ever spoken to her in that tone before. “Well since I am here perhaps we could spend some time together?” she suggested, “I’m looking after Neal’s child for a few days. Something’s going on with his people but Audrey promised to watch him today so I thought it would be nice to be together”
Gabe sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Now you’re babysitting?” Part of him didn’t get why this was riling him up but the rest of him didn’t care and was going with it. “I thought his kid was heading back to Boston?”
“Neal asked me for my help and since he helped us in the past it would be awful to say no. He’s our friend” Nina reminded him, he and his girlfriend had been an incredible help when she had escaped on the full moon. “Apparently Neal is attempting to get custody”
Nina was right, though inwardly he grumbled to himself about the timing. “Ah right. He mentioned that. Good for him.” Gabe smiled weakly. He looked distracted. “Listen, I gotta take a shower, I’m all sweaty and stuff.”
“Okay, shall I make lunch? Unless you’d like to shower together? Maybe I can help you clean up” she suggested with a smile, hoping to still be able to draw him out of this mood.
Normally Gabe would have been all over that offer like white on rice. But this time he just wasn't feeling it. He made a face and just shook his head. "No I'm good. Just need to be by myself." He started for the bedroom, stopped and turned. "Listen, maybe you should go back to the kid. I can't do this right now." He just didn't feel like hearing her voice. Not even the sexy British accent of hers was enough to change his mind.
Nina frowned, “Can’t do what? Gabe what’s wrong?” she asked him worried for sure now, Gabe turned her down was odd but telling her to go was definitely wrong.
“Nothing! I just,” he started, then sighed in frustration. “You cancel on me yesterday, then today you sorta have time, but then you’re also babysitting so what, today is it until whatever it is Neal has to deal with is over? Do you know how to say ‘no’ to people at all?”
“Neal came to me as a last resort and I am not turning him down because it might be inconvenient. He’s our friend and I thought you, of all people, might also want to help out. Obviously I was wrong” Nina said, “You know if I can help somebody then I will, I’m not going to apologise for that”
Gabe bristled at the ‘you of all people’ line. “Then go help Neal’s kid, Nina. Obviously that’s more important. I got stuff to do anyway.” And with that he turned on his heels and stalked towards the bedroom.
Nina opened her mouth to reply but closed it again, feeling tears prick behind her eyes she turned and left the house. He’d never spoken to her like that before, his tone as painful as his words. Walking to the bus stop she swiped at her eyes, wondering where it had all gone wrong. What had she done?