ɢᴀʟᴇ (traps) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-10-28 07:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, elsa of arendelle, gale hawthorne |
Who: Gale & Elsa
What: Reuniting after Gale comes back from the 'dead'
When: Today sometime
Where: Gale's place
Rating/Warnings: It's low, just oh-so-sweet
Status: Complete
After receiving the private message from Gale it had taken Elsa a while to form a response and she had decided she really needed to see him. Firstly to make sure he really was okay and secondly to smack him for worrying everybody. There had been a snow cloud over her house and place of work because she’d been so sad. He really needed to understand how upset people had been. Even if she was ridiculously happy he was okay. Marching up to the door she rapped on it and waited for him to answer. If there had been a choice about all of this, meaning, a way for him to not fake his death so justice could be served and both he and Leli could finally be together, safely, without the burden of checking for potential knives in the back, he would have gone for it in a heartbeat. But there wasn’t. And he couldn’t. Something that Gale had to deal with, but a soldier’s life (here and in Panem) was always about the hard choices in the heat of battle, and he was determined to write a better ending in this life than the one he got in the dreams - alone, closed off, no one to feel close to, no one to love. No one to believe in him and the humanity that still glimmered within. He wanted to be with Leliana, more than anything. She was worth all that he had just endured, and then some. Not that he enjoyed worrying his friends, but he was hoping they’d eventually forgive him - if not then, well, that was their choice. Going to the door, he nudged past a very excited Bella Nutella (the chocolate lab had been so pleased to see him when Leli brought him home, she just about pissed herself) and opened it to find Elsa there. The house he'd share with Leliana would be made into an actual home - the end of their (for him, civilian) careers sort of put a halt on things - but they’d get a chance to work on it now. Hopefully have something nice, to show off to people. “Hey, come in,” he motioned her inside. “Sit, anywhere. It’s always easier to explain when people are sitting. And do you want anything? Drinks?” Alcoholic or not. Logically Elsa knew he must have had a very good reason to do what he did but emotionally she was still reeling from it. However the moment she stepped inside she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, “I’m so glad you’re really okay” she said tearfully. Gathering herself she pulled back and gave him a watery smile, “Sorry” she said, blushing a little, she hadn’t known she was going to be so emotional. “Drink yes good idea. Coffee?” she suggested. “Oh, hey,” Gale had to grin a little at the very enthusiastic greeting from Elsa. Of course he hugged her back, fiercely, protectively. He felt terrible for worrying her, and for worrying everyone - but he’d see all his friends individually and explain if that’s what it took to get things on track again. Because he’d missed them all a hell of a lot. “No need to be sorry. Come on in, I’ll make some coffee.” The kitchen was where his next destination was - and Leli was more a tea person, so the only coffee in the house was for him anyway; he shuffled to the pot to get it started and smelling like roasted beans in here. “Actually, I should be saying sorry. I know I said it in the message, but...well, everything was a mess for awhile. Let’s just say I need a new job - turns out the black ops life really isn’t for me. You wouldn’t happen to need a personal assistant, would you?” he chuckled wryly. She felt a lot better after hugging him, proving to herself that he really was there. It had hit her hard when she’d heard the news, after all it hadn’t been too long ago that he’d been calming her down before her wedding and then enjoying themselves all at the reception. Still, it hadn’t been true so she would have to move on from it, they all would. Elsa nodded, “I know it must have been terrible for you to go that far so even though I want to slap you, I won’t. I am just really glad to see you alive and well” she told him honestly, before smiling, “You know funnily enough I have been considering that recently, and you know I’d hire you in a heartbeat” “No, it wasn’t easy.” But Gale supposed that if he wanted an easy life, he shouldn’t even live here. Shouldn’t have joined the Army in the first place - but he’d done it because he’d heeded the call to serve, to protect. That hadn’t changed. “I was working for Leliana and it became...too much, for the both of us,” he let out a long exhale. “In our dreams, we both were ruined. I know I already told you how mine ended. For her, it was similar. I wanted to do everything I could to keep her from that fate, even if it meant getting in too deep and getting my hands dirty.” He poured two cups of coffee, handing Elsa one, moving to grab cream and sugar and place them on the counter if she wanted any. “It’s like that, for the person you love. You just want to protect them, at any cost. With Kate too, right?” he asked her. “Oh Gale, I’m sorry. For both of you” she needed to get to know Leliana better, that much had become obvious to Elsa while Gale had been speaking. She poured a little cream into her coffee, “Of course. I’d do anything for her. I understand Gale. You know if I could have helped you could have come to me, I’d have done whatever I could to help you both. I always will” Elsa was nothing if not a loyal friend. “I know you would have.” Gale smiled, a genuine one, something warm - he believed Elsa, there was no question about that. She was the first friend he’d made in Orange County, and she had a special place in that held-together-with-duct-tape heart of his. “It was just...you know. That type of career? Leli was right, the only way out is to kill or be killed. I wouldn’t have wanted to get the people close to me mixed up in that.” Once he was set with his own coffee, hands curled around the mug (cream in his too, no sugar - but he liked a little flavor to prevent him from drinking straight up road tar), he went back into the living room so they could sit and take a load off. Just...relax, like what he hadn’t been doing for the past however many weeks. “You’d really hire me as an assistant though?” He’d been kidding, sort of, but it was nice of her to say. And it wouldn’t be a bad job at all, in theory. “That’s understandable, but it’s all over now? Properly, you and Leliana are safe?” she checked, wanting to make sure they were okay. One of Elsa’s best memories was playing in the snow with Gale, he was one of her very best friends and she treasured him as such. As they sat she nodded, “Absolutely. I think it has the potential to work out really well for both of us” she told him, and if it didn’t at least he could look for something else while still earning. She hoped if he did accept it would work out for them both. “It’s all over now, and we’re safe,” he confirmed, and he couldn’t help but sound relieved when he said it. “I’m glad for it. Sucks when all you want to do is be with someone, and you can’t because of all these secrets and lies.” Not to mention the constant threat of death, something going wrong - which they both had experienced first hand, but it really was over now. Leliana had taken care of the bad apples in her network, which had been disbanded anyway. Things could finally have a chance to settle, as they moved on to the next stage of their lives - whatever that may be. Contentedly, Gale sipped his coffee. “I’ll be the best assistant,” he promised, with a grin. “I’m good at following orders. And doing what needs to be done. You wouldn’t have to worry about anything. I’ll even make sure you have a constant supply of your favorite chocolate in your dressing room.” Was he hired? “I’m glad too. Secrets and lies are never good or healthy but now you can be happy and look forward” Elsa smiled, Gale deserved a good life and now hopefully he’d be able to find it without worrying or looking over his shoulder. Elsa laughed at that, “I have no doubt you’ll be the best assistant ever. Come down to the office whenever you like and we’ll sort everything out officially” “Thanks, Elsa.” Despite his reluctance to engage in physical contact a lot of the time (it was simply a soldier’s way), he leaned over to give her another hug. But he was grateful for the opportunity, grateful that they had the type of friendship where she really would do just about anything to help (she was good for her word there), and grateful that she hadn’t tossed him aside because he’d worried her so badly. He still felt guilty about that, but she was right, things were better and safer now. There were things to be happy about. There was a whole future to look forward to, one where he wouldn’t be shackled by the former heavy stones that pinned him down. “I can come tomorrow, if that works?” He’d have to make sure to wear something appropriate - tucked in shirt, pressed clothing, no camo or combat boots. “But, you know, enough about me...how’s married life?” Elsa returned the hug easily, “You’re welcome of course” she told him, because she was true to her word and she could never just toss him aside no matter what he did. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, the snowstorm over her house while he’d been absent had proven she didn’t handle it well. “Tomorrow is great” she grinned brightly, she wouldn’t mind what he wore she knew who he was and that he’d do a wonderful job. “Married life is good, it’s not all that much different to un-married life really except I get to say ‘my wife’ a lot more” “Makes sense,” Gale laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I never thought much about marriage for myself, but I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like too terrible of a concept anymore.” Though he had just gotten over the hurdle of telling Leliana he loved her - for them, that had been a big deal because of their similar pasts, their own issues. Maybe a wedding would be in the cards someday? He wouldn’t rule it out. The whole reason he went to Army Reserves was to have more stability, so, about time he finally settled down a little anyway. “I guess when you’re ready for that sort of thing, you just know?” “I think you do” Elsa said with a smile, “You’ll know Gale, you just need to trust your instincts and your heart” she advised. After all despite wanting to do a big proposal Kate had ended up simply asking Elsa when they’d been lying in bed which had been perfect. “Yeah...” He sounded thoughtful, looking down into his coffee cup as if that would give him all of the answers. “I don’t usually trust my heart, it’s dangerous when you’re a soldier.” It wasn’t about that particular muscle-organ, it was about following orders. It was about ‘doing’ or ‘dying.’ So the whole concept wasn’t something he was used to, but it made sense to try now - after everything he’d been through. And when it came to Leliana, in his heart he knew that she was the right person for him. “But now, things are changing. I guess we just have to see.” And for once, that didn’t seem like too awful of a concept, so cheers to life - and rolling with the punches. He was glad for the simple things too, having his friends back with him, and how they’d stuck by him - anything else? It’d fall into place. As always. |