Colin's posts

"......yep." Zeke said after a bit of a pause.

"That sounds like him." he told her.

"Yeah, he's taller." he confirmed. "He's a bit taller than my Dad." he said further.

"That was my Uncle Gabe." he then informed her.

"Gabriel, to use his proper name."

Zeke was silent for a moment.

"...well..." he mumbled.

"I..." he stammered.

"I might be able to tell you why." he told her.

"My Dad told me to tell Sharp about your recent flare up." he said.

"But... HE got that info from his brother. One of my uncles." he continued.

"I think you were visited by one of them."

Zeke looked at her for a moment, before shrugging.

"Well, our café plans got cancelled unexpectedly." he said.

"So this is the replacement date." he told her with a smirk.

"And I just wanted to see how you were doing." he went on.

"I know things have been rough for you lately, to understate it." he sighed.

"But it seems like you're actually doing better now than you have in a while."

Zeke just sighed again.

"Stress would be whatever. I love Angela, and adore Liv." he told her.

"I will fight ANY and ALL forces that would try and separate me from them." he insisted.

"...though, you not being able to have a familiar is a little crappy." eh admitted as they reached her car.

"At least you have your kitty."

Zeke paused for a moment, before laughing out loud.

"Of course!" he declared.

"I forgot about Skylar!" he said.

"I guess because I see him more as a friend and companion, as well as a confidant." he said further.

"...I generally don't think of pets as something that literally talks back when you speak to them." he mumbled.

"But, fair point. He and the fae get along well, and he even protects them."

Zeke just smiled as he saw her do all this, and watched as the cat played with the toy, eating the treats as they fell out.

"Got it." he said, watching the cat until Erica poked at his shoulder to get his attention.

"Ah? Right!" he remembered.

"Let's go." he told her, as they exited the house.

"...I love animals." he commented.

"But the fae around the house don't. At least, not domesticated ones."

Zeke just chuckled.

"Fair enough." he said.

After a few seconds of Erica shaking the treats, she heard a little mewl, and quickened padding of little pawed feet. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the feline came into view and rushed over, rubbing against her legs and getting on its own hind legs nudging at her hands, and the bag.

It was clear the cat wanted attention.

Or treats. Or both.

Zeke looked at her when she mentioned the past few days being a blur.

"...that's a bit concerning." he told her.

He then sighed quietly, and started looking in places where keys might be, before pausing.

"Wait." he said. "Where was your phone?" he asked her.

"Oh, under that dark-red table... shelf-thing." Erica responded. "Don't know why it was THERE." she admitted.

"Well... that's weird." Zeke said. "But I guess if you want, I can start looking in odd places like that." he offered, figuring that would be the best place to begin, just to rule it out. He went to it and checked around, pausing when he noticed something there.

"Found them!" he declared, reaching for the keys.

Zeke paused when she said the last part.

"...hm." he mumbled.

"I'll help you look." he offered.

"Can you think of places where they might be?" he asked her, before checking the hooks near her front door, and finding that they weren't there.

'Figures it wouldn't be that easy.' he sighed.

Zeke immediately noticed that she seemed a lot better than the last time he'd seen her. In general. It seemed she was a lot calmer, more collected, less on-edge. It... was relieving, to understate it.

"Hey." he responded.

"Yeah, want me to drive us there?" he asked her. "If you want to go there, still." he added.

"I DO have my license, after all." he reminded her.

"Or we can just walk if you want."

"Yeah, sure thing." Zeke responded.

"Just lemme know." he said.

"I can easily pick you up at your place and we can both head there, so you won't need to drive." he reasoned.

"Regardless, you go and do what you need to do." he finished, before they ended the call.

As they did, Zeke just stared at the phone, puzzling over something.

"...why did Uncle Gabriel tell me Dad about this...?" he wondered aloud.

"Hmmm." Zeke muttered in response.

"Well, if you want to go someplace that has actual FOOD-food, there's that coffee pub about 20 minutes from you." he offered.

"And if you don't want to drive, I can come and pick you up." he offered.

"It all depends on how you're feeling." he continued.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you for the past bit." he then admitted, his tone and attitude showing to Erica that he really did care for her... and that she seemed to successfully dodge the questions. For now, at least.

"Erica!" Zeke said.

"I was wondering if something happened." he said further.

"Phone was ringing for a bit." he commented.

"Anyway, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Things going all right?" he asked further.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get a coffee and a donut or something." he suggested, though the real reason for the meeting was that he had... questions for her. A lot of them.

Gabriel's eyes widened as he felt something swell within him.

Memories of his past came flooding back, memories that he was shuttered away... but had never truly forgotten.

And he felt a tear trickle down his cheeck.

'...why?' he thought.

'Why are they...?' he started to ask, before looking at Erica again.

"...can I really...?" he whispered, trailing off.