Title: Colors of Gray
Disclaimer: Clearly, I do not own the Infernal Devices series or any of the characters. If I did, in fact, I would give both Jem and Gabriel more face time. But that is why I hopefully await Clockwork Prince. Anyway, all characters belong to the wonderfully talented Cassandra Clare!
Rating: T
Gabriel lie awake in his bed that night, unable to sleep. Every time his eyes began to drift closed, they were filled with visions of gray. Not any color gray, but a gray so soft that it reminded him of the haze that came with the beautiful morning dawn.
Gabriel sighed as he ran a hand through his tousled brown hair that had grown wild from his restless tossing throughout the night. This had been the fourth night that Gabriel had lost sleep due to the visions of gray that surrounded him. This had been the fourth night that all he could think about was her.
It was surprising, really, as nothing had ever seemed to hold his interest for more than a mere second. Well, nothing other than demon hunting, that is. Nothing else was really worth even a small moment of his thoughts.
She, however, did not seem to leave his mind since that day. It had been four days since he had first spoken to her, and now, it had been four days since he had last slept.
If only he were a little more friendly with the downworlders, he may have been able to find a warlock able to give him a potion that may help him rest his eyes. Alas, he was not. His father's unhealthy habits had turned him away from the idea of ever associating with one in the first place. It was a rather filthy habit that Gabriel did not care to pick up on.
As Gabriel considered himself highly superior to downworlders, he had never minded being separate from them. Never until now.
Never in his life had he met anyone that had intrigued him so. No mundane, no downworlder, no shadowhunter even. He was, shall we say, preoccupied with advancing himself in the Enclave.
The wit that she exhibited was a force to reckon with. She exuberated more vitality and bravery than any shadowhunter that he had ever met. Her energy was catching, the the air of confidence she displayed in confronting him was intoxicating.
Gabriel could still picture the sparkle in her eyes and the flush of her satin cheeks as she boldly accosted him. No one had ever dared to challenge him- well other than William and James, yet they hardly counted.
Even though Gabriel found her argument highly fallible and unreasonable, the livelihood with which she stood her ground was the most impressive of sorts.
Her only fault was that she seemed to somehow favor Herondale.
Herondale.
Quite frankly, Gabriel considered William to be a ghastly excuse for a mundane, let alone a Shadowhunter.
The fact that somehow someone so beautiful, so enthralling, so lively, could be partial to William seemed absolutely reprehensible.
Even with this fact, Gabriel could not fault the lady, as he had heard the story surrounding her rescue. William had been the one to rescue her. And, as always, women tend to favor the one who appears to be their knight in shining armour.
But, oh, how Gabriel wished that he had been the one to rescue Tessa.
Gabriels cheeks flushed at the idea of calling her by her Christian name. She hadn't given him permission to do so, and he supposed she wouldn't after their brief encounter, but it hadn't stopped him from entertaining the idea.
Tessa.
The name sounded like a symphony as he spoke it. The word evoked images of the most beautiful browns and grays that Gabriel had ever known. If you had asked him if he was fond of the color gray five days ago, he would have scoffed at the gesture. For gray was the color of the dull, lifeless days in London that refused to show the sun. If you asked him now, he would not be able to comprehend how anyone could not favor the color gray, as it was the most radiant color he had ever seen.
Gabriel groaned agonizingly as he considered the thoughts that were playing through his mind. Gabriel hated to be distracted. He hated to focus on anything other than hunting demons and improving his repertoire. He did not care to impress the ladies, at least not until he had trained in Idris for quite some time that he may come back to London to seek a bride. Never before had he entertained the idea that he might be enthralled by a lady before that time. And never had he thought that he might entertain that idea with a downworlder. Especially a downworlder that might likely be a warlock, incapable of producing heirs that Gabriel most certainly needed.
Gabriel sighed. Why had such a brief moment in time with this one lady caused him to question everything he had ever once considered.
But more importantly, he wondered how he was ever going to get Tessa to realize that he was not, as she had said, a waste of time.
That was his true predicament. And that was his goal.
Whatever Gabriel needed to do to cause Tessa to grant him notice, he was going to do it.
And if he caused William or James some inconvenience in the process, well, that was just something that would make his accomplishment far more sweet.
You see, Gabriel had never been one to lose. And he wasn't going to start now.
A/N: I hope you liked it. It was my first ID story, so I hope it was okay! Please leave a review (whether praise or constructive criticism). What is your opinion of Gabriel/Tessa? (Honestly, I LOVE Jem, but Gabriel is just so intriguing as well!)