The sight of him sent her heart racing, and temporarily stopped her thought process. She had no idea what to do, and no words to say. Marinette didn't even think she could speak, her breath taken, from his breathtaking eyes. She scanned his face, her eyes traveling all over his face; his eyes, his flawless skin, his lips, his perfect nose. Absentmindedly, she touched her nose, feeling the crookedness of her own; she wished she could have that type of nose. She wished she could be perfect. But she knew the world wasn't perfect, so why should she.
She didn't know how right she was.
Marinette continued to stare, until she was absolutely sure she had put holes in his head. Finally, it seemed she could pull her eyes away, her brain began to work again, and her mouth could form words, "Uh…um…w-what are you doing here?" She blinked her eyes several times, just to make sure that this wasn't a dream, to reassure herself that she was, in fact, awake, and that Gaberiel was actually here. After realizing how rude the question sounded, she tried to fix it, but her brain couldn't form the sentences. "N-not that it's not a pleasant surprise…b-but…I-I'd just thought I'd asked." Get your stuttering under control, Marinette.
Instead of giving her a confused look, like Marinette would have thought, he just smiled. His beautiful smile. It made her heart melt, and her stomach twisted in knots. Everything felt right in this moment, and she wanted to melt in it. But all good moments don't last forever.
"Yeah, no. It's okay, I should've probably called in advance, but I wasn't really thinking clearly. I wanted to check on you, but you weren't answering my calls, and…I was just worried." Marinette blushed. Her heart flipped at that the thought of Gaberiel coming to check on her. It was sweet.
But that made her feel guilty for ignoring him and his messages. So she smiled an apologetic smile, and invited him to take a walk with her, which he cheerfully accepted. It made Marinette realize that Gaberiel wasn't like everyone else. He was different; in a good way. He didn't judge her- at least to her face- and it seemed like he generally cared for her well-being. He treated her with respect and kindness- it was all she could have ever asked for.
For a while they walked and talked around the city, taking in the sites and the architecture, and talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Marinette could recall any point in time when she had ever had a conversation that went so smoothly. She had always been so shy; she would rather steer clear from conversations that end up being awkward on both parts. However, with Gaberiel her awkwardness never appeared, not for a moment did her shyness spark, and the instinct to run never accumulated into a decision. She felt so confident, unlike in school where she felt like a small and neglected child.
Another thought that had entered her brain was the memory of the ice rink. Over and over, it played in her head like an unforgettable song. The sound of his heart beat in rhythm with her own, the cheer from the crowd that surrounded them, the disappointment in his voice when he pointed out her little white lie, how she felt- breathless, accelerated, and scared all at the same time. After the thought entered her head, her shoulders tensed and an uneasy feeling settled into her stomach. They fell into silence as they continued to walk along. The day was clear of sun and clouds, and the light breeze that passed through made Marinette feel somewhat better. However, she couldn't hind the sick feeling that had passed through her; she felt like an open book. Anyone was everyone could tell how she was feeling with just a glance, and that made it even worse, in her opinion.
Noticing her pale complexion, Gaberiel led her to a nearby bench within the park, concerned for her wellbeing. As soon as her bottom touched the park bench, she leaned over, her arms across her waist, dry heaving. Marinette felt as if everything she ate was pushing its way up out of her stomach, into her throat. Gaberiel began to rub her back in comfort, as they continued to reign in silence. After a few moments, the feeling dispersed, and she took slow and heavy breaths to regain her composure. It took only a second before Marinette realized that she had started crying, the small tears escaping her eyes without permission made her feel helpless.
When she finally decided to lift her head, she faced Gaberiel with a tear-stained face, unsettling feelings, and wanting a chance of redemption. So much had been running through her, she didn't if she could take it. In an instant, Gaberiel engulfed her in a hug, as she sobbed against him, finally feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders. They sat there in the same positon, for how long- none could say. It felt like forever, but they knew forever didn't last. After a while, Marinette's tears ran dry, and she laid there, on his chest, resting, listening to his steady heartbeat, trying to make sense of everything that has happened. "I'm sorry."
The first words out his mouth were an apology. To break the silence, he apologized. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. "I'm sorry for making you feel- whatever you're feeling because of me." He said, his voice low and full of unspoken emotions. "Whatever it is I want to help, and make you happy, Marinette. Because you deserve to be happy."
Silently, something seemed to click and snap simultaneously. Without realization, she was out of his arms, and on top of him, holding his face between her hands. "Don't you ever say that again." She told him sternly, "I don't know who hurt you, but that doesn't mean you aren't good enough for anyone, you're better." Marinette looked at him dead in the eyes, as she searched for some type of recognition that he understood her words. But there was none. He didn't believe her, and it made her irritated. She became frustrated to know that her first friend didn't believe in himself, as much as he believed in her. Then realization dawned on her.
They were in that same boat together; lacking self-confidence. She continued to search, and try and find something she knew that wasn't there. She withdrew a deep breath, and gulped. Marinette studied his eyes- his beautiful eyes, and did something she would have never guessed.
She kissed him.
At first, it was unsuspecting. Neither one of them could have guessed because if someone had told Marinette that she would be kissing someone then, ultimately, she would have stared at you and said that would never happen.
In the end, it was all Marinette could think of. Every thought, every feeling was intensified as the seconds passed by as their lips were still connected.
Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes felt like hours. Hours felt like an eternity. And during that eternity, Gaberiel and Marinette relaxed; they gave into each others desires. Their mouths moved like never before, as they worshiped each other. Hands roaming without a care in the world. Marinette's tongue moved along with his, fighting for that dominance she craved to have so bad, and even though she had no experience whatsoever, she had overpowered him easily.
The kiss seemed to last forever, and when they broke apart, Marinette laid on his chest, breathing heavily, she felt contempt; at ease.
For the rest of the afternoon, the two sat there silently, enjoying each others company.
