Chapter Text
The sun slowly faded from the view of the Angelini Annex windows as a familiar darkness crept inside the walls of the mansion, something Gabriel was commonly used to: emptiness.
Gabriel’s thoughts absentmindedly swirled as he began to look at his murder wall and the red string reminding him of the victims like his cousin. The blood. The amount of pain and regret that constantly seeped in after each sleepless night bringing mafia dynasties to their knees… surprisingly faltered and became less like a tragedy.
He could never figure out why— until.. her. Looking back up at the wall that looked back at him, he collected his mind and slowly began to take off the loose strings connected for each operation (literally). He gradually took down a photo of Brexio and fiddled with it between his fingers. Brexio—the man that caused so much chaos in his family and other mafia syndicates, risking their title (not that he cared that deeply anyway) and putting Mikey’s life in jeopardy. He composed himself and remembered the previous phone call with Madame Lavigne earlier in the day. He sighed in relief as Davina’s voice slipped back into memory. The gentle firmness in it when she said,
“He’s been compromised.” The way she tried to hide the tiny flush of her cheeks when he replied,
“I had faith that you would.” And the way she'd tease him like playing cat and mouse, being herself with him like it meant something. Like he meant something. Then again, Cassiel’s photo. “The safehouse…” he says in his head. This process repeats for several minutes until he’s practically reciting Davina’s name in every scenario like a script in his head—the one thing that’s helping him stay afloat in his ocean of sorrow and despair. After practically starting off his entire evidence board from scratch, he thinks of Davina and the effect she’s had on his life (not like his mind doesn’t already wander in places a boss shouldn’t be thinking of for his own co-worker). How much she has done for Mi— for them.
For putting her life on the line for his precious child, Mikey.
For immediately swooping in when he can't be the father figure that he can be- that he should be.
For dealing with himself every single day and being able to give him the slightest of butterflies when she'd take the lead in his mafia meetings.
To him, every one of those pieces was something he cherished far more than he dared to admit. After telling her to “wait for him” and after every previous… interaction, he knew it was time to finally act. Especially now, after Davina finally returned to the Annex—standing out as his savior, as per usual. It amazed him how she always seemed to arrive at the exact moment he was falling apart. Like she had a sixth sense for his breaking points. Gabe thought to himself as he looked at the photo of Davina he had pinned to his conspiracy board, slowly tracing the edge of the printed picture with his thumb.
Her steady siren eyes that could make him weak.
Her smile that could light up a room. Everything about her made him feel something he had no right to feel. Oh how he wished having her to himself were that simple. That he could just reach out and hold her like she's his only life line. Like she's the only thing that exists. All of the missed opportunities to feel her body on his and kiss her deeply like there's no tomorrow. To keep her near him. To even think that she admires him to risking point makes his head spin in all of the right ways wanting more of her in every which way.
“What did I do to ever deserve you?” he said aloud in awe.
He knew how important she was to him, and to ever think that out of all the men she could have chosen—someone gentler, someone whole—she chose to risk dancing with the devil and love a man as broken as he is. But he also knew there was a price. There always is. Especially when it came to the fire. If only he could give her the answers she’s been searching for. If only the truth wasn’t a blade that cut both ways.
He thought to himself the words Adam told him: "Just like last time. Not everything… but something.” He paced slowly toward the door, his hand reaching for the knob, before his thoughts were abruptly interrupted— Davina stepped into the room, almost colliding with him. Davina, shocked by the impact, stepped back and cleared her throat.“Sir—I mean, Gabriel. Could we talk for a second? This won’t take long, but I have something to get off my chest.” Gabe froze. Then he let out a quiet, breathy laugh. “She beat me to it,” he thought. He took down his untied tie from his collar, cleared his throat, and motioned her toward the chair vertically across from him.
“Of course, Davina. Tell me—what’s on your mind?”
"Well-" she slowly sat down an chuckled to herself and sat herself down.
There was an awkward silence before she spoke. Her eyes wandered as she looked at Gabriel and his muscular physique as his bare chest began to seep out from his collared button shirt. Not anything new she hasn't already seen, knowing fully well about his..um.."swim wear" during pool day. Though it was pretty common to find Gabriel like this, Davina could never help her blush from casually seeping in. Gabriel caught her glances up at his body (which were not subtle in the slightest). "My eyes are up here, Davina". He chuckled to himself as she let out a small gasp from her mouth. He loved to tease her knowing what response he would- "No- she was here to say something, let's let her have the time to express herself'', he thought.
Gabriel swallowed down his teasing remark and cleared his throat. "You were saying?" Davina recoiled herself and began to speak again "Well from our previous..conversation, you said our other secrets were to wait. Well, after a talk with your mother and everything going down, I found more information about you and other mafia organizations." Gabriel gritted his teeth. She wasn't here for him, of course she wasn't. This was simply information, but he paused and realized,
"But how does that have to explain you wanting to get something off your chest?"...