Coming back to the city
That I never quite leave
Picture you be the ocean
Picture me coughing into my sleeve

Like a snake eating snake you confuse me
Who's killer ? Who's captive ? Who's free ?
In a city that kills by constriction
Throw your streets around me and squeeze

And draw down the stars
Draw down the stars
What's in your heart?


-- "Draw Down the Stars" by Tom McRae


This idea just popped into my head just now so I had to write it down. Feel free to read and reply, comments are always entertaining to read. I'd say this is R rated, and it contains some mild, slashy undertones and some violence and language, but nothing you're gonna lose sleep over. So. Here goes.



Draw Down The Stars

London, August 26th, 2006

Gabriel drew his battered cloak tighter around himself and carelessly dropped the cigarette on the ground. Grinding it with the heel of his foot absently, he looked out over the crowded arrival hall.
It was a Tuesday evening, but there were still people active, everywhere, without smiles, smells or eyes. They were faceless to him, and therefore irrelevant to our story.
A security guard a few paces to his left eyed him nervously, probably debating whether or not to approach him and point out the fact that it's a non-smoking area. He looked up and caught the security guard's eye, grinning madly. The guard took a step back, something looking like disgust scrawled over his gaunt face.

Gabriel chuckled, quietly, and slung his shabby rucksack over his shoulder.

*

London, July 3rd, 1996

"You're bonkers - mad! You can't just... I mean, there's no way you can... No!"

The amused look on Gabriel's face had only increased Orlando's annoyance and inability to form coherent sentences.
The pair of them had been sitting huddled over two cups of cocoa in the Starbucks on Oxford Street and the rain had been falling from the skies like never before. Orlando's hands had been red from squeezing the hot mug so hard but he hadn't even noticed.

"But, can't you just go to, oh, I don't know, Wales? Or Scotland? Just over the day or something. Really, there's no need to be gone for six months!" Gabriel had shrugged slightly, that shit-eating smile still plastered over his face.


They'd been best mates since Orlando stole Gabriel's lunch in the first grade. Gabriel had responded with swiftly giving Orlando a black eye. In the Headmaster's office, they'd been making faces to each other until the poor Headmaster had given them the seemingly simple task to pick up rubbish from the football field behind the school.

It took them exactly seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds to start a new fight, but two lunch and four after-school detentions later they were the bestest of friends.

Orlando would verbally abuse anyone who dared to pick on the slighter boy and the more vicious Gabriel handed out black eyes like sweets.


Gabriel's features softened and he gently pryed Orlando's fingers off of the steaming mug. Orlando childishly avoided his searching gaze and snatched away his hands, putting them in his lap.

"You're always saying how boring good ol' England is, so I s'pose I thought you'd understand," Gabriel tried. Orlando snorted doubtfully and snapped his face up, glaring at Gabriel.

"Well, what about me?" He whined, perfectly aware of how ridiculous his behaviour was.

"What about you?" Gabriel asked warily. Orlando had shrugged, his face had been flushed.

"Well, I'm assuming you've planned on taking me with you?" Gabriel frowned and drew in a deep breath, but did not say anything. Orlando pushed his chair back and rose sharply.

"Oh, fuck you Gab. That's just neat." He threw his hands up in the air. "Brilliant! I'm being dumped by my own best friend. Fantastic." Benjamin stayed in his seat and just watched with a bemused expression on his face as Orlando collected his coat and wandered off, still muttering to himself.

People stared rudely at both him and Orlando, but it only made him smile as he sipped on his hot chocolate, watching the rain fall outside.

Nice start!
I am quite interested to find out where this will lead us.

Keep it up!

:love:

Wow, first chapter and already I'm totally inlove with Gabriel. He's just got such a draw to him, he's so mysterious. Or at least that's the way I think of him.

I really loved the short little tale on how Orlando and Gabriel became friends; really cute ^_^

Very intriguing start, I can't wait to read more ^_^

:love: Thank you for the replies. I'm sorry my chapters are so short. .__.


Chapter two.


She was really quite pretty. Gabriel sipped his coffee, grimacing as he burnt his tongue, but didn't take his eyes off of the petite blonde. The expression on her soft face was calm, but her shoulders were tense.

As if she had the feeling someone was watching her, stalking her.

That didn't matter though, Gabriel wasn't worried. She was an actress, and should be used to the attention. He supposed they all were behaving in the same peculiar way. He didn't blame her.

He slid off the stool he'd been perched on and strolled over to her casually. Her ears perked up as she heard him approach, but she didn't turn to face him, just kept staring out the window, stubbornly. Gabriel's lips curled into a half-smile and he gently touched her shoulder. Her head whipped around so she faced him, a faint blush creeping up her pale cheeks.

"D'you mind if I sit here?" Gabriel asked politely.

Her eyes narrowed slightly and he noticed that they were two different colours. Charming. He waited patiently as she took his scruffy but clean appearance in. Her small nose wrinkled ever so slightly and he smiled involuntarily.

"Actually", she began apologetically, "I was just, um, leaving."

Gabriel's eyebrows shot up.

"You haven't gotten your sandwich yet", he pointed out with a slight smile, "and you just sat down."

She smiled despite herself and her blush crept higher up her face. Gabriel slid out a chair. She did not protest so he sat down, smiling back. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest, curiosity in her eyes.

"Were you watching me?"

Before Gabriel had the chance to reply, a sleek waitress came over and handed the woman a plate with a chicken sandwich on it. Her face lit up noticeably and she tore off a big chunk, thanking the waitress.

"Hungry?" He teased her and she laughed, placing a napkin in her lap.

"Well, yes. I'm on lunch now, and I have a long day in front of me. This is all I have time to eat though or my boss will have my hide."

Gabriel nodded and tilted his head slightly. He pondered whether or not to play along and just act like a total stranger. Not that he did know her, but...
There were some things he needed to find out and he couldn't let her go just yet. He cleared his throat and placed his hands on the table, leaning a bit forward. She looked up from her sandwich, a puzzled expression on her face. Gabriel sighed quietly and looked at her sternly.

"Kate", he began and her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "I need to see Orlando."

Kate pushed back her chair and looked at him with disgust on her face. He reached for her hand but she batted it away angrily.

"What are you?" She snarled, "A reporter? I should have known."

Gabriel shook his head slowly, holding up his hands, palms facing her.

"I'm not a reporter. Look, you don't have to believe me but please, just listen. I'm an old friend of Orlando's, we went to school together. When we were nineteen I left the country and I only just came back."

Kate snorted and looked at him sceptically. "Yeah. 'Course you were. Look, whatever your name is, this happens all the time."

Gabriel shrugged and smiled loftily, his eyes glinting.

"Guess that's the prize of fame."

Kate nodded curtly, then, sighed and grabbed her purse, indicating her leave. Gabriel frowned, but suddenly remembered something and started going through the pockets of his coat. "Hang on", he mumbled, concentration on his face, "would you mind giving..."

He fished something up with a triumphant smile and handed it to Kate, whom took it warily.

"It's a letter", she pointed out tiredly and Gabriel smiled.

"Yeah. Exactly."

Hmm. I'm trying to see where the hell this story's going and you've got me running in circles.

I love it, though. It's so...Matt. <--- only way to describe it. You've definitely got me wanting more More MORE!!!

But that was probably your ploy, wasn't it?

I hate you.

You left this at such a cliff.

:cry: More? Eventually?

:heartbeat:
Samma

I do completly agree.
I am intrigued by Gabriel.
Such a restless soul, a wild child.

Please keep writing more.
Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase

I agree with all the people who replied before me.
Gabriel has a certain something to him, and I'm curious about Orlando and Gabriel after Orli will (or perhaps will not, depending on Kate) read the letter and everything...

*le sigh*

I just recently discovered I'm not really a good reviewer... But I liked the description of Kate, I could like... Totally imagine her look as Gabriel talked to her. The scrunching her nose and everything, it sounds so Kate! :lalala:

So... I hope to read more soon, and... Well, good luck writing!


Love, Moon :hug:

Oh, wow, um. See, I have this thing where I just trail off and I - Fuck, sorry. I'm so awful - I had this great outline and everything. I do hope I'll get around finishing this over the summer; it was never intended to be especially longwinded anyway.

That's a promise. Thank you so much for replying, :love: