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[dadication]

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[gr1m]

He was quiet for a while, as if Gabriel wasn't going to answer, just the sound of fruit being sliced. "A few decades ago," he couldn't remember the years exactly, but that was close enough. "A hunter found us, and my father fought him while my mother hid me before going to fight at his side." Neither came back, but by the tone....

Gabriel had seen what happened, what became of them. The sound of slicing never stopping even as he spoke, moving on to the meat.

There was the low hissing of a snake- "Do I?" He wouldn't know, truthfully, same as snoring.

[dadication]

A part of him wondered how far would be pushing too far, and he was fine with a non-answer as well. He certainly didn't take any pleasure discussing his family or the resulting scars that came from it. If gorgons were as loyal as they seemed, then it was a sore subject indeed. Maybe he wanted a sliver of a moment in sharing in pain that he could relate to, that others suffered as he had.

"A hunter..." He couldn't say he was surprised. "The snake purge." That's what the Guild called it when the hunt to eradicate gorgons had been at its peek.

He was stirring the brewing coffee, checking its readiness. The hiss might have been him being called traitor for selling the snakes out. No regrets yet. "You do. They seem as active at night as during the day. Your own personal little tea kettles."

[gr1m]

"My father did ultimately kill the hunter," A man that had been a skilled fighter, "but the blindfold he wore had been ripped off and neither of them could act quickly enough to prevent him from catching a glance of my mother's face." So he turned to stone, naturally, that part didn't need to be spoken- "In her grief, my mother fell upon his sword-"

Gabriel hissed, knife dropped on the table as he took hold of his hand, a bit of blood dripping to the floor. What he had been cutting was spared any blood, but he still moved to try and take care of the wound himself. See if it was more minor than it felt or not.

[dadication]

He supposed he was supposed to root for the hunter but he didn't at all. It was a shame to rip a seemingly happy family apart like that. Yet another orphan created from a bounty that had no real base back then. Most gorgons did little if anything to harm humans. "She must have loved him very much to leave her child behind."

His head rose from the coffee at the hiss and it didn't take long to smell blood. He rose from his seat by the fire and moved to offer assistance. "Here, let me help. How deep is it? I shouldn't be distracting you with such painful talk."

[gr1m]

A few of the snakes' heads had crowded around his face as if the look at the cut as well without getting in the way. Still, he let Jack take his hand, blood actively flowing from the cut. He hadn't cut off a finger, but it was deep enough to be a bit of a problem- "She blamed herself for his death, that grief deep enough she forgot everything but that," and it had been enough to leave him alone.

Had been enough for him to hate hunters, laying the blame on that rather than his mother. The hunter was why the blindfold was gone and neither of his parents could react fast enough. That he watched the hunter bleed to death near the statue made of his father and the cold body of his mother before coming out of hiding.

"I- there's some bandaging I can get."

[dadication]

It wasn't strange that Gabriel felt about hunters as he had once felt about monsters and other creatures that required to be put in check. His own hatred had faded down to a wary kind of loneliness, like he was doing the jobs because there was nothing else. Sometimes he mustered his hot anger and rushed in headlong, but it was rare these days.

"He knew the risks having a lover that could turn him to stone," he pointed out logically, aware it wouldn't make any different. Her grief had clearly been horrible and deep, unreasonable.

He shook his head as he used a finger to smear the blood to look at the wound. It was deep enough to be concerning, nothing so simple as a bandage would fix. "Hush, I've got this," he murmured as he examined the wound before more blood welled up. It coated his fingers and his hands but all the same, he wrapped his palms around that wounded finger and called upon his magic to press warm healing into it, stopping the bleeding, knitting the injury so it was little more than a surface wound. Not perfect, but good enough for a bandage now.

He sighed and sagged a little. Healing magic was one of the hardest to learn and some of the hardest to cast. "Let's wash it up and bandage it now. Might itch for a day or two."

[gr1m]

Yet here they were, a hunter of monsters and what most would call a monster.

"He did, reason he took every precaution he could, and all it took was one hunter." One determined to use a gorgon's mate against them in order to get his prize, and likely would have tried hunting Gabriel down if things had gone as wanted. He'd made sure some creature ate that body while his mother's was left alone.

A shoulder shifted to help keep Jack from sagging further, a few snakes brushing against the sides of the hunter's face. "You didn't have to-" Use up energy needed to heal himself just to take care of a bad cut, but. Well. This entire encounter had been filled with surprised from the start, hadn't it. "I've a wash basin, c'mon."

Would lead them both to it, and there was enough clean water to wash off all of the blood. He'd do something with the bloodied water later- "Do you need to sit?"

[dadication]

Honestly, this was the most genuine encounter with anything and anyone that he had had in what felt like a long time. It was difficult to think of why they were doing any acts of kindness towards each other, and yet here they were. He liked to think that Gabriel had started it with treating his wounds, so this was fair.

He blinked when the snakes came at him, facial expression freezing for a moment before they just bumped and brushed by. That was... not what he was expecting. This encounter was only getting stranger the longer they stayed together, and he found himself tired and confused all over again.

"And you didn't have to carry me up here and treat my wounds either," he pointed out as he allowed himself to be blindly lead to the wash bin. He dipped his hands in, washing off the blood as he leaned a bit more heavily than he would like on the gorgon. "I can stand, just need to lean a little."

With his hands washed and that wound clean, he lifted Gabriel's hand to inspect his work. It was neat and clean, better than he normally did. "We should dry it and bandage." A deep tired sigh. "Sorry, but I might have to stay here the day with you. Just need a bit of rest." And coffee... which was still on the fire boiling away.

[gr1m]

"It was either that or dump you well outside of the mines, and I doubt anyone would have found you." In time to get wounds treated well enough that he wouldn't get sick of something. So in Gabriel's mind it was better to carry and treat the hunter himself, especially after fighting with him rather than against.

He sighed softly, snakes curling back in to place amongst his hair. "You're fin staying to rest, really." It wasn't as if anyone would find the hunter here, the gorgon lived alone.

Did perk up a little and leave Jack standing there by the wash basin, and pulled that coffee from the fire so it wouldn't burn once he noticed it again. Had a cloth wrapped around is hand to prevent burning, too- "I can cook breakfast for the both of us- after drying and bandaging." So get something more in to Jack than just coffee.

[dadication]

"It was still kind of you to take me in, especially given your history with hunters." He was safe here which was interesting to consider. He couldn't claim to having that much unless at the Guild when everyone else as sleeping or on assignment. A kindness he hardly deserved given the blood on his hands.

Still, he returned to his pack as he dried his hands on his borrowed clothing and pulled out his medical bag in search of bandages while Gabriel dealt with the coffee. "Pour me a mug of that, would you? And yourself some if you're into coffee."

He was moving over to sit on the bed because it was big enough for them to sit together so he could bandage Gabriel's finger properly. "I can't say I eat breakfast often. More just rations on the road. Come, let me bandage that wound so you don't scratch at it."

[gr1m]

"So I suppose we'll see if this doesn't bite me in the end, huh?" There was nothing biting to his tone, just that... well, he'd already accepted what could happen from his actions here be they good or bad and still had done it. "Still, rather have done it than not given what bit of kindness you'd already shown yourself," trap or not.

He did pour the two mugs of coffee before setting the container back down as he gave one a sniff while carrying them both over to the bed. One was set within Jack's reach and the other just beside it as Gabriel sat down just within reach himself.

His hand was held out so that Jack could take it to bandage the injured-and-healed finger. "Well, going to today since I'm not just going to fix it for myself with you here, seems rude."

[dadication]

"It shouldn't. I have no want or need to report you to the Guild. Your existence is safe with me, but I can't guarantee if other hunters in the area stumble on you," he said honestly. He couldn't control the routes of others, but most hunters avoided this place because they couldn't or didn't want to disarm traps to head through. Easier to take the long way around.

The coffee smelled really good, dark and flavourful. He ignored his mug to instead work on Gabriel's hand, wrapping a quick but efficient bandage around the digit. He had been bandaging himself for years, so he had plenty of practice.

"I will be more than happy to eat whatever you make, okay?" He patted Gabriel's wrist lightly to signal he was done. "Good as new. Careful with the coffee. It will be hot." And sitting next to each other? That was nicer than it should be. He hummed softly and just stared off across the room.

[gr1m]

"Like I said, you're the only one who has and lives still to speak about it at all." Chances had been given four times, and only one of those chances had been taken even if with a threat left behind with it on both sides. Funny for them to end up like this.

Fingers flexed after Jack had finished, but nothing to purposefully try and loosen the work done to his finger. Seemed it had passed whatever it was Gabriel had been watching for. "A bit of fruit, some cooked pork, and a few eggs beaten together and cooked like that was the plan." Seemed a well assorted morning meal to him.

Did watch Jack a moment before he stood to go and finish preparing the food to be cooked, picking up where he'd left off with the meat. Of course the pork and eggs were cooked over the fire together and the smell they made filled the room, and it was enough to make up two plates that Gabriel carried back to the bed and sat down on the side of it again.

"Here, it'll help you feel a bit better after using up your energy for that healing magic."

[dadication]

"Lucky number four," he remarked, a touch on the bitter side. He shook his head, pushing the thought aside and just packing away his medical supplies again now that the job was done. He would need to sit for a bit longer, feeling like his legs were jelly.

Instead, he allowed himself to just be aware of Gabriel cooking food. It was strange how homely that felt, like some of those very early mornings at some of the inns he favoured where the matron of the house was bustling about cooking for the influx of people waking. Serve coffee and just let him exist in their sphere because they knew they were safe while he sat quiet by the fire. Earned himself a few free meals that way.

He turned his head when he smelled that meal come closer, surprised the gorgon took the spot next to him again. "Appreciate this," he murmured, taking the plate as if he could see it and picking up some fruit first. Still in season, which he was grateful for.

"Once we finish with the chimera later today, I'll be out of your hair."

[gr1m]

Gabriel was leaving the fruit for last, but he started on the eggs he'd seasoned while the pork fat gave them just a bit of extra flavor. He'd learned to cook from his father at first and simply picked up there there on watching humans from a distance. Easier when he'd had the basics to help him with that. "Not a problem, so you're welcome."

Did finally have a sip of that coffee, it had cooled down enough for him while he'd been cooking. Tasted fine, not something he allowed for himself to get away with the few times he did go to a human village. Wine and some ales were easier to get away with after all.

He nodded slowly. "I'll be leaving from here in a few days time, so I'll be out of yours for the rest of this season as well." Not have to worry about someone stumbling across him at least, if a worry at all.

[dadication]

Jack was eating the fruit first, enjoying the taste of it and knowing that soon enough it would be out of season and he'd have to persist on dried fruit. It wasn't the same. Sometimes he missed fruit trees and the harvest, and other times, he was glad to be away from it all and doing this simplicity nomadic life. That didn't stop him from enjoying the meal and his rather strong coffee.

He nodded and ate. The eggs were cooked well too he noticed, but that made sense of the gorgon had to survive on his own. Room for experimentation he supposed. "So... what is it you do exactly? Aside from your rounds of this place? You do odd work or something?"

And he would be able to provide more funds for the gorgon when he traded some of the chimera parts. Better it come from a hunter, and it seemed a fair exchange of their services to each other. A good parting gift, he supposed, since he doubted he'd hear from the gorgon again until next year or maybe never. Who knew.

[gr1m]

"Something like that- sometimes I get mistaken for a mercenary, and if the job sounds decent I take it." Sometimes it was just to protect a traveling group, things like that. Hell, he had gotten mistaken for a hunter before and only took up jobs for a creature that had actually lost its mind and putting it down was a kindness for both sides.

Whatever he could do to earn a little gold for himself to get by on what he couldn't hunt or make for himself. One way to get by honestly enough.

The pork was nice and crisp when it came to the skin, and the fat had rendered wonderfully to make the meat succulent. That was eaten once the eggs were done for.

[dadication]

"In these days, any coin is better than no coin," he murmured with a slight shake of his head. With the war still going on here and there, sometimes work was scarce for those that had no occupation that wasn't some kind of soldiering. Impossible for some creatures, but Gabriel could hide much of his appearance and still come across as human. "The chimera should supplement you for awhile then. I know a good buyer who will pay well."

He realized that might be the last time they saw each other too. After all, what reason did he have to follow around a gorgon? For that matter, what reason did a gorgon have to interact with him passing through the area when he was known to be relatively safe?

He ate well today, finishing off the entire meal without a single pause. His coffee was drank between sips and he was feeling a bit better with food on his belly. Still tired from the expenditure, but that was fine and expected. He sighed and rose to move to rinse his dishes. He knew about where that station was anyway. "Good breakfast."

[gr1m]

"I need it more during the colder seasons, hunting is difficult when there isn't much around to hunt." The cold did effect him some as well, which was why the places he stayed all had a heating rock of sorts in them, to help him survive better on those days that were too cold. "Can help make sure you get all of the decent parts to take."

Why would a hunter want a gorgon around anyway? no matter how friendly their interactions could be, there was no doubt that he might no be seen as a problem anyway. This was a temporary truce after all. Even if the man was in no danger from the sight of him, it didn't mean there couldn't be the potential for something to happen by accident, something turning that quickly.

He couldn't help what he was. "Should help you gain some energy back as well. Welcome to rest more if you need it, too."

[dadication]

"Well, alright, I'll be sure that you get your fair shake of the funds that are collected. It should be good enough that you can make it through the winter months, even if it is longer than usual this year." That happened from time to time and at least he had Guild outposts to return to if he absolutely had to. Didn't like them, but he could rely on them for survival in storms and the like. "We can load up whatever I can carry. I'll make several trips if I need to."

It was a chimera after all, so it was reasonable that he would go back and forth. He didn't want to risk taking the gorgon into town in cause they were assaulted with their goods or coins. It could turn out badly and then the gorgon would be in real danger if he was known to be in the area.

Sometimes he thought it would be nice to have a friend, even if it was a monster he was supposed to be hunting. Loneliness did eat at him at times. Oh well, he had survived this long with just passing acquaintances, and he could and would continue on.

"It will, yes. Just need a little more rest time, that's all." Other spells took less out of him, but healing was taking directly from himself for others. "I might lay down a bit if you're alright with that."

[gr1m]

"Don't have to go out of your way, you need to funds as much as I do." A slight shrug as he stood to wash his own plate once there was room, and the mug as well since he'd drank down the coffee. Jack could have the rest of it. "I've got a cart you can use if needed? It's a pull cart for one person of course, and a blanket to hide what you're pulling in it if that might not be too much of a hassle."

He had never really sold parts of another creature, outside of the times he did have to put one down when mistaken for a hunter himself. Didn't seem right to hunt just for that in his mind.

Gabriel shook his head. "You're fine, really. Lay down and rest, still have a bit to do up here so you'll still have some company, even if I'm just cleaning and packing a few things."

[dadication]

"I need the funds far less than you do," he said with a slight wave of his hand. "I get paid for the jobs that I do, and I don't spend a lot either." He did this so he could have little things that he enjoyed like coffee and occasionally replaced clothing rather than rely on the Guild for it. Otherwise, the coin he earned just sat buried in various places.

"A cart would be good, save me from having to make multiple trips," he remarked. He would say that it increased the chances of highwaymen coming to cause trouble, but he had taken care of his fair share over the years that they tended not to pick on the hunter with the blindfold anymore. "It would be best not to waste the carcass. Whatever we can't sell, we can leave for other animals."

He finished his coffee mug and set it aside, perfectly willing to drink cold coffee later. He returned to the bed and seated himself there. After a few minutes, he just lay back with a heavy sigh.

"Try not to cut your fingers off, okay?"

[gr1m]

He let out a slight huff- "I can walk with you to the edge of the forest, and walk back with you if it takes a few trips all the same to at least ensure no one tries to jump the cart while doing this." He could offer that much help without risking revealing too much if there was any incident to occur.

Even knowing how damned capable the man was, he wanted to give some help when it came to all of this other than harvesting parts. "I know where what cannot be sold can be safely scattered for the wild life," far away from the mine and cave system at least.

Gabriel snorted a bit, and maybe there was a passing flick of Jack's hair once he moved past to start on his cleaning. "I'll try awfully hard not to."

[dadication]

He turned his head to 'watch' Gabriel, taking note of the offer. It was more than he expected, though he supposed it could be a fact of wanting to keep track of him for as long as possible given he had the gorgon's cart and also the parts of the animal they were going to get money for. "I would appreciate the company. Never know who might be on the roads looking to take advantage of the situation."

He nodded his head, expecting that much of the meat on the back half of the animal wouldn't be able to use. Pelt, if they could get it off, would be worth a considerable fortune. "Good because I don't want to waste any part of it. It gave its life, so we should honour that as much as possible." It was a shame it had come to that, but he knew a bounty would be put on it anyway given the chimera hadn't just attacked farm animals.

He lifted a hand to touch his blond hair after the flick, almost curious of what he might find there. Just hair, but that action had been so... teasing. Like they were getting on. Like they were normal people doing normal things. It kind of threw him. "If you do, I'll think it's a plot to keep me here," he called, a little too late for the moment.

[gr1m]

"Especially if someone was coming by trying to see where a certain creature had gone," considering there'd certainly been the smell of human blood on it. Almost wondered which village close by any of the entrances would have a loss, or even completely destroyed if that thing did more than eat a few people.

There was a hum, since even he made sure every part of whatever animal he hunted for food got some use; the furs on his bed came from somewhere after all. A few other things around as well when it came to less edible parts.

"I may be holding you 'hostage' so you let yourself rest, but wouldn't keep you longer than that against your will, hunter." There was something of a joke to his words, more so with the return of 'hunter' after using his name once.

Still, Gabriel did busy himself in cleaning up around the room slowly after pulling on a pair of boots. Getting rid of bloodied water and retrieving fresh from a underground spring source to replenish every bit that had been used. What wasn't eaten of cut fruits were added to a compost around a few plants kept in as well, most of which would likely be planted somewhere within the cave system or somewhere else they could thrive. Couldn't take everything with him when he left after all.

Strangely domestic noise to rest with in the background, honestly.