Check out what Sarah James made for her OTP on my book, Touched: LeahxGabe. The quote is from Kahlil Gibran's My Friend, a poem that describes perfectly how Leah and Gabe perceived each other:
"When thou ascendest to thy Heaven I descend to my Hell--even then thou callest to me across the unbridgeable gulf, 'My companion, my comrade,' and I call back to thee, 'My comrade, my companion'--for I would not have thee see my Hell. The flame would burn thy eyesight and the smoke would crowd thy nostrils. And I love my Hell too well to have thee visit it. I would be in Hell alone."
It's a telling quote about how devoted Leah and Gabe are to each other and that they would try to save the other even from each other.
To celebrate, I give snippet to 2nd book: The Saint.
Nakamura sensei said that there are three types of people that we will meet in our lifetime; The one who stands before us, a reminder of who we want to be. The one who stands beside us, a reminder of who we are. The one who stands behind us, a reminder of who we were. To me, Gabe was all three and in a way, he still was. In short, as things were, I was so screwed.
Second snippet:
I played fast and loose with consciousness and in the short moments I’ve surfaced from the black peaceful place I was in, I saw Shay, sitting in a corner with his two blades in hand. Moonlight washed away all the color from his hair, his face, making him look like a creature made of marble and stone and other cold and heartless things. His blue eyes were closed, his face slack and relaxed as if in sleep but it didn’t fool me. If anyone who was a threat came through that door, he wouldn’t bother with questions, he would just kill. No remorse. No regret. What does it say about me that I find that comforting?
Third snippet:
William was always quiet, always calm. In a way it’s what makes him so deadly, the way he calculate and weigh options logically and always with a cool head. He would’ve been the most dangerous of them all if not for his fierce dedication to Aspaya who treats him like a son. William, despite his black lustruos hair, his perfect chiseled looks, tended to pale into the background…and he preferred it that way. He did everything he was ordered to do without fuss and did what needed to be done with even less fuss. It amused me, how everybody would bicker and fight and duel and then have William loitering on the background doing…whatever. Picking flowers, throwing out trash. Sunning on the deck. I found him very peaceful to be around. I considered the time where I cleaned, sharpened and oiled the numerous blades and swords and daggers with him a kind of therapy, even though we didn’t talk to each other. Maybe it was because of that. I didn’t have to prove anything to him and he didn’t expect anything from me. He was just there, like a really comfortable lived in sofa.
Mikail smiled and leaned back, his body posture relaxed and comfortable. "You know what makes us Demon Touched so effective, Leah?"
I knew he didn't really want an answer so I kept my mouth shut. I know. Surprise!
"It's our ability to sniff out people's desires." His black eyes glinted in the warm light. "Humans are creatures of temptations so they are fairly easy to tempt. Everyone have something that they want and we have a natural ability to see it. And when we do, to use it."
He sipped on his cup of cocoa and sighed in pleasure. "He wants you. Very badly. His desire for you is overwhelming that I am amazed that he can think straight. Gabe--"
My fingers fumbled on my cup and it clattered on its saucer, I didn't look at him--at Gabe who stood behind Mikael's seat; silent and intractable.
"Gabe sees that, knows that, so you have to excuse his dislike for the Angel prince." He smiled. "One thing about Demon Touched that you should know. We don't like to share."
I could feel the weight of Gabe's eyes on me. I kept my eyes on my cup. "Was that what happened with my mother? You didn't want to share her?"
I looked at him and he looked at me, waiting for me to react.
Something dark exists deep inside of him. Very dark and very deep, it hides behind the amiable smile and his ever-changing eyes. It is angry, unrelenting and unforgiving in both nature and spirit.
But looking at him, at the golden, revolting perfection of his features, you don’t see it. Or maybe if you do—a peculiar look on his face when the shadows fall in just the right place, a bitter bite in the usually soothing tone of his voice—you persuade yourself that it is just your imagination. Like a magician, he waves his hand and you look elsewhere.
But it is too late for me to deny or to pretend. I’ve seen the dark inside him and have answered its call.
To all eyes, he is the angel on my shoulder but I know better.
Don't you just love the feeling of my fingertips, circling your lips.
Don't you just love the desire taking hold of you, well, I can tell you do.
I know all your favorite spots, and tonight we will connect the dots.
scene:
I explored every dip and angle of his back, his skin was unbelievably hot, taut over layer of muscle and flesh and bone. My hand strayed to the spot on his left shoulder and traced the tattoo I knew was there with a fingertip.
The Script-I'm Yours
I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
I know I don't fit in that much
But I'm yours
scene:
“You want me.” His fingertips ran down the length of my arm, my skin erupting in goosebumps. “You need me.” The words were a statement but I detected a question in there somewhere and it was only then that
I understood his emphasis on the word ‘me’.
He wanted to know that I didn’t need him just because I needed a warm body, or the comfort of a friend, or because he was there or because he was familiar and safe. He needed to know that it was him that I wanted.
Him that I needed.
It was small of me but I felt better at the hint of insecurity. I touched his face and stared straight into his eyes. “Yes.”
Sara Barreilles-Between the Lines
Cause I can't continue pretending to choose
These opposite sides on which we fall
scene:
I was aggrieved at the tug and war game between the different parts of myself and the unfair treatment I was giving Gabe. The smarter part of myself knew that getting involve with him would end in trouble and heartbreak on both our parts. The not-so-smart part of myself wanted to keep him for as long as I could and truthfully, the not-so-smart part is winning.
Andrew Belle-In My Veins
Oh you're in my veins and I cannot get you out
Oh you're all I taste at night inside of my mouth.
Oh you run away cause I am not what you found
Oh you're in my veins and I cannot get you out.
scene:
I bit my lip as our bodies locked together in newer and more intimate ways and decided to up the stakes and wrapped my legs around his waist. Our hearts knocked against each other through our chest as if saying hello.
I heard him sucked in a breath and his eyelashes fluttered close. I saw color darkened his cheekbones and a drop of sweat slid down his neck. I touched it, slid my fingers from his shoulder to his neck to catch it between my fingers.
Spitz-Je t'aime
Kimi ga iru no wa suteki na koto da
Yasashiku naru nanimokamo
Kimi ga iru no wa ikenai koto da
Nayamitsukareta kyou mo mata
(Translation)
Your being here is a wonderful thing.
Everything makes it sweeter.
Your being here will not do.
Today again I am tired from worrying.
scene:
Even before this whole emotional mess happened, he was mine as much as I was his, there was no denying that then and there was certainly no denying that now.
Taylor Swift-Sparks Fly (Covered by Julia Sheer & Taylor Ward)
My mind forgets to remind me you're a bad idea
You touch me once and it's really something,
You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be.
I'm on my guard for the rest of the world but with you I know it's good
scene:
—the crackle pop of bonfire, the cold rush of water suffocating my senses, the stretch and pull of muscle, the whisper of wind in the leaves, the pebbling of my skin as I reached the surface, drew in air and saw Gabe gliding in the water beside me—
—the rasp of a blanket around my chilled limbs, a cup of bitter chocolate, sweet potato pie, sparks dancing in the night air, low conversations about nothing, a single candle on a chocolate muffin, candlelight floating in Gabe’s eyes, “Happy birthday, Leah.”, and the calmness in the air before thunder broke through the sky—
—a laugh, and then a smile; warm, callused fingers trailing down my skin until they touched the sword-like amulet at the end of my necklace. “You’re wearing it.”—
Snow Patrol-Make This Go On Forever
And I don't know where to look
My words just break and melt
Please just save me from this darkness
scene:
My fingers speared into his hair and I luxuriated in the soft, dense strands of his dark brown hair. I rubbed my mouth against his and took his breath within me. My world righted itself again, the colors once again rich and layered and the sounds of the night made sense again and I could feel every rasp and stroke of his body against me, the sensations vibrant and strong.
Adele-One and Only
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me the chance
scene:
"Leah--"
I jumped at his voice and my heart fluttered with trepidation when I saw his eyes opened; looking straight at me. "What?"
"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"
The question took me off guard. He'd never asked before. Most of the time, he merely took it for granted that I wanted him to stay. He’d seen how overwhelmed I was by the number of Touched who often stayed in Sanctuary. My control was still a bit shoddy and there's been times where I woke up because I couldn't breathe due to the Touched, or nightmares or stress or all three.
So, the times where I found him sleeping beside me had been a comfort. Those hours of peace had given me strength to face the day.
I've noticed that even other people had started expecting him to be in my room because he had stayed here so much. And with his status as my Sheath, none of them had even thought it odd.
I watched him watch me and I couldn't help wondering why he was suddenly seeking permission. I tried to figure out his logic but my head started to throb. So, I shrugged and deflect his question. "You're welcome to stay. You stay here most of the time anyway."
Something undefinable passed over his face and I knew I had said the wrong thing.
Stained-Everything Changes
Then we could stay here together
And we could conquer the world
If we could say that forever
It's more than just a word
scene:
Here was where he practiced his advice, he read my body like it was his favorite book; that one that you almost memorize but you read it over and over again because every word has meaning for you, and every time you do, you discover something new. He read me through every gasp, every fluttering sigh, every jump of heartbeat, every press of hands on skin.
Yoav & Emily Browning-Where is My Mind?
Where is my mind?
scene:
I cursed softly as I missed my rhythm and picked up my towel, rubbing sweat off my skin before starting again. I concentrated on the emptiness of the dojo, the silence and the dark of it and tried to emulate the shadows dancing on the walls.
Which is probably the only reason why I noticed him.
His stealth didn't betray him, he was as still and silent as ever. But my skin prickled with awareness. He was there somewhere and he was looking at me. Gabe was always looking at me.
I kept moving in slow, circular movements, keeping my rhythm as I tried to pinpoint his location.
There, I spotted a shadow that was much too dense, too solid. And as if he knew I had found him, he walked into the circle of silvery light that came down one of the windows.
His pale green eyes was burning with something I was familiar with; excitement, the thrill of the hunt. There was a wide cut on his cheek, a red mark on his neck and his knuckles were bruised. His palms were bloody, and in several places his clothing was torn and his skin smeared with blood. He was even limping a little.
I stopped, faced him and waited for him to say something. Do something. He didn't. He merely stood there and stared at me. His eyes darkening as the silence stretched.
He was so still I was starting to think he was a figment of my imagination so when he finally did move, I twitched nervously. But he didn't approach me, he merely walked to the edge of the tatami mats and sat down. He settled into his seat as if he was expecting to be there for a long time, he put both elbows on his thighs and leaned forward, his eyes never moving from me.
I watched him watched me for a while. Then I pivoted away from him. Taking a deep breath, I began again.
With every movement, I could feel his watchful gaze; not judging, not evaluating. Just watching.
The only sound in the room was the brush of my feet against the tatami mats and our breathing; in and out. In and out. Steady and calm.
It took me a few minutes to realized that I was pacing my movements with the sound of his breathing.
In. Out. In. Out.
Meiko-Said and Done
You don't have to wait For all this silly fate For things you cannot make Hey, what are you going to say? What are you going to do? When it's all said and done
scene:
A part of me knew that he was right but I also knew that he—someone who grew up knowing what he was, what he could do, someone who grew up among people as special and as unique as he had—didn’t understand. Didn’t understand growing up knowing that you are different, that you are alone, that you are helpless, that the enemy is not someone that you can fight, not someone that you can beat, and it’s not even someone that you can avoid. That it’s your own body that is against you.
That even though how hard you try, there is no true choice for you, there is no way for you to escape unless…
I’ve thought about it—thought a lot about it; when the world was too harsh, when the whispers too loud, when I was too sick to even lift my head.
But I had held on for my mom and when she was gone, I was so close, so close to ending it right there and then but Uncle Jim had came for me. So I had held on for Uncle Jim. But things were still hard, and my body kept betraying me. And I was so angry and so sad and I kept imagining the hows and the whys—
—and then Gabe had picked a fight. And had held me as I cried. And gave me peace. Gave me freedom. Gave me escape. Gave me protection.
Gave me unconditional love.
His was the only one I had never doubted. Had never questioned. He had never given me a reason to do so.
The day I found him was the day that I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could be forgiven for that single, harmless lie that turned out not so harmless. He was proof, proof that perhaps I would someday be forgiven. Because there was no way, that someone so good, so selfless, could enter my life as punishment.
St Lola in the Fields-Don't Say
Don't fight, don't fight, don't fight, don't do it again
Don't scream, don't scream, don't scream don't want to hear it again
Don't say, don't say, don't say, don't say you're leaving this time
scene:
The edge in his voice grew to talons and I debated whether to ask what was wrong or to leave him alone. Gabe’s anger process was different than mine. While I handle my anger by either storming off or hitting something, Gabe would stew and let it fester. Then he’d withdraw into himself, crawl into some dark corner in his mind and seethe by his lonesome. His type of anger was dangerous especially since he wasn’t the one to forgive and forget.
David Cook-Always Be My Baby
You'll always be a part of me
I'm a part of you indefinitely
scene:
The little smile on his face turned solemn and his eyes turned dark. He had an almost supernatural radar when it came to my moods. He knew I was exhausted, mentally and physically but he didn’t want to fuss because I didn’t want him to. He stared at what I could only imagine was a stubborn look on my face and sighed. He rubbed his cheek against my temple—and he called me a cat—before leaning back and meeting my eyes. “You with me?”
