Lift Me Up | A Gabenath Story

Chapter 9: A Blade to the Neck

1  A.M.

Nathalie and Gabriel finally arrived at the hotel in London, exhausted from the train ride. Nathalie had checked in with registration for the keys to their rooms before they rode the elevator to their floor. Gabriel was oddly quiet─ no signs of affection, and no signs of interest. Did he regret what happened between them a few hours ago?

Nathalie did not bother to get his attention until they arrived on their floor, walked down the hall, and entered Gabriel's room. Nathalie helped him get situated and hastily went over the day's schedule. While Nathalie read the schedule aloud from her tablet, Gabriel had his back turned to her without saying a word. Nathalie assumed he was too tired to talk about what occurred at Gare du Nord.

"Are you alright, Gabriel?" Nathalie asked after she finished revising the schedule.

"We should get some sleep," he replied. He furrowed his brows, thinking of what he had to tell her. How could he do this to her? He did not want to, but he had to find a way to get rid of Nathalie's feelings for him─ at least temporarily so she wouldn't think he had further romantic interest in her.

Nathalie was ready to rest in her room. Still, she did not question him any further. Nathalie walked out of Gabriel's room and into the hall before she was stopped by him.

"Nathalie, wait!" Gabriel blurted, standing at his door.

"Yes? Did I forget something?" Nathalie attentively listened to him, not expecting what he had to say next.

"No . . . However, I do need you to forget what happened between . . ." Gabriel gestured a finger back and forth between them. ". . . us."

Nathalie was taken aback. She did not understand why he was acting coldly towards her. It was as if everything they had worked out was erased once again.

"Why?" Nathalie whispered as she approached Gabriel.

"Nathalie, I can't do this right now," Gabriel sighed. He took a step back in an attempt to close the door on her. But before he could do so, Nathalie pushed the door and shoved her way into his room.

"Why!?" Nathalie repeated, turning to face him as he shut the door behind. Although Nathalie's reaction threatened him, Gabriel still felt her hurt.

"Dark wings, rise." Gabriel transformed into Hawkmoth, staring at her. He did not know how to comfort her, nor did he want to. Recalling his nightmare, he agreed with himself on hurting her if he had to.

"Did you play me?" Nathalie quietly asked. Her eyes widened expectantly, glistening with tears.

"No . . ."

"Yes, you did," Nathalie hissed, stepping closer to him, causing him to push up against the closed door. She pointed a finger to his chest. "You played with my feelings, Gabriel."

"Listen, Nathalie, I just . . . got carried away," Hawkmoth explained, pushing her to the side with his arm. He walked to the other side of the room, sliding the blade out of his cane.

"So, you didn't mean it," Nathalie called out. She closed her eyes to stop tears from bleeding out. The realization that he was willing to hurt her felt as if the blade had already plunged into her heart.

"Didn't mean what?" Hawkmoth faked his obliviousness to what she was talking about. He hated himself for praying that she'd get a dizzy spell to evade the conversation.

"The kiss . . ."

". . . Never should have happened in the first place," Hawkmoth bluntly finished her sentence. He shut his eyes, asking himself, Why the fuck do I lie to her?