𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 - TMR, Gally

013 - "Except for Gally"

It was strange how I hated everyone for acting like I was super weak and the way they were way too sweet toward me. Except for Gally. Alby could force a smile instead of his stern face and talk nicely instead of yelling commands all he want, and Clint could be concerned and careful with me, but both of them received angry responses from me. Except for Gally.

He wasn't his usual rude, arrogant self. He was way too sweet. Sweeter than I had ever seen him be toward anyone. And I let him. But I didn't understand why.

Well, I did, a little. He must've felt bad for me and, like a normal human, acted nice. But it kind of hurt that people could only act nice after I tried to kill myself, and not before that.

"It's nice weather outside, Val. Yesterday you told me you love hot weather. Come outside!" Gally begged a few days later. He had visited a few more times, and we just talked.

"Everyone's gonna stare."

"If I walk next to you, my eyebrows will draw a lot of attention off you."

"They're used to your eyebrows. They're not used to my limp. Or my face that they haven't seen in weeks."

He crossed his arms triumphant. "See? You've been here for weeks, so it's better to come outside. You can't keep hiding forever."

I let myself fall back down dramatically. "I can if I want to."

"But you won't. I'll carry or drag you."

A scoff escaped my mouth. "You can't carry or drag me."

"I can drag you with one single hand. Bet I could carry you in one arm?" He grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"Show off." I rolled my eyes.

"It's not show off. It's the truth, definitely. You're like half my size."

I frowned. "I'm not. You're like six-feet-two. I'm six feet."

"You barely make it to five seven."

"I'm five-feet-five, that's not small! It's one hundred sixty-five centimeters."

"I'm one hundred eighty-eight."

"I give up."

"As you should, Ginger."

I sighed, not knowing what to do. Even I knew I had to come outside sometime. "Fine, I'll come outside. But if they ask, I'll blame you."

"You're not forbidden to go outside. They won't ask you why you are." He chuckled.

With another exhale, I climbed out of bed and looked down at my clothes. Black shorts and a white vest. That was fine. And then I looked up at Gally.

Maybe I was quite small after all.

I barely came an inch above his shoulder. But it wasn't just his tallness that made me look small... no, he had broad shoulders and a nice pair of arms (and muscles). I didn't know why I hadn't realized it before, but not I definitely knew he was strong. And big. Newt might've been taller than him, but he was slim. Very slim, compared to Gally.

"Ready?"

"Nope."

"Awesome, Ginger. Let's go." He took my arm.

"Woah!" Realization hit me deeply.

"What?"

"I'm standing."
My eyes widened and my heart began to pound.

He scratched the back of his head. "Looks like it."

"No, but like, I'm standing. On my leg." I looked down at the thing. It was less bandaged by now, and less thick.