Gabriel X Reader

Ruff Day?

Final part of "All too Familiar"

"For the last time, you leave me no choice."

"Y/N, please! You don't have to do this!"

"I'm sorry, Gabriel," You looked down at your familiar. "But I do."

"Noooooo!" The golden corgi let out a whine as you finished up your ice-cream cone.

You'd bought a cone from a truck outside the park. Gabriel was tired of spending time indoors, and your health had improved quite a bit since James' attack, thanks to some of your healing spells.

Gabriel spent most of the time at the park in corgi-mode, running around and playing fetch, gold collar back on him where it belonged, and glinting in the sunlight.

"Okay, now you're just being dramatic." You said, wiping off the remains of the frozen treat from your mouth.

The familiar huffed and dropped to the ground. "I have NO idea what you're talking about."

"Gabe, I don't think ice-cream is good for dogs." You explained.

His eyes looked up at you as he rested his head on his front paws. "Not a dog, Sweetheart. Remember?"

You sighed. "Well I only had enough cash on me for one, and besides. You don't really share food." You recollected, thinking of the time you'd bought a pizza and more than half of it had mysteriously disappeared whilst you were in the bathroom.

Gabriel looked up at you with the biggest, most pleading puppy-dog eyes he could muster.

"I'll buy you one next time." You said, giving in to the cuteness. The sun was starting to set, so it was time to call it a day. "Come on, Gabe. Let's go home."

"But my legs are soooo tired...." He complained, rolling onto his back and waving his stubby limbs in the air.

There was no point in starting an argument with him. "How are you so heavy?" You asked, lifting Gabriel up and cradling him in your arms. "I think you need to go on a diet."

"Hey, this is twenty-five pounds of pure muscle!" Gabriel retorted.

You snorted. "Riiight."

-_-_-_-_-

You wrapped a couple crystals in newspaper before placing them in a small bag, and sliding it across the counter to your customer. "Have a great day, ma'am."

The old woman smiled at you, took her purchase and walked out the door, little bell ringing behind her.

The cash register let out a soft ding when you opened it to put the cash away. A sudden crash from the back room made you jump. You sighed, Gabe must be messing around again.

You marched to your workroom, and if looks could kill... "Gabriel! I thought I told you to be careful in this room, it can be-"

You looked down at the mess, and the small blonde-haired, golden-eyed kid that stood in the centre of the wreckage. "-Dangerous."

"Y/N? When'd you get so big?" The kid, presumably around seven years old, asked. He tugged at the gold collar around his neck. "And what's wrong with my voice?"

"Gabriel?"

"I uh, might have broken something..." He nudged some broken glass with his shoe. His clothes had shrunk with him. It was difficult to be mad at Gabe when he was this adorable.

"This is too good." You chuckled.

Gabriel frowned at you, tiny nose scrunching up. "The hell are you talking about?"

You grabbed a broom and dustpan from nearby and nudged him out the way of the glass shards. "Hopefully I can salvage some of this." You mumbled, sweeping the mess up. "Gabe, you knocked over some phoenix ash, yarrow flowers and a few other things. Seems it was enough to..."

"To?" Gabe asked, eyebrow raised.

You stopped cleaning and looked at him. "Gabriel. You're a kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Gabriel giggled. His grin looked like it had been slapped off his face when he realised the sound he'd just made. "Oh shit."

"Language." You chided. "C'mon, go up to our apartment. I'll close up early and try to sort something out."

-_-_-_-_-

You carried as many spell-books as your arms could hold, upstairs and nudged the door open with your foot. You had to keep an eye on your familiar; there was no telling what he might do in his rejuvenated state.

"Gabe?" You called out. The only reply was yipping coming from your room. You set the books down on the coffee table and hurried in to see what the matter was.

A tiny, fluffy, corgi puppy stood in front of the full-length mirror, body low to the ground and butt shaking.

"You got another dog!" Gabriel's higher-pitched voice complained in your head. He jumped from side to side, not taking his eyes off the puppy in the mirror. "Gotta show him who's boss..." It seemed he was a lot more naive and energetic in this smaller form.

You laughed softly and picked the tiny familiar up in your arm. "Gabe, honey. That's your reflection."

Gabriel stopped squirming and looked back at the mirror. "Oh."

"Aw, aren't you just the cutest little thing!" You cooed. Gabe let out a growl but it came out more like a purr. "Hopefully, you've learned not to mess with my stuff."

"I've learned, trust me Y/N, I've learned!" Gabe insisted.

-_-_-_-_-

You'd finally found a solution to Gabriel's sudden reverse growth-spurt. A weird concoction of spices sat in a bowl, slathered in peanut-butter to disguise the disgusting taste.

The golden puppy sat on your bed, obviously losing the fight against sleep. You watched his eyelids droop, little chest rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern.

Gently, you shook him awake. "Gabriel? I've got a little snack for you."

Your familiar sniffed the mixture and began lapping it up. Gabriel shuddered and stumbled off the bed before you could catch him. He landed on the floor with a louder thump than you expected.

"Ugh, what was in that?" A now adult and human Gabriel asked.

You smiled, glad the spell had worked. "The cure, you big idiot." You chuckled, offing a hand to help him up.

Gabriel took it and heaved himself up. "I may be an idiot," Gabe said before giving you a peck on the cheek. "But at least I'm your idiot."

"I couldn't agree more."