NEW NORMAL**
**Enid's POV - Monday Morning**
Enid was supposed to be paying attention to Dr. Bloom's lecture on carnivorous plant digestive systems. Instead, she was staring at the back of Gabriel's head three rows ahead and wondering if it was weird that she could now recognize him just by his posture.
Probably weird.
Definitely weird.
Her phone buzzed silently in her lap.
**Yoko:** you're doing it again
Enid jumped slightly and glanced over at her roommate, who was sitting two seats away with her sunglasses on (despite being indoors) and a knowing smirk on her face.
**Enid:** doing what??
**Yoko:** staring at blackwood like he personally hung the moon
**Enid:** i am NOT
**Yoko:** you literally haven't looked at the board once
**Yoko:** he's not even that interesting from behind
**Enid:** rude
**Yoko:** but accurate
Enid forced herself to look at the board, where Dr. Bloom was diagramming something that looked like plant anatomy but with way too many teeth. She copied it dutifully into her notebook, trying to look like an engaged student.
It had been two days since the full moon. Two days since she'd spent an entire night watching Gabriel transform into something that should have been terrifying but was somehow beautiful in its own monstrous way. Two days since she'd fallen asleep using his shoulder as a pillow and woken up to find him watching her with an expression that made her heart do weird fluttery things.
They were friends. Best friends, even. That's what they'd agreed on.
So why did her stomach feel like it was full of caffeinated butterflies every time she saw him?
"Miss Sinclair," Dr. Bloom's voice cut through her thoughts. "Perhaps you could enlighten us on the primary enzyme responsible for protein breakdown in carnivorous plants?"
Enid's mind went blank. "Um..."
"Protease," Gabriel said from three rows ahead, not even turning around. "The primary enzyme is protease, though some species also produce phosphatase for breaking down nucleic acids."
Dr. Bloom raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, Mr. Blackwood, but I asked Miss Sinclair."
"Sorry," Gabriel said, but Enid could hear the smile in his voice. "She looked like she needed help."
"I did not—" Enid started, then caught Gabriel's quick glance over his shoulder. He was definitely smiling. "Okay, I totally did. Thanks, Gabriel."
Several students turned to stare, because apparently Gabriel Blackwood and Enid Sinclair having casual friendly banter in the middle of class was still shocking to people.
Dr. Bloom sighed. "Moving on. Please do try to stay focused, Miss Sinclair."
Enid's phone buzzed again.
**Yoko:** oh you are SO gone for him
**Enid:** shut up
**Yoko:** you're blushing
**Enid:** SHUT UP
But Enid was totally blushing, and Yoko was totally right, and this was becoming a problem.
---
**Gabriel's POV**
Gabriel was having the best Monday of his entire life, which was saying something because Mondays were objectively terrible.
But this Monday, he'd woken up feeling almost normal. His body didn't ache from the transformation. His senses weren't overwhelming. And most importantly, he had five text messages waiting from Enid ranging from "good morning!!" to "dont forget we have botanical sciences together" to "i'm bringing extra muffins to share."
The muffins were currently sitting in his bag, and he'd already eaten two.
"You're smiling," Xavier observed as they walked out of Botanical Sciences. "It's unsettling."
"I smile."
"Not like that. That's a 'something good happened and I'm trying to play it cool' smile."
"I don't have different types of smiles."
"You absolutely do." Ajax appeared on Gabriel's other side, adjusting his beanie. "There's the polite smile, the 'I'm secretly judging you' smile, the 'Xavier said something stupid' smile, and now this new smile that I'm going to call the 'Enid smile.'"
Gabriel stopped walking. "The what smile?"
"The Enid smile," Xavier repeated, grinning. "The one you get when you're thinking about Enid. Or talking to Enid. Or near Enid. Or—"
"I get it."
"Do you?" Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Because I'm not sure you do. Dude, you're completely gone for her."
Gabriel resumed walking, faster now. "We're friends."
"Uh-huh."
"Best friends."
"Sure."
"That's all."
"Keep telling yourself that," Ajax said cheerfully. "But for the record, she definitely smiles at you differently too."
Gabriel's traitorous heart did something complicated in his chest. "She does?"
"Oh my god, he actually asked." Xavier looked delighted. "Yes, Gabriel. She smiles at you like you're the best thing that's ever happened to her. And she literally spent an entire night watching you be a terrifying wolf monster and came back the next morning with baked goods. I'm pretty sure that's love language."
"It's friendship language."
"Those are the same thing sometimes."
"Not in this case."
"Why not?" Xavier stopped, forcing Gabriel to stop too. "Seriously, man. Why not? You clearly have feelings for her. She obviously has feelings for you. You're both dancing around it like idiots. Why?"
Gabriel was quiet for a moment, trying to articulate the complex tangle of emotions. "Because what if it ruins what we have? Right now, I have... this. Her friendship. Her trust. That's more than I've had with anyone in years. If I try for more and it goes wrong, I lose everything."
"Or," Ajax said gently, "it goes right, and you gain everything."
"That's a big risk."
"Everything worth having is risky." Xavier clapped Gabriel on the shoulder. "But hey, I'm not going to push. Just... think about it, okay? Life's short. Even for werewolves."
They parted ways at the quad, Xavier and Ajax heading toward the art studio while Gabriel made his way to the library. He had a free period, and he'd planned to use it to catch up on the homework he'd ignored during the full moon preparation.
Instead, he found himself thinking about what Xavier had said.
*She smiles at you differently.*
Did she? Gabriel tried to remember, pulling up mental images of Enid over the past weeks. The way she'd grinned when she'd presented the prank poster. The soft smile when he'd said he wanted to keep it. The determined expression when she'd insisted on staying for the full moon. The gentle, almost tender look on her face when she'd reassured him afterward.
Oh.
Oh no.
Gabriel sat down heavily at a library table.
He had feelings for Enid Sinclair.
Not just friendship, though that was certainly part of it. But something more. Something that made his chest feel warm when she laughed at his dry jokes. Something that made him want to hear about every trivial detail of her day. Something that made the full moon bearable because she was there.
This was a disaster.
"You look like you've just had a terrible revelation," a familiar voice said.
Gabriel looked up to find Enid standing there with her rainbow-covered bag and a bright smile. She slid into the seat across from him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look kind of pale. Well, paler than usual. Which is saying something because you're already pretty pale."
"I'm fine," Gabriel said automatically. "Just... thinking."
"About?"
*You. Always you.*
"Homework," Gabriel lied. "The Physics assignment is complicated."
"Oh! I haven't started that yet." Enid pulled out her notebook. "Want to work on it together?"
"Sure."
They settled into their usual comfortable rhythm—Enid asking questions, Gabriel explaining concepts, both of them occasionally getting distracted by tangential conversations. It should have felt normal. It always felt normal.
Except now Gabriel couldn't stop noticing things.
The way Enid tucked her hair behind her ear when she was concentrating. The small sound she made when something clicked into place. The unconscious way she leaned closer when she was reading over his notes. The fact that her perfume smelled like vanilla and something floral, and he could identify it from across a room now.
"Gabriel?" Enid was looking at him with concern. "You zoned out. Are you sure you're okay? Is it post-full moon stuff? Alaric said you might be tired for a few days."
"I'm okay," Gabriel said. Then, because he couldn't help himself: "Are you? Okay, I mean? After... everything?"
Enid's expression softened. "I'm more than okay. Gabriel, Friday night was..." She paused, searching for words. "It was intense and scary and amazing all at once. But I'm glad I was there. I'm glad you let me be there."
"Even though it was terrifying?"
"Especially because it was terrifying." She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. "That's what friends do. They show up for the scary parts."
Gabriel looked down at their hands. Hers was small and warm, with those rainbow-painted nails and several small calluses from writing. His was larger, scarred from training, and currently trying not to shake.
"Enid," he started, not sure what he was going to say.
"Yeah?"
"I—"
"Oh my god, there you are!" A voice interrupted, and both of them pulled their hands back as Yoko appeared at their table. "Enid, we're supposed to meet the study group in like five minutes. Did you forget?"
Enid's eyes widened. "Oh no, I totally forgot! Gabriel, I'm so sorry, I have to—"
"Go," Gabriel said, trying not to feel disappointed. "Study group is important."
"Are you sure? I can cancel—"
"Don't cancel. I'll be fine."
Enid hesitated, then grabbed her stuff quickly. "Rain check on the Physics homework?"
"Rain check."
"Text me later?"
"I will."
She gave him one more smile—that smile that Xavier had called the "different" smile—and hurried off with Yoko.
Gabriel sat alone in the library, staring at the place where Enid's hand had been on top of his.
He was in so much trouble.
---
**Enid's POV - Evening**
"Okay," Yoko said, flopping onto her bed with her arms spread wide. "We need to talk."
Enid, who was hanging fairy lights above her desk, nearly dropped the string. "About what?"
"About you and Blackwood."
"There is no me and Blackwood. We're friends."
"Friends who hold hands in the library?"
"That wasn't—" Enid climbed down from her chair, flustered. "He was worried about me being okay after the full moon. I was reassuring him. That's what friends do."
"Uh-huh." Yoko sat up, pulling off her sunglasses to fix Enid with a serious look. "Enid, I love you. You're my best friend and roommate and probably the nicest person I've ever met. So I'm saying this with love: you're being an idiot."
"Excuse me?"
"You like him. Like, *like* him like him. And from what I can see, he definitely likes you back. So why are you both pretending this is just friendship?"
Enid sat down on her own bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Because what if I'm wrong? What if he doesn't feel that way? What if I ruin our friendship by wanting more?"
"What if you don't ruin anything and instead get something amazing?"
"Or what if I do ruin it and lose my best friend?"
Yoko was quiet for a moment. Then: "You spent an entire night watching him transform into a giant terrifying wolf. You brought him breakfast the next morning. You literally sleep better knowing he's okay. Enid, that's not just friendship."
"It could be!"
"It's really not." Yoko moved to sit next to Enid, bumping their shoulders together. "Look, I get being scared. Change is scary. Feelings are scary. But I've watched you two together for the past month, and honestly? You're already acting like you're together. You just haven't made it official."
"What if making it official changes everything?"
"What if not making it official means you miss out on something great?"
Enid groaned and fell backward on her bed. "Why is this so complicated?"
"Because feelings are complicated. But Enid?" Yoko poked her shoulder. "I think he's worth the risk. And I think you know that too."
Enid stared at her ceiling, which was covered in glow-in-the-dark stars that she'd put up during move-in. "I don't know what to do."
"Well, step one is probably admitting you like him. To yourself, at least."
Did she like Gabriel? As more than a friend?
Enid thought about the way her heart sped up when she saw him. The way she found excuses to spend time with him. The way she'd been genuinely worried about him being alone during the full moon. The way his small, rare smiles felt like victories. The way she'd felt when she woke up using him as a pillow—safe and warm and exactly where she wanted to be.
"Oh no," Enid said.
"There it is."
"Yoko, I really like him."
"I know."
"Like, really really like him."
"I know."
"What do I do?"
Yoko grinned. "That, my dear friend, is up to you. But maybe start with telling him?"
"Absolutely not."
"Why not?"
"Because what if—"
"Enid. If you say 'what if' one more time, I'm going to lock you in a room with him until one of you confesses."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Enid's phone buzzed.
**Gabriel:** Made it through Physics homework. Your "rain check" is officially accepted for tomorrow. Same time?
**Gabriel:** Also, thank you again for Friday. I know I've said it multiple times, but I mean it every time.
Enid felt her face heat up as she typed back.
**Enid:** tomorrow works! and you don't have to keep thanking me
**Gabriel:** Yes I do. What you did was extraordinary.
**Enid:** being a good friend isn't extraordinary, its just... being a friend
**Gabriel:** You're more than just a good friend, Enid.
Enid stared at that message for a long moment. What did that mean? More than a good friend? Best friend? Or... something else?
**Enid:** you're more than a good friend too
**Gabriel:** I'm glad we agree.
"Oh my god, you're blushing," Yoko said, reading over her shoulder. "What did he say?"
"None of your business!"
"Everything between roommates is my business. It's in the roommate code." Yoko grinned. "He likes you. I'm calling it now. He definitely likes you."
"You don't know that."
"I'm a vampire. I can literally hear heartbeats. His speeds up every time you're near him."
"That could be fear!"
"It's not fear." Yoko stood up, stretching. "But seriously, Enid. Think about what you want. And then maybe, possibly, consider actually going for it."
As Yoko headed to the bathroom, Enid looked back at her phone. At Gabriel's messages. At the easy back-and-forth they'd developed over the past weeks.
*You're more than just a good friend.*
What if she was reading too much into it? What if he just meant best friend?
But what if he meant something more?
Enid flopped back on her bed with a groan.
This was going to drive her crazy.
---
**Gabriel's POV - Tuesday**
The problem with realizing you had feelings for your best friend was that suddenly everything felt different.
Gabriel had always been hyperaware of Enid—that was just how his enhanced senses worked. But now it was like every detail had been amplified. The sound of her laugh in the hallway before he even saw her. The way she always smelled faintly of vanilla. The pattern of her heartbeat, which he'd memorized without meaning to.
It was becoming a problem.
"You're distracted again," Alaric observed during their Tuesday afternoon training session.
Gabriel blocked the staff strike automatically, muscle memory taking over. "I'm focused."
"Your body is focused. Your mind is elsewhere." Alaric paused the session, lowering his weapon. "What's troubling you?"
Gabriel hesitated. Alaric was his mentor, his friend, practically family. But this felt... complicated.
"Hypothetically," Gabriel started.
"Oh no. Nothing good ever starts with 'hypothetically.'"
"Hypothetically, if someone realized they had romantic feelings for their best friend, but was terrified of ruining the friendship by admitting it, what would you advise?"
Alaric was quiet for a moment. Then: "Is this about Miss Sinclair?"
"I said hypothetically."
"Gabriel."
"...Yes. It's about Enid."
Alaric set down his staff and gestured for Gabriel to sit. They settled on the training room floor, and Gabriel found himself talking—really talking—for the first time in years.
"I don't know when it happened," Gabriel admitted. "Maybe it was gradual. Maybe it was all at once. But I can't stop thinking about her. And it's not just because she stayed during the full moon, though that's part of it. It's... everything. The way she sees me. The way she makes me feel like I'm not a monster. The way she laughs at my terrible jokes and brings me coffee when I'm tired and just... exists in my life like she was always supposed to be there."
"That sounds like love," Alaric said gently.
"It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen."
"Why?"
"Because what if I'm wrong? What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if I ruin the first real friendship I've had in years because I wanted more?"
Alaric was quiet for a moment, considering. "Gabriel, I've known you since you were eight years old. I've watched you grow from a frightened child who couldn't control his transformation into a disciplined young man who faces his fears head-on. You've never been a coward."
"This is different."
"How?"
"Because this matters. She matters. More than anything."
"Exactly. Which is why you need to be honest with her." Alaric stood, offering Gabriel a hand up. "You spent years isolating yourself to keep others safe. But Miss Sinclair has proven she doesn't need your protection from yourself. She chose to stay. She chose you. Perhaps it's time you chose her back."
Gabriel let himself be pulled to his feet, but his mind was still churning. "What if she says no?"
"Then you'll still have her friendship. But Gabriel?" Alaric fixed him with a serious look. "What if she says yes?"
That thought terrified and thrilled him in equal measure.
His phone buzzed.
**Enid:** still on for library later? i have so many questions about the physics assignment
**Enid:** also i bought us both cookies from the cafe in jericho
**Enid:** okay technically yoko drove me there but i paid!
**Enid:** they're chocolate chip
**Enid:** your favorite right?
Gabriel smiled despite everything.
**Gabriel:** Yes to library. Yes to cookies. And yes, chocolate chip is my favorite. How did you know?
**Enid:** i pay attention!!
**Enid:** see you at 4?
**Gabriel:** See you at 4.
Alaric was watching him with a knowing expression. "That's the smile."
"What smile?"
"The one that says you're already in too deep to back out now." Alaric picked up his staff again. "One more round. And Gabriel? Whatever you decide to do about Miss Sinclair, do it honestly. Half-measures serve no one."
They resumed training, but Gabriel's mind was made up.
He wasn't going to confess his feelings today. That would be too fast, too risky. But maybe he could start being more honest about how much Enid meant to him. Start showing her, in small ways, that she was more than just his best friend.
And maybe, if he was lucky, she'd show him the same thing back.
---
**Enid's POV - 4 PM Library**
Enid arrived at the library at 3:55 PM, which she told herself was just being punctual and definitely not because she was eager to see Gabriel.
(It was totally because she was eager to see Gabriel.)
She'd changed outfits twice before settling on her favorite purple cardigan over her uniform, and had checked her hair in three different mirrors. Yoko had watched this entire process with increasing amusement before finally saying, "It's a study session, not a date."
"I know that," Enid had said.
"Do you?"
"Yes. Obviously. We're just friends studying."
"Uh-huh. Is that why you're wearing the cardigan he complimented last week?"
Enid had fled before Yoko could say anything else.
Now she was standing in the library entrance, clutching a small bakery box with two chocolate chip cookies, and trying to calm her racing heart. This was fine. This was normal. They studied together all the time.
Except now she knew she had feelings for him, which made everything feel different and weird and—
"Enid?"
She turned to find Gabriel approaching from the other direction. He was still in his uniform, but he'd loosened his tie slightly and rolled up his sleeves, and why was that attractive? That shouldn't be attractive. It was just forearms.
Very nice forearms.
Stop it, brain.
"Hi!" Enid said, a little too enthusiastically. "I have cookies!"
She thrust the box at him like a shield.
Gabriel took it with a small smile—that smile that made his whole face soften. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to. Consider it payment for all the times you've saved me from looking stupid in class."
"You've never looked stupid."
"I literally couldn't remember what protease was yesterday."
"Everyone forgets things sometimes." Gabriel gestured toward their usual table. "Come on. Before someone else takes our spot."
Their spot. Like it belonged to them specifically.
Enid's traitorous heart did a little flip.
They settled into their usual seats—across from each other, close enough to share notes but with the table as a safe barrier. Gabriel opened the cookie box and offered her first choice, even though she'd bought them for him.
"So," Enid said, pulling out her Physics notebook. "Electromagnetic fields. Why are they so confusing?"
"They're actually not that complicated once you understand the basic principles." Gabriel pulled the textbook between them. "Here, look at this diagram..."
For the next hour, they fell into their comfortable rhythm. Gabriel explained concepts with infinite patience, occasionally drawing additional diagrams when the textbook ones weren't clear. Enid asked questions, took notes, and tried very hard not to notice how his hair fell across his forehead when he leaned over the book, or how his fingers were long and elegant when he pointed at equations, or how he absentmindedly ate his cookie while he talked.
"Earth to Enid," Gabriel said, and she realized she'd been staring.
"Sorry! I was just... thinking."
"About electromagnetic fields?"
"Sure. Yes. Definitely that."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow but didn't push. Instead, he slid a piece of paper toward her. "Try this practice problem. I'll check your work."
Enid focused on the problem, grateful for something concrete to do. Math was safe. Math didn't involve confusing feelings or wondering if your best friend liked you back.
She worked through the equations, occasionally glancing up to find Gabriel watching her with an expression she couldn't quite read. Every time their eyes met, he'd look away quickly, like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.
Was he... nervous?
Gabriel Blackwood, who faced down his own terrifying transformation every month, who had nerves of steel during training, who could stare down aggressive werewolves without flinching—was he nervous around *her*?
"Done," Enid said, pushing the paper toward him.
Gabriel scanned her work, and his expression shifted to something that might have been pride. "Perfect. You got it exactly right."
"Really?"
"Really. See?" He pointed to her final answer. "You even simplified the equation correctly. You're better at this than you think."
"I have a good teacher."
Something flickered in Gabriel's expression—something warm and pleased that made Enid's stomach flutter.
"I'm just patient," he said. "You do all the actual work."
"You make it make sense. That's a skill."
They were smiling at each other now, the physics problem forgotten. The library felt very quiet suddenly. Very intimate. Like they were the only two people in the world.
Gabriel cleared his throat and looked away first. "Should we... move on to the next chapter? Or do you feel good about this section?"
"I feel good about it," Enid said. Then, because she couldn't help herself: "Gabriel?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
He tensed slightly, but nodded. "Of course."
Enid fidgeted with her pen. "After Friday. After the full moon. Did anything... change? For you?"
"Change how?"
"I don't know. Just... different?" She couldn't quite articulate what she meant. Did you realize you might like me? Do you think about me as much as I think about you? Has this friendship turned into something more and I'm not crazy for thinking that?
Gabriel was quiet for a long moment, and Enid's heart sank. She'd made it weird. She'd pushed too far.
But then he said, softly, "Everything changed."
Enid's head snapped up. "What?"
"Having you there. Having someone stay. It changed..." He paused, seeming to struggle with the words. "It changed how I see myself. How I see the full moon. How I see... everything."
"Is that good or bad?"
"Good. Definitely good." He met her eyes, and there was something intense in his gaze. "Terrifying, but good."
"Why terrifying?"
Gabriel opened his mouth, then closed it. Whatever he'd been about to say, he reconsidered. "Because I'm not used to having something this important. And I'm afraid of losing it."
"You won't lose me," Enid said immediately. "Gabriel, I'm not going anywhere."
"You say that now—"
"I say that always." She reached across the table and placed her hand over his, the way she had yesterday. "I mean it. You're stuck with me."
Gabriel looked down at their hands, then back up at her face. His expression was complex—hope and fear and something else Enid couldn't quite name.
"Enid, I—"
"Hey Blackwood!" A voice called across the library, and they both jumped apart.
Bruno Yuson was walking toward them with his characteristic confident stride, flanked by two other werewolves from their year. He looked between Gabriel and Enid with interest.
"Sorry to interrupt," Bruno said, though his tone suggested he wasn't sorry at all. "Just wanted to check in. That full moon Friday night sounded intense. Everyone in the dorms heard it."
Gabriel's expression shuttered immediately. "It was fine."
"Fine? Dude, you were roaring loud enough to shake the building. Some of the freshmen were terrified." Bruno's attention shifted to Enid. "And I heard you were there? In the observation room?"
Enid bristled at his tone. "So what if I was?"
"So that's pretty hardcore. Most people wouldn't go near an ancient bloodline werewolf during transformation." Bruno said it casually, but there was a testing quality to his words. "Guess the rumors about you two are true."
"What rumors?" Enid asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"That you're either really brave or really crazy." Bruno grinned. "I'm leaning toward brave. Takes guts to befriend the scariest guy at Nevermore."
"He's not scary," Enid said firmly. "And we're not just friends because I'm brave. We're friends because Gabriel is kind and smart and one of the best people I know."
Bruno's eyebrows rose, and his two friends exchanged glances.
Gabriel was staring at Enid like she'd just said something monumentally important.
"Huh," Bruno said finally. "Well, good for you guys. Seriously. It's cool to see Blackwood actually having friends." He nodded at Gabriel. "Catch you later, man. Oh, and Sinclair? If you ever get tired of studying with this guy, the offer for coffee still stands."
He walked away before Enid could respond, his friends following.
The moment they were gone, Enid turned to Gabriel. "Sorry about that. Bruno's been... persistent."
"He asked you out again?"
"Yesterday. I said no. Obviously."
"Why obviously?"
Enid blinked. "Because I... because I'm not interested in Bruno?"
"Right. Of course." Gabriel was looking at his textbook now, not at her. "He's a good guy, though. Popular. Easy to be around."
"Gabriel."
"What?"
"Are you... are you jealous?"
His head snapped up. "What? No. I'm not—why would I be—"
"Because you sound jealous."
"I'm not jealous. I'm just pointing out that Bruno is objectively a better choice for—" He stopped abruptly.
"A better choice for what?"
Gabriel looked pained. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."
But Enid's heart was racing now, because Gabriel was jealous. He was actually jealous of Bruno, which meant—
"Gabriel," she said carefully. "What did you mean, 'better choice'?"
"Enid, can we just drop this?"
"No. I don't think we can." She leaned forward. "Talk to me. Please."
Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, a gesture she'd learned meant he was agitated. "Bruno is everything I'm not. Social. Easy-going. Normal. People aren't afraid of him. He doesn't have to lock himself in a cage once a month. He's—"
"Not you," Enid interrupted. "And I don't want him. I want—" She caught herself, but it was too late.
"You want what?" Gabriel asked quietly.
This was it. The moment. She could backtrack, play it safe, keep things as they were.
Or she could be brave.
"I want..." Enid took a breath. "I want to keep spending time with you. Just you. Because you're the person I want to be around. Not Bruno. Not anyone else. You."
Gabriel was very still. "As friends."
"Yes. As friends. Obviously." The lie tasted bitter. "That's what we are. Friends."
"Right. Friends." Gabriel echoed, and something in his tone made Enid's chest ache.
They both looked away at the same time.
The library felt too quiet again, but this time it wasn't intimate. It was awkward. Heavy with things unsaid.
"I should probably go," Enid said finally. "It's almost dinner time."
"Yeah. Of course." Gabriel started packing up his things. "Same time tomorrow?"
"If you want."
"I always want—" He stopped, seeming to catch himself. "I mean, yes. Tomorrow works."
They left the library together, walking in uncomfortable silence that had never existed between them before. At the split where Enid would head to Ophelia Hall and Gabriel to his dorm, they paused.
"Gabriel," Enid said.
"Yeah?"
*I like you. More than friends. Way more than friends.*
"Thanks for helping with Physics."
Something flickered across his face—disappointment? "Anytime."
He walked away, and Enid stood there watching him go, feeling like she'd just failed some crucial test.
Her phone buzzed.
**Yoko:** how'd it go??
**Enid:** i think i just made everything worse
**Yoko:** what happened???
**Enid:** bruno showed up and asked me out again and gabriel got jealous and i chickened out and said we were just friends
**Yoko:** ENID
**Yoko:** YOU WERE SO CLOSE
**Enid:** i know!!!
**Enid:** what do i do now??
**Yoko:** you tell him the truth before you both drive yourselves crazy
**Enid:** easier said than done
**Yoko:** maybe
**Yoko:** but necessary
Enid stared at her phone, then back at the path Gabriel had taken.
Yoko was right. This couldn't keep going like this.
But how did you tell your best friend you'd fallen for them without risking everything?
---
**Gabriel's POV - That Evening**
Gabriel made it to his dorm, closed the door, and let his head fall back against the wood with a soft thunk.
He was an idiot.
He'd almost confessed. Actually almost said the words "I have feelings for you" to Enid Sinclair in the middle of the library. And then Bruno had shown up, and Gabriel had gotten jealous like a possessive fool, and Enid had said she wanted to spend time with him but immediately followed it with "as friends."
*As friends.*
The friendzone had never felt so suffocating.
"Rough day?" Stefan asked from his side of the room.
Gabriel had almost forgotten his roommate was there. Stefan was usually so quiet, it was easy to overlook him.
"You could say that."
"Girl trouble?"
Gabriel's head snapped toward Stefan. "What?"
The gorgon shrugged, adjusting his beanie. "You've got that look. My brother had it last year. It's the 'I'm in love with my best friend but too scared to say anything' look."
"I'm not—" Gabriel stopped. What was the point of denying it? "Is it that obvious?"
"To anyone paying attention? Yeah." Stefan closed his textbook. "For what it's worth, I think she likes you too. The way she looks at you in the hallways? That's not how friends look at each other."
"She said we're just friends."
"Did she say that, or did she say 'obviously we're friends' while sounding like she wished you were more?"
Gabriel thought back to the conversation. The way Enid had said "obviously" like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.
"The second one," he admitted.
"Then maybe you should do something about it."
"What if I'm wrong? What if I tell her and she really does just want to be friends? I'd ruin everything."
Stefan was quiet for a moment. "Or you'd be honest. And she'd be honest back. And maybe you'd both get what you actually want."
"You're surprisingly wise for someone who barely talks."
"I observe a lot. Comes with being a gorgon—you learn to read people without direct eye contact." Stefan picked up his book again. "Just think about it. Life's too short to spend it wishing for things you're too scared to reach for."
Gabriel's phone buzzed.
**Xavier:** ajax and i are getting pizza at that place in jericho. you in?
**Gabriel:** Rain check. Not feeling social tonight.
**Xavier:** enid problems?
**Gabriel:** How does everyone know?
**Xavier:** because you've been walking around with heart eyes for weeks and it's both adorable and painful to watch
**Xavier:** just tell her dude
**Gabriel:** It's not that simple.
**Xavier:** actually it kind of is
**Xavier:** "enid i like you as more than a friend" boom done
**Gabriel:** And if she doesn't feel the same way?
**Xavier:** then at least you know and can move forward instead of being stuck in this weird limbo where you're both clearly into each other but too chicken to admit it
Gabriel groaned and fell face-first onto his bed.
His phone buzzed again.
**Ajax:** xavier made me join this intervention
**Ajax:** but he's right
**Ajax:** you and enid are perfect for each other
**Ajax:** everyone can see it except apparently you two
**Gabriel:** I hate you both.
**Xavier:** no you don't
**Xavier:** you love us
**Xavier:** almost as much as you love sinclair
**Gabriel:** I'm blocking both of your numbers.
**Xavier:** do it i dare you
**Xavier:** oh wait you won't because we're your best friends
**Xavier:** speaking of best friends who you have feelings for
**Gabriel:** I'm turning off my phone.
**Xavier:** COWARD
But Gabriel did turn off his phone, because his friends were right and he wasn't ready to deal with that yet.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the library. About how close he'd been to saying something. About the look on Enid's face when she'd said she wanted to spend time with him. About the way she'd defended him to Bruno without hesitation.
*Gabriel is kind and smart and one of the best people I know.*
No one had ever called him the best person they knew. Most people called him dangerous, scary, someone to avoid.
But Enid saw something different. Something better.
Maybe Stefan and Xavier and Ajax were right. Maybe it was time to be honest.
But not tonight. Tonight he was going to wallow in self-pity and overthink everything, like the emotionally constipated werewolf he was.
Tomorrow, though.
Tomorrow he'd figure out what to do.
----
BREAKING POINT**
**Enid's POV - Wednesday Morning**
Enid had not slept well.
She'd spent most of the night staring at her ceiling, replaying the library conversation over and over. The way Gabriel had sounded when he said "as friends." The way they'd both chickened out of saying what they actually meant. The painful, awkward silence afterward.
She'd texted Yoko at 2 AM: *i think i ruined everything*
Yoko had texted back: *go to sleep. you'll figure it out tomorrow. also its 2am why are you awake*
But Enid couldn't sleep. Because tomorrow was now today, and she had Werewolf Reproduction with Gabriel in an hour, and she had no idea how to face him.
"You look terrible," Yoko observed over breakfast.
"Thanks. That's exactly what I needed to hear."
"I mean it lovingly. But seriously, you have dark circles. Did you sleep at all?"
"Maybe two hours?"
Yoko sighed and pushed her blood-infused smoothie toward Enid. "Drink this. You need energy."
"I'm not drinking blood."
"It's mostly strawberry. The blood is just for me. Come on, take a sip. It'll wake you up."
Enid took a reluctant sip and immediately made a face. "That's disgusting."
"But are you more awake?"
"...Maybe."
"Then my work here is done." Yoko stole the smoothie back. "So what's your plan for class today?"
"Sit as far from Gabriel as possible and pretend everything is fine?"
"Terrible plan. F minus. Try again."
"Sit next to Gabriel and act completely normal?"
"Better, but still cowardly. Here's what you're going to do: sit next to him, act normal, and maybe—just maybe—try to actually talk about what happened yesterday."
"I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"Because what if—"
"No 'what ifs,'" Yoko interrupted. "I told you, if you say 'what if' one more time, I'm locking you both in a room."
"You can't actually do that."
"Watch me."
Enid groaned and dropped her head to the table. "Why is this so hard?"
"Because you actually care about the outcome. If you didn't care, it would be easy." Yoko patted her head sympathetically. "But you do care. A lot. Which means it matters."
"I hate that you're always right."
"It's a burden I bear with grace."
---
**Gabriel's POV**
Gabriel had also not slept well.
He'd spent most of the night mentally writing and rewriting speeches. Imagining conversations. Coming up with a dozen different ways to tell Enid he had feelings for her, and a dozen different ways it could go wrong.
By morning, he was exhausted and no closer to a decision.
"You look like death," Xavier said when Gabriel met him and Ajax for breakfast.
"Didn't sleep."
"Let me guess: thinking about Enid?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Too bad. We're talking about it." Xavier steered Gabriel to a table in the corner of the commissary, away from the main crowd. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. You're going to go to class today, sit next to Enid like you always do, and act normal."
"I don't think I can act normal."
"Then act like you're acting normal. Fake it till you make it." Ajax sat down with a tray full of food. "But seriously, Gabriel. You can't avoid her forever."
"I'm not avoiding her."
"You're about to," Xavier pointed out. "I can see it in your eyes. You're planning to sit far away from her in class and pretend you have important notes to review."
Gabriel said nothing, because that had been exactly his plan.
"Don't do that," Ajax said gently. "That'll make everything worse. Just... be her friend. Like always. And maybe when you're both ready, you can talk about the other stuff."
"What if we're never ready?"
"Then you'll both be miserable and pining forever, and Xavier and I will have to watch it like some tragic romance novel," Ajax said. "Please don't make us do that. Xavier cries at romance novels."
"I do not!"
"You cried during Pride and Prejudice."
"That was one time, and Mr. Darcy's first proposal was genuinely heartbreaking!"
Despite everything, Gabriel found himself almost smiling. His friends were ridiculous. But they cared, and that meant something.
"Fine," Gabriel said. "I'll sit with her. I'll act normal."
"That's the spirit!" Xavier clapped him on the back. "And who knows? Maybe today will be the day one of you finally grows a spine and says something."
"Not helping."
"I'm never helping. I'm here for moral support and sarcastic commentary."
They finished breakfast, and Gabriel made his way to Werewolf Reproduction with a sense of impending doom. The classroom was already half-full when he arrived. He spotted Enid immediately—she was in their usual seats, but she looked uncertain, like she wasn't sure if he'd sit with her.
Gabriel took a breath and walked over.
"Hi," he said.
Enid's face brightened immediately. "Hi! I wasn't sure if... I mean, I saved your seat. If you want it."
"I want it." Gabriel slid into the chair next to her, and something in the air between them relaxed. "How are you?"
"Tired. Didn't sleep well."
"Me neither."
They shared a look—tentative, but genuine.
"Gabriel, about yesterday—" Enid started.
"Miss Sinclair, Mr. Blackwood," Dr. Harker's voice cut through the room. "Good to see you both. Class is starting."
The moment was broken. Enid bit her lip and turned to face forward, and Gabriel tried to focus on the lecture instead of the fact that they'd been about to have an important conversation.
Dr. Harker was discussing pack bonds today—the psychological and emotional connections between werewolves in a pack structure. How they formed, what they meant, how they affected individual behavior.
"Pack bonds are not romantic love," Dr. Harker said, writing on the board. "Though they can coexist with it. They're something deeper—a sense of belonging, of being fundamentally understood and accepted. Many werewolves describe their pack bond as feeling like 'coming home.'"
Gabriel felt Enid glance at him, then quickly look away.
Coming home. That's what it felt like when he was with Enid. Like he'd found the place he was supposed to be.
"Now," Dr. Harker continued, "pack bonds can form between werewolves who aren't blood-related. In fact, chosen pack bonds are often stronger than biological ones. Can anyone tell me why?"
A student in the back raised their hand. "Because you choose them. It's intentional, not just circumstance."
"Exactly. Choice makes all the difference." Dr. Harker turned to the class. "For your next assignment, I want you to write about the distinction between pack bonds and romantic relationships. How they differ, how they overlap, and what happens when they coexist. Three pages, due Monday."
The class groaned collectively, but Gabriel was barely listening. Because Enid had just passed him a note.
He unfolded it carefully.
*Do you think pack bonds can exist between werewolves who aren't in an actual pack?*
Gabriel wrote back: *Yes. I think they can form between any werewolves who choose each other.*
Enid read his response, then wrote: *Have you ever felt a pack bond with someone?*
Gabriel's hand hesitated over the paper. Then he wrote: *Yes. Recently.*
Enid's eyes widened when she read that. She looked at him, and Gabriel met her gaze steadily.
She wrote: *Who?*
This was it. He could deflect, say he wasn't sure, change the subject.
Or he could be honest.
Gabriel wrote: *You.*
He passed the note back and watched Enid read it. Her expression shifted through several emotions—surprise, confusion, then something that looked like hope.
She started to write something back, but Dr. Harker called on her.
"Miss Sinclair, since you and Mr. Blackwood seem to be having such an engaging conversation, perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts on pack bonds with the class?"
Enid's face turned pink. "Um. I think... I think pack bonds are about choosing to be there for someone. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."
"Interesting. And Mr. Blackwood? Do you agree?"
Gabriel kept his eyes on Enid as he answered. "Yes. I think pack bonds are about seeing someone fully—at their worst and their best—and choosing them anyway."
Several students turned to look at them, sensing something in the air.
Dr. Harker smiled slightly. "Well said, both of you. Remember that for your papers."
Class continued, but Gabriel and Enid didn't pass any more notes. They didn't need to. Something had shifted between them—an understanding, an acknowledgment of what they were dancing around.
When class ended, they walked out together in charged silence.
"Gabriel," Enid said once they were in the hallway. "That note. About the pack bond. Did you mean—"
"Enid! There you are!"
Becca appeared with Maya and Coral, effectively cutting off the conversation.
"We've been looking everywhere for you," Becca said. "Yoko said you wanted to go shopping in Jericho this afternoon?"
"I... did?" Enid looked confused, then her phone buzzed. She checked it and her expression shifted. "Oh. Right. Shopping. I totally forgot."
Gabriel recognized a rescue mission when he saw one. Yoko had clearly sent reinforcements to prevent another awkward almost-conversation.
"You should go," Gabriel said. "We can talk later."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
But as Enid was pulled away by her friends, Gabriel felt the opportunity slipping through his fingers. Again.
His phone buzzed.
**Xavier:** dude what happened in class
**Xavier:** ajax said he heard you and enid had some kind of moment???
**Gabriel:** We passed notes.
**Xavier:** AND???
**Gabriel:** I told her I feel a pack bond with her.
**Xavier:** GABRIEL
**Xavier:** THAT'S BASICALLY A WEREWOLF LOVE CONFESSION
**Xavier:** WHAT DID SHE SAY
**Gabriel:** Nothing yet. We keep getting interrupted.
**Xavier:** okay that's actually painful
**Xavier:** you two are cursed
**Gabriel:** Starting to think so.
**Ajax:** maybe you need to just corner her somewhere and have the conversation without interruptions?
**Gabriel:** That seems aggressive.
**Ajax:** or you could ask her to meet you somewhere specific where you know you'll have privacy?
**Xavier:** ajax that's literally the same thing
**Ajax:** no it's ASKING not cornering
**Ajax:** consent is important even in emotional conversations
**Gabriel:** You're both ridiculous.
**Xavier:** ridiculously RIGHT
**Xavier:** do it. ask her to meet you somewhere tonight. the quad after curfew or something romantic like that
**Gabriel:** I'm not breaking curfew for a confession.
**Xavier:** you're right. that's too cliche.
**Ajax:** what about the training room? you already associate it with vulnerability and trust
**Xavier:** ajax that's actually kind of genius
**Gabriel:** I'll think about it.
**Xavier:** no thinking. DOING.
But Gabriel did think about it. All through his afternoon classes, through training with Alaric (who definitely noticed his distraction), through dinner where he sat with Xavier and Ajax and barely tasted his food.
By evening, he'd made a decision.
He pulled out his phone.
**Gabriel:** Enid, are you free tonight around 8?
The three dots appeared, disappeared, appeared again.
**Enid:** yes! why?
**Gabriel:** I thought we could meet in the training room. We keep getting interrupted when we try to talk. Figured somewhere private might be better.
**Enid:** is everything okay?
**Gabriel:** Yes. I just think we need to actually finish a conversation for once.
**Enid:** okay. training room at 8. ill be there.
**Gabriel:** See you then.
Gabriel stared at his phone for a long moment, then looked at Xavier and Ajax, who had clearly been reading over his shoulder.
"You did it," Xavier said, looking genuinely proud.
"I asked her to meet me. I haven't actually said anything yet."
"You will," Ajax said confidently. "I believe in you."
"What if I mess this up?"
"Then you mess it up. But at least you tried." Xavier stood, pulling Gabriel up with him. "Come on. You have two hours to mentally prepare. Let's go make sure you don't chicken out."
---
**Enid's POV**
"He asked to meet you in the training room?" Yoko said, her eyes wide. "Enid, that's like... that's his vulnerable space. Where he trains. Where he showed you his transformation."
"I know!" Enid was pacing their dorm room, having changed outfits four times already. "What does that mean? Is he going to tell me he just wants to be friends? Is he going to say we're spending too much time together? Is he—"
"Or," Yoko interrupted, "he's going to tell you he has feelings for you."
Enid stopped pacing. "You think so?"
"Enid, he told you he feels a pack bond with you. Do you know how significant that is for werewolves? That's basically—"
"I know what it means!" Enid's heart was racing. "But what if I'm reading too much into it? What if he meant it platonically?"
"There is nothing platonic about the way that boy looks at you."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true!" Yoko stood and put her hands on Enid's shoulders. "Listen to me. You're going to go to that training room. You're going to talk to Gabriel. And you're going to be honest about your feelings. All of them."
"What if he doesn't feel the same way?"
"Then at least you'll know. But Enid?" Yoko smiled. "He does. I'd bet money on it."
Enid looked at herself in the mirror. She'd settled on comfortable clothes—leggings and her favorite hoodie. Nothing too fancy, nothing that screamed "I'm trying too hard."
Her phone showed 7:45 PM.
"I should go," Enid said.
"Good luck. Text me after so I know you're not dead from emotional devastation."
"That's reassuring."
"I'm a vampire. Reassurance isn't my strong suit."
Enid grabbed her phone and headed out, her heart pounding with every step. The castle was quiet at this hour—most students were in their dorms or the library. Enid made her way to the basement, down the familiar path to the training rooms.
The door to training room 3 was slightly ajar, warm light spilling into the hallway.
Enid took a deep breath and pushed it open.
Gabriel was there, sitting on the floor in the center of the room, looking nervous. He stood when he saw her.
"Hi," Enid said.
"Hi." Gabriel gestured to the floor. "I thought sitting might be better than standing. Less formal."
"Okay."
They sat down facing each other, close but not touching. The training room felt different at night—quieter, more intimate.
"So," Gabriel started, then stopped. "I'm not sure how to begin this."
"The beginning usually works."
"Right. Okay." He took a breath. "Enid, we've been dancing around something for weeks now. And I think... I think we need to actually talk about it."
Enid's heart was hammering. "Okay."
"That day in the library. When I said everything changed after the full moon. I meant it. Having you there, having someone choose to stay—it changed how I see everything. Especially how I see you."
"How do you see me?"
Gabriel's eyes met hers, and there was something raw in his expression. "As the person I think about first thing in the morning and last thing at night. As the person whose laugh I can identify from across campus. As the person who makes me feel like I'm not a monster."
Enid's breath caught. "Gabriel—"
"Wait. Let me finish." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know we're friends. Best friends. And I know saying this could ruin that. But I can't keep pretending I don't feel more. I can't keep acting like you're just my friend when you're..." He paused. "When you're everything."
The training room was completely silent except for their breathing.
"I have feelings for you," Gabriel said finally. "Romantic feelings. I'm in love with you, Enid Sinclair. And I understand if you don't feel the same way. I understand if this makes things weird. But I couldn't keep lying about it."
Enid stared at him, her mind spinning. Gabriel loved her. Gabriel Blackwood, who barely let anyone close, who was terrified of hurting people, who kept everyone at arm's length—loved *her*.
"Say something," Gabriel said quietly. "Please."
"You love me," Enid said, testing the words.
"Yes."
"And you're telling me this even though you're terrified it'll ruin our friendship."
"Yes."
"Because you can't keep pretending."
"Yes."
Enid felt a smile spreading across her face. "Gabriel, you idiot."
He blinked. "What?"
"I love you too!" The words burst out of her, and suddenly she was laughing and crying at the same time. "I've been losing my mind trying to figure out if you felt the same way! I've been talking to Yoko every night about it. I turned down Bruno because all I could think about was you. I stayed during your full moon because I couldn't stand the thought of you being alone. I've been falling for you since the day you made that deadpan joke about gargoyle kitchens!"
Gabriel looked stunned. "You... what?"
"I love you!" Enid repeated, louder this time. "Gabriel Blackwood, I am completely, ridiculously, terrifyingly in love with you!"
For a moment, Gabriel just stared at her. Then, slowly, his expression transformed into the most genuine smile Enid had ever seen on his face.
"Really?" he asked, like he couldn't quite believe it.
"Really."
"So when you said 'obviously we're just friends'—"
"I was lying through my teeth because I was scared."
"And when Bruno asked you out—"
"I said no because I wanted *you*."
"And the pack bond—"
"Is definitely mutual."
Gabriel laughed—actually laughed, bright and unrestrained. "We're idiots."
"The biggest idiots." Enid was grinning so hard her face hurt. "We wasted weeks dancing around this!"
"We did." Gabriel reached out tentatively, offering his hand. "Can I...?"
Enid took his hand and, in one smooth movement, closed the distance between them. "Yes. Definitely yes."
They were close now, closer than they'd ever been. Enid could see the amber flecks in Gabriel's brown eyes, could feel his careful breath, could sense the tension in him as he held himself back.
"I'm afraid I'll hurt you," he whispered.
"You won't."
"My control—"
"Is incredible. Gabriel, you've never hurt me. You've never even come close." Enid lifted her free hand to his face, cupping his cheek gently. "I trust you. Completely."
"I don't deserve you."
"Too bad. You're stuck with me."
Gabriel's smile was soft, tender. "I can live with that."
"Can I kiss you?" Enid asked. "Or is that too fast? We can wait if you want. I don't want to pressure—"
Gabriel kissed her.
It was gentle, careful, like he was afraid she'd break. His hand came up to cradle the back of her head, and Enid melted into him, into this perfect moment she'd been dreaming about for weeks.
When they pulled back, both of them were smiling.
"Wow," Enid said.
"Yeah."
"We should have done that weeks ago."
"We should have done a lot of things weeks ago."
They sat there, foreheads touching, just breathing each other in.
"So," Enid said eventually. "What does this make us?"
"What do you want it to make us?"
"Boyfriend and girlfriend sounds good. If you want that."
Gabriel pulled back just enough to look at her properly. "Enid Sinclair, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes. Obviously yes. Was that even a question?"
"I wanted to make it official."
"Well, it's official." Enid kissed him again, quick and sweet. "You're my boyfriend. I'm your girlfriend. We're together. Everyone can stop making bets about when we'd finally admit our feelings."
Gabriel groaned. "People were making bets?"
"Xavier started a pool. He told me last week."
"I'm going to kill him."
"You love him."
"I love *you*." Gabriel said it like he was testing the words, seeing how they felt. "I love you, and I can say that now. Out loud."
"Say it again."
"I love you."
"Again."
"I love you, Enid."
"I'm never going to get tired of hearing that." Enid wrapped her arms around him, and Gabriel held her close, his face buried in her hair.
They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other in the quiet training room where Gabriel had first shown her his transformation, where he'd been vulnerable and afraid and brave.
"What happens now?" Gabriel asked eventually.
"Now we tell our friends so they stop suffering. Now we go on actual dates instead of pretending library study sessions aren't dates. Now we figure out how to do this together." Enid pulled back to smile at him. "Now we get to be happy."
"I like that plan."
"Me too."
They left the training room hand in hand, and Enid had never felt lighter. All those weeks of uncertainty, of wondering and hoping and fearing—all of it led to this. To Gabriel smiling at her like she was the best thing in his world. To her finally being able to call him hers.
When they reached the split where they'd have to go to their separate dorms, Gabriel pulled her close for one more kiss.
"Goodnight," he whispered against her lips.
"Goodnight, boyfriend."
Gabriel grinned. "I'm never getting tired of that either."
Enid practically floated back to Ophelia Hall. She burst into her room to find Yoko waiting on her bed with expectant eyes.
"Well?" Yoko demanded.
"We're together!" Enid squealed. "He loves me! I love him! We kissed!"
"FINALLY!" Yoko jumped up and hugged her. "I thought I was going to have to actually lock you in a room together!"
"We did it ourselves. Well, with some help from not being able to shut up once we started talking."
"I'm so happy for you." Yoko pulled back, grinning. "Okay, tell me everything. Every detail. Start from the beginning."
And Enid did, reliving every perfect moment, while her phone buzzed with increasingly excited messages from Xavier and Ajax (Gabriel had clearly told them too).
Somewhere across campus, in his dorm room, Gabriel was probably doing the same thing.
And for the first time in a long time, Enid felt like everything was exactly as it should be.
---