Gabriel Rodriguez || 20 || 3rd year || RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT & MEDICAL TRAINING || Aesthetics: rolled up comic books, a Cheshire cat smile, and crooked glasses ||
HEARING THE KNOCK on the wood ─ only moments after Kass rushed out to head to a final ─ had Mimi shaking her head. She had just finished pinning her hair back ( into utter perfection ) as she made her way to the door. Hand on the knob, she began taunting her cousin while pulling it open. “Did you forget your key THAT ─” her heart sputtered to a stop as her eyes landed on her visitor. “…quickly.”
SHE HADN’T SPOKEN or even thought much of his name in y e a r s. It didn’t help that avoiding him and his kin was like an Olympic sport for Mimi, challenging but worth it. Kass could only protect her from so much and the l a s t thing the girl needed was ghosts from high school’s past coming back to haunt her more than they already did. So seeing him across the threshold of one of the few places Mimi considered a safe haven, already made her feel stripped bare ─ violation not that far behind. “Wrong room,” she stated as COLDLY as she could, but even the girl could hear her voice waver slightly. “The second floor is reserved for assholes and jerks alike. You’ll find YOUR FRIENDS THERE,” she spat, stepping back to slam the door in his face.
Culpability etched into earnest features, determined shoulders collapsing in defeat. He hadn’t exactly expected a welcome comity, however, it did ache that after years her response to his presence was even now was repulse.
‘ Hey— ' his affable voice was smothered by the fire hidden within those amber irises. She always wore a guise of indifference when they inevitably met around corners or in the cafeteria line. Today she wore an extra frosty exterior that even Elsa couldn’t compete with. One hand freed itself from clutching the book, fixing his glasses out of habit before brazenly pressing against the door. ‘ Yeah, I totally deserve that – ' He agreed, retreating from the threshold, ‘ and I – ‘ He knew he had seconds before she fully came to her senses to exile him from her floor. ‘ I found this in a box and it belongs to you… I’ll just leave it here… and back away. I promise… ’ He knelt down, one knee hit the wooden floor as he stood the sketchbook inside the door. ‘ I didn’t look through it all, but there’s some pretty vintage sketches in there and I thought you might want it back… ’ A hesitant shrug leapt across sullen shoulders.
Among the aged doodles sat an apology letter, long overdue. Even though he knew it’d end up in the bin, he had to attempt to mend old wounds. His younger self had no idea what he’d lost for a moment in the spotlight.
she had been there for a while - - - her hands expertly handling the knives, delicately, precisely, with a relaxed smile. this was her comfort. “There is just something incredibly relaxing–” roisin breathed out, as she threw the object in her hand towards the target, watching it hit the middle with an accomplished smile. yes. “– about the thud as it hits the board, don’t you think?”
Unsettled was an understatement. A tingle played his spine like a harp, his heart a violent drum beat – an anxiety symphony. He seldom ventured this way, knowing the field agents would taunt the behind the desk guys if they were to encroach… Sometimes it was almost as if the jock and the nerd stereotype still existed. He came to this conclusion as a knife flew by, causing him to cease movement immediately. ‘ I think that there are plenty of cases I’ve studied where statements like that we’re followed with a particular diagnosis. ’ He muttered, hoping his comments would go unnoticed – he really couldn’t afford to find himself in a knife fight.
It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it. In fact, every single time someone in the Academy had spotted him smoking, they sounded a lot like a doctor’s office brochure. Many times he had told them to fuck off, but at this point he just rolled his eyes and let them speak about all the damage to his lungs, as if being trapped in a building that old 24/7 was any healthier with all the dust and fungus most likely living in their walls.
“I’m pretty sure they’re enough smog in the air, or bacteria in water that will cause just as much damage without you even knowing it. Maybe I just like to be aware of my death.”
Usually, he wasn’t so judgmental though with his recent studies he couldn’t quite erase the statistics from his mind. Addictions were usually routed in something much deeper – they were an escape from something much darker. ‘ Yeah, but I’m deliberately ingesting it, there’s a difference. ’ With a shrug, his brick heavy bag fell to the ground with a thud. Gabriel proceeded to take up residence next to his roommate on the seat, whether he was invited. ‘ How’s your study going for the finals? ’ People dealt with stress in all different manners, he’d come to observe that Leo’s was an avoidance tactic most times.
“Well I can’t get all of them myself now can I?” she laughed. Carmen would have gladly tried, but she didn’t feel like spending finals hunched over the toilet. And her grandmother, when teaching her how to cook had also taught her that good food was meant to be shared with others. Carmen had been stress cooking, but she had also been cooking for others. Nothing helped stress like a good churro. “My Abuela taught me. She supported me pursuing a career in math and science, but also believed a woman should know how to cook.”
‘ I mean, maybe you could. I’m not here to judge because I know I definitely could. ’ A sweet-tempered chuckle chimed from cinnamon covered lips. Sharing appreciation of food brought a warmth to his heart, the memories of home stirred a longing sickness in his stomach. His attention had now been fully captured by his companion as greedy hands reached for more. ‘ I haven’t seen my Abuela in a while but I know she’d be furious with the lack of meat on my bones. ’ He took on a mocking, yet sentimental tone, ‘nieto, you will not leave the table till all four meals have been eaten! ’ Leaning back in his chair a gentle grin shifted across his visage. ‘ I bet she gloats about you all the time. ’
The forbidden room – 108. He rarely ventured to this floor if he could evade it. The frosty chill of his ex-girlfriend expression, whenever they happened to be in the same vicinity, was enough incentive these days to keep a safe distance. He was an arsonist in her opinion, setting fire to any bridge that connected the two. He once believed, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, they too could survive the breakup. He was wrong.
Fingertips tightened around the spiral binds of her sketchbook with each agonising step he took. He’d forgotten she’d left it behind all those years ago until he kicked over one of the neglected boxes in his dorm. Would returning it restore their friendship? Hell no. But he was in a mending mood and would at least give it his best shot. Gabriel raised a hand to the wooden door, hesitating momentarily – he could walk away unscathed right now, but his parents didn’t raise a coward or a quitter.
The knock resonated down the walls of the empty hallway, there was nowhere to hide…
Finals didn’t get to him as much as they did to some of the students. He could see most people walking around with their noses on books, or just crowding the gym to prepare for the training coming up in the next couple weeks. He was relaxed– or at least it’s what he wanted to show, covering up for the entire nights he spent training and reading hidden from the outside eye. But to be fair, the collective stress around the academy was starting to get contagious, so most of his breaks, he used to sit outside and light up a smoke. It was a little bit of a break from reality, or at least he thought so, since he was usually alone most of the times, but it seemed it wasn’t the case this time around.
“Are you too scared to ask for one, or just plan to sit there and stare?” He said, without actually looking at them.
His roommate attempted to keep up a guise of cool, calm and collected, however cracks were showing and only the most observant of people could notice. Weighed down by the brick like textbooks, Gabriel considered avoiding conversation. Though nagging concern directed his feet to carry him across the footpath, before he towered over the chimney of a man. ‘ You know those things will kill you right? ’ He shifted his weight, shoulders rolling back trying to relieve the tension on his shoulders momentarily.
‘ You know studying medicine makes one think twice about the damage caused by just one puff. ’ He knew his well-researched opinion would fall on deaf ears.
“Do you want one?” Carmen offered. Next to her laptop, piles of textbooks, and many different colored sticky notes, sat plates of steaming hot enchiladas and churros straight from her Abuela’s cookbook. The common room was filled with the smells of Mexican spices. “I stress cook,” she said in explanation. Finals at Gallagher were a perfect time for stress cooking. She had made a complete mess of the kitchens, but she had cleaned it all up and left a few treats for the cooks in apology for taking over their workplace. “Really have some. There’s plenty.”
Previously prying hues darted back towards his overcrowded laptop screen, he wasn’t exactly the sliest spy on campus. The waft of toasted sugar and cinnamon captivated his attention making his medical journal that much less desirable. Churros were a childhood favourite, stirring memories of exhilarating nights spent at carnivals. ‘ Really? You’re just offering incredible delicacies out? I think you just became my favourite person on campus. ’ He reached for a churro, only hesitating after the first disappeared as to whether it was safe to eat food from strangers. ‘ I wish I stress cooked… If my mum isn’t around I live off of takeaway and microwaved meals. ’
⌠ ALBERTO ROSENDE, 21, CSI MALE, HE/HIM ⌡ welcome back to gallagher academy, GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ! according to their records, they’re a THIRD year, specializing in RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT & MEDICAL TRAINING; and they DID go to a spy prep high school. when i see them walking around in the halls, i usually see a flash of (rolled up comic books, a Cheshire cat smile, and crooked glasses). when it’s the (scorpio)’s birthday on 1/11/1999, they always request their EXTRA SALTY FRIES from the school’s chefs. looks like they’re well on their way to graduation. ⌿ Rachel, 25, she/her, AEST/GMT+10 ⍀
· His father wasn’t meant to be a field agent. He was placed in Cuba undercover as an IT officer in an unassuming hospital. His target? Information and data. He was the type of agent who relied on his wits rather than muscle to find his way out of sticky situations.
· His mother was a nurse, caring and intellectual, her heart as strong and fearless as the most intimidating spy.
· They’d had fleeting moments, eyes darting and dancing, always a flirtatious interaction. And when his father had found himself wounded – a common occupational hazard – he’d find himself at her doorstep. At first, she didn’t ask questions, however her concerned increased as her love for him grew.
· Eventually he’d decided to give the spy life away, returning to America with a full heart and new family on the way.
· Gabriel had grown up in a well to do home – his father opting to work in IT without gathering intelligence. His mother studied to gain further credentials for her nursing career, she now runs a ward.
· They soon found that Gabriel possessed intelligence, just as his father once did and decided to enroll him in the prep school for spies, hoping he’d find a future as bright as theirs.
· Gabriel is a kind soul who only wants to make the world a better place with every decision he makes.
- He’s somewhat extroverted introvert – enjoying the company of those around him, though he retreats when he has the time.
- He is a lawful good and struggles to make decisions when if it has the potential to hurt others. He just wants to be a hero.
- He’s kind, witty and charming possessing the heart of gold his mother passed down to him.
- What he lacks in brawn's, he makes up for in brains – following in his father’s footsteps, he doesn’t want to fight with his fists. He’s the gaming, comic book nerd type who also likes to party - as long as he’s in bed by no later than 10:30pm.
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