Tegwen was still asleep on her couch -- peacefully, at long last -- one arm dangling off the side, the other propped at a wretched angle against the arm rest. Her short, curly hair was an unbelievable tangle for what little she had and her face was mashed against one of Gabriel's decorative pillows. She had part of its fringe pulled into her pill and was sucking it delicately as though it were a straw. Gabriel frowned at that initially, then slowly smiled.

Watching the girl sleep for a bit, she wondered how on earth Tegwen managed to sleep on her stomach when certain gigantic fatty deposits had to have been terribly uncomfortable, squished beneath her like that.

Gabriel silently sat on the recliner across from her couch. She, herself, had slept poorly, due in part to Tegwen's groans and cries while steeped in what must have been horrible nightmares. During the more tranquil parts of the night -- a few minutes before eleven -- Tegwen wasn't crying out in her sleep, but she was talking. When Gabriel first noticed it, she thought the girl was speaking -- or mumbling -- incoherently. But since she could hear it clear to her bedroom, she ruled out mumbling. No, Tegwen was speaking very clearly, actually, and she was not speaking English. It sounded like Irish or Scottish -- some form of Gaelic? -- to Gabriel's most educated guess.

What an absolutely bizarre girl, thought Gabriel, twirling some brown hair absentmindedly around a couple of her fingers. She can't ice skate to save her life but she knows multiple languages?

Tegwen had proven during their shopping trip that she was decently intelligent -- she said she'd been a straight-A student in school -- and Gabriel thought she had a good sense of humor. There was just so much Tegwen seemed to want to keep to herself. Like why she hated Steelbeak so passionately.

Things Gabriel needed to know. Things she genuinely wanted to know.

There was something about the little spitfire that just seemed to suck people in mercilessly. No wonder Steels can't get enough of her despite how she treats him!

Gabriel stood abruptly, infuriated by her own thoughts, but she didn't want to even consider what was so upsetting. She took a step, carelessly stubbing a toe against one of the coffee table legs. "Ow! Sonofa --"

Tegwen sat up on the couch swiftly, gasping in surprise at the noise.

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