Painting the Town Rainbow

[Gabriel Mendes]

With his back thudding against the large tyre, Gabriel slid down to his hunches with his heart beating hard against his chest. With the gun close to his chest, he turned to his left and then to his right before he pushed himself up to look over the tyre.

"I can see you, dirtbag. Might as well give up now!" He yelled out to the owner of the brown head of hair that crawled slowly by the bales of hay. Quickly, the power suppressor darted across the ground and ducked under a small alcove made out of milk cartons.

The quiet got him a little nervous so he peeked out and shot his paint pellet, which hit an empty bird feeder. "William, if you're in your shift, I will legit murder you right now."

[Will Spencer]

Reason number three thousand and forty-two of why William allowed or Gabriel to be his friend; the guy found things that actually sparked the interest of an otherwise very unenthused Brit who, although he'd chosen America, wasn't exactly the biggest fan of the country yet. Paint balling had originally sounded like a dumb idea. Shooting each other with pellets of paint? Honestly, where was the fun in that? It would leave a satisfying mark of color on the body suit they were forced to wear, but William hadn't expected to feel it when he was shot. The very thrill of the pain had really gotten him into what he was doing.

And what he was doing now...was stalking his best friend. His prey. Going in for the kill.

Shifting would do him no good in this situation, as he wouldn't be able to shoot the victim of his predatory gaze. However, he did use the convenience of his human form carrying over the grace and stealth of the lion he shifted into. Gabe was at a clear disadvantage, one he didn't seem overly prepared for. Shouting out that he knew where Will was, when he clearly was looking in the wrong direction. What Gabe hadn't noticed was that William had crawled from where he was last spotted, all the way around towards the alcove, where he was waiting just behind it, on the very opposite side of Gabriel.

The quiet was what held the hunt for Will, it made it fun. Easy even because Gabe was clearly uncomfortable with it. Not that Will much blamed him, getting himself to shut up half the time was the trick most tried to master the skill of. It took all of Will's concentration not to snicker as Gabe's shot fired off. Once he had his gun positioned in a proper way to make his attack run smoothly, William rolled to the side, in front of the alcove and shot off three paint balls. He didn't have to look to see where he hit, and he took off before Gabriel would have the time to run and tackle him.

[Gabriel Mendes]

With the distraction of hitting the bird feeder, Gabriel forgot to check his six and two paint pellets hit him square in the chest. He began to curse before pushing himself off the alcove, his eyes darting everywhere to follow where Will had gone.

He knew he was always at the disadvantage. When he won it was always a fluke and yet he always jumped at the chance to play. It was something of a masochistic need. Who knows. Maybe he should peg it as liking spending time with his curmudgeon of a friend any way he knew how.

Yeah.

Once he caught sight of Will, Gabriel's natural speed managed to catch up with Will and he leapt on to the other guy, and they both rolled around the ground. "Ya wily bastard."

[Will Spencer]

William was not a stupid person. Protect your own arse was something he'd grown up learning, even before he left. He had to protect himself against the horde that he called sisters. His fair share of times, he'd had to dodge Ellie putting a dress on him and making him look pretty because she thought it was comical. That was probably where he'd learned his speed from, running away from eyelash clamp things (curlers) and paint brushes with gaudy colors sprinkling the ends of them. The horror. Oh the horror.

However, Gabriel had natural speed, an athletic man with the "godly physique" as he'd heard others refer to him. It was gross. But William still tried to best him because he had the speed of a mountain lion to at least boost him a bit. Gabe was just an equal match. Which left Will at a disadvantage when the taller, old man leapt at him and tackled him to the ground. Will landed with an 'oof' and grunted as he and Gabe rolled to a stop.

"Get off me you manky prat! You're just mad that I beat you again!" William cracked a smile, one of those rare occurrences that seemed to only happen around Gabe as of late.

[Gabriel Mendes]

Gabriel laughed when Will called him a manky prat. Where did he even come up with all these words? Though Will could not have been more wrong about him being mad about being beaten again, Gabriel rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Please, I beat you a long time ago and now you're just in a better position to do the same to me." Gabriel messed Will's hair up and jumped up to his full height.

He reached one hand down for Will to grab.

"Besides, you do realise we're the only adults here yeah? So you shouldn't be all high and mighty."

[Will Spencer]

"Must be the old age sinking in, yeah? I mean that was back when you were in your prime, mate." William took his best friend's hand and was heaved up, standing at his full height. It was annoying that Gabriel still stood a few inches taller than him. Will was a tall man, definitely more muscular than what he had been at the time Gabe was referring, but he could never catch up to the man in front of him. Will felt like the forever younger brother who was always looking up to his older brother. Gabe was the one who set an example for him to follow, and Will always failed at following it.

Snorting, the brunette gave a shrug and cocked an eyebrow, "My mentality fits with the little ankle-biters running around. Your gray hair keeps you from blending in. So really, brother, you just look like an old man playing with a bunch of kiddies." William nudged his best friend and ran a hand through his hair.

"Whattaya say, Gabe? Game for another round, or do you need to take a breather. Perhaps I can fetch you a walker," Will's eyes danced with mischief the way they always seemed to. Forever a challenge hidden beneath them when he was with Gabriel. It was the only time he actually enjoyed himself.

[Gabriel Mendes]

"Oh, playing the age card? Really? I swear, I thought there was about three years between us but clearly your brain is still a fetus but it's okay. I won't use big words with you." Gabriel patted the younger man's head and smiled sympathetically down at him.

Gabriel laughed, doubling over and slapping his knee when Will commented on his gray hair. "Well at least you admit that you're still a wee baby. I was wondering when you would realise that." He shrugged and slapped a hand on Will's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "The first step to recovery is acceptance."

Much as he would like to prove the younger man wrong, Gabriel was getting hungry and there was a bowl of piping hot nachos waiting for him at the reception area where the cute brunette was stationed at.

"Only for me to hit your head with." He smiled sweetly before throwing his arm around Will's shoulder and guided him over to the exit. "Good game, brother. Although that last shot was just lucky."

[Will Spencer]

William scoffed and rolled his eyes, "If I do recall, I'm the pre-med student 'ere. I'm pretty sure that you would curl up in the fetal position if I threw half of the large words I need to know at you. Besides, at least I own up to my immaturity at times. You just try to be hip, mate." He laughed and swatted Gabriel's hand away from his head and his hair. The tousled mop on his head was styled to be just as it was. A disorganized, yet sexy mass of brown chaos. He didn't quite want Gabe to mess that up for him, even if he was only surrounded by children at this point. And also seeing as he didn't quite do the whole female gender interaction thing.

"Aye, that last shot was pure skill. You're just jealous that I can maneuver in such a way while you struggle to waddle around the arena. I'll bet if you had tried a shot li' that, you'd have thrown out your back! Should I start calling you Dad instead of Brother perhaps? I mean technically there are three years 'tween us, but you've hit the rough end of your twenties, whereas I'm still in the prime zone." And yet, it was Gabriel who utilized that 'prime' much more than the younger man. William knew all too well how 'charmed' people were by his best friend, and although Will was sure he could give Gabe a run for his money, he couldn't afford for anyone to think anything more of him than a 'dodgy knob'.

Will glanced up at Gabe and smirked. He knew exactly what would come from that insult and he was ready for it. Gabriel always wanted to throw anyone with an inkling of attraction towards Will right at him because he knew Will wasn't the type to seek out anyone, he didn't even comment on how 'hot' or 'sexy' girls were unless he knew for a fact that Gabriel would not find them or go up to them. Honestly it was only ever celebrities that he commented on to at least display his sexuality. He didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about him. But he never went past that.

[Gabriel Mendes]

Rolling his eyes, Gabriel childishly mimicked Will. "Oh ho Mr. Big Shot."

In truth, Gabriel couldn't have been more proud of Will for his academic prowess. Personality and social skills aside, Will was accomplished as a student. It was just easier shooting the shit with him because he knew Will knew how Gabriel actually felt about him. There was no contesting the love the recruiter had for the shapeshifter.

And it was the same with Will. For all the insults he threw at Gabriel, he knew Will respected him and saw him as the older brother he looked up to. Gabriel just did a really bad job at it.

"Prime zone. What prime zone?" Gabriel snorted and they moved to the reception area. After asking for nachos with extra cheese, Gabriel saw the look the brunette gave to him and then to Will and he chuckled.

"So it didn't work out with the girl from last week, huh?" He asked Will, reminding him of the girl Gabriel set him up with. Legs for days, loved books, a student of law so Gabriel knew they would at least match intellectually. But knowing Will, he probably stood the girl up and scoured his library for a new book to read.

[Will Spencer]

William did know full well how Gabriel saw him, and although he didn't quite agree with the high regards in which Gabe held him, he didn't crush those thoughts and feelings like he did to everyone else he ever spoke to. Gabe was the only person he allowed himself to be close to because he could keep Will's inner beast at bay without the risk of it getting out of hand. Being around mutants helped him feel less like he was the only freak in the world, but it still didn't make him feel like less of a monster. He was just surrounded by more monsters than he'd ever expected to be. Of course they were going to school to become less of monsters and more of functioning members of society, which was exactly why Will had chosen the life he lived. Being a doctor was his way of making up for the things he could do to someone.

If he ever made it through medical school, that was.

"I suppose a geezer li' you wouldn't understand," William snorted back at him and shrugged before snagging his own tray with his bloody burger and fries. He hadn't even paid any mind to the girl that was looking at them, though he could feel her eyes. The way some girls ogled at them made him almost feel pity because he would never return their notice. At least he walked with Gabriel who nearly noticed every single girl that they came across. And always at Will's expense, did he make eye contact and decide whether he thought they'd be the one to strike Will's fancy.

Gabe's question was met with an exaggerated roll of William's eyes as well as a shrug, "You could say that." Though to be honest, William had done exactly what everyone expected of him. He hadn't shown up, didn't call to apologize and didn't tell the girl it wasn't her, that it was him. He'd told Gabriel that he was just hurting these girls because Will would never be able to reciprocate the feeling. He was heartless because he wanted to be.

[Gabriel Mendes]

"Mm, sure." Gabriel rolled his eyes in amusement at Will's insistent need to make him feel old. The older man noticed the lack of care coming off Will towards the girl who was obviously trying to get his attention and shook his head. The young man just couldn't be bothered and Gabriel wished he would. Will was stupid stubborn, it would take a miracle for him to like people outside of Gabriel.

"Lemme guess, you didn't even show up?" Gabriel thanked the cashier after paying for their food before going over to one of the few seats available. "I will never understand why you won't even give these girls a chance."

[Will Spencer]

"I 'ad somethin' else to be doing and forgot, honest mistake and all that," Will said as he sat down at the table across from Gabriel. They differed in many ways, mainly the way of Gabe being a natural charmer who talked to people with a warmth that William lacked. When forced to interact, William typically was indifferent or downright cruel to those he spoke to. With the exception of his teachers, Will felt it was easier to make someone dislike you by being utterly disrespectful and treating them as less of a person. Professors were only different because he wished to make something of himself. Lectures were easy enough to get by in, he blended and only spoke when no one else had any idea of what was happening. Labs were more difficult, especially when they insisted upon him working with a partner.

Will stared down at his food and his jaw clenched, "No. You wouldn't." Because Gabe didn't have what William did. There was no underlying tone of danger to Gabriel, no inner beast that could rip someone apart if it came down to it. The fact of the matter was that Will couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt because of something that set him off and made him shift when he wasn't prepared to do so. First it had been his own mother, then some bloke with a death wish when he'd first transferred to BA, he didn't quite want to add pretty girl that he went on a date with to the list of people he'd put in the hospital.

"Why d'you try so hard to make me notice them? What if I am content with being a lonely old hermit?" Will attempted at regaining his humor, but it fell short. His eyes were unfocused when he looked up at Gabe, but he was trying. It would do him no good to get into his messy situation and the inner workings of his mind.

[Gabriel Mendes]

Gabriel looked over to his best friend of nine years with a raised eyebrow. He could believe the guy, but he knew Will all too well. He was probably deflecting, more so than telling the truth so he kept quiet and nodded.

When Will's jaw started to clench, Gabriel sighed and backed away from the topic. Will was an easily angered person. He didn't normally show it to Gabriel for the same reason Gabriel didn't show Will his own raw emotions. They didn't do well with feelings. He didn't know what was going through Will's mind but he didn't venture a guess.

"If you were content with that, you wouldn't be hanging out with me." Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him, challenging Will to question his logic. But he didn't really expect the younger man to do so, so he ate his nachos, enjoying it immensely.

"How's the thesis going? Have you narrowed down which specialty you want?"

[Will Spencer]

One of the biggest reasons William and Gabriel worked so very well as best friends was because they respected the privacy of each other's thoughts. They didn't pry when the other was quiet or reserved or in Will's case, clearly frustrated by whatever went through his mind. They easily just let it go because they knew when it came down to it, if either really wanted to talk, the other would be more than willing to listen. They had a certain understanding that he hadn't been able to find in anyone else. With all of the others he'd spoken to, guy and girl alike, they always wanted to know. Why did he react so poorly to certain topics of conversation? Why couldn't he just spit it out and get it off his chest? Why did he look like he was planning on ripping their throat out?

"You hardly count, mate," William answered with a smirk. No, he wasn't going to seriously look at Gabe's logic. Of course he knew the older man was right, but that didn't mean that Will cared either way. He wasn't content with loneliness, in fact he hated it, but he'd forced himself to be able to handle it. The only person he allowed into his life was Gabriel because he didn't fear for Gabe's life, that was the beauty of suppression.

The change of topic was welcomed with a sigh of relief and also a huff of annoyance, "Boring. I'm a literary buff, I enjoy eloquently pieced novels and sonnets, not writing about how a cardiac catheterization test works. But I did find what I'm specializing in, cardiology is my niche."

[Gabriel Mendes]

At Will's response to Gabriel's comment, the power suppressor mimicked picking up an imaginary knife and stuck it to his heart, wiggling it around. "I think you doing that to me would hurt less." Gabriel pouted exaggeratedly before rolling his eyes and continuing to finish his nachos. No, he was not offended one bit. This was normal talk coming from Will. He'd gotten worst when they first started out and he had grown dull to it.

The change in Will's demeanour when the subject change came about was actually such a contrast. It still surprised Gabriel sometimes. And the way the curmudgeon of a young man spoke about literature was also such a surprising and refreshingly different aspect Gabriel was so sure would knock someone off their feet. If only Will would let them. That hope wasn't exactly something Gabriel would put money on though.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow when Will mentioned he was going into cardiology. It seemed quite appropriate. "That's one worry off your list then. What made you choose it though?" Gabriel asked, stealing fries off Will's plate shamelessly.