"I'll always thank you," Casey said in a rather low-voiced mumble. There was nothing else they could think of to repay Gabriel for the kindness, the joy of having someone who said they didn't care for anything but who Casey was, and that the who was a beautiful thing. They didn't know how else to accept it. Was there really anything Casey could do to return this? They weren't sure, but they were going to try.

At the reminder of where they had been going, Casey tilted their head down and rested it against Gabriel's chest, just long enough to take a deep breath. He smelled nice, inexplicably warm, and they let the scent settle through them before pulling back. "I'll race you, then we won't be late."