knightedgabe

[knightedgabe]

harperooney‌:

Harper reached out to steady herself against the counter, head dizzy from the sudden movements she had taken. It was no secret that she didn’t sleep well at night, usually tossing and turning to try and get into a comfortable position, but giving up after multiple hours. The dark circles under Harper’s eyes were a permanent trait now, but Gabe never ceased to look at her like she was the only person in the room, and that’s where her concerns rested. He was married, he was older, and her was her boss. There would be too many lines to cross in order to be where she wanted to be, and she had convinced herself months before that it would never go there. With her fingers still gripping at the counter, the blonde took a deep breath and turned back to Gabe, one eyebrow lifting in curiosity. She reminded herself to keep her eyes on his face, and that’s what she did. 

“I show up at essentially the same time every single day and yet…this is the first time I’ve nearly seen you naked.” These words came out in a sigh, her head tipping to the side as she observed his features. She’d memorized them a long time ago, nearly getting to the point of being able to feel them with her own fingers. But Harper only let herself imagine what he felt like, her chest heaving in a deep sigh as his towel nearly slipped off, another deep blush coloring her features. As he explained his new living situation, the blonde turned her gaze up to the ceiling. She’d helped him renovate that apartment for weeks, and she recalled it driving his wife nuts. They worked late hours, oftentimes taking long breaks and getting themselves into less-than-desirable situations when it came to his marriage. “W—” she paused, finally looking back at him and crossing her arms loosely over her torso. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Gabe noticed her faltering and nearly reached out to steady her shoulders when he realized that might not be the best idea given his minimal clothing. The towel was loosely wrapped around him at best and had nearly fallen off once, he didn’t need to have history repeat itself- or worst, flash her completely. Besides, Harper was a strong girl and never liked when Gabe took pity on her. He always insisted it wasn’t pity, but rather that helping people was in his nature, especially when those people meant as much to him as Harper did. The man nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. “Yeah, I know; I guess time slipped away from me today. I thought it was earlier than it was.” He chuckled softly. He was good at hiding that he lived upstairs, always closing up the door to the apartment and staying in the shop past after she left before he retired to bed. But now the facade was blown and she knew the truth. Better to rip the bandage off, he supposed. “Luckily for both of us, I wore a towel instead of just running down here commando.” Gabe teased, tone verging on flirtatious.

His own blush deepened to match hers, breaking his gaze and peering down at the floor for a moment to regain composure. The sexual tension was always heavy between them, but now it could be cut with a knife. As she spoke, his eyes fluttered up her frame before settling on her eyes. A wave of sadness rushed over him as he knew that now he’d need to come clean to her about what happened with Autumn. “I don’t know.” He said after a moment, breaking the silence. “I was embarrassed, I guess. I was broken. I didn’t want to put that onto you. After everything with my grandma and how busy we’ve been, I didn’t want to unload my problems onto you, so I just moved upstairs. I haven’t told anyone in town, actually. And... I wanted to tell you. You don’t even know how badly I did but how does a guy admit that he walked in on his wife screwing his old boss?” He rambled, weeks of words that were pent up flowing freely off of his tongue now.

[knightedgabe]

harperooney‌:

Since moving to Derry, Harper didn’t really let herself get close to anyone. It was more to protect herself, always so focused on Link and never wanting to take the time for herself. It seemed easier that way, given the fact that all of her past relationships had failed, many stating that she didn’t make enough time for them and that her illness always got in the way of things. But with Gabe, everything was different and easy. He never pressured her to focus on work when she was distracted, usually giving her menial tasks to complete that were easy on her body when she needed it to be. But as the stubborn Murphy child, Harper rarely ever took it easy, even if she did appreciate the sentiment. There were so many things about Gabe that factored into how she felt about him, and the list could go on for pages and pages until she ran out of breath. Unfortunately for her, she’d never admit them aloud.

The blonde was starting to get worried when her boss didn’t show himself. He was usually at work by now, and even though she was early, it should’ve come as a surprise to Gabe. Harper was about to give up hope when she turned a corner and nearly ran right into the elder male, her entire body seizing up in fright as she jumped back away from him. “Holy fuck!” she screeched, pressing both hands to her face as an attempt to calm herself down. Harper took a moment before dropping her hands, giving Gabe an exasperated look. “I scared you?! I’ve been calling for you for the past ten minutes, Gabriel!” Though she meant to scold him, s smile spread over her features, teeth catching at her bottom lip. But then Harper’s eyes wandered down to where Gabe’s hands were, a bright blush spreading over her cheeks as she half-turned away from him, embarrassed. “You’re…naked. Why are you naked?”

While Harper and Gabe’s flirtatiousness over time was mostly innocent, they certainly had many close encounters where they dipped past the line from friends to something more. They always stopped before anything happened, due to the fact that he was not only married, but also her boss- But this run-in was uncharted territory. His body was glistening from the remnants of the water he didn’t have time to wipe up as he glanced side to side, hoping he hadn’t scarred her for life. His hair was pushed back and messy, abs contracting in embarrassment as his grip on the towel tightened, a blush matching hers as a rosy hue quickly flooded to his own cheeks. It didn’t feel awkward, per se, just different. Everything had changed in Gabe’s own life now that he was divorced, and maybe that would lead to a shift in their relationship as well. He let Harper in, and for someone as guarded as the Englishman was, that was no small feat. In many ways, he was broken and damaged beyond all repair after his grandmother’s passing. That, paired with the new addition of his wife cheating on him ensured it would take time for him to get back on his feet again. But if anyone could aid in his healing, it would be Harper Murphy. She cut through all the noise.

His eyes scanned her features, noting her blush before she quickly turned away from him. “Yes, you scared me. Certainly hadn’t expected to run into you like this before work.” He hummed with a chuckle, raising a hand in apology before his towel started to slip and he quickly returned it to its former grip, the make-shift knot that once secured the towel around his hips untied from the tussle. “Sorry to have worried you, I was just upstairs.” He said, knowing that would leave more questions than answers. Glancing down at himself, his blush only deepened, eyes not daring to look over to her from a mix of embarrassment and panic. “I was showering- I, I live upstairs now in the apartment I was fixing up...”

[knightedgabe]

harperooney‌:

Mornings at SecondHand Rose usually consisted of Harper and Gabe working around each other, discussing the goods that they attempted to organize and tag. But before Harper even arrived at the store on a daily basis, she stopped at the local coffee shop for his favorite coffee and a bagel, cream cheese on the side. It was a daily thing for her to do this, and she didn’t know whether he enjoyed it or not. When the blonde had first moved to Derry and she was searching for a job, the little antiques store caught her attention immediately, and she had wandered in without even realizing what she was going to say. The moment she’d seen Gabe, she’d felt something shift in her, and she knew then that she never wanted to leave. Of course, things were complicated for her, as he was married and she was his employee. But over the last year or so, the two had gotten so close, that she was happy where they stood.

Balancing everything in one hand, Harper let herself into the store with the key, rushing to the counter and getting everything down before it toppled over. “Gabriel!” she called out blindly, returning the cover to his cup and setting that, with the bagel, off to the side of him. “I brought your breakfast, and I have it on good authority that an estate sale is going on at the edge of town.” Wiping her hands on her overalls, Harper moved through the store, shifting a few things here and there to make them look better. “Gabe, seriously, Where the hell are you?”

@knightedgabe​

Ever since he filed for divorce from his wife, Gabe had been sleeping in the apartment above SecondHand Rose. What was initially supposed to be an investment to fix up and later rent out had now become his solace. He was thankful he hadn’t yet listed it online because he desperately needed a place to stay while he got back on his feet. The past few months had been a blur, but Gabe was focusing on keeping a brave face to his friends--and most importantly to Harper--as he hadn’t yet announced the separation from Autumn. He was embarrassed that his marriage had fallen apart, and he needed time to collect his thoughts before letting the world know about this change in his life. Besides, living so close to the shop meant he had more time to fix things up- both in the apartment and the store itself. Tender love and care was Gabriel’s forte, especially when a little elbow grease was involved.

Harper was his only employee and by far the best candidate who applied for the job. She complimented him well and always worked hard, but beyond that, quickly became very important to Gabe. He felt like a fish out of water a lot of the time, but never around Harper. She helped him find his fins again, especially while dealing with the loss of his grandmother. Gabe’s shower that morning was interrupted by a leak from the shower head; an easy fix with a few turns of his wrench. She usually came early to work, but he figured he had enough time to run downstairs and grab his tool belt and get the job out of the way before the day started. He finished showering quickly, not even bothering to change and just wrapping a towel around his waist before jogging down the stairs into the shop. Gabe hadn’t heard her voice or had any idea Harper was there until he rounded the corner and nearly ran into her, a loud yelp exclaiming from his lips. “Jesus Murphy!” He chuckled, clutching at the towel around his waist to keep it from falling to the floor. “You scared me half to death.” He let out, completely forgetting he was standing in front of her half-naked.

[knightedgabe]

There were few things in life Gabe enjoyed more than a free Saturday. Sleeping in and starting the day with no plans or expectations, just letting it happened as it wanted to was something of a rarity for him. Between running SecondHand Rose, fixing up his new place, or another checking off an item on his ever growing to-do list, he was used to waking up before the crack of dawn and not having a lot of free time on his hands. But he decided to open up the shop late today, leaving a sign on the door and taking a stroll through Derry to clear his head before the busy weekend ahead of him. With free time such a rarity, Gabe was taking every minute to soak up a relaxing day in the cool sun of fall before it rolled into winter.

Settling into the small cafe in town, he grabbed himself a table and sat down with a pastry and cup of coffee before beginning to read whatever book he had thrown into his bag before leaving. Glancing up at the sound of the door opening, he couldn’t help but notice a tag standing out against the front of the new patron’s top. He didn’t think much of it but upon looking again, he could clearly see that something was amiss. Gabe stood up, walking over to them and clearing his throat before beginning to speak, his English accent very apparent even after living in Derry for many years. “Hi, I’m sorry to bother you… but I think your shirt is inside out?”

[knightedgabe]

[knightedgabe]

About Gabe.

[RICHARD MADDEN, CISMALE, HE/HIM] — If you’re strolling Derry today, you might see [GABE (GABRIEL) KNIGHT] along the way! The [THIRTY FIVE] year old can usually be found at [OWNER OF SECONDHAND ROSE ], when they aren’t busy with [WRITING, WORKING, OR COOKING]. I hear they seem to be [GENUINE AND KIND], but they are also rumored to be [JEALOUS AND CLOSED OFF]

TW: Death, car accident

Hey hey! Here’s a lil bit about my new b, though I’m still working out all the details. He’s been in Derry since he was 10, so for 25 years, so I’m open to most plots/connections.

Gabe Knight was born to loving parents Virginia and William Knight in London, England. They were the perfect family. His mother was a school teacher, and his father owned the local book store. They were close knit, cookie cutter, and extremely loving towards one another. Virginia’s mother, Rose, also lived with the family after her husband passed away when Gabe was a toddler. They weren’t poor, but far from well-off. They lived simple lives and were more focused on their time together as a family than materialistic goods. Gabe is very close to all of his family, especially his parents and grandma.

When Gabe was 10, his parents were driving home from work (his father always dropped his mom off in the morning, due to only having one car) and they were t-boned. The crash killed them both instantly and nearly broke Gabe entirely. He was left in the care of his grandmother, and she made the decision to move them to the United States for a fresh start. It was just too painful to be in England anymore. (So yes, he still has an accent.)

Gabe has always been creative. He loves to build, fix, and restore things. He loves to write--poetry, songs, stories, etc--and is always carrying around a journal because he like the permanence of pen and paper. He’s a bit of a forward thinker, having no idea what he wanted to be when he was a kid- and is still figuring that out to this day.

One thing Gabe knew he always wanted to be was a husband and find a love that his parents shared. He dated casually in High School, but never found the time to commit to anyone due to how busy he was getting good grades to keep up his scholarships, playing sports (soccer is a big one), or extra circulars. It was a priority to him, but one he wanted to explore after graduating from College and becoming a teacher like his mom.

That all changed when his freshman orientation, he met who he thought was ‘the one’. Him and Autumn dated all through college and got married right after they graduated. They moved back to Gabe’s hometown of Derry (so he left for four years) and they both began teaching at the local high school. Gabe was the English and drama teacher, and his wife taught History. Their marriage wasn’t perfect--they were always buying into the ‘opposites attract stereotype’--but they were happy. Until they weren’t.

Gabe’s grandma, Rose, died suddenly and it sent Gabe spiralling. He quit his job at the school and these factors caused a bit riff between Autumn and Gabe and continued to push them further apart. Since Gabe had most week nights and weekends free, he tried to turn his grief into something tangible and opened SecondHand Rose as a way to remember his grandma by. She had always loved antiques and being in the store is a good way for him to remember her and also keep her memory alive. Everyone in town loved Gramma Rose, she was everyone’s grandma.

This in turn, however, took up a lot of Gabe’s free time and Autumn was less than pleased. She was glad her husband was healing from his grief, but she harboured resentment as well.

The strain on their marriage came to a head nearly a year after opening the store when Gabe went to the high school on his lunch break to surprise Autumn and he caught his wife sleeping with the principal of the school. He was heart broken and beyond devastated to lose his grandma and his wife in the short span of just over a year and a half.

He promptly moved out of the house and now lives in the apartment suite that is attached above his store. He fixed it up over time ever since he bought the place, planning to rent it out for extra income but was glad it was vacant when he needed it. He no longer talks to Autumn, and wants nothing to do with her. He’s putting all of his free time in continuing to make the store as good as it can be. Given how old the building is, it often needs repairs but thankfully, Gabe is a handyman so he’s happy to put in the elbow grease. He also has a lot of Gramma Rose’s things on display as a sort of museum of her incredible life. He misses her dearly and this store helps him cope with her loss.

He’s doing his best to keep a brave face but inside he is very broken. Gabe is a perfect English gentleman; very kind and caring. He’s charismatic and kind, but also can be reserved and jealous as a result of all of the things he’s been through over his life. He’s a great friend and would do anything to help someone, even if they were a stranger. He’s drinking more than usual now and also picked up smoking to cope with the stress (tsk tsk). Gabe is as selfless as they come and loves to make others smile, even if he barely does it himself anymore.

TL;DR: Moved to Derry from England with his Grandma Rose many years ago, went away to school for a few years, got married, came back. Grandma died. Wife turned out to be the worst, cheated on him with his old boss. Now he’s sad. Sad boi hour for Gabe is 24 hours a day, but he’s trying to heal. He just needs time.