Typically speaking, Gaël was a cautious fellow. He didn't like provoke, he didn't like to get in the way, and he didn't like to be bothered for no apparent reason. It had been sheer impulse to do what he did, as foolish and childish as it was, and there was no self-satisfaction as a result; Gaël was just about the furthest thing possible from your average playground bully, and when he'd turned away and continued walking his lips had tightened into a perplexed frown and his brows furrowed disapprovingly. He had no idea why he'd done it. He wanted to kill his father, not torment some random stranger on the beach. As he'd moved on, the boy could only hope Inferni didn't want that out of him: didn't want him to turn into some sort of abusive monster, even if it did run in the family.
He didn't hear her get up, but she was in front of him so quickly that he almost ran her over. The stop was so sudden that he tipped up onto this toes and held back his arms, blinking down at the pure-white she-thing with wide, stupidly innocent eyes. She scolded him; he wondered if he should have been mad at that, pushed her around or something to show he was Inferni material, but he didn't. Gaël stood there like an idiot, towering over her, onyx ears pulled back and a long, surprised frown on his face. Not knowing what to answer, he remained silent. The girl withdrew seconds later after scanning him up and down (strange, why did everyone do that to him?) and muttered an apology, voice low and dreary as if he'd forced the end of the world on her.
When she finished, a smile broke the steady, contemplative face of the gentle giant and he couldn't stifle the light, young chuckle that surfaced. "You're right," he laughed, raising an arm to rub at the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I'm stupid. My bad." He smiled, embarrassed, before dropping his hands to his sides and sinking awkwardly into his shoulders. "Who are you? It's not safe dis close to Inferni for a wolf." Even though he looked like one himself.