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English
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Part 2 of Always With the Damn Sex Pollen
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336 Hours: A Comprehensive and Preeminent Reader-Insert Collection, Multi Fandom | Reader Inserts, Overwatch
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2017-01-11
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2020-04-26
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84,283
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12/?
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Of Leather and Lace and Expensive Tastes

Chapter 12

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

A day after Jack’s confession, you found yourself standing in front of Reyes’ door. You nervously brushed you hand down your henley to make sure the wrinkles were out. Emblazoned with one of Lucio’s froggy designs, it's bright yellow matched your PJ pants. Fumbling with the drawstrings of them certainly delayed your confrontation with Reyes.

Except the door unexpectedly swung open to reveal him.

His expression was completely inscrutable, even as his scarlet gaze glittered. One arm hung loosely at his side while his other hand remained clenched on the doorknob. In dark sweatpants and a white tank, he was clearly just hanging out in his quarters.

The shirt was from Aleksandra's latest collection with a famous  athletic wear company. Her light blue, graphic art style profile proudly stood against a background of St. Basil's cathedral. Under normal circumstances, you'd have borrowed it already. Then again, Reyes looked damn good in it. It was like a second skin on him. How it showed off his sculpted arms was proving pretty fucking distracting too. It'd been a long-ass time since you'd been wrapped up all in them.

“I got tired of you standing there and fidgeting about ten minutes ago,” Reyes shrugged.

Yeah, that shirt also did solid things for his shoulders.

You swallowed and looked down at glass gift box containing the chip. “Lemme guess?” you sniped, “Typical Reyes needling until your enemy’s patience snaps?”

“You’re far from my enemy,” he exhaled.

“Could’ve fooled me,” you tossed back.

The annoyed expression came and went from his face so quickly, you weren’t even sure you saw it. “Wanted to see if you’d go through with it.”

“With what?”

“Knocking,” he jerked his head at the door.

“This was a bad idea,” you shoved the box into his chest and turned on your heel.

He easily caught the box before it hit the floor. “Not so fast,” he snatched your wrist. However, he immediately unhanded you at how you spun back around to face him. Your incensed expression couldn’t be more clear.

“Don’t go.” He said it so quietly it was nearly impossible to hear him. “Please," he ran a hand through his hair.

You crossed your arms and hissed, “Or what? You’re going to suffocate me with your smoke and eat my soul?”

He looked away before locking eyes with you again. "What I did with that," his hand purposely dissolved into grey smoke for a few seconds before returning to solid, "Was completely uncalled for. I never meant to scare you. Not ever…and never again."

"Pretty fucked up is what it was." You struggled to keep your voice steady due to the sheer memory of the feeling of struggling to breath against his smokey onslaught in your bathroom. His guilty expression didn’t stop you from continuing. “I mean, like the rest of us around here, most of my soul has been cut out in little bits and pieces over the years. So you won’t get much of a meal.”

“Don’t say that about yourself-”

“I’m Blackwatch remember?” you sarcastically replied, “The worst of the worst.”

Gabriel adamantly shook his head in disagreement and ducked around you to look back and forth down the hallway.

“Why are you checking for anyone?” you wrinkled your nose.

“I’m sorry-”

“Don’t worry” you said over him, “There won’t be any witnesses if you murder me. Well, except for Athena.”

“Said, I’m sorry,” he muttered while absentmindedly scratching at his forearm.

You froze, mouth halfway open with another scalding remark. You swiftly took in that his skin wasn’t evaporating down to the bone and his fingers remained intact. A good sign, sure. Yet, it didn't feel like enough.

“You don’t have to say a word,” he intoned. “I just want you to know that I know how I fucked up. Especially in your bathroom.”

The tense silence seemed to last a lifetime. You worried your lower lip and glanced sideways.

“You busy?” you huffed.

“Never for you,” he briskly waved you in.

You paused long enough for him to frown until you stepped inside.

As per usual, Reyes’ quarters were neat and orderly with the standard open floor plan. The walls were still the baseline color of taupe. But he’d had the floor replaced with dark hardwood. He’d also installed matching kitchen cabinets. The countertops were relatively new and deep grey marble. The backsplash of the sink tiled navy blue shot through with lines of gold, it matched the color scheme of his bathroom. A soothing display of muted colors swooped and dipped within the windows, similar to a computer screensaver. They were programmed for holoscreen display, like all the windows of the upper floor quarters. Through them, the sun was nearly below the horizon with the stars beginning to appear across the sky.

You took a seat in one of the black, leather bar stool chairs next to the kitchen island. Reyes cut a wide swath around you to make his way towards the stainless-steel refrigerator.

“Want anything?” he called out over his shoulder as he opened it.

“A glass of water,” you quietly replied. Your throat suddenly felt parched. So much so that you downed the entire thing as soon as he set it on the counter.

“What did you want to discu-?”

“Did you know about Jack’s feelings for me and in relation to you before we went on the mission?” The echo of you setting your glass on the kitchen island punctuated your sharp question.

“Yes.”

At least he had no hesitation or denied it.

Reyes' words interrupted your thoughts. "How do you know about...Jack's feelings on you?"

"He told me last night," you whispered. "After he apologized. Not to mention, his ramblings when he got drugged back in Hong Kong were pretty loud and out in the open."

"Well then." Reyes's expression shifted to utterly neutral. Which meant he was actually shocked at your revelation. It allowed you a follow up question.

“Did you purposely set me up to have sex with him during that mission?” you rushed out.

He refilled your glass before firmly replying, “Absolutely not.”

Again, the lack of hesitation meant the truth. At the same time, he always excelled at the sin of omission. You all did, frankly, being spies and shit.

“What about the sex party part of all of it?” you sniffed over the rim of your glass before taking a sip. “You truly didn't think that’d go spinning out of god-damn control?”

“It was the lowest on our list of contingency plans,” he emphatically replied. “At the very most, increased mission fluidity would lower some inhibitions. For both of you.”

You briefly closed your eyes and pressed two fingers between them. “Stop with the fucking spec-ops speak, Reyes.”

He loosely crossed his arms. “Anything that didn’t go to mission plan would force you two to work together. Strategically.” Pausing for a moment, he deliberately continued, “Trust could be built on solid foundations. To the best of both of your abilities. All of which would only continue to grow and improve once you both returned to the familiar surroundings of Gibraltar.”

You stared at him for a long moment. He refused to look away, even as you threw your head back with a deep sigh. “Or, it could be a pretty fucked up situation if a single thing otherwise went off the rails?”

“It clearly did.”

“No shit,” you retorted. Leaning back in your chair allowed him the full brunt of your irritated expression. “I mean, it’s not like running into each other all the time has been a fun little way to pass the time, now has it? But thank you for your honesty.” Moving to your feet, you added, “See? Civilian speak isn’t so hard.”

He gave you a doubtful look. “Can’t help it if I’ve spent all of my adult life in the military.”

It was an incredibly valid point. But it wouldn't work as an excuse.

“As for mission fluidity,” you held up your fingers in air quotes, “That explain why the both of you have been keeping Operation Sinclair from me?”

“Mission first-”

“People, Gabriel!” you threw your hands up in frustration, “People always! The motto that you specifically created for Blackwatch. Populus semper. Primum missio, remember?!"

“Which is why I’ve alerted Athena to declassify and decrypt the file,” he softly said.

You were rendered utterly speechless. You didn’t know how much time passed before your voice came out high. “Wait…who with the what now?”

You didn’t jerk back or spit out any warning as he moved in front of you. His cool palms dropped to your upper arms to gently pull you to your feet.

“I said I’m granting you access to Operation Sinclair. Jackie is too.”

“O...kay...then." You let out a long exhale to cover the fact that your mind was spinning with the implications of finally getting at the file. “So the whole ‘I’m a ghost without fingerprints, woe is me’ thing is complete and utter BS?” you arched a brow.

“Not technically.”

“Just admit it, Gabriel,” you tugged on the hem of his shirt for emphasis.

“Fingerprints are no longer part of my genetic makeup-”

You snapped a finger over his mouth. “Say yes.”

"Since you insist on it."

“You are the worst,” you rolled your eyes.

“That’s why I surround myself with the best,” he leaned in to allow his words to dance along your ear.

You found yourself scratching your nails up the nape of his neck. You refused to dwell on the fact that you may be making this all too easy for him. Not at feel of his shorn hair giving way to longer salt and pepper tresses. God, how you’d missed its softness against your skin.

“What’s your excuse for Morrison?”

His chuckle vibrated against your neck. “Can’t live without him,” he pulled way, gaze locking with yours, “Or you.”

“See how easy that was to say without complicated scheming?” you replied, pushing him back from you.

“I went about things between the three of us via…irregular methods,” Gabriel intoned.  

You let out a derisive snort. “I take it that’s code for you royally fucking up and being a flaming asshole about it?”

He cupped your chin to allow his mouth to capture yours in an achingly chaste kiss. Your eyes slid open to find his sorrowful expression. “It happened if you say so.”

“It’s the truth,” you narrowed your eyes, “Therefore I say so.”

“And I agree,” he pressed his lips to the corner of your mouth. "I apologize for it. For everything."

You took in how his red eyes flickered with low embers. The lines and scars of his face appeared deeper and shadowed. His palm at your cheek rippled with effort to remain intact. A strong whiff of carbon drenched in marigolds clung to your senses.

“Never,” you reached up to give his wrist a squeeze, “Again.”

“Or you’ll walk out on me,” he let out a stuttering exhale.

“On the both of you,” you firmly replied. At his hopeful expression, you carefully continued, “I still need time to fully process what it means coming between you two. Otherwise? I’m-”

“No need to apologize, sweetness,” his relieved words caressed your skin. His other hand smoothly popped open the buttons of your Henley as his mouth wandered down the side of your neck. The familiar feel of his scruff against you had you closing your eyes with anticipation.

“Oh, I wasn’t planning to,” you seriously replied.

“That's my girl,” he growled against your mouth before soundly kissing you. You moaned into it, hand fisting into his shirt for balance as his big frame crowded you against the kitchen island.

He retreated after a bit. “What I was going to say," you continued, "Is that this needs to be put behind us.”

His eyes flickered with red flame before they cooled. He tugged you to him by ties of your pajama bottoms. “That double-edged tongue of yours? And always expecting to see you around every corner but coming up empty?” he rasped. He ran a cautious finger up and down a tendon of your neck, causing you to relax even more. “All of that gone? Worse than a bullet slicing me clean through.”

Admission that you hadn’t acted out of line? A solid addition to his apology.

“You’d be bored as hell if I didn’t sass the shit out of you all the time,” you grinned.

“Like Jack’s mouthy ass does?” Gabriel smiled. The laughter in his voice caused you to loosen up.

“I’m sure you’ve found plenty of other things that he’s good at with his mouth,” you quipped without thinking 

At a sudden loss for words, you wandered into the kitchen to clean the glass. Drying it and setting it back into the cabinet killed a few more minutes.

The swirl of scented air behind you alerted you to Gabriel's movements. Tugging your shirt down had him pressing an open mouthed kiss in between your shoulder blades. It sent a warm shiver up your spine as he wrapped an arm around your waist. A tilt of your head to the side also granted him much needed access to your neck. Reaching back to lightly work your fingers up the back of his neck to card to through his hair earned you his pleased murmur.

“You certainly seemed to like the Golden Boy’s mouth well enough,” he smiled into your skin.

It was worth something that you didn’t flinch at the reminder of your night with Jack. If anything, the heat began pooling in your stomach. Yet you still ducked your head from his kiss when he spun you around to face him.

“Do I need to ask permission?” he quietly asked.

“I mean,” you looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes, “Actively consenting…or lack thereof is pretty much got us all into this situation.”

“Hmm,” he nodded in agreement.

Setting his hands on the counter on either side of your hips, he took a deep inhale and stepped forward. You didn’t feel trapped in the slightest.

“I’m sorry for all of my part in all of this,” he insisted. You slowly shook your head in agreement as he looked at you through dark lashes. “I…we both should have been honest with you. And I will do everything in my power to ensure this sort of thing never happens again.”

Rapidly blinking did nothing to stop your eyes from watering. The feel of his fingers lingering up your cheek to wipe away your tears only caused them to fall harder.

“Baby,” he sighed, taking both your hands in his, “I’m a fucking moron-”

“It’s fine now," your voice shook.

He nodded in disagreement. “Clearly, it’s not.”

You gave a half-hearted shrug and he pulled away. Searching your face, he whispered, “May I kiss you to make it better?”

“Yeah,” you murmured, “Sure.”

“Thanks. Particularly considering that mean left hook you have,” he grinned. “Don’t want to be on the receiving end of a smack or two like Jackie was.”

You couldn’t hold back a huff of laughter at mention of your and Jack’s disastrous gym session. “He deserved it.”

“We both do. Anyway,” he rubbed the pad of his thumb up and down your hip, “Like I was saying, can I kiss you?”

You didn’t bother to reply. Instead you moved forward to press your lips to his. He quickly took your face in his hands to deepen it, his tongue licking into your mouth. Groaning as you pushed your fingers up under his shirt, you relaxed into his solid mass.

It felt like coming home after the storm.

“Fuck," he swore in between hungry kisses. “I love you,” he vowed, "Always."

You chased his mouth. “You too, handsome.” Sucking at his lower lip and causing his eyes flutter shut, you whispered, “Always.”

“Want to stay over?” he breathlessly rushed out. Hands freely wandering over your breasts, he added, “Hopefully, you don't have other plans tonight?”

It took you a long time to reply. “No sex,” you decisively said right as he dipped his head. Mouthing a hard kiss at the base of your throat, his hands dropped down to give your ass an appreciative squeeze. You reflexively moaned and canted your hips up into him.

“Thought you said no to that?” he smirked up at you before doing it again.

You brushed your thumbs under his jawline to get his attention. “You know you’re playing dirty, Reyes.” It came out more breathless than you intended.

“Duh,” he grazed his teeth against your clavicle. While he sealed it with a kiss, he did back away. “But that’s not fair to you.” Drawing himself to his full height let him tuck a finger under your chin. “Whatever you want to do, honey.”

“I just-”

“No need to explain,” Gabriel finished your sentence with a brush of his nose against yours. ““Miss you too.”

You breathed him in, his familiar scent enveloping you before your softly pressed your mouth to his.

“Come on," he slid his hand down your arm. Fingers intertwining with yours, he pulled you towards his bedroom. “Been a while since you’ve fallen asleep against me,” he beamed.

You ended up in bed with your cheek resting on his chest. You hand carelessly thrown over the solid planes of his stomach, you appreciated the familiar weight of him at your side after so long. Along with how he intertwined his legs with yours. Of course, Gabriel didn’t need much in the way of sleep anymore. But this sort of thing allowed him to mentally power down in his present condition. He ended up in a sort of twilight state. Cooler to the touch and tranquil, it was as close to human sleep as he could get nowadays.

It all suited you just fine.


You groggily awoke to Athena announcing Jack’s entry into Gabriel’s quarters. Lifting your head from where you lightly snored into his shoulder, you cracked open one eye to be met by the door being flung open.

Jack’s cheery grunt of, “Mornin’, Gabbie!” had you burying your nose in Gabe’s neck. There was no way to hide behind him since he slept on his back with one of his arms curled under you. Thankfully, you were still in your t-shirt and underwear since you hadn’t done anything with Gabriel. At least it prevented you from flashing Jack a face full of boobs.

Normally, seeing Jack so chipper after the near month of avoiding him would have you feeling decidedly anxious. But since you’d both made up, you squeezed your eyes shut and slurred, “How the fuck are you so awake at 5:28 in the morning?!”

“Huh?” Jack exclaimed, pulling up short next to the bed. Expression flabbergasted, he rumbled out, “Hey…you-”

“It’s called knocking,” you huffed.

“Normally don’t have to,” he smoothly replied. Opening your eyes again saw him give a shrug. Accompanied by a shit-eating grin. “Athena didn’t let me know anyone else was here.”

“You did not request such of me, Commander,” she chirped.

“There ain’t any privacy protocols in place,” Jack retorted.

“Duly noted, Commander.”

You felt Gabriel’s laugh emanate from deep in his chest. “Morning, baby girl,” he hummed, shifting over to drop a kiss to your forehead. “We got a little distracted last night,” he said to Jack.

He only laughed louder as you smacked him on the arm. “He missed me too much to kick me out,” you drowsily corrected at Jack.

“That doesn’t make me look like a sap at all,” Gabriel replied with amusement as he took your chin and pulled you in for a more thorough kiss.

“Whatever works.” Jack leaned up against the wall next to the bed and crossed his arms. He didn’t appear the least bit perturbed by you and Gabe all of top of each other. Not judging by his easy smile as he said, “Guess you two are all made up, huh?”

“You don’t say,” you sarcastically replied, pulling away from Gabe. God, you were tired.

“And I see someone doesn’t do mornings,” Jack idly replied.

You moved to sit up against the iron-wrought bedframe to take him in. In a faded black t-shirt and old pair of broken in, khaki cargo shorts, he appeared as casual as you’d ever seen him. He also had a bit of stubble going on. Considering he wasn’t out on mission in the field, it looked as though he skipped shaving. It certainly wasn’t a bad look. Not especially as his eyes roved over you. You refused to look away even as you felt you skin warm at that baby blue gaze.

He flashed you a fleeting grin before he cleared his throat. “I’m outta food, so I’m gonna grab some stuff from the pantry,” Jack tossed out to Gabe.

“You mean my pantry?” Gabriel replied with incredulity.

Jack chuckled, “More like our pantry now,” he circled a finger around all three of you.

“You people are going to eat me out of house and damn home,” Gabriel rolled his eyes.

“Like you eat that much anyway,” Jack let out a snort of dimissal. It caused you to huff back a laugh. “Clearly, you keep stocked up for the both of us,” he nodded at you.

Sitting up as well, Gabe looked at you with faux disappointment. You couldn’t help it as you teased, “Hey now, I’m the only one around here with a normal metabolism. Very much unlike that over-clocked boyfriend of yours,” you yawned at Jack.

“Mornin’ to you too, safecracker,” Jack countered as he leaned down to pull Gabriel into a kiss.

You looked away from the two of them, feeling like an intruder. Which is why you weren’t expecting how Jack suddenly moved over Gabriel to brush a kiss to the corner of your mouth. A tick more and his lips would’ve easily pressed to yours. His proximity caused the scent of citrusy soap with a dash of ozone from pulse munitions to wash over you.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” his words ghosted across your skin.

“That…works,” you slowly replied.

“Let me know if it ever doesn't,” he lightly swept his fingertips along your cheek before he withdrew. Gabe dropped a hand to your thigh with a comforting pat at the same time.

Heat flared across your skin, your breathing beginning to shallow. Looking everywhere but at him, you protested, “Sun’s not even up all the way,” while flopping back down onto the bed.

“Already got a workout in, so I’m ready to go,” Jack waved off. “Don’t know ‘bout you, lazy bones.”

You could tell by the sound of the pillow hitting the wall that you’d missed Jack. Likely by a mile, considering his reflexes.

“Tell him to go away,” you buried your face in another pillow while manically shooing away Jack with your hand, “I’m worn out.”

The tickle of Gabriel’s beard on your skin as he mouthed at the back of your neck caused you to let out a tired giggle before you felt him get out of bed. “I’ll go start some food,” he declared, “C’mon Jackie, princessa needs her rest.”

“I’m sure you’ve all had a busy night,” Jack’s voice moved to unexpectedly gleeful.

The sound the second pillow flying across the room followed by his surprised curse was easy to hear.

Jack sure in the hell couldn’t duck Gabriel’s throwing arm.


You finally got out of bed after about an hour of dozing off. Showering and brushing your teeth with a fresh toothbrush from the medicine cabinet, you headed to the kitchen. Something smelled pretty delicious.

The scene that met you proved achingly domestic.

Gabe stood cooking at the stove, shirtless and in low slung sweatpants. His unruly hair fell across his forehead as he looked over his shoulder to chat with Jack. Jack sat on a bar stool on the opposite side of the kitchen island of the open floorplan. He alternately chucked at Gabe and sipped his coffee while thumbing through his holotablet. Quiet, calming jazz poured in through the surround sound speakers hidden in the corners of the room. The holoscreen mounted on the wall of the den behind him was muted on the Atlas News International feed.

Your loud yawn attracted their attention. “Looks like someone decided to quit napping and join us,” Jack loudly declared.

“Unlike you two show-offs, I’m perfectly capable of sleeping in a like a normal human being,” you yawned out again while flipping him off.

Your eyes went wide at your insult. Snapping your mouth shut, you snatched your hand down to your side. Jack pursed his lips at the same time Gabe whipped his head around to face you. Time seemed to stop, the air thick with ambiguity. It was as though the next words would be the answer to some sort of cosmic test.

Will the three of us prove able to maneuver around each other? Or will all end in even more crossed wires and fucking disaster?

“C’mon Jackie,” Gabe’s voice casually rang out as he turned back to the stove to ensure the chorizo and eggs didn’t burn. “Can you blame her for needing a few extra hours after last night?” he winked. “Like you’d be any different the morning after, pretty boy.”

You felt the heat coming to your face at Gabe’s words. But instead of making you feel uncomfortable, a thrill of giddiness coursed through you. How Jack slightly turned to sweep his wandering eyes over you for a few long seconds only accentuated it.

“You’re one to talk,” he grinned, snatching up an orange from the fruit bowl on the island. “Or don’t you remember how we had to go insulating the walls to the old quarters on account of all your damn noise?” he tossed the orange at Gabe.

Without bothering to look back at him, Gabe snatched it out of the air and set it down on the counter. “You want to bet that was really on account of everyone else being too chicken-shit to call your loud ass out? he smirked.

There wasn’t a hint of malice in it. If anything, Jack’s grin widened. It was also true, considering Jack was a definitely a noisy sort in bed. Your easily recalled that in vivid detail.

His eyes snapped back to where you stood at the edge of the kitchen. Pushing out the bar stool next to him, he asked, “Wanna have a seat?” He also slid a glass full of mimosa to you on the counter.

Relaxing your shoulders with a deep inhale through your nose, you wandered over and plopped down. The way he turned it when pulling it out had you facing him in your seat. He’d also set a foot on its bottom rung. If he decided to do the same with his other foot, both his knees would bracket yours. For now, just one of them did. His proximity had your stomach spinning. Not in the familiar way it still did after years with Gabriel.  But still left you feeling heady.

“Glad to see you managed to drag yourself out of bed,” Gabe leaned over to give you a lingering kiss. One of his hands held a spatula while his other gripped the handle of the skillet.

Jack’s knee brushed against yours as you withdrew. “Hungry, hon?” he drawled. 

“Sure,” you languidly replied.

“I’ll grab you a plate.” As he got up from his chair, he dropped a hand to you knee. Sparks seem to fly up your skin at the contact with his calloused palm despite that were in pajama bottoms. 

Chorizo and eggs with French toast and heaping serving of spinach greeted you as Jack set your plate down. You poured an ample serving of syrup over the toast before digging into the eggs. Damn, you missed Gabe’s cooking. Your groan of delight caused him to let out a laugh. However, he suddenly scowled.

“There’s barely any flavor on that spinach,” Gabe gestured at your plates his spatula. “All that’s on there is salt. It’s not done yet.”

You pushed away your plate with a grimace as Jack stuffed a forkful of spinach into his mouth. “Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” he said around it, “Salt’s a spice-”

Come the fuck on with that nonsense!” Gabe dumped your serving back into the pan to finish it.

Rolling your eyes, you downed the rest of your mimosa as they bickered back and forth. Pouring yourself a refill, you waved your glass between them. “Ladies and gentlemen, the real reason Overwatch fell apart.”

“Not. Funny,” Jack retorted, giving your calf a playful smack.

“And yet I’ve killed people for less than your obviously wrong and basic-ass salt argument, Jackie,” Gabe tossed out. You nearly snorted up your mimosa through your nose at your fit of laughter.

“Well, I ain’t the one getting’ salty, now am I?” Jack tossed back.

“Oh my God, the puns,” you looked to the ceiling with a roll of your eyes. “Make them stop!”

“Like he's going to after decades of that tomfoolery,” Gabe retorted.

Watching them go at it with friendly threats over something as mundane as food granted a window into their dynamic. The rhythm to their bickering clearly illustrated the deep familiarity. Jack leaned into his Midwestern passive-aggression. Which included a heaping side of supposed earnestness that was clearly trolling. All the while, Gabriel didn’t hold back with tossing out increasingly irritated facts about…the ancient spice trade? He threatened to draw out a color coded diagram of the various routes between Europe and Asia. 

“You’re a imbecile with no palette,” Gabriel grumbled. No matter how he leaned across the kitchen island to capture Jack’s mouth with a fierce kiss. "No sense of history either," he sniffed. 

“Better than bein’ a fuckin’ food snob.” Jack huffed before kissing him again.

“It’s called artisanal!”

“How the hell am I supposed to tolerate this?!” you gestured between them.

“You’ll learn,” Jack winked.

“Don’t let him push you around,” Gabe mischievously warned, refilling your and Jack’s plates.

“She sure in the hell hasn’t yet,” Jack insisted.

“No shit,” Gabriel proudly said, “Blackwatch didn't tolerate indecision.”

You ended up finishing breakfast before long (which included expertly spiced spinach that Jack begrudgingly inhaled four servings of). Checking the time, you slid off out of your chair. “I’ve gotta go. Work beckons.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Gabriel quickly said.

He cast a look to Jack, who paused at being halfway out of his chair. They appeared to have some sort of silent, head nod driven conversation for a few moments before Jack slid back down. “See you ‘round soon, safecracker," he casually said.

You grinned. “Same to you, Jack.”

Hand guiding you at the small of your back as you crossed the living room, Gabe didn’t take his eyes off of you. The heaviness of his gaze had you muttering, “What’s up?

The uncertain scrunch of his nose threw you for a loop. He stopped you as your hand reached for the doorknob. “How about the three of us just have dinner?” Gabriel quietly asked. “If you want to leave right after we eat, not a problem. If you don’t?” he arched a brow, “Also not a problem.”

You let out a deep exhale before slowly shaking your head in agreement. “That works for me.”

Narrowing his eyes for a moment, Gabe slid a hand down to your waist. “Does it though?” he questioned, “You don’t sound particularly convinced.”

You appreciated his concerned tone. “Do I have to?” you nervously laughed.

“Not if you don't want to,” he murmured. You let out another anxious titter that caused him to push forward with, “Whatever pace you want to move at with all of this is up to you. We will respect it completely.”

You nodded. “Thank you.”

Gabriel shook his head in disagreement. “No need for thanks when it comes to your choices. Because they’re yours to make on your own-”

“But?” you swiftly said.

“But what?”

“There are now two other people involved in my life. Specifically, when it comes to my bed.”

Gabriel dropped his hands to your shoulders. His solid palms steadied you as he stared at you for a long while. “You’re right. Me and Jack, you and me, we’ve all been through way too fucking much to not always tell the truth with each other,” Gabriel frowned. “It’s rough enough working out something like this between a pair. So three people ain’t exactly a cakewalk.”

This time, a genuine laugh bubbled up from you. “Ain’t a ‘cakewalk,’ Gabe?” you briefly smiled, “Looks like the farmboy’s been rubbing off on the city kid from mean streets of L.A.”

“You know I grew up in the ‘burbs. Not exactly that mean,” Gabe chuckled. “Oh and,” his expression fell back to worried, “Quit trying to change the subject. Like I said, this is complicated.”

“No shit,” you whispered.

The firmness of Gabriel’s lips to your brow had you leaning into him. “Of course, you don’t have to agree to any of it. We can all keep going on like we have.”

Looking around, you took in various signs of Jack all over Gabe’s quarters. Some of his training gear propped in a corner next to the guest closet. The half-finished glass bottle of soda sitting on the table. Framed postcards from various places where he’d done missions were scattered along the walls. His oversized, mottled orange sweater Gabe knitted for him years ago tossed over the back of the couch.

Signs of you were all over as well. Your sticky note reminders posted all over the front of the refrigerator. The various holotablets installed everywhere that you got Winston integrate into Athena. The sweet, brown sugar scent of the candles you constantly lit. Your potted plants taking up the window box that overlooked the ocean.

It wasn’t as though you found Jack unattractive. You sure in the hell weren’t blind. Gruff as he was now, you knew it was his coping mechanism for everything that’d occurred after the Fall. But like Gabe, age granted him patience. Something you constantly witnessed in both men’s interactions between not only themselves but the up and coming agents they trained.

Not to mention, he was pretty god-damn solid in bed. You could work with that.

“I…wouldn’t mind dinner,” you slowly said.

Doubt flickered across Gabe’s face. “You sure?”

“For now, yeah.”

Pulling you to him in an enveloping hug, he left you with breathless kiss.

“See you soon, my favorite safecracker.”

“Your only safecracker left around here,” you joked.

Nodding, you withdrew as Jack wandered up behind him to toss an arm around Gabe’s shoulders. “Leaving so soon?” he asked.

“Have to finalize my research on Thygesen,” you shrugged.

“Ain’t that shame?” Jack drawled, tilting his head to the side in appraisal. Gabe snorted back a laugh and knowingly shook his head.

The corner of your mouth twitched with a grin. “You sound so heartbroken.”

“You’d be surprised,” his warm voice replied.

You tried to blame your next action on the mimosas. But deep down, you know that wasn’t true as you rocked forward and pulled Jack to you by the hem of his shirt to capture his mouth with yours. How he stilled for a few seconds nearly sent you fleeing the scene. That was until his other arm flew to your side to pull you in closer. Gabe’s hand caught you around the other side at the same time. His cooler touch in contrast to Jack’s enhanced, higher body temperature made for a fascinating contrast.

Coming up for air and fluttering open your eyes, you let out a pleased huff at Jack’s playful nip at your lower lip. The feel of Gabe’s mouth on your cheek before he nuzzled at your ear proved the sweet to Jack’s naughty.

Huh. You could really get used to this. Gabe strutting around so proudly shirtless and Jack’s t-shirt being roughly two sizes two small (as per usual) only reinforced it. You were starting to regret having to possibly go out on mission on your own to catch up with Thygesen’s annoying ass. Yet as much as you wanted to stick around, you preferred not to be mentally distracted when you took the next step with the Gabe and Jack.

Retreating back to your quarters with a quick goodbye left you with a lot to process when it came to those two.

Notes:

"Populus semper. Primum missio" is Latin for “People always. Mission first." It's a tweak on the unofficial motto of the U.S. Air Force, which is “People first. Mission always.”

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