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Gr1m

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Soulbond, H/C, In The Rain

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Jack tasted blood, cement dust, dirt and ash. It filled his mouth, his nose and coated his throat where he lay, jarring his other muted senses that had been stunned in the sheer magnitude of the sounds, sights, feel of the Watchpoint building folding in on itself with him close to ground zero. His lips moved but no sound came out, his eyes were tearing from all the dust and ash but also he felt blinded by the blood that that coated one eye. His body was cold save for the single warm thread that always pulsed between him and the man he had previously been having a screaming match with before everything came apart.

He lay stomach down in the rubble, the rocks and slabs of debris rumbling as it shifted and settled, like at any moment, the small hollow would come down on top of him. The 'floor' was uneven under him, heaved up in places and depressed in others, but it took him time to understand the full weight of what lay over top of and under him. Without thinking about it, his fingers twitched and reached out, fumbling towards that clinging whisper of life nearby instinctively. There was always a sense of safety, an assurance to beating one more bad gamble, but it was a strange comfort to know that if he lived, his partner in life also had to.

He slowly turned his head towards where he sensed the flickering life thread of Gabriel Reyes. It was dark in the little hovel of safety, so he couldn't see where the Blackwatch Commander had ended up, but the uneven walls of cement and rebar were layered in that direction. His lips moved to call out, but there was no sound. His fingers stretched out, seeking with a mounting desperation his jumbled thoughts back to settle back into order and he began to realize what had happened, where he was and the fact that they had to get out of here. He coughed out dust, the only sound aside from the soft 'pit pit' of water that was slowly trickling through the rubble. "...be..."

Someone had destroyed the Watchpoint Base, brought it down upon their heads. His first thought was Talon, how their operatives seemed to slip into places that they reasonably shouldn't. He had been vehemently arguing with Reyes in the garage, the lowest point of the building, new caskets to be sent home. Maybe it had gotten of hand, them yelling at each other, shouting things that friends were supposed to regret later, but the fate of Overwatch was crumbling because Gabe couldn't sit out and Jack couldn't handle the Blackwatch section because it wasn't his world. He'd blamed Reyes, and he had been blamed in turn. Screaming matches like theirs happened rarely, but they always felt good because no matter what they said to each other, all the names they called each other, all the shoving they did would mean nothing in the end because they could never escape one another, were in this life together, two halves to a whole. So they could yell, they could punch, they could accuse, but in the end, they were bonded.

It was also their best kept secret. Soldiers of their own right, they had come together as candidates for the controversial Soldier-Enhancement-Program. His roommate for the program had become gravely ill after the first treatment, and he was shuffled to another room so candidates could mind each other. He'd met Gabriel Reyes that day, his kitpack on his shoulder as he stepped into the room. They made eye contact like they wanted to size each other up and instead it was like he had been struck by lightning. He'd actually fallen down, and the infant bond had established itself.

It had been Gabriel to reasonably suggest they tell no one. The physical signs of their bond would fade - name tattoos on the swell of their hip - in a few days. The only time they would appear was when one or both of them was gravely injured. They couldn't know how unique their bond was compared to others until after the SEP, after the first major conflict with Omnic forces and Gabe took shredding round of bullets to the chest, and it had been Jack to carry him out on his back. He'd been told his Commander wouldn't survive, too much damage, too much blood loss. Gabe survived, the thin tendril of life clinging and safe within him.

As long as Jack lived, Gabriel lived. As long as Gabriel lived, Jack lived. Too many fatal experiences proved that.

No one was supposed to know. They clearly did because it was too precise to level an entire building on top of him and Gabe when their presence was heard by at least two floors above with their yelling. Kill them both at the same time or within minutes of each other, and the bond would be broken and the last visage of the SEP would die with them. More importantly, Overwatch died with them. Who could survive an entire building collapsing on them?

His fingers touched on the cement slab that blocked him from Gabriel, pushing at it. Jack shifted in the rubble, but he was pinned. He made a soft broken sound, the kind of sound that always had brought Gabe to him when it was his turn for a fatal encounter. The cement slab above him had punctured him through with rebar, pinning him in place. Aside from the bomb blast itself shredding his uniform, it was the rebar through shoulder, abdomen and legs that prevented him from moving in search of Reyes.

All he kept thinking was how precise it had been. The transport truck he had stormed behind to avoid looking at Reyes for a moment detonating with the distance between them close enough that the blast itself should have killed them. They had survived before, and the catastrophic explosion to the building and brought it down right on top of their stunned and rattled heads. They survived because of how the rubble landed and shifted.

"...Ga..." he tried again, voice harsh and raspy, throat raw. "Ga... be..."

[gr1m]

They had the Devil's own luck when it came to that particular detail of their bond. Survival, enduring every pain that came with what should have killed either of them at a time. It also allowed them to have that small comfort of knowing the other was safe, no matter what they may have been out facing alone.

Of course that was part of their growing tension over the years, going out alone when before they'd always faced dangers together. Things growing more dangerous despite the peace, internal conflicts when places thought safe were infiltrated. Blackwatch down because of a choice he'd made, unable to be out there like he wanted to be. To track down and drag out growing dangers.

Arguments over his choices, how he felt he needed to get things done. It did feel good to yell out their frustrations and let the anger take hold to get it out of them. When they could scream and yell, get it be out there between them and clear to see. To sort through and come back together in private to sooth any wounds made by words.

Hadn't thought today would be any different, even if the argument now had been seeped in things he feared were happening within Overwatch itself. There was no more Blackwatch, only Reyes, to watch out for anything trying to sneak through the cracks or plant itself in the dark, and maybe he was growing more paranoid, especially after the loss of Ana, but there was something so rotten growing right under their noses he needed the ability to pursue it. Even if alone. Angry and frustrated about how things were going, how little power either of them had anymore in this group they'd both had a hand in building together.

His ears were ringing, could only taste blood and every breath was a struggle, and the pain in his head was almost blinding in itself. At least one lung was punctured, felt some lancing, burning pain through his side, but only that much registered at first, pinned back against some solid structure and sitting up. The only thing that had saved him was the fact he'd gotten pinned sitting up, some slab inches away would have crushed his skull otherwise with how he was oriented.

Rebar was skewering his thigh, bleeding actively where he was and his senses were slow to collect—

Until he heard that sound, faint as it was, that nearly hurt more than what was pinning him in place. That tug of life at the end of a bond still so firmly in place. Acting to move and free himself before his mind caught up to the rest of him. Crawling through rubble in that unstable bubble, a hand placed against the slab from the other side.

They survived, the events sinking back in to his skull as he was searching for a way to get through, or around. Coughing, hacking up blood that spattered against cement, but ignoring his pain to try and focus, doing little more than just smearing blood at first.

"Jack," The name burned his throat, sounded harsh even if he could barely hear himself with his focus elsewhere. Refusing to die here, to let either of them die here.

It hurt, forcing himself through some space between the slab and rubble, broken pieces of cement and rebar digging in to already torn flesh from where his own clothing had shredded and burned. Needed to get to him, get to Jack, even if his hand might have gripped that outstretched one too tightly at first. Gloves missing already, burned and torn away.

They didn't have time, felt like they couldn't waste time, thoughts racing on needing to get out. Get them both out.

[dadication]

Before, the bond was thin and distant, but he was aware of the moment that Gabe began to move towards him. The bond strengthened like both of them had somehow become more aware of the link that connected them and with that attention, warmth and comfort flooded down it. He was a bit more aware that he wasn't the only one suffering here, that Gabe was also severely wounded.

He slowly lifted his head from where it rested on cement, spitting out blood clots in his mouth and looking half-blind in the direction of his outstretched hand. There was scratching and small bits of debris shifting, and even with the dust settling around him, he could tell the exact moment that even a small inch of Reyes came into sight. Their hands connected, and he relaxed for a moment into the tight grip, ignoring the fact that he was certain his wrist was broken or maybe just dislocated.

The fact that they were both alive felt like an assurance, that together they could find a way out of this new mess. Everything was so confusing, and his ears were still ringing slightly, but he heard his name and that was enough. He shifted, trying to move towards Gabe but found himself stuck, pinned by thick cords of rebar driving into the cement under him.

His other arm wedged down, allowing him to dig one knee in as well as he pushed up with his back, dragging his flesh up the rebar as he let out cries of pain. No point hiding them, not with so much shit on top of them. He managed to get his leg free but was forced to rest a few moments with his back against the slab of concrete above him, twisted remains of a wall or maybe a pillar. He couldn't tell.

The smell of blood thickened as they moved together, but he also barely could allow himself to release Gabe's hand. "...Gabe..." he rasped out, shoving his back against the slab but unable to budge it with his strength alone. The rebar still holding him kept his back at an odd angle.

"...you look like shit..." he managed to get out before he growled a sound of pain. "Help me."

[gr1m]

"You look how I feel." They both looked like shit, but there was such a flood of relief at seeing even such a bloodied and wrecked face. He was alive and moving- sort of. That was what mattered, no matter how damn much it hurt to speak or move he was doing both.

Pulling his way the rest of the way through with some difficulties, but he wasn't stopping, wasn't letting go of that hand until he had to. Getting a hold on that slab to help push it up, getting his better leg more under him to help push it up while trying to keep anything more from falling down on top of them.

They both needed to get out of here, but fist they had to get Jack free of so much of this shit. Had to keep push, keep alive. No different than some of the worst messes they'd gotten in during the Crisis. Only it was. This wasn't some attack from an enemy force.

This had to have come from the inside.

"See if you can get out now." Get loose from metal.

[dadication]

"That's mutual," he managed, coughing as he watched Gabe struggle to come to his area of the rubble. His face was a complete mess of blood and dirt, practically unrecognizable at this point; even his hair was matted and more gray with concrete dust than the usual blond. None of that matter though because the comforting link between them was active.

He cried out in pain as Gabe helped him to lift the slab carefully, allow himself to rip his flesh off of the rebar with spatters of blood until there was a tremble to the debris above them, and he knew it was dangerous to move it further. He tore and ripped himself off the twisted metal, cursing a blue streak as he freed himself with a cost, and in the limited space that they occupied, he helped Gabe lower it back down as safely as possible.

Some of the rubble shifted, but they were both free. He was bleeding heavily, but his bare hand reached out to touch Reyes' thigh where the rebar had obviously punctured through. "We need to get you medical," he murmured roughly, turning his head to search for any sign of fresh air. There was a slow trickle of water that he could hear, and he assumed that gravity brought it down their way.

He wiped at his face, trying to smear away the blood, but it only undid any tentative healing. He was a world of pain, but he understood they had to get out of here.

"...Talon...?" He was crawling to a narrower section where he heard water and found a place to take them up through some sandwiched floors. It would be a tight squeeze. "This way."

[gr1m]

Gabriel kept the slab as stead as he could, held up enough that Jack could rip free, teeth gritted not just from the sounds but his own pain. Could ignore it all as much as he needed. Even if he could feel his own blood loss, both of them would be in trouble sooner rather than later with how much both of them were losing. SEP or not, even they had their limits.

Looked like they were going to be pushing those yet again, some low noise made. "No," answering that murmur with something almost a growl. No going to medical. Who the fuck could they trust out there? This was an inside job, someone—

Gabriel was catching his breath for a moment, a hand pressing against his side where blood was flowing. Willing back a dizzy spell with how is head pulsed with pain and the ring still there in his ears. Vision swimming, giving himself that moment while Jack searched for some way out of this smoldering hell they were trapped in. Take the time to get himself braced to start moving again.

"Don't know, could be-" was Talon last time but how? How could they get here of all places, let alone know when—

He was following after Jack, watching for instability and even pushing the man up ahead of him when needed. Get them both moving through the cramped places, had to get out. Had to.

[gr1m]

The sea was turbulent deep in the night, no calmness under a stormy surface even in the depths where he usually hunted. Couldn't even be sure if it had been some mistake of his or if it had truly just been poor lucky despite how long the area had been his. Felt as if he'd known every currant, but even he'd felt something was wrong when he'd gone out to hunt, caught up in some freak accident that sent him spiraling; blood trailing in the water.

Hell, even he wouldn't remember exactly what happened, a blow enough to knock him out and leave him to the mercy of the ocean itself.

Blood stained the sand as the tide left him on some beach, a cove of sorts, tangled in a mess of seaweed and what was left of some thick roped net. Skin and scale both ripped through, deep gashes along his form, hair matted to part of his forehead both from drying seawater and the amount of blood from where skin had split from the hit taken hard enough to render him unconscious still. Dumped by the sea like some lifeless animal carcass that had been too buoyant to sink and instead been caught on tide then waves to end up there.

Unmoving.

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Jack hadn't been a fisherman more than a handful of years, preferring the work the land rather than sail on the unpredictable sea. He had gone out this way and settled into that life after an extensive military career and the quiet life was not to his taste. He'd sold the family farm after his parents had passed away, moved out East, bought a boat and learned how to navigate the seas.

Sleep wasn't an easy concept to grasp these days, so he was usually out before light, before even the other fishermen had left the warmth of their houses. He walked along the rough shoals, letting the cold hostile wind churn up his short hair even as he pulled his collar higher on his jacket. The walk was good for him, eased an unwelcomed energy that pervaded him many hours of every day.

And finding dead or wounded animals wasn't out of his scope. It's why he always carried supplies with him in a pack as he walked. Bucket, tarp, shovel, flares and rifle and shot. There was no point letting a creature suffer after all, but if he could save them, he would. He'd taken enough life to want to put a hand forward to save what he could.

So when he saw a fleshy lump in the distance, he thought it was a porpoise or some other type of creature. It wasn't until he drew closer that the shape was all wrong, the length of body, the fact there was hair that drew him to a stop. That wasn't any kind of sea creature he had seen before, and he'd made certain to do his research before coming out to these parts.

At the local watering hole, there was of course old fisherman's tales. People of these parts were very superstitious, so the fact there was an old wive's tale of an ancient creature that was half man, half fish wasn't unusual. He'd taken it with a grain of salt, but there had been times when he arrived that he thought he had seen something in the shadow of his boat as he struggled to learn what he had to about the sea in calm and rough waters.

Jack approached cautiously until he was staring down at the very tale he hadn't believed lay right in front of him. There was blood, a lot of it, and those wounds needed tending. The tail aspect that was in water was already being picked at by sea creatures like crabs and fish who were opportunistic. He slowly crouched and reached out to touch cold skin and he was immediately able to pick up a slow but steady pulse.

"I'll be damned," he muttered as he looked over the impressive man... fish, thing? Merman, wasn't it? Either way, this creature was alive and badly injured. "Guess I can't call conservation about you, can I?"

For some reason, he also wasn't of the opinion he could call on the other fishermen and their families either. Like this was something special. Normally, he wouldn't care, but there was a jarring sense of familiarity when he looked at that face. No, this was for him to deal with.

He tarped what he could of the tail, securing it up closer to the body and using a thermal blanket around the body to both prevent blood from getting everywhere and to keep the merman warm. Add some extra water in both and then he was putting his 'catch of the day' across his shoulders and trudging back to the town and his shore front house. It was still early enough where people were just starting their day when he forced his way back into his house as quietly as possible.

Through his small house, and he was depositing his catch into the bathtub. He plugged it, kept the thermal blanket on and then took his buckets and went down to the ocean to haul up water to fill the tub with. Back and forth until the task was done and then he was rolling up his sleeves, grabbing his extensive first-aid kit and settled in to start stitching up all the long gashes that he could find.

[gr1m]

Fortunately the catch of the day didn't stir while being wrapped up, carried, or placed in the tub. Limp and so far out of it there was no trouble at all, pale from blood loss and likely cold for the same reason, the chill of the air having not helped there at all. Already covered in a few scars, injuries now would likely just be added to those if he survived this. Head lolled against the side of the tub, unmoving while it was filled up; again, likely more fortunate than not given his condition.

Even at first, when the stitching started there was no movement other than the flutter of the gills along his sides in the water, sign enough that he was breathing. A slight rise and fall to his chest as well, eyelids fluttering due to what was slight movement beneath them.

The sea water in the tub was tinting red from all the injuries, the mix of salt and iron hard to miss in such an enclosed space. That was what was starting to pull him out of unconsciousness, tail twitching—

There was a low snarl of warning soon enough, muscles tensing and eyes boring in to the man's skull with the narrowed look locked on him then. Lips curled enough to bare sharp teeth with that noise growing still in his throat.

[dadication]

Jack had been doing something like this for years, though he was normally more familiar with the person in question or at least there would be a uniform involved. It turned out that merman skin was actually different and thicker than human skin. It required more concentration on his part, which was why he missed the little tail twitches at first.

He paused in his work at the low snarl, lifting his eye from the long gash he had been putting back together to stare at the hauntingly familiar but unidentifable face resting against the top of his bathtub. He kept his motions slow and readable as he shifted back to sit up more, fingers still bloodied and holding the suture.

"Easy now," he murmured softly. "You've been badly hurt, and I'm warming you up and putting you back together. I know it hurts, but you're losing a lot of blood. These need to be closed or you might bleed out."

He had no idea what merman spoke honestly. Didn't all the stupid fantasy books give them a language of their own? He understood there was danger here, but he was tired. He knew he could get away well enough. His rifle was nearby if things went sideways, but he would prefer to avoid destroying this massive magnificent creature.

[gr1m]

The only reason he hadn't pulled away with that sound was due to the size of the tub and because they blanket he'd been wrapped in was still there, too. The most he could have done, that would have still done damage, was likely give the man one hell of a hit with that tail of his; pure muscle most of it was.

Eyes still tracked him as he moved, head still rested against the tub with how tired he felt. Weak due to that blood loss, and he could smell it in the water. Hell, most of what he could smell was his own blood with how much of it covered him still.

His nose wrinkled a bit- "The get it over with," croaked, voice rough from either disuse or how much time he spent in saltwater; hell, even possibly due to whatever the hell put him in the condition he was in. Maybe even a mix of it all. Showed that he could speak at least, and also understood.

[dadication]

He was of the opinion that the creature wasn't entirely in a position to be thrashing around, but he was forced to consider it a wild animal all the same. He had expected to have to replace the water in the tub once he had finished his task or it became too murky from the blood, but it was safe and warm enough with the heater he had in the tub.

His eyebrows drew together sharply at the fact this merman spoke to him. The words were formed if croaked, as if this creature wasn't used to speaking at all, which made sense. He stared at him for a long quiet moment.

"Do you know what attacked you?"

He slowly eased in again, continued to suture up the gash with deft motions. Four down, two more to go. He worked on the next long one and had a single shorter one left after that. He kept one eye on his work and one on the merman. "I'll change your water once I'm done here. Is this... enough?"

Awooo

[gr1m]

Well, apparently SEP had been hell on their bodies in more than the expected ways; strength and senses were what was being shot for after all. Bulked some up more than they had been and well.

Gabriel had flourished, had been doing so in the army as well, but this place had put more muscle weight, honed what he already had. Shot straight to the top, more so amongst his peers out of those that had survived or didn't have to drop out. Lost a few roommates here and there. At least the latest one had stuck better, and he actually got along with Morrison. Good sense of humor and actually seemed to get his own without issue. Made that easier.

He'd gone back to their room early, sent by one of the nurses after the latest bit of testing when something suddenly hit him. Along with a box of 'supplies' after he was sent back to just deal with it. A damn surprise because this wasn't supposed to happen for- "Fuck." His skin was already covered in a sheen of sweat, bed covers kicked aside, panting heavily. Had hit hit far quicker than ever before, had barely been able to make it back to the room at all and could only hope he'd gotten there quick enough that no one had caught any clue of it.

Last thing that Reyes needed was this getting passed around like some bathroom gossip.

Didn't help that there'd been absolutely no time to warn Morrison, and he damn well doubted that any of the scientists, doctors, or nurses would be nice enough to give him a heads up either. Of course those worries had faded rather quickly from mind as other needs replaced them, the lid of that box cast aside and fumbling for anything that felt enough in his hand.

[dadication]

Jack had gone into the SEP knowing the risks, being part of the third group of twenty-five to be enhanced. The mortality rate was high, so was the rate of irreversible disability, but the reward was also massive. A single soldier with the senses, physicality and healing ability of ten men. It was nothing to sneeze at with the war ripping lives apart in a slow burn effort of attrition. He had done well in the Army, so when the offer had come, he had taken it.

He survived the experience. He put on a few extra inches of height but muscle layered his previously lean frame, and he had more speed and stamina than ever. There were other effects that he found manageable, his sense of smell heightened impossibly well, even if he was still trying to figure his way around the fact he apparently had developed interesting sexual changes. Oh well, he'd deal with that.

Right now, the testing was continuing as well as training of small units of SEP soldiers together. Senior candidates were paired evenly with the newest recruits, and that's how Jack ended up with his current roommate, Gabriel. The man made Jack curse and thank every god that might exist to be gay. Best of all, they got on well, laughing, joking but backing each other up during training. He'd always been able to make friends easily, but he valued his friendship with Gabe instantly.

He had just finished showering from field exercises with the rest of the team, heading back to his room to grab some his personal holovid screen for some classroom exercises to round out the afternoon and evening. Towel hung over his shoulder, he pushed into the shared room with his roommate, not actually expecting Gabe to be there.

He stepped in, noted the pair of boots already here and made the mistake of sniffing the air. The sweet, alluring fragrance of an omega in heat invaded his senses so fast, he momentarily forgot why he had come in the first place. A few more breaths, a gentle closing of the door and Jack could feel his military fatigues getting awful tight.

He managed to snap out of slightly, aware he had to go somewhere else for the evening. Why... oh right, holovid that was charging on his dresser, and now his overnight bag that was always packed.

He eased into the room, spotting Gabe helping himself and steadfast looked away. Think unsexy thoughts. Think unsexy thoughts. He grabbed his overnight back, dragging it from under his bed and cleared his throat. "Sorry, no one warned me... I um... I'll bunk up with Jefferson tonight, okay?" Play it cool, don't breathe deep, don't think about having this ungodly handsome omega pinned under his weight while he filled him up, knotted him, claimed him... UGH.

[gr1m]

They'd gotten on almost instantly, the usual sizing up of course, but it had just come almost naturally when Morrison actually got the joke he'd tossed his way dry as the desert. The mutual ribbing and joking, had made him actually open up a bit when the guy seemed to just get things. Hell, during training they pushed each other to be better, get better, and honestly- helped each other get through some of those injection rounds by just being there in those moments of weakness and pain.

Reason the pairing off happened as it did, to try and help each other better survive and overcome.

This? He had expected all sorts of changes but this one caught him off-guard. Reyes thought with it all that this had been suppressed, because he'd already missed every heat since it all started, or barely had one at all. This was intense, knocked him off his feet and had his toes curling with that need molten in his gut. Reason the moment his hand had come across a toy he'd rolled over, fatigues hanging off one ankle and had it buried in deep in one go with how much slick there'd already been. Wasn't enough, no matter how he tried to angle, thighs trembling from desperation.

Other hand fisting at his pillow, muffling himself with it in just some need to bite in to anything. Back arched off the bed and maybe for the better that desperate and needy sound was going in to that pillow. His tank top hitched up and caught over his chest to show off flushed tan skin, how quickly it rose and fell with every panted breath.

Hadn't even heard Morrison walk in, didn't notice at first with how much he was sunk in to that engulfing need. Had never been this intense, this overwhelming. That voice did draw him out a little, gasping in the air as his hips bucked, "Jack—" Had meant to be something of a question, but all that carried in that one name was a pure need. Pleading almost. Didn't hear a damn word Morrison had said, but he recognized his voice enough that it had at the very least registered.

[dadication]

The thing was that Jack was comfortable with Gabe, had no real reason to challenge his authority no matter what the older man happened to smell like. Gabe was a leader, had a knack for war and tactics, but more than that, he had a wicked dry sense of humor and had already taught him a few naughty words in Spanish.

Their friendship had built fast and solid, which made catching Gabe in such a situation that the older man had no control over - though weren't their suppressants? - one he would step away on. Someone could easily take advantage of the need, the scents, and the sling-shot of hormones to dive in and make a mess of things. Jack was honourable in certain situations, and he wasn't one to compromise himself even when every inch of his flesh desperately wanted.

And wow that was quite the sight. He would definitely being touching himself to it once he stepped out.

Though, he froze in the process of picking up his overnight bag at the way that Gabe called his name, and his nostrils flared to drink in the heavy scents mingling in the air. His own arousal was on the air, spreading, churning up with Gabe's, and he was swallowing hard as saliva flooded his mouth. He shifted his weight, head feeling cloudy with need, but he concentrated, gripping his dwindling self-control with both hands.

"Gabriel..." he called back, a hint of plea in his own voice. "You're... going to be alright, buddy."

[gr1m]

There'd been those that had challenged him, and every single one of them had found themselves flat on their backs. Had gotten him a few enemies that knew better, and had also gotten him a few trying to court even during a time like this. Ignored both and kept pushing ahead. Been good to find someone he could trust and just fuck around with in Jack.

Again that voice, and it was definitely- "Jack." -Morrison right there, and he could catch that heavy scent of alpha that was so damned heady in it's own way. Even more so now, made that much more aware of it, could even smell the growing arousal which that made everything so much more.

"Please."

Please what? Did it really matter? With how that single word was dripping with as much need as he was, some frustration mixed in with it. Gabriel's frustration pretty damned clear in how he was moving and arching, head pressed back and a low whined pulling out of him.

[dadication]

A shiver ran down the length of his spine as Gabe spoke his name again, so soft, so full of plea and need. He managed to bite back part of a groan of need of his own, but he succumbed to dragging a palm over the front of his tented fatigues, providing a touch of relief, but it also simply made the situation all the worse at the same time. He was so aroused and feeling the swell of rut starting to heat his blood.

He swallowed hard, gripping his overnight pack so tight he thought the strap might rip because of his nails. The addition of please just went straight to his cock, and he moaned a desperate, struggling sound. He managed to take a step away, but his eyes were pinned on Gabe.

Those fatigues hanging off one ankle, shirt hiked up to under the arms, fully exposed for his viewing pleasure and wet. Toy partially inside of the omega didn't help either, allowing his mind to envision how much better it would be with his straining cock pushing inside, riding them both to a sense of relief, of claim, of new evolution of partnership.

"You're so... beautiful," he choked out, still rubbing his crotch through his fatigues. Another small step away, eyes feasting on the sight. God did he want.

Hunter x Monster Hunter

[dadication]

It was a simple but effective warning shot, grazing pain and heat along his ribs on the left side of his body. It cut through his leather body armour, and if it had been poisoned, he would be dead within minutes to hours. That wasn't the thought that stopped him from returning fire though.

No, there wasn't supposed to be a weapon to the creature he was tracking. Brain addled werewolves were rabid beasts, thrown into their most basic animal instincts so they only bothered themselves with the natural weapons of their own bodies. He had heard rumour that the werewolf had moved deeper into the abandoned mine system, using it as a way to access multiple villages through swift travel. The savagery of its attacks were why he was called in, since he operated better than any other hunter in the dark. Hunt and kill the werewolf who had lost itself to a brain disease.

There was another rumor though, a low whisper in the sludgy underbelly of the hunter circles. There was something else in the mines, and it was far more cunning and dangerous. Only a few men looking for coal to warm their houses had seen shadows of it, heard the low hiss of snakes and the whisper of footfalls. There was no solid sighting when he had entered to be more than just cautious, but he had had clearly found the whisper of the night.

He'd taken a very well places crossbow bolt to the side. A warning. A threat.

Jack figured he was supposed to be concerned, but he was instead just mildly annoyed as he held a hand to the wound. In the pitch darkness of the mine shaft, he could magically sense the outline of the creature who had wounded him. A big broad male, hood obscuring features and well armed for a fight if it came to one. There were inhuman soft noises to allow him to narrow down the list of creatures this could be. After all, neither of them had a light source and dark vision wasn't that common in the supernatural creature races.

His black and blue leathers usually protected him, and his hood was down since there was no reason to focus his magic forwards only. He needed surround senses for a mission like this. His eyes, part of his nose and some of his forehead was obscured with a blue cloth that was tied around his head, the blindfold more to stop human questions. It also made monsters wary of just jumping in what with the blood that occasionally escaped from the old scars that tracked jagged lines across his face, peeking out on either side of his blindfold.

Like the other unknown entity in his path, he was armed to the teeth. It wasn't the only arsenal that he had, since Jack was also gifted with magic in his blood. It was magic that allowed him to 'see', and he had learned to use it to round out his disabilities. Lack of real sight had stopped bothering him years ago.

"You're not who I've been paid to hunt." He tilted his head a little. "Nor are you another hunter." He didn't sense a hunter's guild medallion, one that announced the life and death of one of the guild. No, this was the other rumor. "You're not a run of the mill scavenger in the dark... who are you?"

[gr1m]

The crossbow was still held, aimed on the hunter in a way that would ensure a more direct hit and already loaded. Arms steady and even in the dark he was focused on the other man. One warning shot was the only one he'd allow once it was clear just what it was that had entered the mine system he was currently in, and had moved through to make sure there was nothing else within.

"Someone that doesn't like hunters." All he was going to give, not budging from the area he'd taken up for the moment. There was a reason the warning shot had grazed, rather than simply hitting some wall or the ground just in front of the man. Hell, reason he hadn't just made a noise that would have sent any villager running because of the rumors and stories that circulated around this mine.

There would only be one warning shot. "Whatever you hunt isn't here, if not me."

[dadication]

Blood beaded through his fingers, coating them from the graze wound, but he still wasn't concerned. He was trying to determine what it was that still held a weapon aimed at him, but had the restraint not to just plug another bolt into him. This was a stand off, one that Jack wasn't certain he was willing to escalate.

"I'm just passing through then," he remarked simply, gesturing with his chin to the mine system that continued on passed the area they were standing in. While the werewolf might not be here now, this mine system was still the fastest route to getting to any other village that had built up around the various exits and entrances. "I expect there's a bounty on you too, but I don't care to bother to collect it or even look into it. I never met you, if you are willing to let me pass."

He knew that in a fight would strain resources but more time. He couldn't afford to be tired going up against a rabid wolf. "You should move on though. There's a wolf on the loose."

[gr1m]

There wasn't a way he could trust that those words held true, and this wouldn't be the first hunter he'd exchanged any with either. He had killed a few stubborn ones that wouldn't leave him or heed every warning he'd given to let them leave with their lives. None of them had really known what he was either, and the rumors didn't pinpoint what the creature that made its home around and within these mines were. He'd made a point of making it difficult, nearly impossible, to truly identify what he was.

So, he couldn't believe this one would just pass through and that would be the end of it. The sound of that crossbow was clear enough that some shift had been made, but not if it had been disarmed or not, still held.

"I've already run up against the wolf, and like I said it's not here anymore." His head tipped, taking another look over this hunter. "It would smell you coming," the blood. "I've been trying to keep it out of these passages."

[dadication]

Jack allowed his chin to tip towards his chest as he considered the words. This creature had survived an encounter with a brain-addled werewolf, which meant this one was either well prepared or just plain tough. That ranked it higher on the list of creatures that this one could be, so perhaps one of the very rare ones.

Still, the information that the wolf wasn't here meant very little to him. The mines were deep and went into multiple countries at one point, but when the various territory wars had broke out, it had been blocked and booby trapped in many shafts to take down whole armies. Now there were so many magical traps it wasn't worth the effort to take an army through. Single people could make it if they were careful or knew how to deal with traps.

"So you're forcing me to go around to another entrance rather than allow me to pass through?" He shook his head, fingers tightening on his wound which had finally stopped bleeding. "I also count on it smelling me. Better me than the villages."

Jack had no problem being both carrot and stick.

[gr1m]

"If you don't want to miss it? Yes." Some of those traps had been reinforced recently, not that he would say, and he wasn't about to lower the crossbow either. Either this man had very little to lose, or was incredibly foolish. "Going through isn't where you will find it, there's a fresher trail elsewhere."

He meant it when he said he'd already dealt with it and kept it out. Apparently this one was going to be stubborn-

"Whoever told you to come here was likely hoping to kill two birds with one stone, so if you actually want to go after this wolf," Leave was at least clear enough in that tone of his. "I already have enough trouble dealing with that damned thing, and I'd rather be rid of it. IF you're skilled you won't have trouble picking up where it's actually gone."