dadication | Open Post

"If we're slow going a week, think if we're careful we can cut that by a few days and still not be pushing it to hard." It was out there, and he for one would drive for days straight while Jack slept given the option. "We'll camp off the roads if we have to while traveling," just get a tarp for a make-shift shelter, could use the bike as a side.

Once Jack leaned back after the dry heaving, Gabriel slowly brushed fingers through his hair, petted him soothingly as he could. Sit there as long as they could afford to as well. Wanting to let him settle, help his stomach get over the twists of pain that had made him sick to it. Could rig up a sling for him easy enough, keep the arm supported and hand up near his chest and out of the way—

"You will be, both of us will be. This pain will pass and heal as it always does for us," spoken softly.

A week. He nestled in against Gabe's chest and pressed his face deeper against the older man's neck, trying to consider how he would make it five to seven days on the road. He had done it during the war, but he had been a younger man then and the SEP had been rather fresh in him. "Yeah, we'll have to rough it. Won't be the first time, but... we'll just have to be careful." They weren't exactly easily set up for camping in this Swiss country.

He took some minutes to let his stomach settle and the pain seem manageable again and then he removed his face to look towards the floor. With his bandaged arm tucked close to his chest, he moved to lay himself slowly down on his side, exposing the numerous ripped out sutures on his side.

"You should... fix up my side, if you think more sutures are necessary. We can bandage it if you don't," he said, hopeful but not considering he will get away without sutures. For days of travel? Best not to have to cover himself with bandages and hope for the best when it came to healing.

It wasn't the best, but it could have been worse, and it was better to be going out further from people. Hopefully their sniper 'friend' had some shit they could use while roughing it, since the guy likely would have been posted out there for days. "Think we'll be able to manage," despite the rough shape both of them were in. They'd manage alright.

His nose wrinkled at the sight, but he at least helped Jack lay down slowly, fingers lightly moving over the busted areas.

"Did a real number here, don't think you can get away with just bandaging it." Not with how some of it looked, and the fact he could tell that Jack had bled while they'd slept. Was already getting what he needed together as he spoke, "After this we'll be done at least. Want me to still bandage it a bit to protect the sutures?"

They had been in far worse living situations, but their physical states might have been a lot worse now than ever before. After all, they were left giving medical attention to each other rather than relying on an advanced and very capable medical team. "I think there was a sleeping bag in the sniper's bag, but it's designed for one."

He pillowed his head on his good arm and tucked the bandaged on up higher on his chest so that Gabriel had a full view of his side. He made certain not to look much, staring across the filthy carpet and letting his partner assess the situation.

"I expect no worse than you did," he remarked, though they had been quicker on Gabe's resuturing because he just plain didn't take no for an answer. Always up in Gabe's business. "Yeah, after this, we finish packing and prepare to leave. I'd like to be out before the sun comes up." He shifted slightly on the floor. "Let's not waste the bandage material if we don't have to."

"You come across a tarp in there?" They could fold down incredibly small considering some sizes usually, so there was some little hope there was at least one of those in there. Worry about the single sleeping bag when they had to, because at work it would be used as a pillow or ripped apart to lay on or be a blanket.

Gabriel was slowly picking out what had busted apart, and doing what he could to keep the rest from slipping loose. Some little trick. Fuck, what he wouldn't give for some medical glue, that shit was so much easier; hell, he'd stapled his own wounds with medical grade before.

He snorted a bit, "No worse, but no better since you wouldn't let me go ahead and fix them. Stubborn jackass." But he was already starting on the stitching, careful so as not to cause extra pain, but keeping skin held with his other hand. "Want to be out of here before the owner comes knocking for more money, and leave plenty of time for shit t burn."

"There might be one at the bottom of the bag, but I didn't pull everything out so far," he informed the other. It was hard to take everything out when he was trying to get them packed and only had one hand, which was his own fault. Likely the sniper had been prepared. Otherwise, they were going to rough it and have to hope for the best in the days they'd be on the road.

He twitched as Gabriel set to work, deciding to close his eyes so he wasn't entirely aware of what was going on until it happened. His skin rippled as the busted sutures were removed. Otherwise, he was compliant for the stitching, only making the occasional soft noise of discomfort for the needle pressing into flesh and then pulling him together again.

"You're fixing them now," he groused but didn't contest. He knew better at this point. "Yeah... agreed. I don't want him to see our faces."

"I'll take a look when we're at our first stop," which meant they'd worry about it later. Far more things to be worried about then and there, such as getting shit started and leaving as soon as possible.

Was trying to keep from causing undue pain, but it was going to hurt no matter what careful effort Gabriel put in to it. Picking out broken bits would at least keep it from healing and hopefully keep out infections any left in would cause. Trying to pull skin only when tightening up those sutures, too, bringing skin together.

"Last thing we need is that."

"You sure you don't want to look before we go and we can try to steal one if we need it?" Or they could concentrate on getting a vehicle and worry about the rest once they were on the road. Selling the big oxygen tank should fetch them something to help with fuel.

He lay through it, aware it needed to be done if the work that Gabe had to do in order to put him back together was any indication. Reyes was excellent with his hands, knew how to sew, but it was taking longer on him than it had on Reyes. He hated to think what he had done it it then gotten in the shower then tacked sheets to it. Ugh, what a mess.

"Do they still have those clothing donation bins around? Or is that just an American thing?"

"Steal one anyway, wouldn't hurt us to have extra. Be easier to lay one out for u to bed down on and use the other to string across whatever bike we get for a make-shift tent," and it sounded like he'd had to do this before. Any extra cash definitely going towards gas.

Gabriel only sat back once he was done, smoothing a hand carefully over Jack's side to help let him know that bit was over. Be more careful this time, some silent little plea, letting out a breath like a huff.

"I think they have them around here, too. Raid any of them we see? Not that hard to get in to."

"Alright... but I don't want us spending a lot of time around town on a crime spree. We need to find what we can and get out." The longer they were in the city, the more danger they would be to discovery. He couldn't and wouldn't risk them any more than they had to. "We going to have to take watches at night?" It was smart; he just wasn't certain either of them had the energy to.

He shivered as a hand passed over his side, but there was a touch of relief it was over as well. He didn't try to sit up right away, swallowing at his nausea. He made a noise that was both thanks and plea. He just... needed a minute here.

"We should. Easiest way to get clothing for us."

"We're only going to take anything we absolutely need, a tarp and a few extra meds for pain and antibiotics. That's it," alongside selling off the extra oxygen tank. No longer than that; on top of a bike, but he figured that would be the easiest to do on the way out, and it was something he could do well enough, no matter his own condition; he'd stolen a ride in worse on missions gone too damn wrong. Not a good thing to have under his belt, but it was what it was.

His head tipped. "We might, just to be safe," but that also was going to be dependent not only on either of their conditions, but just where they were.

Kept a hand there, Gabriel trying to keep as much soothing energy as he could going through their bond and with his touch. Let Jack get what he needed. "You can keep watch and I'll clothing dive."

"Whatever fits in one bag, yeah," he agreed. They had food supplies to last a week, if they were careful with it. He figured they would continue to be fighting nausea for a few more days before settling out and need to really put back calories for healing. Right now, it was all about getting as far away from possible prying eyes with whatever they could. God he hoped neither one of them fell ill in that time.

He nodded slowly and carefully. "You'll... probably have to take first watch," he admitted softly, hating to do it. He hadn't slept well after Gabriel's second emotional release. "We'll see when we get to that point. I might be more awake by then."

He eased his way back up with the encouragement of support through their link. He was slow about it, coming up so as not to pull at the new sutures much. He turned so he could press a grateful kiss to Gabe's lips. "Don't trust me to get in there one-handed?"

Thankfully the sniper had a good many MREs that would last them a week- if they were eating normally. With how they were the both of them could stretch it, but there was more food stored away at the Blackwatch bunker waiting for them. "It'll last us until we get somewhere safe, all we need," for the time being.

"I can do that," because it wouldn't be the first time he'd taken first watch while in poor condition, and he'd do it without question for Jack and himself. He had gotten more sleep, felt more rested, but he wasn't about to go running or do jumping-jacks, was just enough. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

Kept a hand on him in support, Gabriel leaning just enough to take and return that kiss, a soft nuzzle or sort following it. "Rather you not attempt one-handed. Be easier for me to sift through and toss out what we need to you."

He nodded his head as he sat up, trusting that they could make it last for as long as they had to. In the end, it seemed like all of this was going to be a crux of their survival. They hadn't failed to drag themselves out of terrible situations, but this one still felt like the worst in a very, very long time.

"I'm allowed to worry. It's literally all I have going for me right now," he pointed out, trying to tap into old dry humor, even if it fell flat here and there. He sighed at the nuzzling and nodded his head, upright enough to know he wasn't going to vomit right away. He looked at his well bandaged hand and then over to their pack. "I'll let you take lead on this endeavor then."

He pulled himself up to sit on his own power and wanted to lean in on Gabe again but decided against it. "We should finish packing. If you come across any long material, I should probably sling my arm a bit." Not only the gunshot wound but the break and everything in between.

"Oh, you still got those pretty blue eyes I fell in love with." Old dry humor with a bit of teasing, the attempt was made, letting his hand fall away once he was sure Jack had his balance. Let him sit up on his own- "Just for now, once we've both recovered better we'll be working more as a team rather than just one of us calling the shots.

"Deal?" Do them both better.

Gabriel pulled himself over to the bags, closer at least, putting away the left over bandaging and all where it needed to go. "You're right there. I think there was something with the medical bag- like worse comes to worse we convert one bag in to a make-shift sling."

Slowly, he fluttered his very blond eye lashes at Gabriel while at the same time carefully chewing on his lower lip to show 'worry'. He managed another small kiss onto the partner of his life's lips. "Was that the first thing you fell in love with?"

He shrugged carefully, still very sore and trying to pick through the material that he hadn't ended up putting in the bag to see if it would be suitable for a make-shift sling for his arm. "As long as that lung doesn't collapse or cause issue again, in which case, I'm taking lead and you do what I say." A collapsed lung was much worse than a broken hand.

Slowly, he forced himself to his feet to leaf through and help pack the bags. He gathered what little clothing they had into two piles and made the attempt to climb into his pile, which was... such a mess. It was amazing it hadn't all fallen off the both of them when they had walked. "What's are ETA for leaving? Ten minutes or so?"

That little kiss was returned, cupping Jack's face carefully in a hand after rolling his eyes a little dramatically at the whole show of it all. Little peck of a kiss, "First thing I noticed, first of many things about you I fell in love with."

They could and would pull something together, Gabriel slowly finishing the packing job Jack had started while keeping an eye out for any material he was sifting through that could be used for a ling. "Just means I can't push it- no jogging or running for me for a while," which wasn't good but hey. Better than changing a lung collapsing again.

Gabriel leaned back enough to get his eyes on a clock- "Fifteen to twenty, rather make it fifteen."

"Sweet. Always so good as boosting my self image," he remarked softly, appreciating that Gabe would actually say stuff like that. He reached between them and tugged on Gabe's goatee then reached to drag his fingers across the close-cropped hair. "Noticed that amazing fade of yours and that beard you were sporting. Then took in the whole package and couldn't have been happier."

He hobbled his way to his feet, and he shuffled off to gather things that would need to burn onto the bed. Anything of theirs they weren't taking but had handled. Towels, bedding, clothing fragments too small to wear. Anything that couldn't burn was discarded in a small garbage can to be removed when they left.

"No hauling yourself around either," he pointed out as he finished up, removing the towel he had been wearing to add to the pile on the bed. He then had the painful process getting dressed, wincing as he pulled on what was left of his compression shirt. Body armour had been lost in the blast. His pants... well, they covered the essentials and that's about it. After fifteen minutes, he approached Gabe with a soft whine. "Daddy, can you tie my shoes?" Because no way he had enough fingers to do it himself.

"With a completely unbiased opinion, all the better," said just a little dryly, but that was pure and simple Gabriel Reyes. Nipping at fingers when they were near facial hair before just leaning against them once in his hair. Lazily and easy affectionate. "Not the fact that a man with such a mean scowl has the most adorable brown puppy dog eyes?" Easy teasing, too.

Kept an eye on Jack, even if he only watched from the corner of his vision while sorting through things, finally pulling up some fabric they could use to make a sling. Support well enough and hell, be at least a little more comfortable than not.

His nose wrinkled, "Little effort won't just make my lung collapse that easily," and besides, he might have to haul himself in to a clothes donation bin. Snorting at the whined daddy before gesturing for Jack to sit down at the nearest edge of the bed. "Yeah sure, just sit down and get them pulled on and I'll help you tie your shoes." Then he'd need to be pulling on what was left of his own clothing.

"Well, you are obligated to love every inch of me," he replied just as dryly as Reyes had done to him. They needed this kind of easy affection, reaffirming their link after the previous distance and coldness to each other. Assured they were still close and still very much bonded and in love. "Those damn brown puppy eyes are a weapon of mass destruction," he growled. "You never scowled at me when we first met. Too infatuated with me." More teasing.

He was struggling along, but shoes would be his bane for awhile. He was going to need to resort to velcro at some point he knew. Still, he forced his feet into his boots as carefully as he could, still sore. He would need them tied properly in case they needed to run and he couldn't risk them falling off his feet.

"I'm not risking you collapsing it again," he growled. Once he had his boots mostly on, he seated himself and stuck one foot out daintily at Reyes. "We're going to need to steal velcro shoes for me to do by myself." Ha ha, yes he was an idiot breaking his hand not once but twice.

"There's a certain several inches that are a wonderful bonus in that," and of course he had to pull in a joke like that. Just to further try and keep things a little light and even warm. Of course the growl and tease got those big ol' brown puppy dog eyes aimed at Jack for a moment, pulling a matching face to go with them, "And you weren't infatuated with me in turn?" Still had it.

Gabriel sat on his knees as he got that offered foot and began tying Jack's boot for him, careful to get it just tight enough that there'd be no worry of losing it if they did have to run. Easier to not stumble over his own feet and all that. Didn't need that to worry over on top of everything else already there.

"I can't take a break and rest until we're out of here and somewhere safer," would have to risk it a little. His nose wrinkled again, "If we see any in your size on our way out. Or pick some up when we have to leave the bunker, meaning you have to deal with me helping you out for a bit."

"Oh, you have a few favourite inches of mine, is it?" He managed a small smile at the corner of his lips at that, not enough to pull the sutures that held them together but clear enough. Of course, he had to give Gabe a bit of a light swat for turning that look on him because he never could stand up to it. "You stop that right now, Gabriel Reyes. You know I can't resist that look." He shook his head a little. "I was wholly infatuated with you the moment I laid eyes on you."

He was thankful that Gabe was around to tie his shoes as it would be a real pain to do it himself. He figured they would be sleeping in these boots, so they had better be comfortable for days of travel.

"I know. You're in command, but you can lean on me to help where I can," he murmured softly. He didn't want Gabe pushing himself too much, even if at this point, Reyes was the one with the hand on the wheel. "I was joking... I'm not taking these off until we hit the bunker, okay? I've traveled in the same boots for days and weeks before." He rose now that his boots were tied and finished a final sweep of the place.

"Ready when you are."

He hummed, "Oh, I definitely have a few favorite inches of yours." That grin just came right back when he was swatted at, ducking just a little to the side as he moved to tie that second boot right up all the while. All the better to get them both done, even while playing with Jack like that. "That love just kept getting stronger, too. First your eyes, your personality, then everything else about you, sunshine." Felt more than just lucky, even if they met in a place like SEP.

Could have spent a lifetime otherwise and never met the other considering their lies before it all.

Gabriel placed his hand against the bed and stood himself up slowly once Jack had pulled his feet back to himself. "Going to be leaning on you, Jack. Might push myself a bit out of worry for you, but I'm hoping you'll call my attention if I'm pushing too far- just like I'm going to be doing for you." Had to gather up what was left of his own clothing, letting the towel drop.

Finally dressing himself in what was left- "Give me a bit, jut make sure we've gathered everything we need to burn, and keep a cigarette or two out along with that lighter we found." Taking the matches and all with them- "You'll also need to let me get that sling fixed for you, I found some cloth we can use to make one."

"Well, you can't get too close those inches until I heal up," he remarked dryly, not that either of them planned for anything but more physical closeness for the comfort of sleep and healing he knew. He growled to pretend to be affronted as his second boot was tied securely, but that noise died off at the compliments, and he shook his head. "Smooth bastard... love that about you too when you decide to make use of it."

He watched Gabriel, making certain with a look that the older man wasn't going to have trouble remaining on his feet. They were both slow moving, and he knew that wasn't going to change no matter how much they might like it too. "Alright, I'll call it to your attention if you're pushing it," he agreed because what else could he do? They were going to need to push a certain amount to leave town safely.

He hobbled over to the pack that had been put together, and he crouched to pull out the cigarette package with its lighter and tossed it on the bed, then zipped up the pack. He hefted it one handed with a grunt and slung it over his better shoulder. "Tucking it works okay? Don't you need that material to cover up?" Gabe's clothing was in tatters after all.

Gabriel hummed a little, "Oh, I can certainly wait because of how much I enjoy them. Sure that you'll be glad when I can get close to them, too." Really, he was glad for just ow easy it was to tease like that, something solid they could fall back on. Corner of his mouth twitched up in to a brief sort of grin, "Only for you, Jack. Only ever for you."

Really was counting on Jack, because Gabriel knew himself, how he would push beyond his limits if he had a mission in mind and needed to get it seen through to the end. Reason he'd ended up in medical often enough as it had been. "You know I'm going to do the same for you- or call a rest if I feel like we need to stop," if he felt like Jack was struggling too much. Be good for himself in turn, too.

It was slow going pulling on clothing, what was left of his hoodie was going on last, before he'd be able to sit down an pull his own boots on. "No, it's something I found in the bag. It'll be easier in the long run, and keep your arm from tiring out. I'm going to get my boots n and then you're going to let me get that fixed, okay?"

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