dadication | Open Post

Jack did his best to track Gabe in the room, thinking that they should check the windows and doors again to be certain they were safe, but any actual caution had faded with exhaustion. At this point, anyone who tracked them down and kicked down the door was welcome to them. He just couldn't muster the energy to do more than tiredly wait for Reyes to join him and what he wanted most of all was the close security blanket that was his bond.

"We'll be safe," he murmured at Gabe, but also to assure himself that a lax in double and triple checking the doors would be fine. It wasn't as if either of them would be caught dead in establishments like this. They were desperate but also out of the usual league they played in.

He took the palmful of pills that Reyes had decided would dose them both and didn't even question it as he threw them back and struggled to swallow them dry. It took him several swallow tries, but he managed to get them down, sagging where he sat before giving in to lay down. He dragged his legs up and shuffled over to the warmth that was Reyes. He managed to toe up the blankets to cover them both, needing the warmth at this both.

He figured they were both likely in some form of shock.

He made a similar sound of mixed relief and pain to be laying down, to be able to give into the urge to just rest that had been doggedly plaguing them both since they had set out in the ambulance. He tucked the blanket around Gabe, making certain there were no cold drafts and carefully cuddled into Reyes' side. Normally, he would guard Gabe's more vulnerable side, but at this point, all angles of them were the most vulnerable.

"You aren't allowed to die in your sleep," he murmured, head carefully settled on the pillow. He would definitely be leaving blood stains. They both would. Beyond the wall where their bed was pressed, he could pick out the sounds of two people fornicating and sighed. "Definitely no one will look for us here." He sighed, eyes closing and so close to dropping off to sleep.

Double or triple checking the door and windows was the furthest thing from Gabriel's mind, tired as he was getting when the adrenaline was finally drained out of him. Mind slowing with the rest of his movements as the only thing he wanted to do was curl up and pass out. Be figuratively dead to the world for a few hours and gain back some energy that was lost just getting this far in the chaos the night had been turned in to on top of their heads.

He hummed faintly, Jack like a beacon of wanted and needed comfort only partially because of their bond. "Yeah," no one would be looking for them this far- he hoped. Did hope somewhere in the back of his mind.

Felt like the best goddamn bed in the world, even if that was far from true, but after everything for all he cared it was. Hand reaching for Jack the moment he laid down as well, tucking against him for physical contact, careful of both their wounds as he could be in that moment. It soothing like a balm as eyes closed and tenseness just seemed to melt from his form completely.

"Neither are you," made it this far, and like hell after all of that— well. Gabriel settled as close to Jack as he could manage then and there, eyelids too damn heavy to open and so he just tuned out the noise of next door. What this motel was used for in this area. "Good." Didn't want to fight sleep any longer, just letting it take him.

So damn tired.

Jack waited despite himself, despite not even having the energy to lift his head again. No, he waited until he felt Gabe slip off to sleep, assessing the older man's breathing quality and rate, making certain that the partner of his life wouldn't expire the moment that sleep had been found. His fingers stroked numbly along Gabe's arm, assuring himself of the solid presence in the bed next to him. There was peace in Gabe's sleeping expression this time, only pure exhaustion.

They would go no further for some time now, he knew. But they were alive - barely. He would take alive.

Even with his eyes closed, he made certain to listen to Gabe for a few minutes before he couldn't do anything more than follow his bond into sleep. Everything still ached, but he was exhausted beyond reason. He slept deep, cuddling his way closer to Gabe within hours of falling asleep, drugged up enough that his wounds didn't even awaken him as he moved in, having some part of his body in contact with Reyes at all times.

He was so tired he didn't even dream. There were no nightmares, no reliving the shit that they had gone through to get here. He was just unconscious, healing as quickly as his exhausted body could.

It was why he actually took more than a few pounds on the door to groggily come awake. "Wha...?" His mouth was thick and mossy, and he blinked his eyes blurrily as he tried to decide the source of the noise. The early morning light was up enough to announce the day, and he struggled to make sense of things, disoriented and sore.

A dreamless sleep was better than the other option, which would'be likely been nightmarish on multiple levels. Blackness was better, and at least the oxygen mask didn't budge much while he slept, kept over his face and nose and helping him breath easy while his lung healed.

Was as peaceful as it possible could have been, worn to such a bone deep exhaustion and then dosed with a few pain medications.

Gabriel hissed when he finally jerked awake, pulling something in just the right way that the jolt of pain threw him out of his sleep far more than the knocking had. Breathing a little shallow and mask hanging around his neck from the strap, eyes a little wide and disoriented as hell, fingers gripping in to the bed as he needed a moment to remember where the fuck he was— they were.

That tug of bond the only thing that kept him in the bed rather than darting, looking Jack's way before slowly locking his gaze on the door.

Oh. Right.

His fingers pressed into Gabe when the older man hissed like a scalded cat and came awake faster than he had, but the sharpness of their bond alerted him to that subconscious surge of panic to flee. He rumbled a sound because words escaped him at this point and then lifted shaky fingers to reset the oxygen mask back on Gabe's nose and mouth, fingers then stroking up between the older man's eyes and then forehead in a show of comfort.

He looked towards the door, blinking his eyes slowly to awaken and then actually roused himself because he had a headache enough as it was without having to listen to someone pounding on the door. He struggled his way out of bed where it seemed neither he nor Gabe had moved in the night due to exhaustion. There were blood stains on the pillows and the bedding, but he didn't hazard a care right now. Dried blood was all over him anyway, the suture job holding even as he obtained his feet.

He was sore all over, hunching over in pain as he went to where Gabe had left the wallet and leafed through for more money. Then he approached the door and opened it, not even caring that he was only in underwear and he looked like a walking human disaster. The motel manager didn't even blink at his appearance.

"Time's up. Pay more to stay or get out."

"How much for a full day?" How he managed to talk was beyond him, what with how his tongue felt leaden and his teeth seemed to chatter. The price given wasn't completely outrageous and he handed it over with a nod. Motel paid, the manager immediately moved on to the next room on the list, and he shut and locked the door again, slowly turning to regard the bed and Gabe.

"You look like shit," he rumbled then coughed as he shuffled his way back to bed. He felt sore but numb, like he was in a dream and the previous day's events were a nightmare that he would be able to wake from. He seated himself on the bed and looked over carefully. "Need another O-tank?"

His breathing slowed not just because of the mask being put back in place, but from Jack's touch. Even if it still hurt to breathe, was a little more shallow than it should have been, he was outwardly relaxing even with the pounding of the door. Gaze back on Jack and softening as memories were crawling back from last night after things had literally exploded.

They were as safe as they could possibly be after all of that, the pain was from healing and not freshly inflicted wounds. Neither of them were buried under so much rubble, not actively losing so much blood despite the bloodied sheets and the smell of it still in his nose; the taste of it in his mouth.

Gabriel slowly slumped back in to that bed after Jack had gotten up, watching him and aware of how hard it was for him to move. Not stopping him, already up, and it would have been pointless to try and drag him back to bed and get up himself to do it. One of them was up, and it looked like Jack was going to take care of the knocking that he could feel in his own skull as well.

Quiet while it was handled, letting his eyes drift closed and listening, hands slowly moving as fingers curled over his head. Trying to breathe slow and deep, but only half managing—

"I feel it, and you look as shit as I feel," eyes opened again, hands moving to sort of prop himself up again, another reaching out to grasp at one of Jack's arms. "Probably, think this one is running dry." But he was still breathing, right?

At least they were paid up for the next morning, which bought them time to heal and figure out their next move. He rubbed his neck since his face was pretty much unavailable at his point. He looked over at Gabe still settled on the bed, wishing he was there and sleeping, but now that he was up, there were more pressing matters that needed to attend to as well.

"Alright, I'll grab you another tank then I'm going to take a leak," he said tiredly, even if pressed his arm back into Gabe's hold momentarily. He regretted being up, but he was also going to make the most of it too, which mean rising to his feet all over again. Taking care of Gabe. Taking care of himself.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself up to his feet and shuffled to the bag with the oxygen tanks and dragged one over to Gabe's side of the bed. He figured the older man could switch it over while he hobbled to the bathroom to have relieve himself. "Shit," he muttered, though he wasn't surprised to see blood in his urine. He would be more surprised that his kidneys hadn't taken a beating last night.

Still, there was some relief in not having a bladder that was screaming at him. He shifted to the sink which was filthy and washed his hands then leaned down and began to drank water. It was cold but it would fill the void of his belly where food probably should go. He would grab some from the supplies that they had dragged in, but right now, he hadn't realized he was so parched until he began to drink and then he was sucking some down with his hands.

He grabbed two plastic glasses and filled them up with water then shut the tap off with his elbow. He carefully took himself back to the other room, setting a glass of water down on the table next to Gabe. "Drink that. You'll feel better."

After that, he was off digging through the random bag of supplies, finding protein bars and a few MREs. He threw them onto the bed because they needed to eat and he wasn't going to last long on his feet much longer either. He sipped his water as he returned and sat down before pushing in to lean against the wall. "I could sleep a week."

"Thanks." Squeezing Jack's arm before he was letting go, mentally taking stock of his own aches and pains. Shifting a bit in bed and wincing a few times, but at least he could still feel things, even if it was a lot of pain that he felt. Could only imagine Jack's own, up and moving like a drunk just as badly as he'd been the night before.

They'd both gone through the wringer, and needed time to recover. Would have to think of food and clothing, shelter since like hell they could stay in this area for long. Still needed to rest—

Sat up enough that he could change tanks, taking in a deep breath just a little easier once he got the nuzzle on the new one turned enough. Tossed the empty one away from the bed and just near a wall. Neither of them would trip on that, because Gabe knew he'd need to get up eventually himself to take care of a few personal needs.

Took the glass of water once he was ready for it, and what started as a sip turned in to him just downing it in one go. Kept the plastic cup turned up before letting out a breath, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand to get some of it out of facial hair, too.

"You holding up alright other than that? Feel like I should redress some of your wounds?" Of course he was firing up right in to that 'help Jack' mode of things, picking up one of the energy bars while eyeing an MRE. That shooter had been stocked to be there for days.

Didn't sit well with him.

Now that they were both not only back in bed but sitting up, Jack watched Gabe move, aware that they were both in a lot of discomfort. It was going to be a rough few days and while they could take the day, they should probably move on by tomorrow. By then, he expected their healing factors to have gone into overdrive in them both, but protein bars and MREs were not going to tide them over well for long. Their energy requirements would be through the roof and the way that they were going to be dosing one another on drugs too... they were such a mess.

He offered his own full cup to Reyes after watching the older man down his that quickly. Yeah, they both were very dehydrated, but it was also easier to offer his cup rather than drag himself back out of bed to refill Gabe's at this point. No, pulling himself from this bed again just wasn't an option until he'd taken a breather.

"Pissing blood, no surprise there," he muttered, his voice deep and gravelly from damage. "My wounds will keep; you need to rest up and suck back more oxygen." This was not the first 'argument' about who needed more treatment than who they would be in, nor would it be the last.

He leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes even though he knew he should eat something. Soon, he promised himself. The water was filling the void.

"You need more pills? I'll drag myself out of this bed for you but no one else, okay?" He managed a small smile, but it pulled at the sutures in his lip and caused him to wince.

Definitely need to be moving by tomorrow, on top of planning on how to keep supplied on food along with money here and there. Nothing in life was free, and they would likely be having to run; get the hell out of Switzerland and as far away as they could. Along with keeping clothed and work on shelter as they went. They were at a disadvantage—

The cup was taken with a rasped thanks, but this time he tried to keep it at slow sips rather than downing it all in one go. Be better for Gabriel in the long run, mostly. Make it last a little, watching Jack all the same.

There was a bit of a frown, but yeah. Pissing blood was no surprise. "You need the rest as much as I do, and I'm next on getting up out of this bed." Not that he wouldn't be returning to it, but other than having his own needs to take care of he needed to see how he was on his feet. Not fighting to do it this very instant, however.

One of the other energy bars was practically tossed in to Jack's lap, because like hell they weren't going to try and keep some of this to go. Could work on very little, and at worse they'd just split an energy bar, get a look at all the MREs there were to offer, split those if they needed, too.

His nose wrinkled a bit. "Take a breather, the we'll likely both need to take something more," pain pills most likely. Probably needed to take more antibiotics-

"That shooter was prepared to sit out there for days," It was heavy on his mind. "You think they had already been there a few days and waiting or...?" Coincidence? They were prepared to wait for days to see if either of them crawled out alive? What?

The idea of actually getting up and being in motion to escape and leave everything even more behind them was not one he could focus on right now. He was barely keeping himself in the game as it was, especially now that his bladder wasn't screaming at him and he'd actually wet his mouth and lips with water. The idea of packing up or even going through to assess their supplies was sickening, and he'd rather sit here pretending he had something to give than actually give it. He was hurting and tired still, fatigue from blood loss dragging at him.

He hummed at Gabe's claim, but he would have liked to point out that he wasn't currently sucking on oxygen to help promote breathing. "I imagine you have to freshen up at some point," he remarked, aware that bodily needs and maybe obtaining more water would be helpful for them both. He'd consider helping to shove Gabe out of bed in a little while, not now.

He glanced down at the energy bar, aware he should eat but delaying for no other reason than he figured biting and chewing was going to hurt his stitched up face a lot. It was already a mess with old dried blood which had thankfully stopped in the night. His wounds and him had come to an unhappy truce, and he was too sore to really want to put in the effort to eat when he had already managed to walk. He needed the calories though. It was a dilemma.

"Yeah... we are going to finish out those drugs in no time," he muttered, shaking his head a little. That was a mistake because it reminded him that his head hurt. He closed his eyes.

And then abruptly opened them again at Gabe's observation, even if he had known it too. It was the importance that fatigue had masked for him, but now that it was pointed out, it was glaringly obvious. "Shit..." he muttered, looking over at Reyes next to him and then shifting over so he could lay down again but this time rest his face in Gabe's lap. "I think whoever planned and executed this deemed it possible we would survive and try to dig out and they wanted to make certain we were dead no matter the condition we crawled out from. His position was perfect, so I suspect... there might have been others. Someone really wants us dead."

He doubted it would be the first time, but they had almost succeeded. His shoulder throbbed in reminder of that bullet he had taken.

"Can't live on just rinsing of wounds," It was said lightly of course, even if he likely would want to step in to whatever passed for a shower in the bathroom. Just more quick rinses with a cloth than being ready to go all in. Maybe in a more secure location, but as it was- well, yeah. Didn't feel safe enough to do more than that. Couldn't be blamed as far as he was concerned on the matter.

That and he could feel the dried blood on his skin starting to itch a little in places where he was stitched. Just how it was with fresh wounds, wasn't it?

Picked up another energy bar and peeled it open slowly, breaking off a small piece before.. he was offering it between his fingers to Jack there in his lap, finger tapping his cheek to alert him to the bit of food. He hoped it would be easier on his face to chew a little piece, along with not having to bite it.

Leave the discussion of what drugs they had left another time; worst came to worst they'd raid a drug store.

"Let's hope that for the moment they believe we're dead," give them breathing room of a few days at the very least. Maybe? Hopefully. "Didn't care about collateral damage either, that's for sure," all of the others inside of the building that likely died... Glancing up and squinting at the tv at the wall opposite of the bed. "Should probably see if that thing gets the local news channel." To see the extent of the damage, as much as it would be nice to avoid it, but it could help them.

As much as it'd hurt, too. "You're right though, someone really wants us dead."

"I don't have the stamina for a shower." Having been in the bathroom, he wasn't certain they wouldn't just contract a new and rare infection if they tried as well. Right now, he was willing to tolerate dried blood and some extra muck, though they likely couldn't stay on dirty sheets much longer. He wasn't looking to drag himself out of bed until he had slept a bit longer; he was so damn tired.

He curled a hand securely around Gabe's thigh, savouring the contact and the usual sensation of life from their bond. His eyes closed, he was perfectly willing to slip back into sleep while Gabe guarded them a little while. Instead, he made a sound and opened his eyes when a piece of protein bar was offered, obediently opening his mouth to eat the morsel. He chewed slowly and gingerly, feeling every little pull on the sutures holding his face together.

It tasted good. It made him realize that he was hungry. Slow and steady.

He sighed heavily after swallowing the bit of protein bar in his mouth. "Someone has put a lot of effort into killing us and eliminating Overwatch," he agreed. "All those colleagues..." he trailed off, the full impact of how many people had probably died in that collapse was staggering. His fingers tightened on Gabe's thigh, seeking what little comfort there was. "What if... " he trailed off, turning his head to glance up at Gabe. "What if whoever did this knew about what we are to each other, Gabe? It was too perfectly timed, both of us on the lowest level, disarmed and then snipers covering the rubble to pick us off?"

The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. "They almost succeeded...."

"Can do washcloth baths at least," once either of them felt like they could move, but there was nothing urgent pushing Gabriel in to getting up just yet. "Even if it's just cleaning skin around stitches and shit, feel a little less grimy. Later, though." A good while later.

Didn't feel like moving, propped up in a sitting position so he was at least a little comfortable like that, had stolen the other pillow to prop against his back. A little relieved that Jack had taken that bit of food from him as well, taking a small piece for himself to at least get something himself. Easier to share one for the moment.

Give them a little more energy to heal, even if it wasn't a whole lot.

His tongue clicked after he swallowed his bit of energy bar, almost absently holding a second piece down for Jack as he spoke. "Someone really did, and it had to be someone who had access to that area to get that bomb down there," wasn't an all access area. "Overwatch has been compromised, and I'm afraid to think how deep that might run." How much had everything rotted? Glancing down at Jack then, "I don't know. We've done everything we could to keep that just between us. How the hell could they find out? What could we have missed, or let slip?" He wasn't expecting real answers.

A hand rested against Jack's head, fingers curled loosely in to hair, "But they didn't. We're alive."

"Later... just rest now," he requested, mostly because he didn't want to have to lift his head off of the comfort of Gabe's thigh. It was one of his favourite places to doze on, and if Reyes wasn't eager to get up, he was going to stay exactly where he had laid his head down here. "I'll wash you after a nap. Promise."

He stretched his legs down the bed, feeling the pull of the blankets on his wounds and bandages but more all the aches of his body awakened. He settled though, able to ignore most of it because he was safe and sound here. He could tell that Gabe was as comfortable as the older man was going to get as well, which allowed him time to stop fussing at the partner of his life.

"You've been warning me something hasn't been right," he murmured, eyes back to being closed. He took the second piece into his mouth and chewed carefully again, pausing in talking while he finished that next piece off. "How did we not see this coming? We've been hunting down rogue elements for years." But then Gerard. Then Ana. And then and then... the body count was growing. He sighed heavily. "We've had a few... you know, near death experiences apiece. Times when the doctors reasonably thought there was no way one of us would survive the damage, but we did." Was it someone in medical? Putting the pieces together?

They hadn't succeeded. It didn't stop the shock that they had tried very hard. "We need to stay that way. I won't lose you."

He snorted a bit, ruffling Jack's hair a little. "Want to save me the trouble of washing myself?" Just a light, light little sort of tease and a movement of fingertips against his scalp. Gabriel was more than content to rest, the pain easing a little as he didn't budge much after that. "Rest sounds good right now, all the same."

Take the day and then move out before the manager of the motel could come demanding more money again- or take that as their cue to move on. So much to worry about after that, clothing and cash, transportation and so many other things that was giving him a headache to think about.

The current subject was the one that had his heart sinking.

Gabriel hummed in reply at first, because he had been warning, even if he couldn't give any real concrete evidence- reason the warnings were not followed up on. "Been looking in the wrong direction," more outside than in among their own ranks. No telling just how deeply it could have gone. "At most medical would have seen our names on each other-" With how dark the letters became in those moments, they'd have been stripped completely after all. "-would know were were bonded." At the very least.

"From that they'd damn well know we were involved with each other," which was a whole other can of worms, wasn't it?

Slowly he brushed fingers through Jack's hair, "Not loosing me anytime soon."

Jack growled from where he was positioned against Gabe's thigh, not exactly enjoying the teasing call out. "I know you're going to insist on washing me down, so fair's fair." Maybe he relaxed a bit more with the fingers against his scalp, humming low in his throat. "You want to lay down again? I can move." He didn't want to, but he would.

They were going to need today. Maybe in a little while, they could turn on the television and experience all new trauma by watching the rescue efforts and he wasn't certain he could take the idea of a freak gas leak or terrorist bombing or some other nonsense reason for the blast. He was going to have to prepare himself though, watch it all play out.

They had other things to worry about, keeping on the move, healing, tapping into funds that they had been squirreling away for years on Gabe's insistence. They could survive, but they would have to be careful and also would have to slip out of Switzerland with as little notice as possible. One day at a time he reasoned.

He had been running cover for Gabe to continue expanding the search, looking into Talon leads. God knows they hadn't been looking too deeply into their own people. Why would they? Now look where it had gotten them. "We both have been. We knew there had to be moles, but nothing high up enough to take us out, to pull the higher ups out of play." And Medical wasn't stupid; bonded pairs were very rare but they were known enough to be recognized; it was their bonding 'gift' that made them unique and promoted their survival. "Someone might have pieced it together, Gabe... or at least figured killing us both was the best way to eliminate a problem that would persist."

He curled his arm all the way around Gabe's leg carefully, not wanting to jar any wounds or bruises. "We spent enough time sleeping next to one another's bedside. Might have made it damn obvious that one time I climbed right in there with you and held your hand all night." Yeah, he hadn't always been smart when Gabe was clinging through the worst of it.

"Better not. I'll be mad at you," he rumbled, nuzzling Gabe's thigh carefully.

"True," So may as well take turns, be a little easier for each of them and Gabriel wasn't going to argue since Jack knew he was going to be returning that favor. Fingers careful around places where blood colored hair still, likely just little cuts since he did look him over for anything worse that night. "Nah, I'm good like this. Besides, you look awfully comfortable."

Gabriel already figured there was going to be a cover-up from the explosion, but there was the fact they couldn't say it wasn't one was.. something. Did they already have a story planned to feed the news media? There was only some small but growing feeling of dread.

Easy to push aside for the moment, keep his attention on Jack- even if a little more difficult due to their conversation at hand. Nothing sat right and he was too tired and mentally chase it down.

"Can hope they didn't piece it together. Maybe figured if they only killed one of us the other would rain some hellish retribution down upon the heads of anyone thought responsible?" More so if they did know they were a bonded pair, made enough sense knowing what both of them were like. Already knew Reyes would if they remembered the Venice incident; even if he killed Antonio due to realizing how much worse leaving him alive would have been for Jack and Overwatch. "I should've been looking closer within, rather than outward," of course he was going to blame himself a bit there now.

Fingers spread out through Jack's hair in a slow stroke through it. "I needed you," and they definitely did, "Still gotta hope they only figured it's because we're a bonded pair," let him hope.

"Can't have that, now can I?"

Taking turns when it came to minding one another's health was pretty accurate to how they operated. On a mission, they didn't fuss much at each other, but in downtime, all bets were off and it was just a new competition that they needed to engage it. He figured it was made worse right now because of what happened and that they were sore and exhausted still. "...not all about me, Reyes."

Jack was too tired and shocked to think too hard about the fact there was going to be a cover up. He left that kind of paranoia for Gabe, and right now, it was the least of his worries. Any cover-up felt like it was going to be blamed on Talon. Hell, it might have even been Talon. He had no idea. It hurt too much to think about.

"That figures," he agreed. "I'd tear the world down if someone killed your dumb ass off." He knew the reverse was true. Bonding pairs never did well if their other died, and they were known to go insane or die themselves within days or weeks of the other going. He could imagine it was hard to live with only half of oneself still on the planet. "Stop blaming yourself. You've been paranoid something is up for over a year now. It got worse when I had to bench you after the Venice incident. You knew something was coming. We'll find out who and avenge those killed."

He wasn't in the mood to have Gabe blame himself. It might have been unrelated to them, but he figured it wasn't. Killing off the Overwatch brass seemed to be the new sport of the day.

He hummed at the stroking through his hair, which felt stiff and matted with blood and who knew what else. "I needed to be with you," he remarked softly. "Maybe they didn't sell off the information about us surviving anything if one is alive." God, he hoped not, but it might explain a few things.

"You never like it when I'm mad at you unless you're being a prick and looking for a fight," he murmured. Those arguments always seemed to end the same: lots of bruises, damaged walls and a pleasant hum to the flesh after wards.

"It isn't, no, but right now I'm comfortable and I kinda like you right there." He could lean back against the wall, had stole Jack's pillow to prop behind himself along with his own, Gabriel was fine. Besides, sitting up felt a little better than laying down after he'd woken up; that and he didn't really... feel like moving again, which laying down would need.

Cover up was likely if anyone with high enough clearance to get a bomb down there was cause of it. Otherwise it would likely just be given as an attack of unknown origin perhaps, and many would likely think it had to be Talon. Wouldn't be the first or last time- but all the same, how had it—

"I'm hoping if they'd known they'd have tried something before now," not tat he hoped it happened at all, "Like take either of us out while the other was away. Something like that, not just..." What had just happened. This was more encompassing and as if some message was being sent, rather than just wiping either or both of them out. "We're going to have to figure out how to get what we need- a lot later. Right now we both need to focus on healing and just.. getting the fuck away."

Stiff hair or not, it wasn't stopping Gabriel from moving fingers through it, or over Jack's scalp in a meant to be soothing sort of way. Give some bit of comfort to the both of them.

Eyes closed, taking a slow but deep breath. "Could have been put off as dumb luck, or us fighting hard when our other half was that close." He just didn't want to think of anyone figuring it out with how long they did their damnedest to keep so much of it between them, for a few reasons.

"Would you like it if I was mad at you outside of those times?" The other arguments ended in better ways for both of them, getting shit out and coming back together.

He made a sound to acknowledge Gabe's words, and he wouldn't deny that probably sitting up was easier on Reyes' ability to breathe with those damaged lungs. The older man would be as sore as he was, but the added pressure of a collapsed lung would likely make Gabe's life far more miserable than his own. "Fine, I'll stay, just shove me if you want me to move and I've fallen asleep again."

It would have been easier to take Gabe out in the field, distance separating them and Jack going mad when concern as he coveted the life line that anchored Gabe to existing even through horrible trauma. Maybe what happened to them and Overwatch had been a statement to the world? Maybe taking out all the top brass plus hundreds of other lives was a means to block the organization from easily recovering. Many of them who had been there from the beginning were difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

"You've been wounded in the field without me," he pointed out. It was one of their 'fights', Gabe running off to be in the field and Jack left behind in command and siphoning through layers of information but safe and sound. In the end, he was still a soldier and his bond with Gabe was strong enough that he wanted to be with his bonded rather than left in safe keeping somewhere. Oh he understood that he could never be part of Blackwatch, but it prickled him all the same to not be entering the field anymore. So there were opportunities to take Gabe out. Hell, there were opportunities to take him out in whatever Watchpoint he was operating out of. "Where do you suggest we go? Europe is vast. Do you suggest we get back to the United States?" Gabe would know where was safest.

It was a comfort, soothing some of his aches away even if Reyes' fingers found nicks and bruises up there too. It allowed his mind to drift, to nearly fall asleep again.

"Depends what you're mad at me about," he replied. "Sometimes you're adorable when you're mad." Other times... no so much.

At the very least the lung hadn't re-collapsed in the night, helped the healing process, but it didn't make his breathing feel like less of a struggle at times just yet. A couple more days of being allowed to heal possibly would. "Alright, alright. Just can't get mad at me since you've given me permission and all." That was a light bit of a tease, a ruffle of Jack's hair before going back to the more slow and soothing motions.

Would have been easy, take him out and then just wait for Jack to be somewhere alone and sick with his worry before taking him out as well. All the more reason to keep their gift as much of a secret as possible, try and make it difficult to piece together. Some of their survivals could just be put up to whatever SEP had done to them both, a couple of successes compared to the others that hadn't survived the treatments.

This was a moment that Gabriel hoped it had been a statement to the world, rather than their secret being out.

He hummed lightly, "I know. You stuck behind a desk and me out there taking care of something you couldn't with Overwatch." A way Gabriel had his back, and of course he went out at times for other reasons, but wasn't that what Blackwatch was for? As much as he knew Jack was likely stressing as much being behind a desk unable to go as he was having to deal with all of the politics. They did so much better when they could have each other's backs- "We're going to have to hop through Europe a bit, but I think heading back to the US might be our safest bet for at least a little while." Disappear as soon as possible.

Gabriel snorted, "Of course you'd find some of it adorable while others tried to avoid it completely." There was a difference between him just being Mad and then him being Angry.

Jack knew that despite all their intentions to be up and moving on that they would be slow at it. Not only the injuries that they suffered from, but also the paranoia of not being caught by anyone that might be looking for them. Someone had to have realized that sniper was dead or at least missing. He wasn't certain he had it in him to slip off quickly anywhere, much less out of country. "I can get mad at you whenever I want, but you just won't care."

Thank God they had found each other in the SEP, had developed a bond together in some of the worst of circumstances and survived to see the other side of it. Everything was just plain better when they were doing it all together, even if it was impossible to have happen. In the early days, missions they could be together were many. Then the promotions happened and... not so much.

"I should have been out there with you," he groused, which was typical and something he could easily fall back on. His arm curled protectively around the thigh his cheek rested upon as if that might prove his point further. "Where is the US are you thinking would be best? Can't go home for either of us. Maybe mid-West?" He just wanted somewhere to rest, but that didn't sound like it was going to be happening much.

He didn't even want to think about all the funerals he would feel the pull of obligation to go to. Those had been their people crushed in the fallen building, and they deserved to be acknowledged by their superior officers. He wasn't about to make the suggestion now. It felt too much, too soon. He didn't want to brave and put together right now.

"People didn't know how to soothe you like I do," he reminded. He knew when Gabe was putting up a front, how to circumvent that anger and settle the older man. The opposite held true. Sometimes, it was just nice for them to fight, to get it all out, to release all the emotions and then settle into that calm that only the two of them could find together. "I guess I had a bit of an advantage. Besides, you could never stay mad at me long. I'm too handsome... well, I was."

"I could always tell you it was either shoving you off or adding some new stains to the bed and you," spoken in that dry tone of his as he gave Jack the sweetest sort of expression even with the oxygen mask on. Even batted his lashes a bit to add to the entire picture and tone of it all.

Hell, they were the only reason that each of them did so well getting through SEP, not just because of the bond gift either. The other always there when a treatment was bad for one or both of them, clinging to each other, what comfort could be given during it all. Pushing each other to do better, little challenges to make them want to be better. Continued on in to the Crisis, watching each other's backs and pulling the other somewhere to rest. Give and take comfort when they could steal away moments.

"I wish you could have been, but we both had our own roles in keeping things running," even if it was Gabe out there risking his life while Jack had to smile for the cameras. Deal with suits and the UN, be the public face. Then Blackwatch came in to the public eye and Reyes was benched and restless, still pushing here and there to try and help. "That or we hit up some popular tourist port to try and get some easy to grab supplies and then head for the mid-West." While taking the time to rest and finish recovering.

They'd have to miss funerals, keep their distance and just get out. Get out and stay away at least until they ere more on their feet and prepared for any of it. Have to leave those who cared for them with the belief they were dead, too.

Just how well they knew each other- "We both had a bit of an advantage when it came to soothing each other." Even if it sometimes involved a spar or just screaming it all out, let it flow rather than dam it up to get that much worse. A thumb brushed against Jack's cheek lightly, "You're still handsome, but it wasn't your looks that I love. Always just the extra bonus."

"Ugh, shove me off! I already have more stains than I should," he remarked, trying and failing to wrinkle his nose in disgust. He shifted, nestling closer to Gabe's leg and reaching down to tug up the excess blankets over his shoulder. It wasn't that he was cold, but more he wanted to be even more comfortable. "Don't you bat your eyelashes at me. I know your games, Reyes."

Their bond wasn't all about comfort, had never been that way. It was about supporting and pushing each other, finding the best way to better their situation and each other. Give and take, push and pull. He doubted he would have made through the SEP without Gabe challenging and pushing him when he was at his worst. Reyes was half his life, and he could never forget that.

"I know," he grumped, pulling the blankets up to half cover his face for a moment then dropping them down on his neck. He sighed. They had their roles, and they had their needs. Now everything was turned on its head, and it was much easier to think about what had been rather than what was in their future. "We're going to need disguises, assuming anyone would even recognize us anymore." They should find a way to cover their faces until they knew they were safe and could regroup. "You still have all those off-shore accounts? We should have enjoy funds assuming they aren't compromised, right?"

He didn't want to think about funerals. He also didn't want to miss them. How long before their families were forced to believe they were dead?

He hummed in agreement, body growing heavy again despite his discomfort. "You know my secrets more than I do sometimes." He opened his eyes at the brush to his cheek, turning his head enough to peer up at Gabe. "Don't get too sentimental on me, Reyes. You start pulling out the l-word again and I might cry."

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