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[dadication]

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[gr1m]

"We'll get more- remember the bunker? Well stocked in case of emergencies." Because Gabriel Reyes was a paranoid bastard and always wanted to prepare for the worst. This was not the Worst that he had planned for, however. "We can use this and stock back up there, and your hand will heal or at least feel a bit better if there's some sort of... reinforcement to stabilize it."

It was easier to concentrate on Jack rather than himself, even if he sounded so very detached due to the dead tone. Only stating things instead of... well.

"Consequences will effect the both of us now, not just you and not just me."

[dadication]

"And who knows how long we'll be there with the way we're pulling our stitches," he remarked, even if he finally gave in and shifted on the bed to lay on his back. It was so much easier, even if he curled on one side to take the strain off of some of his incisions. He would have liked to encourage Reyes on the bed with him, but he understood that such a feat required energy. "It's fine as it is. I just need to leave it suspended. It's too swollen for a bandage and I doubt you grabbed splints."

He hadn't looked that deeply into their medical supplies aside from what they had needed in the now of putting each other back together. After all, he'd crawled out with a sprained wrist and so maybe he had added to that with the busted knuckles. Reyes was concerned, he understood, but he just... wanted to lay here and not do anything anymore.

"Bigger consequences if you can't even muster energy to get back into bed. What's a hand compared to that?"

[gr1m]

Eyes closed, Gabriel tired of staring up at Jack and towards the ceiling, seeing more of it than him anyway. "Can make do, done it before with even less at our disposal," Not like they could keep full supplies while moving during the Crisis. Supplies running short, separated and holed up in some blown out building. How were those almost better times than what had been happening around them lately? Things had been circling, hadn't they?

Shoulders slumped and he couldn't even hold the slight block on his end of the bond, the exhaustion and... everything flooding through without him even realizing. Detached and running on practically nothing. The bit of food just enough to all go towards his own healing. Body taking every last thing it could for it.

"Two hands are pretty useful."

[dadication]

Their situation now was a little like the Crisis where they were constantly on the move and had limited supplies to get them through. Unlike the Crisis, they had no idea who to trust or how to deal with injuries. They had been assigned medics here and there thankfully. "I know. We'll make it like we always do."

He was still able to reign in emotion on his side of the bond, but he was aware that Reyes' side was opening again, bleeding through utter defeat and exhaustion to him. Gabe needed sleep, food and limited stress. How the hell were they going to be able to move by the morning hours? He had no idea.

"You should get up into bed or you're going to end up sleeping down there and be even more stiff and uncomfortable when you wake," he murmured, ignoring the comment of two hands. He didn't have that right now, wouldn't even with a bandage on the broken one. "I can help you if you need it."

[gr1m]

At the very least there wasn't the constant patrol of weaponized omnics to worry about. Just had to find a way to slip out of the city and get out to the bunker. Steal a car, maybe? Would have been a bad idea to keep the ambulance, and maybe a bike would be better. Easier to ditch than an entire car. Especially out near any wilderness— "Just have to work together."

And not go running out alone on an emotion fueled one man mission that would be suicide for someone who could die easily. Still incredibly stupid for either of them, but at least he wasn't of the mind or mood to think it.

"The floor's softer than the bed, or so it feels at the moment." Or he was just that tired, snorting a bit. "You should be trying to eat- at least one of us should."

[dadication]

There were great challenges to face, likely one of those being that the world might assume that they were dead. It allowed a different narrative to be written against them, and he felt helpless to stop it. They had faced all manner of terrifying, deadly situations and somehow this one seemed to suck the air right out of his lungs if he thought too much about it. "As you say. Somehow make everything better together."

He would still take that mission someday. His temper ran lower than most, but it smoldered for a long period of time. Morrison's never forget slights against them or theirs. He would let the suicide mission go for now, but he wouldn't forget that it required his attention in future.

"Your ass is lying to you. That floor couldn't be soft if it tried," he replied, as he considered getting up to haul Reyes back into bed. "When I came out, you were eating, so that's one of us." He shifted slowly and painfully, using his elbow to force his way to seated position and then he shuffled off the bed to come to where Reyes was seated, looking down at the older man. "Let's get you back into bed, alright?"

[gr1m]

A narrative that was false and just meant to tie everything up in a bow, but it also meant they would have a large amount of freedom to move if they did things just right. Use it to their advantage, even if they couldn't live anything close to a normal life; Gabriel didn't plan on settling down with all of this anyway. "We're a force to be reckoned with together," two man army.

Gabriel didn't plan on just leaving things like that, but he knew they needed to focus on healing and other things before diving in to combat the story. Couldn't just go in guns blazing, they had to take out as many people involved as possible all at once, and that would take time and planning.

Eyes rolled more at the second statement than the first. "You need to eat as much as I do- didn't we have a deal? I eat only if you eat, or you going back on that." How he remembered that one was something, and he sounded more mildly grumpy than anything, even if it died in that continued hollowed out tone. He glanced up at Jack once noticing he was there looking down at him, a hand placed back against the bed and only the other offered up.

"Fine."

[dadication]

Jack didn't think he was built for an under-the-radar life, the secret shadow creeping one. He honestly didn't think that he would be good at it, least of all after spending so much time in the limelight for the last twenty-five years. He understood he might not have a choice, that results would be more effective if he wasn't in front of a camera, but it was a big change of pace to consider and he was already dealing with everything else. "Always are."

They could, but it wasn't wise. His anger was the only thing he had left that was strong right now, but ruining his hand meant he literally couldn't go out on his own. Not until he had use of it again. It made life hard all around, but he would cope.

"Wasn't that before we had our latest temper tantrum and stormed away from each other to mope in separate rooms?" At least he could be honest about it. After all, eating hadn't been priority when Reyes shut him out of their link like a punishment. He shook his head slightly at the offered arm and leaned down to slip one arm around Gabe's back and the other under the man's knees to simply lift him. It didn't look like Reyes had to energy to get up even with a pull. He struggled and strained to hoist the other, but he got him up enough to sit on the edge of the bed. Might have popped another stitch along the way, but Gabriel was up and in a far more comfortable place.

"There. Lay down and rest."

[gr1m]

"Always will be," even if they had to take it easy for a while, but that wasn't stopping Gabriel's mind from planning ahead. What they could do, but most importantly what they needed to do. How they were going to get out of this city and where they could go after the bunker. Anything to keep them both going and safe until they could plan something more.

There was a slight narrowing of eyes, but the affect was sort of lost with how glassy those normally dark yet warm brown eyes looked. Mixture of exhaustion and pain just making everything a mess. "You mean trying to punish me after your tantrum like I was the one in the wrong, me retaliating because that was damn well crossing a line in your anger, and then you went off to mope and re-break your hand." Could say it was a temper tantrum before that yes, emotions running high and fear a spike through the pit of his stomach of how it could all go wrong if Jack had gone out that door. Didn't fight the help up.

Gabriel figured if he struggled it would just be worse on Jack, catching him by the wrist of the not ruined hand. "You need to let me take care of you, or else this isn't going to work." Any of it.

[dadication]

Even he grudgingly admitted in his sour depressed mood that they were a good team, and they would survive. One couldn't die without the other. Even still, he knew that time for planning their great assault on their enemies was not now, what with them being basically unable to retain their feet for longer than thirty minutes at a time. The futile emotional turmoil didn't make their injuries heal any faster.

"Look, I already apologized, but you cutting me out was cruel," he snapped, temper still bubbling. They'd bicker. They always bickered when angry, always looking to shove blame around until they settled down with the reality that both of them were better off agreeing to settle in close and comfort one another rather than be angry about it all. Took time, more time than it should. "You were moping just as much. Don't claim you weren't." Not that he could have been able to tell what with the link cut to bare minimum.

He paused from hobbling away at the grip on his wrist, looking at Reyes. He was trying to hide the fact that he was trembling, but of course he couldn't. "You already took care of me," he said stiffly, gesturing vaguely at his face. "And you warmed me up. This was my turn. We share duties like that, remember?"

[gr1m]

"It was cruel, and I did it for a reason that you know because you apologized for it." Both for turning that anger on him as he was starting to do again, and to make a point he wasn't about to voice just yet. "Which you're getting dangerously close to again, because you're just as goddamn stubborn, if not more, than I am. More so when it's cutting this damn personal for the both of us," A warning and an acknowledgement all in one. "I'm not going to claim shit, because I don't have the energy to argue over this petty shit with you—"

Wasn't about to be letting go of Jack's wrist either, despite how damn horrible he looked and sounded, that was a strong grip.

"—More so when you're standing there actively bleeding, you fuck. It's not just taking turns, but doing for each other when it's needed."

[dadication]

Jack narrowed his eyes, aware he was being unreasonably angry and aware that he was throwing it all on Reyes whom had seemingly took it in stride when he needed to rant and tirade around. Now they only had each other, but their tempers were frayed, mentally hurt and worn. He curled a lip in a snarl of a reply, but he held his tongue. He also kept his end of the link from allowing his emotions to reach Gabriel and add fuel to their fire. "Fine, we'll leave it be."

He moved to twist his wrist free of Reyes' hold, wanting to have space, to lay down again and nurse his wounds until it was time to leave.

"This coming from the guy coughing up blood," he retorted and pulled at the hold on him. "Couple of blown sutures is fine. It will heal." Never mind his broken hand.

[gr1m]

"If this is how you're going to act," spoken very slowly, as evenly as he could manage without leaving room for argument, "each and every time I voice concern and want over you? When we're both injured, nearly died, or anything like that... The moment we're both healed, it may be best if we part ways."

Then he let go of Jack's wrist, shifting to turn his back on the man so very much like Jack had done to him, and simply laid on his side.

[dadication]

Jack stiffened at the suggestion that they part ways once things had settled, and he experienced a creeping cold walking up his spine and spreading through his limbs. If it were possible, he paled to an ashen white. With his wrist free, it slipped back to his side, and he stood wounded and dumbfounded, shock evident in his expression. He opened his mouth to retort but he couldn't make the words come out.

He slowly reached down and pulled the edge of the blanket and set it over Reyes so he wouldn't get cold, touching lingering for a second too long and then he backed off to sit on the edge of the bed.

[gr1m]

The only thing he had been able to keep back from the connection was every bit of hurt that Jack's own words and the way he was acting dug deeper than anything else. This wasn't like those arguments, and he was in no state of mind or emotion to be some easy target for the anger. The sheer unwillingness to work with him that Jack was now expressing in everything. Fighting him at every step.

They couldn't work together like that, and if it was going to continue he couldn't do it. It would break him. All he could do was make it as clear as he could if this kept up... he would leave once he was able. Blunt and probably cruel, but it needed to be said.

Even Gabriel had sucked it up and let Jack do what was needed for him, relented because even his own stubbornness and anger wouldn't help them. Then he'd continued on, acting as if he didn't need Gabriel, refused to let him help— He couldn't keep this up, he couldn't. When they needed to come together all Morrison was doing was pushing him away and it burned more than the fire, hurt more than every injury currently healing.

So he remained still and silent, eyes closed tightly. Keeping all of that pain locked up tight.

[dadication]

Neither of them were in a good state of mind, and it was showing through. He sat quiet and numb, the prospect of potentially losing Gabriel on top of everything else hitting as hard as his own stubbornness. Without his soul bond, he didn't know what he'd do. Even thought of it paralyzed him.

Fact of the matter was that Jack needed Gabe, needed him more than anything. So he remained seated at the head of the bed and listened to the sound of their breathing, more tuned into Reyes because of that lung. And he ached because they had both shut down the emotional side of their bond to each other.

He rolled his shoulder so the towel on his head slipped off to the bed, and he closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall.

[gr1m]

Gabriel was going to keep his side of it locked down, it felt like every time he tried to reach out he was only met with anger. What was the point? He was too tired and hurt to keep being met with it whenever he tried to get Jack to sit down. Eat. Let him help him. Resistance at every turn and it wore him even more thin.

Neither of them were in a good place, and simply made it worse.

His breathing was starting to break up the longer the silence went on, shoulders hunched an curling more in to himself as if trying to silence the cause.

[dadication]

He tried to remember the last time they had had a moment like this of silence, where it would go on for hours or days at a time. Happened, but it wasn't that often. They were pretty open with each other he found, but this was extenuating circumstances and they were both in such a bad way.

He wanted to let Gabe help, but more his concern for his bonded overrode good sense. He wanted to heal Gabe more than he wanted to take the time to heal himself.

All the same, he thought he might manage to doze leaning on the wall, but then his fingers would twitch or some other source of pain would flare, and he'd come back awake. He kept his eyes closed and returned to the rhythmic breathing... except it wasn't very rhythmic anymore. Something was wrong.

[gr1m]

His chest hurt, and he couldn't tell if it was because of his lung or his heart, an ache that had settled there deep. A hand pressed firmly over his mouth, curled up as small as he could get himself, even if it was as slowly as possible, trying damned hard to keep it to himself. Mostly because he could feel the tears welling up, starting to fall.

Some silent break down, or one he was trying to keep silent even that lock down of emotions.

[dadication]

It took him longer than usual due to the firm hold one another had on the bond to realize that something was happening with Reyes. He looked over after a moment, and something leaked through thanks to years of knowing one another's body language. Gabriel wasn't right, and at first, he hesitated going over, closing the gap.

Eventually, his need to keep his bond safe and worry after him drew him from where he was on the wall, and he hesitantly reached out to set a hand on Gabe's shoulder. Testing for reaction.

[gr1m]

Didn't even register the hand on his shoulder at first, the subtle trembling better felt than seen, some tenseness that ran through him entirely. Hard as he was fighting to keep the trouble to himself, tasting blood and as far as he knew it could be from the hand over his mouth than anywhere from his throat or lungs.

Once the weight on his shoulder was noticed? Gabriel's own hand moved over it, nails digging a bit but only due to how tightly the hold seemed to be. As if afraid it would leave if his hold loosened.

[dadication]

He waited for a moment, uncertain if he should move closer or stay at his distance. Then Gabe's hand rose and grasped his, feeling the nails digging into his flesh. He made a soft broken sound and immediately shifted his body closer. The tremble, the tightness, the locked down bond...

He nestled in against Gabe's back, having to put his broken hand above his head so he had room to set his chest to the older man's back, hand squeezing what little comfort he could offer.

[gr1m]

Needed Jack as much as he was needed in turn, but he refused to let up on that lock down out of the irrational thought and feeling of it all being unwanted. Even knowing that, worn thin and frayed as they both were, wouldn't lift it. Didn't let go of that hand either. Even if he didn't, couldn't relax with the sudden weight and warmth against his back.

Just continued as Gabriel still forced himself in to that silence.

[dadication]

He remained there, settling in against Gabe's back, shifting to find a comfortable spot with his ripped sutured wound laying on the bedding. It was bleeding again, but it was contained now against the bedding they would burn. He kept his own link closed, aware of the suffering that would pass between them if they released the pressure valve of their emotions. It would be a mess.

It already was a mess. He and Gabriel cried so in often and yet, here they were again. He waited, offering the little comfort his presence could offer like this. He pressed his forehead carefully to the back of Gabe's neck, breathing the other man in.

[gr1m]

Hiding from each other through the ink emotionally always made things worse, made it feel disconnected and lonely even if the rest of their bond was there. Alone in their own misery without any sort of relief or emotional presence to even begin soothing it. Cut off.

Gabriel still smelled of blood, ash, and sweat all mixed together, some undertone of the sterile nature of what bandaging there was on him. Only the areas that needed stitching and wrapping held that scent. A tug to Jack's hand, as if some silent plea for more than just keeping it there on his shoulder, hand trembling more from the movement.