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With numerous shell companies and other tricks to hide behind. Almost better when all they wanted was money and power. [Obvious what they were gearing towards now, front row seat. Unfortunately Reyes didn't hold the same beliefs- the more actual Overwatch agents that saw him as the enemy? Likely the better.

Who knows, could save them.

Funny, he could take what he was doing. Didn't matter how far down he dug himself, there was at least a goal, some sort of distance between what he was doing and everything else. Acceptance and drive to keep going. A need for it.

Here he was basically being slingshotted back and fourth so out of his comfort zone and what had become normal that he barely knew what to do anymore. It was pathetic, but he was just so damn tired. Some hollow laugh, brief as the noise was.]

It was easier when I just growled and grunted at people until they left me alone. [Spent a few months like that, honestly.] Killed things for money, never stopped moving, kept as far from people as possible unless it was needed for some job or trip.

The old guard has changed and that means that the role that group will play also will change. You're going to be part of that change, whether you like it or not, even if you undermine their activities in your own way. [Reaper left such a strong impression, and Reyes was a brilliant tactician and had years of experience to tap into. Talon would go far even if it fell in the end.

He imagined that there was plenty that Reyes didn't tell anyone, kept to himself. He suspected it was only because it was Ana leaving that he had been called. They had suffered her loss together before, and they were doing it again now. It was as familiar as it was painful, even if the circumstances were all different and they weren't particularly the same men they had been the first time.

The laugh was a good tell where Gabriel was at in his mind.]

I know. We both know building connections is bad but necessary. They just cause pain and loss. [It was the military life. It was Overwatch life. It was life after Overwatch too. He supposed he was fortunate that he hadn't developed strong bonds to anyone.] It's an easier life, isn't it? Distant from everyone, but terribly isolating.

I'm on the council. [He'd done the work to get there-] Vialli is dead and Ogundimu is back in his seat taking charge, the reason for the entire shift. It's already causing discontent amongst a number of Talon members at least. [That was what he'd counted on. Such an abrupt shift in power and direction that there'd be enough cracks made to slip through.

They were all supposedly on equal footing in terms of power, but it wasn't unusual for infighting to occur if a decision wasn't agreed upon, even after the motions to go through with it were already in motion. People happily going ahead with their own plan.

Hell, then and there no one would understand better than Jack; the weight of that certain loss and- well. Reyes himself. Taking another swig from the bottle before he even dared start talking again, the liquor enough to at least get him talking.]

I was already isolating myself. [Before Overwatch fell, gesturing with the bottle as the neon purple liquid inside sloshed a bit.] Here? Here people kept wanting in, didn't want me to be alone. Wanted me to have hope when I already knew it was a waste on me.

<small[There was nothing waiting for him.]

That's because some members of Talon can only worry about their profit margin rather than furthering anything else. They have a strangle-hold on where money flows, and I doubt a shift in mission statement will make the comfortable. I doubt they are part of Talon to lose money and power. [He knew that the shift would create rifts, and he was also hoping to capitalize, though he would definitely be less effective than Gabe at it.

His plan was to start hitting the companies themselves, since he had no access to Talon heads as it was. His more home-grown effort was about evening the odds for the common person, giving them opportunities where they were kept in oppression. More than that, he just plain wanted those that had betrayed and tore Overwatch to pay dearly and if he could throw them in the mud like they did so many 'lesser' people and omnics, then all the better.

But really, this conversation was less about what they were doing back home and Talon, and it was far more about Gabriel and the fact that the older man seemed to be barely be holding it together.

He made no indication to interrupt once Reyes decided to start talking, nursing a little more off of his drink. He was nodding his head to indicate he understood, and he eyed Gabe from the corner of his eye.]

And it seems to me they succeeded in making you have some hope. And a life for yourself.

I'm counting on it. [Already down a member of the council, and hell if the others in it just for the profit wouldn't be shaken up from that. Try to take every little scrap they could before trying to pull out. Take themselves out so Reaper didn't have to worry too much about those and go for bigger fish.

There was already someone beginning to short-change Talon after all.

Barely holding it together perhaps something of an understatement. Hell, the only reason he wasn't physically falling apart was due to how stuffed he kept himself with emotionally charged foods and other methods to keep that fed. Otherwise? Otherwise he'd be little more than some monstrous blob of smoke with how he felt.

Another pull from the bottle—]

And look what I've gotten for it. Gotten soft, emotional. Better off keeping a distance than having any hope.

[Now that he had actually talked with Reyes rather than just screaming at the man and trying to kill each other, he could figure that Gabe was waiting in the wings for the internal war of Talon to commence to stay to work things over. He had no idea how it would turn out or if Reyes would survive it.

He also wasn't so certain how he felt about that war. On one hand, good riddance. On the other, he wasn't keen to know the answer to Reyes' fate at the end. That left him staring down his bottle uncomfortably.

That pollen experience had really messed things up. He hadn't expected them to be able to have moments like these, and he wasn't certain how to cope with the idea that they had confessed all their boyish stupidity of years past to each other. It made this possible, made how comfortable they could be again available.

Turned as he was towards Reyes, he picked out the subtle signs of those old struggles.]

True... you told me you loved me. That's pretty damn soft. [He took a drag from his own fruity drink.] And we're talking again. And you have a son again. I guess it's completely terrible. [Though the losses definitely were. Maybe a small amount of that old optimism was sneaking back in. He didn't realize he could still have it.]

Told me the same, can't forget that. You got some softness left.

[He didn't even know his own fate, part of him didn't care so long as the mission got done. An end to Overwatch's sad story. Had to take down a lot of players on the way down. If he was one of those, so be it.

Right now? He wasn't much thinking about that, head tilted back to rest against the back of the couch.]

Did I tell you I met him in the local yarn store? And after that he pulled me in to his home during a party he was throwing. I was just walking by, stopped because I heard all of the noise. [Sounded like he'd gotten adopted first in a way, didn't it.] He's the only one left.

[That wanted him to hope.]

I did. Interesting how the only way our softness can only have its day when we're under the influence of pollen. Otherwise, it's all crust.

[Jack was of the same opinion. As long as those who brought Overwatch low and rotted it out from under them paid, he didn't care what happened to him. Even if that mission was all finished and he lived to see the other side of it, there would always be another war. That never changed.

He grunted softly to make it clear he was still listening, sipping lightly at his bottle.]

No, you never said how you met, just that he adopted you first. [And the circumstance were odd, but they weren't as odd as he might otherwise expect knowing this place. He glanced over at the final statement, humming.] What will you do on the chance he might leave too?

This place likes to play with emotions, told you when you first got here. [Speaking in to his bottle now, some sip-] Shit here influences you enough to bring buried shit right back up to the surface, or even fuck with your head.

Get you stuck in old memories of better times, or nightmares.

[That bottle was almost empty, and he was already grabbing a fourth -fifth? didn't matter- to just have well within reach once the one he had was emptied. There were many reasons he didn't sleep, so many- and maybe blacking out from over drinking was the only way he'd get any rest now.

didn't bother trying back home.]

I don't know.

All the more reason I don't want to be here. I finally have my emotions settled into a place where I can either ignore them or use them to my own benefit. [While there was literally no point complaining about it, he was going to anyway. This was their manly bitch session.] Let's hope we don't have a repeat performance then? Might make things overly complicated and you're dealing with enough shit as it is.

[He was still nursing his way through his second, though he was getting to the end of it. He wasn't in any hurry as they had all night, and he was here as moral support so that Gabe could just vent and release his tension and grief.]

You always were one for contingency plans.

This place trapped me in hope once. [He'd hidden away after the whole ordeal, because he could remember every second of it. The people who tried to pull him back out once they'd found themselves in the illusion of a world that tomb had made for him.

Felt like a tomb once he was out of it and back to his right mind at least. Created a world where things were better. Golden Years, like nothing had ever happened. Did he really miss those times so much he was so easily trapped in it? Or was all of that because of what this world had turned him in to. Away from his mission.

Away from the reality of what he was and what he needed to do.]

More of a choice back then. There's nothing to do here, no way to actively get out. Everyone is jut guessing while others are happy to be here, the chance it's given them t live a life not possible for one reason or another. [So many had wanted that for him here.] Think I've only ever felt this powerless twice before.

[What a sad statement that was. He had no idea what that meant aside from literal, though he could picture this place coming up with some head games to make waking from whatever illusions it created.] I bet it was awful.

[76 couldn't say that he had had hope in a long time, but he could faintly remember what it was like. It had been early in Overwatch when they could still make a different, when there was room to grow and be optimistic for improving the lives of others. He had had a lot of pride then, plenty of hope, an insatiable optimism. The world powers had done well though, grinding him for years, wearing him down as the war never had.

Slowly pulling them apart.

He grunted at Gabe's sordid assessment of the situation. He never liked being a sitting duck in anything.] Instead this place steals people when they are settled. Feels like a war with no fighting. [And that made it infinitely more hopeless.] Did you drink yourself unconscious for those times as well?

[There was hat hollow laugh, rasp enough that it sounded like it physically hurt to produce.] Overwatch never fell, Blackwatch still running.

We had manage to pull things together, prevented the Swiss explosion because something managed to distract us from that stupid fight. [Was it telling of something that he'd been so easily trapped in that?] The countries that still held their belief in us actually helped kept the Petras Act from ever falling on our heads. Talon didn't hold nearly as much power as it does- Hell, managed to find Ana some years after, even if she didn't come back to her position.

I was trapped in a What If filled with Hope. [His tone was rasped, hissing a little as if caught somewhere between disgust over being so easily trapped and... well. e ignored the pain it all brought in to his tone easily enough. Drowning it in finishing off the bottle and flicking the lid off the other.]

There's a war, these idiots voted not to kill the leader who assassinated one of the damn giant emotionally unstable animals. [Even if the dragon had been reborn, that wasn't the point.] Now you know those left went underground and are just biding their damn time, because those no better than children believe good and friendship fixes every-fucking-thing. [Well then.

Eyed Jack over the bottle for a moment.] I hired O'Deorain for one. [Discovered he was more or less dying.]

For the other I pulled myself together after having a goddamn building collapse on me and set on my mission. [Y e a h.]

[Soldier: 76 paused mid-sip from his beverage as Reyes went into the illusion of hope, slowly lowering the bottle to his thigh so as not to drop or throw it. He listened, painfully, but he listened, letting Reyes get it out because that was entirely necessary and why he stayed.

The what ifs, huh? Described like that, it sounded worse than he had considered, which meant that actually living it had been a version of Hell that would drive them both into hiding. He had no doubt Gabe had fled and required considered time to process it.]

Surprised you came out of that with your marbles still rolling in a forward direction. We both know hope has a place, but not like that... not like a game.

[It actually disgusted him that this place would create such illusions, the kind of escapism that threw reality far more harshly back into focus once it was finished. All the more reason to get out of this place before everyone was thrown back under the emotional bus.]

If there is no voted leadership with strategy, it's their own fault and they will pay for that decision. The only way to stop the inevitable slaughter now is the kill the underground movement before it gains traction, and that's political suicide. [He was in agreement of the stupidity of it though.

He eyed Gabriel in return at the mention of O'Deorain.] You could have just said 'no' and that would have sufficed.

[He'd hid himself away the moment they'd gotten back up to Verens, stuck there in that place until they were allowed to return, surrounded by everyone else who had gone down as well. Others caught in Hopes, while others in Despair- hell, he'd have preferred despair over what he'd gotten. That was something he was far more familiar in dealing with.

Not hope for something that would never be possible, something so long gone it was nothing but a gilded lie.]

Places hold traps like that, meant to protect things. Got out of it, and what we're were all down there looking for was recovered. You're not wrong though, not wrong at all, we both know it well.

[Illusions that felt so real it could trap someone like that, no matter who they were.]

The vote was left up to Otherworlders. The leadership of this place and where the leader of the movement was from left it up to us, and the other Arehtei weren't happy about it. [He agreed it was political suicide all the same.

Shoulders shrugged.] Devil's in the details.

Besides, other moments you shared in. [During the Crisis... when there was so much death of their people in Overwatch. How many times did he go and help Jack lay flags over coffins? Vice versa, too.]

[So that was just more reason to never fully explore places until after other people had gone down like a bunch of suckers to see what kind of emotional toll would be asked of them. It wasn't that he was a coward of adversity, but he had put many of his old memories and ghosts to rest, and he wasn't looking to rehash any of it.

Though, he supposed the more time that he spent with Reyes, the more likely some of those old ghosts might show up on scene again.]

That pollen we were exposed to was enough to show me how this place was going to play with us. I'm not particularly looking for any repeat performances.

[It was Jack's turn to roll his eyes because that was absolutely stupid. Why leave the vote up to a group that had no invested interests in the overall outcome? They all would leave at some point.]

Whoever made the decision to leave it to the otherworlders should be taken to task. We aren't in a position to make the correct informed decision. That's why politicians exist. [He was shaking his head and finishing off his second bottle, putting it aside for a third.

He grunted softly as he removed the cap from his new bottle.] I more meant here, not back home. I know very well how much we helped each other.

Edited 2019-09-08 02:28 (UTC)

The pollen at least used what was actually there rather than creating something fake.

[Well that was telling again, but Gabriel didn't linger on what those words meant, what he'd said in them. Wasn't the point of it all, wasn't the worst this place could do. The pollen was mild- hell, even if it had been other people it could have implanted fake emotions.

But with him they'd been very real, no matter how deep he'd buried them over the years out of necessity.]

It was left up to Otherworlders because Otherworlders were who fought and caught her in the first place. Who went and raided the place they had holed up in and who even helped find them in the first place. [The natives of this place asked Otherworlders to help a lot, as did the Arehtei, like they were some saviors.] There are too many here who don't know you can't save everyone. Don't want to believe it.

First time something like this had to be decided on, hopefully they saw their mistake in it.

[There was a snort.] You really want to hear the shit here?

That's true... it just brought everything long buried back to the surface. Never thought I'd ever be put in the position to love again.

[It was true that making someone feel something false would be far worse, but the exposure to the pollen had certainly complicated things for them as well. It wasn't as if they planned on confessing or kissing each other as they had. It was clear that something far worse could have happened, that they had gotten off lucky.

He didn't quite care the reason as to why it was left up to the otherworlder's because that decision was plainly and clearly wrong. Whatever their contributions, they weren't part of this world, and most people couldn't understand or fathom possible long-term consequences. After all... not everyone was forgiving for sparing a life. It could be considered weakness or dishonourable.]

There are arm-chair generals in every place, but this is ridiculous. Let's hope that choice doesn't end up getting a bunch of people killed in future.

[He looked over at Gabe and shrugged his shoulders.] You can talk about whatever you want. This is your bitch sessions. I'm here to listen and hold your hair out of your face when you get too drunk.

Can say the same, honestly. Fact it's even still there means we never really stopped.

[It was a distant sort of observation, state he was in partially emotionally detached from the moment as it was. Neither had stopped caring or loving, even if it wasn't exactly to amount that pollen had amped it up to. Warm and all as it had been in the moment.

Awkward as the moment had left them, they'd at least talked over it after. Came to something and.. well. Got to the point he felt like he could reach out to Jack to just call him over for something like this. More than what he'd thought would be there again.]

They're going to have to learn to hard way, how easily thinking like that can and will get people killed. [Or worse, because there was always something worse than death. Especially in a place like this.

He snorted a bit.] Too damn tired and worn from it all to bitch too much about all the shit this place has gone and done with me for long.

No. [He took a long swig from his bottle, taking nearly a quarter of it down and then rolling it between his hands.] Never stopped, just buried it. [Last part said so very soft.

He had thought he had buried it deep enough many years ago, coping with Reyes' death in the only way that he could at the time. Then when it wasn't a real death, he had been so full of his usual focused aggression that there had never been time to think long or hard about his own emotional state before coming here. Then it had been another fight.

At least they had talked eventually. They had managed to come together, foster up enough reasonableness between the two of them to hold a conversation. And now they were amicable enough that Gabriel felt he call on Jack when the going was so damn rough on them both. He appreciated it, honestly he did.

It had been so very long since anyone felt they could rely on him.]

Learning the hard way just makes people better and asking all the silly questions of 'how could this have happened?'. Taking responsibility is harder.

[He looked at Reyes, meeting the man's gaze if he could catch it.] Then you can talk to me about anything. I'm here with you tonight.

Just buried it. [Repeated just as softly.

Before he was taking a long drink from that freshly opened bottle in his own hand. Hadn't been room for it, so he felt, with how things had been falling apart for the both of them. Even if it was still so very much there even when the building fell. Couldn't keep hold of it with what it all meant for him. Buried it along with who he was when he decided his path.

Sinking deep in to Talon, knowing he had an in. Carefully giving only so much to be that painted picture of himself most of the world had wanted of him. Twisted with anger and bitterness. An easy role to fall in to, was all there even if the reasons were kept far more close to his chest.

Jack fucking Morrison was a part of him, always had been since they met and always would be no matter what he felt he needed to do and be. His own anger burned deep, his own hurt. It felt right to rely on him. Fell in to place as if it had just been waiting.]

A lot harder. It's needed, though.

[It was caught, some huff of a noise escaping him.] I need you here with me.

[It was amazing they could rehash this again, the help of alcohol keeping things fresh at least. He was trying to imagine what this hellscape would have done with such emotions and their natural inclination to put off personal feelings for years and years. It no doubt would have had a field-day and it was all the better no one had been there to experience it like that.

Back home, he wouldn't say there was any room for it any longer. They were on different - but the same - mission. It wasn't as if they met again after their little scene in Cairo. Who knew what the end result of that mission would be either.

He was still getting used to the idea that Reyes might call on him. So many years struggling on his own, wandering alone, performing old tasks by himself with only the company of old pictures, and he was a gruff old bastard who hadn't considered the possibility anyone would rely on him anymore.

That it was Reyes wasn't nearly as puzzling; they had always been thick as thieves together. It wasn't even the romantic aspect either. From the moment they met in the SEP barracks to the point where everything fell down around them, he had always liked Reyes. Sure, the guy drove him crazy, but who wouldn't after thirty years working around each other?

This... almost felt natural.

He nodded his head, expecting no other explanation than that. He understood.] Well, I'm here. Let's drink to that, shall we? [He held out his bottle like they should toast together.]

[It was almost a novel concept to trust someone from home like this again; someone that knew his name, his face, his history with every single context clue that was actually available to them. Most of those he couldn't trust anymore; was either dead, a traitor, or a colleague in a terrorist organization that he knew better than to trust at all for the most part.

There was some necessary trust, knowing the personalities of them. Watching quietly, observing, everything he'd always done even while working with people he didn't like. Fully capable of it.

Of course it would be Jack being the familiar face he fell back in to feeling like he could trust in such a way as this. No one knew ho to deal with him an his shit better. No matter how frustrating the man could be, with how much history they had together it was just... there.

He lifted his own bottle, knocking it against the one Jack had held out. A clink of glass-] You're here.

[Taking a long swig after that. Cheers enough.]

[76 knew that, aside from Jesse McCree and himself, there was no one left who knew Gabriel Reyes so well. He knew the tells, knew when something as simple as a quiet presence was necessary to keep the brain worms at bay for a little bit. He knew the Reyes who smiled, who snarled, who made brilliant and terrible decisions, who had found somewhat of a life here and knew at any moment it could be stripped away.

He knew what it cost Reyes to lose everyone. He knew what it cost Reyes to call him in. He knew that the night would be long for them both. Nights like these always were.

Still, he could appreciate the quiet 'clink' of their bottles together, and it might very well the closest they managed to a real call back to the old days. Once the toast was sealed, he lifted the bottle to his lips and drank for him, limiting himself.

He hummed low in his throat and let them get on with the real drinking then.]

[And McCree was already dealing with his own shit, even if pulling up out of his own misery enough to go out rather than spending all of his time in the farmhouse as he had early on. Wasn't going to drag him in to this mess, even as he too had every reason to miss Ana. There as enough of a difference to let him have his own rather than some battle of misery.

Even if it wouldn't really be that.

At the very least Gabriel didn't kill the bottle. Just drained a quarter of it before sinking back. Eating a little more, but drinking far more.

At least he might not get himself sick, but there was a lot more drinking to come.]

Edited (sshhhhhhhh) 2019-09-10 06:50 (UTC)

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