dadication | IC Inbox

Who knows why I keep you around. [Nudging right back with the same amount of force in turn, corner of his mouth twitching a bit. Clear it was playing around in a tease, far from true at all.

Jack was encouraging, all his fault clearly.]

None able to handle me. Forever alone and unloved.

[His nose did twitch, straying a little from Jack's side and more towards the scent of cold air, felt it a bit as well-]

Beef? Still have cuts to choose from. I feel it yeah, give me a second here.

[Had something broken? How? Also just what amount of work would be needed to repair some damage...]

It has to be my shining personality. [Now they were nudging at each other, the hidden warmth of the greenhouse allowing them those moments of being young men at each other. Just brief, then they would be back to their usual serious selves. These moments tided them over as far as he was concerned, since things were not always happiness and roses.

He rolled his eyes dramatically and gave Gabe's tail and playful pull.]

Too hot to handle. Maybe you should turn down the heat a little, Reyes.

[There was no particular sound coming from that area, and he knew with the snow and such that things would break down. Sometimes little wild animals broke in for warmth and to snack on the plants growing safely here.]

I checked the place for vermin a few days ago.

[A ruffle at Jack's hair and a tug at one of his ears-] My grumpy old fart.

[Sickly sweet and teasing all the way, some noise at his tail being pulled and swatting at Jack for it before just bumping a hip against his.]

Not a chance, Morrison.

[Then he was out of reach, could feel the colder breeze and reached out to move a hanging plant- yeah, there was a break there. Ears pricked forward and brow drawn a bit as he huffed-]

Got a hole here we're going to need to block up. What do you recommend?

[Of course he wouldn't notice something creeping near his paws in the shadows there, blending in with the rest of the plant-life too well.]

Takes an old fart to be an old fart, and you've got a few years on me.

[He smirked at the swat, following in Gabe's wake but not crowding the older man either. He was looking for a possible source for the break in, something like mouse scat or wood shavings or out of place dirt. Their little invader may have come and gone, and the plants all seemed intact.

His ears were swiveling in search of sound, but nothing jumped out at him.]

We should block it up with a brick or a piece of wood temporarily, and I can go to the shed and repair it completely tomorrow. We should do a full walk through to check for other holes. [He didn't want any of the plants to freeze.]

You see any sign of our little critter?

You're still an old fart, not any fresher.

[Gabriel was checking for any other breaks, but for the moment there only seemed to be one in the place. Could have been worse-]

Go grab one, should be something like that near the door to the place. I'll stay here and check to make sure it's just this one here. Okay?

[Sitting on his paws then, more eye level with the break, nose wrinkled a bit. Was definitely colder there, shifting some of the plants away to clear the space.]

I don't.

At least I don't smell as bad, old goat.

[He was also looking around for more breaks, but it seemed like everything on this part of the wall was intact. He was moving around the plants to be certain until Gabe mentioned grabbing a brick.]

I'll grab two just in case.

[He headed back to the door of the greenhouse, but he took the long way, circling the outside of the greenhouse to check the other walls. So it took him extra time to grab the bricks in question and head back to where Gabe was probably looking for their lost little critter.]

If you were beaten with a stick you'd turn in to dry shit.

[... Another saying he may have either picked up from Jack himself or McCree, honestly. Teasing at it was in the same line they had been going in.

Gabriel nodded as he kept searching for any little cracks or breaks, moving down to his knees as Jack went off. It wasn't until the other man was out of sight that the cause of the break made itself known. Eyes widening as a vine of something wrapped around his wrist—

He was back on his feet by the time Jack would return, area cleared and the single break in the wall visible.]

Only found the one.

[Nothing noticeably wrong at all, just that tail of his wagging behind him, eyes on Jack. Let him patch it first.]

[That was definitely one of his saying from youth, picked up from his uncles when he was trying for too elaborate of a lie. But hey, he had learned to lie well because of that!

He returned with the bricks in question, noting Gabe and not seeing any signs of a struggle or tomfoolery as he approached. He moved around the the older man's side of the greenhouse wall and noted the hole. It definitely would only need one brick.]

That's not too bad. I'll fix it in the morning, alright?

[Bending, he set the brick so that it blocked the draft, using a foot to press it more firmly into place. At least none of the plants would freeze overnight.]

That should do it. I checked the other walls and nothing there, but we should probably keep an eye out in case our critter appears and makes another mess of a wall.

Yeah, alright. Did look for more but I didn't find anything, so things should be good for the night.

[Kept his eyes on Jack the entire time, shifting from one paw to another almost as he waited for him-

The moment he was away from the wall and plants? Gabriel was suddenly closer, catching Jack around the waist and leaned in awfully close. Tail wagging away all that much more.]

Don't think we've got to worry much about a critter at least, no signs of an animal.

It's getting dark soon, so we'll be alright.

[He was in agreement there, but then Gabriel was covering the distance between them fast. It was unexpected, but he thought it was some kind of retake on the game that they had been playing earlier when all the teasing was happening.

He couldn't help but smile, his tail wagging in reply and his ears prick forward. He was expecting a little shoving match, maybe a close-quarter spar. The whole waist thing was... well, different, but he would roll with it.]

So you want to shove me around, is that it?

[Oh, they would be alright.

His forehead bumped against Jack's, nose brushing even with a low noise just in the back of his throat that Gabriel couldn't really help but make, fingers squeezing against his hip in that hold.]

There's something I want to do.

[Wasn't a shoving match, wasn't much of a spar either, but that was a hand catching Jack's jaw to tip his head quickly as lips pressed firmly against his. That tail wagging away even as ears flicked back just to get out of the way. Sweeping him right up in to a kiss.

That vine of mistletoe wrapped snugly around his wrist. Found what had broken in, and it wasn't exactly a critter, no.]

[Jack started to suspect something was different when Gabe's forehead pressed to his in a way that wasn't their usual sort of bumping friendliness. There was heat to it, especially paired with that noise the older man was making.]

Gabe...

[That's all he managed to get out before his jaw was seized, and yes, things were wrong, though the details of it weren't readily apparent until he was swept up into that kiss. It was hot and demanding and determined, and he made a sound of surprise as his eyes widened and his tail came to an abrupt stop.

His hands moved towards Gabe's chest to push at the older man, wanting an explanation to the sudden intimacy. He pulled his head back with a jerk.]

Whoa, what did I do to deserve that kind of reception? It's just a brick, Reyes.

Not about the brick-

[-Even if you can be as thick as one.

There was a whine in Gabriel's throat when Jack moved his head back, and he couldn't help but continue to lean forward. Trying to keep that closeness, because it wasn't difficult for Jack to push him away if he really wanted to.] Just you.

[The problem was that Jack was conflicted. They had done this song and dance before with the pollen, and it wasn't something that he could forget. There were times he could distinctly remember the feel and taste of Gabe's lips, the feel of the older man's body stretching and curving against his own. It was an attraction and a love they had admitted to under the pollen.

This was more primal, what with the way Gabe was kissing him. It was a show, a rekindling of those old feelings that usually danced around. His problem was he wasn't certain if Gabe was under the influence of something... he knew he wasn't, which made this more difficult on him.

But he didn't push the older man away either. He might be shifting and dodging a bit of Gabe's lips, but his fingers were curling in Gabe's shirt, refusing to let him go.]

Gabe... are you alright?

[Ears were pinned back and his tail was still but low, curled against the back of a leg as claws were caught in the back of Jack's shirt.]

I'll be fine.

[As if saying he was fine would be a lie with the fact his head was suddenly ducking to the side, away. Like he was trying to hide something despite body language giving away clear hurt.]

[His ears were swiveling, uncertain and when Gabe's hurt became clear, his tail tucked down between his legs. He lifted a hand from the older man's shirt to catch Gabe's jaw as had been done to him only moments before.]

Talk to me. Why the sudden kissing?

[Was this some kind of proposal? He had noted the greenery on Gabe's arm, but they were in a greenhouse. He assumed it was picked from the floor.]

[Ears kept pinned back, even if his head tilted against that hand on his jaw, eyes looking anywhere else. Some war of emotions going on; usually he'd already be pushing away, but something was keeping him locked right where he was.

What was there to even say?]

Thought that was clear enough.

[Just forget it. Why did he even think he could be wanted in turn. Already made clear it wasn't on the table weeks ago.

Yet something still kept that part of him quiet.]

You don't want to?

[He was actually surprised Gabe wasn't pulling and walking away, since that was the usual tactic. It kept him right there, even if he waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was why he kept a grip on the older man's shirt and jaw, trying to encourage Gabe to look at him.]

Come on, you're not usually so forward, and we haven't kissed like that since the pollen, which was... well, it was great then and you haven't lost your touch now.

[It was just a bit of out character. They tended to stumble through feelings, even if they both knew they were there. After all, there was a lot of emotion between them and they had been through a lot.]

I mean... I'm not opposed, but... why all of a sudden? It's not the four years here, is it?

I want to. Is there really something so wrong with it being that simple?

[A hand lifting to grip the wrist of the hand still keeping hold of his shirt, other hand still rested at Jack's hip. Something still so wounded about his body langue of his, ears pinned and tail curled low.

Face might no longer be turned away, but his eyes remained so.]

Not like it's the first time I've wanted to either, just never did anything about it.

No, it's not wrong. I never said it was wrong You're being defensive, and I just want to know why all this happens now.

[Was it the teasing that they had done? Was it something else entirely? It wasn't that he was rejecting, especially after the seeming harmony that they had managed to settle into. They just didn't seem... well as ready as they should be.

It was like they were on the edge of the cliff seeing who could push who off first.]

What holds you back?

[Why were words so messy? He stepped in so he could rest his forehead against Gabe's, thankful they were the same height.]

Look at me, Gabe. Come on.

Felt like now or never.

[Maybe that thought wasn't wrong with how they carried on, always dancing around it no matter how close they allowed the other to get. No matter how off the table it had felt pushed by Jack himself weeks ago.

Easy to forget it had happened at times, especially then.

At least with the press of foreheads again his gaze did shift back to Jack. Slightly. Enough.]

Thought of you pushing me away.

[Like Jack had started to do, physically. Like Gabriel had felt like he was doing, which had caused him to stop.]

Did it?

[They liked to dance, so set on their stubbornness and the long standing guilt of the past that they carried with them. Not allowed to have nice things, remember? They had been avoiding the good things, had argued about it since he had arrived here.

But the fact was he did want. He had for decades, but it had never been the right time. Duty, missions, politics... the list went on and on, the delays kept adding up.

He looked at Gabe, meeting the older man's gaze.]

I'm not going to push you away. I have loved you for decades, you old goat.

[He leaned in, kissing the corner of Gabe's mouth. He looked down when he felt a grip on his finger, noting the greenery that had been on Gabe was now curled around his finger and Gabe's wrist.

At first confused, then the sudden urge hit him and his ears pricked forward and his tail rose from between his legs. His lips brushed back against Gabe's lightly, searching the older man's face.]

Yes.

[As if what had been stopping him from ever acting just wasn't there anymore, a part of him was free to act on that want. The worries gone for a moment before reality had forced itself back in between that want and the fear of what could happen. Slammed back in full force-

But still some sort of buffer there, holding that back enough to keep him from turning back in to himself. From pushing away in retaliation in some effort to protect himself when he felt like he was being pushed.]

Doesn't stop the fear. [Obviously.

Mistletoe here was never normal, but this was the first time it was ever actively hunting down people. Still some little whine at the kiss to the corner of his mouth. Almost unsure at first-

Then there was Jack being a bit more forward, the change in his own body language as fingers gripped at his hip. Ears more dropped than pinned back, leaning more in to the kiss and returning it with some almost questioning sound in the back of his throat. Cautious.]

I know. Fear is what holds everyone back.

[It's what allowed him to use excuses of duty, missions, politics, the opinions of others, the opinion of himself about himself from acting on anything regarding Reyes. The man had always felt so far out of his league until that whole pollen incident. Then it was trying to stuff all that back in the box because they were complicated people with a lot of baggage.

The strange plant which he thought might be some kind of mistletoe erased that fear, pushed the natural feelings he had been living with for years upon years more freely. It was like the pollen without ever feeling forced, like this was all his, like they both had a hand on the wheel.

Yet, he took it slow to allow Gabe time to reconsider and step away. Their body language changed together, and he gave a small curious peck on the mouth, letting Gabe come to him. A low growling sound, something to use in play and encouragement, coming from his throat.]

[Very much some kind of mistletoe, white berries and all despite how much more like a creeping vine that it looked to be.

Gabriel pushed forwards a bit more, reacting to the growl and letting his lips press a bit more firmly against Jack's in reply to that small peck of a kiss. Arm wrapped loosely around the other man's waist one again, holding him in a way they both could step away from easily.

He didn't want to step away, instead he wanted to keep pressing forwards. Move his body up against Jack's as his own tail started some slow way rather than keeping curled against the backs of his legs.]

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