Chapter Text
Jack led them through a series of hallways, moving with the experience of someone used to dodging populated areas. Gabriel was amused and didn’t put up any kind of fight, letting himself be led around. Although his trust in Jack didn’t stop him from asking where they were going.
Pausing at an intersection, Jack glanced down both ends of the hall before taking a left. “To take care of your garden.” He tossed over his shoulder.
A thrill shot up Gabriel’s back and he grinned. “Oh? Then how come you’re taking me somewhere secret? Don’t wanna embarrass yourself by confessing your love in public? No worries Jackie, I’m sure you won’t be teased too much.”
That earned him a half-hearted glare, Jack’s cheeks a lovely shade of pink.
“Quiet,” He huffed, stopping in front of a door Gabriel knew to be a closet.
The moment they were inside and the door closed, Jack activated the locking mechanism before crowding Gabriel against the door. He once again went willingly, grin not faltering as his back hit the door. Both of Jack’s hands settled on the wall above his shoulders, boxing him in.
Yet despite the fact he had Gabriel practically pinned, Jack made no further move to close the gap between their faces. Gabriel tilted his head and quirked a brow.
“Well Boy Scout?”
Jack huffed, “Give me a sec. Never thought I’d get the chance to do this.”
He closed his eyes and attempted to gather his thoughts. Gabriel, feeling generous, remained silent as he stared up at the ceiling. While he could just stand there and wait for Jack to say something first, Gabriel was kind of done waiting. His throat was already itching to cough up some petals and he was not in the mood for that. So he figured he’d get the ball rolling.
“Jack,” He said, settling his hands on Jack’s shoulders. “I love you.” Blue eyes snapped up to stare at Gabriel in disbelief. He would’ve been offended at the look if he didn’t know that Jack wasn’t doubting his feelings, he just couldn’t believe Gabriel had been the first to say it.
Gabriel shrugged a shoulder and offered a lopsided grin. “I told you, I don’t plan on denying it. I’ve loved you for years now, but I’m not going to tell you when it started because I know how you’ll get. You’ll be mad at yourself for not realizing sooner. But what could you do? I kept it under wraps, was willing to take my secret to the grave. And I kind of did.” He held up his hand so that it was between the both of them. As he wiggled his fingers, the tips turned into black wisps of smoke. “Gabriel Reyes is technically dead, Jackie. And for the longest time I thought you were too. I never even entertained the dream that I’d get the chance to confess. Not telling you… That was one of my biggest regrets. But I’m not going to waste this opportunity now that I have it. So I’m confessing. Take it or leave it, I don’t care. But these flowers are for you, they’ve always been for you. And in life or in death, they’ll stay for you.”
Jack let out a strangled sound and suddenly he was surging forward. His forehead smacked with Gabriel’s and their teeth hit together with a clack. The kiss wasn’t graceful at all. But honestly? Gabriel didn’t hate a single moment of it.
Delivering a swift bite to Gabriel’s bottom lip before pulling away, Jack cupped Gabriel’s cheeks and pressed their foreheads together. He chuckled, “Asshole. I was supposed to confess first!”
“Yeah well I take priority since I’ve got flowers growing.” Gabriel made a point to let out a dramatic little cough.
Jack clearly didn’t believe him if that roll of his eyes was anything to go by. With a huff he pressed a gentler kiss to Gabriel’s lips. Then he smiled and whispered, “I love you, Gabe. I’m sorry it took me too long to notice. And I’m sorry you were hurting because of that. There’s a lot of things I could say to you. I could say I should’ve seen the signs, that I was just being as stubborn as you, all that shit. I hate how it took me losing you to realize how important you were to me. And I’m not talking about losing you to the Swiss explosion. Yeah that was a big factor, but even before then I was losing you. And maybe if I had just taken a moment to think, I would’ve realized how much I was missing having you by my side. I missed your input and how you could find solutions I never would’ve thought of. I missed seeing you smile. I missed the fact that I heard you yelling more than you laughing. We couldn’t even be in the same room with each other without stepping on toes. And that was mostly my fault. I was the one instigating the fights.
“But that’s no excuse. I can apologize for years about what happened in the past, but I can’t change it. The only thing I can do is learn from my mistakes. And I’m trying to do that by starting here. I don’t want any regrets just like you don’t. So I’m telling you here and now that I love you, Gabriel Reyes. I love your smile, your laugh. I love how stubborn you are even though it drives me insane. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it. But I’m here now and I want to make it right. I want us to have a chance.”
Knowing was one thing, but actually hearing it? Gabriel didn’t think he’d ever be prepared for how sincere Jack sounded. His breath stuttered and the knot in his chest suddenly loosened. Gabriel felt a rush of air enter his lungs and he was now breathing easier than he ever remembered. It was almost dizzying the sudden change.
Dead heart pounding like crazy, he grabbed Jack and roughly pressed their faces together. The kiss was messy and dominating, both fighting for control. Gabriel smirked into the kiss and playfully bit at Jack’s lip in retaliation to the other’s previous bite. The huff he received sounded more amused than annoyed.
Gabriel hummed against his lips, fingers tangling in Jack’s white hair. “We’re not as young as we used to be, Jack. Hell by all rights we’re pushing the senior citizen status.”
Jack rolled his eyes and let his hands drop to Gabriel’s hips. He squeezed them before tucking his hands under his thighs and hoisting him up. Gabriel was surprised as he was suddenly lifted and pressed against the door. Instinctually his legs wrapped around Jack’s waist, grip tightening on the hair in his hands.
“All those tests have to have been good for something.” He grumbled, brows furrowed and mouth pursed into the semblance of a pout.
Unable to hold back his snort of amusement, Gabriel leaned against the door. “Well you’re not wrong. And I gotta say you’re rocking that silver fox look.”
Though he was being given a very unimpressed look, Gabriel still took deep satisfaction in the blotchy blush on Jack’s face.
Grumbling in annoyance at Gabriel’s cheeky smile, he leaned forward and pressed their lips together. A muffled “shut up” was murmured against Gabriel’s lips and prompted another snort of laughter from the wraith.
He tilted his head and slotted their lips together. The kiss was quick to deepen, Gabriel’s tongue trailing along Jack’s bottom lip before he was granted access. They had never really kissed before so this was generally a learning experience.
Eventually they found their groove and began to basically make out like teenagers. Now Gabriel was used to feeling breathless thanks to years spitting up bluebells, but this left him feeling a completely different kind of breathless. He pulled away from Jack and panted for air he didn’t need, eyes falling close when a mouth latched onto his neck.
It had been years since Gabriel last had an intimate touch. The feeling was thrilling and having Jack drag both teeth and lips across his neck was heating him up from the inside out. Gabriel bit his lip and groaned low in his throat. He distinctly heard the thud of his head hitting the door yet barely felt the sting.
Jack bit at the juncture of Gabriel’s neck and chin, soothing the sting with a quick swipe of his tongue. Breathe hitching, Gabriel firmly gripped the back of his head and pulled Jack’s mouth up to his. He kissed like his life depended on it. His legs tightening when Jack’s hands squeezed his thighs.
A whispered fuck passed between them and neither could tell who said it. Yet before they could even go back into another round of kissing, a voice rang out around them that made the two freeze.
“Agent Morrison?”
Jack cleared his throat and slowly pulled away from Gabriel. “Y-yes?” His voice cracked though thankfully the AI was too polite to say anything.
“I apologize to have interrupted your… Moment with former agent Reyes, but I am afraid I must inform you that Winston is requesting your presence for the meeting discussing former agent Reyes and Sombra.”
Setting Gabriel back on the ground, Jack nodded and began trying to smooth out his appearance. “Right, thank you Athena. Ah… Just a question, but are there cameras… In here?”
Gabriel snorted and threw a smirk at Jack, “He wants to know if you saw anything indecent.” He clarified to the AI.
“Negative, Agent Morrison. There are security cameras in Hall-B, which you went past on your way to the storage closet located at the edge of Hall-C, but there are no cameras in closets on base.” Came the calming response.
“That’s a relief. Thank you, Athena. We’re on our way. The main meeting hall, right?”
“Correct.”
Gabriel hummed, laying a kiss to the corner of Jack’s mouth. He smirked, “Ready to go, Boy Scout?”
The smile he returned was soft and practically brimming with affection. Jack held out his hand, “With you? Anywhere.”
“Cute,” Gabriel rolled his eyes but still took Jack’s hand. “But we’re literally just going to the other side of base.”
Jack scowled and slapped his free hand down on the door’s panel. It unlocked and opened with a swish, Jack stomping out with Gabriel following in amusement.
“We just finally confessed our love for each other, damn it. Can’t I say a few romantic things without getting any shit for it?”
Laughing, Gabriel squeezed Jack’s hand. “Calm down, old man. I’m not complaining.”
“Sounds like you were…” He grouched.
Nudging Jack, Gabriel quirked a brow and smirked. “Don’t tell me you didn’t expect some teasing. You’re the one dating me, you should know what you’re getting into.”
“Oh we’re dating!” Jack exclaimed with mock surprise. “I didn’t know! Sorry, it must’ve escaped my notice when you asked me out.”
“Excuse me? I confessed first. If anything you should’ve been the one to ask me out!”
“Don’t you know a thing about romance? The first to confess is the one who does the asking out!”
“Rich coming from you! In what era was that put in practice??”
Their bickering followed them as they made their way down the hall and towards the meeting room. The jabs they made lacked bite to them, simply meant to tease and joke. It had been so long since the two ever bantered like this yet they easily fell into step beside each other. Like a dance one never forgets, they moved around with ease. Of course sometimes they would stumble and step on feet. They weren’t the same people as they once were, but that was ok too. They were learning together who they were now. What was different and what was the same. Jack and Gabriel had plenty of time to learn. They were together now, after all. And there was no way they were going to let go. Not when they finally reached an understanding. They’d fight tooth and nail to stay by each other’s side. But lucky for them they had a whole team willing to back them up. And not just any kind of team, a family. And they sure as Hell weren’t going to lose this one.