Gabriel Knows Too Much (part 3)

[moonshadows]

Jack surged to his feet as Gabriel appeared in the room - and promptly caught him as he almost collapsed.

"Gabriel! What happened?"

Limbs feeling like rubber, the fledgling Reaper let Jack haul him onto the bed and curled up with his head in the griffin's lap. "I can teleport," he sighed. "I'm exhausted, White Bread."

"Do you need to eat? Do you need..."

"I need to rest."

Fingers, gentle on the side of his face. "Let me see your eyes?"

Gabriel opened them, stared up into worried blue.

"They're dull, like old coals. You are exhausted," Jack said softly. The whimper that escaped Gabriel's throat made his heart clench. "Gabe? What's wrong?"

"I'm gonna sneeze again," was the answer.

Gabriel turned his head, sneezed, and vanished into curls of black smoke.

=

He woke up on a thick, braided rug before Mondatta's magical fire, feeling rested but uneasy. The reason for that became clear as he sat up to discover the djinn watching with a tolerantly amused expression.

"Are you quite well?" Mondatta asked in a tone that might have been mocking from anyone else.

"It's not as easy as it looks, hopping all over the world," Gabriel said sourly. "It's fucking exhausting. How long did I sleep?"

"Nearly two hours. I prepared you some tea, but while it has been kept warm by the fire, I would be more than happy to prepare a fresh cup for you."

The tea. It tasted weird, but it was good shit. "I will happily drink both cups," he said.

Of course, he had to let the mugs cool before he could drink either one. And he felt a sneeze coming on. Carefully, he held the cups out and braced himself-

-and opened his eyes to discover Jack giving him a worried look that turned to relief.

"Hold this?" Gabriel asked, shoving one mug at Jack and then chugging the other. Yup, tasted like shit. He held out the empty mug and gestured for Jack to give him the other one, then downed that one as well.

Jack took the mugs and put them down, then urged Gabriel back into bed and held him close. Gabriel told him about the places he'd found himself, and mediating the dispute between two nymphs.

"How do you feel aside from exhausted?" Jack asked, more than a little concern in his voice.

"Hungry, I think, but I don't know what for. A milkshake and a cheeseburger, maybe."

He relaxed with a small, contented sound as the griffin lipped at his hair.

"I'm going to have the golems bring you food, and also let Angela know you're back. She was kind of concerned when you vanished; I'm pretty sure she's going to want to talk to you about it."

Gabriel groaned tiredly. "I'm sure. If I fall asleep, it's not my fault."

Carefully, Jack unwound himself from around the fledgling Reaper and went to talk to the golems.

===

Although he looked like he was sleeping, Gabriel was wide awake and sifting through his future memories. He'd changed things enough that he basically had some free time; Jack hadn't been cuffed or let out too quickly - briefly, Gabriel was full of rage that the griffin had been held prisoner and Angela hadn't bother to tell him about the dangers of setting him free, and on top of that, threatened to put him down! It took a handful of breaths before he de-ruffled from the memories of talking Jack out of a feral state. That's when he'd learned the shadow tendril trick, though, and that had impressed Angela enough that she'd had him go outside to practice with Amelie.

That was something he was eager to avoid, and showing off the shadow scythe should put enough power behind his 'no' that he wouldn't spend hours getting his ass kicked and learning to heal. He could figure that out on his own, thanks to the memories of having learned it, but that's when he wound up as Genji's unwilling snack. Maybe he could hurry things along, since he wasn't being treated like a fucking child and kept in the dark this time.

"Gabriel?" Jack's voice interrupted his thoughts. "The golem's here with your lunch, and Angela's here, too."

Reluctantly, he sat up and stretched. He was still feeling pretty good thanks to Mondatta's tea. This was probably a bad idea, but no worse than some of the things he'd done in his future memories.

"Send for Amelie and Zenyatta," he told the harpy in a firm voice. "If we're going to discuss my abilities, I want everyone on the same page."

Angela frowned. "Why Zenyatta? He's not-"

"I'll bet twenty bucks he has memories of things you don't have in your Reaper-helper records," Gabriel interrupted.

"Very well." She spoke quietly with a golem, then came back to perch on the foot of the bed. "Where did you go when you disappeared?"

Jack handed him a tall, thick milkshake - chocolate - and he took a healthy sip. Mmmm.

"Paris," he answered once he'd swallowed. "Then the ocean by Sydney. Then the Shambali monastery. That's where I got the robes."

Angela was still frowning. "Why those places?"

Mouth full of milkshake, Gabriel shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Maybe the Reaper wanted to see the world."

Although she clearly wanted to ask more questions, Gabriel was devouring a cheeseburger. When he finished, Jack resumed his position on the bed next to him. Angela opened her mouth, but was interrupted by Zenyatta and a pissed-off Amelie entering the room.

"Oh, good," Gabriel announced, pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged on the bed. "Everyone's here. I learned a new trick today: teleporting. Zenyatta, I met Mondatta, although we didn't have much chance to talk."

The djinn brightened. Amelie scowled.

"You have barely been the Mantle for a day, and already you have learned teleportation? I was the Reaper for a decade and never was able to accomplish that."

"I guess it just likes me better," Gabriel said smugly. "You wanna see?"

Amelie's eyes glittered coldly. "Oui. Show me your prowess."

He leaned briefly against Jack. "I'll be right back."

Alright. He'd done this dozens of times. He was going to do this, just...not right now. He should be able to do this.

Gabriel closed his eyes and concentrated.

"You're back! Hanzo, he's back!"

Jesse's excited voice had never sounded so beautiful. Gabriel opened his eyes and sighed in relief as Hanzo, Genji, and Ana came running in.

"Alright! Yes, I'm the Reaper. I can teleport. I'm still getting a handle on things, but honestly, it's not that bad. Anyone have anything to say before I see if I can bring Genji back with me?"

"I missed you!" Jesse practically howled, wrapping Gabriel in a hairy hug. Thankfully, he was wearing jeans. "Even though you smell weird now!"

Gabriel patted his back awkwardly.

"If you say you are alright, I will take you at your word," Ana said doubtfully.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I'm actually taking the transition really well."

Hanzo simply met his eyes and nodded. Then he beckoned Jesse to his side. Alright. Time to see if he could do this.

Reaching in a way he couldn't describe, Gabriel pulled a tendril of solid shadow out of the floor and wrapped it around Genji's waist. "Right," he announced. "Time to go. I'll call when I get a phone."

Focus. Visualize the room. Keep hold of the vampire.

They both vanished.

As soon as they appeared, Gabriel released the tendril and swayed, catching himself on the bed and sitting heavily.

"There," he said in Amelie's direction. "Teleported, with another person, and manifested a fully-controlled tendril of shadow. Satisfied?"

Angela frowned. "Shadow tendril?"

Gabriel gestured one into being. It rose like a cobra, waved, and dissipated.

"I've never heard of a Reaper doing anything like that," she said, shaking her head.

Zenyatta cleared his throat. "If I may," he said diffidently, "I have known other Reapers with that precise ability."

Angela looked at him curiously. "You have? That is a relief, but the logs I have..."

"Although I am young, relatively speaking, I have seen more than seventy-eight Mantles. I would place Gabriel as one of the most powerful I have ever seen."

The Mantle so named inched closer to Jack, who in turn was inching closer to him. Angela and Zenyatta continued talking about Mantles, how they differed and the theory that good people made the best Reapers. Gabriel just leaned against his griffin and watched Genji stare at his master in awe.

"Gabriel," Angela said suddenly, "Jack says you mediated a dispute between nymphs while you were...out?"

"Hm? Yeah." Lazily, he told them about threatening Hana with the Reaper's help, wrapping his hand around her soul but not pulling it out or eating it.

Every word made Amelie look less and less pleased with him, and finally she stalked out.

"It took her weeks to get into shape enough to use any of the Reaper's abilities," Angela confessed to them. "Turning into mist and healing herself, mostly. Teleporting, the shadow tendrils...she was never able to utilize those abilities. And you...resisted the Reaper's impulse to eat the nymph's soul?"

Gabriel averted his eyes from hers. "I...didn't actually get an impulse to eat it."

The silence at that pronouncement was confused and uncertain.

"By the way, Angela," Gabriel said in a blatant attempt to change the subject. "Is it okay if Genji stays with us for a while? As Zenyatta's guest?"

The harpy let out a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose. Come with me, please, both of you. We'll let the Reaper rest and perhaps, after dinner, Zenyatta may present his case."

"Sounds good to me," Gabriel said. "I'm just...gonna rest until then. It's been a long day."

The harpy, djinn, and vampire filed out, leaving Jack and Gabriel alone in the room.

"You doing okay, Gabe?" the griffin asked quietly.

"Could be a lot worse," he answered, yawning. "Thanks for being here for me, Jack."

Lips tugged gently on his hair. "Just rest, Gabe. I've got your back."

===

Before dinner, though, something else happened - something unexpected (or at least, unpredicted) and pleasantly surprising.

His things arrived.

Jubilantly, Gabriel sorted through his clothes and then changed into some comfortable jeans and sarcastic black tee. He even had shoes, and as much as he appreciated the Shambali boots, sneakers were much more suited to casual dining in the formal dining room. Angela hadn't said that where dinner would be, but he figured that's what would happen and sure enough, one of the golems opened the door and whistle-chirped at them.

"It's going to lead us to the dining room," Jack interpreted.

Gabriel rolled his shoulders and admired his shirt ("Sarcasm: just one of the many services I offer") one last time. "Alright. Let's go have dinner."

The dining room was just the way he remembered it, and for a second, he was tempted to take the Reaper's throne at the end. The chandelier shifted to reds and purples, reflecting his 'I am Reaper, hear my roar' mood. The harpies were seated on one side of the table, about halfway down. He and Jack sat across from them.

The golem with the apron and chef's hat came up and whistled. The harpies gave their orders, and then it turned to them.

"I want a plate of nachos like this," Gabriel said, holding his hands about two feet apart. "Cheese, beef, sour cream, jalapenos, everything. And a pitcher of water."

"My usual steak," Jack said. "With a baked potato. Sour cream and chives. Water to drink."

The golem chirped and vanished through a door to what Gabriel figured passed for the kitchen.

"So you resisted eating the naiad's soul," Amelie said in an accusing tone. "My advice is that you eat your first soul in the next debate you settle and get it over with. Resisting it is only going to get harder." Her hard, yellow eyes slid over to Jack. "You don't want to accidentally do it with someone you care about."

"I didn't have the urge to eat her soul," Gabriel replied evenly. "Don't assume my experience is going to be the same as yours. The Reaper likes me; it didn't like you."

Amelie jerked as if he'd slapped her.

"Your powers are developing remarkably fast," Angela said hesitantly. "But you seem to be able to control them reasonably well. Angry or violent outbursts are a well-documented phenomenon for Mantles, with some of them given therapy or even medication for anger management. There were several incidents in the dossier we had on you that were concerning..."

Gabriel couldn't deny them, but he'd been better this time. Amazing what a difference it made when he wasn't kept in the dark.

"Have you witnessed any angry or violent outbursts?" he asked instead. "I've been under considerable stress this week, but I haven't done anything past getting a little mouthy. Did that dossier tell you why I got violent with the perps?"

Angela looked uncomfortable. Apparently, it did not.

"I won't deny that I have a temper, but I'm only vicious to people who deserve it. If you're a serial rapist or you murdered a kid, I'm gonna make sure you get at least some of what you deserve. The naiad was just a brat who didn't want to clean up her mess. I gave her a good scare, but I didn't hurt her. I'm not a murderer."

Under the table, Jack took his hand and squeezed gently. Amelie looked furious.

"You are recovering...far quicker than I had anticipated," Angela said slowly. "I wonder if we shouldn't skip straight to working on your ability to defend yourself. After dinner, you and Amelie could go into the yard and-"

"No," Gabriel interrupted in a tone of cold iron.

"No?" Amelie repeated, incredulous.

Gabriel gave her a cool look. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why-"

His right arm became a whip of smoke; it reached across the table in a flash and grabbed the spoon from Amelie's place setting. He tossed it into the air, sharpened, and sliced.

Two pieces of metal clanged against the surface of the table as they landed.

"I don't want to risk a training accident," Gabriel said quietly, the words dropping like pebbles into the stunned silence. "I can work on my hand-to-hand combat with Jack without worrying that the Reaper might get...agitated. But I don't think it's a good idea to engage in physical combat with someone that has an...unhappy...relationship with the Reaper."

"You still need to practice your abilities," Angela protested.

"He has been," Jack said, surprising everyone. "He woke up as a cloud of smoke and then spent a few hours learning to control it, starting with a finger and working his way up to the arm. Give him time, give him space, and let him keep doing what he's been doing, because so far he seems to know more about this than either of you."

The golems arrived with their dinners, and for several minutes they busied themselves just eating. Gabriel devoured nachos gleefully, reveling in the crunch and the gratuitous amounts of nacho cheese. Whoever was responsible for giving him this future knowledge, he was incredibly grateful because they'd given him more than just knowledge. They'd given him a chance to avoid his fuckups.

"So," he said after he'd downed half a glass of water, "can I get some details about Zenyatta's case before I meet with him?"

He kept eating as Angela described the conflict between the Shambali and Overwatch - or, at least, as much as she knew - and how Amelie had avoided settling it because her personal vendetta meant no one would trust the verdict to be fair. Jack seemed to put side some inner conflict to speculate with Angela about what Liao knew, but as he listened to them talk, Gabriel realized (remembered?) that Angela had once been a part of Overwatch, and he supposed Jack had a bit of a grudge against her for siding with Amelie.

That led to speculation about the technomancer, Sombra, and Jack voicing uneasiness about Liao. That led to everyone voicing realizations that no one knew much about Liao at all, and Gabriel found himself sharing a knowing look with Amelie.

"The Reaper does not like her," Amelie said softly, causing Jack and Angela to stumble to a verbal halt. "It did not share much with me, but it shared that."

Angela looked troubled. "Do you have any clue as to why?"

While Amelie shook her head, Jack cleared his throat. "She kept Gabriel out of your clutches for three years. Given how much it seems to like him, I think that would be a good enough reason."

The dark-feathered harpy looked uncertain, but nodded. "It could well be."

Three sets of eyes turned to Gabriel.

"I can't really say why it doesn't like her," he said slowly, picking words that were misleading but true. "But whatever the reason, I get the feeling we'll find out."

The rest of dinner was uncomfortably silent.

===

After dinner, Gabriel and Jack went back to the recovery room to discover that the second bed had been removed and replaced with a small desk. His laptop had been set on it, along with a much bigger, much beefier-looking laptop. Both computers, and his phone charger, were plugged into a power strip that didn't connect anywhere as far as Gabriel could tell.

Immediately, Gabriel dialed Ana's number and put it on speakerphone. Seven rings later, Ana said, "Hello?"

"It's Gabriel," he said, grinning. "I've got Jack with me."

"Gabriel! Jack! Are you two okay?"

"We're fine," Jack assured her, also grinning. "How's that mountain you call a husband?"

Ana laughed.

"I've got to go talk to Zenyatta about his case," Gabriel said, handing the phone to Jack, "but I'll let you two catch up and gossip about me while I'm gone, okay?"

Jack pulled him into a one-armed hug and lipped briefly at his hair while Ana voiced agreement with that plan. "Okay. I'll be here."

Smiling and maybe blushing just a little, Gabriel slipped out of the room and opened his Sight, orienting on the djinn and giving him a metaphoric warning knock before he set off down the hall towards the room he and the vampire were in. Both of them were fully dressed (again?) when he actually knocked, and Genji scurried obediently off while Zenyatta waved Gabriel inside.

The room was the way he expected it to look, but he looked around anyway, unsure of how to start the conversation since they weren't discussing Genji.

"You are quite an unusual Reaper," Zenyatta said gently, hands clasped in front of him. "A normal human, thrust into the world of magic. Kidnapped and chosen for something that makes even supernatural creatures flinch. And yet, you do not lash out in fear or confusion. You do not even gape at my appearance, although I know you have never seen one of my kind before today, despite your answer of yes and no. Quite the mystery," he said mildly, although his eyes were sharp. "How can you have been gifted with a vision of a possible future without having met a djinn to gift it?"

Gabriel took a deep breath. "That is an excellent question," he said, "and I honestly have no fucking clue. I woke up on the side of a cliff knowing things, and they haven't been wrong yet."

Zenyatta gave him a piercing look. "Have you used this knowledge to alter your own future?"

"Fuck yes." He didn't even hesitate; the words just burst out of him. "Without that knowledge, your student would have about a liter of my blood inside him and I would have punched him in the face a lot for it."

The djinn blinked, all nine eyes closing in unison. "How curious. Why, then, did you bring him to me instead of simply avoiding him entirely?"

"Because..." Gabriel floundered. "He's not...you and..." He stopped and took a deep, centering breath. "You two are happier together. I didn't see a reason to deprive you both of that; I just didn't want to be an unwilling meal for it to happen."

"Compassion," murmured Zenyatta. "Altruism. How fascinating. Well, you may know some of this already, but with your permission I will present the Shambali's case in its entirety."

Gabriel sat on the stool and gestured for the djinn to take a seat. "Please do."

The future knowledge meant that he understood far more of the case than he had the first time around. He listened until the end, nodding and making encouraging noises.

"You would not go unrewarded," Zenyatta assured him. "The Reaper always demands a price, and we have a fair exchange to offer you."

"Is it removing the Reaper without killing me?" Gabriel asked, one eyebrow arched.

Troubled silence was his answer. A thought, the seed of an idea, niggled at him. Removing the Reaper without killing the host. Not for him - he would be able to kill himself and be resurrected, and he damn well wasn't going to give the Reaper up after everything. He remembered how the entity had fled Liao's body and made a beeline for him, how it had waited patiently between his cupped hands until he was ready to take it back. Maybe it would lead to disaster, but he wouldn't abandon the entity who had been a slave for so long. No, not for him, but what if...

...what if he asked Mondatta to remove the Reaper from Liao a second time? What if, this time, he didn't kill her?

Gabriel shook his head. "We can discuss your offer later," he said, causing Zenyatta to sigh in relief.

"You may already know what I am about to offer, but will you accept a small payment in advance?"

The three futures. Marriage, madness, and death.

"Do it," he commanded softly, the words more like a gentle challenge or an invitation.

The djinn assumed the Lotus position, three extra pairs of ethereal arms unfolding as he began to glow a soft gold and float just above the surface of the cot.

The Iris opened.

=

The warmth and domesticity of Ana's home, sparkling joy at being newly-engaged.

The cold horror of being a monster, mitigated only by the absence of wedding rings.

Liao, closing the eyes on his dead body, arranging his hands on his chest, looking like a picture-perfect mourner. The way her eyes lit up when the Reaper slipped out from between his cold lips.

But behind the images of futures yet to come, a sense of amused familiarity. The barest glimpse of something beyond comprehension, the corner of a mouth turned up in a smile, tolerant and proud. The answer to a question he hadn't asked, even in the silence of his own mind: Was it you?

Yes.

===

Gabriel jerked forward, heart pounding and lungs heaving not out of fear, but simply at the sharp transition between states of consciousness. Zenyatta sat on the cot, staring at him with all nine eyes as wide as they could physically get.

"I don't talk about it, you don't talk about it," Gabriel gasped. "That's the way it works, right?"

Numbly, the djinn nodded.

They sat in silence for a handful of minutes, breathing and letting the future-memories settle. Slowly, it occurred to Gabriel that if that was the Iris that he glimpsed behind the futures, then that was something new. He didn't remember that from the first time around.

"Do you always see her when you look at the future?" he asked curiously.

"No. Nor is the future of a Reaper always so...clear."

It wasn't? Gabriel frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The Reaper is...somewhat shielded from our sight," Zenyatta explained. "To try to see the Reaper's future directly is to invite frustration; better to focus on someone close to the Reaper, and guess at the Reaper's actions from what can be glimpsed."

Well, that explained some things.

"I'm guessing you focused on Jack." A nod from the djinn. "But he wasn't in that third one, was he?"

"He was, but off to the side. As though awaiting a signal."

Fuck, that was too close to home. How early was too early to start discussing plans with Jack?

"Alright," he said somewhat shakily, "I've heard your side. I'll have to ask Angela what my next step is, but I imagine you and Genji can go back to the monastery at your leisure."

Zenyatta looked at him, seeming somehow withdrawn and uncertain. "Reaper," he said diffidently, "if I may ask...how do you think you will rule?"

Gabriel stood up and turned towards the door. "That depends on Mondatta."

=

He spent the rest of the evening chatting with Ana, Hanzo, Reinhardt, even Jamison and Jesse, and promised he'd try to arrange a day where he and Jack could visit before finally hanging up. Then, cuddled up in bed with Jack, he slowly explained the Shambali's side of the case.

"I feel like we're missing something," Jack complained, finger-preening Gabriel's hair.

"Like Liao's side of the story?" he asked dryly.

Jack snorted. "Yeah. You're not expected to do anything official in your first month, Angela said, but you met with Zenyatta. You could meet with Liao, too. Right?"

"I'd like to get a better grip on some of my powers first."

"Well, yeah." Jack hesitated. "Also, it's Christmas next week."

Fuck, it was. In a teasing voice, Gabriel said, "Don't worry, Jack. You don't have to get me anything."

"And here I was going to invite you to spend Christmas with my family," the griffin teased back.

Gabriel raised his head to watch Jack's expression. "You want to do that? Pretending we're mates, pretending to dominate me?"

Jack looked away, cheeks coloring. "If you're okay with it."

Slowly, Gabriel shifted until he could wrap his arms around the griffin and lip at his hair. "I'll talk to Angela tomorrow," he murmured. "I need to talk to her anyway, see if there's a gym in this place or if we'll need to build one."

===

"You want what?"

The protest could almost be called a shriek. It echoed around the dining room, causing the chef golem to peek out briefly before retreating. Jack and Amelie had already finished their breakfasts, leaving only Angela and the fledgling Mantle at the table.

"I want Christmas off," Gabriel repeated evenly. "I'm going to be busting my ass learning how to be the Reaper, I don't think one day is too much to ask."

Angela frowned. "What are you not saying, Gabriel?"

"Jack wants to spend Christmas with his family in Indiana to keep them from getting suspicious. I'm going to teleport us there, spend the day with him, and teleport us back."

"No. It's too risky."

"Angela," Gabriel said, trying to keep his voice gentle, "it's going to be fine. Don't you want a day to yourself?" He could see her wavering. "Look, just pencil it in and see how the next couple of days go."

"Fine," the harpy sighed. "So we'll go over the supernatural world for two hours after breakfast, and then break for an hour, then lunch. After lunch you'll work on your Reaper abilities, and then we'll review, and then you can train your body and shower before dinner."

"Subject to change depending on how well it works," Gabriel said with just a hint of challenge in his voice.

"Of course." Angela looked down at the muffin she had shredded with nervous fingers. "Gabriel...I know you are doing your best, and your best so far has been exceptionally well, but you are still new to all of this. Harpy chicks are kept in the nest until they are fully fledged. With Amelie, that instinct worked to our advantage. But you are human, and I am aware that my protective instincts can be a bit...smothering."

"You want to keep me safe," he replied softly. "I appreciate that. I want to be safe. That's why I'm going to concentrate on going to mist and healing. If anything happens, I'll be able to keep myself safe and bring myself home."

Jerkily, she nodded. "We will discuss meeting with Overwatch at the end of your first month. After that, I will ask around and try to secure a neutral location for the meeting."

===

With both Jack and Angela as his teachers, the lessons about the supernatural world went...more entertainingly. Gabriel focused on turning completely to mist and not leaving his clothes behind, and after a few days could leap off his bed and be mist before he touched the floor. After that he borrowed a fork from the dining room and alternately stabbed himself and healed the wounds while Jack watched in distress and frantically mock-preened him when he finally collapsed into an exhausted heap to rest. Turning his arms into shadow-scythes was scarily easy to master, but he kept them to whips while Jack was around.

In the evenings, they talked about griffin culture and Jack's family, Gabriel memorizing names and relationships with the same intense focus he used while memorizing clans of fruit-bat vampires and other bits of knowledge he was sure he'd never use.

Angela was mollified enough by Gabriel's dedication that on Christmas Eve, she presented them with matching Christmas sweaters - red for Gabriel, blue for Jack - and flushed when the fledgling Mantle joked that he was forgiving the twenty bucks she owed him for being right about Zenyatta knowing Reaper abilities she didn't. The djinn and his vampire lover had taken their leave just that morning, with Gabriel teleporting them (one at a time) to the Shambali monastery.

"You're sure you're okay with doing this," Jack asked yet again as they went to bed.

Gabriel hugged him firmly from behind and aggressively mock-preened his hair. "Remember when we had that talk in the woods?"

"Friends who cuddle?" Jack said after a moment.

"Yeah. And how we'd talk if something else developed?"

In his arms, the griffin went still.

"I wouldn't mind being your mate," Gabriel said softly. "But if you don't feel that way-"

"Gabe."

Startled, Gabriel let his hold loosen. Jack turned in his arms, returning the embrace, and looked into the fledgling Mantle's eyes for a long moment before slowly leaning in to press his lips against Gabriel's.

"I would be proud to have you as my mate," the griffin murmured, their lips almost touching, his eyes fluttering shut.

Slowly, Gabriel's lips curved into a soft smile and he kissed Jack. "I'm the big spoon tonight," he murmured.

"Not if I sleep as a griffin."

"Ooh. You win. Let me grab the blanket so I'm not sleeping on the floor."

While Gabriel made a nest for himself, Jack carefully shed his human form and then spent a solid two minutes licking Gabriel's hair. Finally, he settled onto the floor and waited for his human to get settled before spreading one wing over him to act as a blanket.

It was the best sleep Gabriel had gotten in years.

===

Upon waking up, Gabriel's first thought was, Christmas. His second thought was pure, unadulterated glee because he was cuddled up to a still-sleeping griffin who'd kissed him. Carefully, he sat up and turned enough that he could get one hand in Jack's mane. Then he settled back down against his feathered flank and started finger-combing that silky white mane. It didn't take long before a low vibration started up, and Gabriel grinned fit to split his face.

"You purr!" he exclaimed in a delighted accusation.

"Ruh," protested the griffin sleepily.

"I love it," Gabriel said, softer, both hands combing through Jack's mane.

The purring got louder. Another minute or two passed before he shifted and craned his head around with clear intent to lick Gabriel's hair.

Gabriel kissed the center of Jack's lion nose.

The griffin shrank down until he was human again, sitting cross-legged on the floor with both hands over his face. "That tickled," he complained, sniffing.

The instant he brought his hands down, Gabriel kissed the tip of his nose. "Is that better?"

For just a moment, Jack looked delightfully bashful, with his cheeks turning pink. Then he lunged at Gabriel, initiating a play-fighting wrestling match that ended with the fledgling Reaper on his back, wrists pinned above his head, being kissed slowly and tenderly by the victorious griffin.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," Gabriel murmured when his mate finally let him up.

Oh my god. They were mates, they were actually mates.

"Gabe?" Jack asked, worried by the dazed look on his face.

"I'm your mate, Jack."

The griffin froze. "You're my mate. You're really my mate. You...you're okay with this?"

"You're the one mated to the Reaper," Gabriel teased. "Are you okay with this?"

Jack blushed. "I might not have been if you hadn't told me you're asexual. The Reaper is known to have a short temper and react violently when angry."

He didn't have to spell it out; Gabriel could imagine his second-future self hurting Jack if he'd wanted sex but the griffin didn't - or couldn't perform. Horror that felt...weirdly distant...boiled up and he hugged Jack's head to his chest, mock-preening and kissing his hair.

"I would never hurt you," he promised in a fierce whisper. "And...I think the Reaper wouldn't hurt you, either."

A shaky laugh. "That's a relief," Jack said quietly. "Angela warned me that Reapers sometimes form unhealthy attachments. Psychological dependencies. But..."

"Balance," Gabriel murmured. "You support me, I support you. Equals."

"Except when we visit my parents," Jack sighed.

Gabriel hugged him a bit tighter. "How can I convey to your family that I'm the supportive mate?"

Jack squirmed, and Gabriel let him go, only to find himself hugged to the griffin's chest.

"Let me do the talking," Jack said quietly. "Don't speak unless you're spoken to. Stand just behind me if we're standing, like you're shy and I'm your protector. If I'm sitting but not at a table, sit on the floor by my leg. Try to act clingy, or at least touchy-feely towards me, but don't initiate anything. Fuck, Gabe, I'm sorry-"

"Not your fault," Gabriel interrupted. "I'll be polite to your parents and grandmother, but if any of your other relatives get mouthy with me, I'm gonna get mouthy back. Just say my name sharply if I'm going too far."

Jack hugged him tighter. "I don't want you to have to do this."

"We can scandalize them later, I promise." That made Gabriel grin as Jack laughed. "Come on, let's go have breakfast. I want to have a good, solid meal inside me in case I don't get the teleportation right on the first try."

"Have you ever gotten it wrong?" Jack asked as they both climbed to their feet.

Gabriel winced. "No, but I've only really tried to get anywhere specific a few times."

"I have faith in you, Gabe."

The dichotomy of what he was and what he would have been without his future memories hung before Gabriel.

"I'm not sure I deserve it, but thanks."

=

After a very hearty breakfast, Jack and Gabriel got cleaned up and dressed in their matching sweaters. Gabriel thought the griffin looked very handsome in his, absolutely kiss-worthy. Turns out Jack had the same thought about the fledgling Reaper. It was a pleasant minute or two before they separated and prepared to teleport.

"Fuck," Gabriel exclaimed suddenly, letting the shadow tendril dissipate.

Jack frowned. "Something wrong?"

"Your parents are bound to smell something off about me. What do we tell them?"

The future memories were no good here; he'd spent the day half miserable and half furious, trying to keep the Reaper quiet and terrified of what would happen if one of Jack's relatives figured out he was the Reaper.

"You're the recipient of someone else's magic," Jack said finally. "Someone really bad. Who had their magic stripped for the good of the world. We're working on a way to track them down and deal with them, but until then, you've been saddled with it."

Damn, that was creepily accurate. Gabriel shuddered. "That works, I guess. Let's get this over with."

Jack hugged him tightly. "Relax, Gabe. You'll do fine. If anything happens and you can't teleport us out, get outside and follow the stream west to a clearing. I'll come and find you."

Gabriel drew in and released several deep breaths. Still in Jack's embrace, he pulled a shadow tendril up and wrapped it around them both. Then he focused on the porch he'd teleported to once before and reached.

Coldness, dislocation, the sensation of falling in all directions, the wooden porch with black smoke coalescing into their bodies. Gabriel sighed in relief.

"Let me go in and break it to them gently," Jack murmured. "Give you time for the Reaper to cool off a little."

Reluctantly, Gabriel let go of the griffin and nodded. "I'll be here."

He moved over to the side, out of sight, and leaned against the porch rail while Jack knocked on the door. Just in case, he closed his eyes and opened his Sight. Jack at the door, Mother in the kitchen, father upstairs, and there was the not-cat. He could sense the greyness of humanity on her, under the fur and whiskers.

The door opened.

"Hey, Ma!"

"Jackie! Oh, it's good to see you. We were getting a bit worried - you didn't tell us if you were coming or not-"

"Sorry about that, something came up-"

"Come in, come in! Don't be a stranger! No one's here yet..."

"Hold on, Ma. I brought a guest."

"Oh, is it that Lena girl?"

"No...he's-"

"He? Oh, Jackie..."

"Ma..."

"Jackie, you know I'm open-minded about this kind of thing, but your father-"

"I know," Jack sighed.

"Well," Jack's mother said, resigned, "bring him inside. It's cold out, and your father got a good fire going."

Her footsteps retreated; Jack's approached. Gabriel closed his Sight and opened his eyes. Jack looked wound up and on edge.

"How are my eyes?" Gabriel murmured.

"Red-brown. Good. I'm sorry, Gabe."

Gabriel leaned forward and brushed his cheek against Jack's shoulder. "Lead the way, my protector."

A moment of lipping at Gabriel's hair, and Jack led him inside. The not-cat came to investigate, and he offered her his hand but she sniffed once and walked away. The hoard was as impressive as he'd remembered, and Gabriel clasped his hands behind his back while he stood in polite awe. Jack's startled look made him smile.

"I told you I knew enough to not touch a griffin's hoard."

Jack chuckled. "I'd forgotten about that."

"Jackie!" called Jack's mother from the kitchen. "I can hear you and your friend talking in there. Come in and introduce him to your old mother!"

Remembering what Jack had said, Gabriel followed behind his mate - holy fuck, Jack was really his mate - as he led the way into the kitchen. His mom was just as domestic and matronly as he remembered, wearing a festive sweater, and he smiled at her as she turned to examine him.

"Your friend has an interesting scent, Jack," she said in a we need to talk sort of way as she turned back to the pot on the stove. "Jack, why don't you go talk to your father?"

It wasn't a request.

Jack braced himself. "Ma, this is Gabriel. Gabe, my mother, Mary. I'll go talk to Pa."

"There's a chair or two further in, Gabriel," Mary said as Jack left the kitchen. "Come sit down." As he passed, she said in a low voice, "Jack's told you, correct?"

"I met him in his natural form," Gabriel assured her as he sat gingerly on a wicker chair.

That earned him a relieved smile. "Oh, good. I was worried that Jack had brought a human here and not told him...he's such an awkward boy sometimes, I wasn't sure if he'd even broach the subject with you."

"I've met a number of transhumans. You have a lovely hoard, by the way. I've never seen anyone's except Jack's, and of course his is guns. I was awestruck to see yours."

"Oh, aren't you a nice boy?" Mary purred, flushing slightly. "Are you involved in Overwatch?"

Gabriel started. "Me? No, ma'am."

She turned to look intently at him. "Oh. I thought you might have been, because your scent is similar to that woman who replaced Jackie when he stepped down. Pardon me for saying it, but you both smell like death."

Liao. Well, that was confirmation that she was identifiable as a former Mantle, but it made Gabriel's pulse race.

"I never asked her about it. Assumed it was a human thing. We meet so few humans out here, you know."

"I'm not involved with Overwatch," Gabriel said slowly, "but Liao did recruit me for something else. I would guess I'm following in her footsteps in another way, and that's why we smell similar."

"You also smell like my son," Mary said in a tone that invited explanation. When he blushed, she smiled softly. "My husband isn't going to be happy about Jack taking a human male as his mate, but if he asks you to fight, don't take him up on it. Just stay quiet until I sort him out."

Two sets of footsteps on the stairs made them both glance up.

"Here he comes," Mary sighed, stirring her pot. "Don't say anything unless he asks you a direct question, dear. He always was an aggressive male. Attractive when you're a young woman in a small pride, but not exactly the best for domestic life."

Oh geez. And with Jack being lion-headed...he had to have had a rough upbringing. Gabriel resolved to swallow his pride and be as blatantly submissive as possible around Jack's dad. As they stepped into the kitchen, John with Jack following, Gabriel kept his eyes on the floor.

"This him, then?" John Morrison growled. Silence answered him. "He smells terrible. Ill omen."

"I told you, Pa, that's the stolen magic he's holding until we can figure out how to neutralize its owner."

"Is that why he's got red eyes?"

"His eyes are brown, it's just the magic that makes them red. He's a good man, Pa. He volunteered to take the magic before it killed the previous holder."

"Hmph." It was the sort of sound someone would make when they didn't want to seem weak, but they'd had all their arguments countered. "Mary, how's dinner coming?"

"The lamb still has a while yet, dear." A sound Gabriel assumed was the spoon being tapped against the edge of the pan. "Louise and her kids are going to arrive next, John, I can feel it. Why don't you wait by the front door and greet them?"

The older man grumbled, but lumbered off.

Mary sighed. "You can raise your eyes now, dear."

Gabriel lifted his head to see Jack leaning uncomfortably against one wall and Mary giving him a piercing look.

"Now. Who wants to tell me the truth?"

Jack shot Gabriel a look that said keep your mouth shut. "This stays between us, Ma."

He crossed the kitchen and whispered into his mother's ear.

"Oh my stars..." she looked at Gabriel in shock. "Him?"

"As of last week."

"But you said he was holding stolen magic."

"I am," Gabriel said quietly. "That's what it started out as."

Mary didn't look reassured.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Gabriel continued, hands clenched in his lap. "If it starts to get...agitated...I'll leave."

"And you made him your mate?"

Jack flushed. "He's a good man, Ma. He's not a killer, and he's working hard to keep it under control. He knew what he was volunteering for, but he did it because it's better to have a good man holding that than to pass it to someone who would use that power."

Mary's uneasiness was wavering. "He can stay," she said almost reluctantly, "but don't mention this to your father and keep him on a short leash."

When Jack crossed over to where Gabriel was sitting, he reached out and pulled the griffin's arm close enough to nuzzle. That little gesture dissolved the last of Mary's uneasiness.

"Oh, heavens," she sighed. "You are mates. Well, hopefully that placates your father a bit, although you know he's always wanted grandbabies."

"Can't help the way I was born, Ma," Jack apologized softly.

Mary left the stove long enough to hug him. "I know, Jackie. Just tell me you're happy."

"As weird as it may sound, I am happy."

"Good. Now go sit in the living room, Louise and her brood will be arriving any second."

=

While they waited - Jack on a chair, Gabriel on a cushion on the floor, leaning against Jack's leg - he told Gabriel about Molly the not-cat, and how a god or djinn had ripped out her magic and left her immortal until she got it back. Louise and her brood were indeed first to arrive, and Audrey squealed her childish approval when Jack informed her that the human was his mate. It was actually kind of relaxing to just sit there, hugging Jack's leg while a trickle of relatives came over to greet him.

'This is my mate, Gabriel' got a few different responses - praise for his appearance and/or docility, congratulations for Jack and compliments on how happy he looked, surprise that Gabriel was human, and occasionally a comment about his eyes or scent. No one spoke directly to him, which was less irking than Gabriel thought it would be. Possibly because him playing the part of Jack's arm candy got Jack more respect from his relatives, but also because Jack kept letting his hand rest on Gabriel's head, his fingers caressing Gabriel's hair.

Jack's great-grandmother was tiny, brilliant yellow eyes startling in her wrinkled face. She let herself get settled onto one end of the couch, where she mostly napped but occasionally looked around with her sharp eyes. The family was unnervingly muscular, which only made sense because they were griffins, but the part of him that was experiencing this for the first time still felt like a mouse in a room full of cats. He forced himself to relax, closing his eyes in case they were glowing, and focused on how safe he felt sleeping cuddled up to Jack's feathered bulk.

"He's not used to being around so many griffins," Jack told someone about an hour or two in.

"Well, he's very well-behaved," whoever-it-was replied. "Do you think he'd be more comfortable with the children?"

That's how Gabriel wound up telling cop stories to griffin children while Jack watched from the doorway, attentive male hovering protectively around his mate. After that, he followed Jack like a living shadow as he circulated and socialized, making the occasional comment when directly addressed but more often resting his forehead against Jack's shoulder because this was going on five hours of scarily-muscular people he didn't know treating him like a social ornament.

Jack reclaimed the cushion Gabriel'd been sitting on and set it by the arm of the couch, where his great-grandmother was napping. "I'm going to have to help set the table, but stay here and no one will bother you. Okay?"

Gabriel nodded, feeling as wound up and tense as Jack had looked when they'd first arrived. "Yeah. Thanks, Jack."

The gentle kiss Jack gave him felt like the sweet song of freedom, a promise, a taste of things to come. All he had to do was make it through the evening.

"You're doing great, Gabe," Jack murmured as he held his mate to his chest. "Just hang on a little longer. Dinner will be done pretty soon."

Gabriel nodded and sat on 'his' cushion, leaning against the arm of the couch the way he'd leaned against Jack's leg, watching through his eyelashes as Jack got pulled into a knot of male relatives. Whether it was not wanting to anger Jack by messing with his mate or respect for the ancient griffin matriarch, no one came near them and Gabriel started to relax again. He even managed to nap a little.

Jack shouting his name woke him.

"Gabriel! Come over here and sit!"

Limping a little from his stiff legs, Gabriel followed Jack's voice into the dining room and obediently sat where he was directed. At least he hadn't been relegated to the kiddie table. He and Jack were still near the head of the table, where Jack's great-grandmother was hobbling over to take her rightful seat. Everyone else settled down in their places and turned expectantly to her. Burning yellow eyes swept the table, meeting his with a slight shock and pausing, crinkling just a bit before moving on. She knew what he was, but...didn't seem offended or worried. He mulled that over while she gave the blessing, while everyone bowed their heads to pray, and while permission was given for everyone to serve themselves.

"I'll get it for you," Jack murmured.

"But shouldn't I get it for you?" Gabriel murmured back.

"Not in front of family. What do you want?"

"Lamb, stuffing, potatoes, whatever else you think I should try. No wine," he added as he remembered how well that went last time.

The food was good. The juice he was given instead of wine was good. The conversations around him were...enlightening. Eventually, Stephen opened his big mouth and made a comment about Gabriel's silence.

"I don't think your mate's said anything the whole afternoon."

"You didn't say anything to him," Jack countered.

Stephen turned to him with a patronizing smile. "It's alright. Jack's the most ferocious griffin on this side of the Mississippi. He's good to have as a protector. Of course, I live on the other side and he really doesn't hold a candle..."

"We'll see after dinner," Jack teased.

Gabriel remembered the way the fights went and smiled. "Bet you get your tail handed to you long before you face my mate," he said in a smug challenge.

Melody, Stephen's wife laughed. "He's certainly handsome, Jack. Did you have to convince him, or did he let you lead without a fight?"

"Literally swooped in and carried him off," Jack bragged. "He seemed more than willing to be abducted from the she-harpy who was abducting him."

"My hero," Gabriel murmured, making Jack's cheeks color as he realized the fledgling Reaper was being serious.

Stephen hummed thoughtfully. "I think he's a little too...virile...for my tastes, but I guess you'd get bored with a submissive man."

"Jack needs a challenge," Melody cut in gleefully. "Dominating a small, submissive human wouldn't be enough."

Gabriel let his smile turn into a smirk. "What makes you think he had to dominate me?" he asked. "After he carried me off and I spent the night in his hoard, I didn't want to fight."

"Now that's a man," Melody purred. Her accompanying sound of knowing appreciation made both Stephen and Jack's cheeks turn red. Stephen's with jealousy or maybe slighted ego, Jack's with embarrassment for the misunderstanding Gabriel had just caused. "When did you become mates? It must've been in the last year, or you would've shown him off last Christmas."

Jack nearly choked, leaving Gabriel free to smile again.

"Oh, it didn't take long for me to realize Jack's the only one I want to share a bed with."

To drive the point home, he turned and nuzzled Jack's shoulder to Melody's delighted laughter and Stephen's low growl.

The rest of dinner went smoothly, with Stephen refraining from making comments and Melody sharing amused grins and eye-rolls at her husband. Gabriel let Jack serve him seconds and ate until he felt like he could be rolled out of the room. At some signal he missed, everyone left the table and filtered into the front yard. The children sat on the steps, and Gabriel followed Jack off to the corner, where he leaned against the railing and watched the crowd form a ring around the circle drawn in the dirt. But then something he hadn't expected happened - John carried a wicker chair out and, blatantly ignoring Gabriel, set it on the porch next to him. Jack's great-grandmother hobbled out in his wake and settled on the chair like a queen on her throne.

"Join the others, Jackie," she said in her oddly-accented voice. "I'll protect your mate."

Jack gave him an uneasy look. "Yes, Grandma."

Gabriel grabbed Jack's hand and nuzzled it briefly; Jack squeezed his hand reassuringly before joining the crowd of relatives. Gabriel watched the first fight - Stephen and Melody, with her kicking his furry butt easily - trying not to be nervous with the Morrison matriarch sitting right next to him.

"You are the Reaper," the ancient griffin said quietly. "Don't bother trying to deny it, I've known three of your predecessors. One of them was my brother."

Hands tight on the wooden railing, Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut and focused on taking deep breaths and calming his pulse.

"How long...?"

"A week," he answered in a low voice. "Maybe a little longer."

"How?"

"The Reaper encountered me three years ago and wanted me to be its next Mantle. I'm friends with the head of Overwatch, and she took it on herself to try to protect me. But eventually, it got desperate enough to risk it anyway."

"And how are you liking it, being the Reaper?"

Gabriel took a deep breath and looked down at his hands. "It's a messy job. It's not going to be fun. But it led to me meeting Jack, and I'm going to do my best to protect people."

The griffin matriarch nodded and grinned at him. "Good, good. I know you are not as submissive as you have been acting..."

"I did it for Jack," Gabriel answered quietly. "Once his dad is more resigned to his son having a human male for a mate, we'll drop the charade a bit. But for now..."

"Good," crooned the ancient griffin. "You will be a good Reaper. You have a good heart and a good soul." She gave him a sly, sidelong look. "My brother said the Reaper was like an unruly child that does not know its own strength. Be gentle but firm, and do not let it have its way simply because it wants something. The more you give in to it, the less control you will have."

Gabriel gave her a startled look. "That's good advice. Thank you."

She looked smug, as though she would be puffing her feathers up if she had them. "You will be a good Reaper," she repeated. "Now, your mate takes his turn."

Sure enough, it was Jack against Louise, who was also a lion-headed griffin. The fight was quick and brutal, but in the end Jack was victorious. He changed back to human as he approached the porch, strutting the last few feet to sweep Gabriel into his arms and pin him against the side of the house, their kiss equal parts celebration of his win and reward for Gabriel's patience.

"Jack, celebrate your victory with your family!" Stephen sounded only slightly put out by having lost so spectacularly. "Your mate can wait!"

"Are you having Melody wait outside?" Jack called back, still possessively covering Gabriel's body with his own. "Because if not, then my mate is going to join the celebration the same as yours is."

Gabriel felt his cheeks burn and buried his face in Jack's shoulder, the familiar tug of Jack's lips on his hair a comfort that made him feel weak in the knees.

"Let's go have dessert," Jack murmured into his ear, and Gabriel did not resist as the victorious griffin tugged him into the house.

=

The table had been cleared at some point - Gabriel didn't remember when - and loaded with pies and assorted drinks. The crowd was cheerfully loud as they streamed in and swarmed the table, cutting slices and pouring drinks. Jack came out with a dinner plate, slices of four different pies loaded onto it, and two forks. Once everyone had secured dessert, someone - Gabriel wasn't sure who - started a round of 'three cheers for Jack' and after the third 'Hurrah!' the crowd dispersed to socialize some more.

Jack claimed a loveseat for them, and Gabriel entertained himself by feeding Jack bites of pie since he was too full for more than a few bites, himself. But the bites he had room for, Jack fed him - much to Stephen's vocal disapproval.

"It's nice that he's so well-behaved, Jack, but you don't have to hand-feed him." Stephen smirked. "You'll give him ideas."

"Big words from a man whose wife kicked his ass," Gabriel shot back without thinking.

"Gabe!"

Jack's sharp tone made him flinch, and he buried his face in Jack's shoulder both to pretend to be apologetic and to hide that he was absolutely not apologetic. Melody's laughter made him smirk, the expression hidden in Jack's fluffy blue sweater.

"Much too virile for your tastes," Jack said in a tone that was somehow lofty and apologetic at the same time. "I admit, he's a handful sometimes, but nothing I can't handle. I doubt you'd be able to keep him under control at all."

"Yeah," Gabriel murmured into Jack's shoulder, "he can't even beat his wife in a fight. Your mom beat your dad, too. I think the supportive mates in your family are more badass than the protective mates."

Jack pretended to cough.

"No wonder you're the family champion," Gabriel teased warmly, voice still pitched too low for anyone else to hear.

He got mock-preened for that.

"You want any more of this pie?" Jack asked quietly.

"Nah, too full. Kinda tired, actually. Food coma sounds like a good idea."

"We can go home," Jack offered. "It's just going to be more talking, only with people getting progressively more drunk because Mark spikes the egg nog hard."

"That sounds like our cue to leave, then."

"Alright. We just have to say goodbye to Grandma and my parents."

Swallowing a reluctant groan, Gabriel stood up and stretched. The Morrison matriarch was back on the couch, and Gabriel watched awkwardly as Jack leaned over to hug her and let her run fingers through his hair. Then, to his surprise, she beckoned him to do the same.

"Take care of him, Reaper," she murmured into his ear as he hugged her. Then she ran her fingers through his hair in what was undeniably a gesture of benediction.

John was holding court with some of the male relatives. Gabriel hovered by the door, eyes downcast, while Jack made their goodbyes. Mary was supervising the clean-up in the kitchen, and she hugged them both warmly. That surprised Gabriel, but he figured she'd been hitting the egg nog and didn't remember he was the Reaper.

Then they were outside, in the crisp quiet night air, holding hands and smiling at each other.

"You know," Jack said, "it's still early evening on the west coast. We don't have to go back to the keep just yet. We could go to my hoard. Food coma together."

"Good idea." Gabriel summoned a shadow tendril, pulled up the image of Jack's ravine, and reached.

The rest of the evening was spent in a pleasantly warm and feathered cuddlepile.