Chair dilemma

[moonshadows]

Reaper really wanted to spend some time with Jack. It had been a very stressful week, and hypervigilance meant he’d been running on catnaps and coffee for the last several days. He just wanted to mist in and solidify on the couch, under the blanket, with his head on Jack’s leg. The problem, he thought as he peered through the living room window, was that Jack was yet again in the recliner. And as hard as he tried to argue to himself that Jack would be glad to see him, he was still absolutely certain that Jack didn’t want company. The last three days, he’d slunk off again without entering, but today was different. Sombra had locked him out until eight tomorrow morning, and while he could probably convince the system to ignore that and let him back in, it was a sign of how badly he needed to relax that she’d done it in the first place.

The news went to commercial break, and Jack got up to go to the bathroom. Reaper misted around the house and under the back door, but not into the living room. He couldn’t face even the possibility of rejection, but he desperately wanted some part of Jack’s presence.

He went to the bedroom and formed under the covers, wearing nothing but the pair of sweatpants Sombra had caught him wandering the halls in. The sheets, the blankets, the pillows – they all smelled like Jack and Gabriel found himself relaxing slightly.

Heh. Maybe he should steal one of Jack’s shirts to cuddle when he couldn’t sleep.

…nah. He didn’t want to settle for that when he could potentially get the real thing.

Gabriel drifted comfortably, soothed by the soft drone of the news in the other room and memories of having laid in Jack’s bed dozens of times over the years, waiting for him to return from whatever had called him away. The silence when Jack turned off the news barely registered, and he smiled as Jack’s footsteps traced a slow path from the living room to the kitchen to the bedroom. Then they stopped.

“Sweetie?”

“Mm?”

“You okay?”

Words weren’t happening. Gabriel reached blindly out with one hand.

Jack crawled into bed and pulled him into an embrace. Gently, he covered Gabriel’s face in kisses until he was holding a smiling cuddlebug. “Everything okay?” he asked softly.

“Yeah,” Gabriel sighed. “Just needed some time with you.”

“Then why…why didn’t you let me know you were here, sweetie?”

Shit, that was concern and a little bit of hurt. Gabriel buried his face in Jack’s chest.

“Didn’t want to disturb you.”

“What made you think you’d be disturbing me?”

“You were in the chair.” Fuck, it sounded so dumb when he said it out loud.

“I would have moved,” Jack said sadly. “Sweetie, it’s okay,” he added as Gabriel curled against him a little tighter. “It’s okay. I’m sorry. Now I know better. And you’re always welcome in this bed, whether I’m using it or not.”

He stroked Gabriel’s hair until the man relaxed enough that Jack could reach his face to kiss him, and for a few minutes they just reveled in physical contact.

“I’m sorry I worried you,” Gabriel murmured, opening his eyes finally and drinking in the contented look on Jack’s face.

“I’d rather be worried and have everything be okay than not worry and have something be wrong,” Jack said stubbornly.

Gabriel reached up with one hand and gently traced the scars on Jack’s face. “Like this. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for whatever this was.”

Jack kissed his fingers. “Not your fault. It was a reminder of how much you’ve been there for me, and now that I have you, it’s a reminder of how much I want to be there for you.”

“Is that why you’ve settled down?” Gabriel asked quietly. “I thought for sure you’d go back to doing the vigilante thing.”

“I got old.” The joke, and Jack’s smile, were weak. “To be honest, sweetie, you seem to have everything under control. Everything I’d wished over the years that I could make happen with Overwatch, you’re doing with Talon. When you got the Petras Act repealed, that’s when I knew the world didn’t need me anymore. It needs you.”

“But…”

Jack kissed the words away before Gabriel could voice them. “But you need me. So I’m retired, no matter how much the UN kisses my ass trying to get me back into the spotlight. I trust you to do everything I would want to do.”

“That was my general plan,” Gabriel confessed with a small smile. “Do Everything Jack Would Have Done If He Could.”

“And you’re doing it amazingly well, sweetie.” Jack kissed him briefly. “I’m very proud of you. It’s gratifying as hell to see you use Talon to make the world a better place through unscrupulous means. Bribing corrupt politicians to support good legislation that actually helps people. Using the same paid mouthpieces that slandered Overwatch to convince the masses that tolerance and equality are important. Smuggling medicine instead of drugs. And all I have to do to contribute to this positive change is smother you with the love and affection I’ve wanted to lavish on you all along? Oh no, sweetie, how will I ever manage?”

Gabriel tried not to laugh at Jack’s deadpan delivery, but he failed and scowled – or tried to – and kissed Jack until both of them were smiling.

“You really don’t mind…?” Gabriel murmured.

“It’s not exactly the retirement I used to daydream about,” Jack admitted, “but I have a house and a yard where I can garden, and even if I don’t see as much of you as I’d like, I know that you’re close enough to come by when you want to, or when you need to, and I want to be here for you. I’m happier than I thought I would ever be again when I heard that the Petras Act passed. I was where the buck stopped for what, thirty years? I’m perfectly content having my major concerns being weeds in the garden, or the milk going bad, or my sweetie having a rough week and needing some TLC.”

“You…want to see more of me?” Gabriel asked softly.

“I’m a sap,” Jack teased. “I miss the days of seeing you every day for two meals and a four-hour meeting. I know you have a lot of work to do, and I don’t want to monopolize your time, but sweetie…if you decided to move in, I would be over the moon. Not making any demands. I know you’re still getting used to opening up. I just want you to be happy.”

Gabriel pressed himself tighter against Jack. “You make me happy. I’ll try to visit more and run away less.”

Jack stroked his hair. “If it helps, you can hide under the bed and come out when you’re ready. I won’t follow, I’ll just wait on the couch for you. But you don’t have to leave just because something spooked you. You can come back and I’ll fuss over you and make sure you’re okay.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good, sweetie. That’s all I ask.” Jack hesitated. “I do need to brush my teeth and put on pajamas before I sleep, though.”

Gabriel laughed and untangled himself. He got a kiss for his efforts, and a few minutes later Jack climbed back in to spoon him.

“Good night, sweetie,” he murmured, kissing the back of Gabriel’s neck. “Have a good day tomorrow if I don’t see you in the morning. I love you.”

In his arms, Gabriel relaxed. “I love you too, Jack. Thank you.”