#questionable actions

@ufficiosulretro:

I really love drawing Jack’s profile, can you tell?

Seriously, now: I think my favorite part in this update is that we get to see the rise of Jack Morrison. I loved how @lilized gave me the chance to explore this moment with the perfect dialogue she wrote for him and for Gabriel.

If you don’t think that the army will make a use of those old fashioned tents in 2040, you’re possibly right. Still, I preferred that option instead of any sort of a more physical camp structure because I really wanted to draw Jack’s shadow projection upon Gabriel’s body and I thought that only a tent could give me the chance to.

Even after all those snake-omnics, I simply had to put a bird somewhere in this comic and we proudly continued the tradition of Gabriel’s shrug.

Woah, I can’t believe we’re almost there. I fear you’ll have to wait a little more for the next (but not last) update. I’m very sorry, but it’ll be worth it, I swear. :P

@lilized:

“In a meeting, last I heard,” she said. “He’ll be in them all day too, so don’t search for him too hard. Not everyone gets to slip through the red tape unscathed.”

Gabriel grit his teeth and did his best not to lash out against Ana. This argument was as old as the organization’s conception. She did not approve of Blackwatch, called it a sanctioned hit squad and that it was destroying the people that wore Gabriel’s badge so proudly. Jack refused to budge on his stance that it was a necessary evil to remove those that they couldn’t touch through normal means. Gabriel agreed, of course, but they couldn’t make Ana see the point.

“Thanks,” Gabriel said instead as he turned around.

He left the office and wound his way through the base. Ana said that Jack was in meetings, but he couldn’t remember seeing any on his schedule when he’d checked it early that week. Hell, he’d thought that Jack had purposefully cleared his schedule so that he’d have the day off. Now, though, Ana said that he was in meetings all day. Had the UN really wanted to fuck them over that much?

He wanted to punch something, but he knew that would solve nothing. What was the point of throwing a fit when he couldn’t change anything? He and Jack were just pawns in a larger scheme in the mindset of the UN council that controlled Overwatch’s comings and goings. Throwing a fit would just cause them to try to keep him and Jack apart.

He sulked back to his office, huffing and refusing to speak with anyone. He tried to get paperwork done, knowing that it was important to not leave Jack scrambling to defend his ass when the UN decided to actually read what they were having Blackwatch do. He was positive that they never actually read the information that Gabriel painstakingly gathered to organize his mission. They just signed the page and moved on as if it were nothing more than signing a waver so that some stuck up brat could skip basic training and jump straight into military life.

He managed to get through a few important documents before he was distracted by the fact that Jack had abandoned him. He set his datapad down and rubbed at his face, trying not to cry in frustration. It wasn’t fair; this was supposed to be a day where it was just him and Jack and this was absolutely not what he wanted.

He pushed himself to his feet and left the office, heading towards the apartment complex. He might as well go catch a nap before he was all alone for supper. Not that Jack would know any different when he stumbled in at a depressing hours. He pushed the door to the apartment complex open, stomping his way up to the suite he and Jack shared. He punched the passcode in and stepped into the apartment.

He froze, staring at Jack as Jack stabbed a fork into a pot of boiling potatoes. Jack turned to glare at him, pursing his lips into a pout as he slid the stabbed potato back into the pot.

“You weren’t supposed to show up until later,” Jack huffed. “Now the surprise is ruined.”

“S-surprise?” Gabriel spluttered.

“Of course! Happy Anniversary, sweetheart,” Jack smiled. “You didn’t actually think I’d forgotten it, did you?”

“I thought you were in meetings,” Gabriel said as he walked forward.

“Meetings? Is that what Ana told you?” Jack blinked. “Oh, I told her to throw you off the scent, not break your heart! Come here, Gabi.”

Jack set his fork down and opened his arms. Gabriel stumbled into them, snuggling into Jack’s chest. Jack hugged him tightly, running his fingers soothingly through the short strands growing out of his buzzcut.

“I would never forget our anniversary, Gabriel,” Jack murmured. “I love you so much. Go lie down, okay? Supper will be ready when you wake up.”

“I love you,” Gabriel swallowed as he pulled away. “But please, no more surprises, okay?”

“Promise,” Jack nodded. “No more after this one. Maybe a surprise birthday party?”

“Fine, but not something this special,” Gabriel teased.

Jack hissed at him and chased him out of the kitchen, threatening to overcook his steak if he continued talking like that. Gabriel laughed as he went to go get changed out of his work clothing and into his sleepwear. It didn’t matter to him that he was just in a pair of boxers; they were loads comfier than anything else he had. Except maybe Jack’s pants; he seemed to wear them out in all the best places for Gabe to fit in.

When he got up from his nap, he got changed into something presentable for supper, just in case anyone showed up at the door. The apartment smelt amazing and his mouth was watering as he stepped out of the bedroom.

Jack had set candles on the table, dimming the lights so that it looked more romantic. The plates and cutlery that Jack’s mother had gotten them for their wedding were set out on the counter, waiting for the finishing touches of supper. Jack had gotten changed while Gabriel was asleep, swapping out the dirty slacks and tee shirt for jeans and a long-sleeve shirt that didn’t hug him too tightly, but still left no doubt to the size of his muscles.

“Wow,” Gabriel teased as he walked over.

“Take a seat,” Jack smiled at him. “I’ll bring supper.”

“How many people can say that their husband cooked them supper for their anniversary?” Gabriel teased.

“Lots of people,” Jack said as he started piling food onto their plates. “What they can’t say is that they have Morrison Farm food on their plates.”

“Wait, that’s all from your parents’ farm?” Gabriel’s jaw fell open. “Holy shit! How much did it cost to get across the border?”

“I have a ridiculous paycheck, Gabe; it was nothing,” Jack said as he set the plate of food down in front of Gabriel. “Happy Anniversary, Gabriel Morrison.”

“Happy Anniversary, Jack Reyes,” Gabriel smiled in return as he reached up to cup Jack’s face. “You’re the sweetest man I know.”

“You only say that because I smothered your potatoes in gravy,” Jack teased. “I have to let your Mama know that her biscuit recipe turned out amazing. I was so scared it wasn’t going to work in the oven.”

“Hey, don’t doubt the wisdom of an old Mexican recipe,” Gabriel smirked.

“I’ve learned my lesson, don’t worry,” Jack said as he sat down across from Gabriel. “I love you, Gabriel.”

“I love you too, Jack,” Gabriel smiled before he cut into the rare steak and felt drool roll down his face. “Fuck me sideways.”

“I will after supper’s settled,” Jack promised as he stuck green beans into his mouth. “I want you to have a full stomach first.”

“I love you,” Gabriel sighed happily. “You know how to keep me full in all regards.”

Jack grinned at him and winked. Gabriel shivered, doing his best to enjoy his meal while still being excited for what was going to follow.