#reyesson

John “call me Jack” Morrison, from Indiana, was unfairly, heart-stopping gorgeous. Still, the first time he saw him, Gabe had dismissed him. He looked like a boy-scout who would get chewed out by SEP in a week or two. As the months went by , though, it became clear that Jack was also smart, funny and constantly trying to steal the first position from him on the scoreboard. 

Gabriel liked him.

Later, he found out that Jack had volunteered when the Crisis started, that before that military life wasn’t remotely on his radar. He didn’t need the money for college and he wasn’t there because his parents were in the army, he just… genuinely wanted to help. Gabriel was torn between wanting to laugh at him and being really damned impressed. By the time Jack got transferred into Gabriel’s quarters they were good friends.

Well, so, maybe he liked him. Big deal. They were in a middle of a secret military program, it was most certainly not the time for romance. When they started hooking up, Gabriel tried really hard not read more into it that what was happening. His friendship with Jack was more important than anything. It could survive casual sex, but a committed relationship? Better not risk it. They never discussed it, but Gabriel got the memo. Several months of pretty fantastic sex went by. Then, the oddest thing happened. Gabriel was laying on his right side, his arm tuckered under his head, waiting for Jack to fall asleep so he could get up without bothering him. It was just a whisper, if Gabriel had been less than completely awake he could have easily missed it, or convinced himself he had dreamt it . “I love you.” Jack confessed with just a breath in the dark. That night Gabriel didn’t sleep at all. Jack never repeated the words when Gabriel was awake and bringing it up seemed like an invasion of privacy. Gabe knew Jack hadn’t meant for him to hear him and didn’t want to make him uncomfortable but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out why Jack wouldn’t just say something when he could actually say it back. Was he ashamed? Was it not obvious that Gabriel felt the same? Everyone knew! The doctors, their superior officers, their teammates, his fricking abuela had figured it out from email correspondence and holocalls. It was driving Gabe absolutely crazy. Yet, if Jack didn’t feel ready to acknowledge his feelings in the sunlight then Gabriel knew it wasn’t his place to push him. He could wait. Jack’s night time confessions kept coming. “I love you” “If we survive this I want to take you to the farm.” “I’d marry you if you let me” Gabriel waited for Jack to sleep, then got out of bed, went to the gym and proceeded to hit the punching bag until he couldn’t feel his hands anymore. The program was almost over and Jack had never said anything. What if they split them up? What if Jack got killed halfway across the world and Gabriel hadn’t said anything? No. There was being patient and there was being ridiculous and Gabriel was officially proclaiming that line crossed.

“I have insomnia.” He announced barging into their room.

Jack didn’t bother to look up from his comic and hummed “That sucks, have you tried talking to the doctors? They did say the final rounds were the most delicate.”

Gabe climbed on Jack’s bunk and crawled between his legs “It’s not a new development.” Jack shot him an annoyed glare when he snatched the comic out of his hands “I had it since forever”

Jack looked adorably confused “Maybe it’s just a feeling because you don’t sleep very well, ‘cause Gabe you’re always out like a light as soon as we…” Gabe saw the realization and the implications of his own words dawn on Jack’s face.

He flushed red to the roots of his hair, his big blue eyes widening in horror

“I-I’m so sorry!” He stuttered.

Gabriel frowned and sat back on his heels “I’m missing something.”

He definitely was, Jack was hiding his face between his hands, his shoulders trembling, he looked mortified.

“What am I missing?”

Jack didn’t seem to hear him “I’m sorry, I obviously thought you weren’t listening…”

“Jack…”

“I know how you feel about us, you’ve been absolutely clear and I had–”

“Jack.”

“– no right, no right at all to put this kind of thing on you.”

“Jack!”

Gabe grabbed his hands, Jack bowed his head and looked away “I have no idea what you’re talking about. We’ll be deployed soon and I just wanted the chance to say…you know…” He tilted his head trying to catch Jack’s eye “I love you too.”

“WHAT?”

His poor ears.

“How is this a surprise?” Gabe groaned “Everyone knows, Jack, everyone!”

Jack gaped at him for a minute, bewildered “But…But…” He blinked. A lot. “You said our friendship was too important.”

He did?

“You said only an idiot would fall in love with a soldier when there is a war going on!”

“When was this?”

“When Taylor and Rodriguez got together.” Jack grumbled

“Oh, yeah, I remember now.”

“And!” Jack continued, his hands flailing maniacally around “You told me you never got serious with anyone without introducing them to your grandmother first, not after the 2036 debacle”

“Wait. Jack.” Gabriel covered his mouth with one hand “Did you think we were, what? Fuckbuddies?” The puzzle pieces all clicked into place, it made an horrific kind of sense. “Oh my god, you did. You thought we were just fucking around until the program was over.” “I know you’d rather not label it.”

Gabriel smacked his forehead “I am the worst boyfriend ever.” He whispered stunned.

It was time to make some things clear.

“Okay, for starters? Abuela knows all about you, I think she already named our first three kids so I hope you don’t mind spanish names, because good luck changing her mind, Jackie.” Gabe said “And yes, I didn’t plan…us, but it happened and it’s awesome, and I love you.”

Finally, Jack started to look less disbelieving and more hopeful, the corners of his mouth tugged in a smile “I can’t believe you pretended to sleep while I confessed my unrequited feelings”

Gabe kissed him, Jack nipped at his bottom lip and Gabriel smirked

“I can’t believe you thought they were unrequited.”

The next monday their CO called him into his office and offered Gabriel a position in an international task force called Overwatch.

“And he asked me to convince you to sign up too, cause as I said…” Gabriel licked the shell of Jack’s ear, relishing the sound of laughter bubbling out of him “Everyone knows I’m crazy about you.”