songerein | It's Like I'm Powerful With A Little Bit of Tender

Entry tags:

reaper,
soldier: 76

It's Like I'm Powerful With A Little Bit of Tender

Who: Reaper & Soldier: 76
Which: Closed Log
Where: Shared safehouse hidden out in the Wildlands
What: Two old men talk- Reaper definitely has something to say after all.
Warnings: Adult language, unhealthy coping mechanisms mentioned here and there, old men with long history, and things that may come up with old soldiers. Anything else will get added.

76 had pulled together a bench, chair pulled up to it, and had a few parts scattered out over the cloth covered surface. A quiet moment with a bit of natural lighting filtering in through boarded windows and some of the holes left intentionally in the ceiling, an ankle hooked behind a leg of the chair. Mostly he was cleaning gun parts, the side-arm already laid out in its various sections to the side all organized and simply waiting to be put back together.

Routine maintenance, something he found a bit soothing.

Pulse rifle was propped to the side, already taken care of; what was currently being taken apart for servicing was the hunting rifle he'd picked up. Making sure it was cleaned, no worry of it backfiring on him or anything. Almost done by the time he looked up, judging by the light to gauged how much time had passed already.

He glanced to the side then, setting the rifle part down as he pushed up to his feet to check on the cooking pot on the stove. Lifting up the lid and- okay, the stew was just about done. Could lower the temperature and let it just simmer without worry of anything sticking to the bottom and burning.

Ridiculously domestic. A passing thought as he put the lid back down, stretching a bit as he realized how long he must have been sitting there.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Maybe, but time will tell there more than anything," shoulders shrugged slightly. He still carried a bottle of whisky in his bag, a habit that had started up again when 76 had hidden away and moved about. Stuck firmly with how a part of his process of pulling back together it had become- and a memory. At least it kept firm to only indulge so deeply when he new he was safe and no one could discover him in a poor state.

Even if then it could go either way.

76 grabbed the other leather jacket in his possession, rather than the normal one, that had the attached fabric hood of dark blue that he could pull up. The nights were starting t get that chilled edge, and a little more protection against that wouldn't hurt, right? Shrugging it on and letting the hood remain down just for now- "If that. Could take longer, head isn't what it used to be," and perhaps hat play along came a little too easily, but it was still in jest.

Moved right along with that companionable pulling, and even leaned in against Gabriel a bit as they took those steps. Shadow stepping down to the ground together or whatever way, he was not pulling away from the man yet. "Not waiting long, at least."

"Time hasn't exactly been kind to either of us," he said with a shrug of his shoulders as he waited for 76 to dress so they could leave. Ah, so they were going subtle tonight, were they? No blazing 76 on a leather jacket, just the cozy leather bomber jacket with hood.

He made no effort to change his attire, not even as they left and shadow stepped to the grass below. The peacock who he had yet to name but now hung around all the time gave an annoying call of greeting but seemed to sense they were occupied and decided not to tag along for now.

"It's true. You're old so your memory isn't reliable anymore," he jeered back as he took them towards town. He had already scoped out the place that he planned on them eating at and the rooftop with the best view. It was a clear night, so they were in luck as they grabbed the pizza and he let 76 find the fizzy juice place to grab some beverages.

Then it was back around to the spot he had selected, teleporting up with their goods to settle onto a couple of chair that he had moved up there. Okay, so maybe he had been planning it for at least a day. "Alright, settle in, old man." Below them, in the building they would be having that dinner date on, music drifted up from the interior.

"Life in general in places, really." But that came with the job, more or less- perhaps a lot harsher given what everything had turned into, the losses stacking up to and past the breaking point— But this evening? Jack was at least willing to relax a bit, be a little less easily recognizable to lessen chances of being stopped to chat. Even here that 76 had turned into something a few recognized, but it meant something different. He wasn't sure if that was good or not.

Following along, Blue perking momentarily from where she'd been watching the river with a trilling greeting before turning her attention back to the flowing waters. Apparently she was intent on some fish for her own dinner- and given their newest feature possibly more friendship offerings of food.

"Enough knocks to the head rattled up what was left, too," dryly stated, and there was an elbow to the side that was more light and playful than anything. Made quick work of things, neither really willing to linger other than getting the food and drinks, and 76 was happy to carry either on their journey for this.. Date.

Of course he paused a moment once he caught the bit of set-up done, taken by the simple fact there were chairs and they'd been led back around in a way to this roof in particular. "Nice choice," It was mumbled as Jack did sit down in one of those chairs, catching the music and taking in the view already there. Had- had Gabriel really had this planned? He'd gone through that amount of trouble, simple as it could seem on the outside, that was something big considering—

"Joining me, older man?"

"It doesn't help that a building dropped on your head and I assume that you used your forehead to push your way out of the rubble," he said with a shake of his head as he watched Jack look at their stage for the date. Was that genuine shock? It sure looked like it to him.

"I figured you'd recall this particular rooftop. I know I do," he said with a smirk behind his mask. He walked towards the chairs after 76, setting down the pizza box on the small table that he had set out. He passed over one of those fizzy juices for 76 to have, figuring the younger man would do better with something on hand to fiddle with.

Then he eased himself down into the other seat and only then removed his mask and pushed back his hood. "Nice views, classy music and mostly comfortable chairs. It's as good as eating greasy burgers in the back of an old pick-up truck in Indiana."

"Countless times either jumping or being thrown out whatever story windows, flung against solid walls- you name it? Probably had my head rammed against it," so very easily stated, because who even knew all of the head injuries he'd suffered over the years.

That was genuine shock, even more clear when his visor had finally been tucked away into an inner jacket pocket. "Think I can vaguely recall something," more than vaguely. He knew exactly, because while the music was different it also was- well, the same singer at the moment; Luna. The little sluggy Grumdrops, being stuck together, and the first time they'd had sex. Hard to forget that, even if it hadn't come to mind... too often.

The bottle was taken as legs crossed and Jack let himself get comfortable in that chair, letting out a soft laugh, one hand lifting as a hell rubbed at one of his eyes. Fuck. This was A real date, wasn't it? "Definitely on the same level, so maybe next time could hunt down a place that makes something of a good burger- and at worst, hijack a wagon to ride out into the fields out here." A hum, "Still, this is just as good."

"Don't worry, I'm very aware that you go into most solid objects head first, but maybe stop that? I will smother you in your sleep if you give yourself permanent brain damage." He knew that 76 had suffered more than a few concussions over the years, which was a hazard of the jobs that the younger man took. Now might be a good time to take a little more care with one's health.

Reaper made himself comfortable in the chair, his legs parted and his feet flat on the rooftop. He took a moment to just relax where he was, looking around their surroundings both to make certain they were alone and to admire the view. Music was good tonight, so it was also a good choice of day. Okay, so maybe it had been random because it required him to talk himself into just doing it, but tonight had been the night.

There were paper plates for the pizza on the small table between the chairs, and he opened the box containing their food and pulled out two slices and put them on a plate. He offered that to 76 next. "I haven't looked for a burger place here, but I imagine one exists." He was pulling out some pizza for himself before setting the box between them. "You want to do a wagon ride, you're going to be the one the arrange it. I'm more the city date type."

There was a sound of dry amusement just there in Jack's throat- "Been a while since I last got tossed head first into something solid, so..." He'd be aware of it as best he could at the very least. As much as he could say on the matter of making a solid try at doing better there- even if only in this place. If this was going to be What It Was then- he could do that much, and push to more. Right?

A breathe escaped him slowly, the more that he relaxed into that chair and was able to take it all in. There really could be no denying this was the real deal, of everything he felt he could still have a solid hold on knowing Reyes even now. This wasn't a joke, he wasn't being fucked with. This was... Wanted. Fuck.

Took that offered plate in hand, bottle of 'sparkling' juice rested on solid and flat surface so he wasn't worried about knocking it over. "Probably a place, a few folks seemed fascinated when we served sliders -and proper sized burgers- when they came into the Harvest some months ago." May or may not be a nice hole-in-the-wall sort of cozy diner ran by a half-orc that served burgers made with various meats; hunted and ground by hand for freshness. "Got some connects, can arrange it for our next date."

Next date. Was taking a bite out of that slice, and there may have been a noise in his throat that was a mix of how good the taste was on top of everything starting to really hit him. At least with the pizza it meant he could at least attempt to cover that.

"I'm sure that trend won't hold," he remarked dryly. He knew how 76 operated, and it was with a recklessness that bordered on suicide sometimes. "Though I suppose I can provide some padding so that they head trauma isn't too bad in such future days." His protectiveness over 76 had been flighty at best back home - only rearing to prevent death - but it was far more defined since being ripped away from his purpose.

Reaper opened his jizzy juice drink and set it on the box containing food and then set his make-shift plate of pizza balancing on a thigh. Then he set his forearms to the arms of his chair and simply sat drinking in the whole atmosphere. He even closed his eyes, letting the music drift up from below, and experiencing the sounds of people at their daily life be cut by the familiar sound of 76's deep tired voice.

"Imagine so," he replied absently between letting the whole scene linger over his mind. He realized 76 hadn't even fought him beyond shock over this date. Slowly, his red eyes opened and shifted to peer at the younger man next to him as the corner of his lips tugged in a smirk. "Already planning the next date, hmmm? You're still all or nothing, I see." Never change, even when it drove Reaper absolutely crazy.

"Chances are? Talking about it too much means next time some shit goes down, I'm going headfirst into something solid," Said in such a tone that it was clearly more of that dark humor than any real belief in that sort of chancing his luck. Shit happened, you rolled with it or complained- sometimes both. "Suppose it'd be appropriate to thank you with a kiss, or at the very least a handy now? Blowjob if needed to help edge off adrenaline." With those words was a faint little teeth bearing smile before easing off; easy to fall into that.

There was so, so much to take in about this entire scene that had been set. Every little detail that was- well, romantic by his definitions of it. Some thought taken, no matter how rushed it could have been. How long had the other thought and planned this, knowing very well that 76 could have said no? How badly it could have gone and still... They were here. Jack had pizza in hand, already a bite taken out that was like it was the best pizza ever in the moment. The carbonated juice good to wash it down with, the flavors mingling. The music, people passing by without even knowing what was happening above them- It was something.

This was a date. He was on a date. He'd been asked out on a date—

Jack shrugged, taking another bite of pizza as his gaze drifted before landing back on Gabriel before he ever swallowed it down with another slug off that bottle. "May as well go all in on you, Gabe," bottle sat down again, tongue peeking briefly to lick a bit of juice from his lips. "Having a next date sounds good, doesn't it?"

"Let's try to avoid that? I'd like to have some time with you with limited brain damage, but if you must, I suppose I'll keep a pen on hand for when I have to give you an emergency tracheostomy." Because inevitably, if 76 was going that hard to actually acquire brain damage, he completely expected a broken neck in the whole affair as well. He was still hoping they could avoid something so extreme.

Honestly, he figured this particular location and decision was the best he had made in a long time. It was clear that they were both enjoying it, and he finally cracked his fizzy juice to take a sip from it. Carbonation wasn't a hard process, but he would agree that it did make him feel young again. It had been a long time. He decided that, next time, he'd take 76 for milkshakes so they could really live up the past. Yes, that was an idea he was filing away.

If 76 didn't wake up next morning and run screaming from him, he figured they could get a few good dates.

The corner of his lip twitched in amusement before he delayed answering by taking a bite of his pizza slice and chewed. Ah, yes, the classic taste of sweet and salty. "We haven't finished this date, but I figure both of us could cobble together a few more. You're still moving around like you're in a state of shock though."

"Aren't you sweet," with the most sugary dripping tone, corner of his mouth twitching in a sort of smile that may not have fully appeared but still reached those blue eyes of his. Almost seemed to light them up, a brief moment where Jack looked just a little younger; as if all those years weren't weighing on him so briefly. Such a rare thing for him, even these days.

There would be no running away screaming the next morning at least.

The slice of pizza was set on the plate and bottle taken back up, downing a little more as he, well. Jack was trying to let thoughts and feelings rolling around settle. The carbonation was nice with the pizza, that little bit more sweet with the already sweet and salty combo pizza with the ham and pineapple. Never looked away from Gabriel at least, just taking a bit of a breath after—

"Surprised you wanted to take me on a date still," which was true, "But I- well. I believe you, that this isn't just some elaborate joke." Before some smartass of offended comment could be made? Well, Jack took some advantage of them still so close and caught hold of Gabriel's head and leaned in to plant a firm kiss on lips, let it linger for a moment before slowly settling back into his chair.

"So... I'd like to go on at least a few more with you, Gabe."

"Like antifreeze," he chimed in with a smirk of his own. He also noted how the smile might not have formed on lips but certainly highlighted 76's blue eyes. That was not something he had seen in a very, very long time personally, and it warmed him more than it should have. Was this the start of lightening that load?

He took another bite of his pizza slice before setting it down on the paper plate and resting it on his thighs as he chewed and enjoyed the scene. It wasn't up to certain American standards of pizza, but after so long without, he thought it tasted well done. It was good enough that they would enjoy it together and probably invest in another at some point in their stay at this place.

"Ah well, you've so full of self loathing you've continually denied that you can be loved," he remarked with a casualness that was opposite to the graveness of the words he spoke. He found himself pulled into a kiss, and he lingered in it as long as 76 wanted it before he sat back. "You're allowed to have nice things, Jack. You're allowed to want them."

Which was kind of the pot calling the kettle black, but hey, there was always a touch of hypocrisy to him.

"We will. If I have to toss you over my shoulder and drag you out on the town, I'll see that it happens. It would be more enjoyable if you planned them with me in future." So they could both have something nice.

"Useful and deadly, fitting." A faint snort, but it was easy enough to joke- a bit too easy, but there was some thought keeping him from pulling back from it. Maybe he should, bury it and be rid of it but... that wouldn't be fit with this moment. Tentatively reminding himself of... things.

Of course there was a bit of a faint snort- "Considering the situation at the moment, despite a whole lot of shit-" and there was a pointed look at Gabriel, brief as it was given that Jack continued on, "-that firmly places you in that category of being a Nice Thing." Hell of a way to sort of lay it right out there that Reyes was wanted, wasn't it. A few implications there even with the dash of hypocrisy that simply came with Gabriel.

It was there, plainly, for the man to do with such knowledge as he wanted.

Fingers tapped along the bottle in Jack's hand again, leaning back and letting his eyes close, "You might have to once or twice, but consider the invitation open to helping plan the next date with burgers and a wagon."

"Describes me well," he said with a snort of amusement right back. It actually described so many of the career soldiers that he and Jack had served with, but none of them were here. It was just him and Jack. Living the dream and all that nonsense.

He purposefully avoided the pointed look in his direction, busying himself with taking a bite of his pizza and and wiping his blackened fingers on a make shift napkin. "It's just a date, Jack, don't go all weepy on me," he drawled, the corner of his mouth tugging in a smirk even as he turned his head to watch the younger man. He lifted his juice for a toast between them all the same. "You know better than to call me nice too. That's never been who I am."

Whether they liked it or not, they had built a foundation for this next step. He was going to take it and accept the risks. Besides, it was pleasant to see Jack so off kilter.

He made a soft noise of acknowledgement in his throat. "Let's enjoy this date before we go planning the next string of them. Besides, you make it sound like I haven't planned a few," he said. He was the planner, but his obsessive tactical nature had dulled a bit being out of war and away from his revenge.

Still an edge, to the both of them, no matter how jagged it might have gotten over time- those jagged yet sharp edges just meant they caught and bled that much more when put in use. Or something like that.

Eyes rolled a bit, more amused than anything else for once when it came to this asshole- "A date that you asked me on, and I accepted," dryly, bottle lifted for that toast in turn while the corner of his own mouth twitched a bit. "What you are and have always been is a frustrating pain in the ass, a giant jackass, and many other things— But here we are," and there was something nice about that no matter Reyes' protests.

He could be nice when he felt like it in the other meaning, too.

"Giving away you've been thinking about this for a little while at least, Gabe?" Jack took that slice of pizza back up to actually get more of it down than a few idle bites. Appetite catching on a bit finally. "... I am enjoying this one already, though." Off-kilter and still shaking off the shock yes, but that much was still true.

"I think you were too shocked to refuse," he remarked slyly, the corner of his lips pulling in an easy smirk. There was a light tap for the toast, and he definitely relished being called a pain in the ass. He was extremely good at his job, and he ruffled more feathers than anyone else. People either liked it or hated it. "And yet somehow, being an excellent pain the ass made me Strike Commander for the war. They definitely regretted that."

Despite the reference to the past and the post that neither one of them had enjoyed, he still chuckled about it. The people, especially Americans, had called him a hero well into his tenure as the Blackwatch leader. As far as he was concerned, Jack had always been the better Strike Commander.

He took a drag from his fizzy juice and shrugged his shoulders. "It occurred to me a few weeks ago, but there was no need to act on it until I had properly considered everything." He had known after Jack had pulled him out of a meltdown in the office dream when his noctaere had appeared and again when the both of them were in Oz. "Good, that's the point. And you and I are too old to be kicking down doors and making scenes. It isn't and never has been who we are."

"Still thought you were fucking with me for a bit there, too." A slight shrug and tip of his head as he said it, corner of his mouth still twitched up just a bit. Then there was that low, mockingly thoughtful hum- "But it was funny, though, when you got them stumbling over words because you were right and it pissed them off." He'd seen some magical moments after all.

People still called Gabriel Reyes a hero, even after the explosion. No matter how those wiping the board of them tried to make the world forget in one way or another, some still kept what once was in their minds. Morrison kept it behind him, far as he could.

That crust was popped into his mouth once it was at the last bite, washing it down with his own fizzy juice- "And this was the decision you'd landed on," a date. Telling him the way Reyes had. Jack leaned back in the chair, butt of the bottle rested against a thigh, fingers still curled around the neck of it; relaxed. "We make scenes, of course they're not pretty and usually meant for some sort of scare factor," hummed- "This? I like this."

"I know," he remarked smugly. He had seen the look of shock on 76's face followed up by the suspicious denials that anyone could seriously want to make this happen. He smirked, briefly hiding it behind his juice as he sipped it. "They did not enjoy that as much as you did, I assure you. The number of times I was asked to tone it down during debriefs were many, and I never listened to any of that advice." Reyes had been good at getting his way, tactically outmaneuvering the politicians verbally.

It amused him that the empty grave was still visited by people who considered him a hero. It seemed purely unnecessary, yet there always seemed to be live flowers there. He considered so many others worth such an honour over him. Jack's fake grave was the same.

He finished off one slice just after Jack had, licking the pads of his fingers. He cast a glance to the younger man, an innocent expression on his face. "What? I could have done much worse you know. Stalking, luring and that kind of thing. Kicking down a door seemed the way to go." And it had worked, so he had no regrets at all about it. Besides, it had been fun. "I'm pleased that you approve of the venue and food choices. Something quiet and personal to ease you into it."

Had been pretty clear that Reyes was expecting an answer different to the one he had been given- probably still was, somewhat. Both of them just waiting for that other shoe to drop, to run away or start something— "I know. Heard it all from their bloated point of views when I had to deal with the politics and every bit of colored tape that came with it," and he'd had to wait for them to leave to break that mask of neutrality. "Then again, they didn't much like it when I got them stumbling on cameras," a little revenge for those moments?

Maybe.

There were flowers and other items left on his grave- only thing he'd ever taken from the rare time he saw his own empty place was a bottle of whiskey left there at the head marker.

"I know," so much worse than what he'd done. Got the impression he wanted to get across, surely, even if Reyes was putting himself at risk sticking his neck out that far to turn in to this. Jack hummed softly, a hand moving to set the paper plate at the pizza as if to get up a second slice. "Enough to show that you did want to make it personal... and quiet enough we could both enjoy it," no one to see them. They could see everything else.

"Fact that there's music to enjoy with it all is a bonus."

Reaper chuckled and shook his head, aware that Jack had been forced to listen to complaints about his conduct when he had been Strike Commander. He expected those political leaders and ambassadors to think that spurning him for the position would put friction in their relationship. Instead, they laughed about it over a drink and a chess game. "You learned well from my old tactics when the bullshit got to be too much. You knew I was laughing when you got them stumbling."

The grave markers were for other people to remember them by, a place to gather. He had no interest in such a place unless it was to visit others who had died in the war. He had never felt guilty for surviving, but he had been sad and angry they had died.

Wild and glandulous displays of affection had never been his style when it came to dating. He'd done it once in high school and learned the hard way it wasn't the way to go. Now he took the more private but just as dramatic approaches. "Also, your skull is so thick that I didn't think that anything quiet and meek would be taken as anything other than a joke. Shock is the best way to make you agree."

He was savouring his drink and his booted foot lightly tapped against the roof with the beat of the music below. "You don't have enough music in your life. Besides," he paused to point to seemingly random part of the roof. "we have sex just right over there."

"Only difference," paused only to take another drink from his bottle and swallow, "is that I could do it without breaking that golden little smile they all loved to slap on whatever posters and front pages. Those silver and gilded words they wanted from me, too." That naïve and optimistic golden boy from Indiana they wanted as a pawn and a pretty face. It wasn't hard to figure out that was a big reason, quickly grew to doubt it was because he earned it in anyway.

"Best part for you was probably when they couldn't argue without looking bad." Too bad that didn't last throughout the years, every time he took a metaphorical bullet for the team- for Gabriel Reyes.

There were plenty of things left at Jack Morrison's empty grave- and every statue that still existed. Monuments to what the world made a martyr, to feel better about themselves; plenty of graves that deserved the attention more. Better men and women, and civilians caught up in too much.

A faint hum, "Like the individual hitting on me while I was helping work the front counter of the Harvest during the devil pepper challenge," spoken airily as if just some example of a non-serious joke. Interesting individual that one, all the same. Hopefully they were managing still in this place. Fun to talk to. "Here we are, so your plan must've worked, huh?"

Jack snorted then, eyes rolled but his tone was filled with dry amusement, "Trying to go full circle with the first place we fucked to our first actual date, Gabe?"

"You know I was never much for smiling in debriefs," he remarked with a wave of his hand. He was not much for smiling in many occasionally, preferring a smirk, occasional grin or just a very serious expression to keep people on task. Jack had mastered the warm inviting smile a long time ago, and even now, when one could be teased out of the younger man, it was still wholesome in his opinion. "Ah well, beating arguments was part of my infuriating charm."

He still knew Jack had not had a good time of it. Strike Commander was a curse position as far as he was concerned. No one deserved to be saddled with it for long.

"Wait, you realized someone was hitting on you? That's a shocker these days," he remarked dryly. He helped himself to a second slice of pizza to his plate and took a bite of it, drawing out the pause as he chewed. "My plans almost always work. I laid the ground work with all the non-committal sex we've been having." Now he wanted to lock that down; he wanted more.

He smirked. "Careful, maybe some of those dewdrops will still be hanging around somewhere and we might to full circle."

Shoulders shrugged, selling just a little bit of the tone he'd fallen into especially for this subject, no matter how much he'd rather leave it behind. They were amusing memories of the hell behind a desk he'd been leashed to- "To the point without all of the bullshit they liked to slog everything down with," and slow down every mission with as well. "Could always find the moment they saw red," and knew they were wrong, backed into a corner, and losing the amount of little power they had.

No wonder some places broke off with them so... messily, left an ugly mark.

"Took a moment, but yeah." For the moment? He was keeping to only once slice down, as if debating something quietly to himself. Still was sipping at the 'soda' at least, even as eyes rolled a little, head tipped as he gave Gabriel just a bit of a look; nothing harsh to it, just... curious, perhaps- "Betting your plan didn't start until sometime after that started."

An eyebrow arched, just briefly, "Probably don't have to worry about them popping up against until Winter."

It wasn't an easy subject to talk about, even years after it had all stopped being important. He knew it was harder on Jack than it was on him as his days in the sun had ended to allow Jack to take his place, and he avoided comparisons as much as possible. "They had many tactics to use against you and eventually found a few that stuck," he remarked with a shrug of his shoulders. "But we will show them now. Their tactics are meaningless these days against us."

He returned to eating his second slice of pizza, noting that 76 had gone quiet and was clearly contemplating something. There was no hurry from him to encourage it, letting 76 come around to it on his own. He swallowed his mouthful and shrugged. "It didn't start until the dream in your office." Where he had lost control of himself and 76 brought him back. "Before then, it was... nice, but we kept one another at a distance in ways. Not there."

For the best. He wanted to enjoy this 'date' as it was without the interference of tiny chanting worms. "Then I suppose we'll be able to keep this rooftop relatively clean this adventure."

"They found my weak points, and exploited that." Funny how it took until the last five or six years of Overwatch for them to find it. Before then he'd been able to get up and out at times, or he remained behind the desk to allow new recruits a chance to shine- until there were far too many coffins when there shouldn't have been a chance of that happening. So many he had gone over, funerals he could and couldn't attend. Letters looked over, drafted— "Absolutely meaningless and hold no power," ungovernable and all that. Vigilante life saw to that.

He remembered that dream well. "Pulled each other open just about, and held close," in more than just the physical way. There'd been raw vulnerability in a way they'd both withheld and kept distance. "After that... things did change, yeah." Something had shifted between them that couldn't be denied- "There was a lot of something more than usual there. No distance being kept," emotionally.

"No forced dancing to proceed whatever happens when we do head back to the safehouse," even if they both knew what was going to be happening when they did head back.

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