#reaper76 but it's fast. blink it and you miss it

[snowsheba]

Sheeeeeeeeebaaaaa! if you're still taking prompts i'd love to see more of your take on Angela and Jesse's relationship c: I hope you're well!! I kinda... fell off the earth a little bit but I'm still keeping up with tdlh ^^

“Angela!”

“Back off, McCree,” Gabriel growls, and he’s too surprised to react right away when Jesse darts forward, shoves him aside, and kneels by Angela’s prone form, pressing a finger to the side of her neck to check for a pulse. He finds it, just as Gabriel had moments before, and it’s with a choked sigh of relief that he leans back and bends at the waist, taking Angela’s hand in his own.

“I’m fine,” Angela manages to croak, but then she coughs and that, that right there on her chin, is blood. Gabriel lifts his head to look for Jack but, as expected, their fearless Strike-Commander is elsewhere, keeping the rest of their group organized and fighting. When he looks back down, Angela’s blue eyes are fierce and clear. “Go, Commander Reyes. Jesse will take care of me.”

“I don’t think so,” Gabriel growls, slightly irritated that all of Overwatch’s youngest recruits seemed to have a martyr streak a kilometer wide. She’s pale and the gash on her leg is jagged and ugly, splattering the white of her valkyrie suit a harsh red. “McCree, grab another field medic. We need Ziegler’s back out there as soon as possible, no one else has her mobility.”

“Yessir,” McCree says. He squeezes Angela’s hand once and says, “Be back in a bit, Angel.”

Angela smiles, as much as she can smile through the pain. “Of that I have no doubt.” With that, Jesse hops to his feet and takes off, and Gabriel watches him go, just for a few seconds; his steps are purposeful and light and it’s probably the fastest he’s ever seen the teen move, and he can move fast. “Commander, I’ll be fine. Rejoin Commander Morrison. I will be back before you know it.”

“Nope. Sorry, Ziegler, you’re stuck with me.” He gives her a grin, to which she giggles, though it’s small and it’s interrupted by another cough. He carefully moves to settle his knees at her head, turning her chin until she’s staring at the wall instead of the ceiling. “I’m sure you’ll survive my company for a few minutes.”

“Truly, there is no worse fate,” Angela jokes, and that’s when Gabriel knows she’ll be fine. Jesse’s running back to them with Yvonne a few moments later, the medic panting and out of breath and slightly irritated if her expression was anything to go by, and Jesse takes Gabriel’s place as he stands up and moves to join Jack back on the front lines.

He pauses and gives the pair on last, lingering look before he goes. Angela is laughing at something Jesse had said, one of her hand in his, and it’s with a slight shake of his head that he begins to jog back to Jack’s position. He’s glad the two had found each other, however odd their relationship might seem.

“Jesse, I’m fine. It was a flesh wound.”

“Yeah? You seemed to be leanin’ a lot of weight on me while we were walkin’ back here.”

Angela smacks his shoulder and Jesse laughs, nudging her shoulder with his until she, too, peters off into giggles. Gabriel and Jack exchange glances, each wearing matching tired smiles; it was always good to finish a mission without anyone dying or getting maimed, even more so when their youngest top agents felt safe enough with each other and their surroundings to joke around as they do.

“I should be asking you to be more careful,” Angela says, poking at Jesse’s chest. “You’re lucky that bullet didn’t warrant surgery.”

“What can I say?” Jesse replies, giving her a shit-eating grin before he drawls, “I’ve got a guardian angel watchin’ over me.”

“Mein gott, how long were you waiting to say that one?”

“You’d punch me if I told you.”

“I might punch you anyway.”

“Oh, you are cruel, hermana.”

“Only selectively. Which is to say, only around you, bruder.”

Gabriel feels a push against his foot and glances over at Jack, who’s raising his eyebrows at him. He shrugs back; two years ago, when both of them had first joined up, he hadn’t realized that lonely, hot-tempered Jesse would bond so tightly to aloof, careful Angela. But now, fast-forward two years later and the two were near inseparable whenever they were on base together. Sometimes Gabriel looks at them and looks at Jack and realizes that he and Jack had been the same way back in the super-soldier program.

It’s not surprisingly in retrospect - the two are the same age, and probably stopped arguing once they realized how they faced similar pressures and had similar fears - but it’s heartwarming all the same, to know that some good comes out of the endless fighting and war Overwatch and Blackwatch do. He nudges Jack’s foot back, smiling slightly, and rests his hand atop Jack’s.

“Speakin’ of cruelty, you ever gonna give me back my cigs?”

“No. Smoking is an awful habit and I would hate to see you dead early, Jesse McCree.”

“Aww, you do care.”

“And I might care less if you try to break into my office and find where I put them.”

“You wound me, Angel, I would never.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“You love me anyway,” Jesse croons.

She huffs. “Unfortunately.”

This won’t last, Gabriel thinks, warmth diffusing in his chest and a soft, pulling tiredness sinking into his bones. Jack hums some slow song under his breath, a gentle smile on his face, and Angela and Jesse continue to bicker, both of them bandaged and bloody but full of life and hope.

This won’t last unless we protect it, he thinks, and watching the two of them smile and laugh past their exhaustion is inspiration enough for him.

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[xcommander76]

Reaper76 Week Day 6-- AU

“Hey.. Papá? When’s Daddy coming home? Is he going to be late again? He said he would come home today and read us a bedtime story… He promised.”

“Princesa, no te preocupes. Daddy will be home to read you that story.. Lo prometo.” Gabriel said quietly, taking his young daughter into arms and pulling a blanket over his son as he checked his phone for the 10th time that night, clearly worried. This was the third time Jack had said he would be home, each time he heard his voice it becoming more strained and weary with each second they conversed until Jack finally got to the point of him not being able to return as soon as he thought he would. Every time he heard those words his heart broke a little, trying to formulate some excuse to say to his children on why their other father couldn’t return to them when he said. Though he supposed he should have switched his blame on their jobs, Gabriel the new appointed Strike Commander of Overwatch and his beloved the Commander of Blackwatch. It had made their schedules a bit tight, but in the past few months it was never like this… When Jack said he was going to be home, he usually was in the living room around the time he said he would be. Something was definitely wrong, but what was it?

Gabriel waited a few more minutes before finally deciding to try to take the kids up to their rooms, but Ava wouldn’t have it. She fought and protested that Jack would be home any minute, tears in her eyes as she began to cry. He was thankful that Jordan was fast asleep on the couch, getting ready to pick up his daughter and comfort her when the phone rang. Ava ran to the home phone and quickly picked it up, knowing immediately who it was as Ava cried out in happiness. Another red flag went off as he analyzed the situation, his daughters face becoming concerned as she started to talk to him, Gabriel asking himself why Jack didn’t call his cell like he usually did.

“Hi Daddy! Are you coming home? …….. Oh, well I got a part in a musical Daddy! It’s your favorite one! I’m Cosette.. Or at least young Cosette……. Yeah, he’s right here.” She said, now holding the phone out to him with worry. “Papá? Daddy….. He doesn’t sound too good… Is he okay?”

“I’m sure he is mija, why don’t you go up to bed so when Daddy gets home he can read you that bedtime story? Go on, I’ll carry your brother up in a minute or two.” He gently nudged Ava in the direction of upstairs, kissing her head before quickly pressing the phone to his ear, his concern growing… Especially when he heard his voice.

“G-Gabriel.. Gabriel I…. I-I’m sorry.. I’ll make it home.. I’m…… Almost.. there..”

“Jack! Fuck… Cariño where are you? Are you hurt? What’s going on? Mi amor, I’m worried and so are the kids. You have to tell me what’s going on…. Cariño.. Please.” His voice was at the point of breaking, pacing around the living room as he bit his nails, curious as to what the intermittent scraping sound was in the background.

“Gabe…. I’m almost there…… I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry sweetheart… I love you…… I-I love you… so much. Don’t be.. upset. I’m.. Everyone….. Everyone died.. got out….. in time.. Gabe I-I’m so s-sorry..”

“Cariño!! Where are you?! Quédate ahí cariño! Vendré a encontrarte! Hold on… Stay strong mi sol.. stay strong until I can get there to you, Angela will make sure you’re okay! You’re not–” he said, panic rising in his tone as he switched from Spanish to English, finally realizing where Jack really was as he looked out the window and rushed outside to get him. It was like Jack said, he was almost home… but he didn’t expect it this way.

The blonde was crawling towards the house, a trail of dark liquid revealing the way he came. As he ran towards his lover, he soon saw the numerous injuries that littered his body, his sunshine missing half of his right leg and his left arm, bullet and knife wounds covering his back; he didn’t even want to see what had happened to the front side of his body.

He quickly called Mercy and told her what had happened before carefully taking Jack into his arms, rushing him into the house and gently settling him onto the sofa, not caring if was going to be covered in blood. His husbands blood.

“Oh god Jackie…. What happened? What did you do?”

“……. I…. wa-walked…. I had.. to see you…. the kids…… Gabriel.. So s-sorry..”

“Shhh cariño. You’re safe now, I’m here. Save your strength. Angela’s on her way to take care of you….. Oh sunshine why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Didn’t….. want worry..”

“Daddy! You’re home! Daddy can you read me– DADDY!!”

“Mija, listen to me. Everything’s going to be okay, Daddy will be okay. Aunt Angela is going to help him. For now…. Go get the first aid kit please.”

He didn’t realize that he was crying, not until his daughter came back with the medical kit and wiped away his tears, giving him a big hug as he told her to go tell Jordan. His attention was soon redirected towards his husband, taking out the medical supplies and trying to tend to every wound he could lay his eyes on, knowing he would have to be taken to a hospital.

“..Gabriel….”

“Sí? Qué es mi sol?”

“… I…. want to see.. the kids……. last time.. p-please..”

“N-No. Cariño hold on por favor… I’m begging you! You can’t go, I won’t allow it. Wait until Angela can fix you up, there’s still hope love, just hang on.” He said, quickly taking Jacks hand and pressing a kiss to it, Ava and Jordan hearing their fathers plea and quietly coming down into the living room, crying silently.

Jack however, knew it was his time, feeling the life drain from him with each passing second. He had slowly lifted Gabriel’s chin up and gave him a sad smile, finally calling for the children while sirens sounded in the distance. There wasn’t much time left.

“H-Hey! How are my m-munchkins doing? I….. I heard you two.. are in a musical?”

“Yeah Daddy…. It’s Les Misérables.. Your favorite. I’m Cosette and Jordan’s Gavroche. We were.. gonna surprise you.”

“T-That’s wonderful…. I’m.. so proud! Have.. y-you learned your– AH! …… Y-Your songs? Why don’t… You sing for me?”

Ava shyly nodded, blinking away tears and trying to be strong, opening her mouth and starting to sing.

There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep. Aren’t any floors for me to sweep. Not in my castle on a cloud. There is a lady all in white; Holds me and sings a lullaby. She’s nice to see and she’s soft to touch. She says: Cosette I love you very much. I know a place where no ones lost. I know a place where no one cries. Crying at all is not allowed, not in my castle on a cloud.

As she sang, Jacks tear filled eyes began to close, his hand squeezing his husbands tightly. He didn’t want to go, but he had lost too much blood to even function, his breath and heart beat slowing until it was no more. Of course it was only then that help had come, the door bursting open only to reveal the once happy family of four: Three of them crying and one laying dead on a blood soaked couch, the husband of the dead man holding him in his arms.

For: @0ldsoldiersneverdie, @flor-de-la-muertee, and especially @commander-edgelord for which this au is based off of. I don’t regret breaking everyone’s hearts