Chapter Text
The bell above the door gave a sharp trill as Gabriel entered the flower shop. Quietly, he removed his sunglasses and pressed them into a pocket that lined the inside of his blazer. The shop was mostly still, flowers sitting idly in their coolers - red roses, purple irises, lilac lavenders, and many more - their vibrant colours hushed by the shadows that blanketed the interior. Dark brown eyes glided over the displays of bouquets, corsages, baskets that lined the many shelves and hung off the ceiling - silently scrutinising their presentation and mixtures of colours and scents.
A gentle shuffle and the crinkle of wrapping paper caught his attention as an elderly woman appeared from the back room, her hands occupied by bouquets of bright goldenrods. Catching sight of Gabriel standing stock still in the middle of her shop, the woman carefully settled her burden on the counter-top before adjusting her brass-rimmed spectacles.
“What can I do for you today m’dear?” She asked, voice soft, but gravelley - like the rasping of falling leaves.
“I uh…” Gabriel hesitated, scratching the back of his head. He had discarded his beanie for today, leaving his recently growing hair to show - the unruly short curls having been tamed to the best of his abilities. “Do you have any white lilies? Or pink carnations?”
The woman quirked a brow, hazel eyes roaming over the man’s more or less somber attire “Of course I do,” She replied. “If I may ask - and you do not have to answer - what the occasion is?”
“It’s um...It’s for a,” Gabriel averted his eyes. “An anniversary.”
“Ah,” The woman nodded solemnly. “I have those flowers in the back right now, would you rather a bouquet or a basket?”
“Bouquet, please.” Gabriel replied instantly. “C-Could you wrap it in white?”
“Of course.”
The flowers were balanced precariously in the passenger seat next to him, white lilies and pink carnations arranged neatly in white tissue wrapping paper and knotted with a pristine pink ribbon. Darting one more sideways glance at the bouquet, Gabriel sighed. Wordlessly, he eased a dial on the hovercar’s dash. The interior was instantly filled with the chatter of the morning’s radio, the lady reporter rattling off the day’s news with little emotional input - stiff, professional.
“ Welcome to the morning report, my name is Linda Coulson here with the latest updates from around the globe. ”
Gabriel leaned to the side, one elbow coming up to lounge against the window as he used his other to direct the hovercar. The road was mostly empty, just a few other fellow morning drivers and the early jogger making their way down the pavements.
“ In today’s news the Petras Debates are still ongoing. UN Council members are currently torn between abolishing all Overwatch actions or rebuilding the organisation as a new entity. ”
Gabriel snorted. Good luck with that.
“ Newly appointed Strike-Commander Ana Amari argues for the latter, again citing Watchpoint: Zurich’s fall was at the hands of rogue elements - namely Blackwatch -allied with terrorist organisation Talon and not of those loyal to Overwatch’s true cause. ”
A puff of air escaped his lips as Gabriel returned both hands to the wheel, gently easing the car around a corner. The sun glanced off the interior of creamy leather seats, shimmering on the battered silver band seated firmly on his finger and of the new starburst-like wound that adorned his left hand.
“ Witnesses to the day’s events have sided with the Strike-Commander, however certain members of the UN are still holding fast against what they feel would be a potentially disastrous situation should they allow Overwatch to continue functioning as it has done in the past. ”
Which to be honest, the UN allowed it in the first place because they couldn’t care less what Overwatch did, Gabriel thought nonchalantly. They needed a Strike force to deal with a threat? They got a strike force. Now that it was coming back to bite them in the ass, the bureaucrats needed to show that they cared and whatever else that came with saving their own reputations and skins.
The reporter’s voice continued, droning into the background, about the finer details of the Petras Debate, who supported what, etc. Gabriel tuned her out after awhile, more focused on navigating the narrowing streets between rows of tightly packed houses, their ochre orange walls and brown slated roofs glowing under the morning sun. As he watched, people opened wooden shutters to the warm breezes, gossamer curtains teasing out of windowsills and dancing eagerly.
Easing the hovercar smoothly around another corner, Gabriel carefully directed the vehicle into a narrow lane and through a set of brass gates.
“ Experts believe it will take quite some time until an agreement can be made. Until such a decision can be reached, Strike-Commander Amari will coordinate closely with the UN and others to make sure Overwatch remains steadfast to their morals… ”
Gabriel stopped the car in a parking lot just inside the gates, immediately one of his hands went to unclasp his seat belt while the other began powering the hovercar down.
“ In other news, investigators are still searching for former Strike-Commander Gabriel Reyes. Local officials ask that residents remain vigilant and report -- ”
The hovercar hummed as the blue of it’s engines dimmed, settling itself gently on the tar track - much like a cat going to sleep. Retrieving the bouquet of flowers from the passenger seat, Gabriel took a deep breath before letting himself out onto the graveyard.
Neat rows of stone slabs adorned the primly trimmed grass field. As Gabriel’s dark brown eyes roamed over the area, he noticed some sported vases of flowers while others were granted offerings of small trinkets or other keepsakes. Gingerly, he left the side of his hovercar and silently threaded his way through the cobblestone paths breaking each row of graves. He had a general idea of where the grave he was looking for was - being unable to be there for the actual funeral himself. Nevertheless, he steeled himself and carefully waded his way through the rows, silently reading off the names on each stone.
The sun was warm on his back, the occasional puffy cloud wandering across the sky casting the swaying grass into shadows. Birds sang and danced in the air, spiralling and chasing each other, flitting amongst the trees that were allowed to make their homes in the graveyard, their bushy green canopies offering shelter to those paying their respects or to the graves nestled beneath their branches.
It wasn’t long until Gabriel found the stone he was looking for, reading the name inscribed on the stone twice more just to make sure he had it right. His calloused hands fumbled with the wrapper of the bouquet, twirling the ribbon between thumb and index.
A sigh escaped his lips and he fidgeted nervously from foot to foot before finally holding the bouquet out.
“I didn’t know which flowers you liked, so I hope these are alright,” He murmured.
“They’re lovely,” A voice behind him replied.
Twisting, Gabriel smiled as he caught sight of the blond wending his way towards him, bright cornflower blue eyes sparkling with the smile that graced his pale features. Jack’s face was no longer the pure golden-boy look that had caught Gabriel’s eye all those months ago at a Charity Ball. Two scars adorned his face now, a result of the explosion of Watchpoint: Zurich. The larger scar beginning over his left eye to cut across his face into his right cheek while a smaller one tugged at the left corner of soft pink lips. Nevertheless, the former Strike-Commander still beamed as the love of his life neared, the blond wearing a comfortable white tee and tawny trousers. A tacky biker jacket of eye-catching blue, red and white was draped over his broad shoulders, a bright ‘76’ emblazoned across it’s back. The blond’s hand was holding the jacket’s collar firmly, preventing the leather piece from sliding off his shoulders, a starburst mark sitting behind index and middle finger while a band of gold glimmered on the ring finger.
Approaching Gabriel, Jack leaned up to plant a chaste kiss upon the dark chocolate lips, Gabriel fluttering his eyes close and returning the kiss with one of his own before sliding the bouquet into Jack’s hands.
“For Mrs. Morrison,” Gabriel hummed.
“They're beautiful Gabe.” Jack whispered against him. “Mom will love it.”
Breaking apart, the blond lightly placed the flowers on one Juliene Morrison ’s grave - devoted wife, loving mother of two.
A small smile broke across Gabriel’s features, threading his fingers with Jack as the blond rose to his feet once more, pulling the other man closer into his side, scars that resembled shining stars brushing tenderly against each other. A chuckle escaped Jack, a brief squeeze against his palm, a silent message.
“Alright, alright you two,” Another voice grumbled, thick with humour and gravelly deep. “No making out in front of my wife’s grave please - Jack, you should know better!”
“Dad!” The blond whined.
The elderly man that lumbered up to the two chuckled, his once blond hair now a greying silver. He was shorter than Jack, but thicker, hard muscles that were allowed to loosen hung on his arms and around his legs. Unlike Jack, John Morrison had eyes of a pale crystal green, eyes that were reflected on the younger girl supporting the elderly man.
Cecilia Morrison - Jack’s younger sister - was a dainty thing, with long blond hair and wearing a sundress of comforting yellow and white. A white rose corsage was tied to her wrist and another was tied to the straw hat sat on her golden locks. The smile that graced her own features was an exact replica of her brother’s as she gave Gabriel a small nod of greeting.
“I’m glad you could make it brother Gabriel,” She said.
“Glad I could be here,” Gabriel returned smoothly.
“ Ahem, ” John coughed. As everyone turned their eyes to the elderly man, he continued. “Now that we’re all here, I suppose we should tell my dear Juliene who this handsome young lad clinging to Jack is?” Turning to the blushing blond, John smirked. “Son, do you want to start?”
Jack burned an even deeper red, barely lifting his head from where he had buried it in Gabriel’s shoulder before taking a deep breath and turning to his mother’s grave, his hand still tucked firmly in Gabriel’s.
“Hi mom,” Jack began hesitantly, one hand reaching up to scratch the back of his head. “It’s been awhile, how are you? I hope the afterlife is treating you well...” The blond paused, scuffling a foot into the ground. “I uh… I don’t really know how I should say this so here goes,” He huffs deeply, puffing out his chest. “I want to introduce you to someone mom,” half turning to Gabriel, Jack smiled sheepishly before continuing. “This is Gabriel Reyes, he’s my husband . We got married a while back, a small wedding, surrounded by close friends and family...I think you would’ve loved it…”
A dark hand came up to brush lightly against Jack’s blushing cheeks, the younger man looking up into Gabriel’s kind dark eyes and soft, content smile.
Taking a deep shuddering breath, Jack continued. “Dad walked me down the aisle and we said our vows under falling white rose petals - just like you wanted. It was amazing.” He chuckled. “Do you remember Fareeha? Ana’s little girl? She was our ringbearer, you should’ve seen her, she was adorable! Ana herself was Gabe’s best man.”
Silently, Gabriel nudged Jack, a chuckle escaping him. The blond returned his grin with a blinding one of his own.
“I got Angela to be mine,” Jack went on “It was close too. Jesse, Genji and Lena were adamant about being chosen, they even tried to one-up each other - it was really funny. Jesse caught the bouquet during the toss though, he flushed so red I thought he was going to faint or something.”
Jack paused, a pale thumb brushing along the starburst on the back of Gabriel’s hand before looking up into the rich brown eyes. “We’re going on our Honeymoon soon, I thought we’d let you know that things went without a hitch - like you used to say. But… yeah… Everything’s pretty great down here mom, you don’t have to worry about us at all.”
A chuckle rumbled around the assembled. In the following silence, John nudged Gabriel with a slight tilt of his head to the grave - an indication that he could speak if he so wished. Gabriel’s cheeks darkened, and he allowed his eyes to trace over the carving on the stone. He fumbled, as if a cotton ball had inserted itself over his tongue, making it hard to speak. But he persisted, taking a deep breath Gabriel addressed the grave.
“Hello Mrs. Morrison,” Gabriel greeted. “I’m uh… Well, I’m Gabriel.” He paused, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. If he thought about it, this wasn’t too different from talking to his grandparents during the Day of the Dead. Gathering his courage, Gabriel went on “I just want to say that I love Jack...like... a lot .”
A nudge against his shoulder, Gabriel looked down into Jack’s scarlet - and steaming - cheeks. Smiling, he hooked a finger under the blond’s chin so that he could drown in the depths of Jack’s mischievous blue eyes.
“I promise I’ll look after him and protect him,” Gabriel vowed. “To stay and stand beside him through thick and thin...and to love him for as long as the sun continues to shine.”
A dove cooed as he finished his words, flitting into the branches above their heads, white wings flapping to steady itself. It cocked its petite head and cooed once more as four pairs of eyes turned to it, black beady eyes unblinking and trained on the gathering below.
John chuckled “Well that’s a sign if I’ve seen any,” The old man smiled.
Their conversation soon shifted to other things, John’s health, Cecilia’s job as a vet, the four talked, laughed, joked, sharing their stories for Jack’s mother to hear. The dove that had settled into the branches above the grave stayed, fluffing out it’s snow-white feathers and plonking itself down firmly, content.
Gabriel watched from a little ways away as Jack removed the large duffel bag from the back of his father’s truck, slinging the item lightly over his shoulder. The three Morrison’s were exchanging a few last words before Jack was to leave with Gabriel. Wanted as he was by local officials, they had thought it best if the blond just left with Gabriel in his car. From there, it was just going to be a long vacation. No more missions, paperworks, meetings with diplomats who cared about nothing else other than their reputations and above all, no more near-death situations - hopefully.
“It’s quite a sight isn’t it?” A gentle feminine voice commented. “A happily family that is.”
Gabriel half turned from where he had been leaning against an oak, by his side was an elderly lady with salt and pepper hair. She stood tall, with two hands clasped in front of her, her eyes nearly closed, easing the wrinkles that lined her ageing face.
“Y-yeah,” Gabriel stammered. “It is.”
“If you don’t mind me saying,” The elderly woman hummed, a mischievous smirk coming to crinkle her features. “You and the young lad seemed glued at the hip.”
Heat flooded Gabriel’s cheeks and he averted his gaze, a hand coming up to cover his mouth. The last thing he needed was an elderly grandma commenting on all the embarrassing things he should or should not do - Gosh he hoped Jack was nearly done!
“U-um yeah,” Gabriel coughed. “We’re uh-we’re married .”
“I heard,” She chuckled.
Gabriel quirked an eyebrow before standing to face the elder. He hadn’t seen anyone close by when they were speaking. He was pretty sure an old woman wouldn’t pose any threat but one could never be too careful. But before he could speak, the elderly woman had taken Gabriel’s hand in her own wrinkled ones, raising it up to her mostly-closed eyes, a finger gliding over the starburst wound that adorned his hand.
Her smile dimmed, a trembling digit tracing over the raised flesh and healing scar tissue. “Does it hurt?” She asked.
Gabriel blinked, finally catching himself, he shrugged. “A little, I guess…”
The elder hummed, tapping a neatly trimmed nail on the scar. “Jackie’s wound starts acting up when it gets cold but he won’t admit it.” She said.
Gabriel’s eyes widened. “Wait, how do you know about Jack?”
As an answer, the elderly woman opened her eyes. Deep cornflower blue orbs bored into Gabriel’s own dark brown ones, ethereal, ghostly and yet as real as the grip the spirit had on his hand.
“Didn’t think my son got his eyes from his dad now, did you?” Juliene Morrison chuckled.
“Gabe!” Jack called.
Looking away from the spirit, Gabriel noticed Jack making his way over, the duffel bag slung easily over a shoulder. Catching sight of the elderly woman, the blond paused, his eyes widening and jaw falling slack, stunned into place.
“Time for me to go,” Juliene hummed, giving Gabriel’s hand a brief pat before letting go. “I’ll hold you to your promise Gabriel - look after my son.”
With a matronly pointed look, she stepped back. A gust of wind picked up, strong, slapping Gabriel’s blazer against his sides, his arms came up in an attempt to block out the small whirlwind, leaves of orange, red and purple flying into the air. When the wind finally settled and Gabriel had removed his arms from his face, Juliene was gone.
A sharp coo overhead caught his attention and Gabriel looked up just in time to see a dove disappearing into the serene blue sky, white wings flapping gracefully.
A hand timidly slid into Gabriel’s own and the dark man jumped, only heaving a sigh of relief and tightening his hand around Jack’s once he had realised who it was. The blond had a wry smile painted on his pale features.
“I hope she didn’t say anything to scare you,” Jack said hesitantly.
“Just that your own wound starts aching when it’s cold,” Gabriel replied. Lifting Jack’s hand in his own, he planted a kiss to the starburst scar spread along the back of the blond’s right hand.
Jack chuckled, nudging Gabriel playfully until the older man knocked it off, a grin stretched from ear to ear.
“So, are we ready to go, Mr. Reyes?” Jack hummed.
“Anywhere, so long as it’s with you - Mr. Reyes ,” Gabriel replied.
“Any word from dad and papi?” Jesse asked, holding the receiver of his phone close to his lips. The spring winds of Hanamura scattered cherry blossom petals through the air and he watched them, almost lulled to sleep by their soft dance.
“Last I heard, they were entering Romania,” Angela replied, her phone sandwiched between shoulder and ear as she fixed the remaining stitches on the injured boy’s arm. With a smile and a pat, she shooed him out into the warm Yemen afternoon so that she could focus on the conversation at hand.
“Did papi really take that car - the one he was supposed to use for the mission with the informant - that one?” Tracer asked, sipping at her hot mug of lemon tea. Emily was still at work and wouldn’t be home till eight tonight. She could wrap up business here in Gibraltar and be back in time for dinner.
“He painted it over, black with red racing stripes I think.” Genji answered. Shivering, he hunkered down deeper into his shawl. The Nepali winds were still chilly this time of the year, not far away Master Zenyatta was scattering bread crumbs for the native birds that lived high up in the mountains. “Honestly, I’m surprised - I didn’t think papi was the kind to go on a roadtrip.”
Angela giggled. “I think he just never had a reason to before now.”
“Is it actually a road trip or is it a honeymoon - I’m confused?” Tracer interjected.
“Can’t it be both?” Jesse drawled, lifting a clay saucer of warm sake to his lips. The alcohol was crystal clear, gentle down his throat. “Which reminds me; Angie, you haven’t sent me the photos yet.”
“Oh, Herregud ! I’m so sorry Jesse, I’ve been so busy I forgot!” Angela exclaimed.
“Haha, it’s alright Angie.”
“I can send the wedding photos to you Jesse,” Tracer said. “I’ve got some time on my hands after this business.” Even as she looked up from the datapad in her fingers, she smiled as she glanced at the photo propped up in a corner of the messy desk; Dad and Papi sharing a kiss, white rose petals raining from overhead, turning the scene into something akin to a winter wonderland - she could still hear the ringing bells too.
“Says the time-traveller,” Genji chuckled. “Though I’ve been meaning to ask Jesse, how’s Hanamura?”
“The real thing is a lot better,” The gunslinger hummed. “Though the mission is grating on my nerves.”
“My brother may be an assassin but he’s an honourable man - despite everything that has happened,” Genji said. “You and Hanzo will get along fine.”
“Hanzo?” Angela asked, that name rung a bell. “Isn’t he the man that’s been texting Jess---”
“Wooahh-kay there Angie,” Jesse coughed, putting down his saucer.
“You’ve been texting my brother before all this…?” Genji deadpanned, he sounded as if he was ready to take his sword to something.
“Welp look-’it the time,” Jesse spluttered. “I gotta go, talk to you guys soon!”
The line beeped, signalling that the gunslinger had disconnected from the call.
“Oh, I am going to ‘talk’ to him once we meet up again,” Genji insisted. Lifting his head, he noticed Master Zenyatta beckoning him over. “I gotta go too, Master is calling me. Are we still…?”
“Easter holidays,” Tracer affirmed. “We’ll see you in Gibraltar.”
“Understood, take care!”
With that, Genji left the conversation as well, the phone beeping once to signal his departure.
“Easter holidays, that seems so far away.” Angela sighed.
“Aren’t you busy with work too Angie?” Tracer giggled.
“Don’t get me wrong Lena,” The Valkyrie medic huffed. “I love it here; helping the sick and injured, doing what I can... But I just...I miss us, all of us .”
“So do I Angie,” Tracer replied, putting down her datapad to run her fingers along another photo displayed in an elegant wooden frame. The image showed Jack and Gabriel happily holding hands, rings gleaming on their respective fingers. Around them, was arranged their adopted family; Ana, Fareeha and Mr. Amari on Gabriel’s other side, Reinhardt, Torbjörn and Angela on Jack’s. Tracer, Genji and McCree had hogged a spot on the floor, lying down with their legs stretched in the air. Behind them all, on a raised platform, Winston was happily flanked by Gabriel’s grinning family and Jack’s laughing father and sister. Somehow, they had gotten Athena into the photo as well, a screen bearing her blue insignia - with a bowtie under it - glowing in Winston’s hands.
“Ana tells me she’ll set things straight,” Tracer went on, her eyes were stinging, just a little bit. “Once we get the UN back on our side we’ll be able to get back together - all of us. But for now, we’ll lay low, give the world a chance to recover.”
“It must be tough - working for her,” Angela sighed.
“Easier than working for papi actually,” Tracer chuckled. “But I’m alright. The world needs heroes Angie. And until all of you return, I’ll look after Overwatch. I’ll make sure all of you have a home to come back to.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Angela smiled. “I’ll see you during the Easter Holidays, Lena. Be safe.”
And with that the phone beeped, followed by a long toot that signalled the end of the conversation. Removing the phone from her ear, Tracer sighed as she looked at the simple device before putting it down beside her datapad. Straightening herself, she tied her goggles around her neck and snapped the lapels of her pilot jacket roughly. Lifting her wrist to bright brown eyes, she checked her watch.
1800 hours. Time to go.
Exiting the small room that now served as her office in Watchpoint: Gibraltar, she quickly made her way along the narrow catwalk and down the set of stairs into the open space that served as Winston’s lab. The large gorilla was tinkering with a device in his palms, his usually gentle face scrunched up in concentration. Thinking better than to disturb the scientist, Tracer turned to the two figures lounging on a couch in the large lab.
The Reaper was splayed out across the couch, his black coat gently smoking at the edges. Soldier: 76 laid on top of him, his snowy head tucked under the wraith’s chin as he snored softly - his visor and mask laid discarded with his rifle on the floor. On an ungloved hand, a band of gold with a sapphire gem glimmered softly while a starburst scar sat snugly behind index and middle finger. Catching sight of Lena, the wraith lifted a clawed finger to his lips, signalling for quiet before beckoning her over.
As silently as she could manage, Tracer crept to the side of the couch before lowering herself cross legged to the floor. She lifted a hand out to the Reaper and the wraith lifted a smokey tendril, gently tracing words on her dainty palm.
“ How was the call? ” He asked.
“ Good. I think Jesse might be in trouble with Genji .” She wrote back on the smokey-tendril-turned-palm.
Reaper grinned, “ Hanzo will be a good influence on Jesse, mark my words. ”
“ Won’t Genji still try to...you know… ” She made a crazy-angry face and imitated slashing a sword.
“ Genji will be too busy with other things, he just hasn’t realised it yet .”
“ This whole I-know-the-future-and-you-don’t - thing is weird papi, ” Tracer wrote with a pout.
“ Coming from the time-travelling pilot, I’ll happily take that as a compliment ,” The Reaper - Gabriel - smiled. “ But don’t worry, we’ll be gone soon enough and you can go back to what’s important. ”
Tracer frowned, the action not going unnoticed by the wraith.
“ Do you really have to go? ” She asked.
“Lena,” a voice sighed. “You know as well as we do that our own timeline needs us.”
She couldn’t really erase the downturned pucker of her lips as she met Soldier: 76’s - Jack’s - blue eyes. It was still strange, seeing dad as an old man - even if Soldier: 76 was from another time, another life. The wrinkles deeper around his face, framing the two large scars that cut diagonally across his features. His snowy head was still laid on the Reaper’s chest, a clawed finger playing with the silver strands.
“Yeah but…” Tracer trailed off. “You two could be happy here.”
“Lena,” This time it was the wraith that interrupted gently. “We are happy. Our life in our world may not be all sunshine and rainbows but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do it all again, given the chance.”
Lifting the old soldier’s face with a clawed finger, the Reaper smoothed away the wrinkles gently, reverently, his crimson eyes soft as they swept over his lover. 76 smiled in return, a free hand reaching up to interlace fingers with the wraith.
“And just think how the other Lena would react if we ditched her,” Reaper chuckled.
“Alright,” Tracer huffed, folding her arms over her chest. “I suppose we can’t have that.”
“ Ahem ,” a deep voice cleared his throat and the three turned to find Winston not too far away, the device he had been tinkering with held securely in two large hands. “It’s uh…it’s ready.”
Groaning, Soldier: 76 rose off the couch, stretching his arms above his head as his weary bones creaked. In contrast, Reaper flowed soundlessly from the seat, smoke billowing about his trim frame as he picked up the mask and rifle for the soldier. 76 took both, planting a chaste kiss against the wraith’s unmasked face, not even the slightest bit deterred as toothy scars shifted in the ever deteriorating and regenerating skin.
Altogether, they made their way to the center of the room where a small space had been previously cleared. Winston carefully set his device down, the little circular module - glowing a purplish blue at its center - was quick to put down three triangle-shaped legs to hold itself in place. Soldier: 76 and Reaper quietly stood on either side of the device, hands clasped together, breaths nervously rasping in synchronization.
“The Chrono-Transporter should put the two of you back in your own time, back in your own world.” Winston said, inputting coordinates into a nearby console. “I did the best I could but you may appear a little aways from the target destination or--”
“Winston!” Soldier: 76 interrupted, smiling. “It’s alright, we trust you.”
The large scientist adjusted his glasses anxiously, still - a small grin managed to tug at the corners of his mouth. “Alright…Safe journeys.” Taking a deep breath, he murmured “On three.”
3…
Tracer raised a hand to the two, a small knowing smile on her dainty face. “Tell the other Tracer that everything’s going to be ok!”
2 …
“We will!” The Reaper chuckled. 76 raised his free hand, a wave goodbye - to Lena, to Winston. To this life, to this time.
1 …
Reaper glanced over at Soldier: 76, their hands still entwined, starburst scars brushing tenderly against one another. 76’s cornflower blue eyes met his, sparkling with the light of the chrono-transporter, glowing with that same spirit he had come to love after all these years. Roughly, he jerked the other man into a kiss.
Light erupted from the device, enveloping the two men and burning through the room with an eye-searing white. Tracer and Winston were forced to shield their eyes from the sight, a loud high-pitched whistle echoing in their ears, drowning out all other noise. When the room finally cleared, the device lay smoking gently in the middle of the floor.
Soldier: 76 and Reaper were gone.
Bonus:
Gabriel woke with a start, wincing as the light of the early morning sun flooded through the tinted windows of the hovercar. Face scrunched up, he smoothed a hand through his growing curls. Now that he was no longer a ‘working’ Commander, he was allowed to have his hair however he wanted, and he had been meaning to try something else other than a military cut. It was working, more-or-less. Jack liked it, and that was enough for him.
Speaking of Jack, Gabriel craned his neck just enough to spot the golden head of hair resting on his naked chest, a thin blanket covering most of the blond’s body up to his pale ears. Gabriel grinned before dropping his head back onto the car-seat once more. Transfăgărășan Romania, the craziest road he had ever taken the liberty to go for a drive on. They were stopped a ways from the actual winding track, opting to spend the night out in the sprawling wilds with nothing but the stars above them and the tunes beating out of the hovercar’s speakers.
They had cuddled on the hood of the car, kissing each other numb before moving to the spacious backseats, falling together, hands roaming and mapping the curves and routes on each other’s body, tingling with feather light touches on sweat glistening skin. Moans and gasps whispered in time to the beating of each other’s heart and to the songs wafting into the night air. Pushing and pulling, teeth glancing off bruised skin, rocking, careening. Pleasure flaring in the shape of arched backs and searing kisses that ended in soundless ‘oh’s. A flapping blanket twisted around shuffling bodies before curling about one another, chest to chest, heart to heart as the night wove into their eyes, filled with shimmering stars, endless galaxies and gentle dreams.
Gabriel smiled, trailing a finger through Jack’s golden hair. The sun continued its journey across the cloudless blue sky, casting long morning shadows to the calls of waking birds. The seconds ticked past, and he sighed. For once he did not push or pull on time, for once he let the seconds stream through his fingers as they will, satisfied to just watch as they flowed away. He was finally content, time was with him, and his life, his love was with him.
Underneath his fingers, Jack shifted, the golden head raising to cast a bleary-eyed look at Gabriel from under tousled blond hair. The soft cornflower blue of his eyes could just be seen from under heavy lids, his pink lips puckered into a pout against the glare of the sun, stretching the two faded scars that crossed his pale features. And Gabriel chuckled, running a knuckle along the sides of Jack’s face, before drawing them together in a kiss, skin against skin, locking teeth and tongue together like well-fitting puzzle pieces, fingers tangling together, a band of silver and a band of gold flashing in sync as the sun glanced off their polished surfaces.
“Happy Valentines mi amor ,” Gabriel whispered against delicate pink lips.
“Happy Valentines my love,” Jack echoed, smiling.
xxx