Chapter Text
He remembered the body on the day his whole world finally collapsed. He was the first to see it. The body of Gabriel Reyes laid peacefully in the rubble of the base. The shock of the explosion killed him. At least that’s what official papers would say. But as he lied on his back, the truth was in full view.
A blue rose was displayed proudly in full bloom over the dead man’s heart. Greenery had bound itself on the corpse, buds of more blue roses threatening to bloom. In a scene filled with smoke and destruction and death, the bright green and the dazzling blue brought in a somewhat beautiful contrast of life.
Like flowers over a grave.
Tears fell from Jack Morrison’s face. He did nothing to stop them and did nothing to encourage them. He couldn’t cry out his pain. He just let them flow freely, much like a stream rather than a waterfall.
Why…Why did it have to be him?
Symptoms he thought was for something like TB, or even lung cancer (if Gabriel smoked, which Jack wasn’t sure if he ever did), was for something far worse than any other sickness.
It sounded like something out of a fairy tale, the way the good doctor explained it to him. The doctor in question, Angela Zeigler, was trying to comfort the grieving soldier before his fallen comrade. She called it “Hanahaki”. It’s said to be contracted by those so deeply in love with someone that does not reciprocate those feelings back, it causes flowers to bloom in their bodies.
“It sounds completely made up.”
“How else would you end up with an impossible flower, sir?”
She reached over to Gabriel’s body. She gently picked the rose in full bloom, taking a little of the stem with it (sans thorns, thankfully). Despite the destruction around it, it retained its vibrant color and beauty. She offered it to Jack, giving him a glum smile.
“Take it. I believe was always yours.”
There was nothing he could say. He honestly didn’t believe her. She must’ve been delusional. Still, he accepted the rose out of respect for the man it grew out of.
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you, doc…”
“Not much I can do about it, sir. Just tell you my opinions…But, if I may ask, what will you do now?”
“…I need to get away. Whoever did this will be checking to see if I’m alive. If this is a terrorist attack, it’s best to let everyone think I’m already dead.”
“And Gabriel?”
“…If there is anything you can do for him…Now is the time to do it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good luck out there, Angela.”
“And you, too, sir. Please take care of yourself.”
During the first year, Jack kept himself in denial. He said things to himself such as “This whole thing is a dream, and I will wake up in the Medbay.” Of course, every time he woke up, he found the blue rose in his pocket. Things like “There was no way to know it was for me!” Once again, he was completely wrong. He was told so after their last mission.
“Te amo…”
Year two was filled with anger. He would make whoever did this pay. The explosion, and taking his best friend away from him. He would find who destroyed Overwatch and make them suffer for daring to go against him. He would make sure that they will be begging for death when he was finished with them.
But, no matter how angry he was, it would never bring back his old friend. And for all of year three, he tried to bargain. He started thinking about the things he would do if he could get another day with Gabriel. A day where he could answer all of his questions. A day to tell his old friend that he was so sorry. Jack would do anything to take Gabriel’s place. For him to be the one to have died that day, and Gabriel to be the one to have survived.
And the survivor’s guilt was heavy. The next few years were filled with depression. He had failed his friends. He failed the world. A world that turned against him despite doing everything he could for it. He never wanted to sit back and be idle as the world tore itself apart around him. And while he watched the world break, something got inside their ranks. Something that costed him everything. They took everything from him. Everything and everyone. They took Gabriel from him. The man that knew something was wrong, but he was too stubborn to listen.
It’s been six years since the explosion. Six years, and he had yet to truly accept his loss. Though, he had good reason.
The rose still retained its initial beauty.
A rich blue color that you can never find out in nature. A rose born out of a love so strong, it transcends what science tells is impossible. A rose that, despite being cut from its roots, maintains itself as if it were still part of a whole plant. Where normal roses only last weeks off of the roots, this one persevered six years of fire from war. If a petal fell off, it would reappear as if nothing happened the moment you looked away.
Like a love that persisted beyond the grave.
And Jack believed that his old friend was still alive. That the good doctor managed to save the dead man.
He spent six years thinking about Gabriel Reyes. Six years of replaying almost every moment he can remember, wishing he could take back the moments he turned his back from the man.
And in those six years, he realized that not only did the man loved him for over twenty years, but maybe…just maybe…he still loved him. Wherever he may be, the rose of his heart still survived.
And maybe…just maybe…the old soldier had fallen in love with a dead man walking.