Chapter Text
All of his hard work, all of his dedication and effort, it had all led up to this. To him sitting there, by himself, in the back corner of an overcrowded mess hall trying to ignore the other rowdy soldier wannabes as they filed in. He scowled at them as he jabbed at his food absently with a fork, his stomach twisting unhappily. He tried to guess how long each soldier would last in the field.
Brute near the front of the line, he gave a month if he could keep from running straight into enemy fire. Scrawny he gave a year if he had any brains, he'd be useful if he did. But toward the very end of the line stood a guy he couldn't even give a day.
He was all soft features and hunched shoulders, eyes downcast and clothes almost ill fitting. The fresh haircut and poor posture screamed newbie, as did the anxious lines around the mouth.
He watched the newbie get jostled by one of bullies they had the unfortunate pleasure of being stationed with, his jaw tightening as he stood up. He made his way over, casual as he could manage, and got in line.
The new kid was a blond, and even softer up close. He had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. He gave him six hours.
"Hey watch it!" Newbie snapped at the man who bumped into him, shooting him a glare with piercing eyes.
He was sneered at, the bully standing tall over the kid. "You talking to me, runt?"
“Yes, I am.”
"You better watch your back, runts like you don't last a week."
The newbie straightened his back, staring down his nose at the bully in front of him. "I invite you to try. You're just scared of a runt besting you."
The brute's hand curled into a fist and he loomed over the blond, glaring down at him with fire in his eyes. "You want to go?"
"I can take you. At least I'm not afraid of losing!"
The bully swung first, and that was when he stepped in, reaching past the newbie to catch the flying fist.
"Can we not get blood on the tiles? It's a bitch to clean," he said flatly, raising a brow.
The newbie snorted at the words. "Thanks," he said, loud enough for Gabriel to hear but quiet enough that the bully wouldn't.
"Stay out of it, Reyes," the bully spat, jerking his hand free.
"Back down, Kavanagh, before I break your nose. Again."
The newbie shuffled on his feet. "I'm done with you, Kavanagh. I want my food."
Gabriel brushed past the man, motioning for the kid to follow him.
He did, following two steps behind him as a subordinate normally would.
"What's your name, kid?"
"Morrison, sir. Jack Morrison."
He fought down the urge to roll his eyes. "Reyes, Gabriel. When'd you enlist?"
"Couple years ago."
"Really?" He stared down at the blond.
"Yeah," Jack answered, running a hand through his buzzed hair.
"You look like you're straight out of high school."
"What? No I don't!" he huffed.
"You're baby faced," he pointed out. "And tiny."
"We can't all be born with facial hair," Jack snapped with a frown, shoulders hunching forward.
Gabriel laughed, trying to cover it with a cough.
"Hey I heard that!" Jack's lips curled up into a small smile.
"You heard nothing," he said back, though he didn't fight a smile of his own. "Get your food, you're sitting with me."
"Do I have a choice?"
"Sure, you can sit with me or you can sit with that asshole."
"Well when you put it that way..." he trailed off, dashing off to get back in line for his food.
He stood back to wait, tapping his fingers off the side of his leg.
It didn't take much longer for Jack to return, tray in hand with the washed out looking food. He managed to squeeze into a chair beside Gabriel, joining him in his corner.
He went back to brutalizing his own meal, not really trying to eat.
Jack watched, half heartedly eating his food.
"What made you sign up, Morrison?"
"The military offered some benefits I wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. Also gave me a chance to get away from small town life," he answered.
He nodded. "I get it."
Jack smiled. "I'm glad. Some people here don't. Kavanagh clearly joined to show he's a man's man. When in reality he probably hasn't come to terms with the fact he's gay or something."
Gabriel choked on a mouthful of food, grinning widely at Jack as soon as he could breathe.
"What!?"
"Oh, you'll fit right in here, kid."
Jack shot him a dejected look. "I'm not a kid."
He rolled his eyes. "Fine, Morrison."
Jack smirked. "See? Not that hard."
"There's a reason I sit in a back corner by myself," he said flatly.
"Because you'll laugh at my attempts at a joke and don't want to interrupt anyone?"
He worked his jaw, stunned to silence. A moment later and he was shaking his head, laughing under his breath.
Jack smiled, blue eyes sparkling.
"So, Jack," Gabriel started, resting an elbow on the table, leaning in slightly. "Are you gay?"
Jack laughed. "What makes you ask that?"
"Just curious." He dropped his shoulder and turned back to his tray, eyeing his food before pushing it away. He wasn't hungry.
"I'm actually bisexual," Jack answered, finishing off what was on his plate with a grimace.
He nodded. "Good to know. "You done eating?"
"Hey how come I don't get something from you for me answering that question?"
He glanced over as he climbed to his feet, picking up the tray on his way. "Why would you want to know?"
"An answer for an answer," Jack responded.
"You don't want to know. And I never agreed to that." He started toward the trash.
"What do you mean I don't want to know? You can't just ask me something personal like my sexuality and then when I return the favour you get cold feet!"
He groaned. "I'm bi, you happy?"
"See, that wasn't hard." Jack crossed his arms.
"Sure. See you 'round."
He left the mess hall, mood soured.