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It was Christmas Eve and the streets of Zurich were bustling with people, with last minute shoppers and tourist. Couples and families were walking down the sidewalk, arm in arm, hand in hand. Families were out taking in the sights of the snow falling in large flakes, of the lights that were hanging between all the buildings, twinkling in the night sky over the streets. The white lights were fitted over the buildings and around windows. The scent of baked goods filled the street, mixing with the scent of fir and the cool crisp of snow.
Jack was bundled up, all the labels and patches of Overwatch were gone, letting him be just Jack. He walked down the street towards the hotel he and Gabriel had booked for the holiday. He knew he was late, but Gabriel would forgive him. Gabriel was just getting back from a two week long mission up in Siberia and was meeting him in the hotel. The blonde slipped into the hotel and started towards the elevator, he dug his phone out of his pocket and shot a text to Gabriel letting him know he was on his way up. He leaned back against the wall and adjusted his travel bag on his shoulder. They would have the holidays together, the first time in almost 4 years. The blonde smiled gently as he felt the elevator stop.
No work.
No phone calls or email.
Just the two of them in a luxury hotel for the next three days, Jack couldn’t wait for the downtime. The UN had been coming down on Overwatch, making his job a PR nightmare, but at least he was in a warm building, unlike Gabriel who had been stuck in Siberia. The blonde planned on spoiling him, helping him warm up and relax.
The Elevator stopped and Jack grinned to himself as the doors opened and he stepped out. There was only a short hallway and then a massive double door. Usually he gave into Gabriel’s wishes to lay low and stay humble, but this year he had convinced him to let them spend a bit more on themselves. Jack didn’t mind spending the money on them, they had enough. It was nice, he had come from nothing, a poor, failing farm in Bloomington and had become one of the Heroes of the Omnic Crisis and now the Strike Commander of Overwatch, but Gabriel kept him honest.
Pushing open the door, Jack was stepped into the suite. The soft scent of pinecones and cinnamon filled the room. Jack closed the door behind him and easily locked the door behind him.
“Gabriel?” Jack called out as he lifted one of his boots and started to untie it, “I’m here.”
No answer.
It didn’t bother Jack though, he knew that Gabe was either showering or he had fallen asleep. Either way, they were safe in the suite. With his boots off, Jack walked further through the small living room and paused. There hadn’t been anything about a Christmas tree…or decorations when he booked the room…or..
A soft chuckle escaped the blonde as he gazed around the room. A decorated Christmas tree was in the corner, lights on and tastefully decorated. It was different than the trees that were downstairs, full of color and fun ornaments, which meant Gabriel had gotten to it and somehow had gotten the staff to allow the tree. It didn’t surprise Jack in the least. In an addition to the tree, Jack found poinsettia arrangements on the coffee and dinner table. Garland was strung across the fireplace, there were more lights, decorations strung about in it.
The suite smelled warm, it smelled like Christmas.
It meant that Gabriel had been there for a few hours at least.
Jack moved into the bedroom, finding armor, boots, and clothes folded and put away, very militaristic. So he was in the bathroom then. Grinning, Jack started to unzip his winter jacket and tossed it to the bed and started for the bathroom, “Babe?”
“Shower.” Came the smooth, rich voice over the rush of the shower.
“Then you better make room.” Jack said as he easily stripped out of his clothes.
“If you come in and try and hold me after you just walked,” the last word emphasized, “4 miles from Base to the Hotel-“
“It’s not that far.”
“It’s snowing, Jackass.” Gabe deadpanned.
“I know that, Jerkface.” Jack rolled his eyes lovingly as he stepped into the shower, “But, It’s been so long since I saw you.” He play whined as he wrapped his arms around Gabriel from behind.
“Christ! Jackson!” Gabriel all but shrieked as Jack’s long, strong and very cold arms wrapped around him.
Jack pressed as much of himself up against Gabriel’s shower warmed body as he could. He snuggled against his neck.
“Stop it!”
“I missed you, and you shun my love?”
“You’re cold! I just got warm!”
Jack pressed a kiss to Gabriel’s cheek and took pity on him and pulled his arms away, “How was Siberia?”
“How do you think?” Gabriel asked as he stepped back into the warm spray of the shower, and ran his fingers through his dark hair, it was just long enough for the top to curl, the sides shaved up into a fade, “Cold, miserable, but we got the job done.”
“And you?” Jack asked as he watched the watch wash over the dark skin, admiring how it cascaded and rolled over the muscles.
“You know me.”
“Mhm..” Jack hummed in a knowing way as he raised a brow and switched spots with Gabriel and slipped under the spray, “How’re your shoulders doing?”
“Ache..” Gabriel admitted, “Your knee?”
“Oh you know me, clicking and popping and needing to be replaced.”
“Still don’t want to be the bionic man, huh?” Gabe asked with a teasing grin.
“Robocop is overrated.” Jack said as he started washing his hair, “I’ll tough it out.”
Gabe let out a gentle laugh as he stepped close to Jack and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “My stubborn man.” He said, “Dinner is in the oven.”
“You cooked?” Jack asked surprised as he opened his eyes and looked over to Gabriel, watching as he stepped out of the shower, “We’re in a hotel!”
“I’m not paying for room service when I’m fully capable of making my own food!”
Jack made a slight face, not because Gabriel had made them food, but because he had cooked when he could have just relaxed and picked something off the menu. He sighed slightly as he finished up his shower and turned the water off. Stepping out of the shower, Jack grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself, “What did you make?” He asked he started to dry himself off.
“It’s Christmas Eve, what do you think I made?” Gabriel asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and started to slip on his thick, fleece lined socks.
“Baby,” Jack laughed gently, “You’re supposed to let me spoil you, not work the entire time.” He said as he grabbed a second, smaller towel and vigorously rubbed it over his hair and then let it hang over his shoulders.
“It’s tradition, cabrón.” Gabriel reminded as he stood up, pulling on more fleece lined long johns and then track pants over top, “And you love it.”
“Mm, I smelled the Tamales.” Jack said as he started to throw the towel on the bed. Gabriel caught it and threw it back to the blonde.
“Bathroom, not the bed.”
“You’re not my father.” Jack rolled his eyes and as he took off the towel around his waist and threw it at Gabe’s face, who naturally caught it.
“Huh, someone doesn’t want Buñuelos.”
“I take it back.” Jack said simply as he took the towels away from Gabriel and threw them into the bathroom without even looking at it, “Wet towels go in the bathroom, and I get Buñuelos.”
Gabriel hummed his approval and let Jack lean in to press a kiss to his lips, “Finish drying off and help me put this stupid kinesiology tape on.” He said waving the black role of support tape.
Jack’s brows furrowed slightly as he reached for his bag and started to open it up, “That bad?” He asked.
“Only my left one.” Gabe sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed at his aching left shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” The blonde apologized as he stepped into his boxer briefs and pulled them on. He took the tape from Gabriel and started to pull out the strips that he needed to help support his partner’s shoulder. He rubbed at the joint first, feeling the warm skin and muscle beneath. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the aching joint and wished he could help take away the pain more.
“Does your knee need any?”
“Nah, I was planning on keeping my feet up.” Jack said as he started to set the tape, “You saw the fire place out there, right?”
“You know I did.” Gabriel smirked as he double checked the tape before he grabbed his zip up and slipped into it.
Jack reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle, “Hey, I found us some 30 year old scotch-“
“You mean you picked it up from the Scottish Prime Minister’s office-“
“It was a gift-“
“A gift he didn’t know he gave.” Gabriel said as he rolled his eyes and got up from the bed, “I’ll get the glasses.” He smirked regardless of knowing that the scotch was stolen, he reached over and took the bottle from the blonde.
Jack chuckled as he started to dress. He leaned over to look out of the bedroom, he saw Gabriel moving into the kitchen, zipping up his hoodie as he went. Good, Jack smirked as he grabbed his hoodie and socks and slipped out of the bedroom, “Hey, would you get after me if we mixed Buñuelos with scotch?”
“No.” Gabriel said as he set the glasses down on the counter, three fingers worth of scotch and a single ice cube in each. He opened up the microwave and pulled out a plate, that had the pastry fritter stacked on them and set them on the conter, “Because that’s what I was planning on doing.” He smirked as he slid the warm plate between them.
“This is why I love you.” Jack said as he picked up the glass and took a sip, “Mhm..good stuff.”
“Not like the last bottle he gave us.” Gabriel smirked as he picked up a Buñuelo and took a bite, “Tasted like liquid smoke.”
Jack chuckled, “And listening him drone on and on about it being a peat bog Scotch.” He added as he reached for a Buñuelo. He took a bite and hummed appreciatively, “I don’t know what I do without your cooking.”
“Eat corn.” Gabriel teased with a knowing grin before he sipped his scotch.
“Always the comedian.” Jack teased as he leaned closer to Gabriel and caught his lips and held them for a long moment, “Love you, Jerkface.”
“I love you too, Jackass.” Gabriel murmured against Jack’s lips before he caught them one more time, “Now, put your damn socks on. I’m not letting you put your cold feet on me later.”
“Why do you always take the fun out of it?”
“Why do you insist on being a 5 year old?”
“I’m 6 actually.” Jack said as he reached for his socks, “Cradle robber.”
“I’m only 3 years older than you.” Gabriel said as he started to pull the rest of their dinner out.
Jack watched on, his eyes roaming over Gabriel and how he moved in the kitchen, it was effortless and graceful. But despite the gracefulness and how fluidly he moved through a battle field, how effortlessly he made it look to create a battle plan, he knew that Gabriel was tired, but so was he. They had talked about retirement, they had talked about leaving Overwatch and moving back to LA. Jack had no attachments to Bloomington, and Gabriel was still close with his family. It only made sense for them to go there.
But what they wanted to do once they got there?
Jack still wasn’t entirely sure. They had thrown around some ideas but they hadn’t settled on anything concrete, but that didn’t matter to Jack. He just knew that if they were going to step down and retire, they’d do it together. They’d build a home together, they’d walk the beach together, argue over paint color and how to arrange the furniture in the living room.
Reaching into his pocket, Jack took a deep breath and sank down to one knee, which cracked loudly.
The sound caught Gabriel’s attention, and he turned to look at him an eyebrow raised before he all but froze, “What..are you doing?”
“Gabriel..” Jack started as he opened the small ring box he had hidden in his sweats, “We’ve been through everything-“
“Jackie..”
“SEP, War..Overwatch.”
“Oh my god..” Gabriel breathed out in a rush.
“Would you make me the happiest man in the world if..” Jack paused and drew in another breathe, “Retire-“
“Yes! W-..Qué?!”
Jack smirked, almost wickedly, “You didn’t let me finish.” He said as he held a hand out for Gabriel to take, “Always so twitchy on the trigger.” He teased as he drew Gabe a step closer.
“Jackson-“
“Oh, man, twice in an evening, I’m on a roll-“
“Pendejo, I swear to God if you-“
“Hold on, Sparky.” Jack was quick to reassure him as he waved the box a little to bring Gabriel’s attention back to it and gave his held hand a soft squeeze, “So, Gabriel, would you take the next step with me, retire and marry me?” He asked, his blue eyes searching the warm, chocolate orbs.
“Yes…” Gabriel breathed out, “Yes!” He took another half step forward and let his calloused fingers cup Jack’s cheek, his thumb brushing over his cheekbone. Jack stood up, tilting his face into the soft touch. Gabriel smiled as he drew Jack to him and gave him a loving, soft kiss, “Jackass.”
Jack chuckled low in his chest, “Jerkface.” He hummed back as he reached into the box and pulled out titanium band and easily slipped it on to Gabriel’s ring finger, “But you’re my jerkface.” He said as he gave him one more kiss.
Gabriel grinned as he gazed back at the blue eyes he fell in love with years and years ago, “Merry Christmas, Jackson.”
“Merry Christmas, Gabriel.”