Action

[passedover]

[It’s morning. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and there are two new arrivals around town who seem convinced that something very suspicious is going on here. Dressed in what can only be described as tactical gear, they’re clearly some kind of military, and appear to be acting accordingly. In a situation like this, the best course of action is obviously to fall back on instinct in an attempt to get to the bottom of whatever this is supposed to be. For these two, that means proceeding with caution.

Clearly there’s nothing questionable about two men carrying big guns through farms and fields, speaking to each other quietly as if to keep from being overheard. Keeping together, never straying far from the other, or lingering too long in a single area. Not at all questionable, or scary, or yeah no what are these two idiots doing.

They’re doing recon, of course! And they’re fairly thorough about it, methodically searching, poking around, overturning anything that looks questionable and possibly pointing guns at it. Was that thing yours? Sorry, it’s being inspected now. Do you live in this house? No problem, they’re just going to check around back. See or experience anything strange during your stay? No? Are you sure?

Or maybe you just come across them while going about your business. They’re obviously friendly with each other, even if they’re regarding everything else with some degree of wariness. It seems like a great idea to approach, if only to ask what the heck they think they’re doing.]

(ooc: It’s a two for one deal with Jack strikecommand and Gabriel passedover. We’ll both be replying to all threads unless otherwise requested.)

Comments

[deadouttalock]

[So Jack and McCree have already run into each other, maybe they did a little recon and scouting around of their own before McCree talked Jack into checking out the plot of farmland assigned to him. The hesitation was understandable, who wanted to formally accept something that didn't really feel like your own when you knew you had a home somewhere else already? Somewhere... across time and space and useless bus schedules, apparently.

Jack's farmhouse and barn were in pretty decent shape, certainly livable, but the lands themselves were a mess. Patches of grass and weeds were overgrown in thick patches, some waist-high. Fallen trees and brush cluttered up the entire area. Tree roots gnarled up old cobble-stone walking paths, what little bits were able to be identified as such. Wood fences stood, amazingly, but were overgrown with vines and what appeared to be the only salvageable current food growing wild on the property--corn. Lots of corn.

Work needed to be done, and neither Jack or McCree were to eager to start. Jack proposed some more scouting, told him he'd be back in a while. That was fine, McCree just wanted to sit and have a smoke for a while. A while turned into boredom, boredom turned into a restlessness he didn't know what to do with.

Whenever Jack and Gabe come back they'll find McCree, surprisingly, casually clearing out the barn and its upper loft.]

[passedover]

[At some point during all of the two person recon Jack was of course going to come back to the plot of land.

Just likely wasn't expected that right there with him would be Gabriel. Maybe they didn't find what had been gone back out to piece together, but it wasn't exactly coming back empty-handed. Familiar face could do a whole lot of good when it came to messes like this.

Probably.

Which would be why Reyes stopped by the open barn door—]

You actually get McCree to work, or is he doing this on his own.

[Juuust loud enough to be heard from the upper loft.]

[strikecommand]

[Yeah, perhaps he should have warned McCree before bringing Gabriel back to the house, but he's been a little caught up in the fact that he found Gabriel in the first place. It does nothing to lessen his paranoia, but if all of this is real, Jack has at least two people here he can trust, and that's much better than nothing.

He's still a little wary of the fact that he's been given a plot of land, but if they're going to be here a while, they might as well make do with it. He's surprised to find that work has been done upon their return, and there's only one culprit. Jack peers inside the barn.]

He must be bored.

[Said loud enough for McCree to hear from the loft, of course. Admittedly, it's not what Jack expected either, but he can't say he's complaining.]

Jesse, I'm back.

[And he brought. A friend.]

[deadouttalock]

[McCree spins around as soon as he's called out, like he'd been caught doing something so scandalous as actual work...! More startling is that the voices that call out to him are now not one but two, and very familiar to him. He's simultaneously relieved to hear them both, yet one of them also effortlessly manages to send a mild sense of dread and excitement racing down his spine.

Gabe's here.

More importantly, now he's stuck in the precarious hell that is trying to decide what to do--admitting he's clearing out the loft of his own free will means he's going to be suckered into doing more of it because, hey, he volunteered, but trying to deny he's doing anything at all, well uh... that's going to be a hard sell.]

I'm just--[abort abort abort] I just wanted to see what was up here, that's all...!

[n a i l ed i t]

Where the hell'd you find Gabe? [Fortunately Gabriel's existence provided for an easy and immediate subject change. There's a beat, like he'd ask this regardless if his first question was answered or not.]

Better question--why'd you bring him back?

[passedover]

He likes me better, and I can deal with you easier.

[Why let Jack simply answer that second question directed at him when Gabriel could roll out with a sarcastic yet joking answer instead?

Besides, Jack's comment already sunk McCree's attempt to act as if he was just seeing what was going on up there. Knew damn well what Jesse was like when he was caught doing any sort of actual work when not being asked to do it. Very likely boredom indeed in a place like this.]

Get on down here, unless you want to go ahead and finish the job you started.

[What a 'nice' surprise.]

[strikecommand]

He came on the bus.

[SURPRISE MCCREE. It's entirely possible that Jack is delighting in this reunion, though of course he doesn't show it on his face. Now that Gabriel has made himself known, he takes a step back, not wanting to intrude on this quality commander-subordinate time.

He will, however, let Jesse know how things are going to play out, now that Gabe is here.]

I figured he could stay here.

[And it's Jack's farm, so he gets to make the rules.]

[deadouttalock]

[He mutters something under his breath and then half-hangs over the wooden rail of the loft. Fine, he'll come down but he's going to get a couple of smart-ass words in first.]

I was perfectly content babysitting Jack all by my lonesome.

[He comes down the stairs at a brisk pace, spurs jingling in tune with old creaking wood.]

Yeah, okay, but where? [Jack did you give Gabe a house tour yet... where's everybody sleeping so McCree knows where to bust in inappropriately.]

[passedover]

[Well that was a snort, easy enough of a laugh as hands rested just a Gabriel's hips. Belts or not.]

I'm sure you were. Now you only have to worry about when you're going to be put to some actual work.

[At least there was another familiar face that he trusted around, much as he could do with just Jack there.]

Just walked up here.

[House tour time? Maybe.]

[strikecommand]

[Jack hasn't done much around the house, mostly because if he does, that makes all of this real. Now that Gabriel is here, however, and Jesse seems to be amenable to staying, he's going to have to do something about the sleeping arrangements.]

There are two bedrooms.

[Which he and Jesse were certainly making use of--now they just have to figure out how to accommodate one other person.]

I can take the couch for now.

[deadouttalock]

Can you even fit on that old thing?

[Not that McCree was significantly smaller, but he was slightly smaller; both Jack and Gabe had a lot more muscle mass and SEP and bulk behind them so he can only imagine Jack fitting less than comfortably on that couch.

McCree's not about to offer himself up to the couch, not when he's just started to get used to sleeping in a nice bed, but he's also gotten used to the idea of having some privacy. That's going to be utterly ruined with Jack and Gabe traipsing around the house.

In fact, the more he thought about it, the idea of having some real privacy for once in his life started to sound massively appealing--like up there in the barn loft. Far away enough for that but not too far he'd be completely alone. He'd have to figure out a way to deal with the heat, however. He'll keep that card to his chest and see what Gabe has to say first.]

[passedover]

The couch.

[Merely repeated, an eyebrow arched rather high for a brief moment— or not so brief. Of course Jack would offer to take the couch, simply because it was Jack goddamn Morrison.

Be far, far to easy to sacrifice Jesse to the couch. Even jokingly, for a variety of reasons Gabriel could offer up just as dryly and there's little doubt that it's something expected. More so with the way he had shot Jesse a Look for a moment.

Gaze went right back to Jack, arms folded across his chest with a slight roll of eyes.]

Be easier for us to share the bed, rather than you trying to sleep on a couch.

[He was not going to offer to take the couch, instead suggesting Jack share the bed with him. Dead serious.]

[deadouttalock]

[McCree catches that look and one of his eyebrows goes up, though he says nothing. No doubt Gabe was thinking the exact same thing was, though his suggestion to remedy it was a little unexpected.

McCree makes a gurgled snort and covers his mouth. HE'S TRYING NOT TO LAUGH AT THE IDEA. He's only half-trying.]

[strikecommand]

[Jack immediately balks at the suggestion, though not necessarily for the reason anyone might think. McCree's reaction certainly doesn't help.]

This isn't basic, Gabe.

[Possibly that implies something about their time in basic training, but Jack of course doesn't elaborate further.]

The couch is fine until we can make some alterations to the house. There's no reason we can't put up a wall in the living room.

[Eventually.]

[passedover]

[That would be a light smack at the back of McCree's head. More a light 'knock it off' than anything else. Gabriel didn't even turn his head.]

This isn't basic, but I doubt you'd fit on the couch in a way that won't have you waking up with an ache in your back.

[Reason that he sure as hell wasn't going to sacrifice himself to the couch, either.]

So unless you want Jesse to either sleep on the couch or out in the barn, sharing the bed with me is a better compromise. Not like we haven't shared a sleeping space before.

[deadouttalock]

[Thwap! He hisses and rubs the back of his head like it actually hurt. It didn't, of course. He's probably grown an extra layer of skin back there by now.]

You think I want the couch either? [He'd take to it better than either of them but given other options he thinks he'll definitely take them.] I'll take the loft in the barn.

[The thwap managed to cull his witty remarks, just not entirely, coming out more like a muttered afterthought.]

Better not hear ya'll snoring in sync all the way out there.

[passedover]

You're not sleeping in the loft of the barn, McCree. You're also not taking the couch.

[This isn't his house, but it damn well sounded like Gabriel was putting hi foot down.

Try to make a joke of sacrificing Jesse, mostly because he didn't think Jack would consider kicking the kid out to that.]

[deadouttalock]

[Man, how dare he be talked to like a child!!! So, naturally, he's going to pout and whine like one.]

What else then? Have me sandwiched between both of you on the bed?

[It's mean to be a jab, a joke, but the way he almost stutters on that last words betrays how his imagination runs seriously with the idea. They probably sleep in only their civvies... He has to fight to keep from letting blood rush to his face and to keep from letting sweat want to collect on his brow.

Either way, he can not imagine how he can possibly stick his foot in his mouth even more.]

[passedover]

[Well, now Gabriel had his head tilted to give McCree a look, arms still folded there across his chest. Oh, he knew what it was meant to be, corner of his mouth twitching a bit.]

You get to keep the spare bedroom to yourself.

[There were likely a lot of ways that McCree could get that foot shoved in deeper. A whole lot deeper.]

Wouldn't think you'd have a problem with that one. Am I wrong?

[strikecommand]

[Jack watches the back and forth for a few long moments before interjecting, throwing up his hands in frustration.]

I'll sleep in the barn.

[And he looks like he's going to make good on it too, opting to stomp out of the room rather than sit here and listen to Gabriel and Jesse bicker about the arrangement.]

[passedover]

[—Aaaaaand he's honestly not surprised.

Gabriel sighed as he had turned his attention to Jack at throwing his hands and just, yeah. Glanced back at McCree with a slight wave of his hand, not a dismissal and not telling him to wait there, but to just give him a few minutes.

Of course Gabriel was going to fallow after Stompy McStomperson.]

Jack.

[deadouttalock]

[Once Jack and Gabe dip out of the room he heaves out a sigh, unaware he'd been holding in his breath the entire time he'd spent not answering Gabe. He's spared, for now. McCree's tempted to bolt and go claim the loft anyway out of obstinace but it's not often he gets a chance to hear Jack and Gabe get into it. Usually they duck into their respective offices... here and now there's only thin wooden walls separating them.

He casually leans on the wall and eavesdrops with little shame.]

[strikecommand]

[Jack is fully aware that McCree is eavesdropping, so he tries to pick his words carefully, even as he folds his arms and sounds more than a little perturbed.]

This is getting a little ridiculous.

[passedover]

[Gabriel would be more surprised if McCree weren't eavesdropping, they tended to keep a lot of things private for one reason or another. Arms crossed loosely, for the moment.]

Is it? What's more ridiculous, me not wanting you to take a couch in a house that's apparently yours, or not wanting you or McCree sleeping out in a barn.

[Words firm as usual, but his back was towards the door, leveling a different sort of Look at Jack.]

[strikecommand]

[Jack finds most of his frustration stemming from the fact that Gabriel is most certainly going to get his way, but he's not entirely sure to what end he's pushing this. He's trying not to get too into it with McCree certainly listening around the corner, so he lowers his voice and takes a few deep breaths.]

It's really not a big deal, Gabriel.

[passedover]

Humor me.

[It's easy enough to keep his own voice lowered, neutral. How many years of practice did he have in it with far more dire situations than some silly little argument with a rambunctious cowboy and his best friend?

Hell, it was half out of paranoia at suddenly being here, not trusting the damned house itself, and some need that crept out when those combined.]

Barn is off limits, weather and the fact it's outside and far enough away no one could hear anything. [No really, there's that paranoia.] But the couch, really?