starhuevalley | Action

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Action

[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.)

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[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.

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.]

Edited 2018-07-15 04:31 (UTC)

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.]

[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.]

Edited 2018-07-15 04:54 (UTC)

[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.]

[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.

[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.

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.]

[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.]

Edited 2018-07-18 05:47 (UTC)

[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?

[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.]

[—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.

[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.]

Edited 2018-07-18 22:53 (UTC)

[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.

[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.]

[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.

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?

The couch is fine. I've slept in worse places.

[Mostly he doesn't want to make things awkward for himself, uncomfortable as he is in a situation like this, his mind on everything that he should be doing back home. He can only imagine what Gabriel is feeling, but he's always been the better of the two of them at hiding his feelings.]

It's just until I remodel the house a little.

We both have.

[Very clear acknowledgement of it. Part of the point was he didn't have to, yet there he was sacrificing himself to the couch of a very strange house he'd been given.

Didn't sit well, but it was still what it was.]

You say that now, but things don't always go according to plan. Hell, a bedroom floor could be better on your back compared to how twisted you could get trying to fit on that to sleep.

We'll talk about this later.

[That's as much concession as Gabriel is going to get for now, and Jack nudges his head in the direction of the wall, where McCree is most certainly listening on the other side.]

Let Jesse sleep wherever he wants.

[Even if that place is the barn.]

[Gabriel could easily push it, that scowl turned into more of a frown for a moment before so easily sinking back in to that 'neutral' scowl, eyes rolling back towards the wall.]

Fine.

[Shoulders rolled.]

Seemed eager to sleep with whatever spiders and other shit was out in the barn.

[Because Jesse was listening on the other side of the wall.]

[McCree of course listens with rapt interest to their exchange. It doesn't get as juicy as he hopes but it does highly the nature of their relationship and how deep and apparently far back it goes. This wasn't new information on a whole to McCree, but little glimpses and tidbits like this continued to paint a picture of his superiors and the kind life they lead--and shared--before he came along.

McCree doesn't step out but crosses his arms as if they were watching anyway.]

For the record I was gonna' put a mattress up there.

If there was a mattress to spare, I doubt the couch would have been brought up in the first place.

[And a mattress on the floor was better than the couch in his opinion.

Despite McCree remaining behind that wall, Gabriel gestured towards it with a hand all the same—]

I would rather you sleep in a bed, Jesse. Have it your way if you'd rather give that up.

The spare bedroom mattress. [He tries to subtly imply that would effectively condemn Gabe and Jack to share a bed, and might feel spiteful enough to do that, but in reality he's not. He'll concede for now to the spare bedroom and only sometimes wonder what the other two men were dealing just one room over.

Gabe has an innate ability to sway opinions between Overwatch and Blackwatch, like some shadowy hand that went unnoticed but McCree was sharp enough to pick it up, though he seemingly protested less and less about it as time went on even if it affected him. Gabe had years of experience working with his people, of course, and he looked out for everyone's backs... figuratively and literally in this case. It was something McCree respected deeply, even if he could always find reasons (often petty) to complain about it. He likes to think it denoted the level of trust between them because he knew he'd put up with his bullshit anyway.

He looks like he's sulking but he eyes Gabe slyly out of the corner of his eye and the corner of his lip curls up, like it's just for him.]

I meant what I said about the snorin' thing.

Edited (words) 2018-07-23 23:43 (UTC)

[Gabriel couldn't help the roll of his eyes, because if that wasn't pure Jesse McCree he didn't know what was.

Still, weight shifted on his feet and there was a certain way his posture relaxed all the same, catching that sly little look and all. Corner of his mouth twitching a bit before Gabriel's full attention was right back on Jack. There were a few reason he trusted McCree the way he did, and even with a few little petty sort of things tossed out between them

Just how it was. No real anger behind it, usually.]

Of course you did, McCree.

[And then, addressing Jack—] That seem settled to you?

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strikecommand - 2018-07-25 02:40 (UTC) - Expand

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passedover - 2018-07-25 12:30 (UTC) - Expand

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