starhuevalley | .1 caliber [Intro]

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.1 caliber [Intro]

[ACTION]

[She steps down from the bus and tugs at the strap around her shoulder tighter - she travels light, but there's something rather long, carefully wrapped, strapped between her bag and back. Squinting lightly at the warm summer sun, she sighs. Mixed feelings, all in one breath. This lady travels light except for the baggage in her mind.

Still, as she treads through the beaten paths towards an x in a map (excellent orientation skills, for one), she looks around carefully with what seems like a half smile in her piercing gaze. Yet, when she finds the place in the map, she keeps walking around, checking the Community center, the city, - greeting a couple of kids playing outside with a smile - walking through the beach... ending up finally at the Saloon around the evening, asking for a cup of tea at the counter.

Where do you meet her? ]

[VIDEO]

[That's exactly where she is when the video feed opens up. She's looking down at the screen, kohl rimmed eyes scrutinizing the device with a somewhat disappointed expression to them. She tsks.]

So unintuitive. How old is this?

[Dexterous fingers reach the screen and blip! goes the feed

Ring ring?]

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[He had yet to even go see his own plot of land given to him, just accepted Jack's invitation without second thought. Was easy for quite a few reasons, on top of safety in numbers that he trusted.

Really hard to chase away that type of smile of his once it started, when there was no one else around. Peaceful once they reached the farm lands, honestly, walking along a road.]

Be a relief of just being stuck with Jack and me, I'm sure. [hummed faintly.] There's a barn, close to the woods. Got a mix of field and wilderness by the looks of it.

[Surprise for them all, Gabriel's plot of land was just next door and completely in that wilderness area.]

[That rare smile of his fills up her chest with a bittersweet feeling. It's then that she realizes that by the time she left the Gabriel Reyes in her time, she hadn't seen that quiet, somewhat fond curl of his lips in a while.

Then again, neither of them had been in a smiling mood. She didn't blame any of them for being sullen

Which is why she's pushing this moment just a little further. Said just a little teasingly:] You're right, you two are a handful.

[Why that sounds like a place that Jack would pick up, she has no idea. But it does. ] How many rooms? [She has a sleeping bag anyway.]

[A hand went over his heart in some miming of a far more physical than emotional wound, still walking. That chuckle just under his breath again.

Despite the fact he was keeping a guard up, there was just enough of him relaxed with a familiar face that he easily sunk back in to that rare and playful sort of state that only a rare few knew existed at all.] Jesse has suffered alone, clearly.

[Things were tough, they always were when it came to a group like Overwatch and Blackwatch... but things were still good. Some growing pains, but there were a few accomplishments under their belts.

Better times.]

Two floors, two bedrooms, bathroom. Standard sort of thing. Reason Jack's been remodeling; think we're all going to have to sit down and talk about arrangements again. [Then there was a low noise in his throat.] Don't let either of them try to suggest the loft of the barn, Jack was determined to sleep on the couch.

Thing's way too small for him to sleep on. [Sounded like that had been a Thing.]

[She replies with a chuckle of her own, smirk growing into a full fledged grin.] it's no wonder he sounded so happy to see me, then.

[ Listening closely to the description! Ana tilts her head. It does sound like it had been a thing between them. It seemed par of the course with the two of them, at least. ] Jack Morrison, being the stereotypical Boy Scout? I never heard such a thing.

[There's fondness in this saying, though. She always appreciated that Jack has tried to do the right thing, but she understands how it can be frustrating.] Sounds like you were already butting heads.

Just don't let him fool you in to thinking he's getting overworked. [There's a fondness there but still, McCree would always be McCree.

Gabriel snorted a bit.] Man needs to be a bit kinder to himself and his own needs, rather than sacrificing himself to sleeping on a couch.

[Yeah there'd been a whole thing about that one for Obvious Reasons.]

There were better options than the couch.

[A scoff.] He's a good liar but he has his tells. [Though Ana can already picture him throwing one of those puppy eyes at her to ask for some of her benevolence out of Gabriel’s “tough love”.

Another thing she hasn’t seen in a long while.]

He does. [They can both wrangle down the UN, a whole army, but Jack’s tendency to put others’ needs before his own, that’s another thing entirely.

An arched eyebrow.] Like...?

[And all he's done was tell McCree he shouldn't sleep in a barn and if he were going to be demanding then he could repair the damage to the barn his friend made. Seemed reasonable to him.] Know him well enough to spot those quick, too.

[Gabriel tipped his head to one side.]

His own damn bed.

[Of course Jack didn't even think about putting Gabriel on the couch, instead decided to give him his bed.]

[A smile. Yes, nothing got through past them.] I take it no gangs were started here yet? [Aside from the Sheriff’s office, which technically could be something of the sort.

A snort. Typical Jack.

Typical Gabriel, too.] It’s nice that he offers, but I understand why you would get upset.

[ Though it makes her wonder about Jack’s mindset as well. Even if they had gone through the same things together, they all handled stress and decisions differently. It was both a blessing and a curse.]

As far as I can tell, no. Nothing past people familiar enough with each other remaining close. [Which made sense, and while that too could be something to keep an eye on it wasn't any different than what they were starting to do. There was comfort in it, and why not seek comfort in a situation like this?

Even if nothing was said out loud about it.

Gabriel huffed a bit.] I'm not saying it isn't nice, it was very nice and thoughtful, but hell if he should not sleep in a bed for it.

He's trying to keep himself overly busy, like he always does. [Had already had to nudge him along to bed.]

That's a good thing, at least. [Ana is a little relieved. She's so used to hearing bad news, people congregating to take advantage of a somewhat chaotic situation that she wouldn't be surprised if it had evolved to that state of affairs, but as is, it's a good thing. It makes her just a little hopeful.

She aims a somewhat amused look at Gabriel. 'Did you expect anything else?' ]

He is probably fussing because he left all his duties behind. Maybe a little powerless, too. [It's a rather Captain Obvious comment. Because all three of them usually share the same stance when they're pushed to doing something that they don't want to do.

She definitely feels a little frustrated - visibly so - that she isn't sure how she got in that bus. And most importantly, that she keeps revisiting the same thought: the last time she saw Fareeha, she had been leaving to visit her father...

... right?

She shakes that doubt with a roll of her shoulders.] Am I right to assume you dragged him to bed, anyway?

It is, and hopefully it stays like that. Hate for any locals to get caught up in anything. [Some did exist after all, even if way out-numbered and no doubt wary to suddenly have their town taken over. At least as far as he knew things seemed peaceful.

But hell if he didn't remain suspicious nevertheless.

Gabriel just made a faint sort of noise at the look. Nope.]

Yeah, yeah. Right now all we can do is try to keep some control, no matter how small, in whatever is going on. [At least they were together in this and sure, maybe tempers might rise but they all tended to pull together after getting some frustration worked out.

Did take a turn down the road finally.] Yeah. He'd been running on fumes for a while, but I let him actually feel how tired he was before doing it.

Less likely to argue over sleep.

Hopefully. [Hopefully they're not part of some sort of intricate ploy, either. Not that she finds it likely, just. Having suffered from a huge loss done by a sleeper agent, she feels a little jaded.]

And all the while tending to your beloved crops. [She quips. It'll be alright, she thinks as she follows Gabriel into this turn on the road.

A light snort, and she swipes a strand of hair from her face.] At least you know how he works. He always gets a little lost in the little things.

[This is why Jack and he have their conspiracy wall in the basement Ana, maybe not due to suffering such a loss but it's.. sort of natural when there's a possible conspiracy going on.

It made sense.]

Got some fruit trees and apparently a lot of corn. See where we can go from there. [Play along just to have something to do. Clean up the land, whatever it took.

Shoulders shrugged, hands still in hoodie pockets.] After all the years we've known each other I'd be more surprised if I didn't. Helps when it comes to pulling him out of his head.

[As if Gabriel didn't need the same hand out himself, could get lost just as easily when something bothered him, trying to figure it out. How to do better next time and so on.]

[What else would they do, anyway, if not trying to uncover whatever is there in this place?

She actually reaches with her hand to cover her mouth, which transforms completely into a grin.] Oh, no. If we lose Jack to corn, we may never see him again.

[That's where her thoughts steer into, really. While they're both here speaking about Jack, she knows that Gabriel tends to do the same. And when that happens, it's Jack who pulls him back. In the event that the both of them fall into it, it is Ana's job to stop them, to make them take a step back and see the big picture.

They worked well that way, no matter how much UN officials want to scatter them. ]

It's a good thing you're here, then.

We shall have to find ways to appease the corn demons, rather than lose our farm boy. [Just as fond as ever, and maybe Ana was the only person he ever let that fondness bleed through around. He trusted her, was comfortable enough with that.

Gabriel was nodding along, and at least the place was coming in to view finally.]

Hell, glad he was here when I showed up. First person to find me after I stepped off the bus.

[She grins.] You're going to have to teach me, then. I know nothing of your corn demons. [A sigh, the hand that had been covering her mouth rubbing the line from the corner of her mouth to her nose before dropping it. It's been a while since she's actually laughed and it felt good, especially coming from that rare fond tone in Gabriel's voice.

But that earns him a curious look.]

Did he know? Or was that just one of those things Jack does? [Either luck or intuition, sometimes he just seemed to be in the right place at the right time.]

[There was the dramatics put in to his voice that the discussion of corn and corn demons clearly demanded—] Then tomorrow we shall gather what we need for the sacrifice and hope they both bless us a good harvest and leave Jack be.

It will be worth it. [Laughter in his voice near the end there. He tried, he did.]

Clicked his tongue in thought then.]

Think it might just be one of those things he does. I hadn't touched that.. Jpad thing until a day or so after.

[That.

Yes, that earns a laugh, especially at the end, and she has to tug her bag up a bit because of her shoulders shaking, her hand waving at him in a 'oh you' manner.] I'm sure they will be very pleased.

Well, you saw what happened when I used mine. [A bit of a roll of her eyes. She may have broadcast a misfire at a hundred people, but she's taking it in stride.] Anything I should know about it?

A pleased corn demon is very good, what you need to watch out for are the ones not satisfied with their sacrifice. [He could honestly go on, because he knows he's talking shit, but it's funny.] Those are the ones apt to drag you in to the corn field, never to be seen again.

More so if they're on the side of a road. [He'll stop.]

Yeah, they're old tech, but can get used to them. Though I wouldn't trust them for anything requiring a secure line. [Reason he had made it over before dipping in to certain subjects.] Anything in particular I haven't covered?

[Trying to keep from laughing still, and failing, because goddamn you, Gabriel.

Though she wasn't the one instigating this. Not at all.

Shh. ] Oh no, what a terrible, terrible fate.

[A shake of her head.] I'm not sure. But I think I have been thoroughly debriefed, Commander Reyes. Thank you. [She's sure that he also has questions for her, even if she knows he's saving them for when they're all sitting down together.]

[The side that only a small handful of people ever got to see, right there.]

Such a terrible fate, and why you should never walk in to a corn field at night. [He's keeping that 'deadly serious' dramatic voice up, somehow.] That is when they're at their most deadly, and easily make you get lost as it all seems to grow around you.

Horrible business, dealing with corn demons.

[The basics were covered, anything else was likely best discussed when all of them were sitting in Jack's house. All get on the same page and go from there.] I'm sure the Strike-Commander will wish to inform you of anything I've forgotten. [They'd be fine.]

How do you know all of this, Gabriel? [She actually manages to school her face into an expression of amazement and curiosity, even if her voice is still laced with laughter.

She tilts her head.] I'm sure the Strike-Commander will have forgotten whatever you have.

That is a very long story, and best not repeated. [Such a gravely serious tone, a hand even going over his heart

before opening the gate and holding it open, and god was that damned rare smile still very much there. This was good, honestly.]

Might come up when we're covering everything best left for a sit down.

That sounds promising. [Sometimes, a smiling Gabriel could mean trouble. An edge of mischief here, a challenging tone there. That was the smiling Gabriel she was most used to. But other times, rare as they are, he looks like that, and it never fails to have her smile back. She takes it as the silent welcome that it is, even if she never thought she'd see it while he opened the gate to a farm.

She tips her head low in a mock-bow (her dramatic antics aren't as good as his flare, though), muttering a thank you and crossing the gate, eyes sweeping through the grounds and the house.]

Well, this is actually quite nice. [Is it ok to sound surprised?]

[It was fun to get in to the topic of some outlandish story like that occasionally, let that get through his system and all before things would have to come back to some sense of reality.

Closed the gate just behind them, hand sliding back into the pockets of his hoodie.] Been working on clearing up the area, all of us.

The house itself is a little bit of a mess inside with Jack's remodeling, though.

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