#obvs this is unfinished and unedited so keep that in mind my dudes

[owlosaurusrex]

Here’s another snippet of another R76 project I’m working on (I have 3 going right now because I have no chill lol) It’s supposed to be at least 90% fluff and like a ‘chill’ fic but of course I take everything too seriously so it’s taking a while to finish the first chapter. Also, I hope the read more works for mobile users or else y’all are going to have to scroll past a massive amount of text I’m so sorry.

Anyway, it’s a modern au. Here’s what I have so far:

Gabriel had always hated the lighting in his office. The long panels, speckled with dead flies, doused the room in yellow artificial light that muted the fabrics he worked with. He’d been meaning to get them changed--had a list of changes, actually, but never had the time for it, or, more commonly, he forgot about them in favor of something more urgent. He looked at them every day when he sat down to work and he looked at them now from a much different perspective. Gabriel groaned and raised a hand to cover his eyes.

“Turn that shit off,” he said and heard a short laugh from the end of the couch near his feet.

“C’mon, boss, rise n’ shine!”

Jesse’s voice cut through whatever lingering haze of sleep Gabriel had clung to but he still couldn’t bring himself to move.

“I know it’s only been a couple hours but I let ya sleep as much as I could.”

Gabriel took a deep breath and tried to ignore the dull ache in the back of his skull.

“What time is it?”

There was a pause and Gabriel managed to peek out from between his fingers to see Jesse standing beside him. He looked like he was dressed in the same clothes as the day before and Gabriel wondered if he had slept at all.

“Well, it’s bout eight now,” he said, glancing at the clock hung on the wall behind him. “I’m guessin Ana will be here soon.”

Gabriel groaned again and rubbed at his face.

“Yeah, yeah, all right.”

“M’sorry, boss.”

It took more effort than it should for Gabriel to sit up but he managed, and could see the sympathy written on Jesse’s face.

“It’s all right,” Gabriel assured him even as he stretched and felt a certain stiffness in his back that promised problems for the rest of the day.

“If I could let ya sleep more I would.”

“I know, Jesse, it’s fine.”

Jesse looked as though he might argue but stopped and instead stepped away from the couch to the old staff room table. It was long and narrow and a little too big for the space but it had been there since Gabriel was a kid and he had no intention of moving it. On top of the table, aside from order forms and scraps of fabric, were two paper cups of what Gabriel hoped was coffee.

“Here, I went out and got us somethin, figured we’d be needin it,” Jesse said as he picked up the cups and returned.

Gabriel slid his legs off the couch and took the drink eagerly.

“Two sugars?” he asked even as he took a sip.

“Of course. How long have we known each other? And you're still askin if I got your coffee right?” Jesse shook his head as if the very concept was offensive and Gabriel snorted in amusement.

He moved over on the couch in an unspoken invitation that Jesse accepted with a deep sigh.

“Still can’t believe we managed it,” Jesse said after a few minutes of quiet coffee-drinking. He shook his head in disbelief.

“I’ve never seen you work that fast in my life.”

Gabriel shrugged and couldn't help but glance over at his work station against the wall furthest from the door. It was a desk rigged with little shelves and drawers and an old sewing machine, and Gabriel could practically feel the fabric in his hands just looking at it. There were still scraps of tulle and lace, and if Gabriel dared get closer he’s sure he left a mess of beads in his haste. He hated speed-fittings.

“It had to get done,” he said as if it hadn’t been a 3 day, full-time undertaking.

Jesse was shaking his head again and Gabriel rolled his eyes.

“We’ve done it before, quit acting like it’s some amazing fete.”

“It was amazing!” Jesse insisted even as Gabriel got to his feet and wandered around the small space, if only to help wake himself up.

He passed the staff table, filing cabinets, a mini fridge Jesse had insisted on having, and an old standing fan that was struggling to push hot air around the room before he reached his desk.

Yup, covered in beads.

“But, all dress-fitting miracles aside, really do wish you coulda caught some proper shut eye,” Jesse said and Gabriel glanced back at him. “woulda been nice if you didn't have to head out so early with Ana.”

“You can’t reschedule a flight, Jesse,” Gabriel said drily. “We’d be going to the airport regardless of what happened yesterday.”

“Yeah, but--”

“And you need the sleep, too. Don't act like you and Marcia didn’t pull your fair share of late-night work.”

Jesse huffed.

“Yeah but nothin like the work you did. And can’t Ana just pick up the cop on her own? You can meet em at your apartment or whatever.”

Gabriel turned back to his desk and glared down at the delicate beads scattered on its surface.

It wasn’t an unreasonable question, Gabriel had asked himself as much plenty of times over the last week as the arrival date grew nearer and nearer. Ana wouldn’t need him at the airport and Gabriel certainly didn't want to go, but he should probably try to be polite.

It had been over 20 years since he and Jack had  last seen each other and nearly as long since they’d lost contact. Or at least, since Jack stopped talking to him.

Gabriel took a deep breath and focused on sipping his coffee as long-dormant, bitter feelings tried to surface.

“You sure you’re all right?” Jesse’s voice dragged Gabriel out of his near trance-like state and he rubbed at his eyes.

“I just need a little time to wake up, that’s all--”

“Nah, not about that.”

Gabriel looked back at Jesse again and arched a brow.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Jesse said and looked hesitant to actually voice what was on his mind but Gabriel knew that he would. He always did. It was difficult to keep him from talking most of the time. “Ya know, Sombra was talkin bout this cop you’re bringin home, she said you two have some ‘history.’”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and hid a frown by taking a drink of coffee.

“Is that so?”

“Mhm, she said you two were a thing once,” Jesse continued and Gabriel huffed irritably.

“And who told her that?”

Jesse shrugged.

“Hell if I know, you know she don’t like to give up her sources.”

Gabriel shook his head and returned his attention to his desk; searching for his phone.

“I hope that doesn’t mean she’s picking up bad habits again. It took a long time to get her out of that mess,” Gabriel said and paused as he thought back to when Jesse had brought her home for the first time, asking for help. He’d never expected to pick up his first kid off the L.A streets let alone a second, but they’d all gotten through it in the end. Somehow. And now he was about to start the whole process over again with a man he thought he’d left behind a long time ago.

Gabriel sighed and pressed a hand to his face.

“Well, if digging up dirt on my college life is keeping her busy,” he mumbled. “I guess I can’t complain.”

“So, it’s true then?”

Gabriel ignored Jesse in favor of returning to his search, though he found nothing on his desk aside from the fallout of a hectic weekend.

“Phone’s on the table if that’s what you’re lookin for,” Jesse said and Gabriel crossed the room to retrieve it. It was nearly dead and flashed with three missed calls and a handful of messages he hadn't noticed earlier.

“Ana called me, said she was lookin to get ahold of ya but had no luck, so don't be surprised if she left a message or two.”

“Yeah, I see that,” Gabriel said but only scanned the missed texts before pocketing his phone. “Looks like Marcia will be dropping in around noon, think you can hold down the fort until then?”

Jesse arched a brow at him and grinned.

“Course I can! It ain’t no problem,” he said but Gabriel wasn’t so sure. He gave Jesse a quick once over, noting again how he hadn’t changed his clothes and was probably running on even less sleep than Gabriel was.

He gave Jesse a questioning look.

“Hey now, have a little faith in me. I can handle the shop just fine. I’ve done it before.”

“Right…” Gabriel didn’t argue with him. He trusted Jesse, there was no question about that, but it felt wrong to leave him to work alone given their current state of exhaustion.

“I’ve already got the Haden party’s stuff around--ya know, with the ugly yellow bridesmaid dresses, so that shouldn’t be a problem and the rest of it’s just answerin phones and takin messages,” Jesse said and rose to his feet with a grunt. “No problem.”

”Yeah, all right. Just don’t over do it.”

Jesse laughed outright and shook his head.

“That’s awfully rich coming from you.”

“I’m serious, Jesse. I don’t want to get a call that you passed out in my shop or something,”Gabriel said and rolled his eyes when Jesse continued to laugh.

“Do ya hear yourself, right now?”

“I’m not joking around. You call me if you need anything,” Gabriel insisted.

“All right, all right, I got it dad,” Jesse said, his laughter interrupted by the sound of a bell jangling in the shop.

Jesse grinned when Ana could be heard calling from the other room and was quick to leave the workroom--and whatever was left of their conversation--behind as he scurried out to meet her.