A/N: Lemon warning.

--

"I never pegged you to be this shallow," Overwatch's former commander turned to face you, his gaze hard and unremitting on your face.

Putting considerable effort into ignoring the gravity of his stark blue eyes, you countered, "I never pegged you to be the fathering type."

"Stop acting like a kid, and I'll stop fathering you. I won't let you kill yourself because you can't keep your legs shut for a second." The censure only incited you more.

"Are you really calling me a slut?" If looks could kill, Jack would be six feet under. Worried about you or not, he had no right to remark about your sexuality. "Seriously?"

You watched his jaw tighten, but he uttered nothing. He had really hit the mark with poor choice of words.

And what pissed you off the most was Gabriel's passiveness. Not once did he retort nor come to your defense.

"Un-believable!" You yelled emphatically before retreating into your bedroom.

"[Y/N]," Your fiancé started after you, but stopped short as he was nearly struck by a heavy slab of wood face-first. "C'mon, babe... why are you acting like this? This isn't going to be long-term, okay?"

"You don't know that," Jack interjected but was quickly dismissed with an angry glance.

Furious, you let your emotions boil over, "Get out of my place and take that jackass with you!"

The most dangerous man in the world flinched upon hearing your less-than-friendly words. Truly, he was reduced to cowardice when it came to the love of his life.

Jack raised a curious brow. Watching his nemesis standing stiffly at your bedroom door—after you'd shut it in his face, he couldn't help but smirk in wonder.

"That's why I'm single," The old soldier muttered, then realized he wasn't being helpful when he earned a resentful look from his old rival. "Sorry."

Moving as far away from the bedroom as possible, in the fear that you'd hear him, Gabriel grabbed a fistful of his rival's jacket and forced him along, all the way to the other side of the apartment.

His voice was hushed as he spoke, "I'm not stupid. I know she's not safe when I'm with her."

"Where are you going with this?"

Silence hung thick in the air as Gabriel deliberated the words to say. Then, he uttered quietly, "You want my help with Ogundimu, you're going to look out for her."

"You don't need to tell me that. She's my best friend."

"No, I mean, I need you to stay with her at all times."

Disbelief settled on the vigilante's features. "You do realize she and I aren't on the friendliest of terms right now, right?"

"Do you want my help or not? You know damn well you can't take Doomfist down solo."

"And you can?" Jack questioned and received silence in reply. "That's what I thought."

"I'll figure something out..." Gabriel said without much conviction, but his dark gaze turned resolute and nearly hostile when he looked Jack in the eye. "I know you're her best friend, but if you say anything even remotely insulting about my fiancée again, I'll kill you."

"Fair enough," The old soldier responded with a grim expression on his face. At least he looked apologetic. After a short pause, Jack sighed. "I'll need resources, find a way for us to lay low. Until then, she's in your hands. You'll hear from me when everything's set up." With that, he left the apartment.

--

You listened as the splattering against the skylight glass stopped, watched as the thick clouds dispersed to reveal a coal black sky. The silver moon and diamond-bright stars contested for illumination. The romantic atmosphere was in full bloom, and yet... you felt dismal.

Being in a fight with Gabriel was the last thing you wanted when you came home. The last thing you'd expected, too.

But it finally dawned on you how labile your emotions were.

With all these drastic changes that had happened recently—your emergence from your cryostasis, finding out about Gabriel's death, only to find the opposite to be true after a period of grieving, then your reunion with him...

Was this lability normal? Something to be expected with these radical alterations you had recently undergone? The irregular menses were definitely not helping, either.

As you turned to your side, Gabriel's ethereal form emerged at your bedside. He stiffened when his eyes met yours, but he continued his advance and climbed in next to you. "I'm sorry, I should've slugged him across the face."

Pulling you close, he held you in his arms. He planted a hand on the small of your back, pressing your body against his own. He ran his fingers through your hair and brought your head to rest against his neck. He touched you so intimately, your anger melted away. Into something else entirely.

"This isn't helping," You murmured, feeling elated in his embrace. You didn't resist him, finding your physical attraction to Gabriel Reyes almost absurd.

He pressed his lips against your forehead, the hair on his face tickling your skin.

"Just once more, then," You breathed, then rolled over onto him, straddling him with each leg on either side of him. "One last time, Gabe."

His hands clasped your hips and he kept you at bay for a moment. You sensed the hesitation in him, his resolution dwindling when he felt your core against his manhood.

"I need you," You begged him, bringing your lips to his in a soft kiss. "This is the last time, I swear." Your lips fluttered against his as you promised him this damnable thing.

Gabriel gave into you. You felt the pressure of his lips become increasingly demanding as he lost all reason. His breathing became yours as he explored your mouth. His hands traversed your body fluidly, hypnotically, rousing the flames until the fire spread through your entire body.

The unbearably hot sensation compelled you to press down, forcing your slick heat against his growing erection. His touch evoked soft moans from you. It was torment, the way he so expertly understood your body. And how you responded to each caress, each squeeze... you were putty in his hands. As he was in yours.

Your heart pounded when you heard the carnal groans he fought to suppress. He grew dizzy with his acute need for you, a dizziness that rapidly ascended from his loins to his head. Gabriel comprehended his powerlessness, his incorrigible inability to deny you. And he cursed you for it.

He groaned again as he cast you on your back. "Damn you," His lips came crashing down on yours as his movements suddenly became urgent, desperate. The kiss was crushing, driving away the breath from your body.

You tasted his sweetness as Gabriel's lips hungered for yours. His fingers found the warmth at the junction of your thighs, and upon first contact with the evidence of your arousal, he tore the undergarment from your body.

His mouth left a searing trail from your lips to your neck to your breasts. You thought you would go insane when you felt his devouring lips and the tantalizing strokes of his tongue.

When he finally entered you, something inside you burst—an overwhelming release of emotion. Your eyes flooded with tears and all you could think about was how addicted you were to his touch. He took you to greater heights with every plunge. Each thrust was deep and ravenous.

And you eagerly accepted him, allowed yourself to be lost in the delicious feeling.

The shattering within your center came unexpectedly, suddenly. It flooded your entire body with scorching release, and for a moment—you considered that maybe dying in this euphoric way wouldn't be so bad.

Spent, you lay in each other's arms, listening as your breaths gradually returned to their normal rhythm.

With a deep sigh, you shut your eyes and relived every beautiful moment of your lovemaking, hoping—swearing that this wasn't going to be the last time. Because you would find a way to restore his humanity—a cure to his affliction.

No matter what it took.

But, wide-awake, Gabriel studied your features when exhaustion claimed you and lulled you to sleep.

I love you. I can't lose you—and if I stay, I know I will.

So one last time, he pressed his lips to yours. And one last time, he drank you in before vanishing into the night.