The Villain Wrangler | Overwatch

Chapter 22

It was yet another movie night, this time Gérard's turn, when everyone realized that Angelica had ended up with both Commanders. Gabe and Jack had ended up on a large, rather hideous but surprisingly comfortable couch when Angelica sat between them, bearing the popcorn bowl. Gabe had kissed her in thanks, as Jack opened an arm for her to cuddle.

Hana squealed in delight. "So, you three...? Really? OMG this is too cute! Zen, I'll get you the money tomorrow, kay?"

She cheerfully snapped a picture of the three, then started frantically typing on her phone.

Everyone else in the pool grumbled, a few tossing their wagers to Zenyatta, most offering verbal IOUs. Zenyatta sat in peaceful silence, bowing slightly to the three.

"I wish you three great joy and happiness. May this love grow and sustain you all."

Gabe saluted him with his beer, Jack muttering an awkward "Thanks".

Ana glared at the room at large, but said nothing as Athena started the movie, some avant garde and mostly incompressible art-house flick.

As the whole thing was in unsubtitled French, Angelica had no idea what was happening, but it was pretty to look at. She was somewhat distracted by the look on Ana's face, and shifted a bit to keep an eye on her. She was surprised to see her seat empty, and her brow furrowed as she considered what that might mean. Ana had been a bit snippy to Jack about taking Gabe back, she knew, but had written that off as the overprotectiveness that all the older Overwatch agents shared. Torbjörn and Reinhardt had questioned it, too, but had been satisfied to say their piece and move on.

As the lights came up and everyone began putting the room to rights, Angelica was still puzzling over Ana's behavior.

—

"Now, you're going to need to meet with this list face-to-face, but this list can be done via holoconference. You'll still need a full new wardrobe, but you will at least still be available for dinner for your inamoratos."

Angelica rolled her eyes at Gérard, but studied the lists. "So, the two suits I got from Hazo should work for a few of the holoconference ones, and Gabe has my measurements and is working on a few others."

"Indeed, and I took the liberty of commissioning several others from my family's preferred tailor."

"What?"

He patted the air before her, trying to soothe. "You will be in the public eye. There will be situations where a known designer label will do more for you than anything you can say. The suits from myself, and Hanzo, will aid that. The ones from Gabriel will suit to fill those gaps."

"I think I know why Jack hated the position," she grumbled.

Gérard beamed at her. "Nonsense. You do not yet have hair and makeup personnel ensuring you are camera-ready at every moment."

She groaned, flopping back in the chair as he laughed. "I did have a question for you."

She cracked open one eye as he continued, "This relationship you are developing with Jack and Gabriel... how do you anticipate it lasting?"

"I don't know." She sighed and straightened, thinking. "What we have is on a timer, I know that. Tomorrow, next week, next month... one of them could wake up and realize they don't want me anymore. I might wake up and realize I want someone closer to my own age. Maybe I lose one or both of them in the field. Maybe Talon takes me out when we go public. I don't know. This could end for thousands of reasons. We aren't promised tomorrow, and all that. But here and now, I love them, and they both love me, and we're happy. So, I plan on enjoying every second I get with them."

"That is... rather more mature than I was expecting."

She smirked. "I'm almost 32. I met them both as an adult. Everyone else here? Is either of an age with them, or met them as a minor or close enough it doesn't matter. And most of the younger old Overwatch crew started in a subordinate position. I started as a colleague."

He nodded. "I see you've put some thought into this. So, back to work."

—

Jesse, Hanzo, Lena, Zenyatta, and Zarya were making their final preparations for a quick strike against Talon, Jack running down the mission parameters once more as they geared up.

"Commander, we got it. We'll be fine," Jesse assured him, buckling on Peacekeeper and turning to face him.

"Yeah, Dad. We'll be fine. Simple in and out, anything goes off, we scarper," Lena chimed in, blinking next to Jesse.

Jack shot her a half-hearted glare, then waved them off. They loaded into the Orca as he left to file the mission in Angelica's office. He turned when Ana called his name. He waited for her to catch up, then continued toward the offices.

"So, you have gone mad," she began.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, but didn't comment.

"You are bedding a child, Jack, and handing her control of Overwatch? What is wrong with you?"

Jack sighed. "I'm not sleeping with her. Gabe isn't sleeping with her. Gabe and I are running things, Angelica is going to be the public face this time. We're learning from our mistakes, and we'll do it right this time."

She tried to bodily turn him to face her, snarling, "She is younger than Fareeha!"

"And she was an adult when we met, on equal terms. If she changes her mind about us, she is free to leave. We won't force her into anything she doesn't want."

She glared, then stormed off, presumably to yell at Gabe. Jack shook his head and shot Gabe and Angelica a warning text.

-Ana vocally disapproves of us. She might try to scare you off.

Angelica sent the first reply.

-Let her yell. Gérard somewhat approves, and I don't plan on leaving unless you both kick me out.

Gabe's response was more to the point.

-She can try.

Jack laughed at that, ducking into his old office. Angelica beamed as he came in.

"So, we've set up the auxiliary computer as yours, and we're bringing in another for Gérard to act as my second. Or yours, I don't exactly know what he's doing, but he says he's helping."

Gérard clutched his heart dramatically. "You don't believe me?"

"Not particularly. I think you're sneaky, and going to do whatever you want that you think is best, and then tell me whatever works."

Jack laughed when Gérard glared at her. "She's only known you, what a week? And she's already got you pegged."

He ducked the mimed blow as he sat at his computer, fighting back a grin as Angelica asked, "So, how long did it take him to figure out you could play him like a fiddle?"

"Fifteen years," Jack replied, tone wry. "And it took Gabe shoving my nose into it to see it."

"Oh, come now. You were hardly that oblivious. I simply avoided working with you directly."

Angelica laughed. "Fine. But he and Gabe are calling the shots. I'm just dealing with politicians and the press. So go be tricksy with them."

"But my dear, you are in a relationship with them. You'll tell them if I'm being tricksy," he protested.

"Then try harder," Jack commented, rising to place a kiss on her cheek.