[It's open, as promised, but he answers the door anyway (maybe because it's polite), stepping to the side to let her in. The safehouse is the same as ever, but perhaps the picture is tucked away in a less conspicuous place. He folds his arms after closing the door behind her, still watching her carefully.]
[There's a delay before she says it with a shrug, slinking inside like she owns the place and cutting a quick line for the couch (she might've knocked and waited just to ensure the space wouldn't already be occupied, come to think of it).
Straight coffee's not usually her drink of choice, but...if he's offering, why not?]
I don't like going all the way out to mess for it.
[And coffee shops are mostly out of the question. Caffeine does nothing for Jack anyway, but the placebo effect is a hell of a thing. Jack watches Azúcar settle on the couch before making his way to the kitchenette, producing the aforementioned coffee maker and getting to work.]
You had something you wanted to talk about?
[He has something he wants to talk about as well, but he'll let her go first.]
[Which, to be entirely fair, is a typical topic for the two of them. Only this time, as he snaps the filter compartment into place, there's no heaviness in her tone. Less Azúcar, more Sombra— the three of them aren't misaligned in their relative goals right now.
Not that he knows that yet.]
She's a little tired of this place. [—or, more specifically:] The people they let in.
[Jack all at once looks somber, nodding in agreement. He knows. It’s not a secret that he’s unhappy with the way everything shakes out here, and he isn’t shocked to hear that Lena is feeling the strain.]
I can’t say I’m surprised.
[He’s done everything asked of him, and he knows she will too, but the sheer lack of understanding rankles him. He likes to think that as strike commander, he’d done his very best to seek out and be understanding of a multitude of experiences and opinions. For Lena, who worked under him, this is probably all backwards.]
They let in terrorists and then punish the people who get upset. People with no real authority step in to tell her what she should think. It doesn’t make sense to her.
[If the confession upsets him, she doesn't seem bothered by the idea: it wouldn't be the first time, and there's something that might ease the weight at his shoulders if he knew Lena wanted to support him again. Both of them older this time. A little wiser. A little worn.]
[Jack doesn't answer for a long moment, not because he's angry, but because he'd hoped to be the one to fill Lena in himself. He can't imagine she's very pleased, to have heard about his activities from a third party, but if it's done, it's done. Jack's distrust in the Legion is no secret, and he's not surprised that Lena has come to think the same.
Still...]
Is there anything to find?
[It's a rhetorical question and he sounds exasperated, channeling his frustration into their failed attempts at digging, rather than getting upset with Azúcar for talking to Lena without checking in with him, first. Jack will have to clean that up a little later.]
No. [So quick there's no opportunity to lie: Lena hadn't balked, hadn't blinked. Maybe she'd been waiting for it without knowing— another opportunity to stand at his side the way she'd always meant to in the past, before circumstances changed.]
It's a big universe, Dígitos. [Bigger than Legion space, than the UP— maybe Chronoblivion as well.] There's always something.
[If they have to stretch their wings a little farther to go hunting, so be it.]
[He offers a grunt that might be affirmative. Jack isn't sure if Azúcar is telling the truth or not, but the answer comes quick enough that it's probably the truth. He's going to hash it out with Lena either way, because the last thing he wants to do is leave with those uncertainties hanging in the air.
Speaking of a big universe...]
I'm leaving on an assignment.
[Abrupt, maybe, but he'd be remiss if he didn't tell her.]
[She rests her chin in her hand, watching him with interest— as though he's ever anything but interesting in her eyes. Every time she thinks she understands him the goalpost moves further away— and closer somehow. Familiar.]
[What he doesn't say is that he's not going to leave Lena under any circumstance, not while Talon is here and while he doesn't trust the Legion. She's an adult who can take care of herself, sure--it's everyone else he doesn't have any faith in.]
Nothing out of the ordinary, but I didn't want to leave without saying anything.
[Sombra scoffs, her natural criticism seeping through despite the disguise - lip curling upwards at the corner in faint amusement at his grim demeanor.]
[He rolls his eyes like that's the silliest thing he's ever heard, though he can't deny that this is something of a preemptive strike. Jack is more than confident in his own abilities, and doesn't expect anything to go wrong, but just in case...]
Just haven't had them send me out before. [On his own, anyway.] I want to cover my bases.
[Idle curiosity: it makes sense that he might be making preliminary rounds, after all— the position he'd held for so long, the risks they'd taken— even menial reconnaissance ages ago must have been plagued with a thousand ways things could go wrong.]
Do me a favor: don't keep her up too late. [It's been a long, long day already— and Sombra's already done more than enough to exhaust her. Plus, more than anything else, she wants to spend tomorrow digging thoroughly under Widowmaker's blue, frigid skin.]
Look at you, trusting me with something important.
[Genuine commentary, even Sombra can't deny how easily it slips out when she shifts to lean back, tucking her arms behind her head. She'd started this game out of necessity, sure— and to be cruel, if her conversations in private with Gabe had counted for anything— but after all this time looking back, it's strange to think how well she knows him. How well she knows Lena, too.
Sometimes she forgets they're still technically fighting a war on all fronts.]
Don't get too excited. Lena can take care of herself.
[Jack is more worried about Reaper or Widowmaker trying something while he's away. But yes, he's still particularly concerned for her--and Azúcar too, for that matter. He isn't going to say as much, but she's always been sharp. She already knows.]
[Well, he can't really get around it this time. Jack's always cared--often a little too much. It's a weakness, to make that known, but he's also never been very good at hiding it.
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Small wonders.]
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You want coffee or something?
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[There's a delay before she says it with a shrug, slinking inside like she owns the place and cutting a quick line for the couch (she might've knocked and waited just to ensure the space wouldn't already be occupied, come to think of it).
Straight coffee's not usually her drink of choice, but...if he's offering, why not?]
Didn't know you had a maker in here.
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[And coffee shops are mostly out of the question. Caffeine does nothing for Jack anyway, but the placebo effect is a hell of a thing. Jack watches Azúcar settle on the couch before making his way to the kitchenette, producing the aforementioned coffee maker and getting to work.]
You had something you wanted to talk about?
[He has something he wants to talk about as well, but he'll let her go first.]
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[Which, to be entirely fair, is a typical topic for the two of them. Only this time, as he snaps the filter compartment into place, there's no heaviness in her tone. Less Azúcar, more Sombra— the three of them aren't misaligned in their relative goals right now.
Not that he knows that yet.]
She's a little tired of this place. [—or, more specifically:] The people they let in.
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I can’t say I’m surprised.
[He’s done everything asked of him, and he knows she will too, but the sheer lack of understanding rankles him. He likes to think that as strike commander, he’d done his very best to seek out and be understanding of a multitude of experiences and opinions. For Lena, who worked under him, this is probably all backwards.]
They let in terrorists and then punish the people who get upset. People with no real authority step in to tell her what she should think. It doesn’t make sense to her.
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[If the confession upsets him, she doesn't seem bothered by the idea: it wouldn't be the first time, and there's something that might ease the weight at his shoulders if he knew Lena wanted to support him again. Both of them older this time. A little wiser. A little worn.]
She wants to help.
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Still...]
Is there anything to find?
[It's a rhetorical question and he sounds exasperated, channeling his frustration into their failed attempts at digging, rather than getting upset with Azúcar for talking to Lena without checking in with him, first. Jack will have to clean that up a little later.]
Was she angry?
[That Jack had tried to keep her out of it.]
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It's a big universe, Dígitos. [Bigger than Legion space, than the UP— maybe Chronoblivion as well.] There's always something.
[If they have to stretch their wings a little farther to go hunting, so be it.]
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Speaking of a big universe...]
I'm leaving on an assignment.
[Abrupt, maybe, but he'd be remiss if he didn't tell her.]
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[She rests her chin in her hand, watching him with interest— as though he's ever anything but interesting in her eyes. Every time she thinks she understands him the goalpost moves further away— and closer somehow. Familiar.]
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[What he doesn't say is that he's not going to leave Lena under any circumstance, not while Talon is here and while he doesn't trust the Legion. She's an adult who can take care of herself, sure--it's everyone else he doesn't have any faith in.]
Nothing out of the ordinary, but I didn't want to leave without saying anything.
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You make it sound like a suicide mission.
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[He rolls his eyes like that's the silliest thing he's ever heard, though he can't deny that this is something of a preemptive strike. Jack is more than confident in his own abilities, and doesn't expect anything to go wrong, but just in case...]
Just haven't had them send me out before. [On his own, anyway.] I want to cover my bases.
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[Idle curiosity: it makes sense that he might be making preliminary rounds, after all— the position he'd held for so long, the risks they'd taken— even menial reconnaissance ages ago must have been plagued with a thousand ways things could go wrong.]
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[He nods along--of course Jack is going to fill her in before be goes. It'll be a good opportunity for him to discuss the investigation with her, too.
Then, there's Reyes, but that's a bridge he'll cross once he talks to Lena.]
Got a few things to take care of before I go.
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[It's a joke, maybe, but Jack is naturally deadpan enough that it might be a little hard to tell.]
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[Her stare's unwavering and fixed, she sells it with as straight a face as humanly possible: the best counterpart to his humor she can think of.
A second later, the facade breaks, her mouth twisting upwards into a little smile.] Someone's got to keep her out of trouble.
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I'll leave it up to you.
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[Genuine commentary, even Sombra can't deny how easily it slips out when she shifts to lean back, tucking her arms behind her head. She'd started this game out of necessity, sure— and to be cruel, if her conversations in private with Gabe had counted for anything— but after all this time looking back, it's strange to think how well she knows him. How well she knows Lena, too.
Sometimes she forgets they're still technically fighting a war on all fronts.]
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[Jack is more worried about Reaper or Widowmaker trying something while he's away. But yes, he's still particularly concerned for her--and Azúcar too, for that matter. He isn't going to say as much, but she's always been sharp. She already knows.]
I'll tell her to watch out for you, too.
[Just in case she thinks she's exempt.]
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I never knew you cared.
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He offers a shrug.]
Don't get used to it.