Douse This Fire

Oh. Dinner at Jack’s place. The blush was back on Eamon’s cheeks. “Uh, Saturday I get off… at seven. Unless there’s a surgery, then it’s anyone’s guess.” He fidgeted with his phone, glancing at the address. “I’ll let you know if that happens.”

“See ya then, Dr. Shepard,” Jack smiled a little and headed up the stairs.  

*** 

Saturday night, he had steaks grilled, baked potatoes, and ceasar salad ready.  Also cheesecake for dessert.  He waited to see if Eamon would show up.

Thankfully, Eamon didn’t have surgery. But he still texted Jack, letting him that he was on his way. A little while later he showed up in his beat up truck. He knocked on the door to Jack’s apartment, fidgeting a little. He was in jeans and a tshirt, with his canvas jacket on.

“Hey,” he said with something one might call an attempt at a smile once Jack opened the door.

It wasn’t quite the reception he was expecting, but none the less welcome.  He dropped his gear bag, and just stood there for a moment against Eamon’s body, before he wrapped his arms around him and buried his face against his shoulder. 

As soon as Jack’s gear hit the floor, Eamon was tugging him into a tight embrace. And when Jack pressed his face to his shoulder, he cupped the back of his head, stroking his hair. “You okay?” he asked gruffly after a moment.

Jack sighed.  “Be right there,” he tapped back, grabbed his gear and a change of clothes and headed up to the Commander’s cabin. He didn’t enter right away, just buzzed at the door, wondering what kind of reception awaited him. 

Eamon excused himself from the table in the mess as soon as he sent the message. He was leaning against the barren fish tank waiting impatiently when the door buzzed. He opened it immediately and yanked Jack into the room. There was relief plain on his face. “You’re back.”

A war doesn’t stop just because two people in it fall in love with each other.  Jack’s position, his skills, his unique abilities didn’t become useless because he’d become Eamon’s lover.  Though, he almost wished it had, because he’d seen the way he grounded the commander, and knew how important that was. 

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It was a tortuous three weeks. There was a lot of work to be done, and it was the only thing that kept the commander’s mind off of missing his new lover. The man had quickly dug himself a large space in Eamon’s heart. Eamon did his best not to think about that though. He just dealt with things as they came, and focused on the war efforts.

When the message from Jack pinged on his omni-tool, Eamon had to keep himself from jumping up. Instead he tapped out, ‘Bring gear to cabin?’ 

Tavi nodded, perking up immediately with a little chirping subvocal.  “Okay!  Okay.  Heh, where you wanna go?  Somewhere that ain’t crowded I”m guessin’.”

“Yeah. Anywhere not crowded.” Carefully he shifted from couch to wheelchair, grunting as he settled. “And nowhere I’m gonna wish I’d brought my pistol.”

He paused at that.  “Uh… yes?”  He hoped yes.

Eamon gave him a look, then sat up with a little difficulty. “We’ll go out. Sick of this fucking apartment anyway.”

He just stood there for several minutes, eyes closed.  He had thought they’d have more time before he had to go out again.  But would there ever be enough time when what he wanted was to be safely wrapped around Eamon, far from this galaxy?  He kissed him hard, then pulled back and turned around, sniffling a bit, though he tried to hide it.  “Don’t wait up.” He quipped and walked to the elevator. 

Eamon stood there long after Jack was gone. When he turned, the forgotten tray of food got his attention. He ate half of the food, but only because Jack had brought it to him. Then he retreated to the couch and sat there with a datapad that he tried to work on but just wound up staring at.

Jack put one of his hands on Eamon’s face and ran a thumb over his cheekbone and jawline.  “No extraordinary measures. Copy that,” he smiled a little.  Then he pressed his forehead to Eamon’s. “I’m coming back. I promise.”

Eamon knew that was the best either of them could do. So he nodded and held onto Jack’s face, thumbs brushing back and forth over his cheekbones.

“I’d tell you know if I didn’t think you’d try to stop me.  But, yes. When I’m back, you’ll know what it was for,” he inhaled Eamon’s scent, as if that would guard him from what he was about to go and do. A place to retreat to when things got bad.

“I wouldn’t stop you,” he said quietly. “I’d want to. But I wouldn’t.” Finally, Eamon turned, taking Jack’s face in his hands and looking him dead in the eye. “Don’t do more than you have to though. Please.”

Jack didn’t want to have a drink. He never drank before a mission.  But it was an excuse to get Eamon alone.  He hit a button for privacy mode as he closed the door and his arms went around Eamon’s shoulders from behind.  “I wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. I’ll be back as soon as I can.  But I will come back, Eamon.  I always do. I always will,” he lips brushed the back of his neck as he spoke. 

Eamon never thought Jack actually wanted a drink. Nor would he have given him one if he had. His hands lifted to touch Jack’s arms. “Will you tell me after what it was for?” There was an almost imperceptible tremble in his voice.

“Might I request a good bye drink in your cabin, Commander?” He asked, hoping to give them an excuse to say good bye properly, and away from the prying eyes of the crew. 

Fuck that sounded so final. But he nodded. With the tray of food in hand, he rode the elevator up to his cabin with Jack. When they got there, he stiffly walked to his desk and set the tray down. He didn’t turn back around.

Tavi chuckled, sitting up a little more.  “Cheer you up… hmm… I got some new audiobooks, you like romances?  There’s lotsa sex scenes!”

“Better not.” The thought of getting aroused right now was not enticing. He raised an eyebrow. “Can I trust you with the wheelchair?”

“As long is takes,” he said.  “I always come back.  Boss is staying on the Normandy, so here is where I report back,” he looked like he wanted to say more, but he couldn’t.  Not in the open.  And, in truth, if Eamon knew what was going to be happening, he’d never allow it.

Eamon grit his teeth. “Jack...” He let out a measured breath. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know how to respond to this. He wasn’t going to stop Jack. He just wanted to make sure Jack knew what he felt. It seemed vitally important right now. But out here on the command deck... Eamon stood helplessly.

Jack tilted his head and gave him a look. A look between ‘do you really want to know’ and ‘do you really think I can tell you’.  

Even deeper now. His posture stiffened. “How long?” He at least wanted to know that. So that Eamon could know when to worry.

Jack was all business outside of Eamon’s room.  The debrief went well.  Explaining to the crew he wasn’t actually dead was… interesting.  “It classified,” and that was that.  Liara and Jack had spent a very long time working over figures with Glyph.  At the end of their very long meeting, Liara looked over at Jack. 

“Are you sure?”

Jack nodded solemnly.  “We need the information.”

Liara put her hand on Jack’s.  “You and Shepard….? “ her head tilted.

“You and Vega?” Jack countered with a smirk, watching the royal blue hue of her cheeks that signified an Asari blush.  “Sorry, Boss. That was uncalled for.

“I’m getting there,” she said, wringing her hands. “But my question still stands.”

Jack sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, then nodded. “Yeah, as of yesterday. “

“He’s not going to like it.”

“He’s not going to have a choice,” Jack pointed out, sighing. 

An hour later, he was dressed for a mission, dark clothes, a hood behind his head, and he had his gear, a sniper rifle and two Paladin m-77s.  He brought a tray of food up to Eamon.  “Hey, Commander.  You missed mess call.”

Distractedly, Eamon glanced up, ready to dismiss whoever it was. Focused on his work as he was he didn’t realize it was Jack until he actually saw him. “Thanks,” he murmured instead. Then, “Where are you going?” He stood from the terminal, taking the tray and setting it aside. There was a frown in place. He nearly said something about not clearing a mission before remembering that Jack wasn’t fully his crew. He was Liara’s agent first. That pulled his frown deeper.