Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Morrison.”

Ana Amari, Principal of Gibraltar High, was not impressed. She eyed the tall, blonde junior with a black eye before flicking the same flat look on the equally tall, hispanic senior with bloody tissues protruding from both nostrils. They sat, as far apart as possible, in the two chairs opposite of hers; their matching glares a stark juxtaposition to the dancing hippo painting hanging on the wall behind them.

“Reyes.”

Before morning classes had begun — before Ana even had a chance to sit down and enjoy her coffee — her secretary had ushered in the two boys. Apparently the Biology teacher, Mr. Winston, happened upon the two boys in the hall, locked in a grapple and being egged on by their peers. He had pried them apart and now they sat in her office, arms crossed, silent and sullen.

She had let them stew, hoping time would cool their heads and lead to a more productive conversation. It also gave her time to push down the urge to twist their ears until they cried uncle. Every year, without fail, the two boys tested the limits of her patience. Ana thought she could weather through the last several months until Gabriel’s graduation, but the two rivaling teens had other ideas.

“This is the third time you’ve been sent to my office and the school year has only just begun. This cannot continue—” for her peace of mind alone. “I should expel you both.”

She cut off their protests with a sharp raise of her hand. "If you don’t think that is fair, then explain to me what happened.”

“Morrison started it,” Gabriel said.

“I did not.” Jack turned in his seat to glare. “You were picking on that sophomore.”

“Which was none of your damn business.”

Jack’s knuckles whitened where they tightened over the armrest. “Like hell it wasn’t.”

“Boys,” Ana warned with a stern glance at each of them before focusing on Gabriel. “Do you want to tell me about the incident with the sophomore?”

Gabriel’s smile was more of a sneer. “I didn’t touch the guy.”

“Only because I stopped you,” Jack added.

“You don’t know a damn thing about what I was going to do.”

“I know exactly—”

Ana cleared her throat and the boys sunk in their seats and shifted their ire to opposite walls. She watched them for a time, making sure they wouldn’t resume snarling and snapping at each other.

Dealing with such a testosterone fueled quarrel so early in the morning made Ana miss working at the elementary schools. The various knick-knacks and drawings lining her desk attested to how much more rewarding it was to work with the younger children. She shuddered to think of her young, sweet Fareeha turning into such a hormonal teenager.

“You two have had it out for each other since grade school. I wish I could tell you to make sure it doesn’t happen again and send you on your way, but I know you’ll end up here — again — and I will have no choice but to expel you.”

She sharpened a look on Gabriel. “If I do, you’ll lose that scholarship I know you’ve been working hard to keep.”

Letting the reality of the situation sink in, Ana turned her attention to the junior. “And Jack, your mother wouldn’t stop crying the last time I called her into my office. Don’t break her heart and don’t let this tarnish your future. You’re a good student and should be focusing on your options for college.”

Ana rallied her defenses behind a sip of lukewarm coffee. She wanted to help them succeed, but she very much doubted they would see it from her point of view. She tapped a single, contemplative finger against her mug.

“I want to try something different. You two need to figure out how to get along so I am making you co-captains of a Spartan team.”

“Spartan team?” Jack asked.

Taking the pamphlets from her drawer, she handed them over. “This summer we, along with schools in the surrounding districts, arranged to have a teen-friendly Spartan race. You two will hold tryouts, assemble a team, do practices, and compete in June.”

“What?” Gabriel didn’t even glance at the pamphlet. “I don’t have time for this.”

“You will make time and you will do it on your own time.”

“You can’t!”

“Do I need to remind you that this is your last chance?”

Given the way Gabriel’s mouth snapped shut, the consequences were glaringly obvious. Again Ana tapped at her mug while glancing between the boys. It was a gamble, and the odds of success were slim to none, but she saw no other option. Either they came to terms, or she’d be forced to dole out the appropriate punishment.

Ana smiled, thin and stern. “Put your competitiveness to use and win us a trophy.”

“This is bullshit,” Gabriel said once they were in the hall. “She can’t do this.”

Jack spared him a glance. “Well, she is.”

Gabriel plucked the tissues from his nose, examined the blood, and visibly seethed at Jack.

Unphased, Jack suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. It wasn’t their first altercation and, as history fondly repeated itself, it wouldn't be their last. Their rivalry, as Ana called it — Jack called it Gabriel being a dick — had worsened over the years. What started with name calling in grade school had slowly evolved to shoving and, just that morning, to an exchange of fists. In the rare moments in between disagreements they could function as almost-friends, but it never lasted.

The swelling around Jack’s eye made it hard to blink. He tenderly prodded at the sore, bruising skin while dreading how he would explain the tell-tale injury to his parents. Jack might have been more angry about it if Gabriel hadn’t looked a strange mix of surprised and apologetic after landing the first hit. Jack had registered the expression a split second before his fist connected with Gabriel's nose.

He didn’t regret it. Not the punch. What he regretted was the unforeseen punishment for his actions. Being sent home for fighting was one thing, being forced into an unstable alliance for the rest of the school year was quite another.

A sinking ship if there ever was one.

Jack dug out his phone while mumbling, “We should probably exchange numbers.”

Gabriel's bloodied nostrils flared. He looked more interested in setting fire to both Jack and the pamphlet rather than giving out his number. In the end, perhaps deciding attempted homicide wasn’t worth the trouble, he pulled out his phone and they traded contact info. Jack sent a quick ‘test’ to the number. The resulting ding from Gabriel’s phone settled some of Jack’s doubts.

The bell rang, signaling the end of first period.

Gabriel stalked away without a backward glance while Jack remained rooted, glowering, until Angela bumped against his side. Her arm hooked with his as she tugged him toward their lockers.

“Did I just see you talking to Gabriel Reyes?”

“Not really.” Jack massaged at his temple. “I was just getting his number.”

Angela’s brows disappeared behind her pale bangs. As his best friend, she was well versed in his on-going dispute with Gabriel. Even though he and Gabriel were in different grades, their paths often crossed, usually at the most inopportune times.

Catching sight of Angela’s peculiar expression, Jack sighed, “Principal Amari is making us work on a project together, some stupid team building exercise thing. We either do it or she expels us.”

“Really?”

In lieu of an explanation, Jack handed over the pamphlet as they arrived at his locker. She read through it as he gathered his books.

“Oh this looks fun.”

Jack rolled his eyes, because if it had anything to do with Gabriel — the cocky captain of the hockey team — it would be anything but fun.

“When are tryouts?”

“You’re going to join?”

“Heck yeah.” She grinned and handed back the pamphlet. “You should make flyers. I’m sure a ton of people will want to try out.”

The full reality of the situation hit Jack with the force of a wrecking ball. His English book fell from his hand and dropped back into his locker with a resounding thunk. For the rest of the year he would be responsible for a team of students.

With Gabriel.

His stomach lurched toward his toes. How the hell was he going to manage any of that? He’d never been captain of anything. Sure, he ran with the cross country team, but he wasn’t a captain. Moreover, his father disapproved of after school activities because it took time away from the work needing done on the farm. It had been a grueling fight just to be allowed to join the track team. Adding a second time consuming activity to the mix would, least to say, not go over well.

Sinking with dismay, Jack retrieved his phone. “I guess I should try and coordinate a time with him…”

Angela offered him a sad smile. “Good luck, Jack.”

His mind went blank as he stared at the screen. His thumb hovered over the small letters. He wasn’t afraid of Gabriel’s response. No, he fully expected Gabriel to be difficult. Instead he struggled over how to craft a text that could possibly grant him an amicable outcome.

  Jack: When are you free to do tryouts?

Straight to the point felt like the best route.

Jack slid the phone back into his pocket, gathered his books, and headed to class. For the next forty minutes his phone burned like an ember against his thigh. He snuck peeks at it all through second period. No response. In between class he resorted to holding it, expecting it to buzz while he changed out his books. But nothing happened. After a rather dull third period, Jack took a detour from his usual route.

The senior lockers were located on the first floor along with the main office. Jack lingered by the door of the latter and picked out Gabriel’s short, chestnut hair with the buzzed undercut. Gabriel was leaning against the lockers, bracketed by the hockey team defensemen, Akande and Mauga.

Jack hesitated. He wasn't on good terms with the hockey team and confronting Gabriel in front of them would only make things worse. Irritated, Jack shifted his grip on his books and waited for the right opportunity to snag Gabriel’s attention.

When Gabriel gaze found him, a silky ribbon of hope spun around Jack’s chest. But then Gabriel smirked, rolled his eyes, and looked away. The hope hardened into razor wire.

Prick.

Jack stalked off to class, his face hot with frustration. The anger followed Jack into lunch where Angela pulled him out of his brooding with a bony elbow to his ribs.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“I—” Jack tore his gaze away from where the hockey team sat together for lunch. “Nothing.”

Even if the acclaimed nothing drove him to pull his phone out and re-send his earlier text. As he watched, heel bouncing against the cafeteria floor, Gabriel checked the message and set his phone aside without replying.

Well, Jack thought bitterly, that settles it.

He shoved his phone away and ate; his mood as unpleasant as the beef and noodle goop on his tray.

By last period, Jack accepted his fate and asked to be excused from class. He reserved the gymnasium for tryouts that weekend then slipped into the computer lab to throw together a design for an invitation flyer. When classes ended, Jack stood guard over whirling printer, wholly expecting a teacher to question him about his unsanctioned use of paper.

Genji, the foreign exchange student staying with his family out at the farm, joined him. The green haired sophomore sat on the table next to the printer, folding the spare sheets of paper while waiting for a ride home.

It had taken a great deal of convincing before his parents agreed to house an exchange student. Jack had done it with hopes of helping his mother move past Ben’s death. Ben, his younger brother, had died years ago but his room had remained the same. Toys, story books, a cartoon-themed duvet. Prior to Genji's arrival, Jack had packed it all into boxes while his mother cried.

“Is Angela joining?” Genji asked.

Jack held back a sigh. “She is.”

“Then I will too.”

Jack didn’t want to encourage Genji to pursue his best friend — Angela was far too career minded to spare Genji anything more than a polite smile — but Jack did want reliable people on the team. Especially since Gabriel —

He shelved the peevish thought as the printer spat out another flyer.

“I think you’ll end up leaving before the competition,” Jack said.

Genji lazily shrugged and continued folding the paper. “I might be able to convince my family to let me stay over the summer, even if my brother won’t like it.”

Over the weeks, Jack learned that if Hanzo — Genji’s older brother — disapproved of something, then Genji was keen to do it. They spoke over Skype twice a week and, while Jack didn’t understand Japanese, their conversations never struck him as a pleasant exchange. It had been outright explosive when, during his first week stateside, Genji had dyed his hair a startling shade of green.

“Hey!”

Both Genji and Jack looked up as Angela walked into the lab. Genji slid off the table and presented her with his freshly folded origami flower. She smiled while accepting the gift, but made straight for the stack of printed flyers.

“Great! You got in touch with Gabriel?”

Disinclined to talk about it, because it would just piss him off, Jack shrugged.

Angela groaned with exasperation, “Jack.”

“Angie, don’t start.”

“You can’t let him get away with being a prick.”

“I’m not — they’re just flyers.”

“Great.” She lifted the stack of papers and set them on her arm. “You did your part, now it’s his turn.”

“Wait—” but she was already out the door.

Jack wouldn’t call her meddlesome, but her driven nature, paired with her desire to help people, could be very irritating. He grumbled and stalked after her with Genji at his heels. Her steps quickened to stay just out of his reach, leading them down the school hallway and out the front doors. The autumn sky still held remnants of the summer, bright with sunshine and warm enough to not require a jacket. A beautiful day, if not for the fact that Angela was intent on darkening it by heading straight for the parking lot.

No, was she really going to—

She was.

Ahead of them, circled around Akande’s expensive Benz, stood the majority of the hockey team with their various fans. Angela marched toward the pack of wolves, fearless of their leers. She went straight to Gabriel and shoved the flyers against his chest.

“Jack made these for you,” she said with a smile.

Gabriel’s brow rose as he regarded the papers.

As Jack edged in after Angela, the team squared up. Word traveled fast around school and their grinning faces told him they knew the cause behind the bruise circling his eye. A silent offer hung in the air. Jack could have a matching pair if he so much as pushed at one of them.

Gabriel took the papers and immediately foisted them off on his nearest friend, Jesse. “That day doesn’t work for me.”

The tension threading through the group cinched tighter, closing like a vice around Jack’s chest. He slid his hands into his pockets and kept his shoulders loose.

“Then you should have answered my text," Jack said.

“Huh.” Gabriel tilted his head back with feigned thoughtfulness. “Don’t think I got any texts.”

The bruising was harder to pick out against Gabriel’s brown skin, but the way he canted his head allowed the afternoon sun to highlight the dark blots. A sliver of satisfaction pierced Jack’s thoughts. No, he certainly did not regret punching Gabriel. In fact, he wanted to do it again. His fingers curled into his palms, hidden away in his pockets.

Jack’s jaw clenched as he tried, and failed, to speak in a neutral tone, “You really want to have it out right here?”

The energy of the group shifted like sharks stirring at the taste of blood in the water. Gabriel studied him as the rest of his team closed the circle. Mauga's big face split into a hungry leer as he teetered on the cusp of chanting ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’.

A quick glance toward Angela and Genji showed they had been eased out of harm’s way by Jesse asking about the stack of flyers. Jesse briefly met Jack’s eyes and tapped the brim of his cowboy hat in a show of reassurance.

Jack could live with that. Jesse, other than being a fellow junior, had worked out at the Morrison farm over the last two summers and, whenever he wasn’t joined at the hip to Gabriel, was enjoyable company. More than a couple cigarettes had passed between them as they sat together on the tailgate of Jack’s truck, unwinding from a hard day’s work.

Not quite a friend, but in that moment Jesse was, at the least, an ally.

Gabriel stepped forward and knocked his shoulder into Jack’s as he passed, clearly expecting him to follow. Jack hesitated. He swept a look over the disappointed faces of the hockey team, lingering on Akande who scrutinized him, curiously, before peering after Gabriel.

After one last look toward Angela and Genji, Jack followed after Gabriel.

They moved several cars away, enough to be out of ear shot but still within glaring distance. Gabriel leaned against the door of an old, white Mazda Jack had seen him drive around town. They both glanced toward the hockey team, aware of their audience. Jack kept his hands into his pockets while Gabriel crossed his arms high on his chest.

“You have to help with this,” Jack said.

“I don’t have to do anything.”

“You’re the one with a scholarship riding on this, not me.”

The words had the desired effect of shutting Gabriel’s mouth. His fingers flexed against the sleeves of his dark hoodie and his eyes flashed with anger. Jack stepped closer, pushing the tension because he knew he could get away with it and he was tired of dealing with Gabriel's shit. “And if you keep ghosting me, I’ll go to Principal Amari.”

Gabriel growled through a clenched jaw, “I told you that day doesn’t work for me.”

“That’s your problem, Reyes.”

In the natural light, Gabriel’s eyes were the color of dark honey. A rich, deep amber with subtle hints of hazeling around the pupil. His brown skin and dark chestnut hair made them all the more golden. Jack’s gaze strayed, following the dark stubble lining Gabriel’s jawline. Freshly shaved; the lingering scent of after shave reached Jack’s nose. Gabriel’s lower lip jutted, every so slightly, giving his lips a pursed quality, and—

Jack took a step back, then another. He cast his gaze out over the parking lot and shrugged. “I already got permission to use the gym on Saturday. Show up or don’t, I don’t care.”

One way or another, Jack just wanted to know if Gabriel intended to help. If not, then Jack wanted to spend the rest of the year pretending Gabriel Reyes didn’t exist. His experience as a captain would have been useful, but Jack would manage the Spartan team on his own.

Jack paused before walking off. “Put up the damn flyers.”