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Jace woke up to a heavy but more comfortable weight on his stomach.
It was an arm. Brown and nicked with the occasional scar, holding jace gently. Connected to it was a man still sleeping. His face was covered by black, loosely curled hair that messily pooled around his head.
The telepath was grateful to see Gideon again, he just never would have predicted the turn of events that delivered this. The soldier was so ecstatic to see him again that he nearly tackled the telepath into a hug, after arguing that jace was safe and most certainly an ally, he and Gideon catch up somewhat. After some talking (Jace glossed over greatly the fact he was a pirate, not sure how the other would feel about it) Gideon reached for Jaces hand and kisses it sweetly, murmuring "i worried about you often".
This should have been the first indicator to jace but the telepath brushed it off, Gideon was well known to be that way sometimes. Affectionate but ever stoic and closed off on how he felt. He never did let go of jaces hand either. Holding it gently like a bird that could fly away any moment as he shows the other around the ship. He showed him the captain Sisay, a silver golem, a wizard that regarded him quietly as he was reading, and many more. By the end of it, they were both sitting comfortably on the deck.
"So Bolas plans on invading Ravnica, huh." Gideon says. "That will be his first big mistake. I cant imagine the guilds doing little else but fighting back."
Jace nods "with amonkhet producing his army and the artifacts hes taken it still wont be an easy fight. It doesnt help that his arrival will shock them for sure."
"I will hold a meeting tomorrow then and tell the crew about this, then plan for our next action." He retracts his hand away from Jaces finally and scratches along his own jaw.
"We still havent heard from Nissa and Chandra." He states dryly. "Jace, im sorry i failed you in keeping the gatewatch together. I-" jace waves it off.
"You were all wounded and Nissa was right to have had enough of our shenanigans. She often sometimes felt like she didnt mesh in well enough." Thats when the telepath looks him honestly in the eyes. Gideon looks away with a slow blink,
"I worry about Chandra as well. I know shes fine but her quest for strength may lead to some misfortune for her if she looks wrong" his eyes watch the others go about their shipwork.
"Its good to be, but we should keep our focus here." Jace smiles warmly at him.
There was a pause after Gideon murmured in agreement as both looked over at the clouds in the sky float by. Jace glanced at Gideons face, wanting to see it more then ever before.
It was just as he remembered. Chisled and set sternly like a true soldier but gave the most endearing and heartfelt smiles. His face was handsome enough to make any man, women or other swoon and Jace himself was no exception. It didnt help that Gideon had a brilliant mind to go with it all as well, jace mused. They snuck more glances at eachother while watching the horizon until it starts getting darker.
"So... you gained Vraska as an ally?" Gideon asks.
"Yeah, dealt with Dinosaurs too." Jace answered back, relaxed.
"How do we know shes a real ally and not betraying us for Bolas?"
"I wiped her mind, she trusted me to do so as it was her suggestion." Jace answers back, "she has grown to someone i consider a good friend you know."
What happens next was so subtle Jace nearly missed it. Gideons face changed just a hair and he crossed his arms, looking away even more so then before. "Ah, is that so?" His voice sounded nearly forced. Jace had no clue what changed his demeamor to this.
"Yes. She has been dealt with a bad hand in life and i understand personally." Jace stops there and nearly considers prodding Gideon, wondering why he was acting off so suddenly. Jaces markings and eyes didnt even glow as he just skimmed the edges of what was going on with the other. He saw murmurs of irritation but they aimed inwardly to gideon himself, not at to anyone else. Mutterings of how he shouldnt be this hurt over Jace finding someone else but still downtrodden. Gideon quickly buries the feelings once more and admits in the private space of his mind that he is just happy to see Jace alive and that is enough. Suddenly all those little things the other did made sense, making Jace blush up to his ears.
The telepath pulls away and bites his own lip. 'Fuck.... he thinks...' Jace feels his blush burn more and he licks his lips in thought. He did have feelings for Gideon as well, he realizes, but this needed to be fixed delicately.
"I even almost considered going out for drinks with her, if we had the time, but something held me back." Jace states awkwardly.
Gideon was still facing away. "Is that so?"
"Yeah" Jace fidgeted with his hands. "In fact, it wasnt something but more like someone."
There was a pregnant pause. "....You still want Liliana?" He asks, finally looking to Jace more concerned. Jace nearly laughed "gods no! Its you, Gideon. I have a crush on you."
The others jaw goes slack and his hazel eyes are wide. "I... me?" He gives away his bashfulness as he opens and closes his mouth like a fish.
"Yes you, the gorgeous man sitting across from me." This time Jace himself reaches for Gideons hand. The other almost pulls away to the touch. "It took me a while to even realize this but i like you more then platonically at the end of my stay in Iaxalan. I apologize for being cold to you before honestly, i was just hurt and insecure myself." Gideons eyes pierced his so intently, trying to find a joke any where.
"Thats good then i suppose.... because... i might have feelings for you as well..." he rubs a thumb over jaces hand holding his.
"I think 'might' is an underestimation, given how youre acting like a blushing young gal." Jace teases. Just like that, most of gideons stoicness returns. "Ha ha, its only because you caught me off guard." He kisses Jaces wrist, making the others blush returns. "I wont be caught off guard next time."
That was a challenge jace very much welcomed and accepted.