Chapter Text
Jesse had made a new friend in the base. His name was Ren and was from Japan. The teenage boy was 15, a year older than Jesse. He was lanky, and his hair looked more like a brown mop. His skin was as pale as a vampire's, in fact, that's what Jack thought he was first.
Ren didn't seem like someone Jesse would get along with. Jesse was a big ball of energy awaiting to be unleashed, while Ren was more reserved and quiet. He was quite rude and impolite at times as well. Gabriel doesn't like the boy at all. Jack wasn't sure if it was fatherly instincts or just plain paranoia, but Gabriel had a bad feeling about Ren.
"His eyes," he once explained. "Look like they're searching Jesse for something. His eyes hardly ever leave his arm."
Jack had agreed this was odd behaviour. But, Jesse was happy with Ren, he loved hanging out with him after the tutor sessions and often went to different places together too. They weren't in the same team, Ren was defence and Jesse was offence, so they did train separately. Gabriel felt glad that was how it worked out, Jack and him usually trained with Jesse.
Right now, Jesse was getting ready to hang out with Ren again. No matter how old he got, he always wore the cowboy hat and red serape. His getup screamed western. Ren didn't seem to mind though and would entertain Jesse with his old cowboy movies.
Gabriel watched his boy from the kitchen door, a smile on his lips as he saw Jesse pulling on his boots. He looked up at Gabriel with a big grin.
"Hey, padre."
"How you doing, Mijo?"
"Good! I'm gonna see Ren again today. He said he was gonna show me his old cowboy collection."
"Ren is... Nice to you."
"Yeah. He's cool..."
Jesse trailed off lamely, looking unsure of how to finish. He had completed the task of putting his boots on and now he stood awkwardly beside the front door.
"What's wrong, Mijo?"
Gabriel became concerned as he watched Jesse struggle to form the words.
"It's just... He's been acting weird lately. He's been lashing out at me..."
"Have you done anything to annoy him?"
"No! He made a snarky comment on my accent the other day. I don't know why."
That was weird... As far as Gabriel could tell, Jesse always had a Western accent. Ren should have noticed this when he first talked to Jesse. And why was he being sarky anyways? Because Jesse had a western accent? Ren had a cowboy collection! And a little accent bothered him?
Gabriel knew there was more reasons why he hated the lanky brat.
"Listen, Mijo, if Ren has a problem with you, don't hang out with him. If he actually is being a asshole to you, I wanna hear about it, 'Kay?"
"'Kay, but, I don't want you going all... Death on him."
"Me? Go death on someone? Please."
"Padre... I mean it."
"Fine. I just worry because you are my special son. I don't want anyone to harm you."
"I'll be fine. Gracias, padre! Love you!"
Jesse grinned at Gabriel as he walked out the door. Gabriel watched until the white coloured door soon obstructed his view of his son.
However, the dark pit at the bottom of his stomach wouldn't leave.
Jesse smiled as he sat beside Ren on the 15 years' old bed. He was reading an old book about cowboy's. Ren was sitting beside him, flicking through a magazine. They were wrapped in a comfortable silence.
Until, Ren broke it with a snide comment.
"Why don't you read something intellectual? Cowboys will melt your brain cells."
Jesse stared at him in confusion after the statement was finished.
"But, you're the one who owns it."
"Doesn't mean I read it, dumbass."
Jesse shifted uncomfortably. Ren hadn't looked up from his magazine and he looked nonchalant. Jesse has lost his emersion in the leather bound book he was holding. The tension in the room was thick, and Jesse found it somewhat hard to breathe properly.
"What are you reading, Ren?"
He decided to make light conversation. Maybe that would work to lift the tension.
"Just stupid teen facts."
That answer was firm and to the point, Jesse wasn't sure how to carry on the conversation from there.
"Interesting."
He coughed awkwardly, and returned his attention to the book in front of him. Anything to avoid the awkwardness now filling the room.
"Hey, Jesse, how long were you with that gang anyway?"
Jesse looked at Ren with a curious expression, thrown off by his line of questioning. Jesse hasn't thought about the gang in years.
"Um... 4 years, I think? I mean, my parents died when I was 7, and I joined the gang right after they died."
"What happened to your parents?"
"Uh... They- they died during one of the riots. House crushed them and they suffocated."
Jesse had only talked about his biological parents to Jack and Gabriel. No one else has really cared or bothered to ask. Jesse preferred it that way. He rather not remember the horror that fell upon his family that day.
Ren hummed with a nod.
"Well, you know Jesse... What would you say if I said you could see your family again?"
"I would say you were nuts because they're dead. Besides, I'm content with my padre and papa. They're my family now."
"Really? Are you sure? 'Cause, Jack and Gabriel are busy men. Do they have time to deal with a brat? Come on, I'll take you to see your family again."
Ren had this gleam in his Amber eye that made Jesse uncomfortable. The boy was trying to hide a grin behind the magazine as he stared at Jesse.
"I-I'm gonna use the bathroom."
Jesse said. He stood and made a bee-line for the bathroom, hearing Ren snickering behind him as he left.
As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Jesse leaned up against it, his breaths coming out in short pants. Ren was scaring him. He whipped out his phone and dialled Gabriel's number.
Ring
Ring
Ring
"Hello?"
"Hi, padre, it's me. Can you come and get me?"
"Jesse? Uh, sure. What's wrong?"
"R-Ren's scaring me slightly. He keeps talking about my biological parents and how he can take me to see them. He's really scaring me, padre. I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt his feelings by leaving early. Can you come and say I have to come home? Please? Padre?"
"Shhh, shh. It's okay. I'll be there in 10 minutes. Hang tight."
"Okay, thanks, love you."
"Love you too."
Jesse took a calming breath before pocketing his phone and opening the door. He began the trudge back to Ren's small bedroom. Ren lived alone in the base which Jesse found sad at first, but Ren didn't mind. He liked living alone apparently.
When Jesse entered the room, he realised Ren was no longer present.
"Ren? Where-?"
He was cut off as he was tackled from behind. He made to scream but his voice was muffled as a hand was placed over his mouth.
"Shhhh...."
Ren's voice whispered in his ear. Jesse's eyes widened in shock and he renewed his efforts to get Ren off of him. Ren sighed heavily before flipping Jesse onto his back and holding a razor sharp knife to his throat, right next to his bobbing Adam's apple.
"Shhhh... You called Gabriel, didn't you? We don't have much time then."
"Wh-what are you talking about? R-Ren-"
"Shh... Don't speak."
Ren caressed Jesse's left arm with the knife. And Jesse felt himself freeze as the metal touched his cool skin.
"You know... I might be able to get all 5 fingers from you. Last time, one finger fell off."
Jesse felt like crying at those words. Ren wasn't serious was he? Was he going to cut off his fingers? Or hands?
Ren stopped the knife at the junction of where his elbow was.
"Hmm..."
He hummed, before moving it down slightly.
"I'm sorry for this."
"What are you- AHHHHH!"
Jesse cut off in a scream as the knife dug into his flesh. However, a big palm covered his mouth.
"I told you to shush."
The knife plunged deeper into his arm and Jesse could feel his bone move. Tears streamed down his face as he screamed. He couldn't stop looking at the knife that was lodged in his arm.
Ren kept repeatedly stabbing his arm, holes with blood seeping from them decorating it.
"Finally!"
Jesse screamed once more as Ren ripped the knife out of the cuts and then again as Ren kept pulling...
And pulling...
And pulling....
Until his lower arm was completely gone.
Blood was pooled around the stub. It wasn't completely circular; there was lots of jagged edges. Jesse figures that was his intention.
Ren let go of Jesse and stood, the arm in his grip. Jesse was too dazed to get up and instead stared at him with cloudy eyes. Ren kissed the middle finger of the severed hand.
"So beautiful."
Jesse tried to get his breathing under control, but felt himself tense as Ren's piercing gaze shot through his.
"Wh-why...? R-Ren?"
"Why? Your arm will be a perfect addition to my fear garden."
As Ren said this, he opened his wardrobe. Jesse had to crane his neck slightly to see what was inside, but he wished he hadn't. His eyes widened in shock as he saw hundreds of plant pots that instead of flowers, had arms protruding from them.
"Now you know what I do... I can't let you leave."
Ren carefully sat the arm on the bed, unaffected by the blood seeping onto the bed covers. He then straddled Jesse after receiving the knife.
Truthfully, Jesse wouldn't mind if he died now. His arm was on fire and he just wanted to sleep. He wanted to escape the pain. He wanted to escape this nightmare. He wished he could unsee the gruesome sight that met him in the wardrobe.
Ren raised the knife above his head, his sights locked on Jesse's neck.
BANG! BANG!
Ren fell down on top of Jesse suddenly, blood pouring out of his mouth. The knife had fallen out of his hand, it was right next to Jesse's cheek.
"Get away from my son, brat."
Ren was dead. A hole was on his forehead where the bullet ran through. Gabriel was standing in the door way, a shotgun in his hand. Jesse looked at him with a weak smile, however it was soon becoming a hard task to keep his eyes open.
"It's okay, you're okay."
Gabriel soothed as he sprinted over. He was freaking out in the inside; his son was lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood with a missing lower arm. Who wouldn't freak? He shoved Ren off of his son, not caring where the corpse ended up. Jack would be upset he killed him straight away, but he couldn't care. The brat deserved to burn in hell for years.
"Padre...?"
Jesse's weak voice nearly brought tears to his eyes. He grabbed the bed sheet that covered Ren's single bed, and tore at the fabric to make a makeshift bandage. He needed to get pressure on the wound before Jesse bleeded out.
"I'm... s-s-sorry... p-padre..."
"Don't speak and don't you dare pass out."
Gabriel was near blubbering. His hands shook as he tried to staunch the blood flow.
But Jesse couldn't stay awake any longer and Gabriel was well aware of that. He was going into shock too.
Black soon surrounded his vision, and he felt himself pull away from consciousness.
"It'll be okay, Jesse."
Jesse groggily opened his eyes. His mouth was dry and he felt tied down. But he knew that wasn't true, at least, he thought so.
"Jesse? Are you alright?"
His papa was calling out to him. He turned his head towards him, feeling relief wash over him as he was met with a familiar face.
His papa was kneeling down beside him, his big hands wrapped around his smaller one. He was clearly worried, his brows furrowed. Gabriel was standing beside him, his facial expression similar. He brushed his long hair back gently.
"Papa? Padre?"
His throat was dry and it hurt to talk, but he wanted to say so much to his parents.
What happened to Ren? Was the events all a dream? Why did his body feel unbalanced?
"It's alright."
Jack soothed. Gabriel grabbed a cup that held ice chips in them.
"Are you alright to swallow?"
Jesse nodded. Gabriel sat on the edge of the hospital bed, grabbed a spoon and scooped a ice chip up. Jesse opened his mouth and sucked on the ice eagerly once it touched his rough tongue.
For a moment, it was quiet. Jack rubbed his fingers soothingly across Jesse's knuckles and Gabriel just stared at his son in sorrow. Truthfully, he felt guilty for what happened.
It was hard to look at his son now, 14 and missing an arm. All because he couldn't protect him from a psycho. He knew something was wrong about Ren and yet he never did anything. And now, his son had no arm. It doesn't seem like Jesse remembers what happened, and Gabriel is dreading having to tell him.
Once the ice was gone from his mouth, Jesse asked the infamous question.
"What happened?"
Jack and Gabriel exchanged worried looks.
"You don't remember?"
"Not really... I was with Ren and he...."
Jesse trailed off, until he let out a gasp. He lifted the white sheet up that was covering his left arm, and he turned a little green.
"M...m....m..."
"Jesse, calm down."
Jack said, trying to make his voice soft. Jesse was breathing fast, until that turned into hyperventilating.
"M...m.m... a...a..."
"Jesse, you need to breathe, please mijo."
Gabriel placed the sheet over Jesse's upper arm so he would stop staring at it. However, his wide eyes did not leave the spot.
"Breathe with me, Jesse."
Jack grabbed his hand and brought it to his chest. He read online that, if someone is having a panic attack, putting their hand on your chest will aid them in breathing properly. It seemed to work for Jesse, because soon his breathing was somewhat normal.
"Wh-what did Ren do...?"
"He was a sick boy, Jesse. I... really don't want to tell you what he has been doing for his whole life."
"The closet. What was in the closet? I have a right to know."
Gabriel sighed, before he answered, quite hesitantly.
"He... liked cutting people's arms off and making them into plants. That's what he was going to do with your arm."
Jesse felt tears leak out the corner of his eyes. His hand was still enveloped in his papa's large one and he had no desire to part with it.
"I thought he was my friend..."
"I know, mijo."
A sob broke free from Jesse's mouth. Gabriel pulled him into his chest, and Jesse let himself be held, his tears forming a wet patch on Gabriel's shirt.
Jack and Gabriel looked at each other solemnly as their son's cries echoed throughout the room. Both of them were thinking the exact same thing.
'How could we let this happen?'
It was two weeks after the incident. People were told and the news spread like wildfire. It was difficult to go to the cafeteria to eat without someone bombarding them with questions about Ren. Jesse was now even more recognisable around the base, probably due to his bandaged stump.
Jesse had eventually locked himself away in his bedroom. Jack or Gabriel usually brought food from the cafeteria for him. They were drowned with nosy questions too, but they never answered and usually snapped in retaliation. What was their son's incident any of their business? It's bad enough that Jack and Gabriel let this happened, but now people were eager to see what the commotion was about. Can't the kid get a break?
It was like the world was trying to screw them all over.
One evening, a hour after dinner, Jack and Gabriel stood outside Jesse's room. Jack held a bundle of blankets in his arms, and nodded for Gabriel to knock.
There was a sniffle, then a very shaky.
"Yeah?"
"Mijo? Can we come in?"
Jesse had taken to being more private, and while they wanted to respect that, they were concerned that he would soon isolate himself entirely. They haven't seen him for at least 3 days straight. They felt like the worst parents on the earth.
"....."
"Please?"
There was a pitter patter of feet and then a soft click. The door opened to reveal their son, and the sight shocked them.
Jesse's eyes were red rimmed and they had dark bags underneath from lack of sleep. His hair was greasy and sticking out in odd ways. His nose was red and looked chafed almost. His pajamas were all wrinkly and messy.
"Mijo, do you want to get cleaned up?"
Gabriel questions, his tone screaming concerned parent.
"I-I was going to..."
Jesse's voice was low and soft. He had became more timid after the incident and usually doesn't raise his voice. He curled in on himself and kept his face down towards the ground.
"Jesse, we know you've been having a tough time with one arm..."
Jesse nods.
"So, we talked to Torb, and he says he can help."
Jesse regarded his papa carefully. Jesse didn't really like the small, angry dwarf. He was quite rude and he had always been afraid of him when he was younger.
"How?"
"He has offered to make you a new arm."
Jesse looked up at Jack and Gabriel with wide eyes.
"H-how?"
"It won't be completely real looking, it's more robotic, but it should work as a normal appendage. However, you will have to go through therapy."
"Seriously?"
Gabriel smiled slightly, his son looked so happy. His eyes were lighter and he looked excited.
"Seriously. Also, one other thing..."
Gabriel nodded towards Jack, and the other man smiled before setting the blankets on the floor.
Jesse stared at the bundle confusedly then looked towards his parents. Jack let out a low whistle and then the sheets began to move.
And bark.
"You... a puppy?"
Jesse's eyes were wide as he saw a small St Bernard crawl out of the sheets with its small tail wagging excitedly. Jesse bent down on one knee and chuckled as the puppy jumped into his chest.
"We know how much you miss Charlotte, so we decided to get you a puppy."
Charlotte, Jesse's pet spider, died a year ago and the kid was devastated. Reinhardt had spent the whole evening trying to comfort him.
"We didn't get another spider because well..."
"You're still terrified of them."
Jesse remarked with a shy grin. Jack smiled as he saw his son coming out of his shell.
"Hey, I was thinking... do you think it would be good for me to see a therapist about this?"
"Only if you want, mijo. It's totally your choice."
Jesse nodded and beamed as the puppy licked his cheek. Jack and Gabriel hoped the pup would also serve as a therapy dog too. They wanted Jesse to be himself again, and they're going to try their damn best to make sure Jesse is smiling and laughing like he used to again.
The kid deserves happiness.
"Gracias, papa y padre!"
Jesse opened his arms for a hug, and the two men complied. They wrapped Jesse in a tight embrace, smiling as he snuggled into them. Jesse was their child, to protect, to nurture, to love. They will never let anything bad happen to him ever again. They understand how Ana must feel about Fareeha; always protective, always paranoid, always trying to do the best for her child.
"I love you, papa and padre."
"We love you too, Jesse."
"But you need a shower."
Jack slapped Gabriel for that, but Jesse just laughed and nodded.
Jack and Gabriel would do anything to protect their son's happiness.