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It was a known fact that Jesse McCree didn’t have a daddy. His ma had married some fancy gambler, sure, but they weren’t soulmates so it didn’t right count. When Ma’s gambler found his match on a riverboat, the two split up without too many hard feelings. McCree still visited his boy e’ery now and then and on holidays if he could make it, but that didn’t count none in their town.

People whispered all the time ‘bout Jesse and his ma. Sounded like snakes hissing e’erywhere they went. Kids at school liked to stir up trouble and Jesse learnt real quick to be the best at tossing rocks and using his slingshot. He asked Ma once why having a white pa was such a bad thing, but she looked sad ‘n so he never brought it up again.

Jesse didn’t mean to get caught up in no gangs either. Deadlock steamrolled through their little town and after knocking six or so of them clean off their fancy motorbikes he got the offer of joining. However, since they’d go after Ma if he didn’t, it weren’t much of a choice. They shoved a gun in his hand and even though Jesse wasn’t much a religious fellow, he prayed each night to the good ol’ Mary and his ma’s set of people. He prayed to God to clean his murderin’ soul, and hoped Ma’s folks would see to the people he saw die. Ain’t no one nasty enough to get no prayer, his ma had said. He hoped his soulmate didn’t mind that the revolver’s holster rubbed up against those squiggly marks he knew didn’t spell out any local name. Ain’t no one he’d kissed had marks like that either, so Jesse hoped by the time he found his mate he’d be a man worth having. Boy, did he need time to work on that and help besides.

Still, seems right odd for Jesse to meet his ma’s soulmate before she did. A couple of friends and him were visiting Ma for dinner when word got to ‘em Deadlock was being raided. The boys ran like their tails were on fire to get to the pigsty inn they’d supposed to be holed up in. Sure enough, some professional looking guys were blowing holes in the joint. The actual fighting bit was a blur, but Jesse knew they weren’t gonna win this one. The gang had done some lowdown, sickening things and these raiders didn’t seem keen on mercy. Just when he set up some pretty good shots, some yelling caught his ear.

“Reyes, on your four.” He hesitated just a second, but it was enough time for a freight train wearing a beanie cap to plow into him.

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Ma’s mark was written in a sort of deliberate red and framed ‘round just under her shoulder.

“I’m Commander Reyes, your son is—“ it cut off into some garbled scribbles.

Commander Reyes in person was indimidatin’, but Jesse weren’t too afraid. If Ma was meant to be with him then he couldn’t be too bad. Reyes seemed to do what he could to ruin that hope.

“C’mon, it’s been three hours. I want my darned hat back! It was a gift,” Jesse shouted. He’d been hollerin’ at the window since they dropped him in the interrogation room. Getting angry was better than speculating what had happened to his friends (besides the hat was a Quinceanero gift from his uncle). If any of her boys got killed, ma would kill them all. He let out a long string of curses in Spanish.

“Impressive.” Reyes was washed up and looking smug. Blood was dripping down Jesse’s split lip and staining his dusty shirt. Jerk. “now I’m here to give you your options.” There was a whole spiel about redemption and some graphic descriptions of what would happen to someone like Jesse in prison. Ma woulda washed this man’s mouth out with lye. The door slid open.

“Uh, sir? One of their mothers is here, demanding to see who’s in charge.” A nervous soldier interrupted.

“What?” Reyes snapped at his underling and Jesse’s eyes widened.

“Dios mio, I forgot to ask to be excused.” Jesse blurted. The men turned to gape at him. “My room’s a mess, I tracked mud in, left my laundry on the floor.” He babbled. Ma always made it clear she would let him rot in jail if he was stupid enough to deserve it. He must have done something truly reprihensble for her to hunt him down.

“Hey, kid.” Reyes trailed off. Dainty footsteps approached the room and Jesse tried to cower, hide the cuffs, anything. But it was too little too late. Ma appeared with that serene look that had Jesse’s eyes darting down to check her footwear.

“Ma’am, this is a secure area.” The grunt was a dead man. No one got between Ma and her target like that. Reyes stood and caught her attention before she could act. The air turned cold when Ma’s eyes slid past the big guy to her baby boy cuffed to a table, shivering and bloodied.

“I’m Commander Reyes, your son is—“ She decked him flat out and the commander went flying into the wall.

“You call yourself a man? What man leaves a child like this and keeps his mama away?” Jesse cringed sympathetically as Ma’s blistering scolding elevated octave and crossed into Spanish, then her native tongue. Reyes looked stunned, or maybe just concussed. The soldier had run out when she threw her punch and came back with some smarmy blond.

“Ma’am you can’t—“ Jesse cringed again. That was the exact wrong thing to tell Mama.

Twenty minutes later, Jesse and those of the gang Ma essentially adopted, the younger kids and the better of Jesse’s friends, were heading home and the blond looked like you’d smacked him with a beam then told him his dog had died. Reyes was cradling his sore jaw and seemed similarly stunned. Jesse tried to be the bigger man (what with Ma watching and in a thrice-foul mood).

“Well, Reyes, I know you just met your soulmate and all, and I reckon we’ve both got some things ta think long and hard on. Why don’t we call it a night and in ‘bout a week or so you come over with some bitter chocolates and Ma may forgive you.” Mama snorted and rolled her eyes, but Reyes was too busy blushing to take note. He let out a tired chuckle.

“Will do, vaquero. Think hard about that job offer. Your mama doesn’t seem the kind to take this gang crap for long.”—“Damned right I won’t be bailing you out again.”—“So, I’ll be in touch.”

Their home was in sight when Ma spoke up once more. “Jessito, mijos, you were never excused from the table.” The sound of twelve knees hitting the dust in unison preceeded a heartfelt chorus of “Benedicion, Mama!”s and almost masked Jesse’s suicidally muttered “Knew it.”

A sandal flew into his forehead and he joined the others in groveling.

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“McCree! Take Shimada to the range and try to work on his distance shooting,” Gabe barked. He was massaging his temple and Jesse could barely hear the prayer for patience (but not for strength or he’d kill them all) over the grinding of teeth. He tried not to take it too personally. Genji bounced in from somewhere and began jabbering away.
“Do I get a gun? Reyes uses shotguns, right? Can I have shotguns? Can I dual-wield shotguns? What gun do you have? Is that the same thing as on your boots? Do you have a horse like a real cowboy? Why isn’t your horse here? Jesse repented each and every time he pestered his poor, saintly mama if he was even half this…Genji.
“Training one maybe, yeah, hell no, could don’t mean should, Peacemaker revolver and yeah it has a spur, I do but ol’ Red can’t fit in the dorm.” He tried to keep up. Carrot-head looked surprised, but then a delight began to radiate off’m.
“Cool.” Jesse waited a minute before worrying he’d gone deaf.
“Ah, Gabriel boot you two out so he can complain to Mari in peace?” Miss Ana greeted. Oh good, no hearing loss then—Genji’s ninja getup may not be just a costume after all.
“He wouldn’t dare. Ma would love fawning over Genji and never backs down from a challenge. Commander’d be right dumb to try winning that fight.” Jesse shrugged. His charge looked intrigued at the conversation. Poor Gabe’s sparse moments of peace were over—this boy had a gleam in his eye Jesse had seen for decades in the mirror. Miss Ana hummed in a way that meant she knew exactly what chaos she’d unleashed before wishing them a good day.

---
It happened later than he though, just over a month after their conversation. Jesse woke up to a frantic Gabe, too unnerved to have even grabbed his beanie cap.
“Get up, boy. Clean everything—I want your boots shining. Take a shower and nibble on this tortilla—“
“Why the fu—“
“Shut up, not time. Also, make sure all the white boys know how to say tortilla.” The commander began straightening discarded memos on Jesse’s desk while McCree stared at his…buttered tortilla?
“What’s going on? Inspection? Tortillas? How the Sam Hill could someone be so dense as to get tortilla wrong?” Gabe paused and sat on the edge of the bed, hunching slightly.
“Jesse, mijo, preciosa.” He laid a hand on his arm gravely, eyes misting over. “Your Ma caught wind of Genji and is on her way to visit.” Jesse gulped, already listing out what he should definitely hide from her. “And when I first met jack he said…he said tor—“ Gabe cut off with a cringe. “Tor-TILL-ah.” He gagged and Jesse felt something get crushed in the very center of his soul.
“I’ll make sure Genji is presentable and call up the guys to see what mood she was when she left. You go and get that…heathen! Get him far, far away.” Jesse shuddered, feeling unclean, though that may have been the grease from the limp tortilla dripping down his arm.
Genji’s room was surprisingly neat and the kid was doing stretches that would break a normal human’s spine eight different ways when jesse let himself in and started explaining things.
“Your mother is visiting?” He had a weird expression, but finally sorted it into a small smile. “I hope you enjoy your time together. I’ll keep out of your way.” Kid looked ready to cry and Jesse would be damned to hell in his mother’s eyes if he let that happen.
“She’s comin’ ta see you, doof! C’mon, munch on this and listen up.” He held out a tortilla with a smattering of cheese (a more rational topping that some people’s) and added a brief “Tortilla” just in case Genji didn’t know. It was a simple word, but he figured it may not have come up in his learn—
“But Morrison called these—“ Jesse lunged, latching onto the boy’s shoulders and stared deep into his eyes with all the passion of his being.

"Tor-TEE-ya."

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“Hey, Cowboy, why is Reyes acting weird?” Genji asked.

“Dunno, figger’d you’d done something.” McCree shrugged. Boss man was on a shorter fuse than normal and seemed to be a mite distracted. Not that it was any of his business though, commanders got a lotta crap they had to deal with. A heavy hand smacked down on his shoulder and Jesse nearly sent his lunch tray flying.

“Is it not clear? Commander Reyes is trying to think of a way to propose!” Reinhardt boomed merrily. His words echoed not only off the metal walls, but in Jesse’s brain as well--propose.

“What!” Genji practically teleported out of his seat up to the lunch table, as if seeing eye to chin with the hulking German would make his meaning clearer. Absently, Jesse noticed Reinhardt hunch down a bit to match the ninja’s height. Part of him was just as excited as the Carrot. In this line of work there aren’t many happily-ever-afters so people always clung to what happiness they could find. The only hitch was that the only person Gabe would be proposing to, unless he and Morrison really were in deep and passionate hate with each other, was Ma. She deserved to be happy and all, but it was just…weird. His CO would be having…marital affairs with the woman who birthed and raised him. Jesse finished his sandwich robotically and slipped away from the two scheming romantics (as if Miss Ana would let anyone else plan Ma and Gabe’s wedding). What Jesse needed was a good old fashioned think.

Soulmates had always been a weird thing for McCree. When he was a little kid in school, the others’d go on about fairy tale romances and how they’d never be with anyone else—it was disgusting and unnatural. If they were nice, they’d realize Jesse was standing there and backpedal. Most of them just sneered at him and moved away where others just talked louder. His parents weren’t soulmates, yet they’d been all right. Ma said her favorite thing about Mr. McCree was that’d he’d given her Jesse, so it wasn’t like it was a mistake he’d been born. Right?

Jesse shook his head like a wet dog, as if the motion would fling the thoughts right outta his head, but only succeeded in getting a headache. Ma loved him and he had friends around, so there was no reason to be digging up old hurts. Still, it was kinda being thrown in his face. As the rumor spread that Gabe was going to propose to his soulmate, people started up their sighing on destiny and true love and rightness. It made for some awkward situations when people asked if McCree knew who Gabe’s soulmate was and he had to admit it was his Ma. Then they started on how excited he must be she finally gets to be with her match and maybe start a family with her bonded. He grinned, or maybe grimaced, and got the heck out of Dodge.

Funnily enough, Morrison was the one to notice. He’d come over to sit with Jesse at lunch hour and glowered at anyone who tried to get nosy with the wedding details. The two didn’t talk much, but when McCree’d give a hushed thanks Jack would put a hand on his shoulder and remind him that both commander suites were open to him if he needed a place to hide away. He hadn’t taken up the offer yet, but it was looking sweeter ‘n sweeter. Genji had just been in his dorm room babbling about the difference in customs between Americans and Japanese. He hadn’t meant any harm, but Jesse had snapped and yelled that Reyes hadn’t even asked her yet. Ma hadn’t said yes to anything! She may not even want her soulmate! For once, the kid showed some tact and left Jesse to stew on his lonesome. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Gabe and Ma to be happy, he just wasn’t sure he liked them happy together if people were going to think less of Mr. McCree and him for it.

Instinctively, Jesse’s hand pressed to the outer curve of his right hip. Peacemaker still sat there, so people didn’t stop to think why his hand would hover there. The gun was a solid weight against the marks and felt more protective now than abrasive. The words had settled into a rusted red curve edged with gold, and Jesse would love them even if they were in fuchsia and lime. They were the proof that he mattered to someone, that he had a right to be here just like the people born of soul matches. Fingers drifting down the character strokes idly, he glanced at the clock and wondered how things were going back home. Did Ma miss him or was she glad her soulmate was setting him straight? His eyes drifted closed as he thought of smoke-warmed brick and soft woolen hugs.

"McCree! My office." Reyes roared, overpowering the heavy slam of his door. The young man jumped three feet out of a dead sleep and fell to the floor in a mess of sheets. Heavy boots stormed out.

“…Well shoot.”

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“Who pissed in his porridge?” Jesse groaned, groping around for his clock. It was two in the morning on a Sunday, training didn’t start until eight. “This better be damned important.”

---
“You’ve been avoiding me.” Gabe loomed menacingly over Jesse’s chair. The soldier was trying to feign a relaxed pose, leaning against his desk with arms crossed, but Jesse could see the tension pulling at his muscles. If things went south, Reyes could kill him twelve times over before he could so much as blink.

“S-sir?” Reyes’ eyes narrowed. He could smell bullshit, and the cowboy reeked of it. “I didn’t mean to—“

“You just about flew out of that gun range when I walked in.”

“Bathroom.”

“Mess hall, abandoned three fresh empanadas.”

“…bathroom?”

“Training room. You ran into a punching bag on your way out. While Captain Amari was practicing on it.”

“Really had to piss?” McCree knew he was sunk.

“So. You’re not avoiding me, but rather my mere presence just gives you the uncontrollable need to void your bowels.”

“Yer a rather intimidating fellow and—“ Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose and Jesse trailed off unconvincingly. Reyes was not amused, growling to himself and the knuckles gripping the desk were turning white. Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Jesse was gonna die and Mama would be furious with the both of them. His eyes screwed up, tensing for the kind of blow Deadlock gave out. He’d live with another scar like the one in his eyebrow—play it off as dashing—but all he got was a soft gasp and resigned sigh.

“Look at me, son. Mijo, look up.” The voice was soft and coaxing, almost tired. Jesse sunk in his seat, slowly coming back to himself and gaining the courage¬ to force his eyes up to meet the commander’s. He wasn’t looming from the desk now, so much as propping his exhausted frame on the organized surface. “Look.” He cutoff with a sharp breath, rubbing his hand down his face. “Just tell me if I did something. Dismissed.” Jesse would rather the yelling. He’s going to toss you away, dismiss you, forget about you even on the holidays worse than Mr.McCree. They stewed in awkwardness for a hot minute before Jesse’s sanity rebooted and beat down those thoughts. Gabe looked like he was giving up and heading back to his seat.

“Uh, sir?” Reyes grunted, pausing to look over his shoulder. “Is it true you’re thinking of marrying Ma?” Now it was the CO’s turn to tense up uncomfortably.

“Y—wha—who told you that?” Reyes was honest to God blushing and that was terrifying.

“Reinhardt.” Jesse felt like he’d thrown the old giant under a bus of some kind. Old guy had a hammer and shield, but Reyes was creative when it came to his threats.

“Is that why?”

“Yup.” McCree popped the “p” obnoxiously. Not even the base crickets had the nerve to cut through this stilted quiet.

“Well…what do you think?” Heck, the man looked downright embarrassed as Jesse deciphered his mumbling.

“You’ll have a heck of a time convincing her.” Reyes flinched.

“Don’t sugarcoat it to spare my feelings,” the older man muttered.

“Wasn’t going to.” Jesse hurriedly continued when the man started looking murderous. “Ma isn’t much the big wedding type.” Both cowboy and commander relaxed as the words started pouring out. “So you may consider a civil ceremony. Have Morrison officiate, that’ll tickle her pink—I can call up the old boys from Deadlock and organize suit fittin’s. Your mark on her is in red, and I’ve seen some teal on you, so those could be good for colors and Ma’d like the sappiness of it all.”
He could see the teary, proud smile on her face when he and the boys’d cleaned up for her and she’d hugged them all tight enough to bruise. She’d hung all of their job confirmation letters up in the living room and started a scrapbook of their accomplishments. All the boys had tried to put on a tough front but tears were shed. It wouldn’t be a wedding without Mari McCree’s whole family there, now would it?

“She tell you anything ‘bout her folks’ traditions?” Reyes waved his hand in a “so-so” gesture, looking a bit dumbfounded. “I’ll write some important bits down for you to catch up on. How’re you planning on proposing? Got a ring?” Jesse stared at him, practically boring holes in his head before Reyes pulled a velvet box out of the top drawer of his desk.

“My abuela’s. She insisted.” His big and rough commander was nothing but gentle as he opened the tiny box, carefully cradling it in his palm. Jess let out a low whistle at the soft expression on his face before losing his breath at the ring itself. Guy was a goner, a total sap...perfect for Ma.

“That’s a purty hunk of stone and silver, sir. I’d suggest getting a nice necklace she could put it on while she gardens or works, though.”

“Noted. Anything else?” This gosh darn fool was actually taking a memo down of what Jesse said.

“Well, normally this seems to be where family’d give you the shovel talk, bit—“ Reyes cut him off with a frankly offending snort. “But,” Jess repeated, letting his accent twang out. “Ma is agrown lady what can take care o’ things herself. I’m just going to remind you to house us boys together. We’re a rowdy bunch and things tend to explode at random—can’t quite say what’ll happen when they meet their new lil’ brother the ninja. Ma can handle us though, we’re her baby boys and back where I’m from that kind of loyalty is something to kill fer. You know the type, right? Miss Ana is one’uv’em.

“Speaking of Miss Ana, she may have to choose a side to sit on at the ceremony. Id’s suggest yours to even things out—Ma’s got a lot of friends and family from the old land who love her dearly. We wouldn’t want to overbalance Blackwatch and Jack—assuming Reinhardt will follow along with Miss Ana. Most of these guests are respected warriors, so won’t like to go nowhere new without their kit. I’ll be sure to include the proper respects for them in your notes. They already know how to get their weapons and gear through customs just fine, so there won’t be an incident. They haven’t caused a scene in years.

“In fact, you’ll probably remember hearing about the last time—those riots back in August the year Pa left me’n Ma. Yeah, make sure to give’m plenty of food or they’ll get a mite tetchy. Do we have a good stable here? Their horses are gonna need proper housing and exercise. One of those suckers can run faster than a motorcycle and keep going for days. Am I making myself clear, sir?”

Reyes blinked at the serenely smiling cowboy and didn’t know whether to be proud or scared shitless.

“Duly noted. Now, I believe I dismissed you.” Reyes ground out. Neither of them pointed out his voice sounded a bit strained, higher than usual. McCree popped up from his chair with a jaunty smirk.

“Yessir. Now that I don’t need the bathroom so urgent I’m gonna see about some more range time. Miss Ana says I’m almost as good as her and I think I have a good chance of beating her in our little distance competition this afternoon, just gotta practice some more with the moving targets. Torb said he made Genji some more of his little stars, so the kid’ll probably stop by to practice. He’s getting real good, so I may have some competition. Sir.” He tipped his hat and sauntered out.

Jesse whistled shakily as he headed back to his room. He was more nervous than a rabbit in a reptile house, but thought that he played it off fairly well.

Reyes felt his jaw drop.

“Did…did Jesse McCree just actually threaten me?” He asked the empty room.

“No, sir. It would seem he was merely reporting on the scope and needs of his family, as well as an update on he and his fellow recruit’s training abilities.” Athena answered anyway. Even the goddamn AI liked Mari more than him.

“Dios Mio.”

---
For good or ill, Gabe had finally decided to propose and had went to square off on Ma’s home turf. He’d asked for Jesse’s opinions a couple times, but mostly kept to his own, treating this like another covert mission.

McCree damn near jumped a mile when the ringtone he set for home rang out, rushing to pick up and tripping over his own goddamn feet. He went down like a log and groaned before reaching up to the night table where his communicator was still ringing.

“Ma?”

“Jesse McCree, how dare you not give your poor, old mama a heads up her idiot of a soulmate was going to propose? I’m wearing rags, my face isn’t on!” Ma kept ranting at him, but there wasn’t much heat in it and Jesse felt himself relax back into the melody of it. “But seriously, are you fine with this, mijo? Gabe said he got your approval,” she paused and Jesse could hear his boss muttering about not getting killed already so it was fine.

“That is, he thinks he did,” Ma continued. “Did you threaten him? That’s my son!” Ma laughed, loud and free. Jesse felt a warm surge of pride and let out a chuckle of his own.

“Yeah, Ma. He got my blessing. Though if he screws this over I’m not gonna wait in line to take it out of his hide.” He smiled, realizing he wholeheartedly approved of them together. “And I reserve the right to call him Papi!” Ma laughed again, somehow stronger than before, but still not loud enough to mask his horrified commander’s threats should Jesse dare call him that on base. Yeah, soulmates were a weird thing to Jesse, but as he listened to Ma threaten Gabe right back, the two bickering happily he couldn’t help but reach for his own mark and grin like an idiot.

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“I swear, swear to God above and Mari here below, McCree. I’ve had to deal with this bull for years. YEARS!! You call me that godforsaken name one more time, once, and I’ll blow Switzerland to HELL.” Gabe snapped.

“Ay,” McCree saluted before a devious smirk slid onto his face. “Papi.”

**********

BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN:
OVERWATCH IS LEFT IN CHAOS AS THE SWISS HEADQUATERS IS ANIHILATED IN A FIERY BLAST FROM WITHIN. CASUALTIES ARE YET UNKNOWN BUT SOURCES CLAIM A COMMANDER RAY-ASS OF THE SUSPICIOUS BLACKWATCH BRANCH WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE EXPLOSION WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED COWBOY. SOURCES ALSO REPORT THAT BEFORE THE EXPLOSION THERE WAS THE ECHOING DEATH NELL OF “YOU DROVE ME TO THIS!” AND UNBRIDLED LAUGHTER. Now for the weather….

**********

The shadowy figure choked out a sickly laugh as McCree dragged his shot and bloody self down the alley. “That’s right, crawl away, little cowboy.” The grating voice scratched at the back of Jesse’s skull, scratching at old memories. It was almost—

“You—you’re alive! How? They said you died in the blast!” He stammered out. Reyes, or the reanimated remnants of him, laughed again, expelling out thick rolls of smoke in a perverse pantomime of cremation.

“I did, but my good friend MoiraaaaAAAH!” A bright, pink blur flew into Reaper’s face mask with a sickening crunch, sending the wraith down hard. Jesse managed to pull himself up the wall and find his feet as the most beautiful voice echoed down the alley.

“La Chancla, ay? Well I have another one coming! Don’t you dare touch my baby boy you stupid, fuckin’ lechuza!” Ma scolded, already wielding her second pink and daisy print sandal. Gabe groaned and tried to sit up, only to be smacked on the head by the second shoe. As Ma blistered her idiot soulmate out in an inferno of cursing over anything and everything, Jesse sauntered (stumbled) over and looked down at the cowering mass.

“Don’t worry, Papi. I still love you.” He made exaggerated kissy faces at his step-dad and downright guffawed when Reyes’ shriek of rage earned him another walloping.

Chapter Text

Things were almost boring without Commander Reyes skulking around and scaring the tar outta’em. Miss Ana had essentially taken over Blackwatch, reworking their drills and taking a personal interest in making sure no agent fell behind. She was real mean ‘bout it too, but McCree refused to say a word ‘gainst her with the others—ladies like Ma and Miss Ana were always watching, always waiting. Ma didn’t raise no fool. Gabe would be pleased with their progress, but the one smart thing the agents did was not go complainin’ to him lest he get ideas.

Jesse smiled like he did to the church folks each Sunday he spent working when people came sniffin’ round: “Classified location. Indeterminate length. If I poke my nose into things I’ll be scarred for life, literally too.” He kept to himself enough that the rowdier recruits started snickering about the commander marrying one McCree only to leave the other pining. Miss Ana narrowed her eyes, but didn’t seem to do more than take notes of the offenders. She did, however, order Jesse to mandatory post-training (post-shower) tea time. They sat on her plush couches and talked about his progress, gossip, or lil’ Miss Fareeha’s latest stunt.

Genji kept squirreling up to him too, trying to stick closer to his side than Peacekeeper. The kid was chatty as ever, filling silences with questions or stories of Hanamura. McCree thought he’d like this Hanzo guy, but when he said as much Genji’s face contorted into a fierce scowl. It was cute how protective the little carrot was of his dear big brother. As an only child, McCree was fascinated by siblings. During his time in Deadlock he saw guys go around pestering and beating on one another, but as soon as someone so much as looked at their brother wrong, they were up in arms about it. How two or more people could grow up so annoying yet endearing was a mystery to him—especially these Shimadas. Whenever Genji imitated his brother’s reaction to a prank or his brother’s voice in his stories, he’d put on this stoic, almost constipated expression that never failed to get Jesse laughing.

The carrot was in the middle of describing one of his party marathons, gesticulating wildly, when McCree realized something missing in the narrative.

“Hey, ain’t you never had a girlfriend?” Genji froze up mid-sentence. “You keep talking ‘bout wild nights and all, but the crowd seems to be birds of a feather. Not good when the cat comes ‘round. The never seem to stick. I mean, you ain’t too hideous, so you ever?” Jesse trailed. The guys back home never shut up about their gals, but Genji just started fidgeting around and avoiding eye contact.

“Um, yeah, I have. Not since my school days.” Jesse snorted—the guy looked like he should still be in high school yet was going around talking like a grandpa. “They were not really my thing.”

“Oh, sorry fer assumin’. Boyfriends then? Or is all that just not your thing in general?” Genji’s jaw dropped and the two sat in uncomfortable silence for a spell. Jesse began wilting as his brain quickly put together just why the kid hadn’t blinked in a full minute. “Jus ‘cuz I’mma no good villainous cowpoke don’t mean I ain’t got no morals wha’so’e’er.” He mumbled with a self-depricating laugh, trying to not show just how much the carrot’s low opinion hurt.

***

“But Deadlock—“ Cruel laughter, sneering faces, bruises and spit. Threats at night, ripped clothing, getting away….getting away

“We. Are not. In. Deadlock.” Jesse cut in, unsure if he was reminding himself or Genji, but he sure needed it more right now. His whole body had tensed up, shaking and sweating. “And neither am I.” He forced himself to swallow, relax, calm at the dank truth that he was lucky and nothing irreversible had happened. He was he, he was a part of Gabe’s Blackwatch, Ma was safe and so was he.

***

“I’m sorry,” Genji whispered meekly. He looked pale, as if he was the one who’d just pushed off an anxiety attack. “Most people I have met do not take kindly to my…preferences.” Jesse winced and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Guess I’m sorry too. Shouldn’t’a snapped at you like that. Just…a bit touchy. Was right shocked the first time I was sent out and saw two gals holding hands out in the open city without problems. Near had a heart attack when two agents here started kissing and had a similar reaction. Gabe damn near tore my head off about it, but I was only surprised that kind of thing didn’t end with a knife in the back or a boot in yer ribs.” Jesse rubbed the scar cutting through his eyebrow from when he’d drunkenly kissed the wrong fella. Genji hummed in understanding and the cowboy made note to ask about the Shimada’s view of such things later. Much, much, much later. For now, he stood and stretched, groaning as his back popped loudly. He was eager to get some food in his belly before he realized he hadn’t quite cleared one thing up.

“Sides, would be real hypocritical of me to judge you for swinging a certain way when I find myself swinging most ways.” He winked and sauntered down the hall, whistling his no longer false bravado as Genji’s Japanese curses echoed after him.

Chapter Text

McCree woke up in the medwing with Angela hovering over him. She shouted something, but he couldn’t quite make it out over the pain—the searing numbness that clawed over each divot in his bone and set his nerves on fire—along his left side. Blue sparks flashing around his vision, yelling, pain, PAIN.

They had been back in Genji’s hometown on an easy mission. Miss Ana had noticed that things were still a tad strained between the cowboy and the carrot, so she had packed them up and sent them to Hanamura. Carrot was showing Jesse around when a handsome guy in a ponytail came up with a constipated look on his face. Soon it dissolved into yelling. He was finally able to pick out “Hanzo” once or twice in the stream of angry back and forth. So, this was the older brother…they had similar eyes, though Hanzo’s were a bit more golden than green like his brother’s. Did these two wear contacts? Their eyes definitely flashed as the two, spitting mad Shimadas sharply gesticulated and stamped their feet. Genji downright growled when Hanzo began pointing in McCree’s direction and raising his already impressive volume.

“Y’know, it’s rude to talk about someone right in front of them when they don’t understand a word of it. Cowardly too.” Ryees had always said his smart mouth would get him killed one day. Perhaps the man would be too smug at being right than angry at Jesse’s gall at dying without permission. Hanzo whirled on the cowboy, eyes looking more blue than gold right now…and rather malicious too. Genji visibly bristled at whatever his brother sneered at Jesse and the carrot stepped forward as if to intercept his brother. That gave Jesse enough forewarning to push Genji aside as Hanzo have a garbled yell and now there were dragons. Oh, boy. He froze as the serpentine eyes locked on his and only something ramming into his side pulled him out of direct fire. He heard Genji scream and as he watched the electric-blue force tore through him, he could echo the sentiment.

“Genji!” He bolted upright, much to Angela and gravity’s chagrin. His legs splayed out to balance him and he may have kicked the poor doctor. “Where is he? Is he all right? Is he—is he…” McCree trailed, light-headed from his outburst.

“Breathing, he’s stable in the next cot over.” Ziegler grit out, trying to check him over when he was squirming like he’d been sleeping on a hill of fire ants instead of the sterile cot. She was, however, able to half catch him when he gave a drunken lurch out of bed, supporting his left side as he stumbled to the other bed. He whimpered at the sight he was faced with.

Blood, so much blood. Bandages were crisscrossing the charred nubs of missing limbs, the acrid stench of burnt flesh. He reached forward, only to jolt when his hand didn’t make contact. Sling? Nope. Seems he’d missed because he didn’t really have much a hand—damn near half his left arm anymore.

“Shit.” He wheezed out. Seeing how mangled Genji was, mangled from pushing him out of the way of his brother… It made him darkly glad he was no longer whole either. If he was perfectly fine only for the carrot to—

“Diced or grated?” His hysteria bubbled out. If they’d been slower would they have been carrot cake? Angela gave him a look, ready to push him back into his cot as Genji’s eyelids flickered. Dr. Ziegler all but dragged him back to the cot, but stubborn ass he was McCree was right back up and over there.

“Jesss?” The kid hissed out softly. The cowboy didn’t trust himself enough to not fall on the poor kid and smother him, so he kept his distance. His right hand--only hand his brain supplied helpfully—ran lightly through his hair, offering weak reassurance.

“Shh, I’m here, Genj. When you’re back in shape we’re gonna have ourselves a nice, long chat about acceptable risks. You’re making me feel as stressed as Reyes.” He was crying now, shamelessly sobbing, but unwilling to pull his hand away to stifle the sound. Genji had tackled him, taking the brunt of whatever attack Hanzo had sent his way. That was not okay. Genji’s face scrunched up before he winced at the tug of the cuts crisscrossing his face. The kid caught sight of something and his eyes widened.

“Your arm!” More Japanese followed, but now Genji was crying and Angela was still trying to keep the pair of idiots from dying on one another.

“Just a scratch, darlin’. You got me out of the way, idiota.” Jesse was crying harder, Genji almost hyperventilating beside him.

“But your soulmarks are gone!” The sudden outburst shocked the cowboy upright, hand flying to the empty weight of his hip. Angela let out a pained groan as she had to vault over the cot to keep him from braining himself on equipment, pulling wires and IVs out on his way down.

“No damage to that—oof!—area,” she grit out.

“If my hip’s still here, Sweets, my marks—“ it hit him then and he had to laugh. It was a shaky and painful thing, tinged with too much hysteria. Back when his teenage rebellion was in full swing, he’d downed a couple brown bottles of paint thinner and headed to the tattoo parlor. “No, no! That was a tattoo on my arm, lyrics to a dirt-old song my Pa used to sing at bedtime.” His laughter picked up and he couldn’t stop the hyena sound. “Cost me a hundred-fifty too!” Genji joined in and the two made quite the pair, laughing and crying and pulling away from Angela’s fussing. Doing his damnedest to be careful, McCree angled his body so his right was on Genji’s left, lowering himself into a pseudo-hug. He pressed his face into Genji’s neck, feeling his pulse press against his lips as the ninja breathed. Alive, still alive. The kid pressed into the contact and Angela sighed somewhere above them, probably wishing she wasn’t under oath and could leave them to their fate.

Jesse calmed enough to nuzzle below Genji’s ear, worried the kid was going to shake apart under him. He blinked away the last of his tears—worry overriding injury. He leaned up to say something and almost fell right back down. There, on Genji’s damp neck, was Jesse’s own chicken scratch, arching around the curve possessively. He couldn’t make out every word, but could see some of the short answers back from showing Genji to the shooting range. He had to have known, it explains the clinging. He knew and didn’t say anything.

Genji froze up and started to try and squirm away (difficult when missing a good chunk of his right side). Jesse rested more of his weight on the kid’s good arm, and when Angela didn’t scream or strangle him, he laid back down.

“We’ll talk later. Rest.” He couldn’t take his eyes off of the marks, afraid if he blinked to slow they’d fade away. Angela prodded him this way and that, shoving a pillow between his knees for good measure.

“Je—McCree.” Genji’s heart was racing.

“Shh, shh, calm down, Sweets,” he crooned. “I still need you to decipher your jumble of writing—shoulda’ known it were you taking up a good hunk ‘o’ flesh with your jabbering. Need you to heal up so you don’t run outta breath talling me just what you blurted out when you first saw me.” Genji’s breathing slowed, but his face was burning from embarrassment. Jesse kissed over the marks again. Mine. He hummed out one of Ma’s lullabies until they both passed out.

---
Angela had never regretted her Hippocratic Oath before signing on to Overwatch. Fools everywhere tearing apart her good work. Luckily she had made the point of getting a sample of every agent’s handwriting to identify soulmarks—if she hadn’t initiated soulmate protocol and gotten permission to keep McCree sedated until Shimada was waking up she may have had to strap him to the bed. Stubborn fool would have chewed his way out if necessary….

It had been harrowing when an unknown caller had informed dispatch two of Blackwatch’s dearest agents were dying of blood loss in Japan. Ana had brought the call directly to Angela rather than the commanders, smart woman. If the boys hadn’t been near enough to each other during the attack, their soulbond may not have boosted their healing. One or both could very well be dead.

She sighed for the hundredth time since Jesse had woken up. Someone had to tell Commander Reyes. Someone had to tell Commander Reyes’ wife. The young doctor had heard what happened when Mrs. Reyes-McCree had met her soulmate and could only imagine how much more terrifying it would be with such permanent damage on her baby. If one of her boys had died, Mama McCree would have torn this earth apart grass blade by grass blade until she’d had her vengeance. Angela shuddered as she grabbed her patients’ files and headed for Jack’s office. She could ask him to do a family call then run away before he opened the folder.

Ana would surely let her hide out if she promised to babysit Fareeha without charge.

Chapter Text

Jesse took credit for coining “Cybros”, and no matter how much Genji rolled his eyes, he loved it as well.

“Keep rolling your eyes like that ‘n they’ll get stuck.” Jesse was worried. Angela had said that there was some slow-acting damage that was eating away Carrot’s vision. The kid already looked like he was dropped in the garbage disposal for a few whirls, another surgery so soon would be taxing. If not physically, his eyes were just another part lost to cybernetic implants.

Jesse was on the verge of release, so Angela let him wander around short distances. More and more often he’d come back to find his ninja staring blankly at the wall and unresponsive. The implants should restore his sight, but they weren’t perfect—Jesse knew that first hand. He’d been waiting for the right time to broach the topic of their soulmarks, but it never seemed right. Genji was losing himself bit by bit and Jesse was playing the cheerful goof to try and keep their spirits up—couldn’t focus on the pain if you were too busy crackin’ jokes, yeah?

The custom skull plate he’d forced Mercy to order had come in and Torb had overseen its installation. Jesse wasn’t attached to the old Deadlock brand, but Gabe and Ma were still out. He missed the Spanish curses and insults flying during training, the rough claps to his shoulder, Ma’s hugs and crooning assurances. He needed something to remind him of home and Gabe’s reaction when he saw it was sure to be fantastic. Hopefully it perked Genji back up too…he was in for a long recovery which was only getting longer with each surgery and therapy assignment.

The excuses washed through Jesse’s mind and he could almost pretend to believe them. He wasn’t bringing up the marks because he didn’t know what to do about them. Neither of them were the same as they were just a couple weeks ago—what if Genji blamed Jesse for his injuries? If Jesse hadn’t smart mouthed then Hanzo wouldn’t be provoked into attacking. If he was quicker dodging Genji wouldn’t have had to save his hide. If, if, if, if….

Ma would be able to help soothe their broken spirits. She had taken to the Carrot right quick and she always had the best kisses to make hurts feel better. Miss Ana kept stopping by and it were nice, but not really the same. Several agents stopped in to scold them and fuss at the two; Genji was well-liked around base, making friends here and there. They smiled at Jesse but everyone knew they weren’t there for him. Moira had lurked around to oversee Genji’s progress. He didn’t like the calculating way she offered additional enhancements and surgeries, trying to test her different inventions on the poor kid. He’d been able to field some of her visits, but Angela still let the creep into the medbay.

Ma would set that straight! She would march the Irish witch out the doors and scare her so bad she’d run and leave Blackwatch alone. Even though Ma hadn’t tried to call or message, not even to yell at them for being reckless—made a son feel unloved. Even Pa and his river man had sent some flowers with smokes hidden in the foliage!

On the day of his release he noticed everybody acting a bit crazy. Catching on to some of the older agents yelling about vacuums and laundry, Jesse hazarded a guess that Ma and Gabe were coming back from the honeymoon soon. Every time he went to check flight logs and schedules, even go to the hangar, someone would draw him off or give him an errand to run on the other side of the compound. Energy renewed, Jesse did a bit of snooping and a smidge ‘a bribing to find out Morrison didn’t want him near the hangar or in sight of anyone who’d tattle to his folks until the blond commander could get the heck outta Dodge. It was right cute how he thought he could outrun Ma.

Jesse slunk around, sacrificing his spurred boots so people wouldn’t recognize his steps, and managed to sneak into the hangar anyway and was digging up the schedule when a transport landed. Orange jumpsuits swarmed out like ants and the cowboy was forced up some crates to keep from being flattened. He looked on from his perch to see the door whoosh open and Morrison flinch and fidget nervously. Ma looked nice, happy, softer. Even Reyes had an air of calm to’m that Jesse hoped was domesticity. Wasn’t it just a gosh darn pity that wouldn’t’ last?

“Mamá! Papi!” Hesse hopped down and ran over to catch her up in a big hug, falling into her arms as Morrison tripped him. Stuck his foot out and tripped him like a toddler! He was never living this down.

“Mijo! Did you get new armor? Why your left? You shoot righthanded.” She pulled back and Jesse could tell the exact moment Reyes recognized the prosthetic. He legit growled andd looked ready to deck Morrison. Ma caught on quick and seemed to stop breathing.

What was this? So Jacky-Jack hadn’t told them~

“Well, it’s not so bad,” Jesse couldn’t help stirring things up, it was in his nature. “Genji lost an arm and a leg and plenty ‘o innards in between. His eyes are failing too, so he’s getting something in his skull to boost those,” he glanced at the large digital clock on the wall, “right ‘bout now, actually.” He gave a stupid grin to put Ma at ease. Reyes hurled himself into a lunge to tackle down a fleeing Morrison and was interrogating him viciously, giving the McCrees some time alone. Ma pulled her boy closer.

“We’re okay, Ma. He saved my life. We’re gonna be all right. Heck, I’m halfway there.” He waved his new arm and tried to ignore how his voice cracked. Ma let out a harsh breath and cuffed him upside the head.

“Only you, mijo. Only you would be fool enough to earn a soulmate as stupidly loyal and self-sacrificing as yourself. Not a lick of common sense between the two of ya.” She sighed fondly, pulling back to rub comforting circles on the back of his hand. She had seen right through him from the beginning, of course she had.

“Hey!” He yipped out playfully, genuinely smiling for once.

“Now, Gabbi,” she called and Reyes paused his pummeling to look over. “Go use your scary commander face to get me to your poor baby boy so I can thank him properly.” The man grumbled, blushing a bit at Genji being his, but got up and hailed a passerby. Morrison may have looked piss-terrified of Gabe, but when Ma sailed over in front of him, hands on hips, he looked like his soul was trying to claw its way out.

“M-ma’am, I—“

“Did your best.” There was a long bout of silence before Ma continued. “They’re alive and recovering and you wouldn’t have known if it was safe to contact me.” She spoke soft and quiet, same as when Jesse would wake up screaming from memories. She coaxed the blond into a sitting position before gently positioning him into a hug. “Your job isn’t easy, dear, bit I’m glad it’s you doing it.” She patted his back before letting go. Jack looked like he’d pissed on an electric fence.

“Genji’s out of surgery. Implants seem to have taken well, asking for Jesse now.” McCree lunged forward, almost at the door before skidding to a halt to wait for his parents.

“Go on,” Gabe snorted, waving him off. “I can get us there safe.” Jesse threw in a cocky salute before hightailing it down to Carrot’s side.

“You won’t believe what Jack did!” he crowed before he even skid to a stop at the bedside.

Chapter Text

Eventually, Jesse was back on the rosters and Jack got to flee Dodge. He was sent overseas to some dank hellhole of a swamp curtesy of one very pissy Blackwatch commander and there’d been no less than seven extremely apologetic and complain-ridden communications about the whole debacle. A notification of an eighth had come through as Jesse was getting shipped out, more’s the pity. Reyes enjoyed dusting off his worst white boy impression and giving dramatic readings for Jesse and Genji like they were bedtime stories.

Someone thought it would be a great idea to send the tall, dark, and cowboy American on a recon assignment. Trouble was stirring up around Genji’s hometown and there were strict orders not to tell him about it. Gabe swore no one would recognize Jesse after a shave and a haircut, but given he swore this while full on guffawing at him didn’t raise McCree’s confidence. He was forced to leave his jeans and flannels at home in favor of sleek three-piece suits, cigarettos replaced by menthol cigarettes. He was dying out here, they even made him talk all fancy-snooty! Genji had nearly lost a lung snorting when he first heard Jesse speak without his normal accent…nobody loved him ‘round here.

---
Things in Japan were slow. He decided to take a leisurely patrol through the streets, trying to stare through his reflection in the story windows McCree was getting tired of these thrice-damned suits. They felt tighter than his normal vest and the shoes didn’t have the same hell as his suits, throwing his posture off and leaving muscles he’d forgotten he’d had aching each night. Not to mention the cranberry and saffron silks made him feel like he’d raided Pa and the river boater’s closet. Folks always said lil’ Jesse took after Mari, but after having his hard-earned beard scraped off and a buzzer shearing across the back of his neck, Jesse thought he was the spittin’ image of the old man. They’d tried to convince him to use blue contacts, but it was too terrifying—he needed something to still be Mari’s boy. Ma had looked him over and there was that deep look in her eye that meant she was remembering something.

“I like you scruffy.” She stated simply and he could swear Genji made an affirmative noise. Maybe if he got scarred up some more his face wouldn’t be so wrong. McCree sighed heavily, but his spiral of self-sabotage was cut short by a man falling from the sky. Rude. The man’s body was quickly followed by a pistol and then a rumpled archer.

Well then. He recognized those little wings.

Hanzo brushed himself off and was taking a step in the other direction when Jesse cleared his throat pointedly. Like he’d sat square on a cactus, the man jumped a good foot before whirling on his unexpected audience.

“Hanzo.”

It was almost adorable how the guy’s nose scrunched up as he tried to place the foreigner in front of him. If he just stuck his tongue out a bi—yup, there was the blep of concentration! Jesse tried his hardest not to find it endearingly similar to Genji’s own confused look when he was trying to learn firearms. The image of Genji’s vacant expression helped sober him up enough to pull it off.

“Now, Hanzo…” There was a slight twang and the archer’s eyes lit up. Quicker than Jesse thought, there was an arrow notched and ready to split his skull apart.

“Ryuu ga—“

“Yeah, let’s not.” Jesse ducked forward and rammed his new fist into Hanzo’s gut like he was trying to break through his rubs. The archer let out a strangled grunt as the air was knocked out of him and his eyes rolled back. “Aw, shoot. Overfired.” McCree caught the back of Hanzo’s robe before he could plant his face in the ground—well…before more than just his nose and ridiculous bangs got smudged with dirt. When simply shaking the limp body didn’t snap him back, Jesse had the sinking realization he had to carry this deadweight back to the safe house. Crap. He smelled like sake too. Disgusting.

---
It was a good handful of hours before Hanzo graced the world with his sulking presence. Jesse had stacked no less than 387 fish crackers on his face and had poked him with the toilet plunger so that it suctioned to his exposed nipple. The crackers hit the floor and hanzo winced like he had a hangover, something Jesse could diagnose easily. He liked to think he acted accordingly.

“Morinin’, Sunshine! Glad you could join us! Eggs?” He slammed the ancient cast-iron skillet onto the stove top with a deafening clang. Hanzo turned greenish, offending McCree on behalf of his cooking. Then again, it might have been his yelling~

“Cease your incessant prattle, cow-man. Your accent is grating.” Hanzo went to rub at the bridge of his nose, only for his arm to smack the plunger and hit the handle into his chin. “If you’re going to be cruel, find another way of torturing me.” Dude was remarkably calm with his plunger tiddie and broke the seal, setting the tool aside. “Physical violence is preferred as we don’t have enough time for trauma—“

“The heck in tarnation? You’re talking crazy, Mistah Sheemadahdahdah! Why would lil’ ol’ McCree have reason to make your fine and noble self in pain?” Jesse aimed to get his voice as garish as the campfire cooks from his old TV shows, all nasally and whining. If this sonovagun was going to welcome getting’ beat up then McCree was going to kill him with kindness instead. Hanzo cringed and Jesse felt a vindictive surge of happiness. This was going to be a hoot and a half~~

---
“Really now, Mister Shimmididdi. It’s not safe to go bungee jumping when we’re flying this low. You might get squooshed.”
---
When McCree’s return shuttle landed, Reyes opened the doors and was surprised to be accosted by a ragged Japanese man in a parachute harness.

“Kill me. Please. End. It.” The man begged, falling to his knees while grasping Reyes’ shirt front. The hell?

“Now, sugar-plum-honey-bunch, why ya gotta be so quick tah leave your sweet huckleberry baby boy?” McCree blew a kiss at his victim and Hanzo let out a high-pitched whine of utter despair. Reyes quirked an eyebrow and the familiar features and pried the Shimada away by his wrists. He registered McCree’s unholy gleam about the whole situation and quickly got the idea of just which Shimada he was punishing. A matching, devious grin cut across the commander’s face as he reached for his comm.

“Hey, Jacky-poo. Change of plans on the debriefing, I’ve got a new task for you.” Jesse let out a victorious whoop and Hanzo seemed to by crying in a heap on the floor.

Chapter Text

"You met my brother again? Are you all right? Is he? How--Wha--"

"I'mma need you to calm down and keep breathing there, Kid. I'm fine, he's physically okay, though I may have put him through the ringer a bit." How someone with half their body bandaged up and holding an ice pack against his jaw (where he'd clocked himself with a spoon of all things) could look so judgemental about anyone's life decisions was beyond him. Genji always was rather extra, though.

"Jesse Joel James Ignacious Hernando McCree." The ninja's eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Now hold up," McCree held his hands out placatingly, "that's not my name. Well, the first bit and the last one, sure, but--" He was cut off by a robotic finger jabbing into his sternum. Genji was finally getting his depth perception right, good, not something to think about now, Jesse.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Genji growled and the hair on the back of Jesse's neck stood at attention.

"Well, Sweetheart, he was kinda askin' fer it." Jesse flushed, fisgeting as he tried to explain he and Hanzo's time together.

After breakfast, Hanzo kept to muttering about honor and blood and looking a lot like the guys in those samurai flicks Genji liked to watch. It was getting on his nerves. If someone was going to launch an attack they had to think of all the angles, the consequences, the collateral. Getting all angry and attacking is never a good thing.

'Brash crap like that gets you killed dead.' An echo of Reyes' training ran through his thoughts. "Pull shit, get hit."

He saw how jumpy Hanzo was, eyes flickering around uncertainly. One moment he was seated at the breakfast bar, the next Jesse heard the strangest sound, somewhere between a thud and a cartoony boing. He turned slowly to find that ,yes indeed, that was Hanzo flat out on the ground and staring up at the ceiling with the Shimada Look of Confusion.

"No!" Genji interjected with a gasp, glare falling away as his jaw dropped. McCree relaxed and started pulling increasingly absurd impressions of Hanzo's look. Soon his lil' Carrot was belting out laughs, snorting adorably. He was about to continue on to his surprise dinner when a deep voice interrupted him.

"You are alive." Hanzo's choked whisper broke their happy moment. Dressed in simple sweats and a tee, the man was leaning heavily on the door frame to their examination room. Jesse stilled, fighting down the instinct to protect, to lunge forward and block his boy from view. Genji hated people on his team underestimating him, especially in his current circumstances. Besides,it wasn't his call if Hanzo was allowed another chance. His eyes slid to the left so as to gauge Hanzo's reception. Genji looked hurt, angry, confused, but not hostile. The tension was high so McCree did what he did best and prodded at it.

"Han, y'may not know this, but out West here we have this thing called knocking. It's a nifty little way to let people know you're creeping arou--"

"I know what knocking is!" Hanzo fumed, turning a purplish red, indignant and starting to rant. McCree was having too much fun with this and--Oh. My. God. That was the cutest little foot stamp he ever done saw. He must have cooed because Hanzo made a noise like a steaming kettle and Genji patted his prosthetic arm.

"I would like to speak to my brother for a bit. Why don't you go get dinner? I hear they are serving those 'sloppy joes' you insist are edible." Jesse was ready to argue on the behalf of the culinary treasure when the pressure on his arm increased for a moment. Genji wasn't asking him, he was telling. Stretching his lips into a smile that was a touch resigned at the corners, Jesse bowed out gracefully.

"One of these days I'll teach you the errors of your ways, Darlin'." He tipped his hat before strutting past a rather green-faced Hanzo. It had been mean to make him think sloppy joes were ground gizzards, but a man needed to get his digs somewhere. "Athena, monitor the situation and let me know if intervention is needed." Jesse all but stomped down the hall before detaching his spurs and lightly stepping back to lean against the wall just out of hearing range. The conversation wasn't his business no how. Just because McCree trusted Genji to fight his own battles didn't mean the cowboy was going to make him fight alone.

He tipped his hat forward and waited.

Chapter Text

"You know, inner peace is great 'n all, but some of us still like feeling our toes," Jesse grumbled at his boyfriend. Genji was meditating and McCree liked seeing him so relaxed. Blackwatch getting exposed wasn't fun, nor was the fallout. He would've liked to have curtailed it back to Ma's, but she was busy with Reyes... So here he was with Genji, visiting his brother and the robo-monks out in Nepal.

"Some of us have giant blankets we insist are clothing so should be fine." Genji shot back, posture intact. Jesse sulked a bit, not wanting to point out he'd wrapped his serape around Genji the moment he saw goosebumps. McCree was a big guy and had plenty to stay warm through the Southwest winter, but three hours on a snowy mountains peak were pushing it. Biting back a shiver, he shifted enough to prod his blood back into circulation--he weren't kiddin' 'bout his toes.

It was another half hour before he picked up on the slight hiss of Genji's joints adjusting before a heavy weight balanced on his lap.

"You're an idiot." Genji sighed, unwrapping the serape and handing it over. Jesse felt his tense muscles loosen up.

"Your idiot, though." He kissed under his boyfriend's ear, grinning at the slight jump it got.

"I should make you shave. Your beard tickles." Genji sunk back against his chest, stretching this way and that, arranging Jesse to his liking. Small bursts of steam purred at him and Jesse could feel the sappy look on his face.

"But you like me scruffy," Jesse teased. The cyborg's eyes lit their unnatural green in warning and even though his Genji's mouth was tilting into a pleased grin, Jesse tacked on a quick "Yes, dear." That tilting grew into a cute, contented smile that put kitten videos to shame.

McCree pulled the serape around them, cuddling in close. Overwatch may be gone, but he'd come out with a better deal.

Chapter Text

One would think that after a couple years in a black-ops suicide squad and living with walking disaster Jack Morrison, Jesse would love some space. And yeah, sure it was nice and quiet here on his lonesome, almost peaceful enough to nap if he weren't 'fraid of his life leaking out of the rather large hole in his leg. Just one of the perks of having his rendezvous point compromised, forcing him to ground without a clear idea of where or when the new pick-up would, well, pick his sorry hide up. Reyes had messaged over a possible location, but it seemed to change every five minutes. Really, Missourians needed to lighten up--they were as bad as their weather and twice as changeable.

One little joke about the macho-man leader needing a good lay and e'ryone was all up in arms and shootin'. Damn, the rain had his leg a'throbbing. Overall, McCree was sore tired and running low on patience: the heels on his boots forcing his ankels at awkward angles when he sat down, the spur digging into his thigh. He was bleeding, homesick, and really wanting a nice Japanese man with sharp cheekbones and a dragon tattoo in need of a good licking to come and pick him up, cuddle a bit...

Jesse sighed, wondering if the domestic picture his sappy, no good, romantic heart conjured up could ever happen. Genji was settlin' in'ta his skin and feeling things out with his brother. Hanzo was....a work in progress. Testy and quick to bite (literally, McCree had found) the elder Shimada danced awkwardly between sticking to Genji's side and trying to avoid them.

McCree was too tired for all this and his ratty tourniquet was bleeding through. His comm beeped another location that may as well been on the other side of the world. It was official. This was his life now. He was going to die here while Morrison and Reyes threw darts at a map or whatever asinine shtick they did to come up with rendezvous points. An old song came to mind and he hummed along before remembering the words.

"I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride! I'm wanted," Jesse sang even though he felt anything but. "Wanted, dead or alive."

"Not true." Jesse jumped and held his peacemaker at the ready before he placed the accented voice. Japanese. "I can think of at least three people who only want you alive. Well, four if the Strike Commander gets blamed for this....mishap." In all his days McCree never thought he'd hallucinate without a fair bit of heat or liquor involved, but there was no way in hell Hanzo "I'm gonna kill my brother's soulmate and sulk at my failure" Shimada was walking towards him. Genji probably would be too busy cackling at his misfortune to be jealous.

"Aw, darlin', and here I thought we was starting something special between us." That got him an indelicate snort as the archer moved to pull McCree up. A point in the archer's favor, he saw the bullet hole and so only the cowboy's joints ached something fierce as he was hauled up and supported by thick, muscly arms.

"Move faster or I will be forced to carry you like a child."

-----

Ten minutes later and McCree found himself being loaded into a transport bridal style.

"Really, McCree? With his own brother? How cliche." Miss Ana crowed out and the two men shared a bemused look. Hanzo figured it out first and unceremoniously dumped Jesse into a seat to go off and sulk. The cowboy stared around, waiting until they had took off before piping up again.

"Are you blushing, sugar-pie-honey-bunches?" Hanzo let out an enraged squawk, turning a deeper, splotchier, shade of red. Miss Ana nearly crashed with how hard she was cackling. Hopefully Hanzo came back. The cowboy was starting to get dizzy and that...weren't..........good.

---
Hanzo did turn back around with a snarky response on his lips before curses took its place.

"Ana! As fast as you can and have Mercy waiting--Jesse passed out!"

Chapter Text

Jesse drifted back slowly, dreaming of open skies and old tea sets. One of Ma's lullabies soothing his aching joints, her hand sifting through his hair. Soft, rolling hills with smattering of green in the desert, the rev of bike engines along dust roads. Blackwatch and all the Shimada drama had distracted him and he missed his little patch of Deadlock.

"Then you should come home more, my precious idiot," Ma said. His eyes flew open and found Mamã looking down at him. "You gave Genji quite the scare and he called. I think you two need a vacation."

"Reyes doesn't know the meaning of the word." He croaked out. Ma ran her nails along his scalp gently and he hummed, not wanting to move. Her eyes were pink and puffy and that hurt worse than the bullet had. A sudden flair of paranoia had him wiggling his toes--all three limbs left intact. Thank God. Ma gave him a pointed look.

"Your Reyes may not, but my Gabi does. You're too thin." She pinched his cheek, carefully not looking at his bandaging.

"Ma..."

"Hush, mijo." There was a blessed moment of peace before she spoke up again. "What have you done to your hair?"

"Ma!"

"She's right. It's too short." Genji piped in. Jesse turned and found the ninja sitting on his bed, looking like he hadn't slept all week. Still though, Jesse hadn't even felt him...skills.

"See, Jessito? Your soulmate thinks so too. And that scraggly thing on your chin?"

"He thinks it makes him look cool. I keep telling him to grow a beard or not, just get rid of it."

"Well excuse me, I'll just go and let you two get back to your gossiping." Jesse made no move to test Angela's patching. He hated his hair too, but he hadn't had time to buzz it off from his time in Hanamura. At least Ma and Genji seemed relaxed, focusing on looks was better than berating his stupidity. Even when they ganged up to tease him more, it was a struggle not to show how much he relished their company. At some point his eyes slid back closed and he drifted back to the desert.

His next waking was not so welcome.

"Mari says you need to visit more." Reyes blurted out. McCree lurched upright to give him a weak glare.

"I--"

"Go." Reyes cut off any protests. "Take the Shimadas with you. All of y'all have your heads too far up your own asses to do any good here."

"Hanzo. In the desert. My desert. Have you finally gone senile there, Papi?" Reyes glowered at the jabs but didn't fight them.

"When you dropped off radar after the explosion Genji thought you were dead." McCree's blood froze. "It wasn't pretty. Genji was barely hanging on, leaving his brother terrified. Hanzo was already demanding transport to find remains and revenge when we picked up your signal. Ana had to put a wildebeest tranquilizer in your boy so he didn't race on over and get you both messed up worse than your nasty graze. You two need to nut up and talk about your marks 'n solidify this bond before one of you does something stupid." Gabriel stood and stretched. "Well, stupider than normal." McCree had some choice words for that but Gabe just shrugged them off on his way out the door. Angela stopped by with a biofield and some more drugs that knocked him out. At least she didn't do more than sigh at him wearily. A real angel, that one.

--

There was a packet on his bed with four tickets home. There weren't return flights booked and McCree got the message: don't come back until everything is sorted out. He sighed and flopped back down against his pillows, leg only twinging a bit at the rough bounce. Losing a mate was never 'pretty' as Gabe put it. A faulty or broken bond drove people crazy. He didn't want to pressure Genji after Hanamura, but....

"Damn old man." He wasn't ready for this. The spawn outside of a soul bond weren't supposed to get happy endings. His fingers trailed the winding Japanese on his hip. He didn't know what they said, he realized. Didn't know for sure what he branded on Genji.

"Damn old man." Jesse repeated with a laugh. Looks like he was taking the dragons to Deadlock.

Chapter Text

"This is so exciting! Do you camp under the stars? Have horses? Cows? Does everyone dress like a cowboy here? Should I get a hat and your jangly shoe stars?" Genji was bouncing in his seat like nothing was wrong with taking a vacation with his recently-recovered, somewhat-rejected mate and almost-murderer was a happy occasion. Jesse felt tears in his eyes. Of course, all this had weighed on Genji too, but it had been hard to realize with his head wallowing so far up his own ass. Hanzo was sulking, tethered to a corner, but his misty eyes were tracking Genji's gestures. Looks like they were all saps here.

"While I love yer wording, they're called 'spurs', hun." Jesse said, taking cue from the carrot's exuberance. "And let's see, what else was there? I've slept under stars a lot, sure, but snakes and creepy-crawlers are a thing; Ma has an ol' workhorse named Red, two cows named Laura and Howie; and cowboys dress like us! Don't get me started on vaquero history or you'll be burnt out 'fore we land." Hanzo slanted an eyebrow at him, curious despite himself. "But I reckon y'all'd look cute in hats though." Both Shimadas turned pink and he cackled.

"Thank you, but I always look cute." Genji struck a pose and his bag chimed. Digging out the comm, he started a moment and frowned. "Why is Captain Amari telling me to save a horse? Is there a horse in trouble? Is that code? Wait, Brother, are you all right? You've gone all....what's the word...like a quilt but red?" He looked over to McCree, but the cowboy pulled his hat down to cover his own blush.

"I think you want 'patchy', or maybe 'splotchy' there, dear." Ma spoke up, calling attention to the fact she had been standing by the cabin doorway near five minutes now while the boys talked. "And ask Jessito about his old playlists and you'll find out soon enough--"

"MA! A man's playlists like'n those are sacred, you don't just go on chatterin' them off to any ol' fella, in particularly with the man right in front'a ya!" Jesse screeched. Ma shrugged and pinched his cheek.

"What man? I just see my little niño here. Mi precioso Jessito, luz de mi vida. Pequeñito--"

"Ma!!!!"

"Oi, be nice to your mother, ingrato."

"Pipe out, Gabe. You ain't my Papi."

"Thank God."

"--!!"

"I think I just received cavities." Hanzo cut in. The tiny family hushed and Jesse spared Genji a look. The kid was staring at the mother and son with such an intense longing in his eyes it hurt. Hanzo was hiding it better, but there was a tense line in his shoulders. Jesse turned to Ma only to find her already nodding. The McCree's pounced. Hanzo squawked when he flailed helplessly against the joint offense. Genji let out a soft whimper that perked Jesse's ears up. He pulled away, Ma moving closer like sand in a hole, to open his arms wide to Genji.

"Aw, darlin', there's always room for ya here too, don't be jealous." Genji blinked and latched onto him with a goofy grin. At the same time Hanzo let out a cut off yelp from where Ma was cuddling him, rubbing her cheek against his hair and murmuring love in Spanish. He had surpassed red and went onta purple....wait had he stopped breathing? He should prolly go over 'm check on the poor guy--

"I like when you fluster and your accent comes out more." Wait, what was he going to do? His brain kicked back in and said it weren't nothing so important as to leave this spot, this embrace. Genji's arms tightened around waist, the kid buried his face in Jesse's neck and hummed like he was purring.

Endearments rolled like honey off his tongue as Jesse rubbed slow circles where robotics met skin. For the first time in months, everything seemed great with his patchwork family.

"Really? Starting up a cuddle pile while I'm flying the damn plane? Way to share the love with your husband, Mari."

"Oh shut up, ya whiny old coot. I got myself a nice, handsome young man here, go bother Jackie-boo."

Odd, definitely odd, but no less great for it, the McCrees laughed as Hanzo's face started glowing (he still didn't make any effort to move away).

Chapter Text

The McCrees had helped their guests into their rooms before heading to town to visit "the boys". Genji had plead fatigue and Hanzo had crept onto the roof to avoid being roped along, still embarrassed from being dubbed Mrs. McCree's "Boy Toy". It had been ten minutes since the old truck had left the rickety garage and Genji was starting to think that his brother had made a nest up there.

"Is the coast clear?" Genji jumped. How did he manage to slip in so silently on those metal chicky legs when so much as breathing made the wood floor creak?

"No. They have been lying in wait to ambush you and force increasing physical affection on your person." He deadpans and snorted when his brother actually looked around to see if it was true. "Idiot."

Hanzo puffed up like an affronted quail and it was too precious.

"I'm not an idiot you mega-idiot!" He squeaked. It was so like their childhood interactions...a lance of pain shot through his chest. Hanzo sitting in on the lesson where his little brother was instructed on how to deal mortal blows, comforting him after his first kill. Yelling for the dragons to deal with the foreigner. Hanzo waking him up from a bad nightmare. Twin blue streaks arching towards Jesse. Hanzo pulling away and spending more time studying under the elders as Father grew ill. Their energy slicing through him. Standing alone at his father's hospital bed while Momma took care of the clan. The betrayal stemming not from the fact Hanzo tried to destroy the one thing promised to bring him happiness but that the dragons considered him an enemy to consume.

"Genji!" The bark, so like their father's, broke through his jumbled thoughts, snapping to his brother's face with a focused clarity. When was the last time Han slept? Did the shoulders of his shirts always droop like that or had he stopped eating well? "Breathe, in and out, Genji. In and out."

A shattered gasp. Tears.....this was embarrassing. He went to wipe at his face but Hanzo pulled him to his chest (thankfully wholly covered) and pinned Genji's hand awkwardly against his cheek.

"I truly am sorry--I will never redeem myself--"

"Hanzo..."

"What I did was reprehensible, not to mention I couldn't reign myself in and struck you instead--"

"Hanzo!"

"I deserve to die, but I find myself clinging to the hope that you may one day forgive me--"

"NII-CHAN!" He finally shut up. "You're making me drool all over your shirt." The reaction was instantaneous: Hanzo pulled back with a shocked, horrified, disgusted, and so utterly dorky gasp it startled a laugh out of the cyborg.

"You never could contain your....bodily functions." Hanzo sneered.

"At least it's not vomit or piss this time." Genji shrugged. Hanzo's face got all pinched as he tried to hold back either a lecture on profanity or remembering the times Genji had snuck into his sake hoard. Probably both.

"Genji..." Yup, Hanzo was going into mother hen mode.

"I love you, Nii-chan~" He hugged his brother tightly. Hanzo froze but eventually put his arms around Genji's shoulders.

"And I you, Little Sparrow."

Even with his remaining nerve damage Genji could feel the water droplets falling into his hair but he decided not to ruin the moment gloating about "containing bodily functions".

BONUS:
"What the Sam hell happened to our roof!?" Ma's voice shook the rafters. There was a pile of quilts and pillows as well as a canvas shade attached to the satellite antenna. Jesse thought it rather looked like a sniper nest and snorted. That was adorable, he could just see Hanners sulking up there like a burrowing pheasant, squawking at anyone who got too close.

"Hope those two didn't wreck the house," Ma sighed. Jesse knew she was worried bout the brothers having another falling out more'n anything. They went inside together and stopped in their tracks when they saw the second nest. Hanzo was sitting against the arm of the couch, wrapped precariously around the green fluff and feet sticking out of a pile of blankets. They were both snoring like kittens and it made his heart warm up real fast. He noticed Hanzo hadn't kept any blankets for himself and slipped his serape around the archer's shoulders.

"Sleep tight, Pardners"

Chapter Text

The Shimadas slowly made themselves at home in the house--though the roof nest never went away. Genji loved being around Ma, but was cagey about being alone with Jesse. He'd offer to go shopping, cooks, check on the animals, anything to avoid him. Not that it mattered, they were fine. It was fine.

Hanzo had been all but living at the chicken coop since the hens adopted him as one of their own, so it was a surprise to be ambushed in the kitchen.

"If you and Genji continue to act like fools I will lock the two of you together and leave you in the wilderness until you sort it out. Jesse choked on his marshmallow cereal and gave the archer a betrayed look.

"The heck?" He coughed out. Hanzo just crossed his arms (looking ridiculous in a borrowed flannel with one of the more adventurous chicks in the breast pocket) and gave the cowboy a look. "There's nothing going on with us." That just earned him a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly." Hanzo said. "My brother is many things, and terrible at relationships is high on the list. He's also a self-sacrificing idiot who will spin my actions as his fault."

"Now that's a ripe pile of cowpie--"

"Yes, so stop letting him think it. Your mother worries." Jesse felt his jaw drop and the archer nodded sagely. "She reminds me of our own mother, a true Shimada queen. Neither would approve of your stalling." Hanzo frowned, only slightly less intimidating with the tiny yellow chick now up and peeping for food. As the grouchy man started cooing at the tiny thing assuring it he was heading to the co-op, Jesse was still stunned. He looked down at his cereal with a pout.

"I jus' wanted some breakfast."

---

Finding Genji was harder than he thought. You'd think a giant, shiny guy who glowed green would be easy to spot in the desert, but McCree had another think coming.

"Hey, Ma?" He poked his head out the kitchen window.

"Hmmm?" She imitated his tone from her wicker reading chair.

"Where's Genji?" She just had to know, moms had a superpower like that.

"I don't know. Have you checked the nest?" She flipped the page of her old paperback. Jesse hadn't crawled up to the Shimada nest, figured he'd see the metal reflect from when he was checking the hayloft.

"Gracias, Mamã, Papi and I are blessed to have you in our lives." Jesse blew her a kiss and she snorted.

---

"Ah-ha!" Genji leapt a good foot in the air when Jesse grabbed his shoulder. Acting on instinct, he flipped the cowboy over and pinned him by the throat. "Kinky." McCree gasped out.

"Jesse! I'm sorry, I...did not expect you to be here." Genji looked like he was going to slink back 'n now it was Jesse's turn to do the flipping, settling his weight against' the cyborg's chest so he couldnt' squirm away as easy.

"Uh uh, were going to have that soulmate talk now or you'll have to toss me off the roof." He frowned when Genji glanced at the edge, almost contemplating it. He sent down an overdone pout and Genji blushed.

"I would not toss you over the roof to save myself from embarrassment," he murmured. "And I am sorry you are stuck with me as your soulmate. I know you only do so out of pity--"

"The FUCK?" Jesse blurted, honestly thrown. Pity?

"Language!" Ma's voice floated up to them.

"Listen here, darlin', I don't do much of anything outta pity, much less toss my life away on it. We didn't start off on the best occasion, but it weren't your fault either. Unless..." Jesse's own confidence started to flag. Genji had known it was Jesse's writing on his neck and hadn't said anything...no. He'd have faith in Genji until the carrot-head himself disproves it. Genji must have seen some resolve in his face because he licked his lips nervously, eyes darting around for escape.

"Just get on with it!" Hanzo yelled from the coops. Jesse groaned and turned to shout back at him.

"I'm gettin', I'm gettin'! It's rude to just kiss a fella outta the blue, you doting old Mother Han!"

"Wow, we are idiots." Genji chuckled, relaxing back on the carpet. "Even Hanzo could see it. Wow." He didn't try to squirm away but didn't look too sure either.

"Genji, stop being a mega-idiot and kiss your soulmate!" Genji rolled his eyes when McCree puffed up and seemed ready to go fight his brother. He gently cupped Jesse's face, halting the cowboy's ire.

"Jesse Horatio Dianne Lorissa Hernandez McCree--"

"Not my name--" Genji squeezed his cheeks so his lips puckered and he couldn't talk.

"I think I very well may fall in love with you. However," here Jesse tensed, "first I would really like to kiss you. Now." Jesse felt himself melt. Tease. He shook his head, dislodging Genji's hand and leaning down so their noses were almost touching.

"Only if you admit that us being Cybros ain't your fault. Hanzo was just a JEALOUS IDIOT WHO OVERREATCTED!" Genji winced, whether from the condition or the proximity of Jesse's holler, and worried at his lip.

"Hanzo, stop flipping him off, he can't see you anyway," Ma said.

"While I can definitely get behind my brother being an idiot, you don't know our history. You know next to nothing about me. Maybe after you learn and can still say that I'll start believing yo--!!!" Jesse tried, really. He was just never an overly patient kind a guy. Genji's lips were warm and chapped, awkward under his own but perfect. Especially when he relaxed and moved to pull Jesse closer.

"Use protection." Hanzo popped up next to them. Genji jolted and forgot his new strength. Jesse still loved the idjit, even as he fell through the fabric canopy of his mom's reading porch and landed at her feet.

"He meant condoms, but a crashmat may also be a smart move." Ma licked her thumb and turned the page.