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Jesse never let himself be surprised by the arid heat of Cairo. Between the dry climate, the blazing sun, and the close confines of the city, the temperature displayed on his personal phone read forty degrees celsius. He frowned at the number and pocketed the device, resigning himself to another hour of waiting in the heat.
The sun was angled in such a way that the buildings cast long shadows over the concrete and asphalt of the city streets and buildings around them. However even the shade provided didn’t stop the man from sweating through the kevlar padding beneath his shirt. Honestly, how was he supposed to function under so many layers?
As the man reached down for the chilled water bottle by his feet, almost empty now, he frowned over at the man to his left. “Aren’t you hot? I’m sweatin’ like the pig who got invited to the Luau.”
He was answered with a scoff, “I’m always hot, but the temperature doesn’t bother me.”
Genji Shimada shifted from where he was leaned against the wall beside Jesse, pushing away and taking a few steps forward on the crowded sidewalk. A short man with a slender figure covered up by black pants, boots, and a hoodie that had Jesse overheating just looking at it. The hood was drawn up to hide the array of tubes and wires on the back of his neck, but it did nothing to hide the metal mask over his mouth and jaw, or the piercing red eyes that made people openly avoid him.
Jesse couldn’t help but smile at his companion, “Well if that’s the case then maybe I’ll let Angela install some liquid cooling in my parts too.” He glanced down at his left hand, plated in silver to hide the wires and mechanics inside. He flexed the fingers, wondering if he’d ever get used to the feeling of not having his natural hand.
“Ha-ha,” Genji quipped dryly.
“I’m halfway serious,” Jesse huffed softly as he plucked the black Stetson off his head and fanned himself with it, “If Reyes insists on dragging us to the hottest parts of Satan’s buttcrack every other week, I might need it.” He took a swig from his bottle, mindful to keep some water still in there.
The cyborg rolled his eyes and shoved his metal hands in the pocket at the front of his hoodie, curling his shoulders in, “Your poetic imagery is enough to make me swoon, McCree.”
Jesse slumped back against the wall, “I’m thinkin’ of writin’ a book of poetry. My first piece, ‘A Letter To My Boss - Fuck You.’”
“First and last piece,” Genji chuckled as he came closer. The cyborg was restless, almost pacing between Jesse and the edge of the sidewalk.
“Genji would you relax?” Jesse sighed as he watched the man, still fanning himself.
“No. I need to do something.”
The phone in Jesse’s pocket started buzzing with a call. It immediately had Jesse curious, as only a small handful of people had the number to his personal phone. He pulled the device out and looked at the caller ID. An unknown caller, but the origin of the call was from Japan.
Genji had come closer and peeked at the phone, brows raised some as he looked to his partner, “Well?”
Jesse stared at the incoming call for a long moment, sifting through his contacts in Japan, but he answered it before it dropped, pulling the bluetooth receiver over his ear. “McCree,” he greeted simply, warily.
At first he heard nothing over the drone of the voices on the sidewalk. He reached up and covered his other ear to focus on the call, and after a moment he recognized the soft sounds on the other end.
Crying.
Soft little whimpers and hushed sobs that tried to break McCree’s heart. “Who is this?” he asked, trying to keep his voice more even and careful.
There was a quiet gasp, “I...you picked up… I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called.”
The voice, raw and warped with repressed sobs, was one that Jesse recognized immediately. Memories rushed back in an instant, and a year’s span of time felt like hours ago, “Hanzo?” he asked as he stood up, a sudden need to be on his feet, “Sweetness, where are you? Are you...what’s wrong?” His beautiful Hanzo, a man he figured he would never see or hear from again, someone he tried not to think of as regularly as he did.
He didn’t miss the way that Genji stiffened up suddenly, but Jesse didn’t dwell on it for the moment.
“I… Nothing. I just…” a few hiccups as the man on the other end tried to get his breathing under control, “I just had a b-bad night. I wanted...to hear your voice. It is one I recall fondly.”
The smile that came to Jesse’s lips was bittersweet, “Well I’m glad to hear you like it Darlin. I figured you forgot all about lil’ ol’ me.”
“As you should have forgotten about me. I...shouldn’t have called, it was selfish, I apologize…” the words were rushed.
“Nah, hey now I’m glad you thought to call me. Han, you sound real distressed. Can I do anything to help you?” It was Jesse’s turn to feel the need to move, back straight as he paced back and forth a few steps along the wall. Anxiety curled in his chest like fingers gripping his heart and lungs.
Hanzo took a few shaking breaths, “You already did. You recalled my name, you called me such sweet names. I just...have not heard such pleasant things since you left.”
Jesse’s heart broke, “How could I forget someone as beautiful and sweet as you? Hard for a man to forget the nicest night of his life.”
There was a choked laugh on the other end of the line, disbelief in Hanzo’s voice, “Did you ever find that lover you were seeking? Someone to take to your bed each night and show them the affection you showed me.”
Jesse chewed his lip and shook his head, “Nah. I’m still doin’ the same work as when we met. No lover for me.” He wanted to keep Hanzo on the line longer, he wanted so badly to ease the choked sobs from his throat and steady that haggard breathing. “Besides, the most beautiful angel in the world is still in Japan.”
Instead of soothing Hanzo’s crying, the words only seemed to break a new dam inside of the man, fresh sobs sounding, “I-I don’t know if I hope you’re speaking of me or not…”
“I am. You still haunt my dreams with your beauty y’know. I couldn’t forget the sound of your voice if I wanted to. I waited by my phone for weeks after I had to leave…” it was true. Reyes had made fun of him for waiting for a whore to call him. At some point the teasing had turned to pity every time Jesse jumped when his phone rang.
Hanzo’s sobs kept breaking Jesse’s heart into smaller and smaller pieces, “You say such kind things…”
“And you deserve every word of it Darlin. Every word,” he paused and took a breath, “Do you want me to come back? I can take some time off, I--”
“N-No. Please, McCree. I-I’m sorry. I know I sound so...pathetic. I’m sorry, I just-”
“Han, it’s alright. Relax Sweetness. I’m right here. You don’t need to apologize. Do me a favor alright? Take a few deep breaths for me. In and out,” he listened and heard the sound of Hanzo taking a deep breath in, then the sound of air over the receiver, “There. Just like that Sweetness. Close your eyes for me. I’m right here with you.”
He coaxed Hanzo through a few more breaths, each time hearing the shaking in his lungs ease a little more. “So good for me, Darlin. You feelin’ a little better?”
After a long moment of quiet, another deep breath, he heard the man give a soft sound, “Yes. Thank you.”
“Are you still at the Bordello?” Jesse asked, hoping to get some more information on the situation at hand.
“Y-Yes,” Hanzo sighed.
“Are you safe? Did they hurt you?”
Another long pause before he heard Hanzo swallow and breath out a shaky sigh, “They...caught me trying to escape. They broke my ankles and made me suffer the pain for a full day before giving me biotics.” A beat passed before the man continued, his voice softer and fearful, “They told me if I tried again that they would...sell me to a man who takes pleasure in torturing people.”
Jesse frowned heavily. He knew Hanzo didn’t want to admit it, but this was a cry for help. He was terrified to ask outright, but he hoped that Jesse would be able to do something.
“Where are you at right now?” Jesse pressed gently.
“Th...the bathroom of one of the rooms not being used. I...took a client’s phone earlier. I just needed to hear someone who...someone who would say something kind to me.”
Jesse couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips, leaning back against the wall. The rest of the world around him had faded away as he focused on the broken soul begging him for help, “I’ll say as many nice things as you want Darlin. Sweetness. Honey. I remember that night so clearly Han. I remember the fire in your eyes and the smile on your lips. Sharin’ a cigar with you. Wakin’ up with you in my arms. All I wanted was to have that moment bottled up. Keep you safe and warm next to me in that bed forever.”
Hanzo sighed and let out the softest sound of a chuckle, “You have a way with words, McCree. Very poetic.”
Jesse just smiled, “I’m thinkin’ about writin’ a book of poetry.”
Hanzo’s breath hitched, then he breathed out a shaking breath, “I… I should go before they find me. Thank you, McCree. I have not forgotten your kindness.”
“Darlin, wait-” the line dropped. Jesse let out a sigh, lips pulling into a frown as he ended the call. He closed his eyes, then looked up and took proper notice of Genji’s wide-eyed stare. The world started to come back to life around him like he was waking up from a dream.
“What’s th--”
“The person you were speaking to,” Genji cut in as fast and sharp as his sword, crowding himself into Jesse’s space, “Who was it? Who was that on the phone?”
Jesse furrowed his brows but didn’t let himself take a step away from the cyborg, “An old friend, why?”
Genji’s hands flew up and grabbed two fistfuls of Jesse’s shirt, “His name, McCree. What was his name?”
The gunslinger reached up and took Genji’s wrists in his hands, prying them away, “It’s none of your business partner, and I suggest you back off. He’s a friend who-”
“It IS my business,” the cyborg’s voice turned tinny and warped with anger, “What. Was. His. NAME.”
“What the fuck is going on here?” A new voice cut through the fury and tension, both Jesse and Genji snapping their heads up to look to Reyes who had appeared beside them on the street.
Jesse noticed that a few people had stopped to stare at the two, and drawing attention to themselves was never a good thing for black-ops agents.
“Nothin’ Sir,” Jesse spoke first and gently pushed Genji a step away from him.
Genji allowed himself to step back, hands balled into fists, “Nothing Sir,” he mirrored despite the tightness in his voice. Red eyes turned to the gunslinger, “We will discuss this later.”
Jesse just frowned, “I reckon we will…”
He and Reyes exchanged a brief look. Jesse just shrugged. Genji had come a long way since joining Blackwatch, but there were still small, odd things that would set the cyborg off on his tantrums. At least this one hadn’t resulted in any collateral damage…
Back in their hotel room, Jesse waited as patiently as he could for Reyes to finish his report. It left Jesse time to mull over his earlier phone call. Leaning out of the open window overlooking the city street, he idly worked through his cigar while he considered the sound of Hanzo’s voice, still fresh and terrifyingly sad.
While he waited he pulled up his phone to look for flights. He found one leaving that night, and he could be in Japan by noon the next day.
As soon as he heard Reyes get up from the bed he stood and turned from the window. His boss was an imposing man, dark skin and a stony expression. Were the situation not dire, Jesse wouldn’t push to ask.
“Boss,” he caught Reyes’ eyes as the man grabbed a beer from the case on the table by the bed. “I’m takin’ a few days. There’s somethin’ important I gotta go do.”
He didn’t miss the way his boss’s eyes turned dark and ominous, “Something important? Your business is my business McCree, spit it out.”
Jesse ground out the end of his cigar on the ashtray on the window sill and stepped further into the room. He caught sight of Genji appearing from one of the bedrooms. “It’s a personal matter,” Jesse insisted, “You know I haven’t taken any time off in over a year. I haven’t taken any extended time off at all, unless I was in the med bay.”
Reyes cinched his jaw, “I know that, Cowboy. You’re reliable on that aspect. But that doesn’t change protocol.”
“Then slap me with the book when I get back. I’m leavin’ tonight. I’ll take whatever punishment you need to give,” Jesse insisted, shoving his hands in his pockets.
He knew that if Reyes really wanted, he would stop Jesse.
He didn’t.
The man huffed a long, slow sigh, “Use an alias. And if you draw attention to yourself there’s nothing I can do.”
Jesse didn’t argue. He felt relief drain the tension from his shoulders before he nodded, “O’course.”
“Jesse,” Genji took several steps forward, “This is about the man on the phone?”
The gunslinger furrowed his brows, “Might be.”
“His name. You called him Hanzo. Where is he? Where is he from?”
Jesse cinched his jaw and shoved his hands in his pockets, wanting to ignore the questions. “Spent a night with him in Japan about a year back,” he finally admitted, wanting to get those red eyes to stop glaring daggers at him.
Reyes huffed, “This is about your brothel hookup? You can’t be that hard up Jesse.”
The insinuation made the gunslinger scoff, “It ain’t for that Boss. Seems he’s in some real trouble.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Genji snapped.
“I don’t know where he’s from.”
“What did he look like?!” the cyborg pressed harder, stepping back into Jesse’s personal space.
Jesse pushed Genji back a few steps, frowning, “What the hell does it matter to you?”
“Hanzo is my brother’s name,” Genji admitted, somewhat softer and with an emotion that Jesse couldn’t recognize.
Jesse huffed and folded his arms, “That’s a bit of a stretch don’t you think? There’s prolly a hundred-thousand people with the names Jesse or Gabriel back in the states.”
Genji huffed sharply, “Hanzo is a very uncommon name. Just tell me what he looked like,” he paused for a moment, then, “Did he have a tattoo?”
Jesse frowned, “Yeah. Yakuza one, sleeve on his left arm.”
“Two blue dragons?”
The gunslinger paused for a moment, not because he didn’t recall but because he recalled the image so vividly. The beautiful tattoo on Hanzo’s arm, two sapphire dragons on clouds of silver. He looked up at Genji, “Yeah. Had another one too. Green dragon on his right leg.”
It was Genji’s turn to look surprised, his stance going lax for a moment. “Where… Jesse where did you meet him?”
“He was workin’ at a bordello just outside of Tokyo.”
There was a long moment of silence as Genji seemed to work through too many emotions to pinpoint. Finally the cyborg squared his shoulders, “I’m going too.”
“What?” Reyes stepped in first, “We still have a mission here. I can’t have both of you gallivanting off to Japan!”
“That’s my brother, Reyes!” Genji snapped angrily, “He… I can’t…”
“McCree’s going to get him it seems. I trust Jesse. You should too,” Reyes turned his eyes to Jesse, “Can you do that? Bring him back with you. If it is Genji’s brother, then we can figure things out… On the off chance it’s not, then he’s still safer with us than anywhere.”
Jesse pulled his phone back out of his pocket and tipped his hat, “One beautiful angel comin’ right up.” He pulled up the flights on his phone and booked the one to Japan. He then looked to Genji and found the disappointment in those eyes staring back at him, “Don’t worry Genji, I’ll take good care of him.”
Genji’s expression shifted to a renewed glare before the cyborg spun and returned back into the bedroom.
James Arce, American business man, arrived safely in Japan at one-twenty PM the following day. Jet lagged and tired, the man wanted little more than to drop into a bed and sleep for a few hours.
After having his passport stamped, James tucked the ID back into his jacket and offered the man behind the counter a smile before making his way out towards the entrance of the airport.
Once out on the street, Jesse huffed out a sigh of relief, opened the messenger bag he had resting on his hip, and pulled out his Stetson. He had flattened it to fit into the bag, and lamented the creases as he fixed the hat and slipped it back on his head. He then pulled off the black gloves he’d worn on both hands to hide his prosthetic from view of the public, and pulled a cigar from his bag as well.
Feeling a little more like himself again, the gunslinger pulled out his phone and opened a map.
No sooner had Jesse found the building he needed on his map when a figure appeared at his side. He didn’t even have to look up, “Glad you could make it. It’ll make getting around a lot easier.”
Genji scoffed at his side, “You could at least act surprised.”
“Only thing that surprises me is that you got through customs,” Jesse smirked and tipped his phone to let the smaller man see the screen. “Gotta get here,” he then said, “Think you can get us a cab?”
Genji pointed to one of the black and white cars on the curb, “That building is on the other side of the city. It’ll take us a while to get through. It’ll give us time to talk.”
Jesse huffed as he eyed the very tiny car. It was about two sizes to small for someone like the gunslinger, but he’d dealt with worse. “I don’t much like the sound of that,” he sighed as he pocketed his phone and followed Genji towards the cab, “I get a feeling I’m gonna get the shovel talk.”
“Or get hit with a shovel, I haven’t decided,” Genji slid into the back of the cab and Jesse followed after, having to squirm and pull and hunch himself to fit in the back. His hat was touching the ceiling of the car and his legs were angled to the side so that his knees didn’t dig into the seat in front of him.
Genji spoke to their Omnic cab driver in Japanese, and after a moment the cab pulled away from the curb and into the airport traffic.
“So,” the cyborg leaned back. Jesse finally looked up enough to notice that Genji was wearing his full face-plate to hide his eyes and hair. “You fucked my brother in a brothel…”
Jesse let out a loud sigh, “To be fair, I didn’t know it was your brother.”
“Are you always so desperate to buy your lovers from whore houses?” Genji pressed irritably.
“Hey, a man gets lonely. I didn’t feel like goin’ to a bar, I just wanted someone to spend a nice evenin’ with. I treated him real nice, I’ll have you know,” Jesse grumbled at having to defend himself to Genji. Had it been anyone else then the cyborg would not have cared.
There was a long beat of silence. Finally Genji spoke again, “Why is Hanzo working at a brothel?”
“I couldn’t tell you Darlin. I saw the tattoo on his arm, I thought maybe he was some kinda slave to the Yakuza. I gave him my personal number before I left, didn’t tell ‘em what I did but promised to help if he ever needed it.”
“You do that for all your whores?” Genji hissed bitterly.
Jesse pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and sighed, “No. Genji I won’t lie to you. Hanzo walked in that room and I was slapped dumb by how gorgeous he was. Like an angel come to earth. I wanted to steal ‘em away then and there, pick him up and carry him off into the sunset.”
“That’s the same ‘angel’ who cut me to pieces,” the cyborg reminded him bitterly.
“Now listen. If you came here for some act of revenge, I won’t be letting that happen,” Jesse was quick to snap, glaring at Genji through the cyborg’s visor, “I came here to make good on my promise to help Hanzo if he ever needed it. Whatever issues you two have between you will have to wait until we get him to safety.”
“And after you fucked him a few more times?”
“Genji, get that goddamn bee outta your bonnet would you? I didn’t know who he was. I can’t tell if you wanna save ‘em or kill ‘em,” Jesse was starting to wish Genji had stayed back in Cairo.
The cyborg was quiet for a long minute, then huffed, “I don’t know either. What did he say on the phone? Why does he need your help?”
Jesse shook his head, “I didn’t get much from him. He said he tried to get away and they broke his ankles. He called me in tears from a bathroom.”
Genji glanced over, face unreadable behind the metal but the way he held himself spoke volumes, “He…he was crying?”
“Yeah. I got the feeling it wasn’t anything to do with physical pain either. Said he wanted to hear someone who would say something nice to him. It was the first time I’ve heard from him since I saw him over a year ago.”
“And…and you said he had a second tattoo on his leg?”
“Green dragon, yeah. Is that…?”
“I would assume so.” Genji took a deep breath, quiet and contemplative, “I haven’t… When we lived together, I never once saw him cry. There was a time when I thought he didn’t have the emotional ability. The only time I ever saw him shed tears was…during our fight.”
Jesse hummed softly, “Well maybe you should take this opportunity to talk to him instead of goin’ at ‘em.”
Genji didn’t respond, and instead turned his head to look out of the window.
“Either way, we’re gonna need a plan,” Jesse pressed on, leaning back in the cramped space.
“We have no blueprints. We don’t know anyone in the building.”
“You’re right. I don’t think stealth is going to be the best option outta the box here,” Jesse pondered for a moment, “But they have no reason to suspect I’m anything more than a customer. So if I buy him for the night, we can sneak out.”
Genji scoffed, “If you think I’m going to sit by on the sidelines…”
“No, but you stick out like a sore thumb.” Another beat passed, “The building isn’t that tall if I recall right. So when I get my room with him, I’ll open the window and leave a sign for you. You climb in, and get Hanzo out the same way. Last I was there, they had cameras everywhere. Once you show up, I’m sure it’s only gonna be a short time before they respond.”
“You act like this is going to be difficult. It’s just a brothel.”
“Yeah,” Jesse scoffed, “A Yakuza brothel. Hanzo said they broke his ankles when he tried to get out last time. Knowing who he is now, your brother isn’t a pushover is he?”
Genji shook his head.
“I’m guessing we’re not going to get away without some kind of retaliation. It’s just important that you and Hanzo get out and get away as quick as possible.”
“And you?” Genji asked quickly, “Did you get any weapons through customs?”
“Nah. But I can make do. I’ve faced worse with less and come out just fine,” Jesse flashed the cyborg a winning grin.
“Like when you lost your arm?” the other snipped.
Jesse’s expression faded quickly and he scoffed, “Smartass.” He glanced out of his window for a moment, “Just remember, whatever issue you have with your brother, you need to save it until after we get him safe.”
Genji remained silent.
“I’ll leave something red in the window for you,” Jesse added.
“Very well,” Genji paused, “Don’t call me by my name. Not yet at least.”
Jesse understood. It could complicate the situation if Hanzo felt the need to start asking questions when they needed to be escaping.
The drive continued in silence.
They got out four blocks from the brothel. “We should get a few supplies,” Genji spoke up as they made their way down a narrow sidewalk, “Something to at least give us an edge.”
“Well I doubt I can get a gun anywhere around here,” Jesse shoved his hands in his pockets.
“No, but how about a few knives?” the cyborg nodded to a shop across the street, small and nondescript.
Under the guise of buying gifts, Jesse and Genji got two knives each. Genji tucked them into his cybernetics while Jesse was able to make use of the sheaths in the side of his boots. They didn’t fit like his Blackwatch knives but they would have to do in a pinch.
They stopped a block before they got to the brothel and split up. Genji would stay back for thirty minutes, then circle the building in search of Jesse’s signal. It would give Jesse time to get in and get to Hanzo. He hoped.
As Jesse made his way into the brothel he scanned the room more intently than he had before. The space was still decadent, draped in fineries and frills that would make a king jealous. Jesse counted seven cameras alone that he could see, and a bouncer at each of the three doors leading further into the building.
He stepped up to the woman at the counter. Same woman as before. Gaunt features and graying hair pulled up in a tight bun. She sneered at McCree, “You cannot afford us.”
Jesse chuckled and rubbed at his jaw. He’d gone a little scruffy, “Aww shucks. Well I got a wallet that says otherwise Ma’am.” He pulled his wallet out, “I was hopin’ to make a specific request.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Anything is available…for the right price.”
“Exactly. You see, ‘bout a year ago I came here and had a real nice night with a gorgeous fella named Suzume. I got a card here,” he pulled out his credit chip, “That says I’m willin’ to pay quite a bit to have another night with him.”
The woman let out a long hum, her pencil brows rising up, “I recognize you,” she huffed, “The dirty Cowboy.” She eyed the chip warily and Jesse kept his face school with humble desire, “Suzume is not available today. He’s…not feeling well.”
That wasn’t a good sign.
“We have plenty of other lovely boys for you if you would like, Mr…?”
“Arce,” Jesse chewed his lip, “You sure I can’t see ‘em? If it’s just a cold ‘er something it don’t bother me none.” He gauged the pinched expression on her face, then cleared his throat, “Well, that’s a shame.”
“Will you be buying a night or not?” she snipped sharply.
Jesse sighed and leaned against the counter separating them, “Well I suppose. S’a shame though.”
The woman snatched the chip from his hand, holding it between two fingers, “Five-thousand if you want Suzume that badly.”
Jesse perked up a little, “Well that’s mighty steep but, I suppose he’s worth it.” He tried not to cringe at the blow to his bank account and nodded, “Five-thousands fine. I came here to splurge, I might as well.”
Her painted lips, puckered and pinched, pulled into a very tight smile, “Very well then.” She swiped his card into the computer sitting in front of her and handed his card back. Once his credits cleared, she turned and grabbed a key from a wooden board behind her, “Fourth floor. Suzume will be with you shortly, Mr. Arce.”
He nodded and tucked his card back into his wallet, stepping away from the counter, “Much obliged.” He tipped his hat and turned for the elevator, where the bouncer stood aside to allow the man to pass.
The room Jesse stepped into on the fourth floor was not as extravagant as the first time, but it was also several floors lower. It would be easier for Hanzo and Genji to get out.
The space was small, though still luxurious. The bed was a king draped in silk, all hardwood furniture, fine paintings framed on the walls. The attached bathroom had a much smaller tub.
Jesse moved to the window to open it, looking down at the street below. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the small red reflector he had found at the shop he and Genji had been at earlier, and as he leaned out under the guise of getting a view, pulled the plastic off the back and tucked it under the window sill on the outside. It would be enough for Genji to see, and the outside cameras to overlook.
Once done he went to the bed to sit down, shrugging his jacket and hat off to make himself look more comfortable for the two cameras watching him. He leaned back on his elbows and relaxed.
It took almost ten minutes before the door opened suddenly. Hanzo stepped into view, but behind him Jesse could see a bouncer settling himself at the door outside the room. It seemed Hanzo was under close watch…
He sat up as the younger walked in, the door closing with a click behind him.
He was a hell of a sight. Garbed in a fine red kimono he looked like an emperor as he stepped closer, eyes downcast to the floor, face tipped down. Jesse didn’t miss the limp as the man came closer.
Jesse stood from the bed, “Been a while Darlin’…”
Hanzo’s head snapped up suddenly, chocolate eyes staring up at McCree with open shock. “M…McCree?!”
“The one and only,” Jesse reached out and dipped down to catch the smaller man. Hanzo had tried to rush forward, too much weight on his injured ankle that sent him staggering.
Jesse didn’t want to admit to the selfish joy he took in pulling Hanzo up against his body, holding him there and tucking the man’s head under his chin. Hanzo clung to him in turn, hands gripping at Jesse’s biceps tightly, “What’re you doing here?”
The gunslinger reached down and picked up Hanzo, turning to set him down on the bed gently. He was so warm and soft in his arms, it felt too good. When he pulled back to look into the man’s face he found those eyes still wide, still surprised. Jesse made sure to speak loud enough to be easily heard by the cameras, “Business trip. I touched down in Japan earlier today and I knew I just had to come back here.”
He leaned forward and took Hanzo’s face between his hands, tipping his face up to press a kiss to those soft lips. They yielded to him, opening and sharing flavor with McCree until they were both panting. Jesse leaned in, pressed kisses across Hanzo’s jaw until he got to the man’s ear where he could nip at the lobe. He lowered his voice, “After I heard you, I couldn’t let you stay here,” he nipped again and Hanzo seemed to catch the message, pushing his chest out and letting out a moan, “Got a friend on his way. We’re gettin’ you outta here.”
Hanzo turned his head, lips pressed to Jesse’s ear. The breath that puffed across his skin made the gunslinger shiver openly, pushing them both back onto the bed, “It’s too dangerous. These men will kill you.”
Jesse hummed and slotted himself between Hanzo’s legs, and his body was ready for action despite it being an act, “Love to see ‘em try, angel.”
Hanzo’s hand grabbed the back of Jesse’s neck, his voice turning sharper, “I’m not kidding McCree!”
“Neither am I,” Jesse hummed, “We’re getting you out of here Han. I made you a promise,” he pulled back again and sealed Hanzo’s lips with his own. “You’re just as beautiful as I remember, you know that?” Jesse mused, and that wasn’t an act, “Like heaven sent one of its angels down to earth.”
Hanzo’s eyes were dark and worried, his expression schooled.
Jesse reached down and pulled his phone out of his pocket, tossing it on the bed to get a look at his clock. Two minutes until Genji would do his round, which meant another five minutes before they were likely to see the cyborg.
Jesse dipped back down and kissed Hanzo again, “Been looking forward to this for so long. Dreamed about you for weeks y’know. Heard your voice in my sleep,” his flesh hand came up and framed Hanzo’s face gently, “You ruined me for anyone else y’know that?”
Hanzo scoffed sharply, and suddenly Jesse saw the family resemblance. “Only a fool would fall for a whore.”
“Well then Darlin’ call me a fool a thousand times, ‘cause that’s exactly what I am,” Jesse started sucking a mark onto Hanzo’s neck, kissing and showering the skin with attention when he noticed the way Hanzo’s body started shaking. “You a’right?” he whispered.
Hanzo nodded sharply. It was a lie.
“Are you hurt beyond your ankle?” Jesse wondered.
The younger swallowed sharply and Jesse traced the movement of Hanzo’s throat with his lips before the other whispered, “They…caught me. With the phone. They beat me,” another shaky breath, “They probably know I called you by now.”
It would explain the bouncer.
Jesse hummed, “Well…”
“Really?” a louder voice had both Hanzo and Jesse looking up. Genji sat perched in the window earlier than Jesse had expected.
Jesse didn’t have time to respond. He turned and grabbed for the knife in his boot just as the bouncer threw open the door. Jesse was already charging, grabbing the man by the wrist to yank him further into the room. One quick thrust sank the knife into the back of the man’s neck, ending him without a word.
Jesse kicked the door closed quickly and locked it.
“We don’t have much time,” his voice turned sharper as his body settled into ‘mission mode.’
Hanzo was staring at him from the bed with wide eyes. He looked to the dead Yakuza on the floor, then up to McCree, “Who are you?” he demanded as if seeing McCree for the first time.
“No time for that Han,” he looked to Genji, “Can you get him down? His ankles still hurt. He’ll need help.” Jesse knelt down beside the dead bouncer and patted him down for his gun, pulled it out and checked the clip.
Only a few shots. Not much, but it would have to be enough. It was a pea-shooter compared to Peacemaker.
Genji slipped into the room with the grace of liquid metal, “Yes. Hanzo, come with me,” the cyborg held his hand out, “I’m getting you out of here.”
The man’s brows furrowed, “What about McCree?”
“I can get out just fine. Besides, it’ll distract most of ‘em so you two can skidaddle.”
“They’ll kill you!” Hanzo got up, ignoring Genji’s hand.
Jesse huffed, “Like I haven’t been through worse with less.”
Genji scoffed, “It’s how he lost his arm.”
Hanzo jerked his gaze between Jesse and Genji, then his eyes settled on the metal arm and he frowned heavily, “ I am not letting you go alone.”
Jesse frowned, “Han I hate to do this but you’re injured. You come with me you’ll be more of a hindrance than anything.”
“Well it doesn’t matter now,” Genji had moved close to the window and glanced out. “They already have guards down there, I won’t be able to get out safely with Hanzo.”
McCree could hear the sound of footsteps coming up the hallway from both sides, light but present. “A’right,” Jesse took a deep breath and focused himself. “They responded quicker ‘n I was expecting.”
“They knew I had called someone,” Hanzo murmured, “It only makes sense that they expected you to try something.”
“Looks like we’ll have to clear a path the hard way then. Hanzo, stay under cover,” he glanced to Genji and nodded, “Cover my back.”
The cyborg nodded in return, “Just remember that these are Yakuza, not Talon. Their tactics will be much different.”
Jesse scoffed, “You act like this is my first mission.”
“No, I act like you’re reckless. Which you are.”
The gunslinger huffed and grabbed for the door, then ducked and rolled out into the hall with gun raised and ready. Two men, large and wide, blocked the hall to the left, three more to Jesse’s back as Genji rushed out to cover him.
The gun in his hand was too light, too flimsy, but the shots he fired were true. One through the throat, the other through a lung. One of them managed return fire, clipping Jesse’s shoulder before he could get a third shot out. Right between the eyes.
More gunfire from his back and Genji with only a pair of knives. Deflected bullets hit the floor and walls.
Jesse stood and spun, fired twice. The second shot clicked empty, one of the three Yakuza falling from the bullet in his head. Genji lunged forward with a metallic roar and his blades flashed silver, then red. A sliced throat and a pierced heart in the blink of an eye.
“Remind me not to piss you off partner,” Jesse huffed a small laugh.
Genji hummed, and the gunslinger could almost see the smirk behind the mask.
“A’right Han, we gotta move,” Jesse looked to the smaller man just beyond the threshold of the room. He limped out with a determined expression. Hanzo made his way towards the three dead near Genji and quickly went about stripping them of their weapons.
Hanzo retrieved a gun for himself while Jesse grabbed a fresh clip for his own.
Outfitted with fresh supplies, Jesse pushed towards the stairs beside the elevator. It took three steps down before Hanzo’s ankles gave out. McCree was swift to catch him, finding pain twisted on his angel’s face.
Two men tried to burst in from the door behind them, easily dispatched by Genji’s knives. “Get on my back,” Jesse said as he knelt himself down and leaned forward, “Keep your head down.”
Hanzo seemed reluctant to admit the weakness, and for a moment Jesse thought he would have to drag the man onto his back himself. However the smaller pulled himself onto the gunslinger’s back and held on with arms and thighs, and a quiet voice in Jesse’s ear murmured, “I am sorry for this.”
“No need to apologize sugar,” McCree smirked as he stood and hooked one arm around Hanzo’s leg to help him stay upright.
Down four flights of stairs the trio encountered no opposition. It was something that nauseated Jesse to think about, knowing that their enemy was likely setting up a heavy resistance at their final push for the door.
Genji felt it too as they stopped at the door at the bottom of the stairs. They paused and the Cyborg glanced at his companions, “Deadeye?”
“Yeah. You?” he wanted to ask about Genji’s dragon, but didn’t want to say it aloud.
An energy radiated out into the air, the green rings on his armor flaring up like fire, “I am ready.”
Jesse pulled Hanzo from his back and set him down, “Stay low,” he instructed.
Both McCree and Genji turned for the door. Jesse took a moment to prepare himself.
Deadeye was an ordeal that took the gunslinger a moment to prepare, and a long time to recover from. He tested the weight of his gun, checked the clip, and took a deep breath.
Time felt like it slowed down. The world around him faded away to shades of black and darkness. He took another deep breath and off in the distance he swore he could hear a bell clanging.
The door opened and he pushed through the opening, into the main room where he was greeted by a semi-circle of Yakuza waiting with guns raised. It should have been a deathwish.
Before any of the men had a chance to process Jesse’s presence he had already unloaded a full clip, six bullets through six skulls, over half of the assailants downed in the span of a single breath.
But just as quickly as the Deadeye was to kill his enemies, Jesse’s world went entirely dark and his head flared up in pain. The price for such an ability was steep…
He heard the crack of guns, he felt Genji rush past him in a blaze of energy. Much duller than anything else was the burning pain of bullets, one through his shoulder and one through his gut. That pain was nothing compared to the unholy din within his head.
Normally he had Reyes to help him snap free of the paralyzing aftermath. There was so little that could penetrate his mental paralysis. In that moment, however, something else rose over the primal thunder of blood in his ears and shocking pain behind his eyes.
“McCree!” a familiar voice so memorable and sweet. A gentle hand on his shoulder, “McCree we have to leave while we can,” warped through the echoes of his mind.
It was something for McCree to hold onto mentally and strive for to pull him from the depths of paralysis. The pain of his wounds came first, flaring to life and causing the gunslinger to groan. His flesh hand quickly groped for the worst of his pain in his shoulder, the bloom of blood warm beneath his fingers.
“McCree! We have to--” Hanzo’s beautiful voice was cut short, the smaller pulled suddenly away by another presence.
“Hanzo!” Genji’s voice, sharp and furious. Something was wrong.
Jesse opened his eyes and the flood of light, even minimal, was blinding enough to stun him. He needed to get up, especially if Hanzo was in danger.
Japanese from an unknown voice spoke behind him - they had been snuck up on. He couldn’t parse the words in his state, but he heard Hanzo’s soft voice gasp out in pain.
Using the Deadeye again would likely result in permanent damage on his part. He didn’t have any bullets besides. But he had to do something, he knew.
Then he felt it. Energy pulsing up and out, the air scenting of the static before a storm, temperature dropping suddenly. The light in the room shifted, tinted like a blue lense had covered all the bulbs. The energy built up, Hanzo’s voice sharp and loud in Japanese and a new roar that filled the space of the building from top to bottom.
Jesse felt like he was in the center of a cyclone, whirls of sound and energy pulling and pushing and stealing the air from his lungs.
When it all died down a few seconds later, the gunslinger felt fit to collapse. He gasped to get air back, the pull on his muscles making the wounds on his torso flare freshly to life. Two figures were at his side in the next breath, and Jesse could only reach out for both of them.
The world was slowly fading back into view, the ringing in his head having dimmed, faded, then stopped.
Genji was in front of him, the green of his mask glowing brightly. He couldn’t see the red eyes behind it, but he could feel the worry from his companion. Beside him, knelt down with shaking hands, was Hanzo. Eyes wide, his beautiful visage was dappled in streaks and blots of red stemming out from the knife clutched in his right hand.
He smiled awkwardly at whatever expression Jesse wore on his face, “We’re all full of surprises today. Come, we must leave quickly.”
“Hanzo is right,” Genji added quickly, “I will carry him. Can you walk?”
Jesse managed a nod, “I’ll be good. Let’s skidaddle.”
He pulled himself upright, using the doorframe for leverage. He took in the room around him and frowned at the sight - the space look like it had been struck with a hurricane of blood from the bodies on the ground. “Remind me not to piss either of you off,” Jesse amended.
Genji chuckled as he looped Hanzo’s arm over his shoulder and hefted his brother up bridal style. McCree only wished he had that honor, but the distinct throb in his gut told him that would have been a poor choice. He would need to get his wounds taken care of quickly.
They moved forward and rushed for the door. No sooner were they on the sidewalk, the center of attention for a group of shocked civilians, when a sleek silver car pulled up beside them. Jesse frowned, grabbed for his empty gun, but when the door popped open he found himself both surprised and relieved.
“What did I tell you assholes about drawing attention!?” Reyes snapped, “Get in, now .”
Jesse collapsed into the seat beside his boss and the brothers slipped into the back seat quickly. As soon as the door was closed the car lurched onto the street and aimed to get out of the city.
“What’re you doing here?” Jesse asked, despite what he already knew.
“Both of my prime idiots bail on me to go play hero in Japan. I knew there was going to be trouble,” a hand slapped Jesse’s arm firmly, “And what did I tell you about using Deadeye, pendejo ?!”
Jesse managed a weak laugh, “Something of life-or-death boss.”
The man grunted, “You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill both of you.”
The gunslinger smirked, but weariness was gripping at every ounce of his being. He reached up and pulled the brim of his hat down, grunting, “Do me a favor then. Kill me while I’m sleepin.”
Darkness took him in seconds.
Jesse didn’t remember much of the following days. Getting on the carrier, getting back to Blackwatch HQ, getting into the med bay. He woke up in the medical ward with an IV in his arm and stitches on his wounds. His Deadeye had been covered with bandages to prevent it from getting agitated by the light. It was a relief really - he knew he would have a migraine for a week at least.
He took immediate note that he wasn’t alone. He craned his neck to the side to see where the warmth at his side was coming from.
In a plastic chair next to his bed, leaned over and curled up to sleep with his head on the gunslinger’s arm, was a clean and calm looking Hanzo. Garbed now in some of Genji’s baggy clothes, with his hair pulled into a loose bun, Jesse couldn’t help but think of how beautiful the angel next to him was, and how worth it his actions had been.
While Jesse McCree wasn’t a man fit for poetics, he wondered again about writing that book of poetry… Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.