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“I want to be a cowboy.”
Gabriel had to do a double take before simply sighing. “You want to be a cowboy?”
Jesse McCree looked him dead in the eye. “Yes, sir. I would like to be a cowboy”
Gabriel physically facepalmed, they were in the middle of a mission, they were being shot at, and he wants to be a cowboy. “It’s the middle of the robot apocalypse.” Jesse nodded. “We’re in the middle of an operation.” again another nod. “And you really think now is the time to be asking a question like this?”
“I reckon there was no better time than now.” He said as if it was obvious.
“Sometimes I regret taking you in, kid.” He said. “Why do you even want to be a cowboy in the first place?”
“Well correct me if I’m wrong but cowboys tend to be seen as a hero, and these folks can use a hero.”
Gabriel paused a few seconds, thinking it over, before sighing. “We can talk about this after the mission.”
McCree grinned. “That ain’t a no.”
Gabriel returned the grin and shot back. “It isn’t a yes either.”
__________
Back at Overwatch HQ Gabriel sat at his desk, staring down the teen with a death glare. “So, you want to be a cowboy?”
Jesse McCree, sitting across from him, simply nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Gabriel rested his elbows on his desk, crossing his hands. “And why should I allow this uniform change?”
“Because I figure being a cowboy is the next step up from being a boy.” He said with his signature grin. “Besides it ain’t like we don’t have anyone else in a ridiculous outfit.” Gabriel raised his eyebrow. “Boss, we have a cyborg ninja that's right out of one of those animes Moira watches when no one is around.”
Gabriel couldn’t argue with that logic, but he wasn’t going to make it this easy on the kid. “So your only reason I should let you be a cowboy is because of Genji?”
“Well boss, we also have the mix of an evil scientist and David Bowie and whatever the darn heck your outfit is.” he pointed at Gabriel’s hat. “Seriously, who wears a beanie in the middle of summer.”
“I should have you eat this hat for saying that.” he shrugged. “But I wouldn’t want to lose the best thing in this place.”
Jesse chuckled. “Now that's just downright rude of you boss.”
He put a hand on his shoulder. “Then maybe you should get some thicker skin Kid.” Gabriel simply smirked at the playful glare of Jesse. “But, fine, if you put in the request form I will make you a cowboy.”
Jesse’s eyes gleamed. “Really? Thanks, sir,”
__________
Gabriel was really regretting this decision, and the kid only got the outfit ten minutes ago. The kid has none stop been parading himself around in it, showing it to anyone who would give him the time of day.
And then there was that belt buckle, that damn belt buckle. He really should’ve checked that requisition form closer, cause, if he did, Jesse wouldn’t be running around with a BAMF belt buckle, and Genji wouldn’t look like he’s on the verge of committing homicide, again.
Just as Genji was pulling out his katana was the time he finally decided to step in. Grabbing Jesse by the shoulder he dragged him into the other room. “Now kid, I understand you’re really excited about your new clothes, but, can you please tone it down some.”
The kid's happy tone quickly dropped. “Yes, sir.” And Gabriel fell like a piece of shit. “Just haven’t been this excited in a long time.”
Gabriel sighed, “Look, I didn’t mean you couldn’t be happy, what I meant was...” He looked around, trying to figure something to say out. “Just don’t bring it up to Genji, go bug Tracer about it or something.”
Jesse nodded, tone shifting slightly to a bit happier. “Yes, sir.”
__________
“Blimey,” Tracer said. “you’re looking good McCree.”
“That’s mighty kind of you, ma’am” The teen responded in his best cowboy accent.
She let out a giggle. “You’re even doing the voice, that’s hilarious.” McCree let out a chuckle of his own. “How did you even get Old man Gabe to give you permission to wear something like this?”
“Don’t let him catch you calling him that, he’d probably skin you alive. And to answer your question I asked him nicely.” He said with a grin.
“No way, there had to be something else, Old man Gabe is way too serious for that.” She pointed a finger at him. “He put you on dish duty for a year?”
“Nope.”
“Laundry duty?”
“Nah.”
“Blackmail?”
Jesse mocked offense. “Does that really seem like something I would do?”
“I’m sorry love, but, yes.”
“Why I never.”
“If it really wasn’t blackmail then what was it?” Tracer asked.
“Simple, I’m his favorite.”
“Suuuuuure you are.”
“Am too.”
“No, I’m his favorite.” Tracer announced proudly.
“No way, you may be Morrison’s favorite-”
“And Mercy’s and Winston’s” she interrupted.
McCree cleared his throat and continued. “But I have Gabe's heart.”
The brit grinned. “So you have one versus three.”
“Why I never.” He used a fake outraged tone. “I’m also Ana’s favorite, that means I win by default.”
“No, you don’t. It’s still two against thr-” Tracer fell over, fast asleep.
Ana walked over, squatting down next to the sleeping pilot, hitting her over the head to wake her up. “The younger generation is so rude.”
Tracer blinked a few feet away. “Sorry ma’am.” she turned to face McCree. “I suppose you’re right, you win.”
McCree's grin was short lived as Ana stood up looked at the two of them and said: “No he doesn’t. Fareeha wins as she's my favorite.”
“Family doesn’t count.” McCree protested.
“Then you don’t get to count Gabe.” Ana shot back.
“We ain’t related.” McCree continued.
“Maybe not by blood,” She let out a single chuckle. “but you are his son.”
“Now why do you say that?”
“Well, he lets you go around dressed up like that.” She pointed out. “He has practically adopted you at this point.”
“No, he hasn’t,” he grumbled. “He only sees me as a subordinate.”
__________
“Jesse!” The seventeen-year-old was nearly knocked over by the force of a twelve year running into his legs, full force, and hugging them. “Is it true Gabe finally adopted you?”
“What?” McCree looked down at the young Fareeha confused. “Of course not, your mom is just feeding you some more horse sh-... Crap, yeah” he awkwardly patted her head. “horse crap.”
“Really?” she tilted her head to the side. “But she said that Gabe turned you into a cowboy then adopted you.”
“She got that first part right, I’m officially a cowboy now, but I ain’t Gabe’s son, we’re strictly coworkers.”
“Really?” She looked up at him. “That’s a shame, I’m sure he would be happy to have you as a son.”
He picked her up. “And I think you don’t know what you’re talking about little missie.”
She laughed. “Put me down, put me down.” she had a smile on her face, even if she was protesting it, she loved when the person she saw as an older brother picked her up. “And I’m not little.”
“Really? You could’ve fooled me.” He said as he put the little girl down.
“Jesse, that’s rude.” she whined.
“So what if it is? Now run along, big brother Jesse got some work he needs to get done.”
“Okay, okay, but you should really consider asking Gabe about this, I think it would make him a lot happier to be your dad, and you would be happier too I think.”
McCree seemed frustrated at this topic, mostly because he didn’t want to think about it. “Now what did I say? I’m not his son, and I don’t want to discuss this. now shoo.”
“One last question before I go.”
McCree sighed. “What?”
“What does your belt buckle mean.”
A nervous sweat rolled down McCree's neck. “Best at making friends?”
“Don’t lie.” the little kid protested, stomping her feet
“Fine, but if your mom asks I never said it.” he leaned in close and whispered. “Badass mother fucker.”
Fareeha only nodded before scampering off.
__________
McCree had been deep in thought the past few days, what Ana had said to him really got under his skin, and Fareeha didn’t help, he was used to people joking that way about him and Gabe, and he would normally just laugh it off, but this time was different, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t just shake it off.
He needed to get a second opinion on this. “Genji.” McCree didn’t miss the way that the ninja straightened up or the shurikens he drew, guess Gabe was right about him being annoyed. “I need your opinion on something.”
The grouchy ninja sighed, dropping his shurikens. “About what?” he asked, glaring into McCree’s soul.
“Do you think Gabe see me as a son?” He asked.
“Yes.” He said without a moment of hesitation. “Was this really worth bugging me over?”
“Are you so sure of that? And yes.”
“Yes, now get out of my room, cowboy.” McCree sighed, not the answer he was hoping for.
“And what if I stay?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth his precious cowboy hat was pinned to the wall by a shuriken. “Okay, I get your point, I’ll leave.”
__________
Jesse sat across from the Gabriel, waiting for the mission debriefing to finish, it was taking all his will power not to shake because of the question he was waiting to ask.
“So as I was saying, the two of us will infiltrate the Talon base, steal the drives, and get out. In and out like a ghost, we were never there.” Jesse nodded. “According to our intel, there should only be light security. And Tracer will be on standby, in case something goes wrong.” Gabriel leaned forward on his desk. “Any questions.”
"No, sir.” Jesse replied
“Good, anything else we need to discuss?” he asked.
"Actually sir there was something else I was hopin' to ask you about." Jesse fidgeted nervously in his seat.
"Oh?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “And what is that?"
Jesse looked him dead in the eyes, stopped fidgeting and asked. "Do you see me as a son?"
Gabriel tensed, not expecting it. "That depends. Do you want me to see you as a son?" he asked cautiously, if the boy didn’t want it he wouldn’t force it.
He had a hard time answering. "no, I don't." that answer hurt Gabriel to his very core.
"Then no, I don't see you as a son." that was the reply Jesse was hoping for, so why did it hurt like a bullet to the heart would?
__________
“What is wrong Young Jesse?” The towering German man asked. “You seem down.”
Jesse looked up from the plate of food he was mindlessly staring at to look up at him. “Nothin’s wrong partner.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” The massive German sat down across from him. “Why don’t you tell old Reinhart what ills you.”
“I said its nothing old man.” He snapped.
“You wound this old man.” He said playfully with a laugh. “Is it about you and Gabe?”
“He's not my dad.” He said defensively, tired of people accusing him of it.
The German looked at him seriously “I never said he was your dad.”
McCree gritted his teeth staying silent.
“Does it upset you that he isn’t your dad?” The gentle German asked.
“No!” the teen snapped. “Yes? I don’t know, dammit. Maybe?”
“I can’t answer that for you grasshopper, that is an answer you have to find on your own.”
He sighed. “We’re coworkers, we shouldn’t be family.”
“Why not?”
Jesse couldn’t answer that, not right away at least.
__________
The mission wasn’t going as planned, the enemy had five times more troops then they thought, and they were currently surrounded. “How long till evac boss?” McCree yelled over the sound of gunfire.
“Tracer said she was on her way, just a few more minutes.” Gabriel gritted his teeth. “Kid, get behind cover, I’ll hit them with a death blossom.”
McCree did a mock salute. “Yes, sir.” He jumped behind a pillar just as he heard the familiar:
Die
Die
Di… The sound of a high caliber bullet sounded, probably a snipers McCree’s mind told him, and the sound of shotgun blast after shotgun blast stopped.
McCree blinked, and time seemed to slow down to a stop.
“Dad?”
He turned the corner to see what happened, and time went at a snail's pace, Gabe was laying on the ground motionless in a pool of his own blood, an open wound going through his chest. “No.” was all he could manage to say.
He stepped out of cover as time stopped, The sound of a church bell rang, “It’s” he began to glow bright gold. “High Noon.”
He drew his revolver and never stopped firing, he fell all of his opponents without mercy in a matter of a second frozen in time.
He ignored the familiar headache that came with deadeye as time resumed and he rushed over to the prone form of Gabe, tears in his eyes. “Dad! Don’t die on me.” He kneeled on the ground next to him.
“Heh.” Gabe looked up at him, smiling. “You finally called me dad.”
“Now is not the time.” Jesse put his hand on his chest, feeling the warm red liquid seeping out all over his hand. “I can stop the bleeding, just save your strength.”
“If I knew getting shot would do it I would’ve gotten shot a long time ago.” He slowly began to close his eyes.
Jesse's eyes watered, trying to hold back tears. “Now isn’t the time for jokes dammit.”
“Kid, son.” his voice was weak. “Let me have this, I won’t be joking for much longer.”
“Don’t say things like that, dammit.” there was no response from Gabriel’s limp form.
“Dad?” with no response and no hope Jesse was overtaken by emotions and did the only thing he could think of doing, he pulled Gabriel close in a hug, feeling the warmth slowly lose him. The others found him there sitting there silently weeping.
They were rushed onto the ship, Gabriel rushed to intensive medical care while Jesse was stuck grieving the family he had only accepted.
__________
In the end, it was a long and hard battle for mercy but Gabriel would be fine, eventually.
Jesse slowly opened the door to the med-bay. “So you’re finally awake?”
Gabe slowly sat up from his bed. “That I am Jesse.”
Jesse sat next to him, awkwardly silent, he wanted to say something, he really did, but what do you even say in a situation like this?
“So if I’m remembering correctly,” Gabriel said smugly. “You said some interesting thing right before I passed out, do you remember what it is?”
Jesse’s face went red, he was hoping that Gabriel would forget at that point. “Yeah, I called you dad, it was a moment of desperation.”
“Really, and I thought earlier you said you didn’t want me to be your dad.”
Jesse McCree was silent for a moment before finally saying. “Well, I was stupid earlier sir.” Gabriel let out a laugh. “And, well I was wrong. I think I do want you to be my dad, if you’ll still have me.”
Gabriel stroked his chin for a few moments. “Well, I don’t know, it might be a bit weird to have a cowson.” Gabe chuckled. “Heh, of course I’ll have you son.”
Jesse pulled him into a hug. “Thanks, dad.”