Chapter Text
Sombra found her jeans lying in a clump on the floor, slipping them back on in the diffused glow of the moon shining through thin motel curtains.
“Headin’ out so soon?” A gruff voice answered from behind her.
He turned around to see McCree sitting on the edge of the bed, cigar hanging from his lips and a lighter in his hand. He held the flame to the cigar, and within a moment the scent of tobacco swept across the room and touched Sombra’s nose. The scent was becoming familiar.
“Yeah, lot of work to do tomorrow.” She replied, reaching for her tank top where it sat on the dresser.
“Hm.”
They didn’t ever talk about work, that much was established.
McCree cleared his throat, “Isn’t a little late to be travelin’?”
Fair question, it was about 2 in the morning.
“Nah, trains are way less crowded. Easier to slip by at night.” She replied, done dressing and checking her makeup in the mirror. “Anyway, thanks for that. And the drinks. Oh, and Feliz Navidad and happy holidays and all that too.” She turned to the door to leave.
“What are ya doin’ for Christmas? Any plans?”
Sombra looked back and made eye contact with the cowboy.
“You think a girl like me has plans for Christmas?” She chuckled.
“Wanna spend it with me?” He took of puff of his cigar. “Two for two.”
Ha. The previous Christmas wasn’t exactly something she wanted to repeat. Sombra found him shit wasted at Calaveras and had to find a way to get him back to his hotel so that no one could steal his secrets before she did. It was certainly a mission, taking every ounce of her physical strength to guide the man twice her size through the uphill Castillo streets. Though she might have to admit it may have been worth the effort, considering it paved the way for their current ‘meetups’.
Sombra hadn’t noticed herself daze off until McCree spoke up again.
“If yer busy that’s f-”
“No, I’m not.”
McCree gave her a half smile, “Well alright then, where’re ya gonna be?”
“California.” Lie. She’d probably be somewhere in New York doing recon business in the days leading up to Christmas, but she still didn’t trust him enough to divulge that. And besides, she could make it back to California in time anyway.
“Okay, well I’ll see ya in Hollywood then.”
“Gotcha. Later, vaquero.” She winked as she slipped out the door and into the night.
A month later, in a seedy motel in the back skirts of Hollywood, Sombra paced endlessly in thought as she waited for McCree to arrive. She couldn’t be certain he’d received the coordinates she’d sent him, though she triple checked the message before she hacked his phone and left it for him, so it was unlikely he’d get lost. She’d already gotten some alcohol, gotten dressed, and checked the room for bugs, so there was not much left to do but wait. She looked around the bare apartment and frowned, hoping that he wasn’t expecting some sort of Christmas decorating on her end. More than decorating, however, she was concerned that he may have been expecting a gift, which she didn’t have prepared.
The last time she could remember buying someone a Christmas gift was when she’d gotten a pack of glittery bandaids for Baptiste back in his Talon days. But that was different, she and Baptiste were friends. Are McCree and I friends? She wasn’t sure. They certainly weren’t dating, but they seemed simultaneously more and less than friends.
A knock at the door took her out of her stupor. She checked the security feed and saw him in the hallway, a tall paper bag in his hands. Alcohol. Okay, I have alcohol too. No gifts then - a relief.
Sombra opened the door and McCree waltzed in, tipping his hat in her direction and spilling powdery white snowflakes everywhere as he did so.
“Feliz Navidad, darlin’.”
“Yeah yeah, Feliz Navidad.”
He placed the bag on the living room coffee table and took a seat on the couch without hesitation.
“My, it was a mighty trek gettin’ over here.”
“Was it?” Sombra replied as she grabbed her bottle of tequila and two shot glasses from the kitchen counter and brought them to the coffee table.
“The cold ain’t exactly my favourite kinda weather.”
“Don’t get much snow in Texas?” She mocked.
“Definitely not where I’m from. I know you’re not used to it either.”
Sombra poured each of them a glass. “Maybe not. But the change is nice, keeps you on your toes.”
“That’s for damn sure. This place is busier than I remember it. Too many faces that might recognize mine.”
“Maybe you need some invisibility.”
“Damn right. Mind sharin’?” He flashed her a grin, all teeth and charm and warmth, and Sombra was suddenly aware of how strange it was that he’d come all the way here for her. And that she’d done the same for him.
She studied the sincerity in his eyes, “Why didn’t you stay in Texas then?”
“We had plans.” McCree downed his shot in one swing. “And I wasn’t in Texas anyway.”
“Oh?”
“I was in Castillo. Some work stuff.” He placed the empty glass on the table. “Speaking of, I actually brought ya somethin’.”
“You what?”
“A present of sorts.” McCree looked at her wide eyes and raised a hand up in defense. “I know we didn’t say we would, but I just remembered ya mentioning some pastries you liked from a bakery there, so I thought I’d pick them up for ya.”
Sombra thought for a second, swinging her shot back. “Huh, I forgot I even told you that.”
McCree tore the paper bag so it splayed its contents out on the table. Several different types of pastries tumbled out. “Wasn’t sure which kind was your favourite, so I just got one of each.”
Sombra wasn’t the type of person that wanted for much - beyond information and other non-material possessions - so it hadn’t occurred to her that McCree would even be able to find her something that she might possibly want, let alone bring it to her. She stared at the assortment on the table. They were indeed pastries from her favourite bakery in Castillo. It had been a long time since she’d had one, and she only just now realized how much she missed them.
Sombra picked up a round pastry, consisting of two semi-spherical halves combined with a layer of jam. “Besos.”
“Pardon?”
“My favourite one.” She separated the two halves and handed one to McCree, before closing her eyes and biting into her own. The flavour reminded her of home.
When she opened her eyes again she watched McCree take a bit of his.
“Delicious.” He licked his lips and examined the remaining piece of pastry before popping the rest of it into his mouth. He swallowed the treat and gave her a cheery smile. “Ya know, I’ve passed by these a ton but I never thought to try it.”
“It’s a nice treat.” She replied, returning the smile.
“I’ll say.”
Sombra finished her half and began breaking all of the remaining sweets in two parts. “Sorry for not getting you anything.”
“Don’t be. This is just as much a gift for me as it is you.”
“There are actually some more pan dulce they keep in the back of that place. Sorta like a secret menu.” She wiped her hands on her pants, letting the crumbs fall to the floor. “I’ll get you some next time you’re in Dorado.”
“Yeah? I’ll be back there in the end of January.”
“Me too.” Another lie. But she could be there if he was going to be.
“It’s a date then.” He grinned as held up two pieces of sweetbread, handing her one.
They raised their pastries in a silent toast: to making it through another year, to having someone to start the new one with, and (though they wouldn’t realize it for years to come) to never being alone on Christmas again.