Chapter Text
Day 1:
First Time
Jesse paced back and forth in the waiting room, with Hanzo sitting at his side in one of the hospital chairs. The thirty-seven-year-old man fidgeted relentlessly; eyes darting back and forth, constant lip nibbling, dragging a hand down his scruffy chin. He paused when a reassuring hand reached for his own and he met Hanzo’s stare.
“It will be alright,” Hanzo murmured softly, but he looked nearly as anxious as Jesse felt.
“Sorry, darlin’,” he whispered apologetically, fingers slowly intertwining with Hanzo’s. “I’m so nervous...excited...worried? I mean, I ain’t worried about Fareeha. She’s a lady that can take the pain.”
Hanzo simply smiled and tugged McCree’s hand closer, pressing an affectionate and tender kiss to the back of his partner’s fist. “We will have to do something special to thank her for this. It means so much.”
Jesse nodded in agreement and pushed his hat back. “How do I look? Good enough? Not too cowboy?” he asked and glanced down to his attire. He was dressed in a black plaid shirt tucked into dark jeans, with his favorite Stetson hat resting on his head. Hanzo, on the other hand, wore a simple blue haori jacket, white tank top underneath, and a black pair of chinos.
The nurse at the nearby sign-in station shoot McCree an amused look and giggled against her hand. “Sirs?” she called out as she placed her paperwork to the side. “If you’re ready, Miss Amari’s procedure finished a few minutes ago.”
Both men perked up eagerly at her words and glanced to one another momentarily.
“Ready, dear?” Hanzo asked and brushed a few strands of Jesse’s bangs from his eyes.
“Well…” McCree’s voice trailed off as he pulled at his collar. “Even if I ain’t, not like we can go back on it now.”
“You’ll do fine,” Hanzo whispered back as they pulled together in a warm embrace. “Let’s go see her.”
The walk to Fareeha’s room almost felt like a dream to Jesse. They passed by wall after wall decorated with cutesy little animals and colorful hues painted on them. His attention was caught a large glass screen, and the room past it. Several nurses navigated between a few rows of identical tiny beds, some housing newborn babies and others empty.
Jesse released a deep sigh--he hadn’t released he had been holding it in--and followed the petite nurse into a room a few doors down. Hanzo kept a firm grip on his hand and followed beside him.
The first thing he noticed was how...clean the room smelled, with a distinct bleach scent. In the center of the room was a large medical bed, occupied by a very tired looking Fareeha Amari. Her black hair was a tousled mess, her tan skin was laced with sweat, and her dark eyes were glassed over in pain and weariness. She made a weak smile when she saw Jesse and Hanzo enter the room, straightened the modesty blanket on her lap, and gestured for them to come closer.
“Everything went well,” Fareeha murmured and leaned back against her pillow. She reached over to the tiny, mobile bed beside her own and pat the rim. “Go on. I wanted to let her parents hold her first.”
Jesse turned to Hanzo, kissed his partner’s forehead and nodded. “You first, Hanzo.”
Hanzo looked conflicted, but he couldn’t bring himself to argue, and quickly approached the tiny swaddled form inside. He leaned forward and cautiously lifted the bundle up. He made hushed coos and whispered in Japanese.
“So,” Fareeha began and flashed a smile at Jesse. “How does it feel knowing you’re going to make the Project X procedure a huge success?”
Jesse nodded and watched Hanzo treasure the tiny form. “It’s amazin’. They took both of our own dna and made her...She’s really both of ours.”
“Mind her head,” Fareeha coached as Hanzo shuffled closer.
His partner held the tiny being out to Jesse, and Jesse quickly moved to meet him. A strange, new, protective feeling swelled within him as his arms wrapped around the swaddled baby. He lifted a corner of the blanket and got a better look at the tiny face. There was a button nose, red and rosy and chubby cheeks. A small layer of fuzzy brown hair. Two small brown eyes cracked open and gazed up at Jesse with a confused expression.
“Hi…”Jesse breathed out, feeling too anxious to speak any louder. He could feel his eyes tearing up. “Mi bebé.”