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Jesse had never seen anyone quite like Genji Shimada. There was anger in him that was beyond unsettling. It was terrifying, and Jesse never used that word lightly. There was also the wing situation with Genji. He was the first person Jesse had ever seen that had a cybernetic wing built for him, modified to be a weapon.
The old one had been cut off along with much of Genji’s body, mauled by his brother, leaving him for dead.
Inhuman.
Jesse could understand Genji’s anger. Maybe that’s why he tried to help.
-
The first time Jesse had talked to Genji about his wings, he had been out stretching his own. Gliding smoothly with the help of a thermal current, a light breeze keeping him from needing to spend much energy on keeping himself in the air.
He loved flying—the sense of freedom, the break from everything Blackwatch required of his body and mind, the time it gave him to think alone. Only this time, he could sense he wasn’t alone. Not quite. Jesse glanced down at the compound, noticing someone sitting on the roof, looking up at him.
With a sigh, Jesse tipped his body and folded his wings, diving down. It was probably Reyes, coming out to tell him to ‘get his ass back inside’. No one ever denied him his little escapades, but the base was also supposed to be kept a secret. Having someone flying above it wasn’t always a good idea.
Jesse spread his wings to slow his descent, feet hitting the roof a little too hard, but the fun that came with diving like that was worth it. The gunslinger frowned upon seeing not Reyes, but Genji.
His eyes were dark, and he looked away quickly.
“Hey. Didn’t expect to find you here. Thought you were the commander.”
Genji didn’t say anything, just curled his knees closer to his chest and set his chin on them. His wings shifted, almost as if they were trying to hide his body.
Jesse examined the mechanical one, head tilting at all the wires and notches he knew were hiding some deadly weapons. It was definitely a masterpiece of engineering, the type even matching Genji’s organic wing.
Dragon wings, was what Jesse likened them to.
“Got somethin’ on your mind? We can go for a quick flight if you—”
“No.”
Genji shot him a venomous glare, Jesse’s brow furrowing.
“You don’t want to?”
“I can’t.”
The words filled with muted rage, grit out harshly. Jesse backtracked a bit. The wing was still new, perhaps he just didn’t know what all he could do with it.
“Oh…Well, have you tried flyin’ with it yet?”
It was, apparently, the worst thing he could have said.
Genji’s eyes flashed dangerously as he stood, stance on the defensive, muscles coiled and taut like he was ready to strike. Jesse took a step back.
“Of course I’ve fucking tried! I’ve tried and I’ve landed on my face every time!”
Jesse pursed his lips, not sure if he should say anymore, but the tense silence was overwhelming. And Genji seemed to be waiting for something more. The gunslinger took a little breath.
“Well, maybe don’t fly, but try…You know, falling with style.”
Again, the wrong thing to say. Genji bristled even more, Jesse regretting bringing anything up.
“It doesn’t fucking work, none of it does! He ruined everything!” Genji screamed, hands balling into fists. They shook slightly.
Jesse tried to remain as impassive as he could, raising a hand placidly.
“Okay. Okay, I’m sorry…”
“I don’t care! Leave me the fuck alone!!”
Jesse nodded, knowing there was no getting through to Genji when he was like this. Best to just leave him to cool off and come back when he was stable. He backed up slowly, keeping a concerned eye on Genji before stepping of the edge of the roof, flying to a different perch.
Jesse would have felt sorry for the ninja, but he knew the pity would be abhorred. It did nothing to help him anyways.
The gunslinger pulled out a cigarillo, chewing on the end of it as he thought. Maybe, if Genji would give him the time of day, he could help teach him to fly again.
He had done it before; Fareeha with her delicate, weakened wings, struggling to keep up a speed that could lift her from the ground. It took time and plenty of effort from both parties, but Jesse had let go of her hands one day, and she had stayed in the air. This situation was different, but the end result could potentially be the same.
The sun began to set, and Jesse finally went back inside.
-
Jesse closed one eye, shot six times in quick succession, making a steaming hole in the target’s forehead area. He spun Peacekeeper as he reloaded, eyeing the training area Genji had silently taken up earlier.
The gunslinger chewed on his lip for a moment, then decided to go over and watch. He had wanted to from the beginning, but he knew Genji would have likely left as soon as he noticed he was being observed. Now, however, he was probably distracted enough to either not know or not care. Hopefully.
Jesse leaned in the doorway to one of the training rooms that ran simulations with training bots, Genji working hard inside of it. The ninja spun and kicked so fast, Jesse could hardly keep up with it.
Shruiken were thrown with deadly accuracy, Genji pulling out his katana after taking down a few more bots and hacking away at them viciously. It was all very impressive, though, all the bots were stationed on the ground. Jesse narrowed his eyes, lips pursing.
Genji may have been deadly on the ground, but hardly any of his opponents would be fighting him there. He could only battle them on his terms, and if they were on the enemy’s…It was a sure loss if he refused to use his wings.
And Jesse knew for a fact that the one opponent Genji truly wanted to kill was not going to battle on his terms. He already hadn’t.
The ninja cut down the last bot, breathing heavily, hands curled around his sword tightly. He looked up at Jesse with a glare, sheathing his katana and stepping over the carnage he had made.
“What do you want.”
Jesse grinned and tipped his hat, knowing very well he was blocking Genji’s exit as the ninja came up to him.
“Those bots didn’t stand a chance.”
“They’re just bots. Predictable. It’s not that difficult.” Genji murmured, eyes narrowing as Jesse shifted, shrugging lightly.
“Still. You’re good.”
“Thanks, but I don’t need your approval.”
Genji tried to move past him, form tensing when Jesse put out a hand to stop him. The ninja slowly turned his glare up to Jesse.
“Let me pass.”
“Can I apologize for the other day, first? I didn’t mean to say anythin’ that was offensive. I just…I want to help, is all.”
“I don’t need your help.” Genji growled, shoving past the cowboy and sauntering down the hall. Jesse stared after him, letting out a disappointed sigh after a moment.
So that approach wasn’t going to work.
He glanced back at the messy training room, then went inside it. Looked at the control panel, the settings. An idea started to form in Jesse’s mind as he scrolled through the stats.
If Genji didn’t want to be nice to him, maybe he would want to spar with him. A chance to allow Genji to let off some steam and gain his trust at the same time. Jesse hummed, then left the training room.
The two were breathing heavily, Jesse falling back into a defensive stance as Genji ran at him again. He spun, wings still tucked to his back, still ignoring his most vital weapon.
Jesse ducked under Genji’s kick, jabbing an elbow into his side, digging into the metal. It was probably more painful for Jesse than it was for Genji. With a grunt, he shifted his weight and slapped the shoulder of his wing against Genji’s face. The ninja spluttered and stumbled back, Jesse taking his chance and advancing.
He ran and lifted off the ground slightly, gaining just a bit of air and speed before he whipped himself around and snapped his legs out, catching Genji in the chest. He went flying, tumbling a bit as he hit the ground with a muted shout.
Jesse landed back on his feet, walking over to Genji.
“You cheated!” He hissed, sitting up and slapping the hand Jesse was offering away.
“Last I checked, we both got wings. And there weren’t any rules against using them.”
“I can’t use mine!”
“Says who?”
Genji stood and spread his wings with a glare, pointing venomously at the mechanical one.
“Says the wiring and weight on this fucking thing!”
Jesse tilted his head, then shook it.
“You really believe this is hindering you, don’t you?”
“Because it fucking is!! How do I kill anyone like this? How will I kill him if I can’t reach him?!” Genji yelled, frustration and anger bleeding through his words, giving them even more of a bite.
Jesse regarded him for a long moment, then stepped closer.
“You know, my old boss used to say: if the enemy is too high,” He held up his hand, two fingers pointing up like a gun, eye slipping shut for just a moment.
“Get him down to your level. And fight on your own terms.”
Genji shifted, gaze falling as his eyes narrowed, brows furrowing. The gunslinger took his mechanical wing, Genji looking back up sharply as he pointed at all the meticulously placed notches and cleverly hidden shruiken and knives.
“It’s not only a wing, it’s your weapon. You just have to learn how to use it.”
Genji’s eyes flickered slightly as he stared at his wing, then back to Jesse.
“I know you don’t want my help, but if you gave me a chance, I got a lil’ somethin’ set up in a training room.” Jesse offered.
Genji folded his wings again, silent and still otherwise. Thoughts running so fast behind his eyes Jesse could see them. The way little emotions played out in the fine lines around them.
Finally, Genji looked up once more.
“Alright.”
Jesse grinned, then motioned for Genji to follow him. He went back to the training room the ninja had been in before, moving to the control panel and setting it up.
Genji watched him curiously as a single bot put itself together about ten feet above the ground, little thrusters keeping it afloat. Jesse stood back, then pointed at it.
“Take it down.”
Genji stared at the bot. Stepped forward, shoulders rolling. He had none of his usual weapons, nothing but his wits and the wing on his left side. It still made him one of the most dangerous people Jesse knew.
Genji flexed his wings, then turned sharply, his mechanical one extending. A knife impaled itself in the wall a foot below the bot. Genji did it again, and again, still missing, but getting closer.
He growled, glancing at the wall before crouching and sprinting towards it. The ninja jumped up and climbed the wall as high as he could, then pushed off of it and spun. His legs whipped out, slamming into the bot, making it spark and drop.
The same move Jesse had just done on him.
Genji dropped on top of the bot, then stabbed the tip of his wing into its head. He stood and blinked, Jesse gaining a lopsided grin.
“Just like that.”
Genji turned to him, a new kind of fire blazing in his eyes. There was definitely a smile underneath that mask.
“Let’s go again.”
-
Genji crouched, wings spreading as he lept up, using his momentum and height to spin. His wing sliced through a bot, the other tucked to his side to continue the movement back to the ground.
The ninja whipped himself around again, wing stretching out as three shruiken went flying from it, hitting three bots in quick succession. He deflected Jesse’s shots from above him, running up to a bot an pushing off its head to launch himself up.
The gunslinger’s eyes widened as Genji grabbed his leg and swung him towards the ground. He couldn’t get any air underneath him in time, Jesse grunting as he slammed into a bot, wings curling around himself protectively.
Genji’s wing cut through the floor where Jesse’s head had just been, the cowboy rolling to the side and getting back to his feet. Genji came at him in a blink, throwing his wings out along with his punches and kicks, the sharp points on the ends wizzing just past Jesse’s face as he was forced backwards.
He hit the wall, Genji spinning and pulling out his wakizashi. It was pressed to his throat before Jesse could react, Genji’s eyes narrowed, wings flourished on either side of him. The ninja tilted his chin up, Jesse raising his hands in defeat.
Those red eyes crinkled just slightly as the knife was removed, and he stepped back.
“That was a damn good display, Shimada. Damn good.” Reyes called, Jesse grinning as he took the hand Genji offered. He pulled himself off the wall, patting the ninja’s shoulder lightly.
“I’d say you’re mission ready.” The commander continued, arms crossing over his chest.
Genji nodded once, then turned and bowed to Jesse.
“Thank you.” He murmured, soft but sincere. The gunslinger tilted his head, smile gaining a proud edge to it.
“You’ve done real good, Gen.”
The ninja straightened, then turned to Reyes as he spoke again.
“I got something lined up that should be pretty good for a first mission. Come with me, and I’ll give you the details. McCree, good work. You got the rest of the night off.”
“Aye aye, Jefe.” Jesse called with a little salute, turning into a little wave as Genji glanced back at him for a moment.
The gunslinger grinned as he watched the two walk away, something warm bubbling in his chest. He had done it again. He was able to help someone with their wings not once, but twice now. It felt good. Ana would have been proud.
Jesse stretched leisurely as he left the training grounds, thinking about going for a nice long flight.
-
Missions with Shimada on the team hardly ever failed, now that he was not holding back. Now that he knew what he was capable of, and used it to his every advantage.
Jesse would sometimes just sit back and watch him work; the way he would slice his way through the enemy with his wings and blades alike, the strength and confidence he held now that he had embraced a new part of himself and used it as it was made to be used. He was deadly, in every sense of the word.
Nothing got in his way and lived to see him pass, and Jesse was happy to let him have his way at last. Genji could take on anyone and anything, and so he did.
Missions hardly ever failed, but that didn’t mean they were all easy.
Jesse shot at the security guards blocking his way to Blackwatch’s latest intel provider. Not that the woman was going to give up the information willingly, no, that only ever happened for the Overwatch crew. The gunslinger cursed as he had to duck back behind cover, reloading with a flick of his wrist.
“Gen, I could use a lil’ back up here.” He griped, wincing as a bullet whizzed dangerously close to his hiding spot.
There was a static sound in his ear, quickly followed by an equally put-out sounding Genji.
“You say that as if I am not busy enough as it is…”
There was the sound of gunfire over the comm, Jesse hearing it just below his position, on another floor of the building. He muttered a curse, whipping out from his cover and shooting as he ran to another safe spot. Jesse had caught sight of the woman they were after, though.
They were close. Too close to let her get away.
Taking a deep breath to calm his adrenaline rush, Jesse reloaded again. It was his last set of bullets, so they needed to be used just right if he wasn’t going to be getting any back up.
The gunslinger peeked out from the wall he was behind, counting the remaining guards. Eight.
Six bullets in his chamber. He could make it work.
Jesse grit his teeth and slung himself out from his cover, letting off two shots. They hit the nearest guards, and he took down the next with a punch to the jaw. He flew just above the ground to gain some speed, barreling into the next guard as he pulled the trigger again and again.
Only two left. Another shot. One. The final shot was not his.
Jesse tumbled to the ground with a shout as white hot pain flared through his wing. He rolled, skidding to a stop in front of the woman, feeling a heel dig into his side as blood dripped in the floor. His blood.
She smirked down at him, golden eyes narrowed as her hair slid over her shoulder. Jesse eyed the sniper rifle in her hand warily; he hadn’t seen it, slipped up in the heat of the moment.
“You are a good shot, but not good enough, I’m afraid.” She hummed, leaning down and grabbing Jesse’s throat.
He grunted as he was hauled up, feet dangling, hands scrabbling at the woman’s tattooed wrist. Wings spread behind the her, feathers fading from pure white to a sickly purple-black at the ends. She launched forwards, Jesse feeling the glass of the window shattering against his back, cutting into his already damaged wings.
He flailed as they rose higher and higher into the air, spluttering for breath that wouldn’t come, struggling to no avail. Jesse’s vision started to fade, and just as his writhing began to weaken, he felt their ascent stop.
“Adieu.”
His eyes snapped open as the woman let go of him, air rushing into his lungs and around him as he plummeted. The cowboy tried to flip himself over, only able to flap his wings twice before the pain made him stop. Panic shot through his core, more powerful than any bullet.
For the first time, his wings were failing him. He was falling with no way to catch himself.
Jesse cursed and spun through the air, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, waiting for the ground to hit him. Something certainly hit him, but it wasn’t the ground.
The gunslinger cracked an eye open, then gasped as he saw the buildings below them zip past. A set of mismatched arms were secured around his waist, Jesse laughing as Genji looked down at him with bright eyes.
“Genji, you’re flyin’!!”
“It’s not flying. It’s falling with style.”
Jesse grinned like a mad man, the ninja tipping his body slightly, catching the wind. They drifted back down to a rooftop after some maneuvering, Genji setting Jesse down before landing on his feet, stumbling a bit.
He then threw his head back and laughed, jumping up and flapping his wings.
“I did it! I flew! I can fly again!!” He exclaimed, Jesse running over to him and wrapping him in a hug.
“You saved me, Gen! I knew you could do it!”
The ninja had a smile in his eyes when he looked up at Jesse.
“I couldn’t have done it without you, you know.”
“I was just helpin’ you see what was already there in front of you. You did all the work.”
“Still. I wouldn’t have known where to start, much less how to do it if you had not shown me. What I’m trying to say is; thank you, Jesse. Thank you for everything.”
Jesse gave him a lopsided grin, patting the ninja’s shoulder lightly.
“No problem, partner. I’m proud of you.”
Genji dipped his head, then motioned to Jesse’s bleeding wings.
“Might want to call in an evac ship. I’ll take care of the rest of things here.”
“You sure?”
Genji spread his wings, backing up to the edge of the roof.
“Positive.”
Jesse grinned as the ninja tipped backwards, disappearing over the side for a moment before he shot back up in a streak of black and red, a slight breeze catching the him in the face. The gunslinger watched him fly back to where the commotion was, a quiet huff of laughter leaving him. He then tilted his head and pressed his comm.
Mission complete.