Chapter Text
The airport transport had dropped you and your luggage off at the Overwatch HQ visitors center, located just outside the main compound. You had been instructed to come here and wait for an escort not having received all the ID necessary to come and go as you pleased.
You had received a phone call from Jack Morrison, Strike Commander of Overwatch and poster boy, and one of your good friends, asking you to come work there. They had started implementing complementary alternative training courses for their recruits hoping to offer a more rounded and holistic training experience than just the run of the mill military training they were currently providing. You would be coming on as a Dance Therapist, a fancy title you wouldn’t have given yourself, but hey, the pay matched the title so you weren’t complaining. You had spent the past few months on tour with a famous recording artist choreographing and dancing in their shows and due to circumstances you’d rather not discuss you were looking for a change of pace. Jack’s call had come right on time and before you knew it, you were on a flight to Switzerland ready to start a new chapter in your life.
You walked around the lobby of the visitors center taking it in. Sunlight filtered in through its exterior walls of glass, illuminating the large Overwatch fixture hanging from the ceiling. There was a giant flat screen installed in one of the interior walls which played a video on a loop touting Overwatch’s successes and its heroes. You stood and watched it, looking over to the side every now and then to check on your luggage which had been piled up in front of the receptionist desk. The lobby was empty except for you and the receptionist, you weren't sure why you were worried but life experience had taught you to be cautious.
Suddenly, a hand came over your eyes. In a panic you snatched it away turning around. Jack immediately stepped back putting his hands up in surrender.
“I forgot, sorry sorry sorry”. You took a deep breath in relief.
“Why do I have to keep telling you not to do that, you know it freaks me out” you said, giving him a light shove.
“I'm sorry I won’t do it again. Truce?” He said smiling at you. You looked at him for a second.
“Truce”. He held his arms open and you walked into them to embrace him.
“It's been a while,” he said as he released you. “How have you been? How was your flight?”
“I’ve been good. Flight was good...long.”
“Well I’m sure you're eager to see where you're gonna be staying. This your stuff?” He asked looking at your luggage.
“Yep, that's me”
He helped you grab your bags and carry them out the visitors center to a car that was parked in front. After loading up your bags, he drove you over to the Overwatch HQ which consisted of a main building and several smaller buildings where the recruits, agents, and personnel were housed. He showed you the building your room was located in and took you to drop off your bags. Then he took you to the main building to show you the large studio you’d be working out of, complete with shiny hardwood floor, mirrored walls, balance bars installed in the walls, and racks of various equipment such as foam rollers and yoga mats. You were walking from the studio, Jack’s arm over your shoulder as you talked.
“I finally got you to join Overwatch” he said with a smirk.
“Calm down Jack, I’m just a glorified fitness instructor”
“Either way, you're here and you and I are going to have so much fun together. It’ll be like old times.”
“I don’t know Jack, you’re looking pretty decrepit there. You sure you can still keep up with me?” you smirked
“OH HO!” Jack laughed “and the insults begin. I”ll let you slide for today but don’t count on it tomorrow.” He laughed, then changed the subject, “So, I’m sure they told you about the mandatory combat training?”
“Yea, they told me. A whole year of learning to fight and shoot guns.” you said, unenthusiastically. “You guys take this whole “battle ready” thing too seriously”.
“Can never be too prepared”
“If you say so”
“Anyways, I’m taking you to meet Commander Reyes, you’ll be training with him starting tomorrow”.
“Tomorrow?!” you exclaimed. “Not giving me any time to settle in huh?”
“Nope.”
You both continued to chat as you wound your way through the halls of Overwatch until Jack stopped in front of an office door that was closed. As soon as you approached you could hear what sounded like yelling coming from the other side. The booming, deep sounding voice intimidated you a bit. The door suddenly opened a crack as the yelling continued.
“You know, I’m getting real sick of your shit McCree. I better not see you back in here for this kind of crap again, now get out!”
The door opened all of the way this time and a youngish man who you suspected to be McCree stepped out of the office, smirk on his face. You were taken aback by his cowboy hat, chaps, and cowboy boots with spurs which he paired with a white wife beater. He smelled of tobacco and tipped his hat at you when he passed.
“Causing trouble again Jesse?” Jack asked as Jesse walked past making his way down the hall.
Jesse turned back and raised his hands in a shrug, grin on his face as he turned around and kept walking down the hall. As he walked away you turned your head to look into the office, setting your gaze on a tall muscle-clad man sporting tight grey cargo pants that his thighs appeared to bulge out of, a tight black compression shirt that seemed to be painted on and a black beanie on his head. He was leaning against the front of his desk head down, eyes closed, bridge of his nose pinched between his thumb and index finger. You took a sharp inhale as you admired the hard body in front of you.
Jack began to enter the office, “Jesse giving you a hard time again?” he asked.
The man, who you assumed had to be Commander Reyes, raised his head, his eyes immediately zeroing in on you. You quickly averted your gaze as you fidgeted with your hands following Jack into the office. Commander Reyes straightened to standing, walked around his desk and slumped into his chair.
“That kid’s gonna give me an ulcer,” he answered Jack. He returned his gaze to you. “Who’s this?” he asked.
Jack stepped to the side to present you to the commander, “This is Y/N, she’s going to be working here teaching dance therapy as part of the alternative training program. She’s also your newest recruit.”
You stepped forward holding out your hand a smile coming to your face, “Nice to meet you Commander”.
He stared at your hand making no move to shake it. A beat passed and he was still staring, hands on the arm of his chair. You retracted your hand and stepped back, smile falling from your face.
“What the hell is dance therapy?”
“Um well dance therapy is not the name I would call it but essentially I deal with different stretching, body weight movement, and flexibility techniques that help to lengthen and strengthen muscles and promote stress relief and overall body conditioning and wellness. I just throw in the dancing for fun and to blow off steam.” You explained.
Commander Reyes rolled his eyes, “sounds like a waste of time to me”.
You clenched your fists at your side as annoyance coursed through you. You were about to say something, before Jack put a hand on your shoulder hoping to calm you down.
“Ah, what Y/N does is pretty effective. Besides being a pretty accomplished dancer her techniques have gotten great results with athletes and veterans. I’d give her a chance before you write her off."
“If you say so,” said the commander. Jack could feel the irritation rolling off you as you glared at him.
“Well, she’ll be reporting for training bright and early tomorrow. I’m gonna show her around some more, introduce her to a few more of her colleagues. Let’s go Y/N.” You followed Jack out of the office. When you got a good ways down the hall you turned to Jack.
“What the hell is his problem?”
“Well, Commander Reyes can be...moody sometimes. Don’t take it personally, he’s like that with everyone.”
The next day you reported for combat training joining a group of recruits who normally had training at this time. Commander Reyes started everyone out with laps then brought the group inside to spar. He wanted to assess where you stood as far as fighting skills, so he had you spar with him, while the recruits partnered up with each other.
You both took a fighting stance, knees slightly bent, fists in front of your faces, when he suddenly lunged for you. Just as suddenly you dropped into a split as he grasped at the air where you were once standing. You swung your legs together, placing your hands on the ground, and pushed yourself backwards sliding between his legs. Now behind him you planted your hands on the ground to your right head leaning on the ground and in a breakdancing move lifted your upper-body and swung your legs around, sweeping his legs out from under him. You swung out the way landing on your feet as the commander’s body hit the ground. Everyone stopped what they were doing, going silent watching him get up off the floor.
“What the hell?” he said, confusion and frustration on his face.
He turned to look at you, getting back into his fighting stance.
“AGAIN!” he shouted.
You got into your fighting stance and you both began to circle as the class watched you. This went on for a moment when he threw a punch at you. You dodged it and grabbed his fist using his arm to swing around his body and up until you were sitting on his shoulders stomach facing his face. You started raining blows down on his head. He clamped his hands on your legs and moved to slam your back into the mats on the ground but his grip wasn’t tight enough and you were able to lift your legs, placing your feet on his shoulders and pushing off into a backflip that landed you upside down on your hands. You flipped a couple more times until you were upright, but Commander Reyes was already charging at you, fast. He got his hand around your neck and pinned you to the wall a short distance behind you. He added his other hand and began to squeeze. You gripped and clawed at his hands feeling your airway start to close. You used your core to lift your legs kicking at his stomach but your kicks weren't strong enough and it was like he absorbed your blows. Your eyes went wide. He smirked at you.
“Super soldier, baby”.
You were gasping for air when you heard Jesse from the background,
“Geez, ya proved your point let the girl go.”
The commander turned back to glare at Jesse. When he turned back to you, you threw as much strength as you could muster into a punch that connected directly with his nose.
“AH!” he yelled, letting you go to grab his nose.
You slid down the wall gasping and coughing as you knelt to the floor, trying to breath. The commander held his nose, blood dripping down his face and snaking its way down his hand and forearm.
“EVERYONE DISMISSED!” He shouted.
Everyone cleared the room as you knelt hunched on the floor still trying to catch your breath. Commander Reyes crossed the room to a paper towel dispenser hanging on the wall and grabbed a bunch of towels. He sat on a bench next to the wall and held his head back as he pressed the towels to his nose. After a moment he brought his head upright, bleeding finally stopped, and looked at you.
Having finally composed yourself, you got up glaring daggers back at him.
“Did I break it!?” you snapped, rubbing at your neck. You walked over to him, anger on your face. "You could have killed me!,” you spat. "We're supposed to be sparing, what the hell was that?!"
Commander Reyes held his hands up in surrender, a guilty look in his eyes, "You’re right, you're right, I went too far.”
You continued to stare at him as your anger started to dissipate.
"Sit", he said.
You sat down next to him on the bench still rubbing your neck. A moment or two passed before he spoke again.
“I thought you were a dancer? Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“I am a dancer. I also know how to defend myself. I just incorporate my dance skills into my fighting skills” you answered.
“Hmm” he grunted. “Well, you surprised the hell outta me and that's rare.”
“Underestimated me huh?” you smirked. He huffed a laugh.
“Guess I did”.
Over the next few weeks you started teaching, getting a class schedule solidified and underway. Your classes mainly consisted of body conditioning but Jack allowed you to add three dance classes for fun. Combined with your combat training, you felt like you had fallen into a comfortable rhythm.
It appeared you had earned a small modicum of Commander Reyes’ respect. Sometimes he’d pair you with him for sparing and stop to ask you to demonstrate the mechanics of a move you did for the class. You found you were starting to enjoy training especially as you got to know the recruits. You quickly became friendly with Jesse McCree, the young man who was getting yelled at by Commander Reyes your first day at Overwatch, and Genji Shimada, a half man half cyborg who came across as shy at first but warmed up to you over time. You’d run laps and drills with them, spar with them, and they’d try to help you on the weapons range, try, being the operative word.
Turned out you weren’t as proficient with guns as you were with hand to hand combat, which baffled Commander Reyes to no end.
“How are you so good at fighting but you can’t shoot worth a damn,” he asked your second day of weapons training.
“I...I just don’t like guns.” he looked at you like you had committed some sort of sacrilege. “Genji uses shurikens and a sword, maybe guns just aren’t meant to be my thing”
“Well you’re gonna have to figure something out. You have to learn a weapon. See me after, we’ll talk about it.”
Later on, when the recruits had been dismissed. Commander Reyes stayed back with you on the range.
“I really think you should at least try the gun out again. Go get the one you were using,” he said.
You went to the gun locker and picked up the one you had been using that day. He walked over to you shaking his head.
“That’s part of your problem right there. This is too big for you.”
“I figured that, but Jesse-” he cut you off.
“Is a moron.”
He looked around the locker and picked out a gun handing it to you.
“Try this. Aim it, see how it feels.”
You pointed it holding your arms out straight and he swiftly put his hand on the top of it pushing it and your arms down to the floor.
“Not at me, damn it! Over there!” He said, pointing toward the open shooting stalls.
“Sorry! You know, I don’t think this is for me, maybe I should try something else,” you said flustered. He took a deep breath.
“Calm down. You just gotta get used to it. Come here.” He walked over to the shooting stall. You followed him and stood centering yourself off with the target in the distance as he stood off to the side.
“Aim it.”
You held your arms out straight pointing the gun out. He sighed coming up behind you kicking your feet to make you adjust your stance.
“Don’t lock your knees like that.” He pushed your arm up a bit. “This is your sight,” he said pointing to a protrusion at the top of the gun. “Line this up with the target and pull the trigger.”
He moved to the side and leaned against the wall of the stall, arms crossed as you closed one eye and lined the sight up with the target. You stood there starting to breathe fast and closed your eyes as you began to tentatively squeeze the trigger before he stopped you.
“What the hell are you doing? You gonna shoot someone with your eyes closed?” He said.
“I don’t want to shoot anyone!” You replied, panic in your voice as you started to hyperventilate.
Commander Reyes closed his eyes in slight annoyance wiping a hand over his face as he took a deep breath. He came up behind you pressing himself to your back as he moved his arms over yours to hold the gun with you.
“First of all, breathe. With me...inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…” You breathed in time with his voice. Steadying your breathing. “Good, keep breathing. Now, you're thinking about this in terms of killing someone. For right now we’re not gonna focus on that. You’re a teacher right?” You nodded. “So in the same way you teach your students a skill, you’re learning a skill. The skill you’re learning is how to hit that target. That's it, nothing else. Still breathing?” You nodded. “Good. Eventually pulling this trigger will be like breathing.” He leaned his head closer to your ear. his breath warm on the side of your face, and started speaking low in time with your breathing, “Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Keep breathing. When you're ready, squeeze the trigger as you exhale.” You inhaled, on your exhale you squeezed the trigger, Commander Reyes braced you against him as the gun kicked back.
He slowly released his hands and arms from yours as he backed up and said firmly, “Again”. You inhaled and squeezed. “Again,” you inhaled and squeezed.
You both kept this up until you had run out of ammo. He pushed a button that brought up a holographic display of the target in the distance. The bullet holes were all over the place. He stood next to you to look at it as you set the gun down in the stall.
“Your aim will get better with practice, but at least you're hitting the target,” he said. You nodded and turned to look at him.
“Thanks for this. I think I’ll stick with the gun,” he turned to you and raised his eyebrow.
“Converted you huh?” he said with a smirk.
“Maybe so,” you smirked back.
Over the next couple weeks you continued to work on your shooting, aim drastically improving. Before long you were shooting rapidly, bullets hitting in tight clusters wherever you aimed. That day Commander Reyes looked at your target, all your hits a tight cluster of headshots. He looked at you.
“Now you’re just showing off.”
You smiled and shrugged. He smiled at you patting your shoulder as he walked away to check on the other recruits.