Genji hadn't answered the Recall as soon as he saw it, unsure of his welcome after his sudden and secret departure from Blackwatch all those years ago. Zenyatta dealt with his waffling back and forth over the issue for all of a week before even his patience reached it's end and he declared one early morning that his intention was to join the newly reformed group himself and that Genji could either join him or continue wallowing in Nepal on his own.
The two left the next day.
Even with the remote location of the Monastery, it only took them a week of solid travel to arrive at the expansive sprawl of Watchpoint Gibraltar, the old buildings invoking fondness in Genji's heart at their shining facades. Genji, bolstered only by Zenyatta's calming presence at his side, followed the familiar sound of Lena's laughter to the old mess hall and peered inside. The familiar sight of Lena perched on one of the long dinning tables, legs crossed and smile wide, was such a nostalgic and heartwarming one that Genji couldn't have stopped his laugh if he'd wanted to.
" Genji? " Lena cried, a dart of blue his only warning before the young woman was in front of the ninja, grinning up at him from behind her goggles. " It's been too long luv! " With a smile hidden behind his visor Genji stooped down and wrapped his arms around the woman's waist and up into the air to her delighted shriek. He only thought to release her from his embrace at the sound of Zenyatta's gentle laughter from behind him. Lowering her to the ground Genji quickly introduced the two, near glowing with joy at Lena's warm welcome and heartfelt condolences for Mondatta's passing.
Leaving the two to converse, Genji scanned the large room for other familiar faces; waving to Winston and Reinhardt he tried to stifle his disappointment at the lack of a cowboy hat and warm brown eyes. Genji would have been lying to himself if he said that Jesse McCree hadn't been a large factor in his return to Overwatch.
In Blackwatch's glory days Genji and McCree had often been partnered together for missions, their fighting styles and personalities complimenting each other well in the field. Not telling McCree he was leaving was one of Genji's biggest regrets as the other man had never failed to make him crack a smile or choke out a laugh. The cowboy was easily the brightest part of Genji's early days as a cyborg, the dysphoria of his teenage years returning with a vengeance that often left him despondent and lethargic when downtime dragged between missions. Once he'd explained the problem to the older man, McCree had done his best to keep the ninja in good spirits, often at his own expense. It had only been years later, now at peace with his mind and body in a way he had never been before his rebirth, that he had recognized the crush behind McCree's compliments and flirtatious remarks and longer still for Genji to acknowledge his own feelings for the other man.
Crossing the large room with a passing nod to a very adult Fareeha that momentarily threw him for a loop, he'd been picturing her as the small girl she'd been for so long it was hard to reconcile the images, Genji logged into one of the many terminals dotted around the complex and quietly greeted the AI before inquiring about the former agents that had answered the Recall Beacon. " Of the remaining agents of Overwatch and Blackwatch, " Athena calmly stated, " five including yourself have answered the Recall, Agent Shimada." A small hologram of the earth appeared in front of Genji, pictures taken from official files indicating the locations of the absent members.
" Agent Ziegler - codename Mercy has indicated that she will arrive in two week's time, while Agent Lindholm messaged from an airport in Gothenburg, Sweden with an ETA of three days from the current date. " Athena continued, oblivious to Genji's disappointment. " Thank you Athena. " Genji said softly, turning to rejoin the others, who had grouped together in conversation in his short absence.
As he joined his former and new teammates Genji silently vowed to put all thoughts of Jesse McCree out of his mind and focus on the soon to be upcoming missions.
Two months after Overwatch had reformed saw a greatly increased force, new recruits appearing left and right to join the fight against Talon and their allies. The time it took to learn how to work with these new, often times younger agents often left Genji frustrated and longing for his old teammates and commander which did little to help him keep his thoughts from McCree's continued absence from the group. It certainly didn't help that he and a small team were bound for the American south-west, dangerously close to some of McCree's old haunts, to stop a payload of weaponry from reaching a Deadlock hideout. The presence of McCree's former gang sent a pang of longing through Genji's mechanical heart at yet another reminder of the cowboy.
Deadlock was entrenched in the small town the Overwatch agents landed in, having long since driven any civilians from the place. Genji and Tracer were taking great advantage of this fact, darting and zipping between behind and into the numerous empty buildings to flank the gang members. Reinhardt was planted in front of the payload, shield raised high and proud in front of him as he quite literally laughed in the face of danger, calling out insults and challenges with laughter in every word. Zenyatta floated calmly behind the shield, an Orb of Harmony linked to the boisterous German man in front of him while he prepared a volley of orbs into the enemy lines, Discord tearing through them as easy as any bullet.
Back thudding against a convenient wall Genji took a deep unnecessary breath before dashing away into the makeshift blockade, blade cutting clean through the gut of a Deadlock member on his way past. Scaling a wall in the time it took the man to fall Genji fired off three shuriken towards a sniper perched on a building opposite him, the man dropping his rifle with a cry of pain as he toppled off the roof.
The click of a gun cocking had Genji whipping around, hand falling to the tanto at his waist as he came face to face with the gleaming barrel of a gun aimed steadily at his head. " You Omnic freaks have given me trouble for the last time! " The female gang member snarled, her clothing indicating a high rank within Deadlock. As her finger squeezed down on the trigger Genji was already moving, bullets tearing into the plaster where his head had been a second earlier. Snarling in rage, the woman's shots grew wild as Genji continued to dodge as he drew his blade to deflect them. Before he could, a thunderous roar echoed through the town and a small hole bloomed between her eyes, her corpse falling to the ground with a dull thud. " Genji luv are you alright? " Tracer's voice echoed through the comms. " I heard an awful lot of shots from your position. " Hardly daring to remove his eyes from the direction of the final gunshot, Genji raised his hand to activate the speaker on his own comm. " I am fine, Tracer. It seems we have an unexpected ally. " For standing at the other end of the roof, eyes shaded beneath a cowboy hat and ridiculous belt buckle gleaming in the afternoon sun was Jesse McCree, the barrel of Peacekeeper still smoking.
" Whatever you say Genji, " Tracer said, confusion coloring her chipper voice. " it looks like we just got the last of them. Rendezvous in ten at the payload for extraction alright? "
" Acknowledged. " Genji replied, McCree's face breaking into a large smile at the sound of his voice as he dropped his arm and loosened his hold on his gun. " It's been too long, Jesse."
McCree let out a light laugh, holstering his gun before throwing out his arms as if for a hug. " Now is that any way to greet an old friend darlin'? " Tilting his head as if in thought, Genji took in the distance between McCree and the roof's edge, satisfied with the distance Genji gathered his weight behind him and leaped at McCree in what could only be described as a glomp.
Unsuspecting as he was, McCree went down like a sack of bricks when Genji's full weight hit him. The two crashed down on the roof, Genji landing on the older man with a grunt. " Whoa there darlin'! " McCree exclaimed even as he wrapped his arms around the other man in a loose hug. Stifling a laugh, Genji sat up and rested his weight on McCree's thighs. " as that a better greeting then, Jesse? " A startled laugh left McCree's lips as he tentatively rested his hands on Genji's hips. " Well darlin' I reckon it's a good start at the very least. " Jesse let out an incredulous chuckle, " Whatever you've been doing all these years has been good for you."
Unable to resist the temptation so close to him, Genji reached out to run gentle fingers along the scruff of McCree's beard even as he nodded in response. " Yes my years away were very healing for me. " Allowing his fingers to trail suggestively down McCree's neck, Genji smirked at the very visible gulp and widening of the other man's eyes. " The years have been very kind to you as well my friend. " Indeed the passage of time had only made the man beneath him more handsome in Genji's eyes, the roguish draw of youth giving way to a more gentle kind of attractiveness.
With a heavy blush beginning to tint his cheeks, McCree let out an incredulous laugh. " You can't just say things like that Smimada. Guy might get the wrong idea. "
" And if that's the idea I wish to give? " Genji tilted his head to one side like a bird, hardly believing his own words as his heart fluttered in his chest like a sparrow's wings. McCree's disbelief was starting to fade, settling into a lovely blend of hope and lust in his eyes as a small, genuine smile curved his lips. " Well now, that'd be a different story. " His hands slowly tightened around Genji's hips, fingers spreading open to graze at Genji's rear. " One I'd be mighty interested in hearing. "
Joy curled through Genji at the man's words as he settled his hands on McCree's to hold them in place. " I believe that could be arranged, should you choose to return to Gibraltar with me of course. "
Jesse's answering grin was edged heavy with lust, hands squeezing down and sending a thrill down Genji's spine at the nearly forgotten sensation. " Well I reckon I could be convinced to join back up if this is the kind of recruitment pitch I get. "
" While I can not guaranty the reactions of our former teammates, " Genji leaned forward, absently removing the top half of his visor and pressing on the catch to lower the bottom half. " I can promise that mine comes with the guaranty of more. " Jesse's breath caught both at the rare sight of Genji's face and his words. Raising a shaking hand from Genji's hips to cup the back of his head, gently guiding their faces together until their lips were mere inches apart.
" I'm going to hold you to that promise darlin'. "
Genji couldn't fight the shiver that ran down his spine at the feather light brush of Jesse's lips against his own.
" I would expect nothing less, cowboy. "
With a low groan of desire, Jesse closed the last few inches between them for their first kiss. As far as first kisses went it was nothing special, a simple press of lips tentatively moving together. No it was not the kiss itself that sent tremors through Genji's hands as they tangled into Jesse's hair but the years of buried emotion and longing finally coming to the surface in one beautiful embrace. The two parted, breaths fanning each other's faces before Jesse pulled Genji back for another kiss, their second deepening with tongues tangling together in sweet, erotic friction as heat grew between them.
Armageddon could have started and they wouldn't have noticed as wrapped up in their embrace as they were, never mind the light footsteps of Tracer as she crested the roof in search of Genji.
Mouth opening to call out a greeting, Tracer could only gape at the sight of two former Blackwatch agents making out on a rooftop like a couple of randy teenagers. Planting her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow, she gave a short cough to try and get the men's attention. When all that happened was the continued ignorance of her presence she gave a fondly exasperated sigh, raised a hand to her lips, and let out the loudest most ear piercing whistle she could manage. The sight of two grown men leaping away from each other like guilty children and stammering worse then a public speaker with stage fright would stay with Tracer as one of the funniest things she'd ever seen in her life.
" And here I was getting all worried like, " Tracer began, effecting an over-exaggerated pout as Genji scrambled to replace his visor and McCree pulled his hat down low over his blushing face. " only to find you up here canoodling with a cowboy! " Tracer broke down into giggles, unable to keep her pout in place in the face of their embarrassment. Bouncing over to the man, Tracer offered her hand to him. " It's good to see you again Jesse! " Pulling the man up and into a hug that was happily returned she couldn't restrain her curiosity. " But what on earth are you doing here luv? "
Jesse chuckled, blush beginning to fade in the face of Tracer's cheerful chatter. " I caught wind of Deadlock going in with Talon just before the Recall went out. " Growing serious at the mention of his former gang, Jesse let out a heavy sigh that puffed out his cheeks with the force of it. " As much as I wanted to hightail it over to Gibraltar I couldn't just let this one go, not with Talon stirring up as much trouble as they have been recently. But, " he continued, stealing a glance at the ninja slightly behind him. " this was the last of their weapons shipments. So my schedule is suddenly free as a bird. "
Stifling a giggle at the completely unsubtle glances between the two men, Tracer offered, " It'll be good to have you on board Jesse. We need all the help we can get! " A mischievous look flitting across her face, Tracer took a few careful steps backwards towards the edge of the roof. " I'll just...Go share the good news! "
Genji, horror crossing his hidden face as the meaning of Tracer's words hit him, lunged for the woman as she disappeared in a flash of blue and a cackle of delight. Giving a theatrical moan of despair, Genji slapped his hands over his face. " Darlin'? " Jesse asked hesitantly, reaching out to pull the man's hands from his face. " Is there something wrong with everyone knowin' about, well, " he made an awkward gesture between the two of them with his free hand. " us? " Genji sighed heavily as he shook his head in the negative. " No I am quite content with everyone knowing of our feelings for one another. My Master, however, is never going to let me live this down. " Seeing Jesse's look of confusion, Genji hastened to explain.
" After I departed from Blackwatch I wandered for quite some time, but eventually I came to rest at a Shambali Monastery in Nepal. My Master Tekhartha Zenyatta helped me come to terms with my body, " Genji gave an embarrassed cough. " as well as my feelings for you. I'm afraid I've subjected him to more ramblings of you then was entirely necessary over the years. "
Jesse's booming laughter did little to comfort him.