WHAT LIES BENEATH - PART 1: REDEMPTION
TAGS
15+ chapters * Angst with a Happy Ending * Enemies to Lovers * Enemies to Friends to Lovers * ...but more like * Rivals to Lovers * Slow Burn * Hurt/Comfort * Touch-Starved Hanzo Shimada * no beta we die like men * Top Hanzo Shimada * bc hanzo ain't a damn bottom and i should say it * Bottom Cole Cassidy * Eventual Smut * Smut * Slash * Pining Mutual * Pining * BAMF Hanzo Shimada * BAMF Cole Cassidy * Reaper was Like a Father to Cole * Reaper | Gabriel Reyes Redemption * Dad: 76 * gency and reaper76 can be either platonic or romantic you decide * Cultural Differences * PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder * Depression * the spirit dragons represents the soul where hanzo's is split and genji's is whole * McHanzo * YeeHan * Healthy Relationships * Realistic Relationships * In-Character Portrayals * both are written like grown-ass men * Canon Compliant * (i think) * Alcohol * Danger Noodle(s) * Phantom Pain(s) * Friends With Benefits * Rivals With Benefits * then turning into more * Power Couple * Blow Jobs * Gay Sex * Angry Sex * Sexual Tension * Lust at First Sight * Bickering * Teasing * deadeye and dragonstrike have non-official lore 'overheat' functions i'll go into detail about later * Author Understands and Supports Sojiro Shimada
A/N: I've published 8 chapters on AO3 already by the time of this 1st chapter, so there will be a new update every Friday around 06:00 p.m. (UTC) if I'm not mistaken. Time zones. I'm well aware that I could just post everything at once, but 8 chapters back-to-back can seem very daunting for a lot of people to start a new fic. This allows a more natural entry into it. I can't guarantee the schedule will be consistent after those 8 chapters, but I try to update every 2nd Friday. Just a heads-up in case you wanna wait for a while and/or until it's completed. This is a WIP, but I'm VERY passionate about it, so I guarantee it will be finished.
I'm late when it comes to publishing writing for the fandom. That said, know that I started writing this all the way back in 2016 and never got further than 10.000+ words before picking it up again in early 2022 knowing where I wanted to go with it. Taking the boys' similar criminal backstories into consideration - and the parallels even in their cinematic shorts - I think they fit well together. Cole is one to throw compliments and Hanzo's depressed ass sure needs to hear them.
As I started this fic in 2016, it was written with 'Jesse McCree' and now he's Cole Cassidy... so bless 'Ctrl + H' in Microsoft Word ensuring that I didn't have to manually edit every time 'Jesse' or 'McCree' popped up. Even if this fic uses 'Cole Cassidy,' he'll always be 'Jesse McCree' to me. That's all I'll say on this matter (...and I ask you to NOT bring it up in the review section as I want interactions down there to be Good Vibes™ only.)
There will be some different languages here and there dependent on the character speaking. The translations will be in parentheses next to them. I'm not Swiss German/Japanese/etc. and the possibility for mistakes is there, so feel free to correct me if you know the language and my translation is off.
Also, you'll probably notice that I occasionally throw in some in-game voice lines/interactions for immersion :)
COLE
"All right, loves, this is as close as we can get," Lena said over the comm, piloting the second carrier.
"That's all we need," Jack replied. "We've got our mission, people. Charlie is our infiltration team. Your first objective is to cut Talon communications, so don't engage combat before I give the signal. Talon will most likely have a backup plan to get in contact with their HQ, but said plan will take a while to be put in motion. Their reinforcements will be on a delay after that. My team head in after the communications are cut to cause a distraction so Bravo can plant the explosives to take down the entire base."
Cole reloaded his revolver. "If the creek don't rise..."
"We're all getting out of this alive, son. You have my word. Keep your eyes peeled, stick to the plan, and keep each other safe. Talon isn't to be underestimated. We're all soldiers now."
Cole Cassidy wasn't a stranger to Talon. He'd encountered them quite a few times before - both with Overwatch and its branching Blackwatch splinter group - and they never seemed to slow down. Only in his Deadlocks days and before was he free of them. Thanks to Talon, Overwatch had been recalled, and the reunion with the team was certainly heartfelt. Heroes turned vigilantes. Now, he didn't consider himself a hero, but he did his best to live up to the expectations handed to him.
Not that long ago, John Francis 'Jack' Morrison and Ana Amari had revealed themselves alive, having remained under the radar as different personas not to be recognized. The public was no less skeptical to Overwatch at this day and the bitterness remained. Cole already had a bounty on his head - vigilante status - so it made little difference.
Rising to his feet, he watched the doors slide open.
Genji approached and Cole registered Zenyatta moving in behind him followed by Angela. Hana was usually their - Charlie's - tank, but she was transferred to Bravo when they did infiltration. Her MEKA wasn't exactly quiet.
One of the Talon bases had been located and they chose to intervene before those terrorists could do more damage. Ever since this reappearing Reaper character had shown his affiliation to Talon, attacks had doubled, and their everyday got busier to minimize casualties. Doomfist had recently broken out of prison and there was no doubt that he played a part in it.
Both Cole and Genji were more than familiar with Blackwatch infiltration tactics, so their deployment to this mission only made sense. It was a simple job. Get in, cut the Talon communications by sabotaging the tower, wait for Jack's signal, and get out.
Unfortunately, things were never that easy.
Turns out that Talon had made some upgrades to their defenses.
"Morrison, goddammit, this ain't workin'!" Cole said into the comm, gazing at a pinned-down Alpha from their vantage point.
"Stick to the plan, Cole," he replied over incessant gunfire in the background. "Bravo's on a delay - a minor setback - but we can handle this. Don't compromise your position or we've already lost. Remain in the communications tower and deal with any stragglers in case they try to get the tower back online."
"Just how long we gonna wait? Hell, we ain't even heard from 'em. Somethin' could'a happened."
Angela spoke up. "Reinhardt and Torbjörn are keeping them safe."
"With all due respect, doc... that doesn't inspire much confidence -"
"HA!" came a familiar, booming voice over static having everyone recoil. Cringing, Cole took the earpiece halfway out of his ear. Someone should teach the old man not to shout into the comm. "That's it, you bastards, you can't stop us!"
"Ugh, Reinhardt!" Hana exclaimed.
"It's about damn time," Jack butted in. "My team's pinned down here. Status."
"A minor setback, my friends!" he called back, just as enthusiastic and battle-ready as ever. "It, uh... as it turns out, I forgot to separate our communications channels from Talon before you cut them off. No wonder why it was so silent! We almost thought you were dead! Ha... but we're on our way! You just need to hold out a bit longer! You can do that, can't you?"
Jack grunted. "You've got to be kidding me..."
"An honest mistake, dear. We will be fine," Amari said, remaining calm as always. Her next words were directed at Cole. "Help will come. Do not fear for us, child."
"Roger that, ma'am," he replied, chewing lightly on his cigar.
Hanging up, Cole pushed himself from the window and directed his gaze elsewhere to resist the urge to barge out there and help. They were almost surrounded and it didn't look pretty. He had faith in them, sure, but he didn't like waiting around. Cole got some itchy feet.
His eyes landed on Zenyatta who sat nearby appearing not to have a worry in the word, but then again, the omnic didn't exactly have facial expressions. He admired the former Shambali monk for that. When he first heard of Zenyatta, Cole made the assumption that he had no sense of humor, but he was proven wrong when Zenyatta reached out his hand for a fistbump instead of a handshake. One hell of a guy. Zenyatta might be a mere 20-year-old, but he was wiser than all of them combined.
If Zenyatta managed to get an edgy cyborg to find peace, then hell, Cole was willing to believe he was able to do anything.
Not far away, that very edgy cyborg was meditating. Genji Shimada had changed a lot since Blackwatch. Back then, he and Cole weren't exactly on friendly terms, but neither were they enemies. Cole was convinced he was the one who got the most words out of him. It was obvious that something that happened in his past that made him that way, but Cole wasn't one to pry, so he lay off. None of his business.
Despite how close friends they now where, everything Cole knew about Genji's past was that he had an older brother and wasn't always a cyborg. Angela was responsible for making sure that he could walk again, and if it wasn't for her, Genji wouldn't be here today.
Angela Ziegler was as sweet as they came, but the Swiss doctor wasn't to be underestimated. She didn't hesitate if it came to protecting people and was always willing to put herself under fire to help. Ever since his Blackwatch days, she'd been like a sister to him, bonding over their dislike for Moira O'Deorain. Teasing her with the nickname 'angel' never got old and he still found himself getting whacked over the head for it. These days, he usually stuck with 'Doc' or 'Angie' to avoid himself a concussion she was later forced to treat.
They were one hell of a crew. Dysfunctional, but good. A band of misfits.
Taking a deep drag of his cigar, Cole began to move his feet. He grimaced as he rounded the unconscious bodies of the three Talon engineers that had attempted to get their communications back online. There had been little action on their end aside from that. Cole's team was one man down from the get-go, so it was for the best.
"So Genji... when should we expect this 'mystery contact' o'yours to join us?"
"He will come."
"You sound mighty sure 'bout that."
Genji gave him a nod. "I am. Let us say he owes me."
Not before long, a loud battle cry was heard in the distance. Cole peeked up from behind his hat to see Reinhardt charging in with Bastion, Torbjörn, Kiriko, Brigitte, and Hana. Bravo was in place and the threat was substantially reduced.
"Now!" came Jack's signal.
"Much obliged," Cole said, smirking. "Hey, Genji, let's see who gets the most kills!"
"Ha, you have already lost! Iku zo!" (Let's go!) he replied, vaulting out of cover.
He heard Jack sigh. "Damn kids."
"Man-children, thank you very much!" Cole butted in.
Firing his first shot between the eyes of an assassin omnic, the clank sounded on impact echoed, cowboy boots slamming into the concrete on the other side. Cole had mapped out his route and made a beeline for a sturdy cover. Back pressed up against a cement block, he knew that only heavy firepower could make it crumble behind him.
Off in the distance, Reinhardt crashed down his hammer, bellowing laughter escaping him as he did. Genji shucked three shurikens taking out an equal number. Meanwhile, Cole had rounded up the same body count.
They pinned Talon between the three teams - Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie - firing from all angles. None of Talon's overheads such as Doomfist, Reaper, or Widowmaker had showed themselves despite Reaper's reported appearance being the reason why they were there. Not knowing where he was had his nerves in a tailspin. They exchanged fire for a solid five minutes before the next update arrived.
It came from Torbjörn. "Explosives are planted!"
"Good work, Bravo. It'll mostly be smooth sailing from this point, but we're not out of the woods yet -" Jack said, only to be cut off as he saw the Talon carrier heading their direction. "Dammit, take that thing down!"
Gunfire was incessant and he would've blown out his eardrums had he not been acquainted with weaponry over half his life.
A final shot after combined effort had the carrier spin out of control and crash close to the landing zone.
After taking care of the stragglers, it finally calmed down.
Cole frowned when he saw a curious piece of debris. Genuflecting, he reached out to pick up some sort of metal with blood at the tip. Dull now, but had obviously been sharper mere moments ago.
It was possibly the final shot taking out the pilot.
Jack spoke up. "We have some time before Talon reinforcements arrive... but don't let your guards down, people. Charlie, I need you to clear a pathway by the downed carrier to give us access to the blocked-off platform. Cassidy - got any more explosives on you?"
"Yessir," Cole said, twisting what looked strangely a lot like an arrowhead in his hand.
"Good. Lena will land there after the incoming wave and give us an escape route."
Cole rose to his feet. "Roger that."
Regardless, he wasn't left to his own thoughts for long.
"Cole, let me see your arm."
"Ain't nothin' but a scratch, Angie," he replied with a smirk, flicking the metal away.
Nonetheless, he plopped onto a cement block and let Angela take a quick look at the rift in his serape. Cole re-lit his cigar and propped it back in his mouth, taking another deep drag, eyes closing as he leaned his head back and let out a haze of smoke. Didn't fail to notice how Angela scrounged up her nose at the smell, though.
"You know smoking is bad for your health."
Cole chuckled. "Well, I have faith you can get me patched back up, doc."
"Hm. All set."
"Much obliged, ma'am."
"Nüt z'dangge," (Don't worry about it,) she replied with a wink, gaze turning elsewhere. "Zenyatta, a word."
Genji had been quiet for some time now. He was preparing the explosives to clear the landing zone - out of view - and Cole decided to check up on him. He'd be worried hadn't he known him better. Pulling up from the block, Cole rolled his shoulders, got his feet moving and rounded the corner. His attention hadn't been all there.
"How's it goin' with them explos -? Hoo boy..."
Despite his earlier discovery, the last thing he expected was a drawn arrow pointed at his head.
...and certainly not the drop-dead-gorgeous man at the other end of it.
A/N: Guess who ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
My first chapters are usually shorter than the rest in order to more easily introduce my writing style, so expect them to be longer in the future. I'll also swap between Cole's and Hanzo's perspectives throughout dependent on which one better fits the scene. Get comfy bc this'll be a long journey.
...and know that I'd love to hear your thoughts + will gladly reply to all!