Chapter Text
I think there's a flaw in my code.
These voices won't leave me alone.
Well, my heart is gold,
And my hands are cold.
It was an unspoken rule in Overwatch that you never leave one of your own behind, whether they’re injured or dead. You don’t leave them behind because that’s your comrade, and because if you do then there’s a chance your enemy will raise you from the dead.
Genji was living proof that you can be saved, even from death. With Angela on the side of good and Moira on the side of evil, leaving one of your own behind was most certainly out of the question.
But shit happens sometimes.
Sometimes, the person you’re trying to rescue is a stubborn ninja who knows that if someone tries to save him then they’re both going to die. Sometimes, one person making it out alive and giving the team the other’s location is better than trying to do everything by yourself, especially when the device keeping you in this plane of existence is damaged.
Genji remembered before everything went wrong.
Members of Talon were wreaking havoc in a city, leaving Overwatch no choice but to respond to this threat. Genji was sitting in between Hanzo and Cole, but neither of them could bring him any comfort.
Genji had a bad feeling about this mission.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Talon was purposely drawing them out like this, getting all of them in one location. Genji figured that Talon would try to take them out one by one, but he couldn’t help but think that wasn’t it.
He reached his hands out, one grabbing Hanzo’s and the other finding its place in Cole’s metal one. His upgraded sensory system allowed for him to feel his brother and his lover squeezing his hands, trying to provide a sense of peace.
The cyborg found no solace in their presence or their hands holding his. Not even two of his favorite people could give him the relief he was looking for. They couldn’t ease how his worried mind thought that Overwatch was falling right into one of Talon’s traps.
“It’s just another mission.” Cole brought the back of his hand to his lips, pressing a warm kiss to the cool metal. “You stay close to me and I won’t let nothin’ happen to you, darlin’.”
“I will be with you, otouto.” Hanzo placed his other hand on top of Genji’s. “There is no need to be afraid.”
“Yes, you are right… you both are.” Genji tried to chuckle, but it sounded sad. “Everything will be fine.”
How Genji wished that he believed his own words, and how he wished that Cole and Hanzo could see just how distressed he was under his faceplate.
Jack began shouting orders and teams at them shortly after. It didn’t come as a surprise to anyone when Hanzo was ordered to find a suitable location to snipe arrows at unsuspecting foes, and to take out Widowmaker before she was able to get any of them.
It wasn’t much of a surprise when Cole was assigned to work close to Angela, providing coverage for her whenever she was called in to heal someone. Cole grumbled that he would much rather be close to Genji when he was having doubts, but Jack paid him no mind.
Instead, Jack continued to shout out commands, such as Reinhardt and Winston were to take on Doomfist while Brigitte and Mei provide cover to Lucio when needed. Hana was relieved that she would be a floater in battle, finding it easier for her to launch attacks from the sky and then fly off to another battle before her MEKA could take damage.
Genji and Lena were partnered together to launch guerrilla warfare attacks on Talon members or any agents roaming around. With their speeds and their ability to get in and out of situations quickly, they were the ultimate dynamic duo for these kinds of strikes.
Cole and Hanzo found themselves breathing easier knowing that Genji would have a partner, and better yet he was with Lena. The two of them enjoyed working together and complemented each other well in battle.
The two males glanced towards Lena, who was already looking over her shoulder at them. She smiled as she gave them a thumbs up. She mouthed happily, I’ve got him.
Genji felt somewhat better knowing that Lena would be at his side in battle. He knew in his current state he wouldn’t be as successful on his own but with Lena there encouraging him to keep fighting he knew he would be fine.
Getting shot out of the sky wasn’t anything new for Overwatch, but that didn’t mean that it was welcomed. Lena did her best to give the team as soft as a landing as she could, but in the end they still crashed into the ground.
Overwatch was shaken by the crash but by no means were they ready to give up. Talon was destroying the city and they weren’t about to let them get away with that. They had their orders so now it was time to give Talon hell and protect the innocent.
The members of Overwatch ran out of their fallen plane and dashed into the city to find their targets or to support the offensive teams. Genji zipped out of the plane in a flash of green, his eyes quickly scanning the area beneath his visor.
He wished Cole could see his smile when he wrapped an arm around his waist. With one hand he held onto the cyborg and with the other he unleashed his gun. The cowboy placed a kiss on Genji’s metal helmet where his cheek would be before chasing after Angela. He began back pedaling, a grin plastered on his face.
“I’ll see you when all this is over, darlin’!”
“So long, cowboy!”
Genji wasn’t surprised when he felt a hand clasp his metal shoulder. He shifted his attention to his older brother and shot him a smile that he knew he wouldn’t see. Hanzo removed his hand and reached for his arrows.
“Be careful, otouto.”
“Aren’t I always, anija?”
Hanzo snorted, rolling his eyes for added measure. Genji’s eyes were trained on his brother as he sprinted into the city. He watched as the archer scaled a building and then disappeared from his sights.
Genji was grinning when he saw Lena appear in front of him and then dart off in a blue blur. He could hear her mischievous giggle, as if she was enticing him to follow her. Genji shook his head. He would hate to leave his best friend waiting.
He quickly followed Lena to the top of a nearby building. Side by side, they poked their heads up from the ledge and spotted a couple Talon agents making their way through an alley, most likely heading towards the battles happening deeper in the city. Having those agents arrive in the heat of the battle would surely ruin Overwatch’s chances at defeating Talon.
And they couldn’t have that.
“What do you say you and I greet our friends down there?” Lena whipped out her guns, smiling at her partner in crime.
“How thoughtful of you to want to roll out the welcome mat for them.” Shuriken slid up and parked themselves between Genji’s fingers. There was a wicked gleam in his eyes, Lena could tell. “I’m feeling a little shy, would you greet them first?”
“You? Shy?” Lena playfully nudged him, almost struggling to contain her fit of giggles. “You might be a little quiet sometimes, love, but you aren’t shy at all!”
“I guess we will have to greet them together then.” Genji hummed.
“Just the way we like it!”
The agents below never saw them coming. They weren’t prepared to be blasted by Lena’s guns from the front, nor were they ready to be impaled by shuriken from behind. They never stood a chance, not when the dynamic duo struck fast enough for them to be dead before their bodies hit the ground.
Lena and Genji sped off to engage in more guerrilla warfare attacks, always leaving behind a flash of blue and green in their wake. After each successful attack, the two friends made sure they high fived each other and complimented their teamwork.
As they continued assaulting Talon agents to keep them away from the battles going on in the city, Genji couldn’t shake the feeling that this was too easy. He and Lena usually had more trouble than this.
Sometimes, Widowmaker would be somewhere high on a building shooting at them, causing Lena to go after her and leaving Genji to finish what they started. Other times, Reaper would appear in a puff of black smoke and start firing at them and Genji would chase him, begging to speak with his old commander instead of the shadow he pretended he was in Talon.
“Looks like this is the last of their reinforcements!” Lena chirped, appearing beside Genji a second later. “What do you think, love?”
“I detect no other heat signatures close by.” Genji’s eyes looked over all the information his visor was computing, but nothing was indicating that there were any other Talon agents near them. “It would seem that our work here is done. Who would you like to help first?”
“How do you feel about having a little rematch with Doomfist?” Lena smirked, her guns drawn.
“My master taught me that vengeance will not fill the hole within.” Lena cocked an eyebrow, not believing his words for a minute. Genji shook his head, chuckling, “But I have to admit, returning the favor for last time is rather tempting.”
“Is that a yes?”
Genji nodded.
Before they headed off to find Doomfist to assist in taking him down, the two friends made sure they reloaded. Lena made short work of making sure her guns were ready to go while Genji ensured that he had more than enough shuriken. He silently hoped that one of them would find their home in Doomfist’s head.
It wasn’t until the duo began to run that they noticed something wasn’t right. Lena was always one step ahead of him when they ran due to the device on her chest allowing her to zip forward and then return to him, but that wasn’t the case this time.
Genji had a bad feeling going into battle, but now it had intensified when Lena didn’t seem to be in control of her device anymore. She would jump forward and then it was almost like she was being hurled backwards, causing her to yelp and stumble to catch her footing.
Genji skidded to a stop, hoping that they could figure out what was wrong with her device. Genji grit his teeth, growing frustrated with each failed attempt to grab her and keep her in this plane of existence long enough to help.
“I hope you are not trying to play some sort of game with me, Tracer!” Genji tried to come across as teasing, but he sounded far too worried to be making jokes. “You know we do not have time for tricks.”
“I’m not joshing you, love!” Lena’s hand seemed to phase through Genji’s when he reached out for her. “I think there’s something wrong with my device! I think its been hacked!”
“Hacked?” Genji’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. There was only one person he knew who could cause this type of damage to technology. “Sombra must be close by.”
“Then you’ve got to get out of here!”
“No, I won’t leave you.” Genji shook his head. His eyes locked onto Lena and he raced forward, managing to hold onto her. “I need to get you back to Winston.”
He knew he had to get Lena far enough away from Sombra so that her hold on her would fade away. The more distance they had between them, the better. He dashed forward with Lena, surprised that he could still feel her in his arms.
He should’ve known that he had fallen for Sombra’s trap the moment he could touch Lena for more than five seconds, but he was more concerned about his best friend. He was rounding a corner when he and Lena were shot back by an all too familiar purple blaster.
Genji hissed, making sure that his metal body took the brunt of the fall so Lena would be unharmed. He looked up just in time to see a small metal ball rolling towards them. Genji scrambled to get them out of there but the device went off, sending an electromagnetic pulse throughout the alley.
“It’s an EMP!” Lena could hear the mechanics in her device whirring in an attempt to keep her in this plane. She shifted her attention to her friend, “Genji, are you alright? Can you move, love?”
Genji groaned as he staggered to his feet. His fingers were twitching and sparks were beginning to fly, a clear indication that his systems were struggling to combat the EMP. They both knew it would only be a matter of time before his body shut down completely and he would be rendered helpless.
“I’ve got to get you out of here!” Lena moved so that she was under his arm, muttering that he was heavy. She wobbled forward, practically dragging Genji and scraping his metal feet on the ground. “Come on, love! Can’t you help me out a little bit?”
“I cannot move my feet.” Genji’s voice was calm but Lena could tell he was starting to panic on the inside. He moved his head to look at his friend, “You must get reinforcements to my position.”
“I’ll do you one better.” The two of them disappeared in a blur of blue. They reappeared in another alley, crashing into the wall. “I’ll get you to the reinforcements… I’ll get you out of here, Genji.”
“Your device is malfunctioning.” He was just barely able to move his body to a sitting position. He rested his head against the wall, sighing, “One more jump like that and you’ll be lost.”
“You don’t know that!” She disagreed, refusing to believe the truth.
“We both know it.”
“Then I won’t use it!” Tears were stinging at her eyes as she ran to her friend, trying to lift him up so she could get him back to the others. “I’ll call for the others and-“
“With what comm link? The EMP took out our communication with them.” Genji’s spazzing limbs managed to gently shove her away. Lena could tell it was becoming a struggle for him to even shake his head, “You need to find the others… and bring them to my location.”
“I won’t leave you here all by yourself!” Lena objected.
“The longer we sit here arguing the closer my backup system gets to shutting down.” The ninja released a pained sigh. With the last of his strength, he reached a hand out for her to hold. “I know that you are worried but these arms function enough for me to defend myself until you come back with reinforcements.”
“Please, don’t make me leave you, Genji.” Finally, the tears streamed down her face. She was practically begging at this point, “I’ll find a way to bring you with me even if I have to drag you.”
“And have us left open to an attack?” Genji managed to squeeze her hand with his metal one. “You must leave me… if I am to have any hope of getting my systems online I need you to bring reinforcements to me.”
“Genji-“
“Go, Lena!” He tried his best to push her away, to urge her to get back on her feet. “I can feel my systems shutting down…”
She closed her eyes and nodded, “I’ll be back with the others as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“You better be.”
Lena reluctantly turned away from her friend and began running towards the battle in the city, hoping that she would find one of their teammates. Tears were blurring her vision but she continued to move onward, knowing that Genji didn’t have much time left and every second counted.
She didn’t understand why every step forward felt heavier than the last. She didn’t like the way her heart was telling her to go back to Genji, nor did she like the way her mind forced her to keep moving away from her friend and towards their team. She knew there was nothing more she could have done for Genji but that didn’t mean she had to like the situation, or the fact that she left him behind.
She sprang through the city, relieved to find that members of Talon were now retreating. She rushed to Angela and Cole, startling both of them and alerting others of her presence. Hanzo dropped down from a grappling hook arrow. She could see him looking around, as if he was searching for someone.
“Where is Genji?” Hanzo asked, straight to the point as always. “Why is he not with you?”
Cole’s eyes widened, realizing that his lover hadn’t come running in after Lena. He looked around, even twirling around in a circle and peering up at the buildings above in case Genji was perched on top of one like the sparrow he was. No matter where he looked, Genji was nowhere in sight.
“Lena, is Genji behind you or somethin’?” Cole placed a flesh finger to his ear, hoping to hear Genji over the comm link. Worry began to course through his veins as he asked, “How come I can’t hear him or nothin’?”
“Sombra… hacked my device…” Lena was grateful when Angela came to her side, holding her up as she panted. “EMP… comm link down… Genji needs us!”
There were so many things wrong with what Lena had told them. If Sombra and EMPs were involved then Genji would easily be rendered useless. Overwatch always tried to keep Genji as far away from Sombra in battle, knowing that she had a wicked side to her that found amusement in hacking his systems, not caring that toying with his body was like playing with life and death.
Now, it made sense why Lena was so out of breath. Her device had been hacked, damaged even. She must have been afraid to use it and had no choice but to run to them on foot to avoid breaking the only thing that kept her stable in this time.
“Can you take us to Genji?” Angela asked, trying to hide her concern but ultimately failing. “I’ll fly us there to get to him faster.”
“You’re brilliant, doctor.” She shot a tired smile to the medic and nodded. She looked over at the two males, “Follow us. Genji’s going to need someone to carry him out of there.”
“I got dibs on carrying Genji!” Cole shamelessly raised his hand.
“You are not seriously calling dibs on my little brother.” Hanzo scoffed. He paused for a moment before adding, “Besides, if anyone is going to carry him it’s me.”
“Enough!” Angela wacked both males with her staff, glaring at their childish behavior. She extended her wings and grabbed Lena from under her arms. “Argue later! Right now, Genji needs us!”
“I ain’t deserve to be smacked around like that.” Cole grumbled, earning a kick to the shin from Lena. “Alright, alright! I’m done!”
Without another word, Angela soared into the sky and took off in the direction Lena pointed. Cole and Hanzo followed them on foot, sometimes bumping into each other when a sharp turn was made. Hanzo would mutter curses in Japanese while Cole would openly swear about how messed up this situation was.
Hanzo had a bad feeling sitting like a rock in the pit of his stomach. Sombra and EMPs were a deadly combination when it came to Genji. One of them could easily hack into Genji’s systems and cause him to malfunction while the other would shut everything down, even life functions.
Hanzo couldn’t help but feel guilty. He was the one who had caused so much of Genji’s body to be metal and to rely on technology to function, to stay alive. If he hadn’t obeyed his clan that night then Genji would have been nearly unaffected by Sombra and EMPs.
If Genji was with him then he would’ve told him to get out of the past and to look towards the future. If Genji was here, he would say that if he remained in the past any longer then his life would go by without him. If Genji was here, Hanzo would have been able to rest easy.
Cole wished that he was as fast as Genji. He pushed his legs to move faster but it was like they were stuck in one speed. Genji needed him and right now he felt like both himself and time were moving as slow as molasses.
Cole knew the extent of the damage Sombra could cause, seeing as how he had far too many run ins with her in the past. He knew she was nothing but trouble and thought that everything was a joke. Messing with Genji would be like child’s play to her, and the thought of his lover in the palm of her hands made him sick to his stomach.
If Genji was with him then he would’ve joked around, telling him that he should’ve recruited her for Overwatch when he had the chance. If Genji was here, he would’ve eased the frown off his face by placing kisses all over his tanned skin. If Genji was here, Cole would’ve had a reason to smile.
“No!”
A fire was lit inside Cole and Hanzo when they heard Lena’s scream. They were expecting to see Genji missing a few limbs or leaking some artificial blood. They were expecting to see sparks or wires hanging out of Genji’s body, but what they saw was something far worse.
Genji was gone.
They would’ve much rather seen him in pain or missing arms and legs because at least then they’d know he was alive. Right now, there was no telling what could have happened to him. He could’ve had the willpower to fight off Talon or he could’ve been kidnapped by said organization.
“He was right here!” Lena cried. “He was in no shape to be moving around!”
“Lookie here.” Cole crouched down on the ground. He traced the pavement with his metal hand. “There’s grooves in the ground, the kind that can only be made by metal.”
“You’re right…”
“And look how they move out from the alley.” The cowboy rose to his feet and followed the tracks. “It looks like whoever found Genji dragged him… and struggled by the look of it.”
“Someone took Genji?” Lena’s eyes widened in horror. “Where’d they take him?”
“That’s the thing…” Cole froze, causing Lena to crash into his back. His eyes were locked onto a specific spot on the ground, “The tracks stop here.”
Cole sank to his knees, his flesh hand touching the last groove in the ground created by Genji’s metal feet. Cole didn’t know what to feel. There were emotions swirling around inside ranging from anger to sadness. It was far too overwhelming to make sense of these emotions, especially when he didn’t have Genji there to help him sort his feelings out.
“There must be some way to track him.” Hanzo refused to believe that Genji had been taken. His mind was running a mile a minute, trying to find some glimmer of hope. He turned to Angela, “You rebuilt my brother. You must have put some kind of tracker in his helmet or something!”
“There’s a built in tracker in his helmet.” She snapped her fingers, a smile gracing her face. She pulled out a device from the belt she wore. She pressed a few buttons before her brows knit together in confusion. “That’s impossible… it’s telling me that Genji’s tracker is offline.”
“Offline?” Hanzo gulped, fearful that she was telling him that his brother was dead. “What does that mean?”
She returned the device to her belt, sighing, “It means that whoever has Genji was able to deactivate the tracker. I don’t have a way of pin pointing his location.”
“Oh, quit beatin’ around the bush!” Cole’s voice was harsh, borderline yelling at this point. He hung his head and his shoulders sagged in defeat. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Talon’s got Genji now… they took everything from me.”
Lena would’ve fallen to the ground if Angela didn’t snatch her at the last second. Lena rested against Angela’s side, finding it far too difficult to stand on her own. Normally, Genji would be there to catch her when she fell, but he wasn’t there.
Angela held onto Lena like she was a body pillow, finding comfort in her small stature. If Angela closed her eyes, she could almost imagine that she was holding onto Genji. Yet, every time she opened her eyes and looked to her side she saw that he wasn’t there.
Cole slammed his metal fist against the ground, but he didn’t get any satisfaction from seeing the pavement crack beneath him. He would’ve smashed his flesh hand against the ground, but his mind tricked him into thinking Genji would scold him for hurting himself. Cole followed through with the action anyways, hoping that by some chance he’d hear Genji’s electronic voice, but he wasn’t there.
Hanzo felt his feet moving of their own accord. He found the nearby wall of a building and leaned his back against it, slinking to the ground. He dropped his bow at his side and his mind fooled him into thinking that his little brother was next to him. When he reached for Genji’s metal hand all he found was his bow because he wasn’t there.
No longer would Lena have her best friend to spar with when it came time to train. No longer would she have someone to joke around with when they were in the midst of battle. No longer would she have Genji to come running to when she was having any kind of issue. No longer would she feel deserving of being Genji’s best friend.
No longer would Angela have her favorite patient to keep her company in the late hours of the night. No longer would Angela have a guardian angel of her own watching her back in battle. No longer would she have her friend to support her when her responsibilities were becoming far too heavy for her shoulders. No longer could she feel like she saved Genji.
No longer would Hanzo have Genji pestering him at all hours of the day with a child-like innocence. No longer would Hanzo have his little brother slipping under his covers at night, begging to be held when he had a nightmare. No longer would he have Genji to whisper things to in Japanese, like they had their own secret club. No longer would Hanzo feel complete.
No longer would Cole feel Genji’s metal hand in his, squeezing it three times to silently tell him he loved him. No longer would he wake up to Genji’s beautifully scarred face every morning. No longer would he feel the warmth of their bodies as they became one. No longer would Cole feel like he had something to live for.
There was no Genji coming for any of them now, nor was there any way for them to go to him to seek his soothing presence. There was only one word to describe how each of them were feeling in that moment.
Numb.
Cole’s behavior was to be expected.
Everyone could do nothing more than watch as Cole tore the training room apart in a fit of rage. At first, he shot at targets until he ran out of bullets, constantly reloading until there was nothing more on his body. He had surprised everyone when he tore the bullets off his own hat just so he could have more ammunition, more ways to get his emotions out.
Once he was out of bullets, he turned to punching holes in walls. It broke Angela’s heart to see Cole’s knuckles bleeding on his flesh hand, no doubt trying to find some way to feel something other than his emotions. It made her sad to see that he would rather feel pain than feel heartache.
Cole moved on to flipping over the weights that were placed carefully in their designated spots. The dumbbells went flying all over the place, breaking other work out equipment but Cole didn’t give a damn. The damage didn’t ease the pain nor did it make him feel any better.
So he kept going.
The cowboy stormed on, throwing a punching bag across the room when his metal fist broke through the material after a hard strike. Nothing he did ever felt like enough. Nothing he did ever filled the growing hole in his chest.
The members of Overwatch didn’t know what to do in this situation, seeing as how Cole never exploded like this before. Any time he got remotely close to losing his cool he always had Genji there to calm him down and chase the demons away until his dazzling white smile returned to his face.
Jack wanted to step in, but he knew that he wasn’t the one Cole needed. He knew if he stepped in that his approach wouldn’t be the one that the cowboy would respond well to. Rather, they would butt heads until they were throwing fists at each other, which could then evolve into a shootout.
The only one who seemed to be handling Genji’s capture well was Hanzo, surprisingly. He was eerily calm as he walked into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, and then left after he placed his cup in the sink. They half expected him to throw the glass against the wall after, but he didn’t.
Hanzo didn’t say a word to his teammates when they came back. He remained silent and told no one where he was going when he disappeared down the hall. Figuring that he needed some time to himself, they didn’t question or follow him.
“That’s enough, love.”
Cole whipped around to find Lena with her newly fixed device stuck to her chest. She tried her best to give him a bright smile but it didn’t reach her eyes this time. Instead of commenting on her lack of energy, Cole narrowed his eyes at her.
“I ain’t nowhere near done.” Cole glared at the innocent bench next to them and kicked it over, not caring that it broke apart under his wrath. “Those sons a bitches took him! I should’ve been there! I could’ve done something!”
“Then be mad at me!” Lena cried, breaking through Cole’s tantrum. She lowered her head, whimpering, “I’m the one who left him behind so be mad at me…”
Cole’s eyes widened as Lena murmured just loud enough for him to hear, “If I had been stronger then I would’ve been able to carry Genji back with me… it’s all my fault.”
“Lena, it’s not your fault-“
“But it is!” She looked up at Cole with tears shining in her eyes. She blinked and the tears spilled down her face, “I’m the one who wasn’t strong enough to carry him back! I’m the one who abandoned him!”
“Now, wait just a second-“
“I’m the reason he’s gone!” She screamed, echoing through the training room, and haunting everyone. She repeated, softer this time, “I’m the reason he’s gone.”
Cole slowly felt all the anger within start to drain from his body, beginning with one drop at a time until it was finally rushing out of him like a river. Cole wished that he could allow himself to cry until his eyes became two waterfalls, but he only ever felt comfortable being vulnerable like that when he was with Genji.
Instead of choosing to cry to release all the heaviness that was crushing his chest, he chose to place his large hands on Lena’s shoulders. She nearly winced, almost as if she was waiting for Cole to pick her up and throw her across the room like she was a human javelin. She was half expecting him to start shouting at her, but she should’ve known to expect the unexpected when it came to Cole.
“You’re the only enemy you ever seem to lose to.” Cole shook his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Ain’t you, Lena?”
“What are you talking about, love?” She asked quietly.
“Why the hell should I be mad at you or take my anger out on you, huh?” He squeezed her shoulders in an attempt to ground her, to comfort her. “You seem to be beatin’ yourself up for the both of us.”
“It’s what I deserve for ditching Genji.” She sighed. “If I’d been a better friend… a better teammate, he’d be here with us.”
“Did you want to leave Genji behind?”
“What kind of a question is that?” Lena furrowed her brow in confusion.
“Did I damn near stutter, Lena?” He smirked, which surprised her. “I asked you if you wanted to leave Genji behind, now did you or did you not?”
“Of course I didn’t want to leave him behind!”
“Did you have a choice?” He questioned, pressing the smaller brunette. “Was the only choice you had at survivin’ and gettin’ reinforcements to his location to leave him behind?”
“I didn’t have to choose to do what I did…” Finally, she fell into Cole, allowing the taller male to engulf her in his embrace. “But I didn’t have much of a choice… if I phased out of this plane then no one would even know where Genji was.”
“Atta girl.” The cowboy patted her back and rubbed it, easing out all of her sobs in the process. “You did what you had to do in the moment to make sure we got to Genji… it ain’t your fault we fell for Talon’s trap from the jump.”
“I just… wish I could’ve done more.”
“Don’t we all, Lena?” Cole peered over Lena to see the rest of Overwatch watching them. Each of them looked worn, as if they had been crying or barely holding back tears. “I’ll tell you what.”
“What?”
“We ain’t the only ones missin’ Genji.”
Cole held Lena as long as she needed. It could’ve been minutes or hours, but none of that mattered to Cole. As much as Lena needed someone to comfort and hold her, Cole needed her just as much. He needed someone to hold onto and as much as he wished it was Genji, he was grateful to have Lena in that moment.
When they pulled apart, Cole used his serape to wipe the remaining tears from Lena’s face, causing her to give her famous sweet giggle. Cole felt his heart cracking, remembering how Genji’s laugh paired beautifully with Lena’s.
Cole felt his feet moving of their own accord. His teammates parted like the Red Sea and allowed for him to move past them. There was a blank look in his eyes, one that made even Jack worried for him.
As much as Jack wanted to grab onto him and talk about what was going on in his head, he knew it wouldn’t be wise. He was still trying to process his own emotions so he wouldn’t have been much help to Cole. Jack was wondering how he was going to move forward knowing Genji wasn’t going to be there to have his back in battle or give him a reason to smile every morning.
Jack could only watch as Cole moved farther away from his team and further into the darkness of the hallway, and the darkness in his own mind.
Cole kept his head down as his feet took him to his destination. He was half expecting to head back to his room to wallow in his sadness, but he couldn’t say that he was surprised that he had made his way to the roof of the watchpoint.
He was surprised to see Hanzo.
Hanzo was sitting on the edge of the roof with his feet dangling. He was as still as a statue as he stared out at the open water reflecting the stars from the night sky. Hanzo’s bow was resting beside him, as if it was trying to keep him company.
“You’re in his spot.”
“My apologies, cow man.” Hanzo didn’t sound very sorry, rather he sounded pained. “I know he comes out here at night sometimes. I was just… trying to feel close to him.”
Cole strolled over to the elder Shimada, the click of his spurs growing louder in Hanzo’s ears with each step. Cole plopped down next to Hanzo, less gracefully than the Shimada had, and let his legs hang, kicking them softly as a child would.
“You feel any closer to him?” Cole asked.
“It was foolish of me to think that this spot would make me feel closer to him.” Hanzo scoffed, putting himself down better than anyone Cole had ever seen. “If anything, I feel farther from him.”
“Ain’t nothin’ foolish about missing someone.” Cole’s eyes searched for the big dipper, his favorite constellation. “Especially someone you love.”
“Tell me, cow man, did you come out here to feel closer to Genji?” His eyes shifted to the corner, almost narrowing on his teammate. “Or have you come to bring your temper tantrum outside?”
“I ain’t throw a temper tantrum!” Cole’s head whipped to face Hanzo. He snapped, “I was just letting off some steam!”
“I could hear you from outside.”
“So I whipped shit around and got mad!” The cowboy shifted his attention back to the ocean of stars. He found himself calming down as he searched for Genji’s favorite constellation, “You’d be as pissed as I was if you cared about Genji like I do.”
“If I cared about Genji like you do it would be considered incest.” Hanzo shook his head.
“It’s okay to say you’re scared, you know.” Cole stated suddenly.
“It is bold of you to assume I am scared.” Hanzo scoffed. “And even bolder to assume I would admit such a thing to the likes of you.”
“I admit, I ain’t as good at talkin’ about feelings as Genji is.” Cole’s eyebrows knit together, frustrated that he couldn’t find the constellation he was desperately searching for. “But at least you ain’t alone.”
“I prefer to be alone.”
“Yeah, that’s why you joined Overwatch.” Sarcasm dripped with each of Cole’s words. “Face it, you ain’t wanna be alone anymore and you missed Genji so you jumped at the damn opportunity to be a part of a team, especially if it had him.”
“What is your point?” Hanzo grit his teeth. “Why do you insist on tormenting me?”
“Tormentin’ you? That’s what you think I’m doin’?” Cole released a heavy sigh. “Hanzo, I’m pushin’ your stubborn ass to open up to someone.”
Hanzo remained silent as Cole continued, exasperated, “You ain’t gotta open up to me but, shit, you can’t keep bottlin’ everything up!”
“You are wrong, cow man.”
“Huh?”
“I do have someone I open up to.” The older Shimada’s shoulders sagged, almost as if the weight was becoming too much to bear. “But, sadly, he was taken from me…”
“My someone was taken from me, too.” Cole’s gaze lowered, giving up when he couldn’t find what he was looking for. “Didn’t realize how much he kept me afloat till Talon done sunk my battleship.”
“It seems we are on the same sinking ship.”
“Booked ourselves a ticket aboard the Titanic, ain’t we?” Cole weakly joked.
“It seems we have.” A small smile etched itself onto Hanzo’s face. “I can see why Genji is so fond of you.”
“Really?” Cole perked up.
“Your idiocy is humorous, at times.” Cole shot a glare at the older Shimada, who smirked in return. Hanzo smiled, “And although I hate to admit it, your aura is quite calming.”
“That’s funny.” Cole chuckled, “I always thought Genji was the calm one out of the two of us.”
“You two are one half of a whole.”
“Nah, that ain’t it. Genji’s my whole heart.” The cowboy sent a warm smile to Hanzo, who pretended he couldn’t see it. “But you and me, we’re Genji’s whole heart.”
“I highly doubt it.” The raven-haired male rolled his eyes. He retorted, “You most definitely have claimed part of his heart, but I still have much work to do before I am worthy of touching something so pure.”
“Well, ain’t you bluer than the ocean down there.” Cole tilted his head, confused. “Genji’s already forgiven you, how come you reckon you can’t forgive yourself?”
“Tell me, have you ever slain your own brother?” There was a dangerous edge to Hanzo’s voice.
“I ain’t ever had a brother.”
“Then do not speak to me of forgiving oneself when you know nothing of what I am dealing with.” Hanzo snipped, trying to make sure Cole had no room to speak on the matter.
“Shoot, I know I ain’t ever killed my own kin.” The cowboy looked back to the stars, finding comfort in them. “But you ain’t the only one who’s betrayed loved ones and hurt others.”
“You-“
“Look, all I’m sayin’ is Genji loves you and you ain’t ever gonna have the relationship you want with him if you don’t forgive yourself.” The brunette squinted, sighing when he realized he lost the star he thought belonged to Genji’s constellation. “Maybe instead of beatin’ a dead horse you can follow Genji’s footsteps.”
“And meet a Shambali monk who will show me the way?” Hanzo sneered.
“Genji’s been where you are and he’s gone and made footsteps so you have a path to follow, if you so choose.” Hanzo’s eyes widened, not expecting such wisdom from a mere cowboy. “The choice is yours, Hanzo.”
“Genji is lucky to have you.” Hanzo smiled.
“Well, thank you kindly.” Cole tipped his hat and returned the smile. He furrowed his brow, “Now, let me ask you something since you know Genji so well.”
“What do you want to know?”
“He ever tell you his favorite constellation?” The gunslinger flopped onto his back, sighing in defeat. “I can’t make heads or tails of where it could be tonight.”
“You are looking for a constellation?”
“It ain’t just any ole constellation, Hanzo!” The cowboy threw his arms into the air, waving them around dramatically, “It’s Genji’s constellation! His favorite one!”
“Why are you so distraught over stars?” Hanzo knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Cole say it.
“Because I want to feel closer to him.”
“Very well, cow man.”
Hanzo joined Cole, feeling a chill run down his spine when his back made contact with the cold surface of the roof. He gazed up at the stars and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to pretend that he was back in Japan staring up at the stars with Genji at his side, pointing out all the constellations and telling the younger male the stories behind them.
When Hanzo came back to reality, he was lying beside a cowboy who squinted up at the stars, as if that would help. He shook his head, wishing that Cole was Genji. Yet, he would never say out loud how comforting it was to have company tonight. He knew tonight could’ve ended badly if he was left with just his thoughts.
“Genji’s favorite constellation is Orion, the hunter.” Hanzo lifted his hand, pointing to each star to help Cole find it. “See those three stars bunched together? They make up Orion’s belt.”
“Where are you seein’ them three stars?” Cole’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he exclaimed, “Oh, there they are!”
The cowboy pointed at the stars with one hand while the other shook Hanzo, “There’s the constellation! Hanzo, I found it!”
“Quit shaking me, baka.” Hanzo growled. “Or you’ll soon have two metal arms.”
“Now, ain’t you meaner than a junkyard dog.” The brunette removed his arm from the other male. He muttered, “And I know what baka means, idiota.”
“You are smarter than you look, cow man.”
The two males laid together in a comfortable silence. Their eyes wandered aimlessly through the sea of stars but they always came home to Orion, to Genji. Sometimes, they wondered if they would ever be able to find Orion again, especially if they kept their eyes away from the constellation for too long.
Cole remembered nights like these when he was a part of Blackwatch. He recalled all the nights he spent learning about the stars and the constellations they made up from Genji. He remembered the night he finally got the courage to hold Genji’s hand, and he would never forget the relief and happiness that washed over him when the cyborg squeezed back.
The stars had been there to oversee Cole and Genji’s relationship blossoming like a flower in the spring. The stars had seen the first time that Genji took off his metal mask, revealing his gorgeous scarred face and his bright red eyes to the cowboy. The stars had witnessed their first kiss and the first time they admitted their love for one another. The stars had been there through their high points, and now they were here to watch Cole at his lowest without Genji.
Hanzo allowed himself to fall into the past, to relive the times he and Genji would sneak out past curfew just to star gaze on the roof of Shimada castle. He showed Genji the constellations just like he had when they were children, and the younger Shimada would always look at him like he was the one who hung the stars in the sky.
The stars were there for the Shimada brothers, whether they realized it or not. The stars were there the night an older brother cut down a younger sibling, as well as they bore witness to the two brothers finding each other in the same life, rather than wait for another. The stars were present when the brothers found one another and strengthened their bond, creating a new one, an unbreakable one.
“I’m missin’ Genji somethin’ fierce.” Cole’s voice cut through the night like a shooting star, making a wish Hanzo would support without batting an eye. “I wish he was here.”
“Yes… I miss him, too.”
“We’re gonna bring him home, Hanzo.”
“I know we will.” Hanzo released a sigh he didn’t know he was holding. “Because I don’t know what I will do if we don’t.”
“Me either.”
Gabriel normally took pride in the screams he could hear echoing down the hall from Moira’s laboratory, but this time he didn’t. This time, he knew it wasn’t some random Overwatch agent being tortured for information or for one of Moira’s cruel experiments. This time, he knew exactly who was screaming and he knew why they were screaming.
This time, it was personal.
It wasn’t a stranger on a medical table losing limbs or becoming a monster so that Talon could receive information, or in Moira’s case information on how to advance her research. It wasn’t some nobody pleading for their life, despite knowing Talon didn’t let anyone from Overwatch get out of their base alive.
This was Genji Shimada.
Gabriel would never dare to speak it out loud, but he never stopped caring about Genji. In every battle, he made sure that he kept his distance from him unless absolutely necessary to confront him. Truth be told, Genji was the only one who looked at him and didn’t see Reaper, but saw Commander Reyes. Gabriel knew that if they ever shared more than a brief moment to speak in the heat of battle, he would come running back to Genji.
The two never appeared close back in Blackwatch, and that’s how they liked it. They were strictly business in front of everyone but some nights they would meet up and Gabriel would drink as they told their life stories and chased away the monsters from their pasts.
Their bond was Blackwatch’s best kept secret.
Gabriel thought that he would be ready for the sight waiting for him, but he was wrong. Nothing could have prepared him to see Genji strapped to a medical table with the same equipment fastened on his head that brainwashed Amelie, turning her into Widowmaker.
If Gabriel didn’t have his mask on then everyone would’ve seen the horrified look plastered on his face. He never wanted Amelie to be forced into experiments and transformed into someone he didn’t know, and he certainly didn’t want that fate for Genji.
Genji had been through too much in his life. He was maimed by his own brother and brought back to life only to have to learn how to walk again on cybernetic legs. Genji had to learn how to exist as someone who was half man and half machine. It sickened Gabriel to know that after everything Genji had been through, and after all the progress he made, Talon was wiping it away like nothing he did mattered.
He felt like he could breathe easier when Genji stopped screaming. That was a sign that the brainwashing was taking effect, and ultimately pushing down any sliver of resistance in the cyborg.
“He has a fiery spirit, but everyone can be broken.” Akande’s voice broke Gabriel out of his thoughts. The two males had their eyes on the cyborg, watching through a window as he succumbed to the brainwashing. “He lasted far longer than Amelie.”
Gabriel was about to respond when Moira released Genji of all his bonds. She was saying something to the cyborg but no one could hear. Moira exited the room, barely acknowledging Gabriel’s presence.
“The procedure was a success.” A disgusting smirk etched itself onto her face. “I’ve informed him that he is an agent of Talon. He believes that Overwatch is the enemy, just as you wished.”
“You have done well, doctor.” Akande praised, which Moira all but glowed under. “Let us see how he performs against the new recruits.”
“You want to test him against the fresh blood?” Moira chuckled, a chilling sound that Gabriel hated even now. “How sadistic of you, but I shall see it to be done.”
“I look forward to seeing how obedient he is.”
“I assure you, you won’t be disappointed.”
Gabriel felt like a hand was grabbing at his throat, keeping him silent as Genji walked out of the room and followed Moira down the hall. While Gabriel couldn’t speak, that didn’t mean that his legs refused to function.
He and Akande strolled down the hall in silence. Akande was eager to see Genji in action and not holding back against his enemies. Gabriel was anxious to see what had become of the person he cherished.
The two males remained outside the training room, peeking in through the window to see how Genji functioned. Gabriel sighed as the new Talon recruits ran into the training room. None of them had any idea what they were up against, nor did they know they’d never live to be considered a veteran agent.
As soon as Moira raised her hand, Genji was off. He removed his sword and in the blink of an eye he was slicing through agents like their flesh was paper. He showed no remorse for the lives he was taking, and that’s how Gabriel knew he wasn’t Genji anymore.
Genji would’ve never agreed to participate in lethal training exercises, especially when he was given the okay to kill his own teammates. Genji didn’t kill for sport, he killed because he had no choice or because it was for a worthy cause. There was nothing positive coming out of killing these agents.
“I will have to make Moira change the colors he wears to best fit Talon.” Akande put his hands behind his back, intertwining his fingers. His smile was far too smug for Gabriel’s liking, “And maybe some more upgrades to make him even more of a weapon. What do you think?”
“What have you done to him?” Gabriel stared through the window, watching in disbelief as someone he once knew turned into a stranger. “Talk now.”
“Talon needed a ninja.” There was a sinister gleam in Akande’s eyes as he watched the cyborg go on a mindless killing spree in the training grounds. “And who better to corrupt than Overwatch’s ninja?”
“You caged the sparrow.”
“No, I clipped its wings.”
Gabriel shook his head, releasing a frustrated sigh. He was with Talon for various reasons, but this wasn’t one of them. Brainwashing Amelie was one thing that bothered him, but brainwashing Genji felt different.
It felt worse.
Genji was someone who he cared for deeply, despite never allowing anyone to know that information. Genji was someone who he had watched first hand climb up from rock bottom and thrive in the present. Genji was someone who was full of hope and life, and Gabriel had unknowingly been a part of the team that snuffed both.
Gabriel hadn’t been selected as the chosen few for the actual mission Talon needed to complete. He was a part of the team that distracted Overwatch and drew the heavy hitters to him, knowing that Genji and Tracer would be ordered to stop their agents from joining the battle. Talon knew that Overwatch would never suspect that Genji was their real target all along.
Blood dripping down Genji’s cybernetic body was something Gabriel hadn’t seen in a while, reminding him of their Blackwatch days when he had no remorse for the living. While it wasn’t an unfamiliar sight, it was an unwelcome one.
He was rendered speechless as Moira brought Genji out of the room, muttering that she had to run a few more tests. He knew what she was planning. He knew she was going to continue to drive a knife between Genji and Overwatch, cutting off any feelings that may be lingering for them and thus rewriting who he was.
Gabriel could do nothing more than trail after them like a lost puppy. He stared through the window of the medical laboratory, finding it hard to believe that the face he was looking at was the same Genji he once found comfort in.
When Gabriel looked at the cyborg on the medical table he didn’t feel a sense of calmness like he did recently. He looked at the cyborg and he felt sick when he couldn’t find the hot chocolate colored eyes that he had met years ago and found again later in life. Instead, he saw a ghost from his past when he looked into Genji’s cold eyes.
He saw red.