I will not falter.

–in all honesty? He hadn’t the slightest clue where to begin. Not only did he not work with throwing weapons, but this guy’s style of combat was entirely different from Jesse’s own. Cowboy and ninja really weren’t two things that could mix easily. So just what was Reyes thinking when he told him to become a tutor for someone whom didn’t even have the same skillset?

In the end, McCree offered him little more than a hum in response to the performance - a brief and nearly silent announcement of “Y’think?” following shortly after. Clearly this guy was having a lot more trouble than Jesse had initially thought. Cybernetics were hard to get used to - even he had a great deal of difficulty becoming used to the feeling of a synthetic arm upon his skin, but it was just that - an arm.  He couldn’t imagine having to adjust to an entirely new body.

“Gonna be completely honest with you here– I ain’t entirely sure where to begin.” He spoke, looking down at his own fake arm in an attempt to scan for any inspiration. C’mon - he had to say something. “But….. I know I had trouble gettin’ used to the difference in weight. Ya need to remember that you’ve got a different make now - balancin’ the force you’re drivin’ into your punches is the tricky part.”

However, it did not take an expert to see how completely and utterly lost McCree looked as he stood behind Genji, drawing a slow hum of acknowledgement at the cyborg’s performance. Embarrassment warmed his face beneath his mask as his fingers closed over empty air in search for the short, brightly-colored locks that once rolled along his head and then dropped to his side.

If only he had been assigned someone who specialized in a fighting style similar to his own.

The instinct to make a smart remark at McCree’s admission of incertitude was more difficult to resist than Genji would care to admit, undoubtedly fueled by his frustration at the inability to control his own body. The fact that the man insisted on emphasizing the difference between the makeups of the two Overwatch members was a contributing factor. He adverted his gaze when Jesse’s eyes fell over his own cybernetic limb for the second time. The action made his stomach, or whatever was left of it, turn in his abdomen.

“ 明らかに。It is true, the weight of my new body is different than what I am used to.” Even Genji’s voice sounded unnatural through his mask. Inorganic. “However, it is not the only issue i am having. While this body’s abilities have been enhanced, my mind remains the same. Meaning... I can’t keep up with it. It is too fast. それはでたらめです。 ”

Even in his mother tongue. Synthetic. Artificial.

“Impressive that you have mastered a cybernetic.” Genji made a point to nod his head in the direction of Jesse’s metal hand, not bothering to hide the way his voice hardened over the syllable. “ I assume you have advice on how you accomplished that feat?”

“i am afraid i have been assigned to target you,” Genji said, drawing the neon-laced blade from the sheath nestled on his back. “I will have to kill you.”

Genji turned to McCree, pain and regret darkening the light leaking from his visor, raising the Dragonblade, fingers locked tight around the handle, and pointing it at the man once known as his friend.

‘I’ve not seen you eat a vegetable in a week. How about I make you a proper dinner?’

‘That does not look like a flesh wound, dude.’

‘Do you actually ever leave your office and sleep?’

‘Sleeping on your desk totally doesn’t count.’

‘I’ve seen healthier looking corpses. You should head to bed.’

‘Keep hydrated! I’m concerned about you in that heat!’

‘Have you practised any self-care today?’

'Do you want me to run a warm bath for you? We can use your favourite bubble bar.’

'I’ll hold your hair. Just take deep breaths.’

'I know there was a story about a girl who lived on nothing but pizza, but I really don’t think you’ll manage to do the same!’

'You look terrible. I mean, you look beautiful as ever, but also super sick.’

'Please go and rest? I’m so worried about you!’

'You need to sit for a while. Please? You’re always on your feet.’

'All this stress isn’t good for you.’

'Would you like a back-rub?’

'C'mon, look at me! Don’t close your eyes, okay?’

'Wake up! Come on, please! Come back to me!’

'You’re having a nightmare! It’s not real, I’m here!’

'What do you normally do to help your anxiety? We can do that.’

'Would you like me to sit with you while you go through this?’

'Are you okay for me to touch you? You can nod or shake your head.’

'Breathe, that’s it. Nice and steady.’

'I’m right here, I promise. I’m not going anywhere.’

'You can cry if you need to, it’s alright. No one would think badly of you.’

'Do you want a hug?’

'I’ll stay right with you until you fall asleep.’

'You went really dizzy there for a second. Can you hear me now?’

'I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you. Just stay with me, please…’

'Where does it hurt? Can you show me?’

“That so? Can’t say I see why.” He lied, laughter dulling into a cheeky grin. McCree only stopped upon hearing the other man’s question - an eyebrow raising at the thought.

He rounded in a half-circle, eyes planted on his target. His fingers flexed instinctively at the sight of a bullseye, armor muscle bending and stretching almost like human skin. Quietly, he paused at the taller man’s other side, swinging his arm in with enough force to be what Genji would consider a little painful and immediately withdrew his hand from McCree’s firm ass.

The way that the cyborg responded to his actions only made McCree’s lungs fill with a hearty laughter. “Ya ain’t never heard of a greetin’, pardner? What did’ya think it was?”

“...Where I come from, we have very different greetings.” Genji was, for the first time, suddenly glad for the mask positioned over his face. He would only imagine that the shocked look he was currently giving the man would earn him even more laughter-- the gentle red dusting his scarred cheeks could only make that worse.

                  “Oi, trust meh this’ll be a blast!” 

                           It was the last thing he said before he and Genji had left the base. Assigned to take out a group of rogue omnics and their small base before they hurt people, it was something he was willing to be paid for.He was only surprised when Genji turned up for it too. After all his master was an omnic monk. But boi when they started the mission, he was right on his word. 

                  Upon entering the building he got straight t work. He was too go unseen as he laid the bombs while Genji provided a distraction and then leave. But he went a little off plan. Upon being done planting the bombs he indirectly helped Genji by throwing in a few grenades here and there while getting away from the omnics. Genji caught up with him pretty quickly.

Still, if it was to prevent people from being hurt... then perhaps the loyalty he owed Overwatch could be faced with honor. Genji certainly hoped so.

Luckily for the ninja, he did not have much longer to ponder the reality of his situation before Junkrat had made his presence known and showered the surroundings with explosives, blinking dangerously as they rounded heights and plummeted towards the mass of mechanical beings below.

Including Genji.

He sped forward, catching up with the tattered man ahead, making an effort to avoid his line of fire to prevent catching a grenade to the face. 

With those same metal fingers brought up against his face, McCree closed his eyes to suck smoke into his mouth, finishing off the last of his cigar before then letting the stick out past his lips and onto the floor - only to be ground under the weight of a jingling boot. It was then that he focused his attention on his new “student,” watching him stand straight, and becoming surprised to find that this fellow seemed to have been made entirely of metal. McCree’s eyebrows rose - though he really ought to have been used to surprises. Overwatch was full of those.

And although McCree’s eyes were shadowed under the span of his hat, Genji knew how the man had looked at him. Everyone did it the same way-- a sweeping motion, up and down, predatory and censorious. Seeping through all the spaces in the metal. Despite the lack of skin covering his body, the crawling sensation was all the same. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you as well,” Genji replied, giving a bow nearly more curt than courteous. There was a conscious effort on his end to not allow his distaste for the situation to seep into his tone, voice sounding mechanical and unnatural through his mask. 

As soon as McCree made his request, the ninja responded with a nod, and immediately turned to face a trainingbot across the room. 

Genji Shimada was an excellent ninja. He did not need a run-down, parodic mentor to teach him how to use the weapons he had been trained to master since he was a child.

At least, he told himself that as the shuriken he launched at the robot across the room missed spectacularly and embedded themselves in the walls behind its form.