hey hi hello i just devoured a lot of your genyatta writing and just... [clenches fist] so g o o d I ALMOST CrIED! i guess what interests me most rn if i can ask, in mcgenyatta poly, how do you think that came together?
aaaa that’s such a nice anon to find when i wake up!
thank you nice anon for liking my genyatta! :D it makes me really happy, i strive to write good content ;<;
also hmmm. there’s many ways it can work out with those three!
it got long without meaning to so... cut time!
my personal headcanon for blackwatch is that genji was. definitely not a happy or friendly person. mccree tried to befriend him but given genji just wouldn’t agree, i think he simply shrugged it off (you don’t have to befriend every person you work with, after all). they left off not as good friendos but as somewhat acquaintances.
during the period genji was at the shambali monastery, he grows and learns and heals, and realises that a lot of his harsh attitude was pushing people away so they would not see the real him, which at the time was a bundle of ptsd, dysphoria and anger.
zenyatta took a heavy hit after mondatta’s death, and the only one who was around to help was genji (and this shifted the balance of their ‘relationship’ to equal friends, though genji still calls him master (a bit out of respect, a bit to joke around since zen keeps telling him not to call him as such anymore), but he still has bouts of melancholy, and is a bit quieter than he was before.
so like everything else, it starts with zen.
genji answers winston’s recall, and brings with him zenyatta, and when they get to the base they’re the first to have answered (surprising winston who was not expecting genji to actually, y’kno, pop by). when mccree arrives (also a surprise), genji and mccree are a bit awkward around one another, and zenyatta, sensing genji’s desire to change this, starts up befriending mccree first, so that genji and mccree have a reason to be around one another.
zenyatta does actually enjoy mccree’s company -they have a lot of things in common, including being good with people, and thus end up placed on missions together to get some support for reformed overwatch (but toned down since they’re still not legal), and he does brighten up whenever mccree is involved -and genji notices this.
pleased that zen is getting along with someone at the base, genji feels comfortable enough talking things out with mccree (maybe they end up chilling and talking on the base’s rooftop one night, mccree with a bottle of liquor and genji with sake (he offers but mccree makes *that* face after tasting it and genji’s like ‘i take it back if you don’t enjoy it there’s no point in sharing give it back to me’) and they dont get drunk-drunk but they get tipsy enough to be more free to tell things to one another
and genji tells mccree about zenyatta and how quiet he was, how worried he was, and maybe there’s some mcree poking fun at him for his obvious crush, and genji -does not deny it. in fact its the most heartfelt thing he says, a little wistful as he looks up at the sky, that he truly loves his master and hopes to be by his side always.
and it humbles mccree enough that he has nothing else to say, surprised by how much genji has changed, about this soft side of his, raw in a different way from his standoffish pain from before, [did i mention he removes his lower half of the mask around mccree bcs its part of the whole opening up and sorting things out’ thing because he does and mccree feels touched by the trust] and he says that zenyatta must be truly special, and a bit he can see it, and that he hopes he can see it more
[and there is longing there, from someone who’s never had anything stable in his life for so long he’s forgotten how that feels, and that’s another thing he and genji have in common, and genji’s not an idiot and knows it]
but thanks to genji’s words, now mccree sees something else now -the way genji and zenyatta dance around one another, and there’s a bit of longing there again, because they fit together well, and mccree feels a bit... put off by it. envious, and he feels bad about it, but its not until he’s on another mission w zen to woo people to support ovw that he looks at the way zen moves, the tilt of his head, the forehead array smile and kind laughter, that he thinks ‘id kiss that omnic’ and then he has a moment of ‘oh’, and its a bit painful and a bit obvious, and he just slumps a little
and when zen notices something is off, he just tells him ‘i think whoever sweeps you off your feet is a lucky man’
‘why, are you interested, jesse mccree’ and jesse hides the pang in his heart with a wry smile and this is how the two start flirt-joking
(its not really joking, on mccree’s part, but he doesn’t have to be honest about it either, does he)
and if he and genji have drinking nights and get a little closer, share jokes and casual flirting, shoulders bumping together and easiness, and during mission they fight a little better when they’re side by side, well. jesse can’t say he’s displeased. and if his eyes linger a little more, compare the open affection in genji’s eyes when he looks at zen with the look he has when genji looks at *him* and wonders if he could draw parallels, if he should, and wants more than that, well. that’s on him and he
he actually likes it the way he is. he does. it feels more home than he’s ever had in the past.
he thinks genji and zen will make a good couple once they actually decide to confess. he thinks they’re good for one another. its not about him at all, even if he sort of wants in but that’s how he is, a greedy man. but he legit is happy regardless.
and then a mission goes a lil wrong, and zenyatta has to take a bullet meant for mccree, offlining one arm, and they get back on base and mccree blames himself, and gets annoyed that zen *doesnt*, and even more annoyed when genji doesnt, and he avoids zen in the med bay because seeing him without an arm while they’re fixing it feels like such a defeat, esp when genji’s always by his side, cheerful as the two joke and make arm puns when mccree hurt zen and he doesnt have an arm anymore damn it [never mind that its only for a while, but mccree might be having some flashbacks himself, well...]
and feelings are aired a little more strongly than they should
and genji shoves him into a wall to kiss him (a bit angrily, enough that mccree’s lip splits because there’s a little teeth) and get through his head that there’s no blame anywhere, and you should shut up mccree and go *see* zen because he’s miserable not seeing mccree around
[also genji might have or might have not caused a few injuries to zen over time with his own brashness that he admits made him act exactly like mccree so he knows where he’s coming with this]
[also zen’s latest injury isnt even that bad but he and genji spent a good chunk of time while mccree was avoiding them kissing pretty heavily and maybe talking about mccree as the elephant in the room because neither is blind and they were already together (have been for a bit, they just keep their smooching private) and both wanted to see how things progressed but were not sure mccree would return their feelings but he *does* and genji gets the confirmation when mccree not only does not push him away once he kisses him but actually tugs him closer and - he’s gloating. he really is]
mccree’s first words are ‘did you just kiss me’ (’you kissed me back mccree it’s not a one-sided action you seemed pretty into it’) followed by ‘wait, zen is miserable because he hasn’t seen me?’ and genji just gives him an exhasperated look and then gently shoves him into zen’s med bay room where they find him fiddling with his orbs
and he sees mccree and the first thing he says is ‘ive been considering upgrading my arm to those you find in those grappling plushies machines what do you think’ and he makes the grabby motion with his other hand and mccree just. loses it and starts chuckling and there’s maybe some pain there and a bit of bitterness about himself but then zen reaches to hold his hand and all mccree can say is ‘or you can use mine until yours is fixed’ and zen tightens his hold on mccree’s hand and tilts his head and seems to ponder about it
then he says ‘only if i get to kiss you now, since genji already did’
and mccree is breaking in all the good ways but he answers (perhaps a little more raw and open than he might have wanted otherwise) ‘anytime you want, darling’
and genji snorts and pushes mccree into zen like ‘just kiss him, mccree’
and they do kiss and then genji literally shoves mccree’s face into the pillow and goes ‘and now, my turn’ and kisses zen and makes a little content, smug sound
‘see, master? i told you he liked you’ and zen makes a bashful, embarrassed sound but he looks pretty happy as mccree splutters and rises and goes ‘i missed the kiss!’
and zen pats his cheek very gently and goes ‘we can have an encore, but you ought to pay attention, this time’
[and mccree goes all cheeky because he’s feeling pretty high atm and bold and so full he could explode and says ‘yes, master’ and zen’s vents *steam* and he goes ‘oh ho-’]
(and they have a good talk about things after that, huddled up together on a far too small med-bay bed, until winston comes back with zen’s arm fixed and well. he’s glad they’re getting along but could they do it somewhere else can we at least pretend the med-bey is a haven of safe space and tranquillity even tho the only ‘hurt’ one here atm is zen)
the dating part is not tricky at all, its just like fitting a puzzle together and boi. does it feel satisfying.
Some of y'all like McCree as much as I do...so I made me a McAnyone server. Where anyone can share the cowboy love. You can rp, or just hangout. Gotta be 18+ just in case (sorry little ones) so message me for an invite!
