#very funny to be playin this dark ass game and be so focused on the polycule ik it's funny to me too

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

love getting into the madarame / yusuke plotline rn bc i get they're doing smth with like . oh yusuke is so clearly into ann arent u worried about it and dont get me wrong like he should probably chill a bit but unfortunately i am Not treating ann like a romanceable . ive got ryuji im all set . in fact yusuke u might want to be careful or YOU'LL be the next one in my unofficial p5 polycule

[outlawshootist]

How did you lose your arm, McCree?

   He watches the other members of his team with a calculated gaze. Sanchez was fine, he came from a military background, Navy Seal. The man boasted eating nails for breakfast and Jesse is inclined to believe the chain-smoker. Even now, cuffed like the rest of them, he’s watching all exits and looking for a way out. Jesse was only too happy to have the man on his team, watching their backs.

   The Hirayama twins were a little more worse for wear, Jun sporting a pretty nasty broken nose and Kiyoshi’s left eye had swollen shut beneath a garish black and blue bruise. They’d been the first to try and get the small team out of the shit they’d fallen into and they’d gotten the snot beat out of them for it. It was only at Jesse’s command to stand down that the two of them gave in. Tail between their legs, they huddled together, more pissed than anything.

   And then there was Alpha Team’s last member, Penny. She was unharmed so far, thanks to the combined efforts of the team. The moment someone had dared put their hands on his sniper, Jesse had surged forward and bit the asshole’s ear off and, in not so nice terms, explained what would happen if they did it again. It hadn’t happened since.

   “What now, boss?”

  He’s looking back at Sanchez as the older man speaks and the team turns to him for leadership, something he didn’t think he’d ever get used to. He shifted and let out a long breath.

   “They’ll be makin’ demands soon. I think we’ve been here, what, five hours with nothin’?”

   “Five hours and six minutes.”

   “Right, thanks Jun. Anyhow, Jefe will be pullin’ shit t’gether by now, prolly sendin’ in Genji t’scope it out. Find us. I say we sit tight an’ wait’n see. If;n they ain’ done nuthin’ yet, then they’re prolly bluffin’.”

–

   They weren’t.

   Seven hours in and the first demands were made. Overwatch secrets and they’d get to leave. No one, predictably, spoke so they broke Sanchez’s arm.

   Another hour and this time they demanded names. They left with three of Kiyoshi’s teeth.

   Four more times the lackeys came and demanded some kind of Overwatch secret or information or name and four more times they’d left him and his team with broken bones and bruises.

   “ Ya’ll okay?” he choked out, trying to breathe as gently as possible. The last boot to his chest had broken a rib, maybe two, and he didn’t want to risk a punctured lung and the pain was shit as it was. He received a few groans in response and that was good enough for him. They were making noise, that meant they were alive. That was good. ‘C’mon Genj, where are ya?’

–

   When the door next opened someone else they hadn’t seen walked in with the two lackeys who had been part of the trio that had done the most damage. They weren’t playing anymore. This one looked like he had more clout, more importance than the ones they’d met up until then. Jesse had learned enough from Reyes to know when a situation shifted into new territory. It just had.

   “Gentlemen,” A snort from Penny, “And lady, I think we’ve all finished with the games, haven’t we?”

   “Shit son! I thought ya’d never let us go!” Jesse crowed.

‘Always keep the attention off the team,’ Reyes’ voice echoed in his head, ‘ Expand, take up the room, make yourself so big they become invisible.’

   “Churros on me t’night! Yay tequila!” What he wouldn’t do for a good, hard sip right about now.

   “I believe you’ve misunderstood me, Gunslinger. You will not be going anywhere,” the new one said, bringing a metal arm up to stare at his fingertips.

   “Shit, really? Ya playin’ with us now, doc. Ya are a doc, righ’? I mean, lab coat an’ all.”

   “Somebody shut him up, for god’s sake.”

   The fist to his cheek, though he saw it coming, jarred his jaw and made his vision blank with fireworks. He saw Sanchez move and shook his head imperceptibly

   “Gotta mean right hook there fella. Y’hitcher wife with them meaty mitts?”

   Another hit. This one ringing with Gabe’s voice.

‘Keep their attention, mijo. Annoy the hell out of them. Pause them for as long as you  can to give your rescue time to mobilize.’

   “Jesus, he has a mouth on him, stupid punk.”

   “ENOUGH. Let us keep this simple. Give me information and keep your limbs,” The doctor finally snapped, on the edge of angry and annoyed, a dangerous place for their captor to be. It made the situation more volatile, less likely to go the way Jesse was steering it.

   “Oh c’mon now doc, that’s cliche villain talk. Y’don’ want us t’think yer a joke now, yeah?”

   “Your blond team made is very pretty, Gunslinger. Don’t you think so, Donovan?”

   ‘Donovan’ grinned and grabbed between his legs, chuckling as he eyed Penny up. She tried to press back into the twins, nearly hissing like a cat at the asshole.

   Jesse immediately dropped the funny man act, eyes sharpening, break calming and mouth thinning into an almost snarl. He could see Sanchez watching him carefully for any signal to move. He knew that look. Jesse had learned enough from Reyes to be able to copy it.

   “Y’remember yer buddy, Donovan? Donny? Big burly bitch, missin’ his ear? Mighty tasty, that was. Remember what I tol’ him after I ripped it off? Still stands, compadre.”

   Donovan paled and stepped back into line with the other burly chucklefuck, Reyes in the back of his head again. ‘ and when the jokes fail? When they get serious and things steer clear of your intended path? When they get ugly? YOU get ugly, Jesse. Show them YOU’RE a threat, show them who you are.’

   “So you’re the brute who maimed Lesnitsky? Is that what they’re teaching Overwatch agent now? Cannibalism?”

   “Hardly. But it’s mighty fittin’, eh? Reyes had to teach someone the tricks of th’trade, who better’n his second in command. Did I do a good job? Y’know, report card home t’th’boss?”

   And just like that, there it was. That was just enough information to send all attention on him, rendering his team nearly invisible. Good. Good.

   “Gabriel Reyes’ second, hmm? What an HONOR to meet you then! Why, had I known sooner, I’d have given you the proper welcome, given your station.”

   “Penthouse suite and Patron?”

   The doctor smiled at the humorless joke, all sickly sweet and perfectly white teeth. There was a reason Reyes had warned him about using rank. He had a lot of enemies, which meant Jesse had a lot of enemies.

   “Oh, I had something much MORE fun in mind. Donovan, Verity, hold him down if you would.”

   Jesse struggled as the two burly bodyguards uncuffed and held him down, arms spread. His team started protesting, yelling and being held back by the faceless lackeys against the wall with their guns and batons. 

   “S’okay guys! We’re gonna have fun! Don’chu worry none.”

   Keep silent. Please. Don’t get hurt too. Silent. Stay invisible.

   To say he expected some dropped trow and a sore ass was an understatement. It was the usual MO when the villain in the story had two large ass tweedlefucks to do his bidding. He’d witnessed it enough… witnessed it first hand in Deadlock. They hadn’t been nice in any sense of the word and Jesse had been young and PRETTY. And now? If he could keep the tweedle-dipshits focused on him instead of Penny and the twins?

He was a captain. THEIR captain. This was his job, he had to do–

   “Whatcha got there… doc?”

   “Oh it’s nothing much, Gunslinger. Just a small payback, you see. Reyes owes me an arm, and he’s become increasingly hard to contact.”

   He’s approaching Jesse with that nasty looking bone saw. Too many nights watching gory horror movies and Jesse knew exactly what that tool was for. His fear levels rise, his chest feels like it’s about to be torn open with the beating of his heart. He starts to struggle.

   “I suppose, since he’s not so forthcoming with his presence, I’ll just have to take yours. PAYMENT, you understand. A simple transaction.”

   His heart leaps into his throat with fear, his already painful chest hurts more with it’s pounding and he finds he can’t breathe, can’t focus. His team’s protests renew, they start yelling, struggling.

   “Hold him DOWN, gentlemen.”

   What follows is something that he’s unable to describe later in life other than as the most excruciating pain he’s ever had to endure. Each heave and ho of the saw sent white-hot pain to his fingertips, to his heart and his brain. His nerves scream in protest as the sharp teeth of the tool slice into flesh, muscle, and bone. He chokes on screams that tear from his throat, blinks through tears of pain until he passes out, only to be brought back with those fucking smelling salts and the pain starts again and again. It only stops when his arm falls to his side with a wet squelch and plop.

   He finds himself looking, eyes wide, to the limb laying in the pool of blood. He’s mortified, watching like a train wreck as his fingers twitch. He can still feel it! He can bend his elbow! He CAN!

   “Uncuff them and give them something to wrap it with. I want to send a message, not a dead body.”

   A blur, it’s all a blur as they were left alone, he and his team. They crawl to him, lift him. Penny is brushing his hair back as Sanchez takes off his belt and tightens it at the end of the stump. Jesse screams in pain again, writhes in her lap when he does. It’s a blur, blur, blur. Pain. Nausea. Pain, PAIN, pain, PAIN.

   He blanks, wakes, blanks again and Genji is there, eyes wide, fearful, angry… red. 

   More darkness, swimming shadows, shimmering voices.

   “Jesse, WHERE’S Jesse!?”

   Gunshots. Voices, pain, pain. His fingers hurt. They’re twitching. He’s sure he can feel them.

   “In here, Reyes!” 

   “Shit, those fuckers.”

   “Gabriel, QUICKLY!”

   Oh, boss was there. Good, good, he did GOOD. Boss, he did GOOD.

   “What the he– JESSE!”

   He can vaguely see a Gabe shaped blur kneel over him in the red that swims in his vision. He’s all shaky concern, steady hands.

   “Gabi–”

   “Shh, Mijo-”

   “Did good. Stopped em. Didn’ t’ch… Penny.”

   “Shh, Jesse, c’mon, s’ok– Get Angela!”

   “Took m’arm boos.. bu’ did goo; d’goo….”  

   “He’s going into shock! Get Angela NOW. hurry, call transport–JESSE. Jess, c’mon Jesse, stay with me kid,C’MON.”

   “M’tire’, fin’ers hur’, t’k m’han’… th’hur’… did gooooo..”

   “That’s right Jesse, that’s right, you did GOOD. You did good quickshot… you did good…”