Never Let Me Go (A McHanzo Fanfic)

The Hat

Blip. Bloop. Sup.

It wasn't so much the piercing light than it was the absence of the familiar weight above his chest that woke the former pirate up from his slumber. Jesse groaned in his groggy stupor, his arms and legs somewhat still sore, and was greeted with the sight of Hanzo's back, the merman's hands holding and fumbling with something seemingly flat and leathery in front of him.

He hadn't meant to let his thoughts get the better of him, but before he could conjure the will to hold the thoughts back at bay, McCree squinted his eyes in disbelief and propped himself up on an unsteady elbow as the other arm lifted itself up to pull the wispy curtain of wavy brown locks out of his still stropping vision.

"You're leavin'?" McCree tried not to let his indignation seep through his voice. "After tellin' me that you were gonna explain everything?"

Hearing the unmistakable worry that overrode the anger in his lover's voice, Hanzo managed a smirk as he turned around to reveal the object in question of Jesse's interest.

"If I wanted to leave, I would have done so while I was back at the market place," Hanzo said and carefully tossed the thing over to where his still naked lover lay.

The merman's words passed through the other ear as Jesse persisted his focus on the thing that landed right in front of his lap.

"A hat." McCree finally managed to say before he fully sat upright and held it for himself.

The brim curved slightly upwards, and the material was durable enough that it could endure the harsh sun rays and the water that would fall should rain come upon him. The quality was unmistakably that of a skilled and seasoned craftsman, for how could anyone else manage to maintain the uniform stitching throughout the edges of the brim? Or apply the complicated technique to ensure that the outer layer doesn't weather so easily?

Simply put, it was the best hat Jesse had ever laid his eyes on.

"Yes, I can see that." Hanzo chuckled, and the sound was almost enough to draw Jesse's attention away from the headwear--almost.

"So what is this exactly, darlin'?" McCree felt the fires of his ire simmer, and there was a tell-tale red on his cheeks that told anyone that he was clearly embarrassed by his misinterpretation and flustered over his lover's unexpected gesture.

"I noticed that you still had your hat on before you gave chase to me," Hanzo began. "It must have disappeared along the way; I think when we both tumbled down that hill."

"Right..." Jesse said thoughtfully, eyes cast towards the low beams of the ceiling before they flicked back towards his lover's sharp face. "I...I never got to ask: Where were you hurt? You said you had injuries."

"It's fine, Jesse," Hanzo sighed, and out of poor thought proceeded to eye his sleeved arm, where he knew he'd find the many scars and bruises that littered his skin under the fabric.

"Come 'ere," McCree said in a clipped tone and moved aside to make room for Hanzo to sit on. Once the merman was close enough to touch, McCree secured the other's pale wrist with a firm grip and used the other hand to gather the loose sleeves all the way up to the merman's elbow.

"'It's fine' he says," Jesse chided as he scanned the irritated skin that bordered every cut and wound. "I don't know how I didn't even notice this last night..."

"It was dark," Hanzo offered. "And we weren't exactly focused on anything besides what we were doing to...ourselves."

McCree's face lit with a cheeky smile at the memory of last night. "Still...you coulda said somethin'. You're lucky it ain't as bad as it should look bein' untreated over night."