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Guilt and worry gnawed at him in such a way that Genji couldn’t bring himself to do anything other than pace.
More than anything the outing from three days ago more than cemented just how vulnerable Gwawratta was.
A single stutter, at just the wrong moment, and she had gone tumbling off the side of a, mercifully small, cliff. The worst damage had been a broken arm and a concussion of some degree that he didn’t know, but it was still more than enough to make it clear that he could not, in good conscience, take Gwawr with him to see the world.
And he wanted to take her with him, if for no other reason than to show her that Nepal was not the only place the world had to offer, that the rest of the world outside of Shambali was not like her nightmares.
And yet the stutters... Tekhartha Mondatta had warned him, hadn’t he? And Genji had seen what the stutters did to her, but he hadn’t listened. He had taken her from the safety and sanctuary of Shambali, out into the cliffs that they both had enjoyed climbing over and -
He hadn’t been paying attention. He had known that it was dangerous and he still hadn’t taken in the full range of consequences that could happen.
“Are you alright, young one?” Genji couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of Tekhartha Zenyatta’s voice.
He wanted to tell his Omnic teacher that no, he wasn’t alright. He was, perhaps, the furthest from ‘alright’ that one could be without being physically injured.
“Young one, I cannot help you if you remain silent.” There was no judgment there, no anger, no warning, no disappointment, nothing that would tell Genji that he or the other Tekharthas were thinking about having him exiled from the Temple for his actions.
A hand was on his shoulder and Genji turned his head just enough to be able to look at his teacher.
For once, Genji wished that Omnics had faces like humans. If they did, then at least then Genji would have some sort of idea as to what was going on inside his Tekhartha’s processors.
“I...I believe I have made a grave error, Tekhartha.” He was waiting for it, the admission that he would soon be asked to leave Nepal.
“And what error do you believe you have made?” This was torture in perhaps the most evil sense. Was it not already enough that he knew he had made a mistake? That he had allowed himself to be so consumed with his own thoughts that he had forgotten the one, true danger?
His silence and his Master’s ability to sense emotions must have been answer enough for the Omnic because the fingers tightened just slightly against his shoulder.
“Genji,” Zenyatta paused, and Genji had the distinct feeling that the Omnic was watching him carefully, picking his word so that they would be the most effective. “No one is angry about what happened.”
“Why?” He turned to fully face him. This was, perhaps, one of the things that he needed to hear the answer to.
“This is not the first time one of her stutters has been the cause of injuries.” Was that supposed to reassure him?! Zenyatta gave off the Omnic equivalent of a sigh, no doubt having seen his expression. “Genji, it gladdened us to see her so willing and eager to explore the rest of Shambali since you arrived. Her injuries are easy to fix, and we have fixed them.” Something else must have shown in his expression because Zenyatta took a step back with another sigh. “She has been asking for you, my student. Speak with her and you will see that your guilt is misplaced on this matter.”
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Another day, another night, and another week. Time seemed to pass in a way that Genji just couldn’t seem to grasp. Here in Nepal, it was as if they were isolated in some sort of time bubble, where nothing in the outside world was able to reach them, where news of all the troubles couldn’t touch them, and where he could feel himself come to peace with his life, past and current.
And yet there was one thing that he couldn’t seem to let go.
Dressed in white robes and walking just slightly in front of him, Genji took in Gwawratta. Truly took in her features... at least the ones that he could see from behind.
His dragon, now renamed Noodle - and he had tried to give his dragon a different name, or at least to remember what he had once called it, but the silly thing only responded to ‘Noodle’ now. Genji wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry - was draped across her shoulders in the way Genji had once worn his once favored green scarves. Her hair had gotten longer, but now he would quite firmly say that it was a dark brown and not the black he had once suspected. The stutters were still there in her movements, causing her to sway this way and that just slightly, as if she were tripping over her own feet occasionally.
And that was, perhaps, the biggest change he could see in her. At least in regards to physical changes. She had grown a great deal since he had first seen her.
Genji would be the first to admit that he was not a tall man. He was barely 170 centimeters, or as Jesse would demand ‘in English’, five feet and seven inches. If he used his own height as an estimate, then when he had first met her, Gwawratta would have been three feet tall, give or take a few inches. Now, roughly three years later, he would say that she was close to four feet tall, perhaps a few inches shy of it.
He could remember her original height clearly, if only because she had been almost level with his hips, just an inch or so passed it. Now though, she was almost level with his sternum, but again, an inch or so passed it, but not quite level with his chest.
All this came back to what he felt.
He couldn’t, in good conscience, stay here in Nepal. While he would call this place home, he couldn’t see himself staying here for the rest of his life.
This wasn’t his home, not in the way it was Gwawr’s home, but in the same breath it was more his home than Shimada Castle had ever been. Here, no one cared what he did as long as he attended his studies with Tekhartha Zenyatta and helped out around the Temple when it was needed. As such, he ended up with a great deal of free time on his hands that he had often found himself using to keep Gwawr either entertained or focused on her own studies.
Admittedly, her studies were far more extensive than his own was, but only by virtue of having far more things to learn. Such as math, science, reading, writing, and whatever other lessons she was being tutored in that he didn’t quite know about.
“Gwawr, don’t go too far.”
“Fine. Have Noodle. Know Area.” His dragon turned just enough to face him and stick his tongue out.
Genji scowled at his dragon, but his lips twitched as Noodle laughed and darted off of Gwawr, racing ahead and invoking a quick game of chase.
He followed at a jog, making sure to keep them both in sight.
How could he leave, when Gwawr was still so fragile, could be so easily taken from Nepal without anyone knowing of it until it was far too late.
And yet, he couldn’t take her with him. She would be far too vulnerable against anyone if he took her out of Nepal, and if he did, what could he do for her? Yes, he could show her the world, show her things in person and not through the various videos and holograms, could even introduce her to the foods that he knew she hadn’t tried or tasted before.
But the stutters would remove some of that enjoyment, would prevent her from running away from danger if she couldn’t fight them off with the blade he had given her oh so long ago.
And this was all on top of the mystery of just who it was that would be after her. Tekhartha Mondatta still wouldn’t explain who he was hiding Gwawr from, or even where she came from. It seemed as if the Omnnic monk was fully intent on making sure that no one was aware of who she was.
Young as she was, there were times when Genji could have sworn that he knew her. But she was more than half his age, and while it was possible for him to be her father - there had been a few occasions he hadn’t been as careful as he should have. If he were honest, Genji wasn’t sure how he would handle the knowledge if he were her father - she didn’t have any distinctive Shimada features.
Other than having his dragon being overly fond of her, such as his father’s dragons had been with him and Hanzo when they had been younger.
And that was another problem.
Hanzo.
While he doubted that he would be able to fully forgive his brother for siding with the Clan over him - he was his brother. His younger brother at that! Why hadn’t Hanzo protected him the way Genji was now protecting Gwawr? Why had the Clan been so much more important than him? - he was, perhaps, able to understand why Hanzo had struck him that night.
And his brother had suffered with the knowledge that he had murdered his own brother long enough.
A shrill sound pulled Genji out of his thoughts and he cursed. Gwawr was not in sight, and that sound could have only come from her.
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It had hit him by surprise at the impromptu birthday celebration. Seeing Gwawr look so surprised, and then delighted once she had realized just what all these things had meant… that’s when it had hit him.
Genji had been here in Nepal for, roughly, two, maybe two and a half years.
He wasn’t all that sure how to feel about that insight, so he had gone in search of either Tekhartha Mondatta or Tekhartha Zenyatta. They were the two Omnics that he was the most comfortable around and the ones that he was certain would be able to actually help him.
Yes, he could have easily gone down into the village in order to talk to the humans that lived there in and talk about his sudden realization and awareness to the passage of time. However, he wasn’t all that certain just how welcome his presence would be among some of them. It was one thing to see a human with an Omnic, or an Omnic with a human, or even a human with a few prosthetic parts.
It was an entirely different matter to see someone that well and truly looked like they were half human and half Omnic.
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It had hit him by surprise at the impromptu birthday celebration. Seeing Gwawr look so surprised, and then delighted once she had realized just what all these things had meant... that’s when it had hit him.
Genji had been here in Nepal for, roughly, two, maybe two and a half years.
He wasn’t all that sure how to feel about that insight, so he had gone in search of either Tekhartha Mondatta or Tekhartha Zenyatta. They were the two Omnics that he was the most comfortable around and the ones that he was certain would be able to actually help him.
Yes, he could have easily gone down into the village in order to talk to the humans that lived there in and talk about his sudden realization and awareness to the passage of time. However, he wasn’t all that certain just how welcome his presence would be among some of them. It was one thing to see a human with an Omnic, or an Omnic with a human, or even a human with a few prosthetic parts.
It was an entirely different matter to see someone that well and truly looked like they were half human and half Omnic.
Genji found that he had the tendency to keep to the Omnics more so than the humans.
Gwawr being the, obvious, exception.
Instead, when he found the two Tekhartha, he paused and then took a small step back.
In one of the smaller rooms at the Temple, Tekhartha Mondatta was teaching Gwawr about... something related to science. Genji would fully admit that it was the science classes that he had never paid all that much attention to in all his years of schooling, and even more so when he had been sent off to university by his father.
Being reminded of the man and seeing the scene he had just walked in on... it reminded him of the woman he barely remembered.
His mother.
He couldn’t recall her features, the way walked, or even the sound of her voice. In fact, if Genji were honest with himself, he’d say that if he truly focused on it he’d say that he could vaguely recall the way she had smelled.
A sakura in full bloom, with hints of roses.
In a sudden stark clarity, Genji realized that he had never seen a picture of his mother either. It was as if the woman’s existence had been completely removed by everyone else in the Clan, to the point that Genji had honestly believed that he had sprung from a pile of clay with some shed blood from his father.
No one could blame him for believing what he found in comics! Not when it seemed to make sense to him at the time!
Vaguely, Genji wondered if Gwawr even remembered her own parents. From the way everyone, even Gwawr herself, spoke of how long she had been here, she might have been too young to have any coherent memory of such figures.
And then Genji recalled the stutters - saw them just now as Gwawar all but seemed to seize where she sat on the floor, and it was only the utter lack of reaction from both her and Tekhartha Mondatta that stopped him from rushing forward in a panic - and the way her voice rasped with every spoken word, the flinching and tensing from every touch, and -
The list just went on and it was more than enough to make him recall the dark rage that festered in his heart and Genji found himself wishing and hoping that she didn’t remember them. For who else would have been the cause for that list to even exist?
A dangerous growl sounded beside his ear and Genji actually jumped at the sound before he saw his companion slip down his shoulder to climb down his form as quietly as possible.
This wasn’t the first time that his companion - now named Noodle if Gwawr’s insistence was anything to go by - had manifested without him consciously summoning it. In fact, he noticed that the dragon manifested in it’s smaller form whenever he had moments of high emotions.
Usually in response or in conjunction - yes, he knew “big words”, he wasn’t an idiot - to his thoughts about Gwawr. He had never seen his father’s dragons - a blue and a green respectively - in a small form, nor had he ever seen Hanzo’s twin blue ones in a small form.
His eyes tracked his companion’s stealthy progress as it moved, ferret like, over the floor, behind Gwawr and then waited, body wiggling right before it pounced, launching itself high and landing on her head. A startled shriek escaped from Gwawr, her eyes going wide before both she and his companion were on the floor and wrestling. At first it was mostly panicked flailing from Gwawr and he could feel his dragon’s need to check and make sure she was well with such an intensity that Genji wondered if this was how it would feel if he ever ended up as an uncle... or with a child of his own.
“My apologizes, Tekhartha Mondatta.” Genji looked over at the Omnic monk as he approached, robotic fingers steepled in front of his white garbed form as he came to a stop next to Genji. “I did not mean to interrupt the lesson.”
“I do not mind, young Genji. I believe it was time for a break for our youngest.” By now Genji was well familiar with the tone that Tekhartha Mondatta used, specifically whenever the monk seemed to know Genji was... trying not to develop homicidal tendencies. “Was there anything in particular that was on your mind? You do not seek out Gwawratta unless you are looking for reassurance.”
Genji blinked and looked at the Omnic monk next to him. “I do not need reassurance.” Those were not the moments when he looked for the child! Sometimes he looked for her when he realized his companion was missing, or when he felt something was wrong, or -
“You and Gwawratta seek each other when there is either something bothering you, or when you feel something is bothering the other.” Tekhartha Mondatta interrupted his thoughts and Genji blinked again at the white-garbed Omnic. “Either you felt something was amiss with yourself or with Gwawr, young Genji, and you came here.”
He shook his head. “No, I just realized how much time I have spent here.”
“And it surprised you.”
“Yes.” Genji didn’t have to think about his response to that statement. “I have had very little to no communication with those outside, and with all that has happened here... I suppose I did not realize how much time had passed, even when I organized the birthday party for Gwawr.”
Tekhartha Mondatta simply nodded. “So you sought out someone you knew.”
“Yes.” Turning his attention back to the two, Genji couldn’t help but smile when he saw Gwawr and his companion - he doubted that he would ever call the creature ‘Noodle’ - were well and truly playing on the floor now. “I... do not know why that insight bothered me, but I was looking for either you or my Tekhartha.”
A hum from the Omnic had him turning to look at him. Clasping his hands behind his back, Tekhartha Mondatta’s gaze was fixed on Genji. “It is a sign of your progress that you seek us out when something bothers you.” He turned his attention to Gwawr and Genji followed his gaze.
Gwawr was chasing after his dragon, seemingly intent on catching it instead of wrestling with it. “How goes her studies?” With the way her schedule had been... set up, Genji was fairly certain that she had much more time on her hands for education than most others her age.
As it was, Genji just... wasn’t sure how to respond to the comment about his progress. He wasn’t as angry or uncertain about himself as he had been when he had first arrived, but there was still a some that was there, and he knew it was about himself, the hand that fate had given him, his current position, and so many other things. A change of subject was, at the moment, the best way he had for dealing with this.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of in your progress, young Genji.” Tekhartha Mondatta stated it so easily that Genji actually felt himself start to blush. “As for her studies, I suspect that she is at where she should be. Though I will admit that reading and mathematics are, perhaps, the most difficult of subjects to interest her. Sciences hold her curiosity.”
Genji looked at him. The way he had said that last word had Genji’s concern. “Her curiosity?”
Tekhartha Mondatta simply shook his head. “It is linked to her past before she was brought here.” Genji felt his eyes narrow at that.
There were many things that seemed to be linked to her past, but this one seemed...
“I ask that you do not look into this matter.” Tekhartha Mondatta turned his head to look at Genji and he couldn’t help but bristle. “The less that is found out about her past, the more protected she is. The more someone digs into her past, the more likely it is that she will be found by those that caused her to be brought here.”
If it were any other time, Genji would admit that he was impressed.
For today however... he was willing to admit that he was less than amused. The things that he had planned for the day was... well, they weren’t going so well, not with the five fires that he and the two Tekhartha Omnics had taken turns starting and putting out.
Honestly, how hard was it to bake a simple cake?
Between two omnics and someone that was once part of a criminal empire and then part of the infamous Blackwatch, this should have been easy to do! They should have been able to bake a simple cake, and if that failed, than to make sure that some other edible item was made.
Such was not the case.
In fact, it was so far from the case that Genji didn’t know how it had become what it had.
Well... they had to resort to going down into the village and buying a small cake, but that wasn’t what Genji was currently looking at.
No, what he was currently looking at, was Gwawr and his dragon, covered in what looked like soot and snow, and giving him wide-eyed expressions as if they hadn’t the slightest idea of why he didn’t seem happy to see them.
“Gwawr, I don’t know what you got into, but you’re covered in soot. The snow I can understand, but the soot? Go clean up. As for you, my dear dragon,” Genji simply plucked his now-black-but-formerly-a-bright-green dragon off Gwawr’s shoulder and held him up to his face. “You are going to get a bath.”
“I help?” She sounded far too eager for his liking and Genji immediately found himself shaking his head.
“No, go clean up. Once I am done with my dragon-”
“Noodle. Name is Noodle.”
Genji stared at her. “His name is not noodle!” He couldn’t help the incredulous tone even as she stared at him, unrepentant about the soot, rapidly melting snow, or the name she had given his dragon.
“Then what is?”
“His name is-” Genji had to pause. What had he named his dragon? It had been ears ago, but he knew that he had named his companion. Actually... he frowned and looked at the soot-covered creature, one who was giving him a slight mournful and regretful look.
Hadn’t he once had two? Just like his brother? He hadn’t questioned the appearance of only one after Mercy had patched him back together, hadn’t felt the need to question it, because seeing only one had seemed right.
And yet he distinctly recalled once having two green dragons.
“Gen?” Blinking, Genji looked at Gwawr, actually being startled out of his thoughts. “Okay?” Gwawr gave him a slightly concerned look, her head tilted to the side in a way that reminded him rather strongly of the Omnic monks when something confused them.
“Yes, Gwawr, I’m alright.” He tucked the dragon into his arms and pointed a finger at her. “Go clean up.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re dirty.”
“Why?”
Was she really doing this? “Because you got into something you shouldn’t have, and now you need to change or you might end up catching a cold.”
There was silence for a bit and Genji took that as a sign that she was willing to agree to his command and started to usher her back towards her room.
“Why?”
Praise kami, was this something he had done to his brother that he was now being on the receiving end of?
Genji found himself distinctly remembering a time before his teen years where he had done the ‘why’ game with his brother, just to test where his brother’s patience lied.
This must be karma.
“To what?” He knew how to play this game, and he knew that all he had to do was outlast her patience.
“All that.”
Pushing her into her room, Genji sighed softly. “I have no idea what you got into, so I cannot say. As for the cold... I’d much rather not risk it.”
“Why?”
Was that a tick he felt on his brow? No, I will not lose this battle! Hanzo had the same tick when he was about to lose his patience and Genji did not want to follow that same path.
“Because I care about you.”
He saw her stiffen, but tried to dismiss it as he went about gathering up a clean set of clothes and setting up a bath. He would step out while she took the bath, but he would take a cloth to his dragon.
“Gen?” The wavering note to the nickname had Genji immediately turning to look at her and he found himself freezing at the sight of her slightly watery eyes as she stared at him. “True?”
“...Is it true that I care about you?” Was that what had her looking at him in disbelief? As if she didn’t know if she could believe what he had said?
His incredulity changed to rage when she nodded and he had to bite it back, shove it into the dark corners of his heart where the rest of it was. He didn’t want to frighten her, to make her think that the rage was directed at her when it couldn’t have been further from the truth.
As it was, Genji was certain that, if he ever found out where she hailed from, and if the people she came from were still alive, he would show them just what he thought of their treatment of Gwawr.
“Gwawr, I will always care about you.” He said it slowly, trying to stress how important this was. “Nothing you say or do, now or in the future, will change that.” His dragon yowled in agreement, paws flailing as it wiggled desperately in his grasp.
When he saw the tears build up in her eyes, Genji tossed his dragon at her and simply watched as she scrambled to catch it - kami damn those stutters! No child should have such problems!
His dragon had no problems in showing her what he wanted to do, but because of his form and the various wires and harsh edges didn’t dare to. Curling about her slight frame, his dragon mewled and chirped, nudging and nuzzling her in comfort as he climbed and clung to her in what could only be its version of a hug.
It even went so far as to lick up the some of the tears that spilled from her eyes.
“Gwawr...” How was it... no, why was it that such statements seemed to move her to tears, as if she either never heard such words before or didn’t believe anyone could care for her.
If it was the former... he’d be having words with her former caretakers once he found out who they were.
If it was the latter... he’d need to have words with both Tekhartha Mondatta and Tekhartha Zenyatta.
Walking towards her, Genji gently cupped her face between his hands and made her look at him. The expression she fixed him with made his heart wrench and ache and he couldn’t help the broken, keening whine that left him. He wasn’t surprised when Gwawr mimicked the sound or even when she clutched at his dragon, holding the serpentine form close.
“Gwawr, clean up. I will be outside. There is something I want to show you.” How he managed to get the words out he wasn’t all that sure, but he was glad he did. Her expression changed only just enough to show her curiosity and then she broke their gaze to look down at his dragon before back up at him, a pleading expression fully on her face.
He didn’t need her to vocalize what she wanted to know and Genji sighed before nodding. Pulling his hands back, he stood up and looked down at her. “Remember, clean up and then come out. Today is special.” He didn’t stay long enough to answer the question that was now on her face.
Instead, Genji had to lean against the wall just outside her room and closed his eyes.
Between being on the receiving end of the same antics he had done to Hanzo and the boiling rage that almost always seemed to be just short of seeing him go out and hunt down the ones responsible for Gwawr being here... he was starting to wonder just how he was going to keep his sanity.
A/N: Sorry for the long delay, but real life has hit me hard and I had to focus on that. With that said, let’s get back to the show!
How he had gotten roped into this, Genji wasn’t all that sure, but he wasn’t regretting it.
At least not yet he wasn’t.
As far as he was aware, Gwawr had never had a birthday celebration and, without knowing the exact details that came with it, Genji had simply settled for celebrating the day they had first, properly met.
Tekhartha Zenyatta and Tekhartha Mondatta had, upon hearing what it was that he had wanted to do for Gwawr, had not only thought it was a good idea, but had wanted to help...after he had explained why it was significant and important for humans, that is.
The thing that he had gotten roped into doing, however, was taking his turn to distract Gwawr from investigating the sounds coming from the designated kitchen area.
So far he had summoned his companion and, instead of running around and keeping Gwawr distracted by a game of chase and tag as he had hoped, his green dragon, in his ‘noodle’ form, had settled for draping himself over Gwawr’s shoulders.
Which then, in turn, meant that Genji had to figure out how to keep her occupied. They did not have any board games, and those in the village proper didn’t have any children appropriate games that he could borrow for the day. While Genji was more than aware that Gwawr was mature for her age, he wanted to at least make sure that she had the chance to act out any and all childish tendency while it was still okay for her to do so.
He couldn’t play tag or even hide and seek with her, either. Tag would be a game in frustration due to the stutters and his much longer legs compared to hers. HIde and seek...for obvious reasons it was out. Letting her out of his sight right now was asking for the surprise to be ruined.
And if he were honest with himself, Genji wanted this surprise to be something that she would enjoy. There was actually rather little in Shambali that could and would stimulate a developing mind, even after he had made it clear to the other Omnics that she had needed to learn certain things.
Reading, writing, math, science, the basic things that humans needed to learn before they were old enough to figure out what it was that they wanted to do for a living.
He was fairly certain that Gwawr was torn between being annoyed with him at suggesting to the Temple Omnics that she ‘needed schooling’ and grateful for it because she was learning new things and it kept her occupied during the times when no one was able to keep her occupied.
However, right now Genji was starting to wonder just what it was that he could do to keep her occupied without making it obvious. After summoning his dragon, they had retreated to his room where Gwawr was looking around and boredly poking at the things he had decorating his room. His companion was snoring around her shoulders, the tail occasionally twitching.
“Would you like to learn how to use a blade?” His eyes had landed on his weapon rack and it was the first thing out of his mouth. From the way her head suddenly swivelled towards him, eyes bright and a grin stretching her face, it was the right offer to make.
But it now left him acutely aware that he hadn’t gotten her a present to go along with the day and he felt his panic at that start to rise. In response, his dragon snapped awake and looked around, even as Gwawr started towards him.
Getting up from his spot on the floor, Genji went over towards his weapons rack and grabbed one of his longer swords and then one of the smaller ones. While he would have liked to teach her with the standard katana, with the stutters that continued to make her movements somewhat erratic, he would much rather she had a smaller one that she could use easier.
Turning, he left his room and heard the pitter patter of feet on the floor behind him and had to sigh.
No matter what he said or did, it seemed as if he just could not convince Gwawr about the necessity of shoes.
A green blur shot passed his feet and he heard Gwawr make a sound before she was racing after his companion. With a soft curse, Genji readjusted his grip on the two blades and took off after them. Hopefully no one got the impression that he was trying to kill the Omnic Child as some in the village were calling her.
There were still those, both in the Temple and in the village that were aware of where he hailed from, who he used to be, and were quick to believe that he would harm one of the few children that ran around his small land of paradise.
Children were rare in this area, and as such they were all held high and dear by humans and Omnics alike.
Moreso by the Omnics, if only because they understood that children were fragile and something that only the humans could create. A new Omnic just... wasn’t the same as child.
Just as they reached an open area he swooped up Gwawr with his human arm and held her tight against his side. His dragon was nowhere in sight and Gwawr squirmed against him with a soft whine.
“Gwawr, no running in the Temple, not when I have blades.” The sooner he got her to understand the danger of blades, the better and faster this lesson could go.
“But Noodle is gone.”
“My dragon will return, and if he does not I can resummon him.” If it kept her in sight, he would do so. To hell with the cost of doing so too often.
Gwawr gave him a look. “His name is Noodle.”
Genji couldn’t help but look down at her, even as he settled for just carrying her towards the training area. “You...decided to name my dragon.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because no one should not have a name.”
And Genji winced at the reminder of her past. “You’re right, I never thought of it like that.” But hadn’t he named his dragon before? He could have sworn that he had, but for some reason he couldn’t recall what it was.
Setting her back on her feet, Genji handed her the smaller blade, handle first. When she took it, he started her on how to care for it. It was the most important lesson of any weapon, and he’d be damned if he didn’t start with that.
It helped that the blade he had given her hadn’t been as cared for as it should have been compared to the one in his hand, and he took great care to show her the difference. When he saw Tekhartha Zenyatta walking towards them, he set Gwawr on the task of cleaning and sharpening the blade before placing his own in front of her, letting it stand as an example of how the one in her hands was supposed to look before he calmly went over towards his Tekhartha.
“I believe my brother and I have made an error.” Those were...not the words that Genji wanted to hear. “I will take over minding Gwawratta.” And with that, Tekhartha Zenyatta walked passed him and towards Gwawr. Genji didn’t need to be close to know that he was asking her what she was doing and why before he settled on the ground next to her to supervise.
Genji took off towards the kitchen, going as fast as he dared. When he reached it...well, needless to say he was not expecting the minor fire that was already in the process of being almost fully put out, nor the sight of scorched food items.
“Ah, Genji.” Tekhartha Mondatta turned to look at him only after the fire had been fully put out. “I do not believe we have done this ‘baking’ thing correctly.”
Sighing, Genji nodded. “I will try and remake it if you...”
“Agreed.”
Looking at the mess, Genji quickly gathered up what he needed, hoping that, perhaps, his limited cooking skills weren’t as horrible as he remembered them to be.
At the very least, he could make sure that he didn’t set something on fire, and besides, it was the thought that counted, right?
“Gwawr…” Genji didn’t know what it was that had happened or what it was that had caused this sort of response…and he also had no idea how to fix it.
The girl seemed to shrink in on herself at the sound of her name, but her eyes, all wide and brown and dilated, never left his face. There was something about her face that made his heart keen and clench and he didn’t know how parents and reasonable adults could handle such a gaze.
Perhaps that was why it was a good thing that he had never managed to end up with one of his own.
“Gwawr, would you like to come in?” He was not afraid to admit that he was not only out of his depth, but that he had no idea what it was that he was supposed to be doing. Had it not been made plain enough to those of high powers that he was not fit to be near a child? Was it not plain enough that he was proof enough that he would end up leading a child, any child really, down a path that they would not be able to turn back from and that which would lead them to something of pain and misery?
…You had to pick the three people that wouldn’t be the ‘marrying type’. OF ALL THE OTHERS THAT I LIKE ACROSS THE VARIOUS FANDOMS WHY THE THREE THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST PAINS IN MY ASS?!?!
*sigh* oh well
Fuck: Gambit
I’d fuck him because why the hell not? There’s also the chance that the one-night stand - because what else would ‘fuck’ in this game stand for? - is going to be rather enjoyable.
He’s a Casonova, he’ll probably seduce/romance his way into my bed, but once everything has been said and done - and mostly ‘done’ if you catch my meaning - that’ll probably be the last time I see him unless he gets hired to steal something or another from me.
Marry: Soldier: 76
If we were talking about just sex, that’s reason enough, because according to most fandoms, he is very experienced. That, and his ass is another reason. Mmhmm, that ass! If I marry him I’ll get full rights to grab and fondle as I please…but I’ll try and restrain myself to keeping it when we’re alone so he doesn’t feel as if he has to maintain a certain image in front of everyone.
Beyond that though, I’m willing to believe that, unlike Gambit, he’d be faithful. When he takes the marriage vows - whether in front of the rest of Overwatch or in a very private ceremony - he’d take them seriously.
Kill: Chase Young
I don’t see him as the type that would engage in random one-night stands or to actually marry someone. Despite those two things though, he sold his soul for power. Yeah, you could say he was egged into doing so, that his main reason for that particular action was jealousy…but that made me think. If he was willing to sell himself out just for the sake of something like ‘power’ or ‘jealousy’…what would that say if we did have a one-night stand and then I tried to move on? Would he jealously try to barge his way back into my life? Would he become possessive to the point that I’m afraid for my life?
That same thought process follows into the ‘marriage’ part of this game as well. If we married, would he be giving his word to bind himself to the vows? Or would he word his vows in a way that would make sure that he’d have some sort of loophole that he could wiggle his way out of some part of it that I would consider to be important, but that he, for one reason or another, wouldn’t?
Honestly…I don’t think I’d take that risk and I would save myself the uncertainty by killing him…somehow.
The actual plan for that might be a bit more difficult to both plan and pull off.
After having his dragon man-handled and learning some of the truth of Gwawratta’s past, Genji thought that he had gotten past the worst of whatever it was that came with living with…a child of unknown age, but definitely not yet in puberty.
And he was sincerely hoping that Tekhartha Mondatta or Tekhartha Zenyatta had a much better grasp on it than on some of the other subjects about humans - sleep being in the major one - because… Genji did not want to be the one to explain puberty and sex to anyone.
By now he had adjusted to the polyphasic schedule that his imōto and he had been certain that she couldn’t have done anything else that would…make him squirm or have his heart constrict or flex or break or anything else that seemed to happen whenever he found out something…new.
Though ‘new’ seemed to by synonymous with ‘distressing’, and Genji should have realized by now that it was usually during the night - or whenever the sun wasn’t up - that something ended up happening.
To indulge your love of S:76 ass, what HC/Scenario would you come up with if you actually took to opportunity to smack his butt, grope it and had to explain his ass is a magnet to you.
ooh la la! -insert cackling laughter here- tbh this is an interesting one, hmm, how to go about it? Though I’ll answer this in the first person
If there was one thing that I knew was going to happen, it was probably this.
Though can I say that being pinned to a wall, hands beside my head with Soldier: 76′s knee between my thighs and that being the only thing holding my dead weight just high enough to where my toes are barely touching the floor is fucking hot.
What made this all the hotter was when he leaned in closer, that visor getting close enough to where I could see his eyes narrow behind the orange slip of glass. Could he feel my blood start to pound in my veins? Or maybe the heat that was pooling just slightly where his knee anchored my body? Either way he was no where near amused right now and I couldn’t help but grin at him.
Why was I being pinned to the wall in a highly suggestive manner by my lover?
Easy.
Because this time he managed to catch me before I managed to take off after, once again, smacking his ass.
Apparently he didn’t like it.
“Didn’t take you for the exhibitionist type.” I watched his eyes narrow even more behind the visor, and we both knew why I said that. When I get nervous, even around those that I trust, I drawl out sexual quips, and if anyone tells you that they don’t get nervous when Soldier: 76 is glaring at them while having them pinned in one fashion or the other, feel free to call them out on that lie!
“You have thirty seconds to explain yourself.” Okay, I know I was in trouble now because his voice took that tone and I couldn’t help but swallow and try to pull back, but I couldn’t pull back because I was against a damn wall.
“C’mon, can you really be that mad that I smacked you?” God damn, but I was pretty sure his eyes had just darkened behind the visor. Yeah, he was not amused with me right now and I couldn’t help but sigh and flip my hands into the universal surrender. “Alright, fine. I like your ass and I couldn’t help myself.”
The crease in his brow became a bit more obvious and his glaring lost some of the heat in them. “Explain.” It was a request, not an order, and I couldn’t help but relax a bit in his grip. Well, he wasn’t angry anymore, but he wasn’t exactly happy either.
I couldn’t help but moan and look up at the ceiling, because, despite having been together for almost a year now, I had never told him what I found most attractive about him.
“I…your ass, 76… god damn it’s fine. I mean…when people say ‘hate for them to go, but love to watch them leave’, I never understood it…but then we met and I finally understood it.” I couldn’t look at him while I explained why I had been alternating between smacking his ass and getting a quick grab. “It’s…every time you turn around my eyes go straight down to your ass. Every time.” It was why I refused to go on the same mission as him.
If I was so distracted by his ass even from across the damn room, I couldn’t trust myself to watch his back on a damn mission.
I hadn’t realized I was back on my feet - still pinned to the wall though - until I felt him move my hands above my head and use the other hand to make me look at him, and his face was just far enough away that I couldn’t see his eyes anymore.
I wasn’t sure what his mood was right now because the creases in his brow were gone and his body language wasn’t giving anything away and I couldn’t help but give him a sheepish grin. “You have a really nice ass, and every time I see it just want to grab it or smack it, but I just want to touch it and I can’t help myself - “ His thumb moved to cover my lips and I obeyed the silent command to be silent.
“Well…at least you restrain yourself to when no one else is nearby.” I couldn’t help but blink at him because he sounded so damn amused that I was certain I was either dreaming or hallucinating.
I still wasn’t sure what to make of it all when he finally released my wrists and walked off.
And just like I had told him, my eyes went from staring incredulously at his back to staring fondly at his ass.
God damn I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to make a grab for it again.
HCs! Hanzo and McCree are taking their s/o out on a date. What do they choose to do, how does it go, and do they get a buncha kisses at the end?
hmm, this will be interesting. Considering I know how you like them, I’m gonna go with the way the request is worded.
McCree
Where they would go:
He’d choose to take them to lunch first
He’d take them somewhere public and comfortable, but not somewhere that’s considered a fast food restaurant.
It’d be somewhere that’s he more than familiar with the food items they serve, so if they want to know what’s good or what he’d recommend, he can answer in a heart beat.
Afterwards, he’s take them somewhere close by, but not so close that they can guess what he’s up to.
He’s a romantic about where he takes them next.
If the sun is still up and he’s not called back for emergency something or another, he’d take them over to an animal shelter and let them pick out that one animal that he somehow knows they’ve been wanting to get.
He’s been asking Genji to keep an eye on them when he’s away, and Genji told him about the animal and Jesse just don’t have the heart to say ‘no’.
How it goes:
It’d go great!
They’d both be cracking jokes and laughing and just making it something fun.
Might even share a bit of gossip about the Overwatch members, nothing too detailed, but just enough details to make them laugh or gasp or grin.
Genji is never gonna be able to forget about a certain mishap from the last mission.
When they realize what’s about to happen at the animal shelter, McCree has a bit of a mild panic attack because they start crying and they have to explain to him that they’re happy tears and not sad or upset.
After:
After the animal shelter and they have the new pet either in their arms or on a leash and at their side, McCree walks them back to their home where SURPRISE all the necessary supplies for the new pet is already in the hall and waiting to get set up.
He so owes Genji for this, because who else would he be able to ask and get all this stuff from so quickly without them being the wiser or ratting him out?
The cyborg is the best bro a man could ever ask for.
After everything is set up or put away and the animal is down for the night, Jesse takes their hand and, after making sure that he has eye contact, brushes his lips against the back of their knuckles.
They’d give him that breathless laugh that he loves so much and that makes his heart flip every time he hears it that he’s left a grinning loon when they bring him up from his half-bow for a real kiss.
Hanzo
Where they would go:
Somewhere quiet and secluded, but peaceful and colorful.
Think a public garden or a botanical park
He’d guide them around the area and murmur softly into their ear what certain plants, trees, or flowers are
Because he’s not an openly affectionate person, he’d use this time and this particular method to tell them what certain flowers mean or what characteristics people have given to certain trees.
“Ah, an aster. I was not sure if I would see this here. Some use it as a symbol love.”
“This is a red carnation, I do believe they stand for admiration.”
In all honesty, I see him having prepared this day well ahead of time, so by the time noon comes around, he’d guide them over towards a spot where a picnic is all set up in a way that would make their s/o either grin or sigh happily.
After lunch, he’d take them to another area, probably a part of the park or garden that is off limits
He’s a ninja, their security measures mean nothing to his skills.
Then he’d show them the things that most people really wouldn’t get to see
They wouldn’t be leaving until well after the moon is up, and even then he’d take them to this neat little spot where the moon reflects just right off of a river or a pond or whatever body of water the place has.
How it goes:
Surprisingly, it goes rather well.
Hanzo hadn’t been sure if they would have enjoyed themselves there, but is relieved and delighted that they did, and would feel a bit of pride because he set this up all on his own, thank you very much.
“Genji, I am aware of how to set up a date.”
“Are you sure brother? I can offer to help make this go smoothly.”
After:
He’d give them a small book and inside would be a few flowers that he had pressed, along with quite a few empty pages.
The flowers would all be something that, after a bit of research, would be found to have something to do with affection, love, luck, and fondness.
Over the next few weeks, flowers would mysteriously find their way onto their desk, each one would have a handwritten note on their meaning.
The camellias are probably the most favored of all the ones that get put into the book, because they’re always left with a note saying “gift to a man”, “longing for you”, “flame in my heart”.
The carnations are a close second with their notes of “my heart aches for you”, “pure love”.
The next time they see him - actually see him, because he’s a damn ninja and it’s often difficult to catch sight of him and corner him - since the date, he has a primrose in hand and is in the middle of writing the note.
He’ll flush a bright red when innocently asked what this one means.
He won’t be able to bring himself to say it out loud, so he’ll finish writing it down and then look away while offering both the flower and the note to them
The note reads: “I can’t live without you”
It’s the biggest confession he’ll ever be able to make and they both know this and pull him in for one of their sweetest kisses ever shared between them.
To be fully honest, I think I’d pair you with Kakashi Hatake from Naruto.
He’s a young adult that’s seen too much shit in life and had too much shit dumped onto his shoulders that he has literally become the job because that is all that he knows how to do. Reading porn is probably the only way he can make himself feel like he’s human, because he can pretend to be one of the characters in the book and have ‘human interaction’ that way without fear of hurting those that somehow get close.
With your personality, I think you’d be good at getting him to be and feel more human, to actually open up and joke around too. On his end though, he’d be good for conversation, and if he doesn’t know what you’re talking about, he’ll do some research on it and then talk to you about it, or have you explain it all to him and then try it out to see if it’s one of those ‘couple things’ that you both can do.
Genji offered his hand down to Gwawratta and she reached up, grasping his forearm before moving with him, letting him pull her to her feet. Her tail coiled up slightly at the end, just enough to raise it above the ground and she occupied her hands by dusting herself off.
“As I told Winston, I have important information for you, but because of the nature of it, as well as the fact that I was caught, I needed to be removed from the area.” Gwawratta couldn’t help but blurt it out, suddenly unsure of how to act around them all.
“Well love, we’d love to hear what you found!” Gwawratta couldn’t help but pause, staring at the…cheerful woman from the corner of her eye. The tip of her tail flicked a bit and she was simply glad that the coding for the lights on it were, currently, turned ‘off’.
This part might have a few Trigger Warnings for people. Caution is advised for what is both implied and stated.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
The seemingly endless energy of a child would never cease to amaze Genji, even as he watched Gwawratta chase his dragon around the yard, rasping something too quickly for him to hear, a long red ribbon trailing from her hand and behind her while his dragon, mouth wide open and grinning as it ran away from her. Too fast to be caught, but slow enough to still be within easy reach, as if to tease Gwawratta with the closeness.
As an extension of his true self, Genji had not realized how fond he was of Gwawratta until he saw his dragon indulge the child in every energetic and childish whim that she seemed to have.
This part might have a few Trigger Warnings for people. Caution is advised for what is both implied and stated.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
The seemingly endless energy of a child would never cease to amaze Genji, even as he watched Gwawratta chase his dragon around the yard, rasping something too quickly for him to hear, a long red ribbon trailing from her hand and behind her while his dragon, mouth wide open and grinning as it ran away from her. Too fast to be caught, but slow enough to still be within easy reach, as if to tease Gwawratta with the closeness.
As an extension of his true self, Genji had not realized how fond he was of Gwawratta until he saw his dragon indulge the child in every energetic and childish whim that she seemed to have.
Outside was only slightly colder than the inside, and at this point in his time here in Nepal, Genji no longer noticed the temperature difference. What he did notice was that Gwawratta had, in her excitement and eagerness to wake him up, she had forgotten to wear shoes.
Sighing softly to himself, Genji simply allowed her to drag him towards… if his mental map of Shambali was correct, then they were heading towards one of the larger courtyards that often doubled as a training yard. Why they needed to be in the training yard before the sun had even peeked up over the smallest of the mountain tops he hadn’t the slightest clue, and even now he found himself mourning the loss of his bed.
He was only vaguely aware that Gwawratta was still talking, but it was in that fast, excited speak that only children seemed capable of having and producing that he couldn’t figure out what she was saying. Just trying to focus on what she was saying often left his head and mind reeling.
Had his brother felt like this on the few occasions Genji had managed to actually convince him to leave his bed for some bit of childish fun? If it was, he would have to offer a great many apologizes.
Genji’s first clue that something was amiss was when he woke to the feel of something poking his human arm.
Repeatedly.
With his eyes still closed, Genji simply reached over and lightly swatted at the offending hand. He could still feel his body telling him to rest some more, and he was in full agreement. He might have muttered something while he did so, but for now he settled for rolling over onto his side and dragging his blanket up a little higher.
A huff of air sounded somewhere behind him now before his bed lifted a bit, notifying him that whoever had been poking him had gotten off his bed and would, hopefully, be leaving him to sleep.
Such was not the case.
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