Grimes - Be a Body || Lyrics
Everyone (in the most literal sense of the word) had rough nights.
In that light, no one could fault Genji for what appeared, almost, to be a step backwards. Jesse certainly couldn’t. He himself seemed to take a step backwards for every one he took forward. He did not relate, not fully. A new arm was not the same as a new body. And ghost pains, dreams of both arms, were nowhere near whatever level of foreign Genji experienced, managed. Jesse did not envy him, did not relate on a level where he could help much with words, but he could be there, and so that’s what he’d do.
Genji watched his own synthetic hands flex robotic fingers, as though he couldn’t fully register that they were his own. He pressed them to the cheek of his mask, did not react as Jesse sat down next to him. Not visibly, anyways, from what Jesse could tell. A sigh came from the outlaw, quiet. Grounding, is what the other needed. Reminder that he was himself. Physical. So Jesse reached out, gave comfort how he knew how to- grounded how he grounded himself- rested his hand on the other’s arm, slid it towards his shoulder. He felt Genji tense.
“Jesse-” Genji’s tone was almost a hiss, strained instead of aggressive. It caught Jesse’s attention easily, “Please. Don’t.”
And Jesse’s hand was gone, instantly, retracted back to his lap and safely away from the other. He did not let the rejection hurt- it wasn’t for himself. He took his gaze off the other, forward, and thought for a silent moment. And then he started speaking. Not of anything in particular, or even advice. He just… talked. About the day. How he felt about the dinner they were served that evening. How Angela had pestered him with yet another self-quit book for his ‘lil’ smoking habit. A distraction. Something to listen to, bring Genji back.
He continued even as he felt the other shift behind him, maybe relax. He continued even when he felt Genji reach out, put a hand on his knee. Progress. He continued, talked into the night, smiled when Genji started replying. He’d talk as long as necessary.
