#Genji would not believe me if I told him about this

[kakusu-shipping]

The Fight

Trying to pick up the pace a little bit, but I'm not very good at writing action so this might be a bit clunky. Please excuse me.

Mountain's Peak (Part 1)

Nepal Sanctum (Part 2)

Talk it out (Part 3)

In which we let it all out

Ramattra found his brother exactly where he expected to; Tucked away on the highest roof top of the Monastery's temples, an old withered place few monks visited simply for the egregious amount of single wide stairs clearly poorly placed by the original builders.

"Brother Mondatta is looking for you," Ramattra spoke with no worry of startling his brother, positive Zenyatta had already sensed his approach at least three levels down. The fact that he hadn't run was a good sign.

"He can look a while longer.." Zenyatta replied, relaxing from his curled up position to allow his legs to dangle over the edge of the building.

Ramattra sat himself down beside his brother, taking a moment to appreciate the view. The sun was setting, stars had started to dot the soft pink sky. From this high up, one could truly see on into forever if they desired to.

"You hit the human..." Ramattra finally pressed, giving a glance to Zenyatta, who curled back in on himself slightly.

"I did."

"You said you would only use what I taught you in self defense."

"I did not use what you taught me, dear brother. I used my fist."

Ramattra couldn't help the slight chuckle hearing his elder defend himself so sharply released. If he could still shoot back, then he couldn't be all that tore up about what he'd done.

"Mondatta will expect an apology when we finally return."

"I did nothing to him." Zenyatta once again uncurled himself, his legs once more dangling over the building's edge as he relaxed into the flow of conversation with Ramattra.

"To the human, Brother."

Zenyatta released a loud, dramatic sigh noise, clunking his head into Ramattra's shoulder. "I would rather be placed on cattle clean up for the next 7 years."

Ramattra chuckled once again, "And I would love to assist you with such chores, but that is not Mondatta's way."

"No... I suppose not..." Zenyatta's voice softened as he once more pulled his knee to his chest, placing a hand on the ground next to Ramattra for balance.

Ramattra found his hand placed gently over his brother's, keeping his sensors locked to the stars as he leaned his head atop Zenyatta's.

With the sunrise the brothers would make their way back down to the village, they'd catch Master Mondatta on his way back from his morning meditation, when the monastery is silent and the human is still asleep. Zenyatta would give his apology, and be given laundry duty in return, with Ramattra would happily assist with despite Mondatta's preaching on how one must face their misdoings on their own.

That would all come tomorrow. For tonight, the two sat peacefully on the temple roof top, hands intertwined in a painfully human way, counting stars until the sun arose the next morning.

That stare made everyone in the monastery uncomfortable. Bright red eyes that only ever saw the monks as who they were, what they had been made for, how they'd failed or succeeded at a task that had been forced upon them.

It was sickening.

Across from Zenyatta stood the human, shouldering off thick layers of cloth and robes and scarves until only one remained, tied tightly off at his waist by a cream orange cincture belt. He then removed the thick, straw woven snow boots Mondatta had made for him, stepping bare foot into the chalk drawn circle of the training area, holding his hands up in a ready pose.

He'd kept his eyes locked on Zenyatta, not in a glare of malice, or even his usual annoying fascination, but a neutral look that challenged him without words.

Ramattra's hand grabbed tightly to the back on Zenyatta's upper robe. He was shaking. He was going to stop this.

Zenyatta shoulder off his brother's grasp and the robe along with it, leaving him in only his pants and the red cloth he'd kept tied around his waist.

Stepping into the ring, Zenyatta stood wide and placed his palm against the human's, keeping their gaze locked.

"If you win, I'll leave. Permanently. And I'll tell every human I meet they're not welcome here." Emile spoke evenly, despite the rapid pulse Zenyatta could feel coming from their freezing fleshy hand.

He tilted his head in amusement, "And what will you get if you happen to win?"

This was the sort of confrontation that would usually draw this particular human to tears, so it was quiet the shock to see him hold together while speaking. "You can decide that when it happens."

'When' Zenyatta thought on, wrapping his fingers around the human's small hand. It was cold, and soft, and easily crushable in even the flimsiest of Omnic hands.

"Usually a match is called when one is forced from the ring, but that feels a touch too easy, wouldn't you agree?" The human nodded along with Zenyatta's proposal, "So we keep going until one of us taps, agreed?"

Zenyatta watch the human give a small nod once more

And then kicked them as hard as he could right in the stomach

Emile flew out of the ring, scratching to a stop along the stone flooring. He hacked and coughed, gripping onto his stomach. If he'd eaten anything for the past few days he surly would have hurled it up.

"Get up." Zenyatta spoke from the ring. The human did as commanded, pulling himself up on shaky legs. He did not glare at Zenyatta for landing the first blow, he did not look on in fear for how much stronger his opponent was, he did not bask in awe at how mighty a kick it was. He kept his neutral expression.

And that pissed Zenyatta off worse than anything else.

Blow after blow, the human continued to get back up. Even after he'd started spitting up blood. Even after his glasses were shattered on the stone ground, rendering him near blind. Even after he'd stopped being able to feet his fingers in toes in the cold and after his arm stopped moving and after his ankle had made such a horrible crack and swollen to the size of an orange.

And even after Zenyatta still stood perfectly pristine.

Emile hadn't landed a blow on his opponent. Zenyatta was starting to doubt he was even trying to. Had he even raised his hand once to the monk? Had all he done was stand there and take Zenyatta's blows?

Zenyatta clenched his fists, "Get Up." He demanded, as he had over and over again, to the human laying still on the stone before him. "Get Up and Hit Me."

Emile's form shook as he pushed himself up with only one arm, his white hair dangling before his face, tips red from his own blood. As commanded he got up on shaky legs once more and looked to Zenyatta with those red eyes that pierced into his history, a history he'd been trying so hard to ignore, to hide and run away from.

"Get up." Zenyatta demanded again after landing a hard hit right into the human's nose. It was broken for sure.

Emile did as commanded.

"Brother, that is enough-" Ramattra reached to grab Zenyatta, to put an end to this, but stopped inches away.

"It's not enough..."

The human's voice was ragged, breathless and broken and shaking. He sounded on the brink of death.. He very well might have been.

"It's not... enough...."

Blood mixed with tears down Emile's face, big wet eyes stared at Zenyatta, making the Omnic hesitate.

Ramattra wouldn't dare touch a human, but he made a motion like he was going to either way, "Human you cannot take much more, please just call it-"

"I CAN'T." Emile's voice cracked, he coughed, and took a step just to keep himself from collapsing, "I can't... it's not... enough... yet...."

The human but his hand on his wrist, and Zenyatta found himself mimicking the motion. His finger tips touched delicately at his exposed arm wire, one of many fragile pieces of himself he'd been forced to show to the world after nearly loosing his life before coming here.

He could still feel the human's cold finger tips on it...

"it's not... enough... to... ma...ke up.. for what... i..."

His body was too heavy, everything hurt, and the world was spinning.. In his last few moments of consciousness Emile braced himself for one more cold embrace from the stone steps of the battle field..

And instead found warmth...

[nyaagolor]

Umineko Chapter 1 Theory Crafting

I promised I would do this so here we go: a semi-realtime theory crafting post about Umineko! I'll be making one of these for every chapter and possibly updating as we go. I'll be organizing these based on smaller mysteries that I have some ideas about.

How did Kinzo get out of his room / what's the deal with the receipt trick? This might be a bit of a cop-out, and maybe I'm just Higurashi-pilled, but I don't think Natsuhi is a reliable narrator and isn't recounting truthful events. This is mostly based on the "evidence" that He Would Not Fucking Say That, but I think Kinzo was out of the room long before Natsuhi arrived. She just hallucinated him-- there's no mystery because Kinzo never had to escape the room at all. SHE thinks she's being truthful though

What's the deal with the servant switching schedule? This is less a theory and more me wondering what the hell is going on with the group of them. We were told that Krauss switched the schedule, but we see Eva meeting with the servants for unknown reasons despite likely not having been privy to said schedule. So did Eva switch it? Did Gohda do it so he could slack off? Did Genji due it to protect Shannon/Kanon? I don't know, and I'm not entirely sure if it's even relevant, but I've been thinking about it regardless.

Why were only Krauss and Shannon left un-pulverized? Considering both of them have a relation to Natsuhi, specifically some bad associations / reflections of her insecurities, I assume this is related to her in some way at least on a thematic level. Whether this is an attempt to disturb / call out to her specifically or a clue that she's the culprit and has a connection to the mystery I don't know, but I think at least on a narrative level it's supposed to bring her to mind.

Who put the letter on the table / why did Natsuhi leave the parlor? This woman is tripping balls and imagined both of them. She mentions "putting canned food on the table" at the same time we see the letter appear, and shoots once but only hits herself. I am currently under the impression that Natsuhi is delerious-- whether or not she committed any of the murders is questionable, but I do think she's suffering from at least mild hallucinations throughout the night and her POV can't be relied on as an accurate testimony.

Why do the servants genuinely seem to believe that Beatrice was in the room with them when talking to Battler? They don't, and they're not looking at "Beatrice", they're looking at Maria. She's in the room and they don't want to make the situation worse by upsetting her, so they're hoping that Battler will recognize what they're talking about when he realizes Maria is in the room. Unfortunately he's dumb as bricks so this was doomed to fail, but that's what they were going for, I think

What happened in the boiler room? Gas Leak.

I have literally no ideas about the Eva/Hideyoshi murder beyond "smth smth mangets" and nothing for the shed murders beyond "maybe Natsuhi hallucinated and got a little silly with it". I don't think Beatrice was in this loop but maybe she was. I don't know. I don't do mysteries I'd rather talk about Natsuhi's deeply gendered self esteem issues. Also I think this bio is Beatrice speaking to Natsuhi and that the spirit mirror is somehow implicated in that whole duel scene because Beatrice is exacerbating her insecurities to the point of her completely fucking losing it, but that's an issue for another time

[hyugaruma]

Re: Who's the strongest among the HiLO characters: Amamiya Takeru is definitely one of the strongest if not the strongest character within the franchise. Remember how Tatsuya told the Sannoh kids that even though Hiroto and Masaki are strong that Takeru is fighting on a whole other level. Meanwhile, Masaki and Kohaku are more or less a draw, while Hiroto and Cobra (and Yamato) are also a draw (though I do think that Hiroto is stronger than them). Hiroto and Ice are pretty much also a draw for that matter.

Going by The Live and the fight they had, Ryu is on equal footing with Genji (but only because Ryu uses a sword, while Genji is a terminator even without a weapon). Meanwhile it takes both Amamiya bros to beat Genji, while Kohaku and Genji are kinda a draw I guess (which is actually insane if you think about the fighting power).

Rocky is stronger than Ranmaru, but somehow weaker than Jesse, though that could've been because Jesse caught Rocky off guard. Jesse and Cobra are a draw in my books because their fight was interrupted.

Now Smokey... I do believe given the altercation between Daruma and Rude Boys (+Yamato's involvement in that fight), that Rude is holding back in their fighting. Like, the only reason things looks so bad for them in the Doubt fight was because Doubt used a dirty trick with the broken bottles. And while we don't have confirmation on who was the one handing the finishing blow that killed Smokey, we can say that it was not Nikaido with his sword because they were "only" bruises on Smokey's body. I mean, the only person with a name who would have all the reason to finish Smokey off to gain something from it is Kirinji. Not saying that it was him (because it was most likely a group effort), but we do know that the other Dragons consider the Iemura guys as people who do the dirty work and are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Cobra, Murayama and Hyuga are more or less on equal footing, though I guess Murayama would be held back by his crush on Cobra, while Hyuga has gone a lil soft since he saw the light.

As for the new kids, Raoh is #1, than Sachio, Fujio is in third place, then Ryo, and Todoroki is very close behind (I would pay good money to see a fight with him and any of the other guys).

I guess Odajima is stronger than Jinkawa (he is quick on his feet which gives him a certain edge), but only because we haven't really seen a proper fight of Jinkawa.

Someone I can't place for the life of me is Amagai. He seems to know how to throw a punch, but Tsukasa is definitely stronger than him.

Also, while we're at it, Binzo is an absolute wildcard and someone I would compare with Hyuga and Murayama in terms of always getting back to his feet. I mean, Odajima did say that Binzo is apparently the second strongest after Raoh within Suzuran (while implying that he's probably as strong as Todoroki).

Before I forget it, the Ichigo Milk girls all agree that Naomi is a stronger fighter than any of them, which doesn't say much, but considering that she grew up with both Tatsuya and Kohaku, I will say that she is strong, especially since she was ready to throw hands with both Rocky and Doubt.

I will not comment on The Sengoku stage since it both contains spoilers, but also given that twist/reveal, it could very much change certain power rankings (if you wish to know, I can reveal the twist which while it doesn't spoil the stage, it does impact something else in relation to the modern day HiLO characters).

!! Definitely agree on the Amamiya bros, Ice, Kohaku, and Genji being up there. Those are the ones I would have put at the top of my list

It’s hard to say with Ryu because I feel like we’d need to see him fight without the sword

I’d also need to see Jesse fight more. One interrupted battle between him and Cobra isn’t really enough to tell, but, he was strong enough to become the top in the worst prison, sooo that has to account for something

I’m sure Amagai is strong but technically we never even got to see him in a one-on-one fight (rolling my eyes he’s such a little baby). We literally only see him beat people who have already been beaten down

Totally unrelated side note that has nothing to do with the strongest characters but I would love to see Hyuga, Murayama, and Binzo all hangout (or fight); they would have such a good dynamic

[theshimadaslovers]

IBA - INSPIRED BY ART

(HANZO X FEM!YOU)

I Care About Him

(IBA from: @azu21 - Thank you darling for the idea, I hope you like it! ~)

Summary:You're a new agent of overwatch, it has been good five months since you arrived, picked by finger by the only ones Jack Morrison and Vivian Soujourn. With the time, you notice a man that is always walking with Genji, but far away from him... He was lonely and quite. It bothers you, you knew something.

(artist: couldn't find it, sorry :-:)

*Ana Amari is sitting in her desk in her room, reading some old papers about the null sector and Talon, she heard a knock, without taking her attention, she said... *

Ana- Come in...

You *slowly open* Ana...? Are you busy?

Ana- *Look at you and smile* Hi, darling, how are you? Come! Tak a sit, I'm just reading some old files.

You - Okay... *go to her desk sitting in front of her* I want to ask you about this man... The one who always walk with Genji.

Ana- Hanzo? *chuckles* Why you don't talk to him?

You- I want to, you know that I want to know everyone better in overwatch...

Ana- But?

You- He seems... Not really social...?

Ana- *sighs* He pass through hard times. He's a gentle man, smart and talented, but... Is very hard for him to get together with the rest.

You - Is that because of something?

Ana- You know why Genji is half robot?

You- No...

Ana- Hanzo was forced to do that with him, manipulated. They're brothers, y/n.

You- Wha...?! *suprised* He...! He did that with his own brother?!

Ana- Forced to. Genji forgive him, but Hanzo still needs to forgive himself. Imagine, have to grown up only obeying, no mother and no childhood, only to be the next Shimada's leader, have your own father murdered and later, be forced to kill your own brother. Genji told us his story, we embrace Hanzo here to he understand that he can be forgive.

You- Oh... That's why he is always with Genji.

Ana- He is a broken man, y/n, we can't imagine his pain and still lives on the past. You should try to talk to him.

You- Something about him makes me care about... I... Feel something so sad about him.

Ana- *chuckles* You really have the gift, don't you?

*Later in the corridor, you were walking to find Jack about the new mission that would be in a few weeks. You spot Hanzo coming in your direction in small steps while reading something in a digital tablet, he pass by you and you turn around*

You- Hi, Hanzo!

Hanzo- Hm? *He turned surprised* Oh, hello... Can I help you?

You- Just want to ask how are you doing *smirk*

Hanzo- I'm good... Thank you *he seems a little confused* You... Are the new agent, right?

You- Yeah, it's me. By the way, have you seen Jack somewhere? I can't find him, i need to ask something about the mission.

Hanzo- I can try to help you...

You- He didn't told me with who I'm going to be with, my duo.

Hanzo- Ah... It's actually me.

You- What? Really? *chuckles* Lucky me! ~ thanks! See you later! *you turn around walking away*

Hanzo- Lucky...? *smirk*

Genji- Brother! *appears at the corridor walking in his direction* Do you know you're duo?

Hanzo- Yes, I just talk to her, actually.

Genji- Heeer... ~ Hmmm hehehe! *Give him a slap on his arm* I know who is it!

Hanzo- *smile* You check the files again, don't you?

Genji- No, Ana told me earlier. Didn't need to. So! Y/n, right?

Hanzo- Yes.

Genji- You lucky bastard! *laughs* She's the nicest.

Hanzo- She looks to young...

Genji- What?

Hanzo- I don't know if I can get along with such a young girl.

Genji- Young... How young you think she's?

Hanzo- Like... 17?

Genji- *laughs* She have my age!

Hanzo- What?! She looks so... 16 or 17.

Genji- Don't be nervous in stay around her, she's nice, smart, mature... Pretty and sexy...

Hanzo- *sighs*... Genji, I'm not going to date anyone. Or fall in love.

Genji- You suck.

*At the reunion room*

Jack- *walking in front of a huge screen* Everybody read the file, I believe. We detect a signal not far away, from Null Sector, is coming from the north, we believe that they may having a hidden base somewhere, we'll let 5 duos in the territory to find where this signal is coming from. The rest of us will be in touch far and near...

Soujourn - Is not the first time that we detect this signal from the north... We need to act now and figure it out.

Cass- Captain, today I have a mission with the Shimada's bros here in five hours, is there any update?

Soujourn- It will be sent it to your system's in a few minutes.

Hanzo- It has being sent it... *reading the file on the tablet*

Soujourn- Well... I would like to send y/n together for her abilities to this mission, but we need you for this one Cassidy.

Cass- No problem, ma'am *smirk* So the Hashimotos are making a mess in Kanezaka again.

Genji- Kiriko and tracer is there has being two weeks, we need to act.

Hanzo- The updates are not good... Captain, by any chance, can we go earlier?

Soujourn- Yes, any time. The ship is ready.

*outside the room, after the reunion, you walk to Hanzo talking to Cassidy about the mission. Cassidy notice you coming and finish his conversation with Hanzo walking away*

You- Hey, partner.

Hanzo- *he turns and smirk* Hello.

You- I came to wish you lucky *Give him little taps on his arm* I'll be waiting for you! Hope we can get along easily ~

Hanzo- Yes, me too *smiles and hear someone calling* Oh, I have to go! It was great to meet you! *he walk fast going to the ship*

You- *take deep breath* Why I'm so worry?

Ana- You two make a great duo~

You- *little jumpscare* Jesus, Ana...great duo? Really? *smile*

Ana- Yes, I mean in many ways... Romantically...

You- *blush* Ana! I barely know this man!

Ana- I know what I'm saying *chuckles* I know you both very well~ *walk away laughing*

*in the ship*

Hanzo- *looking at the updates again*...

Cass- Hey, partner... *Look at him reading* You're a really systematic with missions, aren't ya?

Hanzo- I'm worry about Kiriko and her mother... I hope both are safe.

Cass- Doesn't she hates you?

Hanzo- *Look at him* Who? Kiriko? *sighs* Yes, but... I don't hate her, she's my sister.

Cass- He got some big family issues... *whispers* Well! I've heard from a sparrow that you're in a duo with my sweet pumpkin y/n.

Hanzo- Sweet... Pumpkin? You're dating her?

Cass- Nope, but I wish! *laughs* You're lucky.

Hanzo- *laughs* Is she that amazing?

Cass- The sparrow said that you'll not fall in love, never. She'll make you change your mind. She's cute, sexy, funny, everything good in one woman. Do you have any type of woman, archer?

Hanzo- *chuckles feeling shy* N-no, I do not... I... I'm focusing on the mission, actually.

Cass- No type of woman? *chuckles* Come on, big man! You're handsome and smart! Women loooves that! You should try to live again this type of things.

Genji- PS; He's a virgin.

Jack- *holding laugh* Oh fuck...!

Hanzo- *take a deep breath closing his eyes* So... This is the sparrow.

Cass- *Still looking at him* How the fuck is this man virgin?! *Look at Genji* I though he had a lot of women!

Hanzo- *hide his face behind the tablet*...!! No! I did not had a single woman...! And it's ok! *take a deep breath blushing* There's nothing wrong in be virgen.

Cass-... *go back to Hanzo* So you... Play?

Hanzo- What?

Genji - HAHAA!

Jack- Leave the man alone, Cassidy! *laughing*

Cass- I have to know! He's weird! So... Hanzo... Do you like...? *make movements of masturbation*

Hanzo- *blushing* Ca...! Can you stop?!!

Cass- Yes or no!

Hanzo- I won't answer! This is absur...!

Cass- YES OR NO 3 2 1!

Hanzo- YES OF COURSE!

Genji- HAHAA HAHAHA...!!! *Inhales* I'm dying!!

Hanzo- Shut up, Genji!

Cass- Everybody does, Hanzo, you dumb *slap his head laughing* This is ain't a tabu anymore or a dirty secret. Y/n will be your first.

Hanzo- Can't you stop?! *super shy~ super shy~*

*a week later, they came back*

You- *find Reinhardt* Rein!

Rein- *hold a mug of coffee and smile* Oh! Haha! Hello, my friend!

You- They came back from the mission, right? Hanzo, Cassidy...

Rein- Yes! I only saw Hanzo going to the infirmary, all hurt! The doctors are not here today, but he said that he knows what to do.

You- He's hurt? I'll check him! Thanks!

*Getting into the infirmary, you saw Hanzo bandaging himself in the middle of the room, his top body of full naked and you could notice his wounds o his back, arms and face. He notices you and look over his shoulder*

Hanzo- Oh, hello *he turns to you finishing to bandage his arm* Something happened?

You- *look at him up and down worried* I should be asking you that...

Hanzo- Ah this? *he chuckles looking at his bruises* I had to fight with the gang, Kiriko was... *he realizes you ere worried with him, making him confused* I...I had to beat up some bad guys, that's all.

You- I guess they beat you up back *you walk to him holding the bandage on his hands* Let me help you.

Hanzo- But I win...! *you turn him back to look at the bruises on his back, but he felt a awful pain in the ribs, but didn't let you notice* I...won, i'm ok.

You- Yeah, but still got bruises and did you break something? It seems like you can't keep your back straight *starts to touch his torso trying to find something, but when you press both side of the ribs...*

Hanzo- ARGH...! *he hold your hands* Sorry...! *he let it go*

You- How many ribs?

Hanzo- Maybe...three? *laugh nervously* You don't need to worry, I'm...! *you go find something like a pain ointment* I...what are you doing?

You- Got it *you go back to him with a cream* You should lie down.

Hanzo- Actually, I prefer like that... *you start to carefully put the cream in the hematomes and ribs area* ... you got soft hands for that.

You- I don't want you to feel more pain. *sighs still worried*

Hanzo- You barely know me, why helping?

you- First, you're my partner now, second, you're hurt. Aren't we friends?

Hanzo- Friends...? *he smirk* I guess we are.

*you bandage all his torso and stand in front of him looking at his face bruises*

You- They are mean in hurt such a pretty face... *you hold it getting in your tip toes*

Hanzo- *blush noticing how close you were* It's not hurting anymore...

You- Can you try to sit down? *you make a puppy face*

Hanzo- Why she wants to take care of me so bad...?

*he sigh and pick up a chair having difficult to sit under the ribs pain, but he do it for you. You stand pretty close, between his legs, what makes him completly nervous and shy, you make him look up to you while you also pass some pain cream on the hematomas*

Hanzo- *swallow dry looking away*

You- Is something hurting in your face? Nose? apple cheek? Something?

Hanzo- Just the cut in mu lips... *he said shyly*

You- Oh, didn't notice that... let me see. *you gently hold his face looking at the cut* Is not that bad.

Hanzo- So awkward... but I can't lie, is good to be taken care of by someone like her.

You- Maybe... *she step away getting a clean cloth and going to the sink soaking a little bit* Just a cleaning... *you go back to him, holding his face with one hand and the other cleaning the wound*

Hanzo- *his eyes get stucked in you for a while* Are you a nurse?

You- *laughs* No, I'm not...why?

Hanzo- *smile* Wanna be my nurse?

You- *look at him in surprise and laugh shyly* What? Why's that?

Hanzo- I don't really trust someone to take care of my wounds... but, you're good.

You- You like my profissionalism?

Hanzo- Yes, I do *chuckles* Should've know her before...

You- What is he doing? *you hold a smile* He keep looking at me...

Hanzo- Ah... I've heard that Cassidy calls you "pumpkin"...do you have something with him?

You- *chuckles* No, we don't... he may feel something, but he's like a big brother to me.

Hanzo- Right...*smirk* Aaah...As a partner, wanna drink something later?

You- Not before you heal *gave him little taps on his cheek and wawlking away*

Hanzo- Not alcohol...maybe a coffee.

You- *smirk and looking at him* Well...but you have to lie down.

Hanzo- Whatever my nurse says, I'll do it *smile*

You- Stop~ *you laugh shyly putting the cloth in the sink* Wanna help to stand up?

Hanzo- Yes, please.

*You go to him letting him put his arm under your shoulders, you wrap one arm around his torso trying not to touch the ribs area and he gets up in pain*

Hanzo- Aw...! *he growls feeling a strong twinge lefting all his weight on you*

You- Oh shit...! Wait! *You felt your legs failing* You're heavy! *Start to push him with you to the infirmary stretcher* Ok! Try to support yourself here!

Hanzo- I'm so sorry…! Oh…! *He lose his balance and tries not to make you fall to the ground, so he pull you aside let you fell in the stretcher while he was on top with his hands supported on the stretcher looking straight to your face in shook* So sorry! *he blush*

You- *suprised* Well...I didn't fell to the ground, thanks... *blush*

Soujourn- Hanzo, are you go...*she enters the infermary seeing the awkward scene* Ok...what the hell is happening? *she hold her smile*

Hanzo- Vivian! I...! *tries to get up but feels the pain* Dammit!

You- Captain! Can you help me with him, please? He got some broken ribs.

Soujourn- Ok *chuckles picking up Hanzo and he sat on the stretcher* You don't need to make a excuse for the situation, y/n.

You- Wha..? No! No no no! *laughs nervously* It was a accident!

Soujourn- Haha! Accident? Pretty soap opera scene to be a accident! *chuckles* No need to hide...everyone knows already.

Hanzo and you- What?

Soujourn- What what? *smirk* You two have a...connection. Specially Hanzo! Genji told everyone that you always looked at y/n.

You- He wha...? *blush and look at him*

Hanzo- I...! I-I! No! *lauhging nervously* Is not like that! I ju-just...!

Soujourn- And he said that you're a awful liar. *cross her arms and smile, he shut up looking to the ground completly blush* I'm just saying this to let you guys know that we let those thingd happen between co-workers. Love is never a fault, there's no need to hide from us.

You- Bu-but...*swallow dry* Yeah...ok. *look away*

Soujourn- Hanzo, I need you to rest and heal your ribs, I'll let y/n supervise you *wink and smile stepping out of the room*

*A awkward silence*

You-... *take a deep breath* So...

Hanzo- I'm sorry.

You- For what?

Hanzo- Look at you like a damn stalker... *hide his face on his hands*

You- Oh no... no no, there's no need to apologize...*smirk* Is kind cute.

Hanzo- What? *look at you*

You- Depends in wich way you're looking at me. How do you see me?

Hanzo- *swallowed dry, he could not lie or pretend this time* Well...Always sees you as a beautiful attractive woman, smart, independent, strong... *take a deep breath* I promised to myself to never felt attracted by someone. But...you appeared! *laugh nervously* Is...kind funny.

You- *smirk and blush* ...coffee later?

Hanzo- *surprised and smile shyly looking away* Aaah...yeah, sure.

(artist: couldn't find it eaither, pinterest dosent help me :-:)

If anyone wants a part 2, comment down belooow~

[cyberbirb-arts]

Accompanying piece to a Gency ficlet under the cut! :D

Angela would tirelessly dedicate a good portion of her week to monitor Genji's enhancements, double-checking his oxygen levels and considering new filtration systems for his biotic fluids. She then worried about the adjustments to his cyborg body and new pain medications, second-guessing her own decisions one too many times.

But Genji always reassured Angela that everything was fine, and that if there were any issues he'd tell her at once. He did not like seeing her so stressed and anxious.

He fondly remembers their late night conversations, sharing a dish of her favorite apple pie and cups of stale coffee. He'd listen to Angela ramble for hours about the same subject, boredom never crossing his mind. How much sleep she was getting exactly, however...

Genji found her too often collapsed at her desk; glasses somehow tossed on the floor, papers and documents scattered across, and her tablet dangerously hanging off the edge. He quietly retrieved her readers and caught the tablet in time. He carefully placed a cushion under her cheek and draped a small blanket over her shoulders. It's the least Genji could do, he didn't want to disturb her workspace.

He believed that she always had wings, even without her field suit. But angels needed their rest, too.

"Take care of your own needs as you do for others," he told her. "Please don't leave yourself out."

"I know," she smiled genuinely. "I appreciate you looking out for me."

That evening she was wide awake and the moonlight complimented her pale blonde hair so beautifully, it seemed like tiny golden halos were escaping the loose ponytail. Genji called her ethereal to himself, even as she apologized about her smudged eyeliner and tired, weary smile – all evidence of long hours and few breaks. And the extra coffee probably wasn't the greatest idea. So, her picture-taking skills were a bit clumsy with shaking fingers until Genji held up the other end of the phone.

She waved at him through the screen and started the countdown for the photo timer, but Genji noticed some pie crumbs on her chin.

"Hold still, Angela...", he whispered, using the softest part of his pinky finger to swipe them away.

She laughed, "Quite the professional I am."

"...The best one I know."

She met his gaze, and suddenly Genji wished he didn't plan his return trip to Nepal to contemplate consciousness; a place so far away from the one he could never call home anymore, bearing witness to the great blanket of stars enveloping the snow upon the mountains.

Because at that moment, he fell in love with the entire universe in her eyes.

He entertained the idea briefly, and in his mind he saw Angela's worried expression as she'd approach him, unpacking his bag. Genji would say nothing but tuck a loose piece of her bang behind an ear – the one that would always fall unceremoniously in front of her right eye – he'd selfishly wanted to do that.

Maybe softly kiss her cheek; a quiet thank you for everything.

He'd have to write an extensive apology to Zenyatta, for the desire to stay a little longer with the amazing woman who saved his life...

But of course, he could not stay.

His spiritual path beckoned him to the Shambali once more.

And her hands were full already as an engineer and field medic for Overwatch.

As Genji finally caught himself staring at her after a bit too long, the both of them reluctantly glanced back at the phone screen and their bashful smiles.

Angela silently cradled his gentle hand in hers and nearly gave it a kiss – but she stopped herself.

The camera timer was about to run out.

"Make sure to write me a letter, Genji..."

No one could smile like her.

"I will not forget, Angela."

As beautiful as the Moon.

"...Danke schön."

[wildissylupus]

OMG what other things do Moira and Cass bond over?

How many times Genji and Reyes do something that nearly gets everyone killed. Like, I feel like people forget that in Retribution Cassidy and Moira were the ones going "this is a shitty situation you put us in and we are probably going to die", Moira was a lot calmer about the situation but you can tell she wasn't happy.

Also you can tell in the opening scene how Cassidy and Moira handle missions vs how Reyes and Genji do. Cassidy and Moira seem to the more calculated attackers, only really knocking people out and killing people when necessary. Which is kinda ironic since Cass is described as "reckless" in the file Talon has on him.

Also with the way Reyes talks with Genji I can see both of them just sitting back and watching Genji chase Reyes around the blackwatch base after a comment about Hanzo. Like it's five in the morning, they're drinking coffee and watching as Reyes tries to get himself killed by a ninja with anger issues.

Gabe, running through the base halls: shit shit shit SHIT- Moira, who just woke up: What happened this time? Cassidy, handing her a coffee while reading a book: The boss decided it was a good idea to bring up Genji's brother....again. Moira: ....Do we need to help? Cassidy: He dug his grave, he can lie in it.

Also, coffee, you can't tell me that out of all four of them Cassidy, the one who has a coffee blog, doesn't know how to make a good ass coffee, and with type of people the other four are I firmly believe that none of them are allowed in the kitchen.

I feel like they also bond over comics, they both give me the vibes of they would be spiderman fans. In fact I think they would like a lot of the same pop culture stuff. (Moira introduced Cassidy to JoJo's Bizarre Adventures and Cowboy Beebop, I will not be told otherwise)

I also stated this in another post but they I do feel that they respect eachother, specifically I personally believe they were considered the bigger threats of Blackwatch because, again, they're the more calculated fighters. Genji and Gabe fight on emotions meanwhile Cassidy and Moira are fighting to survive. Meaning they're, you know, actually thinking things through-

Also they both dress up, have you seen they're skins? Those two are extra when it comes to designing outfits.

[dawnthefox24]

Cole: *is watching the other recruits bond and spend time with each other as he stands on the sideline arms crossed a bit, soon feeling hard lump in his chest as he tips his hat down slightly trying to calm himself down feeling darkness creeping all around him*

Rein: CASSIDY MY FRIEND WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR!?*laughs a bit noticing him*

Cole:*tenses up a bit and smiled softly at rein masking his true emotions* Nothing much Rein just happy that everyone is bonding that's all.

Rein:* walks over to him and places a hand on his back guiding him towards the group * Than join us my friend, The holiday will be boring without you

Cole:*fallows Rein even though he doesn't really want too a * look Rein I'm flattered really but I think its best I stand on the sideline...

Rein: WHAT DON'T BE RIDICULOUS COME ON HAVE FUN!!!*he laughed*

Cole: Yeah...okay but just for a few moments than I'm heading off....*he explained to him calmly*

Rein: Aww don't be like that Cole come spend time with everyone okay

Cole: Yeah okay sure....*leans against the wall in the kitchen when Sojourn and Baptiste approached him*

Sojourn:*holding a cup of hot cocoa * Hey cowboy, how you feeling?

Baptiste: Feeling alright? Cole: *smiles softly at the both of them* Peachy a bit tired but over all fine

Sojourn: *smiles softly as she sips her hot cocoa* That's good you know that Hana girl...D.va I believe she's a bit like you, you know

Cole:*smiles softly chuckling* Yeah I know, I basically told her she reminded me of myself and her response was something I would say had to remind her

Baptiste:*smile softly listening not before snapping snapping fingers* Oh I forgot the real reason why I came over to you, Hana wants to speak too you for what reason I have no clue

Cole:*raised a brow at that and nodded* Alright do you know where she is?

Sojourn:*points to where Lena, Hana, Genji and Fareeha are playing a cooking game with each other* Over there and I'm not sure why but I think they need you to be the peace mediator

Baptiste: I think Hana is about to murder Lena... Cole:*rolled his eyes and nodded* Alright will do, talk to you soon Vivian, Jean.

Sojourn: Talk to you soon Cole and happy new years

Baptiste: Happy new years Cole Cole:*smiles softly and tips his hat* You two as well...

Cole:*walks over to where Lena was and her, Genji,Hana,and Fareeha are playing a their cooking game*

Lena:*Grins happily* YES!!! I WIN AGAIN!!

D.va: NO FAIR! I WANT A REMATCH!!

Fareeha: Come on Hana, my hands are getting tired, besides you always keep bumping into me when we're suppose to be working together

D.va: That's because you suck at cooking!!!

Cole: Is this the reason why I was called over? *he said breaking the tension*

D.va:*waves Fareeha off* Yes and you may go bird girl...

Fareeha:*Is ready to throw the controller at her head only too be stopped by Genji*

Genji: It's okay Fareeha, it's just a game you also act like this when playing every type of sports!

Cole:*snatches the controller from Fareeha* Fareeha, look tell you what I think you gotta help Angela out in the kitchen since I think she needs help baking some cookies

Fareeha:*looks away with her face slightly a bit pink before clearing her throat*Alright fine and Cole please win this stupid cooking game for Hana cause I swear she was complaining that you could do it better than me

Cole:*chuckles* Maybe

Fareeha: But you can't beat me in sports though

Cole:*rolls his eyes * Just help Angela out

Fareeha:*gets up and leave before slapping in the back of the head*

Cole:*winces and rubs the back of his head* STILL CHILD I SEE!!

Fareeha:*laughs and leaves*

D.va:*hands cole the control* here take it so I can finally beat Lena at this stupid game!!

Lena: Come on Hana, you can't beat me and honestly I think Genji is getting a bit...wait where did he go?*turns to find her gaming buddy disappeared*

Genji:*come's back with Hanzo basically dragging him over* Here Anjia, play with them.....

Hanzo:*rolls his eyes* I don't want to play any childish games mainly a Christmas cooking game

D.va: Looks like someone is scared of losing*teases*

Hanzo: You lost too Lena at least 13 times already....

D.va:...SHUT YOU'RE MOU-*get her mouth covered by Cole*

Cole: Please play one game with us Hanzo, trust me this will be the last game

Hanzo:* takes the controller and sighs softly* Alright than one game

D.va: Come on Cole let's not lose too them!! Cole: *chuckles softly holding the controller in hand* Alright I'll fallow you're lead okay

D.va: *is very serious with him* you better

*Soon Cole,Hana,Hanzo and Lena played together and finally Hana wins for once*

D.va: YES!!!! IN YOU'RE FACE LENA!!! I'M THE BEST GAMER EVER!!!

Lena:*rolls her eyes but waves her hands tiredly since they were sore* Good game and my hands need a massage..... Hanzo:*smiles softly* Second place isn't that bad Cole:*smiles* Good job Hana and great job too you as well Hanzo, didn't think you can keep up with me~ Hanzo:*rolls his eyes but smiles* You just got lucky is all ~

Cole:* chuckles softly* Ain't luck but none the less it was a cheap shot that to made my character trip

Hanzo:*rolls his eyes and set the controller down* What ever you say Cole now come along, I wish not too stay here in case Hana wants another game Cole: Alright than and Hana it's okay too lose you know D.va:*looks at him with a sour face* Losing are for noobs Cole: Whatever you say Hana, but come along and set the controller down were about too have cookies okay D.va: OKay but I'm going to do one solo game okay Cole: Alright just don't stay too long Angela: *yelling from the kitchen*The cookies are ready!! Cole:*gets up and has his hand out towards Hanzo* Shall we? Hanzo:*rolls his eyes as he get's pulled up* Insufferable as ever and I'm happy that you stopped mopping Cole:*seems a bit stunned* H-How did you- Hanzo: *looked away clearly flustered* I got Reinhardt to get you, I enjoy you're company you know since Hana would stop complaining about how Fareeha sucks and she wanted you instead... Cole:*smiles softly * I see well than at least he got me out no? Hanzo:*smiles softly* Indeed cowboy, now come on I want a cookie for Rein eats them all also Happy new years Cole: *smiles lovingly at him* You read my mind pumpkin and happy new years~

[riken-leather-co]

Bapzo Propaganda | Flare and Cold Compress |

“Is something the matter brother?”

Hanzo grimaced, ignoring Genji’s question in favor of trying to finish his tea. The mess hall was more lively than Hanzo liked. He’d come with the intention of enjoying a cup of tea to help with his joints. Of course, when he’d decided that the mess hall had been empty, which quickly changed. Fortunately, many of the members still took to giving him a wide berth seeing as he’d only been a part of Overwatch for roughly a month. While the constant eyes were annoying - he can’t say he didn’t deserve it. Plus, he’d rather the stares than awkward small talk. His brother didn’t get the memo.

“I am fine Genji,” Hanzo said, sighing. Still, Genji did not leave him alone despite every sign he was giving telling him to.

“If it’s about your legs -”

“It is not.”

“I know you have your reservations about Angela -”

“Then stop suggesting her.” It wasn’t the fact that the woman had lectured him upon his first arrival that kept him away. In fact, he could vaguely say he’d warmed up to her a bit afterwards. At least someone would hold him responsible for his past transgressions if his brother would not. No, Hanzo simply had reservations about most doctors and medical care. Ten years of isolation and tending to his wounds would do that. And, even before then, the clan doctors were skilled but it was looked down upon to admit to pain.

Genji sighed. He fell quiet and Hanzo thought he’d know peace for once. Until Genji looked around and lit up - Hanzo followed his line of sight. He saw the cowboy and another man laughing. Dark skin, warm eyes, and a strong build. Hanzo’s eyes slid appreciatively along the man’s arms before flashing back up to his face when he laughed again. Hanzo recalled glimpsing the man a few times before. A wave or two in the halls in Hanzo’s direction, but no long conversations. What had his name been…?

“Baptiste!” Genji clapped him on his shoulder and tore him from his thoughts. “He’s a medic. And, he’s relatively new too - two months I believe? Maybe a bit longer?”

“He is a medic?”

“Combat medic. Plus you’re both problem children, that’s what Winston said anyway.”

Hanzo gave him an unamused look. “I am not a child.”

“Still. Give it some thought, brother. Baptiste has been helping Angela some. He’s a good man and well…,” Genji mulled over his words. “...He is not close with me. So you shouldn’t receive any judging looks.”

So his brother was aware of the other agents' treatment of him. He was both embarrassed and irritated in equal measures. No doubt his brother had personally taken it upon himself to try and appeal Hanzo to them. Hanzo drained his cup and stood, washing it in the sink before leaving without another word. There weren't any intentions on his part to seek this Baptiste out. But, after a week where walking was getting increasingly more difficult, he finally caved. If Hanzo didn’t like what the man had to say, he’d simply leave.

“Computer - where is Baptiste?”

“Baptiste is currently in the medical ward. Should I send word that you will require his presence?”

“Unnecessary, I shall go to him.” Hanzo grit his teeth against the flare of pain that rocketed through his legs as he stood. Once he took a steadying breath, he made his way quickly through the halls.

Once he arrived, Hanzo didn’t waste any time stepping into the room. He didn’t want to risk second guessing his decision. While he considered it a weakness to admit that such a small thing was bothering him, it’d be worse to fall in the midst of battle because of it. There was quiet music playing through the room in a language Hanzo didn’t understand. A contrast to how quiet it’d been while Mercy had worked. Everything else was the same, stark white medical beds lining one side and tools neatly organized on a workspace. Two desks - instead of the one he was told it used to be - sat side by side. Baptiste was humming along to the music as he typed away at a laptop.

When the doors slid open the man turned around and blinked. “Oh - what’s up? Er, Hanzo right?”

“Yes.”

“Baptiste.” Baptiste turned in his chair, typed one last thing into the laptop before shutting it and turning it back around. He stood and stretched before walking over to Hanzo, sticking out his hand while smiling. “Sorry. I don’t think I ever got to greet you. Bad manners, I know, I don’t make it a habit. They keep a man busy and your brother said you liked your space so…”

“I do,” he said simply. He eyed Baptiste’s hand before grasping it. The man’s hands were rough - a combat medic indeed.

“Then I don’t think you came here just for a proper introduction,” he teased, stepping back. “How can I help?”

Straight to the point, he liked this Baptiste already. He’s sure by now Mercy would have asked him many questions before getting to the point. The words doctor and combat medic were two different things after all. Hanzo walked over to one of the beds and sat down, rolling up his pants leg to reveal his prosthetics. Baptiste grabbed a chair and rolled it over to take a closer look.

“May I?” Baptiste asked.

“You may,” He said. Baptiste’s hands were sure but careful as he began his inspection. “My knees have been having flare ups. Something I have dealt with before but they have been especially bad. Itching and burning are amongst the side effects.”

“I see.” Baptiste whistled, face concentrated as he carefully prodded where the prosthetics met his flesh leg - watching for reactions. The area was red and inflamed. He glanced up at Hanzo, face pinched in concern. “When was the last time you removed your prosthetics?”

“.....,” Hanzo stared at Baptiste thoughtfully. “Hm.

“.....”

“...Sometime before Overwatch perhaps?”

Baptiste looked very unamused and Hanzo felt slightly abashed. He looked away as the man rolled away and sighed, muttering about ‘Who’s worse? Cassidy or You?’. Hanzo watched him rummage around in the drawers before returning with a few items in hand. They were set on a table nearby.

“I’m not going to lecture you because frankly I’m 100% sure you know you’re supposed to remove them frequently so they can take a break, right?”

“Yes. I’m no fool.”

Baptiste stared at him for a second and Hanzo felt a flare of irritation. Finally, the man looked away and sighed. He busied himself with organizing some of the things he’d gathered. “Look. I know a little about you and your brother. I’m no angel either, so I get it - really. Being surrounded by people who know what you’ve done can put you a little on edge, so you don’t want to be weakened around them, right?”

Hanzo scowled. But, even if he wanted to lash out and deny such claims, he couldn’t. Even before Overwatch he’d go long periods without removing his legs. Hanzo wanted to be able to run in any given circumstance.

“I didn’t sleep for a week straight when I first got here. Too busy trying to meet and familiarize myself with everyone in an attempt to get comfortable. Then I passed out while training, which wasn't a pretty sight.” Baptiste said. He passed Hanzo some of the items. “But, if you don’t let your legs take a break they’ll only get worse. At best you’ll just need new prosthetics, at worst you’ll be banned from missions for awhile while you recover. If something happens during those times you won’t be able to run at all.”

Two of the items were separate types of pain medication, while the others were a mix of warm and cold compresses. Hanzo glanced at Baptiste through his lashes unhappily. “Then when do you suggest I find the time and place?”

“In your room, or somewhere else. You’re an assassin right? I’m sure you’ve scoped out this area and found a few secluded areas, don’t lie,” Baptiste said. He held his hands up defensively when Hanzo glowered at him. “Or, you could do so in here or my room - I won’t do anything. Cassidy’s entrusted me with his arm a few times, so you could ask him -”

“I will not be asking that cowboy anything,” Hanzo said. At the least, his brother wasn’t suggested. Baptiste seemed to know he wouldn’t appreciate the suggestion.

Baptiste nodded and rolled away to give Hanzo space to stand. “If the pain persists, swing by again and I can take another look.”

“...Thank you.” Hanzo bowed his head stiffly before leaving the room. He wasted no time in returning to his room. It took an hour before he worked up the courage to actually follow Baptiste’s advice. After instructing the computer to put his room on shut down, he removed his legs - immediately feeling a slight relief. It was only heightened when he took the medication and pressed one of the compresses against the area. Hanzo sighed as his muscles relaxed minutely. He’d only meant to leave them off for a bit, but it was such a difference to the pain he’d ended up falling asleep.

Even after one day, the difference was becoming obvious. At least that’s what Genji said. The lights lit up on his visor when he stepped into the mess hall.

“You look your age now, brother!”

“What is that to mean?”

Genji didn’t elaborate, just turning to wave at Baptiste from across the hall. Who, upon seeing the both of them, waved back happily.

“Don’t forget my offer Hanzo!” Baptiste called. It drew a few unwanted eyes in his direction that had his eyebrow twitching.

“Do not ask.” He muttered to Genji before sitting down.

[atopearth]

Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei Part 4 - Yoritomo Minamoto Route

I never realised/remembered that Yoritomo actually had other brothers, and that he was the only one to survive out of his family during the Heiji Rebellion. I love how meeting Yoritomo in his route makes Shanao understand the deep pain Yoritomo must have suffered as one of the only survivors from the war and how much responsibility he must carry as a Genji leader. I wonder how many times Yoritomo has heard from his soldiers telling him to live on and take down the Heike for them if they are to die here as sacrifices to protect him. I can't imagine how heavy the responsibility it is to carry the lives of people who died for you believing that you will carry on their dreams and hopes. I think the part of Yoritomo's speech to his troops ordering them to flee and that they will reunite again one day when he raises his troops again was the most effective to me when he told them that he had been living in shame since he was fourteen. All this time he had been in exile, all this time he had to live with the burden of the Genji name and soldiers who died passing on their hopes and dreams to him, all this time he's been keeping all these feelings and all this pain inside himself, it really breaks my heart to think about it.

It's actually quite cute how much Shanao wants to get along with Yoritomo, I wonder if Yoritomo feels bad about it because he already knows that Shanao most likely isn't his real brother. It was so adorable how Shanao fell asleep imagining how it would be like to spar against Yoritomo, she really is like a child as he says haha. Honestly, even though it was probably distasteful for Yoritomo to let an out of control Shanao to keep fighting like a maniac but I can't really fault him for it because they did need her crazy prowess to win against the Heike and wait for reinforcements. And when you think about how he doesn't mind being shameless as long as it achieves his goals, it's very understandable. I'm glad he told Shanao that it was this power of hers that saved his life, so despite the negatives of it, in the end, she did help him and protect him as she said she would. It was so cute how Yoritomo was sad and probably annoyed over how Shanao wanted something from Takatsuna but not from Yoritomo haha! Shanao's good luck charm necklace that's a pair with Yoritomo is so childishly cute but so sweet at the same time. For someone like Yoritomo, her constant desire for wanting to be beside him and help him is probably what moves his heart the most. I guess the Shanao in this route prioritises familial connection very much, because I was a bit surprised at how adamant she was on wanting to not kill Yoshinaka. But I guess for her, she hasn't really seen him and his tyranny so she thinks that she wants to be able to stop him if she can, so I'm actually quite glad that Yoritomo told her his position and how he couldn't let the people who rely on him and believe him be disappointed that he won't cut down people who have no regard towards tormenting others just because Yoshinaka is of Genji blood.

It always feels so sad to see Yoshinaka never really get to put up a fight, like is he that weak or is it just for plot hahaha. Anyway, Shanao falling asleep super fast after Yoritomo put her on his horse was just so sweet and adorable. Yoritomo's brothers trying their best to protect Yoritomo and their father only to end up captured and executed must have been something very very difficult to witness. I can't imagine losing my whole family and being forced to live all alone in exile. LMAO I love how when Shanao went to consult Tadanobu about if he would feel lonely if Tsugunobu were to get married, Tadanobu was all like that's gross, eww hahahaha. I was so happy when Yoritomo immediately ran after Shanao with no hesitation. But it broke my heart to hear him say that he himself is also a tool for victory because his whole life since he was 14 was led to fulfil his "fate by heaven", kinda like his life mission I guess. When he finally shared his honest feelings with Shanao and said he didn't want to lose his family that he loves ever again and that's why he didn't want to get close to Shanao, it really made me want to cry😭😭😭 So Yoritomo in this route really had no idea Shanao was a woman, and he actually felt something towards her dangg! Scandalous haha! But I approve🥲

It seems like I underestimated the depth of Yoritomo's pain and emptiness, his father was very very cruel to him, but I guess I can understand why he forced Yoritomo to be the one to kill his brother when his wounds wouldn't have allowed him to go on with them. I just felt so bad for Yoritomo since his brother kept saying he didn't want to die and Yoritomo had to kill him or he would be humiliated by the Heike when caught.. Now I see why he doesn't really want to visit his father and his brothers' graves, since he was forced to kill them all. It's no wonder that Yoritomo had no qualms towards killing Yoshinaka. If he's been forced to kill his brothers and his father whom he loved and respected, why would he hesitate towards others when he knows that their dying wishes are what he should be focusing on as his reason to live and nothing else should stop him. The only thing I'm glad about is that Yoritomo's desire to defeat the Heike and restore the Genji is his own desire after seeing the tyranny of the Heike once they reigned. I couldn't help but cry when Shanao hugged Yoritomo and said she wanted to share his burdens, and he asked if he really isn't alone anymore and that he's basically allowed to "feel things". On the other hand, I wonder why Ikenozeni (Kiyomori's mother) is so intent on destroying the cursed Heike bloodline that she got a child of the Heike (Shanao) to live as a Genji and come back to destroy the Heike... It was so sweet when Yoritomo told Shanao to think of him whenever she's afraid, and that even though they might be fighting on different parts of the battlefield, he told her that he'll always be with her!! I love that. Especially considering how he's been all this time, seeing him show emotions of jealousy, love and just in general kindness and thoughtful towards Shanao just makes my heart warm. When Yoritomo retorted Shanao saying she's a monster that consumes spirit by saying to her that he consumed the lives of his brothers and his father, I admit I couldn't refute him either. He was right and I'm glad Shanao was able to be convinced by him. But most importantly, the kiss!! I love how much Yoritomo wants to support Shanao just as much as she always has for him.

Considering how cold Yoritomo looked when we first met him, it's crazy how much love, care and emotion he shows in the CGs with Shanao. I love how gently he looks at her and he treats her with such love! I didn't expect to like him but I actually really like Yoritomo. The tragic love ending was quite sad and different, I liked it. It was sad to see Shanao lose her sense of sight, ability to move etc but be forced to live because Yoritomo wouldn't be able to go on without her in his life. It was certainly tragic because it's a difficult situation. Just as Shanao wants to die to be relieved from a life where she is completely helpless, Yoritomo won't be able to live on without her existence beside him. Seeing Shanao always getting brutally murdered or heavily injured to the point that she might as well be dead is so sad...

Overall, I liked Yoritomo's route more than I expected! After Shungen, I really wasn't expecting much tbh but I think if you enjoy seeing Shanao chase after Yoritomo and really desiring that familial bond she never got, always trying her best to meet Yoritomo's expectations and to do whatever she can to support him, you'll probably enjoy this route. I found it quite adorable because it was cute to see Shanao prioritise "familial love" whilst understanding her position as a general and a Genji. I also really liked Yoritomo's reasons for being the person he was. I really felt for his story and I couldn't help but tear up thinking about how much he had to go through since he was a teenager. He was all alone and finally had someone who willingly wanted to stay beside him forever and help him, how could he not like Shanao haha. I think it was cute to see Yoritomo finally feel like he could relax with Shanao and have a life outside of his "fate" as the Genji survivor. Seeing him do things like chase after Shanao and very honestly telling her his story and his feelings really made me like him more and more because I loved how he didn't shy away from revealing his insecurities and he always did his best to show how much he cares for Shanao. He is definitely the big brother type and route haha. My favourite boy alongside Benkei!

[selenestarmoon]

Between Magic and Mirrors

Would you believe me if I told you that this character

is like this

and this?

While I watched Neo in RWBY, I couldn't help but notice the similarities she has to Umineko's Beatrice and Bleach's Sosuke Aizen and I'll explain all of these in more detail here:

NEOPOLITAN AND BEATRICE - IMAGINATION, MAGIC AND ESCAPISM

Beatrice is a character of Umineko who is known to be the Golden Witch but her true identity is Sayo Yasuda, Kinzo's illegitimate daughter born by incest who after Natsuhi accidentally pushed the servant who was holding Sayo causing Sayo to lose her private parts, being saved by Genji and Kumasawa who raise her in secret to avoid another incestuous episode by Kinzo. This caused Sayo to have insecurities about herself and her own gender and to make matters worse the other maids start to pester her for her clumsiness in her work as a maid and her only friend was Kumasawa with whom she develops a love for mystery stories and magic in general. Sayo was unhappy and always alone so she started creating imaginary friends to make up for her loneliness and because of her love for magic she created Proto Beatrice (later know as Gaap) to explain her own clumsiness and later creates Shannon persona, the perfect servant girl. Sayo's imagination becomes her refuge but also her prison because it gave relief to her loneliness and made her feel good about herself but in turn this isolated her from others. Later she meets Battler and for the first time she doesn't feel lonely for long but due to her loneliness she trusts Battler too much to the point that she takes seriously Battler's promise that he would come back for her but when he doesn't come back which makes Sayo feel betrayed but to make matters worse she discovers her true identity as Kinzo's illegitimate daughter, she goes mad, takes Beatrice persona as her own and think that she's a real witch.

Later Sayo causes Rokenjima incident as a way to get revenge on the family that hurt her and especially Battler for leaving her alone but in turn she feels bad for everything she has done and chooses to commit suicide by drowning in the sea.

In the meta world Beatrice plays the killing games with Battler so that he knows that the reason for the Rokenjima incident is so that he would remember the promise he made to her when she was Sayo.

Do you know who more was born in a rich and toxic family that hurt her for her disability, used her imagination as a form of freedom and escapism and ended up loving a man just so that when that man disappears she goes mad and seeks revenge as a result?

Beatrice and Neo are adults who act like children so they lash out at others but they don't take responsibility for their actions nor do they realize how their actions hurt others, they only care about their own pain. This is even seen when Sayo and Trivia create their imaginary friends (Gaap or Proto Beatrice and Pink Neopolitan) not only to feel accompanied but also to blame them for their mistakes.

Beatrice's actions led to the terrible situation that Eva was forced to live in as the sole survivor of her family and having to deal with the media accusation that she killed everyone on the island when in fact Eva was suffering for the loss of her husband Hideyoshi and her son George and the rejection of Ange and Ange herself had to endure being bullied at school for being the daughter of Rudolf and Kyrie, alleged murderers of Rokenjima, and also in her desire for her parents to return, rejected Eva believing that her parents and brother would come back for her. Battler was also hurt by Beatrice's actions because by trying to follow her and stay with her in her death, he survives but doesn't remember anything and is found by Ikuko Hachiyo who he marries and is tormented by memories that come to him through nightmares. Neo for her part wants revenge against Cinder but she is manipulated for her to help her and unload her anger against Ruby which makes Neo help Cinder to destroy an entire kingdom without mentioning that her actions are indirectly helping Salem to destroy the world because Salem's plan is to make the world a chaotic place so that when the Brother Gods are summoned they will destroy the world as a result of the chaos that exists.

Another thing that both have in common is their powers and how both are based on the manipulation of reality through imagination to some extent. Beatrice is a witch whose powers basically consist of making what she imagines come true, forcing reality to make what she believes to be real be real because Sayo, her true identity, dealt with loneliness through her imagination. The above can be seen from the fact that she didn't ask to revive Sakutaro because she believed that Rosa denied it but Angel revives him simply because she believed that Sakutaro was alive by having a spare stuffed animal.

Neo's semblance allows her to manifest whatever she imagines into reality in illusions made of glass that everyone can see.

Both powers force reality to operate under the rules of Beatrice and Neo and even said powers are enhanced in places linked to the imagination (the Golden Land is a kingdom created by Beatrice where everything she thinks comes true and Neo is in Ever After, a magical place where it reflects the psyche of the characters and therefore also reflects the imagination). Beatrice's golden magic and Neo's semblance are perfect powers for a lonely and imaginative child and for deadly assassins, imagination is a double-edged sword because although Beatrice and Neo deal with their loneliness with their imagination (they create imaginary friends) and it gives them the freedom they feel they don't have with their original identities (Beatrice - Sayo Yasuda, Neopolitan - Trivia Vanille) in turn they get stuck in their own heads who just can't accept reality and instead look for reality to be as they want or believe it should be.

Beatrice and Neo are witches, Beatrice, as I said before, is the Golden Witch and Neopolitan is based on Trivia, the Roman goddess of witchcraft and there is something interesting about the concept of a witch in Umineko which is that a person becomes a witch by feeling rejection of their reality but they puts aside their humanity and their ties to other people and this also applies in RWBY: Sayo couldn't stand her life as a human and took the identity of Beatrice to feel free and take revenge and in the end she ends up in the Golden Land and in RWBY while team RWBY looks to get out of Ever After and Jaune can't get out until he gets help, Neo seems rather comfortable in Ever After and may even want to stay there.

Beatrice dies in real life not accepting the blame for her actions and ends up alone in the Golden Land until the end of Umineko where Battler finally reunites with her and Neo is running the risk of ending up just like Beatrice: ending up as a lonely witch in an imaginary world.

NEOPOLITAN AND SOSUKE AIZEN - LIVING MIRRORS

If there is something we know about Neo, it is how she is essentially a living mirror, not only because she creates illusions made of glass that everyone can see, but also because she is a mirror for the characters, especially for Ruby, but they know that another character curiously share these same traits with Neo?

Sosuke Aizen is a character from Bleach and one of the main antagonists of the manga. Not only does he share some physical similarities with Neo, but his powers are illusions visible to all who have seen his Shikai's activation and something curious is that Neo's and Aizen's illusions are made of glass.

Glass is an element that in fiction represents fragility, which gives us clues that Aizen and Neo's senses of identity are as fragile as glass itself: Aizen's identity is fragile because it is only based on what he can do (his intellect and his powers) to the point that he feels that morality does not apply to him, he feels that only he can change and rule the Soul Society and Ichigo even speculates that the reason Aizen wanted to conquer Soul Society was because of his desire for an equal, that his extreme power and intelligence only served to isolate him from the moment he was born (this can be seen in his effort to strengthen Ichigo as well as his respect for Kisuke Urahara stems from seeing them as equals) and Neo feels oppressed by her own family for not accepting her because of her disability and she unconsciously feels that no one is going to accept her and takes refuge in her idealized identity (Neopolitan) where she is powerful and free to do what she wants without being nobody oppresses her but she defines herself only by her bond with Roman (after their relationship goes from transactional to something genuine, Roman is the only one who respects her and wants her) and her life as a criminal that gives her freedom makes her dependent on Roman and unable to form bonds with others. Aizen and Neo were born with physical and/or mental conditions (Aizen - high intellect and enormous spiritual pressure and Neo - muteness and her semblance) that made them feel different from others, which caused their actions and their identity to be based on said conditions to the point that their powers they serve to reflect that sense of self that both have of themselves: sharp but fragile.

Aizen and Neo not only have a glass motif because of their fragile sense of self but also because they are mirrors that reflect the characters.

Aizen is a reflects that reflects Kisuke, Toshiro, Starrk and even Ichigo himself:

Aizen reflects Kisuke because they are both renowned geniuses for their great intellect and even looking to create something new just because they could just because Kisuke has moral boundaries that he dares not cross and Aizen just doesn't care about morals.

Aizen reflects Toshiro in the sense that they were both born prodigies having extremely enormous power and were ostracized because of it but Toshiro didn't let their power define him as a person but saw it as a part of himself and he managed to bond with the others while Aizen saw his power and intellect as his complete identity, which made him unable to have a bond with anyone.

Aizen reflects Starrk because they are both extremely powerful beings but this distanced them from each other because the others were weaker than them, making both wish they were weak in order to bond with others or meet people who were as strong as them or mlre. Starrk created Lilinette and found people (including Aizen himself) for him to be with without being overwhelmed by his power, relieving his loneliness while Aizen is unable to bond with anyone because he finds no one he considers an equal or that they are powerful enough that they are able to withstand his own power.

Aizen reflects Ichigo because they are both extremely powerful but both just want to be normal, the difference is that Ichigo knows that this is his wish, he expresses it openly and in the end lives a normal life with his family while Aizen does not recognize or realize it of that desire and seeks to be superior to others.

Neo is also a mirror that reflects other characters, in her case, Team RWBY and Jaune:

Neo reflects Ruby in that they both deal incorrectly with the loss of a loved one, refuse to examine themselves so they can't face said loss, and dress like said loved ones (Ruby wears clothing resembling the ones her mother Summer wore and Neo wears Roman's hat and gray cloth) to feel close to them and/or to feel that they are still alive in some way. Ruby suppresses everything she feels and decides to move on and Neo gets carried away by her emotions to the point that she doesn't care if she and others get hurt.

Neo reflects Weiss in the sense that they both grew up in a rich but toxic family and wanted to be free but Weiss grows as a person because she had the support of Winter and then she has the positive support of RWBY which allows when Weiss goes down in Ever After After losing her father and her home, she doesn't lash out at anyone but rather seeks to leave the place while Neo has no personal growth because she did not know anyone, she loses her parents who oppressed her and Roman is left, who does love her but his support it's not positive and when she loses him Neo gets angry and lashes out at others and doesn't seem to be concerned about staying in Ever After.

Neo reflects Blake because they were both born with conditions that make them different from the others (Blake is a Faunos and Neo is mute) and they were strongly discriminated for it and they both get together with a man (Adam and Roman) who lead them astray but they stay with them for accepting them only Adam becomes more and more violent and Blake leaves him to have a better life and manages to have healthy relationships with other people while Neo stays with Roman and she doesn't form bonds with other people and Roman, unlike Adam with Blake, he truly respects and loves Neo but being a criminal he led her down that same path and when Neo loses him she has no one else.

Neo reflects Yang in the sense that they are both proud of who they are and violently attack all those who hurt their loved ones and don't think about the consequences of their actions. The difference is that Yang learns that she shouldn't live and show only her idealized self but must accept that her vulnerability is a part of her identity and that she shouldn't reject it and she also learns that violence is not the answer to everything but has to to think things through before doing them and pay attention to the big picture while Neo clings to her idealized identity but puts aside his share of Trivia (her vulnerability) and Neo in her eagerness to lash out without thinking doesn't think about her actions which makes her easy for Cinder to manipulate neither does she think that what happened to Roman was partly his own fault and partly just a circunstance that could have happened at any time nor does she think about the bigger picture and how their actions affect that big picture.

Neo reflects Jaune in the sense that they were both seeking revenge for the death of a loved one (Pyrrha and Roman) at the hands of Cinder (only Roman didn't die directly for Cinder but he die by agreeing to do her plan) because they have no idea how to deal with the pain of losing a loved one and in turn cling to an idealized identity that gives them a sense of purpose (Jaune as a knight and Neo in his current Neopolitan identity). Jaune tries to take revenge on Cinder but everything goes wrong until he discovers his semblance and saves Weiss and puts aside his revenge, later in Atlas he learns to improve his defense and embraces his identity as a knight until he is forced to kill Penny because she asks him and from what we has seen, Jaune will have to examine himself, accept Penny's death and also accept the fact that he hurt her in order to reconcile with himself and find a new purpose and grow as a person while that Neo tries to take revenge on Cinder but she manipulates her into helping her and attack Ruby, and later betrays her and Neo instead of examining herself and her purpose that has her current identity, she simply chooses to stay with her current purpose which is to continue attacking Ruby and probably against Cinder, doesn't accept Roman's death and she doesn't care if she or others get hurt because of her which makes Neo have no personal growth.

The fact that Aizen and Neo reflect the characters is so true that they can even literally become reflections of the characters as if they were mirrors. They reflect what the characters hide from themselves or what they can become if they give in to their flaws and even Aizen and Neo use their powers to confuse their enemies and turn them against themselves.

Like I said earlier, Neo, Beatrice and Aizen have powers that influence reality to make it whatever they want but they don't get what they really want. Basically their powers make them writers but they are writers who don't know write a story that they like, being writers of their own tragedy: Sayo ends everything and just wants to die, Aizen wants company but never realizes his wish and ends Sealed in the Muken and Neo can't accept Roman's death and lashes out at everything and everyone, leading to a bad ending for Beatrice and Aizen and Neo runs the risk of ending up having a bad ending like Beatrice and Aizen.

[repairingtomorrow]

Fareeha Amari - Call Sign: Pharah (Origin Story)

To Master List

Overwatch was supposed to be the saviors of the world, and I so desperately wanted to join them. I dreamed of protecting the people I grew up with and fighting alongside them, like my mother before me. But she didn't want me there. She kept me from joining: All my applications would be 'lost' or they 'disappeared.' All while she kept me at arm's length. She claimed that it was to protect me, that it was for my own good, but shouldn't I be the judge of that?

But then, she was killed in action. She couldn't stop me anymore. I was in the Egyptian Army at the time, and I was gaining quite the impressive record. I was a decorated officer, and I was proud of it. They were even going to send an application on my behalf to Overwatch. But it was disbanded before they could send it, and the reasons why were horrifying. Stories of corruption, negligence, even human rights violations came out, and it made me sick. And the blame was pointed to Blackwatch's commander, Gabriel Reyes. I couldn't believe it--Reyes wouldn't do something like that. He was a pain in the ass, but he cared about all of his agents like they were his own children.

That's just how things go, I guess. Since Overwatch was disbanded, private security companies rose up, and I joined Helix Security International. We were contracted to protect an AI research facility in Giza. One day, Anubis broke containment and killed my Captain and two other members of my team. We contained him again, and I became the leader of the squad. But I didn't feel ready for it yet. So I took a few months off, and decided to help out a tribe of nomads that travel around Egypt. I knew their leader, Hafeez. He was from one of the Bedouin tribes, and he left to join the Egyptian Army in the first Omnic Crisis. He left the army with honors: Instead of going home, he took in people who were orphaned and abandoned in the crisis and made his own tribe of sorts. They travel from city to city, selling their goods. But they need protection; the desert was dangerous these days.

So, I went home and packed up my things. I went to get my mail, since I don't get to check it often. As I'm sorting through it, I find several hand written letters--they had my mother's handwriting. She was alive, and it pissed me off. I was going to be late so I shoved the letters in my suitcase and left. It was early evening when I got to the marketplace where they were selling their goods. I was looking for Hafeez when I noticed a familiar figure standing on the roof of a nearby building. He was wearing a different set of armor from when I knew him, but it was Genji Shimada.

Cole and Shimada were close--almost inseparable in fact. But even the closest relationships can fall apart. And from what I heard, Shimada wasn't the most stable in Blackwatch and I don't really blame him. But to say I wasn't uncomfortable would be a lie.

I realized I was staring at him when Hafeez walked up to me. "Is something wrong, Fareeha?" He asked, following my gaze. Shimada locked eyes with me for a few moments, then went back to watching the market. "Nothing, it's just...I recognize him, is all." I said, looking back at Hafeez. "Will you work with him?" The elder asked, and I nodded. "I'm just a little nervous about it." Hafeez smiled and patted my shoulder. "He told me about his past, I can understand your apprehension. But he's been with us for a few months, and he's really different from the time you knew him. Just give him a chance." He gestured for the cyborg to come over.

Shimada approached us, and Hafeez gave him a hug. The other didn't reciprocate, but it didn't seem to bother him. "Genji, Fareeha will be traveling with us for a couple months as a little vacation." The elder explained, and Shimada just stared at me, probably surprised to see me here. "I'll let you two catch up." He said, patting the both of us on the back. We watched him go, then we just stared at each other. He was very standoffish and I couldn't be bothered. "I'm willing to work with you, Shimada, but I don't know if we can be friends." I said bluntly, and he shrugged. I let out an exasperated sigh as he walks off.

The first couple of weeks were rough. We kept stepping on each others' toes whenever we had to fight and talking to each other was a nightmare. I would get angry at how dismissive he was of me when I talked about how he treated Cole, or anyone for that matter. But with time, we grew to be friends--or at least more tolerant of each other. I would mostly talk and he would listen and occasionally speak up. During this time, I was thinking about the letters I had from my mom. They were burning a hole in my pocket, and I've been wrestling with what I want to do with them. I've thought about asking Hafeez, but I know he would just tell me to read them and give her a chance. So, I went to Genji.

The cyborg hadn't gotten up for the day, and I was a little concerned. The tribe's doctor told me not to worry, that it was just phantom pain. "Genji, can I come in?" I asked, trying not to be too loud and irritate him. "Yes." His voice was small and strained. I entered his tent with the letters in my hand: Genji was curled up under a blanket, his head buried under his arm as if he was trying to hide himself. "Are you alright?" "Just a bad pain day. What do you need?" He slowly rolled over to face me. "Are you sure? I can come again another time." I felt bad for coming in now, he looked like hell. "No, no, it's fine. I can't sleep anyways." He tried to sit up, and I helped him up. I pulled up next him and I brushed my thumb across her name on the envelope.

"That's Ana's handwriting." Genji noted, staring at the letters. "Yeah, um, I got them before I left. I just stuffed them in my suitcase." "You haven't read them?" I shook my head. "I've been figuring out if I should. I'm not interested in reconnecting with her, but I want to hear what she has to say for herself." Genji looked like he was deep in thought. He then chuckled and shook his head. "I think you're taking your mother for granted. She hasn't been the best to you, but it's damn well better than what I've got." He paused. "The way I see it, you should hear her out. But, you don't have to forgive her. You can hear what she has to say, then walk away from her." I absorbed every word he said.

I did take her for granted. She was just trying to protect me. Genji was a prime example of why Overwatch went downhill: He literally gave up everything for the organization and they left him with nothing, even if he left of his own free will. She wanted me to stay away from that as far as possible and she was right. And I thought about it more--she was distant from me because of the guilt she felt because of her career. I stared at the letters in my hand, her handwriting glaring at me. I decided to tear the very first envelope open and read the letter.

I finished it, and I felt angry. She was gone all this time because she didn't want to disappoint me? She was ashamed to come home because she regretted her career and the lives she took? I wouldn't have cared about that! I just wanted my mother, not Ana Amari the legendary sniper. I tore up the letter, and the other envelopes. "That bad?" Genji whispered, seemingly drifting off. "That bad. She just spent the first letter explaining how much of a coward she is for not coming home and how she was sorry. And anything else she wants to say, can be said directly to me. No more hiding." I still love my mother: I don't want to have to walk away from her. But she's scared of what I have to say. I've always admired her, even when our relationship was strained. She was a protector, and I wanted to be like her. But protectors aren't cowards.

I stopped my train of thought: I was sitting here for a while. I looked over to Genji, who fell asleep while I was deep in thought. He didn't really seem to be having a good dream, so I instinctively pulled the blanket over him and tucked him in. I left his tent and went to a nearby campfire and burned the ripped letters. Good riddance.

A couple of months later, my time was up with the tribe. Genji was leaving too--a Shambali monk wanted to help him. Hafeez encouraged the cyborg to leave, saying he's "done all he could do to help" him. I've learned a lot as well: It's not always about the mission, it's about the team. While working for Hafeez isn't like working with my team and Helix, I still got experience from it. Before Genji left, I got to talk to him one more time. "Be safe out there, alright?" He nodded. "You too, Fareeha. I'll keep in touch." "You better." I give him a hug, and he surprisingly hugged me back. "When you're feeling better, you should go talk to Cole. He'll be glad to hear from you." I said over his shoulder. "Maybe, I don't know if he'll want to hear from me." The cyborg said, letting me go. "He will." I took a step back from him. We said goodbye, and I watched him go off with the omnic. We were back in Giza, and it was a short walk home after I said my farewells to Hafeez and everyone.

I sat down on my couch with a sigh. In a couple of days, I go back to my squad and I wondered. Could I protect them? Or would I fail like my mother has? She ran away from Dad and I, and even Overwatch, and she was ashamed of it. Could that be me in the future? Too afraid of failure so I stick my head in the sand and hope everything will be okay? I don't plan on it. I may be Ana Amari's daughter, but I don't plan on following her footsteps in that way.

I won't fail like she has.

(Thanks for making it this far!)

[apoapsis]

@kinzokusuzume​ said,

                 ❝it is not your fault.❞ 

                     “-- How could you be so forgiving...? I do not understand.“ SIGMA retorts indignantly, leaning across the table as his hands brace themselves perhaps a little too sharply against it. “I-- I am aware that my actions do not align with my faction’s; I just-- I feel responsible for you now! It does not have to be my fault-- it-- nngh...  Ah... I... suppose I am just... still somewhat upset that TALON refuses to observe any form of immunity in your regard despite your assistance in freeing me... I-- I THOUGHT IT WOULD MATTER MORE TO THEM...! They drone on and on about how wretched Overwatch is-- yet they ignore any involvement with you... It is... very troubling...”

“... I suppose injuries are just a result of.... going through the motions...“

                        SIGMA frowns wistfully, deflating somewhat as he shakily sinks back down into his seat, his chin propped up by his crossed forearms as he gazes listlessly back at Genji with a look of contrition. “... And I.... suppose I cannot fret about things I cannot intervene upon... Perhaps it’s for the best-- I-- I did not receive much of a penalty for my prior incursion upon your behalf, although... I doubt they would be very forgiving a second time around...“ A gloved hand releases its hold on the opposing’s forearm in favor of tracing a slow circle against the cheap material of the table with his index finger. “... You know that I would have stopped them if I had been there... You know that, right?“ Words are funny things-- they don’t really mean much in retrospect, and yet he uses them so freely and openly. Would Genji believe that...? Would it mean much of a difference if he did? 

Did anyone really even care which “side” he was on...?

                        ... Did he?

‘... Any side so long as it wasn’t the “losing” side’-- that’s his sentiment.

                       So what did it matter-- justifying himself to others? Is he seeking approval, even now? He isn’t so certain-- it would be nice to be believed, to have someone acknowledge that he isn’t “like the rest”; to have someone believe he possessed any sort of innocence when he knows, deep down, TALON has already stripped him of that as well.

And yet... he knows better because TALON told him it was so; he’s just as morally destitute as the rest of his colleagues and he knows it. He’s lucky to even see sunlight, let alone have anyone see a thing from his biased perspective.

                       Lucky to be alive, even-- as they so often reminded him.

“... I worry about you a considerable amount after everything you’ve done for me...“ SIGMA murmurs, tone a tad distant as he speaks up again. “-- A-and I... I feel as though I must protect you from my colleagues now. I am supposed to be better behaved than this, and yet... it is... so difficult to see you as an enemy.... I-- I-I actually have begun to wonder as to whether or not they are now actively setting their sights upon you because of me...” Actually, now that he thinks about it, SIGMA wonders as to whether or not it was actually his aura he found himself most drawn to. Despite the fact that Genji’s biorhythms were much different as a result of the machinery merged with his flesh, there’s a delicate warmth in being around him that he hasn’t experienced with any other. Perhaps he was merely sensing an odd, mirroring of his own aura as a result of perceiving what isn’t there-- but it seemed unlikely. Rather, Genji radiates a sense of peace that SIGMA oftentimes struggled to find and surround himself with, let alone exude it. It’s comforting just to be around him-- nowhere near as intoxicating as his own aura of joy, but it was the closest he’s ever had someone come to it.

                       Drowsiness-inducing, even-- at times, he felt so comfortable around the cyborg, he often found himself threatening to nod off for a nap, something he typically only experienced around the others within his division. Maybe he should’ve joined Overwatch after all-- it would have been nice to be Genji’s teammate.

“... I suppose I cannot tell ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ anymore-- TALON would better appreciate my loyalty.... but it would be wrong to stand by and allow them to harm you... I never found myself very fond of the concept of morality since escaping isolation, but I’ve found that it feels so viscerally abhorrent and objectively wrong to allow any harm to befall you at their hands if I am in any position to prevent it.”

                    “... I do feel very much indebted to you. Suppose that could be a part of it...“ he murmurs thoughtfully, head cocking to the side as his finger ceases its tracing. “...I guess what I am saying is... I-- I know I am... indebting myself to you-- but you do not have to be so.... kind to me... If I were you, I’d probably hate me, just for being TALON...!”

“... Saving you doesn’t... make me any better than the rest of them...“

                       “... But an innocent life spared is worth my freedom, I think...“

[axiro]

Void of Color || Genji Shimada

An alternate universe "what if" story of Genji Shimada.

Chapter Zero - Regard

This version of Genji is my own rendition made for a roleplay plot line of colliding alternate universes. His name is Junco per my AU. This is only focused on his story and the world he came from. * Junco - Named after the Dark-Eyed Junco Sparrow bird. In this story it's pronounced june-ko. * My Genji's theme song is Death of a Strawberry by Dance Gavin Dance and was the inspiration for this characterization.

AO3 || Chapter Masterlist

Background Music (optional)

"Junco?"

A light female voice calls to him. He doesn't reply.

"Junco."

His head rotates ever slightly towards her, an aversion to providing spoken acknowledgement. Shuffling is heard by his side. He's reclined in a rather uncomfortable metal chair, arms on the sides and head placed back against the open centered rest. A slight pop paired with a quick airy hiss is felt in the back of his skull. The connectors, from what he knows, are like some type of oversized component plugs. There is recollection of how they felt in his hand when they were first shown to him. The intrusion causes what feels like a small headache. He doubts he'll ever truly get used to that.

"Respond to me, please. I need to know you're conscious."

Translation; I need to know you're alive.

He simply gives her a small hum back. She sighs. He knows she's paused in her place, thinking about what to say to him. He's been here for a good several weeks now, so he's started to pick things up rather quickly. His hearing has always been good, yet now it's one of the only things he has left. The last few plugs are removed and there's a click, the chair rising to a normal sitting posture. She walks around behind, beginning to fidget with his bionic right arm. She said he'll be able to use it like normal once she connects everything accordingly. She also told him she will have his eyes done soon but they'll come after his legs. He'll be able to see again. But... he doesn't know he wants that right now.

He remains still at least another few hours before she walks away, adjusting her tools and setting up to transport him back to his designated spot in the hospital ward of this place.

Gibraltar.

That's what it's called.

Base for the organization known as Overwatch. He signed himself away to it given the promise that they'd save him, as long as he accepted becoming an agent. He didn't really think twice about it. There wasn't enough care to do so. He remembers one of the officers coming to talk to him. He introduced himself as Gabriel Reyes, who said he'd be in charge of him from that point on. That he'd get him back on his feet. Junco doesn't believe that but has no intention of backing out. From what he was told, this guy really fought to have him on his squad. Something about the head honcho here not liking it held things up a tad, he said.

He hears the woman walk back over. Her arms slip under his own and she gently slides him off the metal chair to a soft rolling bed. She's relatively small, he's noticed, yet she can lift him without much help needed for these daily transfers. Once situated, he uses his left arm to move about for some semblance of comfort. He goes still once more, just as he was in the operating room, his face turned away from the direction he knows the woman is. After he's set up with an IV and monitoring equipment, the doctor speaks up.

"I will be back in a little while. Do you need anything?" She asks.

Junco shakes his head lightly.

"Okay." She replies, softly.

Her footsteps depart the room, leaving him on his own.

This is his reality now. It was made sure of that this would be known. That he would never forget. From living days filled with harsh training and nights of escape, to becoming a stagnant pile of spare parts, limbs that only fill half of the fabric his clothing is made for.

After a while of silence, his left arm twitches hesitantly. Dragging his palm across the surface of the mattress, his hand slowly rises to his face. Fingertips graze his chin, following upwards until they meet the edge of the bandage over his face. He presses lightly against it, ghosting over where his eyes had been.

He utters a small, shaking inhale. An almost wheezing exhale follows. This repeats. And then again.

Curling forwards, his shaking hand plants itself at his side for support, fingers gripping at the sheets. He grits his teeth, fighting off the devastating urge to scream, a pained groan escaping in its place. Wetness begins to pool against the bandage, soaking into the absorbent material. The fear he felt that night begins to bud in his chest, causing air to catch in his throat halfway through his second cry. His mind isn't sure what to hang on to as the memory flashes. A sudden gleam of silver. An exclamation of anger. Frozen, he can do nothing but suffer through his erratic breaths, the heart rate monitor spiking, blaring his current state out to the world.

It's not long before he feels a hand on his arm. Gentle and calm, the same woman's voice can be heard through the veil. His name is spoken with reassuring words tailing it. She sits by his side, keeping contact with him until the episode fades. This takes several minutes that feel like hours.

She gets up, returning momentarily and lifting Junco's hand up to place a cup of water in his palm, encouraging him to drink. He just holds onto it. Her presence remains by his side until his mind becomes numb. He uncurls himself, lying back against the raised back rest of his bed. He takes a deep inhale, followed by one quiet, long release.

"Doctor Ziegler?" He asks.

"Yes, Junco?" She replies.

"Stay."

His tone is almost in the form of a question, yet it's more of a plead.

"Of course." Ziegler says.

[wellthebardsdead]

Genji: you want a cover up?

Cole: *looking at his old deadlock tattoo* yeah, figured it’s about time you know?… just need to find somewhere that’ll do it considering we’re still keeping a relatively low profile, since Overwatch is still technically illegal after all.

Genji: oh Anija can do it!

Cole: I-

Genji: I’ll let him know now so he can get what he needs!

Cole: I- h-hold on a minute-

Genji: *glaring back at him with red eyes* You don’t have a problem with him over what happened to me, do you cassidy?

Cole: *swallowing a lump in his throat* n-no-

Genji: great! I’ll let him know!

*a few days later*

Hanzo: *sitting beside Cole and a set up of rather professional looking equipment* would you kindly stop moving? It’s a tattoo gun Im not going to kill you with it.

Cole: *grumbles* not givin me much room to believe y-OW!

Hanzo: *pulling back the gun and growls in annoyance* and that’s why I told you to hold still! I’m trying to avoid the scar tissue.

Cole: alright! Jeez I’ll hold still!

Hanzo: *sighs and pulls his arm back into position* good boy.

Cole: *brain short circuiting* Ah-

*a few hours later*

Cole: *walks into the rec room, arm covered in beautiful succulents and cacti with a rattle snake curling up his bicep* …

Genji: *peers up from the sofa* hey Howd it go?

Cole: I wanna fuck your brother.

[ludwigplayingthetrombone]

I come bearing another chapter! Here’s chapter 6 of gentiste origins! tw for injury and drugs ment in one panel. Enjoy!

Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4 Ch5

Tracer: Did you hear? Echo: Your brother Brig: And mccree, he Lucio, He went berserk, and- He kissed your brother! They’re together?? Genji: Oh my! [i knew] Ang: The man ran back into a collapsing building, Genji. Genj: Adds up

Genj: [in japanese] You look happy

Genj: He makes you happy Han: I... Yes, he does. Genji: I told you they’d support you two. But you are his boyfriend though, yes? That’s what you call eachother? Han: I... tend to prefer ‘partner’ over boyfriend, but the sentiment still stands. Why? What do you call Baptiste? Genj: EEH? ME and-?!

Genj: We’re not together? Han: OH. Genj: What gave you that impression? Han: You are together more often than not. You flirt like teenagers. You think I am blind? Have you /seen/ the way he looks at you?

Genj: Good morning, McCree! Jess: H-Hey, Genj Genj: Don’t look so nervous, mccree, I’m not the shotgun type and hanzo doesnt need protecting Jess: Who said I was nervous!

Jess: I’m sorry, Genj. I wanted tot tell you. Genj: Don’t fret, mccree, i am overjoyed! [I saw them together more once hanzo was released. More openly and closer than before. They did alot together. Ate together, sat in the same room together, trained together

[They’re content to just exist together and continue with business as usual. I’m genuinely happy hanzo has found a support system in mccree

[He looks at him so adoringly... I can’t help but ponder what he said. Have I truly not noticed that he could be looking at me the same way?

Zen: Genji. What troubles you? It has been some time since i’ve seen you this distant. Genj: Ah, sorry, master! Returning has given me many new distractions. I suppose I am questioning... my future. I am... stumped Zen: Unstaisfied with your relationship with Baptiste? Genj: What?! No! well, not in that way!

Genj: Baptiste treats me better than anyone i’ve ever been with. He’s incredible.I am afraid of how deep i have fallen for him... seeing hanzo so happy makes me pine more, but i-... My home is with the shambali. Zen: Humans are rather fascinating to me. While we omnics have souls like humans, we do not age, nor are we inclined to grow and evolve in the same way humans do. I believe you have grown from who you once were, just as I suspect baptiste has grown from his past self. I’ve taught you all I know about moving forward with one’s emotions; Perhaps you tow can learn new things together

Zen: I have always seen the shambali as a family, nit a place you must stay chained to. They love you, Genji. If you’ve found love and happiness, they would want you to go towards it. You will always have a home to return to should you need it. Live your life how /you/ wish to.

bap: [groggy] hey. stay. How is Zenyatta? Genj: Amazing as always! I’m glad he’s staying here now. I dont have to fret. Bap: Nice. Genj: I’m sorry I woke you. Welcome back. Bap: I wanted to see you. just tired

Bap: You’ve been in a cheery mood lately Genj:  You think? hmmm. Hanzo said something kind to me, And master soothed my doubts. Bap: The stars must have aligned to make hanzo be nice

Bap: I’m glad he spoke to you. Genj: [soft] Yeah, it made me feel really happy

genj: sleep. Bap: [YAWN] You can go if you-

[i want this.] Ganj: For me? smells good! Bap: Of course! you said you haven’t eaten yet. [I cannot let this mperson slip through my fingers. I seem to have everyone’s support as well. If /hanzo/ can manage a functional relationship, i should be fine?] genj: shoo, snoops Jess: C’mon, genj

[I’ll ask tomorrow] tracer: Gotcha! [genji yelps]

Tracer: That all you got, Genj? Sombra: He’s planning on seeing you soon. Be careful. Bap: Hey! Genji: Hello, may I come in?

Genj: Are you ok? Bap: Sorry, I’ve been on edge for some reason. Genj: No need to apologize

How dare you walk in here looking so handsome. oH GOD! [laugh] You’re like a cat

Genj: You look tired Bap: Aren’t I always? missed you

Genj: [Exhale] Bap: Something wrong? Genj:Ah. No, it’s nothing. Bap: That doesn’t sound like nothing. What’s on your mind? You can tell me.

Bap: woah! Genj: You make me so happy, Jean-baptiste. I hope you know that; you’re so good to me. Bap: Just giving what I believe is owed. paying off this debt you gave me. Genj: smooth

[bap chuckles] Genj: Jean Bap: hm? Genj: Are we dating?

Bap: Dating? Us? Did someone say we were? I know I- I don’t... Seriously, are you ok, Genji? This is coming out of nowhere; what made you bring all this up? Genj: Because I want to know, Baptiste. Because I do not wish for THIS

Genj: to only be about THIS. I have done THIS enough times int he past, and i don’t wish to keep repeating my mistakes! Bap: Woah, hey, hey, hey, easy there. Genj: [soothing me like a child?!] Bap: I thought.. we agreed we were just having fun here, Genji, i didn’t-

Genj: We were until... I thought I could handle this. But continuing this way just... isn’t healthy for me anymore. I don’t want you to become another lover I leave behind. Bap: You’re unhappy- I thought... Genj: Do you truly find this normal, Jean?

Genj: People think we are together because casual lovers do not stare like we do. My feelings have crossed the lines of casual, so I am asking, Do you only want me because I am convenient? Or is there hope of something more? Bap: Genji, please, what hap- Genj: You haven’t ANSWERED ME [zen: temper!]

I-

[cyberrat]

54th Batch Of Fics: 6th Fill

Hanzo/Cole – Minotaur AU – Part 20 – plot – Cole opens up... to a degree.

---

“I know these people. The ones that attacked your plot o’ land. I recognized the sigils they were wearin’ on their jackets.”

Sojiro’s eyes narrow a little, his hand doing a little circle motion, impatiently urging Jesse to keep going. He might look angered, but from the way he has leaned over and is slowly stroking his goatee, Hanzo can tell that his father is more impressed than anything else. It would not surprise him if he knew the names of the attackers already, though he does not say anything in that regard.

“I’ve been havin’ a stay with ‘em a couple of months back… or maybe years… I dunno. Been a bit difficult to tell time when I’m locked away mostly.”

Sojiro stops stroking his goatee now and leans forward, obviously interested in that little titbit.

Hanzo does not react one way or another – Jesse has already told him as much before they ever stepped foot into his father’s office. It is a nice little leverage to have – information is always a high-value trade item with his father… as it is with Hanzo himself.

“I know the group. I have dealt with their mother organization a few months back when I obtained you, at which point they have dispersed… or so I thought. What I did not know was your connection to them… they must have passed you down the line, I suppose.”

Jesse shifts a little, his tail swishing, though he does not reply to that.

Hanzo can tell that he does not particularly enjoy how Sojiro talks about him. He is surprised that he has so much self-discipline not to argue the point. Not that he thinks Jesse an idiot… but it is still a bit difficult to ascertain what he is and isn’t capable off.

All things that he will find out soon enough.

“Interesting,” Sojiro says after a minute of complete silence in which he had just thoughtfully been staring at Jesse. He stops stroking his chin and instead stands once more, hands folding behind his back in a pose mirroring Hanzo’s. “I will look further into the matter and whether there are more stragglers that need mopping up. I will not again be made a fool of these idiots.”

He jerks his chin toward the door.

“Go and lock your pet back up, Hanzo. We have much more to-”

“No, father.”

Sojiro closes his mouth, his already thin lips all but disappearing as he presses them together, staring Hanzo down with the same dark eyes that his son inherited.

Jesse looks between the two of them, shifting slightly from one hoof to the other. While he remains silent, it does seem like a monumental effort this time as he obviously has no idea what is happening just then.

“You do not mean to let the creature go just because he proved useful and…” he looks him briefly up and down, “...pleasurable. Do you?”

Hanzo lifts his nose a little, refusing to feel embarrassed. He knows this is exactly what his father is trying to do, after all.

“I am not letting him go, father. But I do believe that he has earned himself other lodgings. He has expressed the desire to me as well and I think that it is the… right thing to do.”

Sojiro’s gaze falls to Jesse, now looking him up and down.

Before he can come to a conclusion on the matter, the door to his office is suddenly thrown open and Genji stumbles in, hair tousled, makeup smudged and clothes askew – he obviously came fresh from the club and both Hanzo and Sojiro relax immediately, breathing sighs of relief.

Neither of them had known whether Genji had been in the estate during the attack and seeing him now alive and well has both calming down significantly.

“Yoooo what happened?! The whole estate looks like shit… woah, and what’s Haruto doing here?”

.oOo.

Jesse is very carefully keeping his head down, trying not to bump into any of the lanterns that are supposed to light the hallways at night. Hanzo decides to lead him out and into the gardens for now just so he can stop walking as if on eggshells.

All in all… the discussion with Sojiro has gone rather well, though he does attribute a lot of that to Genji’s sudden appearance. Sojiro’s mood had instantly lightened – by his standards, that is.

Hanzo has always and would always resent his father’s clear favoritism of his younger son – but at that moment he could have kissed Genji.

Genji who is right behind them, curious as a cat as always.

“Soooooo. You two went all Bonnie and Clyde in here, huh? I’ll have to ask the servants to give me a reenactment…”

Hanzo’s mouth pulls down and he looks away to Jesse who is now stretching his back first before looking at Genji with a weird expression on his face. Is he sentimental, seeing his old owner? Sad? Glad that he is now under Hanzo’s care?

Hanzo could not tell, but the spike of jealousy that had pricked him earlier in the office watching Sojiro’s reaction to Genji’s return, is driving just a bit deeper into his heart.

He had been about to reprimand Genji and tell him not to be so nosy – dreading what his reaction might be once the servants told him in great detail what Hanzo and Jesse had done – but now thinks better of it.

It would be good if Genji knew. It would… stake his claim. So instead of reprimanding him, he just steps closer to Jesse, watching as Genji looks the both of them up and down, eyes moving more to his former pet, though.

“And you can talk! Why’d you never say so?! We could have had so much more fun.”

Jesse snorts and looks away for a moment, scratching his belly.

“It’s been fun with ya. But this is better.”

Genji pulls a face at that, pouting.

Hanzo doubts anybody has ever told him ‘no’ like that before… especially when the other prospect would be his stuck-up older brother.

He recovers quickly, though, shaking his head and waving them off.

“Whatever. We can play again another time, right? I just… need to sleep this off. I can feel a headache coming.”

Hanzo does not quite flinch… he thinks… but he can feel Jesse reacting anyway, shifting a little next to him while they watch Genji make is way back up into the walkway and along it, more feeling than seeing his way to his rooms while muttering about how he hopes nobody tried setting them on fire.

Once he is out of earshot, Jesse turns toward him, his huge hand lightly touching Hanzo’s shoulder.

“You… know that I ain’t gonna play with him, right?” he pauses briefly, looking thoughtful. “Unless you play along as well. Bet you two’d look real pretty…”

Hanzo inhales sharply and pushes Jesse’s hand off, though with no real fire. He makes a sound of disgust in the back of his throat while his belly feels all warm and gooey at Jesse’s reassurance that he did not wish to become Genji’s pet again. That might be because he has put too much effort in his relationship with Hanzo, or because he genuinely enjoys Hanzo’s company better… that would still remain to be seen, but it still makes him feel a lot more confident as he curls his fingers around two of Jesse’s fingers and tries to tug him forward.

“Come on then, Jesse. We will see where you can-”

“Wait. I wanna tell you somethin’.”

Hanzo pauses, looking to him expectantly.

“My name ain’t Jesse. Or Haruto, or… Bonnie or Clyde.”

“...what?”

“It’s Cole. The name’s Cole.”