#Moiraspawn

[nitewrighter]

what do the directors cuts of breach and dragonback look like? I know you've mentioned being burned out on overwatch, so I'll leave a ⭐️ if you'd rather answer that instead.

Ask me about one of my fanfic's Directors' cuts!

The Director's cut of "Breach" is--my brain just put that whole fic together basically as an AMV set to David Bowie's "Modern Love." You know that one Studio Ghibli music video? It would be coordinated to the music like that. Okay, on a more serious note, though, when I first came up with Aedan as a character, I never actually planned on giving him a redemption arc. Honestly my followers were shipping Reidan before I was--I was hesitant to ship my fankids at all because I was still writing out cutesy stuff for them that focused more on like, how parenthood was affecting their respective guardians. But then I dropped Aedan in there about the same time I was starting to draw Rei as a teenager, starting to write out her 'kit' as a hypothetical Overwatch hero, I was starting to write Marti being mentored by Jack. So the kids were basically slowly tipping into that "next-gen hero" zone when Aedan gets added to the mix.

You can all thank @the-legion for Aedan's whole characterization as we know him now, because Legion pretty much hit me with something like, "It's just I always felt sorry for the Clones in the Clone Wars, and I always liked when they became more than what they were made to be. When they fought against what they had been created for." So for me, that kind of morphed into, "Okay wait, Moira's a perfectionist, and also when you become a parent, you have this drive to make sure your kid has the resources and support you didn't--what if Moira ends up making someone a lot more sympathetic than herself." It's so funny though--literally my first drawing of him interacting with Rei was captioned, "Rei doesn't like him," but I think even then I was kind of subconsciously sympathetic towards Aedan because in that drawing Rei's visibly chewing him out and he's just kind of standing there, taking it, albeit in a broody way. Like my earliest iterations of Aedan kind of had him as more of a mini-Moira, but like, as soon as I started writing fics about his actual clone origins, I was like, "Oh--yeah, actually he's very sympathetic."

So Breach kind of became the culmination of that--and it's also like... I didn't want Aedan's redemption arc to come without incredible loss. You don't choose the right thing to do because it's easy, or even because you like a pretty girl, in the end Reaper summarizes it the most succinctly: Aedan chooses what he chooses because Moira gave him everything she never had.

The loss of Rei's dragon also hooks into that, "No redemption without incredible loss" but also that came from a decision of, "As part of maturing Rei's character, I have to force her to experience life outside of Overwatch so she's not just falling into continuing her parents' fight." It was also to demonstrate that there was no way Aedan crossing over from one side to the other would be clean. He doesn't get to arrive in Overwatch to trumpets and fanfare because Rei's still gone through this incredible trauma. De-powering arcs in comics always stressed me out so bad, or sometimes they would bore me because "you're taking away an important part of this character for angst or to shove them to the side" but actually putting Rei through this showed me their general value. It basically kept Rei and Aedan from automatically plunging into their romance after the redemption arc, forced it to more of a slow burn, and, of course, it gave me a chance to kind of, shape that Genji-esque fierce cheerfulness in Rei by dropping her in Hollywood as a stuntwoman while also giving that part of her character a deeper and more mature dimension. And you see that at the beginning of Dragonback.

The Director's cut of Dragonback is me going, "How many 90's teen coming of age/romcom tropes can I jam into these kids' existential crises?" This fic I think came a lot more quickly because there were a lot of elements that I had kind of established in my head--it's Overwatch's first brush with Andrea, it's Rei getting her dragon back, it's Rei and Aedan finally smooching. These were basically dominos that were set up as far back as Breach, they just needed time to percolate with the whole "Rei in Hollywood" bit. I think writing this fic taught me a lot about writing action scenes--I wanted Faustine to basically be a metal gear boss, I wanted Andrea to be terrifying, and I'm basically writing two simultaneous fight scenes which is basically just Genji trying to get to Rei and Aedan. I also knew I wanted to beat the shit out of Aedan as kind of a reversal of him being the 'hero' back in Breach and to also keep the focus on Rei. It's also partially establishing, "Rei doesn't love Aedan because she's dependent on him, but the seed of this whole thing is the fact that they've irrevocably changed each other." Also she needs to save him because #Feminism. I think like... this fic also really helped solidify the appeal of Rei and Aedan as star-crossed for me. Like, I think one of the things that kind of made me hesitant to ship them was the fear of the whole, "Rival families" cliche--like I think this fic's conclusion basically goes, "There is so much that is out of these kids' hands, so much in play that they never had control of since the day they were born, but they get to have this. They get to make this little space."

Also this fic ended up setting up my theory about the Shimada Dragons, which like... I dunno. You couldn't pay me to read about Kiriko, so as far as I care, that's the explanation for the Shimada dragons I'm going to go with.

[nitewrighter]

What about Aedan with a mirrorverse Moira? Here's a good version of your mom doing things the right way but because of that he'd never be born.

Mirror!Moira: *laughs* I'm sorry, I'm just still trying to wrap my mind around the idea that there's a universe where I'm straight.

Aedan: Oh, don't worry, you're still very much not straight.

Mirror!Moira: *pouring tea for both of them* Hm. A universe where I'm willing to carry a child, though? That seems just as unlikely.

Aedan: Oh, you... didn't carry me, either.

Mirror!Moira: *pauses, opens her mouth*

Aedan: And there's no sperm donor.

Mirror!Moira: *closes her mouth*

Aedan: ...well, sometimes you did carry me! In a jar!

Mirror!Moira: *horrified staring*

Aedan: There was a jar full of goo. I was artificially aged 10 years and brainwashed over the course of...3 or 4 years? I think? Like, I think my gestation and fetal development was at a normal pace but as soon as Mum realized my embryo was sustainable--

Mirror!Moira: --sustainable--

Aedan: There were five attempts before me. I am partially composed of normal human cells, and partially composed of what are essentially tiny vampire robots called 'nanites.' The only other people or organisms who share a composition similar to my own in my universe are you, a rabbit, Reyes, Reyes and Morrison's Daughter-Clone who tried to kill me, and a Shoggoth locked in a lab somewhere in the Cordillera Darwin. *sips tea* Who also tried to kill me. Or maybe merge with me. Or eat me. I still don't know. *sips tea again*

Mirror!Moira: ... *sips tea*

[nitewrighter]

Mauga tries to give Aedan a friendly slap on the back but Aedan reflectively fades before getting hit and hides behind Seye.

The first time it happens Mauga's like, "Wow... I vaporized him..." before glancing over and seeing Aedan and being like "Oh lol there you are."

[nitewrighter]

Can we get some interactions between Mauga and Aedan please? Poor beanpole boy trying not to get a pat on the back that would probably break something.

Mauga: *watching Aedan get on the Talon dropshit* Awww yeah! We got O'Deorain 2.0 joining us on the trip! Hey--no one crack a window or he'll blow out like a napkin! *laughs at his own joke for 90 seconds straight* Ahhhh your mother loved that one.

Aedan: I severely doubt that.

Mauga: Yeah no, she'd make the exact same face you're making now.

----

[After Aedan finds out he's a clone]

Mauga: *comes across Aedan crying* Hey--woah, what's going on, freckles? Were you listening to the Blackstar album again?

Aedan: *through sobs* Mum was lying to me! My entire life! My childhood isn't real! I don't have a father! She made me in a lab! I'm--I'm not even 14--I'm--I'm just her experiment!

Mauga: Oh. *pause* Huh.

Aedan: 'Huh?' What do you mean 'huh?'

Mauga: You're--you're telling me you didn't already know that?

Aedan: Why would I know that!?

Mauga: I'unno I assumed you heard me talking about Moira carrying you around in that little tank like a creepy fetus purse a bunch of times. I guess you weren't on those missions.

Aedan: Wh--you saw her--carrying me like--?

Mauga: *pulling out his phone* Oh! I think I have a photo of me posing with you like I'm going to chug your tank. Your mom's trying to claw my eyes out. It's hilarious.

-----

[After Aedan defects]

Mauga: Wow.. so... defected, huh?

Aedan: *warily* Yes...

Mauga: >:)

Aedan: :<

[nitewrighter]

Rajeev: I roll to seduce the dragon.

Samir: Ok, roll.

Rajeev: *rolls* 18, Yes!

Samir: Cool, heads or tails?

Rajeev: Uh, heads.

Samir: *lands on tails* Oh, your the bottom.

Rajeev: I'm sorry WHAT?

Samir: Roll for fortitude saving throw of seventeen or higher.

Rajeev: Fortitude!?

Samir: The dragon's member is about... *checks manual* one foot in circumference. It's literally going to rearrange your guts.

Rei: ...there's no way that's in the manual.

Samir: Sure it is.

Rajeev: *rolls dice* ...eleven.

Samir: *tongue click*

Aedan: Wait--can I cast minor illusion on the dragon?

Rei: Oh--! I still have a spell slot! Can I cast mage hand?

Samir: ...You know, you could just cast 'Raise corpse' on Rajeev after and not waste two spell slots jerking the dragon off.

Aedan: Yeah but... If it means saving our teammate.

Rei: All for one and one for all!

Rajeev: Aw, guys...

Samir: *weary sigh*

[nitewrighter]

StarWatch Aedan would literally be reverse Luke Skywalker. Space Prince who wants to please Evil Space Emperor Dad more than anything only to eventually be told, "Um, no, I'm not your father" by said Evil Space Emperor Dad and reacting like "NOOOOOOOOO!"

[nitewrighter]

Would Rei and Rajeev have noticed the weird vibe/tension going on between Aedan and Akasha when they were having those moments? (Also hey! Just noticed RnR and AnA! How fun!)

Aedan: I just... really hope I haven't screwed things up with her.

Rei: It's weird. I mean, I get why having her chronal accelerator damaged would.. put her back, like that, but it's weird that she seems about the same with everyone else.

Aedan: You think it has something to do with that mission?

Rei: Well, that's when it started, as far as I can tell. But it's not really the same caginess she had when she first came here. It's almost like... she's flustered.

Aedan: *scoff-laugh* Flustered?

Rei: This isn't me being jealous, this is me picking up on vibes.

Aedan: *eye-roll* Well I can hardly see what a malfunctioning chronal accelerator has to do with me.

---

Rajeev: Everything okay?

Akasha: I wish people would stop asking me that.

Rajeev: *patient head tilt* ...

Akasha: I will be fine--I will. I just... need to stay focused and stop picking at the scab.

Rajeev: All right. You don't need to talk about it. I"m just... here if you need anything.

Akasha: Okay.

*long pause*

Akasha: It doesn't count if you kiss someone in another timeline, right?

Rajeev: ...what?

Akasha: I mean, you were dead in that timeline anyway so--oh god, that's horrible.

Rajeev: I was dead!? Wait--who did you kiss--*pause* Aedan!? That's why you two have been so weird?!

Akasha: He doesn't know! I mean there's no reason to tell him since we didn't actually--

Rajeev: I was dead!?

Akasha: Well obviously you're not dead here. See!? This is why I didn't want to talk about it!

Rajeev: *gasp* Was he still evil in that timeline?

Akasha: Yes--I mean--not really? Neither of us were defected---

Rajeev: But that means that's a timeline where you successfully murdered me and Samir. Oooohhhh what if Rei was still a Talon guinea pig or dead there?

Akasha: You are morbidly excited about this.

Rajeev: Wait, if Samir and I are dead, then maybe that means the watchpoint went full lockdown and she never got kidnapped, which might be why Aedan never defected---

Akasha: Look it doesn't matter! I don't--I don't want that reality.

Rajeev: *putting his hands up* Okay--okay-- *pause* So is he a good kisser?

Akasha: Rajeev!

[nitewrighter]

okay hi i have a lot of prompts and stuff to suggest bc i am the person that spent all night reading the kids continuity fic

- aedan and rei domesticity they are so cute

- aedan growing stubble, running out of razors, asking the twins for a razor and they flex and say they use hard light razors. then aedan having to ask jack where the razors are because he doesn’t know (this would probably be around the time he asks him about reaper LMAO)

- marti aim training with amelie?

- obv there’s already been a lot of gency but maybe some of them talking about rei and aedan and being nosy

- more genji pleeeeease he’s so cute <\3

Argh I have a really strong Marti idea but I've got a bit of brain burnout and my idea for her doesn't really match what you're describing and also I haven't written Aedan and Rei in what feels like ages and I miss theeemmmm. Also I like the idea of having some kind of... honeymoon post-Dragonback stuff and also Live Mercy Reaction.

-----

The afternoon sunlight was blazing outside, but Aedan could hardly tell with the windows tinted. He was chewing on his thumbnail as he watched a holographic projection of Andrea's cells. The sample wasn't nearly as stable as he'd like, given the fact that it was mixed with his own blood, but Morrison and Reyes's DNA at least made it easy to quickly distinguish the cells before they morphed back to nanites. She was virtually gone from his system at this point, so he knew any creeping feeling of her still in there had to be purely psychosomatic.

He managed to identify and isolate one of Andrea's neutrophils before it was destroyed and scan it quickly enough to create a rough holographic projection, and he rotated the projection in the air, frowning. He heard the whoosh of the lab doors opening behind him and said, without turning around, "Do you think I could get a blood sample from Morrison?"

"Maybe if you sneak up on him," a voice that was clearly not Mercy's spoke up from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to see Rei holding two bento boxes.

"...thought you were your mother," he said blankly and Rei made a crinkly-eyed, pressed-lip smile at him, "Sorry--that was weird, wasn't it?"

"Not that weird," said Rei, setting the boxes down on the desk a safe distance from the monitor's keyboard and pulling up a chair, "It's nice that you finally have more lab privileges."

"You missed a lot in LA!" Aedan spun in his chair slightly to face her, "I mean, Marti and the others definitely trust me more than the old guard, but still, there's been a lot of progress!"

"'People will let you experiment with their blood' progress?" Rei arched an eyebrow.

"Well... no. But I was thinking I might be able to delineate the effects of the SEP serum better and isolate the stabilizing factors of his DNA if I have a sample," Aedan had fallen back to his previous train of thought.

"You've been at this for hours," said Rei, looking at the hologram.

"I just... wish I was able to find out more before my body destroyed all evidence of her," murmured Aedan.

"Well, what do you know so far?" asked Rei, looking at the projection.

"I know she's stable--incredibly stable."

Rei snorted.

"Well not mentally, obviously, but cellularly. I've never seen such seamless transitions between nanite and cell. I mean I thought her nanite secretions weren't as prominent as mine because she wasn't working with a biotic rig, or--you know, because she was kicking my ass, but I think mum managed to really perfect the metabolic processes with her," he made a kind of flailing, spread fingered gesture at the white blood cell hologram with both hands, "Just... specimen."

He felt Rei's hands lightly but firmly close around his shoulders

"Should I be concerned you're gushing about the girl who collapsed your ribcage?" Rei cooed, rubbing her thumbs at the tops of his shoulder blades, "And her perfect, perfect cells?"

The initial touch gave Aedan an involuntary shudder, but he melted into his seat as she worked at the knots at the back of his neck. "A lus na gréine, you have nothing to worry about. She's my sister from another amnio... nister... tank..."

"Okay that is low blood sugar talking." Rei slipped her hands from his shoulders and grabbed one of the bento boxes, plopping it in his lap, "Eat." She grabbed her own chair and bento box and sat down.

"It's just.. a weird relief in a way," he said quietly, still looking at the hologram, "One of the reasons I was made was to help try and find ways to stabilize Reyes. But if anyone's going to save him, it's her."

"Yeeahh it is a weird relief that she's going to save the guy who wants us all dead," Rei agreed, stirring up her own box. Aedan saw green. Some kind of salad?

"...I don't think he wanted you dead," Aedan said.

Rei looked up from her own bento box to him.

"There was a moment back in Urdr when we were shuffling through in those stolen uniforms, you were still a bit drugged up. He looked right at us and I could have sworn he knew it was me, he knew something was off, but he just... let us go."

"Well he must have changed his mind if he's sending Daughter Dearest after us," said Rei, taking a bite.

Aedan scoffed. "He could barely look at me knowing what I was, there's no way he would agree to--" Aedan caught himself and his face dropped, "...there's no way he would agree to Talon making another him."

Rei's chewing slowed. "...so it's messing him up just as much as Jack, probably?"

"Probably," Aedan shrugged.

"Eat," Rei said again, pointing at his bento box with her own chopsticks, and Aedan shuffled his chair slightly away from the holo-monitor closer to her, opened his own box, and started eating across from her. It seemed to be a loose interpretation of a sushi bowl, brown rice and surimi and edamame, with extra greens and a sliced up hardboiled egg on the side, all drizzled with sesame oil and soy sauce and doused with furikake and red pepper flakes.

"Avocado..." Aedan said, "The Californians got to you."

"Don't knock it. You need monounsaturated fats," said Rei.

"I'm not--thank you, for making this," said Aedan. He took a bite and immediately felt the calories hit in the only way they can when you've forgotten to eat for a lot longer than you'd care to admit.

"It's just tossing a bunch of stuff together in the mess hall, it's a lot better equipped than it was when I was a kid, really," Rei held up the bento box, "But I had to bring these from home."

"Back home with the folks, huh?" Aedan perked up in his seat, poking around.

Rei huffed through her nostrils, choosing her words as she chewed. "It's nice... " she said slowly.

Aedan considered leading with 'But..?' to prompt her to say more, but decided humor might be the better route.

"Ah, but you've tasted the freedom of Hollywood," Aedan waved his chopsticks around, "And so the tinseltown dreams have taken roost in your heart. Your soul forever unsatisfied until you're once again in the dazzling spotlight."

Rei snickered. "I was a stunt. And... it was weird. Using all my training to.. pretend to fight--even if it was as my childhood hero. And like, the whole time I had this nagging feeling that even if I could make a career out of it, I'd always feel a hole where the dragon was. And I felt like... everyone back here was throwing themselves into danger while I was licking my wounds and bouncing around in silly costumes. But now I'm back here and... I don't know. We fly everywhere. We go on these missions, but the world feels smaller somehow. It feels like a wall's come back up."

"You're telling me that squatting on a rocket launch facility and traveling pretty much exclusively for missions feels limited compared to having free rein in one of the biggest cities and entertainment capitals of the world?" Aedan smiled.

"Okay, when you put it like that--" Rei cut herself off to chew some more surimi.

"I felt the same way about Oasis," Aedan shrugged, "Even if it is a young city, it's done everything in its power to draw the greatest minds from all over the world. One of the tourism boards wanted to bill it as 'The New House of Wisdom' except that got shot down because it felt a little archaic, potentially orientalist, possibly muscling in on Baghdad's tourism... and also like it might be inviting disaster. But, point stands, you felt special while you were there. Chosen."

"And you miss all your fancy 'son of the minister of genetics' perks," Rei smiled.

"Not nearly as much as I used to, these days," said Aedan, "I might either be going crazy or Jack might be onto something about that 'building character' stuff."

Rei snorted. "Maybe I'm just being weird about moving back into my childhood room."

"Well I should let you know that in your absence I've upgraded the dormitories into quite the bachelor pad. Convinced the twins to put in some hard-light privacy dividers, moved some of the extra beds into storage...the holo-projector was always in there, but I have a couch now!"

"Aedan O'Deorain, are you inviting me to your place?"

"Door's open," said Aedan, shrugging.

Her mouth just quirked off to one side in a smile and they both continued eating, letting that percolate in the air between them.

Rei was scraping up stray edamame beans and bits of furikake from the edges of her bento box when she noticed Aedan had set his empty bento aside and his attention was drifting back to the giant hologram of the neutrophil, his expression hollow and searching. He had pretty much inhaled his food, which was good, but Rei had seen enough of Marti, Samir, and her own mother to know when someone's brain had driven them into a rut that they weren't going to get out of without help.

"You know, if she's already out of your system, it's not like you'll find new data now that you can't find later," said Rei.

"Mm?" Aedan looked back at her.

"You need a break," said Rei.

"But---there's the flow factor," said Aedan.

"Oh, the flow factor," said Rei, rising from her seat.

"And like, yes, this is probably trauma talking, but I want to feel like I came away from that fight with a bit more than memories of a giant hole in my chest."

"Aedan," Rei braced her hands on both of his forearms on the seat's armrests, "We did."

She looked at him expectantly with those big, dark gray eyes, and his own eyes widened. Technically, it had been a mission accomplished. They had set out with the intention of getting the dragon back, and, miraculously, they had gotten it back, even if it was far from the circumstances any of them actually imagined getting it. Surviving an encounter with Talon when none of them were really equipped for that level of combat was nothing to sneeze at, either.

And there was the other thing, Aedan thought, as Rei's mouth closed on his.

Surimi and hard-boiled egg, in general, are not the optimum pre-making-out foods, and Aedan honestly could have used a nap and a shower in either order, but after hours of staring at blood samples and holograms of the woman who had nearly killed him, just the sensation of having Rei on his lips made none of that matter. That itch wasn't gone from the back of his mind, though. He wanted to do more, to claw just a little further ahead in this fight, to find something that would turn the tide. He wanted the fight to be over. He wanted the world to feel open for her--for her to go to LA or Oasis or wherever she wanted, to not have to worry about everyone back here.

She sank into his lap and his arms wrapped around her, letting even those stubborn thoughts melt away, if only for now, if only for a few moments. He hefted her up in his lap and he felt her breath puff out of her nostrils in an amused sound--maybe he was adjusting her to get to a more comfortable position, maybe he wanted to get the point across that he had put some muscle on with Marti's team, but either way she dove into the kiss hungrily. Aedan's arm curled around her more, trailing up her back, as his other hand brushed down her hip.

And then there was the vwoosh of the lab door opening.

"Aedan, I'm going to need to commandeer the holo-projector from you for a minute, one of my colleagues sent---" Mercy glanced up from her tablet to see Rei and Aedan, staring at her, tangled up precariously in one swivel chair.

"...Rei," Mercy said, straightening herself up in the doorway.

"Mom," Rei said, not making any movement to get out of Aedan's arms.

"Eh--" Aedan squeaked, sheet white with ears redder than his hair.

"I can come back later," Mercy said with a terrifying blankness.

"Mom--" Rei started, but Mercy put both hands up as the door whooshed close in front of her once more.

Aedan's heart was pounding in his ears. "She's going to kill me."

"She's not going to kill you," Rei rolled her eyes.

"She's going to kill me," said Aedan, his mind blank with terror.

"Aedan, we're adults, it's fine."

"You didn't tell her!?"

"I was going to tell her," Rei gestured vaguely, "You know... when I figured out how."

---

Genji was at Athena's main monitor browsing through some old Blackwatch files when the door opened behind him. He caught the barest reflection of her silhouette before turning around and brightly greeting her with, "Angela!" before quickly realizing that she was panting hard and her hair was disheveled. "Did you... run across the Watchpoi--?"

"When were you going to tell me?" Mercy's voice was almost a growl.

"Tell you... what--?""

"Our daughter! And the clone! I mean--the boy! Moira-clone-boy!"

"Aedan," Genji said easily.

"They were in the lab... c-canoodling!"

"Canoodling?" Genji repeated.

Mercy huffed out a tense breath, "...kissing," she clarified.

"Oh," said Genji, visibly relaxing.

"Did you know about this?" Mercy briskly closed the distance between them.

"Well... emotions did get a little high in Shirakami-Sanchi, but it wasn't really relevant to the mission debriefing."

Mercy just folded her arms in front of him.

"And... I figured it was Rei's business to tell you."

"Well yes but--" Mercy caught herself, now coming to terms with the fact that she had raced over her out of an outrage that she was far from being able to articulate, and the more she thought on it, the more (frustratingly) her sense of her right to outrage seemed to slip away from her.

"I feel like we've had this discussion before," said Genji.

"We said there was a possibility, that's very different from them making out in the lab."

"Oh no! Not the lab!" Genji said with clear amusement, "No one's ever made out in that lab before!"

Mercy's shoulders slumped and she looked at him sourly.

"I'm sorry---" Genji caught himself, "Obviously, I've had more time to come to terms with this, and I was there when things... started, sort of--"

"What do you mean 'sort of?'"

"Well it's in the debrief that both Rei and Aedan were missing from our campsite when they encountered Andrea. Rei's debrief says she was going back to the pond to try summoning the dragon again, and Aedan's debrief said he had headed away from the camp to relieve himself, but... I'm not ruling out the the possibility that they also could have snuck off together."

"They were sneaking off together under yours and Hanzo's noses!?"

"Honestly with the state Rei was in during that whole trip, it seems pretty unlikely that they were doing that," Genji murmured.

"Genji..." Mercy pressed her knuckles to her forehead, the burn of outrage now simmering down to exhausted frustration.

"Look--don't worry about that. What I'm saying is, when we let her go off to LA, we agreed we would trust her judgment, right?"

"Yes..." Mercy said slowly, lowering her hands.

"And you do like Aedan--I mean, I know it's been hard for you, overcoming everything you know Moira is capable of, but you two really have come a long way since he's joined the team."

"He is a good lab assistant," Mercy conceded, before muttering, "Though clearly he's gotten a bit too comfortable in that lab."

"Plus... it's not like we can really judge on the whole 'falling in love with your rescuer' thing," Genji stroked a knuckle down her jawline.

Mercy's lips were pursed, but a smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth as she glanced off.

"And if it's any consolation, I know he's still terrified of you," said Genji.

Mercy snorted. "It is fun to put the fear of god into him," she mused. She paused, still not meeting his eyes, before sighing and slumping her forehead onto his shoulder. "I'll be fine," she said, her voice reverberating against his cybernetic chestplate, clearly trying to convince herself just as much as him, "It will be fine. I can be calm about this."

"You really ran across the watchpoint, huh?" Genji brought his arms around her and rubbed her back a little.

"...yes," she admitted, and he just chuckled and set his chin on her head.

[nitewrighter]

I've only now reapised (at 6:25 am) that Aedan is tall and lanky enough to do the Riker maneuver on chairs.

God, that in combination with his more 'relaxed' forms of seating can easily make him The Most Annoying Person To Talk To While Seated on the watchpoint, taking up his mother's mantle.

He actually starts out sitting very formally and primly, often stiffly, because, you know... defected clone... gotta make a good impression, but as he settles in more and gets more comfortable with people... he does have to stretch those legs. And it's not like he's really slouching or manspreading but it's like, he leans back and you're just kind of mad like "jesus christ how are you this skinny and yet there is so much of you?? This is ridiculous." And of course he does have a flare for the dramatic...think 'rockstar' meets 'swooning victorian.'

The worst part about the Riker Maneuver with Aedan is that Jonathan Frakes did the Riker Maneuver due to a back issue, Aedan doing the Riker maneuver would be an active choice. God I can just picture Jaime watching Aedan stick his leg out to sit down like that and being like "Goddammit that's too much fucking leg."

[nitewrighter]

May I ask for some interactions between Aedan and either Genji or Mercy post swivel chair makeout sesh? Haha!

Ahhh yes! I'd love to!

---

Aedan: It's just... I don't want to overstep.

Genji: You're not overstepping.

Aedan: Really?

Genji: Well, I'd be a bit more careful about what you're doing in the lab, but other than that, you and Rei are entitled to your relationships, and your happiness.

Aedan: Are--are you sure?

Genji: Mm-hm. Rei's more of a romantic than I really allowed myself to be at her age. It's nice to see.

Aedan: ...oh. Well, I'm glad you think that.

Genji: Plus, as far as overprotective, intimidating male guardian figures in her life, I'm pretty sure Hanzo has me covered.

Aedan: *glances over at Hanzo*

Hanzo: *DEATH GLARE*

Aedan: *gulps*

---

Mercy: *silently working in the lab* ...

Aedan: *silently working alongside her, visibly sweating* ...

Mercy: Could you--

Aedan: MY INTENTIONS WITH REI ARE HONORABLE.

Mercy: ...

Aedan: *panting*

Mercy: I was going to say, 'could you pass me that stylus?'

Aedan: *handing the stylus over* Right. Yes. Of course.

Mercy: *takes the stylus* We don't have to talk about it.

Aedan: I don't know... shouldn't we?

Mercy: *not looking at him as she works* What is there to talk about?

Aedan: I thought we were really getting better, and now I feel like you're treating me like I'm fresh out of Urdr again.

Mercy: It's just.. one of those things I need time with.

Aedan: Yes but I respect you, Doctor Ziegler. Working in this lab with you really makes me feel like I have a place here, that I can actually begin to undo the harm my mother's done. It means a lot to me.

Mercy: *glancing over at him* ...'but I love Rei more?'

Aedan: Frankly, Doctor, I don't see my feelings for Rei or my esteem for you as opposing forces.

Mercy: *pauses*

Aedan: *steady stare*

Mercy: ...no, I suppose they aren't, are they?

Mercy: *resumes working*

Aedan: *hesitantly resumes working alongside her*

*long silence*

Aedan: ...I--um-- meant to ask earlier, do you still have that paper on Gutierrez's theory on artificial bone marrow replication?

Mercy: *not looking up from her work* I'll CC it to you... if you fix another batch of that cardamom coffee.

Aedan: *small smile*

[nitewrighter]

I just finished reading your kidfic after seeing your recent posts about the fankids here on Tumblr, and I'm so happy I did! I really felt invested in them as characters, especially Rei and Aedan (both on their own and as a ship). If you're looking for more prompts, I'd love to see more of the kids interacting with the non-parent agents like Tracer, Dva, or Lucio!

Ahh I feel like it's been a while since I did fankid interactions!

---

Zarya: I noticed someone has been getting into my protein powder. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, ptichka?

Rei: mmm... nope! Nope. Don't know anything about that.

Zarya: Of course. And I'm sure it is a coincidence that the break-ins always seem to happen right after your training sessions with Hanzo?

Rei: Oh come on, you basically have a silo of the stuff! You can spare a scoop!

Zarya: I can, but ninja or not, you have to ask.

---

Tracer: I'm glad to see Morrison taking someone new under his wing. He hasn't done something like that in ages! I think it's good for him.

Marti: Who.. was the last person he did it for?

Tracer: Me! Hopefully he won't let you think he's dead for five years!

Marti: ...you guys are never going to let him live that down, are you?

Tracer: Definitely not.

---

D.Va: Oooh! The twins! Can you read each other's minds?

Samir: There's nothing to read--

Rajeev: *overlapping* He's thinking about butts.

----

[If Aedan has his Talon Labtech or Oasis skin equipped]

Aedan: Professor, are we still meeting tomorrow? I had some questions about the texts you recommended.

Sigma: Oh--Oh dear. I'm afraid we'll have to reschedule, Aedan. It would seem Mr. Ogundimu has need of my skills with some thorny issue abroad. He was sparse on the details, but I shall help in any way I can.

Aedan: Oh--Well... be careful out there.

Sigma: *chuckle* Don't worry about me, dear boy. Just give those readings another look, I'm sure you'll have it figured out by the time I get back.

----

Lúcio: Man, I knew Vishkar was messed up, but it sounds like those orphanages are a whole other level...

Jaime: I'm still going to go back for the others. I have to. I don't really know how, yet, but someday.

Lúcio: Well, when we figure that out, I'll be right there beside you.

[nitewrighter]

Some fanteractions for Imperial Prince Aedan and the Statwatch skins please?

Me running back to my OC's after writing a shit ton of canon character interactions: I've abandoned my boy--I'VE ABANDONED MY BOY!!

---

Aedan: It is an honor to fight alongside you. I am an extension of your will, my emperor.

Sigma: Hm. See that you don't disappoint me, boy.

Aedan: Yes Fa--I mean... Your Imperial Infinitude.

---

Infinite Seer Mercy: Ah, the young Princeling graces us with his presence. Do you seek your destiny?

Aedan: Let me guess.. the usual doom and gloom, disappointing my father, horrible death?

Infinite Seer Mercy: Hmm... strange, your fate seems... nebulous now. Something has been set in motion. I shall have to observe further.

Aedan: *dryly* Thank you. That was very specific and helpful.

---

Aedan: My father has been watching your ascent through the ranks with great interest, Ace.

D.Va: Ooh! Can he have my mech outfitted with annihilator guns?

Aedan: I'll see if I can't put a good word in.

---

Sojourn: Don't think just because you're the Emperor's son that I'm going easy on you.

Aedan: His Excellency wouldn't want it any other way.

---

Aedan: I've been to the Toorb'ree homeworld. The methane fjords are breathtaking!

Torbjorn: Of course they are! They're methane!

[nitewrighter]

Ooohh May I ask for some more Aekasha interactions, Mun? :0c

Like after Akasha tells Rajeev, would she finally fess up to Aedan about why she's been on edge with him lately? Would Rei find out? Would she take it into stride? :000

Akasha: ...and that's when I woke up. Or... came back. I don't know.

Rei: Wow...

Akasha: And--and I need you to understand, when that happens to me--I mean I don't really know how many times I can say it happened to me--But when you're in those times you just... kind of roll with things. If you fight it, things--start getting scrambled, so you just...

Rei: So he kissed you.

Akasha: Well he wasn't your Aedan.

Rei: Ooh, my Aedan, I like that. So what did my Aedan say?

Akasha: I--I haven't told him yet.

Rei: *blinks*

Akasha: I--I didn't it want to seem like... I was making a move. Because I'm not! He's been very kind to me. You're... both my friends.

Rei: Well tragically, by Shimada rules, we have to swordfight for his hand, now.

Akasha: ...

Rei: ...which was a joke. Don't worry about it. Look, go talk to him. Seriously. He's been thinking you were mad at him or something this whole time. Don't worry about me. You have my blessing.

Akasha: ...that's it?

Rei: Do you want to swordfight for his hand?

Akasha: No--just... I guess I don't know what I was expecting.

Rei: We know you care a lot about us, Akasha. We do trust you. And like you said, that's another timeline. And I'm sorry that this was clearly bugging you for so long but you felt like you couldn't talk to us about it. I mean I get why you wouldn't want to talk about it, but still. I wish we could communicate that to you better without just repeating 'are you okay' all the time.

Akasha: Th-thank you...

Rei: Also I don't know if you've picked up on this yet but like... everyone is always super curious about your weird time stuff but they're all too scared to ask you about it because it fucked you up so bad for so long.

Akasha: I know! I told Rajeev he died in that timeline and he was still like 'Oh wow you think Rei was still alive?'

Rei: Was I still alive?

Akasha: I DON'T KNOW.

---

Akasha: So... that's why it's been difficult for me to talk to you.

Aedan: ...wow.

Akasha: ...looking back it all feels a bit stupid, now. Like, I know it's not this time--

Aedan: Akasha, your chronal accelerator was malfunctioning. That's not stupid, it's traumatic for you. We all know that.

Akasha: Yes, but there was all the--the other stuff!

Aedan: *distantly* Different lives...

Akasha: Do you think about it sometimes? Who you'd be if you never defected?

Aedan: Sometimes... though, to be honest I hadn't really considered myself an eligible bachelor to Vishkar. *pause* What was I wearing?

Akasha: That's what you're curious about?

Aedan: I'm just worried my mum's still picking out my outfits in that timeline.

Akasha: *snort*

Aedan: ...to be honest though, there is a lot I miss about my old life. The food, the music, the clothes--it was definitely cushier. And they were very good at making your future feel secure, even if they weren't telling you how many dead bodies it would take to get that future.

Akasha: ...I had killed more than just the twins in that timeline. I knew it. I could feel it.

Aedan: *glances up at her*

Akasha: No one we know but--that doesn't matter.

Aedan: It was a version of yourself you once thought you wanted, but it's not what you want now.

Akasha: *fidgeting with her hair* yeah...

Aedan: I know what that's like. For what it's worth, I like the Akasha in this timeline just fine.

Akasha: I like the Aedan in this timeline, too.

[nitewrighter]

Aedan/Akasha interactions please? Like maybe the latter recalling some bits and pieces of that other life she spent with another red haired individual and not knowing how to proceed?

Aedan: Did I do something wrong?

Akasha: What?

Aedan: It's just... It feels like you've been... avoiding me. If I've done something to make you uncomfortable, I'd really like you to let me know what so I can apologize properly.

Akasha: What? No--you haven't--It wasn't---it never...

Aedan: *head tilt*

Akasha: ...It's nothing.

Aedan: It doesn't sound like nothing.

Akasha: Well it is. It's fine. I'm weird. *gestures at chronal accelerator* I've been weird. I can handle it.

Aedan: Well, if you ever want to talk about it...

Akasha: I'll... keep that in mind.

----

Aedan: You know I've been curious about this for a while and Tracer didn't really have a clear answer so--after the teleporter incident, do you know if you were seeing one continuous timeline, or were you also seeing other possible chains of events?

Akasha, suddenly very intense and alarmed: Why are you asking that.

Aedan: *flinching back slightly* Oh--I'm sorry. You're right. What you went through was harrowing, I shouldn't have brought it up so casually.

Akasha, catching herself: Oh--No--I just...

Aedan, putting his hands up: It's fine, don't worry about it. I'll just... *walking off* let you have some space.

Akasha, pressing her knuckles to her forehead: ...stupid...

----

Akasha: I... fixed us tea.

Aedan: Oh! Thank you!

Aedan: *glancing around for tea fixings*

Akasha: Assam 3 minutes steeped with lemon and a half tablespoon of honey?

Aedan: *pauses, glances at teacup* Oh! Yes! How'd you know?

Akasha: Just.. a feeling.

[nitewrighter]

Pre-defection.

Aedan answers the door in pyjamas.

Seye in training gear: All right let's go.

Aedan: It's 4 am.

Seye: Yeah. We start at 4 am.

Aedan: I thought you were joking.

Seye: How was that a joke?

Aedan: Cause it's 4 am.

Aedan: ...But it's dark out.

Seye: *clicks on head lamp*

~30 Minutes of Aedan miserably running/ragdolling behind Seye (who has perfect jogging form) later~

Seye: You said fading is oxygen-intake-dependent. How are you going to get better at it if you don't develop your cardio better?

Aedan: I *pant* shouldn't *pant* be here *pant* I... *pant* should be *pant* sleeping then *pant* reading *pant* my *wheeze* Alexander Von Humboldt *gasp* biography. *collapses*

Seye: *stops jogging and looks over him*

Aedan: *muffled into the dirt* With a cup of Turkish coffee.

[nitewrighter]

And what about Imperial Soldier Jack getting assigned as the prince's main bodyguard? Too bad Gabe didn't get a Starwatch skin

ooooh that's really interesting considering that there's already a Darth Vader reference spray with Sigma choking Jack out.

Sigma: Anything to report on the boy?

Jack: The prince has successfully brokered an alliance with the Sector Theta Belters.

Sigma: Wonderful. We're associating with pirates and scum, now.

Jack: He believes their smuggling networks can provide vital intel on the rebels.

Sigma: 'Believes.' A dangerous word without empirical evidence. What message do you think he sends to our enemies by cavorting with the lawless?

Jack: Such an alliance would only be temporary. If we make them dependent on our forces looking the other way, they get sloppy, that makes it all the easier to shut them down completely once the rebellion is out of the wa--- *starts choking*

Sigma: *extending a hand towards Jack* I don't appreciate being left out of the loop. Particularly on such a matter that involves both the Infinite Empire's execution of its law and the image of its royal heir. Keep the boy on a tighter leash or you'll find yours getting that much tighter. Are we clear?

Jack: *choking, clawing at his throat, manages a nod while turning purple*

Sigma: *releasing him* As you were.