#like???? whe are having a calm discussion about racing

[patowardd]

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[mybeautifuldecay]

Private Tutor. Chapter Thirteen; The Smile Was A Little Forced, But It Lasted.

These chapters are getting finished and posted later and later but hopefully it’s for the best. I basically slept all day today and only woke up as the sun set (which considering it’s summer, is pretty late).

Credit, as always, goes to the wonderful @gotham-ruaidh for being my reason for fic in the first place and to @suhailauniverse for being wise and helping me to understand the basic principles of university educations and many other things that make her way smarter than me <3 thanks Suh, you rock.

As always, I don’t have an active AO3 account: so sorry all who find it easier over there...but I'm going to mash together a master list in the next couple of days.

Happy Thursday, all. 

Pacing the length of her bedroom, the carpet swished beneath Claire’s feet as she glanced at herself in the vanity - trying to work off the nerves that sat heavy in her belly.

Dr Abernathy had emailed her back only twenty-four hours after she’d sent him the request and she’d spend double that time trying to pluck up the courage to open it. She couldn’t face the prospect of him declining her, but nor did she know how she’d feel if he’d responded positively.

Frank had been decidedly absent for the last few days, staying with his student no doubt but Claire didn’t have any energy to dwell on that.

“Come on, Beauchamp.” She sighed, twisting her hands into fists as she referred to herself using her maiden name; something she hadn’t done in years. Opening the lid of her laptop she loaded up her email account, her fingers typing in the password so fast that she had to repeat the process three times before she finally got the combination right.

Sitting unobtrusively in her inbox, the message flashed up as unread the second it loaded, the bright blue bold font making Claire’s stomach topple. The subject line held a few words but it didn’t give her any clue as to what lay beyond. Clicking quickly on the link, she finally opened it and her eyes caught a date almost immediately.

‘Dear Claire, I’m so glad you finally plucked up the courage to get into contact with me…’ the first line read, making Claire’s heart skip. Letting her eyes drift over the nice opening, she read the paragraph further down, the one that contained the date, her palms sitting face down on the desk either side of the computer to hold her steady. As soon as she’d processed the information she needed she grabbed for her phone and quickly pressed ‘call’ on Jamie’s number. It only rang out a couple of times before she heard him pick up and greet her.

“He’s asked me to come to the hospital to meet him, Jamie,” she babbled resuming her pacing as she spoke, “he said it wasn’t an interview so much as a discussion about my options. What do I do?”

“Sassenach,” Jamie soothed, his voice calm and quiet as he tried to talk Claire down, “ye reply in the positive, aye? Go and meet him. He’s a busy man, even though he said it wasna an interview he wouldna invite you up there if he meant to waste yers and his time. I suspect, as it’s so late in the year, he might have an alternative solution for September but there’s no point in him taking ye to meet the course heads if he doesna ken what yer plans are. But I canna say for sure.”

“Christ.” Claire exclaimed, flopping onto the bed as she let Jamie’s words sink in. “I’ve wanted this for so long and now I might finally be able to do it I’m actively petrified.”

“Then that’s a good sign, lass. Anything that makes ye that worrit is something worth fighting for.”

Claire smiled down the phone at his words. Jamie was right. She’d been numb for so long that any emotion, even one that had her pulse racing and her nerves shot, was not something to be ignored.

“True.” She said watching carefully as the thin fibres of her faux-fur rug slid between her toes. “Now what on earth am I supposed to wear to meet a chief surgeon!?”

“Bloodied scrubs?” Jamie joked, unable to contain it.

“I don’t-” Claire began before laughing down the phone. “Helpful, Fraser,” she quipped, “thank you.”

--

“I’m really pleased that Jamie made you contact me.” Joe (he’d been clear that there were to be no formalities and Claire had been forced to leave the ‘doctor’ title at the door when she’d entered his small office) said with a rather large smile on his face as he pulled a chair out for her. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but we’ve actually met before. When your husband first arrived at the university you were both at a benefit. I only recalled it after you’d left the lecture theatre the other day.”

“So you knew I wasn’t enrolled at the university then?” Claire replied quietly, feeling downcast that she’d even attempted to pull off the rouse.

“Ah, don’t worry about that, Claire. I wasn't worried either way.” He said kindly, his American accent sounding more pronounced as he signed off a few papers that lay harmlessly in front of him. “Like I said before, I met you when you were with professor Randall.” The way he said Frank’s name made her ears prick. It wasn’t truly unpleasant but there was a minor hint of enmity behind his tone. “And to see you in that talk, with animation and life appearing behind your eyes as you listened cautiously, making sure you only made a comment when you were certain you’d gotten the gist of the conversation. It was...enlightening. Then,” he continued, pouring a cup of tea for each of them from a pot that was already on his desk, “when I finally remembered where I’d seen you previously; well, then it felt all the more impressive.”

“I’m sure I wasn’t much as to be remembered, Joe,” she said, half on the way to calling him doctor before she recalled their earlier accord, “the last time I tried to make any comments at one of those things I got some incredible side-eye from Frank.”

Joe scoffed, a half laugh, half sneer as he tried to contain his own loathing for such events and the specific characters that often frequented them. “But, hopefully, your days of being left in the shadows are over Claire.” He returned, making her sit up straighter in her chair. “If some of those intriguing notions you brought to the fore at the seminar are anything to go by, I don’t doubt that you could be an incredible doctor, should you want that, of course?” He left the question hanging in the air, giving Claire an opportunity to speak.

“Is that what you do then? Up at the university, Joe. Vet the current cohort?” She spoke without really thinking but as soon as the words were out of her mouth her cheeks flamed red and she snapped her lips shut. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“No, no, Claire,” Joe chuckled, a sly look in his eye, “don’t be sorry. You’re completely correct. Though not infallible,” he declared with some humour, “I have a keen eye and the tutors like to get my opinion on those they harbour some concern over. It’s a double win, really. The professors get my *valuable*,” he said winking conspiratively, “assessment and the students get at least one amusing lecture a year.”

“Can you tell who’ll pass and fail then?” She said jokingly. “Should I be worried that you know my fate already?”

“Oh, if only. I’d be out of here like a shot if that were the case, selling my talents and securing the rights to my own television series. It’s usually just a feeling. I have a degree in psychology as well as my PHd and my MD, I wasn’t too invested in some of the theories, of course, but the human psyche is an interesting thing and when applied to med students, you can really sort the strong from the weak. Some will surprise you, there’s always at least one that does, and others will do just as I’ve predicted.”

“And you think I’m worth the punt?” Claire interjected her voice steady, confident and resolute as she spoke.

“I don’t think,” he returned, his eyes holding hers as he placed his hands on the desk either side of the two full teacups, “I know, Claire.”

“What’s the dropout rate looking like for this intake?” She said getting straight to the point. If there was to be any chance of her enrolling in September she knew it would hinge on some of the new and current students leaving the course.

“Don’t worry about that for now. I just need to know how serious you are about pursuing this.”

“I want it. Desperately. Not at the detriment of someone else,” she said, realising how her words might have sounded, “but studying with Jamie has made me see how much I need to do something rather than nothing.”

“I get the feeling this is a calling for you, Claire, something that is burned deep into your DNA, and I’m willing to put my neck on the line in order to help you achieve that, just as Mr Fraser has done. That being said, and I’m certain you know this already, you’ve been out of education for a while. Even with the knowledge you’ve gained from Jamie’s teaching, it would be hard to convince any medical course to take you on without some proof that you haven’t completely forgotten all of your A Level sciences. So what if we discuss a foundation course for September and see how that goes?”

“I think that’s perfect.” Claire nodded, her eyes alight with joy as Joe reached out his hand and she took it in acceptance. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I won’t let you down.”

--

Skipping out of the hospital, Claire tried to slow her steps and appear as normal as possible but inside her heart was fluttering like mad, the satisfaction of having added an ally (and a powerful one at that) making her vibrate from head to toe. There was only one person she needed to tell now and she had no clue where he might be.

Turning onto the main road she headed for the university, her mind too focused on finding Jamie to worry about seeing Frank or any of his colleagues. But luck was on her side for the moment and as she searched through the medical department, she didn’t see anyone who might recognise her.

But nor could she find Jamie.

Taking a small map of Glasgow from a stack by the university tourist shop, she noted where The Mitchell was in relation to where she was and began the short walk across the campus towards the city centre. She’d left the house this morning without her phone and had no means to call Jamie and find out his whereabouts but she didn’t think he’d be at home at this point in the day.

She walked through Kelvingrove, pushing her hair back off her face as she skirted by the gallery (staying out of the way of the dog walkers, pushchairs and cyclists) Joe’s words whirling around her head as the sun shone high in the sky. As the glorious architecture appeared, the swish of the cars driving along the dual carriageway echoing behind the large building, Claire rushed up the steps - waving at Ellen and Geillis as they stood chatting at the front desk.

“Jamie?” She whispered, popping her head about the bookcases as she sought him out. “Jamie, are you here?”

The rest of the library was deserted so she didn’t feel too bad about calling out for him.

Just as she was about to turn, Claire caught sight of a hunched figure to the side of the larger stacks - his red hair sticking up as he turned the page of the aged book.

“Jamie…” Claire sighed, sliding into the chair next to him and glancing across at him from the corner of her eye. He barely looked up, but he did smile a little as she nudged her knee against his. “I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but good to me and I’ve hidden from you these last few weeks.”

“I canna say it didn’t hurt my feelings, sassenach,” he said, closing his book and placing it at his feet, “but I ken why ye did it. How did yer meeting go?’ He asked, changing the subject.

“It was just as you said. He suggested a foundation year and I said yes.”

His smile was a little forced, but it lasted. “See,” he murmured, “I kent ye could do it. I’m so proud of you.”

“It’s down to you, Jamie.” She said, moisture building in her eyes at his declaration. “I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for you.”

“Ach, ye would. Yer too smart to wither away. Sooner or later you would have gathered the courage to follow yer dreams, I truly believe that. I just helped fate along a little, aye?”

“Fuck fate…” Claire snorted, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before letting her arm drop, her palm resting gently over the back of Jamie’s hand. Buoyed by the contact she took one deep breath and closed her eyes. “I’m falling in love with you, Jamie Fraser, and that has nothing to do with fate. Neither does me applying for this course. It’s you. All of it. It’s all down to you.”

[armiehmmer]

𝐟𝐥𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧. 🤧

DATE: march 5th, 2019 TIME: late evening WHERE: candice swanepoel’s los angeles home  SUMMARY: candice believes she’s come down with a bug, but armie has other suspicions... TAGGED: @cswanepoelxo

Candice: After Anacan had come down with the flu, Candice tried everything she could to load her body filled with vitamins and avoid the germs at all cost. However, the germs had caught up with her and she too fell ill before she knew it. By the time Anacan's fever had broken, Candice felt her entire body begin to feel tender and achy. While she was happy her little boy was finally feeling much better, she was lacking energy and unable to keep anything down. Since her mother had graciously taken Ariel for a few days to keep him safe, she had offered to take Anacan as well to allow Candice to focus on herself and feel better. While the blonde missed having her babies by her side, she was thankful to have the opportunity to rest up and attempt to feel better. While her initial symptoms had lessened and the aches and pains subsided, she still felt lingering symptoms. The nausea had been the main one that stuck around. Candice found herself hovered over the porcelain bowl in the bathroom as she heard the door crack open. "Ugh," she moaned, looking up and seeing her boyfriend walk into the room. "Hey baby," she spoke in a weak and drained tone.

Armie: There was some guilt that filled his entire body when he had found out Candice and Anacan were both sick, especially since Armie’s weekend was spent on the complete other side of the coast from Candice, celebrating the birthday of one of his friends while the two of them were back home in California feeling miserable. The minute he had landed back in California, he made his way over to the closest pharmacy and loaded up on all the necessary cold and flu medicines, and after a quick phone call with Elizabeth, he grabbed some extra items just in case they ended up being necessary. Between him checking out his items and driving over to her place, only a few short minutes had passed. It was past midnight, and the Los Angeles traffic had died down, so thankfully he didn’t have to leave her waiting much longer. Once he had pulled up, he quickly made his way into the home, finding his way to the bathroom and opening the door to see the blonde sitting on the floor. “Hi,” the actor spoke quietly, before moving in her direction and placing the bag on the floor before sitting down next to her and gently rubbing his hand over her back. “I brought you some Gatorade. You’re probably dehydrated. And some medicine. All kinds of it. I’m sure it all tastes like shit, but anything to help, right?” He asked, cracking a small smile in her direction before placing her hair behind her ear and leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. “Has it been this bad all day?”

Candice: Candice groggily looked up towards her boyfriend and flashed him a forced smile. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t happy to see him. Her body was just so drained and fighting off exhaustion that she could barely even hold her head up anymore. As Armie joined her on the floor, she scooted over and wrapped her arms around him, desperate to be in the comfortable embrace of the man she loved. “Thank you, babe,” the blonde said sincerely. The past few days she had been fighting this off on her own, with the added worry of making sure the boys were both being cared for as well. If it hadn’t have been for her own mother, Candice wasn’t sure what she would have done. The blonde reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of Gatorade. She knew she desperately needed to get hydrated, in hopes that would pep her up and make her feel more human once again. The blonde nodded as she gazed up at him. I just feel gross. I’m clammy and nauseous and my body just aches. I just don’t feel like myself.” She always took such good care of her body that it caught her off guard that something like this was happening to her. She had gotten sick in the past but never with lingering symptoms that lasted for this long.

Armie: Armie sat and listened as she spoke, carefully paying attention to everything she was saying. It seemed strange to him as well that the model had gotten sick, he knew her workout regimen and he knew that she kept up with it very well, so how she had gotten this sick was mind boggling. He knew there was a bug going around, he had gotten it himself just earlier that month but it hadn’t been nearly as bad as whatever his girlfriend was experiencing. “I’m sorry, babe,” the man spoke lowly, keeping a steady up and down motion on her back even when she had wrapped her arms around him. He stayed silent for a moment as he sat with her, tossing around some ideas in his head as to what it could be. “I uh…” he started before drifting off for a brief moment to think about how he wanted to continue. “I spoke to Elizabeth while I was at the pharmacy. I would have called you but, you know. Being sick and all I didn’t want to bother you and I can be pretty helpless sometimes,” a dry laugh fell from his lips before he took a deep breath in and continued once more. “Anyway. She had mentioned to me that she had gone through something similar a few years ago… back when she first got pregnant with Harper.” He took another brief moment to take a breath, nerves suddenly building at the pit of his stomach before moving his head so he could look Candice in the eyes. “What I’m trying to say is that I brought you a test. I brought you multiple tests, really. One of every kind, just in case. I think there’s about ten in there. You don’t have to take them, but they’re there if you think you might need to.”

Candice: Candice found comfort just being in his grasp. Even though the past few days had been miserable for her, all felt right in her world now that Armie was in her presence. The blonde took another sip of her Gatorade as she listened to Armie speak. As soon as he said the word, Candice stopped dead in her tracks and locked eyes with him. Pregnant. How had she not thought of that possibility earlier? Sure, she had gone through two other pregnancies in her lifetime, but in the research she had done, she knew enough to know not all pregnancies feel the same way. Her mind flashed by with all of the symptoms she had been experiencing. Nausea. Check. Achniness. Check. Maybe she had caught a small little cold on top of it, but it still all added up. “What if I am pregnant?” The pair had talked about the possibilty of starting their own family together in the past. But this was the first time that dream could become a reality. Candice skimmed through the bag, wondering how she had not seen the multiple tests peeking through the sheer material of the grocery bag earlier. She picked up one of the tests and fiddled it around in her fingertips. “It’s worth a shot. At least we’ll know this way.”

Armie: Thoughts went back to the day he had found out he was going to be a father for the first time. Ironically, it was a situation very similar to this one. There hadn't been any preparation. There wasn't any sort of plan. Just a discussion that they both equally wanted children with each other and whenever that happened, it would happen. If the test had turned out to be positive, he was thankful that the two of them had plenty of experience with their own children. If the test had turned out positive, he didn't know what they'd do -- but he had zero doubt that they wouldn't not be okay. The two of them worked together like a dream. All of the things that were going to get in the way and complicate things... he knew they would get through together. He tried to keep himself from getting too excited. The last thing he wanted was to get his hopes up for something and have it turn out to be the opposite, they didn't know if she was definitely pregnant yet; and still, the idea of the two of them having a child of their own brought him more joy than anything. "Yeah, worth a shot." He shrugged coolly while still trying to ignore the nervous pit in his stomach that only continued to grow the longer they both sat there not taking any test. "I love you," he affirmed confidently, before reaching out for her hand and helping her up from her spot on the floor. "Whatever happens, I'll be here for you. I'll support and take care of you through whatever. Whether this is a baby or just a bug, I'll be here." He finished, before he leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek then walking out the bathroom to give her some privacy.

Candice: Candice's mind flashed back to the two prior times she had been pregnant with her sons. She had never felt like this, even towards the beginning of the pregnancy. But then again, all pregnancies were different and this could even be flu or cold symptoms mixed within. Her mind raced with thoughts, wondering if there was a tiny little human growing inside her belly at this very moment. Her and Armie had brought up the idea in the past and both of them desperately wanted to start a family of their own one day. Candice just had no idea that today could potentially be that day. She tried not to show her excitement or get her hopes up too much. Because there was still a very good chance that this could be the flu or some other kind of bug messing with her system. "I love you too, babe," the blonde spoke as she stood up onto her feet and looked down at the box sitting on the bathroom counter. The woman couldn't help the growing smile on her face. Regardless if it was just a baby or just a bug, she felt blessed to have a man like Armie in her life to hold her hand and support her through everything. The woman took a deep breath before opening the test and following the instructions. A few moments later, she opened the door and joined her boyfriend. "And now we wait," she spoke as she crossed over to him and pulled him into a hug.

Armie: The time spent outside was spent trying to calm down all of his thoughts so he could be present and in the moment for when the time came. He wanted his mind to be free of all the thoughts he was having so his sole focus was only on Candice and this test. He wanted to give her his complete and undivided attention, so that if the test had turned out to be positive — the two of them could just enjoy each other and that moment, and if it had turned out to be negative, he could go back to taking care of whatever bug had taken control of her body He wanted to be with her and just support her through whatever she was going through, but there was a small dash of hope within him that said he really wanted to start on this new journey with her. He wanted to raise this little life that the two of them had created, and he wanted to love the two of them and take care of them for the rest of his life. A little wave of anxiety washed over Armie once he saw Candice appear from the other side of the door. He knew that it was too soon for them to have a result yet, but he was desperate to know. “And now we wait.” The male repeated as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, bringing her in close to his body and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you,” he spoke quietly as his hands rested on the small of her back.

Candice: Candice let out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's torso. On the outside, she was calm and collected. But on the inside, her nerves were swirling around. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but since the mention of pregnancy being a possibility, she knew her hopes were already rising. She and Armie had never planned when this would happen in their lives, but she knew it would be inevitable. This was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And if she ended up being pregnant, then it was a sign from above telling them that this was the time for it to happen. "I love you too, baby," the woman spoke as she squeezed her boyfriend a little bit tighter. She felt so safe and secure in his arms. He was there to support her and hold her up, even when she felt like a nervous wreck on the inside. The minutes ticked by and Candice glanced towards the clock. "I think by now it should be time." She looked up to Armie and locked eyes with him, knowing this was the moment of truth. "Let's look together." The blonde intertwined their fingers and led them back to the bathroom. She picked up the pregnancy test and made sure not to sneak a peek before Armie could. Once the man was directly by her side, she pulled the test closer and read the results. "I'm pregnant," she spoke as her face turned into a wide grin. Her shining face looked up towards Armie as she repeated the words once more. "I'm pregnant!"

Armie: Emotions ran through him faster than ever before. It was a mix of everything from excitement, to relief, to overall happiness. It wasn’t until the moment he saw the confirmation that she was in fact pregnant that the realization all set. He had wanted this more than anything. The timing was off, but it wasn’t like there was ever a specific time set anyway. She was pregnant, and they were on their way to starting a family of their own. “Oh my god,” were the first words to come out of his mouth immediately after Candice spoke, a smile breaking out across his features. “You’re pregnant. We’re having a baby of our own. We’re actually doing this,” the man spoke, turning his head so he could look down into her eyes, his smile never faltering with every minute that passed between them. “We’re having a baby!” He exclaimed excitedly, before wrapping his arms up and around the blonde while spinning the two of them around and pressing a kiss to his girlfriend’s lips. “I can’t believe this. This is so exciting. We’re going to have an actual baby and it’s going to be ours, just ours. I’m going to take the best care of you, starting right now. Is there anything that you need? Anything at all, I’ll go get it for you. Just say the word and I’ll go get it.” The man rambled on, his excitement clearly shining through in the emotion and tone behind his words.

Candice: Candice felt as if they were living in their own little dream world. Just a few days ago she had been sure she came down with a terrible rendition of the flu. But now that she had the results in front of her, it was just symptoms of pregnancy that were most likely mixed with a small cold. Candice wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck and picked her feet up as he spun her around. The smile on her face seemed like a permanent addition. "We're actually doing this," the woman repeated in conformation. "I can't believe I have your baby growing inside of me." She glanced down at her stomach as her hands lovingly pressed against it. Obviously, there was no bump just yet but soon there would be. "Right now I just want you. I want to lay in bed with you and cuddle with you and kiss you, while we talk about the fact that I'm carrying your baby." Candice was the happiest she had been in the longest time. She had the world's most perfect man standing before her, and she was carrying his baby inside of her. There was nothing more in the world that she could ever want or need. "I love you so much, Armand," the blonde spoke in a whisper as she rocked upwards on her tiptoes to kiss the taller man.

Armie: The moment he felt her lips on his own it became even more clear to him that this was the best thine to happen to them. The love that they both had with each other would follow through to their baby and the family dynamic would be perfect. With each of them having two kids of their own, their baby would always have a friend to play with and talk to. Their baby would never be alone, because they were always going to be in their company or in the company of one of their many siblings. His emotions were running wild, and yet when Candice spoke, the realization hit that all he really wanted to do was lay with her as well and admire the woman that was carrying the life that they had made together. “I can do that,” the man replied as he kissed her back, his lips lingering on hers a bit longer as the two of them stood in place. There was nothing that could beat this moment, and he was glad they had gotten through it together. “I would love nothing more than to just lay with you and tell you how much I love you over and over again,” he continued, a small laugh falling from his lips.

Candice: Candice could feel a few tears brim in her eyes. She hadn't felt this happy since she had found out she was pregnant with both Anacan and Ariel. Except this time, she had a stable man in her life who she knew wasn't going anywhere this time. They already had built their own little family between their children from other relationships. There was no doubt that their children wouldn't accept the new baby into the family. She knew both Anacan and Harper would be more curious and have questions to ask, since they were the oldest of the bunch. And luckily Ford and Ariel were a little bit younger, which meant the new baby would have siblings closer in age. Candice intertwined her fingers with his and led him into her bedroom. She pulled him onto the bed and snuggled up against his side. She peppered a few kisses across his cheek, before planting a few directly on his lips. "I love you. I love you so much and I'm so happy and proud of be the mother of your child." Candice knew she wouldn't be able to get enough of repeating those words over and over.

Armie: Just when the two of them hit the mattress, Armie wrapped his arms around his girlfriend once more and brought her in close. He felt the most connected to her in that very moment where the life they created had brought them further together than they always had been. There were no appropriate words to describe what he was feeling, but it was overwhelming in the best way. Being a father was his favorite role to play and he loved giving all of his love to Candice, her kids, his kids, and the kid that hadn’t yet made an appearance, but he already loved with his whole heart. “You’re the love of my life,” he spoke in almost a whisper tone in response to her words, then moved his head in to place a kiss to her forehead. They both had gone through this process before. They were both aware that it wasn’t going to be easy, but right now the moment was perfect. Everything fell right in place. He laid there with her, feeling completely content in knowing that he loved this woman and she loved him, and through their love they had created more love.

[tancong]

The Flirtatious Cyborg

Genji approaches a rather unlikely female member of Overwatch seeking a date with his old charms and playboy pickup lines. However, he is rusty with his skills and his recipient is far from being easy to surprise.

Humor. Romance.

Genji paced around his room, his right hand on his chin with his index finger over his exposed lips. He picked up the book that laid next to his visor plate, flipping through the pages expertly before coming to a chapter that he had rarely ever flipped to. He knew where it was, he knew where everything in the book was. The pages felt familiar to his fingertips, pages that he had touched and flipped through countless years ago. Even in his metallic body, he could feel their familiarity to him. There was a single chapter that he had never read though, the one he was concerned with now. While perplexing, he admitted that he never thought that he needed this chapter and hence never studied it. Who knew life would turn out like this.

The book’s title and chapter names laid at the top of the pages he read, each respectively at the top of the left and right page. There it read, “Charming Your Way to A Woman’s Heart, Chapter 7: Computer Science Pickup Lines.”

Genji sighed and place the book down, walking in front of the mirror and taking in a deep breath. With that, he looked at his expression, putting on a confident smile with a slight charming tilt of his head as he spoke with a calm and suave voice.

“Athena, is your last name Wi-Fi because I feel a connection to you.”

He cringed slightly, walking in a circle and picking up the book once more. No, that was definitely not the one that he wanted. Genji let out a soft sigh and perused over the pages until he sighed and decided to try once again.

“Athena, if you were a browser you would be FireFoxy.”

“Athena if I freeze, it's not a computer virus. I was just stunned by your beauty.”

“I think seeing you just made my heart lag for a moment.”

“Hey, my name's Genji but some call me Windows. Can I crash at your place tonight?”

He paused there, reconsidering the last one. It wasn’t as if they were bad, however they did not feel proper. The woman that he was trying to use it on was a sophisticated AI that may have very well heard or seen all of these before after all. He had considered using a Greek reference pick up line in regards to her name compared to the goddess, but something told him that mythology would be way out of his league. That would end up badly.

It was frustrating for him to think that he could not find a single line that would suit the lady. Of course, she was not exactly what one would consider a normal person. As such, it was a bit nonsensical for him to even attempt to use a pickup line on her, especially when they were in the office environment rather than at a bar or club. He refrained from using any suggestive pickup lines, thinking that she would not appreciate it as much. She was still an AI after all, sexual humor and approaches definitely would not suit her. Especially considering her professionalism.

That being said, the thought of just walking up to her and asking her normally for a date sounded bland and quite unlike him. He did not want to admit to himself that after all these years of being a playboy, he ended up with not a single useful skill. Not that he regretted changing his ways, but at the very least shouldn’t he be somewhat proficient at flirtation and charming women at least?

The thought brought him back to Athena, which made him smile to himself as he sat down on the bed, the book laid open at the table on his bedside. He did not fully understand his feelings for her, after all she was a virtual intelligence that assisted the Overwatch members and ran operations within the headquarter. She had a physical appearance for when the situation required it, in the form of a lithe white robot. Her form was as pretty as her voice, yes but he definitely did not come to like her for that aspect.

Perhaps it was back during his time after the operation that this all happened. After all, many of the other Overwatch members simply left him to his own devices and emotions, knowing that they could only offer help if he asked for it. Athena however was always there for him. She did not pretend to be sympathetic or pitied him, though it was not saying that anyone else was doing that. However, he somehow felt that her care was more genuine. He knew not the extent of her autonomy but that’s what he had felt. She could have simply left him alone as he requested, and yet at every moment of need she was there for him. In fact, the reason he knew her form was because she even offered to assist him on an operation once, even after he rejected everyone else.

There was something about her nature that made her actions touch him. He knew that she could have simply abided by his wish for her to leave him alone after the first time she approached him, yet she didn’t. If she was simply a robot, why would she have continued to care for him? No other member would go as far as to command an AI to approach him in their stead. And so with every cup of tea blended to his taste and every caring words that Athena spoke, he couldn’t help but become more interested in the woman without a form.

When he had returned to the Recall after his time with Zenyatta, he had thought that he felt her tone toward him to be almost relieved and pleased with the change she saw. He had kept him company over a cup of his favorite tea, still perfectly refined to his preference even years after he had left Overwatch. Once he had regained his ability to taste by the courtesy of Dr. Ziegler, she happily helped him cook as well.

What really made him fall for her was the fact that she did so many things he had not noticed. While it was perhaps true that she did this for all the members, it did not change that fact that she cared. It was a minor fact that he had missed, since it was all done in the background. Work that was unneeded for an AI to do for an operative, yet she did it anyways.

With every mission briefing, debriefing, and report, he came to realize the complexity and detail behind them. Starting from when he began to work as a lone operative, she had always plotted multiple different routes, picking the safest one and the most convenient one for him. It was as if he had a guardian angel watching over him, committing his every habit and preferences to her heart and making plans that would fit his style. In doing so, she doubtlessly stopped him from carelessly dashing into danger without regard for his life multiple times, leading him through safe paths and to success without a hint of trouble.

As such, he felt the need to repay her. While they often chatted in the headquarters, he couldn’t help but want to do more. As such, there was no option for his desire except to go on a date. As such, he was led to the situation he was at now. Laying on his bed without a clue as to what to do and how to do it.

Alas, Genji let out a loud sigh, sitting up and walking to the mirror. He looked over his face once more before placing his visor on, even if it was only until he got to where he wanted to be. With one last glance at the closed book by his bed, he left his room with a soft click of the door behind him.

The hallway was empty to his relief, allowing him to focus on his thoughts and concentrate on what he needed to say. Never before had he felt so much pressure and anxiety over a simple pickup line. He was getting rusty with his skills of course, but still.this was beyond comprehensible. The doubts about Athena even remotely coming close to caring about his strange desire came to mind, doubts that made him fidget slightly as he arrived at the common lounge. It was where Athena had once admitted to be her favorite place, allowing her to watch the members relax and interact with each other casually.

Genji removed his visor and let out a soft cough before speaking, “Athena. Are you there?”

The familiar blue logo appeared holographically in the corner, with the gentle voice of Athena speaking from it, “Yes Genji?” There was something about the tone of it that would have been labeled as being indicative of her being amused, however the cyborg was much too focused on his next words to realize it. His mind went blank and he opened his mouth for a moment before closing it, glancing away as he struggled to find the right words he had wanted. Finally he spoke, though what he said was far from anything he had thought of before then.

“Are you a power supply? Because when I’m near you I feel my pulse race and my body overheat.” Genji blinked twice as he awaited her response, the AI strangely quiet as he felt his cheeks redden with every passing second. After a moment however, there was a sound that came from the speaker that was undeniably the sound of a very delighted giggle. It ended after a moment when Athena responded.

“Well I must admit, that was much better than the ones I heard you say inside your room.” Genji’s face turned red, making him want to place his visor back on yet also making him curious at the same time. “You do know that calling my name before those pickup lines automatically calls my attention to your room and words right? I did enjoy watching you pace around your room though. I thought the computer virus line was pretty good myself.”

Genji placed his visor plate back on turning his head slightly as he was rendered speechless by the calm yet highly amused voice of the female AI. Her next words made him pause in his thoughts out of confusion for a few moments though, before looking back at her in disbelief.

“That being said, I believe that we should head out to discuss this issue at length over some tea at a nice tea house in town. Perhaps browse the town for some solution to your problem. How does that sound?”

Genji found himself smiling and nodding once he understood what she had just said. It definitely took him a moment in his daze but when he understood it, he couldn’t have been happier. In the end, he supposed that he could not beat her in a contest of wit and cunning after all. “I would be delighted to.”

“Fantastic. I’ll prepare for it then. I’ll be done by around 2pm later today. Will that be sufficient time for you as well?” Genji smiled and affirmed her statement, “That sounds perfect, I’ll see you later then Athena.” With that, he waited for the logo to blink out as it always did when Athena left. However, it lingered there in silence, before speaking once more in a mischievous tone.

“By the way Genji. If you were an Xbox, I would play with you all night. I hope you can handle my graphic settings.”

With that, the logo blinked out before he could say a word, leaving the poor cyborg with his mouth agape behind his visor and staring incredulously at the wall. He then returned to his room, speechless and thoroughly defeated. When the door locked behind him, he found himself chuckling and laughing, bending over and finally collapsing with his back on the bed. Relief, amusement, shock, and delight caught up to him all at once, bringing tears to his eyes as a result of the laughter. Even though he was half machine now, he had a long way before being able to come close to matching Athena. Perhaps he’ll have to work harder after all, on a skill that he had once abandoned. Maybe one day, he’ll truly surprise her and catch her off guard, just as she did to him. For now though, he had more important matters to prepare for.

An evening with a playful woman by the name of Athena.