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It was the afternoon of their day off, right after Jamison’s last mission and a cold breeze was gently shaking the last leaves on the trees in a quiet hum, while the sun was starting to set on the horizon as they walked along the coast.
Everything was going smoothly.
“Hm~” he grinned in delight, releasing the straw from his lips. “Nothing can me happier than some good ol’ boba!”
Mei at his side laughed amused, poking him. “I’m glad to know that the boba tea is the best part of our date.”
“You know me, I’m a man of simple taste!” He giggled, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Give me some boba and my favourite girl and I’ll be as happy as possible! Not even making those Talon dipsticks blow could match a day with you!” He paused to look at her, grinning maliciously. “Although I can easily think of something that would make both of us even more happy, snowflake.”
Mei rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. “Oh, stop it.” She said with a laugh, pushing him gently. “You’re ruining the mood.”
“Ah! You say that, but this rat can see right through you, sweet pea.” He teased smugly, waggling his eyebrows. “Didn’t you miss me?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course I did.” She reached for his face, pecking his cheek. “It has been four weeks. It was… very quiet without you.”
She told him with a genuine sincerity, instead of the usual tease, that he didn’t expect. It made him feel warm and fuzzy, in a way that never before he’d ever felt or imagined he would.
It would never cease to mesmerise him, how much he actually meant for someone else.
It was strange, but also pleasant.
“Uh, well-“ He stopped himself before he could say something stupid, his hand reaching for the left pocket of his pants. He looked at her. “I missed you too, Mei.”
“I’m glad everything went as planned.” She sighed then, her smile fading as she gazed at the horizon. “I was really worried, you know? Even though I knew you wouldn’t be alone, imagining you in the Outback was… very frightening. Ironically, considering that you and Roadhog know the place better than everyone else.”
She took a few steps ahead and sat down on a bench placed in front of the Ocean, staring at it. He followed and sat at her side.
“Oh, darl you didn’t need to. There’s nothing that can kill this rat. I’m a stubborn one, after all!”
“That you are.” She scoffed, shaking her head. “But it doesn’t make you immortal.”
“Wouldn’t really want that anyway. These limbs are already a pain, I’m not really looking forward to deal with them for eternity.” He joked, smirking while looking at the last rays of the sun shimmering on the surface of the water.
“I wouldn’t wish for that either.” She agreed simply, but he could tell by the way her eyes got darker that the memories of the years she had lost in cryostasis were starting to emerge from the depths of her mind.
“Yeah.” He said without rushing, knowing that pretending things never happen was worse than actually feeling them. “Tell you what, I’ll try me best to live as long as it’s possible for this fucked up body. Just for you. Gonna make life harder for the Doc.”
He added, giggling like the crazy person he was. Mei frowned at that, a little smile tugging the corner of her mouth. “You’re not going to make her life harder.” She corrected him raising a finger and pointing at his chest. “If you start to have healthier habits. Like eating actual food and taking care of yourself regularly.”
“It’s hard to get rid of old life styles.” He defended himself raising his hands, amused. She was just so cute when she got so worked up. Especially when it was about him, obviously.
“Well, luckily for you I’m here to help.” She insisted. “And Roadhog too, of course.”
Jamison giggled again, laying his head on the palm of his good hand. “You’re too good for me, ya know? You’ll spoil me… if I don’t die to your ‘healthy habits first.’”
“Don’t talk about yourself like that.” She frowned again, looking at him. “You make it looks like I’m the only one doing things for you, when it’s not true.”
Jamison raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what did I do?” He asked, before grinning: “Besides the obvious, of course.”
Mei rolled her eyes, unimpressed. “Of course I wasn’t talking about that.”
“Still pretty awesome at it, wouldn’t you agree?” He asked, his blond eyebrows waggling maliciously.
She sighed, exasperated. “Yes, you are. But that is not the point. So stop grinning like an idiot, I was being serious.”
“Sorry, sorry. A guy needs to bump up his ego now and then!”
“Jamie.”
“Okay, I’ll shut up now. Please, snowflake, go ahead.” He said, stopping his chuckles to listen to her.
“There, that is one thing. Even when you act like an idiot, you actually listen to me.” She smiled, laughing when his expression shifted from amused to baffled.
“I know I’m not the best on the market, but you’re keeping the standards pretty low here.”
“Oh, trust me. It’s not something to take fro granted, and I’m talking from experience.” She said. “That is one of the first aspects that made me start to reconsider you at first, when I- uh, didn’t know you.”
Jamison smirked. “You mean when you couldn’t stand me?”
Mei looked at her hands, embarrassed. “Yes.” She answered simply, before raising again her eyes. “You confused me, you know? I thought you were just a criminal who burned down everything that stood in his way, I thought you didn’t care about anything and anyone. And yet… although I told you that I didn’t like you, that you were a no good bully you still… respected me. Even when it was obvious that I had no intention in doing the same.”
She paused, adjusting her glasses. “It may seems silly but that made me remember… things are never black or white even when if it looks like it.” She sighed again. “Long story short: you’re more than what you let others see.”
He stared at her, surprisingly speechless. That was not something he was expecting. “Wow.” He said then, unable to describe better the thoughts that passed through his mind, loud, messy and chaotic. “I uh- I’m glad you think that?”
“And that’s not all.” She titled her head, adjusting her glasses as she observed him. “You know how to cheer me up, you make me forget about everything else when the stress is too much, you help me with my researches even when you don’t really know much about about the subject, letting me vent when I need to. And you keep the cold away.” A little laugh escaped her lips, as she covered her mouth with a hand. “You even attempted to cook my favourite food! That’s not something everyone would be willing to do.”
Junkrat smirked at that, the little crazy giggle resonating in his chest. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that whole mess. Still no idea how I almost poisoned you.”
“I really appreciated the gesture.” She reassured him. “Plus, the promise of never attempting to cook alone ever again was enough to forgive you.”
“Always thought the one being crazy was me, but I’m really starting to think that you’re a tad insane too, sweetheart.” He chuckled, smirking at her. “That, or you just really, really love me!”
There was a pause, in which Mei looked at him for a long moment before smirking. “But aren’t those two things related?” She asked sweetly. “Maybe I’m insane and in love with you. And maybe that’s why we work well together despite the odds.”
“I always liked the way you think, darl.” He burst out laughing. “You make it sounds like it’s a good thing!”
“I never said it is. But if wishing to spend all my life with you is a crazy thought, than I definitely am.”
He felt the air getting caught in his throat, leaving him breathless as her words started to ring in his mind, above the usual noises he always heard. His chest felt like fire as his heart skipped a beat, a thousands of thoughts roaming around, making him feel almost dizzy.
There it is. The moment Roadie was talking ‘bout. He realised suddenly, feeling overwhelmed by the weight carried by the little box in his pocket.
No turns back now.
“Hey snowflake, can I ask you something?” He found himself saying without even realising it, sounding too nervous even to his own ears.
“Of course you can, silly.” Mei raised a eyebrow. “It must be serious if it left you speechless.”
“I-“
“Fawkes, Zhou, do you copy?” Was the sudden, loud and unexpected voice of Morrison that echoed in their ears through their comms, making them both jump in a startled surprise.
“Yes, we are both here.” Mei answered rapidly, bringing her hand to her ear while Jamison grumbled angrily.
“This is an emergency. I know this is your day off, but Talon attacked and we need everyone on the field. Right now.” There was a pause as something in the background loudly exploded. “Shit. Go back to the Watchpoint, you’re leaving with the Orca as soon as you arrive. Morrison out.”
Junkrat barely registered what happened next, his mind still trying to wrap around the fact that he had been interrupted while gearing himself up.
Those dipsticks were definitely going to pay for that.
“Jamie” Mei called him out later, while flying across the Ocean with a steady speed aboard the Orca. “What did you want to tell me, before Morrison’s call?”
He looked at her for a moment, his anger fading as soon as he saw her big dark eyes staring at him, concerned.
He sighed. There was really no point in staying angry, especially if it made her worry.
“I’ll tell you later, darl. Don’t sweat ‘bout it.” He reassured her, waving his hand.
He had time, after all.
——
It was chaos.
“Shit.” He cursed pressing his back against the wall of a destroyed building, reloading his frag launcher while checking how much ammo he had left.
“Fucking cunts.” He hissed, lowering his head as more bullets flew by before throwing a mine and detonating it.
The situation was getting worse and worse by the second, especially considering he was the only one holding back the soldiers. They were lucky to have high ground, but all of them knew that it couldn’t last longer.
He glanced briefly at the others in front of him: the ninja was still knocked out, his body unresponsive as the effect of the hacker still lingered; the doctor had removed his visor and exposed his scarred face, his eyes were the only visible sign that he was still alive.
The doctor herself was at his side, face focused but worried as she kept the steady yellow beam connected to his body, swapping it regularly to sooth the pain on Mei’s broken arm, who was extracting the data they needed without batting an eye.
Junkrat felt angry every time he watched her. If that anger was directed to Talon or himself, he wasn’t sure. He just wanted to blow up everything and everyone. To bring her back to safety. And to fucking propose to her.
He needed time.
“Where in the bloody hell is Morrison?!” He barked as a bullet scratched his cheek, firing back and hitting something.
“He said back up was coming. I’m trying to call him again.” Angela said, the free hand on her ear.
“Well he better hurry, I’m running out of everything here!” He said as he heard someone scream in pain, the sound of his trap snapping a bone clear in his ears despite the booming noise around them. He smiled gleefully as he launched a single frag in its direction. Gotcha! “Are you done there, snowflake?”
“Almost.” She answered at the same time Jack’s voice spoke through their comms.
“We have a delay.” Was what he said.
“Of fucking course.” Junkrat whispered with a grunt, peeking over the wall. The only times he and Roadie got separated were always the ones where he needed him most.
“They have a missile launcher.” He continued to explain, the strange noises in the background told him he was aboard the air craft that was supposed to rescue them. “It’s targeting us, we can’t land without getting hit.”
“Jack.” Angela spoke with a firm voice, lips pressed in a thin line as her eyes roamed on Genji and Mei, lingering on him as well. “Genji’s condition are unknown but he can’t move. Mei’s arm is broken, I can’t assist them properly and Jamison can’t fight an army by himself forever. We have no time to be informed of the situation.”
Junkrat stared at her dumbfounded: never like in that moment he felt such admiration for Angel face. And even slightly intimidated, if he had to be honest. The pretty ones were always the most dangerous.
“So please, just tell us what we’re supposed to do.” She continued, frowning deeply.
“You’re right.” Soldier answered after a moment, taken aback. He paused again, thinking. “By the look of it, the launcher is controlled by an AI, the only way to disable it is by destroying it.”
“Not gonna happen.” Junkrat interrupted him, eyeing the big launcher Morrison was talking about. “It’s surrounded. The RIP-tire could’ve done it, but those dipsticks damaged it.”
“Then the only way is by doing it manually.”
“Didn’t you hear me?” Jamison spat back, as another bullet nearly hit his good arm. “It’s surrounded, fuckin’-“
“I can do it.” Mei suddenly said, turning around to face them, holding a flash drive in her hand.
“No, you cannot!” He argued instantly, eyeing her dryly.
Mei sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Jamie-“
“There are hundreds of them! And your right arm is broken, you can’t even defend yourself!”
“He’s right, Mei.” Angela added, looking at her. “You’re not in the condition of doing such reckless things. I can go.”
“Genji needs you, Angela.” Mei tried to reason. “He can’t defend nor stay alive without your constant healing, you know that. And this is not a bomb you can defuse Jamie, you don’t know much about AI. I have to do it, somehow.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came to his mind.
She was right. He knew she was… she always was, but that didn’t mean he would sit idly by and let her commit suicide.
They would have noticed her trying to disable the launcher as soon as she got near, not without a- of course.
“I’ll distract them.” He said as soon as the idea came to his mind. “I’ll use the RIP-tire while you sneak to the controls, causing some good and ol’ mayhem. That should buy you enough time, darl.”
She blinked, surprised. “But you said it’s damaged, it can’t reach the enemy team.”
“It can if I can reach the rooftop there.” He said, pointing with his thumb at the building on the other side of the base they where stuck in. “I’ll just have to drop it right above them and BOOM! Team kill!”
“It’s risky.” She murmured looking at him in the eyes, worried. He stared back at her, making her sigh. “But I don’t really see other options.”
Jamison nodded, taking the tire as he handed over his mines to Mercy, who looked at him puzzled.
“Let them think we’re still here… and kill a few, if ya don’t mind.” He explained, helping Mei to stand up. “Besides, these will do more damage of that little pistol of yours, if they manage to get through the stairs.”
“Thank you.” Angela said, smiling faintly. She didn’t like that prospective, but she had no choice. “Be careful, both of you. And Mei, the effect of my beam don’t last for long, after it wears out, you’ll start to feel pain again.”
“Understood.” Mei nodded, taking her endothermic blaster. “We’ll be quick.”
They left their teammates, heading towards the hole behind the computer’s core that lead to the bottom level, the same they had used before.
Jamison went down first, helping out Mei as she leaped into it, falling in his arms.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath while he put her down gently, her hands gripping on his shoulders. “We’re not exactly the best ones to flank, but if we manage to get behind them unnoticed, it should be okay. So please Jamie, be careful and don’t do anything risky. Promise me.”
Jamison tried not to laugh: she was the one with the broken arm, and yet her first concerne was his safety. Unbelievable.
If something happened to her, he’d have killed Morrison with his own hands.
“I’ll try me best, sweetheart. But only if you promise me you won’t die.” He said playfully, trying to hide the fear behind it.
“I can try but…” Mei smiled, almost sadly. “You know I can’t promise that.”
She murmured, and suddenly he realised that maybe he didn’t have more time left.
Actually, he’d never know how much time he had left. He could’ve died that day, or maybe not.
He couldn’t know that and, honestly? He didn’t even want to. But he needed to know something else.
“Then I’ll tell ya what.” He said with a big grin that showed his golden tooth, feeling the noise in his head getting so loud to resemble an absolute silence. “You just need to answer a question.”
Her eyes grew confused. “What is it?”
He waited just a second, trying silently the words, one last time while everything was pure chaos. ”Would ya want to marry me, Mei-Ling?”
He watched her.
He watched as her eyes stared at him while his words sank into her mind, elaborating and analysing them the same way she did when she studied the changes of the climate, pondering each word.
He could see how the realisation startled her, making her breath leave the lungs as different emotions crossed her face, almost overwhelming her.
And then, in a blink, Jamison saw her getting grip of these overflowing emotions.
She didn’t have time to get lost into them.
Her lips quivered as she grabbed him and kissed his lips, quickly but fiercely before staring at his eyes, her firm voice wavering ever so slightly.
“Only if you don’t die.”
He grinned again.
“I can try.”
——
The first thing he thought when he woke up was that, crap, he didn’t remember falling asleep.
The second thing he realised was that he was in the infirmary of the Watchpoint and that his head hurt like hell.
“Jamie?”
He blinked, turning around just to be hugged tightly but gently, the sweet scent he knew so well surrounding him.
“Mei?” He asked still confused, hugging her back with the good arm. “What happened?”
Mei sat back on the edge of the bed, shaking her head while rubbing her eyes, in a tired gesture.
“The plan worked. I managed to disable the launcher while your RIP-tire caused a mess.” She sighed, massaging her neck with her good hand. “Such a mess that it also destroyed the pillars that supported the building you were standing on.”
Jamison raised his eyebrows in surprise, trying to recall the fact: he vaguely remembered the feeling of the ground shaking, but that was pretty much it.
“Hm, must have knocked me up good.”
“Yes, it did. And it scared me to death!” She said frowning, folding her arms as she always did when she was angry at him, even though she had a cast on her right arm. “It’s a miracle Winston managed to find you with just a few scratches.”
He stood in silence for a moment, he could tell that despite her angry expression she was just relieved and tired, really tired.
“As I said before: nothing can kill this stubborn rat.” He grinned. “So I take that your answer to my question is yes?”
It took her a second to realise what he was talking about. She blinked, then scoffed looking at him, baffled.
“You’re impossible.” She shook her head. “You almost died and that’s your first concerne?”
“I have my priorities.” Jamison giggled amused, putting his arm around her to pull her closer, careful not to hurt her. “Plus, that’s why you love me, isn’t it?”
Mei sighed, laying on the bed beside him, head resting on his shoulder. “Unfortunately. I really am crazy.”
“I’m afraid so, snowflake.” He sighed dramatically snuggling her, making her giggle. “But I love you anyway.”