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This was ridiculous. No, she was ridiculous. Angela Zeigler stood inside the lab, feeling all the world like a fish out of water in her little black dress. She had zero reason to be here right now. But she was ready early. Ready for a date she had told herself she wasn't going to go on.
In times of stress, she sought the comfort of familiar surroundings and the distraction of busywork. Everything was still so new with the recall that she didn't have as much on her plate. She sighed.
Her heels were too loud as she crossed the room. Each clicked mocked her.
She should have cancelled yesterday, or the day before. But every time she'd picked up her phone, she couldn't do it. She couldn't even open the text conversation. She knew it wouldn't work. There were just too many reasons why. But she could never quite get the words out, whether in person or text. Because the bottom line was, despite every misgiving and scrap of logic she could muster, she wanted this to work. She wanted there to be something between her and Genji.
Genji Shimada. Part man, part machine. A medical marvel that was her most difficult and most rewarding case. Cunning agent and compassionate advocate. Guru, goofball and charmer. The last part was what worried her.
She pulled up the files she'd been compiling. It was like picking at a scab. She knew it wasn't a good thing to do, but she found it near impossible to leave the collection of articles and photos alone. The holographic wall lit up, filling her field of view with Genji's past. Not Overwatch or Blackwatch. This was a Genji she never met. The one that existed before the rift between he and Hanzo had erupted into violence. Back when he was the younger son of a powerful crime lord, a modern day prince and playboy.
Angela knew what she would find, but made herself look over the images again. Paparazzi photos of him with countless women. Angela was hard pressed to find the same woman photographed at more than one event. Red carpets and restaurant openings, one woman on each arm. Pool parties. Blurry pics taken from long distances that showed just enough to make her glad they were blurry. She wasnt sure which were worse – those, or the ones where she could clearly see his face. The smile, unframed by his metal jaw but still unmistakable. The way his eyes would dance when he was amused.
It was too much. The photos may be old, but it was still the same Genji...or was it? She looked at them again, letting them tear at her heart a bit more. The dashing young man in these pictures wouldn't give a woman like her a second look. His options must be pretty limited now. She would rather be alone than be what someone had to settle for.
Why did they have to make him so stealthy? She didn't hear him until it was too late.
“...Angela?”
She whirled to face him, shame warming her cheeks. She tried to close the screen, but in her flustered state it took her a couple tries to get the right button. She didn't meet his eyes as he walked over beside her. He pressed the button, filling the room with the glow of the screen once more.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I was nervous and started looking and...” she waved her hand half-heartedly at the screen. For the first time, she noticed what he was wearing. Black dress shirt open at the collar and rolled up on his forearms. The slim fit showed off the trim waist of his cyborg body. He was clean shaven, and had clearly put effort into styling his signature green hair just so. And he smelled fantastic. She didn't know if it was cologne or aftershave or what, but she loved it. She wished with all her heart she could take the last few minutes back. It would have been a wonderful date.
“Genji?” she said. He was still staring at the screen. She could see his eyes moving from one picture to another, and another. “I'm sorry. I should have said something sooner...” She should have done a lot of things different. “Please say something.”
Two heartbeats later, he finally spoke.
“This guy...” he said. “This guy was an idiot. I should thank Hanzo for killing him. One of the few good side effects of that night.” He looked at her then, and she knew he was joking, but only partly.
Angela shook her head. She needed to get out of here. No sense in dragging things out.
Gently, he took her hand.
“Angela,” he said, and waited until she faced him. “Tell me what you're worried about.”
She sighed. This was humiliating. “I'm not...like them,” she said, nodding to the women with the perfect bodies and perfect smiles on the screen.
“That's good! No, listen,” he said when she rolled her eyes, “I'm serious. That – all of that – was shallow, pointless, superficial nonsense. It was like a big game. We all used each other- fame, wealth, pleasure...”
Angela blushed furiously. Genji squeezed her hand.
“Hey,” he said quietly, ducking down to catch her gaze again. “It was all such surface stuff. No real depth in any of those relationships. In fact, that guy in those pictures wouldn't recognize a healthy relationship if it smacked him over the head. Or saved him from the brink of death.”
She couldn't help the little smile at that. A bit of relief lit up his eyes. Years ago, they had been an angry red. Somewhere along the way, they had settled into a deeper color, like the last coals from a cozy fire. She wondered when that change had occurred.
“I'm sorry,” she started again.
“Don't apologize,” he said. Then, “You weren't the only one nervous about tonight, you know.”
“What? Why? I'm so boring. After all that-” she gestured toward the screen. The images died away. Genji had hit the button. He brought his hand to the side of her face, turning her back towards him.
“You,” he said, “are anything but boring. You are...” he laughed to himself. “I don't even have the words. You aren't boring, Angela. In fact, I have a feeling you may be one of the greatest adventures of my life.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the tears prick at them. When she opened them again, he was waiting, his eyes leaving his soul open and bare for her to see.
“Don't get bored of me,” she whispered.
“Never,” he promised.
“I'm afraid that guy would have,” she said, looking to where the screen had been.
“I already told you, that guy was an idiot.” he said. His gaze flicked to her lips ever so briefly.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You believe me?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Good,” he said. Because I'm running late for this date I was supposed to go on...”
She laughed and swatted his arm.
“What? What did I say?”
She just laughed harder. “I'm glad to see all the charm didn't die with the idiot.” She started walking to the door.
“I guess some survived,” he said as he moved to follow her. “But I promise only the good stuff.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Like – wait, here we go.” Genji cleared his throat and pretended to be serious. “I was hoping you would help me with an important scientific experiment.”
“What's that?” she said, playing along.
“Well, you see, I have this metal jaw...”
“I'm familiar...”
“And, well, I think it will hold up fine through most of the evening, dinner and conversation and all. But when we get to the end of the night, should I get the chance for a goodnight kiss, I'm not sure if it will be a hindrance.”
“You want me to help you with that.”
“Yes. I think we need to test it. You know, scientifically. At the end of the night.”
“I see,” she said. “Except, we are in a lab now...”
His eyes widened in surprise. There were butterflies in her stomach.
“Excellent point,” he declared as he sidled closer. He slid an arm around her back. “See? This is why I need help with this experiment.”
“Oh, that's what you needed help with?” she said.
“Well, that, and...” he moved in close, pausing only a breath away. One last chance for her to pull away. She let her eyes drift close. His kiss was slow and reverent. He started to pull away, but she surprised them both by closing the gap again. When they finally parted, they were both a little breathless.
“So,” she said, “I can report positive results on this end. You know, with the -”
“Experiment. Yes. Very good,” he said. The laughed awkwardly.
“Now,” Genji said, “can I take you out on this date? I mean, you're in this gorgeous dress, and you look amazing, and...”
“Alright, charmer,” she said, linking arms with him. “Pace yourself.”
“Yes ma'am,” he said as they headed toward the door.