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‘go to the gala’, they said. ‘it’ll show the public you’re not a threat anymore’, they said. well moira o’deorain was not enjoying her first science gala back in the legal science field. everyone was staring and whispering at her, and as much as she tried to ignore them she just couldn’t.
her reputation had never been worse than now, even working for blackwatch had been redeemable. but now, after being kicked out of talon, she comes crawling back to overwatch, begging for forgiveness. it had been granted, on the terms that her research would be ethical.
ethical, the word tastes sour in her mouth. it’s just a way to limit creativity and invention, in moira’s opinion. in second thought, maybe she didn’t deserve forgiveness.
before moira could spiral even further, she grabbed a gin tonic and made her way to the balcony. her black pencil dress doesn’t do much against the cold outside air, but it’s a good grounder.
she sits and stares at a sky for a while, listening to the chatter inside the venue the organisers had hired. after a little while, someone else joins moira by the rail of the balcony.
”hello, doctor o’deorain. are you enjoying yourself?”
the voice belonged to angela ziegler, nicknamed mercy in their field. moira didn’t like angela. she focused too much in ethical and safe, and not enough in discovery and progress.
“oh, absolutely, doctor ziegler” moira replies in a sarcastic drawl, her irish accent ever so evident in her voice.
angela giggles in reply, either not picking up or ignoring moira’s distaste for her company.
”i don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my reputation has never been worse.” it’s at this that moira properly looks at the other woman.
angela was wearing a flowing white dress with gold accents. like moira’s own dress, it stopped a little above knees. as much as moira hates the woman, she can’t help but accept that angela is pretty.
“leave with me, then. i hate these things just as much as you seem to.”
moira thought on it for a moment. she could have an excuse to leave, but be with angela, or she could stay and sulk.
”where to, doctor ziegler?”
”just call me angela, please. we can go back to my place and i can make you a drink or two?”
mercy turns to face moira waiting on a reply. moira nods, turning to walk off the balcony and back in through the venue. mercy followed, saying goodbye to some fellow scientists as they pass, then showing moira to her car.
the drive is a little awkward, and it’s silent until the two reach all the way to angela’s living room. angela’s the one to break the silence.
”what would you like to drink, doctor o’deorain?”
”please, call me moira. i’ll have a beer, if you don’t mind.” the irish woman said, taking off her heels. she sits on the couch, relaxing into it.
”you got it!” mercy replies, making herself an aperol spritz and bringing moira her beer, sitting next to the other woman.
”i think it’s good that you’ve joined overwatch, you know. i’ll be looking forward to working with you, moira.”
maybe it’s the alcohol, or maybe the stress catching up to her, but moira feels herself wanting to open up to angela.
”as much as i’ll enjoy being able to practice my science, i really hate the whole ethics rule. there will be no progress if we don’t dissect every possibility!” moira sips from her beer, leaning back into the couch.
mercy giggled, clearly buzzed from her own drink.
”it’s because we’re scientists to save lives, not take them.”
”i guess you’re right..”
the two continued to chat, while sipping their drinks. eventually, it’s too late for moira to go back to her own place, so she stays the night on angela’s couch.
before angela wakes up in the morning, moira’s gone, nowhere to be seen. she only left a note with her name and phone number.
~•~
outside of work, moira and mercy had been texting non stop. they had a good friendship, though it was still very delicate. one wrong move on moira’s part and she’s never be forgiven.
it came as a surprise when moira got a call late at night, from none other than angela. despite being in bed already, she picked up quickly, scared something might be wrong.
”heeeey moira. i don’t even know why i’m calling, but i think i’m drunk and i wanna see your schönes gesicht.” mercy slurred, giggling slightly.
”where are you, angela?” moira hurries to put on her shoes and grab a jacket.
”theres a dive bar not to far from my apartment. on the east side. hurry, i miss you.” moira can hear the pout in mercy’s voice as her words slur together. moira locks her front door as she rushes to her car.
”stay there, angela. i’m on my way.” moira hangs up, then finds the address of what she thinks is the bar angela’s at and rushes to it, not really caring for traffic rules.
when moira arrives, angela is sitting on the curb near the back of bar, a long haired japanese man standing over her. moira can’t tell if he’s a threat yet, but she’s not letting down her guard as she approaches.
”meine liebling, hallo!” mercy jumps up, stumbling to moira on shaky knees.
”careful, angela. i got you.” moira says, keeping the blonde steady in her arms, she then hears the man clear his throat.
”i’m assuming you’re moira then? the little lady over here wouldn’t stop talking about you. take care of her.”
“i will. thank you for watching over her.”
”byyyyeee hanzo!” mercy waves to the man from her place next to moira, and the irishwoman has to actively keep the blonde upright.
moira fastens angela into her car, and the ride to angela’s apartment is silent. moira takes the time to look over the other scientist, checking to see if she’s alright.
moira reaches the apartment quickly, carrying a half unconscious angela up to her own room. she fishes the keys out of the blondes pocket, and lays the blonde in her bed.
seeing as angela had lost all consciousness at that point, moira carefully stripped the doctor of her nike shoes, then the dark blue jeans she was wearing. not bothering to do more, moira stares at angela for a moment, before joining her in the bed.
they sleep peacefully, and moira wakes up to the smell of coffee in the air. angela isn’t next to moira, either, so moira goes out to investigate.
as assumed, angela is standing at the kitchen counter. she’s wearing only an oversized shirt as far as moira can tell. angela is clearly hungover as she brews a pot of coffee.
”good morning, angela.”
the blonde scientist startles at the voice, then relaxes a bit.
”güten morgen, moira. sorry about last night.. would you like some coffee?” angela asks as moira sits at the dining room table.
”yes, thank you. mind telling me why you got black out drunk and decided to call me?”
“no reason, really. i don’t have much control over myself when i drink, that’s it.”
mercy tries her best to sound convincing, but moira can tell by the way her hands shake as she hands the irishwoman her coffee that angela’s lying.
“are you sure thats it, meine liebling. because i can quite clearly remember something about my pretty face.” moira teases, batting her eyelashes in faux innocence. it makes angela grumble in embarrassment.
”i cant believe i said all that… i can’t help it, you’re in my head. is it too soon to do this, cuz i know that what we have is delicate.” angela confesses, looking away as to not see the judgment that must be in moira’s eyes.
instead, moira smiled, and placed her hand over angela’s. the blonde looks back, and moira continues talking.
”i’ve said it before, my reputation’s never been worse, angela.”
”i don’t care! i like you for you, not because of what others think of you. i want you, moira.”
“i like you a lot. i pretend you’re mine all the time, and i wonder if you dream of me when you sleep. i can’t make any promises, but i want to be with you.”
angela smiles happily, standing up from her place at the table to hug moira. the two kiss, giggling like school girls as their noses touch.
eventually, moira’s hands find angela’s hair and tangles her fingers through the soft strands. they stay like that for a while, but angela breaks the peace by pulling moira back to the bedroom.
their footsteps echo through the hall as they walk hand in hand, but they make it to the bedroom quickly. in a flash, moira’s hovering over angela, straddling the blondes waist as she sucks marks into her partners perfect skin.
as moira’s hands tangle back into angela’s hair, the latter can’t help but whisper.
”stay here, liebling. i don’t want to share you.”
in confirmation, moira kisses angela again.
they stay wrapped in each other until well into the night, and moira sleeps in angela’s bed for the second night out of the thousands to come.
their relationship is new and delicate for now, but they make it work out in the end.