Work Text:
I often find myself visiting our Weapons Maintenance Room nowadays.
Oddly enough, that was never the case before. I wasn't too fond of guns until I joined Overwatch. I was trained with a variety of artillery and nearly began carrying a shotgun, but nothing never really stuck. That's when I was granted the opportunity to create my own choice of armament: my trusty Tesla Cannon.
After four years of use, it malfunctioned. It was my own invention, and I was more than capable of restoring it myself, so I had no intention on handing over this responsibility to someone else; however, Dr. Liao had finally announced her completion of her most recent project, the Echo unit. As a fellow scientist who's been following her progress, it was in my best interest to see it firsthand.
My excitement took over, leading me to give my cannon to one of our weapons technicians.
Her name is (Y/N).
Her commitment to the team and reputation was impressive. Sadly, I have not seen her before until just recently. I guess I'm always too occupied to notice our more obscure members, who are all still appreciated, nonetheless.
It's mandatory for all in her field to study everything in Overwatch's armory. It's their job to fix, maintain, and make certain that all equipment is in pristine condition before and after use. She seems to be over-qualified, since she also happened to be a gunsmith before she was hired here.
She's a little older than me and hardly talks unless spoken to. She isn't shy but rather a woman of few words, and when she does speak, she is straight to the point; an obvious contrast to myself.
I value her sobriety when she's working. Her keen focus on even a simple task is almost robotic. It took some awkward small talk to finally get her to at least smile at me. I was honestly surprised at first, but I quickly savored the moment. I have no idea if I'll ever receive that from her again.
Even though I've only known her for a short time, I could tell she was a humble character of kindness and respect for others. This is going to sound incredibly unprofessional, but she is very, heh, what's the word...
Pretty.
Perspicacious.
Selfless.
Pretty.
Compassionate.
Diligent.
Did I say pretty?
Aherm.
I'll stop there.
I walked into what resembled an infirmary, but for weapons and armor. Compared to my lab, this place was beyond neat and organized.
But none of that mattered once I spotted her.
"Hi, (Y/N)."
"Greetings."
"I suppose everything went well?"
"Yes, all is fine. Your Tesla Cannon has been repaired. It's over there," (Y/N) replied calmly. She was in her usual spot, in the far corner of the room. Typing on her computer, she glanced at me for a second before returning her gaze to the screen.
I walked over to the table she referenced, checking over my weapon in detail. She really did phenomenal work.
"Great craftsmanship," I said. "I do cherish your help."
"You're welcome. It's just my job," the technician answered, shrugging her shoulders.
There was a pause when we made eye contact. I couldn't help but grin, stepping closer to her desk. I learned early on that she disliked her personal space being invaded, so I left about ten feet between us. I think she noticed that.
"It may be just a job for you. But your work really does leave a positive impact. I am grateful to have you on our side."
She looked down to fix her glasses. She showed no emotion, which was normal. But even then, I caught a blush. I know I did. As silly as this sounds, it felt like an accomplishment.
"Thanks. But there is nothing remotely special about me," she replied, looking at me with a stern expression. "Johnston probably would've finished your cannon sooner."
I shook my head with my eyes shut as a gleeful feeling came over me. "I've heard that he often gets sidetracked with his projects. Besides, I'd prefer you over anyone else to work on my equipment. I trust you."
I can tell that (Y/N) didn't receive many compliments; somewhat puzzling if I do say so myself. She tried playing it cool, pursing her lips to the side. But her flushed face said otherwise.
"Really? And why is that?"
"Well, aheh, I find you quite appealing. It's refreshing to be in the presence of someone who, herm, is proficient in their expertise," I said, increasing my efforts to prevent stuttering. "It's also amusing talking with you."
The technician's posture became sheepish. I hope I wasn't making her feel uncomfortable.
"Thank you, Winston. Those are... kind words. But I do have lots of work that needs my attention. Do you need anything else?"
Dammit.
The nanoscopic courage I gathered to say everything I just said instantly evaporated out of the room. I faked a cough. Guess she did feel anxious. All I could think of next was to shake my head and reply with, "... Erm. No, no... I do not. Um, I'll head on out then."
She gifted me with an apologetic look before waving slowly. I somewhat grinned at her as I grabbed my cannon, then turned to walk out.
I blame myself. This was Overwatch, not a soap opera. We were both professionals, simply doing what needed to be done. There was no time for any of this. (Y/N) clearly had no interest in getting to know an ape. And I should've known better. I'd have to cast this pitiful crush on her to the side.
My hand almost reached the door's handle when suddenly...
"Uh, Winston?"
"Y-Yes?" I answered relatively quickly, reverting my attention back to her.
Even from this distance, her facial features were clearly visible. She was indisputably beautiful. Yet, I noticed she was struggling to respond. I wanted to say something, but I waited with a nervous smile.
".... Perhaps I overestimated how much work I actually have. Do... you have time to spare? I would like..." she timidly said, pausing for a second. "I would like to hear about Echo."
I blinked happily in shock, my smile instantly growing in size. She's never initiated a conversation before. This was huge! Walking towards a table to set my weapon down, I changed my direction to her desk.
I'm not sure if it was eagerness or idiocy, but I decided to test the waters by standing closer this time. A lot closer.
A whole three feet was left between us.
She did notice but never said anything about it.
Instead, a seat was offered, and I gladly took it. We awkwardly simpered at each other before I began our discussion. Her eyes beamed with curiosity; a sight that I could've only imagined a few moments ago. She asked more questions, and I gave more answers.
Was she interested?
I couldn't say for sure. But the fact that I was still wanted here defined a ton. We seemed to have lost track of time when Johnston walked in on us snickering.
"... Wow. Winston, you actually got (L/N) to smile. The hell did you do to her?" the man joked, putting on a pair of work gloves. "She must reeeeaaaally like you."
"I u-uh..."
That was all I could manage to say before I glanced over at the female technician, spotting another blush. But this time, her glasses were fogging up. I won't lie and say that this wasn't making me incredibly happy. Is that weird?
"Well," Johnston began. "I'll be in the engine room if ya need me. I better not come back and catch you guys makin' out or somethin'."
"Goodbye, jerk," (Y/N) said sarcastically, earning a chortle from him. She shook her head in annoyance as he walked out. "Now that that's over... where were we?"
I gave a friendly smirk, looking into those exquisite eyes of hers. "Ah yes, we were talking about Echo's duplication ability."
...
The next few weeks went by pretty fast. Lena and Emily went on vacation. And thankfully, crimes were not as frequent as usual. For most agents, that meant less work. For some, it didn't change much. There was always work to be done.
That was (Y/N).
For the past two days, she had been focusing on Dr. Ziegler's Caduceus Staff. Commander Morrison's Biotic Field was set to the side, as both were severely damaged during battle. Much to my luck, visiting her was fitted nicely into my schedule. She didn't seem to mind. Not only was this a great chance to spend more time with the technician, but I could also learn more in depth about the others' equipment and how they functioned. Maybe even help her.
She was unscrewing a miniscule bolt from the staff. "How does it feel to be healed by this?" she asked.
I was chewing on a banana. "Mmh, it's kinda, mmgf, a warm surge of energy flowing, gmh, through your entire body," I replied, swallowing. "One thing's for sure though: the results are magnificent."
I know it was rude of me to talk with my mouth full; however, it's gotten to a point where we both have gotten fairly comfortable around each other. The best part about that was her smile becoming more common.
"Interesting. And what about its amplification? Does it feel the same?"
"Not quite," I stated, discarding my banana peel. "It sends vibrations everywhere, like you're being electrocuted b-but in a good way. Imagine guzzling down five energy drinks in a single gulp. Not to mention Captain Amari's Nano Boost is triple that amount."
She nodded, looking impressed. "Almost makes me want to go out there in the field just to try it," she joked. "It's truly amazing of what modern medicine can do. Commander Morrison's is also very complex in its own right."
She was twisting another small bolt in place while staring at the Biotic Field. Unfortunately, its condition was much worse than the staff.
"I agree. But I read over your notes. Thanks to you, I honestly believe I can fix it myself," I responded, adjusting my glasses.
I strolled towards the emitter, picking up a screwdriver from (Y/N)'s toolbox that was nearby. My hand barely moved an inch before hers rested on mine. My attention promptly went to her. She looked nervous.
"I'm glad you understand how it works. But really Winston, repairing these are my responsibility. Please don't trouble yourself," she softly said, gently pushing my hand with the tool away from Morrison's device.
I understood where she was coming from: she either didn't want me committing any mistakes, or she genuinely didn't feel right having someone else do her job. Either way, it didn't make me feel indifferent on wanting to help.
Our pupils connected. I expected for her hand to latch off from mine, but she continued to just keep it there. We both knew that this was the first time we've ever been this close.
I huffed in protest. "B-But I'd like to assist. You've been at this for two days. A-And that was just the staff. Who knows how long this one will take?"
She gave me a rueful grin. "I know that. But trust me, I've had longer projects. And I have worked on these before. So, you don't have to worry."
"Please, (Y/N). Let me help you. This could be done a lot fas-"
She gripped at the front of my suit, yanking it downward so we were face-to-face. Then, she kissed me.
Her lips were touching mine.
She actually kissed me.
Me.
My... my first kiss.
It was as if a gust of fresh wind zoomed over me, even though none of the windows were opened. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone.
Okay, hold on. This is the part in the movie where the main character interrupts the scene to talk with the audience. I'm... not able to do that, obviously. But you comprehend, yes?
The tenderness of the delicate contact formed a tornado in my head. Her eyes were closed while mine were wide open. She pressed her lips onto me with clement force, causing my eyelids to flutter downward as my heart rate hastened. My hands were shaking, preventing me to keep a grip on the screwdriver. It dropped, causing a loud snap throughout the room. In spite of that, nothing between us changed.
I do not enjoy boasting about myself, but who knew that a highly intelligent, brawny gorilla could be easily put down by something so simple. It felt like a whole hour had passed.
"Heh. Uh, Winston?"
Her beautiful voice played through my ears, making me slowly open my eyes. Turns out that the duration of the kiss was only about six seconds and she had just been staring at my buffoonery.
How embarrassing.
"... Uh. Uh. I-I... I apologize. You caught me... off guard," I replied, stammering my words.
It still fascinated me how she could control her emotions. She smiled softly, saying, "I should be the one apologizing. I know that was too soon. But I did mean that. The... kiss and all."
My face felt sweltered and looking directly into her eyes proved to be an impediment. By now, she was holding my hand with both of hers. I cleared my throat, calculating on what to say.
"... Does this mean... we are...?"
"If you'd like us to be," she answered, her eyes squinting from her alluring smile.
With no delay, my head bounced up and down with excitement. A cute giggle erupted from her as we held onto each other in a pleasant hug. (Y/N) was no longer a measly crush. We were officially an item!
"Now about the Biotic Field," she began. "I know you want to help..."
"Yes, I do. I can-"
"Please let me finish," she interrupted, placing her index finger on my lips. "While I do appreciate it, I do not go around taking away your Telsa Cannon to defend my team, now do I?"
I sighed as her digit leisurely slid down from my mouth. I stayed quiet so she could continue.
"You have your job. And I have mine. If you're doing my job, then what's my purpose of being here?"
"... I know," I replied, rolling my eyes. I hated being treated like a child sometimes. "I promise I won't touch anything."
Her head leaned to the side while she gave an expression of blissful relaxation. Her small palm rubbed my cheek; her eyes shooting through mine. Past me wouldn't believe that this (Y/N) was the same person from before. Even if her demeanor was often stoic, her actions revealed her veracious feelings. You could say, her hands did the talking.
Hehe.
I'll be quiet now.
"Before I resume my work, can I ask something of you?" she inquired lowly.
"But of course."
"Can... can you kiss me this time? And longer?"
The technician's glasses became misty after she voiced her request. Mine did too.
If it weren't crystal clear by now, dropping by the Weapons Maintenance Room became vastly more frequent than before. Johnston and the rest of their department caught on rather quickly and soon, I was honored the uncorroborated position of Back-Up Technician. (Y/N) thought it was hilarious. At first, she was annoyed that I was invading her working space almost constantly. But then she grew accustomed to my presence, relishing all the moments we were together.
We learned how the other thinks by exchanging our notes. I even taught her how to use my cannon. Reminding her of her unused talent as a gunsmith, we even created her very own weapon: the Tesla Rifle, a fine demonstration of handiwork. Just in case I wasn't around, she could protect herself. On slow days, we'd visit the practice range to test it out.
Again, although I am not able to pause the movie and show myself to the camera, I'm fairly certain that my happiness is showing.
So yeah, I am extremely happy.
With the technician.
end.