Work Text:
When Kiriko first joined Overwatch, she hid something from all of the other members. She did a good job at keeping it a secret, until she gained a crush on Illari. Kiriko didn’t understand why she felt this way towards the new recruit but tried her best to hide it.
Kiriko wasn’t sure if Illari was gay or not, but it didn’t matter. After a few weeks, her little Kitsune friend decided to help Kiriko. The fox spirit started bombarding Kiriko as if he was a pesky little voice in Kiriko’s head.
“Hey Kiri.”
“Yes Spirit?” Kiriko replied to her Kitsune friend. She tended to call him Spirit, but he didn’t mind Kitsune the most.
“Illari is over there with Brigette and Hana.”
“Yeah so?” They were all on a lunch break, usually Kiriko sat alone with her thoughts. But this gift of hearing her Fox Spirit. It typically ruined that.
“Don’t you want to make out with her?”
Kiriko was sipping on an energy drink, and almost spat it out and choked.
The 3 girls the Kitsune brought up before, turned around and stared at Kiriko. The two other girls, Hana and Brigette were smirking at this. Due to the fact they knew Illari had a crush on Kiriko as well.
“WHY ARE YOU BRINGING HER UP??” Kiriko had a dark red blush over her face but was still stone faced talking to her Fox spirit inside her head.
“Because you still like her?” She didn’t have a rebuttal towards her Fox Friend, because he was right. Kiriko still liked Illari but didn’t have the guts to really communicate with her.
Hana and Brigette decided to pull Illari to where Kiriko stayed seated, she was still arguing with her Kitsune inside of her thoughts, until Hana said hi to Kiriko.
“Hey Kiri!” Kiriko was shocked by Dva coming out of nowhere, along with Brigette pulling Illari towards her table. Kiriko was debating on running out of the lunch area and avoiding them, but she couldn’t. She knew she couldn’t, she knew this was an opportunity to finally talk to her crush.
“Hey Hana.” She replied back to Hana. She nodded to Brigette, who gave her a grin back.
Her eyes then turned towards golden orbs, and she immediately looked away with a light blush.
She couldn’t even look into her eyes. She saw a hint of sadness in them before looking away. Somehow, she felt she could understand Illari. Kiriko tried speaking up until she heard her Fox Spirit say out loud into her head.
“You want to kiss her?” Kiriko was still trying her best to stay stone faced, but still had a deep red blush over her.
She could’ve sworn she saw Illari smile and even slightly laughed a bit. It gave her butterflies hearing her laugh, she always saw sadness in her eyes, and dark demeanor a bit. Before anything else happened, a siren rang throughout the building.
She saw the 3 of them run off, and she followed suit.
Something was happening in Japan...
And she knew it was the Hashimoto's.
Kiriko couldn’t focus anymore because her hometown was possibly in deep danger, and it scared her. She wanted to stop shaking in fear, but all she could do was keep running to get ready.
--
Illari wasn’t thinking anymore, after being pulled by Dva and Brigette towards Kiriko, was a fear. She didn’t want to hurt anyone else anymore. She liked Kiriko, but at the same time.
She had these fears of losing her, she kept going through. Trying to hope her burdens would go away to have a happy life.
It was difficult and it made her fearful, but once she heard where they were being deployed too.
It made her think of how scared Kiriko must be. The fear of her mom being gone due to Hashimoto.
Illari wanted to comfort her, but she had no idea how to comfort anyone, so once they were all going into their airship, she said one thing to Kiriko.
“Stay near me and my pylon, I can’t heal you if you’re far away.”
Kiriko nodded her head, wondering if that was for everyone. She wanted it to just be for her, but that would’ve made her selfish.
---
Kiriko was supposed to be healing, but she felt her blood boil in pain from what she saw in her hometown. Fires everywhere, her memories being destroyed in seconds. Her favorite buildings are being burned to the ground.
She wanted to find the ones responsible, and let her feelings get the best of her. She ran off, not hearing Jack from afar telling her to stay close.
She let her feelings get too much. Illari even called out to her, but to no avail.
She found the ones doing this, she could see the smirks they had on, she knew she needed to find her mother quick. The spirit in her head even tried telling her to snap out of it.
Kiriko didn’t realize her mother was already safe with Mei and Lena. And before anything, there was a loud boom.
Illari ran towards where Kiriko was heading to, she couldn’t let it happen again. People she loved and cared for; she couldn’t lose anyone again.
--
The next day.
Angela was on call; she was very upset with what happened with Illari running off without permission. Mercy was mainly upset with Kiriko but couldn’t even lecture her.
Kiriko had found the Hashimoto, but before she could do anything to stop them, they threw one last explosion towards Kiriko’s old home.
She was angry and threw out her Fox spirit, who didn’t come out. Before anything else happened, she was shot by one of the members.
Even though it’s been a day, it feels like more than days since she has woken up from her possible coma. Kiriko’s mother hasn’t left her side ever since she was brought back.
Hashimoto retreated, but Overwatch needed to get out of there already. It feels like everyone has been blaming Kiriko for this. Illari was sick to her stomach.
She wished she didn’t run after Kiriko, she wanted to wait for the other supports, but she felt she could’ve done something.
She couldn’t and didn’t...
Her burdens grew worse that night, she decided to stay by Kiriko’s side from afar to let her mother be there for her as well.
She heard rustling coming from Kiriko’s room, but assumed it was her mother until she heard Kiriko.
“Hey Illari.” Kiriko weakly said, Illari said nothing in hopes of Kiriko’s mother not waking up.
Kiriko didn’t want to wake her up either, so she decided to teleport in front of Illari. Illari was a bit angry by her actions, but she let her do so.
“We need to talk.” Illari nodded and Kiriko grabbed her hand, and teleported to where the rooftop is at.
Kiriko sighed at the fresh, cool air hitting her face. She turned back to an Illari in anger and almost wanting to cry.
“Why are you always wanting to cry, Illari?” Kiriko asked, Illari didn’t know how to answer this question. She couldn’t tell her that, it was a secret. A fearful secret about her past.
“I’m not sure.” Illari replied.
Kiriko frowned at this but understood at the same time.
“I should’ve listened to you and Jack. I let my emotions get the best of me.” Kiriko sighed.
Illari didn’t like this foreign feeling. The feeling of love and care, the feeling of being protected, the feeling of being safe with Kiriko.
She just said it...
“I never told anyone this. But because of my raw strength, all of my people died, and I always felt it was all my fault.”
Illari closed her eyes; she was in fear of what Kiriko might think of her now. The tears finally came crawling down, like it wanted to for years.
Kiriko understood, and finally did what she wanted to do after seeing those sad golden eyes.
She hugged Illari, and wanted to kiss her tears away, but all she could offer was a hug for the younger woman.
Before Kiriko could say more, Kiriko fell to her knees, but Illari somehow held her up.
“Ah... I’m still not doing well huh?” Kiriko slyly said, Illari got a bit upset by her comment.
“I know we’re all upset by your actions, but we all still care for you Kiri.”
Kiriko was shocked by Illari’s bravery by her words. Kiriko was happy she was being strong, even after her trauma being told. Kiriko knew Illari was scared, but she was definitely strong for it.
Illari sighed, “We should get you back to be-”
Kiriko couldn’t stand it anymore, she kissed Illari. She let the Kitsune in her head finally win, she kissed her because she did love her.
Kiriko wanted Illari to know she’d always be there for her; she’d be her savior during those dark moments. She wanted to hold her and protect her.
Even if she would push her away right now, she would always be there for her as a friend no matter what.
Illari kissed back, she had to. She knew Kiriko would be there for her. She truly did love Kiriko back. She was glad whatever demon possessed Kiri right then and now, finally let Kiriko kiss her.
They both let go for air. Before anything was said, Kiriko’s mother had burst through the door.
--
A few days later, Kiriko is finally recovering from her gunshot wound. Kiriko had been swarmed by lectures by everyone, but at the end of the week. Kiriko finally had time to tell Illari how she felt.
Yeah, she may have kissed her, but she needed to hear the 3 special words.
Kiriko went to check on Illari in her room, to her surprise she wasn’t there. Kiriko was puzzled by this.
An even bigger surprise was that Kiriko hadn’t heard her Fox Spirit at all today in her head.
Kiriko decided to go search for Illari first. She headed to the rooftop first and to her surprise she was hugging her Fox Spirit.
Kiriko’s surprise had turned into a sly smirk. Illari had a deep blush on and was sputtering a bit, which Kiri found really cute.
Kiriko couldn’t handle it; she grabbed Illari’s hand and pulled her in for a hug. Illari was still fearful, but hugged Kiriko back.
The Fox Spirit smiled at this and disappeared back into Kiri’s head.
“Illari, I know we don’t know much about each other, but I have to finally say it.”
Illari was confused and didn’t understand what Kiriko meant. Kiriko said what she finally wanted to say to Illari for a while now
“Illari, I love you so much.” Illari blushed, but let Kiriko continue.
“I know you’re confused and sad by what happened. I really don’t believe you had bad intentions, and one day you’ll be happy with someone. Even if it’s not me”
Kiriko pulled her for an even tighter hug and had their foreheads touching.
“I love you. So much.” Kiriko continued smiling, even when she felt the wetness of Illari’s tears. Illari couldn’t handle Kiriko’s beautiful words towards her. She nodded her head. Even though Kiriko knew Illari would have trouble replying back. She was shocked.
“I love you too Kiriko...” Kiriko knew a rough time for the both of them would be ahead, but right here, right now...
They both felt happy together in each other's arms. They kissed once more. And let the beautiful silence take over.