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Sunset. Oh, how much you loved it.
As an Overwatch agent, you always had quite a busy schedule. From the moment the sun was up, you had things to do. From checking weaponry, through daily meetings, to observing the base and making sure no one unwanted was going to step their foot on Gibraltar.
It was tiring, and sometimes your schedule was so busy you didn't really have the time to take a break, but you wouldn't give away for the world. At least not in Watchpoint Gibraltar.
Because the sunsets there were like a dream.
It was quite known amongst your co-workers that you loved watching the sunset. Some would even let you take those minutes off, taking care of your task so you could enjoy it.
And there you were, sitting on your favorite point to watch it, taking in the view. The sun dipping lower, painting the horizon with pinks and oranges, with a gentle addition of lavender. The sea mirrored those colors, barely any waves in sight as there was almost no wind. It felt so peaceful and whenever you observed sunset, you wished it could stay that way.
You heard footsteps coming your way, but you didn't turn away your head from the view, eyes still stuck on it.
Although many have come to sit by you and watch the sunset with you, indulging in a small conversation, there was no one who came as often as him.
“It looks particularly beautiful today, huh?” That was the voice you would recognize everywhere. Emre.
“It always looks pretty to me.” You said, looking up at him before back in front of you.
Emre joined you, sitting by your side. He took in the view, all the colors, but his attention was more on you than on what he had in front of him.
He always had eyes for you, letting himself enjoy the peace while it lasted before he was going to have a night shift and watch over the facility.
His eyes flickered to your lips, you turned your head to him and he was hoping you didn't notice.
“How’s your arm?” He asked, nodding to it.
It was not that long ago that you went on a mission and got a nasty injury from it. He was worried as you got back, with a bloody bandage wrapped over around your arm.
It has been a while since that, but he was worried sick when he saw you that day. Half-conscious, tired, and looking like you've been to hell and back.
“It's fine. Angela healed it nicely, but I think I’ll be left with a scar.”
Emre hummed in response, his hand moving the spot where the wound was under the fabric of your clothing. His fingers gently touched it, and you felt electricity go from that spot right to your spine.
“Does it still hurt?”
“No.”
“Good. I’m happy to know that.”
His hand has fallen down, dangerously close to your own, but not touching it. It was so close the slightest move of your pinky would have been able to cause contact. But you didn't move it.
You looked at him, he was still looking at you with the softest of smiles. The sun gently colored him pink, his brown eyes seemed to stand out even more now than when the sun was in the sky.
With the way he was looking at you, you turned to watch the last minutes of sunset, and hoped the colors that covered the two of you were enough to hide the warm hue that appeared on your cheeks.
“I have a night shift tonight. Was wondering if you wanted to join me?” He asked, despite the fact it was almost a tradition that every Tuesday and Friday you would join him on his night shift. You always waited for it.
It started out innocently, really. You couldn't sleep and he was on the night shift. It was a peaceful night, full of stars. Emre was getting sleepy and decided to make himself some coffee.
When he entered the kitchen, you were there making yourself tea in hope it would help you fall asleep. In the end, it didn't work, but you sat with him, watching over the Watchpoint in the little office, talking all night with him till the sunrise.
It was just talking about random things, but with every night you spent together, it went deeper. From things like childhood, what made each of you join Overwatch, to the more sensitive topics. It felt good to talk with him, he didn't judge you, he listened and he really cared about what you had to say.
With how your feelings grew for him since your first conversation, saying you were head over heels would be an understatement.
And every week, you waited for those two nights when the two of you would have a bit of privacy to talk. And although Emre didn't say it out loud, he was waiting for it too.
But that was years ago.
Before he left Overwatch, before you could decide to try and give your feelings a chance after being his friend for such a long time.
He promised to stay in contact. And he kept that promise for while, then it was like he turned into smoke and disappeared without a trace.
You searched, but there was no progress. You were starting to lose hope, but you barely had any time to think about it when there was so much going on in Overwatch now.
It was easy to just throw yourself into the work flow, not thinking too much about love that never came to be. But that didn't stop you when you tried to sleep, and you sometimes ended up opening your phone and rereading old conversations or listening to voicemail he left you.
“I got home safely, don't worry. I'll call you later, sleep well.”
“I guess Overwatch is keeping you quite busy, huh? Call me back when you have a moment, I'll be waiting.”
“You would like it here, you know? This place got a lovely view… you would love it, I'm sure.”
That was how you spent most of the nights. Listening to his voice over and over, your mind replaying the memories of him so vividly you could almost touch him. But you couldn't and there was nothing you could do.
With tears in your eyes, you wondered if things would be different if you got yourself together and told him how you felt when he was within arms reach. Maybe he would have liked you back, maybe he would have been just friends or something else entirely? But no, during all those years that you spent by his side, you decided to was for the best to keep your mouth closed.
Because that was for the best, right?
It was Overwatch. You had to be focused on the task at hand, on people's lives and their safety. Feelings could have gotten things unnecessarily complicated, right? That was what you thought back then and that was what made you keep your feelings to yourself, despite how they were boiling inside you.
And now you were never going to know.
It was the middle of winter when you and other Overwatch agents were making your way to the location Talon had attacked, not too far from one of the control centers in that area.
Upon arriving, there were tons of them. Everyone was fighting, shooting, some running and screaming for their life. Upon putting a helmet that covered your face over your head, you joined the fight.
It was another one of many operations, so you knew the basic procedures.
“Keep your head on your shoulders, and don't get shot.” Emre's words crossed your mind. “And remember, I got your back.”
You hid behind one of the corners, shooting before hiding back before their bullets could hit you. Your co-workers did their things, some helping other civilians, others more focused on fighting.
Due to the snow falling heavy, visibility was limited, but you managed to notice someone getting away. As you quickly realized, they weren't part of your team. With everyone else getting busy with their own stuff on the battlefield, you decided to be the one to follow after them and hunt them down.
“Someone's trying to get away.” You spoke to the microphone inside your helmet. “I'll get them.”
You heard someone acknowledge your statement, as you ran after them. You kept your eyes on their back, and with a voice command, your vision turned into thermal imaging. Everything turned into dark blues and purples, with your target being in mostly whites, oranges and dark pinks.
As you followed after them like a shadow, not even turning around as if they didn't care if someone was after them, you realized they ran towards the control centre.
With that knowledge, you opened fire, but they quickly dove away and ran towards the door. Before you had a chance to react, the door exploded.
Once again you heard screams, but they weren't just panicking. It was a mix of commands, guards running everywhere as they tried to stop the intruder. But as the said intruder started to change their form, glowing red, you knew there was nothing they could do against whatever technology was that.
“Etsi ja tuhoa.” The words echoed, distorted voices bouncing off walls before the weapon on the enemy's hand formed and they opened fire.
The sound of it sent unpleasant shivers down your spine. Screams were cut off, and you tried your best not to look at what happened to the guards.
You were frozen in place, unable to react as you watched the person shoot and then he looked towards you. You jumped behind the nearest wall, shooting continued as you gathered yourself and peaked from behind the wall, aiming at them.
But as you looked for them, they were gone. You turned off the thermo imaging and looked around. It was quiet, except for the footsteps that you decided to follow right after.
You found them by some control panel, their back turned to you. Their fingers worked quickly on the keyboard, watching all the information that appeared on the monitors in front of them.
“Hands up!” You yelled, your voice slightly muffled by the helmet. They stopped for a moment, not moving before a small gun appeared in their hand out of thin air, making their hand red and holographic. You had to jump away to dodge the bullets. This time, you didn't have much luck, getting grazed in the old wound in your arms.
It hurt like hell, making you remember the way you laid in med bay for a few days, with Emre coming to check on you when he could.
You shook your head, you had to focus on here and now, instead of memories that brought more tears than smiles.
With quick thinking, you decided to get out of the building, and call for help, hoping that person wouldn't be able to hear it.
But as you made your way through the door and into the small alley, holding onto your injured arm to stop the bleeding, suddenly they were next to you. And then their fist meets the helmet. You fell onto the snow, your helmet falling off your head before you could call for help, and you tasted blood that came from your nose.
You tried to get up, but couldn't. Your blood stained the snow, making it go from pure white to crimson red. As you tried to think of something, you heard steps taken towards you, you turned to look at them, but you couldn't make out their face as it was mostly covered by the shadows of the alley. Just those red, menacing eyes and big, cybernetic eyes on his chest.
You thought it was your end, that the gun in his hand and those eyes were going to be the last thing you were going to see before you die.
But they stopped in front of you. His gun disappeared suddenly, and they stood there, motionless.
“____________?” He said, voice now much less distorted. And it hit you, you knew that voice. The one you could recognize everywhere.
Emre Sarioglu.
He took in your expression, his own mind going back to those years back when he was in the same team as you. He saw you happy before, he saw you angry, sad, even terrified. But not this terrified, and especially not because of him. Never of him. He could never see the reason why you ever fear him until tonight.
“I didn't know it was you, I'm so sorry.” His voice softened, and he leaned down to help you get up. You saw his face more clearly. His hair was longer with grey hairs on his temples, he grew out his beard more, eyes no longer brown, but red and clearly concerned for you.
He waited for you to take his hand, giving you space like always did. And when you finally took it, your heart skipped a beat. And unknowingly to you, he did as well.
Old love doesn't rust, as they say.
After gently helping you up, your hand was still in his own. You should have let go, but neither of you did. Instead, his thumb rubbed against your knuckles.
You weren't sure if it was because of the cold, but his cheeks were a little pink.
“I hope it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks.” His eyes flickered to the blood coming out of your nose and you quickly wiped it away.
“I won't lie, you still pack a punch.” You joked, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere, but guilt was visible on his face, as clear as a day. You felt the need to reassure him. “I'm going to be fine, it hurts but… I've been through worse, you've seen it yourself.”
“Yeah, right.” He murmured. He indeed since you thought missions, with worse injuries, but he hated that he was the one to hurt you so bad this time.
“It's whatever. More important is what happened to you. You disappeared out of nowhere and now you work for Talon. I would never think you would go this route.” Your voice betrayed your slight disappointment and anger, because you couldn't understand what in the world would make a guy like Emre join Talon.
“It's complicated...” He murmured again, letting go of your hand and crossing his own over his chest. He leaned against the nearest wall, looking at the snow at his feet rather than at you.
You stayed quietly, grabbing onto the wound on your arm and leaning against the wall opposite of him and waiting for him to talk. He looked up at you, memories flashing before his eyes. You were different, yet somehow still the same.
“I'm not sure what happened. I only know that I'm a host for whatever this is, and that it made me work under Talon's commands.” He gestured to the eye on his chest.
“Host?”
“Mhm.” Emre nodded. “It takes control and does things. And I'm just… I don't know, I have no idea what it does until I get back control.”
“I see.” You weren't sure what to say, what were the right words to say in a situation like this? It was not exactly an everyday situation.
The silence stretched between the two of you, snowflakes kept falling, gathering on his hair.
As you wanted to say something, a voice of one of your co-workers calling out for you.
“____________? Are you there?” A familiar voice called out, the sound slightly inaudible after your helmet took most of the impact for the punch. “Everything okay? Where are you?”
“Looks like you gotta go.” He said, his tone flat. “It was nice to see you again.” With that, he started walking away.
That was meant to be it? You saw him after all these years, talked for less than 5 minutes and now he was going to disappear again? You weren't going to let that happen.
In an act of desperation, you grabbed his wrist. He turned to face you instantly. He had a feeling he should just go, but couldn't. Not when you looked at him like this.
“You can't just leave. I finally found it after all these years of worrying and searching.” Your voice broke, heart breaking at the thought of losing him again. “Come with me. We can figure this out.”
Emre smiled at you, but it was a sad smile. There was nothing you could do even if you really wanted to, he knew that.
“I wish I could, but this thing won't let me. Until I'm connected to it, there's nothing I can do.”
“There has to be something that can be done. I just… Anything not to lose you again…” You felt tears gather in your eyes and you desperately held them back from falling. He noticed, he always did.
“Hey…” He spoke softly again, his hand was close to your face like he wanted to cup your cheek, but at the last second he put it on your shoulder. “I'll be okay. You'll see, once I figure this out, we'll see each other again. And we'll watch sunsets like we used to. I promise.”
“And if something happens?” You wiped tears away.
He sighed at that, not wanting to think about it.
“There's someone in Talon that has my back. I'm not alone.” He reassured you, his heart squeezing in his chest at the sight of your tears. “Don't worry, everything will be fine.”
You took a shaky breath, not looking into his eyes, rather at his chest and that eye. He let out a soft chuckle, titling his head and lowering so you were looking eye to eye.
“I'll find you right after everything is finished, okay?”
“No contact until then, I assume?” You asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
“No. I don't want Talon to be able to find you, I can put many things on the line but not you.” Emre was quiet for a moment, hesitating before he gave you a small kiss on the forehead. You froze at the unexpected contact and said nothing, too shocked to find words.
He seemed to relish your bashful reaction as smile widened a little.
“Stay safe for me.” He said, giving a small pat on the shoulder before he once again walked away.
He could feel you staring and before leaving for good and he added: “Vendetta is in charge of Talon now. She plans to attack Watchpoint Gibraltar in two weeks. Don't let them catch you.” And with that, he was once again gone.
His boots left tracks in the snow, snowflakes already starting to fill them. You could follow after him again, try to convince him, but you knew Emre. He was stubborn, getting his own way. All you could do was believe this whole situation was going to have a happy ending and Emre's promise could be fulfilled.
“____________, say something.” The voice from the helmet called out. You went to pick it up, but didn't put it on.
“I hear you. I uh… got into a fight and it seemed the microphone did not want to work.” You lied through your teeth, but you had no choice. Something told you it was better if you kept the meeting for yourself.
“Thank goodness! We were getting worried.” You heard a sigh of relief. “What about that person you ran after?”
“I didn't catch them, got some injuries, but I'll live.” You said before adding. “Although I found some interesting stuff. Let Vivian know I need to talk to her the moment we get back to the base.”
“Of course. Can you walk on your own to the transporter?”
“Yeah. I'll see you there.”
You just knew things were about to get difficult, especially with the unexpected information from Emre. But the meeting left you with determination. You were going to make it out alive from whatever life was going to throw at you, just spend at least one more sunset with Emre by your side.