003

[need_healing]

[A light snow drifts gently down from the grey sky, sticking in fluffy clumps to the trees and rocks surrounding a secluded grotto in the mountains, steam cloaking the clear pool of warm water and the small, wooden hut perched on its bank. Strings of prayer flags tied to posts mark a path through the fog, a lonely trail of color winding through an otherwise muted landscape.

It had been several days since Genji and Angela had finally arrived at the Shambali monastery. Zenyatta had, as expected, been delighted to finally meet 'the Dr. Zeigler who had done so much for his student' and had welcomed them both with open arms. Quite literally. The omnic's presence never failed to put Genji's mind at ease, even more so now knowing that they were safe here. That Angela was safe. He'd shown her about the temple and the village below, introducing her as needed to those he'd come to know in his time on the mountain. They had become his family, and the significance isn't lost on him.

However, it also meant that the time he could spend with Angela was cut shorter than he would have liked. Returning home meant returning to certain responsibilities and duties, and she hadn't been permitted to stay in the temple itself. Genji knew better than to think his master would be blind to his newfound distraction, but he'd done his best to be dutiful. And even still, he must have worn it like a brand across his forehead when Zenyatta had suggested, in that gentle, half-subtle way of his, that he take Angela to enjoy the hot springs down in the valley. It was very dry in the mountains, he said; the villagers claimed that the steam did wonders for the skin. Genji had agreed and done his best not to immediately forget he'd had the conversation.

But now, standing in the hut with Angela, the two of them bundled up in the thick, colorful wool of the local village fashion, looking out at the springs... he's glad he followed through.]

...No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place. [He murmurs it almost to himself, a simple mantra, almost childlike in its simplicity, and he feels the peace of the moment washing over him as the words leave his lips.]

What do you think, Angela? [He glances over her as he tugs his mittens off, one hand flesh and blood, the other bare cybernetics. There's little need for armor in a place like this.]

Comments

[eidgenossen]

[It had been a pleasant week for Angela, all things considered. Getting to see more of Genji in the place he called home and the people he considered family, and how much of an impact they had on him- it had put her at ease to see that so many cared for him, and that he had found a safe harbor after leaving Overwatch. She had thanked Zenyatta profusely for his help, and she could feel that the omnic cared for Genji a great amount.

Before they'd started the climb up to the village she had drafted a quick letter to Torbjörn explaining as much as she could in as little detail as possible. While the monastery provided safety, she knew it would be temporary, and that they needed to prepare for what came after that.

While Genji was busy with his duties at the temple, she had spent her days repairing her suit and familiarizing herself with the village. It was different to be recognized as the Dr. Ziegler who saved Genji's life, and not as Mercy of Overwatch fame- a sensation that made her blush beneath her scarf.]

I think you have a beautiful home here, Genji. [She had visibly perked up when he had mention the hot springs. Benefits of a good hot soak aside, the two of them were rarely left alone and Angela had been too skittish to do more than the occasional peck on the lips. This place was important to Genji, tied to a difficult part of his life, a space Angela still has trouble navigating.

She tugs off her cap and starts to unwrap the scarf around her face- she takes in a gulp of cold air, her nose and cheeks tinted pink.]

And empty. [She shoots him a teasing smile as she shrugs off one of her many coats.] Did we just happen to miss the local rush hour?

[need_healing]

[For many years, Genji has been the only outsider here, although by now he hardly still felt like one. But bringing Angela here, when neither of them had even really had the time to process what the idea of 'together' might mean, meant that they both had things they needed to learn. There's already been more than one night that he's sat up for far too many hours in silent meditation, trying to understand how he should proceed. Eventually he was going to get a lecture from his master, of that he's certain. But when he finds himself more and more in search of a wisdom he doesn't yet possess, it's hard to be upset by the prospect.]

There was a yak jam in the village. [He takes the first coat from her, draping it over one arm as he helps her with the scarf next.] We have a few hours to ourselves.

[Leaning in, he kisses her- the first real press of lips they'd been offered since before they'd arrived, cupping her cheek in his good hand. Even the wayward steam curling in from outside isn't quite enough to fend off the cold in the air, but the warmth of the gloves still clings to his palm. Gently coaxing her lips apart, he takes a long moment to explore her mouth before pulling back.]

Now, before you enter the water, there is a local procedure you must follow first. Undress and I'll show you. [He hangs her coat on a nearby hook and starts in on his own layers.]

[eidgenossen]

[Angela eagerly returns the kiss with a week's worth of pent up longing, a hand placed over his. When he pulls back there's a quiet huff of disappointment, but they didn't come here just to look at the hot springs.

The mention of a procedure has her curious, but she doesn't immediately question it- being on the run had left her with little time to brush up on Nepalese customs.

It takes a few minutes to get everything off- she had been woefully unprepared for the sudden change in climate. Angela wraps her arms around herself as a soft wind washes over her naked body, pressing against Genji's side out of instinct.]

Very different from Iran. [She tries to laugh to suppress the shiver snaking up her spine. Her toes curl against the cold ground beneath them as she eyes the water before she forces herself to tear her gaze away and look back at Genji.] Now, what's this procedure?

[need_healing]

[Being more accustomed to the particulars of the local clothes, Genji helps her in getting everything off in between shedding his own layers until they're both completely bare. The cold is a sharp, welcome bite; it had been a teacher too, in the past, a reminder that he could still feel. He glances at Angela again and does his best not to stare, clearing his throat and straightening his back.]

First, hands like this- [He presses his palms together, thumbs against his chest.] Head down. Close your eyes. [Another quick glance to make sure she does indeed have her eyes closed.] Ready?

[He knows the cold is getting uncomfortable by now, so he barely waits for her to answer before abruptly sweeping her up off her feet and launching them both towards the spring in a flying leap out of the hut.]

Ikuzo!! [It's an impulsive, almost giddy shout in the half second before they hit the water in a graceless splash, nearly head over heels and completely submerged.]

[eidgenossen]

[Oh, some sort of prayer? Another cold gust of wind almost has Angela ask if they need to be naked for it, but she holds her tongue and does as he says. She bows her head and closes her eyes, trying her best to ignore the cold. What exactly were they...?]

Yes? [Uncertainty cuts off as she suddenly feels herself being lifted up- her eyes fly open and she instinctively throws her arms around his neck just in time for him to launch them into the air.]

GENJI- [She lets out the most un-Angela like squawk just before they collide with the water. The water swirls around her as she tumbles out of his arms, but she easily finds her footing and kicks herself back up to the surface. She surfaces with a gasp for air that quickly turns into laughter.]

Genji? [She bobs in the water with a silly grin on her face, her hair plastered over her eyes.]

[need_healing]

[Genji reemerges not far from Angela, trying to catch his breath between his laughter. He can't remember the last time he'd felt this unburdened; even during the quiet moments deep into his meditation, he can still feel the weight of the troubles in his soul, but this... he hasn't felt like this in a long time.

He slides up front of Angela and parts her bangs with his fingertips, greeting her with a pleased, lopsided smirk.] Right here.

[The expression easily reaches his eyes and he can feel the simple joy overflowing from his heart. There's no one else he can be this way with: not just relaxed, but genuinely happy.]

[eidgenossen]

[Angela pauses to take in the look on Genji's face, a sudden and almost overwhelming wave of emotion rising up from the pit her stomach and washing over her. Seeing him so happy and relaxed is still new to her, but she knows she'll never tire of it.

She pushes her hair out of her face and grabs his hand before he can pull it away, kissing his palm.]

Very funny. [She moves closer, draping her arms over his shoulders. The plummet into the water and the heat had woken her up- she nuzzles along his cheek before pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Finally being alone and away from the sanctity of the monastery certainly helped, too.] I see you're just as spontaneous as ever.

[...Well, he had just shown up outside her tent after seven years only a few days ago.]

[need_healing]

[Technically he had shown up inside the tent, and he hadn't been certain just how she would react; it had been a calculated risk, but one that he'd ultimately decided had was worth taking. He'd needed to know, before things got too bad- to know if she was alright and to know his own feelings.]

Spontaneity is the pure expression of the soul. [His arms slide around her waist as she leans into him, and he tugs her gently flush up against him.] When the heart is free to act as it desires. Some of us jump into lakes. Others choose to lay naked on a rented bed.

[He kisses her playfully, a quick peck of the lips, and pushes off the rocky floor of the pool to drift them backwards. The fingers of his good hand are tingling with little pins and needles of renewed sensation and he can already feel the hot water started to ease some of the daily ache along the contact lines between flesh and cybernetics. It's a shame he doesn't float anymore, otherwise he would have been content to simply drift about.]

[eidgenossen]

So, I think what you're saying is... [Her hand gingerly traces along the exposed area of his neck and chest- the last time she had seen so much of him, she had been his physician. There's still that lingering hesitation in her touch.] ...that I need to wait for you, naked, in different places?

[She teasingly bumps her nose against his as the hot water washes over her, leaving a soothing sense of relaxation in its wake. The feeling of foreboding that had been following them all week was somewhat lifted, though she knows that they'll eventually have to climb back down the mountain and rejoin the world below. These few hours might really be all they'll have for the foreseeable future.]

[need_healing]

[The last person to touch his skin had been Angela herself- under wildly different circumstances obviously, and back then he had fought against the way it had made him feel. It had hurt, or so he'd convinced himself. Now he feels her fingers as a flutter over nerves that have been insulated for far too long and it draws out a pleased sigh.]

I'm afraid the monks would not approve, no matter how much you would improve the decor. [Which isn't what she means at all, but he's not going to let her get away with it. His legs finally bump back against a submerged ledge and he pulls her with him as he sits down, capturing her mouth in a hungry kiss.]

[eidgenossen]

I wouldn't dream of it- it's much too cold here. [She teases Genji right back as she lets him pull her onto his lap, her arms draped over his shoulders. Now that they were alone and safe, she lets the last of her guard drop as the kiss draws her in, one hand sliding up the back of his neck to comb through his hair. The other one tentatively brushes down his throat and chest, now without its usual armor- she can vividly remember the last time she had seen this much of Genji.

It sends a small jolt up her spine, as if she's afraid an ethics committee is suddenly going to rise up out of the water breathing fire. She distracts herself by committing the taste and feel of Genji's mouth on hers to memory, unexpectedly biting at his bottom lip before she's forced to break the kiss for air.

She watches him closely as she takes in a few gulps of air, a heat different from the water rising up from inside her.]

Before, when you said you've dreamed of me... [She drops her head to nuzzle against his shoulder, her lips ghosting over his skin.] what were they like?

[The location wasn't exactly ideal for anything too creative, but a little inspiration couldn't hurt.]

[need_healing]

[Genji himself has a pair of fingers for anyone who might want to try suggesting that their budding relationship was improper. Hadn't they earned this, after so many years? Didn't they deserve it? Overwatch was gone, its records locked away and no doubt redacted into the ground. None of it mattered anymore and all that it had left behind were two old friends.

She bites his lip again and he laughs around the way he sucks on her upper lip before she's dragging her mouth away. Her question takes him more by surprise, but he doesn't try to avoid the way she looks at him when she asks it, brown eyes locking with blue.

When she's the one to finally break away, he leans his head back against the rocks and moves his hand to slide it up the inside of her thigh.]

My dreams? [Distracted, he doesn't think much of which hand it is, metal fingertips rubbing teasingly around the outer edges of her sex.] I would lay you down in the firelight on the finest sheets and kiss you where ever I pleased. Your mouth, your hands, your breasts, your legs... I wanted to kiss you everywhere until there was not an inch I had not tasted. You glowed like an angel with my name on your lips.

[eidgenossen]

[His hand doesn't go unnoticed- Angela makes a quiet noise against Genji's throat, her legs instinctively adjusting in an unspoken offering.]

That can be arranged... when we're somewhere a little more private. [It makes her shiver- she imagines others in the past had wanted her like that, but hearing it from Genji... it makes her heart pound against her ribs. Her lips brush along the side of his neck in search of a spot, planting the occasional soft kiss before gingerly biting down. She lazily works her lips and teeth against the skin, leaving behind a wet mark that she teasingly rubs with her thumb.]

And I'd give all of myself to you. [Her voice becomes quiet as she moves down to the crook of his neck, this time biting down harder.] I want that, Genji, I want...

[She huffs softly against his skin, her usual composure failing her as she struggles to to put her feelings into words.]

[need_healing]

[Genji isn't sure where that somewhere will be, or when they'd be able to find it. If they'll find it. They can't stay here, as much as he would like to believe otherwise. Too much was happening in the world now- the recall, the omnics; even just the unrest that has gripped the nations of the world. Genji himself has unfinished business that he's pushed aside for too long and he doubts Angela would be content to sit in a hut and watch the world fall apart when she could be helping people. No, he doesn't fool himself into thinking they have the time they want... but it never hurt to dream, or share those dreams.

Angela snaps him out of his thoughts with her teeth, and that's something he absolutely had not anticipated about her. The dull pressure isn't unpleasant, but of all the people he would have expected to be bite him, Dr. Ziegler hadn't been anywhere near the list. He thinks he likes that about her, and he wonders...

Lifting his good hand, he gently grips her chin and pushes her head away from his shoulder. His thumb is pressed to her lips, seeking entrance.]

In time, Angela. [He watches her, curious to see her reaction. Lower, his other hand takes the offer of her spread legs to slip between the folds of her sex, his middle finger teasing at her entrance. It's hard to gauge under the water just how ready she is, so he resists the urge to move too quickly. His own desire is a little more obvious, his cock already half hard betraying his outward calm.]

[eidgenossen]

[Guilt over what happened in Iran still gnawed at Angela, that she had been forced to leave and that she may have been the cause of the attack. If the shadowy figure's motives weren't still so unknown to her, she'd stubbornly insist Genji take her back once they were sure it was safe.

But she knows, deep down, that it wasn't just a coincidence. The attack happening so soon after Winston's message, their familiarity with Genji... someone out there wasn't satisfied with Overwatch's metaphorical burial.

Genji's hand between her legs immediately ceases all thoughts that aren't about the two of them, her hips pressing down onto his finger eagerly. When he tilts her head up she blinks in surprise, but hardly hesitates, lips parting and teeth grazing the tip of this thumb before sliding it past her lips and into her mouth. She licks and sucks lightly, a teasing glint in her eye as she watches him- maybe it was her fault, but too many people took the angel motif a little too seriously...]

[need_healing]

[Any illusions Genji might have harbored that Angela was some pure and innocent soul were quite thoroughly squashed in that muggy inn room at the foot of the mountain. But even with those memories aside, she was a grown woman and a doctor-turned-combat medic. Innocence didn't survive such things.

Still, he hadn't pegged her as the biting type. Not that he's going to complain.

Forgetting his hand between her legs for the moment, he fixes his eyes on her face and holds her chin with a gentle firmness as she works her mouth around his thumb, a low sound in the back of his throat. The implications aren't lost on either of them and it's a damn shame they're chest deep in the water right now.

He pulls his thumb back after a moment and releases her chin, but only to push his first two fingers past her lips and into her mouth. There's less hesitation this time, now that he knows she's willing. At the same time, he finally remembers his other hand, adjusting his hand to work a single finger in and out of her in a steady rhythm that he tries to coax from her mouth as well with the way he rubs his fingertips over her tongue.]

If I had known about this, doctor... my dreams would have been much different.

[eidgenossen]

[Angela wouldn't consider herself particularly bold when it came to the bedroom, but it's hardly unfamiliar territory for her. She can't help but be amused she gauges Genji's reaction, nipping at his thumb before he pulls it out. When he slides his fingers past her lips she gives his wrist an encouraging squeeze, her tongue lazily rubbing against his digits.

His other hand is a pleasant distraction, satisfying the quiet ache that had been building between her legs, a quiet noise of satisfaction mumbled around his fingers. Her hips lightly dip down and she lets Genji lull her into the rhythm, blue eyes falling closed as she focuses on the feel of his hands.

One eye opens at his remark and there's a quiet huff of amusement before she abruptly sucks hard at his fingers, dragging her lips along their length. His finger rubs up against a sensitive spot inside of her and she arches her back with a quiet groan, forced to release his fingers from her mouth.]

Well, now you have something new to dream about. [It was hot and fast and small but the touch has left her feeling heady and hungry, and she hadn't missed the way his cock was pressing against the inside of her thigh. She tugs his hand away and pulls herself forward a bit, gripping his shoulders as she presses herself down onto his cock. That first feeling of his head slicking between her folds and into her sex sends dizzying heat rising up through her and she groans quietly.]

But- [With another quiet noise she seats herself and takes all of him into her- she tenses up for a second.] -it won't have to stay that way for long, ja?

[Before she can stop herself she's pulling his fingers back into her mouth, her teeth grazing against knuckles before she resumes sucking.]

[need_healing]

[He adjusts himself as she starts to slide herself down onto his cock, more than happy to relinquish the lead to her for this. Instead, he rakes his now free hand back through his hair in some effort to get it out of his eyes. Not that it does much good; trapped under the helmet of the suit most days, it's taken a tendency to stick up in unruly directions.]

Is that a promise? [He drapes his arm along the rocky edge of the spring and leans back with a satisfied hum. It's clearly a rhetorical question, however, as he doesn't offer her much of a chance to answer directly, keeping her mouth occupied with his fingers- but he suspects neither of them are actually interested in continuing a conversation they both know the words to.

He takes command of the way his fingers push into her mouth, starting a rhythm that should mirror the rock of their hips. Except that he'll leave that to her, whether she matches him or not. He can be patient, and the tempting insinuation of his fingers replaced with his cock is more than enough to keep his desire fed for the time being.]

[eidgenossen]

[Angela's answer to Genji's question is a teasing hum around his fingers as she slowly matches the roll of her hips with the rhythm of his fingers. Each time she grinds down onto his lap she sucks a little harder, her tongue lazily dragging under them.

With the position and the way the hard rock digs into her legs beneath her, she can't move too fast, but she finds a good rhythm that rubs the head of his cock against a spot that makes her stomach clench each time her hips rock down into his.]

Mmph- [One hand grips his shoulder before turning into a trembling fist as her sex clenches around his cock. It's almost overwhelming and she nearly releases his fingers from her mouth, shooting him a pleading look beneath messy blonde bangs.]

[need_healing]

[It's strangely decadent, lounged back against the rock and watching her with dark, lazy eyes. The way her body sways and ripples the water around them and the subtle flex of her throat each time she sucks down on his fingers. And for a moment, Genji feels ripped back in time, to those times when he was younger and still whole and took for granted too many precious things. So much of his life tossed away...

The look Angel gives him yanks him back and he pulls his fingers free, only to replace them with his mouth, kissing her deeply. Both arms go around her and he pushes up off the rocky ledge, his feet finding the bed of the pool as he stands them up and guides her legs around his waist. Even without the buoyancy of the water she wouldn't have been difficult to hold, but it's all the easier like this.

One arm hooked under her backside, he takes over for her, rocking his hips into her in a steadily increasing pace, breaking the lock of their mouths to kiss and lick his way across her jaw and down her neck. Her name is a soft groan against her shoulder, teeth grazing her skin.]

[eidgenossen]

[Angela clings to the kiss and Genji as if they're the only thing keeping her above the water, one foot digging into the ledge behind him to give her something to push off of as she rolls her hips down onto his.

She gasps his name when he breaks the kiss, dragging her fingers through dark hair, a tremble working its way up through her as he drags her closer and closer, her heel frantically scraping against the rock.]

Genji- [She barely manages to keep it to a whisper, remembering they were technically in public, but it's a struggle. Sweat and hot water drip down her back as the tension builds, fingers scrambling to keep a hold on him. She presses her mouth to the side of his face to try and muffle the way she groans when the walls of her sex clamp down, nearly draining her of her strength as her orgasm begins to wash over her in waves of increasing intensity.]

[need_healing]

[His arms tighten around her and his breath grows heavy against her shoulder, the new position pushing her further down onto his cock. It's more of a rocking, grinding movement of their bodies together, but it's no less intense and when Angela rakes her fingers back through his hair and he feels her lips against his cheek- when he turns his head to look at her, there's a hungry look in his eyes, mirrored in the way he claims her mouth just as he starts to feel her orgasm clenching down around him.

He refuses to end the kiss, pressing it harder in fact as he jerks his hips into hers, moaning into her mouth and letting the trembling drag of her sex pull his own orgasm from him. He feels it run hot fingers down his spine and he comes with a muffled grunt, finally tilting his head only just enough that he can suck in a breath against her lips. There's no raspy panting this time, the mountain air easier to breathe, and he's free to let the feeling of being with her wash over him without distraction.

The tight band of his arms around her loosens only as he starts to come down from it, hands turning gentle, easing her down carefully so she can find her own footing. He swears he can hear the sound of the snowflakes on the water in the moment of stillness that drifts in around them, steam curling like another lover's caress around the two of them.

He rests his forehead against hers and lets his eyes slide shut to bask in the peacefulness. His heart aches in equal parts affection and the knowledge that this isn't going to last.]

...I have to leave soon. [He finally murmurs it into the small space between them, his voice low, reverent of the calm they've found.] In a few days.

[eidgenossen]

[It hits her hard, the kiss and the heat and the rocking of their hips melting into an intense, white-hot feeling of ecstasy that'd have her screaming if it weren't for Genji's unwillingness to break the kiss. Her fingernails scrape down his back as she feels her sex clench around him one last, incredibly intense time, committing the feel and taste of him to memory before everything disappears into a white hot intensity.

She's practically limp in his arms, her hands fumbling around his neck so she can will herself to keep her head lifted, blindly nuzzling and pressing weak kisses to his face. Her legs nearly buckle beneath her when her feet touch solid ground, but Genji and the water keep her lifted. She leans into his embrace, focusing on the quiet sound of their breathing as she slowly feels lucidity beginning to creep back into her.

There's a tender look on her face as she watches him, some sweet nothing on the tip of her tongue before he speaks, cutting off her train of thought.

It's impossible to hide the hurt and confused look that crosses her face, even more so to come up with a coherent response.]

You do. [It's not a question- despite what she feels, Angela knows that it's only been a few weeks since their reunion. There were things about Genji she didn't know, and might not know for some time, and she knew she had to accept that, despite the way her stomach twisted when she thought of him leaving.

A quiet realization dawns on her as she thinks about it, accompanied by a sudden feeling of guilt. How could she have let the dates slip by her? She clings to him out of reflex, dozens of different responses clambering up the back of her throat, but she swallows them down, taking his face in her hands.]

Be careful, mein Liebling. [There's still a sadness to her gaze, but there's an understanding there now, too. An unspoken assurance that he didn't need to explain anything to her, reflected further in the way she pulls him in to another kiss.]

[need_healing]

[He watches her expression change with a silent calm that keeps his own emotions in check. The parts of his heart that he'd let her in to beg him to change his mind and stay, to wipe away the hurt he can see in the way she looks at him. Did she think he was abandoning her? He's not certain if he'll need to explain it to her, or if she'll even understand if he does.

But she doesn't question him, even if he suspects that she might want to. It's just a simple two word concession, but he can feel a conflicted frown tugging at the corners of his mouth in its wake.]

Angela... [Before he can come up with the words to try and ease her mind, he feels her fingers press into him and catches the change in her expression. Did she know after all?

She answers his unspoken question when she tells him to be careful; and in the tug of her hands and the press of her lips. He holds her closes and kisses her back until his lungs burn for breath. And even then, when he pulls away, it's with great reluctance. In a handful of days, he'll be away from her, far to the east. But in this moment, he is here, with her, utterly and in his entirety.]

I am not the one you should worry for. [He knows his path and where it will take him. He knows the man he'll find at the end of it and he knows facing him will mend the final part of his wounded soul. He only wishes he could offer the same certainty to his brother.

He kisses her again, briefly this time, and rubs his hands along her back.]

I'll be back before you know it. You should pay Reinhardt a visit while I'm gone. [If there was anyone he would trust to keep her safe, it would be that mountain of a man.]

[eidgenossen]

[Later one when she's regained more of her senses, Angela is sure she'll feel foolish for thinking Genji was abandoning her, of all things- then again, maybe he could've picked a better time...

She huffs quietly and lets her head drop to his shoulder, leaning in and nuzzling his throat. There's a part of her that wants to try and say something comforting, but she knows better. Genji had managed to find his way without her, and she knows she needs to trust him to know what he needs to do.]

If I can find him. That man just can't find it in him to retire. [Torbjörn should have received her letter by now, too. While Genji's away Angela will have to do some serious thinking herself.

Her arms circle him, reluctant to break their embrace. She would never hole herself away when there was so much she could do for people who needed it, but for the moment, pretending that they were the only two people... it's nice.

She pulls back to look at him, a tender smile on her lips before she pulls him back in for another kiss.] We should make the best of the time we have left, then.