#Because then I can make it canon in this AU you're kinda homoerotically rivals with Hanzo

[emile-hides]

Birthday Gift

Part three of my Found Family Overwatch self-insert series. This time staring @r1pwitch, with a special guest appearance by @syalin-deerfox

Part 1

Part 2

In which the family is all together for a birthday party

Cross fell back onto the couch, letting out an exhausted huff and they slunk into the soft cushions.

“Oh no, you are NOT done.” I turned to them, holding handfuls of torn apart wrapping paper, confetti and glitter filled my hair as I glared down at them.

“Aw come on, just a little break,” they said, voice squeaky, “I’ve been emptying balloons for hours now!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I threw a wad of sparkly unicorn paper at them. The blocked their face and laughed like a mouse.

The house was a wreck, as three year old’s birthday parties tend to leave homes. Ari, the birthday girl, was currently sitting on the stairs with her old brother, Jojo (7), playing with her new toys.

A knock to the door drew my attention away from cleaning. I glanced at Cross, expecting them to offer to get it, only to see them inhaling yet another balloon.

“I’ll get it.” I chuckled a bit at them, stuffing the torn up wrapping paper in a trash bag before making my way to the door. Did someone leave something?

Outside my door stood a bounty hunter, short but efficient, with a bow across his back and a longhorn skull as a helmet, green tufts of hair poked out to barely cover his eyes. To a wanted man, he was intimidating, he meant life behind bars, if you were lucky. Though to me, he was

“Zayne!” I cheered, more than a little excited to see my best friend. I jumped a bit to hug him, just to pause, my excitment waning as I noticed something in his arms.

“Uh... Who’s... kid is that...?” I asked, a small girl with racoon ears and a tail clung tightly to Zayne’s side, avoiding eye contact.

“Uhm.... yours?” Zayne said with a smile and a tone to indicate that was meant to be funny, but not exactly a joke.

“A trash can?!” I tried not to raise my voice as I paced around my living room. Zayne nodded, sipping his tea on the couch beside Cross.

“I couldn’t believe it either. I was chasing down my arch rival,” some archer he fancied with a massive bounty. Zayne says they’re rivals, but the way he talks about him, they sound more like lovers, “when I stumbled upon her...”

I glanced down at the child, who’d been sitting quietly with Ari on the confetti covered floor.

“She got a name?” Cross asked the smart questions yet again.

“Not that she’s told me.” Zayne shrugged, “I figured you two have taken in two random street rats, what’s a third?”

“A lot. A third’s a lot.” I muttered, scratching the back of my neck as I glanced down at the kids. Ari was doing her best to get the anxious little Racoon girl to play with her.

She came from Busan, Korea... I didn’t like Korea very much. They’d gotten too comfortable with younger soldiers over there. Orphans were typically raised to join the military. Even if she wasn’t Korean by blood, if we took her back, that’s certainly where she’d end up.

I nodded, patted my cheeks, and knelt down to the little girl.

“Hello, my name’s Emile. You already know my friend, Zayne, and that there’s Cross,” I started introducing each of us slowly, “This is my daughter, Ari, and my son, Jojo.”

The girl glanced around at everyone, then gave a shy wave, holding onto the sleeve of her shirt.

“Do you have a name, sweetie?” I asked gently.

She shifted, a soft M sound escaped her lips.

“M?” I repeated, encouragingly.

“M...moss...” She mumbled out, glancing up at me, “Moss..”

“Moss? Well it’s very nice to meet you, Moss.” I smiled, sitting cross legged next to her, “Can you tell me about your family, Moss? Your mommy or daddy?”

Moss shifted a bit, looking down at the ground as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She then gripped her sleeve, slowly pulling it up.

“wow!” Ari leaned over Moss, staring at her arm, “You’ve got a lot of owies, Moss!”

A deep, overwhelming sadness filled my heart at the truth my daughter spoke. Moss’ arms were covered in bruises, old indications of cigarette burns, blueish-black marks showing where they’d been forcefully grabbed, held tight, dragged, and hit. It all made me feel sick.

I clenched my fist, then took Moss’ sleeve, gently covering her arm, “Thankyou, Moss. You’re a very brave little girl.” I pat her head, then looked to Ari, “Ari, sweetie, why don’t you show Moss all the new toys you got for your birthday? And share them, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy!” Ari saluted and giggled, then excitedly took Moss’ hand, dragging her upstairs, Jojo following close behind.

Zayne got up, grabbing his bow from the side of the couch, “I’ll find her parents.”

“You don’t have to-” I started.

“I’ll find them.” Zayne spoke in a tone, making it obvious he wasn’t finding them for our sake.

I nodded, then glanced to Cross, “You ready for number three?”

They stared at me blankly, then took another shot of helium, “I don’t really have a say in the matter, but of course.” They squeaked.

Zayne didn’t get to stay long. He was hot on the trail of the “rival” of his, and had to get moving before the trail went cold. Of course that didn’t stop them from taking multiple pictures of the snow covered village.

After he’d gone, Cross got out of cleaning by offering to make dinner, which isn’t really an offer, as I would burn the house down attempting to cook.

I stood alone in the living room for a moment, sweeping confetti. I stared at our wall of family photos. Pictures of the Shimbali brothers and sisters, Mondatta the day I was blessed with meeting him, Cross and I in front of the house, Ari’s many baby photos, Brother Zenyatta and Genji the day of Genji’s surgery, a full photo of the then full family, Cross, Ari, Jojo, and I. It’d need to be updated with Moss.

A ruckus caught my attention, Ari came barreling down the stairs, toy airplane in hand, Moss and Jojo in line behind her with their own little planes. They all made flying sounds as they zoomed around the living room.

A warmth filled my heart as I knelt to the ground, “All suspended aircraft, please begin your decent. Dad’s loving embrace airstrips are clear for landing.” I spoke in a radio announcer voice, holding my arms open.

Ari slammed into my chest like a bullet train, Jojo excitedly slung his arms around my neck, jumping up and hanging from me. Moss hesitated, holding onto her sleeves as she stared at me.

I smiled at her and extended a hand, “It’s okay, it’s just a hug, I promise..”

She shifted, then slowly walked closer. I hugged them, my three wonderful kids, tight in my arms. It was warm, and safe. I felt like I could hold them forever, so nothing could ever hurt them, so they’d never know the danger of the world around them.

But dinner was ready, so I had to let them go.

As I watched them race into the kitchen to get to their seats, I found myself left with a smile, and a few tears.

I can’t wait to see them grow up, I thought.

I can’t wait to see the amazing people they become.

I’m so happy I can be a part of their lives, see them grow and change.

I can’t imagine what I could have done to deserve such a gift.

The gift of three amazing, brilliant, wonderful kids.