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[chilliebean5]

Fictober Day 22: “I know how you love to play games.”

Rating: Teen and up

Fandom: Overwatch

Characters: Hana Song, Torbjörn Lindholm, Brigitte Lindholm

Warnings: MekaMechanic

Notes: Part two of “This is gonna be so much fun.”

Words: 1458

Hana sits inside her mech, focus shifting between the tablet which has a list of commands and the console, trying to figure out why it won’t activate. She tries a new command, which the mech seemingly accepts with no issues, which is promising than the fifty at least she’s tried already which were rejected.

“Okay, this’ll work, I know it will,” she murmurs, initiating the starting sequence, but instead of the mech booting up, sparks explode from the console and the tablet switches off. “Come on, girl, I need you to work with me,” she says, hanging her head low. She closes her eyes, lets the wave of frustration and anger come and go. Working on the mech when she’s got a hot head won’t do her any favours, but when it passes, all that’s left is bitter disappointment.

She’s been working on her mech for who-knows-how-long, and the mech must have been more damaged than she previously thought; she’s never had this much trouble with the operating system before. When she feels the prickle of tears behind her eyes, she takes a breath and holds it, tears are possibly worse than the anger and frustration, and she’s not about to let this defeat her.

She’s stronger than that.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been here all night?”

Hana opens her eyes, sees Torbjörn standing in front of the mech, arms folded, scowling like usual. “All night? What time is it?”

“Six thirty-two.”

“Then yep,” she murmurs, turning her attention to the tablet and rebooting it as she disconnects it from the mech. It’s no wonder she was on the verge of tears, she’s been in the mech for eight hours straight. “All night.”

“I left you here, in your mech, at eleven last night, and you said you would be ten minutes.”

“I know,” Hana says, frustration creeping up again as she climbs out of the mech, stretching her aching back muscles the second her feet are on the floor. “I thought it would take ten minutes.” She walks around, placing the tablet on the workbench, glancing at Torbjörn when he won’t take his eyes off her. “I’m not going to apologise for it.”

“And are you in a better place now than when you were at eleven?”

Hana opens her mouth to retort, but snaps her mouth shut instead. “No,” she says, looking away.

“Working when you are tired and hungry won’t do you any favours.”

“But—”

“Your diet of chips and soft drink is not sustainable, especially when you are working.”

“It’s worked for me in the past.”

“Back when you were a rising star, when you had to cook your own meals. You’re not that girl anymore.”

“No,” Hana says, defiant as she looks back at him. “I’m not that girl who saved my city time and time again. I’m an agent of Overwatch, protecting the world.”

“That’s right. And you can’t sit down here, alone, working on your mech through the night on no sleep or food. What if we were called on an emergency mission right now?”

“I’d be useless because my mech is out of action.”

“You can function without your mech, can you not? I’ve seen you in the training range, your aim is impressive for someone who is only twenty.”

“I…” Hana takes a shuddering breath, realising what Torbjörn is saying. If they were called on an emergency mission right this second, she would be twenty-four hours without sleep, no food in her system, and she would be absolutely useless. She’s sure she could get some sleep and food no matter where they were headed, so it wouldn’t be worst case scenario, but she’s not about to argue that point. “It won’t happen again,” she says quietly.

“Oh, I’m sure it will,” Torbjörn chuckles, approaching his workbench. “But you have to realise what your limit is, know when you should call it quits. Take a break, at the very least.”

“Yeah,” Hana murmurs, taking a seat opposite Torbjörn and rubbing her eyes so hard she sees stars. “It’s always been a problem. I had friends who would say the same thing.” She thinks about Dae-hyun, wonders what he’s been up to and makes a mental note to message him when she’s slept and had something to eat. “They’d pester me, all the time, telling me I should take breaks, not work through the night.” She huffs a laugh. “Knowing when to ask for help.” She looks at Torbjörn and smiles. “Don’t suppose you know anyone who can help with the operating system issues?”

“Brigitte would be your best bet,” he says, tinkering with something that looks like a mechanical spider. “She has an interest in operating systems behind mechanics.”

“I didn’t even think of Brigitte,” Hana says, unable to hide her widening smile. “I’ll have to ask her.”

“She’s been dying to get a look at your mech, I’m surprised you haven’t shown her yet.”

“She didn’t ask.”

“Now that is a surprise.” Torbjörn looks up at her, practically scowling again. “I know how you love to play games.”

Hana frowns. “Games? Like Starcraft? What’s that got to do with this?”

“Not video games. Games. Preying on the sleeping.” Torbjörn smirks. “This ringing any bells?”

Hana feels a stab of anxiety in her chest when she realises exactly what he is talking about. “You were awake!”

“Of course I was! Not only were you talking loud, but those things also itched against my skin.”

“Brigitte said she’d be able to tell when you were awake!”

“I’ve been pretend sleeping since she was little. Kids love waking up their parents, after all.” He chuckles. “I must be good if she couldn’t tell.”

“So you heard… everything.” Hana looks at him, trying to hide her anxiety.

“Everything. Saw her take your hand, too, when you thought I was going to wake. Saw the look on your face when you took that picture of her.”

Hana’s world crashes in a little at that. “I…”

“She likes you,” Torbjörn says quietly. “And I know you like her.”

Hana groans when she realises that she’s about to get ‘the talk’. “Am I that obvious?”

“You went from almost asleep to wide awake at the mention of her name.” Torbjörn looks at her with surprisingly soft features. “If I am being honest, you two are perfect for each other. You work well together, you play well together. She has been holding back on saying something, ever since you said you weren’t looking for a relationship.”

“Oh! No… I meant that in terms of something with Lúcio. He’s… we’re… he’s not interested in me—” She stops, huffs, realising she is rambling, before burying her face in her hands. “I’m such an idiot.”

“You’re not.”

“I made her feel bad.”

“You didn’t.”

“You’re not helping.”

“I’m not?”

Hana gives him a moment, and when he doesn’t continue, she looks up at him.

“It’s been two weeks since that night. All that’s happened since then is the pining, yes?” He pauses, and when Hana realises he actually wants an answer, she nods. “So you can sit here, pine a little longer, or you can do something about it.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Torbjörn says, like it was the world’s stupidest question to ask. “She’s in the mess hall, tell her how you feel.”

Hana can’t help but smile. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Torbjörn replies. “You’re a good girl. Someone I would be proud to date my Brigitte.”

“Stop,” Hana says, standing up.

“Wouldn’t mind you as a daughter-in-law either.”

“Stop!” Hana practically races out of the workshop, stopping in the threshold of the door before turning around. “Thank you, Torbjörn.”

“You’re welcome. Tell her how you feel, have something to eat and get some sleep. You’re not allowed back in here until you have done those things.”

“Yes, dad.” Hana runs now, before Torbjörn can say anything else embarrassing, not that it’s likely given she can hear his booming laughter down the corridor. She heads straight for the mess hall, bursts through the doors and is incredibly thankful that Brigitte is the only one in the room.

“Hana,” Brigitte says with a smile, turning into concern when Hana approaches her. “Is everything—” whatever Brigitte was going to say dies in her throat, why would Hana tell her how she feels when she can show her, by sitting next to her, cupping her face and kissing her.

“Wow,” Brigitte says when Hana pulls away, grinning. “Good morning to you, too.”

Hana can’t help but giggle, hiding her face, and only looking back at her when Brigitte cups her cheek. “Good morning,” she says.

“What brought this on?”

Hana can’t help but grin. “Well, I had an interesting talk with your dad…”