#so i thought it fitting to give him an overwatch verse or two!

[wildhogging]

❝  death never looked this good.❞

Edward Matías del Bosque Díaz -- Talon affiliate; femme fatale; professional ‘snitch’.

[authorangelita]

For the fanfiction author asks, how about: 1, 3, 9, and 11 for your Reunited series?

Oooh, Reunited is a great choice! Thank you for the ask!

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?  I was going through the Febuwhump prompts, and I saw "How long has it been?".  I immediately had a mental image of Jack looking up at Mac in some sort of cell during his rescue and saying those words.  I had to write it, and it just naturally came from Mac's POV (as most of my fics do :) ).

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?  This was hard to nail down, but I finally went with this one: Mac was sitting on the war room couch reading a book called Quantum Physics for Babies to an actual baby.

I was so excited and nervous to introduce Jay.  One of the early thoughts I had for this verse, after I decided that Mac and Riley were married, was that they would have a baby who was named after Jack.  That's my favorite dialogue line – when Riley says that Jay is named after Jack.  It makes me tear up. 

11: What do you like best about this fic? This is hard.  It's not really one thing, but a bunch of little things, like bits of dialogue and parts of scenes (I love Jack finding out about Jay the most, I think).  I like exploring Jack's anxiety about being back with the team and trying to figure out where he fits in.  I like Mac and Riley trying to figure out how to keep Jack close. 

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic? I put this question last because I have three deleted snippets to share. The first two are alternative bits of scenes, and the last one is just a deleted part that I might use later. I always save the deleted parts in case I want to use them in something later.

This one is from Reunited - Medical and is alternate start to the second scene where Jack didn't go back to sleep after his nightmare.

He kept an ear out for Jay while he made pancake batter and fried bacon.  While he had some nieces and nephews, Jack knew very little about babies.  He'd been overseas when his sister's kids were born which made him the fun uncle who sent presents on the holidays and saw them once a year when he was stateside. 

At 6:45, Mac walked into the kitchen in his running gear.  His immediate smile when he caught sight of Jack slid into a frown pretty quickly.  "What's all this?"

"Couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd start on breakfast.  I've been listening for the little man."

And this one is from Reunited - A Job Offer as an alternate opening where the idea is that Mac often tells Jay fairy tales about the team.

Riley set him down on his feet, and he ran unsteadily into Mac's open arms.  "Hey, little man.  Ready for a story?"

"He is more than ready," Riley said.  She sat beside Mac and leaned over to give him a quick peck on the lips.  "And so am I.  What are you going to tell us about tonight?"

Jack's eyes cut from the fire over to Mac, and he raised an eyebrow. 

Mac smirked as he settled Jay on his lap with one hand on the toddler's chest to keep him from leaning too far toward the fire.  Jay loved fire.  "How about a story about King Jack saving Prince Mac from evil Sorceress Nikki?"

Also from Reunited - A Job Offer, from Matty and Jack's talk.

"Mac needs an Overwatch that he trusts, and one who understands him," Matty said.  "Even though he has a competent Overwatch now, it will never be like it was with you.  I think your return will help." 

"Competent Overwatch?  Who?"

"An ex-Ranger named Oscar Little.  They've been working together for over a year."

"I want to meet this Oscar Little."

Matty rolled her eyes.  "I'm sure you'll get that opportunity.  However, I need you to focus."

"I'm focused."

"That's debatable," she teased him lightly.

[fortitudina]

                DETAILED CHARACTER BIO QUESTIONS.

Name: Cillian Diarmuid Brockhurst ( Kye-Lan )

Nickname(s): Ci ( Kye ), Brocky, Snipes.

Name significance/meaning: Cillian ~ This name has several known meanings, including “war,” “strife,” and “bright-headed.” The word cille also means “associated with the church,” so the name is often associated with the word “church” or “monastery.”

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Birthday: 11th November

Deathday: ~

Star Sign/Astrology Sign/Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Location: Los Angeles

Birthplace: Los Angeles

Ethnicity: Irish-American

Nationality: American

Race: Caucasian

Physical Appearance: Clean cut and well presented average height male with brunette hair and blue eyes.

Skin Tone: Sandy-Tan ( https://www.schemecolor.com/skin-pastels.php )

Complexion: fair, smooth & soft.

Eye Color: Old World Blue ( x )

Natural Hair Color: Brunette

Height: 5’10” / 1.78m

Weight: 77kg / 169 lbs / 12st 12lbs

Body Type: Mesomorph

Build: Muscular / Athletic

Posture: Healthy [ x ]

Birthmarks: Strawberry mark on his right hip.

Scars: Gunshot scar on the right side of his chest & left side of the hip region of his abdomen. Stabbing scar to his abdomen and one on the back on the right hip area. One on the back of his neck.

Left Handed/Right Handed/Ambidextrous: Right handed

Age Character Appears to Others: 32

Dyed Hair Color: undyed

Usual Hairstyle: Short

Tattoos: Army tattoo on right bicep

Piercings: none

Makeup Style: ~

Clothing Style: Smart-casual

Clothing Size:  Chest ~ 32inches / Waist ~ 26inches / Hips ~ 32inches

Shoe Style:  Steel-toed boots, sneakers, oxfords.

Shoe Size: 10

Nail Appearance: short, well kept.

Eyebrow Shape: Straight ( x )

Features: Soft features overall; perfectly symmetrical 

Face Shape: Oval

Facial Hair: Light stubble

Voice: Deep

Distinguishing Feature: Smile

Extrovert or Introvert: Ambivert

Personality Traits: Cheeky, Compassionate, Loyal

MBTI Personality: ESFJ-A

Optimist or Pessimist: Optimist

Temperament: Cheeky disposition

Mood: Cheerful

Attitude: Positive

Strengths: Caring, Kind, Giving

Flaws: Blunt, Hero Complex, Brash

Mannerisms: Smirking, quirking of eyebrow, cheeky grins

Habits: fiddling with pens or small objects

Morning Person or Night Owl: Morning person

Pet Peeves: idiots, bad lying, loud eaters, slow people ( walking etc )

Favorite Sin: Gluttony

Favorite Virtue: Patience

Weakness: Loved ones or friends & colleagues getting hurt / involved.

Strengths: Sharp-shooter, Skilled hand-to-hand combat.

Expressiveness: strong use of both facial expressions and hand movements.

Ruled by Heart or Mind: A little bit of both; more heart though.

Mindset: Positive

Philosophy:  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”

Motivated by: Food, Justice, Happiness.

Everyday Speech: “The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.”

Life Motto: “Don't count the days, make the days count.”

Energy Level: High

Memory Level: Eidetic (Photographic) Memory

Disabilities: none

Phobias: Incredibly small spaces. 

Addictions: Does pizza and poptarts count?

General aptitude: Fluid Intelligence

Mental Strengths: Problem-Solving, Psychoanalysis, 

Mental Weakness: Not a Genius 

Physical Strengths: Physically fit, keen hand-eye coordination, 

Physical Weakness: weakened cervical vertebrae from an old injury during a tour in Afghanistan

Past Illnesses: Chicken pox twice as a kid

Major Surgeries: Surgery to pin his cervical spine. Surgery to remove various bullets.

Accidents: Had several bumps and scrapes whilst at work.

Stability: Very Stable

Allergies: Pollen, Shellfish

Job Title: Detective

Company: LAPD

Career Type: Police

Education: High School, Military, Police Academy

College: ~

Work Ethic: Hard-working

Job History: Sniper in the Army, Beat Cop, Detective.

Income: $74,000 per anum

Political Party/Organizations: Doesn’t do politics

Volunteer Work: Helps at the Veteran’s housing association.

Dream job: Got it

What job would s/he do poorly at: Doctor

Career satisfaction: Love the job

Diet: Coffee and any food easy to grab on the go

Favorite Foods: Poptarts, Barbecue-based, Chicago stuffed crust pizza.

Favorite Drinks: Coffee, Beer, Cranberry juice.

Favorite Movie: Top Gun

Favorite Music: doesn’t really have a favourite

Favorite Book: doesn’t have time to read

Favorite Place: Does bed count?

Favorite activities: Running, Shooting, Cooking

Favorite time of day: Morning

What makes them happy? Catching the bad guys, seeing friends & family happy.

What makes them sad? Losing someone close to them.

Hobbies: Shooting, Running, Cooking, Singing

Interests: Films, Artwork

Favorite animal: Hyena

Loves to do: Wind people up and be cheeky

Hates to do: Paperwork

Inspired by: Former Army Colleagues

Raised by: (family) Mother and Father

Parent Status: Married ~ alive

Mother’s Name: Siobhan Marie Brockhurst

Mother’s Age: 63

Mother’s Background: Irish

Father’s Name: Patrick James Brockhurst

Father’s Age: 68

Father’s Background: American

Relationship with Mother: Close

Relationship with Father: Okay..

Parenting Type: Strict

Only Child? One of Three

First Born, Middle Child, or Youngest? Middle

# of Siblings: Second of three siblings

Relationship with Siblings: Close to brother; Distant with sister

Extended Family: ~

Family Relations: ~

How has family life shaped the character? Helped to both break him and make him who he is today

What they like most about their family: They will all get together for holidays and birthdays

What they dislike most about their family: The religious side

Children: Nil

Pets: Two Dogs

Best Friend(s): Doesn’t have one.

Worst Enemy: ~

Many acquaintances or few close friends? Few close friends

Sexual Preference: Any

Orientation: Pansexual

Relationship Status: Verse Dependent 

Marital Status: Verse Dependent

First Love: Carlie Anne Vaugn 

Current Love or Aspiring Love: Verse Dependent.

Notable Ex-Lovers: Azrael Mortem

Top 3 Loved Ones: ~

Top 3 Disliked Ones: ~ 

Who knows the character best? Eoghan, his brother or Lupita, his work partner.

Childhood: Cillian had a fairly stable upbringing; his parents in a strong marriage and with an older brother to help teach him the ropes, Cillian did well during his early school years and thrived in all of his subjects.

Adolescence: As he got to high school, he joined the football and soccer teams; being rather sporty as a child meant his fitness was impeccable. When he finished High school, instead of going to college, Cillian got in with the wrong crowd and ended up being arrested for Breaking and Entering and several counts of theft.

Young Adult: Went through Military training then, Cillian’s Regiment was sent to Afghanistan where they served three tours before he was shot in the Line of Duty after going through Hell being tortured with one of his comrades.

Adult: After being medically discharged from the army, Cillian took a year out for convalescence before joining LAPD. Given his history with the army, he soon shot up through the ranks until he became a Detective. He will also play the role of Police Sniper/marksman if they have to go into particularly tough situations that require an overwatch. 

Moments/Experiences that shaped them: Getting into the wrong crowd after High school. Being sent into the Army. Being captured and tortured during his final tour in Afghanistan. 

How have they changed as a person throughout their life? He has matured a considerable amount and become regimented and organised as an adult, with a respect for the law and bringing justice.

Major regrets: Getting involved with who he did as a teenager and ending up getting arrested.

Biggest life lessons learned: Don’t get arrested.

Religious Beliefs: Catholic

Upbringing: Strict & Religious

Core Values: Dependability, Consistency, Loyalty, Reliability, Integrity.

Morals: Always tell the truth, Treat others as you want to be treated, Be dependable, Be forgiving, Have integrity, Take responsibility for your actions, Have patience, Be loyal, Have respect for yourself and others

What does s/he believe is evil? The force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.

What does s/he believe is good? Morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious

Risks Worth Taking: Those that keep both the city and loved ones safe.

Important milestones: Making Lieutenant in the army. Reaching Detective in LAPD. NOT DYING whilst in both the Army or LAPD.

Achievements: The Purple Heart as a result of his capture & suffering endured during that time.

Failures: Getting Arrested as a teenager

Lifestyle: Busy

Character Traits: Hard-working, Brave, Compassionate, Honest, Successful, Fighter, Mischievous, Thoughtful, Sassy, Humorous, Helpful, Independent, Loyal, Courageous, Responsible.

Culture: 

Main Goal: Have a long and happy life, full of hard work, fun and family.

Minor Goal: Drive the damn car at work.

Desire: There are several.

Biggest mistakes: Getting in with the wrong crowd.

Life lessons: Not everyone is going to like you.

Dream Life: The one I have now

Worst Nightmare: The Hell I endured whilst on my final tour.

Favorite Memories: Winding my brother up. Making Detective. 

Least favorite memories: Getting Tortured

Things they want in life: Family. Love. Fun.

Things they don’t want in life: Suffering. Pain. Heartache.

What obstacles are currently in their way? Work.

Any secrets: Yes, but if you think he’s going to tell anyone, you’re idiotic.

Worldview: It’s just a little bit fucked.

Personal Hero:  Former Sergeant Major. 

Internal Conflict: Questioning if he’s good enough for his job at times.

External Conflict: Seeing the scars upon his body and being reminded of each event; wishing he could get rid of them all.

What others think of them: Fun and loveable; a genuine and caring guy. 

What they think of themselves: an idiot; not good enough. 

What they wish they could change: What they did in the past.

What they wish they could have: less strict father.

What gets them fired up: Liars. Suspects who think they’re clever. 

Their definition of a good life: A steady job with a family and friends surrounding them.

Risks worth taking: Anything that keeps both family and friends safe.

Things they take for granted: Coffee. Beer. Time at times.

What inspires them: Seeing justice get served. 

What they have doubts about: being good enough.

What makes them feel alive: The thrill of the chase.

What makes them want to do better: Any case they do not solve / Criminal that doesn’t get a guilty charge.

What do they want to be remembered for? Being a good and loyal man.

How will the character change? He might become a husband or a father? Perhaps even Lieutenant or Captain of LAPD some day.

[thejackalsden]

Alright - much as I didn’t want to do this, there are some changes coming to the MultiMuse as of today. Those are found UNDER the cut due to length of the post. If you don’t read it and wonder why something’s different, well then there’s no excuse.

The purpose of this post, however, for the part easily visible; I AM ON HIATUS. I’m dealing with...well, a lot. Some of it I don’t even know how to explain without being on a tirade, but just know, I’m on HIATUS until possibly sometime in July. We’ll see. Maybe sooner, maybe the end of this month, I legitimately do not know, I’m afraid. 

Onto the less fun bits.

Regarding my muses there are changes hitting almost all of them.

Axel/Lea from Kingdom Hearts

Until @aeternai​ is ready, he is in an indefinite frozen state. I’m open to discuss writing with him, but it will be very, very few and far between. His mental state to write in, is rough. He will not actively be displayed on the blog, as he is not an actively available muse.

Gladiolus Amicitia from Final Fantasy XV

Another not often used Muse. He will be available as necessary for interactions in threads already happening; I.E. making guest appearances in my other muse’s FFXV verses. He is not available for shipping. I have tried, and he does not conform readily to any ship. There is one hidden on the blog for him, but unless prompted, it will not make an appearance, and instead will be side mentions and vague. Maybe an occasional drabble. All in all, he will make small appearances, nothing major, and is not available for most interactions. Will not actively be displayed on the blog.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret from Final Fantasy XV

Similar to Gladio, she will make guest appearances where needed. Very rare, must be explicitly asked for before interactions. She is tied heavily to Cloud’s FFXV verse, so there will be side mentions. Will not be actively displayed on the blog.

Loki Laufeyson, a MCU & Mythos Hybrid

Due to the lack of interest for him, but the strength of the muse, he is still available. However; he will not interact with female muses. It is nothing personal as a mun, just how the muse works and has been developed over the years. No readily displayed on the Blog, but feel free to ask for him, he’ll still show up in the rules.

Lúcio Correia dos Santos from Overwatch

MY FROGGY BOI - He is obviously not going anywhere. I adore Lucio, I would love to write more as him, but he does fall under the secondary muse for this blog; due to the fact he is very selective at times. Feel free to ask for him, though!

Gabriel ‘Reaper’ Reyes from Overwatch

I thought I could maintain him on this blog, but due to the mental space that muse puts me in, both Gabriel & Reaper, I will be removing him from the blog. The old content from him will remain in place, but please don’t expect anything new for him, nor will he be accessible through Asks. Anything from here on regarding him, will be deleted, I’m just cannot write him.

Subject Delta from Bioshock

Due to there being no interest, he will be removed from the blog, loathe as I am to say that. I adore him as a muse, there just isn’t much I can do with him, I fear. He may make a reappearance in the future.

Princess Zelda from the Legend of Zelda Franchise

She has not formally been announced or introduced, however she will remain on the blog for use. I need to get her pages up still, but they are coming I assure you. I think she’ll be based more out of Ocarina of Time, or she’s going to be removed from any timeline and have remnants of each of her reincarnations. One of the two, we will see - that way any Zelda game is fair game, providing I do my research...

Angela ‘Mercy’ Ziegler from Overwatch

Has...admittedly mutated. Angie is a MAIN muse on this blog now. She has multiple verses; Overwatch, Apex Legends, FFXIV (Tied heavily with my Cloud’s), and a FFXV verse that ties in heavily with the Crownsguard, my Gladio, & my Luna. Do not hesitate for anything regarding this Muse. She is always awake; though if you’re looking for instant ships, sadly keep looking. Her main ships take priority; found in both @countrywestern​‘s McCree, @grimesucker​ (She loves her trash boy okay?), and @zestirix​ (Ignis most definitely, I think Ardyn too, still working on that one) - but those ships will take priority. I’m not against shipping (Give this woman love damn it, let her love you) but it takes chemistry and a connection with the muns as well.

Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII

Ah, my sassy trash son. Another MAIN muse on this blog. However he is single ship with @griefandpunishment​‘s Squall (If you don’t like reading Strifehart, I recommend unfollowing because these two get stupidly mushy sometimes) - the ship has been 5 or so years in the making (if not more, I legitimately don’t know how long it’s been) but all ships aside from this will be either platonic, or enemies at this rate. However, he also has multiple verses; VIII, XIV (Tied heavily with both Angela’s and Squall’s), XV - ties in heavily with my Lunafreya, and more! Feel free to ask for the sassy medic, though I assure you he has no interest, sexually or romantically, in any other muse besides a certain moody gunblader. Sorry.

Neova Lerouxisx, an Original Character

My baby is shifting to a Main muse. I have put too much work into her to have her sit idly. I’m going to try and get some interactions going on her, so we’ll see. There isn’t a universe she can’t fit in to - and she readily has verses for most Final Fantasy’s, Apex, Overwatch, LoZ (Tentatively) and more! Just ask, please! 

Now to end with some FAQs regarding my decision, to nip in the ass any questions that may crop up. Some of them deal with questions I’ve dealt with from when I had anon on, others I’ve had asked to my face SO moving on.

Anubis, why are you doing this?

My blog, admittedly, is a mess. I have all this muse for certain ones - even more than what’s upon this blog - but I have found myself craving something....more. One offs are fine, but I thoroughly enjoy my threads that have heft and length - as if you couldn’t tell. That is easiest to achieve, and maintain, with 3 core muses I have chosen. I never have an issue with any of those three, and it’s easier for everyone involved. Plus it makes it so no one is waiting months for a reply from one of my lesser used or the ones I struggle to maintain, like Reaper.

Why are you removing -insert muse-?!

Short answer? My blog, my sanity, I do what I want. Long answer? Please see above and reread as many times as needed for it to stick, thank you.

I have caught grief since I started this blog; I know some adore the muses here, and some don’t. I cannot, realistically, keep putting myself in dangerous headspaces to write. Not with what I’m dealing with IRL. I have since stopped trying to appease the masses, and am shifting this wholly to my entertainment.

Lawl, it’s just writing, who cares?

As a writer who takes pride in what they do, and how they write, and to whom characterization means everything; how dare, first off. If you are a writer who doesn’t care, you are not a writer worth my time anyways. Elitist? Perhaps.

Or perhaps I know what I’m willing to put up with, and what I expect out of my writing partners - especially knowing what I put in for their replies. It’s the least I could ask for, this understanding.

Why is Cloud single ship?

Why does Cloud do anything Cloud does, let’s be real. He has a genuine connection with that Squall. They have been together for years and apparently gravitated back together. I get along amazingly with that mun, I can ping ideas off them any given day - and they understand my molasses speed some days ^^’ It’s why I’m beyond comfortable wrapping Cloud in a bow and handing him to her.

Plus, Cloud licked Squall so, y’know, it’s his.

[tancong]

The Delightful Date

What will two couples make of their day together, a once in a lifetime chance as they finally manage to bring Angela away from her endless pile of work?

Romance.

Summer was a time of the year that was always full of festivities and fun. There wasn’t any major festivals or romantic events during this time of the year as with the other seasons. However, it was definitely one with festivities and fun. The nights were always filled with chatter and people, whether they were simply walking by the stylish stores that lined the streets or the stalls that were set up at the city’s center where festivals were often held.

Though the level of excitement and celebration of the nightlife in the city center could hardly compare to that during the lunar new year and the mid-autumn festival, they were quite lively nevertheless. Such was the way of life in the now peaceful Japan.

It was on one of such rather ordinary summer day that Genji had chosen to bring Angela on a date. Well, ‘bring’ was probably not the proper way to describe it. Perhaps coerced would be better. He had to practically pull her from her works, carrying her in his arms while she pouted and protested just so he could sit her down on the bed and talk about the plans.

Then it took Hana coming along to actually convince her to take a day off for herself. As much as he admired and respected how much she worked, she really neglected to take care of herself at times. He can’t remember the last time that she had taken a vacation, actually did she ever take a vacation? At best, he had been able to drag her out a few days in a month on dates and things of the such. He never complained about it, of course, it was her work and he had plenty of his own.

However, there had to be some sort of moderation in all things. As such, he was absolutely determined to convince her. He knew not whether she realized that and agreed, or whether it was because Hana also came. Either way, he was glad that she finally agreed.

The pair soon found themselves in Japan. Their day began at noon, dining at a modest traditional restaurant. It wasn’t overly fancy nor memorable, but definitely an important part of their day. After all, that was when he finally saw Angela unwind, smiling and laughing as she allowed herself to relax and move her mind away from her thoughts about work.

He knew that it rarely, if ever, happened. Even in the middle of a combat situation or dinner at the base, she was doubtlessly thinking about the possible things that might happen and the things that she would need to do once she finished whatever task she was doing. As such, he was quite pleased to see that she was actually enjoying herself rather than still working in her mind. That was the point of the day after all.

As they exited the restaurant, Genji smoothly slid his hand into hers, a hand which she grasped lovingly and rather willingly. To his amusement, it was not until they had walked a few blocks down the street when she finally finished chatting with Hana about shopping and noticed the fact that they were holding hands. Met by an innocent smile on the face of her lover, all she could do is cover up her giggle with her free hand before leaning in toward him.

“A sly ninja as always aren’t you. You could just offer your hand to me like a normal person.”

Genji raised an eyebrow and very calmly responded with, “Well if I were to do that, you would say no to tease me, saying that I should work harder to get to hold your hand or something of the sort. I would say sneaking my hand into yours was pretty hard work.”

Angela considered this for a moment before smiling brightly and rewarding him with a kiss on his cheek for his rather clever reply. Their hands swung between them gently, rhythmic to the pace of each step. They passed many shops, pausing here and there to gaze at the items they offered. They eventually found themselves visiting one, yet another modest place with cute items.

It was a joy for him to watch Angela and Hana chat as they picked out clothes they think would fit the other or would like the other’s opinion on. As well-versed as he may be with girls, he was not going to interfere with their choosing. He knew there would come a time for him to give his input. As such, he simply leaned against a wall with a convenient view.

As for Lucio, however, he stuck by Hana’s side. There was a young man who was much more well-versed in the young lady's and overall modern fashion. Being of similar profession and popularity, he supposed that as a couple they were quite a pair. Soon enough, both Angela and Hana had found themselves a small stack of clothes that they wanted to try on.

Their eyes met even as Genji got up from his leaning position, making Angela smile at the sight of her cute cyborg ninja. It may come with experience but it was definitely amusing to see how he knew exactly when to start moving to accommodate with her wish. After all, who else could give her better feedback on whether her outfit would please her lover other than Genji himself?

In the end though, it was not as if he wouldn’t think that everything looks lovely on his Angela. Well, there was a low cut dress that she presented to him with a graceful pull of the curtain and a flirtatious smirk. That made his jaw drop even as a flash came from Hana’s phone. As his vent popped open to release a gentle mist of steam, Angela giggled and dropped her act.

“Good reaction. So? What about this one, Genji?”

Genji coughed once before looking her over once more before hesitantly speaking, “Well, you look extremely sexy in it but I don’t think it’s exactly … your style for wearing outside.”

Angela pretended to think for a moment before smiling. “Good~ You passed the test. But you got one thing wrong.”

Genji blinked before tilting his head in curiosity. Angela then winked at him before turning to go back into the changing room, glancing over her shoulder as she spoke.

“This is not for anyone else to see but you. ”

The curtains closed, prompting Genji to look at the couple standing nearby on his right. Lucio had an impressed expression on his face and made a clapping motion with his hands while Hana was covering her signature smirk with one hand before giving him a thumbs-up.

The couples left with a bag full of new clothes, each bag held by the male despite any protest that any of the ladies may have voiced. This was rather evident by how the way both clung to their lover’s arm as if in thanks for the service they were performing. Well, it was a small price to pay for being clung to by a pretty girl. Both of the men that day could agree on that fact at the very least.

They found themselves in front of a large center, where Hana’s eyes lit up. She gazed toward Genji with eagerness in her eyes, which made the other two feel rather left out and confused. Genji simply sighed and responded with a smirk before beginning to walk toward the door.

“I hope I don’t ruin your day, Ms. Song.”

Hana simply stuck out her tongue at him before responding coolly, “No Ms. Song business here. You better not go easy on me Genji.”

The opened doors revealed a large arcade, filled with music, voices, sounds, and lights. By the others had absorbed everything, Hana had already found the game she wanted to play. She pointed at it and eagerly skipped toward the machine as Genji nodded, leaving Lucio to look between the two before sighing as he trailed after the girl who suddenly abandoned him.

Genji suddenly seemed to remember something and looked over at Angela sheepishly, only to be met with a pout before she broke into a soft smile and pushing him toward the machine that in front of Hana.

“Go on now. Impress me.”

Genji saw down and laid his hands on the controls. It had been many years since he last played at an arcade, though he had recently picked up a few games back at the base. As busy as he was, Angela was much busier and there were times when even he had nothing else to occupy himself. As exciting as meditation and reading was, the draw of video games drew him back now and then. Besides, it was rather interesting to see how his experience with Overwatch and real life combat changed his perception and video gaming abilities.

The coin slid smoothly into the slot of the machine, allowing him to look through the familiar characters. He smiled to himself as he spotted his old favorite, the one that he had always played and had practiced on the most in the recent times. However, this was not the one he picked. Instead, he picked a monk. One with an honorable and pacifist background who only fought when he truly needed to.

Much like someone else he knew. Though comparing him to this video game character would not do him justice. After all, Zenyatta was far stronger.

The pair loaded onto the 2D stage, facing each other with their life bar and other information loading onto the screen promptly. As the music picked up its rhythm, Genji found himself cornered to some degree. As good as he was, Hana definitely seemed to have the upper hand. The cyborg frowned a bit as he failed to predict an attack, allowing her to lock him into a finishing combo that he could not stop as she unleashed her power bar on him.

They agreed on a best of 5 prior to the match, which was fortunate considering that it wasn’t an impressive show at all for Angela. His bar was at zero and Hana’s was tapped down to only 70% at best.

“Eo? Yogeo in-gongjineung?”

Genji rolled his eyes as he heard Hana taunting him from the other side, hearing her giggle afterward as she most likely got punched on the arm by Lucio. With that, the second match began.

The second match ended with an upset as Genji won the round much to Angela’s delight. He was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek as Hana peeked from the side of the machine to frown at him and stick out her tongue tauntingly. They wasted no time beginning the third match though.

The timer ticked down to nearly zero despite both of them fighting rather than stalling or hiding. Blows after blows were exchanged as they seemed to be more evenly matched this time around.

However, Genji misread a single attack, the one that ticked his life down to zero even as Hana’s character stood with only a sliver of her own health bar remaining. A small ��Kuso ...” could be heard as he gazed at the final score screen. The name “D.VA” popped up once more, albeit second place to her own score from the first round, as she proudly placed her score onto the leaderboard.

“Mō issen negaou ne,” the young cyborg said to himself, though Angela nodded with a smile as he met her gaze. Well, she did know that phrase after all.

And apparently, so did Hana as she leaned over the side once more to smugly smirk at him. “Geim-eul hamyeon igyeoyaji.”

Genji nodded as he loaded up once more. However, this time his selection cursor changed off the monk. Instead, it went to another man.

A middle-aged ninja infamous for his ability to confuse the opponent with his speed. Creating and closing distance between himself and his opponent is a vital part, though not many people liked him too much. As fancy as he seemed, some complained that he was too hard to play for the low damage value that he put out.

For Genji however, he was the perfect pick. Even from his youth, he recalled connecting with the man. More than the physical description and profession, there was something about his style and personality that made him quite likable. A soothing and calm voice even amidst the battle, along with the smooth flow of his blade when he chooses to brandish it. That was a man that he looked up to, despite being fictional.

“D.va-san, honki o misete miro.”

Her smirk quickly turned into an expression of surprise as she saw the change of character on the stage. As confident as she was in winning, as a gamer she was still wary. After all, why would Genji not pick this character until now? Was he just trying to mix things up to try and get her off guard? Either way, she was not going to let him have a chance. She was going to get her third point.

The results definitely surprised everyone other than Genji himself. Despite losing the first few trades, he steadily evened the health bars and eventually ticked Hana’s own health down to zero. He did not bother to put his name on the leaderboard despite making it to third place. Not that anyone really noticed.

“Jjajeungna.”

Genji chuckled and coyly replied, “Eh? Sono teido ka?” only to receive a frown from Angela. He smiled apologetically before she broke into a sigh as she hid her smile behind her hand. She had never seen him so competitively and lively before, there was no way she could be mad at him for the banter the two were having.

“You better beat her now. Otherwise, you lose your honor forever,” Angela poked at him.

The comment caught him off guard for a moment, his mouth open slightly before he changed his expression to one of mock thoughtfulness. He nodded wisely and said calmly, “You’re right, I might end up having to consider committing honorable sudoku.”

Angela opened her mouth to chastise him for teasing her, only to pause for a moment as his words registered. Her mind went blank in confusion for a moment, just a bit too long for her to reply before the beginning of the next round.

In their last round, Genji did not seem to hesitate any longer. His character moved across the screen, attacking at Hana’s from multiple different angles. Just when Hana thought she had an opening and moved to attack, a victorious smirk accompanied by a glint of Genji’s eyes told Angela otherwise. Hana quickly realized her mistake, as if having seen the look in Genji’s eyes as well. But by then, it was much too late.

“Owarida.”

Hana’s character met an onslaught of attacks, knocking her into the air and allowing Genji to land hit after hit. Even using her power bar to break from the combo did not save her, as Genji predicted it in his backward dash to prevent the short hit-stun, only to dash forward with great precision to strike just as he character became vulnerable once more. With that, the fight was over.

Genji let out a soft sigh as Angela hugged him happily and Lucio patted the pouty ex-champion on the head. As Hana gazed at the screen, she saw a score that pushed her down by one rank, to second place. Her eyes widened at the familiar tag, standing up suddenly to the point of almost hitting Lucio’s chin with her head. By then though, Genji had already stood up with a knowing smile and linked his arm with Angela’s, getting ready to leave.

As Lucio tugged on her arm to do the same, Hana began to follow him. She cast one last glance at the screen behind her, the screen that the young cyborg had been using just moments ago. After all, he had just used a tag she had not seen for many years. For so long, she had been hoping to face the one person whose score she could never beat, the legendary Demon Fighter of Hanamura.

The previously unknown player by the tag of G.N.G.

* * * * * * * *

Alas, their double date in Japan came to an end. While they wanted to stay out longer, they did end up compromising with Angela to return early. She had protested that she didn’t want to stay out too late, hence not bringing any fancy dress for dinner or a kimono for the festive stalls at night. Though she regretted it now, they were still heading back.

Even if their wonderful day came to an end a bit earlier than they realized that they would have wanted, it was a wonderful day nevertheless. Their dinner was filled with joy as everyone found time to eat together once more, listening to the recount of the two couple’s days, with Hana pouting at Genji and demanding a rematch every other sentence.

After dinner, Hana approached Genji to ask him about his tag, only to hesitate before sighing with a smile. As curious and excited as she was to finally having a chance to fight against him, he did defeat her in the end. Probing at her habits and skills with a character that wasn’t even his main, learning about her tricks and techniques before showing his true skill to defeat her. She couldn’t ask for a better rival.

Well, she supposed that it would be nice if he had told her earlier. And not always so busy with his girlfriend. Not that she minded of course. Seeing as how happy they were together that night, she didn’t have the heart to steal him from Angela over video games.

Her rematch against him can wait for another day.

With that, their wonderful day together came to an end. Yet in their memories, there will always be the vivid image of their smiling faces, the competitive tension in the air, the gentle breeze of air conditioning that starkly contrasted with the warm and humid air outside of the arcade, and the most importantly, the warm touches of love.

The gentle touches against the gamers’ arms, the soft kisses exchange clandestinely, the warmth of their linked arms, and the countless other small gestures that they all exchanged. A day full of memories together as friends, yet also between two separate pairs of couples.

A date full of delight.