His first few weeks at Overwatch had been touch and go. His fault maybe, but Junkrat liked to think he wasn't the only one to blame. It all came down to a lack of mutual understanding. Things that were perfectly acceptable to a Junker were way out of line by Overwatch's code of conduct, and seemingly harmless parts of a normal life in the base set him on edge and could easily throw him into a state.

No one had bothered to warn either party that there might be difficulties. Nobody had thought, perhaps, to outline what to expect. The results were... explosive. And not in the fun way, Junkrat thought. It had almost ended as quickly as it began. He'd have blown a big old hole in the side of their fancy headquarters and him and Hog would've waltzed off to the next score without so much as a wave... It would have been easy. Except for that simple conversation... he still thought back to it sometimes, puzzling over why it happened, what it meant... but in the end all that mattered was that the tide was turning. They learned.

The Overwatch members began to realize that quiet didn't just make him bored, it outright drove him to the edge. They picked up on the tells. They noticed that not everything he forgot was intentional. That when he spoke to them he wasn't always just trying to irritate them, that his own fumbling attempts as charm were genuine. They learned to always look for traps if he was in the area, and most importantly that they should never, ever, sneak up behind him or touch him unexpectedly.

In turn Junkrat began to piece together a new way of life. For one, it was not acceptable to rob the kitchen and hide the food in his own hoard. Nor was okay to just take anything he found lying about. Setting explosions off without warning was very frowned upon, even if there was nothing or no one in the way, and casual demolition for 'architectural improvement' was an absolute no-no. Weekly showers were not optional. Soldier 76 did not appreciate smiley faces being drawn on his visor...

It seemed the list went on and on, but slowly something was beginning to fit. If Junkrat didn't know better he'd say he was getting sentimental and that was a lark, there'd never been time for that in the outback. Never had the luxury of staying in one place there... not even after leaving, really, not with a life of crime to contend with. People, places, they all got exchanged sooner or later. At least for now... at least for now he was starting to think his spontaneous decision to join hadn't been so bad. His fifth week made him question that.

It started pleasantly enough. He'd made his way to the kitchen intent on refilling his flask, humming an odd little tune stuck in the back of his head, but immediately something was off. They were waiting for him.

He'd noticed people tended to do that rather than looking for him these days. Tracer, the only one who still bothered to search, had pointed out that he wandered so much it was easier for most to just stay put until he ambled in.

Lucio and Hana had the totally predatory look that screamed 'ambush' in his head, and it took a force of will to stay put. His eyes flicked around the kitchen. He couldn't see any danger. It was just the two of them, studying him intently as he hesitated in the doorway. The prickle at the back of his neck was irrational, a response designed for a place long behind him, but his limp in was still cautious, a nervous giggle escaping his lips. "See something ya like?"

Lucio coughed and looked away but Hana was unabashed, leaning across the table toward him as he approached. "Junkrat, how old are you?"

The suddenness of the question caught him off guard. He drew up a stool scratched at his chin, blinking as he tried to think numbers. "Off the top of me head?"

It wasn't something he really concerned himself with, why count years when you grew up inches from disaster? He knew the police reports seemed to know but he never paid too much attention to them, always too busy laughing. "...Twenty something," he concluded, "what's it to you?"

"Mercy says you're twenty-five," Hana accused.

"Sounds 'bout right."

"Don't you see?"

"See what?" he asked. This whole situation was entirely suspicious, he'd barely had a conversation with these two before. Sure Lucio had given him some music but he hadn't hung about. The two of them did what half of the base still did – avoided him as much as was polite. Now he was under some form of interrogation. His peg leg tapped quickly at the ground, unable to settle.

She rolled her eyes as if the matter were obvious. "You're younger than Lucio."

Still desperately trying to pinpoint the purpose of the conversation he looked from one to the other. "And?"

"You don't look it," Hana said, pointing a finger at him. "We thought you were old."

He narrowed his eyes a little, catching Lucio's face-palm. "Alright, ya don't have ta go-"

"It's not like that, man," Lucio interrupted, setting a hand of Hana's shoulder as if to still her and lifting the other in a gesture of peace. "What she's trying to say is that we always figured you were one of the older members, but you're actually one of us. The youngsters. You get me? So we though maybe... maybe you'd like to hang out some time? It'll be fun – eat some snacks, play some games, get to know each other..."

He trailed off, expression uncertain, as if he were rethinking the whole idea. In fact, despite his diplomatic approach Lucio seemed more wary than his fearless friend. Junkrat had picked up a few tricks on reading people over the years, had to if you wanted an edge in a confrontation. So, in the rare instances he focussed his attention he could get a good measure of them. Lucio still considered him a threat. That didn't stop him though. It was the sort of strangely optimistic way someone might extend a hand to a wild animal while still fully expecting to get bitten.

They were after something from him, he was sure of that. There was no other way his mind could twist the situation. Yet despite that something kept him from turning away.

Stupid. Overwatch was making him soft... but as hard as it was to admit it he was getting to like the way people spoke to him more frequently these days, how they didn't always look at him with disgust... and he knew he shouldn't care, knew this way of thinking was dangerous but it was like a boulder rolling and picking up speed until he couldn't get it back under control.

Part of him wanted whatever this new life was bringing him. Hungered for those fleeting moments he felt like he mattered to someone other than himself... even while while the other half whispered that it was all a lie. And he'd learned... ever since he was a young scrapper he'd learned - when you wanted something, you took it. You robbed it, tore it from your enemies hands if you had to, but you made sure it was yours, grabbed everything you could and ran before someone could kill you for it. Passive people never survived. You made a move, you took a risk, you won.

There was a noise, snapping him back to reality with the sharp burst of adrenaline. His muscles had already tensed up but as his eyes locked on the source he saw it was only Hana clicking her fingers at him irritably.

"It's like he's AFK. Hello?"

Junkrat relaxed again, grinning his most toothsome grin. "Reckon I will."

"What?" She squinted, as if it would somehow help her understand.

"Yer offer," he said, this time turning his attention to Lucio. "Food an' games, right? If ya still wantin' me splendid company that is."

Lucio blinked. He had clearly not been expecting him to agree but he recovered quickly. "Sure man, it'll be great!"

Hana was suddenly beaming with excitement. "What games do you play?" she demanded eagerly, pulling her phone out to scroll though a list of colorful titles. Junkrat recognized none of course. He made a point of looking at them anyway, pretending they made sense to him as more than pretty pictures.

"Not much of a gamer meself, ain't a lot of that where I'm from if ya catch my drift," he admitted while Hana continued to scroll.

"Oh." Her hesitation was momentary, then she grinned again. "Well with my training you'll be up to speed in no time! I'm number one."

"I wish she was bragging," Lucio said with a shake of his head. He was smiling too though, cautiously, but it was genuine. Lucio's smiles always were. "It's okay though, we'll all co-op, it's more fun that way anyway."

"Only because I'd smash you into tiny pieces."

"Oh I know you would, I won't even deny it. Anyway, Junkrat, what time you free?"

"Any time I ain't behind bars," he said, unable to prevent a high pitched giggle from escaping. It wasn't even a joke by joke's standards but that didn't stop him – never had, never would.

"No, but, for real?"

"Mate, if I ain't on a mission I don't have a bloody schedule. I'm free whenever ya like."

"How about tonight?" Hana asked.

Wasn't like he had other plans. Still, part of him remained wary, the part that still remembered what caution was despite his muddled brain. What if it was a trap? They were obviously after something but... hell, what could they do to him? He'd wriggled himself out of plenty of nasty situations in the past, he doubted they'd throw something as challenging his way, nor did he see why they'd want to. This was an opportunity. He told that quiet, skittish voice in the back of his head to shut up.

"Sure," he said lightly, and maybe his grin stretched a little tight but they didn't seem to notice and despite the lingering suspicion he could feel a spark of excitement building. Day by day people at the base were starting to come around to the idea of him, and every step in the right direction felt like a victory. He would win.