Hello all! Another chapter for you! Sorry for the wait things have been a little crazy. A short message at the end expanding on that if you want to read it. As always, leave a comment or review!
A week had passed since Pharah's flirtatious conversation with Hellhound. She had occasionally visited the wounded man but kept her visits brief. Each time they conversed normally but Pharah could tell that Hellhound was slightly wary about her intentions. Finally, Mercy concluded that Hellhound had healed enough to let him out of the medical bay.
"Alright Hellhound, your tissue has healed nicely so I am comfortable with letting you go back to your normal daily activities. But remember you are still recovering so no strenuous activities. You are also prohibited from participating in missions until I deem you combat ready, Understood?"
Mercy stood next to Hellhound with a tablet in hand as the muscular man put a blue t-shirt on. Turning to face the motherly doctor, Hellhound nodded in understanding.
"Affirmative, thank you for taking care of me ma'am...I mean...thank you Mercy."
Catching himself reverting to his original speaking habits, Hellhound shook Mercy's hand. Just outside the door, Pharah leaned against the wall and waited patiently. In her hands she held a thin black rectangular box that she occasionally fiddled with nervously.
As Hellhound walked out of the medical bay, Pharah cleared her throat to get his attention.
"Hello Hellhound, feeling better?"
Turning to face the egyptian woman, Hellhound cautiously answered.
"Um...yes I am. Mercy said I am healed enough to move around but not enough to participate in any missions."
Giving the man a soft smile, Pharah pushed herself off the wall and faced her comrade.
"I wanted to thank you again. For saving my life...twice in fact. I wanted to give you something to show my appreciation, I hope you like it."
She presented the thin box to Hellhound and tried to appear confident. In truth she was very nervous about how her gift would be received. She had spent the entire week mulling over various gift ideas, trying to find the perfect one.
Hellhound gently took the box and looked at Pharah.
"You did not have to do this. I only did what any other Overwatch member would do."
Pharah smiled and shook her head gently and took a step closer to Hellhound, closing the distance between them.
"I wanted to do this Hellhound….because it is you."
Hellhound's ears flushed bright red as he tried to process the meaning of Pharah's words, causing her to laugh gently and point to the box.
"Just open it, I spent a long time trying to find something you would like."
Closing his mouth, Hellhound simply nodded and opened the box. Inside was a combat knife in a sheath surrounded by foam padding. Gingerly taking out the knife, Hellhound pulled the blade out of the matte black sheath.
Holding the knife up, Hellhound noticed a single engraved decoration on the blade. A small golden eagle head was engraved into the blade just above the hilt and the arabic word "Justice" engraved in silver under it.
As Hellhound examined the blade, Pharah looked at his expression in anticipation.
"The blade itself is eight inches long and made out of carbon steel. It has a special black coating that prevents rust and chipping as well as preventing light reflections."
Hellhound balanced the blade on the tip of his finger and nodded approvingly.
"It is very well made. What is the eagle decoration?"
Pharah blushed slightly and wrung her hands together.
"Well...I received this knife as recognition for valor in combat from my commanding officer. The eagle head symbolises my dedication and airborne fighting techniques and the word under it is arabic for justice."
Hellhound looked back up at Pharah in confusion and held the knife out to her.
"I cannot accept this. It was made solely for you and to represent your accomplishments."
Pharah smiled and gently pushed the knife back to Hellhound.
"And I am now giving it to you to show how grateful I am. You saved my life twice. This has been collecting dust for years and has never been used in combat. I would be honored if you kept it and used it against those who would harm us."
Hellhound gently slid the knife back into it's sheath and placed it back in the box.
"I am...happy that you think so highly of me. I promise to never let lose it."
Now it was Pharah's turn to blush and she smiled happily.
"I think many things about you Hellhound, and respecting you is just one of the many favorable ones."
Hellhound's ears turned bright red again as he furrowed his brow trying to figure out what exactly Pharah was implying, making Pharah stifle a laugh as she watched the man in front of her.
"I know that teasing him is a little unfair, but I just cannot get enough of his reactions."
For Pharah, Hellhound presented a new challenge she never been able to face before. All of her previous relationships had been with men who constantly tried to impress or seduce her. Pharah's distinguished military career and martial mindset seemed to make all of her previous romantic partners feel inadequate when it came to their own accomplishments. Resulting in them often overcompensating for their supposed weakness.
Practically her entire life, Pharah was often put on the defensive in any sort of relationship, having to fend off both aggressive romantic advances and tolerate insincere individuals trying to curry favor with her.
Secretly Pharah had always wanted to be the aggressor in a relationship. Having seen many movies about women who could make even the most stoic hero fall for them with their charm and wit alone. Her personality itself was also a factor in this desire, for Pharah was a competitive individual and relished overcoming challenges of any type.
With the realization of her attraction to Hellhound combined with the man's inexperience with relationships, Pharah had finally been granted an opportunity that would fulfill her desires.
Before Pharah could speak, McCree had sidled up next to her and draped an arm over her shoulder.
"Lookin good Hound, Doc give you the whole shtick about proper diet and exercise?"
Hellhound tilted his head in confusion at McCree's question.
"She cleared me for normal activities but I am not cleared for active duty. She did not mention diet or exercise."
Annoyed that her private moment with Hellhound had been interrupted, Pharah rolled her eyes and flicked the brim of McCree's hat.
"She only says that to you because you smoke and drink almost every day and rarely train."
Taking his arm off the annoyed woman's shoulder, McCree gave Pharah a teasing wink.
"Well darlin that's cuz I am a proud American, drinking and smoking is a national pastime. As for trainin, I am still sharp as a tack and flailin around on the range just aint my style."
McCree patted Hellhound's shoulder and jerked a thumb back down the hallway.
"Cmon out to the courtyard, got a little somethin for ya."
As the gunslinger ambled away, Pharah smiled at Hellhound.
"Everyone wanted to show their appreciation so we all have been waiting for you to get out of the medical bay."
Hellhound put the combat knife back in the box and stowed it in one of his large pants pockets. Following Pharah, they emerged through a pair of double doors and into the courtyard.
The courtyard itself was not that extravagant. It was a 40 yards wide and 30 yards long, two 40 yard sides and one 30 yard side were enclosed by the buildings of the base. The open side faced out over a cliff, giving a spectacular view of the ocean below. To prevent any accidents the cliff edge had a reinforced metal balcony with a large transparent wall to prevent any accidental falls.
Most of the courtyard ground was soft green grass, save for one small area that was concrete for cooking or other activities that required a solid surface. There was also a swimming pool that allowed for both recreational activities as well as swimming laps. Finally, a large fire pit was located in the center for easy use.
Looking around, Hellhound was intrigued by the various goings on. A large barbeque had been set up and both Junkrat and Roadhog wore matching cooking aprons as Junkrat tried to teach the unamused Symmetra how to cook a steak. A wide variety of folding chairs, tables, and other pieces of furniture were spread around the firepit in a disorganized mess. Zarya and Reinhardt seemed to be engaged in a fierce arm wrestling match, both being cheered on by DVa and Mei. Tracer and Winston lounged in chairs seemingly engaged in a fierce debate over which foods tasted best with peanut butter. Near the cooking area, Torbjorn and McCree sat on a bench next to a massive cooler comparing their favorite alcoholic drinks.
Seeing Hellhound and Pharah arrive, McCree stood up and let out a shrill whistle.
"Alright yall! The guest of honor is here! Come on over so we can get this show on the road."
McCree motioned for Hellhound to stand next to him near the firepit as everyone stopped what they were doing and formed a loose circle around the firepit. Suddenly an out of breath Mercy jogged over and joined the group, still wearing a labcoat.
"Sorry! I needed to finish up my reports."
The apologetic Mercy was met with a series of teasing remarks when McCree held up his hands.
"Alright alright hush up yall, time for the main event."
Turning to Hellhound, McCree smiled cheerfully and took off his hat.
"Hellhound, I know you have had a rough time up till now. All of us are guilty of bein a little...hell we were all kinda assholes to you at one point. But you showed us that you can be trusted and counted on when things get rough. You saved not only one, but two overwatch members on the same mission, while also nearly dyin in the process. That kinda self sacrifice means a whole lot to us, I know you might be thinkin that it was expected for you to do that stuff but you would be wrong. Overwatch is not just a team, but also a family. Sure we might have our fights with each other and not always get along, but at the end of the day we stand together to do what's right. You showed that despite how we treated you, you risked your life to save your teammates. Winston you wanna take it from here?"
McCree patted Hellhound's shoulder as Winston stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"As acting commander of Overwatch, I officially recognize Hellhound's selfless acts of bravery to protect his comrades. To show our gratitude and thanks, I hereby appoint Hellhound as an official Overwatch Agent. Welcome to the team."
There was a round of cheers as Hellhound dazedly shook Winston's hand. Looking around, Hellhound found all eyes were looking at him expectantly.
Feeling a nudge on his side, Hellhound turned to see McCree chuckling softly.
"This is the part where you make a speech. Nuthin fancy or anythin."
Nodding in understanding, Hellhound scratched the scar on his face as he thought of a response.
"Um...I am honored to be inducted into this elite group. In Talon, we were told that Overwatch was an organization akin to terrorists. Using their power for their own gain. But after...leaving...I realized how Talon had deceived me. I now see that Overwatch is committed to defending those who cannot defend themselves against others who would do them harm. Whether that be common criminals or terrorist organizations like Talon. I promise to use this opportunity to atone for my past actions….thank you."
There was a round of cheers after Hellhound's speech and McCree clapped the new agent on the back.
"Nice speech hoss, now lets party!"
As the sun began to set, everyone picked their food and drinks or choice and lounged around bantering with each other.
Junkrat was sprawled out on the grass with a beer in hand next to Symmetra who sat in a folding chair sipping on a margarita. It seemed that the Australian junker was trying to flirt with normally stern woman. Surprisingly, Symmetra seemed to at least be amused by Junkrat's antics and storytelling.
Torbjorn and Mercy sat near the firepit discussing the possible uses of nanotechnology being paired with prosthetics. Occasionally there would be a moment of heated debate followed by happy laughter as the two friends toasted each other's success.
Zarya, Dva, and Mei were on the opposite side of the firepit reclining in a variety of colorful chairs. Zarya's booming voice could be clearly heard as she regaled the her two companions with stories of past battles and experiences. Mei hung onto Zarya's every word in awe as DVa devoured a large steak covered in a mess of various sauces.
McCree, Tracer and Reinhardt all sat on the grass next to each other comparing their drinks of choice. McCree advocating for the aging and burn of whiskey, Reinhardt defending the pairing of beer and warming effect of schnapps, and Tracer expounding on the fruity flavor and class of British gin. Of course all three needed to test each other's drinks and the bottles of both whiskey,schnapps, and gin were almost half empty.
Winston simply sat by himself on a large picnic blanket watching the orange sun cast rays of light on the ocean while enjoying his favorite snack of bananas dipped in peanut butter.
Hellhound stood next to the large grill experimentally cooking a small steak, intrigued by the surprisingly complex methods involved in the cooking process. Walking back from throwing her paper plate in the trash, Pharah grabbed a beer from the large cooler and sat down next to the arguing alcohol connoisseurs and listened to their debate in amusement.
Noticing their new audience, all three drunk agents greeted Pharah warmly.
"Howdy darlin! Come on over to pop a squat with us?"
Mcree tipped his hat with one hand while the other held a glass of whiskey.
"Ah my fierce little Mausebär! Joining us in celebration of our new comrade!"
Reinhardt's booming voice echoed across the courtyard as he cheerfully ruffled Pharah's hair.
"Ello luv! Fancy a drink? I can tell you right now mine is top notch stuff!"
Tracer chirped cheerily as she waved to Pharah, of course her comment about her drink of choice setting off a new round of debating.
Pharah smoothed out her hair and was about to respond when three large bottles of liquor were thrust towards her accompanied by a chorus of demands for her opinion. Holding up her hands defensively, Pharah smirked at the belligerent companions.
"I am sorry but I am fine with my beer. I think you all should just decide amongst yourselves."
Pharah's response was met with a chorus of groans and several complaints of being a spoilsport, when suddenly McCree perked up.
"Hey! I know who can judge! Hey Hound! Gitcher ass over here we need your opinion!"
Waving his hat to get Hellhound's attention, McCrees' idea was heartily approved by the other two inebriated friends while Pharah put a palm to her face. Before she could object, Hellhound was already sitting in front of them with a curious expression.
"You require my...opinion? On what? Battle tactics or fighting styles?"
McCree, Tracer and Reinhardt all chuckled as Pharah groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Nuthin of that sort luv! We need you to do a taste test! Just take a drink of our three drinks and tell us who's is better!"
Hellhound looked to Pharah in confusion as three glass cups of liquor were put in front of him. Pharah simply sighed and waved her hand dismissively, leaving Hellhound to his fate.
Looking back to the three drinks in front of him, Hellhound warily picked up the glass of whiskey and sniffed it. Wrinkling his nose at the strong smell, Hellhound looked at it in confusion.
"I think this liquid has been tampered with or poisoned. I suggest you all go to Mercy for a toxicology screening."
Even Pharah couldn't help but laugh at Hellhound's response along with everyone else. McCree shook his head and pointed to the bottle next to him.
"Naw hoss it's supposed to be like that. Here is a tip for drinking whiskey, don't drink it slowly just take a big gulp real fast like."
Regarding the cowboy with a hesitant expression, Hellhound gripped the glass of whiskey.
"If you say so."
Hellhound then took a large gulp of whiskey and immediately went into a coughing fit, causing everyone to laugh heartily.
"Ugh...this..drink supposed to taste like this? It's like I am drinking gasoline."
McCree patted Hellhound's back as he took the now empty glass from him.
"Sure is! Ya just gotta build up a tolerance, but tell me. Ya feel anythin after that drink?"
Hellhound frowned and after a moment nodded his affirmative.
"Yes...my throat burns but there is a slight...spicy taste?"
McCree nodded happily and smiled at Hellhound's assessment.
"There ya go! Whiskey is a man's drink, puts hair on yer chest. Ya gotta take the burn to get the flavor."
Next in line, Reinhardt put a small glass of schnapps in Hellhound's hand.
"Now it is my turn! Unlike the simple americans, us Germans take pride in our drinks! This is called schnapps, it is sweet but warms your belly! The best for snowy nights in a lodge with friends!"
Holding the glass up to eye level, Hellhound examined the faint rose colored liquid.
"Hopefully this is less...uncomfortable than before."
Downing the shot in one gulp, Hellhound's face twisted into a grimace making Reinhardt guffaw happily. Looking up at the massive german man, Hellhound coughed softly.
"This was...slightly better. But it was very sweet, and bitter at the same time."
Reinhardt nodded in agreement as he took a shot of schnapps himself.
"Yes it is! Schnapps taste best when paired with good beer. After the schnapps you drink the beer and the combination is exquisite!"
Tracer scooted forward and handed Hellhound a small glass of gin.
"Aww I'm sorry luv! But I swear mine is the best! Not too sweet, but not too bitter, juuust right! This is authentic London gin! One of the best in the world!"
Warily taking the drink, Hellhound sighed in resignation.
"I guess I must follow through on this...test."
Hellhound took a large gulp of the clear liquid and immediately squeezed his eyes shut and puckered his lips.
"Urgh...and all these are supposed to be good?"
Tracer giggled happily and nodded enthusiastically.
"Sure is! So who's was the best?"
The three contestants leaned forward expectantly as Hellhound swayed slightly where he sat. Blinking slowly, Hellhound put a hand to his head and groaned.
"My head feellls...feeeels...fuzzy. I told you..told you it was..um...bad.."
Everyone looked at each other in confusion when Pharah suddenly realized what was going on.
"I think you made a mistake when having Hellhound be a judge. He probably has no resistance to alcohol. In other words, he is a lightweight."
Without warning, DVa suddenly popped up behind the group and smiled cheerfully.
"Hey guys! Whatcha doing? Oh..geez it totally smells like booze over here."
Waving her hand in front of her nose, DVa plopped down next to Hellhound and patted his arm.
"You ok Houndy? Are these bad drunks boring you to death?"
Not realizing that Hellhound was inebriated, DVa continued to chatter happily as Hellhound looked at her curiously. Suddenly, Hellhound put an arm over DVa's shoulder and pulled her close.
"Your so funny...lika rabbit...but a girl. Alwayss bouncin...bounce bounce bounce…"
DVa squeaked in surprise as Hellhound pulled her close, blushing bright red as she was pressed against him.
"Umumum! Hey Houndy you ok? Your bein kinda weird...but...gawd you are like a warm rock."
DVa giggled nervously as Hellhound continued to hold her and babble, making everyone but Pharah howl in laughter. Hearing the commotion, all the other party attendees wandered over to investigate. Realizing what was going on, soon everyone was sitting in front of Hellhound excitedly asking questions. DVa had been pried out from Hellhound's grasp and now the intoxicated soldier was swaying heavily as he looked around in a daze.
"Oi! Hey Hellhound! Whatcha think bout me and Roadie?"
Junkrat had pushed his way to the front and managed to hold Hellhound's attention long enough to ask a question.
Hellhound frowned as he tried to scratch his nose.
"Uuhhh...yous like...umm..like loud..but good."
Taking his reply as a positive answer, Junkrat cackled happily and gave a high five to Roadhog.
Suddenly Hellhound perked up and locked onto McCree.
"You! You sneaky...but i..urp...I know...hes angry and grr grr im Reaper raawr...but under..Rey-..oops..sshhh issa secret…"
Everyone looked at McCree in confusion as the cowboy scratched his head in bewilderment.
"Hey yall I'm as lost as you are. I think our friend here needs to get some rest before-"
He was interrupted as Hellhound loudly retched and puked, most of the vomit landing on the grass but a few chunks sticking to his shirt. There was a mix of groans and laughs as Hellhound moaned and tried crawling away before collapsing face down on the grass.
Stepping forward, Winston sighed and adjusted his glasses before turning to face the group.
"Alright everyone the show is over. In the future please restrain yourselves from intoxicating new members. Please collect all garbage and clean up, we resume normal operating schedules tomorrow.
The large ape gave a pointed stare to the three giggling drunks before turning and putting Hellhound over his shoulder. As Winston carried the blacked out Hellhound away, Pharah jogged after them and fell in step with Winston.
"I can provide assistance Winston. I am perfectly fine with cleaning up some vomit off of him. I have seen much worse before."
Arriving at Hellhound's room, Winston gently set Hellhound down and nodded to Pharah.
"Thank you Pharah, I admit I am not that experienced with personal cleaning of clothes. Goodnight."
As Winston ambled away, Pharah slung Hellhound's arm over her shoulder and dragged him into his room. Turning on the lights, Pharah dragged the limp man to the bathroom and propped him up on the cover of the toilet.
When Hellhound had latched onto DVa, Pharah barely restrained herself from yanking the korean girl away from him. She knew that Hellhound had no indecent motives, but seeing DVa being held by him and enjoying it made her extremely jealous.
Returning to the present, Pharah pulled the dirty shirt off of Hellhound and grabbed a washcloth. Wetting the washcloth in warm water, Pharah quickly cleaned off the residual bits of vomit from Hellhound's skin.
Tossing the shirt and washcloth in the laundry basket, Pharah dragged Hellhound over to his bed. Just as she was about to lift the limp body onto the bed, she found herself being roughly pushed down onto the bed. Rolling over, Pharah's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at Hellhound leaning over her.
Hellhound's hands were pressed down on the bed on either side of Pharah as he stared down at her. His eyes were half closed and unfocused, but the simple action of being pushed down onto the bed made Pharah's heart skip a beat. The two simply stared at each other in silence, Pharah afraid that any movement might break the moment. Suddenly, Hellhound leaned closer. His voice slightly husky from the liquor.
"You...you are...ssstrange..when I see you..I..I dunno...but it feelllss..um..good? Like warm...I think...I think I-"
Hellhound stopped mid sentence, collapsing next to Pharah and snoring softly.
Pharah simply laid on the bed in shock, her face flushed a bright red. Realizing she had been holding her breath the entire time, Pharah let out a long sigh and turned her head to look at the man laying next to her. The scar on his jaw was barely visible while the long vertical scar on his chest rose and fell in time with his breathing.
"That was...unexpected. But scary and exciting at the same time. I never felt like this before with any other men. They have been rough in bed but it never felt...exciting. But this...he was so…"
A loud snort interrupted Pharah's thoughts as Hellhound shifted in his sleep. Suddenly Hellhound's arms reached out and pulled Pharah close, pressing his bare chest against her.
Pharah nearly yelped in surprise and blushed even more as she found herself being held in Hellhound's gentle embrace. His breath brushed against her neck with every exhale and occasionally he would mutter softly in his sleep.
"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! What is happening!? This is too much!"
Pharah tried to calm herself down and extricate herself from Hellhound's grasp. But every time she tried to pull away he simply pulled her back in again.
"Shit! I can't get out! I guess...I guess I will just have to wait it out…"
Pharah gave up and simply laid on the bed in Hellhound's embrace, letting herself relax and get comfortable. Before long, Pharah was drifting off to sleep. A happy smile on her face as she slept in Hellhound's arms.
A short message about waiting for chapters.
I thought I should let you all know about my writing process. I am not getting paid to write this, I have a job and other real life obligations just like the rest of you. If I could just sit at home and writeball day I would. As for all authors on this site, we make these stories for fun. We cannot just sit down any day and say "ok! I'm gonna write a 5000 word chapter today!" Writing takes time and effort, not everyone is able to constantly think up ideas for new chapters. I also have hobbies and stuff I like to do on my free time. It is selfish of readers to think that writers should only spend their free time writing.
Anyways, that is my attempt at an explanation. If you really want to new chapters, leave positive comments or reviews. Name calling and insults only make me feel less inclined to write.
For posting schedule, my goal is at least one chapter a month. My best would be one chapter a week.
If a month goes by and there is no update then feel free to leave messages or reviews asking for updates. Also I put any reasons for delays or whatever on my profile.
Thanks for reading!