Hello all! Woohoo! A chapter update that is both long and posted within a month of the last update! Crazy right? Anyways I had a ton of fun writing this chapter though I will say it gets kinda cheesy. But I like the occasional cheesy feel-good moments. To me it seems lots of movies or books nowadays have weird cliffhanger endings, betrayals simply for the sake of screwing over the main character, lovable characters getting killed, disappearing, or turning evil out of nowhere. It bums me out, I like the occasional story that has a happy ending and the person ends up with their soulmate etc. Also the multiple cans of energy drinks, sleep deprivation, and stress might have helped with writing this all in one sitting. But hey, whatever works.
As always leave a follow, favorite, review or message. Makes me happy knowing people like my attempt at writing. Also the reminders to update help, you guys da real mvp. Im gonna go pass out now.
"Now remember your footwork Fareeha, not being hit is just as good as hitting back."
Gabriel Reyes watched as the small egyptian girl wearing oversized red boxing gloves, black shirts, and an blue Overwatch t-shirt looked down at her feet as she repositioned them.
"But Uncle Gabriel! When are you going to teach me something cool?! All you do is talk about footwork and stances, I want to know how to do that cool kick you showed me yesterday!"
Fareeha pouted as Reyes kneeled down and began unlacing the boxing gloves from her small hands.
"You are always in a rush aren't you Fareeha? You will have plenty of time to learn as you grow up, enjoy being a kid. When you get older you will wish you spent more time playing instead of learning how to fight from an old man like me. Why don't you go play with some of the other kids that are here? They look like they are having fun with Reinhardt."
Fareeha crossed her arms and pouted as she watched Reyes put away the boxing gloves in a nearby locker and shook her head vigorously, causing her short black hair to fly around wildly.
"But all Reinhardt does is tell stories and give piggyback rides! It's boring! I want to fight with you and mother when I grow up! You and her travel the world saving people like in movies or stories! Being a kid is no fun, grown-ups are always telling you what to do, you have to eat broccoli, You have to hold hands when crossing the street, it is no fun at all! I want to be an adult now so I can do anything I want!"
Reyes laughed as he gently pushed the still pouting young girl towards the doors of the Overwatch headquarters training area.
"Trust me Fareeha, being an adult is not as fun as you think. You are lucky that you have a mother who loves you and lets you hang out with adults while you are here. All the other kids have to stay in the playroom when they come here."
Fareeha's face instantly changed into a bright smile as she held her head up proudly.
"That is because my mother is Captain Amari! She is the coolest person in the world!"
Reyes laughed heartily as he reached down and ruffled Fareeha's silky black hair, making the diminutive girl giggle happily.
"Well having Captain Amari as your mom does give you an edge over the other kids when it comes to base privileges. But remember, this training I am giving you is-"
Fareeha jumped in front of the tall hispanic man and put a finger to her lips.
"Our little secret!"
Reyes kneeled down and poked Fareeha's belly lightly and grinned.
"That's right, your mom doesn't like it when I teach you how to fight. I heard a few days ago you gave some boy at your school a black eye, your mom asked me where an innocent young girl like you learned how throw a right hook."
The two resumed their walk down the empty hallway towards the base library as Fareeha smiled proudly.
"He was being mean to my friend! He was calling her a crybaby after he took her book! The teachers just send him to the principal but he always comes back and does it again! Well I made sure that he won't bully Camilla ever again!"
As the two rounded a corner they nearly ran straight into the tall figure of Ana Amari, Captain and top sniper of Overwatch. Wearing her iconic Overwatch blue overcoat and beret she was always immediately recognized by headquarters personnel and held in high regard by many. Known to be a caring but firm leader, she was idolized by many young recruits for her many heroic deeds. Out in the field she always composed and aloof, but around her friends she was a motherly but slightly strict colleague. One of the rare but proven ways to anger Ana Amari was to put her daughter in danger or do things around her that Ana considered not family friendly. The list of non family friendly offenses included cursing, gossiping about rumours or drama between others, unhealthy things like smoking or drinking hard liquor, and of course letting Fareeha partake in combat drills.
Only a few people in the entire world could withstand her motherly fury, but even they tried to avoid provoking the veteran captain whenever possible. While being known as a sniper, Ana Amari learned unarmed combat techniques from the best and was not afraid to give her targets an impromptu hands-on self-defense course.
The normally cool and composed Reyes froze as his eyes darted from looking down at Fareeha to the suspicious stare of her protective mother.
"Oh hey Ana, what's up? You finish your briefing early?"
The only time Reyes could train Fareeha without being caught was the weekly status briefing that all senior Overwatch members were required to attend. Being part of Blackwatch which was a seperate and secret division, Reyes was not required to attend which gave him the perfect opportunity to train Fareeha in private.
Ana was silent for a moment as she scrutinized the mismatched pair before her. The normally aloof Reyes actually being friendly and the usually hyperactive Fareeha looking everywhere but at her mother.
"What are you two doing? The library is on the other side of the base, you agreed to watch Fareeha and help her study while I am attending the meeting."
Reyes put on his best smile and scratched the black beanie covering his head as he let out a defeated sigh.
"Alright you caught us, Fareeha kept bugging me to see the new jet and I figured I would take her over to the hangar for a quick peek while you were busy with the briefing. My bad, but you know how nobody can say no to her puppy eyes."
While not denying the accusation outright, the half-truth that Reyes had created was believable because the gym was nearby the hangar. Many mechanics and other workers would use the nearby locker room showers to clean themselves up before heading home after a long day of working in a greasy and grimy work zone.
Quickly understanding what Reyes was doing, Fareeha did her best to look guilty.
"I am sorry mother, but nobody would take me to see the new jet. I really wanted to see since I heard people talking about it, and Uncle Gabriel always says I can ask him for help with anything."
Squinting suspiciously at the pair of known rule-breakers, Ana was silent for several moments as Reyes prayed that luck was on his side. Finally, Ana huffed in annoyance and put her hands on her hips while looking at the two with an annoyed expression.
"Gabe, how many times have I told you to stop giving in to Fareeha's selfish requests? I know you two get along very well but if you keep spoiling her she will not learn her lesson. As for you my little bird, you are supposed to be studying not getting Gabe in trouble by convincing him to sneak around with you."
Reyes visibly relaxed as he let out a silent sigh of relief and accepted the motherly lecturing. Meanwhile Fareeha was still trying to act guilty but was having trouble keeping a victorious grin off her face. Ana stepped forward and took Fareeha's free hand, resuming the walk back to the library. If someone took a picture of the trio walking hand in hand, it would not be hard to convince someone unfamiliar with the three that they were a family.
"I am very disappointed in the both of you. Gabe, you are now going to be in charge of new recruit P.T. for the next three days as punishment. I know you love running laps with the greenhorns."
Reyes groaned loudly and slumped gloomily, he was a free spirit and spending his mornings working up a sweat yelling at recruits was not a task that appealed to him in the slightest. Of course Fareeha giggled at his obvious despair until her mother locked her eagle eyes with her.
"As for you young lady, for the next week I will make sure you have extra helpings of broccoli for dinner this week."
Now it was Fareeha's turn to groan loudly in despair as Reyes laughed heartily while Ana tried to keep a warm smile off of her face and failing.
Suddenly the lights went out leaving Fareeha in complete darkness while the two parental figures holding her hands vanished. In a dizzying blur, Fareeha found herself alone in a graveyard that spread out to the horizon in every direction. Cold rain poured from the sky as Fareeha was faced with two large obsidian black tombstones. The only words on the tombstones were two names. in large chiseled out letters one tombstone was inscribed, "Ana Amari" while the other had "Gabriel Reyes".
Staring at the large tombstones in horror, the world went black in a flash of lightning.
Pharah bolted upright as she heaved in panicked breaths, it took her a second to realize where and who she was. Squeezing her eyes shut, Pharah tried to stop the flow of tears only to give up and and hug her knees as silent sobs wracked her body. She felt sick, like the world was closing around her, the room felt like it was spinning out of control as Pharah fell on her side and hugged her pillow. The cold sweat covering her body made her shirt and sheets stick uncomfortably to her skin while she muffled her cries of grief with the pillow.
What felt like an eternity passed as Pharah slowly gained control of her motions. Finally, she stopped crying and brought her breathing under control. Slowly sitting up, Pharah wiped the residual tears from her bloodshot eyes as she looked at the bedside clock.
"Shit, three in the morning. God why did I have a nightmare? Did I just have a panic attack? I thought the sleep meds Angela gave me were supposed to help me."
Looking around, Pharah's eyes landed on the small bottle of pills, with two small capsules laying next to a small glass of water.
"Fuck...I forgot to take them…"
Cursing her stupidity, Pharah climbed out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, Pharah stripped off her shirt and underwear and stepped into the freezing water. Relishing the cold shock of water, Pharah simply stood under the showerhead and let the ice water slowly warm up to what felt like just below boiling. After almost a half-hour, Pharah finally turned off the water and dried herself off. Finding a pair of panties, gray cotton shorts, and blue t-shirt, Pharah padded out of her room on bare feet and out into the hall.
The smooth metal floor was cold under Pharah's bare feet as she walked towards the recreation room. Seeing the telltale glow of the TV emanating from the room doorway, relief flooded Pharah's body as she quickened her pace. Just as she was about to enter, Pharah heard voices talking to each other inside.
Flattening herself against the wall, Pharah edged closer to the doorway and peeked around the corner. Inside, Hellhound wearing gray sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt sat in his usual spot with game controller in hand while concentrating on the large screen in front of him. But sitting next to him on the couch was DVa in a bright pink robe and wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.
Emotions raced through Pharah's head as she watched DVa talk quietly to Hellhound. Sadness, anger, despair, but mostly….jealousy.
"When did she get there?! Has she been doing thus the entire time?! Is she still trying to flirt with him?!"
While Pharah could hear the occasional word or two from the pair, she could not clearly overhear their conversation. Throwing caution to the wind, Pharah got low to the ground and slowly crept through the doorway. As soon as she entered the room Pharah made an immediate turn and stuck close to the wall as she made her way towards the wall behind the couch. The room was large, and since the only light source was the screen the couch and other large objects cast long dark shadows behind the two gamers.
Reaching the back wall, Pharah assessed the angles of approach in front of her that would give the most concealment. Deciding on a route, Pharah slowly and carefully crawled under tables and around furniture towards her goal. Finally, Pharah reached her destination and slowly eased herself into place. Sitting in a dark leather chair behind a large plastic box, everything below Pharah's eyes was concealed from the two on the couch. Placement wise, Pharah was in line with the screen but off to the side. This allowed her to have an almost full frontal view of the couch while also taking advantage of the fact that those looking at the bright screen would not have eyes adjusted for seeing in the dark. Settling into a comfortable position, Pharah began her spying.
DVa yawned softly as she leaned back into the plush sofa, she mostly was mostly looking at Hellhound but with the game in her peripheral vision. Stretching her legs for a second, she was silent for almost a minute as she appeared to be carefully thinking something over. Eventually, the small korean girl took in a steadying breath and spoke up.
"Hey Houndy, I just want to say again I am really sorry about the whole...sparring match thingy. I didn't want to hurt you at all...well maybe give you a bruise or two...but I had no idea how strong that glove was."
Hellhound simply shrugged uncaringly as he stared at the screen with a look of intense concentration.
"I have repeatedly said that you do not need to apologize in any way. I was the one who proposed the match so I accepted any consequences from it."
The two were silent once more as DVa chewed on a nail while Hellhound continued to game. The sound of an explosion emanated from the screen speakers as the screen briefly flashed red then went silent. With a frown of frustration, Hellhound put down the controller as DVa turned her full attention to the screen.
"Ah you got quick-scoped...aaaand he is tea-bagging you. Gotta love online games right?"
For a moment DVa's usual peppy attitude emerged only to be swallowed moments later by a soft sigh. Hellhound scratched his chin in confusion as he leaned forward to get a better look.
"But that is not how sniper rifles work. Disregarding the fact a man is able to run and fire a heavy bolt-action anti-material rifle without getting knocked over, it is impossible to fire accurately a second after you aim down the scope."
Even Pharah smirked as DVa rolled her eyes and grinned and pointed at the screen.
"Houndy this is a videogame, people play these because they want to escape the real world. If all games were like real life they would be no fun. I mean how would it be fun if you got killed by one bullet from a pistol? Or if you had no hud to show you your health and ammo? Nobody would play it…well is mean there are military simulators but that is different. These kinds of games are made to be able to be played by almost anyone and have fun while doing it."
Hellhound leaned back and crossed his arms unhappily with what could almost be described as a dissatisfied sulk.
"This game said it was the most popular realistic shooter on the market. I have been misled, this is not realistic at all."
DVa grabbed a nearby pillow and muffled her screams of laughter while Hellhound watched in confusion. Eventually DVa calmed down and put the pillow back as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.
"Oh gawd Houndy you are hilarious I swear if you were ever in one of my livestreams people would love you. Plus I mean a hot guy like you playing video games would certainly have fangirls posting all over the web about you. Actually thinking about it now maybe you shouldn't be on a live stream, god knows we don't want a rabid fangirl recognizing you in public and freaking out."
Hellhound was clearly lost as to what the korean pro-gamer was talking about and frowned as he tried to make sense of the various jargon. A moment later he surprisingly spoke up with a question.
"I have a question for you, I am curious as to why you are friendly with me. I tried to hurt you and yet you still talk to me, also you keep saying I am...hot, but I actually have a slightly below normal body temperature."
DVa's face flushed bright red and she jerked her gaze away from Hellhound and to screen.
"Well I um...god this is unexpected...let's see...well first off aren't we friends already? I mean when you first got here you were a little scary and weird. But now you are just kinda…serious and weird? I mean all that Talon stuff in your head just makes me feel bad for you ya know? I mean it's not like you wanted to hurt me. Also with you I know you are really honest...I mean really awkward kinda honest...like right now...but I don't have to worry about you lying to my face about what you think or how you feel. It's nice especially nowadays with how paranoid everyone is. Don't even get me started on reporters and paparazzi ugh!"
Hellhound curiously scrutinized the blushing DVa as he processed the new information.
"I think I understand your reasoning, but I still do not understand why you call me..hot?"
Groaning in embarrassment, DVa picked at a loose thread on her robe nervously.
"Crap...I mean I probably should have realized that you would ask. I keep forgetting you are always in soldier mode. Ok...how do I do this?"
Hellhound waited patiently as DVa got her thoughts in order and finally turned to face him. Her face was still a shade of light red but she seemed more composed than before.
"Okay Houndy, when I say...when people say hot, it means physically attractive. I am saying you are physically attractive to me."
As soon as the last word left her mouth DVa flopped facefirst onto the couch and moaned in despair and embarrassment.
"God I wanna die, that is like the most awkward thing I ever said in my life."
When Hellhound did not immediately respond, DVa slowly sat up curiously. She was met with a blank stare as Hellhound nodded in understanding.
"Affirmative, thank you for the clarification."
DVa's jaw dropped open as Hellhound picked up his controller and began pressing buttons experimentally. Meanwhile Pharah mentally cheered as she watched DVa try to comprehend what just happened.
"Ha! Too bad Hana! He only likes me!"
DVa shook herself out of her dumbfounded state and poked Hellhound's arm.
"Umm hello? Houndy when a girl says she thinks you are attractive you need to give a reply. You can't just say okay and act like nothing happened! That took a ton of courage for me to say!"
Putting the controller back down, Hellhound turned back to face the bewildered young girl with puzzled look.
"What do you mean? I gave a response, I said I understood what you were saying. Oh wait, I should say thank you correct? Thank you for the compliment."
DVa buried her face in her hands and let out a sad moan.
"Oh my gawd, I got rejected. I mean I am not the cutest girl ever but I thought I would at least get some kind of reaction other than...whatever you just did."
Quickly lifting her head up, DVa sat up straight with an annoyed expression.
"Okay Houndy, do you find me attractive? That is usually what you should say in this kinda situation, if a girl or guy says they think you are attractive it is common courtesy to tell them if you think they are attractive or not. So what is it? Am I too young? My boobs aren't big enough? Too short?!"
Hellhound had a strange expression on his face as he finally understood what DVa had been doing when she was flirting and complimenting him. From her hiding spot, Pharah tensed up worriedly as she started imagining worst case scenarios of what Hellhound would do now knowing that attractive girls were interested in him.
As DVa continued to rant about what feature she had that was unattractive, Hellhound slowly regained his composure and interrupted DVa who now had moved on to venting about past failed relationships.
"DVa, I never said I did not find you attractive."
Stopping mid-rant, DVa spluttered in confusion and embarrassment.
"Waiwaiwaiwait! Y-you have like no interest in me! If you are trying to be nice you don't hafta pity me!"
Hellhound shook his head as he stared at the now completely flustered and frazzled gamer next to him.
"I think you do not realize what I am trying to say. Let me explain. Part of the Talon conditioning program is to remove the operative's sex drive. Physical attraction does not have any use for a soldier in battle, it can create distractions and lead to poor decision making. Thinking about it now, logically you have many physical qualities that many would find attractive. Maybe eventually when the Talon conditioning is completely gone I will find you physically attractive. But right now I just see you, agent DVa who is highly skilled in her mecha and in games, not a woman who arouses me."
DVa and Pharah were both at a loss for words but for very different reasons. For DVa it was obvious she was trying to form a reply to the revelation laid before her. With Pharah, she was astounded that Hellhound had told a huge lie straight to DVa's face. For Pharah knew that Hellhound found her attractive.
It took DVa a full minute to get her thoughts in order while massaging her temples to calm herself. She finally looked up with a slightly confused smile.
"Awww! That was..almost sorta sweet...I think? So you are saying that you don't feel anything when you look at me? Not because you think I am ugly but because your brain simply has that part under lockdown?"
Hellhound nodded in agreement as he turned away and picked up the controller once more.
"Correct, I did not mean to cause you any distress. But I think it would be wise to find someone who is capable of returning your affection."
Unseen to Hellhound, a mischievous smile slowly spread across DVa's face that made Pharah's stomach fill with dread.
"So you don't see me as attractive, and you don't feel aaany physical attraction?"
Before Hellhound could reply he was tackled and fell on his back on the couch with DVa kneeling over him.
"What are you doing? Is this a combat exercise?"
DVa giggled impishly and shook her head.
"Nope! Just testing something out."
Settling her hips on Hellhound's chest, DVA slid her robe off of her shoulders to reveal the smooth milky skin underneath.
"Feel anything now?"
Hellhound frowned slightly and shook his head.
"No, is this an actual medical health check?"
DVa smiled wolfishly and laid her chest against his.
"Nope! How about this?"
Before Hellhound could react, DVa had darted in and gently kissed side of Hellhound's chin. It took all of the self control Pharah had to stop herself from rushing over and giving DVa a few good punches.
"That horny little sl-...what the hell is she doing to him! ? I swear to god if Erik does not put a stop to this I will!"
Quickly sitting back up, DVa stared down at the man trapped beneath her.
"Feel anything that time?"
Hellhound sighed in annoyance and gave DVa a stern look.
"Since this is not an approved medical check I am requesting you get off of me. I am sure this qualifies as workplace sexual harassment as described by the standards set by the Overwatch rules and guidelines form in the application."
At first DVa began to pout and crossed her arms, but looking down at the unamused man beneath her the realization of what she was doing quickly dawned on her. Scrambling off of Hellhound like she had been burned, DVa flattened herself against the arm at the far end of the couch.
"Oh god what am I doing?! I am so sorry Houndy! God what the hell is wrong with me?! Am I that desperate?! Houndy please I didn't...I mean I did but I was not...please I am so sorry Houndy! If you were doing that stuff to me people would call you a rapist! ImsorryIgottago!"
DVa fell off the couch in her haste to run away but was stopped by Hellhound's hand grabbing her arm.
"Calm down DVa, I did not mean to frighten you. I was simply stating what I read when Winston was having me fill out registration forms. I appreciate that you realized what your actions could be construed as and stopped from going any further."
DVa was frozen in fear but quickly fell to the ground while quietly crying and sniffling in shame.
"Oh Houndy! You are so sweet I don't deserve to be friends with you after that! Just...it's been more than a year! A girl has needs and when you got here. You are just so weirdly cute and you are such a good guy and even with your brainwashing you try not to oh god I'm so sorryyy!"
DVa continued to babble as she cried and hugged herself while Hellhound watched awkwardly. Pharah could not help but feel a little bit sorry for the girl. She remembered the struggles of being young and full of life and craving the touch of another and dry spells were reminders of how painfully lonely one can get.
After a few minutes DVa looked up at Hellhound with sad teary eyes.
"God look at me...I am such a mess tonight...I'm sorry Houndy...I know you don't know what to do right now...though most people don't know what to do with a crying girl...haha…"
Hellhound nodded awkwardly and looked around for something that might help.
"Yes...At first I thought I should leave...but one of the rules in the handbook is to never leave behind a teammate in distress."
Pharah almost laughed out loud at Hellhound's interpretation of the Overwatch rules. Meanwhile DVa managed to smile a little as she wiped the snot from her nose on the arm of her robe.
"Houndy you are so weird, but weird in a good way."
Pushing herself to her feet, DVa ran a hand through her now thoroughly messy hair in a futile attempt to appear more composed. Looking down at her feet awkwardly, DVa fiddled with the hem of her robe.
"Hey Houndy, I know this is gonna be weird to you. But could you give me a hug? If you don't want to I totally understand though…"
Hellhound paused for a brief moment before standing up and walking over to the disheveled DVa. Taking a moment to plan what to do, Hellhound slowly gave DVa a gentle hug. The positioning was a little awkward due to the height difference but DVa seemed content nonetheless as gave the tall soldier a tight hug in return.
In the shadows, Pharah felt another spike of jealousy but pushed it away as she watched DVa hold back tears while Hellhound hugged her.
"A hug is fine...She knew what she did wrong and won't do it again...I hope...she is right though, Erik is such a sweet guy in his own way."
A few moments later DVa released her grip on Hellhound and stepped back.
"Thanks Houndy, you are a really good guy. Way better than lots of the guys I have met before. I know that if you ever find a girl she will be really lucky to have you, that is if that girl isn't me. Don't worry I'm just joking, I think I will try to find a guy that is just as nice as you though. Goodnight Houndy."
Quickly walking away, DVa gave Hellhound a small wave before going out the door and disappearing out of sight. Hellhound stood silently and scratched his ear in confusion as he looked at the dark doorway. A few seconds later, he walked over to the doorway and looked out into the hallway. Pharah watched Hellhound curiously as he quietly closed the recreation room door and sat back down on the couch. Letting out an exhausted sigh, Hellhounds icy blue eyes suddenly locked directly with Pharah's.
"You can come out now, the coast is clear."
Pharah let out a small yelp as she fell out of her chair in surprise. Quickly standing up and trying to keep the guilty look off her face, Pharah meekly went and sat next to Hellhound. The pair was silent as Hellhound waited patiently and Pharah awkwardly tried to figure out what to say.
"How long did you know I was here?"
Pharah looked at Hellhound in fear of anger or disapproval, but was instead met with curious eyes.
"When I stopped playing the game I saw a chair had moved slightly. Then I noticed someone sitting behind the box observing me. I did not know it was you though."
Pharah nodded silently as Hellhound stared down at his lap in what looked like remorse.
"I regret having to lie to DVa, Overwatch is built on trust and lying does not facilitate unit cohesion. But compared to admitting my attraction to you it was the lesser of two evils."
Pharah nodded solemnly and patted Hellhound's leg.
"I understand Erik, I know it must have been a hard decision. But I must ask….did you feel any physical attraction to her? Truthfully?"
Bracing herself for the worst, Pharah instinctively held her breath as Hellhound turned to look her in the eyes.
"Truthfully, I did not feel any physical attraction to her. I now understand the reasoning behind her actions but I did not have a physical reaction to her attempts at seduction."
Pharah felt like a weight was lifted off her chest as she let out a sigh of happy relief. She leaned against Hellhound and rested her head on his shoulder, smiling when she felt him tense up.
"Sooo….you only feel attracted to me huh?"
Pharah could not help but giggle happily as she saw Hellhound's ears turn bright red as he gave a stiff nod.
"Yes...only to you"
Pharah felt heart begin to race as a warm feeling spread through her body. She was happy. Extremely happy. What had started out with a terrifying nightmare had now become one of the most wonderful turn of events in her life. It felt like electricity was running through her veins and her heart was going to burst from joy. Sitting up, Pharah took Hellhound's hands in hers.
"Erik can you please look at me?"
She had felt him flinch when she held his hands but the nervous expression on his face only made her smile wider.
"I know this is out of nowhere. But I just wanted to say I like you...a lot. I know this thing between us is crazy. We are both soldiers so we both know that one of us might not come back from a mission. But with you...I feel happy. More happy than I have with anyone in a long time. But before this goes on any longer I want to let you make the decision about us on your own. Even if I am happy it has no meaning if you are not."
Pharah did not know what she was doing, it was her brain had no control over her body. Mentally she knew that admitting these feelings was not a good idea, that it might cause more harm than good in the future. But it seemed that she could not contain her emotions any longer and this was the perfect opportunity to talk to Erik from her heart.
Hellhound gripped Pharah's hands tightly as his mouth moved silently while he tried to create a response. Eventually he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stared unblinkingly back into Pharah's eyes.
"I do not know much about things not related to the battlefield. Any memories I have before waking up in the cell here are just flashes. Pictures of faces, sounds, words, feelings. But since waking up here I can remember everything perfectly. Meeting you, it felt like I instinctively knew you were a soldier. In the field you are very proficient in weapons and tactics. But off the battlefield...you make me feel things I do not know. I get nervous around you, when I talk to you I find I can sleep easier, you make me feel….complacent? I do not know exactly how to describe it. When I am alone I can feel Talon in my head. I look for structural weak points, every time I enter a room I plan escape routes and lines of sight, I have days when I actively plan out and imagine neutralizing those I meet. But with you, that all stops. It is quiet in my head. I guess what I am trying to say is. It may not be the logical decision...but I hope to be with you as long as possible."
And for the first time, Hellhound smiled. It was not a memorable toothy grin or dazzling display. Just a simple small and nervous but happy smile.
Pharah felt her heart skip a beat when Hellhound smiled. She knew immediately that his small awkward smile would be burned into her brain forever. But what came next surprised even Pharah.
One moment she was smiling happily and about to tell Hellhound how happy she was. The next, she felt her lips against his, his icy blue eyes wide in surprise and filling her view. The feeling of his chapped and slightly cold lips in contrast to what felt like liquid fire running through her body. His hands resting lightly on her waist while hers were wrapped around his wide back. The faint scent of soap filling her nose as she breathed in sharply.
Time seemed to stop as Pharah's mind encountered an error and rebooted with a single thought echoing through her head.
"I think I'm in love."