"Chérie, you will miss the show." Amélie gently purred into the ear of the excitable Brit, who was now reduced to a sleepy mess.
Summer always formed a strange mixture of emotions within Amélie, creating feelings that she wasn't entirely sure what to do with.
She had always lived her life as a recluse, buried deep below the earth's crust in Talon's headquarters. Convinced of her deficiency of vitamin D, she was initially taken aback by the bright headquarters of Watchpoint Gibraltar. The sun seemed to beam down in glorious streaks of gold, illuminating the island, basking it in a gentle glow as if the Iris smiled upon it. A morning never passed that Amélie did not appreciate the sunrise from the rooftop of the headquarters, rising from her slumber, hours before gold peaked over the horizon. Her body did not require the same rest that normal humans needed to function, Amélie only needing a few hours to rest her eyes.
Yet this morning was different. She was not alone in the theatre.
Gently tousling the mop of chestnut hair that lay on her shoulder, she leaned down, whispering sweet nothings into the drowsy girl beside her who threatened to fall asleep again in the arms of her love.
Gently groaning as she stretched, taking pleasure in the soft 'pops' of her joints being alleviated of stiffness, Lena gently wrapped her hands around the sniper.
"Luv, do you do this every morning?" Lena muttered, her voice masked with sleep.
"Oui. It's beautiful." Amélie whispered, gazing towards the horizon which started to show hints of gold. "Not nearly as your face in the morning though." she said, winking playfully at Lena.
"If I were alive, I'd rip your clothes off right now," Lena sleepily murmured, following Amélie's gaze towards the distance.
Together, in each other's arms, they watched the sunrise in peaceful tranquility.
Then promptly removed each other's clothes.
"Supporters of the anti-omnic movement have once again made progressions in their conquest to shut down all major political parties that support omnic rights. This morning, the Omnic and Human Peace Party was denied right to rally, as the anti-omnic movement, now claimed to be called The Reformation of the People, or the RoP, stormed the event, injuring fifty party member and leaving thirty hospitalised. Police are investigating. Is this just the beginning?"
A sigh escaped Lena as she glared at the TV, as if she could change the course of history and deny these people from their crimes against humanity and omnicicity with a single look.
"Turn that off will you Lena?" Amélie called from their bedroom, "it gives me a headache just thinking about some people."
Sighing once again, Lena lifted remote, jabbing the power button. She slumped back, closing her eyes and letting the soft couch envelop her, the afternoon sunlight of King's Row gently bathe her. Overwatch had decided to send the couple back to Britain, something about 'impending attacks'. Lena didn't really listen, she was just glad that she and Amélie were going home.
She felt cool arms snaking around her neck as a weight pressed against her chest.
"You gotta stop doing that luv," she smirked, not nothing to open her eyes, "You're gonna give me an 'artattack."
A throaty chuckle escaped Amélie, nuzzling her head into the nape of Lena's neck.
Only a couple of minutes later, both women were sound asleep, happy in each other's arms, safe from the crumbling world around them.
The two slept throughout the day, ignoring all phone calls or texts sent to them. They could always tell which calls were important and which were trivial day-to-day calls from friends by the ringtones. Winston had insisted that for quick response, all agents should have distinctive tones for when Overwatch required them. Lena had chose the roar of her primal friend as her tone for Overwatch business, which always gained a giggle from her before answering the phone. Amélie on the other hand, had chosen a sound clip of Lena gasping whilst in the throes of pleasure, which never ceased to light up the time traveler's face with a crimson blush and proved to make some extremely awkward situations when out with friends.
Yes, Amélie was indeed a bit of a sadist.
So when a secondary moan sounded out through the apartment while the two were 'exploring', they were both instantly taken aback, their lust filled minds whirring to comprehend what had just happened.
Amélie smirked, gazing into Lena's hazel eyes with a fiery look.
"I suppose we will have to continue this after we.." She leaned into Lena, her lips brushing the ear of the Brit, "finish the job," she purred.
"We are in position Winston. What will you have us do?" Amélie cooly spoke into her comms. Together, her and Lena stood on the rooftop opposite the King's Row university.
"Sombra has decided to help Overwatch, and somehow gathered intel of a Talon assassination scheduled to take place at the debate between the anti-Omnic party, RoP, and their main opposition. The leader of each party will be there to debate. Keep both out of harm's way"
"Question big guy," Lena said, raising her hand as if he could see her, gaining an eye roll and a slight smirk from Amélie. "I mean, Talon'll be supporting the RoP, won't they? Should we just focus on saving the opposition then?"
"In light of Talon's past markers, yes, we can assume that the the leader of the RoP is under no threat. However, keep your eye out. You may not agree with his policies, but we are NOT politically involved."
"Can't believe we're protecting scum like that.." Lena muttered.
"You do realise I can still hear you Lena?"
"Right-o big guy! I'll chat to you in a bit!" Lena exclaimed, quickly turning off the earpiece.
"Yes Winston, she is indeed a child," Amélie chided.
"You bitchin' about me luv?!"
"Alright Winston, we will update you when we are done," Amélie said, ignoring her girlfriend, causing Lena to puff our her cheeks in annoyance.
"Alright Tracer, standard procedure?" she said, turning face the Brit.
Widowmaker has entered combat state, something that never ceased to turn on Lena yet slightly scaring her.
Time to get serious.
"Tracer? Sync?"
"Sync" she briskly replied, a large trenchcoat hugging her figure and hiding her battle attire as she steadily pushed her way through the crowd to front of the stage.
Taking in her surroundings, she gave the building a once over, calculating areas of danger and possible attack points for Talon agents. She was in a large reception area for the Kings Row university, a stage set up for the two politicians to debate their causes towards the back of the room. Pivoting on her heel, she looked out the massive glass wall behind her, spotting the dim glint of Widowmaker's rifle.
This was dangerous. Both politicians were out in the open. The glass provided no cover for them.
"Tracer, make your way towards the omnic. He is top priority" Widowmaker's voice crackled through her com.
Looking over, she spotted the leader of the pro-omnic party, a tall omnic dressed in a sleek black suit which clung to his metal frame.
Making her way closer to him, she strategised.
"Babe, they'll most likely have a sniper trained on the area, thanks to the massive fuckin' windows. Likelihood of this being a close assassination is minimal."
"Hmm, you are correct," Widowmaker hummed through the earpiece, " I am relocating for a better view of the perimeter."
The debate was set to start soon, Tracer being as close to the omnic leader as possible. She scanned the crowd, a mix of omnic and human, all who seemed to be on the side of the pro-omnic party.
Pursing her lips, Lena wondered what was going to happen. Often she would doubt her abilities before a mission, worrying that she would fail her mission. Then, when the action kicked in, her body took over, her mind simply a passenger as it watched the action.
"Chérie, do not doubt yourself, we will not fail."
Breathing out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, Lena took a moment to calm.
"Cheers luv. I'm in position. Conference about to start soon, you all good?"
"Oui, I am watching the perimeter. No signs so far."
Lena watched as a hush descended on the crowd as the two leaders took to the stage, one omnic and one human, a fat greasy man with a constant scowl on his face. Lena's blood began to boil as she watched him ignore the outstretched hand of the ominic and walked to his podium.
Mind snapping back to her mission, she raised her finger to her coms.
"Payloads are on stage, debate about to get underway. I'm going quiet, keep me updated."
A hum of affirmation came from the spider as Lena muted her mic.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Kings Row University! I am the dean of this school, and it's my honour to welcome both leaders and their parties to my school!"
Lena ignored the dean who had taken to the stage, standing between the two politicians. Scanning the crowd, she gauged the reactions of the the people in an attempt to single out anyone. Omnics were notoriously hard to read, for obvious reasons, which thew Lena off. Then again, why would Talon hire an omnic to kill a leader who actively working for equality?
The debate soon got underway, the leader of the RoP taking every opportunity to degrade or criticise the omnic race, each insult raising Lena's blood temperature.
The crowd, however, seemed calm, only interrupting with boos or shouts of approval. This was going better than expected.
The two politicians were engaged in a ferocious battle, the leader of the RoP like a volcano as the pressure built within him throughout the entire debate until eventually his rage overflowed. Saliva spewed from his mouth as he berated the omnic leader, shouting racial slurs and expletives in every sentence.
Then all hell broke lose.
Shots pelted through the building, shattered glass falling to the ground. Screams erupted from the crowd, the room morphing into a sea of panic as the people jostled to get to the nearest exit like caged animals.
Lena reacted on instinct, vaulting over the barrier and launching herself towards the omnic leader. Time seemed to come to a standstill as she dove through the air. Tilting her head, she gauged the size of the strike. Five men in purple combat armour, SMGs as weaponry. Explosives - possible.
A crack of thunder sounded and one of the men crumpled to the ground as he was greeted with a widow's kiss.
She watched as they raised their weapons, taking aim towards the stage as time slowly ticked on. Lena had reached the omnic leader, tackling him to the ground and hunching over his body to protect him.
Shots rang out and time resumed.
Lena waited for the pain to come, for the bullets to pierce through her body and rip her to shreds.
A silence fell over the crowd.
Thump
Lena watched as the corpse fell, his fat body slumping to the ground.
They had killed the leader of the RoP.
Screams once again erupted as the Talon gunmen fired shots into the air, clearing the room as civilians clambered through the exit doors, some even hurling themselves through the shattered glass wall to salvation.
Lena turned, watching the gunmen disappear into thin air with purple reverberation. The threats had disappeared, but were they gone? Blinking behind the stage with the omnic in her arms, she took cover behind the platform.
"Are you alright sir?" Lena demanded, wrenching the omnic to his feet.
"I- I am. May the Iris bless you," he replied, his voice strained with as much fear as an omnic could show.
"LENA, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!"
Quickly unmuting her comms, Lena tried to speak to her partner, her voice catching in her throat, making a guttural sound as she tried to speak.
"I-" she choked.
"I failed"
While Amélie tended to retract back into her shell when failing a mission, Lena was on the other side of the scale.
After the countless fist-sized holes that adorned the apartment, Amélie had finials decided to convert one of their rooms into a gym for Lena to work out and let off some steam.
'Some' steam.
Screams of rage and ire could be heard through the night as Lena brutally smashed her throbbing fists into the punching bag, foregoing any sort of gloves to protect her hands.
She needed to feel the pain of failure.
Amélie paced back and forward outside the room. Lena had been quiet for some time now, that being more worrying than her screaming. Amélie knew better than to try to talk to Lena when she was mourning. It never ended well.
Biting the bullet, Amélie cracked the door open slightly, peering into the dark room. What she saw nearly broke her heart.
A small ball was lying in the corner of the room, facing the wall and shaking as small sobs escaped.
Deciding to press further, Amélie cautiously approached the girl, gently placing a hand on the Brit's skin, cold with sweat.
"It's my fault. I should have seen them coming," Lena muttered between sobs.
"Do not say that. No one was to know they were there, Overwatch had no idea they had stolen Sombra's tech. You need to stop Lena."
Amelie's trademark tough love. She had often thought it pointless to skirt around the main points, often grasping the heart of the situation immediately.
Lena turned and wrapped her shivering arms around her girlfriend, feeling her icy skin cool her body and calm her mind.
And she wept.
Months had passed since the incident; gone, but not forgotten.
Lena drew strength from her compatriot, who held her life like a pillar of hope and trust. And love.
Once again she donned her 'mask' of sorts, using humour and effusiveness as an outlet for her sorrow.
Amélie often found herself gently stroking the Brit's skin as she silently wept in the late night hours.
She was getting worried about Lena. Never had she taken a mission so badly, and shouldered a burden this much.
Yet she knew better than to push. Lena was a woman who, ironically, worked with time. Eventually she would break through. Until then, Amélie could only be her support.
Recently however, she had decided to take some sort of action to bolster her support. Making time to take long walks through the crisp autumn air, take the smaller girl shopping or even curling up and watching her favourite movies. Although they had always done this, Amélie had made a resolve to work to her best to help her partner, now constantly aware of Lena's subtle movements or ticks that could give any indication on how she was feeling.
She was trying her damned hardest to help. She was acutely aware that sometimes Lena needed space and would often stop their usual banter short as to not upset her partner in any way.
Presently, Amélie was at her local market, buying ingredients she needed for tonight. She planned to prepare a dinner for the both of them, in a somewhat of a casual romantic sense.
"I don't know," Amélie smirked as she walked into her local butchers, " I don't know the first thing about being romantic. I'm a shame to France"
Although once a French housewife, her new personality within the mind of "The Widowmaker" had no space for romance. Though she had started to regain her old self bit by bit through her relationship with Lena, she was still not the romantic wife she once was.
However, she would try. For her love for Lena.
" 'Luv, I'm home!" Lena called as she threw her keys into a bowl by the apartment door. She had been out helping Winston with some adjustments on her chronal accelerator.
Hanging up her drenched coat and shaking out her mane of hair, she smelled something.
Burning.
Then the smoke alarm went off.
"OH FUCK OFF" she heard a distinctly French voice shouting, mixed with the crashing of metal pans and trays.
Grinning, Lena entered the smoke filled kitchen, met by her partner desperately fanning the smoke with a dishcloth.
When her eyes met Lena's, she froze. She had not heard Lena arrive.
"Welcome home!" She announced grandly, bowing as if a curtain call had been demanded.
It would have been a lovely welcome had the room not been filled with black smoke and the noise of the smoke alarm filling the air.
The fire had since been put out, Amélie forgetting that she had placed a pan of oil on the stove.
Luckily, her dinner had not been affected too much and was served.
Together they say by the window of their apartment, the shining lights of London distorted by the torrential downpour. Cracks of lightning and claps of thunder filled the sky.
All the lights had been turned off as the couple sat, basked in the gentle, warm glow of candle light, and ate.
After they had finished their meals, only having been engaged in small talk, they sat in silence with arms outstretched, gently caressing each other's hands.
"You've never found the right person unless you can sit together in a comfortable silence," Lena had always said. Something about silence was sacred and showed trust.
So together they stayed, content with the life they led, and content in holding the other's hands.
Gazing out the window, Amélie began to wonder how she had managed to find such a woman in her life. How Lena was the only one that trusted that Amélie had some good in her.
She was a lucky woman, that's was for sure. She hoped she was able to give back to Lena.
"Thank you," a quiet voice sounded.
Turning the look at Lena, she was met with the Brit's piercing eyes.
"Thank you so much. For everything."
After that night, Lena had opened her heart to Amélie, sobbing into her chest for the final time to purify her conscience.
Lena returned to her natural bubbly self as opposed to the 'mask' she wore. Though many people could not tell the difference, for Amélie it was like night and day.
Amélie's mind had now began to relax, confident in her girlfriend's state of mind and their bond. In fact, if anything, their relationship had grown.
Their sex life, which had taken a backseat, began to flourish, with plenty of suggestive remarks and looks fired at each other.
They had began to talk more, not just about trivial things, but about their feelings and their emotions. Although it was hard for Amélie, they had built more trust in the last few weeks than in their entire relationship. They had reached a new stage. Three years ago they started this adventure together.
"It's time we bump it up a bit," Lena thought as she entered the store. Immediately she was taken aback by the display.
"Oh shit... What am I doing?"
She spent hours in front of her mirror, practicing her lines, her movements, her smile.
Goddamn, why was this so hard?
'"Come on Oxton, you fly military jets and nearly die everyday. How hard can this be?"
Lightly slapping her cheeks, she began to get dressed.
"Heeeeeey babe," Lena sheepishly greeted as Amélie approached.
"Salut chèrie," she replied as she gave the Brit a chaste kiss on her forehead, "how long until sunrise?"
"About three minutes"
It had been a full year since they had last been in Gibraltar to watch the sunrise. The air was pleasantly warm for the early morning, comforting the two lovers as they sank to the ground in each other's arms. Amélie gently nuzzled her head into the crook of Lena's neck, resting against her shoulder as she let out a content sigh.
Two minutes
Lena had never felt more nervous in her life. First time she had flown a jet? First time she had entered a war zone? Nothing could prepare her for this.
God, she hoped she wasn't jumping the gun. While they had often discussed this very moment, it still scared her to no end.
One minute
Lena's hand slowly snaked around the box that sat uncomfortably in her pocket, digging into her thigh. Her hand began the clam, her throat began to dry and her mind began to scream.
The timing had to be perfect. She wanted this to be perfect.
Nervously, she turned the small box over in the pocket, biding her time until the right moment.
Now
Untangling Amélie's arms from her body, which earned a groan of disappointment from the sniper as she kept her eyes closed, Lena quickly positioned herself.
"Amélie," she spoke, hoping that her lover didn't notice the crack in her voice. Amélie raised her head, groggily opening her eyes which went wide.
"Amélie, you've made me the happiest girl in the world. I- I couldn't imagine my life without you. You've done so much for me, and I can't thank you enough."
Amélie quickly straightened, her hand shooting to her mouth as tear began to cascade down her opal cheeks.
"But there is one thing I can do to thank you properly."
"C-chèrie..."
The sun finally gloriously broke from the horizon, painting the lovers in a warm orange glow.
"Amélie Lacroix, will you make the luckiest girl alive? Will you marry me?"
"O-oui"