I am SO sorry for not updating in a long time! I was having computer trouble for the past few months, causing this chapter to be delayed and completely erased twice. I was so frustrated that I had lost motivation to start over again, trying to rewrite what I lost. The computer issues have been fixed since then, so I'm planning on updating more often, and writing longer chapters. Thank you so much to everyone for their patience and feedback! I hope you all enjoy xoxo


Flashback

Angela's main focus was to repair Genji's life, piece by piece. Ever since he had awoken in a state of confusion and disgust, she had vowed to restore his body to its original state. The damage that had been done to him was beyond severe. His body had been scarred, many organs had failed, and he had even suffered a brain injury and his lower spine had been nearly crushed. The sword had stabbed him over and over again in his abdomen, and once in his chest on his right side. His digestive system had been torn, and his right lung had completely collapsed. His cybernetics were holding most of him together as Angela worked on regrowing organs and enhancing what she could.

Genji had lost his sense of taste and smell. Angela decided to surprise him by replacing his tongue with a new organic one. She was also working on the rest of his olfactory system, although Overwatch had dismissed on her focusing on something "so trivial." Being able to smell flowers and taste food didn't improve his skills as a warrior, so Angela decided to separate her research and experiments for Genji from her work with the organization.

When Genji was attacked by his brother, his jaw had been struck directly with the end of the sword. The foramina on the right side of his mandible was completely torn from the bone and cartilage in such a savage fashion that Angela still grimaced when she thought of it. His cheek and tongue had also taken the brunt of the sword, slicing through like thin paper and leaving poor Genji literally slack-jawed and bleeding. Genji had been unable to taste food since he had awoken from his medically induced coma, something that had left him distraught. Not only that, but the mechanical substitute Angela had put in place of his tongue didn't produce saliva, so Genji suffered from dry mouth and was constantly on medication for it. Overwatch had made it clear that she rush and replace his tongue with something so he could still speak, but this had been a poor substitute.

Angela was determined to see this goal through, even though making a tongue from cells, organics, and synthetics was proving difficult. The tongue was a strange muscle and needed more detail then she had been prepared for.

After she created the papillae for stimulation of taste, she had to prepare it to be surgically inserted into his throat and mouth. Anchoring the tongue to the genioglossus, hyoglossus, chondroglossus, styloglossus, and palatoglossus was going to be a feat that she had never attempted. Skin reconstruction had been so much easier than this, but thinking about Genji's face lighting up when he was able to taste shabu-shabu again was motivation enough for Angela. She wanted nothing more than to improve his life and make him happy.

Angela sighed in exhaustion, resisting the urge to rub her tired eyes with her contaminated gloved hands. Her back had gone stiff from being hunched over her work station for so long. She didn't want to stop knowing the days were counting down until Genji would return to Gibraltar. She fueled up on caffeine and kept working though her body begged for rest.

The tongue had more uses than just taste; the muscle also played a key role for the erogenous zone. Genji had been accustomed to a certain lifestyle before he had been cut down, and familiarity would help him feel human again. Thinking about his tongue and arousal made her violently blush. Angela felt awkward at the fact that she was also readying Genji for possible physical intimacy in the future, if he was able to ever be comfortable in his new body.

Angela shook the embarrassing thoughts from her head, and continued with her work.


Present

The silence that followed Angela's words was crushing. She felt exposed under Genji's gentle scrutiny as she stood before him. Genji's room on Gibraltar felt like it was closing in on her, swallowing up her whole being like a singularity. She couldn't look into his eyes, feeling far too vulnerable to see the expression on his face. She hadn't fully confessed her feelings for him yet, but she already felt like she had choked. The sun had almost fully set, filling his room with shadows and harsh contrasting from the last bit of light. Angela was thankful for the dimness of the room, she hoped it covered the blush on her face.

Genji could see the doctor emotionally suffering before him. He could see the soft pigment of her face turn crimson, her eyes flitting nervously from his own, her posture shrinking. Genji couldn't help but smile under the cybernetic plate that covered his mouth. Angela was so pure in this moment that he felt moved by her raw emotion. She had worked so hard on reconstructing his appearance and using her own, personal resources for his sake. She had repaired parts of his skin, his jaw, and even his tongue. Genji was able to taste food for the first time in years, something he was extremely grateful for. Now seeing her frame dwindle had put some inspiration into his own mind.

"Angela…" Genji said lamely. He couldn't think of anything else to say, he just wanted to break the growing silence between them. He reached out and gently tilted her chin up so her blue eyes would rest on his.

More silence lingered between them as Angela gazed at him with stunned, wide eyes, waiting for him to continue on expectantly. Genji wasn't someone who was easily tongue-tied around women, but Angela was different and he wanted to choose his words delicately.

"You do not have to feel ashamed of how you feel," Genji added.

"How could I not? I spent so long trying to help you return to your old lifestyle, and now as I see it happening, I feel…" Angela paused, also trying to find the right words. "Not regret, no, I would never regret helping you, it's…" She didn't know how to go on. She averted her eyes again, shrinking back from his hand on her chin.

Angela felt a pang of fear from the familiarity to be touched so gently. These feelings were conflicting and only brought on bad memories for her from her past relationship, back when she was still a med student. She had been sucked in by kind words and attention, masking another reality behind an alluring face. She was losing all her courage again, and was starting to clam up.

Genji sensed her retreating, and desperately wanted to try to reel her back in. He had to say something quick or she would leave with words unsaid, and this reunion at Gibraltar would become terribly awkward.

"I am not interested in those girls I spoke to today," Genji interjected, "I only wanted to be friendly to our guests visiting Gibraltar." He advanced toward her again, placing both of his hands on her shoulders. "You are the most important woman in my life."

Angela looked at him again, her eyes pricked with tears and he was suddenly afraid that he had said too much.