The sound of voices drew the brunette from unconsciousness. Still groggy, she was unable to make out the words before her sense of feeling returns and hits her like a freight train. Hissing sharply, she sits up abruptly, gripping at her shoulder, the main source of her pain. Feeling soft cotton gauze beneath her palm, she opens her eyes and glances down at herself. Shirtless, a bra on still, she's covered in bandages. The most notable is a roll of gauze wrapped around her shoulder and chest.
"I take it we need to give you more pain medication." Comes a deep, soft, voice and a chuckle. Startled, the woman jumps a little and snaps her gaze to the source. Evelyn's face turns bright red as she spots three men in the corner of the small room. Instantly, she recognizes the three men as Mondatta, Zenyatta, and Genji. Grabbing the sheets, that had pooled around her hips, with her good hand, she pulls them up to cover her chest as her blush reaches her ears.
"U-Uh…" She manages to stutter before Zenyatta moves towards her, not touching the ground, and speaks again.
"How are you feeling?" He asks gently as he stops beside the small cot she'd been lying on, reaching out and taking her injured arm gently, his grip as soft and coaxing as Mondatta's. She winces at he slowly moves the arm around, barely stretching it before it starts to hurt. Thankfully, the monk pushed no further when he saw her wince and lowers her hand back to her lap when he's done.
"I've sped up the healing process but you'll be experiencing tenderness from the new nerves." He explains gently. Evelyn can practically hear his smile despite his lack of moveable facial expressions and it was kind of baffling.
"Thank you." She says with a genuine smile, which Zenyatta chuckles at.
"You are correct, brother." He glances back and shares a meaningful look with Mondatta as the brunette just looks confused. Before she can ask, the quiet Cyborg walks up to her. Looking up at the tall ninja, she feels her cheeks heating up again at the attractive cyborg. She'd had the largest crush on the ninja she'd formally thought only existed in her video game.
Perhaps he still does. I…they look so real, though…it feels so real…have I gone crazy? Am I dreaming? Hallucinating? I-
"Ano...? Sumimasen...?" Comes a smooth voice in Japanese, startling the woman out of her thoughts and making her jump a little. Flushing in embarrassment, she looks up at the man with a sheepish grin.
"I'm sorry. Did…you say something?" She laughs nervously. The cyborg tilts his head as he watches her, silent for a few moments before he speaks again, slightly hesitant.
"Forgive me. I hope I do not frighten you." He takes half a step back. Evelyn's eyes grow wide and she sits up a little straighter, her hands coming up in a defensive gesture.
"No no! Not at all! Please! I just…I'm…lost. I didn't mean to offend you. Please, continue." She smiles sheepishly. The ninja's posture straightens a little, clearly intrigued by something she'd said.
"We could not find any contact information for you. I wished to know who get in touch with, so we can get you home." She frowns deeply as her reality hits her. Home… Tears prickle in her eyes as she realizes she has no home here. Going on the assumption that this is all as real as it feels, she can't go home, can't see her family.
Evelyn is well and truly alone.
"Evelyn-san?" The concern in the cyborg's voice draws her attention back to him as she gives him a weak smile, trying her best not to cry.
"I'm sorry. I…don't have a home." Though her voice is a little shaky and quiet, she keeps her tone under control for the most part. The ninja looks back at his master as Zenyatta approaches the cot.
"Do you have any family we can contact?" The Omnic asks, to which Evelyn shakes her head, unable to help a tear slipping from the corner of her eyes. Quickly rubbing her eyes, she inhales deeply and offers them a smile.
"I appreciate you trying anyway. I apologize if I've caused you trouble, I won't trouble you further." She says, moving to get up. The monk and ninja reach out to stop her when a voice from the back of the room speaks up.
"Work for me." The other three present all pause and look over at Mondatta. Genji and Zenyatta step aside as the political leader walks calmly up to the cot. Draped delicately over his arm is a simple, but beautiful robe. A quick glance around tells her that he'd gotten it out of one of the cupboards in the room. Though it furthers her assumption that she is not in a hospital or anything, she doesn't dwell on the thought long as a more pressing question is nagging at her.
"I-I'm sorry?" She's momentarily distracted as the man unfolds the robe—one she now notices is similar to the one he is wearing—and slowly slips her arms into the sleeves, gently guiding the soft cotton fabric up to cover her partially exposed chest and back. It's fairly heavy and particularly warm. She didn't realize how cold she was till now and pulls the ends of the jacket closed.
"Thank you, sir." She says quietly as he gently pulls her long hair from under the collar before taking half a step back.
"I am offering you to work for me." He says gently as he looks down at her as she stares up at him in utter surprise. "You would stay with me. I would give you a place to call home." The woman can only stare at him, mouth slightly agape. Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see the other two man, though silent, are nodding in agreement.
"I…Are you certain, sir?" Mondatta nods without hesitation.
"Yes. You have already demonstrated that you are a capable guard and there is a lot you can help me with, if you're up for it." His tone turns just a little bit teasing at the last comment. Unable to help the small smile, she looks away and starts to fidget with the hem of her robe.
"That is very generous of you, sir. Thank you. I-I would love to work for you." The brunette says with a nod. The Omnic nods and places a hand on her uninjured shoulder.
"Rest for now. We will be arriving in Napal soon." The woman frowns and looks up at him, confused.
"We will?" The man doesn't answer, just gestures to the small window near the cot. Stretching a little, since it was so high up the wall, the woman looks out the window and lets out a sharp gasp. Perhaps unwisely, she jerks to her knees in an abrupt movement and looks out of the glass to see land…miles below them.
They were in an airship!
There's a soft chuckle behind her before a gentle pair of hands gently coaxes her back down onto the cot. She glances back at Zenyatta and lets him guide her back down to a sitting position on the mattress.
"Quick movements will strain your injuries." He says, though his tone doesn't sound scolding. He sounds amused. Taking her hand gently, he places something in her palm gently. "Take these and get some more sleep. Your body needs it." He tells her as she looks down at the pain killers in her hand. Another hand appears in her field of view and she looks over at the outstretched appendage. Glancing up at Genji as he offers her water to drink, she blushes a little and offers him a soft smile, taking the plastic cup graciously and popping the pills into her mouth, chasing them down with the water. Taking the cup from her when she's finished, the ninja sets it on a counter nearby before heading for the door and slipping out. Zenyatta follows close behind with some well wishes, leaving just her and Mondatta behind.
"We will have a room ready for you when you wake." He assures and she smiles gratefully at him.
"Thank you so much, sir. I…don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for you." She says genuinely. He nods gently as he places a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Rest. We will wake you when we land." He says as he guides her back down to lie on the bed. She thanks him before he nods and turns, walking out and letting the automatic door close behind him.
The pain and exhaustion that still remained coaxed the woman back to sleep.
"May I speak to you, brother?" Zenyatta had been waiting outside of the door for Mondatta to walk out. The figure head looks to the combat monk and nods in answer to his question.
"Of course," He gestures his brother to lead the way. The monk floats down the hall before turning into an empty room. He turns as Mondatta walks in behind him.
"What is your plan, brother?" Zenyatta asks, watching the other Omnic. The man chuckles.
"You caught onto that?" He asks; amused.
"I know you well, brother." Mondatta looks back towards the closed room he'd just come from.
"She'll be safer here." He says simply. The warrior monk nods and chuckles gently.
"I see. Well, I will have Genji work with her. We will remain with you." Zenyatta assures.
"Thank you, brother. I have a feeling the events we have provoked have stirred up the winds of a great storm." Mondatta sounds somber for once. The other monk nods solemnly as they grow silent.
As promised, Evelyn was awoken by one of the men, Genji this time, when they got close to their destination.
"We will be landing in a few moments." Genji tells her calmly as she sits up in the bed. Her head swims as a wave of dizziness washes over her, the blood loss still taking its toll, and she presses the heel of her palm against her forehead.
"Are you alright?" Genji asks, hands hovering close to her to catch her should she faint on them again. She nods and puts her hand up dismissively.
"I'm fine." She mutters as she moves to stand, forcing the ninja to take a small step back to give her room. The ground is cold beneath her feet, which she only now noticed were bare, but her footing was stable.
For the moment.
The plane jerks when it sets down and sends the already unbalanced female forward. She connects with the cyborg's slightly cool body, her head hitting his chest plate just hard enough to make her even more dizzy. She clings to the ninja's biceps as his hands rest on her hips, gentle but ready to take her full weight.
"Perhaps I should help you off the plane." The man's deep, echo-y, voice says, a slight chuckle hidden in his tone. Laughing sheepishly and giving him a small smile, she can't help but agree.
"Thank you." She says quietly, blushing a little as she realizes how close she is to the six-foot ninja with the sexy accent. The ninja moves to her side and gently takes her right hand with his as his left hand wraps around her waist. It makes it easier for their height difference that, while only about half a foot between the two of them, would be enough to be uncomfortable for the both of them if he had taken her arm around his shoulders.
Their grips are fairly loose; his tightening on her hip when she stumbles or hers gripping his hand as a wave of dizziness washes over her. Otherwise, Eve doesn't want to feel like a wimp and Genji is kind enough to let her walk on her own as much as she can. The room she was sleeping in was located in the back of the airship, so it's no surprise that by the time they get to the lowered door, the two Omnic monks are already waiting for them.
The first steps off of the plane are fine but as soon as Eve's feet touch the ground, she's hit by the cold air that pricks at her feet and blows through her thinly covered torso. She shivers and sucks in a sharp breath as she pauses. The three men look at her, slightly confused for a moment, before their understanding seems to hit at the same time.
"Oh." They chorus before Genji swiftly picks her up in his arms, saving her poor bare feet from the nearly iced over ground. Held to the Cyborg's body, she finds that he's surprisingly warm, not as cool as she'd thought earlier when you get past the armor. The warmth and size of his body protects her from the cold so she bites her tongue to keep her protests at being picked up silent.
"Gomen. I forget how cold it is here." His tone is genuine as he speaks, his voice rumbling through his chest and into her arm pressed against his body.
"Perhaps you should go ahead of us. Take her to her room and let her bathe and dress." The brunette barely has time to register the comment before the man takes off, moving nimbly around the courtyard and through the buildings. The cyborg's movements are so smooth and graceful that Eve hardly feels like she's being carried; floating weightlessly instead.
It takes him hardly any time to get to the room towards the back of the complex that appears to be a monastery of some sort. Despite his speed, he hardly seems to be trying at all, even given her, not inconsiderable, extra weight.
The ninja sets her down gently on the warm wood floor, a hand hovering near her lower back as she attempts to get stable on her feet. The building is far warmer than the cold mountain top outside and filled with the muffled sound of chanting far off in the distance; it's almost like the sound of the wind blowing through the building. It was comforting.
"Thank you." She says graciously, smiling shyly up at the cyborg. He nods politely I her direction.
"The bath is there," He gestures to a door beyond the comfortable looking small bed in the middle of the bedroom. "There is towels. We will leave fresh clothes on the bed for when you are done." She smiles gratefully.
"Thank you." She says graciously.
"Dōitashimashite," he purrs. The sound of his deep, smooth, voice rolling over his native language sends a small shiver down her spine and heats up her cheeks.
"Come out when you've finished. We will prepare food for you." Her stomach growls loudly at the thought of food and her cheeks burn brighter in embarrassment. A deep chuckle rumbles through his chest, forcing the woman to look away shyly.
"We will have food when you finish." He assures again; his voice has a hint of amusement to it though he tries to hide it out of politeness. She smiles at his tone regardless.
"Thank you." Genji nods and turns, footsteps nearly silent on the wood floor. She smiles softly at his retreating back as she turns and closes her door.
The warmth of the bath soothed her aching and tired muscles and nearly coaxed her to sleep. Forcing herself out of the bath about fifteen minutes after, figuring she's clean enough, she grabs the fluffy white towel she'd placed by the freestanding claw foot tub. Wrapping it around herself, she steps out carefully, mindful of the slippery floor and her shaking legs. Spotting a full length mirror, the woman walks up to it slowly. The sight she was greeted with wasn't terribly pretty but it was slightly better than she thought and cleaner than before.
Her dark brown hair, almost black now thanks to the water, was clean of blood, dirt and sweat; hanging loose around her face. The bruises and scrapes that peppers her body are fading and healing thanks to Zenyatta's earlier work. The worst of the wounds, which still throbbed, was the rifle bullet she'd gotten when she first arrived. The skin was scarring already, pale and pink and puckering. It wasn't pretty but it was healing.
Straightening her hair a little, she decides to leave well enough alone and tightens her towel around her before opening the door to the bedroom. Slipping out, she pauses in the doorway, one hand on the door; the other gripping the towel wrapped around her.
Her cheeks turn bright red as the man standing in front of her bed straightens and looks over at her, green lights glowing dimly in the waning evening sunlight.
"U-um!" The woman squeaks, gripping the towel tighter and half hiding behind the door. Genji chuckles but turns away politely.
"Gomen. Thought you would take more time." He says, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I brought clothes." He gestures to the bed without looking back. A small pile of clothes sits on the sheets, neatly folded.
"Oh. Thank you." She tucks some wet hair behind her hair shyly. "I'm... Sorry you had to see that." She adds quietly, not thinking that he'd actually hear her but his head turns abruptly at her words.
"Why do you apologize?" He sounds confused with a hint of...something else. She didn't usually get asked that question, for as many times as she says things like this, so she's a little lost for words.
"U-uh..." She pauses to collect her thoughts, eyes dropping to the floor. "W-well no one wants to see this." She says with a laugh, suddenly nervous as her self loathing and self consciousness begins to crop up again. She's dealt with this fear over her body and her self often and it's only gotten worse since she's grown older; the doubts have only gotten stronger the longer she goes with few friends and no interest from the men she's met.
The woman jumps when a warm hand falls on her shoulder gently, touch light. She hadn't heard the ninja's approach but finds herself staring up into the brightly lit green visor, enchanted by its glow.
"That is not something to joke about." He says firmly and the thought of the man's past suddenly comes to the woman's mind. There Genji stood, a cyborg who had fought with himself and his body for a long time, and he actually had a reason. Her insensitivity hit her hard and she looks away.
"I'm sorry. I...forget I said anything." She looks up at him and smiles, though the expression isn't very convincing. The ninja is polite enough to drop the comment upon her request, or perhaps he is distracted as his fingers drift to her injured shoulder.
"Does it hurt?" He asks, cool metal fingers ghosting over the scar tissue. Thankful that he'd dropped the subject, though she's now hyper aware of his proximity, she blushes a little and shakes her head.
"It's fine." She assures, only a half lie. He doesn't seem convinced but doesn't push further, as he doesn't feel it's his place yet. He drops his hand and nods gently.
"I will wait outside for you when you finish. I will show you to the dining room." He tells her, voice gentle. She nods and thanks him once again. He doesn't turn right away, taking a strand of damp hair in his gentle fingers and tucking it behind one ear.
"I am happy that you feel better." His words and touch send her heart into overdrive and her entire face heats up. A soft chuckle from him tells her that he noticed her blush but he's kind enough not to comment as he turns and walks out, footsteps still silent on the wood floor. Unable to help herself, Eve's eyes drift down the lean ninja's back and linger on a certain perfectly sculpted behind. Nibbling on her lower lip, she feels her face heat up even more before she's snapped out of her traces by the door closing and cutting off her view. With a heavy sigh, the woman shakes her head and walks over to the clothes laid out on her bed.
"Stupid, he's way out of your league. He's just being nice." She mutters to herself to try and ground herself in some reality as she slips into the warm, heavy, comfortable cotton robe jacket and pants. They're just the slightest bit too small around the shoulders and butt, however, they're comfortable and fit otherwise, so she can't, and won't, complain.
"I suppose...so long as I don't get my hopes up, it can't hurt to look." She mutters with a shy smile as she picks up her clothes and busies herself with cleaning up the bathroom and folding her towel. "He looks even better in person..."
The ninja straightens from leaning against the wall as Evelyn stepped out. Behind his visor, he looks her over in the robes they provided. They fit well and complimented her body, he notes. Closing the door behind her gently, the woman looks up at him and smiles gently.
"Hi. Thank you for waiting." She says kindly, to which the ninja nods and gestures her to follow as he starts to walk down the hallway, mindful of his speed for her still recovering body.
"The food here is simple, but warm and nourishing." He tells her, to which she just nods graciously. Glancing down, the ninja notes her lack of footwear and hums, causing her to look up at him.
"I will retrieve your shoes while you eat. It is cold here." He comments, making the girl look down at her feet and smiles softly.
"Thank you." She says, before a silences falls between them. Despite the quiet, it's not entirely uncomfortable, but rather…calm. A few minutes of walking, the ninja speaks up.
"What you did was very brave." He comments, watching her out of the corner of his eye as much as his visor would allow. Laughing softly, the woman shakes her head gently.
"Not particularly. Anyone else would have helped if they could." She shrugs it off before adding; "But thank you."
"Your skills are rather impressive. Are you a civilian?" He questions in a teasing tone, causing her to giggle, a light fist hovering over her mouth as she does.
"Actually, yes, I am a civilian. But I have an…unusual background." Genji's eyebrows rise behind his visor. His silence is a clear signal for her to continue so she does. "Being first born and a girl with my parents meant that I learned to protect myself early. My mother and father made sure I was strong and that I knew how to handle myself." She explains, eyes on the floor, a soft but sad smile on her face.
"My father did the same." Genji says, making the woman giggle and look up at him.
"Yeah, you and Hanzo were both trained well." The woman says before she can think. When the ninja stops midstride, she winces, realizing her mistake. Slowly, she turns to face him with a grimace on her face.
"How…do you know…" The ninja stares at her through her visor for a long moment. The brunette finds her back hitting the wall of the empty hallway before she can react, both hands pinned above her head in one of the man's large hands, his grip tight. The sharp, cold, metal of a sword presses against the soft skin of her throat and she's forced to tilt her head back. Staring up at the ninja with wide, doe, eyes, she finds nothing but cold aggression from him. It suddenly occurred to her that Genji wasn't just a sweet and sexy man from her video game.
He was also a trained killer.
"You work for Talon." Evelyn's eyes grow all the wider at the accusation and her body grows tense. Her sudden tension and lack of a response seems to confirm the man's assumption and his body goes tense.
"Kuso." He hisses, his weapon digging into her throat, seconds from taking off her head.
"No! Wait!"