Reconnect | Genji x Kiriko | Overwatch

⑦. ❝𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀❞

Sitting together in the comfort of that corner at Rikimaru Ramen, the duo smiled gently at each other, while the nostalgic aroma of broth in the bowls in front of them filled the air, drawing memories of the past. Thus, the recently reconciled friends would prepare to taste their dinner once and for all.

"Itadakimasu!" They would say at the same time, while joining the palms of their hands, raising their voices as a sign of gratitude.

Then, both of them would plunge their chopsticks into their respective bowls of ramen. Soon Genji would start eating, longing for the taste of that dish. And as soon as he did, his eyes couldn't help but widen in surprise. Without a doubt, that ramen had not changed at all; it tasted just as good as when he ate it every day after school. It was still hot, but even that didn't matter to the ninja. It seems that more than one meeting had been held tonight for the young Shimada.

"So... Are you saying you're with Overwatch again?" The green-haired would ask, full of curiosity, while she took some noodles between her chopsticks, blowing on them to cool them slightly. "Why? A few moments ago you were speaking as if you had not been comfortable working with them."

As the girl began to eat as well, the swordsman would take a few moments to reply. "Oh, good point. Yes, well..." That doubt had taken the black-haired by surprise, who would think carefully about his words before answering. "The new Overwatch is not what it once was. There are new and old faces on the team, and we are all very clear about our goal of fighting to bring peace to the world." The young man would soften the tone of his voice as he stared at the noodles in his bowl as he began his explanation. "For a long time, I served as a tool to the subdivision known as Blackwatch..."

As soon as she heard that name, the young Kamori's attention would focus entirely on her companion, leaving her dinner in the background. Of course she remembered hearing about Blackwatch. Well, that was the name with which Overwatch's fall began years ago.

"We went where no one else would... and we did what no one else would. We were... criminals. Used with the excuse of ridding the world of evil. Once Blackwatch disbanded, its members were released; we could go wherever we wanted. We were no longer anyone's tools..." Genji would continue with his story, looking up for a few moments in a contemplative way. "However... I felt that... I no longer had any place to return to. I felt like... I had no place in the world. So I decided to stick with Overwatch."

Pausing briefly, the ninja's lost gaze would slowly turn towards his companion, who kept an intense concentration on him, as if silently begging him to continue with his story. Noticing that look on his person, the young man would show a slight smile before giving way to his words.

"So I was given the opportunity to start a training period to formally join the ranks of Overwatch. Another recruit eager to join the team appeared around the same time: Lena Oxton. We train and take our exam together. And due to how well we got along, we were enlisted as companions." Little by little, that gloomy and melancholy story seemed to become a happier and more pleasant memory, showing in the ninja's expression and tone of voice. "Even though I didn't even talk much back then... and I was probably not the nicest person to be around... Everyone in Overwatch welcomed me. My closest companions: Lena, Angela, Winston... They were able to see through my cold metal shell... They were willing to help me, accompany me and treat me like a... normal person. They gave me hope." Finally, the young Shimada's mind would return once more to that conversation with his fellow base members, reaffirming his deepest thoughts out loud. "They... became my family... And that's why I thank them with my life."

After having lost a few moments in his own story, and noticing the strange silence in the environment, the swordsman would turn around again to face the girl next to him. The latter now wore a delicate smile on her lips, while her gaze remained fixed on her friend. She seemed genuinely moved by what she had heard, even as if she were another person for an instant. That would slightly embarrass the black-haired, who, in an attempt to hide it, would return to eat in a bit of a hurry. Then, the girl would do her own, extending that silence between the two of them, only interrupted by the sound they made when they slurped on her noodles.