Origins (Overwatch Ashe x Male Reader)

017

"You did what?"

The only thing that kept Ashe from knocking out Julian's teeth was Cassidy. He jumped up when she did, putting himself between her and Julian. "Whoa, Ashe. Calm down."

Julian raises his hands defensively. "I thought we needed hoverbikes. This will get us hoverbikes. And you said he was just a big hunk of metal."

"Yeah, my hunk of metal." Ashe moved protectively in front of B.O.B.. "B.O.B. isn't just some toy you can give away."

"Now, calm down," said Cole. "No one is wagering B.O.B. Omnics can't be wagered these days, any more than a person can be."

"That may be true where folks follow the law," said Frankie, lights flickering across her holo-glasses. "But here? Julian already locked in the bet. Try to bow out now, and B.O.B. goes to Dezba by right of forfeit."

Now Ashe was really gonna kill Julian, I can see it on her face. "Are you kidding me?" Cole frowned.

"She's not. House rules."

"That's it. B.O.B., we're out of here—"

"You won't get far," Frankie stops the two of them. "Laws might not be enforced in Cutthroat Trout's, but wagers are."

"Well, how are we supposed to race without a bike?"

"Already taken care of," Julian said from behind the safety of Cole. "I got us a house hoverbike. They lend them out to entice visitors to try their hand at racing, keep things fresh and exciting."

Ashe glares at him. "And you're gonna tell me some borrowed hoverbike is half as good as that Dezba's?"

"It doesn't need to be." Frankie smiled, gesturing for them to sit down again. She leaned in conspiratorially. "Those bikes can be hacked. I can make sure the only rider who crosses that finish line is ours."

Ashe narrowed her eyes. "You mean cheat?"

"Half the races here are as shady as they come," says Julian. "In Cutthroat Trout's, it's only cheating if you get caught."

"And we won't get caught," Frankie added. "I'm too good. In fact, consider this an audition."

"Sounds like we're committed at this point," Ashe grumbles. "Okay. We'll do it."

"Can you ride?" Frankie asked Ashe. "Or do you want to show me what your Ace can do?"

"Wait," said Cole. "That course is dangerous. She's the brains, remember? I'll do it. I'll race."

"The hell you will, Cassidy." Ashe flashed him a look that made him sit back in his chair. "I've ridden a hoverbike before. I know what I'm doing. And there's no way I'm putting B.O.B.'s fate in anyone else's hands. If anyone is going to lose him, it's gonna be me. You got me?"

He nodded carefully. I don't dare try to go against her wishes, I don't want to be screamed at for trying to help.

"Then it's settled." Frankie blinked a few times as her glasses flashed.

The miniature drone perched on them lifted off again, zipping over to Ashe's ear, where it latched on gently to her lobe. "This will let me communicate with you during the race."

"And then what?" Ashe asks her.

"And then you do your damn best to stay upright on that obstacle course"—Frankie grinned—"and let me do the rest."

As the hacker pulled out a tablet and got to work, Ashe turned to B.O.B. "Don't worry," she said quietly to the omnic. "Win or lose, if anyone tries to take you, they're going to have to get through me."

I lift myself out of the chair, pulling Ashe a bit to the side.

"I can do it, we had tech like that kept me busy during the simulations. I can probably figure it out at a moment's notice-"

She stops me. "No, already made my decision. Besides, don't want you to end up face down on the floor again because you pushed yourself."

I furrow my brow. "Saying that I am a liability."

"Saying that you are unpredictable, as useful as you are I don't want to take risks when I don't even know what the extent of your limits is."

"I know my limits."

"That why you passed out?" she asks bitterly.

"Should I rather have let the flame burn me alive rather than do everything in my power to keep me alive?"

She shuts her eyes, squinting them tightly before exhaling heavily. "Sorry. Just..."

"Know you aren't exactly fond of the idea," I twist my lips to the side, stopping myself from making it worse on her by telling her not to let it out on me. "I'll leave it to you, Ashe."

"Thanks."

***   ***   ***

I found a secluded spot to watch the race. Far enough to keep my thoughts to myself for a moment, considering what should and shouldn't be done. A part of me could hijack this race easily and put it in her favour but that would go against what Frankie wants to do.

So many ways to do it.

I could blind her but that would just blind Ashe if I wasn't careful.

Maybe take a shot but then it wouldn't count. Use my electricity and hope that it reaches the right hoverbike and doesn't overload it to the point where it explodes. My use is purely destructive seeing as I never could learn the rest of my abilities before the Omnic uprising.

If she loses. There will be a fight.

If she wins. Well, then we are sorted.