Origins (Overwatch Ashe x Male Reader)

037

"You?" Whatever flashed on Ashe's face, was enough for Julian to take a sudden, scared step back. "You're the one who sold me out?"

He gave her a sheepish look, freckled cheeks reddening. "Sorry, Ashe. It was never personal."

I regain most of my senses, focussing all of my power on my wrists to burn through the shackles gradually. Part of me is glad that we used almost everything in the shared account to make sure this snake didn't get shit.

"It was great working with you and all," Julian continued, "but we knew from the beginning it wasn't going to last forever. And you should have stopped when Marco told you to. But you didn't and, well..." He hesitates for a moment, scratching at the back of his neck self-consciously. "You know all those nights at Trout's? Turns out my run of bad luck is more of a marathon. I got in deep with a few folks that weren't going to take an IOU."

Zeke into view, along with some of the other Diamondbacks. He lets out a loud laugh. "Deep? Kid, you'd dug a grave for yourself. You're lucky we came along when we did."

Ashe's jaw tightened. "What does he mean by that?"

"Well," said Julian, reluctantly, "Marco made me a good offer to help pay off my debts."

"It was a great offer," Marco says sourly. "Julian had already told us all we wanted to know about you and your operation, right down to who you really were. He even suggested we get Cassidy in on a little scheme, offering him a place in the Diamondbacks at your party and then pretending to ransom him to you in exchange for the profits from your heists. They'd still get their cut, and we'd get the rest. Too bad Cassidy isn't as smart as Julian here, and that he tried to warn you about what we were up to." He shrugs. "But willing participant or not, the plan was the same. At least until you threw a wrench into it."

"You can't blame that on me!" Julian stammers. "There was no way I could have known she'd use all our money to get herself out of jail!"

Marco's gaze snaps to him. "Don't tell me what I can and can't blame you for. You're just lucky Little Miss Arbalest decided to come after Cassidy. Now she can be the one we ransom, and her moneybags parents can foot the bill."

"That's what you're planning to do? Ransom me to my parents? Hope the number you have in mind is a big, round zero, because that's all they'll be willing to pay for me these days."

Marco sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Yes, yes, you've had your little tiff with Mummy and Daddy. And maybe they don't think you're worth the lint in their pockets. But does the rest of the world know that? They have a reputation to maintain, after all. And as soon as the Daily Pioneer gets wind that you're being held for ransom—and you can bet they'll get tipped off quickly—your parents will pay whatever I want simply to avoid the embarrassment."

"Maybe. But I wouldn't lay a big bet on that. For all you know, they'll spill the beans on their thief of a daughter, and make it look like a scam we're in on together. That's how I'd spin it if I were them. And even if they do pay for my return, I hope you have the plan to run for the hills immediately, because if I have the chance to get my hands on you—"

"You'll what?" Marco stops her. "You talk awfully tough for someone trussed up like a turkey."

"Bez, you and Julian toss her into the cell with her little friend," ordered Marco. Then he sneered at Ashe. "Sorry, it's not the sort of accommodations you're used to, milady."

Suddenly, sirens blared in the distance. I use this moment to break the shackles as Julian releases her from her bindings.

"What in the world is that?" Marco cries.