A Piece of Me

Experiments, Experience, and Emotions

"Ver dammt ..."

She could hear Genji chuckled behind her and turned to glare at him, her frown not quite as convincing as it could have been. He simply took off his face-plate to meet her gaze, openly showing his smile now.

"I figured this would happen eventually. There are only so many ways you have left of screwing up an experiment after all."

That definitely did not make her frown at him any less, though her glare lessened as she hesitantly conceded to the point mentally. "Is that why you wear your face-plate all the time?"

Genji pretended to think for a moment, breaking eye contact before meeting it again and smiling slyly at her.

"Well, it definitely helps to have an infrared vision and see when things are about to explode. I did recall a certain doctor saying something about safety equipment despite not using any."

"Also, it helps hide my smile whenever you say that it'll work this time."

Oh, the glare was definitely coming back now.

"So you do react like that whenever I say it! You're terrible, terrible! You're the worst!"

Angela moved to punch his shoulder, only for her fist to be caught squarely in the palm of his hand. He simply smiled at her, raising an eyebrow as he did so.

"Hey now, are you trying to hurt yourself after all that trouble I went through to make sure that you weren't injured? My armor is not that soft you know."

Angela sighed and dropped her hand. "Thank you for that ..."

Genji shook his head. "It was the least I could do for all you've done for me."

Things that he never told her about other than what the files told her. Or at least, she felt as if there were things that he did not mention. He was a sly man, he only told her the things that everyone knew and the things that her files documented. It was definitely true and she couldn't push him further with no basis but something told her there was more.

In any case, she couldn't be mad at him. He definitely improved her mood, whether she liked it or not, with his teasing. It was a charming thing about him that she greatly appreciated. Besides, he definitely did save a lot of money and effort considering that everything important was moved out of the way.

As if he was reading her thoughts, Genji casually picked up her mug from the table and inspected it as he poked at her. "Aren't you so glad I moved everything? Otherwise, you might not have this cup."

Angela snatched it out of his hand with the frown returning to her lips. The "World's Okayest Doctor" mug returned to its spot on the table as she finished the remainder of the now cool coffee.

"Yes yes, I'm eternally grateful. How shall I ever express my gratitude? Perhaps a marriage is in order then, Mr. Shimada?"

A strange expression came over Genji's expression then, one that made Angela pause and made her face and thoughts freeze. They held eye contact for several seconds in silence before Genji coughed lightly with his hand over his mouth, glancing away and over at the table littered with broken glass and spilled chemicals.

"In any case, I suppose we should get this cleaned up. Wouldn't want to hurt your assistant now, do you?"

Angela allowed herself to respond with a small smile and an uncertain nod. Something in his voice changed and something in the way he acted change. Perhaps it was because he called himself her assistant rather than denying it as if to remind himself of something. Perhaps it was the sudden feeling of emptiness she felt without the warmth of his gaze on her. Or was it the warmth in his voice?

Suddenly, her chest felt tight and her mind felt hazy .. dizzy. It took all her concentration to make sure that she remained standing and to force herself to take a quiet deep breath.

Then again, there was no hiding even a harmless breeze from Genji's senses. Such was to be expected from a real life and trained ninja after all. The cyborg cast his gaze back upon her, his expression changing from his brooding tone to confusion and very promptly to concern.

"Ange- Doctor Ziegler, are you alright? Was it the chemicals?"

There he goes again. He did that sometimes. She was sure that it came instinctively to him, something told her that he had to force himself to change that habit. He addressed everyone formally and politely by their family name and title, she was no different. So how was it that he came to develop such a strange habit of calling her by that?

And why did her chest tighten just a bit every time she heard him say only that much of her name, as if she was longing to hear him finish it?

After the first time, she had inquired about it to no avail. After a few more occurrences, she insisted that he would refer to her as Angela if he wished, only to be met with a smile and a soft voice informing her that he was fine with referring to her as Doctor Ziegler. Now that she thought about it, there was something strange about that smile too.

Everything seemed to point to a single answer, an answer that the old her would have known. It frustrated her to no ends and she knew that all these thoughts and regrets that could only be delayed and pushed aside for so long by her work. Now was when her little game ends, where they finally all catch up to her.

Angela found herself burying her face in Genji's chest, tears flowing down her cheeks against his metallic armor. She did not make a sound, not a single sob nor whimper at all. Perhaps it was the stress catching up to her. Perhaps the repeated failures finally cracked her a bit. Perhaps the sleepless nights in succession over this single project finally took its toll.

Perhaps she just didn't know what she should do and needed to do to find these answers for herself and for Genji. So, she found herself simply surrendering herself to his gentle embrace and fell asleep before the tears on her cheeks dried.