Tracer x Male Reader (no, I'm not clever enough to come up with a good title)

Curtain Fall: The Sequel Sequel

     And Lena... 

     She was always the best thing about you. Always and forever would be. She represented everything you'd ever strived to be. She'd loved you with all her heart, scars and all. 

     Your mind remembered a time, not too long ago but an eternity away. Lying in your shared bed with her, gazing out the giant window before you, taking in the early morning sun: the picturesque Gibraltar landscape was truly breathtaking, second in beauty only to the bundle of adorableness cuddled up next to you named Lena. The golden-orange rays bouncing off the sprawling cliffs and gleaming across the great crystal blue bay. You'd sighed a breath of relaxation, true relaxation, something you'd sorely lacked all your life. Relaxation and... happiness. Because you were. You were happy. Really, truly happy. The cutest girl you'd ever laid eyes on, the love of your life, sleeping peacefully with her face softly pressed against your chest. A slight smile of unconscious drowsiness draped upon her pink, oh-so-kissable lips as she happily slept on her boyfriend's chest. 

     It was all just so... perfect. It was everything you'd ever wanted. Everything you'd ever hoped to dream of. After all you'd been through... you'd made it. You'd finally made it. You couldn't help it as tears began welling up in your eyes, and Gibraltar began to blur into shape and color. You'd bitten your lip in a vain attempt to suppress the irresistible cry of a previously broken man overcome with emotion. Silvery-white tears had begun to slowly run from your no longer hollow (e/c) eyes; you put your damp face in your hands, beginning to cry into your fingers. You must've made more noise than you'd thought because Lena began stirring sleepily next to you. As her beautiful brown eyes had begun groggily blinking open, she'd instinctively smiled sweetly, recognizing her beloved boyfriend beside her. She yawned quietly, snuggling closer into you and looking up at your face. You remember looking away quickly, trying to hide the streaks running down your face. But she was already beginning to sit up in bed, wrapping her slender arm around you. You never could hide anything from her for very long. 

     "Hey... hey, love," she'd said softly, lifting your tear stricken face to meet hers. "(Y/n)... hey. It's ok. I'm here... I'm here, love." You'd clenched your jaw, struggling to hold back the tears. "What's wrong, love?" she pressed her lips against yours, slowly and passionately kissing you. "What's wrong?"

     You'd told her exactly what you were going through.  Because... it was easy to talk to her. It felt... right. She listened and she understood you. She accepted everything about you in stride, the good and the bad. No matter how damaged or broken you'd felt, she was always there. 

     And... you remember just crying harder. 

     And then she'd said something that had stuck with you ever since. "(Y/n), I... I love you. You already knew that, but... look, you're everything to me, yeah, love? Really. I... I don't know what I'd do without you, love. I desperately want- no, I need you in my life. You are the love of my life, (Y/n). And... I know how much you beat yourself up, love. I know how freakishly high your expectations for yourself are, and I know how damaged you think you are. And I wish you could see how I see you, from my perspective, because... to me, you're perfect, (Y/n). You are everything I've ever hoped to wish for in a person, a friend... a lover... a bit of a wanker," she giggled. "You are the strongest person I've ever met, love. The things you've told me and the things you've gone through, love... I... I really am still in disbelief after all this time how you've persevered and come out the kindest, most genuine, sweetest guy I've ever met, much less proudly call my boyfriend. I... I know I would never have been able to go through half as much as what you have, and your willpower is really just... breathtaking, love. I... you're my hero, (Y/n)." She then proceeded to turn into a blushing, flustered mess, burying her face into the pillow.

     And that... that stuck with you. It really, really did. All you ever wanted to be from that point on was the person Lena believed you to be. You just wanted to be that hero Lena looked up to. Just be that perfect boyfriend she'd already believed you to be. 

     And then... you fucked it up. 

     Again. 

     Just like everything else. 

      You'd promised, you'd promised, yourself that you were better. That you wouldn't go back to that place. That, not for yourself, but for Lena, you wouldn't go back there. You wouldn't be that person again. And then you'd learned about this fake wannabe dress-up 'Reaper' running around in your dear deceased friend's cloak. And... you'd lost it. You'd waded through that Talon base with zero remorse, zero emotion, zero empathy, zero humanity. That cold, empty blackness of your past you'd sworn off not only enveloped you, but you'd welcomed it. You'd failed. Again. 

     And then... there she was.

     Lena.

     Again. 

     Again, she'd pulled you back from that edge. Again, she'd been that beacon, that shining light of happiness that guided you back to shore. Your anchor. Your rock. That adorable, adorable freckled face, that cheery smile, soft spiked hair... what the hell did you do to deserve her?

  

     You blinked and you were right back there again. You glanced apprehensively at Lena, taking in her stunned, tear-filled expression. And then you set your eyes on her. Reaper. Emily. You... could barely even call her that by now, though. The woman before you was but a shadow of a shadow of the ginger-haired girl you'd once known. A spindly smile crept its way across her face; cold black eyes set hard into her skull stared you down like the predatory hunger of a calculating shark setting its eyes on their prey. You grimaced, slowly reaching behind you and steeling yourself for the storm to come. Your hand fell upon the katana's cool hilt strapped to your back, your trusted companion, witness and aid in your crimes. You flicked your thumb and the sword clicked out of the sheath, its hungry edge glinting in the early morning sunlight. 

     You'd promised you wouldn't. You'd sworn that persona off. You were different now. You were a cold-blooded assassin, super soldier no more. You were a proud Overwatch agent now, and an even prouder boyfriend. You valued kindness and compassion, understanding and truth. 

     But... still... there she was. Emily. Standing before you, a malicious, crazed grin upon her hollow face. She wasn't going to back down, and she wasn't going to leave this place until someone was dead. And you couldn't afford it to be Lena. You couldn't. 

     You closed your eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it in. You clenched your jaw and opened your eyes, setting them upon your target with a measured and calculating focus. Emily's eyes twitched and her hands shook. You steeled yourself and let the promises go.

     You just hoped Lena would forgive you.

(A/n): So yeah... this is not the final chapter lmao. Alright, see y'all in seven years when the next part comes out! Thank you all so, so much for making it this far. Truly. So in the very wise words of James A. Janisse, "Be good people, y'all." See ya! <3