" NIGHTHAWK " genji shimada.

- six.

SEVERAL WEEKS PASSED, AND with them went the cool and uncomfortable weather that plagued the Nepali monastery. The layer of snow that one seemed to permanently cover the ground was beginning to melt, and the evergreen junipers that surrounded the courtyard were showing signs of flowering. With the changing of seasons came the changing of a certain individual's reclusive behavior. As the weeks came and went, Genji had slowly become more accepting of Zenyatta's teachings; he was even beginning to join in on the nightly meditations, much to Kailani's relief. He seemed calmer, more at ease. His broad shoulders were no longer constantly tense, and he had even begun to wander the monastery without his visor.

The gradual change in Genji's attitude did not go unnoticed by neither her nor Zenyatta. The omnic monk seemed pleased by the progress he had made with Genji, expressing his delight to Kailani several times whilst referring to the cyborg as his "greatest challenge yet."

The rising sun was warm on Kailani's bare shoulders as she settled down near the entrance to the chapel. The stone was cool against her back, though it provided a nice contrast to the warmth coming from above. The sleeves of her hoodie were rolled up to her biceps in an attempt to cool her down. Her eyes scanned over the courtyard; Genji and Zenyatta were nearby, deep in conversation. They spoke too low for Kailani to hear, but Genji's crimson eyes were wide as he took in every word that the omnic spoke to him.

Kailani shoved her hands into the pocket of her hoodie, her fingers dancing along what felt like a piece of paper. Her eyebrows furrowing together in confusion, she pulled the unknown paper out of the pocket. She turned it over, revealing the familiar photograph that she had kept in the pocket of her Overwatch hoodie since their first night in Nepal. Her eyes immediately found their way to Genji, young and smiling happily, and her heart swelled fondly against her chest. She examined him closely: his untouched skin, his vibrant green hair, and his muscular arms that were slung over his brother's shoulders. His smile was wide, his golden brown eyes shining, and she realized that he was just as beautiful then as he was to her now.

She glanced towards Hanzo. The older Shimada brother looked similar to Genji, it was obvious that they were related, though he showed no sign of the light that seemed to beam off of Genji even in the photograph. His arm was slung across his younger brother's shoulders, pulling Genji close, but his eyes were dark, and only the faintest hint of a smile shadowed his thin lips. Genji looked so happy to be with his brother, and Kailani couldn't help but wonder where everything went wrong.

A soft grunt pulled her out of her thoughts, and she jumped slightly as she felt the presence of someone sitting beside her. She turned, surprised to find Genji watching her with humor shining in his eyes. Kailani glanced down at the photograph that she was gripping tightly in her hands, cheeks heating up in a blush. She could only hope that he hadn't noticed the way she was staring dreamily at his younger self.

"Admiring my good looks, hm?"

Kailani laughed lightly at his words, the pink dusting of her cheeks darkening into a rosy red hue. Then, she looked towards him rather warily. She half expected him to grow angry upon seeing the photo of him and his brother after so long, but he was gazing at the photograph calmly- almost longingly. After a moment, he looked up at her, for he noticed the way she watched him as though he was a ticking time bomb.

"I believe that seeing him can help me control the rage," he explained. He reached out and touched the photograph, silently asking Kailani to hand it over. She did so rather reluctantly; over the past few weeks, it was as though Genji had become a completely different person, and she was afraid that one trigger- one glimpse into his past much like the photograph she held- would mitigate all of the progress he had already made. Genji held the photograph in his cybernetic hand as he continued: "Perhaps if I learn how to control it, one day I can confront him without the desire for vengeance."