" YUANFEN " genji shimada.

ix | quiet as a mouse

yuanfen.
act five, chapter nine.
"quiet as a mouse"

_

GENJI WASN'T SURPRISED TO find Dr. Ziegler in the medbay so soon after her arrival back on base. The rest of the agents who were a part of the strike team retired to their dorms as soon as the mission debrief was over with; the doctor, often working better in the peace and quiet of the night, had other plans. She greeted Genji with a warm smile as he entered the medbay, seeming as if she wasn't surprised to see him.

    "What can I do for you, Genji?" She asked him as she looked through the files left for her on her desk. She glanced up at him over the top of her glasses. "Do we need to complete your physical?"

    Genji shook his head. "Dahlia helped me with it today."

    The doctor perked up at this, suddenly intrigued. "It went well then, hm?" He nodded a response, and she hummed softly to herself. She was silent for a moment, and Genji was desperate to know what she was thinking. The doctor often grew silent whenever she spoke with him about Dahlia; during these times, it felt as though she was somehow prying through his mind, and he hated the feeling.

    "I've been wondering, Genji," Angela then began. She took a seat at her desk, fingers drumming thoughtfully over the wooden surface. "You once said that your stay here was temporary. I do wish to know whenever you decide to leave."

    Genji was confused by the sudden change of topic. He made it no secret when he rejoined Overwatch that his position with them was indefinite. He wanted to aid them in their fight, though he wasn't sure if Overwatch was the best place for him. He'd grown since his time with the original strike team, and Zenyatta often warned him against putting himself in situations that would remind him of his life before he found peace. Being in the presence of Overwatch did just that, and since their settlement back at the base in Gibraltar, he had been planning on parting ways with his teammates.

    But why did Angela feel the need to bring it up? He never gave a definite date of his departure when he first mentioned it to the doctor, and, quite honestly, he found himself second-guessing the possibility of him leaving.

    "You do not have to worry about that, Angela," he said to her. In that moment, he managed to come to his decision. He no longer wanted his stay with Overwatch to be temporary. Something about his place among the team felt right, and he found it nearly impossible to walk away.

    "You no longer wish to leave?" Dr. Ziegler questioned, sounding almost pleased. Genji responded with a subtle shake of his head, almost hoping that she didn't notice. She did, however, and a small smile spread across her features. "May I ask what changed your mind?"

    He turned away, thankful that his visor hid his flushed expression. He would never admit it, but he had made his decision based on a simple promise that he made to someone, the same person that he found himself growing to care for more than he probably should've. "I believe you may already know the answer, Angela."

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    Dahlia was nearly ready to pass out when she arrived back at her dorm that evening. Her bed was calling her name, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up beneath the covers and sleep until the morning. Before she was able to take more than a step inside her dorm, however, the familiar robotic voice that she knew belonged to Athena called for her over the speaker.

    "Sojourn requests your presence in her office, Miss Blackrock."

    The AI's words put Dahlia on edge. She knew for a fact that she didn't do anything wrong (in fact, she felt as though she'd been doing a good job since Dr. Ziegler had taken her on as an assistant.) Despite this, however, being called to Sojourn's office felt almost like a death threat. Dahlia knew that the Captain didn't trust her, and she couldn't help but worry that it was only a matter of time before she acted on that distrust.