Strong Like You - Male!Reader X Zarya

6 - Walking Again

After two weeks of being bed-ridden it was time for Zarya to stand for the first time since arriving. It had been a long process, even with the incredible healing technology on hand, but now she looked to preform two more weeks of rehabilitation to re-build her strength. That being said, Zarya is still built like a brick-shithouse, only losing some definition and mass since she arrived. The two of you continued to have your lunchtime conversations, and you can safely say that you're maybe friends now. Zarya doesn't have much left to discuss that isn't military secrets, so you regale her with stories from around the base and bring her magazines to read.

You and Mercy decided that letting her try on her own was a good place to start, so as of now the two of you are stood at the end of her bed pulling over a harness, which is attached to a hovering drone.

"What is that for?" Zarya asks.

"Harness, you've been in bed for two weeks and we don't want you falling down and cracking your skull open," you explain as it hovers over the bed. Zarya grimaces slightly at the thought. One thing you've learnt over your time talking with her is that she dislikes accepting help when she feels she can do something on her own.

"And there is no room for argument?" she continues.

"It's only a precaution, you don't want to be in here any longer right?"

"Fine," she pouts.

Mercy gives you a strange look, which you return. "Something up?"

"No, no. Just thinking about something..."

"Something?" you shake your head, pulling down the straps as Angela gets Zarya sat up.

"Can't a girl keep her thoughts to herself?"

"Not when she's looking at me like I just kicked a dog," you comment. You wrap the two straps around her upper arms, which she flexes slightly, testing the limits of the already stretched fabric. Another strap goes around her midsection, from where you accidental cop a feel of her hard abs under the thin hospital gown. You blush at the contact with her warm skin and quickly back away. Zarya doesn't seem to notice, or at least doesn't feel the need to comment.

"Alright, you're strapped in."

Angela smiles and claps her hands together, "Let's get you standing."

Zarya swings her legs over the edge of the hospital bed, putting her arms down onto the mattress and slowly pushing up to give herself the momentum needed. It's been a long time since she's been up and about, and her legs might not remember how to work properly. If she has trouble there's no reason to worry, the harness will stop her from falling over. Zarya stumbles slightly, pulling the drone further out into the room. Her legs quake with the effort. She struggles to maintain her balance but eventually settles, stood dead still a meter away from the bed.

"That's a very good start," Angela nodded, "But remember to take your time!" Zarya nods but mumbles something under her breath. You can tell that she's the independent type. She struggles to take her first step, even with the assistance of the drone above her. Not that it's unexpected, she's been in bed for a long time, the fact that she can even stand is a testament to her immense strength.

"Wow," you clap your hands, "That's pretty crazy."

"Are you certain that you've never been injected with a super solider serum?" Angela asks with a giggle.

"I'm shaking like a lamb, I do not see the value in my standing," Zarya huffs.

"If you were anybody else you probably wouldn't be able to stand at all," you comment taking a seat. "We're going to be doing this for a couple hours every day until you can walk on your own again. Then we'll see about rehabbing you properly."

"You can use our gym, it's very nice. I also heard that Tracer wants to see what you can do, so she'll probably let you in on her circuit training," Mercy tells her as Zarya reseats herself. "Now that we know you can stand, we're going to do some leg exercises to help build up the muscle..."

"I'm not needed right? Winston wanted to see me today for some reason," you inform her, she nods along.

"Oh yes, I'm quite sure we'll be fine here. I think Winston will be in his lab."

With a nod you depart to see the quasi-bossman.