The Calm in His Storm (Octane x Wattson)

eleven

As soon as Natalie appeared in the drop ship alongside Crypto, her heart dropped.

They lost. She sighed but smiled and turned to him, only for her eyes to widen when she saw that he was glaring at her, his eyes cold and dark.

"You should have helped me finish him off. Instead you ran after Wraith like an idiot and cost us a win." he spat and she flinched back, her eyes filled with hurt. "I'm sorry but I knew she would-"

"So what?! Even if she downed one of us, the other could have gotten away and I had a golden knockdown!" he hissed and Natalie felt tears coming to her eyes.

No one saw Octavio coming until he had shoved Crypto back, one fist clenched at his side and the other holding his butterfly knife.

"You need to back off, amigo." he said in a threatening voice that Natalie hadn't heard before. It made her insides flutter strangely.

Crypto scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the daredevil.

"You saw what she did. She's useless." he retorted and Octavio scowled. "Oh yeah? Then why does she have ten wins while you have none? She wasn't the problem, you were." he bit out and just as Crypto went to grab Octavio, Alexander stepped in.

"Stop. There is no fighting outside of the game. If you choose to break this rule, I'll kill you both, consequences aside." he said in his commanding tone and Octavio huffed in annoyance but backed off, instead turning around to see a crying Natalie.

She was holding back any sounds and as Alexander stepped away, thinking the conflict over, Octavio darted forward so fast no one saw or heard the punch that hit Crypto in the face.

The hacker reeled back, blood dripping from his mouth and nose and Elliot quickly pulled Octavio back before he could do more damage.

"I dare you to make her cry again." snarled the daredevil, his blood rushing with an adrenaline he hadn't felt since he left his parents all those years ago. He was breathing heavily and he wanted nothing more than to stuff that stupid drone down Crypto's throat.

"Vio." whispered Natalie, her hand on his arm and he breathed out, forcing himself to calm down. He let her pull him down into a seat and he was silent the rest of the way to the Apex Complex. He wasn't the only one though. The other Legends were staring at him like he was a completely different person.

Natalie leaned against him and he felt the rage in his heart disappear as he glanced down at her. She was smiling up at him, her eyes shining.

"Thank you." she said and he sighed, reaching forward to wipe the last of her tears away, making her blush.

"Any time, hermosa."

When the Legends landed, all of them going their own ways, Elliot slung his arm around Octavio.

"I didn't think you had it in ya bud." he grinned and Octavio felt himself smiling as he shook his head. "I don't think you should encourage me, compadré." he replied and Elliot scoffed, shaking him wildly.

"What? No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm gonna encourage all I want. I'm gonna encourage a lot. See? Encouraging. Encouraging to the max." and Octavio chuckled as the Legends around them laughed at the charming Legend. Elliot grinned and Octavio realized that he was trying to make him feel better.

"Maybe you're only saying dat because de kid slammed you before we dropped." snickered Ajay and Elliot huffed. "I could've stopped him. I just chose to be the bigger guy ya know. Courtesy and all that."

The two went down their hall, leaving Natalie and Octavio alone.

As soon as she was sure no one was around, she stopped him, reaching up to take off his helmet  and he let her. He was silent as she lifted his goggles, then caressed his face gently. "Are you okay, Octavio?" she asked softly, smoothing out the crease in his brows and he sighed, his lips quirked in a slight smile.

"Fine. Angry but fine. He shouldn't have said what he did. He didn't have to make you cry. It's only a game." he muttered, tugging her closer and she blushed as his arms went around her waist and he leaned in, kissing her cheek gently.

Her heart was pounding now and she wanted to scream at herself.

Just tell him how you feel!

"Maybe it's more to him. I was kinda stu-" at this Octavio put a finger to her lips and she swallowed. "Don't. Ever say that about yourself. You are anything but stupid. It was just one mistake. We all make them. I remember the first time I played I wasn't paying attention to how long I was holding my grenade and it blew up in my face."

Natalie snorted with laughter and he smirked, the action making her bite her lip. He was so handsome. And sweet and...

Ugh.

"Okay..let's go before someone sees your handsome face and falls in love with you." she smiled, taking his hand and leading him away and she swore she heard him say, "I wish you would fall in love with me."

But decided that maybe he was joking.

Maybe...