Work Text:
Normally Valentine’s Day was never a hassle for Angela Ziegler. She didn’t fawn over the historical context nor did she make bitter remarks about how the holiday was a corporate scheme to force lovers to buy useless merchandise. She didn’t go chasing for last minute romances or make grand gestures. Instead she would get up, work through the day, and treat herself that night with some blankets, a selection of chocolate, a glass of wine, and a good movie. She’d sit there in front of the television in her pajamas – perfectly content with her life.
And that would be that.
But this year was different.
For this year Angela found herself sitting in a restaurant, occasionally looking over at her friend Lena at the table beside her. Just like herself she sat on her own, an empty chair before her. On the white linen cloth was a timer, a piece of paper with the number twelve on it, plates and cutlery.
She had no idea who would be dining with her that night; what their name was, what their interests were, nothing.
A blank slate.
And that terrified her to no end.
When Lena caught the doctor’s worried glance, she shot her a wink.
“Why am I here?” she whispered allowed to her, covering her mouth to the side so no one else could hear. “Why did I allow you to drag me to this?”
“You’re here ‘cause you made a promise,” she said. Unlike her counterpart Lena was comfortably lounging on the seat, one arm casually over the back while the other toyed with one of the forks provided. Putting on a fake accent she tried to imitate her voice, slurring her words; “Lena, I swear, I swear, if I don’t get this in the bullseye we’ll go on a double-date next Valentines. No, Lena, I swear. Watch the magic happen, Lena. I got this one-hundred-percent I am not going to lose.”
She glared back at her. Bringing her index finger and her thumb near her eye she said, “I was this close.”
“Luv. Hun buns. Sweetykins. You were nowhere near the board. You hit the wall.” She leaned out, nudging her shoulder with a knuckle. “You’re not backing down now. We are staying for the full night. No escaping through the bathroom window.”
Angela’s mind raced. Those were not the words she needed to hear. “What am I supposed to do? What do I say? What if they're weird? What if I mess up?”
“Relax, Angie. I know the matchmaker. He's a good fella. Told him to pick nice people for us. Just breathe and do whatever comes naturally to ya. Flirt a little. Have some fun.”
Have fun.
Not an easy accomplishment for a girl who thought she was about as interesting as a brick wall.
There was a slight mummer shimmering across the room, causing their heads to turn to the doors. Finally they were opening a new people began to pour in, causing Angela’s heart to race.
God what have I gotten myself into? she thought to herself as she stole one more glance at Lena. It was a plea for help. To not make her do this. To not make her suffer.
But Lena’s attention wasn't on her. She rose to her feet, brushing her creamy suit jacket of imaginary specks of dust as woman strode over to her to. A lovely redhead with grey eyes and a playful smirk on her lips.
Already it seemed as though things were going well by how Lena enthusiastically announced her name and how the woman fluttered her long dark lashes.
Angela took a quick look around her, watching as everyone was matched up with their partners. Everyone seemed mostly happy to see the other, ether shaking hands awkwardly or kissing them on both cheeks if they were bold enough.
Her friends would typically describe the doctor as confident in herself. Worked well under pressure. Had an odd sense of humour when mildly distressed but overall played things cool. But this was so far from her comfort zone they might as well have shot her into space with nothing but a bikini and a goldfish and told her to try and survive. She had absolutely no basis to build a meaningful conversation that would last at least an hour. When she was working with doctors or nurses she never met before at least she could talk about surgeries or their patients.
What was she meant to do with a total stranger?
With her mind too caught up with who her mysterious date would be, she didn’t even notice him standing there until he spoke up.
“Excuse me but is this number twelve?”
Her head snapped to face him, eyes wide.
Before her was a man of medium height clothed in a simple shirt and jeans. He wore a genuine smile that lit up his entire face. To her surprise, she found him to be extremely pretty; he had a long, elegant countenance. In contrast his grey eyes were as sharp as steel, amplified with some eyeliner. Broad at the shoulders but slimmed down by the hips. Possibly the most noteworthy aspect was, undoubtedly, his hair. It was short, slicked back, but… it was… quite… green.
She must have sat and stared for a solid minute before she realized that she hadn’t answered his question.
“Wow,” she blurted, then shook her head. Immediately she got to her feet, giving a feeble cough before producing her hand. “I mean, yes, I’m number twelve. Uh no, wait, my name isn’t number twelve, it’s actually Angela. Twelve is my number. Well not my number it’s the table’s number. What I mean is… uh. Yeah. I’m Angela Ziegler. That’s… that’s what I meant to say… at the start…”
Her voice trailed off at the end. She felt her cheeks go red. Already the rollercoaster was beginning to break down and the ride had just begun.
Great. Fantastic. I'm actually the weird one. Gosh he's going to do a runner, isn't he?
To her surprise he gave a slight chuckle before taking her hand.
“A pleasure to meet you,” he grinned. Bringing it to his lips he gave a quick, gentle kiss upon her skin. When he pulled away he gave a lopsided smile. “My name is Genji Shimada.”
Oh no, she thought to herself. He's really charismatic and cute.
She gave a feeble smile in return. “N-nice to meet you.”
Without any more hassle they sat down and she couldn’t help but shoot another look over to Lena – who seemed to be having the time of her life. From her quick observation she could see that the two were already deep into a conversation, leaving her with a knot in her stomach.
She suddenly became aware of how warm the room was and found herself tugging at the collar of her top. It was not a smart idea to have worn a polo-neck, and she was feeling the consequences of her fashion choices.
“So, Miss Ziegler,” he said, leaning forward on his chair. “What country are you originally from?”
To stop her hands from fidgeting she put them beneath her thighs. “Switzerland,” she replied, letting out a strained laugh. “Is the accent that strong?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “A little, yes, but it’s nice.”
The conversation was already starting to slow down, she could feel it. Her mind raced, desperately trying to find a subject.
Ask him his age. No wait that’s rude. Complement him. No, god, no. Too early for stuff like that. Uh, his favourite colour? Too boring. Favourite movie then? He’ll ask about yours and you’ll have to admit you still watch Disney movies. Ask about the hair. That’s even worse than asking his age! God, Angela, what are you doing?
From what she could see, Genji seemed to be taking things in his stride. He didn’t show any signs of noticing her internal struggle. Instead he rested his chin on his hands, looking back at her with a raised eyebrow.
“So, what’s Switzerland like? I’ve never been there myself but I’ve heard it’s quite beautiful.”
“Oh, you know,” she said, her mind racing for something to say. “It’s, uh, pretty snowy. Lot of mountains. Stuff.”
“Any other benefits to living over there than snow, mountains and stuff?”
Without a single shred of thought she replied, “Oh yeah there are tons! The flag is a huge plus!”
If the rollercoaster was only breaking down before, it was certainly on fire now. Her hands slowly went to her reddening face, wondering what she had done in another life to have deserved this. But before all hope was lost, she heard a muffled snort.
She looked up to see Genji with a knuckle to his mouth, trying to contain his mirth. His shoulders shook and his eyes were tightly shut, causing him to look freaking adorable to the doctor.
“That was a good one,” he sputtered once the laughter subsided, brushing underneath his eyes with a finger.
Despite everything she found a small smile creeping up her face. He laughed! Alright, alright. Play it cool. Don’t screw it up. “Well I’m glad someone enjoyed my jokes for once. I must be hanging around a tough crowd.”
“By any chance are you a comedian?”
“Oh no, no, no. I’m just a doctor who really likes puns.”
“A doctor,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “A humerus one at that.”
A chuckle managed to escape her, causing to shake her head. “God dammit,” she muttered. “I was saving that for later.”
“If it makes you feel any better that's the only health-related joke I know. It’s all downhill from here.”
“I’m sure that isn’t true.”
“You want to bet? Very well…”
Slowly but surely the tension was easing; things didn’t feel so stiff. Her muscles began to relax as the atmosphere became less sophisticated as Genji went along to tell his short story.
Unfortunately he wasn’t being humble when he admitted he wasn’t skilled in the art of making jokes. But she had to admit, he poured his heart into the performance. There were an array of hand-gestures and voices made during his tale.
“…The drunk says, ‘Control your speed next time. You almost killed us!’”
After a moment of silence, Angela took a sip of water from her glass. She gulped, setting it back down again. “Okay. Alright. How well can you take constructive criticism?”
“Not very well. I’m a sensitive soul.”
“You were great, then.”
Genji gave a smirk. “I see. I should have known – my father told it far better than I ever could. I guess you’ll just have to teach me your skills in the future before I quit my job and start my own show.”
“Speaking of, what do you do for a living?”
At this Genji sat up straight, placing his hands on the table. His eyes slid to his right arm, tilting his head to the side. Almost in contemplation. Then, he nimbly began to undo the cuff of his sleeve and began to roll it back, revealing the head of a dragon around his wrist. Its green body wrapped up all the way up his forearm, the rest of the design hidden beneath his shirt.
Instantly Angela leaned forward, soaking up every detail. The bright serpent was surrounded by a powdered-blue sea, its whiskers trailing in the wind as it opened its mouth. The thick black-outline was a sharp contrast to the rich, vibrant blends of colours.
“Genji, this is amazing,” she awed, tracing a finger onto the scales of the neck. She looked up at him. “Did you do this?”
“Partly,” he said, sliding his hand back. He began to roll down his sleeve. “My brother did the line-work. I did the colouring.”
“So you want to be tattoo artist?”
“That’s my ambition, yes.”
“And your brother?”
“He’s…” he trailed off. “He’s studying to be a teacher, now. It’s why we moved over here. I wanted to pursue a career, he wanted to learn as much as he could.”
Angela blinked. “You weren’t born here?”
Genji shook his head. “No. I was born in Hanamura. Lived there my entire life until a month ago.”
“A month?” she repeated, eyes widening. Amazed at how perfectly he spoke English, and at how comfortable he seemed. It was as though he had lived here his entire life. Even she struggled from time to time, and she was only from Europe.
Seemingly having had read her thoughts, Genji let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that I’m fitting in well. Moving away was… difficult. For the both of us.” For a moment, he was quiet, looking down at his hands. When he spoke again, things became more sombre. “I’m grateful for the opportunity but I won’t lie. It’s been a little lonely. I know no one. Neither of us do. That’s actually why I signed up for this. I didn’t know how else to go about meeting new acquaintances so I decided to try it.”
Angela closed her eyes, nodding. “I understand.”
She understood the feeling. Leaving her aunt and uncle back in Andermatt was the hardest thing she had ever done. She had to turn her back on everything she ever knew – everything she was familiar with. Her only saving grace was that, at the time, she was sharing her flat with Lena who was more than welcoming. The young woman went above and beyond to help her settle in, including introducing her to Gabriel and Jack and McCree and Ana and a slew of other important friends in her life.
If it weren’t for Lena, she would have been all on her own. Just like he was.
The thought of it sent chills down her spine.
Upon opening her eyes, Angela laid down her hand onto his, giving him a warm smile. “Well I’ll be more than happy to introduce you to my friend after this, if you would like to. I’m sure she’d love to meet you.” She inclined a head to Lena seated at the other table. At the perfect moment she caught the action, raising her glass to Genji in greetings.
After a small wave back, he turned his attentions back on her. “I’d be more than honoured.”
“And as soon as you get a job, I know exactly who’d be your first customer.”
“Oh?”
"But I need to know. Can you cover up tattoos made on a night out?” she asked.
“My, my, Miss Ziegler,” he purred, placing one of his hands on his chest, pulling back his body in shock. “I didn't pick you as the type.”
“Not for me. I’m asking for a friend.”
“That’s what they always say.”
“I’m serious! Look, can you do it?”
He leaned into his chair for a moment, his brows drawing together in thought. “It depends on the design of the original tattoo and what they’d want to cover it up with.”
“The old design is a giant black skull with angel wings and chains. Has a ribbon saying ‘Deadlock Rebels’ in all caps. Inside the forearm.”
Now it was Genji’s turn to blink in shock. His mouth parted, trying to find the words. “That was an interesting night,” he said. She could see him turning his head slightly, trying to fathom out which arm it could be beneath her polo-neck sweater.
Angela rolled her eyes. “I told you it isn’t me! It’s a guy I know – Jesse. He’s been wanting to get rid of it for years but doesn’t want laser surgery.” Instinctively she felt a prickling sensation down her arm, imagining the pain of it. “No, I couldn't commit to a tattoo. I'd be too nervous about regretting it later on.”
“Fair enough. It's not for everyone. But yes, I'd be more than happy to help out your friend. Maybe Hanzo would help out too if he's not buried in a pile of books.”
“I forgot to ask. What does he want to teach? Your brother, that is.”
“Mathematics. You have no idea the pain I have gone through. He goes on and on about geometry and I just don’t—”
“See the point?”
There was a pause. He sat up straighter and looked out to the distance. “That hurt me in ways you would not believe.”
“I’m weak – I couldn’t resist,” she said. It was in that moment Angela realised her hand was still on his from when she tried to comfort him. As soon as she saw it she quickly took it away. “Sorry. That was inappropriate.”
Without hesitation Genji slid his hand toward her. An invitation. “There's nothing inappropriate about holding your date’s hand.”
It was then it hit her. In technicality he was right. She was on a date. Once again she felt an uncomfortable warmth spread up as she cautiously let her hand back down on his. She felt his fingers curl around hers, and she found herself trying to slow down her breathing.
Don’t get your hopes up, she repeated to herself. You know how this all ends. It’s always the same.
Later on in the middle of the main course, when their hands were no longer touching and she could think straight, Angela found her eyes drifting from his to gaze upon what she could only describe as a lush field on the top of his head. It was the elephant in the room. The question she so desperately needed answers to but didn’t know how to approach. Finally deciding she had enough of the waiting she began, “I don’t wish to seem rude but—”
Sensing what was about to come, he brought a finger up. “I know, I know,” he said, nodding his head. “The hair. It’s really bad. Trust me if I had the time I would have changed it back.”
“There's a story there and I just have to know.”
“I thought it would be a great idea to dye my hair at home. It was meant to be a few shades lighter but I left it in for far too long and,” he gestured to it like he was a magician after pulling out a rabbit from a hat, “Tadaaah! This monstrosity was born.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s a monstrosity,” she said, knocking her head to the side. “It takes a bit of adjusting but it’s grown on me. I like it. In an odd way it suits you.”
For a moment Genji just sat there, looking a tiny bit bemused by how his eyebrows were pulled up and how his mouth was parted slightly. In that moment his confident facade slipped. Just a tiny bit. “Oh,” he said, then that expression of momentary shock was replaced by a frown. “Wait. Hold on. Did you just say the phrase ‘grown’?”
It took her a few moments to catch on and when she did she put her hands over her face. “Genji, I am so sorry,” she gasped, feeling the warmth radiating from her skin. She must have been bright scarlet. “That was an accident I promise. Things were going so well and she just had to ruin it.”
There was a soft chortle, causing her to peek between her fingers. She saw him resting his chin on his hand, one elbow on the table. He beamed at her though she didn’t know why. “Things are still going well, don’t worry,” he said, giving her a quick wink. “Actually, now that we’re on the topic of awkward questions, I have been wondering about something myself.”
She found herself stiffen. “… Go on,” she said, unsure of what he was on about. Was there something about her makeup? Her outfit?
“May I be as bold as to ask why such a beautiful woman such as yourself is attending an event such as this?”
Her cheeks blushed at his comment. At this point she must have looked like a sunburnt tomato. She bowed her head, letting a few blond curls screen her face. “Oh, just… you know… supporting a friend… no alcohol or bets involved…”
“Right. Sure there wasn’t. I’m guessing Jesse was there as well and that’s how he actually got the tattoo.”
In truth his comment haunted the back of her mind, even when they eventually moved on to other discussions. In a blink dessert was done, the candles were growing shorter, the timer in front of them was counting down to the last few seconds and people were starting to leave – either going in separate ways or interlocked in pairs.
Even Lena was getting up along with her partner. The younger woman rushed over to Angela’s side just when they were rising out of their seats, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“Ohmygosh Angie,” she yammered, complementing her date to the highest degree possible. As she went on Genji motioned that he’d grab her coat from the hanger, to which she mouthed a thanks. “She's amazing. Her name is Emily and she is really smart and really nice and my god she has a stunning smile. I got her number, ya know. I’m going to text her as soon as we get home.”
“That's good to hear,” she said, looping an arm around her neck for a quick hug. She felt Lena dig her fingers into her stomach.
“Oi,” she whispered into her ear. “Lay off the hugs. Your new boyfriend might get jealous.”
Instantly they parted, and just before she could deny it Genji came back with her coat in hand.
“M’lady,” he cooed, lifting her jacket up. She pulled her arms through it as he helped, muttering a bashful thank you yet again.
The three of them walked to their car, with Lena striding forward at a breakneck speed while Angela and Genji plodded behind her, her arm around his. She tried to blow a strand of hair off of her face to which the cool night air decided it hated her and blew it back into place. With a little groan of annoyance she ran her fingers through her hair to try and flatten it. As she did her eyes caught the stars in the sky.
“Well would you look at that,” she breathed, gazing upon the plethora of lights above her.
Without her glasses the velvet night was a bit blurred, but everything bigger and brighter than usual. Just gazing at the midnight blue canvass above stole every thought from her mind. Whatever remaining carousel of worries she had slipped away as the heavens and the full moon smiled down at them. In her opinion they seemed to glow brighter than the street-lights that lit their path.
Beside her Genji gently pulled her in closer. “Quite a night,” he murmured.
She was unsure if he was speaking to her directly or to himself, but she found herself leaning in to rest her head on his shoulder. It was a little awkward at first due to her being much taller, but eventually with a bit of shifting she was comfortable.
“I'm sorry if I seemed really nervous,” she said as soon as their car was in sight. Lena had already jumped into the driver’s seat – probably to give them a ‘bit of privacy’. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I don’t go out on dates regularly.”
“Pft. Don’t apologise. You were nothing but charming throughout and I am honoured to have been in your presence.”
Upon hearing her laughter of disbelief, he looked up at her. She had lifted her head back up and was now shaking it. “Okay, now you must be joking. I was a gibbering mess.”
After she had spoken he slowed his pace down to a halt, turning to face her. “I only speak the truth, Miss Ziegler.” His voice was low, soft. “I really had a nice time with you.”
She found herself grinning from ear to ear as she said, “So did I.”
The two gazed at each other for a moment longer than they should have. If something were to happen in that moment, it was simply ruined by the sound of the horn.
“Angela, romantic time’s up!” she heard Lena yell from the pulled down window. “You should’ve kissed him earlier!”
The nerves seemed to just crawl back up through her body as she took a few steps back. She pointed at the car with her thumb. “I better…” she began, to which he held up his hands.
“No worries, Miss Ziegler,” he said, also taking a few steps back. With a wink he added, “Maybe I’ll get that kiss on the next date.”
Believing if she stayed any longer she’d simply die, all she did was nod and throw a thumbs up before turning on her heel. Just in time to smack into the bumper of the car with her knees. Swearing to herself she waddled to the passenger's seat, climbing inside.
“Don’t say another word,” she growled as Lena silently chuckled to herself, reversing the car. She watched Genji’s back as he disappeared into the distance.
Yes, it was an unusual Valentines Day for the doctor."
But she found herself grateful for that.