Archive of Our Own ^beta

Niran hurried to put his hair up into a little bun, grabbing his luggage tightly and taking a deep breath before he started to run. He was surprisingly quiet; one tends to be when on a run from a whole organization.
The sun was setting in the horizon when the scientist heard hushed voices in the distance. He didn't want to risk anything which is precisely why he left his shelter.
To put it short, it was not easy. Being hunted in 17 different countries. Not to forget being hunted by Vishkar. It was... Eventful.
He started to relax when he arrived in a forest, trees close to one another, perfectly providing cover for the man that adores the nature so much.
It didn't take long until he found a hunter's house. It's definitely not big and it would not be comfortable to sleep in, but it's pretty much the only thing he's seen in this forest, not to mention that one would not expect someone to seek shelter there.

----

Baptiste had thought just the same when he arrived there, only to steer up immediately when he did hear steps, someone grabbing the ladder to climb up, he quickly threw his things down, ready to join them.
And he did. His boots made the landing a little softer and with rolling himself, he managed to land without any severe injuries.
However, what he didn't expect after taking a few steps was being surrounded by a rose-colored bubble before he was quickly pulled back into the building, his legs stopped on the wall shortly before he was dragged over the obstacle. Weirdly enough, it didn't hurt. He was back in the wooden room safely.
Well, the safety feeling didn't last long as he was pushed against a corner.
"Who are you." Assuming by the voice a man, holding his hands tightly and pushing Baptiste's head against the wall with... A metal hand of some sort?
"None of your business -"
"Well, it kinda is." The voice relaxed a little. "Just answer this: Do you work for Vishkar?"
"Vishkar? Like hell."
The other let out a hum and let go of Baptiste.
"Apologies. I couldn't just let you get away and potentially leak information."
"I have better things to do."
"Like what, running away?"
Upon not receiving an answer, Niran laughed softly and flopped down against the wall. "Same, really."
"From... Vishkar, I suppose? What did you do for them to hunt you?"
"They fear brilliants. And I am brilliant."
Baptiste grinned a little and sat down opposite to him.
"Handsome and confident?"
"Well of course, have you seen me?"
Niran opened the bun he has made earlier this night.
Baptiste cleared his throat. "Right, of course. One question though."
"Hit me with it."
"How did you get me back up here?"
"Ooooh~ mystery." The former talon member frowned a little.
"Don't you think I deserve to know? You gave me a heart attack."
"That so? Your heart seems to be working quite well."
The dark haired paused, then chuckled a little. "You're right. You didn't actually give me a heart attack. But I'm still curious."
The eyes of the other lit up a little.
"Actually?"
"Well yeah, I thought I had gotten away."
"It is quite difficult to explain. It's simply... Something I've been working on. I'm glad to knownow that it works on humans too."
"Wait- what? You didn't know before?"
"Not necessarily. Is that important?"
"Well yeah? Something could've happened?"
"Mh, wouldn't that have been unfortunate... A waste of a pretty man... Well. Not changeable now. You're aliveeee, so why bother about the past?"
"I spend all day running away from my past; I do think I should bother about it."
Niran hummed, then looked outside.
"Your Magic-Trick did however not include my things."
"That- oh. My bad."
Niran got up and leaned out the opening. He made a quick move with his hand to which Baptiste heard a thud. It was quiet for a few second, then the bright haired sighed.
"Disappointing. Maybe I shouldn't have stopped my studies afterall." He easily got down, maybe hurt his foot during that, but nothing he couldn't treat himself. He took a step, then let out a frustrated huff. "Oh come on, please." But nothing happened. He sighed and destroyed whatever was down there with a mere snap of his fingers.

Well, soon enough he did get the bag up there. Then he quickly got his note book and wrote something down. "Say, I never got your name." Baptiste was surprised when the other spoke while writing. "Jean-Baptiste, though Baptiste is more than enough. What about you?"
"That..."
The hand around the pen tightened. "I can trust you, right?"
"Well, I have no one to tell anything to."
He nodded slowly. "Niran."
"Niran?"
"Mhm."

The darkness of the forest covered them in silence and before the former architect noticed, Jean-Baptiste fell asleep. He smiled though when he realized and reached out with his prosthetic to caress the other's cheek. The palm lit up shortly before the cut on the dark skin faded away. Maybeeee the cut came from pushing his face against the wood. Oops? Well, Niran didn't only have to work on his platforms but also gentleness apparently.

-----

The night was short for the Thai man; he proceeded to leave before the other awoke, though the noice did wake the other up.
"Mh...?"
"I'm heading off already. Got a long way ahead of me, still."
"You have a destination?"
"Atlantic. It's safe there for me."
"Interesting. Well... Good luck then."
"You too, Jean."
"Wha- I said Baptiste-" But the other was already gone.

----

The hero sighed as the wind blew through his hair. He heard a little thud down the balcony and before he could look down, a familiar looking man stood behind the railing. "Relaxing all by yourself, handsome?"
Now, Baptiste is aware that someone joined overwatch. He hadn't bothered to meet them yet. But seems like the other did bother. "I- Hello."
"Damn, is that all you have to say? No 'great you're still alive'?"
"I've assumed you capable enough."
"Oh? How kind~"
He easily climbed over the railing and made whatever he had stood on shatter with a snap.
"So... You've worked through whatever gave you troubles last time?"
"Yes, quite wonderfully too. I've got lots of intell on Atlantic Arcology."
"You need intell?"
"Well, not really. It was adorable to see them try though."
He smiled and sat down next to him.
"Got rid of... Whoever followed you around?"
"Well... Overwatch fights against them. So I'm safe here."
"Sounds promising."
"Yes. You? Are you safe?"
"... Yeah. Of course."

------

There was that.
Niran- or Lifeweaver now- quickly got used to all the other heroes. And they to him. In fact, pretty much all of them love and adore him. He'd been happy to find out about Lena's long relationship, loved to see the two siblings try to get along again, to see mother and daughter try to make up for lost time (though he had to convince Pharah multiple times...).
He could understand it. When he watched the families within Overwatch, his heart ached. He did miss his siblings. Even if he didn't want to admit it. And he understood Pharah. Parents could be... Overbearing if they do not understand you. His mother was a prime example at that. He... Shouldn't think about them. They've hurt him. Hadn't tried to understand him. They were not worth to trouble about.
Lifeweaver sighed a little and braided his hair.
At least he had made up with Satya. After just leaving her like that at the Academy.

Well, back to getting along with his teammates. He was quick to find out that Baptiste at the very least found him to be attractive. Finding out he's bisexual made it even better. He knew his way to work with him and how to use this for himself.

---

Niran leaned against the counter and played with a strand of his hair. "Oh what I wouldn't do for a cold drink... I don't think my body is used to this climate anymore."
"Have you not been hydrating yourself enough? I won't be healing you if you do not try to at least try and take care of yourself."
As much as Lifeweaver appreciated the doctor, right now wasn't the case.
"I assure you I have. The weather has just been pressuring my b-" A glass was placed down beside him. "Why thank you."
"I simply wanted one of my own."
The eyebrows of the angelic hero furrowed. That's a lie, he's just been resting on the couch. It didn't matter to Niran. This was his plan anyways.

---

The scientist hummed to himself, earphones in, watching his hand. He's been trying to build a variety of flowers with his biolight; don't get him wrong. He adored his lotus flowers, but others were just as amazing. His focus was shifted when a pair of shoes came into his line of sight. He flinched back and a few thorns shot out of his hand, getting stuck in the leg of the man in front of him. Niran watched his hand shortly in horror. He wanted to use his technology to heal others, heal the world- yet he'd hurt a teammate... "A-Apologies- That was not my intention." His hand shifted and he knelt down, taking out the thorns one by one before applying a lotus flower to the wounds. The other let out a soft sigh at the warmth that radiated from the healing wound. "What was that? Scaredy cat? You sure got the claws for it." Lifeweaver was quiet and leaned against the railing to look over the sea. Baptiste's face softened and he hesitated before he reached out and stroked some hair behind his ear, making the face of the other visible. "I am sorry... I am not used to being sneaked up on like that but... I should've expected it."
Baptiste let out a chuckle. "Oh to hear you apologizing sincerely for once."
Lifeweaver rolled his eyes. "Out here stealing hearts yet apologizing only just now." He paused shortly. "I'm not." "Apologizing or stealing hearts?"
"Both."
"Now that's a lie if I've ever heard one."
"Really? Wanna show me how I'm lying then?" He stepped closer to Baptiste.
"Oh! So we're all relaxing our here?! Amazing!"
Sure, Lifeweaver adored Lena. But Tracer being Tracer, she did not register the obvious (sexual) tension.
"There have been so many attacks recently, it's important to enjoy these moments."
"So we'll have missions soon?"
"Bap, many of us already are on missions."
"Without us? The audacity. Leaving the best support behind."
"Excuse you? The best two supports."
Niran glanced at him, looked him up and down and then winked at him. "Whatever you say, Jean~" He whispered his name as he walked past him, back inside the building. "I'll be heading to bed. I need my beauty sleep."

---

A lie. He can't sleep plus he's beautiful anyways. He waited until he was sure that all the heroes left on Gibraltar have gone to sleep before he headed into the kitchen. With a snack, he headed on towards the balcony again where he sat down. Alone in the calm night.
"So much to beauty sleep. No thorns please."
Lifeweaver paused and looked up.
"May I take a seat?"
He hummed softly.
Baptiste sat down. "Not so much of a talker when sleepy, mh?"
"My brain too needs to rest sometimes."
He clasped his hands together, forming a rose through biolight upon separating them again. He smelled on it, then smiled.
"Can't imagine that one smelling at all."
"Oh you want to bet?"
Niran smiled and held it out. Baptiste paused upon the flowery scent in his nose.
"I've been... Improving it." He yawned a little.
"Weird. Just a second ago you said your brain needed rest and now you're creating this?"
"It's hardly anything"
"Still so humble, aren't you, Bua? ~"
Niran paused, then blushed a little. "Oh, am I seeing correct? Is that a red hint?~"
"How-"
"I've heard Symmetra call you that."
Baptiste wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer.
"You're not the only one who can play unfair, Bua ~"
The other looked away. "Now sleep, you're obviously tired."
He gently ran a hand through his hair, then carefully guided his head to lean against his shoulder. Niran let out a soft breath at that and snuggled a little closer.
His face softened when he saw the closed eyes. Lifeweaver might still be jumpy- but he trusted him. And that meant a lot. When Baptiste heard soft snores, he gently picked the other up and got him set down in his bed. He covered him to the shoulders with a blanket, then quietly left the room. He didn't want to disturb him after all.

----

After that, their flirting became more frequent, more obvious, for all of the heroes to see.
But as Lena mentioned, the attacks didn't become any less. Thus, it didn't take long for the two supports to get a mission as well. Together, since Baptiste tends to do more damage. With Lifeweaver, he didn't have to worry about healing the others.
All the shooting, groans of pain... Niran hated it. Omnics and Humans should be able to coexist. But well... He knew better than to force a life on someone. The only thing he could do is heal his team.
Lifeweaver trusts Baptiste and his abilities but... Maybe he did too much. A granade hit the ground and besides the loud explosion, there was a groan. Some splitters even hit his own face. He stared at Baptiste on the ground, covered in blood. There's - there's no way he could heal that quickly with his flowers and the other wouldn't be able to reload his healing burst-
He quickly pulled Baptiste over, all while still trying to help the others.
"It's okay- I've had worse."
Niran quickly looked around, clenching his fists a little. His deep desire to help others seemed to be of much use, since soon, a bright tree erupted in front of them, shielding them and as soon as it appeared, he heard Baptiste gasp loudly. With every burst of warmth that Lifeweaver felt, he saw wounds healing.
That- he'd have to research that once they're back.
But...if this reaches the news, Vishkar might actually find him...

However, the more the tree stood there, the more Niran felt himself grow exhausted. He had no idea how to stop it, this is the first time he even knew this was possible. As he fell to ground, the tree vanished. Baptiste got up and quickly pulled him to the side. He handed him a healing back and pat his pants before handing him a snack. Or well, a punctured snack.
"You need sugar. Eat this, I'll take over the healing, don't worry."
He gently caressed his cheek, then pulled away. He left an immortality field with him; ready to be used if one of the omnics was to find him in such a state.
The fight continued on and when Baptiste felt some warmth shooting through his body after half an hour or so, he smiled a little.

----

"You know... I got reservations at a fantastic restaurant. But I'm not too sure who to invite."
"I know a guy."
"Is he, by any chance, a dashing ex mercenary from the Caribbean?"
Baptiste chuckled softly and pulled him closer.
"He might just be~"
"Get a room."
Brigitte frowned at them.
"Oooooh moody child."
"You're barely any older!"
"I am."
"This is not about you Baptiste."
"But why not make it about me?"

"Well, if you'd rather have that... I'd gladly take a room."
Lifeweaver pressed himself closer to the other.
"Jesus fuck, Go to your date first."
"Get a grip you two."
Ana passed them to get a tea.
"Brigitte does not deserve this."
"Mh fine then. "
He used the opportunity of being so close to take in Baptiste's facial features. Yeah, safe to say, he will not grow tired of this man.

.....