“This isn’t goodbye,” with Genji.
“No,” you insisted quietly, sadly.
“You are being dramatic,” Genji said gently.
His thumbs brushed your tears away. You seized his wrists, hoping to keep him close, even though you knew he had to leave. Overwatch called him away from you. He answered, a debt weighing on his soul after taking so much in his younger years.
You couldn’t follow him just yet. Or maybe at all. The details hadn’t been worked out. You had just established yourself a good life here, with Genji. You kept him rooted to this home, and he kept you rooted to reality. He was your rock, something solid to lean against when things were tough. He kept you laughing when you were down. You couldn’t believe it was being pulled out from under you.
“I’m not!” you insisted. “I’m used to you being here. What am I going to do?”
“I will call you.” Genji cupped your face with you still clinging to his wrists. “You know this.”
“What if I need to hold your hand?” you asked, covering one of his hands with yours.
“I will return to you,” he said. “This isn’t goodbye.”
You finally nodded. You trusted him. His hands slipped behind your head to pull you in for a tight hug. Fresh tears squeezed out of your eyes, because you knew you wouldn’t get to hold him for a while.
“You will be fine. You are stronger than you believe.”
The words would sink in later when you stood alone in your home, with only yourself to rely on. For now, you cried like a child while he approached the side of the train, intending to stow away on it.
“Call me tomorrow!” you called after him. “Please,” you added, voice cracking.
“Of course!” he called back over his shoulder, climbing the side of the train car.
The train pulled away, kicking up dust that clung to your tear-stained cheeks. Giving you a neglected look.