Etsuko the damned

I had to. 

Roadhog: Yeah, about three billion.

Junkrat: Do you know how many of them I’ve slept with?

Roadhog: Yep.

Junkrat: None.

Roadhog: Yeah, I know.

Junkrat: I mean, statistically that’s really quite phenomenal, isn’t it?

Roadhog: Not for an ugly bastard like you it isn’t.

Junkrat: I wonder what sort of great girl would suit me?

Roadhog: Blind one. Well, blind deaf masochist really

Lucio: Right! what's Lena's deal? She single?

Genji: ...no. She has a girlfriend.

Tracer: Sorry, love.

Lucio: (disappointed pout)

Genji: The question is; Who here does the best impression of Hanzo Shimada? You will be judged on voice, body language and overall lack of flair. Everyone will perform the same scenario... (holds up a dish) ...Hanzo eating a marshmallow for the first time. Let the Hanzoff begin!

McCree: (examining a marshmallow) What is this glutenous monstrosity before me?

Mei: (eating one) The sugar in this is quite sweet.

Junkrat: (high-pitched giggle of delight with a marshmallow in his mouth)

Lucio: Really, dude? THAT'S your Hanzo impression?

Junkrat: I can hear 'im doing that, alright?!

D.Va: It looks like a sticky pillow.

Genji: (presses marshmallow uselessly against his face plate and lets it fall onto the table) I don't care for it. Dramatic music.

(everyone laughs)

Hanzo: (entering) What in the name of Amaterasu is going on in here?

Genji: Oh! Um....

McCree: We're just sharin' marshmallows. You want one?

Hanzo: (taking one) Hmm... marshed-mallow...

(He pops it into his mouth, chews for a moment, then lets out a high-pitched giggle of delight)

Papa II: “No… you don’t need the sugar.”

III: “But brother I wish to ‘unleash the beast’.”

II: *folds arms*

I think meihem/junkmei can EASILY be super toxic and terrible if you portray it where junkrat just keeps harassing mei until she somehow likes him. I get it, because the “he’s teasing you/chasing you/bothering you because he likes you trope has some terrible consequences IRL. Don’t romanticize it. (You can portray something in a ship without romanticizing it, doesn’t mean you approve of that behavior, it could just mean you’re keeping to canon.) 

Even though I can be a sucker for it, I also know that the whole “woman changing a man from his evil ways” thing is problematic. The pure girl gets with evil guy is a popular trend that you gotta really understand isn’t usually healthy and even if you like it you can’t get upset that other people hate it. And I admit I fall for it every time but I won’t defend it from people who are tired of it because it’s justified. 

BUT that’s not the meihem I ship at all and the ship didn’t appeal to me for that reason whatsoever. I’m sure for others it’s the same. I don’t even need them to be in a romantic relationship honestly. They can be bros. What I saw was Junkrat for ONCE actually trying to make conversation that has nothing to do with explosions and destruction, and being extremely awkward when trying to talk to Mei. I don’t know WHY Blizzard had one of the few interactions Junkrat has with other heroes be with Mei out of anyone else, but it just stuck in my head and I couldn’t shake it. It’s a ship that I feel snuck up on the fandom, and I get that seeing it a lot more lately then we see some ships that were popular for a while might be annoying. Esp because it’s a het ship and I think OW has been great for queer ships and like, everyone in OW is gay ok it’s fact lol So like, I get it ya’ll. I know some people feel like this ship is literally satan and while the extreme level of passion behind the hate confuses me a bit, I understand. 

I don’t like meihem because I think mei is going to “save” Junkrat from his evil ways. I don’t get off on Junkrat ignoring Mei’s feelings and being pushy! I just really think it’s a ridiculously cute and touching idea that Junkrat would want to change HIMSELF because he actually cares what Mei thinks because Mei honestly cares about everyone, even people she thinks are bullies and doesn’t like, and that touched him. You’re telling me you’ve never checked yourself for being problematic and tried to do better? And FAILED? And then tried again until you got it right? I just think it’s cute having him honestly try his best to be a pal but just comes off as a loon and Mei is like :/?? I don’t think Mei HATES him, I just don’t think she particularly cares for him. But that’s also because she doesn’t really know much about J and what she does know she doesn’t agree with. Doesn’t mean she despises his very existence.  Even if she did know more about his past and STILL hated him, that doesn’t make the idea that their feelings toward each other change over time immediately toxic. I think Mei might learn to be have a little reckless fun sometimes and J could learn to you know, not be an ass lol. People can change. People can grow and heal.  It’s not unhealthy to want to change for someone else. You’re allowed to give someone a second chance.  

I think Mei is incredibly kind, and maybe Junkrat is disarmed by the fact that he isn’t worthy of that kindness in her eyes, and then on top of that he’s floored by the fact that she would still help him if he was in a jam. That’s just how Mei is. Maybe he kind of admires her for that and wants to be better. And I don’t understand why some people in the OW fandom romanticize Reaper/76 and Widowmaker/Tracer and then hate Junkmei because J is a criminal. Like that honestly confuses me. 

Roadhog dealing with Junkrat’s gangrene-ridden limbs just days after Junkrat hired him.

Based on Chapter 1: Pain of the fanfic Kabobs by brickinthewall and maximum124