#derpy dragon

Such was not the case.

In fact, it was so far from the case that Genji didn’t know how it had become what it had.

Well... they had to resort to going down into the village and buying a small cake, but that wasn’t what Genji was currently looking at.

No, what he was currently looking at, was Gwawr and his dragon, covered in what looked like soot and snow, and giving him wide-eyed expressions as if they hadn’t the slightest idea of why he didn’t seem happy to see them.

“Gwawr, I don’t know what you got into, but you’re covered in soot. The snow I can understand, but the soot? Go clean up. As for you, my dear dragon,” Genji simply plucked his now-black-but-formerly-a-bright-green dragon off Gwawr’s shoulder and held him up to his face. “You are going to get a bath.”

“I help?” She sounded far too eager for his liking and Genji immediately found himself shaking his head.

“No, go clean up. Once I am done with my dragon-”

“Noodle. Name is Noodle.”

Genji stared at her. “His name is not noodle!” He couldn’t help the incredulous tone even as she stared at him, unrepentant about the soot, rapidly melting snow, or the name she had given his dragon.

“Then what is?”

“His name is-” Genji had to pause. What had he named his dragon? It had been ears ago, but he knew that he had named his companion. Actually... he frowned and looked at the soot-covered creature, one who was giving him a slight mournful and regretful look. 

Hadn’t he once had two? Just like his brother? He hadn’t questioned the appearance of only one after Mercy had patched him back together, hadn’t felt the need to question it, because seeing only one had seemed right.

And yet he distinctly recalled once having two green dragons.

“Gen?” Blinking, Genji looked at Gwawr, actually being startled out of his thoughts. “Okay?” Gwawr gave him a slightly concerned look, her head tilted to the side in a way that reminded him rather strongly of the Omnic monks when something confused them.

“Yes, Gwawr, I’m alright.” He tucked the dragon into his arms and pointed a finger at her. “Go clean up.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re dirty.”

“Why?”

Was she really doing this? “Because you got into something you shouldn’t have, and now you need to change or you might end up catching a cold.”

There was silence for a bit and Genji took that as a sign that she was willing to agree to his command and started to usher her back towards her room.

“Why?”

Praise kami, was this something he had done to his brother that he was now being on the receiving end of?

Genji found himself distinctly remembering a time before his teen years where he had done the ‘why’ game with his brother, just to test where his brother’s patience lied.

This must be karma. 

“To what?” He knew how to play this game, and he knew that all he had to do was outlast her patience.

“All that.”

Pushing her into her room, Genji sighed softly. “I have no idea what you got into, so I cannot say. As for the cold... I’d much rather not risk it.”

“Why?”

Was that a tick he felt on his brow? No, I will not lose this battle! Hanzo had the same tick when he was about to lose his patience and Genji did not want to follow that same path.

“Because I care about you.”

He saw her stiffen, but tried to dismiss it as he went about gathering up a clean set of clothes and setting up a bath. He would step out while she took the bath, but he would take a cloth to his dragon.

“Gen?” The wavering note to the nickname had Genji immediately turning to look at her and he found himself freezing at the sight of her slightly watery eyes as she stared at him. “True?”

“...Is it true that I care about you?” Was that what had her looking at him in disbelief? As if she didn’t know if she could believe what he had said?

His incredulity changed to rage when she nodded and he had to bite it back, shove it into the dark corners of his heart where the rest of it was. He didn’t want to frighten her, to make her think that the rage was directed at her when it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

As it was, Genji was certain that, if he ever found out where she hailed from, and if the people she came from were still alive, he would show them just what he thought of their treatment of Gwawr.

“Gwawr, I will always care about you.” He said it slowly, trying to stress how important this was. “Nothing you say or do, now or in the future, will change that.” His dragon yowled in agreement, paws flailing as it wiggled desperately in his grasp.

When he saw the tears build up in her eyes, Genji tossed his dragon at her and simply watched as she scrambled to catch it - kami damn those stutters! No child should have such problems!

His dragon had no problems in showing her what he wanted to do, but because of his form and the various wires and harsh edges didn’t dare to. Curling about her slight frame, his dragon mewled and chirped, nudging and nuzzling her in comfort as he climbed and clung to her in what could only be its version of a hug.

It even went so far as to lick up the some of the tears that spilled from her eyes.

“Gwawr...” How was it... no, why was it that such statements seemed to move her to tears, as if she either never heard such words before or didn’t believe anyone could care for her.

If it was the former... he’d be having words with her former caretakers once he found out who they were.

If it was the latter... he’d need to have words with both Tekhartha Mondatta and Tekhartha Zenyatta.

Walking towards her, Genji gently cupped her face between his hands and made her look at him. The expression she fixed him with made his heart wrench and ache and he couldn’t help the broken, keening whine that left him. He wasn’t surprised when Gwawr mimicked the sound or even when she clutched at his dragon, holding the serpentine form close.

“Gwawr, clean up. I will be outside. There is something I want to show you.” How he managed to get the words out he wasn’t all that sure, but he was glad he did. Her expression changed only just enough to show her curiosity and then she broke their gaze to look down at his dragon before back up at him, a pleading expression fully on her face.

He didn’t need her to vocalize what she wanted to know and Genji sighed before nodding. Pulling his hands back, he stood up and looked down at her. “Remember, clean up and then come out. Today is special.” He didn’t stay long enough to answer the question that was now on her face.

Instead, Genji had to lean against the wall just outside her room and closed his eyes. 

Between being on the receiving end of the same antics he had done to Hanzo and the boiling rage that almost always seemed to be just short of seeing him go out and hunt down the ones responsible for Gwawr being here... he was starting to wonder just how he was going to keep his sanity.