#there is smth deeply wrong w/ these two (affectionate) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nitewrighter · 4 years

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can you write smth /w zenyatta and baby rei? maybe he's babysitting? that'd be so cute! uvu

Mercy looked over the Shambali preschool as various toddlers babbled and chatted and tumbled over each other while a handful of human and Omnic nursemaids walked around. Rei, about 7 months old then, was making soft noises from the sling across Mercy’s torso, eyes wide, taking in everything.

“We do have a section for younger infants,” said a human nursemaid as Mercy glanced doubtfully between Rei and the group of toddlers, “There’s only about… 2 others around her age range. We assure you she’ll be well-cared for.”

“I’m sure–” said Mercy, readjusting Rei in her sling.

“We’ll only be gone a few hours, anyway,” said Genji.

“And it is the safest option for her, as you stated we don’t really know the status on the other villages’ medical supplies,” said Zenyatta.

“I know…” said Mercy. She huffed and held up Rei. “You’ll be good without me, won’t you, Sunneschii?”

Rei blew a raspberry and kicked her chubby little legs in response.

“I thought so,” said Mercy, smiling before handing Rei off to Zenyatta, before turning her eyes to him, “We’ll be back–”

“In a couple hours, you’ve said,” said Zenyatta.

“Uh… here,” said Genji, shouldering Rei’s diaper bag into the arms of one of the nursemaids.

“Genji–we brought the B-O-O-K, right?” said Mercy.

“It’s in the bag,” said Genji.

“…book?” said Zenyatta and Rei suddenly chirped in response to the word.

“Board book. Again, in the bag. If she gets inconsolable, just read it to her,” said Mercy.

“I see,” said Zenyatta.

“We’ll be back soon, Sunneschii,” said Mercy, kissing Rei’s forehead. Rei cooed and grabbed for Mercy’s fluffy bangs but was thankfully distracted as Genji wiped a little drool away from Rei’s mouth.

“Back before you know it,” said Genji, giving Rei an affectionate tap on the nose as they both broke away from Zenyatta and the group of Shambali nursemaids.

“Give my best to the other villages,” said Zenyatta, waving them off as they walked away. He looked down at Rei in his arms.

“Master Zenyatta, I can direct you to the nursery, they’re all down for a nap right now so–” one of the nursemaids started.

“That will not be necessary,” said Zenyatta, looking down at Rei.

“Master Zenyatta?” the nursemaid said his title in question.

“Years ago I left the Shambali because I believed our message must be shared on an individual level,” said Zenyatta, “While it gives me joy that the Shambali as it stands trusts my leadership, I cannot, in good conscience, forget my beliefs which lead me here,” he readjusted Rei in his arms so that he was holding her at arm’s length, “You are the child of my brightest pupil during that time. It would be remiss if I were to simply hand you off.”

“Afabamla,” Rei responded before blowing spit bubbles.

“Indeed,” said Zenyatta, “You are right. It will be good for both of us to show you the monastery.”

“…she didn’t say that,” said the Shambali nursemaid.

“Come along, little one,” said Zenyatta, floating off with Rei in his arms.

—-

Zenyatta floated at the outermost balcony of the Shambali’s biggest shrine, looking out over the mountains.

“During the Omnic Crisis, the omniums polluted the skies and the waters with smoke, chemicals, and radiation,” said Zenyatta, “But we Shambali have made a point of harnessing the wind and the sun here and the mountains so that we might better find our place in nature,” he looked down at Rei, in the crook of his arm, currently concerned with grabbing her wool-lined booties, “What is our place in nature, I wonder? Is it every species’ fate to create another intelligence in its image? I do believe the need to see oneself beyond oneself exists in this world… that is why you exist.”

“Aga?” Rei was pressing her feet together with her hands.

“It is not your purpose, little one, but the force that brings us into existence is one beyond our control. You couldn’t very well tell your parents to have you, but you are here, and make no mistake, that is a wonderful thing.”

“Mabla,” Rei responded in a tone that almost seemed like ‘Yes, I already knew that.’

“You will find your purpose in this world, I have no doubt of that,” said Zenyatta, “And I think that is the most remarkable thing about any organic–to arrive somewhere, not knowing who you are, or what you’re meant to do, but still making a place for yourself. It’s easier for some than others, but it is there.” Zenyatta looked out over the mountains, “Do you see the turbines?” he asked, pointing to a handful of windmills on a ridge.

“Eh,” said Rei.

“I don’t think anyone comes into this world wanting to cause harm–Perhaps for Omnics it is different–especially if you were a mech built to fight….but wanton cruelty, wanton destruction is not in anyone’s programming. What’s in everyone’s programming is survival. And fear and anger corrupt that,” he looked down at Rei, “Your purpose is your own to decide, little one. And I have no doubt that you will bring wonderful things into this world simply by virtue of your presence. Perhaps not all at once, but in your own way and in your own time.” He brushed a bit of her dark hair before floating off.

—-

“This,” said Zenyatta, floating down some stairs, “Is the inner sanctum.”

He was looking out over the edge of the interior platform with Rei in his arms. Rei made a cooing “Woo-ooh!” noise that echoed down the abyss of the processors.

“Do you know why we call it the Iris, little one?” said Zenyatta, pulling away from the edge so they could both look at the column of data streaming upward from the center of the platform

“Nah?” Rei smacked a tiny palm against Zenyatta’s faceplate, “Natta.”

“In the human eye, the iris responds automatically to the intake of light–expanding and contracting as needed. When an Omnic is destroyed, its memory returns to an unconscious collective shared by all omnics. This… is happening all over the world, as we speak. The Iris is, like an iris in an eye, the gatekeeper of our experiences. If an omnic is made to dig a ditch, not much memory is required of ditch-digging. If 47 omnics are digging the same ditch in the same town, they are sharing the same experience. The Iris decides which experiences are individual and which are that of a group. But there is nuance, in this–whose previous experiences have shifted their perspective of their current experience.”

“Geh,” Rei responded sagely.

“It can be difficult to think of gods as benevolent if they are simply reflections of those who worshipped them,” said Zenyatta, “But… the Iris is not a god. It may be easier for organics to act like it is, and perhaps in some distant authoritative sense it is… but it is no more a god than gravity or electricity is your god. When you are an omnic, you are very lucky to have your memory be your own.” Zenyatta gestured toward the data stream, “Let me show you.”

The holographic column at the center of the platform suddenly warped and shifted, expanding and sending out lines and shapes in every direction. Rei cooed in response as several star-like lights shot out from the column. “It responds to my memories, you understand?” he said, plucking up a single star-like light. Suddenly all the lights dissolved and a hologram of two figures appeared at the center of the inner sanctum. Rei suddenly chirped and bounced up and down in Zenyatta’s arms at the sight of a hologram of Genji getting down on his knees before a hologram of Zenyatta, laying down his sword before him.

“Tekharta Zenyatta,” said the hologram Genji, “I accept you as my teacher, so that I might make peace with my state of being.”

“Agafla! Da! Natta!” Rei was scrambling in Zenyatta’s arms and Zenyatta brought her closer to the hologram so that she could phase her little fingers through it.

“Yes, this was a long time ago,” said Zenyatta, “But it means a lot to me, and thus, it means a lot to the Iris.”

“Natta,” said Rei, waving a little arm at the hologram of Zenyatta.

“Yes, not terribly interesting if—” Zenyatta cut himself off as Rei grunted and furrowed her brow in his arms. “Is something wrong?” said Zenyatta.

Rei had another long, drawn out grunt and then seemed deeply upset.

“What?” said Zenyatta, “What is–” he noticed Rei’s pants weren’t hanging on her in quite the same way and immediately understood. “Ah. I see,” said Zenyatta, quickly hovering away.

—-

“…I can do it, you know,” said the Shambali nursemaid, leaning over Zenyatta’s shoulder as Zenyatta looked at Rei lying down on a blanket with the diaper bag right next to him.

“No. This is necessary to understanding the organic experience,” said Zenyatta, shimmying Rei out of her little pants. Rei was kicking her legs up in her diaper, whining as Zenyatta tried to figure out the next step.

“Those little blue tabs on the sides of the diaper–” said the nursemaid.

“Ah. Yes. I knew that. I was aware of that,” said Zenyatta, undoing the tabs on the side of Rei’s diaper.

“Oh Iris–” said the nursemaid, rearing back at the sight of the interior of the diaper.

“What? Is something wrong?” said Zenyatta, alarmed.

“No that is… that’s just… definitely full…” said the nursemaid, “I’d ask how you didn’t notice earlier but… you don’t have a nose.”

“I do not,” said Zenyatta.

“Ehhhhhhhhhh!” Rei’s voice was a drawn out whine, “Nattaaaaa!”

“What is ‘Natta?” said Zenyatta.

“I don’t know!” said the nursemaid.

“Please stop crying,” said Zenyatta, feverishly trying to calm Rei down, “Please stop crying—”

The nursemaid pretty much backseat drove Zenyatta through the whole process. “Okay–get the dirty diaper out of there–but wait you still have to wipe! Okay now just–wait–Don’t let her turn on her side! Well now she’s upset! You can’t traumatize the kid over a routine diaper change–”

Zenyatta now had three transcendence arms out, one securing Rei by her feet, one holding Rei’s dirty diaper, and one twiddling its fingers in Rei’s face to keep her distracted while Zenyatta positioned a new clean diaper under Rei with his two normal arms.

“Is there anything else?” said Zenyatta.

“Well… some people are big on lotion to prevent chafing…” said the nursemaid but Zenyatta looked helplessly between Rei and her and the Nursemaid said, “You know what? It’s probably fine.”

Zenyatta quickly wrapped Rei up in the new diaper with help from his three transcendence arms before shimmying Rei’s pants back onto her. “There!” said Zenyatta, holding Rei at arm’s length, “I can do organic things!”

“Excellent diapering, Master Zenyatta,” said the nursemaid with a bow of her head.

“I believe you can take things from here–” said Zenyatta, moving to hand Rei over.

Rei suddenly started wailing. “NATTAAAA!” she howled, balling her hands into fists, “NATTAAAA!”

“What did I do?” said Zenyatta, bouncing Rei a little in his arms to try and soothe her.

“I mean at this point it could be anything: tired, gassy, misses her parents…” the nursemaid trailed off, “Probably a combination of all three for her.”

“I see,” said Zenyatta, holding Rei at arm’s length, “Little one, we are going to breathe deep and–”

Rei just wailed louder.

“The book!” said Zenyatta.

“What?” said the nursemaid.

“The book they said to read! There’s a book in the bag!”

The nursemaid rifled through a diaper bag. “Little Lamby Lambkins?” said the nursemaid.

“I don’t know, is it a book?” said Zenyatta.

“It’s the only one in here,” said the nursemaid, tossing Zenyatta a book.

“Please work,” said Zenyatta, flipping the little board book open to the first page.

—-

“I still don’t know–what if I give her measles?” said Mercy as she and Genji were walking back into the Shambali temple.

“She’s vaccinated, you showered, and no one in that village had measles, Angela,” said Genji.

“Right,” said Mercy, “Right.”

The two of them turned around a column to see Zenyatta on a pile of red pillows with Rei asleep in his lap as he read.

“And so, Little Lamby Lambkins and her new bestest best friend, Wolfypoo, played in the meadow all day. The end,” Zenyatta glanced up from the board book to Genji and Mercy, “Ah–Hello. how were the villages?”

“They…” Genji started, stunned, “They were…”

“You got her to fall asleep?!” said Mercy, incredulously.

“Is it difficult to make her fall asleep?” said Zenyatta.

Mercy was slack-jawed as Zenyatta took Rei up in his arms and floated over to them. “She is quite remarkable, my student,” said Zenyatta, handing Rei over to Genji.

“Yeah… we… we think so too,” said Genji, taking Rei from him.

Rei’s eyes opened blearily in Genji’s arms and she curled against him.

“Hello, sunshine,” said Genji, cuddling her close.

“And she… wasn’t any trouble?” said Mercy.

“She is incredibly receptive,” said Zenyatta.

Rei’s eyes flicked from Genji to Zenyatta.

“Natta!” she said, reaching her chubby little hands toward Zenyatta.

“’Natta’ indeed, little one,” said Zenyatta, extending a transcendance hand and wiggling his fingers in her face and letting her grab them.

“Master, I think you’re Natta,” said Genji.

“I am?” said Zenyatta before clearing his throat, “Yes. I’m Natta. I knew that.”

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