[He's arranging ingredients on the table top, giving the milk and butter a cursory sniff to make sure he won't inadvertently poison them both. Not that he thinks it will happen, given his constitution and Genji's mostly-roboticness, but better safe than sorry. When he finds everything satisfactory, he starts to measure things out.]
You do any cooking before Overwatch?
[Jack kind of doubts it, given Genji's upbringing, but it's a fairly innocuous conversation to have while he's making pancake batter.]
[ Almost immediately, Genji locates a bowl that he thinks should be an appropriate size and reaches up to place it on the counter. He hops to his feet then, not wanting to crowd Jack as he works, but still wanting to be on-hand for anything else he might need. So he takes a few steps back. ]
Not much, I have to admit. There was always someone to do the cooking for us.
[ Genji's mainly just glad that Jack is actually asking these sorts of questions. It feels more and more like they're becoming friends, rather than just allies. ]
I learned a bit more when I was in Nepal, out of necessity, but I can't claim to be any good at it.
[There’s a little laugh in the back of his throat as he imagines Genji’s adolescence, something that’s otherwise more-or-less consigned to old dossiers. Jack shakes his head as he starts dumping things into the bowl, less measuring and more guessing based on his best recollection. Luckily, pancakes are a skill he took with him into his adult life, making them for Ana some mornings, so it all comes back to him fairly quickly.
Genji might not have much cooking talent, but Jack isn’t about to let him get away without doing some work. He pours the milk into the dry ingredients, then hands Genji the bowl and the whisk.]
[ The fact that Jack can measure out the ingredients by eye rather than having to turn to a recipe and then make use of measuring cups or spoons is truly impressive to someone like Genji, who only picked up some basic cooking skills as an adult. Still, praising Jack for something that should actually be quite simple is likely only going to reinforce just how useless Genji is in the kitchen, so he remains quiet.
Up until a bowl and a whisk are shoved at him, anyway. Genji takes both items almost on autopilot, then glances down at the bowl of ingredients. Mixing something together shouldn't be much of an ask, and as Jack says, it would be almost impossible for him to get it wrong at this stage. ]
... Of course.
[ He moves to set the bowl on the open space on the countertop and then gets whisking away. In fact, he's so eager and invested in what he's doing that small chunks of the batter end up flying out of the bowl.
Ah. A bit slower, then. He adjusts his stirring pace. ]
[He makes no promises about the quality of the pancakes, of course—but he is fairly certain they will be edible. While Genji stirs, Jack starts heating a pan and pulls a plate out of the cabinet, somewhere to set aside the finished pancakes while he makes them. The splatter, however, does not go unnoticed.]
It’s not a race.
[The next thing Jack does is toss a dish towel in Genji’s general direction, a clear indication that he should wipe up the mess before he goes any further.]
[ That admonishing tone is enough to make Genji laugh, even as the dish towel hits him in the chest and then ends up draped over one metal arm. He sets down the whisk for a moment and grabs for the towel, wiping up the mess. ]
You're right. I only wanted to make certain it was mixed well enough.
[ Now that he has a better idea of what rate to stir at, the rest of the whisking goes much more smoothly. It isn't long before he speaks up again, and there's a hint of nostalgic yearning in his voice when he does. ]
Are you an only child? Having a sibling, growing up it felt like everything had to be a competition.
[ Had they ever been allowed in the kitchen, Genji and Hanzo would have absolutely fought over who could mix batter fastest. ]
[He leans over to inspect the contents of the bowl—make sure there are no dry pockets of flour, and nods in approval. Your task is completed, Genji. Please set it on the counter. Jack still has to wait a few minutes for the pan to heat up, so he folds his arms and leans back against the cabinets, one eye on the stove.]
No siblings.
[Perhaps surprising, given the fact that he’d grown up on a farm and his parents might have wanted extra help, but he is, in fact, an only child, and the list of his living relatives is increasingly short. Jack thinks he prefers it that way, given how famous he’d become and how hard he’d fallen—that his parents weren’t around for that and he didn’t have any brothers or sisters to witness it either.
That said, he knows what friendly competition is like.]
[ When Jack indicates that Genji's done enough, he reaches forward to set down the bowl and then takes a step back. That cloth is used to wipe any splatters of batter or powder from his arms. If anything dried on the metal, it could end up being a pain to get it off, so best to take care of it now.
It isn't that surprising to hear that Jack is an only child, if only because he'd at one point been so much in the public eye. If he'd had any siblings, surely the media would have reported on them or interviewed them at some point, during Overwatch's glory days. ]
Ah... as much as I'd like to say that they're more trouble than they're worth, I would likely be a very different person if it weren't for Hanzo's influence in my life.
[ They'd each shaped each other, hardening and softening edges in turn. As turbulent as their relationship might be, Genji can't imagine a life without Hanzo.
It's not the easiest thing to talk about, but Zenyatta has taught him that it's much better to get these things off your chest. ]
[He has an eyebrow raised, because Hanzo’s “influence” on Genji should be obvious. Jack is surprised that Genji even brings him up, given how painful it must be to remember that particular betrayal. Perhaps they had a happy enough childhood that Genji is able to look back on things fondly, but Jack has read the dossiers. He can’t imagine that it was easy, to grow up within the Shimada family.
Jack swirls butter around in the pan, making sure it’s foaming a little before he spoons in the first pancake.]
[ That hadn't actually been what Genji was referring to, though he can see how Jack would have misinterpreted. It's true that Genji was irrevocably changed by Hanzo's attempt to murder him; it's impossible to ignore, especially for the man who'd chosen to recruit him.
But there had been years and years of interaction with each other which led up to that. There had been plenty of exchanges which had nothing to do with Hanzo's ultimate decision.
Genji watches as the batter sizzles in the pan, almost seeming mesmerized by it, but in truth he's thinking back to that fateful night. ]
I found him. Not that he made it particularly difficult. Every night on the anniversary of my "death," he would return to Shimada Castle.
[Jack waits patiently for the batter to bubble before he flips the pancake—his eyes are on the skillet, but he doesn’t need to look at Genji to listen to him. Somehow none of this is surprising.]
Sounds sentimental.
[He can understand it--that particular regret. He hasn't been back to the site of HQ since it went up in flames, but he has visited his own grave. There's not much more sentimental than that.]
Have you been back since? Independent of your brother.
[ It's somewhat surprising that Jack doesn't ask for more details about how the encounter had gone, but Genji finds himself strangely relieved that he doesn't press on that point. It's still a fresh wound and while he's ultimately decided to forgive Hanzo, their relationship won't be mended until Hanzo takes that step for himself.
It feels like there is still a long road ahead of them.
Genji shakes his head, then clears his throat. ]
No, I haven't. There isn't much to see there anymore.
[ It's not that the clan doesn't still exist, but without Genji or Hanzo there to take the reins, it's a ghost of its past self. Likely for the best, given the blood that had been spilled for the Shimada clan to rise in power. ]
[Most of his involvement with the Shimada clan (pre-Genji) was via Overwatch dossiers and missing reports. They've since lost some of their position, and if Hanzo has no interest in coming back to lead, Jack doubts they'll end up being major players in the coming conflict.
Of course, who knows what Talon has up their sleeves? Jack frowns, and flips the first pancake out onto a plate.]
[ Since Genji doesn't know much about cooking, let alone pancakes, it feels like a terrible tease when Jack removes the first pancake and then makes a point of telling him not to eat it.
He turns toward him, his scarred face pinching into a frown. ]
Why not?
[ He inhales through his nose, then slowly lets the breath out again. ]
I can still smell, you know! And this is a wonderful scent.
[The good news is that Jack is producing a second pancake, quickly followed by a third. The subsequent offerings are browned more evenly, less blotchy than the first attempt. After a few moments, he has a small stack ready, which he slides across the counter to Genji.]
[ Now that the batter's been made and the pan is hot, the pancakes come out in quick succession, and soon enough there is a small stack for him to enjoy. When the plate slides over, Genji steps toward it.
It's only then that he realizes that they're missing a topping of some sort. Instead of rooting around in the fridge without permission, however, he simply plucks the top pancake off of the stack and takes a bite out of it as-is.
It's chewy, still hot, and it tastes just faintly of vanilla. He makes a noise of approval and nods. ]
As I suspected, it's good! You should try one as well.
[Jack is content to watch Genji enjoy his, first. He’s not much of a chef, but he knows his way around a few things, and pancakes are apparently one of them. Jack digs around in the fridge for butter and syrup—the former the keep around, the latter is just a little too specialized. He emerges with a half-used jar of some kind of fruit preserves, which he sets down on the counter for Genji.]
[ Genji is not subtle in the way that he eyes the preserves, eager for extra flavor. He'll wait to eat another pancake after Jack has agreed to have one himself, and so instead he moves in at Jack's side to watch the cooking process with a closer eye. ]
I did prepare my own meals during my time in Nepal, but they were quite simple.
[ A pause, and he slides over to a more personal question that he's hopeful Jack won't find a way to dodge. ]
Do you do more of the cooking, then, or does Captain Amari?
[Jack isn't really indulging in this kind of thing much either, for obvious reasons. Even now, he still thinks it's kind of a miracle they were able to scrounge up all the necessary ingredients. Best not take it for granted--not that he's worried about finishing the pancakes himself, if Genji can't.
That said, he seems to have no problem answering the question, as if he doesn't even realize it involves personal information.]
Ana can't cook.
[He says that matter-of-factly. It's not like he's doing much on a culinary level, but he can keep himself (and by extension, Ana) fed. That's what he considers most important.]
[ It's not the answer that Genji's expecting, and he's dead silent for a moment as it sinks in. He hadn't paid much attention to the personal habits of the other key members of Overwatch back when he'd been part of the organization, too wrapped up in his own troubles. But this is still a shock. ]
Is that so... I would have thought she'd have to know, with her daughter, but...
[ Genji truly doesn't know the first thing about child-rearing, so he trails off there. He would not want to speak out of turn. Even now, he can recognize that Ana Amari is a fearsome woman when she wants to be.
[Jack gives Genji a withering glance. Ana is many wonderful things, of course, but a cook she is not. The good news is that Jack is competent enough to take care of them both--or, the three of them, if that's how things are going to be for the immediate future. It's a small concession, recognizing that Genji is going to be around for a while.]
Don't get too excited. I don't have a big repertoire.
[ That looks that Jack gives him really says it all. Genji makes a mental note to prepare some polite phrases for declining Ana's offer to cook him something, if it comes up in the future. He's sure that he'll manage something...
At Jack's warning, Genji quickly shakes his head. ] Don't worry! Even a small gesture like this is still more than enough. [ He's certainly not expecting any elaborate meals, given their current living situation and their need to keep their heads down. He'll take what he can get, and it's certainly better than what he'd had to contend with while living with a group of beings that didn't need to eat at all. ]
I appreciate you letting me stay here as well.
[ He realizes how much he's asking. But he also suspects it will be for the best, in the end. ]
[Jack has the distinct feeling that Ana will come back and they'll both be in trouble for gossiping. Don't ask him how she'll know--she just will. He shakes his head a little at the thought, and at Genji circling back around to the issue of letting him stay.
It's not really an issue--at least, Jack doesn't worry about it in the way he used to. Some time to come to terms with it has helped.]
[ Just like that, they're past it? Genji raises a single eyebrow, but this is preferable to what he'd had to contend with before, with Jack being so resistant to letting him into his life. ]
I'll stop thanking you if you stop questioning whether or not I truly want to be here. How does that sound?
[ It will save them a whole lot of trouble. Genji quirks a smile, watching as the pile of pancakes continues to grow. ]
We're going to have quite the feast by the end of this!
[He'll concede for now, and pretend like he's concentrating very hard on finishing off the pancakes. It's definitely too much for Genji to eat, if he's to be believed, but Jack does not seem concerned. Whatever they don't finish, he'll eat later--if he doesn't take care of it all by himself.
He already knows the answer, but he's not going to pass up the chance to learn a little more about Genji.]
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no subject
[He's arranging ingredients on the table top, giving the milk and butter a cursory sniff to make sure he won't inadvertently poison them both. Not that he thinks it will happen, given his constitution and Genji's mostly-roboticness, but better safe than sorry. When he finds everything satisfactory, he starts to measure things out.]
You do any cooking before Overwatch?
[Jack kind of doubts it, given Genji's upbringing, but it's a fairly innocuous conversation to have while he's making pancake batter.]
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Not much, I have to admit. There was always someone to do the cooking for us.
[ Genji's mainly just glad that Jack is actually asking these sorts of questions. It feels more and more like they're becoming friends, rather than just allies. ]
I learned a bit more when I was in Nepal, out of necessity, but I can't claim to be any good at it.
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Genji might not have much cooking talent, but Jack isn’t about to let him get away without doing some work. He pours the milk into the dry ingredients, then hands Genji the bowl and the whisk.]
Thankfully, pancakes are pretty hard to mess up.
no subject
Up until a bowl and a whisk are shoved at him, anyway. Genji takes both items almost on autopilot, then glances down at the bowl of ingredients. Mixing something together shouldn't be much of an ask, and as Jack says, it would be almost impossible for him to get it wrong at this stage. ]
... Of course.
[ He moves to set the bowl on the open space on the countertop and then gets whisking away. In fact, he's so eager and invested in what he's doing that small chunks of the batter end up flying out of the bowl.
Ah. A bit slower, then. He adjusts his stirring pace. ]
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It’s not a race.
[The next thing Jack does is toss a dish towel in Genji’s general direction, a clear indication that he should wipe up the mess before he goes any further.]
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You're right. I only wanted to make certain it was mixed well enough.
[ Now that he has a better idea of what rate to stir at, the rest of the whisking goes much more smoothly. It isn't long before he speaks up again, and there's a hint of nostalgic yearning in his voice when he does. ]
Are you an only child? Having a sibling, growing up it felt like everything had to be a competition.
[ Had they ever been allowed in the kitchen, Genji and Hanzo would have absolutely fought over who could mix batter fastest. ]
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[He leans over to inspect the contents of the bowl—make sure there are no dry pockets of flour, and nods in approval. Your task is completed, Genji. Please set it on the counter. Jack still has to wait a few minutes for the pan to heat up, so he folds his arms and leans back against the cabinets, one eye on the stove.]
No siblings.
[Perhaps surprising, given the fact that he’d grown up on a farm and his parents might have wanted extra help, but he is, in fact, an only child, and the list of his living relatives is increasingly short. Jack thinks he prefers it that way, given how famous he’d become and how hard he’d fallen—that his parents weren’t around for that and he didn’t have any brothers or sisters to witness it either.
That said, he knows what friendly competition is like.]
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It isn't that surprising to hear that Jack is an only child, if only because he'd at one point been so much in the public eye. If he'd had any siblings, surely the media would have reported on them or interviewed them at some point, during Overwatch's glory days. ]
Ah... as much as I'd like to say that they're more trouble than they're worth, I would likely be a very different person if it weren't for Hanzo's influence in my life.
[ They'd each shaped each other, hardening and softening edges in turn. As turbulent as their relationship might be, Genji can't imagine a life without Hanzo.
It's not the easiest thing to talk about, but Zenyatta has taught him that it's much better to get these things off your chest. ]
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[He has an eyebrow raised, because Hanzo’s “influence” on Genji should be obvious. Jack is surprised that Genji even brings him up, given how painful it must be to remember that particular betrayal. Perhaps they had a happy enough childhood that Genji is able to look back on things fondly, but Jack has read the dossiers. He can’t imagine that it was easy, to grow up within the Shimada family.
Jack swirls butter around in the pan, making sure it’s foaming a little before he spoons in the first pancake.]
You ever get in touch with him?
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But there had been years and years of interaction with each other which led up to that. There had been plenty of exchanges which had nothing to do with Hanzo's ultimate decision.
Genji watches as the batter sizzles in the pan, almost seeming mesmerized by it, but in truth he's thinking back to that fateful night. ]
I found him. Not that he made it particularly difficult. Every night on the anniversary of my "death," he would return to Shimada Castle.
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Sounds sentimental.
[He can understand it--that particular regret. He hasn't been back to the site of HQ since it went up in flames, but he has visited his own grave. There's not much more sentimental than that.]
Have you been back since? Independent of your brother.
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It feels like there is still a long road ahead of them.
Genji shakes his head, then clears his throat. ]
No, I haven't. There isn't much to see there anymore.
[ It's not that the clan doesn't still exist, but without Genji or Hanzo there to take the reins, it's a ghost of its past self. Likely for the best, given the blood that had been spilled for the Shimada clan to rise in power. ]
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[Most of his involvement with the Shimada clan (pre-Genji) was via Overwatch dossiers and missing reports. They've since lost some of their position, and if Hanzo has no interest in coming back to lead, Jack doubts they'll end up being major players in the coming conflict.
Of course, who knows what Talon has up their sleeves? Jack frowns, and flips the first pancake out onto a plate.]
Don't eat that one.
[The first pancake is always the worst one.]
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He turns toward him, his scarred face pinching into a frown. ]
Why not?
[ He inhales through his nose, then slowly lets the breath out again. ]
I can still smell, you know! And this is a wonderful scent.
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[The good news is that Jack is producing a second pancake, quickly followed by a third. The subsequent offerings are browned more evenly, less blotchy than the first attempt. After a few moments, he has a small stack ready, which he slides across the counter to Genji.]
First one's always a test.
no subject
It's only then that he realizes that they're missing a topping of some sort. Instead of rooting around in the fridge without permission, however, he simply plucks the top pancake off of the stack and takes a bite out of it as-is.
It's chewy, still hot, and it tastes just faintly of vanilla. He makes a noise of approval and nods. ]
As I suspected, it's good! You should try one as well.
no subject
[Jack is content to watch Genji enjoy his, first. He’s not much of a chef, but he knows his way around a few things, and pancakes are apparently one of them. Jack digs around in the fridge for butter and syrup—the former the keep around, the latter is just a little too specialized. He emerges with a half-used jar of some kind of fruit preserves, which he sets down on the counter for Genji.]
You never have pancakes before, or something?
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[ Genji is not subtle in the way that he eyes the preserves, eager for extra flavor. He'll wait to eat another pancake after Jack has agreed to have one himself, and so instead he moves in at Jack's side to watch the cooking process with a closer eye. ]
I did prepare my own meals during my time in Nepal, but they were quite simple.
[ A pause, and he slides over to a more personal question that he's hopeful Jack won't find a way to dodge. ]
Do you do more of the cooking, then, or does Captain Amari?
no subject
[Jack isn't really indulging in this kind of thing much either, for obvious reasons. Even now, he still thinks it's kind of a miracle they were able to scrounge up all the necessary ingredients. Best not take it for granted--not that he's worried about finishing the pancakes himself, if Genji can't.
That said, he seems to have no problem answering the question, as if he doesn't even realize it involves personal information.]
Ana can't cook.
[He says that matter-of-factly. It's not like he's doing much on a culinary level, but he can keep himself (and by extension, Ana) fed. That's what he considers most important.]
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Is that so... I would have thought she'd have to know, with her daughter, but...
[ Genji truly doesn't know the first thing about child-rearing, so he trails off there. He would not want to speak out of turn. Even now, he can recognize that Ana Amari is a fearsome woman when she wants to be.
After a brief pause, he lets out a small laugh. ]
In that case, I'm glad we have you.
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Don't get too excited. I don't have a big repertoire.
[Hope Genji likes frozen tater tots!]
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At Jack's warning, Genji quickly shakes his head. ] Don't worry! Even a small gesture like this is still more than enough. [ He's certainly not expecting any elaborate meals, given their current living situation and their need to keep their heads down. He'll take what he can get, and it's certainly better than what he'd had to contend with while living with a group of beings that didn't need to eat at all. ]
I appreciate you letting me stay here as well.
[ He realizes how much he's asking. But he also suspects it will be for the best, in the end. ]
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It's not really an issue--at least, Jack doesn't worry about it in the way he used to. Some time to come to terms with it has helped.]
We're past that point.
[Genji lives here now, apparently.]
Are you just gonna keep thanking me?
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I'll stop thanking you if you stop questioning whether or not I truly want to be here. How does that sound?
[ It will save them a whole lot of trouble. Genji quirks a smile, watching as the pile of pancakes continues to grow. ]
We're going to have quite the feast by the end of this!
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[He'll concede for now, and pretend like he's concentrating very hard on finishing off the pancakes. It's definitely too much for Genji to eat, if he's to be believed, but Jack does not seem concerned. Whatever they don't finish, he'll eat later--if he doesn't take care of it all by himself.
He already knows the answer, but he's not going to pass up the chance to learn a little more about Genji.]
You said you don't eat much, though.
(no subject)