The Girly Watch Remade

Chapter 2 (Dreaming)

Slivers of golden sunlight pried through the narrow gaps where the smart-tint didn't quite meet the windowsill, bathing Lena Oxton's bedroom in a soft, diffuse glow. The former Overwatch pilot and commander - a woman whose accolades and titles stretched into seeming infinity - groaned in frustration. Pulling the crisp white sheets up over her face, she squeezed her eyes shut like a petulant child refusing to be awoken for school.

The muffled staccato of heels clicking outside her door made Lena curse the thin walls. One exploratory eye cracked open, squinting against the morning rays. Her gaze fell upon the large Overwatch insignia poster hanging opposite the bed: "Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!"

Mei's gentle voice echoed through Lena's memory, that personal mantra and motto her friend had embodied with such heroic zeal. A pang of...something...longing? Regret? Tugged at Lena's chest.

Groaning again, she stretched her slender arms overhead, fingertips brushing against the headboard. In one fluid motion, she gripped the top sheet and flung it off, exposing the skintight orange bodysuit she typically wore during patrols.

The faint bite of cool air pebbled her exposed skin as Lena swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. Reaching up, she snagged her zip-up jacket from the peg on the wall, pressing her nose into the soft lining and inhaling the comforting aroma of fabric softener and...ozone?

Yes, the ever-present electrostatic tinge of her accelerator clung to the fibers, an indelible reminder.

Crossing the plush bedroom carpet, Lena passed through the automatic bathroom door. She deftly peeled off the sweat-wicking undersuit, draping it over the hamper with a deft flick. Padding over to the main mirror, she leaned in, studying her reflection - the dusting of freckles across her cheeks, the messy tangle of brunette bedhead, the peculiar lack of fatigue rimming her warm brown eyes despite another seemingly sleepless night.

Unconsciously, Lena's fingers traced the teardrop-shaped gemstone resting in the pearl white metal necklace at the base of her throat. A series of hairline fractures webbed outward from its core, glinting with an azure luminescence that pulsed in time with her heartbeat.

Her gaze drifted over to the shelf where her previous chronal accelerator rested, its round hollow chamber dull and inert compared to the pulsing glow of the smaller newer version which rested on her neck.

With a lingering look over her shoulder at the strange artifact hanging from her neck, Lena turned on the shower stream. Tendrils of steam began to unfurl as the bathroom filled with the invigorating fragrances of exotic soaps.

Stepping under the hot torrents, she closed her eyes and simply existed within that fleeting, quiet solitude. The mattress of heated water melted the lingering tension from her shoulders as Lena allowed her mind to go deliciously blank, unraveling the endless cyclical thoughts...for now.

Because she knew all too well, such peaceful moments never lasted. Sooner than she'd like, the world would come calling with all its insistent needs and demands.

But for these precious few minutes, Tracer could simply be Lena - just another young woman savoring the simple routines of a quiet morning before inevitably being propelled into the maelstrom once more. "how boring." Lena thought.

The gentle whistle of the electric kettle summoned Lena from her bedroom, bare feet padding across the hardwood floors of the open living area. She cinched her navy blue bathrobe tighter as the chill morning air raised goosebumps along her skin.

Grabbing her favorite mug from the dish rack, Lena prepared a steaming cup of bitter tea - a bracing shock to fully rouse her senses. She was just taking her first meditative sip when the staccato clicking of heels announced her roommate's arrival.