Symmetra sat, cross-legged, in the precise centre of her bed. The hotel room the Vishkar Corporation had booked for her was very nice. Very neat. Symmetra could picture every detail of it, even with her eyes closed. Vishkar knew her needs, and with their riches China was no different to anywhere else. In here, anyway. Down on the streets it was so busy, so disorganised. It reminded her of home, and not in a good way. She preferred to remain in her hotel room, her private sanctuary, where she could concentrate on her designs.
A knock at the door disturbed Symmetra's thoughts. Her mouth tightened into a thin frown. She hated interruptions, and she had left very precise instructions with the hotel staff. There should not have been any maid service. Symmetra stood up, and crossed the floor to the door. She looked through the peephole, and found herself staring right at Lena Oxton - Tracer - still dressed in her pilot's jumpsuit.
"Can I come in?" Tracer chirped, the moment Symmetra opened the door. Symmetra took a step back from the doorway, and Tracer rushed in. "Cheers love. Cor, nice place! Vishkar takes care of you, eh?"
"Can I help you?" Symmetra asked, tiredly. She always found the young, excitable British girl so draining to be around. They had been brought together on a mission, to repel a Talon attack on Lijang Tower. A rare alignment between Vishkar's interests and Overwatch's. Tracer had been far from professional. Her ceaseless energy and relentless cheerfulness got on Symmetra's nerves.
"Just here for a chat, love."
"A... chat?"
"That's right." Tracer skipped over to a chair, and dragged it next to the bed. Symmetra's jaw twitched in annoyance. "I just wanted to talk to you. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"I was working." Symmetra sat back down on the double-bed.
"Working?" Tracer peered around the room. "I don't see any-"
"In my head." Symmetra tapped her forehead, hoping the foolish girl would get the message. "I don't need paper. I design things in my head. I'm an architect."
"That's amazing!" Tracer leaned forward, seeming genuinely enthused. "You mean, like, buildings and stuff? Wow!"
"What," Symmetra insisted, "Did you want to chat about?"
"Er... you." Tracer looked a bit bashful. "I wanted to get to know you. That's all."
"Why?" Symmetra demanded.
"Why?" Tracer seemed taken aback by Symmetra's bluntness. But Symmetra wasn't one for tact. "Well, because... I thought you might be lonely. Me and Winston and Mercy, we all went out for drink after the mission. But you didn't want to come. That seemed a bit sad, I guess."
"Hmm?" This was a surprise. Symmetra had no interest in filling her body with liquor at some Chinese dive bar. And she had no interest in making friends with Tracer. "No. Please leave."
"Oh no, I'm not going anywhere. Not until we have a nice little chat. I really want to get to know you." Symmetra's patience reached its end, and she tried to grab Tracer by the arm so she could drag her out. But that strange device on Tracer's chest came to life with a blue glow, and Tracer teleported across the room, out of Symmetra's reach. "And believe me, I can be really, really annoying if I want to be. Just ask Winston."
"Fine." Symmetra sighed. It was clear that just talking to this girl was the quickest way to get her out of her hair. "We'll chat. But please, move that chair back over there."
"Sorry?" Tracer was nonplussed.
"The chair. Please put it back where you found it." Tracer just stared at her. "This is my room. I need it to be just how I want it. I can't relax until you put that chair back in its place."
"Oh. Yeah, sorry." Tracer hurriedly replaced the chair. Symmetra was glad of that, but she was less glad when Tracer sat down next to her, on the bed. There were a few moments of awkward silence, until Symmetra beckoned for Tracer to proceed with her conversation.
"Erm... where are you from?"
"Hyderabad. India," Symmetra answered brusquely. "And you?"
"London, of course!" Tracer grasped around for another question. "Hey, can I call you Satya?"
"I suppose." Symmetra sighed. "Look, Tracer."
"Call me Lena," Tracer interrupted.
"Lena. I don't know what you want from me, but you're not going to get it. I'm just not good at all this."
"Don't be silly!" Tracer leaned into Symmetra. "I really, really want to get to know you! I want to be friends!"
"Oh," was all Symmetra felt able to say. Tracer's enthusiasm was hard to face down. "Fine. Ask away."
"How... how's your family?" It was painfully obvious to Symmetra that Tracer didn't really know what to say.
"I don't know. I grew up alone, in the slums. Until Vishkar found me." It annoyed Symmetra, the way Tracer's expression contorted into pity. Symmetra felt no sadness for whatever she had lost. How could she?
"Satya, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Symmetra's heart skipped a beat when she saw that Tracer had tears in her eyes.
"Thank you," Symmetra said, grateful despite herself.
"Have you got many friends?" Tracer asked, when she had recovered her composure. "Back in India?"