#Because holy shit Hanzo's arms

[angelbroad]

"I may not get another chance to say this."

Type: Fanfiction

Fandom: Mortal Kombat

Characters: Kakkō, Raiden

Raiden was a kind man, he really was. They just wished Hasashi would stop glaring at him during team diners.

 They were helping out Outworld with the threat of the Lin Kuei, the Earthrealm champions briefly coming over to help despite Kuai Liang’s insistense this was a family matter. Harumi had warned Kakkō, that they might want to say what they want to say as soon as they can, because they might not be able to say it in time. In a way, her words intimidated Kakkō. But Kakkō also knew that Raiden was far too oblivious to realise from the hints they were dropping, so the best course of action would be for them to follow Harumi’s advice.

 It was after a military strategy meeting, and Raiden was retreating with Kung Lao. Kakkō decided that now would be the time, they even asked (subtly) Hanzo about how he met the other Harumi, and how their relationship developed. Now, they were just about ready.

 “Hey, Raiden?”, they called out from behind as they tapped his shoulder to get their attention.

 Raiden turned around to meet their gaze, “Yes, Kakkō?”

 “Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute? In private?”

 “Sure.”, Raiden responded, bidding a temporary goodbye to Kung Lao as he followed Kakkō, “Is everything okay?”

 “Huh? Oh yeah, I...just wanted to talk to you about something very important.”

 “Was there a complication with the mission we discussed?”

 “No, it doesn’t have to do with the mission.”

 “Is it a..personal matter?”

 “A bit. It’s about us.”

 They eventually reached the outside, where they could see Sun Do from the roof of the base. Kakkō always liked spots of higher altitude.

 “About us?”, Raiden asked, his tone a little concerned.

 Kakkō turned their gaze back to Raiden, their two long braids flowing in the air.

 “Raiden. What am I to you?”

 A moment of silence.

 “You’re my friend, Kakkō.”

 Kakkō sighed and walked closer to Raiden, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 “Listen. I may not get another chance to say this. So, I’m saying it now, okay?”

 Raiden nodded, confused.

 “I like you.”

 He blinked, “Me.....too? We’re friends, isn’t it normal to-”

 “Raiden for fuck’s sake!”, Kakkō held him with both their arms and gave him the stare Hanzo would give them when they were younger and more unwilling to listen, “I mean romantically! I like you, here, I said it, I want us to be a thing!”

 The man blinked again, trying to have words come out of his mouth. Kakkō’s shoulders slumped while still holding Raiden.

 “...Are you uh, okay?”

 “I-I-I don’t know! No one’s ever asked me out before-!”

 “Holy shit your species has no taste.”

 “H-How would we even-?!”

 Kakkō covered his mouth with their hand, “Slow down, cowboy.”

 “R-Right.”

 Raiden seemed to slowly grasp the situation, but it seemed like he still had to take in a few things. Kakkō sighed.

 “Look I uh...if you don’t feel the same way I can understand-”

 “No! I..”

 The two of them were looking at each other straight in the eye. Raiden tried to have words come out.

 “Kakkō. You are..amazing, and I...um...um, I uh..”

 The shapeshifter chuckled, “It’s fine, Raiden. Take your time.”

 Raiden tried to, but he gave up.

 “Sorry. I don’t know how to do this..”

 “So....you do like me?”

 “...Yes?”

 “Great, we are official now! So, you should hold my hand.”

 The two ended up sitting on the roof holding hands for at least an hour.

[dabbledrabbleprose]

Here’s the McHanzo drabble I promised! Well. Less of a drabble than I planned, I hit 3k words on this one. Escort mission gets complicated, somebody ends up in the hospital and another somebody worries about them.

Read on AO3

“Winston here. Ambassador Donovan is ready for escort. Please report, ground team.”

“Tracer reporting, luv! I’m in position on the forward point! Blimey, this rain doesn’t seem to be letting up, does it? How’s everyone else doing?”

“Genji here. I have finished my patrol of the escort route, and our way appears clear. For now. And the rain does not bother me, Tracer. I can hardly feel it at all!”

Tracer’s clear giggle rang through the communicator in Hanzo’s ear, and he rolled his eyes in response. The casual comment about Genji’s condition notwithstanding, Hanzo could hardly believe such a distinguished organization like Overwatch had become so…informal. He could hear Winston’s exasperation as the scientist’s voice crackled over the com again.

“Please, if we could limit the non-essential chatter… Report. Please.”

“Zenyatta reporting, in the limousine cabin with Ambassador Donovan,” the omnic’s smooth voice was calm in Hanzo’s ear. “He is quite eager for our journey to begin.”

“McCree here, holdin’ up the rear flank. Sooner we get started, sooner we can be done.”

“Hanzo,” the archer reported. “In position on the rooftops. The rain has grown has grown significantly worse, and my visibility is poor. I fear I may be a poor sentry if these conditions continue.”

“Understood,” Winston replied. “Do what you can, we’re short on options at this point.” Hanzo’s com made a soft beep, signaling that a private communication channel had been opened.

“How you holdin’ up, Han?” McCree asked. From Hanzo’s vantage point on the hotel rooftop, he could just make out what he guessed to be the red and brown figure of McCree down on the street below him. The rain was coming down in icy sheets around him with a sharp wind, and the waves of water prevented him from making out any details. It wasn’t until the figure gave a wave that Hanzo was even sure he was looking at McCree.

“I am miserable,” he replied honestly, hesitantly returning the wave. “I am soaked to the bone and freezing, and I feel utterly useless up here. I can barely see any of you, much less pick out any potential threats. I’m no good to any of you up here in this weather.”

“That wind is looking mighty strong up there. A shame you can’t shoot in these conditions.” The cowboy made a dramatic sigh.

Hanzo sputtered, glaring down at the blurry figure, as if McCree would be able to feel the heat of his gaze through the icy downpour. “If you think I cannot shoot the idiotic hat off your head, even in this weather, then you are even more of a fool than I realized.”

Hanzo could just make out McCree tipping said idiotic hat.

“Well then, seems like you ain’t useless after all, by your own admission. I know it’s hell, Hanzo, but you’re still the best person to have with an eagle-eye’s view of what’s goin’ on. Even if you can’t make out the details of all of us down below, you can still see the patterns of how everyone is movin’. You’ll spot danger sooner than any of us.”

“I know how to do my job,” Hanzo snapped. “…But thank you, Jesse.”

McCree chuckled in his ear. “And maybe after this, I’ll take us both out for a cup of hot coffee.”

Hanzo scoffed in the com, but smiled, knowing McCree couldn’t see it. “Pah. Coffee. I can think of a much better way to warm each other up.”

He could hear McCree sputter on the other end of the communicator. “Darlin’ if you’re saying-”

“Be quiet,” Hanzo interrupted. “The ambassador’s vehicle is pulling out. We will resume this discussion after the ambassador is safe at the UN. Going back to the public channel. …Darling.” He flicked back to the public channel before he could hear McCree’s response, but he could imagine the cowboy’s whoop of joy.

When they had planned the ambassador’s escort, the mission had seemed simple enough: Tracer would take the lead, McCree the rear, Hanzo would stay on the rooftops to watch for danger, Zenyatta kept the ambassador company in the limo as a last-resort bodyguard, and Genji would remain mobile, rotating between all the other positions. The escort route was short and straightforward, electing for the shortest amount of time on the road to deliver the ambassador to the UN as quickly as possible, instead of worrying about winding along backstreets, which wouldn’t have been enough to throw off Talon or any anti-omnic organizations anyway.

The rain complicated matters. The rooftops that Hanzo had scaled easily while planning the route had become slick and treacherous, and a single misstep or a poorly timed gust of wind could send him falling to the streets below. He needed to move slower and more cautiously while still keeping up with the ambassador’s vehicle and watching for any potential danger. His hair was plastered to his face and his clothes that normally allowed freedom of movement now clung to his form and only grew colder.

“Last leg of the journey, luvs! Destination in sight!” Tracer’s chipper voice chirped in his ear. Thank the heavens. Hanzo wanted nothing more than to sink down into a hot bath until he felt human again and then curl up in a warm bed and sleep. His hands felt raw only the exertion from running and climbing was preventing them from going numb. He grabbed the concrete edge of an rooftop and hauled himself upward, cybernetic boots slipping a little on the brick walls, despite their enhanced traction. He pulled himself up to his feet and crept along the roof edge, watching the limo approach the final leg of the escort. Movement down on the ground reminded him that the mission wasn’t over yet. Despite the rain, the New York City streets were still busy, with people hurrying to and fro, trying to get where they needed to while doing their best to stay dry. He had been watching movement patterns, as McCree had said, and a few individuals had shifted against the flow of the crowds at the same time.

“There are two, no…four people on the street that have broken away from the crowd. Two on either side of the street. McCree, you have two about twenty feet directly ahead of you and Genji, there are two thirty feet to your left.”

“Good eyes, partner.”

“Understood, brother! Let’s try and take care of this quietly.”

Hanzo perched on the corner of the rooftop and nocked an arrow, watching the scene unfold on the street below, squinting through the rain. Genji sprinted for the two on his side of the street and darted between them, then sprinted for a side alley. The goons took the bait and chased after him, following him to the alley. The angle of the alleyway gave Hanzo a clear shot and he took it, shooting one of the thugs in the back and leaving the other for Genji.

“Good shot, brother! My thanks!”

“Hm. A simple shot.” Hanzo turned his attention to McCree, who was having considerably less success. He wasn’t sure how, but the cowboy was currently brawling in the middle of the street with the two thugs, swinging his fists and drawing attention from the crowd.

“McCree, what are you doing?” Hanzo scolded. He drew back an arrow, trying to get a bead on one of the thugs, but couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t hit the cowboy.

“Didn’t get a chance to draw ‘em away, and can’t-” he broke off in a grunt as Hanzo watched one of the brutes slug him in the face. “Dammit. Can’t start shooting Peacekeeper with this many people about.”

Hanzo spotted movement from the corner of his eye, two more thugs breaking away from the crowd and heading for the limo. “Genji, assist McCree. Tracer, there are two more headed for the passenger side of the vehicle.

“On it!” A flick of blue light indicated Tracer darting toward the threat, but Hanzo kept one eye on McCree until he saw Genji dart forward to help him.

Hanzo watched as more and more thugs came out of hiding, trying to swarm the limo. They weren’t as coordinated or skilled as Talon agents, so they were possibly an anti-omnic group. The crack of gunshots split the air and the street began to quickly clear of civilians. Hanzo directed the fight from above, darting back and forth along the roof he was on, loosing arrows whenever an opportunity presented itself.

“Zenyatta!” he barked as he fired a rapid volley of arrows. “If you go now, the ambassador’s route will be clear! Leave us to finish with this riff-raff!”

“Understood,” the omnic’s smooth voice replied, serene amid the chaos around them. “I will see the ambassador safely to his destination.”

Hanzo landed an arrow through the throat of a thug with a pistol that was trying to shoot through the limo’s bulletproof glass. “Go, now!”

The limo tore forward, and two bullets cracked against the ambassador’s reinforced window, sending spiderweb cracks through the glass, but not breaking through.

“Hanzo,” Zenyatta’s voice had lost some of its serenity in favor of urgency. “I could see no shooter on the ground who could have fired those shots. There may be a sniper higher up with you. Take care.”

Hanzo immediately dropped low and turned his eyes higher, looking for somewhere another sniper could be hiding. “Ground team, keep mobile and stick to cover if you can. I will deal with our sniper.”

A chorus of acknowledgements reached him, along with a reassurance from McCree that the ground fight was quickly turning in their tide, and he scampered to a new rooftop with a better view of the surrounding buildings. He kept himself low, trying to be a smaller target as his eyes scanned the rooftops and the windows, looking for any signs of a shooter through the rain.

A loud crack of a rifle echoed through the street, louder than the handguns and semi-automatic pistols below, followed immediately by the sound of McCree cursing into the com.

“McCree!” Hanzo shouted, heart leaping into his throat.

“I’m alright, darlin’, don’t you fret. Got my bad arm. There’s definitely a shooter up there, though. I don’t fancy being picked off from above.”

Hanzo peered down at McCree, just able to make out his position, but it was enough to give him a better idea of where the sniper could be. He scampered to the edge of the building, taking care to watch his footing on the slippery concrete, and squinted up at a building across the street, taller than the apartment building he was currently crouched on.

“We have arrived safely, and the ambassador is in the hands of UN security,” Zenyatta reported.

“Acknowledged. Once we are finished here, we will-” Hanzo broke off as he spotted the red gleam of a laser sight. “Sniper! Northwest corner, window on the seventh floor!”

He drew an arrow on the sniper and was calculating his compensation for the wind when he realized the laser sight was dancing on his own chest. He cursed and let the arrow fly, the shot going wide, and rolled to the side. The concrete shattered where he’d been standing a moment before. He had nowhere to hide, the shooter two stories higher than he was, and his first thought was to get off the roof and into cover. A second shot cracked behind him.

“Hanzo!” McCree shouted. “What’s wrong?”

“My position is compromised, I am retreating to-” Hanzo had just reached the edge of the building when the third shot tore through him. His footing slipped and he pitched forward, experiencing a brief moment of vertigo before he was spinning through the air, unsure which way was up. He wasn’t sure how long he fell and he certainly didn’t remember the landing. The next he knew, he was laying on his side on the pavement, struggling to breathe.

Everything hurt. Pain lanced through him like lightning, arcing from his chest to his shoulder to his limbs, to his head and back again. Through the pain, he was surprised at how his mind began to fixate on the little things he could feel: the cold wetness against his cheek, how the puddle he was laying in was deep enough that it was trickling into his mouth, dirty rainwater mixing with blood against his tongue, a rock pressed against his hip, his quiver twisted behind his back. He thought Storm Bow might still be in his hand, but he wasn’t sure. The com was buzzing in his ear. He could make out a few different voices, McCree, Genji, Winston, but none of the words made any sense.

He was rolled onto his back. There was a shape above him. Red and gold. A low, drawling voice. Jesse. His Jesse. He could have let out a sob of relief. A hand slid beneath his head. Jesse was saying something to him. What was he saying? Was it important? As Hanzo’s vision tried to clear, he could see Jesse was upset. He wanted to stroke his cheek, run a hand along his face and reassure him, but he couldn’t seem to move.

His fingers were numb. He was still soaked to the bone, but the cold didn’t seem as bad now. Jesse was sliding more and more out of focus. He tried to tell him to stop going blurry, but couldn’t find the words. Someone was shouting, perhaps more than one person, and the rain on his face was the last thing he felt as his vision went dark.

 *****

 Hanzo awoke gradually, slowly drifting into awareness to the sound of a steady beep and the chemical smell of antiseptics. His mouth was dry and tasted like cotton balls, and the fabric against his skin was stiff and starchy, far different from his usual attire. Slowly he cracked his eyes open, staring blankly ahead until he could process what he was looking at: pristine white walls, white ceiling with dimmed fluorescent lights, and clean, stiff sheets covering his form.

Hospital. He was in a hospital.

His mind tried to kick into gear, but everything felt sluggish, his thoughts blurring into each other as he tried to focus. He was in a hospital. He remembered the escort, the sniper, being shot, falling. He remembered Jesse leaning over him and nothing more. Hanzo tried to move, but his body was just as sluggish as his mind, if not worse. He tried to look down at himself, and the simple motion of moving his head was somehow already exhausting. An IV line connected his right wrist to a dripping bag of fluids and an oxygen nasal cannula was hooked into his nose. His bed was set at an angle, slightly elevating his head and chest, and as he craned his head downward, he could see wires vanishing under his hospital gown, doubtless connected to sensors to monitor his vitals.

He tried to sit up further, but couldn’t find the strength, instead sinking back into the uncomfortable bed with a grunt.

“Hanzo?”

A hand closed around his and Hanzo struggled to see who was with him, making a great effort to turn his head, and sighed as his eyes met McCree sitting at his bedside.

“J…Jesse…”

McCree’s face split into a smile. “G’morning, sugar. How’re you feeling?”

Hanzo grimaced. “I am…drained. Sluggish.” He tried to focus on McCree’s face, frowning. “…unfocused. I do not like it.”

“Well, you were banged up pretty bad, so they put you on some mighty heavy pain meds. You’re pretty doped up, honey.” McCree chuckled softly.

Hanzo scowled. “I still do not like it.”

“I know,” Jesse gently stroked the back of Hanzo’s hand and up his arm. “Beats hurting, though, yeah? You’re not in pain, are you? I can go get the doc if you need…” There was a strain in his cheerful tone, and his smile was just a little too forced, in a way Hanzo recognized as McCree trying not to let on how upset he was.

“No,” Hanzo replied quickly. “I am not in pain.” He sighed, sinking back into the bed and letting his eyes linger on McCree, finding that the cowboy’s prosthetic arm was sitting in a sling. “Jesse…your arm…”

“What, this?” McCree glanced down at the sling. “Arm’s trashed, gonna need some major repairs. I’ll get Torbjörn to work on it when we get back to the Watchpoint. Ain’t nothing compared to the shot you took.” That strained smile returned.

Hanzo winced. “…How bad is it?”

“Bad. But not the worst you’ve ever had, either. Bullet did some pretty significant damage, but we got some biotic healing on you in time. Nanobots are going to town on you as we speak. The fall…could have been a hell of a lot worse. Ang says it’s a miracle you didn’t break your spine on that landing. She thinks you must have been bone limp when you hit, and that’s the only thing that saved you.” McCree’s hand gently closed around Hanzo’s.

“And the sniper? Was anyone else hurt?”

McCree’s smile widened and became a little more genuine. “Nah, everyone else is fine. The second you got off the sniper’s location, Genji was climbing that building like a squirrel and took him out. Brace yourself now for the list of apologies he’s been working on for not getting to the sniper fast enough. He’s been beating himself up a fair bit over it.”

Hanzo sighed and sank back in the bed. That was something at least. No one else was hurt and Genji was worried about him. His relationship with his brother was still complicated, but knowing that Genji cared that he’d been hurt felt…nice. Like things were becoming close to normal between them.

He felt McCree’s hand tighten around his and he opened his eyes. Opened? When had he closed them? He looked back at McCree and found it was still a struggle to do even that.

“Hm?” Hanzo had planned on asking an actual question, but the soft noise of inquiry was all that came out of him. Jesse gave him a wry smile.

“You’re still exhausted, Han. Might be a good idea for you to get some more rest.” Jesse’s thumb gently stroked the back of his hand.

Hanzo tried his best scowl, but his heart wasn’t in it. “I do not like hospitals.”

“I know, darlin’. But it was a lot closer than the Watchpoint infirmary and we needed to get you help fast. You gave us all a good scare, sweetheart.”

“I did not mean to.”

“I know, Han.”

“I am glad no one else was hurt.”

“Me too.”

“I do not like hospitals.”

“You already said that part, honey.”

Hanzo frowned. Had he? He didn’t remember saying it, and it was becoming more and more of a struggle to keep his eyes open.

“Get some sleep, Hanzo. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

That had been the next question he was going to ask and he sighed softly, grateful that Jesse knew him so well. He heard a soft creak as the cowboy shifted in his chair (his eyes were closed, when had he closed his eyes again?), then felt the coarse brush of Jesse’s beard and soft lips against his cheek.

“Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”

Hanzo held tight to those words and chased them down into slumber.

[blackdragonturds]

May I request headcanons for the kombatants reacting to their S/O stumbling home all bloodied and bruised because they got ambushed and beaten?

Thanks for the request! Its an angsty one so why not? And I threw in some extras for fun.

Kano:  “what in the bloody hell happened to you?!”

He will be curious yet concerned about what had happened, but he will face you to investigate and to patch you up. When he sees your bruised skin, black eye and busted lip he’s wondering who did this to you and wants to basically maim whoever did this. When he patches you up, he teases you that it’ll make you tougher in the fight cage. But when you explain what happened, he’ll stop at nothing to kill the people who beat you up. If it was Kombat you were in, he’d be concerned you wouldn’t make it a second time.

Kabal: “What the fuck?! Oh my god are you okay?”

He’s panicking the moment he sees you. If you’re unable to walk, he’s willing to carry you. If it was Mavado or any other Red Dragon member that did that to you he’s PISSED. No matter the situation, he will get Erron and Kano as backup to help get revenge. When you get patched up, he’s unbelievably gentle as he puts ice on your bruises or your black eye. He’s highly defensive over you when you do go out in public and if you find who beat you to a pulp, he’ll be like a pit bull on your leash: Just say the word and he’ll rip that bastard to pieces. He will look after you hand and foot, and if you want anything to numb the pain or if you’re hungry, you won’t need to ask him twice.

Erron Black: “Holy shit, what in god’s name happened?! You look like you picked a fight with a weedwacker!”

He’s both terrified and worried about you. When you go to explain what happened, he’ll hunt down whoever had did this to you. He will stop at nothing to make sure his pumpkin muffin won’t get hurt again. When you stumble into the house covered in blood and bruises, he wonders if its yours or the blood of the people who attacked you. He’ll have more bullets on him than necessary but will use every last one of them. He’ll have the temper of a rattlesnake if it’s tail was stepped on. When it comes time to patch your wounds up, he hates himself for not being able to protect you but glad you’re safe now. He doesn’t tolerate anyone who will even think of assaulting you or anything. He is insistent you pack a gun with you after that happens.

Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi): “Y/N! Are you all right? Who did this to you!? The clan will not tolerate this!”

Scorpion will hunt down the people or person who hurt you. Seeing you bleeding and battered is enough to make his anger make him a demon again. He’ll have his sword and kunai at the ready and the fire he will manipulate will burn hotter than normal. When he does find the scum who beat you up, they will be unrecognizable when Hanzo’s done with them. The Shirai Ryu doesn’t take kindly to strangers who attack them so when his clan finds out that their Grandmaster’s S/O got hurt, they’ll be up in arms to protect you at all costs. When he fixes your wounds, he feels useless and guilty, however with lots of convincing and kind words, you’ll see he is determined to protect you at all times.

Jax: “Woah woah woah easy kid, good lord what happened? You look terrible.”

Briggs is a no nonsense type of guy so seeing you clumsily stumble around from your injuries will make him angrier than a frog in the desert. When you explain who harmed you, he’ll be more than eager to open a can of whoop-ass on the one who beat you up. Using the fighting techniques he learned in the Special Forces, he will show no mercy to the people or idiot who attacked you. He will probably give them a worse beating than the one you endured. When he goes to patch you up, he wonders how it happened in the first place. He will make sure if you had a black eye to make sure your attackers didn’t blind you or if you have a busted lip to check for missing teeth. He will insist you rest up and take it easy. Since you’re healing he will do your chores and help around the house for you. Even so he will be willing to come if you even feel the slightest bit in danger.

Liu Kang: “Whoever attacked you will not have mercy.”

Liu is a skilled fighter so whoever assaulted you will pay for this. He will kick and punch their faces into oblivion and make sure they feel your pain. He is angered at the very fact you got hurt so he’s determined to never let it happen again. When your attackers are dealt with, he will help you back on your feet and carry you home. While bandaging you up, he is super gentle on your open wounds and your deep cuts if you have any. If you need stitches he will sew you back up. He’s incredibly sweet to you and will do anything you tell him. Needing some cuddles? Say no more. If you need some pain medication, he’s on it. Or if the bag of peas for your bruises is melted, he will replace it with a steak or mixed bagged veggies.

Kotal Kahn: “This is unacceptable. They will suffer by my hand my love.”

He will basically hunt these people down and beat them senseless. Or kill them for ambushing you. More than likely he will simply kill them for what the did but in doing so makes them suffer…bad. To the point they beg for death. When he fixes you up, he’s covering you in kisses, knowing humans do it to make their loved ones feel better and for mental comfort. When you tell him to save his kisses for when you’re all better, he is a little disappointed but will obey. He will make sure his servants will accompany you if you need anything. He will even go with you to make sure you won’t get attacked again.

Kung Lao: “Oh dear…Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

When you come into the White Lotus sanctuary all beaten up, the other monks will help you get medical attention right away. When Kung finds you like this he will be at your side to make sure you’ll be okay. If you have broken bones or a busted nose, he’s on it. Kung will send his friend Liu Kang to bring who hurt you to justice and will not take no for an answer. He is eager to please and if you’re down, he’ll make you laugh in any way he can. Even hang his hat up as to not hurt you more. At home he’ll bring you comfy clothes and all the blankets in the house to make you soft, cozy nest to rest in. He will feed you food high in protein to speed up your healing process and will happily accompany you.

Johnny Cage: “Okay slow down there babe. I’ll get you home.”

Johnny despite his annoying side is quite caring and looks after you like royalty. When you tell him what happened, he’s going to assure you that if you even so much as see the people who attacked you he will guard you with his life. He will also make jokes and do what he can to make you safe and happy. He’s a kind guy at heart and very attentive to your needs. He may pester you at times and you wonder why you’re in a relationship with him but on the plus side, you loved him because he genuinely cares about your happiness. He would even play his favorite movies he starred in and explain how much he loves you. He will wrap you into a blanket like a burrito with only your head peeking out and eager to feed you as much ice cream and sweets as you can eat.

[ninewheels]

some bits from the MK trailer

I’m obsessed, so I did some shot-by-shot clue hunting and found some INTERESTING things.

possible spoilers???

The part where Cole is looking in the mirror and gets spooked by a vision of something:

It’s only a flash, but pause it and hey, it’s Hanzo! Looking all corpsified and gross!

As you’ll see by the end of this post, I no longer subscribe to the theory that Cole Young is Kuai Liang, (though I still thing that’d be cool) but I do think he’s gotta have some personal connection to the Scorpion/Sub-Zero story. He’s the protagonist, but Hanzo and Bi-Han are both super prominent in the story from what we can tell. We know the film opens with their first fight, their faces are both on the poster, Bi-Han seems to be Shang Tsung’s #1 enforcer, and there’s a lot of footage from their rematch later in the trailer--and what’s more, I believe Cole is in that rematch scene, as you’ll see later.

Not sure if it’s plot relevant or an easter egg, but there’s Kitana’s fan on the pedestal.

It’s hard to tell from any single screenshot of this clip, but is that Reptile, coming out of his camouflage invisibility?

Because that's definitely Reptile (Deadly Alliance inspired) throwing down with Kano, and both parts seem to be set in the good guys’ HQ.

We’ve known Kabal would be in the movie, but there’s him with his hookswords, about to get fucking wrecked by Liu Kang’s dragon. There’s a bit of this fight scene later in the trailer as well.

Definitely hooksword. Definitely Kabal.

Goro!!! But also, who is that in the foreground, with what looks like either armor or some kind of scaled skin?

In the background of the Scorpion/Sub-Zero rematch, there’s what looks like the same guy, and from the front, it looks like Cole.

One final shot of Cole with the weird hardened skin, getting the assist from Sonya, and holy shit y’all, those are definitely blades come out of his arms TARKATA SURPRISE YO!

Also, you can’t really tell from this particular frame, but that’s Mileena getting her purple guts blown out by Sonya’s wrist blaster.

I’m gonna get meta and talk about how choice of actors reflects the nature of a character’s role in a movie like this. So Kabal and Nitara (who didn’t make it into the trailer I guess) are being played in the movie by actors Daniel Nelson and Elissa Cadwell, both of whom are stunt performers, which tells us that neither of them is going to have any kind of prominent speaking role; they’re probably just henchman who get one fight scene a piece. Mileena is played by Sisi Stringer, an actress with two IMDb credits to her name, neither of them for stunt work. She’s an unknown, but the fact that they didn’t cast a stunt performer suggests that her role is going to involve dialogue, not just fighting. That combined with her multiple appearances in the trailer, and the fact that she got her own character poster yesterday suggest that she’s important to the plot. Based on everything in this last screenshot, I’d guess it has something to do with Cole being secretly Tarkatan.

Edit: Okay, if I had to form all of this into one cohesive (and completely batshit) theory, I’ve got it. Cole Young was cloned from OG Kung Lao the same way Mileena was cloned from Kitana, hence being part Tarkatan. Outworld thought this would give them an advantage, and Raiden was also worried about what an evil Kung Lao would do so he somehow arranged for Hanzo to kidnap newborn Cole from Outworld and bring him back to Earth, where he was adopted by an American family. Bi-Han was sent by Shang Tsung to retrieve the child, which led him to Hanzo, Hanzo wouldn’t give up the location and Bi-Han killed him. In the course of the film, part of how Cole finds out who/what he is comes through confronting Mileena and learning about her.

Even this ridiculous all-encompassing theory still doesn’t account for why Jax also has the dragon logo birthmark. I’m stumped on that one. Maybe Jax was also cloned from another past Earthrealm champion? Yeah, let’s go with that.

[dukereviewsmovies]

Duke Reviews: Mortal Kombat 2021

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Where Today I'm Looking At The 2021 Mortal Kombat Movie...

Now, I Bet You're Asking Me, Andrew, Why Are You Reviewing This And Not The Original Mortal Kombat Movie And It's Sequel, Mortal Kombat Annihilation? Because I Don't Need A Frying Pan To Hit Me Over The Head To Know For A Fact That Both Of Those Films Are Horrible...

Where This Film Knows How To Handle The Game It's Taking On, Of Course, Some People Will Disagree With Me On This But Intend To Prove Those Haters Wrong Today...

So, With That Said, Let's Dive Into Mortal Kombat 2021...

Expect Spoilers From Here On Out...

The Movie Starts At The Home Of Hanzo Hasashi In Japan In The Year 1617, Where Hanzo Goes To Get 2 Buckets Of Water For His Wife, But Before He Goes, He Tells Her That He Loves Her Very Much...

However As Hanzo Gets Water, His Family Is Visited By Hanzo's Nemisis, Bi-Han, Whose Group Known As The Lin Kuei (Who Controls The Power Of Ice) Is Out To Annihilate Every Member Of Hanzo's Group, The Shirai Ryu From Existence And With Hanzo Being The Last One...He Makes Himself A Good Target...

So, Yeah, Bi-Han Kills Hanzo's Wife And Eldest Son By Freezing Them To Death, Which Leads Hanzo To Create A Makeshift Weapon (Out Of A Blade His Wife Used For Gardening And Some Rope) So He Can Fight The Warriors Of The Lin Kuei Before Fighting Bi-Han Himself Only To Get Killed During The Fight...

But Before Hanzo Dies, He Hears The Cries Of His Baby Daughter But In Attempting To Go To The Baby He Dies...

But That Doesn't Stop A God Named Raiden From Showing Up And Taking The Baby Himself To Find The Kid A New Home, Which Not Only Leads To A Title Card And Brief Star Wars Like Intro Revealing That There Is A Tournament That Decides The Fate Of Earth And Earth Has Lost 9 Of Them And Should It Lose One More, Then Earth Will Be Invaded By A Realm Called Outworld...

However, An Ancient Prophecy Has Revealed That A New Group Of Champions Led By Hanzo's Ancestor Will Tip The Balance For Earth...

Which Leads Up To Now, Where Hanzo's 21st Century Relative Who Now Goes By Cole Young Is Boxing For Money For His Family...

Now, Very Briefly, Let's Talk About Cole Who Is A New Character For This Movie And Is Not In The Video Game...

This Has Fans Debating That The Main Focus Should Have Been A Character From The Game, Namely Johnny Cage Instead Of A New Character To Which I Unfortunately Disagree With As Going With A New Character Works Better In The Movie's Favor...

Think About It, If They Had Made A Character From The Game The Main Focus It Would Come With Expectations That The Fanbase Expects For Characters Of This Game Adding To The Other Expectations For The Other Characters That Are From The Game That Are In This Movie...

Where A New Character Not Only Gives Us A Fresh Set Of Eyes To Look At This World, But A Way To Put Us Not Only Into The Movie But Into This World...

Unfortunately, Cole Loses The Fight But It's Enough To Impress A Guy Named Jax (Played By Jimmy Olsen From Supergirl) Who A Tattoo On Cole Only For His Daughter To Reveal That It's Not A Tattoo But A Birthmark Which He's Had Since He Was Born...

Meanwhile In Outworld, The Ruler Of This Realm, Shang Tsung...

Yes, That Guy,..

Tells Bi-Han Who Has Now Become...

Sub-Zero...

That The Prophecy Is Upon Them And He Wants Him To Go To Earth To Eliminate The Champions, Which Leads Sub-Zero To Attack Cole And His Family While They're Getting Dinner At A Restaurant...

Luckily Though, They Are Saved By Jax Who Reveals He Has A Tattoo Like Cole Does And That He's Been Chosen To Fight But Before Jax Can Tell Him Anymore They're Confronted By Sub-Zero Who Attacks Their Car, But Before Jax Goes To Fight Sub-Zero He Tells Cole To Go To Gary, Indiana...

This An Action Movie, Not A Musical!

Anyway, He Tells Cole To Go There And Find Sonya Blade Who Will Have More Information About Everything...

So, With Cole Taking His Family To Safety, Jax Goes To Fight Sub-Zero Only For Sub-Zero To Freeze Jax's Arms And Rip Them The Hell Off...

Jax Falls To The Ground Which Leads Sub-Zero To Believe Jax Is Dead But We'll See Jax Later...

After Dropping His Family Off, Cole Goes To See Sonya Blade Who Not Only Reveals That People With Markings Like The Ones Cole And Jax Have Have Been Chosen To Fight For Earth In A Tournament Known As Mortal Kombat, But Also That She Has A Mercenary Named Kano Who Killed A Champion That Sonya Was After Only To Get The Marking Himself...

But Before Sonya Can Give More Information, They're Attacked By Reptile, A Minion Of Shang Tsung But He Defeated By Kano Who Breaks Free During The Fight...

Before He Leaves, Kano Mentions Raiden's Temple, (A Place Where Champions Have Gone To Train For The Tournament) So Sonya Makes A Deal With Kano To Take Them There For 3 Million Dollars (Despite Not Having It) And He Does...

Travelling To The Middle Of The Desert, We Get A Small Fight Between Kano And Sonya, Before They Run Into Liu Kang (Played By The Black Ranger From The Power Rangers Reboot) Who Takes Them To Raiden's Temple To See Raiden Himself Who's Not Exactly Pleased With What He Has To Work With...

But Beggars Can't Be Choosers As Outworld Comes To Them Forcing Liu Kang And His Cousin, Kung Lao To Deal With The Intruders But Raiden Interpheres As Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero And Another Minion, Mileena Arrive...

However Despite Ordering His Minions To Kill The Champions, Raiden Creates An Electric Force Field Preventing Them From Entering...

Yeah, Go Cry To Your Mama, Shang Tsung...

So, As Both Kano And Cole Begin Training For Their Arcana (Which Is Their Inner Power), Sonya Discovers That Jax Is Alive And That As Sub-Zero Froze His Arms He Also Cauterised Jax's Wounds And All It's Going To Take Now Is Time...

Which I Think Is Liu Kang's Way Of Saying "We Can Rebuild Him, We Have The Technology"...

And So, Jax Becomes The Six Million Dollar Jax...

Well, I Guess Six Million Dollars Doesn't Buy What It Used To Buy...

With Very Little Success Of Getting Their Arcana On Their First Day, Everyone Has Dinner Only For Kung Lao To Start Insulting Kano Which Leads to Him Getting His Arcana Of Shooting A Laser From His Eye...

But Unlike Kano, Cole Is Having A Hard Time Getting His Arcana And With Time Running Out He Needs To Get It....Fast....

This Leads Raiden To Send Cole Home Despite Telling Him The Truth About Hanzo And How He Was He Was Hoping That The Power Of His Bloodline Would Be Strong Enough For Cole To Get His Arcana...

Meanwhile In Outworld, Shang Tsung Prepares His Minions, Millena, Nitara, Kabal And General Reiko For An Attack On Raiden's Temple...

But How Will They Lower Raiden's Force Field?

Well, Unfortunately, Kabal Knows Kano And Goes Off To Convince Him To Join Shang Tsung's Team And Guess What? He Accepts.,,

So, Yeah, Kano Brings Down The Shield Allowing Shang Tsung And His Minions To Attack The Temple While Cole Is Attempting To Protect His Family From Freaking Goro!

And Holy Shit, Did They Give Goro An Update!

But As The Fights Happen We Get Lines From The Game Including "Finish Him!" And "Flawless Victory" Kung Lao Kills Nitara Only For Shang Tsung To Kill Kung Lao, Jax's Arms Finally Look Like They're Worth Six Million Dollars And Transform Into Badass Robotic Arms Intead Of Wimpy Ones

And Cole Gains His Arcana (Of Transforming Into Kinetic Armor And Weapon Creation) To Save His Family From Goro Which Leads To The Most Gruesome Death In This Movie...

But Despite Cole Returning To The Temple To Help, Raiden Gets The Team Out By Taking Them To The Void, Which Is A Space Between Earthrealm And OutWorld To Come Up With A Plan

And Their Plan Is Very Simple...

Jax Fights Reiko ( Reiko Gets His Head Smashed In By Jax), Sonya Fights Kano (Kano Has An Ironic Death And Sonya Gains His Mark, Becoming A Champion) And Liu And Cole Fight Both Mileena And Kabal (Kabal Dies By Liu's Fire Dragon Ability And Mileena Gets Blasted By Sonya When She Shows Up)

They Had Intended Taking Sub-Zero Together But When He Shows Cole A Bracelet That Belonged To Cole's Daughter, He's Like "I Have Your Family, Come Get Me Bitch!"

So, Cole Enters A Portal To Face Sub-Zero Alone, Well...Not Really...

Using A Blade That Belonged To Hanzo During The Fight, Cole Summons The Spirit Of Hanzo To Fight With Him...,

But He's Not Hanzo Anymore, Oh, No....He's...

Scorpion!

And He's Like...

So, Yeah, Scorpion Kills Sub-Zero By Burning The Bastard With Fire Breath Before Returning To Help And Cole Saves His Family....

But As Raiden And His Team Arrive, Shang Tsung Also Arrives Saying That Death Is Just Another Portal And Next Time, He Will Come With Armies Before Leaving

However, Though They Won This Battle, The Fight Is Not Over By Any Means As Raiden Assembles A New List Of Champions For The Team To Recruit...

Packing Up His Locker At The Wrestling Ring, Cole Tells His Agent That He's Going To Hollywood As We Look At A Poster That Tells Us Johnny Cage Will Be In The Sequel...

This Movie Was...Pretty Damn Epic!

How This Isn't One Of The Best Video Game Movie Adaptations Ever I Will Never Know, I Guess It Just Comes Down To People Are Idiots And Don't Know What The Hell They're Talking About...

"The Story Is Confusing" If The Story Is Confusing Then You Don't Belong Reviewing Movies Cause You Have No Idea What A Good Movie Is!, "The Movie Has Horrible Writing" Have You Even Seen The Original Mortal Kombat Movie? That And Annihilation Have Worse Writing Than This Movie! "We Should Have Had Johnny Cage Instead Of Cole" We're Getting Him In The Sequel, Give The Writers A Freaking Break And Stop Being Critical Pricks!

So, Yeah, It's Obvious That This Has Become My Favorite Video Game Movie And I Say Don't Listen To People Like Angry Joe Or Hack The Movies Who Don't Know What They're Talking About And Go See This Movie

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off

[puttingfingerstokeys]

heart and fire

I had to fuck with italics on this thing ‘cause holy shit are they important. 

Thermodynamic equilibrium (subscorp), uh, post-aftermath on the fucked up timeline. I want nice things so I’m going to give Kuai Liang nice things....... sort of! Gay ninja ahead (and prolly behind, too, lbr they’re ninja)

For @sxvethelastdance, my Heart

Bonus “chapter” here.

Broken Timeline

It has been two months, my Fire, since I returned to Netherrealm to recover your body. We sought to reclaim the fallen from both our clans, with limited success. Your younger counterpart showed me the place where D’vorah stole you from me. I swear vengeance upon her, should she ever have the misfortune of crossing my path.

Frost was among those we were able to locate and she is recovering at Arctika, though she will not speak to anyone. She threatened to throw herself into the Sea of Blood upon discovery, but that fate was not worthy of a Lin Kuei—even a traitor. I should have written sooner, but my duties have taken me from the pen and solitude.

You will be pleased to know that Takeda Takahashi has resigned his post with Special Forces to assume interim leadership of the Shirai-Ryu. The boy is well-trained and wise; he does not fill your boots, but he is humble and willing to learn. No member of the Shirai-Ryu can best him. You have taught him well.

He has married Jacqueline Briggs—it was a quiet ceremony soon after we returned from the assault on Kronika’s keep—and they are now expecting a child. . Takeda came to me recently and asked if I thought it appropriate to call the boy Hanzo, assuming it is a boy. I think it is only right that someone carries your name. I will always carry it in my heart, but it will be good to hear aloud.

I miss you.

“Takeda, thank you for meeting me.” The two ninja stood outside the Fire Gardens, just beyond the gate, Kuai Liang looking in, but making no move to enter.

“It’s always a pleasure, Grandmaster Sub-Zero,” said the younger man, putting a flat, open hand over his fist and bowing. “What brings you here?” He glanced up and down at the Lin Kuei Grandmaster and, noting the envelope in one hand, he gestured toward it, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“This—you’ve seen through me—is for… if you might place it at Grandmaster Hasashi’s resting place, I would be—”

“I will not,” came the quick reply. It wasn’t sharp, but it was firm. “You will.”

“But I am—”

“Welcome in the Fire Gardens, Grandmaster, as are your students; it is a step Grandmaster Hasashi would have taken and I… I am only interim instructor, but I will honor his legacy, no matter what.” He saluted the Lin Kuei once more, this time bowing deeply and gesturing toward the entrance. “I’ll show you where he’s… where we’ve got a marker.”

There was, of course, no body to bury, but that would have been the way of the Shirai-Ryu anyway. It was to Sub-Zero’s shame that he had brought them no corpse, and his own eternal agony that he did not at least have one last chance to… I never told him, not really, not properly. Leaves fell all around them, red and gold, perpetually in motion, making the place resemble its name. It is cold without you.

“It’s in a quiet corner,” Takeda said, trying to fill the pregnant silence between them. His fellow Shirai-Ryu were all around, if unseen. None of them raised a hand or weapon to Grandmaster Kuai Liang, however. They, for the most part, were in favor of uniting once more with their ancestral brethren. Those who were not, kept it to themselves and would rather not have begun a spat with Sub-Zero. “Near a koi pond… I think you’ll like it.”

Sub-Zero made no move to answer as the path twisted once more to the left and opened to a beautiful grotto. There was, indeed, a pond, but Takeda had neglected to mention the green foliage, bright red and orange flowers, and the waterfall, babbling over several layers of stones before emptying into the pond. The fish swam this way and that, utterly unaware of the world around them. Kuai Liang envied them.

To one side was a pillar, an obelisk that looked like it was made of volcanic glass. Atop it was a small brazier and in that, a flame danced this way and that, an ethereal quality to its rhythm. There was an inscription upon the pillar itself, but Sub-Zero’s gaze was lost in the flame almost immediately, arresting every bit of his attention.

“Yeah, I get that too when I come here… Liu Kang—err… Lord Liu Kang lit that sucker and… well, it’s god fire, so it’s not goin’ out.” Takeda was receding from the grotto. “I’ll just… leave you two, yeah?” He did not wait for an answer before melting into the fire-colored foliage of the Gardens.

Kuai Liang clutched the envelope, hard, wrinkling it in his effort to bite back tears and swallow down the choking lump that was rising in his throat. His heart twisted and ached as he dropped to one knee before the pillar. The inscription was simple: Grandmaster Hanzo Hasashi, eternal flame of the Shirai-Ryu; you will never be forgotten. There was so much more about him that Kuai Liang wanted to add, but there was not enough obsidian in the world for that.

He settled himself presently, then, closing his eyes and focusing inward, clearing his mind, breathing softly, deeply. Reaching out, he laid one hand upon the small obelisk, feeling where each word was carved, imagining he could also feel heat coming from it. That was silly, of course, but it comforted him. He stayed that way for a while, before opening his eyes once more and standing, still holding the envelope.

The grandmaster’s sharp gaze fell upon that fire and slowly, reverently, he lifted the envelope and letter to it. The fire licked up and around it, consuming the paper with little effort until there was nothing but ash. It wasn’t the words themselves, but the sentiment behind them which counted for the ears of the dead.

He left silently and with dignity, letting not a single, chilly tear fall until he returned to Arctika and his private quarters.

My fire. It has been one year since my last letter. Forgive my waiting so long. It was difficult to find time and then, to begin. The snow here seems deeper than it ever has and harder to move through; it no longer feels a part of me and I am cold. But you need not suffer the chill with me.

Hanzo Briggs-Takahashi is a robust boy even at one year old. There seems to be some debate over his education, but for now, he lives happily with his mother and father among the Shirai-Ryu. They have determined this to be the best course of action until everything has settled to an acceptable level of disorder.

I neglected to mention in my last letter that Liu Kang has, with the aid of Lord Raiden, ascended to divinity. He is a worthy young man and I feel confident in his abilities to guide the shifting of the sands of time. I wish you had been there to see him lead the armies of Outworld and Earthrealm against Kronika. But maybe those memories are with you now that your past self has been sent back to his proper time.

I will never stop missing you, but writing eases the pain a little.

 The letters continued, as frequently as he could manage, for years. It felt like centuries. His favorite time to write was when despair was upon him, because writing to his lost love reminded him that he was not simply living for himself, but for Hanzo’s dream and memory. He did not remember all the words he had written, and no one else would ever read them, but they were not for anyone else, so it did not matter.

You will be pleased, my Fire, to know that the Takahashi family has expanded once more, by one. Their daughter, Sonya, was born yesterday morning, healthy and squalling like a storm. I think her name is appropriate. Johnny and Cassie Cage will be arriving at the Fire Gardens later this week, I am told, to greet the child and spend some time with Jacqueline and Takeda. I will deliver this letter then.

I cannot believe it has been four years since I last laid eyes and lips upon you. I miss your taste, your warmth. My heart aches daily for you, but the ache eases when I write and remember you as you were, vibrant and powerful, the light of my life, and the warmth. Worry not. The warmth has not utterly deserted me. I see in Takeda’s boy much of your spirit, and I visit the Fire Gardens often, with Takeda’s gracious permission.

We are moving forward, slowly, with the integration training. Twice per year, we stay at the other’s residence, with all our students, working together. Frost is still a tough case, but I think her loss to Takeda recently might have tempered her cold fire. Defeat does not settle well upon the shoulders of any Lin Kuei, but taking it with grace is a learned art. She has not learned this; I must educate her.

I love you with all my heart and soul.

 This one, he did indeed deliver when he visited the Fire Gardens to see the new baby. Sonya was even prettier than her brother had been and he was delighted to hold her in his great, chilly arms. Dark eyes stared up at him with a depth of understanding he could not have predicted from an infant. Gripping his finger with one tiny hand, she squealed with delight and flailed her limbs as he looked on with aching fondness.

“Isn’t she perfect?” Takeda asked Sub-Zero as he handed the little creature back to her mother. Jacqui was glowing and Kuai Liang was not clear if he meant the child or the mother. Instead, he nodded. He did not stay long, but it was refreshing to his soul to see the people of this ruined timeline picking themselves back up and making the best of their situation.

My Fire, you will scarcely believe the strangeness which has happened here at Arctika. Our hot springs have begun to run far too hot to bathe in, or even to touch! The minerals are beginning to build up on the walls in the grotto and I must send students out, daily, to address this. They are hard at work, “building character”, Frost included. She seems to set about the task with the most vigor, as if the buildup offends her. Perhaps it does. Arctika, this place she fought so hard to be in, has recently been invaded by your Shirai-Ryu and they too have set about the task—of cleaning the grotto, not offending Frost; she does that well enough on her own.

I would like, more than anything, to once more share tea and to bathe with you. That intimacy is long gone from my flesh and I often crave it—not as you did, of course. I find myself almost blushing at the thought. Almost. I miss your eyes, so dark and intense, it was always as if you were looking into me, boring in deep and searching… for what, I cannot guess, but I wish you would do it again.

Yours forever, Grandmaster Hasashi, forever and a day and then forever again.

Even a skilled kryomancer stood no chance against the heat of the springs, and so it, too, became a training ground for the combined forces of the Lin Kuei and Shirai-Ryu. Takeda and Grandmaster Kuai Liang often went out to the springs to breathe in the healing steam and to speak. They talked of much—of history and the future—and deepened their understanding of each other.

“He would have wanted you to take his place,” Sub-Zero said, “once you’d proven yourself, of course.”

Takeda’s eyes flew wide. “Never in a million years, Grandmaster; are you kidding me?” His cheeks were flushed with exhilaration at the weight of the compliment he’d just been paid by the Lin Kuei’s leader. “I don’t… I’m not ready for that.”

“And that is why you are. A good Grandmaster knows his limitations.” Kuai Liang did not look at Takeda, an envelope clutched in his hand.

“Will you be joining us on the journey back to the Fire Gardens tomorrow, Grandmaster?”

“I will, with your permission, Takeda,” replied Sub-Zero, contemplating the boiling water. Of course, Takeda would not refuse, so the question was more of a formality than anything else. There were certain parts of tradition to which Takeda had noticed the Lin Kuei Grandmaster held strictly, and others he had thrown utterly out the window. The first one was, of course, his adoration of Grandmaster Hasashi, which Takeda had long ago suspected was more than academic friendship or alliance. It was a suspicion he would, naturally, never pursue.

The two men stood, side by side, arms folded, considering everything they had done in the past five years, all the progress they had made. The Shirai-Ryu were really and truly restored, standing upon the shoulders of Scorpion’s hard work. The Lin Kuei were even recovering and their number had increased, though they were still a shell of what they had been. Only a few of the cyber assassins had been recoverable at the Sea of Blood and of those, even fewer had retained their sanity after they had been reset—such was their grief at the injustice they had wrought on Frost’s behalf.

Kuai Liang was not sure she would ever show appropriate remorse, but he decided she was not a lost cause. He would keep working on her, like a glacier carves a lake. The movement was slow but inexorable. Eventually, she would see and she would learn. Even one so stubborn as she could be taught, he was certain. His resolve would not be broken by one such as Frost.

“…does it seem hotter, Grandmaster?” Takeda’s voice was muffled, suddenly, by the amount of steam suddenly filling the air of the grotto. Sub-Zero’s eyes narrowed as he peered through the haze, as if doing so could discern the source of the disturbance.

“It is,” he confirmed, “but… why?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” Takeda growled, reaching out toward Sub-Zero. “Go,” he grunted, “grab some of your students—the cyber Lin Kuei should be able to see through this fog!”

Sub-Zero could not deny the logic of this, but he disliked leaving Takeda. There was an ill-omened heaviness in the air all of a sudden he was not entirely sure was the steam or the mineral smells which came with it. There was a loud, violent hiss and a jet of water, then, from the center of the springs and both men would have been pelted with stinging droplets had it not been for Kuai Liang’s hastily built ice wall and the quick thinking to tug Takeda behind it.

Neither kombatant was expecting something wickedly sharp and hot to pierce the center of the wall directly between their heads. The heat of it caused the rest of the structure to begin cracking and both men dived to either side to avoid its collapse. The familiar, discordant song of a retracting chain rang out in the steamy half-gloom, the light of torches now obscured and throwing strange shadows, diffused through the steam.

Quan-Chi.

Both minds settled upon this conclusion simultaneously, though without having spoken it. Takeda jumped to his feat and readied himself. Whatever Neatherrealm incursion this was, it would be met with extreme prejudice. Neither knew precisely where Quan-Chi might have fallen in the scheme of things. He had met his end by Scorpion’s hand, but that did not mean some shift in the mythical sands of time had not restored him—utterly by accident, of course, but it was a mistake which would require swift correction.

Of course, as far as they knew, only Hanzo Hasashi had ever mastered the chain and spear to that extent, so Quan-Chi himself could not possibly have been on the other end of it. Kuai Liang’s mind was racing. Was that why he had not found his lover’s body? Could Quan-Chi have been accidentally restored and had begun his machinations, once more, to hold the throne of Netherrealm for his infernal (decapitated) master?

The very idea of a wraith bearing his Fire’s face settled deep in the pit of Kuai Liang’s guts, twisting into a dragon of rage, ripping at his insides and gripping his heart violently. He was as close to burning with rage as a Lin Kuei could be.

“Takeda,” he snarled, “go. I will deal with this abomination.”

For once, Takeda Takahashi did not argue. He did not resolve to stay gone, however. He raced toward the grotto’s exit, intent on making his way swiftly down the side of the mountain to the Arctika complex and alerting every ninja in its walls that they were under attack. Takeda had almost reached the divide between grotto and open mountain face when the horrific echo of clear words rang out seemingly from everywhere.

“GET OVER HERE!” The chain sang through the air and Takeda whirled, moving to block or to face his demise. Only Sub-Zero’s swift motion stopped it hitting home as the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei caught the barb in an icy grip and crushed it, shaking the remains free from his hand as if it were a mere inconvenience.

“Go,” he repeated and stalked toward the springs. All around him, steam turned to ice and fell to the ground like heavy sleet. As his rage built, the temperature dropped and soon there was an aura of cold surrounding him, combatting the steam. Diamond tears fell from eyes which had hardened to flinty slits as he stepped past the edge of the springs, into—no, onto—the water, which was freezing solid under each step.

“Why don’t you get over here for a change,” snarled Sub-Zero, “and show me that face you’re wearing—the face you have not earned, Revenant!”

“Revenant?” The voice was a raspy bark. Following the word was laughter. Sub-Zero concentrated on solidifying the water particles around him to create a solid barrier that would be just a little more difficult for his assailant to pierce. He had not forgotten that, in later years, Scorpion had begun to carry—and proficiently use—two spear chains. The latter would come soon enough.

“You are a puppet of Quan-Chi, unworthy of the body you inhabit. Come, face me, and see the truth of your fallibility!” Kuai Liang drew himself up and stood tall, continuing. “Yours is the fire of hell, not of his heart, a thing so great you could not begin to comprehend it, much less mimic—but again, I invite you to come and allow me to demonstrate. It will be a pleasure.”

Sub-Zero had anticipated the spear.

He had not counted on Hellport, which Scorpion used with impunity.

Suddenly, the heat behind him was unbearable and there was a piercing agony ripping into his senses, starting at his shoulder, between the joint and the scapula. He could feel it digging deep, feel the lukewarm sensation of his own blood flowing down his back. He had to act.

Kuai Liang whirled on the revenant, ice axe at the ready. He would cleave the beast’s head from its shoulders, no matter how twisted the visage was. Red eyes would meet his a moment, before falling from broad, strong shoulders Sub-Zero knew all to well.

Except that they were not.

They eyes were white. With the turn, Scorpion’s hand and arm had been yanked—refusing to let go, oh, that old tenacity was strong—around Kuai Liang’s back and had, in that motion, drawn his body closer until they were flush, touching, pressed together. Sub-Zero’s arm was falling, axe in hand and, though he would have stopped it, Scorpion’s grip upon his wrist halted the descent entirely.

The fingers upon Sub-Zero’s wrist were burning, as with a fever, and they eyes he met were ablaze with madness and fury. The brow knitted together at the bridge of the man’s nose was familiar, however, the grimace on his blood-soaked, lacerated face not unknown to Kuai Liang, either. Inches apart, this could have been a lover’s embrace, but for the spearhead embedded in his shoulder and the fiery grip locked upon his arm.

Vaporizing with a hiss, Kuai Liang’s faithful ice axe bowed out of the fight and he was left with no weapon—no external weapon, anyway. He leveraged his height advantage against Scorpion and drove him back twisting his arm to reverse the grip and grab him instead, forcing him yet closer. The ice under their feet was slick and filling the frozen dome with steam. Sub-Zero began to feel lightheaded.

He would have to end this quickly, or Scorpion would gut him and the water of the hot springs would run red with the Grandmaster’s blood. That he was not facing a revenant was secondary in his mind to survival. He knew all of Scorpion’s movements, every trick and feint. Unfortunately, Scorpion also knew his, intimately. If they broke apart, the brawl might draw itself out and in this heat, Sub-Zero was already feeling sluggish.

Wrapping both arms tightly around Scorpion’s body, then, forcing the arm he had trapped up behind the shorter mans’ back, he began to squeeze, dropping his temperature with as much rapidity as he could muster. His mind was racing, thoughts flowing as if down the choppy, white waters of a sub-arctic stream just after thaw and just as insubstantial, uncatchable. He had to stop the man’s movement.

Scorpion fought hard against the grip, snapping at Sub-Zero with his teeth. He would have landed a successful headbutt were it not for their difference in height and Kuai Liang tucking his head into the crook of Scorpion’s neck. Scorpion tensed, ceasing his thrashing for the briefest of interludes as Sub-Zero’s chilly, gentle lips pressed downward on scorched flesh. Rather than the bite the enraged wraith had been expecting, he only felt the sensual, gentle touch of the man’s mouth.

“I know what you are,” whispered Kuai Liang against his lover’s flesh, gripping him tight and slowing the descent of the temperature. Scorpion’s thrashing had all but ceased as he was literally cooled down from his agitated state. Beneath them, the water which had been upon the ice solidified as Scorpion finally went limp, succumbing to the cold. 

“A wraith once more.” The whisper was barely audible. Only Sub-Zero could hear these words, spoken so softly. He was bent over Scorpion, who had gone nearly boneless in his embrace, barely clinging to consciousness, but doing so with such tenacity it might have, under other circumstances, been frightening. 

“No,” said Sub-Zero, standing, straightening, and lifting Scorpion bodily into his arms. The naked wraith leaned against his chest, closing those unsettling, white eyes as the temperature began to stabilize and Kuai Liang stepped gracefully off the ice and onto solid ground. Steam rose once more from the Lin Kuei hot springs, but they did not boil. “You are my Fire, and you have come back to me.”

“Amusing,” grunted Hanzo Hasashi weakly, reaching up to swat the side of Kuai Liang’s bearded face, “that you thought death would free you of me, my Heart.”

Upon the warm water, an envelope floated, forgotten, soaking, ink running.  

[rosa-berberifolia]

The Party|Mortal Kombat|Kombatants x Reader

A/N: This was just an idea I had sitting in my head for a while. I know its shit, no one needs to point it out okay. I know the ending sucks, lets not be dicks about it.

Warning: attempted date rape, general asshattery and crassness

Word Count: 3600 ish

---

The party was in full swing when you arrived. You didn't really like parties, but Sonya and Johnny had just re-kindled their relationship and signed nuptials again and had a big party to celebrate. Why they picked the bar that the Black Dragon frequented was beyond you, but you were really good friends with Sonya, Johnny, and Cassie, so you felt obligated to come. 

You were wary of the Black Dragon members present; it seemed like some kind of truce was made between them and everyone else, because none of the SF members seemed to give a damn the some of the most wanted men were at the bar with them. You shrugged. Whatever, not your problem. You weren’t a fighter or anything. You were the archivist, cataloging and recording all of the mission reports that were brought in. You read every single one to know where to place it. This meant that you knew almost everything there was to know about SF intel. You usually had someone with you while you were on base to protect you, and a bracelet that when the bead on it was pressed, help would come for you, just in case someone tried to kidnap you and force you to give information. 

You went to the bar to get a drink. You didn't really like parties. Too many people behaving like idiots at once. You made sure to tuck away some cab money in your bra to make sure you wouldn't accidentally spend it on the booze you would most certainly need to make it through the evening. 

“Rum and coke.” You said to the bar tender. He started to make your drink and you started to pull some money out of your pocket.

“Put the pretty lady’s drink on my tab.” A smooth Texan accent said from down the bar. You looked to find the one and only Erron Black eyeing you from a few seats away. You scoffed. You thought that he was only doing this to try to woo you and give away some information.

“The lady can buy her own drinks, thanks.” You said trading the bar tender some money for your drink.

“I like a woman that can take care of herself.” Black said in a low voice that you would never admit made your pussy quake just a little. You just shook your head and went over to where your friends were.

“Y/N!” Johnny said a little too loudly at your approach. Sonya turned around and bounced excitedly. She took steps toward you and met you with a big hug. Your eyes widened in surprise.

“How much have you guys had to drink?” You asked noticing the very open behavior that was very unlike Sonya. 

“Almost the whole bar.” said a familiar voice. You turned to find Kenshi sitting at a nearby table. You laughed quietly to yourself. You let Johnny and Sonya mingle while you went to sit at the table with Kenshi.

///

You sat with Kenshi and caught up with him about things for a while, just trying to relax and enjoy your drink. As you finished it you felt yourself relax a bit. Kung Jin and Takeda came and joined you not long after you sat down. It was nice that there were people close to your age there.

“Where are Jacqui and Cassie?” You asked. Takeda sighed and thumbed over to the small stage that was in the bar. You saw the two girls standing up there, clearly three sheets to the wind, singing their heart out at the karaoke machine. You laughed and shook your head at their antics. You knew that when they saw you there they would ask you to sing with them. You’d bet money it. 

All of a sudden your attention was redirected to a server that came to the table and placed what looked like another rum and coke down in front of you.

“Oh, what service! Thank you!” You said reaching in your pocket for some money before the server stopped you.

“Oh no, this drink is already paid for.” She said. The look of concern and confusion that happened on your face made the server giggle.

“By whom?’ You asked.

“The glowing red man at my seven.” She said. Your already furrowed brow creased deeper. You found yourself looking at Kenshi and then behind the server to see that it was Kano that had bought you the drink. No one had ever bought you and drink and sent it with a server before. You figured that the bar tender  made it and then the server brought it over, so it was probably fine. You watched Kano and he nodded at you and tipped his glass in your direction. 

You had never met Kano before, but you had read about him in plenty of mission reports. You knew he was a bad guy, but the scene from Wreck It Ralph appeared in your head: “Just because you are bad guy doesn’t mean that you are bad guy.” Kano smiled at you charmingly and you found yourself nodding back and mouthing thank you to him. You picked up the glass and were bringing it to your lips when a voice sounded in your head making you freeze.

“Don’t drink that!” Kenshi said to you telepathically. You looked at him to see a look of fright and distress on his face. “He’s put something in it.” He warned.

Anger ripped through you like a chainsaw. Who the fuck does this asshole think he is trying to roofie you? You immediately came up with a plan. You got up from your seat, bringing your drink with you. You walked over to where Kano was sitting with Kabal. You nodded politely to him as he looked amused that you came over, wondering what was about to go down.

You sat down next to Kano, a sweet smile gracing your face.

“Thank you for the drink.” You said kindly.

“Anything for pretty lady like yourself.” Kano said smoothly. You couldn’t help but notice Erron still at the bar watching in complete befuddlement at the interaction unfolding before him. It made you laugh to yourself.

“I’m sorry to be so forward,” you started, leaning in and placing a gentle hand on Kano’s arm that was on the table. “But what is your endgame here?” You did your best to give him your bedroom eyes. He leaned in as well to give you his reply.

“I’d like to show you a good time tonight, sheila.” He admitted. You leaned back quickly.

“Okay.” You said shocking Erron and Kabal, who threw his head back in astonishment. “But I have two conditions.” You added quickly.

“Anything, doll.” Kano said.

“One, we don’t leave until the end of the night.” You set your first condition. Kano nodded. “Two, you have to drink this whole drink.” You pushed the drink he had bought for you towards him. He looked from you to the drink, and worried expression flashed on his face for a second. Then, deciding that he could take it, he turned smug as he looked back up to you, took the drink and pounded it back in just a couple of sips.

“I’m gonna show you the time of your life.” He promised. You just smiled at him.

“Tell me what you’re going to do.” You leaned back in and asked in your most seductive voice.

“Oh, i’m gonna merblmentab...” He started to say but already started to mumble his words. You looked at him questioningly, surprised that whatever was in that drink was affecting him so quickly. Kano started to sway. Kabal and Erron watched with amused smiles on their faces as Kano wobbled in his chair before his head fell to the table with a hard thud. 

“You got a pen?” You asked looking over to Kabal. He reached into his jacket and showed you a marker. “May I?” You asked as you went to grab it. He nodded and you took it, opening it, and then pushed Kano’s head to the side so that you could clearly see his face. You started to write on his forehead and then on his cheek. You stepped away and admired your drawing before handing the marker back to Kabal. He laughed as you left the table leaving Kano with a penis drawn on his cheek and the words, “I suck monster dick” scrawled on his forehead.

///

Later, after you had finished another drink, and slowly nursed a third, Cassie and Jacqui found you at the table with the boys. 

“Oh Y/n, you just have to sing a song with us!” Cassie asked as he hugged onto you from the side. You laughed. You were on your way to being drunk, and a little voice in your head (not Kenshi) said, ‘You can totally sing!’ But you knew you weren’t drunk enough to do it.

“Kay, but after you buy me a couple of shots.” You said almost kidding.

“Deal!” Cassie said excitedly before giving you a tight squeeze and a kiss on your cheek, and then running off to the bar to get you your juice. 

Then you noticed two new men come into the bar. Two men that you had read about numerous times but never had the honor of meeting. Two men that you knew to be honorable and good, and never thought that they would come to a bar. Hanzo Hasashi and Kuai Liang stopped just inside the doorway and looked around very unimpressed with the scene in front of them.

‘Holy hell that guy is hot.’ You thought to yourself, and you hear Kenshi laugh.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you think that.” He said to you. You looked at him with derision before you smiled and said:

“I thought that about you.” You said cockily before your gaze went back to the man in blue. The two men looked around and then smiled when they came up to Johnny and Sonya, talking to them about who knows what.

“Okay, here we go!” Cassie said happily as she and Jacqui set down six shots of something something brown.

“What is it?” You asked suspiciously.

“It’s called Four Horsemen. It’s delicious.” Jacqui said picking up one and Cassie followed suit. You sighed and then shrugged, picking up one of the shots.

“To my mom and dad!” Cassie all but shouted and everyone at the table cheers and you shot back the alcohol. It hit you like bus, but it left a rather pleasant after taste. You looked surprised.

“Right?! It’s good!” Cassie said before picking up the other shot. You did the same. 

“To being some bad ass bitches!” Jacqui said and the three of your cheersed and the drank the shots. You exhaled slowly allowing the drink to settle into your system.

“Alright,” You said, starting to feel that perfect buzz. “Lets go make fools of ourselves.”

///

It took you a while to find a song that you were willing to do. But after finishing your third drink that you had from a while ago, you were feeling pretty pumped to sing anything.

“I got it! I got it!” You said over zealously pointing to a song on the list.

“Fuck yes!” Cassie said.

///

You were on stage ready to sing your part to the song, watching Kuai Liang with lust filled eyes. He had not noticed you yet. He only talked to Johnny or Hanzo at the table they sat at near the exit as he slowly sipped what looked like plain water.

Your part came up and you were killing it. But your focus wavered when you said a particular line that seemed to capture Kuai’s attention and his head turned to watch you suddenly. You did your best to keep singing.

“ I got one girl, I got two wheels She a big girl, that ain't a big deal I like a big girl, I like 'em sassy Going down the backstreet listening to Blackstreet Running around the whole town Neighbors yelling at me like, you need to slow down Going thirty-eight, Dan, chill the fuck out Mow your damn lawn and sit the hell down”

It seemed that everyone in the bar turned to watch you sing. Even Erron watched you with lustful amusement as he sent a whistle out for you. You couldn't help the smile plastered to your face. A surge of confidence ran through you as you finished your part.

Then you, Cassie, and Jacqui all sang together at the end of the song, each of you bouncing to the music. You had the rest of the bar singing along with you.

“DOWNTOWN!” Everyone sang and you laughed, taking in the incredible high that you were riding.

The song finished and the bar clapped for the three of you. You left the stage to have people patting you on the back. You immediately went back to your table which now had Johnny, Hanzo, and Kuai at it. 

“Never pegged you for a singer, Y/n.” Johnny teased. 

“Meh, I’m not much of a pegger.” You joked back making Takeda, Kung Jin, and Kenshi almost spit up their drinks. You laughed and winked at Johnny. You looked over to Hanzo and Kuai, letting your gaze linger on the cryomancer. “Who are your friends?” You asked.

“I am Hanzo Hasashi, Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu.” Greeted Hanzo.

“And I am Kuai Liang, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.” Greeted Kuai. You nodded politely to both of them but couldn’t help but keep your focus on Kuai. 

“Is something the matter?” Kuai asked awkwardly after a moment of you staring.

“Oh,” You shook your head in embarrassment. “Sorry. I was distracted, you have a bit of cute on your face.” You launched your terrible pick up line. Johnny looked like a proud parent, but everyone else just shook their heads, embarrassed for you. But Kuai just looked concerned and picked up a napkin and started to wipe his face. You tilted your head, taken aback with what you were witnessing. Did he not know that it was a pick up line? You laughed at how adorable he was being. 

“Do you find me amusing?” Kuai asked, not sure why you were laughing at him.

“Don’t worry, I find you amusing in the best R rated way.” You said and winked at him, still feeling the confidence from your performance.

“Jesus.” Johnny’s voice was barely audible over the din of the bar. Even he thought that that line was a stretch. But Kuai, seemingly completely unfazed by the line, just turned back to his water and started up a conversation with Hanzo. 

You frowned in disappointment. Actually saddened by Kuai’s reaction you got up and found Cassie and Jacqui again. “Ladies.” You addressed them with a sad look on your face.

“What’s wrong?” They asked.

“The guy I’m into doesn’t like me back.” You conceded bitterly. 

“His loss, lets get you shit faced!” Cassie said.

“That’s the best damn idea I’ve heard all week!” You shouted before going back to the bar.

Erron still sat there watching you. You eyed him quietly as you waited at the bar to place your order. Then, still feeling the acute heart ache, you thought to yourself, ‘Fuck it.’ And turned to talk to him.

“Too late for that drink?” You asked. Normally you wouldn’t go for a guy like Erron. You never liked the idea of a guy with zero sense of loyalty who was likely to be a ‘one and done’ kind of dude. But you felt like you just needed some lovin’, and Erron was hot as balls, so you decided to go for it. 

“Never too late, darlin’.” He said smiling at you. He signaled the bar tender and pointed to you, showing that he wanted to get you a drink.

“What’ll you have?” Erron asked. 

“Something strong as hell that I can’t taste the alcohol in.” You declared. Erron looked shocked but ultimately smiled and chuckled at you. The bartender concocted some pink drink for you. You thanked him and then thanked Erron. 

///

You sat at a table with Erron sitting across from you. 

“Okay, so you have to start with your hands on the table. You have to do an action every time. You can either shield yourself, load your guns, or shoot. But in order to shoot you have to load your gun. If we both shoot at the same time its a draw. If I shoot you while you’re loading then I get a point. If you shoot me while I’m loading then you get a point. If you get shot, you have to take a shot. Person with the most points after ten moves wins. Understand?” Erron explained the rules of the game to you. You nodded that you got the rules.

“Okay, lets go.” You said eager to play the game. You played a few rounds and found yourself actually having a really good time with Erron. You had to remind yourself often though that he was a ‘wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am’ sort of fella. Your gaze kept going to Kuai, who you sometimes found was already looking at you when you went to look at him. Why was he so interested in you all of a sudden? You couldn’t help but feel the disapproval emanating off of him. Did he not want to see you with someone else? What was his problem?

You must have been stewing on about it for too long because you suddenly felt breath on your neck and Erron’s voice in your ear. “I can make you forget about him.” He reminded you. And damn it was getting harder and harder to deny him. You knew in your mind that Erron was only trying to use you to get information about SF, but your heart still burned from Kuai’s apparent rejection. You were sore about it, and it was starting to anger you. If he didn’t want you, then why the fuck does he seem to care so much about what you were doing?

There were still two shots left on the table for the game you and Erron were playing. You took them both in hand and pounded them both down, one after the other. Then, gathering all the courage the alcohol had given you, you walked up to Kuai.

“What’s you’re fucking problem?” You asserted your question. He looked startled. He fumbled with his words, trying to answer you, but unable to find the ones he wanted to say. “Why are you watching me? You made it clear before that you weren’t interested, so why are you constantly eyeing me up?” You all but yelled.

Kuai looked at you sternly. “You should not associate yourself with the likes of the Black Dragon.”

You gave him your best, “Excuse you.” look. “Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me who I should and shouldn’t hang out with?”

“Someone who has your best interest in mind!” Kuai shouted, now getting upset with you.

“Why do you care?!” You shouted angrily.

He looked at you then at the ground. By now, almost everyone in the bar was watching you. You could feel all of the eyes on you, but you didn’t care. You just kept your glare on Kuai. Then a voice entered your head. It was Kenshi again.

“Because he likes you, Y/n. You’re even more blind than me.” He told you. You looked shocked at Kenshi, then back at Kuai. All of a sudden it added up. You felt stupid for not realizing it before, but man, you had an art degree for a reason, you were really bad at math. 

“I-” you tried to speak again, but it was your turn to be at a lose for words. “I’m sorry.” You said, now feeling ashamed by your behavior. You noticed Kuai looking at Kenshi. You knew that they were having a telepathic conversation. You sighed, feeling like you blew any chance of being with Kuai out the window. “I’m sorry.” You said again quickly before turning around to go back to Erron.

“I would like it if you would join me for tea sometime.” Kuai said rather fast out of nervousness, but you still managed to catch it. You stopped in your tracks, surprised by what he just said. 

Erron came up to him and glared at him. “Sorry partner, I’m afraid this filly is otherwise accounted for.”

You turned and looked at them both. Before your outburst and Kuai’s admission, you had every point of going home with Erron, one-night-stand or not. But now, upon hearing that Kuai liked you back, despite being a drunken mess this whole time, you weren’t sure. You knew that Kuai was more the type of man that you wanted. Someone who would be faithful to you. Who would be in it for the long haul. That was who you wanted.

“Did you just compare me to a horse?” You asked in a tone laced with annoyance. Erron looked at you, eyebrows furrowed.

“I-” He started to explain but you interrupted him.

“This filly is prancing in a different direction.” You said arms crossed around your chest. Erron sighed defeated. He tipped his hat in your direction before glowering at Kuai and turning around and leaving the bar.  

You looked at Kuai. “Perhaps sometime when I haven’t consumed my weight in alcohol.” You said playfully.

Kuai held a small smile for you as he nodded. Your face erupted in a giant smile that made Kuai’s heart flutter.

[multifandomimagin3s]

Babies - Mortal Kombat Preference

Johnny Cage

Johnny didn’t really know how Cassie would react when she found out you were expecting a baby – his baby. He knew his daughter had always hoped that her parents would get back together, like they were when she was little, but seemed to slowly warm up to the prospect of her Dad re-marrying.

But as soon as she saw that little face, she – like everyone else who encountered the little one – were completely in love.

He may have cried a little – a lottle – when he held them for the first time, but will most likely deny that; “Nah, there was just - something in my eye.”

When it came to deciding baby names, he had his heart set on Johnny Jnr, for a boy. As for girl names, he was a lot more flexible.

Surprised you with a mini version of one of his ‘JC’ tracksuits. As nice as it was, there was no way that your kid would be wearing that…unless he dressed them (he put it on them one day when you were out, and you just didn’t have the heart to take it off.)

Spoils them immensely. As the daughter/son of a famous actor, companies jumped at the opportunity to send you free stuff – the living room was no longer habitable due to the sheer mass of freebies you’d accumulated.

Regardless of whether this is young!Johnny or older!Johnny, I can see him proudly carrying the little one in his arms, no matter who’s company he’s in, because hell yeah you guys made a cute baby!

But if anyone gets too close for his liking – whether that be the paparazzi, or someone more sinister – he’d quickly shield them away from prying eyes. He flat out refuses to divulge too much information to the press because the last thing he wants is for you to be bombarded.

Erron Black

Holy shit. Holy shit. It has literally just sunk in that he’s a Father, and he’s shook.

Can’t stop staring at their little, peaceful face. It’s clear who their parents are, even without having to take a second look – they have the perfect blend of your features mixed with his. They’re the most precious thing he’s ever seen.

Once they fall asleep in his arms, that’s him for the night. He’ll try not to move too much because he doesn’t want to want them up.

He’d make a solemn vow to be a good Dad. He didn’t have a good relationship with his parents and refuses to follow in their footsteps.

I think he’d be a lot more conscientious of the jobs he’d take; he must think not only of himself and you, but also of little Black-(Y/L/N). He would try not to stray too far from you both if anything should happen. If you don’t know how to defend yourself already, he’d insist that you learn – he’d probably teach you himself.

He’s not too fussed about names, providing it’s not a name he deems ‘stupid.’

He struggles to be soft – doesn’t do baby talk, since it makes him feel stupid, but he’ll have a much softer tone to his words. That paired with his accent makes your heart melt, and your baby clearly loves it too (who wouldn’t.)

The Black Dragon will never know of his child’s existence. Ever. He’ll be damned if they get dragged into that shitshow. Kano will never meet them, nor will any other member of the gang.

His guns are either kept on him, or out of reach, for obvious reasons. When they’re old enough he’ll teach them how to shoot, but until then – no touchy.

 Kabal

The world around him seems to screech to a halt , as soon as he sees that little face poking out from the blankets. It’s as if everything has come to a standstill, and there’s only you, the baby and himself in the world.

When they grab his finger in their tiny hand his heart just melts. When they coo at him, his eyes go all misty and soft and it’s adorable.

Insists that their name begin with a ‘K’ to mirror his own.

Like Erron, he’d make sure that Kano the Piss Goblin will never know that the baby exists. Whether that means he’ll have to leave the Black Dragon, potentially having to change his name as well as taking you and the baby as far away from them as possible – he’d do it in a heartbeat.

I think he’s a man who loves his Mom dearly, so of course he’d want her to see her Grandchild. She’s just as taken with them as he is and pulls you both into a congratulatory hug. She probably will knit them stuff such as baby socks, or little blankies with their name on it, which never cease to warm your heart.

He loves it when they fall asleep on his chest. There is nothing in this world that he loves more than having you tucked into his side with your little baby sprawled out across his chest, snoring away.

Even though they probably can’t grasp concepts other than food and who their parents are, he’ll watch movies with them, pointing out the good ones and the bad ones. He won’t even subject them to the Ninja Mime franchise, but just shows them the DVD cases like “These are the ones that Daddy hates, when you get older you’ll understand why…”

Pre-Burn or Post-Burn, he’d love them unconditionally. Post-Burn would be anxious that his mask and or appearance would scare them, but when they smile their gummy smile at him all that worry just dissolves.

 Hanzo Hasashi

This isn’t his first rodeo, so he’s very helpful during labour. There’s something sadly reminiscent of his previous experience which means he might need to talk a walk during, but he’s there for you.

Tries not to cry when he sees the baby – fails miserably.

Holds them to his chest, pressing soft kisses to their fuzzy head, whispering in his native tongue. You don’t really know what he’s saying but judging by the misty look in his eyes and how much love is pouring out of him, it was clearly something beautiful.

To him, this is the promise of a fresh start. He’ll not let history repeat itself and will protect both you and his child to the ends of the Earth.

Their baby clothes are mostly the typical colours – cream, mixed with shades of baby blue and or pink. However, Shirai Ryu colours will slowly mix in with this, but you don’t mind that much – the little yellow baby-grow is gorgeous.

The only people who know of the baby’s existence are yourself (obviously), Kuai, Takeda, Jacqui and Cassie – Johnny knows too but only because Cassie told him.

Tries to be the strict parent but he’s a softie at heart. Unless they do something outlandish, there is virtually no discipline in the house.

If their first word is ‘Dada’, he’ll be in awe. Grandmaster Grumpy Face has a heart but only for the select few.

 Kuai Liang

He’s composed on the outside, screaming on the inside. It’s a good thing that Hanzo happened to be around when you went into labour, otherwise he would be essentially lost.

He sits outside the waiting room with Bi-Han and Hanzo, trying to not panic at the sounds of your pain – he got sent out by the nurse because he looked ready to pass out, the poor soul.

Rushes through the door as soon as he hears the baby cry.

Holds them in his arms – he can’t stop looking at them, they’re so perfect. Bi-Han claps him on the back, congratulating his brother, as well as you. Hanzo looks over you and Kuai with a look that’s reminiscent and vaguely emotional.

Doesn’t want everyone to know about the newest addition to your family. Hanzo and Bi-Han are the first to know since they were there, but other than that there are few who know.

Has no problem with doing the late-night/early-morning feeds. As Grandmaster, he’s up early every morning, so this doesn’t change his routine much; plus, it lets you sleep more so win-win.

His cool body-temperature is calming for the little one – Cryomancy genetics and all that jazz – so more often than not, they’ll crash out in his arms. These are the some of the moments he loves dearly, their little chubby face smushed against his shoulder, sleeping peacefully.

The embodiment of the ‘Don’t speak to me or my son again’ meme. Johnny has been warned on countless occasions that if he swears around the baby or tries to share his bad influence with them, he’ll get his ass kicked.

If the babies’ first word is either a curse word, or some variation of ‘Blueberry Ice’, Johnny’s getting frostbite.

  Bi-Han

Everything needs to be in shades of blue – he put his foot down on that detail. The baby would most likely be a Cryomancer, so it’s important that they rep the Lin Kuei colours.

He’d probably be hoping for a son – ‘cause tradition and all that jazz – to carry on his legacy, but if he had a daughter he would be wrapped around her little finger.

I could see him rocking one of those baby carriers whilst simultaneously teaching. No-one questions him, since he’s the Grandmaster – plus the baby is adorable, so there’s very little confliction.

Thinks up cute snow / ice / cold related nicknames for the little one, which probably will evolve into their code-name when they get older. He still calls Kuai ‘Tundra’ when they’re not in front of their students, so that playful nature is still there under that stern façade.

Doesn’t want to shove the fact that his kid is angelic in people’s faces but – look at his angel baby. Look at them! They are perfect! Those eyes! That little button nose! But don’t touch the baby. He will cut a bitch.

“Let’s go see Uncle Kuai”

Uncle Kuai has little to no experience with babies but he’s gotta learn! He’s only ever met young Lin Kuei members when they were just exiting the toddler stage, so seeing a baby this small makes him a bit more cautious.

The sight of you with the baby makes him feel at home. And he’ll probably want another…

  Kung Lao

For all his confidence during your pregnancy, this man is basically hopeless when you go into labour. Like, he tries to be as supportive as he can be, but he’s white as a sheet and looks as if he’ll faint at any given moment.

He’s very gentle when he holds them for the first time, as if he’s scared that he’ll break them. He remembers holding Jin when he was an infant, so the experience isn’t knew to him, but knowing that the baby in his arms is his – it blows his mind.

He manages not to cry until they open their little eyes, peering up at him in wonder. Then he almost sobs.

From day one, he’s the Over-protective Parent. Upon learning about his fate in the Coliseum, he’ll maintain a watchful eye over your baby, at all times. He’s taken them to class a couple of times, which granted him a few stares but otherwise was unmentioned – they were just grateful he went…

Keeps his hat out of there reach – his worst nightmare is that they cut their little hands on the blade.

He’ll probably want his name incorporated in their’s. If it’s a boy, he’ll want to name them after him to keep with tradition, but if it’s a girl he’ll be happy with it as a middle-name.

Isn’t the biggest fan of having other people hold them; the only people to have had the go ahead, other than those within the temple, are Raiden and Cassie. He’s constantly afraid that they’ll drop the baby, and so would rather hold them and let the person fawn over them that way.

[motorghost]

a prompt I hope you saw coming: McCree, sunning his butthole

I did my best to live up to this real-life comedy gold.

So this takes place very early on in the gang’s reunion, when they’re still training as a team and Hanzo/Genji are still a little tense with each other. (Hopefully I kind of conveyed that through context clues alone but just wanted to be sure since I didn’t want to spend a lot of time polishing this because I have lol zero time.)

I hope it TAINT bad.    : - D

-

The simulation is set: nine opponents, fourteen hazards and two environments. McCree figures the first will be blizzard—why else would Mei be up in the box, waving down at them with that innocent smile?—but he has no clue on the second.Probably it has something to do with Genji, since he’s over half an hour late.

“It’s not like him,” mutters Angela, a little too opaque to show any judgment.Hanzo’s judgment, however, is very clear; he snorts loud enough for even Winston to look over, and he’s all the way up in the box with Mei.“I’m sure he’s just puttin’ the finishing touches on things,” Jesse drawls, nudging his boot into the concrete to scratch an itch on his heel.

“My brother is not one for keeping to a schedule,” says Hanzo. The effort to keep any bitterness out of his tone must’ve been monumental.

Jesse’s a quickdraw with more than a gun, so he’s a little miffed when Reinhardt gets to be magnanimous before he can: “I have seen people change in greater ways and in far less time  than in our Genji.” He clasps a hand on Hanzo’s shoulder and Jesse feels even more miffed when the archer doesn’t bristle and brush Reinhardt away like his usual character would dictate. “Perhaps he will surprise you.”

Hanzo seems to hum and cough at the same time. Reinhardt takes his hand back and Jesse licks his teeth behind his lips. “Dunno ‘bout that, Rein. Dickin’ off to meditate is still dickin’ off.”But both Reinhardt and Hanzo give him looks of disappointment and displeasure, respectively. Jesse coos out air like the room is getting hot, looking up at nothing, then turns instead to Angela, who is masterfully ignoring the entire situation.

“You get those new bio-shots in yet, doc?”“Not yet. But the shipment should come any day now. It’s not unusual for that kind of order to take so long. I once tried to have two gallons of e-CTM delivered to a safe house in Bucharest and the driver—”“Oh thank Christ,” Jesse mutters when Genji jogs into the room.“Forgive my lateness,” says Genji. “Torbjorn had not yet finished our suits.”The whole team squints at him. “Suits?” says Reinhardt.

Genji sets down twin crates and hits a button on their sides to let them snap open. “Winston wanted me to set the environment today, so I decided on fire.”Hanzo scoffs even louder than before. Jesse gets the feeling there’s some joke he’s not in on.Reinhardt, ever doe-eyed, persists: “fire?”“Yes. But these suits are not fire-repellant. They are fire-attractive.”Angela actually sounds intrigued, if a tad apprehensive: “come again?”“They will attract fire.” Genji takes out a suit and holds it up; it looks like a Tour de France onesie, only with far shorter shorts. Jesse thinks he’d be shocked if they even cleared his inner thighs. “Particularly to the torso and head.”“Gotta be shittin’ me,” mutters Jesse, turning away, spurs clicking.“Ridiculous,” rumbles Hanzo.“I do not see why I deserve such dissent,” Genji says, his robotic voice a lofty, melodic drawl. “I have designed this course to mimic the eventuality of a burning building. Something most of you would have difficulty overcoming,” he adds with a carefree lilt and tilt of his head. He leans towards the room com link on the wall and holds down the button, carrying his voice to the box above as well as the entire room. “Winston, Mei—you’ll find the simulation code under command 12-A.”

“If you are selecting an environment in which you are already an expert,” Hanzo drawls back, his own voice the total opposite of carefree, “then what is the point of your participating?”“It will still be a challenge for me. I have not been in the position of having to assist other teammates during a battle for a long time.”“Yes,” Hanzo crosses his arms, and Jesse pre-winces before the man even finishes, “Your position is more often far behind enemy lines, getting yourself injured and then calling for help.”Genji crosses his arms, too, though he keeps his tone light. “Now, brother. That was long ago.”“So that has never happened, then?” Hanzo quickly fixes his intense gaze on Angela, who hesitates just one second too long; Hanzo looks back at Genji with the most superior smirk Jesse has ever seen.Genji rolls back one shoulder, seemingly unperturbed. It’s hard to tell with the mask. “Overwatch is based on teamwork. We have all been in the position of requiring help from time to time. That is the reality of working with others—something that you, perhaps, could benefit to learn.”“I have worked in groups many times, as you are well aware.”“And the general of a group, what is their position, often?”“I do not have to explain myself to you.”“No, you just need to adhere to the new order of things.”“You should adhere to—”“I can’t wear that!”Everyone turns to look at Jesse.

The gunslinger clears his throat—he hadn’t really meant to shout—and squares his hips towards Genji. “I can’t put that on.”Genji lowers his arms and puts one hand on his hip, obviously sensing another mutineer. “And why not?”“There’s no way those things ain’t gonna ride up my groin like they’re goin’ for a chokehold. You ever see those boxer-briefs where the legs are just a tad too short on a guy with big thighs? Turn into tighty-whities before you can—”“Oh, please,” says Angela, barely suppressing an amused, if a little grossed-out grin. “I’ve seen you wear far more uncomfortable things for a mission, Jesse. It will only be for a couple hours.”“Certainly!” Reinhardt half-lifts his axe, “Remember those wet-suits in the North Sea? I could hardly breathe! And we were in those all day. Also, my thighs are far—”“Well I wasn’t dealin’ with localized bodily damage at the time, Rein.”“Damage?” Angela looks him up and down. “Are you hurt?”“Naw,” Jesse pulls the brim of his hat down, which he quickly realizes he should not have done, because most of them know him well enough to take that as a clear signal that he is hiding something. “I mean… not in any… it wouldn’t interfere.”

“It seems to be interfering now,” says Genji.“Jesse, if you are injured, you cannot just keep it to yourself. What if we had to ship out today?”“Tell us what it is, Jesse,” says Winston over the room com. “Better to take care of it now.”“It don’t need takin’ care of!” Jesse grumbles, his voice growing louder without his consent. “I just… I can’t be wearin’ shit like that.”Genji looks at the suit still in his hand, then slowly back at Jesse, who feels all the hairs on his arms stand up. “Is it a…” He gestures vaguely to his own pelvic area.“No! Jesus. I mean… not in the way you’re…”

Jesse’s throat closes up as he realizes the deep, deep hole he’s dug under his own feet. Everyone is staring at him with varying levels of suspicion, except for Hanzo, whose face looks more like… alarm? Apprehension?

Jesse sighs. Just get it over with.

He mumbles under his breath.“Sorry?” says Angela. Genji takes a step closer.“I sun-burned my perinmhihmm,” Jesse mutters a little louder, still barely legible.“Wait,” says Genji, who physically removes the com-link from the wall and holds it up to Jesse’s mouth, holding down the button so that his voice echoes like God’s judgment. “Can you just,” the cyborg almost trips over his barely-suppressed laughter, “Can you repeat that please Jesse?”Jesse stares him dead in his green-lit visor and, in his most confident drawl, announces to the entire room: “my pucker hole is crazy burned.”

The laughter hits them all differently: Genji’s head flies backwards with a sharp bark that dissolves into ludicrous snorting, Reinhardt brays one loud note that bounces off the walls again and again, Angela covers her mouth and laughs until Jesse sees her whole face turn red, and Hanzo, also hiding his mouth with his hand, lets his chuckles mostly just shake around inside his chest. He’s the only one who doesn’t look away from Jesse.

“Alright.” Jesse looks up towards the box where Mei is leaning over a console as if having a heart attack and Winston is trying to make sure she’s okay through his own chortling. “Alright, now. Ain’t that goddamn funny.”“Are you shitting me?” Genji, barely able to stay upright, shakes his open hand fingertips-first at Jesse, “How? How could that have possibly happened?”“It’s… it’s a type a’yoga! Shit. You never heard of it?” Jesse puts his hands on his hips, decides he might as well own it. “S’called ‘perineum sunning.’” While Genji collapses into laughter all over again, he goes on, “S’all about absorbing the sun into your body through your… your grundle.” Genji is almost on the floor now, repeating the word ‘grundle’ to himself like it’s a holy mantra. “I been having, y’know, trouble sleepin’ and the like… thought it’d boost my auric field with the power o’the sun and whatnot. Keep my life force from leaking out and all.”Now Genji is repeating ‘leaking’ to himself in a very high-pitched voice while Angela, bless her, manages enough self-control to speak. “Joking aside… Jesse, that does sound serious. Have you… done anything…?”“No! What am I supposed to do? Stick a biotic emitter up there and hope for the best?”“N-no,” says Angela, still fighting giggles but blessedly stepping in front of Reinhardt and Genji, who are both using Reinhardt’s hammer as a kind of crutch for their hysterics. “But some burn ointment may help. Do you have any aloe vera?”Jesse snorts. “Yeah… probably in my kit somewhere.”“You should apply some. Perhaps… perhaps you should sit out this session to do so. We can… ping Lucio to replace you.”“God, yes, please,” Genji wheezes, “Please let’s bring Lucio out here.”Fully aware that Lucio is not really an appropriate replacement for what he brings to the table, Jesse grumbles a thank-you and turns heel for the door. But right before he exits (since Genji and Reinhardt are still laughing), he sticks his head back in to add: “it’s an ancient fuckin’ Taoist practice!”

-

An hour later, someone knocks at Jesse’s door. He almost ignores it, but at the second knock—faster, snappier—he gets up to at least see who it is. If it’s Genji and Lucio come to taunt him, he can at least open the door with his gun in his hand.But it’s Hanzo, standing all regal with his hands resting inside his kimono jacket. Obviously still amused but doing a good job of trying to hide it. A much more welcome sight, despite everything.

Jesse taps the door command and leans on the frame with as much swagger as he can muster. “Well hey there. Sim went by kinda quick, huh?”“Yes,” says Hanzo, those perfectly-shaped lips toying with a smirk, “It was difficult to achieve adequate team cohesion after your… announcement.”“Well, ain’t my fault we’re workin’ with a couple’a gigglin’ frat boys,” Jesse sighs, stepping aside.

The door hisses shut behind Hanzo, who immediately walks to the console. “Athena, cease surveillance of this room. Command three dash eight hundred and four.”“Confirmed,” says Athena.“Still don’t know how you managed to swipe Winston’s command codes,” chuckles Jesse.“It was a crime of necessity.” Hanzo comes up close, presses against Jesse’s front. Chin tipped up to smirk at him. “I don’t want anyone seeing or hearing what I do to you.”Jesse opens his mouth to agree, but Hanzo seizes that opportunity to plant his own mouth there, tugging down on the gunslinger’s chin to line them up. Their arms wrap, their bodies slot, and Jesse lets out a low rumble of pleasure. Hanzo kisses him slower and warmer than he has yet and the effect is melting. Time goes still and Jesse swears he hears a bird singing.

“Wha,” Jesse clears his throat, when it’s over, looks down at Hanzo from heavy-lidded eyes. “What was that for?”“For lying for me,” Hanzo hums. “I will admit,” He playfully unbuttons Jesse’s flannel shirt, “That was the most unorthodox way of getting out of having to show a hickey I have ever heard of, but I commend your creativity.”“Huh?”Hanzo gently pats Jesse’s cheek, still smiling. “Stay with me, cowboy. I appreciate you keeping our time together a secret. I do not know how the others would have reacted if they saw what I did to your thighs.”“Oh.” Jesse takes a half-step back, still loosely holding Hanzo by the elbow with one hand while the other scratches at a side-burn. “Well… yeah, Han. I know you wanna keep things quiet for now.”“It is for both our benefit,” Hanzo mutters into Jesse’s jaw. “It is… I have never done this before. Nothing like this. I want to take things slowly.”“O’course. I mean, I… y’know I’ve had a shaky run of things, too. Though I’d yell it from the top of the rock this afternoon, if you gave the go-ahead.”Hanzo chuckles, that warm, resonant rumble that Jesse is already falling a little bit in love with. “Perhaps someday.”As he goes to kiss down Jesse’s throat, the gunslinger coughs a little. “Well, there’s… I mean, there’s that, but…”Hanzo’s smile fades as he blinks up at Jesse. A shadow of worry crosses his face and Jesse’s heart spasms in pain. “But what?”Jesse sighs again, only with ten times more despair than in the simulation room.“But I really did burn my pucker hole.”There’s a moment in which Hanzo just stares with gently widened eyes, as if he doesn’t understand. Then a bubble of disbelieving laughter makes his chest contract. “You…” More chuckles bubbles up and Jesse thinks it’d be damn endearing, the way this usually self-controlled man can’t hold back his laughter, if he didn’t feel a very real burn of embarrassment spreading across his own face. Not to mention the burn between his ass cheeks.“You what?” Hanzo asks, as if he is really trying to give Jesse the benefit of the doubt here.

“I went down on you for nigh on an hour yesterday on the top of a cliff with my bare ass pointed at a 3pm sun in the goddamn Mediterranean, Han! What did you think was gonna happen?” Jesse pauses, his eyes fly off somewhere up and to the left, then come back to Hanzo with his tone even higher-pitched: “and you don’t think I’d come up with a better lie than that if I had to!?”

“I didn’t… I am sorry, I did not…” Hanzo is practically choking, his hand slapped up over his mouth again.Jesse sighs. He looks at Hanzo, with his shaking shoulders and his bouncing bang-hair, and a rueful half-smile breaks through his irritation. “S’okay, darlin’. You can laugh. It’s funny.”Then Hanzo lets out a bark of laughter even louder and grander than Genji’s, his head tossing back in a very similar fashion. His hands tremble as they hold onto Jesse’s shirt flaps for dear life. The sight is almost enough to make Jesse forget about the horrible, horrible pain.It’s not long before the archer comes back down to earth. “I,” Hanzo starts, wiping away a tear, “I am deeply sorry for this… for your…”“Yeah, yeah.” Jesse adjusts the waistband of his loose sweatpants, which is about the only article of clothing his ass can stand now. “Never gonna live this one down, y’know that? Genji’s probably gonna bring it up at my goddamn funeral.”“I apologize,” Hanzo says, both hands still holding onto Jesse’s shirt. “Why did you not say something sooner?”“Couldn’t find the right words, I guess.”“‘My pucker hole is crazy burned’ now seem like the only right words.”Jesse scoffs and rolls his eyes and cackles into his hand, then winces as the movement makes his thighs shift too much. Suddenly he turns boyish: “it really hurts, sweetheart.”Then Hanzo draws forward with a sound like a low, rough coo, and smoothes out Jesse’s shirt. “If you are truly in need,” his eyes sweep up to Jesse’s and Jesse can’t express how much that adds to his downstairs discomfort, “I can assist you with that aloe vera.”“Really, Han, you ain’t gotta—”“I insist. It is the least I can do after your…” Hanzo gets closer, smirks with those cat-like eyes dangerously narrowed, “…Skilled favors.”Jesse feels a very different kind of burning and chuckles, looking off to the side. “Aww, Han. I don’t think that’ll be as enjoyable as you’re makin’ it sound…”“I will make it enjoyable.” He lowers his hand and palms over Jesse’s cock to prove his point. Licks Jesse’s bottom lip into his mouth and lets it slide out between his teeth.Well, shit. “Alright,” Jesse sighs, “You insisted and all.”

“Mmm,” Hanzo purrs, still rubbing Jesse through his sweats. “And do not worry about Genji. I know many stories of his that more than overshadow yours.”“As nice as that is, darlin’, I really don’t wanna talk about your brother right now.”“Then stop talking and get on the bed.”

[mrneighbourlove]

Evil’s Bane: Ch 6. Yield to Damnation

The village had a little more excitement as the sun set. Outsiders were a commodity here, and another Mortuus from outside who wasn’t mad was a treat. Kenshi sat with Black and Leere, recounting a tale of woe. “My daughter loved to wear a red coat, exploring the forest outside the village. There used to be no real danger. She knew what to do when she saw an animal, so I assumed we’d always be safe, if not imprisoned here. I still don’t know if she’s dead or not.”

Bonegrinder had opted to avoid the villagers for the most part. He had told Black and Leere in very clear tones that the Mortuus were not happy about an Echidnan being here. So, he had chosen a comfy tree to rest for the evening until hell break loose. Black, on the other hand, had been instructed not to leave Leere's side. He listened to Kenshi's story but had no words of comfort.

Leere nodded, as her brain was trying to figure out if she liked the villages ale or not. “That’s terrible Kenshi. Maybe we can find her?” Outside, Bi-Hanzo stomped up to the tree with a group a robed Mortuus. “We request your presence.”

When Bi-Hanzo approached with other Mortuus, Black stood as well as Leere. He still said nothing, just ready to follow the princess. Though, he was still apprehensive in this place. He felt the danger, sensed it.

Leere looked to the window, curious what the Mortuus wanted with Bonegrinder.

"Why?" Bonegrinder did not budge from his tree. "This Anagari figured you would not wish for a 'cowardly' Echidnan to grace your presence."

“You are cowardly, God of Life.”

Leere tensed next to Black. Bi-Hanzo’s tone wasn’t friendly. This could easily turn into a powder keg.

"God of Life?" Bonegrinder actually snickered. "Try again. Let's see, the Lorleidians know him as 'Ba'puu' and his counterpart as 'Zarazu'... what do you call him?"

“We call you Proxamus, Creator to the brother Destroyer.”

"What makes you so sure this snake is who you believe him to be?" Bonegrinder snorted. "After all, an Echidnan couldn't possibly be the host of your beloved deity."

“We are certain. Now you will join us for council. Or we can take you by force.”

"Oh?" Bonegrinder turned to face the group with a leering smile of jagged teeth. "You can try. Please do so. Give him a reason to rip your kind to shreds. He will revel in it."

"Don't tempt him." Black finally spoke, standing in front of Bi-Hanzo. "You do not know what he's capable of."

“You do not know what I am capable of.”

Leere ran out, hating how quick Black almost teleported he was so sneaky. “We don’t want to fight.”

“We don’t want a god who has failed their duties.”

"Failed?" Black repeated, casting a glance at Bonegrinder and then Leere. "What do they mean?"

"Oh yes, do so elaborate." Bonegrinder flicked his tail. "Let this snake guess... Prama did not bow to your every little request so you're pissed at him."

“There has only been one request Prama. To liberate us from our hell.”

Leere stood her ground, not wanting a god to break Bonegrinder’s mind because the snake couldn’t hold it together. “Bi-Hanzo. I’m certain that the one you call Destroyah is the architect of your most recent suffering. Why target Proxamus, even if the god were here?”

"They're looking for someone to blame, tiny princess, so they point their fingers at the monster." Bonegrinder was growing so very tired of this prattle. "Go away. You know nothing."

“We know a god lies trapped in a snake.” Bi-Hanzo ordered the town cultists to surround the tree. With necromantic energy, they focused a pentagram around the tree. “Don’t move. Release the god in you willingly, or suffer.”

"... you think you can take on old Bonegrinder with that pitiful magic?" Bonegrinder... laughed. And Black knew when the snake had that mocking laugh that shit was about to go down. Placing his hand on Leere's shoulder, he morphed them away from the tree, reappearing in the shadows in the clearing. "Don't you know that while he may host Prama, that doesn't mean his magic is limited to just light. Oh, no, no, disgraceful ones, you see, Bonegrinder is a shaman. And where he hails from, a shaman studies all forms of magic." He raised his hands with palms upturned then slammed them down on the tree. "Mother of the Monsters abhors necromancy, but you think Bonegrinder didn't take the chance to learn his enemy's magic to use it against them? So yes, yes, he learned... even this one."

The undead rose from the earth, much like what Leere had summoned before, except more so... malicious. Pieces of the undead stitched together from creatures and people ceased a thousand years ago. The Anagari was enraged at their accusations. These fools knew nothing of his torment and suffering. They knew nothing of Prama's shattered memories and his broken mind. No, they deserved to suffer. "He'll ask once again... do you really want to challenge him?"

"... fuck." Black rarely cursed and was rather eloquent with his words at time, but this was alarming. "He's snapped."

“I do.” Bi-Hanzo raised his hand. With a squeeze of his fist, he pulled back his arm. Every undead’s head popped like a balloon as the air was sucked into their ears and mouth, an explosion of icicles pultruding from its neck. Leere was amazed how much mastery he had over necromancy; that even if one couldn’t control undead, they knew how to quickly dismantle them. What surprised her most, however, was a different magic. When one undead drew too close, Bi-Hanzo held a hand out to grab its head, and the moment his palm made contact, the undead turned sizzled, steam burning the monster into a mushy mess of flesh.

"Childish trick, for sure. You think this is all Bonegrinder knows? Hrm... well, he did give you a warning." The Anagari used his finger to cut through the space and suddenly disappeared into a portal. It was several moments before he reappeared, this time, behind Bi-Hanzo. Holding the man up by his throat, he dug his claws into the man's skin. "Let's see how long this snake has to squeeze before your head goes 'pop'."

Bi-Hanzo took a breath and his body turned into mist, escaping Bonegrinder’s grasp. Solidifying again, he threw a hand forward, freezing Bonegrinder’s lower half to the ground. “Paralyze him.”

As other cultists readied a spell again, Leere lashed out, using shadows to trip them up. “Enough! I agreed to help you! You’re attacking the wrong side.”

“We know that the god hides within.” Lady Jackalen hobbled down on a walking stick. “I will speak to my god! Not a wretched snake.”

The spell was a nuisance he could easily wave away with his magic. Yet, if he used too much, the Anagari would risk drawing attention. Before he traveled here, Prama had warned him against using his full power. It could draw more creatures, or worse, if Destroyer was here, he might appear before them. Lifting the spell, Bonegrinder pivoted on his upper half and slammed his tail into the ring of cultists by spinning. True, he knew magic, but also how to fight dirty. Squeezing his coils around the old hag, he threatened, "Tell them to piss off or you're mush."

“Bonegrinder, holy Din, stop! Listen, you aren’t going to kill any of them. And none of you are going to get to talk to your god. Least not here.”

Bi-Hanzo raised his brow. “Here?”

“I can give you another promise. You can learn the truth in Hyrule, outside of Malus.”

"None will speak to him if Bonegrinder has anything to say about it." The Anagari hissed. "This was a mistake, Leere. He warned you of what resided here and now look. These fools want to speak to Prama, to a god they claimed failed them. And for what purpose? Prama barely recalls creating this earth. He had to relearn; he even knew not of the damn prophecy. Worst of all, he's trapped in this snake!" Bonegrinder was severely agitated and it was really starting to show. "His soul, Bonegrinder's soul, two minds, one body, this is torment!!! And these filthy, child murdering cultists want to speak to him?! Beg them to save him?! Let them all fucking rot! They slaughtered Echidnans and we did nothing to them!!!"

"Master, let's just go back to the underground." Black had to do something or the snake was going to have another episode like he did in Omisha. He had heard all the details from Blue and White. The last thing he wanted was for Bonegrinder to sleep for days on end in this hellish place. "We'll go back through the portal and forget about this day."

Leere felt her heart race with adrenaline at trying to get through the snake’s dense skull. “Bonegrinder. Not every one of these people deserve to die. You can’t paint one colour for an entire race of people!” The sun set, with the sound of an owl muttering in the distance.

"Oh, he cannot, can he?" Bonegrinder sneered. "Isn't that what they have done to his race? Hypocritical, tiny princess, is what he says. Shall he slaughter the adults and save the children? Perhaps he should just have them throw at his tail the ones responsible for hurting his people. Tell him, Leere, tell him, for he'd really like to know just how he is supposed to act when this race is responsible for the death of so many."

"Don't make him target you," Black whispered to Leere under his breath. "He's starting to grow unstable."

“You’re an egomaniac drug kingpin who profits off the suffering of others, don’t you dare think yourself any better. You’re overly sarcastic and rude to everyone you meet. It’s like you enjoy scaring people. Having met other Echidnans I know you’re one of the few, no, the only one who acts upon negative impulses on a whim.” Leere ignored Black, pointing to the houses people stared out at. “Look at their faces. Look at them! You inspire fear! They’re just people Bonegrinder! The Gerudo have just people. The Echidnans have just people. And the Mortuus can be just people.”

"... did he scare you, tiny princess? All those years ago when he found you wandering his tunnels?" Bonegrinder grinded his teeth together, dropping the old hag. "He was kind to you because he could smell it on you. You are innocent of the crimes which were thrust upon you. The magic engraved into your very skin could call forth Chaos itself and he knew that you should have died but he wanted you alive and well because you deserved a chance. You were a child. These people would have wanted you dead." The Anagari snarled. "He likes to scare people, Leere. He wants those who would use drugs, hurt others, or even dare to sell their own kin to a brothel to suffer. He lurks in the darkness to inspire fear and it has served him so very well." He had almost a maniacal laugh. "Would you like to know why Prama didn't stop him? Why he has continued all these years to persist after you and your family? Perhaps he should even tell you of your little niece's upcoming fate if she is to be the host of Kaksa? Hrm? Or will you listen to him for once and not seek out such heartbreaking answers? No? You never listened to him when he warned you not to seek answers from this country. It's in the prophecy, tiny princess." He spoke, "Don't ever laugh as death passes you by, for you might be the next to die. The grim reaper walks beside of thee, she comes for all, for you and me. Darkness and shadows bring nothing but dread, two can keep a secret if one is dead."

“Fear. You wield it like a drug. It consumes you. I should have never met you if that’s how you really think you can change the world.”

"If he was a true 'monster' like these bastards believe, then he would have scared you before he ate---"

Before the air could be still with tension, it exploded with the arrival of a new danger. Something had risen from the lake, running with a sprint. Sixty tiny eyes of vision lead it through the forest, past bushes, scaring a group of fairies, down a path, and into the clearing of the village. A giant bipedal creature broke the argument, grabbing a cultist by the head, and running back into the darkness of the forest. More ran out of the dark, drooling pincers cackling together as they ran towards more prey. Leere immediately drew a scythe, slashing ones head off. Bi-Hanzo blasted a body away, encasing it in ice. “Something new! Villagers, disperse and hide!”

The argument was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the creatures. Bonegrinder groaned aloud, and looked more so annoyed than he did disturbed. "Black. Keep an eye on the bratty princess." The Anagari used his long body to crush, squeeze, and maim several of the fiends. He was an efficient fighter despite being so large.

What made the creatures unique was what their bodies did after being crushed or dismenbered. Oozing slime, they instantly started to regenerate.

"... Bonegrinder? What are these things?" Black had already taken down as many as his master, but was not expecting the enemy to rise once more.

"Creations of Destroyer or Chaos one, he cannot remember." Bonegrinder then summoned a searing hot flame in the palm of his hand. "Burn them."

Bi-Hanzo froze one whole, shattering it into fragments with a kick. “No! They might still form again from ash. Freeze their movements to a stand still.”

Leere didn’t have any ice to use, and it didn’t seem any other Mortuus did either. A scream next to her rang out, and from the corner of her eye she saw Lady Jackalen being swooped up by a bug with wings. It had a straw like appendage on its face, and quickly jabbed it into her head. Leere winced as she watched the woman be drained into a husk. One of the fly creatures came silently for Black from behind. Throwing her knife, she hit it right in the eye, causing it to veer off course.

"Good eye, princess." Black commented as he spun her around and used her feet to whack another demon away from him.

"For the love of Mother..." Bonegrinder cursed under his breath. This situation was not good. There were only a handful of these useless bastards that could use magic. Maybe if he used it, just this once to keep Black and Leere safe... then he'd teleport them out of this hell. Hades was still alive. He could feel it with the magic in his scale that the Lynel consumed. The Anagari could seek him out later. "Don't move." The snake instructed as he placed his hands on the ground. Slowly, the dirt started to turn to quicksand around those fiends, trapping them. One by one, the demons were frozen... and stopped. For now. Turning his attention to Leere and Black, he stated, holding no room for objection. "We are leaving."

“Not without the rest of these people.” Leere didn’t falter, still looking around for more threats ready to spring from the darkness. Worse case was they were still surrounded, and she always prepared for the worst case.

"Either you come willingly or he will drag you with him, princess, don't make him act on it." Black warned Leere. "Besides, he cannot transport all these people through a portal. That kind of magic would drain him. He'd be lucky to take a few at most."

“Then he can use my reserve as well to tap into. I won’t doom these people to damnation.”

"You do recall what happened the last time you gave Bonegrinder some of your magic." Black quirked an eyebrow at the girl. "He was drunk off his scaled tail for a full day."

"These people are already damned." Bonegrinder snorted as the rest of the village went quiet. "They want Prama to come and save them. Don't they realize that their deity can hardly remember who he was? Who Kaksa was? His own brother? He could barely recall some of his creations. He cannot hear prayers or whispers while he is trapped. And yet, they have the gall to call him a coward when he's suffered so." He growled. "This old snake may not like his predicament with Prama, but he does know that this hell isn't Prama's fault."

“Then be the bigger person and help then regardless of what wrongs they did to you! That’s what a hero would do!”

"Hero? Hero?!?! You want to know what being a hero for these bastards all those years ago earned him, Leere?!" Bonegrinder's voice was so loud, it pierced throughout the entire village. "Mother went soft! She asked us to try to save a few of the 'good' Mortuus, just like you want to do! It was a mistake! One that was erased from the history books so we would never again try something so foolish!!!" He slithered closer. Then closer, towering over Leere. "So, good Modoc, wanting to please Mother, be honorable, and try to set an example for our future generations went to save who he could. He opened up his home, kept them safe, kept them warm... and when the monsters came after them?" He hissed. "Ask him, Leere. Ask him what those bastards did."

"Bonegrinder, now is not the time---"

"Shut. Up. Black."

“Your family was killed.” Leere wasn’t even phased. “Because you were tricked. Because your enemies were clever to disguise themselves, right? That why you don’t like letting people you can’t outright control close anymore, right?”

"They had a choice whether to fight with the enemy to slaughter us, or die with us." The Anagari scoffed. "So those who were 'good' turned on the very Echidnans who saved them. And they... they were... slaughtered, Leere. And they were innocents. Much like you."

As the argument was boiling, Jang was checking on the body of Lady Jackalen. Many didn’t like the churches leader when it came to killing those she deemed ‘doomed to sin’, but her wisdom had kept them whole for generations. As he sighed at the loss of life, he glanced down at a movement. Was she alive? How with that ghastly wound?

Peering closer to listen to a heartbeat, Jang’s head exploded with the old woman’s chest when a giant tree stalk of flesh shot upwards into the air. A snarling new version of Lady Jackalen snarled downwards at them. With the mimicry of a pained human scream, leeches shot outwards from its body towards hungry prey to feast on.

Leere couldn’t believe the anomaly she saw as she backed away from the flesh eaters.

Bonegrinder took notice of the infection of demonic energy on the old hag's body. It seemed Destroyer or Chaos one had been busy. This was rather new design. Perhaps he was changing his fiends. Usually, he was more concerned with ripping something apart entirely, not causing slow torment. It hardly bothered the snake. "Fleshlings."

Kenshi ran forward and hacked at every leech that lunged at him, furious his best friend was slain. “JANG!!!”

Bi-Hanzo was ready to freeze the monstrosity apart, when the flesh creature uprooted itself from its just host body. Sickening slender spider legs allowed it to move about. It’s first direction was to flee the village. The village protector scowled behind his mask, his eyes visible with fury, “After it! It must not be allowed to escape this realm alive!”

Following Bi-Hanzo and Kenshi, Leere sliced another leech in half with her scythe, running into the dark forest with them.

"... why does she always run headfirst into danger?" Bonegrinder groaned, watching as Black chased after her. He started to do so himself when he felt it. Sensed it. Every scale on his body twitched. Destroyer... his brother... was very, very close.

The group ran through the dark scenery. Finally, they reached the lake they first met Kenshi and Jang. There, the fleshy abomination was trying to submerge itself in the water. Bi-Hanzo dipped his hand in, freezing the water around it. “Kill it!”

The mimicry of Jackalen bloated it’s flesh up. At a critical mass it barfed a putrid acid, attempting to burn its attackers.

Black managed to yank Kenshi back before the acid burned the fool. Decapitating the creature, Black then resumed his place beside of Leere. He shook the guts off his sword before sheathing it. The Wraith looked unnerved. "I stand by Bonegrinder. We need to go---"

"LEERE!!!!" The Anagari had zoomed through the woods at top speed, and he wore an absolute panicked expression. "KALAKUTA!!!"

Now that got Black's attention. Bonegrinder hardly ever used his given name. This was serious. "What is he yelling about---"

"HE'S HERE!!!"

As Black hopped up to slice the head off, Leere used her blade to cut the body in half, causing it to crash backwards like a falling tree. The husk of Jackalen melted in a smelly goop of flesh into the lake. Leere turned to Bonegrinder, he adrenaline still running from the fight. “Who’s here?!”

This quest would only bring one nightmare after the other. From the lake, the water erupted in a fierce explosion, splashing everywhere. A black shape kept moving upwards, upwards and upwards. Finally, the shape arched forward. The body of a massive serpent shook its titanic head. With sunken eye holes, it looked down at the group of five. Kenshi dropped his sword, put into shock by the sight. “What in oblivion.”

"GET DOWN!!!" Bonegrinder saw the serpent looming over the group, the jaws wide. He could make it, just a little more! He had to be faster. Stretching out his long body, he managed to wrap around Black and Leere... before the serpent striked.

The son of the Destroyer opened wider. Suddenly, the air downwards started to inhale inwards. A second later, every body, leaf and living person was being sucked upwards into its mouth with the force of a tornado. Leere reached out to Bonegrinder, light as a feather as they were reaching their destination of doom. “Bonegrinder!!!”

Black flailed as he was nearly ripped away from his master, but held on tightly to his coils with one arm. He managed to sling his belt around the huge snake as a way to increase his grip. Leere, however, was barely holding on by her finger tips. The Anagari managed to grab her, slamming her into his chest and then coiled in on himself, covering Black and Leere with his body.

Bi-Hanzo and Kenshi flew up with them. When they reached the throat, all three Mortuus screamed as the jaws of the serpent closed. With that, darkness enveloped them, swallowing them whole.

________________________________________________________________

Previous Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/626093697379008512/evils-bane-ch-5-belief-scattered

Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/626094887593443328/evils-bane-ch-7-entering-the-tower

[overdrivels]

The Way to a Heart (14)

/SCREAMS LIKE A BANSHEE

IT TOOK FOUR MONTHS HOLY SHIT THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE

I was also starting to lose hope, but thank you, several comments (unrelated to TWtaH but was still about Hanzo) brought me back to life. Thank you, thank you.

<< Chapter 13

Tracer’s and Lúcio’s arrival brings in the morning sun and an amount of supplies that could only be bought on a superstar’s salary. Well, that’s an exaggeration, but Winston treated it as such, calling down every awake and able member on base to come down and help unload them and the overwhelming mountain of gifts from Lúcio’s adoring fans. (When Hanzo first set eyes on it, he was sure it'd topple over him and that would be his death—buried by the overwhelming show of affection for another.)

Sourly, Hanzo notes the disproportionate number of bodies present to those he knows is on base. Soldier and Tracer spend their time bickering near the pilot’s seat instead of helping—something about bringing the gifts back to Brazil immediately—and he wants nothing to do with that, spending as little time away from the ramp and ship as possible in case Soldier’s argument wins out and the Orca suddenly flies off on a ten-plus hour flight across the equator with him in it.

“Your timing couldn’t be more impeccable,” Winston says cheerfully to a passing Lúcio as he loads one of many heavy crates onto a trolley. “We just finished doing an inventory check and found that we were very short on supplies and our monetary support is temporarily unavailable and suspended indefinitely, so all of this couldn't have come at a better time.”

Lúcio gives him a curious look. “How were you guys surviving before I got here? Don’t tell me you were just starving and selling scrap.”

“No, of course not! We had funds coming in but...circumstances got in the way and, well…” Winston trails off with a heavy sigh and recovers in the next inhale with the fakest smile Hanzo has ever seen any gorilla make—not that he’s had a wealth of experience with such a thing. “Murphy's law, wouldn't you say?”

Lúcio spins on his heel mid-step and begins to walk backward to keep talking to Winston. “Can’t imagine what sort of circumstance could stop you, big guy. Whoops—!” He almost slams into a too-sleepy Mei. “Sorry!”

She mumbles something, dragging her fuzzy yeti-clad feet across the floor toward the ramp to the Orca. Hanzo feels just a little bad for her.

“The situation is very complicated,” Winston admits. “And the circumstances are less than ideal. Very complicated.”

“Oh come on, something you can’t solve? Phh-shaw. Now you’re just underselling yourself. You gotta have more confidence.”

“Well—”

“Who brought back Overwatch?”

“I did.”

“And who recalled everyone?”

With more confidence, Winston answers with his chest more inflated, “I did.”

“And who—”

“Less talking, more lifting,” Soldier: 76 barks as he emerges from cockpit, clearly annoyed.

And Soldier: 76 has just earned himself a higher spot on Hanzo’s shit list.

“Oh, come on, dad!” Tracer yells behind him, voice echoing too loudly for this hour. “Lighten up, just a bit o’ curiosity, is all!”

“Yeah, dad. We can work and talk.” Then, Lúcio nudges Winston, ignoring Soldier’s irritated huff. “You brought this operation together, you brought us together because no one can do it on their own. What is it you always say?” The man puffs out his chest and fixes a pair of imaginary glasses on his face. “‘Together, we can solve any problem.’”

And Lúcio is quickly surpassing everyone else on Hanzo’s...other list. Or rather, he’s just joining you and several few people on a list that he never knew he was putting together.

It's plain to see the gears turning in Winston's head and the spark in his eyes as those words inspire a newfound hope.

“That’s right, together, we can solve any problem.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Soldier grumbles something disagreeable beneath his mask about being a father, walking away with three boxes, hefting two over one arm and the last tucked beneath his other. With the old man out of the way, Lúcio's good mood is nothing short of infectious.

Story after story is doled out in rapid-fire succession. The world tour. The fans. His home. The orphaned children he sometimes looks after. The man so desperately wants to tell everyone he's joined Overwatch, barely restraining himself until he gets the green light from Winston interspersed with anecdotes from his days before he reached international fame, chasing after his young dreams and led forward by his frustration and powerlessness, keeping everyone in the docking area long after they've finished loading their supplies.

Lúcio, Hanzo concludes, is an excellent storyteller.

But even better at making other people talk.

“We're facing a bit of a financial crisis,” Winston finally admits.

“Financial crisis? Wasn't Overwatch loaded? Where'd all that go?” Despite the heavy-handed questions, none of them sounded particularly accusing in Lúcio's voice. Hanzo isn't sure how he does it, but mentally notes that he is still not above learning something new from someone ten years his junior.

“Well, all the accounts related to Overwatch got frozen following its disbandment. So, when we initiated the Recall, we were essentially penniless.”

“But Recall was months ago, so you had to be running somehow. How were you all getting money anyway? Second jobs? Selling scrap?”

“No, no. None of that. We had...an arrangement with someone who funneled money to us. As you know, Overwatch is currently outlawed—not that it should be—so we couldn't blatantly accept money from just anyone.”

“So did you get yourselves a sugar daddy or…?”

Winston chokes, dark skin going crimson. “N-n-no! No!” He clears his throat, attempting to compose himself. “No, absolutel—no. No.”

Hanzo thinks the gorilla protests too much, but he stays quiet as Lúcio continues his line of easy-going (but effective) questioning. If he recalled correctly, there were ‘donors’ who gave Overwatch the funds they needed. Did the situation change somehow?

“We initially received a large amount of funding, but we seem to have...misbudgeted many things.”

“Like…?”

“The cost of maintaining the base, the Orca, jet fuel; we try to recycle as much as we can, but it's not possible in certain cases. We also had to pay the agents for their efforts and supplies, too. Dr. Zielger's nanomachines technology is not cheap to reproduce by any means, and Tracer's chronal accelerator requires unique components that can be very costly.”

“Sorry about that!” Tracer sounds just as sincere as she does guilty.

“But! Dr. Zhou and Ms. Vaswani are a great help.”

Mei blushes, waving away the praise. “Oh, don't mention it. Anything for Overwatch.”

“Dr. Zhou is very innovative in ways I've never considered, and Ms. Vaswani's hard light technology makes many of our endeavors possible and cut down some costs.”

“Glad to hear that,” Lúcio says sourly, corner of his mouth twitching into a frown.

“Though getting cut off so suddenly from our funding and losing the chef made me realize just how costly even our basic necessities are.” The gorilla sighs. “Takeout every day is very expensive and really adds up.”

A prickle of apprehension stabs at Hanzo's stomach, mentally willing Lúcio to dig into that topic as well.

“Rice and beans, Winston. Rice and beans.” Lúcio gives Winston a few pats on the back that are supposed to be comforting, but only receives confused looks instead.

“What happened to the chef, Winston?” Tracer's asks, worry evident in her voice.

The scientist stands up straight, looks around a few times, and then collapses back in on himself, fists on the ground and head dipped low. Everyone, even Hanzo, leans in.

“You see, Chef left us a little over a week ago without notice. We were concerned, of course, but there's a tracker on the chef's communicator which indicated Chef is still on Gibraltar.”

“And how are you so sure it wasn't compromised?” Hanzo spits out faster than his brain could tell him to stop showing that he was invested.

Winston, taken aback by the question, stumbles through his next words. “We-well, we. We thought of the—of the possibility. And so, we sent an agent to track down the chef's current whereabouts.”

““And?””—”Who did you send?” Lena, Mei, and Hanzo look at each other in surprised unison.

Winston strokes his chin. “I sent McCree, of course. Everyone else was on a mission or preparing to be sent off, so he was the only logical option.”

Hanzo is dumbstruck. He had been on a mission at the time, watching the happenings in Gibraltar with a ridiculously close eye. There was no way he would not have noticed if someone as (visually and audibly) loud as McCree was walking around. Either his skills were getting rusty or McCree's ability to hide in plain sight was commendable. Neither sat well with Hanzo's pride, and neither did the knowledge that McCree knew exactly where you were and didn't tell him. Not that he should've expected him to.

“He confirmed that there is no immediate danger, so we're leaving the situation as is for now. We can only wait until the chef decides to return or...informs us otherwise.”

Cold unease settles upon them all along with the implications. They can survive without you, of course, but it was not a future that Hanzo had truly ever considered until the other night. Somehow, he had always thought you'd be there behind that window, cooking for everyone. You had become such a steadfast fixture on base that it feels wrong to think that you would dare abandon your station for something else.

“So long as my customers still require me, I will be here.”

And yet...

“Hey, guys. Cheer up,” says Lúcio, likely noting the sudden shift in moods. “People come, people go. We can't force anyone to stay if they don't want to. And I'm sure that this chef wouldn't want you guys to be all mopey, right?”

Anger sparks through Hanzo's chest. How dare he say that when he doesn't even know you, but that feeling is quickly extinguished. There's no reason to be angry when is logically correct.

“You're right,” Mei mumbles. “I just hope that Chef is okay.”

“Don't worry, if there's any trouble, we'll be there in a jif’,” Tracer assures her with her signature poster smile.

Lúcio claps his hands once. “Great! Now who's hungry?”

Breakfast was a flop.

Among some of Lúcio's gifts—not the ones from his fans—were portable stovetops. Pots, pans, ladles, and other equipment were not among his possessions, so he attempted to go into the kitchen. Lúcio didn't have any of the same reservation the other agents do or any of the memories associated with attempting to enter them.

Unsurprisingly, the swinging double doors remained stubbornly shut.

Athena, when asked to open them, remained cordially (and frustratingly) loyal to you. “The kitchen is off-limits to non-kitchen personnel, Agent Lúcio.”

Hanzo unconsciously breathed a private sigh of relief as Athena continued to persist even against Lúcio's pleading and Winston's requests. At least he is not being discriminated against.

They gave up eventually, leaving your sanctuary intact. Lúcio swears up and down he'll get permission to enter, and Hanzo nearly chokes on his own spit. Preposterous.

Actual breakfast came in the form of McCree dressed down in normal civilian clothing (for once) with takeout from some local restaurant on the other side of Gibraltar. It explains his absence this morning.

Hanzo keeps his distance, the memory of the other night still burning a hole in his brain.

Winston asks between a mouthful of bread, “Where are the Junkers?”

“They seem to have found something interesting and wanted to check it out.”

“They wh—hrk!”

McCree has to clap his prosthetic hand hard against Winston's back to keep him from choking.

“Re-lax. Zenyatta is with them.”

Hanzo tries not to flinch at both the mention of the omnic or the sort of mischief those three might get into. He's heard enough stories to know that having them anywhere without sufficient supervision can only spell disaster.

Tracer leaves not too long after breakfast, citing that she had to pick up a few 'chaps’. The rest of the day is spent getting Lúcio up to speed about the current missions and happenings in Gibraltar. With suspicions of Talon watching them still high, they have to keep their operations small and discreet. It's likely the Orca hasn't gone unnoticed and they're plotting their moves already. Winston assured them that Soldier: 76 was on the case, thanks to the information Hanzo has gathered.

Meanwhile, there was also the matter of Overwatch's current state of financial affairs which Hanzo gave his objective input on, much to Winston's apparent surprise. After a few questions and back and forth, Hanzo was reluctantly tasked with designing something akin to a business plan. It's clear to see Winston wasn't comfortable with the idea, but even he had to admit that they needed money to function (or at least a backup plan until their situation is sorted out). Overwatch cannot operate on goodwill alone.

The day flies by as Hanzo works on drafting different plans and assaults Winston with sharp questions about current risks and exact numbers. Not once would the scientist give him a straight answer as to where the money is—or was—coming from, only defaulting to his vague explanation of 'donors’. Reluctantly, Winston asks Athena to give Hanzo access to the invoices, budget spreadsheets, and other financial documents the AI kept under lock and key. As much as Hanzo poured over the documents, he couldn't see beyond the numbers and vague transaction codes given. There's no indication of where this money came from, all deposits carefully redacted, leaving behind transfers and payments. (Funny enough, Hanzo knew everything is salary, unsure if he should be surprised, offended, or respect the attempt to keep everyone's pay equal.)

Even so, money has trails, transactions that can be traced. If he really tried, he's sure he could find out exactly who and where this money was coming from. It would certainly help in creating countermeasures when the judge's hammer came down on them. The legal angle had to be carefully and constantly considered and contingency plans had to be drafted out depending on what sort of crimes a decent team of prosecutors could peg Overwatch with and under what jurisdiction. Surely the UN would turn this into an international scandal, but Gibraltar may claim legal jurisdiction and decide to try them here and refuse to extradite anyone. It would definitely buy them some time.

Legislation and laws had to be pulled up every other minute and Athena was very helpful with providing the names of attorneys and law firms who were once under Overwatch's employ.

There are ways to operate within the current legal constraints; it's just a matter of being creative between now and when the UN decides to come down upon them. (In truth, it's near impossible to find a way to legitimize the actions being taken now when Overwatch is supposed to represent the 'good’ in the world, but Hanzo has never been deterred by a challenge.)

It was nothing short of exciting, mentally stimulating in the ways that the past few missions weren't.

The planning carried him through the day and dinner which was once again some unknown takeout. Even some home cooking would be preferable to the already-drying noodles clinging tightly to his fork.

When asked if pots and pans couldn't be created from hard light, Lúcio gave Hanzo a bug-eyed look.

“You kidding me? Hard light can't stand up to that sort of heat.”

Hanzo was treated to a surprisingly detailed lecture on the composition of hard light technology on a level that only Satya might be able to understand (or appreciate). Though, it's strange to think they don't get along when they both seem to share a similar interest. Wisdom had him keep those thoughts to himself.

In between listening to the temperature threshold that hard light can withstand or the delicate balance of its composition, Hanzo's thoughts drift as he mindlessly shoves the bland, lukewarm pasta into his mouth. The clumps of sauce do little to improve the flavors.

He wants saucy pasta with enough garlic to kill a vampire and onions that are still not cooked all the way through with too much butter to be healthy.

He wants meatballs that just hold their shape and give way when exposed to teeth.

He wants the clean, greasy crunch of pork cutlets, the juices and fat gushing over his tongue.

Even the dense, tangy European bread with the chewy crusts.

The sticky sweetness of a bread pudding that makes his teeth sing.

Perfectly brewed tea where the flavors of the leaf are present and clear, soothing his soul.

He wants so many things that he can't settle on what he actually desires.

But he can't complain. As long as his stomach no longer grumbles, it's enough.

It has to be.

He drinks away the grease with some tea that's been steeped too long, and talks his way through the toiling in his stomach.

The Junkers return toward the tail end of dinner with Zenyatta trailing behind them, all three dirty in a way that Hanzo has never seen even for the normally pristine Shambali monk: hands and feet caked in muddy dirt, faces and clothes full of soot.

The strange look that crosses McCree's face does not go unnoticed. It's the look of someone on the cusp of realization, separated by one missing piece. But that look is replaced by a tight smile that Hanzo loses sight of when McCree walks up to the trio.

“Hey now, y'all trackin’ mud in here. What sort of mischief did ya get into?”

Roadhog pointedly ignores him with a grunt and Junkrat blurts out a, “Best pull your head in, mate!” that doesn’t seem to phase the cowboy in the least.

If they didn’t want to tell, Hanzo didn’t particular feel like sticking around to watch the ensuing fallout. They probably fell down somewhere and are too embarrassed to admit it.

Returning to his room, he makes a small attempt to flesh out the proposals and plans before he gives up and heads to bed. There's only so much that can be done with this much uncertainty. Their priorities are all over the place, unable to decide if keeping the peace as vigilantes or relegitimizing themselves or earning a grassroots type of support or legislative support is the way to go. Winston's answers to those questions were sincere, but woefully lacking. It didn't help that Overwatch is an expensive operation running on the feelings and good will of others. Such things have limits.

Hanzo stares into the glimmering darkness of his eyelids, inhaling and exhaling in slow, even measures. He needs to stop thinking. That is for tomorrow.

Time slips away as he repeats this process. Even his body begins to swim in the mindless ocean, all solid objects becoming abstract and loose. The only thing that remains painfully intact and sharp is his mind.

Sleep, however much he wills it, does not come.

His brain buzzes with too much data and too many possibilities. Each time sleep twirls into his grasp, the sudden memory or the ever-dreaded 'what if’ would snatch it away, leaving him wondering and in desperate need of his holotablet.

Damn overactive brain.

Tossing and turning a few more times, he gives up and gets out of bed like delayed clockwork, making his silent rounds through the base until he stands in front of the cafeteria again.

A private sigh makes its way out of his lips, rattling his chest.

There’s no point in being here. It’s far too early for your normal meeting time, and he already knows you’ve been gone—the reason is still lost on him, but it’s not really any of his business what the residents of this place does with themselves. You’re all adults.

Regardless, he steps forward, activating the sensors that allow the doors to rush open.

Where he expects darkness, there’s a light. For a foolish moment, he thinks you may have returned and he could feel his whole body lighten.

But all of that dissipates: the lights do not come from inside the kitchen. Instead, the lights right over the counter are on, shining down on one of the last people he would have expected to see at this time of night.

“Miss Mei?”

Disappointment bleeds into surprise. The scientist turns, scrunching her face at him before shifting her glasses from her head to her eyes; they brighten, sparkle even, for a reason that he cannot fathom.

“Oh, Hanzo. Good evening—or, oops, sorry, good morning, I guess?” She gives him a sheepish smile that he can’t be at all annoyed with.

“What are you doing here?”

She shrugs one shoulder good-naturedly, gesturing at a stool on the far side of the wall.

“Join me.” She holds up a bottle by the neck and waves it as though it’ll entice him. "I have Chinese wine and beer."

Haltingly, he looks between her, the barely illuminated darkness beyond the window, and the bottle in her hand before he decides he has nothing to lose. It’s late enough that it’s still acceptable to drink somewhere in the world.

Briefly, he has to do a double-take at that. Now he sounds just like McCree.

Hanzo brings the stool over and sits down beside her, careful to keep some distance between them in case she may be one of those people who cannot hold their liquor well. Now that he’s closer, he can see dishes laid out on the counter which Mei repositions to better serve two.

"I think you might enjoy. Help yourself."

“Where did you get all this?”

She brings a finger up to her lips. “Shhh,” she says too loudly.

It’s probably Lúcio. He hasn’t really talked to the man much, but it doesn’t mean the others haven’t. They likely made requests of their own ahead of time. Hanzo eyes the dishes Mei has prepared for this impromptu drinking session: dried squid, some jerky, rice crackers—the salty ones with that sweet icing drizzled on top—and some edamame. Almost all of them delectable and proper accompaniments to alcohol. Strange, considering China’s drinking culture and even stranger when he looks at the bubbly scientist. It’s appreciated, regardless.

"You don't seem like the drinking type," he muses, but not unkindly.

She gives him a mischievous grin, one that speaks of a person who has often gotten in trouble under the guise of being a model child. "My university days after examinations were good practice,” she says casually, popping off a lid of a beer and offering to Hanzo.

Hanzo laughs despite himself, taking the drink in hand. "You sound like Hana."

Despite the MEKA pilot’s appearance, she can put away a lot of alcohol. Though it's only hearsay. Hanzo has never witnessed it himself, but according to the source, she can polish off beer after beer and bottles of soju on top of that. Incidentally, she revealed rather cheekily that her favorite is grapefruit flavored—what Hanzo is supposed to do with that knowledge, he'll never know.

“Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment.”

“It is.”

She smiles and gestures at the food with a gentle sweep of the hand. “You should help me eat some. I have too much.”

“...thank you. I shall.”

He goes for the dried shredded squid first, taking his time with chewing and savoring the changing flavors of spicy, umami, sweet, and back to umami. If his jaw didn’t get such a workout from eating this, he’d have no problems eating it forever.

The bitter taste of beer, cooling the slight spice of the squid brings out a sweetness that's so simple yet delightful, he can't help but sigh in content. The alcohol is not strong, but it’s pleasantly hoppy.

If only he had something fatty to accompany this like a soy-sauce karaage or some meat skewer with seared green onions in between or lightly battered—proper—asparagus tempura or burdock root. Or—his mouth gushes with the thought—chicken skin with ponzu. He gulps down another mouthful of chilling beer, washing away the phantom tastes of his desires.

In another life, perhaps.

If it were you offering, what sort of food would you prepare? How far would you go? Would you change the dishes depending on their drink? Or would you just give everything you have to offer? Maybe, just maybe, you’d drink, too.

He scoffs into his drink.

Ridiculous. That would never happen, not so long as you refuse everyone alcohol.

The rice crackers go next and he can’t help but devour the disk in two bites, chasing it with a nice drink of beer. The bubbles fill the cavities of the crackers, adding a sort of texture play on his tongue.

He goes around, shameless sampling the different nibbles offered, almost forgetting his company who sits quietly, her cheek resting on her hands folded over the bottle she covets.

“It’s not sake, but I’m glad to see you’re still enjoying yourself.”

Enjoying himself?

He blinks slowly at Mei, chewing through the edamame he’s popped into his mouth. Then he furrows his eyebrows. Is he enjoying himself? Quieter, in the back of his heart, he wonders: is he allowed to?

“I hope you are as well, Miss Mei.”

She sighs into her drink, the beginnings of a drunken smile on her face. “Oh please, Hanzo, we’re about the same age. Call me Mei. We've been over this.”

He bites his cheek to prevent himself from mentioning that she is technically two years his senior and then he has to do a mental doubletake at the stunning realization that yes she is two years his senior and he should be the one offering her a drink, not the other way around.

“I was worried because you seemed down these few days,” she admits quietly, pulling up her glass to her lips.

He’s tempted to make some backhanded remark, but barely manages something less. “Your worries are wasted on someone like me.”

“Don't be like that. We're teammates. Of course I'd worry.”

He shakes his head, stewing in the sudden bitter disappointment and the sharp sting of guilt. Another unnecessary person dragged into his affairs. They all just want to get involved some way or other.

“What are you doing up so late, Miss Mei? With alcohol and snacks, no less,” he asks instead.

She turns a secretive smile into her glass. “I just felt like it, you know?”

“Is that so?”

Mei hums, a bit of distance in her eyes as she continues to stare into her drink, seemingly contemplative.

After a long, long moment, she quietly admits, “No.”

“No?”

She shakes her head, the lion’s mane of hair fanning out even further across her shoulders, shielding her eyes and face from view. “If Chef saw us, we’d probably be scolded, right?”

Startled by the change in topic, he stares, slowly letting his beer hit the counter, mouth dry.

“Alcohol isn’t allowed, but...I don’t know.” Mei sighs, a little more defeated than Hanzo has ever seen her. “I sort of thought….if I brought this out maybe, sorry, this sounds silly, but I thought that Chef might just come running out here.” Quietly, she adds, “I’m worried.”

“...about the chef, you mean?”

“Aren’t you?”

Mei turns and looks up at him, her gaze piercing through him like she sees something he cannot. He has to look away.

“The chef is not a child,” he manages to say. “There is no reason to be concerned.”

“Oh. I thought you’d be the most concerned beside McCree and them. You get along so well with the chef that I thought...”

“We do not get along. We are merely...merely…” The words and bubbles fizzle out on his tongue.

Proprietor and customer.

Colleagues?

Friends? He mentally cringes at the word.

There’s nothing he can say that wouldn’t make him a liar. Not that anyone else would know, but it doesn’t feel right saying any of the options that run through his mind.

“...if it seems we are close, it is only because of circumstance,” he finishes. It’s the best he could do for now, and if it sounds the slightest bit off, he could blame it on the beer in his hand no matter how weak it may be.

“I see.” Mei drains the remainder of her drink, sighing heavily before she laughs sheepishly behind a hand. “I guess I just worry too much. Thank you, Hanzo. Chef should be fine, after all, we’re always the ones getting taken care of, right?”

Even though as she says that, he knows it’s far from the truth. She’s probably never seen you collapsed from overwork or know that you’re a fool who would gladly disregard your own health on a whim. Did they even know you’re on medication? Were you taking them properly wherever you are? Did you get tired to watching over them?

Gibraltar is not a large place. Surely you could find some time to return.

But maybe you left for personal reasons.

Health reasons? Family? A lover?

And that thought twists something inside him, and for a moment, he thinks he may have gotten food poisoning and chugs the last bit of the beer to extinguish the ache.

“Thank you, Miss Mei. For the drinks and snacks.”

“Don't mention it. It's nice to have a drinking buddy.” She gives him a heartfelt smile with more teeth than she'd normally show that stood out against the deep flush of her skin.

“Should I help you clean and accompany you back to your room?”

Just as the words left his mouth, his brain screeches to a halt as another inconspicuous realization sideswipes him.

Where did you sleep?

Never once had he seen anything that could have been your room. Sure, there were plenty of rooms that could be yours, but Athena had made it clear that power was limited on the base and all agents were kept on a single floor to consolidate resources.

If you had ever slept or had a room to return to, he should have seen it by now.

Unless….

It is horrifying to think of it, but what if you slept in the kitchen? He spared the darkness another look, searching for what could hint at having been a makeshift cot or sleeping area, but sees nothing but the beginnings of imaginary lights in his vision.

No, that's not possible.

But if it were, it could explain why you left.

Or could it be…

Searching rapidly through his memories, he tries to recount the pages and pages of numbers he saw this morning, trying to put a name, a price, anything that could indicate that you were getting paid or somehow compensated for your time here.

Dread seeps into his skin as he tries and tries but comes up short.

Nothing.

You don't get paid.

And suddenly, everything makes sense.

His stomach twists violently and a cold chill cascades down his back, eliciting a shiver that makes his hair stand on end.

It doesn't go out even after he's helped Mei gather all her things and escorted her back to her room, his head buzzing with the implications. He tries to return to sleep after brushing his teeth, swearing to return to this newfound revelation in the morning, drifting in and out between a fitful rest and a steadily growing angry wakefulness.

Hanzo wakes to an inexplicable feeling, but he feigns sleep just as he’s always been taught—there is no killing intent, no presence beside him, just a feeling. He’s acutely aware of the quiet hum of electricity, the eerie and unnatural hush he’s long associated with the remoteness of the base. He knows he mustn’t have been asleep long, so there’s a chance it could be just some other resident making their restless rounds.

The longer he listens, however, the more his doubts begin to pile.

Nothing seems out of place—and that might be precisely what’s wrong—but there is a rolling tension beneath the surface of his skin that hints at the glaring possibility that something is wrong, something that his five senses can’t perceive. There’s a tugging inside not unlike the dragons, urging him to do something.

Bow and quiver jump into his hands and he slinks out of his bed to find refuge in the deep shadows of his room. He presses his ear against the wall, seeking out any hidden sounds past the machinery and wires and shaking metals. Several tense moments pass by, but there is nothing unusual or alarming—no one else breathing outside, no unknown footsteps—just the sounds of the night.

By all accounts, he should return to bed; there is nothing wrong.

But his intuition says otherwise and it has saved him more times than his foolhardy reasoning ever has, and so he pulls away, unsatisfied. Quietly and quickly, he slips in the earpiece to his communicator in his ear, unlatches his window and slips outside. (If an enemy is inside the base, Athena would’ve already alerted everyone, and no one wants to deal with some of the residents when they’re sleep deprived.)

The night has gotten noticeably colder since months past, the wind tugging at his hair and clothes, willing him to fall into the abyss. However, he is not so easily distracted by such mundane things. He scales the walls of the Watchpoint, mindful of the volume of his steps against the cold metal.

The sun is not yet up, but the sluggish fade from black to a midnight blue at the edge of the horizon and the quiet fade of the stars tell him that will soon change. He must not have slept long.

Beneath his ribs, the feeling of panic swells until his chest can’t contain it, spreading and numbing his fingers as he continues his sweep of the compound. In his ear, the communicator remains silent.

‘It’s paranoia,’ he tells himself even as he leaps from ledge to ledge, looking and searching for anything in the darkness that could have even been deemed the slightest bit suspicious, almost slamming straight into a well-hidden turret that swivels its head, the red charge of it nearly opening fire on him before it recognizes him as an ally and turns away.

He nearly misses a landing trying to avoid it.

It takes a few moments for the newfound terror in his heart to settle before he continues his investigation, more annoyed than before and even more unsettled.

Damn Torbjörn.

(It’s smart to hide these turrets, but damn him for it anyway, and damn himself for being spooked by such a little thing. How did he even get them uphere? The man is missing a functional hand and eye. His climbing skill can’t be that good.)

His heart pounds with the adrenaline of a fight and without any release, it toes the border toward panic.

Twice he circles the base grounds, jumping down from a height most would consider dangerous just to feel that swooping fear in his stomach, hoping it would drown out the inescapable buzz in his skin.

Nothing.

His teeth ring from the weight of his jaw’s grinding. Around him, half the sky has started to regain its color, the birds are calling to each other and giving their greetings.

It has to be nothing.

His instincts, no matter how much he wants to trust them, have to be wrong.

Just this once.

[ INTRUDER ALERT, INTRUDER ALERT ]

Hanzo almost slips off the roof.

The base comes alive: light thrown up, and the sounds of movement, and doors shuttering to trap whomever it is in Athena's clutches. Shutters slam down in front of the windows themselves, effectively locking him out of the base.

So this must be what the feeling is about. Annoying, but he's relieved his instincts did not fail him.

“Athena, status.”

The earpiece clicks. “Four armed Talon agents confirmed. Three others have been incapacitated. Soldier: 76 and Winston are on the scene and actively engaged. Agent Mei and Zenyatta are en route. The others’ whereabouts are unknown.”

He jumps down, lands right outside shuttered glass. “Location?”

“They have been stopped in the kitchen.”

His chest is seized with fright for a second before it loosens again when he remembers you're not there. You should thank whatever deity is watching over you or thank your sound judgement for leaving before this happened.

He huffs and shakes his head. Foolish. There's no need to be concerned.

A little more composed, he brings a hand back up to his ear. “Athena, shortest path from here?”

“Head west 27 meters, then proceed south 10 meters. There will be an emergency exit accessible to you on your right that overlooks the cafeteria used for maintenance.” He's moving even before she finishes talking.

It doesn't take him long to reach the location. There's no visibility into the cafeteria—he recognizes the shuttered windows as the ones that normally overlook the mess hall, but he's never noticed this door before. He presses his ear against it.

Clashing and muted rapid fire barely permeate the heavy metal. If he focused, he could almost see it in his mind's eye: Soldier: 76 trying to maintain close combat and reduce damage to a minimum; Winston providing backup. There's other sounds mixed in there as well that he can't easily discern, but it doesn't sound like a losing battle.

Hanzo breathes in deep and exhales slowly, the adrenaline and unease forced to settle at the bottom of his veins. He repeats this twice more, mentally checking off his equipment and condition.

‘Clear your mind.’

He notches his bow, back to the door. “Athena, the door.”

“Understood.”

With a beep and a quiet hiss, the door grants him entrance and he's in before it can fully open and let in the beginnings of a more colorful sky. Running across the thin catwalk that circles the cafeteria, he quickly surveys the scene: an ice wall covering the service window with Mei and ‘Snowball’ right outside. He has no visual on Zenyatta, Winston, or Soldier: 76 and can only assume they are inside the kitchen. All else looks just as it did several hours ago when he was here. The sounds of combat are muted behind the ice, the occasional blast testing the very limits of its strength.

The kitchen is not small, but it’s not so big that a prolonged fight is possible.

He clenches his jaw to avoid clicking his tongue lest someone notices him.

He tries to get to the furthest edge of the catwalk just to see the double doors that Lúcio and Winston weren’t able to enter this morning without much luck.

If only he had his contacts, he’d be able to use his sonic arrows and actually see behind those walls. As it is, he has no choice but to get close. He debates it for a moment: if he breaks position, he might lose any chances at getting any stragglers.

“Athena. Change to main communications channel. What is the current status?”

“Switching communications channel. Soldier: 76, status report.”

Immediately, his ear is assaulted with harsh breathing and the sounds of metal on metal. “—ey don’t know how to stay down, do they? Yarrgh!!”

“Hanzo reporting. I am above the cafeteria. No visual on the team.”

“Hanzo?” He finds himself nodding despite no one being able to see him. There’s more scuffling. “Stay your ground. Keep an eye on the door.”

“Acknowledged.”

Winston’s roar can be heard even without the earpiece, crashing and banging and shouts following soon after. Two loud cracks echo, and from the way Mei has her modified ice-gun out, aimed carefully at the ice, he can only assume it's about to hit its limit.

He keeps his arrow aimed at the door, listening and watching.

Seconds go by at a snail’s pace, each noise and movement never going unnoticed. Hanzo keeps his breathing slow, blinks deliberate. There’s a cacophony of sensations in his stomach, across his skin, itching the back of his mind, that he steadfastly ignores until he finally hears nothing, sees nothing move.

And then: “...all clear.”

Hanzo doesn’t relax even a fraction.

Lúcio skates onto the scene just at that moment. “Someone call for an audio medic?”

“Get in here, punk. Hanzo, you too. Mei, stay outside.” There’s a bite of frustration and perhaps even panic in his voice, but Hanzo couldn’t be sure through the hoarseness of his voice and the wind rushing through his ears as he jumps straight down from his position, landing right beside Lúcio. Mei gives him a nod from where she stands, still at attention despite the weariness in her eyes, and he barely returns it.

The buzzing unease coils low in Hanzo's belly now that he has a moment, the beginnings of which make his hair stand on end. The danger isn't over.

Unconsciously, he takes a breath and both he and Lúcio push the double doors aside with their shoulders. They give without resistance.

The sight of the kitchen stuns Hanzo and even Lúcio has to take a moment to take in the scene and mutter, “Holy shit.” The scent of blood slaps them both in the face—there’s not too much, but enough that it couldn't be ignored.

The normally neat rows of containers, plates, and glasses are mostly askew, their shattered remains all over the rubber-matted floor. The metal work surfaces are pitted with deep dents and dings even Torbjörn would have a hard time fixing. One of the sinks spew water, the faucet ripped clean off. The glass doors of the walk-in freezers are smashed in, shards of glass still coming loose and falling to the ground like glittering snow.

The thought of you returning and finding the kitchen in this state brings a bitter smile to his face.

In the corner, seven Talon agents lay in various states of consciousness and distress. Winston is in the middle of tying them up with some rope, likely something you kept in the kitchen for whatever reason.

How did they get trapped in the kitchen of all places? It’s nearly impossible to enter it without trigger some alert or Athena and there’s nothing of value here. Unless they’re after the Cellar…?

Soldier: 76 hovers over the Cellar door with Zenyatta just behind him. Neither of their faces—covered as they are—give anything away. Soldier tears off his glove and slams his bare hand against the panel which is smeared with a paint of rust.

There’s a beep.

The door rushes open, the suction of air yanks and tears at an immovable Soldier whose red, red gaze seems to cut through the darkness before it drops down to something inside. Zenyatta gasps softly, an “oh my” escaping him just as one of his orbs fly past Soldier. Hanzo doesn’t even have the time to contemplate why the door opens for the man before he dips inside, the door shutting immediately behind him.

Dense silence fills the air as everyone waits with bated breath for him to return.

When the door opens again and Soldier: 76 emerges, Hanzo’s blood runs ice cold and his breath is knocked out of his lungs, his grip over his bow and arrow go slack.

Lúcio lets out something like a curse in his native tongue as he rushes over, but Hanzo barely hears it over the ringing in his ears, his stomach dropping to his feet as he registers the scene. The feeling of dread and panic rises up in his throat, solid and realized.

Lying limp in Soldier’s arms, pale and bloody, held close to his chest like a treasure, is you.

Chapter 15>>

[cyberrat]

71st Batch Of Fics: 9th Fill

Hanzo/Genji – Inheritance AU – Part 6 – fem!Hanzo – Genji always follows his nose and his nose immediately leads him into some bathing fun time trouble.

---

Genji feels better once he’s had a good shower and been able to put on some fresh clothes. He puts quite a bit of effort into styling himself, then goes to hunt for his big sister simply because he’s not done being a simp and even negative attention will get him off at this point.

However, Hanzo is pretty good at keeping herself hidden away and none of her guards will tell him about her whereabouts. In fact, he doesn’t even know whether she currently is on the estate or not, so eventually he stops trying to hunt her down and just explores the estate.

Might be just as important sometime down the line.

Like when I have to flee like cattle after they’ve read Sojiro’s will and I didn’t even appear in it.

He tries not to dwell on such thoughts. For the next… however long he at least could live in the lap of luxury and be an absolute degenerate when it came to his own sister. It’s not his fault that Hanzo’s a damn MILF, alright?

He can feel eyes on himself pretty much wherever he goes. He can’t always see the guards – can’t even see them most of the time – but he knows that they are always there, quietly watching. He wonders what they think when they see him. Are they jealous that a man with shoddy education suddenly gets to order them around and be in his sister’s presence? Or are they pitying him because they know just as well as he that his life is pretty much forfeit at this point and Hanzo will rip him apart at her earliest convenience?

He doesn’t know. He also doesn’t dwell too much on those morose thoughts – Genji is not a man who is too much into introspection. Case in point: his hard-on for his own big sister.

Maybe it is just his sheer dumb luck that takes him to where he needs to be late that evening. At that point he had done a few laps around the living quarters and gotten a rough estimate of where everything was so when he hears the soft sounds of water through the door he is walking past in that moment, he knows that someone is using the luxurious looking Onsen.

Kenta standing not far away is a dead give-away of who is inside.

Genji’s heart skips a beat, then pounds a lot faster as their eyes meet.

The bodyguard is still wearing his dark sunglasses, but he just knows they’re looking at each other. Genji sees his mouth tightening, as do his hands which he has loosely clasped in front of himself, but they both know that he can’t do a thing about this.

Genji is not prohibited from using the bathing facilities… and there is no rule against him sharing the pleasure of slipping into the hot water with his sister.

The grin splitting his face upon this realization is so broad that it hurts. He jauntily waves at Kenta who just keeps staring at him, then hurriedly ducks into the front room of the little private bathing facilities.

Everything looks so old-school on the Shimada grounds that he had gotten quite a bit frustrated by it during the day but now, seeing the robe that Hanzo had worn this morning lying crumpled in one of the baskets that are supposed to hold their clothes for the duration of their stay, Genji gets impossibly excited. His whole body is heating up… cock especially so.

As he moves around to get himself ready, slipping out of his clothes and putting them away, he tries to catch glimpses of the figure in the hot bath outside. He can only see the other’s back but there is lots of jet black hair and pale skin that gets his blood pumping. Oh fuck yeah.

He practically dances out toward the hot tub, eying Hanzo’s form. She got her arms stretched out along the edge of the bath and holy shit she got biceps. Her head is tilted back and she has put a small white towel over her eyes.

Genji’s immediate impulse is to sneak up and touch her soft skin… but then something moves along the very edge of the shadows and he pauses to look around, noticing at least three pairs of glossy shoes in the warm yellow shine of the lamps.

Well fuck. There are guards even here. He should have anticipated as much, but for some reason he didn’t think that Hanzo would go that far. She’s pretty paranoid, huh?

For a moment he considers whether he should be embarrassed that they saw him with a half-chub stalking his big sister, but feelings of embarrassment or self-consciousness never stick long with him.

He figures they must understand, watching a hot bitch like Hanzo all damn day.

Gotta behave, he tells himself over and over like a mantra. Touching her wouldn’t have been a good idea anyway. She looks like she could break quite a few of his bones without batting an eyelash. So instead he gets across from her and starts to slide into the water.

That gets Hanzo’s attention. Her head snaps up and she catches the falling little towel in one fluid motion.

She watches Genji sink himself into the hot water with a soft hiss and it doesn’t go past him how her fingers curl around the towel in an absolute death grip, strangling the shit out of it.

Better that thing than his throat.

He smiles at her, trying to look like he doesn’t have any ulterior motives, but he supposes that train is long gone and from how her lips become gradually thinner as she grinds her teeth together, she thinks so as well.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asks him softly. The steam wafting over the surface of the water has the few loose strands of her hair curl and stick to her wet skin.

Genji slowly drops his arms into the water, pretending like he is idly playing with some bubbles. He just needs to make this seem completely normal.

In a way it is normal. There’s nothing weird about family bathing together.

The only thing that makes it weird his his dick throbbing in the warm water and his brain insisting on wondering whether she would be that hot around him-

“Nothing, I just wanted to take a bath to like… wash the day off. Am I not allowed in here? Your guard didn’t say anything about that, so…”

Hanzo’s left eye twitches.

“You will honor the old customs and do not sully my bath with your… disgusting, impure thoughts,” she says quietly.

For a split second Genji is taken aback, wildly wondering whether Hanzo can read his thoughts. He just smiles at her, though and lifts his hands in a peaceful ‘look how harmless I am’ gesture.

“Wouldn’t ever dream of it. Just gonna stay over here in my little half and… chill, you know? Relax. You should too. I mean… can’t do anything anyway, right? Your boys are all over the place.”

Hanzo stares at him for a moment longer before… she actually does start to relax.

Genji should have known that that wasn’t exactly a good sign. For him.

[kerfufflewatch]

ah, what’s better than writing siblings being incredibly awkward (and also Lucio’s there)

(with a hint of Gencio)

(which is why Lucio’s there)

--

52.) Accidentally Witnessed kiss +

67.) When One Stops The Kiss To Whisper “I’m Sorry, Are You Sure You-” And They Answer By Kissing Them More

Genji is in the med bay past visiting hours because he likes it to be empty when he needs his care, because no matter how comfortable he is now with his body, he still feels vulnerable when he has to have someone start pulling bits of metal off. It's simply easier to limit the number of people examining his body, and that is easier done after hours. He’s not sure why the figure sneaking through the window is in the med bay, however.

The healthcare-slash-maintenance portion of his visit is over, but Genji had found an excuse to linger in helping Lúcio gather supplies from the back room. Genji had been a little reluctant, at first, to let anyone other than Angela work with him, but Angela’s so busy nowadays with the care needs of an entire team. Besides, Lúcio had proven himself to a quick study--and rather pleasant company, if Genji’s being truthful. Genji squints into the darkened bay, which is unlit except for the light slanting through the closed office blinds nearby, and finally recognizes the darkened silhouette as Hanzo.

Hanzo, who is quietly, carefully, pulling up a chair next to the bed where McCree lay.

“What in the hell,” Genji says aloud, unthinking. Lúcio immediately snaps his head up and follows Genji’s gaze around the corner.

“What the hell,” he agrees mildly. “Isn’t that your brother? Did he come through the window?”

McCree had been asleep when they passed through earlier, but there’s some shifting of the shadowy lump in the bed now. The bedside lamp snaps on, casting bright light on both of their faces, and Genji can’t help grimacing.

McCree looks awful. Par for the course, all things considered, considering he had been thrown out of a second-story balcony earlier that day and tumbled ten feet across London cobblestone after taking a plasma round to the ribs. He would live, and really had not come all that close to death in the first place, but his injuries were severe enough to worry. Despite Angela’s healing, the right side of his face is still a gruesome canvas of red and purple bruises under scabbing abrasions, and squares of gauze peek out from under his hospital shirt.

Genji glances at Lúcio, who gives him a helpless shrug back. They should reveal themselves and put away their supplies, but whatever moment it is that requires Hanzo to sneak into the bay at night--for McCree, of all people--is a moment that feels too delicate to interrupt.

“Not that I’m complainin’, but what are you doin here so late?” McCree asks, asking the question on everyone’s minds.

“I . . . wanted to see that you were well,” Hanzo says slowly, addressing his folded hands in his lap. “The debriefing took too long, and I was unable to get here before the med bay was closed for the night.”

McCree laughs quietly, weak with exhaustion. “You coulda come by tomorrow,” he says. “I’m not goin’ anywhere for a couple days. Doctor’s orders.”

Hanzo smiles, but it is a bit forced. He asks just how McCree was injured--he was far away when the incident occurred, sniping from a rooftop--and as they talk, Genji feels a deep, growing sense of suspicion.

“So, uh,” Lúcio says awkwardly, quietly. He shifts the box in his hands. “Are they a thing? I didn’t think they were.”

Genji shakes his head. “No,” he says. “I would have known.”

He’s joked, of course, that Hanzo clearly had some deep-seated romantic feelings for McCree that he was too stubborn to even notice, let alone act upon, but he never had anything concrete. This could just be the standard Hanzo level of melodrama while he visits a friend, but Genji isn’t so certain.

That’s not even getting started on McCree’s “is he serious or not” flirting for the past eight months.

“Huh.” Lúcio shifts again. It’s clear he’s uncomfortable, not just tired of the weight in his arms. “I mean, I don’t know your brother all that well, but that seems like a thing.”

“I mean, you are not wrong.”

Lúcio laughs a little, prompting Genji to look back at him. “Sorry,” Lúcio says, “it’s just--it’s really hard to imagine Hanzo being into anyone.”

“No, I don’t blame you,” Genji says. “Even when we were young, he was not very interested in others. I only know of a couple people he showed interest in at all.”

“Now that sounds right.” Lúcio leans around Genji to sneak a better peek at the scene, then back again quickly before he can be caught. It’s decidedly unstealthy, but Genji finds it amusing nonetheless.

“Though to be honest,” he adds after a moment, “I did not expect this out of McCree, either.”

“Really? Don’t get me wrong, he’s cool and all, but there also isn’t a person on this team he hasn’t flirted with.”

Genji laughs quietly. “That is true,” he says. “But he’s . . . He has his own demons. Everyone here does. He’s been very careful, compared to when I knew him when Overwatch was still official.” McCree is still far friendlier than Hanzo and one of the more sociable members of the team overall, but Genji knows the difference. The McCree of ten years ago drank a lot less whiskey, faked a lot fewer smiles, spent so many fewer days locked in his dorm claiming a bad night.

The Recall has been good for them both, he thinks.

“Yeah,” Lúcio says after a moment. “I guess that’s true. He hasn’t told me much, but I get some of it. Guess it’s--”

“Because you were being a fool!” Hanzo snaps suddenly, startling them out of their conversation. They both look back simultaneously to find Hanzo glaring at McCree, leaning forward as though trying to threaten the bedridden man.

“C’mon now,” McCree says, unfazed. Somehow, he looks like he’s smiling in the face in the face of Hanzo’s anger. “Wasn’t nothin’ I don’t do on a regular basis.”

“You were hurt because you were not paying attention,” Hanzo growls.

“I was payin’ plenty of attention. I knew the guy was there when he shot me. He just got the upper hand, which happens sometimes.”

Hanzo looks like he wants to yell again, but abruptly, the fight seems to drain out of him. He slouches in his seat with a heavy exhale. “I am sorry,” he says. “I did not come here to yell at you. I am well aware that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself.”

“What’s got you so bothered? This is hardly the first time I’ve gotten hurt. Sure it won’t be the last, either.”

Hanzo doesn’t answer for a long time, unmoving. Genji finds himself holding his breath. Hanzo lifts a hand, hesitates, starts to take it back, and ultimately rests it on the bed. It’s only by McCree’s reaction--suddenly staring down at the space in disbelief--that Genji realizes Hanzo must have taken his hand.

More words are spoken. Genji can’t hear, but he can guess well enough at the nature of them. “Wow I wish we’d gotten out of here like five seconds faster,” Lúcio says.

Hanzo looks down at their joined hands on the bed, then up again. Then he leans in suddenly, and Genji can’t quite contain the strangled noise he makes when he sees his brother kiss McCree.

“Holy shit,” Lúcio breathes beside him. Genji internally echoes the sentiment.

There is a moment where, despite Hanzo initiating a kiss, McCree does not respond, and Genji slowly tenses. This is Hanzo baring his soul, and his brother might be a grown adult and McCree one of his oldest friends, but if he has to witness McCree push Hanzo away when there is no good reason to do so--

But then McCree softens and kisses back, and Genji lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

Genji tries to tear his eyes away, distinctly aware that he is watching his brother and his close friend in a deeply intimate moment, but he’s drawn back when Hanzo suddenly pulls away. “I am sorry,” he says, barely loud enough to be heard. “You are hurt, and this is . . . sudden. Are you certain you--”

“God, Hanzo, for once in your life just shut the fuck up,” McCree breathes before pulling Hanzo back in with a hand around his neck. Genji chokes on a poorly-suppressed laugh, and beside him, Lúcio snorts with amusement. They both look away, realizing they’ve spent too long watching what is happening, Genji in particular aware that he is watching his older brother engaged in a passionate kiss with their mutual friend and teammate.

But . . . awkward as it is, it’s nice to see Hanzo going for something, for once. Allowing himself to have something.

Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to go on much longer than a few more seconds. He soon hears murmuring between the two of them, nothing that he can understand, followed by a chair scraping on the floor. A moment later, the window gently slides open and shut, and the med bay is entirely silent.

“Well then,” Lúcio says mildly. “We just watched McCree and your brother get together. That’s something.”

“It’s something,” Genji agrees.

Lúcio fidgets a little with the box he still folds, looking at the top. “It’s kinda sweet, though,” he says after a moment. “Awkward, but it’s nice that they got something like that, you know? In the middle of all this stuff that we do for Overwatch, that they managed to find something good.” He smiles up at Genji, and Genji’s heart does an odd little stutter at that.

Before he can decide what that means and what to do about it, they are interrupted by the sound of McCree loudly, intentionally, clearing his throat.

“I wasn’t asleep when you went by the first time,” he says. “And I ain’t seen you come out. So I highly recommend you finish your business and get on out of here before I change my mind and tell Hanzo you were there the whole damn time.”

[worldslover]

The Underground- Part Sixty-Three- YoonMin AU

Love Shot

“Fuck.”

“Come on, Tae,” I coo teasingly at the older boy. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up already.”

“Yah! I’m not giving up,” Taehyung grumbles next to me.

“Also, why did you choose Hanzo?” I scoff.

“What’s wrong with Hanzo?” The other boy cries.

“He can’t even put a shirt on right, for fuck-sakes!”

“You mean…”

“Don’t you fucking dare,” I forget the game and glare at him.

“... he’s almost topless?”

“Ah!” I cry out and throw my controller at the other boy. Taehyung is laughing as he falls against the arm of the couch. I crawl over to him and place my knee on his thigh. I grab his hands as I growl at him.

“Stop saying thatttt,” I whine as I poke him in the side.

“Well, I guess I’m not topless,” Taehyung mutters under me, causing me to splutter and look down at him like an idiot.

Taehyung’s skin is flushed from laughing and giggles are still escaping his mouth periodically.

“You’re beautiful,” I breath out but quickly snap my jaw shut when Tae stops his squirming. He stares up at me with wide eyes.

“Wh-what?”

No going back now. “I said... you’re beautiful.”

Tae blushes but he doesn’t divert his eyes. My eyes roam his flushed skin before resting on his lips.

“May I kiss you?” I whisper.

Tae’s lips part slighlty at the question. I clear my throat when he doesn’t answer.

“I’m sorry,” I choke out and pull away but stop suddenly at a hand twisting in jacket. Tae pulls me back until I’m inches away from his face.

“Don’t ask,” Tae breathes against my lips. “You never have to ask,” before his lips press against mine.

I gasp against his lips, because holy shit. Taehyung is kissing me. Tae moves his hand so it’s resting against my nape as he using my gasp to dive in deeper, his tongue meeting mine. Tae’s other hand moves along my spine until it’s resting on my lower back.

I growl as Tae moves his legs so I’m between them, his knees on either side of me.

This is just right, with Taehyung so close to me, coming undone under my attention. My hands find their way to his hips. One arm winds itself around the older boy's waist, pulling him closer. I bite Taehyung's bottom lip, pulling a groan from his lips and then his hips grind into me, seeking release. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I gasp and pull away. Taehyung is breathing heavily as his eyes roam my face.

I’m not sure who moves first, but he's on top of me now and we’re kissing again. His lips pressing into me hard. Tae pulls at my jacket, moving it down my shoulder. It finds its way to the floor, Tae’s jacket finding its place beside mine.

I push his shirt up slightly to caress his heated skin, my nails digging into his back as he arches beautifully.

My hand roams up his chest and neck before tugging at Tae’s hair. He moans and pulls his lips away, trailing them down my jaw and breathing against it.

“Don’t, Kook. Don’t do that now.” Tae’s whimpers cause a shudder to curse through my body.

I press my forehead into his shoulder trying to catch my breath.

Holy shit. Did that just happen?

Tae giggles as he caresses his finger through my hair. “I guess you’re not so topless now.”

I groan and nip at his ear causing a breathless laugh from Tae’s lips. I maneuver my lips again to press lightly against his.

“Jungkook, I mean it. Do you... want to?”

“Want to what?” I smile against Tae skin as I lightly trace my lips against his lips. I feel the other boy swallow thickly before he curses. Tae slaps at my arm and hisses, “Stop that. I can’t think when you do that.”

I chuckle as I pull back to look at him at the face.

“Want to what?” I repeat with a smirk.

“You know what I mean. Do you want to? Be my boyfriend, I mean…”

I smile at Tae, all cockiness forgotten at the sight of his blushing cheeks.

Holy shit.

“I would love to be your boyfriend,” I murmur against his lips.

I can feel the other boy's smile.

🌸Part 63/70

[prettyfunkyunorganized]

Sugar Daddy Hanzo part 10

Good evening everyone! Or whatever time of day it is where you are. I’ve got another chapter for you today, but first a few announcement-y things:

1. Just moved and started grad school so I’m busy AF, so if chapters continue to be a bit shorter than they were at the beginning, that’s why.

2. I am starting up a new tag on my blog that will be side info about this story - stuff written from Hanzo’s POV, fun facts, ideas I’m considering, and questions for you! You can always submit questions too via the ask feature on Tumblr or you can use the tag #sugardaddyhanzoextras (sugar daddy hanzo extras). That is the tag I will be using for all this type of content and if you would like to be tagged, feel free to let me know!

3. I love you. 

So yeah, that’s it! Here are 2,800ish words of mush essentially. 

BTW, this whole business world AU is based on my bud @watch-your-grammer‘s post here. She’s glorious and so is her work.

The rest of the story: pt one, pt two, pt three, pt four, pt five, pt six, pt seven, part eight, part nine

Waking up had never been so difficult. Your eyelids dragged, almost impossibly heavy, but not nearly as stiff as your arms. Every shallow, tentative breath was a struggle, and your chest ached with each inhale. Each exhale. You looked around the brightly lit room and frowned. “Guess we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” you grumbled to yourself, “or maybe I’m the witch – certainly feel like I’ve been hit with a house.”

By some odd circumstance, it looked like you had the room to yourself, the bed to your right was folded up tight with precise corners as starkly white as the walls and ceiling above you. Everything was so . . . sterile, as if you had been transported to your very own dimension, removed from the rest of Earth. It was unsettling.

And sad.

Your chest tightened in a familiar way that had nothing to do with your injury, it was a painful manifestation of your growing disappointment and loneliness.

“You’d think the gals would at least come by to see me,” you whispered as tears welled in your eyes, “and if getting shot isn’t enough to get Mom and Dad to come visit me, what is?”

In a burst of realization, you remembered what had happened and put a hand over your breast, a powerful tenderness warning you to be gentle.

“Holy fuck I got shot,” you gulped looking for the nurse call button and slamming it while trying to tame your breathing.

After a brief pause that seemed to last ages, a nurse swung open your door and scuttled in, but not before you saw what looked like a dark suit a dark expressing in the hallway.

“Well, hello there,” the tall man in scrubs said with a smile. The bright corgi pattern on his shirt relaxed you for some reason, maybe it was because that was the first bit of color you had seen since you awoke.

“Hi,” you said softly.

“You look scared,” he murmured kindly, “don’t be. We got you all patched up, and you’re going to be fine.”

“Oh thank goodness,” you sighed, running your hands over your face. Of course you knew that you were alive, but hearing a nurse say ‘you’re not dying’ still made you feel a thousand times better.

“Do you remember what happened,” he asked. You nodded. “Good. And how are you feeling?”

“Uh,” you hesitated, “pretty shitty? But not dead so, I could be worse?”

He chuckled, “Very true. Feeling sore in your chest, right?”

“Oh yeah,” you groaned.

“We will get you something to help with that and check over your bandages here in a sec, I just want to tell you what we’ve done on our end if you’re feeling up to that.”

“Sure,” you nodded, trying to glance out the window so you could figure out if what you had seen was what you were desperately hoping to see. Then again, it was a hospital, and there were likely hundreds of patients here with worried family.

And Hanzo wasn’t family.

And he hadn’t taken you back.

And the nurse in all his corgi covered glory was in your way.

“Alright,” he said looking at the digital display on his arm, “you were brought in with a bullet wound in the chest, it went right through you, but went through your lung.”

“My lung,” you gaped in horror.

“Yes,” he confirmed, “that is what caused you so much trouble, but medicine has come a long way, and we were able to have your stem cells from your baby teeth flown in and have started growing you some new lung tissue. We had to do one surgery to keep you alive, so your left lung is currently dormant, and your right is doing all the work, which is probably why you’re likely feeling a little like you’ve been running a lot and haven’t quite caught your breath. Once your new tissue is ready, we will get you into the OR again have you feeling right as rain before you know it.”

“Wait,” you said reeling at what he’d just said. You knew your baby teeth could provide stem cells for fancy medical stuff, but patching up your lung? “So . . . you’re going to be able to just cover up the holes in my lung?”

“Yes, ma’am, just like a punctured tire.”

“Ew,” you grimaced at his analogy.

He laughed, “Yeah, sorry. The other nurses say I’ve got a way with words, but I’m not sure if they mean that as a compliment.”

“I mean, it helped me understand,” you shrugged, “but is my lung still going to be able to function normally with a patch? Am I not going to live as long or something because of this?”

“Actually, the procedure has been tested very thoroughly on patients with lung cancer, and there is very little if any loss of functionality. Patients with renewed lungs climb Everest, run marathons, and live long healthy lives – so long as they take care of themselves, that is. If you eat fast food every day or do drugs and die young, you can’t blame that on the new tissue.”

“Of course,” you nodded. “That’s pretty god-damned amazing.”

“It sure is,” he beamed, “the biggest inconvenience is the post-op checkups and drugs to help encourage faster healing, but all that will be finished up in a few months.”

“Good to know,” you sighed, a thin smile forming on your lips.

“Anything else you need right now, or should I start taking a look at you?”

“I – well, actually,” you fumbled, try to lean over and see the window, but you cringed at the pain, “could you just tell me if I have anyone out there waiting to see me? I – I thought I recognized someone.”

“You sure do,” the nurse said with a playful shake of his head, “you’ve had lots of people come in and out to see you, but it’s late at night right now, so the only one here at the moment is the older gentleman in the suit who basically never leaves. Man’s practically a part of the furniture now.”

You grinned so wide your chapped lips hurt, but you couldn’t stop. “Is his name Hanzo? Is he still out there? Will you tell him not to leave yet?”

“Calm down, calm down,” he laughed, backing toward the door, “I’m sure he’s still here, and I’d be happy to tell him you want to speak with him.”

“Thanks,” you said, blushing at your girlish excited outburst.

Without entirely closing the door behind him, the nurse spoke quietly with Hanzo, who had been waiting with an impatient look on his face. The instant you saw him you were relieved. In all honesty, you would have been happy to see anyone you knew out there, but knowing it was him was almost too good to be true.

The nurse came back in and asked you a few more questions while surveying your condition and giving you a bit of pain medication, but ‘not enough to make you all loopy,’ as per your request. Pain meds had always given you the creeps. It was awkward to have a man you’d never met poking your bandaged up boob while the other one laid out in all its glory, but thankfully as soon as you wrapped your hospital gown back up, Hanzo was waved in.

“Hey,” you said as he closed the door behind him. You did your best not to look like a giddy schoolchild, but you were far too happy to be in the same room as him again. Part of your uncontrolled emotion was definitely the drugs, but not all of it. You didn’t care if you shouldn’t be so enraptured to see him, at least not now. You had been shot, you could feel however the fuck you wanted.

“Good evening,” he responded lowly. The distant tone in his voice made you face fall flat, and the physical distance he kept between you made you pull your knees closer to your chest sadly.

“I was, um, well I was kind of surprised to see you here,” you admitted sheepishly.

Hanzo sighed and looked away. “Yes, I probably should not have come, but I felt I had to. That, and I could not find the will or focus to do anything other than sit here and wait for news on your condition.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” you said softly, “extremely so.”

His lips pursed as his gaze landed on something next to your head. “You are the only one who has been happy to see me here.”

You twisted around as far as you could until your chest muscles griped at you to stop. There was a tiny speaker clipped to the bed frame with a note attached to it. “That sweetie,” you chuckled as you read Lucio’s message:

‘Sorry I couldn’t stick around ‘til you woke up! If I missed another tour date, the bosses were going to have some fried frog legs at their next meeting. Call me THE SECOND you wake up and know that I’m thinking of you. Lots of hugs, your best-est client.’

“He’s always so good to me,” you said shaking your head and the sad frog sketch Lucio had done on the other side of the card.

“I am glad you have found someone that has made you happy,” Hanzo said almost inaudibly, his eyes turned to the ground, bangs in his face as if trying to hide the sour look on his features.

Was he . . . jealous? Clearly you were feeling a little better because the devious part of your mind was suddenly much more awake. No, you shouldn’t be happy that Hanzo was feeling all put out at the fact that you had someone new if your life, but shit! How many people got to see the illustrious Hanzo Shimada practically dripping in envy?

Plus, it meant that maybe – just maybe – you had a chance to have him back.

Maybe it took almost dying to realize that you were willing to give Hanzo another chance, or maybe that bullet had torn right through your resolve, but you knew what you wanted now, and you were ready to admit it. More than that, you were ready to fight for it.

If Hanzo really wanted you to find love with someone else, fine, you understood, but you weren’t going to just walk away. Not again.

“Perhaps I should go,” Hanzo said abruptly, “the nurse assured me that you will be fine and now that I have seen you for myself I believe I am feeling much more assured. Goodbye, and I hope you – ”

“Woah, woah, woah,” you shouted, sitting up and groaning at the way your body protested. You were shot in the chest, so why did your back feel like agony, too?

Hanzo turned back you, looking very unsure of himself. “What is it?”

“You know Lucio is just a friend, right,” you asked.

He scoffed and glowered at the door. “That is not what the tabloids say.”

“Since when do you put stock in the tabloids,” you said giving him a skeptical look.

“There are photos,” he said grimly, crossing his arms and keeping his gaze off you.

“Of what? Me and my friend walking into a party together? We may have been ‘arm in arm’ and all that, but people do that all the time. He’s just a public figure, so everything gets blown out of proportion,” you said matter-of-factly.

“The pictures of him covered in your blood and sobbing as they brought you to the hospital are quite . . . telling,” he insisted.

“Hanzo! I had just been shot! And he’s one of my friends! One of my best friends, in fact. If Gabe were to be gunned down in front of you wouldn’t you be looking a little disheveled?”

His head bobbed as an admittance that you had a point.

“Come here,” you demanded, holding a hand out to him. His body went rigid, and he didn’t move. “Please,” you pouted, beckoning him again.

This time he slowly made his way to you, stopping far enough away that you had to lunge forward a bit to grab his hand and yank him closer. His eyes were wide with surprise, or maybe concern, but fingers curled automatically around yours. You brought his knuckles to your lips and place a gentle kiss on them, the tension in Hanzo’s shoulders floating away, letting his perfect posture slip into a more relaxed stance. You were glad you still had that effect on him. Big oaf needed to pull that stick out of his ass every now and again.

“Lucio means a lot to me, but not the way you do,” you told him in the most earnest tone you could muster. “You’re the only person I want to be with, you’re the one that I wanted with me more than anyone else when I thought I was dying, and you’re the person I most wanted to see when I opened up my eyes in this place.”

“You know,” Hanzo said with a small smile, “you make it very hard to stay away from you.”

He leaned against the rail of your bed and set his palm on your cheek gingerly, you leaned into its warmth. “I guess getting shot has its silver lining.”

“I vehemently disagree,” he barked firmly, “it should not have taken a gunshot to bring us back together. A conversation would have done just as well.”

“Hey, for the record, I tried that,” you retaliated. “That night in your brother’s big fancy bathroom I wanted to talk about it but you – ”

Hanzo silenced you by placing his thumb over your lips, and you giggled, kissing the pad of his finger in delight. Having him this close again was everything you had hoped it would be. “I am sorry for that night,” he said tenderly, “I was only trying to – ”

“Trying to do the right thing,” you finished for him, nodding understandingly. “I know, and I was, too. But I don’t care about what’s ‘right’ anymore. I don’t want to give up on what we could have together, and I know you’re on the way to changing. I’m tired of chasing the ideal of what should happen. I just want to be happy, and you make me happy.”

“My beauty,” he cooed, placing a long kiss on each of your temples, “you make me happy, too.”

“Does that mean you’ll be with me again,” you asked, wriggling closer to him.

“How could I say no,” he chuckled, dancing his fingers along your exposed arm until you shivered, making him grin.

The two of you basked in each other’s presence, but no matter how hard you tried to keep from overthinking things, you had to ask him something.

“Hanzo?”

“Yes?”

“Will I be your sugar baby again or . . . ?”

“I – well – ” he stammered, clearing his throat to buy him time to find an answer.

“The full-fledged relationship idea still freaks you out, doesn’t it,” you asked worriedly.

“Yes,” he huffed frustratedly, “though I do not know why. I know I want to be with you, and I know that I want more than that sort of arrangement with you, but there is something about that word, that step that just . . . fills me with a dread I do not understand.” Hanzo looked down to you, an ashamed expression on. “I am sorry.”

“Don’t be,” you said stroking his jawbone, “I don’t mind being your sugar baby again, but I’d like to set down a new set of rules and whatnot.”

“Of course,” he said, sounding relieved, “I believe that would be necessary.”

“But you are still going to your therapist, right?”

“Yes,” he said with a strong nod, “and this is something we have discussed lightly, but, as you know, there is much about me that needs to be . . . dealt with.”

“We’re all a work in progress,” you assured Hanzo, pulling him down so you could kiss him on the nose. The token of affection made his face go a little red, and you burst out laughing. “Good god I missed you and the way you blush, handsome.”

“I am quite convinced that you are the only one who can make me blush,” he grumbled, smirking just a tinge.

“Oh I bet Genji could tell me some fun stories that would make you all flustered,” you teased.

“Just who’s side are you on,” he said with a scowl.

“Mine,” you said brightly, “a girl’s got to put herself first, you know, and that’s what I do.”

“And I adore you for it,” Hanzo hummed, meshing his fingers into yours.

“Don’t worry,” you said, giving him a gentle squeeze, “I’ll always be in your corner, though.”

“A fact that makes me infinitely stronger.”

“I’m glad you realize that,” you said, beaming at his progress, “a couple of months ago I pegged you for the ‘I don’t need anyone’ type.”

“I have since learned a few things, met a few people who have shown me otherwise,” Hanzo said, holding your clasped hands to his heart.

@collinssie @watch-your-grammer @zarcake-writes @yesthisisbae @eebbapanda1@deercapitate @missbumblina @skyrina @justjaaaay@thewetbones@skyelentnight @ilovebva @punk-dork @cbrokeherboobs@sobanoodledragon@sydniesamm @honeyburger @knightofsexyness @queenoflabyrinths@speakingishard @iknowimcutethanks @ninevast @ivymarquis @sydniesamm@barbie-the-centrist @tumblertrash @angle0fthegourd@shaybae1997 @lillypet95 @rusty-potato @tt-nikithakppr

** please let me know if you would like to be tagged or removed from the tags in future updates and sorry if I missed anyone, I feel like tumblr is deleting my shit**

[fromtheshadcws]

AU: Dungeons and Dragons aka Fantasy

Gabe is 100% a warlock. because lets be real. if anyone would make a deal with something supernatural and Old to be able to help/save his friends, it’s gabriel fucking reyes.

his patron is most likely something dark: an eldritch thing, fae, a demon, something like that. 

his familiar is an owl because fucking fight me of COURSE it is. a barn owl. he names it reaper. secretly, he spoils the little fucker rotten, but other members of his party don’t like this lurking owl too much. gabriel does not give one shit.

to stay in d&d terminology, he’d probably multiclass a little bit into rogue or warrior. likes picking locks, is good with a sword. but spells are his main jam.

hes not a bad person. he really isnt. his abuela warned him about how corrupting magic can be, and it’s always in the back of his mind. but he has an immense thirst for knowledge and the power he gains with that is.. immense.

his band of merry travelers is ridiculous. morrison seems a goody-two-shoes paladin with too much charisma, but he turns out to have a wicked sense of humor and stays up with gabe at night, keeps him company.

their bard, lúcio, is exhaustingly optimistic - but he knows people everywhere, which is helpful. 

hanzo has a wolf as a familiar and barely says anything, but holy hell is he good to have on your side. he only speaks when they attempt to pick up a job in some small village ruled by a local gang, and hanzo very nearly sneaks away at night. there is a lot of cursing. they’re all sworn to secrecy.

they refuse the job - for now.

jesse, their rogue, teaches gabe how to manipulate dice to win money fast. gabe isn’t too sure he doesn’t have magic of his own, despite his nonchalant denial.  he almost loses his soul to a possessed dagger, which gabriel throws into lava. jesse loses an arm because of it, too corrupt and rotten to save - but he rejjoins the gang a few months later, more quiet but still smiling and kind.

their cleric angie is so sweet gabriel calls her a literal angel. he adores her, quietly. (shes an aasimar really, and gabriel finds out one night at their campfire, where she’s crying over a home long lost.) 

they fight a giant green dragon at some point, only barely scraping through. the dragon seems defeated, severely wounded, anguished roars echoing throughout the entire valley. it’s only when hanzo manages to land the killing blow that shit hits the fan and half the valley is blown up.

curses are fun, yall.

in the middle of the crater is a man, a boy really, and when gabriel hobbles over to hanzo to see if he needs to call on angie’s last healing words of the day, hanzo is in tears.

thats it for now :3