#but i have heard that it shows more of shimada's side in this moment and if that's true i am SO BUMMED it was cut from the anime

[like-yknow-nyah]

i am SUCH a baby about it man. i physically CANNOT stop my eyes from welling up a little when i hear that "TADAAAAAASHII!" cut through the noise and see how frantically shimada waves the bag and how all the chaos - everything else but that one little island of safety - fades from yamaguchi's view.

idk maybe something about how easily this could have been an entirely lonely struggle with all the commotion and how hard it is for anyone to tell what someone is thinking when they're standing so far away behind that back line. but shimada really truly *knew* in a way that one only could if they are dedicatedly watching and caring for someone. i mean think about it - even being the only person who knew about yamaguchi's need for a reset point, he didn't necessarily know it was the exit sign or that the reset point he'd chosen had become obscured. he had to have taken cues from yamaguchi's own tendencies and recognized that the unfamiliar and hostile environment would inevitably disrupt any sense of familiarity he could grasp at for that reset. and he had to have realized this well before even yamaguchi did to have run all the way to the other side of the stadium in the brief time given for him to serve. AND the way he apologized so sheepishly to the crowd around him after the serve - he'd truly forgotten himself, and the only thing on his mind in that moment was being there in his mentee's time of need. to not be left alone in a moment where it would have been perfectly understandable even for most people who care about you not to realize that you were even struggling is to understand the true depth of your importance to that person.

yamaguchi getting crazy nervous in the nationals game against the miya twins and his mentor screaming his name to get him a safe reset point ? yeah that got me actually

[ya-zz]

Hi I hope you’re doing well!! I just read through all your fics and just want to say I love your writing 🫶🫶

Do you think you could write something for Genji or Hanzo with a reader that gets flustered when they see them wearing suits? No worries if not ^^

Soo... Feralness has gone down, but I still won't deny the fact that any of these boys in suits will make me act up- Genji suit when, Blizzard?

Hanzo and Genji x Reader (gen)

Word count: 1098

A/N: I wanna clarify before you read that this is not Shimada/cest at all.

There was an event you had been invited to, the invitation being slipped through the crack of your door when you were sleeping. It was a sudden surprise, but one you weren’t going to say no to. In fact, you were waiting for the invitation having already heard rumours about this party. The moment you saw that envelope, the smile that crossed your face hurt. 

You spent the better half of the day mentally preparing. You assumed most of the Overwatch agents were going tonight considering it was being held by them, but you knew that there were some that would rather spend their evening hiding away. 

There were colleagues there that you could hang out with, you knew that, but the anxiety wasn't about who you would be with, but how you would look. You were worried about whether or not you would fit in, or if you would be judged. You were worried about whether you would be able to hold a conversation, or if you would say something stupid and embarrass yourself. Quickly dismissing the thoughts, you head for the bathroom to shower.

The rest of the afternoon was spent getting ready, making sure there were no creases or wrinkles in your outfit and once you were confident enough with yourself, letting out a shaky sigh, you left your room and headed towards the event. 

–

The car stopped outside of the building, armed guards surrounding the area, snipers upon the rooftops. It was normal for you, seeing all these military guards dotted around, that you payed them no mind except from passing a smile when you headed up the stairs. 

Showing the front guards your ID badge that was issued to you when you became an agent at Overwatch, they stepped to the side and let you in, offering a “good evening and have a good night” as you entered. 

The hallway was quiet as you walked through but you could hear the music and chatter on the other side. Upon getting closer, a door not far from your left opened up that made you stop in your tracks. 

Hanzo walks out, hands clasped together as he attempts to warm them back up from the water in the bathroom. He looks elegant as always. Adorned with gold accents, Hanzo Shimada looked so irresistible that it made your cheeks rise in temperature. He catches you, turning and bowing in your direction before heading over to you. Butterflies began to form in your stomach, the nervousness rising within you.

He was speaking, but you couldn’t hear him. Your eyes were glued to his body. His hair was up, as it usually was, but his silk ribbon looked different. It was gold, yes, but the black that gradually faded to the lengths end accentuated his suit more. The white shirt popped against the black suit and tie, small golden accents going up the collar of his blazer. The golden cufflinks glittered in the ambient light. His hands reached up to unbutton the blazer, showing the waist coat he was wearing, tight against his torso. Every part of this man was perfect. 

“Are you even listening to me?” His voice broke through your gaze, eyes darting up to look at him. He chuckles, seeing your flustered face.

“Sorry-” Your breathing catches in your throat as you smile awkwardly. He knew you were gawking at him. 

“Let us greet the others.” He offers his arm out to you, which you take a little too quick and it embarrasses you even more. Hanzo couldn’t help but smile as he escorts you towards the main hall. 

The room was bright, a low chandelier hanging from the centre of the ceiling. A live band played on the stage, Lucio conversing with them as any musician would do. There were many people within the hall, Overwatch officials mixed with corporate humans and omnics alike. Butlers of both types wandered through the area offering a variety of foods and drinks to the guests. 

“Come. The group is over there.” The archer gestures over to the other side of the hall as he continues to walk with you. 

It took whatever strength you had to not faint then and there. Your heartbeat was elevated, especially being this close to this man in particular. You had your eyes on him, of course, but wouldn’t push to make that first move. 

As you approached the group, their eyes turn onto the pair of you and smiles and waves followed after. It felt comfortable being among your colleagues in a non work setting. Everyone was having fun, everyone was talking, telling jokes. It was a night that you were going to remember for multiple reasons. 

“Has anyone seen my brother?” Hanzo asked amidst conversations. Someone responded to him, telling him that he went outside before returning to whatever conversation was happening within their vicinity. 

It wasn’t long later that the other Shimada brother appeared, Zenyatta next to him. It was unnatural seeing the omnic in formal attire that it caught your eyes first, but the moment you look over at the younger Shimada, the feeling that you felt earlier in the pit of your stomach comes back up. 

Dressed just like his brother in a black suit and tie just sent shivers down your spine. Both Shimadas making you feel something you hadn’t felt in a long time. Lust. 

Genji immediately saw the change in your demeanour, a sly chuckle escaping him as he greeted you, but just like before, your eyes couldn’t help but stare. Instead of gold accents it was green, something of which matched his hair, recently dyed too. The temperature was only rising.

“Are you okay?” The ninja asks, cocking his head to the side, but he knew. The flushed face and blown irises was all the indication he needed. 

You nod in response, peeling your eyes off of the ninja’s chest and meeting his. The look he gave you only made you shy away in embarrassment. He smirked, glancing over at his brother who only rolled his eyes in response. 

Both Shimada’s were making you weak, and unnaturally so. Sure, you had feelings for the older brother, but now the younger brother? Oh boy… 

Genji places his hand on your shoulder and turns you back around to face the group. His hand squeezes slightly before letting go, and the lack of feeling made you silently sigh. 

Hanzo, on the other hand, moved to stand next to you, closing you into a possibly troublesome situation if both Shimada's wanted to deal with your flushed stated.

[d1strxct]

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐲 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

“Hey, have you seen my hat ‘round here? I coulda sworn it was on the table.”

Looking up from your place on the couch, you shook your head at Cassidy. He had the most confused face you’ve ever seen, and it took everything in you not to giggle at his predicament. Of course you knew where it was, as you were the one who had taken it.

He stared at you for a good minute, and when you made no signs of lying, he hummed and spun on his heel to go back down the hallway.

“Alright then. I’ll go ask Hanzo if he’s seen it. I bet ya he took it with how stealthy he is.”

You smirked to yourself and continued scrolling on your phone. To you, it was hilarious seeing him so puzzled. After a few minutes of nonchalant browsing, you heard yells from Hanzo’s room.

“Are you accusing me of taking your hat?”

“I have reason to believe it was you!”

“Cole for the last time, I did not steal your hat!”

You snorted quietly at hearing the two grumpy men bantering. It was always entertaining to listen to them argue over little things. It went silent for a few moments, and then all of a sudden, loud laughter could be heard from down the hall. Was that… Hanzo’s laughter?

You put your phone down on your lap to focus on the conversation better.

“No! Noho! Don’t tickle me! Cole!”

Your blood ran cold at hearing those words. Cole Cassidy was a ruthless tickler and you did NOT want to be at the hands of him. You felt a bit of pity for the Shimada, but you still couldn’t help but find the whole situation funny.

“Just tell me where you put it and I won’t go for your ribs!”

Over his loud cackling, you just barely heard him say your name. That traitor!

“I saw them take it! Now- haha, please!”

That was your queue to leave. You quickly leaped off the couch and ran the opposite way of Cassidy’s loud yelling of your name.

Behind you, you heard the door to Hanzo’s room open and the rapid pounding of footsteps follow after you.

“Get back here, ya little fraud!”

You traveled through the seemingly endless hallways and turned left and right at each new opening. Cassidy’s steps never strayed too far though. He was hot on your tail and you were running out of stamina. Running down one more hallway, you took your chances with the door on the right, which trapped you right into a dead end.

‘Well, I had a good life,’ you thought.

Slowly turning around with a sigh, you saw Cole standing directly in front of you, an irritated yet playful look etched onto his features.

“So, ya wanna fess up or deal with this the hard way?” His voice showed no real anger and you let a guilty smile creep onto your face.

“I didn’t take it?”

He let out a deep chuckle and shook his head. Stepping towards you, he looked at you in the eyes. His gruff voice spoke out.

“Well, you had a good life.”

With that, he grabbed you by the waist and hoisted you over his shoulder. You yelped and grunted as he started walking back the way you both came from.

“Hey! Put me down, Cole!” You gently slapped and hit his back, yet your efforts were futile. His stronghold never once loosened and, soon enough, you were back on the couch.

He took your phone that was left there and moved it onto the small stand next to the couch. Lightly tossing you on the couch, you grunted and made a move to get back up, but he put a firm hand on your shoulder and lowered you back down. He repositioned his leg on the other side of yours to straddle your waist and you gulped.

“W-wait! Let’s talk about this!”

Cassidy smirked and narrowed his eyes at you. “We did, and you lied right to my face.” His hands grasped your wrists and put them under his knees, rendering you immobile. Anticipatory giggles slipped from your mouth and you couldn’t help trying to squirm out of his grip.

His eyes never looked away from yours and his hands crept towards your torso, fingers wiggling tauntingly. “I ain’t even doing anythin’ yet, why are you laughing?”

His fingers touched down on your sides and you flinched, a squeak leaving your lips. He didn’t move them though, as he just let them rest there.

“Any last words?”

A moment of silence passed.

“You look better with it o- no!”

Before you could finish your sentence, his fingers went straight to work. They squeezed and prodded and poked at your sides and ribs, earning a bout of laughter from you. You threw your head back and squeezed your eyes shut, involuntarily squirming around.

“Will you tell me where ya put my hat, dear?” Cassidy asks as he scribbles his fingers against your ribs. Taking a deep breath, you managed a “no!” through giggles. He shrugged his shoulders and moved his hands to your hips, gently squeezing the spot right above the bone.

“It’s your funeral.”

Your feet kicked out on the other side of the couch and you cackled. Shaking your head from side to side, you weakly pulled at your wrists, but they were still stuck under Caissdy’s weight. “Hey, did ya know I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano?”

Your eyes went wide and you fixed your gaze on him. He had a shit-eating grin on his face, that bastard. Leaving your hips, his hands found the vacancy on your lowermost ribs.

You shouted out pleas of “no” and “please,” but it didn’t deter the cowboy at all.

“I think if I press here, this sound comes out, right?” His index finger pressed on your rib and you squeaked. He smiled and nodded his head, chucking. “Yes! That’s the sound!”

“I think with a tap here and a scribble there, I’ll be a pro in no time! What do ya think?” He asked as he skittered his nimble fingers in the same spot.

You giggled maddeningly and shook your head. “You s-suck at playing the piano!”

He gasped and squinted his eyes at you. “Well that’s just mean! I’ll show ya how good I am.”

Before you could even blink, rapid fingers were scribbling on your ribs, sending tickly sensations coursing through your body. You shrieked and once again your head was thrown back against the arm of the couch. His fingers seemed to be everywhere at once and you howled with laughter.

After a few moments of his ruthless piano playing, he let up. You greedily sucked in deep breaths and giggles poured out of your lips. He grinned down at you.

“One last chance to fess up, pumpkin. Or I won’t be so lenient.”

You blushed at the thought of what he would do. Of what he could do. But of course, you were stubborn. Sucking in all of your giggles, you let a smirk take over your features with newfound confidence.

“You can kick the dust.”

And just like that, the confidence was gone. Cassidy didn’t say anything nor did his facial expression change. His hands grabbed yours from underneath his knees and he put them above your head. One hand held both of yours while the other wiggled in front of you.

You drew in a breath and prepared for the ticklish onslaught. Closing your eyes, you waited for your death. Except it never came. You could hear your heartbeat in your chest and the silence in the room was deafening. Curious, you peeked an eye open to look at what was happening.

As soon as you did, Cassidy’s hand landed on your armpit, his swift fingers kneading the soft skin. A piercing screech ripped from your throat that could’ve alerted the whole Overwatch team, followed by boisterous laughter.

Cole was taken aback by your scream, but it didn’t deter his tickling. You tried to pull your arms down with all your might, but he was just too damn strong. Your body squirmed from side to side and your feet kicked wildly.

He switched to the other underarm after a few moments and more laughter broke from you. Deciding to use both hands, Cassidy let go of your wrists and quickly shot it under your other arm. Your arms came crashing down to your sides and you squealed.

His fingers softly scribbled against the hollows and he chuckled. “Aw man, my hands are stuck now! Lift your arms!”

In between fits of laughter, you shook your head madly. “N-no! It’s a t-trap!”

Now it was Cassidy’s turn to cackle. His head was thrown back as he continued to tickle you. “Now why would it be a trap? C’mon!”

If you weren’t in your current situation, you would roll your eyes at his innocent tone. You didn’t say anything back, not that you could anyway. Laughter kept coming out of your mouth as you squirmed as much as you could.

Because of your loud laughter, you didn’t notice that Hanzo had been standing in the room, a sly smirk on his face as he watched the scene play out. His arms were crossed against his chest and he leaned on the wall.

Cole turned his head to look at him and spoke. “Oh hey, looks like our little friend doesn’t wanna fess up where my hat is. So I had to teach them a lesson about lying.”

Hanzo chuckled and looked back at you. Your head whipped to look at him and you shouted pleas through your bubbling laughter.

“H-Hanzo! Help me! Please!”

He pretended to think of an answer, his hand coming up to stroke his chin. “Hm. If I remember correctly, I was put through torture because of you. So no.”

Even Cassidy rolled his eyes at Hanzo’s dramatic words. He looked down at you and watched as you stuck out your tongue at the archer through cackles and squeals. His fingers never stopped scratching at your skin throughout the whole conversation.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours of tickling, Cassidy could tell you were reaching your limit. He stopped moving his fingers and let them rest against your underarms. Taking deep breaths, you thanked whatever gods were out there for the moment of peace.

“Oh my g-god! That was brutal!” Cole smirked and removed his fingers from your body. The sudden movement made you flinch and squeal, and both men laughed. Cassidy got off of your waist and you quickly curled up into a ball on your side.

Residual giggles leaked from your lips and you took in deep breaths. “So,” the cowboy started, “where’d ya put my hat?”

“It’s in the cabinet.”

Cassidy nodded and walked towards the one you pointed at. Opening the door, he grabbed his hat and put it back on his head.

He walked back over to where you were still laying on the couch and grinned. “Don’t let it happen again,” he spoke, “or else it’ll be a lot worse.” He poked your side for emphasis and you swatted his hand away.

“Okay! Okay, I got it!”

He chuckled and strolled out of the room. You closed your eyes and sighed, enjoying the peacefulness. It wasn’t for long though, as seconds later you remembered a certain Hanzo who was still standing against the wall.

“Can I help you?” You asked with an eyebrow raised.

Hanzo narrowed his eyes at you with a small smirk. “I need to get my revenge too for your little stunt.” He made a move of stepping towards you and your head shot up at him.

“Nuh uh! Absolutely not!” You pushed yourself up with the little strength you had left and ran back down the hall.

So much for a break.

[dawnthefox24]

*Hanzo is watching Rumiko play the shamisen in Hanaoka in front of crowd smiling softly telling a story about two twins siblings who care for one another till one of them dies by trading places with them ending the story on a sad but bitter sweet moment in the story as the other twin lives towards the end of the story* Rumiko:*smiles sadly and sets her shamisen down for a moment* Thank you everyone its best if me and my son best be going. The crowd:*nodding wiping away few tears but smiles softly nodding before leaving the area heading back to their homes* Thank you. Rumiko:*smiles softly at Hanzo* Come along Hanzo, your father must be waiting for you. Teen Hanzo:...Why did you make that story sad? Rumiko:*looks at him and sighs* Well... Teen Hanzo:...Well? Rumiko: Let me tell you something this story is pretty old you know, yet the ending will be the same. Teen Hanzo: But why did they trade places why not run away from their actions!? Why did it have to be a bad ending? Rumiko: *looks at him and sighs softly* Not every story ends with a happy ending you know, like your father telling you the dragon brothers. Hanzo: It's just not fair... Rumiko: The story I told is about sibling who would care for each other to the point that one will die to save the other, it's not fair in the end. I've heard this story thousands of times though the end will be the same the twins were separated and reunited in the end only for things to spiral out of control... Teen Hanzo:*looks down very upset* But the one didn't have to die... Rumiko:*cups his face and smiles sadly* I know but they cared so much they cared so much they even by blood their also evil to in the end. Teen Hanzo:...But why? Rumiko: Every story has a history a warning, it depends on the person who takes this warning. Not every story will be the same brother against brother, blood against blood; war, love, power, lust, greed. These are all warnings. Teen Hanzo:*looks at her confused* But why tell that to the people where protecting? Rumiko: It's it let them know that the Shimada clan is on their side and how the Hashimoto won't do that, with the story of siblings it shows like how the dragons brothers with a different ending. In the end you and Genji are destine to do something greater though every part of me tells me you'll do more greater things. Teen Hanzo: What do you mean? Rumiko: *looks at him sadly and takes a deep breath before sighing* It means that you....Actually never mind I just worry for you and your brother... Teen Hanzo: *hugs her and hold her*Mother...Genji and I promise you we won't fail you or father when we lead the clan together! Rumiko:*smiles and hugs him back though she seems a bit nervous* I know you will.. Teen Hanzo:*looks at her smiling* Can we make sashimi together? Rumiko:*smiles softly and nods* Of course my hatchling, wanna race? Teen Hanzo:*eyes lit up and looks around for a moment and smiles* Yes! Rumiko: *smiles and pushed him a bit and starts running a bit* READY,SET, GO! Teen Hanzo: *runs after her*YOU CHEATED!! *Rumiko slows down a bit as Hanzo ran passed her which made her stop as she goes to a walk watching Hanzo continue to run having fun* Rumiko:*wipes her eyes drying a few tears away before sighing* I hope you and Genji stay safe and nothing bad happens...

[marksbear]

Imagines pt2

(warning parts contain Nsfw, Cussing, fighting ,slight yandere behavior , Random characters, s/o=significant others) 

Imagine dating daredevil and waiting for him to come home, and when he finally arrives you see him all bruised up, and you treat his wounds and ask him if he is okay and kiss him softly on his neck. (marvel)

Imagine beating Rock Lee ass during training and ever since he's been hating you, becoming his rival even though you never saw him as a rival. One day he came back for a rematch and he's just rambling about how he became stronger and faster. And you just walk away, so he runs up to you and grabs your hand and says "m/n kun wait!" you only side eye him and say in a low tone " let go". Lee blushes at the sound of your voice since you never spoke often only really when you have to. Lee lets go of you and you just walk off, with Lee still staring at you until he can't see you. He blushes and looks at his hand with a paper and says "meet me here at 11:00" he couldn't help but smile at the thought of meeting you here. So he walks off with the thought of you lingering in his mind.(Naruto)

Imagine being best friends with Hanzo Shimada and he's obsessed with you. Ever since you were little you always hung out with him and his brother. Hanzo had peeked a little interest in you. He loved that you were always brutally honest and never gave two shits whatsoever. Not even when he was little he was in love with you the way you look, acted, everything you did or said. He was there for it. Later on into Overwatch with Hanzo would act cold in front of others but as soon as you come into the room his mood changes and all of his attention goes to you. He likes to tell others that you're his husband even though y'all are not together. Of course you find out on his obsessed behavior and you called him out on it , he plays dumb saying that "your crazy" and "I don't know what your talking about." So you walked off confused and puzzled (Overwatch)

Imagine making out with me ;)

Imagine Hannibal being a power bottom, and him riding you telling how good of a pet you are for him while you're just tied up with a blind fold on with a cock ring on you. And he's just teasing you, not letting you cum or even touch him. (NBC Hannibal)

Imagine being Gaston left hand man, and being fuck buddies and every time he will go to you to get fucked is because he had a rough day with Belle rejecting him and to blow off some steam.(Beauty and the beast)

Imagine being Karl Heisenberg's first human lover, and he just treats you with the most kindness and care for you.(RDE)

Imagine being jealous and dating Kevin love. You were jealous of the fans always simping for him so during one of the plays you run up to him and just kiss him. moments later the world is going crazy about the two star basketball players kissing. After the game y'all both get asked about it and you just say that "i'm showing the world what's mine" the media goes crazy, the two stars phones buzzing from the amount of tags they got from people that tag them in post. You and Kevin just laugh about it not having a care in the world.(NBA)

Imagine being a ally to Johnny Depp when he was going against Amber Heard fuck her bitch ass that on period.

Imagine being a grown man, but your mom buys you Chucky the doll for a gift. You were freaked out about the tiny doll but you were thankful for the gift regardless. Next day you open the box just to look at more. You thought the doll was kinda ugly so you put it back in the box and hid it in a closet. Hours later you hear a slam of a door opening. You turned around just for a moment, you froze, once you came back to your senses you went to your room and pulled a gun out from one of your dressers. After that you went to investigate the noise in the corner of your eye and you see something small run past you. As fast as lighting you shoot at it . Moments later you hear "Watch it!" you were confused and said "who are you!?". You see the same little doll he waved at you the ginger head boy said "The name Chucky" you only responded with "No duh, I saw it on the box". Chucky walks up to you and says "What's your name kid?" you respond with "i'm m/n." Ever since that day y'all became close friends.(chucky)

Imagine dating Jeffery Dean Morgan. And him wanting to publicly announce your relationship, of course you agreed y'all had been dating for two years though it was time for the world to know. So in an interview the interviewer asks Jeffrey if he is in a relationship and Jeffrey responds saying "Actually I am with a beautiful s/o ." The interviewer is a bit shocked at the response and says "So when do we get to meet them" Jeffrey just simply says "maybe i'll post a picture of them when i get the chance." The interviewer says great! and continue with the interview.

Imagine Will graham fucking messily you while on his desk. And you're just a moaning mess and not noticing will giving you hickeys but biting a bit too hard and drawing blood. Once y'all both cum Will just keep going and fucks you even harder than before bruising your hole a little and just him overusing you. Trying to make you reach your limit seeing however long it takes for you can break.(NBC HANNIBAL)

Imagine being with Jon Bernthal in a secret relationship and fans think your best friends. During an interview you two couldn't  keep your eyes off each other also whispering time to time sweet nothings into each other ears. Becoming flustered at each others words. After the interview you checked social media and see you and Jon trending and see edits of the two of you.

Imagine being the strongest hero in the MCU and taking down everyone that comes your way. And also looks scary to most people with scars on your body and a resting bitch face. The heroes and villains were shocked to know that your dating Dr Octavius always helping him escape from the heroes and hell helping him fight them as well.  

Imagine being married to Shawn Mendes and him making songs about you.

Imagine having to keep your relationship a secret with Arthur Shelby since same sex marriage wasn't allowed.

Imagine having Tommy on his knees sucking your cock dry also having John and Arthur fucking you as hard as human possible taking turns having they're way with you.(Peaky Blinders)

Imagine revealing to the world that you're dating Brad Pitt.

Imagine being a WWE super star and dating Drew Mcintyre and him kissing you in the middle of the ring while you two are supposed to be enemies.

Well that is all for right now hope y'all have a blessed day drink enough and eat have a good one Bears

[sxnxsterdrabblings]

A/N: Its been a long time since i posted, right?

Request: Hanzo orders his dancer to dance until she collapses, but then punishes her when she collapes quite quickly (due to her having low stamina?) because he thinks she could have danced longer.

Heavy blankets of cigar smoke roll amongst the ill-lit room as Hanzo sits relaxed against a lush couch with one leg crossed over the other. A thick bulge is straining against his slacks as a hefty cigar lays lazily against his plush lips, supported by resting fingers decorated with fine jewelry. With each increasingly long drag, more smoke flows out from the mouth of the dragon, of danger. The proof being thick poisonous clouds that leave nothing untouched.

Except him. He remains untouched by the filth. His crisp suit hugs his form to no fault and stands to show the perfection that is Hanzo Shimada. He’s filthy rich, enviably- unreasonably beautiful, and he holds a gaze that can strike any man with fear. A predator. Honorable, nonetheless... supposedly.

Hanzo has grown to fancy a bit of pain with his pleasure, and god if it isn’t delicious. His eyes shamelessly trace her figure as she sways her body just for him- shamelessly studying his prey, playing with his food. Honorable indeed, working his beautiful dancer until they’re sweating and buckling under their own weight, body collapsing from exhaustion.

Her right knee crumbles and hits the floor first, hard. Then her right elbow, her hip, and an audible choke follows the next arm. As soon as the thud dissipates, a gasp and an audible swallow replace it. She realizes her failure. His disappointment. The punishment to come.

Yet still, the show must go on. As fear roots in her eyes, she makes work of her collapse by spreading her body across the floor. Steadily breathing the dragons breath deep into her lungs, shaking fingers run along her body to sell it as much as she possibly can.

As much as she’s tried, and as much as Hanzo enjoys toying with his food, he knew that his dancer wouldn't make it. This display was quickly worsening his current predicament of what to do.

Hanzo had previously unabashedly laid out the not-so-pretty picture of what he would do if she was to fail, and made it clear to note that it was not up for debate...

—

His eyes slowly scoured the surface of her body as she hesitantly began the descent into the game. Their dance. Hanzo felt himself swell. His decorated hand reached for a cigar, lighting it a bit too far as he looked her in the eyes and the end flared red hot. He eased off the cigar, and with the movement came the first puff of dragon's breath.

“If you fail-

“I won't hesitate to hurt you. You will not enjoy it. You will cry, scream, and beg. I will make sure of it, and I will only stop when I see fit.”

He takes another long drag without breaking eye contact, followed by an onset of billowing smoke. Hanzo makes sure she sees him tracing her body with his eyes before speaking once more in a harsh, firm tone. The mood in the room shifts dramatically.

“I’d find it in your best interest for you to service me, and take what I give to you. If you may find it within yourself to disagree, then this is over, and you can ensure that I will not hold back when lashing you.”

—

But now that raw meat had become a rare steak at the discovery that it was still trying to please him upon its failure, despite being afraid? Now that tears were leaking from her eyes- so close to her breaking point where Hanzo so desperately wanted his dancer to fall over? He throbbed in his pants again. Hanzo wasn’t so sure anymore. It was going to be so much more fun to act on the possibility of playing now, despite not being able to entertain his original plans. Enticing little thing. Infuriating piece of meat.

“Stop.”

The cigar is put out in a nearby ashtray that is just as unnecessarily lavish as everything else in the room, and Hanzo’s eyes immediately shift to your shaking body on the floor. Your head lifts slowly, still hurting from the tumble, and your eyes are wide with fear. But you obey him- your limbs still in place as you wait patiently.

He’s sure if he could eat you, he would do so. He’s leaking uncontrollably in his pants at the sight of you hanging on to his every word and command despite your limits clearly being abused by him.

“Be still.”

The shimada hums in acceptance of your compliance as your body lies stiff. But this doesn’t last long, because seconds later he’s right in front of you, spotless shoes placed right in your field of view. One of them tilts up under your chin, tilting it upwards at a painful angle. His gaze is daring you to disobey to escape your discomfort as his shoe pushes against your jaw higher and higher. A whimper of sorts comes from your throat, and at that moment he hopes you learned to have kept quiet, because his foot drops immediately and you weren’t expecting it. Your chin busts against the floor and you can neither be still nor quiet. You cry out and gasp as fat tears roll down your cheeks, but your mouth keeps pursing as if to hold it all in. You keep trying to please him though, and that’s what keeps him going.

Quiet whimpers are still coming from your mouth and you’ll twitch occasionally due to the crying, causing your chin to wobble and burn worse than before, but your mouth is mostly closed to the point that you’re trying not to breathe in order to obey. Your body is attempting to still it’s movements as you lock the knees you previously busted on the floor, and he knows that it hurts. But he’s throbbing in his pants all the more, leaking with need.

Hanzo decides that he won’t be denying himself any longer, and begins to palm himself. Once more he puts his shoe in front of your face, and he sees more tears continue to form in your eyes, but you remain silent… mostly.

“Lick.”

You open your mouth immediately and Hanzo watches you shake again, your jaw not nearly ready for the onslaught before the recovery.

I might have to keep you.

Your tongue comes out and licks a long broad stripe up his shoe, breath audibly shaky. You continue to do this a few more times, and he knows that turning back will not be an option for him now. Gripping himself tightly one last time through his slacks, he makes sure you hear him unbuttoning them… unzipping them… and shoving them past his v-cut only enough for him to pull his cock out and begin stroking. The slick sounds erupting from above are not lost on you, and he can tell that if you weren’t afraid before, you are now. Or at the very least, you’re about to be.

His knees fold onto his calves so he can balance on his feet, bending down to you. Hanzo can pinpoint the exact moment you realize that he’s shifted to meet you, because his shoe that you were so urgently servicing has now been propped up and creased to support his weight, and your eyes widen to the size of saucers. It makes him chuckle darkly into the room. The next realization comes to you when his hand is gripping your jaw, pulling your face upwards so he can look into your eyes again, or rather, so you can look at your next task. Your face is cradled in his huge palm, and the other hand is steadily stroking while Hanzo gazes at you.

Without breaking eye contact, he pulls away to place the other palm in front of you as well.

“Spit.”

You don’t have the privilege of opening your jaw at least a bit slowly, because this time the shimada does it for you. He grips your jaw tighter, causing it to fall open out of pain, and there’s no rest for you even then. He makes sure of it. Two thick fingers are forced into your mouth quickly, repeatedly, and you cannot stop gagging. Saliva produces even faster now, and as soon as Hanzo sees enough has pooled in your mouth, he’s digging it out and stroking it into his cock. Not too long after, his fingers will go jab back into your gag reflex repeatedly and the process repeats until his dick is glistening with your spit.

Apparently you have learned- he acknowledges with a hum- because when he abruptly drops your jaw this time, you catch yourself.

You’re breathing heavily and drooling into the floor when you settle again, leaking tears. Hanzo pulls himself away once more. He begins to circle you very slowly, stroking slower as he’s observing now. The clack of one shoe sounds off a few feet from your head, and after a few long seconds pass the next audible step is near your shoulder. This continues agonizingly slowly until you hear him circle around to the other side of your head, letting out a pleased sound once more.

You may have collapsed, but this dance is still ongoing. He’s at the top of the food chain, the most dangerous predator, and you unfortunately have fallen into the place of his prey. He’s circling you like his next meal, and Hanzo decides playing with his food has never felt so good. He tucks his cock back into his pants and barks an order,

“Up, girl.”

Shit. You let out a shaky breath, and mentally prepare yourself for the shock that you know is about to shoot down your knee.

You prop yourself up on your hands first and push up, when your elbows begin to shake. The huffs out of your nose become more violent and your throat chokes up as your knee is now at an awkward angle. You attempt to move it inwards in order to gain more leverage but it erupts in pain and you call out- before closing your mouth immediately in fear. You hear heavy footsteps approaching and remind yourself that staying calm should help you escape a harsher blow in the end- but you find yourself leaking tears and gasping for breath again anyway as Hanzo’s blurry shoes appear in front of your hands on the floor. And the blow never comes. Instead, two fingers are gripping your jaw, slowly raising your view to meet his eye line. He’s blurry too.

“I’m sorry, sir, I-“

“Stop.” He pauses to make sure you’ve heard him and only continues once your harsh breathing recedes. “Let your knee relax. I’m going to lift you.” Then suddenly, he’s not so blurry anymore, your knee relaxes, and you gulp audibly. He bends down to grip you around your waist with his big hands and as he raises you cautiously, your knee scrapes across the floor and he pauses. He hasn’t broken eye contact. He’s…. looking for confirmation? But there’s no indication on his face of leniency nor sympathy. You decide not to search for it. You nod shakily and he lifts you up the rest of the way into his arms. Such compliant prey, he thinks.

And as Hanzo carries you away, you realize you shouldn’t have let him. Hanzo smells divine and his clothes are extremely soft. And it only makes it worse that he’s so fucking warm and huge. Inevitably, you start to drift to sleep. You try to make it known to him by nudging your head into his chin lightly to get his attention, but he takes it as you trying to nuzzle into his neck that he then pushes you further into with a hum. You realize it’s a lost cause as your eyes flutter shut and he speaks, sending a sharp pang of fear striking through you.

“I’ll be keeping you.

You may drift off now, you’ll need your rest for your next performance.”

You need to stay awake. Fight him. For once. Keep you? He wasn’t being sweet, he was taming his prey. Playing with his food. Tenderizing the meat. But as the feeling of your head in his kneck and his huge arms around you remains...this only manages to be a thought. You reluctantly succumb to sleep with tear tracks staining your cheeks along with more bruises littering your body to count, head filling with dreams of dancing in shackles.

[our-love-forever]

His Eyes | Genji Shimada

a/n: this is dedicated to @leelokel , one of my old subscribers that had won a small contest in the past and I had written this for them. I made a bit of improvements as well as additions to it, so I hope that you like this new, improvised version! (gracias por tu constante apoyo <3)

word length: 2k

~

How long had you been friends with Genji? 3 years? You weren’t sure since the days that you would spend with him flew like the wind, without a trace. The fond memories that you had created with him were all that mattered, and they were something that you wouldn’t dare let go of for anything in the world.

Every day by his side was an adventure – playing at the arcade game with the intent of beating the highest score, filling your stomachs together at one of the ramen stands – to say that you loved him was an understatement. You loved having him in your life, and he loved having you in his.

In those occasions where the two of you shared your time in peace with a casual conversation here and there, Genji couldn’t help but add how much of a blessing you were to him. From changing his life to always caring for him were topics where he would express his gratitude towards you, never ceasing to make a smile to appear on your lips. If it hadn’t been for his tag-along invitation 3 years ago to Nepal, exploring and staying at the temple where he had been cared for by his mentor, the both of you wouldn’t have the bond you have now.

With the passing of time, your feelings inevitably began to grow more into that of love for him as a man. You couldn’t deny that the way he made you smile - with his soft words full of warmth for you and the constant worry he had over your being at any given time – only made those feelings of yours to multiple further. You loved him for who he was, inside and out.  

The thought of confessing to Genji had crossed your mind too many times to actually keep count at this point, but the fear of it not going the way you hoped for only sealed your true feelings further inside your heart.

Would he feel the same if you did confess to him? Or would it ruin what you both already had together? That fear only made your body freeze in its spot, even turning your stomach into a painful knot at the mere thought of it. In the end, if having him in your life as your friend and only that meant keeping inside what you truly felt for him, it was something you were willing to do. Even if you wished for something more.

--------

“How does going to the park today sound?” Genji asked from the other end of the call. In an instant, you cheerful let out a yes, sensing the excitement in his voice as he established where to meet and at what time. The call had come unexpected, but that’s how the both of you made plans most of the time.

Making your way to the destined park in Hanamura, cherry blossom trees beautifully decorated the area, giving the place that tranquil yet romantic feel to it as a few petals painted the soil beneath you. It would be a lie if you said that the strings inside your heart didn’t pull at the scenery before you, daydreaming of what a date here would be like with him. Nothing could help to stop a soft blush from creeping into your now warm cheeks.   

Walking a bit deeper into the park where most of its many benches rested, you settled yourself into one of them and glanced around you for your expected companion. It didn’t take you long to recognize Genji a distance away from you, making your heart to hammer inside your chest.

A small, whispered curse left your lips as the quickening of your chest wouldn’t stop even at your constant, mental demands for it to do as you said. He had this effect on you and it seemed it would never stop anytime soon.

You resulted in waving at his direction, signaling him of your presence. You took into account as Genji had stopped in his tracks, his vision clearly planted on you despite the mask that covered his line of sight.

“Genji!” you called out to him, “You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting a million years for you!”

That seemed to cut him out from his earlier trance as a shook of his head could be seen, his feet guiding him once again to where he needed to go, a wave of his own thrown your way. You then stood from where you rested and hurried to his direction, engulfing Genji in your arms once he was in reach. The man squeezed your form in response, tighter than what he usually had given you in the past, but no complains could be heard from you.

Finally, the both of you made your way back to where you had been previously and chatted away about each other’s days and whatnot.

From one exchanged story to another, you began to realize that most of the talking was been done by you, while Genji gave the occasional nod and ‘yeah’ as responses. Confusion clouded your mind since this was out of character about the man by your side. He always had something much more exciting to say in response and you couldn’t help but worry to build inside of you.

“Are you ok? You seem out of it today,” you inquired once a pause had been reached within the two of you. Genji shook his head in a frenzy as if clearing his own thoughts, letting a couple of minutes pass by. He then carefully took a hold of your right hand with his left, a soft sigh leaving him.

“I-I have been troubled by some thoughts of mine that won’t leave me alone…,” Genji trailed off, giving himself a few seconds to relax the tension on his shoulders. “And I thought that, well… it was time to express them now.”

Worry etched into your features, unable to hide the way you felt about this coming out of the blue. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” reassuring him with a squeeze of his hand.

“Yes,” he responded with confidence in his voice, yet the way he let his vision fall into the soil betrayed his own words.

He snapped his head to your direction in a matter of seconds then, that confidence in his voice now reflected in his body. A tighter squeeze was given back to your own hand before he began to speak that of which troubled his mind.

“The moment you came into my life, you made see things in a better light and made life worth living for.” A heartfelt smile came to your lips and you were sure that the same could be said about his behind his mask. “You accept me for who I am which means a lot to me, since I come to doubt myself at times.”

“We have the best of times together: fooling around like children, going to places without a plan at times, having the deepest and most meaningful conversations- I could list out many more things, but that’s not my main focus with this.” Genji gave out a nervous chuckle, needing a moment to look away from you for a second. What was his main aim with this, you wondered? It felt just like that what he had just implied – a meaningful conversation – but usually those didn’t have him in this state of nervousness.

Then he fully enclosed your own hand between the both of his and his attention went back to you.  

“For s-some time now, I have come to the realization that I care about you… as more than a friend.”

The pit of your stomach fluttered wildly while a deep blush manifested on your face. You had been completely taken aback by him, the Genji Shimada that had been by your side all these years and here he was; confessing what he truly felt for you.

You took notice of his current bowed head, a shy smile apparent on your face as you inched a bit closer to him. “G-Genji… I care about you as well… a-as more than a friend.”

A giggle escaped you once you had given your response and at the speed that his neck had lifted from its current position had you almost startled for a second. The drape of his arms around your figure afterwards made your heart fly a thousand miles, a breath of air that had been trapped inside you to be let out. You could feel as his shoulders hunched and his face buried inside the crook of your neck sent shivers down your spine.

“Do you know how happy you have made?” He let out in a whisper, as close to your ear as he could. “I was so worried you didn’t think of me that way and I didn’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

“Well…,” you let out a content sigh of your own. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore since I plan to be with you forever.” That was all the reassurance he needed as Genji tightened his hold on you, giving in to the warmth of your body and words. Oh, how the both of you wished that time could freeze and stay like this for hours on end.

Genji was the first one to step back a bit while his hands now rested on your forearms, rubbing at them gently. He glanced from one side to another then again at his surroundings, earning a confused look from you. His attention went back to you and he rubbed at your arms once again, this time, with a bit more force and a squeeze.

“Now that it has come to this… I think that it is about time I showed you what’s underneath the mask. I’m sure you’ve been waiting years for this,” the man let out a chuckle at his own statement.

How many times had you asked him in the past about what was underneath the mask? Anytime you would inquire about what was behind it, Genji always stated that it wasn’t anything pleasant to the eye, that the past hadn’t been so kind to him while leaving you with that vague explanation. Yet that never stopped your curiosity from exploring the possibilities of what his face could look like. With time, your questioning began to become less frequent, although he would let you in unto some details as to what had happened in the past. But now, Genji was ready to show his true self to you.

Pressing a few buttons at the back of his head with his digits, a small few hisses of air came out as he did so. He pressed unto the front of him and rid of it from himself, gently laying it behind him on the bench. Genji could only portray a sheepish grin at your direction as he studied your face for any kind of reaction.

“Oh Genji…,” you gawked as you laid your eyes on his; grey but with a gleam inside yet had a sharp look to them as if the story of his past could be told from them. His scars scattered throughout his whole face, but you had known this fact from him saying so before. Despite the anguish and harsh life that Genji’s eyes had stored for so many years, warmth could still be felt from. One that warmed you to your core.

He tilted his head at you, searching for you in your own orbs and hopefully bring you back to reality. What could you be thinking about is what preoccupied his mind.

“Your eyes are just… just so mesmerizing and beautiful,” you finally let out, earning a wide smile from the man before you. Of all the things you could have pointed out, you had decided to focus on his grey eyes. Genji really didn’t know what he was going to do with you from today onward.

Placing a careful hand behind the back of your head, he brought your forehead to rest on his in which he let himself drown into your own orbs. That wide smile of his still present on his face.

“Thank you. You’re just beyond wonderful, you know that?”

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Shou - Saito Hajime Chapter #7 English Translation

My translation of the 7th Ginsei no Shou chapter for Saito... It’s probably because that this is my favourite chapter from the game and one that I found especially enjoyable to read (and had more of an understanding of it before getting translations for this lol) that I somehow translated this in record time when compared to all the other things I’ve worked on.... 

Unlike Kazama’s final Tsukikage chapter, the dialogue for this wasn’t all separated line by line in the CN TLs I found for the Saito chapters [NAMELY BECAUSE I WROTE EACH DAMN FUCKING WORD OUT FOR THAT CHAPTER], so some of the text in this remains lumped together. Also, huzzah for google translate providing the translations of place names since I wouldn’t have been able to translate the Japanese words that had been left in the original tl for this otherwise. I don’t usually make adjustments based on the original JP text until I start editing for the video... which will be done later.

All images used in this post were screencaps of game footage I recorded through vlc... also is it just me who feels that my English comes across as a lot more archaic when I stick to the original tl sentence structure...? lol. Anyway, as always, my translation may not be 100% accurate since I do not translate from Japanese.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ANOTHER GINSEI NO SHOU SAITO CHAPTER... one that I do not intend to translate right away... well I also include it in a note about what chapter it refers too. lol. it’s right below the cut.

Enjoy~! OR ELSE! MWHAHAHA!!

(jk, lol. plus, i’m too lazy to think of anything. oh and im currently working on the subtitle positioning for this now as the file got transferred recently since i finished the first round of timing [i need to do this multiple times to get the fade in/out of my subtitles to match the timing of game text’s fade/in... or to at least have them as close as possible] before having all of these tech problems.)

--------------------

Forward Notes

Based on what I remember from tokio-fujita’s notes (sorry but I didn’t check since im kinda busy rn, and the internet on my laptop is kinda unstable as I’m still transferring files... 17.3 gb remains from the dramas transfer) on Saito’s position in the Shinsengumi after leading them to Aizu, I’ve left his position as taichou in this translation due to how the only English translation for that is ‘captain’ which doesn’t show a difference in roles from when he was the Third Division captain ‘kaichou/kumicho’ [note to self: include this along with the link to the page in the post description later. also i will probably just change this to ‘captain’ anyway when i do my subtitle video].

Chapter 6 and 7 occur in Aizu

Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Shou - Saito Hajime Chapter #7

Translation by KumoriYami

7th month, 4th year of Keiou, after the Shinsengumi left for Sendai——

The Aizu, who had offended the Satcho were engulfed in the bitter flames of war.

When Shirakawa Castle was attacked, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't worried then.

Hijikata-san, Heisuke-kun, Shimada-san, and Souma-kun.

It was no longer possible to fight alongside the people who we deeply trusted since the beginning.

However……

I still have Saito-san.

Saito-san also me, although/even if/despite how I can't fight alongside him.

We relied upon one another, setting out for Shirakawa——

Shirakawa Castle, which had become the headquarters for my father's rasetsu—— we confronted him and Kazama Chikage there.

As Kazama-san had the overwhelming strength of an oni, if the fight was drawn out, Saito-san would have no chance of winning.

But, we still had....

Comrades we could rely on.

Even if [they] leave. Even if [they/they've] choose/chosen different paths.

As long as they maintained/followed their own bushido, everyone was still heading in the same direction.

I believe that as long as we moved forward, one day, our paths will surely cross again, and we will fight to the very end.

If only/I wish that everyone could see each other one more time, I could only pray that everyone would be safe……

Saito-san once again returned to the battlefield.

4th year of Keiou, 8th month

The Aizu Shinsengumi under the command of the Aizu, fought at the Bonari Pass——

After that, they fought bravely to stop the New Government army from entering Aizu Castle.

By the ninth month however, there were not many members left of the Aizu Shinsengumi, yet they still set out to defend/protect Nyoraido [refers to chapter 6] .

This is the story of what happened while I was waiting for Saito-san after he left. 

Fourth year of Keiou, Ninth month

Fourth year of Keiou, Ninth month

Saito-san and the other members of the troop left camp to protect Nyoraido.

Following his instructions/In accordance with his wishes, I accompanied the men who were seriously injured in battle to the rear of the formation.

Yukimura: Please wait a bit longer, I will treat you immediately.

Soldier:……At the most crucial moment, to be unable to help Saito-taichou, I'm terribly sorry.

Yukimura: ……There was no way you could, you are wounded after all.

Soldier: The taicho, is he really okay?

Perhaps it was because his wounds were too painful, that the soldier continued to weakly repeat himself.

Yukimura: Saito-san will be fine. He will surely come back alive.

In order to reassure the soldier, I spoke decisively/resolutely.

Yukimura: That's why, you need to focus on recovering right now.

Soldier:......Okay, I will.

Three days later.

The soldiers who had stayed in Nyoraido, none of them had come back yet.

The news from the front lines had also been cut off.

All that we knew was was the hopeless information brought back by the wounded.

There weren't enough bandages and medicines, and the wounded kept pouring in.

The soldier's and my worries became more intense.

It was at this time——

Aizu soldier: This is terrible/Bad news! Apparently Nyoraido has been completely surrounded by the enemy! The Shinsengumi in Nyoraido might have completely wiped out.

Yukimura:……!

The moment I heard such a dreadful announcement/news, it felt like the blood had been drained from my entire body. [news/information might be changed for ^^^ sentences. might use intelligence, communication]

A commotion spread throughout the entire formation [camp sounds more appropriate].

Soldier: Yukimura-san……

The wounded soldier looked at me with an anxious expression.

Previously, the instant I heard such news, I probably would have broken down into tears.

But, now——

Yukimura:……When such fierce fighting is going on, all sorts of rumours will be flying around we can't assume that everything is accurate before receiving an official confirmation.

Hearing what I said, the soldier seemed to calm down.

Soldier:……That's right. Before figuring things out, we'll still believe in/continue to trust the Taichou, and wait until he returns.

Even if Nyoraido has been surrounded by the enemy, the Shinsengumi may not necessarily be completely wiped out.

Shinsengumi——they, along with Saito-san, I don't know how many times they had escaped from death.

More importantly, Saito-san cannot die yet.

——flashback——

Saito: Yukimura, I wish to make you a promise.

Yukimura: A promise for me......? What is it?" Saito: No matter what happens in the future....... I will protect you with my life. This decision is not because of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata-san, or an order from the Aizu....... but of my own volition.

——end flashback——

At the time, he promised……

Even now, I can still clearly remember how we kissed after.

Saito-san, he made a promise to me.

He will come back to me.

I repeated those words in my heart over and over again, as if to convince myself......

But my heart was beating wildly, and cold sweat dripped from my forehead.

This wasn't able to eliminate my sense of unease.

Yukimura: …………

I truly wanted to rush over to Nyoraido, to immediately go to his side.

But, my duty right now, is to treat the wounded here.

So…… I could only trust/believe in him, and wait here.

After, I continued to focus on treating the wounded while waiting for Saito-san to return.

But, reports on the situation in Nyoraido, they never came again,

The sense of [them being] defeat[ed] became more intense, and the dreary mood gradually enveloped the entire formation [will probably use "camp"]. [The feeling that they had been defeated became more intense, and...]

Soldier 2: Yukimura-san, isn't it time for you to rest? You look very pale.

Yukimura: No, it isn't time to rest yet/it's not the time to rest.

Soldier 2:……Under these circumstances, if you collapse, once something happens, there won't be anyone to depend/rely on [for what you do]. Even if it's just a short nap…… please, for everyone's sake.

When faced with such a strong request, I couldn't refuse.

Yukimura: Okay. Then I'll go and nap/sleep for a bit.

I decided to go find a corner to go nap in .

Perhaps it was because I was so tired, but once I closed my eyes, I immediately fell asleep.

As I slept, I had a dream.

Yukimura Nn, nn......

I didn't know where I was in this dream, the surroundings were hazy as I looked around.

Where……is this?

Yukimura: Is this the Aizu's…… camp……?

……Right.

I was waiting for Saito-san to come back…… then……

My head felt numb and heavy as I looked around again……

Saito:……Yukimura.

Yukimura: Saito-san……!

The person I wanted to see suddenly appeared before me/Now that the one I wanted to see  suddenly appeared, I immediately got up.

Yukimura: You're back from fighting at Nyoraido! Where are the rest of the soldiers……

Saito:……In regards to this, I have something that I must tell you.

Yukimura: Eh……?

Hearing him say such ominous remarks, I couldn't help but feel confused.

Saito: Even now, you have always been at my side…… My gratitude towards you goes beyond words. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't have been able to continue fighting until now.

Yukimura: Thanks for what [reword later]……

Why was he suddenly saying such a thing?

Yukimura:……To speak of thanks, it's too much, I don't need it [It's too much for you to speak of thanking me/it's unnecessary for you to thank me]. Because, you and I……

We are no longer outsiders [/We can no longer be considered as outsiders/strangers...not sure what i’ll go with here] ——I just wanted to say that.

I don't know why, but I couldn't say anything.

The Saito-san before my eyes/right now, there was a subtle sadness to his expression, as if he was extremely sorry.

He…… wasn't like the one [man] I knew at all.

In this unnatural atmosphere, he spoke solemnly.

Saito: I……there is something I must tell you…… No matter what happens, no matter what you experience/encounter/face…… but now I [reword later]……

Yukimura:……!?

I was too late to ask him——

Saito-san's figure was already starting to fade away, then completely disappeared into the darkness of night.

Yukimura: Saito-san, don't go! What are saying to me——

I shouted out then/and lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, my entire body was drenched in sweat.

Yukimura: Just now, that was a dream……

The foreboding feeling/premonition made my heart beat wildly.

Why was it at this time, that I dreamed of Saito-san?

Furthermore, in my dream, it seemed like he had something to tell me.

I had a bad hunch/felt a sense of foreboding, but there was nothing I could do.

Looking around everywhere, Saito-san and the others still hadn't come back.

Although/Even if I dreaded to think so……

Just now, it was just a bad dream, it shouldn't be a sign that something bad would happen.

Saito-san and the other soldiers, what happened to them?

……No, it couldn't be.

He promised me, he would surely come back.

But, if that wasn't the case?

……If I continued to wait here, would he really come back?

I……

Choices 

【Search for him】 【Believe in him and wait】 <-

Although I wanted to immediately rush to Saito-san's side……

I still remembered what he said before.

——flashback——

Saito:......As time passes, things change. The world, ideals, and even the Shinsengumi. Even so, that does not mean that everything must change. As things change with time, so too will there be things that do not change. And I...... I believe in the things that do not change.

——end flashback——

……Saito-san had never gone against the promise he made me/never broke the promise he made me.

Regardless if it was when he left the Shinsengumi to join the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb, or when he was defeated at/during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.

Also, there was when he ended up fighting Kazama-san.

In the end, he always came back to my side [me].

So, as he promised, he will certainly come back to me.

So, I too——

Yukimura:…………

An incredible feeling swelled in my chest.

It wasn't because of panic, rather it felt like the stars were whispering to me……

This feeling pushed me out of camp.

Outside of camp was a forest that always looked the same at night [reword later].

Although I didn't know if any of the soldiers would return, I thought……

I felt somewhat dejected, and couldn't help but look up towards the night sky.

It was full of stars, quietly twinkling.

Long before I was born, these stars, they must have been watching the world in silence/been silently watching the world.

No matter how many years passed, these silver stars would always shine in the night sky.

Yukimura: Me too……

Under the allure of the dim starlight, I couldn't help but say this/I was unable to restrain my emotions.

Yukimura: I also…… believe in the things that do not change.

Even if the path forward was covered in darkness, the light that pointed towards the future still shined.

Yukimura: I believe——no matter what happens in the future, you will not change.

Just as I muttered this to myself.

There was the sound of movement through foliage.

I froze, staring attentively in the direction of the sound.

After/Then……

???: Is.…… someone there?

The moment I heard that voice, I burst into tears [or: almost burst into tears]. 

Shortly after, a single silhouette flashed in the woods, and its figure gradually became clearer.

Saito: Chizuru…… is that you?

My beloved/The man/The one I loved was calling my name, I could no longer/was no longer able to control myself.

Yukimura: Saito-san…… Hajime-san!

I shouted his name, throwing myself at him.

Yukimura: You came back……! Hajime-san……!

I wanted to welcome him back with a smile.

I didn't want to be crying when we were reunited.

If I cried, that would make it harder to see Hajime-san’s face……

All sorts of thoughts that I had been repressing came bursting out of my heart.

Saito: Ah…… I'm back, Chizuru. Didn't I promise you that I would return? Why are you crying? Could it be, that you didn't believe me?

Hearing Hajime-san's question, I shook my head.

Yukimura: How could I not trust you. However, I was always worried…… [and] when I heard the bad rumours at camp, my heart felt like it was going to crack/split open. Also…… I had a dream, a dream where you went far, far away……

Saito:……I see.

As I cried, Hajime-san awkwardly embraced me.

His uniform, it was completely dirty……

Although his uniform was black, a single glance showed that there were bloodstains and bullet holes everywhere.

Just from seeing him like this, I could tell he had seen a fierce battle. [ or "it was as if I could see a fierce battle." check jp mtl]

A moment later, Hajime-san showed a bitter expression.

Saito: When [we were] surrounded by the New Government Army, I was prepared to be completely wiped out/defeated…… At this time, one of the seriously injured/wounded soldiers told me: we've all been injured [been completely beaten... or some other word that i think of later that implies helplessness] and can no longer be of use to fight. Leave us behind and get out of here with the rest of the troop members——

Yukimura:……!

The decision that had been before Hajime-san, the weight of it left me speechless.

Saito: The me from before, perhaps I would have accepted this proposal. But…… the me now, it was impossible [reword later]. Hijikata-san entrusted me with the leadership of the Shinsengumi. Additionally, I could not leave those who trusted me and stayed/chose to fight together with me when the Aizu were abandoned.

Yukimura:……Nn.

I looked straight into Hajime-san's eyes, and nodded approvingly/nodded in agreement.

Hearing about the changes in Hajime-san's heart, I felt delighted/happy, as if it was my own affair.

Saito: If I had accepted that soldier's proposal, I likely would have returned sooner…… Carefully leading the troops back, it took longer than I thought…… I'm sorry for making you worry about me.

After listening to Hajime-san's words, I shook my head.

Yukimura: I……that's not important/it doesn't matter.  As long as are you are like this, and as long as you come back to me…… that's enough.

Saito:…………Yes [alt I see/is that so. check audio].

Yukimura: What happened to the other troop members/soldiers?

Saito: Because they're moving while carrying the wounded, I think that it will probably be a while longer before they catch up. But they will certainly catch up.

Yukimura: So it's like that, that's good……

Just by/from feeling Hajime-san's temperature [warmth] and his breathing, I was already very happy.

As long as he was like this now, and alive [As long as he lived like this now]…… being at my side, it was enough.

From the way he was looking at me, I could clearly feel that he felt the same way I did.

Saito:……Even for myself, I find it/feel that it's incredible/unimaginable.

Yukimura:……?

I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant.

Saito: Previously, I thought, the ideal wish of a warrior/samurai [check audio] would be to die in battle. However, I now fight for the sake of my comrades, so as to survive [so that we survive/live. chck jp mtl].

Indeed, if it was the past Hajime-san, when faced between choosing life and death, he likely wouldn’t have hesitated.

But......

Yukimura: I.......love the you now....... and I love the you back then. No....... no matter however you are, I will always accept you.

Hajime-san's eyes narrowed in satisfaction.

Saito:……You once told me before. The answer, the one I painfully struggled to find, whatever it was, you would accept it.

Yukimura:……Nn.

Saito: The one who changed me, it was probably you, Chizuru.

Yukimura: Eh......?

Saito: At the most dire point/height of the fighting, I thought of your face…… and my determination to not die grew stronger. Furthermore, every time I thought of how you were doing everything to help the wounded at camp, I kept thinking that these soldiers must not die here.

Yukimura:…………

Carefully listening to my lover's voice, his words, made me feel infinitely happy. [Listening to my lover's voice, his words made me feel extremely happy.]

When Hajime-san was desperately fighting at Nyoraido, if I was able to provide him some courage……

Nothing could make me happier. 

After a short while, Hajime-san slightly tilted his head, almost as if he was urging something.

There was no need to ask what would happen next.

I closed my eyes, quietly responding to him.

After a pleasant wait, our lips were pressed together.

This kiss, it was very restrained, just like how he was.

My heart was beating loudly.

These thoughts became increasingly stronger in my heart, how I wish the two of us could stay in this forest at night forever. [check jp mtl. i’m probably going to go with something to the effect of: How I wish we could just stay forever in this moment, alone and encompassed by this forest at night.*this sentence is pissing me off lol.]

No matter what happens, I will never leave him again.

Saito:……From now on, I will never let you be this sad again. So, let me see you smile/your smile. In order to see your smile, no matter what happens, I will always return to you. [check jp mtl]

Before, I once asked him what he would do one day if he had to drink the Ochimizu for the Shinsengumi……

The answer that came from his lips without any hesitation, was to 【drink it】.

Yukimura:…………Nn. Hajime-san…… Hajime-san, as long as you stay by my side, I will always be happy.

He had asked me to smile, but i couldn't help but to continue crying...

As a result, I was smiling and crying in front of the person that i loved.

About half a month later, the 22nd of the 9th month——

The Aizu-han, which had been firmly resisting the New Government army, surrendered.

——End——

--------------

well, I probably could have made it easier for myself if I just copied the flashback text from SK/KW/EB... but I just couldn’t bring myself to look up the games to copy said text (had to uninstall them from my old pc for space to take stuff off my passport) since it’d really bother me knowing if I copied something than said it was my translation... which is why i didn’t. ah well. as a translator, the idea of taking credit on something that i didn’t translate really doesn’t sit well with me... but I still think that what I did for those parts came close to what I remember from the games...   

gotta say though: I really dislike the word 「隊士」. In both Chinese and Japanese... and that, as a translator,  i really don’t like how the Gregorian calendar names the months lol. it’s just so much easier to just leave the date as what it says based on the old Japanese calendar... with the era name and month number. let’s me not worry about doing research to ensure the accuracy of things (i require that all of my videos be precise when it comes to dates)... 

also, i wish it’d snow everyday for a week. id get motivated enough to finish a chapter with that.... tho it’d need to be a heavy snowfall so it’s very visible. lol. maintaining my motivation on one thing for a long period of time just doesn't come easy to me... especially when it’s something that has +4000 words in it.

[yourstarvic]

Throughout the whole game against Nekoma, you and Hitoka both hold to each other. The anticipation of where the ball was going to go. Holding each other tighter whenever it seemed the ball was going to fall on the Karasuno side. Karasuno now needed one point to win. One point to move on. One more to play against another school. One more to stay on the court longer. 

Please! Just one more point!

The ball continued back and forth, getting received, toss, spike, block, and then repeating. This last point felt like hours, but in reality, it was only for a few minutes. Until, as if it was in slow motion, the ball hit the floor. Feeling the mouth wobble, you hold your breath in, starting at the spot on the floor where the ball hit in surprise. 

Did that just happen?

Hearing a while being blown, pulling you out of your thoughts, you and Hitoka looked at each other in shock. You two started at each other for a while, and then look back at the scene on the court. Karasuno was cheering, people in the stands who came out to support Karasuno were cheering loudly, you and Hitoka were now cheering loudly. After a hard and intense match with Nekoma, Karasuno came out victorious. 

You and Hitoka still hold each other as you jumping around in circles, cheering for them.

They did it! They get to stay on the court longer!

The boys shook hands with Nekoma and then bowed to their supports. You and Hitoka both break the hold on to each other and raced down to the court entrance. Waiting by all the cameras and other players who were watching. Seeing the boys heading towards you two, you met them halfway. Giving them high fives and congratulating them with a proud smile.

“You did amazing!” Hitoka said to them, “They way you received the ball and then toss it! And your spikes were amazing!”

Wiping away his sweat with the towel, Daichi happy thanked her. Glad you were wearing your backpack, you sling it in front of you, opening the zipping, and started to hand out some snacks. Nekoma then came toward Karasuno, once again congratulating and how it was a good game. The two groups then walked, seeing Fukurōdani was about to finish up their match. Looking at the scoreboard, you saw they already won the first set and about to win the second set. Akaashi gave Bokuto a beautiful toss, which Bokuto spiked, winning that match. 

They did the after the game ritual and then greeted Nekoma and Karasuno. Hinata praised Bokuto for the amazing straight shot and Bokuto accepting the praise. Soon after, the big three groups become different groups as each one had their own conversation. You heard Akaashi, Kenma, and Tsukishima were talking but, pay no mind to it. You just felt completely happy. Not once did the smile left, but it did falter a bit when you noticed something.

Hinata seems more exhausted than usual…

Breaking off to the main seating area, the boys choose to either sleep, eat, or watch a match. Most of the boys ate first and then sleep or walk around, mostly relaxing. But in Hinata's case, who decided to watch a match first and then eat, much to Kageyama’s disdain. 

Soon after everyone had eaten, You, Kageyama, Hinata, Yamaguchi, and Hitoka started to walk around on the main court sidelines, preferring to watch the match up close. Not really paying attention to what they were saying. You noticed in the corner of your eye that a team was getting on the court. Seeing streaks of yellow and green, you turned around and saw it Itachiyama.

You then saw two boys from the team waved, one very enthusiastically when the other most just raise his hand in a polite greeting. Kageyama gave them a short wave, as for you, you held eye contact with Sakusa, final matching the name with the face. You gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up, silently telling him good luck. You also saw he gave you a small smile in return since he wasn’t wearing a mask like usual. 

He has a nice smile.

So focusing on his smile, you missed the way the brown hair Libero was so shock that Sakusa gave you a smile. Seeing him walked on the court, you couldn’t help but keep looking at him, intrigued by his presence. But you were taken out of your trance by hearing, “Now let’s decide, which one of us is the true Little Giant of today.”

Looking at the person who talked, you saw a white hair kid who reminded you of a seagull. Hearing Hinata agreeing with him made you realize that maybe he wasn’t a kid. But you got your actual answer when you saw a taller person wearing the exact same uniform, talking to him casually.

Oh, he’s a high schooler…Oops…

Seeing them walk off, they were out of eyesight. Once they were gone, Hinata exclaims how excited he was for the next match. With that, we went to start warming up. 

After the warm-up and everyone was dressed, we then started to head to the main area, waiting until it was time to start. In the meantime, we were all paying attention to the Fukurōdani game. A top 3 ace Vs. a top 5 ace. 

This should be interesting.

During the middle of the second set, you and Hitoka went to the balcony, getting ready for Karasuno fight. 

It was now time for the Karasuno Vs. Kamomedia match to start. Both you and Hitoka hold your breath, waiting for the serve. Kamomedia was the first to serve, which Daichi saved, hitting it towards Kageyama. He then passed it to Hinata, showing the world once again their crazy quick attack, scoring a point for Karasuno. 

Each side both fought hard in the first set, but Kamomedia won the first set. Throughout the whole game, you and Hitoka hold your breath, hoping to win the second set. With your hands on the rails, you tighten it, helping you stay grounded, not wanting to overthink and think of the worse. You saw Hitoka starting to shake, but before you could ask her if she was alright, she took in a deep breath and started to relax. You also decided to do the same, helping you relax as well. You couldn’t help but let go of the rail and fight with your hands. Looking at the other courts, you know noticed that Fukurōdani had just finished their match, winning two sets, they are moving on to the next round. 

With a smile on your face, proud that they won, you looked back at Karasuno’s court. Seeing they are about to start their second set. Noticing that Hinata and Tsukishima had trade places. But you knew that Coach Ukia-San had a plan for Hinata, you let out a tiny mischievous smile. Karasuno isn’t a team to be backed down so easily.

Watching the second set, you analyzed each player, toss, spike, receive, and serve. Yet you had a nagging feeling telling you something was going to happen. It would grow stronger whenever you looked at Hinata.

Nothing is going to happen…All is well…

But the feeling never went away as you continually look at the match. Fidgeting with your fingers and checking your pulse on your wrist. You noticed that Hinata was slowly getting more exhausted than usual, his face look as it was burning up.

It just because of play two games in one day… And he’s running around a lot more than usual… He’s fine... He’s fine. Please be fine…

Karasuno now won the second set, switching sides and getting ready for the final set. Which will dictates who will move on and who will go home. Everything went smoothly, everything was going perfect. The score was 14:13, in Karasuno's favor, until suddenly, Hinata fell. Realizing what that nagging feeling was.

You and Hitoka looked at each other in shock, not believing that Hinata would be sick. The two of you saw Takena-Sensei talking to Hinata.You and Hitoka went to go get Hinata, helping him with whatever he needs. First, making sure he got out of the sweaty close and into something else. Hitoka then went to go get other things while you stayed with Hinata, making sure he will be alright. You dug through your backpack, trying to find the medical supplies you carry with you. Seeing Kenma walking towards the two of you, Hinata asked, “Kenma-San…Do you have a way I can watch the match?”

As if Kenma knew what he was going to request, Kenma showed his tablet saying happily, “Yup. I can lend you this.”

As he leads it to Hinata, he walked away, fulfilling his quest. Finally founding the what you were looking for, you handed Hinata a mask, silently asking to put it on as you put one on as well. Hitoka came back with Hinata's jacket and scarf, the two of you made sure he was wrapped up, protecting him from the harsh winds outside. 

“I’ll stay with Hinata, Hitoka,” you told the blonde softly.

“B-But,” Hitoka tried to said.

Shaking your head at her, you simply said, “The team needs you right now. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know if anything happens.”

Hitoka nodded her head, knowing that what you said was right. Hitoka went back to watch the game, showing her support when you went with Hinata to the front entrance of the stadium. Waiting for the two of you stood Makoto Shimada, who was escorting you out of the building. Walking to the sidewalk, Makoto told both of you, “Wait here. I’ll get us a cab.”

The two of you nodded, conforming that you heard him. Once he left, you saw Hinata looked back down at the tablet, staring hard at the game. Hoping to make him feel better, you asked him, “Can you put the volume up?” 

With enthusiasm, Hinata nodded his head and turned the volume up. A few moments later, Makoto came back telling you that he got a cab. Following him, Hinata and yourself sat in the back while Makoto sat in the front, telling the driver the destination. Throughout the whole ride, you and Hinata watch the match, eager to know the outcome. 

Arriving at the hospital, you thanked the driver as you exit the car. Following Makoto to the entrance of the hospital, you gently grabbed Hinata’s arm, dragging him around since he was so engrossed in the match. “Wait over there in the waiting room. I’ll go check-in,” Makoto said, pointing at the empty seats in the waiting room.

Softly dragging Hinata to the waiting room, you both sat down, watching the match. Both Karasuno and Kamomedai both played to their fullest, not giving up. You and Hinata both started at the tablet with wide eyes, seeing the ball drop on the Karasuno side. Kamomedai had won the match.

You looked at Hinata’s face, searching for any emotion he must be feeling right now. But you couldn’t tell. He was emotionless, something that was completely different from the regular Hinata you knew. “They are ready for you Hinata,” Makoto said, gaining our attention. 

Hinata handed you the tablet asking you, “Can you hold on to this? Please?”

“Of course,” you said, grabbing the tablet and putting it in your bag pack. 

Getting out of the seat, you and Hinata followed Makoto to a nurse. She escorted the three of you into an exam room. Once inside, the nurse told us that the doctor will be here shortly. Thanking her, Hinata sat on the side of the examination bed, looking down at his hands. Showing his phone, Makoto said, “I’m going to make a quick call. If you need anything, I’ll be outside.”

Once Makoto left the room, closing the door behind him softly, it becomes quiet. You didn’t know what to say.

Should I ask him if he was alright? No, you idiot, that's a dumb question.

“You know,” Hinata said, shocking you that he was the first to break the silence, “I kinda feel like I didn’t do enough.”

“W-what?” You asked, shocked by what he just said.

“I should have practice more, I should have taken care of myself better, eat the correct foods, and everything. I could have played longer.” Hinata continued. 

“Hinata,” you said softly, knowing what he was thinking. Standing in front of him, you hold his clenching hand that was on his lap, hoping it would calm him down. Feeling his relax, you said softly, “You did what you could. I know you probably didn’t what to hear that but its true…”

You saw Hinata nodded, waiting for you to continue, letting out a sigh, “Only a few people know this but, my grandmother has these ridiculous standards of me. I did everything to please her, I even learned how to do a heart transplant.”

“A heart transplant?” Hinata asked eying you. 

Rolling your eyes playfully, you moved so you were sitting next to him on the examination bed. Playfully saying, “Well I did practice on some teddy bears so, it’s not really reliable.”

The two of you chuckled softly, picturing a 5-year-old (y/n) doing a heart transplant on a teddy bear. The air in the room felt lighter, not like before when you two entered it. 

You then got serious again, saying, “After a while, no matter what I could do, it was never enough. I wasn’t enough. I kept thinking, I should do this, or I should do that, and the stress of wanting to be enough for her caught up to me.”

Hinata looked at you in shock, wanting to know more, “What happened?”

“Well, it was easy for me to run away, my grandmother completely loathed me and I wanted to stop pleasing her. But I didn’t want my parents and brothers to worry about me, so made her a deal,” you said with a far off look in your eye, “I would be able to live a normal life. Go to school, make friends, just enjoy life. But in return, I would leave my family, not take part in anything family-related. I would be kept a secret, stay hidden from the outside world. I agree with it, letting go of everything.”

“You gave up,” Hinata said, concluding what you said.

Nodding your head, sadly saying, “I gave up. Yet, I still seek her approval. She gave me a proposal a few weeks back, giving me ten years to think about it. If I accept it, then she will be welcoming me back. Getting her approval.”

“What was the proposal?” Hinata curiously asked.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” you answered.

Hinata sat there, thinking about all the things you just told him. Processing the life you went through and the sacrifice you made. He looked at you, cautiously asking, “Is all that true?”

You looked at him with sad eyes, putting a hand on his shoulder, you nodded your head saying, “All what I just said…Was a lie.”

Once those words fell from your lips, Hinata froze in shock, think the whole story was real. Softly chuckling at him, seeing his wide eyes. Stuttering out, Hinata said, “But you made it so real! Why would you lie about that?”

Laughing at him, you then answered, “It made you think of something else. I wanted to help you get rid of those bad thoughts and it work.”

Getting out of the examination bed, you stand in front of Hinata, seeing his eyes look more determined and lighter, hearing him happily said, “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” you said softly.

Before anything else was said, there was a knock at a door. Opening the door, stood a man in a doctor's coat, ready to exam Hinata. Letting him in, you told them that you’ll be waiting outside the door, not wanting to intrude of the examination. Walking into the hallway, you sat on the chair that was near the door, glad that Hinata believed that everything was a lie.

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Notes: HI! I’m almost have 100 notes on my Masterpost!!! I’m so glad you guys are liking it! Thank you so much!!

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[reapers-carino]

Beauty in Simplicity ver. 2

“Itadakimasu!”

Genji’s tone was jovial, the excited grin on his face and sparkling eyes set on the large bowl of shoyu ramen in front of him. Giving a small ‘whoop’ of excitement as he pulled his chopsticks apart, he gave a quick, sympathetic glance to his older brother. Hanzo’s brow was furrowed, staring into his bowl of shio ramen with such a contemptuous look, Genji tempted to ask how the meal had offended him. Reluctantly, Hanzo finally picked up his own set of chopsticks, brusquely snapping them apart before murmuring a soft ‘itadakimasu’ and beginning to eat. Genji waited til he was a few bites in before goading him.

“Sooo…?”

Hanzo’s eyes cut towards him, his frown somehow deepening as he bit into the chashu, a brief uptick in the corners of his lips indicating that the food was chipping away at the annoyance. Now was as good a time as any to keep prying; Hanzo’s love of good food had always been the younger brother’s way of cheering his brother up, alcohol coming in as a close second. As Hanzo’s eyes drifted back to the bowl, he grunted as Genji nudged him, wearily turning his gaze towards his younger sibling. Genji had taken several bites out of the tender pork belly from his own bowl and held it up so it looked like a goofy pork-based smile, wriggling his eyebrows at his brother playfully. Hanzo couldn’t help the choked off snort he made, the ridiculousness of the image drawing a small half smile onto his lips as he placed his chopsticks down on the tiny stand beside his bowl. Releasing a low growling sigh, Hanzo knew that Genji would not cease in his attempts to cheer him up until he finally spilled the beans on what was wrong. 

“Let’s finish our meal and then we can talk”, he sighed, picking up his chopsticks once more and beginning to scarf down the noodles. 

Hanzo couldn’t deny the delicious saltiness of the broth and the chewiness of the noodles were having an effect on him, slowly pulling him out of his dour mood and gently nudging him towards simply being cross. As he drank the last of the broth and bits of bean sprouts and garlic down, Hanzo allowed the warmth to spread throughout his body, breathing in deep and letting out a quiet exasperated sigh. Glancing to the side, his brother had drained both his broth and the sickeningly sweet melon soda he chose to go with it, looking at his brother looking at him with expectant puppy dog eyes. Tapping down on the urge to chuckle, Hanzo gave an over exaggerated sigh as he began his story.

“I had a meeting with the board this morning…”

Genji gave a brief suck of his teeth, a scowl tugging at his lips briefly before his smile returned, smaller and sympathetic. Neither one of them were strangers to the board, better known to them as the elders, the near omnipresent, insufferable hivemind of the Shimada-gumi. Gently patting his older brother on the shoulder, he gave it a brief good natured squeeze before responding.

“So how did that go?”

Earlier that day

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.”

Hanzo’s voice was warm, yet professional, the light of the holoscreen gently bouncing off of his skin in the dimmed room. His expression was neutral but not blank, the ghost of a simpering smile tugging at the corners of his lips but never rising into a true one. Shoulders back, posture straight but not stiff, his whiskey brown eyes giving the room a brief once over before continuing. Fake pleasantries and niceties were expected of anyone coming before the board and he was no different, even as the heir to the Shimada Conglomerate. Although, Hanzo wished he could have expected the same from the board. He could see several of the elders at the table flicking through the information transmitted to each of their datapads as they had entered the room, some actually reading the inscribed text while others stared at him, wrinkled faces set in a permanent frown. Years of training, school work and private lessons had led to this moment and he wasn’t going to let their lingering doubts of him deter him from victory. 

Motioning at the screen, the beginning of his proposal popped up, simply titled ‘Partnership Program between Shimada Conglomerate and Caledonia, Co’. He heard the start of agitated murmurs begin around the table before motioning towards the screen once more and going to the next slide. It held images of both the Shimada Conglomerate’s main building in the heart of Hanamura and the shining new Ashe, Inc building located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The next motion he made zoomed in on the section for Ashe, Inc. as he began to go through the history and details of the company.

“Caledonia Co. was started five years ago and is a subsidiary of the larger Ashe Inc. located in Sante Fe”, Hanzo said simply, watching as the facts illuminated on the screen before disappearing and being replaced with information from the company’s annual financial report. “They are currently the quickest growing modular home providers within the American southwest with projected earnings for the year predicted to be just under one billion dollars. There also have been whispers of the company securing a US federal contract with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to create homes for those still impacted by the Omnic Crisis.”

Pausing briefly, Hanzo glanced over the crowd, a small root of uneasiness swiping at his heart as not one board member looked the least bit intrigued by the company. Still, Hanzo refused to succumb to this adversity, flicking to the next screen with bulleted and referential lines about the benefit of partnering with the North American company. 

“The Shimada modular manufacturing subsidiary, Sparrow is both well-known and highly respected within the Japanese market”, Hanzo started, showing the earnings for the company in the last three years before swiping and overlapping that with predicted earnings that could happen if they expanded into other markets. “But we are lacking any power in markets outside of Eastern Asia, meaning we are not realizing Sparrow’s full potential. It is estimated that despite our current hold on the market we may begin to experience 2 to 3 percent profit declines regularly over the next decade due to field competitors and possible housing declines.”

“We do have the opportunity to turn that around”, Hanzo stated as he again showed prospective growth if they partnered up, the charts morphing to show off his estimations. “By supplying the North American company with our modular manufactured materials, we have the potential to grow both companies profits as well as have an established name in North America backing the growth of the Sparrow company into that region.”

The loss of profit statement had earned him a scoff or two, the older members stubbornly believing that the Shimada’s hold on the Japanese market was impervious to competition or outside influence. It had been the Shimada-gumi that had led the underground into helping Japan in its most dire hour during the war; providing housing, clothing, medicine, food and non-perishables as well as shelter across for their countrymen. Hanzo’s father and grandfather had spearheaded those projects almost twenty years ago, transforming the Shimada-gumi from small Yakuza-run businesses into the conglomerate powerhouse with hands in almost all facets of modern society. When the god program was eventually pushed back under sea, the Shimada’s and their supporters and allies were the one that rebuilt Japan and in turn had earned the idolatry of their countrymen. The Shimada name was looked at with adoration and reverence, the name conjuring up images of Japanese resilience and charity in the face of animosity. 

And while all that was true, they forgot that a new generation of consumers was being born, ones that were not as indebted to the Shimada name as the prior generation. People born on the cusp of the war did grow up hearing of all of their good deeds, but their attentions were fickle and easily wavered to newer, bigger things. While they would have a market to sail on for some time, it was not enough to maintain the current state of affairs and so Hanzo would try and better them. Even if it meant further catering to their more immoral heartstrings. 

“Caledonia is also the largest black market weapon supplier in the entirety of North America”, he stated pointedly, pressing another button to fully lock down any possible leaks in the room. “Caledonia is headed by Elizabeth Ashe, daughter of the heads of Ashe, Inc. Although expunged and sealed, my sources were able to find that she had a record of gang activity that was previously connected to the Deadlock Gang. It appears her tenure with the gang never ended and she instead looked for clearer avenues in which to support and conduct business.”

 The surprised looks and murmurs that rippled through the room almost made Hanzo smile for real, the man relishing the ball of pride that fluttered in his chest as he went through the rest of the presentation showing the profits that could grow for both their legitimate and illegitimate markets. The final page was marked with a simple question mark, the lights in the room coming up as he looked over the faces of the elders before finally landing on his father’s. Sojiro was the expert at guarding his true emotions, his eyes locking with his son before snapping down to the datapad that was used for each board meeting. Encrypted and only accessible through both fingerprint and retinal scanning, a security measure that ensured if any information got out, it would have to have come from within. 

“If you would like a more detailed breakdown”, he began, reaching at the front of the long boardroom table and pulling up his own datapad. “Please take a look through these pages. I am happy to answer any questions.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Hanzo’s hands tightened around his datapad, lips ticking downward ever so slightly as his eyes pulled to Shoto Yamamoto. He was a portly balding older man seated near his father, his official title being Shimada’s general counsel. Unofficially, he was one of the saiko-komon of the Shimada-gumi, his father’s most trusted advisor and provider of counsel to the entire clan. The Yamamoto family’s allegiance went all the way back to the start of the 20th century, the two families intertwined by blood spilt and fraternity. With the exception of his father, Yamamoto held the biggest sway over the counsel and what they approved or rejected. One by one, Hanzo watched as the members turned their datapad’s off, eyes glancing at Hanzo before sliding back to Yamamoto. 

“The board appreciates the time you took to present this”, Yamamoto began, the condescending intonation on ‘appreciates’ making the back of Hanzo neck burn with annoyance. “But the Shimada Conglomerate doesn’t need foreigners interfering with their affairs. Quite frankly, it’s disheartening to think your confidence, not only in the company, but also in our loyal consumers and stockholders, is so low.”

“My confidence in the company has never waivered”, Hanzo snipped back, tone tight as he placed the datapad down. Yamamoto had swiped at the lowest hanging fruit; doubt for the company, and by extension the clan, was an offense that could be punishable by death or expulsion. The accusation was weak, at best, but it shined an ambivalent light on Hanzo’s intention with the project. “My family toiled for generations to build this business into the pinnacle that it is today. I do not want to see it diminish due to the inability to adapt. The risk we face if we do not acclimate to changing times is much higher than the loss we would suffer if we do not. As I stated, the numbers--”

“And as I said we do not need any interference from some ridiculous American company”, Yamamoto snipped before leaning as far forward as his stomach would allow. He steepled his fingers briefly as he looked around at other heads of the family, inclining his head as he looked at Sojiro. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say that while...ambitious, your presentation was wholly unnecessary. When and if we begin to lose profits, we will handle it as we always have. Internally. Is there anyone that objects to this?”

Hanzo listened to the murmurs that rose up from other members, eyes darting over to the future CEO nervously before looking back to Sojiro and then Yamamoto. It felt clear who they felt they were loyal to, his allegiance, ideas and future position not yet strong enough to sway those who sat on the fence to his side. Hanzo’s lips pursed together tightly, the entire back of his neck flushing in anger. Hanzo intended for this project to be his magnum opus, an idea that would show that he was not only deserving but ready to take over the role of CEO when his father finally abdicated the position.  

Hanzo had worked tirelessly to prove that he was the heir the company deserved. He had gained his Masters in Business Administration by the time he was twenty-three, but the young scion had been interning and shadowing his father since the young age of sixteen. His father had made sure he had experienced every aspect of working for the conglomerate;  Hanzo shadowing mail clerks, administrative assistance, accountants, marketing assistants and even human resources. All this while still maintaining his grades in school, practicing several sports and martial arts with his brother and taking care of any jobs  that the clan required. This wasn’t the first time that he had come to them with proposals; his partnership with several of the nation’s biggest trade schools providing their prefabrication and metal fabrication warehouses with a constant stream of skilled workers. It would seem, however, that he still had not earned the respect that he was owed.

Taking in a slow breath, Hanzo gave a short, stiff bow as members of the board began to stand, the dozen men filtering out of the room slowly. Some stopped and gave Hanzo an apologetic pat on the shoulders, others shaking their head in unspoken disappointment.  The chagrin he felt was sickening; head racing as he tried to figure out a way to amend his blunder, to find the mistake or shortfalling he had made so he could correct it. Failure was not an option. He had worked too hard, done too much. His stomach tightened into a ball, the creep of anxiousness in his chest slowly squeezing at his lungs as he drew in a shuddering breath.  His eyes narrowed on the black marble floors, the swirling white in them blurring then vaguely coming back into focus.

“Hanzo.”

Hanzo’s eyes darted from the floor to his father, the breath caught in his throat coming out as a half-cough. Sojiro’s brow was minutely pinched, the concern he held for his son barely contained by the professionalism his position required. Standing straighter, Sojiro approached his son, gently placing a hand on his shoulder before motioning towards the door, clearly meaning to escort his son back to his office. A ghost of a smile touched Hanzo’s lips as he nodded, gathering his materials before starting towards the door, his father following close behind. 

Sojiro had grown softer in his older years, his wife’s brush with death completely transforming him into a man that actually cared about his sons’ well-beings and not just the future they could provide. Yua Shimada had been a safe space for both of the Shimada sons’, each finding brief reprieve in her presence before they were thrown back into training or schooling or dueling. She emphasized how she cared for their mental well-being first and foremost, that she would love them despite what they did for the clan. Often Genji took advantage of this unwavering love, hiding behind their mother when punishment was to be enforced, Hanzo not wanting to burden his mother with any wrath incurred from his father, trainers or tutors. Hanzo often took the brunt of the anger for not ‘keeping his brother in line’, their younger years filled with quiet resentment and constant bickering. 

It took their mother falling ill and entering the hospital during Hanzo Masters program for the family to mend, the men of the family rushing to be at Yua’s side as she was diagnosed with stage two COPD. Her lung function had fallen to 60 percent, a respiratory infection combined with years of smoking leaving her lungs extremely vulnerable. While they wasted no expense in her care, the situation remained extremely precarious for an entire month, both Hanzo, Genji and their father all taking a leave of absence from school and employment so that they could be at her side. Each night when they left their mother’s side, Hanzo and Genji would seek one another's company; drinking, dueling, gaming, anything to get their minds off of her frail body laying in that bed. Their father would even occasionally join them, silent and watching but with no malice in his gaze. Reconciliation was slow but solidified the healthier Yua got, the trials of almost losing their matriarch creating a strong bond amongst them all. 

“So Hanzo…”

Hanzo gave a small sigh as he came to a stop, his father taking a few more steps before turning to look at his son. Sojiro’s dark eyes were calm yet prying as he looked his son over, gently rubbing at his goatee as he studied the boy, Hanzo suddenly feeling like he was under a magnifying glass. Clearing his throat, Sojiro tilted his head towards the datapad that Hanzo held in his hand, Hanzo glancing downward before his brow furrowed as he looked up.

“What do you plan to do with that proposition of yours?”

Hanzo blinked once then twice before his incredulity wrinkled his brow even more, shaking his head and staring at his father in confusion. 

“What do you mean”, Hanzo inquired, tone bordering exasperation and his eyes bore into his father’s. “The board has rejected it, there is nothing I can do.”

“Disappointing”, Sojiro sighed as he turned on his heel and began his walk back towards the offices. “I expected more from you…”

In The Present

Hanzo’s face burned with quiet shame, staring down hard at the black iced coffee Genji had ordered for him as he divulged the tale, the same uneasiness at failure creeping into his stomach. 

“Well”, Genji questioned, stretching out the word and looking at his brother excitedly, the younger Shimada practically bouncing in his seat.

“Well what”, Hanzo asked, brow furrowing deeper as his brother looked at him with wide, enthusiastic eyes. “The board shot down all my plans and father is disappointed in me, what else is there?”

The words left an acrid taste in his mouth, lips ticking down even more as Genji rolled his eyes and grabbed his brother by the shoulders. 

“For someone so smart you can be so blind”, Genji sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically as Hanzo glared at him. He was unsure if his brother was trying to earn his ire but if he was, he was doing a good job at it. Forcing Hanzo to turn and look him directly in the eyes, Genji’s gaze grew slightly serious. “Didn’t you get what father was trying to tell you? Do it anyway! Fuck what the board says!”

Hanzo’s jaw dropped, mouth opening and closing several times before he found the words, confusion and disbelief fighting in equal measure.

“What do you mean fuck the board”, Hanzo hissed out, hands closing then opening as if they held the words themselves. “I can’t just dismiss what the board says. And how?! You expect me to just ignore the elders like y--”

Hanzo bit back his words but Genji rolled his eyes as he stared down his older sibling. 

“Like me”, Genji finished for him, cutting Hanzo off before he could interfect or apologize. “Actually yeah, stop letting them make every single decision for you, aniki! Aht aht, don’t interrupt! Brother, you always followed what the elders said but has any of that ever made you the least bit happy?”

“Well…”

“That’s not a yes Hanzo”, Genji muttered deadpan before releasing his brother. “Think of this like Go, Han. Go has fortresses and if you play smart, what seems like an impenetrable fortress can easily be flipped or wiped out. If you do this brother and plan it out and succeed? They won’t have any choice BUT to listen to you.”

Hanzo mulled over this for several pregnant moments, lips pursed together as his mind raced over the audacious idea, warmth beginning to bloom in his chest as excitement trickled in. He may be able to pull this off. He would have no team or project manager, he wouldn’t be able to rely on the marketing department to make materials nor assistance to work alongside him. But if he took his time, he knew he could pull this off. Fate had been on Hanzo’s side when his father had him trained in every single aspect of the business, the man no expert but far from a greenhorn if the situation demanded it. If he could not only put together a business plan but also convince Ashe to meet with him in Japan, he could taste the sweet sweet flavor of not only success but he could begin to refute and rebuke the elders when the changes brought in profit. The only thing wrong…

“As much as I would like that”, Hanzo began, his Genji’s eyes growing suspicious on him. “I cannot. There is no place I can go where Shimada eyes do not follow.”

Hanzo’s shoulders began to hunch, his head drooping before he felt Genji began to shake him, elation and mischief tainting his tone as Genji force his brother to look up. 

“I know just the place!”

[overwatchworks]

That Pretty Face:

Inspired by art done by a good pal, they always draw the Blackwatch boys for me and it keeps my sanity.

It had been weeks. Weeks and weeks and Jesse had not truly thought about him since they had picked him up in pieces back in Hanamura. He had been busy. Mind occupied with other things. Genji Shimada was not the only thing being built from the ground up again.

Red eyes, silver metal covering most of his face, white and black synth skin. The Blackwatch insignia on his chest, outlined in glowing crimson. He looked angry. He looked resigned. Jesse didn’t blame him.

"Your life in return for your services". Jesse had heard the story, knew the drill. He’d had the same talk.

Death or Blackwatch. They were basically the same thing.

It had been weeks. Weeks and weeks and Jesse had not truly thought about him since they had picked him up in pieces back in Hanamura. He had been busy. Mind occupied with other things. Genji Shimada was not the only thing being built from the ground up again.

Guard duty was taking up his time now. Protecting Dr. Liao while she worked tirelessly on the AI that would, as she said, save the world where she could not. Jesse had seen enough of the world to know it could not be saved, but he was not about to tell her that. This was her life’s work, and who was he to dissuade a little bit of good in a world so riddled with evil. A world where people murdered their brothers in cold blood, left them shattered, left them for dead.

Just a few perks of the job.

The only reason Genji Shimada was back on his radar was because he was standing with them for training. Red eyes, silver metal covering most of his face, white and black synth skin. The Blackwatch insignia on his chest, outlined in glowing crimson. He looked angry. He looked resigned. Jesse didn’t blame him.

Your life in return for your services. Jesse had heard the story, knew the drill. He’d had the same talk. Death or Blackwatch. They were basically the same thing.

He was a cyborg now, wires hanging off the back of his head and whirring with each movement. The only parts of him that were obviously human being his left arm and what little of his face was still showing. Even that was mutilated with scars and marred by tubing. But he was a sight to behold when training. Fast, unbelievably agile. Ruthless. Violent. Every movement calculated and striking to kill.

It was beautiful, in a terrible sense. Clearly, Genji was skilled, but clearly, he was also unhinged. Pushing his body to the breaking point, steam coming up from odd places and eyes gaining dark circles as he overworked the human parts past their limits.

The weeks passed like that, training and missions going the same way. Genji liked to rip things apart. Genji liked to rip himself apart. Coming back with sparking wires sticking out of his arm and chest, blood that was too dark and glistening dribbling from holes in his armour. Covered in it. Some of it was his. Most of it wasn’t.

Jesse was generally assigned to missions with him, and generally they went well. Genji was quiet, the comms hardly ever going off on his end besides to give a general warning or a check in. He knew Jesse’s name, though, which surprised him the first time he used it. They had been caught in a crossfire, Talon ambushing their escape route and bringing in a sniper. Jesse had heard her rifle winding up, saw the laser sight flash to his chest. A single spot of red.

“She’s on you, McCree!” Genji had called, voice sharp and accented. Concerned, even. And then, of course, he had been shot. The bullet was armour piercing, but he had managed to move out of the way enough for it to not hit anything vital. Something he could survive, something Dr. Deorain had healed fairly quickly on the ride back to base. Genji had watched her work on him for a while, gaze boring into Jesse every time he looked up at the ninja.

For the first time, he wondered what was under that mask. If anything even was under the mask.

His eyes were expressive. They were pretty, all long lashes and dark intensity. They could be soft, at times. It was rare, but it happened. Mostly when Genji thought no one was looking, when he thought no one would notice the human parts of him anymore. Jesse did. But he did not let on just yet. They were not quite close enough for that. He didn’t know if they ever could be. Not in this line of work, not with what they had to do and the promise of death at every corner, a mission always a hairsbreadth away from going in the wrong direction, a bullet always missing them by the skin of their teeth.

Jesse loved it.

Jesse hated it.

Genji did too, he had learned, was born and bred for it. Made for it when he was born a second time, unable to escape the fate of a warrior, an assassin. Jesse wondered if he was bothered by that. The fact that his life was nothing but war and blood and death. Had asked him about it when they were stuck in the med bay together, drugs in his system making his lips looser than they already were.

Surprisingly, Genji had answered.

No, I am not bothered by it. I grew up knowing it was my fate, my duty. But I do resent it, and what it has done to me. What I have lost and had stolen away from me.

Jesse had listened raptly, the sound of Genji’s voice soothing in a way. Robotic, accented. Soft. His eyes were soft in that moment too. Lost in memory, perhaps. Jesse did not look too far into it.

Genji had gone quiet again after that, shifting where he could with the wires attached to his neck linked up to a computer behind him, something pumping modified biotics into the tubes in his arms, on the ports of his stomach. Uncomfortable, but not because of everything he was hooked up to.

I don’t know if I quite understand your situation, but never bein’ a normal kid? I get that. Nothin’ was ever normal for us except a weapon in hand and aimin’ it at someone else. Bein’ told to shoot. I guess in the grand scheme of it all, makes us no better than the bad guys, huh?

Genji looked back at him, assessing for a long moment.

We are not bad, we are just doing what we have to in order to survive. Kill or be killed. Join us or die.

I wish it wasn’t like that.

Another long moment passed, Genji gripping the edge of the examination table, eyes downcast.

Me too.

It was a long time before they spoke like that again. Missions kept them busy, and then training when they were not scheduled for them, Jesse occasionally going to meetings with Reyes while Genji went to the med bay with Dr. Ziegler to continue his modifications. They would pass one another in the halls. Jesse gave a tip of his hat and then added a wink until Genji finally began to acknowledge him back with a slight nod or raise of his brows. He liked to imagine there was at least a bemused smile under that faceplate when his eyes scrunched just a bit. Maybe.

They sparred together, started to train together after Reyes saw how well they worked as a team. Genji was good at quick, agile attacks up close while Jesse took on the long distance and range targets. Genji protected Jesse, and Jesse protected Genji in return. They got closer. Near death calls tended to do that to folks.

Genji talked to him more. Jesse told him stories and would get a few in return on the rooftops where the air was crisp and the sky was clear. Genji tried on his hat. Genji laughed. Just a small, quiet chuckle, but it left Jesse staring for a little too long. Genji noticed, Jesse tried to pretend his red cheeks were attributed to the cold as he snatched his hat back and drew it low over his eyes. He did not see the way Genji’s had softened again.

The next morning had them sitting in an airship, waiting to be dropped into a volatile zone overrun by null sector forces. They started out okay, but slowly, everyone got tired. They were only human, they made mistakes, slipped up. Null sector did not.

Genji did not.

Jesse was shouting into the comms for evac after he had to watch their third agent get shot down by a bastion unit, gunfire and static the only thing he was hearing in return. Jammed signals, bad luck. He dragged the corpse of a friend behind a building and had to leave it there, or they would all be one by the end of the day.

“We gotta get to higher ground where these things can’t jam our comms!” he called, Genji turning to him and nodding once before taking off towards the highest building. Jesse did not need an explanation, not between them. He motioned to what was left of their drop team.

“Move outta this hot spot! Stay behind cover, don’t leave one another’s backs unguarded. Get down that alleyway and take the first left, it’ll take you behind that main square, got it? We can find a place to hide out there, there’s just too many of these damn things here when we don’t have a shield!”

Jesse ordered, wishing not for the first time that he had someone like Reinhardt with him. Or at least a fully outfitted team like Overwatch always sent in. That would have been nice.

As it was, they had to run, Jesse getting everyone accounted for that was left before following up on the rear, eyes peeled for any sight of Genji.

He turned, gun spinning in hand and resting at his side as he counted the omnics marching towards him. Fifteen. He could do it. Six shots went of in tandem, six perfect bullet holes steaming through the first line of omnics. Jesse reloaded and did it again. Finished off the last two and ran down the alleyway, catching up with the rest of his team, ignoring the throbbing starting up behind his eyes.

“Bought us a little time. Come on, keep movin’.”

“McCree, we need more medical personnel,” Martinez urged, setting an agent down against the wall.

“Where’d Frazier go?”

“Dead.”

“Dammit.”

“There’s too many wounded right now if we need to make a quick getaway. Did Shimada not make it...?”

“Nah, he’s callin’ in evac for us. Stay here and do your best to patch everyone up, can you do that for me?”

Martinez nodded shakily, pulling out her med kit and going to the worst of the wounded in the group. Jesse made to check on the others, then saw a flash of red above them in his periphery. Genji landed in front of him not a moment later, the sound heavy, blood dripping down his shoulder. He did not seem to notice.

“It was all static, but I was able to find what was jamming them,” he reported, pointing to a building further into the hot spot. “I can get in there and take it out.”

“You ain’t goin’ back in there alone, that’s not how we do things around here. I’ll go with you.”

“I don’t need you slowing me down,” Genji bit out.

“How about we not think about it like that and instead say, ‘wow, thanks McCree for havin’ my back for me in case I get in over my head like I always do’, yeah?”

“I can do this by myself, you will only get hurt following me!”

“And what happens if you get hurt alone and then we all get killed ‘cause you couldn’t stand havin’ to take help from someone?!”

“Hey, boys, how about instead of arguing about it, you both hurry up and get us out of here. McCree’s right about one thing; if we don’t get out of here soon, we’re all toast, alright? We have people dying!” Martinez interrupted, glaring at the two of them as Jesse sighed.

“Come on,” he grumbled, moving in the direction of the building Genji had pointed out. Genji fell in stride with him after a moment, eyes shifting to him. Crimson narrowed darkly.

“If you die, I won’t let you rest peacefully.”

Jesse snorted, gaining a devilish grin.

“Darlin’, I ain’t ever planned on anythin’ but another spot deep in Hell when I die. Peace wasn’t even on the radar.”

Genji did not offer him a reply, simply quickened his pace and took off, leaving Jesse to follow behind with a sharp eye. They slipped past the rows of null sector stationed in the plaza in front of the building quietly, Genji motioning to a window just outside of their surveillance. He climbed into it, leaning over the edge with a hand outstretched. Jesse took it. Hauled himself inside and took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. Genji waited. Static was running through the comms this close to the jammer, giving Jesse a headache. It was a large structure, pulses of blue light that shimmered leaving it in intervals.

“Damn...How’re we gonna take that thing out?”

“A detonator,” Genji offered, Jesse frowning.

“You wanna lure one of them in here?”

“It’s the best option we have. I cannot get near that thing, it interferes with my cybernetics.”

“And you were plannin’ on doin’ this alone?”

Genji merely glared, then pointed again. “There are three posted just outside the entrance. It should not be hard getting them inside.”

“But this signal will jam them too, right?”

“Not if we move them manually.”

Jesse stared at the ninja, sitting back on his thighs and pushing his hat up as he faced him fully.

“Lemme get this straight. You wanna shove one of them in here, somehow push them close enough to the jammer so that when they explode, it takes it out, all the while not letting the massive amount of null sector troopers out front know that we’re here?”

“Well, actually, I was thinking we let null sector do it for us. They have more fire power than we do, and if we stay behind the detonator, they will shoot it. They are programmed to neutralize enemies, no matter what is in front of them. We can take advantage of that.”

Jesse blinked. Frowned and ran a hand over his beard, chewing on his lip.

“Is it bad that I think that might actually somehow work?”

“Only if we do it right.”

“Alright. Alright, yeah. Let’s go.”

It took some finagling. Genji’s steps were stuttering as if his limbs were not synching with the rest of him when he got too close to the jammer. It was just the two of them. Jesse was sweating. But they got the detonator inside the door, and it was hell unleashed as soon as they did. Genji knocked it in with a kick, Jesse shooting at the null sector omnics running in after him.

“Go! Get behind it now!” he shouted, Jesse ducking towards the jammer. Genji deflected, stumbled, found his feet again. It was close. A lot of cover fire from Jesse’s end needed just to get him behind a wall. He was shaking his head, blinking hard. They needed to get out of there.

Jesse was taking most of the attention from the null sector troops, staying just close enough to the detonator to ensure it was being pushed towards the jammer. And it was working. The detonator’s armour was falling, bright, fiery oranges and reds being revealed, the whole thing starting to shake. Jesse ran from it, back towards the window they entered through.

“Genji! Come on, it’s gonna blow any second!”

Genji looked up, eyes widening a bit, the red in them flickering. He tried to take a step, flesh hand going to his head when his leg buckled.

“Shit...” Jesse muttered, glancing at the detonator. He had time. He could make it. Peacekeeper sang as he ran. Ran for his life, ran to Genji. There was another window by him, they could go out that way. It lasted a lifetime. It lasted a second. Jesse grabbed Genji when he got to him, tugging him back up to stand.

“Come on! Just focus for me a little longer, alright? I need you to get up to that window and help me up, okay?”

“O-okay.”

The stutter was not intentional, Genji’s voice sounding more robotic than usual. Voicebox glitching. He blinked some more, then climbed the wall, reaching down for Jesse. His hand was taken, and they jumped from the window. Jesse jumped from the window.

Genji was not behind him.

“Genji? Genji!”

The detonator went off. Rubble flying, chunks of concrete, dust, fire. Jesse was blown back, arms up to cover his face. He felt debris hit him, his armour bending and cracking. Hit the ground and curled up, covering his head, eyes squeezed shut. When the rumbling stopped and the world was no longer shattering, Jesse finally glanced up. Ears ringing, dust in his lungs. He picked up his hat, blinking hard, coughing. Shook his head and ran into the rubble, calling for Genji but not hearing himself say it. Sound slowly started to come back to him, though, it was eerily quiet. Just the crackling of flames and debris falling.

“Genji! Come on, Shimada, where are you?!”

Jesse paused when he saw Genji’s sword laying toward the centre of the blast and he ran to it. Stumbled a bit, grabbed it from the ground. And there was Genji, lying just ahead of it, cybernetics sparking, blood running off his arm. From his nose. From his lips.

Jesse stared.

Genji’s faceplate was nowhere to be seen, scars littering his cheeks and around where synthetic met human. The bottom half of his jaw was black synthskin and mesh. A bruise was forming around one eye, cuts above it bleeding down his temple. With his eyes closed like this, he could almost be sleeping. Jesse stepped closer, kneeling beside him. Rolled him over and tilted his chin to the side, shaking him gently.

Pretty. Gods, he was so pretty.

“Genji? Hey, come on, do me one last favour and don’t be dead...Come on, bud...”

Genji’s eyelids fluttered, taking a shuddering breath in.

“Oh thank god. Alright, alright I got’cha. I’ll get us outta here.”

Jesse took his arm and hauled him over his shoulders, grabbing his katana once more and standing. Genji was heavier than he looked deadweight. Limp.

“You’ll be alright, we just gotta get back to the team, okay? Just hold on.”

Jesse did not even notice his limp until he was back in the alleyway, ducking behind cover and keeping one arm over Genji’s legs so he would not fall. Eyes peeled for any sign of danger. Three detonators going off all at once, destroying a building and the jammer within it was bound to draw in swarms of null sector. They needed to get out, and fast. Jesse tapped his comm.

“This is Agent McCree callin’ for immediate evac to Blackwatch team A-1207. We got lots of wounded and this place is about to get real hot. Does anyone copy?” Static was his only answer. Genji groaned softly, Jesse glancing at him.

Head hanging just off his shoulder. So close Jesse could see the veins under his eyes, the way his cuts were beginning to tack up. How long his lashes were, the little white scars by his temple that looked too old to be something he got from his brother or the cybernetics. Jesse’s comm crackled, drawing his focus back to the present.

“McCree, this is Fio, I copy. Commander sent me in to pick you all up when comms went down, said it was too risky leaving you like that. Been having to fight my way around null sector’s anti-aircraft weapons. I’ve got your coordinates, ETA five minutes.”

“Fio! You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice, sweetheart,” Jesse laughed breathlessly, Fio giving a chuckle back.

“Glad to hear you’re not dead, cowboy.”

“Don’t jinx me, now, I still got five minutes to survive.”

“I think you’ll manage. Hang in there.”

Jesse grinned, making it back to the team and setting Genji down gently. Something felt off about letting anyone else see his face, though, so he wrapped his scarf around Genji’s shoulders and neck, his head hanging down into it and covering what normally was hidden. It felt like a violation of privacy, in an odd way. Jesse didn’t think Genji would have wanted to be seen by anyone, not even him.

Fio landed on time as promised, taking what was left of the team back to base. Jesse’s body was beginning to hurt, adrenaline wearing off and leaving him exhausted and throbbing. His foot was messed up, and his shoulder. His armour was torn in some places, but it had done its job for the most part. Bruises were all he would be left with instead of bullet holes and a punctured lung. His nose was bleeding. It took Martinez coming over to him to tilt his head back and press some gauze beneath it for him to notice.

Jesse was too busy looking at Genji to notice much else.

He was patched up, made Martinez move on to someone else after insisting he was alright, that everything else could wait until they got back to the med bay. The ride home was long, and Jesse slept through most of it.

-

His scarf was returned folded neatly, Genji presenting it to him without a word. His faceplate was back, eyes shifting to look at anything but Jesse. Jesse, who grinned and took it back, leaning against the doorframe when Genji did not immediately run off.

“Lookin’ all shiny and new there, bud. Good to see you up and movin’ again. You saved us back there with that idea of yours, you know.”

Genji stood there for a moment, nodding after another.

“I could not have done it alone. I know I said otherwise, but. I needed you there.”

Jesse tisked and waved his hand goodnaturedly.

“Aw, shucks. Makin’ me feel all special now.”

“Do not get used to it,” Genji huffed, his eyes crinkling just a bit. Jesse could imagine a smile on his face now. How good it would look, how pretty he would be with it.

“But thank you. For pulling me out of there. And for that,” Genji motioned to the scarf, arms settling across his chest.

“Anytime. We’re a team, yeah? I got your back when you need me, alright?” Jesse hesitated only a moment, reaching out and placing a hand on Genji’s bicep, squeezing lightly before letting go.

Genji watched his hand drop. Eyes flicking up to his, stance shifting. He set his shoulders and nodded.

“Alright.”

“I’ll see you at trainin’, then.”

“Yes, see you then.”

Jesse slipped back into his room when Genji turned to leave. Ran a hand over the scarf. Set it on the foot of his bed and went to finish typing up a report, Genji on his mind. Jesse smiled.

~~

[whatzaoverwatch]

The Reaper of The Opera Chapter 7: All I Ask of You

Now to end Act One of the actual show! Fun Fact: The end of act one in the stageplay had the chandelier fall in the production while the movie adaptation everyone knows about saves it for the climax of the film. Just a little foreshadow and nudge nudge for things to come. Was also told to do no harm to the emotional support cowboy :^) we shall see bout that

First Prev Next

You had been preparing in the dressing room to take over for Hana. As many would be thrilled to fulfill their part as the understudy, the cause of it made you sick to your stomach. Everyone was very well aware of what happened: the Reaper managed to switch Hana’s vocal spray with something vile. Corrupting her voice and silencing her song. It was cruel and it was despicable. The worst part about it, he did it for you.

He wanted you to sing, he wanted you to shine as his star. It was all according to his plan and you were forced to play a role in it. Even when you found the newly tailored dress before you in the dressing room, you knew it was a part of his game. A bouquet of black roses sat across from the costume alongside a note that was labelled to ‘his most beautiful pupil’. Genjis cherry blossom found tossed into the trash and replaced by the flowers of darkness. Reaching for the rose, you felt the guilt rising in your stomach at the realization of how much he obsessed over you. You wanted no part of his plot, yet he kept luring you to him.

Suddenly, the crack of a shotgun echoed the theatre, startling you by the sudden screams from afar. Striding to the door, you heard the various shouts and movement from the backstage. Hurrying to the stage exits, you were presented with a horrifying sight. The stage handler bleeding to the floor, grasping his arm with screams of agony filling the theatre. The managers at his side trying to stop the bleeding from the several gunshot wounds. McCrees shouts and curses ringing in your ear. The pool of blood staining the stage floor as the audience had already scattered for the doors. Nearly trampling one another as more shots were heard. Seeing some passed out performers on the side while others hollered for medical assistance or to find the culprit.

Stepping back with horror, your body trembled at the chaos before you. This was all his doing; the Reaper had laid his curse upon the theatre. It was no question he wasn’t going to stop. He would continue to do this for you. No matter how much blood he had split.

“[Name]…”

You heard a voice in your ear. Oh no, you thought, has he come for me now? You began to step away, yearning to run began to boil in your stomach. Breath quickening by the second. Hyperventilating at the commotion around you. Feeling him near you, reaching for you with nothing but his voice. It was all your fault, if you hadn’t sung, none of this would’ve happened. Their blood was going to be on your hands.

“[Name]!” The voice became louder. Alerting yourself to see Genji. Running to you quickly with concern, “[Name], there you are! Are you alright? What the hell is going on?!”

“Genji? What are you doing here?” You mumbled in disbelief, watching him look over to the fallen McCree.

“I was watching the performance with my brother. When he fell from above the stage I was worried for your safety. You aren’t hurt, are you?”

He never left alongside the audience, finding his way through the madness to search for you. While you wanted to be relieved to see him, you noticed the lights flickering. The shadows forming against the walls when he got closer. White noise muting his words to what was around him. Knowing the Reaper had his eye upon you, you didn’t want your dearest friend to end up like McCree.

“Stay away from me.” You spoke, backing away from the now confused man. He was taken back by your words, reaching for you slowly.

“[Name]? What’s wrong?” Shaking your head, you could almost see the shadow right behind Genji. Red eyes drilling into the Shimada. Hiking up your dress, you began to run.

“I SAID STAY AWAY!” You cried, running through the backstage loft. Fighting your tears as Genji called out for you.

You didn’t wish to keep him away, but the Reaper left you no choice. Climbing the spiral staircases higher into the theatre’s scaffolding. Voices whispering in your head left and right while you tried to escape. Everyones shadows nearly startling you in the belief that it was Reaper. Nearly tripping over your dress as you reached the top of the stairs. Looking behind with short breaths, watching the shadows crawl to you.

“Do not escape me, my dear. I am inside your mind. You cannot run!”

Facing ahead, you spotted a rustic door to the outside. Running towards it, you scrambled to open it with desperation. Opening the door to the snow fallen rooftop, you quickly slammed the door behind you to block the darkness. The cold frigid air from the nightfall caused you to hug yourself for warmth. The costume providing no thermal care to the cold and the emptiness around you. Backing away from the door, you gazed at the gargoyles that remained perched upon the theatre. You began to wonder if they were placed there to protect the evil within. Your tears stung your cheeks, watching your panting breath dance through the air while you walked. Peering down below to see the various attendees run out the doors, sirens blaring in the distance as you knew the damage was done. Slumping down onto the ledge, you couldn’t help but sob into your hands.

He was right, you couldn’t escape him. You opened your mind to him blindly and he took advantage of you. Now the people around you were suffering under his control. If he ever so desired, he could attack the new managers, or perhaps any of the dancers. Even Genji wasn’t safe from what the Reaper could do. Was the darkness all you were meant for? He had imprisoned you even before that one evening. You wanted to escape, you wanted…

“[Name]??” Genjis voice cleared through your darkened thoughts, drawing your attention to where he entered. Shaking as he hurried to you with no hesitation, “[Name], why did you run?”

“Genji please,” you choked on your sob, wiping your hot tears to scoot away from him, “Just keep away from me. If he sees me with you, you will get hurt.”

“He?” He asked, kneeling before you to take your hand. His touch ever so warm in comparison to yours, “[Name], are you referring to this ‘Reaper’?”

You flinched at the mention of his name, pulling away from Genjis hold in fear. Avoiding his worrisome gaze as you stood up. Shaking your head with a sniff.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” You croaked in your exhausted voice. Trying to move away from him, you felt his hand gently hold your wrist.

“Then help me understand [Name]. Did the Reaper cause all of this?” His question lingered in the air. Pulling your arm away from his hold, you found no reason to run from Genji. Lowering your head, you tried to wipe your tears once more.

“Yes, and he will not stop. He keeps whispering to me, trying to lure me to him. I can’t get him out of my mind.” You whimpered, grasping your temple to repress the voices.

“So, he is real…what do you know of him? Have you seen him?” Facing Genji, you watched his eyes fill with hurt at the sight of your never-ending tears.

“I have, he has taken me into his lair. Filling my head with his songs and words. He wants to take me away to become his, and I cannot control it,” You express, the wave of thoughts you had concealed to prevent disbelief overwhelmed you, “He took me away the other night. I saw things that have prevented me from sleeping. It is no man; it is a monster…and yet…”

“And yet?” He stepped towards you cautiously, giving you a fair amount of space to catch your breath. The tears never ending as you wiped you sleeve.

“I can’t help but pity him,” You confessed, recalling the faint whimpers from when he lashed out at you, “He only wants to be remembered. That’s why I keep letting him in. In someway he is just as lost as I am.”

He looked at you in silence. Unable to read his emotions from your blurry tears. You felt your words were falling short of your childhood friend. Was it foolish to finally speak your mind? Had you truly gone mad? Before you could regret your words, you felt a hand rest upon your cheek. Feeling his thumb gently brush away your tears.

“[Name], I cannot blame you for finding pity for someone like him. You have always had a tender heart, even when we were little,” His words soothed you gently, continuing to brush your tears gently, “But that does not mean you should allow him to take advantage of you.”

“But I’m scared Genji,” You wept, turning your face into his palm to relish into the metallic touch, “You saw what happened. Those that oppose his actions will get hurt. I don’t want anyone harmed because of me.”

“I won’t let it,” He cupped both of your cheeks at this point. You looked into his eyes to see the honesty within, “[Name], the moment I saw you again I thought about all the years that were lost to us. I couldn’t remember a happier time than when I was with you. I want to make up for my absence, starting with protecting you from the Reaper.”

You felt your heart flutter at his words. Unable to recall the last time you had felt safe and comfortable like this. Those last days of love were left by your father and his passing. What you recalled was his memory by your Angel of Music was spoiled by The Reaper and his desires.

But you remembered long ago, Genji always had brought a smile upon your face. From the moment you had found his scarf to when he had to make his final goodbye to you. When he had come back after so long it was if a part of you had returned. Despite his half metal body, it was still the Genji you had admired. Placing a hand over his, you couldn’t help but sigh.

“I do not want to see him hurt you. He has already seen you before with me, I don’t want what happened to Jesse to happen to you or worse.” Genji shook his head, pulling you into an embrace. You felt the faint rhythm of his heartbeat. The sound of it withered the whispers that corrupted your mind.

“[Name], I have faced far worse than what he has in store,” He told you, stroking your back ever so smoothly to ease your shivering, “No more hiding in the dark. Dry your tears, I am here for you. Let me guard you and guide you. Let me be your shelter and your light.”

Looking up at him, you saw the devotion in his eyes. Whatever happened to him before had turned him into more than the mischievous boy from before. You knew your crush hadn’t subsided from these past few days. After all, you pushed him away because of what you were feeling. Taking his hands, you held them into your own.

“Genji, I kept you away because…” You felt your cheeks heated up at the realization of what you were about to say. But somewhere inside of you wanted to finally speak your mind. Squeezing his hand before speaking, “because I love you. I didn’t want him to harm you if he knew how I truly felt about you.”

You saw his eyes widen at your words. His cheeks going pink with his fingers intertwining with yours. Noticing him sigh in relief before a longing smile formed on his lips.

“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” You blinked in confusion before he continued, “When you first disappeared, I thought you despised me. But a part of me never wanted to give up. I wanted to learn the truth.”

“I don’t despise you. I am thankful you never gave up on me. Promise me Genji,” You hushed him with your words, your tears no longer shedding as you spoke, “Say you will be my protector. Say you love me and need me with you. That’s all I ask of you.”

“My blossom,” He whispers, letting go of one of your hands to trace your cheek, “Say you’ll need me with you here. Share with me one love, one lifetime. Anywhere you go let me go too. [Name], that’s all I ask of you.”

“Genji, please say you love me.” You leaned in closer, his lips ever so close to yours. His smile remaining, tilting your chin lightly to look into your eyes.

“You know I do.”

In the heat of the moment, your lips met into one tender kiss. His rough lips ever so gentle against yours. Closing your eyes as you wrapped your arms around his neck. His arms gently caressing your sides. As if a collision of repressed emotions had collapsed upon the two of you. Holding each other in a desperate embrace against the cold. The moment lasting forever, but not enough as you pulled away to catch your breath. He opened his eyes to look at you with love you had never felt before. Wanting to take in another kiss, you heard the sirens and shouts from down below.

“They will be looking for us,” You whispered, taking Genjis hand into yours once more, “Come with me Genji.”

“I will always stay by your side [Name]. I love you.” He assured you, following your side as you two entered back into the theatre.

-

The Reaper followed closely behind from your chase. He awaited to confront you himself on the rooftop. Seeing your tears ached his cold heart, knowing his was the soul reason for their presence. It was not his fault that McCree intervened when he did. He did not mean to stain your spotlight with crimson. The desire to appear behind the gargoyle were halted by Genjis appearance. Disgusted by his interference to what he was creating with you. When you had spoken the truth, he had hoped it would drive the young man away. Especially with the note he had given to keep Genji away.

But he did not push away from your pleas of help. Reaper was no fool, he could see love within the man’s eyes for you the moment he spoke to you the other night. He was bound to love you as he did himself. The fact that you too shared these emotions tore his heart open. Looking away when you two shared that passionate kiss. His fingers digging into the stone at the signs of confessed love that he wished to share with you.

You were not just his songstress, you meant more to him than his ambition. He fell for you, and you turned away those feelings before he could show you the man behind the monster. Watching as you two left, seeing a black rose fall from your dress pocket that you had took with you when you escaped. He stepped out of the shadows to kneel before the rose. Fingers delicately caressed the flower while his body shook.

“I gave you my music. Made your song take wing. I gave you everything and this is how you repay me?” His voice hoarse from the empty air around him.

Bringing the flower close to his lips to conceal his whisper of your name. In his agony, he could still hear your voice. Singing sweetly to the man you had truly loved. The masked mans eyes grew cold, crushing the flower in his grasp with seething anger. Rising from his position to tear away his vulnerability once and for all. His blood boiling as he growled to the heavens.

“You will curse the day you did not do, what the Reaper asked of you!”

To be continued

[overdrivels]

Free as a bird

“How’d a guy like you get a name like ‘Sparrow’ anyways?” 

The question doesn’t come as a surprise to Genji, especially not after the latest fight he had with his brother. The memory of the fight is not as raw as he anticipated. It’s almost laughable now. 

In just ten years Genji nearly forgot just how childish Hanzo could be sometimes. No, he never forgot--he just never noticed it in the first place, too focused on living his life and getting away from the stifling control of his family. 

Hanzo has always been like that, getting hung up over the stupidest things like the perceived favoritism in the form of a single word. Sometimes he can't believe he had such anger toward someone as petty as his brother. (Though anyone would be angry at nearly losing their life.) 

Genji turns away from McCree, staring out past the balcony of the seedy hotel. 

Yes, the same type of seedy hotels that Genji would have found himself getting dragged out of by his angry brother. 

Going back home is always a bit of a spectacle. The morning would still be gray and the streets filled with the elderly and people who have to walk their dogs or other pets in the morning. Very few people dare look the racoon-eyed Hanzo in the face (especially if he had a fist curled in Genji's shirt collar--if he was lucky enough to have one on), subtly making way for the two Shimada heirs and the occasional guard who trails along, pretending to do their job. 

It’s a routine almost as old as his puberty. 

Genji would fuck off in the middle of the night after training, hanging out with whatever ‘friends’ were fearless enough to accompany the second Shimada heir to a club or bar or whatever he felt like doing that night. It would be near dawn before Hanzo would bust in, signalling the end of his fun. Genji never really knew how Hanzo found him--he was so sure to destroy any tracking devices he found on his belongings (sometimes dumping everything but his underwear and pants into the river all together, sometimes putting it on a stray dog or a bird, always checking and making sure his fun cannot end early). Genji chalked it up to ‘mysterious older brother senses’. Either way, Hanzo would drag him back home to their father. 

This time was no different than any other. 

The two of them stood in his father’s office, Hanzo at attention and Genji still yawning with his pants unbuttoned and Y-shirt crumpled from people grabbing at it. Without even a greeting, their father waved his hand at Hanzo in dismissal.

「You may go.」

Obediently, Hanzo bowed, taking his leave with a deep scowl. The grinding of his jaw echoed in the room and Genji could even swear he heard Hanzo’s fists tightening. Genji didn’t really care that his brother was annoyed or lacking sleep--it was Hanzo’s decision to come after him instead of sleeping. If only they’d leave him alone, maybe neither of them would have to suffer so much. 

The door shut quietly behind Hanzo, allowing silence to settle between Sojiro and his youngest son. 

Sojiro put both his arms into the sleeves of his happi.「Out late again, young dragon?」

Genji put his arms behind his heads and grinned despite the glare his father was giving him.

「You know it, old man.」

「What caught your fancy this time?」

「Hah. There was this great DJ playing over the net at the club owned by Yashiro. He looks like he’s twelve, but he’s good! He’s going to be big one day. 」

Genji rambled on and on about the club and DJ with reckless abandon. It wasn’t as though his father was curious about Genji’s night--he just wanted Genji to feel bad and say that he was ‘sorry for being irresponsible and he’ll be more prudent in the future’ or some bullshit. 

He held up a hand.「Genji. A dragon does not indulge in such frivolous activities or mingle so easily with...those people. When will you learn to be responsible?」

‘Those people’ was Sojiro-talk for ‘plebians’. He was still adamant that their blood was superior because they supposedly descended from ‘dragons’. It’s a well-practiced and well-learned speech that Genji has heard enough that he could probably recite it by heart and would probably find it carved into his gravestone if he happened to die before their father. (Not that he’ll let that happen.)

Rolling his eyes, he decided he no longer wanted to listen and put up a middle finger. "Kiss my ass, old man.”

One of his English speaking friends taught him that. A useful phrase if only for the imagery. Genji could feel a little proud of himself for rendering his father speechless. Sojiro’s eyes widened and breath deepened, a sure sign that he did not expect whatever Genji said. 

The swell of victory is accompanied by the song of birds outside the wooden window sill. 

A sparrow. Common in these parts. 

But Genji could see the light in his father's eyes. He curled a hand beneath his jaw, settling a little deeper into his seat and Genji almost wanted to roll his eyes. His father only ever did that when he thinks he's thought of something clever. (It's almost never clever and usually spelled out humiliation for many people.)

"...Sparrow."

Father never used English if he didn’t have to. Or any other language. Of course, he was perfectly fluent in English (and Mandarin, and Cantonese, and Korean, and Taiwanese, and a little bit of Tagalog, and at least four very different dialects of Japanese--all standard in this household), but he preferred to keep his cards close, skillfully showing one at a time when the situation calls for it. (Watching the blood drain out of the face of a rival gang's leader after Sojiro laughed at a snide comment delivered in Tohoku-dialect was extremely satisfying.)

‘Everything a Shimada does must be done with purpose’ is what his father taught him when he was young. His father calling him ‘Sparrow’ in English is no coincidence. 

「What, Father?」 Genji didn’t hesitate to throw the slight back. 「Forgetting how to use Japanese at your age? Unsightly.」

「Hmph.」 There was an amused twinkle to his father’s crinkled eyes. 「The words of foreigners are good enough for you, Sparrow. If you feel that you cannot be a dragon, then you are no better than a common bird.」In Genji’s ears, he only heard the sounds of a line being drawn. 

A sparrow is nimble. 

A sparrow is free. 

A sparrow can be crushed in one hand. 

Fine, if his father wanted to ridicule him with a word like ‘Sparrow’, then he shouldn't mind if Genji took one of his teacher's lessons to heart. 

The best way to disarm a weapon like that is to take it as his own and wear it as his armor. 

Sojiro called him ‘Sparrow’ at any chance he got. Genji wore the name with pride. 

‘I am my father’s cute, little sparrow.’ 

Not a fearsome, powerful dragon of legend, but a weak, common creature of insignificance. 

The imagery is powerful. 

Ever since the name became known, the notch between Hanzo's brows only grew deeper, the scowl almost permanent. It’s almost hilarious to see, and since Hanzo didn’t bother asking for an explanation, Genji never bothered clearing up the likely misunderstanding that was developing in Hanzo’s overactive mind. 

The name spread to the other employees within the Shimada’s employ. Without knowing the meaning behind it or the origin, they all parroted it, taking small pleasure in the seemingly cute nickname. Genji encouraged it, referring to himself as ‘Sparrow’ in place of his own name. 

It’s another thorn in his stern father’s side. 

Genji didn’t expect his father to put up with having his own jest thrown back in his face. He was always every bit proud of being ‘descendants of dragons’ as his brother was. 

So it came as no surprise when the daily morning routine shifted. 

「I was just in Kyoto. Did you know what I found in the stands there?」

There was only one real reason why his father would mention Kyoto if it’s not work-related.Genji shrugged, feigning ignorance. 

「Was it some cute maikos? You know, if you give them my name at the Gion Hatanaka ryokan--」

Sojiro ignored his son’s nonsense and produced a small take-out container with--he guessed it--a gnarly display of two perfectly grilled sparrows. Kyoto was the last prefecture to still sell skewered sparrows on sticks, after all. 

But the message is clear: Keep it up and you too will end up like that.

How unsubtle. 

Genji just took one and bit into it, the crunch reverberating in the room and he stared his father down. He’d love to see his father try. 

Luckily he didn't have to. 

Their father, Shimada Sojiro, died in his sleep not too long after--a more graceful death than anyone who acts like him deserves. 

(Flipping off his father's gravestone as he escaped the castle is almost a habit.)

As everyone expected, his brother was designated the new leader of the Shimada clan. 

Genji took to his namesake more than ever--disappearing and making a home out in town more often than he stopped by the castle. There was nothing tying him down. He could be free and live his life however he wanted and actually be a part of the present, a part of the world, not tied down by decrepit ‘traditions’ or the stories his father so desperately clung to even in his final moments. 

His brother did not take kindly to Genji’s absence, claiming the household is in shambles because of Genji’s flightiness. Apparently there were still some idiots left who clung onto the hope that Genji might still possibly lead the clan. A stupid thought that offends Genji as much as Hanzo. 

Each time Hanzo would grab Genji and bring him home, Genji would say, 「Don’t you know it’s illegal to keep wild animals like sparrows as pets? 」before slipping out again. Escaping was almost second nature to Genji by this point. Everything he’s learned in his training for assassination was being honed just so that Genji could finally leave. 

The final time before Hanzo’s attempt on Genji’s life, they sat down (well, Genji wasn’t there by choice) to talk. Hanzo was clearly fed up with the disrespect and overloaded with the responsibility and mocking whispers of his incompetence (“What sort of leader can be trusted to control a clan when he cannot even control one person?” “Maybe Hanzo is the wrong choice, maybe the position should go to someone else.” “Why does the leader let his brother debauch the Shimada name? Is he looking for the family to fall?”)

「When will you stop being a child? You have all that you could want here--power, respect, wealth--why leave? If you took your position seriously, we could rule all of Japan, we could have an empire.」

Hanzo was tired, Genji could see it in the way his tensed shoulders slumped, could hear it in his voice. He didn’t look like the proud dragon he’s always boasted himself to be. He looked like the shadow of their father. But only that--just a shadow. 

A dragon stays within its castle walls. Mighty as it is, it will only ever know its palace and the bottom of the sea. A sparrow, though small and insignificant, can make a home anywhere and fly anywhere, free of obligation. Though the name was supposed to make fun of Genji, he thinks it’s probably the best thing his father has ever said about him. 

「I don’t want any of that. I want to be a sparrow.」Hanzo snarled, a hateful look crossing his face.「And a sparrow does not belong in a crumbling castle.」

「This Shimada castle, crumbling? Foolish.」

「Which of us is really the foolish one, brother?」

It was one of the last things he said to his brother before the night Hanzo decided to end everything. In a way, Genji almost became a dragon again--consumed by hate and revenge, he was trapped in a crumbling castle known as his mind. 

But now, things are different. He is different.

Genji takes a thoughtful sip of his cider and waves the bottle at the scenery before them. 

“My father, Sojiro, called me that as an insult.” He meets McCree’s sudden incredulous look with a cheeky grin. “I’ve grown to like it.”

[mavrisfanfics]

[Request] Genji x Reader - T-That’s a Dragon!

Fandom: Overwatch

Pairing: Genji x Reader

Words:3193 (went a little overboard here)

Warnings: None, I think

Notes: I don’t know I long I have this in my inbox because, again college is a bitch. Writing has been the last thing in my mind, honestly...

I everything goes well I’ll finish it in september... Plz pray for me, I need it...

---___---___---___---___---___---

A sigh left you as your fingers ran through dark tresses of hair. By the time the sobs started to calm, Genji entered the room, giving you a shrug, before calling for the young boy curled up at your side. Wet, brown eyes revealed themselves.

“No Monster…” Genji said as he walked to the bed.

“But I saw it!! I saw the monster!!” The young boy turned fully to his father, fear turning to disbelief. You pulled the child back to you and kissed his head.

“You know how daddy is, he’s too humble to admit he fought the monster away.” You winked at Genji, making the man chuckle.

“You caught me. I fought the monster, he won’t be back” He confirmed with raised hands. The boy straightened up.

“Really? Promise, papa?” Genji nodded.

“Want me and mommy to show you?”

With some reluctance the boy left the bed, ready to follow his father. Behind his back, you rolled your eyes at Genji before following suit. Did he have to drag you out of bed too?

After showing your son that his room was safe, you and Genji returned to bed, your son already in his, halfway to dreamland. The happy and safe façade you both held shattered the moment your head hit the pillows.

“This is getting pathetic…” You muttered with an arm over your eyes.

“He’s just a kid, it’s normal.” Genji replied, holding you closer to him and digging his face in your back.

“Genji, he’s been waking us up in the middle of the night, every night, for the past three weeks! What of that is normal?!” He sighed in defeat. You turned to him, worry reflected in your eyes.

“Should…Should… we take him to a therapist or something?” You asked. Genji thought for a while before replying.

“No, not yet. We should try to help him out first, don’t you think?” You frowned, doubts filling your head. Before you could voice them, Genji chuckled “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it, angel, just go to sleep.”

He kissed your lips as he pulled you even closer into his embrace.

---___---___---___---___---

Morning light painted the kitchen with gold. Genji was happily chatting away with your son, while you lazily sipped a cup of liquid energy. You were honestly too tired to join in the beaming energy they shared, thanks to another night filled with worry related insomnia, but you still indulged in admiring their smiling faces.

“So, did the monster bother you again, (s/n)?” Genji eventually asked, shifting the conversation. You perked up just a little bit.

“No, but they’ll come again tonight, won’t they, papa?” Your son’s smile gave place to a frown, twisting your heart into a knot. Genji only chuckled.

“No, I’ll catch it! But first, you need to tell me what it looks like, so I can find it!” Your eyes widened. You looked at Genji, who gave you a reassuring nod. Your son bit his finger and looked sideways.

“It’s big and yellow…” He started, pausing a second afterwards. “ It has big yellow eyes and small horns!” He put his fingers to the head, mimicking the mentioned feature, before putting them to his mouth like fangs. “It has teeth this big! And very pointy! It also flies…” He drifts off for a second, thinking. “Oh! And it has a scary growl!”

You were inwardly disappointed at the vague description. Genji tried to not let that same disappointment show, but you could read him well enough to feel.

“Hm, I don’t know, that looks hard to find!” Genji exclaimed dramatically. “You’re sure there is nothing else?”

As both father and son tried to come up with a better description of the nightmarish visions your son had, your brain started to wake up. Tired of not getting anywhere, you got up to start doing chores. It so happened your eyes fell on the notepad stuck to the fridge, giving you an idea.

“(S/n)?” You called, offering said notepad and a pen to your son. “Why don’t you draw the monster? It should be easier for papa to find it!”

He took the materials and started to draw. You came up behind Genji and bent down to hug his neck, head resting over your arms, right next to his.

“Great idea” You heard him whisper. “How come I didn’t think of that?”

“Because you’re tired and I’m the smart one.” You chuckled. Genji leaned into you, as your child kept scribbling on the paper, face scrunched in concentration.

Eventually, he finally turned the paper to you, proud of his depiction of the evil entity.

“This is the monster!”

You released Genji to lean for a closer look. It was… a spiky snake? You had no idea what to say.

“Genji, will this work?” You looked at your husband and had to contain yourself to not make a double take. He looked livid, eyes wide and mouth agape in either wonder or horror, you honestly didn’t know. He blinked quickly and his face returned to normal, before his child could see it. Genji smiled at him and ripped off the page.

“Of course, I’ll definitely catch it now! Why don’t you go play for a while, (s\n)? I promise, I will find the monster.” Genji helped him out of his chair, smile still on his lips. But as soon as your child ran out of sight, he sat back down and collapsed over the table, his head hitting it too hard for you liking. You carefully approached him, rubbing his back slowly.

“Genji?... What is it? Is something wrong?” You were legitimately worried from his reaction alone. He mumbled something you didn’t understand, not because he was mumbling into the table, but because your Japanese was too rusty to understand the meaning.

“I… didn’t get that…” You admitted. Genji leaned back on the chair, looking upwards at you.

“It’s…It’s a dragon… A spirit dragon…”

You looked back at the paper still in his hands. A dragon? Your head tilted, trying from see a different angle.

“Oh…”

The two remained silent. You had completely forgot what the Shimada blood carried, and you had no idea if Genji wanted to see it in your child, from his reaction alone.

You sat down next to him and pulled Genji to you, hugging his waist. Although you were afraid of Genji’s reaction to this all, you figured beating around the bush wouldn’t help.

“So… How do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know!” He admitted. “Part of me is proud, but I wanted to keep him away from the clan and everything, give him a normal life, but…”

You could sense Genji’s insecurities bubble up to the surface. It was the same wave of nervousness from when you were pregnant. Will I be a good father? Won’t the child think of me as a monster? What about the dragons? The clan? Will they hate me and their “legacy”? These were doubts no meditation could silence.

And you couldn’t help him if you couldn’t control your own.

“Genji Shimada, listen to me.” You started. You took a deep breath, before looking him in the eye. “We’re not sure it a dragon. It could just be a strange nightmare and there is no Shimada blood involved.” Genji tried to cut you off, but you put your finger over his lips to silence him. “Kids have strange imagination, and this could just be a spiky snake monster, okay?”

“That’s literally what a dragon is.” He commented, but you brushed it off.

“Yeah, I won’t believe it until I see a yellow spirit dragon floating around the house. Besides, if he’s afraid of it, how can he summon it?”

“Unconsciously, of course…” Genji replied. You shook your head

“Again, I won’t believe it until I see a yellow dragon floating around the house.”

“What do we do then? If it’s unconscious, I can’t ask him to do it…” You thought for a second.

“Well, he usually sees the ‘monster’ at night, right!? What if he sleeps with us tonight? When he wakes up screaming, we’ll see. If there’s nothing, it’s a nightmare, if there’s a dragon… we’ll figure it out!”

Genji pulled you to him and laid his forehead against yours. He closed his eyes in thought, while you awaited his answer.

“I think… Yeah, we can do that.” You rubbed your nose to his, in a small attempt to cheer him up. It worked, a soft smile bloomed in his lips, before he pulled you in for a kiss.

“We’ll deal with this together, okay?” You assured. “Now how about you go to Zenyatta and meditate a bit? You need to clear your head.”

---___---___---___---___---___---

As the sky turned darker, Genji became more on edge. You told your son that he’d be sleeping with you because Genji couldn’t find “the monster” that day. After some minutes of panicked cries, you eventually calmed down the young boy and convinced him to get ready for bed.

You too felt tense as bedtime approached, afraid of the night to come.

The three of you finally dived under the covers, with both you and Genji spooning the child between you and a free hand intertwined next to the boy’s head.

As the clock advanced, you watched your son fall asleep, his breath slowing into a peaceful pattern. But you could not follow, and looking at your husband, you could see his eyes shine in the dark. He was as awake as you, but neither dared to speak. You simply used your intertwined hands to communicate with reassuring squeezes.

Occasionally, you found yourself jolting awake when your son moved, and you noticed Genji react the same. By sun rise, your son didn’t wake up once, and both you and Genji where more tired than when you went to bed.

“Okay, so that didn’t work…” You uselessly pointed out over the remains of your breakfast. Genji’s state mirrored your own: droopy eyes and leaned over the table with his arm holding his chin. In the living room, you could hear the morning cartoons, entertaining your son, who appeared to have absorbed all the household energy that night.

“…I am still not convinced…” Genji muttered, spinning his mug with the hand that wasn’t holding his head.

“Wanna keep trying?” You questioned with a soft voice. Silence fell over you, as Genji mulled over his possibilities. It took a good while, but eventually he nodded.

And so, night returned. Bedtime came once more and the three went to sleep together again. Another uneventful night, only this time both you and Genji got some proper sleep. Even so, Genji was not convinced, so this kept going for a week until you had to step forward.

“Maybe it really is just a nightmare.” You pointed out after the 8th uneventful night in a row. “He probably feels safer when he’s with us and that’s why he doesn’t wake up.”

After a bit more convincing, Genji finally gave up and that night the young boy slept on his own bed, after both you and Genji swore the monster was gone. Even then, Genji remained awake most of the night, ready to jump out of bed if your son woke up again. It felt weird sleeping next to someone so tense, but you kept quiet and tried to get some sleep for yourself.

Nothing happened that night. Neither did it the next one, or the other one after.

Just like that, the nightmares stopped, and both you and Genji finally allowed yourselves a sigh of relief.

But one day, heavy dark clouds turned the day into night and rain fell. Thunder followed soon after, loud enough to shake the house. Your son immediately sought refuge, bursting into the kitchen where you were working on your laptop.

“You don’t really like thunder, do you?” You asked with a chuckle, combing your hands through the dark strands of the boy hugging you. He shook his head, face hidden on your side.

Figuring you needed a break, you closed your laptop and guided your child to the living room. You settled on the couch, son nestled on your side and a blanket over both. You tried to distract him with a movie and light chatter, and it worked, to an extent. He kept jumping and cuddling you harder whenever a flash of white would flood the room but would soon relax afterwards.

“What is this? Movie afternoon without me?” You heard Genji accuse as a light joke. You turned around to give him a loving smile.

“Didn’t want to interrupt your meditation session!” He jumped over the back of the couch and landed on the free spot in a perfect sitting position. The couch bounced, pulling a giggle from the young boy. You lightly rolled your eyes at the small show off.

The movie/ cuddle session resumed, now with Genji in the mix. After a while, another lightning filled the air with white, right before the house was plunged into darkness. You froze at the sudden blackout, but quickly relaxed when Genji’s cybernetics, the few he used around the house, filled the living room with a faint green glow. You son let go of you to glue himself to Genji, who muttered a curse in Japanese when he noticed the neighboring houses had gone dark too.

With a sigh of resignation, you got up from the couch.

“I’ll get something to light this up.”

“Perhaps I should go-“ Genji’s sentence got cut short by another lightning. He looked down at the boy bundled next to him, who curled tighter. “Actually, nevermind…”

You chuckled in response and pecked his lips before heading off to scavenge for any source of light. You had no idea how long you spent going through the house, but you knew you took longer than accepted when Genji walked into your bedroom, where you were digging for batteries in some drawer.

“Need some help?” He asked, noticing your lack of light.

“Yeah… The flashlight is out of batteries…” Genji stood beside you, allowing his cybernetics to illuminate the drawer. “What about (S/n)? You left him alone?” You asked.

“It took a while to convince him to release me, but yes. He’ll be fine.”

As if to disagree with him, another lightning ripped the skies open. A clash of thunder vibrated through the walls and you heard a scream, putting both you and Genji on alert. Struggling to put the batteries in the flashlight, you ran to the bedroom door

“It’s okay baby, you’re safe! We’re coming, just wait a second!” you yelled.

You had just snapped shut the flashlight when you heard another scream, more shrill and terrifying than the last one, and with no lightning or thunder that could have triggered it. You felt it run down your spine, mother instincts kicking in full force.

Both you and Genji ran out the room immediately. Genji quickly surpassed you and jumped the stairs entirely, ninja skills at full display. You were still at the top of the stairs when you saw Genji freeze in front of the living room door, and quickly deflate.

“No way…”

You were midway through the steps when your son ran out the room and barreled into Genji, quickly hiding behind him, bawling his eyes out, and only when you reached the bottom did you see it.

Floating in the middle of the living room was a yellowish- green dragon. Its body wasn’t well defined like Genji or Hanzo’s, more like a smoky shape. The head was clear, though its whiskers were like thin trails of smoke, instead of the defined lines you were used to. It struggled to move, its incomplete form making its movement slow and strange.

“T-that’s a dragon!...” You voiced your realization, at a loss.

Slowly, Genji kneeled down and turned to your son, voice calm and amused (or trying to, you noticed).

“(S/n)? There is nothing to fear. It’s a friend!”

“B-But it’s scary daddy! I’m scared!” Genji chuckled lightly and pulled his son closer with an arm around his shoulder. He moved the boy to his side.

“It’s scary so it can keep real monsters away, but it won’t hurt you, ever! Want to see?”

Before your son could protest, Genji stretched his free arm and a green light swirled down it before his own dragon took form, detailed and elegant unlike the other. Your son glued himself to Genji, eyes wary of the unknown creature, as it smoothly circled around them. The dragon brushed against Genji’s cheek in a sort of hello, before it floated over to you and curled itself around your neck like a scarf. You gladly accepted the cuddle.

“It’s okay, (S/n).” You approached them and kneeled as well. “There is no reason to be afraid!” You petted the dragon on your shoulder, and its purring stopped you son’s sobbing. The young boy kept his eyes on the dragon, curiosity taking over fear as he saw the ferocious beast turn into a noodle shaped cat at your ministrations. Genji then called his attention.

“Why don’t you call it?” He suggested, pointing at the yellow dragon.

Said dragon was now upside down and struggling to get itself upright, reminding you of a turtle, flailing with no success. Noticing the attention on it, the dragon stopped for a moment and stared at its master.

Still shaking, your son allowed Genji to lift his arm.

“Call it.” Your son shook his head and tried to step back, but you put your hands on his shoulders, reassuring him.

“Mommy and daddy are here for you. It won’t hurt you; we won’t let it.” You said. He looked at both his parents, received a nod from Genji, and puffed out his chest, ready to face the beast head on. Genji’s free hand reached out to you and you held it, fingers intertwined, shaking.

“H-Hey!”

The yellow dragon perked up, and slowly turned itself upright, still staring at its master. It then started to approach slowly, its shape getting slightly more defined as it got closer. When it was just a few inches away from the boy’s raised hand., it stopped. Genji squeezed your hand, waiting...

And finally, shaking, your son reached out, petting the yellow dragon’s head. Its eyes closed, content and purring, and nudged the small hand asking for more. Finally, your son giggled, fear of the dragon fully gone, and both you and Genji let out a sigh of relief. You leaned into him and lightly nuzzled his neck, the boy’s giggles making your hearts jump in happiness.

“…Do you think I can do it? Teach him?...” You hear Genji whisper. You turned his head to look at you and gave his brown eyes a look full of love and pride.

“I’m here, Genji. We made it so far, and we’ll keep doing fine, together.” As if confirming, Genji’s dragon huffed before vanishing back into its master. Genji smiled, pulled you close and you both watched your son and its new companion.

“Of course…Together, the five of us...”

[glassworkspiderlilies]

the heiress & her companion

Kyokou Suiri (In/Spectre) | Sakuragawa Kuro, Iwanaga Kotoko | AO3 Summary: rumors circulate, parties are attended, and the young iwanaga heiress makes her position known.    Notes: vol 11 is gonna be available to ship tomorrow and i’m very excited about it!!!!!!!! ended up writing another celebratory fic, inspired by a shot of iwanaga in vol 10, where she’s being talked about and she just looks very cool. >:3 this fic has no real context and is pretty hastily written and hardly edited, so please pardon its roughness; just wanted to have fun with it and not agonize over it at all. [EDIT:] this fic has been posted to ao3, with some revisions & additions. :)

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“Hey, have you heard?”

“What, about the Iwanaga heiress?”

“Yeah, seems like she’s been carting around some man, lately—how shameless!”

“Well, she’s still young—I suppose even she isn’t immune to such behavior.”

“Hey, watch your mouth. You know what they say about her.”

“I do know—but it’s not like she can do anything about idle gossip. Such are the ways of the world, and she certainly isn’t immune to that, either.”

“She’s supposed to be here tonight, you know.”

“What? For what? She hardly ever attends these functions!”

“Yeah, her parents don’t allow it, right? After…well. After that incident, some years back.”

“It’s understandable…but that man she’s been toting around? Supposedly she’s been given more freedom to be traveling, with him around.”

“Ah—not a lover perhaps, but a helper?”

“Mmm…I am unsure. They say he’s rather good looking, if plain. But I suppose we will see tonight.”

“Speaking of—why is she attending, anyway?”

“Apparently she’s been receiving a lot of marriage proposals lately. She is of age, after all, and of course, the Iwanaga name…”

“But she’s coming without her parents?”

“The Iwanaga Heiress does things herself, so they say. Hardly one to leave things up to her parents. Ah…does that mean someone has upset her, then?”

“Uh-oh…perhaps this was a bad night to attend, then.”

“There is still time to leave.”

“Yes, I think—”

“Entering! Miss Iwanaga Kotoko, and her companion, Sakuragawa Kuro!”

The doors open and the crowd goes silent—even the band stops playing, and the Iwanaga Heiress steps through the doors with a poise and grace that uncommon even amongst the social elite. Her cane makes a light tapping noise against the floor as she walks, and the young man by her side sticks close, his expression impassive. Hers is too, though the Heiress tends to be generally inscrutable to begin with.

All eyes are on her. It’s not an enormous gathering, especially by society standards, but she seems not at all bothered by the intensity of the attention. Though the young man’s expression remains neutral, he sweeps his eyes around the room, betraying slight nervousness or insecurity. He’s as good-looking yet plain as the rumors say, fairly nondescript in his black suit and purple tie, and he stands close but still at a respectable distance from the lady—a conscious arrangement, and a conscious message.

Some have seen her from afar and some have not seen her at all in years since she made the papers; she still has a childishness about her, visually, and her manner of dress reinforces that. She still prefers softer colors and frills; however, today she is in a deep purple dress with black detailing, and the severity of the colors makes her look more mature despite the Victorian design—and intimidating, due to the contrast. Her hair has grown longer, trailing just past her shoulders, and she still looks every inch of a doll. It’s almost a surprise as she curtseys and speaks, breaking the illusion.

“Please, don’t stop on my account,” she says, her voice lower than one would expect, but still young and girlish. It’s a polite and innocent enough statement; bashful, even, coming from a young girl like her. But because it’s from her, Iwanaga Kotoko, it is a pleasantly disguised command for everyone to turn their attention elsewhere, now.

The guests blink and shake themselves out of the brief stupor; the band slowly begins to start up the music again.

The Heiress seems to laugh a little, and turns to say something to Sakuragawa, who leans down to hear her better. He sighs at whatever she says, seeming a little exasperated yet resigned.      

The host of the party comes over to greet her, and she bobs her head in casual greeting while Sakuragawa executes a deeper, more respectful bow.

“Kotoko-san!” the host exclaims, “Goodness, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen you, hasn’t it? I’m glad you were able to make it tonight! I was thinking that you might not show.”

“Shimada-san. Yes, it has been some time.” She stares at him, a slight smile curving her lips. “And goodness. Why should you think I would not show, when you went to such lengths to convince my parents in order to ensure I would? That would be exceptionally poor behavior on my part had I not come.”

Shimada’s smile grows a bit stiff, but it was he who started the battle. The Heiress looks at him, perfectly innocent, and those who are perceptive enough confirm their suspicions—yes, the Heiress is not exactly pleased with the turn of events; she does not want to be here.

“To the point as ever, Kotoko-san,” he concedes, and she tilts her head a little with a wry expression. He’s not a bad man, if, perhaps, a little prideful. “Though to be fair, your parents did not protest as much as I thought they might. So I assume they, too, wished for some things to be laid to rest tonight.”

The Heiress shrugs.

“I forget, sometimes, how boorish society can be,” she says. She doesn’t even cast her eyes around the room, but several of the guests avert their gazes; though it seems that they are all invested in their own business, they are very much interested in the Iwanaga’s Heiress’ and her companion. “So I allowed them to convince me that I should, in fact, attend. I must say, however, that this was quite the inconvenience. We will not be staying long.”

Shimada bows.

“I have no complaints. I am honored enough that you are here, now.”

Iwanaga chuckles.

“There is no need for such flattery, we both know. Anyway, may I formally introduce my companion, Sakuragawa Kuro-san?”

“A pleasure,” Shimada says, holding out his hand. “I’ve heard much about you.”

Sakuragawa’s smile is equally as opaque as the lady’s as he shakes Shimada’s hand, as if he knows exactly what the man has heard.

“There is hardly much to know about me,” Sakuragawa says, his bashfulness more genuine. “But I suppose when one is carted around by Iwanaga, there is always more to tell.”

A few guests startle at two things: his casual address of the Heiress even though he uses her surname, and his choice of wording afterwards. Those who were gossiping earlier think to themselves that perhaps it really is true, that the Heiress really does have eyes and ears everywhere.

“Perhaps,” Shimada responds, noncommittally. In truth, he is less interested in the companion than the Heiress herself. He turns his head back to Iwanaga. “Since you are here, may I introduce you to my son?”

He waves a young man over, who sets his flute of champagne aside and comes to stand by his father. He’s a handsome man, evidently groomed to a perfect degree. The Sakuragawa boy looks downright shabby next to him, and Shimada’s son looks at him calculatingly, but Sakuragawa simply nods his head politely and does not engage in the silent competition. Shimada’s son blinks; Sakuragawa’s actions could be taken as confidence, but it is more apparent that it is simply absolute disinterest.

“Since you have already done so, hello.” Iwanaga says, nodding her head. She holds out his hand to him.

“Kou Shimada,” he introduces, and kisses the back of her hand. “It is a great honor to finally meet you, Iwanaga-san.”

“Like father, like son,” she chirps, and Shimada coughs.

“If possible, may I trouble you for a dance?” Kou continues, with a slight bow, proffering his own hand.

“Ahh…” Iwanaga says, staring at his hand. She looks up to Sakuragawa, who shrugs, and for a moment it looks like she pouts at him. “I suppose you did just walk over. My apologies, I must refuse; we will not be staying long enough for me to indulge in such a thing. We have a prior engagement that is imperative to be kept.”

“Ah…” Kou blinks in surprise, retracting his hand, but unoffended by her refusal. It’s curiosity that colors his expression as he glances over at Sakuragawa again, and then to his father. Parties such as these are usually the event that takes priority over anything else, but not, it seems, for the Iwanaga Heiress.

“I confess, you said short, but I underestimated how short,” Shimada says, surprised himself. “May I ask what engagement is so pressing, that you cannot even spare a dance?”

Iwanaga chuckles.

“Of course you may ask, but it is none of your business to know. I imagine you’ll hear about it down the line anyway, you always seem to. I only came here today to announce that I, nor my family, will be accepting any further marriage proposals or requests for prospective meetings. They’re a nuisance, you see, and the propriety involved in rejecting them is taking up too much precious time.”

Some slight murmuring breaks out, but the words have been said very intentionally.

Shimada chuckles, and inclines his head.

“Well, one certainly can’t get clearer than that,” he says, his expression wry. “The rumors are true, then?”

Iwanaga smiles, and Sakuragawa sighs.

“Some of them, perhaps. In any case, I have a man that I’m not letting go of.”

Shimada looks at Sakuragawa, who turns his head, as if by not making eye contact he can avoid assumptions. The older man looks at the companion up and down, trying to see any distinguishing features that he might outshine Shimada’s own son in.

“Your preferences are strange, Kotoko-san,” Shimada says with a shrug, and Iwanaga laughs again.

“Not at all. What I like are men who can understand me. That pool is very small, to begin with. And besides, Kuro has a unique constitution that is suitable to my tastes.”

“Iwanaga,” Sakuragawa hisses, at this, gripping the top of her head in a claw hold, “What did I say about this? Stop saying such salacious and misleading things.”

“Hey! Do not do that in public, thank you,” she snipes back, dislodging her head and smoothing down her hair. “Forgive his manners,” she continues, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Some guests are better than others at hiding their shock, at the behavior of both the Heiress and her companion.

“And please forgive hers,” Sakuragawa adds on, with a significant look at the Heiress. “In any case—Iwanaga. It’s time.”

“So it is. Shimada-san, Kou-san. We shall take our leave here.”

The two bow, and begin to walk away.

“Sakuragawa-san!”

The two turn, surprised at the address. Shimada blinks at his son, surprised that he’d called out.

“In your opinion…what kind of man is best for Iwanaga-san?” Kou asks, his face serious.

Sakuragawa blinks, but Kou stands firm in his question. He is—intrigued, somehow, by the indifference that Sakuragawa seems to exude while maintaining familiarity he has with the Heiress.

Sakuragawa looks up at the ceiling briefly, thinking, before returning his gaze to Kou and smiling.

“Let’s see…a monster, perhaps?” he says, with an odd sort of cheerfulness.

The Heiress chuckles, but the kind of laugh that suggests a private joke is being shared. But there’s something also—ominous, about the way she laughs, and her eyes when she notices him staring send a chill down his spine.

“Have a good evening,” she says, with finality, and the two leave without further interruptions.  

“Well,” Shimada says to his son, after a moment, “That could have gone worse, I suppose.”

“It was…certainly interesting,” Kou says, his eyes still lingering at the door. “I suppose that’s the last of the Iwanaga Heiress we’ll see in person for a while, then.”

“As much as I tried to set you two up,” his father begins, taking a glass of wine from one of the passing waiters, “Perhaps that’s a good thing.”

Kou hums in response, and his father walks away to talk to some other guests, while Kou is swarmed by a different group who want to talk about what had just transpired. The companion, treating the Heiress like that, the audacity! And yet—the Heiress’ own reaction, exceedingly human. Kou listens, mostly, and thinks back to the Heiress’ and Sakuragawa’s expressions before they had left.

A monster, huh? He wonders, and shudders at the implication, and what that leaves unsaid about the both of them.

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“So,” Kuro says, as they walk outside and get into the car that is waiting for them, “Was that really necessary?”

He nods to the driver once Iwanaga has settled in comfortably, and they set off towards the train station.

“Well, I suppose there are other ways that it could have been done, but this was the second most effective way. Shimada-san is very influential, and so are his parties; with this, the news will spread without having to do anything extra.”

“Then what was the first most effective?”

“Announcing an engagement between us, of course.”

“Ah…forget I asked.”

“Kuro!! We’ve been dating for three years now, isn’t about time for our relationship to advance?!”

“You call me by my first name now without any honorifics, isn’t that advancement enough?”

“It isn’t that different, is it?! And you still call me Iwanaga!”

“Wasn’t that your own request, because you didn’t like Kotoko?”

“I’ve changed my mind! Do it now!”

“Okay, Kotoko.”

“Ahh—! As expected, it’s unpleasant! Fine, you may still address me as Iwanaga.”

“Good. It is hard to say, after all.”

“Kuro—!”

“Ahahaha!”

“How many times do I have to say, don’t just laugh about these things!”

He continues to laugh, of course, as Iwanaga pouts.

“In any case, this should stop the troublesome proposals for a while. The less I have to participate in these high-society politics, the better.”

“Please take your parents into consideration, as well. You can’t simply escape being the Iwanaga heir.”

“Oh, they’ll be fine, and I’m not escaping anything. They understand my situation very well—at least, as much as is within their capability. I’m handling what I need to in both worlds—I am a bridge, after all. And besides, I have you now. And, my parents like you too.”

“I think they’re just relieved that there’s someone who can actually look out for you…”

“Eh…it all amounts to the same thing, doesn’t it? What I’m saying is…they approve of you. So…”

“That’s nice—I like them too, they’re good people.”

“Then…!”

“I feel bad that their only daughter and heir is someone like you…”

“KURO!”

He laughs brightly again as she pounds his arm.

“Oh, forget it,” Iwanaga grumbles, as she looks out the window. Kuro smothers a smile; despite it all, she recovers easily. “Anyway, our next case might take a while. Are you prepared?”

“Does it matter, if I am or not?”

“Please take this seriously. You place such little value on your life, for understandable reasons, but still.”

Kuro closes his eyes and lets out a soft, short laugh.

“I am taking this seriously.” He looks at her, and she blinks at the seriousness of his expression. “Iwanaga. You have your job. I have mine.”

She stares back, tilting her head in question after a few moments.

He sighs, deeply. Even now she fails to understand her own mortality, and the danger she puts herself in without thinking twice when mediating for spectres.

“You just focus on what you need to do,” he says, as he looks out the window. “I’ll follow.”

There is a moment of silence before Iwanaga reaches out and hugs his arm. He looks at her and sighs, patting her head, and she squeezes his arm tighter.

“You should do more than just follow,” she murmurs into his arm, knowing that he won’t hear.

“I told you years ago I wouldn’t let you fence me in just yet,” he says.

“And I asked if you really thought you could still get away from me,” she retorts, letting go of his arm and leaning back in her seat. “You say all this, but it’s been three years. And you’re still here.”

“I know, I can’t believe it…is this some kind of additional curse…?”

“Hey!”

He laughs at her expression again, and they let the subject matter drop here, on a light note, like they always do.

Iwanaga switches gears and fills him in on the details of their next case and a rough outline of her plan, though it will probably change midway through with the new information that they’ll collect. Kuro stares as she goes into her focus-mode, twirling a section of her hair with her fingers as her eyes glaze over. Though he’ll never admit it to her out loud, it is a joy to watch her work. Iwanaga is as ruthless as she is fair, despite her innocent looks, and Kuro—well. He’s not exactly kind, either. He doesn’t mind being her halberd. And despite all of his teasing, Iwanaga is right—it’s been three years, and he hasn’t chosen to leave. He doesn’t think he knows how to, anymore.

He leans back in his seat as well, turning his gaze out the window. His lips quirk up into a slight smile. She wants him to walk beside her instead of follow, he knows, and not in the physical aspect. But that also means getting caught up in her pace, that’s something he has to be careful of. She needs someone to watch her back, if it is monsters, demons, and yokai that pull her forward.

So Kuro follows, and will continue to do so, as she lights the path up towards the future she so unwaveringly chooses, looking for him every step of the way.

[nitewrighter]

Storytelling for the writing prompt!

It wasn’t Genji that told Rei, but I’ve never written out the fic for it!

…How many times am I going to have Hanzo talk through the shit he did? As many times as it takes.

—-

Hanzo liked babysitting. ‘Babysitting’ didn’t feel like quite the right word, considering Rei was six now, but ‘looking after Rei’ felt like a mouthful. It was an overcast afternoon as he stood in Genji and Mercy’s apartment, glancing over the posters Rei had on the walls of her room.

Her room reminded Hanzo of Genji’s when they were younger. While Hanzo made a point to keep his room tidy and minimalist and to not disrupt the aesthetics of Shimada castle, Genji’s room was a hodgepodge of posters and magazines, a map of his own scattered attentions–and Sojiro allowed it all, of course. Genji wasn’t the oldest. Even though Hanzo had to set the example Genji never had to follow it. Rei’s room was similar, but there was a sore bit of nostalgia about it. She was the first born, the only born, and Genji and Mercy were making a point of letting her be a child. 

“Are you far away again?” Rei’s voice was underscored by the sound of scribbling crayon Hanzo looked over his shoulder at her as she sat her little desk, looking very focused on a piece of paper.

That’s what Jesse had told her. ‘He gets far away sometimes, it’s not you, sunshine. He’ll come back, don’t worry.’

“I’m right here,” he said, leaning over her slightly and smiling, “What are we coloring today?”

“Me!” said Rei, holding up the drawing, “It’s me when I grow up!”

Hanzo chuckled and took the paper, “So are you a Sentai warrior in this future or–” he cut himself off and his stomach dropped as he looked at the drawing. She had given herself wings like Mercy’s valkyrie suit, which was to be expected, since she was always asking for her own pair, but she had also colored in her body as gray and white and jointed like Genji’s own extensive cybernetics. The part that really made Hanzo’s stomach turn was how she had drawn her own face–it was the simple, blankly smiling face of any child’s drawing but she had practically latticed it with pink and brown scars. Hanzo paled.

“…is it a bad drawing?” said Rei, reading his expression, her brow crinkling.

“No–” Hanzo said on reflex, quickly handing the drawing back to her, “It’s–it’s a good drawing but–but you’re not going to look like that.” The last words fell out of him like a flinch. Rei looked at the drawing confusedly, then back at him.

“Why not?” asked Rei, “Everyone says I look like Dad so…I’ll look like him when I’m bigger, right?”

“No. I mean–yes, but you aren’t suddenly going to get scars and metal limbs,” said Hanzo, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Rei still looked confused.

“Just–give me a moment,” said Hanzo, stepping out of the room. He briskly walked into the living room and saw Genji’s old photo of the two of them back in their younger days in Hanamura sitting on the end table. He picked it up and walked back into Rei’s room, holding the photo to her, “You’ll look more like this,” he said, pointing to Genji.

“I get green hair?!” Rei’s face lit up.

Hanzo chuckled a little, “Only if you want it.”

“So… that’s dad?” said Rei, tracing her hand over Genji’s formerly organic arm in the photo. There was a flicker of recognition 

“Yes,” said Hanzo.

“And that’s you?” said Rei, pointing to Hanzo in the photo.

“Yes, yes it is,” said Hanzo.

“You’re pretty! You should grow your hair long again!” said Rei.

Hanzo smiled and huffed a little, “I like my hair the way it is,” he said, ruffling her hair.

Rei tilted the photo, “I’ve seen this mountain before,” she said, pointing in the background, “When we visit Ojisan and Obasan’s grave.”

“Yes, Hanamura,” said Hanzo, “The ancestral seat of the Shimada clan.”

“Is this at your house?” said Rei, studying the background of the photo.

“Yes,” said Hanzo.

“But it’s so big!” said Rei.

“Technically, it was a castle,” said Hanzo.

“YOU LIVED IN A CASTLE!?” said Rei, gawking.

“Well… yes, but we live here now. And that’s fine,” said Hanzo.

Rei furrowed her brow and turned her attention back to the photo. “So Dad looked like this…” said Rei, “Why doesn’t he look like this any more?”

Hanzo inhaled a bit before starting the usual answer to those questions. “Once, long ago, there were two dragons—”

“I’m not asking about dragons, I’m asking about Dad,” said Rei, looking a bit insulted, “Dad always tells that story too–” 

“Well you’re a bit too young for the full version–”

“–Or he says he’ll tell me when I’m older, but everyone’s always saying that!”

“Well—”

“And I’m getting older but it’s never old enough!” Rei went on.

“Waiting can be a lot harder when you’re younger–” Hanzo started.

“But every time there’s something important happening, someone’s always saying I’m too young to know what’s happening and not to worry about it but I don’t know and I do worry and I hate it! I hate it, Uncle!” Rei was pink in the face at this point.

“Rei–” Hanzo moved to put a hand on her shoulder but she dodged away from under it and seized her Midori Rider action figure.

“Midori Rider says heroes always tell the truth!” said Rei, holding up the action figure.

“Life is a lot more complicated than it is in your Sentai shows, Rei,” said Hanzo, rubbing his forehead.

“So tell me! Tell me why it’s complicated!” said Rei, squeezing her action figure close like a protective talisman, “Why does Dad look like that!? Why don’t we live in the big castle in the photo anymore?! Why–” her voice cracked a little, “Why do you get far away?”

Hanzo studied Rei’s face for a few moments. He, Genji, and Angela knew a day would come when they would have to tell the whole story to Rei, but they had agreed they would do it as a group and explain it to her as gently as possible. 

“We should wait until your parents come home–” Hanzo started but Rei shook her head.

 “I want to know now,” she said stiffly, “Everyone keeps telling me to wait and I can’t wait anymore.”

“You’re not going to like this story, Rei,” the words came out of Hanzo with a hollowness to them.

“Tell me,” said Rei, fiercely.

Hanzo drew in a steady breath and knew he would have to apologize to Angela later.

“Do you know what ‘giri’ is?” said Hanzo.

“That’s a question, not a story,” said Rei.

“It leads into the story,” said Hanzo, “Do you know what it is?”

Rei shook her head.

“Well… its closest English translation is ‘Duty’ or ‘Obligation,’” said Hanzo, “It refers to a strong feeling of responsibility we feel towards the groups we belong to. Putting the needs of that group over our wants as individuals.”

“Like a family,” said Rei.

“In a sense, yes,” said Hanzo, “When I was a child, it was made very clear to me that my giri, my duty, was to the Shimada clan.”

“Your family–” said Rei.

“Not just a family,” said Hanzo, “It was… an organization. An empire spanning generations. Everyone within the clan was raised to put the wellbeing of the Shimada clan first. But… Rei, they were assassins and weapons dealers. And they would also puppet other smaller criminal organizations peddling drugs and… threatening people.”

“Why?” said Rei.

“Power,” said Hanzo, glancing off, “Money. Giri.”

Something shifted in Rei’s face. “But–that’s bad,” she said.

“Yes,” said Hanzo, “Yes it is.”

“Talon does that stuff,” said Rei, “The bad guys do that stuff.”

“Yes, they do,” said Hanzo, “The Shimada clan were not ‘good guys’ Rei. But they were Genji’s and my family, they raised us in enormous wealth and privilege, and we had a duty to them. As the oldest of the two sons of the main branch, I was going to be head of the Shimada Clan when your grandpa Sojiro passed away.”

“And what about Dad?” said Rei.

“He was going to be my right hand,” said Hanzo, “Only… he never.. really applied himself to the clan like I had. Our father… favored him. Allowed him to shirk his responsibilities, so when the time came for him to step up, he didn’t. The clan found that… gravely insulting.”

Rei’s eyes widened, that dark gray piercing through him. “Did they hurt him?” 

Hanzo felt something wince deep in his core. He had spent so long with the Watchpoint suspecting and questioning his motives for being there when he first joined, that the fact that it didn’t immediately occur to Rei that he was the one who nearly killed Genji was a shock to him.

“They… did not have to. I was the head of the clan now. It was my duty. My giri. They ordered me to.” 

“But you didn’t,” said Rei, leaning forward, “You wouldn’t.”

“I did, Rei,” said Hanzo, “It’s very important that you understand that I did.” 

“No–” Rei’s chest was rapidly rising and falling.

“I nearly killed him,” said Hanzo.

“No you didn’t!” Rei fired back.

“I unleashed the full fury of the dragons on him and left him to bleed out,” said Hanzo.

“I don’t like this story! Tell me the real one!” Rei’s voice was breaking.

 “This is the real one, Rei. The reason he’s missing one arm and both is legs is because of me. His scars are from me.”

“Shut up!” Rei threw her Midori Rider action figure at him. 

He instinctively caught it, and the words, “Rei, we don’t throw things,” fell out of him, and she let out a snarling scream of frustration at him.

“I told you, you wouldn’t like this story,” said Hanzo, “But the story doesn’t end there.”

“Shut up!” Rei threw a pachimari plush at him this time and missed. “Shut up! Shut up! Go away!”

“Rei–” Hanzo started, but Rei was already throwing all of her weight against him, pushing him towards the door of her bedroom.

 “Go away! Go away! I hate this story! I hate you!”

“Rei, there’s still more to–” Hanzo started but he found himself just outside the doorway and it slammed shut behind him. He turned around and heard the click of the lock, then heard Rei’s weight thump against the door, slide down it and then heard muffled crying on the other side.

“Rei…” he said quietly.

There was just more crying on the other side.

“Idiot…” Hanzo muttered to himself pacing in the hallway outside the door, “You knew she was too young. You knew you should have waited for Angela and Genji–but no–You go and make your guilt her problem just like you do with every other person on this watchpoi–”

He cut himself off as the front door to the apartment opened and Jesse walked in, singing to himself while holding two bags of groceries. “Makin’ Fri-to Pie,” he sang quietly to the tune of 9 to 5, “‘cuz it’s our night babysittin’, makin fri-to pie ‘cuz–” He glanced up to see Hanzo hunched over the door to Rei’s room, read Hanzo’s expression, and his own expression dropped.

“Uh… everything okay?” said Jesse, still holding 

“I may have made a mistake,” said Hanzo.

Rei wailed on the other side of the door.

“How bad a mistake are we talkin’ here?” said McCree.

“I… may have… told her about Genji,” said Hanzo.

“’Embarrassing story’ told her about Genji or ‘We agreed we would tell this story with Angela and Genji when she was ready for it’ told her about Genji?” said McCree.

“…the latter,” said Hanzo.

“What?!” McCree dropped both grocery bags, noted the fact that Rei could probably hear them through the door, and dropped his voice to a hissing whisper, “We all said–”

“Yes, when she was ready,” said Hanzo, also keeping his voice low, “But she kept asking, and we can’t just–I couldn’t just keep her in the dark about this—only, now she won’t talk to me…”

“Han…” McCree dragged his hands down his face. He huffed.

“She needed to understand what the Shimada Clan was–we couldn’t just be a mysterious fairy tale family living off in a castle,” said Hanzo.

“I know, I know,” said McCree, rubbing at his forehead, “Just… give her space. I’m gonna talk to her.” he said walking up to the door.

Hanzo backed off back into the living room and McCree gave a gentle knock on the door.

“I don’t want to talk to you!” Rei shouted from the other side.

“It’s not Uncle Hanzo, it’s Uncle Jesse,” said McCree, “Can I come in?”

There was a pause, a click, and the door opened a crack. Jesse stepped into the room and Rei shut the door behind him. Both sat next to each other with their backs against the door, Rei hugging her knees and burying her face against her legs, her shoulders shuddering with sobs a little bit.

“Heavy stuff, huh sunshine?” said McCree, rubbing her shoulder a little bit.

“Why would he do that?! Why would he hurt Dad!?” said Rei.

“It was a Shimada thing,” said McCree, “He thought he had to do it, that it was the best thing for his family.”

“Dad is his family!” said Rei, furiously. 

“Yeah that’s the fucked up part, ain’t it?” said Jesse.

Rei suddenly sharply looked up and looked at McCree with wide tear-strained eyes.

“…Don’t tell your mom,” said McCree.

“You said the ‘fuck’ word,” said Rei.

“F-Word!” said McCree, “F-Word!” He sighed and slumped against the door more, “I know it’s a scary story. And I know it hurts a lot to hear it, but it does get better.”

“How?” said Rei, hugging her knees.

“Well… the story of how Hanzo hurt your dad is also the story of how your dad and your mom met,” said McCree, “She saved him that night. I saw the whole thing.”

“You did?” said Rei.

McCree nodded. “And I hated Hanzo for what he did, just like you do right now. And your Dad hated him too. And so did your mom. But no one, and I mean no one hated Hanzo for what he did more than Hanzo. It’s gotten better, but it still hurts him, to this very day.”

“Is… is that why he gets far away?” said Rei.

McCree sighed and took off his hat, “Yeah, kiddo, that’s why he gets far away. Deep down, he knew what he did was wrong, so he ran away from the Shimada clan…wandered around for ten years, lost in grief.” 

“…like the dragon in the story,” said Rei, looking down, “That’s why they tell it instead of telling me this.”

“Dragon story definitely is an easier pill to swallow,” said McCree, “The dragon in the story also didn’t have his own family trying to kill him for 10 years for abandoning his duty.”

“They were trying to kill him too?” said Rei.

“They’ve been trying to kill him,” said McCree, “They even sent an assassin for him on the day you were born. It’s one of the reasons why we’re so careful about security on the watchpoint.”

“The Shimada Clan’s really bad,” said Rei, looking down. She looked up at McCree, eyes wet, “Am I bad, too?”

“No, sunshine, you’re not bad!” said McCree, wiping underneath her nose with his thumb.

“But I’m a Shimada too! And they–they—” Rei pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead.

“Rei, I can say with complete confidence that you are the best thing that happened to the Shimada clan since the dragons,” said McCree.

“But what if I do something bad?” said Rei.

“Here’s the thing about being good or bad–Good isn’t a resting state. It’s not a thing you are, it’s a thing you do. It’s a choice you make. People make mistakes–and good people… good people know when they make mistakes and they work to make things better. A long time ago Uncle Hanzo made a very bad choice. He made the worst choice he could, but now he tries to make the right choice every day. He thought telling you all this was the right choice, even though you really weren’t ready for it all yet. ”

Rei glanced at the Midori Rider action figure on the floor and picked it up, “Heroes always tell the truth,” she said quietly.

“But sometimes shit’s complicated,” said McCree.

“You said the ‘shit’ word,” said Rei. 

McCree snorted and brought an arm around Rei. She leaned against him, her tears dampening his serape.

“You can take all the time you need, you know,” said McCree, “Hanzo’s always going to try and do right by you, because he loves you, and he loves your dad, and your mom, and me–But this stuff is hard to cope with. And he understands that. And I get it, too. He’s just going to keep trying to do the right thing, and he knows you will, too.”

Rei just nestled in a bit closer.

—

Hanzo was cooking in the kitchen for another 20 minutes before Rei and McCree emerged from room. Hanzo glanced down awkwardly at the cutting board, “I… just figured I should get started…” he said quietly, setting the knife aside. Rei shuffled into the kitchen and hugged his waist.

“I don’t hate you,” she said, muffled against his shirt.

“You can if you need to,” said Hanzo, stroking her hair.

“I don’t,” she said quietly.

“Okay,” said Hanzo, bending and kissing the top of her head as she broke away from him. Hanzo rinsed his hands and resumed cooking. There was a long period of silence where Hanzo was chopping vegetables, McCree was getting a beer out of the fridge, and Rei was quietly posing her Midori Rider action figure on the table.

“…this is going to be hell to explain to Genji and Angela, huh?” said McCree, opening the bottle.

“You said the ‘hell’ word,” said Rei.