Holla.
Hanzo immediately had a ring made.
The gold band was inspected carefully, held in between Hanzo's broad fingertips as the man sported a proud smile that combatted the radiance of the streaming sunlight in which he twisted and turned the ring in.
"So it's true then," came a familiar voice from behind Hanzo. "You and (Y/N) do have plans of getting married."
"It was a proposition from the emperor," Hanzo said, turning around and lowering the ring to meet his brother, who seemed to have casually sauntered inside the room with the quietness of a cat. "I'm still not certain of his motives, but I can't say I could think of a better overture."
Genji spotted the signs of a grin pushing his brother's cheeks up his mirth-filled amber eyes. The younger of the two found to his amusement that not once had the older Shimada offered commentary on how he had just dyed his dark hair a brighter shade of green than usual. There was no more doubt in the lad's mind that as overwhelmed as Hanzo was with the sudden and unexpected visit from the emperor, he was equally just as pleased and excited with the prospect of spending every waking moment he had with you. Hanzo even already had a ring made, so when the time comes when you'd finally return back to the estates to tell him you were ready, all he had to do was get down on one knee and ask you to make him the happiest man the world.
Genji just hoped his brother wouldn't stutter like a fool or maybe faint in the heat of the moment. Perhaps he could give Hanzo a few points in wooing you even further--just to really seal the deal.
"Do you still have any doubts about this?" he asked the clan leader. "I mean for as long as I've known you, your main interest was mainly running the clan. And this relationship you have with (Y/N), it's the first you've ever had that has anything to do with actual intimacy--heck, the first you've had with actual women. On that note, how did she react to the whole idea of you marrying her?"
"One, the doubts will always be there Genji, but they will never deter me or intimidate me from my conviction. I will marry her once she says she's ready and I know we can both make it work; to answer your second question, she was just as adamant as I was. She insisted that she'll come back once she has done all that she wanted to. I do say, even the elders were on board once I made the official announcement of the emperor's proposal. Everybody seems willing with the arrangement."
Genji's brows shot up in alarm, but Hanzo was quick to amend it.
"You don't have to worry. I made them swear to secrecy until further notice."
The younger Shimada's body loosened at the revelation and he let off a huge huff of relief. He then went over and placed a firm clap on the hard plane of Hanzo's back, and grinned with a semblance to the cheshire cat.
"I can't believe this!" he cried out after a moment's pause. "Who knew that those games we played as children would actually come out like this? It's like we predicted the future! (Y/N) really did turn out to be a princess, you're technically the knight in shining armor in her eyes, and now you two are gonna get married--just as how our stories would always end up." Genji shook his head in disbelief and gripped his chin in a thoughtful daze. "Maybe I'll become a robot next, you know, like when we pretended to save the galaxy from the forces of evil."
"I think you being a robot would be a little too far fetched, Genji," Hanzo said as a matter of factly, but there was a slight quirk on those lips that Genji was surprised to find. "But I'm willing to bet my money on you becoming Sailor Moon instead."
"Ha ha, and now you're the funny one," Genji sneered, a heavy blush coloring his cheeks upon recalling the unfortunate instance when Hanzo caught him singing along to a montage of every Sailor Moon opening theme in his room. "You know, you just wait, brother--I'm gonna get back at you by telling our little secret stories to your children; see how you like that."
"I'm not going to have children anytime soon," Hanzo said, eyebrows arching in challenge. "There's no rush, Genji." Then without warning, Hanzo stilled in despair, his throat closing up to the point that all he could manage were tiny wheezes from his mouth.
"Brother is something wrong?" Genji asked, cautiously removing his hand from his brother's back and trying to figure out where to put it instead. An image of hanzo dying just as suddenly as his father did before flickered across his mind like lightning and lingered there like a ghost, and in that moment Genji resolved to action and gripped his brother's shoulders to shake him out of his immobility.
"Hanzo, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice not betraying the growing panic that gnawed at him.
"Children..." he muttered helplessly, "I haven't discussed this with her. What if...what if the curse gets passed down to them? Will they go through as I have? I can't bring them into this world just to have them locked up in chains when they reach a certain age."
"Oh," was all that Genji uttered. It was all that would come out of his mouth. "I don't know what to say, brother. I wish I knew how to help."
"If mother were here I would have answers," Hanzo sighed dismally. "She was always so wise and caring and noble; she always knew what to do."
"I may not have any answers for you, brother, but let me help you: I at least know how to make you feel better."
"And how do you plan to do that?" Hanzo inquired skeptically.
At this Genji flashed out a wide grin-- not the ones that would have girls swooning over him, but one that reminded Hanzo of the child he used to play ball with, play pretend with in the gardens long ago.
After a long time, he finally saw his brother once again; really saw him.
Hanzo's heart immediately lightened at the gesture.
"Let's head down to Rikimaru's right now," the younger Shimada finally said. "We're gonna have ramen, and then we're gonna just sit down and talk. It'll be like old times: me, you, and ramen bowls amongst strangers who think we're one of them. Come on, or are you too good for that now, Master Shimada?"
"Really?"
"Think of it as a bachelor's party-- I mean how many more times can we do this once you're married? You'll be so busy and you're already busy enough as is. Come on, Hanzo--for old time's sake?"
The taunting should have triggered something in Hanzo, but instead he laughed and straightened himself out, returning Genji's earlier gesture and slapping his brother square in the back as the younger man nearly toppled forward with a yelp.
"Let's go then...for old time's sake."
***
The familiar smell of steaming broth wafting about the homey place eased Genji's nerves and he ceased his pitter-patter on the smooth table top and opted for meshing his fingers together instead. He did want to spend time with Hanzo like they used to back in the simpler days, but he also had another underlying motive for bringing him here, one driven by the virtues his father had taught him when he was still a young boy.
He was well aware that Hanzo did not have full confidence in him in anything-- not with the family business and not with him getting his life together. Genji figured he would just have to come clean now if he were to save even a shred of dignity in his brother's eyes; plus, it was better that hanzo find out this way instead of him finding it out from somebody else. Genji would have stood no chance in defending himself then.
So with a deep sigh and one last look at the mellow lighting overhead, he formed sentences in his head as he looked at Hanzo across him, who was sitting there expectant.
"I have to tell you something," he began with a slight bite of the lip.
"I can tell," replied Hanzo as he tried his hardest to read him.
"Um...ever since that fair in Hanamura, the one with Satoshi--" Genji would look up every now and then, "I've been in contact with Overwatch."
"What?!" Hanzo burst up from where he sat, threatening to knock the chair flat on its back."Genji what have you done!"
Of all the stupid, irresponsible-!
"Do you know the danger you put our clan in? How many lives you've put at stake? I would have thought you'd grow, Genji, but instead here you are--communicating with fucking Overwatch itself! I can't believe you'd be so foolish as to--"
"Unless you quiet down and let me explain my side, you're going to get our clan in even more trouble than I will with your rambling," Genji cut in with a glare, darting his eyes back and forth at the groups of people who have started whispering and murmuring in sharp, hushed tones that even the elderly who couldn't be bothered to mind the businesses of others have began to peel their old eyes away from their ramen bowls and see what the slight disturbance in the atmosphere was all about.
Shit, Hanzo gritted his teeth together to the point that it hurt. Feeling rather sheepish that he attracted so much attention towards the two of them, the clan leader ceased and grudgingly settled back down, shielding his face from the burning stares of the unsuspecting folk as he did so.
"You better have a good reason for this, Genji," Hanzo said with an accusing point of the finger. "Don't give me or the elders any more reason to further our accusations about you. Why are you in contact with the enemy?"
"Aniki, think about it," Genji urged with a tired roll of his eyes. "What they want from us is hard proof that we are wrapped up in illegal businesses and what-not. Don't you think that me being friends with them would lower their suspicions down a bit? I'm trying to get them off our backs, Hanzo."
"H-How did this even happen?" The clan leader was at loss for words. "This is the one instance father would actually have killed you for."
"I was at a bar one night and I did not know that there was going to be a secret exchange of drugs there." Genji scratched his head. "I... they recognized me and even planned to use me for ransom against father, but one of the dealers was actually a member of Blackwatch and after that everything was just a mess--people were fighting one another and they struggled to get me to safety.
"One of the Blackwatch members recognized me as a Shimada and began to interrogate me, asking if I was involved in the deal in any way. I answered truthfully and shortly afterwards they let me go. I got to know them a bit and I've been in contact ever since."
"How come I didn't know of this? They could have kidnapped you or worse. How long has this been going on?" Hanzo's anger wasn't quelled one bit, especially considering the story Genji chose to tell. "For all we know they've already sent spies into the estate, listening to our conversations and monitoring our every move."
"They wouldn't go that far: They know that it's a breach of privacy-"
"Genji, they've had their eyes on us for quite awhile now, they know we are not an easy organization to defeat. If Overwatch is not willing to dirty their hands to go to extreme measures to stop us, then their covert operations department Blackwatch will. Have you thought about that? Do you finally see the weight of your carelessness?"
"Hanzo, I was just trying to help. I thought I was doing you a service." Genji shot him a lot of hurt and disbelief. "Why is it that everything I do is wrong to you?"
"You could have helped if you would have just listened to me and the elders-"
"And what, Hanzo? Become a mindless slave like you?" Genji tried his hardest not to raise his voice. "You just follow and follow--not once have you decided to think for yourself whether it's right or not."
"It's not my place to question tradition, Genji." Hanzo was struggling with his volume as well. "My job is to follow what always has been for the benefit of the people, your job is to follow for the benefit of the people. I'm trying to keep the peace. Your deviation from the norm is going to cause problems no matter how well your intentions may seem!"
"And what's wrong with change, Hanzo?" the younger man challenged. "Why can't the clan change?"
"It would be catastrophic to stray. We are not like others. You know we have to be careful just because we are Shimadas. There...simply isn't room for anything else without disrupting the order of things." Hanzo sighed dismally and snapped his head back up in anger. "Don't you think I wanted you to be heir instead so I get to live a normal life with (Y/N)?
"Death follows me everywhere I go, Genji. Your life, the lives of our workers, it all falls on my hands. If I do something wrong, no matter how trivial it may seem, I could end up killing you and everyone I care about. Then I'll have nothing to live for."
Genji averted his eyes not knowing how to deal with the sudden change of his brother's mood.
"I...I didn't know you feel that way. You always act as though you have everything under control. I'm sorry."
Hanzo waved him off and took a moment to compose himself once more, just putting his face inside his coarse palms so that all he had to look at was the darkness.
He could think clearly again. It wasn't until moments later in the awkward silence that enveloped them both that Hanzo turned his gaze up as before to speak to his brother who eagerly awaited for his reply.
"I...I think I need to be alone for now. I'm sorry, brother," Hanzo whispered in a voice so low, so quiet that it caused Genji physical pain to actually listen it.
"I didn't mean for it to end this way, Hanzo," Genji replied, not knowing what else to say. All rational thought left his head the moment his brother stood up from his chair to walk away. "I was really just trying to help..."
"Don't worry about it, Genji. We'll talk another time."
And with that Hanzo turned a heal and walked away from the ramen shop with Genji staring sadly upon his retreating back, a million words waiting to be poured out--just standing there at the tip of his tongue.
***
His head was not his own today; Hanzo would find that he couldn't even keep his focus on the ground he was walking on, and try as he might to redirect his train of thought back to the conversation he had with his brother he found that he simply could not do it.
Going back inside the palace, the clan leader would not have noticed the lanky figure standing by the doorway had it not called out to him in that familiar voice that sent a jolt of shivers down his spine.
"Nephew, I'm glad I could catch you. We must discuss something."
"Uncle Shintaro," Hanzo regarded as soon as he got his bearings. "It sounds as though it can't wait--considering you went all the way down here just to look for me."
"Believe me I would be more than happy not to leave the comfort of my room just as the next person would but this is a matter I absolutely can't leave to chance."
"What is it about, uncle?"
Shintaro neared and lowered down his voice to a gravelly whisper: "Talon has notified me that they have found some things concerning their experiment with you."
Eyes wide in surprise, Hanzo quickly looked left and right before going back and regarding his uncle with the same whisper the other used to talk to him.
"We must not discuss about this in public. Let's go somewhere else."
"Agreed."
Once they've made their way into Hanzo's office, the clan leader made sure that there were no guards standing at attention nearby and quickly dismissed them with orders to only come back when finally called forth.
"What did they say?" Hanzo asked, despite their aloneness at the moment.
"I know that it's only a matter of time until the curse takes effect again, Hanzo. And what they're proposing is that we go back to their headquarters before it fully takes over you so they get to see what really happens."
"You mean appear once more in person just when I turn into a demon?"
"You sound like you're not at all on board with the plan, nephew."
"I mean it would make a lot of sense: They would get to have close surveillance over me and improve our chances of getting answers." Hanzo looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, never mind that I disregarded the idea--it's a good plan. Let's along go with it."
"I'm glad you're able to see reason, nephew. We leave in a week." Shintaro said but a look of confusion flitted across his old face and then there it stayed.
"Thank you for all your help, uncle. I appreciate you looking out for my well-being," Hanzo sighed and leaned against the polished wood of his desk. "As strange as it is to say, my relationship with (Y/N) would not have been possible without your aid. Now I can see a future of me and her in it, happy and together and content."
"Erm, is something the matter, nephew?" Shintaro inquired with genuine concern, nearing the clan leader who only continued to stare back at the brown surface of his work table. "You seem a little distracted."
Shaking his head Hanzo let off another huff of breath and whispered under his breath, "It's Genji."
At the mention of the younger Shimada, Shintaro clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes in disdain. "Ugh, what did your younger brother do this time? I swear somebody has to keep that boy in line-"
"He told me he has been in contact with...Overwatch." The clan leader struggled to get the words out as though the very act of saying them would choke the air out of his windpipe.
Shintaro stepped back, aghast, wearing an expression of mortification that only accentuated the wrinkles that littered his elderly face.
"I knew that Sojiro should have disciplined this boy more!" Shintaro was furious. "Here I thought that he would just stop at drinking and making out with whores, but oh no! Instead he does this! Never have I been so wrong in all my life but I can't say I'm surprised."
The elder managed to calm down but he still continued with his rant. "Everybody in the Shimada castle, myself included, had hopes that you and Genji will make this clan even more powerful than it is with the two of you ruling side by side across the empire. But instead what does he become? a maverick--one that uses the clan's resources for his personal benefit and what does he do in return? Fool around, get into trouble, tarnish the name of our proud family with acts of stupidity--become a liability.
"He's a waste of a perfectly good man, and it's only a miracle that Overwatch still hasn't shut us down. I...I need to warn the others in the council."
"Have everybody be aware of this knowledge so that they may take careful measures in what to do next," Hanzo agreed. "Secure the databases, check our staff and people: We can't risk a spy running around in the palace."
"Understood." Shintaro bowed before turning around to leave. Opening the shoji screen halfway, he stared back at Hanzo until the young man would finally take notice of him.
"Your brother is beyond hope, Hanzo. He will never side with us," Shintaro said. "If you truly care about upholding your father's legacy, you can't afford to let anyone bring it down--not even your own family. I know that he is your brother but we must take extreme measures if we are to ensure the safety of the clan. He couldn't fill his cup of care when it comes to us. If he keeps this up--and i'm very certain he will--it'll only be a matter of time before you see this empire fall."
Hanzo took his words in for a moment before it finally dawned on him what his uncle was really trying to get through his head.
"Nip it in the bud, nephew. You have a duty over your people."
:0
Hey guys! How's it goin? Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote and comment. Thank you so much again, I'll see you in the next chapter. Peace! :*
~