A wayward monster hunter haunted by his past chooses to follow a path into the darkness. Yet, what he does not realize is just how bright the moon can shine.
This is a roleplay conversion of a plot my friend Nocty and I worked on for well over a year, almost two! It was our first major plot writing canon characters together, so there is some rough spots here and there that we didn't feel were very strong, or just straight up didn't like. But I fucking love this story, regardless. I see it like a well used teddy bear and have wanted to share it (with permission granted, of course!) for a while. I was given it to go ahead and finish on my own time, but everything up through a certain point was created as a joint effort between us.
Given this is still somewhat a work in progress for what's left and filling whatever holes I can, this will be uploaded depending on my availability, what I have done, etc. It is not yet a complete story, but it's formatted up to 25 full chapters as of the original posting of the first chapter! I hope to finish it good and solid, doing justice to the world we created.
I think the concepts and story we ended up realizing in this form is so beautiful and this process overall means so much to me as a creative writer, personally. Also, this is a bit of a record of something that brought us closer together as friends from it's beginning and onwards to new plots with stronger holds on our characters and more.
I am so happy and beyond lucky to have a friend like you, Noc. Through everything. Sub astra, aut solis.
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If You'll Have Me || Chapter Twenty-Five - Two Steps Back
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
Over the course of their stay, Cassidy makes sure Hanzo has enough animal blood to help him heal as well as checking and cleaning his wounds when needed, making sure he is comfortable. He stays practically glued to his side the entire time, only getting up to eat or prep what little they have in the hideout for the journey. The remaining bread, his singular weapon, and some extra first aid.
As for Hanzo, the days fly by, merging into one continuity filled with dreamless sleep and Cassidy's beautiful, worried gaze. He sleeps a lot. He has never felt this weak. Never felt so much pain, nor ever been this close to dying. He would be lying if he didn't admit the experience is rather… thrilling. There were times when he wanted to go. To perish like everyone else around him and have this short, mortal moment of fear. It has always fascinated him, shaking hands with death, itself.
Now? Now he never wants to leave. For as long as Cassidy is alive, he is the anchor keeping him in this world.
Eventually, the soup runs out, and so does their time. If they're to meet Ana when and where she specified, they need to move.
Cole wakes before the sun has even had a chance to peek over the horizon, shifting in the bed next to the other man. Eyes creak open to complete darkness, though it's not long before he's propping himself up, staring blindly in the vampire's direction.
"Han...?" He inquires, fatigue still laced in his deep voice. He raises his hand to his face, trying to rub out the exhaustion with a quiet groan.
Two embers ignite in the deep shadows of their hideout as Hanzo rouses.
Cassidy finds and greets them with an exhausted but soft gaze.
"Ready to go?"
The vampire draws in a deep inhale, a single word carried out with the following exhale.
“Ready.”
He isn’t. But they don’t have a choice.
The hunter slips out of bed, summoning a few gentle floating lights with a small wave of his metal hand. The white orbs sigh into existence, dancing just over their heads. He checks Hanzo's wounds once more as well as double checking all their assets. Besides the small amount of items prepared, it's simply just them and the clothes upon their backs. Still the clothing of the guards from that damned prison, but shed down to their more simple, fairly unrecognizable bases. It's enough for now, but new clothes will certainly be in order.
And a new hat.
The cowboy does feel a certain sting of discontent without that thing, now that he has time to think about it. But nothing could have been done, so it had to be left behind with everything else. Luckily, a majority of his things do remain at the castle, though.
Hanzo stands with Cole’s help with a quiet groan, and they both approach the exit. Cole looks over to his partner, locking their gazes together to confirm that they're prepared to finally emerge and are ready to face whatever may come. Hanzo steps closer to Cole’s side, returning the look before his eyes shift to the hatch. They climb out into the rising sun. The light quickly drains all color and shapes from Hanzo’s vision, leaving behind nothing but unidentifiable shadows. But it doesn't matter. He can still hear and smell.
Cassidy keeps his hand in Hanzo’s, knowing his sight is dulled. Other senses may be deemed enough to his partner, but it isn’t enough for the hunter. Closing the hatch behind them, they begin walking the destined path ahead.
Cole checks back with Hanzo at least once every hour or so, to which he is met with varying replies insinuating there are no issues.
“Are you alright?” In one instance.
“Yes.” Simple and dry is the answer.
“Do you want to rest?” In another.
“No.” The same tone.
Cassidy knows Hanzo is lying. Even as they push on, the other man continues to insist the same thing. That he's fine.
Until he’s not.
Hanzo falls to the forest floor with a loud grunt, his hand slipping from Cole’s. The hunter spins around with a small gasp. It happened too fast for him to catch him and he curses to himself for it.
“Shit, Han?!”
He drops down in front of him just as the vampire starts picking himself up, huffing in anger.
“Forgive me.” He rasps. “I slipped.”
Cole exhales, relieved that’s all it seemed to be, but nonetheless, helps him the rest of the way up. Brows furrow once Hanzo is back on his feet and he bends down, lacing his arms under his partner’s legs and torso, lifting him and carrying him instead.
“I do not need-” Hanzo starts.
“Don’t care.” Cole cuts him off, instantly.
The thought of how much trouble he’d probably be in before they were this close and how much trouble he still could be in for talking back to his king like that doesn’t phase him anymore. They are in no way equal to one another, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t make sure he does everything in his power, including talking back, to ensure Hanzo gets home.
Not the hunter himself.
Just Hanzo.
Him before me.
The day continues, peppered with other attempts from Hanzo to protest being carried, but Cole won’t hear it. In the end, he ends up falling asleep in Cole’s arms, lulled by the heat of his body paired with his scent and the swaying.
The hunter takes time here and there to sit and rest, finally allowing Hanzo down once he’s awake after he’s had some reprieve from the walk. Due to how vulnerable Hanzo feels, of course he’s grumpy once he’s up and refuses to be picked up again.
Then, they're back to it.
Eventually, as night starts to fall, something begins to show in the distance. A farmhouse, tucked away in the trees.
It's clearly old, abandoned and in various states of disrepair. But it’s better than camping the night out elsewhere. They’re lucky they ran into it. Besides, unlike Hanzo, Cole can’t see in the dark. Especially not when it turns pitch black due to there being no light source other than the moon, which this night, happens to offer little to no assistance, its form truncated in half.
Leading inside, Cassidy instantly takes to clearing a spot for them, shuffling away any debris and doing his best to see if there’s anything the place may offer to assist them for comfort before it gets too dark for him to see well enough to continue. Can’t have too high of hopes, though, given it’s been abandoned for quite some time. He’s at least able to find some old chopped wood, so there is the option of a fire if they really need it, yet given they are bound to still be targets of Vivanni’s hunt, they shouldn’t risk it if they can avoid it.
That bastard will stop at nothing to find them. He took however long waiting patiently and manipulating things internally to obtain both men in the first place. Cole has met individuals similar before, but none like Vivanni.
He does not take him lightly.
The horizon swallows the sun, their first full travel day fading down with it. All Cole can do now is increase the glow of his artificial arm a bit for a small radius of light and use it as a heat source for the both of them for a short period of time before the runes he’s got carved under the metal scales need a chance to cool down. Others in Overwatch had told him just how useless it would probably be to add such a thing when he was tinkering with the arm back when he first got it.
Well, now they can suck it, because he was right.
You never really know what you need until you lose everything.
Finding a seat in the cleared area, Hanzo uses the opportunity and the cover of darkness to quickly check the wound on his ribs. It is oozing poison again but at least not quite as bad as before. Still, it hurts. It's tiring, and makes him feel sick.
Finally having a chance to somewhat relax, Cole asks a question to the dark, the words meant for his beloved wherever he has placed himself within the area.
“Need any blood?”
He of course brought some with him from the hideout for the trip. A few bottles of it. It should last the week it’ll take to get to their destination to meet Ana.
"Yes, please." Hanzo replies.
The blood won’t last long anyway, not in such an environment. He isn’t hungry, per se, but needs the boost of energy and strength. Once Cole pinpoints him and provides him with a bottle, he starts to drink. It feels so unnatural. The vampire is far too used to playing with his food, like a cook that needs to prepare the ingredients and put them together into a delicious meal.
This? This is degrading.
While Hanzo drinks, the hunter goes still as he sits in the cleared area he’s to sleep in, his expression distant. The magic brightening the orange glow of his arm has already started to dim, allowing the darkness to crawl towards him and seep into his mind. They still have several days ahead of them. And once they get back into Transylvania, they’re bound to have to pass through a war zone.
Or what’s left of one.
It’s been many months now. He has faith in Genji, but he isn’t Hanzo. Plus, if Vivanni is after both of the Eldritch beings, who’s to say he hasn’t gone after Genji already, too, with the weapons Cole made?
He inhales quietly.
When did he become so… pessimistic?
No use in thinking about that right now, he supposes. They don’t know what they’re going to be dealing with. He just wants to spend what time they have during this trip to be with Hanzo in a way they’ve never had a chance to explore due to being so trapped before.
He exhales, trying his best to release the apprehension pulling at his gut.
A piece of the shadows provides reassuring words to him as it settles at his side.
"Rest now, my love. I will be fine."
Reaching over to brush Cole’s hair from his face and place his palms on his chest, Hanzo presses his lips to Cole’s. A simple gesture, speaking more than a thousand words.
The enchanter’s eyes fall closed and he places his right hand on top of one of the vampire’s where he touches him against his chest, his left cupping his cheek.
If the kiss of death is this sweet, then he has nothing to fear when it takes him.
Pulling back, he locks gazes with the glowing red eyes next to him. His light in the dark. Nodding softly, he takes Hanzo at his word.
“Alright.” He replies in a near whisper.
He knows he will wake him if need be.
The hunter shuffles his back up against the wall, slumping a little as he crosses his arms in front of himself, one knee bent for as much comfort as he can get before allowing his eyes to shut.
He can't sleep.
At least, not instantly.
His mind is far too active. Far too aware. Every tiny sound seems to catch his attention and raise his heartbeat a little. Any wildlife flapping or scuttling about makes him turn his head in its direction despite not being able to see it, having traded out who has primary perception with the loss of sunlight.
"It is just a deer." Hanzo assures the cowboy when he tenses the first time.
"Just a mouse." Another reassurance.
"Just a boar." And another.
Embracing him, Hanzo holds Cole close, playing with his hair. Usually, he would guard his dreams, though for now, exhaustion wins out. Cole’s breaths level, chest softly rising and falling. Eventually, the vampire, himself, also falls into dreamless sleep.
Finally, the sun peeks over again, piercing through the trees in golden rays. The wind is gentle, shifting the greenery outside to the rhythm of its breath. Waking slowly, Cassidy groans. He can usually sleep just about anywhere, but that doesn't mean it doesn’t make him ache like a bitch afterwards. Hard flooring and walls aren't the nicest on the body.
He pushes himself to sit up, face contorting as he stretches, rolling his shoulders and neck.
“Damn.” He mumbles.
Looking at Hanzo, who is still asleep, he rotates to face him, leaning over him a bit to check the bandage on his side.
It’s still oozing into the fabric.
He scowls.
Damn thing just refuses to stop. To be honest, he’s not sure just what the hell it is or if it was even part of anything he made. Maybe they altered it, somehow?
He turns to reach and drag his pack closer. Sifting through it, he pulls out some spare bandaging and gets to work changing out the one on his partner.
The wound is healing, slowly. Too slowly. The skin around it is peeling off, flesh rotting away.
Hanzo groans and opens his eyes, the stinging pain rousing him from sleep. He remains in his still position, giving Cole some room and peace as he works.
The hunter is as gentle as possible to ensure he doesn’t hurt the vampire, finishing up quickly and efficiently.
Without making eye contact, Hanzo's gaze trains upon a window. Through it, an axe, stuck in a tree stump.
"I think you should chop off my hands." Hanzo rasps out of blue.
Cole stops, glancing up at the other man.
"With an enchanted blade. They will grow back the moment these-" Hanzo raises his hands. “-wretched things are off."
The hunter did not expect such a statement at all. He stares at his partner with a half confused half shocked face, lips parting slightly.
Cut his hands off? To remove enchanted shackles that are bound to his very being? That’s not how that works.
“Jeeze, Han.” he sighs.
He doesn’t want to think about hurting him like that. It’s too damn much. But he also cannot deny the vampire might actually have a point. Even though Cole made the bindings, it’s not like he had enough time to think about how they’d be removed when he was being forced to make sure they did the opposite. So, that raises a good question.
Did he miss anything? Could that actually be what works?
The repercussions if it fails are too heavy right now to try their luck when they have little to none to spare. If it doesn’t work and Hanzo cannot regenerate…
Cassidy shakes his head, shoving the thought to the back of his mind.
“Come on.” He says, softly, not entertaining the idea any further.
Standing up, he helps Hanzo do the same before picking up the pack and slinging it over his shoulder.
“Alright. As long as we keep movin’, we’re still makin’ good time.”
They can’t afford to stop for long anywhere, unless it’s to sleep.
They leave the farmhouse behind, once again taking to unmarked roads through nature. Cassidy stays close, keeping an eye on the other. With how sickly Hanzo is, it’s hard to not push aside all the previous verbal assurances that are still blatantly untrue and pick him up again, though he doesn’t want to make it worse for him when he already knows how broken he feels. How he wants to still do things on his own where able. The enchanter will respect that where he can. Though, it doesn’t take long before Hanzo has trouble even making straight steps. A half hour, at most.
When his partner comes to a sudden stop, propping against a tree, his breaths altering in intensity and form, Cole halts, instantly stepping in front of him.
“Hold on, what’s wrong?” He asks, slipping a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Do we need to stop?”
Hanzo’s heavy exhalations become more audible with his fatigue, yet now there is something else threading within his breath.
Fear.
"They… they are coming, Cole.” He mutters.
It’s not until Cassidy processes the words that leave Hanzo’s lips that he goes pale. It’s only seconds later he can note the sound of distant hoofbeats and barking, eliciting him to spin his head around and scan their surroundings to pinpoint which direction it’s coming from.
Shit.
Shit!
“You should… run. Save yourself. You won't hnng- escape. N-Not when… not when I am slowing you down-” Hanzo clenches his teeth, holding his side, his form beginning to haze. "I'll hold them off. Go! Please…!"
Cole looks back to Hanzo, eyes shifting back and forth between each red eye as he’s being told to save himself.
“No.” He growls, still holding onto him. “I ain’t leavin’ you!”
He has to think of something and fast. An illusionary enchantment won't work here, there's too many variables to take into account and it takes too long to cast. He used up the single detonation charge he had when he broke them out, so that's out of the question as well. There's only so many options he has left. Hiding isn't one of them, either.
They've caught them out in the open.
The hounds break into sight and circle in, barking and snapping at them as three trackers emerge from the trees on horseback. The panic in Cole’s heart starts setting in, taking the form of anger almost instantly.
Turning around, he sticks close to Hanzo, his back facing him as he unsheathes his dagger. Holding it up in trained defense, he holds his ground.
"Fucking hell," one of the riders says, laughing at the sight, "you think you're real clever, don’t you?" he hisses, pulling the reins of his horse to halt.
The two others follow suit, their horses grinding to a stop, weapons in their hands glimmering in the sunlight.
Cole replies only with a snarl, his fist clenching harder on the dagger’s hilt.
“Don’t waste your time, Cassidy! Drop it, and we’ll bring you both back alive.” The man says.
"Like hell!” Cole bites back.
The rider smirks. Seems he was rather hoping for this outcome.
“Have it your way."
Cassidy takes a deep breath to steady himself best he can. He's got one chance for this. He's always been a good shot and with the pointers he's gotten from Genji, if he hits it just right...
The man kicks his horse to start trotting forward, readying his weapon to strike at the cowboy. Before he can fully raise it, Cassidy switches his hold on the dagger, suddenly launching it at the man. It lodges into his shoulder, eliciting a loud exclamation of pain as he is thrown off balance from the shot. He falls back off his horse, hitting the ground with a thud. The horse whinnies loudly, rearing up on its hind legs due to losing its rider, causing the other horses to shuffle uneasily, making it difficult for the other two men to recover and go for any instant follow up attacks just yet.
Cole keeps his attention on them, bracing, his metal arm clicking and hissing out some exhaust as if preparing for something extra.
"Fool! Just RUN!" Hanzo’s voice distorts further with the rest of him, the third eye slowly struggling to open. "Hngghh-”
Even at being told to run, the hunter still refuses. The voice change, though, that does get him to look back at Hanzo to note his form melting into shadow. Now he understands why. Regardless, whatever they face, they face it together.
The dagger throw seemed to help at least give them a speck of an opportunity. Just enough for the cloud of darkness to roll in like graveyard haze, curling and expanding, swallowing the hunter from behind. It’s so heavy, as if his breath is being held in his throat against his will. With vision cut off, all Cole can do is stand and listen. His body shakes from the anxiety, and all he can hear for a solid few seconds is his own deep shuddering breaths, alongside his heartbeat.
The dogs, unlike their owners, keep their distance now, fearing to get close, barking and howling with alarm, tails tucked between their legs.
Then, yelling.
"Fuck! Don't let him change!" One of the men shouts, him and the other horserider starting to charge.
Then a familiar, deep, crackling growl reaches the cowboy's ears, growing in strength.
Then, the monstrous clicks.
Due to being so close, the sound taps along each nerve in his body, raising his hair to peaks. He holds his breath, the world feeling as if it’s ceased to rotate in the tense moments before…
The roar.
Wheezing, powerful and an unnatural, a layered echo to it, its sound screams within Cole’s bones. His entire body floods cold, hands instinctively throwing themselves over his ears as he bends forwards. Unable to move, a single whimper escapes him, his own voice swallowed by the sheer volume and presence of the nearly incomprehensible, void shattering wail of the being above him. He could swear his heart just stopped. But he’s very much reminded it still beats when a giant limb plants itself at his side, shaking the ground and causing him to drop to his knees.
The horses buck and vocalize in terror, hounds turning to run away.
As the darkness retracts, bones and muscle can be seen along with the skin still trying to form around it all. Soon, the head on the long neck of the creature appears above, shielding the small human beneath, black ooze dripping from outward curled jaws.
One of the riders falls and starts hastily fumbling to prepare his crossbow. He takes the shot, landing the arrow into Hanzo’s upper chest. Something that is barely even a needle in comparison to the monstrosity itself hurts as if struck by something much worse. The beast flinches and roars, striking back with its jaws. He snaps on air, clumsily missing, the mercenary only toppling over on his rear instead.
There’s a ringing in Cassidy’s head, senses dulled as Hanzo tries to fight off the trackers. It takes him a solid handful of moments to recover enough to start pushing himself up to stand. With each pained yelp from the beast, his heart sinks. The other tracker, with a sword in his hand, uses this opportunity to cut through the flesh of the monster. Again, something that wasn't even a scratch makes Hanzo flinch like he was burned with hot steel, causing him to retract from the attack.
It is time to flee.
A long limb grabs around Cole like a puppet, the world swirling in front of his eyes as he gets lifted into the air, pulling a gasp from him. He tightly grasps on as he’s raised to be placed the beasts back. Once he’s set down, he falls forwards, pressing himself firmly down, trying to hold on to the smooth surface best he can even as the form beneath him assists by holding his legs with extra arms made of shadow.
He feels muscles moving underneath, long limbs moving above him, the head in front balancing upon the long curved neck.
The beast throws itself into a gallop, clearly struggling, constantly hitting the trees in his run.
With the trees snapping and cracking as they crash through them, Cole keeps his head down, lest any of their spindly limbs whip him.
Hanzo looks for a way out, somewhere he can propel himself into the air.
And he finds it.
A small patch of young saplings, the sun glimmering there with might, unbothered by the taller trees. He takes a few more steps, spreads his wings and hits them, and on the fourth try, finally leaves the ground behind.
Cole sucks in a breath as his insides twist from the sensation of taking off into flight, squeezing his eyes shut. His forehead pressed against Hanzo’s back, he breathes hard against him, still shaking. He feels the gush of wind, hears membranes of the wings whistling with each heavy hit. The forest becomes smaller and smaller below until Hanzo steadies his flight, his breath laboured, wheezing with each gulp of air.
The hunter remains as he is for several minutes until he calms enough to open his eyes again.
He has been in high up places before, but nothing like this. Soaring close to cloud level, the wind blows through his hair. So far away from the earth.
From everything.
For what it’s worth, it's peaceful. Though, with how gargled the beast sounds in its efforts to keep going, he'd rather be grounded for a lifetime than ever hear such pain.
They fly as long as Hazo can carry them. Soon enough, Cole can see their destination in the distance, the forest growing much thinner below them, patches of gold grains and vines of grapes replacing it.
They start descending.
Hanzo struggles to keep his head straight, fading into a curve, ground coming in closer and closer. Cole feels the grip around his legs leaving him.
They’re starting to fall.
“Hanzo?” He calls his partner’s name as if his voice can reach him through the whistle of the being’s wings cutting through the air.
Feeling the hold on him slipping even more, his body starts to slide. He falls forwards again with a loud grunt, trying to hold back on.
They’re coming in too fast.
“Han!”
Hanzo tries to land by running but his legs give out underneath him. He hits the ground, Cole getting thrown off as the vampire topples over.
Cole yelps as gravity pulls him away. Weightless for a few seconds, he crashes into the ground with a heavy roll and exclamation as his breath is knocked out of him, the bag slipping off him to fly elsewhere.
Sliding to a stop upon his back, he goes still.
Hanzo, tumbling the opposite direction, continues to hit his wings in desperation, even when his body comes to halt, monstrous whining punctuating his pain. He gurgles, refusing to stay down, the black ooze choking him, pouring from his throat.
"Chh...ole…”
The cowboy’s body begins to ache, pulling a series of sudden, pained gasps, followed by heavy coughing and wheezing while he mirrors Hanzo in trying to get up. Rolling onto his stomach, still fighting to get his lungs to work again, he slowly starts dragging himself towards the eldritch being. Lifting his head with a pained whimper, he can see the poison spilling from the creature’s throat. Struggling to rise to his feet, he slowly and with a wobble makes his way to him, falling against his chest.
Upon feeling Cole's hands on his body, the beast tenses, freezing. It takes him a few heartbeats before he realizes it’s him, beginning to relax, slowly melting into the ground.
Cole is here. He is fine. He is alive.
As Cole’s dirtied face looks up, sight latches onto an arrow that’s lodged in Hanzo’s body, close enough to grab. He reaches up, straining as he grips it before yanking the object out.
Hanzo tenses again as the bolt is pulled from him, raising his head with a pained, pathetic wheeze, ringing in the cowboy's ears, biting into his mind. Then, as if relieved, he relaxes again, head hitting the ground.
Cole snaps the bolt and yells out in anger as he throws it far away from them. He’d do that to every single weapon he created if only he could. Turning his attention back to Hanzo and placing his hands back upon him, he looks him over the best he can from his position.
“Are there… any others…?” He breathes heavily in between his words, body still weakened by the fall, “Show me.”
Hanzo can barely keep his eyes open, his breath still labored and heavy. The thought of Cole being well and by his side puts his mind at ease. His eyes slowly begin to close.
"No, no no no, hold on!" Cole stammers.
He stumbles towards the head, using the neck as support to keep himself standing. Once he gets there, he gently reaches up as far as he can, dragging his shaking palm up the cheek.
"Han, stay awake, don't-!"
The eyes shut, and with them, Cassidy's attempts to reach the vampire are severed.
He unsteadily makes his way around Hanzo, looking him over, himself. Cuts and other wounds are slowly healing, spilling waterfalls of black smoke as flesh binds back together. Those, he doesn't fret as much over. It's not till he's checking the wings that his gut drops. Underneath one of them, the main wound in his torso, the one he has been trying so hard to nurse back to health, has re-opened. They have to start all over with it again. He feels a wave of defeat wash over him.
He exhales in worry and fear, dropping to his knees with his hands still upon the creature. He presses his forehead against him, remaining still for several long moments, just listening. Hanzo is still breathing, albeit labored and obstructed. As grotesque as it is, it at least lets him know he's still alive.
But Cassidy has never felt more dead.
Perhaps this is some kind of ultimate penance for the things he's done. Destined to choose the lesser evil of two fates, yet always coming up short. Follow broken rules, or break them himself. Rot in a cell the rest of his life, or become a monster hunter. Kill the target whose actions were not their own, or let more victims suffer and die.
Life's not fair. No shit. He doesn't know what it even means to him half the time, anymore.
Good.
Bad.
Human.
Monster.
He whimpers quietly, tears blurring his vision before breaking through, tracking through the dirt on his face to roll down his cheek. For several minutes, he remains still, silently crying, watching as his tears sink into the dirt beneath them. His mind is void of everything but the numb feeling in his chest. Then, finally, a thought probes it's way into his mind.
When Hanzo turns back to his human form, he'll have to re-bandage the wound on his side.
Bandages...
Cole gasps to himself, softly.
The bag. Where's the bag?
He pushes himself up, turning and looking about for where it could have ended up. He tries his best to recall the fall and what his trajectory was. Which direction it flew when it slipped from his body. It takes him a minute of searching around the area he landed, but he finds it, stumbling towards it and dropping to the ground before gripping the strap and pulling it closer. It's leaking red, leaving a trail in the grass. The blood bottles within have shattered from hitting the ground after it flew off him.
Shit, shit, shit!
He hastily opens it, trying to see if anything survived. Unfortunately, everything is lost, soaked and slathered in the crimson liquid.
"Damn it!" He yells, throwing it down.
It's useless now.
After another minute of contemplation, he shuffles back over to Hanzo, sitting down and lying back against his neck. He's not sure what to do now, other than wait for his partner to wake up, left alone with the burdens of his mind.
Time passes in a slow limbo, all his thoughts consumed by the sound of Hanzo's breathing. He doesn't want to lose track of it for even a second, nor think about what would happen if it stops. The hunter has barely come to terms with the fact they got away alive for a second time when there's more barking.
Standing, he keeps his back pressed upon Hanzo. Could Vivanni's men have found them this fast? This far away? They flew over what would have taken them days to cross on foot. Logically, there's no way. Unless Vivanni has more trackers spread in a further expanse than they thought. It would not surprise Cassidy if this was the case. They're both too weak to run away again. Hanzo barely made it to where they are as it is.
Pushing off the creature's neck, he steps forwards, his metal arm clicking and hissing like before as he prepares to use the last of his steam to defend them. However, when he sees the approaching individuals come into view, it brings a different fear to his heart.
They're common people. Villagers. Farmers.
Six of them, with hay forks, accompanied by dogs, reach the hillside above them. The animals and their owners keep their distance, clearly held back by the fear upon seeing the downed monstrosity.
"Ragazzo!" One of them shouts to Cassidy. "Tutto bene?! Vieni qui, fretta!"
None of them speak English but their motions make it clear. They don’t mean any harm but are unsure of the situation. After all, Cole, even though rough and dirty, is still alive and the monster is clearly defeated. They must’ve caught this idea of a hunter that has just slain the beast, but it is still breathing, leaving too many unanswered questions to the poor men.
As they call to Cole, he can't help but instantly go protective of both parties. He doesn't know any Italian. But he does know a good bit of Latin. Latin is not dissimilar to Italian in some ways, from what he's read. Years studying rune magic with that language as an anchor, given a lot of it is beyond centuries old, it could work. He has to at least try. They're innocent, and they're scared. Same as he is.
"Consisto!" He yells back, holding up his right hand to halt them from approaching any closer. "Quæso!"
He shifts forwards another few steps.
"Nulla comminatio!"
His speech is broken, but he hopes to god they understand enough to leave them be. He doesn't want to have to fight them. He doesn't want something worse to befall them, either. He knows it's a death sentence for them if they engage. Because if Hanzo wakes and sees them as a threat...
He doesn't want to think about it.
Cole has enough memories of innocents dying because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time that he doesn't know if he can even watch if it happens. He also doubts he'd be able to stop Hanzo.
Not after what they've been through.
"Vade!"
Please.
The men look at each other, confused. The dogs keep barking. It echoes through the tiny patch of trees, slowly reaching Hanzo's unconscious mind with a layered echo.
He wakes up.
The clicks start up, morphing into a deep, threatening growl as the beast raises itself in a hurry. The hunter doesn't have time to turn around and try to get his attention before he's already mostly standing.
Don't-!
One of the limbs strikes the ground next to Cassidy, almost crushing him.
"Ah!" Cole yelps, falling to the ground yet again from the strength the limb hits the earth with.
The giant body appears above, curved neck lowered in front, shielding Cole. The men scream and start running for their life, the dogs now howling while remaining in their places.
Hanzo inhales.
Laying flat on his stomach and hearing the hiss of Hanzo intaking breath, Cole throws his hands over his ears, bracing himself.
The roar rips through the air again, drilling into his skull, an exhale that borders on a scream of his own leaving him just to be swallowed by the monstrous vocalization. Lost to the ringing aftermath, it takes a handful of seconds for him to hear clearly. He looks back up to see the villagers and dogs retreating. For that, he is relieved.
Then, silence.
Seems even nature itself has gone deathly quiet in lieu of the Eldritch being's cry of fury.
Shaking, Cole slowly pushes himself up, hobbling to Hanzo's chest again to fall against it. He's spent in more ways than one, just continuing to lean against him as if he could be embraced back for comfort.
The beast's labored breaths fill its chest with rumbling gurgles and wheezes that the cowboy can feel under his palms. Large, shaking limbs slowly start to give in, the monstrosity's entire body progressively beginning to lower to the ground again. Head swaying, he refuses to go down just yet, as if still sensing approaching danger. He tries to rise himself again but fails, his legs too weak to lift the weight of his body.
"Calm him down, Cole!"
A well known voice finds its way to them.
Ana dismounts a nervous horse and lets it go while keeping her distance, eyeing the beast.
"Ana!" Cole calls back.
Ana’s voice alone puts Hanzo into fight or flight response, his panic making him unable to tell the difference between friend and foe. He roars at her, pushing himself forward, belly and chest scraping against the ground.
Ana hisses, curling in on herself, covering her ears. Even she can’t stand the sound of it, fear igniting in her guts.
The roar causes the hunter to cower again, nearly getting knocked over once more by Hanzo's forward dragging movement. He stumbles out of the way, catching himself before he falls. Then, he dashes, rushing to get ahead of Hanzo before he can drag himself too much further to go after Ana in his blind attack of panic. Planting himself in front of his mentor, holding his arms out protectively, he yells up at the being.
"Luna mea! Look at me!”
By calling to him with that nickname specifically, he hopes that will pull him back to the present. Pull him back to Cassidy. If his attention doesn't return to the cowboy in time, Cole may have to use the last card up his sleeve to try and halt him. It wouldn't hurt him, but depending on how hard it's hit... Cole's metal arm could suffer the consequences.
The words echo in Hanzo’s hazy mind, and as if enchanted, halt him instantly. Frozen but not yet fully calm, his head slowly lowers towards Cole. The rumbling clicks turn into something much softer, almost loving as the three eyes focus on his human partner. Cassidy heaves a heavy sigh of relief. Keeping his attention on Hanzo, he swallows to wet his dry throat caused by all the anxiety and yelling. Some of his other senses are also rather unlucky. The smell of the black sludge is abhorrent, invasive, and makes him want to vomit. Unfortunately, it's not necessarily a type of smell Cassidy is unfamiliar with. Even still, it's enough to make birds drop out of the sky if they hit its perimeter.
"You have to force him to turn back!" Ana says, clearing her throat to get rid of the shake of fear in her voice. "Half of the town saw you. They will soon be here. Can't you use those things? Aren't they made to control him?" She points to the cuffs, the circling runes visible on Hanzo’s long limbs.
"No." Once again, Cole refuses Ana's suggestion to use the cuffs.
He addresses the Eldritch being again.
"It's alright," he starts, his voice entering a familiar gentleness, "just stay with me."
Not wanting to mention the known fact that there will be more approaching threats due to them having been seen, lest it make Hanzo's fight or flight reactivate again, the hunter keeps the king's attention on him in the best way he knows how. It's how he drew it in the first place. He starts to approach the beast again, lowering his arms back down to his sides as he keeps his gaze locked with the three sharp eyes. Initially, it's hard, given the pure reality of the horror before him. But he's seen those three eyes so often that they, themselves, do not scare him. They are an anchor compared to how the rest threatens to throw Cassidy's slowly growing calm into imbalance. Portals through which he can get to the Hanzo he knows within.
It took a long time to learn the best way to reach him. To connect with him. Never try to force him. Just encourage him. Listen, even when there is no voice to hear. Observe, though it may seem there is nothing to see. And hold on tightly, despite there being no physical form to embrace.
Cole raises his right hand, fingertips brushing against the flesh of the beast's muzzle, softly sliding upwards as the rest of his palm follows suit. His exhausted expression cannot conceal the heavy love in his eyes, nor how it speaks more than he'd ever be able to put into words, no matter what spoken or written language he utilized. He then only adds three more words. Though they aren't the direct ones echoing in his heart and mind, they can be felt through the guise of his plea as if they were recited as such.
"Please turn back."
The three eyes begin to slowly close, head lowering to rest on the ground. Cole is safe now. Hanzo can rest. Even though the monstrous gaze is still locked on Cassidy with the clicking and low rumbling full of love, the foggy haze of exhaustion settles in. He is once again fighting to stay conscious, clearly losing the battle.
Cassidy's panic starts to return, easily heard in his voice.
"Turn back-!"
"Cole..." Ana hisses, afraid to raise her voice at the cowboy. "It's for his own good. We can't move him when he is the size of a building!"
Cole glances back to Ana, his expression laced half with a glare and half with his fear.
"I know!" He hisses back. "I'm tryin'!"
Looking back at Hanzo, he's begging him now. If he has to use the cuffs, he will if it means protecting them in the long run. Even if it adds yet another thing to his ever growing list of regrets. But it will still break his heart to do so, especially after all this time spent fighting against it.
"I need to be able to carry you, Han!"
Don't make me do it. Please.
The monster takes in a deep breath that is gargled with wet ooze in its throat and closes its eyes. His entire body relaxes, limbs and wings slowly falling loose, gently resting on the ground.
"Cole!" Ana shouts, still somehow keeping her voice low enough for Hanzo to not see it as a threat. Or maybe he was just too exhausted out of his mind to even hear anything.
In the meantime, human figures on horses appear in the distance, closing in.
Looks like he has no other choice.
Cole's face drops in defeat, the sound of even more approaching entities being nothing more than a ringing in his head as he realizes there is no opportunity to come to terms with what he's about to do.
He's not sure if it will hurt Hanzo, so he will be quick.
"I'm sorry..." He says, voice cracking.
Runes fizzle to life around his wrist, encircling it, forming a shackle of his own. It continues to rotate at a slow and steady pace, glowing strongly in the presence of the pair latched onto Hanzo.
"Mutatio."
With the command, the magic activates, the cuffs glowing brighter as they force the beast to change. Clouds of black shadow swallow him, enveloping Cole and Ana in the process. The enchanter keeps his hand upon the being until it leaves his palm due to the shrinking. It feels like an eternity for the change to happen, each second adding another sweat bead to Cole's forehead.
With a pained roar, Hanzo twists around on himself, the shrieks and gurgling sounds dying as the giant shape falls apart until there’s silence once more.
As soon as the shadows start to clear, the hunter can see a glimpse of Hanzo through them and instantly kneels down to slip his arms underneath his body as the control shackle dissipates from his own wrist. He lifts his partner and holds him close to his chest, his aching heart beating loud and clear against him.
He turns to Ana.
"Go! Go!"
While there's still some cover of the dissipating darkness around them, he uses it to his advantage, taking off into the treeline.
Ana yells over to Cole.
“Go south! There is a big farm, hide in one of the barns! I'll catch up to you!"
The goal locks in Cole’s mind, his body acting on autopilot. South. Big farm. Barn. That’s all he needs to remember.
It takes a solid handful of time to reach it, but he can’t stagger for even a second. Even when he sees the place in the distance, it doesn’t provide him with much comfort. It’s just another damn time bomb waiting to fall on top of them.
Shoving the door open with his shoulder, he slips inside, pressing his back against the door to shut it before pausing to catch his wheezing breath. Though, he doesn’t waste too much more time standing still, eyes darting around for where he can disappear with Hanzo out of immediate sight. He spots the cellar entry, hay bales piled next to it providing it even more cover. Hiking his partner up a little more for stability, he gets the door open and carefully makes his way down. Lying Hanzo on the floor, he quickly moves back up the stairs to shut the hatch, cutting off all light sources to the underground room, save for one weak oil lamp.
Hanzo gurgles, trying to say something, his hand weakly rising, searching for his lover before falling to the ground as he loses consciousness again.
Calling forth his small light orb enchantment, the enchanter sends it out to hover about the room so he can see the stairs and his partner before descending again to be by his side. He lowers to his knees before just letting himself flop down next to the other man, looking at him and placing his hand on his arm, keeping it there as he doesn’t want to lose contact with him.
The hunter’s face is blank, long brown hair tangled and ratty, clothes littered with the black poison from Hanzo’s wounds. His mind has lost all its capability to continue bombarding him at current, body completely numb as it has no choice but to block out his aches and pains from the fall paired with the emotional toll all of this has taken. He remains this way until he hears Ana enter a little while later. He knows it’s her based upon the fact he didn’t hear voices or other ways of approach. Besides, he knows her tactics well, considering she trained him.
In her hand is a vial, white liquid radiating a small glow of its own from within.
"Alright, habibi, move aside." She pushes Cole away, instantly getting to work on Hanzo. "He'll be fine. He's immortal. If he was going to die, he'd be dead a long time ago. Here." She hands Cassidy the vial. "For your nerves. Drink it, I don't want you to collapse on me."
He knows the drill by now. Nothing is said and he drinks the vial given to him without question, continuing to stay silent while she works. Even though by the time she’s finished and Hanzo lies still, no longer choking, relief evades him. The fact the large wound opened like that again despite Ana’s efforts in the first place doesn’t leave the hunter a lot of hope. As long as the cuffs remain, it will always be an issue. Always a threat to the vampire.
Ana works on Hanzo much longer than the last time. Unable to give him some blood the old fashioned way, she is forced to inject it into his muscle. She does so near the wound to speed up the healing process and it must have worked as Hanzo isn’t choking on the ooze anymore. He finally lies still, wrapped in a blanket Ana brought with her.
"Your turn now. Come here and show me yourself." She demands Cole, slight exhaustion in her voice. "Any broken bones? Open wounds?"
Tiredly looking at her when she addresses him, Cole shuffles back over, removing the shirt of his outfit. He’s bruised and scratched up pretty badly upon his back and rest of his torso and arms from the contact he made with the ground when he was thrown. As for broken bones, he seems to have been spared that, luckily. There are none that can be felt or seen.
“Did you figure out what it is?” He asks, quietly.
He’s referring to the substance coursing through his partner at all times. If there’s help or even a cure for whatever was injected into him when they were captive, he needs to know.
Ana's eyes are filled with pain, even though her face is scolded into strong neutrality, an expression most likely kept up for Cole's mental sake.
"His own blood." She answers while gently taking care of his bruises and minor wounds, not skipping a single one. "It's turning into poison for reasons unknown to me. Either whatever was inside of the wound enchanted it or there is something still in his system."
It’s Hanzo’s blood. Of course it had to end up being something that can’t just be removed from him. Of course it’s still semi-unidentified, simply rubbing more salt into Cole’s bleeding wounds of regret.
Ana falls silent for a long moment, working quietly before speaking up again.
"Tell me what you feel, habibi…"
Finally, there is that motherly love and care for Cole in her voice again.
"I promise you I…" she eyes the unconscious vampire, "I won't judge."
Her words cause Cassidy to suck in a long, deep breath, body going tense and still.
How does he feel.
How does he feel!?
Brows draw together in displeasure. Sadness. Agony.
The tone she asked it in. The admittance that she wouldn’t judge. His mentor… the woman sitting before him, just when was she planning on coming back, if ever? When everything they knew came crumbling down, she didn’t even bother to help. She disappeared. Same with Reyes and Morrison. All of them. Genji never found their bodies, but Cole can remember how the vampire said he could smell the blood. Yet, if Ana is alive, what about the others? If they are, they abandoned everything just the same, running off with their tail between their legs in favor of chasing ghosts, leaving Cassidy to pick up the pieces.
Like how Hanzo has been left to build and hold up Transylvania on his own.
“How do I-” he cuts himself off with a wavering scoff.
Pausing a moment, he fights to keep the tears that have begun welling up behind his eyes held back, feeling the flood drown his chest with a dull ache he’s grown all too familiar with.
“How d’you think?” He hisses in a near whisper.
Of all the times she could have done this, that she could have shown him that he matters beyond what he’s otherwise a tool for, she chooses now, when he’s at his lowest, lying broken and scared. Just the same as the day Reyes found him.
He’s never had it in him to be what everyone was trying to force him to be. A son to those who could not connect with their own existing children. A friend to someone who in the end became the reason everything he knew was shattered.
A seasoned soldier.
A perfect heir.
It was supposed to be him.
He was to be the next leader of Overwatch. Primed to accept the weight of thousands upon thousands of shards and be silent as they cut into him, bleeding him dry of all potential to be who he actually wanted to be. All because they didn’t want to be the ones to piece everything back together themselves.
Even still, Cole can’t help but hear Ana’s voice in his head and heart, sensing it reaching out to a part of him he’s kept buried since before he was ever even part of the organization. He feels the dainty, gentle finger of her tone thread around the last string within him, pulling it taut until finally…
It snaps.
His head drops, an exhale, heavy and broken passing his lips, siphoning from the deepest pit in his chest. Tears break free. But they aren’t the tears of a man.
“I didn’t know what to do.” He sobs. “So I j-just…”
The younger parts of his soul seep into every word. The version of him from only a few years ago before he met Hanzo. The teenager in the cell. The child who lost everything he had, choosing a gang and crime to try and get something more out of life.
"I ran, alright?!”
He curls in on himself, unable to control the clear crystals of liquid spilling over in abundance.
“I accepted that my damn luck finally ran out!”
Or whatever one wants to call it. Doesn’t matter.
“But I ran into him… an’ he gave me m-“ his breath catches in his throat, words muddled by his cries, “more than I deserve.”
The vampire showed him that even when life is eternal, there’s still worth to it. Gave him insight on how to see the world in a different light. Or, more so, see the shadow it casts. That the night sky is just as beautiful as the rising sun, and the embrace of the dark, for as cold as it can be at times, can offer safety in a way nothing else has been able to provide.
“I love him more than anything.”
A type of love he’s only just learned how to experience, as well as how to show it. And there’s still so much more he wants to learn. So much he wants to share.
“And even if I don’t make it…”
Cassidy heaves a few deep breaths, shaking as he raises his head to look at his unconscious partner. Face wet, the dirt still prevalent upon his skin turns to soft muddy streaks.
“I’m makin’ sure he does.”
Ana's expression remains the same through Cole's entire speech, only her eyes showcase how much guilt she feels at the moment. It pains her seeing the damage shes done to Cassidy. She knows she has no right to ask for forgiveness, so she doesn't. Finding courage, she reaches out and places her hand on Cassidy's forearm.
"I will do what I can to get you two back to Transylvania." She promises with a gentle voice, even wiping a few tears off his face, smiling softly. "I contacted a friend while I was waiting for you. He will help you cross the border unnoticed. But for now..." Her eyes trail to the vampire. "...he is not fit to travel again."
Moving aside, she reaches to her bag, going through potions within, soft clinking noises emitting from it.
"I must go now. You can't stay here nor move out. I will get us help, it shouldn't take long but," she hands him a piece of bread, wine and two potions, "here. For the nerves. It will help you sleep. Don't waste it on him, though. I'm afraid nothing much is affecting him." Outside of Cole's inventions that is.
Her words do little to comfort the hunter. But he believes her, nonetheless. He doesn't have a reason not to. He still trusts her with his life, and now with Hanzo's as well. No spiteful words even though they bounce around his head. There's no fight left in him. At least for now. Hazy brown eyes still blurred by tears follow Ana as she sets down each element. The wine looks particularly friendly right now. It's not his drink of choice, but alcohol is alcohol. He doesn't have the luxury to be picky and he'll damn well take what he can get.
"You'll be alright, habibi." Ana says, rising to her feet. "Just hold on for a little bit longer."
All Cole can muster is a tiny nod paired with a blank expression. He's good at holding on. It's all he's ever done.
And with that, his mentor is once again gone.
Once she leaves, he pops the cork off one of the potions, drinking it all in one go with a muffled grunt before chasing it down with some of the wine.
Curling up on his side next to his partner again, he slides his hand into the vampire's, and within the next few minutes, he can already feel the potion seeping away his consciousness. He fades away from his waking life, hoping to see Hanzo in his dreams again.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Twenty-Four - One Step Forward
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
The cowboy wakes up to the warmth of another body gently holding him in its arms. He feels a strong and steady heartbeat against his cheek, the rumble of a low, familiar voice reaching his ears.
"-was not aware."
The moment Hanzo realizes Cole is awake, he tenderly brushes away loose hair from his face.
The hunter’s eyes creak open. Tiredly tilting his head to look up at the other man, he exhales in relief, both brown eyes locking with the singular red. Despite the slow healing and uncertainty of just how much is left, it still brings tiny bits of peace to the hunter's aching heart to see and hear Hanzo recovering.
"My love." The vampire whispers.
His voice is still hoarse and weak but at least he looks a little better. His skin isn’t paper thin anymore, although, the exhaustion is still plastered all over his face, printing itself in dark circles under his eyes. He is still wearing bandages, so it's hard to tell what regenerative stage his wounds are in.
"I'll give you two some privacy." Ana says. "I'll get some food for him in the meantime."
"Thank you." Hanzo replies.
Once Ana is heard leaving the room, Cole shifts, pushing himself up with a hand to one side of his partner and his elbow on the other. The blanket he slept with slips off one of his bare shoulders, yet still drapes over them both like a protective shell.
Hanzo cracks a weak smile at him, a fang breaking through the line of his lips. His chest swells, heart fluttering and flapping its wings.
Then, without much warning, Cole leans forwards, sealing the remaining distance between them with a kiss. He's soft and gentle, mindful of the other’s wounds before deepening the affection for a long moment, allowing himself to be reminded of what Hanzo's lips feel like.
The vampire is surprised by this, yet it doesn't last long before he quickly melts into the affection, closing his eye and wrapping his arms gently around Cole, returning the kiss.
Cole pulls back, heaving a heavy, burdened exhale.
“I’m sorry.”
They both ended up speaking in tandem.
Hanzo blinks.
"What?"
Cassidy presses his forehead against the vampire's, raising a hand to hold his head.
"I'm sorry." He repeats, his breath still heavy and expression pained as he continues to release bits and pieces of the tension he's held for months while they were prisoners.
The king gave up everything for the hunter. Even leaving the city behind to chase after him. He braved death for him. At least Cole was able to get him out, returning the favor, even though he still feels like he owes more for what he's done for him.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Hanzo whispers. Exhaling with exhaustion, he relaxes back against the wall. "I..."
It was a rather unpleasant experience, of course. Something he didn’t believe he'd live through. He never has been this close to death despite craving it for so long. But now... it scares him.
"I am fine. I will be fine, Cole.”
Cole's expression slowly returns back to being simply half-lidded and tired. He gently hums in reply, his fingers softly dragging across the vampire’s face before his hand returns to the bed for support.
He'll just have to believe Hanzo saying he'll be ok.
“I am sorry you had to go through this. That all of this has happened to you." Hanzo adds.
Cole nods, a small smile even pulling at his lips.
"It's alright." He reassures. His next words take on a darker tone, but he doesn't lose his cocky smirk, a prideful glint in his eye. "Bastards must've forgotten just who they were dealin' with."
"Mhm." The vampire hums.
Oh, he will remind them soon enough. Vivanni can start counting his days.
After a second, Cassidy sighs.
"We ain't goin' anywhere till you're better." A pause. "Ana will help. She was one of my mentors in Overwatch. I don't know how she survived, or how she's here... but I trust her with my life." They were damn lucky she was there. "I s'ppose you two have already been acquainted?"
Cole begins sitting up, to which Hanzo instantly reacts by holding his hand.
Stay. Please.
He needs him close. He needs to feel his physical form on his fingertips, his warmth, every sign indicating he is alive.
Cassidy halts his movement. Returning Hanzo’s gaze, he confirms within it that he does not intend to leave the bed and will be remaining with him.
"Yes, I am aware. We spoke while you slept." Hanzo rasps and braces himself to sit up, clenching his teeth through the pain.
Cole shifts in close, wrapping his arm around him for support, carefully lifting him to alleviate as much pain as possible. He gently adjusts him to where he’s comfortably propped up against the wall, to which Hanzo mouths a silent thank you.
“Oh?” Cassidy finally replies. “Nothin’ bad ‘bout me, I hope.” He jokes.
Right after that comment, Ana re-emerges. Hanzo falls silent as the cowboy positions himself on his knees facing Hanzo, keeping his fingers still threaded with the other man’s unless the vampire chooses otherwise.
There is a weird submissiveness from Hanzo directed towards the elderly human. Guilt, even. He doesn’t reply to Cole's previous comment.
"I want to see the bottom of that bowl, young man." Ana says as she hands soup and bread to Cole.
“Alright, alright.” The enchanter replies, accepting the soup bowl and beginning to blow on it to cool it down before sipping on it.
"Do you need painkillers for your back?" Ana asks.
Cole takes a second to swallow, then nods his head.
“Yea, please.”
Even though he’s not going through nearly the same level of pain as Hanzo, he still needs to make sure he takes care of himself for both of their sakes. They have a long road ahead of them, so he’ll take what he can get.
"Eat first." Amari commands. "So you don't get your guts twisted."
"Mhm." Cole answers, already taking another drink of his soup.
Given he hasn't properly eaten for a whole day prior to the woman finding them, plus the rather unpleasant excitement he just slept off, he's more eager now than he was before for food. Doesn't really matter the type. He's having no issues downing most of it within the first few minutes of having it.
Ana looks at Hanzo.
"Show me your wounds."
"I do not think-"
"I will not ask twice."
Hanzo closes his mouth and obeys, allowing her to approach him and take the bandages off his face. He can't order her around, not after she helped them, even though he is pretty sure she did so only because of Cole.
When Hanzo's bandages are removed, Cassidy pauses to watch, curious how much progress has been made. The whip wound seems to be almost completely sealed, thankfully. As for the eye, well... he'd say he's seen worse, but honestly, he's never seen anything quite like that at all. Luckily, such sights don't really bother him too much. The only thing that bothers him is the discomfort he knows it's causing the other man. The eye is mostly back. Its foggy, still definitely too small to be functional and covered in goo, which Ana starts cleaning right away.
"What are your plans now?" Ana throws the question out into the ether.
There’s a long bout of silence as the hunter looks down, taking a moment to think.
They can't stay here forever, obviously. They have to get back to the castle before it's too late. Genji may be powerful, but he can't hold off an entire war on his own. He doesn't have the experience nor presence Hanzo does, so there's only so much the younger vampire can do. Even with his all. Also, there's no telling what state the others are in. The high vampires, the council, the guardians...
They need their king.
The road to get back is likely going to be dangerous, especially if there's any chance he and Hanzo are still being chased by Vinanni. Not to mention how long it may take. They don't know just what they'll end up coming back to, either.
Cassidy sighs, quietly.
"We have to go home." He finally answers, shifting his position to sit properly with one leg bent to rest his arm on, keeping the soup bowl level in his hand. "But not until he's better." He adds, looking back up at Hanzo.
No way are they risking that trip without his partner being as healed and strong as he can be, despite the bonds. They still also need some time to plan a route, gather their own supplies and be overall prepared.
Once the eye is clean and nice, Ana applies fresh bandages. Hanzo gives a quiet thank you to her before she moves onto his neck.
The previously cut open throat is nothing but a fading scar. It doesn’t even need coverage anymore, so Ana moves further on to his ribs.
They look worse.
The stab wound refuses to heal. The skin around it is peeling and rotting away. It is still swollen, dark, and oozing the black substance.
"Hmm." Ana hums to herself, thinking on what to do with it.
It isn't every day she has such a patient with such wounds and no laboratory to do close examinations. Still, she starts taking samples.
"Whoever crafted this torture device, they are really good at it."
Hanzo's eye looks anywhere but at Cole, whose gaze shifts to Ana, mind going blank.
He doesn't want to think about it too much. After a moment, his thoughts drift to the dagger he still has, a vision of it embedded in Vivanni's chest. But that's only if he manages to get to the bastard before Hanzo does.
He looks down, continuing to finish the last of his food while Ana finishes cleaning and re-bandaging.
Cassidy then speaks up again.
"We need a bit more time to situate things. If that's alright."
"Sure." Amari says while looking at the vial with the sample. "Take your time. Once I'm done here, I'll go ahead and clear the way. I have few contacts that can help you pass the border unnoticed."
Hanzo can’t understand why she is helping them. She isn’t fond of him, he can tell from their previous talk. At this point, he is afraid to ask, for Cole's sake. He knows how sensitive the cowboy is on the topic of who the real monster is here. He doesn’t need the stress.
The woman approaches her pack upon the ground a few steps away and tosses a bottle of painkillers towards the cowboy before starting to set up a small makeshift travel lab pulled from the pack on the dining table to run some tests.
Cole catches the bottle with his metal hand.
"Thank you." He says. "We appreciate it."
Setting the empty bowl down next to him, he shifts a little closer to the other man again before looking back to Ana.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Ana remains silent, clearly focused on her task before she eventually speaks in a low tone without turning around to face him.
"You know what to do."
There is something dreadful to that message, gluing itself to Cole's sense of responsibility. She is helping them so he can do his part in the great scheme of things. Despite the demand Ana just made being veiled by the words she chose, her tone clearly insinuates what is expected of him.
Keep the bonds on. Keep him weak so we have a chance.
Cole huffs, quietly.
He knows what to do? Of course he does. Make sure Hanzo gets back alive. With the discussion he had earlier with his mentor, he thought he made his priorities clear, bonds be damned. He was already up front about how he will not promise to do as she asked regarding them, either.
It seems their definitions of what's for the greater good are standing on opposite ends of the river.
Hanzo, oblivious to it all, squeezes Cole's hand in reassurance before sighing soundlessly and deflating. Cassidy joins in the silence that follows, leaning back against the side wall to just listen to the environment around them as well as Hanzo's steady breathing.
It's like every passing minute reminds him just why he left Overwatch. How much time has passed since then feels like an entire lifetime, now. Looking upon the gray of Hanzo's temples, this feeling only amplifies.
Both men nearly have fallen back asleep by the time Ana finally speaks on her findings.
"This blade was truly something. It turns his blood against him, shifting it into poison. A mortal would die in mere seconds from it." Standing up, she begins to pack up her makeshift laboratory. "There is nothing I can do about it. Not in such conditions.”
Cassidy deflates with a short exhale through his nose.
"Shit..." He whispers.
“I'm afraid you have to sit tight and wait for the effect to wear off. Drinking blood might speed up this process." Ana adds.
So be it. As long as it will heal, that will have to be good enough for now. And Cole knows he cannot provide his own blood even if he was well enough to do so.
"Alright." He sighs.
Ana’s eyes locate Hanzo's. There is a warning in her glare. The vampire understands. He doesn’t need such a message to leave his lover untouched.
The glare to Hanzo feels like one towards Cole as well. As if he'll go behind her back while she's gone to do exactly what she told him not to do. Under any other circumstance, well... he would.
Seemingly just as fast as the conversation began, it was already over and the woman is already obviously preparing to depart. Cole sits back up straight, a slightly confused look on his face.
"There is enough soup to last you for a few days." Ana continues.
They only just saw each other again after so long and she's leaving. Again. Part of him expected her to stay with them at least until Hanzo is well enough for he and Cole to head out, themselves.
"Meet me in a week up north. There is a small fishing village by the shore. I'll be waiting in-" Ana pauses, squinting to remember the name. "-Sole Inn."
Cassidy understands. Seems she perhaps is going to be meeting her contacts who should be assisting him and Hanzo in getting a good solid start on their journey. Regardless, it will be up to the enchanter to hold down the fort until it's time.
He nods in understanding.
"Sole Inn... alright." He echoes.
Finishing packing, Ana gives them one last look. The one towards Hanzo is another warning glare. Towards Cole, her gaze softens. Even if it's still harsh, it’s like a mother simply saying don't you dare disobey me with nothing but her eyes.
As she begins taking her leave, Cole shifts as if he's going to get up, but he doesn't. He remains with Hanzo, simply parrying her look with a stone cold expression he could have only learned from the man at his side. He still hasn't gotten to ask her how she survived. They're going to see her again, though. So there will still be time to ask before long. He's more concerned about the here and now.
His expression softens.
"Thank you, Ana." He replies with genuine gratitude. "We'll see you there."
Ana offers a small smile in return.
"Take care, habibi."
And with those words, she's out the hideaway's hatch and gone.
Cole shifts back to where he was prior, gently dragging the pad of his right thumb against the side of Hanzo's hand. He looks over to him. Hanzo remains silent, his eye is barely open but given the red glint in the dark, he is still awake, watching their intertwined hands, deep in thought. They could hold an entire conversation with just their gazes if they wanted, paired with using body language and slight expressions to speak for them. Having acquired this ability has made it leagues easier for the enchanter to read the vampire, opposed to how difficult it used to be when they first met. Yet, sometimes, simply using one's voice is best.
"What did she tell you?" Cassidy asks, softly.
It's clear from his tone that answering the question is optional. If Hanzo would prefer it remain his own business, then so it shall be. Cole isn't entitled to know details of a conversation he wasn't privy to from its beginning. He has learned when to prod deeper into subjects and when to keep back from them. Seeing the deep brooding state of his partner, he at least wants to let him know the door is open and he can step through any time he wishes.
Hanzo’s thoughts derail with the question. He looks up at the other man, then averts his gaze, finding the wall next to them pretty interesting.
"Nothing I have not heard before from a mortal."
So, nothing good. He is used to this. He deserves it anyway. Cole doesn’t need to know the details. His relationship with Ana is already rocky.
Cole figures Ana was very direct with the vampire, including any venom she, herself, has for the king of monsters. It would be shocking if she didn't speak up about it. It being to both of their faces is on brand, and albeit unsavory, she also did so behind each of their backs. Unfortunately, that, too, is on brand.
"You do know you do not have to protect me... right? I can stand my ground." Hanzo continues.
It's hard to tell if he means physically or verbally. Probably both.
"It would be better for your wellbeing if you did not try. It is a lost cause. You will not convince anyone because there is nothing that would be a lie."
He is openly admitting he has committed crimes that have made him a monster in human perception.
"Han..." Cole sighs.
He knows what's written. Of course there's horrible things, some even beyond comprehension. That is an irrefutable past. It's a common thing told to hunters, even beaten into them that monsters are monsters. That their nature will always precede them and that they will never change. It's a cut and dry world. One Cole grew sick of living in when he started noticing the tears in the seams of those statements.
It's never been that simple.
He shifts, rotating to hover over his partner with his free hand on the side for support, hair draping over his right shoulder.
"You know that even when you tell me that, and that no matter how many times," he pauses, raising Hanzo's hand to place it against his still bare chest just like the day he confessed to him, "it won't stop me."
His heart beats behind the warmth of his body, ever present despite the quiet of the low lit room.
"Only one thing can, and I ain't plannin' on lettin' it take me anytime soon."
He softly drags his fingers down Hanzo's hand, tips grazing against the soft glowing shackle around his wrist.
The hunter's next words are nearly a whisper.
"It almost took you."
Now that there's genuine known ways to harm the king, the vampire can't say that it's pointless for the hunter to protect him. If anything, it's Cole’s responsibility now more than ever before to again fight to make up for the things he's done and the harm he caused.
"They would not kill me. At least, not intentionally." Hanzo rasps. "They needed me to defeat Genji in order to take over Transylvania. They just needed to test your weapons."
So Vivanni is after Genji, too. Figures. Especially after he learned the other vampire is now the primary protector of Transylvania at present, he'll likely stop at nothing to take him down as well. But Genji won't go down easy if they manage to pin him down at all. After all the development that's happened, Cassidy knows the younger vampire will be absolutely livid. The bastards will have two angry eldritch beings on them.
He can't recall a single story where anyone has managed such a feat before.
"I know you can damn well stand your ground. You always have." Cole places his hand against the side of Hanzo's head, gently threading his fingers through the gray hair on his temples. "You came for me. You tried for me. I wasn't a lost cause to you."
Despite how they had such a falling out and the enchanter feeling like he was given up on because of it, Cassidy only had that nagging reality in the back of his mind throughout their relationship until the moon flooded red and the stars were swallowed in shadow.
"So you are not a lost cause to me." He finishes.
Hanzo’s heart swells.
"You were never a lost cause to me." The vampire murmurs.
He fucked up. He is fully aware of it. Getting Cassidy back is a good way to try and redeem himself.
"It took me so long because..." he grimaces in shame, "...because I thought you left. I wanted you gone so I didn't have to choose between you and Transylvania but,” he pauses, his eye gleaming with affection, “turns out I'd always choose you."
Hearing Hanzo finally say he will always choose him, something within the hunter is sated. Validated. The amount of relief he's felt with their luck the past few days is on par with the relief he feels now from the other man's words. He leans in closer, his body finally melting away the rest of his doubts. He then places his pointer finger under Hanzo’s chin, gently guiding him to look back at him again.
"I love you." The hunter says, softly. "And I forgive you."
As simple as that statement is, he knows it could mean a lot. Admittedly, he should have said it sooner. However, he was more focused on making sure the other man had the physical care he needed first, only taking this chance once they were truly alone together, for the first time in a long time.
"And I'd never have just left like that." He says, quietly. "I was on my way to Quinn when they took me."
He was kidnapped on day one. As soon as he left the safety of the castle walls, he was practically fair game. It's clear he'd been watched for quite some time just telling by everything that happened. How that was the case and who it was that had their eye on him for so long, though, is unknown. How the vampire thought the hunter just left does mix a bit of sadness into his feelings, too. There were definitely times he wanted to disappear, that's true. Those were the times he was at his lowest. The most heartbroken. Even still, he has made a new life in Transylvania. If he did depart the castle for good for any reason, he would have most likely simply gone back into the city itself. Whether or not he would have left its borders, he's not sure.
But it doesn't matter. Because that's not his future.
He lowers his hand from Hanzo's chin and sucks in a deep breath, his face relaxing into a gentle calm.
"Let's focus on you gettin' better, alright? Then we can get the hell home."
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Twenty-Three - Old Friend
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
The morning comes, and with it, Hanzo’s voice prods at Cole’s consciousness once more.
“Wake up, my love.” His figure within Cole’s dream slowly seeps into frameless smoke. “They are coming.”
Cole’s mind is pulled away, and with a soft breath, he is released back into reality. Senses alter to detail the grass beneath, as well as the hand held in his own. Hanzo is still out cold, lying on his side close to the hunter.
The distant howl of hounds reaches his ears, instantly filling him with dread and sparking a flame of urgency, kicking his tiredness to the back of his mind. Moving fast, he rises, checking their surroundings to make sure they leave nothing behind before slipping his arms under Hanzo, picking him up and starting to move again.
As the minutes pass, the barking and howling seem louder and louder.
He has to throw them off.
Cole cuts into a run, heading for the nearest mountainside. Pushing past bushes and treading the uneven ground as carefully as he can, the sunlight is cut off by the harrowing mound of earth. He pushes further and further into the land's crevices, following them until he reaches a flowing creek, his feet crashing into it as he follows it upstream. He pants as he splashes through the ankle deep water, some parts of it even deeper, still. He needs to stay within it to make sure the scent line is thoroughly truncated. It might not even fully work, but it's one of the best chances they have.
"Mnggh- gh-" Hanzo gargles, curling in Cole's arms, his heavy eyes prying open before falling closed again.
So weak.
Is this what dying feels like?
He knows they are in danger. He can hear Cole's pulse, feel his breath on his skin, hear the echo of splashing water and smell the scent of fear and adrenaline rushing down the cowboy's bloodstream. And there is nothing he can do.
Helpless.
Powerless.
Useless.
Just leave me behind.
Cassidy looks down at Hanzo.
"I've got you-" he says through heaving inhales, "-it's alright."
After several minutes of trudging, he reaches the source of the creek. A small waterfall off a rather tiny cliff face with a dark cut out veiled behind it. Wading through the now waist deep water to pass under the frigid showers, it makes them once again soaked as he sinks them into the darkness within. Cassidy covers the glow of the bonds around Hanzo's wrists with his shirt, keeping his artificial arm hidden between Hanzo's body and the rocky wall he has his back pressed up against.
He waits.
He controls his heavy breaths best he can, keeping quiet and still despite feeling as if his heartbeat itself is a beacon with how loud and hard it's beating. Resting the back of his head against the wall as well, the moisture drips and rolls down his face and neck, having taken the place of his sweat.
The hounds catch up a few heartbeats after. Howling, barking and circling around, a few even get into the water. Their owners are right after them, all armed with the enchanted weapons Cole crafted.
As soon as the enchanter hears the dogs, even seeing glimpses of them past the waterfall's border, he tenses hard. His arms grip Hanzo tighter as if trying to bring him even closer despite there being no space left to do so. He forces his mouth shut, air siphoning harshly in and out of his nose while pressing against the sand beneath his feet to keep back as far as possible.
"Motherfucker!" One of the men exclaims.
"Let the dogs sniff around. He couldn't have gone far!"
"We know you're here, Cassidy!" The third one shouts, impatiently turning his horse around. "We won't kill you if you surrender yourself and the beast! You have ten seconds to come out!"
Cole holds his breath, his mind shifting to the dagger still in his belt. If all else fails, he at least has something to fight with. He can situate Hanzo and enchant the cut out to shield him from view. He can step out and let them just try to take him, leading them away to give Hanzo a chance. As he's thinking all of this, his breathing has re-engaged in its shaking intensity.
Two hounds come even closer, sniffing and catching his scent still lingering in the air.
Cole's gaze shifts to his love again, eyes reflecting a silent apology, fearing he will have to act upon his plan or risk both of them being found.
Then, the sudden loud cry of one of the other hounds rips through the air, causing him to flinch and look back up. The rest of the group turns to investigate as the hound throws itself into a chase.
"There!"
They follow with animalistic passion, eager to end it all. As they stampede out of sight and earshot, they’re left with only the peace of the nature surrounding them. Cole exhales in a warbling whimper, some of the tension leaving him as he takes advantage of the opportunity, stepping out of the crevice.
A dark figure steps into view, standing on the opposite side of the stream.
A pretty familiar figure.
Eyes go wide, body freezing stiff in shock and confusion.
No.
No way.
He saw her that day. She couldn't be...
But she is. Somehow.
One of his mentors. The very woman who helped teach him to shoot. To fight. To live.
"Hello, Cole. It's been a while."
Ana Amari.
"There is no time to waste. Sooner or later they will realize the dogs followed a fake trail. Come with me, quick."
Her words are almost completely lost to Cassidy among the waterfall's cries. Is this an illusion? A ghost? Either way, the only thing that matters is that their chasers are currently misled. Illusion or not, it's only within the next few seconds when his brain finally processes just the pure image of the individual that he trusts it without question, snapping him into action.
He quickly trudges to land. As he steps out, he adjusts Hanzo in his arms, looking at Ana with pure desperation and disbelief.
"Ana?!" He breathes, tone and eyes reflecting his fear alongside his quickly diminishing energy.
"We'll talk when it's safe, habibi." The older woman says.
She wears a Bastet mask, but Cassidy could never confuse that voice or even those footsteps nor posture.
It’s her.
Taking out a small shot, the alchemist injects it into Cole’s neck without even asking for permission. It was a bit of a shock to the cowboy, but definitely a more welcome one compared to the dart he was hit with when he was initially kidnapped. The effect is the complete opposite, filling him with energy. Enough to make sure he stays on his feet, despite every muscle screaming at him to drop to the ground.
Amari was strong back in the day. She used to be able to rip a monster apart with her bare hands, but she is just a mortal old woman. She cannot carry both grown men.
He growls in frustration, refusing to allow himself to fail. Picking his pace back up, he follows as he was instructed to do, keeping as close as possible while looking down to check on Hanzo here and there. The pure mortality he sees in him grips at his heart with claws far sharper than any blade.
Fortunately for Cassidy, the hideout is close. Hidden in the ground, the entrance is covered with moss and forest's bedding. Several feet in radius from it, an enchantment, turning their footprints and scent into nothingness, as if they never were there.
"Here." Ana opens the makeshift wooden door and lets him through first.
Below, it’s cramped, filled with smoke's mist and the scent of drying herbs. By the looks of it, she must have been camping here for a while. Cole falls against the nearest wall, his back slamming against it as his legs tremble, arms still locked like stone around his partner. After a long several minutes of air entering his lungs to where it burns, his eyes flood again.
"...How?" He mutters to Ana once she enters. "I-I saw you. You-"
You were gone.
She ignores the inquiry.
"Lay him down here. I have to take off the bandages, they are all wet now."
Cole takes a few moments to catch his breath and allow the fact that they’re currently safe to sink in more before obeying, striding over to the makeshift bed. He gently slides the vampire off his arms onto his back upon the soft surface. While he does so, Ana removes her mask, fading away to another room for a moment.
Cassidy bends over the other man, supporting himself with one shaking hand while using the other to brush Hanzo's bangs out of his face, gently dragging his palm down to caress the side of his neck and rubbing the pad of his thumb along his jawline.
"You're gonna be ok, Han." He whispers, his voice soft but exhausted.
Cole remains there with him until the older woman returns with blankets and a bowl of hot soup.
"Sit and eat. The boost won't work forever. I'll take care of the lord." Ana says.
Turning to look at her, he takes a second before accepting the blanket and soup, draping the blanket over his own shoulders and reluctantly shifting away to sit against the wall at the foot of the bed, giving her space to work.
Hanzo is extremely pale, sweat building on his paper thin skin. His breath is wheezy, weak and uneven.
He has never been so fragile before.
Muttering curses under her nose, Ana gently gets rid of the bandages and begins to clean the wounds from the crusted blood chunks and forest's gunk. The vampire's face is still split by the deep whip cut, and the missing eye is now more visible than before. The fissure in his throat is threatening to open again and the stab wound in his side is dark, spitting out tiny black veins and dark ooze, the same he was vomiting with before.
Cassidy can't even focus on his food at first, attention still locked onto Hanzo as he's being tended to. With each bandage removed, seeing the damage done to him again in full, his chest aches, mind going blank and numb. He stays frozen for several minutes, his aura like that of a ghost. Lost and empty, eyes haunting each wound. Finally, at some point, he slips out of his trance, looking down into his bowl, the dim light bouncing off the soup's silken surface. A specific memory prods at him, easily seeping its way into his active thoughts.
They were working on the ties for the guardians, ideas dancing between them with coordination as if they'd been doing it all their lives.
They lost track of time.
Let’s get you some food before you collapse, Hanzo had said.
Cole laughed.
It takes a lot to get me to do that, your majesty, he had replied.
He exhales silently as the memory fades, then finally lifts the bowl to his lips, starting to drink. When he's finished after another few minutes, he sets the bowl down next to him, his tired gaze latching onto his partner again.
"He needs blood." Ana states. "But neither of us is giving it to him.”
Cole blinks, attention shifting to the older woman.
“We can't be sure he doesn't go animalistic on us the moment he smells a drop. And you are too weak so don't even think about it, Cole Cassidy." Ana continues.
The cowboy’s brows knit in clear upset.
"He ain't an animal, Ana!" He snaps.
He's given his blood before, why the hell wouldn't he be allowed to do so now when Hanzo needs it most?!
He looks away and drops his head, a muffled growl of frustration rumbling in his throat while his fingers grip at his blanket. After taking a moment to recollect himself, he relents, releasing a heavy exhale, expression dropping in defeat.
He didn't mean to bite at her like that.
The fact she's alive and helping them at all warrants better than what he just did. Of course he still has questions. Of course he wants and needs the assistance. Because just like many times before back in the organization, they wouldn't have gotten out alive if it weren't for her.
"I'm sorry..." He apologizes in a quiet voice, slowly releasing his tension. "I... just... don't say things like that about him. Please."
Ana remained calm and collected despite Cole's lash out. In a different situation, he would get his ass whooped, but right now, the woman understands the amount of stress and fatigue he has been through.
"I did not say that." She calmly explains. "He has never been in such a state, so it is safe to assume the worst. I will hunt for animals when you go to sleep. He'll manage without it for a little longer."
Then sitting down in a small makeshift stool made from a tree stump, clearly still avoidant of the topic of her death, she raises Hanzo's hand, taking a curious look at the binds.
"That's a solid piece of work."
Cole grimaces as if the other’s words slapped him in the face.
“No.” He answers, simply.
They never should have existed.
Seems they both don't want to talk about either of their elephants in the room. But he will be approaching the subject of her supposed death later, as he's sure Ana will poke him with a number of her own points of interest.
For now, he lets it go.
After a rather heavy minute of silence, Ana speaks up again.
“Are you wounded?” She asks.
She can’t tell. Cole looks like shit but it’s understandable given what he has been through.
Cole opens his mouth to reply no out of pure habit. But he knows better than to lie about something like that. She's gotten after him about it before and this is no situation to hide the reality. He shuts his mouth and takes a moment before standing, slipping off the blanket and then his top, shedding the armor and cloth to the ground. He turns and pulls his moisture heavy hair out of the way to display his own whip wounds. They've been treated, yes, but they will still likely leave scars, adding to the rest that pepper his body.
Ana checks the wounds, cleaning and dressing them. Once finished, Cole replaces his blanket over his shoulders. Ana remains silent, considering topics the cowboy definitely will not like given his previous reaction. But later when the vampire regains consciousness, they might not have the much needed privacy.
"I need you to listen to me now, Cole." She sighs.
Her tone sparks a bit of apprehension in the enchanter. It means he’s about to hear something he isn't going to like.
And that's exactly what happens.
"I'm not saying you should kill him nor stop loving him. Though, I want you to consider keeping his binds on."
Cole’s mouth opens almost on cue, met with her raised palm in reply, catching his voice in his throat before it can even form words.
"I don't have to tell you how dangerous an immortal being is. Given his history of crimes, it would be wise to keep him in check that way." Ana motions to the binds. "While I was gone I did some extended research on him. You wouldn't like what he has done, Cole. I understand he is different now but how long will it last? What will happen when you die? When Transylvania falls?”
Cassidy reluctantly listens, unable to get much in, anyways, due to there just being point after point made. His brows crease, face displaying his discomfort and anger with what she's saying.
“Humanity needs something against such force. Something more than just Genji. You can't expect Genji to be ready to kill his own brother if this one loses his mind. What if he loses the battle and dies? What will be left to stop him?"
There's a dismay threading into his expression by the time she finishes, battling for dominance among the other thoughts.
He takes a long minute to consider, thinking on how to reply to all of that.
Finally, he sucks in a slow, deep breath.
"When Reyes found me, with my own shackles around my wrists, and gave me two options because of my crimes..."
He pauses, raising his brows, knowing Ana knows the rest of that story. Wrapping the blanket around him closer so there's no gap in the front allowing air to get to his bare chest, he continues.
"...I'm not Reyes. I never will be, no matter how much he wanted that to be the case."
His eyes reflect the sadness he still feels from having lost that man, too. He was like a father to Cole, in spite of his more questionable ways of showing it at times.
"I'm Hanzo's partner. Not his commander." He adds.
As for Genji...
There's all the stories and histories of Hanzo of course, but for him... there are close to none. No one has seen his true form because it's never been evoked. Most don't even know he's related to Hanzo at all, given how he has spent the majority of his own life among humans until more recently.
"Plus, Genji and Hanzo have been fighting each other for as long as time itself and neither of them have ever fallen. And if one of them was more lost compared to the other, it was Genji."
He shifts the blanket a little more out of pure discomfort, thinking about the night the younger vampire had come as a threat.
"When Overwatch fell and he couldn't save everyone... he went off the rails. He came to kill Hanzo, blaming him for what happened. And I stopped him."
Just like the younger brother had stopped the older when the desire to end humanity was just as strong as the desire to save it.
"He's protecting him now. They made a blood oath."
He starts slowly walking over to Hanzo's bedside, blankly staring at the ground. Coming to a stop just in front of Ana, he sighs.
"After everything we've been through..." He glances down at the vampire. "I'll take my chances. An' if he does get lost... I'll stop him."
Even if it means Cassidy dies in the process, he wouldn't go down without at least trying to appeal to the vampire. To turn his attention to the hunter again. Catch his eye with his ambition. Touch his heart with his warmth. He's done it before. He can at least try doing so again if things really came down to that.
"But I won't be responsible for giving anyone the ability to hurt him like this just because of what he's done in the past." He says, quietly. "It ain’t fair."
“Cole,” Ana says, calmly, "this is different. You were in a gang as a manipulated, starving kid. He-" she points to Hanzo, "-committed genocides."
Cole doesn't take his eyes off Hanzo, his mind fighting not to just block out what he's being told like a rebellious kid who won't have any of it.
"You cannot put him before the entire species, Cole. If things go south, only Genji has a chance to stop him. You? You are a worm under his boot.” She pauses, eyeing the enchanter with a heavy burden in her eyes. “We all are."
Then, glancing at the vampire, she checks to make sure he's still unconscious before continuing.
"Life is not fair, Cole, you should know this by now. I understand you are in love, but you also have a responsibility to protect humankind. We need this."
"I just got him out..." Cole says, defeated. "I've betrayed him enough as it is."
Keeping the bonds on Hanzo, Cole may as well be causing any future harm to him with his own hands. Regardless, the enchanter’s wrists are bound in a different way.
"But, I don't have a way to get them off him right now, anyways."
The enchantment isn’t meant to be easily undone. Cole still has full intent on trying to create a reversal, but he needs the castle's resources to do so. They're so far away from home, and with the war, there's no telling just how long it will take to return. Or if they'll even make it back alive.
"And," he pauses, placing his right hand on the bed, regret flooding his tone, "I don't know if I'll even be able to at all."
He has all but condemned Hanzo.
He slowly lowers to his knees, resting his arms on the soft surface's edge as he sinks back into a melancholy silence to process his thoughts.
All the what ifs. The buts. The pure unlimited potential of the unknown in both negatives and positives.
He knows how insignificant he should be to an immortal. He's battled with this for more than a year now. It's not new to him. He proved he could be significant. That he has been as such. He became something to the most well known vampire lord in history.
A glint of peace in the image of a bridge surrounded by Sakura.
A touch of love in the form of fresh fruit atop a shared cake.
A promise of protection by sharing their bodies.
Cassidy presses his forehead against the bed's edge, closing his eyes with resolve.
"I can't promise I won't still try to undo my mistake." He says. "Cause that just ain't me."
He slides his hand into Hanzo's, firmly curling his fingers around his palm, sucking in a long breath, exhaling just as long.
"I won't put him before humans." A bit of reassurance. Right before adding, "But I will put him before me."
Translation; for as long as I live, he is my priority. No matter who, when or where.
No matter what.
Ana can only watch Cassidy, so vulnerable and hopelessly in love with an immortal monster. Her heart is breaking, aching for this boy.
He deserves better.
He has always deserved better.
She let him down, just like everyone else. She left him to the wolves and now comes back out of nowhere only to demand another sacrifice from him. But... this is how things always were in Overwatch. Hard decisions had to be made. The dirty deeds needed to be done.
Sighing, she stands up.
"Thank you for at least considering it. You should lay down, the boost will soon wear off. I don't want you to collapse on the floor." She says, beginning to collect items for her hunt.
Cassidy at least acknowledges her with a tiny nod of his head.
Once ready, Ana begins to leave. Stopping just before the door, she whispers something the cowboy can’t hear.
“I’m sorry, habibi…”
She slips out back into the forest, leaving the two men alone.
Cole is forced to continue working on weapons in the following few months. Each one crafted with one purpose.
To harm what couldn’t be harmed before.
Then, a day finally comes that breaks the cycle. The hunter is dragged down to a windowless underground chamber. Given the tools meticulously laid out on a table and a drain in the center of the floor, it’s clear just what it’s for.
Cassidy’s sights land on Hanzo in the center of the room.
The vampire is standing in his human form, unmoving and chained to the floor. The chains are swallowed by holes in the ground, pulled taut with weights attached at their ends just to hold the beast in place.
Cole struggles hard against the guards restraining him, but it’s no use.
Seeing Cole, the reds of Hanzo’s eyes ignite with hope, but it’s crushed, swallowed by fear once the guards begin to roughly strip the hunter of his shirt. Cole’s wrists are clamped into irons, the metal links attached to them beginning to rattle. They recede up into the ceiling, raising his arms above his head and pulling his body off the ground, leaving mostly just air for him to try and stand upon. He grunts in discomfort, shifting a little for a few seconds before relenting with a frustrated growl. His head hangs for a good long moment, his hair veiling his face.
Surprisingly, they’re left alone in the room once the guards depart. He slowly looks up, looking over Hanzo and his condition. It's something he never expected to see, causing his soul to cry out in agony.
His skin seems to be paper thin, dark circles under his exhausted eyes, hair disheveled and graying on the temples.
He is aging.
The binds seem to be working too well.
Browns lock with reds, an all too familiar feeling reaching inside his mind with a voice he wishes he could hear differently than he is now.
Forgive me.
The echo of Hanzo’s voice is weak.
I promise, I will get you out of this.
Cole’s eyes begin to glisten at the edges as he softly inhales.
"I never should have left." He says, voice weak and quiet. "I should have fought you on that command even if it made you hate me."
A tear rolls down his face from one eye, quickly followed by a second from the other.
"Fuck..." He whispers, eyes shifting down to stare blankly at the ground.
Seeing Cole cry breaks the vampire's heart. He blames himself for this. For Cole's hurt. His tears. Everything that is happening to him.
"You have nothing to apologize for." He rasps with a hoarse voice as if his throat is full of razors. "I… I should have let you go the moment I developed feelings for you. You would not be in this situation if not for me."
Cole shakes his head.
"No." He replies, looking up again. "Hanzo, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me... I-"
His words, despite there being only two of them left, are cut short by the door opening. Vivanni enters with a few other men. Hanzo locks onto him, gaze full of venom and hatred. Cassidy’s expression shifts to anger as he forces his resolve back, his own dark, furious gaze following their captor as he walks over to the table.
“The deal was simple.” Vivanni says, his eyes dancing over the various implements on the table. “You obey me, and the cowboy lives, unharmed.”
Hanzo tenses, the chains holding him in place rattling.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” He bites back. “I followed your every order.”
“Not quite.” Vivanni picks up a whip. “I told you to command the guardians to stand down.” He travels behind Cole. “I told you to surrender Transylvania to us.”
"And I told you I cannot do that with the binds. They limit my-"
The vampire's words die as a sharp yell of pain escapes his partner as a loud crack of the whip snaps across the hunter’s back.
“Liar!” Vivanni yells.
Cole tenses and seals his eyes shut, Hanzo’s going wide.
“I am speaking the truth!” Hanzo says.
Another hit.
The enchanter jolts with a loud grunt, bearing his teeth in a pained grimace.
"All I hear is lies." Vivanni hisses. "I know they are bound to you! I know everything!"
Crack!
A near scream from Cassidy as the strike overlaps with one of the previous.
Hanzo's anger shifts into despair.
“Please-”
Crack!
Cassidy grabs at the chains above him, closing his fists around them tightly, shaking and trying to stifle his vocal exclamations.
“I am not lying!” The vampire says.
Crack!
"Please! I beg of you!" Hanzo gets on his knees. "I surrendered my kingdom to my brother and the council! They have full command over the Guardians, them and the prince of Romania!"
Vivanni froze as he was about to hit Cassidy again, closing his eyes and inhaling sharply.
Cole takes a few shuddering breaths. His eyes creak open, a confused expression on his face.
Hanzo surrendered the kingdom to Genji?
"I made a blood oath with him." Hanzo desperately continues, hoping to buy some time. To change Vivanni's mind or to redirect his fury upon himself. "He will protect Transylvania no matter what. It cannot be broken."
Vivanni walks around for a tense moment, taking the new information in before he roars out his fury, snapping Hanzo across the face with the whip.
"Ack-!" The vampire did not expect it.
Nor did the hunter
Hanzo bends under the weight holding him down, blood dripping down on the floor, the left side of his face split in two.
"Useless piece of shit!" The captor shouts, grabbing the vampire by the hair and forcing his head up.
"Stay the fuck away from him!" Cassidy yells, pulling against his chains despite the agonizing stinging from his back, blood rolling down his skin from where the cuts are deep enough. "He hasn't been lying!"
"Keep it up and I'll vomit." Vivanni hisses at Cassidy while still holding the vampire by the hair. "Fucking lovebirds. It's disgusting how you abandoned your own kind for a filthy monster."
He finally releases Hanzo, who instantly lowers his head, blood dripping from the cut onto the floor. It’s deep enough Cassidy can see the bones of his teeth. All sharp and curved, not resembling human at all. The hunter’s gaze reflects his own anguish at seeing how hurt he is.
Vivanni storms up to Cole, grabbing his face and holding it in place, Cole’s chest rising and falling heavily.
"If you weren't so useful to us, you'd be eaten by worms by now, you fucking traitor."
The man regains his composure and lets go. As soon as he does so, Cole jerks forwards, spitting in the man’s face before cursing at him in Latin.
“Caenum!"
He turns the other man’s insult against him. The only filth here is the snake himself. The enchanter glares through his hair at Vivanni, a silent threat burning in his eyes.
The captor wipes his face, sucking in a deep inhale. He then shoots a punch into Cole’s face, pulling a grunt from him and knocking his head to the side. With a long exhale, Vivanni turns so he faces both men.
"Take care of his wounds. I want him to be functional by the end of the week." He commands.
The guards begin to lower Cole to the ground, removing the shackles, taking hold of him and beginning to drag him away as he tries to fight them again.
"And bring me the weapons he crafted. It's time to test them out."
Cassidy’s breath siphons out of him in a small whimper.
“No! Don’t touch him!” He yells. “Han-!”
His desperate plea is truncated by the door slamming, cutting off the sight-line between them as he’s removed from the room.
A week passes.
Cole has no idea just what they are doing to his partner down in that decrepit hell hole as he, himself, is treated for his wounds. He knows Hanzo is being beaten, likely within an inch of his life. Maybe they've even killed him. The fact he just doesn't know tears him apart inside, the pain of that possibility far greater than any physical pain he could ever be put through.
He promised Hanzo he'd try to protect him.
And that… he will do.
He spends the whole course of his treatment plotting. Thinking of ways to get away from his guards or neutralize them, as well as the ones guarding Hanzo. He knows where Hanzo is being held. But they still need an escape route. This is the final piece he is working out in his mind as the last day of the week is approaching. The day before he should be returning to work.
He doesn't intend to do so.
As grueling as it is, Cole has to bide his time. He needs all his possible strength if he's going to pull this off. He seeps back into a state of mind he would have on an infiltration mission back in Overwatch. Though, he had help back then.
He’s alone this time. Alone in possibly the most important mission of his life.
The day before he plans to act, he keeps going over the plan in his head. Once he’s inside the dungeon, that will be the hard part. He will be on a time limit with an unspecified number and will have to act fast.
The chains that were holding Hanzo have weights at the ends of them, which insinuates there's space underneath, where they hang. Anything hollow has a weak spot. Cassidy calls upon his photographic memory. Looking about the room in his mind, he tries to pinpoint anything that could be just that. The answer ends up being quite literally the center of attention besides Hanzo himself.
The drain.
If he destroys it, it would open up to the void below. Yet, there are a few more issues. The noise will draw attention. Plus, he doesn't know for sure what's down there. It could be sealed off, for all he knows.
But then, he remembers something.
During when he and Hanzo were left alone together for that short period of time, he could have sworn he heard running water in the background, despite it being a bit of a distance away. That has to be it. He's sure of it. There was nowhere else in that room that could have produced the sound. Running water means a way out, as long as they keep following it. It does mean a fall may be their only way, yet the retractable chains from the ceiling could prove useful, for as much length as they may offer, as their chances of sneaking back through an unknown fortress are slim to none.
Now, the most important part.
Hanzo.
Cassidy can't just wave away the enchantment upon his wrists and there's no time to create a reversal. He will have to cross that bridge when he gets to it.
The day comes and Cole double, even triple checks his plan. He goes through his wound treatment just the same as he has been, then waits in his room until the sky floods with darkness and the stars glitter overhead.
Sliding off his bed, he keeps the sheets tossed open and calmly walks over to stand off to the side of the door. He listens for the passing patrol to make sure his next actions will not be overheard. He shutters the room in an enchantment that makes it look exactly the same as it is, just with one difference.
He isn’t there.
He purposefully levitates a water glass from his bedside, throwing it towards the opposite wall to shatter. He hears the lock click and the two men standing guard just outside his room step in, firearms held up. They scan the room, even looking right where he stands while being none the wiser.
"Where the fuck is he?!" One says.
He shifts quietly between them, then directs the door shut before just as quickly dropping a small dagger from his sleeve to slice across the backs of both of their necks, one right after the other, dropping them in an instant.
He learned that from watching Genji do it once. Observation is just as useful a skill as any others Cassidy possesses. There is also no contract saying the weapons he makes belong to Vivanni. Even despite the inventory that keeps track of the weapons being meticulously updated by his captors, nicking one of said weapons when he made it was simple. He managed to hide it among his tools. Sneaking it back to his room was the difficult part, but he is not only a blacksmith, but an enchanter. They cannot bind his magic when they need it so much. A simple charm to obscure it where he had hidden it by his ankle in his shoe was all that was needed.
He quickly trades clothing with one of the guards, placing the body in his bed and the covers over them as if they're simply sleeping, then he hides the other in the space underneath the frame. The sheets are long enough to conceal them for now. Hiding his hair up into the helmet which also luckily covers the rest of his head and face, he steps out and closes the door behind him, holding the rifle and taking a moment to stand by the door for the next patrol.
The two approaching guards notice that he's one short, stopping to ask about it.
"Where the hell is your duo?" One asks in a tone that makes it seem the question is rhetorical.
Cole alters his voice to mimic the one he heard speak upon entry into the room. It's deeper and gruff, void of his usual accent.
"Couldn't hold his damn liquor." He answers.
The other guards scoff, a small laugh emitting from one of them.
"Seriously?"
"I already reported it. Don't worry." Cole says.
The other guard groans in annoyance.
"That's the third time this month some dumbass pulled something like that. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Vivanni has him killed."
"I haven't seen Charles ever since he did it." The other says.
"See, what did I tell you?" A pause to turn attention back to Cole. "Keep sharp."
They both depart to continue their rounds. Each round takes about fifteen minutes. So that's how long Cole has, give or take. Once the guards turn the corner out of sight, Cassidy starts making his way to the stairs of the dungeon entry, which isn’t too far, luckily. He stops, keeping out of sight just around a corner a bit out of the way, creating another illusion that casts a shadow in the hallway.
"Go check that out." One of the men in front of the door says, sounding clearly annoyed.
It takes a moment, but the instructed man does as he's told, coming up the steps with his gun raised.
He falls right into the trap.
Cassidy quickly grapples him from his hiding spot like a trapdoor spider, jabbing his handheld silver fang into the back of the man's neck. He goes limp and is dragged off into the darkness without a sound. After a long minute of nothing, the other guard is forced to act. He groans, ascending the steps to follow, meeting the same fate. Cole adjusts his own rifle to belt across his torso and hang upon his back as he continues on.
He descends, approaching the dungeon entry. Using a key he swiped off of one of the guards bodies, he clicks the lock open. Pushing the large slab of metal open, he steps inside as if he's meant to be there, closing up behind him. There's three more guards inside who all look over to him. One paces the area itself in full, the other two at each side of the entry.
"The hell you in here for? Get back outside and guard the front!" The guard walking about says, approaching Cassidy.
The other two shift, clearly uneasy that something besides the norm is happening.
"Vivanni wants extra eyes on the dog." Cole answers in yet another differently mimicked voice. "Got a problem with that?"
The one in front of him chuckles.
“No.” Despite his answer, his grip tightens on his gun and he gets right in the hunter’s face. “That is, if we had actually heard about such a thing.”
The other two shift, fully turning to face Cole, who tilts his head slightly to the side.
“Huh.” He starts. “You’d think communication would be a little bit more efficient considering what we’re dealing with.”
Another tense second passes.
Cassidy suddenly slams his foot into the guard in front of him, sending him flying down the steps with a loud grunt. While the guy is still in the air, he grips the other two’s collars, one in each hand, yanking them towards the center to smash their helmets together. While they’re disoriented, he slips out his knife and slashes their throats, splattering himself with their blood before bolting for the third who just hit the ground rolling, coming to halt mere feet from Hanzo.
Cole jumps on the guard, pinning him down with his knife pointing down above his neck as the guy starts fighting back. The guard grabs the blade, pitting his strength against Cole’s well. Almost too well, as he’s almost able to shake the hunter off, but not before Cole can throw his head down to bounce the other guy’s helmet into the ground and stagger him, finally driving the dagger into the man’s neck, eliciting a sickening gurgle before all goes still.
Cassidy stands, breathing heavily as he finally turns his attention up to Hanzo.
His blood runs cold.
The vampire is hanging by the chains. Stripped naked and twitching, a tube is inserted into the vein in the inner side of his thigh, draining blood for further examination and experiments. His throat is cut open, every breath he takes filled with disgusting gurgling and wheezing. Missing an eye, the wound from the whip is nowhere near healed but at least the cowboy can’t see the bone underneath anymore.
Outside of being cut, shot and stabbed, there is something sticking from his side, between the ribs, causing his form to dissolve into blurry smoke while his shape fights to stay together. The bindings on his wrists are scorching hot, working hard to contain the vampire's abilities. It's melted the skin away, exposing the muscle and charring it.
He is unresponsive even though his eyes are opening. He looks like he’s been put in a drugged, feverish state.
Cole hadn’t looked at him before due to how focused he was at eliminating whoever was in his way first. Sheathing the dagger in his belt and removing his helmet to let it fall to the ground, he takes a few wobbling steps forwards, his breath catching in his throat. His mind is fighting, allowing itself to realize that what he’s seeing is very much real while tears streak down his cheeks. Shaking hands reach up to his love’s face, caressing the side opposite the whip wound. He exhales quickly and heavy with a whimper, his face contorting in despair.
“H-Han…?” He whispers, his voice cracking.
There is a glimpse of consciousness, drowning in gurgling, shuddering breaths. Cole's voice got to the vampire. He opens his eyes only to close them again.
He is here. The vampire isn’t sure how, but Cole is here.
That’s enough for Cassidy to see he’s still holding on. He doesn’t have much time left to confirm much else.
He needs to get him down.
Turning to direct his left hand at the door, a magical sigh and click echoes through the room as he seals it, a large glowing rune etching itself into the metal. They’ll have to break it down to get to them. Then, he frantically starts getting to work removing the apparatuses sticking out of the other’s body, making sure he does not damage him more in the process.
The moment the sharp object leaves Hanzo's side, he tenses. His entire body twitches violently and he coughs out a black, oily substance as his form tries its best to squeeze the poison that's running through him.
From one of the guard's bodies, Cole finds the keys to the shackles and moves fast to unlock them. As Hanzo’s body drops, Cole catches him before he fully hits the ground. The binds around the vampire’s wrists lose some of their heat as his side becomes solid again.
Pressing his face into the vampire’s shoulder, he releases a stifled cry into it as he holds him close. Not wanting to let go instantly due to this being the first time he gets to hold the other man again, he steals a full minute or more just to weep into him.
Then, he reluctantly, gently sets him down.
Cole moves to quickly bandage and dress Hanzo via the clothes off the dead guards so he won’t freeze and hopefully won’t continue to bleed. By the end of that task, the sound of the lock being messed with reaches his ears plus the muted voices on the other side. He leaves Hanzo for only a moment to get to the chain coil, releasing some tension from the hanging shackles the other man was just in so they will continue to release with any weight applied in a controlled manner. Rushing up to the vampire to drag him out of the way a little, Cole then runs to the center, dropping to his knees at the drain.
Slamming his left palm down upon it, he speaks aloud an incantation through gritted teeth.
“Hiems halitus!”
A shock of chill grips at the metal grate, reaching its fingers outwards to the edges and into the surrounding porous stone, causing the metal to groan and the stone to crack.
There’s a loud bang against the door.
Cassidy growls in desperation, the cold spreading several feet all around him, taking hold more and more until it finally halts. The sound of the ground already giving can be heard as it strains against an interference it wasn’t built for. He stands and pulls the chains down to where the shackles touch the ground at his feet before picking up Hanzo and draping him over his shoulder, securing his right arm over him and presenting his left palm to the drain again. In response, a large circle of white light hums to life as it etches itself over where the cold has taken over, runes glowing all around its borders.
Another loud bang.
He steps into the center, quickly wrapping one of the chains once around one of his legs, clamping the shackle between his feet for support then strongly gripping the metal links with his left hand. The circle spikes up in brightness, highlighting Cassidy from below with its ghostly hue. Not a second afterwards, it explodes, forcing its repulsion down against the ground it’s etched in, shattering it to bits. Gravity takes over, the chain giving in to the pull from the weight of both men as it begins dropping them down into the mouth of the newly created orifice.
Stone rains.
Wind howls.
CLANG.
The chain catches, causing Cassidy to exclaim in shock as he almost loses his hold on it. He tightens his grip on Hanzo, looking back up towards the opening. He can’t tell what caught it, and telling by the sound of the remaining debris hitting the water below, they’re still a few levels away from it. Once again at an impasse, he must make another choice.
He hadn’t chosen who he fell for.
He just did.
And it was the easiest thing he’s ever done. He was also lucky enough to have done so together. So now, he must do so again, this time knowingly.
He breathes hard, struggling more and more to hold on. With a hard swallow, he closes his eyes.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in…
He releases the chain.
Pulling Hanzo in where gravity and time allows, he hugs him close, protectively wrapping his body around him as they fall together, disappearing into the dark below.
Crashing into the water with a heavy splash, the current of the river below begins ferrying them away. Knowing better than to fight it, Cassidy keeps his metal hand gripped under Hanzo’s arm. He swims up, breaking to the surface with a deep inhale. He fights hard to make sure the vampire’s head gets above as well, holding him up even at the expense of being under more, himself, while nature follows its own uncontrollable course.
He doesn’t know how long nor how far they've floated, but eventually, a shore shows itself, glowing in the moonlight like the gates of heaven themselves.
Weakly, Cassidy directs them to drift to the side, digging his feet into the sand to slow them down and trudge to land, dragging Hanzo out with him and pulling him into the grass under tree cover.
The hunter collapses right next to his partner, wheezing and exhausted, still shaking from the remains of his adrenaline. He lies still, simply allowing himself to catch his breath for a minute before he tries to force himself to quiet down so he can listen. Listen for the intake of air from his loved one to make sure they both made it out alive.
He hears nothing at first, his breath starting to turn to sobs.
He reaches his right arm over, weakly grabbing at Hanzo, pulling at him as if trying to drag him closer.
“Luna mea…?” He wheezes.
There is no reply to his call. He still can't notice any breathing, either.
His sobs are now full blown, tears flooding among the wetness from the river already glistening upon his face. Everything finally catches up with him, emotions crushing his chest and wrapping their fingers around his throat.
"No-!" He chokes in a crying whisper.
The metal claws of his left hand dig down into the dirt, his whole body wailing with a familiar, yet different kind of despair. He drags himself closer until he is able to hold his upper body over Hanzo's, wrapping his left arm around him while his right palm caresses his head, bringing his own down to touch their foreheads together. He takes several uneven, shuddering breaths before dragging his shaking hand down to feel for a pulse in the side of his partner's neck.
Please.
You can't.
...
A noticeable, gentle thump.
Then another.
And another.
A heartbeat.
Cole exhales sharply, a relief he's never felt before flooding into him. He cries harder due to it, clenching his teeth together and body stuttering as teardrops drip onto the vampire's face before he shifts to wail into his chest instead, strongly hugging onto him.
He weeps until his tears all but dry up. He stays awake nearly all night, making sure he keeps moving to add a bit more distance between them and the prison they escaped. He carries Hanzo in his arms, still holding him as such even when he sits down to rest. He calls upon a simple enchantment to warm up his metal arm just enough to help stave off the chill in the air from the remaining bits of winter and help them dry.
The vampire drifts in and out of consciousness, his body still fighting off the poison from the enchanted blade. It makes him twitch from time to time, mutter under his weak breath, and in the worst case scenario, he vomits another portion of the black substance. Cassidy tends to him whenever his body ejects the poison, making sure he sets him down and keeps him on his side to get it all out, lest it choke him. He then gently cleans his mouth with a piece of cloth ripped from his own uniform. In checking the bandages later that night, the vampire's neck is no longer fissured. More waves of relief come as the healing continues. It's much slower, but noticeable.
It's bound to be the new year by now. They'd spent the past several months in hell, having all but forgotten the sun even existed. It proves it does by beginning to seep its light into the horizon as night starts to fall. Looking at the fortress in the distance, hills upon hills stand between them, now. The countryside Cole finds themselves in is full of greenery, recognizable farmlands and plantations.
Italy.
They’re in Italy.
He can't recall if he's been to Italy before. If he has, it must not have been long enough to remember. But this... well... he'll remember it alright.
Finding another area to rest where the foliage provides good cover, he lies Hanzo down in the grass before joining him, keeping close to continue providing warmth.
Exhaustion takes hold, forcing the hunter under a sea of nothingness, silently drifting through his mind as the hours pass.
A dream buds. Gentle. Filled with warmth and safety. Hanzo’s arms wrapped around him, keeping him close as the vampire caresses his long hair.
“You did well.” Hanzo whispers, planting a kiss on the top of the hunter’s head. “Rest now.”
Cole melts into the feeling, staying enveloped in it for as long as he’s able.
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The vampire ponders on how to approach Cole for days, fear being the main factor that stops him from finally growing a pair and talking to the hunter. Then, the politics get even thicker, shifting the king’s focus to more important matters. But at least Genji is doing better, socializing with the council and even becoming friends with Umbra, which is a big achievement given she dislikes everyone but Hanzo.
Additively, transferring the guardians to the surface is going smoothly, especially with Cole overseeing it. The entrance to the forge is constantly being used but the dwarves ensured Hanzo it can take said intensive usage. There is no other way around it. Luckily, the portal can fit four soldiers at once. If everything continues going smoothly, the entire army should be on the other side in a week, more or less.
Hanzo has suspicions, though. Outside of the Cole situation, things are looking too good.
Soon enough, his instincts prove him right.
"Your majesty." Russel bows before Hanzo as the vampire is occupied in a debate with Kogri and Quinn. "Forgive me for interrupting but it's urgent."
All three men fall silent.
"Continue." Hanzo replies.
"Romania's prince. He's at the gates and requests an audience."
Kogri exchanges looks with Quinn, Hanzo not even flinching even though he knows what this means. And it's nothing good.
The prince is a young man. Due to his age, it is easy to question his leadership capabilities. His father has been unwell for months now, his days clearly coming to an end and the enemy seized an opportunity.
Romania is under attack.
The prince was smart enough to seek help from Hanzo. He is aware of his chances against such a large number of assaulters. The vampire likes him. He shows no fear in his presence and also is not cocky. He is respectful, aware of how little he can do against such beings as Hanzo and his vampires.
The decision the lord has to make, though, isn’t easy and puts a lot of pressure on him.
At the end of the day, Cassidy is summoned.
The enchanter ascends to meet his king, bowing upon entry. Hanzo wastes no time getting right into asking his questions.
"What is the current progress for arming the guardians, mister Cassidy?"
Quinn and Kogri, who still remain in the room, are silent. Given the orc's posture, the future is painting itself in rather grim colors.
"Their weapons are almost complete. They can be armed tomorrow, perhaps even tonight at the speed it's going." Cole answers.
Hopefully, this is good news for the tense men before him. Seeing even Kogri so grim really is driving it home just how bad things must be at the moment. He heard about the Romanian prince’s arrival and assumes he must not have brought good tidings.
"Are they tested? How fast can you manufacture a hundred of them?" Hanzo asks almost instantly.
There is the issue with the dwarvish council, which needs to be spoken to about the intense arming of the automatons, but this time Hanzo will take care of it on his own.
Cassidy did test them. Luckily, the forge has a protected range to do so. They wouldn't be able to continue production like they are without having confirmed the blueprints they made worked first. That in and of itself took several days.
"Yes sir, they've been tested."
Another hundred of them? For an extra hundred constructs they do not have? There's too many questions now, causing Cassidy's brows to draw in confusion.
"It... would take about a week if not a bit more to manufacture another hundred, your majesty."
Not good.
His seemingly good news has turned upside down within a matter of seconds.
Hanzo nods.
The silence that falls is heavy and thick, everyone waiting for their king's decision.
Reaching out to his brother and the rest of the vampires with his mind, Hanzo summons the complete council.
Genji is conversing with Umbra when they both receive the outreach from the king. The man freezes his words, going still before giving a knowing look to the woman. They both ascend to join the congregation. As they enter, Genji moves to stand next to Cole, giving the enchanter a small greeting nod paired with a worried gaze. Cassidy meets the look with clear concern reflecting in his eyes.
Once everyone is present, all standing around Hanzo expectantly, the king begins.
"Every one of you will go through certain routes across Transylvania."
He summons scrolls, containing within them marked maps, beginning to hand them out. One to each vampire.
"You will rally every man between the ages of eighteen and fifty. Any that can carry a weapon. Women between twenty and thirty that do not have children are expected to arrive at the nearest factories to manufacture weapons."
He pauses in front of Genji, looking him in the eye before handing him his scroll.
"Transylvania is officially at war."
Genji sucks in a deep inhale, lips pulling into a tight line. He is still for a few seconds before finally accepting his scroll with a broken expression.
Cole's blood runs cold, body stiff as stone. For the first time in a long time, the hunter is scared. He has never faced true war before, his only exposure being that of written word in the pages of books.
Hanzo turns towards Kogri.
"Kogri. In three days I will provide you with a squad of generals. You will divide them between the training camps according to their experience and will monitor the entire process. I expect the first squadron to be ready to move out within three weeks."
The orc bows as acknowledgment.
Attention shifts to Quinn.
"Mister Lockwood. You will supervise factories. Mister Cassidy, once you are done with manufacturing firearms for the guardians, you will join mister Lockwood."
Cassidy gives a small nod in acknowledgement, completely speechless.
Hanzo's eyes travel across the faces of all the present personnel who are still frozen, processing his words.
"Go!” He raises his voice, “there is no time to waste!"
Cassidy begins stepping away, offering a small departing bow before he follows behind the other members that are quickly filing out the door ahead of him.
Hanzo’s gaze grazes Cole’s back as he leaves, watching from the side of his eye until sight is cut off by the door. There is no time for thinking about heartache anymore. No time to rest, either.
As Cole makes his way back down to the forge, Genji stops him.
"Cassidy!" He calls, stopping the cowboy in his tracks.
He walks up to the enchanter, regarding him with an aura of determination. Yet, it's not without some sorrow. Even fear. They just look at each other for a long moment before Genji extends his hand out. Cole exhales, gripping their palms together in a strong hold.
Genji finally speaks.
"I'll see you soon." He nearly whispers.
He pulls the hunter into a hug. They hold onto it for a good handful of seconds in silence. He then heaves a strong sigh before letting go, patting Cassidy on the shoulder as he passes by. Not long after, he steps outside, turning to darkness, becoming one with the night sky to begin his duties.
No matter how hard Hanzo tries over the next week and a half, his mind is still active. Transylvania has limited resources. Romania is their only hope. Preventing them from falling is to prevent Transylvania from falling. This is why once the one hundred weapons are manufactured and put into guardian hands, Hanzo's order is:
"Follow the prince's orders to protect Transylvania until I say otherwise."
This specific choice of words assured the safety of his kingdom, not allowing the prince to turn against them and use the generous gift with ill intent.
One hundred automatons march out, pouring down the main road of the city, glistening in the setting sun like a flowing golden bloodstream. The rest are divided to posts, stretched thin across the most vulnerable spots of Transylvania's border. Since then, Hanzo has tried three times to convince the dwarvish council to manufacture more of the Guardians or at least borrow the existing ones assigned to the Ah'kt'ak to no avail. So, the vampire redirects his attention back to training camps, factories and food redistribution, doing all in his power to keep his country alive for as long as needed.
With the guardians and weapons done, Cassidy wishes he felt relief. But he doesn't.
He can't.
Now, he must move to the second phase of his order, meaning he has to leave the castle once more.
He returns to his room to grab some items. Clothing and a few other essentials. He pulls Peacekeeper from its hiding spot, returning it to its proper place in the holster upon his hip, letting his coat flow over it. On his way out, he replaces his hat upon his head, adjusting it as he closes his bedroom door behind him.
In the courtyard, he comes to a stop in his purposeful walk, looking back over his shoulder. His eyes drag from the bottom to the top of the stone monolith.
His home.
He recalls the day he arrived. How scared he was. The reason differed, then. The irony in both of these moments in time is that there was no choice in either of them. Regardless, he can't help but feel his chest being pulled and torn by the fingers of fate itself.
He didn't even get to say goodbye.
Pulling his gaze away, he continues on, crossing past the gates borders to head to where Quinn has been assigned.
Another couple weeks pass.
"My lord." Quinn bows before Hanzo, ready to give him his report. "The manufacturing goes smoothly so far. We have enough hands on deck to produce ammunition at an acceptable pace."
"Any progress on firearm advancements?" The king asks, looking at piles of papers on the table below him.
Quinn's long pause makes him stop and look up.
"There is none, my lord." The warforged answers.
Hanzo furrows his brows.
"Mister Cassidy never arrived. I thought he was still down at the Forge." Quinn adds.
The vampire blinks, surprise painting his features. His eyes trail off of Quinn as a gentle vibrating wave rattles through the castle's halls.
"He is not here..." Hanzo whispers. "He surrendered the key to the forge, he can't be down-"
A realization struck both of them at the same time.
Cole ran away.
Perhaps war is too much for him. It is far more serious, stressful and traumatizing than simply hunting monsters.
Hanzo feels his heart shattering, its sharp shards piercing his ribcage, filling every breath with a painful ache.
"I'm..." As if Quinn senses his lord's turmoil, he speaks gently. "I'm sorry."
Another day ticks by.
It was hard. Not asking but requiring all those people to leave their families to join an army or factory. But those were his orders. The king’s orders. Genji did as he was bid, completing his specified direction only a day after Quinn’s report.
From the night sky, its blackness spits out a piece of itself, flying into the courtyard, carried by the gentle flap of wings. Once close to the ground, the shadows swirl down, Genji’s form emerging as his feet silently plant on the surface in a steady stride towards the front entrance. The sadness and exhaustion of his journey is still laced within his features as he pushes the doors aside, entering the castle.
First things first, before he can return to his room to try and recharge, he has to report to his brother.
Up in his living room, Hanzo sits in his armchair, watching the fire burn with blind eyes that cannot see anything but the reality that lives within his own mind. It’s grim, filled with dark clouds and storms that shake up the ocean waves.
Why must his heart be such a hypocrite? This is what he wanted after all. He wanted Cole gone so they both could move on, giving the hunter a chance at a happy life and death by the side of his beloved.
Then why does it hurt so much?
“Brother.” Genji’s voice calls to him.
Hanzo startles, inhales sharply and tenses, betraying how badly out of touch he is with his surroundings.
Genji forces himself to stand tall, slipping on a mask of his own so he remains present in lieu of their new circumstances.
“It is done. All according to direction.”
He looks to Hanzo, taking a brief, silent moment to observe him before stepping a few more paces forwards, concern bleeding through his composure.
He’s never been good at the whole mask thing…
“Has something happened?”
Rhetorical, that question may be, because what hasn’t happened, truly? In the two weeks Genji was gone, however, the chill of the air has begun to take form in white flakes that want nothing more than to bury them alive before the ashes of the incoming destruction even have a chance to do so themselves.
"War is happening." Hanzo replies with a heavy, rusty voice. "Go now. Get some rest. There is a lot of work to do tomorrow."
A typical indirect answer. The usual deflection.
As much as he wants to pry, the younger vampire hasn't slept in well over his several day allowance. He pushed himself to get things done as quickly and efficiently as possible, leaving him dragging by the end of it. He hasn't the energy to investigate. He simply bows again and slips away. Though, he keeps a mental note of this instance, just in case it proves to deliver more straightforward answers through a different form later. He closes into his room, having tunnel-visioned his entire way through the halls until he finally collapses in bed, knocking out within a matter of minutes. He'll need all the rest he can squeeze out from the rest of the night.
The next morning, he catches Hanzo with Kogri, hovering above maps, planning further steps. The moment the other vampire steps in, they both go quiet, the orc excusing himself silently, leaving the two alone.
"What was it you were doing in Overwatch, brother?"
Hanzo cuts down to the chase. As much as he hates the idea, he can’t afford the other to just sit around and do nothing while all hands are needed on deck. He has to do something with him.
That question was bound to be asked eventually.
Genji inhales softly before replying.
"I was part of a strike team."
He walks up to Hanzo.
"We worked as a unit, responding wherever our skills were needed. Containing and neutralizing threats."
That didn't exclude killing the target if the threat they posed was high enough. His brother's interest in his role has been obvious in the past, yet this is a strange time to be asking when that information would have been confidential and able to be used against Genji before. Yet, now, perhaps his skills can be of use here, instead. With Hanzo as his commander.
"Would that be of use...?"
"Yes. You will assist Kogri at the training camp. That is all. You are dismissed."
Genji nods.
He's been a trainer before, so that isn't an issue for him. For Korgi, though, he wonders how much the orc will truly take to his presence. Either way, it's not like there's anything he can say about it one way or the other. Especially not now.
"Alright..."
The interaction was cut and dry, which is normal, yet Genji knows something more is still off. Is he going to probe now of all instances? No. As much as he wants to, time is too thin. Stepping upon it is not ideal, lest it become lost in the void of more unnecessary words. He will simply remain vigilant.
Bowing, he steps back, turns, and takes his leave to meet up with Kogri before they depart for the training grounds.
The moment he leaves, Hanzo walks to the center of the room, takes a deep breath and steadies himself, forcing the thoughts of Cole to the back of his mind. There is no time to grieve. Countless lives are depending on him.
Closing his eyes, the third opens. The entire castle begins to shake, stone sheds off the walls, shifting around. Beautiful arches and sculptures fall apart, becoming dust upon hitting the ground. The gothic work of art is no more than a fortress with thick walls, rowdy hallways, few windows and countless rooms.
Hanzo's knitted brows twitch, sweat building up on his forehead. His shape begins to deform as he is unable to hold it in anymore.
The walls engulfing the city in their embrace share the same fate. Expanding. Bloating. Growing stronger. With towers and four ways out, hanging bridges open their maws. Beneath them the ground begins to hollow and collapse. A nearby river breaks in, flooding the trench like a rushing serpent.
The defenses are complete.
It’s unknown just how long reality has been veiled. The only semblance it still exists at all is in the form of occasional bumps or turns that gently shift the hunter’s body. It’s paired with voices. But somehow, not words. There’s no understanding that can be drawn from the beings around him.
Are they truly there at all?
Each element is only noticeable for a short moment before his mind is pushed under again, binding his will to the mercy of the synthetic sleep.
Once it finally begins to wear off after god knows how long, he comes to notice he is lying upon something soft. There’s a voice again, yet this time, he can make out what they’re saying.
"Sleep well?"
A male voice garners the hunter's attention.
Eyes slowly open, vision fighting to regain its clarity despite the low light of his new surroundings. A fairly bland stone room, only the bed he lies upon as well as other necessary amenities existing within its confines.
He blinks, looking up at the one who spoke, brows furrowing lightly, unable to alter more of his expression due to the drug in his system.
The stranger speaks again.
"I apologize for the rather rough journey. There was no other way to extract you safely from that disgusting den of creatures."
Disgusting den of…
“…What?” Cole mumbles, groggily.
As he had been traveling to his destination, his mind had been wading through so many thoughts and emotions as they relentlessly assaulted his consciousness that all he remembers was a sharp, sudden pain in his neck that began leeching away all said thoughts. Though, no peace was provided in return.
The man claps and a second man by his left side approaches Cole, checking his vitals and well being.
"You can call me Vivanni for now.” Says the stranger. “This is doctor Fé, and that is just my bodyguard, don't pay him any mind." The third man he is referring to stands in the far back holding a gun, offering only a grunt in reply.
Cassidy’s confused gaze slowly shifts to the doctor. Then the guard. Then back to the man deemed Vivanni.
Cassidy gives a short glare to him.
“Where am I?”
His tone is weak, yet still holds the strong hint of a demand.
He should have arrived to Quinn by now. Part of him wants to strangle himself for leaving at all. He belongs at Hanzo’s side. Not sent off somewhere out of reach. Now, he’s somewhere unidentified, possibly even further from his partner.
"In a safe place, my friend." Vivanni chirps, watching as the doctor helps Cole drink a small concoction.
It’s water, but mixed with something sour. The taste is awful, yet it helps the cowboy’s senses touch the ground.
Vivanni continues to explain.
"We helped you out. You are safe from that monstrosity and his hub of beasts.”
The hunter finds it hard to believe this place is safe. Especially since the answer didn't provide specifics. It's blatantly secretive, only adding to the discomfort building within him. The insults that are so clearly about Hanzo also makes him start to seethe.
“Safe from the crossfire." The man adds.
Crossfire?
The anger in Cole’s eyes shifts to fear, then just as quickly fades into something more dangerous, somewhere between the two emotions.
"You're lying." He sneers, pushing himself to sit up.
He is still weak, so his attempts only get him to his elbows, his back pressed up against the pillows.
"They ain't beasts." He says. "Take me back."
It's a pointless demand considering how little he knows about his situation, yet he demands it anyways. Whoever these fuckers are, he's got no intention of playing games with them.
"Why would I?" Vivanni raises a brow, hands held behind his back. "Soon, Transylvania will be no more. It's about time we assert dominance over those... abominations. They threaten humankind. Especially their king. Someone has to finally show him his place."
With every word this man utters, it makes Cole feel more and more sick. His fists grip the sheets. He already wants to lay into the other for speaking about Hanzo that way, however, he still can't even stand.
But when he can...
The man now switches places with the doctor, standing by Cole's bed.
"I'm sure you understand, mister Cassidy. You're a monster hunter. No one knows better than you how dangerous they can be. If we allow them to grow stronger they can destroy everything humanity has built." He pauses, straightening a fold of the bed's cover. "It's about time you join your own kin."
The enchanter draws in a deep breath.
Keep it together, Cole.
"I was a hunter. I gave it up almost a year ago, now." He replies through gritted teeth. "They have given me more to understand and believe in than my own people have."
Plus, not every monster wants the annihilation of humans. Some may have, once... but not now.
"We just want to protect our own." He adds.
Cole speaks as if he's one of the creatures Vivanni insults. He may as well be, now. He's lived among them. Even fallen in love with one of them. It just so happened to be Hanzo.
"None of this has to happen."
The man at his bedside simply smiles, a glimmer of something unidentifiable behind his eyes.
“Rest well, Mister Cassidy.” He turns and begins to leave, the other two individuals following suit. “You will need it.”
With that, all three exit, the door to the room closing. A lock clicks, leaving the enchanter trapped in a heavily guarded and unknown place.
Cole slowly, weakly starts rising from the bed. The lasting effects of the drug still course through him, making it feel as if he just woke up from a coma. He stumbles, catching himself on the shoddy bed frame, eyes darting around for answers as to where the hell he is. But the room is barren. The windows are closed to where only slivers of light are allowed inside, yet he cannot see outside whatsoever.
With his body in the state it is, he can’t fight back. He wouldn’t be able to even if he tried. He doesn’t know what’s beyond his door, let alone the entire place itself.
Relenting with a frustrated growl, he lowers himself to sit back on the bed. Still gripping the frame, knuckles turn white as he seethes. After a long few minutes, he takes a deep breath, trying to center himself and think logically.
Surely, his absence is bound to be noticed.
Days pass.
He rationalizes with himself that simply no one has reported it yet.
Then days turn to weeks.
Confusion begins to flood him.
Weeks turn into an entire month.
Nothing.
He loses faith.
His already shattered heart dissolves to dust, swirling itself into a whirlwind of anger, sadness and bargaining until finally, it evaporates.
He’s been forced by Vivanni to do weapon production for him, instead. Creating enchanted weapons to be used against monsters. Against Hanzo. However, for the king himself, they gave Cole a more specific command. One that even in his blank state, he refused to do at first. Yet with more threats weaponized against him, he had no other choice.
He had to obey.
A couple more months pass.
Each day feels like an eternity. Even though Cole has surprisingly been treated relatively well, his skills and mind are being used without him having any say in the matter.
He tried to sneak away a few times, however, perhaps his skills became too rusty, as he was caught on each occasion. The repercussions were nothing major, nor anything he couldn't take, yet sometimes he had almost wished they were.
The closer the project came to completion, the more depressed he grew. Through all the weeks and weeks within this prison, silence continued to follow him, keeping hold of his voice even in moments he was addressed. It has felt as if his very shadow is chaining him down, haunting him with dissonant whispers of lies about himself that he can't help but believe.
He's nothing but a husk, now.
One day, Cole is fetched by a few guards, who lead him through the halls of the still unfamiliar fortress. Eyes blank and composure like a stone wall, he walks with them, believing it to be just a routine meeting of some sort. Instead, he is transported to a chamber that could easily hold an entire banquet. Except it has an enchanted cage in its center, armed men surrounding it from every side.
He catches sight of the cage before his gaze shifts between the weaponized men all around. A spark of curiosity enters him, face scrunching to reflect as such before he's forced inside. He stumbles in, his throat closing up from the sheer amount of magic now surrounding him, yet it lessens after a few deep breaths.
By the side of a dining table that’s been scooted out of the way stands Vivanni.
"Was the message sent as planned?" He asks one of the armed men
"Yes. It should be delivered as we speak." The man answers.
"Good." Vivanni holds his hands behind his back. "Now listen carefully.”
He begins pacing up to the cage, his attention only to the guards surrounding it, completely ignoring the individual inside.
“You will certainly know when he arrives. Do not falter, no matter what he does, because if you do, we are all dead meat. As long as we have his precious man, we are all safe, do you understand?"
“Yes, sir.” They all reply in tandem.
"I will do the talking, as per usual. You all just hold the cowboy at gunpoint."
With everything he just heard, Cole’s confusion is remedied.
He wasn't just taken to create the harmful elements these people are going to use against Hanzo and the rest of Transylvania...
He's the bait.
He's always been the bait. The chess piece they've been holding onto for god knows how long, and there's nothing Cassidy could have done to change it. However, most of him still believes there is no piece of Hanzo's heart that holds onto him anymore. So who's to say the vampire will answer at all?
He scoffs, crossing his arms as he tiredly glares through the bars at Vivanni.
"The hell makes y'think he cares?" He asks.
Vivanni looks at the cowboy, unamused.
"Oh, he cares. He cares more than you think." He approaches closer. "Why do you think he pushed you away?"
Suddenly, Cassidy’s question followed by the moon beginning to engulf the land outside under its glare. The silver glow begins to bleed, becoming engulfed in an eerie crimson color. The king's attention is turned unto them, feeling as if he's already there just by the dread that swallows the atmosphere.
The captor looks to the sky out one of the windows.
"He received the message. Stay sharp men. The clock is ticking."
Looking up and past Vivanni to the windows, a spark of hope ignites in the hunter, even though it's still restrained by his doubt. Even if Vivanni's answer holds merit, what if this is just a coincidence? Perhaps the castle is being attacked and the horror in the sky is just representative of Hanzo fighting to defend it.
But what if it is true? That he did get a message informing of Cassidy's position and this is just the beginning of the lord's reply?
Cole hears the guards begin speaking between one another.
"One hundred funts it will take him a week to get here."
“One hundred it will take him five days.”
Hearing them betting only adds to Cole’s anxiety. If Hanzo does come, he must know he's walking right into a trap. The enchanter feels a strong tug of fear mixed with sadness. He knows what awaits the king, as it's of his own design.
Internally, he's begging Hanzo not to show.
In the end, it only took him one day.
The exhaustion in the guards around Cole dissolves the moment they realize something is wrong.
It’s getting dark too fast.
Dense shadows pour into the chamber, swallowing any kind of light source, snuffing it out. Even the sky is no longer visible through the windows. The air becomes thick with fury, numbing on the tongue, hot on the skin.
From his sitting position against the back of the cage, Cassidy's eyes are prompted to open by the suffocating feeling seeping its way into the room.
“He’s here!” Vivanni says, rising from his own seat.
Cassidy shoots up to his feet as the guards all cock their guns, pointing them at him. He doesn’t even care about that aspect. Only about what’s coming.
In a few heartbeats, their sight is completely nulled by the cloud of shadow, as if they have been thrown into a hellish void. Claws can be heard scraping against the walls of the fortress as something big latches itself onto the stone. A growl rumbles with clicks in their ears vibrating in their skulls and chests, like it’s coming from every direction.
The bars of the cage begin to heat up, forcing the hunter to step back and away from the border and closer to the center.
"Try anything and the cowboy gets it!" Vivanni shouts through the noise.
Cole angles to face Vivanni's voice, catching sight of the only tangible, recognizable things stabbing through the shadows.
Three giant eyes.
Relief and surprise pull at his brows as he finally truly realizes.
Hanzo replied.
But Cole doesn't fully know the extent of the plans these bastards have for the two of them and his expression fades into a familiar worry. They want Hanzo dead and do not care if the enchanter goes down to achieve that feat. That much is certain.
“The longer you do this, the hotter it gets for your man in the cage. Show yourself or he'll burn sooner or later." Says the captor.
The eyes lash forwards, stopping mere inches from Vivanni, piercing him with a death glare. Though, he is unmoving, withstanding the threat with relative ease. The growling intensifies, windows vibrating under the sheer force of the sound.
The cage retorts by increasing in heat, making it even harder to breathe, eliciting a small grunt of discomfort from the hunter.
The darkness slowly begins to ease, light pouring out of the shadows. The red of the eyes dissolve with it, the growl becoming nothing but a distant echo stuck in the mind as Hanzo’s more familiar form comes into view.
"What is it you want?"
His voice is still deformed, tiny veins embracing his face as he is doing his best to hold back from lashing out.
The cage relents, slowly lessening its temperature as Hanzo’s gaze briefly brushes against Cole. Cole meets the quick look from his partner, the mix of his emotions clear. His relief, fear, and even his small glimmer of hope.
"Much better." Vivanni deflates a bit. "Our demands are simple, your majesty. Obey us and the cowboy stays among the living-"
"If you kill him you are all dead." Hanzo hisses.
“True.” Vivanni does not falter. “But so is he.”
Cassidy's breaths increase in speed, his nervousness on full display.
"Han!"
Don't. I'm not worth it.
That's what he wants to say. The one time he wants to actually encourage the other to run. But he knows it won't be effective. Nor can he bring himself to ask that of the other when he is already here. For him.
After months of not seeing the man and being so lost in his despair, it is now Hanzo that is Cassidy's ray of light. If anything, for this, the hunter is overwhelmingly thankful. His gaze shows this. Because if all goes south, which it can at any second, he wants his partner to know. He won't go down without the other knowing he still heavily, undoubtedly loves him.
"How adorable." Vivanni smirks. "But the clock is ticking, your majesty. Unlike you, we don't have all eternity."
He suddenly pulls out a handgun of his own, clicks the safety and points it at Cole through the bars.
Cole’s eyes widen. The guards doing it hadn't bothered him, but this somehow feels different. The others were acting under command. This isn't a command. This is personal.
"You have two minutes to make the decision or he dies." The captor says.
The guards shift. They weren't aware of this plan. The prospect of dying a gruesome death only because the king did not make a decision in time is slowly hitting them. What if Hanzo doesn’t care as much as Vivanni assumes?
Hanzo eyes the clock, then Vivanni. He holds his gaze with him, the ticking becoming louder and louder as the seconds pass. Cole remains tense the entire time. The guards get even more nervous, glancing towards the clock as it closes in on the mark.
Hanzo curls up his hands in fists, muscles on his face twitching from rage until he deflates and submissively looks down, breaking eye contact.
"So be it. I yield."
Vivanni hums, his men exhaling as relief washes over them. Opposed to their relief, Cole looks up at Hanzo, releasing his breath in defeat and sadness. Over everything else, Hanzo chose him. Despite it being at the cost of losing everything.
"Approach the cage and raise your hands, your majesty." The captor commands.
Hanzo does as he’s bid, stepping closer to the cage and raising his hands towards Cole.
The moment their eyes lock, Cassidy can see the exhaustion and regret. The vampire is sorry. He is sorry it all has to end like this, but because of the cage, he can’t even communicate it the way he wants to.
"Cassidy.” Vivanni issues his next command simply by the cowboy’s name.
The enchanter hesitates for a moment, his own apology reflecting in his eyes for what he’s about to do.
Hanzo’s gaze remains firm.
I forgive you. It is not your fault.
Cole looks down and takes a shaking breath before speaking the incantation aloud.
"Catenae infernum."
From the ground underneath Hanzo, light bends and curves, runes drawing themselves into existence in their required forms and positions. Just like the guardian enchantment, a band of light forms around each of the vampire's wrists. The runes rotate and lock with a spectral whine.
A barrier.
Not to protect… but to contain.
Hanzo’s face twitches as he feels something he’s never experienced before in his life.
Weakness.
Cassidy radiates with shame, stepping forwards a little more in an automatic desire to instantly close the distance. To throw himself in between his partner and the incoming fate, no matter what it is. But all he can do is stand there, helplessly, waiting for it to happen.
“Now just to be sure…" Vivanni says, pulling out a knife while still holding Cole at gunpoint.
Cole takes another step forwards, anger beginning to seep in to pair with his fear as soon as he sees the other weapon. With the threat of the gun still on him, though, he doesn't push any further.
Vivanni approaches Hanzo, looking him in the face before slashing a cut into his cheek. Where Hanzo does not flinch at the slice into his skin, Cassidy does. Sight latches onto the quickly budding blood from the wound, watching as it rolls down and drips. The fissure tries to heal, given the smoke it’s producing. Yet, it's only able to do so for a moment before the cuffs choke it down, preventing any further mending.
A few thick, crimson drops hit the ground.
Vivanni hides away both his weapons, all smiles and sunshine rays.
"Now, behave, do what you are told, and the cowboy will be treated well. Disobey me, and watch him suffer." He states.
He then looks Hanzo up and down, pondering.
"I've heard stories of the monstrosity that you are.” He pauses, his sly smile still plastered across his lips. “Show me. I want to see the real you. This is my first command."
Hanzo's eyes briefly brush Cole's again. An unspoken apology for what he is about to see. He never wanted this to happen. He wanted to remain as human as possible in his love’s mind.
Cole has never questioned it, nor had much curiosity about what the lord's true form really is. It's written that if you do see it, it's a death omen and typically you wouldn't live long afterwards. He's seen diagrams before but they were never all that detailed, only based upon speculation. The only valid recordings are of the being's shadow and sheer size.
Within the glance, it's almost as if he's asking Hanzo if he wants him to look away. He twitches his head to the side a little in uncertainty, as he isn't really catching confirmation one way or the other. Just the apology.
But does it truly matter?
With all the horrors Cole has seen in the past, the worst one he can think of for himself is losing Hanzo. And now with what the enchanter has done, that's pushing dangerously close to being a reality. Seeing him as he truly is couldn't be as bad as never seeing him again in general.
Cassidy keeps his eyes on Hanzo in full understanding of what he's just committed to.
Inhaling, Hanzo closes his eyes, the third one opening. His entire form dissolves into shadows as they burst around him, growing in size and engulfing the room once more. Only the eyes are visible, becoming even bigger and less human shaped, stretching out into thin ovals like a crown of blood red gems.
Rearranging, everything takes a solid shape again.
A long neck, slim body, whip-like tail and folded wings come into view. Arms unglue themselves from the sides to thud against the floor in support of the monster's weight, bending in an unnatural way at the joints. An extended jaw filled with razor sharp teeth curling outwards, trembling under the sheer force of the beasts choking anger.
A growl rumbles in his chest, echoing in their ears, penetrating their skulls.
Through the entire transformation, Cole had steadily grown more and more apprehensive with each new feature that came to light. By the end of it, he hadn't even realized that he backed up almost all the way to the back of his cage. His breath draws heavy, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. During the extended silence that follows its completion, he manages to snap his eyes away and off to the side.
Everyone is speechless. Even Vivanni needs some time to gather words into a sentence.
"This... this is the ugliest fucking dog I ever owned." He snickers.
His men laugh nervously. Hanzo narrows his eyes, the skin on his nose wrinkling as another furious rumble clacks deep in his throat.
Even though the hunter’s body is shaking with adrenaline as an automatic reaction to the creature before them all, he finally speaks up, prompted by his captor's comment.
"You got what you wanted, so shut it!" He spits, dragging his attention back up to pierce Vivanni with a heavy glare while avoiding looking directly at Hanzo out of pure instinct.
Hanzo is not a fucking pet.
These bastards are worried about the eldritch being, as they should be. But they should remember just who else they're dealing with on top of it.
Cole had nearly forgotten himself, yet finally seeing Hanzo again and the fact the hunter was chosen over the more logical option sparked a fire back into him. Even if he doesn't make it out of this and he's snuffed out for good, he can't say he didn't at least have a chance to burn.
"What the hell are you getting out of this?" He asks, lowly.
This damn well doesn't seem to be about humanity's safety like the other man has been insinuating for the past several months. Saying he owns Hanzo and commanding him around like that... no. There's something more. There has to be.
"Yeah, yeah. Get him out of here." Vivanni brushes Cassidy's anger off.
The guards enter the cage and harshly pull the cowboy out, poking him with their guns to rush him. Cole sneers, not taking kindly to being rough handled. Telling by the vibrating growl biting itself into their heads, Hanzo doesn’t like it, either.
"Remember the deal, your majesty." Vivanni continues, keeping his attention on the behemoth of a monster before him. "Be a good boy and the cowboy lives unharmed."
Cole is only able to glance back at Hanzo once before he's forced the rest of the way out, leaving them both to the mercy of their unknown future.
Given Cole cannot stay awake for days on end like Genji and Hanzo and needs to sleep, he showed Genji to his room. They’ll be roommates until the other can prove himself enough to have a space of his own.
Each night, Cassidy arcane locks the doors and windows, just as a precaution, subsequently turning his room into a makeshift, well, prison. The bed may be large but he isn’t keen on sharing it with anyone. He will organize getting a couch or something for Genji later. For the first night, the vampire simply transforms into his bat form, flitting up to grab onto the curtain frame of the bed to sleep upside down, much to Cole’s dismay and slight amusement. Turns out, he hasn’t slept since he met Cassidy in the garden a full week ago. He sleeps through the rest of the night until the enchanter wakes him the following morning to go to the forge with him.
Cassidy introduces the vampire to his friends down there, explaining a bit about what happened and why he’s sticking around him. He doesn’t go into too much detail, keeping it short and sweet. Only what they need to know.
The two men end up talking a bit as the enchanter works, Genji having taken notice of the tenseness between him and Hanzo the past while. Cole eventually gives in after a bit of pestering, informing the other he and his partner haven’t really spoken or seen each other much since Genji showed. Genji feels a bit at fault and promises to help where he can. All Cassidy can muster is a small yet broken smile in reply.
Most of the council has gone due to the war brewing on the horizon. They are of more use outside Transylvania’s borders than within them, anyway. So when the time comes on the evening of the next day, Genji is presented to the remaining members. Cole bows to everyone upon entry. Genji does the same, like a child copying its parent. The younger vampire then walks up to join his brother. All the high vampires, the orc and the warforged stand in a line in the room that held the banquet before.
"As you all know by now, this is my brother, Genji." Hanzo speaks up in a cold manner. "He has joined our cause and for now is my guest at the castle. Genji-" He then turns towards him. "-meet Amelie LaCroix. My pride and oldest creation."
The mentioned vampire steps out, bowing in front of him with elegance. Unlike the rest, she has that playful, deadly tingle in her eye, as if Genji being superior to her did not bother her at all. She loves playing with fire that cannot be snuffed.
She doesn’t scare Genji.
"Umbra Bouras." The next vampire steps out as well and bows. She is measuring him discreetly, clearly not trusting of him. "One of my diplomats."
Just like Amelie, she does not scare him, either. He is level with both women, keeping himself held high but remains careful, mindful of his position.
"Russel Wright." The youngest of Hanzo’s creations bows submissively, clearly intimidated. "The youngest but eager to perfect himself."
Poor thing. He seems skittish. He will learn, yet.
"Quinn Lockwood." The warforged steps out and bows, his faceplate and body language unreadable in how stoic he is. "A diplomat and military advisor."
This one is interesting. Genji has seen and met a good handful of Warforged before, yet never one that was a diplomat. It’s respectable. Also quite fitting, considering he is very hard to read based on looks alone.
"Kogri of the Ugh'rak." The mentioned orc hits his chest with his fist and bows. He seems curious about Genji. "Another diplomat, strategist and military advisor. The rest of the council is unfortunately away, trying their best to contain the fire that has sparked beyond Transylvania's borders."
With the orc, Genji is unsure how to feel. He’s as curious of Kogri as the orc is of him.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all.” Genji says. “I sincerely apologize for the commotion I caused not long ago. I hope you will forgive me.“ He pauses, looking down the line of new acquaintances. “I am here to assist after having been told what is happening.”
"Now that introductions are done..." Hanzo clasps his hands together and summons Cole closer. "Mister Cassidy. Mister Lockwood would like to have a word with you."
The Warforged steps out and bows shallowly before Cole, hands held behind his back, gears quietly turning inside of the automaton's body producing elegant noises. Cole returns the bow, following over to stand next to a window off to the side with him. As the two are speaking, the rest of the council approaches closer to Genji, Russel lagging behind, standing near Hanzo like a shy child holding onto its parent.
"Not so long ago you were just a telltale, mister." Amelie starts. "Even I knew little of you. Our master rarely spoke about you. I am thrilled to finally meet the infamous brother in person." She measures the younger sibling up and down shamelessly, perfectly balancing elegance with cockiness.
"My brother and I have been estranged for quite some time, that is true." Genji answers in a normal tone.
He is somewhat amused by her attitude. He has similar energy, himself. However, he will not be as blatant about it here. He knows better.
"What made you change your mind after such a long time, mister?" Umbra asks with an annoying look on her face that’s ignited simply by Amelie's presence. "If it's not a secret."
Deep red eyes shift to Umbra once she speaks, a small smile paired with a chuckle in reply.
"No." He says. "We may have our differing views, yet with how things have been advancing around us all to a threat of this level," he pauses, fully turning his body to face her, "it is best to work together if we wish for a more favorable outcome."
The look Hanzo gives Genji speaks more than a thousand words.
Yeah, right. Because your precious Overwatch has fallen, so you have no one to latch onto anymore.
Internally, Genji shrinks from the look his sibling gives him. Externally, he remains like a brick wall. It's not entirely true that he had nowhere to go after they lost everything. He had a partner. Though, he ended up digging his own grave when he made the decision to leave her side at all under a false pretense of doing so to secure their future safety. Their net was gone. Someone had to step up. To him, that unfortunately meant stepping away. He was a fool. Because of this, he's unsure if she'd still be a partner to him if he returned.
He would not blame her if she wasn't.
Meanwhile, Quinn and Cole continue their conversation.
"Say," The Warforged starts, “what are your concepts for the Guardian's weapons so far, mister Cassidy? I might have some propositions but I'd like to hear what you have for now."
Comfortably resting his left hand on his hip, Cassidy nods.
"Currently, I'm working on a shield for them. One they can use like a second layer of armor. They each have a sword by default but in lieu of the need for more offense, I do also have a plan to incorporate ranged abilities. Such as guns and various explosives."
He raises his arms up to cross in front of him, attentive to the construct.
"What do you suggest?"
"If I may suggest focusing more on the offense rather than defense. War can begin at any moment, it seems, and we don't want to be left with swords against guns and artillery." The Warforged speaks with a rather gentle voice for an automaton. It is monotone, yet soothing in its own way. "Their ability to reassemble is enough defense for now."
Cassidy hums in understanding. Per Hanzo’s instruction, he has been thinking more defensively. Keep the horse running, he had said. Don’t win the race. But part of that is unfortunately making sure none come close enough to even bite at their heels or take out their rider.
"You're right." He says, eyes shifting to stare blankly at the heavily muted view through the glass of the window.
His mind travels back to how the veins had crawled over the outside of his room when he was sick. The rumble of the hallways when Hanzo had joined him for the night after they were together for the first time. How quickly those things changed. His eyes falter for only a second, displaying a spark of his pain before it fades back into the moment.
His duty is to Transylvania. Not his heart. Not anymore.
"I'll shift focus to the offensive." He confirms. "It won't take me long. A few days, at most."
"May I propose my assistance? I believe my expertise in firearms and most up to date military trends would come handy." Quinn proposes, either unaware of Cole's inner turmoil or ignoring it.
Cassidy's brows crease slightly in thought. He could use the help. He knows he is now well behind in knowledge and ability in terms of what types of things are heading their way. There was a time he felt prepared for almost anything. That no matter what, the challenge could be met and succeeded against. However, that was child's play compared to this.
"I would appreciate that." He replies. "I can show you the outlines of what I have so far as soon as we have a chance."
Across the room, the council still bombards Genji with questions.
"And what is your role, if I may ask?" This time it is Kogri.
Hanzo immediately jumps in, causing Genji’s mouth to instantly zip shut.
"It depends on how the foreign politics progress. For now, my brother is just a guest." The salt in his voice can be tasted by all participants.
"It's astounding how many former Overwatch agents decided to crawl to the hub of beings they were so eagerly slaying." LaCroix butts in. "I wonder," she places a finger on her plump lips, "what lies behind such reasoning?"
Genji can't help his rather smug smile returning for a moment.
"We were international." He begins, carefully weaving his words with a slick charm, yet eager to correct. "Yet we only interfered when monster or human alike provided cause."
He pauses, clasping his hands behind his back with a soft sigh as his expression fades back to neutral.
"If one or the other threatens annihilation and we fail to correct it... what is left to protect?"
"Curious." Amelié purrs, mischief dancing in her eye as if Genji is a fish that just swallowed bait. "What makes you think you are the one to judge who lives and who dies?"
"He's an eldritch being, for crying out loud, LaCroix." Umbra hisses.
"An eldritch being that paints itself a hero, yet has blood on its hands." Amelie notes.
Russel instinctively hides behind Hanzo who is now tense, watching Genji like a hawk, ready to react.
"My question still stands, mister." Amelié adds, amused.
"I do not think that way." Genji answers, keeping level. He doesn't even blink.
He must not let his still stinging wound burn with the salt that's being poured upon it. Especially not in front of his brother. He meant it when he promised Cole he wouldn't do anything else stupid. He refuses to disappoint either of them again.
"Their actions are their own. As are the consequences. We have nothing to do with determining that for them."
He's no hero. He played that song and dance until the strings snapped and the notes shattered, cutting into him and adding his own blood to the sea. Everyone has dirtied their hands in some form or another. It's true Genji is practically drowning in the amount dripping from his own, but he has no intention of showing that right now.
The vampire takes a long, deep inhale, raising his eyebrows as he calmly breathes out.
Quite the collection of spawn his brother has acquired.
Genji has not turned anyone before. He's never wanted to. Even if he's been asked, which he has on a few occasions, he has denied it. Mortality is a gift, he told them. Learn to treasure it.
"I admire your curiosity, Miss LaCriox." He says.
Curiosity stemming from the concern for their maker, most likely. For their king. Being tuned to such things provides a level of safety for Hanzo.
His expression softens.
"It is a good thing to have."
"Oh, that's not curiosity, trust me." Kogri chuckles, trying to release some of the tension thickening the air with poor results.
"Enough of this banter." Hanzo cuts it short. "There are matters that cannot wait any longer and require our attention, so if you will excuse us, brother."
Genji gladly backs off, giving a small bow before starting to return to Cassidy, who is finishing up his conversation with Quinn.
"Then I shall meet you tomorrow morning, mister Cassidy. I'm looking forward to it." Quinn says.
They bid each other a good night, then the enchanter leads Genji out, leaving the council and Hanzo to their duties.
On the next day Cole discovers the Warforged holds a deep passion for firearms and, indeed, was an endless source of knowledge. Not only is he up to date with modern militia but knows the history of them all as well. Genji finds the subject painfully boring, considering he lived through all of the events and histories they speak of. He takes to sitting around instead. He was instructed not to touch anything, anyways. With all of this combined, Quinn is able to suggest things that wouldn't work and things that are worth a try. They work well together for the whole time.
More days pass, the vampire and the hunter once again dancing around each other. The king seems to always be there, yet just out of reach. A ghost haunting the halls of this castle of horrors. Sometimes it’s innocent. Like a cryptid passing in the distance, unaware of following eyes. Sometimes he is the one watching, but every time he gets caught, he vanishes away.
Through the days, the castle rumbles a few times, growing even more hostile. The veins begin to creep into the cemetery but by the looks of it, the king is fighting them off, even if it’s like fighting ocean waves.
He thought things would be easier if he distanced himself but the pain is becoming unbearable at times. He finds himself craving the hunter more and more only to remind himself of the outcome of this relationship. It stares at him from his wall, with one, gentle eye.
Genji takes notice of all the passing instances between Cole and the other vampire. The looks when one or the other isn't paying attention. The continued sadness in Cassidy's eyes when his heart reaches out for Hanzo with seemingly no response. Even the rumbling of the castle as it continues to fall apart. The yearning is so obvious to him he could reach out and grab it. He knows Hanzo has always been stubborn and avoidant, though Genji keeps his attention sharpened for any falters from his older kin.
One night, Hanzo finally reaches his limit.
He’s fighting to stay afloat during the storm, waves throwing him around with no dry land in the sight. Unable to run away from it all, the only relief he knows is sleeping in bed, safe and sound.
He has to see him. His sun ray. He wants to bask in his warmth, even if for a short while.
Meanwhile, Cole's dreams provide illusions of the king. Glimpses where reality keeps him blinded, save for the shadows in the corner of his eye. The images bring a semblance of peace as he sleeps, loose hair splayed beneath him, his expression gentle and calm. The fireplace in the bedroom is lit, crackling softly as it's reaching the end of its burn, the warm glow providing a soft backlight to his form.
Genji rests on a couch that Cassidy brought up for him a few days ago in front of the fireplace. The cowboy had simply levitated it to do so, making things easy. The vampire doesn't need to sleep at the moment, so he simply silently walks about the room to look at things or to stretch his legs on occasion.
He's poking around Cole's vanity when something flits in the corner of his eye outside the window. He looks over, seeing none other than his brother in bat form gazing in at the enchanter.
Got you.
Not long after he spots him, his brother notices and makes a break for it. Genji couldn't even chase after him if he wanted to, given every possible way in or out is locked. So, he lets him go. For now. He'll have to catch him in a different way.
As Hanzo rushes back through the sky, embarrassment floods him.
He can’t believe he was caught. But how could he know Genji would be there?! He should have been in his own room across the hall from Cassidy.
Is he...
Is he his lover?
The thought is so ridiculous Hanzo feels embarrassed with himself. Even more so because he had just been caught stalking the hunter. No matter. It's not like he has to be around them anyway. Yet, knowing the younger man… he will eventually come and try to probe.
Come morning, Genji says nothing to Cassidy. He doesn't want to spoil any chances he has at helping them talk to each other again by snitching. At the end of the day as he and Cole are at dinner, he puts his plan into action.
"Cassidy," he starts, "can I ask a favor?"
Cole gives him a side glance with an eyebrow raised as he finishes a drink of water. Genji managed to perfectly time his question where he could not answer immediately, forcing him to speculate about just what exactly this favor is.
He sets his cup down, looking over.
"What would that be, exactly?" He asks.
"I'd like to talk to my brother."
Cole keeps his gaze on the other for a long moment before his expression softens.
"We can go up there, yea. After a bit."
"Alone."
Cole goes silent again. He had Genji promise not to do anything stupid, so it's not that he doesn't entirely trust him, he's just unsure if Hanzo will allow it.
He sighs through his nose, then gives a slow nod.
"Alright. I'll ask. No promises, though."
A while after dinner, Cole leads up to Hanzo's living room, knocking on the doorframe to check if he's alone. Once he confirms, he speaks up.
"Han-" He cuts himself off, quickly correcting and shifting his gaze to the floor, "your majesty. Genji would like a word with you, if that's alright."
He mentally smacks himself for messing up like that, hoping it's not noticed. His mind has been drowning with thoughts of his love that it just slipped out without him even thinking about it.
"Alone." He adds.
Hanzo’s vocal reaction is immediate, having been expecting this all day.
"I'm busy." He said while sitting in an armchair in front of the fireplace, indulging in wine and doing fuck all.
No, brother. You don't get to poke. You don't get to invade. You have no right to insert yourself in this space.
"He says it's important." Cassidy adds.
Genji did tell Cole on the way up that it's detrimental. He's always had a terrible habit of delivering words in a way that makes it sound like it's not a big deal. Like when he claimed the king of Transylvania was his brother and Cassidy hadn't taken him seriously. So, this time, the cowboy doesn't make that same mistake. Not when they're this close to war. He'll have to talk to his friend about how he says these things at some point, but now isn't the time.
"Transylvania depends on it." He adds. "That's... what he said."
Genji steps into view behind Cole.
"It does." He says.
His tone is void of any playfulness, much to Cole's surprise. Cole will still have to talk to the man about how he approached this. If it was that important, why the hell didn't he say so in the first place?
Cassidy gives Genji a look with scrunched eyebrows, asking that very question without words. Genji doesn't even look back at him, despite knowing what the face he's getting is. He keeps his attention on Hanzo.
"Please. Allow me to explain."
Hanzo sighs.
He still has his suspicions but at the same time, part of him hopes Genji isn’t lying. In the end, he is an ex-Overwatch member. Maybe he has intel that could truly turn their situation around.
"Fine. Leave us, mister Cassidy." He commands and finishes his wine, bracing himself for the confrontation.
Cassidy steps back, allowing Genji to pass by him and enter before closing the door, remaining just outside.
Hanzo motions Genji to take a seat in the opposite armchair, which he does. Crossing his legs, intertwining fingers of his hands, the lord looks at his kin. Not an ounce of trust is hidden behind the burning embers of his eyes.
"Let's hear it."
Genji takes a moment before speaking, keeping his serious tone once he begins.
"I said the city depends on it." He pauses, looking his brother in the eye. "And that is still true."
He sits on the edge of the chair.
Hanzo pours himself another glass, not even proposing some to his brother. He isn’t expecting this to take long.
"So, just so that is clear... about my guardian. Your command to him." Genji’s expression softens. "He is taking it very seriously. In order to protect you. He does not trust me any more than you do. So he has refused to let me out of his sight."
He leans forwards, clasping his hands in front of himself while resting his arms on his legs, his voice turning more gentle.
"And I know he has not left yours." He takes a second for a breath, looking down for a moment. "Just as it is best for you and I to work together, would it not be best to do the same with him, rather than pushing him away?"
He pauses, looking back up to Hanzo, still mindful of his tone, knowing the other will not like his approach to this. Though, neither did his brother's partner.
"Speak to him."
The glare the king gives to the other could kill an elephant.
"This is none of your business." he hisses.
Of course his brother had to come and poke. Only because Hanzo was caught.
The wine glass hits the table, liquid almost spilling and staining the surface.
"How dare you?" He hisses, eyes narrowing. "It hasn't even been a week and you already feel entitled enough to poke at my love life? How dare you!"
The fire in the fireplace rises in strength, Hanzo shifting forwards, fingers digging into the chair's armrests.
Genji expected the anger. He expected the venom filled words. Unlike many who would simply shrink at the attacks, he remains still, planted right where he is. He will not be the one to engage in anything volatile. Not this time. This is part of his attempts to do better, despite his own anger rising in his chest with how Hanzo spits about entitlement.
How dare you, he wants to say. How dare you leave him behind!
But he doesn't.
"Who do you think you are, brother? After centuries apart, you are no one but a stranger to me! The only thing we share now is blood and a speckle of the past." Hanzo motions as if he is holding an invisible grain of sand and then points to the door. "Get out."
"Yes. That is true." Genji answers, ignoring the command to leave.
He returns to his serious tone, fighting to remain level and not allow his emotions to get the better of him.
"I have not been a brother to you. But I have been to Cassidy. And he to me. Just as he pulled me out of trouble... I pulled him from the debris of that base."
He huffs, going silent for a moment, recalling the faces of those who were lost. Both of their primary commanders were among them. Even though those bastards never got along, they had each other's backs to the very end. They also lost one of their captains. She's the reason Cassidy got the nickname deadeye.
"Out of everyone who was there, he was the only one that survived."
He hasn't broken eye contact the whole time, determined to keep attention.
"Besides that, I have a love of my own. A mortal woman." Genji regards the other with an aura of understanding. "Though, I will be lucky if she wants anything to do with me after everything." He nearly whispers.
For as abhorrent as Genji has been to Hanzo, he wants him to be happy, now. Whether they are apart or by each other's sides, through all the fighting, anger, sorrow and every other experience life has to offer, they have endured it. Their very existence commands more than any other being can even think to carry.
He continues, his voice still a bit quiet and sad.
"If you allow the distance between you to grow, the cracks in your walls will follow suit, shattering the only symbol of hope your city has. Along with what remains of Cole's." He sits up straight. "Which is you."
Hanzo's eyes narrow dangerously, yet the fire loses its power. Genji made him realize one thing. Cole was abandoned by Overwatch and his best friend and now... now he has been abandoned by him. It doesn’t feel right. It isn’t right and Hanzo feels like a coward for it. But it doesn’t change the harsh reality of what he has to do.
"I do what I must." He says, voice harsh as the cracking stone of the castle. "I do not expect you to understand. You have been running from responsibilities your entire life."
But Genji does understand. His running in 'doing what he had to' is what caused so much turmoil between him and Hanzo. As well as Cole. And his love. Three times. Three different people. It was only when he realized that what he had been pursuing wasn't what was truly needed that he accepted he must mend his own fissures. Heal himself by promising never to abandon his true purpose again, nor the people that are part of it.
To Hanzo, there is no use. The castle is falling apart either way and Hanzo believes that once his heart builds a thick layer of ice again, things will be back to normal. He just has to wait, and push Cassidy away.
"Which is why we have nothing to talk about. Now, if that's all you wanted, leave. I will not ask for the third time." Hanzo sneers.
The younger vampire can't say he hasn't tried to convince the other. So, he doesn't stay seated long enough for his brother to ask him to leave the third time, anyways.
As he rises, he looks away.
"Tell yourself that as many times as you need to until you believe it."
God knows I did.
He starts walking towards the door.
"Perhaps it is foolish to think there is still hope for you. But I do."
He sighs as he grabs the doorknob.
"Think on that, brother."
He pushes the door open, briefly displaying Cassidy standing in wait against the opposite wall with his arms crossed. He looks at Genji with slight confusion and curiosity before both of them are cut off from sight by the door closing.
Genji's expression shifts to a more friendly calmness before exhaling, lightly.
"I will take that as a maybe." He says to Cassidy, placing a hand on his shoulder for a moment before starting to head back downstairs.
The cowboy, still confused, begins following, keeping close behind.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Nineteen - Forgiveness
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
Cassidy returns to the castle late, though keeps his layered clothing on to search outside for his estranged partner. In most cases, scenarios like this are the type where the worst they can say is no. But this isn't most cases. Centuries worth of pure agony between siblings isn't so easily approached, let alone discussed.
He instinctively checks the garden first, walking slowly through the disheveled, dry and depressing foliage, continuing through towards the graveyard. On his way, he passes by the fountain where he and Hanzo had their unofficial first date, giving it a short glance. Due to being so numb the past week, he can't quite pinpoint just how the memory makes him feel. Everything was just thrown away, so he stopped trying. He's run out of hope again. He doesn't hold the same glow he once did. Instead, his eyes are muted like the blank canvases of a stone statue. He's stuck in yet another place that's crumbling down on top of him, but this time, it's slower. It torments him, the darkness crawling from its surroundings to seep and claw into his mind, reminding him that one day, it probably will finally collapse.
This time, he thinks, I hope it'll take me with it.
He looks away, proceeding with his somber walk until emerges where he needs to be. He's learned well what and where Hanzo goes and does when he is troubled. The king is there, just as he thought he'd be. Hanzo tends to the cemetery almost daily even though there isn’t much to do around the graves or plants anymore. Sometimes, he comes just to keep the dead company. Death is yet another friend of the eldritch being, surrounding him, always lurking, always there and still unreachable for the likes of him, no matter how much he craves its embrace at times.
He hears Cole's footsteps, having memorized the pattern of his walking to the point the man could be barefoot without the spurs and the vampire still would recognize him. The lord was about to leave, not wishing to even look the hunter in the eye when he got caught in a net threaded from a single word.
"Hanzo?" Cole asks, his tone slightly meek and unsure, as if he expects to just be blown off again.
Like always.
Hanzo freezes with his back facing Cole.
How he can say no to this voice? To this gentle plea sealed within a simple follow-up question.
"Can I talk to you? It's..." Cole continues.
He sighs, regaining his stone-like composure. He made a promise. It's probably best to be upfront. There's no way to dance around the subject, anyways.
"It's about Genji."
Hanzo did not expect the subject of the conversation to be about his brother but it was inevitable, wasn’t it? Cole is probably curious, unable to hold it in anymore. It is part of human nature after all.
"What about him?" The vampire answers, dryly, not turning, feeling safer this way when he cannot see the hunter's face. When he can’t see those deep brown eyes filled with hurt because of him.
Cassidy doesn't care if he's looked at this time. As long as he's listened to, that's all he can ask for.
It's useless.
Taking another breath in an attempt to shoo away the poisonous words in his mind, he continues.
"He's been stayin' in the city ever since that night. Pulled me aside tonight when I went down there. He uhm..."
He doesn't care.
He squeezes his eyes shut and tenses his jaw before he opens his sight again, looking off to the side.
"He wants me t’ ask somethin' for him."
There's a pause as he drags his right thumb over a coin in his pocket.
"I... I made a bet with him a handful of years back."
He adjusts his coat, pulling it more forwards to wrap the open ends over one another.
"He said he was your brother and I told him there's no chance that was true."
He scoffs lightly at the memory, arms crossing in front of himself.
"I lost, obviously."
As if the little diversion helped him, he finally gets to his point.
"He's askin' for a chance." He says, softly. "Only one."
He drags his eyes back up, still looking mostly only past Hanzo rather than meeting his back again.
"An' if he loses it, just... put it on me."
Might as well. If anything goes wrong, it'll damn well be on him because he's vouching for the other man right now. Just like when the guardian project threatened to blow up in his face even though he had put so much faith in it. Not only that, but Hanzo had put his faith into the enchanter. Cole may not have a lot, if any trust in Genji right now, but who is he to deny someone an opportunity to prove themselves?
"I spent a good portion of my life coverin' for his ass, anyways." He shakes his head. "Old habits die hard, I s'ppose."
The vampire listens, mind shifting from the torment of breaking heart into a different territory by the end of it.
Betrayal.
He finally looks at Cassidy from above his broad shoulder, eyes glistening with fury.
"And look where it got you."
There is a growl balancing on the edge of his cold, passively hostile voice.
The insult burns Cassidy, eliciting a sad grimace in reply. Where it brought him was here. To Hanzo. Which, despite the current circumstances, has been the best thing that's ever happened to him. He opens his mouth to reply with just that, yet there's no voice that leaves him. The one in his head keeps him silent, sealing his lips back together.
"It has been centuries..." The vampire halts himself from spitting out the past into Cassidy's face.
Steadying himself, after a short pause, Hanzo continues.
"His beloved Overwatch has fallen so he is crawling back to me? Pathetic. And on top of it all, he is using you, like a coward, to pass the message?" He hisses.
Hearing the disdain the vampire has for Overwatch also hurts, though Cole understands it. By all means, they were enemies while the organization still stood. How it's spoken of, though, still only slices his heart deeper. That was his home. His family. Of course they were beloved. Are beloved. Not just by Genji, but by Cassidy. Given there's still so little to stand on with Genji at current, the cowboy couldn't say for certain if he is being used or not. He wants to believe he isn't, however, he will have to see it through to discover the answer to that.
Cole's hands grip tighter on his arms, eyes falling upon the nearest headstone, simply remaining silent.
Hanzo takes another moment of silence to remind himself that it isn't Cole's fault and he shouldn't be taking it out on him. Sighing, he brushes his hair on the back of his head. With his justice craving fury under control, a thought arises from the restless ocean of worries.
If he turns his brother down, what will Genji do? He would leave, naturally, but what then? If he decides to join the other side, and it was a big possibility given how much faith he had in his older sibling, Transylvania will be more than doomed. Hanzo has to at least hear him out and maybe... maybe swallow his pride and let his brother in, just to be able to keep an eye on him.
His hands slowly fall to his sides. He has never felt so trapped and cornered, so beaten and stretched thin. With Cassidy on his right and Genji on his left, constantly forced to make decisions he doesn’t want. What else could he do? Countless lives could be lost if Hanzo breaks and gives in. He has to persist. No matter the hurt. No matter the self inflicted wounds. No matter the bleeding.
Swallowing hard, the vampire speaks with a low voice and a tight throat.
"You can tell him... you can tell him I am willing to hear him out. Just this one time."
Cassidy slowly starts to look back up. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little surprised at the answer. He doesn't waste time questioning it, just lightly nodding.
Hanzo's shape dissolves into a black mass, bursting into the air to disappear behind the edge of the balcony doors that shut with a loud thud behind him.
Once he's left alone, Cole drops his arms back down to his sides, turning and walking back inside.
The following day, he leaves the castle again at the same time, going to the same place to find Genji. The other man found Cole first, just like before. This time, they simply walk together through the city streets. Cole tells him Hanzo will hear him out, to which the other is simultaneously relieved and frightened to find out.
One chance. That's all Genji has to try to make things right.
They return to the castle together.
Reaching the border of the courtyard, Genji stops just before it to gaze upon the monolith of stone, once again taking in its state, truly seeing how bad it is.
Cassidy, already a few steps within, stops and looks back at him. He's never seen his friend like this. He's always been sure of himself. But now, he's scared. Like a child who knows they've done wrong, just waiting and expecting punishment.
The vampire recollects himself, exhales, and finally steps forwards. Cassidy waits for him to catch up before continuing on. Before they enter and proceed to meet with Hanzo, the enchanter extends his hand out. Genji grabs the strap that belts across his chest holding his katana scabbard, raising it up and over his head. He grips the shaft with both hands, handing it to the other. It's taken and sealed with an enchantment that will not allow it to be drawn. Not until Cassidy undoes it. The enchanter keeps hold of it, silently leading onwards.
It's been so long since Hanzo has seen Genji, let alone spoken with him, and their first meeting after all these centuries was nothing but hostile. Does he believe in Genji's good will? A small part of him does. The other part is full of doubts and suspicions.
Taking a deep breath, the king fixes his posture, straightening his back and reminds himself to stay calm and collected. The castle is already in a bad state, no need to make it even worse. And if Genji wants to fight, he will make sure it happens far away from the city, so no innocent soul gets harmed in the process.
As Genji and Cole approach, a wall off to the side begins emitting scraping sounds, rumbling and shifting, centipedes and spiders escaping from the cracks in a panic. A few thick webs get torn to pieces as an entry is formed, carving itself into skeletal hands and twisted faces with horns and fangs. The shortcut opens its maw right into the living room on the third floor.
Cole gives a small directional nod of his head to the other to go ahead before him. Once they are both inside, the door shuts its jaws behind them, returning to a solid wall as if nothing was ever there. Cole fades off to lean against the back wall, Hanzo standing across the way, looking through a window, his side facing them.
He's as tense as a piano string threatening to snap.
A few uncomfortable seconds pass before the lord speaks up.
"I am listening." He says, his tone dry and cold, not humoring either of the others with a single look.
Genji inhales deeply, turning his attention to the here and now.
To his estranged sibling.
His single chance.
He steps forwards, though not much. He does not wish to push any boundaries in his position. Admittedly, it is difficult when said boundaries are unknown. So, he plays it safe.
Here goes nothing.
Holding himself as upright as possible despite the raging apprehension within, the younger vampire inhales deeply.
"I appreciate you allowing this. I... I know it is not comfortable or ideal."
It's only right to acknowledge that. He could have so easily been turned down. Using Cassidy as the bridge was unfortunately one of the only ways he felt he could have had a shot.
He takes a moment to think before continuing.
"For as long as I can remember, we have never seen eye to eye. From the beginning, it seems as if I were made purely to cause imbalance for you. For what you create."
He keeps his sight on the other vampire, holding firm.
"When Overwatch eventually came to be, they allowed me to stand by their side despite my nature. Not just me, but other monsters, too. They taught me how to control it. To redirect it towards what truly needed its interference."
The organization was deemed a monster hunter one, as it is true they were just that. However, their goals weren't centered around one type of monster. Any who were proving to be a mass threat, no matter their origin, humans included, Overwatch would answer.
Genji's expression softens.
"And in return, I helped them build. I cared for them. Protected them. I truly felt I was one of them there. I was not seen as an imbalance. I meant something to them."
His face starts to fall.
"Eventually, it came to light that other monsters within the organization hid their intentions well and long enough to lead us down somewhere we could not return from. And... I had a direct hand in that corruption."
He averts his gaze to the floor.
"The peace we were fighting to keep between us and humans was disrupted because of me. And once things were weak enough, they took their chance to act upon it."
A memory of a large explosion. Fire. Screams. The creaking and moaning of a building collapsing.
"I couldn't get all of them out." Genji nearly whispers.
Cassidy fidgets the fingers of his metal left hand, blankly staring into the ground.
Hanzo listens, but the more Genji speaks the more his brows knit together, muscles on his neck and face twitching under the sheer force he holds his fury back with.
Balance? Balance?! How dare he speak about balance and harmony?! He was the one that never truly cared for it. He was the one to abandon his duty, his purpose, fight Hanzo over it, then after the blood was shed and dust settled, leave him to deal with the mess. He tried. He tried for centuries to hold onto what was left of said harmony, to no avail.
Now his brother's selfish ideologies have backfired on him, and here he is, crawling back, apologizing!?
Genji continues.
"We are born of the same origin. Yet, I had forsaken it. Forsaken you."
There's a long pause as his head hangs a little. For as prideful as he's been in the past, he's anything but that now. He lost something that gave his unending life meaning just to turn and walk away from the only other thing that had kept him sane afterwards. He abandoned his mortal companion to chase a delusion. To become something other than what she had fallen in love with. He self-destructed, his bitterness and anger becoming the primary vessel for the screaming agony tearing at his chest with claws far sharper than his own.
"On top of it," He begins again, quietly, voice cracking. "I left my partner behind. And I had driven my best friend away."
Genji glances at Cassidy for a second with a warbling inhale. Cassidy meets the look, brows creased in an uncomfortable sorrow.
"Everything that was built through all this time... I destroyed. I see now, that is what you have been trying to avoid for centuries."
Genji didn't build a castle nor a warm society to fill the black hole within himself. Instead, he created a prison within his heart and mind, forsaking himself to wallow and drown in it for eternity.
He finally looks at his older sibling. Up to him. There is no hostility in his eyes. Just the glistening blood red of his own self inflicted wounds reflecting in the clear result spilling over the edges.
"Hanzo... I'm sorry."
He falls to his knees. Years and years of hatred, both for his brother and himself drop to the floor with him, the weight of it all chaining him down. His throat is tight from choking on words longer than they have even existed. He has searched chaos. Became it. Human nature ended up aligning so easily with him as they developed that he saw them almost like a creation of his own, treating them as such, leaving his brother to pick up the pieces.
Perhaps... it was his fault all along.
Tears stream down his face, dripping from his chin onto his lap, weaving themselves into the black fabric of his pants.
"I'm so sorry."
Hanzo simply glares, the burning anger in his eyes contrasting with the cold features of his face.
Pathetic.
And yet, as Genji sobs, something breaks in Hanzo. Is he still angry? Yes. Is he still hurt? Yes! But seeing Genji like this…
"Empty words." He speaks with a voice harsh as two clashing swords casting sparks. He turns around but does not approach. "Weeping on your knees will not earn you forgiveness. You have to work for it. Work for it if you mean it."
The younger sibling tries to stop his tears from falling but they continue in spite of him. Once they start, there's no controlling them. Unfortunately, there seems to be similar logic for the race he claims to love so much.
After taking a short pause to steady himself, the king continues.
"War is approaching. The world is coming to shred this place into pieces. I will not let them. I will destroy anyone who tries." His eyes narrow. It means the casualties will be great among humans. "Anyone."
Genji’s crying expression weaves a few more visible emotions.
Surprise, disappointment and then shame.
Humans may not have been the ones who took Overwatch down, but if they manage to destroy Transylvania, there's no telling just how much more the world will suffer because of it. Even though the majority of the enemy happens to be human, there will be at least some monsters among them. Willing or otherwise.
He knows there will be no mercy from his brother. He means it when he says anyone in his way will end up struck down. Genji has experienced this firsthand. The only reason he was able to walk away from it was due to the fact they are both the same type of creature.
Hanzo continues.
"You can start your journey towards redemption by taking a side. Us, or them. No in between. No more evading responsibility. Make a decision, brother."
Genji raises his head, wetness painting his face, chest still rising and falling in an uneven pattern from all the distress. After a few staggered breaths, he speaks as level as his heavy voice will allow.
"I choose us."
Genji instantly choosing his side causes Hanzo's face to twitch in shock.
He did not expect that.
He expected Genji to take the human's side. To stand against him, like he always did, especially now as countless human lives are at stake.
"I understand even if you never will truly forgive me." The younger vampire adds, sucking in a deep inhale, steadying himself a little further. "But I will help."
A heavy exhale siphons from him. The humans are his responsibility. They always have been. That is his purpose. He doesn't exist to cause chaos, he is supposed to guide it. As painful as it will be to have to unleash his wrath upon them, they have only brought it upon themselves at this point. Whether or not they learn will be up to them.
You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.
As if still unable to believe his ears, Hanzo looks over to Cole, disbelief still plastered on his face. Is he looking for confirmation he heard right? Probably. Is he expecting Cassidy to confirm this was some kind of a prank? Definitely.
Cole's eyes are tired, yet they do not show as much surprise. Not because he expects it to be a trick but because with how he and the younger vampire have spoken the past few days, he believes it to be true, if even a little. If Genji had any real intentions to end things himself, he would have continued with his hostility. God knows he has the capability.
The enchanter holds the gaze for a short moment before shifting away to look back down at Genji. Despite the fact he and the king have hit such a rough spot, it's still so easy to say all that needs to be said with a single softened glance. No words needed.
Just as there was no lie from Genji to Cassidy, there is none to Hanzo.
Realizing only now how tense he is, Hanzo relaxes his shoulders, exhaling soundlessly. He takes a moment of silence to recollect his scrambled thoughts and asks, "Even if it means going to war and killing in the name of Transylvania?"
His eyes pierce into Genji. He is still expecting to hear a no, but now... now he isn’t so sure.
Genji raises his eyes to meet Hanzo's, fingers gripping at his pants beneath his palms.
"Yes." Genji answers, the pain of doing so obvious, yet unavoidable.
It is a sort of betrayal to humans in his view, but he has wrought more horrible things upon his brother in the past. If he is to set things right, he must reset the curve. Stop the cycle. He must redirect himself towards what now requires his interference. Just like he's been taught.
Hanzo blinks, a flash of emotions going through his face. Anger. Disbelief. Suspicion. Hurt. It is clear by the long pause he holds for it all to sink in. He has no idea what to think about it. He was expecting a much different outcome, written in kin blood and destruction, not tears and guilt.
He pulls his attention away, back towards the window. The city is barely visible now, drowning in mist. He does not believe the other, naturally. He isn’t sure if he ever will.
Inhaling, he pinches the bridge of his nose, breathing out the rest of the tension and exhaustion he held within himself throughout the entire conversation.
What is he going to do with him now? He can’t just trust him with everything, however, he can't leave him to be useless. And he still has to talk to the council.
An idea strikes and his attention returns to Cassidy.
"There are rules you will follow." He starts, slowly, shifting his gaze back towards Genji. "I own a council of monsters who are my diplomats across the world. They advise me, among other things, but the final decisions are mine. You are prohibited from interfering or joining their ranks. You answer to me and you will obey me, is that clear?"
Genji offers a nod through his small sobs, slowly still calming down.
"Yes." He confirms.
With Genji agreeing, which again buds suspicions and disbelief, Hanzo adds more.
"Cassidy will be your guardian. He will introduce you to Transylvania."
It is a reasonable decision. Cole isn’t involved too deep into the politics to compromise him and he shares an extended past with Genji. He knows him and does not fear him.
"I will introduce you to the rest tomorrow. Now leave and wait outside. I need to speak with your guardian."
The younger vampire silently nods again in confirmation, rising to stand. He takes a step back before turning and walking towards the door, wiping his face with his hand. He gives a thankful look to Cassidy as he passes by him before exiting, closing the door behind him.
The king watches his brother leave. It is only when he is out of sight that he feels a subtle sting of pain that isn’t really directed at himself, but towards his brother.
Hanzo has never seen him this broken. Was he... was he too harsh? But the memories of all their fights, the way they fell apart, how Genji was ready to kill him just a few days ago, it all comes back, snuffing out that tiny spark of guilt.
He deserved it.
Cole pushes off the wall, approaching the spot Genji just was. Though, he doesn't say anything, just awaiting command. He seems indifferent to the new assignment. It's a familiar role, anyhow, so in all honesty, it's somewhat welcome.
"Keep an eye on him." Hanzo murmurs, turning back towards the window again, forcing himself to keep up his act, no matter how much he just wanted to sit down and shrink into himself. "At all times. And report to me any concerning behaviors that might be threatening to the well-being of this place."
Cole remains silent for a few seconds. Of course there's more he wants to say. More he wants to offer. Despite its broken state, each piece of his heart still beats for the other. Though, his mind continues to poison him. He's really not sure if affection is returned to him anymore. Hanzo is immortal, after all. To a mortal, a spark like they had could last a lifetime. But to a vampire, Cole's life is just a speck in the other man's eye.
Insignificant.
"Understood, sir." He replies, rather monotonous.
It feels strange to use honorifics again rather than just his love’s name. It adds to the sadness deep within him.
After a few more seconds of silence, Cassidy turns his attention to the table between the armchairs in front of the fireplace. He walks over to it, then gently sets Genji's katana down upon its surface.
"I put a seal on it so it can't be used." He explains, quietly.
His hand slides off the weapon.
"Not unless I undo it."
"Thank you." The vampire whispers, truly glad over Cole being so thoughtful to place the seal, even if the real danger wasn't held within the blade but Genji himself.
He doesn’t deserve the care this man still has for him.
With that, Cole turns and begins to leave, but stops at the door.
"The guardians are also done and ready at your command." He adds, then pushes the door open and exits, closing it behind him with no further words spoken between them.
The enchanter walks up to Genji, looking at his friend and sighing deeply, crossing his arms.
"Sometimes I really wonder which one of us has the better luck." He says.
Genji scoffs, having mostly calmed himself now, yet eyes are still wet.
"Yea." He agrees, his mouth pulling into a tiny smile.
His eyes meet Cassidy's and he exhales most of his remaining anxiety.
"Thank you." He whispers.
Cole pulls the other into a strong hug. Genji returns it. Pulling back, Cole keeps a rather firm grip on the vampire's shoulder.
"Now, don't do anything else stupid. I ain't against fightin' you for real this time if you do." Cole's voice is serious, yet his next words return to their more gentle nature as he gestures his head towards the hall, releasing his hold on the other. "Come on."
Genji can't help but let his smile get bigger, paired with a small airy laugh.
"Alright, alright. I understand." He replies, wiping the last of his tears away as he follows the cowboy back down to the lower levels.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Eighteen - A Future Forseen
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
As Cassidy sits in wait in his room, the castle shuddering grabs his attention. Usually that tends to happen if Hanzo is either alone, or with him. Meaning, obviously, he must be alone, now. The book he holds is shut, put to the side and he slides out of bed, still fully dressed besides his shoes, and he leaves to find the vampire.
The halls are empty, likely due to their new hostility driving the residents away, but also due to the deep lateness of the night itself.
It's terrifying.
The portraits have turned to pure nightmare fuel, making Cassidy feel like he's treading through a dark layer of hell to reach the other man. He knows he won't be in the garden so he doesn't bother to look there. He reaches the living room, checking within. Not there. Rune room also yields no results. He finally approaches the bathhouse, peeking inside.
"Hanzo?" He asks, quietly, standing in the doorway just like he did the day he came to the other just before the ties were finished.
The vampire flinches, glad for the darkness filling the room. He wasn't expecting anyone to interrupt him, let alone Cole, so he did not bother to light any candles.
With a simple thought, oil lamps ignite.
"Get in or get out before someone sees you." Hanzo hisses, noticing how Cole just stands in the doorway refusing to decide what to do with himself.
Hanzo's tone takes Cole aback a little. He knows the other is upset, though it being directed at him, he'll admit, is a bit unexpected.
He steps inside, closing the door behind him. He's not careless, of course he made sure he wasn't seen or followed when coming here. Regardless, he keeps gentle, understanding the tension and upset isn't because of him... right?
Sighing, the vampire recollects himself, putting on a mask with cracks but a mask nevertheless.
"I thought you were asleep." He murmurs, not moving from his place, back turned towards the entrance.
"No, I kept up waitin' for you." Cassidy replies.
He can't just sleep the night away as if nothing is wrong knowing the distress his partner is in.
"You should not be changing your natural sleeping cycle for me. You know I am active during the day as well." Hanzo retorts.
Cassidy is silent for a few seconds.
"I'm not-"
But he is.
Even if it's not really intentional, he has been changing his lifestyle for the vampire.
He sighs.
"I know, Han."
He approaches further, tilting his head to the side a bit, body physically seeking to be looked at as sight only meets the other man's back. He can't say things will be alright. It would be an empty promise. But he has to say something.
"Is there anythin' I can do?"
Even though words cannot offer much comfort, perhaps his actions can. It seems to have been working so far.
Hanzo chokes on an exhausted sigh. If he only had avoided him, things would be easier.
He has yet to make the hardest decision. Choosing between his love and Transylvania.
"Focus on your job." He says with a dry, emotionless voice, eyes piercing into a void beneath the water's surface.
"We need more than just an army of two-hundred indestructible constructs. The enemy still has a technological advantage."
Tanks, artillery, resources, numbers and numbers of people and monsters. In comparison to Transylvania which is frozen in time, just two united countries against them is like the entire world coming after them. Someone could blame Hanzo for not doing anything about military advances through centuries but in reality his hands were tied. Any step towards modernization of his army would be taken as hostility, a preparation towards a war. Besides, for quite some time, he was Transylvania's best defender. Now... now it seems no one fears him anymore. Can he blame them?
No. He cannot.
Despite Cassidy's question having to do more with how he can comfort the other, the reply sparks an unfortunate, familiar feeling that almost immediately turns bitter.
"I-" He cuts himself off with a frustrated huff.
Just hold on. Stay gentle and controlled. No one said being in a relationship with a king would be easy, let alone it literally being the king of monsters. Just so happens the familial relations are falling apart on top of everything else.
"I understand." Cole answers, simply, after a short pause.
He thought that maybe they had found some semblance of balance. Perhaps it hasn't been tweaked enough yet. Nothing they can't work on... hopefully.
"I will in the morning." He adds.
His own exhaustion is threading into his words little by little. However, his tone is still calm and collected as he's doing his best to communicate with Hanzo. To be there for him. He made that unspoken promise to the other before they even became a pair. Besides, if he will have to develop more defenses to go alongside the guardians if that's what's being asked of him, that will take time. For as much as he knows about the resources and weapons hunters had when he was still active with the organization, a lot can change in a year. Especially when they all have a single goal in mind and come together for it. It feels a little strange to be given a new load like that so close to the danger already being practically through their doors, as if they weren't already in a rush.
"I mean what can I do right now?"
After a short pause, he takes another few steps forwards, trying again to appeal to his partner.
"Luna mea…?"
The silence that falls is heavy and cold, like an avalanche of ice.
What else could Cole do? Not much. An embrace, even a kiss would not help, only serving to prolong the vampire's torment.
The pause is long and tense until Hanzo finally answers.
"Nothing."
Cole realizes.
The chill used to be something he thought he could tread through without faltering. That his heat could melt through it and he'd be able to reach the other side with Hanzo alongside him. Hand in hand. Heart to heart. But being told there is nothing he can do...
Somehow, that's all that was needed.
Something befalls Cassidy that is often not common for him. It replaces the gleaming light of his hope, shrouding it in shadow.
Silence.
His own words flash in his mind, bearing sharp fangs of their own that sink into his heart.
I'd deserve what's comin' to me.
His expression takes on a blankness it's possessed only once before in the past. Eyes lose their internal spark. He inhales deeply. He's torn himself apart for the other. And for the city. He knew going into this that he would never truly be put before Transylvania. He should have expected this. Though, that doesn't make it hurt any less. He's found himself in the same position as the vampire. Being pulled in two different directions, unable to prioritize one without forsaking the other. At current, the bitterness of being subjected to this behavior and the weight of knowing what he has to do crushes his heart, snapping it in two.
Cole pulls his gaze away, remaining still for a long moment before he finally begins taking a few steps back. He then turns, opens the door and exits, closing it behind him without another word. Returning to his room, bitterness turns numb in his chest. For the remainder of the night, he sleeps only incrementally. By the time he is back in the forge the following morning, he hasn't spoken a word unless spoken to, or even looked up from his work. He took the finished ties down with him and due to his laser focus, was able to alter the completed enchantment to start activating the rest of the guardians.
Brows drawn, eyes heavy, his composure almost mirrors the king's, now.
He starts on the next project, working on enchanted weapons and tools to help protect against the advancements aimed their direction. Shields. Large area of effect weapons. Anything and everything. He submerges himself completely into the grind, days, even weeks passing by with no efforts put outside of his job and self care when necessary.
Each day is the same for the vampire, as well, filled with the same emotions. This pain is something stable and linear. A familiar sting. The castle has not shaken since the two men last spoke, but the construct remains hostile and dark. Walls covered in stains and dark veins crawling out of the cracks. Moths, spiders, centipedes and cockroaches make their homes among the halls for good. Every sculpture twists in hellish agony, every painting melting and withering away. It is freezing cold at night and dark during the day, vines and steel bars letting little sunlight through the fogged windows.
People start leaving.
Hanzo can’t blame them. A human could go insane in such a place.
He prefers it this way anyway.
The garden now is infested with weeds, dry bushes and thorns. But not the cemetery. A small patch of Eden among the hellish lands. The only place where Hanzo can find at least a chunk of relief, even though it means he'd bump into Cole once in a while, becoming all but a shadow to the cowboy, escaping in the corner of his eye.
{ BGM }
On one of Cassidy’s days off, the enchanter does something he never had the desire to do until now.
He leaves the castle.
He has always been able to, yet never felt the need to truly go outside of its borders until there came a reason.
He could use the distance for a few hours.
He retreats into the city for a while, opting to venture into it in the late afternoon, preferring the budding night life within. After having spent so long in the castle, no one bothers him like they did when he first arrived. He dresses differently, acts differently and likely even smells different now just due to his daily surroundings. He's nearly unidentifiable as a hunter. Bundled up in a few layers to keep warm and his hat upon his head, he blends in with the nocturnal crowds, puffing smoke from a cigar he bought from one of the merchants during his walk.
Eventually, someone picks him out of the masses. Someone he really doesn't want to see.
Glimpses of red eyes flash behind blurred visages of the beings moving about the town, telltale pale skin and short, dark hair focusing into view through shifting clearings.
Unlike before, it’s clear this entity isn’t hiding from Cole.
Not anymore.
What was burning aflame with anger and malice towards the hunter just a few weeks ago now holds a deep, well hidden sorrow.
Cassidy’s darker gaze takes hold of the other’s, meeting in the middle with a defeated exhaustion.
They know one another. Brothers in arms. In spirit. In agony.
Drawing in a long, deep breath, Cole looks away, offering a small gesture with his head to signal to the man to follow him, continuing his walk down the road. No noticeable reply is given, but he doesn’t need such a thing to recognize the sense of his friend fading closer and closer as they travel through the city for a handful of minutes. Reaching a bar Cassidy has started visiting semi-frequently that is not too far from where he stayed with Floyd, the cowboy walks inside, approaching a table tucked away in the back. Enough time passes for him to get two drinks ordered and delivered to the table, leaving a gap of tense silence before something enters the space. A hand from the glowing perimeter of candlelight stretches out, gently taking the back of the empty chair at Cassidy’s side. Pulling it out, the other individual sits down, warm light revealing his face.
The lord’s brother, as loud as he has the ability to be, has mastered silence, telling by the thick cloud of it hanging over both of their heads for several more minutes until the vampire finally cuts through it.
“I… I do not know where to begin.” He mutters.
“You just did.” Cole replies back, rather coldly.
Genji blinks, taken aback by, one, the seemingly cheeky nature of the reply, and two, how fast it was. Though, this does not mean it’s a particularly positive thing at the moment, even though he kind of finds himself wanting to chuckle. This is no time for frivolities, as his brother would say. The serious nature that gives reasoning to him seeking Cole out after where they had left off previously holds more importance in the current moment.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
The door is open, even if it is only a crack. He will not risk it slamming shut by asking anything he already has.
A deep breath in.
“Cole,” Genji begins, quiet and careful, “I want to apologize for that night.”
Cole holds his glass close to his lips, lightly sipping on the whiskey within it and silently listening as he considers the cracks in the wooden table.
“I had come with only one thing on my mind. A goal I have been chasing for years.” Genji continues. “Even while Overwatch was still around.”
He should have told Cassidy this many, many years ago. He should have had trust in his best friend that at least some form of understanding would be within their reach instead of throwing it so far away that the vampire himself could not even find it in the end. Yet, now, at the end of all things, he finds himself chasing the piece of his soul he had torn away and thrown far above the clouds, too high for him to reach. Ambitious is one word for the man, though other titles surely have taken it's place now.
Closing his eyes, Genji holds his breath for a very long handful of seconds, the full weight of what he is about to finally admit dragging his heart down to his stomach, sparking a cold wave of something he hasn’t truly felt for centuries. In fact, it is something he hasn’t ever really felt at all throughout his entire existence.
Shame.
It’s grip squeezes his gut, a knot forming in his throat that he wishes could just end him. What he wouldn’t give to change what he’s done. But no amount of time his immortal life provides can ever be enough to pick up the pieces of the mortal wounds he has dealt.
“It was not just Overwatch.” He finally begins speaking again, eyes tired and voice kept rather quiet, despite there being no one in the immediate vicinity who would be able to hear them. “There were many other people. Many other organizations throughout all the history you know of and beyond.”
Throughout all of humanity's time in this world, there has always been their greed. Their fear. Their anger. All aspects that even monsters share, yet neither side views as equal between them. And the vampire fed on it. A different type of bloodlust that he never once questioned.
“I could have stopped their destruction." A pause. "All of them."
But he never did.
It was for the greater good. No matter the cost. That's what he kept telling himself. He used to see himself as above the average monster. And in that, he thought he and humans were one in the same. Plus, it was them who saw him in a way he only wished he could see himself. And it was a human woman who became something more to him than even his relentless thirst for chaos. Through enchanted eyes and bewitched hearts, he faltered and reached for something different. Something he'd never had. He abandoned his cycle, forming a union he saw as a golden thread that not even the gods themselves could cut.
But there's only so much one can do to break away from their true nature.
"But I caused them."
Cole gives a side glance to Genji, expression a mix of heavy confusion and curiosity.
"What do you mean you caused them?" He asks.
"Every generation since the very beginning. It has always been the same." Genji answers. "This war between us has been going on far longer than the scripts portray."
The war between their two kinds, that is.
Cassidy stares bullet holes into the other man, a budding sense of anger beating hot in his chest. His best friend was the reason Overwatch fell? The reason every other hunter organization came to their own ends?
He doesn't get to have much more thought clash in his mind before Genji continues explaining.
"I..." Genji sighs, "I enjoyed it that way."
So I kept destroying the peace.
"All these centuries, that is all I wanted."
Now, as he sits beside one of the only humans who has changed that for him, he is realizing the weight of such repetition. The scars that tie him down to a reality where one day, he will be where his brother is. He has started to see that no matter what one is, monster or human, the arms of the clock will cut deep into the very foundation of life itself until it opens a chasm so wide it will swallow everything whole.
And then it will start over.
Again.
And again.
And again.
He finally has turned his attention to the gaping hole beneath his feet. A grave with no end, dirt and blood under his fingernails from digging, though in which direction, he doesn't know anymore.
"I influenced people without them seeing me. Caused disappearances of others. Swayed them to walk off the edges so that the rest would fall alongside them."
A ghost that tied the strings of lesser beings tight around it's fingers, a concerto of manipulation that took place in one of the main places most tend to spend too much time in.
Their own minds.
"I got into their heads. Their dreams. Made them fear what was not there, all just to ensure they fell apart before they got destroyed by a world they would never fit within. So they would stay where it was safe."
But he was wrong. The woman he fell in love with as well as the friends he ended up making in that short time he had reached out his hand in curiosity had proved that. They showed him balance is possible. Though, he relapsed. This wasn't right, he told himself. Back to manipulation he returned, turning family against family. Friend against friend.
Then, as he came to face Hanzo once more, hoping that fate will finally choose a side, he saw that once again, what was proven before remained true. And even more so, it was possible for an eldritch being to be part of that dream.
Inhaling a deep, uneven breath, the vampire turns his head to look at the other man.
"I am not a good person, Cole." Genji nearly whispers, exhaustion hovering behind him, it's hand gripping tightly upon his shoulder.
This is not the first time the cowboy has heard that line. Though the circumstances and individual speaking those words were different, they are somehow holding the same weight within them. A weight that screams for help as it drags the speaker beneath the surface of the sea that is their mere existence.
Cole places his glass down, leaning back in his chair and looking away as his opposite hand rises to his lips, pressing a knuckle to them in deep, troubled thought. If it's true Genji caused all the other monster hunter organizations to crumble, what on earth would make him believe it'll be any different in the future? What the fuck is the purpose of this discussion, then? Is the vampire fishing for sympathy after destroying everything Cole had? However... Cole loves a man who perhaps has done the same, if not worse in the past. There is no sign or sense that Genji is trying to hide anything from either of them anymore, which is already proving different from the cycle he is admitting to having been a quintessential part of.
Of everything he thought he knew about his friend, there surely is much left to learn between the both of them.
“It is far too late for me to admit my wrongdoings and even later still for me to apologize for them.” Genji adds, still meek and quiet.
The enchanter huffs a sharp scoff.
Yea, you bet your ass it is.
He is unsure how to respond. He never expected to see Genji again, let alone him speak to him. It’s strange how he is being so up front about everything now, which makes Cole think that there still could be ulterior motives. That he is being used again in order to get something. However, even if the other isn’t being honest…
He needed to hear all of this.
But now, he needs to see it.
He needs to be able to trust Genji to catch him if he slips through the cracks in their foundation. To pull him from the rubble of the shattered stability they once had. And to know that he will not be left behind to drown in stone. At least, not until it’s his time.
“Why did you stay?” Cassidy asks, quietly, brows furrowed, still refusing to look at the other man.
“The residents do not know me.” Genji replies, quietly. “Those who live here now are not any I had even a chance of crossing paths with last I was here,” he lifts his drink, the rim gently feathering against his lips, “many moons ago.”
It would be safe to say that Cole wasn’t around during the time-frame Genji is referring to, let alone most of what their world’s reality is in current.
A heavy silence blankets them once more. There is quiet clinking of glasses being washed by the bartender across the room not unlike the thoughts tapping against each other in both the men's minds, punctuated by the whisper of crackling fire from the candle's swaying flame that exhales a thin line of smoke that even the smallest breath could snap.
“You changed.” Now it is Cole’s turn to reach through the fog, tone weak, bruised by the weight he’s been carrying up to this point.
Changed both for the worse in the past, and seemingly for the good in the present. Though, the future is yet to be seen.
Genji opens his mouth to reply but stops his voice from escaping before he truly, genuinely thinks it through. A soft exhale leaves him in place of what would have been words, body so still he could be mistaken for a statue within his brother’s graveyard. Though they have their similarities, the two vampires have truly never been more different. Where one seems to fear the very concept of change due to the sword it brandishes, the other grips the blade far past the point of bleeding, letting it carve into him so deeply it leaves wounds even he, himself, cannot heal.
Genji’s expression lightens, the corners of his mouth twitching up into a small smile.
“As have you.” He retorts.
As much as Cassidy hates to admit it, Genji isn't wrong. Neither of them are.
Cole rubs his face, quietly groaning, trying to find the next words to weave into this delicate conversation.
"Yea." He sighs. "I know."
He wonders if it's even worth it to open up after all of this. But he must have let go of more weight than anticipated after hearing Genji finally be honest for once that he begins adding onto the subject.
"I did a lot of changin'." Both for Hanzo and for himself. "But I damn well know when to keep my hand out'a shit I have no control over."
A light, deceivingly friendly jab to the vampire, who can't help but give an airy chuckle in reply. The small smile lasts only a few seconds before he seemingly goes blank again, contemplating one last thing. One final attempt to reach Cassidy where he hopes he will be heard.
“I understand it is selfish of me to ask this…” he begins, gently placing his hand palm down on the tabletop, “so I will only do so once.”
Composing himself best he can for what he is about to say, Genji slowly slides his hand over towards Cole.
“A chance.”
Once he’s moved his hand in front of the cowboy far enough, he pulls away, leaving behind an item that reflects the warm glow of the dimly lit bar.
A silver coin. The one Cassidy tossed to him the night Genji came to the castle gardens.
“Just one.” Genji adds, now finally looking the hunter in the face. “Because it may be the only one I will ever truly have.”
His best friend is his brother’s partner. He has had many friends before, given his immortal nature, all of which he has of course seen die in one way or another. None of them ever ended up landing somewhere the vampire has been unable to cross over to for nearly his entire existence. He knows he burned the bridge between Cole and himself only to ask that one be built for him now. But this isn’t about him.
It’s about Hanzo.
Cassidy stares at the coin in front of him, getting lost in the warm, flickering light upon its surface. He recalls the conversation he and the lord had quite some time ago now in the upper room of the castle tower, blanketed by the glow of the waning fireplace and crying walls. How Hanzo had given so much of himself, if not all of it to those around him. To what he has been building for longer than humanity can even put a number on. To give himself a chance to live so his infinite years do not travel with chains dragging behind them.
Deserved or not, no one but Hanzo and Genji alone can discover what that means to them. What it means for them. Plus, if Genji remains an enemy, that would complicate things much more than they already are.
Cole silently reaches over with his free hand, placing it over the coin to gently drag it off the wooden surface into his palm, fingers enclosing around it. Only a few seconds of deep thought - punctuated by Genji’s expectant, nervous gaze - pass by before Cole offers his reply in the form of a small nod, meeting eyes with the vampire once more.
“Alright.” He answers, looking at Genji with an all too familiar fatigue. “Alright…” he repeats, as if he needs to convince himself his answer is real. “I’ll try. But I can’t promise you a specific outcome.”
One would think that this would deflate the anxiety in Genji, but it doesn't. He knows very well what risk Cole is taking as well as the risk he, himself, will hopefully get the opportunity to act upon.
“No. I would not expect that.” Genji replies.
Despite his discomfort in knowing what he now has to follow through with, he takes a deep breath, sealing his resolve.
“Thank you.”
After another while of the two men finishing their drinks together in a silence much more comfortable than what they began with, they return to the bustle of the city with an agreement to meet back up once Cole has an answer. They do not need to specify many details on the when, where and how as Genji has typically always been able to find Cole without issue, no matter the circumstances.
They finally part ways, each man set to their own respective goal for their new mission, melding back into the crowd of the city and the haze of the surrounding forest.
Come morning, it's a good bit later than Cassidy usually awakes due to how late they must have been up. He is lucky his day off has fallen right on top of another, so he doesn't have to worry about much.
He rises, this time leaving Hanzo to continue sleeping, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek before stepping out. He uses a quick spell on the doors to lock them just in case. He can undo it later. Plus, Hanzo comes through the window, anyway.
The enchanter makes sure to at least show himself around the forge and library during the day, checking on progress of the guardians, which is now finished, just waiting for the completed ties to be applied. By the time late afternoon arrives, he decides to head to the garden for a short minute or two for some fresh air, not intending to stay long due to the weather. It has just rained, after all, and it's cold on top of it. He has no intention of getting sick again.
He stands with his hands in the pockets of his coat, gazing up at the nearly dark sky, breath clouding from his lips with each soft exhale.
Then, a familiar sound reaches his ears, just barely audible over the fountain's pitter patter.
The telltale sound of flapping bat wings.
Perking up, his eyes dart around the area. He isn't expecting Hanzo, so this strikes odd to him.
He sharpens every hunter sense he has.
It's quiet, though he can practically feel the strong gaze burning into the back of his head. He's felt it more than enough to know when he's a target. Though, he's usually attacked by now.
It's hesitating.
He doesn't have Peacekeeper on him. He hasn't ever since he arrived at the castle, opting to keep the weapon hidden in his room instead. However, as he processes the situation, there's one thing that stands out. In fact, it's glaringly obvious.
The sound of the wings did not descend to ground level. They stopped in the tree above him.
There's only one person who both has the same movement ability as Hanzo and the ego to always look down on the hunter.
Cassidy keeps silent and calm. Almost too calm, daring to keep his back turned for only a moment while he slips a hand in the pocket of his pants, sifting around in it. He pulls out a coin, twirling the metal piece around in his fingers before turning and flicking it up into the tree. It reflects the gleaming moonlight while it flies before its graceful movement comes to an abrupt end, a pale hand snapping up to catch it in its palm.
Cole looks up into the tree, a deep sigh siphoning from him.
There's several moments of deep silence, even the earth seeming to cease breathing due to the tension.
Then, eyes.
Two crimson orbs, the same as the king's, slowly look up from their downcast position of observing the offering to lock with Cassidy's browns. A scoff emits from the darkness behind the surrounding branches. A few tense seconds later, shifting can be heard, disturbing the autumn colored leaves. A dark outline approaches closer until finally, the light of the night hits it, revealing at least a quarter of the being in question.
A man. Pale skin. Short black hair. Simple black clothing. The face the glowing red eyes are embedded in are void of the sharp, more angular nature of the lord's in favor of a softer look. If it weren't for the glaring threat of his gaze, he'd seem relatively innocent.
But Cassidy knows better.
The knowing look he's receiving from the man above borders on several emotions. Surprise. Confusion. Sadness. And that oh so familiar, guttingly strong anger.
"What have you done?" The dark figure finally speaks, accented tone burning with venom.
"D'you really need to ask?" Cole replies, all too uppity for someone who just paid up on a rather dated bet.
"Do not fuck around, Cassidy." The other spits back. "Answer me."
"I don't quite like your tone, Genji."
Cole crosses his arms and holds steady, hardly moved by the demand, challenging it instead. He's one of the only people who can do so without much repercussion.
Genji emits an airy hiss, almost like that of a snake as his features contort into an unsettling grimace of fury, fangs on full display. Darkness consumes him again as he turns to black smoke, spitting out of the tree and touching down on the ground a few feet away. The cloudy mass swirls his form back to being, the man breaking through it to stride towards the cowboy with purpose, a katana upon his back swaying lightly with his motions.
Getting right in Cole's face, the vampire asks his question in a different form, the malice still present.
"Why are you here?"
"Not till you answer that yourself, first." Cole says, his tone low and dangerous, brows drawing together.
Genji growls, obviously frustrated he even has to explain.
"My brother has tried to end humanity once before. I stopped him, now I am here to make sure he does not try to do so a second time."
The hunter's eyes widen, anger sparking within. That's a bold claim to make. Cassidy may not know much about certain aspects of Hanzo's past, but that doesn't matter to him. That's not how he is now.
"Like hell you will!" He growls.
"Why are you defending him!? Have you forgotten what we are? We are hunters!"
"Not anymore!"
Their argument has grown louder by the second, the heat of their clashing ideologies burning through the very atmosphere surrounding them.
Hanzo was dreaming of nothingness, sleeping through the full day to recharge until the distant echo of the shouting slithers its way into his mind, chewing through the bliss of his rest.
It plants oozing eggs of a nightmare.
His head fills with twisted memories of wars, mending them with freshly acquired fears. He sees Cole in it. He loses him over and over, powerless over his fate.
He wakes suddenly, the echo of the shouting slowly dissolving into reality.
Cole reins himself back, trying to keep himself under control despite Genji threatening his own flesh and blood. More importantly, Cassidy’s partner.
"Stand down!" Cole hisses through gritted teeth, lowering his arms back down to his sides, fists clenching tightly. "He ain't a threat to anyone!"
Genji's mouth curves up into a rather unsettling smile, a deep laugh rumbling in his throat.
"You know nothing about him." He says, lowly.
"Wanna bet?" Cole snaps back, his own lips curving up in a troublemaking grin.
"What is the meaning of this?"
There’s a thud of powerful, giant wings. Cole can feel the rush of air they produce hitting his back but before he can even manage to turn around, Hanzo is already landing, additional limbs dissolving into smoke.
The king takes a step ahead of the hunter, fingertips stretching into long, obsidian black talons.
Genji's eyes go dark, a monstrous chitter on the tail point of a growl.
"You know better than to ask me that." He sneers in reply, his voice starting to seep into something more inhuman and airy.
Though, the situation doesn't evade his attention, eyes now shifting back and forth between the human and the monster that is his sibling before him. He doesn't know what to be more surprised about now. The presence of his best friend at Hanzo’s castle alive, or the fact Hanzo himself is personally intervening. The latter seems to be taking up more of his thoughts with each passing second.
"You are not welcome here, brother." Hanzo growls, the sound rumbling in his throat like a rolling thunder cloud, clearly belonging to something much, much bigger. "Leave."
Genji doesn’t move an inch.
"You know I cannot do that."
The amount of questions adding up and the fact that his mission is all but compromised now has him struggling to know what to do. Cassidy just had to get in his way.
Again.
God damn it, why couldn't this fool see that what he's had to do is for the greater good and that even now that is still his intention?!
The rumbling in Hanzo's throat deepens, eyes narrowing, a third one upon his forehead threatening to open its lids.
"You never had a problem doing so before." The lord notices, coldly.
A stab for a stab. Wound for wound. Blood for blood.
Genji pauses.
His eyes narrow as he takes a deep inhale. His composure cracks, expression shifting between curiosity, confusion, then settles on something more akin to worry concerning the mortal that's with them.
"Why..." He glares at Hanzo, obviously perplexed. "Why do you have his scent?"
The question takes Hanzo slightly aback and he hesitates.
Genji takes notice of this.
He didn't think Hanzo had any room in his heart for humans. Though, it has been eons since they really spoke. He had left not long after he stopped the other from ending humanity initially and has only sporadically seen him since, making the previous comment about him not having any issues leaving before sting a little.
It's true he's practically just watched Hanzo struggle to keep Transylvania afloat without ever lifting a single finger in assistance. But, to Genji, it wasn't his responsibility. Nor was it something he wanted. He's felt his true responsibility lies with protecting the race he saved.
Even if it meant abandoning his own.
"I live in the castle, Genji, that's why." Cole deflects, trying his best to turn the conversation away from that before it even starts. "Damn it, look around you for once!"
"I did not ask you, Cole." Genji hisses, keeping his gaze on his brother.
Cassidy huffs and goes silent, not wanting to make it worse. If he continues trying to deflect, it probably will not help, only drawing attention to the reality he promised to protect.
Cole’s scent is definitely all over the other vampire. There's no mistaking that. Genji knows the hunter’s smell well from living in the same space with him for many years, but he never possessed the smell like his brother currently does.
The gears churning in his head can practically be heard as he observes both men.
Cole obviously isn't hurt, at least not in ways that are obvious or seen. He's also not turned, he'd know immediately if he was.
No. He's still human.
There's some relief to this thought, yet the curiosity remains.
"You..." Hanzo begins.
The castle behind his back moans, stone shaking and changing shapes. Arches and sculptures carve into hostile thorns, gargoyle's heads turning towards them with spine tingling grinding noises.
Genji's form starts radiating shadow in response to the threats coming from the castle now as well. Pupils disappear, swallowed within the crimson color of his irises. From their perimeter, veins start to run black.
Smoke begins pouring out of the lord’s silhouette, dissolving his shape as something else threatens to burst out of him.
"You dare to come to my dominion, ask questions and order around my employee?"
Hanzo’s voice is now nothing but monstrous rumbling. He overgrows Genji, bending over him, fangs bared, all three eyes piercing his brother with fury.
"YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE, BROTHER. LEAVE, OR I WILL MAKE YOU LEAVE."
Genji also grows in size, features slowly turning more gaunt. He's not nearly as large as Hanzo, but he makes up for it in bravado.
"I DO NOT NEED POWER!" He retaliates, voice almost like an alternate of Hanzo's in tone, higher pitched, more reminiscent of the screams of souls forever stuck in his body. "PEOPLE WILLINGLY LOOKED UP TO US BEFORE YOU BROKE THAT TRUST!"
The shape of Hanzo's face begins to change drastically once it is clear Genji will not leave peacefully. Was it a shock? No. His brother never listened.
Cassidy is now in complete shock, apprehension slicing at his composure. He's never seen anything quite like what he is now. Both individuals he loves in different ways at each other's throats, growing more grotesque by the second in their rage. He has to do something before they rip each other apart right in front of him.
The hunter forces himself between them despite a familiar sense of budding fear in his chest due to the pure energy he's now using himself as a wedge for. He slams his arm up against Genji's chest despite the new height difference, gripping his shirt in his fist and holding him back to the best of his human ability.
"Stop! Both of you, please!" He glances back to Hanzo for only a moment, eyes begging him to listen before snapping his attention back to Genji. "Genji, I told you to stand down!”
Hanzo immediately halts what he’s doing. Taking a step back, his form slowly begins to turn into normal human shape. He respects Cole enough to listen to him and what he has to say but still is ready to do whatever it takes to make Genji leave.
Sadness pulls at Cassidy's features despite fighting to stay serious through his fear.
"I asked the same of you the day Overwatch fell! You didn't listen to me then, but if you listen at all, it better be right fuckin' now!"
Genji keeps his gaze on Hanzo but doesn't continue to verbally bite back, reluctantly actually paying attention to the cowboy.
Narrowing his eyes, Hanzo remains silent, listening.
"We were all we had." Cole continues, voice back to a normal volume. "By the end, so few of us were left to pick up the pieces..." He pauses, his eyes burning with the remnants of his resentment towards the other. "It wasn't even the fact we lost that put the nail in the coffin for me."
Genji is clearly becoming more and more uncomfortable. Almost skittish. He knows what he's about to hear, having known it from the very second he caused it, yet still not being ready even now.
"You did." Cole finishes.
Genji goes deathly silent, his blank eyes managing to reflect his pain.
Through all the memories of his own existence, it was Overwatch that had given him true drive and purpose. One that had nothing to do with he, himself, being a monster. That somehow, he was escaping this reality by assisting in bringing down other ill meaning creatures, no matter who or what they were, nor what they were a threat to.
It gave him the belief that he was doing the right thing.
He ruined everything for Cassidy, driving him out the way he did. All due to his own rage. His own vendetta. Now, as he stands ready to kill his own brother for it, he finds himself unable to move. He simply begins to shrink back down to his human size, features slowly returning to normal while he stares off to the side, mind full of brain numbing static.
He doesn't know what to say or do, just standing in silent shame.
His purpose has been shattered, just how Cole's had been.
But Genji actually deserves it.
The regard his brother has for the human between them is so clear. A single look from Cassidy was all it took to turn the situation around. Despite Genji’s abhorrent habit of not putting attention where it's actually necessary sometimes, he is still perceptive. Just... misguided. He's noticing all the clues purely because it's familiar.
He has someone of his own that a single look could halt him in his tracks, too. A single look from her and he either melts or freezes. The lord of the castle he knew wouldn't have spared Cole as much as a second glance, especially since he's ex-Overwatch, who Hanzo has been wanting the downfall of for years.
But it seems that's changed.
The crooked castle behind Hanzo's back remains hostile. Umbra, Amelié and Russel pour out, sensing the tension of their creator, ready to fight by his side.
Genji doesn’t even glance at them, eyes pointing down, unable to look at Cole.
Hanzo lifts a hand up, signaling to the other vampires to halt, though they have already done so, seeing Genji. Despite not being connected to him at all, they know who he is and what their chances against him are.
Zero.
"Everything is under control." Hanzo states.
It isn’t, but what else could he do for them?
"Go back and make sure everyone is safe. Do not let anyone leave the castle."
They listen, even if hesitantly. And as if on cue, the stone around every window shifts, spitting out steel bars, shielding it from the danger of the outside. Veins instantly grow over them. Hanzo is still not denying a potential fight between him and Genji. They have already fought before, the devastation they left behind back then still raw in the king’s memory.
Genji finally looks up, yet it’s not at either of the men before him. It’s at the castle.
His face twists in regret as he takes in the disheveled nature of the place for several long seconds.
He takes in another deep breath.
Not only does Hanzo smell like Cassidy but he realizes the reverse is true, too.
The dots finally connect and he feels even worse now, realizing his earlier comment to Cole about how little he knows about Hanzo truly applies more to himself. In fact, it seems now he and Hanzo have something in common. They're both devoted to a human of their own, tormented by the ticking arms of the mortal clocks above their heads.
His heart cracks.
"You..." He starts, quietly, not directing his words towards one or the other, specifically. "You love him, don't you?"
Cole feels his fear pang in his chest a little stronger hearing the other say that. How the fuck does Genji do that? Ignore everything important just to pinpoint the most inconveniencing thing right when it's most beneficial to himself?
Hanzo is so tense the air around him seems to grow thicker with each heartbeat. He does not answer the question, only narrowing his eyes at his sibling like a tiger ready to defend its cub.
The hunter releases Genji’s shirt, roughly pushing him away and stepping back.
"I work in the forge." He answers, plainly, before changing the subject again. "You just want the same thing every other outsider does. Threatening to kill your own brother, you may as well be one of them."
Genji utters a warbling exhale. He's basically being called, well, a monster. He can't deny that he's been exactly what he was trying not to be all this time.
He finally levels his gaze onto Cassidy with a broken expression.
"I..." He swallows. "I know."
His voice is still small and quiet, the polar opposite of how it was only a minute ago.
"And, I realize an apology will not amend the pain I have caused over the years." He shifts to look at Hanzo. "For either of you."
I do not deserve your forgiveness.
"But I promise," He begins taking steps back, "I will try to make up for it."
Shadows swirl up, engulfing him. The glow of his eyes disappears within the haze, the entire mass retreating back over the wall.
Just like that, like all the times before, Genji comes, almost destroys what he has built and cared for, and vanishes. With the silence left behind comes fear. It clenches its fist around Hanzo's throat, grasping at his heart, pulling it down to his stomach in cold dread. He swallows hard, doing his best to recollect himself.
Does he fear his brother? No. He fears what he might bring with him. As if war brewing on the horizon wasn't enough. And now Cole... now Cole knows what Hanzo tried to do to humanity, centuries and centuries ago.
The castle cracks and moans behind his back. One of the arches almost splits in half, but despite falling apart, the construction remains hostile.
Hanzo raises his eyes up to it, watching what once was a physical embodiment of his strong will now only a reflection of its upheaval.
Cassidy exhales in relief and loses most of the tension he's been holding. However, his eyes are still full of a choking sadness. He's thought about how seeing Genji again would go hundreds of times before but underestimated just how heavy it would be. They had left off on a fight last time and given the circumstances of this occasion, it has left him quite shaken. Despite this, the first thought that's on his mind is Hanzo.
He turns to his partner.
"You ok?" He asks, quietly.
Cole's voice startles the vampire out of his thoughts, just as Genji’s words echo in his head and the realization hits.
You love him, don’t you?
"Yes." He answers Cole's spoken question, dryly. "I have to go."
The coldness that creeps into Hanzo's voice is chilling to the bone. He doesn’t even look at Cole.
Darkness engulfs his form before he flies upwards along the cracking wall and through the balcony door.
"Han-" Cole starts, unable to say anything else before the vampire fades away out of his reach again.
He huffs due to the clashing emotions, frustration from Genji and worry for Hanzo both wreaking havoc within him. His best friend ran in one direction, his lover in the other, leaving him torn in the middle. What Genji said definitely caused more than just a single effect. He was able to tell there is more between the king and the hunter with so little. He was also the first to speak of it so blatantly right in front of them both. Even though others, like Ross, know about them, none have the balls to bring it to attention like that.
The younger vampire's apology was also rather empty to Cole. Genji claimed Hanzo broke the trust of those who believed in them but that was hypocritical of him to say. He broke their trust. It's clear he's seriously lost. Perhaps this is how he's been dealing with the organization's collapse? Regardless, it damn well doesn't excuse his actions.
Cassidy heads back inside only a few moments after his partner retreats, wanting to be with him if he can after the whole debacle. However, it seems he wasn't the only one with that idea. The other vampires are already with the king when the enchanter reaches the upper floor. He can hear them talking about the scenario before he even reaches the door. He opts to back off and let it be handled without his presence, lest it cause suspicion. He will have to wait. So, he returns to his room.
And wait he does.
He sits in bed with a book for a while to distract himself, assuming that at some point Hanzo will join him per their routine. It turns later and later seemingly by the second, deepening a familiar feeling of bitter apprehension in Cassidy's chest as the moon rises higher in the sky while he stubbornly refuses to sleep.
The meeting took several hours.
Hanzo owed an explanation, at least to his vampires. When he was done with them, the council required one, too, but it had to be tailored more carefully. The discussions afterwards lasted until late night and did not result in any solutions, just more burdens to think on for the king.
He tries to sleep. The rumbling of the castle indicates he can’t. But instead of seeking comfort in Cole's embrace, he opts for the bathhouse, desperately trying to recollect his thoughts and feelings that are all over the place.
He is losing control in the worst moment and it is killing him.
The war is inevitable, and even though the guardians are finished, what could an army of two-hundred really do against assaulters coming from all directions? They could only ensure Transylvania bleeds out slower.
And then… there's Cole. Ex-Overwatch. Ex-monster hunter. A mortal. For a being whose lifespan is timeless, Hanzo rarely feels its passing. But with Cassidy, it's like water in his hands. No matter how hard he tries, the cowboy is slipping away from him each day. Cole might be growing old, but it is Hanzo who is dying.
And Genji. His blind with ideals brother who he hasn't spoken with in eons decided to show up and threaten him. Is he even aware of the dangers that loom over Transylvania if his first thought was stopping Hanzo from destroying humanity? Did he expect Hanzo to just lay down, roll over and show his belly to his enemies because they were mortals? Invite them to tear this place to shreds since it was full of monster scum and not his perfect, and oh so loving mankind?!
Hanzo's train of thought gets derailed by another shake of the castle. It keeps cracking, staining the beautiful paintings and carvings while every sculpture turns more demonic and hostile, scaring the residents. They don’t need to speak with Hanzo for him to know they are lost, confused and terrified. He can feel it. People in the city probably feel the same. They aren’t blind or stupid. Everyone knows. Everyone knows their king, someone who is bound to keep them safe, is weak and losing control.
Resting his back against the edge, the vampire sinks down further into the water and covers his face with his hands.
Genji has been around just about as long as Hanzo has, he emerged a bit afterwards, though it is unknown exactly when. He likes humanity. Hanzo doesn't, seeing their dangerous nature, Hanzo wanted to wipe them out but Genji intervened.
Once Cole left Overwatch due to losing faith in the organization's original purpose as well as himself, Genji tried to stop him but he wasn't able to succeed, actually causing things to be worse instead and end off with bad blood. He watched his friend walk away, knowing a good portion of it was his fault.
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If You'll Have Me || Chapter Sixteen - Sub Astra, Aut Solis
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Shit.
This isn't how Cassidy was planning to spend his day off but what has to be done has to be done. Akande is late, so he must have been preoccupied with something. Honestly, Cole had some hope they'd avoid the bastard altogether, that whatever had his attention would keep it.
Turns out he was wrong.
Sighing through his nose, he places the note in the drawer of his side table, dragging himself out of bed. He freshens himself up before dressing, carefully wrapping and tucking his red ascot around his neck and into his white dress shirt to hide the bite mark while still looking nice and presentable. He keeps his hair down, too, just for extra precaution, brushing it out nicely, letting it fall against the shoulders of his brown vest.
Once he's ready, he takes a deep breath, exiting his room to follow the hall to the stairs. This will be the first time he officially meets Ogundimu, since he was often in the background when Overwatch had anything to do with him. He will have to act, speak and perhaps even breathe carefully around him. Things are already tense as is and he's possibly the most important guest of the gathering. As much as Cassidy hates it, he will have to school his tongue.
As Cole is making his way up, Hanzo attends to their guest in his living room.
"The state of the castle is rather alarming, my lord." Says the man sitting in the armchair across from the vampire.
Of course he would bring that up.
"Is it because of an enemy at your doorstep?"
"It is none of your concern, Ogundimu." Hanzo answers, coldly.
The Talon leader isn’t impressed nor intimidated.
"If I didn't know better," Akande ponders, swaying the alcohol in his glass, "I'd say you are afraid."
Hanzo does not answer, only glaring at him instead. The other withstands it with ease, continuing to speak.
"Thus it baffles me as to why you are still refusing to join Talon's cause. We both would benefit from it greatly."
"Your price is too high."
"And annihilation of Transylvania isn't?"
"No one is going to annihilate Transylvania, Ogundimu."
Hanzo has to clench his jaws to stop himself from lashing at the man. He isn’t in the right headspace for this.
"How so?" Akande takes a sip from his glass.
"You'll see the moment my enchanter awakes."
That piques Akande's interest, his eyes gleaming with a spark akin to that of a curious, mischievous fox.
"Can't wait."
As if on cue, Cole arrives.
The enchanter knocks at the door frame politely before stepping into view and bowing before both of them.
"Your majesty." He begins to rise. "Mister Ogundimu."
Akande looks at Cassidy with a pause that fills the room, making the air thick.
"Cole Cassidy…" He says, rising to greet the enchanter properly.
There is something dangerous in his eyes now, even though he extends a hand to shake. Cassidy holds himself high, locking eyes with Akande as he approaches.
"Yes, sir. That's me." He answers, rather nonchalantly.
He figured he wouldn't have to introduce himself, although he was ready to. He accepts the outreached hand, giving a firm shake. His face almost flinches from the near bone crushing pressure of the larger man's grip.
"How the mighty fall." Akande adds.
His eyes travel from the hunter to Hanzo, lips curling in a smirk. It is hard to pinpoint who he is speaking about if not both of them.
Cole doesn't say anything, simply choosing to ignore the comment, lest he say or do something he shouldn't despite the annoyance sparking in his chest.
Ogundimu releases Cassidy’s hand.
"I would never suspect I'd meet you here, in Transylvania. What does a hunter such as yourself have business-"
"He is my enchanter, Ogundimu." Hanzo butts in, rising from his seat.
The castle comes to life, stone shifting to form an entrance to the test room.
"Is that so..." The giant measures Cassidy from head to toe.
"I'd like to address our previous conversation." The vampire invites Akande inside. "With a proper demonstration."
Akande hums, following the lord into the newly formed entry. He seems to tense up once inside, as if he is expecting an attack from them at any moment.
Cole enters, Hanzo addressing him right after.
“Mister Cassidy." He gives him a greenlight to begin the demonstration.
Cole gives a nod of acknowledgement before pulling his gaze away from Akande, approaching the guardian and clasping his hands behind his back.
"Mister Ogundimu, allow me to catch you up to speed on what we've been working on." He starts, schooling his tone into a low neutrality.
It's a bit of a bitter feeling having to show his work to someone who was very much an enemy to him. Like showing a strategy meant to be used against rather than for. Humbling wouldn't be the term Cassidy uses to describe it, he'd be a bit more... colorful, if he had to put it to words. Despite this, he continues.
"I designed this guardian for the defense of the kingdom, its castle and residents. Its pilot, an infernal, summoned and bound by my own enchantments. It is willingly subservient, answering to his majesty, only." He pauses for a breath, "its body is a mythril and steel composite, able to rebuild itself no matter the damage."
Ogundimu listens, respectfully, observing the metal giant. His eyes shine with mixed emotions, greed and awe dominating among them.
Hanzo doesn’t like it.
Cassidy has gotten good at this, given it's the third time they've had to present this construct of his and the king's collective efforts. It's precise and to the point, leaving no time wasted. He shifts off to the side to give the guardian space, brown eyes trained back on the larger man the entire time.
"May I?" Akande asks for permission which is granted to him with a nod and gesture of a hand from the king.
In a blink of an eye the man's entire arm transforms, muscles bulging and skin hardening with an uneven, bumpy texture.
Cassidy stays quiet, purely observing with caution. The transformation of the man's arm is unlike anything he’s seen before. He's unsure just what Akande is, though given he's been such a force to contend with before, it ought to be nothing pleasant.
Armored knuckles hit the guardian's core, piercing through its chest. With a sharp tug, Akande retracts his arm which turns back to normal. The guardian begins reassembling itself, the torn out parts escaping Ogundimu's fist.
He’s impressed.
"Truly fascinating." He whispers.
"Do you have any questions, sir?" Cole asks.
"No, that would be all." Akande answers.
They all exit the testing area back into the living room.
"I'm guessing there will be more of them." Says the Talon leader.
"You guessed right, mister Ogundimu." Hanzo replies with a stone cold voice, standing still, head held high.
"None for sale?"
"None for sale."
Of course there's such interest in the construct. Of course Ogundimu wants some of his own. Him and everyone else, seems like.
No way.
The last pair of hands these need to be in is Akande's.
Ogundimu hums, approaching one of the chamber's walls. His fingers touch along one of the visible cracks, slowly following the fissure along its shape.
"My offer still stands, your majesty." He continues. "Because even an army of indestructible constructs cannot hold together what is falling apart from the inside."
His eyes find Hanzo before slowly moving towards Cassidy.
It's like everyone knows of the castle’s connection to the king now. The rumors must have gotten worse overnight. As much as Cole wants to defend Hanzo, to derail the other from making such comments, it would only provide suspicion that they cannot risk having.
"It was a pleasure to meet you." The Talon man bows shallowly before Cole and then Hanzo. "Your majesty. I shall get off your hair, promptly. Business calls."
The hunter bows back as Akande excuses himself, leaving the room. Cole waits until he's completely out of sight and can also no longer be heard walking away to drop his stoic façade, looking to his partner while exhaling in relief.
"That went about as well as could've been expected, I think." He says, an unsure chuckle to his tone.
He'd be lying if he said that didn't put him on edge. Though, not as on edge as it likely has his king on.
The lord has a cloud over his head again.
"You can go and enjoy the rest of your day off." Hanzo says, turning his back towards Cole, approaching the windows of the balcony.
His posture falters, even if just slightly. He is slouching a bit.
Like a moth to flame, Cole is drawn to the vampire, approaching him and standing by his side.
"I am enjoyin' it." He answers, gently. "I'll head back in a bit."
He wants to make sure Hanzo knows that regardless of circumstance he will do his best to provide stability for his king. His contract may have never had such a thing written but this purpose is inked into the enchanter's heart and is even more binding.
"I'd rather spend it with you, anyways."
He shifts a little closer, his arm grazing against Hanzo's, yet he's still mindful of their surroundings in case anyone approaches and he has to present natural. The gathering has passed, the guardians are practically done, Ogundimu finally showed and for now, he seems to be handled. They have another blessed moment by themselves, god forbid anyone else coming through that door to interrupt them.
"Unless you're already sick of me." He teases, a charming smile on his face. "I've got plenty more stories to tell that could probably put even you to sleep."
He gazes out the window for a moment, the afternoon sun gleaming on his face as it shines through the clouds above the stone walls. It's been close to a half a year that he's been here now. Reminiscing the past several months, his expression goes calm. Tranquil, even. It just feels right, standing here, looking towards a future beyond the war that has yet to even begin. Perhaps it's foolish to not be thinking of the danger but he finds it difficult to fear it when he's by Hanzo's side.
"I'm willin' to bet no one's managed that yet." He chuckles.
The vampire is unable to see Cole's face, not in its full glory while the day is at its peak. At least the sun isn’t so hard on his eyes, given the cloudy season.
He remains quiet.
It's a heavy kind of silence, crying and screaming, begging for release from the shackles and burdens he has been carrying for centuries. Cole can only make it bearable for the speck that is his lifespan to Hanzo.
His fingers find Cassidy's, shyly sneaking their way into his palm to simply hold his hand.
"What are your plans for today?" He asks with a still dry voice, exhaustion seeping through.
He is unsure if he can indulge in Cole's free time, but he will try. He has to. Every second is precious when an immortal heart beats for a mortal one.
Cole grasps Hanzo's hand back, humming in thought to the question.
He honestly hasn't thought of doing anything specific besides perhaps keeping to his room or the library to pass the time until he can be busy again or until Hanzo might have a moment from his duties. Though the king's duties are never truly done, he'll plan to steal him away whenever he can.
While he's still certain they are alone, he turns to face the vampire, indulging him with an answer.
"Maybe there's another cake in the kitchen we can sneak out," the enchanter thinks aloud on purpose, "or some hidden brandy in a cupboard to drink on a date with the moon tonight."
He turns to face Hanzo, raising the lord's held hand up to place a soft kiss upon its back before stepping in closer. A gentle caress on his partner's waist turns the other to face him as he holds their entwined hands between their chests.
Hanzo's lips twitch into a gentle, even though still sad smile.
"You are going to exploit my sweet tooth now?" He asks.
"Under a conjured sky of your choosing..." Cole continues, his tone dusted with sugar, "...sub astra, aut solis."
Under the stars or sun.
He can't help but use his Latin tongue. Not only is he good with words but when filtered through such a beautiful language it just feels like his heart comes across stronger, nurturing his rather verbose nature.
The way Cole rains him with affection and love softens the vampire's cold and lonely heart, chasing away all the exhaustion and sadness. Hanzo's smile grows bigger and eyes softer. He raises himself slightly, just to reach Cole's lips and kiss them gently, still mindful of the healing wounds.
"That a good soundin' plan?" Cassidy asks.
"Such a hopeless romantic." Hanzo whispers. "I would love that, my love."
Cole can't help but chuckle at that comment, his eyes dropping dreamily.
"I'm anythin' but hopeless with you, Han."
The lord doesn’t deserve him nor his love but he couldn’t turn down such a generous heart if it’s beating just for him.
Sighing, Hanzo rests his forehead on Cassidy's chest.
"I'm…” Hanzo pauses for a long moment. “Nevermind. I'll see you in the evening?" He looks up at Cole.
The hunter wraps the hand on his love's waist further around to his back, embracing him.
I know, he wants to say. I know you're tired. I understand your yearning for freedom. For release. I wish I could give that to you. I'd give my mortal life for it if that in and of itself wouldn't cause you such agony in return.
Though all these words are silent, reciting to Hanzo only in his mind, Cole keeps his glowing disposition, not allowing his own heartache to tear him away from the more important thing that now looks up at him.
He takes a second to come back to the moment, processing the question for a beat before replying.
"Yea. I'll be in my room. When you're done for the day, just let me know."
He plants another kiss on Hanzo's lips before slowly starting to pull away, keeping their hands in contact for as long as possible before he steps backwards far enough to let go. He then gives a small wink before turning to depart.
For the rest of the late afternoon, Cole gathers the items needed for the evening. As the sun starts to set, he has successfully managed to swipe a mostly full bottle of alcohol and about half of a cheesecake that must have been made fresh the day before. He hides said items in his room, keeping them out of immediate sight, just in case.
The vampire eagerly awaits the arrival of the evening, and because of it, he can't focus on anything. It is painfully obvious, to the point people he speaks with have to repeat themselves or bring their lord back down to earth one way or another. Time seems to be dragging itself for eternity.
As the clock ticks ever closer, Cole bathes and dresses, this time with a bit more deliberate formality.
This is a date, after all.
Given he doesn't have a large arsenal of clothing, he simply keeps to his nicest. It's the same outfit he wore on their first date but instead of just the ring on his finger, he now has small golden earrings and a necklace with a beautiful gleaming stone dangling on it. He'll have to see about getting more, better clothing at some point. Looks that fit more with his new home.
He relaxes in his room, sitting at his vanity writing in his journal under the dim light of a singular candle while he waits for his king.
When the night finally arrives, Hanzo almost flies into the glass of Cole's window. Bonking his tiny bat head, wings scrape against the stained glass, pulling Cole's attention. The enchanter raises his head to look, his quill pausing on the paper. At first, he thinks it's a bird, however, it doesn’t take long to realize who it is. The shadow seeps through the cracks and opens the window before letting the rest of the form in. Soon the much familiar shape of Hanzo arises in Cole's view, politely closing the window behind himself.
Cole smiles, unable to avoid emitting a small laugh at the adorable situation he just witnessed.
"You are going to hurt your eyes if you keep writing in such darkness, my love." The vampire says.
With a snap of his fingers, he ignites the oil lamps and candles all around the hunter's chamber.
Cassidy stands, replacing his feather pen in its ink bottle.
"I'm used to it." He replies, walking up to the other. "You alright?" He chuckles, raising a hand to gently drag the back of his fingers against Hanzo's cheek. "Fly a bit too fast?"
Seeing the enthusiasm from Hanzo fills him with happiness. Though he knows that a simple thunk against a window is nothing to the lord, he checks anyways through the form of the small, loving tease.
The vampire blushes.
"I-" He avoids eye contact for a second, wrapping his arms around Cole's waist to pull him closer. "I just wanted to see you..."
Catching the hunter's hand, Hanzo places a kiss in his palm before brushing his lips against Cole's.
Cole embraces back.
"And I, you." He returns the sentiment, indulging Hanzo with a sweet kiss before he pulls away to fetch the items he’s been hiding for them.
The platter of cake in one hand, brandy in the other, he reapproaches, displaying them proudly.
"Glad to say I haven't lost my touch." He jokes, a mischievous smile across his face. "So..." A pause, his tone transitioning into his soft gentleness as he brings full attention back to his love. “Where do you want to go tonight?"
He's been all around the world and can pull almost any location from memory of how it was when he was there, effectively creating a moment in time for them and them alone. A place where there is no clock. Where they can remain engulfed in a shared fantasy until they are called back to reality.
Until then, they need not worry about what's beyond the veil.
"Hmm." Hanzo hums, thinking. "Have you ever been to Yoshino during the cherry blossom season? I can show you if you haven't.”
Cassidy pauses to think for a moment, setting the items down on the desk of his vanity.
"Hmm... I've been to Japan once or twice but that one doesn't ring familiar, surprisingly."
He looks back to his partner to wrap an arm around his waist.
"Enlighten me?" He asks, softly.
Hanzo gently scoops Cassidy’s face and closes his eyes. The hunter feels a gentle probing at his mind. The intrusion caresses his consciousness, gingerly requesting permission like a polite knock at the door, to which he eagerly allows entry.
His mind fills with the imagery. Colors, scents and sights through someone else's eyes.
Hanzo's eyes.
Countless blooming pink trees, their petals mounting the gentle breeze. Their sweet scent fills his nostrils as he walks a curved wooden bridge. The night has only few stray clouds sailing the dark sky, the moon shining in almost its full glory. Despite the darkness, he can see and hear everything clearly. He hears cicadas on the other side of the lake, playing a concert in the tall grass. He sees fireflies dancing in a romantic tango with distant lights of houses flickering between the tree branches.
Cassidy is in awe, stunned by the beauty of the nature around him. He embraces it, paying attention to every detail he can. Not only that but he's truly absorbing how it feels to be in Hanzo’s shoes. See the world as he does. Feel it like he does.
Is this the last time his love truly felt peace?
That thought brings a tang of sadness, which then fades to strong resolve and determination.
He will do his best to be that peace.
The intensity of the memory fades away the moment Hanzo opens his eyes, but nevertheless, it is now printed in Cole's mind forever.
Cassidy opens his eyes, staring into Hanzo's crimsons for a second before he locks their lips together again, his left hand gently drifting off to his side. Hanzo shuts his eyes, completely surrendering himself to the hunter. He keeps him as close as possible, savoring the gentle touch of their lips. Little does Cole know how much peace this simple activity brings to the worn down vampire.
The same white glow from the previous time envelops Cole’s hand, replacing the usual orange of his arm and beginning to engulf the surroundings. The light bends and shapes, swallowing the room in the same glittering veil as before in the garden.
After a long moment, the gentle whine of magic comes to an end as Cassidy pulls away from the kiss, leaving Hanzo breathless. Hanzo inhales air deeply, taking in Cole’s scent before eventually letting go of him, allowing the hunter to step back.
They're upon the bridge from the memory, pink blossoms and fireflies fluttering around and between them. The same night sky. The crickets bounding and singing in the grass paired with the soft symphony of the river. Cole looks around, relatively pleased with his conjuring, unveiling the cake and alcohol upon the bridge as well. Though, what matters more is if his love is pleased with their new surroundings.
"Did I miss anything?" He asks, looking back to Hanzo with a gentle expression.
The vampire looks around, eyes growing soft as he touches the bridge's wooden balustrade, testing out the reality of the spell. A tender smile curves his lips.
"It's... perfect."
Turning around to face Cole again, Hanzo scoops his face and rewards him with another kiss. The hunter has no idea how much the vampire adores him. How much he is ready to sacrifice just for him. Hanzo would burn the entire world down if it meant Cole would remain by his side forever unchanged.
Cassidy doesn't ever want to let go of Hanzo. He never wants to part from his soft lips, their hands to unclasp nor their hearts to unbind. For as long as he has left in this mortal life, it all belongs to his king. Body, mind and soul.
"Do you know what year this memory is from?" The lord asks.
Cassidy hums.
"Mmm, no, can't say I do." He replies, gently pulling Hanzo to sit down with him at his side.
He grabs the brandy and the two glasses alongside it.
“Twelve-forty-two.” Hanzo answers. “I wonder how much it has changed since then."
"Damn." Cole chuckles. "Perhaps it has changed, especially if it's been that long ago."
He pops the bottle open then grabs one of the glasses, pouring the alcohol in.
"But," he hands the glass to Hanzo, offering a small charming wink, "maybe it hasn't."
He then pours himself some before looking at the vampire and holding his glass up in a toast. Lightly clinking their glasses together, he takes his first sip with him.
The gentle smile seems to be glued for good onto the vampire's face, softening his crimson eyes that glow in the dark of the night. He just listens to that honey rich voice mixed with the singing of cicadas in the background. A few stray fireflies fly by, illuminating both men with their comforting light.
A small, friendly scoff leaves the cowboy as his memory drifts back to when he saw Angela. She was just as he remembered. It wouldn't surprise him if the others are practically just how he remembers them, just in different situations now. They'd probably say the same about him.
"Some things never do." He says with a smile, setting his glass down and fetching a fork from the cake platter to hand to Hanzo.
The cake is already pre-cut into wedges for serving, making it easy for the hunter to just push one of them to the side, stabbing down into its corner with his own fork and raising the small piece in offering to his partner.
"And that ain't always a bad thing."
This is it.
The peace Hanzo has been craving for so long is now sitting by his side, bending reality just for him. Cole is enough. Though, such a romantic way of escaping the prison the vampire has created for himself is also very much welcome.
Chuckling at the offering, Hanzo accepts the small bite and exchanges his own in return.
He is happy. Truly happy. After all these centuries, it’s as if he’s fallen in love for the first time all over again.
Cole honestly can't remember the last time he was in love. It was years and years ago. Most of his life and memories have been designated to the organization and he's only just now, within this past half a year, been able to explore himself and his desires. To find out who he wants to be, not just who he needs to be. He's been freed from those expectations. The castle is very much a prison, that is still their reality, but Hanzo is his home now. If only he could bend reality in such a way it would really, truly spit them out of Transylvania. Alas, these temporary escapes will have to do for now.
Sighing, melting into relaxation, Hanzo rests his temple on Cole's shoulder as the hunter is enjoying his third glass of alcohol, having nearly almost finished his wedge of cake as well. Cole presses his lips to the top of the vampire's head and keeps an arm wrapped around him, fingers softly trailing over the fabric of his shirt.
"I just realized..." Hanzo speaks after a moment of just absorbing the presence of his lover. "...I can show you things no human has seen before. Living and breathing images that only exist in history books."
Maybe it could be a gift back from him for all the wonders Cole is giving Hanzo? He is uncertain. A human mind is the strongest asset of their fragile beings but it isn't unbreakable.
Cassidy’s eye glints in interest. The opportunity to see more of the world beyond what he or any hunter has ever known is a very fascinating one.
"Oh?" He replies, setting his now empty glass down, gentle eyes glued to his lover. "I'd like that."
After another few seconds of comfortable silence, Hanzo asks another question.
"Do you believe in God, Cole?”
It’s an age-old inquiry. A rather fitting one to ask a hunter, by all means. Ironically, one Cole has never been asked before.
"I... don't know." He answers. "Honestly, I think we ain't meant to know. Not truly."
He glances up to the conjured sky, pondering.
"There's a lot of gods out there. I like to think if we knew which were real, if any, there wouldn't be anythin' to fight about 'cause it would be obvious."
He pulls in a deep inhale, chest rising and falling slowly with the exhale.
"They'd lose their primary form of entertainment." He chuckles. "Plus, doesn’t help us sort it out down here when all their shit works in their own respective ways."
"Mhm."
Well, the answer to Cole's, if not any mortal's question, is sitting right beside the enchanter. But Hanzo would never reveal such a truth, knowing well it could shatter someone's soul into bits. Not only that but it isn’t really linear and simple. It's better left unspoken.
"Well then…" Hanzo murmurs while intertwining their fingers together. "...I can take you to any historical period of Earth, just say a word, my love."
Yes, he is that old. As old as time itself. In a way, he could be perceived as a god, and in some places he is, but he’s never been amused by such a concept. Especially now, when all he wishes is to be a nobody, free of burdens and responsibilities.
Finishing his cake and drink, Hanzo lies down to stargaze, patting his chest in an unspoken invitation for Cole.
Any time period, Cassidy is told. Well, there's plenty to choose from, that's for sure. Many fascinate him, especially as someone who has read a lot about them.
"Any, huh?" He takes a moment to think, placing his head upon Hanzo’s chest and cuddling close.
Embracing him with one arm, Hanzo begins stroking Cole's long hair, playing with it and massaging his scalp while watching the sky.
"Try to be specific. Not exactly by year, but by place."
Before Transylvania became a reality, Hanzo used to travel a lot. Sometimes he stayed a little longer in certain places but in the end he was always on the move.
Cole takes another moment to consider. He has his own selection of locations to choose from from his travels for missions. Though now, he can actually focus on it.
"Alright, how about France, then?"
"Hmm." Hanzo squints, going through the endless library of memories sealed within his mind, trying to find a specific one from France. "Ah, got it. Allow me."
The vampire’s hand freezes in motion, now resting on Cole's temple. The hunter feels the same gentle probing at his mind but this time the entity is inviting him inside itself. Cassidy eagerly enters the memory once the mental door is willingly opened. The intense yet dream-like state makes him feel light, yet tethered to the stability of his partner's presence.
The darkness forms blurry shapes that eventually become scenery. The night is cloudy, yet the hunter is able to see everything perfectly clear. The city he finds himself in is hard to localize, as it is so much different compared to their current year. Houses are partially stone and wood, squeezed together in a tight crowd of architecture. There are only a few people, frozen in time. Mostly drunks or guards.
He can’t smell anything, but the reason behind it is quickly explained by the vampire's voice coming from each direction.
"I dulled your sense of smell. It is nothing but the stench of horse and human manure."
So, not very romantic.
Cassidy doesn't mind the singular muted sense, knowing full well the more unfortunate nature of how some things were in such differing circumstances. Despite this, the homes themselves hold a warmth that can only truly be understood by those who lived it.
What stands out in this place is a building. Still under construction but almost finished. It towers above the entire city, reaching up to the sky. Looking upon the face of the large structure, his sense of wonder is similar to the day he set foot in Hanzo’s castle. Like a child in a candy store. Eyes track along the architecture, following the stone as it curves and mends, shifting then to the carved figures of saints and gorgeous windows that bud with the reflecting light of the surrounding city.
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame.
This structure holds such a special place in the hearts of those it oversees. Not unlike the very castle whose watchful eye blankets Transylvania. Though, of course, nothing will truly top that one's presence.
Cole exhales, soaking in the entire thing as if he's never seen it before. He's seen it completed, obviously, yet something about it still being under construction gives it a more grounding feeling. A more human one.
"Eleven-sixty-three." Hanzo states the year, standing by Cassidy's side, holding his hand. "Six months before completion."
"Eleven-sixty-three..." Cassidy echoes.
As much as he, himself, fully believes, his mind is still processing it.
He takes a tiny step forwards, then pauses. He has to stop himself from wandering, lest he get lost in the unfamiliar, wonderful world of Hanzo's mind. As much as he'd like to, he keeps steady, firmly gripping his partner's hand.
He wants to see more. To learn more.
He fills the rest of his senses to the brim with detail, imprinting this memory into one of his own, his head shifting side to side.
Illusions will never hold a candle to the real thing.
He gazes at Hanzo, his interest palpable.
"I want to see others." He says, quietly, as if his voice will disturb their surroundings and cause it all to fade away. "If that's alright."
He sinks back into consideration. There's a desire to push back the clock to long before civilization. Before humans and monsters were at each other's throats so much.
Was there ever a time they weren't?
Even though he has these questions, he wants to stay focused on things he can actually understand.
He hums as he comes to a conclusion.
"Maybe somethin' from the Roman Empire?” He asks with a small smile.
Hanzo smiles back at him and chuckles. Cole is so caring and loving. Taking him on a trip across history is something the lord can do in return. It still feels like not much, so he promises himself to try harder.
"Of course, my love."
The vampire shortly ponders on a moment of his time he spent in ancient Rome before Notre-Dame dissolves into blurry, shifting shapes.
Several lights go out, some growing stronger and bigger in their place. The distant view of carved stone alters to engulf them instead, a much larger, rounder structure stretching out in each direction. The lights dance in a gentle tango on Cole’s skin, fingers of flame painting him into the historical extravagance in real time. Colors pop out, flying above their heads, air filled with the scent of flowers and food. Before Hanzo dulls Cole's sense of hearing, the hunter can hear almost every person sitting inside of this enormous structure, including heartbeats of the nearest people. He can also smell more than just flowers, mainly sweat or even noticing how aroused the man next to him is.
As overwhelming as it is, soon Cole can only smell the food and flowers.
The Colosseum embraces them from all the directions, still untouched by the brute force of time. It’s filled with people, the pops of color turning out to be fabrics stretching above in the sky, almost covering it fully. They are sitting in a special row reserved for the rich. By their side, an emperor, enjoying some grapes and wine. In the arena below them stands a theater. Actors in costumes and masks, props made out of wood, life sized boats and even water and living animals. The reflecting light of the torches illuminate the scene, making the shadows play and dance into monstrous shapes.
Once again, Cassidy takes to looking around, taking in everything and imprinting it into his own memory. The faces. The decor. The royal spread of food. He has no words. Just awe.
"They are playing Homer’s Odyssey." Hanzo whispers towards Cole. "Outside of theater, the infamous fights were usually staged to make champions last longer. And there were executions. Well… depending on the Emperor, really. Nero stained the Colosseum in more blood than necessary. Human and monster."
Cole listens as Hanzo explains everything, leaning closer to him while eyes stay glued to the play. Charming guy, Nero was, by the sounds of it... These times were notably brutal and some did not help that reality, just adding to it for their own entertainment, it seems.
"Yea, I bet." He replies.
Picking a grape, Hanzo feeds it to Cole. It has the structure and sweet taste just like the real thing, all thanks to Hanzo's memory. Cole offers a soft caress against Hanzo's chin in return, gazing upon him with heavy adoration.
A thousand lifetimes this man has experienced and he's willingly sharing it with the hunter, a human, of which he's met and known many, still choosing Cassidy once their lives crossed paths despite going in very much opposite directions. Clashing head on so the only direction left to go was each other.
Fire and water.
Sun and moon.
From the beginning of time to its mortal end.
Cole places his forehead against Hanzo's, hand trailing to the side of his neck, eyes closing with a deep inhale.
"Let's stay for now." He whispers. "As long as you're happy here."
"As you wish." Hanzo says.
He’s more than delighted to remain and experience this memory with someone so important to him. It's been laying on a shelf in his mind, collecting dust for ages until now.
The spectacle goes on. Cassidy pays attention to the conversations between the surrounding people, continuing the exchange of fruits with his king. It's like watching a drama of its own and he shifts back and forth between the emperor, surrounding company, and the actual theatrics on display for them.
Cole eventually drifts off at some point during the play. Once Hanzo notices, he gently withdrawals from their minds, shifting the enchanter from memory to a real dream state as they fade back into reality. The Colosseum is no more, replaced by the cozy shadows of Cole's room, illuminated with the warmth of the candles and oil lamps. Tender rain taps against the window, stars and moon hidden behind thick layers of clouds.
Taking Cole in his arms, Hanzo effortlessly puts him to bed, getting rid of his clothes, then repeats the process with himself to lay down next to his lover. Snuggling up close with a swelling chest, the vampire watches his human rest, listening to the calm of his breathing, the steady rhythm of Cole's beating heart eventually lulling Hanzo to sleep.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Fifteen - Luna Mea {NSFW}
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
Cassidy does as he said he would and carefully makes his way down the stairs, hand on the wall to keep himself steady. He keeps vigilant for any possible parties he could run into, eyes and ears open, all while returning to his normal composure as if he didn't just have the singular most intense sexual experience of his life. Reaching his room, he enters, shutting and locking the door behind him.
He almost instantly starts undressing again, tossing his clothes on the vanity surface and chair until he only remains in his underwear. He grabs the water pitcher that was left with him on his bedside when he was sick, having been refilling it for himself when needed to keep within his room. Pouring a glass, he knocks back the whole thing, easily, refilling for a second round. The next few minutes are filled with his neck and lip throbbing, his behind not feeling much better. However, it's still perceived through the remaining haze of the aftermath, so it really doesn't bother him that much at the moment.
He holds his cold glass to his lip for a minute to make sure it doesn't swell too much before downing that serving, too. He pulls back the blanket on the bed for both of them, sitting on the edge of his side in deep thought while he waits, mind replaying the events that just passed on repeat as if he can't believe it was real.
Talk about an eventful night. He's not even sure what time it is, nor does he care.
The castle groans again, pulling the hunter's attention back to reality. His brows crease, eyes filling with sadness as his hand reaches out, palm falling upon the wall by the head of the bed. For as much as he wants to be able to nullify the fear he knows Hanzo has, he can't.
This is their curse.
A mortal and an immortal, ironically dancing with death in different ways, only one due to face it in the end.
A few minutes later, Hanzo re-appears fully clothed, quietly closing the window behind himself, making sure there is no draft that could make the cowboy sick again.
Cole looks up with a gentle expression, dropping his arm back to his side and gesturing his head for the other to join him, not wanting to dwell on the prying dark thoughts.
"You gonna sleep in your clothes again?" He asks, concerned about his partner's comfort.
"I do not intend-"
Hanzo just did last night, he could utilize this time in a better-
No. He needs to savor every second he has with his lover.
Letting out a soundless sigh, the clothes evaporate from his skin again, leaving him completely bare to the eye once more. Sitting down on the bed, the vampire sneaks under the covers and wriggles close to Cassidy once the hunter lies down, himself.
Cassidy wouldn't have taken it personally if the lord didn't share the night with him again, though he is glad he seems to have relented, giving in to the idea so Cole has more time to dote upon him. Especially since he has the following day off, perhaps they can remain together a little longer this time rather than the hunter needing to pull away.
Not really embracing him, just laying by his side, Hanzo stares with dreamy eyes as his hand finds Cole's, intertwining their fingers together. The heartache guts his chest again, stomach filling with dread. An echo of a distant rumble rolls across the castle's hall. The second Cole hears it, he wastes no time wrapping himself around the vampire, embracing him.
Hanzo closes his eyes in shame.
"Forgive me…"
Sadness flashes in the hunter’s gaze again. He replies by gently running the pad of his metal thumb over Hanzo's bottom lip before sealing their mouths together in a reassuring kiss. Hanzo doesn’t dare to open his eyes, savoring the feeling.
Cassidy may never understand the agony his king feels but he will give all of his heart to allow Hanzo to rest upon it. To warm him with the very blood it beats with.
Breaking the kiss, their lips remain a feather touch apart.
"Don't apologize." He whispers.
He continues to love on the other man, still embracing him almost protectively while the vampire hides his face in the nook of his lover's neck, free hand climbing up to embrace him back, to cling onto him.
Eventually, Cole’s inhales become laced with a very small snore.
Hanzo can’t sleep.
Not only because he is already rested but also because of the heartache. The prospect of a future where this warm body becomes cold, rising chest still and chocolate sweet eyes lifeless...
It's scaring him.
He's been through it countless times and yet it always feels the same. Hurts the same. Every time it happened, he swore he'd never give in and then... then he let it happen again.
And again.
And again.
Clenching his jaws, shutting his eyes tight, he feels the burn of tears threatening to break through the edge of his eyelids. Hanzo clings onto the sleeping man as if he is about to fall apart in his arms right here, right now.
When the morning comes, so does emptiness. It fills the vampire's vision with white, shadows casted by the furniture flickering and dancing in all shades of gray. He lays on his back now, staring into the ceiling blindly, just listening to Cassidy's steady breathing.
Cassidy's mind was blank most of the night. He had a few dream images come and go, though he remembers none by the time his body begins to wake. His snoring decreases in volume and after a few breaths, stops completely. He's rolled onto his stomach, having subconsciously taken his usual position with one arm under his pillow sometime during the night.
With a quiet moan of fatigue, he shifts his head, the moan phasing into a pained groan. The aches and pains are in full tilt. Before he even opens his eyes, he reaches for Hanzo, his hand drifting over the vampire's arm, following it down until he finds his hand, speaking softly and deeply in Latin as he affectionately glides his fingers over his love's.
"Luna mea."
My moon.
Hanzo's head perks up upon hearing the familiar language. His lips curl in a slight smile the moment his brain processes the spoken words.
"Good morning."
Cole takes a moment, breathing deep before opening his vision to gaze upon the other. He remains still, basking in the morning glow upon his lord's skin for a few minutes until he pushes himself up, another groan following suit. He grimaces, reaching for the rope to pull the curtains closed. Once he has it, he tugs lightly. The curtains shuffle over, shielding the light so it does not continue to blind his nocturnal partner.
He stretches, but not without some difficulty, raising his hand up to cup over the bite mark on his neck.
He wouldn't change a thing about this. Not one bit.
Hanzo couldn't see much until the curtains were closed, but he doesn’t need his eyes to be able to tell what a mess the cowboy is. It ignites a spark in the vampire's hollow chest, warming his hurting heart all over again.
"You do not have to do that. The sun does not harm me in any way." Hanzo's fingers gently travel up Cassidy's arm, probing gently, like a child wishing for its parent's attention. "Unless.. you wish to sleep some more."
The touch eventually falls down to the hunter's wrist. The vampire sits up, leaning far enough to be able to place a kiss on the back of Cole’s neck. Each time his lips touch the warmth of Cassidy's skin, the freezing cold filling his chest melts away.
"And keep you blinded from this face?" Cassidy gestures to himself with a tired half smile before shrugging a bit, playfully adding, "thought ya liked it."
The chuckle that rumbles in the vampire's throat balances on the edge of a full laugh. His usually sad eyes glow with sparks of happiness and amusement.
"Smooth talker." He hums, shuffling closer to be able to kiss him properly.
He’s slow and tender, without rush or roughness that could knock his love’s mind out of his hazy sleepiness but also harm his wounds.
"Nah, I'll nap later if I need to." Cassidy finally answers after taking a moment to melt into the kiss, sleepy mind drifting with it like the tide of the sea. He reaches to caress Hanzo's waist. "I'm surprised you let me sleep at all." He teases.
With no plans for the day, he really isn't sure what to do. He's usually better off being busy, however, the soreness is bound to take at least the rest of the morning to recover, so he's a sitting duck where that's concerned. Or... lying down, rather. Sitting hurts.
"I need you well rested." Hanzo purrs, hand scooping Cole's cheek while the other... the other travels down to his manhood, hidden behind the thin fabric of his underwear.
The hunter’s skin tingles, a warm hum emitting from his throat when the touch reaches his bulge. His vision drags across the vampire's face, browns locking with reds.
"That's alright if you don't want to..." Hanzo wants to make sure Cole knows he can say no. Many have been too frightened to say so. "...I just cannot get enough of your taste."
The vampire snaps his teeth right in front of the hunter's lips, chuckling and licking them with a mischievous smile, all while his hand sneaks its way into his underwear. Cassidy’s eyes develop a hungry glint and he growls back with a deep rumble. The thought of Hanzo's mouth wrapped around him and a flash memory of how his fangs feel kickstarts his length slowly beginning to arouse. Despite how much was taken out of him the night before, it seems there's still just enough for a bit of something extra. So, if his partner wishes it, he makes it clear he's warm to the idea.
"Who am I to deny you?" He purrs, tilting his head to kiss on Hanzo's neck, the hand on his waist giving a loving squeeze while the other is placed on his leg.
The vampire closes his eyes, a soft, quiet moan escaping his lips when Cole's mouth meets his skin. A faint blush paints the sharpness of his cheeks, head bending to the side, happily inviting him further in.
"I may not have a lot in me right now, though, is all." Cole explains, voice still holding his remaining fatigue. He has all day to recharge, so he's not opposed to being drained of the rest. "Hope that's alright."
Hanzo hums. This isn’t about him and his pleasure, it's about Cole.
"You just lay down and enjoy yourself. That is all I ask." The vampire says in return, stealing one more kiss before gently pressing onto Cassidy's chest, signaling for the cowboy to lay back.
Cole obeys, slowly lowering back down, dragging his hair out from under him before he settles. Enjoying the other man won't be a problem at all.
Sliding down, Hanzo kisses on hunter's abused neck before traveling further down, stopping by his nipple to dance his tongue around it. His teeth close on the sensitive skin but do not fully bite in. The nibble spikes Cassidy’s heart rate a little, making it beat with intent to make its yearning known.
"I could just eat you whole." Hanzo purs, hands praising Cole's torso, groping and probing.
Cole gives a friendly scoff in reply.
"Like me that much, huh?" He replies, running his fingers through Hanzo's hair, gently. "Feelin's mutual."
He can't keep his eyes off his partner, absorbing every detail like he could disappear any moment. The way the vampire's skin glides over his own in praise, the forbidden gentleness painting his angular features and how his breath brings his hair to pleasant peaks. If there was a way to be even closer to him than their physical forms could accommodate, he'd embrace it. Regardless, their bodies having been entwined once before now and the promising outlook of much more to come will sate him.
To provide better access, Cole pulls his underwear down carefully to avoid aggravating his bruises, slipping it off and tossing it to the side. He should have just slept without it if he knew how much his partner would still want him in the morning.
The vampire smiles before he descends, nose nudging against the man's hardening member. Lips follow, kissing the sensitive skin with love. His heavy lidded eyes go hazy, high on lust. Tracking the length with his tongue, Hanzo lazily climbs up, making sure his fangs caress Cassidy's dick here and there but without doing any damage, sending pleasuring tingles through the cowboy’s nerves. It only takes less than a minute of the touch to harden him completely. Hanzo looks Cassidy deep in the eyes the moment his lips close around his cock's tip, sucking, tongue twirling and dancing around it.
Those ruby red hues will never fail to draw Cole in. His lips part slightly, a breathy moan passing them elicited by the tongue action around his head. He drags his fingers through Hanzo's hair in a praising manner before pulling his hand back to grip at his pillow, continuing to watch with hazy eyes as he's worked over.
Hanzo does not stay in one place for long, though, once again descending lower to give some love to his balls with his mouth while stroking his length with slow movements of his wrist.
He can’t get enough of Cole. He needs more. His scent, his taste, every moan and shaky breath getting the vampire more and more addicted. He wants nothing more than to squeeze him in his hands and lick all the juice he has to offer.
The vampire promised himself and Cole, even though in his mind, that he will cause him no more harm but... the blood. He can hear it flowing through other’s veins, its warmth under the pads of his fingers and mouth, and the scent... it’s driving him mad on high. Hanzo's mouth and tongue soon abandon Cole's balls, straying towards the sensitive skin of the inner side of his thigh. Kissing and licking, he looks at his hunter, eyes pleading for permission while he continues to lazily stroke him, fangs grazing against his skin searching for a purpose.
The look stokes a primal need within Cassidy. It's a look he has only fantasized about. The desperation glistening within is enchanting and entices the enchanter himself to give in quite easily to the silent request with full trust in his partner. He provides a small nod of consent, mentally preparing himself for the quick pain.
Hanzo searches for the perfect spot with lazy kisses before baring his teeth and sinking them into Cole’s flesh.
"Ngh!" Cole grunts in response to the bite, tensing for a second before the more pleasant sensation intrudes his body rather quickly.
A shuddering moan passes his lips, eyes fluttering closed while his nerves dance due to the influence that once again veils his mind with its euphoric toxin.
"Ahh... mmnh~"
His hand grips the pillow more, drawing the fabric tightly into his fist. His metal hand claws at the sheets by his side, almost threatening to tear into them as his other leg bends up a little.
Hanzo's moans vibrating against his skin paired with everything else leads to his tip beginning to seep pre cum. The substance beads and drips down his tip to his shaft, forcing its way into the pumping motion and getting onto his partner's hand. Chest begins to rise and fall a little quicker, each release of breath incredibly audible, some laced with heavy, delicious moans of his own.
Gasping for air, Hanzo licks the wound clean. His lips, painted a passionate red with blood, curl around Cole's tip, sucking the glistening substance with a pleased hum before sliding the rest of the length deeper, swallowing him whole and pulling a gasp from the cowboy.
The vampire’s hand falls to Cassidy's balls, fingers shifting into talons the hunter can feel, yet they do not harm him. They just press on his skin, gripping. The other hand climbs his torso up and down, claws grazing him, feeding the man's mind with a sharp sensation of danger.
The sharpness of fangs is something Cole is becoming increasingly familiar with, though this new sensation pulls a quick, surprised groan out of him. He doesn't open his eyes, just continuing to put his trust into the other as he absorbs the new experience. The shock of the talons invokes an almost prey-like feeling of apprehension that adds to the whole thing, bringing him teetering on the edge of his climax.
Hanzo bobs his head up and down, sucking hard on Cole's length, heavy lidded eyes trained on his face in a lustful haze. It only takes a handful of seconds for Cassidy to tip over, once again releasing his all into Hanzo's throat and mouth with a heavy groan and whimper. Hanzo happily swallows all he has to offer, licking him clean with hunger, as if he is a starving man and only Cole is able to sustain him.
Not many have been comfortable or bold enough to swallow the hunter whole with barely a single second of pause, but this man... Cole is lucky in more ways than one with him.
As they both lie catching their breath, Cassidy relaxes completely, sinking into the plush beneath them with all of his exhausted weight. If he wasn't tired before, he very much is now.
Resting his head on the soft underbelly of his lover, Hanzo murmurs after a short pause filled with catching his breath:
"I am sorry..."
"Han..." Cole nearly whispers in reply, "it's alright."
He gave consent, after all.
With a heavy breath, he finds himself unable to easily open his eyes, opting to reach and gently caress Hanzo's arm and head lovingly with vision closed for the time being instead.
The vampire sighs into his lover's skin, eyes falling closed as his hair is stroked. Hanzo would never lose control, not in an animalistic way, that is, but he is weak when it comes to Cole. He is also aware how easily a human can get addicted to the high of a vampire's bite and he is actively contributing to it.
It has to change.
Cole speaks again, voice low with exhaustion.
"I... I think I'm gonna take up that idea of more sleep." He says, softly. "You... you stayin'?"
"Yes." Hanzo murmurs.
"Mmm." Cole hums in approval and acknowledgement.
Not that the hunter expected the lord would leave right afterwards, given the time and, well, events of the past several minutes, though he still gets a warm feeling hearing Hanzo confirm he will stay. Cole will likely need a few days to fully heal, not to mention regaining his blood volume. His energy is completely shot, the haze of the bite still making his mind swim in blissful waves.
"Let the wound breathe." Hanzo adds.
Making sure his lover is tucked in but with the injury uncovered, Hanzo lay bare next to his hunter, brushing loose hair strands off his eyes affectionately. He is still half hard, himself, but doesn’t care about it. Cole being content is more than enough for him.
"Sleep well, my love." He gives the other a gentle kiss, still mindful of his abused lips.
Cole's breaths fade into a gentle rhythm, his consciousness easily fading back into sleep within minutes. Just like before, the vampire remains by his side, just watching him sleep. He occasionally caresses the skin on Cassidy’s arm or face with tender touch.
Several hours later, Cassidy rises. He sits up, rubbing his face before looking over to his side.
Hanzo is gone.
He scans the bed and the opposite bedside table before turning to investigate his own. A note catches his attention and he reaches over to grab it.
As soon as he reads it, his tired expression fades to seriousness.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Fourteen - Saccharine {NSFW}
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
The lord leads Cassidy up to his bathhouse. The space is probably not remembered by the cowboy since last time he was here, his mind was fogged with fever. It isn’t as big as the one Cole has for his use, but that makes the place even more private.
Gentle, warm lights are already lit, hovering right under the ceiling, putting some life into surrounding mosaics of constellations. The walls also possess some of the beautiful markings, paired with scenes of a mystical forest filled with creatures out of fairy tales.
The pool water is mixed with… milk, a scent of relaxing lavender filling the air. A wooden plate drifts lazily nearby, carrying alcohol and fruit.
It’s enchanting, feeling as if Cole stepped out of their reality and into a fantasy. The warm yet low light offers a sense of comfort alongside the pleasant smells. Looking towards the pool, it's certainly not quite what was expected. The silky liquid beckons him, its surface just a bit glossy from the overhead glow.
"I hope you are not lactose intolerant." The lord jokes, sparing a look towards Cassidy from over his shoulder.
Cassidy offers a playful scoff.
"Nah. Not-"
His words silence, attention drawn to all the lord’s clothes beginning to fade away into strings of smoke as if they were an illusion from the very beginning, revealing naked, pale skin. His wide shoulders and strong back slowly fall into a thin waist and curvy buttocks. The black scarification Cole has seen a glimpse of before is covering his entire left arm. The rest of his skin is nothing but perfection, not a single hair or scar as if he is sculpted out of marble.
Dark brown hues track along the newly exposed details with heavy interest.
"Not in the slightest." Cassidy finally finishes his initial thought.
Holding onto the eye contact for a bit longer, the vampire finally moves to cleanse himself before entering the bath. He is well aware of his looks, teasing and mocking Cassidy at this point.
"Well? Are you going to join me or just stand there and look?" Asks the lord as he gracefully wades further into the pool.
Simply staring at Hanzo with a half lidded gaze, Cole begins to remove his vest.
"Nothin' wrong with a bit of lookin'." He says.
Slipping off the piece of clothing, he places it off to the side, then starts on his undershirt. He doesn't rush, as much as he'd like to. Pulling the cloth up and over his head, his torso is revealed in full, giving prime view of what sunlight had robbed the lord of before.
He's very much the opposite of the vampire. His skin is more tanned, possessing some scarring here and there as well as hair upon his chest and arm, though it's not too much nor too little, a short trail leading into his belt line. He's toned and robust, his build reflecting that of a fighter. It's clear he'd be a tough opponent, though of course, this is circumstantial.
Removing his boots, he moves on to unclasping his belt. He hooks his thumbs over the edge of his pants, dragging them along with his undergarment down. After the teasing done to him, he takes his sweet time with this to tease back before finally standing bare before the other.
He's not a very large man, more or less normal, though definitely nothing less than what he knows is satisfying. He's not particularly shy about this, either, telling by his point to catch eye contact before moving on to cleanse as well.
The vampire watches the enchanter over his shoulder, eyes shamelessly traveling across his body. He looks pleased, like a royal cat served a plate of a tasty meal.
Cole finally steps into the bath, it's not unpleasant. In fact, far from it. It caresses his form as he sinks within, the liquid crawling up his curves until he's submerged up to his waist, which is as deep as it goes.
Hanzo doesn’t turn around. Cole moves in close, pressing a gentle kiss against the back of his king’s shoulder. Hanzo would be lying if he said that didn't cast some shivers down his spine, igniting a warm smile on his face. There is something more to it, though. Something dangerous and hungry.
Cassidy keeps a bit of space between their bodies, wanting to make sure they take their time to discover each other first. Also to allow Hanzo to determine the line.
"Well, darlin'," he smirks against his master's skin, ghosting his lips up a little, "got anythin' specific in mind?"
"Hmm." The vampire hums with a low voice, finally turning and wrapping his arms around Cole's neck, bringing him closer.
"I am open to propositions. You deserve a treat so…" Hanzo's lips brush against Cassidy's, not yet fully kissing, whispering, “whatever you desire, I shall do and provide~"
Cassidy's body heats up from the words against his skin. His eyes glistening with carnal desire, he places both hands on either side of Hanzo's waist, also pulling in closer. Despite his own passion boiling within, he remains gentle.
At last, their lips collide. Hanzo takes his sweet time to savor each lazy kiss, not rushing the process even though other parts of his body betray him. His need twitches, snuggly pressed against Cole, eliciting a soft moan from the hunter. Cole responds by pressing his own growing desire against it.
From the feeling of it, the lord is far from being small, the ability of shapeshifting giving him this advantage. Hanzo’s hands trail down Cole's spine, caressing it with affection, shooting a pleasant shiver through Cassidy's nerves. Sliding his hands down to Hanzo's hips, Cole breaks away from one of the kisses, gently pulling at his lover's lower lip in the process. He then speaks, tone reflecting his rising desperation.
"I want to feel you~" He breathes, leisurely grazing down to the lord's jawline, kissing between it and his neck.
What he desires is Hanzo.
Purely him.
To feel every part of him. To please him. Also, for the vampire to claim Cole as his own. Technically, the enchanter has belonged to him since day one, though he wants to challenge this to be shown in this new form. To explore their newfound intimacy.
Ghosting his lips up by Hanzo's ear, he puts it into words, voice low and daring.
"While you make me yours."
The vampire's eyelids fall heavy, the crimson of his eyes glistening in the dark with something dangerous and raw. Cassidy's scent alone is pulling on his leash, the sound of his heartbeat mixed with the honey of his voice only adding to the flame. If the hunter only knew what he wants to do to him and the only thing stopping him is Cole’s humanity.
Closing his eyes, Hanzo takes a deep, calming breath, his fingers already clenching onto Cassidy's flesh, holding back from using all the force he has to offer. Resting his forehead on the cowboy's arm, he gives himself a moment to calm down the urges that are making his blood boil.
The strong hold against the hunter’s skin is comforting in a way. After craving it for so long, it's nothing but pure bliss to be rendered motionless in the center of the other man's attention. Though, Cole knows how hard his king may have to control himself, given their specific circumstances. He takes a deep breath of his own, shifting his right hand up to the vampire's arm, giving a reassuring squeeze as if to say I'll be ok.
Hanzo’s hands then begin to trail back up Cole's spine, lips placing sweet, lazy kisses climbing onto his neck. Cole’s eyelids shut to give his mind the ability to focus more on the feeling, to soak in each miniscule detail via the only other available senses. He tilts his head ever so slightly to allow more room for the plush of lips trailing upwards, hot breath slipping past his own lips as his chest lightly rises and falls. He's used to being in control in these scenarios, though here, he's willingly surrendering to the guided dance, succeeding his will to his lover. Yet, this doesn't mean he won't nip here and there.
Unable to stay in one place for too long, the vampire finds Cole's lips, catching one of his soft exhales with a kiss while supporting his head with one hand, the other arm wrapping around him just to hold him as close as possible while pushing his thigh between the cowboy's legs, grinding against him.
Slow. Easy. Savor each moment. Each kiss. Each touch.
Cole’s right hand slides down Hanzo's muscular arm, bending his leg a little to allow it to be pushed aside. He grinds back, searching for friction as he begins to explore Hanzo’s body. He drags his metal hand up from the lord's hip to path up his torso, grazing lightly along his side, stomach and chest, a finger grazing over his right nipple. Though he can't feel it, himself, he's seeking to find sensitivities to indulge in to offer pleasure to his partner in return.
Saying goodbye to Cole's lips by licking them, the vampire's mouth descends back to the hunter's neck, feeling his pulse under his mouth. His excitement is now impossible to ignore, hands falling down to find both their erections and snuggle them together against each other in a slowly moving fist. Ironically, just as the cowboy had fantasized about. Cole's mind starts to swim with the pleasantries, offering a light moan through slightly parted lips in response. His heart rate spikes, offering strong beats to be felt through the touch upon his neck.
Still not having seen Hanzo's rather girthy detail in full but feeling him slip against him, bringing his fantasy to life sends a wave of flaming lust through Cassidy's body. The slow tempo urges his need higher and higher with each stroke, his breaths shortening in length but increasing in count and intensity. He lightly bucks into his lover's hand, trying to signal he wants more.
The vampire is taking his sweet time, unaware of how much torture he’s putting Cassidy through. He knows how crucial foreplay is for someone, especially a human man, to be able to take him without tearing at the seams. He savors the man’s taste, every quickened heartbeat pumping blood through his veins, the way his warm skin feels under his palms and his hardened manhood throbbing with need against his own. The sounds the hunter is producing casts shivers down Hanzo’s spine, the beast within him gnawing at its chains.
Opening his eyes, Cole's heavy gaze drags across the juncture between Hanzo's neck and shoulder while he still seems preoccupied. His right arm snakes around to grip at the lord's back. He dips his head down to place a few rather audible kisses that evolve into him sucking the skin once or twice before a surge of confidence makes him sink in a firm love bite with a small growl, his nails lightly digging into Hanzo's back.
The sharp pain knocks the vampire off his balance. Eyes open and pupils narrow, fingers clenching tighter on Cassidy’s flesh and grip closing around them to where it becomes painful to even move, causing Cassidy to utter a slightly surprised grunt against Hanzo’s skin in reply. Hanzo growls, sending a pleasuring spark through the hunter’s nerves. In the blink of an eye, Cole is manhandled and flipped around.
“Ngh-!” He grunts, disheveled brown hair from the sudden movement intruding in front of his face in thin streaks.
He finds himself pressed up against the edge of the pool with a strong grip laced around the front of his neck from behind, though it’s not strong enough to hurt or choke him.
The lord looms over him, pressing himself against his back with his cock resting between the hunter’s ass cheeks, giving a clear perspective of what’s to come. Once Cole is finally able to process his new situation, a smirk pulls at his lips. He’s obviously somewhat proud of himself.
"Getting impatient, are we?" A baritone growl vibrates in Cole’s ear.
Cassidy emits a deep, rumbling hum.
"Mmn~ can you blame me?" He drawls, accent thick and heavy, dripping with arousal. "I've thought about this pretty damn often."
With him being held so firmly in place, he can do nothing but remain at the lord's mercy. Right where he wants to be.
Oh, the things the vampire is going to do to this bratty hunter. With a movement of his wrist and fingers, he summons a small container of lube. Just because he isn't going to be gentle anymore doesn’t mean he's not going to prepare his lover for the ride.
"I wanted to be gentle with you..." He whispers into Cassidy’s ear.
A warbling exhale pulls out of Cassidy as the hand trails down his throat. Hanzo grabs the hunter's hair and pushes him down onto the tile, forcing him to bend over, eliciting a stifled grunt from him.
"...but that is out the window now." Hanzo finishes.
Now Cole's done it.
Not that he's complaining, oh, no. There will be plenty of time for gentleness later, as the months of pining, appealing and craving has caused quite the collection of pent up desires. At least, he can say that for certain about himself. Telling by the eagerness of the other man on top of him, he can only assume this is mutual. Hanzo may be taking the words right out of the enchanter's mouth, but who's truly in control here has been obvious from the beginning.
With elbows bent, face to the tile and palms flat by his shoulders, Cole swallows.
The hunter has become the prey.
"Oh yeah? Couldn't tell." He purrs in reply, dark chocolate hues looking back at Hanzo best he can given his position.
Kicking Cassidy's legs into a wider stance, the vampire scoops some of the lube and reaches down between his cheeks, reminding the other just what type of trouble he's landed himself in. The oily yet creamy substance is water resistant enough to fulfill its purpose in such an environment.
Hanzo's fingers circle the ring of the muscle, testing the grounds before probing further and deeper. Just one finger, feeling for resistance. It takes a minute or two to work it enough for the second addition.
Cole’s metal palm drags down to grip at the pool's edge, his face contorting in a light grimace in response to the intrusion. Not because it's painful, more due to the fact he has only done this once, maybe twice in the past so it's still semi-new.
Hell of a way to get back into it.
"I want to ravage you..." The lord hums, bending over to lick at Cole's back, fangs nibbling at his skin. "If you could only take it without falling apart in my hands. Humans are such fragile and tender beings…"
The hunter can’t help but take pause at the feeling of fangs against him. He’s never let any vampire get close enough to have those sharp objects anywhere near his flesh before.
"I'm used to a good bit of rough housin'... but yea, I'd like to be able to pull through a few rounds." He breathes.
Hanzo likes this new flavor of cowboy. Spicy, cocky and bratty. Most of his human lovers tended to be submissive, like the typical prey they were. But not Cole. He’s feisty, as if he has a chance to stand against him in a fight.
"Not when I'm done with you." The vampire answers with a growl, continuing to nibble at hunter's skin, leaving a hickey behind.
Cole gives a slow, small thrust of his hips to fuck himself back onto Hanzo's fingers, making sure to rise up against the other man's erection in the process, his own continuing to throb beneath the pool liquid's surface. The answer to this bold move is rather grounding and painful. The lord holds him in place with a firm grip on his dick and balls, the fingers of his probing hand pulling from the hunter’s body to hold him by the scruff of his neck like a dog. The sudden roughness pulls a sharp hiss and deep grunt from Cole.
"So needy... so eager..." Hanzo hums with a rich, deep voice, stroking Cole lazily but still holding him in place by the neck.
He bucks his hips, dick rubbing against Cole's entrance up and down, teasing.
He's not getting it just yet.
Grabbing him by the hair, the vampire brings the hunter up, forcing him to face him, sliding his dick between his parted thighs. He forces them closed so he can lazily fuck them while continuing to stroke him in the process.
“Tell me your fantasies.” Hanzo purrs into his ear, nuzzling at it with his nose. “What were you imagining?”
Cassidy’s face flushes with heat. Already missing the feeling of the vampires fingers inside him, it makes the continued teasing near torture. The tickle of Hanzo’s breath on his ear as he speaks and the other pairing sensations make his mind haze.
"What haven't I imagined?" He replies, closing his eyes to recall all the delicious imagery, palms gripping at the pool’s edge where his lower back is pressed against it, "though things were a bit... ah~ reversed." He tenses his legs a bit to add more pressure around Hanzo. "Not that I'm complainin' about this."
He gives an airy chuckle then pleased moan in response to the attention he's been receiving.
"But the thought of you beggin' for me," he sucks his lower lip, "that one's a common one."
Hanzo smiles into Cassidy's skin, hand trailing up his neck to wrap his fingers around it again. Cole exhales softly as his head is tilted and exposed for more kisses and hickeys. All the marks he's bound to have after this will have to be hidden somehow... but that's an issue for the morning. He could care less right now.
"Does it make you hard when a powerful, dark being begs for your cock? When it's at your mercy? Pressed underneath your body..." Hanzo slides his tongue up Cassidy’s neck to his ear, whispering, "so open. So vulnerable. So... helpless?"
The dirty talk is just fueling the cowboy’s lustful haze, throwing gasoline on an already blazing flame.
"Mnnh.” He exhales in a shaky whisper.
Open. The image of the other being worked loose for him. Vulnerable. The thought of the vampire’s whimpers. Helpless. Disheveled, sweaty and spent. Sounds like a damn good way to be and the hunter finds himself looking forward to experiencing just that by the end of this. Besides, how can you expect to provide such a service without first having experienced it yourself?
Not allowing Cole to utter more, Hanzo kisses him eagerly, picking him up with ease and seating his lover on the edge of the pool. He seals the kiss with a bite on the cowboy’s lower lip, hard enough to break through the thin skin which Cole gives a quick hiss of pain to before the vampire proceeds to lick off the tiny drop of blood beading from it. The first energizing taste makes his eyes flicker. Cole’s eyelids flutter back open to watch as Hanzo sinks to his knees between his legs.
Hanzo licks the inner side of Cassidy’s thigh that's still drenched in the milk and water mixture. Eyes lock and he makes sure the man feels his fangs while they threaten to break the tender skin, inevitably traveling towards his much more sensitive manhood.
"Tell me more, hunter. I want to know all your dirty fantasies.” Hanzo says before nuzzling into his cock, lazily climbing with his mouth starting from the base.
"Mmn, more, huh?" Cole purrs, almost losing his train of thought due to the excitement.
"My red scarf over your eyes while I tease you."
A shiver ripples through him once Hanzo's mouth finds his tip.
"Fuckin' you somewhere deep in the garden while you struggle to keep quiet."
Hanzo opens his mouth wide with a smile, letting Cole take a good look at the sharpness of his fangs.
Christ.
Cassidy can't help but whimper in need at the sight. Talk about keeping quiet...
The vampire swallows him, engulfing him in warmth.
"A-Ah!" The hunter cries.
He rakes his right hand's fingers into Hanzo's hair, his left clamping down on the pool's edge with force as he drops his head back.
"Fuck, Han-" He moans, feeling the fangs graze against his girth.
How sweet his name sounds rolling on Cassidy's tongue, coated in that honey rich voice now shaking from pleasure. It makes Hanzo's cock twitch with need, eyes going blurry and heavy with passionate lust as he bobs his head back and forth, taking Cole's cock deep into his throat. He isn’t rushing the process, slurping lazily and slowly on his length, savoring every inch and taste.
Cole groans, tilting his head back level to watch as he's pleasured. His expression is almost pathetic. Clenched teeth, half-lidded eyes and bangs in his face as he doesn't care enough to fix them.
The vampire's hands climb Cole's torso, groping his curves and muscles almost with praising admiration. He doesn’t mind his mouth being used or abused. He wants to squeeze all the lovely sounds out of Cassidy’s throat while he continues to list every dirty fantasy about him. It’s doing things to Hanzo, things he thought were long dead, turned to dust by centuries of loneliness.
The hunter's body glistens with the moisture from the pool, drops rolling over his muscles and heaving chest until their journey is disturbed by Hanzo's touch. It's even better than he could have imagined. Completely absorbed in the experience, he almost forgot his responsibility of listing off all the ways he's going to return this little favor.
"I wouldn't mind- ngh- distractin' you from a task by takin' you clothed, either."
He sucks in a deep, shaky inhale, his grip on Hanzo's hair tightening. He bucks his hips into the vampire's lips, seeking the adrenaline rush from slipping alongside his fangs paired with the lewd, wet noises. On top of it all, Hanzo's fingers begin teasing Cole’s entrance again, sneaking their way in to rub against his prostate. His edge is being kept on a leash by the vampire coming to pause his motions both on and inside of him before he can spill over it.
"Shit, speakin' of distractions~"
Cole grunts as his climax saunters back down, watching with enticement as his lover slides back after a moment, just the tip of his cock on Hanzo’s tongue as he takes a breath.
God, he's beautiful.
Cole lovingly strokes the back of Hanzo's head, looking upon him with heavy adoration, making sure he's able to regain some oxygen before they continue.
After another time or two of his finish being withheld, the hunter gets desperate. He looks at the other, eyebrows creased upwards in pleading, eyes glistening with submission.
"Hanzo, please..." He begs, now sweating a bit, his words heavy and hot.
Pushing Cole's legs further apart to make more room for his own head, the vampire decides to bring mercy on the poor man. In the end, he asked so nicely. He deserves it.
Gripping on Cole’s thigh, Hanzo closes his eyes and takes his dick back into his throat, picking up the pace. Two fingers enter him. Upon feeling more room, a third one joins.
Yes, after he's done, Cole is ready for him.
Cassidy groans deeply with the pace increase. His breaths quickly grow shorter and shorter until they catch in his throat, a small whine passing his lips. Hanzo focuses harder on his job, pushing Cassidy's cock roughly into his mouth until his nose bumps against his skin, then slides back much slower, taking his sweet time in sucking off the entire length to the very tip.
The hunter tenses as the build up within him finally overflows. Hanzo gulps him down to the base and raises his crimson eyes to lock their gazes together, chaining Cole in for the ride as fingers rub his prostate, almost petting it with praise. Only a single whimpering cry of pleasure is allowed to rip past the hunter’s throat, his body stuttering, the fist full of Hanzo's hair tightening in the process as he coats his throat white. His awareness goes blank, leaving room only for his heightened senses for several long seconds.
Slowly dragging the twitching cock out of his throat with teary eyes, Hanzo opens his mouth to let Cole witness the last few cum spurts shooting onto his tongue before he closes his lips around his tip, sucking it dry of whatever he has left, which the hunter observes with widened eyes and a pleasured, hissing inhale.
Gasping for air, Hanzo nuzzles his face into Cole’s manhood, resting his head against his thigh, giving himself some time to recover.
Cole takes a moment to catch his breath as well, slowly allowing his body to relax. He releases the vampire's hair to affectionately drag the pad of his thumb upon his love's face, wiping away his tears. His strength has quite literally been sucked right out of him and he finds himself starting to lean back, supporting himself on his left elbow.
Hanzo climbs back to his feet, bending over Cole to steal a kiss, hands already clenching on his ass. Brushing his leg up against the vampire, Cassidy flicks at the other man’s tongue with his own, getting a good taste of him. Hanzo pulls the cowboy's legs up and over his forearms, opening him for himself with ease.
The lord melts further into the kiss and smoothly transitions the hunter from one pleasure into another by entering him.
At the new intrusion, Cole groans, face contorting in slight discomfort for a moment as his entrance gives some resistance. The moment Hanzo feels the ring of muscle clenching around his thick length, he pauses, moving his hips around to help the other relax. With the adjusting, Cole is able to take a bit more. A quick gasp leaves him as the rest slips inside, Hanzo’s tongue tracing his parted lips. A stifled moan rumbles in Cole’s throat as he wraps his left arm around Hanzo's torso, the right gripping hard on his arm.
With his hunter completely filled, Hanzo gives him time to further adjust to the rather challenging intrusion, smothering his neck with kisses and nibbles in the process. He does a few small pushes to test the waters before starting to move with more confidence and rhythm.
Cole drops his head back with a soft thunk against the tile, eyes closing, sucking on his lower lip that still possesses the small bite wound, tasting his own blood on his tongue. Somehow, this ends up aiding in bringing him into his second wave of heat build up within his core.
"Mhah.. you are.. ah.." Hanzo gasps into Cole’s neck, unhooking his legs to be able to support himself better. "..quite tight.. mh-"
"Ah- mmm, y-yea, I noticed." Cassidy stutters with a breathy chuckle, strongly wrapping his freed legs around Hanzo's waist.
A chuckle of Hanzo’s own follows.
The vampire raises himself on his arms just to be able to look at his hunter's face, to better hear all the noises he is squeezing out of him with each push of his hips, skin slapping against skin, Cassidy's body jumping with the rhythm.
He is... beautiful like this. So bare. So vulnerable. It wakes the vampire's instincts telling him to protect this precious little thing underneath him.
Wrapping his arms around Cole, he kisses him tenderly, breathing into his lips, licking the droplet of blood that keeps forming on his bottom lip over and over.
Cole groans and moans with every few thrusts, leaving his lungs searching for the air to continue his sporadic vocal reactions. After a minute or so, his erection begins to swell between them again, seemingly recovering from the previous round.
Opening his eyes, he raises his head up off the ground a little to reach and nibble at his lover's ear.
"Y'ever had a hunter... nngh~ pinned down like this?" He asks in a breathy tone with a cocky smirk.
"I clashed with a few." Hanzo purrs between grunts, not elaborating in what way he clashed with them.
Cole relaxes back down, gazing up at Hanzo, taking a mental picture for later. A soft jolt shoots through him as some of the thrusts brush up against the sensitive bundle of nerves inside him.
The answer to his question was, well, rather void of juicy details and leaves the hunter still curious.
"Clashed, h-huh?" He scoffs, lightly. "Sure."
"Has anyone hnn... told you, you talk too much?" Hanzo breathes.
Cassidy smiles.
"Yea? What-"
He's cut off by Hanzo rising and yanking him closer to the edge of the pool, pulling a small surprised yelp from the cowboy.
"I will make sure the only noises that leave your throat are moans." Hanzo says.
Cassidy’s eyes get a playful glint in them. He has to at least get one more quip in before he's ripped of the ability to form them.
"That a threat or a promise?" He purrs back, meeting the vampire's gaze with a challenge in his expression.
The answer to that is the length inside of him ramming into him harder than it has been in the past several minutes, causing him to almost instantly lose his so-called challenge with a stifled moan. He throws his hand up to his mouth, catching it before it fully escapes him. Hanzo is slow when pulling out only to slam back into the spread open hole forcefully with each thrust, strongly gripping Cassidy’s hips.
The hunter’s hair is now sticking to his robust form due to the sweat and liquid of the pool, some thick strands caressing his shoulders and neck. Another grunt is slammed out of him but he doesn't fully give in.
Yet.
He doesn't much like losing. He's held out relatively well so far, though he knows being up against Hanzo of all people, he won't be able to resist for long, even if it is just a loving little game.
He just lets himself get fucked on his back for a minute before he finally rises a bit, supporting himself upon his hands as heavy breaths leave his open mouth. They are slowly slipping more and more into sharp moans as he's rubbed up against inside.
Cole raising himself is a cue for the vampire to act further. Embracing the man underneath him, he picks him up with ease, hands on his ass to support him even though most of the job is done by gravity and their hips colliding.
Cassidy clings to Hanzo for dear life, scratching his fingernails into his back. He gives up trying to fight it real damn quick as he's roughly bounced, sending his ego flying out the window with his moans, the crude, wet slapping noises emitting from where they connect turning his mind to hot static.
Panting, the vampire places another hot, breathy kiss on the hunter's lips, not even trying to resist biting into them again. Cole grunts loudly, the red smothering into their kiss before Hanzo licks off the aftermath. Hanzo’s mouth then travels down further to his neck, fangs brushing against the vein which if torn open would definitely kill his lover.
A pang of apprehension shoots through Cassidy. The tip of his manhood buds with a bit of clear substance, adding to the mess they're making between them. He whimpers while Hanzo is searching him for just the right spot, another fantasy of his coming closer to realization all while his prostate is harshly massaged without mercy.
Sweat is now rolling down Hanzo's back, his heavy breath colliding with the tender skin on Cole's neck, tongue and lips trailing around, probing. He’s getting close to his high at such a rough and fast tempo, fingers leaving bruises on his lover's ass, the sheer force of his thrusts spreading Cassidy wide open on his cock.
There it is.
Fangs melt into Cole's neck with ease, pain bursting through his nervous system before sending spasms of pleasure and ecstasy.
"Ah!" Cassidy exclaims in response to the sudden burning sharpness before he begins to fade into the euphoria pumping into him, sending strong pulsating waves that set his veins on fire.
The hot of blood fills Hanzo's mouth, eyes fluttering under the taste and orgasm. He keeps fucking through his high, smearing his sperm around Cassidy's insides.
A bead of blood rolls down Cole’s chest from his neck, eyes rolling back into his head as his own orgasm hits the rest of his body right after. He shivers in the vampire's hold, his voice now only mere gasps while his insides are still being sloppily ravaged.
The thrusts eventually come to a stop, Hanzo's manhood sinking balls deep into Cassidy's quivering hole. Supporting his back with one hand, the vampire gently removes his fangs from the hunter's neck. Cassidy’s head rings like a flashbang just went off, body starting to very slowly come down from the drug-like feeling while Hanzo licks the spilled blood off his abused skin.
The hunter knows about the properties of a vampire bite, how it nearly paralyzes the victim to make them more... cooperative, when they're fed from. Now he knows what it actually feels like. It was never something he had planned to experience, especially not like this. But he's not the same person he once was. He wanted this with every fiber of his being.
Panting, placing wet kisses around the wound, Hanzo slowly sinks down onto a stone bench under the water, seating himself with Cole, allowing the other to decide if he wishes to remain intertwined with him or not.
"Talk to me… my love." He says in a low voice stained with a drop of worry.
Fingers brush away the wet strands of hair from Cole’s eyes. He did not bite into any vital part of his neck but people have had mixed reactions as they rolled down off their high. Causing him distress is the last thing Hanzo wants.
Cole takes a deep, shuddering breath, positioning his bent knees comfortably on either side of Hanzo as he sits with him. He doesn't get off of his partner just yet, taking a moment to catch his breath and savor the connection a bit longer.
Eyes open halfway, an exhausted but familiar loving gaze reflecting within. He takes a few more breaths before finding his voice again.
"I'm alright, Han." He answers, softly.
The high continues to fade, though its influence is still apparent. He leans into the vampire’s touch, lips placing gentle, caring kisses on his king's wrist. He then places his forehead against Hanzo's, cupping his cheek with his right hand.
"God, I love you." He whispers.
Upon hearing the sweet confession, Hanzo smiles gently, closing his arms around Cole more tightly, pulling him closer while fingers rub his back affectionately as they exchange tender kisses. Keeping their lips locked for a moment, Cassidy slowly pulls himself off the other man with a light moan into his lips.
"Take the day off tomorrow." Hanzo proposes during a break for breath, knowing well how sore the hunter will be in the morning.
He didn't drink much of his blood, the man shouldn't be weakened but he did quite damage his neck, lips and, well, rear. It feels good now, but tomorrow? Tomorrow it will bring agony.
Hanzo extends his hand for a short wooden trolley which obediently wheels itself closer. He takes a soft sponge, dips it in the water basin upon the trolley’s surface and starts gently cleaning Cole's skin, avoiding open cuts and little wounds.
A day off sounds nice. They did just figure out the ties and the forge should be nearly done with the guardians by now. So that's all Cassiy is waiting for. For other things, however, the waiting is finally over. No longer is he holding back or unsure about what they are to each other. Though their bond must still remain a secret for their safety, they can at least still rely on the cover of night and other stolen, hidden moments of sensitivity.
He can only hope that one day, once this war comes and goes, that they won't have to hide anymore.
No matter how long it takes.
"Mmm. That doesn't sound like a bad idea." He replies.
He pulls the rest of his hair to the side to make sure it's away from the area of his neck that was bitten so it allows for easier cleaning. He pulls up some of the water with his right hand, gently helping rinse off the sweat from Hanzo's torso and back.
"Would you.. would you like me to stay by your side until you fall asleep, my love?" The question gives Hanzo’s voice almost a shy tint, as if he is ashamed to admit he wants to cuddle. Which is true.
It's been a while since Hanzo has received or given any real affection, only now realizing how starved he is. It’s pathetic, for such a powerful being to be so needy and clingy but here he is anyway.
Looking back up, Cole’s lips curl into a small smile.
"Just until I fall asleep?" He asks in a slightly teasing tone before adding, "of course. No need to ask."
He pauses, leaning back a little.
If he can, he wants him by his side every night.
"I'm not goin' anywhere."
Hanzo's hand holding the sponge freezes against Cassidy's skin. Eyes raise on him, soft and gentle, veiled with that distant pain and sadness. He tries to cover it up with a smile.
In the end, you will. Everyone does, even if they don't want to.
"I know."
Cassidy takes note of the pause his words caused the other, a soft sigh leaving his nose. Despite Hanzo being incredibly difficult to read, the hunter realizes how mindful he must be, the comment he made out of pure habit bringing this to his active attention.
He whispers a gentle apology, silently caressing Hanzo's head, burying his face in his neck while continuing to rinse him off as he's also still being cleaned by the vampire, hoping this is enough to distract his king from those thoughts by bringing him back to the present.
The lord finishes cleaning him up by paying more attention to his behind, making sure to be gentle in the process. When he is done, he gives a kiss to his hunter, soft and tender, mindful of his abused lips.
"I will see you in your chambers...?"
It is the safest way to keep their secret still a secret. If they go together, someone could see them.
Cole pushes himself to sit up straight.
"Mhmm." He answers, then starts to stand, stepping out of the pool, yet not without a bit of a wobble.
"Shit," he laughs, "might take a bit longer to get back there than usual."
Not being entirely done with the aftercare, whether Cole wants it or not, Hanzo takes more time tending to him. The vampire doesn’t just dry his body with a towel, he makes sure every inch of his skin is clean from moisture, eyes fixating on the task. His hands are gentle and slow, almost praising Cassidy's every curve and muscle, every crease, every scar, every perfection and imperfection. He does so even with his hair, brushing apart his wet strands, asking for nothing in return.
The extra care just adds to the full blooming love in Cassidy's chest. He bathes in the attention, giving loving touches back in appreciation where he can, as long as it doesn't get in the way of what Hanzo is doing for him.
Afterwards, Cole moves to dress. He's had to move around with much worse, much less pleasant wounds and aches before, so he finishes at a relatively normal pace, despite lagging a bit here and there. Once he's done, he drapes his hair over his shoulder on the bite side to cover it for the short trip he has to make back. Better safe than sorry.
"Don't be too long, now." He winks at the vampire before turning to leave, not wanting to waste any time getting to his room and getting them both comfortable.
"I promise." Hanzo replies, lips curling in another faint smile, softening his features that are stained with exhaustion and still lingering in the distant hurt. He keeps trying to mask it and keeps failing, as he can’t fool Cassidy's observant eye.
"Take the journey slow, I do not want you to collapse on the stairs."
"I will." Cole confirms, giving one last look over his shoulder before departing.
Once left alone, the vampire sits back on the edge of the pool, legs dipping under the milky surface. The silence that fills the room feels like crushing him down. A clock above Cassidy's head is ticking, everyone but Hanzo deaf to the sound.
The castle moans under the lord's heartache, veins climbing towards Cassidy's window again but not reaching it quite yet, desperate to hold the man within the walls and shield him from inevitable doom. Hanzo's fingers curl on the pool's edge, eyes closing. He takes a few breaths in, allowing the aching pain to twist his gut and fill his bones, leaving nothing behind but the familiar cold emptiness.
Once ready, not even taking time to dry himself like a normal person would, the lord turns into smoke and a thousand bat wings, flying through the window.
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Thirteen - Infernum Parasidium
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
Breakfast is uneventful but filled with the thoughts of how it felt to finally have his affection returned. Said thoughts keep distracting Cassidy from finishing his food. Once he does, though, he heads down to the forge. He needs to check on production.
He walks in, the mechanism grinding as it closes behind him. He can already tell that there is much more than when he had checked last. Reportedly, they're around two-hundred and thirty now. They're close to the ties being figured out and now they're that much closer to their three hundred count of guardians.
This is good.
Very good.
Cole is obviously happy with the news. He can't wait to tell Hanzo.
The enchanter's day goes on without many hiccups or interactions. The more important residents seem to be anywhere but at the castle (or sleeping), servants being the only living cells running down the castle's veins.
At the forge, the vibe is the same. Urlic and Gnoll banter with each other, poking at Cassidy. Tolis is silent, as always, observing them all. Even though he notices the change in Cole's behavior, he does not indulge in bothering him.
The evening arrives.
The testing is going about just as usual as before. Each rune is kicked out with no remorse.
The floating books and scrolls aren't moving about quite as freely anymore. They're still in the air, but have been organized by the enchanter, the ones he's already tried all to one side of the room.
Process of elimination.
The lord enters, looking definitely much better than earlier. Healthier, like he finally slept well enough to gain some color on his pale cheeks and nose. Only dark circles are still present under his crimson eyes, giving off an illusion of makeup.
"Good evening." He greets, sneaking closer, sharp features softening upon seeing his lover. "How is the progress going so far?"
Cole lights up, offering a calm smile.
"Evenin'." He greets back.
He releases the scroll he’s holding, directing it over to the side of the room containing the resources already removed from the equation, holding his hand out to the opposite side.
"I'm narrowin' it down." He replies, a book beginning to float down into his hold. "Guardians are almost finished, too. With how fast they're goin', looks like they may even beat us to the finish line."
"I am glad to hear that." The lord says, relaxed, more happy to see Cassidy than hearing about the guardians, it seems.
His hand rests on Cole's back, caressing it, gently encouraging the cowboy to show him what he has so far. A simple, small touch, but touch nevertheless. Something the vampire wasn't allowing himself before.
One step at a time.
"Get enough sleep?" Cassidy asks, soft gaze upon the lord.
"Yes, thank you."
"Good." The enchanter gestures to the ring. "I've been sifting through everything we have left here in terms of resources."
He shoos away the book and it flies slowly over to the gentle whirlwind of discarded items.
"So far, no luck. But I've still got a bit left to go."
He looks at the energy within the center of the runes.
The lord listens to the cowboy, gears already turning in his skull, eyes scanning the stagnant books and scrolls as if his energy channels up purely from Cassidy's presence.
"Hmm." He hums, frowning in focus, stroking his beard.
"It keeps wantin' to break apart, like..."
Break apart, like…
Wait.
Cassidy's thoughtful expression alters a bit with a realization.
"Hang on... we may have been approaching this wrong."
An idea begins forming in Hanzo's brain the moment Cole starts talking again. He looks at the cowboy, freezing, his own realization shifting his features. Just like how both men have broken the wall between them, this is an opposite scenario.
Cole meets Hanzo’s look.
"What if it needs to be protected from what it's holding, specifically? Like a shield, a uhm..."
He pauses, looking for the proper word.
“A barrier!” They answer in tandem.
Cole's mouth quirks up in a smirk after they spoke out the same thought.
“We should have a strong enough rune to… hold on, let me get it. " Hanzo says, motioning for the books and scrolls to shift around.
Despite the new rune order, he knows exactly which one contains what they need, as he has spent countless hours staring at them. These damn things have been rotting both of their minds, among other things.
"Here!"
A book obediently falls into his hands, pages turning. Hanzo angles it enough for Cassidy to be able to take a look, too. The enchanter leans over, sweeping over the pages he's being shown with a focused gaze.
"Let us try this one." Hanzo says.
The book floats to the pedestal and the vampire takes a few steps back, giving Cole enough space to do his magic.
Cassidy rolls up his sleeves.
"Alright. Let me take a look at it."
He walks to the pedestal as the book makes its way over to settle upon its surface. He looks down at it, then back up to the slowly rotating ring of symbols. He directs the defective rune out, sending it up with the rest of its brethren that float around freely.
He then turns his attention back down to the book.
Please. Let this work.
He glides his palm over the page, the rune needed lighting up in reply. It peels off the page, a ghostly sigh emitting from it. With his other hand, he gestures to the circle, rotating it manually. Once he finds the right space in the combination to slot the new rune in, he does so.
The faded purple color of the circle seeps into a solid white, the entire thing becoming uniform. There's no violent repulsion. No defense mechanisms activated. It's still.
The vampire stands tense, watching with anticipation, a tingle in the crimson of his eyes betraying the excitement.
Cole steps back, standing next to Hanzo. He gives him a glance before taking a breath, his eyes settling on the ring.
"Infernum praesidium."
The ring halts in its slow rotation, hissing with a spectral click. It brightens, singing a level song of stability.
Cassidy still holds his breath for a moment, but releases it in a sharp exhale of surprise when it shows no signs of faltering, the energy in its center coming to a calm.
Hanzo’s galloping thoughts come to silence.
"Holy shit..." Cole breathes with a chuckle of relief. "We got it!"
They did it. They made it work. The army will rise in no time. Transylvania finally is one step ahead of the incoming doom.
Hanzo exhales slowly, his body deflating from the escaping tension, hands brushing his hair back on his head. Enchanted by the weight of the task finally being lifted from them, Cassidy stands contemplating the whole thing from afar, his right hand scratching at his beard.
The lord recollects himself, grabs Cassidy by the arm and forces him to turn around to face him.
The enchanter is taken a bit by surprise when he's suddenly pulled from his thoughts, his eyes widening with a curious sparkle in them.
Looking Cole in the eye, without warning, the vampire grabs the cowboy's face and steals his breath with a rough kiss. The burning excitement, the relief, the gratitude and proudness of it all burns through the hot of their lips colliding.
Cole closes his eyes, engaging in it with his own fire. Placing his right hand on the side of Hanzo's head, the other on his waist, he presses his lips against his love's, fervently, matching the intent to make his own feelings known. His own relief. His longing. His devotion. Everything.
They part only when both men run out of breath. Hanzo's sharp cheeks are stained with blush, sparks flickering and bathing in his eyes. Cassidy is practically gasping, pupils blown wide, chest rising and falling a bit heavier than normal, a gentle pink painting his face.
"I..." Hanzo starts.
How could he put all of his feelings into words? It’s impossible. There is no language fit enough to be able to pour all of that into endless sentences. Cole stands still, speechless, gazing with heavy love in his eyes while the lord finds his own words to speak with.
"You are an astounding man, Cole Cassidy."
Astounding? Cassidy?
The enchanter gives a bashful smile, finally gaining enough air back in his lungs to reply.
"As are you."
Letting go, the vampire begins circling around the stable reaction, observing it, mumbling extraordinary and magnificent. Cole continues to watch Hanzo while he observes their success, soaking it all in.
Finally, Hanzo comes to a stop. He clasps his hands together, a smile curling up the corners of his mouth.
"This calls for a celebration and relaxation. You deserve it, so, I would like to invite you to my private bathing house."
Cole's head tilts just a little, almost mischievously, paired with a smirk. A hum vibrates deep in his chest.
"Well, that sounds mighty fine." He replies, walking up to the vampire. "Invitation accepted."
The acceptance makes the vampire's lips curl in a deeper smile. There is almost something predatory behind his eyes, enchanted by the view of fangs. Offering Cole his hand, he begins to walk him towards the door. Cassidy has been through this kind of engagement before, yet this really is something different. Something exciting. He's looking forward to it, his mind already running wild with possibilities.
However, his daydreaming comes to an abrupt end as Hanzo almost gets a heart attack when coming face to face with Kogri. The lord stops in his tracks so absurdly he makes the cowboy bump into him, eliciting a small, quiet grunt from the man.
"My lord." The orc bows, unaware of Cassidy's presence since the doors are still shielding him from direct view.
With a hand behind his back, Hanzo motions to Cole to hide. Realizing instantly what's going on and catching the signal, the hunter promptly removes himself to keep further out of sight. He presses against the wall off to the side, listening.
"Kogri." Hanzo greets, blandly.
"You look well, my lord.” The orc rises. “Unlike the castle."
"The castle's state is none of your concern." It’s impressive how fast Hanzo is able to snap back into his role of cold and unwavering. "But thank you."
"Well... it kind of is, isn't it." Kogri’s voice drops into something dangerous.
The vampire tenses, eyes narrowing as if he is ready to be attacked.
"It is a reflection of your mind. Or so I've heard." The orc continues.
Hanzo does not answer.
The fact Kogri is commenting about the lords mental state based off the castle both angers and worries Cole. Where did he learn that from? Is he threatening Hanzo? The hunter's brows draw together as he continues to listen in complete silence.
"I am simply concerned over your well being and capability of carrying the burdens of king's duties, is all, my lord." There is no concern in Kogri's voice. "People are talking-"
"They always have been and always will be. I wouldn't concern myself over some gossip."
"Is that so?”
"Excuse me but are you in need of my supervision? I have important matters to attend to." Those matters being Cole, naturally.
The orc is silent for two beats before he finally backs up, even if reluctantly.
"No, my lord, apologies for taking your precious time."
Hanzo watches Kogri walk away, releasing some of the tension off his shoulders only when the orc disappears from his view.
"My apologies." Hanzo lets go of the doors, allowing Cole to come out. "It is best for you if we keep our relationship secret. I hope you understand."
Cassidy emerges with a sigh of relief, expression softening.
"Yea, I understand." He replies.
Hanzo's lips twitch in a gentle smile, happy the cowboy's mind is set on the right track.
Cole already has been abiding by this even beforehand. Now, though, it's even more detrimental since it's being brought to their attention that more internal rumors are spreading.
Returning full attention to the other man, he reminds himself of what they were up to. Or, about to be up to, rather.
The next day during breakfast, Cole faces two corpses. One of them being Ross, the other, Jorin. The goblin is sitting stiffly, barely alive, sipping an herbal drink. His eyes are swollen and closed. He didn't even try to look decent, still wearing clothes from the night before. Ross looks slightly better, refreshed and wearing clean clothing, even if he is half laying on the table. He also has hickeys all over his neck. Surprisingly, the warforged is assisting them, probably making sure both survive the alcoholic punishment. It’s quite a sight.
Cole hadn't indulged quite like they had, so he's pretty much normal.
He chuckles, finding it all kind of amusing.
"Goddamn those spurs are loud." The elf winces and waves at Cole like a puppet in a lazy kid's hands unable to move the limbs correctly.
"Sorry. Should'a taken them off but it kind of slipped my mind." Cassidy replies.
He walks over, stepping a bit lighter so he doesn't cause the jingling of his spurs to be too harsh.
"Y'look like shit." He says with a grin. "And looks like you were busy... you fellas even sleep?"
"Oh, thank you Ross for saving my ass from a horny changeling. You are so welcome, dear Cassidy." The elf whines further, mocking Cole's accent, earning a dry chuckle from the goblin.
Cassidy shakes his head.
"Accent needs work." He jests. "But yes. Thank you. I appreciated that."
"And oh, I would sleep." Ross continues on complaining, pressing a cold cup of water against his throbbing forehead. "If Solaine would let me."
"For the love of Mother Of All, quit whining." Jorin whines.
"Damn," the cowboy comments, still prodding at Ross, "ask her to slow down a bit." He laughs.
Cole situates himself with his own plate of breakfast, taking a seat not directly next to anyone, just kind of in between them all wherever there is space to do so.
The next second, Umbra rolls in with Russel, both of them looking rough, Russel more so than the other. They both are hungover to a degree, though other than that, no signs of hot steamy vampire sex can be found on their bodies. Only Russel joins the company at the table, Umbra making a face upon seeing Cassidy, taking her leave immediately. She is blatantly obvious about how much she dislikes him.
Cassidy spends the next bit of time finishing his food and engaging in whatever other conversation the poor sods are able to hold the subject for. Once done, he cleans his place and bids them a good day. He has to get back to work.
Turns out getting sick like he had and being forced to take time away from the rune room was in some ways good for him. When he re-enters it for the first time again, it feels fresh. He spends the day focusing, managing to snap all but one rune into the circle together. The combination works, besides that final piece.
By the end of the day, he feels relatively satisfied with the accomplishment. After dinner, he sits in the library, doing more preliminary research for the project. He begins to have thoughts later in the evening while reading through one of the books.
He should tell Hanzo that he managed to get it very close.
The thought is met with a sense of reluctance. There's still some resentment within him for how he was just walked out on. For how he was just pushed away at full force. The sour feeling wells up in his chest again, causing him to huff in annoyance. He gets that the gathering caused a lot of stress, plus the fact of the matter being that they are very likely preparing for war.
But currently, while they still have time, Cole just wanted Hanzo to see him. To understand him. Before he isn't here anymore by one form or another, squashing all chances they possibly have.
Chances... chances to push him aside. Excuses.
Then, his thoughts pause.
A realization hits him.
Hanzo is out of excuses.
Additionally, he's been trying to get Hanzo to come to him. However, he seems to be learning the hard way that this will never work.
Cole must go to Hanzo. And now is as good a time as any.
Up in his living room, Hanzo is talking with Quinn, the warforged.
The topic being rather grim, the warforged gives his five cents on the entire situation, looking for solutions. There are only a few, all of them a gamble. At this point, war seems to be inevitable.
Hanzo's façade is faltering, the weight on his shoulders bringing him to his knees. He never has felt so old and worn out before.
"Thank you, Quinn." He whispers, holding onto a glass of wine.
"Anytime, my lord." The automaton bows and excuses himself, leaving the vampire alone.
Hanzo's eyes lock onto the view beyond the window. The city's lights burn in the deep darkness of the night, flickering like fireflies. There are none of the little glowing bugs in the graveyard below, the temperature too low for them to come out anymore. Centuries of care and nourishment of this place might come to an end.
What could he do about it?
He is a scarecrow that the crows have ceased fearing. Their numbers growing, he can feel them pecking at his body, tearing out straws of hay, weakening him. He could try to remind them of their place but he knows there is no use to it. More of them will come and eventually tear his field apart, eating all the plants and seeds he has managed to grow. Just like that, he’ll be left alone among the naked, dry and dead soil.
Again.
Crack!
The glass of wine explodes in his hand, unable to resist the deadly grip any longer. Blinking, Hanzo looks down, glass biting into his skin, pieces of it shimmering at his feet among the red wetness.
Destruction. Blood. Death.
It follows him everywhere.
The pure fact of just who the lord is gives reason as to why none just barge in on him like Cassidy is about to do. If they value their life, that is.
Striding up the stairs, he approaches the door to Hanzo's living room. The door is already cracked open. Perhaps someone was just here. It's possible they still might be, so he has to be mindful.
He inhales deeply through his nose before pushing the door open. He then steps in, shutting it behind him. He looks about the room quickly to discern if anyone else is there before he speaks, addressing the king from across the room. His voice is not at all harsh or cold, yet it is firm.
"Your majesty. We need to talk."
Hanzo's skin crawls as Cole's voice reaches his sensitive ears, dull to the cowboys footsteps from the previous shock. His heart skips a few beats, reaching out to seek comfort, but he pulls back, cursing in his mind.
Why now? What happened?
"Did something happen, mister Cassidy?" He asks, voice rough from exhaustion, yet stoic.
He casually starts pulling the glass out of his fingers, cuts healing before even a drop of blood manages to squeeze through the edge of the wound.
Cole pauses.
His sight shifts down to the shattered glass and spilled liquid upon the floor. His firmness softens to differently address the situation.
"No," He says, "it's... it's not that."
He takes a step to the side, placing his back against the door-frame. His gaze shifts back up to Hanzo as he watches him pick out the glass. He knows he'll heal but concern still shows in his eyes.
"Just wanted to talk to you." He replies, calmly.
"About?" The vampire's gaze does not shift from what he is doing. "You did good during the gathering. Excellent, may I say."
He hopes, oh how he hopes it is something, anything but their twisted and broken relationship.
Raising his hand up, the lord flexes his fingers, checking for any remaining glass shards. Outside of the wine staining his skin and sleeve there is nothing left to be picked.
Cassidy's expression grows a tinge of that oh so familiar sadness. The other is still trying with anything he can to build a barrier between them.
"I appreciate that." He at least acknowledges the praise but does not linger on the subject. "Hanzo... I wanted to apologize. When we spoke last week, I didn't intend to upset you with what I said."
His tone is quiet, remaining as calm as he can manage.
"We left off on a bad spot, an’ haven't spoken since." He crosses his arms, the fingers of his right hand fidgeting against each other. "I want to remedy that."
The vampire still refuses to look at the other man. He can’t trust himself, afraid of his walls cracking further with the erosion of his feelings. He has to constantly remind himself he is doing it for Transylvania and to meet the expectations of others.
"You are forgiven."
His voice is as cold as the moon outside and just as distant, hidden behind a thick layer of clouds.
"Is that all?"
Stepping around the shattered glass, Hanzo reaches for another wine glass to replace the old one with a short pause for drying his hand from the previous spill, back turned to Cassidy.
Cole is silent for a moment. He then directs with his left hand at the shattered crystal and it begins to lift from the ground. The pieces hover away from the puddle and come to rest on the table in a pile so the lord isn't in danger of stepping on it.
"No." He answers. “It's not."
He keeps a level look on the lord, watching him for any further excuses meant to block his attempts at communication.
"I want to work through this with you so this doesn't continue to happen."
Hanzo's hand pauses right above the now full wine glass. He takes in a deep breath without making a sound, eyes closing.
This won't end, will it?
The cowboy has refused to acknowledge all the hints.
Imbecile. Sweet and kind imbecile.
"Why must you make it harder for yourself than it already is?"
The question is directed at Cole but Hanzo should be asking it to himself.
"The only thing that's hard is watching you go through this alone." Cole answers.
The fact that Hanzo's actions have been proving so much more than his words, just like Tolis had described, makes it even harder to watch his pain. But that needs not be said. The way he's protected Cassidy from day one. His help and trust during the creation of the guardian. The rune room. Their dinner together. The care for the servant passing away. The night of Cole's nightmare. And, of course, when Cole fell so ill he couldn't move.
The vampire pauses, taking a sip of his wine, eyes locked on the window but not really seeing past the glass.
"I cannot give you what you are asking of me."
"I'm not askin' you to be anyone other than who you are."
Vampires are called cold. Draining. Even evil. But for Cassidy, Hanzo's chill cools the heat of his ambition when it pushes too close to the sun. He fills him with hope for the future when he had all but lost it. And if that is considered evil, he’d rather rip the very pages from the histories that have given it that false definition.
"An' I just want us to be clear with each other. I don't want you to feel like you have to stay away from me." He pauses, pushing off the wall, taking a few steps forwards but doesn't come any closer than that. "I know you're tryin' to protect me. I want to do the same for you. But I can't if you don't at least let me try."
Why is the lord’s heart racing so much? Why couldn't it be still? Be dead as it has been for centuries now. What is so special about this man that has made him fall for him so easily?
"I do not need your help nor protection." The vampire growls with a tight throat, leaving the glass on the table before him, purely out of distrust towards his own strength and emotions. "I need you to do your job and give me what you promised. An army."
His voice is almost shaking from all the emotions he has been trying to hold back. They are burning him inside out, leaving behind nothing more than a husk filled with ashes. If he could only let go for a moment, let himself fall asleep in Cassidy's arms-
No. Enough.
Closing his eyes tightly, the lord's hands curl into fists. He is tense like a string, stretched and pulled to its limits. He feels like snapping at any moment now.
He wants to snap.
Cole can hear it in the lord's voice. He's so close to breaking despite holding on even still, though just by a thread.
"And I will. Production is almost done on the armors. And I figured out all but one piece of the ties today."
The lord speaks of not needing protection yet emphasizes the need for an army. Cole knows it's for the city and not for Hanzo. He never seems to truly do anything for himself despite needing it so badly. An eternal life, dedicated to one purpose. One place. One cause.
"We're so close..." The cowboy nearly whispers.
So close to the goal they have with the guardians. So close to shattering that wall Hanzo has kept up for god knows how long.
Hanzo turns around at the note of how close the ties are, his face showing nothing but shock and relief. He seems to relax, even if just a bit, a spark of determination blinking through his eyes.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let us go and put an end to this enigma once and for all."
Stealing the wine glass, he chugs it down in one go and is ready to leave, ditching the coat and rolling the sleeves of his shirt up his biceps.
Ignoring the subject switch, Cole tries to keep Hanzo in their current conversation.
"I know everyone here wants what's best for you, Hanzo. Don't underestimate them. They're incredible."
He drops his arms back to his sides.
"You're incredible."
Hanzo only chuckles dryly, almost bitter.
"I know. Come, let's go. Show me what you got."
He begins walking towards the door.
Cole wastes no time planting himself in front of it. He holds his hand up, denying Hanzo leave.
"That's not what we're focusin' on right now. It will be there when we go back to it tomorrow."
Hanzo, surprisingly, stops in his tracks, brows furrowing in confusion, his brain having a hard time processing what just happened as if Cole created an invisible, impenetrable barrier between them.
Cassidy lowers his hand slowly, sighing lightly.
"Please. Let me finish."
He takes a breath, still holding steadfast in making sure Hanzo doesn't have a choice but to listen and re-engage in their main topic. Determination of his own gleams in his expression.
"You have done so much for everyone around you. You built this place that many see as a sanctuary."
He tilts his head to the side, his hair flowing over his shoulder to drape like soft ribbons.
"You provided a chance for them. For me."
He seeks for their eyes to meet. Once they do, there's a tingle of something dangerous that flickers in the crimson of Hanzo's eyes. A challenge. Then confusion. Eventually, exhaustion.
"Give yourself that same chance." Cole adds.
He remains unmoving from the door, his back brushed up against it.
"I do not have time for this." Hanzo says.
It’s hard to tell if he is referring to their conversation or indulging in some ‘me time.’
"I am fine. I have been fine for centuries and I will be fine for another."
He isn't fine. The castle is the physical embodiment of this brutal truth.
Averting his gaze, he sighs, deflating, understanding that the cowboy won't let him slip past his fingers and even if he does, he would still chase after him. Stubborn donkey.
Raising his eyes, the vampire locks them with Cole's again. The harsh coldness creeps in, making his eyelids narrow.
"What is it you want from me?"
He is unsure what Cassidy means by ‘give yourself that same chance’ at this point.
It's not only that Cole won't give up, it's also because he can't. He's come so far compared to where he used to be mere months ago. Time is a healer just as much as a destroyer. Yet, it's also what one makes of it. There isn't just black, white, and gray. There's color. All he wants is for Hanzo to see that. To share it with him. Maybe even create a color of their own.
"To give yourself a chance to truly live." He finally answers.
The cowboy is exhausted in his own right. He's more stubborn than an ox and cocky as can be and one day, he knows it'll fuck him over. But here and now, none of that matters. Just Hanzo does.
"And to be by your side for it."
Hanzo's eyes search through Cassidy's face, looking, begging for anything that he could use to put an end to this conversation.
He finds nothing.
The signs have been there for a good while. No matter how much it's ignored, denied or shot down. They don't know how the incoming events will play out. Cassidy wants to make the best of it, whatever may come. Together.
Cole continues.
"I want to give us a chance. We don't know what the future holds. But I know I want you in mine." A pause. "If you'll have me."
Hanzo presses his lips into a thin line, gaze falling to the floor.
The monster has been defeated, leaving it bare and wounded, beating heart at Cole's mercy.
There's a long pause of silence only broken by the distant crackle of the fireplace.
"I know what the future holds for us..." The vampire whispers, nothing but sorrow and pain filling his voice. "Me, watching you grow old and die."
Alone. Left behind. Moving on to a place out of his reach. There is no heaven for the likes of him. No reincarnation. No afterlife where their souls can meet and intertwine together forever.
Nothing.
There's no mask anymore. The pure pain and sorrow in the king's voice shows that. He is finally admitting his fear and it's exactly what it was expected to be. Cole's mortality.
Cole's expression displays his own raw hurt at observing Hanzo's.
The cold Hanzo feels pouring into his chest almost makes him shiver. He is already weak, what would happen once Cassidy slips through his fingers and fades away, forever?
His throat grows tighter, bending under the merciless grip of fear.
The castle moans, crying out after Cole where Hanzo's lips don’t. The vampire closes his eyes tightly, fingers curling into fists again. The entire room trembles, a crack biting into stone, dividing the beautiful sculptures around the fireplace into two before the place goes silent again.
Wounded. Falling apart. Just like the man standing before Cassidy, filled with shame over his vulnerability.
Cole pushes away from the door. He will no longer stand by and watch this happen.
Never again.
Hearing Cassidy approaching, Hanzo's heart throws itself into a wild gallop. Not to run from the cowboy, but to run to him. He should not listen to it. He should have escaped the moment he lost control of the reins but his entire body is frozen, too hurt to move. Every inch of his being wants this but the mind constantly reminds him of the outcome of such an arrangement.
Once the enchanter is in front of the king, he raises his right hand, placing a finger under Hanzo's chin and lifting his face to look at him.
Unable to speak against it, the lord allows this. Eyes still closed, he just waits.
No more words.
The hunter catches the vampire's lips in his own.
Hanzo feels... relief, washing over him. The thought it's done, I can't run anymore flashes in his mind. He is an exhausted fox, giving up, residing his fate to the wolf following his trail.
Cole melts into the feeling. His heart races with the still stinging hurt, upon its top, a heavy blanket of warm adoration. The deep kiss is like he's trying to transfer over his confidence. His warmth. His safety. His left hand slides around Hanzo's torso, pulling him in close. He just holds him. Silently. Lovingly. As if to say I am here. I am yours.
Holding fistfuls of Cole's clothes, clinging to him for dear life, Hanzo anxiously returns the kiss. He will regret it one day. He will regret it with every ounce of his being but for now… now he just wants to savor every second he has left with this man.
With the affection finally being clearly returned, Cassidy feels relief of his own, the strong embrace evaporating his apprehension. No longer are there thoughts of being at death's door having never forgiven himself due to letting Hanzo go.
The kiss lasts for a good several seconds until he feels he's made his point, gently pulling back to allow a breath between them.
"I…" The vampire chokes on his words, eyes still closed as if he is afraid to look Cole in the eye.
Who would have thought such a powerful creature, such a beast that plants seeds of fear in the hearts of countless heroes could be this vulnerable, broken and weak.
Looks like Cassidy found its weak spot after all.
The hunter's gaze examines the face of his love closely, soaking in every detail as if there's a mob just outside waiting for an opportunity to tear them away from each other. He gently grazes the fingers of his right hand across Hanzo's jawline, coming to rest on the side of his neck, softly stroking with his thumb.
"Han." He whispers, trying to encourage the vampire to look at him.
The orange glow from the fireplace paints Cassidy's face, his brown hues reflecting the light.
Han.
How sweet it sounds, rolling on Cassidy's tongue, escaping his soft lips. It makes the vampire swallow the lump in his throat and finally pry his eyelids open, looking up at him, the red of his eyes burning in the shadows cast by the fireplace behind his back.
He is scared. Terrified, even.
"You have no idea..." He finally finds the courage to speak, each word rolling heavily out of his mouth. "...what you are getting yourself into."
There is still some hope in him that Cole will get scared and push him away, making it easier for both of them even if it's going to hurt in the beginning. He is better off alone, he should know it well enough by now. And yet, his heart is heavy, unable to set itself free from the chains linked to Cole's.
Cassidy can't help but smile at the reprimand.
"I never do, do I?" He chuckles, lightly.
He's always gotten into trouble. That's not bound to change now, or perhaps ever. Though, knowing Hanzo worries for him so, he is more mindful. Causing his king distress breaks him and all he wants to do now is melt away all of that pain.
The vampire's eyes fall to the ground again. He speaks politely, almost submissively, as if their statuses are reversed.
"Can we go to the test room, now... please? But only if you are not exhausted."
It is night, after all, and Cole should be heading to bed.
The enchanter nods.
"Yea. Yea, we can go." He replies. "I'm not that tired yet."
It already feels like he's dreaming after that kiss but he's very much awake. Fatigue does still pull at him, yet not enough to draw him to his chambers just yet. Not before he obliges his love per their request.
As much as he doesn't want to, he slides his hands away from Hanzo so they can make their way to the rune room.
Smiling faintly, the vampire follows the cowboy.
Once there, Cassidy walks through the almost starlit nature of the space to approach the glowing core. The runes, books and scrolls still float as normal. The ring itself, however, has changed color. It's a beautiful yet very pale purple all around. All but one rune share in its glow.
He looks to Hanzo, adoration still clearly shining in his eyes.
"That's the only thing left." He says, a tone of excitement lacing within his words, "we've almost got it pinned down."
Being this close to the solution is exciting, pumping blood through the lord’s veins a little faster. But there is a distraction now, standing beside him. The entire evening already feels surreal, exhausting from so many emotions, even if bringing a bit of relief to some of them. Hanzo discovers that he, himself, is feeling rather tired and all the attempts at solving the last puzzle piece for the next hour go to waste.
Cole is a tad surprised that the project seems to not entice his king as much as he thought it would. He can tell it at least is making him feel a little better, despite that final rune glaring harshly at the both of them. It's too late in the day to continue trying to fight it.
"You should rest, it is getting late." Hanzo states.
He uses Cole's humanity as a good excuse, unable to face the fact of his own weakness.
"Let me walk you back to your room."
As if Cassidy needed an escort at all. The need for being close to something so fragile, something that is burning out with each second, is stronger than the vampire.
Cole agrees, warmly accepting the offer to be escorted back.
"Sure. Like I said, it'll be here tomorrow."
They walk together, Cole still keeping behind Hanzo a bit just in case. They luckily do not cross paths with anyone on the way to the room. Most of the castle's residents are asleep, the night creatures minding their own business either in their rooms or down in the city, because unlike their lord, they can freely leave at any moment.
Reaching the door to Cole's quarters, the cowboy grabs the handle, turning and pushing it open. His sight travels across the way to his bed. It looks more inviting than it ever has before, given the stresses of the evening. Perhaps... even welcoming enough for two.
He takes a moment of thought before taking a few steps in, turning and looking back down the hallway to make sure they're alone before speaking hushed.
"Rest with me?"
The vampire was ready to bid his freshly acquired love goodnight, opening his mouth, taking a breath when Cole invites him in, shutting him up like a voiceless fish pulled from the water.
Chuckling on a whisper level, shaking his head, Hanzo enters, closing the door behind himself quietly.
Cassidy is obviously pleased when his invitation is accepted.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll only be a few minutes." He says, taking a few steps backwards, not wanting to break the gaze with Hanzo instantly.
He then disappears into the bathroom. Shuffling of cloth and metal articles can be heard as he changes into his much more plain, comfortable night clothes. He also releases his hair from its ponytail as well as completing the rest of his routine.
Was Hanzo thinking about doing more than just laying down with Cole? Surprisingly, no. He is exhausted beyond his mind's capabilities, emotions draining him of what energy reserves he has left, though they already were depleted in the first place, thanks to the stress.
So, like a good boy, he sits down on the edge of Cole's bed, waiting for him to return.
Cole takes just about as long as he said he would, if not faster. Re-emerging, he climbs into bed. Hanzo removes his shoes and lies down only after Cassidy does, inviting the other man closer. The hunter scoots in close, wrapping an arm over the vampire, lovingly looking upon him.
He doesn't plan on letting Hanzo go. Unless, of course, anything urgent requires him. Though while the night is still and quiet, he'll make the best of it until their next opportunity arises. Cole hopes their time apart becomes few and far between, now.
Once Cole is cozy and ready to sleep, Hanzo shyly allows himself to tuck him in snuggly before situating himself on top of the covers. Curling up a bit on his side, he sneaks one hand under his own head, eyes locked on Cassidy. There is some bashfulness to the way he looks at him, a faint tint of pink kissing the sharpness of his cheeks.
It's been a while since he has done this.
Cassidy’s fatigue is becoming more clear as they lie in the comfort and safety of each other's company. Touching his forehead to Hanzo's akin to how it was done to him before when he was ill, he soaks in the warmth around them.
"Comfortable?" He asks in a deep, tired voice.
"Mhm."
The vampire closes his eyes, his other hand finding Cassidy's, intertwining their fingers gently, lips curling into a faint smile.
"Good." Cassidy whispers.
Hanzo promises himself he will stay until the cowboy falls asleep. However, the warmth of his body, his scent, the calm rhythm of his beating heart, his touch, all of it chases the stress and tension in him away.
Cassidy falls asleep within minutes, his breathing becoming a soft, consistent rhythm. He relaxes completely, sinking into the softness of the bed. Hanzo ends up dozing off as well, holding Cassidy in his arms as he becomes submerged within the borders of his own dreamland.
The night passes seamlessly with no nightmares for either of them.
The next morning, consciousness buds. Cole's body wakes slightly faster than his mind, processing the pleasant feeling of being in an embrace. When his mind catches up, eyes slowly creak open. As vision clears, it's Hanzo's face that details it. Maybe the enchanter is still not quite awake yet, after all.
He gently reaches a hand up, grazing the backs of his fingers against Hanzo's cheek. He scoffs, quietly. Happily.
He stayed.
He doesn't want to wake the lord, but he has to. If they're both missing at the same time, it won't help the speculations, even though they'd be correct now.
Cole shifts a little closer, leaning his face in towards the other's. He gently presses his lips against Hanzo's. Just the once. He watches to see if this worked, resting his hand on the lord's shoulder. The vampire seems undisturbed by the touch as well as the kiss. After realizing the first kiss didn't work, Cole plants a few more until it finally pays off. Hanzo rouses from the dead, face twitching, a deep, baritone hum escaping his throat before at last he pries his eyes open, eyes shifting about the environment.
Cassidy watches the expressions alter on Hanzo's face with a small smile. Seems he completely forgot he was here with the hunter instead of in his own space.
"Oh." Hanzo murmurs, sheepishly, holding Cole closer and nudging his face into the cowboy's neck, inhaling his scent deeply. "Five more minutes."
Cole chuckles.
"Alright, alright. Just the five. I have to head down soon."
He wraps both arms around Hanzo, wishing there was some way to hold him even closer. He ended up giving a little more than five minutes. Closer to ten. He sighs, reluctantly starting to pull away.
"Ok. Han, I gotta get up before anyone starts yappin'. 'Specially Ross."
Cole successfully escapes from the vampire's embrace, who shifts around with a lazy groan. It isn’t his fault he sleeps during the day as nature intends. Prying one eye open, Hanzo raises his head, disheveled hair sticking out in every possible direction.
The hunter slides off the bed. He's already taking his shirt off as he rounds it to go into the bathroom. He's quite built, scars patterning parts of his chest and torso from the likes of werewolves and other beasts from past hunts. He tosses the shirt onto the vanity chair, giving a quick glance and wink back to Hanzo before he disappears around the corner.
Hanzo catches the faint glimpse of the naked skin as much as a blind person could. Thank you very much, morning sun…
Groaning again, the lord forces himself to sit up, feeling like a wrinkled piece of paper. That's what you get for sleeping in clothes and skipping all of the nightly routines.
A few minutes later, Cassidy emerges fully dressed, save for the fact he's missing a vest. He's removed the spurs from his boots so their jingle won't be an annoyance or distraction to anyone anymore. Specifically ones who are drunk.
He grabs his brown vest, slipping it on over his white undershirt. It's not even closed in the front yet when he walks back over to Hanzo.
"I'll meet you in the testing room as soon as I'm able."
He radiates an aura of confidence he hasn't had for quite some time.
"An' who knows," he pauses, eyes gleaming with affection, "maybe we'll find that missing piece before the end of the week."
"Mmmhmm."
Cranky, still half asleep, certainly in a don't talk to me before my morning coffee headspace, the vampire stands up and stretches, yawning soundlessly. An intimidating range of fangs flashes into view before disappearing behind the soft line of his lips.
The half asleep state of the other is expected. Cole knows this isn't the preferred time of a singular earth's rotation that a vampire would be awake, but he still finds it cute.
“I see you…" Hanzo’s morning voice is miraculously even deeper, "...later."
Opening the window, his figure swallows within shadowy darkness filled with a thousand tiny bat wings. Cassidy watches the lord leave with a small smile before finishing up situating his vest and leaving the room within the next few minutes.
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If You'll Have Me || Chapter Eleven - Indulgence {NSFW}
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
Cassidy dips his right hand under his waistband, fingertips grazing against his now throbbing arousal. Focusing his mind on Hanzo, he imagines their bodies pressed together, lips smothering each other hotly. His hand wraps around his shaft, paired with imagery shifting to him pinning the other man's wrists above his head, grinding his own lower regions against the vampire's. He begins firmly dragging his palm up towards his head, closing his eyes.
He thinks about that deep, baritone voice. How it would sound moaning. Begging. His name on Hanzo's lips, heavy and desperate. The king himself, trembling beneath the hunter, not in fear but with desire.
Cole's breath draws in deep, his grip on himself tightening as he pulls down on his shaft, knee bending up. He uses his other hand to drag down his pants, pulling his legs out and kicking the clothing off to the side before starting to pump in a slow, consistent rhythm. His mind chases the fantasy, playing in sequence of him gripping both their cocks together, thrusting and becoming smothered in slick, glistening pre-cum from both of them.
A stifled grunt slips out of the cowboy, his metal hand traversing up his own torso, pushing his shirt up to his collarbone, imagining its Hanzo's hand instead. Seeing that perfect, pale body fills him with steaming lust. He keeps thinking about how the other dick feels gliding against his own until his tip beads with a real emergence of pre-cum. Dragging his pointer finger over it to help spread, he bucks upwards, popping the smooth, sensitive head from underneath, eliciting a quick moan.
He silences himself by biting down on his metal palm as if anyone would be able to hear him despite being in the confines of his own space.
His speed increases, breaths becoming even deeper. A slight shlick noise can be heard emitting from between his hand and hardness. Progressing, he imagines gripping Hanzo's thighs, spreading them apart and dragging him closer before positioning himself at his entrance, prodding at it, gently. He encircles his fingers around his tip to simulate this, a warbling exhale shuddering from deep within.
He slowly, carefully thrusts, slipping past the barrier. What kind of delicious expression would the vampire make, he wonders. Cycling through several different, equally enticing options, he slips in further, seeking to bottom out, envisioning the hot mess that is his disheveled, panting lover.
His hand reaches his pelvis. Not wanting to dwindle on the vision lest he lose the knot building inside of him, he starts pumping again, this time with more vigor.
Pulling his left hand away from his mouth, he reaches next to his head, sliding it under his pillow and gripping a fistful of the plush as the lewd noises grow in volume with his desperation. God, how he wants to fuck Hanzo deep just like this, plunging with force again, and again, and again, all to siphon out that voice of his in a never before heard, perhaps even forbidden cry of pleasure.
The heat in his core starts to boil, his heaving breaths catching in his throat as they become more and more irregular.
"Fuck!" Cassidy breathes.
He wants to praise the other man and litter his legs with sloppy kisses while keeping a heavy, heated gaze locked with those beautiful glowing ruby eyes as he pounds him. He wants to see and make him sweat. To sink his teeth into his perfect flesh as if he'd leave a mark that wouldn't heal instantly.
In the vision, Cole grips Hanzo's cock, pumping with the assistance of bouncing him into his hold from the rest of the activity's movement. He encourages the vampire in a deep drawl to cum for him, showering him with praises that drip with adoration and burning passion.
The edge is approaching and fast. The hunter's perception is all but blank as he moans again, heart beating loudly in his ears paired with the slicking of his hand up and down his shaft, engulfing the head with each incline. He bears his teeth and groans deeply, eyebrows drawing into intense focus.
Hanzo's panting and moaning. How he feels inside. How he looks plus how he'll look when Cassidy is finished with him.
With a simulated image of his king spilling over the edge and splattering his own chest with the viscous result of the hunter's efforts, Cassidy tumbles over his own. Envisioning himself slap skin against skin with one last harsh thrust, he pushes his head back into his pillow with his mouth open, a breathy moan escaping his throat as streams of white paint his torso. He keeps chasing the high, pumping a few more times into slight over-stimulation, whimpering and shivering until his body has nothing left to give.
He slowly allows his muscles to lose tension as the imagery fades away, leaving him with nothing but a view of the ceiling while his mind seeps back into reality. He inhales, then sighs, his left fist unfurling to release the pillow. He lies still for several moments before pulling his right hand away from himself, exposing the now sticky surface to the air.
Cole glances down at himself. He's made quite the mess and likely doesn't look much better in general. Hair splayed out underneath him, sweat beading on his skin and a dry mouth from no engagement other than the oxygen that was desperately needed to fuel his actions.
Guess a late night drink of water and a bath couldn't hurt.
This short chapter gets very suggestive/NSFW in nature near the end and the next chapter is full on NSFW.
NOTE: ALL NSFW chapters of this work can be skipped over with no repercussions to the overall story if you prefer not to read that. :)
The days approaching the gathering feel different than expected. Cassidy thought he'd be more nervous, but all he is, is stoic. After recovering well enough to return to work, he does so silently. Even if Hanzo is in his presence, he does not speak unless spoken to.
He is introduced to the diplomats, which goes about as well as one could expect, given the circumstances. The reactions are... mixed, to say the least, yet mostly hostile. Especially an orc named Kogri, who seems to be held back on his urges to snap Cole's neck purely by Hanzo's presence. The goblin and warforged are named Jorin and Quinn, respectively. Cole is respectful and understanding of them all, no matter how uncomfortable it is.
There is yet another addition, as colorful and friendly as Ross. Her name is Solaine. Red hair, busty, beautiful and witty. She is clearly curious about Cassidy and probably could spend hours chatting with him. She takes to him rather well. Perhaps a bit too well. She's practically on his heels whenever he has breaks. Her curiosity is flattering, yet he can't indulge her. Any other day, he'd easily be able to tap into his younger self and engage in a charming conversation but he needs to focus.
Finally, the day arrives.
Everything is set up beautifully, the dinner spread and even the music. Cole dressed himself nicely in his dark red long-sleeved shirt and black vest, hair pulled back in his half up half down style. If it weren’t for the tension between some participants, the meeting could be called cozy. Cole is seated between Ross and Solaine, near Hanzo. A smart move given the hostility of others. The cowboy is protected from both sides, remaining close to the lord but not directly next to him which would definitely offend a few egos. Since Hanzo was the first to arrive, no one has the balls to mock Cole in his presence.
Now, Cole finally indulges in Solane's questions, answering in ways that aren't too detailed yet are still seemingly satisfactory. She is curious about his travels and hunts and much like Ross, she wants to confirm some of the myths and legends circling around his persona. Though, unlike the elf, she swaps some stories with him, mainly funny ones, whereas being a changeling, she fools people, innocently. Nothing dire or revealing too much fragile information.
Then, after everyone catches up with each other, the politics begin.
This is deeper than anything Cassidy has been involved in before. Sure, Overwatch did a lot of dealing with it, too, but not quite like this. His exposure is limited. Plus, the subject matter is a reversed perspective compared to what he's familiar with.
Only Kogri protests from sharing intel in Cole's presence. Hanzo's reassurance does not help and the vampire ends up slamming his fist against the table, causing the whole thing to jump. Russel, among a few others, are startled by this, Cole’s eyes widening a little.
The orc goes silent.
The information flow begins once more, allowing the hunter to relax.
As it turns out, Hanzo was right to be nervous.
Something is coming.
The British have mobilized production of weapons capable of slaying monsters, Russians are flexing their military power and Americans have gone awfully quiet. A few small ongoing wars of the surrounding countries are bleeding, leaving them vulnerable and open for conquering. Their blood is slowly seeping into Romania, the country inside of which lies Transylvania, surrounded by a wall.
Their borders are in danger. It’s very much them against the world.
The war is coming and even though none of the big sharks seem to be interested, it means Transylvania will be cut out of the trading market if Romania gets invaded. It would be a matter of time before the other country's representatives show up to plead for Hanzo’s help. The situation puts Hanzo against the wall and everyone at the table knows it. This is why the state of the castle is now twice as alarming. At some point, Jorin, the goblin, feels bold enough to ask about it, sparking nervousness in Cole but he hides it really well and Hanzo evades the question by simply calling for Cole to start his presentation. It is a good time to do so, given how grim their future looks. A fully functional guardian is a spark of hope in the dark.
Once the guardian is directed to approach and it takes its place, Cassidy begins.
It's almost a carbon copy of the practice round they had in the dwarf council. He works with Hanzo the same way, the guardian mending itself by the end with a blow of smoke from its faceplate as finality.
Given the faces, Cassidy did a great job of impressing them but the hard part has only just begun.
Questions.
"If it is piloted by an entity doesn't that make it sentient?" Asks the goblin.
"So it's slavery but that's okay because it's a construct." The orc scoffs, having waited the entire meeting for this opportunity. "Typical human behavior." He adds, spitefully.
The warforged, who has already been relatively quiet, is now completely silent, observing Cole with his expressionless faceplate.
Cole pulls in a deep inhale, his hands clasped behind his back.
"No. Never said it was slavery, nor am I stating that is in any way acceptable."
This just shows what monsters and humans really know about each other. This is an opportunity for him to provide a correction.
"With all due respect, sir, as not just a human but also an enchanter, specifically one who was used by those above me for the abilities I possess," he raises his eyebrows, "that is not the case here."
He looks to the guardian. It stands silent and observing. Cole knows It's sentient. It always has been. If it truly had intent to disobey, it would have shown signs long ago. The summon enchantment having been tampered with including the body is unconventional, that is true. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was a risk that needed to be taken. So he isn't wrong in his following explanation.
"It has been willingly following since day one. The only thing that I had direct control of was the summon enchantment itself, as it is one of my own compositions."
He looks back to the group of individuals surrounding him, feeling very much like a piece of carrion most are waiting to get a bite in on. All eyes except for Hanzo's are locked onto him. Only Ross and Solaine seem to be truly fascinated, not a drop of hostility staining their expressions. And Amelie, who looks bored out of her mind, though it's just her default face.
"The body is also an abnormality, yes," also of Cassidy’s composition, "but it's the reason it will be able to stand in opposition to anything that moves against us." His expression is serious, brows drawn yet eyes gleaming with confidence. "I know very well what dangers could be coming. What I don't know is how. We needed adaptability. So that's what we provided."
He stands firm, the guardian towering behind him, a ticking, steaming metal golem. As a hunter standing before this counsel of monsters, they may as well be hearing it straight from the horse's mouth.
No one says anything. The orc frowns angrily, his brain fuming, trying to find something to fuck Cassidy over with. The warforged intertwines the fingers of his hands and leans against the backrest of his seat, relaxed.
"How many do we have?" Jorin asks.
This time, Hanzo takes the lead.
"Three commanders, one per hundred soldiers."
"Will that be enough?" Umbra asks.
"They are indestructible." Hanzo continues, his voice stoic and cold. "They know no fear, hunger nor exhaustion. They are an art of perfection. The ideal soldiers."
The orc scoffs but says nothing. The rest of the lot have run out of questions, sending a wave of relief through the cowboy's body.
The evening continues, slipping further into more carefree chatter.
Ross and Solaine corner Cassidy from both sides, exhausting him successfully with conversation which flows just as easily as the wine does. The more alcohol that’s poured, the less tension fills the participants, as if Cole's presence ceases to matter. Only Hanzo and the warforged are silent, the vampire indulging in inhumane amounts of wine that does not affect him at all. Cole's alcohol tolerance is notably pretty high, yet there is a slight buzz of color to his face by the time things seem to be dying down.
Around two in the morning, people finally start excusing themselves. Jorin has passed out on the table, to the orc's amusement, so Hanzo calls it a day. He begins to leave, bidding everyone a good night, all vampires following him like a shadow. Cole offers a small glance over his glass across the room towards Hanzo as the lord walks out, observing the other vampires tailing closely behind.
"He's going to feed them." Ross giggles, drunkenly, "They are going to haff... " a pause for a brain fart, "...hot steamy vampire ssssexxxx."
Cassidy’s gaze shifts off to the side with a half lidded expression. He's seemingly unamused but there's just a tinge of something else.
Jealousy.
Imagery begins invading his mind.
A soft huff leaves him and he lowers his glass, blinking a few times to center himself.
He doesn't really want to think about it.
Solaine snorts, ditching her glass and sipping the wine straight out of the bottle.
"Y'know, we can have some too if you want, cowboy~"
The offer catches Cassidy off guard and he returns his attention to her with a rather surprised look.
"Uhm..." He mutters, setting his glass down on the table between them, "I... I'll pass. Thanks." He answers, rather simply.
He's not interested.
If they had met like this a few years ago, he likely would have agreed to it. But now, even gorgeous as both she and Ross are, he just doesn't feel that pull from anyone else but the individual who just left the room. He looks away again, closing himself off by crossing his arms, a distant expression on his face.
"Oh, you swing that way, hm? Not a problem for me, honey." Solaine says.
The changeling purrs and shifts, chest going flat, perfect hourglass shape turning slimmer. In a few heartbeats, a woman turns into a man, petit enough to fit into the dress that’s worn.
"If you like them hunky just let me take off my clothes, baby~" She slurs.
Ross snickers, taking a long sip of his wine. The moment he remembers Cole's love for a certain person, his eyes go wide and he starts choking.
Cassidy looks over, concerned.
"Y'alright, Ross?" He asks.
The elf is acting a little strangely. What changed all of a sudden?
"Aye, elf, don't drown just yet." Kogri slurs from the other side of the table, picking up the passed out goblin and throwing him over his broad shoulder like a small sack of flour.
Ross just waves Kogri off, hitting himself in the chest, gasping for air.
"Soohh-reh." He coughs, brushing tears off and straightening so suddenly its like someone shoved a broomstick up his ass. "Solaine! How about uhhhmm-" He nervously looks around for an excuse to save the cowboy. "-a poker game?"
Cassidy’s confusion only deepens.
"Hey! I want in, too!" The orc shouts from the end of the room. “You owe me a rematch!”
"Splendid! Poker it is!" Ross clasps his hands, not giving the changeling a chance to voice her opinion. "Cass, you playing?"
It clicks.
Ross is deflecting for him. Clever bastard.
Cassidy's expression levels.
"Actually, I think it's best I get to bed. Thank you, though. You all have a good night." He rises from his seat, politely excusing himself.
Before he leaves the room, he gives Ross a thankful glance, striding out to head back to his quarters. Once inside, he exhales, rubbing his face with both hands.
The imagery is still wreaking havoc in his mind, his body responding accordingly.
It's distracting.
He stumbles to the bathroom, cupping some cold water from the sink and splashing his face with it.
He's still upset with Hanzo so why the fuck is he feeling this way at all right now?
Whatever.
It's not his place. As much as he wants it to be.
Ok, that thought didn't help, either.
That, along with the buzz from the wine courses through him, adding to the warmth in his veins. He wipes his face with a washcloth, throwing it down on the counter in frustration. He changes into his looser night clothing. Though not being constricted is helping, his body just doesn't relent. He lies in bed for several minutes, unsure if he wants to indulge in the fantasy, or wait for it to die down.
