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 werenāt 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, Coleās 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. Itās 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 Hanzoās 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 Cassidyās 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 thatās 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."
Cassidyās 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 thatās 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?"
Cassidyās confusion only deepens.
"Hey! I want in, too!" The orc shouts from the end of the room. āYou owe me a rematch!ā
"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.
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It seems they've gone back to how they were before. Distant and unfamiliar. He barely even sees Hanzo at all. Not even wandering. He wouldn't want to intrude, anyways, fearing he'd cause discomfort. However, the hunter can hear the lord play piano much more often than before. Given each tune, how filled with sorrow it is, crying out, begging for something beyond his reach, he must be seeking comfort in the music with poor results.
The castle seems different, too. Darker. Colder. Almost hostile as its gothic shapes become sharper as if trying to protect its delicate inner workings. The stone walls look to be stained with smoke. Light has a hard time penetrating the darkness of night, windows becoming foggy. An infestation of thorns and weeds spread across the garden and the graveyard, gardeners trying their best to put an end to it but it continues growing back overnight. It all starts to look like and feel like all those horror stories about the lordās unreachable lair.
The hunter remembers how Hanzo had explained the castle is an extension of himself, causing his chest to grow heavy with regret.
What has he done?
He tries not to falter from his routine. Each day is nearly the same. His very being radiates sadness, not unlike the castle. He does his best to hide it, quipping as normal when in the forge with his friends, despite the truth hiding behind his eyes.
Once back in the workshop one day, he's sifting through a book at the altar, swatting at the floating runes if they drift too close like they're annoying bugs buzzing around his head. They give a spectral whine as they relent, hovering back among their kin throughout the room.Ā
Thereās a knock at the door frame.
Cassidy sighs, quietly.
āCome in.ā He says, forcing a normal tone.
Carefully bending to fit through the opening, Tolis enters. He watches Cole for a moment before approaching, nudging him to say:
It didnāt go well?
Coleās forced neutral expression cracks a bit. He takes a second before answering, standing up straight. He won't lie to Tolis, of all people. Or... creatures, rather.
He looks up at the bull, shaking his head, lightly.
"No. It didn't." He replies, quietly. "I should have stayed in my place."
The bull hesitates but in the end, decides to indulge further.
I met our lord over eleven decades ago. Through all this time, I have never seen him look at someone like he looks at you.
Luckily, the book and practice with sign language is paying off. Cole catches most of what's said. Even though there are blank spots, he knows enough to understand.
The fact Tolis has known Hanzo for so long and is basically confirming the feelings are returned, Cassidy would think that would salve the stinging in his chest. Yet, it doesn't. It only adds to it. He understands what the lord is doing is for the greater good of the city. He never truly expected anything to be given up for him. Nothing has been before, so why would that start now?
After a short pause, Tolis adds:
I canāt say Iām surprised but I hoped that maybe just for once, heād allow himself to be happy. With you.
The bull sighs.
Transylvania is a sanctuary to monsters and a home to many, regardless of race.
He looks at Cole as if he wants to emphasize that last part.
But, itās also our lordās prison. It's poisoning him. I hope you know he meant no harm and probably did what he had to, to protect us all. Including you.
Cole recalls his desire the night he asked Hanzo to meet him. He wanted to try and bring the lord somewhere he'd never been, to share a personal environment with him that isn't between the chill claustrophobia of stone walls. Part of him wants to believe they'd have been happy if they could truly leave. Even if only for a day. The residents of the castle seem to want the king to let himself be happy, too.Ā
Cole is simply just part of that mass that wishes better for him, now. Even if it's not with him.
Patting Cole on the shoulder, the giant lets out a quiet moo before starting to head back to his own work.
Cassidy gives a sad nod to Tolis as the bull departs.
"Thank you." He says, quietly.
Later that same day, he decides to return to the rune room. This thing won't fix itself and he still has a long way to go.Ā
He has taken notice that some runes are not where he left them each day. He knows what this implies but tries not to get his hopes up.Ā
He works all the rest of the day and even through the night. There is a bout of a few hours where he falls asleep sitting down with his back against the wall after a particularly frustrating string of failures. Remaining in the room, he forgets about everything else, allowing himself to feel some semblance of normalcy.
The breakthrough in the lord's avoidance game comes with the following late afternoon, marking a full week having passed since that night in the garden.
The vampire opens the doors, freezing, eyes open wide. However it is only a flash before his face returns to the familiar stone cold, distant expression.
āMister Cassidy.āĀ
His voice is as harsh as on the first day they met. And yet, there is still some care.
The sudden call of his name startles Cole, breaking him out of the focus of his trance. Turning and meeting the gaze, all the feelings come flooding back. However, it feels like they're muted. Held back by strong hands that refuse to allow him to become lost again.
"I-" He starts, "your majesty."
He bows, not wanting to act as if they are too familiar, lest he get in trouble for it just like before.
āDid you just arrive or have you not left this room since yesterday?ā Hanzo inquires.
Holding a bunch of scrolls, he walks further inside.
"Since last night, yes sir." Cole answers, rising to stand straight.
Hanzoās eyes wander over Cole, chill and observant as if the vampire is scanning him for details of exhaustion, which is visible at first glance.Ā
āYou should rest, mister Cassidy. You wonāt achieve anything this exhausted.ā He harshly notes, passing him by to unroll the scrolls he is holding, each levitating away to join the ever growing crowd of books and other scrolls. āI will take over while you sleep. Good night.ā
An indirect order.
Cole doesn't fight him on it. If he were in a position to do so, he'd hold his ground. Yet, there is no ground he stands upon at current that wouldn't crumble at the effort.Ā
He simply bows again.
"Good night, your majesty." He replies, sadly looking past the other man.
As he exits, he looks back only once before the door cuts off his view.
Given Cassidy did quite literally spend a full twenty-four hours in that room and napped only once, his body sighs in relief as soon as he crawls in bed. The sheets are cold. Though it doesn't take long for his body to warm them, all he can think about is sharing them.
His mind fills with daydreams. Hanzo's face. How he smiles, lighting up his sharp features. His eyes. His soft skin cuddled up against the hunter with such gentleness and care.
His heart begins to ache once more.
So, it seems even a week of nearly no contact and routine can be undone by a single glance, spiraling him back into his longing.Ā
Cole exhales, pulling his pillow in close and wrapping one arm under it as he tries to clear his mind. His exhaustion wins the battle rather easily, anyways, drifting him out of consciousness.
The next day isnāt very sunny. Summer is gone. Autumn is at the gates, bringing sad weather that enchants Coleās sulking.Ā
The enchanter reminds himself of his routine. He bathes, dresses, then heads down to breakfast. He carries on, sipping on his last bit of coffee in his seat as the hour comes to its end.
As he sets his cup down, the atmosphere around begins to wail.
The entire castle moans as if a beast held within its walls is crying out in pain. Startled people scream as the stones all around shiver, scraping and shifting.Ā
A spark of fear enters Cole, the shaking environment tipping his mug over, spilling the remains of his coffee on the table. The ceiling spits out dust, a huge crack beginning to form like a strike of lightning. Crossing the entire dining room, it reaches one of the windows, piercing through the glass, though, surprisingly, it does not shatter.
Then, all goes still.Ā
Cole releases his breath after realizing heād been holding it. The unsettling silence is broken by the screams of female servants which causes him to dart to the doorway to check on them. It's there he sees the cause. The halls are in the same poor state as the dining room. Something dark and rusty begins to seep out of each crack, cockroaches, spiders and moths leaving them in a hurry. He calms the ladies, soothing them with reassurance that the insects will not harm them before he gently scoots them off down the hall, encouraging distance from the crawling critters.
He returns to the dining area, instantly beginning to assist in cleaning up the mess.
āHmm... this one is nasty.ā Ross murmurs, looking up at the ceiling.Ā
Cassidy startles.Ā
This guy has a hell of a habit just showing up behind others without warning, doesn't he?
The hunter grunts in displeasure, his grip tightening on the paper towel he's using to wipe up his spilled drink, still shaken from the place acting like it was about to collapse.Ā
He inhales deeply to calm himself, turning to face the dark elf.
"This one?" He inquires.
āHeās having a nightmare. Itās been a while.ā Ross replies.
Cole's expression saddens, his eyes looking past Ross. The thought of Hanzo suffering and there's nothing he can do about it pains him. He can't do what the lord did for him the night of his own nightmare. He's being kept at an arm's length, if not more.
āYou might want to skip using the testing room today.ā The elf adds.
"I see." Cole replies, simply.
Considering its entry is upstairs, the closer to Hanzo, perhaps the more disheveled the area might be. Or maybe it is simply unwise to pass a certain border. He doesn't know any better considering this is the first time he's seeing this happen.
Given the testing room is out of the question today and the forge is on autopilot with the guardians, he sinks into thought.
The castle is the king. He can still help while continuing to be at a distance. So, he can do something, after all.
He looks back up to Ross.
"I will help where I can, sir. Is there anything specific I should be aware of in these situations?"
āOh, please. Stop with the sirs.ā The elf scoffs.
Just as he is about to take a sip of his own drink he arrived with, a portion of the ceiling sheds its skin and lands on his head, shoulders and in the cup. Coughing and cursing in elvish, he dusts himself off before placing his mug down on the table.
āI doubt youād be able to do anything. He needs to wake up and feel better.ā
The castle begins to shake again, cracks growing like veins in the walls, ceiling and floor. Cole tenses up again. A tar-like substance smelling of smoke and ash starts pouring out. The vines from the soil outside scrape against the glass of the windows. Ross makes a face, watching them climb until everything comes to a halt again.
āAt this rate heāll trap us inside- ugh- get off!ā He hisses as several moths bonk him in the face.Ā
The entire castle looks like an abandoned, horror filled construct, ready to swallow anybody who dares wander into its ribcage.
āSomeone should try to wake him up. Wanna come with?ā The elf proposes.
Cole pauses, shocked by the question, lips parting open paired with eyebrows creasing in confusion. Before he even has time to inquire, the elf has already started walking.Ā
He quickly considers his options.
He could stay and help everywhere else while Hanzo continues to suffer despite the option to go to him and help at the source, or... he could follow, possibly facing the lords upset to see him there, let alone in a restricted area. To be fair, it's Ross who offered, so it technically won't be on Cassidy. Plus, if the ex-hunter has any hopes of recovering what he and Hanzo have built thus far, he will take that chance. He will face anything for him. That includes his rage.
By the time Ross is at the door, Cassidy makes his decision, tossing the dirtied paper towel in the trash during his speed walk to catch up.
It takes one push of Rossā arm for the door to creak out of one of itās hinges, almost plummeting to the ground. The elf continues pushing through with a grunt, passing several scared servants in the hallways. Once they reach the staircase, it's just as Cole suspected. The closer they become, the more disheveled the castle is. The more broken. The stairs themselves arenāt in any better shape, already having holes and missing some of the steps and railing. Some portraits are laying on the ground while the rest are crooked, barely hanging onto the walls.
Eventually, the top floor emerges. The ceiling is collapsed here and there, revealing the clouded sky above. At the very end of the hall is a small crowd of figures. Among them, some faces are familiar. Amelie and Russel are standing among three others: another high vampire being Umbra, a warforged and a goblin, all speaking with leveled voices. The room they are standing before is clearly Hanzoās, as the doors are engulfed in veins and all kinds of critters.
Bits of their rather heated conversation can be overheard.
"...he is faltering. If this continues, Transylvania is doomed!"
"Gentlemen. Ladies." Ross greets them with a shallow bow, unphased by the state of the hallway they are standing in as if such things happen every Thursday.
The conversation goes quiet, all eyes now locked on Cole. Some are more or less surprised. Others are hostile.
Cassidy keeps his mouth shut unless spoken to, not wanting to misstep from his position, which is painfully clear at this moment.Ā
Umbra seems to be the most disgusted with his presence. So much so, in fact, she decides to vocalize it.
"What is he doing in here?" She hisses, red eyes narrowing.
"I second that." The goblin adds right away.
So far, only the warforged remains silent, expressionless faceplate unreadable. Only the quiet ticking of gears inside his body indicate he is actually a living creature and not just some statue wearing hooded clothes.Ā
"This is our and lord's friend." Ross says rather cheerfully.
The goblin raises his furry brows.Ā
Ross continues.
"Everyone, meet Cole Cassidy. Famous worldwide monster hunter, now retired, working in our lord's forge."Ā
Ross's introduction of him is so quick and to the point that it leaves Cole once again shocked. His eyes go a little wide, though he catches himself as quickly as he realizes this, giving an acknowledging nod to confirm the information given as fact.
The silence that falls is heavy like an ice block. Only the elf seems to be untouched by the freezing cold, as if the situation is some kind of joke to him. The goblin opens his mouth to speak but the castle around them moans again, shifting with stone. Another chunk of the ceiling collapses behind Cole's back, dust filling the hallway, briefly.
"So, do we have any plans on waking our sleeping beauty?" Ross asks.Ā
"No, not really." The goblin grumbles.
"Have you tried knocking politely?"
"If you want to lose an arm, be my guest, elf." The goblin crosses his arms, clearly irritated by the cheerful attitude of his companion.Ā
So, the conversation begins anew, this time circling around the topic of breaking through the door. Apparently, the veins pulsating on the door's surface could easily bite off someone's arm.
Cassidy returns his attention to the door. He listens to the castle with the argument in the background, observing the veins. He's not willing to continue standing idly by while they bicker. He begins to move past them, uttering a small, āscuse meā as he slips by, approaching the door, raising his left hand up a little.
He hesitates.
This barrier is all that stands between him and Hanzo. Just like the mask the lord wears when he presents himself to others. Imposing. Dangerous. Misunderstood. It may in fact be true this door could bite back, just like the vampire inside, hence his usage of his artificial arm for precaution.Ā
But what if it doesn't?
He's seen the mask removed. The guard dropped. Day by day, Cole's assumptions were proven wrong. One step after another, he managed to seep his way into Hanzo's heart. He's seen it himself, and despite his own denial, Tolis all but confirmed it to be true.
Cole inhales, turning his metallic knuckles to the door. He knocks a few times upon a spot that's not quite covered by the unsettling gore.
Knock after knock, it resonates through the entire castle as if the sound of it is enchanted by speakers.
The arguing comes to a stop, all eyes on Cole once more.
"Your majesty?" He inquires. "Are you alright?"
The pulsating of the veins cease, the entire castle going silent. Dust flickers in the weak sunlight that's barely breaking through the stained glass and clouds. The cracks begin to heal with a quiet, whispering rustle. The tar-like liquid sinks into the stone as if it's sand, crawling critters starting to die, their tiny bodies twitching as they hit the floor.Ā
The castle is healing, but slowly, struggling to come back to its previous state of glory.
Cassidy holds his breath, taking a step back as more bugs fall dead at his feet.
Hanzo's voice resonates through Cole's mind, layered like an echo. Distant. Exhausted.
I am fine.
The intrusion causes Cassidy to cringe a little in discomfort. That feeling is never really all that pleasant. Though, the tone of the voice matters more. It doesn't assist in how helpless he feels that he cannot change it.
My apologies for this inconvenience. Please, return to your tasks.
Hanzo must be speaking to every single being in the castle, given the reaction of the others around the hunter. They whisper between each other while Ross's eyes grow bigger upon a realization.
"Fascinating." He mumbles to himself.
Cole watches for a long moment in silence as the castle heals a bit more before he's hit by the realization that he is still standing in front of the mixed group of individuals whose attention is upon him. He clears his throat, turning to face them, his gaze shifting between each person. He pulls down on his vest to straighten it out, almost like dusting off what just happened like it was nothing. He then plasters on his signature charming smirk.
"Y'said no one tried knockin' yet. Figured I'd give it a shot."
He then replaces his arms at his sides.
"I'm sure more proper introductions are in order, but I should get back to my work. Please, excuse me."
He gives a departing bow before slipping past them again in the opposite direction. Dust swirls past his form in the muted sun rays as he glides through, finding his way back down to the main floors.
Once he's out of sight, he heaves a heavy sigh of relief.
Is he in trouble? He doesn't know, yet.
Does he particularly care? No.
He begins to busy himself with helping the servants clean. Some spots are worse off than others. Due to the size of the place, of course he can't help everywhere, so he focuses on specific areas.Ā
He rolls up the black sleeves of his shirt, taking to shaking and or beating the dust out of curtains and upholstery. Putting books back upon the shelves. Sweeping. Wiping. Even using some simple magic to levitate things back to where they belong if they were previously in a hard to reach spot.
Throughout the day, the pure amount of dust and dirt lifted by the earlier disturbances as well as the cleaning finds its way into his sinuses. Sneezing becomes rather frequent. After a while, he begins to feel a bit too stuffed up, deciding to work in the garden and graveyard for a while for some fresh air.
The dreary weather doesn't bother him. He's been exposed to worse.
Situating his coat on and his hat atop his head, he slips on his leather gloves and steps outside. The clouds are incredibly dark and heavy, like they'll burst at any moment. He pays it no mind, beginning to pull weeds and thorny vines from the affected spaces.
He spends hours outside. He's gone on autopilot, brushing off the cold and ignoring the gentle tapping of water on his hat and coat that has steadily begun to increase. Knowing members of the gathering are already here, he'd rather have the place be presentable. He wants to make sure Hanzo isn't looked down upon by them due to the state of the place.Ā
The words he overheard in the hallway outside of the lordās room echo in his head.
He is faltering.
A bit of anger sparks within him. As much as it's understandable that they feel such a way after seeing the place, there's no need to disrespect Hanzo literally on his doorstep.
The rain now pours, heavy droplets splashing and sliding off the brim of his hat, dripping onto his coat and soaking into his ponytail. As he pulls at one of the thorny vines that has sprouted seemingly from underneath the castle wall, a large thorn manages to slice through the worn leather of his right glove. It cuts across his palm, eliciting a loud hiss of pain.
Pulling back, Cole looks down to the wound. It's quickly flooding red, blood sliding down the sides of his hand as it mixes with the rain. He groans in annoyance, clenching his fist around it before giving up on continuing for now. He retreats back inside, leaving the wet articles of clothing on a hook by the door so he does not dirty the freshly cleaned surroundings.
He carefully removes and discards his glove, grabbing a paper towel from the dining hall, balling it up a bit and pressing against the wound. It stings. A lot. He grits his teeth, wetting a second towel to gently clean it with.
After cleaning his wound, he keeps a paper towel balled up in his fist as he walks upstairs to his quarters. Once there, he trades the towel for an actual wrap bandage from his old bag. He always carried supplies like this with him on hunts. He hasn't had a need for it for quite some time.
He slowly becomes more and more light headed throughout the later part of the day. His congestion only worsens, followed by the development of a cough.Ā
Perhaps he should have cared just a little more about the weather.Ā
Energy siphons from him at a rather alarming rate and he just ends up falling asleep after lying down in bed for 'just a moment', still mostly clothed. He sleeps for a good portion of the night, unmoving.Ā
Eventually, his body has other plans.Ā
He is woken up by his own coughing in the early morning hours. Sweat soaks his shirt and sheets, body unable to regulate its own temperature as he lies upon his back, hair loose and messy. His bangs stick to his forehead due to the moisture. His breath holds a bit of a wheeze due to his airway being so obstructed with mucus, lungs sore from hours of fighting for a proper breath.
When he tries to get up, his body retaliates by shivering, forcing him back down.Ā
He's too weak.Ā
He's become incredibly ill overnight with no ability to tell anyone. He remains in bed as more hours come and go, fighting to clear his lungs.
Ross had made a plan to catch the cowboy at breakfast before he could dip into the safety of the forge or rune room but he wasnāt in either of those spaces. He hasn't been seen at all by anyone else, either, as if he never left his room.
Complete radio silence.
The elf is onto Cassidy without the cowboy even realizing it. A curious nature and need for gossip pushes him into stealth mode. He doesnāt mean it, by all means, he just needs more proof to be able to start a conversation with the hunter.
Hoping to find him, he climbs the stairs to the hallway leading to Coleās room, knocking on his door a few times.
"Cowman? Are you there?"
In Cole's attempt to answer, he just coughs instead. Seems he can barely speak on top of it all. Unable to answer the elf nor move to open the door, he can do nothing but writhe.
Hearing the cough, Ross begins getting seriously worried. He knows humans and their fragility. When he tries to enter, the doors are locked.
An idea sparks in his mind.
A few minutes later, he is standing before Hanzo.
"Your majesty?"
The vampire is occupying himself with a book, too exhausted to work on the runes. Plus, he knows Cole should be here any moment now.
"Hm?"
"Something is wrong with mister Cassidy."
Hanzo's brows furrow but eyes remain glued to the book's page.
"What makes you think that?"
"I had a matter to speak on with him. Servants have not seen him downstairs and his doors are locked. I believe I heard some coughing when I knocked but no other response so far."
The vampire's eyes are now drilling a hole into Ross's head.Ā
The elf suppresses a smile.Ā
The stars are aligning.
Thereās another set of knocks on Coleās door, this time with a more familiar voice.
"Mister Cassidy?"
Hanzo.
Cassidy doesnāt reply.
Ross is standing behind the lord, hands clasped behind his back, clearly proud of himself despite being completely ignored at the moment.
āCassidy?ā Hanzo asks again.
Again, Cole tries to offer an answer in some form of vocal confirmation but is silenced by a heavy cough. One that tears through his throat like a serrated blade, leaving him wheezing.
Hanzoās figure turns to darkness, sinking to the floor and becoming critters that crawl underneath the door, forming back into his full form on the other side. He hurries over to Cole, placing the back of his hand on his forehead.
Not good.
The hunter's body temperature could melt steel at this point and even Hanzo knows it could kill him if they leave it like this.
Cassidy weakly looks up at the vampire, trying to form words.
"H... Han.." He breathes, barely audible nor able to speak the name in full.
He groans as he's lifted bridal style, shivering as air brushes against his sweaty back. The door's lock clicks then swings open, spitting both men out.
"Get medical help. I'm taking him upstairs." Hanzo says to Ross.
Cassidy shuts his eyes, trying to just focus on his breathing as he's carried, head resting against Hanzo's shoulder. Several moments later, Hanzo enters his private bathing house. The water is already cooling down as he steps into it, fully clothed, holding Cole in his arms to sit down with him in the decreasing temperature.
The entry into the water is a tad unpleasant, eliciting a small whimper from Cole. The liquid soaks into his bandaged hand, clothes and hair. Another shiver ripples through him, causing him to tense up.
Russel takes a peek inside, confused.
"My lord?"
"Get me a towel, Russel."
The high vampire canāt understand but fulfills the order, handing it to Hanzo before backing off out of the room. Hanzo wets the cloth and starts brushing the sweat off Cassidy's face, worry plastered across his own.
After a few minutes plus the cloth against his face, the hunter slowly relaxes. His body starts to focus on one temperature, lessening the discomfort even if only a little. His eyes creak open slightly, a half lidded expression of exhaustion meeting the one of worry above him.
He feels almost ashamed. Hanzo should be upset. Shouldn't he? Yet here Cole lies, in the arms of his king, receiving his care instead of his wrath.
His breath still holds a scratchy nature, mouth dry and lips slightly parted. Breathing softly, he allows himself to be distracted from the pain.
"What have you doneā¦" Hanzo whispers while continuing to clean Cole's face of sweat, still sitting with him in the water, not even flinching at the wetness of his own clothes or the cold temperatures.
All Cassidy can utter is a weak, airy chuckle.
The vampire's brow twitches, eyes landing on the bandaged hand. Placing the wet towel over Cassidy's forehead, the lord gently reaches for the wounded limb and unwraps it to take a look at the injury. Itās swollen and fresh. The fever and illness isnāt doing it any favors.
"You will be alright." Hanzo speaks aloud like he needs to convince himself of this.
Cole will not become another portrait hanging on his wall. He will not.
"I got you..."
Bringing the hunter closer in his arms, Hanzo removes the towel and takes a deep breath, bending and touching their foreheads together. Cole feels a gentle intrusion seeping into his mind, embracing him with warmth and security, forcing his muscles to relax and washing the pain away. It's much more pleasant than the other intrusions he's experienced before.
Rest now.
He hears Hanzo's deep voice, soft in perception despite its characteristic rasp.
I'll be here, guarding you and your dreams, waiting for your awakening... Sleep...
Cassidy willingly gives in, latching onto Hanzo's voice as it gently guides his consciousness away to a safe place. He goes limp, eyes closing, body sinking completely into the kingās grasp. Breaths go even despite still being labored, his expression relaxing.
Time passes easily. No nightmares. No discomfort. Just peace.
Senses begin to bud to life eventually, pulling Coleās awareness back to reality. From the void of sleep, eyelids flutter open with a soft inhale to the darkness of his room, the warm flicker of an oil lamp holding steadfast against the blackness. He's still weak. He can sense that much as he lies still as stone, arms at his sides. His hand is freshly bandaged, clothes changed and a wet cloth placed across his forehead. Someone gently peels the cloth off and replaces it with a new one.
"He's awake." A female's voice. "Go get the doctor and inform our lord."
Cole looks curiously to the one switching his cloth before his eyes shift around the room. Even though it's his own space, it feels different waking up in it like this.
Silence ensues for quite some time before the door creaks, an unfamiliar older gentleman entering.
"Mister Cassidy? Can you hear me?" He asks.
Cole rotates his head to look. If anything, he's lost a bit of his pride but definitely not his hearing.
"Yea." He replies, groggily, taking a breath in between words, "I can."
The doctor smiles and checks Cassidy's temperature.
"You almost kicked the bucket, my boy."
The man eyes the thermometer and hums to himself, pleased.
"Would be a shame for the famous monster hunter to die of illness, wouldn't it?"
For Cole to die of illness, that's certainly not how he thought he'd go down. He always thought it would be during a hunt. Some large monster would overwhelm him and he'd go out in some blaze of glory. Looks like whatever fate has planned for him, regardless, it hasnāt been that or sickness.
He gives the doctor a small friendly scoff and smile before looking down.Ā
"Yea." He replies, voice deep yet quiet and scratchy, some congestion still apparent. "Y'could say that again."
He raises his bandaged hand, observing it for a moment.
The door creaks once more letting in a familiar figure. Even though he is engulfed in the darkness of the room, his eyes shine with the telltale crimson glow.
"My lord." The doctor bows.
Cole lowers his hand, glancing over once he realizes who it is.
"How is he?" Hanzo's voice is quiet, still harsh but exhausted.
"He'll live. The fever is under control. He needs lots of rest and liquids."
"Thank you. You may go now."
The doctor bows again, leaving the two men to themselves.
The vampire lingers in silence for a long moment, almost unsure if he is allowed to come closer.
Cassidy pulls his gaze away from Hanzo. The silence bites at his heart causing it to bleed in shame. He's not sure how to explain himself. How to apologize. He's still not even sure if the lord is upset with him having interfered in things he shouldn't have or if words will be enough to make up for the discomfort he likely caused for him.
He's been careless before. Reprimanded for it. Yelled at. Held back at base from certain missions because of the state of his mind at times, acting like he had no intention of safeguarding his own life. Now, he is paying the price. Reaping the repercussions of such an attitude when he now truly has something to live for.
Eventually, Hanzo finally moves, soft steps barely audible as he reaches for a water pitcher, pouring some of the crisp liquid into a cup.
"God," Cole whispers aloud.
The vampire sits on the edge of the bed.
āI-ā
The cowboy is cut off as Hanzo gently props his head.
āDrink.ā Hanzo says.
Cassidy releases a pained sigh, still not looking the other in the face.
He accepts the assistance, taking a moment before he indulges in the direction to drink. His lips settle upon the cup's edge and he is able to down most of the water before stopping. He takes a few breaths before speaking again.
"I'm sorry, Hanzo. I didn't think-ā
He grimaces, not finishing his sentence.
"Exactly." The vampire's voice hardens, anger seeping through the cracks of his walls that are corroding from fatigue.
Sighing, the lord leaves the water on the nightstand and fixes the cowboy's pillows to make him more comfortable.
"But, you will live." He adds, his anger leaving his shell.
There is some relief among the fatigue the vampire radiates with. As if Cole's wellbeing is yet another stone rolling off his shoulders. The entire situation is partially his fault and he is aware of it. Maybe if he didn't handle the confession so poorly, this dumbass wouldn't keep trying for him. Maybe he would abandon hope and bury it ten feet under.
"Whatever you tried to do there... cease it."
He tries to sound harsh and demanding, as if he can order the other man to stop loving him. However, he is so worn out from trying to continue playing this role. It is much easier when his heart isnāt weak for someone. Someone who returns the feelings and does not want to give up so easily.
Cole looks at Hanzo, expression going deadpan.Ā
Heās being told to stop. To just leave his hope behind. Replacing his shame, his own frustration buds. He really did try to force himself back into a life of routine. A life taken day by day. His time here has made him realize that this philosophy has steered him wrong this whole time. Poisoned him.
He weakly pushes himself to his elbows, adjusting his back against his pillows and removing the towel from his head so it doesn't fall off on its own with his movement, placing it on his side table.
He's spent nearly his entire life doing what he's told to do. Gone where he's told to go. Been asked to risk himself for causes and people he didn't believe in. Now, the one time he truly makes his own decisions, he's being demanded to stop.
"That is one command," he pauses, taking a deep, shaking inhale, "that I cannot obey."Ā
His brows crease inwards in a scowl.Ā
"I told you-" He is cut off by a heavy cough into his arm. Once he recovers with a frustrated groan, he continues, "I'm done lettin' others decide shit for me."
He finally looks Hanzo in the face, holding steadfast in his ambition to be understood.
"I ain't actin' like I know what you've been through, or the responsibilities you hold. Let alone your feelings."
He takes a deep, wheezing inhale, grabbing the water cup and finishing it off before placing it back down. God, how he wishes it was whiskey. He drops his head for a moment, releasing his breath in a long, defeated exhale.
"All I know... is that I'm tryin' to understand. To help take some of that weight off your shoulders."
Hanzo doesnāt like where this is going. The control over the situation is seeping through his fingers like sand and it's making him panic.
Cole raises his head, searching the face of his desired for something. Anything.
"I do not need help." The vampire hisses, lying to himself more so than Cole.
A lie repeated one hundred times eventually becomes the truth, right?
"I ain't just gonna give up on that. On you. How clear do I have to be?" Cole says.
The hunter hesitates.
Is he truly going to cross this line? Once he says it, there's truly no going back.Ā
But, he's done going backwards. He's lost too much ground with Hanzo to not grab ahold of this opportunity. To not fight to move forwards for once.
"I'm in love with you, Hanzo. Alright?"
When Cassidy finally says those wretched, cursed words out loud, Hanzo closes his eyes and inhales deeply, expression pained, as if the confession stabbed him in the heart.
Because it did.
"That won't just change overnight." Cole adds, his voice just above a whisper and expression shifting from frustration to hurt.
The vampire remains silent for a long moment before finally looking at Cole, a mix of emotions setting his crimson eyes ablaze. Fear. Pain. Sorrow and anger.
"This will kill you. I will kill you. You... we cannot continue this. Do you understand?"
So do what you must to snuff this feeling out, suffocate it, bury it, decapitate it.
There are so many reasons as to why this could never work. Why canāt this idiot see them? The king is trying to protect him and this... this moron is making it hard for him, if not impossible.
Cole sees right through the other. Those mannerisms, the vocal attacks, everything. He's not going to be silent about it, either.
"We..." He echoes, raising his voice, "We can't continue this? What do you mean by this, then?"
His eyes parry the king's mixed emotions in their own format. His sadness, hurt and still, his care, even as Hanzo is trying to dodge him at every turn.
āAnd no, I donāt understand.ā
He's not an immortal. He can't read minds. He can't run away from his shadows by becoming them. Nor can he strike fear in others with a simple glance. He's human. As simple and plain as they come.
The aggravation is starting to make him lose his voice, though he pushes through further still, causing the vampireās face to twist in pained worry.
"A lot of things have tried to kill me." Cole scoffs, a smirk of both disbelief at the lord and his own ego pulling at the corner of his mouth, "an' I've done my share of running." His voice cracks, causing another onslaught of coughing. He keels over forwards, his chest rattling roughly with his breaths as he decides to take a second to come out of it before saying more, his speech now becoming low and weak. "So I know damn well what it looks like."
"You should not be talking." Hanzo notes, finding a great excuse to cut this conversation short so they can go back to the chase and running away game. "You need to rest."
But Cassidy continues, pushing himself back to sit up straight against his pillows again. With a sigh and what voice he has left, he changes his tone back to being laced with a gentleness Hanzo should know well by now.
"That's what leads to true loss. Runnin' from life. And you have an infinite amount of it."
Hanzo's fingers clench into fists on the surface of his pants, fangs slightly peeking from underneath the soft line of his lips.
Cole pauses, regarding his king with an aura of finality.
"All I'm asking, is for you to trust me." He briefly closes his eyes, searching for his courage before re-opening them, his words becoming a whisper. "Do you trust me?"
"This conversation is over." Hanzo stands up as if Cole's question burned him. "You are not fit for it. You need to rest and recover. Goodnight, mister Cassidy."
Just like that, the lord slips anxiously out of Cassidy's reach, the bed readjusting to being void of his weight. He fades away out of the room to hide between the cracking walls of his castle.
The veins outside of Cassidy's window scrape the glassy surface, growing two times bigger.
The cowboy can't say anything more. He doesn't even watch the lord leave. Not this time. He hasn't the voice to call out to him nor the energy. He knows even if he did, that wouldn't stop him from walking away again.
It seems nothing can.
The scraping outside of his window doesn't even gain a glance from him, either. It just creeps along, scratching his hearing with no repercussion as he stares down his bed, blankly. Eventually, he just decides to lie back down, trying to force himself back to sleep.
For the rest of the supposed day or night, whatever it is, given the windows are covered for the sake of his eyes, the hunter obliges the provided food and medicine from the servants as necessary. Heās left alone if he is sound asleep with no signs of distress.
What feels like several days pass before he receives a new visitor.
āKnock knock.ā
Ross peeks inside, checking if Cole is asleep. Seeing him awake, he smiles and invites himself inside.
Cassidy is sat up straight in bed, a warm cup of tea in hand as he looks over, meeting Ross's curious gaze. He lowers the mug to his lap.
"Ross." He regards the elf with a simple greeting as heās approached.
His voice is a good bit better now. Nearly normal.
"How is my favorite cowboy doing? You look better for sure. Less... dying-like." Ross says while placing a vase with different kinds of flowers on the nightstand.
They arenāt strong smelling but still bring some freshness and life to the chambers.
Cassidy gives an airy yet friendly sigh.
āThanks.ā He pauses, looking up at Ross. "I'm alright. Definitely not dyin' anymore." A small chuckle. "I've been through considerably worse b'fore."Ā
He looks away, raising his tea back up to blow upon it to cool it down.
"Oh, really? Because from what I heard, you almost kissed us all goodbye." The elf mocks him and casually walks through the chamber, gripping one of the curtains.
Cole just nods his head.
"That's what I heard, too. Can't say it didn't feel like it, that's for sure."
The elf pulls the curtains to the side, causing Cole to groan. The light is blinding to someone who has spent so much time in the dark even though the sun outside has been hidden behind the clouds. The veins are covering the entire window now, from bottom to top. Though, their fragile arms are thin enough to let through some of the peeking sunlight.
Once the hunterās eyes adjust, he turns his attention to it. It's a grim sight. His eyebrows crease just a little in sadness.
"Curious." Ross hums, looking at the veins preventing a perfect view of the outside. "Since you got sick, most of the weeds have infested this particular side of the castle."
Cole realizes heās right.
It didnāt stop. Itās only gotten worse.
He puts his lips to his mug, taking a careful sip of his drink as he stares blankly through the muted transparency of the veins.
Ross eyes Cole, a smug smirk twisting his lips.
"Someone is overly protective of you."
Cole automatically hums in questioning at the same time he tries to swallow, causing him to grunt and put the cup down on his side table. He finishes his swallow, coughing a bit to clear the airway route the liquid almost took instead. Clearing his throat, he looks back to the elf, expression masterfully manipulated into a careful inquiring gaze.
"Someone? What're you implying?" He asks, tone formatted as a tease, like it's a shared joke of some kind.
Ross' smile widens.Ā
He knows. He knows Cole is trying to wriggle himself out of the truth, but luck has left the cowboy. The elf is too good at playing such games and both Cole and the king are not very skilled players.
"Aw, you know who I'm talking about, you silly goose. Don't insult my intelligence, hunter."
There is no anger or offense in his playful tone, just the carefree spark in the gold of his eyes.
Cole keeps his expression rather neutral. He doesn't plan on letting slip the truth nor his feelings of his own volition. For Hanzo's sake. The others already have begun to see him as weak. As upset as the cowboy is at him right now, he's not looking to make that any worse.
He isn't intending to insult or offend the elf. Based on the playful tone, he knows this is a game. He's had some practice in dealing with this type of attitude before, yet the other culprit was a lot more blunt.
"That ain't what I meant." Cole replies, still keeping his teasing tone.
He's trying his best to bat the ball back and forth on the court, not realizing there's a hole in his racket. This point is proven with the next thing Ross says.
"But I do feel sorry for you. He's a tough nut to crack. Many have broken their teeth on his shell." Ross adds, still casual as if they are talking about the weather. "Did you break yours already, cowboy?"
"Break my-? No." Coleās ego resurfaces. "Yea. He has to be tough. Heās the king of Transylvania. I've got nothin' to do with breakin' anything where he's concerned.ā
His face alters to rather unamused, grabbing his tea and taking a long drink of it.
The elf nods, attitude unfaltering.
"I'll see what I can do, then."
He winks at Cole, rather mysteriously.
"Rest well, cowboy."
He'll see what he can do?
Cassidy gives a confused look before Ross departs. That was rather cryptic of the elf to say. Besides, what could he do, really? Even if he trusted Ross enough to be honest, Cole is positive there's no one who'd be able to just make Hanzo change his mind for his sake.Ā
If You'll Have Me || Chapter Eight - The Council of Ahāktaāak
AO3 || Chapter Masterlist
{ BGM }
When Cole passes through the forgeās entry, he is hit with a swarm of dwarves within. All of them are wearing heavy carved armors as if they are from the very stone they live among. Theyāre also weaponized like theyāre ready to clash with another army.
Well, this definitely wasnāt on Coleās list of expectations this morning.
āThere you are!ā Urlic, unlike the other dwarves, is wearing his regular clothing.
He catches up to Cole first before Gnoll joins.
āWhere have yer been, laddie? They have been up our asses since yesterday!ā Ulric says.
āIāve been workinā on another piece for the project.ā Cole answers, rather quickly so he can address the main concern. āWhatās goinā on?ā
āDwarves claimed the forge. Production is paused.ā Gnoll explains. āGnoll thought lord had settled everything with the long beards-ā
āYou!ā One of the armored dwarves approaches Cole. āAre you the one responsible for the unauthorized production of guard-ish automatons?ā
āUnauthorized? It aināt-ā Cole starts, but is cut off.
āTake me to your master.ā The dwarf demands, putting on an oxygen mask over his face.Ā
The mask releases steam before turning on. As a being that is possible never exposed to the world above, the surface seems to prove dangerous for them.
Cole canāt help but chuckle a little at the command.
āI donāt quite have the authority for that, sir. Bāsides, his majesty probably already knows youāre here."
Or so Cole hopes. It would be abnormal for this to be unknown to the lord, heād assume.Ā
"Let's talk more outside. I don't want to distract the good folks down here."
Meanwhile, up in Hanzoās living room, Umbra, the newest diplomatic arrival, is finishing another glass of wine. Amelie is displayed on the couch next to her, looking utterly bored by the conversation she is listening to. That, in and of itself, is pissing her off.
āThey keep their good old narrative that Russia is flexing their power, feeding propaganda to their people. So, England reached out to the French and Germany to strike a deal with them.ā Umbra explains.
āWeapons?ā Hanzo asks, standing by the window, staring through it with hands clasped behind his back.
Watching the shadows of the forgeās entrance come back to life again, his brows furrow.Ā
So soon? The cowboy just went in.
āSomeā¦ components. Probably for weaponry production.ā Umbra answers, leaning back comfortably in her seat, legs crossed and short, dark brown hair shifting with the movement.
The vampire lord watches as Cole emerges back to the surface, an armored dwarf by his side.
Shit. Not good.
āExcuse me.āĀ
Hanzoās entire being dissolves into thick smoke, shapes of a thousand tiny wings fluttering in the air as he flies over the balcony, materializing at the other end of the graveyard. He strides over, the dwarf stopping in his tracks once sight latches onto the approaching lord. As soon as Hanzo is close enough, the dwarf speaks up again.
āBy the power given to me by the council of Ahāktaāak, your unauthorized production has been seized and you are demanded to report to the council immediately. The council also requests to see the functional guardian automaton.ā
The lord does not seem to be opposed to this, though his presence is obviously affecting the dwarf at Coleās side. Heās tensing, hand gripping onto his weapon with bone crushing force.
āOf course.ā The lord speaks with a pause, emotionless.Ā
The castle comes to life, stone moaning and rustling, giving birth to the testing roomās doors. They open and the giant guardian appears within, walking obediently towards them, heavy metal footsteps, clicking and hissing of its gears growing in volume as it approaches.Ā
āLead the way.ā Hanzo says to the dwarf.
Cole gives Hanzo a questioning look before following along as they are led back to the entry of the forge.
Within a few minutes, they are back underground. The dwarves all stand in lines on either side of the lord, the hunter and their guardian as they walk through the large stone halls. Some look on with curiosity, others with caution. Hanzoās confidence does not falter, he walks tall, head held high, the guardian looming behind both men like a threatening shadow.
Cole remains silent throughout the travel, thoughts taken up by the new atmosphere surrounding them. He canāt lie, it feels pretty amazing to walk through such a foreboding place with the giant metal construct in tow as well as beside his king.
They pass through, approaching a huge room with a high ceiling. The doors are made out of bronze and jade bars, like some kind of fancy prison. Once inside, everything is sealed shut and the stone walls begin to slowly spin around them. Stone churns against stone, picking up on such speed the air between the bars begins to sing. Something ignites around them, hidden in the walls.Ā
A portal.
The walls start to slow down, singing slowly ceasing and eventually, the entire room falls silent. When the gate is opened again, they spit out into a huge hall made of onyx and moonstone with veins of pure gold. A few dwarves wearing robes walk by, their heads turning towards them, voices whispering.
āThis way.ā The guide dwarf says.
They are led to the smaller room through a tall, open entrance and asked to wait, the dwarf departing.
At last, left alone.
Cole pulls his vest to straighten it, also fixing up his hair with one hand, tucking some flyaways down.
Hanzo pulls in a soft inhale.
āI should have told you. That isā¦ my fault.ā He says, his attitude and posture unwavering.Ā āThe forge is not mine, per se. I am simply renting it. All the projects held within it need to be consulted with the council of the Ahāktaāak, the righteous owners but,ā well, here goes the embarrassing part, āI have utterly forgotten to do that. My apologies, mister Cassidy. I assure you, nothing will happen to your person.ā
āItās alright. Iām sure theyāll understand, your highness.ā Cassidy replies, rather nonchalantly. āIf you need me to say anythinā to convince āem, Iām pretty good with words.āĀ
He gives his signature smirk, slight cockiness to his tone.
Cassidy has talked his way out of many situations before when he very well should have been in trouble. He's even talked other's ways out of sticky places before. Specifically Genji. Troublesome bastard. Not that Cole is much better, even now.
āThank you but Iād rather deal with them myself, mister Cassidy.ā Hanzo says.
He fucked it up and he will un-fuck it. Besides, he knows the council, their rather hot headed attitude and knows how to maneuver around them. Cassidy does not need to stick his neck out for him.
āJust speak when you are spoken to and do what they want you to do.ā
"Understood, sir." Cole confirms.
The lord can only hope everything settles before the gathering. Otherwise, theyāll be left empty handed.
āThe council will see you now.ā The armored dwarf is back to escort them.
They are led through doors to a much bigger, open stone space that looks like an arena. In the nooks, all around, are standing automatons. They are still, yet promising the demise of anybody who dares interrupt their rest. At the opposite end of the room stands a big pedestal, the sigil of the Yggdrasil tree sealed in flowing melted metal. Behind, three dwarvish lords, telling by their fancy robes and jewelry laced within their hair and beards. They look intimidating, nonetheless.
āLord Shimada.ā The leader of the three dwarves greets them with a shallow bow, hitting himself with a fist at heart level.
Hanzo mimics the greeting. Cole gives a small bow of his own, not wanting to be disrespectful.
Despite the room being gigantic, their voices are perfectly heard without need of shouting. A tiny, spider-like mechanism comes to life, beginning to scribble down everything thatās being said.
āIt did not escape our eye that you forged something without our permission. I hope you have a good reason to justify yourself.ā The leader says.
So far, they are playing cool and collected, but Hanzo knows it is just a rather thin disguise.
āDear council,ā Hanzo starts, not intending on lying, āas a matter of fact... I donāt. Outside of simply forgetting to do so. The times on the surface are changing-ā
āThis calls for treason!ā
The dwarf on the right slams his fist against the stone, the echo produced sounding like thunder. Itās enough to make Cole flinch a little.
Ah. There it is.
āForging an unknown weapon under our noses?!ā
āThe times on the surface are changing.ā Hanzo continues as if he was never interrupted. āI fear for my people. The weapons that have been forged so far might not be enough, as humanity is advancing at a higher speed than ever.ā
āAnd yet, your engineer is one of them. You gave him the key to the forge.ā Notes the dwarf on the right, all three pairs of eyes now focusing on Cassidy.
āI would not do so if he was not trustworthy.ā Hanzo says.
āShow us your creation.ā The leader addresses Cole, ignoring Hanzo entirely.
The enchanter recomposes himself. Looks like now is as good a time as ever to practice for the incoming gathering. He figures if he can impress these guys, the gathering should be a breeze. Hopefully.
He gives an acknowledging nod, standing tall, turning towards the guardian and taking a few steps over to stand next to it.
"Your honors," he begins, "I took it upon m'self to design and build a unit with both defensive and offensive abilities capable of standing against the threats my own people pose."
He paces in front of the metal being, hands clasped behind his back.
"Like this guardian before you, all are made with a combination of mithril and steel, able to withstand heat at the level of the hells."
Coming to a pause in his gait, he faces the counsel again.
Hanzo is watching the dwarves, observing their reactions. Theyāre in deep thought, the one on the right still displaying his agitation. He may still yet cause trouble.
Cole continues.
"Its pilot, an infernal, summoned and bound with an enchantment of my own composition. A secondary enchantment binds it to one authority. They obey his majesty, only, and without question."
Now for the kicker.
"Their body is indestructible. Able to rebuild no matter how shattered they become."
He gives a nod to Hanzo, signaling him to command it as needed to display what needs to be seen.
Hanzo does the same thing as back at the forge. The guardian takes its own sword and slices itself, except now it also beheads itself as well. The churn of gears, hiss of steam and scrape of metal on the ground is heard as it pieces itself whole again, interlocking, spinning and clicking. Once itās standing tall again, the enchanter looks back to the council, observing their reactions.
The dwarves are frozen, eyes wide open.
It seems they impressed them. Scared them. Perhaps both.
āExcuse us.ā The leader says.
The leader commands the other two to turn around. They begin whispering between each other, some words more agitated than others.
Hanzoās eyes move to Cole, a faint smile curling his lips.
Cassidy meets Hanzoās glance, offering a wink and returning the small smile.
Several minutes pass before the dwarves turn around to speak once more.
āThe Council has decided. Youāll be allowed to create two-hundred for your own use and one-hundred for us.ā
Not good. But two-hundred is better than nothing and as time passes, Hanzo can try and ask for more. For now, two-hundred will have to suffice.
āDeal.ā Hanzo agrees. āExcept we are still facing some issues with the process of creation. The ties that are to hold the construct during the process are not strong enough. We are working on solving this problem. This will take time.ā
āDoesnāt matter.ā The leader waves his hand. āTake as much as you need. In the end, we will have our 100.ā
āAnd next time do not forget to ask for permission.ā Adds the dwarf on the right, clearly having some beef with the lord and balls big enough to be cocky about it.
Hanzo only answers with the fist to his chest, bidding them farewell before marching out. Cassidy matches the farewell, following closely behind his lord.Ā
Once theyāre alone once again, the enchanter relaxes.
āThat went surprisingly well. You did good, mister Cassidy.ā Hanzo praises the cowboy.
āThank you, mālord. Told ya Iām good with words.ā Cassidy replies. āYour choice of decapitation, though, I think that's what did the trick.ā
āWhy, thank you.ā Hanzo accepts the compliment, standing tall and proud, hands behind his back. He canāt contain a low, faint chuckle escaping his throat with a rasp, tips of the fangs flashing just slightly.
The short flash of fang would instill fear in most. However, for Cassidy, it stokes a different fire burning in his chest that grows in fervor each day. They work together really well. Ironic, some may say. An ex hunter and a monster. Working together towards a common goal. Despite all the apprehension on both sides in the past, theyāve pushed through it all so far.
āMy apologies that you had to go through it all.ā Hanzo adds.
Cole exhales lightly, his expression gentle.
āThere arenāt a lot of things that scare me, Hanzo.ā
Except me, Hanzo thinks.
Instantly, out of nowhere, an urge flashes through his mind and body, to pin the cowboy against the wall, breathe down the tender skin of his neck and nibble at it, just to feel his heart rate spike up.
Blinking, startling himself with his own imagination, the lordās mask falters briefly, but fortunately for him, Cole isnāt looking him in the eye at the moment.Ā
āA council of dwarves, well,ā Cole continues, tilting his head to the side, shrugging and lowering his voice a bit as if he may be overheard by the subject of the discussion, āthe only thing thatās scary about that is their temper.ā He chuckles.
āThat is-ā Hanzo clears his throat. ā-well said, mister Cassidy.ā
At last, the escort dwarf arrives.
They step back within the portal, heavy footsteps of their golden armored servant in tow. Once they return and everyone in the forge is calmed by the king's reassurance that everything is alright and everyone may return to work, Cole's mind wanders back to the night prior. How the lord had reassured him. Told him he wouldnāt let anything happen to him. For the feeling of protection to be mutual, it only adds to the passion blazing within, even though itās contained due to his position.
Cassidy turns to Hanzo.
āGood news is, now weāre about halfway there. In terms of the new two hundred count for ourselves, that is.ā
Being this close to Cole, just looking at him, hearing his voice, it makes Hanzoās heart grow wings. The vampireās eyes soften, with them, the sharpness of his features. Even if still distant and unreachable, the longing is there.Ā
Tolis squints, ears perking. Gnoll looks at the giant, clueless.
The enchanter looks to the lifeless guardians positioned all along the wall where space allows, two other commanders among them. He goes quiet for a few seconds before turning his head back and speaking again, brown hues searching for connection with crimsons.
āYour highness, if you have time, could I see you again tonight? Thereās... somethinā I want to show you.ā He pauses. āIn the garden. Same as before. Or wherever works best for you.ā
Hanzo blinks, a glimpse of surprise flashing in his eyes. Pale cheeks change color to pink, even if just slightly. This man shouldnāt be doing these things to him just by existing, but here he is.
āOf course.ā Hanzo agrees with a gentle smile. āSo be it, same time and spot as per usual. Now, if youāll excuse me, mister Cassidy.ā
And with that, he is gone, leaving behind an almost dead silence.
Cole bows to Hanzo as he leaves, unable to take his eyes off him until he's out of sight. The silence isnāt even noticed by him, in fact, itās embraced until Ulric's voice brings him back to the present moment.
āExcuse-moi me language but-ā Ulric does a typical French dandy pinch in the air, ā-what the actual fuck did I just witness?ā
āWhat?ā Gnoll is still clueless.
āBlud just asked the king out on a date.ā Ulric answers.
This time Tolis does not smack the dwarf. The bull seems to not even listen, observing Cole like a hawk.
It takes Cole a moment to process what was said.
Date?
Oh. Shit.
He wasn't thinking about how he had phrased his question to the king. In front of everyone, no less. Time to cash in on his charisma to get out of this, or they won't let him hear the end of it. Not to mention the questions they might bombard him with.
"Woah, hold on there, partner," he raises his hand, "no. I've been working on the ties for the guardians, I'm just reportin' my progress." He gives a half scoff half chuckle. "It ain't like that."
Oh, but it absolutely is. Though, they don't need to know that. Besides, they've only just held hands.
āBulls-" a glance to Tolis, "horseshit.ā Urlic corrects himself. āBut suit yerself, laddie.ā
Tolis doesnāt buy Coleās lie, either, but he does not bug the poor cowboy, leaving him to his fate.
Cassidy changes the subject.
"Let's keep at it, we've got a quota to meet."
He gives everyone a bit of an awkward nod before he walks off.
He busies himself with whatever else needs overseeing, direction or help with, returning to the rune room for the rest of his day once the forge is situated.
{ Background Music }
How Cole wishes there was a clock in this room. But if there were, he'd never make progress on the enchantment due to his eyes remaining latched onto the damn thing, watching the arms tick down the very seconds left until he can see Hanzo on their planned get-together.
His mind dances with how he should approach him.
What he should say.
What he should wear.
A date.
Cole scoffs to himself, shaking his head lightly. He sure is treating it like one in his head, his emotions following suit.Ā
Once the time comes and his day ends, he wastes no time returning to his room to prepare.
Little does Cassidy know, Hanzo has the same dilemma. He isnāt sure what he should wear. He doesnāt want to make it weird, like... like a date. Because it isnāt one.Ā
Right?Ā
Right.
The vampire opts for his usual dark attire; a black suit and white shirt, except this time he leaves a few buttons down, enough to showcase the crease of his muscular chest. Subtle, yet with taste.
Cole bathes and dresses in a simple combo of a white long sleeve undershirt, brown vest, nice pants and boots along with his signature red ascot. As a bit of an extra touch, he slips one of his old rings on. Silver, not real of course, just in color, with a smooth red gem in its center.
He combs his hair, tying it in his usual loose ponytail and pulling it over his left shoulder. Given he left the time relatively open for the king due to knowing how busy the man is, he takes a book from the small collection within his room with him just in case as he descends.
Cassidy steps out into the garden, trading the warm ambience of the torches and lanterns within the castle for the cool glow of the moon. Cricket song is laced within the air, the breeze light and gentle, caressing past his skin. He walks the trail, chest bounding with apprehension.Ā
He keeps rewinding his thoughts, trying to organize them. It does nothing but make his nervousness that much more apparent to himself. It's not just Hanzo. It's the subject he wishes to bring up that is causing the discomfort.Ā
No matter. He's determined to face it. He's not doing it alone anymore.
Waiting at the right spot, standing near the fountain and observing its flow of water, Hanzo ponders upon Coleās reasoning. He wants to talk work with him. But why here? Why like this? A naĆÆve, foolish part of him hopes it means something. Something more. Though, the reasonable part hopes it doesnāt.Ā
He is... afraid.
With hands clasped behind his straight back, the faint glow of the moonlight casts silver light, embracing his dark, still figure. Standing like this in the garden, he looks just like another statue. A work of art, staring into the abyss with distant, sorrow filled eyes.
The pitter patter of the fountain's water reaches Coleās ears.Ā
He takes a deep breath. Rounding the walkway, he gently raises an arm to push aside overhanging wisteria, the purple blossoms lightly grazing him as he moves past, a few loose petals drifting down due to the disturbance.
He catches sight of the other man and his mind goes silent.
Whatever plan of approach he had, he all but forgets it. His uncertainty begins to lessen. He may have seen Hanzo like this more than once and it may be considered normal, yet the melancholy has a different pull for him now. One that calls him to its side, beckoning thoughts of an embrace. Asking him to be the sunlight of dawn that reminds the night there is still warmth.
"Hanzo?" He inquires the name, softly.
The honey rich voice startles the vampire out of his grim thoughts. A sunray among the dark clouds. He turns around to face Cole, all the distant sadness becoming covered by surprise and delight.
The enchanter approaches, setting the book he brought with him down carefully on the side of the fountain, out of the way so it is not in danger of falling in. Cassidy, on the other hand, can't say the same for himself.Ā
He has fallen. Fallen headfirst into somewhere far deeper than where the bottom of a fountain resides. Somewhere he doesn't need or want to be pulled from.
"I appreciate you meetin' me here. I, uhm-ā
He pauses, searching for his practiced, long gone words, eventually just sighing with a light smile.Ā
Screw the script.
"Hope it won't upset you that this ain't work related. Like I said, I want to show you somethin'."
Cole looks good, of course he does. However, he made sure he looks extra special. The vampire catches on every detail. The way his brushed hair rests against his shoulder. The ring on his finger. Cassidy isn't here to talk business and it makes Hanzoās heart flutter with anxiety because he isnāt trusting his own strength to resist.Ā
This couldnāt be his.
Shouldnāt be his.
Heād become another portrait on my wall.
Swallowing hard with a slightly pained expression, the vampire forces his lips to form a warm smile but there is a bit of bitterness to it.
Cole studies the face of his desired, eyes quickly noting the way his lord's shirt dips a little lower than he remembers.
He lightly clears his throat, recomposing himself.
"If you'll have me." He adds.
Hanzoās heart rate spikes up. Ironic, isnāt it? And yet, this human, this fragile being compared to the beast standing in front of it is holding Hanzo in a steel grip. On his knees. At its mercy.
āOf course.ā The lord speaks only after he trusts his own voice enough.Ā
There is no cold harshness to be found in it. Just gentle, tender warmth.
Cassidy nods, the tone of the vampire's voice warming him from within. With permission granted, he turns his mind to his next action. It requires his concentration if the memory is to be rendered clearly.
With his left arm starting down by his side, fingers unfurl, gently. A pale white glow takes over for his usual orange, enveloping his hand like a sheer glove. The ground beneath them begins to sparkle, the effect crawling its way to the rest of the immediate surroundings. The stone pathway, the fountain, trees, bushes and flowers succumb to the glittering veil he's placing upon them as his hand raises to direct it like a magical orchestra.
Hanzoās eyes glisten, reflecting the sprouting sparks of the enchantment.
Finally, after a long few moments of transformation, the sky disappears, replaced by an indoor area. Rustic, large and comforting. There are several personalized things all around.
Armchairs, one huge; big enough to sit an equally huge individual in front of a fireplace. A couch. Meeting table. Coats of different colors and styles hung upon hooks by the large entry door. Windows allow the light of the afternoon sun to flood inside, painting the wood and stone interior golden.
"This was where I spent most of my time back when Overwatch was still goin' strong." Cole begins.
In an instant, the vampire knows what this is all about. Memories. Cassidy is opening himself to him, bare and vulnerable and Hanzo would be lying if he denied a tingle of panic in his chest.
Donāt do this. Do not lay such trust into me. Please.
Cassidy glances around at the artificial render from his memories, his expression dropping a little. He knows he's missing some details. Details that now lie under rubble.
"The heart of it all. Both professionally and personally. They were family."
Emphasis on were. Regardless, he still cares for each member, as he's sure they care for him. Just like Angela's surprise visit to the castle. As if nothing had changed. This thought earns a small scoff from him and he shakes his head, lightly. Taking a few steps away, he walks over to one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace. He grazes his hand across its back. It simply is a replicated feeling of the upholstery. Like a dream.
"I'd be here, laughin' my ass off at Reinhardt's stories. Slumped after a bad mission while Ana tried to cheer me up. Or asleep after havin' a smoke an' a few drinks."
He inhales, unsure how to word what comes next.
"I... was further in the building when we were attacked. Made it to this room b'fore it fell on top of me."
He subconsciously grips his left arm.
Not wanting to spend much longer in this specific memory, he once again triggers the sparkling veil. The wave of magic swallows the vision, replacing it with another.
Hanzo watches the illusion change, a faint despair mixing with the crimson of his eyes. It hurts, knowing what he wanted to do to this man. How he wanted to exploit him and how he used it just a few hours ago as an argument with Umbra to justify keeping the cowboy close.
Heās disgusting.
Cole relaxes after the change.
Where they stand now is upon the edge of an island. Open air releases them from the indoor environment, waves crashing at the sides and seagull calls reaching their ears. The setting sun on the waters horizon glitters, painting them with its magnificence.
"This place is all we've got left."
Cole's voice is distant as he gazes out to the sea.
"Like the castle. A fortress, far out of reach. But, I doubt it's even used anymore."
Behind them stands a large bronze and silver building with pipes, gears and more, almost like a factory hissing steam and clicking along as the mechanisms churn.
"Things... started changin' not long before the attack. Control increased. Questionable orders. Some followed without question."
A memory flashes in his mind. Red eyes not unlike Hanzos. An expression of anger.
"An' some didn't."
Cassidy scowls, tone a bit more harsh now.
"It became a ghost of what it used to be. An illusion."
After a long reflective moment, he rubs the back of his neck with his right hand, his tone returning to gentleness.
"You gave me somethin' worthy to call home again, Hanzo." Not just something. "Someone, to call home." He adds. "Now, that may sound redundant, but...ā
He takes pause, looking over to Hanzo and letting his arms fall back down to his sides. Betraying the illusion around them, moonlight glistens in his eyes, reminding of the reality they stand in together. The reality Cassidy wants with all his heart.
He offers his right hand, palm upturned, seeking contact with the one he loves.
The lord hesitates, mind running wild with tangled thoughts, pushing his heart into a gallop. He is unsure what to think of it but the forever lonely part of him is crying after Coleās handās warmth.
The enchanter continues, his voice nearly a whisper.
"It's not an illusion anymore."
The nerves are back, stabbing at his gentle heart with the fear that perhaps he is yet again doing what he does best in making a fool of himself. A desperate, stupid fool.
He takes a large, soft inhale.
It's time to find out.
"Not to me."
Swallowing hard, uncertain and anxious, Hanzo slowly and cautiously takes Cassidyās hand, looking him in the eye almost submissively.
āWhat are you implying?ā He asks in a whisper as if he will startle his own heart by speaking louder.
Cole can see the fear. He feels it within himself as well. What right does he have to be doing this? To be seeking more with this man, let alone ask him to do the impossible and stay by his side?
It's selfish.
His fingers close around Hanzo's, an uncertain expression of his own laced into his features. Almost sad. He opens his mouth to reply but stops himself, unsure what words to use to explain himself. His caress on Hanzo's soft hand shifts as he takes a step closer.
The anxiety and fear deepens in the lordās eyes.
Cassidy guides his lordās hand to rest upon his chest. His racing heart pounds under Hanzoās palm as if he were holding it at his mercy.
The vampire is going to rip it out and tear it to shreds.
Please, donāt do it. Do not say it, donāt make me do this, I beg you.
Finally, Cole speaks, matching volume, worried he may scare away the source of his affection.
"If... if you don't feel that way, just tell me an'... I'll drop it." He glances down in shame. "I couldn't've at least tried."
The words echo in Hanzoās head, thoughts evaporating, filling him with emptiness and leaving room for Coleās voice to take over. His black heart cracks and starts to bleed.
Tense, clenching his jaws, he swallows hard, eyes avoiding Coleās.
āIā¦ā
He slowly takes back his hand, skin already mourning the other manās warmth.
Cassidy wants to catch the hand before it leaves. To stop him from pulling away. Though, it seems he's pushed too close to the sun. His chest aches as he allows Hanzo to back away, regarding him with sorrow filled eyes.
āI canāt...ā Hanzo says, quietly.
There is no "don't." Just canāt. Because he does, butā¦ couldnāt. It would destroy them both and maybe even Transylvania.
Cole should have seen this coming.
The illusion around them begins to falter, flaking into sparkling dust. Soon enough, it fades away completely, returning the garden to its prior state. The fountain's cries are heard once again alongside the gentle blow of the breeze through the wisteria trees and flower bushes.
āI am sorry.ā Hanzo adds, voice a mere whisper.
The apology almost breaks Cole. Hanzo needn't apologize. It should be Cassidy. But he doesn't get a chance to say it. Still not looking the other in the eye, Hanzoās form is engulfed in darkness and black smoke. A thousand tiny bat wings flap next to Coleās ear, almost caressing the skin of his cheek fondly. The dark mass is observed with sadness as it flies out of sight.
The vampire is gone.
The enchanter stands motionless for several moments. Not wanting to leave the area just yet, as if the aura of the king remains longer, still. He returns to the fountain's edge, sitting down and picking up the book he brought with him. He opens to a bookmarked spot in an attempt to distract himself.
It's fruitless. He doesn't last ten minutes doing this.
Instead, he replaces the bookmark, gently closes the cover and decides to return to his quarters for the night, defeated.
The Forge - Part of the underground city of Ah'kta'ak. The most secure place known to man and other races. Connected to a mine that drills miles and miles under the Himalayan mountains.
The City of Ah'kta'ak - An underground city that became a legend. Part of seven underground dwarf cities, one of the oldest to ever exist. Almost completely sealed and unreachable from the surface, it has only two entrances: one being deep in the Himalaya's mountains, the other being at Hanzo's castle.
The decision behind sealing it away was made after humanity began to fuck around too much with other races. Seeing how many wars started because of that and later hunts as well, dwarves decided to protect themselves by cutting ties with the surface. Hanzo managed to befriend them only because he was still there when the cities were open to the world. He also helped them with a deep cave threat they managed to dig to. Now, they are allowing him to use the forge.
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.
so i just heard some of the voicelines for the mid season 3 update and some of my favorites:
first of all, cassidy possibly going back and joining deadlock??
a secondary line to the hanzo riding orisa into battle joke where apparently kiriko knows about that interaction?
hanzo officially keeping his promise to sojiro, where he chooses to keep the bow and put his sword away for good even though forgiveness has come to him
hanzos immediate shutting down at genji mentioning their mother
confirmation with sierra and hanzo that hanzo never got the luxury of grievance, hanzo clearly seems to be pondering something here, maybe about finally opening up a little more?
illari reminiscing on walking in the mountains and carrying potatoes with her llama, only for orisa to say she could carry potatoes too
lucio and zenyatta joking about dancing
doomfist and ram rivalry of some sort (which is incredible, the writing for both of them is so good, i can only imagine them talking more)
once again, oh hanzo the man you are and what a wonderful job paul did as always!!
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i dont have much to say other than HIM and I will be going to a dinner reservation at a very fancy steakhouse. i dont make the rules.
he even changed his hat. THE DOG TAGS?? the heart on the arm. THE PINK AND THE PURPLE. even his peacekeeper is blue. i wonder who hes going on a date with.
When Cole came back from his solo mission, and returned to his shared quarters with Hanzo after the debrief, he had expected Hanzo to be waiting for him. Especially at this time of day; it was after morning meditation yet before lunch. So while it wasnāt a surprise to see Hanzo in the room, what was a bit of a surprise was the box sitting on the table.
It was a beautifully made box; made of cedarwood with burnt wood art on top in the shape of succulents surrounding a longhorn skull. He dropped his go bag down and stripped down to his compression shirt and the compression shorts that went down to just above his knees.
āHey pumpkin,ā he murmured as he sat next to Hanzo on the bed. He raised his arm as Hanzo snuggled closer; he curled it around Hanzoās upper back and ran his hand up and down his bicep. Cole pressed a kiss to Hanzoās temple, humming in happiness.
āI missed you,Ā anata,ā Hanzo said, snuggling closer to get more of how Cole smelled-just perfect.
āMissed you too, sugā,ā Cole replied, tracing a finger on the box. āFor me?ā Hanzo nodded, then adjusted so he faced Cole. He uncharacteristically fidgeted with his hands before beginning to speak.
āI have been thinking,Ā anata, regarding my future,ā he said. Cole huffed at that, both of them poking at each other until they both broke down in giggles.
āI know, I know,ā Hanzo huffed, catching his breath. āSometimes I think too hard.ā He snuggled a bit closer to Cole before continuing.
āOne of the things that I do think about is who will be in my life moving forward. Whenever I do think of living out the rest of my life, it is with you by my side,ā Hanzo said, indicating that Cole should open the box. Cole did, finding that it had been lined with a smooth green velvet-like fabric.
Inside were two separate, smaller boxes and a set of three keys on a keyring that had a cowboy hat and arrow charm on it as well. Cole picked it up, making a questioning hum directed at Hanzo. Hanzo pointed at the silver key, slightly smaller than the other two.
āThis one opens a lock box in a specific bank in Santa Fe,ā he said. āIt holds some funds, as well as a deed for a property that is nearby by one of the mountain ranges just outside of Santa Fe.ā
Hanzo points to the bronze key. āThis one is the key to the main house of the property, which is at least twenty acres. Large enough to be a ranch,ā he said, then pointed to the third key, a larger silver one.
āThis one is to another home that I have had in Vancouver, Washington, for at least the past five years,ā he continued. āI believe that you deserve a key to it as well.ā Coleās jaw had dropped open at the explanation of the keys.
āYou bought that for me, sug?ā Cole asked, wonder and awe in his voice as he pressed a kiss to Hanzoās temple. āDarlinā...ā his voice trailed off as Hanzo held up a hand. Hanzo caressed the side of Coleās face, stroking his beard.
āThis was, in my mind, the best use of the remaining funds that I had either brought with me or wrested from the Shimada-gumi,ā he said. āUsing them for a gift, not only for my beloved, but for myself. A much better use.ā Cole blushed at the term beloved, ducking his head shyly for a moment. His finger then traced over each of the velvet boxes, eyebrows raising just enough to be a question.
āIām getting there,Ā anata,ā Hanzo said with a small smile. He picked up the right hand box, before facing Cole.
āYou have become a partner in every sense of the word,ā he said, taking and holding Coleās right hand. āPulling together, working together, loving togetherā¦has been a wonderful journey to make and take with you. Not each step has been easy for either of us. However, I do not regret any of them.ā
He used his thumb to open the box to show what was inside: a ring. Coleās breath caught at the sight of it. It was a tungsten ring; black with an inset part of it that looked to be petrified wood in ambers, browns, golds, and a color close to black.
āWould you do me the great honor of becoming my husband, Cole?ā Hanzo asked softly, seeing the stunned look in Coleās eyes as they flickered between the ring and Hanzoās face. Cole finally nodded, with a stunned look still on his face.
āOf course I will, darlinā,ā Cole replied with a smile that lit up the room. āIād be honored.ā He held his right hand still as Hanzo slid the ring on the ring finger, then inspected it a bit closer.
āIs this petrified wood?ā he asked, and Hanzo nodded.
āIt seemed to fit yourā¦aesthetic,ā Hanzo said with a smirk, getting a guffaw from Cole. āIt was based off of a ring called the Cowboy, I believe. So of course, I had to get one for my cowman,ā Hanzo said. He set down the box that held Coleās ring and picked up the other one, holding it out to Cole.
āWell now, letās see,ā Cole said, opening the box. In it was another ring, sized for Hanzo. It was also made of tungsten, but was a deep blue color with dragons and waves etched into it. Cole took it out before setting down the box in the cedarwood one. He then slid it onto Hanzoās left ring finger before bringing it up to lay gentle kisses on and around it.
āI didnāt get anything for you, darlinā,ā Cole murmured, a touch of sadness in his voice. āOr, at least, nothing like this.ā Hanzo nudged him until Hanzo was able to straddle his lap, getting comfortable. He ran his fingers through Coleās hair.
āYour devotion to me shines through everything you do,Ā anata,ā Hanzo said, murmuring between the kisses he dropped all over Coleās face. āYou bring me little gifts from your travels, showing that I am on your mind. You hold me through the night terrors, soothing and warm. When we have our arguments, you make sure to apologize for any harsh words that you have said. The way that you have a thousand and one little nicknames for me, and the way you unconsciously give me kisses and caresses throughout the day. All these things, and more, show me how much you love me,Ā anata.ā
Hanzo pulled back from his kisses, and looked down into Coleās face. His eyes were brimming with love and tears of happiness as his hands ran up and down Hanzoās back and sides. They pressed their foreheads together, slowly coming down from the high of the proposal and from what Hanzo had told Cole.
āAs much as I would love to sit here for the rest of the night, I need a shower, sweetpea,ā Cole said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Hanzo chuckled and got up. After a shared shower, they drifted down to the shared dining area wrapped up in each other. Everyone was in the room, talking and helping either set the table or assisting Reinhardt with cooking. Of course, it was Genji who first noticed the slight difference in their posture.
āOk, spill you two,ā he said, a smug grin on his face. āDid you get the box, Cole?ā Everyoneās eyes suddenly seemed to be on both of them after that question. Cole blushed bright red as Hanzo preened and held up his left hand. There was an explosion of sound as everyone squealed, yelled, or called out congratulations. Each man got hugs from all of their found family.
However, for Cole it was the hugs he got from Ana, Gabe, and Jack that really made him tear up. Ana made the floodgates open up as she smiled at him before kissing him on each cheek.
āIt is so good to see that you have found love, habibi,ā she said, wiping away his tears with a corner of her head scarf. Cole nodded, before his mouth went into a smile. He bent over to hug her again to cover his next comment.
āIām happy for you and Rein as well, momma,ā he whispered, full of mischief. Ana smirked at him as he stood up, and patted his cheek. He smiled down at her before Hanzo joined them with a small bow. Soon after that, the dinner morphed into a celebration that lasted a bit longer than usual. Throughout it, Cole and Hanzo stayed at each otherās side, entwined and together.
As now, and for the remainder of their lives. As such they pledged to each other silently that night, and aloud to each other six months later at their wedding.
