It was surprisingly lonely with the two of them gone, Jesse realised. Their rooms felt too empty, too quiet. He didn't like the quiet, it left him too much time to think, and think he did. He thought about the way she'd looked up at him, how big and round her eyes got, how they'd pretty much begged him for permission even before she'd decided to kiss him. He thought about how, if there'd been more time, and if she'd have let him, he'd have her sitting up on the counter, settled between her legs as he messed up that pretty makeup of hers, hiking up the hem of that sweater to run his hands over her sides. It had taken a lot not to do it in the first place, but he was determined to let her set her boundaries and figure out what she wanted first. He wanted her to feel safe with him because she was.
He'd have to go slow with her so as not to startle her. He knew Hanzo would have no problem with that, but Jesse would, he just got so excited he forgot himself sometimes. That wasn't so helpful when a prospective partner could startle like a fawn and run off. He just had to let her come to him, and he was fine with that.
Jesse sighed and rubbed at his face, looking himself in the eyes through the mirror. His op was a go, he was dressed in his fatigues and body armor, ready to head out. It felt strange not having anyone to say goodbye to, he was used to a quick kiss, maybe a hug, but now there was nobody waiting to see him off.
Except for Angela, it seemed.
She stood outside the door, waiting for him to step out, her face pinched in a way that only meant bad news.
"Doc, I wasn't expecting to see you here," he started slowly, pausing in the doorway of the ops locker room. He gave her a quick once-over, noting how tense she was, how she lightly tapped her fingers against her arms as she hugged herself. Something was wrong, someone was in trouble. Maybe not immediate trouble, she'd be much more worked up than that, but trouble nonetheless. "Is there something you need?"
Her eyes widened as he spoke, almost as if she hadn't seen the door open, and she nodded firmly. "Go get changed. Your op's been handed to someone else with clearance. I have something more important for you to do, but first we have to talk."
"By now you're aware of Briallen's… past life," she started, pacing her office and playing with the sleeve of her lab coat.
"I am," he affirmed, nodding and leaning forward in his chair, his forearms on his knees. He never really liked Angela's office, it was so bland and cold, never really showcasing her personality. But, he supposed that was for the best, it was a doctor's office, after all. "If you're worried about her-"
"I am, but for a completely different reason than you might think." Angela shook her head, biting at her fingernails a bit as she stopped, looking down at the floor. "I… I did some digging, and I found something that you won't like and we need to investigate."
Jesse raised an eyebrow. "You ain't gonna send me to Norfolk with them, are you?"
"What? No. No, I am not sending you to Norfolk. Lord knows the Knights have enough on their hands as it is, they don't need you three down there causing a ruckus." She dropped back into her chair, giving him a hard look. "I'm sorry to say this, Jesse, but Briallen's engaged. Whether she wants to uphold that engagement now after all this time is up to her, but she is engaged nonetheless."
"Engaged?" Jesse sat up, his brows furrowing. "She's engaged? Who the hell would be engaged to her?"
Angela pursed her lips, folding her hands in front of her. "Gabriel Reyes."
"You're lyin'," Jesse growled, knowing that a storm passed over his eyes. "Gabriel Reyes is dead and gone. And even if he ain't, she had no ties to Talon before, there's no way they're engaged."
"I'm not lying, Jesse. I found some of her old O.O. files, you can take a look at them if you'd like," she said, pulling up the files on the holoscreen and waving them over to him.
Briallen's face peered up at him, sporting a nasty grin that he hoped he'd never see in person. He scanned the page, reading through scraps of information he didn't care about - birthplace, age, height, weight, blood type - until he found the section he wanted. Sure as shit, there it was; Relations - Gabriel Reyes, fiance.
Angela was lucky it was a virtual file. If it had been paper, Jesse would have torn it up right there. She was engaged to Reyes? How the hell was that possible? Organic Omnics had no ties to Talon, how had they met? He almost got angry at Briallen, but he calmed himself down, reminding himself that she had no way of knowing. Reyes had not come for her in that hospital, no one had claimed her, she thought she was alone in the world. The thought made him more angry. How the hell do you get engaged to someone and not even show up if they're almost killed in an accident? How do you just leave them like that?
He ground his teeth a bit as he rubbed at his eyes. "Okay, fine. She's engaged to Reyes. What about it, the man is dead."
"I think we both know that is not the case, Jesse," Angela said, a tone of sadness in her voice. "Jack survived. Gabriel did as well. Who else would you think the Reaper is?"
"You're right," he sighed, shaking his head. "So, what do you need to investigate? Reyes never came for her in that hospital, he obviously doesn't care for her anymore."
"He never came for her because he didn't know. She wasn't entered in the hospital's records under her old name, you know. Gabriel might have even thought she died. But now, with this new tie between Organic Omnics and Talon," she started, leaning back in her seat, "and Aderyn's mutants showing up at the Arachnid bust-"
"He's going to know," Jesse finished, rubbing at his face again.
"Yes. And we both know Gabriel, he will do nearly anything if it's for someone he loves." She went quiet, watching him for a second before she leaned forward, tapping her desk lightly to get his attention. "Jesse, this could mean Briallen is in danger. If Gabriel knows she's alive, he's going to try to get her back. We need someone to scope out the situation, figure out what his people know… We found a Talon base in Sivas, Turkey. We need you to slip in undercover, map out the interior, get our people inside so we can take it down."
"And while I'm there you want me to see what I can find out about their knowledge of Briallen," he said, nodding in understanding. "And you can't have any other agent do it because you don't trust them to not get themselves blown to smithereens."
"The rookies are a handful," Angela said quietly, offering him a small smile. "You're the only other agent besides Jack, Winston, Ana, and I who has clearance to Briallen's old files, seeing as you were part of the original investigation into Organic Omnics. You're the only agent who can do this, Jesse."
Briallen had been right; Hanzo did enjoy it at the estate. While it wasn't exactly like what he was used to, it did suit his tastes better, as did their expansive collection of fine wines. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was a bit of a snob. Jesse always teased him about it.
Over the course of the week, he'd watched her progress, slowly coming back to herself. She stayed in his room half of the next day, wearing one of his spare shirts. She'd looked cute, sitting there reading on the bed in the too-big button up, the sleeves pushed up a bit so her hands were free, the top three buttons undone, her hair a wild mess. He'd taken a picture when she wasn't looking, thinking Jesse would like it.
Around lunch time, she'd asked one of the staff to grab her suitcase for her and bring it to the room so she could change into something more appropriate for their audience, and had come down for afternoon tea, apologising for the day before. That night, she'd sheepishly requested to stay with him, which, of course he obliged. It was cute how nervous she seemed to be around him, how hesitant her actions were, but he always let her make any moves. He found it amusing that first night, how she'd slowly scooted closer and closer until she was nearly pressed against him, the small squeak of surprise she let out when he wrapped his arm around her. Every night after that, she'd stayed in his room, and every day, he watched as her grief diminished and the sun slowly came out again.
She'd begun spending more time with the two young girls, taking them out on walks around the property, collecting leaves with them to make strange patterns and art with. It was refreshing, watching her interact with the girls, and it allowed him to see yet another side to her that he hadn't before. She would make a good mother, he decided one evening, watching her attempt to embroider with them. They obviously had more practise, but it didn't stop her from having some fun with them. They were whispering and giggling, and the girls were showing her the proper techniques, of which she never got the hang of. But that never dulled her smile.
The day the call came in had started off as the rest of the days had; Hanzo had woken early, sometime around seven, to find her completely pressed against him in an attempt to keep warm from the late autumn chill. It was sweet, the way she clung to him even as he tried to pull away, and the little pout she gave him was enough to guilt him into staying in bed for just a while longer. Eventually, though, he knew they had to get up, so he tucked her hair behind her ear, brushed his fingers against her cheek, and steeled himself against the cold as he slipped out of the bed. She would follow shortly after, though not without plenty of grumbling.
They had breakfast and then went their separate ways, the girls dragging Briallen along for some game or the other. He didn't mind so much, being left alone in the estate. Where Jesse might have felt uncomfortable being abandoned in a place he didn't know, the estate was big enough that Hanzo could find a nice, quiet spot to sit and read, or he could wander his way down to the little archery range they had installed and get a bit of practise in.
He was just on his way to do that when the sound of conversation out on the patio caught his attention.
"Go, then, for 'tis in vain to seek him here that means not to be found," came one of the girl's voices, and Hanzo paused by the balcony door.
'Shakespeare?' he asked himself, glancing out the window to see Briallen and the girls all bundled up. Each of the girls had a large packet of paper in their hands, whereas Briallen's hands were free.
"He jests at scars that never felt a wound-" Briallen said, looking quickly up when he pushed the balcony door open to hear it better. He swore he saw a cheeky glint in those eyes. "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!" her voice carried up to the balcony, and she smiled up at him. Her cheeks were tinged red from the cold, but she looked so happy, one hand on her chest, the other held out dramatically toward him. The girls were giggling behind her back, watching in earnest. "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it."
He chuckled and leaned onto the balcony railing, watching her. She had good delivery, and seemed to know the play by heart, which surprised him. She was doing that a lot more often, surprising him. Maybe he'd just misjudged her from the beginning.
"... 'tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes are heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing, and think it were not night." She crouched next to Poppy, gently gripping the girl's shoulders as she sighed dreamily, never breaking eye contact with him, "See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!"
Hanzo tilted his head, watching as they all looked up to him, seeming to hold their breath. For anyone else, he might have brushed off the invitation, but the look in her eyes, the way she was waiting with such baited breath… He knew the play, but not by heart. Hopefully he wouldn't disappoint. "Ah me!"
Her grin widened and her eyes sparkled up at him. "She speaks! O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven unto the white-upturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze on him when he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds and sails upon the bosom of the air."
He found himself smiling as he responded, his gaze caught solely on her. "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."
She turned with a gusto, making him chuckle as she whirled around, brushing a hand through that wild hair of hers. "Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"
There was a pause, and she looked up at him, cocking her head. Her smile didn't fade when he shrugged, unable to offer any more, and she instead turned that bright gaze onto Lyra, who was currently standing on the patio table, clutching the sheaf of papers. She gave a brief nod to the girl, urging her to continue where he could not.
Ah, so this was a lesson.
" 'Tis… 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy," Lyra said, not quite so confident as Briallen, but trying her hardest. "Thou art thyself though, not a Montague."
By the time he'd made it down to the back patio, bow slung across his back, they'd finished the scene and the girls were rushing back to their au pair. He came up behind Briallen, his hands tucked into his pockets to keep them warm. "So, Romeo and Juliet, huh?" he asked, chuckling at her.
She shrugged and tucked her hands into her pockets as well. "I have a love of ancient plays. Romeo and Juliet was always one of my favourites, but I also love Madea, The Frogs, and Merry Wives of Windsor. The girls needed help with understanding the tone of the play, so I thought I'd help them run through it."
"Well, you did a very impressive job of it," he said, chuckling. "I will admit, I never expected you to have memorised the play."
"Memorised it? Oh, no, hah," she laughed, shaking her head. "I only know the first part of act two, scene two. I was always so in awe at how wholly Romeo threw himself into his love of Juliet, and that part always made me think. Did you know Juliet was only thirteen? They never really specify Romeo's age, but he's supposed to be anywhere between sixteen and twenty-one which is a little, ehhh," she said, scrunching up her nose a bit. "At first glance it all seems romantic, but then you really think about it and it feels kind of gross."
He laughed heartily, reaching out to wrap his arm around her, pulling her closer. "That, my dear, is why we don't overanalyse ancient plays," he teased, grinning sardonically down at her. "The more you think on it, the less it dazzles and the more you realise it's just like the rest of the world; disappointing and, more often than not, kind of gross."
She was quiet for a bit before she nodded. "You have a point… I feel like Jesse would totally pull a Romeo and drink the poison without a second thought if you died."
Hanzo chuckled, nodding. "You are entirely right, that is definitely something he would do."
She smiled, taking a breath before tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. "Where were you headed before we interrupted you with our whims of fancy?" she asked, fingers reaching up to play with the silver band she still wore on a chain around her neck. Hanzo had noticed that a few times, more often than not she just had it tucked beneath her shirt, but every now and then he caught sight of her playing with it. He wondered what that ring meant to her, what it symbolised.
"Well, I was going down to the archery range," he said, gesturing to his bow. "You are more than welcome to join me, Hachi."
The fence plank was cold beneath you as you sat on it, watching as Hanzo lobbed off a few arrows, moving with a practised grace. It was almost hypnotising, watching how he moved, the smooth assuredness of every action. His gaze was serious most of the time, but every now and then, he aimed a quick, disarming smile at you while you two chatted, warming you despite the persistent chill that was not unknown in these autumn months. Soon it would be winter and this entire area would be coated in a light dusting of white. You were thankful it didn't snow too often.
"If we can, we should try to bring back some of Mariam's cookies for Jesse. I know he'd love them," you said, swinging your feet a little bit as you watched Hanzo draw his shoulders back, his eyes locked on the target in front of him. There was an intensity there, a look that made you shiver, but not from the cold. You couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever look at you like that. "Perhaps I could persuade her to make some snickerdoodles for him."
There was the soft hiss of the arrow, followed quickly by the sharp thunk of it sinking into the target and you twisted your head around to look at it. It wasn't dead centre, and, judging by the other arrows, he'd been slowly getting farther and farther from it.
You grinned cheekily. "Aww, looks like you could use some practise old man," you teased, nudging him with the tip of your shoe.
The look he gave you was new, equal parts affronted and playful, and he leaned back, tilting his head. "Oh, and you think you could do better, Hachi?"
You laughed, shaking your head. "Nah, probably not. While I may be a good shot with a rifle, a bow is a completely different beast. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever touched a bow before."
His lips quirked up a bit. "Is that so?" he asked, his gaze travelling the length of your body in just a second before it settled on your own. There it was, that intense look, but it was softened by something else you couldn't place. "Come here, Hachi."
Your eyes widened a bit, your smile faltering as you shook your head. "I-I shouldn't. I might-"
"What? Break the bow? I can assure you, Hachi, that you are going to do no such thing," he chuckled, holding out a hand to help you down. "And you're not going to accidentally hit someone, there's no one around for you to hit besides me, and if you manage to hit me I will be more impressed than angry. So, come here."
Hesitating, you reached out, letting him help you down. You landed a bit closer to him than you had wanted, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Grip the bow here," he murmured, coming around you and guiding your hands in place. You could feel how much he cared for the instrument in how smooth the woodwork of the bow was, how polished it seemed, and in the way he had almost caressed it as it traded hands. This exchange, you realised, was incredibly intimate, and it made your heart pound in your chest. "Do you know how to nock an arrow?" he asked, one hand resting over yours on the body of the bow as he reached back to grab an arrow.
"No," you breathed, shaking your head, unable to tear your gaze from his face. He was so close, it made your cheeks heat up despite the cold. The closeness shouldn't have been new to you, after all, you two were sharing a bed, but something about this felt so much more… intimate, meaningful. It made you flustered.
"That's okay, I can nock it for you, just keep her steady for me," he said, his breath brushing past your ear, making your heart jump into your throat as you nodded, holding the bow steady as he slipped the arrow in place. "Wrap your fingers around it like this, but not too tightly, just enough to keep it there." His hand was warm on yours as he guided your hand into position, his chest pressed lightly against your back. If he had noticed your gaze was locked on his face, he ignored it. "Now, spread your knees," he instructed, adjusting your stance with a few taps of his foot on yours. He pulled back a bit, his hands gripping your arms firmly as he lifted them, his heat enveloping you in a comfortable embrace.
You felt the fire on your cheeks as you watched him, feeling his warmth even through your layers. Your breath stuttered again as he drew his hands up your arms, resting them on your shoulders, then looked down to meet your gaze.
Chuckling, he leaned his head down a bit, his fingers gently gripping your chin as he turned your face out towards the target. "Eyes forward, Hachi," he murmured lowly, his fingers brushing against your jaw as he brought his hand back to your shoulder again. "You'll have plenty of time to oggle later. Point a finger out towards that target, do you see it?"
Your head spun a bit, at his closeness, at how his scent rolled over you, how his voice rumbled deeply in your ear, but you nodded, trying to keep focused. The target he was referring to was not far, maybe about thirty yards out, sitting upright in the empty field, in a row of targets that looked exactly the same. A handful of arrows poked out of its surface as if it were a pin cushion.
You could practically feel his smile as he hummed, nodding. "Good. Now, raise the bow a bit, pull this arm back. Perfect."
You steadied your breathing as you'd seen him do countless times, trying to tune him out and focus. You could see your target, envisioned the arrowhead sinking into the middle of the bullseye, and then suddenly there was a hand on the back of your neck and you jumped, the string slipping out of your grasp. The arrow hurtled through the air as you gasped softly, turning to frown up at him as he hung over you, but he turned your gaze back out toward the field with his gentle grasp on your chin. You watched as the arrow slipped through the fabric stretched over the target, right in the dead centre, though your pride was overshadowed by surprise as the hand on your neck squeezed ever so lightly and you turned your attention back to him.
Deep brown pools looked down at you, a warmth glittering in their depths as he chuckled. "Look at that," he murmured, reaching up to brush his fingers against your cheek, "a perfect bullseye." For some reason, you had a feeling he wasn't talking about your arrow.
"You startled me," you breathed, a little bit frustrated, but beginning to forget about all that now. Your skin tingled where he touched, a heat spreading from every little brush and scrape of his calluses against your skin. You were so close to him the air between you was warm.
"Gomen'nasai," he chuckled, taking the bow from you and setting it to the side, never breaking eye contact. "You get so tense, and it all gathers right there at the base of your skull…"
You reached up, steadying yourself a bit by placing a hand against his chest. "You should warn me next time," you said, leaning into his touch. Your breath caught in your throat as he wrapped an arm around your waist, his thumb ghosting over your parted lips. "Don't tease," the words slipped out of your mouth before you could stop them, whispered out on a single breath that was quickly stolen from you as his lips descended onto yours.
He kissed you softly, pulling you close, loosely, as if he was afraid you'd bolt. He pulled back just a second later, looking down at you with those dark eyes, and when you stayed, he smiled and kissed you again. Hard. And while it was sweet in its own way, there was a hint of possessive finality to it, like he'd been waiting to do this, wanting to kiss you, and now that he had there was no escape for you. Not that you really minded the prospect. His hand found their way down to your lower back, and then quickly dipped below, scooping you up by the backs of your thighs so he could set you down on the fence.
You squeaked and wobbled, breaking the kiss to quickly grab onto the wood beneath you. While it was thick enough to sit on, it wasn't exactly flat and you had felt as if you were about to fall backwards.
He chuckled, kissing you again. "Don't worry, Hachi, I've got you," he murmured, wrapping an arm around you, brushing your hair back from your face.
"Again, you need to warn me!" you said, shaking your head as you hooked an arm around his neck, pulling away just enough to tease. "Thought I was going to take a tumble there."
"I would never let that happen to you, Hachi," he said, pressing a kiss to your forehead. He was just about to lean in to kiss you again when his phone rang, startling the both of you.
You recognised the ringtone and chuckled. "That's Jesse. What amazing timing," you said sarcastically, rolling your eyes.
Hanzo sighed, not yet answering the phone, weighing his options.
You pushed lightly on his chest. "Come on, answer it! He's probably back from his op. Who are we to deny him some post-op conversation?"
"You have a point, Hachi," he said, giving you one last lingering kiss before he pulled away to answer it. "Moshi, moshi."
You shivered, the cold suddenly rushing back to you without his heat there to keep it at bay. Without him right there demanding all your attention, you realised that you'd practically thrown yourself into this without thinking about it. You'd kissed both Jesse and Hanzo, what did that make you? A couple? A throuple? No one had talked about boundaries, nothing had been discussed yet. But, then, it just felt… natural. Like this was the way things were supposed to progress.
'We can all sit down and talk about it when Hanzo and I come back from Norfolk,' you reasoned with yourself, wrapping your arms around your midsection to try and keep in the heat. You watched as the small smile on Hanzo's face faded first into shock, then into that familiar serious business face of his.
"Thank you, Jesse. We'll get right on it. You keep yourself safe. We'll see you soon," he said, frowning as he turned to you. "Yes, I love you too, Jesse, now go." He hung up, stuffing his phone into his pocket and hurrying to gather up his bow and the arrows.
"What's going on?" you called after him, frowning as well.
"Talon is on their way. We need to get the family to safety."