PoVs/Protagonists/Couples:
Hanzo (character belongs to Blizzard) x Ýri (OC)
Genji (character belongs to Blizzard) x Shizuka (OC)

WARNING: This story will be a very long one, full of dialogs, drama and violence as well as grammar mistakes because none of the authors is a native English speaker. And it is for mature audiences only!

Chapter 18: Challenges (Hanzo x Ýri)

Weeks passed by much faster than he expected. Nevertheless Hanzo felt exhausted from his baby-sitting duties. To be honest, he fled into Sígurd's office to ask the huge Viking for some time out. But the Shimada did not even get a chance to start speaking.

The young woman stepped into her father's office right behind him. With a rapid movement she threw her messy, golden braids over her slim shoulders and glared at him with her incredibly light green eyes. Hanzo swallowed hard and took a step back. Somehow her stare made him feel uncomfortable.

Ýri approached the two men with crossed arms and a grumpy face. »Dad, do you still think hiring him won't actually be the cause for my death?«

Hanzo glared back offended. »I turned my back on the Shimada-Clan many years-«

»I am not talking to you, mercenary. I am talking to my father.«

His hands became fists. I just want to quit so badly …

»You keep ignoring my orders and wander around the city when I clearly forbid it! I hoped such a skilled warrior would finally be able to handle you«, Sígurd replied calmly.

»And now he is longing for a quit«, she smirked.

Oh, how much would I like to teach you some manners first. Your father clearly missed to do that, the Shimada silently growled.

»Nevertheless, he still made it weeks longer than I expected him to, so I guess it is safe to say, he won't kill you any time soon.«

Better don't be so sure about that, Viking.

»You cannot be serious!«, she yelled at her father.

»Quit that look, my dear. Hanzo is here to keep you safe, when I cannot.«

I won't count on that either. She is getting on my nerves far too much and far too long already. He could not explain how, but he managed to keep his thoughts to himself again.

Still, Sígurd's daughter did not look like giving in. »As if I couldn't see to that myself … «

»Of course not. You have no training in combat. If we get attacked again, you may be able to stand your ground against one or two opponents but none more. So Hanzo is there to make sure you aren't doing something stupid.«

Am I? Should reread the contract's details.

»Why don't you teach me to fight then?«, the girl insisted.

»Because you shouldn't have to.« A dark shadow seemed to appear on Sígurd's face.

»You taught Hakon, because he was your eldest! Sadly he died much too early to teach me!«

Hanzo realized the Viking's hand tightening around the pen, before he answered: »Your brother's death was a tragic accident … but that does not mean you have to learn to fight as well.«

»You are blind, father. What happened to Hakon might have been an accident, but the world did not change for the better since!«

»Right. So Hanzo will make sure you do not have to be a part of this war.«

Father and daughter kept glaring at each other for another minute. Finally Ýri surrendered and left the room.

Sígurd looked after her with a heavy sigh. »Oh, what shall I do with her … «

»You could train her«, Hanzo answered. »Neither you nor I will be able to protect her all the time.« Especially when I finally see a chance to quit.

Sígurd simply gestured him to leave without an answer, so Hanzo left his office even more enraged. I am clearly a disgrace, if I accept this oaf ordering me around like an ordinary servant! Me! A dragon! He barely made it around the next corner before he ran straight into his bad-tempered ›ward‹ again.

»Oh, come on! You are really pissing me off with your constant need to stalk me!«, she hissed at him.

»I am not stalking you. Just doing my job as a guard«, he replied coldly.

»Well, that's refreshing. Finally a guard, who is not interested in ripping off my clothes.«

Hanzo raised one eyebrow. »I couldn't be less interested. Besides, I do not think your father would employ such men.«

»Just because I did not tell him, does not mean he accidently did«, she admitted. »But I did not want to add to his worries.«

He only shrugged. »You would have been easy prey.«

She turned around with a furious expression. »Excuse me?!«

»Guess they left you untouched and fled this place rather because you are incredibly annoying and the pay is obviously not worth the effort«, he stated and finally she shut up. For a few seconds at least.

»Say, Shimada, how does it feel to kill random people and even innocent persons, huh?«

»It is just work«, he answered. »I am a trained assassin, so what are you expecting?«

»Wow«, she shivered. »You really have no heart.«

»Good. Because it would only get in the way.«

»True.« A disgusted look appeared on her face. »What else is there to expect from someone, who does not even shy from killing his own brother.«

Hanzo froze in place. »Shut up«, he hissed through his teeth.

»You do not have a heart, nor do you have any honor«, she continued.

»What do you know?!«, he replied, his voice turning into a sharp and dangerous growl.

But Ýri did not even flinch. »How are you able to live with yourself?«

»Not your problem, is it?«, he tried to conceal his anger.

»Indeed, but pissing off guards is my only entertainment here.«

»Then try to piss me off all you want, but I will still keep the upper hand here«, he snarled back at her.

»Do, whatever you want! But that won't make me understand, why my father is hiring monsters now!« She slammed the door of her apartment right into his face.

Hanzo kept staring at it, hands to fists, trying to fight the feelings of guilt and despair from overwhelming him.

Hanzo did not notice the hours passing by. The hallway had gone dark already, but something must have disturbed his meditation and that he could not tell what exactly, unnerved him. After getting back on his feet, he stretched his shoulders and silently knocked.

»Hey, girl. Is everything okay?«

No reply came from inside.

»Hey, you brat! Answer me!«

Nothing but silence and the squeaking sound of an opened window swinging from the evening breeze.

»You've got to be kidding me«, he growled opening the door.

The room was empty as he had already feared with the window wide open.

»That sneaky little bitch … «, he cursed while landing on the roof top.

Where should he start? The girl could have been anywhere. Nevertheless his feet moved without himself thinking. Led by some strange instinct, which he could not name. He spotted large trees and a lake, knowing he must have been close to the park, but a sharp red spot of light made him look back.

»I see you have kept your handsome head, mon chéri.« He recognized the familiar voice with the French accent, which made him shiver with disgust again.

»Widowmaker«, he snarled warily. »What are you doing here?«

»Observing the little Viking? I've been told she keeps roaming the parks at night. But unfortunately she is unpredictable in time and exact place … «

Hanzo gave the blue-skinned assassin a warning glare. »She is off limits. Otherwise you will find yourself with an arrow through your blue throat faster than you can pull the trigger.«

»Mhm … « She did not seem to listen, obviously aiming at something out of his own sight.

»Go on and try«, he already had an arrow placed on his Stormbow's string. »Would finally give me a reason to get rid of you.«

Now she looked back at him confused. »I thought the whole reason for you to play guard was to find an opportunity to kill them yourself!«

»Think again«, he growled, pulling the string close to his face.

Widowmaker was unable to place his behavior at all. »What has gotten into you?! We were supposed to kill them!«

»This was the last time, you let me down on a mission!« He felt, he was losing his reservation.

»Stop crying and let's just get the girl's head. I do not care for the money, so you can have it all.«

»Talon used me for its dirty works far too long already.«

»Dirty works?« Widowmaker burst out laughing. »You were used and trained in matters of ›dirty works‹ all your life!«

»Leave her be!« The arrow shot very close past her cheek. »I won't tell you that again.« Hanzo struggled to regain self-control and not to let past memories affect him too much.

Widowmaker did not even flinch. »There is no use in saving a worthless life.«

»Leave«, he insisted.

Nevertheless, the blue-skinned woman just grinned at him, throwing one of her poisonous mines. »You will make this an interesting hunt tonight!«

The toxic gases made him cough, but not enough to really feel bothered, so he went after her immediately. Still he lost sight of the Talon assassin for a brief moment and the only hint were the red light of the laser pointer searching for its aim.

»Ýri!« He shouted a warning at the girl sitting in midst a tree.

She looked down at him confused having no idea about the current danger. Panic seized him, so he climbed the tree with the same ease and speed he usually overcomes walls. As he heard the shot being released, he made them both fall down, shielding her with his body while a sharp pain arouse in his left shoulder.

He let go of the still shocked Viking girl and stand in front of her gripping his wound. »Wrong move«, he growled as he felt the familiar trickle running through his arm while two large spirit dragons emerged from it.

»Merde!« Widowmaker used her hook to get out of range.

Hanzo was about to take aim with his Stormbow again, but a sudden twinge blocked him from raising his arm. Kuso! The bullet must have got stuck!

»Pardonne-moi, chéri, but you are in my way.« This time Widowmaker was aiming at him.

»NO!«, Ýri shouted and before Hanzo could act on it, she sent a huge cloud of her shapeless green energy at Widowmaker.

»Quoi?!« The assassin was forced to hook off even further.

She did not get a chance to take aim again with a large black raven encountering her now. Hanzo heard a last French curse, before he lost sight of her for the second time.

»We should head back. It is not safe out here«, Hanzo stated turning around to face the Viking girl. »Kuso!« He found her on the ground, obviously unable to reign in her powers once more. »Hey, don't pass out on me now!« He dropped on the ground next to her.

»I … cannot … « Her whole body was trembling from the force trying to escape it.

»Pull it back into yourself!«, he kept shouting.

»How?!«, she cried back at him.

»Calm down and breathe deeply«, he instructed her. »Yes, like that. Now keep concentrating on your inner center and draw it back with every breath.« Indeed her breathing was getting easier and fear left her eyes. »It is working«, he sighed.

»Thank you«, she whispered.

»What for?« He had already turned his attention onto his bleeding shoulder. »You only made the situation worse for both of us.«

»Excuse me?!« Now she sat up and yelled at him. »I just saved both our lives!«

»You should have run, while I was distracting her!«, he tried to deny her point.

»So she could have finished you and follow me afterwards?!«, she got back at him.

»I am the guard here, so when will you finally start listing?! If I say ›Run!‹, you run!«, he continued even more furious.

»First, you never said it and second, a Viking never runs«, she replied firmly.

Hanzo only rolled his eyes. »Then you are not only an annoyance but also incredibly stupid!« Finally she fell silent, but was approaching him nevertheless. »What are you doing?!«

Without any word she slapped off his hand to examine his wound. »Need to get out that bullet«, she muttered. »Just wish we had some alcohol-«

Hanzo handed her his sake bottle. »That should do- hey! What are you doing?!«, he yelled as he saw her drinking it with a disgusted face.

»Don't move«, she ordered.

Before he could make her back off, Hanzo already felt her lips on his shoulder. Some unusual sensation shot through his arm leaving his dragon mark glowing in a bright blue and his dragons purring inside his head with approval.

»Stop that!«, he shouted, unable to place his sudden emotions.

Ýri pulled back indeed, spitting out the bullet. »I do not know, which taste is worse. The one of that wicked drink or that of your blood.«

»Well, you certainly do not have to find my blood delicious … « He was relieved with this strange feeling vanishing.

But the girl only giggled. »My family are descendants of the Vólsungs. We have a thing for dragon blood.« He stared back at her, disturbed, what made her just laugh louder. »Never heard the tale of Sígurd, who has slain the evil dragon Fafnír?«

»I did«, he replied still glaring at her, while he ripped a strap of fabric from his Haori.

Ýri simply took it from him and started cleaning his wound while wasting his precious sake on it again.

Feeling the alcohol in his gunshot wound made him hiss. »You are a weird woman … «

»Why so?«, she asked while patching him up.

»You just are«, he replied ripping off another strap of fabric to wipe away his blood from her face. »No woman would do that so casually.«

She looked back at him in wonder and Hanzo just started to feel even odder, so he took her hand and pulled her on her feet. »Are you able to walk on your own?«

»I will«, she said, but her shaky legs gave her away.

»Stop being so stubborn«, he growled, throwing her over his uninjured shoulder.

»Hey! What are you even thinking?!«, she complained, trying to get off somehow.

»Stop this struggling, will you? There is no point in drawing this out longer than it has to. I still do not think us safe here.«

Hanzo could not believe it himself for a moment, but she did not move an inch anymore.

»I just wanted to see the trees … «, she whispered instead.

»What for?«, he wanted to know.

»They remind me of Norway. Of home.«

»Why don't you go back then?«, he muttered. Would have spared me a lot of trouble.

»I cannot«, she replied miserably. »I have to stay at my father's side.«

Hanzo snorted. »He is more than capable of protecting himself.«

»But not actually able to protect himself from his own anger and sorrow«, Ýri said, obviously heavy-hearted.

»Meaning?«, Hanzo asked, while questioning himself why he kept talking to the annoying Viking girl.

»He kind of flees Norway since my mother has died … and he changed … a lot … «, she fell silent for a moment. »To be honest, I think I am the only one keeping him from going mad … «

»I see … « Fleeing from a relative's death, going mad and losing himself in rage and anger was a state more than familiar to Hanzo, but he did not want to think of his own mother now … or of Genji … »Well,« he harrumphed, »just tell me what you are up to next time and we will figure something out.«

»You would do that for me?« Now she truly sounded surprised.

»If it spares me the chasing, yes«, he said firmly, continuing: »Will your strange pet bird return on its own?«

»Yes. Huginn always does so«, she answered before whispering: »Thank you.«

»You do not have to thank me.« Somehow he felt relieved when they were finally reaching her apartment window. »I am just doing, what I was hired to.«

Maybe honor and redemption are not just gained from death alone …