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!

INFORMATION: For those interested in Genji's story - don't worry, he will be back soon ;)

Chapter 21: Have Faith (Hanzo x Ýri)

It was getting colder and the days had grown short and gray. Late November rain started to cover all of Washington and now and then Hanzo was even able to spot a single snowflake. But just for a brief moment. He had spent many months here already … since Hanamura he had never stayed that long at one particular place again. But for some reason …

»Where are you with your thoughts today, Shimada?«

She nearly got a hit on him.

»I am still able to handle you!«, he shouted starting a counter attack.

She swiftly deflected his pole to the side and dodged away in a pirouette.

»You are getting better«, Hanzo stated. »but you still lack the stamina.«

»And you lack some empathy!«, she replied, getting closer with some quick and well-aimed hits.

Hanzo stumbled back surprised. He started circling her, attacking from time to time aiming for different spots. She dodged them all. So he stepped closer, wheeling the training pole over his head, striking. She ducked, rolled aside, jumped up again and nearly swept him off his feet. Slowly they began to find a common rhythm. Step, Step, attack, parry, step back, counter attack. Like a dance to the sound of the crashing poles. Hanzo picked up the pace, faster and faster to tire her out and push the little Viking to her limits. He had underestimated her. Very much in fact. She managed to keep up with a smirk and suddenly Hanzo realized it was her leading their movements now.

When did that happen?

Her eyes had started to glow in an unnatural emerald green.

»Good«, he whispered. »We are getting there. Stay focused now.«

Green wads of smoke surrounded her like an aura and her strikes grew more powerful.

She started panting and some drops of sweat formed on her forehead.

»Easy«, he hummed. »Don't release too much at once.«

»I am trying!«, she shouted. »But again it is not working!«

»I know, but still. Pull yourself together and don't let it leak like some messy bunch of clouds! Control it!«

She started trembling. Terribly. He dropped his pole to catch her before she fell to her knees, but he was too late. Some force knocked him back. A tremendous roar echoed through the hall and Hanzo could not believe his eyes. The spirit of a giant bear leaped at him, but vanished into thin air seconds later, its young master on the ground.

»Ýri!« He returned to her side.

She looked up to him with tears in her eyes. »Yrsa … «, she whispered, smiling.

»Why are you crying?«, he asked irritated.

She tried to get back on her feet, still shaking. »You wouldn't understand … «, she avoided him, so he didn't press further.

»You are getting better.« He reached out to steady her. »Just a few days longer and- «

»No«, she interrupted him with a terribly sad expression on her face.

Now he truly was confused. »Why? You are finally making some progress.«

»I cannot endure this every day«, was the plain answer.

»You can and you will. Where is your stubborn Viking spirit?«, Hanzo wondered.

»I don't want to!«, she suddenly shouted. »I cannot summon her every day!«

»Her?« What is she even talking about? He handed her his sake flask and watched her taking a deep gulp. »We can talk this out later. But your father will kill me, if I bring you back in such a poor state.«

»So what do you suggest?«, she handed him back the sake.

He took a mouthful himself. »We will get us something to eat first.«

She looked at him, one eyebrow raised. »But the bill is on you this time. Had it three times in a row now.«

»Fine. The ramen bar it is then.« He couldn't suppress a light smirk.

Ýri rolled her eyes. »Not again! You always take us to that ramen bar, when it is your turn to pay our lunch!«

And I am already regretting these after-training-habits we recently developed …

»First: There is nothing better to get back your strength with than a hot bowl of ramen. Second: I don't even have to invite you for lunch, so you better shut up and be grateful.«

She gave him a short snort and turned to the door. He followed her thoughtfully. Father once told us about other clans able to control spirits as well. But he also said that the Shimada killed them a long time ago. Can she really be one of them? And if she is, where is her mark? Deep down Hanzo already knew that he had probably met one of the last remaining Berserkers – the warriors of the bear. Her eyes are the mark …

»Take a seat, I will order the dishes«, Hanzo offered as soon as they entered his favorite ramen bar – or more precisely: the only one within close range.

»But don't bring me just chopsticks as cutlery again«, was the straight answer.

»You could at least try and learn to eat with those. It really isn't that hard.«

The waiter smiled when recognizing them. »Good day, mister. Your diner is already prepared.«

»How that?« It made him nervous, that the man knew they were coming.

»You tend to show up the same days each week exactly at the same time. So please, enjoy your meal.«

Hanzo gave him a short nod and returned to Ýri with two steaming bowls of ramen. »Eat. You need it.«

»Thank you … «

»So, will you tell me now, what that was about back at our training session? Why do you think you can't summon your spirit again? You are finally gaining some control.«

»Because it is a bear!«, she shouted and glared at him in a way, Hanzo could not place.

»And what's so wrong with that? Despite it being huge and furry.« He focused on his ramen now to avoid her piercing eyes.

»You are one to talk! At least your dragons don't remind you of your mother every single time!«

He placed down his chopsticks again and looked back at her. »They do … She taught me how to control them.«

»But … « She seemed irritated for a short moment. »It does not affect you … «

Hanzo shrugged. »Because I trained it away. You can't be distracted in battle with such impractical emotions.«

»›Impractical emotions‹. I hate you using that term. But obviously you trained away your whole heart.«

Am I really that bad? Have I already become like my father? He clenched his fists. »I did not have a choice! My father-«

»Oh, come on! Don't make your ass of a father responsible for your own actions again!«

»Still he was my father and the leader of the Shimada Clan!«

»Just because his father was some Yakuza boss and he splashed you into your mother's womb doesn't make him a leader or a father!«

When did the situation between the young Viking and him started escalating again? »Nevertheless disobedience wasn't an option!«

She nearly managed to smash her spoon into the table. »Bullshit!«

»You really think I would have been the only one punished if I stepped out of line?! No! He would have hurt my mother or Genji as well!«

»You should have killed him instead of your brother!«

»He was already dead by then.« Hanzo picked up his chopsticks again. »Your ramen is getting cold.«

She did not fight further and started eating again. Still, he hated it, when she was challenging him like that. He hated her for holding up a mirror to him. He hated, what he had to see …

»Can I ask you something?«, he spoke after a few minutes of silence. »What does ›Yrsa‹ mean?«

»W-what?« She looked up to him shocked and he immediately knew this wasn't a wise question to ask.

»Before you passed out in our training session, you whispered something that sounded like ›Yrsa‹ … «

»My mother's name … « She kept staring into her now empty bowl. »It means she-bear … «

This revelation hit him hard and finally Hanzo understood … »I see … sorry, I did not mean to upset you.«

»It's okay. I am also sorry for what I said.«

»So you were named after your mother?«

»In a way.« A weak smile appeared on her face. »›Ýri‹ is indeed a short form of ›Yrsa‹, but it means ›wild‹ instead of ›she-bear‹.«

Hanzo couldn't suppress a small chuckle. »Fitting.«

»So … «, she began, still hesitating.

»So what?«, he asked.

»You did, what you had to, to protect your mother and brother. You choose to keep them from harm then, maybe you can also choose to leave behind your past now and start anew. This is what redemption is about. Not your twisted code of honor and death.«

»You know nothing of what happened!« There it was again. Her wicked ability to show him his failures and what he truly was. It was creeping hell out of him. »You know nothing of redemption!«

She glared right back, unimpressed by his yelling. »Obviously I know it better then you or did killing people brought you any closer to redemption during your past years?!«

»Because it was not enough yet! You have no idea, what I am going through, so stop lecturing me!«

»Then tell me, what you are going through so I can help you!«

»I don't need help from some annoying woman unable to protect herself!«

Now her glaring turned into a hurt expression, what surprisingly cooled his anger. »You know what is funny?«, she asked silently. »I really thought, we might be able to become friends despite all, but you are just a cold-hearted bastard, aren't you?«

»Just stop«, he whispered. She reminded him so much of his dead brother for a second. »Just stop.«

»No. I won't«, she said, but her voice had grown softer. »Because I care about you and I want to help you somehow.«

»Why«, he asked exhausted. »Just why do you care about someone like me?«

»Because if I don't care about you, who else will?«

He was unable to look back into her now soft and forgiving eyes. He simply couldn't bare it. I don't deserve any of her kindness … Hanzo threw some coins on the table realizing his hands were shaking. »Let's get you back, little bear.«

They did not speak a word on their way back to the White House. When they walked around the corner of the hallway leading to her quarters someone was already there.

»Do you make every man wait for you that long? Do you really think you are worth such efforts?«

Hanzo laid a hand on his Stormbow right away, but Ýri rather seemed surprised then troubled. »Björn! What are you doing here?«

»Obviously I came all the way from Norway to beg you for some attention!«, the tall young man chuckled.

And Ýri ran towards him overjoyed, hugging him close. Hanzo needed all his self-control not to actually draw his bow. He did not know, who this man with the blond braid and clean shaven sides was, but he hated him. He hated his grin and his deep blue eyes. He hated the way Ýri smiled at him and threw herself at him and …

»You know this guy?!«

»All my life I have!«, she was still wearing this disgusting smile …

»So some sort of childhood friend … «, Hanzo hummed, internally fighting with a kind of anger, he never experienced before. Why is the whole situation just upsetting me that much?

»Well, she is my girlfriend actually«, the guy bluntly stated.

»She what-?!«

»And actually we parted a few years ago«, Ýri corrected him.

»Just because you decided to accompany your father, so I never thought it a serious cutoff.«

Hanzo could just stare up to the tall Viking helplessly. »Fine. Seems like I am no longer needed«, he snarled.

»Yes, guard dog, we could surely use some privacy«, Björn smirked.

His dragon instincts took over and Hanzo could not refrain from dangerously growling at the Viking.

»Come on, you ain't ugly, so how many women did you have already? Five? Or more likely fifty?«

»Why are we discussing past lovers now?« Ýri seemed rather unnerved by the situation.

»Eh … «, Hanzo blinked, irritated. »This is not about women, this is about her safety alone!«

»And she is perfectly safe with me!«, Björn glared back.

Hanzo was fed up and turned on his heels, his dragons already wreaking havoc inside him. »Fine. Then you finally seized your chance to get rid of me.«

»Björn, shut up now!«, Ýri demanded. »Hanzo! What's just wrong all of the sudden?«

»Don't bother with me and do, what everyone would do and ditch me«, Hanzo snarled.

»Hanzo, what are you talking about?!« He heard her running after him, what only made him increase his pace. »Hanzo, wait! Where are you going?!«

Hanzo did not turn back. The distance was growing, but he still felt as if Ýri had driven a dagger through his back.

»Twice a day, mister? Where is your lady?«, the innkeeper asked as Hanzo returned to the ramen bar again.

»Gone«, he growled. »Bring me some Sake.« The innkeeper did so without question and Hanzo finished the cup in one gulp. »Bring me another.«

So he went on. One hour. Maybe two. It has gotten dark outside and a few snowflakes fell. Hanzo felt lost and alone again, just like when Genji had died at his feet. After all these months he had gotten used to the Viking woman's company. He had started to trust her, even grown a little fond of her. She had treated him like a normal man and not the cruel murderer and assassin he was. She had even acted like he was a friend, but now? What should he do and where should he go? Taking on assassination contracts suddenly seemed so pointless to him

… What shall we do without her?, one of the dragons seemed to ask. What a stupid question. We will continue with what we were doing before, the second answered. Maybe we could have, if we hadn't met her, the first talked back. Things will never be the same again.

»Oh, you look 'orrible, 'Anzo.« He froze at the familiar voice. »Trouble in paradise? Did your new friends want to get rid of you already?«

»Shut up«, he whispered.

»We are not like them. They will never understand the way we are. We are living for the excitement of the hunt.«

»SHUT UP!«, he yelled, slamming his fist on the table.

»Cheríe, why don't we just go and take revenge on the stupid Viking girl?«, she asked, stroking up his arm, what made him shiver with disgust as always.

»So Talon is still after her?« After all these months? Well, Reaper was not one to give up on his prey easily …

»As long as our client wants her dead, of course. Besides, I do not care about whom I kill. Just point me in a direction and I will shoot«, she declared emotionless, sipping on her drink.

»Tell your client to call off this hunt«, Hanzo growled. »I won't allow it.«

»I am afraid, he does not care about your wishes«, her smile sent shivers down his spine.

»Who is it, Widowmaker?!«, Hanzo started to shout. »Who is this client, who wants to kill her that badly?!«

»You really think it is just her? It is all her remaining family he wants.« Widowmaker emptied her drink. The sweet scent made Hanzo want to vomit. »So, to get to the point, Doomfist asks you to-«

»Give me his name!«, he shouted not knowing, what had gotten into him.

»No, cheríe, that would be bad for our business.« Widowmaker grabbed her coat and pushed back her seat. »Please, be so kind and pay for my drink as well, will you?«

For the second time this day Hanzo threw some coins at the table. I must warn Sígurd at least …

He stormed out the bar's door and ran right into someone. »You … « It took him a few seconds to recognize the tall, blond figure. »Are you spying on me?«

Björn only shrugged. »After Ýri brutally turned me down, I had nothing else to do.«

Now Hanzo also realized the red remains of a hard slap on his cheek. »You!«, he snarled. »You will never touch her again!«

»Let Ýri be the judge of that«, Björn snorted. »But about the information this woman gave you … better keep it a secret for now. Sígurd still thinks losing his son was a mere accident … «

Hanzo nodded in agreement. »Knowing the opposite would break him completely and a furious, up-rearing snake is easier to behead. That's probably why Widowmaker told me about it … to finally get her hands on him.«

»But at least Leif should be warned … «, Björn muttered thoughtful.

»Who is Leif?«, Hanzo instantly wanted to know.

»Sígurd's brother. He is handling the clan's business in Norway with Sígurd being away now«, Björn explained.

»Fine. Off you go. I really like that idea«, Hanzo couldn't suppress saying.

»No. Not that fast. Not now.«

»Why not?« Hanzo wished for nothing more than to get rid of this Viking.

»Ýri still needs me«, he silently replied.

»She won't come to harm, I will make sure of it«, Hanzo tried to convince him.

»But she rather needs a friend then a watch dog! Especially this time of the year!«

Hanzo glared at him confused. »What do you mean?«

»It is this time of the year her mother and brother died. That, Christmas ahead, a bad-tempered father, a non-caring guardsman and far from home? She needs someone to be there for her.«

»Shut up, your talking makes me sick«, Hanzo snarled leaving the Viking standing there.

He directly headed back to the White House cursing himself for his own foolishness and blindness. If I just knew how to be a friend … goddammit, I have not the slightest idea …

He crashed through her door without knocking. Her head shot up from shock and surprise. Tears were still visible on her pale cheeks and her eyes were reddened. Nothing could have prepared him for that. Seeing her in such a broken state made something ache terribly within him. Without a word he took her into his arms. She just felt so small and fragile, but warm. Her scent somehow reminded him of a forest glade flooded with sunlight and she fitted into his embrace as if made for it – a strange, but pleasant feeling.

»You are still here«, she whispered against his chest.

»Why shouldn't I?«, he asked softly.

»Well, the way you stormed away … «, she began.

»Was just stupid«, he finished the sentence for her. »And I am sorry. I should have trusted you. By now I should have known, that you wouldn't go behind my back.«

»Don't blame yourself, Hanzo. It is alright.«

»It is not«, he replied. »I should have been less ignorant. I should have taken better care of you.«

A weak laugh escaped her. »Caring about someone is not exactly a special trait of yours.«

»And you never learn to listen to me«, he awkwardly smiled back. »You are even more stubborn than a dragon.«

She finally looked up to him. Her tears haven't dried yet, but she seemed much better anyways. »I am barely listening to anyone, so don't bother.«

»Not a chance«, Hanzo glared back challenging.

»So you think you can make me listen?«, she asked with a sly smirk.

»Of course«, he answered with a proud growl escaping him.

»Maybe we will find out about it«, she laughed before quietening down again. »Given you are staying with us long enough … «

»You did not manage to drive me off yet, so it is safe to say, you won't succeed in the future either«, he somehow tried to assure her – but mostly himself.

There was her smile again. »I knew it. You have a good heart after all.«

»You are probably the only one thinking that way.« Still it gave him hope that he would be able to change for the better.

»Of course, I know what you have done in the past, but I came to trust the man I got to know«, she whispered.

Hanzo could just stare at her, speechless.

»And just for your information: I did not break up with Björn only because I wanted to accompany my father to Washington. It was also because things somehow did not feel right with him. Nevertheless he is very persistent … «

»Let's just forget about that«, Hanzo muttered. He refused to waste another thought on the tall Viking. »So? What now?«

»I could surely find us some old-fashioned board game. What do you think?«

»You and your obsession with non-digital things«, Hanzo laughed. »But no objections. Want some tea as well?»

»Yes, please.« She got out of his hold in search for the game.

Hanzo looked after her for a few seconds. Today he learned something else: He would not just be unable to kill her, but also unable to betray her faith in him.