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. Some parts are for mature audiences only.

INFORMATION:

Surprise: We managed to finish the new chapter in time after all. On top of that the first two chapters of the story have been edited as well. So feel free to check them out again.

As always a big thanks to our beta-reader Caucasian Commando. :)

Chapter 31: Confusion (Hanzo x Ýri)

The cool mountain breeze made the hut's door squeak and he jerked up in his sleeping bag. Different horror scenarios were already rushing through his mind. He looked down to the floor on his left side and froze in shock. Her sleeping bag was empty.

He ripped his own bag open. »ÝRI!« Of course it was foolish to think her safe in an abandoned hut in a forest in the middle of the Canadian mountains far from public!

Hanzo grabbed his Stormbow, blew the unnervingly squeaking door open … and felt even more stupid … there she was. Down at the river she was practicing the fighting moves just as he had told her the evening before (even though she first talked back to him, stating her movements were perfectly fine and he, Hanzo, was just too finical).

Hanzo let the bow sink until it thunked to the ground and leaned himself against the doorframe, simply watching her from afar. One day you will cause me a heart attack and a bald head at the same time, little bear. I cannot afford to lose you …

He tried to shake of this sudden thought along with the softly flittering feeling in his chest. But despite all his efforts it only seemed to get stronger and more persistent. Hanzo sighed helplessly and his thoughts took an even stranger turn.

One of his dragons seemed to snigger silently. I have never touched a woman before. Never in that way, he thought slightly uncomfortable and even more insecure.

While watching Ýri working on her movements, he kept wondering. His eyes wandered up her slim, but after all the months of training now strong, figure. Now his look was resting on her cleavage for a second. When he realized it, Hanzo forced himself to rise his eyes upwards instead, but it didn't get better there.

Somehow her neck seemed even more appealing. His dragons started buzzing through his head so wildly that it gave him a migraine. A few pearls of sweat started to form on her soft skin glistening in the rising morning sun.

How would it feel to touch her there with the tip of his finger? Or his lips? Or simply burying his teeth into that delicious soft skin of hers right there …

Goddammit, she is my student! My ward!

His only friend on top of that! The closest thing to family he had! Everything he had left in this rotten world … would it be worth risking that now just because he started seeing her in a different light? And even if, how should he proceed for now?

She is beautiful, isn't she? Just perfect …

Both his dragons purred in agreement.

We don't deserve her though. We don't deserve one bit of that. Not even a little place in her far too kind heart. Not after all we have done …

One dragon detached from him and before Hanzo could have called it back, it already settled around her shoulders with deeply content purrs. Damn snakes …

Ýri stopped and raised her head looking straight into his eyes with her piercing emeralds. It was as if she could see right through him and a light shiver ran down his spine.

Oh gods, how much he wanted to reach out for her, to pull her close to him and feel her body in his arms, her soft skin against his … he shook his head to get rid of these thoughts, which were troubling him in shorter frequencies every day … and night …

»Will you finally join me or will you just continuing staring at me?,« she asked him.

Hanzo reddened a little. His dragons' instincts went havoc. He rather wanted to throw her down, hover over her, rip her clothes away and … no, no, no. Stop thinking, stop thinking … I won't force myself onto her like a wild animal! Especially because he did not know how.

»Hanzo?« She watched him with a confused head tilt.

»H-huh? Oh! Yes … « He steeled himself again, locking his heart away from those emotions, which he did not understand. »You could use every bit of practice after last week's disaster in that damn brothel … «

»You will never drop that, will you?,« she glared at him while tickling the loudly purring dragon on her shoulders under the chin. »But just to remind you: You are the one who fucked it up by running into it and ruin our plan.«

»This plan was bullshit. Completely suicidal,« he hummed back.

She squared her shoulders. »Nevertheless you agreed to it … at first.«

»Mhm. What was totally foolish. Now get into position,« he commanded. »Hand-to-hand combat. We have to focus more on your weaponless fighting skills.«

»Yes, master,« she replied in a drawly tone.

Hanzo frowned nevertheless. »Don't call me that … « It awakened far too dark memories, which he preferred to forget.

»Sorry,« she whispered, but after one second a mischievous gleam entered her eyes and before Hanzo knew what happened, he found himself on the ground.

»You! Come back here, you wicked little bear!« He jumped back to his feet chasing after her.

»You are too slow for me, old man!« she shouted back over her shoulder and vanished between the large spruces.

»Whom are you calling old here, greenhorn?!« Hanzo was cluelessly looking around.

The Shimada had to admit that Ýri was much better in using the wild environment - similar to her homeland - to her advantage. But the cracking of a branch made Hanzo look up and gave her away. A louder crack followed and the Viking landed directly on him with a surprised shout.

»I am sorry!,« she said unable to stop laughing.

»Mhmm, sure you are …,« Hanzo hummed, but couldn't suppress the small smile.

Suddenly she was completely quiet and a very serious expression appeared on her face.

»What is wrong?,« Hanzo asked confused.

Ýri did not answer and just continued to look down at him with strongly determined and fearless eyes. Slowly she leaned deeper down towards him and Hanzo could hear his heart pounding hard against his chest like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. Inch by inch her face got closer to his and Hanzo felt paralyzed. Gently, almost careful, her nose brushed along his until her soft lips met his own. Hanzo closed his eyes in amazement.

So this is how happiness must feel like …

When she broke her kiss, Hanzo opened his eyes again. But he could neither move nor speak. His head felt totally empty, but in his chest a balloon of pure joy seemed to swell bigger and bigger, so that it almost hurt.

Ýri now looked at him as if she was expecting something … waiting for something to happen. Her former serious expression turned into confusion first, then she seemed rather shy and insecure. Hanzo tried to say something. To raise his hand to her beautiful face, but he couldn't. His arms did not respond and his throat was dry.

Hastily she got off him. »I-it seems like there is a storm coming. W-we should get back.« She did not look into his eyes again and her voice sounded so disappointed, almost hurt.

But Hanzo was still unable to do anything. He heard her walking off, while he could only continue to lay there and stare into the darkening sky with both his dragons buzzing through his head like very excited bumblebees. Did this really happened or am I just dreaming? His dragons were not helping in this. One was already flying off after her.

The sky above him become dark and thunder started to growl. It needed the first cold drops of rain to free him from his numbness. Carefully he sat up and after all the hours past, he was convinced that it must have been a dream. It was surely just an accident. Ýri would never do something like that on purpose. That was ridiculous.

The remaining dragon gave him an angry fling with his tail.

»Hey! What was that for?!«

The large blue snake glared at him and showed his sharp teeth while lowly hissing.

»What got stuck in your ass, huh?« Hanzo started shivering due to the strongly increasing rain shower. »Whatever. We really should get back, you dim-witted snake.«

The dragon gave him a very offended look and rushed off in the direction of the hut. Hanzo followed him with an irritated headshake, but when he arrived there, the hut was empty.

»If that stubborn girl wants me to chase her again, she can forget about it,« Hanzo muttered while huddling himself into a blanket.

»Get down here,« he told the dragon, who was flying restless circles over his head. »She is okay. Your brother is with her and would let us know if she is in danger.« The beast was simply ignoring him.

Hanzo sank back against the wall with a sigh. Of course, she will be back. I did not do anything wrong, did I?

For a short moment he thought about starting a fire, but he somehow got lost in his thoughts again. The darkness grew larger around him. Hanzo could almost smell the blood. His brother's motionless face was a pale point in all the black.

»HANZO!«

He shrieked up, scared to the bone. »Ý-Ýri …,« he stammered confused. »I-I … where … ? How long … ? But Genji … !«

»Shhhh. I am here she softly whispered and an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

»I-I just … saw him lying there … and all the blood … on my sword … « Despite that he slept and rested the whole day, he suddenly felt incredibly weak and tired.

She pulled him into her arms and Hanzo was finally able to breathe easier. »You are completely soaked,« he suddenly realized.

»I am fine,« Ýri replied, trying to cover the sound of her chattering teeth.

»You are soaked and cold.« Hanzo did not allow himself to be deterred by her and forced himself out of her embrace. »Take those wet clothes off, we need to warm you up again before you get ill … «

She gave him an irritated look and then turned her back on him to follow his command. Hanzo immediately threw a blanket over her more to cover her from his eyes than to keep her warm. But even then, she did not stop shivering.

Wordlessly Hanzo got a small campfire going in the fire place and with some long seconds of hesitation, he pulled her close against him.

»W-what are you doing?,« Ýri's voice sounded alarming and her body went stiff like a poker.

»Warming you up,« was his dry reply while Hanzo did everything to avoid looking at her directly. »Now sleep.«

He heard a loud sigh from her, but she cuddled closer to him nevertheless. After a few minutes, he realized her breathing become more silent and frequent. Sleep, little bear, he thought while gently stroking over her back. I won't let anything happen to you.

The buzzing sound of Ýri's com woke him up the next morning, but before Hanzo could react on it the call was ended already. He was unable to move anyway with her still peacefully sleeping on him. Hanzo felt the small smile forming on his lips. He could see the sunlight finally breaking through the clouds and hearing the song of some mountain bird.

It won't last long, it suddenly struck his mind and the smile vanished. But maybe I can make it last, he thought, now more determined.

Once again Hanzo did not know what has gotten into him. The kiss was there in his head again and he still felt her lips on his. But that did not make him feel less helpless. Carefully he let his fingers stroke through her curls. A silent sigh of comfort escaped her and she even huddled herself as close against him as possible.

»What did I just do to deserve you, little Viking?,« he asked himself and gently loosening her braids while the morning sun gave it a golden gleam.

»Don't stop,« he heard her suddenly whispering, almost giving him the next heart attack.

»W-what?,« he replied, feeling caught.

Slowly she raised her head and her emerald eyes were piercing him once more. Her face was so close that her nose nearly brushed his. Hanzo did not know how many minutes went past, but he felt paralyzed like the day before. He couldn't move at all.

Ýri did not do anything either as if she was waiting for something. Then she sighed deeply and got off him. Her stern expression had turned to obvious disappointment. One of his dragons covered its eyes with its tail and the other gave Hanzo another angry fling with it.

Goddammit, what shall I do?! Hanzo pushed of the blanket to go after her, but the com started buzzing again.

»Jesse?,« Ýri answered totally surprised. »What happened?«

A long, long silence followed and minute after minute passed before Ýri let the com sink. Her face was unusually pale.

»Ýri?,« Hanzo asked, already knowing that something was terribly wrong. »Ýri, what did he say?«

»I have to go!« She run past him starting to pack her things in an urgent rush.

»Ýri!,« Hanzo stepped behind her. »Tell me, what happened!«

She did not react.

»Ýri!« He seized her arm and turned her around for her to face him. Her cheeks were wet from tears and her hands were shaking. »What happened?«

»M-my family's estate…,« she whispered. »It was … someone … during the night … «

»Calm down and tell me what happened,« Hanzo insisted.

»Someone started a fire during the night! My little brother … my uncle … « She broke free from his hold. »I have to find them!«

»Ýri, we cannot go there!,« Hanzo shouted. »You know the risks!«

»I PISS ON THE RISKS!,« she yelled back at him. »THEY ARE EVERYTHING LEFT OF MY FAMILY!«

A short sharp pain cut into his heart. And here he thought that he was somewhat part of her family as well … »Where is the estate?,« he wanted to know nevertheless.

»Near Stavanger,« she replied.

»Given they have survived, do you have any idea, where they might be hiding?,« Hanzo went on.

»Yes,« she weakly nodded.

»We will leave in five minutes,« Hanzo stated.

She stopped her packing and looked back at him. »Really, Hanzo?«

»Of course. I will stay with you and nothing will keep me from doing so,« he answered in a softer tone. »Let us go home.

[Next chapter on 15th October.]