"Hanzo never let us stay anywhere for more than a few days. He made sure we were constantly moving, and he was sleeping with one eye open. But there was one place he always had to visit. He stubbornly returned every year no matter how much I told him just how dangerous it was..."

You and Genji had made camp on the outskirts of a village, you were on the road to Genji's home. To your home. And you were telling him about those years on the run with Hanzo after the fall of the Shimada clan.

You continued, "...he always dragged us back to Hanamura, no matter how far we were or how high the risk. Every year we were together, we'd return, on the day of your death, and pay tribute. I could never hope to even guess at what Hanzo was thinking, after that fateful day he was a stranger..."

Genji's eyes stared blankly into the fire between you, as if in it he saw the images of the haunting memories you were regaling him with. He looked confused, hurt, and angry.

"It is nearly the anniversary of that day. If he's still insisting on travelling there, this will be the best chance you have of seeing him again..." You finish, glancing worriedly at Genji's face.

Genji remained quiet. Legs crossed and looking as if he were caught in a trance, his eyes never wavering from the crackling flames before him.

"Genji...?"

"I- I don't understand him. When he...killed me. I remember my brother having a look in his eyes as if he were dealing with a stranger. Someone he did not love or even recognize."

Genji's words stoked an anger in you that you had not felt in a long time, "He's selfish." you growl, "I bet he only returns because he hates that he was caught, he regrets killing you but only because it ended up not being much of a benefit." You spit, angry and spiteful.

The three of you were as if family when you were children, and then as adults, many things were complicated of course, but you never lost sight of the love you had for them, they were your best friends, your family when you had none.

And being with Genji now, witnessing the full extent of what Hanzo had done to Genji. Hearing the words that Genji had for you, the love, and the fact that Hanzo nearly took that from both of you.

You hated him all the more for it. If he wasn't beyond forgiveness in your mind before, he certainly was now, you couldn't fathom the strength that Genji must have in order to go through with this. To want Hanzo to also stand by his side now, when he never has before.

Genji stared down at the ground, watching the flames throw lights that danced and flickered on the dirt.

"No, he was lost. And he was alone. I was not there for him when he needed me and so he grew up too fast. I understand your anger, I was angry for a very long time..." Genji's eyes flicked up to meet yours, a glimmering with a slight smile, "...Do not blame Hanzo, there is still good in him, even now. Forgive him, as I have. I was absent before, but I have realized that Hanzo must have felt as alone as I did. And I have learned much and so I hope that he will let me help him now."

You exhaled a shaky breath, "Hanzo and I...we did not part on good terms. We exchanged some...very heated words. I am not sure if I should be there when you speak with him."

Genji chuckles warmly, drastically changing the mood of a moment with a single smile. Typical.

"Have hope, I'm sure it couldn't have been that bad. After all he killed me, obviously you fared far better in arguing with him."

You rolled your eyes with a guilty look, "Well, words can be...fairly devastating... I might have said something along the lines of..." Taking a deep breath, you prepared to spit out the partings words you had given Hanzo, "'You destroyed everything your family worked for, betrayed what little friends you had and murdered the only person could have possibly found the strength to forgive you for it. You're a monster, a hopeless monster and I wish it had been you.'?"

Genji blinked, and you cringed, embarrassed at hearing those poisonous words out loud without a hint of the anger that drove you to say them.

And of course, Genji was probably right, you had never thought about how Hanzo felt, or what he thought, you had never thought to ask. We were all too busy focusing on young Genji, putting more and more pressure on Hanzo as the older brother. And he had shouldered the burden without question, if he was lonely or stressed, he never showed it the way Genji did. But that didn't mean he didn't also need support, need to be understood. And that realization made you feel like the monster... Perhaps patience would have been the best path to choose, and forgiveness would have been more effective than such an angry outburst, perhaps these are the choices you can still make...

Genji's masked covered only the back of his head and his neck now, and he ran his fingers through his hair, a humbly resigned look on his face, "...You were obviously very angry, those are...very harsh words. I know you did not mean them but...I will not force you to face Hanzo if you do not wish to." You stare at Genji with a guilty expression, you feel like apologizing to him for some reason, it was the brother of the love of your life that you said these things to. It was an old friend you had said such things to...

But Genji calms your fears with a warm, forgiving smile, "In your defense, my love, even I don't see myself reacting any differently if I had faced him so soon afterwards."

You felt relieved that Genji wouldn't think less of you for being so aggressive towards his brother. You were nervous about the possibility of seeing Hanzo again, but you thought to yourself that if you were given the chance to see him again...you might want to apologize. To tell him...you were sorry for not trusting him, for not supporting him when you should have. If you had gotten to him in time, you might have been able to talk some sense into Hanzo, and kept him from straying down such a dark path.

It was getting late now, and you were only a few days away from the shrine, it was time to lay down to rest, and prepare for what would inevitably be quite the awkward family reunion.

...

It was a little more than awkward...you sorely underestimated both Hanzo and Genji. Ganji had tried his best to approach Hanzo calmly, but he of course was still wary of any and everyone who approached him. You couldn't blame him, there was a time where you too assumed that everyone was out to kill you.

Their fight was admittedly difficult to watch, you couldn't help but be pained by the fact that Hanzo was trying to kill his brother...again...

But eventually Hanzo was still long enough for Genji to get a few words in, but when it seemed like Hanzo was going to once again turn him away...you emerged from where you were waiting.

"You should listen to Genji, Hanzo..."

Hanzo turned quickly, his darkly lined eyes quickly filled with a look of surprise. But a bitter grin quickly settle onto his face.

"Two ghosts in one night..." He started slowly, "Now I am certain that I am cursed."

"If you are then it is a curse that you brought upon yourself, and one that you can lift, if you only join us."

Genji's eyes dart between you and his brother as Hanzo lets out a mocking laugh, "It is no surprise that you have been easily sucked into the ridiculous dreams of my brother. You always seemed to have a weakness for him..."

Hanzo's words were resentful and bitter, you felt your blood boil but you forced yourself to remember what Genji had said...

"Kage..." Genji called to you warily, worried that you might let your anger get the best of you and attack Hanzo.

"I am sorry that I was never there for you Hanzo. I am sorry that none of us were. We left everything to you with the assumption that you would always say yes without argument. I am...sorry that you never had the privilege to argue, that we took that from you..." You speak from your heart, and with more genuine compassion than you were expecting, you are inching closer to Hanzo as you speak and you hope that he won't recoil away from you.

Hanzo slowly absorbs your words, becoming more and more shaken with every letter, he swallows, and gives up a shuddering breath.

He slowly shakes his head as he starts, "You think I am some weak whelp like my brother? You think that I was overwhelmed by the honor of upholding my family's name? You think that when I was busy being the leader my father always wanted me to be that I was actually daydreaming about a life spent running merrily through fields of flowers?" Hanzo is sneering at you, laughing bitterly, "You two are exactly the same. Small children with no intention of ever growing up!"

"Hanzo!" Genji yells, "It was not weakness, what you felt back then, it is not weakness, what you feel now. We only ask that you give yourself a second chance. Please brother..." Genji pleads, but Hanzo only grips the shaft of his bow in rage, his knuckles white from the force of it.

"You two are fools... To think that you could come to me and ask me to join your crusade, as if I am some starry eyed boy just waiting for the chance to save the world..."

"That's who you were once, Hanzo..." you offer, stepping as close to the bowman as you can, placing a hand on his chest, "And we hope that boy is still in there somewhere..."

Hanzo's eyes are suddenly filled with a sadness, a sadness you had only seen once before, when the council had asked him to kill his brother...and you saw the regret, but only for a fleeting moment, before his forehead creased once again in anger.

"You called me a monster, Kage... you said I was unforgivable...that it should have been me in the ground... Why would I want to go anywhere with you?" his eyes flicker to yours, seething.

"I never should have said those words Hanzo, I should have stood by you, I should have helped you when you were confronted with an impossible choice-"

"But you didn't! You left me. You were the only person I had left that I could trust and you left me. You left everything to me. Even after...you ran away with me and in the end, you left me once again."

"Hanzo-" you started, attempting to rein the situation back in but it was too late.

"Wait. Kage, what is he saying...?" Genji suddenly butt in.

Your eyes frantically searched Genji and Hanzo's face, you were searching for a response but there was nothing you could possibly say that wouldn't make this situation worse...

Hanzo gave a low chuckle, "You did not tell him. Did you? Typical. You care too much about what Genji thinks of you, On'na senshi."

"Kage...?" Genji slowly turns to you, his eyes red and glistening, "Tell me it isn't true..." Genji's voice cracks slightly and your heart breaks all over again, swelling with a pain that was almost worse than when you first heard he was dead.

"Genji...you have to understand. It was just us two, for years...and I wish I had never-"

Hanzo bristles at your words, but decides to not say a word.

"No, Kage. You do not need to explain yourself to me, I just- I am...going to need some time to understand all of this. Please, let's leave."

"But- are you sure?-"

"Yes, Kage, please. Come let us leave my brother to think on things."

You look to Hanzo, and then to Genji, you notice that Hanzo is looking at you almost expectantly...and you feel as if you had a choice to make. But the choice was simple...

"Goodbye, Hanzo." you whispered.

You stepped away as Genji gave his parting words, "Please, think about it, brother... You- you will know where to find us..." he forced out.

You took your leave alongside Genji, leaving Hanzo alone with his thoughts. But Hanzo was angry, Hanzo was so used to being alone that he couldn't help but feel like it was too late for him..."Do not count on it..." he whispered through gritted teeth...

You were mortified that Hanzo had revealed what he did, then again he didn't know that you and Genji were now together. You felt like you were being too testing on your relationship with Genji, you were sure he would want nothing to do with you now. But what had happened with Hanzo was...a mistake. It was something that never would have happened had you not been on the run with him. But...that didn't mean that you didn't care about him. You could never say that you didn't love Hanzo, but, the way you loved Genji, that was different. Of course that was different. So you still hoped Hanzo would join you, so that neither of you would ever have to leave him alone again...

...

"Genji, please talk to me..." you muttered over the rhythmic galloping of your horses.

Genji sighed deeply as he rocked side to side atop his steed, "I am sorry, my love. But I cannot-" Genji shook his head, forcing his gaze onto the road ahead as he kept a steady pace," I cannot stop thinking about you and my brother...together..."

You felt horrible, you needed to find out what to say to make everything better, even if there was nothing, you had to try. You took your horses reigns and flicked them so your horsed galloped infront of genji to stall him, forcing him to look at you. He looked at you in confusion, but at least he was looking at you.

"Listen to me. I love you...and I love your brother but-" Genji gave a blow of frustration, "I said listen, Genji... I love your brother, but you, I am in love with you." Genji's eyes finally managed to settle comfortably on you, coated in awe and sadness, "...I have always been in love with you. And when you died, it was the hardest thing I ever had to face. I was lost, and alone, and then I was chased out of my home. I felt unsafe, I was being hunted, I was always on edge. And Hanzo...Hanzo was the only one who shared my pain and this, we were both at our weakest, and I was blinded by that."

Genji's horse was still, and he sighed deeply once more, that seemed to be the only noise he had been making in regards to you, "Back at the shrine, when I asked to leave my brother, for a moment I thought you might choose to stay with him..." he whispered, a pained tone in his voice...

"I will always choose you, Genji." you stated with conviction, "I care about your family, but you are the one I want to be with. I need you, I want nothing more than to be with you, and if steering Hanzo in the right direction is your wish, then I will help you fulfill it."

Genji chuckled, albeit a bit bitterly, "You are still quite the Samurai, Kage. Even in love..."

You followed suit and laughed inwardly, "Some things are hard learned, and not easily forgotten. Being around you has reminded me of my convictions all the more..."

You stared into Genji's eyes, searching for forgiveness or understanding, and...you found it. Genji hadn't become distrustful after your encounter with Hanzo, but it was a shock. He knew he couldn't blame you for your reaction to his death, or your reaction to being forced out of your home. You had lost everything, how could he blame you for trying to create something to hold on to. Something to bring you comfort. Even if that something was his brother.

Genji decided that instead of letting his jealousy drive you and him apart, he would make sure that you would never again be in need of anyone else but him.

Genji flashed you a gentle smile, "Come, On'na Bugeisha. There is a city not far from here, and from there, we can find transport that will take us to the Overwatch facility."

"Right." you responded, giving him a disciplined nod. Once he was ahead of you, you let yourself heave a huge sigh of relief.

You cared for Hanzo, and always would. He was a man who carried a heavy burden, and had made a grave mistake, the consequences of which he will always suffer from, and because of this you had sympathy for him. You understood him.

But Genji was a man with whom you had never felt more at home, or safe with, he was a promise of better things. He was your redemption, your best friend, he was the one who understood you.

Yes. if it ever was a choice. It was always him. It was always Genji.