"What the hell do you want, ingrate?" - Gabriel 'Reaper' Reyes

...in which Gabe is being difficult, Hanzo learns that Baptiste was once part of Talon, Cole comes to Hanzo like a kicked puppy for stress relief, and Hanzo confronts him about it.

CHAPTER WARNING! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) x2

A/N: If some of Baptiste's dialogue here sounds eerily familiar to you, that's because I stole a huge chunk of it from the Baptiste Origin Story. Pls watch it if you haven't already bc it's so good. Easily my favorite aside from Sigma's and I just adore Baptiste.

I also have no idea if Baptiste ever met Reaper or if he left beforehand, so feel free to correct me if you know.

COLE

The debriefing was to take place shortly after arriving at Gibraltar and throwing Gabe into a confined prison cell of sorts. One with nearly transparent windows. Nanotech ensured he couldn't get out, so in other words, no one had to stand guard. That didn't stop Cole from heading down there beforehand. An hour had passed and so Gabe had the time to cool down.

Naturally, he had tried to break free from the cell earlier. Dissipating and reappearing. Cole knew because there were cameras, and like a wounded animal, inhuman growls had emerged.

He didn't know why he found himself there. Not really. Not like he had informed Jack, either. Yet Cole doubted he would have an issue with it as he was trusted with this much. When first joining up with Overwatch, Jack didn't take him seriously - justifiably so - but things had changed. Back then, he was angry. Petulant. Not cooperative by any means. The Deadlocks had created that cynicism.

Back turned, his mentor stood perfectly still when Cole stepped across the threshold after the door whooshed open.

Gabe cracked his neck. "As if the day couldn't get any worse," he said, shooting him a gaze over his shoulder as Cole sauntered up. Spurs having given him away. "You look ridiculous."

"Looked in a mirror lately?"

"What the hell do you want, ingrate?

"Talk. That's all. You see... a friend told me you're gettin' rusty."

"You don't have friends," he said, Cole practically feeling his scowl beneath that mask. "I'm not an idiot, cabrón (dumbass.) Sombra never fooled me. She rarely did her damn job anyway."

"So you let us grab Sigma."

"What, are you surprised? It's only a matter of time before that lunatic snaps. You did us a favor taking him off our hands."

"...or maybe 'cause there's somethin' good left in ya."

...and Gabe just laughed. Low and gravelly as his shoulders shook. Almost echoing. The chill that went down the length of Cole's spine only added to the turmoil deep in his chest as he stared down his mentor. Gabe had always been the stoic type, and yet now, he could only see bitterness. That mask didn't make it any easier to pinpoint his state.

"I taught you everything you know."

"Not everythin'," he replied, pausing "...and this ain't Blackwatch tactics at play. Cozyin' up to make you lower your guard and spill whatever Talon's been up to? Truth is... it ain't too late, Gabe. Folks here care 'bout you."

Gabe grumbled. "You can't be serious."

"Afraid I am. You gave me a second chance once. Only seems fair I return the favor. Doesn't have to be this way, Reyes."

"What's your problem?"

"My problem is I don't know what the hell happened to ya," he replied, teeth gritted as he stepped up to the glass. "Always been a hardass, but this? Talon? The Reyes I knew wouldn't stoop this low 'cause he had the spine to go his own way... and what were you thinkin' lettin' O'Deorain experiment on ya? It's 'cause o'her you're in this goddamn state to begin with."

The scowl deepened. "You've been spending way too much time with Jack. The boy scout has rubbed off on you. Since when have you been afraid to get your hands dirty? You've gone soft, kid. It's gonna kill you."

"I'd rather die on my own terms than let myself go as you have."

A brief silence followed.

"Was that all?"

With a sigh, Cole averted his gaze. He didn't have the mental state to deal with this. At least not yet. Unable to stay there any longer, he turned on his heel, and left the room.

"Message received," he muttered.

Cole had no desire to get to the debriefing, but in his attempt to avoid running into anyone, he saw a strange sight. A conversation he couldn't hear between Hanzo and Brigitte. What in the tarnation would those two have in common? Hanzo was stoic and aloof. Brigitte was bubbly and kind. Frankly, the former struck him as a guy who would go out of his way to avoid such personalities like hers. Kids in general. Yet how Brigitte was enthusiastically scribbling down whatever a - shockingly enough - slight smiling Hanzo was saying seemed to suggest otherwise.

It took some time, but Hanzo was certainly warming up to the team. Men, women, boys, and girls alike. Yet he was just as stoic as ever. Even when cracking jokes. Hell, he couldn't even tell if they were jokes with his deadpan deliveries. It was at that point that he knew for certain that he had been wrong about Hanzo all this time.

He told himself he simply didn't have the energy to be angry with two people simultaneously - Gabe and Hanzo both - but the truth was that he hadn't been outright angry with Hanzo in a long time. Frustrated, yes. Not angry. He would have to apologize at some point.

Hesitantly ignoring what he saw and trying to recollect his thoughts, Cole managed to slip away.

HANZO

Not only had Ziegler worked for a week almost without rest to create a solidify substance - allowing them to capture Reyes - but Overwatch had no desire to interrogate him. That said, said substance wasn't permanent. It only lasted a few minutes before it got out of his bloodstream again being why he was first strapped to electrical wires. It had forced them to act fast and it was impressive that they managed it at all. Hanzo recognized that the experience of Morrison and Amari showed. Even more so during the debriefing.

"I, for one, think that Gabriel is lost," came Amari's voice, sitting opposite him "...but for those that I care for, I am willing to try." Her wording was as if whomever she was referring to wasn't present. Cassidy, perhaps. His usual seat was empty. "I only hope it is not a mistake."

Visibly jittery, Augustin's leg was bouncing up and down despite being leaned back. Hanzo knew as he sat next to him. His own arms crossed.

"I never knew Reyes well - we didn't talk much - but surely he can come back from this life if I did."

A light was shed. Augustin had been Talon. This was news to him.

Amari let out a small snicker. "Not easily, young man. Your situation is different. Gabriel knows what he is doing and he has done a lot of damage whilst knowing exactly that."

"So did I, ma'am. After a time. There is hope for most of us."

"Sometimes I admire the youth's optimism," she said with a sigh, shaking her head. Amari looked to Morrison. "As I said, I am willing to try."

This Reyes had been an elusive figure up until his capture. Someone that was nearly impossible to know where was. What he was doing. Him being at the base where de Kuiper was located - and in Nepal - was merely a coincidence.

Hanzo indeed knew that Reyes was told to keep an eye on Colomar, but that didn't mean they were in close vicinity of one another at all times. Not even close. His orders applied to mission scenarios more than anything to ensure that she wouldn't pull any tricks as Colomar didn't attend their inner council meetings. Those only consisted of Reyes, a 'Moira O'Deorain,' Akande, a 'Maximilien,' and a 'Sanjay Korpal.' Intel that Colomar had generously shared. With Null Sector involved, attacking one of their main bases wasn't in the cards.

It would've been difficult even without the omnic extremist group's meddling.

Until his recent capture, they could do nothing but wait for intel to pop up or run into him in some way, and now they had him. Colomar was willing to play ball as she claimed Reyes knew too much already. In her own words, getting rid of him was doing her a favor, and so she didn't provide any obvious assistance preventing them from pulling it off.

O'Deorain's notes - being the one responsible for Reyes' condition - had been incomplete. Lacking crucial details as Colomar had only scrambled up what she could find. The rest did the geneticist keep under lock and key. Notes that hadn't been available digitally or even physically. Even so, Ziegler had enough to work with. It was obvious that this meant a lot to her. At times, he took note of how Genji even had to pull her away from her lab to get some rest. The bags under her eyes were distinct just like Hanzo's were below cosmetics to appear more awake than he was.

He approached Augustin after the debriefing. "Augustin. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, brother. How can I help you?"

"You said you did not know Reyes well, and yet, you believe he can return from the shadow. Why is that?"

"Ah! I have been there. I've done things I'm not proud of. Time to start making up for it. Overwatch sounded like a good plan," he replied, open to sharing. "30 million orphaned children. I was one of them. The omnic war robbed us of our choices. To survive, you did what you had to do. Steal or starve. Kill or be killed. You help your friends and hurt anyone who got in your way. If you hungered to rise above your circumstances, then when someone offered you a hand-up - even the devil - you took it. It wasn't complicated. At least that was the lie that I told myself."

Hanzo was briefly stunned. "You were a victim of circumstance."

"That is one way to put it, yes... but I don't pretend like that was my only choice anymore. That is never the case. The truth is... I had choices... and I made them. But when you think you're a big man, it's hard to admit that you are not a brave one. Even harder when you understand that making a living is not enough. You must make a difference."

"You believe Reyes made such a choice."

"I do, my friend. The little I saw of him - again, it wasn't much - but he always creeped me out. In a way like he was trying too hard to perhaps fit in. He wasn't unpleasant unless you egged him on in any shape or form and left me alone. Very dejected and angry. Kind of like you, come to think of it. You just don't creep me out." Augustin let out a laugh then. "Now that is funny." Hanzo frowned lightly. Let the words sink in. Augustin's voice pulled him back into the now. "'Thank you, Baptiste.' Oh, you're welcome."

"What?" he asked, before realizing he had been staring off into nothing. Hanzo grew flustered. "Oh. I... apologize."

Augustin just grinned. "Easy, brother! Sarcasm! I thought you had heard of it!"

"Of course I have," he replied defensively, growing more flustered.

"You're all right, Hanzo," he said with a returning chuckle, clapping his shoulder. "You look like you have a lot on your mind. I'd recommend bed rest, but... nobody has time for that. Now, I'm not a psychologist, but if you need to talk... I am here. I offer bandages, bullets, two ears, and devilish charms. For some, that is enough."

"I do not require such, but... you have my thanks."

"Anytime," he replied, giving him finger guns as they parted ways.

It was obvious that Reyes was more than just an old Overwatch commander. People here cared about him. Yet Hanzo didn't pry.

Uncertainty crept up within him. He had learned much since arriving here. Only today had he learned that Augustin was once part of Talon, and yet, was accepted into Overwatch's ranks as an equal. The same could be said for de Kuiper. Surprisingly, he learned the astrophysicist had been among the people to assist Ziegler on the solidify substance even if not being part of Overwatch operations. Colomar had been more than helpful. Clenching his jaw, he came to realize that Cassidy and Genji weren't the only ones believing in second chances.

Perhaps he had been wrong. Maybe it wasn't a hero complex at all and instead a genuine sentiment. Either that or everyone in Overwatch had the same vision of grandeur. Whatever it was, to offer Hanzo the same was foolish. He didn't deserve it.

This he knew.

Three days later was Hanzo almost surprised to see Cassidy in the practice range as he hadn't seen him ever since returning from the mission. By no means had he been looking for him, but in the end, the cowboy was difficult to miss. His getup and the sound of spurs alike gave him away. He was peppering training bots with master precision. Cigar between his lips. Stetson shadowing his eyes. One might think that it compromised his line of vision, but it didn't seem to be the case.

Since his first day with Overwatch, he had been impressed by Cassidy's skills with a gun. Only Amari and Morrison rivaled him while no one else even came close. Today proved no different.

That didn't change that something was off.

There was more anger in his movements and overall presence. Taught muscles. Bitemarks on the cigar revealing he had used more force than usual when chowing down on it. A form of fidgeting, he assumed. Cassidy seemed unable to sit still for long despite his usually relaxed exterior. The past few days, he had been like this. Hanzo could only imagine that it had something to do with Reyes.

"Howdy."

Hanzo gave him a small sound of acknowledgment and went about his separate business.

As always.

One thing was to have a known terrorist in a holding cell in the same building you slept in, but Overwatch made sure Hanzo knew it went deeper than that. He knew that Reyes was an old Overwatch agent. One of its founders, one could say. Yet that was as far as his knowledge went.

Cassidy seemed more perturbed by the ex-Overwatch agent than anyone else. At first, Hanzo assumed it was because of his supposed 'I protect my people' attitude - that he would be extra careful to keep an eye out - but he could see through it. Especially after the cowboy was so accepting of de Kuiper and Augustin who were still with them. Frankly, it was only Hanzo that he had been suspicious of and that was after learning about why Genji was a cyborg. So it wasn't that. Somehow, Hanzo knew. He supposed he saw himself in him to some extent.

It was as if he knew Cassidy better than he thought. Not just his body. At a subconscious rate.

Two hours. Then three. On the fourth and final hour did he take note of the pair of eyes now on him. Arms crossed above his chest, a few meters off, Cassidy had his arm propped against the wall as he watched him fire the last arrow from his quiver. They knew each other's schedules. Cassidy, in other words, knew that Hanzo's was just now ending.

"Gunslinger."

"Archer. Got a few?"

That could only mean one thing. "Hm. Fifteen minutes. I will find you."

With a half-hearted nod, Cassidy released his arms and left him to pack up from his training. For them both to step into separate showers. This was a known ritual at this point.

He realized he could ask him directly about Reyes, but if their positions were reversed, a conversation - in all likelihood on the very thing he tried to get stress relief from - would be the last thing Hanzo would want. He might have his gripes with the cowboy, but boundaries were to be respected. Whatever Cassidy was dealing with was none of his business unless it affected him in some form or another. It suited him just fine to stay out of it. One could say especially since he had noticed the change in Cassidy's behavior towards him.

Less hostility. More numbness. As if he'd gotten past their previous disagreements.

Cassidy wasn't friendly, not really, but less likely to start an argument. He would partake in them, certainly. Just not start. Meanwhile, Hanzo still found himself harboring a mild distrust for anyone that wasn't Genji. Only in bed did he relatively manage to push that aside. Cassidy's - what appeared to be - naïve nature. His possible hero-complex. Cassidy, on the other hand, had clearly become apathetic to him.

He punched in the code to the cowboy's room. They had traded them at some point for easy accessibility and yet neither entered unannounced. The closest thing they did was knock, no words needed, and then they did what they came there for.

What met him on the other side was a lowly lit room. Yet not enough to impair the vision. Natural as it was past midnight.

Cassidy was standing by a table half-filling a glass of whiskey. Mostly turned away from him with bottle in hand. He was out of his combat attire whilst sporting a simple red flannel shirt - sleeves tastefully pulled up to the elbows - and a pair of grey sweatpants. Barefoot. The shirt was loose around his shoulders as it was likely he hadn't bothered to button it up after the shower. Cassidy didn't look up as he addressed him.

"Want one?"

"No," he replied as he squinted in suspicion, Cassidy nodding and taking a sip. Hanzo's amber eyes averted as he approached. "I sincerely hope you did not call upon me for frivolous conversation."

Cassidy let out an almost apologetic chuckle. "No offense, darlin'... but I reckon you're the last man I'd go to for that."

The answer was pleasing enough, but as Cassidy opened his mouth again, he didn't get the chance to finish his thought. He let Hanzo grab the glass out of his hand without argument. As he did, Cassidy had hesitated before shaking his head, turning to face him fully. His flesh hand now free found refuge on Hanzo's hip. Hot lips were soon at the left side of Hanzo's now craned neck for access as the glass hit the table surface. Because of it, he didn't have time to truly take in his toned chest and abdomen. Yet he did see - and feel - enough.

Bodies pressed together, it was revealed firsthand that Cassidy wasn't wearing underwear. How crude, he mused, yet pleased he wouldn't have to wrestle with another layer. He wasn't as fit as Hanzo was, but above average, the sight pleasing. He hadn't seen him with this much skin on display. That was how quick their escapades were as anything else was unnecessary.

Nevertheless, it had been distracting enough for Hanzo not to immediately notice the change in pace.

This wasn't like their usual encounters. The ones consisting of pushing and pulling. Instead, Cassidy was gentle but firm. Slower. His metallic hand was on his other hip side as his flesh one found the bottom edge of his tight-sitting shirt - a black low-cut turtleneck - and caressed skin on the way up. The gesture sent a shiver down Hanzo's spine in return. Stopping only just beneath his pec. Hanzo's right clutched the fabric above his triceps. It had been long since anyone had treated his body with this much care.

He was always the one to control the pace, and as a result, it had been quick the past ten years. To the point without delays. The pace reminding him of his more serious relationships, he seethed at how much his body craved it.

In an attempt to regain even a semblance of control, he grit his teeth and forcefully claimed his mouth. What it resulted in was an almost startled - albeit muffled - sound from Cassidy as he bit down on his lower lip. Not enough to rupture the skin. Smoothing the area out with his tongue after to taste that same whiskey again before pressing into a welcoming mouth as tongues met.

He caught up quickly with the tempo to match his and so Hanzo backed him to the bed until shins encountered its edge. Lips parted as Cassidy sat. Throwing a leg over his lap, Hanzo followed until he straddled him, metallic hand now having traversed up his other side. Taking the hint, Hanzo pulled his own shirt off over his head and chucked it aside.

Cassidy's pupils were blown under heavy lids as he looked at him. Light a bit better than they were used to. It was darker those times.

Strong arms came around his waist, keeping him in place, Cassidy peppering kisses down his torso as far as he could reach in their current position. Slow. Deliberate. Hanzo sucked in a breath at the attention as confusing thoughts scurried.

Having had enough of this unexplained behavior, he one-handed palmed Cassidy's exposed chest and pressed his back into the mattress resulting in a frustrated grunt from the man below him. One metallic and one flesh hand came to Hanzo's thighs in reflex as if catching himself from falling. He kept his grey eyes pinned - Hanzo's own hands moving to ball into fists propped up on his thighs - and sat regal. Not once before had he stopped to glare down at him and Cassidy's expression was puzzled to reflect it.

"Cease this," he warned, the expression before him somehow getting even more confused. "You are treating me like a lover."

Cassidy side-eyed him. "That against takin' it slow, huh?"

"For what purpose would you require such a thing?"

"Didn't sign up for a Q&A, Shimada," he replied, sitting up without any rush whatsoever. A muffled sound of small effort escaped him as he did. Hanzo remained, lifting just slightly to accommodate to the new - more comfortable position - for Cassidy's lower regions. "I'd rather just grab a drink if you're not up to it tonight. Works just as well. Less healthy, though." He followed up with what he believed was deadpan humor "...but if we're still followin' through, I reckon you're gonna have to do a whole lot more to distract me. Only got yourself to blame for that."

Distract him? he mused, amber eyes narrowing. Curious wording.

So this wasn't just lust, after all. Cassidy sought his company as a distraction. Despite having a feeling there might be more to it, he never directly made that conclusion, but now it stood before him.

Front and center.

Hanzo took a chance. "This is about Reyes."

"Hold up, now. Not now and not here. A man's gotta have rules."

So there was truth to what Zenyatta said about their 'sun-kissed friend' refusing his counsel. What he knew now for certain, however, was that it involved Reyes. Part of him wanted to say that he didn't 'owe him' anything as Cassidy had demanded he 'do more' to recompense. Yet he could read the room that Cassidy really didn't want to talk about this now specifically. Hanzo had theories. So he respected that.

"Are you in possession of lubricant?"

He couldn't imagine what Cassidy meant with 'more' if not for that. Nevertheless, the expression before him was quizzical. Surely Cassidy knew what it was used for even if he didn't take personal use of it? It shortly dawned on him, though. So his features relaxed again.

"Right. Not what I had in mind, but... that works. Can't say I mind if you wanna skip the foreplay," he replied, Hanzo holding back an amused sound. How predictable. He couldn't deny the cowboy had charm despite silencing the thought. "Second drawer." Why would he have one at hand if he didn't use it? Reaching for said drawer - the grip on Hanzo's thighs tightening as if to assure he didn't fall - Hanzo pulled it out as well as one of the condoms there only to be left more confused. Recently bought. There was a closed-off hesitation on Cassidy's side. "For the arm."

The prosthetic. It made sense. He knew there was something called prosthetic lubricant that prevented friction where metal and flesh connected. No lie was detected in his voice, either. They were also lucky to mostly share the same size as he looked at the condom packet.

"Hm."

"I doubt it's Greek to ya, though," he said, only to see Hanzo's expression. "Right. Thought those legs o'yours were prosthetics."

"They are not. I have... delicate... ankles."

"Delicate?" he repeated, a chuckle in his baritone. "Now, ain't that just the cutest goddamn thing?"

Cute. That was certainly a term he never imagined being addressed as. Flustered, Hanzo grunted. He was nothing but thankful when Cassidy had mercy on him. Probably because he didn't want to trap himself into talking about more private matters. Hanzo's own brows drew tighter together. He couldn't help but indirectly ask even if it was a personal topic.

That said, Cassidy wasn't exactly the shy type. Just one that wasn't interested in talking about the past in any way, shape, or form. At least not his own past. Not to mention that he had been more open tonight. Less apathetic and more approachable. Hanzo didn't know why.

"Surely you have had offers."

Cassidy cringed. "Ain't no shortage of that. Don't exactly have time for that kinda thing, and when I do, it ain't necessary. I'm content keepin' it simple," he replied, revealing them to be more kindred spirits than he thought. It kept happening. Hanzo had mixed feelings about it. "With that outta the way... I don't mind it even if it sure as hell ain't most guys' forte, so go ahead. Just lettin' you know it's been a while. I'm a bit rusty."

"In that, we are the same," he said, putting the items on the nightstand.

"Still a 'no' on takin' the slow route?"

Hesitating, Hanzo averted his eyes - closing them - his brows still tightly knit. It wasn't unpleasant. Far from it. He supposed it wouldn't hurt.

"You may proceed."

"Much obliged," he replied, reaching up and pulling Hanzo's hair tie loose. Dark locks fell to his shoulders. Were their roles reversed, he would do the same, but Cassidy was rarely seen with his hair up. Only when not wearing his Stetson. That meant during missions requiring him to dress up, sparring sessions, if he was fixing something, or if Hanzo ran into him at nighttime where neither of them had stayed in - or gone to - bed. His own quiet contemplation must've shown as Cassidy addressed it. "Easy. I ain't proposin' anytime soon. Count on that."

Hanzo pushed him back down with yet another grunt. "Insolent cur."

"...and yet you're still here."

"Quiet."

He claimed Cassidy's hesitantly smug half-smirking lips - palms pressed into the mattress on each side of him - before he could respond with whatever smartass remark he had next. Something he could endure for their mutually beneficial agreement.

True to his word, Cassidy indeed kept it slow, and he enjoyed it more than he would think. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised that Cassidy was a gentle lover. Whatever distraction this was, he clearly wanted it to last to keep his mind off of everything else. It had been long since Hanzo had done anything aside from simple blowjobs and hand jobs. Dreading how slow he could possibly take this, he was pleased to learn it wasn't that slow. The way Cassidy bucked up hips into his - Hanzo muffling an undignified sound as he lifted briefly in response - was proof of it.

It was the kind of pace focusing more on comfort than release.

Whatever changed, he wasn't sure, but such a thing was nothing to complain about. Nevertheless, Hanzo wasn't blind to what that motion emulated. So he made it abundantly clear by lightly pressing his forearm to his throat and ghosted lips against his.

"What part of 'I am not the one doing the riding' did you not understand?"

Cassidy puffed a strangled laugh. "So you're allowed to talk, huh?"

"Yes," he replied, response curt as he pulled down his sweats.

"Now, that ain't fair."

Mismatched hands back on Hanzo's thighs after Cassidy was separated from the fabric, they moved down to just above where his knees began, shivers prickling down. Cassidy grew bolder and took a firm grip to swap their positions. Lower regions pressing together. Half-hard. Nothing but Hanzo's toraichi trousers and briefs separating them.

The red flannel above tickled his torso as a mild annoyance. Not standing for that, he gripped both sides, Cassidy repositioning to almost sit for him to pull them down over his shoulders revealing scars. Bullet-shaped and knife-shaped alike.

Shirt tossed aside, Hanzo's hand dragged across the exposed skin and muscle while Cassidy dove back in to his neck offered freely, heat emanating from between their bodies as Hanzo's soon grip on his nape kept him in place. His other moved down to take him in hand resulting in a muffled grunt. Cassidy's wet mouth on his neck was replaced by a forehead on his shoulder blade. Breathing starting to grow labored. They would both be panting and covered in a thin layer of sweat at this point had it been any other night.

Patience wasn't his strong suit, so where it not for the pleasure having built up within him regardless, he would've walked.

There was no use denying it. One could call this a welcome digression. Neither could he deny that Cassidy's now gentle handling was something he found himself undeserving of. It was easier when they hated each other, but now, he assumed he was being treated as one would a stranger at a bar had you a bone of decency in you. With respect and care. Frustrating was it that Cassidy should've hated him still.

Naturally, those thoughts had him put more force into his movements. Biting down a tad too hard. Offering little cooperation. He could feel frustration bubbling up within Cassidy in response. It started off as taking out pent-up aggression on each other. Now it was a distraction.

Cassidy really was dealing with something deep in his core to warrant it.

Perhaps, for once, Hanzo would stop being selfish. Just give him what he wanted. Leave him to decide the pace.

Once realizing what he was doing, Cassidy sprang into action.

The kiss was slow. Languid with only a hint of urgency. He was taking his time. It was only when Hanzo began to respond accordingly that Cassidy sucked in a breath through his nose as if to ground himself before pushing harder. As if he was longing for something like it. Again did he impress him with his tongue work. Grazing the inner edges of his mouth. Lips soft but insistent. One of his reasons for coming back was the half-haze he always ended up with. Again did he deny how much he craved this form of attention. Not from Cassidy in particular. Just something like it.

Pace only picked back up when they were both prepared and Hanzo was thrusting into him from above. Cassidy surprisingly quiet throughout the ordeal as he had expected him to be the loud kind. Just the occasional grunts and swear words.

"Satisfied?" he asked as he sat and Cassidy returned his elastic, recalling back to when he had been holding Peacekeeper.

Cassidy let out a frustrated huff. "Jesus, Shimada," he grumbled, rubbing the caruncles of his closed eyes with a thumb and forefinger. His brows tight. Still exhausted from their session as Hanzo began to dress. He was nearly done - in the movement of pulling his shirt back over his head - when Cassidy spoke up again. "I don't get ya. Not even close."

"The purpose of this is not to 'get me,' gunslinger. As for whatever you are dealing with, I hope you can find peace, as you should."

Ignoring the stunned expression on Cassidy's face - one that he could swear morphed into one of mild guilt - Hanzo gave him a bow and left the room without looking back. He didn't know what else to do as Cassidy had refused to talk. At least here.

A/N: Cole "I fucked up Hanzo is actually a decent - albeit prickly - guy" Cassidy.

For anyone wondering, Hanzo was talking with Brigitte about poetry, where the latter was asking for advice. That topic is also why Brigitte was so enthusiastic talking with Hanzo in ch. 5 (...as that was when she learned he used to be a poet.)

Hanzo: "Perhaps today, the dragon will be sated."

Brigitte: "That was so artistic! Are you a poet, too?"

Hanzo: "I was, once. Now I seek peace in other ways."

Brigitte: "Still sounds pretty poetic to me."

Also... Hanzo's literally described in the Wikia as having 'delicate ankles' and the wording is so damn precious to me... and ofc Cole doesn't want to talk about Gabe - his father figure - in bed.

me to Hanzo: Read the room. How would you feel if he brought up Genji? Immediate turn-off.