Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The sea stretched endlessly, reflecting the last rays of sunlight. Everything was calm at Gibraltar. And it was in moments like these that Cole enjoyed sharing the silence. Because it was hard to feel uncomfortable in the kind of silence the ocean brought.

The smoke from his cigar drifted away, though not from his breath. The cigar simply burned on its own, and that was enough for Cole. He had been told countless times to quit, mainly by Angela, who constantly reminded him that his performance could improve if he simply gave up cigars and cigarettes. But it could not be doing him that much harm if it was more of a distraction than a frequent habit.

And because the silence was so overwhelming, Cole did not react when someone sat down beside him.

"I thought I was being quiet." remarked a voice that sounded somewhere between a man and a machine.

"Why don'tcha just admit ya would've silently had yourself a good laugh if I'd jumped like ya were hopin', Genji." Cole answered the voice.

"You are always far more clever than people believe you are, Cole."

Cole finally looked at the man who had decided to make his presence known. "A compliment for lil' ol' me? Or is there a 'but' comin'?" Cole watched Genji remain silent and understood that a smile was hiding behind the mask.

"’Well’ is more appropriate, especially accompanied by ‘sometime’."

Cole rolled his eyes, smiling anyway. "Is there actually somethin' ya wanna tell me?"

Genji lightly clenched his fists. Nothing alarming, but something clearly weighed on his mind. "Hanzo returns tomorrow."

"Mh." Cole replied simply, lowering his hat a little further. His shoulders relaxed, and the cigar was abandoned to Mother Nature.

Genji watched Cole. Seeming to see what nobody else saw. "He... forgot his phone again." Genji said while looking out at the sea.

Cole chuckled softly. "Reckon that explains why I ain't gotten a reply in three days."

"I did not know he normally replied." Genji remarked, his curiosity suddenly piqued.

"Well... I started countin' 'seen' as a reply. Truth be told, it ain't most oftha time much different face-to-face than it is on a screen." Cole answered simply, earning a sincere laugh from the half-cyborg.

"You should invite him out for a drink when he comes back." Genji suggested. "And, maybe… you-"

Cole cut him off. "Ya know me too well, Genji. If ya think I ain't already thought about it... but I never think about controllin' myself, so the night ends in a blackout. I don't remember what we were doin' or what we were talkin' about."

Genji placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let him drink. Do not drink. Thank me later."

Cole laughed. "Hey now, you're askin' the impossible." They remained silent for a minute. Just watching the vast and boring sea. "I ain't always understand your brother..." Cole began, catching Genji's interest. "One time, during a mission, we were waitin' for a signal. We'd been sittin' there for about three hours... and outta nowhere he asked me what my blood type was."

Genji held back a laugh.

"Nobody's ever asked me that before... so I didn't know what to say. Hell, I didn't even know my own blood type." Genji seemed to be waiting for a punchline to the story. "And it wasn't until we got back that I realized he was completely serious ‘bout it."

"Yeah... that is actually a pretty common question in Japan."

"Seriously?" Cole asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yes. We have many beliefs regarding compatibility between certain blood types. Some people even believe it can determine a person's character, and romanc-..."

Genji stopped himself, seemingly deciding not to continue before saying too much.

"I don't understand all that..." Genji sighed with relief. "But... that day made me wanna get to know it. So I asked Angela." Genji waited for an answer to a suspenseful pause far too long for the actual importance of the information. "O negative."

"Oh..." Genji exclaimed.

"...Is that good?" Cole asked.

"...It explains quite a lot." Genji answered simply.

Cole sighed, sensing something strange about Genji. Not that he was normally agitated, so the fact he was freezing in the time like a status was not any indication, but he normally talk too much for is own good. "Why do ya feel so... bleh? We're talkin', but y’ain't seem to have the same energy."

"...Hah?"

"Don't 'hah' me. I know darn well somethin's botherin' ya." Cole pointed out.

Genji remained silent for a few seconds. After repeating 'nothing at all' several times in his head, but had admit few minutes ago Cole was not that dumb that he looked like, he finally answered. "I... had a conversation with Hanzo before he left for the mission."

Cole knew Genji. When he stopped at a sentence like that, it meant he had no intention of finishing it. He sighed. "Well... if ya want me to be the only one talkin', that's fine. I'm the greatest storyteller around." Cole declared without any real pride.

Genji snorted. "Or the worst at spinning yarns ever."

"Hey now, what's that supposed to mean?" Cole asked, pretending to be offended.

Genji made no effort to hide his amusement. "I still cannot believe you were actually elected mayor."

"I never wanted to be mayor."

"Exactly!"

"It was these boys... these fellas from a gang. I met ‘hem in a bar, and I was a lil’ drunk. I ain’t know how, couldn’t remember, but politics topics had started. We’d bet. I was never much for politics. But I was convinced that a good chunk of folks who hated politics would vote for somebody makin' fun of politics."

"You truly grew up in a strange culture." Genji remarked. "Remind me of your campaign promises?"

Cole smiled. "Ban meetings before ten in the mornin'. Make one fishin' day mandatory. Replace all the grey cars with green cars ‘cause there’re not enough shades o’ green."

"And- replace all official portraits with photographs of dogs." Genji finished for Cole, seeming to remember that speech more than the others.

"Yeah..." Cole began, somewhat embarrassed. "Problem is, I wanted to prove people would vote for me. I didn't expect to actually win the election."

"So... did that gang had considering that you had won the bet?" Genji asked, realizing he had never actually asked that question.

"Yep. But they’d lost all ‘hem money after drawin' a dick on every poster of me as candidate and gettin' caught. Even I didn't know ya could go to jail for drawin' on election posters."

Genji placed a hand on his visor. If he had been capable of, he probably would have had a migraine.

"It was hell..."

"I can imagine." Genji replied, caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation.

"Yeah? Free room and board, gettin' paid, but in exchange bein' watched, ordered around, and forced to fill out forms all day long... over one damn bet?"

"It is true that I can much more easily picture you solving problems by shooting targets than by solving city's problems with paperwork." Genji remarked with amusement.

"Had to find a way outta there." Cole continued.

"I did not know that story had a continuation." Genji remarked, though Cole did not seem to care about the observation.

"I found a way past security. And I had to disappear from that town. Not exactly easy when your face is plastered everywhere."

"It is not as though you are unfamiliar with that." Genji added, earning a knowing laugh from Cole.

"So I found a train and snuck underneath it." Cole continued.

Genji blinked once. Then a second time. "You are making that up."

"Maintenance compartment." Cole explained.

"...Hah?"

"The T-79 models used on certain minin’ lines have a maintenance compartment beneath the third carriage. It was the only way I could get aboard without bein’ seen by either the townsfolk or the workers."

"You are telling me nonsense. How could you possibly know that?"

"I didn't. But I spent six hours down there."

Genji opened his mouth, but no words came out. He looked completely ridiculous, though it was not as if Cole could see him anyway.

"Let's just say I had plenty o’ time."

Genji suddenly pulled out his phone and appeared to start researching. After several minutes during which Cole failed to understand the kanji on the screen but did recognize a mining train, Genji opened his mouth once more.

"Wah! Uso!"

Cole seemed amused by the reaction. "And that's when I decided to come back to Overwatch."

Genji looked at Cole as though eye contact were possible between them. "The last time you said it was when Winston did the recall."

"That's true." Cole replied, eyes fixed on the sea while Genji refused to look away, analyzing him.

"And before that, you said it was when Fareeha asked you..." Genji continued, unconsciously leaning slightly closer.

"That's also true..."

"And one time you said it was when you felt bored."

"...Yeah."

"So then... which when is accurate?" Genji asked, both annoyed and genuinely curious.

"Reckon it depends on the day ya ask me." Cole answered, much to Genji's dissatisfaction. Then, after a minute of silence during which Genji seemed completely lost in thought, Cole added, "And also when Jack promised he'd do somethin' ‘bout the bounty on my head."

Genji turned toward him, placed a hand on Cole's shoulder, and nearly sighed. "One day, my friend. One day."

Silence.

"...So... what did ya and Hanzo talk ‘bout?"

"Have a good evening, Cole. I will see you tomorrow."

Cole found himself alone.

The door opened, and the man who stepped through it immediately regretted coming.

"A survivor returns from that never-ending battle. So? Is it settled? Did it finally reach a conclusion? Do we finally have our answer about who's riding who?" exclaimed a young woman dressed in tight blue and pink clothing.

Genji, having barely completed his unfortunate entrance, tilted his head to the side.

"You wish to know my brother's sexual position in bed?" he translated, based on how he had interpreted the question.

Hana finally straightened up from her sprawled position on the couch where she had been staring at her phone.

"Everybody wants to know that, LOL."

"Yup." confirmed another young woman wearing fox-themed pajamas.

"...No."

"...No."

Genji and a young Brazilian man answered simultaneously, while Hana and Kiriko seemed to disapprove of the two boys' answers with their expressions alone.

"Wait, wait, wait... you can't seriously tell me there's not even a tiny bit of curiosity in you." the young celebrity argued.

Genji thought for half a second. "No." He answered

"I'll admit I've wondered about it before... but not enough to actually care. I mean, I don't know... it's their life, man. Sometimes you just gotta stop digging, you know?" Lucio justified himself before receiving a thoroughly bored look from Hana. "Hey... I'm just saying!"

"Regardless..." Genji began before walking over to the coffee machine and pressing the hot water option. "I promised Hanzo I would not tell." he finished, placing a tea bag into a mug before setting it beneath the stream of water.

"And yet you had no problem telling the entire base except the person actually involved." Kiriko pointed out.

"It was a lot to handle alone..." Genji admitted, both hands resting on the small table, his face aimed toward his feet as though the earth might collapse beneath him at any moment. "But now I no longer have to endure that frustration by myself." he added, straightening completely upright as though life itself had returned to the world.

"And it’s a genuine tooortuuure!" Hana threw both hands over her face and let her head fall backward.

"So if I understand correctly, you still haven’t told Cole that Hanzo has a crush on him, right?" Kiriko asked, likely already knowing the answer, and Genji's silence confirmed it. "You do know Hanzo is stubborn as hell, right? Tight-assed, with an ego the size of a building?" Kiriko continued. "There is absolutely no way he would ever set his pride aside and confess his feelings to Cole. And Cole is never going to believe by himself Hanzo is even capable of feeling something as gentle as love."

"I know. But I think he is mostly afraid." Genji answered for now.

The three questioning looks he received left him no choice but to continue. He picked up his cup, removed his mask, and sat down with the three younger agents.

"He believes he does not deserve such happiness."

Hana was about to ask ‘why?’, but immediately closed her mouth again after opening it, not daring to say a single word.

Genji continued. "So he does not allow himself that right... and I am afraid that if Cole finds out and attempts to grow closer to him, Hanzo will distance himself."

"Man... that's kinda sad, bro." Lucio remarked.

"And if that situation occurs because I revealed too much, it would hurt all three of us. So... believe me, I am the first person who wants to tell Cole, but the last person who wants to see him suffer."

Silence.

"He is a grown man." Kiriko stated, drawing everyone's attention. "Cole can survive heartbreak." she concluded.

Silence, again.

"I may not be..." Lucio stopped, looked at Hana, who looked back at him somewhere between curiosity about what he was about to say and confusion over why he had suddenly stopped talking and started staring at her. He subtly cleared his throat. "A-a romance coach... or super experienced or anything, but I think I get what Genji's trying to say."

Both girls stared at him as though challenging him to continue.

Lucio realized he had to explain. "I mean, yeah, Cole's an adult, but that doesn't mean he can't get hurt. Having to work with someone you love who's actively trying to pull away from you... that's rough. And then watching your best friend suffer because you talked too much? That's rough too."

Genji looked both relieved and delighted that someone understood his perspective, while the girls seemed considerably less eager to argue with the young Brazilian.

"Boooring." Hana said as she picked up her phone again and resumed her sprawled position on the couch.

"Well... tomorrow will be another perfectly normal day with nothing special happening and absolutely zero progress. Woohoo..." Kiriko concluded.

"...Urgency recovery?"

"Yes. Hanzo is required to remain in isolation for an urgency recovery." Angela repeated to Cole.

The room was warm. The morning sunlight had already begun to heat the white office where the doctor's desk stood. Yet despite how still everything was, Cole's hands could not stop trembling. His fingers were interlocked, and his hat sat low enough to hide his eyes. Still, Cole remained calm.

"The mission was a success... however, there were complications that led to consequences. Fortunately, Ana reacted quickly, but the damage had already been done... so Hanzo..."

Angela's voice was no longer communicating in the same language inside Cole's head. Like background noise that was present, yet something you learned to ignore. Never in his few past decade had Cole believed he would be capable of loving again… more precisely fell for someone again like in his youth. Of smiling for no reason whenever that someone was nearby. Of constantly looking toward the same place in the hope of seeing the one who made his heart skip a beat. Of dreaming, and seeing his face during the most intimate moments with a certain member of him. Of deliberately sitting beside him and hoping to catch a smile after a well-placed joke. Would he ever get the chance to tell him? Should he have already told him?

No, Hanzo’s not death… couldn’t be, wouldn’t be, Hanzo is-

"Cole... are you listening to me?"

Cole snapped back to reality, looked at Angela's face, which genuinely seemed worried about him, and then stood up. "I… I think I need a lil’ time." he announced.

"The aphrodisiac compound should stop affecting him by tomorrow. Therefore, Hanzo will be released from isolation tomorrow."

Cole froze, his hand suspended above the door handle. "The aphrodisiac compound?"

"...Yes?" Angela answered, confused, before a realization transformed her angelic expression into something slightly less angelic. "Were you listening to anything I said, Cole?"

Cole did not answer immediately. He was still not entirely certain he had heard correctly. "Hanzo... he..."

"Is perfectly fine." Angela finished, visibly annoyed before sighing and continuing. "When we entered that mission, we knew nothing about the location, the people involved, or what was at stake. Fortunately, Hanzo managed to secure the dangerous substance, without realizing it was an aphrodisiac. The problem is that it is an extremely advanced one, and more than that, unsealed. Had we known what we were supposed to recover, we would have sent Genji instead. He would have been immune."

Cole remained silent. Not entirely turned toward the door, but not fully facing Angela either. "So... Hanzo…"

"Is in isolation. If he comes into contact with another individual..." Angela paused for a second, slightly embarrassed before quickly recovering her professionalism. "He may attempt something that he would later regret."

Cole swallowed hard.

"And while I trust my colleagues, I do not want the behaviors induced by the aphrodisiac to create consequences for the team's harmony, and especially not for Hanzo's comfort."

Cole nodded.

Angela's eye twitched. She was clearly annoyed by something Cole did not seem to understand. "I would now ask you to leave my office."

So Cole exited.

He placed one hand against his forehead and the other against the wall.

"Shit..."

Cole stared at the floor, completely lost in a hallway he knew better than the back of his hand. A headache began creeping in, but Angela had seemed pretty clear when she said she did not want to see him again for the rest of the day. He would have preferred being out on a mission and never learning about this situation in the first place.

"Shit..."

He finally forced himself to keep walking, wanting at all costs to avoid being seen looking so miserable. Seeing a colleague emotionally wounded was one thing. Seeing one aroused was another.

Cole took a breath. Once outside the base, he allowed himself to light a cigar. He had gotten into the habit of not actually smoking them, simply letting them burn away on their own, but strangely enough, it was not having the same effect. It was supposed to calm him down, yet it was making him nervous.

"What the hell's gotten into ya, Cole." Cole muttered to himself. "It ain't like I'm gonna go see him..." he continued.

A voice crossed his mind.

What if?

Cole dropped his cigar, and the wind immediately carried it away. "...No." Cole answered the voice. "I can't. Not like this... he wouldn't want that." Cole preached the values of consent and genuine feelings to a certain part of his anatomy that, apparently, did not give a damn about philosophy.

Cole sat down on the ground. He did not have a second cigar to waste for comfort, and considering how useless the first one had been, he figured that was probably for the best. But if he wanted to survive the day, spending twenty-four hours sitting there staring at the sky was not going to get him good.

Eventually, he got back to his feet, and he knew exactly where he was going to spend the next twenty-four hours, or at least, most of the day.

"And then!" exclaimed a small, very small middle-aged man. "That was the time I dressed her up as a Christmas tree!"

"Mh-hm..." Cole replied, only half listening.

"And here, we were on a beach in Hawaii getting some sun, haha. I had to find shade real quick because the poor thing was overheating."

"Reckon so."

"And in this picture, we were celebrating her second birthday." Torbjörn let out a nostalgic tear. "That turret really is my baby."

Cole took a sip of his whiskey, then pointed at the man with the hand holding his glass. "Y'know... sometimes I almost forget Brigitte's your daughter." Cole remarked.

Torbjörn laughed honestly, not offended in the slightest by the remark and all its implications. "Do not misunderstand me, lad." Torbjörn began, his expression growing slightly more serious, though no less affectionate. "I love my daughter just as much as every other thing in my life."

Cole smiled. He repeated the words ‘just as much’ in his head, which, in his opinion, ought to have been replaced with ‘more than anything in the world.’ Yet even he could not bring himself to say he loved one thing more than another. It was simply a different kind of affection, depend on what it was.

"And besides, it would not do for Brigitte to die of embarrassment in front of all her friends because of her dear old father showing up!" exclaimed a man nearly twice Cole's size.

"Reinhardt! You brought the beer!" Torbjörn shouted with equal enthusiasm despite his smaller stature.

"My, how that little girl has grown." Reinhardt added.

"To me, she will always be my little girl." Torbjörn replied over Cole's shoulders from where the cowboy sat between them. At least Cole was fairly certain that would keep a certain part of him from making an appearance anytime soon.

"Little girl!? Ha! That is a good one, hahaha!" Reinhardt shot back, amused. "Clearly you have not looked at yourself lately!"

The exchange continued between the two men, but after a while Cole stopped listening. He looked down at his drink. He was used to drinking more, but usually while sharing the company of someone he particularly enjoyed spending time with. Not that he disliked Reinhardt or Torbjörn, but somehow he always felt much younger around those two veterans. Whereas with Genji... or Hanzo...

"And you, my friend!"

Reinhardt yanked Cole out of his thoughts. Cole was not sure whether it was the booming voice or the enormous hand slamming against his back that assaulted him more thoroughly, but he was now staring at Reinhardt, completely lost as to what was happening in the present.

"Where is your archer?" Reinhardt asked.

Cole nearly choked on absolutely nothing. Fortunately, his lips had not been touching the glass.

"W-what?"

"Hanzo! Where is he? He is not with you." The giant veteran looked around. "This is the first time I have seen you here with us and without your archer."

Cole took a sip of whiskey. It gave him an excuse not to answer immediately and allowed Reinhardt to continue the conversation himself.

"And besides, it is always hilarious when the two of you are together." Reinhardt commented, drawing more of Cole's attention than ever before. "You are constantly bickering!"

"Seriously, I have never seen two people spend hours drinking and verbally fighting, only to want to meet again the next day and do exactly the same thing." Torbjörn added.

Cole looked confused. It was true he never remembered what happened or what they talked about, but he had always assumed he was the kind of person who sought peace, even while drunk. Never an argument.

"Ain’t ya think tryin’ somethin’ different for once might do ya good?" Reinhardt suddenly said in an exaggerated, stereotypical Western accent.

The effect on Cole was immediate. Cringe. It even affected his breathing that seemed to be trapped somewhere even Cole could not indicated.

"Hah!?" Torbjörn responded to Reinhardt with an equally forced accent that sounded vaguely Asian.

Cole suddenly wanted to bury himself six feet underground.

"Hey, don't 'hah' me," continued the large German in the same ridiculous accent. "Every time, ya order the same damn sake... dontcha wanna try somethin' else for a change?"

Cole had never expected to hear other people's interpretation of his accent coming out of Reinhardt's mouth.

Torbjörn laughed. But not with his normal laugh. It was a dry snort through the nose, paired with a smile clearly intended to make someone feel like vermin. Despite looking nothing like him, Torbjörn imitated Hanzo's laugh as though he had heard it hundreds of times. And honestly, maybe he had.

"You Americans are incapable of fully appreciating what is meant to be your own essence."

Cole was impressed. And mortified.

"Hey now, I never said I'd replace definitely my whiskey jus’ to experience what everybody else is makin'. Hell I only said ya oughta broaden your horizons." Replied… Reinhardt? To... Torbjörn?

Torbjörn laughed a second time while Reinhardt adopted an aloof posture.

Is that… really how I act like? Cole wondered.

"You spend all your time celebrating diversity, you Americans. Yet you are also the ones who invented the concept of cultural appropriation. You invite people into your home only to force them into little boxes. You are losing your essence! What I see is not a country, but a giant shopping mall where everyone beats each other over the head trying to prove they are better, while simultaneously being forced to coexist."

Cole could absolutely hear Hanzo saying something like that.

"Ah, ‘cause your method is workin’ so much better?" Reinhardt began, and Cole genuinely feared what was about to follow. "Ya reject immigration to preserve your essence, and now ya sell more adult diapers than baby diapers!"

Cole pulled his hat down over his face.

Reinhardt laughed loudly, then smacked Cole's back in a friendly manner before returning to his normal voice. "You two, my friends, possess a remarkable talent for turning yourselves into a spectacle!"

"I am quittin' alcohol..." Cole commented, unsure whether that was a lie or not.

"But every time, you ended up laughing."

Cole lifted his head.

"Every time we thought we would need to intervene, you always seemed to be... genuinely enjoying yourselves."

Cole opened his mouth. Not to speak. He simply had no words. Hanzo and him? Laughing? Having fun? It was true he enjoyed Hanzo's company, but he could not remember ever seeing him laugh genuinely. Yet Hanzo had never rejected him. Not once. Sometimes Hanzo would turn away after one of Cole's jokes, but Cole had never been able to see what expression was on his face.

"And at this moment… I realized something..." Reinhardt suddenly said, serious now, though there was still something almost affectionate in his tone.

Cole tightened his grip on his glass. His knuckles turned slightly white.

"You were… both completely wrong!" the giant man declared with far too much enthusiasm.

Cole blinked, confused.

"Who cares of your essence when you are in Overwatch!" the man concluded.

Torbjörn seemed to agree. He nodded.

Meanwhile, Cole realized his heart was beating a little faster than he would have liked, but he feels a strange sense of relief.

Cole found himself alone in the bar. He had not touched his glass since the last sip, but he was not sure he wanted to. He tried to remember those moments, those conversations, and he could see certain images, but he was not sure whether they were actual fragments of memory or if his mind had simply started inventing them.

He finally loosened his grip on the half-empty glass and raised his head. Not for long. The golden lights of the room were not bright enough to burn his retinas, but they were bright enough to erase the image of Hanzo's smile, assuming it had been real. Then he thought back to what Reinhardt had said. When you are in Overwatch. It was true that when he looked at the members of Overwatch as a whole, they seemed like one large family, except each person carried a different culture, different beliefs, and while some preferred to preserve certain traditions, others evolved. Yet one did not prevent the other, and the thought alone almost made him blush.

Nevertheless, he eventually stood up, abandoning his whiskey. That was not like him, but the story had at least convinced him to stop drinking for the night. Tomorrow was another day.

Cole walked through the hallways. Thank goodness there was a bar inside the Watchpoint. That detail alone had probably saved him more than once from freezing to death drunk somewhere outside. Still, he felt something strange. Not the feeling of alcohol, but the feeling of a silence that was too present. As though something was about to happen to him. He glanced behind himself, and naturally, the complete absence of people forced him to conclude that it was probably all in his head.

Cole arrived at his door. Both feet planted on the rug, he brought his index finger toward the keypad to enter his code, then stopped. He might not have been the smartest man around, but he owed a great deal to his instincts, and those had never betrayed him. A draft? Cole heard a breeze beyond his door, as though a window had been left open, despite clearly remembering that he never had opening it in the first place.

He entered the code and opened the door. The window was wide open. Cole did not have Peacekeeper with him. He had never needed her in the Watchpoint hallways, but he knew exactly where she was.

Yet the moment Peacekeeper came into view, Cole felt someone seize his wrist. It took the stranger less than a second to slam him against the door. His cheek struck the metal, and the intruder pinned both of Cole's wrists with one hand before pressing a forearm against his back to immobilize him.

Despite the rush of adrenaline, Cole could not break free of the hold, which surprised him. Rare were the people who could match his strength. Up to now, only a few people in Overwatch could.

"Who are ya?... " Cole asked calmly, not wanting to alert the intruder to any potential danger, though calm was the last thing he actually was.

How did they get through all those security barriers?

"Good evening... cowman."

Cole's eyes widened. He would have recognized that voice among the eight billion people on Earth. The tension left his arms, but the adrenaline did not fade. If anything, it intensified.

"Hanzo?"

The moment his name was spoken, Cole felt something hit his back. It was neither painful nor sharp. It was soft. Cole felt Hanzo's forehead settle into the hollow between his shoulder blades.

"Hey... Hanzo?"

Cole could feel Hanzo’s breathing. Uneven, warm, loud. It sent shivers through his entire body, all the way to the backs of his ears. Cole felt his wrists slowly being released, yet he did not dare move. A knee slipped between his legs, bringing with it a subtle pressure against his crotch.

Cole swallowed. Hands appeared on either side of him, pressing against the door. Cole could not resist any longer. He turned around, grabbed Hanzo by both shoulders, and forced him backward.

"Hanzo, control yourself!" Cole pleaded, fighting every instinct telling him to throw himself at him.

And it became even harder now that he could actually see him.

His lips trembled slightly. His pupils were slightly dilated. His hair hung loose and disheveled. His white hospital gown exposed his shoulders and the beginning of his chest, and probably more if you look behind.

Cole froze before the sight. He had just told Hanzo to control himself, but he knew perfectly well that if he stayed in front of him for too long, eventually he would be the one who needed self-control.

Then a familiar voice crossed his mind.

If he comes into contact with another individual... he may attempt something that he would later regret.

Cole clenched his fists harder, though not hard enough to hurt the man standing before him. He gritted his teeth. Moments like these were exactly when he could have used some nicotine.

"Y’ need to go back to isolation... Han. Ya can't stay here." Cole insisted, silently thanking fate for sparing him from being drunk, because he did not know what he would have done otherwise.

And as Cole turned around, attempting to pull Hanzo along by the arm with the intention of returning him to isolation, he was suddenly yanked back with unexpected strength, ending up closer than ever to Hanzo's face.

Cole nearly lost his breath. His golden eyes met the dark eyes of the other man. He was used to seeing Hanzo stoic. Controlled. Untouchable. What he saw now was a desperate man. And it was not long before lips crashed against his own.

Cole did not reject him. He accepted the kiss, but he did not seem to return it. His eyes fought to remain open, fought against the temptation to surrender to the kiss, this, hell hot, damn soft, fucking dreamy demanding mouth, because he knew that if he did, he was going to lose completely.

"Han..." Cole began after finally managing to undesirably break the kiss. "Pull yourself together..." Please. The words remained trapped inside his head. Cole knew his own limits. "This ain't what ya want... simmer down. You..."

Cole stopped. Hanzo looked hurt. As though he had just been rejected. The sight nearly broke Cole's heart.

He repeated it to himself. It’s not Hanzo. It’s not Hanzo. It’s not Hanzo. It’s the aphrodisiac.

"You're gonna regret it... Han."

Cole watched Hanzo's expression change from wounded to teasing. He seemed... Amused?

"I have noticed something..." Hanzo began, his eyes shining. The pale moonlight filtering through the open window reflected within the archer's dark gaze. "...You keep saying that this is not what I want." Cole froze. "But you have not said a single time that you do not want it."

Cole recognized that tone. It was the one Hanzo used whenever he knew he was right. Whenever he was implying something. But Cole had never heard it mixed with desire. Not in this context. Not inside his room.

Hanzo stepped closer a second time. But Cole had reached his limit. He wrapped his arms around him and carried him backward with him. Hanzo's back struck the metal door, and Cole planted both hands on either side of his body. Their breaths mingled.

"I refuse to hurt ya... Han." Cole began painfully. "I'm beggin' ya... leave. It hurts seein' ya like this..." Cole finished quietly.

The door opened. Cole did not know what expression Hanzo wore, and that was probably for the best. His gaze fixed on the floor only allowed him to see the man's legs disappear behind the open door before it closed in front of him.

Now alone, he realized just how hard his heart was pounding. He placed a hand over it, clutching the fabric that covered his chest.

"I gotta pull myself together..." Cole muttered to himself as he approached his small nightstand. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from the drawer. God, it had been a long time since he had touched them, but he silently thanked himself for not throwing them away the day he said he would quit.

He sat down on his bed and lit one. Although he had gotten used to letting them burn on their own, he actually took a drag. Then, feeling slightly calmer, he finally stretched out and closed his eyes.

Did he really just let Hanzo leave...? Out there... free... Hanzo... under the effects of an aphrodisiac?

Cole shot upright faster than his own shadow. His eyes wider than they had ever been.

"Fuck!" Cole shouted, crushing his cigarette into the small ashtray and wasting no time getting to his feet and throwing open the door. He had hoped to see him there, standing outside waiting, but there was nothing. Just an empty hallway. Hanzo was really gone.

Cole clicked his tongue in frustration. He should have at least made sure he was somewhere safe, informed Angela... but of course not.

"I swear, Cole... if anythin' happens to him..." Cole muttered as he grabbed his hat and stepped outside. As he closed the door behind him, a realization struck. What could happen to him besides spending a night with somebody else?

It was not like having sex with somebody else is a bad thing...

Cole slammed his forehead against the wall. He knew that, and yet he could not bring himself to accept the idea. If it was one of his teammates, would he be able to look them in the eye? Would he be able to pretend nothing happened? Would he smile at them like usual?

Cole eventually quickened his pace. Checking every corner, every hallway. The bar was closed. Nobody answered from Hanzo's room. Nobody was in Angela's clinic. Everything was silent, everything was empty. Cole cursed incomprehensible swear under his breath.

What if Hanzo was outside the Watchpoint?

Cole stepped outside. It would be impossible to find him. If somebody picked him up? Took him home? What could Cole even do?

Nothing.

Cole let his back hit the large tree near the sea. He had to accept the fact that somewhere out there, some lucky bastard had stumbled across the man of his dreams.

He bit the inside of his cheek. Bitterly, he was glad he had managed to resist. How would Hanzo have reacted once he came back to his senses? Would he have hated Cole? Probably. Knowing him, he would have started keeping his distance. Avoiding him outside of missions. Turning down his invitations to grab a drink. Maybe, deep down, this was better. Better to know the man you love is in somebody else's arms than take the chance to never see him again.

"Looking for someone?" a voice called out from above.

Cole let out a hollow laugh. "I'm losin' my mind... hearin’ his voice up there now?"

Then the branches above his head rustled, sending leaves drifting through the air. What happened next made his heart stop for a fraction of a second. A man dropped down, appearing right in front of him.

"Han!?" Cole threw his arms up, only to stop himself at the last second, nearly pulling the man into an embrace.

"Your eyes tell me that you found what you were looking for," Hanzo teased, his gaze both playful and desirous.

Cole was speechless. Not only was Hanzo standing right in front of him, but his hospital gown was now wrapped around his waist, leaving his chest, stomach, and tattoo completely exposed. Not to mention the lust in his eyes, sign that Cole had never thought possible in the man.

Hanzo stepped closer to Cole and guided his hands to either side of his waist. Cole obeyed. Hanzo smiled. Then he pressed his lips against Cole's.

///

"...You are completely drunk," Hanzo remarked.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes... you are," Hanzo repeated, attempting to maintain his composure.

"...Maybe?" Cole admitted.

Hanzo sighed and set his quiver and bow beside the door of their hotel room.

"How did the scoutin’ go?" Cole asked, taking a sip of his beer, which certainly did not help his claim that he was not drunk.

Hanzo frowned. "The very fact that you are drunk tells me that you already know there is nothing alarming. I do not even understand why we are still on this mission."

Cole smiled. "I ain't gonna complain ‘bout a vacation in such fine company."

Hanzo deliberately ignored the comment and began removing the upper half of his kyūdōgi, only to stop when he felt a persistent stare fixed on him. "What?" Hanzo asked Cole, a hint of irritation in his voice.

Cole lowered his beer from his lips. "Ya know..." he began. "I always thought... well..." His eyes wandered shamelessly across Hanzo's bare chest. "I learned that yakuza only had tattoos on the parts of their bodies they kept hidden."

Hanzo let out an amused breath through his nose. "That is correct. And I suppose you are going to ask me why I do not hide mine?" Hanzo observed.

Cole felt his head tilt slightly to the side but fought against his drowsiness. "Nah..." he began, earning a surprised look from Hanzo. "Genji told me that fabric could affect the power of your spirit dragon."

Hanzo frowned, remembering that Genji and Cole had known each other longer than he and Cole had.

"Nah, my question is..." Cole straightened up, suddenly serious. "Well… so... are they..." Cole pointed toward his own groin, refusing to finish the sentence.

"Tattooed? On the penis?" Hanzo completed the sentence without the slightest embarrassment. Cole nodded. "Most of them are."

Cole looked even more curious, whereas Hanzo had expected disgust.

"That’s somethin’! Do ya think they feel more durin’… penetration? Like, are they more sensitive there?" Cole continued.

Hanzo blinked, then convinced himself that his shower could wait, and decided to sit on the sofa opposite Cole's. It was clearly not the most luxurious room they ever had, but definitely not the worst. As far as Cole was concerned, a double bed was enough, but Hanzo had been clear when he said he wanted at least two beds. So even though it was not much, the mini-fridge with complimentary beer, if you disregard the fact that they managed to finish all the beers in less than two nights, and the two sofas were a luxury that only few 3-star hotels could offer.

"That is a question I have never asked myself." Hanzo began. "However, if I were to formulate a theory, I would say that the ink has no direct impact on the nerves. It does not alter the nervous system, nor the vascular system."

Cole did not realize that he had become completely absorbed by Hanzo. His relaxed posture on the sofa, his arms resting on each armrest, his beautiful chest, his lower body, his voice.

Hanzo paid it no mind and continued. "An erection is simply a rush of blood under pressure filling spongy tissue, whereas a tattoo is merely ink introduced into the surface of the skin. Even if penetration means the skin of the penis constantly rubs against the partner's inner lining, this is not what stimulates sensation. " Hanzo concluded before finally meeting Cole's gaze.

Cole looked troubled.

"W-what?" Hanzo asked, before realizing the cause of the sudden change. A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "What are you? A teenager?" Hanzo teased, glancing at Cole's obvious erection.

Cole made absolutely no attempt to hide it. "Hey now, ya can't blame a man for somethin' he can't control."

"The judge rejected that excuse when it was presented by the assailant," Hanzo joked.

Cole burst out laughing. "Hey, I ain't some sex-crazed lunatic... just a man."

Hanzo smiled as well. He did not immediately realize how many seconds had passed with the two of them simply looking at each other.

Then a clearing of the throat broke the silence. "Hey... Hanzo..." Cole's hesitant voice followed.

Hanzo said nothing. He simply waited for Cole to continue.

"Have ya ever... kissed a guy?"

Hanzo snorted. "Definitely a teenager," He remarked.

"There ain't an age limit on wantin' to know that kinda thing," Cole defended himself.

Hanzo looked at him and sighed. "Yes."

Cole nearly dropped his beer. "S-serious?"

"Seriously," Hanzo replied seriously.

A strange mixture of joy and concern crossed Cole's face. Hanzo was amused, though he did not show it.

"Did ya... like it?"

Hanzo was surprised by the second question. "...Yes?" he answered.

Cole's hands trembled. "Do ya... still see him?" he added.

Hanzo felt his heart skip a beat. How was he supposed to explain it to this fool who drank until he nearly forgot his own name? "I am not known for mixing my personal life with my professional life," he responded.

Cole appeared to bite the inside of his cheek. Hanzo could not tell what troubled him more. The fact that he had not answered the question, or the untold answer itself?

"I still see him," Hanzo replied, curious to discover another side of the man.

Cole's eyes widened. Then he closed them and set his beer down on the small table beside the four empty bottles. His head sank back against the sofa cushion. "Does he kiss well?" he asked, almost in a whisper, between aching and real curiosity.

Hanzo smiled. "Do you truly want to know?"

Cole opened his eyes, completely captivated by Hanzo's approach as he seemed to draw closer and closer.

"Huh?"

Hanzo climbed onto the sofa, placing his legs on either side of Cole's lower stomach. His hands slid to either side of the man's face, his beard tickling his fingers. Then his lips settled on Cole's.

Hanzo pulled away just enough to admire the man's frozen expression. A smile tugged at his lips. "Usually... he is the one who kisses me first," Hanzo commented.

Cole blinked, sudden clarity struck him, then slipped his hands behind Hanzo's head, and claimed his lips again with far more conviction.

"Damn sweetheart," kiss, "honey," kiss, "I'll remember that darlin’..." Cole declared between kisses.

"No, you will not," Hanzo retorted, his breathing uneven from the intensity of the kisses.

"Yeah, I will."

"No, you will not."

///

Cole was uncomfortable. If he had to answer honestly, he would say that his back hurt. It was probably the rock pressing beneath him, but what was he supposed to do with the body draped over him?

"Hanzo..." Cole managed to say after Hanzo's lips gave him a few seconds to breathe. "We're outside... let's go back in, yeah?"

Hanzo smiled. "So now you want it? Only if it is private?" he teased. And before giving Cole any time to answer, he slowly moved down toward his lower stomach. His hand slid across his skin, making the fine hairs on Cole's body stand on end. Hanzo noticed that Cole was already straining against his pants.

"You'd... definitely be the death o’ me..." Cole said as he felt Hanzo working at his belt. He observed him, desperate, flushed, and far too impatient. Cole brought his hands to his belt and helped him with few muffled curses.

Hanzo let out a slight growl of frustration, and once the belt was removed, he pulled down Cole's pants, leaving the lower half of his body bare for him alone.

Cole watched the scene. Hanzo, bare-chested, his eyes sparkling as he looked at his exposed erection standing rigid. Part of him wanted to look away, but it was the fascinated and aroused part of him that won out.

"Hanzo... you..." Cole swallowed as he watched Hanzo's lips travel from the base to the head of his cock. "Don't have to do this..." he finally said. One part of him did not want Hanzo to hurt himself, while another part wanted to see him completely disoriented, an absolute mess.

Hanzo shot him a challenging look before wrapping one hand around the base then licked the length with his too hot tongue. But he seemed impatient, even if Cole’s reaction was delectable. Hanzo slipped his lips to the already leaking tip, curled them around it, and started to push down his head.

Cole arched slightly in anticipation. He had dreamed about this so many times. But something prevented him from fully enjoying the dream that had become reality, even if his cock twitched in interest in that pretty mouth. It was the idea that Hanzo was clearly not himself.

"Fuck..."

Cole did not know why he was cursing. Whether it was the incredible sight of his length disappearing inch by inch into Hanzo's mouth, the sensation he felt when the walls of his throat closed around the tip, or the urge to thrust faster into that mouth without thinking about the consequences.

Hanzo closed one eye during the process, and Cole took that as a sign that he had reached his limit, yet he was not even halfway through the thing.

"It's alright, Hanzo... it's not... small after all," Cole reassured him as he ran a hand through his black hair, tucking a stray lock behind his ear.

He did not truly know what effect his words had on Hanzo, but he seemed frustrated. And just as Cole opened his mouth to speak, Hanzo moved down even farther, his nose nearly brushing his pubic hair.

"Han!..." Cole felt himself pulse in Hanzo's throat. No one had ever been able to take him that deep. Cole breathed heavily, his lips trembled with pleasure. It was tight, much tighter than what he was used to, and usually his size alone was enough to make any partner feel tight.

Hanzo began to establish a rhythm, and Cole felt that he needed more.

"Hanzo... I'm sorry..."

Cole brought his hands to either side of Hanzo's face. He knew that he himself was a complete mess. Hanzo let out a questioning sound, followed by another of surprise when he felt his head being pushed forward while Cole’s hips bucked upwards.

This time, Hanzo's nose brushed fully against his pubic hair, his upper lip touched his balls, and Cole felt his cock hitting the back of Hanzo’s throat. And whether Hanzo was used to, or was it the aphrodisiac, but he did not gag.

Cole held him there for a few seconds before his gaze settled on Hanzo's face, completely undone, seemed please with Cole’s dick deep in.

It was too much.

Cole lifted Hanzo's head. Sorry... Then guided him forward again. Hanzo took all of him. And Cole did it again. Sorry... Han. He is damn good.

Cole could feel himself getting close. Seeing how well Hanzo was taking him, he gave in and thrust into that mouth. He felt one of Hanzo's hands tighten around his thigh, then a sound that was not caused by his cock entering Hanzo's mouth caught his attention. Cole looked up and noticed Hanzo shifting into an unusual position. Even the sounds of pleasure Hanzo make seemed different.

Then Cole realized.

"Fuck..."

Cole pulled out of his mouth, and his release spilled free. Fortunately, gravity ensured that most of it fell back onto him, and even if the sight of Hanzo with his face covered in his semen would have driven him insane, he had nothing on hand to clean up the mess left behind.

Then Cole witnessed what confirmed his suspicions. Hanzo was... preparing himself?

To say that Hanzo was a mess would have been an understatement. And to say that Cole was in shock as well would have been equally accurate.

Hanzo shifted positions, his hospital gown completely open and slipping onto the ground, offering an unobstructed view of his entire body. His slick lips were red and plush. His chest bouncing with every heavy breath. His eyes were moist of overstimulation. Yet the only thing that captured Cole's attention was Hanzo's fingers disappearing in himself.

Cole swallowed hard. The only thing reminding him that this was not a dream was his heart, which felt dangerously close to exploding.

"Goddamn..." Cole breathed, and the sound seemed to provoke a reaction from Hanzo.

He smiled.

Hanzo withdrew his fingers and approached the mess that was Cole. He climbed onto his legs and positioned himself, all of it in complete silence except for their uneven breathing.

Cole did not dare say anything. As though he could not. They had already reached a point where backing away would change nothing. He accepted it. And who knew? Hanzo would probably forget everything tomorrow.

Cole guided himself to Hanzo's entrance and was surprised to see Hanzo take over. It took time, but eventually the already wet tip slipped inside.

Cole groaned. It was not any tighter than his throat had been, but it still was, and the sight was incredible. Hanzo made sounds even more intoxicating than the ones from Cole's dreams. His voice was lower than Cole had imagined, a reminder that Hanzo was indeed a man. As if the evidence before him had not already been enough.

His penis, beautifully shaped, more flushed than in any of his fantasies.

Cole no longer recognized the composed, stoic, and serious man Hanzo usually was, but his thoughts were quickly swallowed by a surge of pleasure when he felt himself fully sheathed. Cole could not hold back a groan of exhilaration before looking at Hanzo, who wore the same expression of pleasure.

"Hanzo... ya take it so well." Too well. Cole could not complain, especially when Hanzo began moving back and forth, accompanied by sounds of pleasure that drove Cole completely insane, but he knew his size. Hanzo... would be used to this?

"Han... sugar, you're so good to me... fits so well." Cole was losing his mind. His cock was far too sensitive as he had ejaculated once, and he knew he was not going to last long, especially with the pace Hanzo had set. It was too good for his own sake. But it was not before he looked down, witnessed his cock disappear with every trust inside his object of forbidden desire. "Han... I'm gonna come..." Cole tried to pull away from Hanzo, but Hanzo did not seem to agree.

He leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Cole with surprising strength, breathed against his neck, moaned into his ear, all without slowing his movements.

Cole no longer knew where to put his hands. Then he placed them where they belonged. On each of Hanzo's butt cheeks, gripping them firmly before pulling him closer and thrusting harder.

Hanzo's moans grew louder, and Cole realized he had found the spot. Without slowing down, he aimed precisely and mercilessly where it accentuated Hanzo's delightful cries. Every trust hit home.

Cole felt that he was not only at his limit before climaxing, but at his limit before completely losing his mind.

"I love you..."

He had to tell him...

"I love you..."

He could not pretend there was nothing there.

"I love you..."

Would he do this for a friend?

"I love you!..."

Maybe, but now, he wanted more than that.

"Ah… I love you too..."

Cole opened his eyes. His abdomen tightened, his legs trembled, and he felt that Hanzo was also on the verge of reaching orgasm. He came, then felt Hanzo's warm semen on his lower stomach.

Hanzo's uneven breaths against his neck sent shivers throughout his entire body. And before he had time to catch it, his hat was carried away by the wind, but while normally he would have crossed the seas and climbed the mountains to retrieve his hat, he did not move.

Had Cole heard correctly?

"Hey... Hanzo?" Cole affectionately rubbed Hanzo's back, trying to catch his breath and probably hold back tears. Then, silence. "Hanzo?" Cole felt himself soften and slip free, then found there is something strange about Hanzo. "Hanzo?... Are ya..."

Hanzo's breathing was gentle and slow, and his eyes were closed.

"Asleep?" Cole remained there for a few seconds. Then a smile tugged at his lips. "You're really somethin' else... y'know that?"

Cole stood up, lifted Hanzo over his shoulder, and did not forget either his pants or Hanzo's hospital gown. He did not want to know who might stumble across them, on the other hand, someone stumbling across his hat would be nice.

Then he made his way back to the Watchpoint.

Fortunately, nobody crossed his path. Everyone already seemed to be asleep. Hopefully with their windows closed. Since he did not know the code to Hanzo's room, Cole had no choice but to bring Hanzo to his own. He laid him down on the bed and admired his face. Had he really fallen asleep? Just like that? But more importantly... had he really said what Cole thought he heard?

Then Cole realized he had made a big mistake. His release spilled from Hanzo, staining the sheets.

Cole opened his eyes. He found himself alone, even though he knew that not long ago, though he could not say exactly when, someone had been beside him. With difficulty and pitiful determination, he finally managed to lift his head.

He already knew this was what was going to happen, but he had still hoped Hanzo would not run away.

Cole looked at the stained spot on his bed. Last night he had been far too exhausted to find the motivation to clean up the mess, and hell, it was not as if he had never slept in a soiled bed after a particularly eventful night. Besides, he had never been the type to obsess over cleanliness. He knew he had been paying more attention lately, but that was only in preparation for a certain person who was genuinely obsessive about cleanliness entering his life. Even if this was not how he had imagined bringing Hanzo into his room for the first time.

He sighed, then his heart nearly stopped when a voice echoed through his room.

"Agent Cassidy, you are requested in the meeting room. Please confirm that the message has been received successfully."

"Loud and clear, Athena..." he replied, reaching out to grab the ghost of his hat.

"Thank you, Agent Cassidy."

Cole clicked his tongue in irritation when he remembered that his hat was somewhere out there, roaming free in Gibraltar.

"Say... Athena?"

"Yes, Agent Cassidy?"

"Hum..." He hesitated, then remembered that Athena was an artificial intelligence. She was not programmed to understand the implied meanings. "Who's gonna be at the meetin’?"

A brief silence followed, doing absolutely nothing to calm him.

"Winston," she began, allowing Cole to breathe. "Doctor Angela Ziegler, Commander Jack Morrison, Agent Lena Oxton..."

Athena listed several names, and Cole started thinking it would have been faster to go look for himself.

"...Shimada Hanzo."

Cole clenched his fists. Athena's voice stopped on that final name. He hoped he had not lost the little he had managed to build with Hanzo because of that night, but one thing was certain. He had heard him. Even if it had been quiet, even if it had been buried beneath the sounds of their bodies thumping together, even if a thousand things had been running through Cole's mind, he had heard Hanzo return his feelings.

He stood and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked awful. His hair was even messier than usual, the skin beneath his eyes carried a faint purple tint from lack of sleep, and none of it could be hidden beneath his usual hat. His countless curls certainly were not helping him look presentable.

There was no helping it.

He left wearing nothing more than jeans and a shirt. He knew he was not heading out on a mission anyway. Then, as he stepped outside, he nearly collided with what appeared at first glance to be a green head.

"Cole!" the green head replied.

"Genji."

"Cole?" exclaimed another person standing beside Genji. "Have you lost your identity as well?" she joked.

"Lena... I told you that a person's identity is not defined by what they wear every day, but by what they convey," Genji replied wisely.

Cole grimaced slightly at that. He had known Genji when he had been considerably less wise, although the wisdom suited him surprisingly well.

"Yeah, but..." Lena began. "Genji without a mask, I can understand. But Cole!" She pointed at him. "Cole!" she repeated for dramatic effect.

"Hey now, my identity as ya like sayin’ got packaged up by John Stetson in 1865 and sold to Hollywood. The fella underneath is still the same. So if ya don't mind..." Cole brushed past them toward the meeting room.

Lena quickly followed behind him, wearing a broad amused grin. "Sorry, Clint Eastwood, but without the studio lighting and your hat, you mostly look like an extra who missed his train. Do not worry though, I did not say it did not suit you."

Cole rolled his eyes before affectionately and sneakily ruffling Lena's hair.

"Hey!"

Genji looked at Cole suspiciously. "Still, you have always been quite attached to that hat. And if you are not wearing it, then I assume you no longer possess it. Am I mistaken?"

Cole did not dare look the man in the eye. He rubbed the back of his head, remembering events that he absolutely could not share.

"Yeah, somethin' like that. I was..."

Committin’ acts of indecency with your brother that basic decency forbids me from namin’. Cole thought.

"...out gettin' some air, and the air took my hat in exchange." Cole said instead, feeling his heart tighten.

"Noted. I shall attempt to barter away things of little value the next time I decide to get some air," Lena joked.

"I see," Genji replied simply, still suspicious.

Cole had always respected Genji's frightening intuition, but if he could disconnect a few neurons whenever Hanzo was involved, it would be for his own good.

Cole froze in front of the door.

Genji looked at Cole frozen in front of the door.

Lena looked at Genji looking at Cole frozen in front of the door.

"You know..." the young Brit began. "Normally I have no trouble simply slipping past when someone is blocking the way, but I must say, Cole, you are not exactly small."

"That's what she said." A voice came from somewhere behind the line.

"Hana!"

"Hana!"

Kiriko and Lucio exclaimed simultaneously as they joined the queue as well.

"What?" Hana asked.

"Hey... is everything alright?" Genji asked, ignoring the growing cluster behind them that had launched into increasingly inappropriate jokes.

"Yeah... I'm alright. Just a lil’ lost."

Genji nodded.

"If you are interested, Lena, I know a very good online sex shop that..."

Cole and Genji stopped listening to the conversation, and Cole finally opened the door.

As they entered, Winston greeted them while adjusting his glasses. To his left sat Angela, who appeared to be pointing something out on a document that Jack, seated beside her, was examining. Or at least pretending to examine. But what truly captured Cole's attention was Hanzo sitting on the right side. Normally, he always sat on the opposite end.

Cole took a step forward, then the crowd he had accumulated behind him swept past. One after another, the agents found their seats.

It was not as though someone had stolen his chance to sit beside Hanzo, because Mei was already seated there. Besides, Cole did not even know whether Hanzo was angry, disappointed, irritated, or if he had simply forgotten what had happened. For the moment, however, he had not lifted his eyes from the paper he seemed to be studying with great seriousness.

So Cole sat down. Granted, a large round table still separated them by roughly three meters, but Cole noticed that he was directly across from Hanzo. And that was the moment anxiety finally conquered him. He did not remain trapped in his own head for long, however.

"Good. Now that everyone is here, the meeting may finally begin," Winston began, accompanied by Angela's approving nod. The team sensed a slight discomfort in Winston, but he also possessed an impressive ability to regain his professionalism quickly. "As you all know, the mission was successful despite a few complications. Everyone is safe. However, we have received further information regarding these products. Unsurprisingly, they are being used by individuals whose intentions are entirely opposed to ethical standards."

"I bet those blokes are not very attractive," Kiriko whispered to Hana.

"And they probably have tiny dicks too-AYA!"

Lucio did not apologize for silencing Hana, although too late, by pinching her thigh, despite the murderous glare she shot at him.

"Ahem..." Winston cleared his throat and continued. "At present, Ana Amari remains in the field assisting some of the victims who were affected. We wish to avoid any additional victims at all costs. Therefore..."

Winston's words became distorted. Cole met Hanzo's gaze. Serious. Calm. Stoic. Completely different from the man he had been the night before. And while Cole had expected a look of disdain, Hanzo seemed genuinely confused.

Had he forgotten everything?

Then Hanzo looked away, not to avoid eye contact, but simply to continue listening.

After a good fifteen minutes, the meeting seemed to be drawing to a close. Cole had only listened to the beginning, but he quickly understood the details that followed. Everyone stood up, and Cole stood as well, unwilling to lose the opportunity to speak with Hanzo.

"Cole." A voice accompanied a hand lightly gripping his sleeve.

Hanzo disappeared into the crowd of agents, and Cole was forced to turn around and face Angela.

"I wanted to speak with you." She said.

Cole felt bile rise in his throat.

Had they been discovered? It was true they had been far from quiet. And even less discreet.

"About Hanzo." She continued, like a knife into a wound.

And the silence that followed did absolutely nothing to help Cole relax.

Angela looked him in the eyes, then at the floor, then back into his eyes, and perhaps somehow into his soul.

"I am sorry…"

Cole blinked, but the connections did not seem to form. "Huh?"

"There was little we could do. At least, we misjudged certain conditions. We did not anticipate certain... abilities Hanzo possesses that allowed him to escape. And if he caused you any… trouble, given that we had no knowledge of his whereabouts, we sincerely apologize."

Cole blinked again. The connections did seem to form. "Well, huh… no? He didn't cause me any… trouble."

"Really? I was certain that..." She stopped herself and cleared her throat. "In any case, if he did not cause you any trouble, I am relieved." She finished with a nod, indicating that Cole was free to leave.

"Ha! That idiot lies as naturally as he breathes." Jack commented the moment Cole disappeared from sight.

"What exactly are you implying, Jack?" Angela asked, already irritated.

"They were bumping uglies."

Angela sighed heavily. "To determine that, I would require either a penile sample or an anal swab collected within twenty-four hours. And Hanzo categorically refuses any sexual health screening or STI testing, having already undergone them previously, and Co-."

"You think too much like a scientist." Jack cut in. "You don't need a damn lab report to know those two have wanted to jump each other for months! You saw the way Cole looked at that Shimada same as I did. Hell, I'd bet they're gonna screw again tonight."

"Stop being vulgar. Yes, I saw Cole looking at Hanzo Shimada, but I cannot certify that they have engaged in any form of sexual activity!" Angela retorted, trying her best to remain calm.

A sharp intake of breath suddenly drew their attention.

"Ah! My apologies. I did not realize I had been holding my breath. The tension was rather high, and I was uncertain how to approach the discussion."

Winston found himself receiving both of their stares.

"Sorry we're talking about subjects outside your area of expertise," Jack offered insincerely.

"Outside my area of expertise?" Winston repeated. Then a smile slowly appeared. "I believe, Commander Jack Morrison, that you underestimate the extent of my intellect."

Jack stared at Winston as though he had just been challenged to a duel.

"And while one might assume that my species possesses little understanding of romantic attachment or sexuality, it has been demonstrated that primates experience exceptionally strong emotional bonds. Admittedly, scientists hesitate to classify such bonds as romance. However, when one considers that they actively select partners and even experience jealousy, the distinction becomes increasingly narrow."

Jack remained silent, though the finger tapping against his crossed arm betrayed his annoyance.

"So," Winston continued regardless, "given that I have acquired an intellect surpassing that of my peers, not to mention having been raised among humans, I also believe that Cassidy and Shimada Hanzo may have engaged in intimate relations."

"Ha!"

"Jack!" Angela immediately protested.

"What? The primate said it."

Jack looked entirely satisfied with the conclusion after such a lengthy speech.

"However..." Winston continued, earning a groan from Jack. "I do not agree that their relationship developed solely from sexual desire."

Angela appeared to appreciate that remark, while Jack crossed his arms again.

"There is clearly mutual attraction. Yet if intimate relations occurred, I believe the primary driving force was a powerful emotional bond, such as love." Winston concluded.

"Two weeks in Hawaii and a pay raise."

"...Excuse me?" Winston replied, recording the information Jack gave without understanding its purpose.

"I bet you two weeks in Hawaii and a pay raise that those two slept together because they had the opportunity. Nothing more." Jack pointed directly at Winston.

"I wager one hundred and forty-four jars of peanut butter that they share a profound emotional attachment."

Jack's finger twitched. "One hundred and forty-four?"

"Because it represents perfect biological and logistical harmony, Jack! From a metabolic standpoint, a silverback in peak physical condition like myself weighs roughly one hundred and sixty-two kilograms. If you subtract my eighteen kilograms of daily nutritional intake to calculate my true fasting mass, you get exactly one hundred and forty-four." He raised a massive finger to emphasize the point, an annoyingly smug smile spreading across his face. "Furthermore, standard industrial shipping crates hold twelve jars each. A structurally perfect square transport pallet stacks exactly twelve of those crates. Twelve times twelve equals one hundred and forty-four. It is the absolute maximum volume of peanut butter I can store without compromising the physical geometry of the laboratory. It is simple science."

Jack could not argue something he did not understand.

He extended his hand. "Okay... deal."

Winston adjusted his glasses and shook Jack's hand. "Deal."

Angela slammed her own face.

Cole had searched the walkways, the areas near the sea, near the tree, and had even done something he never thought he would manage… climb onto the roof of the Watchpoint, knowing it was a favorite spot of the Shimada brothers. No one. At least, not Hanzo. He had crossed paths with a few other agents.

But despite the lack of results, he was far from desperate. There was still the training grounds he had not checked, and he had a feeling.

He approached the door and froze. At least this time he was not expected, and nobody was waiting behind him, but he knew that the more time he spent thinking, the less likely he would be to walk through that door.

So he walked through it.

His eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the new lighting. An open-air training ground was somewhat uncommon, and Jack promoted the idea that an open environment was far more representative of the real conditions they would face than a closed room.

The only issue Cole found with an open training ground was that depending on the time of day and the season, either you ended up on the side with the sun at your back, or your luck ran out and you were the one staring directly into it.

If the goal was to make it realistic, then it worked.

Once his vision adjusted, not only did he hear voices he recognized, but he saw the faces attached to them.

The Shimada brothers.

Cole's heart accelerated. Images from yesterday resurfaced.

But despite the fear beginning to eat away at him from the inside, Cole told himself he needed to know. He needed a conclusion, good or bad. And the moment he approached, two pairs of eyes analyzed him.

"Cole?" Genji exclaimed, somewhere between pleased and confused.

"Hey... huh... Hanzo." Cole began, not wanting to ignore Genji, but wanting to make it clear to Hanzo that he was the one he wished to speak with.

And Hanzo did not run away. He looked at him with the same expression of confusion he had worn during the meeting.

Cole sighed. "Listen... I know you don't remember what happened last night, but..."

Cole stopped speaking. Stopped breathing, even. Hanzo's calm, analytical expression changed drastically into terror.

Hanzo raised a finger and pointed at Cole. "You... remember?"

"Hey, loves! Are you training? Wait, hold on, Genji? Why are you dragging me outside of-"

-CLONK.

The training room door shut.

Cole and Hanzo stared at one another, frozen in time, alone. Neither dared to speak. Neither dared to move. Until Cole blinked first.

"Han-"

"I do not wish to discuss it," Hanzo stated as he headed toward the door.

Cole had expected that reaction, but it still hurt. Yet just as he normally would have given up, the faint memory of Hanzo saying I love you too resurfaced.

"The fact you're reactin' like this proves somethin' happened between us, and now you're scared shitless of ownin' up to it," Cole finally said angrily as he followed him.

Hanzo's hand reached for the handle, but Cole grabbed his wrist.

"I reckon it'd be mighty polite of ya to stop for a few minutes and talk," Cole pointed out, preventing Hanzo from opening the door.

But Hanzo simply lifted his free other hand and placed it on the handle.

Locked.

Hanzo looked at the door and tried again.

Locked.

"Kisama! Kono gomi yarou ga, kusottare no baka madada! Genji!"

If Cole had to translate, Genji was going to die again... tonight.

"That leaves us with the cliff down there... but I'm not sure that's gonna lead to..."

Hanzo headed toward the cliff.

"The fuck Hanzo!" Cole caught up to him. "That's meant to be taken figuratively, goddammit!"

Hanzo did not answer. He remained silent.

Cole sighed, then opened his mouth.

"I thought you were drunk."

But it was not his voice that came out.

Cole looked at Hanzo, trying to understand the subtleties meaning of the remark, if there was. "Yeah, that was the original plan, but I realized a lotta the problems I was tryin' to drown with alcohol were caused by alcohol." Cole scratched the back of his head. "So I said I was quittin'."

Hanzo huffed. "Is that not what you said about cigarettes?"

Cole smiled, "Hey, how do ya know I..." then fell silent, remembering the smoky after taste kisses they had shared the previous day. Hanzo seemed to remember them as well, because both of them suddenly turned red and avoided eye contact like teenagers.

Hanzo eventually brushed away the hand that was still holding him and headed in another direction.

Cole watched him gracefully scale the walls with a pained expression.

Hanzo looked down at him from above. "I did not forbid you from following me," he revealed, reigniting a spark within Cole. "But can you?"

"Oh man, wherever ya go..." Cole shot back as he began climbing.

"I must say," Hanzo began, sitting peacefully. "You are considerably more clumsy than I imagined."

"Hey, I wasn't trained to climb buildings. I was trained to put people in the ground," Cole retorted, out of breath after spending forty-five minutes figuring out how to reach Hanzo.

"Pathetic. Efficiency in killing does not simply involve accurate aim. It requires proper positioning. I have often thought your performance would improve significantly if you found some versatility within your skill set."

"Glad to hear I occupy your thoughts that much," Cole remarked as his breathing gradually returned to normal.

"I could provide an analysis for every agent. You are not the only one for whom I have critical observations."

Cole sat down beside Hanzo, then laughed gently.

"The first time I saw you trainin’, I already had a poor opinion of ya," Cole began, capturing Hanzo's attention. "Ain't easy when the guy you're ‘bout to meet is the man who killed your best friend… well, y’know."

Hanzo clenched his fists but said nothing.

"And when ya showed up with that bow and those arrows, I genuinely thought it was a joke. Then I watched you move. Saw how easy it was for ya to hit bullseyes, and right away..."

Hanzo watched Cole.

"I started seein' you as a rival."

Hanzo let out a quiet snort of amusement. "I suppose I should be flattered."

"Yeah, well, it's definitely far from an insult. But, hum… the more time passed, the more I realized that I wasn’t tryin’ to be better out of jealousy or some rivalry, but to capture your eyes. And the fact you’ve capture mine without gettin’ yours, haa, hum… well."

Hanzo listened silently.

"Damn, I had started feelin' bad for Genji."

Hanzo looked at Cole, now confused.

"Me, the guy who promised himself he'd put you in the ground, started wantin' to protect ya. Hell, and God knows you're ‘bout the last person who needs somebody savin' your ass." Cole continued while Hanzo completely turned his gaze away from him to look out over the cliff. "But I fell. Fell real hard."

"I know," Hanzo replied simply, keeping his eyes fixed on his feet now.

Cole looked at him, and despite the fact that the sight of Hanzo looking so harmless, thoughtful, and willing to listen nearly took his breath away, he continued.

"I know I ain't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but you're the only person who, well, didn't treat me like a damn idiot whenever I had a plan. I don't know if ya followed me because I'm your senior or because ya thought it'd actually work, but either way. I found my partner, and we started gettin' paired together more and more often on missions."

"I noticed. And for your information, I prefer following someone with a plan rather than someone uncertain. And I do not mean to flatter you, but it is true that you perform remarkably well when forced to improvise. Perhaps it is your foolish side emerging..."

Cole's eye twitched.

"But you do not panic when things fail to proceed as intended. And I believe that is a valuable quality," Hanzo finished.

"I reckon that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Cole remarked, amused and genuinely flattered. "Well, huh... gettin' back to yesterday."

Hanzo's eye twitched.

"I want ya to tell me..." Cole clenched his fists. His legs were unsteady, as though they wanted to run away at any moment. "I-I know ya were..."

Hanzo completely looked away. Even his back turned slightly toward Cole.

"...influenced by..."

"Cole."

Cole fell silent.

Hanzo took a breath. "The aphrodisiac… was an excuse."

Cole blinked. His fingers had stopped trembling.

"I acknowledge that the victims of that aphrodisiac lose a measure of their judgment. I felt the chemical effect moving through my body and encouraging a certain... desire. However, it was not strong enough to make me lose my mind. That is not to suggest that those affected are weak."

Cole opened his mouth but could not find his voice.

"Cole."

Cole swallowed.

"I thought you were drunk."

"...Yeah?"

Hanzo exhaled almost desperately. "Cole!"

"Yes sir!?" Cole replied to the sudden commanding tone.

"Do you remember your hangovers?"

"...No."

"Do you remember yesterday's events?"

Cole's heart skipped a beat. "...Yeah."

Hanzo looked at Cole, wishing he could figure it out by himself.

Then the sentence I thought you were drunk suddenly took on an entirely new meaning.

Cole gaped, then his hands moved on instinct, grabbing both of Hanzo's shoulders and turning him around, forcing him to face him.

"You... me, what? How? When? Where?" Cole repeated his childhood language lessons before finally managing to form an actual sentence. "Why didn't ya tell me?"

Hanzo looked at him, feeling strangely vulnerable, but he too, perhaps even more, struggled to find words and arrange them into a coherent sentence.

"I mean... us, you... I was your sweetheart?" Cole's cheeks began to redden, matching the faint blush spreading across Hanzo’s high cheekbones.

"No," Hanzo replied bluntly.

Cole blinked twice. "...Sex friends?"

Hanzo's eye twitched. "We were drunk," he corrected, maintaining eye contact.

Cole could not take that. "How many times?"

"...What?"

"How many times did we have se-"

"Intimate encount-"

"Sex while we were drunk?"

Hanzo appeared to consider the question. His eyes betrayed the fact that he was searching through memories, which alone confirmed it had happened more than once. "For the past three months... approximately every other time we were drunk," he admitted.

And Cole remembered none of it? Or had he convinced himself it was all a dream?

"Why the fuck didn't ya tell me, Han!?" Cole repeated, even more desperate. "Ya knew I was fuckin' crazy about ya. Ya knew I would've given ya even more sober than-"

"Because I do not deserve you!" Hanzo protested, silencing Cole immediately. "You said it yourself. I am the murderer of your best friend… my own brother. The one person I was truly supposed to protect. I have killed more innocent people than I have saved. Even here, I have never tried to fit in, and I do not even know if I am accepted, or if it is to avoid hurting Genji. I-"

A pair of lips silenced him.

Hanzo did not pull away, but neither did he return the kiss. He simply waited for Cole to break it before opening his mouth.

"I have an unfortunate tendency to look down on others."

"I know."

"I am disliked because of my seriousness."

"I know."

"I am known to be too arrogant."

"I know."

"My sense of humor is questionable."

"I know."

"I do not have friends."

"I know."

"I hold many opinions regarding society that most people would find shocking due to the sensitivity of certain individuals because I believe humanity is the perfect definition of imperfect"

"...hum."

"I believe that emotional sensitivity is nothing but a flaw, that feeling pity for people seeking peace in death is a waste of suffering, that kids nowadays are exposed way too early to how people mate, and that the internet's obsession with positive videos is making the whole world weak."

"...Now I know."

"I am-"

"Hanzo."

Hanzo fell silent.

Cole took Hanzo's chin and guided him forward, reclaiming his lips. Hanzo melted into the closeness, allowing Cole to wrap his arms around him. Their bodies found one another, separated only by their clothing. Soft sounds slipped between breaths, and Hanzo flinched slightly when he felt a tongue sneak in, mapping the inside of his mouth, then Cole pulled back after a quick peck to find Hanzo entirely at his mercy. "I love you."

Hanzo demanded Cole's lips back with his own. Receiving a smile that faded into the kiss. After being forced to eventually breathe, they parted.

"Huh... darlin'?" Cole began, uncertain whether Hanzo approved of the pet name. Then, after realizing how right it sounded, and noticing that Hanzo seemed to enjoy it, he continued. "I… hope ya weren't takin’ a shot at me?"

"Did you feel targeted?"

"...A lil’," Cole admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

"I believe I should revise my speech, then," Hanzo remarked, offering the smallest and shyest of smiles, which Cole promptly stole with another kiss.