Chapter Text
When Hanzo woke up, he was instantly greeted with a splitting headache. There’s a dull ache behind his eyelids that he recognizes as the sign of him crying all night.
Right. He had been drinking.
It’s not the worst thing Hanzo’s ever done to cope with stress - not by a long shot. But that’s hardly an excuse to neglect what seems to be a concernedly growing habit. He needs to find alternatives. Something more productive and less self destructive. Perhaps he could check out some books from the library and explore a new fighting style… He’s always been curious about Geommu.
His train of thought is interrupted when he turns in his bed and he’s instantly greeted by Kuai Liang’s sleeping face - only a few inches away from his.
Flustered, Hanzo immediately jerks away. Not being used to having to share space, he underestimated the distance between his body and the end of the bed. He lands on the floor with a thud, and Kuai immediately wakes up.
“Hanzo?” Kuai scoots over to the edge of the bed to check on him.
“I-I…” He sputters. “Kua-Kuai Liang?! What are you doing here?”
“I came by to discuss something with you, but you seemed to be a bit…” Kuai hesitates. “...occupied.”
Hanzo furrows his brows trying to recall last night. He doesn’t remember anything except for… being held (which now he knows, was by Kuai Liang) and crying into his chest about… something he can’t remember at the moment. Hanzo was lucky to have been vulnerable in front of Kuai Liang, someone he trusted, of all people. By the elder gods, what else has he done? Has he made any moves on him inappropriately?
“I am truly sorry, Sub-Zero, that you had to see that shameful display,” Hanzo bowed before he even realized he was doing so - an old habit that’s been drilled into him from having spent his mortal life in Japan. Some things never change, he supposes. “And I’m especially sorry that I worried you to the point where you felt compelled to monitor me.”
“Hanzo, please, don’t apologize. It was no trouble really,” Kuai responds, not particularly eager to add yet another reason to Hanzo’s long list of guilt, for the crime of having an godawful night and needing help. “Are you feeling alright?”
“My, er…” Hanzo blinks. “My head - I have a bit of a headache but-”
“Then rest,” Kuai ordered, already getting up from the bed. “I will grab medicine for you.”
Hanzo frowned. “You know where the medicine cabinet is?”
“I do actually,” Kuai affirms. “I have been here many times.” He then proceeds to step out of the room.
Has Kuai really spent so much time here at the Fire Garden? Hanzo hasn’t even noticed. He decides to drag himself back to bed and as soon as he’s back underneath the weight of his comforter blanket his thoughts can’t help but wander back to those of last night.
Of being held in Kuai Liang’s arms. The feeling of having well-toned arms made for war wrapped around him, like he was being kept safe in Kuai’s cool embrace. As if the world was shut out and all that mattered in that moment was the cool embrace of Kuai Liang’s broad chest. It was something he didn’t know he needed right until he needed it most. Hanzo hugs himself trying to envision the weight of his blanket as Kuai Liang, chasing his affection.
Kuai Liang comes back with a glass of water and medicine. Grateful, Hanzo fishes out two pills from the bottle and swallows it down with such force that water trickles out of his mouth.
“Relax Hanzo, no one’s taking it from you. It's all yours,” Kuai chuckles.
“You should try being in my position,” he groans. Realizing how rude that sounded, he quickly added “Thank you Kuai Liang, I won’t forget this.” Hanzo meets his gaze with sincerity. “I’ll make it up to you someday, I promise.”
“You are amazingly honor-bound even when you’re wasted Hanzo,” Kuai recalls with amusement. “I recall you promising me something similar last night.”
Hanzo gives him a blank stare.
“...What?”
A slow, smug smirk spreads across Kuai Liang’s face. “...Ahh, you don’t remember, do you?”
“Wh…” Heat floods his face thinking of what might’ve slipped in his drunken state last night. Hanzo had grown especially fond of Kuai Liang as of late - to the point where he’d find himself dreaming about him often. Up until now, he had done a good job of not letting it affect their friendly camaraderie but now… the possibilities of whatever embarrassing thing Hanzo might’ve slipped soon filled him with horror. “Wh-What exactly did I promise you, Sub-Zero!?”
“Hmm…” Kuai Liang pretends to be deep in thought. “Let me think.”
“...Kuai Liang,” Hanzo warns, “If you don’t tell me right now, I swear to the elder gods that I am going to roast you alive like a pig and devour you right here in my house.”
“Well…” Kuai ponders whether it’s a smart decision to mess with him. As fun as the idea sounds, after a stressful night like that maybe he should just come clean. “I asked if you’d stay with me forever and you said yes.”
Hanzo went silent for a moment, then cautiously said “...You asked?”
“I did,” he confirmed. “But you were also very drunk, so I might as well ask again while you’re sober.”
“Why would you…” Hanzo trailed off. “...What exactly entails ‘staying with you forever’?”
“Whatever you’d like.”
Whatever he’d like? Did Hanzo just hear that correctly? Kuai talks like… like he knows. Nevermind that, it almost sounded like a proposal. “...Why?” Hanzo asks. There’s another question hidden underneath it - why me?
“Hanzo,” Kuai sits down with him on the bed and holds his hand. “There are just some things you don’t ask about. Sometimes that’s just how things are. Do you understand?”
Hanzo stares at his lap, taking this in. Eventually, he nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good,” he sighed. “I am glad to see that you’re alright. You are a dear friend to me Hanzo. I know that if it had been me, you would’ve gladly helped expecting nothing in return.”
“You are very generous… and I still have a debt to repay.” He sat up. Does he dare ask? It can’t be more embarrassing than what he’s already done.
“...And?”
“I shall make up for your difficult night… by allowing you to rest in bed with me,” Hanzo said, desperately trying to act tough and ignore the intense heat in his face.
A smirk spreads across Kuai Liang’s face. “For being so brave Hanzo Hasashi, I will permit you to cuddle with the Lin Kuei’s grandmaster.”
“I am the one permitting you, Sub-Zero.”
”Of course. Now if you will excuse me…” Kuai moves to settle underneath the covers and Hanzo moves to give him more space, wrapping an arm around him to spoon him once they get positioned. They settle in a comfortable silence while Hanzo idly circles his thumb on Kuai Liang’s palm.
“There is…” Kuai hesitates. “Something else that you brought up last night.”
“Oh…?” Hanzo sleepily muttered.
“You… mentioned feeling extreme guilt for your past transgressions,” he said. “...Specifically, the ones aimed toward me.”
Hanzo’s thumb stops for a moment in realization, before slowly picking the pace back up. So that’s what it was. He remembers everything now. “...I do not deny it,” he finally said.
“This is not the first time we had talked about it either.” Kuai’s voice was casual. If there was any judgment in his tone, Hanzo picked up none - which he deeply appreciated.
“Hanzo, you truly are my best friend,” Kuai continued. “I don’t think you realize how much your company has really helped me… I assure you, you do a lot just by being here. I cannot think of anyone else I’d rather rely on than you.”
Hanzo sighs dreamily at his words and gives Kuai’s hand a loving squeeze. “I should give you a reward for being so nice…” He muses. “What do you want, love…?”
Kuai shudders at the sudden pet name knowing that Hanzo can feel it. Ohhh, that bastard. He knows what he’s doing. But unfortunately for Hanzo…
“I know a great Chinese home remedy for a hangover,” Kuai cheekily said. He can feel Hanzo sigh behind him, breaking off their hand contact to settle for Kuai’s arm instead.
“Hh. Don’t make me push you off this bed.”
“I know your head still hurts.”
“Kuai, I’m not going anywhere near your weird Chinese remedies and that is final,” Hanzo said flatly.
“Rude.”
“Brat.”
“Oh, I’ll show you what a real brat is,” Kuai says before mockingly and softly biting into Hanzo’s hand.