Chapter Text
It was small and brown, lying on the ground as he stopped to look at it before picking it up. A wallet. Someone had just left a wallet lying on the ground. Actually, many people had left it, it was a wonder it hadn’t been stolen yet; Satya had had hers stolen not two months ago in this exact park. He looked inside and saw the driver’s license in the front pocket. He’d never seen the man, which didn’t surprise him, but he had hoped beyond hope that he did know the owner so he wouldn’t have to search him out. He looked around for anyone who looked like the man in the ID but the only people around were a couple kids on skateboards and an old woman feeding some pigeons.
He sighed and stuffed the wallet back in his pocket, he could look for the man later, it had been a long day and he just wanted to get home. When he got home, however, he found he couldn’t stop thinking about the wallet, no matter how long he forced his eyes shut. Genji was not home yet (and wasn’t likely to come back at all) so he went into the living room and one-by-one looked at all the things in the man’s wallet. He skipped the credit cards, not interested in robbing the man blind, and instead looked at the small pictures and tokens the man carried around with him.
First he looked at the driver’s license, more carefully this time to try and learn something about the man. He felt a little bad, invading someone’s privacy, but he doubted he would ever see this man in person. Anyhow, he looked the man over, his entire appearance could be described in one word: scruffy, signified by a lop-sided plaid shirt, an oddly-shaved beard, and hair that looked like it had been under a hat all day. It was probably stupid but he thought the man was sort of adorable. His birthdate signified he was only a year younger than Hanzo and the expiration date was… yesterday. He groaned. Was the man an idiot or had the wallet just been lost that long. Hanzo can’t imagine it’d been out there more than an hour so it was most likely the former. At least now he didn’t have to make a trip to the DMV, instead he just had to find out how to locate the man.
The next pocket held a university ID and he thanked whatever deity would listen to him these days. He hadn’t done any sort of worship recently and meditation was quickly becoming a thing of the past but he still wanted to, in hopes it would relieve his anxieties. Of course, finding time for himself was getting harder and harder as he climbed the ladder to becoming a Professor. He sighed and looked back at the ID, seeing the same lopsided smile, shirt, and everything else. He couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his mind when he looked at the picture. Jesse McCree, he would probably make a grin twice that size when he’s called down to the information desk to get his wallet, he wished he could see it.
He started to put the wallet down but saw the top of a picture with a girl that was most definitely not McCree. He tried to resist the temptation but eventually gave in, blaming his lack of willpower on tiredness. He pulled the picture out and saw four people on it, two older men, Jesse and the girl. He recognized two of them, the older men. One was Jack Morrison from the Law school, a well known and well-liked Professor who had once been the greatest DA this side of Manhattan, the other was Gabriel Reyes, head of the History department and not nearly as well-liked as Morrison (though from when he’d met the man he had no idea why). It had always been rumored that the two of them were together and this picture seemed to confirm it, Reyes was kissing the top of Morrison’s head and Morrison smiled blindly up at him. The girl, however, he did not know, a short purple mohawk on her head and purple braids going down both sides of her head obviously rolling her eyes at the two men below her. Jesse just sat there with his same stupid grin, this time wearing a cowboy hat, his arm wrapped around the girl.
Deciding it was too late to turn back, he took out the other pictures in the wallet, looking them over and trying to find out something about the man. There was a picture of two women, seemingly mother and daughter. An old sepia photo of a vaquero swinging a lasso on the back of a horse, perhaps his grandfather. What really caught his eye, though, was a small poof of green hair in one picture that, on closer inspection, turned out to be his brother He stared harder at the photo and saw it was a bar Genji had worked at a few years back when he was between jobs (he almost always was). The others in the picture were ones he’d seen in pictures before, the daughter, the purple mohawk, and the last he didn’t know, a blond girl with a messy ponytail.
Were these Genji’s friends? He’d never met any of them, mostly due to his own request of not having strangers in his house, but as he looked at this picture of all of them smiling and happy together he felt his heart ache, wanting to be a part of this. He put down the wallet and stared at the ceiling, he was so lonely, always so alone, the only people he really cared about were Genji and Satya and they both had their own lives with little time for him. Instead he sat alone on his couch in the middle of the night, contemplating his own loneliness and his disconnection from his brother’s life
Sighing, he looked at the clock. It was 2 AM, he cursed and quickly stuffed everything back in the wallet. He lay in bed for what seemed like an hour going over everything he had looked at, the vaquero, the friends, Reyes and Morrison, his brother. But all it did was just make him more curious about the man. Maybe he could ask Genji.
“Shit,” he cursed as he looked at the clock. Lost in thought, he’d forgotten to set his clock, he’d told Satya he’d be there at 8 to look over her design one more time before they sent it off to the clients but it was now 8 o'clock and he’d just woken up. He quickly dressed and brushed his teeth, completely disregarding the shower and instead just splashing his face with water hoping to wash away the bags under his eyes. He tied his hair into its usual bun, fed the lizards, grabbed his bag and left. On the subway he realized he forgot the wallet.
The next day was just as hurried but at least this time he remembered the wallet and when his busy day had ended he went up to the information desk. At the desk was an undergrad staring furiously at her computer screen and moving her mouse as quickly as the wind. He assumed she was playing some game.
“Hello--”
“Hold up just a sec,” she said, holding up a finger. She chanted “c’mon c’mon c’mon” as Hanzo glared at her. He knew was getting old when he thought ‘kids these days’ as she started celebrating her win. “Sorry about that, what do you need, sir?” He really was getting old, wasn’t he.
“I found a wallet that had a University ID in it for a person by the name of Jesse McCree.” She groaned when he said the name.
“Again? I swear this is the tenth time he’s lost it in two years.” She said annoyedly, taking the wallet from his hand.
“If that is the case, the he really ought to take better care of his things,” Hanzo said, trying to make light conversation as she sent him an email.
“I know, he’s such a clutz, I swear. He’ll want to meet you, he always does and his face when they’re not here is always so sad, like a kicked puppy.”
“I can’t-- I really need to--” Genji had announced yesterday evening he was going to be home tonight and was planning a whole evening out for them. He couldn’t just bail on the most important person in his life for some handsome man he’d never actually met.
“I understand,” she smiled at him. “You’re Hanzo Shimada though, right? I’ve seen your work, it’s beautiful. Reminds me of home.”
“Oh, where are you from?” He had designed many buildings, most had been influenced by various Asian countries.
“Korea, that new hotel in the upper east you designed? Amazing, you can really see the influences but it still looks very western.”
“Thank you, are you an architecture student? I’m afraid I have not seen you around.”
“No, Hana Song, vis arts and film. We had an exhibit in that building right after it opened because you had designed it.”
“Ah, yes, I remember, I did not have time to go myself but I hear it went well.”
“It did, are you sure you don’t have time to stay? He’s just emailed back saying he’s on his way.” He smiled sadly and shook his head.
“I am afraid I have spent too long already, my brother will be rather mad at me for being late.”
“Is it okay if I tell him it was you? He’ll probably come by your office to thank you.” He thought about it, considered how he had looked through the man’s wallet. He really was curious about the man but perhaps he could hide his embarrassment over having gone through his personal belongings.
“Yes, that is fine.” He hurried off after she waved goodbye.
“Anija, you’re late!” Was the greeting he got when he arrived at home.
“Genji, welcome back,” he replied with biting sarcasm.
“Ouch,” Genji said and flinched. “You wouldn’t say that to someone who’s about to treat you to… Kajitsu!”
“Kajitsu? Really?” His mood immediately changed at the mention of his favorite restaurant. “Are you sure you have the money?”
“Anija, it’s not that expensive.”
“Yes, but you are not known for having that much money.” It was true, his brother was always asking for extensions of their rent and was frequently unemployed, being a freelance artist.
“Ugh, I can get money if I need to.” Hanzo just gave him a look and Genji groaned again. “Can we not ruin the night with money talk. It’s supposed to be fun! Or, at least as fun as you allow.”
Hanzo rolled his eyes as he went back to his room to change. They took the subway to Grand Central and Genji talked animatedly about his recent adventures as Hanzo sat quietly beside him, occasionally adding a sarcastic or reprimanding comment. Looking at his brother he felt great pride. Despite their rough past and Genji’s instability, he was proud of his brother for finding a life that he truly enjoyed.
“So how have you been doing?” Genji asked him as he stared proudly up at his brother. He could see a bit of a blush on his brother’s face and he smiled internally.
“Very well, the hotel opened up about a month ago and they had an art exhibition for the undergrads in the ballroom. I met one of the artists earlier today, she was very interesting. Satya has been doing well and I’ve been… very busy.”
“That promotion got you down?”
“No, not at all. I’m very happy about it, in fact. In a year, I think I’ll have enough money saved up to get that apartment on Riverside.”
“Ah, but money is not where true happiness lies, is it?” He turned to Genji with a sharp glare to see the shit-eating grin on his face. He rolled his eyes.
“Don’t pretend to be some kind of monk, Genji, we all know your lust far exceeds my want for money.” He watched the grin turn into a big pout and smirked to himself. “I am not just satisfied with the money, but also the work. It keeps me busy in the best way, it’s enjoyable and I don’t feel as if I want to be anywhere else. I guess, sometimes, I just wish there was something else to my life besides work.”
“You need a boyfriend,” Genji said, nodding his head as if he were sharing the wisdom of a sage.
“I do not need a boyfriend,” he scoffed. “I just need a hobby, or another lizard or something.”
“Or a boyfriend.”
“I do not.”
“Or you do.” Now Genji was getting into his personal space, nudging his foot into Hanzo’s knee.
“Oh, look, our stop.” He stood up, which was a mistake because it just meant Genji had more space to lean into him. He swung his arm over Hanzo’s shoulders and Hanzo groaned, he hoped he didn’t regret this meal.
It was once it had been a while since the boyfriend conversation had come up and their meals were out that Hanzo decided the Jesse McCree topic could be brought up.
“Genji?” He called to his brother who was stuffing tempura down his throat. He looked up in acknowledgement. “Do you know a Jesse McCree?”
“Jesse? When’d you meet Jesse?” He asked after quickly swallowing his food. “I thought you stayed away from the history department as much as possible to avoid--”
“I do,” he interrupted before Genji could finish that statement. “I just found his wallet on the ground and was… interested. I did not even know he was in the history department.”
“Interested?” Genji gasped. “Anija, do you want him? He is very handsome, isn’t he? Maybe he could be your boyfriend. I could see the two of you together, you’d be a cute couple. I think you’re his type, too. All serious and intimidating.”
“Genji.” He held up a hand, trying to slow his brother down. This is exactly what he’d been hoping to avoid. “I am not ‘interested’ in him in that way, I have never met him. I would just like to know more about him.”
“Then ask him out,” Genji said, stuffing more tempura in his mouth. Hanzo just stared at him in bewilderment.
“I have never met the man, I only know what I’ve seen in his pictures.”
“You went through his wallet!?” Genji almost yelled.
“Genji, would you please quiet down? You are going to get us kicked out. And yes, I did go through his wallet, but I did not steal anything, I was only curious and could not sleep.”
“Because you were ‘interested’ in him, right?” Genji was smirking devilishly at him.
“Yes, because he looked like an interesting man. One who seems to constantly be wearing a cowboy hat.”
“Ugh, and did you see the belt buckle?”
“I did not.”
“It’s horrible.” He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and pretended to be gag. Hanzo couldn’t help the smirk that came out of him from his brother’s dramatics. They talked about the man a bit more, about some of the people in the photos like Ana and Fareeha, the mother and daughter, Sombra, the girl with the mohawk, and Angela, the blonde one.
“You would like him,” Genji concluded. “Probably not at first, he can be overwhelming, but after a while.”
“With you as my brother, I doubt anything could be too overwhelming.”
“Sure, but that doesn’t mean you like it,” he said quietly. He looked at Genji with concern and surprise.
“Genji, I do not know what you think, but I do not just tolerate you because you are my brother. You know I do not put up with things I do not like.” Genji was looking down like a scolded child and Hanzo only wanted to know what he could to fix it.
“But what if you decide you don’t like me, what if one day you just decide you’ve had enough of me and kick me out to live on the streets.”
“Genji…” He had not known Genji had felt like this at all. They were brothers, but more than that, they were friends. He genuinely enjoyed Genji’s company despite acting like the all-suffering older brother and he was proud of him, of how happy he was, of how much he was himself.
“I got a job. At a graphic design agency. Full time, Nine-to-five and all that.” It was surprising, to say the least.
“Really? A graphic design agency? That’s good, I guess. But will you be happy there?” Genji just shrugged. The waiter came by with the check, Genji picked it up.
“I don’t know, I just thought maybe it was time to grow up. Contribute a little, y’know.”
“Genji, you contribute enough now and your job is not childish.”
“Yeah, well that’s because I didn’t really have one,” he spat bitterly. Hanzo flinched a little, remembering his words from earlier.
“I… well, if you really want to then you should. But Genji, your happiness is the most important thing to me, if you are not happy at this job, you should quit.” He said the last bit with conviction, forcing Genji to look him in the eyes as he did. The waiter came back for the check and the two of them left the restaurant in silence.
They got home and silently got ready for bed alone, no laughs, no jokes, no arguments. Hanzo was already in bed when he heard the door open and turned to see Genji just inside.
“Also, I’m thinking of moving out.” With that simple statement Hanzo’s whole world turned upside down.