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“Darlin’?” McCree called out, unable to see the man who had called him out here. “Where’d you run off to hon?” He made his way deeper into the forest around the watchpoint that Hanzo had led him into. He had been acting strangely the last few weeks, and after months of being together with him, it was worrying Jesse. He went to call out again when he heard the snapping of branches behind him, and froze.
A moment later, arms were wrapped around him from behind in a hug.
“There ya are! You were making me worried, Han!” Jesse tried to turn to face Hanzo, but was unable due to the strong grip he had around him. “Darlin’?” He asked, looking over his shoulder, unable to see Hanzo’s face because of how the other man was holding his head.
“Do you remember what I told you when you followed me out here, Jesse?” Hanzo asked, his voice raspy--something was wrong.
“Yessir, you said you wanted to show me somethin’--but yer makin’ me worried here. Sweetheart, you alright?” Jesse replied, looking down to the arms that were twisted around his torso.
“I am fine Jesse, I simply wanted to show you something. But first I must ask: when you were in Blackwatch with my brother years ago, did he ever mention the… unique ability the Shimadas had?” Hanzo said, gripping Jesse a bit tighter, but was careful to not squeeze too tight.
“I reckon he didn’t doll, he never spoke much o’ home, except for to curse it really. You know that.” Jesse answered, getting increasingly more worried for Hanzo, and it was starting to show as the cowboy was shifting his weight from foot to foot, and fidgeting. “Why?”
“...Are you afraid of me, Jesse?” Hanzo asked, voice catching in his throat.
“Never, darlin’--I would never be scared of ya.” Jesse rushed out, unsure of where the question had come from. “I’m jus’ worried for ya is all. What's goin’ on?” He continued, one of his hands coming to rest on Hanzo’s and squeezing gently.
“The Shimadas are shifters. We can turn.” The words came out of Hanzo in a rush. He shook a bit after the words left his mouth, like he was afraid to say them, and afraid of the reaction.
“Slow down Han--I don’t know what yer talkin’ ‘bout.” Jesse said, trying to remove Hanzo’s hands so he could turn to face the man.
Before Jesse even had the chance, Hanzo pulled his hands back and disappeared, moving further into the forest swiftly, leaving Jesse to try and catch up again.
“Han!” Jesse shouted as he tried to follow. He was able to keep up, but never keep Hanzo in sight. He could hear his footfalls, and saw the occasional flash of the ribbon Hanzo kept his hair back with, but never the man himself. That was, until the footfalls stopped and Jesse saw Hanzo standing, looking away.
“Now you’ve got me really worried. You alright?” Jesse asked, closing the distance. He reached for Hanzo and put a hand on his shoulder, turning him so they were facing each other.
Hanzo’s eyes were directed down to the ground. “I led you out here to show you something, and now, I am afraid to.” He said with a cold chuckle. He turned his head.
It was then Jesse noticed what looked like patches of blue on Hanzo’s skin, close to the shade of his tattoo. He reached up to touch one of the spots on Hanzo’s cheek, and it felt… scaly. “Why are you afraid darlin’? I trust ya, but damn if I’m not worried for ya.”
Hanzo swallowed. “Did you ever wonder, why the symbol for the Shimada clan was dragons? Why everyone in the family knew the tale of the two dragon brothers? Why they were always so secretive?” He let out a breath. “Someone, many many years ago, made a deal that affects the bloodline to this day.” Hanzo took a few steps away from Jesse, and stopped the man from closing the distance between them again. “Because of this foolish person, we are all cursed.” He smiled, teeth looking sharper. He blinked and his eyes changed from the soft brown Jesse was used to seeing to a harsh and bright golden color. The blue seemed to be spreading, but slowly. Hanzo looked Jesse in the eyes, repeating the same question he had asked earlier. “Are you afraid of me, Jesse McCree?”
Jesse, although worried beyond all belief for his partner, smiled at him. “I could never be afraid of ya, Hanzo. Love ya too damn much, and you know that.”
Hanzo looked at Jesse, somewhat teary eyed and he smiled warmly at the cowboy, a relieved and open expression making it’s way onto his face. “Then, I have something to show you, Jesse.” Hanzo said before his form wavered.
Jesse’s eyes widened as Hanzo’s form shifted and changed in front of him.
One moment a man had been standing there, and then the next, a dragon.
Jesse whistled. “Damn darlin’--didn’t know ya could do this.” Jesse took his hat off, and looked the dragon, looked Hanzo, in the eye. He tilted his head, about to open his mouth to ask a question, when he heard a voice that wasn’t his echoing in his head.
“No, I cannot speak in this form, Jesse. At least not how you would describe as speaking.” Hanzo’s voice echoed, and the dragon moved slowly closer, like he was trying not to frighten him. Hell, his head was bigger than Jesse’s torso, and his canines could be seen sticking just barely past his lip.
“This what you meant when you said cursed? Cause this is something else, darlin’.” Jesse reached out, completely unafraid of Hanzo. His hand was a few inches off of Hanzo’s snout, like he was waiting for a signal to continue or stop, and he only moved once he didn’t get a negative reaction. His hand rested on Hanzo’s snout, the other coming up to Hanzo’s jaw, feeling the texture of the scales under his fingers.
Hanzo let out what could only be described as a purr, pushing his nose into Jesse’s hands before moving to nuzzle into Jesse’s chest. “You… are not afraid?” Hanzo asked, the words tinged with anxiety.
“Woah there!” Jesse said when Hanzo had moved, only smiling after he spoke. “Aw hell, honey.” Jesse said, tucking a hand on each side of the dragon’s jaws and lifting up so he and Hanzo were looking eye to eye. He landed a quick smooch on the tip of Hanzo’s snout. “I never was, honeybun, and I never will be.”