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“What’s coma-toast?”
The innocent question was asked by Aria, and interrupted the conversation at the dinner table.
It was just the four of them; after getting the approval of Jesse’s family, Hanzo had begun to stay over more often. Now, two months later, it had started to feel like a second home. Especially now with the thick snow that began to fall just recently. Hanzo had grown up with snowy winters, but he found that Jesse did not. In fact, this has been the first time the kids had seen so much snow at one time. Jesse told him once that they used to live in a warmer part of the states, where the most they would get was a layer of frost overnight. Now, they had to dust the kids off whenever they were done playing outside.
This particular evening, Jesse asked Hanzo to stay over for the night. It had been a tough day; not for the first time, Hanzo was warned about what the future could hold if Genji stayed under much longer. Dr. Ziegler, Genji’s doctor, wanted Genji to wake up almost as much as Hanzo, but she was being realistic when telling him that the long-term effects of being comatose could render him completely disabled. That at the age of 26, Genji might have to have 24 hour care, if not put into a living facility.
And that was if he woke up, months down the line from where they were now. The extent of brain damage could not be determined until he woke up. Pulling the plug, Dr. Ziegler said, would be an act of mercy.
So Hanzo needed the support; Jesse at his side with his popular homemade quesadillas, and the kids who gave him hugs without being prompted.
He was going over the incident with Jesse when Aria asked the question.
It wasn’t like the kids were in the dark about the situation; they knew that Hanzo had a brother, and just knew that he had an accident and was sick. He didn’t go into detail about it to them, and Jesse allowed him to be the bearer of that information, but Hanzo had forgotten that kids were curious and some things were beyond their understanding.
Jesse gave him a look that told him the explanation was up to him. Hanzo sighed, steeled himself, and gave an explanation that he felt was kid-friendly yet did not shield them from the truth.
“I have told you that my brother is sick,” Hanzo began, and Aria nodded along while Mateo watched with big eyes. “Well, he is comatose, which is like being asleep but unable to wake up.”
“ Oh! Like Snow White?” Aria asked, her fork clinking against her plate loudly in her realization.
Hanzo thought about it, and nodded cautiously. “Somewhat. Except we can only wait for him to wake up.”
“Maybe a handsome prince can wake him up,” Aria suggested, taking a sip from her plastic cup of juice. Mateo nodded, as if in agreement, and continued to eat.
It felt like the topic had been dropped at that point. Jesse and Hanzo shared a look, amused, and discussed the latest drama about Gabriel and Jack.
Christmas and New Years had gone and passed when Hanzo finally allowed them to visit. They had warned the kids prior, and told them that if they didn’t want to come they were more than welcome to stay with Mama Ana and Papa Rein instead. Aria stood her ground loud and proud, and while Mateo didn’t say much, he still nodded when asked if he wanted to go. And that lead to now; Hanzo stood outside the hospital room door, bracing himself.
Jesse gripped his hand tight. “We don’t have to, sweetheart.”
Hanzo shook his head. He had visited his brother plenty of times since the accident. During the first few months, his brother needed a thick tube down his throat, his many wounds bandaged and stitched and covered in dried blood, dark purple bruises almost rendering him completely unrecognizable. Over the next year, his wounds had healed, bruises turning yellow, and he wore a cannula in his nose instead of the respiratory tube. Yet, he somehow seemed to appear closer to death in the past few months; his skin grew paler, his body thinner. And worst of all, that doctor whose eyes had hope for recovery earlier in the year had grown dimmer each visit.
Gripping Jesse’s hand, Hanzo pushed open the door and entered the room.
It was like Hanzo expected. His brother lay unresponsive on the white bed, a cannula in his nose and an IV strapped to his arm. A pink scar peeked out from his hairline, and his broken nose was still healing with a crooked, pink line, surrounded by yellow bruises. His eyes seemed more sunken than Hanzo remembered, and much paler, but the heart monitor beside the bed reassured him that Genji still lived.
For how much longer, Hanzo did not want to guess.
Jesse was cradling Mateo in one arm, and he looked with wide eyes to the bed. Aria kept unnaturally silent, and she held onto Hanzo’s free hand, staring at the bed in wonder.
“Is that your brother?” She asked, in a tone that Hanzo couldn’t decipher.
“Yes,” Hanzo said. “If you are uncomfortable, you can leave at anytime.”
Aria shook her head and, to Hanzo’s surprise, broke away from his side to approach the bed. Hanzo and Jesse shared a brief look and followed.
Aria laid a hand on the bedspread and seemed to analyze Genji’s face for a long moment. Mateo grew restless in Jesse’s arms, and he let him down where he joined his sister by the bed, keeping his hands strictly to his sides. There was an almost awkward silence in the room, aside from the beeping of the heart monitor and the respiratory machine.
Jesse coughed, if only to break the silence, and said, “Hey, darlin’, why don’t you tell the kids what he’s like?”
Aria voiced her enthusiastic reply, and both her and Mateo looked at Hanzo expectantly. Jesse lead him to the chairs beside the bed and Hanzo cleared his throat.
“Ah, well,” Hanzo began, fidgeting with Jesse’s fingers as he sorted his thoughts. “Genji and I grew up together in Hanamura, Japan. Our family likes tradition, and my parents own a business in Japan based on producing traditional clothing. I can show you what they look like when we get home, if you want. Anyway, Genji and I were expected to take on the business when we grew old enough, but it didn’t end up happening.” At the time, when both brothers decided they did not want the family business, it had caused a rift in their family; the main reason why Genji and Hanzo stayed in the states after graduating college. After the accident, they were forced to speak, and began slowly patching things up.
“Genji never had an interest in tradition, and there were many times when I had to cover for him sneaking out of the house to go to a party.” This caused a giggle from Aria. “He frequently rebelled against our parents. It would drive them insane. He definitely wasn’t going to take on the family business, so they looked to me instead.” He chuckled this time, low and regretful. “I thought I wanted it, but I found in my first year of college that I hated it. Taking business and fashion design, I mean. My History of Japan class was the only interesting part of my day. I found designing to be fun, but I wanted to do more than just clothing. So I switched majors without telling my parents.”
“Did you get in trouble?” Aria asked, fully enthralled with the story. Mateo had climbed into Jesse’s lap, and Aria propped her arms on Hanzo’s lap. He wordlessly let her climb on and rested a hand on her knee.
“Not quite. They were not happy with my decision,” Hanzo said. “But they did not find out until Genji followed me to the same college and moved in with me. While I majored in design, Genji studied video production. He had been moving from one place to another after college, but he found time to visit me when he could.” His eyes drew to the man on the bed and for once, Hanzo regarded him with fondness rather than guilt. “He wanted me to help him on a project, and have me design the sets and characters. I told him he’d have to pay me for it.”
“What was it about?” Aria asked.
Hanzo laughed quietly. “Something about the future, with robots and wars or something. I cannot remember the details.” It was actually right before the accident. They discussed it on that same visit where Genji pestered him to agree, and Hanzo planned to say yes. He never had a chance to answer him properly, and as far as Hanzo knew, he never wrote the idea down anywhere.
Jesse had an arm around him and a thumb rubbing circles into his shoulder. “That’s great, sweetpea. When he wakes up, I think you two should do it.”
Hanzo smiled at him, and silently appreciated his use of ‘when’. “I think we should, too.”
He recounted a particular story where Genji called him from Japan, after Hanzo moved away. Genji was frantic on the phone, muttering about how much he was going to get into trouble, when Hanzo shushed him to explain what was going on.
“He said, ‘I put a hole in the wall’,” Hanzo recounted, watching the kids grin. “I asked him how he did that. He said, ‘I tripped on a shoe and my head fell right through!’” Aria laughed, loud enough to echo down the hallway, and Mateo giggled into Jesse’s shirt. “I instructed him on how to hide it behind a tapestry until his friends helped him fill in the hole. Our parents never found out.” Genji would often call him while he was away at college, and Hanzo took a little pride in knowing that his brother missed him.
He kept recounting as many fun stories to the kids as he could. It became important to Hanzo to pass on what his brother was like, if he did succumb to his injuries.
Once the kids learned that it was possible for Genji to hear them - Dr. Zeigler popped in to say hi and drop that particular fact - Aria did her best to include Genji in their conversations. When Hanzo recounted how Genji dyed his hair bright green for the first time, Aria said, “I wanna dye my hair, too, Genji. Maybe when you wake up you can help me!” Hanzo couldn’t help the fond smile on his face, to see the kids interact with his brother, even if it was one-sided.
It was growing close to evening by the time Jesse announced they should head out. Outside the window, it had begun snowing again, and Hanzo knew it made Jesse nervous to drive in. The kids gathered their coats and began to get ready, when Mateo reached up for Hanzo to pick him up. Hanzo did, but instead of resting against him like Mateo normally did, he made grabby hands towards Genji.
Cautiously, Hanzo brought Mateo closer until they were beside the bed. Mateo began to lean away from Hanzo, nearly toppling out of his arms, his little hands outstretched towards the man on the bed.
“Matty, what are you up to?” Hanzo asked, trying not to let him grab onto any tubes.
Mateo instead straightened and pursed his lips at Hanzo. “Kiss.”
It didn’t click for Hanzo until Aria shouted, “He wants to kiss Genji! Maybe he’ll wake up!”
Chuckling, Hanzo nodded to Mateo. “You may. Just be careful of his tubes, okay?” When Mateo nodded, Hanzo lowered him towards Genji, and Mateo placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
When they backed away, Aria immediately took their spot. “My turn!” She kissed Genji’s temple, only a little more forceful than Mateo, but she wasn’t strong enough to displace anything important.
Hanzo watched longingly, and on a whim, he bent down towards the bed. With his free hand, he pushed back Genji’s hair - black roots with fading white-green tips - and placed a kiss on his forehead.
They never showed much affection as brothers. A hug when they haven’t seen each other in months, maybe an arm slung around a shoulder or just general passing touches. But now that Hanzo may never be able to tell Genji how much he means to him, it feels appropriate to do his best now and from then on.
Jesse wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed Hanzo’s cheek, before placing one on Mateo’s head. “That’s very sweet, kids. But I think we might get kicked out if we stay here any longer.”
Finally making their way towards the exit, Hanzo chanced one last look over his shoulder. His brother looked as dead to the world as he had months ago. Suppressing a sigh, he was about to follow Jesse out when something caught his eyes. Minute movement, or maybe a sound, but Hanzo paused and continued to watch. Mateo, still in his arms, had stilled as if he also noticed something.
“Han?” Jesse and Aria paused in the hallway, but Hanzo didn’t respond.
Genji’s head jerked to the side, his eyebrows furrowing together, and in seeing the first movement his brother had made in months, Hanzo gasped and ran up to the side of the bed. He gripped Genji’s hand tightly, and started murmuring encouraging Japanese phrases without realizing. Slowly, Genji’s eyes blinked open, disoriented and drowsy.
Distantly, he heard Jesse curse. Aria was gripping his pant leg and asking what was going on as Jesse frantically pressed the call button. Mateo still clung to Hanzo’s collar, silent but watching with his wide, dark eyes.
Genji’s gaze eventually cleared and he fixed on Hanzo’s face with eyes he hasn’t seen in months. His mouth moved, but all that came out was a dry croak.
A nurse rushed in, soon followed by Dr. Ziegler, who gave Hanzo a relieved smile and a quick squeeze before they were escorted out of the room. Hanzo spent the time out in the hallway pacing, waiting until the doctor was finished checking up on Genji, and feeling like he suddenly had static electricity running through him.
“Sweetheart, take a rest for a minute, I’m sure they’ll be done soon,” Jesse tried to reassure him. Mateo now sat in Jesse’s lap, dozing on his shoulder, while Aria colored in one of the kids books provided by the hospital.
Hanzo paused, tapping his fingers incessantly against his chin before slumping his shoulders in defeat. He took a seat beside Jesse, who wrapped his free arm around Hanzo. Hanzo let his head rest against Jesse and took a deep breath.
“You may head home if it’s too late,” He murmured.
Jesse pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Darlin’, I’m not leaving you.”
Hanzo hid his relieved smile again Jesse’s shirt, but he was sure Jesse could feel it anyway.
The door opened and Dr. Ziegler exited, smiling at Hanzo as he abruptly stood up. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. Technically, visiting hours closed, but this is an exception.” Hanzo smiled appreciatively at her, and rushed into the room.
In the room, Genji already appeared better than he had in months. He was awake, propped upright, the tubes and needles finally discarded. He sipped at a glass of water as Hanzo entered with Jesse and the kids.
Genji hastily put the glass down and cleared his throat, intending to say something, but Hanzo didn’t hear it as he pulled his brother into a hug. Genji silently clung on, the only noise a small hiccup that was muffled against Hanzo’s shirt. Genji must have an idea of how long he was out, that he was injured badly and Hanzo worried more than he had ever worried over Genji in his life.
Hanzo pulled away only to grip the back of Genji’s head and press their foreheads together in a motion that was familiar since they were children; a small gesture that seemed to promise support and protection. Hanzo did this to reassure Genji when they were young and he had a nightmare; when Genji got in his first fight in high school; when they first fought with their parents and they began to wonder if they could ever go home.
It served as not only a promise, but as a moment to relax. They took a steady breath between them, to ground themselves, and Hanzo pulled back.
“How are you feeling?”
Genji shrugged. “Awake.” At Hanzo’s flat stare, he continued, “A little numb from the waist down but the doctor said it’ll get figured out. Apparently comas are a ‘play it by ear’ situation.”
Genji smiled up at Hanzo’s huffed laugh, and then his eyes widened as he saw Jesse and the kids, who had stayed back during the reunion. Jesse still had Mateo in his arms and held Aria by the hand, who waved excitedly at Genji.
Genji awkwardly cleared his throat and, eyeing the kids, asked, “Uh, how long, exactly, have I been out?”
It took Hanzo a moment to understand what he was asking. Jesse burst into a flustered laugh before Hanzo could speak.
“Oh no, these are mine, not his.” Jesse gestured to the kids.
Genji slowly nodded. “Right. And who are you?”
“I apologize.” Hanzo stepped up to Jesse’s side, who looped an arm around Hanzo’s waist. Genji raised an eyebrow. “This is Jesse, and these are his kids, Mateo and Aria.”
“Hi!” Aria said, excitedly waving, from Hanzo’s side.
Genji slowly lifted a hand to wave back. “Nice to meet you.” His gaze moved to Jesse and he unashamedly gave him a once-over. “I wake up and my brother has a boyfriend and kids.”
Hanzo gave a flustered laugh. “It has been an odd year.”
Something falters in Genji’s expression, and he almost looked pained; not physically, though that is what Hanzo’s mind jumped to first. It was more like the fact that he lost almost a year of his life rested painfully in his mind.
“It’s nice to finally meet ya, Genji,” Jesse said. Mateo had fallen asleep on his shoulder by now, the excitement of earlier drained out of him. And despite her enthusiasm, Aria struggled to hide her yawns. “Hanzo told me a lot about ya. And I’d like to be here to catch up, but--” He gestured to the two kids. “It’s past their bedtime.”
Hanzo bit his lip in guilt. “Of course. I apologize that I kept you.”
“Shush, you know we would stay here longer if we could.” Jesse rested a hand on his hip briefly, just to press a quick kiss to the corner of Hanzo’s lips. “I’ll get the kids to bed and have Ana or Reinhardt come over, and then mosey my way back here.”
Hanzo bit back an argument, knowing it’ll fall on deaf ears. Instead, he smiled. “Thank you, Jesse.” He placed a kiss on Mateo’s temple and one on Aria’s cheek, then both children were hauled out with Jesse in the lead.
As the room once again quieted, Hanzo found Genji watching him.
“That’s the happiest I’ve seen you in a while,” Genji commented.
Hanzo smiled. “It’s even better now.”
Genji scoffed and rolled his eyes, as if the statement was sarcastic. He propped his chin on his elbow and fixed Hanzo with a look. “Tell me how you met. Tell me everything I missed.”
There were other things to be discussed; such as Genji’s current condition, what the future could hold for him. Numb from the waist down is not a known condition to be reversed. But neither of them wanted to discuss it. Right now, Genji had just survived a ten month coma. They have to take time to celebrate that.
So Hanzo started from the beginning, of going to the park on a whim and stumbling upon a girl drawing with chalk on a sidewalk.