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"You are getting slow in your old age, Hanzo. We are going to be late!" Genji called playfully from the front door, waiting for his brother to join him so they could head to work. "Do not make me leave without you!"
Hanzo sighed softly, casting a scowl in the general direction of the voice, but saying nothing. He couldn't really be mad… In fact, every day he got to experience his brother's relentless teasing and carefree attitude, he was happy. Each day he kept him close was another day he gave thanks. Because there were times, in lives before, where that was not the case.
Hanzo was… well. Some called it gifted, special, remarkable… Others called it crazy, unbelievable, cursed… Hanzo himself held no pleasant opinions of it. This… ability to remember all of his past lives and things that happened... it was exhausting, mentally taxing, painful in some cases… especially in cases like Genji, where he can very vividly remember attacking his own brother in a life not too long ago. The feelings of guilt and shame still hung over him even now, despite the fact that he and his brother, who was alive and well, completely unmarred by the vicious cruelty of another timeline, were inseparable, living and working together in the little cafe down the street that they owned. But the memories and feelings about his brother weren't the only ones that continued to haunt him… and they weren’t the memories that had delayed his leaving this time. No…
That blame went to someone else entirely…
With a soft huff, Hanzo shook away the thoughts and finished getting ready, tying up his hair and shoving his hands in his coat pockets as he hurried out to where Genji was waiting. "Let us go." He said stoically, trying to maintain his normal stoic attitude to hide why he had been running behind.
"You were thinking about them again… weren't you?"
Immediately, Hanzo’s brows knitted into a scowl. Of course Genji would never fall for his attempts to pretend everything was ok. His brother knew better and never hesitated to call him out on it. "Yes. Now can we go?”
"You know, I'm still pretty sure I could-"
"We will be late. You said so yourself. Go." Hanzo ordered sternly.
"It is still fresh then. Fine, but you cannot just keep it bottled up forever, brother… and you know I will listen."
Hanzo said with a sigh, glancing away momentarily. "I know… But now is not the time. We must be off, please." Thankfully, Genji didn’t push any further, just gave him an understanding smile and a nod and headed out the door. Hanzo followed him out, locking the door behind them and silently falling into step beside his brother. As they walked, however, his thoughts once again started to drift, finding their way back to
them
yet again.
The person in question, this being that often consumed his thoughts… was the person with whom he had found himself with in every single life he ever lived for as far back as he could remember. A person with whom he was so closely tied by that fabled red string of fate that he had almost begun to believe in the concept of soulmates. How else do you explain ending up with the same soul over and over again in different forms? No matter what form they took… Humans, genders ever changing, just trying to make their way through life. Wolves, horses, dragons, and beasts of many kinds, fighting to survive against all odds… No matter how much things changed from life to life, they always found their way together. And Hanzo had no doubt that that would be the case this time. At least… he didn’t used to have any doubt… But Hanzo had yet to find them. The sense of loneliness and fear he felt, nearing forty and his fated love still having not crossed his path… Would they come at all? Had something happened to them before they could be at his side? What if–
“Hanzo?”
Hanzo looked up quickly, pulled from his thoughts by the concern in Genji’s tone. “Yes?”
“I have called you three times… Are you sure you do not wish-”
“No.” He answered too quickly, tone far more sharp than he had intended. Immediately he ducked his head and sighed. “Apologies. I… wish to busy myself so my mind will quiet. Nothing more.”
“If I let it go and allow you to do so, would you try to talk to me once we get home?”
Hanzo eyed his brother. He knew this was not a question. This was either agree or have Genji breathing down his neck the entire day… That made the answer obvious. With a soft, mildly frustrated sigh, he moved past Genji to the door of the cafe to unlock it. “Yes.”
“Then I will not say another word about it until then.” Genji chimed with a bright smile.
Hanzo gave a small smile of his own, knowing that Genji only pressed and pestered because he cared, then immediately went to work preparing things for opening. Counters cleaned, coffees and teas organized and neat, cups stacked just so… A place for everything and everything in its place, just as he liked it. It was something he took great pride in after all.
Once the cafe looked immaculate, as it always did before opening, he gave Genji a nod… and the sign was turned to open. Customers started to file in pretty quickly, regulars and new faces alike, a sense of peace washed over Hanzo. The joy of making others happy simply with the teas and foods he had learned over so many lifetimes or watching his extremely charismatic brother making people laugh and smile simply by being himself when he carried out the orders… Yes. This is exactly what he needed. His mind was clear, quiet, and finally he felt himself starting to relax.
Ding!
Hanzo looked up to greet whoever walked in the door… but all that came out was a soft noise of surprise. The man that walked in… he certainly stood out from the crowd. Brown leather boots, worn and weathered from work, dark colored blue jeans that seemed to be practical but hugged in just the right places and were accented with a large ridiculous belt buckle that made Hanzo roll his eyes internally, A red shirt with snaps, not buttons, that was nice, but clearly meant for working with its myriad of snags and rough patches… And that hat… Tan, well kept but well loved… The man looked like the word cowboy personified and even with all of that to process, only one thought crossed Hanzo’s mind.
It's him…
He knew he shouldn’t stare like he was and he tried to look at literally anything else… but he simply could not look away, his eyes following this man’s every little move as he made his way over. It wasn’t until the man actually got to the counter that Hanzo managed to get some semblance of a hold on himself, taking a breath before answering. “Good morning.”
“Mornin. I need the largest black coffee you got, if it aint too much trouble.” The man said cheerfully, feeling around his pockets for his wallet. “Been one hell of a drive to get here. Ain’t slept much and still got-” He pulled his wallet out and looked up, laying eyes on Hanzo for the first time since walking in. The words seemed to catch in his throat as he studied the man behind the counter, mouth slightly ajar, a glint of recognition in those lovely brown eyes. “I-I’m sorry. Have… Have we met?”
“I…” Hanzo trailed off, glancing down for a moment.
Not in this life.
He shook his head, knowing he couldn’t say such a thing, looking back over with his normal, neutral expression… though now there was something a little softer about it. “No. I don’t believe we have…”
“Huh… I coulda swore…” The man trailed off with a hum then shook his head as well. “Ah well. Sorry. Large black coffee, please.”
Hanzo gave a nod and reached for their largest cups. “Name?”
“Cole.”
Once again, Hanzo simply nodded, writing it out on the cup in the most gorgeous script and moved away from the counter. The whole time he was preparing the order, he could feel eyes on him. Normally, this would not phase him too much, customers watched him all the time… but this was different. It took every ounce of self control he possessed to not keep looking back at him, the images of hundreds of lifetimes with this soul flashing through his mind in the span of only a few moments. It left him almost breathless, overwhelmed, with this feeling like his heart was going to beat its way out of his chest… Yet it was nothing compared to the feeling that arose when he brought the coffee back, sitting it on the counter for the man, who reached for it rather distractedly…
And their hands touched.
They both froze, looking up at each other with surprise, a light dusting of pink adoring both of their cheeks… but neither of them moved away, staying silent and still for a good few moments.
“I, er…” Cole started, glancing down at their hands, “Sorry ‘bout that, I… Um…” He swallowed thickly and finally pulled his hand away to get his card from his wallet, more than a little flustered. “H-How much I owe ya?”
“You don’t.” Hanzo started as he returned his hand to his side, his gaze not quite meeting Cole’s now. He couldn’t if he wanted to get through this interaction without making a fool of himself.
“Wh.. no, no, no. I hadn’t paid yet, I gotta owe you somethin’...”
“Your travels have been long. You are weary. It is the least I can do…”
After a moment of hesitation, Cole tucked his wallet back in his pocket. “If you insist… Thank ya most kindly, sir.”
“Hanzo.”
Cole blinked… Then a soft smile lit up his face. “Well, thank ya, Hanzo… This will hopefully get me through movin’ into the new place down here, but if it don’t… you gonna mind too terribly if I come back?”
“Come back whenever you please. I will be here.” Hanzo replied with a small smile of his own.
“Good! ‘Cause I might just make an excuse to come back regardless…” Cole chuckled, grabbing his coffee from the counter and taking a few steps back toward the door. “Be seein you around, Hanzo!”
Hanzo watched him go, feeling the crushing weight of his earlier fears being lifted from his chest. Seemed all he needed was to be patient for that soul,
his
soul, to find his way to his side. Late maybe… but that just meant he had to make every moment count. In this life… the next…
And every single one thereafter.