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He stares outward, his eyes scanning the horizon, his expression in a serious glaze, his thoughts running as if it was a fast flowing yet calm river. Hanzo had his arms rested on the fence and his body leaned forward as he searched, searching for something he himself doesn’t know what he seeks.
He hears footsteps and he senses a being, his brain is snapped out of its quick yet calm cycle. He looks back to see Ana Amari.
“Greetings.” Hanzo replied with his eyes now on one of Overwatch's best snipers.
“Hanzo.” Ana gave a small wiry smile, “You have a lot on your mind?” She looked a bit concerned, her brows furrowing a little, “It’s chilly outside isn’t it?” Hanzo looked to the side thinking for a moment. She was right, it was a crisp chill in the air, but it was something Hanzo enjoyed usually, at least, until now. He felt as if he needed something else, since the chill just wasn’t cutting it right now. His fingers were starting to ache, the frosty chill biting at his phalanges.
“It is.”
“Aren’t you cold?”
He pauses for a moment, “…. I am fine.”
Ana was still concerned for the Archer, but a tad annoyed, but in a motherly way. Thankfully she had a favor that would at least force him inside.
“I would like to ask you a favor, if you aren’t too busy.” She replies, going towards a wall close to the balcony and leaning against it looking outward, an expression filled with some worry. Hanzo notices this and looks more alert, “Is something amiss? What do you wish to ask of me?”
“It’s Cassidy.” She looked worried, almost like a mother, she did teach him how to aim,
‘Aim with your dominant eye Cassidy, you cannot just shoot, you must also focus on your gun, it can never leave your sight.’ ‘C’mon Ana! I already know how ta’ do this.’ She raised an eyebrow and a small smile on her face, ‘To learn you always recall the basics.’ Cassidy looked a bit annoyed but he understood, quickly following her rules, ‘Now fire.’ He shoots the gun and is in awe when he sees that he finally got the training target from afar. Ana would never forget the glee in his eyes as he said ‘I did it..!' However, her mind wandered off to her Pharah, she wished she was there for her, and a small frown appeared.
After a small pause she speaks, “Something is amiss, He is… acting strange. I see him come in with boxes from the post office but he never lets anyone take a peek. Not even me, and you know Cassidy..”
“When he is hiding something it’s never a good sign.” Hanzo chimed in and Ana gave a small nod.
“You think he would let me?” He felt surprised yet a tad touched, Cassidy usually never hid anything, unless it was about something of his past, however this was an item. He looks at Ana, his expression turning into anxiety. Ana notices the surprise and smiles slightly, “He has grown fond of you, he thinks you are cool, even if you don’t see it. Just let me know if it’s something to be worried about.” Before Hanzo can ask anything else Ana leans off the wall, doing her small salute and turning to leave, almost disappearing.
He thinks for a moment, the chill starting to intensify, he then walks inside headquarters towards Cassidy’s room, rubbing his hands. Hanzo knew where Cassidy’s room was solely because of their rooms being almost near each other. Sometimes he would hear Cassidy talk with the many members of headquarters, like Pharah and Genji. Soon Hanzo would arrive at the door, the nameplate on it saying “Cole Cassidy - Commander”. He knocks on the door with the backside of his fist. “Cole.” Hanzo calls but there is no response, the door is unlocked so he decides to open it anyways, he thought Cassidy would not mind.
“Cassidy I-“
Hanzo stops his sentence and sees a frozen Cassidy, no hat, mid paint stroke who was so focused on a paintbrush he must’ve tuned everything out. Cassidy had a small horse figurine on the other hand, being painted in a light brown..
“H-Hanzo! I Uh-“
Hanzo looked a bit amused and started to softly laugh, he thought it was absolutely adorable. Cassidy had a small blush and a smile as he set the horse figurine down.
“You won’t-“
“Your secrets safe with me cowboy.”
As Cassidy sets the horse figurine down, Hanzo presses a few buttons on the holo tablet by the door, the door quickly shutting. He turns back to see the table, boxes organized at the bottom containing new paints and horse figurines nestled inside, the top of the table had a different story, plates of paint messily scattered and the horse figurine he was currently working on sat on top of a paper towel, with the fresh unfinished plaster of light brown paint.
“I’ve been startin’ to paint these little horse figurines, and I know it’s REAL silly but-“
Cole looked wide eyed as Hanzo's eyes lead him to a horse figurine on the counter that looked just like him. A blue dark color ,like his attire, with a black mane tied into a ponytail, the ponytail an added clay feature by Cassidy himself. He walks towards the horse and sees the small sign, ‘Hanzo the Nokota Horse.’ He looks back to a Cassidy he’d thought he never see in his life. The cowboy is rubbing his neck, his face covered in a ruby red, his dark brown eyes going off to the side.
“Soooo, do you like it?”
Cassidy was trying to brush it off nonchalantly but failing to do so. “I do.” Hanzo replied in a matter of fact way, slightly smiling as he gently lifted the horse from the counter. “I think it’s neat. Nothing silly.” Hanzo stares at the figurine feeling, very warm inside.
Cassidy did not know how to respond, it was almost as if the tables had turned in a way.
“Can I make one?”
Cassidy looked towards Hanzo a bit surprised, “Oh- go ahead Hanzo, I got one more-“
“I will use my own tools, do not worry.” He looks towards Cassidy, “I will be back in an hour.”
Hanzo leaves the flushed Cassidy and goes towards his own room, the door opens and he goes onto the balcony, his carving supplies waiting for him right where he needed them. He sits down, his legs criss-crossed, a small piece of wood in hand and gets to work, his tiny blade chipping away at the small piece of wood, almost as if it was unraveling something. Soon he would finish his masterpiece, and arrive at Cassidy’s door, knocking and immediately seeing the door open to Cassidy. Cassidy must’ve been waiting, he gave his normal usual grin, “Well? Come on in!” The cowboy would step aside and Hanzo would walk in, his gift behind his back.
Once the door shut and Cassidy turned towards Hanzo, he moved his arm, showing a small carved wooden horse that rested in his palm, the horse looked like Cassidy too, hat and all. “This… this is for me?” He grabs the wooden Cass horse and rotates it in his hands, the cowboy looking heartwarmed.
“Hanzo, gosh I, thank you .”
“It was nothing, I liked your figurine of me.”
Cassidy smiles slightly, “Keep it then Han.” Hanzo shook his head, “The small horses stay with the cowboys right?” Hanzo gently grabs the Cass Horse from Cassidy’s hands and sets them by the Hanzo horse.
Both felt their hearts almost explode, they both felt a connection, like they had found something they were searching for. Something the two didn’t know they needed. For a moment, their eyes locked together, nebulas and cosmos appearing in the other's eyes, it felt long yet not long enough.
Cassidy finally breaks the silence, a blush still apparent on his face, “Hanzo, say err, I was gettin’ tired and maybe we could…” Cassidy felt nervous butterflies swarming his stomach, and throat, Hanzo was the same. “You could teach me how you make your arrows?”
Hanzo nods, his face also red, “I- I would like that. I… need to text someone first.” Cassidy smiles slightly, nodding and deciding to go to his room to search for his hat.
‘It is nothing to worry about.’ He looks towards the horse figurines both looking towards each other, being made of a different personality, but still being something that belonged together, something that was connected through destiny. He looks back at his phone, typing out the words,
‘It’s Just a Secret I Intend to Keep.’