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Hanzo was a trained assassin. His marksmanship was unparalleled, a testament to years of training, as was his ability to move silently as he pleased. You only knew he was present at any time because he wished it so. As such, his line of work required him to be utmost observant of his surroundings, usually at all times. He could, and would, notice anything out of the ordinary within seconds.
So of course at dinner, he noticed Cassidy try to sneak a meatball to Soba.
“Cole,” he didn't even need to turn his attention from his own meal to know Cassidy had heard the warning in his voice.
“Yes, Sugar?” Cassidy had propped his elbow on the table, a little too roughly, and even if the sensors in his prosthetic were duller than actual nerves, it still caused him to visibly grimace.
Hanzo finally turned his attention on him, Cassidy still trying to look as innocent as— what was his favourite expression? “About as innocent as a fox in a hen house”. He narrowed his eyes at him, and Cassidy only wriggled his eyebrows in response.
“Cole, they do not eat.”
Cassidy deflated a little at being caught and probably would have pulled his hat lower over his face if Angela hadn’t banished it from making an appearance at the table months ago. The meatball he’d been trying to give Soba made it’s way back onto Cassidy’s plate, a small draconic spirit appearing soon after to follow the object.
“Aw, I thought’d I’d be nice an’ offer it.” Cassidy scratched the little serpentine form under it’s chin affectionately, “Seemed interested at least.”
“Soba probably only wanted it because it is round, like a pearl.” Udon soon made it’s presence known at Hanzo’s side between him and Cassidy, the small creature attempting to steal an unused spoon, “If you had let him take it, he would have only stashed it away, and we would not have found it until it started to rot.”
“So meatballs an’ other foods are off the list fer treats, got it.” Cassidy grabbed the spoon from Udon’s reach, the tiny dragon making an annoyed chirp when it’s prize was taken away.
“If you are adamant about giving them ‘treats’, they like marbles.”
The gleam that came to Cassidy’s eye at the mention of that almost made Hanzo regret mentioning it, “They do? Huh.”
Hanzo pointed accusingly at Cassidy with his chopsticks, “Do not do anything foolish.”
“Aw, Darlin’, ya wound me.”
Hanzo could already tell from his grin that Cassidy had already plotted something in that thick head of his. However, what exactly that plot was didn't come to light until three days later, when Hanzo returned to his and Cassidy’s shared room after spending some time at the practice range. Hanzo was not prepared for the noise of at least ten disturbed marbles rolling across the floor when he opened the door, eyes immediately finding and meeting Cassidy’s.
“You did not.”
Cassidy met his exasperated expression with a wide grin, “Oh, I did.”
Cassidy was sat cross-legged on the floor of their room, marbles speckling the otherwise bare floor, and Soba and Udon were currently in full sprint after the ones Hanzo had knocked into motion with the door. It was all Hanzo could do but grip the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, knowing full well that reaction would only amuse Cassidy.
“I hope you know that when they tire of this game, it will be you cleaning all of the marbles up.”
“O’ course.” Cassidy motioned for Hanzo to join him on the floor, and after brief consideration, Hanzo did.
Naturally, Cassidy took the opportunity to sling an arm around Hanzo’s waist to pull him closer, nuzzling into the greying hairs at the archer’s temple. Hanzo just sighed fondly, settling against Cassidy to watch both of the spirit dragons chase after and toy with the marbles.
“Heh heh, they’re awful cute.” Cassidy’s tendency to slip into moments of childish wonder and awe even despite his tough life was admittedly something Hanzo could get used to, “Shoulda seen ‘em when I brought the marbles out at first, little guys went absolutely bonkers.”
“I can imagine.” Hanzo nudged a marble, a small smile forming on his face when Udon rushed after it, the small dragon falling over it’s own long body to get at its plaything, “I used to roll a ball around for them for hours when I was small.”
“Now that’s a cute mental image if there ever was one,” Cassidy teased, pressing a kiss to Hanzo’s temple, laughing when Hanzo moved to playfully shove at him for teasing, “Aw, but I mean it Sweetheart, tiny you playin’ with equally tiny dragons. Makes a man’s heart melt.”
Hanzo rolled his eyes, “I’m certain there were things you did in your youth that were just as adorable.”
“Tiny me could never be as adorable as tiny you though.” and Hanzo wants to believe that one day the way Cassidy’s eyes and voice go soft and warm will stop making his heart flutter so, “Even now, ‘m nowhere near as handsome as you are Darlin’.”
“…You are a silly man.” it’s far less of an insult that one would assume, if someone listening in only caught this part of their suddenly hushed conversation, because they would have missed how Hanzo’s cheeks flush slightly in response to the complement.
“I only tell it like it is, Sugar.” Cassidy’s smile is easy and warm, and so is his hold on Hanzo’s waist, “Yer goddamn beautiful.”
“But you sell yourself short in order to complement me,” Hanzo accused, voice low to match Cassidy’s, “how rude of you.”
“‘Rude’ is it?”
“Very.”
Their lips are literally centimetres apart by this point, and closing the distance, only for both of them to break out of their moment when Soba made a distressed squeak. From the looks of it, Udon had apparently snatched a very specific marble that Soba had grown attached to, and the two had gotten themselves literally tangled up during a game of keep away.
Cassidy deflated a bit, pouting from missing out on a smooch, only for Hanzo to chuckle at his expense and press a quick peck to his cheek before he went to retrieve and begin untangling Soba and Udon.