the picture prompt meme

[socketeer]

the picture prompt meme I — Comment with your character. II — Others will leave a picture (or two, or three...) III — Reply to them with a setting based on the picture. IV — Link to any pictures that are NSFW, please. V — Be aware that this meme will likely be image-heavy. Link to an image: <a href=IMAGEURL>TEXT</a> Embed an image in your reply: <img src=IMAGEURL> Control image width and height: <img src=IMAGEURL width=500> OR <img src=IMAGEURL height=INSERT>

Comments

Hanzo Shimada | Overwatch | OTA

[with_honor]

[please link pictures.]

[fallensparrow]

[x x x]

[with_honor]

The only reason he joined Overwatch was for the chance to know his brother again. Hanzo was not comfortable around his new teammates nor was he exactly comfortable around his brother but he was making an effort. It might not be the world's best effort but it was hard to overcome the guilt and years of deliberate isolation.

He walked silently with his brother through the woods surrounding the Overwatch outpost they were temporarily stationed at. Genji was silent so Hanzo was silent as well. His brother used to be animated, always talking or bragging or teasing, but these days he spoke only when it was needed or to his omnic master. Hanzo was not one for idle conversation.

The silence that used to be comforting itched under his skin. He was waiting for the accusations to come, the righteous anger that Genji was surely entitled to. Yet, it never seemed to happen whenever they spent time together. Usually, the anger came from him. His efforts, again, we not very good.

[fallensparrow]

Overwatch once had tried to be a home for Genji. He hadn't been able to appreciate it then, too caught up in his anger and grief, in the horror over his new body, but he could see it looking back; the kindness and warmth he'd been shown, the same kindness and warmth that had greeted him upon answering the recall. For whatever had happened in Overwatch to cause its collapse, the people were the same, and Genji was more than grateful for that. The both of them would need that support in the coming days, he had no doubt.

The woods at this specific outpost were lovely in their quiet to Genji, a beauty he would have never seen before his time with Zenyatta. If only to silence between him and Hanzo could be so peaceful. Genji allowed himself to break it first. He'd always been the more talkative of them, after all. "It is beautiful here, isn't it? In woods like these, it's almost like the world falls away."

Genji hoped it might make it easier for Hanzo to speak plainly, knowing no other ears were around to hear. It was obvious he was still adjusting to having so many people around him after so long in self-exile, and the fact that he made the effort at all told Genji more than enough on its own. Once upon a time Hanzo would have been more resistant to the idea. Once upon a time, both of them would be waging a war of barbed comments against each other until it broke out into a full-blown argument.

But their difficulty in compromising with each other was part of the reason things had come to such a terrible head. Genji wasn't keen on repeating such mistakes. No matter how much Hanzo thought Genji should be pushing him away, Genji would be there to offer a hand for Hanzo to take in his own time.

[with_honor]

His first instinct was to simply nod and leave it at that. Speaking opening, speaking at all, was foreign to him. He was used to the only voice being the one in his head always pushing himself for perfection and to atone for the crimes he had committed. Genji's voice was so different from his memories, mechanical and serious instead of the joking and mocking tone of their youth.

"It is lovely," he said with a short nod unable to resist the gestures. "But not as beautiful as the cherry blossoms at home in the spring."

Though he only went home once a year Hanzo missed Japan. It would always be home but never safe until he had wiped out what remained of the Shimada criminal empire. Yet, no matter how many he killed and how many he brought down the beast lived on. His guilt remained like a demon in his chest. His time with Overwatch helped somewhat. The organization was firmly on the side of good and the righteous but each day he was faced with Genji and what he had done to his brother. So, the guilt did not ease.

Genji and his master kept making an effort to help him but he was not a man used to accepting help. Hanzo couldn't seem to overcome the mentality that he must do this alone. Only he could make it right, reclaim his honor and feel worthy again.

"Do you go home often?" he asked, continuing to try and find out about his brother's life in the years since Hanzo fled believing him dead.

[fallensparrow]

Genji was grateful when Hanzo chose to continue the conversation, to question. To most it may have been a small step, but Genji still knew his brother well, knew that Hanzo could have chosen a silent response to try and drag the conversation to a halt if he'd wished to do so. Speaking meant he wanted to talk with Genji. The question meant he wanted to know more about him, and Genji all but leapt at the chance to keep it going. "No. I've only been back twice. Once during the mission to bring down the clan, and once to..."

Genji trailed off. The second time didn't need to be recounted. Hanzo had been present for it, after all. He was quick to shake it off and continue before the reminder of the encounter might sour the mood.

"But you're right. It is difficult to beat the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Especially when a strong wind kicked up, and for a moment all you could see were pink petals in the breeze."

His tone was wistful when he spoke, and it was clear he was in his memories as he spoke. Thinking of home, of Hanamura, brought a pang to his chest. He hadn't thought much of the place itself the last times he'd been there, focused on bringing down his own clan, then focused on speaking with Hanzo. It seemed like a terrible thing to Genji suddenly.

"Perhaps we could make time to go visit together during the spring, see them again."

His voice changed from wistful to hopeful, if faint, as though he was trying to be careful with how much of it he showed. The man he had been before would have needled Hanzo relentlessly until he'd gotten what he'd wanted, yet the tone of it was the same as when he used to plead Hanzo for some thing or other. A familiar note despite the unfamiliar body.

[with_honor]

The fight. Hanzo remembered it. He had replayed it over and over in his mind to see find every mistake he made and if he could've known his brother was his attacker. His conclusion was no. He only knew when he summoned the dragon. There was no one but a Shimada who could. There were plenty of chances Hanzo had to kill his brother again had he not been distracted by memories of the first fight.

"We could if it wasn't a nest of assassins all out kill us." He paused for a moment. "Kill me."

The Shimada Clan thought Genji was dead. They knew Hanzo was alive and killing them. Every time he returned to Japan he was risking his life. They very badly wanted him dead. Hanzo simply killed them first.

"You could return safely and bring your master to show him. I imagine he would like to see where you came from." Hanzo would not go because to go he would put Genji at risk and he did not want that.

The last thing he wanted was to see his brother die again. Hanzo would not survive being responsible for it twice. He could only carry so much guilt and have so much blood on his hands before he snapped.

[fallensparrow]

As much as Genji wanted to argue that there must be a way, he knew the truth of the situation. The Shimada clan had been extremely influential before its downfall, and now that it was clear they were still operating in hanamura despite the blow dealt to them by Overwatch in the past, it would be dangerous to go back. Hanzo proved, every year, that it could be done, but not without expecting opposition. And Genji didn't want to have a visit home be tainted by the wariness of having to watch their every step.

"Someday," he said instead, "we will visit home together."

He didn't want to share his home with anyone until he could go back there with Hanzo first. It wouldn't be right.

"For now, we have this." His head turned up, visor gazing toward the thick boughs of the great trees stretching above their heads. The only sounds other than their steps and conversation were the wildlife, birds calling and squirrels chittering. It was soothing. He listened, for only a moment, before his gaze turned back to his brother. "How are you finding Overwatch?"

He had ideas, of course. Genji tried to be aware of Hanzo, to help in whatever way he could to make things comfortable for him. He'd been on his own for so long, had come on Genji's invitation, but Genji badly wanted for Hanzo to be able to find a place in Overwatch for himself. He deserved it, no matter what he thought of himself.

[with_honor]

Overwatch? Loud, disorganized, and foolhardy came to mind. Undisciplined. Overly genuine. Painfully naive. It was a do-good organization that tried to operate like a military which was impossible to do. The people were annoyingly friendly, constantly trying to talk to Hanzo. Even those who knew he was responsible for Genji's state were kind to him. Hanzo was not used to it and he didn't quite enjoy it.

"I see why you joined it," he said judiciously. "It is well suited to you."

It was not well suited to Hanzo. Working with a team was difficult. He was not used to taking orders and assisting others. He had been by himself for so long that being around others was still deeply uncomfortable. He simply didn't know how to talk to people. He knew he came across as harsh and unkind which he was but he didn't feel like he should explain to strangers why he was here and what he had been doing before Overwatch to anyone.

He himself would not have joined without Genji inviting him and the chance to reconnect with his brother. He would have stayed by himself and continued as he was. This was the sort of organization for optimists and he was not an optimist.

"The accommodations are not terrible." The forest here was lovely and he enjoyed climbing through the trees to challenge his footing. He could walk in silence when he needed it. It was possibly the only benefit he had found so far.