Chapter Text
Hanzo Shimada was all too accustomed to the feeling of loss. It surrounded his family like a plague, indiscriminate in who it took without a care for the impact it left behind. The loss of his mother and later his father took enough of a toll on the Shimadas, but the one that ate at Hanzo the most was the one he had caused. The moment replayed itself in his mind cruelly: the blood that stained the ground and coated his hands, his younger brothers pleas for Hanzo to stop, to come to reason, ceasing as the air was enveloped in a heavy silence only cut by the clattering of a blade as the dragons squirmed and writhed beneath his skin. After the fateful incident, he abandoned what remained of his clan and therefore any wealth or power that came from the Shimada name. After the travesties he suffered, the benefits were no longer truly worth it.
His blade had long been replaced with bow and arrow, after the unforgivable act he had committed against his own kin the thought of ever holding the hilt of a sword was unappealing. His time was spent honing his skills, an effort to keep his mind from the dishonor he had brought to his family, the disappointment he was sure his father would have felt for his eldest child. Killing the one he was meant to protect, even if Genji did not adhere nor listen, Hanzo's duty had once been to protect him and he had failed. He could not keep his brother safe from their elders, or from himself. These were the thoughts that ate the man, raging to degrees where sake would be the only thing to tame the thoughts that tried to scream in his ears, tried to mimic his family and tell him he was a disgraceful monster. A disappointment. On the day of Genji's death, not even sake nor his dragons could provide the relief he seeked, visits to the Shimada castle helped briefly lull the pangs of guilt that ate him as he honored the memory of his brother.
The encounter with the supposed assassin at the castle still played clear in his mind, seeing that Genji was indeed alive but.. no longer himself. At first, he refused to believe it was indeed his brother even after seeing that familiar gaze he remembered far too well, he didn't want to come to terms with the idea that he left Genji there to bleed, that he didn't ensure the job was done and instead left him to suffer. This was no longer his brother, every part of his rational told him this was not Genji, that he was gone but the confirmation of his survival shocked his system. All this time he had been mourning a brother who was alive, and as abruptly as they had rejoined Genji was gone into the night once again. His mind had been ravaged by questions that turned into accusations, both against the remaining Shimada and himself as he tried to reason with what he had done yet could not stop the guilt from seeping into his bones. He truly was a monster, and whilst redemption seemed impossible it was the thing he desperately needed. The recalling of Overwatch almost seemed like either a destined fate from a higher power, or a nightmare that he was not truly prepared for. It wasn't hard to catch wind of, a strike team coming back together was hard to keep under wraps and it was something that caught Hanzo's interest. Perhaps.. this was the chance he needed to restore his honor, to finally wash his hands of the blood that he thought would forever taint them.
Joining Overwatch was the least difficult part, adapting to the others would be the real challenge. His eyes silently assessed the watchpoint, deciding that it seemed relatively safe though he didn't entirely expect a gaggle of agents upon entrance and he could feel the dragons writhe beneath his skin as if they felt as unsettled as him, keeping closer to the wall in an attempt to avoid conversation as much as possible, narrowed eyes observing the room critically and briefly passing over the many faces. Loud voices melded together in his ears and faces blurred quickly as he tried to focus on anything else, hearing the dragons try to drown out the noise with their own. His eyes closed as he tried to prevent himself from becoming overwhelmed, he did not remember the last time he heard such ruckus in one room. He felt eyes lingering on him, far longer than comfortable, piercing eyes snapping open to glare harshly in the direction of the starer, meeting a pair of warm brown eyes that seemed interested in him, full of curiosity and maybe mischief as well. He lingered briefly before tearing his gaze away, though when he caught a glimpse of a green visor, he could feel the dragons coil beneath his arm. His jaw clenched, growls echoing into a space only he could hear, knowing all too well his dragons had noticed Genji's presence and by the way his head had turned in his direction, the others dragon must've noticed him as well. He could feel what he only assumed to be some form of rage build up seeing his younger brother, abruptly leaving his spot at the wall to step outside. He needed a break from the noise and people anyhow, a moment to collect his nerves as he stepped into the breeze and inhaled any scent on the air. This would be a struggle.