Redemption From Resemblance (McHanzo)

Food for Thought

A/N: Just a warning that not much happens in this chapter so it could just classified as filler. Also I couldn't think of a better title so... That's what I put.

The jolt his body makes is no stranger and all too familiar, especially when it happens at such a late hour. His eyes are now wide with fear as he stares into a black abyss that he swears is looking right back and judging every part of him. His breathing is heavy from bloody memories and he thinks it makes sense that he had a nightmare considering the events of today… yesterday now that he looks at the clock. Never before did Hanzo think origami would be such a scary thing, but the rest of the day that he spent alone after the origami break he had with Genji and McCree was basically ruined. He could barely focus on training, arrows just barely hitting the robots, and the simulated enemies were getting far too many hits on him than he liked to admit. The more times he was hit, the more frustrated he got until Hanzo was too annoyed to practice anymore and he stormed out of the training room, never sparing a glance towards anyone who was there to witness his rise in anger, whoever had watched. He spent as much time as he could away from the others after that, only going to the dining hall when he knew it would be mostly empty (but he was still accosted by Reinhardt who had just gotten back from a mission with Torbjörn to get parts and was still wound with energy). Dinner didn't go very well to say the least, and it appeared as though the rest of the night would be even worse.

What could be considered normal nightmares never bothered Hanzo. Dreams of unrealistic things such as giant spiders or zombies trying to eat him could be brushed off easily and never bother the man. Memories were what always got to him, moments of his past where he screwed up and the guilt became great enough that he thought it might eat him alive. Those are the nightmares that always leave him breathless and shaking, even in the warmest temperatures. Tonight was another one of those nights, much to Hanzo's dismay, as he remembered far too much for it to be considered healthy. He didn't dream of Genji (because he's always having nightmares about that moment, even when he's awake), but they still weren't the best of memories, and a few ended up overplayed or weren't how they actually happened. Hanzo can remember most of it, starting with how he had killed an assassin that had came for him when he left the grounds of the castle to go search for Genji. The memory became exaggerated as he slept, making him out to be the monster instead of someone trying to defend himself. He successfully stopped the assassin's attempts to take his life, but people saw and considered him to be the true evil and murderer. Blood covered nearly every inch of his clothes and skin, and even though Hanzo was used to the sight, he stared at his hands in horror as though the accusations from the civilians were true. So Hanzo ran from their hateful words and down the street, running into a store that led to a cold and dark space.

A prison cell from what he could tell, and the blood was now on the floor instead of him. The source was a man in chains who the archer remembered was from a rival family, a grunt. He was beaten and bruised, bloody and panting as though he couldn't get enough air into his pained lungs. Hanzo simply stood there and watched the interrogation, eyes never flinching away even when the man was brutally punched or kicked by members of his family. Part of him had thought it was such an appalling thing to witness, but the thing that kept him grounded to the spot was the single-minded thought that it was necessary. So he watched the man cough blood, choke on his own words because they were too painful to get past his swollen throat, and finally, Hanzo was handed a sword. The man was now deemed useless and it was up to the Shimada heir to end the life before him. He did so without question or hesitance, moving within striking range and bringing his sword down with a quick swipe to sever the man's head from his body. More blood brought even more color to the otherwise dull cell, and the strong smell of copper and iron made Hanzo want to throw up. He was then ushered out of the room in order to let the clean up begin, but what should have been the dungeons of his home became the ramen shop he frequented with Genji. His brother was already at one of the tables and eating, not bothering to look up as Hanzo sat across from him so he could order himself some food. It appeared, he began eating, and everything was normal for some time until the lights flickered. Quick moments of darkness that made the room darker each time until Hanzo witnessed his brother vanish and the other customers drop dead. Red was everywhere he looked and all Hanzo could do was think about how much destruction he brought with him.