The Sky Is Falling On Me
Chapter 2: A Nightingale In A Golden Cage

His fingers tangled into his hair, nails digging into his scalp. It didn’t matter that he could feel the sting of his flesh breaking, or blood slowly beading from the wounds. His breathing hitched and he sobbed, he just could not stop himself. Thoughts of how this was the end would not leave his mind, his life with his brother and friends was over, and he was going to be taken away from all that he knew. The thing his Father had warned him of was going to finally catch up to him.

Everything was over.

“Kuai Liang,” Bi-Han’s voice broke through his thoughts, and even though he looked up, he could barely see his brother through his tears. “You need to eat.”

Kuai screwed his eyes shut, feeling tears roll down his cheeks. He shook his head vigorously. He heard something being placed on the floor, and seconds later hands wrapped around his wrists, firmly pulling them down. Kuai didn’t try to fight it, and opened his eyes in time for his brother to gently pat his head.

“He won’t take you,” Bi-Han muttered, although the shake in his voice told Kuai Liang he wasn’t all that confident in that statement. “I will not let him.”

“B- b- but- but-“ He wanted to slap himself for how pathetic he felt right now. What would Father say if he could see you right now?

“Shush. He won’t.” Bi-Han sounded firmer now. Still nervous, but a lot more sure of himself. Kuai watched as he picked up a bowl full of noodles. “Now. You need to eat.”

“N- Not- Not hungry.” His stomach was doing too many flips for him to believe that he could keep anything down.

Bi-Han gave a frustrated sigh, causing Kuai to curl up on himself. He really thought that he’d throw up anything he ate right now, but he also couldn’t stand the thought of Bi-Han being angry at him, especially after everything that had happened. As Kuai forced himself to straighten out, Bi-Han’s posture relaxed, realising Kuai was going to comply with what he wanted.

Bi-Han silently passed the bowl to Kuai, and he accepted it without complaint. Kuai took a bite of the noodles. They were a little bland and flavourless. Bi-Han never was that good at cooking, neither was their father actually. The best either of them had ever been able to manage was edible. Kuai had taken responsibility for that particular chore when he was around 10, after he’d found his Mother’s notebook of old family recipes. Neither Bi-Han or Father had complained, and had happily let him take the reins.

Kuai was never sure exactly how he felt about his Mother’s death. Every time his family told him he was just like her, both in personality and looks, it caused pangs of guilt to spread through his chest. Technically, he was the one who took her from them. But when the guilt finally died down, all Kuai could think was how he wished she could have been there with them. That she could have taught him how to cook her recipes, that she could have been there to guide him, that she could have also been there to protect him from the world.

How strange it is to long for a woman I never knew.

“How did he find out?” Bi-Han asked as he shifted until he was properly seated on the floor next to Kuai, rather than the awkward squat he’d been in previously.

“I- I didn’t-“ He grimaced, knowing before he’d even spoken it was going to sound like he was making excuses for being careless, rather than things being genuinely out of his control. “Arch- Archmages can- can sense magic.”

“Shit,” Bi-Han hissed, slamming his fist against the floor. Kuai jumped slightly, ducking his head down as he continued to eat. “I guess this is why Father wanted you to never be anywhere near any of them.”

“What- What are we- we- going to do?” Bi-Han could claim that he wouldn’t let Archmage Hasashi take him, but Kuai wasn’t convinced. Hasashi was surely powerful, if he wasn’t he wouldn't be an Archmage. He’d probably be able to kill Bi-Han easily. Just the thought made Kuai’s heart clench.

He’d already lost his Father, he couldn’t lose Bi-Han as well, especially not indirectly caused by him, like his Mother.

“I don’t know,” Bi-Han admitted, rubbing his fingers over his lips. “But we should stay on the farm for at least the next few days. You should stay put until the Archmage is gone.”

“What if- if he comes here?” Because now he knew where they lived, it was extremely likely he’d show up unannounced again. Most likely hoping to catch Kuai alone. Kuai shuddered at the thought.

“I’ll fucking stab him.” If this wasn’t such a desperate situation, Kuai would have laughed at that reply. “I can say he was trespassing on our property then I won’t be prosecuted.”

“I don’t think- think that’s how it works, Bi-Han.”

“Well we hopefully won’t have to find out.” Bi-Han rubbed his eyes, baring his teeth. “But I will make sure you’re safe, Kuai Liang, believe me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Thank you, Bi-Han.”

Kuai finished off the noodles, placing the bowl on the floor beside him. Once that was done, he flopped over to rest against Bi-Han, an arm reaching up to rest on his chest. Bi-Han in turn wrapped an arm around Kuai’s shoulders and held him close. They were still surrounded by ice, but thankfully there was nothing new being added to it.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he whispered sadly, pressing his face against Bi-Han’s shoulder.

“My life only has purpose because you are here,” Bi-Han admitted, squeezing Kuai and pulling him closer. “You are the most important thing, nothing matters like you do. I promise you, that Archmage will not take you from me.”

Kuai closed his eyes, praying to the Elder God’s that it was a promise his brother could actually keep.

Hanzo was going to have to try and gather more information if he had a hope of even attempting to get into Kuai’s good graces.

Now that the brother’s knew that Hanzo was aware of their big secret, it was likely they’d find a way to completely shut him out. He needed to know more about the pair, more in depth than a random towns person would be able to provide. He needed someone close to them. Someone who was a friend.

Someone like Cyrax.

Hanzo remembered the yellow clad man from his first meeting with Kuai Liang. He recalled how he’d protectively stepped in when Kuai felt uncomfortable. It was clear there was a friendship there. Not trusted enough to know Kuai Liang’s secret of course, Hanzo doubted anyone was, but enough that he might know more about their personal circumstances.

He walked through the town square, eyes landing on where Cyrax’s stall was. Thankfully, the man was there, adding some stock to his display. Hanzo debated how he’d start the conversation, not wishing to make it seem like he was fishing for information once again. He’d start with general chat, and hope the conversation could be steered to the brothers.

“Hello again, Cyrax,” Hanzo greeted once he’d walked close enough, and Cyrax’s head shot up to him. “I hope you are well today.”

“I am, thank you Archmage Hasashi.” Cyrax finished placing down his wares and turned around to face him. “I hope you are as well.”

“I am doing well, thank you.” Hanzo gazed across Cyrax’s produce, as if he was trying to decide what to buy. In all honesty, some of the fruits he sold looked delicious. Are they from the farm? It did look like Kuai was selling some to him. “Have you managed to sell much today?”

Cyrax hummed and sighed, “with respect, Archmage Hasashi, I already know that is not why you are talking to me.” Hanzo looked back to him, where he now had his arms crossed. “Bi-Han was here earlier and seemed… most upset about your visit to his farm.”

“Ah. Yes, I did rather anger him.” That was an understatement, and it worried him that if Bi-Han ran his mouth too much, it could potentially affect his deal with the Zhou’s. “I am rather hoping for some insight on how to fix it.”

“Good luck with that,” Cyrax muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “Out of curiosity, what exactly is it about Kuai Liang that has caught your attention?”

Cyrax was giving him a knowing look, like he suspected exactly why Hanzo was so keen on getting in Kuai’s good graces. Still, Hanzo knew he could not confirm those suspicions. If the brother’s found out he’d told anyone it would completely kill any chance he had at earning their trust. The least he could do was keep their secret until they were ready to reveal it.

“I am just concerned for his well being,” Hanzo decided to reply instead. The look on Cyrax's face seemed to indicate he’d taken that as confirmation of his beliefs.

“Aren’t we all?” He breathed out, seemingly aware that his revelation needed to remain unspoken. “Well, then, speak. What do you want to know?”

“Well, my main question is regarding the relationship between Kuai Liang and Bi-Han.” He paused to think of the best way to word the question. “How exactly did they get so entangled?”

“I think it all stems from their father’s grief.” Cyrax reached a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Their mother, rest her soul, died giving birth to Kuai Liang. I think their father, and by extension Bi-Han, saw Kuai Liang as the only thing they had left of her.”

That made a disturbing amount of sense to Hanzo, and was sadly understandable. In a strange way, embracing Kuai Liang and protecting him was the kinder way that situation could have gone. They could have shunned him, blaming him for the death of his mother. At the very least, they saw him for what he was.

His mother’s last gift to her family.

“I think they were scared of losing him, like they lost her. Their father, Jian, used to tell those who knew of Kuai’s existence that he was a sickly child, which was why he kept him on the farm.”

“Was he a sickly child?” He couldn’t decide if that was a convenient excuse or legitimately a worry.

“I don’t know.” Cyrax's gaze left Hanzo to stare towards the path that led to the farm. “When I went to visit and play with Bi-Han, I remember seeing and speaking to him every now and then. I don’t know if I’d say he seemed sick, as such, but he was always ice cold to the touch.”

An untrained cryomancer being cold to the touch? That sounds about right. That was his powers desperately trying to escape him. The worst bit was, it probably strengthened the lie that he was sick. Assuming it was a lie, which at this point, Hanzo was fairly convinced of.

“I understand why they have been so overprotective of him,“ he sighed, rubbing his chin with his hand. Understanding didn’t mean condoning, and Hanzo absolutely believed that their good intentions completely hindered Kuai’s ability to live a normal life. “But that level of isolation can’t be healthy for someone’s psyche.”

“Well, you’ve clearly seen it isn’t.” Cyrax didn’t sound annoyed, just sad and resigned. A man who knew he had no way of helping someone who clearly needed it. “He’s terrified of his own shadow. For the love of the Elder Gods, I adore Kuai Liang, but I have no idea how he’s ever going to function if something happens to Bi-Han.”

“That… Admittedly has been one of my concerns as well.” Kuai Liang was so reliant on his brother for almost everything in his life. The man would probably completely shut down without him.

Or…

“If Bi-Han died, I could see him latching onto Sektor just so he has someone to tell him how to think and feel.”

That had been what the woman Hanzo spoke to yesterday had said, hadn’t it? Hanzo bit his lip, he needed to know more about that particular situation, but even on the surface it didn’t feel like a good one.

“I have heard rumours since coming to town,” Hanzo slowly started, looking towards Cyrax and trying to judge any reaction. “That Sektor may have eyes for Kuai Liang.”

Cyrax’s eyes widened momentarily, before he looked away in alarm. He worried his lip between his teeth, eyes darting around slightly like he was trying to figure out how to reply to that.

“It… Is no secret that Sektor desires Kuai Liang, no matter what Sektor may tell himself.” He continued to stare off into the distance, shifting his stance ever so slightly. “But it never occurred to me that he may swoop in after Bi-Han’s death.”

“Would Kuai Liang be receptive to his advances?”

“I… I don’t know.” Cyrax turned to look at Hanzo. “What I do know is that Sektor has been asking Bi-Han for Kuai Liang’s hand in marriage for many years now.”

“I assume Bi-Han has turned it down at every turn?” That was what the woman had implied anyway, the reason that Sektor was choosing to bide his time.

“Yes. To the point I’m not sure Kuai Liang is even aware that Sektor thinks of him like that.” Hm. That’s a point, would he even be able to identify if someone was interested in him like that with how sheltered he is? Hanzo tried to think back to their first meeting when Sektor had been there. Kuai had looked extremely uncomfortable, but given that seemed to be his natural state it didn’t really help that much.

“So, if Bi-Han were to die…”

Cyrax was silent for a moment before muttering “if Bi-Han were to die, I believe that Sektor is devious enough to seize the opportunity to make Kuai Liang his.” He looked to the ground. “And I don’t think Kuai Liang has enough personal autonomy to be able to refuse.”

That was what Hanzo feared. It sounded like his entire life Kuai Liang was not allowed to think for himself, let alone decide his own fate. Trying to convince him that he could be in control of himself, trying to teach him to have his own autonomy, that would be half the challenge.

“Can I give you some advice, Archmage Hasashi?” Cyrax questioned, tilting his head slightly. Hanzo nodded hesitantly. “I do not fully comprehend what exactly it is that has you fascinated with him, although I can take a guess.” Hanzo kept silent and as neutral as he could. Even if it was now an unspoken truth between them, Hanzo still couldn’t find it in him to verbally confirm it. “But you need to be a lot more careful than you are currently being.”

“I am aware.” How could I not be? Between Kuai’s panic attack and Bi-Han’s rage? It was impossible to miss that the way he’d handled things did not go well.

“Bi-Han is not the only person to whom Kuai Liang is precious.” Cyrax brushed himself down. “It upsets me greatly to see him in such distress.” Hanzo swallowed slightly. “I do not think you have malicious intent, however, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” He reached out a hand, placing it squarely on Hanzo’s chest. “If you insist on continuing your attempts to reach out to him, he tends to be more receptive to conversation when he’s working.”

Hanzo raised an eyebrow at that. “Really?”

“Yes. It’s like the physical work distracts him from his emotions.” Cyrax shrugged a little. Actually, once again, Hanzo could see the logic of why that might be the case. Having Kuai focused on something other than the conversation might be just what he needs.

“I will keep that in mind.” So I’m going to have to try and catch him while he’s working? That was easier said than done, but would be something he’d keep in mind.

“Also, for your own sake,” Cyrax continued, now wearing a smirk on his face. “Maybe try avoiding Bi-Han from now on. I don’t think he’s bluffing when he says he’ll kill you.”

Hanzo chuckled and said “oh believe me, I am taking his threats seriously." Sure, technically Bi-Han was of no real concern for Hanzo, but that didn’t mean he didn’t realise that the man would absolutely try his luck. Having to dispose of Bi-Han, even in a non-fatal way, would not go down well and he’d rather avoid it if possible.

Cyrax nodded, eyes flicking over towards a woman who was approaching them. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, it appears I have a customer.”

“I thank you for your help.”

Hanzo didn’t stick around to find out what the woman wanted to buy, but he did politely bow to her as he walked past.

With a little more context in his armoury, he now needed a new plan of action to approach Kuai Liang again. He would wait a few more days before trying again, letting the dust truly settle from his first attempt. Besides he was still here for other reasons, and there was a lot left for him and Sektor to discuss. Catching Kuai working while Bi-Han was not present would be the difficult part, but it sounded like his best chance to make any progress. Maybe if he caught wind the elder brother was away from the farm, he’d take his chances and hope Kuai Liang was busy when he turned up.

For now though, he’d go back to concentrating on the official reason he was here.

Days had passed without any sign of Archmage Hasashi.

While that definitely didn’t mean he could relax, it did put his mind at ease slightly. Maybe he had given up? He was certainly still in town, as Tomas had mentioned seeing him. Apparently he appeared quite busy dealing with Sektor, which was good Kuai supposed. It meant he wasn’t bothering him.

Bi-Han had calmed down considerably in the last few days, no longer hovering over Kuai at every waking hour. Kuai loved his brother, but he was glad that he’d finally backed off slightly. He was starting to feel a little suffocated by his brother’s unwavering attention.

Kuai was out in the fields, checking over their crops for ripe tomatoes, peppers and chilis. Bi-Han decided it was safe enough for him to leave the farm for a few hours to get the week’s orders sorted out with the town's various vendors. He’d put it off for as long as he could at this point, and it really needed to be done.

Kuai wasn’t sure what it was about picking crops that he found so relaxing, but aside from looking after their animals, it was probably his favourite thing to do on the farm. He plucked a ripe tomato from the vine, resisting the urge to bite into it. Father used to tell him off for constantly eating their merchandise. Bi-Han was a little less strict with him, and had made a deal that once Kuai had harvested everything ripe, he could choose one item to snack on.

Sure, Bi-Han wasn’t here right now, yet somehow he always seemed to know when Kuai had gone against the rules. It was uncanny.

“Kuai Liang.”

The sudden voice made him jump a mile. Twisting to where it had come from, he found himself face to face with Archmage Hasashi. He hadn’t even heard footsteps. It’s disturbing how easily he can sneak up on me.

“What- what are you doing here?” He tried to sound intimidating, but he was certain he just sounded scared instead.

“I understand that I am not exactly your favourite person right now,” Hasashi softly said, and Kuai actually snorted at that, “but I did say I still needed to talk to you further.”

“I- I- I-“ Kuai winced, growling at the fact he was stuttering over this. “Um. I don’t see- see what’s left to talk about.”

“You cannot keep hiding yourself forever.” Hasashi reached a hand out, and Kuai flinched away from him. When he observed Hasashi’s face, he absolutely hated the look of pity being thrown his way.

“Who says I- I can’t?” He hissed, and turned on his heels. He’d kept his powers hidden for this long, the only reason he’d been found out was because Hasashi had an unfair advantage.

“One day, you’re going to lose control.” That was said in such a matter of fact way that it made Kuai bare his teeth. He just about managed to stop himself from squashing the tomato he was picking. “If you don’t learn to harness your powers, you could end up either hurting yourself or someone else.”

Kuai bit his tongue to stop himself revealing he had hurt himself before. It had never been a big deal. Just some icicles erupting through his skin. It had hurt, but his Father had managed to find a way to deal with the injuries, usually giving Kuai a scalding hot bath to encourage the ice to melt. He hadn’t hurt anyone else though, not even his Father or Brother. The thought did make his heart twist a little. He thought back to his Mother. Was it my ice that killed her? His Father had always been vague about what happened, and Bi-Han had not been present. For all Kuai knew, it could have been the case.

“What would you do if you hurt your brother? Or Cyrax?” Hasashi’s question just made him feel worse. As he went to pick another tomato, he could see one of his fingers begin to ice over. He swallowed, breaking the ice and deciding to focus on the work rather than what the Archmage was saying. “Wouldn’t being able to control your powers be worth it for the assurance of their safety?”

“You- You’re trying to guilt me,” Kuai hissed, picking two more tomatoes. He was sheltered, yes, but he wasn’t dumb. He could see what Hasashi was doing.

“I’m trying to make you understand why I am concerned for you.” Hasashi followed after him as he went around to the next row of crops. “I’ve known many mage’s over my time. Some who, like you, have not mastered their powers and it ended in tragedy for them. If there’s a chance I can save you from that misery, I will take it.”

“Why do you care?” Kuai finally looked at him, trying to read his body language. It was hard for him to do so. Hasashi’s stance didn’t particularly give him any clues as to how he was actually feeling.

“Because you clearly need help.” That didn’t answer Kuai’s question if he was being honest. Even if Kuai did need help, how was that any of Hasashi’s concern?

“But-“ Kuai gave a frustrated sigh. He wasn’t going to get a proper answer. Of course he wasn’t. No one ever gives me proper answers.

“But what?” Hasashi questioned, tilting his head.

Kuai hesitated, focusing on picking as he did, before finally saying “I just do not understand why it would be your place to help me.” A glance at Hasashi revealed he was frowning quite deeply at that. “I’m a stranger to you.”

“Are people not allowed to care about strangers?” Hasashi raised an eyebrow.

“In my experience, people don’t care about people they don’t know.” At least, that was the impression he got from the townsfolk. If the way no one had ever really stepped in to help when he was obviously overwhelmed was anything to go by at least.

“I am sorry that is how you’ve experienced the world,” Hasashi once more attempted to reach a hand forward, placing it on Kuai’s shoulder. “I wish someone had taken notice of your struggles sooner.”

Kuai wasn’t sure what to say to that, he was more focused on the hand on his shoulder. He was surprised by how nice it felt. Usually he hated being touched by anyone other than his brother. And given the circumstances, he had every right to hate Hasashi’s touch.

Why does it feel… Okay this time?

“Kuai Liang, I need to ask you a very heavy question, one that I know will upset you greatly, but still one that I would like an honest answer to,” Hasashi softly spoke and despite how kind his tone was, Kuai could feel his magic begin to swell inside him. Once more he returned his attention to the crops. Somehow that was keeping him grounded in this situation. “What will you do when your brother dies?”

Kuai’s head snapped around to him and he couldn’t help the burst of magic from his hand. Glancing at it, he’d ruined a perfectly good tomato by freezing it solid.

“How- How could you ask such a question?” Kuai tried to hold back his tears. The mere suggestion of his brother meeting his demise was despicable.

“I know, I’m sorry that I have to ask such a thing.” In Hasashi’s defence he did look apologetic. “But from what I can see, you are highly dependent on him. I worry about what you would do if you were suddenly alone.”

Kuai turned away, throwing the frozen tomato on the ground. Despite not wanting to think about such a horrible possibility, he still tried to consider it. The truth was… he didn’t know. Their Father’s death had been sudden and unexpected. The only reason the brothers had gotten through it was by having each other. Kuai had felt so terrible leaning so much on his brother when he was also grieving, but Bi-Han always told him that having Kuai to focus on made the grief easier to deal with.

What would I do if Bi-Han wasn’t here?

“I- I don’t know,” Kuai quietly admitted, rubbing his wrist with his hand. “I guess I’d just… find a way to survive.”

He knew how to take care of the farm at least, even if it would be a lot more work with just one person. He knew how to cook so he didn’t have to worry about that. He was sure Cyrax and Tomas would check in with him. The real issue was keeping his powers in check and money. Money in particular. Bi-Han kept him so in the dark regarding their finances, he barely knew how anything related to it worked. He knew they paid rent to the Zhou’s, but had no idea how much, and that wasn’t even considering things like taxes. The only reason he suspected their finances weren’t exactly good was how often they seemed to owe others money.

“What if you were to get married?” Hasashi questioned and Kuai had to do a double take. It was such a weird question, and he almost thought Hasashi was offering. That… can’t be it. The thought made his face feel so hot, and he didn’t know why.

“Why- Why would I get married?” He swallowed, as he watched Hasashi’s face screw up slightly.

“I have heard rumours around the town.” Rumours? What kind of rumours? “That you have caught Sektor’s eye and affections.”

Kuai’s eyes widened and he quickly turned away. He knew Sektor was taken by him, although he could never figure out why. He thought he was the only one who knew, or at least, the only one who saw how Sektor looked at him. The idea this was well known enough for the townsfolk to whisper amongst themselves made him want to crawl into a hole and never face any of them again.

“I- I- I-“ Elder God’s help me. “I wasn’t- wasn’t aware anyone knew of that.”

“So, you are aware of how he feels?” Hasashi seemed surprised by that. Kuai couldn’t blame him for believing him to be that naive.

“It is… hard to not notice.” Kuai felt himself shudder at the thought. Those dark eyes staring him up and down, hungry, starving even. Wanting. Planning how to get what he yearned for. Thinking of all the things he’d do once he got the object of his desires in his grasp. “He looks at me like I am a possession to own.”

The noise Hasashi made was like an animalistic growl. Loud enough that it made Kuai Liang flinch once again.

“Just so you know, that is not what marriage and love are supposed to look like,” Hasashi informed him, and Kuai just nodded. He wasn’t an expert in relationship’s at all, his knowledge coming from observing others. He never saw that possession and obsession in the eyes of the couples around him. It was the only clue he had that the way Sektor looked at him was not normal. “Marriage is a partnership, not an ownership.”

The way Hasashi said that made it sound like he had a lot of experience with the subject. He didn’t appear to have a wedding band on his finger though.

Kuai looked around the field, realising they’d come to a bit of a stop. He still had a lot more work to do. Archmage Hasashi didn’t show any sign of wishing to leave him alone. An idea came to his mind, one that could seem quite bold, but at this point it might test just how serious Hasashi was about talking with Kuai.

“You know, if you insist on staying and talking with me, there is another basket over by the shed.” Kuai pointed towards the building in question, glancing over to see where the basket was visible and leaning against the wall. “Go get it and then get picking.”

When he turned his attention back to Hasashi, his eyes were wide, mouth open slightly, looking completely dumbstruck that such a thing was being asked of him.

“What?” He muttered, his voice flat and as confused as he looked. Kuai giggled at that. He felt weirdly proud that he’d managed to get such a reaction out of the man.

“Well, if you refuse to leave you can at least give me a hand with my work.” He smirked triumphantly as Archmage Hasashi’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to come up with an answer. “So?”

“I-“ Hasashi’s mouth finally quirked upwards into a fond smile. “I’ll go get it.”

He walked past Kuai to navigate the rows of plants, Kuai watching him go. Maybe he was a little foolish to let the man stay. Bi-Han was definitely not going to be happy if he found out.

Kuai could deal with that oncoming storm later, for now, he had an extra pair of hands to help get through his work.

“How much more do we have left to do?” Hanzo groaned, wiping his face with his sleeve. His robes were really not the optimal clothes to wear for this. They were heavy, hot and kept getting in the way.

“I guess- guess the Archmages don’t do much physical labour,” Kuai said, and despite the slight stutter it was said in a light teasing tone.

Truthfully, this entire afternoon had been incredibly enlightening. Hanzo couldn’t describe how he felt when Kuai had invited him to help. It was such a shock, but once that wore off, Hanzo couldn’t help but see it as progress. Kuai was still clearly on guard, but over the couple of hours they’d been together, Kuai had gotten a lot more comfortable with giving him orders and bossing him around. It was kind of cute, if he was being honest.

“Uh, no, not exactly.” Hanzo huffed, shifting the basket in his hands, now heavy with tomatoes, peppers and chilis. “We do fighting training, but this is a completely different set of muscles.”

The look Kuai gave him indicated he didn’t quite believe that, but honestly that was fine. Kuai had every right to judge him, really. The Archmage did tend to live very cushy and privileged lives.

“You are in luck.” Kuai turned to pick a particularly large chili off the plant. “I think this is the last one.”

“Thank the Elder Gods,” Hanzo breathed out, causing Kuai to giggle.

Kuai gestured for Hanzo to follow him, and he did so without question. They were heading back towards the shed. Hanzo hadn’t really seen much of the farm on his first visit, it was mostly a glance before entering the house. The brother’s had a lot more land than he expected. He wondered how just the two of them managed to keep up with even just the plants, let alone the animals.

“How big is the farm, out of curiosity?” He finally asked, guessing Kuai might at least have an answer for that. “You seem to have a lot more land than I expected.”

“Ah, I’m not sure of the exact size, but…” Kuai screwed his face up slightly. “There’s about 3 crop fields, 2 grazing fields for the animals, the orchard, and the greenhouse.”

“How do the two of you keep track of it all?” He was genuinely curious. Admittedly he was very ignorant to this sort of thing.

“Ah, it really isn’t that much when we’re working together.” Kuai glanced around the field again. “I think watering the plants is the hardest task. The actual picking isn’t too hard.” Maybe for you it isn’t. Hanzo’s back was actually starting to hurt from everything he’d done. “And our animals are very well behaved so looking after them barely feels like work at all.”

“What animals do you have?” He’d seen a few chickens around the place, but he assumed there were more.

“We have a herd of cows, some sheep, a couple of donkeys, chickens and rabbits.” That was a lot more than Hanzo expected. He was relieved Kuai was able to look after them all, to be honest.

“Do they all have names?” By the Elder god’s, did Hanzo feel like such an idiot for asking a question like that.

“Ah.” Kuai hesitated, his face going slightly red. “Yes? Sort of? I mean I name them all, but Bi-Han doesn’t know that.” He turned away as if he were embarrassed. “He thinks it’s a waste of time, but I like it. It feels like I have a bond with them.”

Cute. That was the only word that went through Hanzo’s mind. Absolutely adorable. Despite all the anxiety and fear, there did seem to be a genuinely interesting person underneath. Hanzo could only hope to continue to build the trust between them, and uncover more of who Kuai really was.

They finally came to the shed, and Kuai placed his basket down on a small work table outside. Hanzo followed suit, placing his own next to it. Placing a hand on his chin, Kuai stared down the two baskets as if he was contemplating something. Then, he reached forward, and took hold of two tomatoes. He held one of them out to Hanzo.

“As a thank you for- for your help,” Kuai told him with a smile on his face. Hanzo blinked, he hadn’t expected anything in return for what he’d done, but refusing felt rude.

Also, I am curious about the quality of what they grow.

“Thank you.” He took the tomato off Kuai, rolling it in his hand and observing it. It did look like a particularly juicy one. He watched as Kuai took the one he’d kept and took a big bite of it. Well. I guess I should follow his lead. He took his own bite, granted it was slightly smaller than Kuai's, just wanting to test it. The flavour filled his mouth. “Wow.” He said absentmindedly, before taking another bite. He hadn’t doubted that the brother’s crops would taste good, he just hadn’t anticipated how good. “This is delicious.”

Kuai hummed cheerfully at that, his posture straightening in a way that made him look so proud of his hard work. He clearly had a lot of love for the farm.

And frankly, Hanzo was starting to feel more and more aware just how much he could fuck up the man’s entire life if he wasn’t careful.

The sad truth was, he would probably have to take Kuai back with him for an audience with the head’s of the Archmages. He definitely did not want to bring them here straight away, that’d make things even worse and he doubted any of Kuai or Bi-Han’s boundaries would be taken into consideration. From there, it’d be a matter of working out how training would work. Maybe Hanzo could swing it so that Kuai could be trained here on the farm. It’d probably be the kinder option for him. It was just convincing the others of that.

“Kuai Liang!” The new voice caught Hanzo’s attention. To his relief it wasn’t Bi-Han’s, but the voice still didn’t sound happy. As Hanzo looked in the direction it came from, he saw a man with long silver hair storming towards them.

“Tomas?” Kuai questioned, and finally Hanzo had a face to that particular name. Actually he had seen him around town in the last few days, always seeming to scowl when Hanzo was near. I suppose I know why now.

“Are you okay?” Tomas asked in a hurried tone, taking hold of Kuai as soon as he was close enough. “Has he hurt you?”

“N-No?” Kuai shook his head. “He- he- uh- he helped me gather the c-crops.” Tomas' glare landed on Hanzo, like somehow helping to gather crops was a terrible offence rather than an act of kindness. “Tomas, I- I- asked him- him to help.”

“What?” Tomas turned back to Kuai, voice thick with confusion. “Why would you do that when he upset you so much?” Tomas squeezed Kuai’s shoulders. “Bi-Han’s going to be furious.”

“I-“ Kuai hid his hands behind his back. Hanzo remembered the action from when they first met. He had a suspicion it was an attempt to hide his powers when he was losing control.

Hanzo clicked his tongue, as much as he wanted to stay, maybe it was better to call it a day here. He’d made progress, which is what he was aiming for. His presence in this moment was going to just make things worse, so that was a battle for another day.

“It is not my intention to cause unnecessary stress,” he finally chimed up, trying to ignore the way Tomas’ eyes narrowed at him. He brushed himself down. “I will leave you both to it.” His eyes flicked over to meet Kuai Liang’s, wide with a mix of relief and pleading. “Please think about what we’ve talked about.”

Kuai nodded, bowing his head slightly, “I- I will.”

Hanzo sighed as he turned away, the second he did he could hear Tomas lightly scolding Kuai about how Bi-Han was going to react to this. Kuai was weakly trying to defend himself, but it didn’t sound like it was doing much. Soon however, he was too far away to hear anymore, and back out around the front of the farm. He stopped and looked around again.

If the brother’s had as much land as Hanzo believed, there was at least plenty of space for Kuai to practise. The issue would be finding a qualified Archmage willing to drop everything and spend the time here to train him. Hanzo would do it himself, but he wasn’t qualified to train other Archmages, he could only teach lesser mages. Yet, at least, he was working towards that but still a fair way away.

At that moment, within the order, there were only four people who could. Out of those, Hanzo’s first choice would have been Archmage Raiden. He would have the patience to properly deal with Kuai Liang’s nerves. Archmage Fujin would be his next choice, being Raiden’s younger brother, who shared his qualities. Archmage Cetrion… Well… Hanzo couldn’t remember the last time she took on a student, so unless she was particularly drawn to Kuai Liang’s cryomancy, that was unlikely to happen. Finally, there was Archmage Shinnok, and if Hanzo had any say about it, he would not be anywhere near Kuai Liang. He didn’t know what it was about the man, but he always gave Hanzo the creeps.

And if that was how Hanzo felt, then poor Kuai Liang didn’t stand a chance.

I’m getting a bit ahead of myself though. He still needed to find a way to even persuade Kuai to leave the farm and meet any of them first. He put today down as a win, he was confident that this was the first step in the right direction.

Well… So long as Bi-Han doesn’t put Kuai Liang into a complete lockdown after today.

And it seemed Cyrax was right about Bi-Han not being the only one who cared deeply for Kuai. From their short meeting, Tomas displayed the same protective attitude. At least Cyrax seemed open to Hanzo’s interference, but the fact it was 1 against 2 didn’t fill Hanzo with much confidence. That wasn’t even accounting for Sektor either. If he was obsessed enough with Kuai to have spent years pining for him, it would be unlikely he’d give that up without a fight either.

A chicken sauntered past him, pecking at the ground.

“What do you think I should do?” He asked her, although he wasn’t entirely sure why. I wonder what Kuai Liang named this one? The chicken looked up at him briefly, tilting her head and making a slow clucking sound, before returning to her task of finding food. “Thank you for your input.”

There wasn’t much point in hanging around any longer. He had much to think about and much to plan. As he turned around to return to the town, all he could do now was figure out the next steps in aiding Kuai Liang.

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