Arachnophobia

He’d been more on edge than he usually was, eyes darting around like he was expecting something to be there. Hanzo wasn’t sure how to deal with it really. Kuai was usually calm unless something went wrong. Granted their original plan hadn’t involved the Kytinn nest but Hanzo thought Kuai had actually managed to adapt for once.

He didn’t say anything as they came to a tunnel, glancing down to it, Hanzo could see a giant spider down the other end. He clicked his tongue, depending on how many there were, this could be a problem.

His attention however was drawn to Kuai, when he heard the other man muttering in Mandarin under his breath. When Hanzo looked over, Kuai was pushing himself against a wall, eyes screwed shut and looking like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Kuai Liang, what is wrong?” He asked, watching as Kuai blinked his eyes open. “Look, I know you don’t like when mission plans change but-“

“It’s not about- it’s not about the plans,” Kuai whispered lowly, like he absolutely under no circumstances wanted to make much noise.

“Then what?”

Kuai grimaced, screwing his eyes shut and hissed, “It’s… Embarrassing.”

“Just spit it out,” Hanzo huffed, just wanting to figure out the issue so they could move on already.

Kuai took a deep breath. “I’m arachnophobic.”

There was a long second of silence between them as Hanzo computed what had just been said.

“Arachnophobic?” Hanzo snorted in disbelief. The idea that the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei would have such a mundane fear was unthinkable. “You’re scared of spiders?”

“Yes, okay! Laugh it up, it’s funny isn’t it? The scary Lin Kuei Grandmaster is scared of spiders!” Kuai gritted his teeth and looked down the tunnel again. “I hate dealing with them when they’re only so big-“ Kuai pinched his finger and thumb to indicate a small size, then pointed at the one just a short distance from them. “That thing is my worst fucking nightmare.”

Oh. Wow. This was actually happening. Kuai was genuinely terrified by this.

“Why didn’t you say something before we came in?” Hanzo questioned. If he had, he’d have found another way.

“I didn’t anticipate it being occupied.” That was actually fair enough. The nest had looked abandoned from the outside.

“Okay, Kuai, look at me.” Hanzo grabbed Kuai’s shoulders and waited for him to make eye contact. “We have to keep moving, that means we will need to face these things. I promise we will get out of this alive, I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?” His one hand moved from his shoulder to Kuai’s chin. “You just need to trust me.”

Kuai swallowed, but eventually nodded. “I trust you, Hanzo.”

Hanzo took one of Kuai’s hands, deciding it would stop them from getting separated while also offering Kuai comfort. Kuai’s hand clung tightly to him, as they charged down the tunnel.

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