The Dragon's Curse (A Hanzo X Reader Fanfic)

Starlight on the Holy River

Next chapter's up guys! Sit back, enjoy, and spend some time with your boy Hanzo.

Don't forget to vote if you liked it, loves! :*

Needless to say, the stand woman was dying from a heart attack when you arrived, and a torrent of curses came flooding in, aimed directly at you.

"Do you know how special this is? And you're just going to run off like a thief?" she ranted, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I-I'm sorry," you squeaked, taken aback by her vehemence. "I didn't mean to run off like that with your kimono. This man just came in out of nowhere and dragged me to the dance thinking I was this other girl."

"Well whatever it was, I'm just glad nothing bad happened to the garment." She snatched the clothing away from your arms and inspected it all around. "There doesn't seem to be any signs of damage...lucky for you."

You let out a breath through puckered lips. "Does that mean I'm off the hook?"

She clicked her tongue. "Yeah sure, but I'll be sure to watch out for your face."

"Fair enough," you said, smiling despite the threatening air your acquaintance radiated. "Well, I'm sorry again for the trouble. I'll be going now."

She jerked her chin up, raised an arm, and shooed you off like she would an annoying stray dog. After that, she turned a wooden heel and headed back into her little shop.

And, well, that was the end of that.

Next on the agenda was looking for Lord Hanzo, wherever he might be.

You felt compelled to look over to your right, and your heart soared with relief and shock at the sight of bright green garments billowing your way.

"Genji," you sighed with a smile, running over to him. "I'm so glad I found you! Is Hanzo there with you?"

"Hanzo?" The younger Shimada put out a look of befudlement. "I thought aniki was with you all this time."

"Oh dear, where could he have gone?"

"Don't worry about him, (Y/N)," Genji assured. "After all, Hanzo knows it's tradition to offer lanterns by the riverbank every year to honor those who have left us; mom in particular." His voice suddenly dropped at the same time his usually jovial smile faltered. But he shook his head and continued nonetheless, "Anyway, I bet he's by the river now, waiting for all of us."

"I hope so too." You clasped your hands together into a clammy fist. "Let's go."

***
The walk to the river took nearly ten minutes, taking into consideration its far-flung location from the heart of the bustling fair, dying with the hours of the night. Despite the distance, your feet felt light, on air; perhaps because of all the new faces you've met, all the smiles shared while trecking the soft, moist, soily paths behind Genji and Satoshi.

As you headed nearer and nearer, the darkness before you that made you squint evaporated, and the shadows that loomed all around broke into little specks of bright orange and yellow light: some rested on people's hands, others waiting on vendors' stands, and most bobbed against the waters of the still river, flowing with a gentle current that carried the light down south.

"Wow," you muttered, eyes glittering and wide just as they had earlier under the spell of the exquisite kimono.

It almost hurt to look at it all: the lurid orange hue giving mesmerizing contours of the people's faces as well as a sun-like sheen to their yukatas and floral garments. Then, when they'd set the paper lanterns down on the surface of the cold water, small ripples appeared and painted the reflection of the night sky, adding bright balls of fire to its dark blanket. The lanterns fluttered about you like an army off floating fireflies, and your heart rose to the base of your throat when you tried in your naïveté to take it all in: the beauty of the view, the sentiments of the people, the warm ambience--it hit you like a tsunami wave, overwhelming you to your core.