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As a child, Christmas was something you looked forward to every year. As time went on, the magic that was Christmas faded and it left you buried in paperwork. Granted, you weren't entirely inclined to do it but you had nothing better to do.If there was anything you enjoyed about Christmas, it was the peace and quiet it brought. Most people took this time to visit family and friends and it left the Overwatch base devoid of its usual liveliness. So when you strolled into the kitchen, you weren't expecting to see a certain archer seated at the counter, staring into glass of amber liquid. Meeting your gaze, he nodded his head wordlessly to which you did the same.As quietly as you could, you headed to the pantry, sneaking glances at the Japanese man as you rifled through potential snacks. You acknowledge that your Christmas routine was on the lonely side of the spectrum, but looking at Hanzo drinking solemnly by himself, lost in his thoughts, made your date with your holopad incredibly less lonely.Maybe you pitied him, or maybe you were lonely yourself, so you soon grabbed the seat beside him, a bag of chocolate brownies in hand and a glass on the other. “These pair really well with that,” you told him.He eyed you warily from his peripherals, watching as you poured some whiskey for yourself. “I thought you don't drink.”“I typically don't, but I'll let today be an exception.” More quietly you added, “Plus I thought you could use some company.”Hanzo let out a grunt. You chuckled beneath your breath seeing as he didn't exactly deny it. While he seemed to actively push others away, he didn't bother so much with you. If anything, he didn't seem to mind your silent company.The majority of your interaction with the older Shimada brother outside of missions was through small moments like this. In most cases, one of you would stumble upon the other in search of quiet solace. Little words were exchanged during those times and right now would be no different.Unlike you, Hanzo had his drink neat so when you lifted your cup, the clinking of ice was all that could be heard. You watched in slight astonishment as he finished his glass and poured himself another one.“How do you down this stuff so easily,” you mumbled.“You drink it.”You glared at him. “Okay, thanks Captain Obvious.”Pulling out a holopad, you continued your work. Amidst your typing, eating, and drinking, you finished your second glass. Or was it the third? With some moderate difficulty, you poured another one out for yourself only to realize that Hanzo was now sipping on water, his eyes on you. When did he get that?You gave him a pout, feeling strangely unnerved under his gaze. “What?” You practically whined.He said nothing in response and your frown deepened. You transferred your glare onto your glass and drank it as fast as you could before excusing yourself to the washroom. The moment you let your feet carry your entire weight, everything shifted and it processed too late that you were falling.Before you tipped too far, an arm quickly caught you by the waist, steadying you on your feet before letting go.“You're drunk,” Hanzo said.“I'm tipsy,” you corrected, smiling despite everything.He finally said something. And he did it without you initiating it so you did the next logical step: you gave his head a brief pat all the while ignoring the unamused look he was giving you. He didn't kill you so that's a good start.You then stumbled out of the kitchen, your hands on the wall in a desperate attempt to keep yourself upright. When you returned, you nearly fell as you clambered back onto your seat. When you reached for the bottle of whiskey one more time, Hanzo held your hand in place.“You've had enough.” He motioned to the fresh glass of water that you somehow missed and you reluctantly brought it to your lips. Upon drinking, it finally occurred to you how hot your body was. Water tasted way too good.“Okay, maybe I'm a little more than tipsy,” you admitted. Placing your head on the counter, you savored the feeling of the cold granite on your heated cheeks.“I like you, Hanzo.” The moment those words tumbled from your lips, the archer nearly choked on his own drink. “You're a good boy,” you continued, devoiding your previous statement of its credibility.Hanzo's face scrunched up at that. Was he a dog to you? He wanted to glare at you, he really did, but seeing you with such a dumb smile on your face, he couldn't bring himself to. "You should get some rest,” he said softly.“I should, but I want more water.” With the alcohol pumping through your system, the idea of wrapping for your fingers around your cup didn't seem to register properly. One moment it was in your hand and in the next, it was in several pieces at your feet.As Hanzo was about to get up, you pushed down on his shoulder, signalling him to remain where he was. “I'll fix that later.” You rubbed your face. That's not what you wanted to say. “Right now. I'll fix that right now.”Hanzo watched in mild amusement as you swept up the glass. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, but you were an incredibly cute drunk. Where you were rather friendly with everyone, you were always so reserved around him. He's somewhat relieved to see this side of you—even if it was mostly the whiskey doing the work.You motioned to your handiwork on the dustpan, seemingly pleased at your ability to clean up your mess. “Are you proud of me?”Although he would've preferred it if you didn't break something, he played along with your drunken antics. “Yes." And there it was again, that silly, disarming smile of yours. That smile soon morphed into something else, something more pleasant, and something much warmer.You shakily closed the distance between the two of you and wrapped your arms around him. He stiffened at your touch, unsure of what to make of it. Hugs were never his thing. Intimacy, regardless if it was romantic or purely platonic was never his thing. Yet for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to push you away. Instead, he found himself relaxing in your embrace.“Are you feeling better now?” You asked him. “You looked sad earlier." Burying your face into his shoulder, you mumbled some more, "I don't know why but I don't like seeing you sad.”Your words struck a nerve and Hanzo was at a loss with what to do or what to think. There was one thing he knew for certain though, you were warm, and he wasn't talking about the drinks. He already knew he had a soft spot on you but it didn't occur to him that he'd be okay being with you like this. Whether or not he liked it was something only time would tell.He felt your grip loosen and in response he wrapped an arm around your back so you wouldn't slip. You were falling asleep. “You should go to bed,” he said again, his tone hushed.You just nodded.With that, he helped you to your quarters where he gently laid you down on your bed. Just as he was about to leave your side, you grabbed the hem of his sweater.“Don't go.” Your words came out so quiet he nearly missed it. But he didn't and now he was stuck. He was unsure as to what's causing that distressed expression of yours but leaving you like that didn't sit right with him.Why is it that he couldn't stand seeing so crestfallen? Was this what you meant earlier?And so he relented.He settled beside you, the bed creaking under his weight. You beamed tiredly at him. With his back on the headboard, he watched you curl at his side and slowly fell asleep.When did all of this start he wondered. When did you become something so precious to him? It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long, long while. It was frightening but it wasn't that bad. As his consciousness began to drift, he wrapped an arm around you, holding you close, letting your warmth beckon him to sleep.