#I'll clean it up and post it to ao3 at some point too

[zenaidamacrouras1]

Heyo! For the wrapped ask, number 13? Stucky?

Also just wanted to say you’re one of my favourite fic authors I’ve found in a while ❤️ I often anticipate the smutty stuff the most but in your fics I enjoy the in-betweens so much! The way your write children is simultaneously the most warm yet hilarious prose and it always feels so much more lifelike than I often read? Having kids probably helps lol. Sorry I’m just rambling on but you’ve brought me a lot of comfort in the past few months and I appreciate you a lot

Hope you have a good one!!! :)

Thank you for the amazingly kind sweet words - so encouraging - flattery will get you everywhere, so here is a 2500 word smutty fic inspired by this wistful little love song, and yes, I wrote this whole fucking thing last night laying in bed and edited it today in between work calls because I have ADHD, we've talked about this, my brain is very good at doing exactly what it wants and sometimes our interests align and things like this happen.

I listened to this album (So Jealous) on repeat when writing the sad chapters of my fic Tension and Tonic, so not surprised this song ended up in my top songs nor in the direction this story took.

Tegan and Sarah - Take Me Anywhere

Warning this is smutty with graphic sexytimes.

“Stop making me laugh. I'm trying to be sexy," Steve laughs. 

"If you can't laugh and be sexy what are you even doing, sweetheart," Bucky drawls back and that's probably when Steve fell in love with Bucky. Unfortunately it was also during their first hook up. It was decent enough - mutual blow jobs. Bucky clearly knew what he was doing. On the surface nothing too different than Steve’s normal routine of finding a guy and blowing off some steam, but there were a lot of subtle red flags that should have warned Steve to run like hell.

Like how entranced Steve was when it was his turn to make Bucky feel good. Bucky, with his dancer's grace, with the asymmetry of his missing arm making the lines of him more perfect somehow, his long hair falling loose into his face, framing his perfect jawline, the pink O of his mouth, the dark smudge of his eyelashes. The way his elegant fingers fluttered so tenderly along Steve's cheek when he sucked in. It was. Lovely. Bucky is lovely. Lovable. It's a problem. 

That first time Bucky had sort of folded Steve into his body after, pulling him up onto the couch and burying his face in Steve's hair in a way that normally would have made Steve bristle because he is small but he's not a fucking stuffed animal. But Bucky hummed and sighed in this contented way. Bucky is all bones and muscular and yet fluid and it feels powerful to be held so desperately by someone like that. 

"Sorry I’m a cuddler, just shove me off when you get sick of me," Bucky hums, and laughs after a minute, and lets Steve go. "Don't make fun of me, I can't have sex with out snuggling, I should have warned you in the Grindr chat," and Bucky is easy and lax and happy and Steve could have maybe stayed longer without it being weird, but by then, he kind of wanted to stay forever so he definitely needed to go right away. 

Bucky is a former ballet dancer. Well, he still dances actually, but he was a principal with the New York City Ballet till he lost his arm, a story he shrugs off easily. "My ma always said I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached and turns out it's the same for my arm? I called the Coney Island lost and found, but it wasn't there? Just kidding, it was a car accident, just glad I'm alive." He's the assistant director of fundraising for the ballet now, and does some choreography too, Steve's not sure how it all works, but Bucky is happy and charming and Steve would definitely hand over all his money to fund the ballet if Bucky had asked him. But. Bucky's never asked him to donate to the ballet. They don't talk about work stuff beyond the minimum. Steve’s just happy they talk at all.  

The next week Steve's phone pings and it's Bucky on Grindr again, and apparently Bucky had a shit day and wants to get fucked, and he likes Steve's dick so, well, does Steve top? Steve saves his work, stops his time tracker, and that's all the graphics that are getting designed for today. He changes out of his work from home sweats and puts on his date jeans, and heads over to Bucky's place to take them back off again. Bucky's wearing a suit, his hair slicked back, and the arm of the suit neatly tailored up. He looks amazing, his tie just a little loose around his neck, his eyes lazy and suggestive, moving right into Steve's space and dipping his head down for a kiss before Steve can even say hello. 

Steve can work with that, he pushes Bucky into the wall and spreads Bucky’s legs enough so that they're the same height and untucks Bucky's shirt so he can feel up his slim frame. Steve moves Bucky through his apartment and into his bed, and climbs on top of Bucky, and Bucky reaches into the bedtime table for lube and condoms and it's good, it's so good, and Steve can't recommend fucking a ballerina or whatever a guy ballet dancer is any higher, especially when Bucky bites hard into Steve's shoulder and keens desperately and more and more until Steve's ready to last forever if Bucky needs him to, except then Bucky's shaking apart with his one hand in Steve's hair and kissing him messily all teeth and heaving breath and that's fine. Steve loves Bucky's teeth. 

After, Steve's forcibly cuddled by Bucky again, which is fine because Steve's legs are kind of rubbery because he's not as athletic as Bucky - then again, who is. 

Steve cuddles with Bucky and listens to him ramble on about nothing in particular before sliding back into his date jeans and letting himself out. In his head tells himself this is a business transaction more or less. Steve is a consultant who knows how to do authentic and meaningful work for his clients and move on. A skillshare of sorts. 

It sort of becomes a Friday night thing. Most Friday nights Bucky seems to have some kind of high end fundraiser related to his work at the ballet. It makes sense that Bucky can’t be hunting for a hookup while representing his work, so it’s perfectly logical that he’d touch base with Steve after for a bit of no strings attached fun. Steve doesn’t see any need to tell Bucky that he’s not seeing anyone else and also that he’d love to be Bucky’s boyfriend because, haha, what? Why would he say that? 

Honestly, they barely know each other beyond Steve having every inch of Bucky’s flexible, lovely body memorized. Steve’s favorite parts are the imperfections, the freckles, the scars, the cowlick that makes his hair stick up funny if he doesn’t slather product in it. He doesn’t mention it, because what kind of asshole would mention it, but he’s transfixed by the way Bucky adapts to having one arm, because it’s just so fucking beautiful. It draws the eye, the way his liquid grace casually defies gravity. It often seems his momentum should go one way, but it seamlessly flows another, and Steve wants to draw Bucky or at least take a picture of him. But they don’t do that. 

"I looked up your art," Bucky murmurs into Steve's hair one evening during their post coital cling session that maybe gets a little longer every week. Steve kind of freezes because what? He didn’t realize Bucky even knew his last name?  "It's good. You're pretty badass. It's impressive. I can't draw for shit, so I was curious what kind of art you do. Maybe we could commission you at the ballet, you like drawing ballet shoes and legs and shit?"

"Oh," Steve says because, like, seriously, Bucky, do you not know what a hookup is? Steve should be getting dressed right now, not letting Bucky lazily slide his hand up and down Steve's back while talking about his art.

"It's dynamic, lots of movement, reminded me of dancing. Maybe I have a dancing brain. Everything reminds me of dancing," Bucky laughs, and his breath is hot into Steve's hair, and Steve laughs too, because laughter is the appropriate response and also dear oh dear. Yeah. Bucky Barnes is lovable. 

"You had heart surgery?" Bucky asks in a sudden subject change. And Steve wonders for a minute how Bucky knows that. In his defense, he's drunk on sex endorphins and being stroked like a kitten and practically purring. 

"Yeah, couple of em," Steve says. It's such an enormous scar. Obviously Bucky noticed the damn thing, they’ve been naked together close to a dozen times. 

"It's all ticking away alright now though?" Bucky says softly, and Steve huffs a yes and pulls back before he falls asleep. "Should I not have asked? I feel like I have no filter about scars and shit since I got de-armed. It's like, I dunno. My injury is the first thing everyone sees. You're probably as bored as I am of talking about it."

"Did you ever have a filter?" Steve teases, and Bucky laughs hard, his head thrown back with joy, and that feels good. "Yeah, Buck, I'm pretty healthy these days."

Steve manages to escape a little while later. He looks up videos of Bucky dancing. It's only fair if Bucky's been looking up Steve's art. What he does next in the privacy of his own home when he sees Bucky's thighs in those ballet tights is his own business. All of the videos are from before the car accident. Bucky looks strange with two arms, off balance and overloaded, which makes absolutely no sense, but Steve’s just so used to Bucky’s body how it is now. 

They meet up the next week, and Bucky’s freshly showered from a dance performance, which, Steve didn’t realize Bucky was performing anymore, let alone today. Bucky’s full of adrenaline and way pushier than normal, taking Steve’s mouth and getting Steve up against the wall. Usually Steve doesn’t like to be pushed around, but he trusts Bucky by now. He’s really a super nice guy. Steve couldn’t be luckier in having such a convenient sex arrangement with such a beautiful, kind, sexually compatible person. This is a thought he has briefly before Bucky grabs him by the crotch and presses their shoulders together hard, slamming Steve into the wall, and Steve’s mind kind of whites out. 

After they’re laying on the floor in the hallway of Bucky’s apartment, huffing and limp and half dressed. Steve reaches into his jacket pocket, (how convenient they are still right there by the door) and takes a puff of his inhaler. 

“Shit, you ok?” Bucky asks in surprise. 

Steve rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’m cat-sitting for a friend, got my allergies up, and you know, I know that wasn’t enough exertion to get your heart rate up, but some of us mere mortals have physical limits.” 

Bucky laughs dryly. “My heart rate was up Steve. Before the physical exertion started, actually though,” he adds softly. And what is that supposed to mean? 

Steve lays in bed awake half the night trying to decide if he should go to Bucky’s dance performance the next night. It’s in a massive hall, there’s no way Bucky would know. Is it too intimate? Is it too stalkery? Does he mention it after if he goes? Is it weirder if he goes and doesn’t mention it? That would be weird if he doesn’t mention it, so okay he has to mention it but does he mention it before or after he goes? The tickets are expensive too, so then it’s weird like, does he seem like he’s trying to score free tickets if he mentions it before? But then Bucky seems like the type to be annoyed if Steve pays when Bucky has free tickets on offer. Ugh. 

In the end, Steve goes, and he buys the ticket and doesn’t tell Bucky, and he cries because Bucky’s dancing is amazing, and breathtaking, and every adjective, and Steve could draw only Bucky for the rest of his life and not have captured the lines, the strength of him, the defiance. He wants to explain to the person next to him that he’s not crying because he’s like inspired that Bucky is disabled, but because he’s in love with Bucky, and it’s one thing to suspect the guy you’ve been fucking with no strings attached every Friday night for months is perfect, but it’s another thing to have it proven. 

Steve doesn’t mention to Bucky that he went to his performance, but he tries to put it into the way he touches Bucky the next week. Reverent. He spends close to an hour opening Bucky up with his mouth and fingers, and the sounds Bucky makes when Steve finally enters him, kissing him gently down his neck, the way Bucky’s out of athletic moves to try and wow Steve with, but just transcendently arching up, helpless with pleasure, that’s how Steve lets Bucky know he saw him dance, and he loved it, and he loves Bucky. 

That night, Bucky asks him to stay the night, and Steve actually has an early Saturday meeting with a client, he’s not making it up, he even shows Bucky the calendar note, and Bucky laughs happily, and says it isn’t a big deal. But. It seems like a big deal. Steve makes sure not to schedule anything the next Saturday, in case Bucky asks again, but Bucky doesn’t ask again. Which is fine. 

Then something strange happens. Steve’s locking up Wanda’s apartment from checking on her cat, and his phone pings, and it’s Bucky via Grindr, asking for Steve’s phone number. It’s actually super weird they haven’t done the phone number thing yet, honestly, Steve doesn’t even use Grindr except to confirm his weekly dates with Bucky. Steve sends his number over as he’s walking to the subway to head back home, it’s only one stop, but it’s cold. 

Bucky texts him right away, asking him what he’s doing Friday. Steve says he’s open, because, duh? At this point, Steve would turn down the presidential medal of freedom if the ceremony was on a Friday night between 10 pm and midnight. 

Bucky asks him what he’s doing at 6 pm on Friday, and that’s new. They almost never hang out before 10 pm, or whenever Bucky’s fundraising events wrap up. Steve’s not doing anything in particular, and says as much. Bucky asks if he’d hate wearing a suit and getting free wine? And Steve does not, in fact, hate free wine. He also has a decent suit, he thinks it’s pretty stylish still, he had it tailored a few years ago, but men’s styles don’t change as fast as women’s, which is a relief when you are not a standard human male size and have to have all your clothes custom fit to make sure you don’t look like a child wearing their dad’s dress up clothes. 

Bucky asks if Steve would want to meet up with him at his fundraiser on Friday, it’s at an art gallery, and the art reminded him of Steve. Steve feels his heart pound. 

S: I like free wine, wearing suits, and art galleries. Sure. 

B: Another question. 

S: I also like answering questions 

B: Do you like holding hands? 

S: Depends on the hand. 

B: I mean, I only have the one. 

Steve feels dizzy. 

S: Yes, I would like holding your hand. One is sufficient for my needs. 

B: And you would like holding my hand and going somewhere with me on a date? 

S: You could take me anywhere.

[satosugusandwich]

𝔏𝔢𝔱 𝔐𝔢 𝔖𝔢𝔢 𝔜𝔬𝔲’𝔯𝔢 𝔐𝔢𝔞𝔫…

True Form!Sukuna x Fem!Afab!Reader (This is an AU!!! Sukuna is not a homicidal maniac cannibalistic murderer! I think he’s sexy and my morals say no dick from crazy murderer BUT dick from crazy 😍)

CW: violence in this chapter, threats, bloodiness, implied sexual violence and objectification

Description: You've been friends with Yuji Itadori for some time now and have seen the best, the worst, and the strange in all your years of knowing him. You've never thought he was one to have any crazy secrets and well... you were wrong. And now the demon bound to Yuji is bound to you too! How fun! Good thing that you aren't stupid and won't fall for a being that by no means should you have ever interacted with! Right? Right...?

*despite this being an aged up version of yuji, there will be no sexual stuff involving him, also the violence is only in the first chapter with a few mentions after that!!! Cross posted on Ao3 under Spicycrunchroll! THERE WILL BE LOTS OF SMUT LATER ON!*

Chapter 1: Never Again.

Poor you, stuck with a gay best friend and his gay boyfriend and exclusively terrible, gross men. The struggle of getting a good man was hard enough, let alone getting some good dick. Even gay men will tell you how bad some dudes are. Its one thing to finish in 2 minutes and cry after, at least there's sympathy, but a whole other thing to just be kicked out of the guy's house immediately and left wearing d r y panties with cum on your shorts. Yeah, never hooking up again, you tell yourself each time. Now, you found yourself wiping the oil off your face with a clammy hand while dialing Yuji's number, having just been booted out this guys house in the middle of the night. It rang only about twice before he picked up.

"Please don't tell me something bad happened." He said on the other line.

You sighed, walking to the end of your date's driveway and sitting on the ground. "Worse than usual. Can you pick me up? I'll send you the address." Your head hung low and your eyes felt heavy, wanting to cry but not having the energy to do so. At this point, you're never fucking anyone again. Let alone agreeing to suck them off before you get off. "I should've known that all his talk were lies."

You could hear him breathe in. "Yeah, I'm coming. Wanna stay over?" He asked jubilantly, as if to raise your spirits.

You smiled softly. "Could you stay at my place instead?"

"Hell yeah!"

You said your goodbyes and opened your phone, aimlessly scrolling on social media while looking for something to distract you from the disappointment of being used up and left to the corner, dehumanized again by a shitty man with a big ego. God, it made you sick. It wouldn't take long for Yuji to get to you, but it wasn't fun waiting either. Each minute ticked on by as if an hour had passed and all you wanted to do was throw away your shorts and shower off the stench of vape juice and alcohol. You didn't want to get in his car and start sobbing about how you wished you never did what you did, not because Yuji wouldn't listen, but because of your own embarrassment. Itadori has always been kind and much more level-headed (at least with this, he's usually just as stupid as you) so its extra embarrassing to have to tell him you sucked off a guy who didn't even get you wet. At least he was clean, you tell yourself, deleting Tinder from your phone for the last time. Never again will you take subpar dick from grown men who act like children! No, from now on, your body only allows worthy men, men that would worship you like you'd worship them!

After sulking for another five minutes, the engine of a car in the distance rumbled in your ear. Straightening your back, your head turned in the direction of where it’s approaching. It’s approaching way too fast for a regular suburban neighborhood. Rising to your feet to take a step back, it already turned down the street you happened to be on and you could hear sirens go off in your head, especially as you noticed that none of their lights were on and they definitely didn’t have tags. The van sped past you but they started to slow down before they reached the end of the street. You felt your heart rate surge when you realized they came to a complete stop. At that moment you realized that they were turning around.

Quickly, your legs brought you to the house you had just left and you banged on the door for a few seconds and screamed.

“Hey! Let me back in!!! It’s not safe!” The roar of the car started again and your intuition told you to run so that’s what you did.

Fuck, who knows who these mother fuckers are! Your mind is racing thinking about what they could potentially do if they caught you. Did they know you were here? Did they just happen to see you? Or… did the motherfucker inside of that house tell them you were here? Oh fuck… that’s why he kicked you out.

Tears started falling from your eyes as you ran through these people’s yards, you could see lights coming on in some houses, but it was no use because the car behind you stopped and three men came out the side door. You prayed that your human survival instincts would kick in and catapult you to go faster than you were, but they were bigger than you and right on your tail. Your legs ached and burned, practically sprinting and trying not to trip in the road. You didn’t dare look behind you, scared to slow yourself down, and scared of them. You kept on running and running until you reached the end of the road and saw headlights.

“Yuji!” You screamed, recognizing the shape and color of his car. With you out in the road, he stopped abruptly and you could see his body jerk with the impact. The men behind you cursed themselves but you felt hands on you faster than Yuji could process what was going on.

“Get her now! He’s coming behind us we’ll throw her in!” The man lifted you and you screamed again, but a hand swiftly covered your mouth. Yuji was out of the car and lunged at the guy holding you captive but was quickly stopped and apprehended by the other two.

“The kid has some fucking balls!” The biggest of the guys holding Yuji shouted, earning a strong blow to the chin. You thrashed against the man’s body as the large van from earlier came up right behind you.

Yuji looked at you as blood dripped from his nose. “Y/n! I got it, I promise!”

You held out hope and believed him even as you were thrown inside the van and the driver pulled away from the scene, leaving the two men with Yuji and you with a man wearing all black pressing you into the floor of the van. Tears spilled from your eyes, angered and terrified at the same time.

“Looks like we got a real good catch!” The driver harrumphed. “Bet she’ll go for a pretty penny.”

Your mind practically stopped when you heard those words. You were going to be sold, like an object, like a slave. The horror of it all made your body go numb and eyes go wide and then you closed them.

“Please.” You begged. “Please let me go.” Your voice was hoarse and you could taste your own tears as your mouth opened.

“No can do. We were told that you’d fetch a high price with your skills. Don’t worry, some girls get a good owner.” His voice was menacing and cold, but he spoke as though he actually fucking believed it. He didn’t even laugh at your pain like a monster would, he was just indifferent, emotionless.

“Please.” You begged again. “I can’t do it, please let me out!” This time your voice raised. “Help!” Your mouth was stuffed with cloth and your face was buried more into the floor as he bound your wrists.

The driver started to chastise the other man. “Why didn’t you gag her right away, the dumb bitch is louder than a dying cat!”

The other man cussed back. “Shut the fuck up, there isn’t nobody coming after us!”

The van stopped so fast you and the man were flung to the front of the car, colliding with the back of the front seats.

“What the fuck!” The man that was holding you down swore. His arms were now off you and the bindings he attempted were loose enough that you released your wrists and went for your gag. “No you don’t!” He reached for your clothes, yanking you back. Before you were held against your will again, the entire van split down the middle, from door to door. The back half of the van was flung off to the side before it became a cut up mess in the middle of the road.

Then you saw him. His hair was the same color as Yuji’s but was much less controlled. You could see what looked like four arms and a giant smiling mouth in the middle of his stomach. Every single person in the van went still and silent, staring at him. The creature looked inside and dead at you, bright red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. All four of them. Even the two on the side of his face that looked almost like a mask. He can’t be real. The tattoos all over his body were arranged in such a pattern that it was beautiful but something that scared you even more.

The creature spoke. “Now.” His gaze shifted from you to the man holding you. “I prefer it when I can get a good fight out of my opponents, but you lot are pathetic.” He looked disappointed. “Normal humans…”

No one spoke and he pouted. “Not a single retort? None of you pathetic excuses of flesh can say a word? You had a lot to say about selling the woman, can’t you entertain me? Or are your brains so simple you can’t think outside of making money off selling one of your own?”

Their own? Did he mean… humans?

The man behind you was shaking. And you could definitely feel his pants getting wet.

The creature before you sucked his teeth. “Boooring.” He narrowed his eyes. “And pathetic.” The vehicle was slashed once again, this time cutting into thirds, leaving you and the man holding you isolated in the middle while the other two thirds, including the driver collapsed around you. You heard squelches of flesh from the front and gasping. “You said she sounded like a dying cat, hm? Since you prefer the quiet so much, I thought I’d help you.” The creature chuckled.

The man holding you finally let you go, and he turned around to see the driver. You didn’t look. You knew what the creature did. Scurrying away, you realized headlights were approaching again and… it was Yuji!

“Ahhh, the brats already here. Well, I can’t kill you lot so how about I leave the piss-soaked one with a lesson.”

You didn’t know if you should thank the monster or run from him. You decided to run toward Yuji’s car.

Another crack resounded in your ears and then a gut-chortling scream resounded from behind you. “There we are. Something nice and fast. I hope they don’t find you until the morning.” You didn’t want to know what he did, you didn’t want to dare to turn around, all you cared about was the car door opening for you and Yuji’s comforting presence.

He looked so relieved to see you. “Y/n. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. Don’t worry about those guys. I got you now. Sukuna won’t kill them, he can’t, but they’ll never ever do anything like that again to anyone.” Those were the first words to meet your ears. You didn’t say anything, all you did was sob in the seat next to him as he drove off and away from the scene. You didn’t ask anything. You didn’t want to. All that mattered was getting the fuck away from this and home and into a clean bed.

You could care about this later.

“I would’ve killed them if it wasn’t for this contract.” Your heart jumped out of your chest as the monster’s voice resounded in the backseat. “Sorry you don’t get the pleasure of knowing they’re dead.”

[geddy-leesbian]

Winterserra Wedding fic 💍💕

word count: 3,300ish

won't be on AO3 for a while because it takes place a pretty long time after the most recent posted chapter of my main Winterserra fic because I've been having horrendous writer's block with some of the in between chapters

start of a steamy scene at one point, but fades to black before anything really explicit happens

also there's one flashback scene (entirely in italics so easily skipped if you want to) taking place while Luis was still pregnant, and the very last scene has Ethan reminiscing and mentioning the pregnancy, it's nothing too major, just putting it out there if anyone's uncomfortable with that

Ethan doesn't have anything particularly time consuming when it comes to getting ready, so after he has his suit on he gets Rosa ready, putting her fancy pink dress and flower crown on. Then he puts on the baby carrier and gets her situated in it. Originally Luis would have worn the carrier walking down the aisle because she was their “flower girl” but that plan was abandoned once Luis had his heart set on an embroidered suit. He didn't want the carrier blocking the designs in the pictures of their vows and kiss, so instead they settled on Ethan wearing her during the ceremony. 

Luis on the other hand has a lot to do. As Luis insisted on Ethan not seeing his “bride” before, it falls to Claire to help out. After he gets his suit, a fancy one with pink embroidered designs, Claire does his makeup for him and then helps him with his veil, a lacy very over the top thing that trails behind him. They don't really have much of an aisle, just a handful of chairs with their friends arranged facing a flower arch Claire and Ethan cobbled together. There's also no officiant, because it's just not necessary; there's no legal marriage yet, this is simply for ceremonial purposes. It's not the grand church wedding a younger Luis had once dreamed of, but it's all he needs. 

At the altar, Rosa is amused by Luis's veil. She sees his face through it and her own face lights up. Their vows take longer than they should, as they're both amused by Rosa determinedly reaching her arms up to tug on Luis's veil and get distracted. 

When Ethan finally lifts up Luis's veil to reveal his face, he can't help but say “peekaboo!” earning giggling and clapping from Rosa while she looks up at Luis. It may not be the most romantic thing to say in a moment like this, but it's going to make a great picture. As Luis leans down, Rosa notices the pink birds and flowers decorating his suit jacket. As they kiss, she runs her fingers over the flowers and tries grabbing one of the birds. 

They had a few folding chairs and tables scattered about for the reception. One of the tables had a highchair at it and was more decorated, with pink balloons and a tablecloth. And a pile of small presents. It was also Rosa's half birthday, and they couldn't resist rolling her into the wedding celebrations. After all, their worlds revolved around her and she was the reason they got married today, not years into the future. 

As soon as she's placed in her highchair, Rosa reaches her arms out towards the presents.

“You're right, those are for you! Such a smart princess!” Luis praises. “But you can't have them just yet.”

“That's right,” Ethan chimes in, handing Luis the plate with a pink cupcake and getting his camera ready. “Just have to have your cake before getting to presents.”

Rosa eyes the cupcake skeptically when Luis sets the cupcake down on her high chair's tray. Eventually her curiosity wins over and she starts pawing at the cupcake. Still not entirely sold on the concept of solid food, she doesn't try to take a bite of the cupcake, but at least smashes it and licks some frosting off her fingers. 

“I'll go get her cleaned up and changed for presents,” Ethan tells Luis, with a peck on the cheek. “You should go ahead and get something to eat. And drink some wine too. 

Luis does have a slice of cake and then tries to play a good host with a glass of wine in hand, greeting their handful of friends as he drinks because he knows that the second Ethan comes back with Rosa he'll have tunnel vision and forget it's not just the three of them there. 

Ethan brings Rosa back, dressed in her mushroom footie pajamas instead of her fancy dress. Back in her highchair, Luis and Ethan pass her the presents. She's definitely on the younger side as far as ability to open presents go, but her curiosity gives her enough determination to get most of the wrapping paper off each present herself after Ethan or Luis get them started for her. The presents aren't anything big, just toys and some animal picture books, but Rosa will certainly get enjoyment out of them.

It's the hardest thing Luis has ever done, handing Rosa to Claire. But he manages to without shedding a tear, because it's for something he's been looking forward to for a long time: his “first dance” with Ethan. Ethan looks uneasy at the sight of someone else taking his baby, but he stuffs his paranoia down and smiles as Luis pulls him to the dance floor, because he has a promise to keep. 

…

“So, Dr. Winters,” Luis teases. “Can you perhaps lift your bed rest order? I've been back a couple weeks, baby's fine, my bruises from the trip are gone. I need to move around, I'm going crazy.” “Is that really what you think, I've been ordering you to rest all the time?” Ethan looks just a little bit horrified by the thought that Luis thinks he's been too controlling. “It wasn't like that, I just offered to bring you things and carry you around because it seemed like you needed it. I wouldn't have stopped you if you started getting out of bed and walking around on your own.” “I'm just teasing, I know you weren't really forbidding me from anything. And I did need the extra help. Really, I was in rough shape. But now that I'm feeling a bit better, I'd like to get on my own two feet again.” “As long as you're feeling up to it,” Ethan says, helping Luis up from the couch. “You just want to walk around outside for a while?” “No. Put some music on, I want to dance with you, mi amor,” Ethan shoots him a skeptical look. “Nothing strenuous! Just some slow dancing so I can get my feet moving and think about how in love with you I am.” “Okay,” Ethan agrees hesitantly, walking over to the stereo to get a CD playing before coming back to Luis. “But you've got a history of not accepting your limits and pushing yourself too hard, so you have to promise me you'll take it really easy and listen to your body when it's telling you to stop.” Figuring out the logistics of dancing is harder than it should be. Ethan can't stand behind Luis and wrap his arms around the front of his waist to sway together because the fact Luis is taller makes it awkward. Eventually they end up facing each other, Luis's arms resting on Ethan's shoulders, Ethan's hands on the sides of Luis's waist. Occasionally his hands wander down to fondle Luis's hips, a pleasant surprise– after the night he accidentally left scratches on his hip, Luis expected him to be too nervous to go anywhere near his hips.

While they make it work, the dancing still isn't ideal. Luis can't get closer like he wants to, can't lean in for a kiss because his damn back hurts all the time and especially hates when he dares to bend it even slightly. He also feels a little bit awkward that he's dancing wearing only his underwear and one of Ethan's shirts.  But at least he's touching Ethan and Ethan's touching him and Ethan's looking at him like he's the most important person in the universe.

“God, I hate this. I danced with my first boyfriend a lot. We got fancy with it. Fast, lots of twirling and spinning, dipping…” Luis trails off. “Can't do any of that shit now. I can't even press my body all the way against yours.” “Just a few months. Just a few months and we'll have our princess here and you'll be healed up and able to do everything again,” Ethan reassures. One of his hands leaves his waist to touch Luis's “necklace”– the engagement ring currently on a necklace chain because Luis can't wear it on his finger yet. “You'll be my husband in a few months. And you'll be able to dance however you want at our wedding. I can't promise I'll be able to keep up with the fancy stuff you can do, but I can promise I'll try my best to.”

True to his word, Ethan can't match Luis's grace and speed, but does his best, letting Luis drag him across the makeshift dance floor and twirl him around. Luis is even tipsy enough to dip Ethan with no fear of dropping him, and bite his neck like they don't have an audience. 

“Okay, that's enough,” Ethan states when Luis pulls him back to his feet. “I know you're mostly healed, but supporting my weight like that is too much, you're going to hurt yourself.”

Ethan's words get Luis misty eyed. So similar to something Leon once said to him. But for once being reminded of Leon doesn't fill Luis with despair. There was a time when his attraction to Ethan was primarily based on his similarities to Leon, like he was just an inferior substitute to his dead lover. But that changed, and he grew to love Ethan for he really was. His marriage to Ethan won't be anything like being married to Leon would have been, and that's okay. Ethan isn't Leon, but he's the only other person Luis has ever been so head over heels for. 

“Hey, was that too much?” Ethan asks, concerned about the tears gathering in Luis's eyes. “Do you need to go inside and lay down?”

“No, I'm okay,” Not wanting to spoil the mood, Luis gives Ethan a reassuring smile. “Just happy tears.”

“Okay. Good,” It's Ethan's turn to drag his new husband away from the dance area back towards Claire. “Rose still needs her fathers-daughter dance. It'll be slow with her, so you won't be pushing yourself.”

Rosa smiles and starts reaching her hands out when she sees her dads walking towards her. No matter how many times it happens, Luis's heart always melts when she smiles at him. Claire compliments their dancing while Luis gets the baby carrier back on, then Claire hands Rosa over, both smiling. 

The newlyweds start dancing again, now with their baby in the mix. Sandwiched between her two fathers, swaying with Luis's gentle motions, Rosa is quite content with her current situation. 

…

The guests are all gone, it's just the three of them. Ethan moved Rosa's bassinet away from the bed, far enough that she fades into the background, but still in their line of sight and close enough that they won't be worried about something happening to her while they fool around. Then Ethan climbs up on the bed and straddles Luis's lap. They haven't had sex since before Rosa's birth, their longest dry spell. Between how long it's been and the alcohol, Luis quickly feels warm arousal pooling deep inside him. The problem is he also feels the fatigue setting in.

“Luis, get the strap on?”

“How mad would you be if I said I wasn't feeling up to it tonight?”

“Not as mad as I'd be if you weren't feeling up to it and did it anyway because you didn't want to disappoint me,” Ethan gets off Luis's lap but sets a hand on his inner thigh. It's a very intimate but nonsexual gesture– it's the area where the chemical burns caused enough nerve damage that Luis doesn't get much sexual pleasure from it being touched. Which Ethan knows; he's always very careful to stick to the areas that actually feel good when he's trying to get Luis off. “Is it just the topping you're not up for, is there something else we can do?”

“Not anything that's even close to meeting expectations for a wedding night,” Knowing Ethan will insist on asking if there's anything at all Luis would do, he keeps talking. “I'd take oral and fingers. I know you were expecting a lot more tonight, I'm sorry, I'm just a lot more tired than I thought I'd be.”

“It's okay, Luis. We have the rest of our lives to enjoy each other, there's no reason to rush anything, okay?” Ethan repositions himself yet again, moving to straddle one of Luis's thighs and lets his hands wander over Luis's body, down his chest and stomach. One hand cups his hip and stays there, his other hand hesitantly traces the skin just about the waistband of Luis's underwear, waiting for permission to go further. “You ready?”

…

Luis is set for the best sleep of his life– he's had a long day of activity, and a great orgasm courtesy of his fiancé's husband's fingers. And Rosa should be tired out enough to sleep through the night. 

Right when he's on the edge of sleep, he hears Rosa start fussing in her bedside bassinet. Luis just sighs. She should be fine. While Luis had been undressing and taking his makeup off, Ethan had changed and fed her. Soon she stops crying and starts babbling. Just nonsensical strings of syllables she enjoys saying.

“Do you want me to go downstairs with her so you can sleep?” Ethan asks.

“No,” Luis replies. “I don't mind the babbling.”

Her bassinet is on Luis's side of the bed, so Ethan still has to get up to grab her, even though he's just moving her to the bed and not leaving the room. 

“Hey, Rosa, what do you want?” Ethan asks, and he gets a gibberish response along the lines of ‘bababababa.’ “Bottle already? You ate just a little bit ago.”

“Babababa. Bick. Bookeh,” Luis manages to lift his heavy eyelids and reaches towards his nightstand, finding a book to hold up. Rosa reaches her arms out and starts squirming in Ethan's arms, trying to get to the book. They'd skipped the bedtime story routine tonight, expecting that the wedding would have been enough activity and stimulation that she'd be ready to fall asleep without being read to. They thought wrong, evidently. “Bookeh! Bookeh!”

“You picked a bad time to say your first word. Me and Daddy are too beat to properly celebrate it tonight,” Suddenly less exhausted, Luis sits up and scoots over so he's shoulder to shoulder with Ethan, and then opens the picture book and places it where Rosa's little hands can reach the pages. “And I must admit, I'm a little disappointed your first word wasn't Daddy. But it's okay, book is a good word.”

“Sometimes it feels like she's less our daughter and more your clone. Your skin tone, your eyes, your hair. And clearly she's got your smarts too,” Ethan smiles and kisses Luis's cheek. “Not that I'm complaining. I know you don't believe you're perfect, but I do, so her taking more after you is perfect in my eyes.”

Ethan lets the conversation die there, shifting his focus from Luis back to Rosa and starts reading the book to her. Luis lays back down. As much as he wants to stay up with his little family longer, he really is exhausted. It was a long day with far more physical activity than Luis is used to. And as much as Luis hates to admit it, deep down he knows his body still isn't at 100%. He feels a hell of a lot better at 6 months postpartum than he did at 6 weeks, but he still doesn't have as much energy as he used to and finds himself needing more sleep than he's ever needed before. Between the mold making him superhuman and the fact he isn't a few months postpartum like Luis is, Ethan is far more equipped to stay up long enough to get Rosa settled and ready to sleep.

Luis dozes off listening to Ethan read, and Rosa cooing and babbling in response to the story and pictures.

…

“I loved you from the moment I found out you existed,” Ethan speaking and a page turning is what Luis hears as soon as he wakes up. “Don't tell him I said this, but I was pretty mad at your papi when he told me he was having you. I loved him and he was giving me something I'd wanted for a really long time, getting to start a family. But he kept you a secret for a long time. He hid everything as long as he could. It made me upset because everything would have been easier if he'd told me sooner and I could have taken care of him and stopped him from doing some stupid things and had more time to–”

“Wow,” Luis says, light-heartedly. There was a time Ethan's words would have hurt him, but it's water under the bridge now. Luis knows he handled the situation badly, but he also knows Ethan has forgiven him for everything, and he's secure in that knowledge. Gone are the days of Luis waking up alone and having a panic attack because the hormones convinced him that Ethan must have abandoned him and their unborn child. He rolls over and sits up, seeing Ethan going through their family scrapbook with Rosa, of course open to a couple of the pages covering the pregnancy. She smiles and coos over the pictures, recognizing Luis's face. “Shit talking me to our daughter the morning after our wedding?”

“You weren't supposed to hear that,” Ethan's face goes white as a ghost. “But I was just about to get to how I understood why you hid that you were pregnant and forgave you.”

“Relax, mi regalo. I'm not upset. You had every right to be mad at me, for more than just hiding things. I'm glad you're fine being one and done, because I can't imagine going through those hormones again, I don't know how you put up with me yelling at you and crying over nothing everyday for two months…” Luis lays back down and closes his eyes. He knows all the pictures in the album well enough to imagine anything Ethan might be pointing to. “Pretend I'm still asleep and keep going through the album with her, I don't want to ruin your special moment.”

“Well, as I was saying, even though I was mad I still loved both of you. I forgave your papi fast. I couldn't be mad when he showed me the pictures of you. I couldn't be upset when I knew I'd be holding a perfect baby in a couple months. So I took good care of him to make sure you'd both be healthy and proposed because I already knew I wanted to be with him forever. And a couple months later…” Luis hears Ethan turn the page, and then more cooing. “A couple months later… I don't know if this is really my story to tell…” Ethan pauses, waiting for Luis to jump in, but he stays quiet. Frankly, it's more Ethan's story to tell. The pain was enough to fog up Luis's memories of the day. “It was a little bit scary. I was scared something could be wrong with you and it would be my fault because I'm infected with mold, and your papi was in a lot of pain and I was scared I could lose both of you. But you were born and you were perfect, even a little bigger and smarter than you should have been. And Papi had a hard time and needed a lot of rest, but he was okay and even wanted to take care of you right after.”

“This is when I was going to read you a letter I wrote you for your half birthday last night when I couldn't sleep, but,” Ethan pauses and glances over at Luis. “We're not alone like I thought we'd be and it's a little embarrassing how sappy I got, so let's save that for another day.”

[thot-farm]

I am a fan of domestic yandere Todorokis. So, reader is Shoto's twin sister. I like the idea that they are the complete opposite of Touya in every way, including quirk. Keeps their head down in the house, tries not to be in anyone's way, and makes sure to do chores, struggles to talk, has a frost quirk more powerful than Rei's, but flame resistant instead of cold resistant.

Base headcanons before story

Enji: The chillest in most cases, since you keep your head down he doesn't worry. Like hell he would ever let you out of the nest, but he doesn't plan to hamper anything you choose to do beyond that and using your quirk. He is too focused on Shoto to mind you.

Touya: He honestly couldn't care less (outwardly) about you and most of the time forgets about you, he is too focused on his resentment of Shoto and trying to get his father's attention. And unfortunately, if you are fem, you might catch some strays from him, especially if you mess up a chore, get in his way, take too long in the bathroom. If you are masc, he pretty much forgets about you unless he has to interact with you. But he still steps up to take care of you at times when Rei isn't, he talks shit the entire time he does it though.

Fuyumi: She loves spending time with you. She was glad she had another girl to relate to in the house. She is one of the more protective ones of you because she is actually around you. Had a rough day? She will hug and smooch you. Touya said something mean or misogynistic? Cuddles and smooches. They played too rough? She will comfort you and distract you as Natsuo patches you up and cleans your wounds or scrapes.

Natsuo: He isn't overly anything, he is a big brother and he acts like it. He teases, he scolds, he protects you when you need to. He is usually the one patching up wounds. Knowing you can't use icepacks, he will help you find alternative ways, if you get a bruise or pain with a joint, he will wait for the swelling to go down and help you with the heat pack, even though he has to use kitchen mitts to even touch the heat pack.

Rei: she tries her best, she tries to keep you away from Touya because she doesn't trust him or his thoughts at all and tries to give you attention, but she can't help when Enji starts to train Shoto more, she finds herself paying more attention to them to try and keep Shoto from being hurt too much, and she slowly is getting more and more distant.

Shoto: He has always had some yandere tendencies. He only gets to see you at school when he goes and when Enji isn't home. He rarely talks to you, but he likes to be near you. You are on the couch? He is on the couch. You are studying in your room? He makes sure to be around in case you need 'help' (he writes the answer for you, sometimes even just taking your homework away from you). The bathroom... he probably would if he could.

Uh I'll come back at some point come back to continue this.

(I'm sorry for forgetting to link the posts after I write 😭🙏)

Part two ♡

Part three

Part four

Ao3 link

[riddledeep]

FOP Sideblog Update - Sept. 2024

Hi! This lovely ol' sideblog's been tidied up in light of A New Wish! I have a new AU for New Wish works. Let's talk about it!

Main blog - @fountainpenguin

My FFN - My AO3

Sideblog masterpost

Housekeeping Updates

- New avatar - @zachbrightside and I updated our FOP sonas. Tossed the headcanon'd honorary pixie hat on mine! :) Shout-out to that one kid in "School of Crock" who wore this hat with no explanation. And squared my gal's wings! Experimented with pink and purple hair options, but I like the brown too much to change.

- Fixed all broken masterpost links - Checked 3 or 4 times, so let me know if you find something wrong.

- Added things to the masterpost that weren't there (Ex: Art section)

- Combed through every post and changed the bullet point system so they're easier to read, following format update from several years ago that condensed the spacing between bulleted items.

-> As part of this, I've used indents and dashes in place of bullets in many posts. I've also added periods on otherwise blank lines to force blank space, as the blank space is another thing we lost during that format update.

-> This is so posts will look better on the dashboard. The dots may seem odd when viewed directly on the blog, but it definitely makes it easier to not lose my place while editing long posts. Also, they should be more readable now than they would be if they're reblogged to others' dashboards without this change.

- I combed through the short bios and long profiles and divided paragraphs more. There were many bulky paragraphs that have now been divided in a way that should make posts - especially these big profiles - easier to read.

-> Cleaned the "Appearances" sections of the long profiles. They used to list each 'fic that character is in, but now they have a labeled AO3 link to works written by me that include that character. Sleek, clean, and automatically updates!

- Shout-out to me having Dale Dimmadome already down as one of H.P. and Sanderson's past godkids 5+ years ago. I knew that was my headcanon, but I did not remember that was on his profile and I'm glad it was, haha... oh no. I don't know what my plan is for that in light of New Wish, but I'll figure it out.

- Changed posts that called my canon Riddleverse Classic to say Cloudlands AU, since that's the new name for my series. Left the name Riddleverse for posts that encompass multiple AUs.

-> Updated my Icebreaker post with this and other new info

- Deleted any posts tagged as "Delete later"

- I have a lot of long profiles and other posts saved to my drafts from years ago. Once Tumblr shifted to the new format (including with the queue), it became so distressing and ever-changing that I struggled a lot to find my footing.

Ex: They took away line dividers, which I thought was frustrating since I used those on my long posts and found them helpful. I was holding out hope they'd return. - Some posts (like my wing refs and the giant 20k-word class overviews) kept getting flagged if I edited them, and I was worried I'd lose my stuff or have the account deleted - Back then, the queue would only tell me which day of the week something was posting, not which month or day. It was just overwhelming to create a schedule or keep track of my stuff, so I took a break from Tumblr in general.

These days, I'm much more comfortable with the editor and my queue is now more specific about deadlines. I look forward to posting here again!

I won't be on a schedule, and the big character profiles do take a lot out of me, but my plan back in the day was to release one a month. Might be able to get to there! If not, maybe the short bios.

Future of this FOP Sideblog

- More worldbuilding posts! I let this blog sit a long time because I felt like I'd said all my worldbuilding and the only thing to do now was profiles and bios (which I was reluctant to prioritize when I felt "behind" in my 'fics).

However, I found some things I'd never moved to this blog, such as my notes on aging. I'd like to post that and others I found.

- No longer hesitant about sharing stuff for "weird" characters or OCs. I had a post about celebrity kids (Poof's age and younger) that I never posted because I didn't think anyone would care about my headcanons for Simon Sparklefield (who only appears in one obscure episode I don't count as fully canon anyway) or Billy Crystal Ball (also obscure) but... Hey, that's why you're here, isn't it? So let's talk celebrities!

In other words, I'd like to bring this blog back as the unapologetic place to share my FOP things. We have references to canon characters and talk of OCs (like Hadley, Emery, Whistle, Soren, China, Anti-Saffron, Kalysta, Iris, Idona... List goes on.)

- This blog will have more polished fanart than the doodles from my main blog

- Polished 'fic cover images will be reblogged here. By this, I mean the posts I do on my main blog that outline what to expect from a 'fic. I won't reblog my general chapter announcements; I don't want to flood this blog with those.

- 130 Reasons Why I'm Fairy Trash's cover will be reblogged, but the posts for individual trains won't be. - Existing cover images will get new, polished posts for their 'fics before I reblog them here.

- I went through the blog and added the tag "Cloudlands AU" to many posts, apart from a few I'm still hesitant to edit (or where it didn't seem worth noting). Cloudlands AU refers to my lore for the 11 seasons of the main series (i.e. including the "Oh Yeah!" shorts), and this is what my sideblog was meant for.

- The reason for this new tag is to separate it from City Lights AU: my new AO3 series for works about New Wish. These works are not compliant with Cloudlands AU, which was designed years ago.

Ex: Peri and Irep will get a short bio on this blogged tagged as City Lights AU to explain what we're setting up for their characters over there, distinct from the existing short bio for Poof and Foop in Cloudlands AU (who are very well established in their arcs). In other words, I'm not rewriting Cloudlands AU canon to fit with A New Wish, but I still want to write works for New Wish. Expect bios and art for Hazel and Dev here someday (and others).

The next thing I post will be Hadley's full character profile (now with updates that are compliant with A New Wish).

After that, I'll reblog my Cloudlands AU and City Lights AU guides to this blog so they'll be under their tags and on the masterlist.

When that's all done, I'd like to knock out full character profiles for Dale, Dev, and Hazel when I can (in addition to finishing my drafts for Cosmo, Wanda, Poof, and Foop). Long, slow process, but it would be cool to have those things done by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

Feeling decent about my idea for Hazel's birthdate. I have nice options for Dev, but no commitment until Zach and I nail down where "Operation: Birthday Takeback" goes in our New Wish timeline. Enjoying the process so far! -> Dev's b-day is QUITE the toss-up between options like "National Day of Unplugging," "Plant a Lemon Tree Day," and the absolutely golden combo of "Pizza Party & Virtual Assistants Day." And perhaps others we've not investigated!

I think that's everything! Hopefully, this is the last "blog news" announcement we have for a while, and the blog can return to being a landing spot for fanart and story meta.

As always, the sideblog's Asks are closed as I want to maintain a consistent feel for this blog. You can reach out to my main blog (Askbox here) if you want to ask a worldbuilding question.

Additionally, I'm interested in following other people's worldbuilding / AUs so I can engage more with the community, especially those passionate about FOP worldbuilding. -> I'm open to self-advertisement if you want to shoot me an Ask on my main blog telling me where I can find your work! -> I'd prefer to follow a blog that is primarily for FOP worldbuilding / art / 'fics (or subscribe to an AO3 series for FOP works), but I'm open to consideration if your blog is multi-fandom! My preference: Thoughtful takes on characters and world that dig deeper than just ship art / ship 'fics- Nothing against shipping, but I'm more interested in character analyses and worldbuilding. Bonus points for a focus on miserable children, Dale lemonade trauma, Pixies, or Timmy growing up to lose his memories and live an average human life. If you don't fit this, you can still recommend your AU and I'll check it out, but that's my wishlist :) Also, if there's anyone who makes Timmy/Molly content, you are my hero and should totally link me your work.

It's such an honor to see so many followers of this sideblog despite its long absence! To those of you interested in staying with me as we enter this next phase, thank you very much - it means a lot to me - and I hope you enjoy browsing!

And to anyone who's lost interest, thank you for spending time while you were here <3

One last note - My goal has always been to reblog others' fanart for my 'fics here, but most of them are still sitting in my drafts, unreblogged. I'll queue those up. I'm always delighted to receive gift art! Feel free to tag @riddledeep and I'll reblog it here! Same goes for gift 'fics, so don't hesitate to share!

[halcyonnhood]

We Should Stick Together

Summary:

Kate spins around in her chair, meeting his mischievous expression with her own confusion, “Why are you still here?”

“For you,” He says. It's said so casually as if she should've known the answer.

Or Kate tries to face the traumas from her past and Javi keeps showing up. She accepts that he might be the missing puzzle piece to her story.

Pairing: Kate Carter/Javier "Javi" Rivera

Word Count: 2.7k

Rating: General

A/N: Just some little pre-canon and pre-slash angst. There will be another part about their hospital stay and injuries and all.

It's a little rushed at the end, but it also feels like a good point if I wanna do anything set after this part.

It's my first Twisters fic so please be kind, I have some ot3 (Kate/tyler/Javi) that i'll be working on soon too!

Cross posted on AO3: Here

“Kate, take me back to the morning after the tornado,”

Kate's eyes flutter back and forth under her shut eyelids. She subconsciously takes a deeper breath in, the feeling of the warm humid air seemingly sticking to her skin. It’s brighter out. The skies aren’t blue, the sun is still rising and there’s slight cloud coverage, nothing dangerous or concerning to be found. It’s just enough to make the environment feel and look hazy. Everywhere she looks is demolished, debris scattered as far as the eye can see. The road she had traveled with Jeb, Abby, and Praveen had been barren, spare a barn and a handful of signs that had been farther away from the underpass. She can’t seem to visualize if this is the same road they had started on or not. 

She raises a weak hand up to her pounding head. Her forehead is sticky and warm, her matted hair glued to her skin. When she brings the hand back down to eye level, it’s covered in deep darkened blood. Was it from her? Or was it from Jeb? Or when the sign impacted Abby, did the torrential winds splatter her blood back onto her and Jeb? She wipes it onto her shorts in a panicked huff, ignoring the sharp ache in her thigh. She already made the mistake of looking down into the deep wound when she woke up against the asphalt. She doesn’t know that her stomach can handle that sight again. 

“Kate?” A voice calls out to her, “Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” Kate responds. The voice doesn’t come from her, it feels as if it floats around her. 

“What do you see?”

She hears it before her eyes are able to focus on it. The sound of rocks and branches crunching beneath the tires as a car slowly approaches. It feels like all of the adrenaline melts out of her body. 

“It’s-It’s a car,”

“Who’s car is it?” 

“I’m not sure,” She sounds unsure of herself. When the car parks, blue and red lights flicker on. She sighs in relief, “It’s an officer”

“Is there anyone else with them?” 

Kate's deep brown eyes meet a pair of warm hazel eyes.

Kate's eyes fly open and she sits up unsteadily on the cream colored couch. The therapist looks at her with a calm and cool expression, despite her client's alarmed state.

“Kate, remember our deep breathing,” The therapist instructs. 

In, in, in, out, out, out. After a few moments, her heart rate settles back into comfortable ranges. 

“Kate, it seems as though we've hit a pretty strong mental block. We get through the tornado and the death of your friends, but something in your physical healing period seems to be triggering you. PTSD can be fickle, but I think we can get through this and find the memories,”

At that moment, Kate decides that she doesn't want to find the missing pieces anymore. She knows that's why she started therapy, specifically with this type of therapist. To find the chunk of memories that seemed to be wiped clean off of the slate. She only finds herself angry after each session. She rehashes the events before the tornado, lives through the terror and death over and over, but hardly knows anything about her recovery. This session was the first one that uncovered something new and all she found was hazel eyes.

It was enough. She has enough nightmares without reliving it through the full screen of her brain while awake too. 

So, she leaves. She leaves the therapist's office without a word, stops to get coffee at her favorite little shop, and heads to work.

The world keeps spinning. 

______________

She lost a shoe. She wore tennis shoes and tied the laces tightly around her ankles like she does for every storm chase. Still, one is missing. It feels silly to notice, especially when her friends were likely eviscerated. But as she steps on branches, glass, metal-it becomes hard to ignore with the stinging pain. 

When she hears the car approaching, the 

cracks of wood snapping and gravel kicking up, she stares with squinted eyes. She shifts her weight onto her uninjured leg, despite the feeling of rocks and glass shards slicing into the bottom of her foot. A door opens and slams shut, much faster than the second one echoing after it. She blinks in the early morning haze, confused and dazed. 

No one approaches her too closely. Feet apart, she meets a pair of misty hazel eyes. They're warm and familiar. The splattered freckles across honey shaded cheeks are a constellation of love. 

Javi. Javi is standing right in front of her, unscathed and breathing freely. He's alive. He's safe. Hes alive. The storm didn't take him away from her.

“Javier,” Kate's hoarse voice whispers. Even getting a breath of his name out feels like it takes every last wisp of her energy.

She doesn't miss the strong, stable arms catching her weakening body before everything fades to black. 

___________

Kate wakes with a start. She's alone in her own bed, surrounded by the safe beige walls of her apartment and the bustling hum of new york city. Nightmares aren't unusual for her, but she never dreams of the aftermath. She never dreams about Javi unless it's the sound of his floating voice screaming through the CB radio as they abandon the car. The whole dream rubs her in the wrong way and leaves a sour taste in her mouth and a sullen mood in its wake.

She washes the leftover soured fear down with bitter dark cold brew coffee and an exceptionally dry scone at work. It's usually easy to avoid the constant dreams and reminders when she's focused on keeping all of her brain power on the work at hand. She's tracking storms through Indiana and into Ohio, while taking notes about how unusually active their tornado season has been. She clicks her pen in annoyance, unsure if she should issue a warning or hold off. 

As new radar scans and developments load onto her screen, her mind circles back to the dream. Lesser so about the dream, but more so the person that appeared in it. Javi. She thinks about him often, she misses him. And when he showed up randomly in the meeting room of the NOAA office a week ago, she felt the world stop turning on its axis. Everything she had run away from five years ago stood right in front of her. She wonders if that's what triggered the dreams. Maybe in the rush of adrenaline and shock, her body confused thoughts of him with actual memories. She thinks that might be the case. 

“I would issue a warning for that one,”

There it is again. The feeling of the world screeching to a dead silent halt. Now, Kate wonders if simply thinking about Javi can make him appear out of thin air. Because here he is again, heavy hand on the back of her computer chair and finger wagging obnoxiously at a storm cell on her screen. 

“That cell weakened,” Kate says.

“The vertical wind shear says otherwise,” Javi argues. She ignores the huff of a muffled laugh while she issues a warning for the area. 

Kate spins around in her chair, meeting his mischievous expression with her own confusion, “Why are you still here?” 

“For you,” He says. It's said so casually as if she should've known the answer. 

 “I told you no,”

“I know that, I actually wanted to apologize for the way I went about asking you to join me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put pressure on you to do something that would hurt you,” 

“It's okay. Y’know, it's just a lot and it isn't you, I just-” She trails off. It's so hard to put her thoughts into words. 

“I wanted to spend time with you, that's why I stayed. No pressure, no feeling guilty if you reject the offer. I know you left for a reason, I did too. But I want you to know that there's still a line open here,” He explains. 

The words tumble out of Kate's mouth like a sigh of relief, “I'd love that,” 

“Yeah?” 

“You go explore the city. I'll call you when I'm off and we'll go out for dinner,” She grins.

Javi parts with a hug and she feels lighter inside. All of the despair and dread melts from her bones and she floats through the day. The promise to see him at the end of her day seems to bring color back to her lackluster life. 

It's brighter with him in it, especially when he's smiling softly at her between clinking wine glasses. She can't tell if the warmth soothing her soul is just the red wine or Javi fixing the cracks within her heart. She'd like to stay believing that it's simply the wine speaking. 

The honeyed freckled skin and warm hazel eyes seem to say otherwise. 

_____________

Kate invited Javi to sleep on her couch for the rest of his trip. It was the kind thing to do, despite living in one of the largest cities of the country, she still holds onto her southern hospitality. It's worked out well so far, in fact, she's enjoyed it much more than she had expected to.

They camped out in the living room together the first night, surrounded by snacks and his cool military gadgets and data. The warm buzz from the bottles of wine left them talkative and giggly into the wee hours of the morning. They finally fell asleep, legs intertwined and Kate still holding onto one of his text books. She overslept for work, but woke up well rested and nightmare free. She hadn't felt that relaxed in years. It was as if she had finally found a wonder drug to alleviate all of her tight wound terrors. 

The restful sleep followed her for the next few nights, even though they had slept in separate rooms and gave each other privacy at night. It was confusing at first, but Kate chalked it up to finally having a familiar safe person near her again. It makes sense that her body would fall out of its constant flight or fight mode. 

Tonight is no different. They cook dinner together and binge watch Yellowstone while whispering about nonsensical show theories. They finish the first season before deciding to call it a night and she retreats to her bedroom for some solitude. She falls asleep easily, just like every other night.

Until she's gasping for air and trying to scratch at the hands gripping her shoulders tightly. The wind howling in her ears and the shrill scream piercing her soul comes to a screeching halt. The pressure of the hands anchor her to the bed, just what she needs when she feels as if she's reeling. They bring her back to reality gently. 

“Kate,” Javi’s voice comes into focus. 

“Javi,” She whispers. She grasps onto his hand softer this time, her thumbs rubbing against his reddened skin. She doesn't miss the way he scans her face with concern, as if he's dealing with something delicate.

“You're okay. You're in your apartment with me. It'll be okay,” 

“I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, ”

Javi relaxes against her bed and their hands fall into his lap, “Don't worry about it. Are you okay?” 

“I'll be fine,” She murmurs, “Can you just stay here for the rest of the night?” 

“Of course I can,” 

Javi doesn't push her, doesn't question her. He just sits with her quietly, then falls asleep on top of her bed quilt while running a soothing hand through her hair.

_____________

It's the last day of Javi’s trip. He tells her repeatedly that he would push it off if he could, but with the strength in the storms being projected, he simply couldn't ignore it. 

“We should talk about the other night,” Javi says cooly. He's folding his clothes to pack tightly into his suitcase and she's folding a basket of clean laundry. She enjoys having someone to do humdrum tasks with her 

“I'm sorry about that. That happens sometimes, it isn't that big of a deal,”

“Kate,” He murmurs, “You were screaming,”

“It was a dream, Javi. That's it,” 

His head ducks a bit and he avoids the frantic ‘shut up’ look she's giving him, “You were screaming my name,”

“Javi, drop it. Please,” 

“I can't leave you alone like this,” Javi pleads. He silently pleads for her to show that she'll be okay.

“You didn't hesitate last time,” Kate bites back. 

She hates the venom that seeps through her mouth with the statement. It's hateful and she knows it. His eyebrows shoot up in confusion and then melting into an expression of hurt is just the nail in the coffin. It looks as if someone stuck a dagger in his chest and twisted it in deep. She looks away from him, tries to focus on folding her shorts, but with blurry eyes she can't seem to get the seams to match correctly. 

“Last time!?” Javi exclaims. 

“You left me. I lost everyone and you left,” She says weakly. 

“Is that the story you tell people?”

“Story? It's what happened! You couldn't handle what happened and ran off to Miami!” 

“You're leaving out the week I laid in a hospital bed beside yours. The two and a half weeks following that when I stayed for you and only you,” He sounds gruff when he says it. 

It feels like the world crashes and collapses on Kate all over again. It feels like missing pieces click into place when he says that. The dreams, the therapy, the blocking of memories all seem to solve themselves. She sets the pair of shorts down, abandoning all hope on being able to focus enough to fold them. When she looks up, she finds him staring back and there isn't anger or hatred gracing his features. There's nothing but hurt and confusion. 

“Kate,” 

“I quit therapy recently, because I couldn't get past some forgotten memories. Memories from right after the storm,” 

“So, you don't remember…” Javi trails off. 

“I was alone for an entire night and in the morning, I remember a police cruiser finding me. You were there, you helped them find me,” Kate explains with a frown. 

“I did,” He confirms. 

“Everything else is blurry. The only day I remember crystal clear is the day you left,” She ignores the strange sympathetic-pity expression Javi is donning. 

“My arm was shattered and I had a concussion. They did surgery and I was hospitalized for a week. I made sure we shared a room the entire time and after that, I stayed with you day and night. I didn't leave until you told me you were going to,” Javi murmurs. 

Kate reaches a hand towards him. She relaxes when she feels his warm skin against her own, “I'm sorry I said that,”

“If you forgot the rest, I can understand why it seemed that way for you,” Javi laughs lightly. 

She stares at their intertwined fingers for a long time and tries her best to process everything he's told her. She doesn't magically remember everything, but it makes the hazy memories a bit sharper. She squeezes his hand tightly.  

“Stay,” Kate says. She notices the way his thumb freezes while circling her skin. 

“You know I can't,” Javi tells her, “But you can come with me and I'll tell you everything,” 

“I hate that you always get what you want” Kate rolls her eyes. 

Kate follows him. She ends up back in Oklahoma in a fancy white storm par truck with her hand interlaced with Javi’s as they speed through the fields. He tells her everything about her recovery, the rough parts, the good parts…The things that caused her to repress it all.

The tornados tore her life to shreds, but they managed to repair her piece by piece as well. She likes to think that this is the reason they say rainbows tend to follow after storms. They have to survive the throws of the weather to get to something beautiful. 

Kate thinks that chasing with Javi might just be the rainbow part for her story. 

[olivieblake]

I know it's SO silly to avoid posting spoilers on a fic that was written almost a decade ago but @wonniesverse asked about what happens in chapter 35 or 36 or whatever of Marked (you know the one) and I am putting my answer under the cut!!! it's unfortunately kind of a short answer lol

hi! i am so sorry if i've got the wrong account but i had just recently read the clean and marked dramione series you wrote on ao3, and i was genuinely FLOORED. yep it's me lol this was the first fic i had ever genuinely cried for, the way you expressed hermione's and draco's relationship so well. the fic was written so long ago - in 2016 - and you might have forgotten about it, ahahahah pls but i had one question i simply couldn't ignore for the life of me: when snape used the time turner, he went to another parallel universe, right?

sorry to interrupt you here, but no! he used the time turner to go back in time, within the same universe, in a time loop. as with the events of book 3, there is still only one universe and only one timeline—there are briefly two harrys and two hermiones in the book because they're the ones who used the time-turner, but in this case, only snape went back, so he's the only one who is experiencing both the current timeline and the rewritten past.

so the new universe's hermione and draco could feel the phantom original universe's draco and hermione's experiences, so the original universe must still have been existing and operating alongside the new parallel one, meaning that the original hermione and draco were still there (please correct me if i'm wrong!).

so again, there is only one timeline, but them being able to feel the echoes of other decisions and other lives was meant to be sort of ineffable. magic!!! etc etc

but i was wondering, if that was a separate timeline, what happened to the original universe's draco and hermione if they still existed? i know draco died in the original universe, but i was curious how the original universe's hermione (master of death) lived after that, and if she ever found joy again, or if she only talked to the ghost of draco forever, and i also wonder how theo fared in that original timeline. there are so many other questions i'd like to ask, but i'll keep this as short as i can.

I made a joke in this week's not writing video that the oversaturation of multiverse media has led to some confusion so yeah, the timeline is disrupted and written over, like—oops maybe this is too Aged a reference—but it's like when you record over an existing VHS and the original footage is simply lost. but there is also the concept of a palimpsest, which is what I wanted those echoes of another life to feel like

as for what would have happened if that timeline continued: what the story suggests (the reason snape went back to begin with) is that the timeline is hopeless—draco is dead and can't be resurrected, hermione maybe never moves on, she allows absolute power to corrupt her absolutely. but that was the point of the story, that the pressure point that re-starts the time loop each time is that draco dies and everything goes irreparably wrong from there. you are of course welcome to reimagine something else! but that was the point of writing a story that resets to canon; I was trying to resolve and explain all the places where something doesn't make sense, like whenever an adult makes a terrible and illogical decision

the way that you wrote of hermione's heartbreak truly tore me apart, and i cried unabashedly when i saw draco died. draco loved her so much and she loved him, so to kill one of them would be utter torture, and i hope the original hermione got to find peace or at the very least see draco in the afterlife. theo was so strong too - even though he wished he could be selfish and talk to draco too, he knew he couldn't take even the ghost of draco away from hermione, so he gave up his chance. i cannot even begin to describe how this story broke my heart and mended it again, and i'm happy that at least the hermione and draco in the other parallel universe got their happy ending, but i also worry about the original hermione and draco too. if you've read until here, thank you so so much for just indulging and entertaining this silly question of mine, and i wholly understand if you don't feel like reading this question anymore. nonetheless, regardless of if you read or reply to this message, i just wanted to let you know that this series was truly of the best i have ever read, and i thank you so so much for that. again, if this is the wrong account, i apologize! but the fic was written in 2016, and the author said this was her tumblr account, so i found the best match i could <3

hahahaah it's so funny to me that you would have any doubt that this was me... I still pretty much write endings that people get mad

but thank you so much for caring this much about the story and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!

[leadandblood]

Crozcest rewatch part 4 🙈

Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 here

They'll soon be on ao3, but I want to do that all at once and format them all prettily and add links and such. I'll keep posting the new ones on here, but they'll be on AO3 as well. Just with a slight delay.

Mandatory warnings in case there might be somebody new...

Below are my interpretations of canon scenes along with screencaps from the show. All the things below are speculation. No, these characters are not related whatsoever in the show. I made this AU up bc it's fun. Don't go into the soup store if you hate soup. Don't read this post if you hate blorbo incest.

Overall

Watching 'Punished as a boy' now.

I made some gifs for this one to make it more fun ^^ God knows it's fucking long... (almost 2k words) Anyway. Enjoy. ...If you can.

This is where we start to get the juicy anti-Edward attitude on screen and I'm so here for iiiittttttt!!!! Tommy has to confont some things and so does Francis (but he'll avoid it, obviously).

The Pissing

I know it only happens at the end, I just thought it'd be funny to call this segment that. Anyway-

I straight up believe Tom thought Francis was like yanking it or something. You just KNOW it's happened before. I know it, anyway. Not just on the ship, it happened at home, too.

The way he awkwardly looks around like he's trying to figure out wtf Crozier is doing. The whiskey glass is nowhere near him, so what's he doing?? More importantly, can Tom help?

"Sorry to interrupt... sir..." I LOVE that he sounds like he can't decide whether to add the sir or not, but says it at last second anyway. He soooo wants to say "daddy" btw. so badly wants to say it. The only thing keeping him from doing it is a lashing. (They're both strictly prohibited from ever calling him father/papa/anything similar while on the expedition. There will be exceptions, though)

Face before "Lt. Little" mention and after "Lt. Little" mention. "SHIT I forgot I also have a worse son. And responsibilities. FUCK."

Am I losing my marbles or does he look kind of fond for a second there? BTW he straight up looks like a frog here (said with utter love and respect)

Anyway, Tommy - ever the good boy he is - starts cleaning up, maybe, possibly, to help fix Francis's mood? I reckon he tends to be in a better mood when things are in order.

Tom's also trying very hard not to stare, probably. Francis stop spreading your legs like a whore, you're distracting him from work. He'd so love to just kneel between them and [redacted]. He's holding on by sheer willpower.

Francis asking if he knows the headlines, because he knows how observant he is and how much he pays attention to everything. It's frustrating, because Francis CAN do better at parenting, he just doesn't. Doesn't see the point anymore since they're both adults and "don't need support". Except for punishment, he's still willing to punish them.

Thomas I swear to god.

I think if Francis saw that he'd give him a good talking to. And the "me, sir? :3c" do i have to say anything...... well yeah i actually do- He can be such a little shit. It's just Crozier's luck that he chooses to be a sweet little angel in front of him most of the time.

I can't help but imagine what younger drunk Thomas must've been like... Full of sass and bite, probably. I need to write that one day.

"Job son, you hear everything." biting screaming throwing up. "FINE dad, you got me, here goes-"

I do love the way he says lieutenant Little, it's got such a nice sound to it. Again, very funny that Francis sort of sighs at the name Little. I think he regrets chosing it, lol. But! Edward's got a point! And these two both agree! For once! (and for now)

The pissing my god the pissing what do i even say about it. Tom's voice seems to quiver a bit, which is amazing. My man, that's your fucking father, stop being horny.

"have you ever thought of becoming a newsman?" what a thing to ask your son who is like 25 by this point and for whom you chose the career of a sailor. But better late than never, I guess. A job opportunity for when they come back home, teehee.

Anyway, I have to move on, or I won't watch anything else. I can't stay on this scene the entire post, it's already way too long.

Ship attack

Tommy finally realising this could happen to any of them...

This is the point when he starts being nicer to Edward. From this point on, he's truly finally realising, that any of them could die at any moment. The ship isn't safe anymore. Edward isn't safe. Francis isn't safe. He himself isn't safe. Like, he knew it in theory before, but it really hit him here.

It's hammered in by "it's come onto the ship, Edward" because they all realise that nowhere is safe now. Francis has this "oh fuck" moment too, that's why he goes to Edward to maybe comfort him or maybe to even comfort himself.

Btw they're so related it's disgusting.

"Please don't go, I'm scared for you" you see, Tommy, daddy has this thing called plot armor, so-

Francis and his youngest son- no, just kidding. But he's so very paternal with Evans, it's adorable. More than his own sons... which is a bit sad. "No ship's boys. Evans..." He's got it in him! Somewhere! It's there! Just to dig it out and use it.

To make this scene and the ones after worse - He's remembering his own boys when they were scared. Tommy clinging to his leg, yelling "papa!" over and over until Francis picked him up. Ned sobbing into his coat because he took too long to come home one night... (i'm fine btw << a liar)

Unfortunately, this is the worst time for him to choose to be comforting and mother-hen-y (not a word, probably, but you get my point).

After Evans dies :((

I like how Edward (I think it's him anyway) is welcoming everyone back.

He's probably waiting in agony for Francis to appear. I also think Crozier told him specifically to stay on the ship, so he wouldn't be in as much danger. He still has most of his common sense and the Edward hate isn't so bad yet either.

I want to say something intelligent about this scene, but I can't, other than Thomas missing should mean something.

Maybe these three having the most (?) hope until the end and lasting so long without any signs of scurvy, while Thomas wastes away pretty quickly after walkout... Just a fun thing to think about. (not)

"perhaps you should curb that for now" you KNOW Lydia used to tell him that exact same thing.

Anyway this scene makes me rabid even in canon. He did it for Sophy bc he wants to be with herrr. What if I bite you, sir. In the Au with the added context of wanting the boys to have a mother figure. *bursts into flame*

I think Francis might be a little obsessed with this idea of finding a mother to his boys, more so than finding a partner to himself. Like he's been doing it for years and it's turned into this unachieved goal he persues only because he's used to it. (dgmw though, he does very much love Sophia) Anyway.

Edward's. So. Fucking. Cute. "Yes, father 😔"

He's pretty much only looking at Francis in this scene, except for a one time glance at Irving after he asked a question. It's making me run in circles. (kind of funny, actually, EVERBODY is looking at Francis. James is there too, you guys-)

Flashback

He loves her so much I'm-

Thomas would be so jealous if he saw them btw. On the other hand, Edward would cheer them on. I think he'd actually give Francis some subliminal messaging, whispering to him while he's sleeping like "you want to marry Sophia so bad" because Sophia's been nice to Edward and he's dying to have someone who might actually like him in the house. *starts sobbing*

BING BONG, DADDY'S HERE

Deploy the guard dog!

That's right Tommy, show 'em.

"EVERYONE ON THEIR KNEES RIGHT NOW!!" hahaha, do you think he screamed at the boys like that when they were fighting, lmao- *bursts into flame*

Yes he did, he very much did and his voice used to be a bit stronger, too. I bet Edward flinched when he heard him yell. I don't think Tom would've heard over the people below deck, but he'd flinch too if he did.

All it took to call Edward over was one vague head movement that I didn't notice until my fourth rewatch, so I think it's safe to say they're both used to this and that Edward is a good boy, actually-

Interrogation

I can't stop laughing, they're literally two parents whose kids misbehaved at school-

I know I made the Fitzjames = wine mom joke like 5 times already but aaah! look at them 😭

btw....

I could make a whole post of just them doing things synchronously. This episode is so rich with it...

Francis is very amused.

He doesn't believe a single fucking word Hickey is saying. He has kids. They have lied to him. He knows what it looks like when a kid's lying (Hickey's not a kid, but you know. close enough)

Angry Ned! You do NOT talk to his dad with that tone of voice. (I'm so normal about his teefs, btw, I promise)

So fun and lovely that Edward can also go protecc mode, just in different situations from Thomas. He's so angry oh my goooood, giggling kicking my feet. "You disrespect my dad? Die." He's literally shaking with it.

Breathe, my guy. And stop being so tense, you're not the one getting punished (for once)

Francis is so nonchalant about announcing the punishment, he's done it so many times before... He definitely enjoys it to at least some extent, too. Like, maybe doesn't hugely revel in it, but it does give him a little kick. A little boost to the ego.

*WHAM*

Edward flinched so hard at that table slam. And that's canon, it's not my fault the camera isn't on him, it's canon because I said so-

The lashing

Hey boys, what's wrong? :) Is your dad doing something very questionable? :))) Something deplorable? :))))))

I already did the "Thomas won't look at the lashing if it got him a million pounds" spiel somewhere, but yeah, he's absolutely remembering his own lashing.

He's already tense after seeing Hartnell and Manson, but I think this one's even worse, bc of how humiliating it is. He is NOT having a good time (also flinches! bonus points)

I think in this whole scene, Francis is thinking "I'm gonna be the strict father figure these boys need" and kind of overdoes it and forgets his humanity for a bit, woopsie!

Not like he was any good at controlling it before. He was shit at it, really, especially with Nedward. Oftentimes the punishments would be over the top unreasonable. He still punishes them, btw. Well into adulthood. They're horribly codependant and severely broken <3

Wallowing in self-hate all by yourself, handsome?

Very telling, btw, that Ned didn't want to come talk to Francis himself and sent Irving instead. He's scared of him. So very scared of him. And I think Thomas is, too, when he's in this state, although he doesn't want to admit it to himself. I'll get to it in ep 5, but yeah, he hates when Francis is drunk.

Conclusion

WHAT AN EPISODE. This took DAYS to compile, wow. Francis begins to antagonize Edward in this ep much more, even though his concerns are valid.

My theory of Edward taking/inheriting mannerisms and other behaviours from his father is being supported sooo well, it's basically writing itself.

The boys have been confronted by a side to Crozier they haven't seen in a long time (mostly because they're so well behaved and he doesn't have to punish them very often) They're very unsettled by it, too. Also scared. It's delicious.

If this was ep 4 i can't even hope for what ep 5 and 6 will hold *melts into a puddle of heart shaped marshmallows*

[abitohoney]

Missed

AO3 Link

Rating: Explicit. MDNI. NSFW.

Tags: Sevika x Female Reader, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Dom/sub, Dom Sevika, sub Reader, Humor, Banter, Vaginal Fingering, Cunnilingus, Lesbian Sex, Praise Kink, Teasing, Begging, Strap-Ons, Spanking, Porn with Feelings, Porn With Plot

Word Count: 10k

Summary: After a series of extended, overlapping assignments that kept you and Sevika separated for far longer than either of you could stand, you finally have a night together in your shared room.

AN: This has been posted on AO3 for quite some time. I'm just now getting around to posting it here. I'll try to bring in my other works as well. Maybe one every Wednesday to avoid bombarding y'all.

Even though this is based on the existing relationship in my story Submit, which you can read here, this can still be read as a stand alone oneshot.

Soft golden light spilled into the small bathroom from Sevika’s adjoined bedroom, the bedroom you’d been sharing with her for the past several months ever since she'd handed you a key and basically asked you to live with her. A gift, or request really, that you'd never expected from her, but more than happily accepted. Unfortunately the two of you had been apart for nearly two weeks straight now thanks to a series of extended, overlapping assignments from your mutual boss Silco. And after a particularly busy day, Silco having kept you trailing and tracking several of the chembarons, you decided it was high time for some relaxation. Said relaxation took the form of a nice, warm bath and a glass of whiskey.

Sighing as you stepped into the large tub, you took a sip of your drink before letting your head rest back against the folded towel you’d placed along the back edge. The water, already near the brim, sloshed over the edge and onto the floor, but you paid it no mind. You’d have it cleaned up before Sevika could return and scold you for once again ‘wasting water’. Arms lying along the sides of the tub and eyes closed, you smiled as your mind conjured the vision of her scowling down at you, a snide remark on her tongue and ready to fire.

“Can’t afford decent clothes, but you have no issue using all our clean, hot water?”

Shit, that drink must be strong. Somehow your mind even played back her gruff voice as if she was right there with you.

Blinking several times as you opened your eyes, you found Sevika towering over you, brows downturned, but an obvious smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. Unable to hide your own mirth, you grinned up at her.

“You’re back early,” you pointed out, your eyes trailing over her face, noting that she’d apparently just gotten back from a fight. Several obvious cuts and smudges of blood scattered along her right cheek and her upper lip, loose strands of dark hair sticking to her sweat slick skin. “Looks like you need this bath more than I do,” you teased, taking a dramatic sniff before adding, “Smells like it too. Did you bathe at all in the two weeks we've been apart?”

Ignoring your jab, she stepped over to your side, reaching down to snatch your drink from your hand. Sitting up, your eyes narrowed as you watched her down the remainder of the whiskey before putting the empty glass back into your still open hand.

“Sure. You can have all of my drink, since you asked so nicely,” you jeered. She allowed her smirk to fully bloom, clearly pleased with herself. “Seriously, get in here. Let me wash you,” you insisted, sitting up and setting your glass on the floor beside the tub.

Her gray eyes roamed from your face down to your bare chest, lingering on your breasts from where they sat just above the waterline, but only for a moment before she turned to leave the room without a word. Frowning in disappointment, your gaze followed her large form as she walked through the doorway and momentarily blocked what little light filtered in.

“Seriously? You’re going to pass up my offer?” you scoffed. Your eyes rolled dramatically when she provided no response. “At least bring me a refill for my drink!” you called out, voice raised, but you knew damn well she wouldn’t bother. Settling back into your earlier reclined position, you closed your eyes again, trying to relax, which was proving difficult given how disappointed you were that she refused to join you. You'd missed her so much over the past several days it was maddening. Hadn't she missed you too?

“Scoot.”

Startled this time by her sudden reappearance, you lurched into an upright position, sending more water spilling over the tub edge.

“Fuck Sevika! How can someone of your massive size be so damn quiet?” Your scowl quickly faded when you turned to find Sevika at your side, entirely nude. Drinking in the sight before you, a sly little smile pulled at your mouth as your eyes roamed up over her toned abs, supple breasts, smug mouth and finally her expectant gaze and single raised brow. “What’s that look for?” you asked.

“Not gonna say it?” she replied.

“Not gonna say what?” You truly had no idea what she was getting at.

“You always have something to say when I take my clothes off.”

Releasing a very unladylike snort, you smiled up at her teasingly. “Are you fishing for compliments? And here I thought you didn’t like me commenting on your attractive appearance.”

“I’m not fishing for anything.” Her lips tightened, a scowl quick to appear along with her indignation.

Oh she was not happy with that, and as much as you wanted to toy with her some more, you preferred to get her in the bath with you sooner than later. “Get that perfect body of yours in this tub, you grump.”

Okay, maybe you could poke the bear just a little.

Despite the little insult you threw in at the end, it seemed to satisfy her enough, as she moved closer, metal fingers tapping at the back of your shoulder, a silent indication for you to move forward and make room for her.

“Sit in front of me,” you urged, spreading your legs for her to sit between.

It was Sevika’s turn to release a short snort of amusement. “Not enough room, Princess. Now move.”

“Plenty of room. Just so I can wash your backside, then we can swap.”

Either you were very convincing, or she was truly exhausted, as she released a deep sigh, but finally relented. She stepped in and lowered herself between your legs, her body displacing more water and sending it spilling over the edge.

“You’re cleaning that up,” she grumbled, pulling her knees up so she could move forward and give you room to work.

“Of course, your highness,” you teased, scooting closer to her so you could wrap your arms around her waist beneath the water. With your chest pressed against her backside, you could feel her short chuckle reverberate through you, filling you with warmth and pulling your lips into an appreciative smile. Every little genuine laugh you could get from her left you feeling a little high, and they had become easier and easier to obtain over the past few months you’d been living with her. It was just one of the many signs that she was becoming more comfortable with you. Resting your cheek against the back of her shoulder blade, you buried your nose in the ends of her messy hair, inhaling deeply, her scent overtaking your senses. Blood, sweat, grime, cigars and simply her . So perfect. So wonderful.

“How is it, even when you’re covered in blood, sweat and dirt, you can still smell so good?” you whispered. Her organic hand slipped into the water, gliding down along your leg soothingly as she simply hummed in response. The two of you sat like that for a moment in silence, your fingertips tracing along the muscles of her abs beneath the water, breathing in her scent and reveling in her closeness, while her hand slowly smoothed up and down your leg.

After placing a series of chaste kisses along her shoulder blade, you released her from your embrace, scooting further back in the tub and reaching up to gently remove the elastic band from her messy hair. Even caked with sweat and dirt, her silky hair cascaded softly forward and you wished you could see her face with it framed by it.

“Hand me the washcloth and soap, please.”

To your pleasant surprise, not only did she oblige, she lathered up the washcloth before handing it to you. She leaned forward, arms resting on her bent knees from where they poked out from the water.

“Does the other guy look worse than you?” you asked as you began washing along her shoulder blades and the back of her neck, resting your other hand on her hip. Admiring how her shoulders shook as she chuckled, you smiled knowing you’d set her up for some snarky quip.

“The other guys are face down in their own blood and missing several teeth,” she sneered.

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” you replied with a smile, “but you really should learn to block better. You know I’m only with you for that pretty face of yours, well and I suppose for the entertainment too. I do rather enjoy annoying you.”

“I could say the same to you.”

“That you’re only with me for my pretty face or that you enjoy annoying me?” you asked, rinsing the washcloth after her backside was well cleaned.

“Both.”

Smiling, you placed your hands on her shoulders, tugging gently. “Lay back for me so I can get your hair wet."

With her hands gripping the edges of the tub for stability, she slowly laid back until the top of her head rested on your chest. Her gray eyes, sparkling in the yellow glow of the light filtering in through the doorway, caught yours and her thick lips pulled up into a smirk.

“For the sex too, right?” you asked, your own lips curling in amusement. “I mean I’m definitely in this for the sex too.”

She raised a single brow, clearly questioning why you even bothered to ask.

“I just want to hear you say it,” you admitted, fingers gently combing her hair back away from her face.

“You know damn well how much I enjoy fucking you.” What started as a confident, smug statement, quickly melted into a barely audible whisper, her eyes closing instinctively when you dragged your nails along her scalp, an act you’d learned over the past few months could calm her almost instantly. “That feels good, baby,” she hummed and you watched as every inch of her body relaxed, her hands nearly slipping off the edge of the tub. Not wanting to interrupt her blissful state quite yet, you opted to leave wetting her hair for later, instead grabbing the washcloth with your free hand. Without ceasing your ministrations to her scalp, you began gently cleaning her face, taking your time and ensuring you were extra careful around each cut and blooming bruise.

“I’m going to get the rest of your hair wet,” you warned her once her face was thoroughly cleansed. She didn’t reply, just lay there quietly with her eyes closed. You reached over the side of the tub to grab your empty glass, using it to scoop and pour water over her hair. Once it was fully saturated, you took a moment to just appreciate her face. Your fingers traced along the sharp cut of her jaw, her cheekbones, and when her eyes opened to peer up at you, you thought she would reprimand you, or at least tease you, for getting distracted. Instead, you watched the corner of her mouth pull upward just enough to create that cute little crease along her cheek. Running a finger along that curve, you made no effort to hide your own adoring smile. She really was lovely in those rare moments of relaxation and contentment. You could feel her eyes on yours as you turned your attention to her dark brows, tracing each one before running down the bridge of her nose until you reached the soft tip. Lifting your finger the slightest amount, you pressed back down with just the pad of your finger.

“Boop.” Your smile spread into a shit-eating, playful grin as you watched Sevika flinch before her brows downturned.

“You’re annoying,” she grumbled, but you caught the smile on her face before she could sit up and hide it.

Chuckling, you reached over the side of the tub again to set the glass down in exchange for a small bottle of shampoo. “I know you love it,” you teased, squeezing a small amount of soap into the palm of your hand before dropping the bottle back to the floor. “Besides, I think you’ll forget all about it in just a second.” Adjusting your position such that you sat with your legs bent, knees on either side of her hips, which was quite the feat considering the limited space you had with her massive body taking up most of the tub, you began lathering her hair.

“I do not lo-” she started, but whatever snarky remark she had at the ready washed away along with the dirt in her hair as you started running your nails along her scalp again. The deep rumble from her chest when she hummed in contentment had your chest swelling with pride, delighted by the knowledge that you could make her feel so good. Only you held the power to truly tame this beast.

When the water started to approach a near tepid temperature, you reluctantly removed your fingers from her hair, which by that point had lost most of the suds anyway. "The water is cooling off quickly. Let me get your front side before we freeze." Standing, you rested a hand on Sevika's shoulder for stability as she scooted back and you stepped in front of her. Before you could lower yourself back into the water you caught her gaze fixated on your body. Her eyes raked down your naked form, catching at the apex of your thighs, which just so happened to be mere inches from her face. Heat spilled from your cheeks, spreading clear down your body and settled right at the point of her thirsty gaze. It was a damn good thing you had a hand on her shoulder, because when those gray eyes flicked up to yours for just a moment, a wicked smile on those delicious lips, you lost all strength in your legs. She must have taken notice, as her hands came up to grasp your waist, helping guide you safely back down into the water. Legs bent again and straddling her thighs, you sat on her lap, both hands resting on her shoulders. That cocky smile of hers remained and it became all you could focus on, your tongue unknowingly darting out to wet your own lips. Even after all the months you'd spent with her, she still had the ability to turn you to putty with just a simple look, a smile.

Her augmented hand had slid up to the back of your neck, keeping the sensitive machinery out of the water, but as those cool fingers wrapped around, it became apparent that wasn't the only reason. Slowly, you slipped your arms around her neck as she guided your face towards hers, your eyes fluttering shut. The moment your lips pressed to the plush of hers you released a long, contented sigh, relaxing against her as her flesh hand moved from your waist to the small of your back, pulling you closer. Heated skin pressed to heated skin, bare breast to bare breast, the sensations pulled an appreciative moan from your throat. Taking the opportunity of your parted lips against hers, Sevika pushed her tongue inside your mouth, bringing with it the coppery taste of residual blood from the cut on her upper lip. The hand around your neck gently angled your head to the side, allowing her to deepen the kiss, her nose pressing softly into your cheek. You attempted to move your own tongue along hers, only to be overpowered, and fuck if you were about to complain, instead releasing another deep, muffled moan.

Without warning, Sevika's hand moved from your back to grasp a handful of an ass cheek beneath the water, using it to pull your bottom half closer and grind you along her firm abs. Breaking the kiss, you pulled away quickly, eyes wide as your startled gasp turned into a soft mewl, pleasure coursing through your body.

"Fuck," you breathed, completely flustered as you gaped at Sevika. Her heavy lidded eyes bore into your own, ravenous and impatient.

"That's exactly what I want to do to you," she sneered, voice thick and husky, "So finish this quickly."

Releasing your neck, she rested her arm along the edge of the tub again, her other hand grabbing the forgotten washcloth and holding it out for you to take. It took you a moment to recover from your aroused stupor. The sight of her expectant, arched brow finally brought you back to the present.

"Sorry," you murmured, averting your gaze until you felt the press of her warm, wet hand against your cheek. Meeting her gaze, you found her wearing a crooked, but soft, grin.

"Don't be," she replied quietly, running the pad of her thumb over your bottom lip, lingering for just a moment before moving to rest her arm along the side of the tub.

Trying to suppress the way your heart fluttered at her gentleness, you applied a fresh lather of soap to the cloth and began working on her neck. Despite the desire to take your time, the promise of what was to come after had you working quickly, at least until you reached her breasts. Attempting to peer up at her discreetly through your lashes, you were disappointed to discover her watching you closely. She knew exactly what you were thinking, and when she raised that damn brow again, you weren't sure if that was in expectation or to challenge you. Since discovering how sensitive her breasts were, she had been very particular about when you were allowed to touch, or more specifically, play with them. Biting your bottom lip to keep from smiling, you let your attention fall back to her chest, pretending to simply focus on the task.

When you heard her deep hum, you looked up to find her head resting along the back edge of the tub, her eyes shut and a pleased smile gracing her face. Watching her expression closely, you gave one breast an experimental squeeze. Her lips parted, allowing a quiet groan to slip past. You slowly moved the washcloth to the other breast, slipping just beneath it before gently massaging it as well, pulling another groan from her. Surprisingly, she didn't open her eyes or scold you. Feeling a bit braver, you abandoned the washcloth, moving your hand to place your thumb and index finger on either side of her hardening nipple before gently pressing and rolling it between the pads of your fingers. The sinfully deep groan that left her throat as she arched her back had you frozen. Her eyes finally shot open as she sat up, nearly knocking you backwards in the process.

"Open the drain," she growled, her eyes narrowing as she glared down at you threateningly.

Oops.

You knew you had pushed her boundaries too far, and that it went without her saying, you were going to be punished. Excitement at the idea of what that could entail, you quickly scooted back far enough to reach behind you and pull the plug, all the while smiling meekly up at your perturbed lover. She seemed mildly pleased with your obedience given how her scowl softened just the slightest bit, apparently unaware that you simply just wanted to get to whatever she had planned as soon as possible.

Handing her the handheld sprayer, you leaned back on your hands, eyes traveling up the length of her body as she stood to rinse. Your gaze followed the path of the remaining soap as it rinsed from her hair and cascaded down her cheeks, neck, swell of her breasts, curves of her waist and hips, thick thighs, and finally down the length of her toned calves.

Apparently not having noticed your ogling, she gave the sprayer back to you before grabbing the towel from the back edge of the tub. Having not used any soap on yourself, you were able to rinse quickly while she stepped out and dried off. You barely had the sprayer back on its hook before Sevika tossed the towel at you, and you nearly dropped the damn thing. It must have been intentional that she caught you off guard, if the cocky little grin on her face was any indication.

"Ass," you grumbled, wrapping the damp towel around your upper half, just under your arms. Too busy glaring at a rather smug Sevika, you stepped out too quickly, carelessly, landing on a large puddle of water. Slipping, your body lurched forward and you quickly lost your balance, landing face first into Sevika's bare chest, but not before she swiftly caught you beneath your flailing arms. As much as you would have liked to remain where you were, she immediately righted you, standing you back fully upright with nearly no effort.

"Maybe use less water next time?" She sneered, but she kept you held close to her body. You weren't sure what was more frustrating, her damn teasing or the fact that your stupid towel prevented you from feeling her skin against your own.

"Maybe I did that on purpose," you sassed back, craning your neck so you could give her a proper view of the snarky look on your face, to which she simply arched a brow. "Maybe I wanted to be in your arms," you clarified, losing most if not all your edge with that admission. She chuckled, a bit too enthusiastically in your opinion, but she left no time for you to respond.

"Could have just asked," she teased, and without warning she bent down and scooped you up into her arms bridal style.

"Hey!" The scowl you attempted to throw her way faded the moment you caught her lopsided grin, big enough to reveal that ridiculously adorable tooth gap you loved so much. Smiling, you wrapped your arm around her neck, using it for leverage as you brought your lips to her cheek, gently kissing one of her scars before whispering into her ear, "I can see your cute tooth gap." Pulling back, you expected to see her smug smile wiped clean and replaced with her signature scowl, but to your surprise she was still grinning.

Eyeing her suspiciously as she carried you into your shared bedroom, you realized a little too late why that smirk remained on her face. She tossed you onto the bed with enough height and force to send you bouncing clear off the mattress and cutting your startled yelp short before you finally landed safely on your back.

"For fucks sake, Sevika!" You hollered. "At least give me a warn…" your reprimand trailed off as Sevika crawled onto the bed, a devious smirk on her face as she quickly positioned herself over you, caging you between her arms and legs. You lay rooted to your spot, hands at your sides, heat spreading like wildfire down your body and concentrating between your thighs as she eyed you hungrily. Expecting a kiss when she lowered her head, your eyes fluttered shut, but instead you felt the soft press of her nose against your cheek. A new warmth took over your body, your chest, when she trailed up your jaw, stopping just as she reached your ear.

"I've missed you…" she whispered, making your heart swell at the sweet admission. Running her large, warm hand over the swell of your hip and up along your side, she continued her confession. "Your body…" Her hand stopped just over the side of your breast, her nose slipping into your hair before taking a long, deep breath. "Your scent," she exhaled.

Finally breaking yourself from your frozen state, you reached one hand up to slip it into her loose, damp hair. "I missed you too," you sighed. Moving her face over yours, she brushed her nose along yours until the tips just barely touched. Strands of her dark hair fell forward, framing her face and yours like a curtain. Stormy eyes bore down into yours and you weren't sure if you wanted to just hold her or beg her to take you. Smiling coyly, you asked, "What do I smell like?"

"Comfort. Home."

Fuck. That's so goddamn sweet.

Her eyes dropped to the big smile plastered to your face. "Missed your dopey smile the most," she teased and your grin only grew wider. Even though she hadn't picked the most complimentary adjective, you knew she was just being playful and she truly did enjoy your smile. It was apparent by how even at her grumpiest, worst days, she couldn't hide her own lopsided grin when she caught your genuine one.

Fingers tangled in her hair, you pulled her down until her lips met yours. Your other hand skimmed over her side and up to her back to bring her chest closer until you felt the pleasant press of her soft breasts against your own. What started as a tender kiss quickly became heated, your lips parting to allow a quiet moan to escape to which she immediately took the opportunity to slip her tongue inside.

Metal fingers fisted your hair, pulling your head to the side as Sevika broke the kiss in favor of moving those full, wet lips to your exposed neck. After leaving a trail of love bites from just below your ear down to the top of your collarbone, she reversed the path, running the tip of her tongue over each mark. You squirmed and keened beneath her, desire driven higher by every sensation she left in her wake.

"Missed the way you taste," she purred against your ear before taking the lobe between her teeth and clamping down just hard enough to make you release a startled squeal. Her resulting throaty chuckle shot a wave of pleasure clear to your core, a wanton moan slipping past your parted lips. "Missed the pretty sounds you make."

"Sevika," you whined, desperate for her to cease all the sweet teasing and just fucking… fuck you already.

"Hmm?" She hummed, her mouth trailing down your neck again, but this time moving right past your collarbone and onto your chest.

Your other hand moved to join the first, threading through her hair, while her hands slid down along the mattress as she moved lower and lower.

"Please," you begged, watching as her lips slowly kissed down your right breast. Her eyes met yours as her mouth hovered just above your hardened nipple, her tongue slipping out to trace agonizingly light around the perimeter.

"Please what?" She teased, waiting until your lips parted to speak before taking you into her mouth and sucking.

"Plea- Fuck," you keened, eyes closing and back arching, chest rising towards her deliciously warm, wet mouth. Just before her teeth grazed over the sensitive bud, you registered the curl of her lips against your breast. The fucking tease was clearly enjoying torturing you, but she left no room for protest. Lifting her head, your nipple still held between her teeth, she tugged just hard enough for you to feel the slightest tinge of pain before releasing it. The startled little cry that pulled from your throat was quickly replaced with a soft groan the moment her mouth returned, tongue soothingly circling the tender area.

"I- I need you," you whimpered, finally able to find words when her mouth left your breast in favor of your abdomen.

"You've got me," she replied between soft kisses and love bites, her descent increasing in speed as she passed your navel. If you hadn't been so fucking drunk on your own arousal, you would have reprimanded her for the obvious sadistic torture, but she made damn sure you wouldn't find the words. Placing one last kiss just over your mound, she paused, metal and flesh hands snaking halfway down your thighs before easing them apart. Even with your eyes still closed you knew her mouth hung just above where you needed her most, her deep breaths chilly against your wet cunt.

God she was so fucking close to where you needed her, and when you realized your fingers were still tangled in the hair at the top of her head, she must have detected your abrupt change in demeanor. Before you could force her face between your legs, her hands wrapped firmly around your wrists. Startled, you released a short yelp, eyes flying open to find her eyes narrowed threateningly and focused on yours.

"Hands to yourself," she growled, and as much as you wanted to protest, you knew she wouldn't have it. Relaxing the grasp you had on her hair, you allowed her to place your hands on the tops of your thighs, her own hands covering yours to both keep them in place and keep you from lifting your hips towards her face.

"Sevika, please," you begged, near tears with how much you desired her touch, her mouth. "I want you so bad."

Her eyes lowered to the space between your legs, where you could feel just how aroused you were, and you knew she could see it too. Locking eyes with you again, a sinful smile painted her face before she spoke.

"I know."

Without removing her gaze from yours, she finally lowered her head between your thighs. And fuck you could feel how they clenched in anticipation beneath where she kept your hands pressed over them. Though you could only see those stormy eyes of hers, you felt the exact moment the tip of her tongue pressed just below your entrance. She dragged a torturous slow line clear to the hood of your clit, and the breath you hadn’t even known you were holding slipped past your open mouth as you sighed. Wrapping her lips around your clit, she switched between sucking and licking the sensitive bundle, leaving you writhing beneath her. The palms of her hands pressed down on the backs of yours, forcing your lower half to remain still as she continued her pleasurable onslaught.

Considering how worked up she’d had you, and how long it had been since you’d had any release, you unsurprisingly already felt that familiar tight, burning sensation build fast. And the moment she lifted her head, leaving you so close yet not quite satisfied, it was equally unsurprising that you cried out in disappointment, eyes searching hers pleadingly as she crawled back up your body again. You were about to plead- no- beg for her to finish you when she brought her face over yours, and the wicked smile she wore knocked any and all cognitive thoughts clear out of your head. Focused entirely on her mouth, you watched as it crept closer to yours, finally closing your eyes when she was close enough to feel her breath fan across your cheek and her breasts press against yours. The contact you felt was not a kiss though. Instead, she teasingly traced the fine gap between your parted lips with her tongue, pulling back the moment your head lifted to chase for a kiss.

God damnit why did she insist on tormenting you in the most cruel yet undeniably arousing ways?

“How do you want me to fuck you?”

As if that question wasn't enough to send a wave of aching desire between your legs, her deep, husky voice, clearly laced with lust, had you gripping the sheets in an attempt to control the urge to just pull her body between your legs and start grinding against whatever the hell you come in contact with first.

"Princess-"

"I don't care, just fuck me already!" You nearly screamed, eyes flying open just in time to catch the series of expressions that flashed across Sevika's face. From amusement to surprise and back again. Your cheeks burned with how flustered you were and you knew she took notice.

Brow arched and smug grin back in place, she of course wasn't about to take mercy on you and skip the opportunity to further tease you.

"So needy."

"Strap! Fuck me with the strap!"

God, you couldn't even look at her now, turning your head to the side as if she wouldn't know how desperate you were if you didn't make eye contact. Her resulting silence, lack of action, though only lasting for a few seconds, left you anxious as all hell. Metal fingers wrapped under your chin, pressing firmly into your cheeks as she forced you to meet her gaze. The expectant look she wore pulled you out of your fitful state just long enough to realize what she was waiting for.

"Please," you added, voice meek and quiet, a complete contrast to your previous demands. Her pleased smile was indication that you'd assumed correctly, and thank the fucking gods she was finally moving off you to fetch the strap. Though the loss of her proximity was disappointing, it did give you the opportunity to somewhat clear your head of the incapacitative amount of lust you'd been battling since she threw you on the damn bed.

"I want to be on top, please," you requested, watching as Sevika paused with the harness half way up her thighs. With her back to you, she slowly turned her head to side eye you from over her shoulder. When she saw the earnest look you gave her, she returned to her task of securing the harness.

"Baby, you and I both know how that would go," she replied, tone dry, but you knew damn well she was hiding a smirk.

"Just let me try it. Please," you insisted, getting on your knees and moving to the edge of the bed to help tighten the straps on her harness.

With everything in place, her favorite thick, black dildo included, she turned to smile down at you.

"Fine. This should be- entertaining ," she sneered.

Choosing to ignore the obvious jab at your ability, you focused instead on the fact that she had agreed to your request. Excited to try something new, you quickly moved aside so she could get back onto the bed. The moment she situated herself with her back comfortably resting against the headboard you scrambled to straddle her hips and thighs.

Both of you simultaneously turned to the bottle of lube sitting on the bedside table before exchanging knowing glances. You sure as hell wouldn't need that, not with how wet and wanting you were.

Gaze dropping to Sevika's toned abs, you rested the palm of one hand there, the other reaching between your legs to grasp the base of the toy and align it with your entrance. Lowering yourself just enough for the tip to sneak in, you bit down on your bottom lip to restrain whatever sound of pleasure that was sure to follow. It proved pointless as you ever so slowly dropped lower, the thick silicone filling you perfectly and a shaky whimper making it past your defenses.

With half the length buried inside, you waited a moment to allow yourself time to adjust, lifting your half-lidded gaze to Sevika's face.

Oh fuck. She looked downright ravenous, stormy eyes hyper focused at the sight between your legs, and lips pulled into a greedy smile. A chill ran down your spine at the sight, your body visibly trembling.

"Fuck, baby," she said quietly with the release of a breath. "Missed the sight of you taking my strap." Wrapping her hands around your waist, she guided you down the rest of the way, watching with unadulterated desire as each and every inch disappeared between your folds.

Your hands flew up to her shoulders to brace yourself from falling forward as you bottomed out, the toy filing you completely. Her name fell past your lips with a whimper, finally drawing her attention up to your strained expression.

“Need some help?” she teased.

Shaking your head vehemently, you slowly began to rise on your knees again, legs straining and toes curling as heavenly sensations flooded your lower half. Though she granted you the control you wanted, her hands simply resting on your hips, you knew she was just smugly watching and waiting for you to fail. Unable to focus with her attention on your face, you averted your gaze to the scars decorating her cheek. Groaning as you gradually sank back down, you let your eyes follow the individual paths of lovely blue scars that traveled clear down to her left breast.

You were able to distract yourself long enough to set a steady, easy pace without completely falling apart. Each stroke of the toy against your walls pulled a soft moan from your open mouth, your breath quickly becoming ragged. However, the moment you started to pick up speed, the pleasure rippling from your core and down your legs left you faltering. Sevika, or course, picked up on your struggles immediately.

“Tired already?” Her taunt was a complete contradiction to how her thumbs ran soothing circles over the soft flesh above your hips. “You were doing so well.”

God. Fucking. Damnit.

“I’m- I’m fine,” you panted.

Spite being your only drive, you pushed yourself to keep going. Face contorting in a mixture of pleasure and strain from the amount of effort it took to move as pleasure continued to wrack your body, you screwed your eyes shut tight in an attempt to block out her distractions. Much to your chagrin, and inversely to Sevika’s delight, you only managed several more blissful motions before your legs gave out. Chest rising and falling as you tried to catch your breath, you reluctantly opened your eyes to meet hers. Those beautiful gray eyes sparkled with unbridled joy at the sight of you trying so hard only to fail, and if you weren’t so exhausted or aroused you would have had a few choice words for how fucking sadistic she was being tonight. Driving the nail into the coffin, she arched a single dark brow, waiting for you to admit defeat and beg for her to take over.

Releasing a shaky sigh, you relinquished control with a, “Please help.” Unable to face her in your admitted defeat, you tried to turn away to hide your pout, only to be thwarted when her human fingers caught you by the chin.

“Hey.” Her demanding tone caught you by surprise, but you allowed your eyes to meet hers. “I’ll make you forget all about it," she promised. You nodded in understanding and the look of disappointment on her face faded into a smug smile before she pulled your head to hers for a soft, lingering kiss.

Releasing your chin, her hands smoothed over your ass, fingers grasping at the soft flesh of each cheek. With your hands still braced on her shoulders, you straightened back up, groaning as she lifted you off the toy until just the tip remained inside. 

She set a slow, steady pace, her hips lifting to meet the pull of your lower half as she sank the toy impossibly deep before grinding your clit along the top of the strap. Each stroke pulled a deep moan from your chest, and each rub against your clit left your legs trembling. Arching your back as much as you could without losing your grip on her shoulders, you let your head fall back, eyes closed and lips parted. True to her word, you quickly forgot about the humiliation of your inability to fuck yourself on her strap, the only thing on your mind becoming how fucking good you felt.

“Tell me how you feel,” she purred, bending her legs at the knees so she could gain more leverage, but the change in angle had the toy dragging along your front wall deliciously hard, thus hampering all cognitive abilities. All you could manage was a deep groan of whatever curse word sat closest in your subconscious. Apparently that was not satisfactory to her expectations.

“Answer me,” she growled, pairing the demand with a particularly hard thrust and nails digging into your unforgiving flesh.

Head snapping forward, you caught her heated gaze with half-hooded eyes. “I- I feel good,” you whimpered, face contorting with pleasure when she ground your clit against her strap. “You make me- feel so-” Slowly dragged up off the dildo, your words faltered. “... fuck - so fucking good.”

Another harsh buck of her hips and opposing tug of your body down to hers had your toes curling and a string of unintelligible curses slipping past your open mouth, muffling another one of her unnecessary, and clearly meant to torment, questions.

“What feels good?”

You heard the question, but it didn’t really register. When you supplied her with no response, you hadn’t even noticed she had lifted her human hand from your ass until it was too late. That hand came swinging back down with a resounding smack against your bottom, knocking a startled yelp from you.

“What. Feels. Good?” she repeated, stilling her motions.

Though the sting on your cheek was enough to pull you back into reality again, the sudden lack of stimulation left you desperate to tend to the throbbing between your legs. Nails biting into the skin of her shoulders, you rocked against her while biting out something you hoped would placate her.

"Your- your strap- inside me. Fucking- my cunt."

Dear god let that be what she needed to hear.

"Good girl," she praised, her hand rubbing over your sore cheek before grabbing a handful again and returning to the relentlessly slow fucking.

"Shit," Sevika grunted, "Retract those fucking nails."

Realizing your nails were sunk a little too deep into Sevika's shoulders, you relaxed your grip, letting the palms of your hands slide down to rest against her chest instead. Unknowingly, one of your hands slipped lower as she continued to fuck you, taking a breast in your hand to fondle and knead with the rhythm of her thrusts. She quickly began to lose that rhythm though, her own strained moans reaching your ears and drawing your attention to her face.

Oh shit.

Your hand froze, for just a moment, awestruck by the way she screwed her eyes shut and bared her teeth in an effort to fight the moans that seeped through despite it all.

Fuck she's so beautiful like that.

Much to your chagrin, that small pause in your ministrations left her just enough time to come to her senses.

"Stop distracting me," she growled through clenched teeth, her eyes flying open before narrowing threateningly at you. She didn't bother giving you a chance to move your hand, instead grabbing you by your waist and flipping you into your back, strap still buried deep inside you.

Both of your hands were immediately snatched up, pulled above your head and pinned beneath her human hand. Blinking up at her, still a bit startled by the abrupt position change, you watched her lips as they curled into a cocky smile.

"I'm done playing," she sneered, moving her metal hand down your chest to give one of your breasts a very hard squeeze. Chuckling at the little yelp you released, she dragged those sharp talons down your breast, narrowly missing the hardened peak. The trail she left clear down your stomach and abs teetered on that fine line between pain and pleasure, leaving your body squirming beneath hers.

"Sevika. Please," you pleaded as her nails traveled even lower, dangerously close to where you needed stimulation, just not that kind. Thankfully, her hand slipped off course and behind one of your knees, forcing you to bend your leg as she pushed it up and out of her way, spreading you wider. Sliding the toy out until just the tip remained, her grin widened enough to reveal a sliver of teeth.

"I want to hear you scream."

Oh fuck.

Eyes rolling back as you closed them, you braced yourself for whatever the hell she had planned.

Her thighs slammed against yours hard enough for your body to slip up across the sheets, the silicone toy plunging inside clear to the hilt. Your cry of pleasure was without a doubt loud enough to be considered a scream, but she clearly wasn't satisfied with just one, quickly pulling out before dealing another powerful thrust.

She was quick to set a brutal pace, the sounds of the headboard smacking against the wall and her wet skin slapping against your own were both completely drowned out by the strangled cries and moans she forced from your body.

"Se-vi-ka!" You cried between each mind-numbing drag against your walls. Your orgasm built up quickly and fuck you were close, but you needed more. You needed that external friction. Tears stung the corners of your eyes, your arms pulling helplessly under the iron grip of her human hand. You struggled to form words, to tell her what you needed. Prying your eyes open, you gazed up at Sevika pleadingly. Any hope of getting through to her was lost when you noticed the animalistic look on her face. Teeth bared in a snarl, her stormy gray eyes focused on where your bodies met. The sight of her lost in primal instinct was enough to push you even more dangerously close to the edge, fire pooling low in your abdomen.

The choked sob that left you finally caught her attention, her eyes flitting to your pained expression. Her face softened, only for a brief moment, as she realized what was happening. Without breaking the onslaught between your legs, she released your wrists, her hand slipping down to your neglected clit. Your free hands flew up to wrap around her back and pull her closer. Even with her arm sandwiched between your bodies, she never once lost her rhythm, her fingers making quick work of your swollen bundle of nerves.

Your orgasm hit hard, every muscle in your body tensing for several mind-numbing seconds before relaxing as you dissolved into pleasure. A deep, long guttural moan rose from your chest and rolled past your slack mouth, your nails raking down the length of Sevika's back and withdrawing a hiss of pain from her. She slowed considerably, allowing your orgasm to finish without the risk of overstimulation.

Body falling limp, you collapsed back against the mattress. Stilling her movements, Sevika placed both hands on either side of your head before resting on her forearms as the two of you attempted to catch your breath. You gazed up at her, eyes glazed over in post-orgasm bliss. She was just as much of a goddamn mess as you were. Her once clean hair was a haphazard mess, strands stuck to her face where a fine sheen of sweat glistened in the glow of the dim lighting.

"Missed- seeing you- fucked out- like this," she panted, a weak smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

You smiled just as weakly up at her. "You seem- pretty fucked- out too," you teased, struggling to speak just as much as she had.

"Just out of practice," she chuckled, dipping her head to leave a trail of sloppy kisses along your jaw. "I'll just have to fuck you more." Her raspy voice against your ear sent a chill down your spine and relit the fire between your boneless legs.

"Not tonight though," you replied, grinning as she lifted her head to arch a brow at you inquisitively. "I want to please you now," you added, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears and run your hands along her back. "Why don't you sit back and have a smoke while I take care of you."

“Can’t argue with that,” she replied before bringing her lips to yours, muffling your whine as she pulled the strap out in one swift motion. Feeling her lips pull into a smile against yours in amusement, you made no effort to mind where your nails dug into her back. She didn’t seem to notice though, sitting up with that damn smug ass smile on her face and moving to remove the harness.

“Ass,” you murmured, but you couldn’t hide your own smile. This had just been a part of your dynamic since the two of you became an item several months ago. She enjoyed toying with you, getting you riled up. And you enjoyed playing along with it, knowing she meant no harm, and seeing her smile like that, just for you, was more than worth it.

Harness discarded to the end of the bed, Sevika set herself up against the headboard. Sitting up yourself, you grabbed her wrist before she could pull one of her cigarillos from her pouch on the bedside table.

“Let me get you one of the good ones,” you insisted, releasing her hand and draping yourself over her lap as you hung over the edge of the bed to pull the humidor out from underneath. With your ass on full display just over her lap, you shouldn’t have been so surprised when her flesh hand collided with one cheek hard enough to have you nearly slip off her lap.

“Damnit Sevika!” Your reprimanding tone was lost on her as you felt her body shake beneath you with her deep chuckle. Not that she could see your eyes, but you rolled them anyway. After lifting open the lid and grabbing a single cigar, you shoved it between your teeth and took out the cutter before pushing the humidor back under the bed. “Help me back up,” you mumbled around the cigar, free hand reaching blindly up behind you. Rather than taking your hand, you felt her grasp your waist with both hands and pull you back up effortlessly.

Straddling her waist, you clipped the end of the cigar off in the ashtray you’d handmade for her. It still warmed your heart that she carried it with her everywhere she went.

Ignoring her pointed look when you took the lighter from her hand, you flicked it open and concentrated on watching the cigar turn a bright cherry red as you took several quick drags.

“Fuck!” you coughed, eyes and throat burning, “This is- a lot stronger than your usual shit.”

“You get used to it,” she replied and you removed the cigar to place it between her teeth. She took a long drag before bending her index finger in a come hither motion. Knowing what her intentions were, you leaned forward, resting your hands on her chest for stability. Cigar in her hand off to the side, she slipped her claws into the hair at the back of your head, angling it as she brought you closer until your parted lips barely grazed hers. Eyes locked on yours, she pushed the smoke into your mouth slowly, small tendrils escaping the gaps at the corners of your mouths. The various spices hit your tongue, a delightful blend similar to her cigarillos, only much stronger, but not just in flavor. You could already feel your body relaxing from the small amount as your eyes fluttered shut. Resting your forehead to hers, the two of you sat in silence for a moment before she removed her hand from your hair.

“I missed you so much,” you sighed, opening your eyes to catch hers still focused on you, but now looking exceptionally more glossy. She was relaxed and she was ready for you to pleasure her.

“Show me how much,” she purred.

Clear on exactly what she meant, and more than willing to oblige, you made your way down the bed. Cigar tucked back between her lips, she bent her knees, lifting and spreading her thighs to make room for you. Settling between them on your forearms, you made no effort to hide the groan that escaped your throat at the sight of how wet and wanting she was for you. Intentionally catching her gaze, you slowly licked your lips. Her own lips curled into a smirk, smoke seeping through her exposed teeth, an image you kept in your head as you closed your eyes and that distance. Dragging your tongue through her slit, you released another groan as the taste of her arousal invaded your mouth.

“Good girl,” she murmured, her metal fingernails dragging along your scalp.

Taking a deep breath through your nose, her scent, combined with her flavor, praise and dangerously sharp claws scraping along your scalp, left your head spinning and legs aching in ecstasy. With another pass of your tongue you delved deeper between her folds before wrapping your lips around her clit. The curse she murmured around her cigar followed the instinctive thrust of her hips towards your face. Metal nails dug further into your scalp as your tongue worked a teasing circle around the sensitive bundle of nerves. Bringing one of your hands between her legs, you eased your middle finger inside her, reveling in the soft, warm, slick feeling that surrounded it, and her subsequent deep groan. With your finger buried knuckle deep you applied a gentle downward pressure as you pulled it back out, bringing with it another curse from her lips and another upward thrust of her hips. Adding a second finger, you began working your mouth in tandem with each rhythmic pump of your digits.

It didn’t take long for Sevika to disregard any bit of restraint she may have been using as her metal fingers firmly grasped your hair, forcing your face against her while she rocked her hips. You let her control where your mouth went, focusing instead on matching her pace with your fingers. It also didn’t take long for you to realize you weren’t going to be able to keep this up, your neck and jaw quickly becoming sore from the difficult angle. Desperate not to disappoint her, you ran your other hand up her abs, watching as the muscles flexed sporadically each time she got your tongue in just the right spot with just the right amount of pressure. The moment your hand reached her breast, you removed your mouth from her clit, quickly replacing it with your thumb. Her hand in your hair started to push you back down but faltered the moment you began massaging her breast.

Not only did your smooth swap allow you to give your sore muscles a break, you were also gifted with the ability to observe all of Sevika’s obvious signs of pleasure. Each stroke or scissor of your fingers, in sync with the press or squeeze of your other hand on her breast, had her brows pinching together, nose scrunching and teeth clenching around her cigar as she fought back any sounds that threatened to slip out. Her metal hand slipped off your head, collapsing onto the bed beside her, both hands gripping the sheets as she put more effort into grinding against your thumb as it rubbed along her clit.

“Fuck,” she groaned, “Right there, baby.” Her mouth started to go slack as she tilted her head back, cigar hanging precariously at the edge of her mouth. Sitting up on your knees, you temporarily neglected her breast to swiftly swipe the cigar from her mouth before it could fall and potentially burn her. Tossing it into the ashtray, your hand moved to her other breast, rolling the hardening nipple between your thumb and index finger. She sucked in a deep breath through her parted lips, hips momentarily losing their rhythm.

Since discovering how sensitive her breasts were, that knowledge had become your not-so-secret weapon. If you ever had any issue with getting her off, it took very little stimulation to her breasts to send her over the edge, and this night was no different.

All it took was for you to lean over her and flick the tip of your tongue across the hardened peak of one breast to bring her to her peak. Sitting back on your knees, you watched in awe as each muscle on that glorious body of hers tensed. The soft, wet walls around your fingers clenched just as deliciously tight. Flesh and metal fingers grasped at the sheets as she held her breath briefly before all the air left her chest in a rush, the muscles across her abs quaking in time with the walls of her cunt.

Removing your hand from her breast and slowing the strokes of your fingers and thumb, you waited for her to ride out her orgasm before completely stilling your fingers. Chest heaving as she slumped against the headboard, her eyes opened just enough to catch a glimpse of your wide, pleased grin.

“Proud of yourself?” she huffed with a weak attempt at a snarky smile.

You were. You always were after managing to get her off. Seeing her wrecked like that, struggling to catch her breath, covered in sweat, hair a mess and eyes half lidded, all at your doing, was a huge stroke to the ego. Rather than answering her question, you pulled out your fingers from between her legs, purposefully curling the tips to provide her with a little well deserved torment for all the times she’d done the same to you. The grimace that drew across her lovely face quickly faded when her gaze dropped to your wet fingers as you sucked each one clean and made a humming sound of satisfaction. Still on your knees between her spread thighs, you crawled over them to straddle her lap as she straightened her legs out. Her hands found their way to rest limply over your hips as you sat down and wrapped your arms around her neck to pull her in for a kiss. Taking advantage of her still slack mouth, you swiped your tongue over hers, giving her yet another, more literal, taste of her own medicine. 

Pulling back to allow her to finish recovering, you rested your forehead against hers, smiling in adoration and running your nose along hers.

“I think this goes without saying, but I missed all the same things about you,” you said softly, a coy smile on your face. “Your body, scent, smile, taste, the sounds you make, the way you take my fingers, and your fucked out face.”

Sevika smiled, something akin to her signature one-sided smirk, but much more genuine, soft even. Her hands slid up your back, the prosthetic stopping midway while her human fingers threaded into your hair and she pulled your body and lips against hers.

"You know," you started after breaking the kiss, "teasing aside, I really did miss you. We were apart for entirely too long."

"I had a word with Silco," Sevika replied, pausing to watch with unabashed mirth as your face contorted in confusion. "Told him I need a specific type of down time."

What the actual fuck?

Keeping your thoughts to yourself as she continued, you simply watched, completely awestruck, as she just smirked at you knowingly.

"He understands your value goes beyond just your ability to handle pointy objects." You're not so caught off guard to catch the way her mouth twitches at the corner at her little quip. Though you're quick to narrow your eyes at her in disapproval, you allow her to finish.

"He knows you're the only thing keeping me sane when I have to deal with all his bullshit, Jinx in particular. Gave me his word he'd take that into consideration when strategizing future missions for you and I."

"He what?!" You asked incredulously. "You have got to be bullshitting me! First, there's no way you approached him about that. Second, there's no fucking way he agreed to do anything about it. You're fucking with me!"

"Why would I bother making up something like that?" She asked, brow raising in challenge.

"I don't know. To woo me," you replied, honestly not sure why she'd make that up, but still astonished all the same.

"To what?"

"Nevermind." You shook your head. "That's fucking great though!" Absolutely beaming at the idea that Sevika had gone to your boss to demand such a- domestic and sweet thing as more time with you, you sensed an incoming snide remark about your cheesy smile, so you quickly redirected the conversation.

"So speaking of my ability to handle pointy objects, you know that includes more than just my daggers," you said with a playful smile. Sevika's brow raised again, clearly not catching on to your joke. Sliding your hands down her chest, you gave each of her nipples a quick pinch, earning yourself a gasp from Sevika and sharp nails digging into your sides. That initial startled response quickly gave way to a much more intentional grip on your waist, her eyes narrowing threateningly.

"Get my strap. Let's see how many times you can handle that pointy object." She snarled, lips curling sinisterly when your eyes widened in a combination of trepidation and excitement.

Turned out that number was three, but you made a promise to Sevika and yourself that you could do better with more practice.

[420thewritersroom]

Wilted Cherry Blossoms, Dark Thunderstorms, Burning Hopes: Remastered

Well howdy do! It's been a minute Mortal Kombat fandom!

*deafening sound of crickets*

I know I know, it's been a long minute since I posted anything Mortal Kombat, even though I made prior promises of a new chapter. Well, there is a new chapter! It's just not this one. I mentioned before how I wanted to revise the prior chapters to clean them up and make them a bit more presentable, so that's what this is. Chapter's 1-4 revitalized! I cut some scripts here and there, cleaned up some prior grammar mistakes, rearranged some texts to help with pacing, and a few minor details added or removed.

And don't worry! There is a Chapter 5 coming out in a few moments too! I just wanted to pump this out too. Think of this as a "previously on..." section where you can conveniently read all prior chapters in one place. I won't delete the old versions of the chapters, I'll actually link them below for those who still want to re-read the old versions of the prior chapters in all their disgusting glory!

I will, however, update the AO3 version of Wilted Cherry Blossoms, Dark Thunderstorms, Burning Hopes. Which means, if you want to re-read the prior chapters BEFORE THEY WERE EDITED, you have to come to this tumblr post. As usual, I'll update the AO3 later, especially since I FINALLY discovered how to add colored text! But it's some HTML jargon and it's definitely not going to be accomplished at this 3 A.M. morning lol

Here are the prior chapters in all their glory:

Storm Before the Calm

Thunderstorms in Spring

A Burning Tree

Deadly Sakura - Part 1 & Part 2

Next

Chapter 1: The Storm Before the Calm

It was over.

It was done.

They stopped Shang Tsung and his nefarious plot; it was over. This was the part where everyone patted each other on the back, did a whole hoopla about "the power of friendship saved the day," locked up the villain, and went home. But that time was lost a long time ago. Ever since…

Ever since Kung Lao died.

When Kung Lao died, it shocked everyone. The only one seemingly keeping themselves together was Kenshi. Coming from his Yakuza background, he had done plenty of dirt that he wasn't proud of. But Johnny? Kenshi still remembers the reviving actor's disbelief, trying his damndest to do all he could for Kung Lao, even pleading with Liu Kang on what to do. But perhaps the one person who was hurt the most that day was Raiden. They were friends, childhood friends…lovers, even…Kenshi can never scrub away the scene of Raiden being the first to notice his friend wasn't getting up and slowly descending to hold his boyfriend tightly. Raiden blocked out the world at that moment; the rest of the crew had to step in and finish the fight while Raiden grieved over his friend.

And things were never the same after that.

It was over.

It was done.

Kenshi and Johnny already shackled the unconscious Shang Tsung and started tending to their wounds. There was silence between them as they repaired themselves, barely glancing at the other. It wasn't until Kenshi spoke up, pointing out that Johnny was wrapping the bandage wrong and took the reigns in patching the Hollywood star up. Johnny didn't put up a fuss. In a small way, he was kinda glad Kenshi said something. To break the silence and bring back that camaraderie they once had before. Feeling Kenshi touch him again, a wave of memories started flooding back to Johnny. The days when the 4 of them were always in each other's spaces. Arms thrown over each other's shoulders whenever they were in a goofy mood. That intimacy, he misses it.

"There," Kenshi softly says, completing the last patch on Johnny to ensure it wouldn't get infected.

Johnny couldn't help but return a sad smile and nod, "Thanks, Kenshi."

Then the silence began anew as they both sat quietly, waiting for Raiden and Liu Kang to return once they finished dealing with, what Johnny called, ‘the super laser beam like in that one Marvel™ movie.’ When they heard the sound of roiling thunder, that was their cue that the other pair had returned. Kenshi was the first to look up, seeing Raiden floating high above them, with black clouds shadowing him. It was a near-terrifying sight. His glowing eyes and hair, the crackles of lightning sparking off him, and the foreign look of godly contempt plastered on his face. It doesn't help that they each learned who Raiden was before Liu Kang altered the timeline. With this display of power, Raiden might as well be a god.

"Hey, Raiden, no need to worry! We had this one in the bag." Johnny gestures over to Shang Tsung, still enjoying his dirt nap. "He'll be going away for good once we figure out what our version of Arkham Asylum should be for the bastard."

Kenshi scoffs and shakes his head slightly, but it wasn't one out of annoyance. He knows what Johnny is trying to do, lightening the mood.

Raiden, however, does not reciprocate, remaining still as a statue in the air. Kenshi stares back at Raiden, anxious about what the thunder go-his friend-was thinking.

"…Hey, Raid-bro, we were told there was a chance of blue sunny skies when coming out here. Care to move the dark clouds out of the way?" Johnny tries again to be jovial, but Kenshi can hear the hint of anxious tension in his tone.

After another long silence, Raiden finally descends, but where he was going was toward Shang Tsung. Johnny and Kenshi rise from their seated area as they closely watch Raiden slowly meeting the ground. By the time Raiden reached the surface, almost as if on cue, Shang Tsung started to stir awake, perhaps thanks to the constant thunder cracking in the area. Shang Tsung was already a beaten mess, with dried blood and dirt caked on his freckled face. His brown eyes met with Raiden's glowing white eyes, and he had the gall to smirk at him. The prisoner readjusts himself, sitting straight up as he leaned against a tree.

"Love what you did with your hair, Raiden."

Of fucking course, Shang had to go there. Kenshi and Johnny did their best to not flinch and cringe upon hearing that, knowing full well that it struck a nerve with Raiden, even if the farm boy wasn't showing it.

As if Shang was further egging Raiden on, he started looking around as if he was expecting someone to be here, but they happened to be missing. "Now, where is that pompous, hat-throwing circus act you often dragged along with you? Called in sick?"

"That's enough, Shang Tsung. Don't let us muffle you too." Johnny was the first to speak on everyone's behalf, his rising anger apparent as he growled.

Shang ignored Johnny, his eyes still trained on Raiden, meeting him eye-to-eye. "Oh~, don't beat yourself up for his departure, Raiden. You can rest easy knowing he died a prideful fool who didn't know when too much was enough."

"Hey, shut the fuck up!"

There was a one-sided back & forth, Shang Tsung constantly taunting the quiet Raiden while Johnny tried to get Shang Tsung to stop talking. Eventually, Johnny starts grabbing the sorcerer by his ruffed-up shirt and tried intimidating him into keeping his mouth shut.

There are benefits to being half-blind and wearing a blindfold. Kenshi has been looking head, seemingly staring into nothing and nowhere, but Sento's sight allowed him to keep his peripherals on Raiden. Watching him closely to ensure that he doesn't do anything stupid. And Kenshi would be right to watch Raiden because the younger man started to approach the arguing pair.

Kenshi steps before Raiden, "Whatever you're thinking, don't."

"Get out of my way, Kenshi," Raiden's voice was like a coming storm, eager to wreak havoc on anyone and anything that stood in its way.

Kenshi had to choose his words wisely; Raiden would erupt if he made one wrong move or phrase. They've seen it happen more than once. "Please, at least let us wait for Liu Kang before-"

"Ha! Still letting that proclaimed Fire God lead you around on a leash, Raiden?"

Kenshi now physically cringes before turning sharply toward Johnny, "Shut him up!" Kenshi can see blue sparks crackling off Raiden, and he further obscures his view of Shang Tsung. "Raiden, he's trying to get into your head. Don't let him!"

"He knew, you know? Liu Kang? For someone who altered the timeline to fit his "perfect vision," many strange coincidences have been happening as of late. I mean, I became a sorcerer when I was supposed to be a beggar," Shang makes sure to enunciate the beggar part with a healthy dose of venom. "And you were a simple farm boy. But look at you now, a master of the storms and the skies," Shang Tsung side-eyes Raiden deviously, "He must've known that Kung Lao was going to die."

"Get out of my way!" the air starts to pick up, his hair and clothes ruffling in the wind, and more lightning static bounces off Raiden. However, the color had drastically changed to an angry red hue.

"Ok, time for your muzzle, dog," Johnny approaches with a mask-like device meant to silence individuals who wear it. As he tries to place the mask on Shang Tsung, the sorcerer hits him square in the dick. A technique he has learned to adopt later down the line thanks to the foolish actor, causing Johnny to have the wind knocked out of him as he backs away a couple steps. "N-not cool, man! Not cool!"

But this landed Shang Tsung a couple more minutes. "He could've prevented it, Raiden. Kung Lao may have died at the General's hands, but who truly caused his demise? Liu Kang could've stopped it all from happening. He went through all the effort to neuter you and me. Because of his biases over a timeline that no longer exists! He claims that he "doesn't interfere with affairs" because he wants us to become masters of our own fates, but we were never in control of it to begin with. Liu Kang decided for himself what we should be; all I did was defy his logic and plan."

"JOHNNY!" Kenshi shouts as he tries to hold Raiden back, the young man now struggling to get past the blind swordsman.

"I'm working on it!" Johnny replies as he hurries back to Shang Tsung with the mask.

"I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!" Raiden screams.

He can feel it, he can hear it. He can feel the amulet infused into his body, responding to his anger, his grief, his drive for vengeance. The condensed storms locked away in that amulet desire to give Raiden that release. Kenshi grunts as he starts feeling shocks ripple through him while holding tight onto Raiden.

"RAIDEN DON'T LISTEN TO HIM; YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS!"

"Liu Kang could've saved your friend, Raiden. You know this as much as I do. He has the power to do so; he simply didn't use it. All under the idea of restraint. That's what makes you and I so powerful. We're not afraid to take the power we're given and use it to its nigh limits. The one who you should be angry at is the man who calls himself a friend to you."

Finally, Johnny wraps the mask around Shang Tsung, silencing him until its removal. But the damage was done. It wasn't until now that Johnny noticed that Liu Kang still hadn't arrived.

"Where's Liu? Kenshi, where's Liu!" Johnny says as he anxiously watches the struggle between Raiden and Kenshi.

Kenshi doesn't get a moment to entertain an answer as Raiden yells at the top of his lungs, a burst of electrifying energy emitting from him from the amulet, knocking both Earthrealm warriors back a considerable distance. The pair land roughly on the soil in an audible groan as they jerk and hiss at the shocking ripples still assaulting their bodies. Kenshi was the first to slightly recover, but it must've been some time before he regained his senses because when Kenshi frantically looked for where Raiden had gone, he saw the thunder wielder punching Shang Tsung to a bloody pulp.

"Raiden, ugh! Raiden, stop!" It hurts for Kenshi to get up, but he ushers all the strength he still has and rushes over to Raiden.

Kenshi rips Raiden off of Shang Tsung and doesn't bother to look the sorcerer over (that's what he gets for running his mouth), keeping his attention wholly on his friend and his hand on the hilt of Sento.

"Raiden, we've been over this. Please, don-"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!!"

Kenshi isn't given a moment to calm the man down as red bolts of lightning come arcing towards the swordsman. Kenshi dodges out of the way, unsheathing Sento in the process; the line of shocking energy completely decimates a nearby tree. The time for words was over; now it's time to, in Johnny's words, bring out the "Hulk Buster."

Raiden raises his hand to the grey skies above, capturing red lightning in his hand before hurling lightning bolts at Kenshi. The swordsman goes on the defensive, dodging and ducking behind cover, trying to avoid actively harming Raiden. But the more he placed distance between him and Raiden, the more Kenshi was bobbing and weaving past his thunderous attacks. Each devastating attack from Raiden ridding Kenshi of usable cover. Kenshi would be mildly saved as Johnny surprises Raiden by grabbing him from behind and trying to restrain him.

"Raiden, pull it together, man! We don't want to hurt you!" Johnny struggles to say, the shocks of lightning constantly snapping at him.

Kenshi rushes out of hiding and builds momentum, hoping to get one good, non-lethal strike to knock Raiden out.

"Where the hell are you, Liu Kang..." Kenshi muttered to himself, slightly out of breath as he exerted all his power into running and reaching Raiden as soon as possible. "Johnny! Hold him down, just a bit longer!"

"I'm-ACK, FUCK!" Johnny shouts as he feels another shock of electricity course through him, "I'M FUCKING TRYING!"

Raiden was howling like an animal, trying to shock Johnny off him. Lightning bolts fell out of the sky as they struck the ground around them, destroying everything they touched. It was almost like the lightning strikes were even chasing Kenshi, as every bolt of lightning was always some inches away from hitting the swordsman.

He was close, almost there, just a bit more.

Raiden finally throws Johnny off him, elbowing him sharply in his face. Conjuring every bit of power of the storm, Raiden fried Johnny. The pained screams from the actor nearly shake Kenshi to his core.

"JOHNNY!!" Kenshi screams.

Raiden notices the swordsman approaching and disrupts his abuse of his friend to focus on Kenshi, redirecting the powerful blast and hurling it at the blind swordsman. Guided by Sento, Kenshi locks himself in a blocked battle with Raiden's powerful lightning attack. The mystical powers of Sento were able to withstand the ever-present assault. Still, Raiden was unhinged, not withholding the full potential of the thunder amulet. Then, the impossible happens.

Sento cracks.

Kenshi quickly rolls out of the way and tries to get to safety before Raiden completely breaks Sento. But Raiden saw this coming, using his other hand to conjure a whip-like lightning bolt at Kenshi, lassoing and dragging him to the ground before giving the swordsman a devastating shock.

"Raiden!"

For once, the farm boy actually stops his assault. Leaving Kenshi and Johnny unconscious after constantly being shocked to near death. Raiden looked behind him, and there he was.

Liu Kang.

The Fire God stares at the scene in utter shock, eyes darting between the sizzling Johnny and equally as cooked Kenshi. Raiden, eyes & hair slowly dimming in brightness, keeps his eyes trained on Liu Kang.

'He could've prevented it, Raiden - Liu Kang could've stopped it all from happening - Liu Kang could've saved your friend, Raiden. You know this as much as I do.' Shang Tsung's words echo in Raiden's head.

"...Did you know he was going to die?" Raiden, for the first time, speaks coherently. Possessing the soft voice that he's known for.

"Raiden, what hap-"

"ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!" In that same instance, Raiden's voice booms like thunder. Even the skies above respond, crackling thunder in the distance with his anger, his white hair and crimson eyes glowing brightly. "YOU KNEW KUNG LAO WAS GOING TO DIE, DIDN'T YOU!!" Raiden points his electrifying finger at Liu Kang accusingly.

Liu Kang's mouth opens and shuts before he finally answers Raiden. "...Certain circumstances and events that transpired hinted that Kung Lao could die. But not once did I know for certain that Kung Lao would meet his untimely death."

There's a long, silent pause between the two; only the roaring wind breaks the stillness. Liu Kang dares to break his eyes away from Raiden, looking for the one Kenshi and Johnny were supposed to contain, Shang Tsung. It looked like in the scuffle, he used that opportunity to get away, his hairpin lying on the ground dirtied with blood and dirt. Whatever Shang Tsung said to Raiden, it riled the former thunder god. Liu Kang kicks himself for being unconscious for so long. The device he and Raiden went to disable knocked the wind out of him and rendered Liu Kang out of commission for a moment. When he awakened on the vacant platform the device was on, Raiden was gone.

Liu Kang looks back at Raiden, the man's head now facing the ground, fists balled. The next thing that comes out of Raiden's mouth breaks the Fire Gods' heart.

"Why did you let him die," his voice cracks, and Liu can hear the tears Raiden shed.

"Raiden...I..."

"Even if you didn't know fully that Kung Lao would die, why didn't you tell us! Why didn't you save him? Or let us help you save him!" Raiden sobs, his knees feeling weak.

"...I did all I could, Raiden. I tried to protect him...But I couldn't shelter him. I had to trust that Kung Lao would make the choices necessary to follow his own path. I wasn't going to take that choice from him."

"How would he know what path to take if YOU NEVER TELL HIM WHERE IT WILL LEAD HIM!!!" Another sound of roiling thunder and lightning sparks off Raiden as he snaps his head toward Liu Kang. "You could've told him, us, what could've happened! You could've stopped this!"

"I did not want to burden you with the knowledge I knew and felt!" Liu Kang raises his voice. Not to match his anger, but because the winds were picking up and the thunder practically deafened him. "I didn't want you or him to spend every waking moment questioning each move you took, each decision you made! I wanted both of you to become masters of your own fate!"

'He claims that he "doesn't interfere with affairs" because he wants us to become masters of our own fates, but we were never in control of it to begin with. Liu Kang decided for himself what we should be.'

"No...NO!!" Raiden shouts as he slings a lightning bolt at Liu Kang. A shot the Fire God effortlessly dodges.

"Raiden, please!"

"YOU CREATED THIS TIMELINE. THIS NEW UNIVERSE! YOU COULD'VE PREVENTED THIS! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO, I KNOW YOU DO!"

Another reckless throw of a lightning bolt, scorching a nearby tree as Liu Kang steps out of the line of fire. "Raiden, please, you have to understa-"

"I LOVED HIM, LIU KANG! WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVED HIM!!! AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!"

Raiden rips open his shirt, revealing the amulet fused with his person, a permanent reminder of the trauma everyone endured...That he endured...

"BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM BACK TO ME!" Raiden's feet crackle with electrifying power as he lunges towards him, performing a move Liu Kang knows far too well as Raiden flies at him like a speeding torpedo, locking Liu Kang as they both collide into various trees.

Liu Kang grunts as their movement is halted by a large rock, but he's not given a moment of reprieve as Raiden starts socking him in the face multiple times. Screaming phrases that Liu Kang could not focus enough to bear their meaning. He's then thrown about in a large circle, and when Raiden releases his grip, Liu Kang goes flying again.

Liu Kang crashes into a nearby lake. It takes him some time to gather his strength to swim out of the waters. He coughs and spits out blood. Raiden isn't holding back; the amulet's powers have given him strength and vigor. But he was still mortal. Liu Kang can take a beating, but one wrong move and a bit of force, and Liu could kill Raiden. Liu Kang assesses his surroundings, mainly looking for where Raiden has gone or where Raiden could potentially come from.

Fortunately, Raiden's rageful cries gave him away as he came crashing down like a speeding bullet from the sky toward Liu Kang. Hoping to catch him in a flying kick maneuver. Liu Kang was able to block the attack, and the force of the kick skidded them both further from the lake from which Kang had emerged. There is a back-and-forth between the skilled fighters as each attack is swiftly blocked by the other. Well, more like Liu Kang was the one being swift. Raiden was filled with hatred and rage, his attacks were more akin to a wild animal attacking and defending itself.

Liu Kang had to hold back. Unlike Kenshi, who somewhat matched his power level, one wrong flaming fist and Raiden could be K.O-ed to his grave.

"Raiden, I am not your enemy. Everything I did for Kung Lao, I've always had you in mind! Whatever Shang Tsung told you-"

"Oh yeah, go ahead!" Raiden opened his palms and bent his fingers, colliding his hands on each opposite side of Liu Kang's head, sending shocks of electricity to his head and disorienting the Fire God as his ears started to ring. "Blame it all on Shang Tsung! Blame every single problem and inconvenience on the fucking sorcerer! Because gods forbid you take any responsibility for yourself and own up to the fuck up THAT YOU MADE!"

Raiden grabs Liu Kang in a crushing hug and sends both of them flying in the sky, high enough for Raiden to send a highly concentrated bolt of lighting onto Liu Kang. Raiden is able to withstand such powerful energies. Liu Kang, on the other hand, screams in anguish as he's tased ten times over and then thrown back to the earth below. Liu Kang leaves a crater where he landed and, for a moment, doesn't move from his spot.

It took every fiber of his being and willpower to slowly get himself back on his feet. Liu Kang didn't even have to look to know that Raiden was behind him. Liu Kang tries to plead with Raiden between gasps, coughs, and hacking up blood.

"...Raiden...I don't want to hurt you...I know you're...Grieving. He meant everything to you as you did to him...But Kung Lao wouldn't want us to fight. Not like this..."

There was a long pause, yet again.

"Don't you dare tell me what Kung Lao would've wanted. You don't get to speak for him, or anyone like you, always do!"

"Raiden-"

"You think you know what Kung Lao would've wanted when you knew nothing about him. Not like I did. Do you want to know what Kung Lao would've wanted? Do you want to hear it from someone WHO ACTUALLY FUCKING KNOWS HIM!?! Let me tell you!"

Raiden forcefully turns Liu Kang to face him before clocking him in the face.

"Kung Lao would've wanted to know how he was going to die so that he could prevent it!"

Another crack.

"He would've thanked you for trusting him with this knowledge so he could return home with me in peace!"

Another crack, blood staining his knuckles.

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO LIVE WITH ME. SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME! HIS FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

Another crack after Liu Kang weakly tries to block his other fist attack.

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO DIE PEACEFULLY. WITH ME BY HIS SIDE! NOT IN A FUCKING REALM THAT HE DOESN'T BELONG TO, FACING DOWN A HORNED-FACED FUCKER AND THAT DAMNABLE SORCERER! TO ONLY DIE BECAUSE THEY USED HIS WEAPON AGAINST HIM! LEAVING HIM TO BLEED ON THE DIRT!"

Another crack, an uppercut that sends Liu Kang stumbling back some feet.

Liu Kang spits out another glob of blood mixed with saliva. "We all can't choose how we die, Raiden."

"Yet, you chose for him to die there."

Something within Liu Kang snaps, anger boiling. "Kung Lao chose not to listen to me when I asked him not to interfere, Raiden!" Liu Kang tries to hold back the poison he truly wanted to emit.

One too many times has he heard this. How Liu Kang was the reason Tarkat exists. How it's his fault that Kitana and Mileena's mother was dead. How it was his fault that Shang Tsung and Quan Chi were in deplorable working and living conditions. How it's his fault that Reptile and Smoke lost their loved ones. How it's his fault that events and circumstances that did not go in their favor, even if it was out of everyone's hands, it was always HIS FAULT.

He was tired of it. Tired of explaining his reason for not keeping the position as the Keeper of Time. Tired of defending himself against the actions and motives that others have. Tired of expressing how, while he may have remade this timeline and altered events, he never once had it planned to control the lives of mortals, leaving their motives and fates in their own hands and suffering the consequences of doing so.

Red and blue flames start to erupt from his arms where his draconic tattoos were printed, his eyes giving off a godly glow.

"I already told you why I withheld that information from him. I wanted him to have peace. Both of you, to have peace." Liu Kang tried his best to keep his calm attitude as he picked himself up.

"And how do you know he wouldn't be at peace if he at least knew what was coming!?!" Raiden spits back at him

"How would you?"

Even with his soothing voice, he definitely struck a chord with Raiden as he went for a swing at Liu Kang. This time, Liu Kang grabs his fist and twists it, not enough to break the bone, but to cause painful strain.

Raiden shouted in mild pain as he tried to swing his other free hand at Liu Kang. Similarly, Liu blocks the attack, grabbing his wrist and unintentionally burning him slightly.

"Raiden, I'm not going to say this again. Stop this." Liu Kang looks Raiden dead in the eyes. Despite his calm face, there was a silent roaring flame behind his features. The kind of look that screams, 'I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you give me a reason to.'

Yet, Raiden did not listen. He headbutts Liu Kang successfully, forcing Liu Kang back. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. In a fit of rage, Liu Kang yells as he punches Raiden square in the face. He didn't use his full godly strength, but it sent Raiden flying through multiple trees before slamming against one tree trunk. Liu Kang huffs and puffs, the anger slowly dying and the realization of what he did quickly coming to him.

"Raiden!" Liu cries as he rushes to the former thunder god as fast as he can.

When he found his body, Liu Kang feared the worst. It happened, as the old Raiden said. They were always destined to fight, to kill each other, and Liu Kang couldn't avoid it in this timeline. But the moment he heard Raiden's labored breaths, Liu Kang felt an overwhelming relief wash over him.

"Raiden! Raiden, I'm so sorry! I didn't- I didn't mean to," Liu Kang was stumbling over his words as he held Raiden upright, unsure of how serious his wounds were.

Raiden was going through the shock of it, breathing not only labored but in quick succession. Liu Kang tried to help Raiden match his breathing to calm him down from the pain and shock.

"Are you," Raiden swallows between shaking breaths and stuttering speech, "Are you going to let me die? Like you did Lao?"

Liu Kang meets Raiden eye to eye. Raiden was bleeding from his head, streams of red running down his face with twigs and sticks entangled in his white hair. He's never going to let this go. Whatever Shang Tsung told him, it infected him like a parasite. As long as Raiden lived and breathed, Kung Lao's death will always be Liu's fault.

...Unless...

Liu Kang huffs; he never thought he would have to do this again, not since Shujinko. Liu Kang positions Raiden as comfortably as possible, as one would be leaning against a tree with multiple broken bones and aching muscles.

"No, I want to grant you peace. I know that you don't want to hear this...But Kung Lao would've wanted you to find peace with his departure."

Liu Kang starts building up flames that run up his arms, performing the many monastic dances he learned from the previous timeline and the current. As the fire roared, they soon floated to Raiden and encompassed him. They never burned him. Raiden tries to crawl away from the dancing flames, believing them to char him to a crisp.

"Kung Lao would've wanted you to look fondly on your friendship and love, and seek to replicate that love with others. He would've wanted you to live happily, even if he wasn't there to provide you that happiness."

"L-Liu Kang, what are you-wait...No!" Raiden's eyes start to water as he can feel his memories slipping. Not just the ones with Kung Lao but everything after Liu Kang found him. His previous adventures in Outworld, in the Netherealm, Chaosrealm, his ventures with his closest friends...The first time Kung Lao told him the three words, "I love you." Everything. "Liu Kang, no! Don't, please don't!"

Liu Kang, almost coldly, ignores Raiden's pleas as he takes it all away. Reverting Raiden back to the simple farm boy from Fengjian who simply wanted to protect and guide his village.

"...You are right, Raiden," Liu Kang says between paused breaths, trying to hold back tears as he committed the deed. "It is my fault. I shouldn't have thought I could groom you or Kung Lao to become protectors of Earthrealm like you were before. I shouldn't have taken you away from your family, your friends, and your home in hopes of raising you to become grand warriors. I have placed your loved ones and you in so much danger...All because I clung onto a life that no longer exists...I'm sorry."

Raiden passes out from his injuries as Liu Kang finished the last of the memory wipe. Liu Kang stares at Raiden's slumbering body, and he can't help but scream and cry. Finally, allowing himself to grieve ever since that fateful day.

-

Fuji finished the last of the clothes, just in time for dinner. She was having a hot pot tonight. Filled with various greens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, radishes, and mushrooms. All placed into a chicken broth seasoned further with a tomato and pork bone soup base. Fuji sits at the table with a bowl full of soup; she does her best not to look across the table. Where her brother Raiden would be...

Raiden told her long ago that he was placed in a very important position and hard at work with Mr. Kang. He brings back money and unique souvenirs with questionable origins. He always makes sure to visit her occasionally when he comes back to Fengjian.

But this was one of the many occasions where the house felt too big, even with their elderly mother and father sleeping in the other room. She missed having her older brother around for the longest time; he was her only friend. Her closest friend. Sure, they were siblings, and they had their "sibling moments," but with him gone, she never felt more alone. But her being alone wasn't Fuji's main problem; it was Raiden's sudden silence.

Ever since Kung Lao's passing, Raiden hasn't been returning her calls, answering her letters, or even visiting the family. Doesn't help, too, that none of his friends live in Fengjian, and aside from Kung Lao and Johnny's number (she's never calling that man), she can't even reach them to know what's up with her brother. It's gotten to the point where she has saved up some money to take a week's vacation to the U.S., where her brother is currently working.

Before Fuji knew it, she was already done with her bowl (2 bowls, actually). She saved the leftovers for her parents when they awaken. While washing up the dishes, she heard a knock at the door. Hmm? Who could be visiting her at this hour?

…Could it be!

"Give me a moment!" Fuji says hurriedly as she dries her hands, making her way to the front door. A tiny bit of hope fills the young woman. Could this be Raiden? After so long!

She swings open the door, hope and glee plastered on her face, but it quickly turns to confusion and worry. "…Liu Kang…Raiden!?!"

Outside was Liu Kang carrying a bandaged and mostly healed Raiden. "I'm sorry to come at such a late hour, Fuji. May I come in."

"What happened to my brother!?! Did someone mug him? Was he attacked?" Fuji ushers Liu Kang to enter the home and shows him to Raiden's old room, still possessing his old belongings even before he left.

Despite her questions, Liu Kang did not answer her. She asks again and again about her brother's condition, who did this to him, and why, but she is met with silence. She watches Liu Kang gently place Raiden on his old bed, and just as quickly as he came, Liu proceeded to walk back outside.

"W-wait! Liu Kang, please tell me what happened! Who hurt my brother! Why did this happen-" Fuji tried to stop Liu Kang by grabbing at his wrist, but she saw something that shocked him.

Liu Kang's eyes were red as if he had been crying not too long ago.

"…What happened…"

There's a long pause between them. All that Liu Kang does is slightly tilt his head toward her, his white eyes meeting hers, before saying, "I'm sorry, Fuji. Your brother has been relieved from his service…And this will be the last time we will see each other."

And just like that, Liu Kang left. Fuji watched Liu Kang leave, fading away on the horizon with more questions than answers.

"Ugh…My head."

Fuji nearly scares herself when she hears Raiden moving about in the other room. She rushes back to him and helps support her brother when she sees he is still unsteady.

"Raiden! Liu Kang, your boss from the States, dropped you off, and you're bandaged and unconscious, and Liu wouldn't tell me why you were like this and-"

"whoa, whoa, Fuji, slow down! Start over; who's Liu Kang again?"

Fuji pauses. "…Liu Kang…Your boss…"

"Fuji, I have no idea who that man is," Raiden hisses in pain as his muscles ache again. It's only now that he realizes that he was bandaged. "Did he do this?"

"I-I don't know. I thought…I thought you would tell me…"

"Well, I don't know who I angered to get this treatment, but if this Liu Kang fellow helped me back home, I'm surely appreciative. I need to lay back down. Can you get me a hot towel, please?"

Fuji helped her brother back to bed and gave him his requested towel, but she found herself staying in his room for the entire night as if she were a child again. She couldn't sleep as she was plagued with questions about what happened to Raiden. Better yet, the line of work that he was in that he got this terrible treatment. And unfortunately, she might never get those answers again. Raiden doesn't remember anything in the past couple of years, even seemingly forgotten about Kung Lao's death and funeral. His memories were missing, and he couldn't give a reliable answer to what happened in his life past the day that he went into Madam Bo's restaurant after a bet with Kung Lao.

Even worse, she can't ask Liu Kang. Because just as he promised and foretold, they never saw Liu Kang again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2: Thunderstorms in Spring

~The Netherrealms - Undisclosed time and place~

Sulfur, ash, smoke, burning stone, and landscapes; the smell of the Netherrealm. Although Raiden's memories are fuzzy at best and nonexistent at worst, he remembers this in near clarity. His vision presents him looking up at the hellish sky as if he's lying down on the ground. He remembers not moving; it's too painful to move. He remembers breathing heavily. Is it because of the suffocating air of the Netherrealms? Or perhaps because of the blinding pain that Raiden remembers experiencing.

He can remember not just hissing and groaning in pain but screaming and writhing-silently begging for it to end. In this mnemonic dream, everything was selective regarding what he saw, heard, smelled, and tasted. For taste, he can taste the iron of his own blood mixed in with something foul. Could it be the rancid air or the fact that this mixture almost tasted acidic?

His hearing in this dream is quite literally selective. Some people sounded horribly muffled, requiring Raiden to strain his ears to hear them. Others, he could perceive with great clarity, and then there were those he could not hear at all, their lips moving with no audible sound. Then there was his sight. Like the other senses, Raiden was faced with blurred faces, some only possessing one discernable feature, such as their eyes, nose, mouths, ears, hair, etc. Others were utterly faceless to Raiden, with only their speech or smell being the one thing Raiden could cling to.

But what often overrode all these senses was the overwhelming pain he felt at this moment. Three figures stood above him. One was featureless; the only distinguishing aspect of this entity was that they were female-presenting as their speech sounded feminine, but it was horribly dimmed. Another figure was only distinguishable thanks to the glowing eyes they possessed and distinct dragon tattoos that crawled up their arms. If Raiden concentrates, he can maybe recollect what this individual is saying, but this pain prevents him from doing so.

Then there was Kung Lao. His long-time best friend, Kung Lao. Out of all the figures in front of Raiden in this instance, Kung Lao-he could see and hear with such perspicuity. Kung Lao stood beside the lying Raiden, tears in his eyes, slurring his speech, holding tightly to the thunder wielders' shaking hand.

"It's ok, Raiden! It's ok, you're going to be ok!" Kung Lao sobbed, trying, but failing, to smile at Raiden despite his tears actively gracing Raiden's face.

Raiden doesn't remember if he said anything back to him. His sight throughout this scene remained on his friend…At least, he thinks they're friends. A foreign feeling encompasses him whenever he looks at Lao, and it's an overwhelming sense of love. People can definitely love their best friends. He and Kung Lao had known each other since they were children. Lao was a reckless, poor kid, and Raiden was a boy from a well-off family. Despite their class differences, they saw something likable about the other. But this love was more than just having a natural affinity for someone he's known all his life.

This felt…Stronger? Louder? Raiden doesn't know how to describe it. If it wasn't for the pain, Raiden would get lost in Kung Lao's chocolate eyes. He would untie his short ponytail and play with his hair before readjusting his look. Raiden notices little details about his friend that others might not have picked up on. Like his dimples when he smiles, even under such stressful circumstances, the way his face piercings adds to his cocky personality, and his undercut brings back fond memories of the pair trying to learn how to cut his hair which ended disastrously. Raiden wanted…To kiss him dearly…

And just like how Raiden held his perspective on Lao, Kung Lao hasn't torn away his gaze on Raiden, spitting out promises of what they will do together once Raiden was right as rain in rapid fire. What ended up redirecting Kung Lao's attention was when the figure with the glowing eyes mumbled something.

"What?" Kung Lao snaps his head over to the tattooed figure with hopeful confusion on his face.

Raiden could not understand this tattooed individual fully. However, he was able to catch on to some words: Amulet, Raiden, Entity, and Consequences. The fully faceless being, who was also present, gestures as if they're conversing with the pair - but Raiden cannot hear their input on the matter.

"I don't care how you do it! I…I just want him to survive! Please, Liu! Save him! Save Raiden!" Kung Lao cries, holding onto Raiden's hand like his life depended on it. As if, if he didn't clutch onto Raiden, he would lose him forever.

The tattooed individual holds their gaze toward Kung Lao, their silence and body language hinting that they were…Uneased and uncertain. The tattooed looks at the feminine figure and nods, saying something in the mumbled jargon they spoke. But the three individuals in front of Raiden were all in agreement. They were going to save him. He was going to survive this…Somehow.

Kung Lao focuses back on Raiden, smiling at his downed friend. "Look at me. Look at me, Raiden. You're going to be alright! Liu is gonna help ya. You…" Kung Lao looks Raiden over, primarily where his stomach is. Why was he looking there? "You're going to be alright. I love you. I love you so much, and I'm not going to let you die, ok?"

Raiden feels his heart flutter as if Kung Lao said something that would've usually made the thunder wielder swoon. But what was it?Despite being able to understand everything Kung Lao was telling him, his dream censored him; twice it did. Raiden feels something swell within him, this desire to respond to Kung Lao. Words at the tip of his tongue that he wanted to get out.

But then the pain gets worse. A LOT worse. His body was on fire. As if electricity was coursing through his body. Raiden screams, making sounds one would not think a human could make. He writhes, so much so that he feels someone holding him down. He remembers wanting it to stop, that dying was a better alternative than enduring this much pain.

-

Raiden jolts awake, sitting upright, sweaty, and breathing heavily. His eyes roam about his room, taking stock of what's around him. It was just a dream. He's in his room, in his bed. Not in…That hellish place…Whatever that was. Yet, he's not calming down. It felt real, too real. The pain, the heat, the people talking to him. It was as if he experienced it before, and a part of himself felt like it was factual. But it was so…Surreal…

"Ugh! Aaah!" Raiden clutches his stomach, where his lower and upper body meet. It's happening again.

He can feel static dancing off his person in painful waves, coursing through his body from his stomach. He doubles over as he clutches his stomach in a hugging position. He can feel it wanting to get out again, this strange, unknown power, as it swells in electric prowess, begging to be let out.

"Raiden? Raiden!" Fuji's voice sounds distant, yet tangible, as she rushes to her brother's side. "Raiden, what's wrong? Is it happening aga-ah!" Fuji feels a jolt of electricity shock her, and she pulls away from touching her brother.

Raiden hisses through the growing pain, "Y-yes, it's happening again! It's stronger this time!"

"Come on, let's get you outside!" Fuji says hurriedly as she quickly dresses herself in whatever she can get her hands on in her brother's room.

Raiden groans as he tries to remove himself from his bed, something he doesn't want to do right now, but ends up rolling off the mattress onto the floor with an audible grunt. Fuji is quick to Raiden's side again and helps him up with all her strength. Despite having a sleeper build in terms of muscularity and being leanly built, he was heavy to carry and drag around for someone of her strength and stature.

"Come on, come on, let's go, Raiden! We're almost to the door; let's go!" Fuji tries to encourage her brother.

"I-I'm trying, Ji. It hurts!" Raiden whines.

They both get past the front door and rush to hop onto Fuji's motorbike. She revs the engine and speeds away down the road, biking to a remote area, so her brother can let out…Whatever the fuck is going on with him.

"We're almost out of here, Raiden! Just give me-HOLY SHIT!"

Suddenly, an arc of lightning strikes the ground, deadly close to them. It's only now that Fuji notices that the night clouds above crackled with thunder and lightning.

"Raiden, control yourself! Just give me 2 minutes! AAH!" Fuji dodges a lightning strike that landed 3 seconds ahead of them.

"I'M TRYING!" Raiden shouts in pain, his hair and eyes glowing intensely as the amulet's power strengthens.

Throughout the trip, Raiden KNOWS that he was unintentionally shocking his sister, the poor farm boy constantly apologizing as he tries to reign in the energies coming off him.

Fuji is able to bob & weave around the constant lightning strikes and endure the shocks her brother kept giving her, just enough to reach not just the outskirts of the village but into the remote parts outside their settlement. Once they were a good 30 minutes away from Fengjian, Fuji slowed down to park her bike, but this would nearly cost her. As they were about to stop, another lightning strike hits them from behind, kicking up dirt, debris, and their bike. The motorbike ends up being tipped forward forcefully, sending the siblings flying.

Fuji screams as she soars above the ground before crashlanding into the tall grass nearby. Although she didn't gain that much air, thanks to her slowing down not too long ago, she still felt her ears ringing and her head and muscles aching. She makes sharp gasps as she slightly rolls in pain.

"Damnit, Raiden," Fuji hisses. "Fuck, Raiden! Raiden?" Fuji picks herself up, almost losing her footing, as she frantically looks for her older brother.

The sounds of her brother screaming gave her an idea of where he was at. Fuji could see lighting bouncing off his person as he was in the fetal position. As Fuji was attempting to approach him, Raiden yelled out to her, "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

Fuji immediately stops in her tracks, watching her brother uselessly as he suffers. Ever since he came back home a year and a half ago, ever since Liu Kang dropped her brother off at their family home, he's had these strange abilities. But nothing like this. It has never gotten this bad! It's gotten out of control. Whatever's happening to Raiden, it's trying to get out. Fuji anxiously scours through her brain as she considers WHAT she can do to help her brother that she hasn't done before. But…BUT WHAT THE FUCK WOULD ANYONE DO IN THIS SITUATION!?! Her brother is becoming a malfunctioning transmission tower! No amount of guidance from their parents, friends, workmates, or even TikTok inspiration posts could prepare her to handle this!

There is one thing she notices about her brother in this situation. It's almost as if he's trying to hold back whatever this electrifying beast is. This gives her an idea.

"R-Raiden! Raiden, you need to let go! You can't keep holding back…Whatever this is!" Fuji shouts as loud as she can, the raging thunder clouds, cracks of lightning, and howling wind overpowering her voice.

"NO!" Raiden screams in response, fear heavily apparent in his tone. "I-FUCK-I'LL HURT YOU! LIKE LAST TIME, I'LL HURT YOU!"

Oh…

Fuji stares at Raiden as that incident plays in her head again.

It was a couple months since Liu Kang returned her brother home. Raiden was…He was going through alot. What with his sudden memory loss and having to come to terms with the lost memories, Raiden was silently coping with this alone. It's unnatural for him to bottle up his emotions. Fuji has always known her brother to speak his mind when something troubled him…Then again, his trusted confidant when he didn't want to turn to his family was Kung Lao…Who's dead…Even Madam Bo Raiden couldn't look to for guidance and comfort; she died many years ago. Peacefully, surrounded by her family. Despite their natural trust for each other as siblings, Raiden clearly avoided speaking with her about what he was thinking and feeling.

And it finally came overhead when the siblings had a mild dispute. She doesn't even remember what they were arguing about. Could've been typical brother/sister shit. Maybe she finally confronted him about his silence and reluctance to speak about what had happened to him. Regardless, things got a bit personal, and Raiden, who is usually the patient and calm one, even during their little disagreement bouts, lashed out.

And quite literally, he lashed out. Fuji probably should've seen the telltale signs when his eyes and hair gave a dim, white glow, but she was too riled up in the conversation to pay attention. Then it happened. Raiden yelled back at her, and suddenly, an arc of lightning erupted from him. Striking Fuji.

With a highly concentrated energy of electricity, it shocked her to the point that her body shut down temporarily…But Raiden didn't see it like that at the moment. His sister, his closest friend aside from Kung Lao, was lying on the kitchen floor, dead. Their elderly parents arrived home to see Raiden sobbing loudly as he tried to revive his sister while lightning was pulsing off him. They couldn't get close enough to reach the phone to call for emergency services as arcs of lightning were going everywhere in the house, practically destroying it. And maybe the constant shock of electricity restarted Fuji and kept her from fully kneeling over. Who knows, there was a lot of pandemonium going on at that moment. Still, she remembered jolting back to life, breathing heavily as she tried to scoot away from her brother.

But there was one thing she regretted that day. She was so scared of Raiden that she had the look of someone seeing a monster, a threat.

Fuji can ascertain that he's been holding it in ever since that day. Because he's scared of hurting her again. And sure, they would both go out of town to a remote area to let Raiden air out and release the energies of the amulet infused to his body. But there was a deafening disconnect since that day. And it pains Fuji that it wasn't until now that she realized she'd shut Raiden out because she was scared of her brother.

Another painful cry emits from Raiden. The storms above were becoming dangerous; Fuji felt like the roaring winds would sweep her off her feet. Although Fuji was scared of her brother's mystical prowess, she loved him more than she feared him.

"Raiden, you're not going to hurt me! I know you won't; I trust that you won't!" Fuji has to now scream over the raging storm as she puts some further distance between her and her brother, readjusting her fallen motorbike. "Whatever you're holding on to, you must let it go!"

"Fuji, I-"

"Raiden, don't you fucking argue with me!" Fuji shouts, using her "mom voice." Fuji might be just as soft-spoken as her brother, but she knew when to assert herself and take up space when needed. "You're going to harm me far worse the longer you keep holding on to...Well, that! You'll destroy all of Fengjian doing what you're doing RIGHT NOW!"

Fuji can't say for sure that it will. But storms like this can definitely level villages, and she's not about to wait and find out if this is the case. Fuji yelps loudly as a soaring large tree branch flies by her, the dark-haired sister ducking behind her bike for safety. There's another resounding scream from Raiden, and she looks in his direction with extreme worry. However, there was something different about this scene.

Raiden was howling, sure, but he was releasing the energies of the amulet. The storm around this time worsens so much that Fuji holds onto her, albeit skidding, bike while screaming herself.

Then it...Stops...The roiling thunder, the crack of lightning, the raging winds calmed. Fuji opens her eyes and looks to the still-night sky, the dark clouds slowly parting to reveal the gibbous moon above, the sound of thunder now becoming an infrequent presence. When she finally takes a look at her brother...She might as well be looking at an all-powerful being, maybe even a god.

Raiden was levitating, hair and clothes flowing as if he were in water, sparks of electricity visibly coursing through his being as his hair and eyes glowed a godly white. Fuji stared in awe as electric energies sparked off him, unsure of how else to take in this scene in front of her. Her brother would soon gracefully touch the ground again before kneeling over. Fuji cautiously approaches her brother as if entering an emperor's throne room unannounced.

"...Raiden?"

"...Yeah?" Now sounding like his usual, soft-spoken self, Raiden looks up at his sister. His face plastered with the same amazement as she possessed.

"Are you...Ok?"

"I think so," Raiden looks himself over, watching the energies pulse around him. "...Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm alright now."

"What was that? This never happened before." Fuji starts getting more bold as she approaches her brother. She wanted to dust him down but hesitated as the energies continued encompassing Raiden.

Raiden is quiet for a moment. During this silence, the electrical current finally dissipated. "...I'm sorry, Fuji."

"For what?"

"For...For everything."

Fuji's heart nearly breaks the moment she hears Raiden's voice crack. Raiden's eyes become glassy as he begins to cry. "No. No, Raiden," Fuji takes the first step to break the space between them, holding his shaking hand in hers. "I should be the one apologizing. I...I won't pretend I know what happened to you that caused all this. These strange powers, you're new color," Fuji brushes some stray hair behind Raiden's ear, "Or why you can't remember the past...I don't even know how many years."

"But you clearly needed help. I can't assist with any physical help, but I can help with this," Fuji pokes at his heart, smiling at her elder brother. "I was scared of you, Raiden...Because you became...Unrecognizable to me. But I was wrong to emotionally shut you out. You're still my brother, and I'm going to still be your sister."

Raiden chuckles, smiling through his tears as he fondly looks at Fuji. "Thank you, sis."

"Now come on, we best get home. Mom and Dad, if they're not awake already, will be worried about why we were gone during an active storm. Also, you're still in your underwear."

"What?" Raiden looks at himself, finally realizing that he's still in a t-shirt and boxers. "W-why didn't you help me get dressed!?!"

"You were literally screaming and shooting lightning out of your hands; what did you want me to do?" Fuji responds as she gets her motorbike prepped for departure.

"I would've been fine with a hoodie or something," Raiden says, now in a bit of a jesting mood. He does notice that his sister is wearing his clothes and points at her. "Can you at least hand me my hoodie?"

"Can't. Not wearing anything under this."

"I can literally see your PJs under there, Ji."

"Ok, but it's cold. No thanks to you," Fuji sticks her tongue at him teasingly.

The pair continue their sibling banter as they return to Fengjian. The back & forth is interrupted as Raiden grows silent suddenly. Growing increasingly uncomfortable with the silence, Fuji breaks the ice.

"Something on your mind?"

Raiden remains still.

"...Come on, Raiden. If something is troubling you...Listen, I might not have all the answers, but at least let me know what's going on."

-

~Two Days Later~

Raiden closes the mirrored medicine cabinet, the soft click of the small door indicating it was successfully shut. Raiden is faced with his reflection. White, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes (that occasionally turn blue-white, he has noticed), upside-down heart-shaped face, chubby cheeks, oval brows; these features he has seen time and time again. Yet, this look still feels...Foreign to him. How did he get the white hair? Nothing in his memories can track down the point in time when he dyed his hair. Fuji claims that he dyed his hair some time ago...

He looked...Older. As if he's experienced many things in his life. What those experiences are, though, he couldn't tell you. Raiden places a hairband in his mouth as he gathers his strands to recreate the man-bun he fondly prefers to wear. It's the one thing that gives him a sense of familiarity. He can remember precisely how he favors pinning up his hair. Raiden looks at himself in the mirror again, staring into his reflections' brown eyes as if searching for something behind them. His gaze then focuses on a small picture. The photo was taken when he, Kung Lao, and Fuji went on a school trip in elementary school. Their class went fishing that day, and he can distinctly remember his kid self getting frustrated because he couldn't catch a single fish that day. Despite living in a village that was on the water, fishing wasn't a skill Raiden acquired. He remembers Kung Lao always being able to catch a large or small one, bragging about how he was going to take his catches back home to eat.

Perhaps it was Kung Lao's bragging that made his younger self jealous and throw a fit. But in that same instance, Kung Lao taught him the tricks he used to capture fish. It was Kung Lao that turned that sour trip into a journey he will never forget.

...

Why can't he remember anything? Past that day, when the pair competed to see who could harvest the most cabbages and pay for the loser's meal at Madam Bo's, everything else was a blur. And maybe this wouldn't bother him much; people can have fuzzy memories, especially if they were beaten so severely they had to be bandaged with extreme care by a stranger. But it's not just a few memories that he can't recollect; it's practically all of them past that day at Madam Bo's. Even more alarming...

...He had forgotten that his best friend, Kung Lao, had died. Now, unless he's getting a grave case of early dementia, who would miss that their own best friend died, their own funeral procession? When his sister and parents came forward about this with him, it was only then that Raiden realized that some years passed as well. That meant that he was missing years-YEARS-of life experiences that were now gone from his mind. Even more confusing, he wasn't in a coma. At least, he doesn't think he was.

Based on what Fuji and his parents told him, some man named Liu Kang offered him a position of high-paying work. It required him to work in the United States, and both he and Kung Lao were offered the job; both men said yes to this opportunity. Looking back at it, in his family's words, they should've pushed back further as they were suspicious of this Liu Kang fellow and this job he was offering their son. But seeing the joy on Raiden's face and his determination to leave with Liu Kang convinced them that their son could handle themselves and pave his own future.

Occasionally, he would visit home and send money & unique souvenirs before returning to the States. Apparently, he was a martial arts teacher in the States, but everything else was unknown to them. It was a shock to everyone when they heard that Kung Lao died. It came out of left field. Based on what Liu Kang and Raiden told them, an accident happened where some equipment malfunctioned and blew up in Kung Lao's face, a lacerated throat being the primary cause of death. After that, Raiden was radio silent to his family. It wasn't until Liu Kang came to their house in the dead of night years later with Raiden in tow, bandaged and bruised, and left without another word. They haven't seen Liu Kang since.

Aside from the mild inconsistencies (if he was in the States while his family was in China, of course, there would be some muddled details), their story was pretty straightforward based on their point of view...Yet, deep down, Raiden couldn't help but...Feel like there's more to this story. Not that he's distrustful of his family; he truly believes what they say. However, deep within his conscience, it felt like the story they told him was the tale he WANTED them to believe. It was as if Raiden knew the truth that explained the holes and contradictions that riddled their recollection of previous events. Yet, the answers to these truths are hidden even from Raiden. Always at the tip of his tongue but forbidden from ever speaking them.

Raiden enters the kitchen; his mother and sister prepare breakfast and lunch for Raiden. Seeing him enter, Fuji smiles from ear to ear. "You slept in, lazy butt."

"Oh?" Raiden looks at the mounted clock, and yep! He's an hour and thirty minutes late to work. "Aw, crap!"

"Calm yourself, boy. I already called the Farm. They were understanding and said to come in when you're ready." His mother says as she sets down a bowl full of steamed Bao Buns. Enough to last until lunch, really.

Looking at the bowl, Raiden knew why they cooked so much. Kung Lao, the gluttonous butt he was, would always visit Raiden so that they could travel to work together. And without fail, he was always raiding their kitchen for any leftovers no one else wanted. It became nearly tradition to cook a bit extra in case Kung Lao decided to pay them a visit.

...Apparently, old habits die hard...Raiden smiles and kisses his mother gingerly on the cheek. "Thank you, mother. I don't want to keep them longer, though. I'll see you guys when I get back." Raiden quickly packs his own lunch, thanks to the assistance of his sister, Fuji, who was already 3 steps ahead of him and grabs a couple Bao Buns before heading out of the house.

Walking to the Farm, Raiden couldn't help but feel a sorrowful, almost lonely, acceptance of the village around him. Every building, path, small body of water, old face, new face, everything about Fengjian felt like a ghost to him. It was familiar, yet so dissimilar to Raiden. This village has grown in the past years he was in and out of this settlement. But what disheartens him is the absence of his friend. Raiden only wishes that Kung Lao was here; perhaps he would've helped him make sense of all of this. This...Amnesia mess that he's in. And Raiden would've confided with Madam Bo...You know, if she were still alive. Her death had more consistency; she simply died of old age. It was still a shock; she was his adopted grandmother in Raiden's eyes. So, in Raiden's mind, he lost not only a close friend but also a family member and valuable mentor.

Raiden found himself staring at points of interest that held significance to him, especially if it related to Kung Lao. There was a cherry blossom tree up a hill nearby that he and Lao would frequent without fail. Be it to do school work, to see who can climb that tree the fastest and highest, or to chill. It was there that Kung Lao, at the age of 15, expressed his desire to explore their horizons past Fengjian. Raiden still grins to himself, thinking back on the many adventurers Kung Lao wanted to have. Although a few of them were a bit exaggerated. They both promised that they would travel outside of Fengjian once they were older and experience the world together. Somewhere, deep down, Raiden feels like this has come true if they have gone to the States before...But it feels like there was more to it than simply hopping over to another country.

There's a convenience store nearby where Kung Lao's house was. It was a favorite, and every time the pair visited it, Kung Lao would rant and rave about all the many meals one could make from just a few store-bought convenience items. Being a child of a middle-class family, Raiden was always baffled by the "dishes" Kung Lao would make, most of them hit or miss due to the cheap ingredients. But Kung Lao loved to cook. He probably would've wanted to become a chef with the kind of passion he had. But Kung Lao cooked to survive due to...

Then there was the Farm. They were always getting into some kind of trouble there. Playing daring jokes on each other, helping one another with the back-breaking labor, then the fulfilling trip to Madam Bo's Teahouse. All fond memories.

Before Raiden knew it, the day was already reaching its finale. Raiden worked overtime, something he was often known to do. And working such late hours without Kung Lao there was...Disheartening. Kung Lao wouldn't assist in the work. In his mind, his shift ended at 5:30 P.M. But he would at least stay with Raiden. To provide him company during the late hours. This time around, the nightlife critters and beasts were his only company. The walk home was seemingly worse. The darkened village felt quiet, with only a few shops open with loud commotion. Friends hanging out and enjoying a good drink together as they drank and ate the rest of the evening away.

The only moment of solace Raiden gained was when he walked back into his house. His mother, father, and sister were loud in conversation as they went over the recent village gossip, news & politics, and pastime activities they engaged in. It was a breath of fresh air having this personal community that broke the solemn silence that his best friend filled. The night ended with Raiden sitting down with his family and enjoying the dinner they made. It closed with him and his sister, Fuji, cleaning up after their parents as they turned in early for the night.

"Hey."

"Hmm?" Raiden glances at Fuji as he continues cleaning up the dishes.

"You feeling ok?" Fuji eyes him curiously.

Two days ago, Raiden finally came forward with Fuji about the emptiness he's been feeling. Even though he's in a village that he was born & raised in, filled with familiar faces and family, the fact of the matter is that he dearly missed Kung Lao. But...But it was more than just grieving for a best friend. As if Kung Lao filled deeper shoes than just simply being a friend. When he's in bed, he feels like the mattress is too big all of a sudden. He can't eat certain dishes because it will all remind him of Lao. He finds himself crying to himself because he forgot for a moment that Kung Lao would not answer his door or his phone if Raiden were to call. All these things, even as a best friend, would be reasonable to miss and grieve over. But there was something more to their friendship than that.

"Do you think you loved him?" Raiden remembers Fuji asking him when he came forward with this.

"...I don't know...And if I did...Now I have to reconcile with the fact that I'll never get to tell him..."

Raiden smiles at his sister and playfully bumps shoulders with her. "Now that I'm home? I'm feeling good. The rice and pork was delicious, Fuji."

"I know, right! I used this new spice that my friends were crazy about. It's a Korean spice-"

Fuji rambled on about how she made the dish they had for dinner, and Raiden eagerly listened and conversed with her. Even though Kung Lao was gone, he could try to fill that space with more people who loved him.

-

Outside the residence where Raiden lived, a shadowed figure rests on the rooftops of the sleeping Fengjian village, watching the building like a predator that has found its prey. Blazing red eyes stare through the open windows, watching closely the two figures who pass it daily, unaware they have an interested third party observing them. The being in question, however, was laser-focused on Raiden, watching his every move, taking them to memory. The show would be over, unfortunately, as they closed the curtains and cut off the lights, slumbering like the rest of the village.

The shadowed individual smiles, "Worry not, Raiden. We'll be reunited soon enough. You'll see. Then not even death will tear us apart."

And in a flash of mystical air and dead cherry blossom petals, the figure is gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3: A Burning Tree

No one has seen Liu Kang, not since he disbanded the Earthrealm Warriors. Barely a week after that disbandment, Liu Kang became a ghost in his own academy. None of the monks or students can confidently say where they last saw the Fire God. One moment, he's confined to his meditation area, then at the zen garden or his private quarters. Other times, no one knows where Liu Kang is at all.

Shujinko still remembers that day when Liu Kang called all his champions to inform them of the news. Old and new Earthrealm warriors were gathered for the news, and what Liu Kang announced came as a shock to everyone.

"I may have made a…Selfish choice when I chose each of you to become defenders of Earthrealm. The timeline I originated from, many of you were there as well. Protecting and fighting for our home against threats within and outside of Earthrealm…And with this new era, I foolishly assumed that I could…Replicate the connections that were made before. I have taken up all of your time with new worries, wounds, and ripped you away from the lives you once had before. So…I'm giving you the option…To walk away. From all of this. To return to your homes, your families, the life before I found you. There will be no shame or dishonor if you choose to retire the mantle. I wish each of you a fulfilling life…And I'm sorry."

Shujinko still remembers the near-unified gasp and murmurs that filled the room and the questions that erupted at that moment as everyone tried to make sense of Liu Kang's decision. Liu Kang answered any questions that were brought to him, but Shujinko could tell that Liu Kang was set on his decision. Despite Liu Kang's stance on discontinuing Earthrealms defenders, many opted to continue their service to their realm, especially when Kuai Liang, Tomas, and Ashra argued against Liu Kang's decision to weaken Earthrealms defenses. And where Liu Kang would've listened to their concerns carefully and worked with others to meet in the middle, the Fire God did none of that, uncharacteristically so. It seemed no amount of concrete arguments was going to sway Liu Kang into reconsidering.

If anything, the Shirai Ryu leaders and Ashra's zeal encouraged others to stay and maintain their positions as Earthrealms protectors. After all they've been through, how could one do so? Discovering mystical powers that they all thought to be mythical, experiencing breathtaking realms beyond their own, and for few, the soul-changing truth and reality of their existence. For others, they might not have a home to return to; a life either filled with too many hurtful memories, broken relationships, or homes gone to the wind to never return again. All of that is nigh impossible to walk away from…But walk away, few did.

Their reasons for leaving were their own, and they left with their excuses. But some couldn't return to a normal life for the aforementioned reasons. They knew too much, saw too much; for some, a bit too much. Like a soldier returning from a grueling war, reconciling an average living after spending years, months, maybe even weeks under the wing of Liu Kang and his academy would be much to bear on the psyche. Almost ominously, Liu Kang promised to fix that for them.

What was done to these warriors was not publicly told. Still, Shujinko heard rumors and whispers about Liu Kang wiping away the memories of those who couldn't find it in themselves to leave behind their new life to return to their old one. It's presumed it's a consensual exchange, and Shujinko wants to believe that Liu Kang gave them the choice to lose those memories. But there was something disheartening about knowing that old friends Shujinko knew during his time in the Wu Shi Academy now viewed him as a regular stranger. That some returned home and will never recognize the faces of those whom they considered allies, friends, and maybe even lovers.

Shujinko would know that pain. He experienced it before.

-

Raiden, long before he was exposed to the same memory wipe...When he was...Changed by his former master's death, he revealed why there were gaps and contradictions in his memories. At that time, Shujinko noticed a change that was present in everyone. People were avoiding him, few wanted to train with him, and others spoke to him in such a careful manner as if they were hiding something from the young pupil. Before Kung Lao, Raiden nor Liu Kang would explain why he was treated differently, chalking it up to his new classmates needing time to get to know him.

And for a long time, Shujinko believed that...Until Raiden broke the news to him. It practically came out of nowhere when Raiden revealed this to Shujinko. Shujinko's training was placed in the hands of the thunder wielder. After Kung Lao's death, he was far rougher and blunt than before, pointing out all his flaws but giving little instruction on how to improve. Even Shujinko's ability to copy other's abilities couldn't prepare him how to fight properly. At times, Shujinko thought that Raiden used their time training together as an excuse to use him as a punching bag. None of the other masters at the academy were as ruthless as Raiden, even the ones who were notorious for being a "tough love" type of mentor. Shujinko slowly began to dread training with Raiden...Feared him even. It was almost like Raiden had some...Sick, twisted desire to break his spirit, along with those he encountered.

It was the day when Shujinko practically BEGGED Raiden to stop his assault on him, clearly yielding, nay, submitting, to the thunder wielder. His glowing white hair and eyes, along with the sparks of lightning bouncing off him, becoming an image Shujinko, even to this day, has a hard time disassociating from his idea of what Raiden is. Raiden gave him a light but firm kick, forcing Shujinko on his back after leaning on his side. Raiden walked a short distance away from him, taking in the mountainous view of the academy. Shujinko took that moment to breathe since Raiden rarely gave him breaks anymore.

"...You've been slightly improving, Shujinko," Raiden kept his eyes trained on the scene before him, his voice tainted with a sinister tone.

Shujinko only moved his eyes to look at his master, remaining silent, for he feared that saying anything would rile the thunder wielder. Especially since the clouds have been a dangerous gray for a long time since they started their brawl.

"But you're barely where you need to be. Not like you used to be, anyways." Raiden gibed, still keeping his view on the mountainous regions ahead.

Shujinko KNOWS he shouldn't talk back; he learned a long time ago with this...New Raiden, what happens when he talks back to him. But something deep inside the young monk wanted to bite back at Raiden. After all this time under Raiden's wing, he's been nothing but demeaning to Shujinko. Everything the pupil did seemingly irritated Raiden to no end. If anything, the reason he's 'barely where he needs to be' is because Raiden beats him to near death and doesn't actually teach him! Not like he used to, at least!

Without thinking, Shujinko opened his mouth, venom escaping his lips as he responded to Raiden, "Maybe I would be getting better if you didn't constantly beat the 'lesson' out of me. You know, like how a true master would teach their student. Even Kung Lao knew that."

There was a threatening pause, a silence Shujinko didn't feel until he heard the frightening sound of thunder in the air. It wasn't until now that Shujinko realized where he first fucked up, especially when he put Kung Lao's name in the conversation. Shujinko quickly sat himself up, hissing in pain slightly as his muscles began to strain, and he was reminded that his left leg was sprained. Raiden still paid him no mind, keeping the stillness between them. Shujinko knew a possible beatdown was waiting for him, so he tried to sneak away as quickly as possible.

"You know, before General Shao, you were the first person to make an attempt on Kung Lao's life."

Shujinko froze upon hearing that, twisting his head to look at Raiden. He almost wished he hadn't that day because the look of Raiden looking at Shujinko over his shoulder, white eyes staring deep into his soul, was another unforgettable image he could never scrub from his mind. His mind was swimming with questions. What did Raiden mean? That he almost killed Kung Lao? Never has he ever intentionally attempted to hurt his former master.

"W-what do you mean, master? I would never hurt Master Kung-"

"It's reasonable that you don't remember, you copycat pest," Raiden chastised, making Shujinko feel goosebumps all over his body when Raiden gave him his full attention. "Liu Kang wiped it all away, the memories of the time you got power hungry and nearly compromised the sanctity of the realms."

This all came as a shock to Shujinko as he stared at Raiden stupidly, not registering that Raiden was slowly approaching him.

"And honestly, I think Liu Kang was too kind to you. I should've seen the threat you would become from a mile away. Especially when I watched you nearly snap Kung Lao's neck with your own bare hands. You should've been put down like the dog you were and still are." Raiden continued his encroaching walk toward Shujinko, his hair and eyes glowing with power as red static encompassed him.

Shujinko uselessly backs away from Raiden but is too frightened to take his eyes off the thunder wielder. "N-no. No, no, no, I would never-"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T REMEMBER DOESN'T MEAN IT NEVER HAPPENED, SHUJINKO," Raiden shouts at the confused pupil, an arc of lightening crashing next to the cowering student, dangerously close for comfort.

"R-RAIDEN, PLEASE, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Shujinko shrieks as he tries to regain his footing, ready to book it out of there.

But he wasn't fast enough, especially with his sprained leg that slowed him down further. Raiden zapped him with multiple streams of lightning straight from his fingertips as he tased Shujinko, the pained screams of his student bringing great inner delight to Raiden, to the amulet. "You're a threat to our realm, to all the realms. You could've been a valuable asset, but Liu Kang is too busy playing the peaceful politician to utilize you as a weapon. Too busy teaching you about harmony and peace when there are actual world-ending threats out there that could be stomped out if we didn't hold ourselves back. That's what killed Kung Lao..."

Shujinko groans in agony as he tries to get away, Raiden's constant assault making it difficult to move any part of his body. "RAIDEN, PLEASE!"

"...So, I guess the only way you won't become a potential threat is if you are never a threat at all." Raiden began to intensify the bolts of lighting, the sounds of Shujinko howling in pain becoming music to his ears.

"RAIDEN!"

Finally, the lightning stopped, and Shujinko collapsed from the constant strain on his body. Raiden snapped his head towards Liu Kang, the one who gained his attention before he could finally kill Shujinko. The Fire God rushed to the unconscious student before angrily looking at Raiden.

"You could've killed him, Raiden! What's gotten into you!?!"

Raiden stared at Liu Kang, not answering him but not showing any signs of guilt either. After a brief pause, Raiden turned his back on the pair and walked away.

"Raiden! Don't you walk away from me! Rai-"

Before Liu Kang could stop him, Raiden disappeared in a flash of lightning. Something Liu Kang was all too familiar with; Lord Raiden would do the same thing if he were to exit a scene.

The next thing Shujinko knew, he was in the many medical care rooms of the Wu Shi Academy, receiving treatment for his wounds. Multiple nurses dressed his injuries before Liu Kang approached Shujinko, expressing how Raiden would no longer be responsible for training him and that he would be assigned to a new teacher. While that was a relief to his ears...Something else bothered Shujinko.

"...Is it true that I almost killed Kung Lao...That I almost destroyed the realms..."

Liu Kang was so taken aback by this that he didn't immediately answer him.

"...Is that why my memories are missing, Lord Liu Kang? Because I'm a threat?" Shujinko's voice starts to shake as he can feel an overwhelming dread take over him.

Even though Liu Kang didn't answer him, the silence was telling. Despite this, Liu Kang didn't conceal the truth from him. Yes, Shujinko did nearly become a threat to all the realms...And yes, regrettably, he did almost kill Kung Lao when they tried to subdue him. And there were others that Shujinko did kill...His best friend, Apep...Was one of the many casualties that Shujinko caused. All of this because Shujinko, at that time, became puffed up with pride and hungry for power. But it wasn't something that came out of nowhere. Liu Kang admitted that Kung Lao's early years as a master at the Wu Shi Academy taught him many lessons about humility, which Lao had to learn the hard way when teaching Shujinko the first time.

Liu Kang had no choice but to wipe his memories away, bringing him back to when he was first found by Liu Kang and his warriors. And like a house fire, the flames burned away nearly every inkling of his repertoire, leaving very little for Shujinko to remember. However, that also meant there was no way to recover those memories, even if Liu Kang wanted to return them. Much like a valued family heirloom that was destroyed during a fire, there is precious little that can recover the lost item.

While this meant that Shujinko would not be haunted by the constant reminder of his failures...It still pained him to think that he COULD be a threat to be reckoned with. If anything, he almost wished he never learned the truth. Living in ignorance would've been preferable to living in fear of himself.

-

Shujinko blinks, not realizing he's been standing idle in front of Liu Kang's private quarters for…Who knows how long. No one has seen Liu Kang-not since he disbanded the Earthrealm Warriors. Barely a week after that disbandment, Liu Kang became a ghost in his own academy. None of the monks can confidently say where they last saw the fire god. One moment, he's confined to his meditation area, then at the zen garden, or his private quarters. Other times, no one knows where Liu Kang is at all. Oftentimes, it was just best to leave offerings for the Fire God at his (once) usual spots and come back an hour later. Usually, the contents were gone upon returning to retrieve them.

Shujinko should leave the tray behind, knock on the door, then go. But something compelled him to linger a bit longer after the initial knock.

"…Lord Liu Kang?" Shujinko meekly calls out. He tries the door, and to his surprise, it was unlocked.

-

"Are you going to let me die? Like you did Lao?"

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO LIVE WITH ME. SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME! HIS FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

"I LOVED HIM, LIU KANG! WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVED HIM!!! AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!"

"Even if you didn't know fully that Kung Lao would die, why didn't you tell us! Why didn't you save him?"

"BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM BACK TO ME!"

"Why did you let him die."

"Why did you let him die."

"Why did you let him die."

Those words will always haunt Liu Kang. The pain in Raiden's voice, the intensity of his lightning strikes, the hatred he felt for Liu Kang. That's not something one can move on from, no matter how many years pass. But these words cut deeper than Raiden or anyone could ever imagine

-

In his youthful, mortal years, Liu Kang made the stupidest decision of his life and fell in love with a god. Of all the people he could dedicate his life to than the LITERAL GOD OF THUNDER. Liu would become another footnote in their unending life, an entity that will outlive him by decades, who probably went through multiple lovers. Not only that, but he was pretty much RAISED by this man. He practically went through the entire spectrum of relationships with Raiden, first strangers, then friends, mentor & student, father & son…And now Liu Kang wanted to add lovers to that?

Liu Kang, even then, tried to psyche himself out of falling for Raiden. He had many other suitors, plenty of girls and boys who threw themselves at the Shaolin Monk, and he had plenty of options to choose from. But no matter how he tried, his heart yearned for Raiden. If you asked Liu Kang how he discovered that he grew an affinity for Raiden…There was no straight answer.

Liu Kang can probably point to his formative years as a teen, when he was trying to traverse and reconcile with his growing and changing body. He remembered many times where he lingered at those he found attractive, one of those individuals being Raiden. But back then, Liu Kang assumed that he was just "admiring his physique" and using Raiden to motivate him to get stronger.

But the feelings of desire did not fade away as he grew older. If anything, they evolved. Soon, he was having silly daydreams about Raiden. Wondering how it would feel to be held protectively by the Thunder God as he lifted them away from danger. What his white mane must feel like, and how Raiden would react if Liu ran his fingers through his hair or braided it. Or perhaps how would Raiden feel if Liu put in the effort to make him a meal, something that Raiden would love. He started noticing little details about Raiden that none did, such as the light glow in Raiden's eyes when he was talking with someone he fancied or the age lines when he smiled. But then these innocent daydreams became…Fuel for more carnal wants. Soon, it developed into memorizing his physique for…Reasons.

Liu Kang began to wonder how it would feel to have Raiden pull at his hair, to whisper in his ear, to pin him down, speak sweet nothings to him, to claim Liu Kang as his, something Raiden could do at any point in time if he wished. A god could take whatever it wanted, and Liu Kang would've gladly let Raiden do whatever he desired with him.

But what outweighed the carnality and soft trances was his genuine love for Raiden. On the same note of noticing small characteristics of the Thunder God, Liu Kang did know of his favorite food (it's nuclear buffalo wings); he learned about Raiden's brother, Fujin, knew about the many adventures that Raiden partook in, both sad and joyful. Liu Kang KNEW Raiden, and it made him fall for the god most spectacularly.

But Liu Kang overstepped his boundaries. He and Raiden were sparing together as Liu Kang wanted to demonstrate to Raiden that he was ready for the Mortal Kombat tournament. It was a sweat-inducing endeavor as there was an intense back-and-forth, each of them blocking and countering the others' attacks before finally, Liu Kang gained the upper hand, pinning Raiden below him.

"Do you yield?" Liu Kang says, out of breath.

"Y-yes. I yield," Raiden, just as winded, replied as he shot Liu Kang with a reassuring smile. "You have improved thanks to Bo' Rai Cho's teachings."

"And I have you to thank for making me a recommendation," Liu readjusts himself, sitting up on top of Raiden while not applying much weight to the god below him.

There's a moment where Raiden and he are quiet after some idle talk, Liu Kang only noticing that Raiden was staring at him with a growing smile. "…What?"

"You are ready, Liu Kang. You will be the one who will save Earthrealm from Outworld's attempts to merge the realms under their tyranny."

Even though Raiden praised him countless times before, Liu Kang cannot help the growing heat from surfacing on his face. He faces away from Raiden before muttering, "You flatter me, Lord Raiden…"

"You'll need a constant reminder that I, along with every defender of Earthrealm, will be cheering for you during the tournament. The kombatants you encounter will test your might, vigor, and mental capacities. I believe you are ready. I know you will become the chosen defender that Earthrealm needs." Raiden softly professed as he leaned up, using his elbows to leverage himself.

Liu Kang looked at Raiden, meeting the Thunder God eye-to-eye. Liu Kang saw his whole world in Raiden's white pupils, soaking in every hint of emotion displayed before him.

"Liu Kang?"

Liu didn't even realize that he was leaning closer to Raiden.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

Liu Kang didn't even register that Raiden was asking questions.

Before Liu Kang knew it, he pressed his lips with Raiden's. At last, his hearing decided to work so that he could hear the surprised "mph!" noise from the Thunder God. It was perhaps Liu Kang's first kiss; he wasn't as adventurous as Kung Lao, who definitely had a few run-ins with various individuals. It being Liu Kang's first, it wasn't anything remarkable, but it was memorable to Liu Kang…But not for the reasons he would've wanted.

When they finally parted, Liu Kang felt like he could breathe again. The shocked expression plastered on Raiden's face, however, was unexpected. They both remain in total silence, neither making a move nor taking the first step to speak. Raiden would finally be the first to move, indicating that Liu Kang would finally get off the Thunder God. Liu Kang courteously helped Raiden back to his feet; his hand, however, did not leave Raiden's.

"…I…I must go," Raiden quickly excused himself, disconnecting his hand from Liu Kang.

Liu Kang watched Raiden leave, and the feeling of awkwardness and humiliation quickly overwhelmed him.

Since that day, the pair seemed to share the same idea of just avoiding each other. But where Liu Kang was avoiding Raiden out of embarrassment, Raiden...Liu Kang couldn't figure him out (that bit of mysteriousness always being an aspect of Raiden he did like). Before, Liu Kang didn't mind it, but when Liu Kang began to rediscover the courage to approach Raiden, the Thunder God was always turning the other way or shortening their conversations considerably. He could never get a moment with Raiden as he was always in discussion with someone else, busy with other matters, or needed to consult those Elder Gods.

But they would finally have a one-on-one a literal week before the official Mortal Kombat tournament. Liu Kang and Kung Lao sat with their Shaolin Monk brethren and family, the spiritual brothers jesting from across the table and talking about their eventful day. Raiden was missing from the scene, but he would suddenly appear in the mess hall where they were all meeting.

"Liu Kang, do you have a moment?"

Many faces turn to Liu Kang with curiosity. The same kind of energy children would have when one is called to the principal's office. Liu Kang feels a knot in his stomach, and he wipes his face with an available napkin, "Yes, Lord Raiden."

"Ooh~! You're in trouble~" Kung Lao jokes, releasing the tension effortlessly in the room.

Liu Kang smirks at his friend, throwing a dumpling at the razerhat wielder before skipping away from the table. Approaching Raiden and meeting him in the hallway, he noticed that Raiden continued walking further into the Shaolin Temple.

"Was there a reason for my audience, Lord Raiden?" Liu Kang finally asked after a couple turns here and there, but Raiden still remained silent. The knot in Liu Kang's stomach grows tighter as he anticipates their stop.

Liu Kang tried to calm himself when they finally reached a secluded area in the temple, outside near the zen garden. Raiden stops in his tracks near a still-in-bloom cherry blossom tree. Funnily enough, it was the same tree he and Kung Lao would often play near when they were children, and sometimes, they secretly trained together under said tree.

"...Is there...Something wrong, Raiden?" Liu Kang drops the professionalism as he tries to make this personal, trying to appease the human side of Raiden.

"...About that...Day...When we both...When we both sparred together as we tested your skills for the tournament."

OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK!

Liu Kang visibly and verbally swallows as he stares at Raiden's back, the Thunder God still not facing Liu Kang.

"...Yes..." This was all Liu Kang could utter as he waited for Raiden to continue.

"I...Um..." Even Raiden was at a loss for words as if he had just decided RIGHT NOW that he wanted to talk about this. "...I...I recognize that you have developed a fondness for me."

It felt like Liu Kang's heart would jump out of his body or crawl out of his mouth. A large part of his being was vibrating with excitement. Is this it? Is this the part where they finally take the next step? Liu Kang couldn't help but step in place, leaning against one foot before placing added pressure on the other. Liu Kang wanted to say it. He wanted to declare his emotions in front of Raiden before the Thunder God could finish.

'I love you. I love you so much, Raiden. You have no idea the nights I would stay up with you on my mind. The pain I go through because I wanted to be near you, close to you, with you.'

All of this and more, Liu Kang wanted to confess, but he is disciplined, he is patient. He will wait for Raiden to finish his thought if he has more to say.

"...And I have that same...Care for you, too, Liu Kang. There's much history between us, and I understand that you may have grown a deeper affinity for me."

There's a BUT in there. There's a MASSIVE BUT in there. But Liu Kang didn't hear it. He was too enamored, far too blinded by his own love for Raiden to even recognize the writing on the walls.

"But I must, respectfully, decline your love for me."

Liu Kang's world felt like it shattered around him. Somewhere, deep down, Liu Kang knew this could be a possibility. A high probability, in fact.

But it didn't make it hurt any less. Liu Kang stared at Raiden dumbfound. There must be a reason why. Is he not his type? Is it due to the circumstances of the tournament? Is Raiden already seeing someone else? What was the reason?

"…Goodnight, Liu Kang," and Raiden proceeded to walk away. Or, at least, attempt to.

It took all of Liu Kang's willpower to surge after him and grab his wrist, "Wait! W-why can't we? I mean, you said you felt the same way, so why do you decline." Liu Kang didn't mean to sound desperate, but he wanted to know. Maybe there might still be a chance he can still win Raiden's love.

"Liu Kang, you're letting your emotions control you. I said what I said; there's nothing more to it-"

Liu Kang forces himself in his line of sight, "Why, Raiden. That's all I ask."

"Does the why really matter, Liu Kang?"

"It matters enough to me as your friend…"

"…We're not compatible," Raiden tries to say with finality.

"And why is that?"

"Liu-"

"Is it because I'm mortal? The tournament?"

"Liu Kang!" Raiden's eyes flare with godly power as his voice booms like thunder. This immediately quiets Liu Kang. Raiden takes a moment to breathe, reeling back his anger. "…You have many admirable qualities. You're handsome, patient, caring, determined, and good-willed. These are aspects that anyone would fall for and would be lucky to have you as their significant other. And…Perhaps, in another life, I could return your feelings. But I cannot provide you the happiness you think I can give. The amount of responsibilities and burdens…I'm sorry, but I just wouldn't be able to emotionally and physically give back to you."

Liu Kang was speechless as he gazed at Raiden. It hurts too that Raiden is just too good at keeping a stoic look, so Liu Kang can't even find any cracks in his "it's not you, it's me" speech.

"We both will have our 'plates filled' during and after the tournament. A lot of opportunities will be heading your way. I know a mortal's life is short; one must grab at every chance of life that one can. But believe me when I say that you will find someone who will love you more than I ever could. And it might end up being someone unexpected." Raiden smiles as he places a hand on Liu Kang's shoulder.

Liu Kang slowly hangs his head low slightly, not exactly looking at Raiden's feet, but not meeting his gaze either. "I'm sorry for lashing out, Lord Raiden."

"Do not apologize, it's natural. Believe it or not, I have had plenty of experience with such bursts of emotions. I will always love you, Liu Kang, and I pray that someone will love you more than I do."

-

When Liu Kang recreated this timeline, his main goal and motivation was always to provide his friends a new life. A better life. A second chance at being happy. And sometimes, that meant changing and altering events so that his friends and companions could achieve that life they'd always wanted.

That's why Raiden's words cut so close to home. The old Raiden, the former Thunder God, his mentor, his father…The one that got away. Liu Kang only wanted Raiden to be happy because he saw the stress and pressure Raiden had to maintain on his own from the outside looking in. And being a Fire God himself, he can finally reconcile with those tough decisions Raiden burdened himself with. There were times Liu Kang just wanted to hold him, to kiss away any tears or fears Raiden had.

But they were never meant to be, but that never meant that Raiden's happiness never came first for Liu Kang. Liu Kang may not be able to provide for Raiden emotionally or physically. Still, he can give him a life where he doesn't have to worry about a single thing. So he put Raiden in his shoes and gave him everything Liu Kang would've wanted. A loving family, a best friend, a wise mentor…A home…Everything Liu Kang had lost or never had, he gave to Raiden…In some way, it was almost like a thank-you gift to the one god who gave him everything in his mortal life.

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang opens his eyes as he's slightly disturbed from his meditation. He can see Shujinko peeking through the door, a tray full of food.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I wanted to bring you a meal from the mess hall…"

Liu Kang's glowing eyes stare at the young pupil, and he gestures for him to enter. The young man hurries into Liu Kang's quarters, admiring the gods' room briefly before setting the tray in front of Liu. Just as Shujinko was about to leave, Liu Kang speaks up, "Please, sit with me. I…I would like the company."

"R-really?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang in utter surprise. He doesn't know anyone in the academy who has sat down with Liu Kang since the Fire God decided to isolate himself. He's probably the first in a long time to actually SEE Liu Kang in so long. "Are you sure?"

Liu Kang smiles as he picks up the bowl of rice and chopsticks. "I don't eat much anymore. You can have some of the items presented."

Shujinko was still dumbfounded as he watched Liu consume the rice. Shujinko finally sits across from Liu, picks up a slice of bread, and carefully takes a bite. The pair ate in silence, which was more than enough for Liu Kang. Just being near someone, even if it was someone he wasn't too familiar with, Liu Kang knew that he needed to break this cycle at some point. If Kung Lao was here, he would've scolded him, dragged his sorry-ass outside, and forced him to rekindle himself with the world. Liu Kang actually chuckles to himself as he thinks about this.

"Hmm?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang, startled.

"Nothing, Shujinko…Just thinking…" Liu Kang smiles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 4: Deadly Sakura

Sweat dripping, blood pumping, bones aching, ears ringing. Raiden's breaths were labored as he kneeled on the ground, eyes trained on Reiko, General Shao's cock sleeve.

For several months, Earthrealms protectors rushed to stop General Shao from releasing the feared Onaga, the Dragon King. It was a grueling chase that was quickly depleting their morale... Mainly because this campaign cost them their dear friend, Raiden's lover, Kung Lao. It was the first time any of them had to face the reality that their line of work, the service they signed up for, could result in any of them dying at the drop of a dime. The only thing keeping them motivated was the coming destruction Onaga COULD make IF they didn't stop General Shao.

But for Raiden, his motivation ran more fervently than simply protecting his realm and Outworld; it was pure vengeance. Since Lao's death, Raiden swore to himself that he would not let anyone close to him fall under his watch. Kung Lao's death could've been avoided if he had been powerful, more vigilant, and didn't hold himself back. Then, maybe...No...Definitely...Kung Lao would've lived.

Sweat dripping, blood pumping, bones aching, ears ringing. Raiden's breaths were labored as he kneeled on the ground, eyes trained on Reiko as the warrior positioned himself with his spear in a defensive stance. Raiden didn't bother to see which of his allies were still up; Johnny was down, Kenshi was out; even Smoke couldn't keep up.

"Better that way. They were holding you back."

Raiden couldn't agree more. With them out of the way, Raiden could get more personal with Reiko. It was his horn-headed master who killed his boyfriend, and he would hate for the weak moralities of his companions to get in the way of what he was about to do with this tattooed warrior.

Raiden took a deep breath and straightened himself out, going into the many martial stances he learned training under Liu Kang's wing (not that they helped in any way, as petty as that sounds). The two kombatants circle each other, locked in a silent game of feeling the other out. Blue lightning sparked off Raiden, coursing through his entire being. He can feel the amulet begging to release its full potential and power, the electricity spilling from his fingertips tempting him further.

Finally, one of them decides to react as Reiko charges Raiden. Arcs of lightning attempt to meet Reiko halfway, but the experienced lieutenant was able to bob & weave past every bolt that came his way. Raiden dodges out the way of Reiko's spear attack as the warrior attempted to ram his weapon into the thunder wielder. A fierce back & forth commences as Raiden tries to keep his distance from Reiko's spear attacks, the fellow kombatant leaving little room for Raiden to land any strike on him. Reiko would finally get one good hit on Raiden as he smacked him square in the face with his spear, leaving a nasty laceration on Raiden's face. Fortunately, Raiden was milliseconds too early to lose his lower jaw.

Raiden growls as he shoots a line of lightning at Reiko, using the warrior's stunned condition to gain further distance. He hisses at the pain that grows once the adrenaline softly subsided. Raiden lightly touches the wound, the red hue bringing a sense of…Excitement to the thunder wielder.

"He dares wound us? Horrible mistake. He should've killed us with such a strike."

The voice copies Raiden's glee and thrill.

Reiko grunts as he puts one foot before the other, forcing himself out of his stunned condition. "Shame my master couldn't watch this hopeless display of kombat. He would've loved to see what face you would make once I help you join your hat-throwing friend to the afterlife." Reiko taunts.

"Shame, indeed," Raiden agrees. "Shame that your master had to leave you, his second-rate lieutenant, to finish the job that he started. What? Was he too scared to face the man he ruined the life of? I would've thought he would want to rub in my face further how he killed Kung Lao."

Whether or not Raiden's follow-up gibe reached Reiko was a mystery; the fellow kombatant only chuckled as he circled about Raiden like a predator. "Believe me when I say that it would've delighted him to do so. But he has better things to do than waste time with a petulant child like yourself."

"Or maybe he's embarrassed that he lost a fight with Earthrealm's chosen warrior." Raiden continues to taunt as the power of the amulet strengthens him further.

"He was pulling his punches. Need I remind you that it was a tournament that held my master back. Any other circumstance and General Shao would've ripped you apart."

"Really? Then you must still be pulling your own punches. I have yet to fall to you."

"Then let me change that for you!" Reiko shouts as he charges Raiden again.

Instead of continuing their previous dance of cat & mouse, Raiden summons himself behind Reiko through a lightning bolt, catching the lieutenant slightly off guard. But Reiko couldn't recover fast enough as Raiden hit him in the back with several fist attacks powered by electrical currents. Reiko powers through the assault and attempts a wide arching swing with his spear, an attack Raiden counters as he grabs at its shaft and yanks the weapon away from the kombatant.

Unfortunately, Reiko, without a weapon, didn't make him powerless. Just as quickly as he lost the spear, he swiftly replaced it with the large knife he keeps on him at all times, slashing at Raiden from his right shoulder to where his heart resided. Raiden screamed in pain, backing away, but was not able to recover himself from Reiko's assault as the lieutenant started hitting him with various fist and knife attacks; some of them Raiden clumsily countered.

Raiden teleports again in a bolt of lightning as he tries to gain distance from Reiko again, hiding behind cover and slightly recovering. He's losing too much blood, and he can feel his vitality draining from him. Raiden quickly tears pieces of his attire to serve as makeshift bandages to help slow the bleeding.

"Why must you prolong this? You're not here to provoke and tease. You're here to kill the ones who murdered Lao. Finish this before he finishes you. And once he's on his knees, we can leave General Shao a lovely gift, just for him."

Right, the voice is right. Raiden cannot afford to keep pussyfooting around the battlefield. He's starting to act like…Johnny…That's what Raiden would prefer to compare himself to than…Regardless, Raiden removes himself from his hiding place, surprising Reiko with multiple lightning bolts as he rushes toward him. Reiko avoided most of the bolts but couldn't react fast enough to prevent Raiden from disarming him again, knocking his combat knife out of his hands and leaving Reiko weaponless again. But, once again, this did not mean Reiko was useless.

Reiko is quick to trip Raiden after losing his knife, attempting to slam his foot down on Raiden's face if it wasn't for the thunder wielder rolling away. Raiden jumps back to his feet and bends his fingers, channeling the powers of lightning into the area around them and causing lightning to spark and crackle dangerously close to the pair. Reiko grunts in pain as various shocks hit him in multiple places, and in the split second that Raiden releases his control over the lightning strikes, the thunder wielder humiliates him.

Various punches, kicks, and an onslaught of lightning were rapidly being served to Reiko, with little room for him to counter or even dodge any attacks. Soon, Reiko was slammed onto the dirt floor, unconscious. Raiden breathed slowly as he regained his strength despite the heavy loss of blood. His white hair and eyes dim away, his dark brown eyes returning to normal. Looking at Reiko's slumbering body, this would be the part where he would cuff him and have Reiko turned in as a prisoner…

"Finish him."

The voice encourages the very sentiment that Raiden was thinking of.

Raiden conjures ropes of electricity, wrapping them around the defeated warrior and sitting him up in a kneeling position on both knees. Raiden approaches Reiko and slaps him a couple times to forcefully wake him up.

Upon fluttering his eyes open, Reiko is met with Raiden looking down at the warrior, eyes and hair dimly glowing while electricity buzzes around him. Reiko tries to reach for Raiden, but he realizes he's bounded by lightning.

"I wonder if General Shao will shed tears if he sees how I break his favorite boytoy."

All that fills Raiden's ears and memories is pained screams, crimson, and Reiko being pulled apart limb by limb while also being fried by Raiden's lightning-bounds. Raiden beat him further, gouged out his eyes, gutted him. It wasn't until he felt someone tear him away from the expired Reiko that he was thrown off his bloodthirsty onslaught.

-

Raiden wakes up covered in sweat, breathing shallow, and eyes blown wide. He stares at his bedroom wall ahead of him as his brain quickly registers that he is not only awake but in the safety of his home. It was a dream, one of many that he has gotten over the year and a half that he's been back in Fengjian. But this one was…Horrific. It was a dream; Raiden knows it was a dream. Just a figment of scenes that his mind conjured up. Yet, he felt sick to his stomach. As a matter of fact, yes, he will indeed hurl whatever contents were still in his belly before he fell asleep last night. Raiden rushed out of bed and made a beeline for the bathroom.

-

"Raiden? Are you ok?"

Raiden snaps his head up and looks at his younger sister, Fuji, with a confused startlement. "Hmm?"

"You haven't touched your food, dear. Is there something on your mind?" Raiden's Mother chimes in with equal amounts of concern.

"I-I'm fine." Raiden sputters as he takes a forkful of eggs from his plate.

"Raiden," his Father speaks up, "You've been…Troubled as of late. You've been…Restless. Like, you're not getting enough sleep."

"And you've been going to work late or not going to work at all recently. We're starting to grow concerned, Raiden. Is it…" Raiden's Mother looks at the rest of the family nervously, "Is it because of that…The thing that's stuck to your stomach?"

Raiden subtly writhes in his seat as he tries to establish an air of normalcy. "I'm fine, guys. Promise."

An awkward stillness fills the table, forcing Raiden to finish his plate early and excuse himself from the table. "I'm, um, going to take a walk, run some errands. I'll see you guys later."

Raiden does his best to not show it, but he practically threw himself out of the house. He rubs his eyes, trying to blink away the exhaustion. He will admit, though, that he hasn't been getting any rest lately. His dreams have been getting…Intense lately. So much so that Raiden is having a more challenging time believing these are just dreams.

Raiden was never the type to see omens in dreams, but these past months have made him a believer. They're too consistent and (somewhat) grounded in reality for it to just be slumbering hallucinations. His sister and parents have been urging him to seek therapy, saying that perhaps talking with a professional might assist with the memory loss. And while Raiden has taken their advice to heart…He isn't sure if he's ready to go that extra mile just yet. It's definitely a soon-ish prospect, but not a RIGHT NOW endeavor.

Raiden doesn't even remember why he left the house anymore. He wandered aimlessly through the streets of Fengjian. Taking in the familiar sights, having small talk with friendly locals, and making small purchases for himself and the house. It wasn't until early in the afternoon that Raiden finally registered that he wandered into the old neighborhood where…Kung Lao once lived…Kung Lao's house was on the outskirts of Fengjian and closer to the streams and farmlands of the village. Raiden stares blankly at the residence of his past friends' abode; it's been so long since he stepped foot in there. Raiden approaches the front door. Despite his better intuition that he shouldn't enter the house, he still unconsciously grabs the doorknob and opens the front entrance.

Inside was unsurprisingly empty, yet it still caught Raiden off guard when faced with the heavily vacant home. Raiden can only let out an air of relief that the house wasn't vandalized; he would've scrubbed the place from the front to the backyard if that were the case, foolish as that may be. Stepping inside, a wave of nostalgia hits Raiden like a gut punch as he immediately remembers all the times he and Kung Lao hung out together. Admittedly, they rarely went to Kung Lao's house. It was always 'hangout at Raiden's because he had food, a cool bedroom, and all the sweet toys.'

Raiden smiles as his mind reminds him of the first time he and Kung Lao met. They were both in their first year of being 10 years of age, and the pair would first meet when Kung Lao stole Fuji's backpack (she was 6 at that time). Although Raiden was under the tutorage of Madam Bo, nothing would've prepared him for the street-smarts knowledge that Kung Lao possessed. He was agile, knew the shortcuts and ins-&-outs of Fengjian, and hopped from rooftop to rooftop with exceptional ease. And while Raiden's disciplined mind couldn't keep up with Lao, that didn't mean he didn't learn a thing or two from Lao, either. For a week, the young lad began taking note of Fengjian's many shortcuts and how best to parkour off buildings and structures. Soon, Raiden was nearly able to catch up to Kung Lao.

Their friendship wouldn't truly begin until Raiden found Kung Lao on the outskirts of Fengjian. In this area, flooding was a known worry due to excessive rain. His parents always told Raiden to never go out to the outskirts for his own safety. But against their wishes, Raiden pushed forward to chase after Kung Lao. When he finally found Kung Lao, the pair fought for the first time, with Raiden coming out on top. But, instead of immediately returning the many contents, including Fuji's backpack, back to their original owners, Raiden shared a snack with Lao.

Within the week of their near-endless chasing, Raiden noticed that Kung Lao almost always stole food from others, among other things. Being his typical kind self, Raiden wanted to understand why Kung Lao did what he did. It was almost unsurprising to Raiden, even at that young age, to learn that Kung Lao was homeless and seemingly had no parents to care for him. Sympathetic to Kung Lao's living conditions, Raiden offered to have him stay at his house until his parents came to pick him up. From there, the two became friends and would train under Madam Bo together.

As Raiden reminisced about the past, he slowly traversed the abandoned house of his best friend. He stops in front of a room that served as Kung Lao's bedroom, a frown creeping across his face.

Raiden remembers the first time Kung Lao met his Mother. Whoever his Father was, no one had a clue or a chance to meet them. Before then, Kung Lao hung out at Raiden's house, where his family welcomed the young boy when they discovered he was "orphaned." But Raiden's parents didn't intend to keep Kung Lao and asked around if anyone could house the boy. It eventually came down to Kung Lao living with Madam Bo for a short while until his birth mother came to take Kung Lao back.

Kung Lao's mother was…Troubled, to say the least. At face value, many would say she was ill-fit to raise a child. She abandoned her son and was gone from Fengjian for most of Kung Lao's life. It wasn't until later in life that Raiden also learned that she had a substance problem. But despite these red flags…She tried to be a mother in the end. It's funny how children perceive adults because it wasn't until he was an older teen that he heard nuanced things about Kung Lao's Mother. Lao's Mother, with the community's help, was able to get a decent home (still in the outskirts of Fengjian, but it was a roof over their head), a paying job, and was going clean as she cared for herself and Kung Lao.

But when Kung Lao spoke about his Mother before her untimely death, he talked badly about her. Not that Raiden could blame him. She abandoned him for most of his life and left Lao to fend for himself in Fengjian with no parental figures to look after him. Only for her to return and make amends and be a proper mother. That was asking for Kung Lao's trust, something he didn't have for his Mother. So Kung Lao was seemingly never satisfied with her efforts to be a loving guardian for him, even when they had personal mother & son moments together.

It wasn't until she died when they were both in their mid-teens that Kung Lao solemnly started to appreciate his Mother. Raiden still remembers getting a haunting call from Kung Lao about how his Mother wasn't getting up from her sleep. The way Kung Lao spoke over the phone was uncannily calm as Lao was in a stunned, emotional state. Raiden had never run so fast in his life when he and his sister rushed to Kung Lao's side while his parents were getting emergency services to Lao's house. Before and during the funeral, Kung Lao isolated himself from everyone. Raiden remembered how Kung Lao didn't want to attend his Mother's funeral; perhaps the pain of seeing her one last time was much for Lao.

But Raiden would finally understand Kung Lao's shift when he followed Kung Lao to the one cherry blossom tree they would both hang out under. The pair sat in silence together, and Kung Lao was the first to admit that...

That he regretted he never allowed his Mother into his life emotionally. What broke Raiden's heart further was learning that the one time Kung Lao allowed his walls to come down was the day before his Mother died. Lao & his Mother both went out to eat at Madam Bo's Teahouse; they had a big feast to celebrate his birthday. They laughed and talked; it was the first time Kung Lao actually allowed himself to grow closer to his mom. Kung Lao expressed that his mother promised they would move away from Fengjian to live in the nearby cities, even gifting her son a postcard she picked up when she was away from Fengjian many years ago.

Raiden pulls himself off the memory road as he stares at the wall where a pinned postcard still remains, old and withered. The postcard displayed the Shunde District, beautifully showing the city-like streetlife of the distant land. Raiden could already hear Kung Lao's constant rants about wanting to leave Fengjian and how they could both be destined for something greater outside of their small village.

Raiden scoffs sadly as he touches the postcard hushedly, saying, "I know I don't remember much. But I hope we both found our higher calling wherever we went…I miss you, Lao."

"…Raiden…"

Raiden freezes in place as he hears a whisper behind him. He quickly turned around; he didn't hear anyone enter the house after him. But no one was there when he tried to face the disembodied voice. Raiden's eyes slowly scanned the room, a fruitless endeavor since there was scarcely anywhere for anyone to hide from his sight. But Raiden felt his skin crawl when he thought he saw someone move from his peripheral near the entrance of Kung Lao's room.

Raiden was never the type to see omens, but a sense of dread started to creep inside him. Raiden sped-walked out of the abandoned house, only now noticing it was getting late in the afternoon, and sauntered back home. The goosebump feelings never left him, even after he walked through the front door of his own house.

-

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang flutters his eyes open upon hearing a knock and the sound of Shujinko's voice on the other side of the door. "Come in."

The young monk opens the door eagerly, bringing in a tray of food as he hurries to sit across from the Fire God. It's been several days since they began their routine meet-up. Whenever Shujinko was tasked to deliver food to Liu Kang, he would invite the novice to sit and eat with him. It was a silent company, the pair often sharing the tray as they quietly enjoyed each other's presence.

Liu Kang smiles as Shujinko ardently sits across from him, setting the tray down with its contents. Liu Kang is surprised to see more food on display than usual. "You must have been hungry," Liu chuckles.

"Oh? Oh!" Shujinko looks at the tray and rubs the back of his head, embarrassed. "I missed out on breakfast and spent the rest of the morning not eating. Thought I was going to pass out, so I grabbed whatever I could."

"I see Kung Lao's influence has rubbed on you, then," Liu Kang jests as he grabs the bread and a small cup of butter.

"Please, Master Kung Lao would've eaten the entire tray, and I would be left with whatever he couldn't finish," Shujinko heartedly responds as he takes the bowl of soup.

In their still tranquility, Shujinko eyes the private quarters of Liu Kang's space. It still amazes him how much the Fire God has collected throughout the years. Relics that belong in museums filled the room, many with otherworldly origins. Shujinko takes notice of the many shelves displaying countless books and artifacts. Still, his eyes focus on one particular hand-drawn portrait.

"Is that Master Kung Lao?" Shujinko stands and approaches the picture. The individual in the painting bears a striking resemblance to the Kung Lao he knows. The facial structure is mildly different, and they have no hair compared to Lao's buzzed undercut.

Liu Kang watched Shujinko walk to the portrait before explaining its origin, "One of Kung Lao's many ancestors. He shared Kung Lao's name, though many called him "The Great Kung Lao."

"Was he just as prideful and ambitious to bear such a title?" Shujinko smirks as he turns to look at Liu Kang.

Liu laughs as he shakes his head, "Despite the title, he was as humble as one could be. Though, he never shied away from demonstrating his capabilities. It was everyone else who gave him his title. The Great Kung Lao was the finest of Earthrealms warriors. Every Mortal Kombat tournament, he had won."

"Every Kombat?"

"Every one from his era..."

Liu Kang's sudden silence catches Shujinko off guard as he can see Liu Kang staring into place, consumed by memories that resurfaced. Shujinko has seen this happen a few times and quickly asks another question to distract Liu Kang from his own headspace. "Um, did Kung Lao, our Kung Lao, know about him?"

"...Yes, yes, he did. How else do you think he obtained the hat?"

"What? He told me he made it himself!" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang, shocked.

"That he did, later versions of his ancestors' hat. The original I gave to him. He used it for a time but opted to utilize his own version of the Great Kung Lao's razerhat until he felt he was worthy to bear his ancestors' hat."

Shujinko nods in understanding, looking back at the portrait again, "I can imagine he would be proud of Kung Lao."

"That he would."

Shujinko was about to step away, but he now just noticed the second individual in the painting. He doesn't know how he missed them; they weren't in the background; they stood front and center, side-by-side with the Great Kung Lao in the portrait. The gentleman next to the Great Kung Lao had paler skin than the other, resembling a shade of someone who has lived closer up north. Yet, it still had a ghostly tinge than someone resembling a northerner. Their eyes were milky white, but it was the type of hue that made it seem as if they were losing sight in both eyes. Their facial features were gaunt, and their musculature was sickly frail.

Shujinko points at this other person in the painting, "Who's this?"

Liu Kang had finished his bowl of rice before turning his attention back to the picture Shujinko stood before. Looking at the other individual, a sense of dread fills Liu Kang. He kinda hoped that Shujinko wouldn't ask about the other individual.

"...An old friend of (the Great) Kung Laos'." Liu Kang says bluntly.

Shujinko felt the finality in his tone and thought it better to leave it alone. He didn't want to resurface more bad memories for the Fire God. Shujinko returns to his place in front of Liu Kang, sitting across from the Fire God and finishing the rest of the tray. Silence falls upon them like a blanket, and soon, Shujinko felt it was time to bid farewell to Liu Kang and perform his other duties. Shujinko cleaned up the area and stacked the emptied bowls together. Just as he was about to stand and leave, he noticed a particular shrine that caught his eye only now.

"What's that?"

Shrines are not uncommon around the Wu Shi Academy. There were plenty of those littered here and there dedicated to other Gods and Elder Gods, both of whom protect Earthrealm and the realms beyond. Shujinko had seen the ones publicly displayed around the Academy, but he had never seen this one before. Based on the imagery, it depicted lightning and a hat, similar to what...Raiden would wear...Hung around the altar.

"Is this shrine dedicated to Raiden?" Shujinko knows that Raiden isn't dead, so this wasn't related to that in the slightest. And Shujinko doesn't dare touch the idea of Liu Kang being...Obsessed...There was a long silence, and Shujinko was starting to grow uncomfortable with the quiet nature Liu Kang was giving him.

"Lord Liu Kang?" Shujinko dares to look at the Fire God, only to see Liu Kang staring at the shrine, deep and lost in his thoughts.

Fuck, he did it again.

"L-lord Liu Kang?"

-

-In a long-dead timeline-

"I have conquered the darkness within me. You must do the same."

"You…Will have to kill me."

"I would rather save you."

In a desperate act to save their timeline and Liu Kang, Raiden made the risky attempt to merge his being and Liu's into one form. Raiden approached the future, revenant Liu Kang, striking him with lightning that encompassed them both as a field of light further obscured them from the naked eye.

…

"Raiden…"

Liu Kang mutters as his eyes shot open. Liu Kang found himself no longer in Kronika's lair nor in the fire gardens where he last remembered being before being taken by Kronika. Instead, he found himself in the zen gardens of the Shaolin temple, no longer ruined by the intruders who came to take the energy capsules containing Earthrealm's life force. In the distance, Liu Kang can hear the muffled sounds of the monks training, the reverberating sound of the gong indicating a set-timed activity, and the cherry blossoms still in full bloom.

Liu Kang mildly panics; has he been sent back in time again? While his friends are fighting against Kronika?

"Liu Kang."

The familiar sound of Raiden's voice twists Liu Kang's head to face the Thunder God. Relief slightly settles him as Liu skips over to Raiden.

"Raiden! Where are we? Has Kronika been defeated? Are we back in our timeline?"

Raiden shakes his head, "No, the battle still continues. As we speak, Kharon is helping our allies to Kronika's fortress, and they are defending his ferries from the Time Keepers' forces who met us halfway."

Liu Kang nods in understanding but looks at the scenery in confusion, gesturing to their new location, "Then why are we here? Shouldn't we be helping our friends, Lord Raiden?"

"…Liu…We need to talk…"

In all his years fighting by Raiden's side, Raiden has never called him 'Liu.' Liu Kang stands at attention, ready to accept what news Raiden intends to tell him. "Yes, Lord Raiden?"

"Your future self, your Revenant self, boarded our ship and attacked us, along with Frost and her cyber Lin Kuei. Despite our brief scuffle, I had no intention of killing you, continuing this vicious cycle that Kronika forced us into."

Raiden takes a moment to let out a shaky breath before continuing, "Your Revenant self is far too blinded by his anger and corruption to be talked down willingly. So…So I'm merging our beings together, so that we may become One."

Liu Kang stares at Raiden in bewilderment. Become One? Such as merging into one individual? One conciousness? Liu Kang couldn't wrap his head around this. "Is that why we're…Here?"

The Thunder God nods, "As we speak, everything that makes us who we are is being united so that we could emerge as a powerful being who would share our prowess, knowledge, and wisdom. I created this subconscious setting so that the information and transformation would be…Easier to process. Do not worry; I intend to transfer my soul to you so that you may benefit from my experiences and power. You will remain intact."

"…But what will happen to you?"

There's a deafening silence, and Liu Kang can already feel the knot of dread becoming tighter. He silently begged that Raiden would not say what he thinks he will say.

"…The process is painless, Liu Ka-"

"Please," Liu Kang raises his hand, stopping Raiden from trying to sugarcoat this situation any further. "Do not speak to me like I am a sheltered child. Give it to me straight, Raiden…"

Raiden could only slowly nod his head, "I don't know…I never had to perform this ever in my lifetimes as a God…Know this, it is not like the perverse necromancy that Shang Tsung often used on his victims, leaving a husk after stealing their souls." Raiden pauses as he ponders how best to continue his thought, "…But from what I could ascertain from previous studies and knowledge from trusted peers…I will…Cease to exist…When I give myself to you, Liu Kang, all that will remain is the changed you. The version of yourself that will be empowered by my being once we have merged."

Liu Kang looks at Raiden in horror. Raiden was…He was willing to essentially kill himself, all for the sake of not only saving him but this timeline. Liu Kang isn't foolish; he knew that trying to stop Kronika was going to cost lives, both his friends, their allies, and even his own. But this...

This felt…Different. This was Raiden giving his life FOR HIM. So that he, his chosen one, would save everyone. And Liu Kang KNOWS that he has to accept this. It was as Raiden taught him; to take every advantage to defeat his enemies and to protect Earthrealm. He was conditioned and trained to bear sacrifices, to make the tough decisions to ensure that Earthrealm would thrive.

Yet…He didn't want this.

Raiden slowly approaches Liu Kang, arms open wide as if he intends to hug Liu Kang. His face grows into a comforting smile, his way of trying to calm Liu Kang. "I assure you, this is for the best, Liu Kang. You'll be elevated to a God with enough power to take on Kronika."

Just as Raiden is about to fully embrace him, Liu Kang flinches away from him. Raiden looks at Liu Kang, confused, before eventually changing to a look of understanding.

"N-no…No, I don't want this! There has to be another way, Raiden! I'm not going to just…Kill you!" Liu Kang says as his breathing hitches.

"You're not killing me, Liu Kang-"

"Then what do you call this!?! How is this not killing you!?! How do you know this isn't part of Kronika's plan, too?" Liu Kang continued to back away from Raiden every time the Thunder God attempted to get closer to him.

"Every timeline I experienced, we FOUGHT, and YOU died, Liu Kang. It was never the other way around. This will not further any agenda that Titan has planned for any of us!"

"HOW. DO. YOU. KNOW!?!" Liu Kang raises his voice, breaking the calm and serenity of the zen garden. "Was it not Kronika's plan to get rid of you? To erase you from her new era to prevent you from interfering with her grand design! How do you know that doing THIS won't give Kronika what she wanted!"

"I DON'T, LIU KANG!" Raiden matches his tone, but there is no crackle of thunder in the distance, no godly boom to his voice or glow to his eyes. "I never knew that letting Kung Lao fight in the tournament instead of you would've resulted in his death. I did not know that the events that would lead to YOUR death would lead to this outcome. I don't know if merging us will actually further Kronika's plans or deaden them! But I have to trust that whatever decision I make, whatever ripple effect this may cause, the outcome will ensure that Earthrealm and its people will be safe, no matter the cost!"

Liu Kang can't stop his eyes from watering as he continues to step away from Raiden. "No…"

"Liu Kang-"

"No! Raiden, please!"

"Liu Kang, you're getting emotional! People are depending on us! ON YOU!" Raiden shouts, still no thunder or godly enhancements to his voice.

"I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, RAIDEN! NOT LIKE THIS! YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS!" Liu Kang cries, his back hitting a wall from his constant evasions from Raiden. His legs grow weak, and he lets himself slide to the ground, trembling and filled with sorrow.

"I don't want to lose you…Not like this! You deserve so much more than that. You held this entire realm together, keeping us safe…Keeping me safe…You shouldn't have to sacrifice more than you already have! Let me merge with YOU! Let us face Kronika as we are together! But please…Please don't ask me to do this…To take your life in this way."

There's a stillness between the two; the ambiance Raiden constructed for this subconscious conversation has long since disappeared, leaving Raiden to listen to Liu Kang's quiet whimpers.

"…Tell me, Liu…What is it that you think I deserve?" Raiden asks softly.

Liu Kang is silent momentarily before responding, "…You deserve to be happy. You deserve to look at the work you've so tirelessly done and rest knowing that Earthrealm will be ok…You deserve…" Liu Kang chuckles before continuing, "You deserve to enjoy your nuclear buffalo wings. You deserve to relax at the saunas you enjoyed so much. You deserve to see the fireworks every new year; I know how much you enjoy reaching the highest point you safely can with Lao and me and watching the colors pop in the sky…"

Raiden listened carefully to Liu Kang's list of things that he felt Raiden deserved, all of them evolving into things that he and Liu Kang had done together that meant a lot to both of them. Liu Kang didn't want to lose the future bond they could have. A future where they were at peace and happy together, even if Raiden's lifespan rivaled Liu Kang's…

But that life just wasn't possible, not under Kronika's rule…But…

Raiden leans down to the sitting Liu Kang, cupping his face in his hand, forcing the monk to look at him. No hint of malice or worry graced Raiden's face, happy as he can be. "Then provide me that future, Liu."

"What?" Liu Kang looks into Raiden's eyes…Only now that he noticed that they were brown…Huh…He never…

"Who knows what will happen once Kronika is defeated. Time might continue as it should, we might be shunted back to our original place in time, we might be stuck sharing this space with our future companions…Or it might all become dust in the wind…But no matter what happens. When Kronika falls, the hourglass will be unoccupied…And we will all have a chance of a better life."

"Raiden, how do you-"

Raiden places his thumb on Liu Kang's lips, quieting him before he could finish his sentence. "I don't know, Liu. I can only trust that whatever we do now, what we accomplish now, will open new doors and possibilities to us later. If we keep worrying about what the future will hold, we lose control of what we can do now."

Raiden steps away from Liu Kang, standing to his full height, and extends his hand for Liu to take. As he looks at Raiden's hand, Liu Kang hesitates, but he gathers his courage and trust in Raiden and takes it. When their hands connected, a steady stream of memories, knowledge, wisdom, and everything that made Raiden who he was flowed into Liu Kang. Liu panics, clutching Raidens' hand tightly and keeping his eyes fixed on his friend.

"It's ok, everything will be ok." Raiden consoles Liu as he helps him back to his feet.

Liu Kang looks at their conjoined hands as his mind also processed the steady flow of information and essence drawing into him. Liu Kang saw the many stories Raiden would tell him when he was younger, all in greater detail than when Raiden described the events. Liu saw their past adventures together when Raiden mentored and cared for him and Lao when they were young. He saw the times they fooled around, enjoying the pleasantries that life offered them as he and Lao showed Raiden souvenirs, took him to events, ate out, and did things outside their monastic training. But most of all, Liu Kang felt what Raiden felt in each of these instances. Liu Kang felt Raiden's fear, confusion, anger, sadness, joy, serenity, hope, pride…and love…

Liu Kang didn't even realize he was shedding tears again until he felt something wet splash on his hand. Then Liu saw something that broke him; he couldn't contain himself further. He saw Raiden's hand fading. His watered eyes met Raiden's, and he saw that Raiden was phasing away like a ghost.

"Raiden…" Liu Kang lightly gasps.

Raiden looks himself over, recognizing that an effect is being placed on him. But he does not panic, maintaining the same calm composure. "It's ok…I'll be fine, Liu."

"Raiden!" Liu Kang surges forward as he brings the Thunder God into a tight embrace, his form still solid enough for them to touch. "I-I'm going to miss you…" Liu Kang wept.

At this point, even Raiden couldn't compose himself any longer. The truth of the matter is that he doesn't know if this will work. Was there perhaps another way this could've been handled? Would merging together even work?

…Will this be his final moment not only as a God but as a living entity?

Raiden didn't know any of this. And that unknown scares him. This could very well be his last moment with Liu Kang, the man he watched grow from an infant to a powerful man. Raiden would never have imagined this could be the last time he would hold Liu Kang this closely. Raiden could not help but quietly shed his own tears as he held Liu Kang just as tight, both of them locked together as he faded away slowly; giving all he was to Liu Kang.

Yet, despite this, Raiden couldn't be more proud of Liu Kang. His pride, love, and hope overpowered any second thoughts or doubts that surfaced and tried to demoralize him. They're going to defeat Kronika; Liu is going to defeat Kronika. Her reign of tyrannical balance will end, and they will become masters of their own fates, not pawns to further the fight between good and evil. And Raiden is confident that Liu Kang will start their new, peaceful era for them, even if he won't be there to see it.

Through shaky breaths and watered eyes, Raiden says his final goodbye, "I'm so proud of you, my son. You have no idea how proud you make me."

Liu Kang smiles through the tears, "I think I have a good idea of how proud you are."

"…Save us, Liu Kang. You were always destined to save Earthrealm, all the realms. And I know that you will stop Kronika."

"I will, Raiden. Kronika will not win." Liu Kang's voice starts to steady, confidence and power swelling within him.

Soon, Raiden's being was no longer tangible, their tight embrace dissolving as Raiden faded away.

"I love you, Raiden," Liu Kang mutters, loud enough for only he and Raiden to hear.

"I love you too, Liu Kang."

…

The battle was won.

Kronika was defeated.

…But at what cost?

Liu Kang, Fire God Liu Kang, stared into the endless cosmos in awe-ful loneliness. Rock formations and asteroids pass him and the rocky platform on which he and the hourglass resided. Cosomic colors paint the starry expanse in beautiful whites, reds, and blues as space dust and burning stars littered the sky. It was all a sight to behold, a once-in-a-lifetime experience…But what's the point in experiencing any of this if there's no one to share it with?

Kronika may have lost the battle, but she still achieved her goal…Somewhat…Time was reversed despite his best efforts to prevent it. He watched firsthand his closest friends backpedaling every second they lived as if a tape was being rewinded. Before he knew it, he was fighting Kronika at times beginning, long before the first man and woman graced the planet, long before the dinosaurs became extinct, and long before the earth would be considered inhabitable.

All that remained was him and the hourglass.

Liu Kang finally comes down from the high of the combat, slowly processing all that has happened. His friends were dead, his family were dead, his timeline was gone…Raiden was gone…Liu Kang perches himself on a rock, slowly curling in on himself as the vacantness around him starts to overwhelm him. Is this his fate? As the chosen hero of Earthrealm? To live alone until his insanity kills him? To reminisce the mistakes he performed and what he could've done to prevent all of this?

"Our work is finished, Liu Kang."

Great…Now, he was going insane by the second…He was already hearing voices…

…Raiden's voice…

Liu Kang dares to check his surroundings, only to be graced with an unusual sight.

"Lord…Raiden?" Liu Kang could not contain his surprise, eyes wide as he stared at Raiden.

"I am merely Raiden, now. You have proven worthy to take my place as the new Protector of Earthrealm once it is restored," Raiden continues nonchalantly as if it was normal for him to still…Be here…

"But…But how?" Liu Kang stands from his place and steps closer to Raiden. "You…I thought…Aren't you supposed to be-"

"Dead?" They both say in unison.

Raiden smiles and nods, "I cannot say why I still remain. That much is a mystery, even to me. I can only guesstimate that perhaps your battle with Kronika and your close contact with the hourglass during the encounter may have recreated me into a mortal shell."

Liu Kang leisurely looks at the hourglass, confusion still plastered on his face.

"Once again, it's only a guess. If anything, it could've been a freak accident, an outcome after your battle with Kronika." Raiden shrugs. This is perhaps the most…Casual, Liu Kang has ever seen Raiden act.

A moment of silence passes them before Liu Kang faces Raiden again. "So, there's a chance that you're not…MY Raiden?"

If this Raiden, this mortal Raiden, was the result of his kombat, then that still meant that the Raiden HE knew was still…Dead.

Raiden doesn't answer right away, mimicking the same ponderous expression that Liu Kang's Raiden would make when trying to find the right words to say. Before long, Raiden would look at Liu Kang, eye to eye, and smile.

"Do you want me to?"

Liu Kang doesn't answer him. Instead, he shares the same smile. Even if this Raiden wasn't HIS Raiden, even if this Raiden WAS his Raiden, his heart still fluttered, knowing that he was here. A familiar face, someone to keep him company. Someone that Liu Kang saved, even if it was just one.

"You honor me, Raiden," Liu Kang respectfully bows to Raiden.

"The honor is mine, Lord Liu Kang," Raiden repeats the same bow, a smile still stapled on his face.

From there, they both remade their timeline and their new era. Oh, if only the story ended there.

Liu Kang learned quickly that he, indeed, was a God. An immortal being incapable of aging. And Raiden was no longer a God himself, aging every year to a mortal grave. A selfish part of Liu Kang wanted to prevent this. He couldn't hold on to the idea that he might get to see his friends again. Kung Lao, Kitana, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage. So many of those he called his allies would not be born until centuries later, leaving him alone once Raiden died. So, Liu Kang offered Raiden the chance to regain his immortality by attempting the merge again, thinking that they could perhaps, somehow, someway, recreate the events so that Raiden could become the God of Thunder again. Or maybe share their power so that they could be Gods together, protecting Earthrealm under their watchful eye.

Yet, Raiden refused, wanting to keep his mortality and leave the old timeline behind so that the new one may flourish. Liu Kang made sure that Raiden's final moments were comfortable and peaceful. Raiden died surrounded by the new family and friends he made living in Liu Kang's new era.

And although a new Raiden would emerge at some point in his new timeline…Liu Kang was alone again…

-

"Lord Liu Kang?"

Liu Kang jumps out of his skin when Shujinko touches him lightly. The young monk backs away, frightened, even though they have little reason to be.

"I-I'm sorry, Lord Liu Kang! It's just…You were quiet, and I got…Worried."

Liu Kang felt embarrassed and tried to laugh it off, "No, no, Shujinko. I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry if I startled you. I just…I was pondering on the past for a moment."

"…I'm sorry if I-"

Liu Kang waves his hand and smiles, "No, Shujinko, you didn't do anything to make me uncomfortable or to trigger me. Promise." Liu Kang looks back at the shrine, "That shrine was dedicated to an old friend of mine. He too held the title, Raiden, before the one we know today."

"Wow…What are the chances that there would be two Raidens as well? Did they also possess lightning powers?" Shujinko looks at Liu Kang expectantly.

"No, they did not…But…They did pave the way for that to be a possibility for our Raiden."

-

~Somewhere in California~

Kenshi groans awake as he feels inklings of the sun peering out from the half-closed curtains. Half-naked, Kenshi, through his sight provided by Sento, is greeted with the ceiling of the luxury apartment belonging to Jonathan Carlton, Johnny Cage. Kenshi felt an added weight on the bed he slept on, knowing who was sharing the mattress with him. Despite this, Kenshi twisted his head to drink in the blissfully still-sleeping man beside him, Johnny.

If you told Kenshi that he would end up in the loving arms of a pompous Hollywood star, he would've had you killed for even thinking about it. Even when their relationship evolved from enemies to friends, Kenshi would've thought that was the final step in their relationship. Just being friends. But it all fell into place when...When Kung Lao died. Funny how shared trauma can bring others together...

Before Kung Lao died, Johnny was good friends with Kung Lao. They both had their similarities. They were friends with whom some would consider "the straight man" of their other half. They were both self-confident and prideful of their capabilities. The only thing that seemingly differentiated them was that one was poor while the other was rich. Oh, and the fact that Kung Lao was more disciplined when it came to his fighting prowess compared to Johnny, who was more of a "free-form jazz" type of guy. Although Kung Lao expressed mild annoyance at the actor's Hollywood pride (even Kung Lao wasn't that egotistical), the pair worked off each other pretty well to become good friends.

So when Kung Lao died, besides Raiden, Johnny took his death the hardest. Being perhaps the more foolhardy of the group, even with his years of maturity the more he was asked to help Liu Kang with other realm matters, that moment was when Johnny really "grew up." It's not like he was new to death, the kind of work they did; they have met many instances where they watched people die in front of them or saw corpses in horrendous states. But it was one thing when it was someone you weren't close to or didn't know in general. It's another thing when it's someone you do know and have history with.

After Kung Lao's death, Johnny's coping method was to try to fill in the shoes that Kung Lao had left behind. Kung Lao always had a unique way of lightening the mood compared to what Johnny would do. Where the actor would constantly spill movie references that no one but Johnny understood, Kung Lao knew how to inspire from the heart. And that took skill and experience to pull off, something Johnny wasn't too well versed in. Looking back on it, Kenshi sees them in a more positive light than before. However, he can't say the same for Raiden. When they were still considered the protectors of Earthrealm, Raiden was spiraling into his own self-hatred and grief. With good intentions, Johnny tried to be a friend to Raiden, wanting to reassure Raiden that they had his back...It didn't end well.

Even though they were drifting apart, Johnny's desire to keep their friend group together harmed him more than he thought it was. So when Liu Kang suddenly announced that he would no longer need their services, Johnny quickly took his offer. Now, to the untrained ear, one would think:

"Of course, Johnny Cage dipped out after the going got going! He's an actor who never saw any of the cruelties of the real world because of his wealth!"

Which, in some way, could be the reason. But Kenshi saw something else to Johnny's reason for dipping out. Johnny invested a lot of emotional energy trying to keep their friend group alive. He tried to fill the shoes that Kung Lao left behind, and in the process, he was draining himself as he tried to keep everyone happy while everyone was coping with Lao's death. No longer being obligated to be Earthrealms protector meant that Johnny no longer had to hold onto the tearing strings since they were all going their separate ways.

Their relationship wouldn't blossom until nearly a year and a half ago. Granted, looking back at their previous interactions, perhaps it was fate that they would find solace with each other. Kenshi, with the line of work he involved himself in, had to go into hiding but had nowhere to turn to. Hunkering down with Johnny would've been a foolish thought; he was the exact opposite of discreet. But, because he had to cut back on some expenses, Johnny lived in an apartment building that was a perfect "hiding in plain sight" spot. With Kenshi as his new roommate, Johnny got a bit personal with Kenshi as he was helped dress his wounds. The rest was history as Kenshi found himself kissing Johnny in the heat of the moment. A year and a half later, Kenshi is still in disbelief that they're together still.

While Kenshi would love to admire the sleeping person beside him, he knew he couldn't stay long. He promised Jax he would meet him at a disclosed location to discuss next steps relating to some…Startling news he had discovered. He's careful to slip out of bed without disturbing Johnny, swiftly getting cleaned up and dressed before walking into the kitchen to prepare himself a cup of joe.

"Mmhm. Morning sunshine."

Kenshi nearly jumps out of his skin as he feels strong arms wrap around his waist. He smiles as he cranes his head back to look at Johnny. "Did I wake you?"

"Didn't feel your body keeping me warm, honey. You leaving already?" Johnny says in a husky tone as he nuzzles the blind swordsman.

"Have to. I have an associate who's waiting for me. I might not be able to stay in the states for much longer."

"Again?" Johnny complains in an overexaggerated tone. "How long will you be gone?"

"Don't know, depends on the situation."

This isn't the first time Kenshi and Johnny have been separated for long periods of time, something they were both well accustomed to. Johnny was an actor/director, which means he was constantly traveling to other states and countries for filming. Working for the OIA (Outworld Investigation Agency) and the FBI, Kenshi was traveling the world or realms. Perhaps being the only Earthrealmer who didn't hang up the mantle of being Liu Kang's warrior.

Johnny continues to whine about being alone without Kenshi, even though he'll be alright, playing up his desperation for Kenshi to "stay home" with him. And Kenshi will admit, he can definitely see why he was, and still is, a famous star in Hollywood.

"Can you at least leave me a goodbye gift?" Johnny's fingers start to linger towards Kenshi's waistbelt.

"Johnny," Kenshi chuckles as he moves one of his hands away from his waist, kissing the fingers individually. "I can't right now; I'm going to be late."

"Aw, come on! Just a quicky?"

"No, Johnny."

Cage huffs, but there is no anger hinted there. He just kisses Kenshi's neck and sighs. "Fine. Just come back sooner rather than later, okay? Bed feels empty without ya."

"I bet it does," Kenshi jests.

"I know it does." As Johnny giggles, he glances at the reflection displayed on the microwave mirror and sees…Something moving. A tall, humanoid figure attempting to stealth because it assumes it hasn't been seen.

Just as quickly as Johnny notices this, he quickly grabs a kitchen knife from the knife holder and swiftly throws it at the Intruder. Even with his fast reflexes, they weren't as fast as the unwanted guest grabbed the knife, blade in hand, while their glowing red eyes stayed trained on the couple.

Kenshi, already alerted that something is wrong, calls for Sento to his hand. The magic sword unsheathes itself and flies over to their location. Before reaching Kenshi's hand, with his mystical sight and ability to utilize Sento, even if the weapon is not in his hand, he sharply gestures his one hand in multiple directions in slicing motions. Sento redirects its trajectory as it starts to aim for the home invader. Although the sword was able to get a few good slices in, the individual was fast…Too fast…

"What the hell are you doing in my apartment!?!" Johnny growls as he grabs another knife.

The figure doesn't respond, only growling as it attempts to rush at Johnny and Kenshi. The pair dodged out of the way, and both separated on opposite sides of the person.

"Listen, I'm willing to not press charges AND give you the comfiest dirt nap you'll ever experience IF you tell us what you're doing in my place and why you're attacking us!"

"Something tells me they're not here to talk, Johnny," Kenshi replies as he commands Sento to his hand.

"Ok, dirt nap it is then."

The pair rush the Intruder, hoping to overwhelm them with their combined might. Johnny's theatrical and dirty fighting tactics with Kenshi's samurai-like skills and roughhousing tricks. Yet, even with their combined might, this individual was swift and able to counter almost all their attacks while also producing devastating blows of their own.

Very quickly, Kenshi caught on that this person possessed some superhuman strength. Every punch sent Kenshi and Johnny flying in some instances during the fight. This Intruder also had some cracks in their skin that had a glow to them. Unfortunately, while Sento gave him sight, it didn't provide Kenshi clarity on specific details like colors. However, Johnny could see that this person had ashen gray skin, much like a corpse would look. The supposed "cracks" were actually the outlines of their inner veins, glowing to an unnatural degree.

Another thing, too, is that this guy just would not quit. Their back and forth was eventually tiring Johnny & Kenshi as they missed one too many close calls that would've killed them. But this home invader had stamina for days. Johnny and Kenshi had to resort to going on the defensive as they had to dodge his attacks while waiting for openings.

Johnny is nearly choked out by this creature before grabbing the heated french press on the stove and slamming it against the Intruder's head. Granting the actor time to build some distance.

"Kenshi, I'm gonna need you to think of something and think of it quick because I'm going to be paying for all these expenses that this prick is breaking!" Johnny windily fusses as he lands a one-two punch on the Intruder.

"Get him closer to the living room!" Kenshi says as he provides a helpful block for Johnny, using Sento to slash at the Intruder before they can land a hit on Johnny.

"What?" Johnny looks at Kenshi confused, before taking a punch to the face.

"Just follow my lead!"

Johnny's luxurious apartment was built into a tall skyscraper building. Johnny paid to get a good view of the city he was living in. That meant that his room was exceptionally high up in the building, leading to an estimated 250 ft drop. And Kenshi was getting some sneaking suspicions that this creature could survive all 250 of it.

Kenshi dares to get closer to the Intruder, putting all his might into pushing and fighting this man closer to the living room with an entire glass wall showcasing that good Californian view. Helping him, Johnny also jumped into the fray, along with Sento, as they brought him closer to the glass windows. The Intruder was able to block their attacks, but he was inching toward the glass, and they finally grabbed at Kenshi's throat in a crushing grip.

"You will join us, Takahashi. Our family will gladly welcome you." The Intruder says.

"I'm all for visiting in-laws and relatives, but we're gonna have to decline the invitation to the family barbeque!" Johnny says. And in that exact second, he drops it low and hits the man with the most devastating nutcracker they'll ever experience.

The Intruder makes an audible moan as they double over, covering their private bits. This was enough to get them winded and grant Kenshi enough time to perform a flying roundhouse kick and send the Intruder falling 250 feet back to the lobby.

"Yo, Kenshi! What the hell, man! I didn't think you were going to kill him!?!" Johnny exclaims. "Dude, I live on this floor!?! And it's 10 in the fucking morning! People are going to see, and then the police are going to be called, then what the fuck am I going to do then? I mean, sure, we were fighting in self-defense, I think that guy had the intent to kill us, but I'm a famous star, dickhead! What am I going to tell the press? Fucking A, I can already see it, 'Johnny Cage: Famous Actor, Director, and Killer?' Fucking fuck, Kenshi!"

Despite Johnny's angry rambles, Kenshi paid him no mind as he carefully leaned out the side of the broken window, trying to get a good view of the Intruder and seeing if his prediction was correct.

…The motherfucker got up.

"Johnny, get dressed, we gotta go," Kenshi says in a hurry as he picks up Sento and the sheath it belongs to.

"Wait, what? Were you even hearing me-"

"We don't have time, get dressed!"

"Ok, ok, I am!" Johnny windily says as he rushes to his bedroom. "Fucking hell, what a goddamn mess."

As the pair leave the apartment, Johnny was just getting his best shoes tied, hopping on one leg as he tries to follow the hurried Kenshi. "Wait, Kenshi, what the hell is going on. You're doing that 'I know way more than I let on' schtick that you often do. Did you know that guy?"

"I'll explain once we're far from here. Right now, you're about to meet a good friend of mine."

-

Kenshi bursts through the fire exit door, leading him and Johnny to the back alleyway and away from public notice. Kenshi quickly dials Jax's number, muttering to himself for his partner to pick up the phone (and doing his best to ignore Johnny's constant questioning).

Finally, Briggs's familiar voice on the other line gives Kenshi a sliver of hope that they might be able to escape this soon.

"Kenshi! Where the hell are you? I told you we'd meet 5 minutes ago; what's holding you up?"

"Jackson, we got company and need to get to China. How long for you to get to my location?" Kenshi hurriedly says as he pulls Johnny with him down the alleyway.

"Company? What kind of 'company'?"

"The kind that looks pale and dead."

"And breaks into other peoples' private property!" Johnny unceremoniously chimes in, getting a hissing scold from Kenshi in response.

"Hold up, do you have someone with you, Kenshi?"

"I don't have time to explain! Just meet me at the garage near the Starbucks on 114th Street!" Kenshi then disconnects the call, not wanting Johnny or Jax to further interact, even though it will soon become inevitable.

"Whoa there, You still gotta tell me what this is all about too!" Johnny insisted as he caught up with Kenshi. "Who was that guy, and what's going on?"

"Once we randevu with my associate, then we'll talk."

"And this 'associate' fellow is?"

"I'm more concerned about getting out of here than answering questions right now, Johnny."

Kenshi feels Johnny grab his wrist and force the swordsman to face him. "Johnathan now's not-"

"Then make time, Kenshi! At least give me the SparkNotes version of what's going on!" Johnny growls as he tightens his grip around Kenshi's wrist.

Kenshi feels his spine tingle, hearing Johnny growl his name. While he makes a mental note of that for later, he readjusts his thinking to the matter at hand. Kenshi never really came forward with his line of work with Johnny; he wasn't sure if he could trust the Hollywood actor to keep his mouth shut and not brag about dating an FBI agent.

The swordsman sighs, finally relenting to Johnny's request, "A month ago, when I was in Japan, I was tracking down a notorious gang known as the Jeido Taigā Bando, Jade Tiger Band in English. I was helping my associate track them down because he suspected they were associated with…A far more dangerous crime organization."

"Let me guess, you pissed off the wrong guy, and now they're sending their goons to come after you, right?" Johnny huffs, acting as though he's heard this story before.

"Not really. To keep the story short, what I found when I discovered their base of operations was individuals who I can only classify as…Undead…And they're planning on expanding their ranks by digging up more bodies or adding to the body count to raise more of themselves."

Johnny gives Kenshi a look, letting go of his wrist and crossing his arms. "Ok, so we're dealing with some Night of the Living Dead invasion-type shit? Does Bruce Kang know about this?"

"Not yet. Contacting Liu Kang gets difficult every day that passes, even with Geras serving as his line operator. I was going to report my findings to my associate-"

"It's ok, you can call him Jackson." Johnny was already getting slightly annoyed by the avoidance of names here.

If Kenshi still had eyes, he'd roll them to the back of his skull, "I need to get to him and report what I discovered. Afterwards, I'm going to Liu Kang personally."

"Why not go to Liu right now? A possible zombie invasion sounds like something that should be brought to his attention as soon as possible."

"I still have my obligations to my work, Johnny." Kenshi sighs.

"Work that you still haven't explained to me, Kenshi."

"Later. Let's just meet Jackson before that body catches up with us."

"A little late for that," Johnny looks down the alleyway toward the fire exit from which they came.

Standing at the far end of the alleyway, the undead creature they fought earlier and sent 250 feet back to the lobby glares their red eyes at the pair.

"Fuck me," Kenshi says, exasperated.

Almost on cue, the undead creature rushes at the duo, Johnny and Kenshi getting into a fighting stance. Once the creature was halfway to their position, Johnny was the first to meet them and threw a punch at them. Kenshi draws out Sento and helps Johnny, partaking in the back and forth between them and the monster.

The creature manages to grab at Johnny, clutching his throat in a death grip, before throwing him at Kenshi. Had they been the rivals they were before, Kenshi would've let Johnny fall. And perhaps he should've let Johnny fall, for his attempt to catch Johnny stumbles him in return. The undead creature lunges for Kenshi, their sharp claws countered thanks to Sento's protection. Kenshi quickly gets Johnny back on his feet and grabs the floating hilt of his sword, reengaging with the monster as he puts distance between them and Johnny, giving the actor a moment to recover.

The sounds of steel and hardened claws clashing together fill the air as Kenshi fights off the undead creature. Kenshi misses the monster, feinting him, screaming when he feels its claws dig deep into his skin as it slashes him across his midsection. Johnny comes up behind the undead creature, roundhouse kicking them in the head and sending them to the ground.

"Kenshi!" Johnny attempts to help the wounded Kenshi, only to feel an arm wrap around their neck, stopping him in his tracks.

Johnny grunts as he tries to prevent the undead creature from choking him out or, worse, snapping his neck. The creature's breath can be felt on the side of his face as they darkly chuckle, "You can join your crippled friend with our family if you're that desperate to join him."

Johnny can feel his consciousness slipping, the bastard's grip on him too powerful for him to overcome. Before going under, Johnny's ears ring as he hears the creature holler in pain. In his peripherals, Johnny can see the mystical blade of Sento breaching through the monster's head, right where their left eyeball resided. Johnny uses this time to escape, coughing as he recovers.

Kenshi removes Sento from the creature's head, leaving a slitted hole where the katana once resided. Gathering his strength and swift movements, Kenshi goes for the head again, scalping the creature before jabbing Sento into its brain, the steel running through the organ and the rest of its body before settling within the undead monstrosity's ribcage. Finally, their current nightmare ends as the creature goes limp once again. Removing Sento, Kenshi lets the body flop to the ground, stepping his foot on their neck and ready to behead the monster if it so much as moved another inch.

…It doesn't move.

Kenshi hisses as his still bleeding wound catches up with him, the adrenaline coming down. He leans against the stonewalls that make up the alleyway, breathing heavily as he continues to lose blood.

"Kenshi. Whoa, easy there, I got ya!" Johnny steps to Kenshi's side, holding him up and allowing Kenshi to put his weight on him. Johnny makes a hissing whistle as he helps Kenshi trudge through the alleyway, "They cut ya up pretty good. You think you'll make it to that Starbucks?"

"I'll be," Kenshi huffs between words, "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, you sound 'fine,'" Johnny half-heartedly jests as they reach the main streets. Which only worries Johnny further. With an injured Kenshi, his stardom, and it's still light outside, there will be eyes on them, whether they like it or not. "Ok, Kenshi, Imma need you to pick up your feet once we get out there. The sooner we get to your associate, the better."

Getting into the crowd, the pair make their way through the moving bodies, trying to give as little reason for anyone to take notice of them. Every wayward glance gave Johnny a spike of anxiety as he prayed and hoped that no one would immediately recognize him, even with his rise to popularity as a director. Before they both knew it, they reached their destination. Johnny glanced around, looking for anyone who might be expecting someone.

"Come on, where are they? Hey, Kenshi, what does this Jackson guy look like?"

"Don't need to look far, Mr. Cage."

Johnny twists his head, only to be faced by a tall, perhaps a couple cm off Johnny, dark-skinned individual. "You must be Jackson, right?"

"Right. What happened to him?" Jackson nodded over to Kenshi as he guided them to his vehicle. "Place him in the back; I got a first aid kit he can use."

"We had some company slow us down," Johnny opens the back car door, helping Kenshi into the car before helping himself to riding shotgun.

Kenshi didn't need to ask where Jackson kept his first aid kit, which was always in a hidden compartment inside the middle seat. He takes out all the necessary items to thread himself back together. However, the work was slightly sloppy, thanks to the moving vehicle.

"So, when were you going to tell me you were close to a Hollywood star?"

"What? So that you can pester me for an autograph?" Kenshi hisses as he runs the needle and thread through his skin.

"Aw, Kenshi. To deprive a fan of mine a chance to have a personal trinket with my name on it from yours truly is the most heinous thing of you to do," Johnny voiced.

"And I'm certain there's a special place in Hell for me for that." Kenshi jests back with Johnny before adjusting his mind to the reason he needed to speak with Jackson to begin with. "I found the Jade Tiger Band. They were all dead when I discovered where they were headquartered."

"Dead? All of them?" Jackson's eyebrows raise as he occasionally glances at Kenshi's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"All that remained of them was bodies. But…There are more concerning things about this situation. I saw the cargo with the Black Dragon's symbol printed on them, so they aligned with the organization. How deep, I don't know. But while there, when I discovered the bodies, the building was almost repurposed in a…cult-like fashion. I saw, firsthand, bodies being given life under the control of some puppet master."

If it wasn't for the fact that Jackson not only worked for the FBI but also the OIA, Kenshi's certain that everything that he just said would have him laughed out of the vehicle or into a mental institute. There's a moment of silence as Jackson takes a moment to process what Kenshi relayed.

"This job just gets stranger and stranger. Do you think the Black Dragon is behind these…Bodies coming back from the dead?"

"I don't think so, Jax. The attire these individuals wore was not Black Dragon material. Then again, the Black Dragons are not known for being uniformed. But the many times we tailed them, sorcery was never on their resume." Kenshi groans his final sentence as he starts wrapping himself up in cloth and medical alcohol.

"Do you think that sorcerer fella might be involved?" Jax questions.

"Shang Tsung?" Johnny chimes in.

"You know him?" Jax gives Johnny a quick look.

"Oh, not only do I know him, but Kenshi and I beat that bastard into prison and saved the world from a universe collapse. How else do you think I got the inspiration for MORTAL KOMBAT: CHAMPIONS OF TIME?"

Thanks to the fact that they stopped at a long red light, Jackson couldn't help but look at Johnny & Kenshi in disbelief. This isn't the first time Jax has had this revelation given to him. How else would the Outworld Investigation Agency exist without him?

"You know, if it weren't for Kenshi breaking the news to me before about your involvement in this whole…Circus fuckery, I wouldn't have believed that YOU, Mr. Cage, experienced this crazy shit first hand."

"Please, you can call me Johnny. No need for formalities."

"Back to the matter at hand," Kenshi interjects. "I believe that Shang Tsung might be behind this entire operation. I don't think he's working closely with the Black Dragon, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're somehow connected."

"And what makes you think that Shang Tsung might be involved?" Johnny takes his turn to look in the backseat where Kenshi sat.

"The magic used to bring these creatures back looked similar to how Shang utilizes his own sorcery. That, and it was green. And aside from Quan Chi, I don't know anyone else whose magic gives off a green color." Kenshi explains.

"Wait, who's Quan-"

"I'll tell you about him later, Jax." Kenshi interrupts. "Right now, there's a possible chance that Shang Tsung is causing dead people to come back from the grave, and the Black Dragon is possibly involved."

"Well, we can't work on chances and possibilities. If they're truly operating together, we will need concrete proof. People coming back from the dead might not be enough to get the higher-ups to look deeper into this, especially since they're still wrapping their heads around what is and is not possible with these supernatural occurrences." said Jax.

They arrived at a motel that was discreet enough, and Jax pulled the vehicle into an available parking space under a shaded tree.

"I know, But maybe this will be enough to prove my suspicions. The Jeido Taigā may have been compromised and most of their members dead, but I was able to pinpoint where their next point of operation may be. Got it off a dying Taigā and convinced them I was one of them. They're right in our front yard, hoping to make a transaction somewhere in San Jose."

"Well, what a coincidence, because our inside gal reported to us not too long ago about a trade happening in San Jose, right in an abandoned warehouse," Jax smirks as he trains his eyes back at Kenshi through the rearview mirror.

"Great! Then all we gotta do is bust the bad guys, kick Shang Tsungs ass, and the day is saved!" Johnny rubs his hands in anticipation.

"Um, I'm sorry, 'we'?" Jax gives Johnny a look.

"Johnny, can we talk for a minute?" Kenshi gives Johnny's shoulder a firm squeeze before exiting the car, hissing in pain as his freshly patched-up wounds send signals of pain to him.

"Oh, boy, here we go," Johnny mumbles, exiting the car with Kenshi.

Jax follows suit, closing the driver's door. "I already got us a room, when you need to sit it out for a minute," Jax gestures to Kenshi and where his wound was, "We're in room 118."

Kenshi nods as he walks closer to the tree that provided them shade from the beaming sun above. He crosses his arms, looking directly in the direction where Johnny is.

"Ok, what did I do?"

"Nothing, Johnny."

"Ok, but you're giving me your 'serious Kenshi' face. You look like this, right now," in which Johnny gives Kenshi an overly exaggerated pouty look.

Unfortunately for Johnny, Kenshi wasn't in the mood to entertain the actor. "You're not coming with us."

"What? Why not? Didn't you just say that Shang Tsung could be behind this weird Undead invasion thing? That silver-tongued bastard is my business too, Kenshi."

"I said no, Johnny."

"Is this because I renounced my standing as one of Earthrealm's protectors?"

"No, Johnny, I-"

"Because if it is, I now renounce my renouncement as one of Earthrealm's protectors. I can help Kenshi, anything involving Shang Tsung is bad news, and I'd be damned if-"

"This isn't about that, it's something completely different." Kenshi can already feel his annoyance with Cage brewing.

"How different is this? Didn't Liu Kang set you up with this job?"

"No, he didn't. Why do you think I need to get to China?"

"Wait, then what's this all about if Liu Kang doesn't know about this?" Johnny looks at Kenshi, confused.

At this point, Kenshi just had enough. He prays to whoever would listen that Johnny wouldn't make such a fuss about this and pulls his boyfriend closer. Then and there, Kenshi finally came forward about his association with the FBI and OIA (Outer World Investigation Agency) to Johnny. He still left some details out, only giving the essentials of what his job entailed. Johnny looks at Kenshi amazed before a huge smile crosses his face.

"Well, I'll be damned! I didn't know I had 007 as a boyfriend as well."

"Johnathan, this is serious!"

"Kenshi, don't worry! I'm not going to tell; I'm not that irresponsible. Even I have secrets I prefer others didn't know too. Plus, I'm an actor; my secrets are all I have now." Johnny gives Kenshi a reassuring peck on the cheek to prove his loyalty.

"I mean it, Cage." Kenshi huffs, though the bubbling tension does soothe inside him.

"Cross my heart, hope to die; you can stick Sento in my eye if I so much as even BREATHE about you being FBI." Johnny places one final reassuring kiss, this time on Kenshi's temple, before squeezing the swordsman closer to him.

As stern as Kenshi tries to make himself look, he can't help but twitch a smile here and there. Johnny always knew how to break his rugged guy visage.

"So, now that the beans have been spilled, that means I can help, ri-"

Immediately, Kenshi frowns again, "No."

"Wha-come on!" Johnny complains, his tone a bit too loud.

"Even if I wanted to bring you along, your face will get us into trouble. You're an actor, for crying out loud, and a recognizable one, too. And I can't just thrust you into my job. By all standards, you're a civilian and not authorized to meddle in FBI business; it doesn't matter if you fought creatures from Outworld or in Chaosrealm. I can't just bring you along, Johnathan."

Johnny opens and closes his mouth as if to protest further, but he can only groan. "Ok, fine, but if Shang Tsung is really behind this, a possible zombie apocalypse should be enough to warrant Liu Kang's attention."

"I know, Cage. That's why I'm-"

"No, no, no. That's why I'M going to China."

It was now Kenshi's turn to be speechless. "Johnny…No, no, I don't want you involved."

"Kenshi, I'm gonna level with you now. This is me leveling with you. I can handle myself. We went through hell and back, fighting impossible creatures and beating up scary bad guys. You KNOW I can fight. You KNOW I can handle this. If you're a secret agent, you need to be with your people. The longer Liu Kang is out of the loop, the less prepared our other allies will be. Not only that, but your insight will prove useful to these peeps who know next to nothing about that cunty sorcerer. Let me go in your place, I'll let Liu Kang know."

Kenshi wants to argue, but a part of himself can't really dispute Johnny's claims. Kenshi can't be in two places at once, and if Johnny is going to be this insistent in helping, he might as well let him run as a messenger boy…

Kenshi gives Johnny the silent treatment, not responding to Johnny trying to get a word out of the swordsman. Kenshi rummages through his head about how he can break the news to Johnny and how much he's willing to give up to the actor. Before long, Kenshi ultimately decides that the truth is a better alternative. Because, eventually, they're all going to know.

"Ok…Go to China, find the Academy, and tell Liu Kang what you know."

Johnny nods, heavily resisting the urge to fist-pump the air in victory like a child. "I will. I can book a flight as soon as today and get a ticket to Shanghai-"

"You'll need a ticket to Guangzhou," Kenshi corrected.

"Right, Guangzhou. I'll get the ticket, fly out of here, and I'll tell Liu Kang to get off his ass and help us out. Who knows, this might be another bastard from another timeline trying to conquer ours for all we care."

"…I don't think that's the case," Kenshi mumbled, but Johnny still heard what he said.

"Why do you say that?"

“…Because I saw Kung Lao…Our Kung Lao.”

If Johnny wasn't serious then, the revelation about Kung Lao silences Johnny. He keeps searching Kenshi's face as if to see if the blind swordsman is joking or pulling some cruel prank. And it frightens him that he finds none in Kenshi.

"What do you mean you saw Kung Lao? Like, you saw his body just walking about?"

"Yes."

"Yes!?! That's all you have to say about that?" Johnny couldn't hold in his frustration and fear.

"What the fuck else am I supposed to say about that! Kung Lao's body is walking around somewhere out there. That's why I wanted to reach Liu Kang after reporting back to Jax."

"I mean," Johnny pinches the bridge of his nose as he paces in place, "Did you at least check his grave? You know, to see if it was tampered with?"

"I can't. And you know why I can't."

When Liu Kang returned Raiden to Fengjian, he didn't explicitly say that they were forbidden from seeing their amnesiac friend. However, it was an unspoken rule amongst those who knew what happened that they shouldn't meet with Raiden anymore. Liu Kang clearly wanted Raiden disassociated from everything that they were, and continued association could rip open old wounds best left to the natural healing forces of time.

Johnny nods in mutual understanding before letting out a shaky sigh. "Ok, then this is big time urgent. I'll get to Liu as fast as possible."

"I'll drive you to the nearest airport once you have your ticket," Kenshi says. "...And don't bother Raiden, Johnny."

"I know...I know," Johnny mutters, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess this is the part where we..."

"Yeah...I actually need someplace to lay down anyways," Kenshi purposefully leans against Johnny, forcing the actor to support his weight as they walk toward their motel room.

In the secrecy of their motel room, Kenshi further briefed Jax on what he learned tracking down the Jade Tiger Band while Johnny booked his flight. Of course, because he was trying to leave TODAY, they had to rush to get him to the airport when Johnny got a ticket. Navigating the building was a nightmare, filled to the brim with an overly anxious crowd trying to get their flight and woefully understaffed. In a small way, it made Kenshi somewhat appreciative that Johnny decided to take his place to inform Liu Kang rather than going himself.

As they both wait at the gate, Kenshi digs in his pocket and hands Johnny a keychain in the shape of a Japanese symbol, "Here. Got this for you while I was away." In all honesty, Kenshi had gotten the item a year ago, but he had completely forgotten that he still had it in his pants. Better now than never, he supposes.

Johnny gasps as he takes the trinket, fiddling with it around his fingers, "Sick!" Johnny examines the keychain further, the gears turning in his head for a moment. "運...That means Luck, right?"

Kenshi couldn't help but smile, "You've been paying attention, I see."

"Aw, don't be too proud of me yet, babe. I've been lacking on my Japanese, thanks to the meetings I've been going to about my next upcoming movie. Which is going to be put on a definite hold if this is as bad as you make it out to be." Johnny leans closer to the swordsman, resting his head on his shoulder.

"How about this? Try saying a full sentence in Japanese for me," Kenshi shifts his head to lightly rest on Johnny while giving him an inkling of a teasing message.

The actor is quiet momentarily before responding to Kenshi's subtle dare. "At least I'll have a good idea of what you are saying while you're fucking my brains out against the headboard."

Kenshi chokes on nothing as he looked at Johnny, embarrassed. "Johnathan!"

"Pretty good, huh?" Johnny snickers.

"W-well, at least you can make out perfect sentences, I suppose."

"Like I said, don't go congratulating me just yet. Second I have another vay-cay in Japan, I'll still be acting like a fish out of water. The best I can do is read the language now."

"That's still an improvement. I'm proud of you nonetheless," Kenshi gives Johnny a kiss on the head.

The moment is ruined when Johnny peeks at his watch and curses under his breath. "My flight is going to take off in a moment." Johnny stands to his feet, leaning down to take any luggage, only to remember that he barely packed anything, just the clothes off his back. It's not like they could return to the apartment after what happened with that undead guy.

"I'll, um, text or call ya once I'm in China." Johnny gives Kenshi a reassuring glance.

Kenshi stands with Johnny and gives him a firm grip on his shoulder, "Be careful out there."

Johnny would've quipped about how others should be careful around HIM. Still, with the startling news about Kung Lao's return and the whole undead business, Johnny holds his tongue. Instead, he softly takes Kenshi's gripping hand and squeezes it. "I will."

The pair part ways, Kenshi watching Johnny board his plane and take off before heading out of the airport. Now, to see if Shang Tsung and the Black Dragon are truly shaking hands & making friends.

-

~A Week Later~

He's going insane.

Ever since he left Kung Lao's house, Raiden could not shake the unnerving feeling that he was being watched. Everywhere he went, Raiden felt that there were eyes on him, even in the safety of his own home. Raiden had become more restless; he could barely keep his eyes open as he sat at the family dinner table. He doesn't even hear his mother calling for him until she finally touches his shoulder.

Raiden nearly jumped out of his skin as he snapped his head toward his mother, "Y-yes?"

His mother doesn't say anything, and her concern about what she wants to say is clearly apparent. Raiden tries to resist the urge to rub his eyes, instead opting to just blinking his tiredness away. "Um, was-was there something you needed, mom?"

"...You need rest, dear..."

Any other day, Raiden would downplay those concerns. No, he's not tired. No, he's just fine. No, he's feeling alright. But Raiden doesn't argue this point with his mother. A pang of building guilt fills Raiden as he simply nods, removing himself from the table and walking back to his room. Raiden shuts the door behind him as he sits on his bed, face in his palms as he wallows in self-pity.

Since leaving Kung Lao's house, Raiden has been getting worse. He wasn't getting sleep; he felt as though someone was watching him; he'd been hearing voices, his dreams had been waking him up in the middle of the night, frightened and sweating, and he was losing further grip on his powers. It's almost as if he's been cursed after entering Kung Lao's house. And while Raiden doesn't want to entertain that idea, he can't shake the feeling that he is. Every shadow Raiden was weary of. A soft breeze sends shivers down his spine as his mind believes someone was talking to him. The thunder wielder dreaded the comfort of his own bed, for he would have to anticipate a horribly realistic nightmare or stay awake, watching every dark corner and staring out his window, waiting for something or someone to come for him until his body finally forced him to sleep.

Raiden slides his hands off his tired face as he glances at his bedroom window. It was early in the morning, too early for anyone to still be asleep, lest they intend to sleep in. Raiden knows he should rest his fatigued body; going to work or doing anything while in this state will be a detriment to everyone and himself. But his pride in contributing to his community nagged at him at his very core. He shouldn't be wasting his time in bed, regardless of how tired he was. In a huff, Raiden readjusted himself, getting ready to leave the house. But he stops when he reaches for his bedroom door. His parents and sister won't let him vacate the house in his condition.

Raiden never had to sneak out of the house in his life, ever. That was always a Kung Lao thing. He remembers his best friend often knocking on his window to be let in like a misplaced puppy. Raiden almost wants to smile as he recalls how every time Lao would come around unannounced, it would always give Raiden a heart attack. Raiden backs away from his bedroom door, inching toward his window and opening it up so that he may exit through there. Raiden's careful to avoid the various other openings of his house that could expose him before making his way over to the Farm so that he may put in some work for the day. Of course, after he picks up an energy drink from the closest convenience store.

But even with a boost in vigor, it would not stop the ongoing protest Raiden's body would give him about his waning spirit. All throughout the day, Raiden was getting slower and slower, and he was constantly shaken awake by his co-workers. Raiden was able to make it through the morning and mid-afternoon of working, and the second he had that moment of brevity, he found the nearest tree to rest his head and knocked himself out.

When Raiden woke up, it was already late in the evening. Raiden curses under his breath, pulling out his phone as he realizes that the alarm he set for himself failed to wake him up. It was already inching dangerously close to 6 at night, and his family most likely knew that he was out of the house by now. Raiden quickly gathered himself, hoping to make it home before they attempted to knock on his door to call him down for dinner.

The nightlife of Fengjian is usually quiet, except for the few who decide to have a night out drinking to celebrate small pleasures. Still, there are few places to drink, lest you do so at your residency or the teahouse. Yet despite this, tonight was exceptionally quiet aside from the buzzing and chirping sounds of nocturnal insects. Raiden power walked through the empty streets, only to slow down considerably. Raiden slowly turns his head, trying to seemingly appear as though he's just taking in his surroundings or deciding his next step. He cranes his head just enough to get the peripheral sighting of the roofs, and he feels his spine shiver; someone was watching him from above. He couldn't see WHO or WHAT, but he saw a shadowed figure.

Raiden continued his walk but consciously chose to go in the opposite direction of his house. He's careful to not give away that he's aware he's being followed, attuning his ears sharply to the subtle movements of his stalker. Raiden searched his mind rapidly as he sought for a quick getaway. Because his stalker is watching him from above, anywhere he went, they would see. Raiden hesitated at the idea of having to lash out at the one trailing him, not wanting to place permanent harm or, better yet, accidentally killing them. But then again, as insane as stalking someone may be, no one would be crazy enough to tail behind someone via rooftops.

Fengjian wasn't busy once night fell; everyone was in their homes enjoying the day's final moments. Raiden couldn't blend into a crowd or seek someone out in hopes of asking for their protection. Ultimately, Raiden decides that utilizing his powers would be the better alternative. Raiden stops in his tracks, playing off the illusion that he's determining where he should go. Raiden notices a puddle spill that reflects the night sky above and the gibbous moon that shines in the heavens. Closely examining it with his eyes, he got a slightly good look at where his stalker was positioned.

In one swift movement, Raiden spins on his heels and unleashes a rope of lightning toward his stalker. The individual seemed to have anticipated that Raiden would attempt an attack. Still, they were not fast enough to dodge his attack, quickly getting stunned by the lightning that wrapped itself around their waist. Mustering all the strength Raiden had, he pulled the person off the roof, crashing onto the ground while being electrocuted. Raiden releases his hold on this person and books it in the other direction, not taking a second more to interrogate or even get the face of the stalker. He dashes through tight alleyways, jumping over fences and taking routes that would get him back on track to reaching home before slamming himself against the side of a building. Raiden takes a moment to breathe, hoping he had outran his stalker. Raiden almost wanted to slide off the wall and sit on the dirt below, but his blood ran cold when he heard the distinct sound of footsteps rapidly approaching him.

Without even thinking, Raiden hoofs it. Ducking into alleyways, hopping from fence to fence, taking shortcuts and passageways that he was highly familiar with, anything to get away from whoever was chasing him. However, Fengjian is no city or large town, and Raiden had few opportunities to shake this person off him. He considered flying away but flying required that he use his lightning to elevate him, which could cause unneeded damage and attention. Like before, Raiden finds himself in a situation where he must throw fists.

Raiden purposefully "traps" himself, placing himself in a "tight space" but just enough opportunity for Raiden to fly or teleport away should he need to. He turns on his heels, facing whoever's chasing him as electricity encompasses him. "Come any closer, and I will use lethal force!" Raiden threatens, his eyes and hair glowing white.

The person following him was shrouded in shadows, the distance and darkness of the night concealing their appearance from Raiden. They stop in their tracks at the other end of the open passageway, blocking Raiden's "only" escape. All Raiden could ascertain about his stalker was that they had…Glowing red eyes… That's not natural. Even more unsettling are the dimly lit cracks in this individual's visible skin; their arms lined with red scars. The person stares at Raiden before walking closer to the thunder wielder. Raiden empowers himself with the energies of the amulet infused to his person, static filling the air as he creates an aura of electricity.

"I said, stay back!" Raiden growls, his hair and eyes now glowing brighter than before.

"You really don't remember me, Raiden?"

…That voice…

Raiden's face softens a little, his defensive stance faltering. He examines the person approaching him, still unable to fully discern who was talking to him. But that voice, it sounds eerily familiar. Raiden watched as the individual stepped closer to him. And as they approached, Raiden was able to pick off distinct features about them. The heart-shaped face, the hat, the dimples as they smile…The piercings…

The static bouncing around Raiden provides a little extra light along with the shining moon above. And when this person stops their gait in front of Raiden a safe distance from his electrifying aura, it's almost as if the world had stopped around them. Raiden loses the stance he had before, standing straight, and his expression changes into a state of unbelievable shock. The static slowly disperses as Raiden loses the need to fight.

"…Lao…" That's all Raiden could utter.

Kung Lao's smile wides upon Raiden's soft comment, his skin crawling as he hears his friend's lips speak his name. "Hello, Raiden. Missed me?"

His smug grin, his cocky mannerisms, his voice…Raiden almost wants to believe that he's still dreaming. "…You…They-I…They told me you were-"

"Dead?" Kung Lao interrupts Raiden, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"…Yes…" Once again, all Raiden could say were simple words and maybe scattered sentences if his brain could cooperate with him.

Kung Lao laughs, but it's strained, as though he has a terribly sore throat. "Well, do I look dead to you?"

"…They told me…" Raiden mutters to himself.

Kung Lao dares to step closer, and Raiden backs away from his returned friend, pinning himself against the wall behind him. Kung Lao notices this, his face growing sinister while still keeping that smile plastered on his face.

"Come now, Raiden. No hug? A welcome home kiss?"

Like a deer in headlights, Raiden remains stuck with his back against the wall. This shouldn't be possible. They said Kung Lao was dead! He visited his gravestone! His fucking gravestone!! His house was abandoned! Everyone in Fengjian KNOWS that Kung Lao was deceased! Every fiber of his being was screaming how something wasn't right with this scenario. That he should be running or fighting this imposter. His mind flips through every excuse in the book on how this isn't Kung Lao. That someone was impersonating Kung Lao just to antagonize him. Or that he was genuinely hallucinating, somehow seeing ghosts. As Raiden's brain continued to fry, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for water, Kung Lao was now face to face with his friend.

Lao frowns as though disappointed that Raiden hasn't done some expected action. "…Do you not remember me, Ray?" A hint of fear is sprinkled in his surprisingly saddened tone. Kung Lao lifts his hand slowly, reaching for Raiden's face until he was cupping his cheek.

Kung Lao was dead. He visited his grave-his abandoned house. His family told him how Kung Lao died; they had no reason to lie to him. Yet, when Lao touched him, when Raiden got to feel his…Cold hand…Gracing his face, Raiden melted under his touch. All his confusion and shock burned away. As though he finally found the missing piece to this jigsaw puzzle of a predicament. Raiden's eyes flutter shut, leaning into Kung Lao's hand. It felt right, even though Raiden couldn't entirely place why that was the case.

"So you do remember," Kung Lao's smile slowly returns, his thumb rubbing Raiden's cheek.

Raiden opens his eyes, looking into Kung Lao's… They're red…His eyes were never red. His skin was deadly pale compared to the sun-beaten tan that he once had. The many angry cracks on his person warranted Raiden's attention as he brushed his fingers over the red lacerations and scars. His mind wonders of their origin. They were…Supposedly…Martial arts teachers. What could've possibly happened that would have caused these wounds? It was now Kung Lao's turn to lean into Raiden's touch, making subtle hums with each curious touch Raiden graced him. This probably would've been enough to recenter Raiden, but what grabs his attention is Kung Lao's neck. A glaring (and glowing) scar indicates that he was slashed in that area. His family has told him the cause of Lao's death; a clean cut to his neck due to an accident with some equipment that malfunctioned. Yet, when Raiden touches the old wound and stares at Lao's neck, he cannot help but feel a hidden truth behind the scar.

"…Raiden…"

The thunder wielder shoots his eyes up, looking at Kung Lao. Did he say something? From the looks of it, Kung Lao was still enraptured by Raiden's touch, continuously leaning into him like a touch-starved cat. The voice surely didn't sound like Lao either. Another mystery for another day, it seems.

Kung Lao draws a hum from his damaged throat as he flutters his eyes open, "I've missed this. We've been separated for so long, I've forgotten how good it feels to be near you again. To feel you again."

The pair meet eye to eye again, lost in each other as foreign feelings resurface again. Raiden has always viewed their relationship as just platonic. That's how its always been. They grew up together, fought together, teased and jested for as long as he could remember. Raiden likes to believe that Kung Lao may have felt the same, that there was nothing more to their friendship than that.

Yet, his heart skips a beat when he looks at Kung Lao. He can feel his skin tingle, the innate desire to be closer to Kung Lao than they were right now. He wanted to hug him until their bodies melded into one, to run his hands through his half-buzzed hair until it was in complete disrepair. Raiden wanted to intertwine his hands into Lao's, clutching him tight so they could never be separated again; his eyes would never leave Lao's being if he could help it. And a part of Raiden wanted to explain these feelings away as just being ecstatic seeing Lao again, someone he has long believed was dead. Yet, Raiden knew deep down there was something more to this than shared amity.

And Lao would be the first to confirm this fact to Raiden. Kung Lao's eyes kept glancing at Raiden's lips, still soft and plump despite the horrors they both experienced. He slowly closed the small gap that separated them, planting a tender kiss on Raiden. Under any other circumstances, Raiden would've made a startled noise. This is the first time in Raiden's known memory that Kung Lao kissed him with such care and passion. Yet, whether or not this was their first kiss was irrelevant to Raiden. This felt familiar, standard, as if he should've already known to accept such an exchange from Kung Lao. Raiden finds himself giving into the motions, his hands snaking over Kung Lao's shoulders as he uses him to keep himself up and to further lock them in this moment.

Raiden wasn't sure what spurred Kung Lao on, but a muffled growl was heard from the other man, and Raiden finally emitted that startled noise when he felt Lao's hands move from his waist to his ass. The pair separate, Kung Lao being the one out of breath despite the kiss not being that deep or filthy (for lack of better words). However, Kung Lao wasn't as red in the cheeks as Raiden was. He whimpers as Kung Lao's grip tightens, and he presses his body closer to the thunder wielder.

"L-Lao-mph!"

Raiden didn't get a chance to say anything else, for Kung Lao was again on his lips. Eagerly assaulting his lips, trying to breach into Raiden's mouth. Raiden tries to keep up with Lao, reciprocating as much as he could with his limited experience. Yet, when Kung Lao started sucking and biting his lower lips, that's where Raiden left himself vulnerable.

"L-Lao!" Raiden gasped, clinging onto Kung Lao as his friend grew increasingly ravenous.

The moment Raiden opened his mouth, Kung Lao deepened the kiss, forcing his tongue into Raiden's mouth; familiar territory for the Shaolin Monk, new grounds for the thunder wielder. Raiden moans into the kiss, his body feeling weighted down and his vision going blurry from the new sensation. The feeling of Kung Lao exploring his mouth, battling his submissive tongue with his own, his hands now possessively grabbing at his ass. Raiden gave in to Kung Lao, his body slowly growing limp as he allowed his friend to do whatever he pleased. He was being consumed, almost fitting, considering that his friend had come back from the dead. He was the first body that Kung Lao found upon his resurface, and he was going to devour Raiden, body and soul. And Raiden would let him if Kung Lao demanded it.

Raiden was increasingly losing air, having become breathless from Kung Lao's need to keep his lips on Raidens'. Slowly, Raiden was falling out of Kung Lao's spell on him, his desire to breathe becoming more of a voice of reason. Raiden pulls on Lao's clothes, which were surprisingly more like armor than typical clothing. He actually had to grasp at Kung Lao's hair and rip him off, a trail of saliva bridged between them. Raiden was now the one breathless, cheeks still red as cherries, eyes needing a moment to refocus. Hell, he had to rewire his brain to focus on the matter at hand. Kung Lao makes another growl upon being separated from Raiden, though this one was more…Angry than lustful. Kung Lao tries to go in for another kiss, his hands now gripping at Raiden's clothes as if wanting to remove them or tear them off, for that matter.

"Lao, Lao, wait, stop!" Raiden prevents Kung Lao from placing another suffocating kiss on him, making his tone clear that he wanted no more (for now, that is). Raiden would have to make his point even more evident as he firmly separates himself from Kung Lao, stopping Lao from even tearing off his clothes.

"How are you alive? You're supposed to be dead. They told me you died," Raiden quickly puts his concerns out there for Kung Lao to process.

This actually seems to have centered Kung Lao. His eyes, dark with anger, lust, and intent, dissolve into realization, and his features soften just a little. "…Right…What did 'they' tell you, hm? How did my death go down in history?"

Quite bold of him to phrase it like that. Then again, Raiden always knew that Kung Lao had an ego about him. Raiden ponders how he should break the news to him, unsure how much he can tell Kung Lao, before finally deciding that the truth would be better than concealing any information.

"You…You died because some equipment back in the U.S. malfunctioned…It got you in…" Raiden does his best to not look at Kung Lao's neck, keeping his eyes straight at Lao's eyes. "…The cause of death was a deep laceration to the neck…You died before you could make it to the hospital… That's… That's what my folks told me."

Kung Lao looked at Raiden in a subtle display of shock. If there was a chair, Raiden was sure Kung Lao would need it. Kung Lao's eyes slowly darted this way and that as if he were in deep thought, processing what he had learned.

Then he started…Smiling…Then he started laughing.

"So that hellish witch was right after all," Kung Lao quietly seethed, his hands balling into tight fists.

Raiden wasn't able to hear him, but he could imagine that this was…Much for Lao. "…Lao, I…This is probably a lot to take in, but there was a tombstone and funeral for you. Everyone in Fengjian thought you were dead. I thought you were-"

"Of course, you believed me dead! You were there to see it!" Kung Lao snaps at Raiden, his eyes glowing an angry red. "I died in your arms! The last thing I felt was you shaking my body while I was bleeding out on the dirt! AND YOU DID NOTHING! NOTHING BUT CRY LIKE THE WEAK BITCH YOU ARE!"

The last phrase caught Raiden off guard. Understandably, Kung Lao is confused and upset; this is a lot for him to take in. But that final line…That was…Unnecessary. Raiden pushes it to the side, building his sympathy as he responds calmly.

"I…I don't remember exactly what happened, Lao. It…It probably happened so fast. But, you're here now, and we can…We can help each other. My parents and Fuji would be happy to see you again. You can come with me back-"

"SHUT UP!"

Suddenly, Kung Lao's fist slams against the walled surface behind Raiden, dangerously close to Raiden's skull, as the wall behind Raiden makes a fist-sized crater from the force of Lao's punch. This truly scared Raiden, silencing the thunder wielder as he felt a pocket of uneasiness build within.

"I don't want your sympathy OR your useless offerings! Not when you left me to die because you were too weak-willed to save me! AFTER ALL I SACRIFICED FOR YOU! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I REMAINED IN YOUR SHADOW, 'CHAMPION OF EARTHREALM'! I PLAYED MY PART, SUPPORTED YOU, AND WHAT DID I GET IN RETURN? A BIG, FUCK-OFF HORNED BASTARD SLASHING MY NECK, AND YOU DOING NOTHING TO SAVE ME IN RETURN! YOU DIDN'T EVEN KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE!! NO, YOU WANTED TO KEEP TO YOUR FOOLISH MORALS AND PLAY THE GOODY-TWO-SHOED ROLE! OR, BETTER YET, YOU WERE PROBABLY GLAD YOU WERE FINALLY RID OF ME! I GUESS SECOND BEST WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, HUH?"

Each sentence was further pronounced as Kung Lao made violent movements, hitting the walled surfaces around them. Never hitting Raiden, but the intent was there. Each swing forced a flinch from the thunder wielder as he expected Kung Lao to lash out at him. Under any other circumstance, IF Kung Lao were to attempt to hit him, Raiden could block a punch or kick. But…But this felt different. This wasn't the usual friendly sparring the pair once indulged in; should Kung Lao decide to, these throws could seriously injure Raiden…Kill him even…

"Oh, yes, I bet you were soo happy that I was finally out of the picture, Mr. Champion," Kung Lao jeered venomously. "I bet you felt relieved knowing you didn't have to play pretend to keep me happy. No longer had to play the annoyingly humble Raiden part once I was gone now that you had Liu Kang's undivided attention. And I can tell, don't try lying to me. That kiss was half-assed, even by your standards. You kissed me as if you didn't even know me!"

"L-Lao-"

"Or maybe you already moved on, didn't you? Who's the 'lucky guy,' hm? Is it Johnny? Kenshi? Heaven forbid Kitana! But I bet you like those types, huh? Do you like being a submissive bitch to someone who's way out of your league? I bet you sucked that Fire God off to get the title of Champion! He would've picked you regardless of whether you won or lost! I always saw the way he looked at you. He wanted you, no one else. Maybe that's why he paid such close attention to you than anyone else. He was playing favorites!"

"Lao-"

"No, you shut the fuck up! You think you can wise-man your ass out of this, but no, not this time, not ever. You never deserved it, ANY OF IT! I was ALWAYS better than you, ALWAYS! I'M THE ONE WHO KNOCKED THE TEETH OUT OF YOUR SKULL; I DID! EVERYONE HAS ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT I WAS THE BETTER FIGHTER. THAT I'M FASTER THAN YOU, STRONGER THAN YOU, EVEN NOW! BUT NOOO! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FLASH A SMILE AND SNIFF EVERYONE'S ASS, AND SUDDENLY, EVERYONE IS ALL OVER YOU!"

The more Kung Lao angrily rambled to Raiden, the more the thunder wielder felt his chest tighten. He's speechless. Has Lao always felt this way? Raiden has always known that Kung Lao was a better fighter than him. He was considered Madam Bo's favorite student for a reason. Since they were children, Kung Lao fought harder and was faster due to, what Raiden assumed, was his rough upbringing. Raiden has always looked up to Lao, exemplified him even. But he didn't know…He didn't know Kung Lao felt like…This.

The more Kung Lao poked at Raiden's expense, the more Raiden felt himself tearing apart at the seams. Raiden doesn't consider himself someone who would allow anyone to walk all over him, even if he has the demeanor of someone who would. Even with his humility and kindness, Raiden has and will clap back should anyone talk shit to him. But to hear such hatred from Kung Lao, hearing him degrade him for events that he doesn't even remember or believe have happened to them. The confusion, agony, and anger were consuming Raiden all at once.

"I'm…Sorry…"

It was all Raiden could muster, his voice quivering as he tried to maintain his composure while also breaking under Lao's sudden anger. There were many things Raiden wished he could say in response to Kung Lao's accusations. He wanted to reassure Kung Lao that he was seeing things that weren't there, that he had never thought of Kung Lao as lesser than or ever desired to be rid of him. But there was a part of himself that wished to chastise him. If Kung Lao would hear him out, he'd know he had lost many of his memories. It wasn't fair of Lao to start spitting out occurrences that supposedly happened between them that vexed him. If Kung Lao was of his right mind, instead of immediately blowing up in Raiden's face, he would know that Raiden has NEVER felt this way about their relationship. They were childhood friends! Why didn't he tell him this before? Why wait until after he had DIED and then came back to life? How long did Lao let this fester in this state?

"I'm…Sorry…" Raiden says again, quietly whimpering with his head facing the ground. Trying his best to further obscure the tears running down his face.

There's a moment of silence before Raiden feels Kung Lao's hand touch his cheek. Raiden flinches but allows Kung Lao to caress him, wanting to believe that there's still some measure of trust between them that hasn't been lost. He doesn't say it, Lao doesn't have to, but Raiden meets Kung Lao's eyes. It was almost as though Lao's outburst was a terrible hallucination, a figment of his seemingly broken mind. Kung Lao appeared remorseful, wiping away Raiden's tears with care, his lips tight with guilt as if he realized what he had done.

"No. I should be sorry for you, Raiden. He took so much from you, and it pains me that she-" Kung Lao stops himself, as though needing to correct himself on the spot, "It pains me that there's so much…Lost time between us."

So…He does know? Raiden tried to explain his condition to Kung Lao earlier, but the way he said what he did made it seem as though he already knew. But Raiden's brain was practically fried from the emotional rollercoaster he had been on since he met Kung Lao. And it doesn't help that Kung Lao occasionally kissed his round cheeks, causing the thunder wielder to blush and melt into Lao again. He never knew that his best friend would have such an effect on him…And he kinda likes it, honestly.

"It's-it's getting late, Lao. My folks are probably wondering where I'm at." Raiden says in a hushed tone. "You should come with me. They would be so happy to see you again. Everyone missed you."

Kung Lao smiles, "I'd love to. But not now. I have other business to attend to."

"You just came back from the dead," Raiden says, a small smile growing on his face. "What other 'business' must you attend to?"

Kung Lao doesn't answer him directly. Instead, he giggles and thumbs at Raiden's cheek. "I'll come by another time. Don't tell them yet; keep it a secret. It'll be a surprise." Kung Lao winks.

Raiden nodded, and for a moment, he wanted to lean into Kung Lao, wishing for a final kiss. But, to Raiden's surprise, Kung Lao just disappeared. Right in front of him, in a quick flash of light, small, wilted cherry blossom petals floated around him before descending to the ground.

"RAIDEN!"

Fuck. It was Fuji.

Raiden follows her voice, revealing himself to his younger sister. "Fuji, hi, um." Raiden honestly didn't think too far ahead when it came to actually coming forward to his sister.

"Raiden! Where the hell were you! You were supposed to be in bed, at home!" Fuji rushes towards her brother, pulling at his ear as if she were his mother.

"Agh, ow, ow, Fuji, stop!" Raiden strains in pain as he pulls her off him. "I'm sorry that I worried you-"

"Fucking hell, Raiden, you gave us all a heart attack! We thought the worst!"

Fuji continues to scold Raiden, and he quietly lets his sister air out her worries. Raiden reassuringly pats her head, smiling apologetically, "I'm sorry I snuck out of the house. I just-I didn't feel…I missed too many days of work; I didn't want to skip another day."

Fuji sighs, "I get that, but you must take care of yourself first. You haven't been getting sleep, your night terrors have been increasing, you've been acting paranoid. We're getting worried and…We thought you went and…Did something stupid."

"It won't happen again, promise."

This seemed to finally settle Fuji as she motioned for Raiden to follow her back home. "You can win me over easy, brother. Mom & Dad will be talking your ear out all night, so I hope leaving the house was worth it."

In a small way…Yeah, it was worth it.

[degenrcy]

jeff da killa puts you to sleep ->

warnings: rape, blood, death, stalker, he totally loves you

link to ao3 if you want to read as i update, because who knows when or what i'll post on here!

a calm summer night. fresh sheets and a new pajama set. you lotioned up well, did your skincare, put up your hair securely after its own special treatment. a 3-wick vanilla scented candle filling up your room, soft music playing from your open laptop.

you slipped your panties on after sliding off your towel, showing off to the laptop and potential dark web perverts watching you through your tapped camera... just kidding! that stuff wasn't even real, who cares, nothing bad has happened to you ever anyways.

you were perfect; smooth and clean, smelled like a girl, looked like a girl, you probably felt like a girl. you were mesmerizing, clueless, naive, dumb, stupid, stupid, stupid bitch. a dumb, fucking idiot who left their window open on this calm summer night. multiple windows, just in case a possible intruder murderer rapist burglar wanted to do a house tour before intruding murdering raping raping again and robbing you.

i guess girls stay up late too, the light of your phone dulling out the shape of your face. expressionless, smooth cheeks, no longer smiling. just scrolling, and scrolling, and scrolling. one day you'll find the one- the perfect video to wrap up the night. not tonight.

boots touched down in your bathroom, mirror still foggy with products lined up on the sink waiting to be properly closed and put away. you were messy, lazy. you buy all these things, but don't have a place for them. you're useless.

he pondered the thought of flickering the bathroom lights. getting your attention. stabbing you through the shower curtain. it wasn't fun like that. this was going to be fun.

not much decoration for a girl like you. there's a dedicated board with pictures of friends and maybe some other meaningful sentimental items. he ripped off a photo booth picture of you to stash in his wallet and show you off to his friends... right. if he could smile anymore, he could. he wanted. he was.

slow calculated, heavy steps closer to your room. the vanilla and coconut and strawberry and burnt hair from the dryer wafted through the air. it was adorable, you trying to be so many kinds of girls at once... but there you were, in all your glory. natural state, relaxed, no performance in sight. his eyes widened at the sight-

girl. bra-shirt. pink. shorts. panties under shorts? alone. looking at phone, headphones, perfect. wait, even better, you tossed and turned a couple times before finally settling on showing your bare back to him. ass.

he slipped through, caressing the blade in his pocket. his fingertips twitched against the sharp side, edging closer and closer to nicking himself. but that would hurt. that's why he does it to others.

he watched your phone with you for a while, the mass amounts of content you ingest at once and switching through the same 3 apps was bound to drive you insane at some point. no wonder you haven't fallen asleep yet. ah, your ass jiggled a little. nice.

you couldn't even scream when he finally pounced on you, perma-crazed eyes forcibly locking onto your fear-filled ones. cold against your throat. pressure on your stomach holding you down. smooth, smooth, silky smooth skin. his fingers were disgusting against your mouth and nose, no more vanilla-coconut but dirt-blood-disgusting-horrible-oh-my-god-howdidyougetinherepleasedontkillmeohmygod

he was just gonna help you fall asleep!

"lift up your shirt." he commanded, twirling around the very used knife in front of you, leaning back to let you move. this is where you scream, attract your roommates and neighbors- oh wait thats right you're alone and he would've killed everyone else in the place and look at that, whimpering and lifting up your shirt. tiiiiits.

your phone buzzed with a text message, briefly lighting up the room. his face now dimly lit, and your face was completely disgusted. now you hurt his ego, so you were really gonna get it.

he twirled the knife back into his grip, stabbing through your precious phone. his free hand found its spot back at your jaw, gripping tightly until your cheeks smushed together and dug into your gums. he stared, unblinking, lowering the knife closer to your warm skin. he wanted to crawl inside you, burrow himself in your ribs, feel your womanly-warmth all the time and have you coddle him and rock him around while you walked around.

"take off everything now, slut."

you shook like a newborn deer taking its first steps and he was the obsessed hunter growing his collection of cute deer heads on his wall. he hummed in satisfaction as you peeled away your soft panties, trying to cover up and slow the process as much as possible. jokes on you, he loved a strip tease.

his knife tapped your knee, mouthing "open. up." silently, smooth shiny legs parting open for him. the flat of the blade rode up your thigh, your frail hands daring to try and stop him. a quick turn of his wrist and slice the first little baby cat scratch stretched across your bare thigh. your lips trembled underneath his fingers, tears welling in your eyes. you took it like a champ!

he let the blood soak up the blade as much as possible, giggling to himself at how sick you looked and how you writhed under his weight when he rubbed it into your face. he made a smile on your face with your own leg-blood. he licked your face, laughing even more as you cried. he spit on the knife, a bloody gob dripping down the length of it, then slid it down to your cunt. his heart swelled at your body freezing up, tensing, preparing for the worst. no no no, he wasn't cruel, not a monster.

"don't move," he huffed, undoing his pants as quick as possible and finally freeing his dick from its constraints. he rubbed the knife on himself, grabbing your wrists with on hand, holding them above your shaking-no head. no-no-no, side to side. "go on, beg me not to."

"p-please," you obliged. "anything but this, please, i-i don't know what you want..."

he rolled his eyes- heard it all before. he wiggled his way inside you, being as scared as you were made it a tight fit. it always did. he loved it.

you gave in so easily, you weren't even trying to kick him, what a little fucking whore. the nerve to make it seem like you didn't want it, hilarious.

he slashed your beauty a few more times, letting it trickle down your sides and into the bed sheets. he rubbed it all over your chest and stomach and face, tonguing your mouth with iron-taste filth and cigarette residual. you were getting quieter as he moved his hips faster, eyes rolling up to stare at the ceiling instead of the hideous creature inside you right now. he understood, the bodys way of coping and all.

he could let go of your hands now, they remained above your head anyways. phone out, flash on, record. in another life jeff would've loved to be an amateur pornstar. he got the best angles to watch his dick slipping inside you, blood inside and out and all over, it was fucking hot. he closed in on your face, the flash forcing your eyes closed and mind back to earth.

"n-no, please, don't." you only could cry, single word demands fall on fully hearing ears that didn't give a shit. he dug the knife into your face, ripping a scream finaaalllyyyy from that pretty throat. he tore a smile across your face, pushing himself to cum as deep inside you as he could. he groaned, eyelids twitching and buried in your cunt. he pumped himself a couple times, using you to the fullest. he dropped the knife on your bloodied-pink satin pillow, kissing you harshly.

he moaned into your teeth, it was like a fountain of blood pooling into his mouth from yours- it was perfect. the smell of sex and blood, perfect. the smile on his girl's face after fucking her to sleep, perfect.

you hiccuped as he rummaged through your stuff, not much use to him. lame diary, cheap jewelry, not many electronics other than the one with a hole in it beside you. he was getting hard again just at the sounds you were making, whining for round two. moaning from the pain.

"yeah yeah i'll be right there." he waved you off, palming himself through his boxers while emptying out bags and purses and wallets. when he was done, he caressed the side of your face as he slid his cock along your ruined face. the bloody slit that was your mouth did wonders, especially when he dug the blade into your chest and you started gurgling and bubbling. it felt fucking amazing. he's never had a girl like you. so perfect.

you soon went limp, arm dangling off the edge of the bed and dripping onto the fuzzy little carpet you had for your feet in the morning. the floors got cold, but you always forgot to put on your slippers. he sliced open your arm, just for fun. he peeled back the layers of skin and fat and bone and muscle, he's sorry he put you through all of this. his fingers wiggle between your nerves and tendons- jeff even wondered if he dug deep enough, pull on some strings, could he move your fingers around like a puppet? get you to jack him off even in death?

[meanlesbean]

Here, have 1,400 words of Majora's Mask angst. inspired by a conversation with @gintrinsic-writing about Link having to pick and choose who to help on the final cycle. I'll put this on my ao3 in a few days when I think of a title. (Edit: better ao3 version up now)

————————————————

On the afternoon of the final day, the Milk Bar is empty.

Madame Aroma won’t arrive for another few hours. In twenty minutes, one of the members of the town guard will show up, but he won’t stay long. He’ll order one of the special drinks that Mister Barten won’t let Link try, chug it all in one big gulp, and then lay his head down on the counter to weep quietly for four and a half minutes. When he’s finished crying, he’ll ask for a shot of something off the top shelf—surprise him, just this once. Then, after his last drink, he’ll shake Mister Barten’s hand, put his helmet back on, and leave.

Unlike some of the other guards, he won’t abandon his post. When the moon falls and swallows the world, he’ll bear witness to the end from his station at the town entrance. 

Right now, it’s just Link and Tatl at the counter. Mister Barten is sweeping up on the stage, and he’s got the phonograph playing some soft piano music instead of the usual Indigo-Go’s songs, which Link is grateful for. Mister Barten isn’t as talkative as he usually is, but Link hasn’t been able to figure out if it’s because it’s the final day or if it’s because Link won’t talk himself. Either way, it’s quiet. The nice kind of quiet too, unlike the Stock Pot Inn, which gets creepy after Anju and her family evacuate. Even with everyone gone, the floorboards don’t stop creaking. 

It’s a good place for thinking and planning. That’s the most important thing left for him to do.

Or at least, that’s what Link thinks. Tatl has other ideas. 

“Are you going to squeeze in an afternoon nap or what?” She buzzes around him like an insect. Link’s adrenaline from the battle against Twinmold had worn off by the time they got back to Clock Town, but Tatl always takes longer to settle after a fight. She lands on the counter to take a small sip of her Chateau Romani, kindly poured into the smallest shot glass in the bar by Mister Barten, and then flies a few more laps around his head. “If you don’t go to bed soon, you won’t be rested before the reset, and I know you’ll stay up with Romani instead of sleeping the next night. I don’t want to be rescuing my brother while you’re in one of your moods.”

Link waves a hand out to get her to stop circling. He gives her a pointed look and then taps the end of his pencil against his open bomber's notebook twice. It’s a portion of his records of the first day, near illegible now with how much information he’s crammed onto the pages. That’s why he’s got a few clean sheets of paper ripped out and put to the side. If this is really the final reset, he can’t afford to waste time with indecision. 

“Huh?” Tatl says. She floats over the notebook to examine it, washing out the pages in her golden light. She flutters and makes an annoyed chiming noise. “What are you getting at now? There can’t be anything else to add on here. You’ve stalked everyone in Termina long enough already.” 

Link shakes his head and holds out his hand. Tatl lands on his palm, her magic tickling at his skin like the sparks from a light arrow, and he lifts her up to his shoulder. His posture relaxes as soon as she sits, the warm buzz of her magic trickling down through his chest and back. An ache he hadn’t noticed in his upper back disappears. It still feels a little weird sometimes, having her nestled in the crook of his neck. The first time her wing had brushed against his neck, he’d almost hit her on reflex, and she didn’t talk to him for the whole day after. Navi had always preferred to perch on top of his head. 

On one of the clean pages, Link lists out all the hours, from six o’clock to five o’clock the next morning. He repeats this for the next page. For the last one, he adds an extra hour at the end and draws the moon and its hungry maw.  Next, he circles Romani’s name in his notebook. On his new timetable, he writes her name between the hours of two and five in the morning. 

He knows that Tatl understands because he feels her go still, then huddle closer to him. Still, he flips through the notes he’s taken, over two dozen pages, for emphasis. Some of his notes are about the temples—he hadn’t made it through the Snowhead or Great Bay temples on his first attempts—but even excluding those, there’s too much. 

Tatl doesn’t speak. In his notebook, Link sees Pamela’s name, and he circles it like he’d done for Romani. When he looks at his timetable though, he pauses. He and Tatl have restored the flow of the Ikana creek and healed Pamela’s father three times: once very late into the night of the second day, once in the morning of the first day, and once more in the evening of the first day. From what Link can tell, Pamela doesn’t sleep well when her father is cursed, and that means Link can free her father at any time.

Pamela needs her father. He knows that, even if he doesn’t fully understand it. She’s young and scared and alone, and Link shouldn’t make her wait. When he looks at the blank time slots of the first day though, all he can see is dozens of other things he needs to do. If he’s going to reunite Anju and Kafei, he needs to spend the afternoon in Clock Town so can talk to Anju. And while he’s in town, it only makes sense for him to help the Great Fairy and go solve the argument in the mayor’s office. He should free at least one of the Giants on that first day too—he can make his way through the temples pretty quickly now, but he couldn’t rush the battles against the beasts holding the Giants captive. Potions and fairies don't work as well when he doesn't sleep. He’d learned the hard way that one little mistake in those battles could take him hours to recuperate from. 

His hand holding the pencil is frozen above the paper. Link stares at the blank pages. 

He feels Tatl release a tiny, quivering breath. Her wings flicker against him a few times as she leans forward. “Okay. We’re not going back to the Stone Tower on the first day. I need a break from that horrible place, and you need to get at least some sleep before going there again. You can take a nap in Romani’s bed, or in Epona’s stall since you’re a little freak, after we defend the ranch. We’ll go to Ikana and free Pamela’s dad and the Giant afterwards. Got it?”

Link nods and picks up the pencil. He gives himself two hours to sleep, then blocks off the rest of the morning for fixing Ikana. Tatl lets out a little ringing noise in approval, then says, “So, we’re going through the whole ordeal of getting Anju and Kafei back together, right?” He nods again. “Okay, then write Anju’s name in the two and eleven thirty times slots.” He does. “We need to go to the ranch and talk to Romani at some point during the day. Let’s do that at five so we can stay for dinner. We can go to the cucoo shack before eating too. Helping Grog always makes you smile.”

Link puts down the pencil. Before Tatl can scold him, he brings his hand up to where she's perched, and he closes his eyes and presses her closer against him. Tatl shifts a bit, and then she wraps both her small arms around his hand. He trembles, and she doesn’t say anything. 

She lets him hold her like that for a minute before she starts pushing him away. “Move your hand, would ya? I can’t read anything like this.”

Link pulls away from her and picks up the pencil again. Tatl pats his shoulder. It feels like raindrops. “Okay, let’s finish filling in the first day. You ready?”

When Link nods, it's the truth. 

“Good. We’ve got this.”

Link believes her.

[bomberqueen17]

assorted, and snippet

it is a rainy sunday. we had a glorious last-gasp-of-summer week, 70s and sunny and lovely, and then last night as the sun went down it suddenly got cold and is going to stay that way.

today's my late father's birthday. he'd've been 79 today. farmsister asked the family groupchat if we wanted to do anything special but like, what? no, so we're just having our normal sunday family dinner. she decided to make enchiladas because while the tomatoes are done, there are still tomatillos, so she's roasting those. i decided to thaw a pork butt and i'll make a sort of al pastor kind of pulled pork for the filling, later. but at the moment i'm out in my cabin, which is a disaster area and needs cleaning. but at the moment i'm just listening to the rain on the metal roof, and i have the propane stove on to get it up to room temperature in here, and i'm dying to take a nap but probably won't.

i told myself i could sit for an hour and maybe write. I sorta don't want to write, I sorta want to fuck around and nap, lol. I'm at a bit in Peace-Tied where I'm trying to fold in stuff I wrote ahead that doesn't quite fit now, so that's complicated-- I've been resorting to using two monitors to have the old doc open in a window so I don't have to tab back and forth. But Fit For Thrones is also in an awkward spot where I wrote stuff ahead and like not a lot has changed, but I realized there needed to be a new thread introduced, so I've got to work that in, and I'm realizing a scene I wrote ages ago that was just fluffy and didn't show a lot of character development is going to have to get overhauled to fit the new concept in, which at this point is just a slight complication but later I wanna hang like a whole plot off it, so it's gotta be here-- if I put it in later it won't have any support and might not really properly hold all the weight it needs to, so. And this scene was just fluff anyway and needs more stuff in it. So that's fine. But it's hard. Because of course all I want to do is skip ahead and write the juicy weighty scene this is gonna support. But if I do that (again, as i've been doing a lot in this series, ugh) i'll get there and it won't fit and i'll have to do more of this fiddly kind of work.

I did only miss Friday's update because I was physically too busy at the time, though. It's the wind-down of the farm season but that just means people have started to peel away to do other things, there's not actually a lot less work, and so those of us left are kind of juggling a lot more balls, even if they're less heavy than they were. (more wittering specifically about FFP behind the cut, and a snippet)

So I have a bunch of stuff allllllmost ready to post, but a bunch of tricky work to do for the continuations of them. There has been a spate lately of very nice comments, some rereaders and some new readers, and I appreciate all of you and it keeps me going, really it does.

I can't find the one, though, someone commented on the latest FFT that they thought Morvran might wind up a bit subby perhaps, and I literally cackled out loud. (Someone else was speculating that he's more traumatized/demi/gray than pure ace, which I also have been trying to convey-- he's ace-spec for sure but gray, is where I'm headed with him.)

I don't think Ciri is going to wind up being particularly domme-y in her preferences-- she also would like a pretty lady to push her around please-- but understand she was raised by a bunch of dommes all around, so I had a very early slightly-cracky notion that she thinks this is how het relationships have to work (this did bear fruit in an outside-of-series published work on AO3 thanks to the Smubbles folks, here: What Every Young Woman Needs)-- but there's an excerpt here I haven't quite yet fit into the FFP continuity, which I suppose I'll put here for everyone's delectation (Ciri POV, of Morvran):

He glanced up only briefly at her arrival, flashing her a quick smile but returning to whatever he was writing, clearly intently focused. She propped a hip on the edge of the desk, waiting, and he finished writing the line and looked up at her.  There was something about the way he looked up at her, like this, something open in his expression that usually wasn’t. It sort of made her want to pull his hair, and made her suddenly understand some things about the way her-- Geralt and Yennefer had acted, around one another. She’d always thought Yennefer was perhaps too mean to Geralt, but she could suddenly understand Yennefer’s perspective, and see that maybe it… well maybe it wasn’t being mean.  But. She didn’t know Morvran near well enough to offer to pull his hair.

[mandobatemans]

SFW Alphabet (Agent Whiskey x afab!reader)

warnings: pregnancy mentions, ex-wife & child death mentions, reader is assumed to be a Statesman agent but it's not really important, sex mentions 

word count: 3,151

also posted to ao3

A/N: This can be read as a gender neutral reader, except for a mention of pregnancy in letter "L", which is why it's tagged as afab. If there's anything implying a female-presenting reader that I missed, please don't hesitate to message me and I'll fix it! Also I didn’t do the letter “B” because I got lazy but the rest of the alphabet is there.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Jack loves touch. He always wants to be touching you, a hand on the small of your back or drawing little shapes with his fingers on your leg as you sit together. He’s into PDA—maybe too much. At work, he’ll sometimes rest his hand on your thigh during a meeting…you try to give him a warning look, but that grin on his face has too much influence on you, so you let it slide. When he wants to make out with you every time he sees you in the hallway…well, that’s when you have to put your foot down. Even if you two are sitting together at home working, he wants to be touching you in some way. He’ll cross one of his legs over yours on the couch or you’ll put your feet on his lap. 

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

He’s opposed to you calling it “cuddling” but, yes, he loves to cuddle. After a rough mission or a long day of paperwork, there’s nothing he wants more than to curl up with you next to the fire or in bed. Jack will very often fall asleep while cuddling, but you can’t blame him. You’re just as comfortable wrapped around him as he is with you. 

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Oh my god, yes. Despite the womanizer exterior, Jack is a huge softie inside. All he really wants is to grow old with you at his ranch surrounding by kids and grandkids and great-grandkids and–

The first time he cooks for you, it’s in his New York apartment. You’re prepared with the number for the pizza place down the street in anticipation of his burning the kitchen down, but to your surprise, it's one of the best meals you've ever had. True to form, however, he’s a meat and potatoes kind of guy. The first meal he ever cooks for you is a steak dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade gravy. You almost point out how stereotypical it is that your first home-cooked meal from a cowboy is steak and potatoes, but you keep it to yourself because the dinner is so good. He makes variations on it for your anniversaries, incorporating recipes from your side of the family over time. 

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Whiskey doesn’t break up. He’s snuck out on some one night stands before, but once he’s in it for real, you better believe it’s ‘til death do us part. 

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Once he falls in love with you, Jack is unconditionally committed to you. He has a funny way of showing it sometimes, but when you get more serious, he’s certain he wants to marry you. It will take him some time to be ready to get married again, but he knows it’s in your future. He’s tested the waters with off-handed comments about marriage, and you've made some indications that you'd like to marry him eventually. Neither of you are in any particular rush, as you’re happy with your relationship and both know you’ll get married at some point. As they say, things move slower in the South. 

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Emotionally, he’s much gentler than you ever would have expected. He’s sweet and sensitive, nothing like what you expected from his strong, rough exterior. He’s maybe the most understanding man you’ve ever spoken to. Physically, he only won’t be gentle with you during sex, and that’s only if that’s something you’re into and express wanting. 

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

While Jack loves a good hug, it would usually be you initiating them. He’ll wrap his arms around your waist and rest his chin on your shoulder while you’re brushing your teeth in the morning, but you've been known to give him a full-on hug out of nowhere. You just can’t help it, being enveloped in his arms overwhelms you with his scent, his warmth, and the steady sound of his heart beating, that you have to hug him at least once a day. 

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

It takes him a while to say the words “I love you” explicitly. He tells you he loves you in every way except verbally. From teaching you how to ride a horse to telling you things he’s never shared with anyone else, he hopes you know he loves you. Jack knows it doesn’t make sense, but he equates love with loss. He loved his wife and unborn child—he lost them. The nagging voice in the back of his head tells him that if he doesn't say the words aloud, he won't lose you. When he finally does say it, it’s after a mission, one he barely survives. Something went wrong with the tech and his cover was blown, forcing him face-to-face with death. Whiskey had encountered his fair share of near-death experiences, but this one was different, a brush with death so close that he could feel it. The second he’s back at Statesman HQ, you’re there waiting for him. Neither of you are sure who threw themselves into the other’s arms, but you're a mess of limbs and tears. Cradling you as close to his chest as he possibly can, he repeats his first, second, third, and so on “I love you”s into your hair, on your lips, determined to make up for lost time. 

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Whiskey rarely gets jealous—he’s much too cocky. He’s amused when you’re jealous, though he would never purposely upset you. Whether on your own time or on Statesman business, people will approach him to flirt. Who wouldn’t flag down the cowboy at the bar? Before he can get a word in to politely turn them down, you’re at his side, greeting him with a kiss or firmly attaching yourself to his bicep. He can’t help the smirk that tugs at the corner of his lips when you get defensive over him. Part of why he loves you is how well you can handle yourself, and he’s more than happy to let you show him off.   

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

JACK LOVES TO KISS YOU! He’s always finding an excuse to sneak a kiss: at work, passing you in the hallway, before bed, before work, while you're brushing your teeth, etc. There is no time or place where this man will not be trying to lay one on you. They can be gentle and loving or passionate and demanding, depending on the mood he’s in. Long before he says “I love you,” his love is contained in his kisses. 

There’s a little patch of his neck, right under his jaw, that makes him putty in your hands if you kiss. If you asked him directly where he likes to be kissed, he’d answer, “Oh, you know where, darlin’” and waggle his eyebrows, but in actuality it’s neither of those places. He wouldn't admit this, but he loves when you kiss him on the cheek. It’s something you do without thinking, like when you’re in a rush and have to head out the door or after he's answered a question of yours. It’s so natural to you that he can't help but feel loved when he thinks about it. 

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Some of the other agents have children, so occasionally there will be a kid or two running around Statesman HQ. Days when there are kids around are the longest you've ever heard Jack not curse. He was raised a good Southern boy, and you mind your mouth around little ones. As for your own children, Jack lost a child that he never even got to meet, so it will be a delicate subject. Personally, he didn’t really expect to have kids at his age or in his line of work, but if you unexpectedly became pregnant, he wouldn’t react badly. He’d be a little shocked, but slowly warm up to the idea of becoming a father again. Alternatively, if you express during your relationship that you want children at some point, he’ll have a bit more time to get accustomed to the idea. When you're pregnant, he’ll quit drinking with you, go to the doctor’s appointments, baby proof the ranch, everything. 

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Some days he’ll have to be in the office earlier than you are and vice versa. Whoever’s up first will usually make coffee or tea for the other to enjoy once they wake up. When it’s him, he tries really hard not to wake you up, but you sometimes stir from the kiss he has to press to your forehead before he leaves. When on the ranch, where the both of you can usually sleep in, he’s still up before you. On these days, he’ll make you breakfast, sometimes bringing it to you in bed, sometimes leaving you to sleep a little longer. Your favorite mornings are the ones where he stays with you, your bodies a lazy mess of limbs. 

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

It depends how tired you both are. If you’ve still got energy, you’ll usually have sex. If it’s been a long day, one or both of you is reading and/or knocked out on their pillow. However, seeing Jack in his reading glasses will sometimes wake you right up. He won't go to bed without giving you a kiss and telling you he loves you. Some days, those will be the last words out of his mouth immediately before knocking out. 

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Jack has some fairly open wounds from his past, and he’s not going to just come right out and tell you about his fear of falling in love just to lose them again. Early in your relationship, he purposely avoids opening up emotionally and eventually, you stop asking. Once he’s more comfortable with you, he finds himself wanting to be vulnerable. He wants to have the kind of relationship with you where there’s open, healthy communication and no secrets. It will take him a while to get there, and it won’t happen all at once, but it will happen.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He’s pretty patient. When he’s stressed out or tired, his fuse gets a little shorter.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He can be forgetful, but he remembers the important things. Everything you express any interest in at all, he remembers, even when you don’t. You’ll find him fixing the sink because you had mentioned the drip was bothering you. Or you lingered a little bit looking at a necklace in the shop window and next thing you know, it’s wrapped up in a little box on your desk.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

There was a time where you both got injured on two separate missions, and Ginger had you both in the lab under observation in beds right beside each other. You had been on one or two missions together before, but always with another agent. Of course you knew each other from meetings and passing each other in the hallways, but had never really talked. Ginger had put you on lockdown in the lab, though, and there was nothing else to do but talk. This was long before you started dating, but looking back on it, it’s probably what Jack would cite as the beginning of your relationship. You had looked over at him and snickered, laughing about how he looked with healing gel around his forehead. After asking you what you were laughing at, he commented that you had the same gel on your chest. 

“Staring at my chest, cowboy?” 

“Hard not to, sugar, there’s a big fuckin’ bubble of shit on it.” 

You paused for a second before cracking up. Ginger wasn’t all too pleased when she returned later that day to find you had spent the time that was meant to be used recovering to talk and crack jokes (and flirt, in Whiskey’s case). 

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Jack knows you can take care of yourself (he’ll never forget the time you roundhouse kicked him in training and he walked funny for a week) but he’s a cowboy, so a part of him is always going to want to protect you. Whether in public or on missions, he can’t help but keep an eye on you in case for some reason he needs to jump to your rescue. 

He has an emotional wall up when you first meet from the grief of losing his first wife. It’s an attempt to protect himself from ever feeling that pain again. The longer he knows you and the more time you spend together, the more he feels comfortable lowering that wall and baring his heart to you. He comes to find that, yes, love puts you at risk of being hurt, but it’s worth it to get to be with you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

It’s rare that the two of you get to do a date night, so he puts all that energy into anniversaries and gifts. Your first anniversary, he plans the most elaborate, all-expenses-paid trip for the two of you. It’s the most expensive and luxurious trip you’ve ever been on. You have the time of your life, but if this was the plan for the first anniversary, you worry if your bank account can handle what he would have planned for the second, third, fourth… After expressing this worry, he tones it down. Every 5th anniversary or so he’d plan something extravagant, but the ones in between are no less special. Dinner and drinks at home show you how much you mean to him just as much as a cruise would. 

Sometimes gifts just appear on your pillow or on your vanity or on your desk at work. They’re not that often, usually so spread apart that there’s no discernable pattern to them. The truth is, there is no special occasion. If Jack sees something he knows you’ll love, or remembers something you mentioned offhand and there’s no birthday/anniversary/holiday coming up, he’ll get it for you and leave it somewhere for you to find. He doesn’t feel like he has to make a big deal of giving it directly to you because he doesn’t need the kudos for it. He just wants you to have it. 

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Jack can be cocky. Nine times out of ten it’s charming, but sometimes he’s so stubborn and so arrogant that it’s too much. To his credit, he is working on it.

He can also be forgetful, dragging his shoes in without wiping the mud off his boots, or forgetting something from the grocery store if you don’t write it down for him. He’s got a great memory when it comes to mission briefings or differentiating a Scotch from a Bourbon, but not for mundane, day-to-day things. 

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

He’s no more concerned with his looks than anyone else is, except for when it comes to his mustache. He could spend hours in the mirror trimming and grooming it to ensure it's totally even and just how he wants it. Half his bathroom cabinet is grooming products: comb, scissors, balms, oils, wax. For his birthday one year you got him a mustache care subscription box, and you swear he almost cried. 

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He doesn’t subscribe to the idea that a partner makes you whole. Your partner should make you feel like the best version of yourself, and that's how he feels about you. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Jack is over the moon when you agree to let him teach you how to ride a horse. He has a few stables on his Kentucky ranch, and he’s had the perfect horse in mind to teach you on ever since you first told him you'd never ridden. She’s a Clydesdale named Peaches and a good beginner horse for you because of how obedient and affectionate she is. At least that’s what he tells you as he picks out a saddle for you. However fast or slow of a learner you are, he’s very patient with you. In the beginning he gets too overzealous and explains way too many things at once, but after you ask him to slow down he’s much more aware of your pace. When you finally get the hang of it, he’s so excited to take you to some of his favorite parts of the ranch that are only accessible by horseback. The first time he sees you out riding on your own, he’s overjoyed that you seem to like it as much as he does. 

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Whiskey doesn’t want someone who’s mean. He can take a joke, but if you’re downright mean? He’s too old for that shit. 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He can fall asleep anywhere. He’ll pass out on the Statesman plane ten minutes into the flight. The second his head hits the pillow on your shared bed, he’s out like a light. After sex, when he’s sure you’re clean, comfortable, and settled, he falls asleep immediately. You've caught him snoozing at his desk a few times, too. Sometimes you tease him about it, saying, “Okay, old man…” when he insists he can stay awake to watch another episode of whatever the two of you are watching. When he ends up knocked out, you pause the TV and quietly tuck him in. You’ll either fall asleep with him on the couch and stay there all night, or he’ll wake up a few hours later and carry you to your bed before climbing in with you.

tagging: @absurdthirst @laters-gators​ @eupheme​ @psychedelic-ink​

[arokel]

10 questions for 10 writers

thank you so much for the tag @strangethings-everywhere ! secretly I've always wanted to do one of these

1. Is writing a hobby or a way of life?

Way of life for sure; I'm basically never not thinking about it. I start to feel awful and purposeless if I go too long without writing at least something.

2. A journal full of notes or a clean completed manuscript?

Clean completed manuscript, unfortunately. I wish I could be less persnickety about my first drafts but so far that hasn't happened. I do sometimes make extensive outlines though and those are always by hand, but they're usually pretty clean too :/ no scribbly scribbly for me

3. Who or what inspired your writing?

I've been writing since I was five years old and telling stories since I could talk, so I guess I'll say that when I was first reading chapter books I asked my parents why books always have a few blank pages at the end and they said it was so you had space to continue the story yourself if you wanted. They made it up on the spot and they don't remember saying it at all, but it's always stuck with me.

4. Which is worse: Someone you ‘idolize’ reading your first draft or listening to you sing?

Listening to me sing, 100%. I post my barely-edited first drafts on ao3 all the time lmao. But I also feel like with a first draft it's easy to say hey this is a first draft, if there's stuff you don't like I'm happy to hear criticism! Whereas with singing, that's just your voice. You can practice the song but at some point whether they like it or not just comes down to something about you that you can't change. (Although I am a hashtag classically trained singer so my feelings of needing to live up to that might not be universal.) (Don't ask me to sing opera for you because I don't actually like opera.)

5. Has writing from someone else’s POV changed your perspective?

I think most of the perspective changes that have come out of stories have been from reading for me? Like the first time I was really exposed to the idea of transness was a Harry Potter fic (suck on that, JKR) and that obviously really stuck with me. But I think the desire to write from queer povs really helped me come to terms with my own sexuality, maybe more than actually doing it. I guess writing narrative essays, which I do less frequently than straight up fiction, is usually a way for me to explore things I feel about myself and about the world.

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

AO3 foreverrrrrrr. I was on ffn in my misspent youth and Very briefly on lj, but ao3 has been my home since 2014 and it would take a lot to get me to move.

7. AO3 word count? And are you satisfied with it?

646,046, and soon enough it'll jump another 100,000. Honestly not sure how I feel about that.

8. What movie/book gripped you irrevocably?

I will never not love Tamora Pierce's Tortall series. I know they're kind of dated and don't hold up in some places, but they've been in my bloodstream so long that they're basically a part of my understanding of the world. They shaped so much of my ideas on literature - how to create compelling characters and relationships, what makes a world believable, what fantasy even is - and honestly I think they're responsible for about 50% of my sense of humor and at least a quarter of my relationship to gender. They were my first fandom and in the end I'll always come back to them.

9. What’s the highest compliment you could ever be given, and have you been given it?

One of my plays deals with a very difficult emotional subject and is quite frankly pretty depressing the whole way through, and after the premiere a friend of mine came up to me and said "it was so so funny; I was laughing the entire time." That's what I always want my writing to do, not so much in fic but out in the world - I want to give people catharsis, and I hope they leave the reading or viewing experience feeling a little better than they did going in. And also I want people to laugh at my jokes.

10. What defines your writing style?

Can I say inconsistency? No but really it's definitely dialogue. I struggle with descriptive prose sometimes, but I never have to work at dialogue. I think it's my strongest area and people always tell me it's snappy (thank you Tamora Pierce). Other than that uhh... too many commas probably.

tagging @violasmirabiles @fregata-magnificens @kjxlll @borealopelta @uwu-dowoon @teaforarteza @icegreyrose @shadowquill17 @ris-d-deridex and using my 10th tag for anyone else who wants to participate!

[14muffinz]

@terrapin-might gift for your first prompt!

no need for a date, I have a dumbass

ao3

@tmnt-write-fight

i'll clean this post up later, I'm in the middle of class rn and I am def out of time

Raph is not a fan of suits.

He isn’t a fan of a lot of types of clothes, because he swears that they’re all manufactured to be tearable and itchy, but there’s a special type of hell that comes from being forced around to lug a jacket along with him everywhere when he’s in a cramped gymnasium with music slamming into his brain.

In all honesty, he doesn’t even know why he came.

At some point, Raph had lost the rest of his family in the crowd. Under normal circumstances, they’d usually be easier to pick out, but everything’s too crowded, everything’s too loud, and with the weird lighting he can’t pick out the specific shades of green he’s searching for.

Really, he just wants to leave already.

Raph manoeuvres his way over to the snack table, and shoves some food in his pocket because he knows it's a bad idea, but this entire night feels like a bad idea and goddammit, he’s hungry.

He finds his way out of the gym, and luckily the halls are a little less crowded. He can’t get very far through them, because the majority of the school is blocked off for security reasons, but getting away from all of the loud sounds and bright lights make him feel a lot better.

It’s by chance, when looking for an actually empty place to chill, that he gets found by Casey.

“Not your scene?” He asks without preamble, and there’s something annoying in his tone that leaves the impression that he already knew this wasn’t the best situation for Raph.

Raph shrugs. “Yeah, but it feels just like yours.”

“Ehn,” Casey looks off to the side, hands shoved deep in his pockets. “Everyone else who I’d chill with came with dates, and I just sorta came for the experience. It’s depressing as hell to be alone at one of these things, I can sorta see why not bringing a date is a taboo.”

“I thought that was just one of those human things I’m never meant to get,” Raph admits.

“Nobody gets social things, that’s the fuckin’ point,” Casey dissmisses. He starts walking the other direction, and Raph follows. Raph reaches into his pocket and slowly pulls out a snack, trying to eat silently. He fails, and Casey twists around to make insistent grabby hands. “Cough it up, Red, I haven’t gone into that shithole in like, an hour, I’m hungry as hell.”

Raph rolls his eyes. “Y’know the snack table is right by the door, right? Nobody would’ve known that you came alone.”

“Yeah, but it’s the principle of the thing,” Casey explains. “Who the fuck only comes to prom for the snacks?”

“Me,” Raph says. He realises that Casey’s definitely leading him to the exit, and can’t really find it in himself to care, even though he knows he’ll be receiving a million worried text messages the moment the tracker on his phone leaves school grounds.

Casey rolls his eyes. “Yeah, but your family is, like, smart. You don’t got a reason to care that you’re weird, and the fuck are people supposed to say? If they blame it on being mutants, that makes them into a piece of shit, even though if you weren’t born as a turtle, you’d probably have a real different life.”

They shove open the doors and walk out into the night air. It’s pleasant, warm but windy, and it makes Raph’s skin itch to go up. Since getting actual legal papers, he hasn’t gotten a chance to parkour, and he’s missing it.

“So, Red, what d’you want to do now?”

Raph shrugs. “It feels sorta dumb to go home, at this point, but partying doesn’t sound too appealing.”

“Maybe we could find an arcade or something,” Casey suggests. “I know where some afterparties are gonna be hosted later, and those’ll probably be pretty chill if we show up early, even if that’s weird as hell, but not gonna lie, I sort of just want to goof off for a bit?”

“Same.”

“Or maybe we could break into the rink,” Casey says thoughtfully. He rubs thoughtfully at his chin, as though he has a goatee to stroke, but in reality Raph is pretty sure the guy doesn’t even shave, not that Raph’s the one who can really make that point. “They never mind, and I still gotta teach you how to skate.”

“That’s going to be a shitshow,” Raph says, but with good humour. He knows himself and he knows that he’s going to trip and fall the moment he gets on the ice, then Casey will laugh at him, and that’s why he’s been avoiding it as much as possible.

Casey claps him on the shell then starts walking with more purpose, and Raph can only assume that he’s headed in the direction of the rink. Raph doesn’t know how to get to it from the school, but he’s been there enough that he could easily recognise it if he saw it. “Aw, c’mon, have some more faith in yourself. You’ll do great.”

“If you knock out one of my teeth, I’m going to stab you,” Raph threatens half-heartedly.

“And I’m sure I’ll extend you the same courtesy when you finally start teaching me ninja shit.”

“Never gonna happen.”

“Oh, just you wait, Raph. Just you fuckin’ wait.”

Raph snorts. “Stop trying to be ominous, Case, you’re shit at it.”

“I’m in hockey, not drama.”

“You’re built for both, though.”

Casey punches him.

⠀

⠀

Is not as much ‘breaking into’ the rink as it is Casey coming up to the back door with a key and then just striding in through the unlocked door. Which is good, because Raph knows that Casey would be a menace if he got to watch Raph’s ninja skills in action again.

Casey grabs two sets of skates off of the shelf behind the desk and brings them over to the benches, then silently starts putting them on. Raph allows himself a moment to be grossed out by the skates, because he doubts that they’re cleaned at all between uses by different people, then he reminds himself that he lives in a literal sewer, sucks it up, and starts lacing up his own skates.

The first challenge is trying to walk over to the rink. Raph’s got good balance, but that doesn’t make him automatically adjust to being held up only by two metal blades. Embarrassingly, Casey has to help him over to the rink, but at least he’s a good sport about it.

“Okay, so,” Casey starts as he steps onto the rink. Raph is leaning on the door and hoping that he doesn’t fall over. Casey spins around to face Raph and starts moving slowly backwards while holding eye contact. “It’s a lot easier than it looks, I swear. And if you want to grab one of the supports, I promise I won’t tell you how much you look like a grandma.”

He just poked the fucking bear.

Raph decides that he’s going to prove that no, he does not need to look like a granny, and steps onto the ice. His first angry step immediately sets him off balance, and then he tumbles onto the ice. Casey starts to cackle.

“I’m going to ruin this suit, aren’t I,” Raph sighs, already resigned.

“I think you should have called that a lost cause already,” Casey teases. He has a point, but like hell is Raph ever going to tell Casey Jones that he’s right about something. “C’mon, I’ll get you doing laps in no time.”

‘No time’ does not come to pass.

Raph hovers one hand by the wall as he slowly skates around the rink, and whenever he can get a proper support from the wall he’ll chuck some pocket crumbs at Casey, who is not as good of a teacher as he seems to think he is.

Eventually, though, he trusts Raph enough on the ice to head into the locker room, and returns a few minutes later returns with two hockey sticks and the familiar temptation violence in his eyes. Raph pretends that he’d made a full circle around the rink while he’d been alone, and Casey laughs at him like an asshole.

It’s a bit easier to balance with the stick. Casey clearly knows that Raph’s putting some of his weight onto it, but luckily he doesn’t comment.

“So hockey is just lacrosse but with more safety gear, right?

Casey starts pouting, which may or may not have been Raph’s intention. “C’mon, Red, after all the games I’ve made you sit through, you seriously don’t know the rules? Do you even know the rules of lacrosse?”

He huffs, then lifts up his stick. “Nope.” Then he shoots, overbalances, and falls onto his shell.

Coming here was absolutely a mistake.

Maybe the ads about prom were right, Raph’s going to treasure this day forever.

“Oh yeah, Red, you’d definitely be my first pick in a scrimish,” Casey taunts. “You’d be a real boss in a real game.”

If asked by Splinter or Leo, he would claim that he absolutely does not try to stab Casey with his skate. If he were asked by one of his other brothers, though, he’d complain that he missed the mark.

“How about you grab a bō, I grab my sai, and we see what fuckin’ happens, punk.”

“I can kick your ass with a stick,” Casey declares.

Raph gets a great idea.

He starts to stand back up, grabs the hockey stick, and sweeps Casey’s feet. It’s a lot easier when his opponent is balanced only on a metal blade.

“So can I,” Raph says proudly. He focuses all his energy on not wobbling so that this looks as badass as he wants it to.

“Point taken,” Casey allows. Him getting back up to his feet is unfortunately more fluid than Raph, and it probably helps that he’s not shivering in the faint cold. “A truce to kicking ass?” He requests, extending a hand.

Even while he takes Casey’s hand, Raph asks, “What does that even mean?”

“Fuck if I know, man, I’m failing English.”

⠀

⠀

They go at it for another two hours, until Raph is shivering too hard to keep going. Casey doesn’t make any jokes about it being because Raph’s a turtle, but Raph’s not entirely sure how he’d take one of those yet, so it’s fair. The amount of jokes Casey makes at his expense would be far past pushing it for anyone else.

When they grab their phones, April has updated them on Leo’s whereabouts via a picture of him flopped over on her bedroom floor (which Raph is definitely going to taunt him about tomorrow holy shit what was he thinking) and Donnie and Mikey confess that they both got dragged into the afterparty and will be back to the lair later in the morning.

Raph wraps an arm over Casey’s shoulder and they pose for a selfie, and they’re definitely on the same wavelength because both of their smiles are a touch devious, and they start laughing when they see the picture before they send it.

“Do you think that there’s any ice cream places open at 11pm?” Casey asks.

Concerned, Raph demands, “Wait, we just spent the last two hours ice skating, and now you want more ice? At midnight!?”

Trying and failing to play it off, Casey raises his chin and declares, “You don’t no my life.”

“Yes, I do,” Raph sighs, then yanks Casey forward by his arm. “C’mon, let’s walk through a drive through and piss off the nightshift worker.”

“I like the way you think, Red.”

“Is that supposed to be news?”

They walk through the drive through, because they’re little shits, vigilantes, delinquents, and definitely not pussies. Though, the expression the woman is wearing when they make it to the window makes Raph feel like they’re not the first teenagers to have had this idea, though considering that the afterparties are now in session, they might be the first ones so far that haven’t been drunk.

Their school is huge, so that’s just Raph’s assumption. He was raised on shitty movies, though, so maybe he’s a little off base with his guesses, even still.

On that thought, as Raph and Casey continue down the dark streets of New York, munching on burgers while precariously balancing their boxes of fries, he admits, “Y’know, we used to think that highschool would be like the Disney movies.”

Casey chokes on his burger and his laugh rumbles through his disgusting mouth full of food. “Dude, no fucking way.”

“Yes way,” Raph argues, grinning. “We saw this outdoor movie night of Highschool musical and were like, well, if the humans are watching it, then it must be pretty accurate.”

Casey’s cackle probably echoes for blocks, and since Raph is Raph and not Leo, he doesn’t bother to silence him, and even goes as far as to grin when he sees a few windows get lit from the inside.

“Thank god we wound up being normal before it was too late,” Raph tacks on, and Casey’s laugh picks up for a few more seconds.

Eventually, Casey manages, “Dude, you’re joking about the being normal thing right?”

Raph elbows him and does not feel bad when a few of Casey’s fries fall out of the box. “No shit, sherlock. I’m a fuckin’ weirdo and I’m proud about it.”

Casey wraps an arm around Raph and whoops.

Raph can’t imagine a life where he’s still trapped underground, going stir crazy and feeling closer and closer every day to snapping.

(Well, he can, but it’s depressing as hell so he tries not to.)

He can imagine his life now, though, in crystal clear quality. He’ll keep showing up to Casey’s hockey games and be a real ass about it, and eventually they’ll both go off to college and Raph will be intentionally be more dramatic about missing his best friend than any of his brothers, and then he’ll get bullied into a group hug like he always pretends to be.

Later, he and his friends and family will have an even better prom night down in the lair, while listening to rap music that’s more than just mid at best, and then eventually they’ll settle down to watch a romcom movie that Dad insists is good, and they’ll all get to throw popcorn at the projector screen.

Walking down the street, arm in arm with his asshole of a best friend, still feels like just the start.