A/N: This is my tenth fan fiction. This story takes place one year after Modrý a Krásný.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything involving Mortal Kombat. The franchise belongs to Ed Boon.
It was a partly cloudy day when Sub-Zero returned to the Lin Kuei Temple. The warrior had just completed an assassination mission, and as always, it was a success. After his mission debriefing, he went to his and Tundra's room. He knocked on the door to see if Kuai Liang was in. His brother opened the door, happiness and relief on his face.
"Bi-Han!" the younger twin said, pulling him into the room. "You're back!"
"Yes, I am," the assassin smiled, closing the door behind him. Knowing what was going to happen, he put his pack on their bed, then took off his mask, head cover, arm guards, and greaves.
"I missed you!" Kuai hugged his brother the second he was finished with that.
He's getting stronger, Bi-Han thought as he returned the hug, noticing how tight it was.
"I was gone for only a week," he said, a teasing tone in his voice. "You're twenty-nine, not nine. Stop acting like a child."
"No," Kuai replied. He then smiled. "You should go to the garden later. The blue marguerites are growing exponentially."
"And only after a year since they were planted," Bi-Han acknowledged. "I'll go later. Right now, I just want to unpack my things and relax for a while."
"Of course," Kuai nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then."
"Thank you," the older twin said, smiling.
Kuai returned the smile, then left. Bi-Han immediately went to work, unpacking what he brought with him, then putting them and his discarded accessories where they belonged. After that was done, he sat on the floor to meditate. He closed his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths.
You held back on your mission.
Eyes still closed, Bi-Han frowned. He was used to that dark, oily voice. He was also used to shutting it away, and this time would be no different.
I did not hold back.
No one else was present. It was just you and your target. You could have let it all out. All of your anger, pain, frustration, and so on, bursting out in your unique brand of icy, controlled, yet still brutal violence. It would have been a sight to see.
That would have caused more of an uproar than what I actually did. The Lin Kuei does not need to be revealed to the world, especially not because of a lack of restraint.
You say "caused more of an uproar," but what you really mean is "gained more attention." The outside world would be talking about it for weeks, if not months. Isn't that what you want? Everyone to know about you and what you can do? To fear you?
The inky voice swirled in Bi-Han's mind. It was reminiscent of a shadow, stretching out and infecting everything it covered with darkness.
That's what you want.
I am you.
The voice gained a jagged, cutting edge.
I am the part of you that you don't want anyone to know exists. Wait, let me amend that statement. I am the part of you that you don't want your precious brother to know exists. Your lover knows about me to an extent, thanks to your sorry excuse for venting.
The voice scoffed.
Words don't mean anything. Action is the only thing that matters. And yet, you don't allow yourself to vent in the proper way. Pathetic.
Bi-Han's hands grew cold.
We are not lovers. I don't know what we are, but I know we're not that. Don't you ever speak about my brother again. Words are a form of action. In this case, they banish you.
But I'm not truly banished, am I? I'm still here.
For now. You'll be gone one day. Now, leave.
Bi-Han's thoughts were well below frigid.
Very well, the voice resigned. I will stop this time. However, one day, I will not be stopped. When that day comes, all you will be able to do is watch, just like how that is all you let me do. I promise you, I will savor every last bit of your suffering.
The voice was full of venom. The resounding silence that followed when it finished was its signal that it kept its word. Bi-Han took a deep breath, then opened his eyes. His hands were covered in a thin film of ice. Clenching his fists, he broke the ice into nothingness.
At least it's not a thick film of ice anymore, he thought.
After taking another deep breath, he deflated, mentally exhausted from the exchange in his head.
"I don't know how long this is going to keep going on," he admitted out loud. "But I'll consider this another victory."
With that in mind, he meditated, clearing his mind of all thoughts, especially those of the voice. When he was finished, he decided to change into a less formal outfit. He was wearing only his pants when he felt a presence enter his room without opening the door. Turning around, he saw a trail of smoke coming in from the space between the door and the floor.
"You do realize how unnerving that can be to others," Bi-Han stated, hanging up his clothes.
"It adds to the effect when I'm assassinating my targets," Smoke responded, shifting into human form, grinning.
The elder Cryomancer raised an eyebrow at that, while also noting that Tomas Vrbada wasn't wearing his armor or tabi boots.
"Well, it does," the smoke user shrugged.
"If you say so," the blue-eyed man chuckled.
"Do I even need to ask how your mission went?" the gray-eyed man asked, grin still in place.
"Why ask a question you already know the answer to?" the Chinese man playfully retorted, a cross between a smirk and a grin on his face.
The Czechoslovakian man laughed at that.
"Fair enough," he conceded. When he finished laughing, he walked up to Bi-Han. "In all seriousness, I'm glad you're back," the silver-haired man admitted.
"I'm glad to be back," the black-haired man replied.
Tomas wrapped his arms around Bi-Han's waist. Bi-Han hugged Tomas around his neck, anticipation building within him. Tomas leaned in until his lips were hovering before Bi-Han's.
"Welcome back," Tomas whispered breathily before capturing Bi-Han's lips in a warm kiss.
Bi-Han reciprocated the kiss, eyes closing from the feeling. While he didn't know as much as Tomas did when it came to this, being able to do something and have Tomas enjoy it (for why else would he keep kissing him) relieved him. The kiss lasted until they ran out of breath. Tomas's cheeks were dusted a light pink, while Bi-Han's were a few shades darker.
"Glad I can still make you blush," Tomas observed, not waiting for his breath to even out.
Bi-Han, not trusting himself to speak, laughed softly at that.
"I want to try something out," Tomas said a few moments later. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," Bi-Han answered.
Tomas nodded, then kissed Bi-Han's neck. Bi-Han's breath hitched at the new sensation. It was different from the regular kisses, but it was also just as nice. One of Tomas's hands descended from Bi-Han's waist to the small of his back, then traveled upward until it buried itself in his hair. Bi-Han shivered in pleasure. He tilted his head back subconsciously, giving Tomas better access. Tomas smiled around Bi-Han's neck, then kissed his way to the spot between his neck and collarbone. Once he was there, he started to suck on it. Bi-Han's breath caught, one of his arms dropping to Tomas's shoulder, the other mirroring Tomas's hand, urging him on.
"T-Tomas," he stuttered.
A few seconds later, Tomas pulled back.
"… Why did you stop?" Bi-Han asked, once he was able to breathe properly.
"Can't have that looking suspicious," Tomas nodded at the newly-formed hickey.
Bi-Han looked in the mirror, eyes widening.
"You left a mark?" he asked. "What if someone sees it?"
"That's why I stopped when I did," Tomas answered. "Thirty seconds makes it only a red mark. Longer than that, and it's purple, or blueish, or yellowish. You know, more like a bruise. At least, that's what I heard. A bruise that small, and in that area will tip off everyone. When it's just red, you can say it's an insect bite from your mission."
"You really think anyone would fall for that?" Bi-Han was unsure.
"Not like anyone here has a lot of experience or knowledge about such things," Tomas replied.
"You're right about that," Bi-Han accepted.
"So, how do you feel about what just happened?" Tomas asked, voice soft and tender.
Bi-Han took a moment to figure out what to say.
"It was like nothing I've ever experienced before," the younger man began. "I really liked that, even more than regular kissing." A gentle smile was on his face. "Thank you, Tomas."
The older man smiled.
"I'm happy to hear that," he said. "You're welcome, Bi-Han."
Bi-Han was about to say something, when there was a knock on the door.
"Bi-Han?" Kuai called out. "May I come in now?"
Tomas immediately shifted into smoke form, then hid under the bed.
"Yes, you may," Bi-Han responded.
Kuai entered the room, shutting the door behind him. When he saw his brother, he became concerned.
"Bi-Han, what's that red mark?" he asked, walking up to him, looking at it. He gave Bi-Han a once-over. "The rest of you is turning red as well." He touched a hand to Bi-Han's forehead. "Your forehead is warm. What's going on? Are you sick?"
"… Yes, I think I am," Bi-Han said. "I think I got bitten by an insect right before I returned. It's only now starting to take effect."
"Oh, no!" Kuai was even more concerned. "You can't get sick! You'll still train anyways, and get even sicker!"
"Calm down, Kuai," the older twin sighed. "I'll be fine. You know I'll be fine."
"You always say that," Kuai complained. Suddenly, an idea formed in his head. "You came back after lunch was served. The dining hall had soup for lunch today. I'll go get some for you! That should break your fever!"
"Good idea," Bi-Han replied. "Please get me some soup."
"Stay right here, and don't even think about going to any of the training rooms!" Kuai ordered, then turned around and ran out of the room.
Bi-Han shut the door behind him, then sat on the edge of the bed. A few moments later, the smoke billowed out from under the bed, then formed back into Tomas, who sat next to Bi-Han.
"Kuai Liang is a wonderful brother," he grinned.
"Yes, he is," Bi-Han smiled. "I'm lucky to have him as my brother."
"As am I, and we're not even blood-related," Tomas smiled as well.
"Speaking of Kuai, I was going to ask you this before he came in," Bi-Han started. "Regarding what you said and did earlier, how do you know about and know how to do such things?"
Tomas smirked.
"I look good," the Czechoslovakian man answered. "Having unique looks that pretty much everyone in the outside world can appreciate helps me out while I'm on missions. Not only that, depending on which country I go to, there's a foreign appeal to me. A little charm here, a little seduction there, and I can get all the information I need without using any violence. It also helps that I like men and women, and I'm versatile, which increases the knowledge and experience I gain. Everyone's satisfied, and my missions are a success. It's a win-win situation all around. Except for those who I assassinate, of course."
"… I see," the Chinese man blinked, clearly not expecting that.
"That's not to say I've been cheating on you!" the silver-haired man hastily responded. "I stopped with the seduction when we started this. The flirting's all just words that don't mean anything to me. It's all strictly for the mission." Tomas held Bi-Han's hands in his own. "I've been faithful, Bi-Han. I swear I've been."
"I know," the black-haired man smiled, squeezing Tomas's hands in a reassuring manner. "That never even crossed my mind. I take it any knowledge you've gained in the past four years is either read or observed?"
"Correct," the gray-eyed confirmed. "The parts of the world where our targets and their associates frequent like that stuff. A lot."
"Indeed," the blue-eyed man concurred. He looked at the door. "Kuai should be coming back any minute now with that soup. You should start hiding now. Good job on that, by the way. That was quick thinking and reflexes on your part."
"Thank you," the smoke user beamed at the compliment. "You did great as well, using the insect bite excuse as an explanation for the mark. If I didn't know any better, I'd have fallen for that."
"Thank you," the elder Cryomancer smiled.
With that, Tomas turned into smoke and hid under the bed. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door.
"Since you have the soup, I'll open the door," Bi-Han called out, getting up and doing so.
As expected, Kuai was there, holding a bowl of soup. What wasn't expected was the apologetic look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Bi-Han asked, frowning.
The grandmaster stepped into view. Bi-Han's stomach dropped.
"Grandmaster!" Bi-Han blurted out, many emotions racing throughout him, none of them good.
"Sub-Zero," the grandmaster addressed his greatest warrior. "I saw Tundra asking for soup from the kitchen. I asked him why he needed it, as lunch ended three hours ago, and he ate at that time. He said that the soup was for you, and informed me of your insect bite. I am here to see it for myself, to gauge whether or not its symptoms are contagious."
"… Yes, Grandmaster," the assassin nodded, giving him and Kuai access to the room.
The grandmaster and Kuai stepped in. Kuai placed the bowl of soup on the nightstand, then stood off to the side. The grandmaster walked up to Bi-Han, silently inspecting the mark. On the outside, Bi-Han appeared calm. Internally, he was panicking.
Is this it? Is this how it ends? The warrior wondered. Don't be ridiculous, Bi-Han. The grandmaster probably doesn't know what the mark really is, or remember what it even is. I'm certain he hasn't seen one since Sektor's conception. … Oh God, don't think about Sektor's conception. No one needs to think about that.
"I know what this mark is," the leader of the Lin Kuei stated after what felt like an eternity.
Bi-Han stood very still, breath even.
"It is a bed bug bite," the grandmaster declared. "I remember seeing these on those who stayed at third-rate hotels while on missions." He frowned. "Sub-Zero, why would you stay at a hotel that apparently does a poor job at keeping their property clean?"
"I do not want my reputation to be that of a spendthrift, Grandmaster," the Cryomancer answered, looking as penitent as possible, relief washing over him at the incorrect conclusion.
"Stinginess is another extreme, Sub-Zero," the old man replied. "I do not think you want to be remembered as the Lin Kuei who died of an insect bite because he did not want to spend money to stay at a proper hotel, correct?"
"Not at all, Grandmaster," the assassin responded, genuinely indignant at that scenario.
"Luckily, you do not seem to be allergic, and the symptoms are not contagious," the grandmaster continued. "The mark will disappear in a week or two. I suggest not showing it, however. It is safe to assume that the fever is from the poor conditions of the hotel. It appears to be a mild fever, so the soup and a good night's rest should take care of that. Going forward, I trust that you will not be stingy, yes?"
"Yes, Grandmaster," Sub-Zero confirmed, pretending to be chastised.
"Very good," the grandmaster nodded, then turned to Kuai. "Tundra, make sure Sub-Zero does not overexert himself for the remainder of the day."
"Yes, Grandmaster," Tundra bowed.
"I will take my leave now," the grandmaster said.
"Yes, Grandmaster," the brothers bowed.
The grandmaster nodded, then left, shutting the door behind him. The twins looked at each other.
"Kuai, I'm not going to train," Bi-Han was the first to say something as he sat on the bed. "You don't need to worry about that. I promise. I'll have the soup now. It cooled down enough that it won't scorch my tongue."
Kuai looked at his brother for a moment, then smiled and gave the bowl to Bi-Han.
"I'm glad you'll be better tomorrow," he said. "You'll make up for today then."
"You know me so well," the older twin chuckled.
"We're twins, Bi-Han," the younger twin grinned. "That goes without saying."
Bi-Han smiled, then ate the soup. Kuai watched him until he was finished.
"Is this how you felt when I did this when you were sick?" Bi-Han asked.
"Absolutely," Kuai smirked. "Not so nice being monitored, is it?"
"Not at all," Bi-Han agreed, handing Kuai the empty bowl. "I'll be here until dinner. I'd like to be alone now."
"Of course," Kuai nodded, taking the bowl. "See you at dinner."
"See you at dinner," Bi-Han echoed.
Kuai left at that, shutting the door behind him. When he was out of earshot, Bi-Han gently tapped the floor with his feet.
"All clear," he said.
The smoke came out from under the bed, then formed back into Tomas. Tomas plopped down on to the bed, covered in sweat, resting his head on Bi-Han's shoulder.
"I never stayed in smoke form for so long before," he said between breaths. "That was a test of my limits. I'm exhausted, both physically and emotionally."
"I'm only emotionally exhausted, but I know what you mean," Bi-Han replied.
Silence filled the air for a few minutes, both men lost in their thoughts. Tomas lifted his head, sitting up properly.
"Bi-Han, please don't be mad at Kuai," the silver-haired man started, looking at him. "He doesn't know about us. He didn't know this would happen."
"I'm not mad at him," the black-haired man looked at Tomas. "I know that. I know that if he knew, this wouldn't have happened."
"Good," the gray-eyed man sighed in relief.
"… I want him to know about us," the blue-eyed man confessed.
The Czechoslovakian man's eyes widened.
"You do?" he asked.
"Yes," the Chinese man confirmed. "He deserves to know. We'll all be on the same page, it'll be one less thing to worry about, and what happened just now will never happen again."
"I wanted him to know since the beginning," the smoke user admitted. "But I respected your wishes, and didn't let on."
"I'm thankful for that," the elder Cryomancer smiled. "Now he'll know."
"When will we tell him?" the gray-tinged man inquired.
"Three days from now," the assassin answered. "My 'fever' will be gone by then, and we'll know what to say."
"Three days from now," Tomas repeated, nodding.
"One last thing, Tomas," Bi-Han started.
"Yes?" Tomas asked.
Bi-Han looked at the hickey, then at Tomas.
"No more hickeys, and no marks at all," Bi-Han said. "Too much of a risk."
"Agreed," Tomas said. "No more hickeys, no marks."
"Everything else is fine, though," Bi-Han smiled.
"I can live with that," Tomas smiled in turn, kissing Bi-Han's forehead.
Both men sighed in contentment, then leaned against each other, enjoying the silence.
Three days couldn't come soon enough.
A/N: That was fanfic number ten. I hope you enjoyed it!