Author's Note: Whoo hoo, chapter two. Figured that I'd keep going while I'm on a roll.

Anyway, woot.

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Amaranth

A Sareena x Sub-Zero fanfiction by Strike To Incinerate.

Only a little AU. Just barely.

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Around noon the next day, Sub-Zero was alarmed to hear commotion in the courtyard. Instantly, his mind swirled with plans of attack, retaliations, how to minimalize casualties...

When he saw that it was his new wife causing all of the commotion, he was rather confused.

"What are you doing?" he asked, watching as she stood, half standing on a pile of unconscious Lin Kuei warriors, a serrated blade in hand. Her leather skirt had ridden up, exposing black underwear.

She was grinning. "Occupying my time, you know... I was bored again. You told me not to bother you," she replied.

"Put your leg down," he seethed, and she did so.

"You know, it's not my fault that I'm good-looking," she informed him. "Or that you have a dirty mind."

"I swear, woman!" he roared. "What made you think that knocking out my sentries was a constructive way to occupy your time?"

"Ugh, you're right..." she said, and for a moment, he almost thought that she had seen his point. "I didn't even break a sweat. What do you teach these guys, anyway?"

Less than two days, and he was at the breaking point.

Why could she just sit somewhere and read a book or something?!

"Sorry," she apologized lamely. Her sword disappated in a puff of black smoke. "I didn't think you'd be all that mad... I thought you'd be, you know, impressed," she said.

He thought about that for a moment... well, it was rather impressive, he had to grudgingly admit. She hadn't broken a sweat, and there wasn't a scratch or bruise on her. It didn't look like they had touched her at all, and there seemed to be seven or eight warriors in that pile.

"Well," he began gruffly. "At least you're good at something."

She beamed at him, and he felt his heart melt a little.

It was disconcerting.

--

He hadn't seen her for the rest of the day, after scolding her for diminishing their man-power.

However, none of the warriors really seemed to mind. In fact, they seemed proud that the Grand Master's wife was such a skilled fighter.

She wasn't a simpering woman.

He frowned.

He wished she was; maybe someone would be on his side about the whole situation, then. As it was, no one felt sympathy for him at all; his new wife was gorgeous, a great fighter, and a charismatic demoness.

It really wasn't fair.

Most people would consider themselves very lucky, but all he saw was a burden.

A burden comprised of beautiful, toned thighs, a trim stomach, lean arms, a round backside, and a great rack.

He slammed his fist down on the desk.

Very, very disconcerting.

So he picked up the phone, and called his close friend and ally, Liu Kang. Liu, who was always trying to juggle his duty as Champion of the Elder Gods with his relationship with Edenian princess Kitana, would understand this better than anyone. After all, at least he had consensually entered his relationship.

"Hey man, what's going on? Long time no see," the former Shaolin monk greeted him.

"Hello, Liu. Thanks for answering," he replied.

"No problem, you're just lucky. You caught me at a good time," Liu said. "So, what's up? What's new with the Lin Kuei?"

Now, it was time to talk about the issue at hand. "I got married," he said tonelessly.

"Wow, really?" Liu sounded surprised. "Congratulations, man. Who's the lucky lady?" he asked.

"Lucky? I wish," Sub-Zero said, sighing. "The Elder Gods basically dumped her on my doorstep, a punishment labelled as a gift for my 'hard work'. It's driving me insane," he explained.

"That sounds so unlike them."

"Doesn't it just?" Sub-Zero said with a mocking laugh. "I'm not even finished. She's a demoness... you know, the kind from the Netherrealm?"

"What?!"

"Indeed."

"So you're saying that the Elder Gods came down from on high, handed you a demoness and told you to live happily ever after with that?" Liu kang recapped it all.

"Yes."

"I am so sorry."

"It isn't your fault," he replied.

"Well... uh, why don't you let me throw you a bachelor party or something?" he offered. "I mean, I know you guys are already married, but it might be nice. I'll bring Sonya and Jax, too... and Jade and Kung Lao. And Johnny, of course. That way, everyone can meet her. You can just relax a bit."

Hanging out with the guys sounded nice.

In fact, at this point, it sounded fantastic. So, he agreed.

"Good, good!" Liu said encouragingly. "It'll be fun, so don't worry. And Kitana loves planning stuff like this. We're free next weekend, so we'll all come up then, cool?"

"Yes, that's fine. I'll just give everyone the day off," he agreed. "I'll see you then."

He hung up the phone, and sighed. It had been a good talk... he felt ready to go find Sareena and tell her about the party.

--

"A party? What's that?" she asked him.

He had forgotten that she had no knowledge of Earthrealm customs. "It's a gathering, where people eat and drink and socialize," he explained to her.

"Will there be fighting?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "No... but you'll get to meet my allies. Some of them are women. Would you like that?" he asked her.

She nodded quickly. "It sounds like fun. Next weekend, right?" she clarified. "I'm looking forward to it."

He began to walk away when she called to him. He stopped. "You know what's ironic?" she asked.

'That a person who's led a life full of good was married off to a demoness?'

"This place used to be a temple to a fire priestess. A seer, or something. Weird, huh?" she told him.

She'd been in the library, doing something constructive... like he'd told her to do. "Yes, it is rather ironic," he agreed.

"It explains why there's so many statues of the woman with the veil over her eyes..." she continued. "Although, they're kind of pretty. Do you ever feel like she's looking back at you?" she asked him, cocking her head to one side.

In fact, he had. He nodded.

"Me, too... like she's watching over the temple from the inside..." she laughed a little. "Isn't that weird?"

Not as weird as the way he liked to hear her laugh.

Far too disconcerting.

--

Less than an hour after they had gone to bed, Sub-Zero felt something brush against his waist, underneath the thick fur pelt.

He blinked his eyes open, adjusting to the dim lighting. "Sareena?" For the past two nights, she had stuck to their agreement, keeping on her designated side of the bed.

He lifted up the pelt a bit, and saw that it was her left arm that had brushed against his waist. She was still a foot from him... but she was tossing and turning, and ever so slowly moving closer to him.

"Sareena, stop it, I'm trying to sleep," he told her, rolling onto his side, facing away from the demoness.

Now, her fingertips were brushing against his back.

He glared at her over his shoulder, but she still seemed to be asleep.

She rolled closer to him.

He rolled away.

Again, she inched closer.

He was on the edge of the bed.

She was doing it on purpose, he realized. And he got annoyed at it... until he saw her shiver, and blink her eyes open. "Sorry..." she mumbled, and began to retreat to her side of the bed.

He caught her wrist, sighing. He had known that she wouldn't be able to stand the cold. "Were you having trouble sleeping?" he asked her.

She nodded, thinking that maybe he was just nicer at night. "Yeah... it's so cold here... I tried really hard not to let it bother me... but it makes it hard to fall asleep. I didn't mean to wake you."

He raised a brow. "So, what did you mean to do?" he asked.

She was so pretty, with her head resting on the pillow, less than a foot from him, looking at him with heavy-lidded snow-colored eyes. "Well, I was trying not to wake you, so that I could get close to you and be warm," she said quietly.

"Really?" he asked plainly.

She nodded, holding back a sneeze.

Well, at least she was not lying. "Fine... you can come closer," he acquiesced.

"Really?"

"Really."

She scooted closer to him, tentatively laying against his side... then, resting her head on his chest. Her arm slid over his waist.

Now he had goosebumps, too.

"Warmer?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, thank you," she said, her breath cool against his skin. Against his better judgement, he wrapped an arm around her, keeping her close.

It was disconcerting, how well she fit there next to him.

Far too disconcerting.

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End of chapter two. Review, plox.