Soul of the Dragon Queen

Chapter 21: It's Implied

(Kenshi's POV)

I guess this is how things are gonna be. I can't just let her go like this considering how I feel. I was just sitting there thinking, while she seemed to be wondering why I've been quiet for so long.

"Um…Kenshi are you okay?"

"I guess I'm tired. But, um are you sure?"

"I think so…"

"You didn't even know him until a couple of weeks back."

"I don't think that really matters."

"Of course it does."

"Since when do you care?"

"Since you decided to ask. And since you seem so apprehensive, you shouldn't have asked."

"I just feel that, I should see if it's okay with you first."

"Quite obviously it's not."

"Why?"

I just blockaded myself in. I have to say something, well other than 'I love you.'

"Because…I don't want you to go after my best friends. You've already done it once."

"The kiss with Ermac was a total accident! And fine, if it'll bug you so much I won't do anything."

"Like you're going to listen."

"Hey, I'm capable of listening." She protested.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Hmph, I'm beginning to understand why Kitana gets annoyed when we tell her we can't trust her."

"That's cute. But on a more serious note, are you sure you like Sub-Zero like that?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I really enjoy his company, and he makes me laugh."

"Oh please, I make you laugh. Doesn't mean you like me."

"Haha…Yeah, right." She forced out uncomfortably.

"Why did you get so nervous? Did I say something?"

"What? Huh…uh. No."

"I can tell you're lying."

"Why would I lie?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"Pfsht, it's nothing." She replied in the same uncomfortable tone.

"So you admit you were lying."

"No comment."

"Just tell me, it can't be that bad."

"It's not that it's bad. It's just not important at all."

"Which is exactly why you're cringing right now."

"How did you…?"

"Lucky guess. But anyway, is there something you're wanting to tell me?"

"I-I don't know."

This conversation was becoming interesting. Something about it pointed towards the fact that she hasn't forgotten about us and I still have a place in her heart.

"Well, if you did have something to say. I would have probably have something to say too."

The amount of butterflies in my stomach were unmatched. I knew a part of her was only talking to me so that I tell her not to get closer to Sub-Zero. I'm pretty sure she didn't know it herself but that's the impression I'm getting.

"Which would be?"

"I don't know. You need to have something to say first."

"Uh-huh." Her tone adopted more discomfort.

"If you're done, I'll go sleep." I replied getting up.

For some reason, I leaned in and kissed the side of her head. I backed off realized what I've done, walked off to my tent. And cursed myself for being so obvious.

(Li Mei's POV)

As Kenshi got up to leave from our extremely uncomfortable conversation he kissed the side of my head. I was really shocked. I didn't expect this, now I'm just wondering whether Sub-Zero is just my rebound guy. After my fight with Kenshi, I did truly lock away those feelings but right now when he said: 'I make you laugh. Doesn't mean you like me.' I suddenly reminded myself of everything I like about Kenshi. And there you go, I guess I didn't lock away these feelings.

The talk really gave me the impression that he still does care. That would also explain why he doesn't want me to get involved with Sub-Zero. Oh and you know, there was the whole head kiss. At some level I'm actually relieved he's been a little obvious, it's a little reassuring. But then there's this whole Sub-Zero thing…I really need to put my emotions in check. But for now, I should sleep.

-W571-

When I woke up it was probably noon. I exited the tent and saw Jax and Johnny trying to prepare food with Johnny messing up and Jax scolding him for not listening. Kenshi, Ermac and Liu Kang were all talking to each other while Kung Lao was meditating, Sonya and Kitana were talking and Sub-Zero was just making small ice balls in his hands out of boredom. Considering the confusing state of my emotions I thought it best to avoid him and Kenshi, but he saw me and approached me on his own.

"Hey sleepy head." He began.

"Hi." I replied distantly.

"Are you okay?"

"I just got up and I'm hungry."

"If you say so. Hey, want to go for a walk?"

"Not really. I don't feel up to it."

"Okay then."

He must've minded how aloof I was behaving. It would be disorienting to be best friends with someone on one day and then have that person back off completely the next. He headed off into another direction presumably to begin his walk. I don't know whether Sub-Zero's feelings are friendly or not but it wouldn't hurt to maintain some distance for now.

As far as Kenshi goes, I don't know whether I should go ask him what all of his cryptic talk was about last night or ignore him too. This uncertainty and the nervous feeling I got in my stomach thinking about him is leading me to believe that maybe Sub-Zero is my rebound guy, and even after all this drama, I still do love Kenshi deeply…Took me long enough.

Even though I wanted to go and talk to Kenshi, I decided it best for me to distance myself from him too. I went over to Kitana and Sonya to see what they were talking about. When I reached them Kitana raised her eyebrow at me and Sonya looked like she was trying to read me.

"Hello, Li Mei." Kitana said

"Hey to you too."

They both began looking at me judgmentally all of a sudden and I was left confused at their sudden harshness.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked.

"No, reason…" Sonya replied slowly.

"Seriously, what happened? Is there something on my face? Did I do something?" I was getting annoyed.

"Should we tell her?" Sonya directed the question at Kitana.

"Why not?" Kitana answered.

"Li Mei…uh…Sub-Zero? Really?" Sonya asked loudly.

"How did you-? Who told-?" I was shocked they knew.

"I heard from Kitana." Sonya said.

"I heard from Liu Kang." Kitana replied.

"And who told him?" I angrily inquired.

"I don't know. And please, calm down!" Kitana told me.

"I will not calm down! I do not want Sub-Zero to find out!" I began panicking.

"Freak out any louder and he'll hear you himself." Kitana quipped.

"This cannot be happening." I said with anxiety.

I searched through my thoughts and came up with the only possible explanation. Kenshi told somebody who went and blabbed to everyone else. I became really annoyed and wanted to go scream in his face but he was still talking to Ermac and Liu Kang. At the moment, I don't really care so I went over to them and asked Liu Kang and Ermac to give us privacy.

"So what happened?" Kenshi asked me when Liu and Ermac had left.

"You told everyone I like Sub-Zero?" I angrily asked him.

"I didn't tell anyone other than Ermac. If he blabbed It's not my fault."

"Yes it is! You told him in the first place!"

"He's never blabbed before, so I think I can trust him."

"I do not want Sub-Zero to find out." I sternly told him.

"If it helps…" He paused and became a little sullen. "Sub-Zero likes you too."

"Great! This is just what I needed."

"You don't seem too happy." His demeanor reverted back to normal.

"Of course I'm not!"

"You've become really confusing. I mean, don't you like him?"

"Yeah, but I also-" I bit my lip. I was about to tell Kenshi I still love him.

"I…uh also don't want to pressure us." I covered.

"That's it?" He asked in a manner which echoed me back in ChaosRealm.

"Why what were you expecting?"

"Exactly what you were expecting back in ChaosRealm."

"You know the air just became thicker." I joked.

"Why because we both know about each other's-" Kenshi stopped himself from finishing that sentence.

"What Kenshi? What do we both know?" I smirked.

"Is this why you don't want Sub-Zero to know about your alleged feelings?"

"Pfsht, no! I mean, you didn't even give me a reason to which I could agree or disagree to."

"Okay, fine. This is the game we're playing." He replied in irritation.

"What game? I'm just asking you to supply me with a reason." I smirked again.

"Li Mei, it's only a matter of time till we face Onaga again, I don't want to make the same mistake twice."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that, before the first battle with Onaga, I told you something. You couldn't say it back. I don't want to go through the same thing twice." Kenshi replied despondently.

Kenshi's tone really made me feel guilty. Now that I could get myself to say it, he doesn't want to hear it. I'm okay with that, really I mean…I deserve it. But what ripped me apart was to see how much he was still in pain because of me. I was feeling a little grateful that even though he didn't explicitly state it, he implied his feelings for me too many times for me to ignore it. That feeling outshined the guilt and I went to hug Kenshi. He may not have expected it, like the last time we hugged but he needed it. I embraced him tightly and whispered in his ear:

"I still feel bad for putting you through that."

"It hurts but I've forgiven you." He whispered back.

(Kenshi's POV)

After hugging Li Mei and indirectly telling her I still love her. I walked off, there was a lot going on in my mind. Like how she had feelings for Sub-Zero but she was implying that she still loves me. And whether I should talk through this with Sub-Zero, and see what the best course of action. For now, I needed to vent to Ermac. And thank him for blabbing about Li Mei's feelings for Sub-Zero. I gestured for him to follow me as we travelled through the forest looking for a private place to sit.

"We noticed you and Li Mei hugging again. Have you told her?"

"Indirectly."

"And by indirectly you mean discreet subtle hints?"

"No, I mean saying everything and taking out the word 'love' from every sentence."

Ermac face-palmed. "We can't believe how ridiculous all of this is."

"Yeah, well she indirectly told me too."

"So she also subtracted the word 'love' from all of her sentences." Ermac said unimpressed.

"Shut up."

"Your maturity could match Raiden's wisdom."

"Don't start."

"Fine. Now what of Li Mei's feelings for Sub-Zero?"

"Yeah, I thought of that too. I think that maybe she really likes him."

"Kenshi, we advise you to pay attention. What if in actuality, Li Mei has strong feelings for both of you. But, her feelings for you are much deeper as they are genuine, but with Sub-Zero they are fake as she's trying to replicate something as a temporary filler because of how upset she is over losing you."

"He's her rebound guy?"

"Must you come up with shorter explanations to demean us?"

"It's not intentional. It just happens."

"Hmph, anyhow. Yes your shorter explanation is correct."

"That's all well and good, but I don't want this to get between me and Sub-Zero."

"We doubt it highly. His feelings are more akin to admiration rather than love."

"Still, I mean we don't know what's going on in his heart."

"We do. Because sadly other people have decided to join you on the list off people who talk about themselves so much that it makes us suicidal."

"Spit it out."

"These are his exact words: ' She's hot.' Now you tell us how deep those feelings are."

"They must have developed more since then."

"HE SAID THAT TO ME YESTERDAY!" Ermac paused. "Are you just looking for a reason to deny yourself the second chance with her that you crave?"

"…Maybe…"

"Remember how we said that humans are doomed?"

"Yeah."

"Scratch that, just you."

AAAANNDD cut! So chapter 21: check. There is so much insecurity about this chapter, but I won't plague my readers with that anymore. I mean seriously, it's pretty abrupt (damn it)

As always, a grateful thank you to both of reviewers, Nerdette92 and en-lumine. You two are reading the story and are awesome enough to let me know that you are so for that I will be forever in your debt :))))))))

Y'know Nerdette92, last chapter wasn't that funny at all. And that's only because, there was no Ermac. I will now proceed to shove that character down your throats for the sake of some forced humor :P

Must…Stop…Babbling

-Warbird571 signing out-