Shock and worry filled Nary after Kano told her the truth about Alya. She loved him but she as a sister, she empathized with Alya's anger and sense of loss. Based on the shame she saw on his face and the irritation in Sonya's eyes, she knew that recruiting Alya would be a huge challenge for them.
Kano felt as if a ton of bricks had been suddenly dropped on him. Until Sonya's surprise arrival, he truly thought that if he followed Lars' advice, he'd successfully avoid Alya. Now, he had to deal with the blowback of his past mistake. Seeing the surprise, concern and conflict in his lover's eyes filled him with embarrassment and unease. He knew she was thinking of her brothers and how she'd react if she were Alya. Unlike the uncomfortable encounter with Paul and Melissa, this past transgression could have grave consequences not just for her but for all of Earthrealm.
Nary's phone pinged with a new text from the restaurant informing her of their delivery man's imminent arrival. With their dinner arriving in five minutes, she suggested that they take their discussion away from the front door.
During the walk to the kitchen, Sonya removed her backpack and held it in her hands. The former adversaries sat across each other at the table while Nary went to get Sonya a beer from the refrigerator. She placed her backpack under the table and thanked her friend for her hospitality.
Kano bluntly commented, "Blondie, Alya hates me fucking guts! So, if you got any ideas on how to persuade her, lay them on me! Because I got shit!" He shrugged.
The fair-haired fighter took a breath, "Well, in this case you're the weak link so you should talk to her first."
Rubbing the back of his neck, he asked, "And say what? She was so pissed off and gutted after I told her about Jarek that she slapped me!"
With suspicious eyes, Sonya questioned, "I see, so you broke the news to her gently, right?" She thanked Nary after accepting a bottle of beer from her.
The young doctor sat down next to her boyfriend seeing his gaze land on the table before groaning. She reached out and grasped his hand, "Kano, just say it."
Her touch comforted him and despite how mortified he felt, he glanced at her then Sonya, "I was such an asshole about it. I, um, I told her that he was a fuckin' idiot for going back for a stupid butterfly statue! And that his death was his fault not mine."
The soldier sighed before she took a sip from her beer, "What the fuck, Kano?"
"Yeah…that's pretty bad." Nary reluctantly agreed.
He kept his eyes on his girlfriend, "Like I said I was an asshole! This was three years ago well before I met you and yeah, that was one of my shitty moments but I can't take it back! And apologizing to her ain't gonna makeup for it and it definitely won't bring Jarek back so what the fuck can I do?"
"…Well, you can't apologize first and then tell her about the tournament." Sonya told him.
She agreed, "If you do that, she'll think that you're full of shit. Be honest with her, you clearly feel guilt over abandoning Jarek." Her hand held his face, he leaned into her soft palm, "Tell her what you told me last night. Even if she doesn't accept your apology and refuses to join us…you at least tried."
Turning his face, he kissed her palm, "I will…but let's not be stupid, she'll probably tell me to fuck off. So, we need a plan B."
Sonya shared, "Now, she's co-manager of a Puerto Rican restaurant but she used to be an EMT, so she clearly cares about helping her community. This is similar to that except it's on a much grander scale. If she turns you down, me and everyone else will try to persuade her." Rolling her light blue eyes, she said, "And Johnny's convinced he could use his movie star charm to sway her."
His jaw nearly hit the table the minute he realized who she was talking about, "Fuckin' hell, you recruited Johnny Cage?!"
"Yes, the star of the Razzie-Winning franchise Ninja Mime is now one of our champions." She groaned before taking another swig from her beer.
Brimming with excitement he declared, "I'm gonna save the world with Johnny fucking Cage! I'm so goddamn chuffed right now! Shit, this day was a rollercoaster but at least it ended on a high note!"
Both Sonya and Nary wore the same amused look until the doorbell rang; the latter stood up, "That's dinner, I'll get it!"
"Thanks, Babe!" He leaned towards his fellow champion, "So Blondie, what's he like?! Tell me everything!"
"Unfortunately, like you, he's a real talker and he's just as thrilled to meet you." She flatly answered.
An enthusiastic Kano continued asking her questions as Nary left the room.
The next morning, he woke up before Nary and took a moment to gaze at her peaceful face. With her by his side, he had some hope that his upcoming meeting with Alya wouldn't be a total disaster. A part of him felt guilty that another one of his past sins came back and could do real harm on a much bigger scale.
Nary opened her eyes to see her boyfriend in deep thought. Without thinking, she cupped his face, "What's on your mind?"
He took her hand off his face and held it, "Why are you with me? This is the second time one of my past fuckups has come back and bite me in the ass during this trip. And I wish I could promise you that it won't happen again…. But I can't."
The guilt in his eyes and voice struck her. She gave his hand a soft squeeze and told him, "Kano, I went into this relationship with open eyes. Sonya, Cole and Jax didn't sugarcoat their opinions about you when they talked to me. And you already know that Rasi did a background check on you. I knew you had a dark past and that it would come up. But you're worth it, Kano."
Kano appreciated her answer and support but needed more, "Why? You could have any guy, especially one who doesn't have a shit-ton of baggage like me."
"Kano, I don't care about that. What matters to me is seeing you feel guilty about your past decisions and trying to atone for them. You've come a long way since we've met." She moved her hand to his heart.
Placing his hand on top of hers, he asked, "Yeah…But what happens if Alya tells me to fuck off and doesn't fight in the tournament?"
Her hand grasped his again, "Then we'll deal with it, together. Kano, I will always have your back, no matter what happens."
The love and devotion coming from her put him at ease. Looking into her eyes, he knew that if Alya did reject him and becoming a champion, things wouldn't be a total disaster. He'd still have Nary and their friends by his side. Seeing the affection and support in her gaze compelled him to cover her mouth with a tender kiss.
"Darling," he cupped her face as he leaned his forehead against hers, "do you wanna have a good morning or a fuckin' great morning?"
A shy smile was on her lips, "Kano, Sonya's here and this is a beach house, not a temple with thick walls."
His hand left her face to glide down her stomach and slipped underneath her blue camisole where he stroked her side, "Cupcake, Goldie Locks purposely stayed in the downstairs suite on the opposite side of our suite."
The feeling of his calloused hand on her bare skin gave her goosebumps and the little smirk on his mouth told her that he knew it. "Wha-what if she knocks on our door?"
"Really? Babe, she knows us. So, she knows to only do that shit if the sky starts falling down…" His hand went to the bottom of her camisole curling his fingers over the hem pulling it up.
"You do have a valid point but-mmmm!" She felt him knead her breast and savored the fantastic sensation. The sheets and comforter rustled when she helped him remove her top.
About thirty minutes after breakfast, Kano, Nary and Sonya were watching a sitcom in the living room when the doorbell rang. Sonya immediately offered to answer it and turned into the hallway. The moment their fellow champions (sans Johnny) and the Young family entered the living room Nary's face lit up.
When she saw Kung Lao she sprang from the sofa and pulled him into a strong embrace. He was solid, warm and full of life. The Shaolin monk was caught off-guard by her gesture and released a small laugh while nearly losing his footing.
"Ooh, I missed you too, Nary." He rubbed her back.
Kano couldn't help but grin at the scene. He remembered how disturbed she was by her nightmare and Kung Lao's death.
She reluctantly let go of him, "I'll give you details later, Lao! I missed you guys too and it's great having you all here!" Nary took turns hugging all of them before saying, "Wait, where's John-…"
Just then, Johnny Cage walked in while talking on his mobile phone and removing his sunglasses. Kano immediately got to his feet and was clearly giddy as he strode over to the movie star.
"Talk to ya later, Art!" He tapped the red digital button on his phone and placed his sunglasses into the valley of his royal blue v-neck shirt. When his eyes met the Aussie's he smiled and held out his hand, "You must be Kano! Everyone tells me you're my biggest fan!"
With a strong grip, he shook the actor's hand, "Oh I am fuckin' am, mate! Your movies are fantastic!"
His smile grew large, he patted Kano's back, "Aw, thanks buddy that means a lot! You're the reason why I'm the world's biggest star!"
"Well it's true and fuck, even your shitty movies are still fun!" He eagerly said.
A loud laugh came from Sonya and Jax's smile was huge while Johnny's elated expression briefly fell.
"Oh Kano…" Nary said with a small sigh before talking to the actor, "mind my boyfriend, he has no filter but means no harm."
The former mercenary looked at his girlfriend and everyone else's amused faces, "What did I say?"
"Uh...it's-it's cool. I respect anyone who tells it like it is, heh." Johnny said with a crooked grin, "So, when are we seeing Alya?"
"Right. She's working until the evening so we have plenty of time to visit an old friend of mine…" Kano stated with a proud nod.
Emily excitedly bounced in her seat when Johnny pulled their Suburban into the parking lot of a wildlife sanctuary park. After Kano, Nary, Liu and Lao got out of the Jeep Wrangler, the reformed rogue explained to everyone that his friend worked as a supervisor. At the front gate a good-looking Filipina woman with a warm smile greeted them.
"Kano, you look fuckin' great, mate! And shit, it's been ages since we've seen each other!" She pulled him into a hug.
"Bernie, you look fuckin' wonderful too! And I gotta thank Win for getting me your new number." He smiled while letting her go, "Thanks for doing this for us. Oh and this is my girlfriend, Nary."
She accepted Bernie's hand and smiled, "It's an absolute pleasure meeting you!"
Bernie shook her hand, "Me too and you look so lovely! And way out of this bloke's league!" She chuckled when Kano rolled his eyes. After he introduced her to everyone else, she led them into the park.
As they entered the kangaroo and wallaby section, Cole walked up to Kano, "Thanks for bringing us here! Emily loves animals and she always wanted to see kangaroos up close."
"Ah it's nothing, Cole! I'm glad that I could make her happy." He lowered his voice, "And it's nice that we're having this experience together. Although this could be the calm before the shitstorm."
He gripped his shoulder, "Kano, we don't know how things will play out with Alya tonight, but as long as you're upfront and honest then we'll have a shot at swaying her."
With a grateful curve of his mouth, he replied, "Thanks, mate. That means a lot to me."
Everyone was handed hay and food pellets to feed to the marsupials. Bernie poured a half scoop of pellets into Nary's hand, "Did Kano tell you how we became friends?"
Shaking her head, she answered, "All that he said was that you met in high school and that you moved two years before graduating."
Her hand stroked the back of a kangaroo, "Yeah, my Dad got a better job in another city. But well before that happened, I was fourteen and the new girl in town. A week before I arrived, the most popular boy in school, Gage, had broken up with the head cheerleader, Celeste. He and I became lab partners in chemistry and we got along swimmingly. A few days later, he asked me out to the Valentine's Day dance and I accepted…"
"You became Celeste's target and since mean girls always come in packs..." Nary said with a tip of her head.
"Exactly. At first, they spread rumors about me claiming that I was a slut. Then they vandalized my locker with racial slurs. Celeste or her lackeys shoved me whenever the teachers' backs were turned. It also didn't help that I was getting better grades than her. One week, we were doing track and field in gym class and I always beat her time. It was-uh, it was after school and I was walking home…when they cornered me in an alley. I got in a few shots but it was three against one. Kano and Win pulled them off me." She wiped away a stray tear. "Her lackeys immediately backed off but Celeste was ruthless. She kicked Win and called him the n-word. Kano punched her face making her fall over."
Stunned and horrified, she remarked, "Oh my god…that's terrible. Did anything happen to them?"
"A store owner saw what happened and called the police. Celeste and her friends had to do 150 hours of community service and thankfully, Kano and Win weren't punished for helping me. Celeste's parents sent her to a military school for girls. Her lackeys stayed the fuck away from me until I moved." With her free hand, she gripped Nary's forearm and gave her a soft smile, "I know Kano is far from being a saint and he's been through a lot. But I know that he's a fighter who always comes through in the clutch. And I'm so happy that he has you and has found another family for himself."
A thankful grin was on her lips, "Thank you and I'm glad to know that he has a friend like you. I'm just…I'm just surprised that he never told me about this."
"He and Win were raised to never hit women so it's not easy for him to talk about it. He didn't wanna punch Celeste but seeing how she brutalized me and what she did and said to Win…" Bernie exhaled, "He did the right thing but he clearly has mixed feelings about it."
"Yeah and you're right about him." She looked over and saw her boyfriend feeding a joey wallaby while Emily was petting it. Her heart became warm at the image; she excused herself and walked over to them.
He accepted her sweet peck on his cheek and knew why she did it. "She told you about Celeste."
Nodding, she questioned him, "Why didn't you?"
Shrugging, he answered, "Even though she was a total cunt…she was also half my size."
"Well, she deserved it and I'm proud of you." She placed her chin on his shoulder and accepted his kiss.
"Kano, his mom is coming over!" Emily said with a smile.
The male joey suddenly hopped into his mother's pouch and poked his head through the opening making the three of them marvel at the family reunion. Less than two feet away, Cole recorded video of the lovely moment on his phone and took a snapshot as Allison hugged him from behind.
For lunch, they settled on a casual Turkish restaurant and decided to dine in the patio. After pushing several dining tables together, they sat down and spoke to each other while waiting for their meals to arrive. Nary took the opportunity to turn to her right where Kung Lao and Liu were seated and told them about her nightmare. They shared in her horror but also displayed their sympathy with their kind eyes as Lao placed his arm over her shoulders.
"Nary, that was a horrible dream and I understand why it scared you… but I'm still here," he gave her a squeeze, "and I'm not going anywhere."
Liu reached over and briefly touched her arm, "Neither am I. Unlike your nightmare we're in a much better position to win the tournament and you're a big reason why."
Their supportive words and warm touch comforted her, "I really needed to hear that, thanks. I missed you guys."
Kung Lao couldn't help himself; he smirked, "Of course you did! You're always in the presence of greatness when I'm around and who else is going to tease you whenever you're a sore loser?"
Rolling her eyes, she shot back, "Excuse me? Have you met my boyfriend?"
Kano chimed in, "Aww, Babe. Speedy picks up the slack when I'm not around!"
The four of them shared a lighthearted laugh just as their appetizers arrived.
With a deep breath, Kano pulled into the driveway of Alya's house. Next to him, Nary grasped his hand sensing his nervousness. He brought their hands to his face and brushed her knuckles with his lips.
"Kano, no matter what Alya's answer is…I'm proud of you." Her hand gave him a gentle squeeze.
He stroked her face, "You're the best, you know that?"
"So are you," she leaned over and planted a chaste kiss on his mouth.
He took a moment to gaze at her, "All right, let's do this!" After reluctantly releasing her hand, he opened the car door.
With their hands clasped, they walked up to the small white house with its blue shutters and flower bed. It took less than a minute for Alya to answer the door after he pressed the bell.
The 32-year-old Puerto Rican woman scowled and crossed her arms. She leaned her athletic figure against the doorframe, "You have some balls showing up here! Now fuck-…" Alya stopped talking once her mobile phone rang, she removed it from her pocket.
"That's Paloma," Kano said with a confident curve of his lips, "she's calling with some good news."
Knitting her brows, she answered her boss's call. Paloma happily told her how Johnny Cage and a group of his friends just walked into the restaurant and ordered dinner. His presence caused a large crowd to gather. Those fans stayed and ordered food while he took photos with them and signed autographs. Alya wished her boss well before ending the call.
She suspiciously eyed Kano and Nary, "What the fuck do you want?"
"To clear the air and talk about your dragon marking." He pointed at his throat
Pulling her head slightly back, she then sighed, "Fine, but don't take too long." She stepped aside letting them enter.
Nary complimented the modest size abode to which Alya politely accepted thanked her. As they sat down at the kitchen table, she introduced herself to their hostess and graciously accepted her glass of water.
Kano started things off by explaining what the dragon marking represented and as expected, Alya was skeptical. There was a bowl of fresh fruit between them, he used his laser eye to burn a hole through a red apple.
Leaning forward in her seat, Alya gawked at the damaged fruit, "Holy shit! First, you're paying for that and fuck, we have powers! What's yours?"
"Hold out your hand and make it into an open claw," the young doctor told her.
Alya obeyed and released an astonished chuckle when Nary gently blasted the pear into her hand, "Fuck, you're a Jedi!"
He was tickled by her reaction and the flash of annoyance in his girlfriend's eyes begore she calmly corrected Alya. When she asked why the marking came with powers, he told her about unlocking an arcana, Mortal Kombat, Lord Raiden and their fellow champions. She was stoic until he finished.
"Yeah…" She nodded, "that does sound fucking crazy but you two are proof that it's legit." Alya pointed at him and clenched her jaw, "But do you really expect me to just forget what you did to my brother and play nice with you?"
Shaking his head, he replied, "Shit, no. I was a fucking asshole for leaving him behind. I only cared about myself; I was a greedy and selfish fucker. And because of that, he…he died." The image of Jarek's bullet riddled body entered his mind causing him rub his neck. He cleared his throat then felt Nary grasp his hand, he pressed on, "Abandoning him, it was…it was one of the most horrible and vile things I've ever done. I took away your brother, your family. For that, I'm so goddamn sorry, Alya. I really am. But this tournament and what's at stake…we need you or else we're all fucked."
This wasn't the same obnoxious and heartless man she met all those years ago. He seemed genuinely apologetic and the love he had for Nary was obvious. But he was still the reason why her brother was gone. Alya was about to speak until the doorbell summoned her, she excused herself and left the room.
Nary held his face, "Kano, you did great and I can see how conflicted she is."
"Thanks Babe, but I don't know if it'll be enough for her." He rested his other hand on top of hers.
Seconds later, Alya walked in holding the hand of a five-year-old girl. Kano's jaw dropped when he looked into her dark eyes and saw the large colorful butterfly on her white shirt. His stare went to Nary who already put it together.
Alya introduced them to her, "This is my niece, Mia. And Mia, these are…these are my friends. Kano and Nary."
She waved her little hand at them, "Hi! Nary, wanna watch Disney Faeries with me?"
"I'd love to! I mean, if it's fine with your aunt?" She looked at Alya.
"Sure. I'll bring your snack to you in a minute, all right?" She grinned at Mia.
"OK! Come on!" She grabbed Nary's hand and dragged her into the nearby living room.
Dread and guilt weighed on him. A child didn't have a father because of his selfishness. His eyes landed on Alya as she pulled out a bag of baby carrots from the refrigerator and a container of ranch dip. Anger and grief were written all over her face.
"I had no fucking idea!" He shook his head.
"Neither did Jarek until a week before he went on that job with you. His ex, Eliana, she knew that he ran with a rough crowd and didn't want Mia around that shit. So, she kept her a secret for two years until her boss retired and promoted his asshole son. The bastard offered her a raise…but only if she agreed to fuck him. She quit and got in touch with Jarek. He was shocked but thrilled to be a dad…but he needed money, to give them all a real home and he thought that one last job with your crew would be enough."
"Yeah…it would have been and that also explains why he went back for that butterfly statue…fuck." Kano glanced at the table before meeting her eyes again.
She nodded then shared, "He didn't tell me any of this! Because uh…because he wanted to surprise me with a family dinner when he came back," her voice quivered before she cleared her throat. Alya spooned the dip into a violet plastic plate with compartment dividers. "Eliana and Mia showed up at my door when he didn't call her like he promised…Since then, it's just been the three of us. She works at The Blakemont Hotel, on the night shift. I spend my nights looking after Mia."
Holding his head in his hands, he released a long groan, "Fuuukin' hell! I wish I could tell ya that I would've made a different call if he told me about them…but the truth is I wouldn't have let him come along. Parents are a liability."
After putting the carrots on Mia's plate, she stated, "I get it and if he had told me why he wanted to work with you again, I would've tried to stop him. Kano, I'm all that Mia and Eliana have. And I know how important this tournament is-but I can't just leave them and my responsibilities behind! They can't afford to lose me and the feeling's mutual." Folding her arms, she looked straight into his eyes, "And despite your genuine apology, it doesn't change the fact that Mia will never get to know her father because of you…"
He nodded then glanced at Nary and Mia in the living room. It reminded him of how he and his uncle would watch cartoons together after he came home school. "Believe me, I get it. But if you change your mind," he reached in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with his contact information then placed it on the table.
From the living room, Nary looked over and saw Kano heading towards her. Based on his long face, she knew what Alya's answer was and released a slow sigh. She said goodbye to Mia before standing up and leaving with her hand in his.
Note: Thanks nadila, lawlyss and loverdreamer for your comments, they help keep me going! Something's wrong with email alerts when it comes to reviews so forgive me if I missed anyone! Please leave a review, guests you can do this and if you're shy you can simply leave a typed out emoji!