In both of Nary's hands were several large paper shopping bags. Right after unpacking snacks and groceries in the lounge, she headed for her suite. While she entered the living quarters Kano had just walked out of his suite.

"Hey there Sweetums, get anything special for me?" He tried to open one of the bags only to have his hand quickly slapped. "Ah, so it's something you don't want me to see, it's naughty, right?" He smirked as he bobbed his head.

With an exasperated sigh, she told him, "Just new comfy shoes, a few pillows and some other things I needed."

"Which is code for naughty." His left brow lifted.

Nary gripped her hip with her right hand, "Think what you want. I gotta unpack and you need to get back to your training. Now get going."

"All right, I'll see you later, Love!" He nodded at her and turned away.

After closing her door, Nary released a sigh of relief. Kano had come close to discovering the presents she had purchased for him. She set the bag that contained his presents and gift-wrapping paper on her desk then she placed the other bags on her bed. Right after removing scissors, a black marker, tape and a ruler from her desk drawer, Nary put one of the presents on the unfurled wrapping paper. Once she finished measuring and cutting the paper, she started wrapping the gift with expert precision.

Ever since Kano made her the wolf knife, she had tried to come up with a way to show him how her gratitude. She wanted to give the Aussie something he could hold in both hands, would last for years and held special meaning. Save for cooking and baking, she was horrible at creating things with her bare hands. Unlike Kano, she didn't have an artistic bone in her entire body. For a millisecond she considered getting him a gift card but decided that it was too impersonal.

So, when she went into town and saw that construction on a new shop had been completed, she released an ecstatic exhale. The shop's owner was hosting a grand opening and held the door open for her. Nary knew exactly what items to get Kano the minute she stepped inside the newly created store. A content grin touched the doctor's lips when she imagined Kano enjoying both presents while also thinking of her.

As Kano entered the lounge, he was greeted by a delectable fragrance made of tomato, garlic, oregano and other herbaceous flavors. Nary was alone in the kitchen and had just finished rolling meatballs when she noticed him.

"Lady and the Tramp really inspired me so tonight, we're having beef spiedini, spaghetti and meatballs and for the dessert zeppoles!" She proudly explained while washing her hands then drying them with a tea towel.

He joined on her the chef's side of the breakfast bar, "It all smells fucking awesome, Peaches! And if you wanna do the spaghetti kissing scene, I'd be more than willing to help you out!"

"You're incorrigible, Kano." She shook her head.

"That's rich coming from the girl wearing that!" He pointed to her black apron. The white lettering read, "Kiss the Cook".

She gripped her hips, "I'll have you know; this was purchased well before you came here and I bought it because I had lost a bet to Kung Lao."

He leaned his back against the counter, "Mmm...and yet this is the first time I've ever seen you wear it."

"Because my other aprons are in the washing machine. Anyway, if you keep this up, I'm not giving you the presents I bought for you today."

The mercenary stood up straight, "I knew it! Enough with the apron bullshit, show me what you bought for yours truly!" Both of his hands eagerly reached out.

She opened a nearby drawer and removed two presents wrapped in black and red checkered paper, "Here you go!"

Like a child on Christmas morning, he tore the gift wrapping to shreds on the larger present. A sweet grin pulled at his lips the instant he laid eyes on the gift. Red ribbon tied a box of charcoal pencils to a black hardbound spiral sketchbook. His right forefinger dragged down the book's already occupied pencil loop.

"I know it's not as small and portable as your flip memo book but you'd have more space to draw and it'll last longer." She explained.

"This is fucking great, Love! It's the high-quality shit that I should have gotten years ago! Thanks!" He nodded at her then started to unwrap the other gift.

She politely tipped her head at him. "Well, you deserve only the best!"

When he finished uncovering the second present, his heart stopped; in his hands was the hardcover edition of The Hobbit. The copy that he and Uncle Jack used to read together was lost during his move to The Dores. Now, he had a piece of his uncle back and he was going to make damn sure that he'd never lose it again. Receiving such a thoughtful present caused a flutter in his chest.

The elated expression on his handsome face caused her lips to form into a luminous smile. A startled gasp came from her when he dropped the books on the counter and pulled her into his strong embrace. The fresh, cool and woodsy aroma of his mint and cedar body wash was intoxicating. She swallowed hard when he grasped the right side of her waist, pulled his face back and with his free hand, cupped her cheek.

"Love, this is…this is the best thing anyone has given me in a long time. It means so much to me." His thumb stroked her cheek bone, he felt her buxom chest heave against him.

Nary saw the pure happiness in his eyes and felt it in his touch. Her dark eyes dropped to his lips then she remembered what she had said to Sonya earlier that day. Using every ounce of self-control she had, she carefully pulled her head and body away from him, "You're very welcome, Kano…" The oven's timer went off causing her to jump; "I-I need to take out the zeppoles or else they'll burn. Could you um, get a pastry bag and a pipping tip from the drawer for me? The silicone bag is shaped like a triangle but with a flat head and a large round tip nozzle."

Crestfallen, he barely nodded as he obeyed her, "Sure thing, Cupcake…happy to help."

To ease the tension, she teased him while removing the zeppoles from the oven and put a baking tray of meatballs in their place, "You know, you could use that sketchbook and pencils to draw sexy French women, like in Titanic."

With a cheeky smirk, his eyes dragged down then up her body, "I could. But lately, I've been really into American women."

Her laugh was short, "We are pretty amazing."

"No argument here, Sunshine."

Everyone was settled in the lounge's living room for movie night. Tonight's feature film was the 1996 thriller Fear it was a first time viewing for all of them. They joked about the 90s fashion, music and lack of relationship development between the two leads. When the infamous roller coaster scene finished, Kano couldn't contain himself.

"Ooh, that takes me back! I was sixteen, her name was Kelly, she worked the cotton candy stand at the carnival. We hit it off and, on her break, I ate her out then she gave me my first blow job! We were behind the dunk tank; it was a magical evening!" A dreamy smile cracked through his beard.

Everyone else had the same shocked and uncomfortable look on their faces.

Sonya paused the movie and said what they were thinking, "Two things, Kano, all of us wish we could unhear that story." She then pointed at the television, "And bullshit, no woman ever comes that fast!"

Cole held his hand up, "Well…"

The blonde folded her toned arms, "Are you seriously gonna lecture me about the female anatomy?"

"No, I'm not a moron. But I have to point out a few things. This is a movie and come on, they're hormonal teenagers who are crazy about each other! When you're really into someone like that…every little touch feels like fireworks." His lips slightly curved up.

Jax shook his head, "I can't argue with that - when I was seventeen, my girlfriend Natasha and I skipped our last class, on a Friday. We went to my house to mess around in my living room. It was going great - until my mom came home early from work."

Kano leaned forward and chuckled, "Oi, mate! How did dear ol' mum react?"

"She beat my ass so bad I had to sleep on my stomach for the whole night! But it was worth it!" He said with a bold smile as everyone else laughed.

Kung Lao then shared, "I can somewhat relate. I was twelve when I had my first kiss, it was at the Moon Festival. Her name was Suki, she was on holiday with her family. We were in the town square, surrounded by lanterns. Her father caught us and chased after me for two blocks!"

Sonya grinned, "That's so fucking adorable and funny!"

Liu then admitted with a sweet smile, "My first kiss was at Master Bo Rai Cho's house, with one of his other students, Li Mei. We were both fourteen. He lived on a lake; the sun was setting. We were both on the dock, the light made the water and her look so pretty…it was really nice."

"Awww…" Nary and Sonya coincidentally said in unison then laughed.

Cole shared, "My first time was with my high school girlfriend, Aubrey. We were sixteen and each other's firsts. It was an unforgettable night. Although her parents came home early from their vacation so I had to hide in her closet until they went to sleep. I did forget my underwear but Aubrey brought them to school the next morning." He chuckled along with everyone else.

Nary chimed in, "Well, I've only madeout on a Ferris wheel at Pemberton Park, I was seventeen. But like this movie, I briefly went through a rebellious phase that included one bad boy."

Kano was to her left and turned towards her arching his brow, "Really now? Cupcake, I'm gonna need details."

She shrugged, "There's not much else to tell, I dated a bad boy who my parents hated so my stupid teenage brain made me want him even more, ugh. Then he turned out to be a horrible person. And during all of this I wore very revealing clothes."

Sonya added as she looked at her friend then at Kano, "I've seen the pictures, she used to show a lot of skin."

Jax smirked at the mercenary, "Man, your mind would explode if you ever saw them!"

Kano's mouth dropped out then he scowled, "No, you're all fuckin' with me!"

With a smug look, Kung Lao said, "I've seen those photos too. She's wearing short skirts, high leather boots and tops that showed off her midriff and chest."

Liu nodded, "They're very salacious."

Cole joined in, "I haven't seen them…but she did show me where her dragon marking is on her body, it was during my first day here." His mouth formed into a devilish grin.

The Aussie's head whipped to Nary, "Oi, you're fuckin' killin' me woman!"

Everyone else laughed before she said, "Anyway, let's get back to the movie."

The Aussie held up his hand, "Hold on just one fuckin' minute, Goldie Locks here didn't share anything!"

An annoyed huff came from the blonde soldier, "Fuck off, I'm not telling you, of all people, about when I lost my virginity."

Nary backed her up, "Nor should you! We all voluntarily shared our stories."

"Thank you Nary! But since Kano here will probably bitch all night, I'll throw him a bone. I was ten when I had my first kiss. It was in my backyard with my neighbor, Mason and were on my swing set. Unfortunately, my dad saw us through the kitchen window and so he sent our German Shepherd, Chief, after him. Chief tore out the left back pocket of Mason's pants and underwear, so half his ass was hanging out as he ran home." She smiled then joined in their laughter.

Nary picked up the remote control, "Story time is over, so let's finally get back to the movie!"

Kano replied, "Yeah and despite his nice guy act, I've gotta feeling that Marky Mark is about to get his comeuppance real soon."

As the end credits began rolling, Nary and Kano stayed behind to clean up. She was rinsing cups and handing them to Kano.

"So Sweetheart, what made you dump your first bad boy? Did you he use an oyster fork instead of the dinner fork?" He asked after placing the cups in the top rack of the dishwasher.

"To clarify, he was my only bad boy and of course not! Petty shit like that doesn't matter to me. Rodrick was a jealous, insecure, weak and vicious loser. He ended up being second to Leo, a scholarship kid who became captain of our school's lacrosse team and our class valedictorian. Rodrick and his fellow douchebags were mad at him for being their new captain. So, they broke into Leo's apartment, trashed it and attacked his mother."

Stunned, he gawked at her, "Holy fuck, what a piece of shit!"

She handed him two large empty bowls and admitted, "Exactly! At least my first time wasn't with him, that would've been a massive mistake!"

He froze then his mouth became agape, "Wait, if you didn't fuck that prick then who is the lucky guy?" He placed the bowls in the dish washer.

In a matter-of-fact tone, she answered, "James, during our sophomore year."

"You waited that long and it was for that fucker?!"

She closed the dishwasher and turned it on then gripped her hips, "Again, James is a wonderful man and I loved him, so stop insulting him!"

As he dried his hands with a tea towel, he answered, "Fine, but Love, have you looked in a mirror? If I looked like you…" His eyes drank in her subtle hour glass figure.

Nary crossed her arms and began walking, "Enough about me. Now you have to show me another one of your cards. Was Kelly your first?"

Shaking his head, he told her, "Fuck no! A few months after the carnival, I snuck into a pub and met this cute blonde named Chrisa. We hit it off then we went back to her car and fucked."

Without missing a beat, she said, "Wow, that must have been the best 30 seconds of your life."

Annoyed and amused, he tilted his head, "Real cute, Sugarplum. I'll have you know that we went on for a good seven minutes, foreplay and fucking!"

Nary's hand dramatically covered her heart, "My mistake and that's not too bad for a first timer."

"It's pretty fucking good! And I've only gotten better since then!"

"Yeah, all that practice by yourself really paid off."

He paused then playfully narrowed his eyes at her and saw the teasing smirk on her face, "You're a real laugh riot, you know that?"

"I know," she said with a small shimmy of her shoulders as they entered the living quarters.

Kano couldn't help but laugh at her action then changed the subject, "So, what film are we watching for our next movie night?"

She couldn't hide her excitement, "Candyman! Sonya, Liu, Lao and Cole haven't seen it yet!"

His mouth became agape, "Seriously? It's a fucking horror classic! Tony Todd and Clive Barker are underrated legends!"

"My thoughts exactly! Their minds are gonna be blown when we watch it next weekend!"

"If not, then their taste in movies is utter shit."

She giggled, "That's taking it a bit far, Kano. Everyone's allowed to have their own opinions."

"Fuck that, I stand by what I said, Puddin'."

When they reached her suite, she briefly looked to the side and took a breath, "So, tomorrow marks one year since I've moved in here. I'll be around for breakfast only because Kung Lao and Liu insist on celebrating. But I'll be gone for the afternoon, I need to um, I need time to reflect."

It concerned him to see how uncomfortable she was and asked, "Love, are you sure you wanna be alone?"

Nodding, she explained, "I am. Raiden will send me where I wanna go…but I'll be back for dinner."

Kano reached out and grasped her hand, "You do what you need to - but if you change your mind about being alone, I'm here for ya, Sweetheart."

A thankful grin formed on her lips, "I know and I appreciate the thought. Besides, you see me all the time, you're probably so sick of me."

"Oh Darling, I could never get tired of you." He gazed at her with kind eyes.

With a soft smile, she squeezed his hand, "Sleep well, Kano."

"You too, Angel." He slowly let go of Nary's hand while watching her retreat into her suite.

The first thing Nary noticed after she walked out of suite was a note taped to her door. It was in Kano's handwriting.

Good morning, Love,

We're all waiting for you in the formal dining room for your one-year anniversary breakfast! So, haul your beautiful ass over there because I promise, you'll fucking love it!"

Love,

Kano

Nary laughed and shook her head as she pressed the note to her heart.

Everyone was standing in the formal dining room when Nary arrived. They each took turns wishing her well and hugging her.

Kung Lao spoke, "Nary, I'm speaking on behalf of everyone. Before you got here, this temple was a mess. Literally, there were rocks everywhere!"

Everyone chuckled, Liu's laugh was the loudest.

"Liu and I respected Lord Raiden too much to say anything about this temple being in ruins, but you weren't. Although he was surprised and a bit surly, he was grateful for your honesty and guidance, we all are. You came in here and not only helped transform this temple but the people within it." His eyes went to everyone with Kano being last. He continued speaking, "I know that during our training, we started out rough but we've come a long way. You taught to me to listen, to have patience and to have some humility. I'm lucky to not only call you my friend but also my sister. So, that means we love each other dearly and we'll always be there for each other but also, you're the biggest pain in my ass!" Everyone chuckled and he waited for their laughter to die down, "Happy one-year anniversary, Nary and here's to many more!" He lifted up his glass and everyone clanked their drinks together.

Kano then turned to Nary, "We also made you a very special breakfast, Buttercup!" He lifted the large cloche from her plate revealing red velvet French toast with vanilla cheesecake filling drizzled with Nutella. On the side were hash browns, scrambled eggs and sausage links.

Pure delight filled Nary as she clutched her chest with both hands and thanked everyone.

Lord Raiden was standing in front of his chambers when Nary approached him. She paused when she saw a full smile on his usually stoic face.

"Happy anniversary, Nary. We are all very fortunate to have you here with us." He told her as he reached out and grasped her shoulder.

"Uh, thank you, Lord Raiden, that means a lot to me." She placed her hand on top of his and nodded.

"I hope you enjoy your afternoon." He pulled back his hand then raised it high in the air opening a lightning portal for her.

"Thanks, and I'll let you know when I'm ready to come back." She then walked through the portal.

Waves lightly crashed against the seaside cliff as the brilliant sun shone down on Nary. She removed her navy-colored sling backpack after she sat down and let her legs dangle over the edge. Beneath her bare hands she felt the soft grass as she breathed in the briny sea air. The scarlet tank top she wore exposed her arms and chest, she basked in the sun's comforting warmth on her face and bare skin.

Over three hours had passed when Kano grew restless. First, he went to the empty lounge and watched a movie by himself. Then he went to his suite, grabbed his sketchbook and went to the balcony that overlooked the gardens and orchard. He worked on a sketch, from memory and finished it earlier than he expected.

During his wandering, he stopped by Nary's empty office. Even though he knew she was fine and that she would return shortly, it felt wrong not to have her there. He missed her smile, her laugh and her upbeat energy. Something deep within Kano was also urging him to check in on her. He recalled how cagey Liu and Kung Lao were when it came to how she had unlocked her arcana and who she killed to get it. Despite how open she was, she never once volunteered to share the story herself. A familiar voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Kano? Is something wrong?" Lord Raiden asked.

He turned to face him, "I'm gonna be straight with ya Gandalf, I don't think the Doc should be alone today."

"She said otherwise to me and to all of you."

"I know, but my gut tells me something different. So, you can tell me to fuck off but I'll ask anyway, can you send me to where she is?"

After a moment, the thunder god answered, "…If she tells me to send you back, I will."

"Thanks, mate, I really appreciate it." Kano grinned and watched him open a lightning portal.

Nary had just returned to the cliff when she heard thunder at her back; she turned and saw Kano walking through Raiden's portal.

"Hey there Sunshine, I just wanted to see if you're all right. If you want, I can leave?"

Her lips curled into a soft gracious grin, "I want you to stay."

He gave her a warm smile then nodded back at Lord Raiden, "We're good."

After the portal closed, they walked over to the edge of the cliff and sat down, "Oh Dumpling, this view is-well, it's fucking stunning!"

Below their feet, sapphire waters sparkled underneath the sun's encompassing gleam. Against the backdrop of the bright blue sky and infinite ocean, beachgoers swam and surfed in the rhythmic waters.

"Yeah, we're in San Paz, a beach town in California. I just came back from visiting a friend, Bobbie and her daughter, Daisy." She reached into her backpack and pulled out a brown paper bag, "I picked up lunch at Deckard's Diner, did you eat yet?"

Shaking his head, "No but you don't have to shar-…"

"You're taking half, no arguments!" She pointed at him before handing over half the burger and placed a paper basket of seasoned steak fries between them.

If she were anyone else, he would have thrown a barb at her for ordering him around but instead, he chuckled, "If you insist, Sweetface…" He accepted her offering. A deep moan came from him the moment he bit into the juicy burger. The spicy kick of the sriracha mayonnaise complemented the creamy and nutty flavor of the cheese.

"It's the perfect burger and I'm glad that you clearly agree!" She commented then giggled when he faced her.

"What?"

Using a napkin, she wiped away a dab of sriracha mayonnaise on the right corner of his mouth, "I'm assuming you didn't want to save it for later."

"Thanks Pudding." He adoringly stared at her smiling face.

After they finished the burger and fries, they shared an easy silence while they looked at the horizon together. A long content exhale came from him when he felt the sea's breeze on his face and bare arms. Closing the small gap between them, she pressed her side against his body before she shuddered. His right arm wrapped around her shoulders and rubbed her upper arm. The outer edges of her full lips curled up. If it was possible, he would have stayed there with her forever.

Nary knew that he wasn't being his usual talkative self for her sake. And she knew that he wouldn't complain if they continued to sit in silence. But she needed him to know the truth. "Bobbie's piece of shit ex-husband, Judge Joe Greenwald, he's the reason why I have my arcana."

He shook his head, "Darling, you don't have to tell me a damn thing."

"I know Kano, but I need to." She took a breath, "Her husband was a corrupt judge who was weak, a cheater and he had a nasty temper. He'd beat her for…for almost any reason. But everyone else saw him as the perfect husband, father and pillar of the community."

"Those kinds of pricks are great at being two-faced fuckers."

She nodded, "His brother, Tracey, was his head of his security, a former detective and also an utter piece of shit. When Bobbie and Daisy escaped, they moved into the house across from mine. I saw how cautious and vigilant Bobbie was but over time she trusted me enough to let me babysit Daisy whenever she had to work late. Somehow Tracey tracked her down. She didn't tell me any of this until that night.

Daisy ran to my house. I told her to hide in my room and to stay put until I came back with her mother. I grabbed my steel baseball bat, I always kept it close for security. I was lucky that night, Liu was also tracking down Judge Greenwald, he had the dragon marking but didn't know what it was. He was powerless, thankfully.

Anyway, when I got there, he and his brother were-were beating Bobbie!" Her voice quivered and her dark eyes became flooded. Bobbie's bloodied face and battered body slumped against the living room wall was imprinted deep into her mind.

"Fuckin' hell…" He almost whispered as he pulled her closer against him.

Nary's arms wrapped around his brawny torso, she rested her chin on his shoulder, "…Liu came in through the back door and killed Tracey before he could shoot me. The judge was so shocked to see Liu burn his brother to a crisp, he froze and I knocked the gun out of his hands with my bat. Seeing Bobbie like that it, it-uh, something inside of me, snapped. I kept on hitting him until Liu stopped me. But it was too late, he was dead and…and Daisy saw all of it, she was only nine!" Nary sobbed then felt the calloused tips of Kano's fingers gingerly wiping away her tears. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his touch.

He knew that she needed his support as a friend and he slightly pulled his face back, "Those evil fuckers deserved what you and Liu did to them!"

Her eyes opened, she shook her head, "You didn't see how frightened Daisy was, I'll never forget it. And her father was horrible but…but no child should watch their father be murdered in front of them."

"You couldn't have stopped Daisy from seeing it. Sometimes, kids don't listen."

She took in his words and slowly nodded, "Right after, I wanted to turn myself in but then Kung Lao and Raiden showed up. They told me about the dragon marking, Mortal Kombat and convinced me to go with them. Before I did, I called my parents and they took care of Bobbie, Daisy and everything else."

"Love, it needed to happen that way." His thumb gently stroked down her cheek.

"I know that now but…but back then, I had nightmares of that night. I kept seeing Bobbie bloody and broken and Daisy's terrified face. It went on for six months; it was stopping my arcana from revealing itself. That's when Liu and Lao spoke to Raiden about my nightmares. They decided to send me here, to see how Bobbie and Daisy were doing. They were both so happy to see me and they thanked me for saving and freeing them. They still feel that way today." She grinned and sniffled, "And I know that I did the right thing, but uh, I also knew I couldn't go back to my job at the hospital. I murdered a man and it was to protect Bobbie and Daisy, but it still makes me a killer. So, going back to my old job, like I was still the same person - it would make me a fraud and a hypocrite." Her gaze went to her lap.

Seeing the shame coming from her struck Kano to his core. With both hands he grasped her face, "No! You save and protect people, that's what you've done before you were chosen and after. That doesn't make you a fraud or a hypocrite; the fact that you struggle with taking a life…it proves that you still have a heart. And it's one of the many things that makes you a hero - but you were already one well before you got that marking."

His words gave her solace; her lips curved into a grateful smile as she embraced him tighter.

Witnessing her open up compelled him to do the same, "The-the first time I killed a man, it wasn't to protect anyone or even myself. It was for money. He was cheating on his wife and her brother ordered the hit. I thought it'd be easy because he fucked up by stepping out on his wife, he wasn't innocent.

The middle-man who got me the job told me not to think about it; he was dead serious but I laughed it off. At first, I thought I was fine then like you, but I started having nightmares. So, I drank, I fucked, I gambled and I jacked up my prices so that I wouldn't have to do it too often. Then I thought it-it'd be easier if I joked about it. After some time, I became numb to it. That doesn't make me a hero or a champion…I don't deserve to be here with you."

Shaking her head, she protested, "Don't say that, you do!"

"You're too fucking kind, but I've done so much damage to so many lives. I don't know if winning one tournament can make up for it…"

"Kano, it's not just a tournament, it's to save the world! And you're half right, it won't erase your past but you're putting your life on the line for people you don't even know."

"Come on now, Darling, I'm doing this because I don't wanna lose you…" He brushed a strand of her raven locks behind her ear.

She suppressed a gasp and spoke to him, "Kano, you could have walked out after Sonya paid you. And at that point, we weren't even friends yet, but you stayed."

"That's true, I don't know…it's not like I had anything else to do and well, a part me missed having a home and being part of a crew. I haven't had mates like this since shit, since I was a kid."

"Well, at this point, I think the seven of us are more like a family than a crew or a clan," she grinned and returned her chin to his shoulder.

With a small grumble, he remarked, "Eh, I'm pretty sure Blondie still fuckin' hates me guts."

She half joked, "Oh she does."

They both chuckled then continued to hold each other. Neither one wanted the moment to end.

Liu smiled when he saw Kano and Nary walk towards the lounge, "It looks like you two had a nice afternoon."

"We did. But now, we're back home and I need to get started on dinner!" Nary cheerfully said.

The young monk held up both hands, "That's not necessary, Nary. The day and now the night is still about us honoring you. So, as we speak, Cole, Jax, Lao and Sonya are making dinner tonight."

Kano sniffed the air, his eyes lit up, "Roast lamb with potatoes and it smells fucking marvelous!"

"I'm sorry, you're also part Bloodhound along with being Australian?" She said with a smirk.

"Haha, real cute, Cupcake! Slow roast lamb was one of Uncle Jack's go-to dishes!"

"That makes sense. Liu is there anything we can do to help?"

He shook his head, "We have everything covered, all you two need to do is wash up."

"Oh ok, thanks Liu!" She smiled at him.

"It's the least we can do and I'm glad you're back, the temple doesn't feel right without your presence."

"I couldn't agree more!" Kano said with a big smile.

She eagerly pulled both men into a group hug.

After dinner, Kano and Nary stayed behind to clean up. They were at the sink with her rinsing the dinnerware and him loading it into the dishwasher. Once he turned on the dishwasher, she started to talk.

Her mouth pulled into a sweet and thankful smile, "Kano, thanks for…for everything. I didn't know how I was gonna feel today and what you said, it means everything to me." She dried her hands with a tea towel then passed it to him.

As she handed him the towel, their fingers brushed. A spark ignited in his heart, it took control of his mind and body. The towel landed on the stone floor; his right hand gripped Nary's elbow pulling her body into him. His other hand tenderly cupped her face as his amorous gaze burned into her heart.

The desire, need and true love in his eyes melted away her hesitation as she leaned into his hard torso. The moment his warm lips passionately claimed hers, she whimpered and braced herself by grasping his chiseled chest. His heated lips on hers made her body tingle and rise in temperature. In an enticing pace her hands moved to his broad shoulders and slid onto his neck where she felt his racing pulse. Her delicate fingers traced his jawline; she loved the feeling of his soft beard. A shiver went down her spine when his strong rough hand moved from her elbow and slipped under the bottom of her top settling on the smooth skin of her lower back. Nary then released a long moan once she parted her lips allowing him to lightly nibble then suck her plump bottom lip. The way that he was handling her, like she was priceless and must be savored, she suspected that it was a first for him; it touched her soul.

Absolute joy filled Kano once Nary stared deep into his eyes and leaned into him. Instead of rushing with her like he did with his past lovers, he wanted to enjoy every single moment with her. Through his touch, Kano tried his best to show how enrapturing and profound his love was for her. It didn't surprise him to learn that she was just as passionate and generous when giving physical affection; he felt honored that a woman of her caliber allowed him to be on the receiving end.

Just worshipping her supple luscious lips was driving him close to the edge. A pleased groan came from him at the incredible sensation of her fingers threading into his hair. Feeling her nails skillfully dig and drag into his scalp caused his pelvis to twitch against hers. When she thrust her tongue into the Aussie's mouth, he grunted as his muscular frame pushed her sinuous body against the counter. The fervent adoration he experienced through her loving touches and fiery kisses was a first for him. It was exhilarating and intense; he wanted more of it and more of her.

Note: The NSFW roller coaster scene from Fear is on youtube, just type in, Fear movie clip wild roller coaster ride. Li Mei is a character from the games and she was trained by Master Bo Rai Cho. I did make up the story about her and Liu kissing.

Even though I'm writing this story I still cheered when they kissed. lol I'm a shipper and geek so it was a pleasure creating it and it took some time because I wanted it to feel earned. Please leave a review, it can be a comment or even just an emoji like a typed out smiley face because regular colorful emojis don't appear in reviews. Guests, you can leave reviews.