Guardian: Fujin and Child Reader (Mortal Kombat)

Chapter Forty-Seven: St. James

(Song: St. James by Rag 'n Bone Man)

With each week that passes, you see the leaves on the trees turning red and brown. Autumn has officially come with the cold winds.
"Is it gonna snow?" You ask hopefully while looking out the window.
"Not yet, (Y/n)," Fujin answers from the kitchen.
"Not until Winter, at least," Hanzo answers as well, watching Topaz trying to climb up on the table near the couch.

"Kuai, can you make it snow?" You ask the Lin Kuei Grandmaster.
"Me?" He looks surprised, then laughs. "I've never actually tried doing that."
He picks up Topaz and sets her on the table.
"Hyper little thing, isn't she?" Hanzo muses.
"Almost as hyper as my ice dragon Blizzard."

"You have a dragon?" You gasp. "Can I see it?"
"Well..." Kuai trails off, glancing at Fujin.
Fujin shrugs.
"Maybe later on," he says with a smile. "Besides, it's almost Halloween and we are going to dress up."

You've never actually celebrated Halloween before. But you're still excited. Topaz hops off the table and stumbles over to you, then pokes your leg with her nose. "Can I take Topaz outside?"
Fujin nods. "Just remember to put a coat on. I don't want you getting cold."
You smile and rush to your room, Topaz following you like a dog.

The air is almost startlingly cold when you step outside  and onto the leaves. Topaz looks startled when she steps on the leaves, sniffing them curiously. You laugh.
"Having fun?" Hanzo asks as he walks out as well.
You nod.
"Fujin wanted me to keep an eye out for you. He says lunch will be done soon."

That's good. You are getting hungry.
Hanzo looks at the little dragon trying to eat one of the leaves. "She might be hungry as well," he smiles, then picks her up. Topaz is still fairly small, around the size of a chihuahua, but is getting bigger by the day.
She looks at Hasashi with light blue eyes and squeaks.

Then he sets her down gently. "What is dad making for lunch?"
"Vegetable soup, I think. Something warm to eat."
"Sounds good," you smile and look for a decent sized stick to play with.
Soon enough, you're getting tired from running around.
Topaz suddenly stops playing and looks into the woods, sniffing.

"Is something out there?" Hanzo asks, walking over to you. "I think so," you answer.
You don't see many animals out here this close to the temple, except for the occasional deer or rabbit.
Then it starts snowing lightly, which confuses you.
Even Hanzo looks caught off guard, then...flustered?

"(Y/n), don't freak out, okay?"
"Uh, okay?" You blink, holding Topaz.
Hanzo glances back at you, then faces the woods again. The air only gets colder.
"This isn't funny. Come on out. You're scaring the child," Hanzo states firmly, but not angrily.
That's when a man appears from out of the shadows of a tree, dressed in dark blue and black.

He looks like Kuai, but without the scar. Same blue eyes and black hair, but his is longer, even longer than Hanzo's. It's mainly tied back, but a few strands remain undone and frame his face, jet black against pale skin.
"Hanzo..." even his voice is eerie, like a person speaking in an ice cave, echoing like your father's.
"Hello, Bi-Han," Hanzo says calmly.

Bi-Han's eyes land on you, but they're not unkind, just distant. "Did you adopt a child? If you wanted to start a family, you could just ask me."
Hanzo looks startled, maybe even embarrassed.
"What? No, this is Fujin's child. (Y/n), this is Bi-Han, my..." he trails off, making Bi-Han laugh a little.
"Close friend," Bi-Han finishes, crossing his arms. You see the flash of a silver ring on his finger, but don't think too much about it.

"Bi-Han, why are you here? I was going to come home soon." Hanzo flicks his gaze back at you, like he's debating on taking you back to the temple.
"Can I not check up on you?" Bi-Han asks, his tone a little hurt. You can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not, it's really hard to tell. Hanzo scoffs, trying to look angry, but even you can see him blush.

Then Hanzo sighs, debating his options before answering. "Come into the Sky Temple with us. It's almost time for lunch."
Bi-Han nods, smiling slightly.
****
While eating your soup, you keep looking back at Bi-Han. He may look similar to Kuai, but acts differently. He can be cold, but with hints of sarcasm here and there. He isn't mean, just distant to new people, being you.
Bi-Han is already done eating and sitting on the couch.
"You know him?" You had asked Fujin when you three entered the temple. "We have for quite some time. Him and Hanzo go back...quite a while."

"Where is Raiden?" Bi-Han asks, looking tired.
"Raiden is making a few arrangements with Liu Kang," Fujin answers.
"What kind of arrangement?"
"Mainly costumes and candy. Halloween is in two days."
"Oh. Right. I forgot that's a celebration," he murmurs.

"Will you be celebrating, brother?" Kuai asks hopefully.
Bi-Han shrugs, getting up and taking out a small box from his pocket. "Maybe. Maybe not. I'll think about it," he states and walks out into one of the many balconies of the temple.
"Strange man," you say, head tilted.
"He'll warm up to you soon," Kuai assures you.
Hanzo nods, but doesn't elaborate further.
****
The night before the party, you can't sleep, so you walk around the temple. Entering the kitchen for a glass of water, you see Bi-Han on the balcony again. He exhales smoke from his mouth like a dragon, looking up at the stars.
"Bi-Han?"

He jumps and whirls around, eyes wide and haunting in the moonlight. "Jeez, kid. You are very quiet on your feet," he laughs, relaxing. He's holding a small white stick in his hand, one side of it burning.
It smells oddly sweet, like sugar, but also like the woods, kind of earthy.
Sighing, he puts two fingers on his tongue and snuffs the flame out before putting it in his pocket. But that sweet smell still lingers in the night air.

"What are you doing up, kid?" He asks, back leaning against the railing. Now that you two are alone, you realize how tall he is, even taller than Hanzo.
"Couldn't sleep. Too excited for the party."
He nods slowly. "I see. Anything I can do to help?"

You shrug. "You and Hanzo are friends?"
He laughs again. "Eh, you could say that. We've known one another for a long time," he says simply, and leaves it at that.
"You should try to get back to sleep. It's late."
"Could you sing to me?"
"Me? Sing? Honey, I'm not much of a singer..." he trails off when he spots an acoustic guitar back in the living room. You and Fujin found it while digging through the closets.

"Well," Bi-Han huffs, "I suppose one song won't hurt."
He walks over and grabs the instrument, then tunes it.
"You can play?" You smile. "Not very well, mind you," he jokes, warming up to you.
Once the guitar is tuned, he clears his throat and sings while playing:

"I went down to old Joe's barroom.
On the corner, by the stairs,
Drinks were served as usual,
And the usual crowd was there.
On my left stood Joe McKennedy.
His eyes were bloodshot red.
And he turned to face the crowd around him,
These are the very words he said:

"I went down to St. James infirmary.
Saw my baby lying there,
Stretched out on a long white table,
So cold, so deep, so fair.
Let her go, let her go, Lord bless her.
Wherever she may be,
And I can search this whole world right over,
You'll never find a sweet man like me."

When I die, please bury me.
Outside of Stetson hat.
Put a gold piece on my watch chain,
So the boys will know that I died standing fair.

I want six gamblers to be my pallbearers,
I want a working girl to sing me a song,
I want a jazz band on my hearse wagon,
To raise hell as we roll along.

Now that you've heard my story,
I'll take another shot of the booze.
And if anybody should ask me;
Tell'em I got me those gamblin' blues.
Tell'em I got me those gamblin' blues.
Tell'em I got me those gamblin' blues...."

He finishes the song and smiles at you. You've never heard that song before. It sounded sad, like there is a lot of pain in Bi-Han's past. Does Kuai have a painful past as well?
Bi-Han looks past you and smiles again. "Hanzo."
"Forgive me. I didn't realize you both were awake," Hasashi apologizes.

"Want me to take you back to bed?" Hanzo asks you.
You nod, tired. He picks you up easily.
"Goodnight, Bi-Han," he murmurs.
"Night, (Y/n), Hanzo." Bi-Han nods.
"Night..." you drift off in Hanzo's arms, excited about the party tomorrow.