Bi Han "Sub-Zero" x F!Reader

Eighteen

The silence that filled the restaurant was so tense you could have cut it with a knife. With narrowed eyes, you tried to keep yourself on your feet.

The world seemed to sway, as if the ground beneath your feet was a ship and it was swaying in the sea. It smelled of salt.

Or was that the faintness creeping into the back of your mind?

Breathing was a chore, each time your lungs rattled, a sharp pain spreading throughout your body. Everything was spinning. Nausea scratched at your throat.

Bi Han moved next to you. Shadows had settled around his face. He couldn't have looked grimmer. Some of your blood was still on his fingers after he had tried to tend to your wound.

The bleeding had stopped, but everything was still sticky, it was cold and burned like acid. Taking a deep breath, you turned your head to meet Kuai Liang's gaze.

His eyes travelled over your arm, hanging a little more limply than the other, uninjured one. Shaking your head gently, you tightened your shoulders, pushed the pain into your subconscious and returned your attention to what was happening in front of you.

Still dazed and bloodied, the man Bi Han had beaten badly stood in front of Liu Kang. Next to him stood the man in blue, who first looked at Madam Bo and then at his friend's bloody face.

The old lady had suffered no damage from the little stunt. Surprising, as you had to admit, because she didn't look nearly as robust.

As soon as the God of Fire had allowed the show to end, Tomas had apologised to the old lady countless times. Shame still shimmered in the blue of his eyes whenever he looked at her.

But Madam Bo had already forgotten everything. Now she stood calmly in front of a god while the smoke of a cigarette rose from her lips.

At that moment, you couldn't have imagined anything worse. Your senses were heightened by the use of your magic, almost sensitive. Every breath threatened to make you sick with bile.

You wanted to vomit, sleep, die. Whichever of the three didn't matter. Or simply everything together.

But you couldn't show any weakness at this moment. An icy shiver ran down your spine. Not like goose bumps did, but like a cold coming on. Or chills.

Exhaling deeply, you closed your eyes for a second. There was iron in the air. It was either your own blood or the man's.

Frowning, he looked round at everyone in the group. The man in blue was just as confused. However, he was not nearly as tense because he had managed to avoid a physical altercation with the grandmaster of the in Kuei.

The skin around his fingers was still a little red from the ice that had bound his hands to the bar.

Now Liu Kang calmly raised his eyes to look at the old lady. He seemed full of expectation. As if he wasn't sure himself whether his champions deserved the title.

A little late for doubts now, you thought and took a deep breath to fight back the urge to fall apart.

"So, Madam Bo, are they ready?", asked the god of fire.

He smiled as he tilted his head. It was strangely soft of him, quite human. More often than not Liu Kang acted as if he hadn't learned how to be a proper person.

His voice had little to no emotion and his face barely moved. Even the way his body communicated seemed strangely unfamiliar.

But in that moment there was honest joy visible on his face. He looked kind and for the first time in many weeks you remembered that there was a reason why he had been chosen to be keeper of this timeline.

"A bit thick in the head, perhaps...", with narrowed eyes Madam Bo gestured at the two men. "But they are ready."

The tension on Tomas' face faded and a smile of excitement appeared. Kuai Liang nodded in approval. Only Bi Han scoffed, arms crossed in front of his chest.

All three brothers had shed their masks. Perhaps that hasn't been the greatest idea since the grandmaster wasn't born to appear approachable.

Only you had kept yours on. To hide the fragility that grew in your limbs like a parasite. You even had to clench your teeth to not fall over, right into Bi Han's back muscles.

Your head was light and your eyes refused to focus. A shrill sound raged inside your ears. Only a few minutes longer and you'd pass out.

Perhaps the price for your abilities was too high to ever use them again. Then again, if Liu Kang wasn't wrong you'd be the only inconsistency in Shang Tsung's planning.

And Earthrealm could use this to their advantage.

The two men frowned with confusion. While one was still hurt, trying to keep his shattered ego together the other was more mesmerised than anything.

"His eyes are glowing.", he noted.

Liu Kang did not understand the curve and just introduced himself instead of explaining.

"I am Lord Liu Kang. God of Fire and protector of Earthrealm.", he said, bowed his head slightly and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

The men frowned even more.

"God?", the one with the bloody face asked. "Earthrealm?"

Madam Bo has been preparing you for this moment since you were boys. Today you have proven worthy of joining my champions.

The words of Liu Kang sounded dull, far, far away from where you were standing. Water filled your eyes. It felt like you were drowning.

For a brief second you lost your footing, stumbled forward. But before you could fall to the ground like some mere mortal, a large hand reached out to allow you to fall against it.

Warm skin mingled with the frosty teeth of ice on your cheek. Inhaling heavily, you leaned against an arm that was wide enough to give you protection.

Your fingers flinched, tired, but still able to grab the hem of a blue uniform.

Without a single word, Bi Han turned his back on the God of Fire and his new champions to lift you up. Your head fell like a heavy stone against his chest.

Then he simply left, disappearing with you through a portal that Liu Kang opened for him.

"This is... dishonourable... Grandmaster...", you whispered.

He did not answer.