Bi Han "Sub-Zero" x F!Reader

Twenty-Five

Tensely, you strutted along the last bit of corridor to the village of Lin Kuei. Footsteps echoed in the empty space.

Bi Han's presence was breathing down your neck. He hadn't said anything since you turned your back on him, but kept trying to help you when your steps faltered or your breathing became heavier.

Each time you pushed him away with vigour. After all these years, you were tired of playing cat and mouse. Pulling and pushing.

In the end, it would never be the same again. He had seen to that. It wasn't the fact that he obviously felt nothing for you that hurt. But the unanswered question.

Why?

Why had he done so many things to you only to run away when things got serious?

You felt used. At the same time, you had also used him, both to experiment and for your own benefit. Thanks to his status as the grandmaster's heir, you had never been questioned.

You had never had to prove yourself. At least not like Tomas. Your place at his side had always been unchallenged, as if handed over by Liu Kang himself.

Nobody questioned you or your abilities, which were the best-kept secret of the entire clan. And you had Bi Han to thank for all that.

And yet.

The one thing you wanted since you were a teenager, he wouldn't give you. And you weren't even given a reason, an explanation. It was just frustrating, burning like a flame on your soul that fed on your suffering.

Taking a deep breath, you forced your legs up the stone steps. Tents and buildings of black wood rose between the red temples.

The flowers accompanied your every step in the wind. When you reached the top step, you paused, lifted your head and looked at the clouds passing by in the sky. A light breeze brushed through your (H/C) hair.

Bi Han stopped two steps below you. Now you were at eye level and yet he was so tall that his shadow completely swallowed you up.

Silently, you both looked into each other's eyes and for a second there was a hint of regret in the brown colour. He wanted to apologise, you could see that, but pride and something else held him back.

There was something he needed to think about. As if he wasn't sure how to say it. Or how you would take it. Pain stabbed you in the chest.

Sighing, you close your eyes. With a slight shake of your head, you turned away from him, wanting to leave. But his fingers closed around your wrist.

"Mûdān.", it was a gentle plea from his mouth to stay.

Your fingers clenched into fists.

"No matter what it is that you don't want to tell me, it hurts.", you turn towards him. "Do you trust me so little?"

His lips opened a crack. Then he closed them again, swallowed hard and let go of you.

"You know I'm not a good man.", he said and walked up the last few steps of the stairs towards the building where he was staying.

You looked after him sourly.

"I know that the late Grandmaster said something to you back then.", at those words from your mouth, he froze in his tracks. "No matter what it was, it's no reason to push me away, Bi Han. You are now grandmaster. If he wanted to impose traditions on you, then it is now your choice to reject them. To change them."

His gaze slowly travelled over his shoulder. Strands of black hair fell into his face. Although Bi Han did not tie his hair up as tightly as Kuai Liang did, it never looked untidy or dishevelled. It was simply more casual than his brother's.

But at that moment it seemed as if everything inside him was crumbling like stone that had been waiting in the water for thousands of years. You could see the cracks in his expression, the icy trembling in the brown of his eyes.

"How... do you know that?", he asked, his teeth clenched.

You frowned. So you were right. Something had actually happened with his father. Taking a deep breath, you meet his gaze.

"I'm not stupid. You changed. I'm not going to blame you."

A muscle twitched in his jaw. The brown of his eyes darkened.

"What do you know?", he slowly turned round to face you.

For the first time in a long time, your heart beat faster at the sight of him. But not because you were happy to see him. He was scary. Something he rarely did for you.

Shaking your head, you tilted your head. Confusion and excitement mingled in your chest. Apparently, this topic was a sore point. But that didn't explain why he spoke so vaguely. As if he had something to hide.

"It was just a guess.", you lifted your chin. "But your reaction tells me all I need to know."

His eyes travelled over your body.

"(Y/N).", your name coming out of his mouth was like a blade at your own throat. "Did he talk to you?"

You frowned.

"Who?"

He growled.

"Don't play dumb. Father!"

Bi Han had a powerful voice. When he was angry, it could make the world shake. This time he held back so much anger that ice snaked up the pillars of the paintings. But it wasn't the small, beautiful flowers but spikes and claws that craved blood.

Goose bumps crawled up your arms.

"He never spoke to me.", you said. "And that's the truth. But I can guess what it was."

His eyebrows drew together.

"What?"

You snorted.

"Traditions.", you shrugged. "Our duties."

A deep exhale made his chest quiver. Then he closed his eyes and fought down the anger. When he opened them again, the brown was so black it swallowed his pupils.

"Father was a fool to think his plans would do the clan any good.", he said, calmer but not calm.

Now your shoulders tensed. Inhaling sharply, you swallowed. Anger burned in your chest.

"I ask you not to think about it if you find it so repulsive.", you hissed back. "All I want to know is why it seems so bad to you? After everything that's happened... did that really come as a surprise to you?! How narrow-minded do you have to be to believe he would never think about it?"

"He would have destroyed everything with his urge for tradition!"

Your mouth opened to scream at him when suddenly a sharp pain shot through your legs. Magic bit into your flesh. Crying out loudly, you fell to your knees.

"Mûdān!"