Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Two: Frozen Heart

-Kuai Liang's POV- I pace the dark hallway while Kana is asleep on my bed. Hanzo watches me, his head tilted and looking at me with a curious expression. "I have never seen you pace this nervously, Kuai. You are usually a man who is calm, cool, and collected. But I must admit, watching you pace like a wild flame in the wind is deeply amusing to me."
"I am just worried about how Kana is doing. It has been only a few hours and he still hasn't woken up." I run a hand through my hair, my fingers turning into blue icicles out of anxiety.
"Infants do tend to sleep for a few hours, Kuai." Hanzo informs me. "Perhaps showing Kana more affection will cause him to stop giving you—what's the expression? The cold shoulder?"

I stop pacing to look at my friend. "Was... was that an ice pun?"
"No," he shakes his head, but I see amusment glinting in his eyes. "I am simply stating that neglecting an infant can cause mental health problems on any child as they grow. Do not make this mistake now, Kuai."
"How do you know so much about infants?" I ask, watching the icicles melt as I calm down.

"Satoshi," he explains, all of the amusement gone from his expression. "I have partially raised an infant before." He sighs, looking crestfallen. "I can still recall how Satoshi used to act, if I think hard enough. But that was many years ago now."
"Forgive me for intruding on your past," I state, knowing that Hanzo is probably holding back tears.

"It is fine," Hanzo smiles. "You wanted to know, so I gave you an answer."
Crying from my room makes me jump.
"Kana!" I yell and immediately rush in. The infant somehow unwrapped himself and is laying on his stomach on the bed. I pick him up and rock him.
"Hey," I rasp. "What's the matter? It's okay. I'm here."
Kana shows no signs of calming down.
"Let me hold Kana." Hanzo says.
"Are you sure?" I ask, thinking about his dead son Satoshi.
"I am certain," he nods.
I gently give Kana over.

Hanzo looks down at the infant he is cradling.
Much to my surprise, he begins to sing softly in Japanese. I can hardly understand anything he sings, only a few snippets.

"Nennen korori yo, Okorori yo.
Bōya wa yoi ko da, Nenne shina~

Bōya no omori wa, Doko e itta?
Ano yama koete, Sato e itta.

Sato no miyage ni, Nani morotta?
Denden taiko ni, Shō no fue."

Like magic, Kana calms down enough to look around. "You can sing?" I ask, trying to get over my shock.
"Only a few songs." He explains.
"What does the song mean?"
Hanzo smiles. "Something like; hushabye, hushabye. My good baby, sleep. Where did my boy's baby-sitter go? Beyond that mountain, back to her home. As a souvenir from her home, what did you get? A toy drum and a Sho flute."

"That was beautiful," I whisper. Hanzo laughs quietly. "Thank you for enjoying my little lullaby."
Kana begins fussing in Hanzo's grasp.
"Chotto chotto aratte kudasai." He croons.
"And you said you weren't a babysitter." I chuckle.

"Yes, well, I suppose old habits die hard."
Kana whimpers. "Nani?" Hanzo tilts his head.
"Hm," he looks up at me. "I think Kana is hungry."

I nearly smack myself. "He's hungry, of course! Why didn't I think of that?"
I rush to the kitchen, find a small cup, and fill it with milk. Walking back, I see Hanzo sitting on the floor with Kana on his lap. "Here," I hand him the cup.

He heats it up slightly and holds it to Kana's pale face. "Come on, Kana. Drink up." I murmur, hoping my raspy voice doesn't scare him.
Kana tries to hold the cup, but doesn't have the strength to. Hanzo laughs. "Just let me hold it, Kana." My friend tilts the cup to his lips.

Kana begins to drink. "There you go," I sigh.
Once he's done, Hanzo sets Kana down. Kana crawls over to me, much to my surprise.
"Oh, hello, snowball."
"Snowball?" Hanzo echoes.
"Well, I figured I'd give him a nickname."
Hanzo snorts. "How adorable,"

"Um, Hanzo?" I look down at Kana, who is trying to eat my fingers. "I thought he was full."
"He's teething," Hanzo smiles. "Infants do that when their teeth begin to grow in."
"Oh, I see."
"They prefer to teeth on cold things if I recall correctly. It numbs the pain of their teeth breaking through the gums."
I focus my pointer finger and coat it in ice. Kana coos as I do this. "Oh, you like it when I do that?"
I grin. "Here, play with this." I form a snowball in my hand and give it to him.

His grey eyes look at the snowball and into my eyes.
My heartbeat quickens as this. "Hey, you're kind of cute."
"You're blushing, Kuai." Hanzo snickers.