Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Four: Night Watch

-Hanzo's POV- I look down at Kana in my arms. Kuai finally calmed down enough to get some sleep, but Kana is stubborn.
"Shhh. Shhh. It is alright, little Kana."
Kana hiccups and looks up at me.
"Oh. My sweet boy." I recall saying these exact words to Satoshi.
"I'm here. Please do not be afraid."
Kana reminds me so much of Satoshi, it almost hurts. I pace the main hallway of the Lin Kuei Temple, thinking of how Kana will grow, how he will act. Will he be rebellious? Perhaps timid?

Kana continues to look up at me with his strange grey eyes. I yawn, my eyes growing heavy.
"Papa?" Kana states in a small voice, looking over at Kuai's closed door.
"Papa has to sleep, Kana." I murmur, rubbing his back. I walk over to the room next to Kuai's and lay down in bed with Kana on my chest.

I hum the lullaby I had sung to him earlier. Kana drifts off to sleep once more. Tears flood my eyes, thinking back to Satoshi as I fall asleep.
****
The white light of the sun reflecting off of snow wakes me up. I blink and see Kuai smiling at me and Kana from the doorway, dressed in a simple sky blue changshan.
"Good morning, Hanzo," Kuai yawns, walking in and lifting Kana from my chest.
"Hey," He gets a closer look at me and furrows his brows in concern or confusion. "Hanzo, were you crying recently?"

"What?" I touch my cheek and blink my bloodshot eyes. "Yes, I was." I admit.
Kuai blinks, now looking very worried.
"Why...were you crying?"
"It's Satoshi...." I feel my cheeks burn, tears flooding my eyes again. "Kana reminds me so much of him...
I..." I trail off.

Kuai sets Kana down on the bed and holds his hand towards me. I grasp it and he helps me out of bed.
"Let me make you breakfast," Kuai whispers, gripping my shoulder and squeezing it as a sign of comfort. "Yes," I wipe my tears away, feeling ashamed of letting my emotions shine through.
"I would like that." Kuai smiles sadly and picks Kana back up.

Both of us walk down the main hallway. I mess with my Kunai in order to avoid eye contact with Kuai.
"If you do not mind me asking," Kuai begins gently.
"Can I ask about your family?"
I tuck the Kunai back on its sleeve on my arm and look up at my friend. "Of course, Kuai." I breath out a shaky breath.
"Look, Hanzo, you can refuse if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No, no." I rub my eyes. "I need to lift this burden off my chest."
Kuai nods. "I understand,"

We enter the kitchen and I sit down. Kuai sets Kana down on his lap as he sits down.
"Where do I begin?" I whisper to myself, rubbing my forehead.
"Just start from the beginning," Kuai murmurs, resting his elbows on the table. "My wife, Harumi, was a gentle woman." I start, finally telling someone the whole story.

"Many samurai from my village swooned over her. Back then, I had no interest in finding a lover, but she fell in love with me. After her and I got married, she desperately wanted a child, someone to pass on my role as a Shirai Ryu after I die." My lip quivers and I fall silent.
"Kuai, allow me a moment to compose myself."
"Of course, my friend. There is no need to rush."
I take in a deep breath and speak again.

"I was overjoyed when she stated she was pregnant. We thought of different names for the child. Satoshi if it was a boy, Asumi if it was a girl. Satoshi was born later that Fall and I loved him immediately." I glance at Kana, who is teething of a spoon coated in frost given to him by Kuai.

"To make a long story short, Kana acts very similar to how Satoshi acted. When I sang to him, it felt like I was whole again," I laugh through my tears. "I know it sounds crazy, but Kana....I love him."

Kuai wipes away half-frozen tears from his face. I blink in surprise. This is the only time I have witnessed Kuai genuinely cry.
"Kuai," I sigh.
"I-I'm sorry," He sniffs, regaining his calm demeanor. "I never knew the whole story. I feel terrible now for asking you to explain it."
"It is fine," I state, getting up and preparing breakfast. "As long as Kana is healthy and happy, that is all that matters."