For Your Protection

His work as a bodyguard had him positioned at the side of all manor of upper class and important people. Politicians, celebrities, people with more money than sense. He’d had people who deliberately went against his word. More than a couple who made demands of him like asking him to get them coffee and treating him like hired help rather than protection. His stint with Johnny Cage was particularly of note, given how much of a diva he was.

All that to say, Song Kuai Liang really wasn’t special in terms of how awkward his clients could be.

Hanzo had been warned, by both Kuai’s father and brother, that Kuai could be a “spoiled princess” at times. Their words, not Hanzo’s. And they were right. Kuai spent the majority of his time in Hanzo’s company huffing and pouting, generally seeming like he was seconds away from throwing a tantrum. Clearly, he resented the fact his family thought he needed a bodyguard. And he was going to take that frustration out on Hanzo.

As they both stepped out of the limo and onto the sidewalk, Hanzo took a look at the building in front of them. It was the headquarters of Netherrealm Incorporated, a company that Kuai’s father was currently trying to make a deal with. Hanzo had reservations about the place. He’d heard rumours, and none of them signalled the company operated completely above the law. Still, it was not his place to question these things, he was just here to make sure Kuai didn’t get hurt.

As they approached the double doors, Hanzo quickened his pace to go ahead, carefully opening the door. Deciding the coast was clear, he stepped aside to let Kuai through.

“Thanks,” Kuai muttered miserably as he entered.

“You’re welcome,” Hanzo sighed, only for Kuai to glare at him in response.

“That was sarcasm, genius,” he hissed, storming off into the building.

Hanzo bit his lip, letting the door close behind them as he struggled to keep up.

“It is standard protocol that I open doors and go ahead of you,” Hanzo explained as they approached an elevator, and Kuai hit the button to call it down. “I am just doing my job.”

“Well your job is stupid,” Kuai snapped back, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning to one side. “What? Do you think someone’s really going to be hiding behind every door or corner?”

“It is a possibility.” Maybe I should have taken a different job. He really should have guessed this would be a frustrating one when Bi-Han had told him that Cage had been the one to recommend him.

“The entire front of the building is made of glass, including the door,” Kuai frustratedly growled, gesturing to where they had just come from. “If someone was waiting for me behind that, they’d have to be the most idiotic assassin known to man.” Okay, I hate to admit but he has got a point there.

They both turned their attention to the elevator as the doors slid open. Hanzo stepped inside first, checking it was clear before letting Kuai in. Thankfully, he decided not to voice his frustration on this again.

“Really everyone is taking those letters far too seriously,” Kuai whispered, reaching to hit the button for the floor they needed, doors shutting and the elevator rumbling into life. “It’s probably just some bored kid who thinks it’s funny.”

The referenced letters were the reason that Hanzo was here. One day, the Song family had started suddenly getting them, each one very graphically threatening to torture and kill Kuai Liang. Hanzo had read through them to get an idea of what he was dealing with. He had a strong tolerance for stuff like this, but they had even him squirming. Threats to skin Kuai alive, to bathe him in acid, to take out his eyes and tongue, to lock him in a suitcase and throw him into the river. And those were the tame parts. Hanzo understood completely why the family had been so freaked out by them.

Well, everyone in the family except the one the threats were actually towards it seemed.

“If it brings your family peace of mind, is it not worth just going along with this until they are satisfied you aren’t in danger?” Maybe he could appeal to the other man by using his family, but the sideways glance told him it wasn’t that simple. “The problem right now is, there is no way to tell if those threats are real or not, and it is better to act as if they are than to ignore them.”

“I can not wait to say I told you so when it turns out this was all just a waste of your time.” Kuai shook his head, and all Hanzo could do in response was roll his eyes.

“Your family was right, you are a princess.” He hadn’t intended that to be said aloud, but Kuai’s head snapped over to him. Hanzo braced himself for yet more anger, but when he actually looked, all he could see was hurt. Probably not at what Hanzo said, but at the implication it was what his own family thought of him. “Kuai Liang, I-“

The door to the elevator opened, and Kuai pushed past him before Hanzo could stop him.

“Let’s just get this meeting over with,” Kuai spoke in a rough tone, and Hanzo grimaced. Well, looks like I’ve just managed to make this 100 times worse for myself.

They didn’t say another word to each other. Kuai did speak, but only to the lady behind the desk about how he was here for a meeting. As they waited to be called in, they sat in silence. Hanzo contemplated saying something, apologising for his outburst, but by the time he got the nerve to do so, a door opened opposite them.

“Mr Song?” A man asked from the doorway. Hanzo vaguely recognised him from some of the fancy establishments he’d worked. Quan Chi, not the CEO of Netherrealm, but definitely one of the people with most influence and power in the company. “Delightful to see you again.”

“Likewise,” Kuai spoke as he pushed himself to stand up. Hanzo followed suit. Quan Chi raised an eyebrow at them. “I apologise but Hanzo will be standing in on this meeting.”

“A new recruit?” Quan Chi asked, eyeing Hanzo up and down with suspicion. Still he moved aside to let both of the men walk inside his office.

“Bodyguard,” Kuai explained with a dismissive hand wave. Any sympathy Hanzo had been feeling was immediately zapped away again.

“Hm. Well I have to admit I’m a little hurt that your father doesn’t trust me enough to send you without a chaperone.” Something about that statement made Hanzo go on high alert. On the surface, it had been said in quite the jovial tone, but there was an edge to it Hanzo couldn’t describe. Anger. Disappointment.

Why would anyone be disappointed they wouldn’t be alone with someone unless they had bad intentions?

As Kuai and Quan Chi took their seats, Hanzo decided to stay standing, hovering right behind Kuai. He glared at the other man across the desk, although if he noticed, he never said anything.

“So, has your father looked over the proposal again?” Quan Chi questioned.

“He’s still not happy with it, I’m afraid.” Kuai reached into his bag, pulling out a stack of papers. He put them on the desk, pushing them towards Quan Chi. “Like always he’s highlighted the parts he has issue with.”

Quan Chi clicked his tongue and took the papers to leaf through them. “Your father is a hard man to please.”

“You have no idea,” Kuai said with an overdramatic sigh. “While I was still in education it was top grades or nothing.”

Quan Chi didn’t reply, in fact he barely registered that Kuai had even spoken. His eyes were glued on the proposal, and the further into it he got, the deeper his frown got. Clearly, whatever was contained on those papers was not to his liking. This seemed to start rubbing off on Kuai’s as well, who coughed nervously and straightened up.

“I am sorry for the inconvenience,” Kuai started, a nervous waver to his voice. His hand reached for his wrist, rubbing at it. “If it would make things easier for you, I could see if he’ll draft a version of the proposal, and then see if we can find a happy middle ground from that?”

Suddenly all that anger was gone from Quan Chi’s face, and he smiled at Kuai kindly. Too kindly. It felt so wrong. Hanzo had to resist the urge to shove himself in front of his charge.

“You really are very sweet, Kuai Liang.” Quan Chi put the papers down, resting his elbows on the desk and linking his fingers. “To think someone would be so callous as to make threats to your life.”

“I- what?” Kuai paused at that, very briefly glancing behind him at Hanzo. He instinctively grabbed hold of Kuai’s shoulder. “How did you know someone has been sending death threats?”

“Ah, did you not mention that earlier when you were explaining your bodyguard?” Quan Chi asked, tilting his head like he was innocent.

“No. I just said I had a bodyguard.” Kuai’s breathing slowed down, both his and Hanzo’s gaze was squarely on Quan Chi.

It was scary, just how calm Quan Chi was when he said, “hm, maybe your father mentioned it to me when I spoke with him last.”

“But he didn’t mention I’d have a bodyguard with me?” It was at this question that Quan Chi seemed to realise he was fighting a losing battle.

“I would appreciate you speaking with your father.” He cleared his throat and pushed himself to sit back against his chair. “I think that would be the best way to ensure everyone comes out of this on top.”

“Right,” Kuai breathed out, sounding surprisingly calm despite how rigid his body was. Hanzo gently squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll see what I can do.” He reached a hand to tuck a strand of hair back, like he was desperate to find something to do with his hands. “Um, so, is there anything else you would like to speak about?”

“No, I think we should wait until your father draft’s his version of the deal.”

Hanzo was surprised by how quickly Kuai took this as a sign to stand up.

“Then I should go and get that sorted then.” Kuai sounded cheerful but it was obviously extremely forced. Hanzo didn’t say anything, just shot Quan Chi a glare as if to dare him to try anything, before turning to follow Kuai back towards the door of the office.

“Oh, Kuai Liang,” Quan Chi shouted just before the man in question had managed to step through the door. Kuai and Hanzo both turned to look at Quan Chi. The grin on his face was chillingly evil. “I do hope you find whoever is sending you those letters.”

Kuai took a sharp breath, nodding and turning to leave again. Hanzo couldn’t help but take hold of Kuai’s bicep, keeping him in a tight grip like that would somehow protect him. They didn’t speak though, even as they got into the elevator. It wasn’t long until they were heading back towards those glass doors, stepping onto the sidewalk and back into the waiting limo.

“Well,” Kuai whispered the second the limo’s engine began to rumble. He settled back into his seat, tilting his head back and gazing at the roof. “At least we have an idea of who is sending those letters.”

“Do you understand how serious this is now?” Hanzo asked, hoping maybe this was the wake up call he’d need.

“Fine. You were right, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” Kuai’s tone was annoyed, but he didn’t move.

“No. No, I did not want to be right.” And really he didn’t. Because as it stood, it meant Kuai Liang’s life was genuinely in danger. “I assume you know the rumours about Netherrealm?”

“That’s part of why Father’s been so careful with this deal.” He reached a hand to rub his chin. “In hindsight, it probably should have been obvious the threats had something to do with this. I have been the one doing a lot of the back and forth between parties.” He frowned. “Does feel a little like shooting the messenger though.”

Now that all the pieces were there, it was easier to put together the puzzle. Quan Chi was unhappy that Kuai’s Father was savvy enough in business to realise the deals being offered were unfairly favourable to Netherrealm. Instead of just taking the loss, he’d taken to threatening Kuai Liang’s life to intimidate them into accepting the deal. Hanzo had a feeling the threats weren’t idle or a bluff either. If Quan Chi didn’t get his way, he would make Kuai pay for it.

“I’m sorry,” Kuai finally muttered, pulling Hanzo out of his contemplation. Kuai was finally looking at him, hands in his lap and head hung slightly low. “I didn’t want to believe someone would really threaten such things against me. I thought maybe if I just pretended it didn’t bother me and wasn’t real, everything would turn out okay somehow.”

Hanzo understood what was really being said.

“I was scared, and I lashed out because of it.”

“No, it is understandable that you would not want to believe someone would want to hurt you so.” Hanzo placed a hand over Kuai’s. “Kuai Liang, I know this is likely scary for you, but I assure you, so long as I am by your side I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

Kuai swallowed, but offered a small grateful smile and he breathed out, “thank you.”

“I think the real question is where we go from here.” Hanzo couldn’t imagine Kuai’s father would be happy to learn of their suspicions, or the issue that really they had no proof to do anything about it. “Really, we need extra time to gather solid evidence that it is Quan Chi behind it. Do we involve your father, or do we wait until we have more to show him?”

“Leave Bàba to me,” Kuai confidently declared with a smirk. “I know how to flutter my eyelashes and convince him everything is fine.” Hanzo raised an eyebrow at that, and Kuai giggled. “Hey, I know how to wield my princess powers. Being the brat has its upsides, having loud tantrums tends to overshadow any secrets I may be keeping.”

Hanzo couldn’t help but chuckle at that, “alright. I’ll trust in your expertise.”

Even with Kuai’s cooperation, this wasn’t going to be an easy job, but at least now the pair of them were on the same page. Hopefully that would make things go smoother.

Hopefully.

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