Sweet Little Thing

He did know that Bi-Han was going to be mad, however. Especially if he had to come to Kuai’s rescue. That didn’t even factor in the reaction of the Lin Kuei. He was going to go through a few hundred lashes for this, he was sure.

Footsteps came towards him, and he looked to see none other than Scorpion slowly ambling towards him.

“Now,” Scorpion purred, “what’s a sweet little thing like you doing in a den of sin like this?”

“It’s your den of sin,” Kuai retorted. He kicked his legs trying to free himself, only resulting in causing himself to swing.

“Mmm, does that mean you’re my sweet little thing too?” Scorpion reached and still the chain, staring down at Kuai. Kuai felt his face go hot. He’d always had a bit of a crush of Scorpion, but the other man rarely responded to his flirting, let alone initiated it. What’s he up to?“Although, you’d be sweeter if you actually cooperated and told me why your here.”

Kuai clenched his jaw slightly, before relaxing it, countering with “and I’d be a lot more cooperative if I weren’t hanging upside down.” He crossed his arms, and giving Scorpion the best glare he could. “Really, if I am your sweet little thing, you’re not exactly treating me as such. You aren’t the most gracious of hosts, you know?”

To his surprise, Scorpion let out a barking laugh, “well, I guess you do have a point. Allow me to correct that.”

Kuai realised his mistake when Scorpion loosened the chains and Kuai felt himself begin to slip.

“Wait-”

Kuai cut himself off with a yelp as he fell the remaining couple of feet to the floor. He wasn’t injured however, just a little winded. He gave a pained whine when Scorpion’s foot pressed down on his chest.

“Now, would you care to explain what you’re doing here?” Scorpion questioned, pressing down on Kuai’s ribs just enough for the pressure to make Kuai hiss.

“Being your sweet little thing?” Kuai attempted, hoping maybe distracting Scorpion would be enough of a new tactic to let Bi-Han do his work.

“I did want to give you the chance to come clean, but you do not have to lie to me,” Scorpion replied, taking his foot off Kuai’s chest. “I already know Sub Zero is trying to hack into my computer systems.”

“Wait, what?” Kuai pushed himself to sit up, watching as Scorpion walked towards another computer. He jumped to his feet, following him, just in time to see a security feed of Bi-Han fiddling with a computer and looking extremely frustrated.

“He won’t find what he think’s he’s looking for. It doesn’t actually exist, it’s just a labyrinth of encrypted files and password protection.” Scorpion turned back to Kuai. “It should keep him sufficiently occupied for the time being.”

Kuai stared at Scorpion, then towards the feed of Bi-Han. Scorpion had known they were coming. In fact, it sounded like he had planned this out. It would explain why no one had picked up on the booby trap Kuai fell into. Scorpion had baited them into coming.

And we took the bait.

“This was a trap,” Kuai whispered, trying to ignore how devastated he sounded. It was more disgust at himself for being so easily fooled.

“Not a trap, that would suggest you can’t leave. You are free to walk out whenever you wish,” Scorpion explained. “I just needed some time alone with you.”

Kuai felt a strange churning in his stomach, before questioning, “what do you want with me?”

Kuai was surprised when Scorpion reached for the clasps of his own mask. As Scorpion unclipped them, he pulled it away. Kuai was glad for his own mask, if only because he knew it would hide the blush that he could feel coming over him. Scorpion was even more handsome than Kuai had anticipated and he was feeling very self conscious about it. He turned his head slightly, hoping it wouldn’t be obvious what was going on.

“Tundra,” Scorpion softly said, and Kuai looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Are you okay?” Kuai’s head snapped back over to him. Oh shit, is it that obvious? Scorpion’s mouth twitched slightly before he clarified with, “I am concerned for your wellbeing.”

“You’re… Concerned for my wellbeing?” Kuai questioned, blinking and feeling that strange churning in his stomach again. What does he mean?

“For a league of superheroes, the Lin Kuei are not exactly the most reputable of organisations.” He wasn’t wrong. The Lin Kuei’s more shady practices were not exactly public knowledge, but it would make sense that Scorpion would at least be aware. Why he was asking Kuai if he was okay, and not using it as blackmail was questionable however. “And someone like you, with a heart of pure gold, being amongst those scumbags… I can’t help but be concerned about what happens behind closed doors.”

“I’m fine.” Was he though? He was 25, and had been in life threatening situations since he was 10. He was used to being berated, the punishments, never seeming to do the right thing. It was just normal for him. Was he fine or had he just grown numb to the danger he was in? “Thank you for your concern, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Scorpion for his part didn’t look convinced, but Kuai was thankful when he didn’t seem to push it. Just smiled, even if there was a strange tinge of sadness to it.

“You are too good for them Tundra, I hope one day you can see that.”

Kuai couldn’t explain the feeling coming over him. He’d never had anyone tell him he was good before. Good for nothing, sure, but not just good. It felt nice. He wanted to ask Scorpion to tell him he was good again, but felt that would come across as needy. Pathetic even. Instead he just looked to the ground.

“Your brother will still be a while,” Scorpion continued, gesturing over to a table with a tea set sat upon it. “Would you care to join me for a drink?” Kuai hesitated. “You look exhausted, pretty thing. I think you deserve a break.”

Kuai was exhausted. He was soexhausted. How was Scorpion of all people the first person to see that?

Kuai gently went to remove his own mask, trying to ignore the way Scorpion’s eyes widened at the sight of his face. He really wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. Still he did his best to retain eye contact, and offered Scorpion a smile.

“Thank you, Scorpion,” he said softly.

“Hanzo,” Scorpion replied. Kuai frowned, not understanding what he meant. “My name is Hanzo.”

Oh. Kuai laughed nervously, he had never had anyone outside the Lin Kuei reveal their civilian name to him. He had never revealed his either and yet…

“Kuai Liang,” he answered back. “I’m Kuai Liang.”

“A pretty name for a pretty face,” Hanzo remarked and Kuai scoffed slightly.

“Did you get that from a Johnny Cage film?” Kuai teased back, electing to disregard the way it made his heart flutter.

“Doesn’t make it any less true.” Hanzo reached to rest a hand on the small of Kuai’s back. “Now, how do you like your tea?”

Kuai stared at his hands.

He had washed them mutliple times, but he still could’t get the feeling of blood off them. Sticky, hot blood, covering his hands as he tried to pull people from the wreckage of the fallen building. Screams still rang in his ears, pleas for help, begging for him to save them from their fate. He had tried, he really had. There were just too many for him to handle on his own, injuries too bad for him to help with.

He wasn’t the only one on the scene, it was a big accident and a lot of other Lin Kuei had joined. Yet, he seemed to be the only one actually doing anything. It wasn’t until he returned to base, that he discovered the others were concentrating on the rich elites who helped fund the Lin Kuei’s operations. Who cared about the regular civilian’s when the source of money was in danger?

And somehow, through this all, Kuai was the one who was punished.

For wasting time trying to save people who could give them nothing in return.

Despite his very clear and obvious despair, no one had come to comfort him, not even Tomas or his brother. No one told him he did his best. No one tried to assure him he had done the right thing. All he got was a verbal beatdown, about how useless he was, followed by a beating much more physical.

His back burned from the strikes he’d received, his ribs bruised from the beating and an eye so black it was almost swollen shut. Humiliation coursing through him at the cruel laughs of his peers. The look of disappointment on Bi-Han’s face. Tomas and Cyrax for their part looked sympathetic, but neither did anything to stop this. He didn’t blame them, it would be a surefire way of getting themselves on the end of the whip. He didn’t want to drag them down with him and he couldn’t be mad at them for simply wanting to survive.

Wanting to survive. Kuai wanted more than to survive, he wanted to live.

“Tundra, are you okay? I am concerned for your wellbeing.”

Hanzo’s words echoed in Kuai’s head. His concern for Kuai’s wellbeing, the first person to notice how close to burning out completely Kuai was. Why was his brother’s nemesis the only person to question it?

He could still feel the blood on his hands. His back was burning. His ribs were killing him. He could only see out of one eye. Screams haunted him. Laughs and jeers bounced around his head.

“You are too good for them Tundra, I hope one day you can see that.”

He stood up, and walked out of the Lin Kuei’s base.

He didn’t stop walking, until he came to the warehouse that Scorpion used as a hideout. He was surprised when the guard’s didn’t stop his entry. They moved aside and let him through, only nodding in acknowledgment as one seemed to use a walky-talky to speak to someone. Likely alerting Hanzo to Kuai’s presence.

He continued through the halls, henchmen who spotted him said nothing, but their eyes never left him. He came to the door to Hanzo’s main control room, walking in without knocking or really announcing his presence. Hanzo was standing and clearly waiting for him, but his face dropped when he actually saw what a mess Kuai was.

“Kuai Liang?” He asked as he ran over, voice thick is disbelief and rage. Not rage at Kuai Liang though, Kuai could tell that much. When Hanzo was in front of him, he placed a hand on Kuai’s cheek. “What happened, pretty thing?”

Kuai stared at him long and hard, not knowing what to say or how to express himself. Eventually, he found three simple words that would explain everything.

“I’m not okay.”

Hanzo went to wrap his arms, only stopping when Kuai flinched away. Kuai didn’t mean to, he just wasn’t used to physical intimacy. That and with his injuries, it was likely to hurt him further. Hanzo glanced him up and down, seemingly realising the last point himself, as he pulls away.

“Do you have more injuries?” Hanzo questioned, and Kuai nodded in response. Hanzo took a breath and gently reached for Kuai’s arm. “Very well, let us take care of them first.” Hanzo gently started guiding Kuai across the room. “And then, you can tell me who I need to kill.”

Kuai laughed, despite knowing Hanzo was serious. He didn’t want the Lin Kuei dead, despite everything, but he did want the truth to be out there. Maybe Hanzo could help him find a way to whistleblow the conditions. Despite the pain, he was finally safe, with someone who seemed to genuinely care for him.

And the Lin Kuei would finally face the consequences of their sins.

⊰ Last Fic ≛ Tumblr Prompts ≛ Next Fic ⊱
⏎Return To Tumblr Prompts Masterlist⏎