Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everything had been so quiet.

The seeping rays of sunlight did little to fill the hollow shell that Bi Han had become. He barely bothered to open his eyes, blinking only now and them. The fatigue was relentless, even moving his fingers came off as an extremely demeaning act as it ached him to move just that. He was sore all over, wondering how the laboratory had even crumbled so much. A slow groan slipped his lips as he wondered how long he’d been buried under the rubble. 

The heavy rocks restricted his breathing just enough to pose a small inconvenience, but he couldn’t free himself even if he tried. Lazily, he dropped his gaze to his hands, still embraced by the chains he’d been thrown into when he’d been captured. The metal wristlets still clung to him and weighed his arms down, but the chains themselves had miraculously been shattered by the falling rocks. He had been stuck like this for…he would guess two days and a half, from the way his stomach was finally aching with hunger. Once again, he was humbled by the extremely potent drug he’d been given by his sorcerer captors, rendering him almost utterly useless. 

Almost.

The rest of his ‘inability to move’ came from Bi Han’s own sense self pity. He would rather rot here than face Kuai Liang and Tomas again. Though he’d been rocky with them before, not seeing eye to eye with the LIn Kuei’s destiny, he’d never wanted to push them away or lose them. 

And yet he’d been so easily overcome by the silly spell cast on him that day, he didn’t find himself to be worthy of title any longer. The Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei? Betraying his own clan and brothers under the influence of some magic cast on him? He couldn’t help a dry scoff at the thought. That didn’t sound like a grandmaster at all.

He fisted his hands, wincing in the immediate sharp pain of soreness that followed. He ached so much, and he had been fine with the thoughts of letting himself die in this position before, but not anymore. He couldn’t stand laying here any longer, the position pained him too much. He began his efforts small, clenching both hands around nothing as he continued to hiss through the spiking pains. He continued, hands shaking and fingers trembling until eventually, they’d gone numb. It was relieving, to be able to move his hands finally without feeling anything. Being an ice wielder, he wasn’t foreign to numbness in his limbs. He sighed, fingers still twitching with effort, but the pain alleviated, 

His arms still lay uselessly at his sides, pinned down by both the rubble of his former cage and the same soreness he’d wrenched out of his hands. Dreading the feeling, he dared to attempt movement with them. After the littlest displacement of his arms, he knew it truly was hopeless. 

He waited for the rippling waves of soreness to subside, attempting a fraction of a movement again. He wondered if doing this all day just to break free would even be worth it. At this point in time, Had his brothers not already disowned them in their minds? Had Kuai Liang not become the new Grandmaster? 

It was useless to think these thoughts, he realized. But they did invite a thin layer of ice to coat his fingertips. The worry he felt had transformed into a sense of anxiousness, reminding him he still had his ice. It appears the effects of the other experimental substances had died down. He willed his ice with a lot more effort than it would’ve normally took, freezing the rubble above him. It was colder for a moment, adding to the already blowing snowstorm that surrounded the Ying Fortress’s prison. The heavy walls eventually grew slippery and slid off of them bit by bit, his upper body being freed first. He sat up with a hiss, now more able to ignore the pain as it was paired with the cold. He realized the broken walls had kept him warmer, more susceptible to the pain he felt. Being out in the storm was his saving grace. 

With a glance upwards, he was able to tell he wasn’t very close to the ledges of the mountain, nor was he underground. Shang Tsung had taken great pride in having been able to manipulate him, leading to a special prison being built just for him. He only huffed a breath of smoke as he pushed the frozen remains of his former cage off of him, sitting up with minimal effort.

His head still spun, but a lot less than when he'd usually wake up. Up to that day, he had expected to find the room to be spinning around him. Now, as he took in the ruins of the Ying Fortress, his surroundings did little. It was truly a relief, to see things at such a standstill. 

Despite his renewed strength from the cold, Bi Han still used a half-intact wall for support as he stood up.

Only then did the nausea hit him. 

He swayed on his feet, nearly falling back over. The once calm and barren forest that only bent with the harsh winds now swirled in an obscene way, making him shut his eyes. His head began to throb, and he wondered if this was a result of standing up too fast or the remnants of the substances he'd taken. Either way, Bi Han took shaky breaths and pushed off of the wall, daring to open his eyes.

The trees still danced, the floor dipped under his weight, and the snow seemed to fall from all cardinal directions, but he sauntered off. Where? He had not the slightest idea. 

Upon reaching the foot of the forest, his previous worries came back to plague his mind. Had his brothers and clan thought him dead? Literally or morally Bi Han didn't mind it too much. He was half at fault as well. If he was seen alive, surely there'd be a bounty placed on his head. He wondered where he would go, if he could go anywhere at all in this state. He cursed Shang Tsung with a silent breath, then the trees around him. He bit back a defeated groan, leaning against one them. 

"I had such high hopes," 

Bi Han sucked in a breath at the familiar voice, circling the tree carefully to hide himself from the direction of the voice. 

"But some things cannot be changed. Not even with divine intervention such as my own." 

The voice was barely audible, but steadily grew closer. Bi Han was holding his breath. He couldn't find the courage to peek around the wet bark. His legs felt weaker by the second, vision blurring again. In a blink, he was on his knees with a tight chest. He coughed a few times, doing his best to remain silent, but sunk lower as it instead echoed in the otherwise empty forest. 

The previous voice had stopped talking, the soft crunching of snow that had signaled his distance from Bi Han had ceased as well. He could only stay knelt on the ground as each snowflake suddenly gained weight. He barely registered when a figure appeared behind him. 

"Bi Han?"

For some odd reason, Liu Kang knelt beside him, a gentle hand coming to rest on the small of his back, rubbing gently. It was warm. The hand was so warm and Bi Han would've positively recoiled from the contrasting temperatures if he had the strength to do so. He leaned back against the tree, unable to fight the weak coughs that slipped his lips.

"Everyone had said you were dead," Liu Kang said with concern.

Bi Han fought back tears now, not coughs. He pushed Liu Kang away, shaking. 

"Bi Han," His name was repeated by that smooth voice, and he didn't know how much more it would take for him to crumble. His resolve was already melting. 

"Go away," He whispered, his own voice contrasting with the rasp laced in it. 

Liu Kang did no such thing. He continued to stay kneeled, lips pursed as if he were thinking. When Bi Han coukd stand the silence no longer, he tried to glare, but found he lacked the strength to do even that. His brows furrowed enough to convey his discomfort, but not his anger, garnering more pity from Liu Kang. 

"I know your actions are most unforgivable," the God sighs, lifting his arms. "But I feel as though something is amiss."

What he said next, Bi Han couldn't comprehend. Liu Kang's face blurred as he grew increasingly sluggish, barely noting when he fell forward. 

Chapter Text

The world was still moving, this time up and down.

When Bi Han managed to open his eyes, he found himself still in the forest. It lacked the biting cold, however, as he only felt warmth engulf him. He groaned quietly, scrunching his eyes shut at the delicate shushing that responded. He was being carried, he could register that much. But the movement irked him terribly. His insides felt like the were being jostled with eve step, head pounding with a new headache. He was no longer numb, being held close towards the heat source that was Liu Kang, but the irritating soreness had also returned in this way. With the heat melting his resistance, he decided his sudden blackout was due to the fatigue returning more severely once the god had approached him, dissolving through the icy numbness that had kept him going. 

This rendered him unable to move, only shift a little as he was carried off to…only the Elder Gods could know. He groaned again, hissing at the repeated shushes. He fought to lift his heavy eyelids, seeing the chin of Liu Kang. 

His new captor. 

Bi Han had never truly been satisfied with how the Lin Kuei’s alliance with Liu Kang had worked. It didn't meet his expectations. While he knew he lead his clan to serve, he couldn’t stand being on the sidelines, constantly hoping they'd get to do more. And yet, Liu Kang wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, refusing to let Bi Han participate in against Outworld more despite giving him the label of one of Earthrealm’s protectors. He found this rather annoying, and had to shut out several intrusive thoughts of rebelling against the god, rendering his feelings for the other man rocky and troublesome. After a thick 

“...Why?” 

Liu Kang glanced down to raise his brows in question. “Why what?” 

Bi Han swallowed dryly, despising his scratchy voice. “Why bother with me? I'm sure you've head of what I've done.”

“I care not of that right now. You are dearly missed.” Liu Kang spoke gently, adding to the former grandmaster’s annoyance. “Whether you believe that or not is up to you.”

“You lie. So brazenly.” 

Liu Kang paused his tireless sauntering, lips tightening at the dry response.

"Why are you walking?"

"How else would I transport you?" 

"Portal."

Liu Kang sighed. He had also considered summoning one but—

—But looking down at the tired cryomancer, his heart throbbed. 

He had the most difficulty watching Bi Han get destroyed once again, this time on his own volition. It pained him to watch him fall apart from his brothers over a bribe. The efforts he’d made to separate him from such a fate had seemingly proven useless. He knew Shang Tsung had a way with his words, but he didn’t expect that snake to actually twist up Bi Han’s mind so easily. 

How cunning.

He returned to his senses when Bi Han sniffled, shifting uncomfortably in his hold. 

“Apologies. I will make one now to take us to the Wu Shi.”

As a ring of fire expands before them, Liu Kang can’t help the sadness that washes over him. He’d wanted to hold Bi Han closer, even if for just a little while longer. With reluctance heavy enough to be tangible, he steps through the gate, the portal taking them to the gates of the monastery. 

-

-

There is distant chatter and Bi Han huddles closer to Liu Kang’s chest.

“I do not want to be seen.” He announces quietly. 

“Understood.” Liu Kang smiles and walks them carefully along the walls. 

Bi Han stays as alert as he can with his bleary eyes, scanning the empty walkways. 

“The banter you hear is the result of Johnny throwing a sleepover party here. I have allowed them to gorge themselves for a few days to reward them for our victory against the other titans.” Liu Kang explains quietly. “They have been sleeping only winks each night, drinking more than they should. It has really been nonstop festivities.” 

Bi Han avoids the gaze that’s cast down on him. The white glow of the eyes feel more like beacons that burn through him rather than the usual effect they used to have. He never enjoyed being under Liu Kang, whether it be working for him or losing to him in a spar. He always felt inferior, and scoffed as the gaze turned sad. 

“I wish you hadn't listened to that sorcerer.” He sighed, kicking his door open with as much grace as he could with a man in his arms. “But your ambitions have proven to be too big.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Bi Han argued, though he refused to elaborate further. 

“What do you mean? Kuai Liang and Tomas returned to us, heartbroken that you had abandoned them,” Liu Kang voiced his confusion. 

Bi Han growled. “It was not I who abandoned them, it was they. Without a second thought, without any thoughts of other possibilities! It was my own brothers who left me in the heat of the moment.”

Liu Kang’s confusion shifted into a deep frown at the cryptic response Bi Han gave him. 

“It seems there are loose ends. Would you like to see them?” He offered as he laid Bi Han down on his rather large bed.

Bi Han physically recoiled, shoving himself away at the proposal. He shook his head and gave a dry chuckle, followed by winces of pain. If he laid his eyes on his brothers, the guilt that was already on his shoulders would grow to be too much. He didn’t want to beg for their forgiveness.

Of course, the option to tell them the truth was also still there, though Bi Han had long gave up on ever trying to regain his place. It would be difficult to even begin explaining what had truly happened, and he struggled to wonder if they'd even believe him. 'Crawling back since the side you chose as lost?' Kuai Liang might ask him. Whatever would he say to that?

As former grandmaster, he should take his exile properly. He didn’t want pity, nor did he want reassurance. 

“Bi Han-”

“Leave me.”

At this moment, his anger towards Liu Kang finally surfaced, realizing the god had saved him. Until this point, Bi Han’s thoughts had slipped away from the fate he’d resigned himself to: dying alone on the ruins of the Ying Fortress. He had saved him from an untimely death, but he had subjected him to this predicament. To be frank, he found it to be worse. He looked up to meet Liu Kang’s glowing eyes, the light much softer in the dim glow of the room. They looked dejected, though Bi Han could care less, but the man remained seated. It angered the cryomancer, and he clenched his fists at the continued staring. 

He was going to ask Liu Kang if he was deaf and to leave him alone again, but there was a sudden barrage of footsteps outside the room accompanied by loud laughter. Liu Kang turned himself around to face the door, assuming an annoyed but guarded stance as he shielded Bi Han from view the best he could.

Embarrassingly, Bi Han found himself shrinking to hide as well.

It was only a matter of time before the door was swung open and Johnny and a few of the other champions burst in. The actor’s sunglasses were in ruins as he leaned on the door for support. 

He was drunk.

“Hey, hey, hey! We kinda ran out of booze back there!” Johnny yelled, and Liu Kang cringed at the booming voice. “Give us some more of that uhhh, Wu Shi Margarita," 

There was the unmistakable aroma of some noodle dishes that suddenly wafted into the room with their arrival, and Bi Han could hear the voices of Kung Lao and Raiden among the actor’s, though quieter. Against his own will, his stomach growled lowly. He could only hope Liu Kang hadn’t heard it. 

“You guys have had your fill, it has been many nights you’ve kept this party alive.” Liu Kang sternly refused to indulge him. “The Wu Shi will be dry of food and drinks if you keep this up,”

“You scared you won’t have supplies for that gal behind you?” Johnny guessed with a laugh. 

Gal? 

Bi Han shook with bewilderment in Liu Kang’s shadow, the god himself being taken aback by the comment. 

“Gal?” He asked, mirroring Bi Han’s thoughts. 

“Don’t think I don’t see someone in your bed, dude. If you’re finally getting some lay, you don’t gotta hide it!” Johnny whistled and stumbled back towards the door. “I’m gonna break into the kitchen, don’t mind me.”

Liu Kang speechlessly watched the three men leave, suddenly afraid to face Bi Han again. The fear persisted for a short while, with the silence hanging uncomfortably in the air. When he finally turned himself around, he did it slowly, and avoided the cryomancer’s eyes. Bi Han spared him a short glance, huffing when his gaze was not met. He promptly laid down and slid the covers over himself, fighting through the burning in his muscles. 

“Bi Han, do not be too angry,” Liu Kang attempted to reason. “It might be better if that is what he perceived, as you stated you didn’t want to be seen.” 

Bi Han hissed when he felt the bed dip behind him. “Do you truly think I have no dignity left? While I may be in this…pathetic situation, I am not going to be so low as to accept being seen as your bed warmer, Liu Kang. I had had enough of being your lapdog, before, but this is more than preposterous.” 

Liu Kang looked hurt at Bi Han’s perception of the events, the scratchy voice was starting to worry him as well, and he had no water or tea in the room as of that moment. There was simply a large vase filled with wine he’d been storing in case he ended up joining the party just a few doors away. Unsurprisingly, it never got to that and the vase remained untouched. Bi Han seemed unaware of how sickly he sounded and continued to ramble about hating serving the god, hating this and hating that. In a quick movement, Liu Kang stood up and gave him an apologetic smile. 

“Stay here,” He said. “I will bring you tea.”

“I’d prefer poison,” Bi Han spits. 

The room was too hot, the fireplace in the room spreading its warmth and reaching him with ease. Though he felt as if he was on fire, he kept the covers over him. 

“Your throat is weak,” Liu Kang sighs. 

“Bring me tea and I’ll serve you icicles.”

There was a moment of silence. Bi Han wondered if his bluff had been exposed. After his capture, he couldn’t summon his ice. The wristlets that had bound him had been broken, but he hadn't retrieved his abilities since being freed.

“I will bring you water.” Liu Kang finally spoke.

When he got no response, he left Bi Han to lay alone as he left the chambers. 

He felt guilty when he walked past across a bridge, hearing some fish splash around under him. Perhaps redemption was possible, the question was how it would play out. He felt his eyes lingering over the pond under him, watching the fish swim by. 

Although Bi Han had chosen this path himself, he couldn’t bear to stand around and watch. He wondered if there were any pieces missing, or if he was a ploy for Shang Tsung. The bastard from his realm had escaped, after all, their alliance obviously temporary. And on a more positive note, Bi Han hadn’t been reduced to the one he’d known from the previous timeline, the one who had lost his status as Sub-Zero and taken on the one of Noob Saibot. No matter the situation, Liu Kang simply wouldn't have Bi Han leave him again.

He had a sort of infatuation with the grandmaster, and his mind would often wander to the thoughts of him whenever he wasn't around.

Such thoughts had become reckless after Bi Han’s betrayal. 

He finally tore himself away from the sight of fish under moonlit water, acutely aware that too much time had passed, and began trudging to the kitchen. It was undeniably unfortunate, his little crush, regarding the hostility of the man he'd saved. It made his heart squeeze in a painful way. He thanked the Elder Gods quietly for Kitana's kind rejection, or he would have no chance with Bi Han without being unfaithful.

He wondered what Bi Han was doing as he fetched the water. Was he sleeping? He'd looked awfully tired. Had he tried to escape? 

Liu Kang's lips thinned at the possibility and flinched when the pitcher he'd been filling began to overflow.

How clumsy he's gotten.

With a sigh, the flow of water is stopped and he spills some, leaving it lighter and easier to carry without extra caution. The trek back is not as quiet as a regular night in the Wu Shi, Johnny's party making his head ache just slightly. He rolls his eyes at the continued laughter and profanities, entering the room he'd left Bi Han in. 

“I have brought you water,” He announced gently to the figure on the bed. 

It was relieving to see Bi Han had not tried to leave the room…though now that he thought about it, Liu Kang believed it would be somewhat of a difficult feat. Bi Han had suffered visible physical injuries, but he'd also been exaggeratedly weak. 

The cryomancer gave him no response, nothing other than a hiccup at least. 

“I've no need for it,” Bi Han spoke quietly after a beat of silence. 

Liu Kang raised a brow, because Bi Han most definitely sounded like he'd hydrated. That scratchy voice was no more, instead replaced with a softer one. If Liu Kang hadn't been worried about what Bi Han had drunk, he'd be cooing mentally at how much this tone of voice fit him. 

“Oh?” He made his way over to the bed anyways, pitcher if water still in hand. 

Bi Han made minimal movement, letting out wounded noises even at the small act of turning himself away to avoid looking at Liu Kang. 

“You found water…? In here?” Liu asked. He doesn't remember leaving any in this chamber. 

“I melted my ice by the fire.” Bi Han bit his lip.

“Ah.” 

His eyes shifted to glance at the fireplace, where Bi Han’s lie was revealed. There was nothing indicating he'd been there, and his appearance remaining just as disheveled as when he had left also proved otherwise. 

He placed a hand on Bi Han’s shoulder, frowning at the delayed flinch. 

“Did you get your hands on wine?” He asked. 

Bi Han gave no answer. 

“By the Elder Gods, has Johnny no sense of decency?” 

He once again scanned the room, but alas, could find no traces of Johnny ever being in here either. Berating himself, he turned Bi Han around with ease, chest tightening at the red faced, drowsy man. 

“So it was not Johnny,” He sighed. “Where did you…?”

With another hiccup from Bi Han, Liu Kang finally laid his eyes on the final possibility. 

The rather big vase of wine was not in its original place, rings of wet circles dotting the table under it indicating it had been lifted more than once. 

He made a swift reach for it, gasping at how light it felt. When he looked back at Bi Han, he found him bashfully avoiding his gaze.

“You…took a while,” Bi Han said in his defense. 

Liu Kang set the vase back down, watching as Bi Han took it instead. He

“What does it matter? This isn't real anyways.” Bi Han continued, bringing the thick rim to his lips.

“...Pardon?”

“There is no way you'd take me in with no consequences. Your hospitality is proof of this dream,” comes the ever so slightly slurred words.

They slipped from his mouth so obscenely, and Liu Kang could've sworn he was affected by Bi Han’s sultry tone more than the other man was by too much alcohol. He stayed silent as Bi Han's drinking fell between them. The strength of the Wu Shi wine had always been something the Lin Kuei had struggled to accommodate, and now Bi Han had consumed it to the point he believed reality was a dream. 

“A dream?” Liu Kang asked. 

“Obviously. Or I have died.” Came the reply. 

Bi Han never wondered why his symptoms had followed him into this dream. They’d been numbed significantly, though he didn’t pay that any mind either. And through his drunken haze, he could only think about how much softer Liu Kang looked. He set the vase down, finally looking the fire god in the eyes with renewed boldness. 

“I regret everything dearly,” he whispers, reaching for the bandaged hands that lay on Liu Kang’s legs. He takes one into his own, caressing the fingers. “How cruel it is that I am allowed to see such visions.”

Liu Kang doesn’t respond, though his heart is hammering in his chest. His calm exterior allows Bi Han to go on, sadness taking over him. “I haven’t escaped, have I? I am either rotting away in Shang Tsung’s prison if the war he spoke of has not ended. If it has, I have most definitely passed.” 

“Bi Han,” Liu Kang gently squeezes the cold hands that hold his, his own heart aching. He leans forward to wipe the tears falling from Bi Han’s eyes. Surprisingly, the cryomancer leans into it.  

“This one is especially enjoyable,” Bi Han giggles drunkenly, and Liu Kang finds himself smiling with him because it is undoubtedly the sweetest sound he’s ever heard. “I am most disappointed I couldn’t say my goodbyes.” 

“To Kuai Liang and Tomas?” Liu Kang guesses with a softer squeeze. 

“I…I want to be angry at them. But it’s rather difficult to,” Bi Han admits. “Not when they are the same brothers you raised yourself. As for my goodbyes…”

The fire god purses his lips and inches closer, finding that Bi Han doesn’t mind the distance. He listens intently at the drowsy rant, eventually close enough to take Bi Han into his arms. He only does this when the tears on the cryomancer’s face flow freely. He offers assuring hushes, though any words of affirmation he was also going to provide die out as his throat grows too tight to speak.

Liu Kang had never burdened himself with tears. 

There was never anything to shed them over. At least not until this fateful night, right now as he held the Lin Kuei’s fallen grandmaster tightly, rocking the tears away.

And Bi Han…

He truly believed this wasn’t real, all that was happening was the universe showing him mercy. Allowing him to fall apart one last time. The room spun around him, and he could only guess he was finally fleeting. 

Liu Kang knew better. 

Bi Han finally slumped forward and into his chest with a few helpless sniffles. The god sat as still as a rock, his mind, though, ran amok. He had discovered little, but more questions were raised than answered as he’d listened to the drunk grandmaster. He couldn’t ask any now, especially not as he laid Bi Han down with the fragility and care Johnny would treat a Hichuli with.

Perhaps when Bi Han wakes, he would ask them.

Chapter Text

“You didn’t bother to tell us this before?” Kuai Liang groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples as he fought against the pounding headache in his skull. The addition with the news of his brother’s return only caused the nausea swirling in his stomach to grow.

“I apologize. But it was only last night I brought him back,” Liu Kang chastised. “You were attending Johnny’s party, most likely drunk. It wouldn’t have been the best course of action to allow you to face your brother in such a state.”

Tomas sat next to Kuai, hands interlocked and fingers twiddling with themselves. Unsure what he would say, he didn’t want to join their tense banter—he was more nervous to face his eldest brother. He would only offer the occasional glance and nod. 

Something about ‘loose ends’ kept slipping from Liu Kang’s careful explanations, Kuai listening with more worry than annoyance, though he tried to portray the latter on his face.

“What kind of misunderstanding? You’re making this confusing.” Kuai sighed.

“I’m afraid I do not know much myself, he was willing to reveal little, even after a gallon of wine,” Came the god’s answer.

“...Are we allowed to see him?” 

Kuai turned to his little brother, brows unfurrowing slightly. He dropped his tense shoulders and gave him a softer look. He looked as if he was preparing to say something, but never did it come. Liu Kang spoke instead. 

“He has not yet woken up. Though you’d be welcome to try when he does.” 

“Try?” 

Tomas echoed through the obvious implications of the statement. He would definitely try to talk to Bi Han when he awoke, even if it was only verbal berating that awaited him. Veiled behind an uncertain expression, Kuai Liang shared his impatience. 

The relationship between the three of them had always been a little rocky, especially after Bi Han had taken on their father’s role, though Kuai would never have expected a betrayal so stinging from his own Grandmaster. He’d known of Bi Han’s ambitions to better their clan, but he also knew his brother wouldn’t act out on them, for the sake of the Lin Kuei’s dignity. Joining forces with Shang Tsung after all they knew about him...it was unexpected at best, devastating at worst.

He raised a hand to trace a finger over his scar, which was on an impressive healing journey. The physical pain that came when he applied pressure was minimal, though the way his chest tightened at he memory of getting it never dulled over the time.

Looking at Tomas and Liu Kang, he realized he’d zoned out, wondering what they were talking about. 

“Where is he now?” He interrupted with a crack in voice he hadn’t planned for.

-

-

"You know, you were quite easy to control."

Bi Han tried ignored the way the sorcerer purred in his ear. He tried with more effort to ignore the way blood dripped from his back, falling to the cold stone floors with drips louder than they should be.

Shang Tsung circled him, incredibly slowly, holding a vial of a glowing green liquid in one hand, the other busy gently raking over the wounded man's back. He gained no reaction other than twitches as Bi Han fought to stray from those bruising taunts, but it seemed he enjoyed it enough to make it a ritual each time he visited his prisoner. His restraints never allowed him to go further than a few disappointing hairs, the metal binding him having a stronger grip than he could retaliate against. Bi Han hissed through clenched teeth when something was poured onto the red welts on his back, shaking with effort to keep still. 

"I wonder how much longer it will take for us to surpass that god of fire," the smirk is audible in the way Shang speaks, his words curling the same way his lips would. Bi Han doesn't need his eyes open to get an image. "Perhaps it will be after you've rotted down here. My healing potions only do so much."

He cooed ridiculously as he watched the fresh wounds absorb the tiny bits of relief he'd provided, sealing them and leaving lines of lighter skin that stretched across his captive's back. They were layering, healed gashes upon more others, looking as if he has been struck by lightning and not a whip. His arms were in a similar condition, as Shang Tsung had resorted to stain them as well when his back had gotten too full of them.

Bi Han could've sworn he was flogged for the sole purpose of being healed, as if the act truly made the pain better. There was also the part of Shang Tsung wanting him dead after the rejection of joining his side. He wondered if this made Shang Tsung feel better about himself in a way, providing short term relief at the end of never-ending sessions. Perhaps he found it to be charitable, thought it made him a kinder person. Bi Han would've scoffed a the thoughts he entertained, had his mouth not been busy scowling and holding back noises of pain. His hair was tangled, maybe even matted at this point, and stuck to his forehead with the now-permanent layer of sweat on him.

The dungeon he was kept in doubled as a study room, Shang Tsung usually sitting at the desk in the corner and talking Bi Han's ears off while he scribbled things down aimlessly on empty scrolls til he struggled to fit more.

There was a fireplace.

Though it really shouldn't since the rest of the room was extremely bland and eerie. 

"Still with me?" 

Bi Han flinched at the hand that wiped the stands of hair that had stuck lower, the ends having gotten close to his eyes. It was a gentle touch, physically, but Bi Han considered the touch bruising.

"Have you listened at all? There is a new threat." Shang spoke with his tone carrying more disdain now. "I was made to team up with Liu Kang and his useless...gang as a split second decision."

Bi Han perked up slightly, looking up through heavy lids. Hadn't he just been talking about taking Liu Kang down? 

"There is a war." Shang Tsung sighed, sounding both bored, and slightly worried about the statement. "It has to do with some other timelines...other worldly stuff you wouldn't understand, if you can understand me at all." There was a giggle at the end, a sound Bi Han despised, and it prompted him to ignore whatever else was said.

If the bastard was on the side of...the other bastard (Liu Kang) as a result of something greater than both of them, shouldn't he be let out? Shouldn't he join the fight? His prowess would prove useful on the battlefield, he knew that. They knew as well, so why was he locked in here still? It didn't serve them any good if they needed more power.

Bi Han lowered his head once more, the voice of the sorcerer muddling into a fog in his ears he could no longer comprehend. He'd be awoken by pain, soon enough.

-

-

-

Bi Han's eyes flew open and he instinctively tried to throw himself backwards, though he only sank slightly deeper into the mattress he was on. He clutched at the sheets, arms shaking. He was shaking. His head swung left and right, taking in his surroundings. Through his heavy headache, his confusion burned more greatly, leaving him continuously looking around. 

"Don't tire yourself out that way." 

He flinched at the voice, bring his hands to his chest to pull the covers up. 

He watched carefully as Liu Kang approached, shrinking behind the covers as he narrowed his eyes. Liu Kang doesn't pay it any mind, instead bringing a porcelain tray to the bed. Its contents clink and clatter no matter how carefully he walks, and there's a final clack of glass against glass when he sits down on a chair next to the bed. The tray is set down on his lap, the god's gentle white eyes staring into Bi Han's untrusting brown ones. There is a teacup, a teapot, a bowl of familiar looking soup noodles.

He hadn't seen a proper meal in so long, he had to suppress a gag.

"How did I get here?" He asks, mouth hidden behind the fabric he held up. 

Liu Kang is slow to answer, only smiling as he pours tea into the cup. "I found you in the snow. Ironic for you to be out cold in the...cold." 

Bi Han didn't laugh, nor did he smile. He could taste alcohol somewhere on his tongue, but ignored it, instead focusing on how Liu Kang set the cup of tea down to stir at a steaming bowl of noodles.

"How are you feeling?" Liu Kang asked, seemingly intent on getting him to talk.

"I'm fine."

"Would you happen to remember anything? You have suffered injuries to your back. It looks as if you were-"

"I would rather not speak of that." Bi Han interrupts coldly.

Liu Kang's smile lessens, but not in a discontent way. He retains a thoughtful expression, pushing the tray towards the bedridden man, accepting the boundary with a nod and a quiet 'as you wish.'

Despite being bitter towards Liu Kang, Bi Han was glad the subject wasn't pushed further. It was chilling to have relived such a memory through his dreams, especially after one of fuzzy comfort he could barely remember. It was strange how the order of those visions played out, the comfort having come before another wave of suffering. Liu Kang slipped the small spoon into his hand, which had lowered at some point and rested on his lap. He closed his fingers around it, finding it to be rather easy to move them now. He raised his gaze to meet Liu Kang's wondering if he had been healed in any way. 

"Do you have any memory of what happened between you and Shang Tsung? Or Quan Chi?" Liu Kang knew interrogation was useless, especially since Bi Han was now sober. There was no harm in trying, and he lived by that.

Bi Han's brows furrowed upon being questioned, dipping the spoon into the warm soup mindlessly. "I have no memory of how I was locked up in his dungeon."

"I see." Liu Kang gave him a somewhat doubtful look, but otherwise bought the excuse and continued to sit by and politely watch the other man eat.

"..."

"..."

The sounds of birds and Bi Han's quiet chewing would have comfortability filled the wordless silence between them, but Liu Kang couldn't help but feel it to be awkward, so he took a tense inhale, averting his eyes to the window before daring to speak.

"Your brothers, Bi Han, they-"

Almost immediately, he was cut off by the sound of choking, then a fit of coughs from the cryomancer, who hurried to calm himself. Liu Kang paused his question out of worry, hands flying up to offer a hand, only to have it swatted away.

Bi Han glared at him, softer coughs still racking at his weakened frame. 

"I apologize-" 

"I do not wish to see them. Nor do I want to hear of them. They are traitors." Bi Han growls. 

"I wouldn't-"

Liu Kang found himself interrupted once again, by a different voice. 

"Traitors, are we?" 

Both men looked up to see Kuai Liang, eyes angry and narrowed. Bi Han gave him a quick scoff, turning away as his appetite dissipated. If he had looked closer, he may have seen Tomas, who stood at the door, just shy of stepping into the room. 

Liu Kang sighed his disappointment, giving the man in yellow an unamused shake of his head. Before he could begin to try and correct the mood, Kuai Liang spoke up again. 

"It was not me who turned his back on the Lin Kuei. It was not me who joined forces with the enemy. Unless my memory deceives me, I believe it was you."

"You speak such lies with such vigor, have you held a disdain for me from the start?" Bi Han quips back. "You took the situation on its surface level, and didn’t turn your back."

"So this is what you meant," Kuai Liang gave Liu Kang a brief glance. The latter offered nothing more than a shrug and a shake of his head, expression sad. 

"You allowed yourself to be blind to the truth!" Bi Han yanked the attention back to himself, raising his voice a notch. 

"What truth is there?" Kuai argued back just as loud. "You wanted power more than you wanted to keep our clan at its standing glory! That is the only truth I know."

"Then there is much you don't know." Bi Han replies bitterly. 

"That's right. And I won't know unless you tell me."

At that, Bi Han only chewed at his cheek, giving no response.

"Be like that." Kuai's voice shook and he turned to leave, shaking his head at Tomas who was quick to follow him. 

That left Bi Han alone with Liu Kang again.

The pit in his stomach, which he was only now noticing, grew with each passing second. He could hear something, perhaps something Liu Kang was saying, but it was not a priority to hear what he said about the situation. This was between him and his brother, the god had simply been there, probably reveling in the way he was falling apart. 

...

That was likely not true, but he entertained the thought anyways. 

Liu Kang stood up to set the tray aside and situated himself next to Bi Han, a gentle arm resting over his back as a hand hooked to his shoulder. 

"That might have been excessive of Kuai Liang." Liu Kang said quietly, his voice finally starting to take form in Bi Han's perception. 

"He doesn't know anything. He dares to blame me when he doesn't know." 

"None of us do. You have built rather thick walls around yourself, Bi Han. Walls even I cannot break." he looks down to see a tear fall, tightening his hold. "I do not intend to force an answer out of you."

"You couldn't if you tried."

"I know." 

Liu Kang swallows to try and get rid of the uncomfortable knots in his throat, though his efforts prove to be futile. "You can always confide in me," He blurts out. 

"In you?" Bi Han laughs dryly. "...I would rather not burden you with more." 

Liu Kang pulls Bi Han closer, feeling the tension spike in the other's stiff form. He raises a hand to comb back some stray strands of hair that had fallen over Bi Han’s face. 

"I did not create you with the intention of being a burden. It is always an option." He leaves the offer open and wipes a tear before it can reach the curve of the cryomancer's cheek. 

Bi Han's breath hitches at the intimate action, and he finally pushes Liu Kang away. Though the hand on his chest is weak, Liu Kang allows the distance. He notices a faint shade of red dusting Bi Han's cheeks, and gets a strange feeling of deja vu, as if the previous night was playing out again. Bi Han looks at him with a heavy doubt painting his eyes, hair having been let down and combed before he'd woken up. How beautifully those dark locks framed his face, Liu Kang could never put into words. There is a flutter in his chest, and Liu Kang is helpless to the realization that registers in his mind for why.

"Will you take your leave? Or will you continue to stare at me?"

"Apologies."