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It had been a number of months since the fire god Liu Kang had swept you off to the Wu Shi Academy in what still felt like a massive fever dream. You’d learned of the existence of the realms and Elder Gods a while ago now, and yet every reminder of the reason for your presence felt like the revelation hitting anew. Outworld’s tournament was approaching fast, and Liu Kang would soon be selecting a champion to represent Earthrealm. With every passing day it felt like your nerves were mounting, to say nothing of the growing tension and competitiveness amongst the other fighters.
It was obvious, too. For the past month or so, most of the others had started training almost exclusively alone, with only Johnny seemingly undeterred by the hostility. That’s not to say he didn't go out of his way to get on Kenshi’s nerves, which the swordsman certainly didn’t appreciate. Kung Lao had been absorbed in some project involving mounting blades on the brim of his hat, which already seemed like a recipe for disaster. And even Raiden, normally the most patient of the four, had withdrawn to train more with the monks and focus on his own meditations. It seemed like the only ones that hadn’t changed were the Lin Kuei brothers, always floating above it all.
You had met the two elder brothers alongside Liu Kang, though you didn’t speak to either of them properly until they began assisting with training at the academy. They seemed like something out of a fantasy story–guardians of the realm blessed with the powers to command fire and ice. It felt almost ridiculous to even think about. You found that Kuai Liang and Tomas were both pleasant enough company, even if your conversations with them didn’t go much farther beyond discussing fighting techniques. Bi-Han, the eldest brother and grandmaster, was decidedly less so. You quickly learned that he had a short temper, something you found ironic for a cryomancer. He had only been assigned to train you on a few occasions, apparently always having something more important to do. His lessons were delivered begrudgingly, but he was surprisingly more tolerant of you than of your peers. You just figured it was because you kept your head down and didn’t run your mouth like Kung Lao and Johnny did.
Of the brothers, only Tomas had voiced his concerns about the growing distance between the rest of you. At that point, you figured there was nothing for it besides waiting for Liu Kang to select his champion. That is, until the fire god himself once again surprised everyone by announcing he would hold a small party to herald in the new year.
It was Johnny’s idea, naturally, and only for Liu Kang’s group of recruits, but it was a party all the same. Although the festivities would barely compare to the lunar new year, Liu Kang had insisted on having some sort of private celebration to tighten the group’s camaraderie. You weren’t sure why you hadn’t anticipated alcohol to be involved, but your expectations were quickly subverted upon seeing the amount that Kenshi and Johnny had personally provided. You were even more shocked to see the Lin Kuei brothers attending as well. You’d known the invitation was extended to them, but had assumed the grandmaster would have vehemently declined. He just seemed like the type of person to hate fun in all its forms. It was even stranger seeing them in regular civilian clothing, having been under the impression that they wore nothing but their uniforms in their day-to-day. Curious, you eventually pressed Kuai Liang about their attendance, but he denied ever having influenced his brother’s decision, seeming just as surprised to be there.
That aside, it was nice to finally be friendly with the boys again, the festive spirit (and mild intoxication) dissipating any animosity that had been growing. Kenshi even introduced a couple drinking games, which certainly aided in getting everyone to loosen up. After a while, their rowdiness started becoming a bit too much for you and you decided to hang back and simply observe as most of the party sat around the table. Johnny and Kung Lao were currently engaged in a friendly but heated debate over whether Han or Greedo shot first, Raiden watching on while guarding Kung Lao’s freshly confiscated hat. Kenshi made a point to top up Johnny’s glass every time he emptied it, obviously looking to keep the entertainment going. Liu Kang, Kuai Liang and Tomas made quiet conversation at the other end of the table, although you couldn’t make out what they were saying. You noticed Bi-Han had disappeared somewhere, but you weren’t surprised. You had watched earlier as Johnny goaded him into a couple shots of baijiu, and his mood seemed to sour immediately afterward.
Eventually, there was a hushed mention of firecrackers and Kung Lao shot up from his seat, running out of the room to presumably retrieve something as Raiden shook his head. With the debate effectively over, Johnny pushed himself from the table as well and made his way over to the wall where you stood. His sunglasses were perched messily atop his head, making his hair stick up in a funny direction.
“Hey sweetheart, why so glum? I thought we had two Sub-Zeroes in here for a minute.” Johnny flashed you a smile before he looked around, narrowing his eyes. “Speaking of Grandmaster Bossypants, where is he?”
“Why should I know? I’m not his supervisor.”
“Well, he might as well be yours with the way he’s always staring at you,” Johnny said a bit too loudly. You felt your cheeks flush with heat at the thought.
“He’s not–he doesn’t stare at me.” You frowned, not liking the way this conversation was going. “He’s just more lenient, that’s all.”
Johnny let out an obnoxious laugh and you had to shove him lightly to get him to shut up. You could feel eyes on you now and the thought of the others overhearing made you want to curl up into a ball.
“Seriously?! You don’t see it?”
“I seriously don’t, and you’d better be quiet before I tell Liu Kang about your little fireworks show.”
Johnny’s mouth fell open in surprise. He lowered his voice as he answered. “How did you…?”
“You two are so loud. I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t found you out already.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll drop it.” Johnny pouted, obviously disappointed that you wouldn’t entertain the conversation and were even willing to blackmail him over it. “Just don’t tell Liu Kang! He’ll shut us down for sure.”
You sighed and pushed yourself off the wall. “Don’t worry, I won’t. I’m gonna go get some air, okay?”
“Make sure you’re back for the countdown!” Johnny called after you as you stepped out the door opposite the one Kung Lao had left through.
You had forgotten how cold it was after spending most of the night inside, the frigid winter air biting at your nose and ears. The waning moon was already high and bright, surrounded by a million tiny stars embedded in the sky around her. You inhaled deeply, watching your breath turn to vapour as you exhaled. It was only after a few breaths that you realised you weren’t alone.
“Oh,” you said, a little embarrassed as you realised the grandmaster’s eyes had been on you the whole time. “Hey.”
Bi-Han said nothing, instead grunting in acknowledgment and turning away from you. It was probably the best response you’d get besides ‘go away’, so you figured your company wasn’t entirely unwelcome. You approached the railing, leaning against it a respectable distance from him. You managed to sneak a glance at him now, finally able to appreciate the way he was dressed. He had picked a smart turtleneck and blazer combo, his hair tied in the same bun you usually saw him with. He looked handsome, and you idly wondered if anyone had to advise him on what to wear. Regardless, he had certainly outdressed you–you assumed the party would be a casual affair and opted for a simple sweater rather than anything fancy. Your outfit was unfortunately not as functional as it looked, and the chill was beginning to seep through your clothes unpleasantly. You let out a shaky breath, rubbing your arms to generate some warmth.
“It’s cold,” you said, trying to break the silence that was quickly settling.
“Go inside,” Bi-Han replied quickly, though his voice betrayed no malice. He turned to you when you made no move to leave, his eyes narrowing in appraisal. “Why are you here?”
You couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze, not after what Johnny had said. You decided to stare at the snow-covered ground of the courtyard instead.
“The party just got a bit too much for me, I guess. Too loud.”
Bi-Han hummed in reply, and you got the impression he was outside for the same reason. You closed your eyes, trying to force yourself to adjust to the cold. You could hear the conversation picking up again inside, and you honestly didn’t feel like going back to the party yet. It was almost midnight, but you desperately needed a moment of quiet. When you finally opened your eyes, you realised Bi-Han still hadn’t looked away. It suddenly seemed a lot less cold outside.
“You’re going to get sick,” he chided, a familiar frown settling over his features as he took a step toward you. This was probably the closest you’d ever been to him outside of sparring.
Before you could reply, Bi-Han was taking off his blazer, leaving him in his turtleneck. You could only stare at him dumbly as he placed his jacket around your shoulders. It was far too big, draping over you more like a blanket while the fabric still held some of his residual body heat. The gesture made something flutter in your stomach. You were too warm now, if anything.
Bi-Han’s hands remained at your sides for a moment, pulling the blazer around your arms as if he was trying to keep you in place. You could tell that his face was a little flushed at this distance, but you knew he’d had some drinks already. He seemed to remember himself, finally letting go of the fabric but never looking away from you.
“This is probably a stupid question,” you said when you found your voice again. “But won’t you get cold?”
He raised an eyebrow at you and you suddenly regretted asking–as if you hadn’t seen him traipsing around in the snow in his sleeveless uniform. “I do not get cold.”
You laughed at yourself, your gaze falling to the ground between you. “I… figured.”
A tense silence settled over the two of you, and you fidgeted with the hem of his blazer, searching desperately for something else to say. His eyes were still on you, and you were mad that Johnny may have been right about his staring problem.
You both started to speak at once, cutting each other off.
“Sorry, you go first,” you conceded, more willing to listen to him speak than try to fill the silence yourself. Bi-Han cleared his throat, and you made the effort to meet his gaze.
“I–” he began, only to be cut off again by the sound of a large explosion that made you both jump.
“Oh, shit!” Johnny’s voice rang out from inside, and you heard some of them shuffle out the other door to see what happened. You checked your phone. 11:58. It figured that those idiots would ruin their own plans. You leaned against the railing again, running a hand down your face with a sigh.
“How do you tolerate those fools?” Bi-Han asked bluntly, his brow furrowed again as he glared towards the source of the cacophony. You couldn’t help but feel amused at how seriously he posed the question.
“Barely,” you replied. “It’s endearing for the most part, as long as I’m not involved. Anyway, you were saying…?”
Bi-Han suddenly refused to look at you, turning back to face the courtyard as well. “It… is not important.”
“Oh. That’s alright,” you said, and you hoped your disappointment wasn’t so evident. “You know, I think this is the most we’ve ever spoken.”
He nodded in affirmation, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere now. You really were running out of things to say that wouldn’t make this uncomfortable.
“I can go now, if you want me to—Johnny wanted me there for the countdown anyway.” You paused, shuffling awkwardly. “Um… thanks for the jacket, by the way. That was really nice of you.”
As you turned to leave, Bi-Han surprised you once again by grabbing your wrist. His grip was firm yet gentle, and his skin cool against your own.
“Stay.”
That word alone was enough to break down your walls and rebuild you a thousand times. You thought your heart might leap out of your chest as you turned back to him, your breathing suddenly uneven. His eyes were on you again, and he looked utterly desperate to keep you there. Emboldened by his actions, you stepped closer until you were undeniably in each other’s space. He released your wrist, but made no move. You didn’t know what he wanted from you, and were even less sure of what you wanted from him. Your breaths mingled in the air between you, and yet all Bi-Han did was stare. You felt the sudden urge to address it.
“You’re always staring at me,” you said. “How come?”
Bi-Han huffed, obviously not wanting to be pressed about this now. The blush on his cheeks was more prominent now, and his voice was low as he replied.
“Why do you think?”
Before you could answer, you heard the others’ voices as they started to count down from ten. You felt a little bad for missing it, but you figured selfishness could be something to work on next year.
“Three… Two… One… Happy new year!”
The sky suddenly lit up with fireworks, painting everything below in a multitude of colours. The noise drowned everything out, and you couldn’t do anything but watch in awe until they died down. There was raucous cheering from the opposite side of the building, and you couldn’t help the smile that settled over your face.
“I guess they managed to convince Liu Kang after all,” you said, before finally turning back to Bi-Han. He looked at you intensely, and you wondered if he had even bothered to glance at the fireworks. His gaze was fixed on your lips, but you knew he might still need a little encouragement. “You know, apparently you’re meant to kiss someone at midnight. It might be good luck.”
His eyes met yours immediately, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. You could see the cracks in his demeanour, and it was only a matter of time before the ice gave way completely. “I see.”
Bi-Han leaned in even closer, still hesitating for whatever reason. Your heart hammered in your chest but you decided to take matters into your own hands. You rested your palm against his cheek tentatively, and watched as he visibly fought off the urge to pull away from the vulnerable contact.
“Happy new year,” you whispered, and finally closed the distance.
As your lips met his, it felt like the fireworks all over again. Bi-Han’s lips barely moved as you kissed him, being either too shocked or too inexperienced to do anything. One of his hands instinctively came to rest on your lower back, pulling your body flush against his. He let himself be guided, and the thought of the grandmaster only acquiescing to you made your head spin.
After a moment you pulled back slowly, and Bi-Han was obviously having a hard time stopping himself from chasing your lips. His brow was unfurrowed for probably the first time ever, and you decided you wanted to see him like that more often. His mouth hung open and he looked uncharacteristically dazed. You couldn’t help but chuckle at the state he was in. He immediately frowned again.
“What?”
“Nothing.” You smiled up at him. “You’re just cute.”
He frowned even harder, if it was possible. He wasn’t so scary to you anymore, looking more petulant than intimidating.
“I am not.”
“You are pretty cute, Frozone.” Johnny’s voice made you jump and step away from Bi-Han, the moment ruined. His hand remained on the small of your back, though, almost possessively. Johnny quickly slipped his phone back into his pocket, and you suddenly felt like attacking him.
“How long have you been there?” You dreaded the answer, noticing that Kenshi and Raiden were leaning against the railing nearby as well, smiles plastered on both of their faces. You looked up at Bi-Han incredulously. There was no way he hadn’t seen them. “Did you…?”
The fact that he suddenly wouldn’t meet your gaze gave you your answer.
“Oh, I hate all of you.” You rushed Johnny, delivering him a (mostly) controlled kick which he failed to block.
“Ow! C’mon! I told you not to miss the countdown!”
Kenshi chuckled from behind Johnny, approaching him and slinging an arm around his shoulders.
“Come on, let’s leave the lovebirds alone. I think they’ve been tormented enough for the year already.” He gave you a knowing smile before leading a pouting Johnny back inside. Raiden similarly grinned at you, mouthing a ‘happy new year’ before following. And like that, you and Bi-Han were alone again.
You closed your eyes and sighed deeply to calm yourself. “Actually, I rescind my earlier answer. I can’t tolerate them.”
Bi-Han let out a barely perceptible noise that could almost be interpreted as a laugh. He pulled you back to his side wordlessly before tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. His other hand came to rest at your hip. Any reservations he had seemed to have dissipated as the others left and you couldn’t tell if it was a good or bad thing for you. The gentleness of his touch was just so unfamiliar that you were honestly still waiting to wake up.
“I haven’t wished you a happy new year,” he said. You could feel his voice rumble through you.
“You haven’t,” you replied quietly, waiting for Bi-Han to make his move this time. He leaned in again, and you closed your eyes.
Instead of feeling his lips on yours, his hand went to the nape of your neck as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. Your eyes blinked open in surprise and your face flushed even hotter than before. The action somehow felt even more intimate than kissing him properly. You looked up at him in disbelief and for once, the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei actually smiled.
“Happy new year.”
You stood in silence for a while afterwards, Bi-Han’s arm around you as you watched the sky together. You didn’t need to say anything else yet—you could figure out where you stood later. All that mattered now was enjoying each other’s company. Eventually, it started getting too cold for you even with his jacket, and you decided to return to the party together. Some of the boys let out a cheer as you entered and you suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to beat someone again. Bi-Han ignored them completely, encouraging you back to your seat from earlier. He sat by his brothers across the room and you watched as they nudged him, probably pressing for answers. He thankfully said nothing, simply shaking his head and telling them to leave it alone.
You managed to push your embarrassment aside enough to rejoin the festivities. Raiden had broken out an Uno deck and their rowdiness was actually adding to the fun. You laughed triumphantly as you finally won a round, Kung Lao groaning next to you from behind his hand of twenty cards. The others started arguing over the technicality of stacking draw cards and you decided to tune out for your own sake.
You caught Bi-Han’s gaze from across the room, still smiling because of your friends and even more thrilled at knowing that he had his eye on you. He glanced around, making sure nobody else was watching before the corners of his lips turned up as well. Your stomach fluttered again. A secret smile, just for you.
You got the feeling it would be a happy new year indeed.