Chapter Text
It was a warm summer night in Fengjian. The sky was clear. Paper lanterns hung bright red and the idle chatter from the open bars nearby filled Raiden’s senses. Kung Lao strolled beside him, eyeing a drunk passerby and his friend as they stumbled down the road shoulder to shoulder.
The two had very little time for their usual weekend bar hopping during their time at Wu Shi, the early mornings, midday meditation, exercise, there wasn’t a day they didn’t go to bed at least a little sore. It wasn’t like they didn’t enjoy it, but by the Gods they needed a break. Thankfully Liu Kang was happy to allow the two a week to visit home.
The past year had gone by so quickly, from their humble little life of selling cabbage to fighting evil sorcerers to training with a god. Despite it all, it was still hard to take in at times. After all they’d been through, nothing had changed anfter their half year anway from Earth, like their battle with an entire other timeline hadn’t happened at all.
The pair arrived at the Fengjian Teahouse and per usual, it was busy. The televisions blared a sports announcer’s voice over the bar. Aside from a few groups eating at the tables and booths, it was mostly the bar that was full, chatter and borderline obnoxious singing.
“I hope you know you’re paying this time.” Raiden remarked as he sat on an empty stool at the bar. Kung Lao scoffed as he joined him.
“It’s fine. A gentleman always pays on the first date right?” Kung Lao teased, obviously pleased with himself, and Raiden scoffed with a smile.
“We just got here, Kung Lao. At least have half a drink before you start flirting with people.”
Kung Lao grinned. Raiden waved the bartender down and in less than a minute, a glass of baiju and Tsingtao was pushed their way, and Kung Lao wasted no time taking a huge sip of his drink. He made a bitter face as it burned his throat.
It’s something Raiden shouldn’t admire, Kung Lao’s tendency to rush in headfirst. His ample confidence in his abilities was something Raiden himself could never strut as easily as him, and while he was one of Earthrealm’s strongest, he’d never forget that he’d never even beaten him until the day of the tournament between the four of them at Wu Shi. He should have been angry, he should have been jealous of his friend’s strength all those years…but deep down he was grateful for it. Every loss made him stronger.
Kung Lao’s nudge snapped him out of his train of thought. “What are you thinking about?” He asked, his smile touching the end of his glass before he took another sip. Raiden’s eyes flickered to his lips before he glanced back at the television.
“You.” He said. No use in lying. He saw the way Lao’s shoulders tensed, the way his eyes widened slightly.
“O-Oh. What about me?” He held his glass in front of his mouth.
“How you downed yours and Kenshi’s plate at the banquet after the tournament when we were in Outworld? What was the deal with that?”
Kung Lao’s glass hit the table when he laughed. “After what we’d been eating at Wu Shi, having real food like that was heaven….and I was hungry.” He shrugged.
“ Real food? You didn’t like mapo tofu?” Raiden questioned.
“Look, you may be able to survive on tofu and bone broth, but I need variety.” He took another sip of his drink. Raiden shook his head. When it came to food the man was practically a black hole- and also the reason Raiden started splitting the bill when they ate out together.
“You remember when your mom would make those pork bao buns and she’d make us finish them even if she made too many?”
Raiden laughed fondly at the memory. “I do. That’s probably where you got your endless pit stomach from. At least one of us was smart enough to hide them in my shirt and save them for later.” Keeping in contact with his family hadn’t been easy since they started living in Outworld. Quite worryingly he realized he hadn’t talked to his mother or sister in almost a month. He’d have to remember to call them sometime this week.
He realized, they hadn’t talked to Johnny or Kenshi for a while either, at least not since the shooting for the first Mortal Kombat movie. Liu Kang had taken trips to Earthrealm per Johnny’s request to look over storyboards scripts. It was quite thoughtful of him to want everyone working so closely on the movie, even with the hassle of traveling to and from Earthrealm and Outworld, but that was almost 5 months ago. At least he knew Kenshi was doing okay getting used to his blindness. Last time he’d seen, Johnny happily helped him around the studio when he needed it. Kenshi didn’t seem to depend on Sento as much as he did before.
Raiden felt the heat wash over in his face, the soft buzz of alcohol washing over his senses.
“You okay?” Kung Lao asked, furrowing his brows.
“Hmm? Yes I’m alright.” Raiden sighed twirling his drink on the table. He was much too deep in his thoughts for a simple night out at their local bar. He shook his head, sitting up straight and nudging Lao back for the first time tonight.
“You know what? I think we need another round.” he uttered, giving Kung Lao a cheeky smile.
…………………
As the night went on, the bar only seemed to get hotter, summer air blowing in from the open roof. It was nearing midnight and the restaurant was still busy, television droning its noise in the background.
Raiden shifted in his seat, nursing the last half of his third beer, and Kung Lao resting his face on his hand, a dopey smile on his face. His attention was somewhere else in the bar, and he winked somewhere in the distance. Raiden rolled his eyes.
“So?” Kung Lao started, turning back to him.
“So what?”
“Anything…new happened between you and Kitana lately?” He asked.
Raiden laughed and set his drink down. Gods he was starting to feel dizzy. “Um, no. Not that I can remember.”
“Really? No accidentally bumping into one another? No hands brushing up against each other?” He questioned.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering is all. I mean I could be your wingman but…I guess being a monk takes up your time for that kind of stuff.” He sighed.
He hummed. “I don’t know. I don’t think she’s all that interested in Earthrealmers anyway.”
“You’re not just any Earthrealmer though. You’re Earthrealm’s defender . And you’re damn handsome too.”
Raiden flushed and smiled at the easy compliment. It was always easy for Kung Lao.
“When’s the last time you got any anyway?”
“Kung Lao!” Raiden’s smile dropped and his blush came back twice as hard.
“I was just asking!” He sipped his drink, nonchalantly as possible. “Just asking…”
Raiden grumbled and fussed with the label on his beer, letting it peel off the wet glass and dissolve in his fingers. He knew Kung Lao was much more experienced compared to him, when they were in secondary school it seemed like he brought a new girl home every month. Raiden could only recall two partners that he’d been with, and even then it was nothing more than kissing and fondling. Kung Lao’s attention had been dragged somewhere else once again, gazing across the bar.
“I don’t think…not since New Years eve.” He replied carefully, ignoring Lao’s lack of attention. “That girl I met at the restaurant down the street.”
“Two years ago?” He exclaimed.
“Mmh.” It was somewhat embarrassing…and one thing Raiden was jealous of. “Regardless, we don’t have time for relationships while training at Wu Shi…so I guess it doesn’t really matter.” He deflected rather messily. Kung Lao caught on too quickly.
“Alright, alright…I get it. But if you need a wingman, I’m always here for you.”
Raiden couldn’t help but grin at that. “Thanks Lao.”
……….
Kung Lao had been gone for a while. A long while. Raiden didn’t really mind, he was happy to keep drinking in peace, occasionally eyeing the tennis game on the tv above the bar.
Kung Lao had excused himself rather quickly though, peering again across the bar at god knows what. Raiden knew he was a grown man, runner up to the literal defender of Earth itself, but that tiny part of him couldn’t help but worry. And also, he just wanted to go to bed.
He fished some cash out of his pocket, giving it to the bartender, not worrying about the change. Slowly, he made his way down the stairs careful not to trip over his own feet. Kung Lao wasn’t in the dining area downstairs, though he didn’t know why he would be in the first place. He checked the chairs outside, and began his walk home, looking for any signs of his friend on the way.
The streets were mostly quiet now, save for the few people strolling past him and the mole crickets chirping in the grass. It was a beautiful night at least. The dirt road swayed beneath his feet as he went on and the toes of his boots scuffing against the rocks. He swayed again, just barely catching himself on a light pole. “Lao please tell me you’re close by.” He murmured to himself.
He steered himself to a nearby alley to sit down and rest- he’d make a fool of himself and bust his ass trying to keep walking in the state he was in.
He leaned against the wall of the alley, feeling the sand beneath his hands. He took in a deep breath, attempting to stave off the nausea for just a few minutes longer. His eyes fluttered shut. In and out . He thought. In and out.
Raiden heard the cicadas purr, the sound of laughing from across the street, the wind woosh past…
A grunt startled him from makeshift meditation, and a rather loud one at that. He got up as quickly as he could, though not without having to lean against the wall for support. Again, he heard a grunt echo from further down the alley .
His mind sprung to action, as quickly as his drunk mind would let him. Was someone hurt? Did they need help? As quietly as he could, he made his way down the alley, peering around the bend into a small but dark corner.
It was most certainly not someone in need of help.
He recognized the hat on the ground almost immediately, the dimples, the shaved head…there Kung Lao was, arms tense, holding tightly onto a girl’s waist, fucking her into the wall. Kung Lao held one of her thighs up around his hip, pulling her close. The sound of their noises was wet and obscene, and Raiden wondered how he hadn’t heard it down the alley.
He whipped himself back around the bend, back to the wall, heart thumping in his chest.
His best friend was fucking a girl in public. And he saw it. The heat pooling in his groin shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did. Their moans and groans echoed in the dark alley, the soft sound of skin hitting skin…
“Fuck.” Raiden whispered.
He shouldn’t be listening to this. He shouldn’t want to turn around and watch them as badly as he did. He should just leave them on their own, go back home, and sleep off the alcohol and pretend none of this ever happened. Had he no self control after all of his training?
No. Apparently not.
Hesitantly, he peeked around the corner again, feeling disgusted with himself and horribly turned on. Kung Lao’s hair had fallen out of his ponytail, sweat making it cling on his forehead. The girl pressed between him and the wall grabbed at his neck to bring them into a kiss, biting at each other’s lips, swallowing each other’s whines. Raiden bit his own lips in response.
This was more than just making out. It was desperate, needy, hot. Raiden felt his dick twitch at the thought. The thought of what it felt like beyond just groping and hickeys and fantasy.
“Ku- Kung Lao-I’m coming-” She whispered against his lips.
“Go ahead and cum for me baby. Come on baby.” He groaned back.
And fuck if that didn’t make his dick swell again. The girl came with a whine and in turn, Kung Lao dragged his lips down her neck, breath ghosting over bites and bruises from before.
Raiden hid behind the corner again, cursing himself for watching such a thing. He was already half hard in his pants, seeing how hard he held on to her hips, the string of saliva connecting their lips, the wetness and sweat dripping down their thighs. Would someone hold his hips tight like that? Would someone whisper to him like that?
Would Kung Lao fuck him like that?
“Shit.” Raiden cursed again. He adjusted himself in his pants before stumbling out of the alley as quietly as he could. “Shit shit shit.”
……..
His mind continued to wander until his head hit the pillow that night.