Chapter Text
"Johnny, are you okay?" Raiden asked the zoned-out man. Johnny forgot that he was at dinner with everyone. Raiden and Kung Lao looked at Johnny concerned.
"Yeah, just didn't sleep to much last night." Johnny said with a slight smile. Kung Lao easily gave up but Raiden was still a little worried. Truth was Johnny was tired, he didn't know why but he felt so empty. He still felt happy a lot but it's weird. Johnny just turned to drinking. The only thing he could do, what else would he do? No, he won't burden someone important with his lazy, self-absorbed problems.
"Hey," Johnny stopped a woman walking by, "Do you guys have any hard shit?" Johnny asked as quietly as he possible could. The women nodded and left, Johnny didn't actually know if that was some kind of waiter or not, but he just needed a drink.
"You sure you need another drink?" Kenshi leaned next to Johny and asked him quietly; Liu Kang was talking so they both kept their eyes on him.
"Yes, I unfortunately haven't drank in too long. I need to catch up with my old friend." Johnny said chuckling a little bit. Kenshi smiled slightly and leaned back up sitting straight.
The women came back with a drink and a paper card in her hand. "What's in here?"
"Brewmeister snake venom." She answered coldly.
'Should I drink this?' Johnny asked himself. For a second, he didn't touch it, then he had a change of heart. He took a sip, and it was sweet, but the burn was strong. Johnny regretted drinking it but drank it again, he visibly disliked it, or it looked like that.
"What is that?" Kenshi asked.
Johnny was already feeling more than a buzz, whatever that girl brought to him really was strong, "Uh," Johnny couldn't remember what she told him the drinks name was. Kenshi's slight smile faded and turned into more concern.
"Johnny, are you okay?"
"Yes! I'm good." Johnny said only a little louder than Kenshi. Johnny went for another drink but as he took only a tiny sip, Kenshi stopped him.
"Alright Cage, that's enough reunion for tonight." Kenshi said taking the drink. As Kenshi set it down the drink next to his plate, Kung Lao saw the quarter to half empty bottle of the drink.
"I didn't know you drank." Kung Lao said with a smirk.
"I don't it's some shit that Cage asked for. Now he's completely fucked up." Kenshi replied.
"How much did he drink?" Raiden asked.
"Uh, well to be honest, he didn't have anything strong before this except for a Tequilla shot."
"Johnny, what's in this?" Raiden asked curiously as he lifted the glass.
"Brew... snake." Johnny said.
"Brew snake? What's that?" Raiden asked Johnny with a smirk.
Mileena turned around, "Brew snake? Do you mean Brewmeister snake venom? It's one of the general's favorite drinks but it's way too strong to have too much of. Or at least for one of us.
Kenshi's eyes widened looking at the big and heavy glass on the table.
"Could Johnny die from that one cup?" Kenshi asked.
"Well, I heard one bottle can kill earthrealmers." Mileena said taking a sip of her water, "Could be false though."
Johnny didn't even know where he was at that point, Kenshi was starting to get worried. "Raiden help get his somewhere safe." Raiden nodded in response. As they picked Johnny up he became a little tense and he felt hot and was sweating, he cursed at the two men carrying him under his breath.
They found a bathroom and laid him on the floor, "I'll go see what me and Kung Lao can do." Raiden said leaving the bathroom.
As Johnny sat there, dazed as to what was happening all he could remember was who was talking to him Kenshi Takahashi. The man that saved him. Johnny felt his breathing go from shallow to heavy and deep.
"Why did you start drinking so much?" Kenshi asked Johnny, sitting next to him.
"I feel... what's the word? Not useful. I don't feel much of anything anymore." Johnny said the sentence spaced between heavy and uneven breathing, "I love drinking. You can always find some kind of escape." Johnny said laughing a little. It took Kenshi a minute to process what he said, how he felt and also because of how slurred his words were.
"Well now you could die." Kenshi said in an annoyed voice.
"That's escape right?" Johnny replied, his glasses falling off his face to reveal that his eyes were closed.
"Don't say that, Johnny." Kenshi said in a stern tone.
"I'll say what I want! So, what if-" Johnny paused a minute to think, "I won't live. That's escaping whatever my life is now. Hell, if this doesn't do it, I'll just find a different way."
"That isn't you. That's the alcohol you drank, you wouldn't say that. You love living. Your Johnny Cage!" Kenshi said raising his voice, trying to make him and Johnny believe.
"What do you know k- Takahashi!" Johnny couldn't remember what the argument was even about anymore, or Kenshi's name.
Kenshi stayed silent and Johnny looked at Kenshi. He did like Kenshi, a lot, his dark hair, his voice, his personality. Johnny really liked Kenshi.
"I like you, Kenshi." Johnny said, this time, Kenshi immediately understood what he said.
"Yeah, I like you too, Cage." Kenshi replied.
"No, I really like you. I hate me for that, but I do." Johnny said in a monotone voice.
Kenshi felt his face heat a bit, "Yeah, well I really like you too. You're a pain sometimes, though." Kenshi said looking away from Johnny.
"Too bad you won't remember shit." Kenshi said looking back at Johnny.