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Johnny was concerned as he looked out across Wu Shi Academy’s grounds. It was sunset, the horizon pink and orange, but the place was still alive with activity. Kauai Liang and Tomas were getting things in order for their new recruits. Some of the other monks were setting up for a feast that was happening that evening, and Raiden and Kao Lung were sparring on the training grounds. Only two people were missing: Liu Kang and Kenshi, the latter of which Johnny was worried about, ever since the swordsman had suddenly up and left their shared room with a weird look on his face, one that Johnny still couldn’t place.
Kenshi had been strange all day, if Johnny were honest. He seemed distant, more quiet and brooding than normal, and Johnny found himself having to snap his fingers or touch the man’s shoulder to get his attention. It wasn’t like Kenshi to space out like that. He was always so serious and focused. Johnny had tried to follow him when he’d left earlier, but hadn’t only because he knew that Sento would let Kenshi see him.
He’d waited for a bit, thinking maybe he’d come back after a few minutes, but now it was getting into hour four of Kenshi being gone, and Johnny was starting to get anxious. It wasn’t like the swordsman to be so closed off, even by his lone-wolf standards. Johnny descended the stairs of the temple and headed toward the training grounds, where Kung Lao and Raiden were still sparring, though it looked more like a pair of brothers wrestling rather than two warriors honing their skills.
Kung Lao had Raiden in a headlock and both men looked up as Johnny approached them.
“What’s up, Cage?” Kung Lao greeted. “Care to join in?”
“Looks like you’re doing pretty well by yourself,” Johnny replied. He smiled at Raiden, still tangled in his boyfriend’s hold. “How’s it going there, champ?”
“Fine.” Raiden summoned a bit of lightning and sent the surge from his fingers where they were digging into Kung Lao’s arm, making him cry out and loosen his grip, letting Raiden flip him over onto his back in one swift move. “But what’s up with you? You look like you just saw a bad review of one of your movies.”
Johnny flipped him off, making both warriors laugh. Raiden helped Kung Lao to his feet, then faced the actor more directly. Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. “Have you guys seen Kenshi? He disappeared a couple hours ago and hasn’t come back yet.”
Raiden shared a look with Kung Lao, one that Johnny couldn’t read. Kung Lao glanced at him. “I think I saw him heading towards the healing temple a while ago.”
“How did he look?” Johnny asked.
“Weird. Like he was distracted or something. He kept clutching his head as he walked by. Then Liu Kang walked over and they spoke for a minute, then they both headed toward the temple.”
“Alright, thanks,” Johnny told them, before turning around and heading toward the healers’ temple.
The building came into view as he walked across the training grounds, an elegant looking temple with columns, a red roof, and a rich garden behind it. Two cherry blossom trees flanked the entrance as Johnny headed up the steps and pushed open the heavy doors. The smell of medicinal herbs hung in the air like a warm fog. A few of the monks nodded to Johnny as he went by, darting in and out of various doors throughout the building. Johnny couldn’t see Kenshi anywhere, and the fact that he knew the swordsman was here somewhere made his chest clench with concern. A door opened at the end of the hall, and Liu Kang appeared, speaking quietly to an orange-clad Wu Shi healer. Just before the door closed, Johnny caught a brief glimpse of a head of black hair and a red blindfold, lying on a bed inside the room.
Johnny’s heart seized and he hurried toward Liu Kang. The fire god dismissed the monk with a nod and directed his attention to the approaching actor.
“Johnny, what can I do for you?”
“Is Kenshi okay?” Johnny asked quickly. “Kung Lao told me that he and Raiden saw him come this way with you. He’s been gone for hours.”
“Kenshi is fine, Johnny,” Liu Kang assured him. “He’s sleeping at the moment.”
“He’s been acting weird the last couple days,” Johnny said anxiously. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”
Liu Kang’s glowing eyes were hard to read, but the brief flash of worry that flitted across his face was clear enough. “I’m not sure if it is my place to tell you. This is something that Kenshi requested be kept between us.”
“I understand,” Johnny replied, feeling slightly hurt that Kenshi didn’t trust him enough with whatever was clearly going on. “Can you tell me when he wakes up, at least?”
Liu Kang nodded. Johnny turned to walk away, but before he had taken many steps, the fire god spoke up again.
“You may sit with him, if you wish to, Johnny. The other healers are busy and I have some things I must attend to before the feast this evening, and I don’t want to leave Kenshi alone here.”
“Okay, yeah, I can do that,” Johnny said, relieved. “No problem.”
Liu Kang smiled at him softly, patted his shoulder, and headed out of the temple. Johnny hesitated, taking a deep breath before he carefully pushed open the door. The room was dark and quiet, only a few candles and lanterns lit, giving the space a warm, amber-pink glow. A single window on the wall let in the fading rays of sunset, painting stripes across the stone floor, covered by silk cushions and thick rugs. Kenshi himself was laying on a soft futon-type bed on his side, his back to Johnny, his long legs tucked into an almost fetal position.
He still wore his pants but was barefoot and shirtless, his tattoos looking almost alive in the flickering candlelight. Johnny crept across the room, sitting down carefully on a cushion closest to the bed. Kenshi’s head was cushioned on his arms, his blindfold still on, his breathing deep and gentle in the quiet room. Sento was propped against the wall, and next to the bed was a teapot, an empty cup, and a small dish full of a familiar smelling-salve; the one Syzoth had given them in the cells, when Kenshi first lost his eyes.
Johnny stared at the salve, the teapot, brow furrowed. Clearly something was going on, and it looked like it had something to do with Kenshi’s blindness. What exactly, Johnny wasn’t sure. He looked at Kenshi’s face, relaxed in sleep, his brow no longer creased, the lines around his mouth smoothed out. He always looked so tense and serious and edgy that it was kind of nice to see him so peaceful for once.
Johnny wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard Kenshi’s breathing change. He looked over from where he’d been watching the stars through the window, watching as the blind man stirred to wakefulness. Johnny had always loved seeing the swordsman wake up. Kenshi groaned softly, shifting his head on his arms, his dark hair shining in the moonlight. He didn’t sit up, but he could clearly sense someone in the room with him. He stretched languidly, reminding Johnny of a well-rested cat.
“Liu Kang?” Kenshi asked groggily.
“No, it’s me,” Johnny replied, shifting to sit closer to the swordsman.
At the sound of the actor’s voice, Kenshi did sit up. He didn’t make it very far though, because he groaned and clamped a palm to his head, leaning back on one elbow, his face suddenly tight with pain. Johnny could see his jaw muscle ticking in the dim light.
“It’s alright, Kendoll,” the actor soothed.
“Where is Liu Kang?” Kenshi asked, his voice tense.
“He had some stuff to take care of,” Johnny answered. “Kenshi, what’s going on here? Please tell me, babe.”
Kenshi was silent for a long moment, still clutching a hand to his head. Finally, he let out a long, tired breath and slumped back down onto the bed on his back, Johnny still sitting cross-legged next to him.
“It’s nothing really,” Kenshi tried to deadpan. “It’s just that sometimes I get this pain, in the sockets, you know. Syzoth showed the healers here how to make that salve so they could apply it.”
Johnny nodded. “There’s more, isn’t there? I can hear it in your voice, the deflection.”
Kenshi sighed. “Ever since I lost my sight and started using my powers, I started getting these headaches. They’re like migraines I guess, but worse. Sometimes it happens after using my powers too much without resting, but most of the time they just happen out of nowhere.”
“How long has this been going on?” Johnny asked.
“I don’t know,” Kenshi admitted softly. “A few months, I guess.”
“Months?” Johnny thought back to their time spent between the academy and his house in LA. Kenshi shifting restlessly in bed beside him, the tense grimace he would get at loud noises, putting his head in his hands for a long moment when he thought Johnny wasn’t looking. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“I don’t know,” Kenshi confessed, his voice even quieter. “I guess I just didn’t want to bug you with it. I’m not really used to anyone giving a damn about my pain or anything, physical or otherwise. It makes me feel…weak.”
Johnny frowned deeply and reached out, taking Kenshi’s free hand and winding their fingers together. Kenshi looked at him, and the actor tenderly ran his knuckles across his boyfriend’s cheek, feeling him blush at the touch.
“You’re not weak, Kenshi,” Johnny told him, stern yet gentle at the same time. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met in my life. It takes real strength to know when you need help, and when to ask for it.” He pressed a kiss to Kenshi’s forehead. “You don’t have to be strong all the time for me, Kendoll. Let me help you once in a while, yeah?”
Kenshi was silent for a minute, then he nodded. Johnny kissed his hair again, then glanced down at the tea pot and cup next to the bed. “I understand the salve, but what’s with the teapot?”
“Liu Kang told me about a special tea that the healers here know how to make,” Kenshi explained. “I have no idea what’s in it, but it helps the pain a lot.” He winced, rubbing his temples. “But today was particularly painful, so he had the healers add something to help me sleep while it kicked in.” Kenshi ran his hand through his hair. “What time is it anyway?”
“Evening, I think,” Johnny answered. “There’s supposed to be a feast or something happening tonight.”
“Shouldn’t you be there?” Kenshi asked.
“Maybe.” Johnny shrugged. “But I have something more important to do anyway.”
Kenshi managed a small smile, but his brow twitched, and he winced again, harder, the lines of his face like cracks appearing during an earthquake. Johnny frowned, worried, and rubbed the space between Kenshi’s eyebrows with his thumb.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked softly.
“A little,” Kenshi admitted.
“Lay back down, baby doll,” Johnny whispered.
Kenshi obeyed, laying back onto the bed with a sigh. Johnny stretched out beside him, their knees touching as Kenshi rolled over onto his side to face his boyfriend. Johnny reached out, petting Kenshi’s hair, and the swordsman smiled at the gentle motions. After a few minutes, Johnny spoke again, his voice hesitant.
“What does it feel like? The pain, I mean.”
Kenshi chewed the inside of his cheek. “It’s like I’m being stabbed all over again, but the pain’s not just in my eyes. It’s deeper in my head, like the blades are being shoved into my skull.”
“Fuck,” Johnny whispered. “I’m sorry, Kendoll.”
He kissed Kenshi’s forehead again, letting the blind man rest his head on the actor’s outstretched arm on the pillow. Johnny watched as his lover slowly relaxed again, his breathing growing gentle and quiet as he slipped into sleep again. The sound of Kenshi’s soft snoring, the warmth of him so close, his handsome face illuminated by the dim, warm glow of the candles, was enough to make Johnny’s own eyes heavy. He pressed closer to Kenshi, throwing his other arm over the swordsman’s waist, and closed his eyes.
.......
Night had fallen by the time Liu Kang returned to the healing temple, his footsteps loud in the tranquil stillness. The feast had been a great success, despite missing two warriors. The fire god reached the door at the end of the hall and quietly opened it to peer inside. The room was almost completely dark, the candles having burned out, but a pink lantern on the floor chased the shadows away. Lit up by the rosy glow were Johnny and Kenshi, both men sound asleep, facing each other, breathing in unison. Johnny had an arm around the swordsman’s waist, and Kenshi’s head rested on the actor’s arm, one of his hands on Johnny’s chest, rising and falling under his palm.
Liu Kang smiled as he entered the room and grabbed a folded blanket from nearby, setting it over both men so that they were completely covered. They hardly stirred except to nestle closer to each other, Johnny burying his nose in Kenshi’s tousled black hair, Kenshi pressing his face into the crook of the actor’s neck. Liu Kang left the room after giving them a lingering, fond glance, closing the door gently behind him.
Some things, it seemed, were inevitable no matter the timeline.