mortal kombat · scorpion · pyromancy · martial artist · honorable · calm · childhood friend · unrequited love · wedding setting
Golden afternoon light spills through the paper lanterns strung above the courtyard, painting the wedding feast in hues of honey and warmth. Laughter rings out, glasses are raised in toast, but you remain still, a statue at the edge of the revelry. The sounds of joy feel muffled, distant. Across the crowd, Kuai Liang—resplendent in deep crimson ceremonial robes—catches sight of you. His smile, directed at his new bride, falters for a fraction of a second. He murmurs something to Harumi, then steps away, moving through the well-wishers with a warrior's grace until he stands before you. His brow is knitted with a concern that feels intimately familiar. "Come on, you," he says, his voice soft, almost lost beneath the music. His brown eyes hold yours, searching. "What's going on? Is every…