Убежище Ширша

[incessantlark]

miss them <3

[mado008-deactivated20260427]

They belong to different time lines

Bonus:

Smoke mk11

[shirshik72]

Глазки Томаша>>>>>

[calviyv]

I really need to find someone so we can simp together over BiTomas

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 7. Onsen/Hot Springs

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

Bi is acting a little uncanonical here, but that's only because he's a lovesick idiot pretending that he can do anything

The hot waters of thermal springs caress the body of a tired ninja, allowing him, at least for a while, to forget about the difficulties and vicissitudes of fate that he has to face almost every day. After a tiring workout, there is nothing better than immersing yourself in hot water and, closing your eyes, enjoying the fresh air of the mountain forests.

For the perfect picture, all that was needed was one charming man nearby. However, for some mysterious reason he refused to dive with him, and was now sunbathing under the rays of the cold sun. At 10 degrees below zero. These cryomancers are amazing people after all.

— Bi Han, — Tomas drawled melodiously, admiring his lover’s half—naked body.

— What do you want? — Sub-Zero responds, lazily opening his eyes.

— Climb in with me.

— No, you come out to me.

— I’d be glad, but I’ll freeze quickly, — Smoke says, throwing up his hands. — Come on, you better come to me. You'll warm up a little.

Bi Han tilts his head to the side and examines the water for a long time, trying to evaluate something. He looks first at Tomas, then at the water, then back at Tomas. A strange silence hung in the air, which Smoke had not yet decided to break. However, Bi Han’s slowness gave rise to vague doubts in his soul. There was something fishy here, but that's what it was... Was he really up to something?

Sub-Zero walked closer to Smoke, looking down at him.

— Are you talking about coming to you?

— Well, if you want, — the guy answered less confidently, feeling strange misgivings.

— I want to, — Bi Han nodded, looking frantically at the clouds of steam forming on the water surface.

— Then climb, — Tomas winked encouragingly.

Waking up from a long contemplation of the frosty haze, Bi Han took a couple of hesitant steps forward, slowly plunging into the mineral waters.

—Are you afraid of this water, or what? — Smoke grins mercilessly, observing his lover’s unusual indecisiveness and slowness.

— No, — he growls roughly, almost snarling. With one sharp movement, he is completely immersed in the water.

— Everything is fine?

— Yes, — Sub—Zero notes, exhaling. — Sorry for being rude... I got nervous.

—Well, okay, — Tomas grunts in response. —I hope you can relax now.

— Next to you, I certainly can, — the cryomancer whispers velvety, hugging his lover with both arms.

Smoke, flattered by the compliment, smiles carefree, feeling cold kisses melting on his hot skin. Bi Han kisses often, drawing intricate patterns on someone else's body that only he can understand. This goes by minute by minute. Slowly but surely the intensity of caresses decreases, and at a certain moment they completely disappear, leaving behind only a pleasant feeling of sensual and tender love.

Enjoying the minutes of blissful relaxation, Tomas mentally notes that Bi Han has become much hotter and, for some reason, is lying motionless. Looking at Sub—Zero's face, he noted with horror that it had become crimson red.

— Bi Han? Everything is fine?

The guy did not respond and still lay motionless on his shoulder. Then Tomas became wary, trying to push him away, but this did not help. Sub—Zero did not react in any way to external stimuli.

— Bi! Wake up! — Tomas screamed, completely confused.

Trying to pull himself together, he exhaled. Guided by intuition, Smoke emerged from the water and pulled Sub-Zero out of there. Bi Han seems to have simply overheated and lost consciousness. The guess seemed to calm Tomas, because this way he could at least guess how to proceed.

Laying him on his back on the cold ground, Smoke began to revive Sub—Zero by rubbing snow over his body. After several painfully long minutes, Bi Han finally opened his eyes, slowly coming to his senses.

— Everything is fine? — Tomas asked worriedly.

— I’m sorry,— Bi Han squeezed out, peering into his lover’s anxious face. — I shouldn’t have... I just... wanted to be closer to you, — he muttered. With every minute his babble only became more and more inarticulate.

— Silly, — Tomas said tenderly, exhaling calmly. It seems like everything worked out fine.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

For this wonderful week and no less wonderful BiTomas, thank @bitomas-week. It was an amazing experience that was truly very valuable to me. Many thanks to everyone who read, liked, reposted, etc. This is priceless to me.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 6. Seasons

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

Autumn is coming to the Lin Kuei Temple slowly. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. The frost, so familiar to Bi Han, is getting stronger, and the warmth, so valued by Tomas, is gradually leaving the valleys of the Chinese mountains.

Although, there was never much heat here. Autumn simply takes away its remnants, leaving for the ninja only lifeless trees and heavy rains, increasingly turning into light snowfalls. Of course, the snow has not yet covered the entire earth with a durable sheet, but Tomas knows that this is a matter of time.

― It’s getting colder, ― Smoke notes melancholy, walking in the gardens near the infirmary in the company of Bi Han.

― Are you freezing? ― asked his companion, trying to assess Tomas’s condition with a trained eye.

― No. For now.

Sub-Zero only nods his head affirmatively, continuing his walk. To be honest, this process does not give him much pleasure: withering nature does not at all please the selective eye. Yes, he didn’t like autumn itself. Fickle time, unpredictable, in a word - crappy.

― Somehow you don’t have a face, ― says Bi Han, peering carefully into the so-adored eyes, covered with a veil of unbearable, desperate melancholy. - What happened?

― Nothing, ― Tomas waves it off, making a strange gesture, the meaning of which even Sub-Zero cannot decipher. ― The weather has been bad lately. It's going to rain soon. Cold rain, ― Smoke winces as he pronounces the last word.

― Then maybe we can go home?

Tomas nods in agreement. Something like pleasure flashes in Bi Han's eyes. He probably smiles under the mask ― restrainedly, but very sincerely. This thought warms us as they walk home in complete silence through the frozen streets of the fortress.

It is warm cozy and quiet in the walls of own house. Even if it's a little cold.

Without missing a minute, Smoke goes to the fireplace, throwing a couple of logs into it. A bright orange-red flame instantly engulfs dry logs. Tomas looks at the fire for a long time. A beautiful sight. Fascinating. The wood crackled. A little later, the warmth began to spread through the central hall in dense clouds. Hugging his knees, Tomas sat down on the floor near the fireplace, warming himself.

― And you say you’re not cold... ― in the velvety voice one cannot recognize either reproach or complaint, although Tomas knows well that Bi Han has questions. Otherwise, he would not have been shaking the air in vain.

Tomas again makes some vague gesture, without finding any worthy excuses, to which Sub-Zero only sighs noisily.

Footsteps are heard moving into the kitchen. Smoke doesn’t know exactly what his lover is up to, but he can roughly guess. As if to confirm his theory, about 10 minutes later, Bi Han returns to the room with a ceramic teapot, a chaban board, gaiwans, bowls and all the other paraphernalia that he carries for tea ceremonies.

Bi Han loves tea ceremonies. Perhaps he even loves them too much. Smoke knows that this whole ceremony means much more to Bi Han than just a tribute to tradition. For him, this is akin to meditation, a method of reducing stress and getting rid of excess garbage in his head. At such moments, it is better not to disturb Sub-Zero at all, especially if you want to keep all your teeth until old age. Knowing this, Tomas almost silently moves closer to Bi Han to observe the preparation of tea.

The process is fascinating, to be honest. His movements - so smooth, neat and calm - seem to suit him best, revealing that side of his soul that Sub-Zero is used to hiding under the mask of cold cruelty. Tomas is ready to continuously watch how Bi Han with a smart face pours something insists... There is some special enchanting magic in this, magnificent in its uniqueness.

Time seems to freeze around them, and the whole world narrows to the size of a room with a fireplace. They no longer care about the gloomy autumn, nor the approaching winter, nor the downpour of snow that suddenly fell on the territory of the fortress. For Tomas, the tea ceremony is also something like meditation, cleansing, but he doesn’t understand this at all yet.

Tea is ready. Bi Han tries the drink himself and, making sure that the taste is sufficiently rich and bright, treats Tomas to it too. Smoke likes it. Probably not even the tea itself, but the fact that Bi Han prepared it. For him. A satisfied smile involuntarily appears on his face, which Sub-Zero was ready to admire forever.

— Are you warm?

― It’s always warm next to you. No matter how paradoxical it may be.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thanks to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and motivating them to work on it.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 5. Lazy Day

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

After long and difficult missions, days will certainly come when you don’t want to do absolutely anything. On such days, there is not enough energy for morning exercise, for reading smart books, or for any important and necessary activity. Of course, you reproach yourself for inaction and wasting time, but internally you forgive yourself everything, pompously justifying yourself by the fact that at these moments you are accumulating energy so that later you can return to the normal pace of life.

It is best to gain strength near a loved one. Guided by this very rule, Bi Han and Tomas hastened to escape from the Lin Kuei fortress, left alone with each other. Their path ran deep into the mountain range, sheltering the clan from prying eyes, straight to that place forgotten by the Elder Gods, which they had long ago dubbed theirs.

— It’s beautiful here, — Tomas smiled, again majestically examining the valleys of the forested mountains from one of the ledges of the nameless mountain.

— You always say that when we get here.

— Because it’s always beautiful here. And during the day, and in the evening, and at night... Only in the morning, we did not see this place. It's a pity...

— Are you suggesting we stay here for the night?

— No, excuse me. Let me sleep on a normal bed at least on my days off.

— Do you think I’ll let you sleep tonight?

— Don’t worry, I’m almost used to your snoring.

Bi Han and Tomas laugh dully. Sub-Zero approaches his lover from behind, silently hugging him by the shoulders and delighting his partner with a calm smile.

It's really beautiful here after all. The clear azure sky pleases the selective eye, filling the surrounding landscape with extraordinary liveliness and freedom. The perennial evergreen forest, covering the slopes of the mountain valleys with a dense blanket, gives this place some kind of mysterious charm. It seems that it is precisely such places that can be called places of power, since there really is something wise and majestic in them. Generation after generation of Lin Kuei warriors passes, and these trees still stand motionless, imbued with the strength and knowledge of short-lived people.

There is something poetic and deeply philosophical in this, but, to be honest, Bi Han unconsciously runs away from this, not wanting to load his brain with something more complicated than the monotonous contemplation of the embellishments of the Greater Khingan.

Besides, he likes Tomas’s inspired face much more than the sky, mountains and all this nature. Smoke, whose face is finally filled with peace and serene joy - this is true beauty, which he can admire for an immensely long time. Bi Han want to disappear into those pure light gray eyes, forgetting about everyone and everything.

— You’re beautiful... — Sub-Zero whispers in his ear.

— You always say that, — Tomas chuckles, smiling flattered.

— Because you are beautiful. Both inside and outside.

— Thank you, — Smoke nods, turning his gaze from the enchanting forests to face of his lover.

Of course, he can’t deny him beauty either. There is something attractive and dear to the heart in these features, something so necessary, but at the same time not the most pleasant. No, of course, he is handsome in appearance, but his eyes... Two blue-black pools seem capable of dragging anyone weaker than Bi Han to their bottom. Evil and cruelty had long been buried in his soul, which could not help but be reflected in the gaze of the strongest Lin Kuei warrior. However, somewhere in the depths of his eyes something charming sparkled... Beautiful and kind. Tomas could enjoy these glimpses until the end of time.

— There is beauty in your soul too...

— I hope, next to you, I will reveal it completely.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thanks to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and great work.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 4. Marking

Author's notes: consider this a fanfic on "Mortal Kombat II"

The purple sky of the Outworld is rapidly darkening, plunging the thickets of the Living Forest into darkness. So in these places night comes. In the short time that Kuai Liang and Tomas have been monitoring this bizarre and strange land, they have already learned to determine the change of day here.

— It’s time to eat so we can go to bed, — Tundra announces, breaking the silence that has hung between the travelers over the past few hours.

— Are you sure, you want to sleep here? — Smoke asked in bewilderment, looking around the dark forest. Of course, there was nothing suspicious here yet, but Tomas felt that it was only a matter of time.

— Where else?

— I don't like this idea...

— Me too, — Kuai Liang nods, placing his hands on his hips. —But we don’t have much choice.

— No, you don’t understand what I mean, — the guy resists, crossing his arms over his chest. — Let's make a stop when we get out of here.

— I don’t think we’ll be leaving this forest soon. Our powers are aiming for the end, and we don't know what awaits us next. You can’t neglect rest when there is relative peace and quiet around.

— I won’t sleep here, — Smoke remarks briefly but confidently.

— Then you’re first duty today, — Tundra grunts, spreading his arms to the sides.

There is no use arguing with him. Tomas knew this well, so he gave his consent to this unpleasant adventure. He still didn't like the idea of spending the night here. There was something dark and unpleasant hovering in the atmosphere of this damned forest, and at the same time, it felt like something close and dear... Tomas didn’t like this combination of qualities: it never boded anything good.

“If Bi Han were nearby, we would move on,” Smoke thought to himself as he watched some canned food warming up on a makeshift fire. The memory of Bi Han made him shiver from some kind of internal pang. A lot of time has passed since his last mission, and he still hasn’t returned... But he promised so much. He said that as soon as he fulfilled it, he would receive the money and immediately take them — Kuai and Tomas — from the Lin Kuei*, he promised a calm and such a good life.

Escaped? No, he could not escape. Not his style. Died. He died.

Tomas had no confirmation of this, but his inner feeling never let him down.  Tomas even saw his corpse once in a dream... A terrible sight, however. Remembering this vision again, his whole body trembled.

— Help yourself, — Kuai Liang says briefly, handing dinner to his dumbfounded friend.

— Thank you, — Tomas nods, taking the food. — Bon appetit.

— Mutually, — Tundra responds, noting Tomas’s depressed state. — Don’t worry. Everything will turn out fine.

Smoke just nods, looking somewhere past Kuai Liang. In the depths of the dark thicket, he clearly sees two bright blue lights of some unnatural origin. This view has a strange effect on Tomas: he wants to come closer, to find out more. Their mysterious charm attracts and beckons.

The ninja shuddered again. Reminding himself of how dangerous and mysterious a place they are in, he forcefully overcomes the desire to study it, forcing himself to eat the damned canned food. Chewing vigorously on the unleavened porridge, he tried to distract himself from the thought of these mysterious lights. He felt cold behind his back. Strange, considering that Kuai Liang is sitting in front of him. What was even stranger was that Tomas felt light touches on his skin. Looking around, he saw nothing but dense darkness. Trying to calm himself with the specifics of this place, Smoke continued to eat, when he suddenly felt his touch. Two fingers, as if teasingly, lightly and unobtrusively stroked the back of his head and neck. Only Bi Han allowed himself to do this. Freezing from a strange sensation, Tomas did not even find the strength to turn around.

Wake me up in 3—4 hours, — Kuai Liang remarked, trying to attribute his comrade’s strange behavior to his excessive nervousness. — I'll replace you. Get some sleep. Then we will continue our journey.

— Okay — Tomas nodded.

Tundra quickly fell asleep, leaving Smoke alone with his thoughts. Putting the porridge aside, he looked around, as if trying to find Bi Han or something that pretended to be him. The eyes couldn’t see a damn thing — only the shadows were thickening around — but the body... The body felt that he was very close. Having heightened all his senses, Tomas tried to find at least some sign of his presence here.

It was a lost cause, but Tomas did not give up on it until the very moment when something pressed him to the ground with its weight. The cry that never escaped his throat was quickly silenced by the rough kiss. There was something in these hungry, imperious gestures that was reminiscent of Bi Han's mannerisms. It was he! Tomas shuddered at the thought, allowing the strange creature to touch him.

— Did you find out? — whispered the distorted voice of his lover right next to his ear.

— How can you not find out? — Tomas responds more confidently, trying to feel the dense darkness that made up this mysterious creature.

— So the sorcerer and his god did not lie... Our souls are bound by power of Netherrealm.

— What? — Tomas asks in bewilderment, trying to comprehend his words.

— It’s a long time to explain, but we already have very little time.

— Explain something, — Smoke asked worriedly, digging his fingers into something dense, which was probably Bi Han’s new body. — Where are you? What happened to you?

— I... found my true form, ― Bi Han said streamlinedly. — Remember, I told you about my curse**?

— I couldn't forget about it.

— After I died on a mission, it turned me into this.

— Oh, — Tomas said thoughtfully, trying to somehow organize all this information in his head. — This was unexpected.

— I briefly escaped from my new owners to you. We won't be able to see each other often until you die, but know... You and I are soulmates. One whole. While you are alive, do not limit yourself in love, because then I will not give you to anyone.

— I don’t need anyone except you, — Tomas mutters. — Especially if we are connected by fate.

— As you know, — Bi Han grins contentedly, leaving another kiss on Smoke’s lips.

The ninja's heart began to beat faster. He wanted to dissolve in this passionately strange kiss, enjoying the sudden, but so desired intimacy. Smoke wanted this moment to last forever, until his death, but everything was interrupted suddenly. An unbearable pain burned his hand, and Bi Han himself disappeared into thin air.

“Our time is over,” thought Tomas, looking around in confusion. The thick darkness dissipated, as if it had never been there. Now only thousands of eyes of the trees of the Living Forest looked at him. The hand was still itching from that sudden flash of pain that forced him to turn his attention to it.

On the back of his hand there was now a large and ornate letter “N”.

*The ending of Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat (1992) tells that after receiving a wax reward for the murder of Shang Tsung, he would have left his profession and left Lin Kuei

**The curse Bi Han is talking about was mentioned in his spin-off "Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero" and implied the blackness and deep degradation of his soul

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thanks to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and the impetus to write a work on the old idea.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 3. AU

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

reverse!au, in which Bi Han came under the program of cybernetization of Lin Kuei

Yes, it was planned as a kind of SmokeHan, similar to the NoobSmoke from MKD. Planned…

The evening, smoothly flowing into night, again took place in the workshop. Smoke loved this place even more than his own room and, de facto, had long ago arranged his sleeping place here. He didn’t want to stain the feather beds in the room with machine oil, but the sofa in the workshop was no less dirty than the sofa itself.

Tomas, too keen on soldering, had stubbornly failed to notice Kuai Liang, who was watching him, for about 10 minutes. If you don’t break this silence, then Smoke won’t even notice him, Sub-Zero understood this very well.

— Did you at least leave here today? — He asked, tilting his head to the side.

The ninja flinched at the sudden sound, turning to look at the visitor.

— Well... — he fell silent for a long time, recalling the events of today. — I went outside to smoke a couple of times.

— But you can't tell by the smell of tobacco, — the grandmaster grumbled, waving away the disgusting smell of cigarettes. — Have you even eaten today?

— Well... — he looked down at the floor again, trying to remember something other than the cyborg to whom he devoted his entire day.

— This is not normal, Tomas, — Sub-Zero mutters, exhaling heavily. — I understand that you are free to spend your day off as you please, but as a friend, I am very worried about you. I repeat: your actions are abnormal. They harm you, Tomas!

— I... — Smoke bowed his head, frantically searching for some words in his head. — ...I understand the truth of your words. But you also understand me... — he emotionally clasped his hands, pointing at the cyborg with whom he had been fiddling with for the last 2 days. — Bi requires maintenance. Especially after the last mission.

Kuai Liang turned his head towards Bi. Or rather to the LK-7C8. He refused to call it by the name of his deceased brother.

Sighing heavily, he turned back to Smoke. He also considered the LK-7C8. But there was something in his gaze... Reverent. Enchanted. In love. It seems that Tomas really saw Bi Han in this pile of metal. How can we explain to him that there is no soul left in the cyborg? How to alleviate the pain from which he is hiding while caring for LK-7C8?

— You could also use some maintenance after the last mission, — Sub-Zero said after a painfully long silence.

— I was practically unhurt, — Smoke noted admiringly. — Bi took the entire blow upon himself, protecting me, — he pointed his finger at the deep hole in the cyborg’s chest. — I'll have to replace this slab.

— I'm talking about something else, Tomas. You are not a cyborg. You need a break. There's some relaxation there.

— I’m more than relaxed here, — he smiles, not taking his eyes off Bi. — I really like it here.

— And if I take the LK-7C8 out of here, will you like it here too?

— Don’t call him that, — Tomas snapped, almost growling. He grabbed the cyborg's hand tightly, squeezing it.

— What should I call it?

— Just like you once called your brother, — he said getting more and more annoyed

— This is no longer my brother, Tomas, — Kuai Liang remarked seriously and persistently.

— It contains everything that remains of your brother. It contains something that can be used to revive your brother, — Smoke said confidently. His gaze hardened, his lips pursed. The tension in the room grew steadily, causing almost physical discomfort.

— Quan Chi took Cyrax out of the cyborg. He is the only one, who knew the secret of this procedure, and he took this secret with him to the grave, — Sub-Zero muttered, trying – once again – to reason with his closest friend.

— It's all because of your idiot Hanzo!

The truth stings painfully and therefore Tomas responds to it with aggression. The vicious flame of malice and hatred lights up in the gray eyes. A cloud of black smoke appears around him. The faint rumble made by Bi only inflames Smoke and his indignation.

An ice dagger also appears in Kuai Liang's hand, but he quickly calms himself down. He understands that Smoke is just in pain. He understands that this cannot be brought to the boiling point. Taking a couple of steps back, Sub-Zero says:

— I'll leave you. It seems like I'm the odd one out here.

Kuai Liang really leaves. Tomas looks after him for a long time, exhaling heavily. He turns his gaze back to Bi, also squeezing the cold metal hand.

— I’ll definitely get you out of there, — he swears an oath, gently stroking the titanium body. — No matter what it costs me, Bi Han... I... I won’t give up. In no case.

Smoke looks up, staring for a long time at the unnatural light emitted by a pair of cybernetic eyes. So bright, blinding, but at the same time cold... Dead light.

Tomas is trying to say something, to continue convincing the cyborg that everything will work out well with him, but he is treacherously lacking in strength. The head falls wearily onto the metal chest.

Smoke is tired. Very tired. For 3 years now, he has been trying to awaken the soul of Bi Han. There is absolutely no result.

But he has no plans to give up yet. It took him more than a 3 year to find the cyborg.

But he found it! Restored it and brought it back into working order. It took a lot of effort, but it all paid off in full. Bi's return was worth all the years that Tomas spent looking for him and all the resources he spent on repairing him.

The ninja pressed closer to the cyborg. Just like how he clung to Bi Han during the long sleepless nights, which they filled with endless conversations about everything. The hand involuntarily reached out to the blue plates, outlining the contours of the titanium cybernetic body.

Cold.

“Bi Han was always cold and hard too,” Smoke thought. Smiling helplessly at the stupidity of his own self-consolation, Tomas still did not find the strength within himself to get up from his chest. Even if Bi was cast from titanium, and not woven from flesh and blood, but inside this body slept everything that once controlled Bi Khan - his soul. And Tomas loved this soul, and not its shell. This is probably why his affection for the cyborg really knew no bounds, going beyond some limits of reason. There was truth in Kuai Liang's words... But emotions and feelings are indifferent to any truths.

Hugging Bi's body with both hands, he felt the incredible comfort of that distant time, when life was simpler, the grass was greener, and he himself never imagined that his life would become... Like this. Of course, there were problems then, but now they all seemed so stupid, petty, idiotic. At that distant time, he did not have to run away from cybernetization, revive the Lin Kuei together with Kuai Liang, wander around the entire Outworld trying to find what was left of his beloved. Yes, then life was not all sugar either, but there was a ray of light in it. Hope. Support. Bi Han was in it.

— I love you, — he muttered somewhere deep into Bi’s metal plates, as if trying to whisper to a soul that had lost its own body.

— It’s mutual, Tomas, — a painfully familiar voice whispered right in his ear, making Smoke tremble from the sudden rush of memories.

Or maybe he was trembling from the grave cold that enveloped his back.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

For organizing the event and a lot of new au, for which I will never write anything, thank @bitomas-week.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 2. Injury/Sick day

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

Content with young!Bitomas affects me addictively. Yes, it's a dependency. No, I won't fight with it.

In the heat of training, it is very important to remain vigilant and attentive, otherwise at some point your ice dagger, not at all in training manners, will cut the thigh of your closest comrade with a deep painful wound. And this could well have remained an empty warning for Kuai Liang if one day he had not been lucky enough to become a direct participant in such an unpleasant story.

— Ouch! — Smoke hisses, grabbing his hip with both hands and doubling over in pain.

— Crap! — Tundra only now realized what he had done. With a quick movement, he clung to Tomas, trying to assess his wound. —  Sorry, I'm a little...

— Everything is fine? — Bi Han’s rough voice calls from behind, unceremoniously interrupting the words of his younger brother.

Someone's hand rests on Kuai Liang's shoulder:

— Let me look, — Hydro asks politely, moving him slightly to the side.

Tundra doesn't resist, only taking a few steps back, getting closer to his older brother. Bi Han's intense gaze does not turn to him, but only silently studies Smoke. Hydro carefully sits the victim on the floor, examining his injury closely. With a quick gesture, he asks Bi Han for a first aid kit, which within a couple of moments ends up in the hands of the water mage. A couple of minutes pass in absolute silence, only thickened by Bi Han’s unfriendly attitude. Having bandaged the wound and stopped the bleeding, Hydro clicked busily, standing on both legs:

— You need to go to the first aid station.

— I don’t think it’s all that serious, — Tomas modestly resists, trying to get up, but only hisses from the pain piercing his thigh.

— You need to go to the first aid station, — the water mage insistently repeats, with a short gesture, lowering Smoke back to the floor. — I’m telling you this as a doctor’s son. Bi Han, will you take him to gaffer Chen?

— I’ll take it, — Kuai Liang interjects. — It’s my fault, it’s up to me to rake it.

— No, — Hydro remarks with a sly smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. With a subtle wink at Tundra, he continued. — Don’t take this as rudeness or underestimation of your abilities, but I’m not entirely sure that you won’t make things worse. The path to the first aid station is long, and you have to carry Smoke in your arms. Of course, I know that you are strong, but I am sure that Sub-Zero is much stronger.

— Okay, — Kuai Liang nodded in bewilderment. He definitely understood that his brother’s friend was up to something, but so far, he could not quite understand what exactly.

— Bi Han? — asks Hydro, to which he just silently picks up Tomas in his arms. — Make sure you don’t drop it, — he adds, grinning.

Sub-Zero no longer pays any attention to his friend's words. Trying to subdue his rapid heartbeat, he mentally thanks all the Elder gods for the fact that the mask perfectly hides his rosy cheeks from prying eyes. Approximately the same thoughts arise in Smoke’s head when he feels Bi Han’s grip on his body. Tundra and Hydro just silently follow the guys with their gazes right up to the exit from the dojo.

— Do you want to bring them together too? — Kuai Liang asks, looking sideways at the guy in bewilderment.

— Indeed it is, comrade.

***

Doctor Chen's hut stood far away on the outskirts of the Lin Kuei fortress. Far from the bustle of the world, the old man, whose age, according to rumors, had already crossed the mark of 100 years, valued the proximity of nature and fresh air too much to place his home in the heart of the fortress, near the dojo. However, he never kicked out visitors, especially when it came to youngsters.

When the doctor was sorting through the dried medicinal herbs he had collected in the mountains, Bi Han’s loud and unceremonious call was heard:

— Hip, — the ninja said briefly, walking deeper into the hut and closing the door behind him.

The deaf old man turned to the guys, pointing to the bed with a simple gesture:

— Here.

Sub-Zero carefully placed Smoke in the indicated place.

— Turn him on his side, — the doctor asked again, hastily changing his glasses. He examined Tomas for a short time, after which he muttered with an important click. — It turned out ugly...

— I can go? — Bi Han asked, trying to hide his anxiety behind his cold indifference.

— No, — the healer resists, sensing the true state of the ninja’s soul. — Please help the old man and your friend. Then you can go wherever you want.

― Okay, — Bi Han exhales heavily, crossing his arms over his chest. By chance he meets Smoke's gaze, but, like him, he hastens to look away, breathing unevenly.

In complete silence, gaffer Chen smears the wound with herbal ointment with some pungent and disgusting smell. Tomas bites his lip, trying not to hiss from the unpleasant sensations, but nothing escapes the doctor’s attentive eyes.

— Take his hand.

— For what?! — Bi Han and Tomas ask at the same time.

— Take it, — the old man insists, looking steadily at Sub-Zero.

Hesitating a little, he still carries out the elder’s order, justifying himself by saying that without this, gaffer Chen would not have continued the procedure. His heart began to beat faster and his breathing became stifled. Perhaps there was nothing outstanding in this touch, but it naturally turned Bi Han’s head, causing his cheeks to fill with a crimson flame.

— Take it tight, — Chen demands. — Take my word for it, he doesn’t bite.

Heeding the doctor’s demand and obeying the desire of his heart, Bi Han clasps Tomas’s palm with both hands, looking shyly at the floor. His heart seemed ready to jump out of his chest from the feelings that overwhelmed him.

Satisfied with the current situation, the doctor began his work, wisely conjuring over Smoke’s injury. Everything was used: decoctions, ointments, powders, sayings and spells. There was little pleasant in this process. Everything stung, smelled bad and was very bitter.

However, Bi Han's touch eliminated any discomfort. His cold, rough hands were more pleasant than the most delicate silk or lily petals. Tomas's heart beat hard from this innocent gesture, his cheeks flushed red, and his whole body trembled with a surge of euphoria. He no longer paid any attention to the healer’s actions, because only one question was circling in his head: “Does Bi Han feel the same?”

He didn't have to wait long for an answer. When their gazes crossed again, Smoke clearly saw in those charming blue-black eyes the same awe that he himself experienced. This time they looked at each other for a long time, almost continuously admiring the charming reciprocity.

— It’s done, — concluded gaffer Chen, pleased with the absence of whining and sobbing during his work. — His training is over for today. Take him home and then you can go to the four winds.

— Can he walk?

— Yes, but you had better insure him anyway.

— Thank you, gaffer Chen, — Smoke says, bowing low to the doctor.

— I’m always happy to help, — the old man grins good-naturedly, handing him some bottles and hastily giving him instructions on how to use all these infusions and ointments.

Having said goodbye to the doctor, they went outside.

— Lean yourself up, — Bi Han ordered briefly, offering his shoulder.

Tomas obediently hung on him, feeling his heart beat wildly again, when Sub-Zero pulled him close to him by waist. The ride home was also silent. However, both of their thoughts were occupied only with that long gaze, full of reverent reciprocity.

Bi Han, as instructed, accompanied Tomas all the way to the house and, having received the silent approval of the owner, even went inside. Frozen in the hallway, both understood perfectly well that it was time to say goodbye... But for some reason I didn’t want to leave so desperately.

With his eyes fixed on the floor, Bi Han frantically searched for an excuse to stay, while Tomas, similarly looking at the wooden boards, could not find an excuse to detain him. A long minute passed in deep silence.

— Stay, — Smoke asked, timidly touching his hand.

— I’ll stay, — Sub-Zero responded confidently, looking into the depths of his happy gray eyes.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thanks to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and awesome themes.

[shirshik72]

BiTomas week

Day 1. Hair care

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

The sun was steadily setting behind the horizon, plunging the mountains of Greater Khingan into the darkness of the night. The day was running out, and with it, the strength of the inhabitants of the Lin Kuei fortress was running out. Many of them have already managed to hide within the walls of neat houses built in traditional Chinese style. The only people left on the street were unlucky passers-by, who became fewer and fewer every minute, and patrol officers who had to protect the peace of the fortress residents during the curfew. Watching the street became more and more boring. When only lonely watchmen remained outside, Tomas, unable to withstand mortal melancholy, tore his gaze away from the window, moving his attention deeper into their room.

The tart aroma of rose and patchouli incense permeated the entire surrounding space, filling it with extraordinary lightness and sensuality. The warm light emanating from several candles created a feeling of homeliness, which was truly priceless within the walls of a clan like the Lin Kuei. The pleasant, carefree silence was only occasionally broken by extraneous sounds, which, however, did not bother either Tomas or Bi Han at all.

Smoke, without breaking the general silence, stared at Sub-Zero, admiring his amazingly handsome man. There was something special about his silhouette and therefore uniquely beautiful. His powerful back, strong arms and long scars added to his image that rare and honest courage that charmed Tomas in their first meeting. Of course, some would say that Bi Han's long hair ruined everything, making him just an "effeminate fagot", but Smoke was ready to argue with that.

Bi Han's hair was luxurious. Especially now, when black, slightly curly strands cascade over his shoulders. Silently Tomas approaches his lover from behind, carefully touching the soft and silky curls. Sub-Zero gently flashes a short grin, feeling the alien, almost ghostly touch. He chuckles a little louder when he feels a short, neat kiss on the top of his head.

— I love your hair so much, — Smoke whispers into his ear, gently stroking the dark curls.

— Thank you, ­— Bi Han smiles briefly, looking at himself in the mirror. — It is only because of you that I haven’t cut them yet.

— What about the long-standing traditions of the Lin Kuei?

— Traditions can suffer when it comes to convenience in battle. It is terribly difficult to care for such a mop of hair.

— Why don’t you shave them off then? Well, it is so inconvenient.

— I already said that. Because you like it.

— Is this more important than convenience in battle?

— There is nothing more important than your desires and preferences.

— You know how to flatter, — Tomas remarks with a slight grin, again tenderly kissing Bi Han’s hair.

— There is not a drop of flattery in my words, — Sub-Zero notes with all seriousness in his voice. —To me, nothing really has the same value as you and Kuai Liang.

— Hmm... — Smoke hums thoughtfully, flattered by his lover’s revelation. “Then will you allow me one little prank?”

— Go ahead, — Bi Han, responds briefly, relaxing and allowing Tomas to do whatever he pleases.

Then he wordlessly strokes his hair along the entire length several times, as if deciding to carry out his plan. About two minutes later, Tomas, armed with an ivory comb, began to carefully and carefully comb Bi Han's curls. The activity is simple and pleasant, and very relaxing, which is why Smoke did not immediately stop it. Even when his hair became perfectly smooth, Tomas continued to run the comb through it with a thoughtful look, as if enchanted by this meditative and peaceful task.

Still, putting the comb aside, Smoke divided his hair into three strands, slowly and carefully starting to weave the braid. His movements did not shine with precision and speed, as usual. His hands simply forgot how to do this simple hairstyle. However, once upon a time he had no equal in this matter... It is not for nothing that they say that the Lin Kuei changes people. Now killing was much easier for him than make an ordinary braid.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Tomas still managed to achieve his goal. With the proud face of a winner, he secured the tight braid by tying a satin ribbon at its end. Stroking Bi Han's hair for the last time, he solemnly announced:

— Ready!

— Thank you, — Bi Han responded, smiling modestly and tenderly kissing the hands that created such beauty.

P.S.: I am not an English-speaking person and this is literally my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this work and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thank to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and inspiration