Fjara

Kuai was sure he was almost there.

It had taken him months to get this far, even using as many portal short cuts as he possibly could to save time it had still eaten away the days. He hadn't told anyone where he was going, not that there were many people left to tell. There were only a handful of his Lin Kuei left, his beloved Hanzo was gone and the rest of Earthrealm's forces hadn't fared any better. Between loosing his clan and loosing his lover, he really wasn't sure if there was any thing left for the world to take from him.

What was left in the aftermath was what would become of the things left behind. While trying to sort through Hanzo's belongings, Kuai had found what he could only describe as a will of sorts. It detailed rather specific instructions for where he wanted his final resting place to be. Down to the exact co-ordinates he wished to be buried at. Wasn't that just like him? Still so demanding and dominant even in death.

Kuai had researched the place, a secluded mountain region of Iceland, of all places. As far as he knew, Hanzo had no connection to this land, and this particular place seemed to be very remote. But if this was where Hanzo wanted to be, who was Kuai to deny that?

So he had placed Hanzo's body inside a coffin, tied a rope around and he'd begun his journey.

He could have asked for help. He could have requested someone simply teleport him to the location, but there was a strange feeling like that wouldn't do the gesture justice. It felt too much like showing up somewhere, dumping a body and being done with it. Kuai definitely thought Hanzo deserved better than that.

It wasn't easy. The coffin was heavy and most of the terrain Kuai was traversing was uneven. Not even trying to leave a trail of ice for it to slide across helped, only really using his powers to create a solid walk-way when he needed to get across large bodies of water.

He abandoned the majority of his Lin Kuei uniform mere days in. It just seemed to be getting in the way so he simply dumped it, leaving only his under shirt, trousers, boots, gloves and headband. A few weeks in and his boots were practically falling apart, and he similarly abandoned them, choosing to do the rest of the journey barefoot in spite of how painful it could get at times. He was caked in blood and dirt all over, but only stopped for food, water and short rests before getting back to the task at hand.

He'd finally made it to a beach, close to the location Hanzo had specified. He felt the sand under his toes as he stepped off the ice he'd made to cross the ocean. It was deserted, raining and he had never been quiet so thankful that he was immune to the effects of the cold.

He looked down at his gloves, they too were holding on by barely a thread. He sighed, pulling them off his bruised and scuffed knuckles and throwing them to the floor. He grasped the rope again, finally dragged the coffin onto the beach with him. Pulling it across the beach, through the wet sand, was harder than he expected. He stumbled, grunting as it got stuck on a rock. He tugged hard as he could, but found himself stumble and fall to the floor.

He was so tired. But he couldn't give up now, not when he was so close.

He pushed himself up to his feet, ignoring the way his knees buckled under his own weight. He yanked the rope, finally getting the coffin free and starting to pull it away. He slowly made his way to a slope in the cliff face, where he could hopefully start the assent up to the top of the mountains.

The rain came down heavier, he could barely see through it. He was soaked, and even if he couldn't feel the cold, he definitely could feel how wet it was. Despite himself, a shiver ran down his spine.

He wasn't sure how long it took him to get up the slope, but he'd lost time when he accidentally slipped on a loose rock and let go of the rope, sending the coffin sliding back down. He ran to retrieve it, making sure it was all in one piece still. Thankfully, it was, and he stroked it, lovingly. Longingly. He grabbed the rope and tried again.

At the top, he managed to spot a waterfall off in the distance. He knew that was where he needed to go. Just taking enough time to brush away some of his hairs that had fallen loose. And then he was back on the move.

About halfway there, he started to regret throwing his gloves away rather than attempting to salvage them. He could feel the rope burning his skin with every pull, blistering the skin around. He gave a pain filled gasp, having to stop again. He looked down at his hands, cut deep by the rope and covered in blood. Reluctantly, he removed his headband, tying it tightly around one of his palms. He then reached for the similar headband Hanzo once wore, that he'd tied to the coffin. Kuai had intended to bury it with the man, but he really needed it right now.

“I'm sorry, my love,” He whispered to the coffin, as he tied this second headband around his other hand. The yellow immediately soaked in the blood, becoming stained with red. Kuai clenched his fist, shaking his head at no one in particular. “We're almost there, I promise.”

He picked the rope back up, and continued walking.

Day became night as he finally made it to the waterfall. His next path was somehow even steeper, and he decided he'd rather not attempt to climb it in the dark. He sat under a small ledge that stuck out from the cliff, trying to keep himself out of the rain. He watched the waterfall beside him, slumping over the coffin and leaning his head against the wood. He barely even realised when he fell asleep.

It was the light of day that woke him up, the sun seemingly only just risen in the east. He decided he had no time to waste. He drank some water from the waterfall, and before setting his mind back to the task at hand, once more handling the rope, and starting to pull.

He was glad he had chosen to wait for daylight to continue. Not only was the way he needed to go steep, but covered in sharp rocks. Despite his best efforts to avoid them, he still accidentally found himself slicing his feet open on them. It was painful, but thankfully not the worst he'd ever endured, which only encouraged him further. Even when he ended up having to get on all fours in order to stabilise himself, he still did not stop.

By the time he reached the top, the sun was once more setting, but that did not bother him. He was here. He was finally here, and Kuai could finally complete his loves final wish.

He practically collapsed, spreading himself across the coffin and closing his eyes. He'd made it. He raised his weary head, looking out across the view from the mountain. Even if he did not understand why here of all places, he could not deny that even through the rain, this area was breathtakingly beautiful. Despite everything, a wave of relief flooded him.

“It took me far too long to find out this was where you were heading.”

Kuai jumped a mile at the sudden voice. He turned around, and almost felt himself choke on what he saw.

“Hanzo?” He questioned. He blinked. No, not Hanzo. It was Scorpion, the one from the past. “Scorpion... Sorry... I...” He blinked again, staring at the yellow clad wraith for a few seconds. “Why are you here?”

“You disappeared without a trace. It took me months of going through Hanzo's belongings to realise what you were doing.” Scorpion started to walk towards him, and Kuai couldn't help but instinctively flinch. His hands went to the coffin, as if to try and protect it. “I would have brought you here myself, if you had just asked.”

“I... Had to do this myself...” Kuai looked down at himself. Every part of him, from his feet, to his clothes, to his hands, was ruined. Maybe this stubborn venture had not been for the best. “For Hanzo.”

“Somehow I do not think he would have wanted you to almost get yourself killed over him.” Scorpion was right beside him now, staring down. With his face obscured by his mask, Kuai was unable to discern what emotions the man was conveying. “Do you even know why this place was so special?”

Kuai shook his head. In the end, he doubted it mattered. He'd made it here, that's all that counted.

He looked up as Scorpion brought out a small brown leather backed book. Kuai recognised it as Hanzo's diary, the place that his love had kept all his most intimate thoughts. Even in death, Kuai had not read it. It felt wrong.

“It's the page where the bookmark is,” Scorpion informed him, as Kuai took the book. He still did not feel right with this, but Scorpion and Hanzo were technically one and the same, so his mind allowed him to feel like he was being given permission.

The rain was slowly letting up, but still Kuai tried to cover the book with his body so it would not get destroyed by the weather. He turned to the page in question, feeling his heart clench just seeing Hanzo's handwriting, and began to read.

“Stepping out of that portal, after two months in the Netherrealm, was like stepping through the fresh hold into heaven. A top a mountain in Iceland, I looked out and felt like I could breathe for the first time in so long. It was as I stared across the view, when the thoughts that had been ruminating the entire trip, finally came to a head.”

“I love Kuai Liang. And it was at that moment, staring across from the top of the world, when I decided I could not live without him. It was that moment, that I decided I would ask for his hand in marriage.”

“I can only hope he says yes.”

Kuai felt himself starting to shake, a low sob escaping the back of this throat. Closing the diary and holding it close to his chest. Then a loud wail was all the sound he could manage to make, his tears feeling like molten against his cheeks. Even in death, Hanzo's thoughts had been of him. Even in death, his heart burned with that passionate love.

He fell forward onto the coffin, sobbing against the wood, desperate to feel close to his husband. His cries sounding more like screams, like if he were loud enough Hanzo would awaken like from a deep slumber. But he wouldn't.

Hanzo was gone, and Kuai's heart couldn't bare the pain.

He felt an arm reach around his shoulders. Scorpion now kneeling beside him. He didn't say anything, likely knowing from his own past that there was nothing he could say to make this easier. So instead, just held Kuai, stroking his hair, and gently shushing him.

It took an hour, for Kuai to calm down enough to even consider burying the coffin.

Scorpion helped him dig the grave, helped him lower the casket down into the pit they'd made, and helped him cover it back up with the dirt. He even helped Kuai find some rocks and bits of wood, in order to make a marker, a sign that this was where Hanzo Hasashi was buried.

And after all that, they just stood there.

Scorpion taking hold of Kuai's dirty, injured and shaking hand. Kuai took his time to say his final farewells, and he was thankful that Scorpion did not rush him. It must have been another hour, when Kuai finally broke away from his silent trance, standing at staring at the grave of the man he loved so. He finally looked up to Scorpion, but still could not find his voice to speak.

“It is time to go home, Kuai Liang,” Scorpion softly stated, seemingly understanding Kuai without words that Kuai was ready.

Still he found he could not make a sound, so instead chose to nod in agreement. Scorpion opened a portal. Hand in hand, they went through, Kuai giving one final glance over his shoulder to where his lover now rested.

At last, he could rest.

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