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Tomas loved him… He truly did. That, on itself, wasn’t anything new to Kuai Liang. They’d been together for many years now, and their love had survived a lot of hardships, becoming like hardened metal (he probably shouldn’t use this analogy, considering his current situation, but it was his situation, and he was allowed to). But now, Sub-Zero could actually comprehend the true depth of Tomas’ feelings for him; his affection and his devotion. It wasn’t exactly surprising, and yet it was amazing, at the same time, to have something so beautiful in his life.
Their relationship wasn’t skin-deep. His beloved had made it clear from the start that it didn’t matter to him that Kuai Liang no longer had a human body, and that it didn’t matter what he looked like, so long as his soul and personality weren’t gone; and they were, in fact, surprisingly intact, all things considered. But, if just one cell of his body or a tiny fraction of his soul was left of him, Tomas would still love them to pieces. Smoke had been horrified by what had happened, he still was, but never repulsed by what Sub-Zero had become. The younger man’s hands had reached out to him as soon as he had found him after the automation, and wouldn’t stop doing it, afraid of losing him again.
Tomas was the one who had begged their new allies to shut down the Lin Kuei protocols that LK-520 had been trying to fight from the moment he had been assembled and brought online, the unit fully aware that his will, his mind and soul were all still there, even though his brain function had been dampened to keep him obedient and unable to overpower the programme, because he would’ve probably managed to do it otherwise.
From Raiden they knew that it was Tomas who had been destined to go through the terror of the Cyber Initiative, which had been prevented, thanks to that knowledge. Kuai Liang shuddered at the very thought of his beloved going through it. It made him feel better about bearing the brunt of this particular fate. If it had been inevitable for one of them to go through it, he would’ve willingly volunteered, just to not let it happen to his lover. He couldn’t imagine this beautiful soul being subjected to anything like that. No, it was better if it was him. Thinking about it had already helped him achieve the acceptance of his new life, even though he was still getting used to it.
The knowledge also made him very aware that, had it actually happened to Tomas, he would’ve continued to love and cherish him, just like Tomas continued to love and cherish Kuai Liang.
They were now active members of Earthrealm’s Defence, living in the headquarters together with some other people. It was, most likely, temporary, because the Lin Kuei would still have to be dealt with, one way or another. The clan was currently quiet, its people had retreated to lick their wounds after the defeat. Sub-Zero had no intention to leave them be. The clan itself was important on a bigger scale, and while their morals had always been questionable, at best, the clan's current policy had disgraced it immensely, making them traitors to their own realm. Kuai Liang had plans to change it, but those ideas were still in their infancy.
For now, both Tomas and himself needed a respite after everything that had happened to them. Helping to take care of the aftermath of Outworld’s failed invasion was their best option at the moment, so they had jumped the opportunity, not to mention they had a safe place to live that suited their current needs.
The Headquarters were pretty comfortable for both working and living; everything was well-organised. Kuai Liang had a small room in the technical department, equipped with everything that he could possibly need, but he resided with Tomas in the living area of the building. They simply couldn’t be apart now. This fact had already been noticed and caused some rumours, too. Not that those rumours weren’t actually true, of course. Now that he had the ability to tune up his hearing, he could hear others speculating about the nature of their relationship. Perhaps, Tomas’ reaction to losing him and then finding him in this new body had been emotional enough to give them some clues, but now the two of them were also inseparable, which added fuel to those rumours. Tomas and he had always preferred to keep their relationship secret for their own safety. But this wasn’t the Lin Kuei, and people here were merely curious, if a bit nosy. There was no malice behind it, though, nor were there any implications that anybody had any thoughts about using this particular knowledge (albeit still unverified on their part) against the couple. If Sub-Zero got a wind of anything like that, he wouldn’t hesitate to deal with it. He seriously doubted it would become necessary though.
But, even here, they mostly kept to themselves. Traumatised by their separation and what had happened as a result of it, Smoke was uncomfortable when they were apart even for short periods of time, and Kuai Liang was very mindful of it.
He knew about Tomas’ other fears, too, but he had probably already put them to rest. Smoke had been afraid, at first, that this new body would make any type of physical contact impossible, or rather that Kuai Liang would not be interested in any type of closeness, completely distancing himself as a result. But that wasn’t the case at all. He may no longer have a human body, but he had sensors all over this new one, and while sensations were somewhat different, because no nerves or skin were there anymore, replaced by the aforementioned sensors, his brain still interpreted those sensations very well. The attraction was there, too, of course. Holding Tomas in his arms, touching his beautiful face, feeling the warmth of his skin were all just as important and desired things as before, so, no, he wasn’t just doing it for his lover’s sake. He needed it just as much; the automation hadn’t changed it. How Tomas could even allow the thought that it wasn’t the case to cross his mind, was beyond Kuai Liang. His sensors had been tuned perfectly. There was some semblance of muscle memory left intact, too, because, in the end, it all came down to the brain. His touch may not feel human, but he was fully in control of the pressure and other aspects that made Tomas feel the familiarity of it, despite the absence of skin. The younger man closed his eyes and eagerly leaned into it when the mechanical hands touched and stroked him, his body and mind well-aware that it was his lover touching him. The discovery had been a relief for both of them.
Interestingly enough, Sub-Zero could feel something that his brain perceived as arousal when Tomas playfully tugged at the long, loose wires sticking out of the back of his head. That could be a glitch, of course, an involuntary reaction of his brain.
Still, their relationship was more platonic now, for obvious reasons. Tomas didn’t seem to mind.
“It’s alright. Everything you can give me is enough for me. You’re enough for me,” he assured. But, even knowing that it was sincere, Kuai Liang was aware that his lover missed their more carnal activities. Which was mutual; he missed them as well. It wasn’t the most important part of their relationship, but it was still something they had used to enjoy a lot since their adolescence. It had made them feel more complete. Back then, they had started by rubbing against each other with their clothes on, until they both came (which, usually, didn’t take long at all), like frantic, impatient, hormonal youths they had been. They had done it a few times, until, finally, they had ventured to do it completely naked, which was a very thrilling and exciting decision for them both; so much so that the experience had only lasted for half a minute, at best, leaving them both slightly embarrassed. But the more they had experimented, the better they became, learning a lot about each other’s bodies.
Kuai Liang wondered if he would ever be able to experience it again.
It was obvious that Tomas enjoyed taking care of him quite a lot. Cleaning and polishing the mechanical body was some sort of a bonding experience, even though Kuai Liang wasn’t sure they needed one. He could’ve done it all himself, too, but, if Smoke felt the need to do it, he, most definitely, didn’t mind being taken care of by his lover. He supposed it was similar to how they always helped each other out or treated each other’s wounds. Tomas wouldn’t know how to treat his wounds now, so maybe this new activity was a way to adapt by finding other ways.
They always slept together. Sub-Zero didn’t really need much sleep anymore, but he could intentionally go into sleep mode and let his body and mind rest without shutting himself down on a deeper level, which was also possible. It could be a habit, too. Maybe he just needed this routine to feel like himself. Sometimes, Kuai Liang was stirred out of his sleep mode by his lover’s touch or if the younger man’s breathing became more erratic, indicating that he was having a bad dream, which Sub-Zero never ignored, gently guiding him out of his sleep.
In other words, they did whatever they could to adapt, rather than cope, and achieve at least some semblance of normality. And he had to admit that, despite everything, they weren’t doing a bad job. Maybe, one day, he would get his human body back, somehow, but that didn’t mean they had to waste time until it happened, if it was even possible for him at all to become what he had used to be. But they were alive, regardless of everything that had happened to them, and Kuai Liang had no intention to let it go to waste, circumstances be damned.
He had an appointment with their head technician after the latest mission. It was just a check-up to make sure his systems were working properly and nothing was damaged. His self-diagnostics told him that everything was perfectly normal, and, any other day, Sub-Zero would’ve just cancelled the appointment, deeming it unnecessary. But today, he had something he wanted to discuss with the man, so this was a good excuse.
The technician, Clarence Richardson, was a genius, so much so that he had a much older and more experienced man as his assistant. He was also assigned to, personally, tend to Sub-Zero. Kuai Liang’s nanotechnology allowed some damage to repair itself without any help, because the units were meant to be as self-reliant as possible, but anything more serious than that required the technician’s expertise. The young man knew everything about Sub-Zero’s body at this point. He knew all of his robotic parts and he knew the very few parts still left of his human body. He understood how this body worked very well. At first, Richardson had been equally afraid of LK-520 and fascinated by him, but now he seemed quite comfortable around him, and even friendly.
“Can I count on your confidentiality?” Kuai Liang asked when the scanning of his systems was in progress and he had been hooked up to a computer. He thought this was a good way to start.
“Sure. Is anything wrong?”
“I need a modification.”
“What kind of a modification?” Richardson enquired, sounding enthusiastic. “A new weapon?”
“No. A very personal kind. I want to be able to make love to my partner again,” Sub-Zero replied, never the one to beat about the bush. Perhaps, he should’ve been slightly less straightforward and approached the subject more carefully, because the request made the redhead blush so profusely that the colour of his cheeks and ears was almost matching his hair when, stammering, he, finally, asked:
“You mean, you need additional body parts for that?”
“Yes, precisely. Is it possible?” He didn’t ask ‘can you do it?’, because if it was possible, the technician, most definitely, could do it, and Kuai Liang wouldn’t insult him by questioning his expertise and competence.
“I… Um… Yes, I suppose I could come up with something,” Richardson murmured thoughtfully. Complex schematics were probably already drawing themselves in his mind, the embarrassment somewhat replaced by scientific interest, but not gone. “I’m going to look into it and see what I can do. Is it okay with you if I get my assistant involved?”
“I don’t mind. But I’d rather this information didn’t leave this department.”
“Of course,” the technician promised hastily, evidently appalled by the very idea of the whole thing becoming a common knowledge.
When he was summoned next time, he knew it had something to do with his request. He had to make up an excuse for Tomas and assure him that everything was alright. His lover looked suspicious, but Smoke trusted him, so he didn’t insist on going with Kuai Liang, fortunately.
Richardson’s assistant was less prone to getting embarrassed by anything sexual, and treated the whole thing as a challenge. That was probably the reason why Kuai Liang was discussing the details with him and not with Richardson himself. He was asked plenty of questions about the specifics: approximate length, girth and other such parameters. Kuai Laing wanted the new equipment to be very close to the member he’d had as a human (because it was important for both himself and his lover), so they were quite comprehensive when it came to the details, and, with the man’s helpful questions, it was soon established what was required of the modification.
He hadn’t expected his situation to be addressed so soon, but they were in the process of creating the requested body part for him only a few days later, and they contacted him just to inform him that they would, likely, finish it within a few more days.
“This isn’t a mere prosthetic, you know. Not only you will be able to fully control it, but you will also be able to feel it all. I mean… It’s going to be connected to your neural net, so, basically, to your brain. You’ll be able to have an… an orgasm,” Richardson stuttered, clearly shy and, as before, preferring to work on the project rather than discuss it. “I’m sure she’s going to appreciate it,” he added. Kuai Liang didn’t bother to correct him. At least, the gossip about him and Smoke hadn’t reached the technical department yet. Still, this modification was more than what he had hoped for. He had counted on being able to pleasure his lover and being able to feel this new equipment as a part of his body, just like his limbs, for example, enough to feel at least something, physically. But he’d had no idea he would be able to get the full experience of having sex. This was a pleasant surprise. He couldn’t wait to see what came out of this idea, but he was a patient man, so he wasn’t trying to rush anything. The quality was much more important than how much time it was going to take.
They made an appointment a week later to, actually, install the new equipment. His sensors were turned off during the process, so he could feel nothing and simply rested, thinking of some unrelated things, such as ways of reforming his former clan and cleanse it of disgrace.
He came back to reality when he was warned that his sensors were about to be turned back on. He could do it himself, but he didn’t mind these people doing it for him. After that, he was offered to try and operate the new equipment. He immediately knew how to control it, so he allowed his new member to slide out of his body. He was amused when he saw it, because it was dark-blue. Richardson thought the colour would be perfect for his general construction (as if that was in any way important), because Kuai Liang hadn’t specified that particular detail. Apart from the colour, it did resemble his human member very much, in terms of shape and size, as it had all been discussed beforehand. The outer layer was made of silicone, but right underneath that smooth, soft layer, there were plenty of sensors, and the inner structure was made of metal. But what did surprise him slightly was that he could already tell that it was sensitive, because he could feel the air in the room against it. He was assured that it should feel as close to a natural penis as they could achieve.
His body had already accepted the new part without trouble, integrating it into the system. He let it slide back into his body. Outwardly, it didn’t look as if anything had changed when the equipment was hidden. He let it slide out and then back in again, quite certain now that everything was in working order and he could fully control it.
“It still needs to be tested. You know, by… using it,” Richardson pointed out, visibly hopeful that he didn’t have to elaborate, exactly, how it had to be tested.
“Are you sure it’s completely safe for my partner?” Sub-Zero asked, just in case. Perhaps, he didn’t have to, but he wanted to be absolutely sure Tomas would not get hurt in any way.
“Absolutely. There’s no chance of you electrocuting him or anything like that,” Richardson assured. ‘Him’? So, the rumours had, finally, reached the redhead’s ears. This base was really full of bored gossips, who would get excited by any type of drama, real or imaginary, or anything unusual, really; so, Kuai Liang wasn’t surprised, nor did he intend to deny anything or become defensive.
“If anything doesn’t feel right, let us know, and we can make adjustments to your liking,” the assistant promised.
“Thank you. I appreciate it,” Kuai Liang said to both of them.
“You’re welcome,” the redhead replied. “I appreciate what you, guys, do for all of us. And I understand that you’re still a human inside and your… needs are human. If we can help with anything else, don’t hesitate to tell us what you need.” This wasn’t unexpected coming from the head technician. But it was still nice to hear. Sub-Zero nodded with respect and gratitude for both the work done and the kind words.
On his way out, Richardson’s assistant quickly and wordlessly shoved something into Kuai Liang’s hand. It was lube. Thankfully, the head technician hadn’t noticed, and there was no need to make it all any more awkward for him than it already was. Sub-Zero gave the assistant a quiet ‘thank you’ and left.
His surprise had to wait for a few hours, because, first, they had to attend a regular meeting with the rest of their group, where news, important or otherwise, was normally shared with them and discussed between them. After that, they were going to have a dinner, and Kuai Liang would just be there to keep his lover company; unlike him, Tomas required food.
Out of the two of them, Smoke was, normally, a little more sociable (not overly so, but people usually saw him as the friendlier of the two), but, despite the well-deserved respect they had for the majority of their new allies, he was pretty quiet in their presence and a little hard for them to reach out to. The two of them were just seen as ‘the quiet duo’, people who weren’t eager to spend time with others, that preferred to keep their distance; and, at least most of the time, their boundaries were respected. Sub-Zero knew that it was all because Tomas was still reeling from what had happened to them. And Kuai Liang felt protective. He wished his beloved never knew any pain ever again. It would be a very hard thing to achieve, considering their circumstances since their childhood, not to mention their current situation, but he was going to try his absolute best. Sometimes, he berated himself for dragging Tomas along with him, because he had been dead set on learning what had happened to Bi-Han and avenge him, only to find out how pointless his quest was; his older brother was gone in more than one way. On the other hand, they’d had no choice but leave the Lin Kuei anyway because of the Cyber Initiative. He just wished he’d gone about the things differently as the events had been unravelling after their desertion.
But he wasn’t going to brood now. Tomas was finishing his meal, looking back at him with a subtle concern, as if fully aware that Kuai Liang’s thoughts were far from happy. How he could know when Sub-Zero’s faceplate had no facial expressions was beyond him. Maybe something about his body language was giving him away, something that hadn’t disappeared after the automation? In any case, Smoke knew him all too well. The thought made him smile to himself, and he could see his lover relaxing at that. Because, yes, he did know Kuai Liang like no one else ever would.
Once they were back in their room, Tomas turned to him and pressed his warm face against the cool faceplate; Sub-Zero enjoyed the sensation and wrapped his arms around his beloved. He no longer had to check if his body temperature wasn’t too low and that his cryomancy was completely disabled, which he’d had to do for a while after his automation, because his abilities worked slightly differently with this body, more reliant on calculation rather than nature. He rarely kept his cryomancy sustained anyway, unless it became necessary, so he no longer had to double-check anything, making sure he wasn’t too cold. The coldness of metal was already something that many would find uncomfortable. He had done that with his human body as well, knowing that it had always felt slightly colder to the touch than that of a regular human, yet Tomas’ own warmth would make his skin warm up within minutes, making the difference go away. Of course, with metal it took longer to make it feel warmer, but his lover didn’t seem to care at all and never looked uncomfortable.
“Kuai, what's wrong? You’re not telling me something,” Smoke murmured. He was worried, it was clear, but, apparently, enjoyed their closeness a little too much for it to become too evident.
“You know I would never hurt you,” Kuai Liang replied softly. Whatever scenario Tomas’ mind had invented needed to be put to rest as soon as possible. What if he thought something was wrong with Kuai Liang’s health (because him frequenting the technical department could’ve been taken the wrong way)? Or it could be something as ridiculous as suspicions that the older man didn’t want to be with Tomas anymore. Hopefully, they were past this by now.
“I know you wouldn’t,” Smoke nodded, slightly confused, grey eyes looking back at him with tenderness and devotion.
“I wanted to surprise you, but I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“You have a surprise for me?” Tomas asked, now intrigued.
“Yes, a new modification,” Sub-Zero answered. His beloved looked him over, puzzled, obviously not seeing anything new about him.
“I hope it’s not explosives or anything like that?”
“No, nothing like that. That would not have been a very good surprise, would it?” Kuai Liang chuckled softly. “It’s best if I just show you.” He took his lover by the elbows and moved him back before letting go and breaking their contact. Then he made a small step back and, without preamble, revealed the modification by allowing it to slide out of his body.
Tomas was speechless at first. To his credit, he didn’t flinch or started to look uneasy. His wide eyes were focused on the new part standing proudly between Kuai Liang’s legs, looking almost like a regular aroused, hard penis, except for the colour. And, maybe, yes, it looked somewhat artificial (because it was), but, at the same time, in terms of details, it was realistic, and Kuai Liang knew it was supposed to feel more or less realistic to the touch.
“It’s… It’s blue…” the younger man, finally, uttered, weakly.
“Afraid so, yes,” Sub-Zero replied, amused. In a few more seconds, Tomas snapped out of his shock and blinked.
“I knew you were up to something, but I had no idea… Gods…” he smiled, cheeks rosy. “You didn’t have to do it for me.” But he was, clearly, excited.
“It’s not just for you. It’s for both of us. I want to make love to you, and I’m going to enjoy it, too,” Kuai Liang promised.
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m going to feel everything.”
“But you already feel everything.”
“But now I can properly enjoy you. It’s more than just feeling something,” the older man explained. “We don’t have to do it now,” he added, fully understanding that this development was unexpected to his lover.
“So, you intend to keep me waiting after teasing me with this?” Tomas huffed, throwing another glance at the modification.
“I just thought that, perhaps, you needed time to…”
“No,” his lover interrupted. “I don’t need time; I need you.”
“I was just trying to be considerate,” Kuai Liang murmured, quite pleased with how things were turning out. In one swift and smooth motion, he turned Tomas around to face the wall and started to undress him. While a small part of him wanted to rip all the clothes off his lover and just take him roughly against the wall, they hadn’t made love for a while, so he wanted the two of them to properly enjoy it.
“If, one day, I become a human again…” he started, almost finishing to undress Tomas.
“You are a human,” his lover corrected softly, eyes half-lidded, as he was already enjoying himself.
“If, one day, I physically, become a human again, the very first thing I will do is undress you and kiss you all over,” Kuai Liang promised, toning down his voice. His sensors caught the increasing heartbeat and he could hear the change in Smoke’s respiratory rate, so he could tell the younger man was getting aroused.
“What else?” Tomas whispered, pressing his back against his lover’s front.
“You will feel me breathing against your skin while I cover you with kisses. I will touch you everywhere,” he replied, stroking the warm, and now completely naked body with one hand, while his other hand was operating Tomas’ own to do the same with it, in case the softness of skin was more preferable. Tomas seemed to enjoy both, his nipples hard and his back arching slightly. The younger man’s free hand moved back and took Kuai Liang’s member, squeezing it softly. It felt perfect.
“I want it in me,” Tomas breathed. He was trembling slightly, and already fully aroused. Well, it hadn’t taken long at all…
“Just a moment. Stay here,” Kuai Liang said quietly. His lover made a soft noise of disappointment when their contact was completely broken and the other man left him against the wall only to get the tube of lube that he had hidden in their room earlier this day, after it had been so nicely provided for him. He squeezed some of it between his lover’s round cheeks, the young man knew what was coming, curiously looking at what was going on over his shoulder, so he wasn’t surprised by the coldness of the gel.
“Here. Work yourself open for me,” the older man instructed softly, moving one of Tomas’s hands behind him. His sensitive sensors could clearly detect excited heartbeat when he touched the warm wrist in the process. Tomas leaned forward to the wall, sticking out his delectable bottom.
“As always, Tomas, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Kuai Liang sighed. Smoke chuckled softly in response, giving him a brief glance and a smile over his shoulder, before his middle and ring fingers slowly and smoothly entered the tight ring of muscle, disappearing into the body, heated with arousal. He wasn’t, apparently, in the mood to put on a show, only taking a small amount of time to prepare himself.
“Take me now. I don’t want to be too stretched out. Want you to stretch me with this,” he whispered as he reached back and took his lover’s hard length in hand, stroking it slowly. It twitched at the words and the touch, which surprised them both slightly. Kuai Liang had no intention to argue, quite ready to feel the tight heat of his lover’s body around his new part. He applied some nice amount of lube onto it and pressed the head against the waiting entrance, slowly and carefully breaching it. Tomas’ palms were pressed against the wall in front of him, and Kuai Liang covered his hands with his own, as he continued to slowly enter his trembling lover, who was breathing shakily, muscles contracting slightly.
It all felt right. The tightness and the temperature felt exactly how he remembered. This modification was simply perfect.
He started to move, slowly at first, but then picking up the pace. He just moved the way that worked for both of them most of the time.
“Does this feel good?” he asked, perhaps, unnecessarily, because the answer was pretty obvious. At first, Tomas just nodded vigorously, seemingly unable to form words.
“Yes… It feels as it should. Feels like… you,” the younger man managed to reply. He was panting and arching his back, and, soon, encouraging Kuai Liang to go harder. As a human, he would’ve done it in a way that would make skin slap against skin, but he had to be careful with it now, mindful of the heaviness and hardness of this body.
Despite being so immersed in making love to Tomas, something, suddenly, attracted his attention. The digital readout told him that the modification had a hidden feature. Curious, he decided to explore it.
The reaction was immediate. Tomas’ knees nearly gave out; he arched his back even more, throwing his head back and nearly hitting the back of it against Kuai Liang’s faceplate. The older man had to wrap his arms around him to keep him from sinking to the floor.
“Is it… vibrating?!” Smoke exclaimed, gasping for air, his muscles squeezing the hard length inside, and Kuai Liang lost all the rhythm. Thankfully, the vibration was silent enough to not ruin the mood. Interestingly, he could control the intensity, so he toned it up slightly. It felt good to him as well, and didn’t particularly distract him from the feeling of his lover clenching up around him. It was just an additional stimulation.
“Do you like it?” he teased. A cascade of loud moans was an answer in and of itself. There were also some incoherent words that he failed to understand. Tomas could barely stay upright, so Kuai Liang decided to make him more comfortable on the bed, which, thankfully, was close enough for them to not waste any time. He encouraged his lover to position himself on his knees at the edge. Kuai Liang himself remained standing right behind him as he hastily re-entered the waiting heat and continued in earnest. They were both close already. He knew his partner well enough to know that it was the case, and he could feel as if his own sensors were set alight. Tomas was eagerly meeting his thrusts, and it was only bringing the older of the two closer to the edge. He wasn’t sure what else to do, and he knew it wasn’t particularly nice of him, but he pressed hard against Tomas’ prostate and turned on the vibration almost to the max. His lover convulsed hard in his arms, spasming around him, and came with a shuddering gasp, his come shooting up high due to the intense pressure. Being squeezed inside so hard was the last straw, so Kuai Liang followed almost immediately, his orgasm made his vision glitch and reboot itself as pleasure was coursing through his entire frame.
When everything was working properly again, he found his lover almost limp in his arms.
“That wasn’t fair…” Smoke complained half-heartedly.
“I’ll make it up to you later,” Kuai Liang promised.
“You better.”
The next morning Tomas was straddling his hips as soon as Kuai Liang was out of his sleep mode.
“Well, why doesn’t it come out?” he asked playfully.
“Because I have to consciously release it,” Sub-Zero replied, amused.
“It is such a pity that it doesn’t just react to me.”
“If it did, it would lead to some awkward situations in public.”
“Then there should be a button for me to press any time I want to. Or a remote control.”
“Any more brilliant ideas?” Kuai Liang chuckled.
“A few.”
About a week later they were preparing to take part in a new mission. A well-organised gang that heavily relied on technology was using the relatively recent disaster to rob people and businesses. The Defenders now had the time to spare, and they were asked to deal with the opportunists, because every other service already had their hands full.
“Come on, love machine, we need you,” Johnny quipped. Sub-Zero stopped in his tracks at the nickname. This couldn’t have come out of nowhere. If the technician had talked, they would have a serious conversation later. It may not have been intentional, but the socially awkward young man could’ve been, somehow, tricked into revealing the secret without meaning to.
“Whoa!” Johnny exclaimed, looking back at him. “Don’t glare icicles at me. Your boyfriend’s a bit loud, and there are people living in the rooms next to yours, in case you didn’t notice,” he explained. Sub-Zero caught Sonya trying her best to hide her smile.
“Do not speak about him in such a manner,” Kuai Liang warned darkly.
“What do you mean?” the actor continued to provoke him, false innocence in his voice. “Don’t speak of him as your boyfriend? But he is, and everybody has figured it out a while ago. Or is it about him being loud? Everybody knows that now as well.”
“That’s it,” Sub-Zero growled.
“Enough, boys. Let us focus on our mission, okay? Johnny, knock it off,” Sonya frowned, assuming a serious tone and expression of a commanding officer.
Damn it… That idiotic nickname, ‘love machine’, was going to stick, wasn’t it?