Yellow Tamed

Summary: Sub-Zero's relationship with Scorpion is far deeper than anyone suspects. He demonstrates this to Scorpion's younger self
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers up to and including Mortal Kombat 11; violence; AU; sexual situations between two men
Pairing: Sub-Zero/Scorpion

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It had been a long time since he'd seen Scorpion wearing his mask. Sub-Zero stared at the yellow mask as everyone else walked away. They were going to attack Kronika's base and try to save Liu Kang. He should be relieved that there was a plan of action. He needed to go with Raiden and the others; make sure they all knew what actions they were taking and when.

But Scorpion hadn't moved. Sub-Zero winced at the memory of fighting him. He'd assumed that the younger man was still an enemy; hadn't even stopped to question how or why Scorpion had come here. Had known to come to the fire garden.

The Scorpion in front of him wasn't Grandmaster Hasashi; at least not yet. But this version of Scorpion did seem to have let go of at least some of his rage and desire for revenge.

The younger man was looking around, almost as if he couldn't believe he was really there. Watching him, Sub-Zero felt a pang of loss for Grandmaster Hasashi. Yes, the man in front of him had the potential to become Sub-Zero's ally and, dare he say, more than that, but this version of Scorpion wasn't there yet. And he certainly wasn't going to view their relationship in the same way.

Scorpion made eye contact with Sub-Zero, who resisted the urge to look away. He squared his shoulders and stepped closer to Scorpion, holding a hand out. “I'm sorry I attacked you. I believed you were still an enemy.” As the two of them had been for so long in the past.

“He told me our clan lived once more.” Scorpion lowered his eyes to Sub-Zero's outstretched hand. A hesitant, faltering note crept into his voice. “I...didn't believe him. I couldn't see how it was possible. But now that I'm here, in the Fire Garden...it's been fully restored. I was wrong. Wrong to doubt him.” He stretched his own hand out, grasping Sub-Zero's in a firm, tight grip.

Sub-Zero didn't need to ask who Scorpion was talking about. Unbidden memories rose in his mind; images and feelings. The remembered press of hard, bruising kisses. Fire and ice tangling together as their bodies entwined.

Sub-Zero snatched his hand away as a bitter tang filled his mouth and his eyes throbbed.

Scorpion's eyes widened and then narrowed. He took a step closer. “You act like I burned you.”

“Grandmaster Hasashi has not been my enemy for a long time,” Sub-Zero stated. “You are not my enemy. But you are also not my friend.”

“Teach me.”

The two words took Sub-Zero by surprise and he stared at the other man, taking a few moments before he could speak. “Why are you asking me to teach you? Surely you only remember us as enemies?”

“The Sub-Zero from my time didn't come to the future with me,” Scorpion said. “You are him, but I can tell you don't feel that same enmity towards me, our previous battle notwithstanding.”

Sub-Zero winced. Both he and Raiden had assumed Scorpion was still on Kronika's side, but Raiden at least had the excuse of only knowing Scorpion fuelled by hatred and revenge.

He didn't have the same excuse.

Scorpion was speaking again, breaking into his thoughts. “I believe he sent me to you more than anyone else here.”

Sub-Zero closed his eyes. His whole body ached, but that was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. He was used to loss; should be used to this feeling. But it still hurt more than he'd expected it to. Opening his eyes again, he focused on the other man. The mask felt like a barrier between them and his fingers itched to pluck it from Scorpion's face. He let his fingers curl into a fist to stop the urge.

“We are more than friends here.”

It wasn't phrased as a question, but Sub-Zero still answered as if it had been. “After I reconciled with Grandmaster Hashashi, we became close friends. You're right. My relationship with him ran deeper than mere friendship. I don't expect the same from you.”

Scorpion's eyes searched Sub-Zero's face. “You forgave me? For everything?”

“I have no interest in holding a grudge.” Sub-Zero took a deep breath. “We both did a great deal of harm to each other. We both had apologies to make and forgiveness to give.” His voice dropped lower; he didn't really want to ask the question, but he had to know. “How did he die? Will you tell me that?”

“He was killed by D'vorah,” Scorpion answered. “She poisoned him.” He moved closer, nearly into Sub-Zero's personal space. “I'm sorry that you lost him, but it doesn't have to be forever. I didn't believe him when he told me my clan had returned, but being here, I can see the truth. I have what I would have spent years working for.”

While Sub-Zero had lost the man who had very quickly become important to him. He forced a smile he didn't really mean. “We should join the others and make plans.”

Scorpion half-reached a hand out. “Please don't walk away yet.”

Sub-Zero glanced down at the hand, but couldn't make himself step closer. Neither could he walk away from and ignore the other man. “I don't think there's anything more to be said.”

Scorpion slowly reached his hands up, pushing his mask up and off his face. He then reached out and grasped Sub-Zero's upper arms, pressing a hard, deep kiss to his lips.

The kiss was almost bruising, it was so hard. Sub-Zero closed his eyes and let his hands slide down the other man's back. With his eyes closed, he could almost imagine it was Hasashi he held in his arms.

The kiss lasted for several long moments before Sub-Zero finally broke it. He kept his hands on the other man's waist, staring into Scorpion's eyes. “If you were just trying to make me feel better, it didn't help.”

“It wasn't just about making you feel better.” Scorpion lifted his hands to Sub-Zero's face, cupping it in his hands. “I kissed you because I wanted to. I want to do it again,” he admitted. “I didn't feel attracted to you before now. Before I saw how you look at me because of him.”

It didn't seem right to point out again that the Hasashi he'd loved and the man standing in front of him weren't quite the same person. Sub-Zero stroked his hands over the other man's lower back, pressing gently with his hands. It didn't take much to call a faint trace of ice to his palms; to slide his hands up under Scorpion's shirt so that he could cool the other man's skin.

Scorpion drew in a sharp breath and pressed back against Sub-Zero's hands. “That feels good,” he said wonderingly.

“I know.” Sub-Zero ran a finger up Scorpion's spine, smiling when the other man shivered. Perhaps it was because he was younger than Hasashi, but this version of Scorpion seemed more willing to submit. He ran the same finger down the other man's spine again and Scorpion pressed forward, against his chest.

They'd never really done anything in a potentially public place. It had never been something Sub-Zero had considered he'd enjoy in the past. But as he pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin of Scorpion's neck and felt the other man shudder, he realised he wanted him. Wanted this version of his best friend. Not to replace Hasashi, but because he remembered the attraction he'd felt before. That had lurked somewhere deep within, only coming out when the two of them had reconciled.

Pulling Scorpion's shirt free, Sub-Zero began to ran his hands over the bare skin of his chest and back. He felt the other man's hot eyes on him, staring at what he was doing.

With Scorpion half-naked, Sub-Zero could see the difference in his body compared to Hasashi's. There were much fewer scars, for one. And while his chest was just as muscled, he was thinner than the man Sub-Zero had known.

With a focused look on his face, Scorpion reached out and ran his hands down Sub-Zero's shoulders, leaving a trail of heat behind. He then took a step closer, pressing against Sub-Zero's chest and clasping his face, pressing another hard kiss to his lips.

Slanting his head to one side, Sub-Zero pressed a deeper kiss to his lips, letting his tongue slip into the other man's mouth. Their tongues tangled together until Scorpion pulled away, panting slightly. He raised his eyes to Sub-Zero's face. “How did I get past it?”

“Your desire for revenge?”

Scorpion shook his head. “My sense of guilt.”

“There was little I could do about any of your guilt related to anything outside of me,” Sub-Zero answered. “But when affection and sex didn't work, I used corporal punishment.”

Scorpion cocked his head to one side. “A flogging?”

“No. A spanking.”

Scorpion stared at him as if he couldn't quite understand what Sub-Zero meant. Finally, he asked, “And that works?”

“It definitely seemed to.”

Looking down, Scorpion frowned at the ground, closing his eyes for a brief second before he opened them again and looked at Sub-Zero, giving a brief nod. “Then please help me?”

“Are you sure?” Sub-Zero could still taste the other man on his lips. Still felt the heat from where Scorpion had touched him. “You don't know me in this time, even if you are attracted to me.”

“Who else could I ask, other than you?” Scorpion took a step closer to Sub-Zero, staring into his eyes. “Please help me, my friend?”

How could he say no to that? Scorpion wasn't begging; Sub-Zero had never heard him beg before. But he was asking for help. And Sub-Zero loved Hasashi. Even if this Scorpion was a different version of the man he loved, he couldn't ignore the request.

It would take a while for the army to be gathered together and this would be private for the next little while. Sub-Zero reached out for Scorpion's arm, taking it in a firm grip. After a glance round, he sat down on the ground and drew the other man down across his knees.

Apart from a faint exhalation of breath, Scorpion didn't react as he was positioned. Sub-Zero rested a hand on the other man's lower back, rubbing gently, as he tugged Scorpion's pants down with his other hand, baring the man's bottom.

Sub-Zero's breath caught in his throat at the familiarity of the position. He took a deep breath and let his hand rest on Scorpion's backside before lifting it and bringing it down in a firm smack.

Scorpion twitched, but otherwise didn't react.

Sub-Zero smacked again, in the same spot, and watched as a faint pink handprint started to form. He delivered two more smacks in the same spot before he moved on to the opposite cheek and delivered the same pattern. He continued this until Scorpion's entire bottom was the same shade of pink and then he moved his hand a bit lower and began to swat the other man's sit spots and thighs.

The smacks to those more sensitive areas made Scorpion begin squirming. When Sub-Zero began to swat in the same pattern from the crest of his backside, covering skin that had already received attention, the other man began squirming even more frantically.

There was no need to speak. No need to scold. Sub-Zero just covered Scorpion's bottom and thighs in the stinging swats, turning his bottom and thighs a deeper, darker red with every circuit he completed.

It took a few more circuits of steady smacks before Scorpion's breath hitched in a quiet sob. Sub-Zero stopped the spanking and let his hands rub gently over the other man's bottom, bringing enough coolness to his palms to soothe the heat radiating from the other man's bottom.

Scorpion slumped over his knees and his quiet sobs became a bit more intense for a few moments before he quietened down. But he didn't try to push himself up from Sub-Zero's lap; just lay there, until Sub-Zero pulled his pants back into place and helped them both to stand.

The tears stained Scorpion's cheeks and Sub-Zero leaned forward to kiss them away. The other man turned his head and their lips met in a hard kiss.

Sub-Zero pulled Scorpion tighter against himself, this time keeping his eyes open and staring into Scorpion's eyes...no, not Scorpion's. Hasashi's. Because if nothing else, he now knew: this might be a younger version of the man he loved, but it was still Hasashi.

And he wasn't going to lose his lover again.

The End