See Part One for Disclaimers.
Part Three
"What happened?" Siro asked, launching himself forward through the water to swim quickly towards her. He didn't notice her nudity now, as he reached the ledge and pulled himself up, finding it large and strong enough to accommodate at least four people. All he felt was concern, overriding all else.
Taja shook her head, trying vainly to look at the injured portion of her shoulder. "I don't know," she answered, wincing. "A rock-chip or something, I guess. Must have come loose in the water and -- ow!!"
"Sorry." Siro winced in sympathy and tried to be more gentle as his fingers skimmed across her skin. There was a scratch, small and not particularly nasty or dangerous, but no doubt painful. Gee, what was your first clue?, he asked himself derisively. He stroked his thumb across the injury lightly, trying to ascertain the extent of it -- and ignore the delight of feeling the softness of her skin against his own. "It's not too bad. Probably won't even leave a scar."
"Oh, what a relief," Taja replied dryly.
Siro chuckled, but there was something in her voice, something else. . . Before he could try to analyze it, Taja started to turn around. Her foot slid suddenly on the ledge and she swore as she lost her balance. Siro caught her easily, and realized that his erection had returned in full force at the same time that he felt the small of Taja's back come up against it, her water-cooled skin sliding across it in a way that made his cock jump slightly in desire.
Taja froze, even her breath seeming to go still, then slowly, ever so slowly, turned her head to look up at him. Startled blue eyes met his own heated ones, their breath mingling in shallow gasps. Taja stared at him for along moment, feeling his arousal hot and hard against her back, suddenly wanting very much to feel it elsewhere. Fire burned inside her, rivaling the worst of any fever, and she turned around completely, unconsciously careful of her footing this time. Skin pressed against skin, her breasts pressing along the sharp definition of his pecs, belly to belly, water-slicked nether-curls mingling, promising. The coolness of the water quickly wore off as desire rose, and still they didn't move, only stood toe to toe, drowning in the fire they saw in each other's eyes, the knowledge that it was for each other.
Slowly, infinitely slowly, Siro lowered his head and Taja raised her chin. Breath mingled, eyes released their hold as lids closed, and their mouths met in a kiss that put the heat of the summer day to shame.
~*~
"Nice," Rayden commented, watching the two warriors with a small smile.
Cyreen raised an eyebrow at him, smiling as well. "I'd love to take credit," she informed him, chuckling, "but I had nothing to do with that one." She looked across the pond to where Kung Lao still lay asleep and her smile softened. "That one, on the other hand. . ."
She vanished from the rocks in a flash of sunlight-on-water and reappeared beside Kung Lao. Kneeling down next to him, her expression was almost tender as she skimmed through his thoughts and emotions. So much hurt, so much wistfulness and fear, so much potential for love. . .
There. Just a touch against his inhibitions, as she would do for Siro and Taja soon enough; not much, but enough so that they would be open to the love offered and felt by themselves and their companions. Cyreen smiled and reached out to gently brush a pale, cool hand across his forehead. Kung Lao, she whispered in his mind. Wake up.
Kung Lao stirred, his eyelids fluttering as his mind pulled away from comfortable sleep. He could almost feel a soft touch on his skin, then a chuckle as he made a soft sound and turned his face away from it.
Come on now. Wake up, sleepy one.
Kung Lao's lashes fluttered again, then slowly parted as he awoke.
The undine was invisible to him, as she would remain unless she wished otherwise; that was her nature as an Elemental spirit, not to mention Guardian of this spot in the woods. Cyreen smiled as she got his attention and nudged against his mind with a glance towards the waterfall.
Look.
Blinking sleep from his eyes, Kung Lao unconsciously followed her gaze and found himself looking at Siro and Taja. Specifically, his sleep-dazed mind noted in surprise, a completely nude Siro and Taja. Involved in what looked to be a very deep, very long kiss. Sunlight gilded their bodies, sparkled off the water that cascaded over them as they pressed against one another, thighs blending, hands moving in lazy caresses . . . They looked completely intent on what they were doing, experiencing, and Kung Lao felt a shiver of arousal as he had when he'd walked in on who he later discovered were Quan Chi and one of his assassins.
They look beautiful together, don't they?
Kung Lao found himself nodding without knowing where the thought had come from. It didn't matter; it was completely accurate. They did look beautiful, together and apart. Taja with her fiery hair darkened by the water, alabaster skin glowing with sunlight and her own spirit and energy, as he realized he had always thought it did. And Siro, Kung Lao allowed himself to analyze without shame, the lines of his body almost harsh next to Taja's suppleness, tanned skin a sharp contrast to her pallor except where their legs met and his tan ended. His musculature was as different from the sleek ex-thief as it was from Kung Lao's own stockier build, but it was just as beautiful in its own way.
A wave of envy and sadness crashed over the Champion and he looked away. Beautiful, he agreed. And lucky. I'm happy for them. And he was, but at the same time it seemed like a lie. The truth was he envied them and didn't even know why, precisely: because Siro had gotten Taja, not Kung Lao himself?
Or because, simply, they found love?
Kung Lao frowned, but admitted to himself that that was part of it. He was tired, so damned tired of being alone, of hearing Omegis' words echoing through his mind: "Get used to losing friends. You're immortal now." The sentiment had not exactly been strengthened by Rayden, but the Thunder God hadn't precisely tried to dissuade him of the notion that love was hopeless. What had the god said about his lingering despondency and anger over Jen's death? "Get over it and move on."
A trickle of surprise and anger seemed to touch his mind before Cyreen shut down the link she had opened. "Get over it and move on, indeed!" she muttered to herself, looking over her shoulder at the rocks where Rayden still stood. "We're just gonna have to have a little talk about that." The undine settled her emotions and looked at the young man, sorting through the images that poured through her mind from his. Poor boy. No wonder he held so much hurt. Gently, she re-opened the link.
So now you think that love is not something you can afford? Because you are immortal? Or because you've already lost once?
I don't know, Kung Lao returned, believing himself to be answering his own thought. Maybe both. What's the point? Friendships are hard enough -- they could die so easily. . .
As could you. Isn't that what Shao Kahn keeps trying? And yet they stand by you, are unafraid to love you.
Cyreen stopped, waiting to see if he caught the cue.
Love me, his mind finally whispered. She could see the flow of memories as he tested the theory, the focus on smiles and laughter, comfort and shared pain, loyalty and faith. Can they really. . .
Cyreen smiled as the realization of what she had sensed in them from the beginning slowly seeped through to the young man. He had been so afraid to love for so long, so used to having love used against him in one way or another, used to it hurting. Cyreen shook her head in sorrow for him, and his companions; his fear of committing himself to that single unpredictable emotion was as strong as it was in the other two, perhaps even stronger because of the added weight of immortality.
Love can take so many forms, she told him. Were you not considering that yourself on your way here? Indeed, it had been that very thought that had caught her attention and made her decide to allow the three access to the pond. To love your friends as you do is a wonderful thing, she continued. As is to have that love returned in the same way. It doesn't mean that you have to love them the way you did Jen. . . It's not something you have to fear either way.
She could see and feel his indecision weakening, his desire and love for his friends coming to the fore as he shifted his gaze to watch them again. Then fear returned. "But what if they don't want me?" he murmured aloud. "What if they don't want me to intrude?"
Cyreen sent a tendril of thought to test those particular waters and found confirmation to her opinion on that. Rather than telling him that, however, she merely smiled and whispered in his mind with a wash of breeze-cooled water, You won't know until you try. But are you willing to simply pass up the chance and never know at all?
Kung Lao needed only a moment to think about that, and then he was getting to his feet in a motion as fluid as that of which Cyreen herself was capable. The undine watched him head for the water, quickly and unselfconsciously divesting himself of his clothes, and smiled in satisfaction. Her cousins in distant lands might have been fond of seducing and then drowning lovers, but Cyreen's preference -- and duty -- was to help them live.
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