"I must admit, Raiden, I'm impressed.", you murmured with raised eyebrows and took a deep sip from your wine glass. "The first day and you've already defeated Li Mei and the second in command of the army. That almost looks too easy."

A snort escaped you as your eyes travelled over the long table where all of Empress Sindel's guests were seated.

The bright day had turned into a balmy evening. Delicate music was being played on an instrument that was completely foreign to you. Flowers glowed in shimmering blue, violet and pink.

A scent of blossoms and honey was in the air.

The palace garden where the banquet was held was beautiful, even more beautiful than anything else you had discovered in the mountains of the temple in the past months.

That irrepressible desire to get up and explore everything rose up in you again. Your legs twitched. It almost felt like an addiction that you had to fight. You wanted, no, had to find a way to explore the cobbled paths without leaving the event early. Nothing would have made your heart beat faster.

Nothing but...

Your gaze jumped to the side. Furtively, you watched Johnny out of the corner of your eye.

He had snatched the seat at the end of the table. Right opposite Princess Kitana.

Of course, what else could he do?

There was this kind of charming smirk on his face. You had always thought you were the only one he ever looked at like that.

Obviously, you were sorely mistaken.

"Outworld's champions should not be underestimated.", Liu Kang warned.

It was strange how warm his eyes suddenly became when his gaze fell on Kitana. "The princesses in particular are serious opponents."

"I will not lose, Lord Liu Kang.", Raiden assured with a determined expression on his face and looked at you. "You let me take your place as champion, but I will try to fulfil your demands."

A soft snort escaped you.

"You sound like I've left you a legacy.", you said, smiling bitterly but amusedly.

"No. But a task. Just because you turned it down, I now have the opportunity."

You took another sip of wine.

"You shall deserve it all. And all the success you will have. But if you'll excuse me now? I still have something to clarify."

With a polite nod of your head, you bid farewell to the god of fire and Raiden and rose from your seat.

Your attention immediately focussed on Johnny. He seemed to be having an animated conversation with the princess in blue.

"I'm sorry. You're ten thousand years old?", he asked with a bedazzled look of surprise as he put down his glass of wine to lean towards her.

Without an answer but a body language that said it all, Kitana smirked softly and shrugged.

A sound of admiration escapes Johnny. The grin on his face only grew.

And you could feel how vomit scratched at the back of your throat. Clenching your fingers around your glass, you put on a polite smile and took the place next to him.

He greeted you with a quick look and then returned to his chat with the princess.

"Talk about aging gracefully.", he admired.

A little pressed, you couldn't help but hide the annoyance that made your mind spin.

You couldn't even remember the last time you felt something like possessiveness. Probably as an insecure teenager, after someone had looked at your very first boyfriend for too long as you walked past.

This was neither the right time, nor the right place and certainly not the right company to behave inappropriately. Especially not over a relationship that you weren't even sure was a relationship.

The whole thing just made you growl with discontent. You quickly took another sip of the wine to keep your mouth shut. None of what was on your tongue should see the light of day.

Charmed but more amused, Kitana pulled a face that was both a smile and visible judgement. She didn't take him all that serious. It was obvious to everyone around.

Everyone except Johnny.

"I saw that smile at dinner.", he leaned forward, his eyebrows raised and a smug grin on his lips. "You like me."

Without skipping a beat the princess let a huff be heard.

"No, Cage.", she took a sip of her own wine. "You amuse me."

You thought you knew Johnny well enough to know that his pride was hurt. Even if he couldn't take almost anything seriously, this statement should have made him react.

But he didn't.

Instead, it seemed as if he completely blocked it out and laughed along with the princess while he poured himself some more wine.

Suddenly something cold spread through you. Your shoulders were pressed down and it felt like your guts were twisting. All flavour disappeared from your mouth and dryness spread.

Your lips twitched, you wanted to say something. Something born of anger and jealousy.

But you swallowed the words back down. This wasn't the princess's fault. It was Johnny who deserved to feel the consequences of his actions.

But you didn't know how. Suddenly you felt so helpless.

Like you were that little kid again, locked away in an estate, all alone, with no friends or anyone who cared about you. There was a room full of people and nobody cared about you.

For (Y/N).

You thought you had found someone in Johnny who did. But now the shiny image you had of him was shattered.

Nervously, your leg began to bounce on the floor. The sound was so fast and intense that the princess frowned in irritation.

Suddenly there were fingers closing around your hand. Warmth seeped under your skin.

When you took your eyes off your wine, they met Johnny's brown eyes.

Why did he suddenly seem so caring?

A silent question was written on his face. But you couldn't answer. Not this one.

"Excuse me...", perhaps a little too harshly, you pulled your hand back and stood up.

You left the glass of wine and disappeared among the dazzling flowers of the garden.

Johnny stayed behind, looking worried.