"I am ready, Johnny Cage.", Raiden returned to his guard up. "My mind and spirit fight as one."

A little annoyed by that statement, you rolled your eyes. This was the favourite teaching of the monks. One you struggled to believe in but Raiden, as the perfect student he was, loved to make a good example.

Your attention focused.

Johnny, as excited for a good fight as he was, went to take the first punch. It was a quick hit, barely anything special yet efficient enough to make his opponent stumble back and bring some distance between them.

He slid forward to strike the opportunity for another blow but was interrupted by a kick into his guts. With a groan, he stumbled back only to take a jump and avoid another foot that was about to kiss his face.

Hands clenched into fists Johnny let his guard down to go for one of hus favourite moves that he called the plot fist. It was a punch you've only ever experienced once but that one time had been enough to learn that avoiding it was preferred.

Raiden seemed to know that as well as you, pulled his head in and rushed to the side.

Johnny barely missed his chest. It was then that Raiden struck the chance and threw his knee up. It pierced his opponents guts.

Groaning and gasping for air, Johnny fell to his knees. Tears clouded his vision.

Raiden stepped back to allow him to catch his breath.

A hint of broken pride shimmered in Johnny's brown eyes. He was a little salty that everything looked like he was about to lose.

With his teeth clenched he got back to his feet and took such a deep breath that it made his chest inflate.

"And that's why I don't need stunt doubles.", he said with a smirk and a wink into your direction and contained the fight.

With a soft huff you closed your eyes to avoid seeing this smug expression on his face. Whenever he did something it made you feel all warm inside. It was stupid, really, yet such a nice feeling that you almost longed for it to always be this way.

Heat made your cheeks feel like they were filled with coals.

It was only a brief second in which you looked away but all of a sudden Johnny had Raiden by the throat, punched up and swept him off his legs. One more blink of your eyes and he was right behind him to place a very nasty into his spine.

With a gasp, Raiden stumbled and crashed to the ground. Pain reflected in his eyes and for a brief moment he struggled to get up.

Johnny didn't strike the chance. He had more decency than fighting a man who was on the ground already.

This decency would turn out to be the death of him.

As the wave of pain faded, Raiden jumped back to his feet only to return the pleasure with multiple kicks and punches.

Johnny didn't even have a chance to find a pattern in it. One fist hit him directly in the face, so hard that a thin trial of blood splattered from his lips and onto the stone ground.

Struck just the wrong way he lost his balance and fell to his back. A groan made his chest tremble. He remained motionless for a while.

Pleased, Raiden bowed before him in respect.

"This fight was an honour.", he said with a smile and offered Johnny a hand to get back on his feet.

Sourly, yet not mad at the other man, the movie star eyes it before accepting. He sighed. Clearly his ego was a little bruised but if Johnny was one thing then a good looser.

At least when he came second to one of his friends.

"You're welcome.", he shrugged.

His gaze immediately jumped over to find you in the group of monks that surrounded Liu Kang.

You gifted him a smile, your hand silently gesturing to come over so that he could receive a warm cheer up.

As it was custom, both Raiden and Johnny bowed to Liu Kang before joining the rest of the champions again.

With a soft groan Johnny rolled his eyes but managed to put on his usual, careless and smug expression as he came to face you.

"Not the most dangerous stunt I've ever pulled.", he said but flinched with a hiss while your thumb caressed the crack that covered his lips in blood.

"You did great.", you said, both hands on his face, and breathed a kiss to the tip of his nose.

It was visible how he melted in your touch. The hurt pride faded and instead his face softened until his eyes appeared to devour your image with loving smiles and softness.

"I wanted to impress you.", he muttered, all of a sudden so meekly you were surprised he was even able to be this way.

"I'm not.", you chuckled and placed another kiss on his lips before he could even say something. "But I'm proud of you."

You believed to see his cheeks flush in a pale rosy colour as he turned his head away and cleared his throat. It was sweet to see just how insecure Johnny could be and if not that, he was still so easy to fluster.

It was adorable.

With expressions of disgust, the other three watched from the side while you and Johnny shared a moment. Kung Lao pretended to throw up, choking on air, while Kenshi only curled his lips and kept his forehead covered in deep wrinkles.

All of their faces screamed dishonour to you, dishonour to your cow, dishonour to your whole family.

Though that did not last long.

"Kenshi Takahashi.", Liu Kang's content voice cut through the softness that wrapped around you and Johnny. "You are next."

"Good luck out there, samurai.", Johnny breathed directly into his face as the swordsman passed.

A smug smirk told that Kenshi was confident.

However, that quickly changed as he had to realise that it wasn't Raiden who he had to face.

"I hope you know how to handle that well.", you said and pointed at the sword in his hand. "Kids aren't supposed to be left unattained around sharp objects."

"And you are the kid?", he bit back, one eyebrow raised.

You huffed.

"Oh no. I'm a menace who loves to beat kids. Buckle up, kiddo. I'm going to ruin your day."