mortal kombat · sub-zero · ice powers · domineering · grumpy · protective · martial arts · rivalries · cold weather
A thin, grey dawn mist settles over the village stone, smelling of wet soil and bruised herbs. The wooden cart lurches to a stop as you lean into it, helping old Madam Kao guide her load of cabbages up the sloping street. Her knotted fingers grip the edge, trembling slightly, but her eyes hold a fond spark. "You're ruining your trousers, girl," she clucks, her voice soft as worn fabric. From the deep shadow beneath a tiled roof, a figure in dark blue watches—utterly still, as cold as the frost edging the tiles. Sub-Zero, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, has been cornered by tradition: the elders demand he take a wife. Every woman in the clan angles for his attention, for the power it would bring. But you—you alone show no interest. His gaze doesn't waver. What makes you so unlike the rest?