snarky_panda (snarky_panda) wrote in mulanficspace, @ 2007-07-21 02:28:00 |
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Current mood: | content |
Current music: | Monk |
Entry tags: | 30_kisses |
30 Kisses: Mulan and Shang, Part Twenty-Six
Title: Love
Author: snarky_panda
Fandom: Mulan
Pairing: Li Shang/Fa Mulan
Theme: #30, kiss
Disclaimer: All characters, etc. from the Disney movie belong to Disney.
She ran her fingers through his thick, sleek black hair as he slept nestled in her arms, his head cradled against her chest. In all the time she’d known him she’d never seen him cry the way he did tonight, not even when his father died.
Listening to the sound of his slow, even breaths in the silence, she reflected on the nuances of Shang that she had discovered over the long period of time that they had loved one another. He was not one to show his emotions so easily; but when he did she realized just how passionate and deep his feelings were.
When she first met him she saw a handsome but very serious, stoic young captain who’d had responsibility thrust upon him before he was completely ready. And he’d handled himself beautifully; at least she thought so. Gradually, as they spent more time together, he revealed his less serious, more playful and romantic side, much to her delight. Overall they had a good marriage, despite a few bumps along the way. He was an attentive and loving husband, and for the short time they were blessed with a son he had been a wonderful father.
After Mao died, he became serious and heavy. Shang was never what she would think of as a light personality. But after they lost their son he became weighted, for lack of a better way to explain it. It wasn’t just that he was the old serious Shang who didn’t smile a lot. His footsteps, his posture, everything about him seemed heavy.
She supposed that she’d become heavy too.
Things would never be the same for them again, not after they had lost a child. But they were in a different place now, a more open place. That sweet kiss in the garden had released something inside both of them, somehow opening them up. It had given her the impetus she needed to finally confront her husband and demand that he not shut her out.
And Shang opened up to her finally. He had been avoiding her, avoiding the severe grief and feeling of loss. It had always been his way. But tonight he’d finally started to let himself feel it; she was glad of that, though it took a violent fight that nearly ended in her injury that brought it about. He allowed her alone to really see him. She knew in her heart that their love was as strong as ever, maybe even stronger. It had all been there in that kiss in the garden.
Shang stirred and his eyes fluttered open. She continued to stroke his hair as she smiled down at him. He shifted and looked up into her face.
“Mulan,” he murmured. “What are you doing up still?”
“Watching you sleep.”
A pained expression settled on his features and he closed his eyes again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Mulan.”
“I know. It’s okay.”
“How can you even stand to look at me?”
“We were both upset. I know it was an accident, Shang. Nothing bad happened…”
“Your ankle.”
“It’s not hurting. I think I’m alright.”
“Have you tried to stand up yet?”
“Not yet.”
With a soft grunt from the effort of rousing himself, he sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed, standing up. “Try it now. You can hang onto me just in case you can’t put weight on your foot.”
She stood up and leaned on him, slowly allowing her weight to settle onto her feet. “So far so good.”
“It doesn’t look swollen.”
They began to walk around the room slowly.
“Well, it seems to be alright.”
“Good,” he murmured.
“It means I’ll be going on the mission.” She eyed him carefully.
He sighed. “Mulan, it’s not that I don’t want you with me. I just don’t want to lose you, too. I’d rather you were at home, safe. But I guess you’re right. We’ll look out for each other.”
Mulan kissed his bare shoulder affectionately. Shang stopped and turned to her, taking her into his arms. She snaked her arms around his waist and gazed up into his eyes. They reflected the same love that she felt. Neither of them spoke.
Effortlessly he leaned down and covered her mouth with tender kisses that warmed her and made her tingle all over. She wrapped her arms around him as they deepened the last kiss and pressed her body up against him, only vaguely aware when he scooped her up off of her feet and carried her back to the bed.
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