The Concubine's Cannon

Chapter 12: Midnight Kisses

Author: WARNING!!! LOTS OF FLUFF THIS CHAPTER!!!! (If you couldn't already tell)

"Mulan." He tries to reach out to her but his fingers barely even glimpse her shoulder. He stands there outside the doors and sighs. She had been doing this all morning, making sure she was just a few steps in front of him only enough for him to not reach but continue to follow.

He sighs and opens the door to the hall. They were already giggling up a storm, Mulan in the middle of it. "Alright, alright. Ai, go grab the buckets. We have a little over a week before the troops move out. So stop your laughing and.... Where's Qi?" He arches a brow and halts his stomping. Several girls shrug while others roll their eyes. "She said she'd be the next person to fake the illness." Shang sighs and nods his head in understanding. "Somebody make sure she's here tomorrow."

As soon as the training begins it wraps up. The whole time neither spoke directly to each other. It's just quiet laughter, a few insults, and as sad as it is to say, a whole lot of help. The training concludes and off they are again.

"We'll need to change our training schedule." She says it out of the blue. "Though Qi did it to get out of work it did make me realize. If they are to be sick then people would expect them to be confined to their room." He nods his agreement. "We'll have to switch it back to a night schedule. It'll be too obvious if we train in the yard though." "I'll send word for them to meet in the entertainment hall. We'll train there." Their arrangements set, silence dawns over again.

"Mulan..." He tries to start another conversation. She raises her hand. A servant passes by and they both receive a small bow, then continue. "What did I say before? We can't speak aloud like this." He nods his head solemnly. She sighs at his dejected appearance. "Come," she waves her hand for him to follow. A familiar room opens.

"This is where I got promoted." She smiles at his observation and nods. "So you remember." "It was less than a week ago." His voice is flat but carries amusement. She laughs at how monotoned his reply was. "It was a joke. Still..." She lets her words trail off. "Well," he begins before being cut off by her words. "I didn't choose this job." Here we go.

"I didn't choose to be a concubine or to carry the emperor's sperm. Nothing even happened. I actually need to thank Chi for that." "Chi?" His brows float up from the surprise, that seems to be happening a lot, at least since he's met this woman. "He told me that the girls needed me but when I finally got away from the emperor I found out it was a ruse." His bobs his head satisfied by the explanation. "I...I'm glad you're okay." He didn't know why he changed his words. He was going to tell her he was worried. Why was that hard now? Nonetheless, she hands him a smile and a nod.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about? You've seemed more nervous recently." He shakes his head, his breath becoming clogged. There was something he wanted to say so why couldn't he say it now? "I just wanted to check in with you after everything that happened last night." "Which thing did you want to talk about?" She purses her lips and takes a step forward teasingly. He takes a step back. "Shang?" Her face grows soft, a somber look replacing her taunting one. "It's nothing."

He quickly shakes his head and takes another step back, and another step, and another, and another. He only stops once she has him to the wall. "Is something wrong?" He shakes his head. Her eyes are like a deer's, soft and pleading, loving. Her smile vanishes but her eyes are the same. A commanding expression grazes her features. "If you don't want to then just say it. If last night was just a glimpse then tell me. Do not lead me astray when I am asking for something." He finally sighs and speaks, "We can't."

"What do you mean we can't? We did last night." Her voice rises and he attempts to settle her down. "You're a concubine. The emperor will have both our heads if he finds out about this affair. He wanted you as a consort." He tries to bring in reason. His reason fails him. "I'm a concubine. It wouldn't be the first affair a concubine has had. I am not afraid of death, General." Her words pierce him, he only wants what's best for her. "This plan is already a possibility for your demise. You would surely die if he found out. You can not escape death twice." Though he sounds forceful his face is worried. Why does she never listen?

"Life here is death enough. Though I love laughing and having fun with the women, I do not want to be used as a play toy. I barely get to see Baba anymore." Her voice is quiet, a whimper. He sighs at the face she's wearing. Involenterally he reaches up and caresses her cheek. "Don't be sad. You're too beautiful to look so grim." Her eyes shot up at his words and actions. He leans down and she closes her eyes. A kiss is placed on her head rather than her lips. She pouts.

"I do not wish to take advantage of a woman in distress. We will see what happens when this is all over." He removes his hand from her face. A cold wind blows on the loss of the touch. She places her hand there and follows him out.
            ___________________________

Those words. Those words. Those words, those words, those words. They were the same words that had kept him from her that fateful night. A kiss had turned to two and two to three. Four to five and five to more. More and more the touch grew. It had been a simple spree of the moment but he wanted more.

The kiss was short and sweet. It was only but a peak but that peak had just made her night. Her face was happily glowing or it was until she saw his. His mouth gaped open, eyes wide. Had she done something wrong? "I'm sorry." She knew it was true that some concubines had affairs, some of the women had even spoken of their own during their time here. For a moment she had forgotten that they could lead to beheading, but she wanted to try it.

He shakes his head and she jumps off the banister, onto the actual balcony. "I'll go." She bows and begins to make her way back to her room. Suddenly she stops. "Don't go." He was pleading. She turns her head to him, surprise lingered on both their faces. "I was just surprised." She nods and walks back to him. They both lean onto the banister. "That was my first," he admits.

"I'd thought you have women coming after you left and right." A smirk plays on her lips and one plays on his. "I have one coming after me." She arches a brow. "And who may that be." Again they draw near, their heartbeats matching each other, hands already touching. "I think you know." He dares to touch her plum pink tulips. This one lasts much longer, only breaking for air. "Are you sure that was only your second?" "Would you like to try for third?" Air catches in her throat as she stifles a nod.

They move it forward, allowing hands to get involved. They wrap around one another, one would think this would be wrestling but many know the truth. Their hands wander and so do their mouths. Necks are reached and sounds are made. A stray one alerts someone and they draw near. "Hide," the woman warns but he can not hear. "I said hide!" He stumbles back from the warning, the maiden stumbles with him.

On the floor of the balcony, they settle and breathe. The soldier stumbles and falls to the floor in front of them. Their small stature betrays them revealing to the newfound couple that it is only their friend. The two looks at each other and a laugh is shared. One more kiss is given. A farewell till next time.

Author: No they didn't do the deed nor will you see them do it. This is as close as you get minus he emperor and.... I should shut up. But seriously, I loved both writing and reading the ending scene. Last chapter is still my favorite in the entire book but this is a close second! You guys are gonna love the chapter title for the next one if I remember it! (Spoiler; I'm planning on calling it Blackmail :))