Here Beside Me

In Love and In Trouble

Mushu was in Shang and Mu's tent while they were asleep. His plan was to whisper lies into the latter's ear in a subliminal message.

"She defied you. She insulted you. Man, she laughed at your map."

"My map..." he mumbled sleepily.

"And if she's laughin' in your face, imagine what she's sayin' behind your back!'

"My back..."

"She's a loose cannon. She's outta control!"

"She's out of control..."

"I mean, who's in charge here? You and ol' Shang-Hai? Or Y/n?"

"We're in charge...we're in charge...Y/n..." He began to toss, now distressed. "Y/n...Y/N!" He bolted up suddenly, awake, no Mushu in sight. Shang, groggy himself, lifted his head up.

"Mu...? It's late. What are you doing awake?"

"Huh?" He turned to Shang, then ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, Shang. Must've just been a bad dream." He flopped back down, mumbling, "Goodnight..."

"Night..."

But before he could fall back to sleep, Mu heard what sounded like Y/n outside with three other figures.

"Captain Mu? Captain Hardhead, that's what they should call him. Everything's got to have strategy."

He sat up, now more awake, staring out, eyes squinted. "Y/n?"

"Mu, now what?" Shang asked, forcing himself to sit up.

"The man won't brush his teeth without a backup plan."

"What? Huh?" He sat up even straighter, fully aware now of what was going on.

"I blame myself. I fell for those broad shoulders. I didn't realize there wasn't much sitting on top of them."

He gasped, feeling more hurt than anything else. Y/n had been the only one he had ever told about not feeling he belonged anywhere. He thought that she had understood...

"Is that Y/n?" Shang asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, except for that garlic breath. Woo-whee, that boy can peel paint!"

Mu self-consciously clapped his hand over his mouth.

"That's enough! Why isn't she at her post?!" Shang demanded, marching outside. Mu got up and followed him, having a few choice words for his fiancé himself.

-

Y/n smiled when she saw her fiancé and friend coming towards her as she sat at her post. "Why, hello, Captain, General. Out on night maneuvers?" she asked, standing.

Mu was the first to speak. "Captain Hardhead? Brushing my teeth?" Remembering, his hand flew back to cover his mouth.

"Um...is something wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"We heard you, Y/n," Shang said with a look of disappointment.

"Every word," the captain added through his teeth.

"Every...word of what?"

"Don't play coy! We saw you outside our tent," Shang snapped.

"What? I haven't left my post," she responded stubbornly.

Shang was about to continue, but Mu cut in, too angry to stay silent. "And I suppose you weren't gossiping about me with the princesses?!"

Trying to laugh it off, she asked, "Mu, did that dip in the river get you waterlogged? And why are you talking with your hand over your mouth."