Dreams and Reality - An Ao and Mei Terumi Love Story

Reality Unveiling

It was late at night and its the night before their wedding day.  Lady Mizukage was busy reviewing some documents.  She has to finish all these paper works before the guests arrive tomorrow.  Then she heard a soft knock on the door as she saw a blue haired man with a tray of tea on his hands.

She smiled as she noticed that his gait is almost back to normal.  Almost... the cane was resting on the side of the bed.

"My lady, have some tea." He said as he starts pouring. 

Ao has been suspiciously different these past few days. She cannot pin it but she noticed a little "softness" that she really did not assume him capable off.

"Is everything alright Ao?"  She probes.  "Anything you want to tell me perhaps?"

Ao suddenly paused from whatever he was doing.  Then he took in a deep breathed, straightened himself, that cause the Mizukage's eye brows to rise a little bit.  This is very curious she mumbled to herself.

Then finally Ao stood in attention as if he was a young cadet doing his report.  And without looking at the Mizukage, he started his practice tirade.

"My lady, tomorrow we will marry each other.  I know that you have commanded me to marry you.  But either for convenience or not, I want to be open and honest with you from this day forth in all things, most especially with this one thing." He paused as if catching his breath.

"Please know that I'm going through this not just because of duty.  True it is a great honour for me to take your hand but please know that I'm doing this because I have great respect... And I.. And I.. "  (Do not fail now he told himself as he felt the Mizukage leaning forward listening intently to his confession.)

"And I loved you with all my heart, always had and always will.   I will back this love for you with my very life.  I swore it."

Then he breathed out and cast a glance at the Mizukage.  He cannot tell from her face what she was thinking.  There was a long silence between them.

"So.. is that all you wanted to tell me?"  The Mizukage asked almost tonelessly. 

"Yes my lady." Ao responded feeling like a complete fool with his confession.  He was never a romantic and never good with words... At least not romantic words.  If it's giving orders, lectures or chiding Chojuro... His mind was trying to reason out.

"Thank you for telling me Ao."  The Mizukage said almost dismissively.

Ao took that as a cue so he did a quick bow and walked out of the Mizukage's chambers with a visible sag on his shoulder.  Was he expecting something more? What was he expecting?

XXXX

Ao cannot sleep so he stood by the window reviewing every word he has spoken earlier.  It all made sense then, what the Tsuchikage said about letting the woman you love knows you loved her.   It suddenly struck him that maybe, it doesn't apply to him, to them after all.  Maybe in the Tsuchikage's case both of them were in love but for him and the Mizukage....

"Ao?"

He almost jumped when he realized the Mizukage was already in his room and he didn't even notice her opening the door.

He quickly turned around to face her but he didn't move from where he was standing as he gazed at her beautiful face illuminated only by the full moon shining brightly through the window.  In his confusion he didn't even open the lights of his room and now it was just darkness around them saved the light from the sky.

She approached him slowly and Ao felt frozen to the ground where he stood.  She stopped as she stood about midway the room.  She was looking at him straight in his eyes.