Love or Law

Gossips and Dragons and Fools in Love

"How..."

"You..."

Mulan broke into a nervous laugh when she and Shang stumbled over each other at the same time.

"My apologies, Captain, please..." Mulan gestured for him to continue, not exactly knowing why she was speaking so formally.

"No, no, you can speak first. What did you want to say?" Shang urged.

"How..." Mulan began but almost instantly chickened out, "How is your shoulder?" She finished lamely. She couldn't bring herself to ask the question she knew she should.

"My shoulder?" Shang asked, sounding confused.

"You were shot." Mulan elaborated bluntly.

"Oh! Yes, of course. It's healing nicely. Mistress Chien has informed me your healing has progressed as well."

"Yes, I feel like I'll be able to be up and moving in a day or so."

"No need to push yourself, Fa Mulan. We're in no hurry. I want you to be completely well when we begin our travels once more. The Emperor did assign me to see you home safely. I'll get you there alive and in one piece and that is an Imperial Order!" Shang joked lightly, drawing a quiet laugh from Mulan. Shang basked in the sound, watching her with a gentle smile.

"It's good to hear your laughter again." He remarked tenderly.

Mulan ducked her head, and murmured something along the lines of a thank you, trying to hide the blush that had appeared in response to his words. Why did she have to be so cursedly awkward?! 

Speaking of awkward...

Clearing her throat and forcing herself to look back up and meet his gaze, Mulan began again.

"Captain..."

"Shang, please." Shang interrupted.

"What?"

"I would like you to call me Shang again. We are still friends, are we not?"

"Right, friends..." Mulan felt her heart sink. It seems Ai and Mei's observations were completely off base. Of course Shang only saw her as a friend. A close friend, but still a friend. The kiss they had shared obviously must have been a fluke. Or maybe the captain went around kissing women he barely knew on a regular basis. How was she to know? She was just a silly little country girl who took the slightest sign of affection and turned it into...

"Mulan?" Shang's baritone voice caressing her name pulled her back from her musings, "Did you want to ask me something?"

"Oh...right. Yes. Mei was just telling me that Ling has been busy spreading rumors around. It's probably nothing more than a way to get a pretty girl's attention but... Shang? Is something wrong?"

Upon hearing her words, Shang let out a low groan and threw his forehead into one of his hands.

"Shang? I'm sure most of what he's been saying has no truth behind it but at least one of the rumors is about our relationship and how, um...intimate it has supposedly become."

Shang growled something incomprehensible under his breath and Mulan had a feeling she didn't want to hear a translation of what just came out of his mouth. After taking a deep breath, seemingly to calm himself, Shang raised his head.

"What has he been saying?"

"Well...this is only what Mei has informed me of but...for instance, he has exaggerated what has supposedly happened between us when we were sharing a tent in the mountains."

"Exaggerated how?" Shang asked, unable to help himself. He had a feeling he knew what she was saying but he wanted to hear her say it herself. A blush crept slowly up her cheeks as she stuttered, "I-I...I don't know all the details but I'm assuming...r-romantically?" She squeaked out the last word and Shang had to concentrate on keeping a straight face at her response.