HEY EVERYONE! UNCLE SAM AGAIN! HERE IT IS! Part two of my Jade/Fang series. Little tip; If you haven't a;ready, read my previous story "Something to Me" as it all ties together in the end. Any who, enough of my prattling and on with the story!
This is not a date, Jade kept telling herself. It had been a week since Jade's swimming lessons with Huifang, but the former still couldn't shake the aftermath from her thoughts. On that day, Jade had divulged one of her most traumatic childhood memories to the bumbling water deer; the day her father sacrificed his life to save hers (Read my previous fic, Swimming Lesson, to get caught up). Huifang had listened, and offered comfort as Jade had to relive one of the most horrid events in her life. It was after this heart to heart, and subsequent swimming lesson, during which Jade began to overcome her fear of water, that the pair had actually walked, hoof in hoof, to Jade's temporary hut in the panda village. As Huifang was leaving, Jade had placed a small kiss on the formers cheek, deeply shocking her. But the shock had disappeared as she saw the small smile and half lidded gaze on Jade's face. After being thanked by Jade for her help, Huifang walked away with a bit more spring in her step. Jade felt elated at this display of affection toward her fellow water deer, but was unsure how to progress with her feelings. Throughout the rest of the week, Jade had focused on mending her body after the attack on the Panda Village. Huifang had also been doing what she had been doing in the aftermath of Jindiao's attack, babysitting the panda cubs. Most of the Parents in the village where either helping to rebuild, with the assistance of the Poison Clan, or doing what panda's do best, sleep or eat. Every time Jade saw the childish cervine play with actual children, she would smile sweetly at the sight. She didn't know why, but every time she saw the young doe, clad in her typical training pants and long sleeved, blue tunic (You Mean Something to Me fic), she felt weak kneed as her stomach did flips; her heart always felt like it would pound out of her chest. To think, she was the leader of one of the most feared clans in China, now she couldn't muster the courage to approach Huifang since their last encounter. That is, until, today. The goose father of Dragon Master Po, Mr. Ping, had soon arrived with his food cart just in time for the lunch rush. Instantly, the little panda's attacked the cart for a quick snack, or to simply climb all over Mr. Ping, who attempted to pry them off of him. Jade took advantage of the distraction and approached Huifang. As she walked towards the panda babysitter, a few members of the Poison Clan caught sight of the direction their leader was going and began to exchange whispers and trade smirks; it was no secret to the water deer that their leader held a deep "fondness" for a certain, bubbly member. Heck, there was even a betting pool on when or if the two would finally "make it official". As Jade finally approached Huifang, who was attempting to use her hoof to muffle her laughter at Mr. Ping's misfortune, she heard a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to turn around and walk away. Just as she had turned away, she caught the mischievous eyes of one of her fellow monks. Realizing what the sneaky doe was about to do as she took a breath, Jade began to shake her head and mouthed silent pleas of mercy while clasping her hooves together in the pleading pose. But it was for naught.
"HEY, HUIFANG!" came the cry. Jade thought she could try to make a break for it before the other water deer turned around, even if she still had a twisted ankle. Unfortunately, Huifang had turned around just in time to see the back of the doe, and soon a broad smile spread across her muzzle.
"HEY JADE, WASSUP!" The upbeat greeting made Jade cringe, and then automatically stare daggers at the doe who just made her life all the more complicated. Said doe could only flash a smug smirk at her leader before returning to her work of patching the roof of the healer's hut. Shutting her eyes as she let out a soft groan, Jade turned to see the ever smiling face of Huifang. Soon, the emerald tusked water deer forgot about her smug compatriot and soon melted at the joyous gaze of the beautiful doe before her. Snapping herself out of her trance, Jade finally had the nerve to speak.
"Hello, Huifang," she greeted, a little too formally. She shook off the thought and continued, all while looking at anything but Huifang. "I was just taking a stroll to help my ankle, and I thought maybe you would like to join me." Soon Jade began to hear hushed whispers as the other water deer listening in began to alter their bets, but she took no mind as she began to notice the ever widening smile of the doe before her.
"You mean like a date?" the ditzy doe inquired. At that moment, Jade began to hear the tell-tale sound of money being handed off as she heard a chorus of "called it" and "stupid bet anyway" from her fellow Poison Clan members. She quickly put a stop to it.
"No, not like a date," she responded quickly, and a bit too harshly, to the disappointment of her companion, but to the joy of the losing betting pool, who smugly demanded their money back, while other's silently "awed" at the look of disappointment on Huifang's face; they may be warriors, but that didn't mean they weren't like real sisters who cared for each other. Not caring about the transactions occurring behind her, Jade suddenly felt bad at seeing the disappointed doe before her clutch one hoof to her chest with the other, while she cast her gaze down, met in equal pace with her flattening ears. Jade couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw tears begin to form in the usually boisterous doe's eyes. Knowing she could never bear to see the bubbly deer so glum, Jade quickly leaned in and whispered, "But let's take that walk and see where IT takes US." Huifang quickly perked up and began to chase after the quickly retreating form of Jade. As she waited for her companion to catch up, Jade, despite what she had just inferred to her companion, began to mentally chant her own little mantra; "This is not a date."
The walk wasn't that extravagant, just a scenic stroll around the perimeter of the village. But, Huifang didn't care, because she was with, as she put it, "the most awesome person she knows" (read You Mean Something to Me). As the walk continued, both does noticed that the sun was beginning to set, and a light breeze began to blow through the mountains. As they walked, Jade turned and noticed the sea-shell Huifang kept with her. The small marine artifact was hanging over the young doe's chest by a silk ribbon, graciously offered by the ribbon dancing panda, Mei Mei, if Jade recalled correctly. Jade felt a twinge of guilt come over her as she remembered how she chastised Huifang for looking for her "lucky sea shell" instead of ransacking the Panda Warriors training hall, as they had been looking for the Scroll of the Four Constellations. Realizing she knew so little about her companion, especially her attachment to the small shell, Jade decided to get to know her former subordinate a little better.
"Huifang," she said, "may I ask you something?"
"Sure, you can ask me anything," the trusting doe replied. Jade could only smile at the boisterous doe's enthusiasm.
"Why is it," Jade continued to ask, "that you prize that one sea shell so much? I know you say it is your 'lucky sea shell', but there are so many others like it; why that one?" Jade expected a childish response like "it was pretty", or anything else, but what she actually heard left her speechless.
"Because it reminds me of my uncle." Looking quickly to her companion, Jade noticed a sad smile appear on her face as she held the pendant close to her chest. Jade then remembered that Huifang's uncle actually worked for the Emperor. That brought another realization to her mind; Huifang had not seen her Uncle for months now. Jade was brought out of her thoughts as Huifang continued to speak.
"I was just a calf, maybe five or six," she said, "and my uncle decided to take me to the beach for the first time. He had been given a little break by the Emperor, so he decided to bring me along. I practically grew up in the Imperial Palace. Whenever I could, I would convince uncle to play hide and seek with me. He always found me, but, looking back on it, I always hid in the broom closet by my room; he just pretend to be surprised when he found me." Huifang chuckled at the memory, leading Jade to smile as well. They had actually stopped walking, and sat down on a rock near the entrance of the village, giving them a perfect view of the sunset.
"Anyway," Huifang continued, "when we got to the beach, I told uncle I wanted to find some sea shells to take back with me. He told me that seashells rarely washed up on that beach, and that I shouldn't be too disappointed if I didn't' find any. Almost the entire time we were there, I couldn't find any shells. Uncle decided to take me to this shack that sold these amazing sweet cakes. He said it would cheer me up. We were walking to the shack, right alongside the waves, when I saw it, the prettiest shell I had seen in my life, actually the only shell I had seen in my life." Huifang huffed a laugh at her earliest memory. Jade was so entranced by the story that she didn't notice that her hoof came to rest on top of that of her companions.
"It was so amazing," Huifang said, "so white and smooth. I was so happy. Even uncle looked amazed that I had found a shell. When we got to the shack, uncle ordered both of us a piece of sweet cake that had the most amazing sugar sauce on it. He split it with me; that's what we always did, you see. My uncle mentioned to the owner that it was my first time to the beach, and how I had found a seashell. The owner, a very nice wolf, actually didn't charge us for the cake. Heck, he even gave us another one for free. We thanked him, and went back to the palace. I was so excited that I wasn't paying attention and ended up getting separated from my uncle." Jade began to notice that Huifang's expression turned somewhat fearful, like hers during their swimming lesson. Jade gave her friends hoof a gentle squeeze, reassuring her that she wasn't alone. Huifang, having calmed down, decided to continue her story.
"I called out for him, but he didn't answer," Huifang continued. "I was so scared that I actually started to cry. Then, I heard someone ask if I was okay. I looked behind me, and there was another water deer. He was very big, at least I thought so; He had all this fishing stuff with him (if you read Swimming Lessons, don't get a head of me). I was so afraid, I was about to run, but he had a very gentle smile, and loving eyes that actually made me feel safe.I told him I was lost and couldn't find my uncle. He told me he would help me look for him. He even let me take his hoof, and we started walking around the market. He asked people if they had seen my uncle. Almost everyone told him that there was a water deer looking for a little calf that he said was his niece. They pointed us the right way, and, before I knew it, I saw my uncle by a noodle booth asking the owner about me. I just ran up to him and hugged his leg for dear life. He was so happy that he found me that he gave the nice deer some money. The deer actually refused, saying he just liked helping people. He even said that he was lucky he found me first and not some bandit. And he was right, I was lucky. That's when I realized, this shell made me lucky. And I've never let it out of my sight since."
Jade was listening to the story so intensely, that she actually froze when Huifang mentioned the fisherman. She didn't believe in luck, but, after hearing about the fisherman, she had a hunch of who it was, and needed to see if it lead anywhere.
"Huifang," she inquired, "the fisherman, did he happen to say where he was from?" Huifang responded that the fisherman mentioned he was from the northern regions of China. Jade then asked if he mentioned any family; His wife had recently passed away, and that he was now a single father looking after their daughter. Just as Huifang mentioned "daughter" a look of realization dawned on her face as she looked at Jade, remembering what she had told her a week ago.
"Your dad found me," she whispered. Both sat there, looking at each other wide eyed at the realization that their destinies were linked through Jade's father. Huifang then smiled and spoke again. "Now I know, without a doubt, that my sea shell is lucky," She said.
"Why is that," Jade inquired.
"Because then I never would have met you," she finished. Jade was so entranced by what she just heard that she didn't notice the bubbly doe leaning into her until a pair of lips brushed against hers. Jade was pulled back to reality at the sudden realization that Hiufang, the young, ditzy doe that she had abused in the past, was kissing her. Unsure of what to do for the first few moments, Jade slowly relaxed, closing her eyes and bringing a hoof up to caress the cheek of her new partner. At that moment, there was no village, no Poison Clan, no pandas; just Jade Tusk and Huifang, completely lost in their loving embrace. Soon the need for air arose, and the two cervine lovers separated from each other, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes, all the while panting for breath.
"I love you, Jade," Huifang whispered as she rested her forehead against her partner's. Jade, at first shocked at the revelation, quickly relaxed and just smiled as she replied,
"I love you too, Huifang." They shared one more quick, but passionate kiss, cradling each other's faces, before they both arose from the rock they were sitting on, and began to walk back to the village, hoof in hoof. From a hidden vantage point behind them, a few members of the Poison Clan had just witnessed what had transpired, and quickly left to tell the others, as well as collect their winnings. The two embracing does didn't seem to notice, as they only focused on each other's company. As the pair walked together toward Jade's hut, said doe wrapped an arm around the other's shoulder bringing her companion closer. Said companion then rested her head atop of the others shoulder. As they walked to Jade's hut, they noticed several of the Poison Clan exchanging money and addressing the two lovers as their "cash does". Paying no mind to their clan sisters, both does soon arrived at the clan leaders hut. Just as Huifang was about to leave, she heard something that made her heart skip a beat.
"You know Huifang," Jade voiced, "it gets pretty lonely in this hut when it is just me. Maybe you could stay and keep me company." Looking to her newfound lover in surprise, Huifang noticed a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Unable to say no to the emerald toothed cervine, Huifang slowly nodded her head. After entering the hut, Huifang closed the door. Once that was done, she turned around to find Jade laying on her bed with a dreamy look on her face. Gulping nervously, Huifang began to slowly walk toward the bed. Noticing Huifang's nervousness, Jade sent a reassuring smile to her partner. "Don't worry," she said, "It will just be sleep, nothing more. I won't ask anything more of you until you are ready." After seeing that her new girlfriend was relaxed, Jade took both of Huifang's hooves in her own, drawing her closer. As soon as Huifang was laying on the bed, both does just lay on their sides, gazing into each other's eyes, until Jade brought her head forward to rest on her lover's chest, sighing in content as she listened to Huifang's steady breathing, as well as her smooth heartbeat. Huifang then felt Jade wrap her arms around her middle, pulling her into a loving embrace. Huifang just smiled as she wrapped one arm around Jades relaxed form, and brought a hoof to rest on top of the latter's head. Stroking her lovers head softly, Huifang bent down and gently kissed Jade's forehead, earning a small sigh of contentment from the dozing deer. Soon, both water deer fell asleep, holding each other as they had now found the one who made them whole. Jade would never admit it, but as far as "not dates" go, this one was the best.