Dance On Our Graves
'Will I know it?
Will I know it?
Will I know it when I see it?
Will I know it?
Will I know it when you're here?
I need you now
I need you more than ever before...'
- "Dance On Our Graves", Paper Route
"Will you come with me?"
Mei Ling was puzzled by his sudden reply. "What?"
"Come with me," Crane repeated. "Back to the Jade Palace."
She was taken back by his bluntness. "Jun, I..." she hesitated, "...I can't. I can't just leave."
"I know," he sighed, not arguing with her answer, but wanted to plead with her, hoping to change her mind. "But I don't want to leave you again. Not like the last time."
"I... I'd love to go with you," Mei Ling confessed. "But I have a duty here to protect these villagers. They need me."
He could understand that. He had a duty too, back in the Valley of Peace. To protect the citizens there. He wanted to stay with her, and he didn't want to leave her again, but he had to go back soon. Though he knew it was selfish to ask, he couldn't help it. He loved her. "I know they need you. The Valley needs me as well. But I care about you, Mei Ling, and I want to stay with you."
She was surprised by his words. That he cared for her. She knew he did, but never expected him to actually say it. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
"These last few weeks staying here with you were the best weeks of my life," he admitted, "Staying by your side while you healed... And once you did... those walks we took through the village you call home, the lunch and dinner dates... being introduced to the villagers who rightfully love and adore you..." he blushed slightly, lowering his head as he continued, "...us sitting on that lone hilltop to watch the sunset every night. Don't you remember all that?
How could she forget? Mei Ling smiled a bit at the memories, and of the one instance a few nights before when, while watching the sunset together as they had done every night those few weeks, her head came and rested upon his shoulder, and he had complied, resting his head against her head. She blushed at the memory. It's amazing what four weeks spent together could do to a pair of old friends, secret crushes. Bringing them together as if the years apart never even happened. "Of course I remember. We had a great time."
"More than just a great time," he reminded her. "I found something I never thought I'd find after I left. After thinking of you all these years and being able to see you again... The one who gave me hope..." he reached over, gently grabbing her paw in his wing. "...I found something while reuniting with you after all those years apart."
"You found what?"
"Confidence," he replied quietly. "I found the confidence I needed all these years to tell you the one thing that I've always wanted to tell you, but was to shy and scared to actually tell you face-to-face when I had the chance."
Mei Ling stared at him, searching his face for an answer. Her instincts told her that she might already know where he was going with this; what he was going to say. She leaned in, growing anxious. "To tell me what?"
Crane took in a deep breath, preparing himself. Here it goes. "How much I love you," he blurted out. Suddenly his heart slowed to a regular, steady beat and his breathing went normal. He finally said it. Those three words, 'I love you'. They were the magic words to release him from the regret of never having told her before when they had the chance all those years before. It was like a heavy weight was lifted off him. Though a brave warrior of the Furious Five, he no longer felt like a coward for never having told her before.
Mei Ling's breath nearly got caught in her throat. She never heard those words from a man before. From family sure, but by a man? Someone other than blood? She didn't know what to say, or how to respond.
"I love you," he repeated. "I've always had a crush on you, but over the years and in just these last few weeks we've shared after so many years apart... I realized that I need you. I need you more than ever, Mei Ling, because I love you."
He nearly held his breath as he waited for an answer, searching her stunned expression, her widened eyes, for an answer. He suddenly realized he wasn't sure how he'd feel if she rejected him.
His nervous self came back as his cheeks turned red, his eyes breaking their gaze. He let go of her paw, staring at the floor. "I-I'll understand if you don't feel the same. It's just that you were always to special to me, a-and you had such a kind heart. You believed in me when others wouldn't, and-"
Half way through his fast-spoken blabbing, Mei Ling immediately came up to him, pressing her lips against his beak. It took him a long moment to realize what was happening, having been mentally taken over by the assumption that Mei Ling may not have felt the same way for him. But when he realized that she was actually leaning up against him, arms wrapped around him with her lips tightly pressed against his beak, he could have sworn he heard the spirits singing in triumph. Then, he heard Mantis again; It feels good doesn't it?
Extremely good, Crane responded, closing his eyes as he wrapped his wings against Mei Ling, pulling her carefully against him, still being mindful of her still-healing stomach injury; the stab wound that almost took her life.
I am in heaven. He gave in to his temptations, kissing her back. I can't believe this is actually happening!
It was odd and unfamiliar territory for the both of them, yet that warm, fuzzy feeling they felt stirring inside their chests reminded them that they wanted more. They remained standing there in the middle of her room, engrossed in their embrace and locked lips, with their bodies entangled in warmth and secret pleasure. They tried to make it last as long as they could, savoring every moment as though it were their last.
And Crane knew, -after he and Mei Ling finally, slowly pulled apart, looking into her eyes filled with love, longing and just a hint of sadness,- that this could very well be the last time.
But when Mei Ling, still lightly pressed up against him, finally whispered those three words back, "I love you...", he felt a strong possibility that maybe, just maybe, this might not be the last time.
Only time would tell.
A/N: Just a follow-up story to my other Crane/Mei Ling story, "I Had To Find You", that I wrote because I'm kinda in a Crane/Mei Ling kick right now and wanted to write more for them. After Crane comes to Mei Ling's aid in the first one-shot, she heals with his help, and is able to walk again. The two spend a month together in the village where Mei Ling is stationed as the protector, and Crane finally finds the courage to tell her how he really feels all those years, right before he knows that he has to go back to the Valley. Ending is up to you in interpret.
I hope you enjoyed it! :)
Please review!