"Oh! I'm never going to get this right!"
Bang! A rolling pin hit the counter in frustration. A dainty pair of hands, covered in flour, started to smush uncooked pie crust into uneven strips.
Chun Li was hardly beaten by anything except this. This was just the hardest, most difficult action in the entire world!
"I'm an awful wife." She bemoaned, pitiful as could be, "The worst wife in the world."
The young twenty-something slumped to the floor, defeated as flour caked every surface. Thoughts of how her loving beau would come home and be disappointed about the fact that Chun Li couldn't cook or bake to save her life.
Of course, her wonderful husband of one month, Mikheil, wasn't actually like that. He'd probably help her up and soothe her with some hot tea and cookies. Might even spoil her with an expensive gift to wipe away her tears.
"Why did he even marry me? I can't even cook or bake!" Chun Li mumbled, staring up at the ceiling, "Oh...I messed up so bad…"
God, she was so pathetic as she felt sorry for herself. She used to be an Interpol detective for Pete's sake! Strongest Woman in the World and gifted martial artist!
Now Chun Li couldn't even get this housewife thing down…
A housewife. She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling grains of flour fall out. A beautiful, loving housewife to a man she only knew for three months.
What a life she lived.
A ringtone started to play. Some jaunty little pop tune about a man bringing sexy back.
Chun Li hastily grabbed her phone, "Baby?"
"Hi, darling. I just got out of work. You wouldn't believe the day I had... everything alright, love? You sound out of breath."
"I'm fine! Just making dinner!" She quickly assured him, pressing the receiver close to her ear, "Are you coming home?"
"Of course, my dear wife. I wouldn't be able to stay away."
Chun Li felt warm and fuzzy, giggling softly, "I'll miss you until you come home."
"I miss you too. I'm a lucky man."
Her cheeks flushed, scanning over the messy counter and flour ridden marble tops, "Uh huh. Sure. Love you."
"I'll prove it when I get home. I better start driving, honey. The traffic is awful. Love you."
Chun Li heard the phone click, swelling her heart with joy.
Mikheil. Her heart melted a little. The love of her life. The man who got her to give up everything.
Chun Li couldn't really describe how she got here. One minute, she's hunting down Shadaloo and facing down the feared M. Bison. Squaring off in an isolated field with nothing but the wind.
The next minute, Bison bullrushes her into a coma and broken bones. She's barely coherent when she does wake up. Her memory becomes hazy. Even lost.
Chun Li can't remember the next few days. Between the concussion and drugs, she barely hangs on by a sliver. Everything is falling apart. She starts falling into a deep abyss and can't get out.
Then, like a prayer... Mikheil.
She doesn't remember exactly how they met. Just that Mikheil was at her bedside, holding her hand. Helping her remember the time. Her life. Chun Li confesses quite frequently to him that she cannot recall him at first.
Mikheil is kind. And patient. Loving, even.
He tells her that he had an intensive surgery and was at the hospital for a while. Perks of getting old, he called it.
He convinces the doctors to move him to her room.
Then, the two start to talk as if they had known each other forever. Sharing memories. Laughs. Inside jokes.
Mikheil told Chun Li that he ran an accounting firm in Manhattan. He lived alone in his bachelor apartment and never married. No children.
"Do you want children?" Chun Li asks hopefully.
"One day." Mikheil smiles knowingly, "With the woman of my dreams."
When Chun Li is finally released, Mikheil is too. He asks her on a date, practically throwing himself at her mercy to accept.
Not that she would deny. When she got a good look at him after the hospital stay, her eyes were entranced by him.
Mikheil was taller with jet black hair and beautiful blue eyes. He had tufts of gray hair around his ears and peppered throughout his head. A strong jawline and soft crow feet around his eyes made him look so dignified and handsome.
His glasses were thick framed with metal ear pieces, fashionably square. Chun Li giggled to herself when she first saw those glasses in full use, almost jumping his bones.
And he was so strong! Muscles and taunt skin…
Mikheil stated that his job had a gym and since his surgery/rehab, he had to exercise more often. Chun Li couldn't really listen because she drooled over his tight, rolled up long sleeve shirts and vests.
He was definitely Daddy material. Exactly how Chun Li pictured a dream man, albeit with dark hair instead of blonde.
They went out a few times. Always perfect, down the flowers he would give her. Chun Li eagerly called and texted him every day (every hour, it felt like…), just to be near him.
And the sex. The sex, the sex! Mikheil could map a body better than a cartographer. The first time they made love, Chun Li had the most intense orgasms that felt like it lasted for days. She was practically his little kitten, sitting in his lap and begging for more of his body.
For an accountant, he was damn good.
In the first two weeks of dating, Mikheil pleaded with her to move in with him. He said he loved her so much that he couldn't bear another second.
Chun Li agreed first out of necessity. Interpol had fired her for being unable to work in the field due to her substantial injuries and failed investigation, something she was already risking. It was strange how fast Interpol tossed her out...
So income wasn't coming in anymore. Mikheil swooped in and rescued her.
Turns out, his accounting firm was the largest in the city with clients all over the world. So wealth and status were backdrops to him.
Chun Li couldn't say no to that, especially desperate. So she moved her things into his home. At first, she wanted to be like roommates with separate rooms.
Mikheil convinced her otherwise, namely with his smile and charming words as he made her a mess in his bed after a long night of lovemaking.
"So you're going to sleep in my bed, correct?" His words whispered in her ear as he kissed her earlobe, "And nowhere else?"
"Yes, yes…" Chun Li mewled, "Nowhere else…"
The apartment was littered with pictures of them. Even in a short time they've been together, Chun Li and Mikheil took tons of pictures together.
Her two favorite ones was the day of their wedding at the chapel and the other was the two sharing an ice cream pop.
Chun Li had known that marrying Mikheil was foolish but she couldn't help herself. After just a month, he asked her to be his wife and frankly, Chun Li wasn't getting any younger.
Plus, aside from being gorgeous and perfect, Mikheil deeply cared for her and she felt the same way.
Now she was a little spoiled housewife, spending her days in a Manhattan high rise apartment and shopping. While Chun Li often protested Mikheil spending on her, he insisted that she take his luxury.
"I work enough for both of us. You can stay home and take care of the place since I am gone so much." Mikheil stated. For some reason, that made perfect sense to Chun Li.
So Chun Li was determined to make a beautiful home and relaxation for him. She cleaned the home, scrubbed his socks, and dolled up her body for him. She would never greet him in sloppy sweatpants and stained tops! The least she could do was be beautiful for his tired eyes after a day of work.
Chun Li never went too crazy. She always felt guilty, even when Mikheil assured her that this was what he wanted. But there were things that she started to impulse buy and Mikheil was always very encouraging.
Mainly, she was buying clothes and lingerie.
Today, however, Chun Li went out and bought the last thing he expected: cooking supplies. Chun Li was determined to make him a delicious dinner. Meatloaf with greens and Mikheil's favorite dessert, apple pie.
However, Chun Li found the apple pie almost impossible. The recipe and video she was watching simply wasn't making sense!
Frowning, she placed her hands back on the dough before she heard a knock at the door. Curious, Chun Li opened it.
"Chun Li!"
Her neighbor below her and good friend, Tháng Tám (or Tammy as Chun Li calls her) waved at her.
Tammy and Chun Li had met on the first day that the latter moved in, becoming fast friends. After all, Tammy had brought freshly baked cookies and a smile so how could Chun Li not love that?
The young woman lived with her girlfriend, Suki. At least, Chun Li reckoned the two were dating. They were always together…
"Everything okay, Tammy?" Chun Li queried, trying to hide her mess, "I hope I didn't cause too much of a ruckus."
"Everything is great!" Her neighbor said, "I was wondering if you and Mikheil would like to come over tomorrow for some wine and cheese?"
"Oh! If Mikheil is off…" The wife of the household replied, musing it over, "We'd love to!"
"Great!" Tammy said, "I'll let Suki know. Are you...doing okay?"
Chun Li rubbed her head, chuckling uneasily, "Yeah...everything is fine. I was just...uh, cooking?"
"Cooking?" Tammy peeked over at all the flour, "That kind of looks...interesting. Do you need any help? Maybe some...cooking lessons?"
The Chinese woman rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, "I don't need that. Have some faith in me. I know how to cook."
"Uh huh. Right." Her friend surveyed Chun Li's flour-ridden outfit, "I can go fetch a pie from the store. All you have to do is put it in the oven. Hell, there's pies where you don't even have to do that."
Chun Li frowned, going back to her doughy destruction, "It'll bake real good! I promise!"
"What'll bake real good?" A deep voice rumbled from the doorway as Tammy jumped a little. Soon, a tall man wearing a suit and jacket entered and her friend stood aside, looking down at the ground as if in shame.
"Oh!" Chun Li threw her arms out as if to keep the dinner a surprise, "I thought you were stuck in traffic, Mikheil! I didn't expect you so soon!"
"It let up around…" Her husband trailed off, "...Is that flour? Or paste?"
The young wife dropped her arms in surrender, slumping forward, "Yes…"
"Well, I'll let you two at it. See you tomorrow!" Tammy waved good-bye, hurrying off. Mikheil nodded at her and shut the door, locking the deadbolts. He loosened his tie a little and took off his jacket, wrapping his arms behind a messy little spouse.
"How was work?" Chun Li asked, feeling him hug her tight.
"Good. I landed a big account today." Mikheil replied, his words slightly muffled, "Should really increase some revenue. Took some finagling but the client came around to my side of things. Your husband is a damn good negotiator."
She patted his cheek, "Aw. He's the best. That's why I married him. He convinced me to."
"That's a good idea." Her husband said, "After the big account, I'll get some little fish for awhile. Everyone is going to want to join up. That'll keep me busy for a few months. How was your day, my lovely little Chun Li?"
"It was fine, honey. I didn't do much." Chun Li answered, shifting her weight a little in her heels, "Just went shopping and...oh! I told Tammy we'd come over for cheese and wine tomorrow. You're going to be here, won't you?"
"Of course." Mikheil agreed, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Though, I don't know what I'm going to do when you girls start gabbing about stuff…"
Chun Li gave him a look, "We do not gab about stuff."
He rolled his eyes, letting her go as he opened the fridge for a drink. Chun Li took a quick glance at his bottom when he bent over, blushing a little as he stood back up with a beer in his hand.
"Yes, you do." Mikheil sighed, "You gab about makeup and hair and deals you found at the store...if you really drink some wine, you start talking about sex and dating…"
"I only talk about sex when I'm bragging about you, my strong and sexy man." Chun Li said, putting her hands around his neck, "And I do it to make the other girls jealous of what I have. Which is a lot."
His grin was apparent across his face as Mikheil dipped over, holding her close again as he set down his drink.
"I missed you, sweetheart," He buried his head into her neck, swaying her a little, "Damn, you look good like this. I'd lick you clean if I could."
Chun Li rolled her eyes, playfully batting him a little, "Oh stop. I'm a wreck."
Mikheil laid firm kisses on her neck, tightening his grip on her hips, "Baby, I can't imagine a single thing that would make you look unsexy. You know, I've been thinking about you all day long…"
"Oh?" She said, running her hand down his hair, "You think you can just walk in the door and try to seduce me…?"
"Yes, I absolutely do." Mikheil said as his hot breath played on her cheek, "You know, I keep a picture of you on my desk."
Chun Li blushed a little at his manly purr, feeling a tingly sensation in her toes. Thoughts of last night fleeted across her mind as Mikheil groped her thighs a little, cupping her posterior in his hands. A little wine and some sweet-talking in her ear wound up becoming some rope bondage and...
"Oh yeah?" She responded, letting him kiss lower on her neck, "Is it a naughty picture?"
"Mm. I wish." Her loving husband said, "Just a cute little picture of you. Every man in my office looks at that picture and says how lucky I am to have such a hot wife. Why, they even tell me that I'm a lot nicer after marrying you...as if you soften me up."
The former detective closed her eyes, feeling his hands slide under her skirt, "It's probably because you're so relaxed after all...of...the lovemaking...we have…"
"Baby, you have no idea." Mikheil purred, "You've been on my mind all day, my little minx, and I am just aching for your body. I just can't help myself. But I think I can be a little...meaner tonight. Hm? Pull your hair, pin you down, and have you all to myself…?"
Chun Li giggled, "Mikheil, I need to cook."
"I can last for two weeks without food. I can't last another minute without your body." He objected, swaying his hips against hers, "Don't deny a man needing his bride in his own castle."
His hand slipped down the front of her skirt before Chun Li stopped him.
"Hey, hey…" She whined, "I need to finish this...it was your surprise…if we make love again, we're just going to wind up ordering out…"
"Sacrifices must be made." Mikheil teased before Chun Li shushed him.
Her body leaned in real close to him, staring up at his beautiful eyes behind his glasses. She felt mesmerized by his presence, as if she could fall into his embrace forever. Mikheil was the only man she knew that had that effect on her.
"Let me finish, clean up, and afterwards, you can have me in bed for hours." She offered a compromise and Mikheil sighed, giving her a kiss on the lips.
"Deal, my love. But I get to do one thing." He said as Chun Li looked quizzical.
"What, honey?" She asked and before she knew it, she felt a firm slap on her rear. Chun Li rolled her eyes, breaking away from his embrace as he smirked to himself. She reckoned that Mikheil felt pretty proud of himself for that one.
"You're such a horndog." She claimed, fixing her skirt, "I'm surprised you don't come home on your lunch breaks and ravish me."
Mikheil leaned against the counter before feeling the flour stick to his hands. Annoyed, he brushed it off on a dishtowel.
"Believe me, I've thought about it." He said, cleaning off the powdery mess, "If the traffic wasn't so bad in New York, I would come home every lunch hour to ravish you. But alas. Foiled by the meager transportation jams this city has to offer…"
"You could take the subway." Chun Li suggested, starting to wipe off the counter, "Or the bus."
Mikheil scoffed, "Darling, one cannot get in the intimate mood by taking a subway or bus. I'd be too busy worrying about getting mugged or catching the flu on those disgusting rails. No, no, I need to be fantasizing about it on my way home while steadily increasing my speed to somewhat unlawful levels."
She laughed, feeling him sweep her up in his arms again. One passionate kiss later and Chun Li felt a little lightheaded. She collapsed into the safest place possible against his broad chest as he stroked her hair.
The woman had no idea what she did to deserve such a fairytale husband.
"So…" Mikheil started, "What were you trying to make, anyway?"
"I tried to make you apple pie…" Chun Li sighed, defeated as the flour mess was over the counter, "But... it's harder than it looks.".
Mikheil smiled, kissing her doughy ear, "I'm sure I'll love it. Besides, it only smells a little burned."
Chun Li looked confused, "But...I...oh God! The meatloaf!"
She bolted to the oven, throwing open the door. Black smoke billowed out, forcing her to cough as she threw the ruined mess on the stove. Mikheil cautiously came up, hiding his cough.
"Maybe we can carve around the burned part." He suggested, seeing Chun Li bury her hands in her face.
"Oh no...I didn't take anything else out…" She bemoaned, "I'm sorry. I thought I did everything…"
He smiled, pulling her into his arms, "But my favorite meal in the entire world is crispy meatloaf. I think it's perfect."
She brightened, "Really?!"
A tender kiss on the head, "Of course. Let's eat dinner. I'm famished."
Chun Li couldn't believe how happy seeing her new husband eat her food made her but she was beaming brightly. Mikheil ate without complaint, practically serene in his meal, and she couldn't stop feeling overjoyed.
She did notice that he was alternating between water and his alcoholic drink but she thought perhaps he was trying to drink less.
Everything about Mikheil was so utterly perfect. Chun Li never had much luck in love before him and she was just astonished that she managed to wind up with such a great guy, especially after a short period of time.
But even though she felt happy and her marriage was happy, something felt missing. Like a deep, dark crack under the surface. Sometimes, Chun Li could ignore the crack and live on with the rest of her day but other days…
Other days, it felt unbearable. She felt like she was doing something wrong, that she was screwing up her whole life somehow. That something, something bad was going to happen.
Chun Li had confided her fears with Mikheil and he assured her that she just had anxiety. Probably from her work as an Interpol detective and all the trauma associated with it. He suggested counseling multiple times but every time she tried, the appointment always fell through.
Of course, she knew what the source of her trauma was. The one called...
"I checked on the house, darling. The home should be finished building within a month or so. We can start moving soon and packing everything up." Mikheil said, making her stir out of her thoughts.
The paleness of her face seemed surprised, "Oh...but I like living here...we have friends…"
"They can come visit us. We're not moving far." Mikheil reminded her, "Won't you like not having to go up 45 floors every day? Backyard? You can even have your mediation studio like we've talked about."
Chun Li faltered a bit, "Yes but...I like the neighborhood and…everything is so close by..."
Mikheil touched her hand, "There's a lot of changes you've had to live with. I understand your fear. After this one, no more. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
She blushed, "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart. Now," Mikheil threw his napkin on his meal, "Let's go take a shower and get you cleaned up. I think your clothes are just absolutely ruined so we should throw them away and keep you naked…"
His suggestion wound up being a perfect one, as usual. When Mikheil is given an inch, he gives a mile and he certainly showed Chun Li all of that. Her clothes became scattered across the apartment floor leading up the bathroom, along with Mikheil's clothes, and after some foreplay in the shower, the two ended up entangled in their marital bed.
After a while, they laid in bed to catch their breath. Chun Li blissfully snuggled up against him, sighing with contentment.
"Is there anything you can't do?" She inquired playfully.
Mikheil appeared to think about it before saying, "To this day, I still have no idea how to fold a fitted sheet."
Chun Li rolled her eyes, "I can't marry a man who doesn't know how to fold a fitted sheet."
"Good thing I didn't tell you until after it was legal." He snickered, winking at her. Chun Li pushed his head away before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him.
After a moment of silence, Mikheil brushed his lips against her forehead. She watched him watch her, feeling that mesmerized aura all over again. God above, he was such a good-looking man!
"So…" He trailed off, "You think that did it?"
"Did what?" Chun Li queried.
"You know…" Mikheil gestured with his hand slightly, "Got you...gifted with a child."
Chun Li scoffed with exaggeration, letting her mouth gape, "Jeeze! Been married a month and you're already trying to get me pregnant!"
He propped his head up with his arm, stroking her hip outline, "Babe, I've been trying since I first laid eyes on you. Could you blame me? I want to lock this all down. No escape."
She shifted her weight a little, twisting up her hair above her head to get some cool air on her neck. Mikheil reached out and stroked her cheek, smiling to himself as Chun Li played right into his clever hands.
"So I'm guessing you want to start trying for a family." Her teasing words made him cock his head slightly.
"Of course." Mikheil said, dragging his eyes across her naked body, "The very idea of you carrying my child...oof. That is a huge turn-on. Having my baby and watching you raise my kid? So sexy that I hurt myself. Just making babies? Definitely the hottest thing I've heard all year."
Chun Li traced the outline of his muscles on his chest, blushing like mad. She had no doubt in her mind that Mikheil could smooth-talk her into having more babies than she could count but she wanted to be reasonable first.
"Let's get settled into our marriage and new home before we try." She suggested, kissing him on the nose, "We shouldn't rush things."
"I know. Let's be responsible." Mikheil mimicked a higher pitched voice before returning to his normal tone, "But we can still work for a baby in the meantime, can't we? It'll be awhile before a kid gets here and by the time it does, we would have settled and kicked up our feet."
The young housewife stroked his strong jawline, "Let's take it easy. If it happens, it happens, but let's not focus on our energy on that right now."
He sighed, "You're right. I have plenty of time to knock you up. No need to rush. But just say the word, darling, and I will service you every hour on the hour."
"God, you're such a nerd." Chun Li muttered, "How did I wind up with such a hunky, strong, math nerd like you?"
He seemed very pleased with himself, "It's a gift. I wowed you with my mental long division and strong pectoral muscles."
"You didn't wow me with your mental math, buddy," Chun Li corrected him, making him raise an eyebrow, "You pestered me with it is more like it."
"Oh really?" Mikheil blew a raspberry, "I bet I can wow you right now."
"No, you can't." She insisted.
"Prove it. Give me a problem." He inched closer to her face, almost mockingly, "And I'll wow the pants right off you. If you were still wearing pants, that is."
Chun Li rolled her eyes, rolling over a little before saying, "Fine. Ugh. 54 divided by 9."
"That's too easy!" Mikheil complained, "It's 6. Give me a hard one. I promise I'll totally amaze you. If I don't amaze you, then I'll do the dishes for six weeks."
Chun Li perked up a little, "Promise?"
He stuck out his pinky, wiggling it at her, "Promise, dear."
She thought about it for a moment before capturing his pinky with hers, "Deal. Okay. Uh...8456..3...84563 divided by...19."
"84563 divided by 19? You sure? You positive?" Mikheil teased her before Chun Li playfully smacked him.
"Can you do it or what?" She taunted him, "Or are you all talk for six weeks straight?"
"Certainly. 445.06." Her husband answered, "If you rounded up, it'd be 445.07 but we're not rounding up today so we don't have to worry."
Chun Li tried to picture it before hitting a mental brick wall. Her mind couldn't imagine numbers that high, let alone divide that high. Her husband was a hell of a genius to do something like that so quickly. She blew some hot air and Mikheil pulled her towards him as he winked at her.
"I turned you on a little bit, didn't I?" He said in a low voice, "This math nerd made you a little aroused, didn't he? Come on, baby, it's still dark out…"
"You're not getting laid over some mental math party trick." Chun Li protested, feeling him kiss her deeply, "You're...just...so…"
With that, her words melted away and they resumed their lovemaking, hardly caring an ounce that the dishes were left in the sink and dirty clothes were on the floor. All that mattered was their bodies loving each other as a man and wife should be loved.