After Dinner: Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I don't own Disney's Mulan.  I'm not making any profit by writing this story.

By: Susan

Summary: "Would you like to stay for dinner?" "Would you like to stay forever?" Whatever happened during Shang's dinner with the Fa family? Was it a quick meal or something a bit more drawn out?

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Mulan held a small bone above Little Brother's head. He barked and jumped trying to reach it. Mulan giggled as he struggled to get it. Kahn too, whinnied as he sat in the tall grass nearby. Suddenly, Little Brother jumped onto Mulan's chest. She gasped in shock, and even though he was a small dog, she flipped over and landed on her back in the dirt. Little Brother licked her face lovingly and she giggled loudly and hugged the little puppy. She stopped laughing when she heard a deeper chuckle coming from above her. She picked up Little Brother and moved him to her stomach. Little brother fell silent and they both stared up at Shang, who was standing over them.

"I, uh, sorry," Shang said blushing. "I didn't want to interrupt."

"Oh, it's alright," she said, trying to pull herself up and brush her back off at the same time.

"I, uh, let me help you," Shang said, clumsily pulling her to a standing position and brushing off her back. Mulan tried to ignore the way his hand felt on her back.

"Thank you," Mulan said sincerely, and Shang looked at the ground, not knowing what to say. There was an awkward silence.

"I, uh wanted to talk to you," Shang said softly.

"What about?" Mulan asked, trying not to notice how handsome he was. He gave her a kind smile.

"Something important," He took her hand and led her to the small Fa family ancestor shrine.

Mushu and Cri-Kee watched from the window.

"He's doing okay, huh?" he said to Cri-Kee who chirped in response.

"Some privacy," Shang said to Mulan, pulling her inside the shrine. He instantly regretted saying that, wondering if she thought he'd make a move upon her in the small shrine. He blushed a deep scarlet when he noticed she was looking at him and turned his head away. Please don't screw up, Shang told himself silently and took a deep breath.

"Uh, Mulan," Shang said, leaning against a silver headstone. "Mulan, I, uh, wanted to ask you an important question, but first I want to tell you something."

"Alright." Mulan said, perching herself upon the opposite headstone daintily. Shang stared at her beauty, then took another deep breath.

"Um, Mulan, when I found out that you weren't Ping, I was really upset. You see, I had just found out my father was dead, and that was the worst moment of my entire life. I felt like everything was lost, except all of you, my army. All of you were, um, extremely important to me, I had nobody else, really. When I, uh, found out, about you, that is, I felt like you had lied to me, I mean you had, but I took it too personally, I wanted to... I wanted to tell you that," Shang froze, more nervous than ever, though he had already let out a great deal of feelings. "On, on, the mountaintop, with the sword," He hesitated, noticing Mulan's involuntary shudder. "I'm- "

"Go ahead," Mulan said softly.

"I was never, ever going to do it," he told her quickly. "I would never do anything like that to somebody as innocent as you were. I respect you for coming into the war, though you faced death. It was an amazing thing you did, and, oh, Mulan, what I'm trying to say is, Mulan, I uh, care about you more than anything in the world. You're so important to me, and everything you've done, you've proven that you're so much more than anyone ever thought. I care about you, Mulan, and I'm glad I let that all out. Please forgive me for raising that sword above your head, I..."

"Shang, it's alright," Mulan said amazed that he had dwelled upon something that she hadn't concerned herself with. "Don't be sorry, you were just doing your job."

"My job is not to murder the innocent. My job is to defend them," he said bitterly. Mulan edged closer to him and took his hands in hers.

"Shang, it's okay." She looked up into his black eyes and noticed tears. Never in her life would she think she'd see her big, strong, captain crying. It scared her more than anything. She caressed his back softly, and he murmured his apologies once more.

"Mulan, wait," Shang said, rubbing the water from his eyes. "I asked your father this, and he said I should, um, ask you. I told you I cared about you more than anything, and it's true. Mulan, oh Mulan, please, will you..." He took her hands in his own, and bent low before her. "Mulan, will you marry me?"

Mulan's eyes widened. Her heart beat faster, and she looked at him with her disbelieving black eyes. His strong, embarrassed, face, his sad eyes, his athletic body and build. He was so handsome and amazing. She cared for him, just as much as he cared for her. But... marriage? She looked at him again, then pulled her hands out of his grasp, slipped out of the shrine, and ran out to the garden in tears.

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