"So, have you met my parents yet?"
These few words, simple yet frightning, brought a particular sense of dread into a very particular bird. His eyes narrowed in deep thought, desperately searching for the right words that could placate the clear expectancy of his beloved partner.
A deep sigh escaped his beak, he simply could not think his way out of the predicament without truly upsetting someone that was so close to him. Her presence at his side, despite usually welcoming and comforting, now generated nothing but great apprehension into his very soul.
Every since he became a respected student of the academy, his life took into unexpected twists. His more adventurous lifestyle was a pleasant surprise, but nothing could have prepared him for his deep affections towards another particular student. One who rose above all not only regarding skills, but with such gentleness and kindness that no one would ever be able to match. A student that he fell deeply in love with.
Now here they are, after the most awkward weeks of their lifes, spending a lot of their time together, either while training or simply traveling across the land nearby during their free time.
Crane, the janitor of Lee Da, now a prodigy student, dating the star pupil of the academy, Mei Ling.
His head would spin every time he thought about it. The changes felt so quick every time he relieved the memories. What started few months ago seemed like just few days back.
A smile plastered across his face, momentarily forgetting his mate at his side, as he took his time to appreciate all the unbelievable changes that occurred. The feeling of happiness that dared to overwhelm him nearly drove him away from the present dilemma that surfaced.
Before he could think further, he answered bluntly.
"Yeah, cause your parents would love to know you're dating a bird."
He didn't mean to come off as sarcastic, but judging the way the mountain cat rolled her eyes, he could tell he did a poor job at it.
"There you go again. I told you it's not a big deal. My parents are a lot more understanding than you're willing to believe."
Crane wished he could actually take her words to the heart, but countless previous past experiences with other people, especially in regards to lesser things like friendship attempts or even basic market visits, told him a different story.
"I know Mei, it's just... it's hard to forget." He apologized. His wings grasping the broom with unnecessary atrenght.
The fact he was an academy student didn't deter him from old cleaning habits. Sweeping the floors late at night was still one of his favorite pastimes. It was somewhat soothing and helped him focus on his thoughts more clearly.
Mei Ling, despite find this habit a bit odd, decided to join him in his late swepts. The mere sight of the star pupil sweeping dirty wooden floors on late nights nearly drove the Grandmaster crazy. It took days to convince him to let her go back into perform such menial tasks with her boyfriend.
"I know it is." She whispered softly, understanding the bird's anxiety in regards to such social interactions. "Just give them a chance, okay? I can make up for you later on." She added with a cheeky grin on her face. Crane couldn't help the devious smile that grew on his beak.
"Is that a promise? Part of me wonders if you actually will live up to it. Or if I will live through meeting your parents. I just hope they don't decide to roast me on a campfire for the novelty of it." He joked.
"Hu- Crane! That's not funny!" She complained loudly, although the smile on her face took away any possibility of anger on his poor attempt at humour. "Besides, I would never let them hurt you! You know I love you too much."
Crane felt his heart fluttering. The way she spoke those words drove him into a sense of awe that nothing would ever be able to match.
"I love you too, Mei." He replied, his wings leaving the broom on a nearby wall, he embraced her into a tight hug, craning his neak around hers, feeling the warmth of her fur as he enveloped her into his very being.
Mei Ling remained quiet. She was too busy enjoying the moment to actually care to say anything. No words were needed in moments like this, nor for the past weeks.
From the many people she met in her life, Crane stood out of from everyone. His mannerisms, shy compliments, and dork reactions were just so unbelievable attractive to her, she simply couldn't put into words everything she felt about his person.
It never occurred to her the complications that would follow *once* they started dating. For her it was always a matter of time, not just a possibility. There was no other in her life that she fantasized being together with. No matter what species they were.
The other students usually would pretend they never saw the couple hanging out together. Mei Ling knew many of them were envy of Crane for being with her, some way more than they should. The mountain cat did not hesitate to clung her staff over some hardheaded folks.
Crane himself had to shy away from the heated inquiries from his colleagues, many of who would've never bothered talking with him before the academy trials. He couldn't find words to defend himself from the speciest attacks that he suffered on the first week. For days they tried to plant the seed of doubt on his head, trying to making him feel worthless of having someone like Mei Ling. How wrong and much of a taboo it was.
But Crane never faltered. He stood his ground and dismissed the provocations. Yet, he was deeply hurt by their insistence, from people that should be his friends. Crane's late visits at Mei Ling's dorm were more frequent as the week went by, and so were the times he cried on her arms in despair. It broke her heart to see him suffering so much because of their relationship.
But after struggles for days, and several broken bones (courtesy of Mei Ling), the hostility towards him decreased tremendously. Crane could breath in relief that he no longer had to fear going to the training grounds, or the bathrooms.
They were together now, and those who didn't approve of it would suffer her wrath.
Except in one particular case...
"But speaking in all seriousness now." Crane spoke quietly, his eyes closed, relaxed with their current proximity. "What if they don't approve of me? What if they forbid you from staying with me? They are your parents, Mei. I simply wouldn't be able to stand up for myself. Their decision must be respected. You know that."
Mei Ling remained silent. Her hands gently stroking his feathered back, enjoying the softness he provided.
"Besides, if mother could see me right now." Crane snorted. "The only thing she would complain about was me doing Kung Fu. She would freak out, but at least my heart rests assured she approve of us."
"Hmmm, and how can you be so sure?" Mei Ling couldn't help the curiosity about such confident statement. Crane shrugged his wings slightly.
"I told her about us." He said with a mischievous grin on his beak. Mei Ling's eyes opened in shock, gasping at the unexpected revelation. She partially released herself from the embrace, looking into Crane's half lidded eyes for any hint of deception.
"Are you serious?" He nodded. "What did she say?"
He placed a wing at the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his that the cat found extremely endearing, but she quickly removed the wing away and stroked the area with her own hand. He smiled sheepishly at her gesture.
"Well, you know her. Always getting worried over me about everything. It's like she thinks I'm gonna break like an empty jar or something." Mei Ling chuckled at the comparison.
Crane was anything but fragile. Mei Ling has bruises from some of their training sessions to prove it. The bird was always awfully apologetic whenever he hit her harder than usual. It took him a lot of convincing to stop worrying about hurting her during training. Pain was a natural outcome in the process of learning, he had to accept this and move on. He improved on that regard, but he couldn't stop himself from staring regretfully whenever he scored a critical hit on her. Mei Ling found increasingly difficult to share this sentiment since Crane was incredibly frustrating to land a hit on.
He always would try to make up for the bruises later on, either by softly caressing over her wounded areas or rubbing her muscles whenever she felt sore. The amount of blushes this caused was nothing short of impressive.
"But... it was strange. When I told her about you, and that we were together. She seemed so... huh, how can I explain? Happier than usual ? No... calmer?... Yes, she was... so less stressed out about me all of sudden. I couldn't tell exactly why. I asked her about it. She just laughed and said how wonderful it was that I have found someone to look after me. I guess it was pretty much self explanatory."
Mei Ling nodded, internally pleased that Crane's mother was so positive about their relationship. Perhaps she saw in Mei Ling someone strong enough to protect her son and keep him away from trouble.
She was partially right in her assumption.
"Well. At least it's great news. Just be hopeful of my parents. I understand if you're worried, but don't forget they love me too. I don't mean to sound manipulative, but you make me so happy Crane, would they really take that away from me?" She asked humorously. "Once they see how well we are doing together, who knows?"
But to counter Mei Ling's usual optimism, there was Crane with his pessimistic view. Even if he would claim it was more about being realistic.
"And if they don't?" Crane felt like repeating a previous inquiry of his. "If they tell you to leave me? Then what?"
Mei Ling felt her smile falter for a second, the thought of it wasn't something that never crossed her mind, she just didn't want to think too hard about that scary possibility. The fact she wasn't an actual adult yet slammed into her with the strenght of a infuriated Rhino. Both her and Crane were about to reach adulthood, but such was months from happening. Mei Ling was still under care of her parents, she lives under their roof until she could get old enough to move after her dreams, being at the academy these last two years only gave her an idea of what life would be away from home.
Even if she reached adulthood and moved away, her parents still would maintain a major influence on her life, and the thought of marriage and offspring hammered into her thoughts like a wave of nausea. She never discussed with her parents about having a mate, they always insisted for her to focus on her career and make the best out of the academy. She dreamt of becoming a great warrior when she grew older. She heard amazing things from the locals and traveling merchants about the reforming of the legendary Furious Five. Word was being said that the great Oogway was traveling across China in search of the mightiest warriors to form a new Five.
This could be the chance of a lifetime. The mere possibility of Grandmaster Oogway coming to Waterfall Valley was enough to set her parents on a desperate need to see her daughter succeed at Lee Da the quickest possible. With that desperate attempt the moutain cat knew it was only a matter of time until they found out about Crane.
"No matter what happens. We will stay together, right?" She asked, giving him a solemn look. The bird returned the gesture.
"I promise, " He gently placed a wing over her chest, his eyes held with determination and dignity. "No matter what happens, we will stay together."
The cat couldn't help the strong bolt of affection that overwhelmed her. Snuggling her head onto his neck, purring softly as she gently rubbed her cheek on it. Crane smiled, his face flushing while he caressed the back of her neck. This wasn't the first time that they got comfortable near the other.
The more they grew together, the more curious they got about their particularities. Mei Ling was often curious about what he looked like without pants, something that Crane avoided taking off whenever she was near. The mountain cat had no issue taking off her clothes at any given time whenever she's in her room. Although the day she did that, with Crane still in the room, the bird panicked so much he jumped out of the window and splattered at the ground beneath. The event embarrassed him for days and he only started to visit her dorm again during the backlash of their relationship.
She often showed her curiosity about his anatomy. Whether by exploring the softness of his wings, the smoothness of his neck, or the shape of his pointed beak. Crane was antsy whenever she touched his legs. She couldn't tell if he was worried about the touch itself or her thoughts on the thin appendages that he was often mocked about. She was surprised to discover his feet, which were extremely sized if compared with his legs, had pads on them, something she expected only mammals would have. She liked the feeling of rubbing his pads, the touch itself making the bird shudder in delight and somewhat relief. Mei Ling could only imagine how much stress he put onto his legs on a daily basis, especially considering that the bird usually sleeps standing over a leg.
Their bond grew so strong these last few days, but now they were presented with one more obstacle to come, one that only words would be able to fight through. Crane, while never into much of a religious person silently prayed, to whatever entity that was watching over them, that things would work out.
"So, when are we meeting them?"
"Oh, huh. Tomorrow."
"WHAT?!""
Crane couldn't belt the gigantic pit of anxiety burning deep into his very being. He sight of Mei Ling's house, a shape he was familiar with, just reenacted that wariness he wished he couldn't ignore.
Deep down some part of him resented this idea, and another even deeper part of him was just terrified of what he was getting himself into.
It seemed that, after months of revealing a lot about herself, Mei Ling failed to mention she was part of the wealthiest family of the entire province!
The sight of the gigantic house, standing proudly on top of the Wu Xan mountain, brought memories from his childhood. Crane remembered how often the Wang family was highly spoken about by the townsfolk. Their decision to move to Waterfall Valley a few generations back was one of the main reasons the area was of such high importance for a variety of different merchants and scholars. The economy in the area prospered immensely along the years, which made possible that Lee Da was constructed. The school was a response to the increasing criminal activities that followed the economic expansion of the province.
Crane heard about the Wang family, but never heard of what species they belonged or if any family member even traveled across the valley at any ocassion. It blew his mind to think that Mei Ling came from such place. People often regarded the wealth folk as arrogant, egotistical and prideful, that they would often judge themselves above the lesser fortunate.
Crane realized that such rumours probably were a huge exaggeration from bitter jealousy. Mei Ling was nothing of any of those terrible adjectives. She wasn't a bird, but a phoenix in her own right.
Yet, the fact that he was about to meet the most powerful people in his homeland did little to ease his nerves. He felt about to explode from the pressure of the event itself.
He felt indecent, despite using a rather fancy set of silver pants that Mei bought him early this morning. She also bought him a small amount of golden rings for his legs, and even a nice ornament to attach to his straw hat. He initially didn't understand where she had gotten the money to buy such things, but now it all made sense.
Mei Ling was extremely prideful of her clothing choices. She admired Crane's new visual with a expressive burning desire that unnerved him. He also felt awful she spent so much on him when he had nothing to offer in return. He voiced his concerns during their walk up the road to Mei's house.
Mei Ling quickly disregarded his concerns, getting somewhat upset for him to think he offered nothing. She argued her opinions with such passion, saying that Crane himself was the most precious thing she could ever hope for, the bird had to fight the urge to kiss her at that very moment. His resolve towards their relationship solidifying to the shape of a diamond.
A diamond that cracked and shattered slowly, being reduced to nothing but sparkling dust particles, as soon Crane found himself atop of Wu Xan. All his confidence on making a solid first impression evaporated.
He stopped few meters away from the main entrance, his legs shaking so much that one would think they could break at any moment. His breathing picking up on an abnormal rhythm. Something that Mei Ling quickly took notice and acted upon.
There were only few cases that Crane had a bad case of hyperventilation, and in each of these cases Mei Ling came to his aid with a rather unorthodox manner of stabilizing his lungs.
To anyone looking from afar it would seem that the bird and the cat were kissing, but looking closely it was possible to see the intent behind their movements. Crane knew the tricks for calming his hyper attacks, but the way Mei Ling exchanged her breath with his, quickly defusing a rather troublesome outcome, was addictive in a way he couldn't explain.
He tapped her arm lightly to indicate he was calmed enough for the moment. She slowly broke their mouth lock, gasping lightly for fresh air once they were separated.
"Okay... I really think we should plan more throughly." Crane said after a short pause, adjusting his straw hat to a more horizontal position. Mei Ling crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
"And what do you have in mind?" She asked, seemingly uncertain of changing any of the approaches they planned the previous night.
"Hmmm, do we really have to introduce me as your mate? I mean, it's quite sudden and we don't know what to expect. Why we don't try the friendship approach instead? They get to know me without having any reason to be biased of my person. We can get along now, if things work out it will be harder for them to dismiss it later on. When you tell them we are dating they will have a harder time changing opinions."
Mei Ling bit her lip apprehensively. Crane's idea had its merits, although it felt wrong somewhat. She didn't like the idea of lying to her parents, nor luring them into a social corner. Yet, the chances of them rejecting Crane would be way lower if the couple revealed things slowly.
"Fine, but this means we have to keep physical contact to a minimum. My parents ain't the touchy feely type either." She warned before turning around towards the main door. Crane followed her at a timid pace. His eyes scanning vigorously at each closed window. The gigantic structure, skillfully crafted with ornamental decoration, just instilled him a great amount of anxiety.
Mei Ling knocked on the door with the subtlety of a goat head butting a giant piece of rock. The amount of noise her knocking caused was surprisingly ressonant across the vastly open property.
The muffled sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the giant wooden door.
"Who is this? This is not the time for visi-
"It's me Fao Mi. I came with a friend." Mei Ling announced after a quick chuckle. She recognized the disgruntled voice right away.
L-Lady Mei Ling?! Of course! I will open right away!"
"Lady?" Crane asked dubiously. He glanced at his partner, only to witness the heat and shame spreading across her facial features.
"It's a long story. Just... don't be mad about this. Please." She begged.
Crane couldn't help the sinking feeling on his stomach as he first saw the one who received them after the gigantic doors were opened.
There, standing awkwardly on a very simple and ordinary set of robes, was a peacock.
His feathers were grayish looking, his tail, a symbolic feature of his kind, was simply non existant. His eyes were of a beautiful jade color that did not reflect with anything else on his appearance.
"Lady Mei! Long time no see! It's wonderful to have you visit after this many months! I assume everything is well at the academy?!" He asked rather excitedly. Crane couldn't help but frown at his change of demeanor. It was quite a change from one that seemed so miserable in the first few seconds of exposition.
"Yes, everything is fine Fao, just... the usual." Mei Ling replied hesitantly. "Are mom and father home?" She asked.
Fao's smile faltered for a second. His eyes glanced at the crane for few seconds, looking him up and down with surprising intensity. Crane returned the stare with as much disposition.
Mei Ling realized the tension building up and quckly went over introductions.
"Fao, this is Crane. He's a student of the academy and a good friend of mine." She said while exchanging a silent apology with her partner. "I brought him to know my parents and show him around."
Fao Mi blinked, his eyes focusing on the mountain cat, curiosity and suspicion clouded his eyes.
"His name is what? You cannot be serious Lady Ling. Also this is rather intriguing, for all the time you lived here, you never brought anyone to know or meet for any ocassion whatsoever." He questioned, his voice dragging more than it was necessary. Mei Ling huffed.
"He has a name, I know it, but I cannot reveal without permission. *Also* I'm well aware of the amount of people I never brought here, is there a problem if I decided to actually do such?" Mei Ling asked with a tone that left no room for argument. Fao Mi quicky shook his head, seemingly fearful for a second.
"No, no, no! Of course not! Forgive me for being nosey my Lady! Also, huh, about your previous inquiry about your relatives. Your father is away on a business travel, but Mistress Wang is currently at the great hall. Shall I escort you to her presence?" He suggested nervously.
Crane had no idea what was happening but the weird titles were giving him bad vibes.
"Of course. I really want to see her after this long time away." The cat agreed with the idea. Fao Mi quickly nodded enthusiastically before turning around on his thin legs.
Both crane and cat followed the other avian across the entrance hall towards the main hallway. Crane couldn't help but gawk at the display of beautiful tapestry, vases, paints and ornaments that stood proudly at the walls. The size and sheer value of the amount of items in this room scared and fascinated him to no end.
The kept crossing the hallway for what felt like an eternity, that until Fao Mi came around a half opened, beautifully crafted, wooden door. He knocked three times to announce his arrival.
"Mistress Wang? Mei Ling and friend came to visit." He said with as much prestige he could put into his own words.
A short amount of silence followed before the door fully opened, revealing the most beautiful woman Crane ever saw.
She was a mountain cat, but she only had her feline curvature that could resemble Mei Ling. Her fur was nothing but pure white, no spots or unusual marks, she was taller than her daughter by a head, her tail surprisingly long and fluffy. Her eyes a deep blue that matched her silk dress.
Her eyes were alight with surprising brightness, an appealing smile adorning her features. The way she stood, tall and proud while staring lovingly at her daughter, made Crane feel very improper despite his improved clothing.
"I will leave you alone." Fao Mi said as he witness the silent exchange.
"Thank you Fao Mi." Mei's mother said, her voice was far more powerful and intimidating than Crane expected.
Fao Mi nodded, glaring at Crane before leaving to resume his tasks elsewhere.
'What's the deal with him?' Crane couldn't help but wonder.
As the peacock passed by the confused crane, an angry whisper followed.
"Take off the hat you fool."
Crane blinked. His eyes immediately traveling upwards, his face paled in realization of his terrible mistake.
He quickly removed his prized possession, fidgeting with the straw hat as he kept a hold with his wings. Now he understood why Fao Mi was so worked up when looking at him.
It was sheer luck that Mei's mother didn't notice this disrespectful disregard of his. Wearing a hat inside someone's house was a great offense to the host, no matter who the guest was. This was such a basic concept that Mei Ling never felt necessary to watch him over. He shuddered when thinking how awful things could have gone without Fao's urgent advice.
But before the bird could dwell any further Mei Ling rushed to her mother, enveloping herself into a tight hug.
"I missed you." She said, laying her head over her mother's chest, eyes closed as she enjoyed the moment.
Crane tried his best to ignore the purring coming from that interaction. It was just too adorable for his own dork self. He realized that her mother barely returned the bolt of affection. Something that concerned him deeply.
"I missed you too sweetheart. Say... who is this you brought here?" Her mother asked, her eyes traveling towards the crane standing awkwardly a few steps away. Her gaze was so intense that Crane struggled to keep his eyes leveled up.
Mei Ling slowly broke the hug, her movements became a bit more frantic as she started the introductions.
"Mom, this is..." Mei Ling paused, regarding Crane with an apologetic and yet sad smile. "... well, I promised I wouldn't say his name unless he was okay with it."
"No, no, it's alright!" Crane quickly added, realizing Mei Ling needed help to untangle herself from this particular issue. "I don't mind if your parents know."
"Oh, well then... his name's Huang Jien. Huang, this is my mother, Mingzhu Wang."
"It is an honour to finally meet you miss Wang." Crane greeted while bowing slightly. To his credit he didn't hesitate or stutter once.
Mingzhu quietly observed the bird. Her eyes shifting between him and Mei Ling, a calculated look as she tried to make sense of his unexpected presence.
"Jien?" She wondered aloud. "You wouldn't happen to belong to the waterfowl nobles of Pang Ji?"
Crane was hesitant for few seconds. The name Pang Ji did not sound strange for him but he couldn't remember any correlation his family would have with it.
"No, I'm afraid not. I was born in the downtown's outkirts. My parents never said anything in regards to our family legacy. Well, my mother didn't at least. My father passed away many years ago."
"My condolences." Mingzhu quickly replied. "Forgive me for asking, I had been visited by red necked cranes before who happened to belong to that lineage." Crane smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, it's ok. Yeah, I don't think we are related at all. I'm just a regular black necked crane."
Mingzhu nodded thoughtfully. Her piercing eyes were making Crane really antsy. The way she kept that frightening intensity on her gaze reminded him of hawks.
Mei Ling noticed the discomfort that her mother's stance was causing. She faked a cough to drive the attention away from her partner.
"Mother, do you know when father will come back? I was hoping Crane could meet him before we have to report back tomorrow." She asked while glancing mischievously back at the fidgeting waterfowl.
Crane noticed this and glanced back suspiciously. He got the strange feeling that Mei Ling was keeping something important from him.
"Your father will return by morning. A storm passing by delayed him to an extent. It wasn't feasible to go through as he hoped." She replied, her eyes still locked at the guest's presence.
Crane found the reply a bit odd, but Mingzhu's persistent staring was driving him insane. He wasn't sure he wanted to ask her why she was staring so much. It seemed improper to question her motives.
"Mei Ling..." Mingzhu said after a moment of silence. "You haven't told me anything about having a boyfriend."
Crane felt his soul leaving his body at that very instant. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, his lungs failed him for few seconds, his blood turning into ice.
Mei Ling was equally shocked, but she recovered way faster than Crane thought reasonable.
"H-huh, I... well... you see... I..." The poor young woman was completely lost on how to explain the situation. Mingzhu regarded her daughter with a confused glance. Crane managed a breath of relief at no longer being the solely focus of Mingzhu's attention.
"Are you alright sweetheart?" Mingzhu asked, clearly concerned by her daughter's fumbling. Mei Ling breathed deeply, doing her best to gather herself.
"Yes, I... I wasn't expecting you to figure it out so quickly." Mei Ling admitted. Her ears flattened, reflecting her shame and disappointment.
"Oh. I did not imagine this to be a secret or a surprise of sorts." She replied while returning her attention back to Crane. "If you are here it means my daughter truly has you in high regards. She mentioned about your person in her letters, always wrote so passionately about you. The fact she brought you here is very significant. I couldn't think of any other reason for you to be here other than my daughter seeking the need of our approval on your person."
Crane was highly impressed by the way she connected things together so quickly. He glanced at Mei Ling with an awkward smile on his beak.
"Passionately wrote about me?" He asked humorously. Mei Ling felt her face heating up.
"I... may have got carried away without realizing." She replied hesitantly. Crane raised an eyebrow in disdain. "Sooorrry."
The bird sighed. His eyes looking back at Mingzhu, who seemed greatly amused by the display.
"So... huh... Miss Mingzhu... I understand if you do not like the idea of a bird going out with your daughter. I assure you that I on-
Crane stopped his nonsensical talk as Mingzhu raised her hand to silence him. She actually seemed upset.
"First of all, do not assume so lightly of my person. Second of all, I have no reason to disapprove of anything. Do you love her?" She asked firmly, a glare on his way that demanded nothing but truthfulness. Crane gulped.
"I love her. More than anything." He replied sincerely as possible. Mei Ling couldn't help the nervous giggle that escaped her lips. Mingzhu nodded, crossing her arms as she reminisced through old memories.
"Then I have no reason to deny your relationship. I'm well assured my daughter feels the same." Mingzhu glanced at her daughter with a cheeky grin that surprised both of them. She returned her view his way with a more serious expression. "I do not understand why the fact you're a bird would determine my view somehow in a different way."
Crane was taken aback by how straightforward Mingzhu acted, but given her behavior since they arrived he should've expected no different.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know what to think. This is all new to me. I wasn't sure what kind of future you wanted for your daughter or, well, legacy for that matter." He explained nervously. He was thankful for the hat on his wings, he was grasping it with extreme caution, aware that he could break it at any second due sheer nervousness. It helped him to focus.
Understanding dawned on Mingzhu's face, her features softened as she realized the reasons that caused him such fright.
"Do not fret about that. I'm not worried about offspring. If you can make my daughter happy then I have nothing to worry about." Mingzhu replied with more sympathy than someone of her imposing figure seemed capable off. "Besides, it wouldn't be too bold to assume you both haven't done it yet?"
"M-Mom!" Mei Ling was flabbergasted by her bluntness. Mingzhu returned her attention to her daughter, her unimpressed look failed to alleviate their aggravation.
Crane wasn't sure what he was supposed to look at. The thought of sinking into the floor and disappear forever was very tempting. He made quite an effort to not say something compromising.
"He is quite a handsome bird. You should not let him waiting." Mingzhu say in an attempt of encouragement. Although it seemed no different than setting Mei's face on fire. Crane couldn't help the nervous smile on his beak. "Huang, Mei Ling often remarked your skills during training. Are you aiming to go far in the career of Kung Fu?"
Crane's awkwardness was brought to an end. He actually haven't give much thought about his future. So enthralled he was about being with Mei Ling that everything else was pushed to the back of his head.
"Humm. I'm not sure. I mean. I do want to keep my studies, but..."
Crane felt a wave of nausea spreading as he reached a point of discussion he wanted to avoid.
Lee Da was a major academy for teaching martial arts, aside other peculiar activities. Unfortunately there was a price to pay for one to earn such wisdom. Crane's entrance in Lee Da was problematic for his finances, he barely made enough from his job as a janitor, being able to afford food and few other basics for hygiene and clothing. His situation became increasingly difficult once he passed the trials. Lee Da accepted capable students, but also those who could afford paying for their studies. Such requirement nearly brought him to tears once he understood how much of a dead end his dream was coming at.
Mei Ling, bless her gigantic heart, shared her room and provided him with enough for his salary to pay for the school tax. He had no choice but maintain his job as a janitor if he wanted to remain as a student.
Yet, his savings wouldn't be enough to cover for the following years, he desperately needed money to follow through his training, but someone like him has yet to develop a different set of skill that not kung fu or cleaning. He never brought his money issues towards Mei Ling. The fact he was always poor shamed him to no end. A feeling he simply couldn't avoid.
"I... don't think I can finish my training." He admitted, his eyes lowering to the ground in defeat. "I can't pay for school for that long. And... neither can't my mother."
Mei Ling was alarmed by this, she stared at him perplexed by the uncover of his dilemma.
"Why you didn't told me anything? I thought you had enough to finish through!" She asked and Crane felt his heartstrings being pulled at hearing the hurt in her voice.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to... it's just... you already had given me so much... I hate myself for being so incapable."
"Huang..." Mei Ling's sorrowful face was too much for Crane to bear. He turned around, facing the nearest wall, a feeling of hollowness in his chest that he wasn't sure how to suppress.
He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, incredibly soft yet with a firm grip. He glanced sideways, surprised that Mingzhu was at his side, concern and empathy etched across her face.
"Do not be ashamed for your misfortunes." Her tone was solemn, it surprised him how easily it caught his undivided attention. "For what you lack on possesion you fulfill on passion. I do not expect you to be perfect, but present. My daughter has, as far I could observe, made a good choice for a partner. Do not worry about the school. I can put a word out for you. Mei Ling was never required to pay a fee. We shall see that for you."
Crane wasn't sure what to say, so many conflicting emotions raged inside his chest.
"Miss Wang." He whispered breathlessly. He felt his eyes moisten rapidly. His beak opened several times but words failed.
Much to his neverending shock, Mingzhu enclosed the avian into a sudden hug. Crane gasped lightly, followed by an intense blush, as he found himself surrounded by warm white fur.
"Do not be strong only for Mei Ling, but also for yourself." She whispered near the back of his head. "Oh... and welcome to the family. I don't think Mei is letting you out any time soon."
Words failed the avian as Mingzhu released him from her gentle grasp. Crane stood awkwardly as he glanced at both females. His admiration for them growing to exponential levels.
"I guess that settles it. Anything else you might be worried about?" Mei Ling asked, walking to his side to make sure the bird wouldn't have another breathing crisis.
"Huhhh, not really. Just... what about your father?" He asked. Mingzhu hummed as she thought of what to say in regards to her husband.
"I don't think Fan Guang will have much to say on the matter. I would bet on him to be quite pleasantly surprised of course. Your father always worried about your well being. It would bring him peace to know you're no longer traveling alone in your journeys towards a brighter future."
Crane couldn't help but feel intrigued by her father's name. It didn't seem very common for mountain cats to carry such a name for a kind that wasn't know for agression. He expect something more akin to their gracefulness.
Before he could dwell any further Mei Ling caught him on a quite affectionate display, kissing him with more enthusiasm than he felt appropriate. He stared at her in utter shock.
"What? Ain't you happy?" She asked, a wide smile on her face that reflected her cheerful attitude.
"Y-Yes, but... your mother is here. I don't wanna be disres-
"I see nothing wrong here." Mingzhu said, looking quite pleased with the scene. "You don't have to hold off yourself because of my presence. It's admirable that you would be so considerate about manners, but I rather have you two being more open, even if me or Fan are nearby. It's not like I will tell you to not be happy with each other."
Crane was taken aback. This wasn't anything of what he expected from someone's parents. The lack of protectiveness or suspicion left him bewildered. He was starting to understand why Mei Ling is the most amazing person he ever met.
Mei Ling purred at his neck, he blushed at the sound before using one of his wings to caress her back. It felt extremely awkward to do this with someone watching, her mother no less.
"Mei, why you don't show him the rest of the house? I have some business to attend this afternoon." Mingzhu suggested while making her way to the door.
"Oh, sure. Should I tell Fao to set the guest room?" She asked distractedly.
"Wasn't Huang going to sleep with you?" Mingzhu asked with surprising seriousness.
Crane felt his partner squirm for a second. He could understand how uncomfortable it was to be asked such.
"Mom... we... don't sleep together. We never did." Mei Ling replied uncertainly.
"Well, there's that one time-
Crane immediately shut his beak at the deadly glare Mei Ling sent his way. Mingzhu quietly observed the tense moment while internally debating on what would be the best approach.
"I don't say you must sleep on the same bed. I'm sure we can arrange another for Huang."
"Err, he don't usually sleep on a bed mother." Mei Ling started.
"Oh, a stand sleep? While I understand that's a costume of his species I would truly recommend he gives up that habit just more often. I had bird friends of old that did the same stand stance on their youth and developed health issues once they grew older. Something about joints and muscles not working properly anymore."
"Yeah, but... isn't that a common thing among the elder?" Crane asked, confused by the described symptoms.
"Those friends of mine were no more than thirty years old."
Crane winced, he definitely didn't like the sound of that.
"Okay, I guess I can try a bed. Just gotta make sure they can fit my knees." The bird gestured with his wings towards his appendages. "I don't like beds simply cause they are usually flat and it hurts."
"I will have Fao Mi work on that. I'm sure he has his own custom bed due similar issues." Mingzhu quickly tranquilized him. "Now off you two. I will see you at dinner."
"Thanks mom!" Mei Ling replied as she walked outside the room, dragging a stunned Crane with her.
Once they were a few rooms away the mountain cat immediately engaged on a very animated conversation.
"See? What I told you?! I knew they were going to like you!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. Crane rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.
"Okay, fine. It was very unexpected, but I'm... deeply thankful." He paused, reflecting on everything that was said back then. "Your mother is beyond amazing Mei... now I know how come you're such a gorgeous person. In and out."
Mei Ling's cheeks flushed. The compliments from Huang always got to her, no matter how cheesy they sounded at times.
"But."
The mountain cat sighed. Was he actually going to drag his negative side into this despite everything he just witnessed?! She couldn't help but feel frustrated.
Crane quickly noticed the frown on her face and reworked his words carefully.
"It wasn't exactly them, just your mother. Your father will be coming around soon. I'm not gonna lie, I'm really nervous about making a good first impression, especially to your father. It's a big deal to any father to see their daughter engaging with someone they don't know." Crane explained, sporadic glances sent towards his mate.
Mei Ling's intense gaze softened, she may have jumped to conclusions too fast and Huang was just trying to play safe. She could perfectly understand his anxiety towards her father.
"Don't worry, tomorrow you will be reassured."
Last night Crane spent a couple of hours struggling with how different Mei's house was from an ordinary one. Her room was easily the size of his mother's house, so big that it gave him enough room to fly comfortably without worrying about colliding with any objects or the roof itself. He was in awe at how vast her bed was, incapable of understanding how she managed to adapt from this to the vastly inferior ones back at the school.
Her bathroom proved to be spacious as the rest of the mansion. A small pool, with a fine layer of silver reflecting the internal light, shone through his eyes like the sun itself. Again, how could someone have so much and not be spoiled by all of it?
Mei Ling shocked him by suggesting they try the pool together, especially since she never used it before. Crane wanted to ask why the pool had never been used, but the fact they would be without clothes in front of each other was a much important matter.
Crane was already bewildered by all the treasure her house had in it, but seeing the mountain cat without her clothes for the first time would always be the most valuable moment to remember for the rest of his life.
Everything about Mei Ling screamed beauty. The outline of her legs, hips, and chest was surprisingly noticeable despite the fur and her young age. The lighter spots on her coat made it evident how little sunlight they had been exposed too. Something that couldn't be helped when you lived in such a foggy region.
He voiced his honest opinions about her body. She blushed furiously, laughing nervously but greatly thankful nevertheless. He was reluctant to remove his pants, feeling very concious about himself all of sudden.
Mei Ling noticed his anxiety, she eased him off with kind and reassuring words. He believed her, knowing she wouldn't think less of him, no matter what she saw.
It felt strange, cold and offsetting to lower his clothes all the way down his ankles. But his real shock was when she closed on him unnoticed, grasping his hips with warm hands, freezing him on the spot.
She didn't say anything, her hands gently stroking across his chest and lower, Crane slowly laid his head over her shoulder, enjoying every single moment of it.
The night went by.
A night he would never forget, or her.
Tomorrow finally came.
Crane wasn't reassured.
In fact, he was terrified.Very much so.
Her father was here. He showed up during morning's breakfast at the Living Room.
And Crane nearly chocked on his food when he saw him entering.
Mei Ling's father, the husband of Mingzhu Wang...
Is a hawk.
"Dad!" Mei Ling exclaimed in utter glee, rushing to him and enveloping the strong, tall and vicious looking bird with a very warming hug.
Crane felt like his soul left his body for few seconds. He simply stared, incapable of understanding what he was seeing.
Mingzhu was at their side, looking far less formal than usual. An adorning smile on her face as she was hanging on the shoulder of her beloved.
"Now, look at my dear kitty! How has been school?" He asked joyfully, snuggling the top of Mei Ling's head with one of his ginormous wings. "Have you beaten some admirers lately?"
"Dad! You know I don't beat anyone, I just do training!" She laughed it off, giggling at his question. The hawk merely rolled his eyes, not buying it for a second.
"Sure, training. I've been there, I know how it is. Say, why you're here today? I asked your mother, but she insisted on me asking you instead." He said, glancing painfully at his wife. Mingzhu merely ignored him.
Mei Ling, after struggling for few seconds, managed to escape her father's grasp. She stood confidently across him before speaking.
"I'm here cause I wanted to introduce you to someone very special to me."
The hawk raised an eyebrow. Crossing his wings, he looked at his daughter with a mix of doubt and curiosity.
"Crane, come here!" Mei Ling called while looking his way.
Crane felt like walking towards his own grave. He did his best to ignore the absolutely nerve wrecking stare that her father was sending his way. Crane wasn't sure it had anything to do with them both being avians, but the sudden desire to fly away spoke volumes about how he felt.
After what felt like an eyernity he stood still near Mei Ling. At this distance Crane took note of the hawk's uniform and the Empire's emblem on the chest and shoulder areas. A distinct insignia revealed that Crane was in the presence of a highly ranked officer of the Chinese Empire.
He gulped hard.
"Oh, huh. G-Good morning Mr... Fan Guang." Crane spoke hesitantly, relieved he remembered his name. "I'm Huang Jien, a f-
Before he could finish Mei Ling elbowed him hard on the shoulder. The waterfowl stared at her in puzzlement, but Mei Ling was still smiling while looking back at her parents. Mingzhu giggled while Fan only glanced in confusion.
"I'm... well, Mei Ling and I are dating, so I guess that makes me a boyfriend instead of just a friend." Crane corrected sheepishly, realizing after a couple of seconds why she had hit him. He should've know better. Mei Ling wouldn't want him to lie.
Fan Guang's sharp beak opened for few seconds, a clear look of astonishment before he closed it forcefully. His predatory eyes fixating on the smaller avian with nothing short of suspicion.
"Really now? Huh, I guess this is a surprise." His voice became far more heavier from moments earlier. "Tell me, how come you two met?"
"Oh, huh, we met back at Lee Da, just around over a year ago, if I remember correctly... Mei Ling was kind enough to help me avoid being trampled by an angry rhino. Guy was mad I nearly tripped him with the broomstick. It was super bizarre." Crane explained, his voice latching into uncertainty near the end.
"What were you doing with a broomstick?" Fan asked somewhat humorously. He imagined that lots of students used staffs to train like Mei Ling, but Crane's choice of a weapon was just strange.
"Oh! Huh... I kinda work at the school as... you know... a janitor." He replied sheepishly. Crane felt he wasn't going to impress Fan anytime soon.
The hawk merely snorted. He shot a questioning glance towards his daughter, who reacted with nothing short of a defiant glare in return. Fan Guang was surprised and somewhat impressed by how strongly Mei Ling would stand for the waterfowl.
Mingzhu was quick to catch on her husband's unimpressed stance. She decided to make matters clear before Fan got too worked up about their relationship.
"Huang is a very proficient student from what I've been told. Mei Ling actually has been given quite a challenge for her sparrings. Considering Huang has been only few months at the school it is quite remarkable he can stand up on his own against the best student of Lee Da."
Mei Ling's expression softened considerably. Not only she was thankful for her mother's support, but also from hearing her words praising Mei Ling so highly. Mingzhu, just as her father, was incredibly hard to impress.
Fan Guang was not convinced by her words, he still seemed very hesitant in regards to the newcomer.
"Sure, but he doesn't seem the kind of fighter with much endurance." Fan questioned.
Crane had a very depressing feeling that Fan was evaluating him by appearance, which was always a sensitive case to the waterfowl.
"Fan, he is more than it looks. You know better than to judge someone so superficially." Mingzhu chastised, much to Fan Guang's chagrin.
"Yeah, yeah, but still. I don't know."
Crane couldn't help but ask.
"It's not because I'm... not a cat, is it?"
Mei Ling gasped.
"Huang! My father would never think less of it if you were a different species. No one on my family would think like that." She retorted, clearly distraught and upset by his persistence. "Also, how can you even say that when my father *clearly * isn't a cat?" She argued, her intense gaze made it very clear how upset she was with him for asking such.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks for the heads up. Would've been nice to know it sooner." Crane quipped back, looking actually annoyed for once. "Guess you wanted to make a surprise, although this doesn't seem something you needed to keep to yourself."
Mei Ling opened her mouth to retort, but something on the way Crane spoke gave her a pause.
He was hurting. Hiding this from him, aside her wealthy lifestyle, hurt him a lot. Crane spoke all about his life to her the following months of the start of their relationship. Mei Ling was just realizing how much she kept him on the dark, despite their promise of honesty towards each other.
"I didn't mean to keep it a secret. I wasn't sure you would believe me anyways." She apologized. Crane sighed.
"It's fair. I didn't told you about my finance issues either. Yet, there's no reason for me to think you would ever lie. To me at least." He added with a cheeky grin. Mei Ling rolled her eyes, amused and relieved he wasn't taking it too badly as she suspected. "Yet, I was really stressing out about this. You do know that if your parents did not agree it would be really problematic. I do not mean to insinuate prejudices of any kind, it's just that it's... well, parents always take family heritage seriously."
Fan Guang couldn't agree more. It surprised him to see the level of maturity being displayed by the other avian, at least he has his head on the right place. Some of his doubts lessened, but something about the other avian was still bugging him.
"Well said, but I do not think less of you for what you are, but rather who you are." Fan Guang said clearly before stepping closer towards the other avian.
Crane did his best to not move or express any sign of anxiety or fear. Fan Guang was far taller than him, his legs were big and strong enough to pounce a rhino backwards with easy, his long talons ended on sharp claws that resembled curved swords. Long and sharp enough to cut Crane in half.
His beak wasn't long as Crane, but the sharpness and extra thickness were enough to bore a hole all the way through any adversary like butter. His eyes shone, a golden gleam that reflected everything they were aimed towards. Crane was capable of seeing his silhouette reflected on them.
And then he realized.
He was using his straw hat.
'No! How did I forget!?!'
The last night he spent with Mei Ling had been so mesmerizing that he forgot all about etiquette this morning. How foolish of him to miss the most obvious transgression of-
"Nice hat." Fan Guang said, pausing a few inches away from him.
Feeling his body going numb, Crane slowly raised a wing, grasping carefully on one side as he slowly removed the delicate object from his head.
Mei Ling and Mingzhu watched apprehensively.
"Huh... the hat was a gift from Mei Ling, sir." Crane explained, surprising himself that he could actually speak. Fan glanced at his daughter who nodded quickly, his eyes returned back to the avian, carefully analyzing his options.
"I see."
Fan Guang struck a wing, silent and fast, aiming at Crane's head.
Reacting instinctively, Crane ducked and swept on his own legs to distance himself from another assault. His mistake was assuming Fan Guang would be only using his wings, but a sudden kick caught the waterfowl nearly by surprise. Crane raised both wings, dropping the hat instantaneously, an attempt of deflection, yet the powerful kick sent him flying backwards. He was lucky the claws did not shred his feathers.
Crane quickly somersaulted his way back into an stable stance, shock and panic covering his face as he cautiously kept his guard up.
Fan Guang was slowly retreating into a normal stance, his eyes bore into Crane, seemingly surprised yet frustrated at the same time.
Mei Ling was livid, but she held her tongue from protesting. She saw this coming as soon Crane was called on his mistake, she blamed herself for letting something so obvious pass through her care.
Mingzhu wasn't very happy with neither. Crane for making a blatant mistake, Mei Ling for not noticing it, and Fan for being so hesitant.
"Now I saw something." Fan Guang said after a moment of silence. "Normally every recruit I trained always failed at evading any of my strikes. You managed to evade the first and nearly deflected a second. Yet, you still managed to avoid a serious blow and quickly regained your bearings. Not bad kid. I will give you that one." Fan Guang said, looking at Crane with genuine interest before adding. "Make sure you don't wear a hat inside my house again." He tossed the hat back towards the waterfowl. Crane caught it with both wings, looking extremely ashamed.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry!" Crane quickly apologized, bowing respectfully. Mei Ling sighed in relief while Mingzhu snorted.
"I'm surprised by how short this was. Are you giving up this easily on punishment?" Mingzhu inquired towards her husband. He shrugged.
"He's younger and I'm an old feather. I tire out quick and I didn't came all the way from the palace to chase after another bird." Fan's pitiful excuse surprised Crane and humored Mei Ling.
"I don't really think I would last on an endurance fight against you." Crane spoke honestly.
"Oh, what we have here?" Fan asked while smiling for the first time towards the other avian. "Humble young man? Thought your kind was extinct. Glad to see I was wrong." His eyes went from the blushing waterfowl to his daughter. "You sure picked well Mei Ling, no complains on my side. Make sure to keep him in line."
"Not a problem." She replied before punching Crane on the shoulder.
"Ow! What did I do?" He asked perplexed, massaging his inflicted injury.
"How did you forget such a basic thing? Honestly." Mei Ling was exasperated with his careless mistake. " Be thankful this is the only punishment you're getting from me." She said before walking back towards the table.
Fan Guang merely watched the exchange with wide eyes. How come the crane evaded his attacks but not a simple punch from Mei Ling?
His internal dilemma must've reached his face as Crane glanced at him somewhat apologetically.
"I could've deflected it, but... I would never raise a wing against her."
Crane would never come to know the amount of respect he earned from her father at that very moment.
"How about we finish breakfast? I'm already starving." Fan Guang suggested as he walked by the other avian, using one of his wings to guide his fellow avian back towards his seat. Mingzhu followed after them, smiling more than usual as she watched the birds interacting.
Crane nodded, surprised at how gently the gigantic wing enveloped around him. He walked back to his non-existent seat. Fan Guang, much to Crane's puzzlement, actually managed to sit on a gigantic chair at one of the ends of the rectangular, skillfully crafted, stone table. The waterfowl could only guess that having shorter legs allowed the hawk some way of accomplishing such feat.
Breakfast resumed quietly. Both Fan Guang and Mingzhu seemed fairly happy so far. Crane felt like a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders. No more he needed to worry about approval nor his scholarship. It seems things would finally follow a natural path from now on.
But, then what?
What would they do after finishing the academy? Crane never thought that far ahead, but he was certain whatever he was going to do it has to involve kung fu somehow.
No to mention he wouldn't do anything that would keep him away from Mei Ling for too long. There was so much Crane still wanted to do together, being apart due time or distance would be incredibly hurtful for both. Of that he had no doubt.
He wondered if either Fan or Mingzhu had any suggestions they could provide. Crane was wary of asking Fan. Last thing he wanted was to end up being pulled into the army. Or worse.
Before he opened his beak to voice his concerns Fao Mi came at the table, carrying silver plates with amazing smoothness and precision. The peacock's elegance shone through even when performing on a less-than-noble task.
Crane watched curiously as the peacock moved around, despite graceful his face was filled with anxiety. The waterfowl did not understand his behavior in the slightest.
Once Fao Mi exited the room, after a rather exaggerated bow, Crane couldn't help but voice his curiosity.
"Where did you find Fao Mi, if you don't mind me asking." He directed the question towards Fan Guang and Mingzhu.
Fan exchanged a quick glance with his wife before adressing the other bird.
"It's a bit tricky to explain. Fao Mi never liked to reveal about his origins. Yet, I was able to find out he came from Gongmen City. It surprised me he came from so far away. He briefly mentioned something about being a noble in a clan that had high influence on the city. Gongmen City is a famous strategic and commercial coast town. The Empire always held it in high regard, both economically and militarily speaking. I heard there was a setback with the Lords of Gongmen about a decade ago. I'm not really sure what happened since I wasn't that high in the ranks at the time. All I know is that the town has been under supervision of highly renowned Kung Fu masters for the last five years."
The hawk paused for a sip of water, a thoughtful expression as he reminisced through his memories.
"Fao Mi and his peacock clan broke apart after that. He left town for whatever reason. No family or friends ever mentioned. We found him at Yannan about three years ago. Pretty luck find considering I wasn't expecting to bump into a peacock in a such backwater village like that one. Me and Mingzhu were desperately in need of a housekeeper and someone to watch after our little kitty."
Crane couldn't help the chuckle, he heard Mei Ling huff near him as Fan stared in amusement. Mingzhu shared his reaction.
"So I asked him some questions, I had to be firm. I wasn't just trusting him right off the start. He was rather impressive after a few weeks of probation. We took him in and he's part of family now." Fan Guang concluded with a shrug.
"Why he looks on edge all the time?" Crane asked suddenly. Fan Guang, Mingzhu and Mei Ling all expressed a rather downcast reaction to this question.
"He's... always been like that." Mei Ling said hesitantly. "We think something happened with him back at Gongmen, but he would never tell us anything. He's terribly stubborn when we ask him of such. He always goes about being fine when it's obviously not true."
"Something we cannot force out of him." Mingzhu added, looking serious once again. "With time he might come around. There are things best left unanswered."
"Ooooh, so enigmatic." Fan Guang joked. Mingzhu rolled her eyes. "I hope you don't end up like these old Kung Fu masters Min. Would hate to see you going all vague on me nonstop."
"I would be amazed if you don't end up through another featherless autumn before that." She retorted. Mei Ling couldn't help the laughter that escaped her lips. Fan Guang frowned in annoyance.
"That was low. It was only just one time and you didn't even cuddle me!"
Mingzhu's both eyebrows shot upwards. Her face contorting awkwardly, stuck in between shock and contained laughter.
Crane could only stare on incredulity. Mei Ling was struggling to breath at his side.
He was so jealous of her parents.
It was amusing to see how easygoing the married couple was acting towards each other, it was such a contrast from what Crane had expected the previous day.
"Mom, dad. As much I love to stay around, Crane and I need to get back to the academy in few minutes. I don't want the headmaster after my tail for overdoing my stay here." Mei Ling announced after calming down her breath. She was looking extremely happy despite the imminent depart.
Crane wasn't so pleased by the news.
"Awww, already? But it's really nice to be here. " He pouted. His whiny complain caught all the others by surprise.
Mei Ling just shook her head, amused and happy that he came around so quickly in regards to his suspicion towards her parents.
Fan Guang laughed. Surprised and thankful to see his future son-in-law was already feeling at home. He was also disappointed to see the two of them leaving so soon. Perhaps he should visit the academy more often.
Mingzhu, after recovering from the shock of her husband's embarrassing rebuttal, nodded in understanding at their need to leave, although it pained her internally to see them leaving so soon. She wanted to see their interactions and talk about plans for the future, but perhaps that would've to wait for another time.
"Are you going to visit more often? I might need to get a word in with your headmaster if he keeps you locked for too long." Fan Guang asked as he stands at the mansion's entrance along his wife and Fao Mi.
"Dad! Don't threaten my teacher!" Mei Ling warned.
"It was just an idea. It's not like he would stop me anyways." Fan shrugged. Although his face flushed at being called out so easily. "Bet he doesn't even remember me anymore."
"After your last visit he will have a hard time forgetting your for the eons to come." Mei Ling said with a rather serious expression.
"Urgh, fine!" Fan Guang pouted like a child that wasn't allowed to play with his friends. Crossing his wings in utter frustration and staring holes through the ground.
"Don't worry. Me and Huang will try to visit more often. I bet he will be looking forward fir the next visit." Mei Ling winked his way. Crane could only smile sheepishly in return.
Fao Mi was utterly confused by this interaction. His glances towards Crane were getting unnerving.
Noticing this Mingzhu quickly came to Crane's rescue.
"In case you're wondering Fao, this is Huang Jien. He's Mei Ling's boyfriend."
Comprehension dawned on Fao Mi as he expressed his astonishment that the little girl he cared for so long actually picked a bird just like her mother did.
"Oh, a pleasure then. I take you and Lord Guang were properly introduced?" He asked. A huge exasperated sigh followed that question.
"Fao, I told you a million times to not adress me as 'Lord'. How many times I have to stress this out?" Fan Guang asked in frustration.
"You don't have to stress anything. You insist on doing so. It's not exactly my fault if you develop stress health issues." Fao Mi replied, much to the annoyance of the hawk.
"I swear you're just as a smartass as my-
"Your what? Fan Guang?" Mingzhu asked with a clear edge to her voice. Fan Guang gulped.
"O-Oh, nothing. Just saying." He quickly replied. Sweat dropping at an intense rate as he was under Mingzhu's deadly ice glare.
Crane and Mei Ling could only exchange a knowing glance before saying their goodbyes. They waved as they made they way back down the road, fully aware that things were finally about to get better from now on.
"So, what did you think of my family?" Mei Ling asked after a few minutes of quiet traveling. Crane shrugged.
"I mean, they are nothing like I expected. And... I'm glad. I really am." He replied honestly. " I wish I had parents like yours Mei." He added somberly. The mountain cat's smiled saddened a bit
"Hey, don't say that. I'm pretty sure your mother is great. I can't wait to meet her!" She said enthusiastically.
Crane felt like he could never have enough of her optimism. It was infectious somehow.
"Yeah, let's hope she doesn't stuff you with groceries. She might pamper you way too much." The cat snorted.
"Fine by me. As long we do everything together, I really don't care." She paused for a second, her eyes finding his after a rather long glance his way. "We will be together, right? No matter what?"
Crane felt like he understood the weight of what was being implied here. Together, forever, just like her parents. It was a big thing to ask, but it wasn't something extremely formal or official. Yet, he had no reason to ever think otherwise.
He loved her. She meant the world for him, and the feeling was likewise in her end. He wasn't sure of the future itself, many things would change along the way, nothing was set in stone.
But his heart was shaped like a diamond. It would never break his feelings away. He may not known what to do with his life, but he already had the one to share it until the very end.
"No matter what."