Summary: Mulan, an Army woman comes home after two years of being in the battlefield. Throughout the two weeks, she befriends a local girl, Aurora. Loosely based off 'Dear John' MODERN AU: SLEEPING WARRIORS.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

Chapter 3: Friends

They laughed. They talked. They stole glances at each other secretly. They smiled.

As Aurora tilted her head back at Mulan's story about one of the boys in her platoon. Mulan just let out a small chuckle as she took another sip.

"Is it fun being in the army?"

Mulan looked down and took a deep breath. "I don't really know how to answer that" Mulan took a french fry and inserted it into her mouth, waiting for it to be all chewed up and swallowed.

"Sorry"

"It's okay. People are curious, I understand" Mulan nodded.

"What about college? You mentioned that you didn't finish it" Aurora quickly changed the subject to their previous subject that got cut off the other day.

"Alright, I attended West Point. There was this guy that I liked-" Mulan blushed trying to be serious.

"Ooooh" Aurora commented, "Stop it" Mulan smiled at her.

"So, he graduated and I was an incoming Junior, I dropped to follow him..." Mulan's smile dropped as well. She twirled her glass bottle around, "I'm stupid"

"Where is he now?" Aurora asked.

"He's my platoon's commanding officer. We're nothing but good friends and comrades" Mulan finished off her drink.

"What's his name?"

"Phillip"

At their eighth round, they knew how drunk they were, they both decided to just waste themselves for one night, call a cab later.

"Oh, C'mon, Aurora, you're living in a huge house all to yourself! You're filthy rich" Mulan continued off their conversation.

"I'm soooo not rich, my parents are."

"Wow, you are rich! Little spoiled princess" The two women laughed it off.

Aurora and Mulan fell into a deep conversation about their lives, they laughed for the most part. Aurora, rubbed her foot accidentally against Mulan, which Mulan ignored. Aurora continued to rub it, neither of them noticed that they're playing with each others legs.

Mulan dropped her hands on the table and rested her chin on top of her arms, "I think we should head home, we're going to have a major hangover" Mulan's eyes were dropping, trying her best to stay awake.

Aurora copied Mulan's pose, dropping her chin on her arms on the table, "One more drink" Aurora pushed back a strand of hair falling out of Mulan's face, "Then we'll head home"

"Fine" Mulan knew they were seriously drunk and she stupidly agreed to have one more drink with Aurora.

"Excuse me, two more beers and check please" Aurora told the waiter, "Oh, can you please call a cab"

"Sure thing ma'am"

"Goodnight Aurora" Mulan said as Aurora opened the door. They were just standing in the porch, Aurora was waving her whole body around, grasping on to the walls for support. "Would you like me to walk you inside?"

"No, no. I'll crash on the couch" Aurora whispered to Mulan, she leaned forward and kissed Mulan in the cheek. "Goodnight, soldier"

"Goodnight, princess"

Mulan closed the door for Aurora, she was so drunk that she could barely even close the door, Mulan walked home holding on to her jacket to keep her warm. Aurora kissed her in the cheek, or maybe it was just a dream.

Mulan knew that none of them would remember any of this tomorrow. Mulan fumbled with her keys, trying to keep quiet, not to wake her father up.

When Mulan entered, her father was still awake, at one in the morning, occupying himself with a late night Chinese TV show.

"Mulan, I was so worried about you" Hua Zhou stood up to guide his daughter.

"Everything is fine, father" Mulan murmured, Hua Zhou ignored her daughter and helped her up the stairs, he laid her down in her own bed, finding out that she was already passed out.

Hua Zhou tucked his only daughter in. He remembers the time when she was still so young and she was still in his grasp, My Mulan. All grown up now

Hua Zhou left the bedroom so Mulan can finally get some sleep.

There was only 2 days left. 2 days left until Mulan leaves once again.

Mulan and Aurora were pretty much inseparable during her stay, they have dinner every night at Mulan's house, one time, Aurora even brought a traditional family recipe that has been passed on. The Hua family loved it very much.

While Aurora is out studying at the university, Mulan was either running around, jogging, taking Little Brother for a walk, or just simply in her room.

Mulan barely interacted with her father, they had nothing to talk about. She was pretty sure that her father was sick and tired of hearing about her time in the army. She tries to tell good stories about the army but it wasn't something an elderly man would like to hear.

Once Aurora was back from uni, they would go to each other's houses, depending on their decision.

Aurora parked her car on her driveway and walked over to Mulan's house, Hua Zhou answered the door and said that Mulan was upstairs, at her room.

Aurora thanked her and made her way upstairs, the door was slightly open, she knocked very lightly, she peeked inside and saw Mulan sleeping, there was clothes all over the room, she was probably packing up for her leave.

Aurora walked over to Mulan, she hesitated on touching her forehead, but she did. Mulan jolted up grabbing her arm in a tight manner.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Aurora" Mulan let go of Aurora's wrist wistfully, "I'm very sorry, I'm a light sleeper, we have to be aware of our surroundings, even sleeping."

"Wow, look out for everything" Aurora muttered under her breath. "Packing?" Aurora took sight of the bedroom. Just a little bit more packing and it will be back to the same lonely room in two days.

"Yes. Two days more" Mulan gave a fake smile and looked away from Aurora as she picked up her shirt from the floor. A sigh.

"Are you sad to leave?" Aurora sat down on her bed and hugged one of Mulan's dragon like pillow.

"A little"

"I understand"

"Do you?" Mulan looked directly at Aurora, her gaze not going away. Aurora did not speak, she simply waited for Mulan's reasoning. "I-you…" Mulan shook her head as she sat down next to Aurora. Mulan took a deep breath.

"Me?" Aurora's eyes opened slightly as she looked at Mulan with curiosity filled inside her.

"You're my only friend here at home." Mulan admitted.

Aurora gave her a small smile and took her hands, "You're my only real friend here too"

They smiled at each other.

R&R

Tumblr: Sleeping-warrior (Two dashes)

-SleepingWarriors