Author Note: Whoo, been way too long since I've updated, but finally here's something new. This is set towards the end of Shen's exile. This technically isn't Shen/Wolf Boss, but for those of you who like the pairing, this fic should still be compatible with slash-tinted glasses. XD

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Shen sleeps fitfully, tossing and turning beneath purple silk sheets. His dreams are full of dark storm clouds gathering on the horizon and sweeping toward him. Cracks of lightning split through this foreboding dreamscape. Shen stumbles on barren, burned earth. He knows he's being chased, but the prince can't see by who or what. Twisting, charred trees are everywhere around him, making it impossible to tell what's a shadow and what isn't. As Shen runs, the trees get chokingly closer, and he's alone—so desperately alone. It's the acute feeling of isolation that finally wakes the prince as one last groan of thunder rolls across the smoking sky.

The prince is disoriented at first with the dream still dragging at his mind, but no, he's safe and sound in his own chambers. Breath coming quick, Shen gingerly steps out of bed and reaches for where he knows a basin of water sits, splashing some of the cool water on his face.

With a sleepy shuffle, Shen goes to the window and draws back the curtains so that he might take in some fresh air and look down on his factory complex. The building where the prince lives is one of the tallest, partly carved into the side of a mountain. Below, amongst several other structures, he can see the main foundry. It's easy to spot with its center open to the night air as the ever-burning furnace glows red hot in the darkness. Shen's plans have begun to finally coalesce, and he is estimating years in single digits now. Soon enough it will only be a matter of months before he can retake what is rightfully his.

Overhead the night sky is clear and dazzled with stars, a sharp contrast to the unsettling twilight of Shen's nightmare. The dark mountains though look like they could've been plucked right out of his dream. Nestled in the midst of their vastness, Shen feels alone.

The peacock shivers, and before he's even fully thought about it, Shen has changed out of his night clothes and into a crisp, white robe. The silk is cool against his feathers, and the peacock sighs with something approaching contentment. The dream is fading now the longer Shen is awake, but the sensation of loneliness lingers.

He wonders if the wolf leader Lin would still be up. Present evening excluded, Shen is normally a night owl while Lin goes to bed early and rises equally early, but the hour is not too late. Perhaps it would be worth checking in on the wolf's office... Shen genuinely wants someone right now, the company of a friend. And Lin is the only friend he has, but Shen pushes that last thought away before it's fully formed.

Taking a small lantern, Shen ventures out into the twisting corridors, heading down a few floors until he's at Lin's office. He's not sure what he'll do if the wolf has already packed up his work and retired to his own sleeping quarters, but fortunately Shen is spared that dilemma. There's light spilling out from the crack beneath Lin's office door, and Shen reaches for the doorknob, but at the last second, he turns his wing and knocks instead.

"Enter," a gruff voice replies from within, and the peacock does so.

Shen's beak turns up into a faint smile as he sees Lin in the midst of his papers, no doubt working out calculations. In spite of his intimidating and brawny appearance, Lin has a few intellectual talents as well and is quite adept at mathematics—especially the financial kind. He handles much of the detailed work of the army's budget with Shen weighing in on high level decisions as needed. However, the wolf's skill serves him well in other ways, and it's one of the reasons Lin can somewhat follow Shen's experiments. The chemical science may go over the wolf's head, but he has a fairly steady grasp of all but Shen's most complicated formulas.

"If that's the surplus report, just leave it on the table by the window," Lin says, without looking up. "I'll get to it in the morning."

Shen chuckles. It's not surprising that Lin mistook him for a subordinate though; Shen never knocks after all. "Alas, I do not have it."

The peacock is rewarded by his general's shocked expression and an incredibly comical double-take as Lin realizes his mistake. "Oh! Lord Shen, I didn't know it was you! Ah, pardon..." Lin shuffles papers, jumping out of his chair and managing an awkward half-bow.

"It is no trouble, Lin. I can see you're focused on your job." Their names are a cue of sorts. If Shen speaks to his companion without a title, it means that the wolf has permission to respond casually as well. 'Yet, when was the last time I addressed him thusly?' Shen is frustrated that he can't recall exactly...

"Yes, nothing urgent though. Just thought I'd get a head start... Is there anything I can do for you, my lor—I mean, Shen?"

With the etiquette of one who was taught to be still, the peacock resists the urge to fidget. He didn't really come here for anything in particular. "Well...what are you working on?"

As Lin launches into a description of the cost benefits of different supply plans, Shen struggles to hold in a sigh. 'How was your day?' is what Shen wants to ask, but the words stick in his throat.

The peacock wants to talk of simple ordinary things, but it has to be Lin who broaches the topic first. Even as he thinks this, he realizes how pointlessly silly it sounds. When did he get so reserved that he felt awkward to be casual with his closest friend even when they were somewhere private...?

"Shen?"

Lin is looking at him expectantly, as if waiting for answer, but Shen wasn't paying attention enough to catch the question. "What did you say?"

Lin just shrugs. "I was asking for your opinion on one of the supply plans, but it's not a pressing matter yet. Are you alright?" The wolf gives him a scrutinizing look that almost makes Shen squirm. "You know...we don't have to talk about business if you don't want to."

"What else would I want to talk about?" Shen snaps back crossly as he inwardly berates himself for saying that, for being too proud to agree and admit that he simply wants to spend time with Lin—no business, no politics. Indeed, Lin looks a bit chastened by his lord's remark, but Shen is determined not to feel guilty. "I mean...I, I'm just tired, that's all," he adds, feeling like a fool.

"It's alright, Shen." The wolf's expression softens some. "Though maybe I could ask you to stay awake a short while longer? I'm weary of weighty topics too, but I have a xiangqi board on the shelf there... It's been awhile since I've played with someone who can offer a proper challenge. If you're not too tired of course."

"I suppose I could play a round," Shen agrees, trying to sound nonchalant like the other's offer doesn't matter to him. "Or two."

"Excellent."

As the peacock turns to take a seat at the room's small square table, Lin grabs the game and brings it over. "We should do this more often," he says—hopefully?—as he tips the little round pieces onto the tabletop.

Shen nods, looking down at his side of the board and arranging his game pieces as he adds, "I would like that too."

-fin-

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Author Note 2: Hope this was a good chapter! For those who are wondering, xiangqi is sort of "Chinese chess" though the version Shen and Lin are playing probably wouldn't quite match the modern version of the game. Still, it's a two-person strategy game that would've been appropriate for the time period Kung Fu Panda is meant to mimic. For those who are curious about xiangqi, I'd suggest reading the Wikipedia article about it. ^^