Hello! This chapter is... really short, but I hope you enjoy it! It's called Mulan. Meaning is probably self-explanatory. Enjoy!
Yao was none too fond of Western entertainment. He much prefered to watch movies from China (and occasionally some imported from Hong Kong, though it was not like he'd tell his bosses that), usually on VHS tapes, as he saw no point in purchasing a DVD player. However, through some heavy circumstances, the elder nation had been roped into staying the night at Alfred's house for movies, along with several other nations.
The first one was called Mulan.
Hua Mulan. So many memories, pictures in his mind, sounds in his ears... Hua Mulan was a wonderful warrior of the Wei Dynasty. Yao had met her himself. Mysteries surrounding her life still floated, but Yao knew enough. All that he did not know was how she died.
Through the movie, despite its historical inaccuracies, Yao clutched onto Kiku's hand, crying in random intervals.
"They may have gotten her surname incorrect, but... s-she was certainly brave," the Chinese man said through tears. Kiku patted his shoulder in reasssurance,
"Yes, Yao. She seemed like a lovely girl."
"SHE WAS LOVELY, KIKU!" Yao exclaimed, throwing his head back. "FIGHTING FOR HER FATHER'S HONOR AGAINST MEN TWICE HER SIZE... AND SO BEAUTIFUL..." More sobs escaped. All that Kiku could do was console the other lightly.
As the movie went on, the pair ignored comments from the others ("Chien Po sorta reminds me of you, Ivan!" "Of course you'd do her, Francis, you'd do anyone..." "How did she cut her hair so cleanly with just a sword?"), just watching. Battle scenes and romance scenes alike, Yao still cried, whispering little historical tidbits over to Kiku, comparing movie to actual history and vice versa.
"The Emperor was never that skinny," was his final remark as the movie drew to a close. More films were viewed, such as Hercules, Anastasia, and Beauty and the Beast (leaving room for diversity, of course), before everyone went to bed.
Huddled together were Yao and Kiku, not quite tired enough to turn in.
"Kiku," Yao whispered.
"Hm?"
"You remind me a bit of Hua Mulan."
"I am no female warrior, Yao," Kiku responded sheepishly.
Yao nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, true... but you have her soft nature, tenacity, and beauty, whether you realize it or not."
A soft chuckle fell from Kiku's lips. "If you say so."
If you don't know who Hua Mulan was, look it up.
In my headcanon, Yao did know her and admired her quite a bit. He was very saddened by her death, and no one knows how it happened, not even him.
Catch ya later!