The sight of his family home honestly filled Ping with relief as it came closer. They'd been riding for what felt like forever and the young man was more than ready to stop. They had already passed the main village, where their escort had stopped and allowed them to return here alone.
"This is it?" Shang asked softly from behind Ping, where he was in control of their horse (The younger soldier still too injured to manage on his own).
Ping nodded and Mulan pushed her own horse on, a burst of speed that kicked up dirt behind her as his Grandmother cackled behind them on her own, smaller ride. "Yeah, this is it."
As they entered the gates and Ping slid off the horse's back to lean against her side, his parents appeared. Shang dismounted before stepping away, but Ping didn't manage to tell him to come back before his mother's arms had pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I thought you were dead!" She whispered, her voice wobbling as she held him close. "You left and it wasn't until so much later on that we heard rumours that General Li's force had been…" she cut off, he voice failing as she let out a small sob.
"Mother..." Ping sank into the warm embrace, his eyes shut as he pressed his face into her neck. He hadn't expected the sudden rush of emotions that had filled him; the relief at seeing all of his family here and in one piece, the way it settled something within himself to see his mother even though they had never been close.
"Who have you brought to see us?" His father spoke up, and Ping lifted his face to look at the man. He looked older than he ever had before; Ping had been gone for less than a year but it seemed as though his father had aged by several…
"Captain Li Shang." Shang bowed as Ping replied "He's my friend."
His father accepted the introduction and invited Shang to stay for dinner. Ping smiled as he limped passed, but a hand on his shoulder as the rest of the family led Shang inside made him pause. The young man stared up into his father's eyes for a long moment as the other seemed to be searching for answers, before he nodded and smiled.
"I have a spare walking stick that you can have." He said, in favour of explaining what he had been looking for in his son's face.
"I don't want to take that from you. I'm healing quite quickly."
"Please." The man reached a large hand up to ghost his fingers over the scars left on Ping's face, his expression more revealing, more vulnerable than the young man had ever seen it. "Please."
Ping nodded his head. "Thank you."
"Now, let us eat." His father said, straightening up and holding out an arm for his son to steady himself with. Slowly, they limped together through to the others where Mulan was serving tea.
The rest of the evening was surreal in light of how different it was to the life Ping had gotten used to. It was odd having to sensor his gestures towards Shang as his parents were paying him far more attention than they had ever managed before.
"How long are you staying for, Captain Li?" His mother asked later on, once they had finished eating.
"We will be here for a week, then we will return." Ping answered, causing both his parents to startle.
"You… are leaving again?" His mother asked in a soft, hesitant voice.
"Yes. I've been given a job and I want to get settled in our home before starting." He replied, aiming to sound confident even though he was distinctly nervous at telling them that he was moving out.
"A job?" His father asked, before his mother could speak up. "What job have you been given? You are still injured."
"I am to apprentice under Chi-Fu as a scribe." Ping grinned at his hands as they rested on the table. The older scribe had spoken up for Ping when he'd gotten tongue-tied in front of the Emperor and had been unable to speak his request, despite the monarch's kindly attitude.
"You will be safe then?" His mother asked, her expression bizarrely concerned as she watched him.
"Chi-Fu is a scribe in the army, not the palace. However, I have trained and I know how to fight." Ping pointed out. He watched her conflicted countenance for a moment before she spoke up again.
"You have grown up." She curled her fingers together. "You may have been a child when you left, but you have returned as a grown man."
The warmth and affection in her voice almost overwhelmed the young man, and Ping had to take deep breaths to keep his own face calm. When he was sure he could speak evenly, he whispered "Mother…"
"Where is your home to be now?" She asked, straightening up and ignoring the glistening tear that clung to the corner of her eye.
"We have a small house just outside the Imperial City. It will be tended to when we are away." The Emperor had been generous and had realised that Ping would not take well to the attention a hero would gather while living in the city. However, he had granted Ping and Shang a permanent room in his palace for when he called on them.
His mother smiled and nodded, but it was watery as she fought to hold back tears.
"You'd better have enough space for me to visit." Mulan told him quietly, her expression slightly mournful as she fully acknowledged that Ping had indeed moved onto the next stage of his life.
"Always. And if you take too long about it then I'll come and steal you away!" He answered fiercely. "You're my sister and you can't get away from that."
"I've never wanted to!" She grinned back at him.
While it had been a relief to return home and quite wonderful to realise that his parents weren't angry with him, Ping was more than ready to leave by the end of the week.
The journey back had been a wonderful chance to settle back down with just himself and Shang making the trip back. As much as Ping loved his family, even his sister, there was something relaxing about leaving them behind.
The evening of their return, Shang had gone to bathe as Ping pottered around their new home, leaning on the cane his father had given him as he took in the rooms and made vague plans to change things and make this home their own. It was small, but there was more than enough space for two men on in love to live together without falling over one another.
"I hope you're planning to give me a room." Mushu stated from his perch on Ping's shoulder. "I don't want to be sharing when you and lover boy are doing the deed."
Ping felt a blush again his cheeks as he stumbled. "Mushu!" he hissed.
"I don't want to see you two in just your skin, thank you!"
"I know." He grinned at his guardian. "I thought you were going to stay back at home. I mean, at my parent's home."
"Well, you haven't left the army yet. My job ain't finished." Mushu jumped on to the table in the middle of the room to give Ping an important stare as he stretched his body to look tall.
"Thanks, Mushu. But if you get a space then I'll have to explain it to Shang."
"You want to tell him 'bout me?" Mushu didn't look annoyed at this, but curious.
"You are both a big deal, you know? If you are going to be here then Shang should know."
"I'll think about it." Mushu replied, but Ping knew he would get his own way eventually.
"Ping? I'm all done if you're ready to go get washed now." Shang appeared in the doorway as Mushu slipped out of sight.
"Thanks. I'm more than ready to get clean and then sleep." He limped over, lifting his face for a kiss as he reached the older man.
Shang chuckled "I offered to let you go first."
Ping didn't answer, simply running a hand down the warm chest before leaning forward to press a kiss to the spot where he had stopped. Shang ran a hand through his loose hair, kissed Ping's forehead and let the other shuffle through the doorway.
In the bath, Ping relaxed in the cooling water, contentment seeping through him. He had a home, a lover, a job and a life outside of his parent's expectations; better than that, even... he had rewritten their expectations and they had accepted his life.
Shutting his eyes, Ping let his head rest against the damp cushion that protected his head from the hard, wooden rim of the bath. He looked forward to the day he would prepare his body for Shang in this tub, but as he fought to stay awake, the day seemed far off. Shang didn't want to take him before his leg had healed and Ping himself was content to wait until they were both fully settled in and ready.
Settled and ready arrived several weeks later. Ping could walk without a limp if he went slow enough and the pain elsewhere had gone. His face was still scarred, but the burns had calmed down and Ping had been reassured to find that Shang hadn't been bothered by his looks. In fact, when Ping had asked, Shang had pointed out that Ping had gotten the injuries in defence of their unit and Shang himself. Apparently most the time he didn't really notice them, other than to wonder if the were hurting Ping at all... but sometimes the sight of them filled him with such pride that his heart ached with it.
The words of that serious conversation echoed in the young man's head often. It would have been hard to accept that Shang loved him for who he was and regardless of his looks if it wasn't reality that he lived everyday. However, the older man never gave the slightest hint of disgust when he kissed Ping's face, nor shame when the two wandered into the city and people stared.
"Let them stare." He had said simply when Ping had commented on the looks and whispers that followed them. "You're pretty well known as a hero so that could be the reason they look."
"Mulan would be so annoyed, regardless of the reason." Ping had responded. Mulan had plans to visit when the weather got warm again.
"I don't think you need me to fight any battles for you." Shang had grinned, the look in his eyes hinting strongly at the desire that he was feeling.
"No. It took me a while, but I'm learning to do that for myself." Not that he likes to argue in the slightest, but he didn't let others walk over him anymore.
And now, Ping held his towel tighter around himself as he watched Shang approach with confident steps, his broad chest already starting to heave as he drank in the sight of Ping, dressed in just the sodden piece of cloth and a vibrant blush after his bath.
They had discussed the act itself in far more detail than Ping had ever wanted to, but Shang had been adamant that the young man would know what was going to happen and how the act would be performed.
Now, mouth slightly ajar as he focussed on the shifting muscles of his lover's chest, Ping was glad that he knew exactly what to expect. If anything, the foreknowledge made his body burn with desire before they had even touched one another.
Shang stripped bare as Ping dropped his towel and lay back in the blankets.
"Shall we?" asked Shang, his gaze hot but careful in a way that hinted at the control he had over his body.
Ping nodded and bit back a whimper as their flesh met in a burning embrace; he willingly lost himself in the act with full confidence in Shang and a growing need to learn this new dance.
What woke Ping up the next morning was a terrified yelp and a thud as the man he had been lying beside tumbled out of the bed and scrambled back against the wall.
"Shang?" He sat up quickly, adrenaline rushing through him as he took in the room, looking for a threat.
"I thought you were going to tell him about me!" Mushu was on the pillow beside Ping, his expression vexed as he stared straight ahead at the wall.
"And you thought the time to check that out was now? Mushu!" Ping cried, embarrassment flooding him as his body ached and he realised that they were both naked and he had to get to the toilet.
"I'd think it was something to talk about before you two got going."
"We'll talk when we've eaten." Ping answered, hurrying out the room and taking the blanket with him, leaving behind a mildly irate guardian dragon and a naked Shang.
Left behind, the two blinked at each other before scrambling to get sorted. Mushu left the room while grumbling loudly about pretty boys and pedestals, Shang sighed and dressed as he fought back a grin. He had a distinct feeling that life with Ping would never be too dull to cope; he couldn't wait for the happenings of work, pleasure and everything in-between.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading. Hope you've enjoyed it. If you want the smuttier version of the last chapter then head over to AO3 where this is posted under the same title and username.