Love Bites

There's A Girl

"Do you fight anymore?" Merida asked, "Now that China doesn't have a war?"

Mulan smiled. "I spar and practice, but no, there hasn't been a threat to China in a long time."

Merida tried her best to listen, she really did, but she got caught up in the way the Asian woman's cheeks rose when she smiled. Merida pat her hands over her cheeks, frantically trying to stop a blush.

"What about you?" Mulan looked at her. "Any new proposals?"

Merida shook her head. "No," she said, "I think men have learned that I'm not interested."

Mulan raised an eyebrow, looking into Merida's eyes. They held that contact for a moment. Mulan's gaze searched for the meaning of Merida's last sentence. Merida held her breath.

Mulan broke eye contact. "I used to have a boyfriend, you know."

Merida felt her stomach drop. "Yeah?"

"We weren't compatible in the end, though I still have lots of respect for him," she said. "I miss having a partner, though." She glanced over at Merida. "I'm beginning to look elsewhere now."

Merida tried not to combust.

__

Merida got to witness Mulan's man impression. She wondered how she got so far into the war without being noticed.

Mulan got to witness Merida's burping in full blast. Mulan, instead of being disgusted, was jealous of the redhead's skill.

__

They didn't cross any lines until the second week, when Merida decided she'd like to experience her first kiss, and Mulan just looked too gorgeous in the sunset not to try. Mulan's lips were soft, while Merida's were chapped and dry, but the Chinese woman didn't complain. When they pulled back, Merida expected to see a confident warrior and diplomat in front of her.

Instead, the dark haired woman in front of her was blushing and flustered. It turned out Merida wasn't the only one trying not to combust whenever they spoke. The two of them fell into a fit of giggles as the world turned dark around them and the stars began to twinkle in the sky.

__

By the end of the second week, the treaty was finalised.

By the end of the second week, Mulan and Merida hadn't defined their relationships.

By the end of the second week, the two young women had to return to their own countries, and with heavy hearts, they said goodbye.

__

Merida missed Mulan. Weeks passed by in the kingdom of DunBroch, and while Merida used her time to practice archery and prepare for becoming the next Queen, her mind still wandered to the woman she met during negotiations. Merida wondered what happened to the feisty girl who was so against a relationship that she shot for her own hand. She wondered why now, her heart betrayed her.

When Merida entered her bedroom at the end of the day, she realized it had been nearly a month since her family had returned. It was only two weeks that she had with Mulan, and she was determined to get over the warrior woman. Merida met a sweet girl just the other day, and although this girl wasn't The Savior of China, maybe Merida would try to talk to her.

__

There was a knocking on Merida's door - it was late, and Merida was grumpy to be woken from her sleep. She sat up as the door creaked open, candle light from the hallway spilling into her room. In the doorway was a silhouette of a woman, and Merida wondered if someone somehow broke in.

A voice called softly into Merida's bedroom. "Hello?"

Her heart beat once, twice, three times. She willed her voice not to crack when she responded.

"Mulan?"

The woman stepped all the way in and Merida's eyes adjusted to the lighting, only to see The Savior of China herself. She smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Merida asked.

"I wanted to see you."

"You look exhausted."

"I sailed here. It was a tiring trip even if Moana helped me."

Merida pursed her lips. "Close the door," she said, "and rest here."

Mulan's eyes widened. "On your bed? Don't you have more questions for me?"

"I can ask them in the morning," Merida replied, "For now, let's sleep."

Mulan looked nervous for a moment, and then smiled. She shut the door, bathing them both in darkness once again, and crawled under Merida's covers. Merida laid next to her. It wasn't long before Mulan started snoring.

__

There's a girl in Merida's bed.

She isn't sure how she's going to explain this to her mother.

But for now, she'll forget explanations. She'll ignore how this will raise questions - how she'll break traditions once again.

She'll fall asleep, and when morning breaks, they'll face all of it together. 

~~ the end ~~

About the Author

Hannah is a nineteen year old writer and artist studying animation at the University of Central Florida. When she isn't doing school work, she likes to listen to music, play Minecraft, and explore the city. She loves frogs and dogs.