Quiet Chatter

 

Chapter Nine; Meiran POV:

 

     I had watched him storm out of the room and my throat felt tight. That wasn't how I had wanted this to go. Then again, it wasn't very far off from what I had been expecting. So why did it hurt so much when he had simply acted as I had expected? I mean, this was the man I had come to know so well, wasn't it?

 

     "Don't worry, Meiran. I'm certain he's just gone somewhere to meditate and think things over," Houren said softly, patting my hand. I nodded and looked down at my hands. I dearly hoped she was correct in that way of thinking.

 

     "Are you certain we should have told him?" I asked, looking up to meet Houren's gaze.

 

     "Wufei loves you, Meiran. He would want you to be protected. Of that, I am certain." I nodded. I was fairly certain of that as well. Yet would he want to do the protecting himself, or would he leave it to the Chang bodyguards that were always around. It's sad to say, but I really would prefer neither at the moment. I was so much better than the bodyguards. Sparing with them in my free time had shown me that. Of course, I had taken my training a whole lot more seriously once the rape had happened, even going so far as to learn dirty ways to protect myself.

 

     "I hope you are right, Houren. Yet I find this day has been too much for me and I must go to my room and rest." Houren nodded and hugged me once we were standing.

 

     "Of course, dear. Get some sleep. We can worry anew on this tomorrow." I sighed softly and nodded. Of course it would have to be worried over tomorrow. There was no way this was going to be dropped so suddenly. I then bowed to her and headed off to my room. Yet one of the maids stopped me along the way to tell me my things had been moved to a room upstairs. More fitting for a future bride to the Chang heir, I was told. I blinked. How little everyone in this house truly knew.

 

     I sighed once more and headed for the room I had been told to go to. This was all becoming just a little too much for me to handle. Why was it people had to see me differently. I was still a maid here. I was still just like everyone else. Until I was actually married to Wufei, I would never be anything near what Houren was and what Wufei needed. If I was honest with myself, there was nothing I could do about it at this moment and time, and I wasn't allowed to go to work. I hated this so much I wanted to punch something.

 

     Stopping in my new room, which looked almost exactly like my old one, except bigger, I pulled off my clothes and grabbed one of several gi's I had hanging in my closet. Once I was dressed and my hair was pulled back into a rather tight and unyielding braid, I headed on downstairs for the exercise room. I was going to pound my frustration out of myself if it was the last thing I did. I didn't like it when I had to confront my demons. Some of them were more than I liked and I refused to have to fight them more than once in my life.

 

     For some reason, this one wasn't about to die with just one fight under the belt. It wanted a rematch that I truly wasn't about to give it, and yet was powerless to stop from happening. Why is it that the worst things in ones life almost always come out when the happiest of moments occur?

 

     Reaching the exercise room, I started with some warm-up stretches and such. I refused to have myself hurting later just because I had happened to be upset at the time. Once I was done with that, I moved on to the large bag that hung in the center of the room. It was perfect for kicking and punching and I was going to make it die a horrible death this evening.

 

     I started with punches. First a few beginning ones and then working up to the higher difficulty ones. The more complex, the more energy I expended. The more energy I used, the harder the bag was hit. The harder the bag was hit, the more it shook. That was all I needed. I wanted to see the bag move as far from me as possible with the power of my hits alone.

 

     Once I was finished with my punches, I moved on to kicks. Now these were more deadly. The bag shook and swung as the kicks became harder and more powerful. I had always valued my strength. As a woman, I would naturally be weaker than a man by default. Yet with work, I was now on par with men and able to deal just as much damage as they could. Yet, it was training and hard work that had eventually accomplished that. Nothing more.

 

     I was so intent on kicking the bag as hard and as far from me as I could, that I didn’t hear anyone come in. When a light touch fell on my shoulder, I retaliated instinctively. My leg swung out and connected with a warm body. I heard a ‘oomph’ and I gasped as I noticed who I had just kicked.

 

     Lying on the floor, hand to his stomach, was Wufei. He seemed to have closed his eyes and was trying to collect his breath so that he didn’t have trouble doing what came naturally to him. I gasped and rushed over to him, my dark eyes wide with concern.

 

     “Oh, Wufei, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I stopped as he held a hand up to silence me. He seemed to meditate for a few more moments before opening his eyes, ebony eyes seemingly a little mirthful.

 

     “I don’t believe I’ll need to teach you how to protect yourself. I think I was just hit by a demolition truck,” Wufei said once he was able to breath normally. I smiled softly at his words, glad he wasn’t angry with me.

 

     “I used to find training as a waste of time, until the rape. Afterward, it was something I took very seriously. I guess, I don’t like fighting my demons more than once and having this particular one return has pissed me off.”

 

     Wufei’s nose wrinkled up in distaste. “A woman should not use such language, Meiran. Especially a woman I intend to marry.” I blinked, feeling my eyes grow very wide.

 

     “You… You still want to marry me?” I asked, surprised that he would still want me. He gave me an exasperated look.

 

     “You are MINE, Meiran. There will be no other in my life. You were promised to me and I will keep you. Besides, I don’t think I could handle any other woman but you. You’re more than enough trouble as it is.”

 

     I laughed, leaning in to kiss him softly. “Thank you, Wufei. I suppose I was just worried when you stormed off.”

 

     At those words, along with the kiss, he flushed. “Yes, well. I will be the first to admit I have a terrible temper. I left to calm it down and think things through. I wanted to find you first, but I ran into my father while searching and spoke with him. I noticed he also knew about this.”

 

     At that, I flushed. “He found you recently, same as you. Your mother thought it would be best that we didn’t tell him any sooner. He didn’t like what he heard and ranted for a while. I think you get your temper from him.”

 

     Wufei flushed a bit more. “I believe you’re right. He is my father. He had already petitioned for a restraining order for those men. I was going to ask him for one after I had talked with you. I guess, this was just something that needed to be done.”

 

     “I guess so. Yet I am sorry I kicked you.”

 

     “Don’t worry over it. I should have known better than to touch you when you looked like you wanted to kill whatever it was you saw in your mind.” I flushed, looking away. Yet I felt his hand on my chin as he turned my face back to his. “Don’t look away from me, Meiran. I am very honored to call you my fiancé. That was a very impressive kick,” he murmured. I smiled, even though the flush on my cheeks.

 

     “Thank you, Wufei. I guess I was really into it.” He nodded, sitting up and crossing his legs as he looked at me.

 

     “Also, father and I talked about the betrothal. No matter if you win or lose at the tournament, we may marry. I told him that I loved you and that no other woman was for me. I would have you or leave the family. I wanted no one else but you.” At those words we both flushed, my cheeks feeling super heated, as I’m certain his did as well. I then said to hell with proper behavior. I threw myself into Wufei’s arms, knocking him back onto the floor. He was startled at first, but the smile on his face let me know he didn’t mind.

 

     “I love you Wufei! I love you!” I cried, laying on top of him with my arms around his neck.

 

     He laughed softly, one hand coming up to caress my cheek. It was feather-light and there was a world of tenderness in that touch. “And I love you Meiran,” he whispered in return.

 

     I couldn’t help it. With a deep moan, I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. At first, he didn’t respond. I was a bit nervous I had come on too strongly to him. Yet he soon began kissing me in return. It was soft, sweet, and yet there was a passion behind it that fueled both of us and made me feel everything that would continue to help our love burn strongly.

 

     “Well, I guess this means you two will most certainly have to marry,” Mr. Chang’s voice said from the doorway. A soft laugh reached my ears, even as Wufei and I broke apart. Houren was there as well. I felt myself turn redder than I ever had before, bowing low to cover it.

 

     “I’m sorry,” Wufei and I said at the same time, before casting a glance at each other from our bowed positions. Mr. Chang laughed softly, his wife grinning from ear to ear.

 

     “Oh, don’t be. I should have expected it, after all,” he said with a grin.

 

     “Come on you two, get up.” Wufei and I rose to our feet, a soft smile on our lips even though our cheeks were still pink.

 

     “Um… what brings you here?” I asked, finally getting the courage up to look at the adults.

 

     “Actually, my husband wanted to apologize for that stipulation he gave you about marrying Wufei, didn’t you dear,” Houren said, even as she gave her husband an elbow.

 

     Mr. Chang seemed to jump a little, even as he nodded. “Yes dear. I guess I saw a lot of my wife in you and I wanted to be certain this was what you both wanted. I’m sorry,” he said, even as he bowed his head.

 

     Wufei and I shared a look before our lips curved into large grins. If his parents were like us when they were younger, then our love would certainly remain strong and true for many years to come.

 

     “Come along now. I was told dinner was ready as we came to find you. Casual dress, so don’t worry about changing, Meiran,” Houren said, even as she took her husbands arm and walked with him out the door. Wufei looked at me then, a soft smile on his lips even as there was a wealth of love in his beautiful black eyes.

 

     “Don’t ever change, Meiran,” he said as he took my hand and began to lead me from the room. As I heard those words I knew, that no matter what, we would be all right. For Wufei loved me for who I was, and that was all that mattered to me.

 

THE END