Morning (Mulan, Shang/Mulan, #17)
Cross posted to lightbird777. And I'm done!!!
Title: Morning
Author: lightbird
Fandom: Mulan
Pairing: Li Shang/Fa Mulan
Theme: #17, kHz
Note: Picks up right after Night
Disclaimer: All characters, etc. from the Disney movie belong to Disney.
Warning: Not beta’d.Needs revision.
Shang’s eyes popped open, almost before the sound started, as if he knew it was coming again. Once more he found himself wondering at the unique pitch of the infant’s cry, no different than their first son’s. Feng’s high-pitched wail pierced the night with its timbre and urgency. It was absolutely impossible to ignore.
Beside him, Mulan groaned as she wearily sat up.
“Stay here,” he told her, placing a firm hand on her arm and sitting up. “You’ve already been up four times. I’ll go this time.”
She slumped back down on the bed. “Thanks. Though if he needs to be fed I’ll have to get up anyway,” she sighed.
“Didn’t you just feed him last time you were up?”
“I think he’s hitting another growth spurt. He seems unable to stop eating today.”
“I’ll bring him in here then, so you won’t have to come all the way down the hall.”
A current of cold air hit his bare feet as he hurried into the hall. He’d forgotten to put on slippers.
“Okay, okay,” he murmured when he entered Feng’s room, attempting to soothe his son. He lifted the tiny bundle out of his crib still wrapped in the blanket and cradled him against his chest.
But the contact and warmth of his father’s body didn’t appease Feng. Nearly blue in the face but appearing to have an endless supply of breath, he shrieked on without a stop.
“Ow! Feng, I think you just made me deaf in that ear.”
Shang sighed and began to walk around the room with him, rocking him gently and tenderly kissing him, finally giving up when his crying wouldn’t subside.
“Alright, are we hungry? Do we need to bother Mommy again?”
Mulan was sitting up already, her gown open. “Hungry?” she asked, clearly too exhausted to speak more than one or two words.
“Hungry,” he answered, handing him over. “Sorry.”
With a soft chuckle she took Feng in her arms and let him settle against her. Shang released a sigh of relief as the piercing cries ceased. He sank down wearily on the edge of the bed and watched Mulan as she nursed the baby.
Soothed and satiated, Feng fell asleep as soon as she’d finished burping him.
“Do you want to keep him in bed with us? Then if he wakes up and needs to be fed, you’ll be right there for him.”
“I’m afraid I’ll roll over onto him.”
He walked with his wife as she brought their son back to his crib and laid him down.
“He’s beautiful,” he whispered, filled with pride as he stared down at Feng.
Mulan smiled affectionately and leaned in, poking him playfully. “He looks like his father.”
Husband and wife left their infant sleeping and strolled back to their own room.
Settled under the covers once again, Shang stared up at the ceiling, a sense of melancholy pervading him.
“Mao looked like me too when he was born. Then his face changed and I saw your features in his.”
Her hand found his in the dark and she squeezed it. “When Feng is old enough to understand, we can tell him about the older brother he never knew.”
Shang was silent, wondering what purpose that would serve. As if she’d read his mind, Mulan answered his unspoken question.
“So he can share in the celebration of his brother’s life. Not mourn it.”
She was so wise. Even though he was a few years older than Mulan it often surprised him how much broader and more mature her view of the world was.
In the semi-darkness of the approaching dawn he leaned over and kissed her tenderly. She snuggled deeper into his chest and sighed contentedly.
“Let’s get some sleep, Baba. While we can.”