| Fan Fiction |
by queenahems
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The squeals of laughter were strangely musical under crystalline lights, where the pitter-patter of tiny feet slapped excitedly against marble floors, followed by cooing adults and long-held hugs.
"Careful," Shan Cai chided her husband from where he held their son, a frenzy mess of kicking legs and energized wriggling all contained within a two-year old.
Dao Ming Si sighed as he hoisted his child higher within his arms, enduring loud gabbling and violent grabbing of his hair as he stared back at his wife.
"I don't see what's the big deal is," he said stubbornly. "It's just a robot."
From somewhere behind him, Lei snickered, and Shan Cai narrowed her eyes, rendering him innocently silent before turning back to her husband.
"Not just any robot. It's Alethea! She belongs to Mei Zuo!"
"What's wrong with educating our son a little in the mechanics of a robot?" Dao Ming Si looked entirely childish and defiant as he held tighter onto his son who was trying to squirm his way to his father's shoulders.
"Rooob Ott!" his son trumpeted.
"It's robot, dear boy," Dao Ming Si murmured absently.
"There's a difference between letting him learn and allowing him to pull its hair out!" Shan Cai snapped.
"Fine." Dao Ming Si turned his son within the circle of his arms and looked hard at him. "Well son. What do you say we don't pull Alethea's hair but her limbs instead?"
"DAO MING SI!"
Dao Ming Si laughed, and bent to kiss his wife.
"I like her, mum."
Shan Cai glanced down to where her daughter sat, eyes bright and sparking with astounding seriousness and abstract wisdom that most would consider astonishing for a three-year old.
"I know," Shan Cai replied, and laid a motherly hand on her daughter’s head, watching as her child sat silently beside the mechanical girl, tiny hands touching Alethea's hair and clothes as the robot cocked its head and responded perfectly to its young admirer.
"I'll get the cake ready," Xiao Qiao said, rising from her seated place beside Mei Zuo and making her way to Dao Ming Si's kitchen.
"I'll help," Shan Cai offered, and cast a loving glance at the birthday girl, smiling excitedly at the prospect of her children screaming in delight over the rich chocolate cake they had ordered.
Hidden partly in the shadows of the house, Xiao You stood against a pillar, silently watching the exchange with a wistful smile. It was too long, she decided. Too long since a private party was held – no ostentatious guest list or mind-grinding headaches that plagued the birthday party planning process.
It was simple – just the few of them, reliving their friendship and reaffirming their trust. Xiao You watched with a small amount of envy at Shan Cai's perfect family, surrounded by her steadfast friends. It was truly the life to live for.
A warm presence neared her, and Xiao You smiled. She had felt him long before he slid up beside her, two champagne glasses in hand and looking unfairly magnificent in casual shirt and pants.
"Feeling particularly isolated?" Ximen teased as he bumped his shoulder gently against hers.
"Hardly," she replied. "It's sweet don't you think? That Xiao Qiao gave the children Alethea. Seems like all of us are taking turns to keep that robot."
Ximen shrugged.
"Really? I never noticed."
"All except Lei, that is," Xiao You mused, ignoring his laconic reply.
Ximen nodded gravely.
"Yes. And he shall never know the creepiness of having to live with a girl-like robot."
Xiao You pinched him gently before turning contemplative.
"There was a reason he named her Alethea, you know," she said.
Ximen raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
"Her name means truth. Truth that we can never be as perfect as we want to, and so turn to anything else to satisfy that need – to create something that resembles something that we can love, or at least come to love."
There was a moment of contemplative silence before Ximen spoke.
"I don't need perfect," he said softly, and Xiao You understood immediately the magnitude of his words. Her eyes softened, and she leaned willingly into him.
"Neither do I," she said and squeezed his arm.
Thank you, Alethea, Xiao You thought hazily, and made a mental note to tell Lei of her recent epiphany as well.
Ximen dropped a kiss onto her shoulder and they watched in silence and appreciation as their friends, considered like family bonded in friendship now cast in stone and forged in love.
"Her children are beautiful," Xiao You said after awhile, her silent thoughts somehow exiting her mouth as she pondered too deeply. She flushed a little at her confession, knowing how Ximen could tease her endlessly at her maternal tendencies.
"They are," Ximen answered instead, surprising her unexpectedly. Xiao You looked up at him, and saw that he was staring straight back at her, his eyes a pool of molten brown, dark and always burning a path of want and assurance across her skin.
"We should get married," he said at last, and Xiao You nearly fell over.
She kept silent, studying him carefully and realised in amazement that he was frightfully serious and not in the least bit jesting. Xiao You fought the urge to step back at the intensity of his look, and felt a lump rise in her throat. She was floored, truly, for ever since they had been gotten back together; they had sworn not to jump too far ahead in planning their future without consulting each other first.
Xiao You knew he had always publicly shunned the idea of marriage, and while he confessed years ago to Mei Zuo that marriage had been on his mind, Xiao You guessed he had said it for propriety's sake – everyone knew a bonded marriage with another notable corporation always made news and money. But in private, in his quiet chambers of long-held want and aspirations, he had the same desires as many men had – a family unit, cohesive and beautiful.
At the same time however, Xiao You suspected that it was Ximen's intense fear of becoming like his father that drove him to remain fully uncommitted, for he had endured the coldness of his father's touch, and understood the hate and bitterness that came along with it. It was preposterous, Xiao You knew, to actually expect Ximen to commit to marriage. It was something so foreign to him, despite having dealt with so many situations and disputes in his line of work, and yet somehow -- the responsibilities of a husband and eventually as a father were too great, and the fear too paralysing.
However ready she was, Xiao You had sworn never to further their commitment unless he was completely sure that he was ready. It would be unfair, she thought, to have him commit to a life he was so obviously uncomfortable and apprehensive about.
And so she remained patient, her love for him making her determined to stay loyal and encouraging by his side, and they continued that way for the next few years, content and seemingly complete.
But now...ow he was asking her the very question that had been every girl's dream.
Xiao You raised a brow, appearing cool and composed.
"Was that a question or demand?" she teased slightly, and saw Ximen return her smirk.
"Would it make you feel more in control if I asked?"
"Maybe," Xiao You answered in mock seriousness. "I am after all, a woman in my own right. I should have a say in marriage. And oh, don't forget, I do have a journalistic mind, so I do like to question motives once in a while, just to see what scoops I can dig out."
Ximen's smile curved deeper, looking very much like a large feline who was staring at its prey. It was both sensual and dangerous, and Xiao You fought hard to keep her breathing under control.
"Besides, it's a little unromantic of you, don't you think? I for one would think that the great Mr Zhong would at least propose with a fat diamond ring," Xiao You said lightly, and grinned to soften her words.
Ximen swept down and pressed a brief, tantalising kiss to her lips and pulled away quickly before he felt compelled to pick her up and sweep her out of Ah Si's house and back to his own.
"Who said I wouldn't?" he whispered, and kissed her again. "I'm more romantic than you think."
"You should be careful," Xiao You said, pouting a little at the loss of contact and refrained on commenting just how romantic she thought he really was. "There are children around."
"We would make good parents," Ximen said and nudged his nose gently against her hair. "And we could live happily ever after."
Xiao You laughed and drank her champagne.
Ximen now turned to face her fully, his whole posture and demeanour sincere and earnest.
"Marry me," he insisted, his voice very low and quiet, and if he was doubtful or terrified of her answer, he certainly never showed it. Xiao You could not find it in her to feel irritated at his arrogance even in such a delicate situation. It seemed unnecessary to feel annoyed at his assuming tone, because really, she had known since the start that her answer would always be yes whenever and however he asked.
Ximen's gaze did not waver, and already, her answer tasted sweet in her mouth.
Nightmares, jealousy, solitude and ungraceful arguments – they seemed to have experienced it all, falling when the other did and rising when the other flew. But there were good times, there always were good times, and they experienced that too. Because really, they were bounded to each other, held tightly by threads woven into a classic masterpiece.
And it was perfectly all right, because in an imperfect world, perfection would never be enough or understood, and it was absolutely fine, because they certainly didn't need perfect to be content.
"All right."
Ximen smiled.
"Good," he replied, and linked his fingers with hers.
--The End--
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A/N: Ahhh! *weeps* A completed story! At last! Somehow, I feel incredibly overwhelmed. Nothing beats the feeling of having a completed story.
Once again, I hope all of you enjoyed this story, and thank you to all who took the time to review and always remind me to finish this story, and even if you didn't, I hope you had a great time reading it. And now that we've come to the end for this story, please do let me know what you think.
Once again, thank you to pikachu, J, livi, gorgeous_nhel, nix, Resha, passer, Ms_Tsukushi, Abby, hannah, lola bugs, Joshee, Mysterious, ME, freefall, Lee, paula, laila, RealityStarfish, kmen, LEE-LEI, jaci, mary, joeybanks, aininor, hellome, lea, wingsy, kleng, prec, xue, snowyprincess_516, xiao Yue, MaunaLoa, serenity, SimpleSpirit, jen and bathroom.
Also, the Simplicity Challenge had its deadline pushed to the end of September, though I think polling begins on the 1st of September. However, I think it's a 50% poll where half goes to the webmistress' decision with the other half going to the co-webmistress.
The link to the website: http://simplicity.reiku.org/
Either way, it's been incredibly fun to write and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm already contemplating a few new stories for this couple, though nothing is yet confirmed. In the meantime...*runs off to update With Every Drop*