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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 20, 2013 8:35:03 GMT -5
Sheng gave her a smile as he stood up, then offered her a hand. "Perhaps next time. I will hold off on presenting it to the class..." Once she was on her feet, Sheng went over to the bench where his water bottle was. Why was his heart accelerated? He had done much more strenuous exercise without ever breaking a sweat. And yet his skin felt slightly damp, flushed... he gulped at the water in his bottle to try and cool down.
"So... to Grannies?" He asked, sliding a shirt down over his torso. He would offer for Ariel to use his shower in his apartment, as he did for other students, if she so desired... but the thought of her...without clothing... in HIS shower...
He'd never be able to take another one without thinking how she had once stood there... wondering EXACTLY what it had looked like. He shook his head, scolding himself for thinking like a horny teenage youth. No... perhaps no showers would be good...
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Post by Ariel on Jun 20, 2013 12:26:15 GMT -5
Ariel smiled, "Are you sure you want to eat there? Though come to think of it that is probably the only place to eat in this town well there are a few shady bars but they don't come highly recommended. Okay Grannies it is but let me change first I'm a mess. I'll be right back."
Ariel went into the locker room and changed putting on a pair of jeans and a soft blue top. She shoved her hair in a high pony tail since it was a mess. She put on her sandles and went back to meet Sheng. Ariel for once didn't care about make up or looking perfect she was after all just training so as long as she looked some what put together it was fine.
"Okay ready?" She asked Ariel was wondering how the heck to bring up that she was living with a guy friend... she had to tell him because Ariel was starting to be super attracted to Sheng and she owed him the truth.
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 21, 2013 14:29:28 GMT -5
Sheng gave a nod, and they headed out.
"I see that you have improved much, Ariel." He finally broke the silence as they walked. They could take his car, but neither of them mind walking the distance. It felt good to stretch the legs after an intense workout.
"Soon you will be launching me over your shoulders without a sweat!" He joked. He felt awkward. And he didn't know why. He let the lame joke slip by and put his hands in his pockets. This definantly wasn't a date... they'd grabbed lunch plenty of times before... why was it so different now?
The feel of her warm body expanding and collapsing with breath beneath his came to mind. Oh yes... he was attracted to her... much more then before if that was even POSSIBLE...
But no... he was the teacher. He had to be more honorable then that...
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Post by Ariel on Jun 22, 2013 16:28:30 GMT -5
"I am glad its good to hear I am making some kind of progress." Ariel told him smiling.
"So Sheng I guess I should tell you that, I actually have a room mate now. So I am not actually living alone its a temporary thing but I feel like you should know so if you come over for any reason and a guy answers my door you know why. We are just friends of course." Ariel was wondering why she was so defensive about making sure Sheng new they were only friends probably because she liked him.
Hell she was still trying to calm down her beating heart from their closeness. His body had never been so close to hers even in all their training sessions. She never felt more drawn to him but she found herself wondering what his firm chest would feel like pressed against her own she shook the though away now was really not the time.
"So anyway we kinda go way back and he needed a place for a bit so I offered. Anyway I just didn't want you to be surprised by it or get he wrong idea... " but why would he get the wrong idea if they were just friends? Ariel had no idea what to say to that.
"I mean..." Shit Ariel stuttered not sure how to continue.
Ariel couldn't tell how he felt about this they weren't actually dating but if they ever got there she wanted to be honest with him. She always was honest and usually bluntly so.
She let out a breath, "Sorry I'm bad that this kinda thing. I just wanted to be honest with you." She smiled unsure where to go from here. "I really enjoy spending time with you Sheng."
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 24, 2013 6:55:19 GMT -5
Sheng's eyebrows raised higher and higher the more Ariel tried to explain her situation. He didn't know WHY she felt compelled to tell him this, it wasn't his business... but now he found himself getting curious about this house guest.
"You must be relieved... living in a dangerous part of the neighborhood, and having a room-mate." He said, putting his hands behind his back in a militant stance. He never realized when he was doing it. It was his relaxed state. "Not that you need a man's protection, at the rate you are progressing. Who is this man? Someone you met after you came to Storybrooke?
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Post by Ariel on Jun 24, 2013 13:55:56 GMT -5
Ariel smiled she should have known this wouldn't be a big deal for him after all they weren't dating.
"Really you think I am making that much progress?" Ariel asked amused. "I'm glad its nice to know that I can care for myself should anything happen when I was a mermaid I could smack sharks with my tail I thought that was impressive." Ariel paused for a moment.
"Well him and I go way back I've known him since I was a mermaid. Saved him from drowning actually so yeah we have been friends for a long time."
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 28, 2013 7:57:22 GMT -5
"So he was swept up in the curse and you were not? Do I know him?" Sheng asked, only interested in keeping her talking, more then the actual subject matter. Though he knew this world had a different set of rules, he was still traditional. If a man lived with a woman, it should be because they were romantically involved. But Ariel made it sound like that wasn't the case.
Sheng didn't know why he was so relieved by that. He opened the door to Granny's so Ariel could enter first.
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Post by Ariel on Jun 28, 2013 11:30:29 GMT -5
Ariel entered grabbing a booth, "Actually he wasn't cursed either we came after the curse here broke. For some reason anyone left back home in our world was put into a deep sleep during the curse here for 28 years." Ariel explained she wondered if he knew any of this.
"I have no idea if you would know him he was a pirate back in the old world. Of course it seems like everyone here at one point or another has met him. Anyway there were still a few people trapped back home I do hope they find a way here." Ariel said looking over the menu.
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 30, 2013 17:13:38 GMT -5
Ariel seemed reluctant to tell him the name of this man living with her. While that shouldn't bother him, because he respected her enough to drop it if she didn't want to volunteer such information.... it did. They didn't really hold anything back from each other. Especially if the other inquired.
"Just be careful." He said, looking down at the menu. Good. They had stir-fry. "My experience with pirates has been... unpleasant. They are not honorable." But Ariel was a grown woman... he couldn't make decisions for her. And they weren't... together... so he couldn't tell her he felt uncomfortable with her living with that sort of man... or a man at all...
...Even though he was uncomfortable with it.
"Hook." He then said. Ariel looked up at him startled. "I'll never forget his name... he defiled my honor. I could not return to the regiment... I lived as an out cast... hermit, and coolie..." He looked up at her confused, stunned face. "'Coolie'... a laborer...lowest of the low... for their status and low intelligence."
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Post by Ariel on Jun 30, 2013 17:57:03 GMT -5
Ariel didn't know what to say about that she wouldn't hid the fact that it was Hook who was living with her how could she. Sheng would probably lose all respect for her if he knew but it would be far worse if he didn't and then found out.
"Hook has never really been honorable yet I know him better then most. Our past is rather sordid and I couldn't tell you why I stand by him. Only that we have been friends for a long time and saved each others lives. I'm sorry I didn't know you knew him or that he did that to you. I am not under any delusion of just what kind of man he is I never have been. Still how could he do that to you what happened? " Ariel swallowed scared of the answer of how she didn't say it was Killian Jones but Sheng was smart enough to read between the lines Ariel didn't have to come out and say it not now.
Would she ever break out from Hook's undertow? Fate wrapped them together and Ariel was still unsure how she felt about that. If Sheng knew the half of it the curse, their past he'd probably never want to see her again.
Ariel wasn't going to spill about all of that until she felt she had to. Knowing that Hook shared and apartment with Ariel was probably going to be enough to cause him to run. He should run he should get as far away from her as he could because Ariel believed she would never bring him happiness not after what she did to Jefferson. She sighed this would not be good.
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 30, 2013 18:36:48 GMT -5
Sheng blinked at her...
He... didn't know what to feel. Rage, confusion, shock... that Ariel, who was all goodness... would actually vouch for that man; a man with NO honor. He simply closed his menu, stood up, mumbled an 'excuse me', and went outside for air.
Clouds were starting to gather. Maybe they were in for some rain. Sheng lifted his head up towards the heavens, hoping for a soothing mist. He felt a slight hand on his shoulder. Ariel had gathered her things, avoided his gaze, ready to say goodbye...
"He had a soldier of mine on board. A woman." He looked down at the sidewalk and all its cracks and imperfections. "She was thrown overboard from my vessel WITHOUT my command. I jumped in after her, catching up to Hook's ship. When I was hoisted aboard, I respectfully asked about the presence of Mulan aboard his ship... only I did not know her name at the time... having only known her as 'Ping'. He gave he a hard time, threatened to throw my overboard, his crew treated me with disrespect... so I fought back."
Sheng could feel the rain beginning, as a gentle roll of thunder sounded overhead. He continued. "He had me thrown in the brig. Believing that Mulan would have been treated in the same respect, having seen no compassion on him... how could I not think her life was in danger? I destroyed the brig, making my way out... to find her. Hook and I had a confrontation...and I was far to weak to protect myself. He took my queue with his sword... my hair. A warrior's way of showing that he has kept his body... his temple... clean and unharmed. It is a disgrace in my country to cut your hair. He then wanted us off his ship, wanted us to be left in a row boat in Monster infested waters at night, were we surely would have perished... though we did help defeat a giant squid from devouring his ship. Cut out it's eye as payment to fix his ship."
He gave a bitter huff. "I... PAID a man... who took everything from me with the swing of his sword. The rest is history."
He finally looked into her eyes. "He is a man... with an ambiguous code, which he bends to suit his needs... not to follow as a discipline. And you have seen a tenderness to him, I'm sure... for he shows it to women often. But he is a vile man with no honor. And a life without honor, is no life at all. He is jiang... dead inside, yet he walks. And I shudder to think of what will become of you, keeping him so close to your good spirit."
He looked away. "I will not come by your apartment anymore. If I lay eyes on him. I will kill him." He shrugged away from her touch. "For I am a man without honor. You can thank him for that." He jammed his hands in his pockets and walked back towards the studio. "I will see you at next class, Ariel."
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Post by Ariel on Jun 30, 2013 19:40:46 GMT -5
Ariel took a breath not even able to say anything about knowing Mulan or having been the one to actually bring her to his ship when Ariel couldn't have taken her to any shore line.
Sheng was angry and more then that he pushed her away. Which is what she expected honestly. It was her fault and she had no one to blame but herself in his situation. She couldn't even blame Killian because she let him stay.
Ariel turned to head back to her place she loved her little apartment and Killian was gone like he normally was. Ariel went in the bathroom shutting the door and filling up the tub. Ariel told herself she was happy with the way things were but was she? She liked Sheng a lot but did he like her? Ariel wasn't sure she thought he might which is probably another reason he was so hurt.
Of course there was nothing she could say, 'I'm sorry the man I have loved for years took everything from you...' didn't seem like it would have the affect she was hoping for. Ariel stripped and got into the tub letting the water take her for a moment. She closed her eyes in pain. She was honest with Sheng perhaps to honest but what could she do she wouldn't throw Killian out because of what else was dealing with and other reasons. Ariel couldn't do that to him it didn't matter he had done worse to her. She wanted to dig out the necklace and smash it but Ariel was to scared to do that.
Sheng didn't know that half of what Ariel was dealing with. Still when it came down to it she cared for Killian and Ariel knew she always would. She rubbed her head wanting to cry but so very tired of the endless tears they never helped her feel any better so what was the point. She could go to Alana but Alana would tell her to throw Hook out and that wasn't something Ariel wanted to hear right now. She wanted to see where this thing would go with Sheng but this probably put a end to it Ariel couldn't blame him for not wanting to see her. Ariel would have felt the same way and she probably said all the wrong things to him.
She would never understand herself Ariel would add this to the list of things she failed at.
Number one failing to stay away from Killian Jones, Two being way to freaking honest for my own good... three being a good daughter...
She closed her eyes fighting tears. Sheng's class was tomorrow and Ariel wouldn't not show up. She was stronger then that wasn't she?
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 30, 2013 21:32:48 GMT -5
When Sheng came into class the next day, his students gave him the usual greeting. He responded back... but something was missing.
Not something... SOMEONE. Ariel's red hair was nowhere to be see. He didn't even let on to his disappointment. He simply pulled Arista to the front and told her to lead the class through a cycle of complex stretches and exercises... while he left the dojo. He got into his car and sped over to her apartment. If HOOK had kept her there...
But that didn't make any sense. He knew that he was just trying to find a reason to justifying inflicting violence upon Hook. Did Ariel honestly think that he didn't want to see her again? He had said that he would SEE her at class! He just needed... time to cool. He wasn't angry at her. No... not her...
Hook.
He jumped out of his car, slamming the car door and sprinted up the stairs and down the hall. He went up to her door and knocked, no... pounded.
"Měirényú!" He called. "Please open the door, Měirényú!"
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Post by Ariel on Jun 30, 2013 22:01:50 GMT -5
Ariel was sitting on her couch reading and trying hard to not think about Sheng. Nor about how she should be in his class right now and she was totally being a guppy by not going.
When there was pounding on his door Ariel sat up she would know that voice anywhere. She went over and opened the door.
"Sheng? Don't you have a class you should be teaching?" Ariel said opening her door wide.
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Post by Captain Li Sheng/ Li Shunyu on Jun 30, 2013 22:22:40 GMT -5
"A class YOU should be at." He answered, actually out of breath from being so high-strung in the car and running up the stairs. He was NEVER out of breath. It was nearly IMPOSSIBLE for a man in his shape to be out of breath. Yet Ariel seemed to take it right out of him.
"Why aren't you at class... did... did I do something? SAY something that would lead you to believe...?" his voice died. It was because of Hook. How he had reacted. But he wanted to hear her say that. To say that she would not see Sheng because he spoke so ill of her 'friend'. "Why?"
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