Rendering to Emotion Ch. 2
By Silvercane

The two warriors stayed in the old wooden house for a few weeks- much longer than Ryu had intended, in fact, it was too long. His goal was to seek Akuma in Thailand- where Akuma, himself, indicated he would be, awaiting the arrival of Ryu, for their final battle to the death. However, Akuma could be lying and Ryu would fall victim to a trap. Either way, Ryu had to find him and take revenge. But something kept holding him back. Everytime, he attempted to leave, "she" would ask him to take a walk with her or to help feed the chickens. Even though Ryu was hard-hearted, Chun Li melted away his ice and he was more human again. Now, he didn't have the heart to leave her. He had held her, he had stroked her hair when she wept from a nightmare. 'Sensei, I'm not oblivious to the fact that I must leave to seek Akuma…I will tell her when she returns'. He could leave and not tell Chun Li, but he knew she deserved a farewell.

***

"Ba ba, you're all I ever knew of love. Must I wait until I get to heaven to experience that again? I'm growing weary of waiting to unit with you. I thought, once, that if I end my life, everything would be perfect. I'd be with you forever, but you always told me never to give up, even if life is putting me down. You told me to be strong. I've been strong, ba ba! My whole life without you has been struggle, do you know my courage?! My strength?! How long must I live with this weight on my back? Will it never end? I'm sick, ba ba! I'm sick of holding my strength up because sooner or later, I'll break and become weak. So, why don't I just give up now? It's too hard to bear this life! I'll never glow anymore, like I used to. I think that the hardest thing is that you…are gone. You'll never feel the heat that is buried in my soul- the only raging fire that keeps me going. Ba ba, someone knows how I feel, someone shares my grief. I cherish his company his company so much and I don't know why. Right now, he is keeping me from falling down, but I know he can't hold on forever. Help me…"

Chun Li stared blankly at the tombstone. Wind blew by her and her nose smelled the arrival of rain. As if a message from above, it started to rain lightly. Chun Li looked up at the sky as rain fell on her face.

"I'll love you forever" she kissed the tombstone and slowly walked away.

***

Ryu looked over to Chun Li, who walked into the house, soaking wet, late in the evening. She leaned against the front door and stared at him. He sighed and grabbed a towel that was slung over a chair and made his way towards her.

"Here" he held the towel out. She looked at the towel and at him again. She took the towel with his hand and let the towel drop, leaving his hand in hers. She stared into his eyes and he stared back.

She spoke softly. "In my dreams last night, I let you touch me. Does that scare you? Now I want you to touch me" she moved closer to him. "I want to hear the passion in your voice. I want you to feel me, to taste me, and hold me forever. I want to feel you inside…" She whispered in his ear, "Will you have me? I love you"

When he stood there and didn't answer and just looked at the floor, she let go of his hand, disappointed but mostly heart-broken. She sat on her bed, cupped her face in her hands and cried softly. No one loved her in this world. Her heart ached and heaved with pain- as did his. He loved her undoubtedly. What did he do? She was in her room crying because of him. It hurt him so much to make her cry. 'Follow your heart, Ryu. Leave judgement and anger outside. You'll find the answer in love' He was left with a string of emotions. He walked into her room and looked at Chun Li, who sat on her bedside, staring at the floor.

"What I can't comprehend is how you know me. My deepest fears, my thoughts, no one knows me,…but you" he said softly and slowly. He had no clue what to say.

"Never have I been afraid to do anything, except to feel again", she whispered. "I'm not afraid anymore."

"I've only been afraid of losing you…because I'm not strong enough to deny my love for you. I was angry when I met you and I still hold that anger, but you've got me lethered and you're…taking me over."

He sat next to her on the edge of the bed and whispered in her ear like she did to him, "I love you"

He wanted to kiss her, but he didn't know how. Never in his life did he experience this before. It's ironic how a man who traveled in so many parts of the world and encountered so many obstacles, people and fight, didn't even know how to kiss. But he did anyway, he kissed her, making his heart race a mile a minute.

In the hours of darkness, each felt each other, each held each other, and each knew each other. They became one with a bond that only two lovers could ever experience. He held her in his arms until dawn. They felt the warmth of one another and knew that that their love would never end.