storypaint (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
storypaint) wrote2009-01-12 09:37 am
storypaint) wrote2009-01-12 09:37 am
Instinct v. Calculation (Nala & Mulan)
Title: Instinct v. Calculation
Length: 416 words
Fandom: Mulan/The Lion King: college students AU (Disney Hall)
Pairing/characters: Simba/Nala implied; Mulan and Nala gen
Rating: G
Warnings: n/a
Prompt/challenge you're answering: no_true_pair: Mulan and Nala, first impressions
Excerpt: "Nala," the girl introduced herself, offering a large, callused hand. Mulan shook it and the girl smiled.
The thing that Mulan hated most of all about school in America was the Asian stereotype. People assumed that she was good at school because of her heritage. They didn't care that her grades-- average, no more-- were the result of very hard work and a lot of studying.
The stereotype had landed her with a girl she assumed would be a terrible lab partner. She was brand-new to the country, like Mulan was, but her accent was much thicker and she spent most of the lecture looking dumbfounded.
Inwardly, Mulan sighed. Chemistry was going to be difficult enough as it was. She was terrible at math. All she needed was a partner who barely spoke English.
"Nala," the girl introduced herself, offering a large, callused hand. Mulan shook it and the girl smiled.
"I'm Mulan," she told her. "Did you read the synopsis for this one?"
Nala nodded, then frowned. "Some of these chemicals, I do not know. But it is not likely that we would get to blow the lab up, I would think. As exciting as that would be."
Her voice was full of easy humor and Mulan laughed a little. As she adjusted to Nala's accent, she realized it wasn't too bad, really.
"Perhaps you can calculate while I get things set up," Mulan offered hopefully, and Nala nodded.
"Math, now that is the same in any language. I like that part."
"I just wish it was easier," Mulan replied, sighing, as she began to dig through the bottles on their lab bench.
"Would you like help with it?" Nala offered, and Mulan glanced up from her perusal.
"My boyfriend back home, I am always helping him with his math," she confided. "I am a good explainer."
"I may take you up on that," Mulan said, and she was rewarded by a dazzling smile. She smiled back and then pulled out several small bottles for their experiment, setting them on the table and pausing to reread the directions and confirm the amounts.
After a moment, Nala looked up from the page she was scribbling on busily. "Thank you for being my partner. Most people think my English is too bad. Is not too bad, huh?"
"When I first came here..." Mulan said, starting one of her favorite stories, and she was rewarded by Nala's interest. She smiled inside as she told about the language faux pas.
This might be a better class than she had expected, after all.
Length: 416 words
Fandom: Mulan/The Lion King: college students AU (Disney Hall)
Pairing/characters: Simba/Nala implied; Mulan and Nala gen
Rating: G
Warnings: n/a
Prompt/challenge you're answering: no_true_pair: Mulan and Nala, first impressions
Excerpt: "Nala," the girl introduced herself, offering a large, callused hand. Mulan shook it and the girl smiled.
The thing that Mulan hated most of all about school in America was the Asian stereotype. People assumed that she was good at school because of her heritage. They didn't care that her grades-- average, no more-- were the result of very hard work and a lot of studying.
The stereotype had landed her with a girl she assumed would be a terrible lab partner. She was brand-new to the country, like Mulan was, but her accent was much thicker and she spent most of the lecture looking dumbfounded.
Inwardly, Mulan sighed. Chemistry was going to be difficult enough as it was. She was terrible at math. All she needed was a partner who barely spoke English.
"Nala," the girl introduced herself, offering a large, callused hand. Mulan shook it and the girl smiled.
"I'm Mulan," she told her. "Did you read the synopsis for this one?"
Nala nodded, then frowned. "Some of these chemicals, I do not know. But it is not likely that we would get to blow the lab up, I would think. As exciting as that would be."
Her voice was full of easy humor and Mulan laughed a little. As she adjusted to Nala's accent, she realized it wasn't too bad, really.
"Perhaps you can calculate while I get things set up," Mulan offered hopefully, and Nala nodded.
"Math, now that is the same in any language. I like that part."
"I just wish it was easier," Mulan replied, sighing, as she began to dig through the bottles on their lab bench.
"Would you like help with it?" Nala offered, and Mulan glanced up from her perusal.
"My boyfriend back home, I am always helping him with his math," she confided. "I am a good explainer."
"I may take you up on that," Mulan said, and she was rewarded by a dazzling smile. She smiled back and then pulled out several small bottles for their experiment, setting them on the table and pausing to reread the directions and confirm the amounts.
After a moment, Nala looked up from the page she was scribbling on busily. "Thank you for being my partner. Most people think my English is too bad. Is not too bad, huh?"
"When I first came here..." Mulan said, starting one of her favorite stories, and she was rewarded by Nala's interest. She smiled inside as she told about the language faux pas.
This might be a better class than she had expected, after all.