#because in modern au… i think adam and belle WERE only planning on having two kids. so maurice was straight up an accident

[lumiereandcogsworth]

you may have already talked about this so forgive me buuuuut what were Belle and Adam's reactions to each pregnancy? and their baby's reactions as they joined in on the fun of learning they would be getting siblings?

i have been SO excited to answer this all day. i love pregnancy discoveries/announcements SO MUCH i just think they’re so cute. (i mean, they can certainly be Not Great news, but in otp land!!!! CUTE!!!!) so without further ado, let’s get INTO IT!!

okay for their first baby… gosh i’ve probably written and rewritten this scene twenty different ways over the years. this is the BIG ONE!! the moment they go from a married couple to PARENTS!!! it’s HUGE it’s LIFE CHANGING!! i think about it all the time. and i think after all these years i finally have a scenario that i’m most happy with, that i’d really love to write and sort of insert into my canon, but just haven’t finished yet. and the funny part is that i’ve already written The Conversation™️ i just have to set it up and context and story and all that jazz. but anyway, i think it’d be such a big thing for both of them.

for belle, she really never imagined she’d get to be a mother. and i think the idea of motherhood, in a way, sort of scared her. she LOVES children for sure, but i think growing up in the village with no real prospects, no chance of getting out and being free, the idea of becoming someone’s domestic little housewife and homemaker was just such an awful idea to her. she wanted true love, she wanted a family of her own, but she just didn’t want it to be in that little provincial town with no hope of escape. and marrying someone and having their kids would just tether her there forever. and she wanted more for herself!!

so then, when she marries, idk, THE PRINCE? and becomes THE QUEEN? everything just changes. she’s not just some guy’s little wife. adam would rather die than let that happen. adam believes in her and pushes her to be as incredible as he knows she is. she has so many responsibilities in her role, she’s a freakin powerhouse!!! so when she does end up pregnant, almost a year after they get married, she’s actually quite excited by it. because she Knows she’s so much more than a homemaker. she doesn’t have to compromise herself to be a wife and mother, as she had once feared. she gets to have a baby with the love of her life and still fulfill all her own dreams. she can really do it all, your honor! so, in short, realizing she’s pregnant that first time is exciting and a huge relief knowing this isn’t the end of her life, just another chapter.

for adam it’s more like AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH !!!??!! PANIC PANIC PANIC WORRY WORRY WORRY !!!!!! but i can elaborate further. essentially, adam was never really keen on fatherhood. surprise surprise, having an abusive father and growing up suppressed and bullied and then directionless and scared and all that… didn’t really enthuse him on the idea that he’d be a great parent for any kid. despite that, of course, he did know deep down he would have to have an heir at some point. probably with some random woman who was deemed a politically advantageous match, someone he didn’t care about, the way he didn’t care about anything. but he ignored that prospect as often as possible, the same way he ignored all his other royal responsibilities. BUT! NOW? he Loves his wife……… he loves his wife so much and everything is different now. he’s a changed man now. he’s trying so hard to see the goodness in the world now. everything is brighter and it’s scary but he’s strengthened by her and supported by her and loved by her and… and… she’s pregnant 🥺

i’ve written this scene so many different ways mostly because adam’s reaction is just so… complicated. he wouldn’t be angry but i don’t think he’d be overtly happy either. he’s changed, he’s grown, but “fatherhood” is such a Deeply Rooted issue for him that i think when belle tells him, he just doesn’t even react at first. he knows he loves her and knows, logically, this is a good thing, so he holds her and starts worrying about her and starts processing this great big change in his life. and he fears becoming his father, despite the fact that it’s his mother’s kind heart beating inside him. and belle tells him there is no one else on this earth she’d rather have children with, because no one would ever believe in her the way he does. the way she believes in him. so they have lots of reassuring talks over the course of the pregnancy, and of course, that beautiful day when their first little one finally arrives, it’s just magic 🥹

GAH! first baby euphoria consumes my soul. i could talk about it forever, clearly. but i’ll move on to baby number TWO!

i actually HAVE written this fic of belle telling adam!! it’s a couple years old now so i’m tempted to not link it but it’s still how i imagine it happens in canon so it’s okay. i shan’t cringe at my old writing!! anyway, it’s christmas 1743 when belle tells adam they’ll be spending NEXT christmas with one more little angel than this year 🥰 adam is a lot happier on the second round, now that he’s been a father for a bit of time, now that he’s positively fallen in LOVE with his daughter, he’s more excited to keep growing their family. renée, however, is not even two yet when this is happening, so she really doesn’t have any thoughts about it lmao. HOWEVER, once her baby sister arrives, she is Not enthused by the sudden lack of attention. i’ve written a cute one about that so i’ll link that as well <3 i really want to write the moment renée meets juliette, i think it’d be sort of funny considering how young she was, but i just haven’t gotten around to it. my fic about the day juliette was born is already so hectic for other reasons, so it just didn’t work to write renée into it.

LASTLY!!! LE PRINCE!!!! it’s like you’re in my HEAD bro because just Yesterday i got a cute idea for how this pregnancy may be discovered. (and i have considered multiple possibilities, this is just the latest and greatest). i was imagining perhaps juliette (age 4) comes down with a cold of sorts, so belle’s been taking care of her. then belle starts to feel sick, and she just brushes it off thinking she caught juliette’s bug. but then juliette gets better and belle is still feeling like GARBAGE. and eventually it clicks that it’s because she’s pregnant <3 i think this third one catches them both off guard just a bit because the girls came so quickly one after the other and then it’s been almost five years and nothin??? i mean it’s the 18th century it’s not like they were doing anything to prevent it. (i am aware of 18th century contraception methods but these two definitely were not using them lmao). regardless, when it finally clicks, adam and belle are both just sort of like “oh shit!!!! NICE!!!!” lmao. they had gotten settled in life with their two girlies, but they’re certainly not mad about adding to their number 💖

as far as the girls’ reactions, i would also like to write that some time, but haven’t yet. in general, i think renée (who was very nearly 7) just EXPLODES with a million questions. she’s also very adamant that this baby Must be another girl (spoiler alert: it was not💙) and she’s just in general trying to be as obnoxiously involved as possible. she’s always tossing out name ideas (usually characters from the books she’s reading, but also lots of flower names like chrysanthemum and hyacinth). she also loves putting her hand on belle’s growing bump and asking “what’s the baby doing now??” like 20 times a day. (she loses her mind whenever she feels him kick🥹)

juliette, on the other hand, takes a long time to process it (it’s the autism, but also she’s just younger). but it sort of helps that, at the time, lumiere & plumette were already expecting their second child. so adam & belle could be like “you know how auntie plumette is gonna have a baby soon? well now so are WE!” and juliette’s like “oooooohhhhh 🤔 (doesn’t get it at all).” but when that baby arrives (a lil lad named xavier🥰🧡) juliette gathers what’s going on. that is a BABY. she does like feeling the baby in mama’s tummy move as well, it’s very wild to her. she’s much more quietly curious about her future little sibling than renée is, but she’s just as excited when they do finally meet him. which i HAVE written 🥹🥹🥹

AND, juliette gets the credit for giving her little brother his lifelong nickname. when her parents told her they were naming him maurice, she very quietly replied “hi, reece☺️” and he is forever called reece/reecy by his family and friends henceforth 🩵 (it also helps to differentiate from his beloved namesake grandfather!)

renée isn’t super excited about having a brother instead of another sister, (especially when lumiere and plumette already have TWO boys. (ENOUGH WITH THE BOYS IN THIS GOSH DANG CASTLE!!!😒)) but she does come to love him!! even though he’s annoying as hell!!! but it’s his gotdamn right as the little brother💛

[annaofthenorthernlights]

I want to know more about Dance with Me! Or see a snippet, please! This is for the WIP game :D

Thanks for the ask - and you made me realise that I have only bits and pieces together for this one... but a snippet you shall get - because it´s a precious story that enwraps my heart when I think of it...

It´s a modern ballroom dancing au, where Gaston, Adam, and Belle have been childhood friends, up to their years of youth and young adulthood. They have danced together, Belle either dancing with Gaston or Adam, depending on what occasion they were "put together" by their teacher.

Stuff will be happening, and Adam will be forced by his parents to leave the provincial town to move on as a professional star on the big stages of the world... (or something like that...)

The years have passed, and Gaston and Belle have not heard from Adam ever again. They have moved on, continued to dance for fun, and got married. They have opened a restaurant with dance floor and enjoy a well frequented call of guests who love to eat and dance at their place. Occasionally they organize some dance party, fun competition, but nothing all too fancy. They have had their share of distress on the ballroom floor of competitiveness. The glamour at first sight soon turning into a swamp of intrigues and false affairs only to gain the tolerance and affection of judges and audiences. No, they prefer the coziness of their private circles as they were able to create within their own establishment.

Belle is about to set the tables, together with Mrs. Potts and the music softly playing through the speakers on the wall reminds her of how lucky she is to find herself in a safe environment instead being thrown onto the open arena of rivals. She feels a hand on her hip and turns around, her lips inevitably curling into a smile when she finds Gaston posing in front of her with a rose between his teeth. Belle laughs out loud, remembering the scene now two years ago. They have rehearsed a Tango for the local springtime charity event. Gaston has then planned to propose to her in front of the mingling audience. Only that he´s been that nervous that he´s cracked the rose, biting it too hard. The flower fell to the ground in two pieces, and he stared at Belle devastated. The crowd went wild with shouts of enthusiasm and whistles, and Belle had picked up the pieces and then threw them into the mob. When she turned back to her dance partner, Gaston grabbed her by the waist and whispered his private words of intimate affection into her ear. She had liked that so much better than a public show of his proposal. She had kissed him and earned another wave of applause, the audience oblivious of her reason. And now, they dance their Tango in thought of that day, smiling to the memory of what they share, and quietly savoring the days that would never come back again. The piece that is playing is the one on which Belle and Adam have won their first trophy ages ago. Back then, Gaston had been so angry that the other one had led the girl onto the pedestal. Today, he wishes Adam was still with them.

[wistfulcynic]

Love Reigns

SUMMARY: On his wedding day, Killian reflects on his life and his future with Emma, and his new role as the crown princess’s husband. 

Part Three of the Modern Misthaven series that began with Error 404: “Little” Brother Not Found. 

Tumblr: Part One | Part Two AO3: One | Two | Three

a/n: The lightest, sweetest Lieutenant Duckling fluff, because writing in this verse is very soothing. Have the dentist on speed-dial. 

Rating: G-ish Words: 3.1k Tags: Lieutenant Duckling, Royalty AU, Modern Royalty, Wedding

-

LOVE REIGNS: 

The flowers are beautiful. 

It’s probably an odd thing for Killian to be thinking at this moment, but they truly are. Mist lilies, the national flower of Misthaven, with their unusual blue-grey colour and subtle fragrance—mid-June is the height of their season and they’re Emma’s favourite flower so there was never really any question as to what time of year the wedding would be. 

The chapel is awash in them, draped in garlands over the chairs and gathered in bouquets on either side of the aisle, bouquets rounded out by sprays of Queen Anne’s lace and the sunshine yellow roses that are their country’s second most populous flower. There’s a lily tucked into his buttonhole, just a small one nestled in a sprig of lacy white. Liam put it there not an hour earlier, his usual jovial smile dimmed by the weight of solemnity and nerves. 

(“Nervous, little brother?” he attempted to joke, adjusting the flower and smoothing Killian’s lapels.

Killian smiled, content to let the nickname slide. Just for today. “No,” he replied. 

“What, not at all?” Liam fiddled with his tie as his Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’m a bloody wreck.” 

Killian turned to examine their reflection in the mirror—both in their formal dress uniforms, though he had technically given up his naval commission when he accepted a seat on the Royal Council. “I suppose it’s because I’ve had such a long time to get used to the idea,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this day since the first time I kissed her.” 

“How?” Liam shook his head. “How could you know after one kiss?” 

Killian doubted he’d ever be able to fully articulate how it felt, that calm certainty that had settled within him from the first touch of her lips on his, even as the taste of her set his blood racing. It was the certainty of knowing exactly where you belong, and he had known from the first that he belonged with Emma—by her side always, despite how impossible such a thing had seemed at the time. 

He couldn’t explain it and even if he could there wasn’t time. The chapel bell began to chime and Liam jumped, then chuckled at himself. Killian reached up to clasp his brother’s shoulder and give it a reassuring a squeeze. “When you know you know, as they say,” he quipped. “With Emma I’ve just always known.”)

The organ begins to play and the guests rise to their feet. Killian can feel Liam behind him, standing straight and palpably tense. He wishes he could offer his brother some reassurance but he can’t move—every particle of his focus and attention is directed at the chapel doors. When they open a bright flare of sunlight bursts through and then there is Emma, more radiant than any beam, and he catches his breath. 

Her hair is twisted into an elegant updo, and though he prefers it loose and curling around her shoulders for his fingers to tangle in he cannot deny that she is stunning, the graceful curve of neck and shoulder bare and just teased by curling tendrils. Her dress is long and flowing in the traditional style, ivory silk shot through with gold, and he would swear that every inch of her gleams. 

He swallows hard as she approaches, his heart thundering though not with nerves or even excitement. It’s closer to awe; the culmination of years of study and work and dreams, planning their life together and building its foundations, slowly, until the day it could at so long last be realised. 

(“I’d go down on one knee for this,” he said to her on the morning of the happiest day of his life so far. “I probably should, tradition and all, but people kneel to you all the time and I don’t wish to be one of them.” 

He stopped walking and turned to her, tightening his hand in hers. It was a cool day, cloudy but dry, and they were in the palace gardens where the mist lilies were just beginning to fade, making way for the late summer flowers with their richer colours. He looked down at her, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright, her posture tense with expectation and excitement. He knew her answer, had known it for years, but the question still required asking. 

“So I won’t kneel,” he continued, “but instead I stand here before you as your partner—if not precisely your equal—to tell you that I love you with everything I have in me, and that I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my days at your side. Or two steps behind you, should the occasion require it.” 

She gave a bright laugh, even as a tear escaped the corner of her eye. He wiped it away with a gentle brush of his thumb, framing her face in his hand. 

 “Emma, my love,” he said softly. “Will you marry me?”) 

She arrives at his side and her father lifts her hand to his lips—Killian startles; he was so absorbed by Emma that he forgot the king was there—kisses it gently and passes it to Killian, who takes it in his own hand and kisses it in his turn. 

King David nods and makes a formal bow, and when he straightens his eyes catch Killian’s. Understanding flashes between them, and there in that moment they are not a king and his subject but a father and the man about to become his son-in-law. It’s a brief moment but heavy with meaning, and when it passes David gives a nod and the barest curve of his lips before stepping back and taking his seat next to the queen. 

Killian returns his attention to Emma, tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow and attempts a smile. 

“Swan, you look...” he trails off, for once at a loss for words. 

She gives him a cheeky smile. “I know.” 

His own smile blooms, the breathless tension broken, and they turn together to face Lancelot. 

(The footman announced him and Killian entered the king and queen’s private residence to find them waiting with tea already laid. They looked surprised to see him alone, then comprehension dawned and they sat up straighter, more formally, and he bowed, first to Snow then to David, then waited at military attention until they bade him to take a seat. 

“I know that you know why I’m here,” he said. “We’ve never spoken about it in so many words but I know that you have always understood how much I love your daughter and that my dearest wish for a long time has been to marry her. I believe that now, with my new position on the Council and with Emma officially taking on her royal duties, that it is the... well, the time.” 

He sat as straight as he could, shoulders back, and met their eyes without a waver. “Yesterday I asked Emma to marry me and she said yes,” he continued. “Today I am here to ask for your blessing—not your formal approval as the king and queen, but your blessing as parents. I know I wouldn’t have been your first choice for her, but I promise you that no one could love her more than I do and I will devote my life to her happiness.”

He took a deep breath and released it slowly, awaiting their reply. They were silent for a moment, sharing that unspoken communication they had, that he and Emma had as well. Then Queen Snow pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes and King David’s stern face softened. 

“Oh, Killian,” said Snow, sniffling. She rose to her feet and he hurried to follow—it was very bad form to sit while the queen was standing—but she waved away his attempts at protocol and took his face in her hands with a tremulous smile. “It’s true you weren’t our first choice but that doesn’t mean you aren’t the best one. You are Emma’s choice and you make her happy, and that’s all we care about. Of course you have our blessing!” 

She pulled him into a hug which he attempted to return both warmly and respectfully—not the easiest balance to strike—and met David’s eyes over her shoulder. The king was attempting to look stern, but Killian knew him too well by now to be fooled.

So did Snow. “David,” she said, turning to him and dabbing her eyes again. “Come greet our son-in-law.”  

David stood and offered Killian his hand. “Welcome to the family,” he said.)

Lancelot’s smile is wide and his voice resonant, but Killian does not hear his words. He is conscious only of Emma beside him, the soft weight of her hand on his arm, the magnitude of this moment. His heart is so full of love for her he fears it may burst, and though he supposes he should listen to the vows he is taking, he doesn’t truly need to. He knows what they say and more importantly he feels them, those words that speak of love and trust and partnership, of solemn duty gladly undertaken, and he has no need to hear the words to promise to uphold them. 

“I do,” he says, when the time comes, and Emma repeats this vow in her turn. Then he is turning to her, his hand firm on the small of her back as he leans in to kiss her. 

And with that, they are married. 

(“Killian!” Emma tapped gently at his door. “Killian, are you there?”

“Swan!” He leapt from the sofa where he and Liam had been lounging, exchanging an alarmed glance with his brother as he approached the door. “What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” 

“I just wanted to talk to you,” she said quietly. “I miss you.” 

Liam rolled his eyes but Killian ignored him. “I miss you too,” he said. “But—”

“I wish I could see you.” 

Killian sighed. “Love, you know that’s bad luck.” 

“I know you think it’s bad luck.” 

“A seafaring man knows better than to mess about defying superstitions,” he told her sternly. “Even ones that may be foolish. Perhaps it’s not bad luck to see the bride the night before the wedding, but I don’t care to take that chance.” 

“I know,” she sighed. “And I do understand, I just—I hate sleeping without you.” 

“I know, darling, me too.” Killian leaned his forehead against the door, knowing that on the other side she was doing the same. “But it’s just one night. Come tomorrow there’ll be no getting rid of me.” 

Emma’s voice dropped so low he could barely hear her. “Promise?” 

“Aye, my love,” he whispered back. “I promise.”)

The organ music swells as he and Emma walk arm-in-arm back down the aisle. The doors swing open as they approach and the glare of the sunlight outside momentarily blinds him. When his vision clears he sees a crowd of people filling up and spilling out of the chapel grounds and into the streets, where traffic has been blocked off for the occasion. A great cheer erupts as they emerge and stand together at the top of the curving steps so the people below can get a good look at their princess and new prince. 

Bloody hell, thinks Killian. Prince. 

It’s a courtesy title that holds no real weight, and he won’t even technically assume it until Emma takes the throne. But the tabloids are already calling him Prince Killian, which makes him blush and Emma laugh, and as the crowd cheers and she smiles and waves as naturally as breathing, Killian feels overwhelmed. This is his life now, he thinks. He is a public figure, a member of the royal family. He has a duty to these people, a responsibility, and—his head begins to spin and bile rises in his throat and then he feels Emma’s hand tighten on his arm. 

“It’s okay,” she whispers, rubbing tiny, gentle circles on his bicep with her fingertips. “You’re okay. I love you.” 

Her touch grounds him and her voice quells his rising panic. He looks down at her and she smiles, radiant with happiness and love and sunlight and he feels himself relax. This is just them, after all. Just Killian and Emma, together, as they’ve been now for more than five years. That’s all that matters. 

He smiles back at her then turns to the crowd and raises his hand in a tentative wave. Cheers swell and cameras flash, and Emma’s voice is low in his ear. 

“You’re a natural.” 

~

The rest of the day is a dizzying whirl of speeches and toasts and hands to shake, people bowing and calling him ‘sir’, Liam’s tight, proud hug and the tears in the queen’s eyes. There is dancing and a meal they don’t have time to eat, and so many camera flashes that Killian begins to think the spots behind his eyelids when he blinks may be permanent. 

Emma smiles through it all but he can see fatigue begin to settle on her shoulders and around her eyes. She’s been awake since dawn at least and moving nonstop, with constant demands on her time and attention. She bears it brilliantly, sustained by a lifetime of royal training, but he knows how much it drains her and wishes he could whisk her away to someplace quiet and private, just for a moment, where they could lean against each other and just breathe. 

Finally the time comes for them to leave for their honeymoon, which they do in one of the palace limousines. One with tinted windows, Killian notes in relief, and comfortable leather seats, quite different from the stiff, open-topped carriages that conveyed them to and from the chapel. Everyone gathers round to see them off, and they muster the energy for one last round of smiles and waves. The instant the car pulls away Emma droops, collapsing against Killian’s chest with a small sigh. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her close. 

“Long day,” he says. 

“You’re not kidding,” she murmurs. “But a good one.” 

“Aye,” he agrees, and lets his cheek rest on his wife’s head. His wife. “The best day.” 

They sit in comfortable silence as the car moves through the streets. People still line them, hoping for a glimpse of the royal couple, but the tint of the windows is dark and Killian is glad of it; frankly he feels no obligation to give the public any more of himself or of Emma today. He’s exhausted and she’s already asleep, snoring faintly into the crook of his neck. 

They drive to the palace and through the grand front entrance, around the main buildings and towards the rear exit and the road that leads to the airport. The limo pauses briefly in a small alcove that’s invisible from outside the palace grounds, where Killian nudges Emma awake and they perform a quick-change operation worthy of a spy film, slipping from the limo—which then proceeds through the rear gates without them—and into an ordinary, unmarked car.  This car Killian drives out a small side exit where no crowds are gathered and down the quiet streets that lead to the coast, as Emma curls up in the passenger seat and dozes again with her head pillowed on his coat. 

It’s quite late when they reach their destination—a small house on a tall cliff overlooking the ocean. The housekeeper is there to greet them, giving them a brief tour of the amenities then showing them to their room, with a curtsey and a reminder that she lives just next door should there be anything they need. 

“Thank you,” Killian says with a smile. “I think we’ll be all right.” 

He turns back into the room where Emma has already shed the sleek dress she wore to the reception and is snuggling into the dressing gown that was laid out on the bed for her. Killian follows suit, pleased to discard his stiff dress uniform in favour of slipping into something far more comfortable. He considers making a quip along those lines to Emma, but considering how tired she is he doubts the innuendo would be well-received. Something like 80% of couples don’t have sex on their wedding night, he reminds himself. And he and Emma have three weeks’ worth of nights to look forward to, alone here on this rocky stretch of shore—one final interlude just for them before they return to their life in the public eye. They can spare this one night just for sleep. 

Their bedroom has a set of wide French doors leading to a balcony that overlooks the beach, and these Killian opens, stepping out into the fading twilight and breathing deeply of the crisp sea air. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to spend much time on the sea in the future and he would be lying if he claimed not to feel a twinge of sadness at that thought. But he’ll have a lifetime with Emma instead, in the face of which joyous prospect all other concerns pale into insignificance.

Emma. His wife. He wonders how long it will be before that word stops making him feel giddy. Possibly never—and honestly, Killian reflects, he’s okay with that.  

Emma’s arms slip around his waist and she rests her chin on his shoulder. “What are you thinking about?” she asks. 

He turns so he can wrap her in his arms. “I’m thinking about how much I love you,” he replies, “and how much I am looking forward to living the rest of my life by your side.” 

“Mmmm,” she says. “Those are good thoughts.” 

She leans up for a kiss and he gladly obliges, trying to keep it light and sweet—but Emma is having none of that. She presses herself firmly against him and slips her tongue past his lips and Killian’s body leaps to attention before he can stop it. 

“Are you sure, Swan?” he murmurs. “You’re exhausted.” 

“I had a nap,” she replies, nipping at his lip. “And this sea air is really quite  invigorat—oh!” She shrieks as he scoops her up in his arms and carries her to the bed where he lays her down with a gentleness that belies the fire in his veins. She watches as he slips off his dressing gown, biting her lip in that way she knows drives him mad. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes, love,” he purrs. 

“Why don’t you come down here and do something about it?” 

She shrieks again as he pounces on her then sighs into his kiss, and as the rising moon casts the room in a gentle glow they share one last celebration of their wedding and their love. 

___

@ohmightydevviepuu @thisonesatellite @kmomof4 @stahlop​ @darkcolinodonorgasm @katie-dub @teamhook @snidgetsafan @mariakov81 

___

[c0ffeebee]

harlos + 19 & 42

Summer Camp AU + The Big Damn Kiss

finally gotten to this ask and finally got an idea, it has nothing to do with d3 plot, so don’t worry

ok so it won’t be no magic modern world au, it would still be in the descendants universe and it would be like this cliche thing with 5 times they almost kiss and one time they really did it

when sea 3 comes to auradon it’s not the end of the senior year for core 4, they don’t graduate, they have another year left in school, so ben invites all of the vk’s to spent summer with him and his family in the palace

adam and belle basically go what the fuck and “oh no, not all summer, at least send them to summer camp for a month” and ben is like “yeah ok fine i’m going with them tho, i’m the king i can do what i want, i’m a kid also and i need a vacation, dad, you’re my regent, good luck to you all”

so all of them are in this camp, and the relationships between the most of them are pretty chill, but harry and carlos still have this strange tension and carlos is sometimes visibly annoyed by harry and etc. they tease each other constantly and not in a friendly way, not really

one time they all sit in boys’ cabin playing games like spin the bottle and truth or dare, and when carlos spins the bottle it actually points at harry and everyone in the room just goes “oh hell no”, but before anything happens some counselor walks in on this whole thing and like “the hell you doing here in the middle of the night, to your cabins, now”, and when they all leave carlos is sort of can’t stop thinking to himself that for a moment there he was actually ready to do it and that’s just weird

and then it’s something like:

they fighting during the sword practice and one of them pins the other to the ground and it’s somehow hot and ohmygod-so-awkward at the same time, and their faces are too close and carlos catches himself staring at harry’s lips and just goes “ok that’s getting too wierd now” and he just backs away like he got burned

then they (to annoyance of both) get paired up in some survival-themed activities like for instance they are both on a canoe and with constant fighting they manage to tipped it over and carlos can’t swim but is not wearing a vest for some reason, so harry basically saves him and is this || close to perform cpr when carlos wakes up coughing water and is all like, dude, why were you so close, were you just trying to kiss me, what the hell, and harry is too angry to even answer 

then one night they are sitting by the fire and carlos thanks harry for saving his life and everything and harry makes it all look like no big deal, they actually talk a lot that night calmly and without the usual snarky comments and at some point it seems like they might actually kiss, but then ben, jay and gil join them and yeah, the moment is totally ruined

the next time harry is actually catches carlos and basically snatches him away to somewhere private “to talk”, because uma had a deep conversation with him about how he is being obvious about his crush on carlos and how it’s painfull to watch, so he’s basically like “ok now or never”, and his guess would be never because right at the moment he wants to lean in, he hears dude’s voice with the “what are you guys doing here, everyone’s waiting for you by the river” or smth so yeah that fails too 

finally harry, being his wonderful self, managed to piss off snow white’s daughter (with good intentions, she was being a bitch to evie) and as a revenge she poisons him with some apple pie (cause she knows all about it thanks to evie’s mom), so harry is unconscious and the only question is how to break the spell, uma’s and mal’s magic don’t work and evie goes like “we need a true love kiss”, everyone is looking at uma waiting for her to do something about it and she goes “fine i will smooch this idiot, but we are FRIENDS, and dammit why is this stupid ‘true love’ nonsense only counts when it’s romantic love anyway??”, so she tries and no responce, and then she just looks at carlos and goes “why don’t you try it?“ 

carlos is embarrassed to say the least, and he goes wtf why me and everyone just looks soooo tired of his bullshit and uma goes “it’s either that or he may sleep forever, i don’t see people lining up, he’s not exactly the most lovable person”

carlos asks for some privacy ofc, but all he gets is just everyone turning their backs and looking away, and it’s still happening during lunch time in a big camp full of people with harry passed out on the grass and oh god how carlos regrets not kissing him that night they played spin the bottle, but he ends up kissing harry anyway, and of course as soon as he wakes up he tugs carlos closer for another kiss and it’s a lot more intense than carlos planned, but he’s not complaining until he realises their friends are sill here and the whole thing is too public and he pulls away while everyone basically laughing at them and saying something like “took you long enough”

i know the answer is long and it sounds cheesy, but here it is anyway)

Send me two (2) tropes from the list + a ship and I’ll describe how I’d combine them in the same story.

[writing-of-a-british-bitch]

Brother ( Queen / Brian May x reader)

Fandom: Queen/ Bohemian Rhapsody

Specified gender: Female

Pairing: Queen/Brian May (platonic)X reader

TW: language kind of bullying, slut shaming??

Genre: Fluff with a sliver of angst

Word Count: 2K

A/N: Before you read: THIS IS A MODERN AU SO PLEASE DON’T GET CONFUSED. Just imagine 1976 boys in a modern setting

Requests: OPEN

"But you're leading us to a high school?" Roger pushed, looking at the guitarist through the rearview mirror, eyebrow raised.

"It doesn't matter. Just keep driving, we're going to be late." Brian huffed

"Late for what?" Deacy enquired, adjusting himself in his seat.

"You'll find out."Brian retorted, before leaning forward and barking another direction to Roger.

You sighed, tapping your pen against your cheek, watching the clock intently, despite the fact that it was broken. Your teacher droned on and on about how to find the gradient of a line on a velocity-time graph. It was tedious and your table partner, Adam, was really starting to piss you off. He was constantly harassing you both in and out of lessons. Making fun of your curly hair, the way you dressed out of school, even the way you walked. Adam also teased you relentlessly for being a 'nerd' as he so called it.

An elbow to your side pulled you from your daydream. Your head snapped over to Adam who had a malicious smile on his face.

"Knock it off, Adam. I'm too tired for this, you wanker."` You whispered trying not to distract your teacher.

"I don't care." He shrugged with a smirk. You rolled your eyes, shaking your head, causing your curls to bounce sharply. You turned your gaze back to the work in front of you, noting down your teacher's words. After a few minutes, you quickly grew restless again, discreetly pulling your phone from your pocket. A text lit up on your screen from your mother.

'Going to be late from work, you'll have to walk home. Sorry, sweetheart. XXX' It read. You huffed, glancing at the time on your phone. The bell signalling the end of the day was about to ring and you could already spy kids packing away, so you followed suit. You plugged your headphones in just as the bell went and you shoved them over your ears, throwing your bag onto your back as you walked out of the cramped classroom. You growled as a girl shoved past you, desperate to get outside. That's all this school was, push, shove, fight. You quickly pressed play on your music and the soft guitaring of '39 rolled into your ears. Someone smacked into your arm as you exited the building and you rolled your eyes

Brian was messing with his rings, bouncing on his heels. His bandmates were looking at him strangely as they waited. They were stood outside a school, hoods and sunglasses hiding their features.

"Why are we standing in front of a school?" Roger asked, eyeing his friend strangely as he brought his cigarette back to his lips.

"You're not some sort of pedophile, right darling?" Freddie joked, causing the group to laugh, but Brian just shot them a  glare. Suddenly, a swarm of children came bursting from the building, some walking to the bus, some wandering off down the street and others shoving past the boys. Teachers followed closely behind, watching the students for a while before a few trailed back inside. Deacy, Freddie and Roger were expecting a teacher to come over to Brian. So when a girl with insanely curling hair that bounced with every step she took, came running over to the group, they grew very confused.

"Bri!" You exclaimed as you spotted a figure you hadn't seen for months. You almost ran into another student as you sprinted to your older brother, jumping up to wrap your arms around his neck. Brian returned the hug, instantly wrapping his long arms tightly around your waist.

"I can't believe you're here! I thought you were still on tour?" You asked, excitedly. You'd always been close with your older brother, despite the fairly large age difference. You had been his number one supported for years.

"I came to surprise you, love." Brian grinned down at you before lifting you up and spinning you. You laughed loudly, yelping to be put down.

"Oh, we came to see (Y/N)" Roger stated, a tone of realization in his voice. You'd met Roger a few times when you went to visit Bri in university. You'd met Tim too, but the Smile days were long over. It was a new reign for Queen.

"What other kid do I know, other than (Y/N) and her friends, Rog?" Brian shot back sarcastically, pulling away from the hug, but keeping an arm around your side, keeping you close to his body. You gently smacked Bri's arm before forcing yourself out of your brother's grip to hug the drummer.

"It's good to see you, Rog, it's been too long." You smiled before pulling back, shoving your headphones so they sat around your neck.

"Yeah, four years is a long time. You've grown a lot" Rog chuckled and kissed your temple quickly.

"Well,  I hope I've grown a lot, considering that I was eleven last time you saw me." You laughed quietly. You were slightly taller than Roger, copying your brother with the tall trait.

"Brian, are you planning to introduce us?" Deacy interrupted awkwardly, shuffling towards the three slowly.

"Oh shit, of course. (Y/N), this is John and Freddie. John's our-"He began

"Your bassist and Freddie's your lead singer. I do pay attention when we skype." You cut him off, with a smile.

"Right, sorry. Fred, Deacy, this is (Y/N), my little sister." He finished, wrapping an arm around your shoulder as you extended an arm. Deacy shook it politely, giving you a small smile.

"It's nice to meet you, (Y/N)," Deacy said, before shuffling back, allowing Freddie to waltz over.

"I didn't know Bri had a sister." Freddie declared but shook your hand with a grin. You couldn't help but grin back. He had that kind of aura around him that made you want to copy him.

"He doesn't talk about me all that much. Wants to keep me out of the public eye as much as possible while I'm still young." You explained before Brian could even open his mouth.

"Don't people notice your last name in school?" Roger questioned, curiously, letting out a mouthful of smoke as he spoke.

"Legally, she has to have May as her last name on her registers and such, but the school agreed to call her a different name when we got famous," Brian answered, casually resting an elbow on your shoulder. You weren't too much shorter than your brother, but just short enough to tease you through simple gestures.

"As far as other students are concerned, I'm (Y/N) Robertson." You added with a small laugh. Deacy snorted slightly.

"Surprised people haven't suspected you as Bri's sister what with the hair, height and jawline." Deacy laughed and you joined in, giggling.

"OI boys, look! It's the nerd!" A voice beckoned from behind you. You rolled your eyes, not even dignifying Adam's comment with a response.

"C'mon guys, let's go." You sighed and began walking. Brian could tell you didn't want to start a scene so he followed you, ignoring the anger he felt running through him. The band followed swiftly, continuing to chat with you as you fell into a line across the street, no longer charging ahead

"Hey, bitch! I'm talking to you!" Adam yelled before you felt a harsh pull on your hair, causing you to jerk back sharply. Your neck made a loud crack, which caused an instant discomfort ( though you knew nothing was damaged).

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Roger hissed, instantly grabbing Adam's wrist and forcing him to let go of your hair.

"Don't touch me, you fucking nonce!" Adam snapped.

"Then don't touch her," Freddie growled, moving to stand behind you, next to Brian, who was towering over Adam and his friend completely

"It's none of your business dude, just piss off." Adam's friend, Mike, tried.

"Just leave me alone, guys. You're not funny, and you're not as scary as you think you are. Twats." You added, folding your arms as you muttered the last bit under your breath.

"Hey, Mike, do you think these are some dudes she's fucking?" Adam commented and you narrowed your eyes, feeling all the boys around you tense.

"Probably, she always has been a slut," Mike replied with a harsh laugh. That's when Brian stepped in.

"Listen here, kid. I don't know who the fuck you think you are but you have no goddamn right to speak to her like that. She's a better person than you two will ever be. So just fuck off before we make you." Brian stated, voice dangerously low. The two boys exchanged glances, before deciding they were outnumbered. They were muttering expletives under their breath as they scuttled away. You let out a long breath, finally allowing yourself to relax. Brian was practically shaking in anger.

"What kind of dickhead's go to your school?" Deacy suddenly asked and you smiled, allowing a chuckle to escape your throat.

"A lot of them" You responded, running a hand through your hair, though it got tangled in your curls.

"How about we go for dinner after you get changed, darling?" Freddie suggested, noticing how on edge Brian and Roger were. Honestly, he was furious too, despite only knowing you for about five minutes, but he hid it slightly better. Besides, they'd known you longer and were closer, it was only understandable that they were mad

"Sounds great, Freddie. C'mon Bri, Rog." You answered, taking the two boys hands in yours. They both seemed to relax slightly and allowed you to pull them behind you and Freddie as Deacy led you back to Roger's car.

Laughed echoed through the mostly empty diner, tears nearly falling from your eyes at Freddie's story.

"And then he locked himself in a cupboard to get his song on the album." Freddie finished and Roger shot him a glare, though there was a soft smile on his lips.

"Roger, I knew you were immature but really?" You said and Roger flipped you off playfully. The three boys fell into conversation and you began talking with Brian.

"How did your physics exam go? Did the tutoring help at all? I know it was harder because it was all on skype and video calls." Brian asked between bites of food

"It helped tons Bri. I went from a D to a B+." You grinned and Brian smiled.

"That's amazing! I'm so proud of you. How's YOUR band?" He had put his fork down, reaching for the milkshake you were sharing.

"There's a little friction between our guitarist, Hunter, and our singer Josh but other than that, it's going well. Doing small gigs at under 18 clubs and stuff like that. It's fun." You answered, stealing one of his fries.

"Why is there friction?" He raised an eyebrow. You were very aware of the fact that Brian's bandmates were listening now, but you'd stopped caring.

"Hunter wants to sing more even though he said in the first place that he didn't want to sing. He's saying it's unfair that I and Josh are getting the solos, even though we're both lead singers. And Hunter is being a bit of a dick, saying I can't play my instrument because I'm a girl. I think he's jealous that I can play his instrument better than him and it's not even what I play in the band." You ranted.

"Well, what do you play?" Roger asked.

"Drums in the band, but I sometimes do guitar, and I sing in the band too." You mumbled. Roger smiled, a look of, what you could only describe as, pride filling his features.

"You sing, dear?" Freddie enquired.

"Yeah, I do. It's hard when you're playing drums." You laughed.

"You can say that again," Roger muttered

"So, (Y/N), we were talking in the house earlier and we were wondering if.." Brian began, trailed off just to annoy you. Your raised an eyebrow.

"If what?" You commented

"Your summer break is coming up, and our American tour starts the week after your break begins and ends a few days before school begins again. So, if you wanted to, we were wondering if you'd like the come on tour with us? See America?" Bri finished and you gawked at him and the boys.

"Are you being serious?" You choked out.

"Yep! I already asked mum if it was okay. So it's completely up to you." he smiled.

"Of course!! Why wouldn't I come?" You exclaimed, climbing from your seat to hug each of the boys.

"I've no idea, darling," Freddie answered as you got to him, causing the table to break out into laughter once more.

Tags:  @writingfortoomanyfandoms @queens-n-roses@yourealegendfred @fierce-bab @dusthas-beenbitten@silvver-rose @benhardyjones @bensroger

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Writing Commission - And So it Goes (Disney)

Author’s Comment: Hello my dears and my apologies for being so inactive the last few weeks! While I’m still busy with school, hopefully I’ll be able to get more writing done thanks to those who have been supporting me with commissions like this one. Enjoy the read, everyone, and think about checking out my commissions page to have your own story written by clicking anywhere in this comment For now, however, on with the show!

Summary: Belle and her girlfriend Mulan have a relaxing summer planned ahead of them before their final year of high school, but one bad day at a pool completely changes Belle’s life and forces her to quickly learn that the realities of being ‘disabled’ in a world that feels as if it no longer quite fits. That isn’t going to stop her from making her own space to live life to it’s fullest, no matter how difficult it might be.

Fandom: Disney Movies: Mulan & Beauty and the Beast  

Relationship: Belle (Beauty and the Beast)/Mulan Hua (Mulan)  

Characters: Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Mulan Hua (Mulan), Adam | Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Shang (Mulan), Maurice (Beauty and the Beast)

Rating: Teen Audiences

Warnings: Please keep in mind this is a story about recovery and adjusting to a new life after the main character becomes quadriplegic. As this is a modern-day AU there will be no magical recovery. 

Word Count: 8,269

Transaction Amount: $48 (USD)

                                                 And So It Goes

                                                            ::

Shivering at the trails of sweat that traced a path alongside the curve of her scalp, Mulan quickly ran a hand through her sweat-soaked hair with a groan that she made sure to pitch louder and higher than she would usually, hiding a smile when it earned the response of bright, beautiful laughter. 

“Next time, if you don’t want to sweat, then don’t race Adam when it’s ninety percent humidity out!” Belle’s laughter was, as always, brighter than the sun beating down on them and attempting to melt them all into the sidewalk. “You knew what you were getting into.”

“Excuse you, he challenged me after saying I was letting myself go. I couldn’t let that stand without proving him wrong, Belle,” Mulan huffed, smirk curling on her lips as Belle shook her head and hooked her arms around one of Mulan’s own, her skin as hot and clammy as Mulan’s own in the searing heat that was the first weekend of their summer vacation. “Besides, I think he’s suffering worse than I am right about now.” 

Belle laughed again, tightening her grip and then giving a cute wrinkle of her nose as they got close enough to the pool to smell the sharp tang of chlorine and bleach, the smell somehow made all the stronger by the dozens of people that had, like them, flocked to the public pool as soon as the weather decided to mimic the forecast down in Hell; or, even worse, Florida. 

Mulan only had half a second to truly take it all in before Belle was pulling her along, arm waving wildly as she called out to their friends who had gabbled a couple of chairs right by the edge of the pool, no doubt scaring off whatever group of small children had been practicing their diving, “Shang! It’s so great to see you and Adam both made it!”

“Oh, I certainly did, but I’m not sure if Adam made it,” Shang drawled, immediately greeting Mulan with a fist bump as soon as she was close enough. “It looks like someone tried to do in Adam, here.” Shang, who Mulan had known since fourth grade when she won against him in a fight on the playground, looked at her knowingly. “Have fun with your race?”

“Hey, he’s the one who declared that it should be a race,” Mulan shrugged, hands held up innocently. “Really, if you think about it, I was the one who was forced into it.” 

Shang rolled his eyes at the same time Belle giggled, Mulan delighting in the reactions as she leaned over the chair where Adam was collapsed, red-faced and sweaty and exhausted. Mulan made sure to wait until he was looking up at her before she grinned, Adam immediately flipping her off with a grunt of effort.

Belle, expert she was at blocking out what she didn’t want to see, took a seat on Shang’s own chair, Mulan knowing what was coming a second before the words left her. “Did you manage to get any word about those AP classes you were going to do next year?”

“Oh! It’s interesting that you ask about that, actually,” Shang smiled, a tone in his voice that meant he would be talking about honors and AP classes and the student body government for hours. “You see-”

Mulan moved quicker, though, slapping a hand over Shang’s mouth and fixing both him and her girlfriend with as strong a look as she could. Mulan was more than proud of herself for not wavering when Belle pouted up at her with those bright eyes and wayward locks of hair that always, always escaped her buns and ponytails. 

“Don’t even think it, you two. School only just let out and this is our final summer as high schoolers before senior year! I refuse to let you ruin it by discussing school when we only just survived this year.” Mulan removed her hand slowly, fixing her scowl back onto her face the second she felt it slip at Belle’s giggle over Shang’s scandalized expression. “No school talk.” 

“I’m in agreement with Mulan, on this one,” Adam spoke up, still collapsed on his chair but raising a weary arm into the air. “This is probably going to be the only day in a while we all get together since Belle’s helping out in her father’s shop and Shang is going to some stupid summer camp, so I’d rather not ruin it with school talk.” 

“Oh, you’re helping out in your father’s shop?” Shang looked to Belle, who nodded at once with a smile. Mulan couldn’t stop her own smile from appearing, because, well, it was pretty cute when Belle started going on and on about her father’s repair shop and her own tinkering projects she had scattered about.

Mulan could have happily stood there and watched Belle chat about what she loved for hours, but the feeling of more sweat slipping down her skin had her moving at once, “Alright, you nerds keep talking, but I have some swimming to do!”

Getting to the edge, and hearing Adam’s sarcastic, “Do a flip.” Mulan did a light stretch, cracked her fingers, and did the largest cannonball she could manage as she jumped into the water, laugh so close to bursting out of her at the cool rush of water against her skin and the feeling of compression and weightlessness that went hand-in-hand. 

When she came back up for air, it was to the sight of Belle and Shang laughing, Adam sitting up and looking disgruntled and annoyed at the fact he was drenched in water. Mulan couldn’t help herself, hooking her arms over the side of the pool and raising her voice. “I thought I was helping, you know, cooling you off.” The look she was given felt like pure victory. “I’m sure Belle appreciates my gesture!”

Belle’s laughter was the sweetest sound there was, Mulan hiding a smile as Belle stood up and shed the towel she had wrapped around her shoulders despite the full force of the sun bearing down on them. “Alright, step aside and let me show you how a proper dive is done.” 

“Can’t I just enjoy sitting here without you two trying to drown me,” Adam screeched, like some scandalized cat that had been denied a nap in the sun.

Mulan and Shang were laughing even as Belle took a running leap and dived into the pool, serious expression of concentration on her face as she disappeared under the water. She hadn’t even fully submerged, however, before Mulan suddenly tensed, laughter cutting off with a strangled gasp as everything in her was overwhelmed with the feeling that something was wrong. 

Shoving herself away from the edge and closer towards Belle with her heart in her throat and her lungs seized up by what could only be called fear, Mulan didn’t even recognize her voice as she shouted out a hasty, “Belle?!”

“Mulan? What’s wrong?” Shang had sat up and looked uneasy at Mulan’s shout, Adam sitting up himself and looking completely serious as his eyes scanned the water and seemed to notice the same thing Mulan was.

An eternity wrapped in seconds had passed, the air filled with children’ shrieks, friends’ laughter, and parents’ lectures, but there was no answer, or movement, from Belle. 

                                                            ::

It was the difference between waking up from a deep, restful sleep and falling asleep after a long, tiring day, Belle decided, heart pounding fast enough that it was all she could hear as she floated under water that had, seconds ago, looked so inviting, eyes wanting nothing more than to close at the overwhelming pressure that seemed to be dragging her down to the very bottom of the pool. 

It was the difference between falling asleep from a long day of work and waking up from restless night of sleep when she felt her eyes flutter through the hot, humid air of the summer day, eyes hazy as she stared at the bright blue sky before everything in her body seemed to scream at her at once.

Her lungs felt like they were seizing and Belle was only half-aware that she was being held on her side as her body did it’s best to get rid of her lungs altogether, coughing and coughing and coughing until her chest was on fire with no way to put it out. Whatever she tried to say and whatever was being said to her, there was no chance to understand it as words were as murky as if she was still underwater, the muffled voices of her friends shouting around her. 

It took what felt like an eternity for her to realize she had been underwater and that she was now, obviously, on land and coughing like she had something living trying to crawl out of her. It was all the signs of a near drowning, she logically concluded, but that still didn’t explain what had just happened to her.

It had been years since she had ever had a drowning scare in a public pool, after all, and all she had done was dive underwater near the shallow end of the pool, so it made no sense as to why everything suddenly felt like as if she was on the doorstep of Death himself. 

“-elle? Belle!” Startling at her name that was screamed loudly and with pure fear, Belle blinked her eyes quickly to clear the rest of the water away, looking up to see Mulan’s face pinched tight in worry and distress. “Belle, hey, can you hear me? Nod if you can hear me, okay- Or, hell, blink, even!”

Nodding, in that moment, where her chest was on fire and some horrible creature was devouring her from the inside out, felt like far too much work, so Belle settled for giving a pathetic whimpering groan she regretted as soon as Mulan made another worried face. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, we’re gonna get you checked out, okay? Are you alright? Can you move?”

Well, that was a rather silly question, Belle mused to herself. She was exhausted and felt weighed down, yes, but that wasn’t going to stop her from moving. Twitching her hand, Belle attempted to at least reach out and grab Mulan’s own hand to stop her from worrying so much, but frowned when she couldn’t quite feel it. 

Glancing down at her hand quickly, Belle stared at seeing it limp in Mulan’s own hand, the grip looking tight, but Belle couldn’t feel it. Trying to move it, and watching as nothing happened no matter what contortions she tried, Belle dragged her gaze up to meet Mulan’s, voice weak and raspy when she forced out a croaky and weak, “Mulan?”

“Belle! I’m here, baby, I’m here, it’s okay. We’re gonna get you to the hospital, okay? The lifeguards already called an ambulance and Shang and Adam ran over to meet them when they show up and I’ll make sure to call your dad, too, so don’t worry-”

“Mulan.” Belle realized, absently, that her words were shaking and breaking even as the rest of her felt blank and limp, like she was a stripped-down canvas that once had something there, but could no longer be made out. “I… I don’t think I can feel my hand.” Belle saw Mulan’s eyes widen, heard the sound of more shouting, and then the feeling of falling asleep finally won out. 

Not for as long as she would have wished, though, as soon enough she found herself unwillingly awake and resting in a room that was as bright a white as the pages of a new textbook. It didn’t take much guessing to know she was in the hospital, but the array of equipment hooked up to her had her heart beating even faster and louder than it had when she was trapped underwater. The news she was given, however, had her heart stopping.

“Quadriplegic?” Belle didn’t recognize her own voice as she parroted the doctor’s words back at him, a deep silence filling a room that should never be so quiet when there were so many people clustered inside. “No- No, no, no, that can’t be possible… I mean, all I did was dive into a pool!”

“And unfortunately, that’s sometimes all it takes.” The doctor, Joshua Sweet if Belle remembered correctly, was gentle, but his words might as well have been spikes for how badly they dug under Belle’s skin. “We’ll need to do more tests, but from what we know so far your neck broke when you dived into that pool.” 

Dr. Sweet flipped his clipboard around, a few papers curled out of the way as he showed her an x-ray image. Even Belle, with only surface knowledge of the human body, knew that it didn’t look right. “This is the x-ray we took when you were brought in. We’ll need in-depth ones later, but it’s clear that there’s been a break at the C4 vertebrae. In your case it can lead to paralysis from the shoulders down.” 

“Is it repairable?” The question came from her father and the shaking, terrified note to his words had Belle wishing this was all some terrible nightmare that she would wake up from if she just tried hard enough. “Surely there’s some- Some surgery or physical therapy or-”

There was no immediate response from Dr. Sweet and that, more than anything, made it all seem so very real, even as he gave the wrote answer of, “We’ll have to do more tests to find out if anything is certain. I’m sorry, sir, but right now we don’t know how this is going to turn out.”

It was after that declaration that words seemed to loose all meaning for the first time in her life, Belle unable to do anything but stare straight ahead as the spikes hooked into her skin dug in deeper.

Belle wished she could say that she fell back into a fitful rest or that time passed quicker than she could understand, but the truth of it was that time seemed to drag by painfully slow, Belle unable to so much as twitch her fingers as she was put through test after test hour after hour. 

By the time the day was well and truly over it felt like it had been years, Belle placed in a room that very clearly showed she would be in the hospital for longer than a few days. Belle could hardly even handle that thought as she glanced to where her father was out in the hall and discussing so much with the doctors, Mulan’s voice as quiet as a petal hitting water as she finally asked a soft, “Belle? How are you doing?”

“I’m…” Belle trailed off at the question, gaze going back to staring ahead and focused on nothing as she idly realized that she had no words to explain how she was feeling. She, who had a word for everything, had no single word, or even a group of words, to explain the feeling that was welling up in her chest. The words, if there had been any, would not have been positive.

“Belle?” Mulan moved in closer until she was in Belle’s full view, a hand moving up to cup her cheek without any hesitance. The simple touch, the simple feeling, was enough to steal Belle’s breath before it escaped her all at once. “Are you…?” 

The last word went unsaid, but Belle could hear it easily enough. It was a word she grabbed onto fiercely and tucked away in her heart as deep as she could. “I will be.” She would be alright. She would keep that word tucked away until it was absolutely true. “I’ll be alright, Mulan.”

“It’s okay if you’re not, Belle,” Mulan said softly, pressing a light peck of a kiss to her forehead. “I don’t think anyone could be alright after something like this. And I mean- You’re allowed to get angry over this. You’re allowed to be upset over this.”

“I would never give Adam the satisfaction,” Belle replied at once, the familiar words, even with her raspy and weak tone, doing more to calm her frantic thoughts and heart than anything else. “I know, Mulan… But I’m going to be alright. I promise.” Belle had never been the type to break her promises, either. 

It wasn’t easy, though, and as her time in the hospital passed, Belle wasn’t sure how she was going to keep her promise to be alright.  

Her smiles no longer came as easy after weeks and weeks of physical therapy that proved of little use, tests that only cemented her fate, and whispered conversations between her father and her doctors that did little to raise her spirits. Good news was always shared, after all, and Belle had been told very little since she woke up hooked to enough equipment to power an entire house.  

It was all she could do, some days, to focus on the bright spot that was her girlfriend, Mulan visiting her every day and, on the particularly hard days, staying overnight in an uncomfortable plastic chair just so Belle would have someone there to support her when she woke up.

Between the tests and the doctors and the therapy at the spinal rehab clinic that now knew her better than some of her favorite librarians, Belle was beginning to treasure the peaceful moments she managed to have with Mulan throughout her hectic days of ‘recovery’. 

“And Adam said he would stop by later today- I know, I know,” Mulan sighed, rather dramatically, at the expression Belle was sure looked sour on her face. “I told him he didn’t need to keep bringing you gifts, but, well… Adam.” 

Her friends had yet to treat her differently even after hearing the news, Shang and Adam frequent visitors alongside Mulan. Shang, according to Mulan, had charmed every nurse on the floor she was on and was vaguely panicked about it every time one of them so much as waved, and Adam, lovable idiot he was, wouldn’t stop buying her flowers and stuffed animals that were now overtaking her room.

“Adam,” Belle agreed with a dramatic sigh of her own as she let her eyes close for a moment. She heard Mulan fidgeting in her seat and the sound of her drawing in breath which, Belle was proud to say, she cut off ruthlessly. “If you suggest one more nap to me, Mulan Hua, I will not be held responsible for what I do.” 

There was a beat of silence where Belle foolishly thought that she had won before Mulan’s words were tripping over themselves in their rush to be heard, “Are you sure you don’t want to take one last nap before they send you home today? You went through a lot of tests, toady-”

“That all took place while I was lying down so, when you think about it, I’m perfectly rested!” Belle cracked her eyes open to see Mulan looked to believe the words as much as Belle did; which was to say not at all. “I just… I’m going home.” 

Mulan, who had been by Belle’s side near every day, could no doubt hear the unspoken words Belle only just managed to shove down. Complaints on how she really wasn’t okay, words about how it had been weeks and she should have been better, and even whispers at how she was scared she would be useless.

Oh, yes, Belle knew they had taught her how to use a sip and puff wheelchair that allowed her to power her own wheelchair with her breath, and they had even taught her how to use a mouthstick for typing and page turning and button hitting, and one person specifically had been there to teach her all about the voice activation technology that was available and useful to her situation, but still… Still. 

Reality had finally decided her fate and the truth of it was that Belle would never walk or even move her arms again. Oh, she knew very well, after much talking to herself, that that didn’t change anything about who she was, but still… There was that fear. There was that fear that others wouldn’t understand that she hadn’t changed; not really, at least. 

“Mulan?” It was that fear that drove her words now, Belle trying her best to look at Mulan head on and unable to move her neck more than half an inch or so; and even that she should be thankful for, her doctors had told her. She should be thankful she could breathe without heavy machines with a break like hers. “I need you to be honest with me.” 

Mulan already had her full attention on her, blinking slowly before her blank expression shattered in favor of the soft smile Belle loved so dearly. “The only time I’ve never been honest with you, flower, is when I told you I loved the book you were reading when we first met.” 

Belle couldn’t help but to laugh, weak and quiet as it was. “That’s actually what I wanted to ask you about.” Because she had to know. Belle knew she was too curious for her own good, but she had to know. “Remember how we met?”

“Hard to forget,” Mulan ‘groaned’, leaning back in her chair with fake embarrassment. “The ‘star athlete’ falling for the straight A bookworm that my parents hired to tutor me? The only reason it wasn’t a Lifetime special movie was because I was too awkward and embarrassed to try and really impress you when I saw how cute you were.” 

Belle was unable to help a single laugh, amusement still coloring her words even as she asked the question that was making her heart begin to pound. “If we had met then and I was like I am now, would it still have gone the same way? Would you have still loved me if I was like this? Unable to move?” 

Mulan didn’t have an immediate answer and Belle watched as her girlfriend sat back and seemed to honestly think about it. That alone made Belle all the more grateful and all the more in love.

“I won’t lie and tell you that it always would have ended with me and you together,” Mulan started slowly, as if thinking her words out carefully. “Because I don’t know, Belle. I really don’t. But… I’d like to think that somehow, someway, it always would have ended up me and you. I’m not sure if it would end up with us dating like we are now, but I know, absolutely, that we always would have been friends.” 

Belle couldn’t stop the tears that filled her eyes no matter how hard she tried, but she made sure her tone reflected how thankful and relieved she felt as she tucked Mulan’s words away in her heart next to the promise that she would be alright. “You know, Mulan, I think you’re absolutely right.” 

The relief that some things would be the same, though, didn’t meant that things weren’t different. Belle’s whole way of life, along with her father’s and even Mulan’s, had already changed, and it would only change even more as she went home, but it would be okay. 

The promise she made weeks ago - lifetimes, it felt like - was a promise that she would turn into her truth. She would be okay. 

Except she hadn’t expected how crushing it would be to be in her own bedroom again and unable to so much as roll over in her bed. 

The hospital had been another matter entirely; it had felt like another world, or perhaps, more accurately, an interlude as to what would come next. Belle hadn’t truly realized how much of her room would stay the same even as so much of it changed to accommodate her new life. 

Surrounded by doctors and nurses and white walls it had been easy to forget the true extent of what had happened, but now that she was home and surrounded by no one except her family and friends, well… It was hard not to be so frustrated by how much she had lost. It was hard not to be bitter when she was unable to eat, dress, or even scratch her nose without needing help.

Belle had been well prepared to spend the rest of the summer, and possibly her life, ruminating on her thoughts and her bitterness, but, well. She supposed she should have learned long ago that there was no peaceful life where Mulan was involved, especially now where she was tearing up Belle’s curtains and bringing in bright sunlight that had Belle half wanting to hiss in displeasure. 

“Alright, now we do this my way.” For a very long moment, Belle couldn’t tell whether the words were a declaration or a threat. “Remember that promise I made on how I would take you to the zoo this summer?” Ah. It was indeed a threat, Belle decided. “Come on, then, flower. We have a bus to catch.” 

                                                          ::

It hadn’t been hard to see how weighed down Belle had become after the accident, and Mulan didn’t mean physically. Mentally it was as if Belle was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She looked even more worn down than her father did, and Maurice was as stressed as a cat who had landed in a bucket of water.

Mulan’s parents had been all too happy to help Belle and her father, something that made Mulan love them all the more fiercely, but that meant it fell to Mulan to prove to Belle that she was more than strong enough to deal with what had happened to her; she just needed to remind Belle of that fact.

“This is more tiring than they made it seem, you know,” Belle said quietly, Mulan looking over to see that Belle was clearly pouting at her wheelchair in general as they rested in front of one of the bear enclosures. The bear they had been watching seemed to be attempting to figure out how to get out of the water without actually getting out of the water. “They seem to think that my lungs are bionic and, as far as I know, I never had a surgery I wasn’t aware of.” 

“That would be kind of cool, though,” Mulan mused, trying not to laugh at the familiar expression of Belle wanting to laugh, but not wanting to give Mulan the satisfaction. “We could always see if your dad can’t turn you into a cyborg, if you want.” 

Belle gave in and finally laughed, Mulan taking a moment to enjoy the beautiful sound even as it was tinged with recovering exhaustion. “You’re silly if you think he hasn’t already drawn up blueprints.” 

“C’mon, you know he wouldn’t…” Trailing off for a moment, Mulan thought over what she knew of Belle’s father before giving a nervous little hum. “Should I be keeping an eye on any blueprints I find of his, actually?”

“No,” Belle smiled, something about it so soft, and yet so bright. “Just keep smiling like you have been. That helps… that helps both of us.”

“Aw, I didn’t know you liked my smile so much,” Mulan teased, purely to watch the flush that crept across Belle’s cheeks and turned them redder than even the sun had managed to accomplish. It was a sight Belle could no longer hide behind her hands or long hair and Mulan felt little shame in enjoying the sight even as she was being ‘glared’ at for it. “Have I ever told you how sweet you look when you’re blushing?”

“You’re an awful human being, Mulan Hua, and I hope you know that,” Belle sniffed before something in her expression changed, reminding Mulan of when she would fidget because she was ready to go and explore something new. 

Laughing and standing up, Mulan tucked some of Belle’s hair behind her ear, lingering for a few moments. “Come on, then. If you can make it over to the panthers all on your own, then I’ll buy you your favorite ice cream.” As always, nothing served to make Belle so beautifully stubborn as a challenge.

“Your wallet might soon regret that,” Belle teased, wondrous determination shining in her eyes that took Mulan’s breath for a moment. “Alright. Panthers it is, then.”

The zoo was only the start of Belle’s true recovery, if Mulan were ever to explain it to anyone. After that day Mulan was all too happy to visit Belle every day she could, helping her get her day started, get dressed, go through breakfast with her, and then take her out on some wild adventure to distract her as well as make her stronger. Zoos, museums, the library, and even the movies when a good one started to air; nothing was off the table and Mulan made sure they did everything they had planned to do all over the summer. 

It was the quiet days spent at home where Mulan let herself worry, Belle propped up and leaning against her, head on Mulan’s shoulder as they read the same book in silence. It was those days that something about Belle was so sad and Mulan didn’t know how to wipe the look off of her face. 

“You’re not even reading the book, are you?” The accusation in Belle’s soft voice was enough to make Mulan realize that they had both been staring at the same page for what was probably far too long. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“That’s still a ridiculous phrase,” Mulan argued at once, thankful for the familiarity of a common argument that they had time and time again. “‘Penny for your thoughts.’ It just sounds like it’s something a kid somewhere made up.”

Belle gave a soft chuckle, the sound still so quiet considering it was just the two of them alone in Belle’s room for the day. Mulan must have made some kind of noise or twitch, because she felt more than heard Belle’s soft sigh; the one that always meant she was worried. “What’s wrong, Mulan?”

“I…” Mulan thought over her words, trying to find the right combination that would convey her tangled thoughts and emotions. It was an impossible task even she wasn’t up to. “Okay, promise me you won’t take this the wrong way-”

“Just so you know, dear, that is a terrible way to start a conversation with your girlfriend.” It was only the humor in Belle’s voice that kept Mulan from completely panicking and trying to backtrack. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Deciding to hell with it, Mulan blurted out whatever words decided they wanted to come out most, “I’m worried about you because it seems like you’re doing that thing where you get lost in your thoughts to the point where you keep blaming yourself for something you aren’t able to do and you did it even before and it drives me crazy because it’s not like you can do everything and you shouldn’t be expected to and I’m just worried that you’re getting trapped in those thoughts and I don’t know how to drag you out of them.” 

There was a long silence that seemed to stretch on for what felt like eternities before Mulan felt all of the tension drain out of her at Belle’s bright laugh. “And people say I’m the talkative one between the two of us.” 

“There’s no need to go and insult me,” Mulan grumbled, hiding her smile against Belle’s hair as the girl laughed beside her. It didn’t take long for Mulan’s smile to fall, though, when she remembered what they were really talking about. “Your turn,” Mulan finally said softly. “Talk to me.” 

The laughter tapered off softly, something which Mulan was extremely grateful for. Tapered laughter meant that, no matter what, Belle was doing so much better than she had been at the start of this change. That didn’t mean there weren’t still bad days and bad thoughts, though, as proven with Belle’s soft sigh. “I miss working with my father in the workshop. I miss just tinkering.”

Mulan could have kicked herself for not realizing sooner what had really been eating at Belle the last few weeks. Not being able to write or read as effectively as she once did had been one thing, but those were things that could be overcome. Not being able to work on all of her little projects that she had such joy for? No longer being able to talk about the possibility of her becoming an engineer? That… was harder to find a solution to. 

“It’s not that I thought I would ever make it into something professional, and I know I wasn’t as good as he is, but it was… It was relaxing. It was fun. Being able to take apart something and see how it worked and then put it back together to try and make it better? It was so fun, Mulan, and now I… I didn’t realize how badly I missed tinkering until it I lost the ability, I suppose.” 

Silent for a long moment, Mulan finally nodded as she gently extracted herself from her girlfriend’s bed and stood up with a light stretch. “Right, then. Tell me, flower, where are all your books about engineering and tinkering?” Because if one thing could be said over everything else, Mulan wasn’t afraid to put in some extra work and get dirty if it meant helping the ones she loved.

Although, after the first few books, Mulan had a lot more appreciation for her girlfriend and her father. ‘Tinkering’ was putting it mildly, especially when it took Mulan no less than five days to figure out how to take apart a simple battery powered clock and then put it back together without completely ruining it. 

A combination of luck, perseverance, and Belle’s hopeful gaze had Mulan prevailing in the end, however, Mulan sitting at the end of Belle’s bed with scattered parts that she slowly pieced together as Belle instructed her calmly and softly, well, it started calmly and softly. Mulan was starting to think her girlfriend might be secretly evil at how excited she got when one of their ‘creations’ began working. 

“I’m sorry, did you just say this could be used to set something on fire?” Mulan stared at the unassuming little clock that now vibrated whenever the top of the hour was reached. It was a soft buttery yellow that made Mulan think of happy fall days, but apparently it could also be deconstructed and used to set fire to buildings. “Belle, honey, darling, flower, love, I think I’m going to have to draw the line at becoming an arsonist for you.” 

“You’re so dramatic,” Belle laughed, loud and bright as she rolled her eyes. “If you try hard enough anything can be used to light something on fire.” Mulan loved her girlfriend, truly, she did, but she was also rather terrifying. 

Mulan huffed and made sure everything was properly clicked into place before setting the clock down - very carefully. “You know, Adam warned me about you when we started dating. He told me not to break your heart and then, in the same sentence, he said that if I did then you would be the one making me regret it.” 

“Oh, Adam is just a beast with a horrible sense of humor, some days,” Belle snorted, blowing a lock of hair out of her face that was such a familiar motion it sent a pang of warmth traveling throughout Mulan’s body. “Besides, what do you, the star athlete and one of the most popular girls in school, have to fear from me?” 

“If you become a supervillain then I refuse to become the hero that stops you,” Mulan huffed, cleaning up their work area and tossing everything back into Belle’s tinkering box. ‘Tinkering.’ What a joke now that Mulan knew how much Belle did. “Actually, I would probably join you, but that’s not important right now. What is important is that we coordinate our attack for the first day back at school.” 

“And you’re worried about me becoming the super villain,” Belle teased with a giggle. “There’s not much left to coordinate. Papa already called the school and told them about my situation, and I’ve been given all my new classes and even a few school counsellors to talk to.” 

Mulan sighed as dramatically as she could, shaking her head. “Oh, flower… I meant that we need to plan the perfect way to arrive at school. I’m thinking that we use you as a decoy and then I attack from above as soon as Shang and Adam drive up-” 

The rest of Mulan’s words were drowned out with Belle’s bright laughter that filled up the room and no doubt was loud enough to echo into the hallway. It was a sound that was almost enough to make Mulan cry; almost. She had a reputation to upkeep and they really did need to plan their attack. If she had her way, then the school wasn’t going to have even a moment to think differently about Belle and what she could do. 

                                                        ::

Jarred from her thoughts by a low whistle and the sound of a food tray hitting the lunch table, Belle shifted her gaze to look at where Adam was now sitting beside her and wearing a look that could only be called mischievous. “Who pissed you off to cause that murderous look on your sweet face?”

Mulan answered before Belle could, appearing with their own food trays and a slap to the back of Adam’s head that earned an annoyed growl, Mulan rolling her eyes with a sharp, “Stop flirting with my girlfriend.” 

“Hey, I’m being a good friend and asking why she looks so upset,” Adam whined, Belle trying not to laugh as Mulan’s attention immediately snapped to her with narrowed eyes.

“Belle? What’s wrong? Did Adam say something rude again? You know I’m all too happy to push him off the roof and blame Shang.” The twin cries of annoyance from Adam and Shang both was enough to make Belle finally laugh before she closed her eyes for a moment. 

“No, Adam didn’t say anything rude and I’m not… I’m a little upset, but it’s nothing from any of you.” At the silence, Belle opened her eyes to see that all of her friends were looking at her with patient expressions; well, Belle mused, most would call their expressions patience. Belle called them nosy. “It’s just… Have you ever noticed the layout of the school? Really noticed it?” 

Belle had been thrilled to finally be allowed to go back to school and resume her life, although in a much different way compared to how it had been before. She had still been excited, though, and then she had arrived at the school and, for the first time well and truly since her accident, had felt invalid. 

“This is about the accessibility ramp, isn’t it?” Shang asked, already frowning. Belle knew the frown was aimed at the school rather than her, especially after Shang had complained last year about how far the ramp was away from his classes when he had broken his leg. “It’s ridiculous- They only have one ramp into the school and it’s in the very back where no classes are.” 

Mulan huffed, glaring at whatever teachers were nearby as if it was their fault personally. It was as heartwarming as it was adorable, especially when she grumbled an irate, “They don’t even have an elevator to the second floor. We’re lucky that they put all of Belle’s classes on the first floor.”

“They do have an elevator, actually, but it’s that old service one in the pool part of the gym,” Adam spoke up, already halfway done with his food in a speed that never failed to impress and disgust Belle in equal amounts. “Ariel, the captain of the girl’s swim team? You know how she has that chronic pain problem that puts her in a wheelchair some days? It was really bad at the end of last year and she said it was almost impossible to get around the school and make it to her classes on time.” 

“And that’s just it,” Belle said, anger coming back to her even as she opened her mouth for the bite of yogurt Mulan was trying to give her. A quick chew and swallow and she was immediately talking again. “This school wasn’t built with any sort of disability in mind. They just expect us to find our own way or deal with it in silence!”

“Alright, so what are we gonna do about it?” For as much as Belle loved Mulan, she tended to be very action-orientated, especially with matters such as these. “We could take it straight to the principal?” 

Shang snorted, shaking his head, “And he would do what, exactly? Pat us on the heads and tell us that he’ll look into it? You would need to go to the school board for something like this, and they’ll just tell us there’s ‘not enough in the budget-’”

“Bullshit,” Adam cut in ruthlessly, Belle mentally settling in for a long debate. “If they have the money to completely renovate the sports field, then they have the funds to at least put in a couple of ramps and an elevator that isn’t in the middle of nowhere. We need to start a strike. Direct action!”

“Is it wrong I almost want to agree with him?” Mulan mumbled, eating a bite of yogurt herself before offering the next one to Belle. “What do you think, flower?” 

Chewing on her words and her food for a moment, Belle finally gave a soft hum. “As much as I would like to storm into a couple of offices and set them right, Shang is right in saying it wouldn’t do much, in the end. We need direct action, but maybe we can be more subtle about it…” 

Adam groaned, Belle watching him drop his head in his hands, “Belle, I know that look on your face.” There was something to be said about being friends with someone for years that they could tell when you were plotting, Belle supposed. “What are you planning?”

“It seems to me that a lot of people don’t realize the privilege they have until it’s gone.” Belle knew that she hadn’t. She had taken so much for granted just a few months ago, but now… Oh, now she had so many new words to set people straight. “Who here knows how to work a camera?”

Belle watched as her friends shared a look before they were looking back to her with confused expressions, Mulan the one to finally ask, “Belle? Why do you need a camera?”

Video blogging, as it turned out, wasn’t too difficult to learn. Gaining an audience who was willing to listen about the accessibility issues that plagued everyday life for disabled people? That was a bit harder. 

Never let it be said, though, that Belle didn’t give it her all. 

“Hello, everyone! My name is Belle. I’m sixteen, seventeen in a couple of weeks, I’m a senior at Walt Street High School, and over the summer I was diagnosed as quadriplegic after an accident I had that left me unable to move anything below my neck, and before you ask, no, that didn’t suddenly give me brain damage as most seem to think when they first see me.”

It wasn’t a surprise when her only views came from her friends and her family for the first few weeks, but Belle was determined and her friends were stubborn and, in the end, all it took was one person.

“I want to start this video by thanking the person who sent me the message of how they found my videos and how it helped to see just one person in the disabled community really talking about these issues. The fact of the matter is… well, no one is talking about these matters. I was able-bodied before last summer and I never once thought about disability access or how hard everyday life is when it’s only geared towards people who seem to have become the standard of living.” 

Once one person saw and shared her videos, then it became a chain with her videos raking in views and people taking notice; and it didn’t hurt that Belle had her friends frequently in and out of her videos to talk about their own experiences and opinions on a matter they were rapidly forcing themselves to become experts in. 

“Today with me I have my friend Adam who, even though he’s a straight male with white privilege, knows how hard the struggle in the disabled community has been.” 

“I don’t remember Shang and Mulan getting introductions like that, but, yeah. Our school has one ramp and a shitty service elevator that hardly works. I can’t speak for those who live this life every day, but I can speak from the side of someone who’s had sports injuries and has seen others have them as well. Once you’re unable to go through that normal standard of living, you suddenly feel useless, like you can’t do anything without help.” 

It wasn’t a battle that was fought and won overnight. It was, much like Belle’s recovery, a war where some battles were won, and others were bitterly lost; but the ones that were won were won. 

“Great news, everyone! The school finally answered our first official petition and are putting in four new ramps along all the entrances for those who can’t comfortably navigate stairs! We’ve had an outpouring of support from our community and, for those of you curious, no, my girlfriend did not punch anyone like she threatened-”

“It’s because Adam beat me to it! No worries, loyal followers of my beautiful flower, I’ll put the clip in at the end of this video.”

It wasn’t just in her online spaces that Belle was making change, either, but in her actual life. Her school heard her once she raised her voice loud enough and changes, slow as they were, were being made. Ramps were added, an elevator would be finished in time for the students next year, and Belle, even with all of her ‘extracurricular activities,’ was in line to become valedictorian in the few months it would be until they all graduated.

“For the person who asked me to talk about recovery, I don’t think I could limit my answer to only one video, but I’ll do my best. Let me start by saying that recovery is a process and that it is one that never ends. It’s a battle that never ends, but that doesn’t have to mean there’s no progress. If you believe nothing else I say to you, at least believe that no matter what you’re going through, recovery is going to happen as long as you refuse to lose yourself to the pain. I promise you that.”

“It’s not what you thought it would be, huh?” Mulan’s question drew Belle out of her thoughts, her gaze flicking from the park they were people watching at to where Mulan was taking a bite of the ice cream they were sharing. “Getting older and graduating and becoming adults.” 

“I think that’s an understatement,” Belle giggled, accepting the bite of ice cream that was given to her along with a pout. “It’s definitely not what we thought it would be, no, but it’s…” 

It wasn’t better. Belle still fiercely missed all that she had lost and she had a small feeling deep inside of her that she always would miss those things. She wasn’t going on to become an engineer like she had wished for, she would never feel grass between her toes again, and she would never be able to turn the page of a book with her own fingers, so, no, it wasn’t better, but it wasn’t bad.

“It’s good.” She was making a change in the world. She was making a difference. It might have only been affecting her small, sleepy town at that moment, but it didn’t matter because it was change. If it was one thing her books and heroes had taught her, it was that every small change was a great victory. “What we’re doing, what we’ve done, it’s good. We’re good.” 

Maybe Belle would never fully change the world and the minds of the people who looked down on those who weren’t ‘normal,’ but she was making a change. That was all that mattered in the end. 

She had her family, her friends, her love, and she had a promise bursting within her heart that she would be okay. Closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath, Belle mumbled softly to herself, “And so it goes.”

“Huh?” Opening her eyes to see Mulan was looking at her curiously, Belle couldn’t help a giggle. “Are you quoting inspirational quote again?”

“No- Well, maybe a little,” Belle laughed again. “It’s just a silly line from a book I read recently, but… it’s a good line.”

Mulan grinned, offering another bite of ice cream. “Go on, then. What’s this line mean?” Belle took a bite of ice cream, chewed it over, and then smiled.

“Well… in this case I suppose it means that life goes on.” It was a life, Belle thought to herself, that she couldn’t wait to continue.

[funnygirltthatbelle]

Do you have any Adam/Belle fic recs?

I have like a billion favorite fics in this fandom and they are a mix between the original film and the new version SO I’M GONNA PUT BOTH! I’ll write the year in the description (but AUs kinda apply to both versions..as most stories do because of the OVERWHELMING similarities in the two movies) (I could have added so many more but this is like too long😂)

One-Shots!Perchance to Dream (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12422262/1/Perchance-to-Dream) (2017) (K+)“Based on the 2017 movie, with a twist from the original French story. After coming to the castle, Belle meets someone in her dreams who seems oddly familiar…”

All Along (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4130408/1/All-Along) (1991) (K) “The spell has finally been broken. The Beast has some explaining to do, and Belle has a few secrets of her own to get out: she knew about the curse. Postmovie oneshot.” (I’m kinda obsessed with post-movie “woah what the hell just happened let’s talk this out” one-shots)

His Special One (https://archiveofourown.org/works/10558318) (2017) (G) “The ballroom, it seemed, was consistently a place where his life would change forever. A post-curse fluff piece.” (This author has a ton of cute one shots this is just my favorite of theirs)

Impressions (https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627920) (1991) (G)“Sometimes it’s the little things like getting ready in the morning that can be the hardest to get just right. Luckily the Beast has Cogsworth there to help out.” (This author is SO FREAKING GOOD at the 1991 Beast’s characterization like I swear. This is the fluffier of their stories also the newest but I love like all of their works)

And When We Touched (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10536363) (2017) (T)“The five times the Beast had human contact for the first time in years, and the one time he had it as a human himself after the curse is broken. Based mostly off the 2017 movie.”

Of course I have to plug my own fic so….I Love You Too, By The Way (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10504920) (2017) (G) “short conversation between Belle and Adam between the kiss and the reunion with the servants. Because you know Adam would be excited more by Belle being in love with him than by the curse being broken. (Immediately follows the 2017 movie)”

Multi-Chapter!Human Again (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10085111/1/Human-Again) (1991) (T)“A series of short one-shots written for the February 2014 prompt on Bittersweet & Strange. The prompt was: "Write a scene or story about the prince doing something he couldn’t do as a beast.”“

pouf-pouf (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10497057/chapters/23157834) (2017) (T) (Ok this is technically just a two-shot but..)”“Not for the first time, Belle found herself curious about the dusting of gold Plumette so often applied to the corner of her eyes and the swell of her cheeks. ‘Actually. I did have one question. How do you…’ She touched the side of her face to indicate where Plumette’s skin shimmered.'How do I do my makeup?’'Yes.’Plumette shook her head in amazement. 'There were really no other girls in Villeneuve?’”In which Belle makes a friend and learns more about her fiance.“

The Anchor (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10514937/chapters/23206923) (2017) (T) ”“You’re alive,” she murmured softly, amazement smoothing the tone of her voice and filling the small void between them. Her eyes, brimming with unshed tears, locked on the loose waves of his shirt and the smooth planes of his chest.“I’m…” he began, unsure of what to call himself. I’m me? I’m human? I’m…"You’re alive,” she repeated, her tone insistent but her hands hesitant as they moved from his thin waist along the loose linen to his chest. The fabric bunched as her fingers pressed lightly across his torso, searching. “You died,” her voice cracked, her sorrow tangling desperately with her words, “but you’re alive.”A series of vignettes following Belle and Prince Adam based on the live-action Beauty and the Beast. No set number of chapters or timeline. Please enjoy:)“

That Girl is Strange, No Question (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10381776/chapters/22928007) (2017) (T) "He also remembers many times that Belle did this from before— he remembers her scribbling on bits of scrap paper in the library, getting ink on her face from her drafting pen over their own private dinners. She has nothing on her face now, even as his eyes drift up to catch every little detail. “I will allow you that disposition, my love,” he tells her as he brings up the knuckles of her right had so that he can press his lips against her skin. “Apart from one instance.”“Oh?” Belle asks, eyebrows raising higher than Adam honestly thought they could go. “And which instance would that be, my Prince?”“You were at the center of me,” he says. “From the very first moment you threw a snowball at my face.””

AU!My Heart Will Go On (http://archiveofourown.org/works/10601274/chapters/23438256) (2017) (M) “Engaged to be married to a woman who he does not love - a match enforced by his money grubbing father - the poised young aristocrat, Adam, is utterly miserable. On his first night aboard the RMS Titanic, he debates pitching himself over the edge of the ship and into the icy waters below, never to be seen or paraded around ever again.He would have jumped, too, had he not been talked down by a shockingly beautiful girl who had somehow managed to smuggle herself onto the ship, hoping to see the world. Her name was Belle, and Adam quickly came to learn that she had been in France prior to boarding the Titanic, selling her sketches to make ends meet. A bizarre concept to the wealthy gentleman, which only made her, and her way of life, all the more alluring.” (I’m REALLY dreading the end to this story)

Mirrors (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12347701/1/) (1991) (T)“Everyone knows the Beast was selfish and unkind—which, of course, is exactly what a jealous enchantress would want the world to think. A retelling in which young Adam was an innocent victim caught up in his father’s past mistakes, and Belle a willing presence seeking to repay her own father’s debt. And with a vengeful witch on the loose, Gaston is the least of their worries.”

A Prince in Molyneaux (https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11020498/1/) (1991) (T)“AU. Prince Adam is never cursed and grows into a spoiled, self-centered adult. When an attempt to flee his responsibilities backfires, he ends up stranded in a small provincial town. Can he find his way out of the town before anyone discovers who he really is? Or will his developing feelings for a beautiful but funny girl cause him to reconsider his plans entirely?”

Behind a Fair Façade (http://archiveofourown.org/works/7213906/chapters/16370746) (1991) (T) “Belle and Adam are college roommates whose dislike soon melts into friendship - and maybe more. But Adam has a reason beyond Belle’s smile for pursuing her love, to do with his parents tragic death ten years ago. And Belle has her own motives for choosing a college over a hundred miles from her beloved father. Can their friends get them to fall in love?Alternate summary: Modern AU where the curse is in the law, the Bimbettes havecharacters, for some reason France has been replaced by Scotland, and everything is linked thematically.”

neither one prepared (https://archiveofourown.org/works/8144708) (1991/2017 author has both listed) (G) “he’s so cute, she thinks to herself. it’s adorable to see him so eager to learn new things. she then goes back to her filing, heart warmed by her previous thoughts.suddenly, though, everything is… different.or, the one where the breaking of the spell is a bit more… casual.”(AU one-shot)

[seriouslyhooked]

Souvenirs (A CS AU) Part 13/14

A Modern CS AU where Emma has grown up in Maine her whole life and runs a store with Ruby and MM. Killian Jones is the new guy in town, who just bought the local bar. Only Emma and Killian have met before and now she can’t help but wonder if their past has influenced his plans for the future. Includes tons of fluff and a happily ever after. Rated M.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven,Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve

A/N: Okay, here we are, another day, another Captain Swan wedding! This variation of the nuptials has the same spirit as all of my other wedding chapters – lots of fluff, smut, and cute friendship moments. I also managed to incorporate some elements of the title choice that I’ve had in my mind throughout writing this that I hope you guys like. Thanks as always for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

The sun today was perfect - the way it hung in the sky, the way the warmth was still tangible but not oppressive, the way the light lent a bit more beauty to the world around her. Emma shouldn’t have been surprised, of course it would be a lovely day because today was the day she was marrying Killian. And yet, the forecast could have called for torrential down pours and she’d still have found the beauty in it.

“Emma, have you even moved in the past few hours?” Mary Margaret’s call from the ground floor of the lighthouse pulled Emma from her musings, and tore her gaze from where it was fixed on the ocean.

“No. Figured I’d get enough of that –“ she looked at her watch “in two hours or so.”

Mary Margaret huffed and Emma could just imagine her friend’s face at the moment. She was pregnant, but probably already formally dressed for the ceremony ahead, and now she was on bride duty. A bride who had no grand imaginings of a huge white wedding, only ones about a life with the man she loved. Mary Margaret was probably having a blast with that.

“Are you really going to make a pregnant woman climb all these stairs to get you?”

Emma sighed, caught as she knew she would be, because no of course she was not going to do that. Instead, she grabbed her sketches and headed down the stairs at a leisurely pace. Once in front of her friend, she handed her the designs.

“Great news, I managed to come with an entirely new line today.”

Mary Margaret’s shocked expression was priceless and Emma laughed as she linked her arm with her friend’s and led the woman back out to the car. Emma took the wheel to drive, allowing Mary Margaret to see the sketches.

“Emma, these are… they’re genius.” Emma smiled, for she thought so as well. Still it was good to get some feedback. “Souvenirs, though? Why that name?”

“I like the idea that the big moments in our lives are these grand adventures, even if they are only flashes in the journey. This line can be a physical manifestation of those big milestones, and it’s something to remember the moment with.” Emma had one such piece in her engagement ring, and in the pile of papers before Mary Margaret there were half a dozen others that could be made for their customers.

“Inspired, and think how long a line like that can go on, with the different variation and everything.” Emma smiled, knowing her friend was the business savvy one and thinking about how good that would be for the line and for the store.

“Exactly. But I’ve had enough of work today. Right now, I think it’s time to get me married.” Pulling up in front of her house, Emma saw Ruby, Belle and Tiana waiting on the porch; the three of them also donning bridesmaids dresses.

“Finally, the woman of the hour.” Ruby said as she raised her hand, gesturing with frustration. It brought a huge smile to Emma’s face.

“Oh come on, Ruby. It’s my day.”

The teasing in Emma’s tone was not lost on her brunette friend who laughed before pulling Emma inside. Once there, Emma made her way to her bedroom and found her wedding dress. None of the others had seen it yet, as Emma had opted to travel to Boston alone to pick it up from the up and coming designer who she’d been consulting with.

The dress was elegance itself, and a beautiful ivory color that clung to Emma before billowing out into a truly remarkable skirt. It was light, despite its appearance, and easily moved in, so that she and Killian could share more than one dance tonight. That had been a big concern of Emma’s – she absolutely needed to spend most of the night dancing with her husband.

To go with the style that simultaneously harked back to the forties (with sheer sleeves that cut halfway between shoulder and elbow), while being modernly infused, Emma was wearing her hair up in a braided twist. Instead of a veil, though, she’d opted for a headband that had intricate beading that matched the belt of the gown. In complimenting beaded ivory shoes, and wearing her ring and a rose gold wreath necklace and bracelet set she’d designed, Emma felt like maybe, finally, she understood what so many women were on about when going crazy over their wedding.

“What do you guys think?” Emma asked, turning to her four friends, and there wasn’t a dry eye among them.

“Emma, you look gorgeous.” Belle’s words were heartfelt and Emma smiled, then turned to Tiana who was nodding, clearly stunned.

“I don’t know what to say, except you look like royalty.”

Emma laughed at that, for that had kind of been the aim, if only because royals tended to be meticulous about the classic element in a gown. That was what Emma wanted. If she was standing up in front of the world, she was damn well going to do it right.

“They’re going to have to hold him back, babe,” Ruby said as she hugged Emma tight and Emma was a little surprised. Of her two best friends, Ruby was the less affectionate, but it was a pleasant occurrence, and Emma was happy that her friend thought Killian liable to lose his mind.

“Mary Margaret?” As if the hiccupped sobs weren’t enough testimony to Mary Margaret’s happiness, the woman wiped away her tears and exhaled sharply.

“It’s perfect, Emma. Really perfect.” Emma took Mary Margaret’s hand in hers and then looked around to her other friends.

“I want to thank you all right now, before the madness, for standing with me today. It means more than I can say.” There was a moment of companionable silence before Emma spoke again, trying to lighten the heavy emotions before she cried herself. “But it’s best to tell you guys now, since when I see Killian in a suit, all bets are off.”

The laughter that came next stayed with the women who were light hearted and excited as the got in the limo set to take them where the wedding was. Emma knew some things to come, but she had largely stayed out of the planning, leaving it to Mary Margaret who’s instincts she trusted. Killian, though, had been a little less excited to hand over the reigns to her pixie-haired friend, and currently, Emma was listening to Mary Margaret go on about one particular disagreement over the band.

“I thought the best thing for sure would be a string quartet. But he was adamant that he wanted a band to play the old standards. He had a very distinct vision. ‘I am holding Emma while someone sings like Ella Fitzgerald or you will never hear the end of it.’ He actually said that!” Emma muffled her laughter with her hand, believing it to be true, especially after their conversation at Mary Margaret’s wedding, but Mary Margaret’s eyes turned thoughtful before she turned back to Emma. “Did you show him your dress, Emma?” Emma shook her head.

“Nope, just marrying a guy who knows me, I guess.” That set Mary Margaret off on more stories about the week’s planning that had Emma smiling more and more. Her soon to be husband was very opinionated as she well knew, but there was one thing that Mary Margaret was not permitted to talk about.

“He came as close to threatening me as I think he could given that David was there. Above anything else this week, he wanted this to be a surprise.”

Whatever ‘this’ was, Emma was intrigued, but soon the limo was pulling up and her wondering was over. Instead, she looked ahead to the entrance of the park that they would have to go through to get to the wedding itself, and there prepared for them to arrive was... a series of golf carts?

“Guys, couldn’t we have just parked at the Derby House?” The field in question was part of a Storybrooke estate that was the sight of the town’s historical society. This, to put it mildly was a back ways trek for them to get there.  

“I wanted to contribute too! So Mary Margaret let me decorate these for us to drive over.”

Emma was laughing like she couldn’t ever remember having laughed before. This was rich, and not at all what she was expecting, but actually made a lot of sense. Far more than walking to the field in heels did, at least. Ruby came over and handed Emma a giant white poncho to protect her dress and with that, the friends were off, speeding a bit more than was probably necessary through the path and to their designated zone for the aisle. When Emma exited the cart, she didn’t give a damn about her hair, she just knew that it was an amazing way to start the evening. The sun was starting to lower, and soon, very soon, she’d be heading down that aisle.

“Elsa, is that Aunt Emma?” Emma turned at the sound of a small child’s voice and saw a blonde woman who she recognized holding the hands of two young boys. She smiled at them happily and the smaller of the two ran up to Emma and hugged her. “It is her, I knew it!”

“Hi William, it’s nice to meet you too.” The little boy pulled back, eyes wide.

“You know my name?”

“Of course I do. You’re my family.” William grinned and looked back at Elsa and Patrick who were now just before her as well.

“She’s even more beautiful than the phone showed us.” William thought he was whispering, but all of them heard and Emma only smiled, extending her hand to Patrick, who she could sense thought himself a little too old for hugs.

“And you must be Captain Patrick. I heard you’re learning to man a sail boat all by yourself.” The boy brightened instantly and nodded.

“Yeah, Dad’s been helping and Elsa and I went to the library last week to learn all there is to know. When you and Uncle Killy come to visit, I can take you.”

“That sounds great.” Then Emma looked at Elsa and gave her future sister-in- law a big hug.

“I feel like I already know you, but it’s really good to meet you in person.” Elsa had a voice that was light and airy as she replied.

“Same here. Did you guys really get to ride over here in golf carts? That’s awesome!”

Emma nodded and looked back at her friends, pulling them all forward to introduce them. Once the worlds had collided, Mary Margaret reminded Emma of the time, and things went very quickly from there. Elsa moved with the boys so they could take their seats and then the music began. One by one her friends walked down the aisle, until only Emma remained.

When it was her turn, Emma moved with a fluidity that wasn’t intentional, but felt completely natural. Each step was tied to the music as it played, all in the hopes of getting to Killian sooner, and when her eyes caught his, it was like the whole world melted away. All she could see was him, and all she could feel was this incredible desire to get to this happily ever after she’d found with this man.

The look in Killian’s eyes was enough to set her on fire, while also making Emma feel like she was the princess every bride thought themselves to be. There could be no doubt looking in his eyes, that he was as devoted to her as she was to him, and that set the pounding of her heart at ease just a bit. When she was finally within arms reach, he extended his hand that she gladly took and he raised hers to his lips to kiss gently.

“Hello, my love.” He whispered, and just as she was about to respond someone cleared their throat behind Killian.

“Beg your pardon, love, but I hate to watch my brother get married without my actually meeting the bride.” Emma looked at Liam who was coming around Killian and pulling her into a big hug before she could think twice about it. Their guests laughed at that and Emma heard little Connor berating his father from his seat.

“Let Aunty Emma go, Dad! Uncle Killy loves her, and we don’t want to scare her off.” Emma smiled at the boy before turning to Killian once more and bringing her hand to graze his cheek.

“For the record, there isn’t anything that could ‘scare me off.’” His eyes burned an intense cerulean even as his expression softened.

“I’m very glad to hear it. Now, if my dear brother will allow us, I think it’s about time I make you my wife.”

……………

Not for the first time, Killian considered the magical feeling that came when he held Emma Swan – well now Emma Jones – in his arms. With her pressed against him as they made their way about the dance floor, Killian was floating on air, light as a feather, but ready to face anything that came their way.

“You look so happy,” Emma whispered and the sound made its way to his ears like the chime of a bell.

“I feel even more than I am giving away, love, trust me,” Killian replied and Emma kissed him, her own smile winning over when she did so. Then she looked around them again, still in awe of their reception. It did his heart good to see Emma so pleased with her wedding day.

“I still can’t believe you managed all this. I never even would have thought to dream this, but you still knew.” Killian brought a hand up to cup her cheek, his thumb lightly brushing away another of Emma’s happy tears.

“You are the best part of me, love. I only had to look into my own heart to know what you might find desirable.” The happy little sigh that escaped his wife had Killian’s hold tightening and then the joy in her eyes heating over into wanting.

“As lovely as all of this is, it still feels like we’re on display, doesn’t it?” Killian looked around and saw that his bride was quite right. Though they’d only invited fifty people or so, nearly every eye was trained on them, and Killian had a plan.

“Do you trust me, Emma?” he asked.

“Of course I do. With all my heart.”

Killian stepped back, keeping her hand in his and kissing it lightly before leading her towards the back of the party. There was an opening in the trees that led down a small path and with a nod at one of the wedding attendants, twinkling lights soon lit the way in the trees overhead. Emma’s gasp at the lights was exactly the response he’d hoped for, and as they made their way farther from the party, Killian felt a tension he hadn’t realized he had dissolving away.

“You really do think of everything, don’t you?” Emma asked as they reached the next grove and Emma’s face, lit up by the moon and the lanterns that were placed out here was so beautiful, Killian couldn’t respond.

“I know it’s probably bad manners to run away during our wedding, but I don’t care. This, Killian Jones, is exactly why I put a ring on it today.” Killian couldn’t help but laugh at that as he moved over to the set up that was meticulously laid out.

“I thought we might rather like a break, my love. I do believe we have earned it.”

Emma nodded and, with Killian’s help so as not to ruin her dress, she laid back on the lush blanket set up out here. Killian immediately took his spot next to her and found the remote control that had been placed at the corner of the quilt so he could shut the lights off, leaving only the stars in their wake. Now it was just the two of them, and the soft background sound of the music and the murmuring from their party. They were far enough away that constellations made their way into view, but near enough that it was still clearly their wedding.

“I used to see the stars as a little girl and think how small I was, how the Universe was so big and how I was alone in it. Here with you, right now, I’ve never felt more alive or more important.”

The confession from his wife had Killian’s throat closing. She would never be alone again, not as long as he lived, for he could never bear to part with her. Soon enough, they’d add to their family too, and when that day came that they welcomed a child, Killian would love them just as much as he did their mother.

“I have champagne chilling, love. Would you like some?” Emma shook her head and then looked over at him with something to say. Killian ran his hand over her features, wanting to understand why she looked a little worried.

“Did you notice that I didn’t actually drink during the toasts?” Killian shook his head, not having been paying attention, but the fact that she wasn’t drinking sparked a profound hope in him. Still, he wanted Emma to say the words, so he simply shook his head. “I’m pregnant.”

Killian pulled his new wife towards him and kissed her fiercely, pouring all his excitement into it, and trying to make her see how truly joyous he was at the news. God the day had already been perfect, but Emma continued to give him so much more than any one man deserved. Being this happy should be a crime, but damn it Killian couldn’t deny his want for life to always be this way, and he knew it would be as long as he had Emma.

“How long have you known?”

“About a week, but I thought it might be a nice surprise for you tonight. It might be the only thing that could compete with this to be honest.” Killian scoffed at that.

“Your news is the single best thing I’ve ever heard other than you saying ‘I do’ today, love.” Emma ran her hand across his cheek and kissed him once more.

“I have a doctor’s appointment next week, and I know I don’t have to ask if you’re coming or not.”

“I’ll be there. Just try shaking me over the next few months, love.” Emma laughed at that, but the thoughtful look returned to her eyes and Killian wanted everything. He needed to know what she was holding back.

“Tell me what’s troubling you, love. Are you not happy?” She shook her head.

“I am happy, really. I just – I’ve been having the craziest dreams, and in them we don’t have one baby, we have two.” Killian felt a wave of pride surge through him, which he knew to be ridiculous, for dreams weren’t indicative of reality, and there was no proof that they’d have twins. Still, the thought of not one but two babies, both a blending of him and Emma was an even sweeter life to imagine.

“Whatever happens love, our children will know nothing but love and protection from us. Besides, if we have two now, we’re that much closer to our goal.” Emma raised a brow at that.

“Just how many do you think we’re having?”

“A dozen?” Emma barked out a near hysterical laugh.

“Not even close, buddy.” Killian rose to his feet then and offered his hand to help her up, once she was standing flush against him, he pushed a lose tendril of hair behind her ear and smiled.

“Perhaps that is a trifle excessive. How about six?”

“Any more than five, and we are both liable to lose our minds. Even five is a lot.” Killian grinned, knowing five had always been the number he wanted, and reveling quietly in his success.

“Whatever you want, Emma.” He felt a zing of sensation when her hand pressed against his chest, warming him through the thin material of his shirt.

“We probably have to get back now, don’t we?”

“Aye, love. But I promise, just one more dance and then we make our getaway.” Emma looked skeptical at that.

“You want me to spend my last dance of the night with your brother? He already called dibs for one more. Poor Elsa, she must be so tired with all his constant demands.” Killian laughed low at that.

“He made that demand of you, because Elsa is a terrible dancer, love. Two left feet is too generous a description. “ Emma looked surprised at that.

“Really? She looks so graceful, I just assumed she would be great at dancing.”

“Quite the opposite I assure you.”

By now they were back to the original party, and though they were noticed as being recently returned, no one made any unsavory remarks, which Killian appreciated. Sure enough his brother came to claim his dance, and then Killian staked out one more before making good on his promise that he and his bride could make their getaway. He was anxious to get her back to their home and out of this dress.

“Where did all your steely control go? You’re Mr. Impatient all of a sudden.” Emma giggled as Killian swept her up in his arms once they’d arrived to carry her over the threshold, into their house and then through the corridors to their bedroom.

“My show of control was nothing short of heroic all evening, love. I expect a parade thrown in my honor for all I’ve done.”

Killian put Emma down to stand on the floor of their bedroom and Emma smirked as Killian watched her kick off her heels. She then turned around to have him unzip the gorgeous dress that had fit her so superbly all evening long. He probably should have made a moment of it, teasing them both with a slower pace, but his blood was boiling, simmering hot just beneath the surface of his skin, and the only thing that could help was his Swan naked and crying out his name, lust thick in her voice. With the dress now shed from her person, Killian had a moment where he stood at deaths door. His heart nearly pounded out of his chest as he saw the white lace lingerie she’d been donning underneath the classy design of her wedding dress.

“Like what you see, babe?”

Killian’s smile ticked up at the endearment, but words escaped him. Instead of trying to find them, he ran his hands along her smooth, creamy, skin and savored the feel of her warmth and the way her breathing swallowed when he traced absent minded designs along her flesh.

“I love you more than anything, Emma. Surely you know that by now.”

“I do. And I love you just the same. That being said – you better get out of those clothes soon, or we’ll be ruining a perfectly good suit.”

Not one to upset his new bride, Killian did just that, watching Emma’s features heat as he stripped the expensive suit from his person. He wondered if the rumors he’d heard about pregnant woman was true. If they could be trusted, it meant Emma would be more sensitive to his touch and hungrier for the love between them. There was only one way to test the theory.

“Your call, Emma. Do you want me doting and gentle?” She shook her head.

“No, I want you at that point where you’re nearly out of your mind with needing me.”

Her hand came down his chest, across the slope of his abs to grip around his already hard cock, pulling a growl from Killian. If that was how she wanted things, he would not disappoint. Still he removed her hand, instantly missing it, but needing to take things a very different way.

“On your knees, holding the headboard love.” The flash of excitement that washed over her expression had Killian grinning, but Emma moved quickly to accommodate his request. “That’s a good girl. Now, as your husband, I have certain duties do I not?”

Killian asked and Emma nodded, arching to meet his hands that trailed along her back as he took his place behind her. With deft hands, he unclasped her bra and threw the strapless garment across the room. Watching Emma’s unwitting response to the gesture had him grinning. His chest was pressed against her back as he brought both hands around to tease her now very alert nipples.

“Fuck, Killian!” She lifted her hands from the headboard slightly and Killian nipped at the back of her shoulder.

“Keep your hands where they are love.”

She immediately returned them to their original place and Killian continued to pay attention to her breasts until her squirming against him signaled that she needed more. With one of his hands, he traced down her chest over the abdomen that in a few months time would be swelling with the presence of their child (or children, if premonitions rang true). A low grumble emanated from his chest at the thought of Emma carrying such a gift. Still he allowed his hand to go lower, finally ending up between her spread legs, and finding her dripping sex, needy for him. As soon as he made contact with her clit, Emma was moaning his name.

“How do you do that?” She asked breathily.

“Do what, love? Drive you slightly mental with only my hands?” She nodded. “Simple – I know you better than I know myself. I know each and every motion, each and every touch that sets you ablaze. I know that when I give you more…” he slipped a finger inside her waiting heat, “it helps the ache, but doesn’t fill the need. What you need is me, love. Isn’t that right?”

“God, yes. Only you, forever.” Killian kissed at the juncture of her shoulder and neck as he inserted a second finger and felt Emma tighten around him, already so close to coming.

“I will give you the best forever there has ever been, Emma. But now, I need you to let go.” She did just that, crashing into a climax that had her shaking with exertion, and Killian had never seen her so beautiful. When she finally looked back at him, her green eyes were still desirous and her cheeks were now flushed a lovely shade of pink.

“Can I move my hands yet?” He nipped at her lower lip, but pulled back before it was truly a kiss.

“Yes, love.”

Emma moved quickly, pulling him down for a demanding kiss that Killian couldn’t help but lose himself in. Emma turned the tables then, pushing him back on the bed, and straddling him as she pulled the few remaining clips she had in her hair, setting her golden locks tumbling around her.

“My turn. Now you, have to keep your hands right there.”

Emma started with a kiss, moving further and further until Killian thought he would likely expire from the torment. When her mouth kissed the head of his cock, all rational thought was gone, and when she took him in her mouth, he really tried to heed her wishes and keep his hands where they were, but he couldn’t.

“Emma, love I won’t last like this, and I need to be inside my wife this first time.”

Emma smiled at his phrasing, and let him thwart her plan, no doubt knowing her own satisfaction was ensured this way. And in the end, they both got exactly what they wanted, a first union as man and wife that was perfect, sensual and satisfying. As they lay next to each other, both catching their breath before more inevitable love making, Killian ran his hand through Emma’s hair and smiled, taking stock of everything, so he could remember this moment for the rest of his days.

“You’re making a souvenir,” Emma said.

“I’m what?” Killian asked confused and Emma giggled, so carefree and light it had Killian’s whole world brightening.

“You’re painting a picture in your mind. I take them all the time with you, so I can remember all of our moments.”

“Aye, love, I am doing just that.” She ran her hands across his chest, the feel of her fingers against him bringing warmth and calm even as they stirred the craving he had for her once more. “I love you, Emma.”

“I know. I love you too.” Those words shared between them in truth, were the most important thing, and it would be that love that would see them through everything that was to come.

Somewhat surprisingly, Emma had been right, the dreams a bit of magic no one could really explain, but a week later they received the news. They were expecting not one but two babies, all of whom would know exactly how much they were loved and cherished. And so it was, that they had a magical, wonderful start to a much deserved happily ever after.

Post-Note: This story was such a magical way for me to write another Captain Swan wedding! To be honest all this time later I am still emotionally compromised from it, but I love it all the same. That being said, there is only one chapter left for ‘Souvenirs’ and it is an epilogue. Hope you guys enjoyed, and thanks as always for the lovely words! Truly they are so great, I love hearing if you guys like the chapters or not!

[caphasamericasass]

The Tin Man and the Viper PART TWO

Bucky Barnes x OC

Sucky Summary: AU Post Civil War Steve Rogers returns from Wakanda with a partially repaired Bucky Barnes to the Avengers compound.  Excited to introduce his first best friend to his BFF of the 21st century (OC), he’s shocked to discover that a deep change has occurred in her from when they were last united.  Bucky’s never been one for puzzles but finds some solace in her silence in a new world that’s spinning out of their control.  

Word Count: 1.1+

Characters: Steve, Bucky, Natasha, OC

Warnings: None Yet

PART ONE

Bucky’s POV

It’s hard not to watch her spar, I’ll give her that.  Her movements are fluid and graceful—a young Natalia Romanova still learning. Romanoff is the only person she has allowed to train with her since her return.  We sat down with the iron twat my first official night with the Avengers after our run in in the kitchen.  Stark doesn’t seem concerned, but it doesn’t appear to be that whatever is happening with her is something the Avengers want to talk about aside from Steve.  I myself don’t see what the big deal is either, I mean pretty, mute, and a little neurotic to keep things interesting sounds like the about ideal dame to me.  

I can see her perfectly from the weight bench sending high kicks right over Romanoff’s head as she ducks gracefully out of Estella’s way.  Steve asked her this morning if she might want to get in the ring with us today as he bragged to her about me being a boxing champ back in the day, but she just smiled sweetly and shook her no.

Suddenly there’s a blur of flesh obstructing my view, it belongs to Steve—I’m momentarily impressed with myself for knowing that without meeting his eyes or tuning into his voice. I peel my eyes from the dueling girls somewhat reluctantly, and grunt, “whadya want, Steve?”

“Stark called a team meeting,” he replies.

“Isn’t that your job?”

Steve scoffs.  “I let him be second in command to coddle his delicate ego.  He get his knickers in a twist since he, you know,” he gestures at all the equipment surrounding us in the Tower’s gym, “pays for all this stuff.”  I nod with a sense of understanding, but I don’t recall Howard being so controlling.  Of course things always change after war.  

Steve is smirking at me and I briefly wonder if I’ve missed something.  “What?”

“Should I get the girls or would you like to do the honors?”

“Punk,” I mutter.  I stand and toss my towel into my standard army issue duffle bag with no intent on saying anything to the assassin and the mute.

Steve chuckles. “Widow! Error! Meeting in the eighty-first floor conference room in fifteen minutes!”

They pause instantly for Romanoff to respond.  “You want us to walk in there smelling like Maximoff’s running shoes?”

I look up to see Estelle crack an out of place smile and wrinkle her nose slightly.  It’s almost cute.  Almost.

“Apparently Stark has a fetish for stinky teammates.”

I’d never heard anyone address Estelle as anything aside from that, or more affectionately as Stella. “Where does that codename come from?”

“Oh, Error?  It’s short for ‘User Error’.  When Stella was brought to the attention of the Avengers, it was because she hit Stark’s radar as an alleged hacker.  Her abilities include technology and electrical energy manipulation and she wreaked havoc on the Stark Enterprise servers to use his GPS to locate missing mutants on an X-Men mission.  Normally the X-Men would avoid any interaction with the Avengers or other any government agencies for that matter, but it was an emergency and they thought with her abilities she’d be able to get in and out completely undetected.  But the truth is, at the time Stella knew about as much about computers as I do.”

“That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” I say, mostly because I don’t know a damn thing about the X-Men.  Steve mentioned them once or twice in Wakanda, but genetic mutations occurring in nature outside of Hydra reek of suspicious activity.  It’s hard for me to grasp that normal people are born this way, born like the twins.  Steve said that there’s genetic explanation to that too but it all goes right over my head. I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about.

“She grew up in the Swamps, Buck.  It’s not exactly like Silicon Valley.”  I have no idea where ‘Silicon Valley’ is, but apparently it’s not the Everglades.  We headed towards the exit of the gym after gathering our belongings whereas the girls bee lined towards the locker room. “She wasn’t incredibly computer literate outside of the basics.  She had raw ability and had just joined the X-Men to figure out how to use it.  Long story short, she basically ended up triggering all these crazy alarms that Stark had installed in his systems as emergency contingency plans for incredibly advanced hackers.  He said it should have been impossible for someone of her incompetency to bulldoze their way through the system like a digital bull in a china shop.  At first he was mad, but he called me a soon as he discovered the identity of the girl.”

“Granddaughter of a Howling Commando?  How’d the Frenchy even end up in the states anyhow?”

“You don’t happen to remember a nurse by the name of Gloria Sayre?  Tiny little thing with a nice, slow southern drawl.”

Doesn’t ring a single bell. I shake my head from right to left.

“Well after you…were no longer in action…they got together.  Funny thing is, she told him she was from New Orleans, the Paris of America,” Steve says.  He’s got a glimmer of far away nostalgia in his eyes as we step into an elevator that will take us to the eighty-first floor.  I nearly wish I was capable of remembering enough things to feel nostalgic about them, but instinct immediately screams that an unnecessary weakness and I brush my envy aside.  “But as it turned out, old Gloria lived a few cities and one state away, in the swampland of Biloxi, Mississippi.  I heard all this from Tony who said that Howard had written it in an old journal of his he started keeping at the end of the war when record keeping became an afforded luxury.  Howard had written that Jacques was livid, but by the time they reached the south Gloria was already pregnant.  Stella just about confirmed all of this when we finally met.  I was fairly adamant about getting her on the team—a descendant of Jacques, a genetic modern marvel!  Who could have imagined.”

“So does that mean that Frenchy was…well was Frenchy a mutant too then, and he never told anyone? Was that why he was so good with explosions?”  I ask, my brain beginning to run wild faster than common sense can catch up to it.  

“Of course not, Buck. You spent all that time with him in the POW cells, I think you’d remember that.”

Not likely, I think.  We step out of the elevator and begin down a maze of hallways as Steve tries reassure me that Jacques was not a freak like his offspring.

“Mutation is a gene that can be dormant if possessed.  Jacques could’ve had it and never known, or Gloria, or more likely it came from Arthur Sinclair’s line.  Stella’s father.”

“Yeah?  What’s Sinclair’s deal?” I ask as we step into the room.  The Maximoff’s, the android, Stark, and Bird Brain are already there in civilian clothes not drenched in sweat.

Steve sighs.  “That’s a whole other story.”

PART THREE