Mickey and Minnie: Firebird
Description:
A short mice drabble based on a concept @thebigpalooka and I had discussed. She was largely responsible for the second set of dialogue after their meeting...and it broke my heart in the best way, so of course I had to use it here.
Setting is a Firebird sort of situation, inspired by both the ballet and the Fantasia segment, and whatever else we wanted to throw in. Minnie is the Firebird--the protector of the forest--and Mickey is a heroic prince who saved her once upon a time. This bit here occurs near the end of the story we'd set up <3
AO3
~~~~
He saw her in every precious gleam of nature. In the fiery sunsets of summer, the colors of autumn, the chill of winter, the rosebuds of spring. Her touch, her breath of beauty and passion lay upon it all. A kiss, gentle and sweet. Sometimes, he liked to imagine it was for him–when the wind would tousle his fur and leave him laughing, clinging to his cloak, or a star would streak across the sky and leave a trail so bright he was sure it was her weaving pathways he might one day be able to follow.
It didn’t dull the ache, though, when such signs departed from view and he was left to return to his chambers alone. He left the window open each night, so that dreams of her might be carried along with the breeze. And he did dream of her, almost every time he closed his eyes. Sometimes those dreams were warm and loving, and she’d be there before him again, as radiant as ever, smiling and holding out her arms so he might sweep her away. Other nights he’d watch her as she left him, as he had all that time ago–when the color had returned to her body and the light to her eyes, blossoming as though she herself had been a flower all along. Mickey had carried her then, as she’d asked him to, and he had never been able to forget the breath she’d taken after those first few steps, when she’d seen the place where her tears had fallen. Where life was beginning to return to the scorched earth.
Some days he regretted not having said a word. But he’d seen her whole spirit return to her then, and when she’d lifted her hands to the sky she had been filled with such vigor and strength, he knew he could never have held her back. Not even to say goodbye.
He turned his hand over, recalling the feeling as she’d leapt from his fingertips with a step lighter than any bird could have managed. She had seemed an angel then, and that was his last memory of her. Of a girl like a faerie, rising into the clouds, showering all the earth with life and color.
There had been a part of him…well, far more than a part of him...that had hoped she might have returned. That they might have… Ah, it was pointless to dream of those things. She was an ethereal being. She was the essence of hope and nature and rebirth itself, a creature of magic with a wild and fiery spirit that was never meant to be tamed.
And…Mickey loved her. He always would, and he knew he’d never be able to claim otherwise, not now. Not having seen her smile, or felt her touch, or seen the kindness and fear in her eyes. Though he hoped the fear was gone now, as it had been when she left him. That was all he could ever wish for, that wherever she was, she was free, and she was happy.
But he never did stop looking, with those cheerful eyes of his that seemed always touched with sadness. He was looking now, as he brought that hand to his lips and drew in a shaky breath, leaning out over the balcony. His crown and robes had long since been abandoned, tossed haphazardly on the bed with the setting of the sun. He’d put them away later, but for now he wanted to watch. It was a special night, after all, with the light of the full moon already clipped by shadow. Just like it had been on the night he’d first seen her, so very long ago.
He stretched out his arms, letting out a little squeak, and blinked sleepily, with no intention of retiring anytime soon. The night was cool, and stars twinkled brightly, and the forest felt like it was calling to him again, stretching out past the fields that flanked the castle. Mickey grinned.
He left a note for Donald, just in case, though he doubted his friend would wonder where he’d gone. If you were close to Mickey, you knew he loved the forest. Knew that if he wasn’t here when you called, he was out among the rustling leaves and the river, traipsing through underbrush looking for something he never seemed able to find. But it brought him joy, and he’d always return with a bit more life in his eyes, so no one said a thing…though his closest friends could always see the longing in his gaze. It never did stop growing.
His horse whinnied as he urged it onward, that wild feeling settling in his chest as those hooves trotted over the drawbridge, then burst into a gallop the moment they touched the grass. He’d chosen a plain brown cloak, and it fluttered behind him now, catching the wind in dramatic fashion. Mickey hollered, cherishing these moments of freedom. They came so rarely now, with all there was to do as king. But this…it was like things used to be. Almost.
The forest grew nearer, dusted with moonlight that graced the autumn leaves. He could almost hear them now, as the wind picked up and swept through the branches, and he watched the trees with growing anticipation. His heart swelled. So many memories were held within their grasp, under their canopy. Even the border of the forest, where the fields met with a wilder expanse, held an essence of–
He blinked, as a flurry of leaves were tossed into the air and fluttered about, just outside the forest. They glittered and for a moment, just a moment, he could have sworn the moonlight that passed through them had settled on a familiar form.
The world froze, and Mickey held his breath, his eyes growing wide. He hardly dared to believe it, and yet…
Hope is terribly convincing.
When they settled on the ground, the form was gone. But Mickey didn’t care. It was exactly how it had happened before, exactly how he’d seen her that very first time. A very wild look came into his eyes and he cried out, urging his steed to go even faster than it was before. Years of pent up loneliness and heartache fueled him now, filled him with a desperation beyond compare.
The moment his steed reared up as they reached the trees, Mickey leapt off and hit the ground running, stumbling over himself and gathering his footing just in time to keep pace. He could see a light blazing ahead, gleaming, darting from place to place and growing smaller with every moment that passed. He raced after it with all he had. Branches and thorns tore at his clothing, ripped through his tunic and bloodied his skin, but he hardly felt it. He could only think of her, of any faint possibility that he might see her one last time, might even get to hold her in his arms.
The more he ran, the more his lungs burned and his vision blurred through the tears that lingered in his eyes. He needed her. He needed her. He needed her.
He burst into a clearing flooded with the last threads of moonlight, and all at once, that fiery light vanished. Mickey stopped, gasping for air, his eyes darting wildly across every corner, to every branch and shadow. His chest was heaving, his whole outfit tattered, and his fur matted with dirt and blood. Those breaths faltered then, hitched in his throat, left him trembling.
He’d been so certain. So sure…so…
Foolish.
His legs gave out from under him, as he glanced at his surroundings. It was his memories that had led him here, he realized with a sharp jab of pain in his chest. The ground still held a faint layer of ash and soot, and the trees nearby were blackened by some past flame–a fire he remembered all too well.
Right at the center of it all stood the reminder of what had happened here. A beautiful tree in everlasting bloom stood swaying in the gentle breeze of night. Its petals seemed to radiate with a glow of their own as the moonlight graced their surface. It was lovely. Enchanting.
Mickey dug his fingers into the dirt at the sight of it all.
Up until now, he’d thought himself perfectly fine. Or something like it. Thought he’d been strong enough to move on without her here, or at least able to manage. And maybe, deep inside, he was. But in this moment, sitting face to face with evidence of their farewell, he felt for certain he’d been wrong. That loneliness and longing and heartache came crashing in all at once and though he didn’t cry–didn’t have the strength to–he drew in a shaky breath and buried his face in his hands.
“I miss you so much…”
He sat like that for a while, shuddering with emotion, unable and unwilling to move, or even lift his head. The moonlight grew fainter, shadowed, and tinged with a fiery red that he didn’t see. But the whole forest thrummed in its wake, those autumn colors sparking to life like tongues of flame. And the tree before him–-those milky-white petals–-began to stir with the wind.
It began gently, like a whisper, then began to grow into something greater. Soon, the blossoms were swept up in the whirlwind, now dyed with the same crimson that had flooded the rest of the forest–only brighter. As the wind rose and the sound grew and those petals released a blazing burst of light, Mickey finally lifted his eyes.
Before them, untouched by the howling wind, fluttered a single scarlet feather. Mickey’s lips parted breathlessly, and he stretched out his hand.
In the moment it graced his skin, the cyclone of petals blazed so bright that Mickey cried out and had to lift his hand to shield his eyes. But through the gaps in his fingers, he watched as he always had, though now there was something else in his stare. Tentative, cautious hope, and an ever-growing sense of disbelief.
The petals were no longer petals, but real tongues of fire. Those snaking flames came together like wings, formed the shape of a grand bird in their midst. It stretched above the mass of fire, arching over the tree with great, roaring feathers as it lifted its neck, craned its beak towards the sky. It beat its wings once, then lowered its gaze towards Mickey.
Their eyes met, and in the next second, the flames gathered again, spiraled upwards until the bird was gone. Mickey reached out, utterly terrified the flames would vanish entirely, and he’d be left alone all over again.
But as they shrank, they dimmed, and took shape, and ribboned around themselves. And when they had settled, they released a final flare of bright light.
Mickey drew in a breath.
She was there, in a shower of sparks and lingering embers. Her body was wrapped in those ribbons of fire, only now pieces of them returned to their flowery state, formed a glittering bodice, even as the rest of the flames wound about her hips and fell to the ground, trailing behind her in beautiful ribbons of golden light. Her arms were arched over her head, as the Firebird’s wings had been only moments ago, and a curtain of sparks fell down from them like magic. As the wind died down, she swayed lightly, and brought her hands down, drawing in a shuddering breath as her eyes fluttered open.
They landed on Mickey, and filled with tears.
Her lips formed his name, though no sound emerged. Before the last lingering petals had even fallen to the earth, Mickey had leapt up and stretched out his arms and she was there, flinging herself into them, wrapping her arms around him as he gathered her up and buried his face in her neck, nestling into her hair with shallow, shuddering breaths. She smelled like autumn–like every lovely part about it that had ever reminded him of her. Like crisp leaves and apples, all tinged with the lingering scent of fire–warm and full of comfort.
He squeezed her tighter, and she whimpered, nuzzling into him. Mickey was overcome. He dropped again to the ground, brought her in closer, and rocked her back and forth in his arms as she clung to him, and he to her, terrified that if he let his grip on her falter for even a moment, she would vanish again and be lost to him forever.
“Oh, Mickey…” she gasped through tears at last, her face still buried in his chest. “I waited for you. I never stopped waiting. I missed you so, so much. And I know you couldn’t see me, but I just kept trying to tell you, trying to tell you how sorry I was that I had to leave and I–”
“Shh,” he hushed her then, and nuzzled against her cheek. “Ya came back…” he murmured, his voice breaking. “Ya came back to me…”
Minnie was silent for a moment, just drew in a shaky breath and clung to him, utterly helpless. Mickey drew away for only a moment, catching the look in her eyes. Then a faint gleam of fire sparked in his own, and he leaned down into her, slowly, gently, caressing her collar with his fingers before leaving a kiss where his hand had been. She shuddered, and he traveled up her neck, endlessly soft as his lips pressed against her skin. When they reached her mouth, he hovered there, and opened his eyes to look at her. There was love in that stare, desperate and pleading. It was Minnie who satisfied his unspoken request, leaned in and met his parted lips with her own.
She flared, glowed, fire again swirling about her. Only this time, it leapt to Mickey too, though he felt nothing but the warmth of her mouth, and her heart beating against him. He hardly noticed how he himself glowed alongside her now, was caught up in the deep, pulsing magic that radiated from them both as they sat locked together, wholly unwilling to let go.
When they parted, breathless and flushed, they leaned their heads against each other, nuzzled their noses as close as they could. Mickey was trembling even more than Minnie, and for once, she thought she saw tears falling from his eyes.
“How…” he breathed, and swallowed, as if he could hardly bring himself to ask. “How long can y’stay this time?”
Mickey couldn’t look at her, his heart pounding against his ribs as he waited for her answer. Would it be weeks, days…minutes? This gift was already more than he could have ever hoped for, ever asked of her. She’d come back to say goodbye…but…oh, he would cling to her as long as he could.
He felt her flinch and thought that confirmed his worst suspicions. She’d be gone soon, swept up in the wind to fulfill her role. To return to her life of freedom. It was a wonderful thing, he told himself, and yet he braced himself, trying not to think about what it would be like to journey back to the castle without her in his arms.
“Mickey…” she murmured, and seemed to shiver. “How..how long would you want me to stay…if…if you could choose?”
He tried not to laugh, but he did. It was a sad sound, choked and garbled with tears. The answer was obvious, surely, though he almost felt guilty saying it out loud. If she had but minutes to give, wouldn’t it be cruel to suggest he wanted anything more? Wouldn’t it be selfish?
But she looked up at him with those beautiful brown eyes–as deep and dark as the tallest redwood tree– and he knew he couldn’t lie to her.
“Awe, Minnie,” he whimpered, and ran his hands through her hair, before burying his face in it once again, knowing he was wetting it with his tears. “I’d stay with ya forever if I could…I wish more than anythin’ you could stay…”
Minnie let out a tiny gasp, and then sniffed. Then she stroked the fur on his neck, as tenderly as she could manage. “Then…I will,” she breathed, a little break making its way into her voice too now. “I’ll stay with you, Mickey. I’ll stay with you, now and…and forever!”
It took Mickey a moment to hear her, having been so sure he was preparing to say goodbye. But when her words finally registered, he froze, and then drew in a deep, gasping breath, and pulled back to look at her. Tears were streaming down her face, but Mickey’s ceased suddenly, a final droplet lingering in the corner of his eye as his whole face filled with disbelief.
“Ya…ya will…I mean, forever?? Min, are you…can you…is that…”
She was nodding, just nodding over and over again, and taking in his growing happiness with every moment. His lips began to curl, a light filled his eyes, and before she knew it, he had pounced on her, rolling her over on top of him and beaming up at her with sheer love and relief. Minnie laughed endlessly, her giggles scattered with tears, but they were happy now. So, so happy, like nothing she’d ever felt in her whole life.
“Aw, Minnie,” he breathed, still smiling, and lifted his fingers to her cheek, wiping away some of those tears with the back of his hand, then pressing his palm against her skin. He’d been about to say…something. But before he could finish, Minnie leaned in and had stifled his words once again, taking in the taste of his lips with every trembling moment.
When she pulled away, his eyes were clouded with bliss, but he licked his lips and managed to finish anyway, knowing even then that he had only seconds to speak. But it wasn’t for a farewell…it was for love, and that was all that mattered now.
That’s all he needed to say.
“Minnie…” She leaned in, lips hovering just a breath above his mouth, ready to meet him again the moment he’d finished.
“Hm?”
“I love you.”
The moon shone down on them both and flowers sprouted where they lay, unfolded their blossoms across the whole of the forest. Minnie wondered if Mickey knew that this was his doing, that those simple words sparked such life in her soul. Prompted such gentle, blissful magic.
She laughed softly, and smiled. If he didn’t know, she would show him now. Would imprint her gratitude on every part of his being. And if he still needed convincing, then she’d do it all over again.
They had forever after all.
22 notes
·
View notes