“I do not lack the courage to tell you how I feel. What I fear is how you will react to it.”
- Bram Stocker
////
"How's Prince Charming life going?"
A voice, a pretty recognizeable one, asked the new Prince Charming that sat comfortably against a tree. Had it been because of teasing, or perhaps she wanted to know more, jealousy even. The truth is, that the prince charming could not answer immediately.
How is Prince Charming like? Well, it's not easy to say. She was happy to not be a damsel in distress anymore, but the fame and attention it has is the biggest downside. She was used to hiding in the background and not be noticed, of course the thing with the white knight of wonderland brought her unwanted attention, but she could handle it before.
"Not bad, not good either."
The girl by her side hummed thoughtfully. Maybe she thought she woukd have a more direct answer like "I love it!" or "I hate it", or maybe she was thinking of what to say next.
"And... Apple?" Her voice turned into a murmur at the end of the sentence, as if she was afraid of knowing the answer.
"Apple?" Questioned the Prince(ss) Charming, upon getting no response, she continued "Apple is not a bad friend, but I don't think we could work out, I mean, it's difficult."
Once again, the hooded girl by her side hummed.
"Darling" Called out the hooded girl after a long period of silence
"Yes?"
"I like you."
/////
Walking with Apple by every corner of the school, showing off her 'girlfriend' and avoiding fans. It was daily routine already, but that is not what troubles Darling, not at all.
She suspects that Apple aready knows, or, at least, she's got an idea of what's going on. Her prolonged glances to Cerise when she avoids Darling, the expression on her face whenever Darling says that there's nothing wrong. She acts like she knows, and... She does, Darling found out she does, as Apple is not exactly the best at keeping her mouth shut when she has a question or three.
For Darling, this was like a timebomb, because at any moment, Apple would succumb to her curiousity. It was to be expected anyway, because that's what she does, but she doesn't know if she would be able to tell her the truth.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
But she really underestimated how nosy Apple could be, is something that not even her roommate could be sure of, when Apple wanted to know something, she was like a tiger.
Now, trapped inside of Apple's dorm, and unfortunately without the help of her roommate to behave this tiger, she was considering to tell or not tell her worries. It's not that she doesn't trust Apple, she does, but it's more than complicated.
"Yes, Apple. I promise you I'm fine"
Right now, they're sitting on Apple's bed, having a very one-sided conversation. Apple has been digging up every worry Darling has and barely stopping once she got to the topic that troubles her. She's worried, and when she's worried, she gets to the point.
"You look like something is troubling you, and I'm worried about you. You can trust me, I promise to not tell anything."
Silence. There was no words from Darling, which made Apple frustrated. Who could not be frustrated? A problem that includes you, but your friend doesn't want to share. She probably shouldn't be pushy, but this concerns both of them.
"Cerise wants to talk with you." Would you believe that this damsel in distress would know alrady? Well when your life was crumbling around you, I suppose you get the tricks to know stuff.
"Really!?"
"No"
The princess charming glared at her friend for a second, but afterwards, buried her face in her hands as if to hide herself.
"Why do you want to know?" She was genuinely curious, because she wasn't nearly and pushy with her brother when it came to this.
"We're friends, Darling. And even if we weren't, we're unfortunately bound together by something we can't break. I know you didn't ask to be my Prince Charming, and I want to help you, like friends."
Of course she didn't exactly ask that, she had hoped to be someone's hero, but the troubles that it involved were something she was not prepared. At least it was Apple, who could understand her the best, she wishes she knew her feelings right.
Maybe she was in love with Apple and this whole thing she was feeling was anxiety, right? It would make things easier for both of them, if only Darling felt something for her, it would certainly be for the best.
"I think I'm in love with you." Darling mutteres, but the words felt wrong. She could fall for her, right?
Her eyes found Apple's, that were wide open in shock, but they softened. She let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh, massaging the bridge of her nose in a irritated manner.
"No, you're not."
Darling hadn't see that one coming, how was she so sure of that? How was she so sure of something that not even she was sure of.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Are you in love with me or do you feel like you should fall in love with me?" A straight to the point question, that the princess already knew the answer of.
"I..."
Apple frowned, but her face changed to one that seemes to know the solution of this problem.
The pricess' hands grabbed both sides Darling's face gently, making her face be inches away from her own. Darling could see her eyes searching for something deep in hers, not consent or to know if she wants this, she was looking for the truth in her eyes, and she had found it.
"If I were to kiss you right now, what would you do?" Her eyes never left her own, it was a staring contest in a way.
Once Darling's eyes widened in horror when the thought crossed her mind, she let go of her face and smiled. Darling put some more distance on them than there already was, which confirmed every thought Apple had.
"I told you, you're not in love with me."
"Yeah..."
An awkward silence made appareance on the room, it was certainly something. Neither could bear with the awkward silence, but there was nothing else left to say about this situation.
"Darling, I don't love you in that way either. The reason I did that was so you could understand the truth of your own feelings." It was almost as if she could read minds, because that is exactly what worried Darling.
"You are not mad I like someone else?" Darling asked, semi-shocked and confused, but Apple only chuckled.
"Daring was my Prince Charming before you, I'll give you a few minutes to think."
Well she already knew that Daring was Apple's Prince Charming before her, what was there left to think about? Daring was Charming, good-looking, attracted a lot of attention from the ladies and even dated-
"Oh"
"Exactly." The blonde princess chuckled at the girl's dumbstruck expression. "Look, if you want to be with someone else, I won't hate you or anything. That's what friends are for, right?"
Apple bumped Darling's side with her shoulder in an affectionate manner, as if telling her that she shouldn't worry; 'you can count on me'.
"I... I said something horrible to Cerise," There was a pause, Darling felt Apple's hand pat her shoulders comfortingly, so she continued. "She likes me, Apple. I didn't know how to react and I just... Said something awful."
"Oh, Darling, It's okay." The princess charming felt her companion wrap her arm around her back to comfort her. "Do you like her?"
No response.
For a few minutes, Darling kept her mouth shut, not knowing how to answer. If 'No' is a lie and 'Yes' is confusing, what could she answer. The grasp she had on her feelings left the minute Cerise confessed to her, and now she's not even sure if she likes her or if she doesn't. It would be easier if she liked Apple, but she doesn't.
"You can still apologize. I don't really know what you said to her but... Maybe apologizing will make you feel better for this."
"How are you so sure?"
Apple huffed, then playfully smiled at her. A look on her eyes that seemed to scream 'I know my stuff'
"You're talking to me after all."
As if that was a good enough anwer. It actually was anyway, because after the whole thing that happened after Dragon Games with the Evil Queen and even before, with her disagreements with Raven. So that's her secret... Makes sense, kinda.
"And Miss 'I get into a lot of problems and somehow end up fine' is a profesional, huh?"
"Why indeed- Wait, that was actually quite rude."
A soft yet playful shove was all that Darling received after such comment, which made her laugh at the little strenght the girl had. The actually underrated Apple's comforting skills, Darling here can agree.
"I could help you talk to Cerise since she's... Well, too fast to catch her. I have my contacts"
"I'm trying to talk to her like a normal person not get all her private information."
"Oh shut up, Charming."
///////
It was a surprise for both when they collided agaisnt each other behind the school. Darling looked up from her phone to see the hooded figure of Cerise Hood with a shocked expression. She looked like the wanted to run away, and if Darling didn't do anything soon, she might.
"Wait! Cerise." Darling exclaimed, stopping Cerise seconds before she ran away. "Please, don't leave." she added, looking conflicted, but not because of her interaction with the Hood.
Cerise looked at her with uncertainty, but walked towards Darling and sat three feet away from her, which Darling could understand.
"Darling, what is it? I thought you didn't want me to get in between you and Apple's perfect relationship" The words felt like a punch to the gut, but it's okay, because after all she said, maybe she deserved them.
"I wanted to apologize, for everything I said." Darling apologized, with her head down in shame, not daring to stare into Cerise's eyes for fear of what kind of look she could be having.
Cerise didn't say anything, not even one of these bitter replies that she should be saying right now, it was silent, silent enough for Darling to start feeling like everythung she was doing right now was worth nothing. Without warning, tears formed by the corner of her eyes, treatening to spill at any moment.
'what's Cerise for me?' her brain started wondering. Cerise was a great friend, companion, partner in crime. She always made Darling feel like smiling, but right know, just seeing her be so distant to her hurts. But she deserves it, truly, because she was the first one to run away when she was being honest with her feelings.
"I'm really sorry." Her voice broke in the middle, and the tears finally ran free, thing that didn't go unnoticed by Cerise.
Darling could feel it, the look of utter confusion and astonishment on her face. Maybe even mixed with pity.
"Why are you crying?" Asked Cerise, her voice sounded soft, but also hesitant. It was painful to hear that directed to her.
"I don't know." Darling admitted, and she really didn't know why. Disappointment isn't something new in her life, so why someone's disappointment hurt so much? Well, maybe Cerise wasn't just a 'someone'
Sobs could be heard from the Charming, who felt even more pathetic than before for crying like this. It was silent for most of the time, but Darling was glad Cerise didn't run away when she started crying like a kid. She is Darling Charming, and she can't believe she's crying.
"I should have been honest with you, Cerise."
"Huh?"
She managed to calm down, enough to addresss the matter before it got out of hand, like usual. Her sapphire eyes staring deeply into Cerise's grey moonstone ones, which seemed to take the owner of those eyes surprised.
"I don't know what you make me feel, and I was scared. I thought that I should be in love with Apple because our stories were interwined but... I don't think I love her," Darling confesed, but somewhere, the word 'think' wasn't enough "no, I actually don't love her in that way." she added.
"Why are you telling me this? I thought you said you didn't want me to get close to you." Cerise spat out, pain could be heard in her voice as she adverted her eyes to the floor.
"I was lying."
Darling wiped the tears of her eyes with her hand, offering Cerise a genuine smile, that was filled with guilt and regret.
"I love you, Cerise. I was too scared to tell you, and I didn't know what would happen if I told you that." Darling laughed bitterly, suppresing a shiver. "I don't know what to do know that I have al I wanted, I though this would be easy but I'm still confused about what I feel. I apologize, for everything I said."
Cerise was astonished, to the point where she wasn't sure what to say. Darling felt Cerise moved closer to her slowly, and place her hand on her back soothingly.
"Why are you always like this, Charming?" Cerise questioned, a rhetorical question.
Darling raised both of her eyebrows with a look of confusion, that made Cerise laugh.
"Every time I try to forget you, you're always doing something that makes me fall deeper for you." She sighed, her hand on Darling's back stopped moving as she tried to come up with what to say next. "I must admit I had a feeling that you didn't mean all you said, but it hurt, a lot." Cerise had tears forming inside her eyes, however she blinked them away.
"I'm sorry"
"Grimm, stop that. I'm not mad, not anymore at least." She gave Darling a pat on the back with a laugh. "I still like you, a lot."
"COuld we try?" Darling asked, her face softening at her friend's (for now) confused face as she didn't seem to get what she was implying.
"Try what."
"Cerise Hood., would you make me; an idiot, the happiest person in Ever After and go on a date with me?" And to say Darling was nervous would be a shameless understatement. She probably looked dishelved, her hands shaky and eyes puffy from crying, but she still tried, isn't it what counts?
"What about Apple?"
Darling chuckled and pointed at the tree not so far from them. When Cerise looked there, she was surprised to see Apple with her thumbs up to Darling, equally as surprised when Cerise spotted her.
"She insisted in coming, as moral support."
Cerise barked a laugh and nearly cried with how hard she was laughing. It was cute, she looked like she would make fun of kids on the mirror blog.
"Well-" Cerise wheezed "Well then, Charming. I suppose I could go out with you. We can figure out the rest from there, right?"
Darling smiled softly at Cerise, who gave her a toothy grin in return.
"Of course."
Bonus scene
"You want me to trick Cerise into talking to Darling?" Raven was dumbfounded to say the least, it wasn't the first time Apple came to her with a weird and questionable request, but this was the first time it included tricking her friend.
"Well yes, of course. It's for Darling's sake!" Apple tried and failed to convince Raven into breaking her morals.
"No way, I'm not lying to Cerise, she's my friend!"
"Well is that or I contact Daring into helping me drag Cerise into Darling's bedroom and we know she won't like that."
"Apple are you being serious?" It was unbelievable, it almost made Raven feel like Apple was hit on her head by a book.
"Never have been more serious in my life." For some reason, Apple with a deadpan face had become one of Raven's biggest fears, from then on, her nightmares would include a serious looking Apple haunting her.
"Sure... I'll help"
"You're the best, roomie!! Thank you so much!!" Apple jumped and gave Raven a hug.
Just in case, did this girl fall from the bed last night??????