Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of its characters.
Author's Note: It's been so long since I've written a good Snowing one shot! It was half finished, casually sitting my drafts, and so I decided to finally finish it now that my muse hit! It happens during the missing year, and, of course, since Snow was only pregnant for nine months of the twelve, this is my take on what happened during one of those non-pregnancy months. I hope you all enjoy it!
As always, I would like to dedicate this to my best friend/partner-in-feels/roleplay husband, Bethany. I never cease to hope that my writing gives you as many feels and excitement as yours does to me.
"Snow, delicate snow, that falls with such lightness on the head, on the feelings, come and cover over the sadness that lies always in my reason."
-Miguel de Unamuno
Snowflakes twirled endlessly in mid-air, each tangled amidst the chilly winter wind as they fell quietly to the ground. At last wrapping the land in a soft, cold, white blanket that only arose during wintertime: the death of life, but the rise of an unspoken beauty. A beauty that could not compare to spring, with its bright evergreens and the warm breeze, the soft chirping of birds high up in the clear sky, rivers and streams rustling with fresh water… Winter was quiet. Eerie. A time for basking in the warmth of fireplaces and hot chocolates, with a husband's arms wrapped so tightly around a fragile figure as green eyes shimmered brightly but sadly as snow only continued to fall through the night.
It was her namesake, for snow was fair and beautiful. Everything Snow White had always been from the moment she was born during the harshest winter the kingdom had ever seen. It was why her mother had named her Snow. It was also why every year, when she had been a little girl, had freely been spent running outside during the first snowfall until her toes and fingers were numb, fair cheeks bright and red, and snowflakes of all sizes tangled amongst her long, bobbing ebony locks. Nothing else had ever been able to bring her such pleasure.
But now, as Princess Snow White stares blankly upon the scenery, cherished memories bubbling within her, there is no joy in her features, or an evident, excited smile beaming on her lips that were plump and as red as a rose. There was regret. Longing. Sadness. A whispered, silent wish for a little blonde girl to chase through snowy weather, snowballs tossed in every direction, until a charming prince would join in and claim another victory against them.
The possibility of such a fantasy ever turning into reality had died a long time ago, just as they had with her own mother. Her baby wasn't a baby anymore. She was a grown woman perfectly capable of taking care of herself and their grandson in another realm. A land without magic, where snowmen and snowball fights could still arise between them. New, happy memories created instead of being haunted by the past. As they all were.
Everything was a painful reminder of what they had lost, even twirling, captivating snowflakes. It would never be a feeling anyone could runaway from. It was…
It was too late.
"Snow," her husband murmurs affectionately against her ear, his soft lips lingering against her earlobe. She can feel the small smile etched on his lips, too. "It's snowing."
She smiles faintly, because she knows. She knows this is his attempt to make her smile genuinely again, despite all the horrors. Despite how painfully these past few months have gone by.
"I know," she whispers faintly, sad green eyes glued to the window before her. It's snowing heavier now. A small snowstorm: the ones she always enjoyed the most.
Charming only sighs softly, his arms encircling her waist tighter against him. "Snow…"
"I know."
They both know. The unspoken words between them linger in the air, their presence always inevitable. She doesn't have to speak her thoughts for him to know what they were. He knew. As she knew his own as well — knew his every fear, his every thought, his every joy…
She's always preferred action instead of words.
So, she presses herself closer against him, snuggling herself further into his embrace. His strong arms tighten around her, protecting her, claiming her as his own, and the thought only makes her heart swell with so much warmth and love for the one thing she cannot live without: him.
She would be lost without him. Her husband. Her Prince Charming.
"I'm right here," he whispers reassuringly, his lips pressing a soothing kiss to her neck. "Always."
"Do you promise?" she asks childishly, only leaning back further against him.
"I do."
And she smiles warmly, because she knows this is a promise they can both keep. She would always find him and he would always find her. Always. They were safe and sound in each other's arms, protected from the cruel but beautiful land that lay before them, covered in a soft blanket of snow.
She would always keep his heart safe.
It's quiet for a moment between them, until Charming's arms tighten around her, and his lips press against her fair cheek for a soft kiss.
"I love you," he states in a loving murmur, the words as true as they were the very first time he told her.
So many things may have changed since then, but the meaning behind these three little words never would. They were embedded into her skin, her every thought, and whispered into her ear during cold nights for only her to hear.
Her body turns in his arms, so that she's facing him. Her gaze lovingly lingers up to meet his own, to stare into his piercingly beautiful blue eyes, as her fingers affectionately caress his cheek.
As long as they have each other, they could survive through any obstacle. If they could conquer a snowstorm, they could conquer this together — as they shall always do everything.
Snow leans up on the tip of her toes to reach his height, her red lips inches away from his own. "And I love you," she whispers before kissing him soundly, her arms wrapping around his neck.
He eagerly returns it, and doesn't dare to let go of her. His grip only tightens and tightens, their kiss deepening and growing with passion, heat radiating between them, their tongues mingling together as snow mingles in the wind, the need to feel and love one another only increasing with every passing second.
It's a feeling she'll never grow tired of, she thinks faintly, as the kiss breaks and their lusted gazes meet with a breathless, contented sigh. Their eyes bore into one another's, reading thoughts and emotions they didn't have to speak with words, but with the everlasting love they felt in their hearts. It felt like an eternity had passed until his strong arms enveloped her waist, and his hands slowly slid down the back of her thighs to lift her up against him.
She marveled at the strength she felt as her fingertips brushed upwards against his arms, feeling every strain and every crevice she had learned to memorize by heart, as the nights had grown cold and their bodies warm by the love they shared underneath tangled bed sheets. Even as the years had tolled by, his body had never held any secrets to her. She knew every inch, memorized every detail, remembered every spot that either made his body melt under her touch or crave her even more.
He knew exactly what he wanted, as she did with him. No words needed to be spoken, for the desire and heat between them was so thick it could appease the raging storm that covered the kingdom.
Snow's arms wrapped around his neck, while her forehead rested gently against his own. Her eyelids came to a close, and her breathing was soft – a caress in itself.
In the heat of the moment, she had yet to notice his hands slowly trailing up to feel the smooth curve of butt against his hands, his fingers seeming to glide over the soft, priceless material of her nightgown. A moan slipped past her lips as she leaned in for a slow, tender kiss, their lips never once parting. Even as she felt him lower her body against the plush mattress of their canopy bed.
Their chamber was only dimly lit by the fire that flickered ablaze in their fireplace and a few lit candles, but it was enough. Perfectly enough. The candlelight appeared to shine against her husband's shimmering blue eyes after he pulled back to remove his undershirt, as she was sure it did with her own green eyes. It reflected against the soft skin of his chest, and oh how she could feel him shudder beneath her touch as her hands slid upwards.
There was a mischievous but sweet smile on her lips as her thumbs tantalizingly brushed over his nipples back and forth. It was so taunting and such a tease from her part, but she was enjoying his soft, pleasured groans and the way his eyes gradually came to a close.
More than anything, did she want to forget the pain, forget everything, and drown in their love for the rest of eternity. It was the only thing that could ease the void in her heart, that made her feel whole, alive, and so unconditionally loved.
"Snow," he grunted a little impatiently, giving her a look that she knew all too well by now.
At first, all she could do was smile brightly at him, while her hand very slowly slipped down his undergarments. He grunted again, his hips already pushing against her as her fingers began to stroke the length of him, and he groaned so loudly at the pleasure she couldn't help but smirk a little.
His eyes seemed to roll at the back of his head by the intoxicating pleasure she, and only she, could give him. It was a thought she relished with her entire being. He was hers and she was his, and that was the way it would be for the rest of time. Against all odds, evil curses, someone, or something trying to tear them apart, they would always belong to each other.
Always.
The urge to tease him further, of course, was too grand to handle. And so, she simply abruptly halted her movements, her hand motionless against his hardened erection, causing his eyes to blink wide open. There was another small smirk on her lips as she slowly retreated her hand, but her husband was already protesting against it.
"Snow," he growled, his bright blue eyes now swirling with dark lust and desire for the one thing he craved and wanted more than anything: her.
Already, his hands rushed to remove every piece of clothing that prevented him from touching her, from feeling every inch of her soft, porcelain skin. He proceeded to push off his own remains, his breath catching in her throat at the wondrous sight of her naked body, and she could feel her breathing hitching as well as her eyes glued to his chest. How had she ever ended up so lucky to have him? A man so strong and so brave that he would be willing to die over and over again to protect his family. It made her heart swell with pure pride for the prince she was so proud to call her own. Her husband.
With a gentle touch, almost as though she was a fragile doll he was afraid to break, his fingers glided down her breasts, thumbs brushing against her nipples, before they settled down her sides and onto her hips. His body finally lowered itself onto her own, their bodies now pressed flushed together until there was barely an inch of space between them. His forehead was resting against her own as he pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her lips, then to the soft spot below her ear.
His voice was husky and deep as he nibbled against her ear, which immediately sent a shiver down her spine. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, hands slipping back even further as he groped one butt cheek tightly in each hand. He positioned their hips just right for him to teasingly press his tip against her entrance, before pulling back, and repeating the action, while his mouth cascaded down to her neck and began devouring her skin.
Oh, and she nearly, nearly, lost it right there and then by the uncontrollable bursts of pleasure that pulsed through her body. She squirmed and moaned loudly, whimpering every time she thought he would thrust so deep inside of her, only to suddenly pull back.
This time, it was her turn to growl for him, for her hands to slide down his back and onto his hips, fingers digging hard into the skin as she willingly tried to push him inside her, but he refused to move. She could even feel his smirk against her skin, and it only furthered her impatience.
They had always been like this, she noticed. They wanted to tease each other until they could no longer handle it, but the need to feel each other's bodies, to feel him moving perfectly inside of her, made them crave each other even more. Even after endless times of making love, they always found new ways to torture and give even more pleasure to one another. It was one of the many things she loved so dearly about him.
Charming's thumb slipped down between their bodies to rub hard against her clit, and his mouth latched onto one of her breasts to suck at the nipple. Her body arched up with a loud gasp, her hips impatiently pushing against him with heavy grunts, while she could only groan so deeply as another finger dipped down between her folds to feel how wet she was for him.
It seemed to content him, for he groaned against her breath, his teeth biting gently onto the hard nipple while his tongue brushed against it. It sent another shudder pulsing through her body as she moaned, her fingers reaching up to tangle into his soft hair. Her body arched up even further against him, even more so as he finally pulled his hand away, shifted his hips, and pushed inside of her.
He was exactly where he needed to be, where they both belonged. Their souls, minds, bodies, and hearts were linked as one, tied in an unraveled bond that could never be broken. Even through space and time, through different realms, their love was the only thing that always made sense. It could melt away every thought, and fill her heart with so much love it seemed to make every scar her heart carried dissipate into nothing.
They both moaned in unison. Snow's fingers had curled significantly tighter into David's hair as his head had moved back up to crash his lips onto her own. Their kiss was deep but slow, their bodies moving perfectly as one. Their pace was also slow, but it was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to feel every thrust, feel his body shudder and twitch as he grew harder and pushed deeper inside of her, feel his hands holding on desperately to her hips as though he was afraid she would suddenly vanish into thin air. She wanted to hear every single little sound he made at the pleasure only she could give him, just as he knew he wanted to make her loud.
"I love you…so much," he panted breathlessly in between kisses, his hands angling her body to allow him to thrust even deeper inside of her, and even deeper until he hit her sweet spot hard.
At first, she began to mumble a few words against his lips. "And…I…love…y-…" But, all too soon, were they abruptly cut short by an extremely loud moan, once she was sure had passed the thin masonry of their castle walls.
It excited him, she knew, because Charming instantly increased the speed of his thrusts. He moved faster and hit her sweet spot hard with every thrust, and every time she would gasp his name louder and louder.
Oh, how badly she wanted this moment to last forever, but she knew it couldn't. As much as she tried to fight it, she was growing closer and closer by the second, her muscles constricting so hard against him that it made him groan as loud as she was. They had always known each other better than they knew themselves, and she knew her husband knew just how close from her climax she really was.
His head dipped down to her neck again, his lips sucking hard at her pulse point. Their hips still rocked together until his thumb began to rub against her clit again, and it was then that she finally succumbed to the intense burst of pleasure that made her body shudder and her husband's name be uttered in a loud, sharp groan.
Snow was barely coherent of anything as her orgasm washed over her. She could feel how labored and heavy her breathing was, how her body had collapsed back in a mess of soft pants, messy ebony curls, and flushed skin against their bed, and his lips claiming her as his own as he kissed her neck, her jawline, then her lips. All she could do was lazily kiss him back, a hand caressing his cheek, until she reprised their lovemaking and began moving against him again.
It was his turn now. He had felt how much she loved him, and watched her body lose itself to their love: one that never faded, but only grew stronger with time. She wanted it so much that it was becoming as overwhelming.
His mouth was now latched to her neck, sucking and nipping at the skin until it left a prominent red mark, and his movements were frantic and hard. She could feel how his fingers deepened into her skin the closer he was to his release. It felt so good. Especially as her hands reached down to grope his butt tightly, pushing their hips closer together, and she felt his body stiffen as he at last came hard and fast.
She groaned softly at his release, helping him ride out his orgasm, until his body collapsed on top of hers in a mess of heavy pants. Eventually, after a moment had passed, his lips began to pepper kisses against her shoulder, and she sighed happily at the sensation, while her hands slowly ran up and down his back.
"Mm," he hummed contentedly, lifting his head up to look at her with all the love in the world, while a few of his fingers played with a single lock of her hair. It made her heart skip a beat. It always did.
His lips happily met her own for a kiss, and she smiled against his lips. "I love you more than anything," she whispered softly, kissing him once more.
"I believe I love you even more than anything, my love," he countered with a cheeky grin, and she could only smile brighter.
"Show me."
He didn't need another motive. As the snowstorm raged outside, snowflakes falling by millions across the land, there was nothing cold inside their chamber, for their love was eternal and an everlasting fire that would never die in the heath of the chilliest winters. It was a inexplicable force that drew them to each other and left them yearning for more; yearning for enough words and actions that could never even begin to describe what they truly felt in their hearts. She could spend a lifetime making love to him and it still wouldn't be enough.
And Snow knew the love they shared would always be enough to fill the void in her heart.
In fact, two months later, after the snow from the last snowstorm of the season had melted away and the evergreen had grown anew, she was standing bright and early to admire the scenery from their balcony one beautiful morning. Her red lips seemed to be etched with a permanent, happy smile, and her heart was fluttering like a butterfly against her chest, awaiting for the moment her husband would finally awake.
"Snow?" his soft voice echoed through their chamber, groggy with sleep.
It seemed it would be earlier than she had last thought.
She turned towards him with an even wider smile. "Well, look who's awake," she beamed, facing the beautiful scenery from their balcony once more. "Come look at this view, Charming. I've forgotten how beautiful it was here."
As usual, he slipped on his night robe before walking up to her, curiosity beaming in his eyes by how cheery she was. She never really had been much of a morning person, so this was quite the sight to behold. "Someone's in a good mood."
"I am. I have some…pretty wonderful news," she replied, a smile still on her lips as her hands clasped together before her.
This was finally it: the news she had been excitedly waiting to tell him since the second she found out.
"We're pregnant," she breathed, her smile widening with all the love she could possibly hold for her husband. The only thing she could never live without.
Despite how he had sounded so genuinely surprised at first, he wasn't happy, he was thrilled, and she was sure there was nothing in this moment that could possibly make them any happier than they were now, for they hugged each other in a long, happy embrace immediately after.
They may have lost Emma and Henry, but this child could be their second proof. It was the living proof that there could be good moments in between all the bad ones, as their true love never ceased to create nothing but good ones – filling the longing in their hearts.