It started with a whisper
And that was when I kissed her
-o-
I meant for this to be a 1000 or so words, but things got out of hand.
This was partially inspired by another fic and a tumblr text post (which ffn won't allow me to link here). And the title comes from the song of the same name by Neon Trees.
In regards to Apple's tale there are three solid, indisputable facts.
1. The Evil Queen gave Apple White a poisoned apple which cast her into an enchanted sleep.
2. Daring Charming, Apple's prince of destiny, was unable to wake her with a kiss.
3. Darling Charming, a pre-destined damsel in distress, was able to revive her with a form of lip to lip contact.
Everything else was speculation.
But boy oh boy was there a lot to speculate about.
-o-
At the beginning of the school year Blondie set up a tip hotline for her news show. She thought it would be a useful tool for generating story leads, but it rarely got any calls. The only regular contributor was Hagatha in the Castleteria reporting the lunch specials.
That though changed after Apple and Darling became attached.
"Ever After High News tip line. Blondie Lockes speaking. What's the scoop?"
"I saw Apple and Darling at the Hocus Latte. They were in a booth together cuddled up really close."
Blondie purses her lips and sighs inwardly. All anyone wants to do these days is drop breadcrumbs that 'Appling' (the school approved portmanteau) is a thing. Or that it isn't. Her viewers are split 50/50.
"Do you have a confirmed statement from either of them saying that they are a couple?"
"Well no… but-"
"Then I'm not interested. Good bye."
-o-
When Rosabella shuts off her lights the clock on her desk reads 11:30. She tuts. Curfew is a word with no meaning to her roommate Darling Charming.
It's not that unusual for her to be out late. She lives a life of adventure, and adventure has no bedtime apparently. Rosabella however, does, and she would rather not be woken up by her roommate clambering in at some odd hour of the night.
Tonight she lucks out. Not five minutes later Darling comes silently swooping in through their window. Through the moonlight Rosabella sees her land cat-like on the carpet.
"Oh hey Rosabella. Sorry if I woke you." She says, sounding sincere enough.
"No you're fine. You were out kind of late though."
Rosabella watches as Darling sits at her vanity to brush her hair, tousled and windswept by whatever it was she was doing. "Not on purpose. Apple and I just lost track of the time. Easy to do when you're out stargazing in the Enchanted Forest.
The gears in Rosabella's head start turning rapidly. She and Apple. Out late. Together. Alone. After what happened in Pixie Hollow.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to be out so late with Apple?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't it be?"
"It might give people the uh… wrong idea."
"Wrong idea about what?" She asks innocently, cocking her head to one side.
It occurs to Rosabella that maybe what she thinks is happening isn't happening. Darling's never actually said that they're together. But still…
"Why don't we talk about this tomorrow?"
-o-
"Are Apple and Darling a thing?" Rosabella asks Briar over lunch the next day.
Briar swallows her lemonade down the wrong pipe, which sends her into a coughing fit.
"What? No! Of course not! Why would you think that?" She says once she regains control of her breathing.
"Well aren't they destined to be together?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean they're dating. I mean, Apple thought she was destined to be with Daring up until a few weeks ago, but they never dated."
"Yeah I know. But Darling and Apple seem- oh Grimm how should I put it?" Rosabella taps her chin and thinks for a moment. "Closer… than Daring and Apple ever were."
"That doesn't mean they're together. They probably just want to get to know each other better since they're destined to live happily ever after."
"I guess so." Rosabella says before taking a bite of her hamburger. Briar doesn't think she sounds fully convinced.
"Rosabella, Apple is my best friend forever after. She would have told me if they were dating. She would have."
-o-
The foosball game going on in the student lounge is loud, making this a crummy study environment for Apple and Briar. But here they don't have to deal with the step-lifairians, who would shush them no matter how hushed they whisper their questions.
Apple's mirror phone vibrates, shaking her glass of water on their study table. She hesitates a moment before picking it up to check it. When she does her eyes light up and her face breaks out into a goofy, ear-to-ear grin. She lets out a tiny string of giggles.
"Who's that?" She asks. Apple's a generally upbeat person, but it's rare for her to get this bubbly over a hext.
"Oh… just Darling." She says, struggling to contain her joy.
Briar thinks about that conversation she had with her cousin the other day, and she can't help but wonder.
"So… how are things with you and Darling?" She asks casually.
"Hexcellent. Here, look at this Snaphext she just sent me." Apple says and slides her phone into her line of sight. On the screen is a picture of Darling's horse, Sir Gallopad, with its nose pressed up against her puppy, Chance.
"Aww… that's adorable." Briar coos. A wave of relief rushes over her. It was just the picture that caused Apple's face-splitting smile. Not that fact that it was from Darling.
Right?
-o-
Holly's attention is divided between Ever After's Next Top Model and her sister tearing her side of the room apart to find her phone.
"Where the hex is it?" Poppy mutters to herself as she dumps out the contents of her beauty bag onto her unmade bed. "I know I had it at practice because I hexted Briar."
"Maybe you left it in the locker room?"
"Damn you're probably right." Poppy slumps her shoulders and groans. "Ugh… I don't want to walk all the way back there."
"I'll go with you." Holly shuts off the TV and grabs her jacket.
Ten minutes later they've arrived back at the stadium locker rooms. To their surprise the lights are still on and laughter can be heard inside.
"I wonder who's here? Practice ended hours ago." Holly ponders aloud.
"Maybe it's a ghost." Poppy says teasingly.
Holly slowly pushes the door open. Inside she sees Apple and Darling sitting next to each other on a bench. They share a pair of earphones, and a package of apple slices. They're knees are touching and their hands are just inches apart. Darling looks over at Apple with the sweetness and tenderness of a lover, and gently brushes a strand of hair out of her face.
Blood rushes to Holly's face. She feels like she's stumbled upon something intimate. This is the kind of thing she would write in a fluffy, romance fanfic. Hell, she's probably used this trope before at some point. Two people with clear romantic tension between them find each other in a private location and sparks begin to fly.
Holly feels her face heat up, thinking about her friends in that position.
"Oh look, it's my favorite set of twins!" Apple jokes, finally noticing their presence. Darling playfully nudges her in the stomach.
"Hey!"
"Besides Darling and her brother of course." She puts an arm around Darlings shoulder.
"We were just wrapping up our hextra practice session." Darling says. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Well we uh…Poppy forgot her phone." Holly manages to squeak out before shuffling back out the door.
-o-
Cedar's hair is a frizzled mess of knots and split ends, so she's greatly looking forward to her appointment at the Tower Salon. She arrives a few minutes early, just as Poppy is finishing up on her sister's daily trim.
"You took off too much!" Holly whines, examining her hair in the mirror.
Poppy scoffs. "It'll grow back by tomorrow like it always does."
The two glare daggers at each other. Cedar can literally feel the tension in the air, like thick, heavy smog hanging over them. Then Holly turns sharply and struts out the salon door.
Poppy rolls her eyes and turns her attention towards her. "Hey Cedar. Sorry about that. Take a seat."
"What's going on between you two? I didn't think it was possible for you guys to argue." Cedar blurts out, both out of curiosity and her curse which compels her to say exactly what's on her mind.
"Oh nothing. Just a little disagreement." Poppy says as she ties the barber's cape around her neck. "It's silly really. Holly thinks that Apple and Darling are destined to be true loves, but I have a slightly different opinion."
"What's that?"
"I think they're meant to be in the same story, but I don't think that automatically makes them soul mates."
"Like Ashlynn and Hunter?" Cedar asks. "You know, how Ashlynn has a storybook prince charming but Hunter is her true love?"
"Yes hexactly like that! I mean it's fine if they do fall in love, but I don't think they're compelled to because destiny says so."
"So… you both think it was a kiss and not CPR? It seems like you at least agree on that."
Poppy raises an eyebrow. "What's your opinion on the matter Cedar? I mean, if you want to tell me. You don't have to."
Cedar shrugs. "I'm trying really hard not to have an opinion since I haven't heard either of them say anything about it."
"That's probably smart."
"But-" She continues on, forced to speak the truth. "I really hope it is true because they'd make a cute couple."
-o-
Try as he might, Hunter Huntsman does not understand girls. How can his female squad-mates get worked up over the silliest things?
"It was a kiss! It was True Love's First Kiss!" Holly shouts at Nina and Farrah.
"Holly, it was CPR." Farrah says adamantly.
"Uh… guys." Hunter starts.
"But True Love's First Kiss is the only thing that can wake someone from an enchanted sleep!" Holly continues on, ignoring him completely.
"Apple wasn't sleeping though," Nina points out. "She woke up and wasn't able to breathe. So it was the CPR that saved her."
"But that doesn't make sense. CPR wouldn't help you if you're choking!"
"Hey… why don't we talk about something else? This is clearly upsetting you guys."
Holly, Farrah, and Nina all give him cool, identical stares.
"We're not upset." Farrah says calmly.
"Yeah, what would make you think that?" Holly asks.
"Oh. Okay then…" He says, scratching his head in confusion.
-o-
Dark grey storm clouds form over Faybelle's head. Both metaphorically and literally. Her fellow classmates milling about the hallways side-step her to avoid being struck by blue lightning.
"What's up with you?" Duchess asks, looking down at the brewing storm in distaste.
"Cheerhexing practice." She seethes. "We didn't get anything done because the squad wouldn't stop gossiping about Apple and Darling."
Duchess scowls. "Grimm, it's so annoying how they always steal the spotlight."
"Why does anyone give a rat's ass if they're dating, or destined to be together? It's all just superficial high school gossip."
"I know right!" Duchess says furiously. Then her expression softens. "Although… if Darling and Apple are destined to live happily ever after-not that I care if they are- but if they are, it means Daring's destiny is to be determined."
"Oh Grimm this better not be going where I think it's going." Faybelle scowls, and a loud, crack of thunder booms over her head.
Duchess's face flushes pink. "What? It's a question worth considering."
-o-
Sparrow corners Daring in the locker room after bookball practice. "Hey Daring, what's up with the rumors that you're destined to be the next beast?"
Daring looks at him aghast. "I am not the next beast!"
"Chill, it's not all bad. I mean sure you're absolutely hideous for a little while, but it all works out in the end. You get married to Rosabella, and your sister gets to lez it up with Apple."
In the span of about 10 seconds Daring's face goes from white to red to purple. "My sister is not Apple's true love! It was CPR dammit! CPR!"
"I dunno, it looked like a kiss to me."
Daring gives Sparrow a death glare before flipping him the bird and storming out of the locker room. In his anger he doesn't even stop to check his reflection.
Dexter watches the scene unfold with a pitying expression. "Hey Sparrow… destiny is kind of a sore subject with Daring right now."
Sparrow smirks. "I know. That's what makes it so much fun. It's the fourth time today I've asked him that."
-o-
Dexter is grateful his sister once again agreed to help him practice for his Hero Training class. She's taught him more in the past half hour than his hextbook and two weeks' worth of classes have.
They decide to take a quick breather. All this exercise is hard work. As Dexter takes a sip from his water bottle Darling pulls up her phone. He notices her wallpaper is a picture of her in her dragon games uniform with her arm slung around a smiling Apple White.
Did she change that recently? He distinctly remembers it being a family picture last month.
"Hey sis. Have you been paying any attention to the rumors going around lately."
She rolls her eyes. "Dex, there are always rumors going around. You're going to have to be more specific."
"The uh... gay rumors." Dexter says.
Darling chuckles. "Oh those! Yeah I've caught wind of them and they're ridiculous."
"Really?"
"I mean just because Daring's not Apple's princess doesn't mean he's gay.
"No. Not about Daring."
"Oh then the rumors about you?
"What? I- there are gay rumors going around about me?"
"You know if there's anything you want to talk about I'm always here to listen."
An uncomfortable layer of sweat that has nothing to do with exercise forms on Dexter's forehead. This was supposed to be about Darling. Not him. He's still working up to that conversation.
"How about we get back to practicing." He suggests, deflecting the pressure off of him. "Show me that shield maneuver again. I still don't think I have it quite right."
-o-
"Blondie. The tip line is ringing." Dexter says, not taking his eyes off his computer monitor. Of course he isn't going to answer it.
"Damn if this is another Appling thing." Blondie he mutters dully to herself. She puts on a big, fake smile and picks up the phone. "Ever After High News tip hotline. Blondie speaking. What's the scoop?"
"I heard that Apple and Darling got married."
"Hexcuse me? Did I hear that correct?"
"Mhmm. In a secret moonlit ceremony in the Enchanted Forest."
"I'm sorry but, that's ridiculous."
"Is it really? Marriage is the next step after true love's first kiss."
"But they're only 16!"
"Well, Laurence Friar said they got married, and he's a hexpert on secret weddings."
Blondie purses her lips. "If I asked Laurence about this would he be able to confirm?"
"Uh… yesdefinitelyofcourse." The caller says so fast her words blur together. Blondie raises a suspicious eyebrow.
"Well thank you for the tip." She says curtly before hanging up the phone.
It's completely ludicrous that the two of them would get married while they're still in high school. Whoever called in must have been aiming to start an untrue rumor. The bait smells fishy, so Blondie isn't going to take it.
But still...
For the rest of the day she tries to covertly catch a glimpse at their left hands.
-o-
The Ever After High debate team isn't known for their punctuality. Practice regularly starts five, ten, sometimes even 15 minutes late. Apple White, the debate team captain, always chides them about their chronic tardiness.
Which makes it ironic that today she is the late one.
"Well I tried calling Apple." Maddie says as she puts her phone back into her teacup hat. "No answer. I wonder where she's at?"
"Maybe she's with Darling?" Lizzie suggests. "They've been spending an awful lot of time together since they started going out."
"Whoa hold the phone for a sec." Justine sputters. "Apple and Darling are dating?"
Lizzie shrugs. "I thought that was obvious enough."
"Obvious how?"
"You were there when Darling kissed her weren't you?"
Jillian laughs. "That wasn't a kiss. That was CPR."
"Well sure she did the whole nose-plugging thing." Maddie says, her words nasal as she demonstrates on herself. "But that wasn't what woke her up. It was the lip-to-lip contact. Otherwise known as a kiss."
"How do you know?" Humphrey asks, crossing his arms smugly. "How can you possibly be sure it was a kiss and not CPR?"
"Because there was a magic glow coming from their lips." Hopper counters. "That seems pretty reminiscent of a true love's first kiss to me."
"Which happened because a magic curse was broken." Farrah explains.
"Yes, by a kiss!" Hopper says.
"Not necessarily. There's always a magical reaction when a curse is broken. It doesn't matter how. It could have been a kiss, but it also could have been CPR."
"But the person to break the curse had to have been Apple's Prince Charming and True Love." Lizzie says.
"Well Darling is a Charming." Jillian says. "Which covers the Prince Charming part. And it could have been the love of a friend that woke her up. Who says platonic love can't be true love?"
"Because there's no precedent for it!" Lizzie shouts, exasperated. "Look, I'm not saying it couldn't just be friendship, but Snow White has always been about true love in the romantic sense."
"And I'm not saying it couldn't be romantic, but as Apple and Darling have never said it is, I think it's a bit bold to assume it is." Farrah says.
"It isn't something that needs to be assumed though." Hopper says. "Like, if it were me, or any prince really, that saved Apple with CPR nobody would even doubt it was meant to be romantic. But since it's Darling everyone suddenly has doubts."
"Wait I'm still confused. Are Apple and Darling together or not?" Justine says, looking puzzled by all of this.
"Yes!" Lizzie, Maddie, and Hopper catapult across the room.
"No!" Jillian, Farrah, and Humphrey volley back with equal force.
"Have you seen the way they've been acting?" Maddie says as she pours herself and Lizzie cups of tea. "Talk about a couple!"
"I haven't noticed anything different." Humphrey says.
"Then you clearly haven't been paying attention. Because it's plain as day that-"
Lizzie's statement is cut off by the sound of a door opening. The room goes dead silent. Apple White stands in the doorframe holding a pink bakery box, a tiny smile on her lips.
"Sorry I'm late. I stopped by Ginger's bakery to pick up some cookies." Apple smiles, and the club watches in shocked silence as she sits down in-between Farrah and Lizzie.
"Now, what were you discussing before I got here?" Apple asks.
"Uh... the pros and cons of installing solar panels on the school roof." Lizzie lies.
-o-
Raven walking down the hall, minding her own business, when she spots a group of people watching her. She frowns. This has been happening an awful lot lately. When she turns the corner she realizes that they are indeed following her. She rolls her eyes and turns to face them.
"Can I help you?"
"Hey Raven, you're close to Darling and Apple, right?" Asks a short girl with pink and purple hair.
"Yes…" She says, eyeing the group of people carefully.
"Do you know what's going on between them?" The girl asks.
"Are they destined to be together?" Asks another.
"Are they dating?" Yet another questions.
"Are they just friends?"
"Was it CPR or a kiss?"
"Slow down." Raven says over the crowd. "To answer all your questions, yes, I know what happened and is currently happening between Apple and Darling."
"So … what is it?"
She smirks. "Here's a novel idea, why don't you try asking them yourselves?"
-o-
Raven frowns in frustration at the game over flashing on the TV screen in the student lounge. No matter what combination of buttons she smashes, she just can't seem to get past this level. She sighs. She's died enough times for tonight. She'll be back again tomorrow to die a few more.
When she gets back to her room she's not surprised to see Darling over. Nor is she surprised to see her cuddled up with Apple watching something on her MirrorPad. They look innocent enough, but their tousled hair, smudged lipstick, and flushed faces give them away.
"Looks like you two have been having fun." She teases.
Apple's body stiffens, but Darling sticks her tongue out at her before giving her girlfriend a sloppy kiss on the temple.
"When do you guys plan on telling everyone about your relationship? And your destiny?" She asks. "The whole school is dying to know."
They share mischievous smirks.
"When it stops being so fun watching them try to guess."