My Safe Haven (1/1)
(AN: Another AU Sleeping Warrior one-shot. This one almost broke my heart to write…probably because I know that people face these types of situations every day, and often times they don't have happy endings. I probably didn't do it justice, but I hope I got the point across.)
Summary: Aurora's feelings are deeply hurt when some hateful remarks are made behind her back…thankfully Mulan will ALWAYS be her safe haven. An AU Sleeping Warrior one-shot. AU in which Aurora and Mulan came to Storybrooke via the portal in 'Queen of Hearts'. They have been in Storybrooke for a little over a month, are living with Emma and Snow in an apartment, and are in the early stages of a relationship.
Aurora happily sat on the barstool at the front counter of Granny's Diner, swinging her legs whimsically. She sipped the piping hot cup in front of her, delighted by the rich sweetness that flowed over her taste buds and cascaded down her throat. She smiled, happily licking the froth from her lips. Oh yes, this world did have such grand new things to try and explore, and today she had surely discovered the greatest of them all: Hot Chocolate.
She giggled softly to herself, licking the whipped cream from the tip of her nose. It tasted like a cloud.
Today was shaping up to be a fantastic day.
"Do you see her? They say she's sleeping with the butch one. The warrior-whatshername. Mulan or something. Makes me sick."
"Didn't her prince die only a few short weeks ago? I bet she was having an affair with her ladyfriend before he was even buried in the ground."
The savage words shattered the young princess' simple pleasures. Her heart clenched with cold realization. They were speaking about her.
Gaiety at the promising morning turned sour and joy shifted to sorrow. Her smile dissolved like mist in the summer sun. Cerulean eyes, clear as ice, brimmed with hot tears of embarrassment and hurt. The comments had cut deep and to the core of her soul.
Phillip's death had been hard on them both, but together she and Mulan had healed. They had made it through. Mulan's quiet strength was all that had kept her grounded and sane though the death of her first love and the jarring transition to Storybrooke. The warrior's constancy and quiet intensity made her feel whole. Safe.
Aurora loved Mulan-purely, deeply, and wholly—and the warrior loved her princess in return. They trusted each other. They completed each other.
Why was that so wrong?
She and Mulan had only been together a short while, and both women had mutually decided to keep their relationship private. They'd been so careful. They didn't hug or kiss in public, rarely saw each other during the work-days, and tried to spend time together where few people would see. How could the local gossips already know about their secret trysts? Who among their friends had betrayed the pair's most closely guarded secret?
Who?
Who would say such awful things?
She turned, searching, trying to locate the vicious voices that seemed to come from all around her.
The thrum of babble in the diner and the movement of morning routines greeted her. Faces absorbed in the normal goings-on of the day didn't look up. One man read a paper; a little boy doused his pancakes in syrup; a woman nursed a steaming cup of early morning coffee. The ebb and flow of people revealed nothing but predictable normalcy, as if none seemed to have heard the hateful whispers that had sliced sharper than swords into the princess' gentle heart.
Her eyes skimmed and flicked, scouring for a sign amongst the multitude of faces…anything. But the culprits were invisible in the crowded throng of the breakfast rush.
Aurora wanted to scream. Tears of frustration, indignation, and hurt welled up and finally broke free, staining her flushed cheeks.
A whispered snicker tore through her hearing.
"Aww, looks like she heard us. She's crying 'cause we offended her and insulted her precious little girlfriend." The voice mocked.
The commentary was barely audible over the clinks of glasses, silverware, and barked orders from the kitchen, but Aurora heard it all the same. She bit her lip, choking back a sob. She didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing her weep openly.
Hands flew to her face, covering the pain and heartbreak exhibited there.
Don't let them see. Musn't let them see how deeply it hurts you.
She spun from her seat, tossing a 5 dollar bill on the counter with trembling fingers, and ran. Her dark tresses whirled as she raced desperately for the door, barely noticing the raised eyebrows and curious looks of the diner's sleepy patrons she left in her wake. The doorbell tinkled merrily.
-x-
Mulan sat splayed sideways, one leg hanging off the side of the apartment's comfy leather chair. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration as her eyes scoured the pages of her book with laser-like intensity. Her back was arched, and flexed with muscular grace as she shifted and adjusted her position.
She blew a long sigh.
The philosophy authors of this realm were interesting, but could be exceedingly wordy. She disliked their flowery manner of speech and their contrived tangents on existentialism. She furrowed her brow in annoyance.
Why couldn't everyone simply be straight forward and direct?
The warrior stared harder at the paragraphs, willing the author's lengthy sentences and confusing words to divulge their secrets. After only a few moments, her eyes began watering and the pages starting to blur under the unwavering visual assault. Irritated, she tossed the book haphazardly to the floor, and groaned.
This, she decided, would certainly be the last time she took literary suggestion from Belle.
THWAM!
The heavy door flew open and smacked against the wall, nearly pulling from its hinges with the force. Mulan all but jumped out of her skin and reflexively she reached for the bare place where her sword would have sat on her hip, had she been armed.
Adrenalin blazed life into her muscles, and her mind's previous endeavors were long forgotten as she leapt to her feet; sinew like tense coiled springs.
Aurora tore into the small residence like a whirlwind, hands covering her face and racking sobs ripping themselves from her shuddering chest. Mulan was by her side in a matter of seconds, gripping the princess' shoulders to steady her.
"Aurora?! What's wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?" The questions fell in rapid-fire from Mulan's lips as she examined her precious companion, assessing for any sign of injury.
No blood, no bruises. Good.
"I..I.. Some people..They were at the diner this morning and…t-they said…"
The rest of Aurora's words dissolved into unintelligible heart-wrenching wails. Mulan did the only thing she could think of. She pulled her lover to her, wrapping her in a warm embrace, and holding her to her chest. She stayed silent, saying nothing. Only holding, breathing, and being steady.
The princess clutched at Mulan's red cotton t-shirt as if it were a rock amidst a swiftly flowing torrent. She clung to the warrior, breaking down, and giving herself over to the painful internal hurts she'd tried to hide at the diner. She crushed her face to Mulan's strong bosom, and scrunched her eyes shut, as if trying to block out the world and its bigoted hate. Aurora trembled like a leaf in autumn, and cried until there was nothing left.
The princess's breathing eventually started to come in measured gasps. She opened her azure eyes, and swept away the remnants of tears with the back of her hand. Her face felt blotchy, hot, and red. Still, Mulan did not move. The warrior did not push for answers. She stayed and helped her princess in the only way she knew how. She offered up her strength. She offered up her protection. She offered up her unyielding love.
Finally, after nearly a half hour, Aurora broke the silence with a hoarse whisper. "They said such awful things about you…about us."
"Shhh, 'Rory. None of those words were true." Mulan murmured, gently swaying and breathing into Aurora's chestnut-colored tresses. The normal sweet scent of her lover was coupled with salty anguish.
"Why do they hate us so?" The princess shook her head, confused.
"They just…don't understand. They don't know how you make me feel inside. They don't know how every day with you heals all the hurts I've ever had. They don't see how kind, and loving, and gentle you are, and how your smile makes me feel like I'm basking in the sunshine. They don't understand that no matter where I am, when I'm with you it feels like home. They just…don't see." Mulan whispered. "No matter what they say, none of those things have changed. You are my life, and my dearest friend. You are the one person that understands and completes me. You accept me for all that I am and all that I am not… I love you, Aurora. With all my heart. "
"And I love you, too. With all my soul." Aurora replied, reaching up to twine her arms around the warrior's neck. She smiled, peering up into the swordswoman's dark eyes.
"And if they ever say such things to hurt your feelings again, I swear on my honor I'll kill them." Mulan jokingly rumbled low and deep in her throat, trying to sound menacing. Dark eyes flashed with a mischievous grin.
Perhaps only half in jest. She thought. No one had the right to make her princess cry. No one.
Aurora giggled, hiccupping from the diminished tears. "My big strong warrior." She chuckled, laying her head against the plains of her mate's bosom.
"My safe haven."