AU, Mulan came to Storybrooke with Emma and Snow and wants to admit her feelings to Ruby. Short Little MulanRouge oneshot… This is the first thing I've written in a very long time so I hope you enjoy!

Mulan stared down into her Coffee. Black. The bitterly earthy taste was strange in her mouth- she'd never had it until coming to this land without magic. Looking up, she wound her finger around a lock of her hair, conditioner was another one of this world's wonderful creations that she'd choose over washing in the river in a heartbeat.

Assaulting her ears was the chatter of diners, the clang of silverware and the scraping of metal chairs. They were celebrating- Emma had saved the town… Again..

Her eyes drifted upwards and locked on to her. Ruby. Red. She took a steadying breath but it did nothing to calm the butterflies- more like dragons- raging in her stomach. Calm down, she ordered herself, Mulan Fa, you are a strong, powerful, warrior. You absolutely do NOT obsess, another breath. And yet, there she was, sitting in the back of a diner watching this gorgeous brunette with her scarlet lips and pearly white teeth.

And then that laugh. That laugh that rang through the room and made it seem like light radiated for her like a sun beam.

Brown eyes met green, making Mulan's stomach do a flip and her heart feel like it was being squeezed until she could hardly breath. Neither daring to tear their eyes away, Mulan's world seemed to melt away around her… Until Red's attention was stolen by Cinderella, causing the warrior's eyes to sink back down to her quickly cooling drink. Uselessly, she tried again to calm her beating heart, You HAVE to tell her, she groaned internally, You hav-

"Hey, Mulan!" Her thoughts were interrupted by Ruby pulling out a chair opposite her. Mulan thought her heart was going to explode, "Why are you by yourself? C' mon, I know Cinderella's been dying to meet you!" The wolf turned her head to look back at the princess, the warrior paused for a second, trying to muster the courage to tell Ruby what she was feeling.

"Ruby…"

Jerking her head back to face Mulan, Ruby waited for the rest of the sentence. It didn't come. "Yeah?" Nothing but silence as Mulan tried to dodge Red's gaze. "What is it Mulan?" She reached her arm across the cold metal diner table and placed it on Mulan's, "Hey, you okay?" she asked in a softer voice.

"Yeah, I just… Don't feel too great," managing a half smile, Mulan stood up and pulled her hand away, partially so she could stand but mostly to stop the jolts of electricity jolting from Ruby's fingers.

"Okay…" Ruby paused for a second and there was a slight crack in her voice. Mulan couldn't figure out why, "Goodbye Mulan," their eyes met.

"Um, goodbye Rubes," Before Mulan could turn around Ruby flung her arms around her and the warriors tentatively returned the hug- another thing she hadn't quite gotten used to after her days as a soldier. The wolf quickly turned away and re-joined Snow and Cinderella. Follow her, you idiot! Mulan took a step forward… I'll tell her tomorrow.

But she couldn't bring herself to leave. Standing there, watching Ruby, her feet felt rooted to the spot. Cinderella, Charming and Belle all got the same routine- a strangely long goodbye and an inexplicably teary-eyed hug. Before she left, she whispered something to snow and they slipped out of the back of the diner, towards the staircase to the guest rooms, just in sight of Mulan. They were talking about something but Mulan stood no chance of hearing it over the din of the party.

Then she saw it.

Just for a second, but she could have sworn that she'd seen what she thought she had. A magic bean. Eyes wide as saucers followed Red as she and Snow exchanged a hug, tears beginning to spill from both their eyes that could be seen even from where Mulan was standing. In an instant, Mulan realised what was about to happen: Ruby was leaving Storybrooke. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest, Ruby was leaving! She was leaving! Trying to push past the crowds and ignore the pounding of blood in her ears, she saw a green flash and a glow from the hall but Mulan was nowhere near close enough to reach it in time, not that that stopped her from trying. The light was dimming, fading fast, Mulan tore past Cinderella and the others and out the back of the diner as though flames were licking her back. Rushing around the corner, the warrior all but dived for the fizzling emerald speck, but she was too late. The light had faded and the warrior was left there, sitting on the dusty checkered floor with hot tears suddenly welling up and pouring down her face. "Not again…" she whispered to the empty space in front of her. She'd waited too long again.

Slowly, after what felt like years but was in reality only a few minutes, Mulan stood up on shaking legs, stumbled towards the end of the hallway, forced herself up the stairs until she finally reached her own room and practically collapsed on her bed. She had waited too long to tell Ruby how she felt. I never learn… Finally, she let her eyes mist over once again and sobbed silently until morning.

Okay, okay. Alternate ending because I'm not evil XD

Then she saw it.

Just for a second, but she could have sworn that she'd seen what she thought she had. A magic bean. Eyes wide as saucers followed Red as she and Snow exchanged a hug, tears beginning to spill from both their eyes that could be seen even from where Mulan was standing. In an instant, Mulan realised what was about to happen: Ruby was leaving Storybrooke. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest, Ruby was leaving! She was leaving! Bolting through the diner and trying to ignore the pounding of blood in her ears, she saw a green flash and a glow from the hall and tore past Cinderella and the others and out the back of the diner as though flames were licking her back. Rushing around the corner, the warrior all but dived for the light. It was dimming, fading fast, but Mulan all but dived across the hall.

She had made it.

Think of her. She told herself, although it was next to impossible for her not to, Focus.

She chose a moment, a singular moment of happiness with Red- the first time she showed her the wolf. They ran through the forest, Ruby running laps and jumping across logs until Mulan eventually had to sit down she was so out of breath. Then that laugh again. Ruby came up to her the second she came down to the diner for breakfast and teased her about how the 'big bad warrior' was out run by a puppy.

Letting the image of that night fill her mind while floating around the green swirl, Mulan didn't even care if Ruby felt the same way, she just needed for her to know how she felt. Soon enough, the green mist was replaced by the hard ground, a red cloak and a certain brown-haired beauty.

"Mulan? Oh Gods, Mulan!" Red was up on her feet in an instant and pulled Mulan into a tight hug, "Why are you here?! I don't mean why why, but why?" Red let go of Mulan, who was too disoriented from the fall to fully process what was happening, then suddenly pulled her in again even tighter than before, "Oh my Gods, Mulan, I never thought I'd see you again." A moment passed, the two of them holding each other tight before Mulan eventually broke it.

"Red? Red, listen to me," the warrior took a deep breath and licked her lips, trying to find any moisture in her mouth, "I'm in love with you, Red." Ruby's mouth dropped open, she swallowed and started to speak,

"Mula-"

"Please, don't say anything just yet… I once waited too long to tell someone how I felt and it hurt more than I ever thought it could. For a long time, I thought that the only thing worse than telling someone how you feel and being rejected, is never having the chance to tell them. But I was wrong. The only thing worse than never having the chance is-"

"Having the chance and losing it?" Mulan looked up, into Red's eyes, "I realised that the second I jumped through that portal," Red whispered, taking a step closer. A smile began to pull at the corners of Mulan's lips.

"What are you saying..?" The warrior also tentatively stepped forward until there were mere inches between them.

"I'm saying… I think I'm in love with you too."