Anon prompt: Mulan and Aurora find a puppy
Disclaimer: Don't own any of it.
AN: So this one was really fun to write and super cute. Hope you enjoy it!
Since they had gotten to Storybrook and settled in their new home, Mulan and Aurora had set up a routine. After they left their apartment in the morning to go to their separate jobs—Aurora at the school and Mulan in the King's service—they would both meet up at Granny's for lunch. Aurora would pick something, and they would both try it while talking about their day so far. Then Mulan would walk Aurora back to school before running off to the town hall to handle whatever issues were in need of her attention.
Today, Mulan had a special route planned, perhaps to deal with it being the princess' birthday and certain feelings that she hoped to mention on their walk. As a result, they took a slightly different road to the school that passed through the forest. Mulan remembered a curve of the river that was particularly beautiful, and she intended to give Aurora her gift there.
Although Aurora was surprised by the new route, she had learned over the last few months that Mulan was always looking out for her, so she held her tongue and followed the former warrior. As she passed through the woods, she hoped that maybe today would be the day that she would tell Mulan how she felt. Every day in the diner, or at their apartment, she would start to tell her, but the words never made it out of her mouth.
They passed through the final tree line and Mulan chivalrously lifted the branches up to allow Aurora to pass through unscratched. As Aurora looked into the clearing, her face brightened—the sun was shimmering on the happily bubbling river, she heard birds twittering happily in the trees above, and the meadow in front of her was covered in daisies and… "Oh no!"
Mulan's heart sunk when she heard the princess cry out, and she turned to go after Aurora who had run into the clearing. Near the water, Aurora was kneeling by the body of a very bedraggled cat. She had just leaned her head down to listen for a heartbeat when the cat sprang into her arms and shook all the water on his fur into her clothes and face. Then the cat curled up on her lap and began nosing her hand in an attempt to get petted.
Lunging for the back of the cat's neck, Mulan was about to throw it into the woods when Aurora stopped her and grabbed the cat, petting him softly as the cat hissed towards the warrior. "Oh Mulan, please don't hurt it! He didn't mean to get me wet, I'm sure. And look at his fluffy little tail and cute eye-patches." She looked up at Mulan, preparing her best "sad-eyes" face. "Can we keep him, please?"
"But he ruined your favorite sweater! And look at the scratches on your arms! He could be carrying any number of diseases that we don't know of. And he is dirty." Aurora just kept looking at Mulan until she stopped talking before the princess spoke again.
"Mulaaaaaan, we can fix all that at the vet's. And look at him!" She held the cat up—now licking his paws. "He's so cute! And it's my birthday, so this can be your present for me." Aurora finished happily; the birthday thing had been a genius thought—no way could Mulan say no.
The cat gave what Mulan could swear was a wink as she shrugged her shoulders and agreed. At this Aurora clapped her hands happily and turned to go, leaving Mulan behind. "Wait! Aurora, where are you going?"
"We have to get him to the vet, right?"
"We will. Later. I didn't bring you out here for him, though." Mulan breathed deeply, preparing herself. Come on, just tell her! "I…I wanted to give you something." Aurora was giving Mulan her full attention now, as the warrior pulled a cloth pouch out of her coat pocket and began to open it. Aurora held her breath as a gorgeous sapphire necklace and matching earring set appeared in Mulan's hand. "These were my mother's, and…and I want you to have them." Aurora gazed at her, still in shock at their beauty. "I also wanted—needed to tell you that…that well I think I am falling in love with you. I did not realize how I felt until after we arrived here, and I do not expect you to feel the same way in return, but I could not go on living day by day always near you but never close enough. I could not live another day feeling like this without telling you, so I am asking you, do you care at all? Have I been hoping for something that could never be?"
Aurora had started crying softly about half-way through Mulan's declaration, and, when she finished, she wiped the tears from her eyes, and reached out for both of Mulan's hands, cupping the jewelry between them. "Mulan, the only thing I could think of right after Phillip saved me was 'how was I going to be able to marry him and live happily after meeting you?' Every day since has been torture for me, thinking you still cared for him, and that you would never consider me. I am sure I fell for you that first day."
As Aurora spoke, Mulan began sliding her left hand up around the—her princess' shoulders to her neck and pulled her closer until they were almost touching, At this point, the cat decided enough was enough, and he climbed up Aurora's arm to sit on her shoulder and glare at Mulan. Aurora smiled at his antics, and slid her arms around Mulan's strong shoulders to the back of her neck and was leaning in to finally kiss her warrior when her phone went off loudly, and she jumped back making the cat leap into Mulan's arms.
The phone squawked angrily and Aurora looked apologetically at Mulan. "Of course, I'll be right there. No, I just lost track of time, I'll be there soon, okay? Bye." She turned to Mulan and smiled awkwardly. "Apparently it's frowned upon for a teacher to be absent. I'm so sorry!" And she turned to run out of the clearing, leaving a very stunned and disappointed Mulan behind. Suddenly Aurora turned around and ran back. She leaned in and kissed Mulan quickly on the lips and looked up into the warrior's eyes. "I forgot…please take him to the vet for me." She smiled and ran off. Mulan looked straight at the cat as she held him out away from her. Maybe he was sort of cute…