Summary: Mulan and Aurora were lovers, until Aurora broke things off to be with Philip. They decided to remain friends but it's not easily done. Mulan still has feelings for Aurora. A/U sort of. They are all living in Storybrooke
Mulan stood by the porch of Philip and Aurora's home. One hand is holding a box, while the other is jammed inside her pocket, occasionally being wiped on the front of her jeans. She finally mustered up the courage to knock on the door. It was answered almost immediately, as if her visit was expected.
"Oh hey, Mulan. Come in, come in. I'm sorry I can't talk right now I have an appointment." Philip really was in a hurry, he didn't even notice the box that Mulan was holding. "I'll see you guys later. Take care of my princess, now." He smiled and went on his way.
Mulan didn't even have time to return his smile, she was too lost in her own thoughts Aurora's hand pulling her inside the house startled her.
"Come in, silly! Don't just stand there, people might think you're a burglar and call YOU for help to get rid of the OTHER YOU. Haha, get it? No? Helloooo, earth to Mulan? I make awkward jokes to ease the tension, see?"
"What? Oh. Yeah. Here." Mulan handed Aurora the big box and turned to leave without another word.
"Mulan...I don't understand. What is all this?" Aurora stared at the box, recognizing it from all those times they have spent together. It's dark brown with a red dragon engraved around it. "I get my strength from it." Mulan once told her. But she never pried, not even once. She was unreasonably jealous of it though, at times. The way Mulan would talk about it sure sounded like she was talking about another woman. Now that Mulan was handing her the box, let alone giving it to her, scares her a lot. She doesn't know why, but she was.
"Open it..." Mulan covered Aurora's hands with her own, opening the box, slowly and gently. Mulan's eyes never leaving Aurora's face. At first, her brows were closely knit together then her face visibly relaxed, then confusion set in.
"It's my stuff... Our stuff. The stuff that I gave you. Why are you giving them back to me?" Puzzeld and hurt, she knew she shouldn't be asking these questions anymore but she couldn't help it. She thought their bond was stronger than anything, that not even when their romantic relationship didn't work out, they would still be friends. So why was Mulan giving back the things that I had given her? To show me that she's okay? That everything else didn't matter after all?
"I'm not giving them back to you. See? This is mine. I got us one each, then you lost yours so now I'm giving you mine." Mulan said as she was pointing to a silver bangle inside the box. "Now this, I've been planning on giving you on your birthday, which is tomorr-"
"So why did you give it to me now instead of tomorrow?" Aurora interrupted, not sure how to react to this very thoughtful gesture by her ex.
"Well, as you can see... we are no longer together and I was thinking that it would be inappropriate for me to upstage your fiance on the day of your birthday.." she chuckles sheepishly, "um, actually, I just thought it was a shame to let it go to waste and...I know that you and Philip already have a thing planned and I wouldn't want to impose."
Oh.
"Oh. Oh, okay." Aurora stared at the gold wristwatch with diamonds encrusted around the face. She mentioned to Mulan once that she had a dream, a long time ago, that she could hold the sun around her hands and control night and day and Mulan jokingly replied that they could just buy a watch from the mall and be done with it.
"Here, let me show you."
"Mulan, I think I know how a watch works, I haven't been asleep that long."
"No, just look." Mulan pulled the crown two places and turns it clockwise once and locks it in place. A hologram of a sunstar appeared on the face of the watch. "It slowly turns dark, at night it would show you the stars." She turns the watch over and written on the back, are the words "Night and Day, Always and Forever"
Aurora didn't know what to say, here Mulan was, acting as if it was still December 9th and they were still together. This woman loves her still. It took all of her will to break things off with Mulan. She made a mistake, she couldn't let Mulan think that they have a future together when she has already planned her future with Philip, long before she met Mulan.
She did love her though, what they had was real. But she knew all along that she would have to leave Mulan and Mulan knew it too. Maybe that's why they both thought that things could still go back to normal. What they were not counting on was one being more in love with the other and couldn't let go.
Mulan could sense Aurora's hesitation but she was already there and she should finish what she started. "This... it was made from a blanket that I used to have as a child. I had sewn it into a jacket, I know how cold you easily get. Um... just... think it's me or whatever, when you're cold or something. Like I said, been planning this a while and I didn't want them to go to waste. So uh... I'm gonna go. Thanks for not kicking me out."
"Mulan, wait. You once told me that the contents of this box was your strength. Your strength comes from a wrist watch, a bangle and a blankie?" A smile was playing on Aurora's lips as she said this. She knew that asking Mulan would only make things more complicated, but she has to know.
Mulan released a breath, of frustration, amusement and sadness. "You were- ARE- my strength. The watch was a symbol that I will always protect you and look after you and that I cannot lose a fight because you'll be waiting home for me. You're my inspiration, my one true love. The blanket, it was given to me by my grandmother, she told me to never part with it, otherwise, give it to the person I cherish more than it. My grandmother taught me how to care for myself and for others. If that's not a strength in itself, I wouldn't know what to call it...And lastly, to let go of something so valuable, someone so important that I would have to endure this pain, it takes the greatest strength of all. So now, I am letting you go, but I won't stop loving you. Do you understand what I mean, princess?"
"Y-yes. Yes, I think I do. Thank you, for everything. Not just the gifts but for everything." Aurora went in for a hug and Mulan accepted, finally being able to tell Aurora how she had been feeling for the past month.
"I really have to go now, I'm supposed to be at the grocery store. Granny has asked me to buy her some eggs because Ruby is still asleep. Wolf's time and all." She can feel herself smiling, and it's not forced, like the ones she's been giving to people these past few weeks. Aurora returned her smile and guided her to the door. "I'll see you around, deputy."
"See you, princess. Oh and by the way, that box you were talking about? I still have it, it actually has a pair, which now belongs to you. It has your letters and a handkerchief that smells like your perfume, probably a snip of your hair, too; a vial with a few drops of your blood, another one that has your tear and maybe some baby teeth...I am not giving those back to you, those are mine!" Mulan's voice faded into the street as she walked away, and she sounded okay.