you built this house

by perichat

Growing up is a series of little lessons. Apple White, past and present.

This started out as me wanting to do my take on the post-kiss conversation , fill in what happened with Apple and Darling during Epic Winter and try my hand at writing 2nd person POV. But it turned into this long melodramatic meandering mess and I'm so sorry.

Please read this fic though, I worked really hard on it.

Also there is an erotic dream scene, but it's super tame and I felt like giving this fic an M rating would be overkill. So here's a warning. If enough of you think I should bump up the rating though I will.

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Every night before you go to bed your Mother reads you a fairy tale. Fantastic stories of brave heroes, evil villains, and beautiful maidens. Each sentence is saturated with magic, mystery, and romance. Sometimes they're scary, and you clutch your sheets to your chin like a lifeline. But no matter what twists and turns the stories take, they always end with a happily ever after.

Your favorite tale is Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Your mother teases you for always wanting to hear it, but you know she's only joking. It's her favorite too.

Your mother is Snow White. She lived the story. She ate the apple, fell asleep, was awoken by true love's kiss, became the queen, and lived happily ever after. Through hard work and preparation she got her perfect storybook destiny. And one day you will too.

Tonight your mother reads a story you haven't heard before, The Little Mermaid. It starts out familiar. A young mermaid falls in love with a handsome prince, and she gives up her voice and her fins to be with him. You hang on your mother's every word, wondering how she's going to get her prince to fall for her. You listen and wait and listen and wait. And then it's over. The end. The Little Mermaid doesn't get her happily ever after. The Prince falls in love with someone else, and she dies.

"Where's the rest of the story Mommy?" You ask. Because there has to be more. This can't be the entire tale.

But your mother shakes her head. "There is no more sweetheart. That's the end."

"It's not fair. She can't just die! She didn't get her happily ever after!"

"I know, but not every story can have a happy ending."

"Why?" You ask.

"Because they can't."

"But why?" You ask again, more adamantly.

Your mother doesn't answer. She just looks at you with a strange, delicate expression, almost like she's studying you. She reaches out to tuck a lock of hair behind your ear and gently kisses your forehead.

-o-

You're eight years old when you first meet your Prince Charming.

You sit at the bay window in your parlor and watch in anticipation as the carriage door opens. Out steps King and Queen Charming and their children, two boys and one girl.

You think love-at -first-sight will guide you to your future Prince, but at a glance you can't tell which brother it's supposed to be. They both look so ordinary, not larger-than-life like in your imagination. There's nothing that distinguishes them from all the other boys you've met. One boy has messy, brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses. He stares glassy-eyed and mouth agape at his portable video game. Next to him is his brother. Taller, with straw-blond hair and shiny, brown shoes. He's holding something too. At first glimpse you think it's another video game, but upon closer inspection you see actually it's a pocket mirror.

Your eyes gloss over the boys and settle on their sister. You know your parents would say it's rude to stare, but you can't help it. There's something about her that catches your eye. She's wearing a puffy-sleeved, powder blue dress (the same color as her eyes, you notice), and white heels that she doesn't look comfortable in. Her legs tremble noticeably as she walks.

Your eyes stay trained on her as they walk down the path to your front door. She takes her time climbing up the front steps so she doesn't lose her balance. A servant answers the door when King Charming rings the bell. Your father calls you away from the window, and you stand with your spine straight and chin up as the Charming family enters the room.

Your parents greet Mr. and Mrs. Charming with hellos and air kisses on each cheek. There's no need for formalities between them. They're old friends. But since they've never met you, you're getting a full, royal introduction.

"Princess Apple. It's an honor to meet you." King Charming says, bowing low to you.

"The honor is mine." You say, attempting to sound regal and grown-up. Like your parents do when they greet foreign dignitaries.

"Please allow me to introduce my family. This is my wife, Rhiannon." He motions to the tall, slender woman standing next to him. The rubies on her silver tiara glimmer as she curtseys.

"This is our son Dexter." She says, and gently pats the brunet boy on the shoulder. He gives you a shy grin and curt little nod before staring back down at his game. He couldn't look more disinterested if he tried.

"Our daughter, Darling." She motions towards her daughter.

Darling. You think the name suits her. She looks straight at you and beams. She has dimples on both cheeks, and one of her front teeth is missing. You think she's taller than you, but it's hard to say since half her height comes from the beehive updo piled high on her head. She starts to arch her back, preparing to bow, but she stops herself short and curtseys instead. Her legs wobble, and you worry she might tip over. You two lock eyes once more before her mother ushers her away for the blond brother to come to the forefront.

"And this is Daring. Your Prince Charming." The blond boy pockets his mirror, puffs out his chest, and steps forward.

"How do you do, fair maiden?" He asks before bowing low, almost a perfect imitation of his father a few minutes prior. You curtsey back, crossing your left leg behind your right. Just like your mother taught you.

-o-

You weren't expecting to feel so self-conscious on your first day of high school. Excited, definitely. Nervous, maybe. But self-conscious? Not at all. It's so alarmingly evident that you grew up home schooled and isolated, and that you don't have a single friend here. You're sure it won't be a challenge to make them. You're an outgoing person. But seeing all these people look comfortable and at ease with the friends they've known for years makes you wish you had someone to talk to as well.

Then an idea occurs to you. You do know at least one person here.

Daring's sent you countless pictures of himself over the years, so you know exactly who to look for. And it takes you less than a minute to spot him. A blond boy with steel blue eyes and a strong jaw, wearing a golden crown with his family's crest and a white letterman's jacket. He's certainly grown to look the part of Prince Charming. Handsome, in a very conventional way. He reminds you of those Prince dolls you used to play with when you were a kid. Complete with the plastic hair.

(You never played with those Prince dolls much, did you? Sure, sometimes he'd come riding in on his white horse to save the day, but the adventures were always with the girls, weren't they?)

What the photos didn't prepare you for was his blindingly white smile. Literally blinding. When he greets you with his trademark grin you instinctively cover your eyes and turn away.

"Sorry, I should have warned you about that. I have a smile that makes flowers grow." He says, chuckling. His voice has deepened, you notice. He takes out a pocket mirror and admires his reflection. You roll your eyes. Some things never change, you suppose. You wonder if his brother is still glued to those video games. Maybe you'll see him around. You forget if he and his sister are attending school here or elsewhere. Typically noble children with no destinies or minor ones go to finishing school rather than Ever After.

Your attention wavers from Daring and drifts toward a crowd of boys forming down the hall. You stand on your toes and squint to get a better view, wondering what it is that's grinding traffic to a halt. You see it's not a what that's turning heads, but a who. A princess, with tanned skin and a silky, purple dress with shoulder plates that shine like freshly polished silver. Something about her strikes you as familiar, but you can't put a name to a face.

She looks over the boys surrounding her and stares directly at you. She smirks playfully and winks. You wave back, a little apprehensively.

A few moments later Daring notices the crowd too. He appears curious at first, then scandalized. His eyes nearly bug out of his head. "Really? We've only been here 15 minutes and she already has boys chasing after her? Hexcuse me Apple, we'll catch up later."

Daring struts over to the commotion and shoos the ogling boys away. The princess frowns at him. Standing right next to each other you realize why she seems so familiar. They look alike. They have the same broad shoulders and almond-shaped eyes. Which must mean she's Darling Charming.

No wonder you didn't recognize her at first. Like her brother, she's done some serious growing up. Puberty has been kind to the Charming family. You're a little surprised to see her here, but not disappointed. You wonder what her destiny is. Prince Charmings are a dime a dozen, but Princess Charmings? You're not even sure you've heard of such a thing.

You look at the empty space Daring stood 30 seconds ago. And you're back to where you started. Standing around alone and friendless. Well, now you're on friendly terms with one, no two people. You can take comfort in that.

You scan the halls for someone to talk to. You see some girls with long hair and gold tiaras. Some boys in green and leather with mischievous looks in their eyes. Several barnyard animals bleating and braying at each other. So many new faces and potential friends. Where do you even begin?

Then you spot her.

You've never met her. You have no idea what she's supposed to look like. But you're certain as you are your own name that she's your storybook nemesis. Raven Queen. She's tall and lanky, with a narrow, hooked nose, and the most gorgeous lavender eyes you've ever seen. Her violet hair and dark clothes stand out from among your peers.

You're apprehensive about meeting her. She's destined to be the baddest person in Ever After. Who wouldn't get butterflies in their stomach at the thought of shaking her hand? But there's a shrill voice in the back of your head telling you that you need to go up to her and greet her with a big smile the same way you need to breathe.

"Raven! Hi!" You say cheerily, batting your long lashes at her.

"Uh.. hi." She stares at you. Her thick eyebrows knit in a look of concentration. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet! I'm Apple White! You know, the daughter of Snow White."

"Oh… uh… aren't you supposed to have black hair?" She asks. Not exactly friendly, but not harshly either.

"Well I- um…" You stutter, and your cheeks flush pink. You don't have an answer to that question.

"Sorry, that was rude of me. It's nice to meet you Apple." She smiles at you, softly and gently, and you feel your heart skip a beat.

"No silly don't apologize. You're supposed to be rude to me! Just like in our story! Oh isn't this so hexciting? You and me, studying to take on our fairytale destines just like our mothers did! I can't wait to get started, can you?"

"Uh… yeah me too." She says. She bites her lip and looks down at her shoes. "Hey do you know where the registration table is?"

"Oh yes! It's right around the corner, underneath the Headmaster's portrait. Want me to walk you over there?"

"No, you don't have to." She says.

"I don't mind!" You reply, smiling brightly.

"No I'll be alright. But thanks." She smiles once more, and turns to go.

"Okay. I'll see you around!" You call after her, and you wave enthusiastically at her until she turns the corner.

-o-

Raven is quiet, you soon discover, and she usually keeps to herself. You thought she would fall in with the other storybook villains, but she keeps a cool distance from them. Sometimes you see her with her roommate Maddie, or Darling and Dexter Charming, who both seem to have taken a liking to her. But more often than not she's alone. You wonder if she's lonely.

She makes it a challenge for you to get to know her. You don't talk much, and when you do it's never anything of substance. The weather, the lunch menu, the new sweater she's wearing and how good it looks on her. Sometimes you swear it's like she's purposefully avoiding you. When you say hello to her she's always in a rush to get somewhere else. And once you're almost certain you saw her turn around and walk the other way so she wouldn't have to pass by you. You're completely baffled by it. Doesn't she want to have an epic rivalry just like your mothers'?

Your other princess friends say you should be glad to have a villain who leaves you alone. And you have to admit, it's nice to not have someone constantly annoying you in the way Faybelle and the Step-Sisters annoy Briar and Ashlynn. But there's that little voice in the back of your mind that keeps prodding you to talk to her. You don't know what it is about her. Her voice, her charm, her shared destiny. But you're smitten by her in a way you can only remember being with one other person (and that was years ago when you were still a child, so it doesn't really count right?)

On the last day of school you hear from Lizzie, who heard from Maddie, who heard directly from Raven herself that she doesn't want to be the Evil Queen. In fact, she might not follow her destiny and do something else completely. You nearly fall out of your chair, and it takes a few minutes for your heart to stop pounding.

(Not follow her destiny? What in Ever After is she thinking? Doesn't she know what happens to people who don't follow their destiny? They disappear. Forever. And if she disappears you'll go right along with her.)

So next year when Headmaster Grimm asks you to keep an eye out on her by being her roommate you don't hesitate a second before saying yes.

At first things are a little rocky, but after a few weeks Raven starts to open up. She tells you about how much she loves music. How as a child she would sing concerts to an audience of stuffed animals with a hairbrush for a microphone. How her dad taught her to play piano and guitar when she was eight. She's close with her Dad, not as much with her Mom. You think she's intimidated by her, maybe even a little frightened.

It's crazy, but you're starting to understand why she wants to rebel against her destiny. Or at least you're trying to. You're learning, you tell her. And rather than simply writing you off, she's trying to learn about you as well.

Some people, Briar, Headmaster Grimm, your parents, don't understand why you've gone so out of your way to befriend a girl who's one day going to stab you in the back (Hopefully? Maybe? She hasn't made up her mind yet.) But you don't see it as going out of your way. It's not a chore to spend time with Raven. In fact, you're really enjoying yourself getting close to her.

And you're starting to think that maybe, if Raven doesn't follow her destiny, and you still get to be queen, it wouldn't be so bad.

-o-

Raven is your unofficial 'date' to Thronecoming. You suggest you go together since nobody asked her, which is a shame because she's absolutely wonderful. You had a few (dozen) invitations, but you turned them all down. None of them held much appeal anyway.

Last year you went with Daring. Despite all the girls throwing you dirty looks, you had a nice time. This year he suggested that you go with other people, and it gave you this peculiar feeling of relief. He said he was going stag, but he would entertain a girl or two (dozen) to a dance if they asked.

"Is that Daring dancing with Cerise?" Raven asks you.

"Looks like it." You say. Daring looks dashing as always in his tux, and Cerise's ball gown is an interesting combination of faux fur and gingham that only the future Little Red Riding Hood could make work.

"What is it?" You ask. Raven is eyeing you with a funny look. Lips pursed and head tilted slightly to the side.

"Daring's dancing with another girl."

"Yes, I think we've established that." You say plainly.

"Aren't you mad or jealous or something?" She asks.

"No. Why would I be? Daring's allowed to choose his own dance partners. Just like I am." You say, and you eye her with a mischievous look. You link your arm around Raven's and whisk her out onto the dance floor.

Melody plays a jaunty tune with a thumping bass beat. You and Raven stand about an arm's length apart, and move in sync with the music. Raven raises her arms and swings her hips, and you mirror her movements. Then when the bass drops you reach out for her hands and start spinning each other around in circles.

"Who wants to dance with the Thronecoming King when you can dance with the Queen instead?" You say as you twirl around. Lights and sounds blur as you go faster and faster. Getting dizzy and giddy and high on Raven's perfume.

The song ends, and the music slows to something soft and melodic. The spotlights dim, and you see your classmates coupling up with their dates for a more intimate kind of dance. You look at Raven, and that voice in the back of your head is screeching.

"May I have this dance, your highness?" You ask.

Raven laughs. "Of course."

You take her hand and lace your fingers between hers. You both reach out instinctively for the other's shoulder, and share awkward smiles. Right, one of you has to lead. Raven wraps her arm around your waist, and you put a hand on her shoulder. You rock slowly back and forth in time with the music.

You're so close. You're suddenly very conscious of your body, and how sweaty your palms are underneath your gloves. Your face feels hot and flushed, and it's probably very red. Your feet feel too big for your shoes. You think about how your breath must smell like those sour cream and onion chips you ate a half hour ago. But you look into Raven's eyes and you decide you hope this song lasts for hours so you can dance with her all night. You feel yourself relaxing into her.

In your peripheral you see Dexter approaching. You choose to ignore him until he's just a few feet away, and even then you don't look at him until he starts to speak.

"Hexcuse me, do you mind if I cut in?" He asks, offering an outstretched arm to Raven.

He's so suave and polite about it, and it makes you want to throw a fit. You want to tell him that cutting people off is rude and antiquated and never done outside of movies. But it's Raven's decision. Not yours.

She's already pulling away.

"Do you mind?" She looks at you with a sheepish grin that you can't say no to.

"No problem, go on and have fun." You say, and force your face into a smile. Smiling was so easy a minute ago. Now it's almost like you've forgotten how. You make your way over to the refreshment table with your back turned to them, wondering why Dexter's obvious attraction to your roommate bothers you so much.

-o-

Since you started school at Ever After people have been asking when you and Daring are going to 'make it official.' When you tell them that you have no plans on dating anytime soon, they always give you these disbelieving looks. Like they can't wrap their heads around the notion that you two could be just friends without there being any underlying attraction.

You like Daring. And you like where your relationship is at with him right now. Sure, he can be a little full of himself sometimes. To put it nicely. But he's also kind and chivalrous and smarter than people give him credit for. And you think it's good for him to have one strictly platonic female friend, him being such a playboy and all. So maybe your evenings out don't end with a good night kiss at your door, but you always have a good time regardless.

You and Daring made plans to take a walk in the Enchanted Forest that evening. Not a date, like Blondie was speculating on her Relationship Rumor-cast this morning. Just two friends enjoying each other's company. When you meet outside the school gates at 6:30 just as you planned Daring is waiting for you. His hair is slicked back and he's wearing a white, button down shirt and khaki dress pants.

"Aren't you a little overdressed for a nature walk?" You ask.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. How about we do something else this evening?"

"Oh, what did you have in mind?" You ask.

"Dinner at The Amber Blossom."

Your mind goes into full-blown panic mode. The Amber Blossom is where couples go to eat dinner, not friends. String quartets serenade you as you dine and there are roses and candles on every table. This is not supposed to be a date. This is definitely not supposed to be a date. If Daring wanted to make this a date, he should have asked you beforehand instead of springing it on you right now.

And even if he had asked you earlier, you aren't entirely sure you would have said yes.

"Daring, don't we need a reservation?" You ask.

"No uh… we'll be joining some friends."

Okay, maybe a double date would take some of the pressure off. Eating with say, Ashlynn and Hunter wouldn't be so terrible. Like lunch this afternoon, except in a much fancier setting. But still, the thought of you and Daring in any kind of romantic situation feels... wrong. You aren't ready for that kind of relationship yet.

"Daring I'm not so sure-"

He interrupts you. "Apple please. I promise I will make this up to you. I just really need to be there tonight, and you need to come with me."

He looks at you with this desperate, pleading look in his eyes and you hesitate for a second. Daring must really want this, and he rarely asks you for anything. Maybe just for one night you can pretend it doesn't bother you. So you nod at him and instead of going left for the Enchanted Forest you go right to the Village of Bookend.

When you arrive at The Amber Blossom you look around for the people you're supposed to know. Most of the patrons appear older than you. You don't see Ashlynn and Hunter anywhere, or anyone else you know for that matter. Who are these friends you're supposed to be meeting? Then at a booth tucked away in the back you see Darling and Caleb Batterson. Daring sees them too, and he links his arm around yours to lead you their way.

"Caleb! Darling! Fancy running into you two here!" He says boisterously.

"Yeah, uh.. nice seeing you guys too." Caleb looks up at you two in confusion. He fusses with that red baseball cap he always wears.

"Daring, what are you doing here?" Darling asks harshly.

"Apple and I were out on a stroll when we saw you two sitting here at this big table all by yourselves, and we thought it would be fun to join you."

Oh Grimm, you know exactly why you're here now. You're not sure which is worse, being on an actual date with Daring, or being on a fake date with him so he can crash his sister's romantic evening. Is it too late to drag him out the door?

Daring sits down on the bench next to Caleb and scooches dangerously close to him. You sit next to Darling, but take care to keep your distance.

To say the evening is uncomfortable and awkward is an understatement. Daring spent the entire time breathing down Caleb's neck every time he so much looked at Darling. Darling spent it glaring daggers at her brother. And you just quietly chewed your food and pretended you were literally anywhere else. You let out an audible sigh when the waitress brought back the check to sign, signifying that you could leave. As you walk back to school you stay a few paces behind Darling, Daring, and Caleb and pretend you're not with them.

"Well, see you two ladies later." Daring says when you get to the stairs for the girl's dormitory. He points finger-guns your way, and rubs the top of his sister's head affectionately. You see her roll her eyes.

"Goodnight Daring." She says irritably, frowning at him with pursed lips. Then she turns to her date and eyes him with a sultry smirk. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him full on the lips. Caleb doesn't look like he was expecting it, but he sure doesn't seem to mind.

Okay, Darling kissing Caleb like that makes you a little uncomfortable, and you feel a blush creeping over your face. You glance at Daring. He must be furious right now. You wonder why he hasn't yanked them apart yet. He's frozen in place, and his face is tomato red. It takes you a moment, but you realize he's not acting this way out of anger, but embarrassment.

After what feels like entirely too long Darling and Caleb break apart. Caleb has this comical, love-struck look on his face, like someone hit him over the head with a baseball bat. You and Daring both quickly regain your composure.

"Well Daring, aren't you going to say goodnight to your date?" She asks him, almost like it's a challenge.

"Oh! Right!" Daring says. You two stare at each other, neither of you is sure what to do. You hope to all hope that he's not going to try kissing you. You move in for a hug, thinking it would be a good compromise, but he's sticking his arm out for a handshake. So you put out your hand, but by then he's got his arms up for a hug. You go back and forth between hug and handshake a few times before you both give up and awkwardly wave goodnight at each other.

"Sorry about ruining your evening." You say to Darling as you make your way up the stairs.

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault. This isn't the first time he's crashed one of my dates." She says, and lets out a long sigh.

"Daring didn't tell me why we were going to The Amber Blossom, and if I had known I would have talked him out of it." You explain.

"I doubt you could have. He and Dexter are both adamant on 'protecting me'. Do you know how annoying that is?"

"Well considering I'm an only child who's never been on a real date before, no. But I think I get the idea."

Darling looks at you and smiles softly. "Thank you for your empathy. And I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that back there to get back at my brother. I know your relationship isn't like that. I hope you don't think I'm mad at you about this, because I'm not."

"I didn't think you were. But thanks." You say. It's nice to hear that there's someone in this school who gets that you two aren't a couple yet. It's even nicer that it's Darling, for reasons you can't explain.

"This is my floor." She says as she angles her body towards the corridor. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah. Let's hang out again sometime soon. Except not as a part of your brother's convoluted plan to keep you single until you're thirty." As you say it you wonder why you don't hang out with Darling more. You're in most of the same classes and have most of the same friends, but you rarely see her apart from group things. You think it would be really nice to spend time with her, just the two of you.

"Definitely." She says, and smiles at you once more before heading off down the corridor.

-o-

It's 2 AM and you wake up with a start, breathing heavily. You just had an intense dream, though the details are a little lost on you. Was it a nightmare? No. You weren't feeling scared. But you can't put a finger on what it actually was you felt. Curiosity? Longing? Desire? All you know is you feel flushed and the collar of your nightgown is damp with sweat. And there's a warm, tingling feeling between your legs.

You peek over at Raven to make sure your tossing and turning didn't wake her by accident. She's either sound asleep or very good at faking it. You put on your slippers and tiptoe to the bathroom down the hall. It's empty. You were expecting as much given the late hour. You lean over one of the sinks and splash cold water on your face. You close your eyes and concentrate until the details of your dream start coming back.

You were at the school pool with Raven. She was floating in the water, humming a tune you used to sing as a kid. You were up in the bleachers trying to concentrate on thronework, but you couldn't make sense of the words because they kept jumping around on the page.

Raven called out to you in an easy, melodic voice, saying that you should come and join her in the water. You looked up from your book with the words flying around and saw that she was right at the edge of the pool, staring at you with full, pouty lips and a shifty look in her eyes.

You shook your head no and told her you don't have a swimsuit. She said you didn't need one. So you shook your head again and said the water was too cold. She said you'd be warm if you stayed right next to her. So you shook your head for the third time and said that you have too much to do.

And then without moving at all she was out of the water and standing right in front of you, completely nude. Water droplets trickled slowly down her bare skin, and you couldn't help but stare. She cupped your chin in her hand, looked you straight in the eyes, and said in a low, sultry voice that whatever it is you're doing can wait.

Then everything started moving in double time. You couldn't make sense of the room as it spun around you in a confusing blur of motion and color. The only thing clear was Raven, who was helping you pull your red dress over your head.

Then you woke up.

Your body heats up all over again once you remember the dream. When your mother taught you about the birds and the bees she said things like this might happen. That you would have thoughts and feelings about things that should not be discussed in public. But she said those things would be about boys, not your female best friend. You're confused, and scared to read too much into it. So you don't. You decide the best course of action is to pretend like it never happened.

You think it's working, until you have a similar dream next week.

-o-

You figure the best way for Daring to repay you for your accidental date is to make him see Jack and Jill Dead: The Sequel at the new multi-hex theatre. It's not your favorite horror movie franchise, but it'll be fun watching Daring jump out of his seat in terror. He hates scary movies.

You're thinking about whether or not you should make Daring pay for the tickets and snacks too when you hear your door burst open. It's Raven. She's wearing a lilac robe, and her hair is wrapped up in a towel. She wastes no time marching to her closet and digging through her wardrobe. Blouses and skirts fly through the air. You've never seen her so careless with her clothes.

"You okay?" You ask with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. I'm fine." She says, sounding flustered. She stands in front of her mirror, switching between two outfits on hangers. "Which one do you like better?" She asks you. She shows you one outfit, then the other.

You look them over and point at the one on her left. The black leather jacket and short, purple skirt. Perfect for her long, slender legs, you think. She nods and takes off her robe and starts changing right in front of you. You feel your body temperature rising, and you dart your eyes down to your hands. You're reminded of those dreams you told yourself you'd forget about.

"What are you getting so dressed up for?" You ask, still avoiding eye contact.

"I've got a date. With Dexter." She says, then giggles girlishly. You don't look at her but you can tell she's got that adorable, sheepish smile on her face.

"Oh. How fun!" You say, trying to mask your disappointment. And you don't say much else until Dexter comes round to pick her up.

If Raven was a mess before he got here, you don't know what she is now. And he's no better. Together they're a destructive force of awkward, jittery energy. You wonder how they're going to make it out the door without collapsing from lovesick embarrassment. Maybe their date will be a disaster. But you take that thought back immediately after you think it. Only a horrible person wouldn't want their best friend to have a good time with the person they've liked since the beginning of the school year.

Raven gives you a nervous smile right before they leave. You return it with an overdone grin and two thumbs up. Once they're gone your face immediately falls flat. You want to keep yourself together just in case they come back, but the smiling muscles in your face don't seem to work anymore. Gravity or the forces of the universe or something pulls the corners of your lips down, down, down. And you feel something warm and wet trickle down your cheek. You reach up to touch it and realize that you're crying. Now that you're aware the tears are falling you can't get them to stop. You collapse back onto your bed, curl up into a little ball, and cry into a pillow.

You should be happy for Raven. You saw how over the moon she was about this date. It made her so happy she was practically glowing. And it's not like Dexter is some awful person either. He's so sweet and considerate. And in some strange way they suit each other. You have no right or reason to be upset over this. Yet here you are, all alone in your room crying because your best friend fell in love with someone that's not you.

Maybe you really are as selfish as she thinks.

You stop crying after a while. Your eyes just run out of tears. You lie alone with your thoughts and sorrows until there's a knock on your door. Oh, that's right; you had plans with Daring tonight.

"Just one minute." You say.

You stare at your reflection. You're a mess. Your dress is wrinkled and your makeup is smeared all over your face. You look and feel like a child's toy left out in the rain. You do your best to quickly clean yourself up. You brush your hair, smooth your skirt, and wipe away the mascara stains trailing down your cheeks. Daring probably won't notice, you think. He never looks away from his mirror long enough to see anyone.

But when you answer the door it's Darling who greets you, wearing a short, green dress and a warm smile.

"Hey Apple. Daring wanted me to let you know he's running late. He had a hair emergency." She says, rolling her eyes.

"Oh. That's okay." You say. More time to make yourself presentable and kick yourself out of this funk.

"Hey, are you okay? Your eyes are a little red." She asks, voice soft with concern.

"No, I'm fine. It's just allergies." You lie.

"Right, it's that time of year isn't it? Dexter was just telling me this morning about how his allergies are acting up. All that pollen in the air is making him sneeze."

"Really? He seemed okay tonight." You reply, thinking about that bouquet of perfect purple flowers he showed up with.

"You saw him? I thought he was going out with Raven?"

"Yeah he is. He just stopped by our room to pick her up."

"Oh that makes sense. For a minute there I thought he got nervous and backed out of it. But he's gone, and soon you and Daring will be too. Which means my date will go uninterrupted."

Well, at least someone is benefitting from Raven and Dexter's date. "Do you and Caleb have big plans?" You ask.

She laughs. "Caleb? Oh no, we broke up weeks ago. All he ever wanted to talk about was baseball. It got so boring listening to him go on and on about bullpen statistics and hitting techniques."

"So who are you seeing then?" You ask.

It takes her a minute to reply, almost like she has to think about it. "You know Elwin Shumaker from our Crownculus class?"

You nod. He seems like a nice guy, but he's so skittish and timid. You wouldn't have pegged him as Darling's type.

"I'm seeing his sister, Elodie. She's a freshman."

"Oh." You say, because it's all you can think to say. You're a little bit blindsided by this revelation, what with the horde of admiring princes she always has. But you aren't disappointed. In fact, you're actually a little pleased. Though it bothers you some that you can't figure out why.

She laughs softly. "You look so shocked."

"Oh! Sorry! I just wasn't aware that you were uh…" You trail off, unsure what to label her as.

"Bisexual." She finishes for you. "And it's alright, most people don't know. Including my brothers. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them. Otherwise they might start chasing away everyone that talks to me."

"Mum's the word." You say, and you feel the corners of your lips curl upward. You're smiling. You'd forgotten you could do that.

"Well I should get going. Elodie's expecting me soon." But before she leaves she takes her hands in yours. The sudden contact catches you off guard, but it's not unwelcome. Her hands are hard and calloused, but also warm and gentle. You look her in the eye. "We should catch up sometime. If there's anything you ever want to talk about I'm always here for you, okay?"

And it does make you feel a little bit better. You feel a warmth rising in your chest, and that small smile gets a little bigger. You're tempted to tell her about all of these weird feelings you're having with Raven. You think she would understand. But she's in a hurry. And you aren't sure you're ready for that conversation yet. Saying the words aloud would make them real. So you let go of her hands and watch her walk down the hall towards the staircase.

-o-

You are the one responsible for bringing the Evil Queen back, so you deserve this really. You deserve to be poisoned and punished for every single selfish thing you've done.

When you bite into the apple, you immediately know something is wrong. The world starts spinning rapidly around you. You try to cough up the piece you've swallowed, but you can already feel the poison coursing through your body. Your legs can't support your weight, and you crumble in a heap to the ground. You struggle to stay conscious, but your eyelids are just so heavy. You can't help it, you fall asleep.

Then you're awake once again. It feels like eons later, but also like no time has passed at all. Standing next to you there's this gentle, ethereal figure softly stroking your hair. Love in its purest form. You feel safe, like nothing bad could ever happen to you as long as they're by your side. You stare at them, trying to figure out who they are, but you're sight is still blurry and their face is blocked by a blinding white light.

In the days following, you aren't sure if that person was real, or in your daze you just made them up.

Your classmates ask you what it's like to be under enchanted sleep. Your mother told you that it would come with pleasant dreams. You could experience anything you want. Live out your heart's deepest desires. But you dreamt of nothing. It was dark and more comparable being dead than anything else. You don't tell them that though. You just say you don't remember.

Daring acts differently around you after the kiss. You thought he'd be proud of his valiant effort to wake you, but he seems so distant and sad. He has trouble looking you in the eye, and you can't remember the last time you saw him smile. You wonder if it's because now you're officially committed to each other. Before you could ignore the fact that you're destined to fall in love, but now it's blatantly in your face. So you tell him you're still fine with him seeing other girls, just like it's always been. But that seems to upset him more than it does relieve him.

You mention this offhandedly to Raven one night as you're both getting ready for bed, and she shoots you a puzzled expression.

"You mean you don't know?" She asks.

"Know what?"

"Grimm, I can't believe no one's told you." She mutters under her breath.

"Told me what?" You implore. You're starting to worry. You feel your pulse quicken as you brace yourself for the news.

She takes a deep breath. "Apple, Daring couldn't wake you."

And it's like someone suddenly slammed the brakes on a speeding car. You're thrown off-balance and you're struggling to figure out what just happened. You feel whiplash. Everything was perfect and normal a moment ago, but now everything's stopped.

"I- What?" You stammer.

"When Daring kissed you, it didn't wake you up. That's why he's so sad. Because he's not your Prince, and now he doesn't know what his destiny is."

You're silent for a moment, processing what you've just heard. Trying to force it all to make sense. There's an obvious question here that Raven isn't answering.

"So if Daring didn't wake me, what did?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there." Raven's eyes dart away from you. She stares at her feet with a guilty look on her face.

You frown at her. "But you obviously have some idea."

She shrugs noncommittally. "I mean I've heard things, but they're just rumors. Gossip. I don't know if they're true."

"Well what have you heard?"

She hesitates. "The story I've been hearing is that um… someone did CPR on you, and that's what woke you up."

You scoff. "CPR? Seriously? That's not nearly powerful enough to break the Evil Queen's magic."

She nods. "I know. I think there's more to it, but like I said I wasn't there to actually see what happened. I'm just repeating what I've heard from other people."

"Sorry, you're right. I shouldn't shoot the messenger." You say, and then you hesitate a moment. "But if it were true, um… did you hear who it was that did CPR on me?"

"No."

"Oh."

You're almost certain she's lying.

-o-

You spend the next week waiting for somebody, anybody, to tell you the truth about what really happened. But nobody does. It's like the whole school took a vow not to speak of it to you. Your friends keep acting like everything is fine and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Except for Daring, who's still acting nervous around you and looking like somebody ran over his puppy.

You do notice that people keep giving you sympathetic, pitying looks. Like, 'Oh poor Apple, she's not getting the destiny she planned. Better be hextra nice to her.' It's subtle. Soft expressions, fake smiles, and voices sappy and full of concern. But once you know to look for it it's easy to spot. It takes all of your training in poise and elegance not to slap somebody.

You know you could just ask someone. Briar or Ashlynn would probably tell you. Cedar would definitely tell you. But stubborn pride keeps you from asking. You shouldn't have to ask, one of your friends should just tell you without you prompting it. They know how important your destiny is to you, and it stings that they're all content with letting you believe a falsehood. You can't remember being so angry. But you're also a little bit terrified. Because you can't imagine what could be so bad that nobody wants to talk about it.

You've taken to practicing dragon games as a way to let off steam. Each afternoon you're at the pitch hurling balls through rings with every ounce of strength you have. You feel yourself getting stronger and more furious each day. Sometimes you get so intensely focused in your training you forget about the world around you. There are no people, no destiny conflicts, no anything. Just hoops to aim for.

You always practice alone, not that anyone has offered to practice with you anyway. But to you training is a solitary activity. That is, until the day Darling stops in to see you. Except you've blocked out the world and you don't see her until after the ball you were holding leaves your fingertips. Her eyes widen, but her instincts kick in and she ducks just in time.

You gasp and clasp your hands to your mouth. "Oh my Grimm! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you."

"It's okay." She says. She sounds nervous for some reason. She bites her bottom lip and fidgets with her silver bracelets. "I wanted to talk to you about something. Do you have a minute?"

You nod. And all you can think is finally.

"Is this about how I woke up from being poisoned?" You ask as the two of you sit next to each other on the metal sideline bench.

"Oh. So you already know?" You notice a faint blush creep across her cheeks.

"Well Raven told me it wasn't Daring who woke me up, but she didn't say what did instead."

"It wasn't anything bad. At least I hope you don't think so." She says that second sentence almost like an afterthought. "Apple, do you remember anything after you woke up?"

You think for a moment. "I remember coughing up clouds of smoke. They were red, and they smelled like sulfur. And there was a person standing next to me. They must have been the person who woke me up. It wasn't Daring. He was… he was standing in the crowd."

You grit your teeth and throw your body weight back on the bench, suddenly feeling very stupid. "Grimm, I'm such an idiot! How did I not realize it wasn't Daring? What, did I think he kissed me and then sprinted away?"

"Apple it's okay." Darling says reassuringly. It's only now that you realize you're holding hands. "Go on. What else do you remember?"

"The person was wearing blue, and they were stroking my hair. They were so gentle. I think… they were a girl." This particular detail was lost on you until now, but as soon as you say it you know it's right. Then your gut tells you something else. You swallow hard. "I think it was you."

She nods timidly, and tightens the grip on your hand. "Yeah. It was me. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner. I just couldn't find the words."

"How did you do it though?" You ask, but you think you already know the answer.

"It was supposed to be CPR."

"Supposed to be?"

She takes a breath. "You probably don't remember this, but at one point when you were poisoned, you woke up on your own. You sat straight up and gasped for air. Then your eyes rolled back and you collapsed. I knew I had to do something. Instinct just kicked in. All I could think was I need to wake Apple up, I need to wake Apple up. So I put my lips on your lips, and it worked."

"So it was a kiss?"

"Something like that."

"True love's kiss. Darling Charming. My true love." You say, trying out the words for the first time. You chuckle softly, and an ear-to-ear grin blossoms across your face. Because suddenly everything that didn't make sense about you now does. Like you've been trying to force a square peg into a round hole for your whole life prior, but now someone's finally, finally given you the right shape.

"So you're not… disappointed?" You look at her. She has the face of an angel, but she still seems so nervous. You aren't sure what to make of it. It's so unlike her to be afraid of anything. She's the girl who looks fear in the eyes for kicks.

"Are you?" You ask.

She shakes her head.

"Then I'm not either."

-o-

Hanging around Daring has become painfully awkward, almost like a chore. You're coming to terms with the changes in your story, and what those changes mean about you. But he's still in deep denial. Does he think that by spending time together and pretending you're in love he'll magically become the Prince in your story? You don't have the heart to tell him it doesn't work that way.

Still, you try to see this through his eyes. He's lost his destiny completely. You can't imagine how hard that must be. You might be a lesbian princess, but you're still a princess. Your destiny itself hasn't changed, and nobody's whispering about whether or not you're going to be Snow White.

And maybe, there's a little part in you that's in denial too.

You wish something in your life would go according to plan. It would be so easy if Daring was the hero in your story. You wouldn't have to be asking yourself these questions about love and sexuality and what it is you really want.

"That dress looks cute on you." Raven says. You suppress a pleased grin, and curl your toes inside your shoes. "Big plans tonight?"

You nod. "Daring and I are going to The Amber Blossom."

Those strange feelings you have for Raven finally have a name. Attraction. You're in love with her. You think you've always been, but you didn't know how to deal with those feelings so you buried them away. You still don't know how to deal with them, but there's no sense in denying what's staring you plain in the face.

"Okay, what gives?" Raven asks. You turn to look at her and see she's staring at you with a stone-cold expression.

"Sorry?"

"When you and Daring thought you were destined to be together, you never acted like it. In fact, it never even seemed like you wanted to be a couple. But now that you aren't destined to-"

"We don't know that for sure!" You say sharply.

"Okay, now that there's reason to doubt that you're destined to be together, you suddenly start acting romantic? I don't get it."

"We're not acting romantic."

"Walking to class together? Sitting tucked away in quiet corners of the lifairy? Going to dinner at The Amber Blossom? What else would you call it?"

"I'm just being nice Raven." You say, and you start packing your things into your clutch. You're just about ready to leave. "Daring's been so down lately, and this is making him feel better."

"Okay. But you should know I don't think what you're doing is a good idea. It's not going to help either of you in the long run."

"Thanks, but I don't remember asking for your opinion." You say as you turn to go. That sounded kind of harsh, you think. You're really more mad at yourself than you are at Raven, and it's not fair to take your frustrations out on her. But you don't go back to apologize.

Daring's already seated when you arrive at The Amber Blossom. You know you're on time, so he must have been early. He looks stiff sitting in his chair. His back is rigid, and his eyes are everywhere. He can't seem to find anything to focus on. When he spots you he springs up to pull your chair out for you.

"Hi Daring. You look handsome." You say. And he really does. He's beautiful, but not in the way you find attractive.

"Thanks. You look lovely too." He smiles at you, and you smile back. You both sit down and stare at each other in awkward silence for a few minutes. Neither of you is quite sure what to say.

A waiter comes by to take your drink orders and places a basket of bread rolls on your table. Fresh and warm from the oven, you can see steam wafting above them. You take one and place it on your plate. Daring starts to reach across the table. You think he's grabbing for a roll, but instead he moves toward your hand resting on the table next to your soup spoon.

His hand hovers above yours. You watch it, waiting for him to rest it on top. That's what he's trying to do right? But he doesn't. Instead he pulls it away quickly, like he's had a change of heart. You stare at him, and he has a panicked, deer-in-headlights expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." He says quickly, and gets up from the table to leave. You follow after him out the door, and you see him sitting on the curb, breathing heavily with his head in his hands. You sit next to him, smoothing out your skirt as you bend your knees.

"Daring, what's wrong?" You ask.

"This isn't working. Why isn't this working?" He says, shaking his head back and forth.

"It's okay." You say and you rub small, soothing circles on his back. "It's okay."

"No it's not! This has to work. It's all I have."

"Daring, if it's meant to be, it'll happen. Destiny isn't something you can rush. I would know." You say, and you pull your knees a little closer to your chest.

"What if it doesn't happen? What if I don't have a destiny?"

"You do though!" You say adamantly. "I saw your page when Raven and I released the Storybook of Legends."

"Really? What did it say?" He looks at you from between his fingers.

Your voice falters. "I- I didn't get a chance to read it, but I know that you have one. Which means you must have a destiny."

"But that means it could be anything." He lets out a long sigh. "If I'm not Prince Charming, what am I?"

You take his hands away from his face, holding them in your own, and look him square in the eye. "Daring Charming, you are one of the kindest, bravest people I know, and you are going to do something spectacular. Maybe you'll do it through your pre-determined destiny, whatever that may be, or maybe you'll do it some other way. You have a choice. You can choose your own happy ending."

You feel Daring's weight shift as he starts to stand up, and you follow suit. Once you're both on your feet he throws himself around you in an all-encompassing hug. You relax, circle your own arms around him to return the gesture, and let him hold you until he's ready to pull away. Some passersby eye you strangely, but you pay them no mind. You both need this.

"Do you want to go back to dinner?" You ask, once he's let go.

He shakes his head. "Not really."

"Me either." You say. You look north, at the castle in the distance. "Let's head back. I think the castleteria's still open. It's pizza night." You say, smiling and gently nudging his upper arm. You see the ghost of a smile on his lips. He's going to be alright, you think.

You take his hand and the two of you begin walking towards school. Towards home.

-o-

It seems the Evil Queen's influence will never really be gone from the realm. Why else would the King of Winter be acting so out of his mind? It's almost summer, but everything is cold and frozen thanks to him.

You and Raven do your best to keep people warm after the heat gives out. You have kindling, and a box of matches. Raven has Nevermore. You wish you could call on your own dragon to help speed up the work, but Braebyrn's too big to fit through the front door, let alone the narrow dormitory hallways.

You're down to your final match when you reach Darling's room. As you knock on the door you can tell something's off. The wood feels colder than it should be, and you can hear the high pitched whistle of wind coming from inside. When you open the door you see the window is wide open. Snow and cold air are billowing inside. And Darling is at the forefront struggling to get it closed.

"Oh my Grimm!" You say, and you rush over to help her. With one of you on each side of the window you manage to get it closed and latched shut.

"Th-Th-Thanks. It b-blew open." Darling shivers, and her nose and fingers are red and raw. You worry about frostbite, or hypothermia. You search the room for something warm, and your eyes land on a pink blanket on the chair next to you. You grab it and place it around Darling's shoulders. Then you head for the unlit fireplace. You strike a match, light the kindling, and fiddle with the logs with a poker until you have a roaring fire going.

"Here, come sit by the fire." You say.

"Thanks." She says, and she sits by the fire with her hadns stretched out towards the flames. "Do you mind hanging around? I could use the company. Rosabella's off on a quest to end this storm."

You nod. Your only other plan was to do thronework. This seems like a better use of your time. You grab another blanket off Darling's bed and sit beside her, close enough for you to share body heat.

"Have you seen your brother lately?" You ask, looking for an anchor to start a conversation.

She smiles. "In all his furry glory. Do you know what happened to him?"

"I assume he got cursed by the Snow King."

"That would make sense, given everything that's happened today. First Evil Queens, now cursed Kings. Do you think we can ever just have a normal school year?"

"It wouldn't be Ever After if there wasn't some evil villain trying to take over every spellmester." You both laugh. And you look at her. She has these perfect, heart-shaped lips that you should really stop staring at. "We tried kissing again. Your brother and I, I mean. He thought it might turn him back to normal, and I figured there was no harm in trying."

"So what happened?"

"He licked my face. Like a dog would."

Darling snorts, loud and unabashedly. The outburst momentarily shocks you, then you feel a giggle rising up in your stomach. And suddenly you're both rocking back and forth laughing hysterically. You feel warmth radiating from inside you. And you hope that you can have many more moments like this with Darling in the future.

"Well if it wasn't official before that Daring wasn't your prince, I'm pretty sure it is now." Darling says, wiping a laughter tear away from her eye.

"For him maybe, but if I'm being honest with myself, I've known for a while that Daring wouldn't be the person kissing me awake."

"Oh?" She says, quirking an eyebrow.

You've never talked about this with anyone before. You aren't sure how to convert all the thoughts swimming around in your head into words. But you more than trust Darling, and there's no time like the present to give it a try. You take a deep breath.

"For as long as I can remember everyone told me that falling in love with Daring would make me the happiest I've ever been. I didn't have any reason to doubt them, so I went along with it. I fooled myself into thinking the bland, platonic feeling I got around Daring was actually true love. Then I fell in love with a girl. Only I didn't realize it, or maybe I did and I buried it away. It scared me to think I could be anything but straight. Everyone had all these expectations for me, and I felt like if I deviated from them, I'd be letting them all down."

"All this pressure our parents put on us isn't healthy." Darling says. She stares straight at the crackling fire. "My mom was the first person I came out to, back when I was 13. She told me being bi was a phase I'd grow out of, and that I shouldn't tell anyone about it. It really messed with my head. Whenever I was attracted to a girl I felt so guilty and ashamed. I've been trying to work past all that, but sometimes I still hear my mom's voice in the back of my head telling me my feelings aren't real."

"I haven't told my parents yet. Actually I haven't talked about this stuff with anyone until now. I didn't really know how to. It's nice to have someone sort of going through the same thing." You glance over at her, and smile sheepishly.

Darling smiles back at you, and takes her hands in yours. "Maybe we can work through all this together?"

"I'd like that." You lace your fingers between hers and squeeze her hands a little tighter.

Your both silent for a few moments, then Darling starts to speak. "So… the girl you're in love with, it's Raven, isn't it?"

You let go of her hands and nod. "Was it that obvious?"

"Only because I knew to look for it."

You sigh. "You must think I'm really pathetic."

"No no of course not! I would never think that about you. Raven's amazing, and I can see why you care for her so much."

"I don't know what to do. It's not like I want to have all these feelings for her, but no matter what I do, I can't make them go away."

"Well acknowledging their existence is a good start." She says, stroking your hair. It's always so comforting when she does that. "Have you thought about telling Raven how you feel?"

"What! No! I can't do that!" You exclaim.

"Sure you can. Being honest and airing out your feelings will help you move past them."

"What if it messes up our friendship?"

"It won't. I know Raven well enough to know she won't hold this against you."

You want to believe her, but you still aren't sure.

Darling looks at you with a tender, gentle expression. "You don't have to if you don't want to. But just think about it, okay?"

"Alright." You say. You know you aren't ready to do it yet, but you'll hold onto the suggestion until you are.

Darling clears her throat. "Uh… while we're on the subject of being honest with our feelings, did you know I used to have a crush on you?"

You gawk at her. Did you hear that right? "You did not!"

"I did! When we first met I thought you were the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. Girl or boy. And I thought my brother was the luckiest guy in the world because he got to slay dragons and marry you. I've had plenty of other crushes since, but I never really forgot about you. Something always kept you in the back of my mind."

"Maybe it was destiny?" You say, only partially joking.

She chuckles. "Maybe it was."

"I remember the day we met too." You say. "I thought you were going to trip in those heels."

"I nearly did a few times!" She laughs. "I hated those things. My mother insisted I wear them, along with that horrible blue dress."

"That dress was pretty though!"

"Not to my eight year old self. I hardly cared about looking girlish then. The only thing I wanted to wear back then was my dragon pajamas."

"Well I thought the dress was pretty. And I thought you were really pretty too. I don't know if I'd call it a crush, but I couldn't stop staring at you the whole time. I was looking at you when I should have been looking at Daring."

This makes her laugh. She has such a cute laugh. You glance at her, and you really think you could see yourself falling in love with her. You nuzzle your head into the crook of her neck. She giggles, and wraps an arm around your shoulder. You two sit curled together by the fire as the storm swirls around you outside.

-o-

Daring and Rosabella become the talk of the school overnight. Are they dating? Are they not? Is Daring's destiny supposed to be the next beast? You're glad the attention isn't on you and your destiny woes anymore. Though people still ask you your opinion on the whole thing. They always expect you to be bitter or something. But you aren't. You're thrilled for them. Thrilled that Daring found his purpose and is making flowers grow with his smile again. Thrilled that he and Rosabella found happiness and love with each other. And you aren't going to pretend otherwise to stir up drama.

One rainy afternoon you see them standing next to Rosabella's locker. They're talking, but you're too far away to hear what they're saying. Daring's carrying a stack of books you're certain are Rosabella's. She takes them out of his hands one by one, and organizes them on her locker shelf. When she's finished she shuts the door and they smile and wave goodbye. He lingers, watching her walk away with a love-stricken expression.

You accost Daring after she's far enough out of earshot. "So… you and Rosabella?" You ask, nudging him with your elbow.

"We're just friends." He says quickly, and you see a faint blush sweep across his cheeks. He looks down at the ground, suddenly very interested in his shoes.

You frown at him. "Daring, we can talk about this stuff you know."

"What stuff?" He asks.

"Crushes. Girls you like. Things of that nature."

"You don't think it's awkward, given our history?" He asks.

You scoff. "What history? Us thinking we'd get married one day, and pretending we'd like it? I can't speak for you, but I never had those kinds of feelings for you."

He smiles a little wistfully. "I wanted it to work between us. I mean you're beautiful, and smart and kind. Everyone always said we were the perfect match, but… there was always something missing."

"Chemythstry. That's what was missing." You say, laughing. "Love isn't something you can force. It's something that happens. It didn't happen between us, and that's okay. We can be friends. And we can talk about what's going on between you and Rosabella. Are you two dating or what?"

"No, we're not dating."

"But you like her?"

"Yeah. I do. She's beautiful. Not just physically beautiful, inwardly beautiful too. She's so passionate about the things she cares about. I've never met anyone with so much heart."

You bite your lip to keep from smiling too hard. "You are so ridiculously cute when you're in love."

"Shut up." He says, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "How about we talk about you and my sister instead? What's with the rumors I'm hearing about you two getting cozy during the blizzard?"

"Nothing happened, we just talked." You say into your shirt collar. Now it's your turn to turn into a blushing fool.

"I should warn you though, if you hurt her or break her heart-"

You interrupt his tirade with uncontrollable laughter.

"Are we really doing this?" You ask, once you've got the giggles under control. You can see why some guys would think his 'protective brother' shtick is terrifying. But this is Daring. The guy who squirmed and shrieked his way through Jack and Jill Dead: The Sequel and crawled in bed with his parents during thunderstorms until he was nine. You're not intimidated.

"Yes! Darling is my little sister and-"

"And she can look after herself Daring. You don't need to be the dragon that protects her castle, she's more than capable of doing that herself. Besides, I think you're jumping the gun here. We're not dating. I don't even know if she's interested."

"Well the other day she came out to me and Dexter, and she told us there was a girl she liked. She didn't name names, but I got a feeling it was you."

This causes you to blush deep crimson. "If I ask her out you're not going to crash all our dates are you?" You say to lighten the mood.

He thinks for a moment, looking conflicted. "Maybe just the first one?"

You frown at him. He sticks his hands up in alarm. "Okay okay fine! I trust you guys."

-o-

You think about the advice Darling gave you a lot. Tell Raven, being honest and airing out your feelings will help you move past them. It never occurred to you that you could do anything with your feelings but keep them to yourself. The thought of telling her scares you witless, but you know in your gut that it's the right thing to do. You can't start a new chapter until you finish the old one.

Plus Darling came out to her brothers, which couldn't have been easy either. If she can do it, so can you.

You work on building up the courage. You practice the words in front of a mirror until they sound right. Then on a warm Saturday afternoon as you're studying in your room, you look up from your book and take a deep breath. Your heart is beating about a million miles a minute and you think you might throw up. But you do it. Your brain and your mouth work together to form the words, and when they reach Raven's ears you brace yourself for the inevitable ending of the world.

But it doesn't come.

You told Raven you love her, and you're both still here. The earth is still spinning, you haven't been swallowed whole, and Raven's wide-eyed and wearing an expression you can't quite read.

"I'm sorry." She says.

"What are you apologizing for?"

She shrugs. "I don't know? It just felt like the right thing to say."

"So you're not mad?" You ask.

She shakes her head. "Of course not. Apple, you can't control how you feel."

"Good. Because I don't want this to change things, but I wanted you to know."

"Well, I guess it does change a few things, but not the fact that you're my friend and I care about you an awful lot."

"Silly, you're my storybook villain. You're not supposed to care about me." You say meekly.

She laughs, and after a moment you do too. Raven slides off her bed and walks over to your side of the room, approaching you at your desk.

"Can I hug you?" She asks. You nod, and hug her back as she wraps her arms around your shoulders. Raven's right, now that you've cleared the air some things are going to change. But you're glad this isn't one of them.

-o-

Darling works out in the school gym almost every afternoon. You've seen her there before, but you've never paid her much mind. She'd be at the weight machines or the treadmill doing her own thing as you bustled off to debate team practice or royal student council to do yours.

Today she's practicing sparring with a dummy. Her movements are quick and artful, like poetry in motion. You almost want to stay here and watch her, but that would be slightly creepy. You step into her line of sight, and wait a few moments for her to spot you. Her movements slow to a halt, and she removes her ear buds.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" You ask. You glance around the gym once more to make certain you're alone. You don't want to have this conversation in front of an audience.

She nods, and wipes the sweat off her forehead. Her hair is piled high in a messy ponytail, and wow, those biceps. Even fresh after a workout she looks gorgeous. Maybe her strength and fearlessness are what make her so gorgeous.

"So I told Raven about... you know, the thing we talked about."

She grins at you. "That's hexcellent! How did it go?"

"It went well. It was only slightly awkward, and she doesn't hate me for it. You were right. It helped. I still feel something for her, but it's softer. More platonic. I think we're going to be okay."

"Good, that's great. Apple I'm so proud of you!"

"Well, I owe a lot of it to you. You were the one who gave me the courage to do it." You say, shuffling your feet awkwardly.

"What? No, you're giving me way too much credit. I didn't do anything, this was all you."

"But-"

"Nope won't hear it!"

You sigh. "Okay fine."

You're both silent for a moment. You venture a few steps closer to her.

"So… I heard that you came out to your brothers." You say.

She nods. "They were both a little surprised, but otherwise I think they took it well. They're not chasing away everyone that tries to talk to me so that's good."

"Yeah, that's great. Um… I also heard that there's a girl you might like."

Her face flushes pink. "Yeah… I may have mentioned something about that to them."

"Well, there's a girl that I like too, and I'm hoping she likes me back."

"Oh, and who might this girl be?" She asks with a knowing smile.

Instead of answering, you kiss her. And you feel her mouth grinning as she kisses you back, with lips so soft and perfect you could melt.

When you pull away you're both flushed and grinning cheek to cheek. You look into Darling's eyes and you're reminded of her younger self. The smiling girl with dimples and a missing front tooth. You never imagined you'd be kissing her someday.

"Wow." Darling breathes.

"Yeah. Wow."

"That was… wow. Definitely an improvement kissing you when you're awake."

"I would hope so." You chuckle.

"Nothing like being Prince Charming to make you feel like a necrophiliac, but no destiny is perfect, right?"

A tiny part of you is taken aback, but in a good way. You weren't sure Darling wanted to be in your story. Now that she can choose her destiny, you thought she'd pick something else. In fact, you'd sort of come to expect it.

"So you're going to do it? Be Prince charming, I mean. I know you weren't keen on following your destiny, and I wouldn't be offended if you decided to do something else."

She smirks playfully. "Well, I was against being a damsel in distress, but I'm... open-minded about being the dashing, courageous, Prince Charming to your Snow White."

And you're grinning all over again. You think you're going to burst from joy. "Open-minded, huh? Alright tell me, Miss dashing Prince Charming, what will it take to sway you?"

"Kiss me again." She says.

So you do. You swing your arms around her neck and fill the empty space between your bodies. She puts her hands on your waist to pull you even closer. You can feel the heat rolling off her, and she smells like… sweat and antiperspirant. Right, she was just working out. Now that you've noticed it you can't not notice it, and it kind of kills the mood, so you pull away.

"Have I swayed you, oh knight?" You ask.

She taps her finger on her chin in faux concentration. "You're getting there, but I think I need a few kisses more to be properly convinced."

"I think you're being a little greedy, and I think you need a shower." You say, but you stand on your toes and give her a peck on the cheek anyway.

"You're probably right, at least about that last part." She sniffs her shirt collar and makes a disgusted face. "Ugh... let's pick this up later" She says, and she starts heading towards the locker room.

"Wait." You say, and you grab her wrist before she can get too far. "I don't know if it's too early to say this, considering we're not dating and we've only kissed twice-"

"But do you want to be dating?" She asks, interrupting you.

"Well yes, but that's beside the point. What I wanted to say is that I love you Darling."

She smiles back at you. "I love you too Apple." And you don't care how bad she might smell right now, you need to kiss her again.

Fairytales always made love seem so easy, but it's not. It's a messy, complicated balancing act of feelings that never seemed to pan out in your favor. It was always forced or unreciprocated. You were starting to think it wasn't real at all, just an unattainable idea found in fantasy. But right now, in this quiet moment with Darling's lips on yours, you know that true love exists. Because you feel it from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, coursing through you like a river.

---

If you didn't get the reference, Caleb Batterson is the son of Casey from 'Casey at the Bat' (the last name Batterson is actually from a baseball playing OC my brother had as a kid :P) Elwin and Elodie Shumaker are from 'The Elves and The Shoemaker'
Oh! And Elodie and Darling's date was a one time thing that ended up not working, but I forgot to fit that into the story!

I feel like a traitor writing Raven/Dexter. But hey, it's canon whether I like it or not, and I wanted this fic to be canon compliant.

comments and likes are muy apreciado.