Summary: AU- Mulan and Aurora were friends in cursed Storybrooke. When time starts to move again they realize that they might be more than friends.
Inspired by a post on Tumblr. Requested by Anon.
Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT or the characters.
A Snowball to the Heart
"Oomf." It hits her on the cheek and she frowns as she wipes away the cold. She peers around Storybrook's small park, scanning for her attacker. She spots the auburn hair ducking behind a tree and she smiles mischievously.
She moves swiftly and gathers as much snow as she can while in motion. Mulan smiles when her back is against the tree, takes a breath, and then twirls, dumping her gathered snow onto her best friend.
Aurora gasps and jumps away.
"Oh my god!" She's squealing now, as she brushes the snow from her cheeks. Her fierce eyes meet Mulan and she glares playfully. "You are so going down!"
Mulan's eyes go wide and she runs, Aurora close on her heels. Just as she catches up to her with plans to smush her face into the snow, her foot hits ice and she slides, knocking into Mulan and they bother go down into a heap of snow.
Aurora lands half on top of Mulan, who groans.
"Are you… trying… to kill me?"
"I'm sorry. I really am. I just… y'know… slipped." She gives Mulan her best apologetic look.
"You always have been quite a klutz." She teases and Aurora pokes her cheek in protest. Her hand seems to have a mind of its own, though, and the poke turns into her tracing Mulan's diple, her cheek, her jaw.
Aurora is transfixed, and Mulan's eyes flutter when the finger runs along her throat. Mulan clearing her throat seems to bring sense back to Aurora and she pulls her hand away quickly, blushing.
"I'm sorry. You're just- um- soft." Aurora's cheeks are burning as she rolls off of Mulan and stands. She reaches out a hand and helps Mulan to her feet.
"Perhaps we should head home and warm up? Drink some hot chocolate and watch a movie?" Aurora smiles at that and nods, happy to forget about what just happened.
Moments like that have been happening more and more often, recently, and it's causing many new, conflicting and confusing, emotions to stir in the girls. Neither of them mention it to each other, of course.
…SW…SW…SW…
Back at their shared apartment they get out of their wet clothing and dress down for the night. Mulan wears her fuzzy pajama bottoms and a t-shirt while Aurora wears her more expensive matching silk pajamas.
The night is cold and their tiny apartment has a chill to it. While Mulan sets up the living room for movie night, pulling out the couch-bed and gathering pillows and blankets from their bedrooms, Aurora prepares the hot chocolate and popcorn.
Mulan is smoothing out the blankets when Aurora comes in, carefully balancing the popcorn bowl between the mugs in each hand.
"Here, let me get that." When Mulan takes the bowl her eyes are drawn down to her friend's chest, which appears to be quite… cold. She blushes and shakes her head, dragging her eyes back to Aurora's. She smiles sheepishly before moving to her side of the bed.
"What are we watching?" Aurora asks as she settles into her spot and hands Mulan her drink. The brief moment where their fingers brush sends tingles up her arm.
"I was thinking we could watch Nightmare Before Christmas?" Mulan tends to pick this movie around this time every year, so Aurora was expecting it.
"That works for me. Oh, I meant to ask, where's Phillip tonight?"" Phillip is their third roommate who dreads movie night if it's Aurora's pick because she tends to pick Romantic Comedies. It's unusual, though, for him to be absent when it's Mulan's night to pick.
"I think he finally asked 'you-know-who' on a date." At this Aurora's eyes go wide.
"No? Really? Are you sure?" Mulan nods and Aurora smiles. For almost four months Phillip has constantly been talking about his new crush, Killian Jones, but Aurora never thought hed get up the courage to ask him out.
"Good for him. Maybe we can double-date sometime." As soon as the words leave her mouth she freezes.
Double. Date. Which would imply that she and Mulan, her best friend, are dating. Whoops.
"Um-uh- I didn't mean- well- I just-" Mulan gives her a sympathetic look, though Aurora thinks she might see hurt a bit of hurt flash through her features.
"I get it. That's not what you meant. It's fine." Despite the reassuring words the denial doesn't feel 'fine' to either of them.
…SW…SW…SW…
They don't talk much during the movie and when it ends they both feel really uneasy.
"So… Which door would you pick?" Aurora asks, trying to ease the tension they've somehow created.
"I would pick… hmm… probably the Halloween one to be honest. What about you?"
"The Valentine's Day one, definitely. I just love… love." Mulan rolls her eyes at that and stands, making her way to the bookshelf.
"Would you like to continue our stories?" She reaches for a familiar boo with a smile.
Aurora was never very fond of reading until Mulan showed her how wonderful books can be. Every once in a while Mulan will read aloud to Aurora. Most recently they have been reading from Grimm's Fairytales. The way the stories can differ from what is shown in the children movies both frightens and amazes Aurora.
She nods and Mulan brings the book back to the sofa. Aurora scoots closer, once Mulan gets comfortable, and she closes her eyes when she starts to read.
"There was once and enchantress, who had three sons…" Aurora sighs contentedly while she listens to Mulan read. She loves this, listening to her. There are many layers to the woman's voice and Aurora finds them all so fascinating, captivating.
Aurora's eyes open and she finds herself watching her friend. Her eyes follow the path her finger had traced earlier and she blushes at the memory.
Mulan is breathtaking.
The movement of her jaw as she reads the story is so elegant and strong. Aurora finds herself wishing she could just lean forward and place a kiss there.
She leans closer and Mulan stops reading, her eyes finding Aurora's.
"Are you tired? Would you like to stop for this evening?" She's so caring and Aurora loves it. The soft look her friend gives her makes her feel special, like it's a look reserved just for her.
That's foolish to think, she shouldn't entertain these thoughts, but she finds them harder and harder to dismiss.
She leans closer.
Mulan's eyes flicker briefly to her lips and she bites her bottom lip in response. Mulan's face as she does this fuels Aurora's temptation. She sees desire in Mulan's dark eyes and she hopes that it matches the desire brewing inside of her.
They're so close now that Aurora can feel the heat radiating off of the other woman. It's exhilarating.
"What are you-" Aurora cuts her off with a kiss. Her lips press firmly against Mulan's and at first she doesn't respond. Embarrassed, Aurora starts to pull back but Mulan's lips follow hers and they lock again.
Mulan lets the book fall between them and she cups Aurora's cheeks. Their lips slide together with ease. Aurora's lips part slightly and she tongue traces Mulan's bottom lip. Mulan groans and opens her mouth, granting Aurora access.
Aurora's hands tangle in Mulan's hair. One of Mulan's hands slides to Aurora's neck while the other grips her hip. Her fingers fist in the silky fabric and she gently pushes Aurora so that she's on top of her.
Mulan's lips move from Aurora's to her jaw, down to her neck. Aurora tilts her head and moans when Mulan sucks at her pulse point.
The sound seems to shake Mulan of her haze and she quickly moves backwards, off of Aurora.
"I- oh my- did that just- I'm confused." Aurora frowns and sits up, growing unsure of herself.
They are silent for a while, sitting next to each other without touching.
"We kissed." Aurora finally states, turning to face Mulan.
"Yes, we did."
"Do you regret it?" Mulan almost instantly shakes her head.
"No. I don't. I… I liked it." At that Aurora sighs.
"So did I." They are both smiling and they scoot closer to each other, barely brushing.
"So where do we go from here?" Mulan's eyes are soft, curious, and more than a little nervous.
"I like you, Mulan, and I think I've felt this way for a while now. Could we maybe, try this? Us?"
"I'd like that."
The awkward and unsure seems to slip away as they both relax back into the couch-bed. Aurora lays her head on Mulan's chest as she continues to read. Shortly after, Aurora falls asleep. Mulan smiles to herself, closes the book, and sets it to the side. She kisses Aurora's head and pulls the blanket over them, falling asleep with ease.
When Phillip sneaks in at ten to two in the morning he smiles at what he finds.
It's about time.
What did you think? Care to leave a review?