In gin veritas
Prompt: Ursula taking care of/having to deal with a very drunk Cruella. Imagine unfiltered conversation and accidental confessions. But it's late and she needs to be put in bed. Both fluff and smut endings are possible.
It took just a whole night out with Cruella, for Ursula to understand what kind of drunk she was. She didn't loose completely her mind, she didn't become particularly friendly or angrier – but that last thing would have been difficult, considering the woman's already high level of irritation. No, for most of the time, she simply remained aside, staring at the empty bottle of gin in front of her, with a sad expression on her face. She seemed almost ready to cry and frankly, the sea witch didn't know if being amused or softened about it.
"I take care of it" she finally said, standing up with a heavy sigh.
With those simple words, Ursula got rid of both the wolf girl's nasty glare and her two other friends, who were now excused from the likely heavy task she had instead decided to take. With a nod, she said goodbye to Regina and Maleficent and then headed towards the last member of the group, who was sitting right in front of the counter.
"Cruella… Are you alright?" she asked a bit cautiously, placing a hand behind the woman's back.
Mrs De Vil simply turned her head, just enough to look at the new arrived and at the same time to be looked as well. There was something that had gone missing before, something that now was amended by closeness: she wasn't ready to cry, her eyes were already full of tears. Suddenly, it was clear the truth behind the words gin and desperation often used by Rumplestiltskin about her.
"I used to have a closet full of furs, you know that? Lars was a completely idiot… But he was rich and I had so many furs! So many furs and now they are all gone…"
Hearing those words, worry instantly vanished from Ursula's face and she didn't hold back the impulse of rolling her eyes. If there was a reason that could lead her ally to a minimal human reaction, of course that could be only a mass of animal hair! The fact somehow made her angry and she was even starting to consider the idea of leaving her there, with just the not so loving attention of Ms Lucas and her neice. Anyway, Cruella in the meanwhile hadn't stop talking and the matter of conversation had become another.
"… but maybe that's what I deserve! I am far too magnificent to live in peace in this world" she said in fact with temporary self-confidence, soon overturned by a pained expression though "But also cruel… I've destoryed a true love, perhaps…"
"Ah, really? Whose, Pongo and Perdita's?" the other woman interrupted her, still standing at her side, finding again the amusement for that situation.
"I said to the imp that his little maid has forgotten him… And that she didn't ask us about him! I've been really mean, right?"
"Oh, sweetheart, there is really no need to worry about the Dark One!" Ursula exclaimed, in an ironic and at the same time incredulous tone.
"But… But if we villains don't help each other, who is going to help us?" Crudelia insisted, with a strange light in her eyes, before suddenly grabbing her friend's arm.
The sea witch let out a bitter smile now and, if at first she had tensed up at the contact, then she didn't loose other time before being her the one to take the other woman's hands.
"For now, let me be the one to help you going to bed… What do you think?" she answered then with a hint of irony in the voice, but letting reveal also a certain apprehension.
And it was with that same apprehension that she kep her close, helping her to stand up and supporting her during the short but potentially dangerous way to their room at Granny's. Cruella, almost in a trance state, let herself be guided completely, even if she didn't stop talking even for a second. Furs, useless remorses and some malicious comment about the few people still remaining in the inn at that time: all was regular, at least until in that confused mix of words, an unusual and almost clashing thank you was added.
Ursula welcomed the unexpected gratitude with a forced smile and, without answering, she finally succeeded to lead her to the room they both shared since the arrival in town. She pulled the covers aside, gently stripped her from the fur and helped her lay down on the bed; she wasn't obliged to take care of her, but she felt like she wanted to after all.
"Should I talk to Rumplestiltskin? You know, in the end, I feel sorry for him and I kinda pity him…" Cruella was murmuring in the meanwhile, letting phisically herself go to those cares, but feeling mentally elsewhere "Or maybe I envy him…"
"For what? The short height?" Ursula echoed her, listening absent-mindedly, while removing the other woman's shoes.
That joke didn't have the hoped effect, quite the contrary it seemed to not even be heard. Cruella's eyes became wet again and the silence she fell in for a while, was almost worrying.
"No, because I didn't live a true love" she finally whispered with a calm and a bitterness almost unnatural "And I could have had it a long time ago, if only I haven't been such an idiot…"
Ursula stopped her moves and just stared at her for some moments in silence; she had understood more than what the woman had actually said, she had grasped completely the reference to their previous sort of relationship, a relationship that ended for many reasons after all – in case, the idiots were the both of them. However, after some moments of indecision, she faked ignorance and simply shook her head, preparing herself to speak with a forcely distant tone.
"Stop talking… I would like to sleep now, if you don't m-"
The words blocked in her throat, as blocked was the attempt to leave and reach the other bed in the opposite side of the room. For the second time in that night, Cruella had grabbed her arm and for the second time, that sudden touch had paralyzed her.
"I could have been really happy, we both could have… And maybe we still can… What do you say?"
The sea witch kept simply staring at her after that confession. Ignoring the reference would have been impossibile this time, as impossibe would have been blaming the alcohol: of course, she had been drinking too much, but the sincerity in her eyes was out of question.
If she had been sober she would have still thought those same things; the difference was that she wouldn't have said them out loud.
"In spite of everything, I still feel something for you" Mrs De Vil continued, without even realize the lack of answer and following simply the need to show what she was feeling – a chance given by the lack of filters in that moment. "And – what the hell! – I never fogot you… And I… I…"
"You what?" Ursula asked, confused by that interrumption and at the same time suddenly eager to hear what was next.
Cruella tried to sit up, pushing a hand on her mouth. "I… I think I am about to throw up"
Ursula widened her eyes and then slowly allowed herself a sincere laugh in the face of her friend. However she didn't hesitate much before taking her by the arms, ready to lead her now to the bathroom.
"Fine, I will hold your forehead, then…"
And in the end, couldn't that be considered already a form of true love?
Hello everyone! I'm starting this collection of short stories following some prompts I've received on tumblr. I will update as soon as possibile. Hope you liked this first one! Sea Devil is the way ;)