Being chosen [Wicked Quill]

Prompt: "I can't watch you with someone else. It's tearing me apart."

Sitting together on a bench in the park, one reading a book and the other checking her child playing: here it was a typical afternoon in Storybrooke for Isaac Heller and Zelena Mills. But what was atypical of that afternoon in particular, was that for the first time in over a year, an awkward and heavy silence separated them. Truth be told, the man tried more than once to start a conversation, but only got some nodds or, even worse, some sharp replies. So, for almost fifteen minutes, he just decided to give her space, but trying to ignore her revealed to be harder than he thought and the fact that during that time he didn't even turn the page, was a proof of that.

"Are you- are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?" he asked bluntly at some point, closing the book all of a sudden and turning his head completely to look at her.

Zelena didn't seem impressed at all, though. "As if you care…" she muttered with gritted teeth, slightly rolling her eyes.

"Of course I do care!" he exclaimed, looking somewhat puzzled. But soon his face softened, as he offered her a kind smile. "We are friends, aren't we?"

A smile appeared on her lips as well, but it actually was more like an ironical sneer. However, whatever she didn't like about the word friends was left unsaid.

"You are a good man, Isaac. So good and yet so stupid…" she started eventually. She was trying hard to keep calm, but her face showed already all the anger she felt inside.

"Oh, I did something wrong then"

"You are wasting your life over an unrequited love and you are accepting everything without protesting" she kept talking, completely ignoring his interruption. "She leaves the town, then comes back and you are still waiting for her like a puppy! And you know what? She doesn't even care!"

Isaac stared at her with widened her eyes for some moments after that outburst, feeling shocked, perplexed and most of all hurt. He was used to being called stupid – and right his beloved Cruella was the first to say it –, he was used not to being trated nicely, but somehow all that sharpness coming from her was unbearable. Maybe because, despite what she thought about it, they were friends indeed and what she had created with her was the most precious relationship he had in his life at the moment.

"Zelena! Why must you be so mean to me?" he asked, sounding sadder rather than angry. "I perfectly know that Cruella will never love me, but it's not like I have any other choice. She's the only person that made me feel like I was worthy and even if that was a lie, I don't care because I felt alive. Besides… Who else would choose someone like me?"

"I would!" That exclamation came out of her mouth before she could even think about it, but, anyway, she didn't seem to regret her instict. On the contrary, she looked at him for the first time and didn't try to take anything back. "I know that I'm a bad person too, but at least I do care for you. I really do."

The former author widened his eyes again, probably even more than before, as he found himself to be almost out of breath. "W-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you really are stupid and so blind, I'm saying that we can't be friends – like you say – anymore, I'm saying that I am really pissed off with you right now!" She suddenly stood up in a mixture of anger, pain and humiliation, keeping staring at him in the eyes. "I'm saying that I can't watch you with someone else. It's tearing me apart."

Her voice, as well as her all self, started to break pronouncing that last sentence, as she was unavoidably showing her fragility and her desperation. But that didn't last long though, because before he could have a reaction, she gave him her back and started to walk away, heading toward the place her kid was playing with Robin Hood. As for Isaac, he was left on the bench with his mind full of chaotic thoughts about the new discovery. However, luckily for him, he was able to find an order soon enough and an epiphany in perfect Joyce style hit him before she completely disappeared from his view.

Because finally he cared for someone that cared for him back. Because, as much as he had found hard to live without Cruella for years, he knew that without his relationship with Zelena he wouldn't have been able to survive even.

So he stood up as well and started to move. "Zelena! Wait!" he called for her aloud, not caring for some familiar heads turning in his direction. He walked quickly, almost ran, until finally he reached her and stopped right in front of her.

"I can't lose you…" he whispered, seriously and yet somewhat shyly. And as he spoke, he even dared to gently take her hands in his. "Don't let me lose you, please. It's just that I'm not used being chosen…"

In front of that confession, it was Zelena's turn to widen her eyes. Possibly, it was the best thing someone had ever told her; possibly, it meant that she wasn't being neglected for once. Her body trembled slightly, her eyes started to be filled with tears and, finally, a sincere smile appeared on her lips.

"Well, neither am I…" she replied softly, chuckling at herself and at her own past. Then, she squeezed his hands and just took a step more toward him, letting their faces closer. "…But we can learn together."

Hello everyone! I can't say how happy I am to write for this pairing. Authella is my beloved OTP, but Wicked Quill (or so this is called on Tumblr) is my current guilty pleasure. For me, Zel and Isaac are two cinnamon rolls needing of love lol I hope you liked it, I really would appreciate a feedback:)