Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so hopefully it's not too boring. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes; I'm very much dyslexic. But I reread my draft for this like seven times, so hopefully there's no mistakes that I didn't catch.
*Story is cross-posted on Ao3 under the same username.

This takes place during the "Floating with You" era when Cosmo and Wanda are at the Fairy Academy. Enjoy. :)
_

Soft stormwater tapped the glass panes of Wanda's bedroom window, mocking the tears that threatened to fall from her tired, pink eyes. The night sky's faint cries slid down the window, obscuring the glass with a gentle kiss of fog. Wanda mourned, locking eyes with a lone droplet of water.

'Just like me,' she thought. 'You're nameless, too. Unseen, just like I used to be.'

Her eyes followed the lone droplet as it glided its way down. It halted for a moment, merely a blink of a second, before it met another. A droplet similarly lonesome, they met. The lone bead took the "hands" of the other, embracing its new friend. Two forlorn drops became one: lovers of the sky's gentle cries. Sliding its way down, the newlywed droplet fell to the ground, two stories below.

In a way, it reminded her of herself– of Cosmo.

It was no secret their relationship was shunned by those around them. To others, they just seemed to be too different for one another. It was one of the many reasons Wanda had begun receiving strange looks in the halls during high school. Other students looked down on her in shame for finding love in the school's scapegoat. And they tore Cosmo down relentlessly for "tainting" a star cheerleader. But Wanda never cared for what the onlookers had to say.

By now, they were studying at the Fairy Academy to become godparents together. Though exam week had been particularly hard on them this semester. Afterall, studying to become a godparent was no easy task. But having taken four majorly difficult classes back-to-back, Wanda was left nothing but stressed. The strain brought upon worries once forgotten, brimming memories behind eyelids.

It seemed less people cared for their "odd" relationship now than what they had previously grown used to. Wanda was thankful for that. Folks seemed to be more mature in university. Yet, that didn't stop everyone from thinking they were a strange pair.

Wanda gazed back up towards the night sky. Yeah, she could agree. Her and Cosmo were different on the outside. He, dimwitted and hyperactive; she, the straight-A good girl. Yet, on the inside, she and Cosmo were one of the same. Both drowning in their loneliness, hopeless to swim to the surface of happiness until they crossed paths.

Before they met that Summer before junior year of high school, Wanda was lost. She struggled to see who she truly was. Those around her didn't know her to be "Wanda" either, merely a character played by insecurity. Others saw her as just "Juandisimo's girlfriend"–now more accurately "ex-girlfriend"–or "Blonda's younger sister". She was a byproduct of those she associated with, known only for those she knew and not who she was. Topping it off with the death of her mother from years back, Wanda felt hidden. She truly had no one to turn to.

She let out a faint whimper, eyes trailing down and locking with yet another lonely droplet on the windowpane.

Her mother was a woman of kindness, giving her love to everyone she met. To say the loss of her was hard would have been a massive understatement. It had been difficult for the entire family.

After her mother's passing, her father began focusing solely on the family business to avoid his heartache. Any attention he had to give to his daughters was more than likely given to Blonda. Their father played favourites–despite how he claimed not to–and Blonda was that favourite. An aspiring Fairywood actress, she had potential in his eyes. If she made it big, she could bring fame and fortune to the family. Something Wanda's dreams could never do.

According to her father, godparenting was no job worthy of a respected fairy. No daughter of his was going to work a job that didn't make the fairy race look its best. Most upper-class fairies were like that, believing humans to be lesser. Wanda, of course, disagreed. To use one's magic to save those who were lost, she thought that to be the most honourable job out there. She had dreamed of becoming a godparent ever since she was young. She knew what it was like to be lost, and if she could save just one person then it would be worth it to her. But her dreams fell on death's door in the eyes of her family.

"Cannoli, you're better than this," she recalled her father saying. "Fairywinkles do not babysit."

"But, daddy, I want to live my own life," she would retort. "I'm not cut out for the life you want. I don't want to be." But it was all in vain.

It didn't help her heartache, either, to know her father was openly against her relationship with Cosmo. A lot of people in her family were, especially when they knew she had previously dated the well-off Juandisimo Magnifico. Her father had made it perfectly clear what he thought of Cosmo.

"Sugar-plumb, you know he's not good for you. He's a low life. He ain't worth a lick."

"That's not true; he means everything to me!"

"Oh, mie stelle. He ain't smart enough to take care of a family. How can I be sure he'll take care of you?"

"You don't even know him!"

Wanda was certain, however, that if she were still alive, her mother would have been fully supportive of her choices. Her mother was just that kind of fairy, always caring for her daughters' dreams. Wanda had always been so sure her mother would have adored Cosmo, too. Because he made Wanda happy, and for her mother that would be enough.

She was a devoted woman and had been rather keen on teaching her daughters to be themselves. If something made them happy, then she wanted them to pursue it. It was a message Wanda had kept with her since childhood.

"Wanda, you're going to do great things one day," her mother would tell her. "Promise me you'll never give up."

"I promise…"

In a way, Cosmo offhandedly personified that ideology. He was himself no matter what. It didn't matter how many people told him he wasn't worth anything; he still chose to be who he wanted to be. He carried her mother's life lessons without even realizing it.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as a single tear escaped her eye. Though, she blinked, and the smile had faded.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Fairywinkle family had chosen not to listen to that advice. Instead, fairies like her father insisted that if her dreams could not benefit the whole family then they were not worth chasing at all. And they did not stop to ask how that made her feel, either.

Fairies at school were no different. No one asked how she felt; no one bothered to notice the pain behind her eyes. A tight, pink ponytail; a cheerleading uniform; that warm smile; and carefully applied makeup was enough for those who passed by to assume she was happy.

Her ex-boyfriend, Juandisimo, seemed only to make matters worse when he swooned over the other pretty faces in the hall while they were dating. He chased after the attention of other women without stopping to see how that made her feel. When he held her hand, it was an empty grasp. The compliments he showered her with were the same he paid to his biceps. Not even he asked how she felt.

Oh, but– "Wanda, mi amor, you shouldn't worry when you are with me," Jandisimo would say. "We are perfect. I love you, and that is enough."

Jandisimo had told her plenty of times he loved her when they were together, but that was all it ever seemed to be. Just words. Statements with no real meaning and no real emotion. Just… words.

He had never meant it.

"You don't love me."

Wanda tore her eyes away from the night sky, clasping them shut as she sighed. She had been so lost before Cosmo swam into her life. Drowning high school popularity, Juandisimo kept her sunk to the ocean's floor. For so long she had thought Juandisimo was her perfect match, yet Cosmo–without saying a word–had shown her just how wrong she had been.

Little by little, she had begun to notice the emptiness in Juanidismo's love. How he didn't love her, only how she made him look. It had always been about him. Had it not been for Cosmo, Wanda may have never broken free. Cosmo had brought her to the surface, and she could finally breathe.

"Mm," Wanda squeaked, a rebel tear sliding down her cheek.

Just hours earlier, Cosmo had devoted his morning to taking care of her because she had woken up with a migraine. Through his own worry for her, he had carried her to the sofa, fluffed the pillow behind her head, and laid a warm, dampened rag to her forehead. Afterward, muted the television–remembering to turn on subtitles–and laid down next to her, snuggling until the ache in her head disappeared. It was the little things like that which made Wanda wonder why her family didn't like him.

Cosmo was always so loving towards her. She didn't have to question if he loved her or not. When Cosmo said "I love you" he meant it. There were no doubts. Cosmo's love was always genuine.

"Stay there, Lambchop. I'll warm you a blanket in the dryer," he had told her before he left for class. The blanket was no longer warm now, chilled by the crisp December air. She only hoped he would be back soon.

The ticking of the wall clock nearby diverted her attention from her thoughts. 9:47, it read. It wouldn't be much longer.

'Hurry back, Cosmo,' she had thought. 'I miss you.'

Shifting at her spot by the window, she toyed with the peeling paint of the seal. She could feel the rainy air through the thin glass as her thoughts became clouded again.

Cosmo didn't have it any easier than she did during high school. No, certainly not. Constantly bullied by other kids, both younger and older than him, he was declared the school's punching bag, existing only for the jocks to get their anger out on.

It broke her heart to know, especially since she wasn't able to stop it. Teachers flat out ignored her concerns, and it wasn't like Luther Lex–Cosmo's most prominent bully–was going to listen to the likes of her.

The constant bullying Cosmo had to endure had broken him down countless times to the point where he often wondered if he had much value in life. He really couldn't think of much he had to look forward to. The everyday comments of "moron" and "idiot" and about a thousand other words of the same brand didn't help much with his dwindling self-esteem.

His mother was no help either. Wanda knew Mamma Cosma wasn't necessarily the greatest fairy who ever lived. Even if she loved her son dearly, she sometimes contributed to the backhanded comments thrown his way. Though, typically, it was his mother who was there to offer him sweet hugs and honeyed words when he felt upset, it didn't stop her from telling him he had life easy.

Oftentimes, "Darling, you shouldn't be worrying," his mother would say. "You're too young to be so stressed."

He would only cry in return.

To add further insult to injury, the divorce of his parents when he was in spellementary school was already hard enough on him. He had only been six when his father left, and, despite the pain, Cosmo could never fault him for it.

Wanda never knew why he left, but she figured it was with good reason. Afterall, she had experienced firsthand how vile Mamma Cosma could be.

Nevertheless, Papá Cosma had no other choice. Mamma Cosma was not one to let her 'little Cosmo-lo-lo' slip away from her that easily. And, Wanda dared to think, perhaps that's why his mother disliked his father so much. Maybe chasing him away was an intentional act to keep Cosmo closer. The idea didn't seem so farfetched.

Thankfully though, Papá Cosma did his best to keep a part of himself with his son. He left behind many heirlooms, and Cosmo kept each one. However, they were like pieces to an incomplete puzzle, where Cosmo was constantly trying to find the last piece only to find out it had been locked away years ago never to return.

It really seemed to him like there was no break from the heartache.

That was until he met Wanda.

Wanda just seemed to be that light at the end of the tunnel for him. A filling within the void of his heart. So sweet and compassionate, it was almost too good to be true. She had been able to look past any faults he may have had and saw who he truly was. More than an idiot. More than a walking punching bag. He was simply… Cosmo.

And he did the same for her. Seeing more than just a cheerleader with a pretty face, he knew her as the real Wanda. Not some fake imitation, but the real, genuine Wanda. The her who danced with sunsets, who enjoyed reading late at night, who liked to be held in the rain– he saw past the façade and knew her honestly. She was… well… Wanda. And she was wonderful.

Pink eyes fluttered down to gaze at the gold band dominating her third finger. It had been given to her just about a week ago.

A family heirloom passed down to Cosmo by his father. Thin and gold with the Cosma name engraved into the metal. Small enough to fit her dainty ring finger, it was as if it were made for her.

Though the colour was dulled and the metal was bent, Wanda didn't mind. Not in the least. It meant more to her than any other gift she could have been given, and, she reasoned, the fact it was a hand-me-down made it all the more special. Because Cosmo's father had left it for him to give to the someone he wanted to spend the rest of forever with. To give to her. It had meaning beyond the promise of forever. It was rooted in family compassion. She could recall the night it was given to her rather fondly.

Her grin grew wider as her thoughts sweetened.

Cosmo had taken her out on a date, using what little money he had earned at the diner to pay for both their meals. Then, afterward, took her to their secret getaway spot. An enclosed, small but well-hidden, cliffside where the forest met the local park.

Oftentimes, they would go there during high school when their parents were particularly hostile towards their relationship. Even though throughout the years they had made efforts to hide their relationship from their families–and they still do–their parents still made a fuss. The enclosed forest area had been dubbed 'their' spot ever since they began, and even now, while they trained at the Fairy Academy, they still chose to visit.

Their spot was the perfect place to destress from the cruelty of the world. Away from all the stress and tension of daily life, it was their free slice of heaven, seemingly given to them by the fairy gods, where they could relax and watch the stars in peaceful, calm serenity. Alone together, they were finally free to be themselves.

But looking back on it, Cosmo seemed nervous, fidgeting throughout the night, and it didn't go unnoticed by Wanda. She had asked him several times if he felt alright, if he needed to lay down or get some rest, but he denied every time, insisting he was doing just fine. And he was. In fact, he was much better than 'fine'. The only thing keeping him worried was the nagging in the back of his mind that feared rejection.

"I love you, Wanda," he had told her. "And I don't think I could ever live without you."

That night she swore she could see the world's worth within his eyes. Behind the emotion and deep within his soul, she could reach out and touch the priceless promise of forever. And as he spoke, his words painted their poetry amongst the stars. All of it for her.

"Please, be mine."

Nonetheless, Wanda could fully understand his worry. To love someone so much, so intensely, the thought of rejection would scare just about anyone. Even herself.

"I love you."

The rain outside increased in volume, pounding against the window as her hand fidgeted with the gold band around her finger. Her eyes had not left it since initially looking down, and she took notice of how the moonlight illuminated against the glittery metal. A giggle escaped her lips as her finger grazed the indentation of his surname that embedded the ring.

At times it felt more like a dream than reality. To know Cosmo was just as dedicated to their love as she was, that he was more than willing to spend eternity with her, it just felt so surreal. But she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"I love you."

She was excited, too. For their wedding day, to finally be joined together by their promise. Some nights she would lay awake daydreaming of the day to come; what it would be like to walk down the aisle, to give her hand to him in marriage, what their vows would be like, where it would be. The list was endless. Deep down, she knew he wondered the same.

"I love you!"

But their day to come would have to wait. Nothing of the wedding had been planned, and Wanda had suggested they focus on their studies before marriage. To ensure they could godparent together– because it was no secret Cosmo was not academically gifted–they would wait until after they graduated before they ventured into married life.

Though, Wanda had to admit, referring to Cosmo as her fiancé was more magical than she could have ever dreamed. There was a world of bliss around the word, whispering to her that their love was true. Much truer than anything she had ever experienced before.

"I love you, too."

Faint knocking abruptly tore her from her thoughts. She took a quick glance towards the clock, then the door. Biting down on her lip and grinning, she giggled once more. Ten o'clock.

Quickly, she was up and at the door, grinning wildly in anticipation. Her hand hovered above the doorknob, and she held a breath as she pulled it open. Pink eyes met green, as the breath escaped through her teeth, forming into a lighthearted:

"Oh, goodness! You're soaked!"

And it was true. His clothes were completely drenched, no doubt from the heavy rainfall. As he stood in the dry halls of the apartment complex, fabric stuck uncomfortably to his skin in dark, wet patches. Once shaggy hair fell limply in front of his eyes, dripping rainwater into newly found puddles on the floor. She wasn't sure if he had chosen to drive to class earlier that day, but, looking at him now, she assumed he must've walked.

"Heh," he breathed. "I didn't think it was gonna rain today."

"No?"

"Nuh-uh. Guess I should'a paid attention when you had the news on this morning."

She shook her head with a knowing look. "You're a handful."

"You must have pretty big hands then! I can't even fit in mine."

"Sweetie–" She snuffed the fire of a laugh she felt burning at the base of her throat. "It's just an expression."

"Oh. Why?"

Wanda didn't say anything as she pulled him inside by the arm, hand becoming wet from touching damp fabric. Using her heel to kick the front door shut, she directed Cosmo towards the bathroom where she handed him a clean bath towel from the cabinet.

"Here; dry off. I'll go find you something clean to put on."

"Thanks." He smiled at her, leaning forward with closed eyes. Hot breath tickled Wanda's neck as he drew closer.

"No–" She freed a laugh, halting him with her hand. "No kiss until you're dry."

"Aw, come on, baby! I haven't seen you in like an hour."

"You put up a tough fight."

"Is it working?"

"Nope," she grinned, popping the 'p'. "Dry off. I'll be right back."

As she turned away, she heard the shuffling of the towel against his hair. Thunder in the distance roared from the outside, followed by the sound of a startled Cosmo. Biting down on her lip to suppress a laugh, she turned back to glance at him. The fear had vanished from his eyes as quickly as it came.

'Scaredy cat,' she thought to herself. Afraid of his own shadow, but she could never fault him for it. Knowing the kind of torment he went through during high school, and possibly even before then, it was understandable why he felt so jumpy, even at the smallest of things. But it didn't matter; he had a heart like no other. So full of love. It was hard to imagine why anyone would want to keep him at arm's length.

Minutes ticked away as she gathered dry clothing. Truth be told, she wasn't sure where he had put his spare clothes, and she was struggling to find a shirt. They didn't live in the same dorm room, but they might as well have. Cosmo stayed over so often, it already felt like they were married. Accepting defeat, Wanda took her morning robe from off the bed, adding it to the pile of apparel in her arms. It would have to do for now.

"Cosmo?" She called, making her way back towards the bathroom. She stopped before the door.

"Yeah, Lambchop?"

"Brought your clothes. Are you decent?"

"Yeah, I'm doin' okay."

"Not what I meant," she giggled.

"Oh! Oh. Yeah. Kinda?"

Whatever that meant, she walked in anyway. Stealing a quick glance at him, she determined he was dressed enough to view. His overshirt and raincoat bundled on the floor, but that was all he had removed. The towel draped over his shoulders much like a cape.

Wanda extended her hands, offering what she had collected. "Couldn't find a shirt, so I brought you my robe. You wear it enough, anyway, as is."

With a faux critical eye, Cosmo inspected what she held in her hand. A yellow bathrobe, lime striped pajama bottoms, and pink socks with plaid stitching. They were obviously her socks.

"Is that alright?" Wanda pushed through the silence, catching a breath and holding it near.

"I think so!"

"Good," she released the breath, turning away to give him privacy. "So how was class?"

"Booooring! Professor Wellbloom is askin' for too much this week."

"Your history class?"

"Yeah. I don't see why I need to know about the anti-faerie exile as a godparent."

She heard his belt buckle loosen with a clink over the thunder and pretended not to blush. "I think they just do it for the extra credits, hon."

"Well, they shouldn't. I don't get it!"

"What do you have to do for class, anyway?"

"An essay about the exile, I think, and I don't wanna."

"I can always help"

"You're so sweet— oh!" As he finished dressing himself, he sped over to where she stood. Bringing a warm hand to her forehead, he spoke. "How's your head feeling?"

She smiled. "It's better."

Throughout all his forgetfulness, he never seemed to forget a thing about her. It astonished her. Even something as mundane as a morning migraine, he didn't forget because it was her. He always had trouble memorizing the little things, but the fact he remembered warmed her heart. He loved her enough to never forget.

"Good." He pulled her into a hug as the rain subsided.

"Thank you."

"For?"

"For being so sweet to me."

"Oh." He tightened the embrace, but the gentleness never left. "You don't have'ta thank me for that, 'cause I'll do it anyway."

She looked up at him in wonder, lacing her hand over his and toying with his fingers. She turned in his arms, staring into his eyes. That green could hold her entire world, and they did. Glancing down to his lips then back up to his eyes, she said:

"I think I owe you something from earlier."

Cosmo didn't move an inch, but his hands fluttered at her waistline. Wanda looped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as she drew forward. Tracing her fingers around the tail end of his hair, she watched as anticipation grew within the emerald of his eyes.

In slow motion, Wanda pushed his head closer, catching his bottom lip with hers and bringing an unoccupied hand up to touch his face. Their eyes closed in tender sublime, gentleness turning to devotion as the world around them faded into irrelevance.

They parted with a gentle smack as pink caught green. No words were spoken as soft arms coiled around her waist, guiding her closer to his beating heart. No words needed to be.

In one tranquil moment, time seemingly stopped. Sealing an instance in time, solidifying forever. Life would go on with them side by side. No matter where they went from here, no matter who stood in their way, no matter how hard the rain fell… they would be together.

And as she listened to the beating of his heart, that beat to a rhythm of purity and 'i love you', Wanda knew they would survive whatever life had in store.

They would get through it so long as they had each other.

And that would be enough.

_
Thanks for reading if you've made it this far! I had to watch a tutorial video to figure out how to publish this here, ahah.
I plan on writing more for this fandom eventually. I've got a bunch of ideas (all of which revolve around Cosmo and Wanda because of course). I just love these characters so much. So, here's to trying to revive an entire fandom, I guess.

(Btw! I'm open to ideas for future stories if anyone would like to request anything. There's no guarantee that I'll actually get around to writing it, but who knows. I'm always open to new ideas.)

Until next time,
-TheSecondhandVanity