Author's note : Again, there will be some non-sense here as I like to write it in this story.

To change the story. (Law Believer)

Summary : The Author decides to be more serious (well, if she can) and she writes a proper Law Believer fanfiction. But it won't stop her from breaking the fourth wall and make bad puns which amuse no one but herself, and which desperate her Muse.

Internal dialogue between the Author and her Muse.

So… you intend to write a real story, this time ?

Yes ! Of course ! This is what I usually do.

But… you didn't do this last time… Because it was really… strange, absurd, bizarre, non logical, non sense.

But it was fun ! And I needed this ! I needed to do this !

So… what now ?

Here, you mean ? Law Believer.

What ? Law Believer ? Really ?

Yes ! I love this pairing, and there are not enough of those, so I will write about them.

(Author's note : To the future/potential readers here, if you don't like this pairing, go away. There will be slash, so leave if you don't want to read this.)

A serious text ?

Yes. If you except what I am writing now, yes, I will. And this time, it will be reciprocal.

An alternate universe, I guess, as you adore them.

Yeah.

And what will it be ?

A coffee shop AU !

WHAT ?

You… you don't like them ?

Yes, yes, I do, but… it is a little… surprising, coming from you, no ?

Why ?

Didn't you say that you found it kind of forced, cliche, too much present ?

No ! Well, I thought it, a little, but I never said it. And despite this, I also like to read it.

But you don't know anything about it… I mean, you read texts and fanfictions about it, but… you don't know how it works in reality. Isn't it a little problem ?

I don't care ! I don't want to write a realistic story, I want to write a romance. I want to write a story with no angst, no serial killer, and where everything ends good. With fluff. I want to write fluff !

Okay. Do it.

I do. Right now.

Summary (bis) : Henry and Nick meet every day at the same coffee-shop where Henry's cousin, Margot, is working. And things happen.

Other pairings will be evoked. Yes, it may be too much cliche, but I don't care, I just want to write some Law Believer fluff (I wrote too much angst/one-sided things about them. I just want them to be happy.)

Pairings evoked/present : Law Believer, Curious Archer, RebelGlass, Zelena/Chad, Gideon/Roderick + SwanQueen, Hookfire, MadWhale, RedBeauty (in fiction).

Henry really loved to go in this coffee-shop.

For three different reasons, which had nothing to do with the other.

First, because their coffee was really good.

Second, because his wonderful cousin, Margot West, was working in this one.

Third, because it was one of the favorite places of a very cute lawyer named Nick Branson and where this one went usually – and to who he still didn't dare talking.

Oh, I guess you didn't follow all the events.

Alright, so, here is the story.

(I love to make too long introductions.

Don't worry, the story is coming right now.)

§§§§

They met – if it can be said this way – on a normal day.

For Henry, it was more than a bad day, and he was more than relieved to see Margot, and to notice that there was almost no one in the place where she was working.

In fact, he didn't pay attention to the only customer who was there, and he didn't see the look that the man gave him, and he just went at the counter where his cousin was.

She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, holding a small box in her hand, looking at this like it was going to explode at her face in the next minute. When she saw him, she started and rapidly put the box back into her pocket, and she tried to smile to him.

He sat down on one of the stools of the bar, and he tried to reply to her smile, with not a lot of conviction.

"Hey Henry, she told her cousin. How are you ?

- Fine, I guess, he answered. And you ?"

She shrugged.

"I'm good… I think. Well, my mom is going to marry Chad very soon, so, she is very excited about it, and happy, and I am too…

- But… he added, knowing there was more behind this than what she was just saying.

- But, on the opposite, I still didn't succeed to propose to Tilly… I want her to marry me, she said, taking again the box with which she was playing some seconds ago, but, with what happened these last weeks, I didn't find time to do it. As you already know it, her father is very sick, and yeah, it was not really the good moment to talk about it. So, I still didn't do it. What about you ? She asked, wanting to divert the conversation to another subject.

He sighed.

- Well… Things are not really well for me either. I feel like I don't have any inspiration right now."

Margot chuckled.

"Well, Henry, you never had any problems to write a chapter or even an entire book of Once Upon A Time. You see, the Enchanted Forest, telling the tale of Snow White and Prince Charming in a totally different way, the story of the Evil Queen, the magic mirror, the huntsman, and all these other people. The story of Emma Swan. And the story of her son. And her story with the Evil Queen. By the way, at which part of the story are you now ? I mean, I know that you're now writing the fifth book, but are you at the part involving Neverland ?

Henry had a little laugh.

- Now, I'm not. It will be in the next book. Right now, they are trying to save the town, in fact, I am at the end of the book. And, then, later, they will have to all unite in the next book in order to save the young hero, and it will lead to a lot of things, he teased. And he smiled. I should not be talking about my work with you Margot, I risk revealing too much things to you.

- Hey ! She protested. I'm your greatest fan ! And the better Muse you ever had, she added with not so much modesty but with a lot of humor, showing that she didn't think any of the words she was saying."

Henry had another smile, but his smile didn't seem to be really sincere according to Margot, who then frowned.

"There is something else, right ? She asked him. Something you really want to tell me but that you didn't dare saying, for some obscure reason. I am right, no ?"

He nodded, and took another sip of his coffee.

"So, tell me, what is it ?

- Jacinda and me, we broke up, he finally announced."

Margot looked at him with surprise, and she blinked two or three times.

"Oh… I'm sorry for you…. What happened ?

- Well, something which happens really often… She fell in love with someone else.

- Really ?

- Yeah… He finished his coffee and offered her a weak smile. She kind of… went through an identity crisis these last months, and she discovered… well, she admitted that she was bisexual. And she discovered also that she was in love with her best friend, Sabine.

- And so, now… you're not together anymore.

- Nope. But I must admit too that indeed, things were not like they used to be between us, not only for her but also for me… It was not the same… I'm sad it's over, but at least, we will stay friends, and I am happy to know that she is happy."

Margot smiled.

"You really are a too noble man Henry Mills."

Henry laughed.

§§§§

"Well, so, now, you're single… And you're bisexual too, aren't you ? Yes, of course you are", she added with a smile, remembering the fear she had once to make her coming out to her cousin, before he told her that, if she was lesbian, well, he himself was bisexual.

Henry nodded his head, not understanding what she really meant.

"Yes… So, what ?

- Well, you see, there is a really cute handsome man standing just behind you and that you should look at.

Henry raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment.

- Why are you even interested by him ? Aren't you supposed to be…

- Hey ! She protested again. Being a lesbian just means "not to be attracted to him", it doesn't mean "not being able to recognize a handsome man when I see one." And he is, you can trust me. I am interested by him for you."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not sure I am really in the mood for this kind of things… I mean… I just broke up with the one who was my girlfriend since I was sixteen years old… Seven years, it's a long time, you know…

- Which means that it's maybe the time for you to… I don't know, move on ? As you told me that things weren't the same anymore, you have also to admit that maybe, you as her, you were just holding on to a thing which was not real since a long time… Am I right ?"

He sighed, but did nod.

"At least, she added, you should look at him, at first, before saying no."

He sent her death stares.

"He is just behind me. Won't it be too strange and awkward if I turn back only to look at him ? I mean, for me, it's something really strange."

Margot, who was wiping a glass with a cloth, smiled to him and showed him what was next to her.

"Then, just look at him in the mirror next to you, you will see him without turning back."

So did he, and when Margot saw a great smile appear on his face, she had to contain herself not to jump for joy, well, until she heard him.

Because apparently, there was only one thing Henry paid attention to.

"He is reading my book, he whispered to Margot with astonishment and joy, as if he was discovering every day that, indeed, there were a lot of people who actually loved his novels about the fairy tales and the way he wrote them.

Margot rolled her eyes.

- Yes, he is reading a book, and so what… Then she smiled too, as she finally understood what her cousin meant. Oh… so, you mean, your book… Well, one of them, in fact. She looked at the one that Nick was reading. And one of your spin-offs about some of your secondary characters…

- You're sure that you're really discrete ? He asked her, seeing her giving not so discrete glances at Nick.

- Oh, shut up, I am trying to see which one of them he is reading.

- I hope for you that he is deeply caught by the plot of the book, he muttered, not sure of the way this story was going to end.

- He is… And he is reading your book about Jefferson, Frankenstein, his brother, Ruby and their adventures in different worlds ! You know, the book where…

- Yes, I know, the story which takes place before the Dark Curse happens, and by the way, you should call Ruby by her name, Scarlett, as it was her real name at the beginning."

The bartender chuckled.

"Yes, I know, they are your characters, and you absolutely didn't choose to write a romance between Jefferson and Victor Frankenstein after I gave you the advice to do this."

He rolled his eyes.

"I intended to do it before you told me this. You just made me realize that, indeed, people shipped them… As, I think it's the term which is used.

- Yes, of course ! They look so good together. So, now that you know that he loves your work, you go to talk to him. Right now. I mean, it's so cute, he is already a fan of you and your work, and he doesn't even know you're here.

- Don't you have something else to do ? Something else than talk about my love life ? Aren't you supposed to… I don't know, work ? And by the way, why are you that alone ?

- It's Roland's day off, and Roni is sick, and by the way, except you and this mysterious unknown beautiful man, there is no one here. I can handle this.

- Can you tell me why you want so much to play the matchmaker for me ?

- Because you're my cousin, I love you, and I want you to be happy, and you feel lonely, I see it. If it was not the case, Henry, you wouldn't be here. You would be writing.

- Well, then, I will do this. Goodbye Margot.

She sighed.

- Goodbye Henry. You really should think about it..."

He didn't answer.

§§§§

When she saw her friend Gideon enter in the coffee-shop, Margot had another smile.

"Hey Gideon, you're here to see me, or you wanted to drink something ?

- Actually, I was waited by someone…"

She blinked, surprised, before understanding.

Behind the bar, when she saw Gideon kiss this man she didn't know, and when she realized that her plans were not going to work, she internally sighed, and thought : "Oh, crap."

(Even if it was futile, and she knew it.

But she was so sure she had found the perfect person for her cousin !

Yeah, it was too soon to say that, she knew it.)

And if the glass she was holding in her hand fell on the ground and broke, it was certainly not an accident.

§§§§

When Henry came back at the coffee-shop the day after, he was even more bad-tempered than he already was the day before, which was a little exploit.

He looked around him, seeming to be searching for something, or maybe someone, before looking again at Margot. He said hello to Roland, and he sat down on the same seat that he used usually, ready to talk to Margot, as he always did when he came there.

"He is not here, you know. Your unknown man. And I found out yesterday that he has actually someone… I saw his boyfriend with him yesterday."

He shrugged.

"Okay. It's good for him, but, I don't know what it has to do with my own life. Why should I care about the love life of a man I don't even know ? You definitely watch too much romantic comedies.

- I write too much of them, she muttered. By the way, did you write last day ?"

His face just darkened.

"No, I didn't. I couldn't.

She frowned.

- Why not ?

- Well… I was thinking about things, and my publisher had the good idea to call me, she wanted to talk about… the SwanQueen subject.

Margot' eyes began to shine with interest.

"Oh… so you're going to write SwanQueen, rather than CaptainSwan and OutlawQueen ? If you can add Hookfire in all of this, you will really please me.

- In fact, my publisher told me that she was one of those who shipped SwanQueen. And she didn't ask me to write it, as so many fans – you included – did. She asked me to browse again rapidly all my books and especially the scenes between the two of them, and to try to forget that I am the author of these stories… And…

- And what…

- And I discovered that, apart the main conflict Savior/Evil Queen, I unconsciously wrote them as a divorced couple fighting for the guard of their son, but who couldn't stop loving each other. Or here, who couldn't help falling in love with each other, even if it was not that obvious for me at first.

- So… what do you intend to do ?

- I don't know ! In fact, after I realized it, I tried to write the scene in the mines, with the diamond that's going to destroy the town… And I couldn't write anything but something romantic, something about what they were feeling for each other… And it was not really appropriate to the situation… And now, I definitely don't know what to do…

- Then, continue, and try again if you have difficulties to succeed to write it. Only if you think this is the way your story has to continue, of course, you're the author after all, you're the one who decides everything which happens in your books. And what about Hookfire ? You already did MadWhale, so why not them ?

- Why do you ship them so much ?

- The two characters who hated each other because of their common tragic stories, but who could have been friends, and who had to live together for a time but who were separated because one betrayed the other. The story of the two men who had to reconcile in order to save a child.

- He was fourteen years old when he met Hook ! He was a child, and you ship them since this moment ?

- An adolescent, she corrected. And it's Neverland, so the age doesn't really count. And in my fanfictions, at least, I can change it. Long live the Alternative Universe ! And say that to the one who ship CaptainPan, she said with a grin.

- What ?

- And that would be much more better than the classic triangle love that you intended to do first.

- That's your opinion…

- Or, I don't know, make CaptainFireSwan happen, another polyamory relationship won't be too much, you already did Warrior Royals, after all !"

Henry grinned.

"Nope, I won't. SwanQueen and Hookfire seem to be better for me."

Margot raised a victorious fist.

"I won ! She claimed."

Henry chuckled.

§§§§

This day, Henry and Nick didn't see each other, well, not a lot of time, as Nick was entering in the coffee-shop, while Henry was leaving it.

Henry gave him a brief hello, while Nick just gave him a nod, as he was glued to the phone, and he sat down at the table where he went usually.

After he took his order and after he served him, Roland went to the bar, in order to see Margot, who just came back at at the counter, as she just finished to serve everyone in the coffee-shop.

Indeed, it was quite a busy day, and it was a chance that Margot just missed the little interaction between Henry and Nick, because she would have surely elaborated dozen of theories about it, had she seen them.

Roland looked at her who was looking at Nick, and he smiled.

"Are you interested by him ? He joked, perfectly knowing it was not the case.

- Are you interested by him ? She responded with the same tone.

- Hell no ! You can trust me, I'm happy enough with Ava, I don't need someone else. He is one of our regular customers, right ?

- Yes… And I'm intrigued…. Do you know his name ?

- Nick Branson. He is a lawyer, and he is in a relationship with one of our old friends, you see, Gideon French.

- Yes… I know, I saw them together the other day.

- And… what ? It seems to disturb you.

- Yes, because…. I don't know, I pictured that him and Henry could be good together.

- Henry… Our Henry ? Our cousin ? Isn't he supposed to be with Jacinda ?

- Oh, you didn't hear the news ? They broke up.

- So, you want Henry and Nick to be together, because…. You think it could be a good thing for them ? He asked, suspicious, looking at her like she was crazy.

- I wanted, yeah.

- Please, try not to play too much the Emma in this story, if you can, that would be the better thing for everyone, he told her with a grin.

- Hey ! She told him with an indignant scream, striking him a little at his arm. Don't you dare comparing me to a Jane Austen character if it's not Elizabeth Bennet ! And don't worry, she added, I won't interfere…"

§§§§

Three weeks passed, and a new routine could now be observed in the coffee-shop.

The Author Henry Mills and the lawyer Nick Branson came there every day, most of the time at the same moment, and…

And nothing happened.

They were here, by chance or not, and nothing was happening, and Margot was getting more bored and bored.

"Hey ! Roni told her. You're again looking at your favorite TV show ?

- Yeah… But nothing is happening…

- Maybe because… there is nothing ? Roland is right, you should stop playing the matchmaker.

- I did nothing !

- Well, if you want something to happen, make them meet.

- Nick is not looking for someone, and Henry keeps telling me he doesn't want to be with someone. Operation Law Believer is not going to work.

Roni blinked.

- Operation what ?

- Operation Law Believer, she repeated. You see, in Henry's books, the hero always gives names to the operations he tries to solve. So, here, Operation Law Believer, because Nick is a lawyer, and because Henry writes about a boy who believes in magic even when no one does."

The owner of the bar rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright… you should go back to work, instead of dreaming. She smiled at she looked at the paper Margot was writing on. And you will continue you fanfiction later !"

Margot nodded her head, still writing.

"I guess it's again about Henry's books… What is it now ?

- RedBeauty."

§§§§

The first day Nick Branson saw Henry Mills, he had no idea of who he was.

The first time he talked to him, he was in a really, really bad mood, it was the night, and it happened after him and Gideon realized it was not going to work between them, as this one was now back with his ex – and now actual – boyfriend, Roderick. A thing he had talked about with the bartender – well, one of them – Margot, who gave him a strange look after that.

It happened five days before, and yes, he had to admit that he was fed-up of the fact that all his relationships never worked.

So, here he was, in a bar, and he was lonely, and he didn't understand what was happening to him when the bartender evoked soon put just next to him the really handsome man he was seeing every day here since three weeks, and to who he still didn't dare talking before this day.

"But, Margot… the other man tried to protest, there are plenty of other seats where I could sit down, I don't have to…

- Yes, the strange – and maybe also a little crazy – bartender said, but I want you to sit down here especially. No objection ! She ordered as the young man was trying to stand up, and he stayed."

She left, and Nick gave him a surprised look, to which Henry responded by an embarrassed look, putting his hand behind his head, trying to hid his embarrassment with a smile of apologize.

Nick found this too adorable.

"Sorry about that… He muttered. My cousin can sometimes be really… obstinate, to say the least, when she wants something.

- And what does she want this time ? Nick asked with humor, interested by what leaded to this strange, awkward – but not unpleasant – situation, drinking his beer.

- I… broke up not a long time ago with my girlfriend, and my dear cousin wants me to find someone else. And… it fell on you. Sorry about that, again, my cousin just takes to heart this thing, much more than she should."

Nick was looking at him, finding him more and more cute and adorable in his awkwardness.

"Well, he thought, I don't think it will bother me too much if I am forced to stay here with you this evening."

He realized he said those words aloud when he saw a blush appear on Henry's cheeks.

And Nick immediately froze.

Was he really flirting with him ?

Yes, he realized, he was, and he was completely fine with it.

He was intrigued by this man since the day he entered into the coffee-shop, and now that he saw how much cute and nice he was, he realized he wanted to talk with him for hours, to make him laugh, to make him blush like he just did before…

"So… Henry finally said, showing him his cousin who was looking at them, defending them to only dare to move. Now that we are stuck together and here for a long time… what if I bought you a drink ?"

Nick chuckled.

"I would be more than just okay with this."

They talked for hours, found out they really had a lot of things in common, and, at the end of the not-so-really-but-a-little-despite-this date, after they exchanged their phone numbers, Nick realized that he didn't even know his entire name.

§§§§

"So, don't you have someone to thank ? When Henry rolled his eyes and didn't answer, she protested. Hey ! Who helped you go to see him and talk to him, something none of you dared to do ? I am the one who made you meet ! And by the way, it ended well, no ?"

He smiled.

"Yes… Yes, indeed.

- So… you will see him again.

- Yes.

- YES ! Margot screamed with joy (luckily, no one excepted her and Henry heard it, as the bar was closed).

- You know I'm not going to marry him right now, he told her with a smile.

- Not right now, but one day maybe, she said, her enthusiasm being still the same. By the way, I finally proposed to Tilly, as her father is healed now, and she said yes, so, if you want to invite him to our wedding, you can.

- Don't be that enthusiastic, Margot. Technically speaking, I just met him.

- I didn't talk about love at first sight, I signal this to you. But you like him, don't deny this. And… My cousin has a boyfriend, and is happy ! Why couldn't I be enthusiastic ?"

Henry's smile grew larger.

"Thanks Margot."

§§§§

When the two men finally kissed in the coffee-shop at their third date, Margot couldn't help but jump with joy this time.

§§§§

At their fifth date, Nick asked Henry :

"Tell me… What's your work ? I mean, I told you about mine, but you never told me about yours.

- Hum… I'm a writer. I write fantasy novels."

After some seconds, Nick's mouth opened wide, as he was finally understanding who was standing just in front of him.

"Wait… You're Henry Mills ? The Henry Mills ? The best seller author whose series of books is going to be adapted into a TV show ?

- Yes, Henry said with embarrassment. Yes, it's me.

- But, Henry, why didn't you tell me ? I mean, I hope it's not because you think I would want to stay with you because you're famous. Famous, and hidden, he added, remembering that indeed, he was an author that no one ever saw before.

- No, it's not this… I just thought it was not that important."

Nick looked at him with astonishment.

Wait, really ?

Bloody hell, how could this man succeed to be that modest and that adorable at the same time in his modesty ?

The lawyer smiled and kissed abruptly his boyfriend, a kiss to which this one replied immediately.

"You're really wonderful Henry, he told him with tenderness. And unbelievable. You have your greatest and more passionate fan in front of you, and you don't tell him who you are ? And I warn you, he joked, you have to tell me what happens in the next book, in Neverland (as the previous book had been just published not a long time ago, as Henry had found back his inspiration after his encounter with Nick.)"

Henry chuckled and kissed him again.

"Well, he told him with a mysterious air, we will see that."

§§§§

At Margot' and Tilly's wedding, Nick and Henry were indeed together, as Jacinda and Sabine were themselves too, and their friendship was the same as it used to be.

It was a beautiful day, and the two couples were both teased by the other people about their future/potential/of course it will happen wedding.

In fact, they were all pretty right.

Six months later, it was Sabine's turn to propose to Jacinda.

(She said yes, of course.)

§§§§

When, two years later, Nick asked to Henry to marry him, he obviously asked him this in the famous coffee-shop where they met some years and months ago.

And even Margot' hysterical scream of joy didn't disturb them, who were lost in their own world, where there was only the two of them.

Just them, and no one else.

§§§§

And obviously, they lived happily ever after, just as it happened in Henry's books.

Author's note : Yes, there is fluff. So much fluff. Maybe too much. And I don't care, I loved writing this story. I hope you enjoyed it.

Next chapter will be StepCandy (Drizella/Gretel). I don't know how, what, when, but there will be StepCandy in this fanfiction. You can send me ideas of stories if you want and if you have some. Or if you want, I can continue the coffee-shop AU I did here, including them in this one this time, and the story would take place after this one. I think I will do this, in fact, except if you have other ideas.