Disclaimer: Yes, I do not own Princess Tutu. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

Summary: (Series of drabbles) Once upon a time, there lived a girl and a boy who gave up on Happily Ever Afters long before the story started. For she was just a clumsy duck pretending to be a princess, and he was a knight-in-rusty-armor who could only wield a pen. This is their fairytale. ( Fakir x Ahiru )

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Masquerade

Act 02 : Simple
by makka na yuki

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Let me be with you.

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They think it's so simple.

That he could just spell out the words "The little duck turned back to her human form," and everything will be alright. Those who were aware of what has transpired during the raven's attack would always give him their sad questioning eyes.

What is stopping you, Fakir?, they would silently ask.

There were no need for words, he understood them perfectly. For he himself held the same wishes they had in their hearts

They think it's so simple.

Everything in the town might have gone back to normal, but the magic passed down from his blood still remains. He knows it. They know it. She knows it as well.

It's easy, my friend. You've written her story before. I know you can do so again.

The grip on his feathered quill tightened, glaring at the dripping ink, as if daring it to disobey once again.

You don't think I've tried?!? He wanted to scream every single time.

But he chose not to.

He did not have the heart to tell them that it just does not work that way – that no matter how powerful magic can be, his mortal hands can only do so much.

A small voice from behind, "Quack?"

He tried, oh, he really did try his best to make it work, even going as far as to read his grandfather's previous creations to discover any clues to how he can make everything possible.

"Quack!"

It did not prove successful. Drosselmeyer was a man who loved to write sorrowful stories. Something that he does not want for her.

He closed his eyes in exasperation. Maybe…

His thoughts were disrupted when he felt something warm at his back.

She hugged him from behind, if such an act could be described like that. In her feathered state, her wings can only reach so far.

Fakir looked behind him to see a small yellow duck flat against his back.

"Ahiru?"

"Quack!" Stop that!

He gave her a small smile as he plucked the little creature from his clothes, holding her on his palms at eye level.

"What is it, Ahiru?"

"Quack! Quack!" Everything will be alright!

His eyes widened at her thoughtfulness. He could not explain how it is they understood each other so well, how he could decipher what she was trying to say. It was their special bond, he concluded, the proof that even though her purpose in saving the world was done, his mission to save hers was only beginning.

Not wanting to make her feel bad, he tried to smile.

The little creature frowned at him and gave his head a small smack with her wings.

Granted he could not even feel it, but his heart almost broke at the empty look in her eyes.

"Quack Quack Quack!!" You can't fool anyone with that smile!

It seems as though, everything he does is not enough.

"I am sorry, Ahiru" he cannot help but say.

All this time she has stayed by his side, watching him create stories after stories of other people's lives. Her eyes brightened every single time he gave another person their happily ever afters, but he could not miss the envy in her gaze when she stared out in space.

She was the only one who knew of his frustration, of how every single time he would tear out the papers in front of him and bang his head on the table whenever he failed to turn her back to how she once was.

Every night the candle light would dim and the ink would dry, and she will still be the same little creature she was named from.

It was painful, that she could not go back to the life she had gotten used to. She missed dancing, even with all the mistakes and the marriage proposals that come with it.

But it hurt more to see that he was suffering as well.

Fakir, a familiar voice in his mind spoke. He stared at the yellow duck in his palms, blue eyes boring into his.

My future is in your hands as it is in mine.

It was not his fault, she was trying to say. She was the one who decided to give up her humanity to save the prince. He understood her sacrifice.

But it did not mean he could accept it.

The little duck read his thoughts. She stared at his lips, teeth beneath it grinding in agitation. She smirked and gave it a little peck. A kiss, in her own little duck way.

She watched his eyes widen in surprise.

I will wait,she said again in his mind.

"But what if… what if I fail?" He could not bear to see the disappointment again in her eyes.

Then we will try again.

"Quack!" she added, Together!.

And for once, he gave her a true smile.

Everyone thinks it's so simple. That he could just spell out the words to make dreams come true and everything will be alright.

And in her eyes, he realized that it is true.

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Make me believe in forever.

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Author's Notes: Special thanks to Onigiri Momoko for taking the time to point out some of my mistakes XD

I'm not exactly sure if any of these will become multi-chaptered fics, but for now, they will stand as one-shots. One month of inactivity, and I turn up with something that was just crammed in a moment of boredom? Eheh, no reasonable excuse there. I do hope you all still enjoyed.

Shounen-Ai: Thank you for being the first to review! D Hope I didn't disappoint you with this new chapter.
vh fanel : wow, I know that feeling. I did not expect that kind of reaction from reading my fic though. Thank you.
romancerox : yes yes, here it is! XD
Siriaca-Ying-Fa : I had to stop and think about your review, scratching my head and deciphering what you were trying to say XD But I love it lolz. I'll just assume you were directing those questions to me (yes, I'm feeling vain). Maybe it really isn't her fate to be a duck. Maybe, maybe not. I like to play around with that concept of fate, everyone has different opinions of what it really means. At what time did he realize he love her?? It would've sounded nice to say that he loved her from the very start, but that would've been a lie. It's not so much as a realization… like in reality, he developed the feeling. Can't exactly pinpoint when, there are a few episodes I have not seen yet. It's love strong enough to surpass these obstacles?? Love is only one part of the equation. Sometimes, it isn't enough.
nuripe : yay! I did not know you liked this anime.
sailor-ahiru : lolz, thank you for your patience and words of encouragement. I'm actually very comfortable with writing; I just can't find the time to actually do it. I hope you won't get disappointed, but the previous chapter isn't a prologue, it's simply a one-shot, just like the other chapters that will come in this fic.