(Evie)

The pale hand flattened against the smooth surface of the table shouldn't coax overwhelming feelings from her, but as red-brown eyes watched the way fingertips shifted slightly with a tapping motion, Evie couldn't help but feel as though Mal was taunting her, challenging her even. She wanted to take the girl's hand in her own, but when her left hand slid over the table she found herself stilling the movement as her gaze rose to scan the rest of the students occupying the room. Why are they so important to me all of the sudden? She groaned, well aware that sea-green eyes were watching as she pulled her hand into her lap. I should be able to just grab her hand! Her new inability to show her affection toward Mal publicly was frustrating her, but she couldn't seem to get over whatever was subconsciously berating her for wanting something as simple as holding the girl's hand.

She had been so worried about why Mal had been avoiding her touch recently that she hadn't stopped long enough to wonder if there was something buried inside herself as well, but now she couldn't keep her mind from searching for something, anything, that could have caused her to become uncomfortable with the girl. No matter how hard she pried into her own mind, she couldn't seem to find what had made her step from Mal's hold at the tourney game. I understand; that's what Mal had said before walking away from her, the pain visible in her eyes with perfect clarity. She groaned again. That's great. I just wish I understood my own actions.

Approaching the girl later that night hadn't been much better, and questioning her about why she had moved her hand from her grasp had only resulted in an evasive response. I don't think I'm the one avoiding things, E. Evie figured she hadn't deserved a straightforward response, not after she had danced around the girl's question the night before, but she was growing tired of this sudden back-and-forth between them. She had asked if it was alright if she slept with her again – a request Mal hadn't refused – and for the night it had felt as though a rift hadn't been formed between them, but the hesitation had started back up again in the morning; only this time, it wasn't only from Mal.

And now Evie found herself coming to the realization that this wasn't Mal's fault; it was her own fault. She knew what she had done, she just didn't know why she had done it, and she was desperate to figure it out. Despite having recognized that she had been the cause of this small separation, she knew they were both responsible for breaking passed this new barrier and figuring out their issues, and it frustrated her that Mal seemed just as baffled as her. It shouldn't be this difficult. At least, she didn't feel like it should be as challenging as it proved to be to find her way back to the girl; it was only then that she realized she was just as inexperienced as Mal in this situation. She had never loved someone before, and she had certainly never felt as though she could give up everything for one person and still be content with life simply because she was with them. It was just dawning on her that Mal's hesitation could simply be because of how much confidence Evie had exuded when it came to their unusual friendship, that the girl could possibly be worried that she would be judged for her obvious inexperience. Evie certainly understood being worried about how others would perceive her actions and true desires.

Something tugged on Evie's mind as if it were trying to lure her toward something, but in her attempt to catch onto the direction she lost track of it due to the piercing sound of the bell. She started, her pencil falling from her grasp as her cheeks heated in embarrassment from having been so lost in her thoughts that the school bell had frightened her. She made a move to retrieve her pencil, but before she could even get out of her chair Mal had it loosely held between her fingers, her hand extended toward her to offer the object to her. She's still sweet, she noted, a smile curving her lips upward as she averted her gaze in embarrassment; nothing will ever change that.

"Thank you," Evie mouthed graciously, taking the pencil from the girl's grip without meeting her gaze.

"You know, you're pretty clumsy for a graceful princess," Mal spoke up, a mischievous glint lighting her eyes.

Evie scoffed playfully. "Take that back."

"Sorry, but I can't," Mal shrugged, leaning against the front of the table. "It's the truth."

"It's astounding how rude you are to me," Evie stuck her lower lip out in a pout, noting the way sea-green eyes flickered down to watch the movement.

"Ah, right, I forgot," Mal began, one corner of her mouth lifting into a teasing smirk. "Pampered princesses don't like to hear the truth."

"Another thing you forgot," Evie paused briefly to build the girl's curiosity, taking the time to finally begin gathering her things, stacking her textbook and journals so she could carry them. She stood and lowered her voice to a whisper for added effect. "I'm still not a princess."

"You're forgetting something as well, Princess," Mal pointed out, reaching forward to take the items from Evie's grasp. "You'll always be a princess to me."

Mal's eyes were glowing with affection, and Evie found her heart fluttering pleasurably and her mind searching frantically for a response. Come on, Evie, say something just as clever! She had no idea when she had become the fumbling mess, but when she saw the adorable smile gracing the girl's features she decided she didn't care.

Accepting her failure, she held her hands out. "Can I have my books back?"

"Nope," Mal shook her head, beginning to walk toward the door.

She's carrying my books again. Once again, her heart fluttered in pure delight due to the gesture, and she grabbed her bag before following after the girl. However, just as she caught up with the girl in the hallway her steps slowed, the smile fading from her face when she heard something she probably wasn't meant to.

"Do you see that? Those two are always acting like a couple, it's disgusting."

The realization crashed into her harder than any other, the force behind it relentless in the way it tore her apart. I pulled away from her because I was afraid of what others would think if I didn't. She couldn't believe herself. Even after everything she had been through, after every moment she had told herself she no longer cared what others thought of her as long as she was happy with her life, she had sunk the one relationship that gave her nothing but pure joy into the depths of the ocean because she feared the way people would view her if she dared to be with a girl. Am I really so worried about my reputation that I can't allow myself to be truly happy? Am I really so caught up in myself that I'm more okay with hurting the girl I love to keep others from finding me disgusting? She had never despised herself more than she did in that moment, the idea that she still possessed any amount of internal homophobia making her want to suffocate herself. She couldn't stand the knowledge that her mother still had that strong of a hold on her, all of the woman's homophobic warnings holding onto Evie's mind with every ounce of strength they still had inside of them.

What am I going to do? Evie was at a complete loss as she pushed herself on, forcing her legs to carry her in the direction of her locker as she tried to ignore the people lingering in the hallway around her. Please, she pleaded with the universe; please tell me I haven't ruined everything with Mal. Now that she knew why she had pushed the girl away when she couldn't have gotten any closer, none of the judgmental looks they received as they passed escaped her notice, however, instead of focusing on them she thought of varying ways to make it up to the girl walking beside her.

When they finally reached her locker, she reached up to put in the combination as Mal leaned against the lockers beside her, books still in her hands, gaze taking in everyone Evie had already glanced at. It was obvious that Mal had noticed her wandering gaze, and Evie prepared herself to tell the girl that she didn't care about anyone else, but found herself unable to when Mal spoke first.

"Do you want to know why I always try so hard to disappoint people?"

Evie's chest constricted with the question because she somehow knew the answer would shatter everything inside of her, and she wasn't ready for it; she didn't think she would ever be ready.

"It's because I don't know how to do anything else," Mal confessed, her voice thick with pain and overwhelming emotion. "You asked me to tell you why I was so against being your friend. It's because you're the first person to actually make me feel something, the first person to make me question everything I believed because of my mother." Taking a deep breath, she raised her gaze to lock with Evie's before continuing. "I hated that. I feared that. I never needed anyone after the night my mother left, and then suddenly you came and changed everything, you changed me. I wouldn't have been able to find my way to who I truly am without you. I need you, Evie, I've needed you my entire life." Mal's voice was close to breaking, her words unsteady and her confidence wavering as she averted her gaze to the section of the ground between them. "And that terrified me. It terrified me because I didn't want to do anything wrong. I didn't want to disappoint you, too."

Terrified, Evie noted; it doesn't terrify her anymore.

She wanted to tell the girl that she had never disappointed her, that she never would because she was so much more than what she believed herself to be, but just when she believed the girl had finished, she took another deep breath and continued.

"I was terrified of everything. I was terrified of living," Mal whispered, sea-green eyes showing nothing but sincerity and love when they flickered back to red-brown. "Until you, Evie."

She had heard it all, everything written between the lines, everything they were both afraid to admit out loud to each other. She had heard it in the way she spoke, seen it in her eyes, and it sent her mind into a blissful trance. She loves me. Mal is in love with me. It was all crashing into her at a speed that made her unsure of what to do; she wanted to laugh in relief, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream with joy, she wanted to do everything that came to mind, even if it was only there for a second. However, before her brain could relay anything to her body, Mal was handing her books back and walking away from her, the shocked expression that had taken over Evie's features clearly doing the opposite of reassuring the girl.

"Mal, wait!" Evie called after her, fumbling with the books. Please, don't leave me.

It was then that Evie realized Mal had figured everything out before she had, that the girl had known that Evie was terrified of how people would react to them being together; that Mal still thought that. I understand. It all made sense now. The idea of the girl thinking she was ashamed to be seen with her publicly punched a hole through her chest, making space for the force that now crushed her heart into dust with the knowledge that Mal thought she didn't love her enough to express those emotions to their peers; but that wasn't the truth. No, Evie would gladly shout it until the whole world had heard the name of the girl she loved a million times, she just needed to prove that she would.

Mal had been right; she shouldn't hold back on so much for fear of what others would think, or for fear of being too forceful, especially when Mal couldn't make it more clear that it was what she wanted, too. She shouldn't trample her feelings to the point where everything hurt both physically and emotionally, then get after the girl for being too selfless. She should have seen it all sooner, accepted it sooner, but part of her had struggled to understand that she deserved her happily ever after just like everyone else. But now, she had no doubt, and she would give everything to finally know the feeling of belonging to Mal. You've hurt her enough, Evie. You've hurt yourself enough. She hated what she had done to the girl that night, how she had made her start questioning herself before every touch, how she had made her nervous around her; she hated what she had done to herself, how she had swallowed every emotion, every feeling, because she had thought it would be the best thing for Mal. Now, it was obvious that it was hurting Mal just as much, and she couldn't, she wouldn't, allow the girl to keep hurting because of her idiocy.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Evie followed after Mal, ready to give her everything. Everyone deserves to be happy. Everyone deserves to be selfish. It doesn't matter what, or who, gives them that highest level of joy, it only matters that you don't let that get away from you for some idiotic reason. And she found nothing but surety as she kept her gaze locked on the dragon embroidered into a leather jacket, every subconscious fear she had previously possessed of being judged for wanting who she did completely lost somewhere they would never be found again. I'm done caring about what close-minded people think. I'm done shaping my life around normalcy to please them. I'm going to do what I want, and nothing is going to stop me from being happy.

She called out the girl's name again, but Mal was too far ahead, and so she lengthened her strides, using her long legs to her advantage as she readjusted the books in her hands so they wouldn't slip from her grasp. Please, Mal, please stop. Watching the girl turn into the dorm building she increased her pace again, not wanting the girl to throw herself into a conversation with anyone else in attempt to avoid her; which she was decently talented at. No, she shook her head as she used her elbow to push open the dorm building's front doors; you're not getting away from me that easily this time.

"Mal!" Evie called out again, this time knowing the girl could hear her. "Stop right there!"

Mal's steps faltered until she came to a stop, and everyone else turned their attention to Evie with curiosity due to how loud she had shouted to get the purple-haired girl's attention. Who cares if they watch us like we're a television program. They were going to get quite the show. Letting the books in her hands clatter against the ground, Evie pulled the strap of her bag off her shoulder until it dropped behind her, her quick steps keeping the item from landing by her feet and tripping her. At the sound, Mal turned around to face her, but Evie didn't slow her steps even the slightest as she closed the remaining distance between herself and the girl she loved.

Her hands lifted to slide over pale cheeks and her body collided with a smaller one as she finally allowed herself to accept her fairy-tale ending with little concern that everyone in the lobby now watched her. And the spark that had been dancing inside of her since the beginning rose to an intensity that had it immediately liberating itself from her body to set fire to the entire world.

The same world that disappeared the very second her lips met Mal's.

Several gasps sounded around them, but she couldn't place their source, and she didn't care to figure it out either. She was lost in everything about Mal; the feeling of her body pressing against her, the feeling of her plump lips working passionately against her own, the feeling of her hands as they splayed over her lower-back. Everything in Evie's world right now revolved around Mal, her every sense pleasurably overwhelmed by the girl. And, more than okay with losing herself in Mal, she slid her hands to the back of the girl's neck and pressed her closer, completely ignoring their surroundings as she deepened the kiss.

(Mal)

With the world spinning around her and the ground seemingly slipping from beneath her feet, Mal gathered the material of a dark-blue shirt in her fingers, using the tight grip to keep herself anchored as irresistible lips parted for a deepened kiss that breathed life into her. She had known how to live before, but not with such intense thrills, the feeling of Evie's lips commanding her own filling every empty space her life had possessed and making her feel as though it would be impossible to find anything else missing; she already had it all. It was all there, she could feel it in the way Evie kissed her; the desire, the passion, the love, the lust. She could feel everything Evie felt for her, could sense every way the girl wanted her, and it mirrored the feelings coursing through her own veins.

It was every ounce of emotion she had ever felt broiling between them merging to create one overarching and overwhelming feeling, a feeling she didn't entirely understand, but one she attached to the princess that never ceased to astound her.

The pressure pushing on the nape of her neck disappeared, and a hand dropped to slip under the back of her jacket for long, slender fingers to hook around her belt, the other coming around to caress the underside of her jawbone. When the hold on the back of her belt tugged her lower-body until she was pressed firmly against the intoxicating girl in front of her she gasped, head spinning with the intensity in which Evie kissed and held her. We should... but her thoughts were challenged by the blissful state she had been consumed by. She knew they should stop because of the people that were more than likely still watching, but everything inside of her yearned for more contact, for more of Evie.

Logic found its way into her, along with a timid state of mind that was caused by the knowledge that they were being watched, and so she fought against herself and pulled away from Evie, disconnecting their lips. At first – if the fingers digging into the skin of her neck were any indication – it seemed as though Evie would just pull her back in, however, she seemed to think better of locking her back in and settled for resting their foreheads together instead.

"Hi," Mal breathed out, immediately wishing she hadn't said anything at all. Good going, Mal.

"Hi?" Evie questioned with an adorable giggle, her hot breath dancing over Mal's lips. "That's all you have to say?"

Mal's heart fluttered at the sound. "I'm sorry it took us this long to try that."

"I'm sorry, too. And I'm sorry for being scared," Evie whispered, catching her own bottom lip in her teeth as she slid her nose along the length of Mal's. "Mal, I'm in love with you. And I'm not ashamed of that."

The confession created a flurry of emotions she had never experienced before, making her feel more relaxed and secure than she ever had in the past. She's in love with me. Evie is in love with me. And she's not afraid to let everyone know. She didn't know if she had been incorrect in her realization, or if the princess had settled her fears and decided she no longer cared what the people of Auradon thought, but it didn't matter; it didn't matter even in the smallest way.

"I think I'm in love with you, too," Mal replied with a radiant, teasing smile gracing her features.

When her favorite laugh sounded through the room she knew she had gotten the reaction she had wanted, and when hands gripped her shoulders to playfully shove her away she couldn't help but join in the laughter.

Evie is in love with me. I'm in love with Evie.

That was all that mattered.