Brushed with Love

Summary: Home for the holidays, 18-year-old Sofia learns from Cedric that he has a surprise for her: an enchanted painting easel and canvas. Whatever she imagines comes to life in the form of an enchanted painting. What begins as a niche and sweet idea quickly turns revealing the more the two long-time friends talk and unveil the secrets they've kept for so long. (AU from my own stories)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First.

A/N: This is a Wassailia gift for my giftee in the R&S Server: Octi! Hope you like it, Octi! 😊Happy Wassailia! (Note: Around New Year, an alternative ending will be posted, so be on the lookout for it!)

*Story*

The holiday break couldn't have come at a better time. The slew of complicated content that both Amber and Sofia had been studying at Ever Realm Academy (ERA) had slowly begun to add an extra layer of stress that neither of them needed. Because Amber was busy interning at a practice castle with scenarios in place for her to practice her future leadership and kingdom rule, and Sofia was preoccupied with her Protector duties almost every evening, both girls were exhausted. In fact, Chrysta had insisted that Sofia take a few weeks off to get some much-needed rest, despite the princess's protests.

"Evil doesn't rest, so I can't either," Sofia had proclaimed nobly to her friend, though she was soon met with, "We have many Protector trainees who want to prove themselves, Sofia. Take the break. You earned it."

The girls hadn't been home long before James had grabbed his twin into a hug before practically dragging her down the corridor to show her some gifts that he'd gotten her on his knight excursions. Watching this was both amusing and sweet to Sofia. For two people who had fought and argued so much when they were younger, it was nice to see them getting along much better now that they were young adults.

Of course, that left Sofia to her own devices. They'd already greeted their parents, Baileywick, and a few other castle dwellers, so now she just needed to figure out what to do. She didn't have to ponder this long when she felt a pair of familiar gloved hands fall over her eyes, and a soft, "Guess who," whispered into her ear, making her both smile and…shiver?

"Cedric?" Sofia guessed, giggling as her vision was restored. She turned to face her longtime friend, throwing her arms around his neck. "Where were you earlier? I was looking forward to you meeting us when we arrived."

"Ah, sorry, Sofia," Cedric chuckled, noting that she'd still yet to release him from her enthusiastic hug. Not that he was complaining… He'd missed her hugs. With that in mind, he kept his arms wrapped around her for the time being. "I was a bit busy putting the final touches on your gift, actually."

That particular mentioning caused Sofia to release her friend and take a step back, her smile never leaving her lips as she glanced up at him. "My gift, huh? I always love your gifts, Cedric. I'm sure I'll love this one too."

"I certainly hope so… I put quite a lot of thought and…magic…into it." The sorcerer knew he'd said too much when the expression on the younger girl's face changed from calmly happy to overly excited. Yes, 'magic' was still the keyword to get the girl's attention. "But… You'll be able to get it this evening, after you've done all your family activities that I'm sure have been planned."

"Okay," she agreed, nodding. "I made something for you too. It's not 'magical,' but I made it with love."

Cedric chuckled, reaching up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear, noticing with interest how her cheeks pinkened ever so slightly at his touch. "That's the best kind, Sofia. Right then." He moved his hand instead to her shoulder, gently patting it. "I'll be in my workshop, so just come find me later this evening, all right?"

She nodded. "All right." She turned and left, hearing Cedric do the same behind her. Her heart was thumping a little more loudly than it normally would, but this was nothing new. The last few years, her interactions with Cedric had been a little less friendly and a little more…exciting? She loved him as a friend, but there was something unique about their bond. It didn't take her long to realize that this new feeling that washed over her was a few steps above infatuation and right around the line of amorous affection. But she wasn't quite sure if she was ready to admit that to him just yet. After all, they were really good friends, and a change like that could completely shake up their dynamic. And whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she wouldn't know until it happened, but… Right now, she figured she'd just let things happen organically and see what came of it. What she knew, though, was what she had always known: she loved him. But there were new layers that she just needed to peel back and reveal to him, which would happen… Eventually…

Once the family festivities had passed, Sofia found her way up the familiar curve of the stony steps leading to the top of the tower. Oh, how she'd missed this… The near-daily traversing into her friend's workshop to chat, to practice magic, or to just hang out and enjoy time together… She really hoped her time at ERA would move smoothly and swiftly toward its conclusion just so she could be back with her family and friends more often–but especially Cedric. He'd always held a special place in her heart that no one else could possibly fill, and seeing him again after months away from Enchancia had been a recharging she hadn't known she'd needed. Or maybe she had, especially since her heartbeat grew a bit more enthusiastic the closer she got to his door.

When she knocked on the door and received the affirmative call to enter, the welcoming scents of pine, cinnamon, and sugar wafted through the usually cool and chemical-filled environment and surrounded her like a warm blanket. Speaking of warmth, she noticed that the sorcerer had a magical fire softly crackling under his work desk, with the heat emitting nicely but no real licks of a flame to cause the wood any damage. She loved magic.

"I take it your evening with the family was pleasant?" Cedric inquired, smiling at the princess.

"It was. The food was awesome, and I got some neat gifts from Mom, Dad, and James. Amber already gave me a new pair of shoes when we were still at ERA." She hopped onto a stationary stool, leaning onto the worktable with her hands cradling her face. "So…" She sat up straight and reached into a bag wrapped around her body, withdrawing a carefully packaged gift covered in blue and gold trim. "I brought your gift. Do you want to open it first?"

Cedric shrugged as he sat on another stool, nodding in agreement as she pushed the gift toward him. "If that's what you'd like. I'm fine either way."

She grinned, pointing toward a few ribbons dangling from the sides of the gift. "Okay, open it then. And just remember, I didn't have a lot of free time with all the classes I was taking, so it may look a little weird, but I tried."

"I've loved all the gifts you've ever given me, Sofia…" He smiled playfully at her as she blinked at him. "Especially the wand case, but even those ridiculous socks all those years ago."

Sofia scoffed, folding her arms. "You said your feet get cold, so I took that to mean, 'I'd really like some socks for Wassailia.' I was just trying to be helpful." She cleared her throat as he chuckled and began unwrapping the gift. "It's not my fault that they were three sizes too small. You just have strange feet."

He laughed. "Well, my mother said I'm special in my own way, so say what you will about my feet." Hearing her laughter, he had to admit to himself that he'd definitely missed this. Their banter, their playfulness, their everyday conversations… He didn't have that with anyone else. Merlin knows, he'd tried… But with Wormwood gone, and Baileywick still a little distant sometimes despite his obvious changes for the better… He didn't really have much of anyone else to spend time with. That first week Sofia had left for ERA a few years ago had been very hard on him, as he wasn't used to being away from her for such a long time. He had only recently come to the conclusion that it wasn't just because he valued her as a friend… No, in the last year or so, during her infrequent visits, with their steadily deeper discussions and more meaningful hugs, he'd discovered something else there… Now, if she felt that same feeling, he wasn't sure, but maybe this year would be the year he'd find out the truth. After all, if nothing else, he had a fantastic friendship with the most incredible person in the Ever Realm, and for that, he was exceedingly grateful.

"At least you were able to magically resize those socks," Sofia added as an afterthought, smiling when her friend rolled his eyes in an amused fashion. She grew a bit quieter as she watched him carefully undo the wrapping, tugging each precious festive piece of paper aside, to reveal a long-knitted scarf woven with purple, blue, and gold patterns down the span of the soft accessory. She tried to read his expression to see his reaction to her gift, but all she could see was his eyes roving over the patterns, and his fingers carefully spanning the fabric and tracing each peculiar design. "Do you…like it?"

"Like it?" He looked at her in confusion, frowning. "Sofia… This is beautiful. Why did you say it looks weird?"

She lowered her head a bit, sighing. "I know I usually try to get you something…meaningful, from the heart. That wand case was probably the best I'll ever be able to do, and that was years ago. This is just a scarf. It's something you can only wear for, like, four months out of the year, maybe. At least you could wear those resized socks any time you wanted."

Cedric couldn't help laughing, despite the serious matter. "Sofia, my dear…" He reached out to her, taking her hand. "I think you severely underestimate how much I value anything you make for me. And despite the standard of scarves only being worn in the wintertime, remember that this tower, like the castle, can get rather drafty regardless of the season. Rest assured that I'll wear it whenever I need to. And it is a meaningful gift because you made it. The colors are important to me, like the little designs…" He lifted the scarf to wear it draped over their clasped hands, pointing with a free finger at the imagery of wands, books, and what appeared to be a ruby. "You did a marvelous job. I promise you. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

Sofia smiled appreciatively, squeezing his hand a bit. "Yes, you would, because you are a sweet person who doesn't want to hurt my feelings. But…I can tell you do mean it, so thank you. I'm glad you like it."

"Love it," he corrected, a slight 'tsk' falling from his tongue as she laughed and corrected herself. He let go of her hand and used both hands to wrap the lovely scarf around his neck, nodding in satisfaction as it fell into place down his back and over his shoulder. "Now then, I've a gift for you as well." He lifted his wand from the worktable and pointed toward something in the shadows of the tower, which was draped heavily with dark purple fabric. Magically, he moved the gift to the table, lowering it right in front of the princess. "I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will." Sofia wasn't sure why she felt a little anxious so suddenly, but that didn't stop her from reaching up and grasping the purple fabric, slowly pulling it away to reveal what appeared to be an easel with a light canvas already fastened into place. "Oh, wow. I haven't had an easel in a long time… It's even been years since I painted anything." She grinned at him, missing the mischievous glint in his eye. "Thank you so much, Cedric!"

"Ah, wait, before you go thanking me too much, I should explain a bit about this…" He stood and moved next to her, standing right behind her as he pointed toward the easel. "You will notice that I did not provide you with either brushes or paint. That is because you will not need them."

She looked to her right as Cedric moved over to lean on the table, his eyes fixated on the gift before her. "So… That's where the 'magical' part comes in?"

He nodded. "It's an enchanted easel and canvas. Whatever you imagine, just with a little tap of your wand to the canvas, the magic will create the imagery for you."

"Oh, wow…"

"And you can either reuse the canvas, or you can simply request a new one by tapping your wand here after you remove the old canvas." He pointed toward the top of the easel, where there was a tiny ruby affixed into the wood layer.

Sofia wondered if that ruby was from the same batch that she had left him when they'd first met, but her thoughts waned on that topic as she excitedly withdrew her wand from her dress pocket. "I've missed being able to use magic all the time, so I can't wait to try this!" She tapped the wand to the canvas and concentrated, a smile breaking onto her face as an image of Clover appeared, her favorite bunny friend munching on some vegetables.

Cedric laughed. "I might have known your woodland creature would be a subject."

"Can't forget the lovable Clover," she admitted as she removed the canvas from the easel, setting it aside in a secure spot, before turning back to the easel. She used her wand to tap the small ruby, smiling as a new blank canvas appeared. "Okay, this is beyond amazing."

"Don't you mean…ah-mazing?" Cedric teased, chuckling as she snickered.

"Well, I mean, obviously…" Her eyes roved over the empty background, her brain trying to process all the options available to her, but she couldn't think of any other paint-worthy scenarios right then. "It's so weird… You'd think with such a neat gift, with unlimited options, I'd have so many ideas… But I'm drawing a blank. I don't want to waste this magical gift on something silly. I want it to be meaningful…" She smiled at him, reaching out with her free hand to take his own. "The way you intended it…"

The sorcerer hummed, squeezing her hand gently. "It's your gift, Sofia… You can use it however you wish. You could imagine a scene from an earlier part of your life, familiar surroundings, something completely bizarre, or even your future… What's something you've always dreamed of happening that you hope to one day experience?"

Sofia felt her cheeks warming a bit the longer she and her friend held hands. She noted with curiosity how his fingers brushed hers, his nails ever so lightly skimming the sensitive skin along her knuckles and the base of her palm. Who knew her fingers were so sensitive? She failed to recognize that her wand had activated, its magical stream flowing straight toward the canvas. Instead, she found herself captivated by those kind brown eyes of the sorcerer who had allowed her into his once hardened heart all those years ago. He'd accepted her friendship, helped make him a better man, and now constantly proved himself as a changed individual by creating something so…beautiful. Intimate, almost, as it was like looking into her very heart and the darkest (or lightest) recesses of her mind… "Cedric, I…"

Cedric said nothing as he continued tracing her fingers and hand, his own absently drawing invisible lines and curves around her skin, especially on her ring finger. He smiled gently as he looked toward her again, but upon hearing a soft gasp, he turned his head, observing what had drawn the princess's attention. He froze, nearly dropping the girl's hand, but managing to hold it now at least loosely.

There, on the canvas, was the most telling image either of them had ever seen. The background was a frantic overlay of pinks, purples, blues, and golds, the texture of the magical paint looking as if it were trying to form overlapping waves of an unusual ocean. But in the center of the painting was the silhouette of a couple, the groom dressed in what appeared to be a formal robe, his arms encircling his bride, whose long hair flew out behind her, a hefty bouquet clutched in her hand. While it would be easy to suggest that the couple could be anyone, there was no denying the very familiar pink amulet around the young woman's neck, and the unmistakable golden bowtie around the man's neck.

"Is…? Is that…?"

"It appears that way…"

Sofia tore her eyes from the painting to look up at Cedric, who hesitantly turned to face her. She managed to settle her nerves a bit before meekly telling him, "I…can explain…"

Cedric took in her blushing face, her wide blue eyes, and her fearful expression. What was she scared of? That he would be angry with this outcome? No… If anything, this was, perhaps, one of the best outcomes he could have foreseen with an enchanted painting… But she didn't… She had no idea… He reached up, caressing her cheek, smiling at her. "No need. After all, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. And that image is rather detailed…" He leaned forward, whispering against her lips, "Does this mean you've envisioned this before?"

The princess wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands playing with his hair and new scarf as she whispered back, "More times than you can imagine…" Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips more firmly against his, kissing him with a splendid fervor that caused both to sigh in ardent relief.

Moments passed, and only the need for air separated the two longtime friends as they stood and stared at each other in disbelief, their arms still wrapped lazily around each other.

Cedric was the first to break the silence when he said, "Well… While I love the gift you wrapped, I quite enjoyed this unexpected one as well…"

Sofia just smiled at him, seeming a bit shy. "Yeah… Not to sound cliché, but… You're the gift I've always…wanted…but never thought I could have…"

An amused smile formed on Cedric's lips as he confirmed, "No, that actually is quite cliché, Sofia. Cute, but cliché. Ow!" He winced as she playfully slapped him on the shoulder before hugging him instead. "Oh, now you think hugging me will make up for that, hmm?" He shrugged, returning her hug. "I suppose you're right."

She looked up at him with an air of uncertainty. "So… Where does this leave us now?"

"Not to worry, Sofia," he assured her calmly, his voice steady and warm instead of the expected hesitant or frantic one he would have used in the past. Maybe he really had changed for the better. "We'll figure it out as we go along. But perhaps we should start with something simple?"

"I love you." She grinned as he blinked at her. "Simple enough?"

"Words that could silence a roaring lion, and you call them simple. Honestly, Sofia…" He laughed, tugging some of her hair gently. "But… I love you too." With that, he pulled her closer, his chuckle stifled as she pressed her lips to his for another kiss.

What neither of them noticed was the painting. It grew more detailed the longer they embraced. Instead of a silhouette of a vague couple with similar items that belong to Cedric and Sofia, the shadowy couple became Cedric and Sofia, in all their magical splendor and sensational glory. It was a clear start to something new and wonderful.

And yes, while quite cliché, how clever for this to happen on Wassailia Day!

The End