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If Audrey had learned anything, it was that it didn’t matter what anyone else thought. Besides, she had learned her lesson. Audrey shouldn't live off appearances and social opinion. Did it matter what a group of strangers thought of her? No, absolutely no. Especially when the most valuable thing was her friends? Audrey had friends. Good friends. Those who accepted her in every aspect of her life. The old friends and the new ones. And they were everything to her.
That’s where Gil had come in. Oh, and he was a good friend. He had been part of the people Uma and Harry introduced to her. At first, Audrey had believed that Gil was a hybrid between Carlos and Ben. Something impossible but interesting. A cute and enthusiastic but charismatic and sweet guy. Gil was also someone who didn’t have a filter between his mind and mouth. He always said what he thought. Auradon wasn't prepared for him. And what Gil was thinking used to make her nervous. From the beginning Gil took her by surprise and left a mark on her life.
‘Are you the kind of princess who knows how to make flower crowns? Because you would look more stunning with one.’ Gil had asked her the day they met and before she could answer, he continued ‘Would you teach me? I want to make you one in the future.’
As Audrey sat there, very close to Uma and Harry, listening to the adventures that Jay and Gil had shared, she was making a crown of flowers, feeling somehow exposed because Ben, Mal, and her gang were there too. Also Lonnie and Jane. But instead of looking up, she focused on the crown. And to her surprise, Gil interrupted everyone, closed the distance between them, kneeling in front of Audrey, and took the crown that was still in process. He followed her actions and did it amazingly. Gil had been watching her while she worked. The conversation died when he finished the crown and put it on, showing his friends how he looked.
Audrey felt the same sensation as when she drank a cup of hot chocolate in an autumn rain. Gil looked at her, resplendent like the sunflowers on the crown, sweet as the carnations she had chosen. And Audrey realized that the flowers that she had chosen were inspired by Gil.
That was how it had been all along, a friendship full of butterflies, innocent glances, and incalculable happiness. Gil, always impulsive, could lift her into the air and spin her for any reason. He could rest his chin on the table where Uma and Audrey were studying and stare so intently at her before saying something sweet in a suppressed a lovely sigh. Like he liked Audrey’s brown hair. Or that Audrey’s lashes were perfect. That he wanna hug her. Or that Audrey was so pretty.
He started giving her little gifts. Handmade accessories. Some beautiful rose-shaped earrings made with wood. A soft and delicate ring with the shell of a coconut.
But Gil was like that with the people he loved. Audrey noticed that it was the same kind of detail that he had with Harry or Uma. But Audrey was falling in love again with the charm and sweetness of a boy. And her heart wasn't ready. Audrey tried to control herself and be logical about it all. She was finally over Ben, her first love of... all her life. And now she had discovered herself. But her heart didn't listen and went again, like a music box, starting a song that she knew very well.
The rumors didn’t help. Harry, Uma, and Gil were inseparable. And since Audrey spent time with them, people only came to their simplistic conclusion.
Some rumored that Audrey was only doing it to upset Ben, her family, or the entire social dynamic of Auradon. Others said it was a phase and nothing more.
Was the perfect princess of Auradon in a relationship with a VK? Impossible.
Was the future queen of not one but two kingdoms in love with the descendant of whom was the enemy of her ex boyfriend’s father? Twisted.
But it didn’t really matter. Audrey didn't care about what others think about her. She has friends. And they loved her.
When Uma found out about the rumors surrounding Gil and Audrey, she took Audrey and pulled her away from the group. Because Uma knew that Audrey had feelings for Gil. Audrey didn’t even deny it. Uma stared at her. The captain wanted to protect Audrey.
“You felt for him.”
Audrey was going to assure her that she knew Gil didn’t see her that way. That although her heart had tripped over his kindness, she was aware that it was just that. A crush. An impossible love.
“Gil may seem like rainbows and candy but behind closed doors, he’s gunpowder and fire.” Uma warned her.
Audrey looked at her in confusion. That wasn’t something she had thought Uma would tell her. Uma smiled at her.
“If you are going to fall in love with him, you must understand that he's respectful but impulsive. He'll always stop but you need to tell him. Or he's just not going to stop adoring you and expressing his love to you. At all times.”
And Audrey must have received that information as if it were a stop to her emotions. Maybe give up on what she felt. Audrey thought about it. Gil wouldn't keep his distance between them. He surely wouldn’t want to just hold hands and do innocent things like Ben had.
But instead of giving up, her mind was tempted to that possibility. How it would feel to be held in Gil’s arms. For him to look at her as if she were everything he wanted. She wondered if Gil would kiss her and show the same enthusiasm in that as in so many other things.
Audrey would never admit it, but she began to daydream about what that gunpowder and fire would be in Gil.
So Audrey did the unthinkable. She absolutely broke everything she was once taught and asked Gil out on a date. Who accepted, although he surely didn't know it was a date. But they went to the movies and had dinner together, they walked in the park and talked for hours. And there she asked Gil to be her boyfriend.
Luck or death.
Audrey broke all princess protocol and just did it.
And Gil nodded so forcefully that she was afraid he was going to hurt his neck. But he closed the distance between them so quickly and held her so tightly that Audrey felt she was no longer touching the ground. Otherwise, all she felt was Gil’s chest against hers. That now she had Gil’s face under hers and he was looking at her lips with such intensity that Audrey kissed him.
Gunpowder and fire.
Gil caressed her back with his big hands, he closed his grip on her with enough pressure that Audrey felt more human than ever. He was warm. So warm. And so strong. Audrey clung to his hair as he kissed her passionately. Gil took advantage of gravity so she couldn’t break away from that kiss even if she wanted to take a breath. Gil recuperated in each of her sighs and gasps. He left pure fire on her skin, where his fingers left firm lines.
And Audrey realized that she didn’t want to break that moment. He was exactly what she wanted. So much enthusiasm.
Gil whispered against her lips ‘I love you’. Audrey pulled away enough to look him in the eye and confirm that she hadn’t heard wrong. Gil nodded vigorously and whispered those three words again against her cheek and then in her neck. Behind every kiss. With each sigh. And Audrey wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto Gil tightly as he left promises on her skin.
“Does that mean it’s okay...?” Gil whispered after placing a kiss on her sternum and looked up to meet her eyes.
“What thing...?” Audrey whispered, not being too sure if her voice had completely disappeared.
“That I want to be with you?” Gil lowered his hands to hold her by her thighs “Like this?” He kissed her sternum again. “That I want more? That I want you? And think about you like... that?"
“About me?” Audrey felt her cheeks flush and at the same time, her ego soared incalculably.
Not because of her physical beauty. Not for being a princess. No. But because Gil was looking at her like no one else.
“You may.” Audrey took his face “Whenever you want.”
Gil smiled so much it reminded her of the sunrise. He nodded, kissing her again with so much desire that her strength slowly drained.
And it was perfect.