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Another peaceful day at Ever After High, and of course – another relaxed huddle of students and future fairytales chilling in the royal-rebels lounge, talking about everything and nothing between one another, as per usual.
There were no classes at least for another hour or so, something about the teachers mixing the schedules and double-booking the same classrooms at the same time, causing them to cancel first period altogether until they sorted it out.
Briar Beauty, usually in deep-snooze in some class she aces somehow anyways, was resting and peacefully scrolling on her mirror phone, airbuds in as she drowned most of the noise around her.
Most of.
Of course, it was hard to drown out the sound of Sparrow and his Merry Men, practicing their instrument with no care in the world or any care for who may be disturbed by the noise, whatsoever.
She also couldn’t completely ignore her friends, Ashlynn Ella and Apple White, discussing the perfect outfit for the festival being held in Book-End next week.
The rebels, lead by no one but Raven Queen herself, were their own bubble of noise, playing a simple card game amongst each other, but the voices erupting from them was nothing like a typical card game. Honestly, even the muffled noise was making Briar think they were fighting more than anything.
There were other people there too, quieter, thankfully. But Briar’s number one source of noise hadn’t arrived yet.
The dark fairy, with her black and blue signature colour scheme, and her usual snappy personality. Her voice that often came out more snarky than usual when she was in a bad mood, but that was strong and commanding enough to gather the attention in the room all on her alone.
Briar didn’t mind any of that, though.
Cause whatever after people saw of the little tyrant, it was nothing close to how she was with her. How she behaved and talked, the contrast between Briar and the rest of the world was enormous.
And speaking of the devil, the flutter of said fairy fluttered into the lounge. Scanning the room with her grey-cold eyes. What was usually a careless and in a “whatever-after” type of glimmer in her eyes, was slightly different today.
Something way more wicked. Like mischief was just begging to be done, comments that had to be made, nagging that needed to be let out.
Briar didn’t notice her dearest Faybelle’s presence step into the room, but everyone else surely did.
The princess didn’t move an inch, until she noticed that the noise she once attempted to shut out, had completely quieted down. Replaced with one singular voice, taking the spotlight.
And of course, that voice belonged to no one else, but her girlfriend.
Briar removed her airplugs, lifting her head to see Faybelle, eyes digging into Farrah Goodfairy with a dangerous look, and her mouth even more so.
“Are you blind, Goodfairy?! Is it so hard to see someone stepping foot in the place, to so stupidly bump into them?” Faybelle’s voice was harsh, and Farrah’s was far from.
“It was an accident, Faybelle. I’m sorry.” She attempted a weak smile, hoping she’d let it go so that everyone could go on with their day. But Faybelle wasn’t in the mood for quick apologies, and being real.. “letting things go” has never been her style.
“The only thing you should be sorry for is that fairy fail of an outfit you’re wearing. Seriously, are you trying to ruin my day here?” She arched her eyebrow, a sly and evil smirk creeping up on her face as she saw how she’d caught the other fairy so off guard.
“Faybelle, I seriously didn’t mean to..-” Farrah attempted, trying to cool down from feeling everyone’s gazes lingering at them, their eyes burning down her back.
“Woah, shocker! Farrah Goodfairy didn’t mean to make a simple mistake!” Faybelle rolled her eyes unenthusiastically, “But isn’t that all you do? Mistakes after mistakes. Might as well be your trademark, better pass on that Godmother title. Anyday now!” She let the poison linger, knowing she was hitting the weak spots she wanted to.
Farrah bit her lower lip, trying to conceal her frustration as tears threatened to emerge from her eyes.
A faint snicker was heard from Sparrow Hood and his band of hooligans, who had long ago let their passion for music be replaced by the desire to see a scandal.
“Faybelle, Farrah didn’t do anything wrong. Cool your horses.” Raven shot at her from the side, having put her hand of cards down on the table the second Faybelle’s unpleasant hospitality had consumed the entire atmosphere.
Faybelle’s smirk widened, feasting on another victim.
“Speaking of mistakes.. how’s your mother doing? Her own grave mistake chilling like some incompetent idiot instead of actually making something of herself, I bet she’s fuming, hm?” Faybelle watched with anticipation as Raven’s fist clenched the chairs handle, knuckles turning white by the second.
Briar watched the entire scene in silence, watching Faybelle tear down on two innocent people simply because she could. Letting out an hexhausted sigh, she finally put her mirror phone down, calling out to her devilish girlfriend.
“Faybelle.” Her voice stern and steady, looking at the fairy with furrowed eyebrows as she turned around to face her.
Everyone saw it. Watched as Faybelle’s demeanor quickly shifted from a stone-cold literal bitch, to a softer and quieter tone. It was like Briar’s one word had single handedly cut through ice, no one daring to get involved.
Faybelle took one last glance at Farrah and Raven, rolling her eyes dismissively before shifting back to Briar and flying over to place herself on top of her lap. Her feet dangling off the chair as she relaxed her elbows on the other handle.
Faybelle dared to pull out her mirror phone, ready to pretend like nothing happened since she’d seated herself in her safe spot. But Briar wasn’t having it, snatching it away before she could react.
“Hey!” She pouted, watching as Briar dangled the device in front of her, pointing to Farrah and Raven.
They both watched Faybelle leave the situation she created, both at a loss for words. Farrah was tugging at her clothes, failing at reviving her usual smile, confidence clearly shattered. Raven attempted her best to return to the card game, hoping conversation between the rest of the lounge would resurface so she didn’t have to let Faybelle’s cruel words linger over her much longer.
“That’s not how you treat people, babe.” Briar said in a low tone, only for Faybelle to hear. The fairy decided to ignore her words, still clawing for the mirror phone that was taken from her.
“Faybelle.” She said again, making Faybelle snap with a rather loud “what?!”, completely erasing any trace of conversation left in the room. If all eyes weren’t watching them closely before, they surely were now.
Briar didn’t say anything, she let her eyes speak for themselves. Arching her right eyebrow as she crossed her arms dismissively.
“Stop it, Briar.” Faybelle threatened, trying her best to maintain eye contact. But Briar’s eyes were cold, never budging and stern. She wasn’t letting this go, and she knew it.
Everyone watched with anticipation, wondering what Briar would do, what she’d say. The ice-queen Faybelle Thorn was being scolded without words, and no one knew how it would play out.
“You don’t treat people like that for no reason. Get back and apologize.” Briar reminded her, her hand finding its way to Faybelle’s thigh, squeezing it slightly at her words.
Briar’s touch made Faybelle’s body twitch, afraid she’d let go.
“I don’t apologize.” Faybelle reminded her, looking away at the floor.
“Why, you always apologize to me? For being late, for having a messy room, for–” but before Briar could continue her rant, Faybelle whispered a quiet shut up.
“That’s completely different! You’re.. you. I don’t care about the others, they could spell away for all I care.” Faybelle even let her eyes stare daggers into Farrah and Raven behind her, knowing they were waiting for something in her to change.
Everyone was. And Faybelle was not budging. Ever after.
Briar chuckled for a bit before letting her hand travel from Faybelle’s thigh to neck, from neck to chin. Giving her the perfect opportunity to tilt Faybelle’s head the way she wanted to, placing a soft and delicate kiss on her pink lips, letting her own darker ones mix in with hers.
It all caught Faybelle off guard, leaving her a flustered mess as she knew everyone had seen her let her guard down so easily.
“You can’t just.!” Faybelle huffed, ready to go off until Briar’s hand pressed against her cheek. Her fingers brushing against the faint blush that was growing rapidly on Faybelle’s face.
Faybelle closed her eyes in frustration, biting her lips as she quieted down just from Briar’s touch.
“Come on baby, can’t you see you hurt them? Just one tiny apology, that’s all I’m asking.” Briar whispered into her ear, letting her finger trail down her neck.
For a moment, everyone’s breath was stuck in their throat. As if one tiny sound would ruin it.
Raven watched as Faybelle kept resting on top of Briar, but she also watched as every single move and word that Briar displayed, made Faybelle’s entire being shift. Like they were silent commands, that Faybelle for some reason couldn’t deny.
Apple and Ashlynn watched Briar, and then Faybelle. Sure, they knew about Faybelle’s soft spot; who didn’t? But this was way more than just being soft. It was.. more intimate, intense.
“It’s humiliating..” Faybelle mumbled only for Briar to hear, still refusing to look at her.
“You get off on that anyways.” Briar light heartedly joked, rubbing circles on Faybelle thigh as she twitched embarrassed at her joke.
With Briar’s eyes still looking at Faybelle, showing no signs of backing down, and her hand still on Faybelle’s thigh, she caved.
Fluttering up from her chair, which managed to make a mocking laugh escape Sparrow’s lips, that made Faybelle eye him, quietly threatening him.
She made her way to Farrah and Raven, who both still stood hexactly where she’d left them. Muttering a small ‘sorry’, and then turing around to look at Briar’s hexpression.
It hadn’t budged. Faybelle knew hexactly why.
“Raven, Farrah. I’m sorry about what I said, I didn’t mean it. I was just having a grumpy morning, and took it out on the first people available. I hope you can forgive me.” She then said, her voice stronger, louder – and clearer. Her cheeks were burning up as she heard multiple gasps upon her, eyes looking at her in pure shock, with no hexception of Farrah and Raven, clearly never getting over this.
Briar smiled satisfied, an odd feeling of proudness lingering in her. Sure, her girl could be unreasonably mean. But she could also admit mistakes and be kind (with a little push, of course) and the mixture of both those things is what made it so impossible for Briar not to love her.
“It’s okay, Faybelle. Thank you.” Farrah offered a kind smile, to which Faybelle was too embarrassed to face. Raven gave her a satisfied hum, and a litte laugh, letting her know it’s fine.
Faybelle refused to meet anyone else’s eyes as she retreated to Briar, re-arranging her position on her lap as she was rewarded her mirror phone back.
She scrolled on it, trying to ignore the whispers and laughter that followed her, hearing conversations slowly start up again to finally fill in the silence.
“Hey Thorn, how does it feel to be tamed, for a change?!” Sparrow, not ready to let the perfect opportunity to tease Faybelle without consequences slip away from him.
Faybelle ignored it, hearing the multiple laughters erupting from his comment. Her lips curled into a slight frown, speaking to Briar without looking at her.
“I’m not some wild animal for showcase. You owe me for this, princess.” She let out, her cold demeanor quickly meting away as Briar gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“I know, but you’re still a bit too much for everyone. Not for me though.” Briar reminded her, squeezing her waist, which made her slightly jump. “Never for me.” She repeated, letting Faybelle’s flustered self cool down while she let her words marinate.
“I’m borrowing your buds.” Faybelle demanded, plugging them into her own mirror phone without getting an answer first, quickly turning up some music to shut everything out.
“Seriously, Briar..” Apple sighed, a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Talk about being dominant.” Ashlynn butted in, only for Briar to snicker.
“I only did what was needed.” She assured them, letting them slowly drift back to conversation, so that she could enjoy the still-fuming, breath taking girl on top of her without anyone turing their heads.