Work Text:
Ambear sat with Orchid in her den, leaning against the sleepy dragon and staring out of the cave entrance at what little she could see of the rest of Wisperville. It was a cloudy day, unusual in the sun realm, and it felt as if rain was about to pour from the sky. At least, if that was something that could actually happen in the realm without a ritual.
And, as was so routine for her lately, Ambear was thinking about Michela. Her pretty hair, her pretty eyes, her pretty dress, her pretty magic. Everything about Michela was pretty.
It’d been a while since the date in the flower dimension, even longer since the ball. Safe to say, Ambear was a little sick and tired of the universe getting in the way of her spending time with Michela. She remembered the night after the ball when Michela had surprised her in her dorm and dropped the whole thing about waiting for the third date to kiss her. Which, god damn, Michela's rizz was inspiring.
And Ambear wanted that kiss. She really, really did. Every time they got close, something or someone interrupted them, or one of them already had plans. Ambear cringed a little when she remembered telling Michela she couldn’t hang out because she'd be busy with Megii. And the last opportunity they had almost gotten so close too. Only for a very, very dipped Legs to stumble in on their conversation. A man, of all things, interrupted them.
She groaned in frustration and turned towards Orchids’ little pink face, blinking up at her. “What do I do, Orchie?” Ambear murmured to her dragon. She took the dragon's face in her hands. “Tell me how to date a girl.”
Orchid let out a tiny trill and tilted her nose into Ambear’s palms. She blinked up at her rider with loving eyes. “Very helpful, Orchie.” Ambear giggled and leaned closer to Orchid. The dragon sneezed, a puff of warm air ruffling Ambear’s hair.
“Mmm, very wise.” Ambear pressed her forehead against Orchid’s. “I need a reason to go see Michela.” She decided then and there. She stood up and walked out of the cave, Orchid following after her. She started pacing in front of her house, gliding idly every few moments. Orchid lay on her landing stump and watched her rider have a crisis over a girl.
“But what can I give her, though? I could…, give her food. No, no.” Every single excuse she tried out in her head fell apart in three seconds flat. “I could erm, uh. Ask if she needs anything?” Ambear huffed and scuffed one shoe over a stone. Orchid was no longer paying as much attention as she had before and was looking around. Probably to see if Pyro had left Cindemere in Wisperville. Ambear’s dragon’s love life was currently more successful than her own.
Ambear stopped and looked out over her village; it gave her an idea. “Flowers!” She glided down to the path and plucked a whole, colorful, beautiful bouquet. "Okay," Ambear whispered, squaring her shoulders and turning back to look up at Orchid. "I’m going to go find her. I'm going to hand her these. And then I’m just going to…I'm just going to say it. No babbling. No giving anyone a window to interrupt us. Direct. I can be direct. I’m good at direct!"
“Meow meow meow meow meow!” She summoned Orchid and got onto her back. Together, they flew toward the Evernight Glade. When the large glass covering Osteon made that kept the village in the dark came into view, Ambear landed. She left Orchid lying near Princess, patted the dragon’s head, and went to find Michela.
Ambear found Michela just as she was teleporting out of her void chest. Ambear took a step forward. "Hey, Michela."
Michela paused, glancing over her shoulder. Michela's shoulders relaxed almost immediately when she saw who it was, and she turned around to face Ambear. “Oh hey, what's up? You ok?”
"Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine." Ambear stayed a couple of paces back, fidgeting with her sleeves. "I just... I wanted to come check on you. And see what you were working on."
“Oh, and also, here.” She held out the bouquet to Michela. The smile that spread across the witch’s face made butterflies flutter in Ambear’s stomach. "You brought me flowers?" Michela asked softly, looking up into Ambear's flushed face.
"I, yeah," Ambear murmured with a smile as wide as Michela’s. "I picked them before I left. They just… reminded me of you, and I didn't want to show up completely empty-handed. I hope you like them."
"I really do," Michela said. "Thank you. They're almost as pretty as you."
A few moments of comfortable silence passed as Ambear's anxiety slowly drained away. She never needed to be nervous with Michela. Michela was patient, Michela understood her, and Michela would never judge her.
“We really need to have that date, huh?” Michela echoed her words from right before Legs’ interruption. “And… I’m not doing anything. Right now.” Michela said with a small laugh. Ambear rocked back on her heels as her heart beat a bit faster.
“Oh, hmm, what a coincidence. Yeah, I don’t know…looks like I’m free too.” Ambear matched Michela’s laugh. “I mean, I’m here, aren’t I? And like, I totally didn’t come here just for that. At all.” Ambear dared, just a little, to reach out and brush her fingers against Michela’s. And she was delighted when Michela’s palm slid into hers.
There was an easy warmth to being with Michela. It was comforting. “Third date’s a big one, right?” Michela said. Without either of them saying anything, they started walking down one of the paths in the Evernight Glade. Their conjoined hands swung between them.
“Mhmmm.” Ambear hummed. “I really wanted this, you know. No distractions. No… mmm, evil ghosts that need calming in the crypts.” Ambear stopped in the middle of the path and then bumped their shoulders together playfully. “And I remember someone making a promise about what happens on date three.”
“I didn't forget,” Michela smiled. Her thumb brushed gently across Ambear’s knuckles. “Actually... I was thinking. If we’re really doing date three, maybe we shouldn't just walk around my village. So I was thinking…a picnic?”
Ambear's answer was a bright, excited grin. “That sounds perfect.”
After that, they made plans to meet in Wisperville in a few hours and have their lovely picnic in the flower dimension. Ambear was waiting for Michela now, and she'd changed into what she'd worn to the ball. It seemed appropriate… and Michela deserved Ambear’s very best too.
She thought about that conversation she'd had with Megii, more like multiple conversations, where Megii asked if Michela made Ambear happy. If she yearned for Michela. She did, she really did.
Ambear has suffered through a lot. To find the warmth Michela gave her was a relief, honestly. To have something where she didn’t have to think or try, and could just be. The amount of violence she’d had to bear since she was brought back to life was sort of ridiculous. It was like she was never ok, like ever. But that violence had led to this gentleness, and maybe that was worth it? Was that what love was like? Was this why it mattered? The gentleness in the violence.
Because Michela was landing Princess in front of the house next to Orchid, looking gorgeous. All Ambear could feel was giddy warmth. Like she didn’t face actual horrors every day and her best friend was slowly losing his mind to corruption and dying.
Ambear met Michela at the door, and together they entered Ambear’s void chest. “I’ll get the components!” She waved a hand as the chest-search spell glimmered into the air, and the components flew into Ambear's hand to take them to her hobby.
They were placed onto the dragon altar and lit by Ambear’s flint and steel. She felt Michela take her hand as the lightning struck the altar. Within a few seconds, they were in the flower dimension. “Oh fuck-” Michela gasped as she lost her footing while just coming out of the ritual, almost stumbling back into the water that would’ve sent her right back to the regular world.
Ambear caught her hand and pulled her back. The two mages looked at each other and then started giggling.
The flower dimension was always perfect. It was always sunny with clear skies and a light breeze that ruffled the endless fields and hills of flora and fauna. The wind carried the ever-present sweet fragrance over them both, wafting it as they came down from their laughter. “My hero.” Michela wheezed out as she found her balance and shifted the basket she had been carrying on one arm. “Mmm, yeah. I’m like, so cool. Such fast reflexes.” Ambear joked back.
After that, they started walking, joking with each other. Conversation came easily, and the affection even more so. Michela spotted a good spot in a particularly pretty meadow, and they settled down to have their date. “Did you cook that?” Ambear asked curiously as Michela started bringing out food. The question made the witch snort. “Oh God, no. Scott made these.” Michela set down a platter of dumplings, kept fresh with magic. “The last time I tried to cook, I died.”
When Ambear gave Michela a look, Michela smiled like it was all some big secret. “Metaphorically. Don’t worry, god fixed me.” Ambear had a feeling it was not at all metaphorical but chose not to pursue that line of conversation.
The date went on with the same unhurried rhythm as it had since they got to the flower dimension. They shared the dumplings Michela brought, joking, and Ambear told stories about her home and her family. It was…nice. It was just the two of them existing together.
The food had disappeared rather quickly, and that’s when the booze had come out. And it was, of course, from the best brewery of all, right from kindling. Fairy wine for Ambear and something sweet for Michela. The basket had been pushed aside ages ago now. Michela was lying on her back and laughing at something Ambear had said. The fairy was on her stomach, chin resting on her hand.
Michela turned her head to see Ambear’s face and caught the fairy’s eye. “What?” She murmured. Her voice was softer than it had been moments before. Ambear didn't look away or stumble over an excuse. The anxious overthinking from earlier had completely vanished. "Nothing," Ambear answered, a small grin touching her lips. "Just... we’re still on date three, you know."
Michela smiled at the reminder. “Yeah. I know we are.” Michela said, “And?” Ambear said nothing as Michela propped herself up on her elbows. In fact, the fairy scooted herself a bit closer to the other mage. She brought herself up onto her knees. “And? Don’t ‘and’ me like you don’t know what you said.” Ambear gave a quiet, teasing scoff.
“Hey,” Michela sat up fully and raised her arms like she was surrendering. “I’m just making sure you’re not all talk.”
“Oh, I’m never all talk.” Ambear shot back. Her heart started beating louder. Scott would be so proud. She wasn’t fumbling!
There was little hesitation from either of them after that. They both leaned in. It was a long, sweet kiss. They both tasted like fairy wine and Scott’s dumplings. It was unhurried. Steady…it was steady. Just like Michela. Ambear eventually pulled back, even though she really didn’t want to, and met Michela’s eyes with a smile she saw reflected back at her.
At some point, Michela’s hand found the side of Ambear’s neck. Her hand fell to the blanket between them and their fingers laced together. “I was right. Three dates was worth it.” Michela said. Ambear laughed, all the previous worries and near-misses completely forgotten as she rested her head against Michela’s shoulder. She was content to sit there in the flower dimension with Michela and forget the rest of the world for as long as they could manage it.