#bridget x reader

It had been a long day or rather, a long week for you. Midterms were coming and you were panicking, studying never came easy for you, so you have to study twice as hard than everyone else to receive a passing grade, which caused you to cram all night long, with no sleep, while during the day, as student body president, you were required to patrol the halls and then di extra curricular activities, you didn’t have time to study at all during daylight.

By the end of the week, you were like a walking corpse, eye bag clinging to your under eyes, slouching not caring whether you were about to bump into something or someone.

Friday afternoon, walking to your after school club, dragging your feet with your eyes barely staying open, to others you look like zombie, some students looked at you with worry but none cared enough to actually help you that is until you bumped into a certain bubbly pink haired girl.

The sound of a falling metal tray startled you, watching the seen in front of you, you panicked when you saw a bunch of pink cupcakes on the floor, looking back at the girl, she just looked at at you horrified.

“Bridget! Oh my god, i am SO SO SORRY!” You said apologetically as you were about to lean down to grab the fallen tray and cupcake a hand grab at your forearms stopping you, you look up to see Bridget’s worried eyes.

“Y/n? Are you ok?” Bridget asked, you were confused as to what she was talking about.

“Yeah? Why?”

“Your eyes..” realising what she was talking about, you immediately pulled your arm away from her hand, grabbed the cupcakes and the tray before handing it back to her hurriedly.

“Im sorry again” you said before rushing away from, sudden burst of adrenaline from embarrassing yourself in front of your crush.

How can you forget about the eyebags surrounding your eyes, you almost look like Hook with his eyeliner from how dark your eyebags are.

After basically running to the fashion club, you were even more exhausted than before, causing you to poke yourself self while sewing a shirt, it would’ve been fine if it happened once or twice, but as the hour passed, the other members couldn’t help but look at you everytime you say “ow”.

“Y/n? You good, girl?” The club president asked, but you didnt hear her.

“Y/n? Y/n!” The president shook you wake when she noticed you actually had your eyes closed while using the machine.

“Wa-what?” You said blinking your eyes back open.

“Y/n, i think you should go get some sleep”

You fake chuckled “whaaat? Im fine, im totally awake” you said activating the machine again but your eyes began to close once more.

“Nope, you’re not, c’mon” the president said before grabbing you and dragging you out of the room with you mumbling protests, it was clear very very crystal clear that you were exhausted.

The president was silently scolding for not taking care of yourself but once you reached the courtyard, you felt as if you were handed to another pair of arms, much softer arms and mmmm they smell good too.

The only part you heard of their conversation was “i’ll take care of her” before you were once again dragged away.

You looked drunk from how much you were stumbling and babbling about being “super awake and super energised” you heard the person carrying you chuckle and you recognised it as Bridget’s laugh, but you didnt have the energy to even blush around her.

As she guided you back to your dorm, she scolded you about needing to manage your time better and taking better care of yourself which made you sulk a bit.

When you arrived in front of your dorm, you were already passed out in her arms, making it hard for her to ask you for the keys of your dorm so she checked your pockets and that made you giggle in your sleep.

"𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴" you said murmuring.

Bridget chuckled opening your door. She guided you to your bed, making sure to lay you down carefully but what you said made her drop you to your bed but you didn’t even realise as you close your eyes snuggling into your blanket.

"𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩?" 𝘯𝘰. 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵.

The next day you woke up more active and aware of your surroundings, but what made you confused is why Bridget is talking to you and blush-y around you, not that you minded of course, you just don’t know why.

It went on for the rest of the day, she was happily talking to her, so she confronted her about it.

“Bridget, im sorry, why are you talking to me?” You said, and the girl suddenly looked confused and hurt.

“Not that i mind, of course, in fact i enjoy it a-lot, its just…you never really talked to me this much before, did something happen?” You defended immediately.

“Well, yesterday you said-“ she hesitated noticing the confused look on your face “ you know what, nevermind” she said smiling but you can see that it wasn’t a genuine one.

“Im just gonna go” she said attempting to leave but you grabbed her wrist.

“No, please tell me what i said yesterday” you were dreading to know what you said.

“Um, well….you said you liked me, but you were totally buzzed out yesterday so i understand that you didn’t really mean it, so no worries” she hurried say with nervousness in her voice.

“Oh. My. God. Bridget, i am so sorry, i didn’t want to confess that way.” You said blushing, embarrassed about your actions from yesterday “you know, you can totally reject me immediately, you don’t have to let me down slowly or whatnot, i don’t want to force you to hang out with me, just because you know i like you” you said apologetically.

“No, y/n, i li-“ Bridget said.

“You’re too kind that you cant even say it, oh my goddd, i totally get it, no hard feelings, you dont have to say it, im gonna go now so- yeah” you said turning around to leave.

The next thing you knew, lips were pressed against yours. Your eyes widen at the sudden situation, you saw Bridget with her eyes closed ACTUALLY kissing you.

'𝘰𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬' you thought and when the situation finally registered in your brain you kissed back and you felt her smile against your lips.

When you pulled away, you looked at her shocked “𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙪𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙠..." you whispered while touching your lips making her chuckle.

She grabbed both of your hands as she stepped closer to you.

“I like you too, silly” she said bashfully.

“Oh my god, you’re so cute” you said dazed making her blush.

“Aren’t you going to ask me?” Bridget said fidgeting with her hands.

“Ask you?” Youre brain was NOT working at all.

“To be your girlfriend?” She smiled shyful.

“Oh-“ you were short circuiting “oh!” you cleared your throat.

“Bridget, would you do me the honor of going on a date with me and becoming my girlfriend?” You smiled.

“YES! YES! YES!” She squealed hugging you “i’ve been dreaming of that question for so long”

But now, in everyone else’s eyes, she was the cruelest Queen there had ever been. ‘Off with their heads’ rolls down her tongue as natural as walking for a normal person.

Any normal human would turn their backs against the Queen once they knew it was too late for her to be the sweet Bridget again, but you were never normal.

“Bridget, you’ve gotta stop being so harsh on Red.” You tried to reason with the Queen as she walked around your room and you were starting to feel dizzy.

It was midnight when a sudden explosion bursted your doors open, revealing the Queen of Hearts. Then 2 hours later, she was still in your room complaining about her daughter while touching and messing up your precious stuff.

“I told you to address me by my title!” The Queen glared at you but you chose to ignore her fiery gaze, no matter how much she threatened to chop your head off you knew she would never find the heart to do so. No matter how small it became. “And last time I checked, she is my daughter! Not yours!”

“She might as well be, I helped raise her!” You shouted, startling Bridget and even yourself at the outburst. You muttered an apology before taking a sip of focus potion to wake you up fully. You were so out of it after only getting 2 hours of sleep.

“Whatever, the point is she’s only a kid, she’s in the phase where she needs to figure out who she is. And who she is definitely isn’t you.” You slowly approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder In comfort while also trying to knock some sense into her.

“Remember when we were teenagers and all the fun we had? Your parents were never as controlling as you are with Red. Maybe we should bake cakes together again like the good old days!”

“Fun? I remember how much fun they all had when I was weak, gullible, and humiliated! Luckily you were sick or you might as well be dead to me like everyone else that was there!” The Queen exclaimed, her hands laid on a knife you were heating up earlier.

Your heart sunk deeper at the reminder of the day when your lives changed forever. You and Bridget had always been friends, since babies. Your parents practically raised you both together as both of your Kingdoms were united.

Ella came in view when you and Bridget arrived at Merlin academy, in a way she was her own person but she just felt like one of you guys so it wasn’t surprising how quickly the three of you got along.

Your friendship was great, well until one fateful day when everything changed. For worse.

The three of you planned to go to the dance together seeing as Bridget badly wanted to go, you and Ella never really liked those things but agreed to go anyways, for Bridget.

Just a day before the night of the dance, you had gotten terribly sick and chose to stay in your shared dormitory with Bridget. Your friends wanted to stay and look after you but you didn’t want to ruin their fun, especially Ella after you overheard Prince Charming talking about asking her out to dance.

If only you knew the outcome, you would’ve begged them not to leave your side.

A few hours after the night started, you were woken up by loud noises wandering around your dorm. You couldn’t make out who it was as you were too sick to move, but you knew it was Bridget from the second she mumbled about getting revenge of some sort.

But that was it, after that night, you weren’t getting any better so your parents took you back home to let the family doctor take care of you.

When you became healthy enough to go back to school, everything changed. Everyone avoided Bridget as if she was a plague, even Ella. And it pained you that you never asked what really happened, all you knew was that you’ll be by Bridget’s side no matter what.

So when King Beast and Queen Belle decided to unite all the Kingdoms, only yours and Bridget’s Kingdom rejected their peace offering. And as a result, your Kingdom and hers were forever blocked from ever going out of your Kingdom’s land.

“Bridget! Are you alright?” You immediately dropped all your belongings and rushed to her aid. The Queen flinched in pain when you accidentally pressed on her wound, “Sorry!”

You gently pulled her to sit down on a chair before using your free hand to grab one of your healing potions. “This is going to stink for a while. Are you okay?” you gently held her hand before looking up, right into her eyes. The same eyes you would get lost in every time you looked, and she looked at you the same way.

Suddenly it was like she was a teenage girl again, when life was sweet. Remembering the sparks that would go off whenever you held her hands as you placed on a bandage when she accidentally burnt herself while you guys were on your weekly baking date. The way you would hold her so warmly that all her senses would go off and all she wanted to do was be in your arms forever.

The feelings she had that got locked up when she became the Queen of Hearts, what she didn’t know was that she had already taken yours and you had forgotten it too.

You both came back to your senses when the sound of a thunder was heard, immediately moving apart from each other. You dropped her hand in panic and she was starting to miss that feeling. And she didn’t like feeling that feeling one bit.

“Oh, umm…do you want to bake a cake together? Unless you want cookies or cupcakes or both!” Your question was more like a demand since you gave her no chance to speak, grabbing her hands while ignoring the old butterflies that had finally grew wings again.

“We’re going to make cookies!” You claimed once you and Bridget arrived at your kitchen, you usually prefer for your bakers to make whatever you desire but baking it yourself just felt perfect at this time around.

The whole situation felt awkward at first, you weren’t used to being the one talking. Bridget was usually the one who starts and ends the conversations, mostly ranting about problems in her own Kingdom and her daughter.

But ever since that moment you shared, she had been quiet and weird, it was like her body was there but she wasn’t quite herself. It wasn’t too bad since she actually did help with mixing up the ingredients. But you really hated feeling awkward around your best friend. You terribly wanted to break the ice, so you did.

“Oh, you got something there.” You slowly headed her way, reaching out near her face pretending to get a non existent thing off her face. “Right…there! Ah HAH!” you grinned as you threw flour to her way.

Bridget stayed still, at first you thought that that would be the end of your precious head but then you saw a smile grew on her face as she did the same back. “I’m not letting you get away so easily!”

After almost 17 years, you finally found a way to see old Bridget again. You really never appreciate the small moments until it is taken away from you.

“Game on, my Queen!”

Half an hour later and the whole kitchen was filled with flour, the room was basically whiter than Snow White herself. You and Bridget laughed all night before taking a break on the floor.

“Remember when we used to have those weekly baking dates and it would always end up with flour all over the place?” You reminisced of your younger days as you settled yourself down next to Bridget. Leaning on her shoulders gently, a habit of yours since long long ago.

“Your mother would get so disappointed and made us clean it ourselves but we still did it again. Of course I remember.” Bridget smiled but not like the smile she usually does when ordering guards to cut people’s head off, this was different, genuine, and for a moment you saw the same look she used to hold before everything changed.

The look that had you lost in time and all you could do was look at her like she was the only one who existed in your world.

“I love you.” You nervously blurted out. One of the things you hated the most since birth was hiding your own feelings, it was suffocating, especially since you were hiding from the person you practically spent your whole life with.

And for a moment, you thought she won’t feel the same way. After all, you guys never addressed the situationship you had going on. It was greatly pushed aside after all the problems Bridget faced after that sorrow night.

“You do?” The Queen’s eyes grew soft as she looked back at you, her hands gently caressing your face.

“I always have, and always will. I loved you since that day you defended me from those bullies even though they were twice your size, we were twelve. You were always the sweetest, even to people who never deserved it.” You chuckled, it was bittersweet but at least you and Bridget had always been by each other’s side, no matter what.

Even if, for the past 20 years you guys had to push aside your true feelings for each other.

“I planned to come clean about my feelings to you years ago but as you know, time loves to mess with u-“ your words were cut off when Bridget leaned in, using her finger to lift your chin up before pulling you in for a long much needed kiss.

in one hand, you clutch a glass of punch so tensely that a sheen of ice has begun to spread across its surface, while your other hand is pressed tightly against your chest, as you scramble to keep a mug of lukewarm hot chocolate from slipping amongst your palmful of bow-shaped little sweets you scooped from a bowl of bridget’s favourites. it’s like a tightrope act, as you wobble back and forth, shifting endlessly to the whims of sweaty bodies slamming into your shoulders, and dancers bouncing across your path rapidly.

you’re sending a polite smile over your shoulder to zellie—after she’d tugged an oblivious flynn out of your way seconds before collision—when a scream, so high-pitched you’re shocked your ears can even comprehend it, pierces through the festivities.

your eyebrows shoot up, your feet halting in their place just as everyone else’s seem to, as the following moment of silence suffocates the ballroom—even the pied piper is stunned, as his hands drop to stall the records atop his turntable, and the sudden lack of upbeat music escalates the thick tension.

from where you stand on the outskirts of the dancefloor, you can’t see so much as the slightest hint of what just happened—even when you attempt to slip through your peers to get a closer look, you’re jostled aside as the masses’ initial fright subsides, and they all rush inwards to do the same.

onlookers quickly find their voices in huddles of whispers, interspersed with gasps, that soon morph into… laughter?

your chest is beginning to feel far too small to accommodate the thumping of your heart, your unease growing with every second you can’t make out the glittering figures under the spotlight. a pixie lets out a squeaky scoff as you attempt to nudge her out of your way, taking a deep breath as she builds up to reprimand you for daring to so much as graze her designer dress, that you will be responsible for paying the price to mend it!—when a familiar dark fey’s hiss followed by a burst of signature villainous chortles echo from ahead.

and, in response, a pitiful whimper shatters through heavy breaths that desperately will themselves not to break into sobs.

your stomach drops—you know those sounds, those miserable little signs of the dam about to break, from all those late nights, as your hugs crushed bones and reassuring whispers rambled on so long you would put headmaster merlin’s lectures to shame.

you gasp, the name tearing upwards through your dry throat like a dying rasp, “bridget.”

the snooty pixie almost slips off her feet from the sheer momentum of you whipping away from her, her indignant cries and appalled squeals reprimanding you for your shattered cups that fall at her feet following you as you disappear into the flurry of neon lights and wicked chatter slicing from every direction—with all your focus on the sounds of bridget’s cries as the vk’s taunt and jab at her, which you follow like the north star with every merciless shove to barrel through the crowd at the pace of a riptide.

your arms ache with every push and your shoulders bruise with every check, until your thunderous footsteps break through the final circle of onlookers (where they scoff at your aggression, but quickly return to retching and aweing and pointing their perfectly manicured fingers at the girl at the centre of it all, with their mouths agape like patrons of a zoo) and into the empty space surrounding the vk’s and their victims, as everyone else refuses to breach the border and risk getting caught in whirlwind of the vk’s—or the creature standing where bridget once stood’s—wrath.

you clutch your stomach like a boot kicked you square in the gut, a torrid gasp bouncing against the towering walls of the ballroom, as you finally come face to face with bridget; scrambling pathetically for a foothold of dignity—distraught.  

there is muddy-green scales where her soft skin should be, from which boils and warts burst from the gaps between, staining her body all the way from where her bones have snapped into the shape of dragon’s taloned legs, upwards to her clawed hands that hang off painfully coiled arms, all the way to her face; from which hangs grey hair taut like straw where her luscious pink girls used to fall like puffs of cotton candy, with demon’s horns so heavy they weigh her neck down.

she turns in panicked circles, watery eyes flickering upon the faces of every classmate that stares, that grimaces, that looks pale in disgust at her atrocious appearance, that laugh and smirk and mock the ruined princess to their friends with poorly contained whispers of which she hears every callous word.

never have you seen her so broken before your own bleary eyes, as her hands flutter in a vain attempt to hide her beastly features behind shivering palms. the smile she always uses to brush off rejections and snide comments is shaky upon her lips—every twitch of her mouth stunted by the large fang-like tusks protruding from the bottom row of her teeth, like the molars of a jabberwocky.

if she were still made of her own flesh, her fingers would be burning white with the force that she grips the half-eaten cupcake in her hand, tendrils like smoke as remnants of dark magic waft out of it as her claws dig into her palm—the crumbs dust the ground, and as they drip down like blood, the vk’s mock her for letting the baked good go to waste, cackling as they urge the girl who’s already beyond recognition to take another bite.

with one last choked gasp for air, bridget—the girl you’ve watched smile and politely chuckle through everything the world throws at her, the girl who never lets insulting notes tucked into her locker or gum thrown into her hair get her down, the girl who should be dancing her perfect huge heart out right now, as she lives the picture-perfect night of her first ever school dance she’s been dreaming of for years—gives up, and lets her legs give out beneath her.

without a second thought, your shoes are skidding across the slippery dancefloor as you sprint to catch the collapsing girl before she hits the ground and lets it swallow her whole.

your arms wrap around her back as you sink to your knees, guiding her into your lap even as she recoils from your touch. with every wriggle and writhe, and barely audible whisper to “just let me go, let me disappear, forever”, you force your heartbeat to calm as you cup her head to your chest, even as the razor-sharp tips of her horns threaten the fabric over your shoulders, and dig your fingers into the ruffles of her dishevelled dress. until, to the encouragement of your demonstrations of even breaths and softly cooed reassurances that she’s safe with you, she finally slumps into your arms, and lets out a sob that quakes from her chest to yours.

“it’s okay, it’s okay, i’ve got you,” you whisper between her wails louder than a griffon’s, and do your best to hum the tune of your mother’s lullaby that you know she loves, without breaking into tears yourself.

but, as you rock her back and forth in the cocoon she’s made for herself in your lap amongst the folds of her dress and your own outfit, the brutal voices of judgemental classmates slowly build up once more—their volume rising like an unforgiving tide, dragging the both of you under until you’re entirely submerged in a newfound burst of giggles and snickers.

you try to ignore it, gently cupping bridget’s rough face to wipe away the trails of makeup pouring down her uneven cheeks—but surrounding predators, hungry for drama and cheap laughs, refuse to let the two of you rest.

“she’s got a tail, ew!” someone shouts, immediately prompting bridget to shuffle where she’s sprawled across the floor, scrambling to hide the appendage, but only ending up ripping her ruined dress further along its jagged spines.

the tremaine sisters titter as seams rip, drizella grinning cruelly as she guffaws, “aw, it looks like a rat’s!”

“are you a rat, princess?” anastasia smirks.

emboldened by the crowd’s support, the vk’s dare to close in on yours and bridget’s huddled forms, as james hook smirks, “oh no, she’s definitely a troll.”

a slimy sea witch’s limb lurks towards you, “do you need help returning to under your bridge, where you belong, troll?” uliana coos, and brings the tip of her tentacle to wrench bridget’s face from where it hides within your chest, so she can reveal the inconsolable girl’s face to amuse the crowd, as if her squeezed-shut eyes framed with endless streams of tears, and chewed-down lips trying to trap heaving sobs should—could—invoke any reaction other than pure heartbreak.

your hands move quicker than your mouth, as they whip out in defiance of uliana’s heartless taunt—jagged spears of ice bursting from your palms, forming a freezing wall separating the villains from further abusing the girl that rushed to shove her head firmly back into the safety of your chest the moment she was released—and you screech, “how dare you!”

with wild eyes, your gaze pivots to now face the bystanders who gasped at your outburst like this is all just one big pantomime put on to entertain them—while they ignore the undeniable truth, that, once bridget is hollowed out and no longer fun to play with anymore, the vk’s will turn to use one of them as their next doll to toss around.

“how dare all of you?!” you scowl as every pair of eyes you meet in anger cowers away in shame under your fury, “bridget has been nothing but a fucking angel to every last one of you, and this is how you treat her? you laugh? you point and sneer a-and make fun of her—while she’s humiliated because— because what? because she was kind enough to trust people who never give her the time of day? because she was openminded and wanted to give them a second chance? because she’s a good person?!”

you crane your head to face left at the sound of a scoff, and fix flora “the ‘good’ fairy” with a glare so cold it almost turns her red dress snow-white. she swallows thickly as her pale-stricken sisters tentatively abandon her side, fading into the shadows of the crowd to escape your ire.

“and that—her generosity, her goodwill, her friendliness—is funny to you?” you tilt your head expectantly, until flora mutters a guilty “no, not at all…” with a rattle of her head, “—but you all found her pain so funny, that you chose the side of these literal bullies, who torment all of you just the same, who spent all night baking a potion to poison bridget—to torture her, to—”

“to turn her into a monster!” gaston shouts from where he’s pretending he doesn’t have to do little hops from the back row to catch so much as a glimpse of the action.

“no!” you flinch violently, the pitchforks and torches that frame the halls of your past flashing in your mind’s eye just like they had when your own neighbours had hunted you down like you were a danger, a threat, a monster.

bridget whines where she presses her cheek into the salty puddle on your chest, nudging you backwards as she tries to bury herself impossibly further into the safety of your arms. you run your hand over her thin whisps of hair as your arm wrapped snugly around her torso gives a comforting squeeze.

“he doesn’t know what he’s saying,” you mutter under your breath, “i know better than anyone that you, bridget, are the furthest thing from a monster.”

you shake your head as you look back up at the blinding lights and intrusive stares.

“no,” you affirm, staring right through the crowd (and past prince adam, who, for a split second, offers you a reassuring nod of someone who understands what it’s like to be beaten down and declared a beast) until you hope gaston—and everyone else who desperately needs to find their hearts hidden somewhere in the cold, dark, cavities of their chests—can feel the weight of your gaze, “she’s not a monster, she’s bridget. she’s the one who never hesitates to help you with your homework, she’s the one who always stops by to ask if you’re okay, no matter how busy she is— she’s the one who lets you cheat off her exams, for fuck’s sake! she’s the one who bakes you cupcakes every day— all because she just wants to make a friend, and spread as much joy as she can.

“so, when the girl who shared the best boutique in town with you just so you could find your dream castlecoming dress—” drizella and anastasia analyse the sticky floor below them with guilt, “—who stayed up all night copying her notes from the class you slept through so you wouldn’t fall behind—” princess aurora musters a remorseful pout at the reminder, “—who gives everything to all of you, and never expects anything in return; when she needs your help, your support, just once… you laugh?”

you turn to the vk’s, standing your ground as you refuse to look away and grant peace to the distorted visions of growing sheepishness through the barricade of ice.

“you laugh,” you meet each of the vk’s eyes, your wide pools of indignation reflecting back to them faces that slowly dawn upon an unexpected contrition, “knowing full well that if you were in her shoes—crying, hurting, left all alone—she wouldn’t hesitate to help you.”

with tightly pursed eyebrows and a moue creased along your unwittingly wet cheeks, you shake your head with a huff.

the world around you is stunned, not a single face among the crowd of every single one of your peers dares to so much as breathe too loud, as they’re overcome with a nauseous feeling akin to being sent to their rooms as children, knowing what they did was wrong as their heart sinks with regret—but also knowing that their guardian has grown too infuriated for a simple, meek, “…i’m sorry?” to be enough to mend things anymore.

with one last sigh, you’ve already begun mentally preparing yourself to carry the dispirited husk of the girl, who’d wanted nothing more than to simply drink watered-down punch and dance until her feet numbed tonight, back to her dorm, to cry herself to sleep in the warm embrace of your arms and the dim stars of the arendelle night sky projected from the nightlight you gifted her.

but, just as you give the gentlest jostle to bridget’s shoulder where rough scales peak out of her puffed sleeves, a melodic voice breaks the silence.

“i’ve never gotten such a high grade in magical history before, as i did when you wrote those notes for me…” aurora’s eyes flicker between yours and where she tries to meet bridget’s, as she clasps her hands over her heart, “thank you, bridget. i’m sorry i didn’t tell you sooner.”

your features soften inch by inch, with hope, as a beat passes, and tiana steps to the front of the crowd behind you.

“i don’t remember the last time i ran out of a single cooking ingredient,” though you can’t see it from where you’re anchored down by bridget’s weight, tiana smiles fondly, “every single time i need something, bridget is there, carrying twice as many bags of flour as she can manage.”

to your left, lathyn, another baker, timidly nods along with tiana—and, suddenly spurred on by her boyfriend’s participation, anastasia breaks free of her sister’s tight hold around her wrist, and raises her hand.

“this is the best dress i’ve ever worn, and i would’ve never found it without bridget’s help!” she declares with a little flourish of her skirt, grinning widely, before nudging her sister beside her who scrunches her face up hesitantly, “and my sister loves hers too, don’t you!”

drizella huffs, firmly crossing her arms and pouting… but after relentless encouragement (though she’d call it harassment) from her sister, she grumbles, “…i do,” before relaxing her arms to her sides with a sigh, “i really love it. thank you, bridget.”

steadily, murmurs of agreement build up into a cacophony of voices calling out to thank bridget for kind deeds she’s done for them. from tracking down rare library books, to lending umbrellas, to simply being herself and offering a smile to someone having a rough day—you’re surrounded by your classmates finally realising everything bridget does for them out of the goodness in her heart, and recognising what a lovely person she truly is.

there’s a quiet stirring in your lap, when, ever so slowly, bridget’s eyes lift to meet yours, as they glisten with a hope you’d almost feared you might never see from her again when you’d watched her fall.

even through the layers of scales and claws and witch’s warts, the softest hint of a smile begins to form upon her chapped lips, as she rises from your lap.

“i-i’m sorry, bridget,” a voice cracks through all others, and the commotion stills, as everyone turns to face morgie le fay, a vk stepping apart from the downtrodden others.

he falters, eyes drowning in regret and fingers fidgeting shakily, when bridget twists in your hold to meet his gaze. after a moment of silence, and a deep breath, she offers him a weak smile and a trembling nod, and he continues.

“you spent three days searching for my pet snake when he went missing. e-even if it turned out he was just in my room the whole time… it meant a lot,” he sighs, “my own friends didn’t bother to help at all… but you did—you put up missing posters, and bought treats to lure him out, a-and kept comforting me when i worried about him—and i didn’t even have to ask… you just… helped, and never asked for anything in return.”

bridget’s back curls against your chest as she shrinks in on herself bashfully, “oh… well… i just did what anyone would do…”

your head whips to the right as a disbelieving scoff interrupts bridget—and you feel the first inklings of a budding smile pulling at the edges of your lips, when you come face to face with ella (flanked by an empathetically smiling charming, and fay on the verge of tears on bridget’s behalf), stepping out of the crowd with her shimmering blue dress slightly rustled, from having rushed through stubborn classmates and brushed against too many wayward elbows to count the moment she returned from having snuck off with charming, and had sprinted into the eye of the storm before the person she was eavesdropping on could even finish gossiping about the “hilarious prank” the vk’s had just pulled on bridget.

“that is not what anyone would do, bridget,” ella insists, “it’s what only you would do, because you’re the nicest, strongest, most amazing person this whole world has ever been lucky enough to see.”

charming cheers, “you’re the best, bridget!” and you let out a surprised laugh in spite of yourself, when the girl who was insisting she hated his guts mere hours ago, nods vigorously in agreement, and grabs his hand to thrust them in the air enthusiastically.

clapping her hands together faster than the flaps of a pixie’s wings, fay lets out a mousy woohoo! in agreement.

like a ripple building into a tidal wave, corsets strain and suit jackets rustle as others join in to rally around bridget—who chokes on a mix of a sob and a laugh, as she frantically rubs at her dewey eyes, triple-checking to make sure she isn’t just imagining this swell of love suddenly surrounding her, like the dark clouds of a thunderstorm parting to reveal warm rays of sunlight beaming down upon her and drying away her tears.

a tingling sensation bubbles beneath the surface of her disfigured skin, spreading from her fingertips up to her smiling face, as the light of everyone’s adoration seeps through the cracks and acknowledges the true goodness bursting from the heart of the girl kneeling before them. and as their piercing gazes no longer see a grotesque creature, but rather delve deeper to find the selfless girl looking through the tender eyes that watch in awe back at them; bridget breaks through the cracks in her deceiving appearance.

with a wince and a gasp, bones snap back into place as scales fade away to reveal her real skin underneath, dotted with her heart-shaped freckles and dustings of pink body glitter. she lets out a giggle at the silky strands tickling her shoulders, as the curls of her meticulously-styled hair bounce back into place.

bursts of shimmering golds and blues curl around her form from both sides, as fay casts a spell to mend every stitch in bridget’s dress back to new, whilst flora offers an apologetic smile and her own magic wand outstretched, wiping away mascara-stained cheeks and returning the princess’ makeup to the rosy blush and shimmering eyelids it had been when the night begun.

feverishly, bridget shuffles around to face you once more, her sputtered giggles infectious as she wipes at the tears of joy bursting from the corners of her bright eyes.

you can’t help but grin back at her, bathing in her light as your powers take on a mind of their own to build up a little cocoon around the two of you, finally granting you a moment to breathe in a pocket of privacy (to which zellie gives you a reassuring wink from the other side of the ice, as her and belle proceed to strongarm their varyingly scary jock boyfriends into helping to scare away the stragglers of the already dispersing crowd).

hot palms contrast the gentle shiver nipping at your cold fingertips, as they steady themselves on your shoulders in bridget’s wobbly attempt to crawl up from your lap to meet you at eye level.

you let out a chuckle as she almost slips, and hold a steadying hand to her back, where she settles all but straddling your awkwardly kneeling body—and finally, free to frolic in the flowering fields sprawling the light end of the tunnel dark tunnel you’ve escaped, the two of you have the chance to talk face-to-face.

she sits in silence for a moment, her eyes running up and down your body as if you’re the one who anyone should be fussing over right now, before she speaks up in a surprisingly timid mumble.

“i…” she shakes her head with a frown you immediately feel the urge to smooth away, “i can’t believe you’d do that for me… thank you—”

“nonsense,” your reply overlaps her rambled repeated thank you’s, bringing your hand that isn’t wrapped snugly around her back up to pet the liquid smooth waves cascading down her head.

you press your lips lightly against her forehead, murmuring against her skin, “i’d do anything for you, bridget.”

she chides you in a melancholic whisper of your name—somehow still, deep down, believing herself undeserving of the same unconditional devotion that she throws herself into for everyone else, “thank you, b-but you don’t have to—”

you smile against her cheek, “i want to. i want nothing more than to be here for you; in sickness and in health, for better or for worse.”

you punctuate your point with a chaste kiss to her glossy pink lips, relishing in the giggles she’s unable to contain at the little “mwah!” sound you make.

in silence, a single tear trails down her cheek—that you’re quick to swipe away, with one palm tenderly cupping her face. your cheerful grin softens into something apologetic, her own smile gazing softly back at you even as she sits in a puddle of tear-stained confetti and poisoned-cupcake crumbs.

“i’m so sorry your first dance was ruined,” you sigh.

but she shakes her head adamantly, her smile growing blinding, as she clasps your hand at her cheek and drops her other to pat your numbing leg furled beneath you, insisting, “it’s been perfect, thanks to you”

your smile returns with a breathy laugh of delighted disbelief, “you’re perfect—with or without dragon scales.”

“you’re just saying that…”

“because it’s true.”

As you look up, you see her...

"A-Ashlynn!" You call out to her

"Oh... Hey..." She says, uninterested, "You're.... Bridget right? From Wonderland?"

You happily nod, "That's me."

You look down at your tray and begin scrambling to remove the tray cover. However, just when you were about to present one to her, she was gone...

+*+

"Bridget, Ella, we have two new transfers, would you two split up and help them out please?" Merlin asks

One sits next to you whilst the other sits next to Ella.

"Are you okay?" You ask them

"First day jitters...." They explain

"Ahh, I know the perfect remedy," You say, "Try my fabulous Pink Flamingo Feather Cupcakes."

"Flamingo Feathers?" They ask

"Mhm," You say

They reluctantly take one however savor the first bite.

"I only recommend one since ingesting more would cause... Side effects," You say

+*+

After class, you begin passing cupcakes out to everyone.

The sun shines a little more brightly When you take things a little more lightly It's all gonna turn out nicely With just a taste of your heart It's likely you'll fall into something spicy Just mix it up, you'll keep finding That life is sweeter when you are

"So, you're friends with everyone?" The new transfer asks

"Oh, heavens no," You chuckle it off, "My only friend is Ella."

Another person takes a cupcake from your tray.

"But, with time, and enough treats, they will be," You say, your eyes drifting up the tower

A girl sitting on the windowsill; her eyes drift down to you, but then adverts to another direction.

"Even the loners..." You sigh, "That's Ashlynn Hood, Robin Hood's daughter."

"Her crush," Ella whispers to the transfers

"Hey! No!" You blush, "I just want to make sure she's included as well."

You take a single cupcake from the tray and hide it away.

"You seem to really have a soft spot for Ashlynn," The second transfer teases you

"She's the only one that has yet to be given anything from me," you explain, "So, I'm going to make sure she gets something today."

You all hear maniacal laughter and many different footsteps coming into the courtyard.

Hook for a hand, find the golden hook Captain of the seas, I got 'em all shook

Son of Morgana, Serpentine Morgie's the name Better run and hide

Oh no...

The VKs.... Merlin Academy's bullies....

No matter...

The sun shines a little more brightly The dark is a little enticing It's all gonna turn out nicely With just a taste of your heart

It's likely, we'll make it all much more frightening Just mix it up, you'll keep finding That life is sweeter when you are Seeing things brightly When you take things a little more lightly Just mix it up, you'll keep finding That life is sweeter when you are

Uliana takes a cupcake...

"Thank you," She says

"Uh, sure.. Anything for-"

"For all... Of them," Her tentacle snatches the plate and holds it high in the air, "They're supposed to be... Really rare right?"

"Hey!" Ella yells, "Give those back!"

"Oh... I don't speak peasant girl," She mocks, "I love your outfit... It's so... Put together."

You listen to a ripping noise...

The VKs begin to laugh at Ella's not ripped clothing...

"My name is Bridget, and I bribe people with treats to be my friend because I'm such a loner!" Uliana mocks you

"Hey!" A voice yells, echoing throughout the courtyard

All of you watch as the person climbs and then leaps from the balcony, going into a roll before effortlessly standing to her feet. You watch as she walks up to you. She swings her arm over your shoulder.

"I thought, we all agreed that the 'Loner' title, belongs to me," She says, smirking, "Even with a single friend... Doesn't count as being a loner. Now give those back... Or I'll rip those tentacles right off your back."

"Please, I only wanted the feathers," She says, "You! Can have the rest."

Her tentacle drops the plate... Ruining the remaining cupcakes you had...

"Now-Now hold your tentacle-"

"Hold on lass," Hook walks up to Ashlynn, "Why don't we take this after school?"

"We did," She says, "Want to relay to everyone what happened then?"

His smile drops and frantically looks around to wondering eyes. He backs off.

"That's what I thought..." She says

"W-wait!" You try to stop Uliana

She looks at you.

"That's... Too many!" You try to reason with her

She only chuckles and ingests every feather that was left.

"You're just jealous of my fabulosity," She says

"What fabulosity is there to be jealous of exactly?" Ashlynn asks her

A handful of classmates; both good and bad, 'ooh' at her comment. Uliana walks up to the both of you, Ashlynn brushing you behind her.

"Listen here, Loner, I don't know where your mouth runs, but-"

She backs into you as Uliana squawks....

All of you watch as Uliana turns into a Flamingo...

"Bridget... Did... Warn you..." Ashlynn points out, trying not to burst out laughing

But that doesn't satisfy her... She charges at the both of you.

"Come on Pinky Pie!" She grabs your hand

The both of you run...

"I'm sorry Uliana, I tried to warn you!" Bridget continues trying to reason with her

*Ashlynn's POV* "Bridget just run!" You continue pulling her to run

You run into the courtyard her dorm building.

"Almost there!" You yell

However, Maleficent and Hook appear in the doorway. You lose your grip on Bridget's hand and she continues to run.

"Hello darling," Hook greets you, "I just want to have little chat with your little girlfriend."

You turn to see her cornered at the fountain...

"Bridget!" You yelp, pulling her into you, watching Uliana fall into a fountain, "I know a place we can go. Come on..."

You push the VK lackeys out of the way as you take Bridget to your perch.

+*+

"Did you really have to bring us up here?" Bridget asks, trying to adjust herself to feel comfortable

"Mmmm," You lowly growl, "Did you want me to take you somewhere where they'll find you easily?"

She doesn't answer...

"Didn't think so," You scoff, "I don't understand how you're being nice to them... They don't deserve your kindness..."

"Everyone is deserving of kindness," Bridget says, "No matter how mean, cruel, or evil they are.... They deserve to have kindness..."

"Sometimes I don't understand how you can harbor so much kindness," You scoff

"Ashlynn..." Bridget starts

"Ash... For short," You clarify

You watch as she reaches somewhere and pulls out one of her cupcakes.

"You never come around so... I saved one for you," She says

"Just for me?" You ask, slightly smiling

You take the cupcake and bite the feather. As soon as you ingested the feather, you felt lighter... Happier.

"Apparently I've been stuck in my nest too long," You chuckle, "Sorry I didn't come see you sooner. You just... You make me nervous."

"Me?" She asks, "Make you nervous?"

She gasps and your arm reaches out and wraps itself around her hip. As she steadies herself, her gaze travels up to yours.

"Why do you spend so much time alone?" She asks

"It's... Hard to figure out where I fit in more," You answer, "I steal... So that would make me a 'villain'. But, I do it for good reason.... So that would make me a 'hero'.... But, I hate trying to decide. I go to either or, and it's like I get so many..."

"Many negative looks?" She asks

"Yeah... Exactly," You say

"I got those when I arrived here on my first day," She explains, "That's why I bake... I bake so they could one day see me as a good person and want to be my friend."

The both of you finally settle into the space comfortably...

"Well, you have your baking," You slightly smile, "I only have my Archery skills."

"Which that makes you Captain of the Archery Team!" Bridget points out, "Who brought us to victory three years straight!"

"Means nothing to everyone apparently," You sigh

Your eyes travel out to the courtyard, then beyond...

"I come up here to be away from eyes that see me as both a villain or hero," You explain, "To be in my own little world... You know?.... Kind of like how baking is for you... Right?"

"Yeah," She says, "I'm sorry that you don't feel like you have a place here...."

"It's nothing that you can change," You sigh, "That's the reality of being an anti-hero..."

"For what it's worth... You don't seem like the anti-hero to me," She says

She puts her hand on your shoulder. She gives you a slight smile before retracting her hand. You finish the last bit of the cupcake.

"Oh... Ash... You got a little..." She tries to point out

"What?...." You try to find it

"Here, let me," She says

Her hand touches your cheek gently, and she uses her thumb to wipe off frosting from the corner of your lip.

"Thanks... Bridget," You clear your throat

"So... Why up here?" She asks, "I thought this would be exclusive to... You."

"It was the only place that came to mind in the moment," You say, "Well, it's not a spot solely for me now."

Bridget's eyes light up, "Are we going to have picnic dates here?"

You nod. She practically jumps into your arms as she gives you the biggest hug ever. As she straightens herself out, your eyes travel to her lips, then back to her eyes.

"Uhh... Come on," You clear your throat, "Ella might be missing you right now..."