MOVED TO WEARESOSTUPID

She had warned her father about her closeness to the people, so when she opened the doors of the tavern, which in Hansel and Gretel's case was really a place where townspeople also brought their families to eat, she figured he wasn't going to be too surprised by the rain of 'Hi, Emma!' and 'Welcome, Emma!' and 'look who is here!' and similar cries from the people there. And Emma for a second completely forgot the rest and acted like she always did. "Hello everyone! Now, don't let me interrupt your dinners, food and drinks are on me!" the cheering that followed made her laugh as she looked around for a table, "Nina, did you cut your hair? You look gorgeous! Hey Jo, is your wife feeling better?... Gretel, two big cups of the usual and some cake! Oh, hello you! Remember to write me the letter with the books you need!" she stopped to bump fists or hug and kiss cheeks all the way to the empty table, just as a cheery music started to play and the musician waved at her, "Thank you, darling! There's going to be some serious dancing here later!" Emma stopped only to make a face because Gretel had just put a chest with oranges at her table, “Really?” “The cake is coming and eating something healthy first won’t kill you, Em!” “I’m not eating a fruit!” “Then I won’t bring you cake!” "I'll have you arrested!" "And I'll probably eat better than you do once in a cell! Have an orange!" her friend yelled back, already walking to her counter. "You are awful and this is treason!" Emma sat down and took and orange, shaking her head as she began to peel it. "She's one of my close friends." She wasn't surprised people hadn't focused too much on her company, they were so used to her having the strangest guests that someone with their face covered hadn't really attracted attention. They might think he was someone with a dubious past and it was safer not to look. "See, even if mom is not around...” she shook her head, “If you are wondering, yes, I do know everyone here.”

“What? Why not?”

She said, glaring in the prince’s direction before turning her attention towards her daughter.

“Alright.. You’re right.. But I won’t forget this.”

[meme] | @imtiredoflivinginthepast / @thecharmingprincessemmaStatus: CLOSED

☁  five times my muse has thought about yours, and the one time they do something about it.

i. 

Whenever he thought of giving up, Zarek’s mind always turned to Emma, how there was at least one person who’d miss him. Though times like this he was finding it hard to hold on, hiding in the darkness from hunters. Those who feared him for what he was, and wanted him dead. 

He looked at her curiously. “What kind of name is Killian anyway? He couldn’t say it was one he had heard of before, were he a person of note Charming thought the man would have at least been mentioned to him at some point.

She hadn't mentioned Killian to him before, apparently. It wasn't as if she hid her friends, just the dangerous circumstances she met some of them in. "I didn't realize I hadn't mentioned him yet... I guess he became such a... normal part of my life that I forgot to make a big deal out of him like I normally do for friends. Suddenly he was just... there. A bit like Grace and Pinocchio, which really says a lot about him because I certainly haven't known him for that long, but I really can't imagine not seeing him again soon. You'd like him. Well, no." She tilted her head, "He puts up a front at first, so you wouldn't like that part, because he acts all cocky," which wasn't very different from how she acted in the first place,

Once Emma had taken her leave, it took only a moment for him to begin looking over the small collection of books she had.  These may give him an idea of this place, what to expect and perhaps a small clue to the customs and all in this Enchanted Forest.  Cyrus was positive he’d heard of it before, but as it was somewhere he had never thought he’d visit, he paid little heed.  Books were, at times, an excellent place to start in learning about a new land.

Besides, it would take his mind off the rather strange occurrence upon being released from his bottle. Fingers weaving the cord his talisman hung from absently between them, he tried to give that little thought.  Genies weren’t human, no matter how much they appeared to be so.  Never mind some of the wild stories in his own land; at least he hadn’t found himself changed in a way that he was terrifying to look at.  A lopsided grin at that thought; humans had quite the imaginations.

With a book in hand, he walked the few steps to the bed and settled to read, quite happily.  Only to discover this whole ideal of soulmates was quite ingrained into the way of life in this particular realm.  Cyrus’ eyebrows slowly began to knit together in thought as he read each page, while there was talk of such in Agrabah it didn’t seem to be as held in such high regard; more a fact of life.  Either you found the one fate deemed for you or you fell in love with another.

Then perhaps his view was a little different, having grown up a bit detached from the population.

There was the concept of platonic soulmates, there had to be.  Cyrus was determined to cling to that as hard as he could; perhaps fate had finally decided to smile on him for once.  It had been centuries, he was certain, since someone had really looked at him as an equal, not just a genie to grant their every wish (three wishes anyway), could something good finally happen?  It almost seemed too dangerous to hope that Emma would continue to see him as a possible friend, she could turn around one day and wish for all her problems to be resolved after all.

She nodded quickly, “Same here. There was a terrible tyrant, the Evil Queen, and a few more witches that caused countless deaths and suffering, and she was fought off not long ago. People are understandably terrified at the thought of another one taking her place, and I was already famous for my inappropriate attitude before, I made many enemies while helping townspeople. So now some of the commoners are reasonably scared, and most of the noble people are maliciously happy to have the chance to shun me. But I don’t really care about the latter, I don’t even need magic to shut them up,” despite the topic that normally had her close off, the thought of punching a few royals who were using this for their own gain made her tone just as relaxed as before. Hurting people, now that left her desperate.

She let go of the bed when it was in the right place - the room was communicant to hers with the large opening in the middle of the wall so if he spoke she’d hear him -  and for the first time since they had met Emma actually grinned, “Always felt the same way myself. Which is why I kept doing what I wanted.”

Unfortunately, he mused, the reasoning she gave for how the people in this land viewed powerful magic made far too much sense.  That didn’t make it right, but he could sympathize with how they felt.  Some who abused power a great deal could easily distort how people saw others, regardless of how each person may use the magic they have.  “I am sorry, it is a small minded way of thinking but sadly common.”  He’d been subject to it as well, on a smaller scale.  Not all genies were like himself; some were malicious and would do anything to bring ruin to their master. Perhaps, he wondered as they went about moving the bed to the desired location, those were the ones born genies.  Cyrus saw no point, but it didn’t mean in the beginning he didn’t attempt some trickery to free himself.

It never worked, but he tried until he realized it was far better to accept fate as it was.

Letting go of the end he was holding, once it was in place, he shrugged at her comment.  “A dragon is difficult to slay, or I found it to be so, if a lady could do the same then they deserve nothing but respect.”  Dark eyes widened a bit at that, an apologetic smile forming as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.  “I did not mean that in a negative way; there are men who could not handle the task either.  That particular master I had being an example.”  Perhaps the entire population of men in the village, if Cyrus recalled correctly most spoke of slaying the dragon and yet he was the one who finally took care of it.  Not because he wanted to, it would have been far better if it had moved on but with the treasure it had amassed he doubted it ever would.

All it would take was one fool thinking to steal from it, and the entire village could have been in ruin.  It seemed terrible how it all played out, but that was simply how it worked.

He seemed very eager to ge to the boks to her, and she stepped back with a smile of her own, "Have a good night," she only said, returning to her side of the place. As if she could sleep that easily. Her soulmate was in her house, she had met him, their hearts had glowed, and she couldn't help but wonder what it meant for her that he wasn't human, that he could be literally stolen from her through the bottle, that the poor genie had been mistreat for so long; in what way where they soulmates? Because she was someone who would never use him as a slave and he wouldn't be scared of magic? Soulmates meant they were compatible and yes, in most cases it was also in a romantic way, but she couldn't think of that. Of course it would be nice to have a friend in the first place, company in her solitary life, but she worried for him already. He wanted to stay even just for a while, that much she had gathered, so maybe there would be no harm in enjoying their time together, it wasn't as if keeping distance would make things any easier anyway.

In that land, where love was such a big part of life, and soulmates could be found in many ways, she knew that whatever book he'd pick he'd find that the lovestories part of the plot were soulmate-driven, and she didn't know if she had to worry about that either.

2. “You smell nice..”

3. “Don’t get any ideas..”

4. “At least you are warm..”

5. “Stop squirming or I’ll bite your neck!”

6. “Heh, why are your hands moving down my back?”

7. “You’re very hot, do you have a fever?”

8. “Mmm wait, don’t put your hands there!”

9. “You have really lovely eyes..”

10. “Oh my, heh heh, are you blushing?”

11. “Since we are here, wana kiss?”

The fact she was actually going to give him the leave to come and go as he pleased was still sinking in. Cyrus was sure this would take time to grow accustom to; like a child testing their boundaries to see when they’d pushed too far.

Leaning slightly to grab at the bed frame, or one end at least, he considered what to say to that.  While he hated to burden her much with any of his life, they were rather stuck with one another for quite some time yet.  “I do try to leave people alone, not everyone appreciates such gestures.  I merely have a desire to know you are there…it sounds strange, and I have no other intention.  Most of my time is spent alone, or simply being ordered about like a mindless slave.”  He sighed, almost regretting all he’d said as she took to lifting the other end of the bed.  That was possibly more than she needed, or cared, to know.  Although her mention of family, and how quickly she fell silent on the topic, made him curious.  Something he would like to ask about later, much later.

“Cleansing?  That I have heard of, although it never went well for those who tried.  There are few with great power in my land, most find it best to leave them alone than risk provoking them,” he explained, slowly walking towards where she’d indicated the bed should be placed.  “Some were malicious in nature, others less than so but I suppose when there has been one who meant harm the rest are considered the same.”  Another glance to Emma gave him the strong impression in her case it was more someone else who gave people the idea she was trouble.  Everyone had the potential to do harm, some did so through error, but that didn’t mean they’d continue to be that way.

Cyrus laughed, he had few arguments with that.  “He was not among the worst; some can be cruel when a wish does not produce the exact result they envisioned.  That master did not care much about me aside from being able to grant wishes and take care of a task he would rather not; he was happy when he spoke his last wish although I hope to not slay another dragon if I have no need to.”  It was tricky with their weak spots in such terrible places.  “Who is to say what is lady like but the lady herself?  So long as you do not bring ruin to yourself, then battling a dragon should not be frowned upon.”  Certain antics, he knew, were considered wrong and yet were a double standard when it came to men.

She nodded quickly, "Same here. There was a terrible tyrant, the Evil Queen, and a few more witches that caused countless deaths and suffering, and she was fought off not long ago. People are understandably terrified at the thought of another one taking her place, and I was already famous for my inappropriate attitude before, I made many enemies while helping townspeople. So now some of the commoners are reasonably scared, and most of the noble people are maliciously happy to have the chance to shun me. But I don't really care about the latter, I don't even need magic to shut them up," despite the topic that normally had her close off, the thought of punching a few royals who were using this for their own gain made her tone just as relaxed as before. Hurting people, now that left her desperate.

She let go of the bed when it was in the right place - the room was communicant to hers with the large opening in the middle of the wall so if he spoke she'd hear him -  and for the first time since they had met Emma actually grinned, "Always felt the same way myself. Which is why I kept doing what I wanted."

“Sometimes it is best to try to adapt, if it would prove wiser than I have no argument.  Should the weather here become cooler over time I have my doubts my attire would afford much warmth.”  The problem of it being a weakness of his was also of importance, but with the tone in conversation relaxing even a small amount, he thought that better left for morning.  “I am sure, if you so decide, the way women dress in my land would suit you as well.”

It might make her stand out more, he wasn’t sure.  Perhaps he should just be the one to adapt, people here might think nothing of his binds anyway.  He worried about them being seen, but in a land where genies were not common in folk tales, he may find the worry less pressing in nature.

Any and all questions about this Enchanted Forest, how it may differ from Agrabah in terms of customs and otherwise, it could all wait for morning.  The magical mishap seemed to signify that perhaps rest would be proper; it had been a long day for Emma and Cyrus couldn’t deny he was feeling a little drained.  Odd for only being out of his bottle a short time, but he fancied with all that had happened there was good reason for him to be.

Apparently, despite his reservations, the natural instinct to reach out to someone in distress had not brought about some retribution on his head for being so rash.  For all Cyrus had assumed, perhaps she wasn’t completely against a small show of friendly gestures.  That didn’t mean he’d give into his desire to even brush his fingers against her arm at times, all in a way to reassure himself she was there, she was real and not imagined, but there was some comfort in knowing should he mistakenly do so she wouldn’t lash out immediately.  At least if she was aware of him being there.  “I only apologize on the chance you would rather I left you alone.  It is a terribly bad habit of mine, one I suppose that could develop from being alone so long,” he explained, smiling before ducking his head to hide his touch of embarrassment at that revelation.

Instead of dwelling on that, or kicking himself mentally for talking a little too personal, he stood from the table to move the bed to where she had wanted it to appear.  Magic rarely did what was desired anyway, so this really hadn’t been a surprise to him.  Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled he laughed softly.  “Is it possible to name one person who does not react poorly to being touched, even lightly, in their sleep?”  There was a difference in being partially asleep and feeling someone’s hand against your arm or face, and being deep in the throes of sleep and dreams after all.  Still, he was grateful for the warning regardless.