Enchanted // Small Victories (Giselle, animals, Morgan, Robert - G)
Small Victories -- Enchanted.
Giselle, Pip, other animals, Morgan, Robert. G. ~1,400 words.
Notes: Written for fox1013's gen battle. I am clearly not a genfic writer.
5 Years Before New York
It is the first Monday after the summer, but it is not gloomy at all. Pip knocks on Giselle’s headboard with his tiny knuckles, eliciting a sweet jingly noise from the little bell over her night table, and a soft, almost close-mouthed yawn from the girl herself.
Giselle stretches like she’s dancing, gracefully holding the canopy open and welcoming the light from the windows, curtains drawn aside by Archie and Donnie, the nightingales that do the dawn rounds.
It is a lovely day outside, and Giselle shimmies out of her nightgown as Archie and Donnie slide a beautiful blue dress over her head.
“We spotted fresh blackberries on the way here,” Pip says, following the movement of Giselle’s hand as it leads the sheets into place.
“Oh,” Giselle says, smiling widely, “shall we make the first pie of the season?”
There are enthusiastic nods all around. Outside the window, Giselle can see Chuck the deer licking her baby’s head clean.
“Layne!” Giselle sing-songs, and the fawn raises his head. “Well, how would you like to make a pie?”
“That - that would be wonderful, Giselle,” Chuck says, and Layne hums happily beside her.
Giselle doesn’t waste another moment.
-
2 Years Before New York
“Sometimes I worry, Pip,” Giselle confesses, though the dinner table at large can hear her. There are no secrets between them, after all.
“Why would you, Giselle?”
Giselle tilts her head to a side, a little guilty, because she has such perfect friends, and the best food in the world, and yet she is not entirely happy the way she should be. Thankfully, her friends are supportive, too. They all turn to her with concerned looks, willing to do anything to make her life the delightful one that she deserves.
“Well, perhaps,” she says, looking down, “perhaps I would like to find love.” She looks up at their expectant faces. “True love.”
Their heads shake all at once, and Pip sweetly strokes her wristband. Giselle feels reassured already.
“You will, of course,” Chuck says, as she has always been a maternal presence for Giselle. “You will be blissful, and everyone will be blissful around you, and that day, the most blissful of them all, a knight on a beautiful horse will sweep you off your feet and declare his undying love.” For good measure, she adds, “This is how it is.”
“It will be the last perfect nut in your collection,” Teddy the squirrel chips in.
And oh, true love Giselle believes in.
-
1 Year In New York
They are only just back from their trip, and Morgan already wants to go back to Andalasia - the kingdom, not the shop - and of course Giselle understands this; she misses her friends dearly already, too.
“And the - the ferret told me he liked my hair!” Morgan is saying as they go into the apartment.
“Everyone likes your hair, Morgan,” Robert says fondly. Giselle can tell he’s tired; he’s not putting all of himself into taking off his tie, and his keys hit the bowl on the hallway table loudly.
“But no one ever says it, Dad,” Morgan explains.
“Well, that’s because people think it’s gonna sound patronizing to a girl your age.”
“Oh?” Giselle asks, concerned. She always means compliments from the very bottom of her heart.
“It’s a New York thing,” Robert explains, as he often does. “But don’t worry, everyone knows you say things genuinely. You have that air about you, like things are really fascinating. People eat it up.”
“Things are fascinating, Robert,” Giselle says, because they are. Morgan nods enthusiastically next to her, and Robert looks at them both amusedly.
“Absolutely,” Robert agrees after a second, and, to Giselle, it sounds like he almost means it. It is progress, at least. She has made it her personal goal for him to appreciate the little things. It’s a small victory.
“Especially things in Andalasia,” Morgan adds dreamily, and Robert chuckles. “We’re going to the baby shower thing, right?”
It is so obvious to Giselle that she cannot contain the answer within herself. “Well, of course. It is a happy day for all to share.”
Morgan beams.
“Now, shall we bake some cupcakes?”
-
1 Year and a Half Later
The first thing Giselle does when they arrive in Andalasia is turn to Pip and say, “I missed your voice so much.” Pip has stayed with them for the past month, and it is time for him to go back to his world, but for now, Giselle shall focus on the little pleasures.
“I missed my voice too,” Pip begins, “I was scared I would have no voice when I came here anymore, all gone from not using it. Thank goodness I was wrong.”
“But we could communicate anyway!” Morgan says, sometime between looking around herself in awe, and at her own dress, which has become of the softest, most perfect fabric in the world, and feels like it was born without seams.
The bells strike the half hour, and Giselle smiles at the castle.
“You know buildings don’t have feelings, don’t you?” Robert says sweetly, and Giselle knows he means no harm by it, even though she cannot quite grasp that thing he calls sarcasm, especially when it is covered by the love in his voice.
“Well, you haven’t said hello,” she reprimands him fondly.
“To Pip?”
“To Andalasia, of course.”
“Of course,” Robert says. He looks at Giselle, and offers his arm. “You look amazing.”
She takes his arm, and urges them all forward with the widest smile. “Come on, come on. We do not want to be late.”
-
5 Years Later
It is a very long time by Giselle’s standards, a somewhat short time by Robert’s, but Morgan is in middle school and they are happy and Giselle has known for years that they were forever. It was clear right in Robert’s kiss, in Morgan’s hugs, in all the ways Giselle fit into their family, which she has learned since then was quite an unusual occurrence.
Morgan wants them to go on a honeymoon, and Giselle understands the word, but thinks it is a flawed concept.
“You are my family, too,” she says to Morgan. “Why would I have to leave you?”
Robert smirks at her behind Morgan, and Giselle blushes. She hadn’t thought of that.
“I could stay with Edward in Andalasia,” Morgan says excitedly. “Maybe I could take Lisa and Beth with me. Beth sighs every time I mention Edward, I bet she’d love to meet him.”
“Edward is married,” Robert points out.
“It’s not like that, Dad, ew. Beth’s eleven,” Morgan states.
“I still don’t understand how you got them to believe you.”
“I showed them pictures,” Morgan says tiredly. “Besides, they saw the birds holding Giselle’s veil at the wedding.” Giselle has heard this particular exchange at least twice.
Giselle looks at Robert expectantly. She has a role in Morgan’s life; she is her friend, and she takes care of her, and she is allowed to ground her whenever Morgan deserves it, though Giselle thinks Morgan is a girl who learns from her mistakes, and never sees fit to punish her in any way. Morgan is her daughter, for all means and purposes, but there are things in this world that Giselle isn’t sure about, and she knows Robert will decide the thing that is best for the three of them.
He always does, now, because Giselle has taught him to listen. It is a grand victory.
“Maybe when school lets out,” he says, and Morgan runs to hug him, jumps into his arms. “You’re getting heavy,” he mentions casually. Morgan punches him in the arm, but she is smiling.
There are clouds outside, and it rained during their wedding, but there are good things too: the feeling of achievement, of accomplishing things; finding love in unexpected places, love that doesn’t start with a big gesture but with love itself. It’s there when Morgan falls asleep against Giselle’s shoulder; it’s there when Robert asks Giselle what she would sing if she were in Andalasia, and it’s not a question: it means that he doesn’t care if anyone thinks they are crazy, because he wants to hear her voice too much.
She’s learned many things, too, but there’s nothing in this world that’s new about the heart of life.
Giselle, Pip, other animals, Morgan, Robert. G. ~1,400 words.
Notes: Written for fox1013's gen battle. I am clearly not a genfic writer.
5 Years Before New York
It is the first Monday after the summer, but it is not gloomy at all. Pip knocks on Giselle’s headboard with his tiny knuckles, eliciting a sweet jingly noise from the little bell over her night table, and a soft, almost close-mouthed yawn from the girl herself.
Giselle stretches like she’s dancing, gracefully holding the canopy open and welcoming the light from the windows, curtains drawn aside by Archie and Donnie, the nightingales that do the dawn rounds.
It is a lovely day outside, and Giselle shimmies out of her nightgown as Archie and Donnie slide a beautiful blue dress over her head.
“We spotted fresh blackberries on the way here,” Pip says, following the movement of Giselle’s hand as it leads the sheets into place.
“Oh,” Giselle says, smiling widely, “shall we make the first pie of the season?”
There are enthusiastic nods all around. Outside the window, Giselle can see Chuck the deer licking her baby’s head clean.
“Layne!” Giselle sing-songs, and the fawn raises his head. “Well, how would you like to make a pie?”
“That - that would be wonderful, Giselle,” Chuck says, and Layne hums happily beside her.
Giselle doesn’t waste another moment.
-
2 Years Before New York
“Sometimes I worry, Pip,” Giselle confesses, though the dinner table at large can hear her. There are no secrets between them, after all.
“Why would you, Giselle?”
Giselle tilts her head to a side, a little guilty, because she has such perfect friends, and the best food in the world, and yet she is not entirely happy the way she should be. Thankfully, her friends are supportive, too. They all turn to her with concerned looks, willing to do anything to make her life the delightful one that she deserves.
“Well, perhaps,” she says, looking down, “perhaps I would like to find love.” She looks up at their expectant faces. “True love.”
Their heads shake all at once, and Pip sweetly strokes her wristband. Giselle feels reassured already.
“You will, of course,” Chuck says, as she has always been a maternal presence for Giselle. “You will be blissful, and everyone will be blissful around you, and that day, the most blissful of them all, a knight on a beautiful horse will sweep you off your feet and declare his undying love.” For good measure, she adds, “This is how it is.”
“It will be the last perfect nut in your collection,” Teddy the squirrel chips in.
And oh, true love Giselle believes in.
-
1 Year In New York
They are only just back from their trip, and Morgan already wants to go back to Andalasia - the kingdom, not the shop - and of course Giselle understands this; she misses her friends dearly already, too.
“And the - the ferret told me he liked my hair!” Morgan is saying as they go into the apartment.
“Everyone likes your hair, Morgan,” Robert says fondly. Giselle can tell he’s tired; he’s not putting all of himself into taking off his tie, and his keys hit the bowl on the hallway table loudly.
“But no one ever says it, Dad,” Morgan explains.
“Well, that’s because people think it’s gonna sound patronizing to a girl your age.”
“Oh?” Giselle asks, concerned. She always means compliments from the very bottom of her heart.
“It’s a New York thing,” Robert explains, as he often does. “But don’t worry, everyone knows you say things genuinely. You have that air about you, like things are really fascinating. People eat it up.”
“Things are fascinating, Robert,” Giselle says, because they are. Morgan nods enthusiastically next to her, and Robert looks at them both amusedly.
“Absolutely,” Robert agrees after a second, and, to Giselle, it sounds like he almost means it. It is progress, at least. She has made it her personal goal for him to appreciate the little things. It’s a small victory.
“Especially things in Andalasia,” Morgan adds dreamily, and Robert chuckles. “We’re going to the baby shower thing, right?”
It is so obvious to Giselle that she cannot contain the answer within herself. “Well, of course. It is a happy day for all to share.”
Morgan beams.
“Now, shall we bake some cupcakes?”
-
1 Year and a Half Later
The first thing Giselle does when they arrive in Andalasia is turn to Pip and say, “I missed your voice so much.” Pip has stayed with them for the past month, and it is time for him to go back to his world, but for now, Giselle shall focus on the little pleasures.
“I missed my voice too,” Pip begins, “I was scared I would have no voice when I came here anymore, all gone from not using it. Thank goodness I was wrong.”
“But we could communicate anyway!” Morgan says, sometime between looking around herself in awe, and at her own dress, which has become of the softest, most perfect fabric in the world, and feels like it was born without seams.
The bells strike the half hour, and Giselle smiles at the castle.
“You know buildings don’t have feelings, don’t you?” Robert says sweetly, and Giselle knows he means no harm by it, even though she cannot quite grasp that thing he calls sarcasm, especially when it is covered by the love in his voice.
“Well, you haven’t said hello,” she reprimands him fondly.
“To Pip?”
“To Andalasia, of course.”
“Of course,” Robert says. He looks at Giselle, and offers his arm. “You look amazing.”
She takes his arm, and urges them all forward with the widest smile. “Come on, come on. We do not want to be late.”
-
5 Years Later
It is a very long time by Giselle’s standards, a somewhat short time by Robert’s, but Morgan is in middle school and they are happy and Giselle has known for years that they were forever. It was clear right in Robert’s kiss, in Morgan’s hugs, in all the ways Giselle fit into their family, which she has learned since then was quite an unusual occurrence.
Morgan wants them to go on a honeymoon, and Giselle understands the word, but thinks it is a flawed concept.
“You are my family, too,” she says to Morgan. “Why would I have to leave you?”
Robert smirks at her behind Morgan, and Giselle blushes. She hadn’t thought of that.
“I could stay with Edward in Andalasia,” Morgan says excitedly. “Maybe I could take Lisa and Beth with me. Beth sighs every time I mention Edward, I bet she’d love to meet him.”
“Edward is married,” Robert points out.
“It’s not like that, Dad, ew. Beth’s eleven,” Morgan states.
“I still don’t understand how you got them to believe you.”
“I showed them pictures,” Morgan says tiredly. “Besides, they saw the birds holding Giselle’s veil at the wedding.” Giselle has heard this particular exchange at least twice.
Giselle looks at Robert expectantly. She has a role in Morgan’s life; she is her friend, and she takes care of her, and she is allowed to ground her whenever Morgan deserves it, though Giselle thinks Morgan is a girl who learns from her mistakes, and never sees fit to punish her in any way. Morgan is her daughter, for all means and purposes, but there are things in this world that Giselle isn’t sure about, and she knows Robert will decide the thing that is best for the three of them.
He always does, now, because Giselle has taught him to listen. It is a grand victory.
“Maybe when school lets out,” he says, and Morgan runs to hug him, jumps into his arms. “You’re getting heavy,” he mentions casually. Morgan punches him in the arm, but she is smiling.
There are clouds outside, and it rained during their wedding, but there are good things too: the feeling of achievement, of accomplishing things; finding love in unexpected places, love that doesn’t start with a big gesture but with love itself. It’s there when Morgan falls asleep against Giselle’s shoulder; it’s there when Robert asks Giselle what she would sing if she were in Andalasia, and it’s not a question: it means that he doesn’t care if anyone thinks they are crazy, because he wants to hear her voice too much.
She’s learned many things, too, but there’s nothing in this world that’s new about the heart of life.