[FIC] Sketches (4/?) (Princess and the Frog)
Title: Sketches: Surprise
Author: kohee
Pairing: Naveen x Tiana
Summary: Tiana may be wearing a big, sparkling diamond at the end of the film, but that wasn't the original ring that was intended for Naveen's proposal.
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG
Author's note: Backlogged Princess and the Frog ficlet(s).
“Close your eyes.” Naveen urged, hands clasped behind his back.
Tiana gazed at her husband quizzically, one eyebrow raised in a perfect arch, but she complied, putting down the scribblings of menus on notes and papers, as her eyelids fluttered downwards.
“Now, you must not peek.” He took two steps closer.
Tiana's cheek dimpled slightly as she kept her eyes shut tightly. “Not peeking.”
He approached her slowly, taking in the sight of his wife. She had been working hard all day, as usual, and it showed; tendrils of hair loose from her neat ponytail, wisping around her face, and the slightest droop of her shoulders, but she was still so beautifully serene. She never failed to amaze him each and every day, and the mere thought that she is his, and his alone, could still make his heart skip just a little bit faster.
Kneeling down in front of her, he placed something small, round and rough in her hands, and her fingers closed around the object.
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked, a curious tone in her voice.
He nodded, placing his hands lightly on her knees. “Please do, go ahead and open your sparkling, dazzling eyes.”
“You're so excessive with your flattery,” she scoffed playfully, and looked down to see a rather large walnut in her hands. An expression of puzzlement settled onto her features as she turned it between her fingers. “My surprise is a...walnut?”
Naveen gestured towards the walnut. “You can perhaps try opening it.”
Tiana carefully pried the nut opened, and a small but sparkling object fell onto her lap. She picked it up from the folds of her skirt - it was a tiny, tiny ring, so small that it could not even fit her littlest finger. Upon looking closer at it, she saw that the ring was fashioned out of bronze wire and a shiny, pearly bead.
“Thank you,” she said carefully. “But you do realise that I can't wear this?”
“You can wear this,” he argued. “On a necklace, and it will be close to your heart.”
She looked at him, not understanding, and it showed clearly on her face. But of course, he would explain.
“Ah, if only you know the significance of the story behind this ring. But you do not, so I shall tell it to you, no?”
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, elbows on her lap, the ring dangling on the tip of her smallest finger. “Do tell.”
Naveen's hands slid from her knees to the side of her thighs, the faded yellow light of the lamp in the room making his eyes seem almost golden. “Remember the night on the paddle boat, when we were heading back to New Orleans?”
She smiled, remembering that night clearly. It was beautiful, what he did for her, so carefully planned. “Yes, you minced. For the second time in your life.” She said, a teasing lilt in her voice.
“That,” he said, “is one thing, but not the most important.” Taking her hand, he rubbed the tiny bead with his thumb, looking up at her, his eyes bright. “I was going to propose to you.”
She already knew, but even so, hearing him said it still touched her heart. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his cheek, her fingers gentle. “I knew.”
“You did?” He said, surprised. “I know you are very clever, but surely you do not read minds.”
“I don't,” she said. “Ray told me.” And they were silent for a while, remembering their dear, fallen friend.
Naveen spoke first, entangling his fingers with hers, the ring still sitting on the tip of her finger. “This was the ring I was going to give you, as a token of my devotion, my love, and my promise that I will do whatever it takes to make you happy.”
She found that she couldn't speak for a moment, as her throat closed up almost involuntarily. Mistaking her silence for something unfavorable, he hastened to add, albeit anxiously. “It was all I could think of in my state as a frog.”
She shook her head, trying to let him know that her silence was not negative, and then her voice came back to her. “You kept this? All this while?”
“Well...no. This is not the exact same ring,” he admitted. “For the one I made for you on the boat, it was lost when the Shadowman captured me. Lost in the waters of the Mississippi River.”
“And so, this is a new one.” She surmised, touching the little bead.
“A new ring that I made, yes.” Naveen said. “You were meant to have it, the ring, if you say yes. And much to my desire and my relief, you did, so it is only right, I think, that you have it now. It carries the same promise of eternal love and devotion, and perhaps even more.”
How many could say that they had truly loved, and was loved in return? Without a word, she leaned forward and hugged her husband, slipping her arms around him as he stretched up to hold her.
After a while, she pulled back, brushing his bangs, and tucking his hair behind his ear with gentle fingers. Tiana then rested her forehead against Naveen's, smiling. “I will treasure this,” she told him. “And I will wear it always.”
“Close to your heart?”
“Close to my heart.”
His fingers firm on her thigh, he looked up at her, smiling impishly. “So you do like your surprise, yes?”
Laughing, she nodded, and his eyes gleamed a mischievous shade of hazel and gold. “I supposed I deserve a present in return?”
“Well...” her voice trailed off as she pondered. “What do you want?”
“For now, just this.”
With that, he reached up, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her, long and sweet.
-----
end, 982 words
I find that when I get into the groove for writing one fandom, it's hard to get out of it. Needs to start working on other projects omg.
Author: kohee
Pairing: Naveen x Tiana
Summary: Tiana may be wearing a big, sparkling diamond at the end of the film, but that wasn't the original ring that was intended for Naveen's proposal.
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG
Author's note: Backlogged Princess and the Frog ficlet(s).
“Close your eyes.” Naveen urged, hands clasped behind his back.
Tiana gazed at her husband quizzically, one eyebrow raised in a perfect arch, but she complied, putting down the scribblings of menus on notes and papers, as her eyelids fluttered downwards.
“Now, you must not peek.” He took two steps closer.
Tiana's cheek dimpled slightly as she kept her eyes shut tightly. “Not peeking.”
He approached her slowly, taking in the sight of his wife. She had been working hard all day, as usual, and it showed; tendrils of hair loose from her neat ponytail, wisping around her face, and the slightest droop of her shoulders, but she was still so beautifully serene. She never failed to amaze him each and every day, and the mere thought that she is his, and his alone, could still make his heart skip just a little bit faster.
Kneeling down in front of her, he placed something small, round and rough in her hands, and her fingers closed around the object.
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked, a curious tone in her voice.
He nodded, placing his hands lightly on her knees. “Please do, go ahead and open your sparkling, dazzling eyes.”
“You're so excessive with your flattery,” she scoffed playfully, and looked down to see a rather large walnut in her hands. An expression of puzzlement settled onto her features as she turned it between her fingers. “My surprise is a...walnut?”
Naveen gestured towards the walnut. “You can perhaps try opening it.”
Tiana carefully pried the nut opened, and a small but sparkling object fell onto her lap. She picked it up from the folds of her skirt - it was a tiny, tiny ring, so small that it could not even fit her littlest finger. Upon looking closer at it, she saw that the ring was fashioned out of bronze wire and a shiny, pearly bead.
“Thank you,” she said carefully. “But you do realise that I can't wear this?”
“You can wear this,” he argued. “On a necklace, and it will be close to your heart.”
She looked at him, not understanding, and it showed clearly on her face. But of course, he would explain.
“Ah, if only you know the significance of the story behind this ring. But you do not, so I shall tell it to you, no?”
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, elbows on her lap, the ring dangling on the tip of her smallest finger. “Do tell.”
Naveen's hands slid from her knees to the side of her thighs, the faded yellow light of the lamp in the room making his eyes seem almost golden. “Remember the night on the paddle boat, when we were heading back to New Orleans?”
She smiled, remembering that night clearly. It was beautiful, what he did for her, so carefully planned. “Yes, you minced. For the second time in your life.” She said, a teasing lilt in her voice.
“That,” he said, “is one thing, but not the most important.” Taking her hand, he rubbed the tiny bead with his thumb, looking up at her, his eyes bright. “I was going to propose to you.”
She already knew, but even so, hearing him said it still touched her heart. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his cheek, her fingers gentle. “I knew.”
“You did?” He said, surprised. “I know you are very clever, but surely you do not read minds.”
“I don't,” she said. “Ray told me.” And they were silent for a while, remembering their dear, fallen friend.
Naveen spoke first, entangling his fingers with hers, the ring still sitting on the tip of her finger. “This was the ring I was going to give you, as a token of my devotion, my love, and my promise that I will do whatever it takes to make you happy.”
She found that she couldn't speak for a moment, as her throat closed up almost involuntarily. Mistaking her silence for something unfavorable, he hastened to add, albeit anxiously. “It was all I could think of in my state as a frog.”
She shook her head, trying to let him know that her silence was not negative, and then her voice came back to her. “You kept this? All this while?”
“Well...no. This is not the exact same ring,” he admitted. “For the one I made for you on the boat, it was lost when the Shadowman captured me. Lost in the waters of the Mississippi River.”
“And so, this is a new one.” She surmised, touching the little bead.
“A new ring that I made, yes.” Naveen said. “You were meant to have it, the ring, if you say yes. And much to my desire and my relief, you did, so it is only right, I think, that you have it now. It carries the same promise of eternal love and devotion, and perhaps even more.”
How many could say that they had truly loved, and was loved in return? Without a word, she leaned forward and hugged her husband, slipping her arms around him as he stretched up to hold her.
After a while, she pulled back, brushing his bangs, and tucking his hair behind his ear with gentle fingers. Tiana then rested her forehead against Naveen's, smiling. “I will treasure this,” she told him. “And I will wear it always.”
“Close to your heart?”
“Close to my heart.”
His fingers firm on her thigh, he looked up at her, smiling impishly. “So you do like your surprise, yes?”
Laughing, she nodded, and his eyes gleamed a mischievous shade of hazel and gold. “I supposed I deserve a present in return?”
“Well...” her voice trailed off as she pondered. “What do you want?”
“For now, just this.”
With that, he reached up, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her, long and sweet.
-----
end, 982 words
I find that when I get into the groove for writing one fandom, it's hard to get out of it. Needs to start working on other projects omg.