𝓬𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 - 𝓫𝓲𝓰𝓫𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓵𝓯

10

1955.

It wasn't every fable that cared for birthdays, and Ivy was part of that group. Fairies didn't have this custom, and they lived too long to tell. But since she joined the other fables, she noticed that some wouldn't let their birthdays go blank. Even if there was no party, someone would always give some souvenir or just make a cake.

And it was October 27th, Ivy's birthday. Some fairies liked to use the human calendar to count how many days were left before the change of seasons. Ivy didn't care about that, but she knew she was born on October 27th.

She insisted that Snow wouldn't throw any surprise party or anything like that, since this had happened a few times and Ivy didn't like it very much. But some fables, especially princesses, loved a birthday party.

After working all day with Dr. Swineheart, she returned to her apartment, wishing only to take a shower and sleep. But before she came in, someone called her name.

She turned and saw Bigby at the door of his own apartment, which was in front of her's. He walked up a few steps.

- Snow mentioned today is your birthday, and... I don't know if you even care about that, but... I wanted to give you something. - he said, with a small box of velvet in his hands, and gave it to her.

Ivy opened the box, revealing a necklace with a butterfly pendant. It fits her.

Ivy smiled the prettiest smile Bigby ever saw.

- Aw, Bigby, thank you! - she said, putting the necklace around her neck. - I'll never take it off.

Bigby smiled, and Ivy approached and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed so hard that she could see even in that dark hallway.

- Ahn... Happy birthday. - he said, returning to his own apartment.

She didn't know, but every day Bigby noticed that she never really took off the necklace.

****

A day later, everyone was working to clean up the mess that Maya had made, including Ivy. Nobody was hurt, but the damage was great, cars were washed away, anyway. She had to listen to a brief sermon from Snow, but nothing she no longer expected to hear from her.

Bigby was doing his reports, and he had a lot to write. The psycho couple were trapped in the basement, separated by a cell. Maya was under a spell so she couldn't use her powers.

Jack was also arrested, with the excuse of having been complicit in the illegal use of glamour, but Bigby only wanted him to be screwed for thinking of Ivy in that sick way.

After a while, Ivy went back inside and saw that there was mail in her locker, then opened it and found an envelope addressed to her. Ivy opened up and saw the photo they took yesterday.

Ivy was leaning toward Bigby and smiled as he gave a half smile with his eyes half closed. Ivy smiled looking at the photo. Although the event was disastrous, the photo had become very beautiful.

She then went to Bigby's office, as she always did. They still had unfinished business.

Despite everything that happened, Ivy didn't forget what Bigby had said at the dance. She was so surprised. They had known each other for so long, for centuries, and he had decided to say that now? She was very surprised.

The fact is that Bigby never thought he was worthy of having Ivy, so he kept his feelings for all this time. And Ivy didn't imagine he'd like her. I mean, it's the Big Bad Wolf we're talking about. Besides, what would he see in a fairy?

But none of that mattered anymore, because he said all that, and that changed everything.

Now she had to give her answer.

She walked into the office, and there he was, writing on the typewriter and smoking.

- Took you long enough today - he said, without taking his eyes off the paper.

She looked at him for a few seconds, then went to his side of the table. He stopped typing.

- I never had a chance to give you an answer. - she said, and he knew exactly what she was talking about.

Bigby was waiting for her to say something, and he came to the conclusion that if she didn't say anything, it was because she was pretending that he didn't say it to avoid embarrassment. And, well, it took her all day to show up, so he was already settled that his feelings weren't reciprocal.

But he was wrong, because there she was, right in front of him.

She took the cigarette out of his mouth and put it out. Ivy decided she didn't have to say anything.

She held his face, leaned in and touched his lips, which fit as perfectly as she imagined. It took a few seconds, but Bigby returned the kiss.

Ivy ended the kiss, fixing the posture. Bigby gave the most genuine smile Ivy saw him give.

- Nice answer. - he said, getting up.

Ivy smiled at him.

- I love you, Bigby.

He held her hands.

- I've always loved you, Ivy.

They kissed again, this time his hands on her face. God, kissing her was like going to heaven and coming back.

Did "happily ever after" really exist?

They didn't know. But they would find out.

oh, I can't
stop you putting roots in my dreamland
my house of stone, your ivy grows
and now I'm covered in you
ivy - taylor swift