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Charlotte sends a knowing glance towards her favorite waitress, Tiana's hand lingering only slightly as the blond pays the bill for the food, adding a large tip with a wink.
Tiana just shakes her head and goes on to the next table, business as usual.
Later, on aching feet, Tiana opens the door to her tiny apartment only to find Charlotte there in nothing but pink lingerie, no doubt the latest craze from France.
Tiana can do nothing but roll her eyes at her lover's need to stay up-to-date with the craziest styles and fashions. Not that she's complaining about this latest one though and sinks into the arms that have become everything for her, just edging out the restaurant she knows she'll own one day. Charlotte's lips make the long hours, the unruly customers, and the penny-pinching worth it and she can only hope that her own tired kisses in return make up for everything Charlotte's love does for her.
Judging by the mewls and moans as she lowers those tired lips past the European-inspired underwear, her hope is fulfilled.
They can only spare an hour tonight.
Tiana has another shift while Charlotte has some social function of Big Daddy's to attend.
Tiana cups Charlotte's rear as they cuddle forty minutes into their precious hour, imagining the looks on those stuck up snob's that would saunter over and try and take her woman for a dance. Imagines the giddy laugh from Charlotte as she moves in for a kiss in front of everyone that's everyone. Of course they're in her restaurant in the dream, her mother cheering them on, Big Daddy choking on a baguette before his expression darkens.
The fantasy twists and writhes as the man she's always thought of as a second father condemns them, forcing them to flee, a mob at their heels, to trade the small apartment for the wilderness, the only thing keeping the wild at bay being an embrace.
That's why they only have this hour, schedules and responsibilities taking a backseat to the fear of discovery, of damnation.
Five minutes before their tiny piece of heaven is stowed away for another day, joining the cents and dollars in Tiana's closet.
Charlotte dreams of a palace, removed from everything, Tiana and herself reading a princess story to a little girl with Charlotte's blue eyes and Tiana's beautiful skin. The girl would ask about Charlotte's prince and she'd hug a blushing Tiana close and their child would laugh. She figures Pecola is a beautiful name for this child. Tiana's mother would live with them, making them all fantastic dresses from the fairy tales. Charlotte would try her hand at cooking only to have Tiana usher her out of the kitchen with a light swat on the rear and a smirk. But beyond their child, beyond the joy of being a family, the best part of this life with Tiana would be the pure joy radiating from her every movement, a joy Charlotte had only seen when her father was alive. She so wanted for her Tia to have that, so much so that she'd abandon her fortune in an instant just for one glimpse of that feeling in Tiana's eyes.
Her dream is cut off by Tiana's lips, demanding and devouring, Charlotte giving as much as she can in return.
It's a reversal of their public personas but Charlotte can't get enough of her domineering Tia and starts to pull away only for Tiana to pull her close, a slight growl escaping her lips as passion leaps between them.
"Mine," Tiana murmurs, cupping her rear tightly and kissing her on the neck, making a mark that would take quite a bit of concealment to hide.
As Charlotte moans Tiana's name their piece of heaven can be measured in seconds.
In those seconds, the door is open.
Tiana turns around, eyes widening as Charlotte can only murmur one word.
"Daddy..."
///
Apologies and tears assail him as soon as he closes the door but he silences them with a single raised hand.
He can feel the terror radiating from the both of them, making the air as thick as his waist.
Charlotte wants to crash into him and apologize again, he can see that clearly, but he can do nothing but grin inwardly at the strength of her grip in Tiana's hand.
Looking over to the woman that had obviously claimed his daughter's heart, he could see how much she cared for his child.
Her grip was even stronger.
"Well...this was not what I was expecting to see."
"Daddy-"
"Now let me finish, Charlotte. This is not what I was expecting to see, but I couldn't be happier."
"W-what?"
Now there was a first, he thought, Tiana stuttering. His daughter looked like she'd just swallowed a bug and his booming chuckle brought some color back to both of their faces.
"You see Charlotte, I've long feared that you'd pick one of these spineless sycophants you see slobbering just outside our homes, anxious for my money. But what do I find? You've found someone who cares about you and will always care about you. A hard-working woman with a dream, the best kind of woman, in my opinion. Your mother was much the same, always speaking her mind and unafraid to get her hands dirty."
He sighs a bit as he remembers the spitfire he had married and her steely glare as he tucked into one too many baguettes.
Shaking himself of memory, he looks to Tiana.
"And Tiana, I was always worried you'd put your work ahead of everything else in your life. Your dream is important, but love is more important dearie, as I've noticed you've found out."
Tiana can only nod and squeeze Charlotte's hand.
"Does your mother know, Tiana?"
"No sir."
"Well I'd let her know as soon as possible. She's been bringing up some nice young men she's interested in you meeting. Best to head that kind of talk off at the pass, don't you think?"
Both women nod now and he chuckles, bringing the both of them in for a mighty hug.
"You have my blessing, Tiana, just promise me one thing."
"Of course, Big Daddy."
"Make sure you have some of those baguettes of yours at the wedding."
"But...but we can't have a wedding, Daddy."
"Of course you can. Private, of course, with a very, very select party consisting of myself, Tiana's mother, and the pair of you."
And just like that, their hour was no more.
///
There's no palace for the pair, instead Big Daddy builds a guest house a fair bit away on his estate though there are no guests who use it. His wedding present to his daughter-in-law is her restaurant, straight out of her dreams down to the last tile. Her mother gives Charlotte cooking lessons and a secret recipe that even Tiana doesn't know about, one that her mother had often made for her father.
Tiana spends most of her days running the restaurant with a special booth for her most loyal and favorite customer.
Charlotte spends her nights easing Tiana's aches in their bed, eyes often drifting towards the stars overhead as she runs her fingers through Tiana's hair, another hand on her stomach.
A shooting star wish doesn't give her what she wants, even though Tiana's joy is nearly bursting by this point.
A wishbone desire fails as well.
Tiana notices and rubs Charlotte's stomach.
"Some things have to remain dreams, Lottie."
It breaks Tiana's heart to murmur those words but does what she can to try and help Lottie heal.
She takes her dining, careful to masquerade the outing as a friendly one to the public, dances with her to the latest and most stylish craze, even buys her the latest, most ridiculous fashions she can find. It helps, but only for a little while.
When Tiana's at work Charlotte finds her feet trailing into the swamp, an old raft taking her deep into the wilderness, a worn-down hut streaming with light her destination, though she doesn't know why she feels this way.
A blind old woman peers at her with more clarity than anyone she's ever known.
They talk about dreams and reality, about love and desires.
Charlotte doesn't know how long they talk but she's given a potion at the end of it and instructions she follows up on the next evening.
Tiana believes her story, even as she fears her Lottie's been preyed upon by a scam artist, but allows her to drink the potion and follows through with the old woman's instructions relayed to her by Charlotte.
As they hold one another close an hour later, exhausted and sleepy, the two brightest stars in the sky burn hotter than ever before.
///
Pecola blinks her blue eyes rapidly as she jumps up and down on her bed, the six year old squealing and running her hands along her dark skin with unrestrained glee as her mama places a pink princess hat on her head and opens up an old book of fairy tales, her mommy watching the two with an inward giddiness that matches that of her more exuberant family.
The story's finished twelve minutes later, Pecola sighing dreamily before a question enters her mind.
"Mama, is mommy your prince?"
Tiana blushes but doesn't shirk from affirming her daughter's question with a nod, Charlotte soon pulling her into a hug that rivals Big Daddy's, another arm wrapping around their daughter's side and pulling her close.
"Of course, Pecola, she'll always be my prince."