TW: Pining, this is very wordy, Parrmour, Araleyn, KatAnna, garden duck, only people who've been on ao3 know what's up with garden duck.
REQUESTED BY: GertsEllis
Catherine Parr has written so many stories that sometimes she thinks that she knows how hers will end. She sees the way her life twists and turns with predictable storylines and sudden plot twists. She sees herself as the main character and the other queens as the supporting actors in her ridiculous book.
Catherine of Aragon as her mother who's been through so much with her ex husband, yet is learning to love again with a new woman who's funny, and bright, and so much better than her ex.
Anne Boleyn, the new love interest for the mother who's trying to get Cathy's approval to date her, even though she secretly already has. She shows up every once in a while for a short punchline and a flirtatious wink towards Catherine, and proves herself to be worth all the attention Catherine showers her with.
Anne of Cleves is the best friend that everyone wishes they had. She's funny and would protect her friends with her life. She's the 'sidekick' in Cathy's adventure, at least that's what she would be in a book.
Katherine Howard is the broken little girl that they find on the way and help. As they continue on she slowly becomes braver, and stronger. By the end she's fighting with them instead of cowering behind them in fear.
Jane Seymour is the caring friend, and the main character's (Catherine Parr) love interest that they are in such denial about. She laughs like the breeze and is always there to support anyone in need, especially the main character.
And all of them together make the classic unbreakable friend group that in the end decides to stick together because there's nowhere they'd rather be. In the end Cathy allows Anne to officially date her mother because she's proven that she will love her. Anna tells Kat that she loves her and that she knows that she needs time to think about it and even if she doesn't feel the same she'll always be her friend. Cathy finally admits she's in love with Jane and they share an epic kiss that's the last scene in the book.
Well, Cathy see's most of that, but the one thing that she's missing is the whole "Being in love with Jane' thing. Even Cathy, the main character of this story, can't see that major plot twist.
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Catherine and Anne are hiding up in their room, pretending to not be making out, hopefully just making out. Jane is sweeping, because her work is never done. Anna and Kat are playing video games, Mario Kart, and getting very upset with each other for playing the way it's supposed to be played. And Cathy is, unsurprisingly, upstairs, in her dark room, staring at a computer screen, with a coffee cup in her hand, writing.
When Jane comes up and turns on the light, Cathy hisses. Like a cat. Jane, used to this response, forces her to go downstairs and see other people. Her computer is toxic and Jane thinks it's high time she broke up with it, but Cathy's just too afraid of how it will respond.
Jane walks behind her, making sure she actually goes downstairs and stays downstairs.
"Sit."
Cathy for once in her life does as she's told without question, without an onslaught of questions and reasons why she shouldn't. She just sits. Jane sighs and plops down next to her, and Cathy can feel something in her stomach stir when Jane smiles over at her.
Cathy smiles back hesitantly, still half focused on that feeling that is almost familiar but not quite. They sit there in silence, neither sure of what to talk about since most of their interactions involved one of them dragging the other away from something. Whether it be from writing, or stress cleaning.
Just as Cathy's about to say something about Jane looking nice, Anne comes tumbling down the stairs. Literally. Catherine is right behind her, horror on her face as she flutters over her worriedly. Jane gets up and rushes to her cousin's side as well asking if she's okay while stealing glances over at Catherine in curiosity.
Cathy feels another feeling sink in her stomach when Jane continues to glance at her godmother. Jane seems to be interested in her romantically, and Cathy doesn't want to be the one to tell her that she's definitely with Anne. Yes, that's why she feels so sad. She doesn't want to make Jane sad.
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Kat skips through the garden, happy as a clam, searching for everyone's favorite garden duck. Anna watches from the side smiling fondly at her. It's almost painful to watch her pine over Kat, but they also understand why she doesn't just tell her that she likes her.
Jane sits with a cup of tea in hand and watches them both while shaking her head. Catherine comes out a moment later and sits next to Jane. When Anne comes out her face falls at the sight of Catherine so close to Jane, and Cathy is right behind her in that sense. They stand off to the side, watching them interact, and even though it isn't very nice Cathy makes a few teasing comments about them probably being a couple.
A twinge of sadness shoots through her the moment she says it, and she feels confusion as to why she's so sad again. For an author that's written so many stories, she sure is dull. Once again she pins her sadness on breaking the news that Araleyn is totally a thing.
Anne eventually storms back inside, more upset than Cathy has ever seen. She makes a note to herself that she should apologize later seeing as it upset her so much. Catherine stands and walks inside as well, trying to mask her confusion and worry for Anne. Kat squeals in the background because she's finally found the garden duck and he's very duckish. Anna laughs and runs towards her, claiming to want to see him up close, but really just wants to be near Kat.
Jane laughs at both of them, before turning to Cathy. She pats the chair that Catherine was sitting in only a moment ago, but Cathy declines this offer. Instead she goes upstairs and completely misses the rejected look on Jane's face.
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Cathy is sent to go grocery shopping with Jane and immediately wishes she wasn't. Jane, as it turns out, when grocery shopping is kind of a monster. You can't go off the list, you can't ruin her system, you have to pick the right thing first try, and you have to hear her the first time.
The employees know to look out for Jane Seymour, because she will tear you apart if you don't do things right. At least, that's what she's told by Catherine, who normally accompanies Jane. At the moment she's 'sick' and needs to stay home. Rather interestingly, Anne is also 'sick' and can't go either.
It's just a coincidence, totally.
But instead of demon Jane, she gets angel Jane. The normal Jane. Cathy even messes up on purpose to try and get a rise out of her. But instead she gets an understanding look and Jane explains it to her.
Cathy almost calls her godmother and calls her a liar because all she's been is perfect. But briefly, so intermittently briefly, Cathy sees a flare of annoyance in her eyes and she realizes she's holding back. When Cathy gets home she immediately goes up to her sick godmother and tells her what happened. Long story short Catherine thinks it's unfair that she didn't have to tame Jane, and Anne suddenly needed something from Catherine so they disappeared.
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Cathy then has a very, very risque dream about Jane. When she wakes up she's panting, not from fear, but from excitement. But still she remains oblivious to her feelings. When dawn breaks Cathy is downstairs by some miracle. When Jane wakes only a few hours later she comes downstairs and almost has a heart attack.
So does Cathy.
They stare at each other in surprise. Jane, confused as to why no one had to wrangler her away from her precious computer. Cathy, in a state of shock as her dream came flooding back to her. Jane on top of her, Jane kissing her, Jane - no.
Cathy pushes the last part out of her head, it being inappropriate to think about while talking to her. Instead she smiles and offers coffee to Jane. She declines, because she hates coffee and that's a 'Catherine Thing' when Cathy asks which one she replies, 'both'.
Cathy laughs quietly and smiles first. She once again, completely misses the flush that appears on Jane's cheek.
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Anne finally gives up the charade of not sleeping with her godmother and finally ust outright tells Cathy she's in love with her, but wants to know if it's alright with her. Cathy smiles and tells her it's fine, but not without informing her that everyone except Jane knew.
Anne nods her head once and runs back upstairs to Catherine.
When they come back downstairs they formally announce that they're together. Cathy sees something flash across Jane's face before a smile plasters itself there.
(Cathy has this thing called main character disease, it's where everyone else knows about something before they do, and a side effect of that is obliviosness and denial.)
Cathy thinks it's jealousy for Anne, but really it's jealousy for their relationship. Because Jane wants to be able to hold someone, and kiss them, but unfortunately for Jane her crush suffers from MCD (Main Character Disease).
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Cathy still thinks Jane is in love with Catherine and it takes so long for her to snap about it.
"Get over it."
Jane snaps her head up in surprise, and stares at Cathy.
"What?"
"I know you're in love with Catherine, but you need to move on."
Jane flounders for a moment, unsure of what to say. (Mostly because it's hilarious that she thinks she loves Catherine.)
"I'm sorry I'm in love with who?"
"Catherine, don't play dumb with me. I know you are, and I know you can't choose who you love, but she's with Anne and she'll probably be with Anne for a very long time."
Jane looks like she wants to start laughing.
"Why are you so upset?"
"I'm not."
"Your face is red, and you're clenching your fists, you are very upset. Why?"
"I'm not upset."
Something akin to mischievousness crosses Jane's face.
"Are you - are you jealous?"
"No."
"You are!"
"Why would I be jealous? I'm not jealous."
"Just admit it."
"No, I don't have a reason to be jealous!"
Jane stares at her and shakes her head. She looks down and stands up. She walks swiftly up the stairs, and Cathy can't help but feel like she was taking a part of her with her.
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The realization comes crashing down on her when someone gives Jane their number. The truth blinds her, and it almost stings. No wait, it burns. Cathy wants to take that number from Jane's hands and tear it into a million different pieces, then maybe do the same to the guy who gave it to her.
Cathy doesn't realize she's drunk until she's about five beers in, and then suddenly she's marching over to where Jane is. Jane looks up in surprise when Cathy sits next to her with a determined expression.
"I lied."
"About......"
"I lied about not being jealous, I'm very jealous. I don't like that someone was hitting on you. I don't like that someone gave you their number, and I especially don't like that you're keeping their number. I like you, in a romantic way, and I want to go out on a date with you. I want to be exclusive, and I want you to throw that guy's number away."
Jane stares at her with raised brows, and a smile slowly makes it's way on her face.
"Well all you had to do was ask."
Jane takes out the piece of paper and throws it away, when she returns Cathy is standing.
"I want one more thing."
"Which is?"
"To kiss you."
Jane takes a sharp breath before nodding. Cathy, without any hesitation, kisses her firmly. When they pull apart Cathy faintly sees Anne hand her godmother a fiver with a fake scowl.
"Let's go home."
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It's great news when Anna finally confesses, not so much when Kat just stands there, gaping like a fish. Anna sighs and walks away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. Kat suddenly darts after her and it takes all of Cathy's will to not follow her and see what happens. But it's clear in the end that they're an item.
Jane kisses Cathy's temple lightly and tells her not to spend too much time on the computer. She makes Cathy promise, and even though Cathy is a lot of things, she is no liar. She goes upstairs and stares at her empty screen, no words written on it.
Without a second thought she writes, she writes a story that's very familiar to her. Her own. When she's through with the introduction she re-reads it and realizes how fairly obvious her story is, even with the plot twists. It wouldn't take that much effort for someone to guess the plot of her story just like she's done so many times. She starts to laugh as she realizes that even though she's written so many stories, even though she can guess the way they shape themselves, somethings are just meant to be a mystery until they happen. Not even she can see her future. Not even she.
I don't know why this is so wordy, but it is.
- A R A G O N