Cinder,
Alex,
And the Midnight Boots.
A queer retelling of the Brothers Grimm's tale of Cinderella.
In a magical realm where city skylines sparkled alongside ancient forests,
A young woman named Cinder lived on the edge of both worlds.
Her life had not always been this way.
She once roamed the woods with her mother,
Elara,
Crafting wildflower crowns and dreaming under a hazel tree.
But when Elara passed,
Everything changed.
Cinder's father remarried a sharp-tongued woman named Marla,
Who arrived with two daughters,
Pris and Claudia.
Marla turned their cozy home into a cold,
Pristine manor.
Cinder,
With her unruly curls,
Freckled nose,
And a fondness for patched-up clothes,
Was deemed unfit for such a setting.
Her stepmother confined her to the kitchen and attic,
Stripping her of everything but her quick wit and kind heart.
Most days,
Cinder wore sturdy boots and an old leather apron,
Her hands calloused from tending fires and scrubbing stone floors.
But her hazel eyes always seemed to carry a spark of mischief,
As if the world's unfairness couldn't quite extinguish her spirit.
One day,
The kingdom buzzed with news.
The royal family was hosting a one-night festival for their only child,
Alex.
Whispers filled the air about Alex's magnetic presence,
Sharp features softened by a generous smile,
A sleek undercut paired with silken jackets and bold,
Iridescent hues.
They were known for their daring escapades,
Scaling cliffs,
Designing sky bridges,
And advocating for the freedom of all to thrive as they chose.
Everyone who's anywhere will be there.
Pris squealed,
Parading around in a corset studded with faux pearls.
Claudia smirked,
Brandishing a fan.
Even you,
Cinder,
You can dream of glimpsing royalty while you polish our boots.
Marla added with a sly grin.
That's if you finish scrubbing the floors in time,
Dear.
Cinder's heart sank,
But as the trio flounced out the door,
She wiped her hands on her apron and trudged to the hazel tree.
She knelt beneath its arching branches,
Her fingers tracing the soil.
Mother,
She whispered,
I wish I could go,
Just for a moment.
I wish I could feel free.
The tree shivered in response,
Its leaves catching the moonlight.
From the shadows emerged a figure taller than life,
Wrapped in cascading silks and jewels.
Darling,
Boomed the figure,
Striking a dramatic pose.
Did someone say fashion emergency?
Fabula divine,
At your service.
Their makeup shimmered like the night sky,
And they carried an air of both mischief and benevolence.
Cinder blinked.
Who?
Who?
Who?
The only person fabulous enough to help you out of this drab existence.
Now stand up,
Honey,
And let's make magic.
With a flourish of their rhinestone-studded wand,
Fabula transformed Cinder's soot-streaked clothes.
Her patched-up tunic became a tailored jumpsuit of midnight blue,
The fabric shimmering with stars.
Her boots turned into sleek silver ones,
Laced with glowing threads.
Fabula placed a single ear cuff,
Shaped like a crescent moon,
On Cinder's ear.
There,
Chic,
Edgy,
And oh,
So you,
Fabula declared.
But remember,
My spell fades at midnight.
Be out of there before the clock strikes twelve,
Or it's back to the ashes with you.
At the festival,
Cinder slipped into the grand hall,
Where chandeliers sparkled like constellations.
Her gaze met Alex's almost immediately.
They stood near the balcony,
Their jacket catching the light with every shift,
And their piercing gaze softened as they noticed her.
I haven't seen you before,
Alex said,
Stepping closer.
Their voice was rich and warm,
Like a low melody.
I keep to myself,
Cinder replied,
A small smile curving her lips.
Not tonight,
I hope.
Alex extended their hand,
And Cinder took it,
Feeling the world blur around them.
They danced for hours,
Their steps flowing effortlessly.
Alex spun her beneath the chandeliers,
And Cinder's laughter bubbled up,
Unrestrained.
For the first time in years,
She felt seen.
But as the clock chimed midnight,
Reality crashed down.
Cinder pulled away.
I… I have to go.
Wait,
Will I see you again?
Alex called after her.
Cinder darted down the grand staircase,
One of her boots slipping off as she ran.
She didn't stop to retrieve it.
The next day,
Alex announced they would visit every household to find the person who fit the boot.
Pris and Claudia shoved their feet into the sleek silver shoe,
Wincing as they failed to make it fit.
When Alex asked if anyone else lived in the house,
Marla tried to dismiss the idea.
But Cinder appeared at the top of the stairs,
Her curls tumbling loose around her face.
Her eyes met Alex's,
And for a moment,
The room fell silent.
She stepped forward and slid her foot into the boot with ease.
It's you,
Alex breathed,
Their expression lighting up like the sunrise.
Fabulo appeared in a flash of glitter,
Wagging a finger at Marla and her daughters.
Oh,
Don't look so shocked,
Darlings.
Karma's got your number.
Alex reached for Cinder's hand.
Will you join me?
Not just for tonight,
But for the adventures to come?
Cinder smiled.
As long as I can bring my boots.
And so,
Cinder and Alex carved out a new story together.
One filled with wild dances,
Daring journeys,
And a love that shimmered brighter than any spell.
The End
