Once on Instagram III

Two

June 21, 2017

The Underworld. Dorothy hadn't actually ever been to the Underworld - she'd only heard what Ruby told her about it. But here she was, standing across from Arthur's throne.

"You're asking me if I know if Zelena's straight or not?" Arthur questioned.

"Yes," Ruby confirmed. "We didn't want to ask her because we think it might be kind of a touchy subject, so we were hoping you might know?" She asked hopefully.

Arthur sighed. "I can't tell you for certain because, as you two have discovered, it's a touchy subject for her. But if I had to guess I would say she is bi. I just don't think she has accepted that herself yet, and I have no idea what to say to get her to accept herself."

Dorothy hesitated. She knew she would have to say something eventually in order to convince Ruby and Arthur she had the right words to help Zelena. She took a deep breath. "I think I might know."

Arthur and Ruby both gave her a confused look.

"None of us care if Zelena is bi," Dorothy began. "The three of us would accept her, Regina and Emma would still accept her, Belle would still accept her, so why would she not be able to accept herself?" Dorothy paused for a moment before continuing, "I think there was someone in her past who made her feel like she could never be accepted. We know her adoptive father treated her badly because of her magic...but what if it was more than that? What if Zelena tried to come out to him, or he somehow found out? And he made her feel like she could never be accepted if she continued to like girls?"

It was Ruby who spoke first, "Dorothy... I..."

"That doesn't matter right now," Dorothy interrupted. "I overcame it. What matters right now is Zelena."

~

How long had it been since the discussion about Zelena not saying anything about Pride Month? Six days?

Zelena was beginning to wonder why no one had tried talking to her about it yet. Then again, she had isolated herself for the most part these past several days.

A knock on the door interrupted Zelena's thoughts. She sighed and made her way over to the door. She assumed it would be Regina on the other side, but it wasn't. It was Dorothy Gale. And she was all alone.

"Dorothy?" Zelena asked.

"Arthur sent me," Dorothy explained. "He wanted me to talk to you. He said you'd been pretty closed off recently."

"And how are you going to help with that?" Zelena rolled her eyes.

"Because I think I know what's going on." Dorothy stepped inside and closed the door. "This has to do with Pride Month, doesn't it?"

"That's ridiculous--"

"Zelena..."

"Maybe a little bit," Zelena said in a small voice. "I wish I could celebrate with them, I really do, I just don't feel... right. It doesn't really make any sense, I know."

Dorothy shook her head. "It makes perfect sense, actually. It's because someone in your past made you feel bad, isn't it?"

"H-how?"

"Because I know how it feels to not be accepted by your own family, Zelena. First, no one believed me about Oz, and I guess I could forgive them for that because it seems impossible, but then when I tried to come out to my parents..." Dorothy sighed. "They ignored me, at first, like ignoring it would make it go away. But when they realized it wasn't going to go away, they started to become abusive towards me. I ended up moving in with my aunt while I finished my last year of high school because she was the only one who still accepted me. After she died, well... I thought that was it. I thought I could never find happiness, because where was I gonna find someone else who was okay with me liking girls and that I believed in Oz?

"But now... I've found those people. I found Ruby and Mulan, who are two of my closest friends, and I found a new family. I realized that my parents were wrong. I do deserve to be happy, and you do too. You also deserve to be able to accept yourself for who you are, and not have to pretend to be someone you're. Zelena, whoever hurt you in the past doesn't matter anymore because we are your family now." Dorothy held her hand out. "You don't have to feel like you can't be accepted. You are worthy of acceptance. We all are."

Zelena took a deep breath before slowly extending her arm and placing her hand on top of Dorothy's. "Maybe you're right." She was quiet for several moments before she spoke up again, "Dorothy, I have something to tell you. ...I'm bisexual."

Dorothy smiled. "I'm glad you've found yourself, Zelena. And I know the path ahead may be difficult, but I'll be here if you need me."

"Thank you," Zelena whispered. She stepped closer to Dorothy before pulling her into a hug.

~

Dorothy opened the door quietly, hoping she wouldn't alert Ruby that she was back. But she had no such luck, because Toto heard and he zipped through the living room and kitchen, right into Dorothy's arms, barking the whole way.

"Shhh," Dorothy tried, but when she looked up, Ruby was standing across from her. "You know, this is technically my house, not yours," Dorothy pointed out. "You still have an apartment that you technically live in."

"I think we have something to talk about," Ruby stated. "Why don't you sit down? After we talk, I can leave if you want. Like, for the night. Not forever."

Dorothy sighed and set Toto down. "You're right. We should probably talk."

The two walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Toto wandered down the hall, out of sight, as if he wanted to give Ruby and Dorothy privacy.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ruby asked.

"I dunno. It didn't seem important."

"It's the most important!" Ruby exclaimed. "I care about you, Dorothy. If I had known your parents had never accepted you..."

"What?" Dorothy asked. "You would have said you were sorry? You would have promised that you accept me? I don't need pity and I already know you accept me because you also like girls and have been to Oz! It doesn't really matter anymore because it's in the past and I'm over it! I didn't want a bunch of pity and sympathy, I just wanted to leave it in the past. I swore to myself the only reason I would ever bring it up would be if someone was going through something similar, so I could help them. That's why I didn't tell you."

Ruby leaned over and pulled Dorothy into a hug. "I'm sorry. I know how it feels to want to leave the past in the past."

"So can we agree that the past is the past and it won't affect us?" Dorothy asked.

Ruby nodded. "Yes. What matters is we're moving forward. Together."

Dorothy smiled up at Ruby. "You can stay tonight if you want. Or forever."

Ruby laughed quietly. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"

"Well wouldn't you rather live in a house than an apartment? I mean, unless you don't want to..."

"I would love to." Ruby kissed Dorothy's forehead before leaning her head on Dorothy's shoulder. Dorothy wrapped her arm around Ruby, pulling her closer. "My soft werewolf."

"I'm not soft!"

"Whatever you say."

~

A/N: I'm very very excited for the next several chapters😁😁 You guys are never gonna expect what's coming I love it

Also I'm gonna have another chapter (sort of a follow up to this chapter) up later today so be on the lookout for that😉 And I've started editing Once on Instagram just so you all are aware