Set (Disney: Violet/Belle)
Title: Set Author/Artist: dropsofviolet Fandom: Beauty and the Beast/The Incredibles Pairing/characters: Violet/Belle Rating: G Warnings: college students AU (Disney Hall) Prompt/challenge you're answering: Violet and Belle: "Don't give up now."
Excerpt: The RA, all blue eyes and cheerful smile, had suggested that it was a good way to meet people, and she had found herself unable to say no to Belle's grin.
It was her brother who was the athletic one, so even after a month of volleyball practice Violet couldn't tell you why she was doing this. The RA, all blue eyes and cheerful smile, had suggested that it was a good way to meet people, and she had found herself unable to say no to Belle's grin.
Belle was a fierce player. She wasn't incredibly good, but she had a decent serve and she wasn't afraid to dive for the difficult ones. Even when she missed-- most of the time-- it didn't lessen her enthusiasm.
Volleyballs were attracted to Violet, all right-- they bounced off her head with depressing regularity. She gritted her teeth and tried to persist-- a good way to meet people, and none of her friends from high school went to this college. Belle was so encouraging, so understanding, that it was in all honesty discouraging.
Violet hadn't met anyone new except Belle, and she was sitting in the RA's room with her, idly reading a magazine, when she finally cracked. Belle was trying to give her tips on her save.
"It's a more powerful thrust with the overhand, but--"
"Belle," Violet interrupted, "I'm going to quit the team."
"But... don't give up now! If we win one more we'll get to play the YMCA women's team," Belle told her. For a club sport, rather than the official school team, this was a lofty goal.
"If you don't have me on the team, maybe you'll be able to manage," Violet said, turning the magazine pages and sneering at celebrities so she didn't have to see Belle's face fall.
"But Vi, I thought you were having fun..."
"Not really," Violet admitted, and the room was awkwardly silent until she slipped out, claiming she had homework to do.
* And it wasn't that she hadn't had a little fun. It was weird to have Wednesday nights free, too. Belle was always polite when they passed in the hall, but something was different. They didn't talk anymore.
Violet found she was lonely, and that was why she dragged herself to the "big game" that next Wednesday versus those tough YMCA gals. She sat high in the stands and watched Belle play, the utter look of determination that didn't change, whether they were behind or ahead. She found herself on her feet chering when the game ended and the club led by four points. The rest of the crowd cheering around her made her heart beat faster in shared enthusiasm.
Before she could argue with herself, she spilled down with them to the gym floor and embraced Belle, feeling her heat and her sweat and hearing her gasp.
"Vi?"
Violet pulled out of the embrace to meet Belle's eyes.
"Just because I don't like volleyball, it doesn't mean I don't like you," she said firmly.
When Belle kissed her gently on the lips, it was a greater victory.