Chapter Text
When the Wonderland Princess was born, small and wide eyed, citizens of the whimsical land believed they were headed toward a brighter future. The baby was seen as a miracle, an omen of peace after decades of spiraling chaos under an unstable Queen’s reign. Surely the new mother would end her dictating behavior so her prized daughter would grow up in a better world than she ever had.
The people of Wonderland whispered about her birth in teashops and warped alleyways, all desperate to know more about the new addition to the kingdom. Hoping to get a glimpse of the baby and bless her with a prosperous life, they left gifts at the palace gates until they began to overflow into the streets.
Despite most of the Wonderlandians believing she would grow into a ruler who could heal Wonderland’s cracked reputation, there were some who believed she would destroy it entirely.
The Queen of Hearts had become distinctly aware of the rumors and daydreams that surrounded her daughter fairly quickly, eyes and ears all over reporting back to her at a never ending rate. At first, she paid them no mind, confident in how easily she could strike one of them down, but she soon realized their hope was a dangerous belief.
She had done what was necessary to keep her legacy and power intact, and she would make sure her daughter would not fall because of something so trivial as hope.
As the young princess grew, the whispers twisted into a dark spiral where hope had no place to thrive. The Queen did all she could to paint her daughter as a mirror image of herself. Using Red’s name as a warning and her presence as a threat, the Hearts Queen made sure every one of her subjects understood her daughter was not a miracle to be loved, but a weapon to be sharpened.
Red’s childhood was filled with perfectly curated performances and harsh punishments when her mother saw her step out of line. Her real education came from Maddox, the tutor she quickly grew to confide in, and whose sensitive son she quietly appreciated. Still, the Queen took it upon herself to teach Red ‘real’ lessons as she described it, forcing her daughter to listen to her lectures about why being just like her was an absolute necessity.
She knew her mother wanted the kingdom to see her as a living prophecy, a reminder that Wonderland belonged to the Hearts bloodline and that the prayers they whispered would not end her tyranny.
By the time Red was old enough to understand how deeply she loathed the idea of becoming a carbon copy of the Queen, most Wonderlandians were too afraid to put their faith into her. She did what she could, running rampant and rebelling against her mother’s strict rules, in order to prove her allegiance to the people rather than the throne. But things were harder than they had ever been before.
She was an outsider in her own homeland, yet she still looked toward a future where she broke away from her mom and led her people to prosperity.
And now, years later, standing alone in the expansive halls of Auradon Prep where Uma had left her, her mother’s unexpected words still echoing in her skull, Red felt the weight of what being a Wonderland Princess truly meant.
A deep part of her wanted to make a beeline for her own room and shut out the rest of the world. Another part tugged her back toward Wonderland where she knew familiarity would calm her and Maddox would be there to guide her forward. Then lastly, there was a small voice that she hardly ever listened to, urging her to find a certain Charming princess.
Red pressed her back against the pristine wallpaper that lined Auradon Prep’s hall, exhaling a shaky breath. The corridor was void of most students, quietness pressing in on her all the while amplifying her mother’s vulnerable voice in her head.
‘Strong.’ ‘Independent.’
She knew those traits were imperative to her mother’s teachings on how to be a queen, but the way her mother sounded… None of it made sense to Red anymore.
She didn’t know if her mother’s words were meant as a warning reflected by her own past or an expectation that came with her bloodline, but the uncertainty tangled her thoughts.
Red rubbed her head in tribulation, shooting nasty glares at the occasional student who passed too close or looked a little too long. The constant instability and turmoil she had been stuck in all her life was no one’s latest gossip to throw around school.
The princess knew she agreed to come to Auradon to figure out who she was past the walls she carefully built, but her mother’s words had begun to crack a foundation she wasn’t ready to let crumble completely.
Fiercely, she pushed off the wall, not wanting to stand out in the open so exposed for a moment longer. Her boots clicked sharply against the floor as she started walking, not sure where she was headed. The need to get away from it all had a large part of her praying she could run from her issues indefinitely. The hall ahead of her seemed to endlessly stretch, reminding her of Wonderland’s royal palace that often broke the rules of reality. It should’ve soothed her and reminded her of the home she missed, but it made the ache in her heart throb.
The teen knew she had to do something before her thoughts became too much to bear. Her mind kept tugging her toward someone who promised to listen and understand her, who willingly gave her a second chance when most didn’t. She knew their mothers were at odds and parented them very differently in ways that were obvious in both girls, but the princess had said she wanted to try.
Normally, Red wouldn’t believe such a statement, but the way her new friend looked at her earnestly and pleadingly made Red’s chest twist in a confusing desire to let her in.
Before she could fully comprehend her decision, her feet shifted away from her room, away from Wonderland, and to the one person who was beginning to silence the chaos of her life even if it was just for a moment.
Toward the girl who had given her another chance, even after nearly losing her own mom.
♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི
Meanwhile, beyond Auradon Prep’s school grounds, Max Hatter was doing his best to steady his own heartbeat as he followed Luis Madrigal down a winding path deeper into the city's square.
When Luis had asked him out on a date, Max had figured his anxious manner would force him to back out at the last minute, unsurprisingly disappointing the VK like the mess he was. Yet he found himself walking side by side with the other teen as the sun dipped below the clouds and the moon offered her first greetings of the evening.
A part of Max had felt guilty going out when he knew what Red was doing. She had left him a message letting him know where she was going and to just enjoy his night. They promised to catch up the next morning, but Max still couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
Though, he would do his best to have a good time, if that is what Red wanted for him. Even if a small part of him worried she’d need him and he couldn’t be there.
The wind whistled between the boys as they made the journey unhurriedly, neither of them feeling the need to fill the silence when they would have all the time in the world upon their arrival. Then slowly, as if hesitant, Max felt calloused skin brush against the back of his hand, an invitation to do the same left unsaid. Every part of him wanted to shrink back in fear he would mess up what he had built with Luis, but his promise to be brave nudged him to open his palm and grasp the larger hand.
His whole body was aflame and he felt his fingers shake around Luis’s, but he was proud of the small act of confidence, and he knew his father would be pleased he finally took a step toward something good.
“So-so where are you taking me?” Max heard himself ask, head facing forward as not to overwhelm himself. He knew Luis always looked good, curls and charming smile accentuating his features, but tonight his glow was different. When he had met Madrigal in the front hall Max’s mouth went dry at how absolutely radiant Luis had looked, very obvious he had taken his time getting ready for their date.
Luis smirked at him playfully, “It’s a surprise.” He laughed. “Just trust me.”
Max huffed, secretly delighted Luis may have been just as eager as he was for where the night would take them.
As they walked through the bustling streets of Auradon’s busiest district, glowing windows and wafting smells of fresh baked goods pulled both the teens closer to their destination. Finally, as they approached a small building decorated with strings of soft lantern light and bouquets of freshly picked flowers, the noise of the city seemed to fall away.
Luis’s steps came to a halt in front of the building's doors. “Uh, when Chloe and I were looking for you and Red, she told me about this tea room that had just opened. I thought…I thought it might remind you of home.” He glanced at Max with a hopeful softness that made his eyes glisten.
“Oh, Luis…” Max felt himself step closer to his date. “Thank you.” He simply continued before pulling the taller boy into a crushing hug neither of them knew he was capable of.
When they finally settled inside, they fell into a comfortable ease that felt more natural than the other had ever felt with anyone else. They shared slices of sweet cakes, swapped sandwiches filled with hearty meats for the other to try, and brewed teas Luis had never heard of before.
A peaceful calm settled over Luis, a foreign feeling for a teen who was always running around helping his town, as he listened to Max. Said teen was mid tangent about the endless varieties of tea Wonderland had to offer and how more amazing each one was apparently over the other. When Luis had first met Max he had thought how easily he got flustered was adorable, and while he still did, he loved that Max was now rambling to him so openly.
“So, which one is your favourite?” Luis asked, gesturing to the dozen of empty teacups stacked up in a fragile tower. His own collection was made up of only one cup that Max brewed for him, tea not being his preferred drink, but he cherished the way Max’s face lit up when he had tried it.
Max somehow seemed to brighten more, realizing Luis was actually interested in his extensive rambling. “Oh! I would have to say a white tea known as Silver Needle. Typically I prefer dark teas that are deeply brewed, but its silkiness is a unique taste I grew to really appreciate. My dad tried getting me to like his more fruitier teas, but those were more of his thing than mine.” Max happily explained, his cheeks coloring when he noticed how soft Luis was looking at him.
“Hm, doesn’t sound half bad. Tea’s not really my thing,” he admitted. “but the one you made me was actually pretty good!” He quickly finished before the Hatter could think he wasn’t having a lovely time.
Max’s smile seemed to widen even more, pushing more sweets toward him. “I’m glad! I know Red doesn’t care for tea, either. I remember hearing her at a tea party back in Wonderland say that coffee had a better taste and use.”
“I guess she and I have more in common than I thought.” He chuckled. “Coffee’s what got me through growing up in Colombia. There was always something to do, or more of something to move.”
The teen across from him leaned forward, listening attentively as he dunked his tea bag into the porcelain cup. “Oh woah. That sounds like it must’ve been hard having to keep up with what everyone else needed done.”
‘Huh,’ Luis hadn’t ever really thought about it like that. “Yeah…actually it was. I mean my mamá made sure I wasn’t overworked, especially when I was still a kid, but it was… a lot.” He admitted.
“Hm, well it’s good to take breaks too. Here at school and while you’re back at home too.”
Max urged him, his tone taking a slight serious dip.
Luis huffed out a small laugh, taking Max’s free hand into his own. The boy across from him tensed slightly before letting his body relax into the touch. “I will, don’t worry, cariño.”
Max’s heart fluttered at that word, he wasn’t exactly positive on its meaning, but Luis’s voice was filled with a tenderness the boy couldn’t ignore.
“Anyways,” Luis laughed, feeling sheepish he mindlessly let the endearment slip out. “You said you attended tea parties in Wonderland? What were those like?”
The other boy stopped to think, glasses slipping down his nose as he looked into his tea, the steam curled up like a memory he wasn’t sure he wanted to touch. “They… they weren’t necessarily ‘parties’, in a sense that they weren't meant to be fun or joyous. The Queen used them to flaunt herself around and to remind us exactly who she was. I mean, Red was there, but I could tell she hated them.”
Luis squeezed his hand, encouraging Max to go on. “I didn’t go to many of them,” he said after a pause. “Dad had to attend more since he was Red’s teacher and he was always worried something would happen to me there. Wonderland wasn’t exactly kind to people who didn’t fit the Queen’s mold. I still remember the people who were used as examples while we were forced to watch and sip tea. I know dad tried shielding me from most of it, but…” He trailed off.
“You don’t have to tell me everything now,” Luis murmured as he maneuvered his chair to now be side by side with Max. “I can tell it must be hard remembering all of that.”
The purple haired teen shook his head as if to physically throw the dark, vivid memories out. “It’s okay. I’m just glad things are changing and that I’m here now with Red and… and with you.”
Luis’s breath hitched inaudibly, his chest filled with an overwhelming need to express how Max made him feel, but he couldn’t form any words. Instead, he leaned forward, lips pausing inches away from Max’s in case the other boy wanted to pull away.
He didn’t.
The world around the two seemed to blur as their breath mingled and the space between them vanished. And when their lips finally met, it was like every heavy burden they carried fell away and meant nothing in the moment. To Luis, it felt as if it was a moment where he could finally be vulnerable. And to Max, he felt as though he finally found where he belonged, a place where being himself was enough.
When they finally pulled apart both were flushed and their lips were tingling with a buzz of content. Neither were ready to break the moment, but they felt the shift in what exactly they meant to each other.
♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི
When Red had knocked on her door, Chloe had been expecting some sarcastic joke about being able to cut class early, but the Red standing in her doorway was anything but joking.
Chloe had quickly ushered the other teen in and watched worriedly as Red mutely took in the soft blues of her room before taking refuge on her bed. She hovered for a moment, unsure whether to sit besides the girl or give her space, but the way Red’s shoulders curled inward made the choice for her. She slowly eased herself onto the edge of the duvet, close enough to be near, but far enough not to suffocate.
“Do you…do you want to talk about what happened?” Chloe gently asked, not wishing to prod and make Red fully shut her out again. Their newfound friendship was a delicate bond they both had been carefully trying to build, and she didn’t want to be the reason it all came tumbling down already.
Sure, Chloe had hated Red at one point, watching her own mother be dragged off to be executed would make anyone see all shades of crimson. She hadn’t understood how Red could just stand and watch as her mom wrecked havoc through the school, leaving their families and community devastated. It was easy then, to paint the Queen of Hearts daughter with the same bloodred brush.
But when Red showed up in class, head held high and glare permanently painted on, Chloe wasn’t able to shake the feeling that there was far more to the other princess than anyone had ever given her the chance to show. Red never gloated about who her mother was, she never mocked them for being scared of her, and while she never spoke to Chloe, she never decided to pick a fight with her. She walked through the school like a ghost who was between wanting to disappear and be given a chance to try again.
Despite every reason Chloe had to hate her fully and forever, she just couldn’t turn her back to a girl who had already lost so much.
If she didn’t want to be the perfect princess her whole kingdom envisioned, then she had an inkling Red didn’t want to become the same evil Queen of Hearts everyone figured she would grow up to be. Then when they both finally had the chance to let each other creep past the walls they had constructed after years of expectations, it felt as if a whole new future had opened up.
A deep, hidden voice within herself had been urging her to find an unknown missing part of who she was and now that same voice was stirring again, impatient and persistent. She knew what it longed for and who it had chosen for her, but her life and her family name made it nearly impossible to give in.
So, she would long from afar and just be the friend Red so desperately needed.
A soft sigh from Red pulled Chloe out of the haze of her own mind and brought her back down to the present where her friend needed her.
“I went to see my mom.” Red practically whispered as if speaking more to herself than Chloe. She had pulled one of the plush blue pillows from the bed to her chest, squeezing it like it was a life saver keeping her afloat in a sea storm she wasn’t sure she could survive.
In any other contexts Chloe would be short circuiting at Red being in her bed, the beautiful vermilion that made up the other girl a stark contrast to the cerulean aesthetic, but now concern overshadowed those thoughts.
Chloe slid herself up the bed, taking her time to slowly offer her presence to Red, before she settled right beside her. She was faintly aware of the delicate balance between closeness versus pressure, and she hoped she wasn’t crossing it. “Do you want to tell me about it? If you’re not ready, I understand.”
Red tightened her hold on the pillow, fingers dinging deep into the cotton until she could feel each individual stitching. A fraction of her consciousness wanted to immediately relinquish every ounce of control she had and spill every secret, want, and hurt she had ever felt. Yet, the years spent under a mom who forcefully fed her obedience and silence made it daunting to even think about trying.
“She,” Red began, forcing her tongue and teeth into movement and form words despite them fighting against her. She had to at least try, if not for herself, then for her subjects back in Wonderland who depended on her to be strong even when she felt anything but. “She said I wasn’t her daughter anymore and that I was a selfish person who abandoned her.”
Chloe did what she could to stifle the gasp that involuntary tore from her throat, but the devastation she felt for Red overpowered her restraint. “Oh Red, that’s-that’s terrible. You’re not selfish at all! If anything, you're selfless for coming back to Auradon in order to learn how to be a better leader of Wonderland.” The Charming princess couldn't comprehend how Red’s own mother could twist an opportunity at growth and redemption into something so cruel. She knew the Queen had a reputation for using anything and everything as a weapon to stay ahead, but using her daughter’s yearn for approval was innately evil.
“Yeah, then she turned around and apologized. Who could believe that? The Queen of Hearts apologizing to someone that wasn’t herself!” Red laughed, feeling a bit hysterical the longer she thought about it all. “And the worst part is… she sounded so sincere. As far as I know, my mother has never once worn her heart on her sleeve.”
Chloe hesitated, her judgment hazed by her push to ameliorate the pain in Red’s heart and her pull to admit a truth she’d kept to herself. “Red… I should tell you what I learned about your mom.” Chloe paused as Red’s attention fully turned toward her.
“After what happened on our first day I had begged my mom to tell me why your mom targeted her like that. She hadn’t wanted to tell me, but I was persistent. She finally admitted that they had both attended Merlin Academy, were even friends, and that your mom was good.” She revealed, quiet as if she was afraid the rest of the world would hear. “She said that there was a time, before the crown and power, where Bridget was a compassionate princess who dreamed of being an equitable ruler.”
Red’s head snapped up, eyes wide as she listened for a trace of mendaciousness in Chloe’s voice. She felt ambivalent toward her words, caught between a sinking disbelief and a bitter hope she hesitated to admit existed.
Chloe must have sensed her distress and had shyly offered her hand as an anchor to hold on to while she continued talking. While Red knew distance is what had kept her afloat throughout her life, a persistent part of her allowed herself to give in and take the offered hand.
“Mom admitted that Bridget-your mom-used to be a bubbly, sweet girl who had only wanted to connect and be friends with the other students in their class. But something happened,” Chloe squeezed Red’s hand, mind too preoccupied to really relish in the warmth of their hands intertwined. “I guess being from Wonderland made her an easy target for a certain group of villains.”
The Charming princess suspired slowly, doing her best to recall exactly what her mom had revealed to her. “Those villains persistently bullied your mom and pulled some type of prank on her that pushed the Queen to her breaking point.” She stated. “Red, your mom wasn’t always a cruel person, it was the wicked actions of others that twisted her into someone she never wanted to be.”
The guilt of keeping what she knew about Red’s own mother from the other girl made her choke up. “I wasn’t sure if you knew about your mom’s past until now, but I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner. I honestly didn’t know if it was even something you wanted to know after everything you’ve had to deal with.” She apologized earnestly, watching the twitch of Red’s pale finger against the darkness of her own.
The air in the room was stiff, dense with the weight of who the Queen could have been and the unbearable reality that Red could never have that version of her mother back. The revelation made it hard for Red to sit still, nails on her free hand digging into her palm, and her body trembling with anger. The rancor she had held toward her mother was a constant, almost natural feeling she had built up over the years, but the pure malice she felt for the people who had broken her younger mom was a new, blinding feeling.
“So, they did this to her?” Red was exhausted, too many new bombshells overcrowding her already strained mind. But, her mom’s past that Chloe had just uncovered was an uncharted territory Red knew she had to dive deeper into. “All this time I thought she was just cruel, born into a bloodline that made tyranny second nature. She…she was just like me.
Her own words broke her heart as the feelings she had for her mom coiled and distorted into an indescribable whirlwind of confusion. She leaned forward, practically collapsing into Chloe as she pressed her forehead against the girl’s shoulder in a clear cry for support.
Chloe immediately wrapped her arms around the red head without a moment's hesitation, pulling her in and grounding her with a constant, steady warmth. In return, Red clung to her like
she would disappear from her mom, just like her mom.
“I… I don’t know how to feel now that I know things weren’t supposed to be like this.” Red admitted, letting her voice convey every ounce of emotion she was grappling with. “I could have had a totally different life. A mother who loved her people and who would've actually been proud of me.”
Still hugging the spiraling princess, Chloe brought her hand up to cradle the back of Red’s protectively. “Red,” she murmured. “You don’t have to carry all of this by yourself.”
Red had softly thanked Chloe for being there before burrowing her own face into blue hair and processing what she had just heard.
They had first met in the worst possible way, fear and loathing the expected outcome between the two, but despite it all both girls fell into each other. Red let herself be held, let herself feel all the grief she’d never allowed herself to acknowledge, and Chloe let herself be the steadiness her friend could collapse into.
Eventually, the beating of Red’s heart and her racing mind calmed, allowing herself a chance to simply breathe. Chloe had guided her back down on the bed with careful, timid movements and Red followed without resistance until they were comfortably laid across the inviting bed. They had ended up facing one another, their foreheads nearly touching and hands still intertwined as their eyes began to droop in the moonlit room.
The beckon of sleep had already lulled Chloe away, the closeness between her and Red making it nearly impossible to stay awake much longer.
The sight had made a long guarded sentiment loosen within Red as her eyes too began to droop and her mind slowly drifted toward a soft, yet raging whisper.
If the Queen hadn’t always been evil… maybe there was a way to prevent her from losing herself altogether.
Somewhere, out lost in the haze of reality and dreams, Red had a quiet realization that would reshape everything she’d ever known.
There could be a way to fix her.
♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི
Some Months Later
Neither of the teens knew it then, but that evening marked the beginning of a slow, yet undeniable evolution of their relationships. The months that followed carried the change swiftly and delicately, like a leaf flowing through the wind. It integrated into their lives with a subtlety none of them could fully name.
While Auradon Prep was still far from perfect, it had quietly shifted into a place where they could grow and overcome the sharp edges they had all once guarded so fiercely.
Max, the boy who once was paralyzed by nerves, now could walk through the courtyard with a newfound confidence that made Luis and his other friends silently celebrate. He still flushed when he and Luis explored new parts of their relationship, mind still reeling that they were officially boyfriends. But now he approached each moment with an optimistic self-assuredness.
One of the biggest changes he had been the most exhilarated to inform his dad of was that he was more than excelling in his studies. He raised his hand in class now, answering each question with calculated precision and accuracy which earned him attention from his teachers. Max had been ecstatic when Chloe told him she’d overheard how many thought he was the most promising student in their year.
Luis could always be found not far behind Max, protective of his boyfriend but still wanting to give him space to develop on his own. He kept his place at Max’s side during crowded events, encouraged him forward when he doubted himself, and kept the cruel likeness of some students as far as he could from his boyfriend. While bigotry from many students had scared them both away from openly being a couple, Chloe and Red made sure to scare anyone off who looked a little too long.
Similarly, Chloe and Red had become nearly inseparable. They would often be found walking together between classes, laughing at jokes only the other understood, and spent late nights sprawled across Chloe’s bed whispering about everything and nothing. Together, they surprised everyone and themselves by becoming what the other had needed the most.
But underneath the bliss, a creeping tension brewed, bubbling near the surface of their hearts as neither dared to make the first move.
Separately, both Luis and Max had encouraged them to act on their attraction to the other, but both princesses believed it wouldn’t work out for a multitude of reasons.
At one point, Red debated confessing or at least dropping more hints than she already was, but quickly decided against it when Ella found out about her.
It had been a brief school holiday where Red and Max returned to Wonderland to visit the progressing kingdom, with Luis as a welcomed guest. They had extended the invite to Chloe but she had opted to head home to visit her parents and older brother who had briefly returned home.
It had all started at their evening dinner when Chloe was animatedly recounting how she beat an upperclassman to become the top fencer at their school and had offhandily mentioned her friends being there. Her mother had been a bit surprised to hear the son of Maddox Hatter was a part of her friend group, but practically choked when the Queen of Heart’s daughter was mentioned in the same sentence.
At the statement of “best friend,” the whole table went so dead silent, Chloe had thought she could hear her mother’s pet mice running around three floors down.
After the initial shock, Ella and Charming weren’t exactly angry nor did they curse Red’s name. But they were substantially cautious and warned their daughter to keep her guard up even when she thought she was safe.
When Red finally heard about the conversation after Chloe reluctantly told her, she had pretended it didn’t bother her and tried to move on as if their relationship didn’t just get more complicated.
Ultimately, they wanted each other and they both knew it, but the success rate of it working out was too low in their minds to even try.
Chloe had her duties as the princess and second heir to the royal kingdom with her mother expecting her to prepare for a future as a diplomat.
All the while, Red’s future loomed nearer, the Queen’s shadow stretching across every move she made, and her rightful place on Wonderland’s throne awaited the day she was ready to claim it.
Though it pained Max and Luis to see their friends run around each other pitifully, they were glad the girl’s friendship was still unyielding and they all had each other to lean on as the school year carried on.
Alas as the time continued to flow past, the trio began to notice Red drift from the princess they once knew to something very subtly off.
At first it had been small observations that both Max and Chloe simultaneously caught when Red thought no one was paying attention.
She began to zone out during conversations, staring too long at seemingly nothing until one of her friend’s voices dragged her back to reality. Even Luis couldn’t ignore how spaced out she acted when they would attempt to get her to engage in their small talk.
They all had tried to brush it off as a Wonderlandian adapting to a new world, but even Max who had struggled with Auradon the most, knew it wasn’t that simple when it came to Red. His intuition was proven true when Red started disappearing for hours on end. She routinely began to skip class only to get lost in the alcove of library books or vast gardens in the courtyard.
At first they were unaware of exactly what Red was so distracted by, but the situation started becoming clearer when Max received a concerning letter from his father one late night.
He detailed surprise visits made by Red that were filled with requests to be taught every piece of Wonderland’s and her mother’s history. Maddox admitted he would not have been as suspicious of the heir’s intense interest if it wasn’t for how demanding Red began to get with him, ordering him to answer questions he didn’t know how to.
The more he struggled to reply only made her dig deeper until he was so desperate to relax her that he accidentally revealed his most precarious creation.
The pocket watch.
He knew in the wrong hands the watch would be a grievous device, but even in her fickle state of mind, Maddox couldn’t fathom Red ignoring his serious warnings. He had practically raised the young princess and did what he could to protect her from her mother, but a looming darkness told him he should have kept his mouth forever sealed.
Collectively, what really troubled the small friend group was how normal Red attempted to be around them and throughout her regular daily schedule. She still laughed, still teased Max about “his boy”, and even kept up with her nightly “study sessions” with Chloe as if nothing had even changed.
However, they all saw how her eyes were somewhere else far away, almost as if they were lost in the free fall that was the Rabbit Hole.
Unfortunately, none of them knew exactly how to pull her back without Red feeling forced to make a rash, irreversible decision.
♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི◟ ͜ ◞♥︎ ྀི
“We need to stage an intervention. Now.”
Max squinted up, eyes burning from the beaming sun until a mane of blue hair appeared in his vision.
“Well, hello to you too, Princess.” He felt the words grumble in Luis’s chest from his place under Max.
The two lovers had been lounging under a great oak tree since their morning classes ended, the feeling of summer making them feel drowsy. They were hoping to get a nap in before their afternoon classes since they had plans with Red and Chloe to hangout that same evening.
Chloe rolled her eyes and dropped her bag to the ground, barely missing Luis’s head. “I’m being serious, guys. We all know something’s been up with Red for months now.” She smacked Luis who had involuntarily begun to close his eyes again. “Either we get her to talk to us or there’s a possibility we lose her.”
“You’re not wrong, Chloe. We do need to help her, but I’m not sure all three of us confronting her would work in our favor.” Luis sighed.
The trio had talked about approaching Red before and what had been going on with her, but their plans never went through due to their diverging ideas. Chloe was persistent on simply sitting her down and getting her to talk, while Luis was sure that’s the last thing she would want for help. As for Max, he honestly was torn between what would actually get Red to open up.
Max took a second to think, ideas rubbing together like the grinding gears in his father’s workshop. “Considering what my dad has told me, I think we do need to speak with her soon, but Luis is also right. We can’t make it into an interrogation. We have to let her want to trust and talk to us.” It wasn’t the most fool proof plan, but they needed to figure something out quickly.
“Okay, I think we can manage that, right?” Chloe asked.
Luis sighed before carefully pushing Max up from his place on his chest and sat up to face Chloe. “Are we sure it’s a good idea for Max and I to also ask about whatever this is? I know her and I have gotten way closer and Max knows a decent bit about her since they both grew up in Wonderland, but…” He trailed off, figuring out how to put what he was thinking into formable words. “Maybe she won’t feel as cornered with just you, Chloe. We all know how she eases more around you and I would hate to be the reason she hesitates to admit anything.”
Max and Chloe collectively sighed at Luis’s words. They knew he was right and that it may be safer to just have Chloe talk to her, but the failure of that plan had already occurred on multiple occasions. They shunned the idea of pressuring Red until she laid her heart out for two more people than she wanted, but Chloe wasn’t sure she could do it alone.
“I know it’ll be hard on her, but I don’t think I can do it alone. I know she’s still worried my mom will convince me to drop her, so maybe if you both are there she’ll trust us all together.” Chloe said.
Stretching from his place on the grass, Max brushed a few blades of grass out of his hair and finally sat upright. “Then it’s settled. We’ll invite her over to my dorm tonight and tell her exactly why we all need to meet up. It’ll show her we’re being transparent and only want to help without forcing ourselves on her. We’ll show her she isn’t alone.”
The three of them shared a quiet moment of equal parts worry and determination before Luis pushed himself fully to his feet. He offered his hand to Max and helped pull him up to stand with him and then did the same to Chloe.
“Alright,” Luis said, pressing down his now wrinkled shirt. “Let’s go stage the world’s least threatening intervention.”
Chloe grabbed her bag from the ground and nodded. “Good and no backing out no matter how worried we are. We have to do what we can to help Red.”
Max and Luis exchanged a grim look, both equally nervous and determined, but they knew what they had to do.
For the first time in months, the teens felt a flicker of hope that maybe they could reach Red before she slipped too far away.
The day passed laggardly, all three students anticipating the outcome of the evening's meeting and willing the time to pass quicker.
Finally, at the sun’s first signs of dipping below the horizon, the trio found themselves sitting around Max’s dorm, nerves coiling tighter with every passing second Red wasn’t there. None of them voiced it, but they were beginning to grow paranoid that Red wasn’t going to show up at all and continue to avoid them.
Chloe paced back and forth in front of the window until Luis spoke up. “Chloe, I know you're anxious, but your pacing is making me so nauseous.” He said, rubbing his eyes.
“Ugh, sorry Luis, I’m just freaking out a bit.” She forced herself to stand still before pressing her sweaty palms against her thighs.
Max sat on the edge of his mauve colored bedding with his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor like it would erase his jitters. “She said she’d come,” he murmured. “Red’s never broken a promise with me unless something’s really wrong.”
Luis sighed heavily, still trying to ease the queasiness in his stomach. “Or maybe she’s like us and scared.”
They heard Chloe exhale shakily and knew she was hoping there was a real reason why Red was late.
A tense muteness settled over the room, viscous enough to make Max’s chest feel tight and breathing shallow. He opened his mouth to nervously ramble out possibilities as to what could have happened to Red when a soft knock vibrated at the door.
Immediately, Chloe charged toward the door while Luis squared his shoulders and made his way toward Max in case he needed the extra support. Max stood up too quickly, nearly stumbling over to Luis as adrenaline surged through him.
When Chloe pulled the door open the image of Red standing there was like staring at a memory from the night she saw her mom. Her usual pin straight hair was a frizzy mess and her eyes reflected a bone deep tiredness that must have accumulated over a few days.
“Hey,” She mumbled, her voice barely carrying over to where Max and Luis stood. “Sorry I’m late. I was… caught up with something important.”
Chloe immediately felt some of her tension loosen at the sound and sight of the other princess. “You made it.” she breathed out in relief.
Red offered her friend a faint smile in apology, but the other two teens couldn’t help but only see a poorly hid grimace. Still, they murmured their welcomes and gestured her inside the dorm so they could get down to business.
The sound of the oak door closing was nearly deafening as Red hovered near the foot of Max’s roommate’s bed, arms crossed over her chest defensively. “Okay,” she said slowly. “You guys wanted to talk or something?”
The three other teens around her gave each other a pointed look they had all gotten used to using around the Hearts princess.
“All of us wanted to talk to you,” Chloe feebly began. “about you, if that’s okay.”
Red knitted her brows, a suspicion flickering in her eyes. “What about me exactly?”
“About how you’ve been acting these last few months. You seem off Red, like skittish, and we know something’s up.” Luis didn’t waste time, tone soft yet firm.
They all watched as Red stiffened and an invisible guard instantly glazed over her irises. She fidgeted with her heart embroidered sleeves while refusing to make eye contact with any of them.
Max swallowed hard, “We’re really worried, Red. You’ve been… different and distant. All three of us miss you and don’t want to lose you to whatever this is.”
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She immediately answered in clear defense.
The words came out way too fast and stiff like she’d rehearsed excuses to every accusation that could be used against her. Near her side, Chloe felt her stomach drop as their plan practically fell apart in front of them before it even unfolded.
“Red… come on. You don’t have to pretend with us. With me.” Chloe sadly said.
Red clenched her jaw at the expression Chloe wore. “Chlo, it’s okay. I’m not pretending and if I needed something you know I would come to you.”
Max inched his way closer to his fellow Wonderlandian, movements mirroring someone who was approaching a frightened rabbit. “Red, you’ve been disappearing on us, skipping out on meals and sleep, and you haven’t come over to write dad a letter in forever.”
Her eyes flicked up for a millisecond but it was enough time for Max to see the panic within them. “I’m fine. I don’t owe anyone an explanation.” She gritted out with a slight crack in her voice.
“Red…” Chloe tried again. “We’re not saying you do. We… I just want to understand how to help my closest friend.” Chloe wanted to say more, to dive into her feelings so Red would fully understand, but a choking sensation held her back.
“You don’t look fine. We’ve all noticed it and even Max’s dad is worried.” Luis added sympathetically.
The Wonderland princess scoffed, “What did Maddox tell you, Max?” She turned to said boy with an accusing finger, her face angry. “He shouldn’t be telling anyone about what the future Queen is asking.”
“Red, he didn’t tell us anything private.” Max said softly, “He’s just concerned you’re trying to handle too much alone.”
Her fury diminished slightly, “He shouldn’t be focused on me, he’s duty is to Wonderland right now. I’m doing what I need to do and none of you need to be dragged into it.”
“What exactly are you doing, Red?” Chloe took her hand cautiously so that Red knew she was there to listen. “We’re your friends and want to help you with whatever you need. We just need you to allow us in.”
“I may not understand Wonderland fully, but I’ve learned a lot from you and Max, so I’m all ears if you need to talk.” Luis chimed in helpfully.
Red sighed before walking over to Max’s worn desk, pulling out a seat for herself as she motioned for them to come closer. “Fine, but quit staring at me like I’m going to bolt. Just… just listen.”
All together, the two HK’s and Max nodded in agreement as they made their way over to where Red was restlessly tapping her foot. Chloe took the only other chair beside Red, Luis stood with his arms crossed adjacent to the girls, and Max continued to stick to Luis’s side while fidgeting with his glasses.
They all watched her intently and waited for her to begin. In return, Red read each of them one by one, Chloe’s face filled with concern, Luis ready to help as soon as she asked, and Max’s anxious hope he could aid her.
“I’ve already told you all about the visit to my mother and… and all the stuff she told me.” A restless voice started. “Then after Chloe revealed what Ella knew about her, I went to Maddox and asked him about the past. He said Ella hadn’t been lying about mom being nice and that she used to be a totally different person when they all went to school together. He told me some other things, but all that matters now is that somewhere, sometime my mom was never evil.”
Red did what she could to ease the tension in her back before continuing, “I honestly don’t know what came over me, but the idea that I could’ve had a mom who really loved me for me…” She managed a smile toward Chloe. “It just made me want to fix everything, Wonderland, me, and her most of all.”
“I didn’t think there was a way I could possibly do it, but things are different now because…” She carefully, but obviously avoided Max’s rigid gaze before dropping a bomb none of the teens knew were coming. “because I have this.”
As if in slow motion, the group watched as Red reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a seemingly normal looking pocket watch. It had a shine often found on unused items, but they all felt the low thrum of something magical to it.
Max let out a startled choke of air, the watch’s familiarity immediately striking fear into him. “Did you steal that from my dad, Red?!” He practically cried out.
Chloe shot up from the chair and turned to Red astonished. “What is that?” She asked just as Luis spoke.
“You what?!” He bellowed, alarm flashing across his face as he turned back and forth between Red and his boyfriend.
“I had to!” She said quickly. “Maddox told me it can transport its user through time and that’s exactly what I need to fix everything. It can change my mom and I’s lives forever!”
At the sight of an angry Max charging closer to her she pushed away from the table and backed away from the group, watch held protectively against her chest.
“You don’t understand, Red. My dad told me that thing can ruin worlds and lives, you can’t just play with time!” He reached for the princess, but she used the abandoned chair as an obstacle and dodged him.
Angrily, Red bit back, “Don’t tell me that I don’t understand, Max.” Her body shook, eyes shooting daggers at the boy who had a loving parent. “You don’t know what it's like to have a parent who sees you as nothing more than a pawn in their own game! I finally have a way to save my mom and our home, but you want to back out now?”
Though he was not exactly sure what the watch was or what Max and Red knew about it, Luis backed his boyfriend up, following him closer to the princess. “Look Red, whatever you took from Max’s dad can’t be good. You’re scaring us, just let us help.”
“This has nothing to do with you, I already told you all.” She hissed. “If you don’t want to help me have a better life than just let me deal with this on my own.”
Chloe pushed past the two boys to get to the other girl before she made a rash decision. She had to figure out a way to make Red snap back to reality and what she could damage if she went through with this.
“Red,” She murmured while trying to not let the audible tremor in Red’s breath scare her away. “Look at me.”
“Don’t try to stop me, Chlo.” She snapped as her eyes grew wet from frustration.
‘Fuck it.’ The curly haired girl thought,
“I’m not,” Chloe whispered and before Red could pull away, the Charming princess cupped her face and kissed her as if there wasn’t a whirlwind storm running rampant in the room.
Red froze up, lips unmoving against the other girls as Max and Luis stood in frozen shock. Her kiss had bewildered everyone into halting, but Chloe used it to her advantage and pulled the watch from Red’s grasp.
She pulled back, her lips quavering but her eyes remained steady. “Red, listen to me. You’re not thinking clearly and you’re desperate. But-but this isn’t the way to do this.” She closed her eyes in order to avoid the look of betrayal Red wore. “You mean so much to me, I can’t describe it, but please let me figure this out alongside you.”
The Hearts heir’s expression twisted between a mix of anger, confusion, and a flash of longing all at once. “You think a kiss can fix everything like some fairy tale ending?” She asked accusingly.
The girl snatched the watch back with a forceful move as her body practically ran on adrenaline. “It doesn’t matter how I got it or what it can do. It’s mine now and I’m going to fix my mom whether you help or not.”
Finally snapping out of his daze Luis lunged for the watch as Max yelled out for his help. “Luis, we need to stop her!”
Unfortunately for the Madrigal, his gift betrayed him as his strength pressed against the watch’s glass and a sharp crack filled the room as he pulled it from Red’s hands. The watch flew across the room from the struggle, spinning across the floor in a blur of gold and white until it hit the wall.
“Get it!” Someone yelled as Max dived for the device.
Red was faster than the Hatter, dropping to her knees as her fingers brushed the cracked surface just as Max finally made it over. As soon as their hands brushed together the watch flared violently, lighting up the room in a harsh flash. A shockwave of magic rippled through the room until it knocked Chloe and Luis back from reaching their friends.
“Red!”
“Max!”
They both cried out horrified as they watched the blinding surge of energy swallow the two Wonderland teens whole.
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