Chapter Text
Luis had a free period and an unfinished United States of Auradon history essay.
He only meant to cut across the courtyard and into the library. It was the shortest route, and he wasn’t about to waste time going the long away around the science building.
He kept his head down, bag strap clenched in his hand, and tried his hardest to avoid the streaks of purple hair he always seemed to look for every time he stepped outside.
Except he looked anyway.
He was on the low wall near the fountain, showing Robbie his signature coin tricked.
Robbie’s eyes widened as Max made the coin disappear again after pulling it out of his ear.
“How do you do that?” The archer asked in awe, and Max smirked.
“A real performer never reveals their secrets.”
“Come on, not even to the people they love?” Robbie cupped Max’s face and pecked his lips.
Max blushed slightly, waving off Robbie. “Not even to the one they love most.”
Luis didn’t know when he’d stopped to stare. And he wasn’t sure why his heart clenched the way it did. Max wasn’t his boyfriend. He was Robbie’s. Robbie had confessed first, and Max reciprocated his feelings. There was no place for Luis in the equation.
And still.. he held hope that they weren’t as happy as they seemed.
But seeing Robbie and Max rubbing noses together and laughing stupidly, he knew what they had was real.
Of course Max was happy. Robbie was good to him. Robbie was allowed to be good to him. This was just the continuation of what he saw in the garden. The natural result of Max saying yes, and what he got because of it: someone who reached for him in public, someone who made him laugh like that, someone who didn’t hide behind hedges with a bouquet he never got to give.
Luis’s fingers tightened around the strap of his bag, he wanted, unintelligently, to be wrong.
Robbie tucked a strand of purple-black hair behind Max’s ear, earning a playful slap on the wrist from the other with no malicious intent.
Luis smiled; Max was adorable.
He turned away before both of them could notice he was staring. The essay could wait, he’d take the longer way after all.
The image of his best friend and his crush kissing burned so permanently behind his eyes that he almost missed the steps to the building.
It was easier, somehow, to believe Max was genuinely happy.
The alternative, that they weren’t truly a happy couple, felt too much like hope.
And hope had made Luis a fool once before.
ִֶָ 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ⏱️🐇་༘࿐
The Sherwood gala was too much for Max; the lights, the eyes, the expectations.
He was the boyfriend of Robbie Hood, Robin Hood’s son. He was supposed to be the perfect date for the perfect hero kid.
Hazel had combed his hair so no stray pieces would stick up. To make his boyfriend happy, Max forwent his hat. Hazel had shook her head when she saw he was going without it but Max was firm in his decision. Robbie had mentioned the hat looking “silly” and “not hero-like” a few days ago and he had taken it to heart.
He had squeezed himself into a sage green button down along with a Lincoln green vest (the signature color of Robin Hood and his Merry Men). Only when Max had arrived at the gala did he realize how tight it was.
He had been waiting in one of the suites on the second floor for Robbie. He was meant to introduce Max as his beloved at the top of the ballroom’s steps, it was a Hood family courting tradition. Max would receive a formal announcement of his presence at the gala along with potential acceptance.
He stood by the railing of the interior balcony way up high and out of sight from the guests, but close enough to watch all of Sherwood’s residents. His friends hadn’t arrived yet, and neither had Robbie. He was starting to worry.
He’d never felt more anxious in his life. He needed air and fast. He had sprinted to the balcony where he practically slumped onto the railing.
Goodness knows how much Max missed being his own person.
What he would give to wear his hats again, to wear the color purple, to not have to straighten out his hair every single day, to be able to play pranks again. He would’ve traded the heirloom ring Robbie gave him for his old life again, but he couldn’t back out now.
He was at the annual gala, and he was about to be presented as Robbie’s date. And then he would have to meet his boyfriend’s famous father and his brother.
“There you are!”
Max spun around to find Robbie catching his breath, probably exhausted from running up all of those steps. He looked unfairly good in his red vest, the kind of good that made people stare. His voice was warm, tinged with excitement as he held out a hand. “You’re allowed to live it up a little.”
Max almost said he was fine where he was out of old instinct. Stay on edge, don’t take up space. But Robbie’s expression was open and hopeful in a way that made Max’s refusal feel unnecessarily harsh. So the Hatter let himself be pulled into Robbie’s arms and they began dancing clumsily on the balcony.
Their waltzing was awkward. Max stepped on Robbie’s foot once and muttered countless apologies. The archer just laughed, a quiet and private sound that sounded like music to Max’s ears, as he adjusted their hands.
“I’ve got you,” Robbie whispered into Max’s ear. “Just follow me.”
It was the steady pressure of Robbie’s hand that caused Max to cave. Even if for a moment only, the Hatter stopped checking his appearance and who was watching him. Robbie spun him gently and pulled him back in, causing a small and unexpected flutter landing low in his stomach.
The archer was still talking, soft and easy, making a joke out of the ridiculous ice sculpture of a swan near the punch table. Max listened, really listened, and somewhere between his boyfriend’s sentences he found himself actually smiling. It was uncalculated, real, and happy.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Robbie shifted their positions. His tone wasn’t accusing, he had merely noticed how Max was acting differently than usual. “In a good or bad way?”
Max thought for a moment, considering. A week ago his true answer would have been automatic: bad way, everything feels like a costume, I don’t know how to do this. But now.. everything was different. Robbie’s thumb was softly tracing absent circles against his hand.
Max felt less like part of a performance now, and mainly like he had been allowed to exist inside a place he didn’t belong in.
“I think…” Max’s voice faded into silence. “I think good. I’m trying to be good.”
The archer didn’t understand, his expression shifting into something soft yet complicated. “What do you mean? Are you nervous about making a mistake and ruining our relationship? Because I can assure you you’re far from it. You know you don’t have to try so hard with me, Max, you’re already good enough.”
The Hatter nodded, agreeing, even though what Robbie said was far from what Max was feeling. Max was confident in his acting abilities. It was the question whether he actually wanted this that made him hesitate.
Because looking into his boyfriend’s brown eyes, he wished they were another pair.
He wished they were darker and earthier, he wished for eyes that belonged to a boy with curly brown hair and insane muscles. He wished they belonged to Luis.
Max tried to shake the thought out of his head, eyes going frantic, and instantly Robbie’s face turned into an expression of concern.
“Are you okay?” He questioned quietly as the Hatter’s eyes found his.
Max nodded, putting on his best smile. “Yes, yes, I am.”
Robbie didn’t seem convinced and he looked back at the doors to the gala.
“We don’t have to go back in there if you don’t want. We can go back to my home and binge TV. We can order pizza with wings, maybe even do some online shopping. We could have our friends ditch this place and come hangout as well.” He suggested and Max’s eyes blurred. The words settled deeper than they should have.
Robbie was offering to skip his father’s gala for Max, while Max couldn’t bring himself to be honest to him. Max looked up at his through glistening eyes, and for once in his life he didn’t know what he actually wanted anymore.
Robbie was good. Robbie was safe. Robbie was caring. And Robbie actually liked Max.
Max had a future with him so long as he allowed it. In that moment, Robbie wasn’t being overly.. Robbie. He was being a guy Max could see himself with. They could be real if he let it. The archer looked at him as if the whole gala could disappear and he wouldn’t notice so long as Max was in front of him.
Max’s heart did something traitorous yet warm. Resting a hand on Robbie’s cheek, he leaned forward to kiss him. To really kiss him.
The archer’s eyes widened before closing, his hands quickly wrapping around his boyfriend’s waist.
Once they broke away, Max looked at him with a small smile across his face.
“I think I’m ready to go in.” He insisted, straightening out his green vest.
His boyfriend smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead. “Of course, we can’t leave everyone waiting.”
Max blushed, a sickening feeling pooling in his gut. A thought in his head had never become clearer.
Oh no. I think I’m starting to fall in love.
They returned to the gala, and Robbie guided Max to the top of the steps. He introduced Max to one of the Merry Men would be announcing them.
Robbie delicately held Max’s hand way up high, as if the Hatter were some sort of prince. As if he were being publicly introduced to his kingdom at a coming-of-age party.
Max plastered on his best “royal” smile.
The ballroom quieted as the announcer’s voice rang out over the crowd.
“Presenting our dearest Robbie Hood, son of legendary Robin Hood.. and the object of his affection, Max Hatter.”
A ripple of polite applause moved through the room, and Max felt every eye land at him all at once. Suddenly his chest felt tighter, but he kept his chin up the way Hazel coached him back at on the Isle when the other VKs messed with him. He would be confident in this moment, not let anyone see him slip even for a fraction of a second.
Robbie lead him down the stairs, making eye contact with the crowd, and Max tried to do the same without tripping over his feet. His heart hammered so hard he was afraid everyone in the vicinity could hear it.
Gazing among the crowd, he spotted a few of his friends. Hazel, Felix, and the Smees were all clumped together at the buffet table practically gorging on food. Squirmy spotted him and waved, the others looking up and then doing the same. They all had smirks on their faces, as if teasing Max that he was a “royal” now. He knew they had meant it as a light-hearted jab, but it cut more than intended. He didn’t want to be royal. He just wanted to be Max.
Max tried his best to keep the smile on his face as he looked away. And it worked, until he saw Pink, Red, and Chloe. Pink was practically jumping up and down.
A realization hit him. They would treat him like a royal now all because of Robbie. Because Robbie was going to inherit land from his father and technically become a lord, and Max was dating him. Max could no longer truly be considered a VK. Not after saving Wonderland, which he didn’t mind at all, and certainly after dating Robbie, which he was starting to mind.
He turned away, expression close to flickering, and then he saw Luis.
Their eyes met from across the room, and Max could’ve sworn he saw an unshed tear in Luis’ eyes. Or maybe Max was daydreaming a reality where he had the guts to run down the steps and into those strong arms.
Goodness, Max felt ridiculous. His lip quivered before immediately going back into a smile.
Max knew Luis was just happy for Robbie and him that they found love. The Hatter grew annoyed with himself. Who knows how’d Luis react to Max having a crush on him? It certainly wouldn’t be a good reaction.
Max figured it would just be best if he looked forward instead of at the crowd.
At the bottom of the steps waited a man who needed no introduction.
Robin Hood, aka Robbie’s dad, looked exactly like the stories Max heard. He was tall, still sharp-eyed and carried the same easy confidence Robbie did, except older and quieter.
Beside him stood an older version of Robbie with sharper edges and a more cut-throat stare, who Max knew was Bobby Hood.
Robbie cleared his throat as soon as they stopped in front of his father, still holding Max’s hand.
“Dad.. this is Max. He’s my boyfriend.” He found it in himself to be confident, which Max appreciated.
Robin Hood studied Max for one, long quiet moment. Max felt his face melt, a bead of sweat dripping down his neck. But he forced himself to not fidget under the weight of his boyfriend’s father’s gaze.
He knew what he looked like without his signature hat, without the purple, dressed like one of the Merry Men as if he was trying to belong somewhere he didn’t.
Then Robin smiled, a small, knowing, genuine smile.
“Not everyone is what they look like at first glance.” He said simply. “I was a thief once. Stealing from the rich to feed the poor. Plenty of people decided who I was before they ever spoke to me.” He extended a hand to Max. “Welcome to the family, Max Hatter. Anyone who makes my son as happy as he is at home and as nervous as he is right now has passed the most important test.”
The young Hatter shook his hand, the knot in his throat slightly loosening. “Thank you, sir.” He spoke, feeling the warm palm of Robin Hood’s hand.
Robbie’s shoulders visibly un-tensed with relief.
Something in Bobby’s expression flickered, his eyes darkening as he stared daggers into Max. But he would wait until their father left to confront his brother’s boyfriend.
As soon as the conversations around them resumed and Robin Hood went to speak with each and every resident at the gala, Bobby found his opportunity.
He stepped in front of the couple, his eyes looking Max up and down with clear disdain and lingering on his neatly combed hair.
“So you’re the son of the lunatic that held two queens hostage and tried to destroy Auradon? Tell me, Max, does the crazy skip a generation or should Sherwood be worried you’ll snap too?” Bobby wickedly smiled, his eyes cold.
Max felt his face plummet, and Robbie instantly stepped in front of him.
“Watch your words, Bob.” He spat, and Bobby’s smug smirk faltered.
“Seriously, did you run out of hero kids to date, Rob? You certainly have some guts bringing the son of a certified villain into our home. I’m just saying. Dad can play nice all he wants, but some of us still remember what bloodlines matter.”
“It’s fine, I can just go—“ Max spoke quickly, wanting to save the peace, but Robbie instantly shut down the idea.
“Max has every right to be here. He helped save Wonderland and he is my boyfriend. If you have a problem with that, you can leave.” Robbie growled.
Bobby clenched his jaw so hard Max could see the muscle straining in his cheeks.
Goodness, the Hatter just wanted a rabbit hole to appear beneath his feet and swallow him whole.
“You are so naïve.” Bobby mocked his brother before pointing a finger to Max.
“You are a no-good social-climber who is only dating my brother to thrust yourself into the upper class. You were on the ladder rungs of high society as soon as he looked at you, weren’t you? Clever. Garbage like you always know how to dress up whenever there’s status on the table.”
Max felt his heart sink, his eyes meeting Robbie’s as he pleaded for the boy to stand up for him. But Robbie didn’t. A part of him had been worried Max was only in it for the status, and he forgot to fight for his love.
Max was certain he’d burst into flames under the cruel gaze of Robbie’s brother. He couldn’t say anything, no matter how badly he wanted to.
“Sooner or later, you’ll end up exactly like your father. Try not to embarrass my brother too badly tonight. The family name’s taken enough hits.”
As soon as he walked about, Robbie opened his mouth.
“Max, I’m—“
But the VK had bolted past him and away from the gala. Robbie instantly turned to follow him but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
“Robbie.” Felix warmly spoke.
Robbie had instantly forgotten about Max, even if just for split second.
“Felix, hey. How’s the party?”
“It’s fine. Your brother seems real charming.”
Robbie rolled his eyes. “Yeah just ignore him. I’m glad you’re here.”
The curly-haired boy simply smiled and magically made a deck of tarot cards appear. He spread them out like a fan.
“In the mood to pick one?”
Robbie reached out and absently chose the card on the far left. The light in Felix’s eyes crackled. For a second, he wished he could tell Robbie to pick any other card in the deck. The archer’s son looked at it for a moment before flipping it over and showing him.
A full moon hung between two towers, a dog and a wolf howling at it, a crayfish crawling out of the water beneath. The colors looked deeper than they should have in the low light of the corridor.
Robbie frowned. “That… doesn’t look great.”
Felix’s mouth curved into a small, careful smile. He took the card gently from Robbie’s hand, thumb brushing the edge of the image.
“The Moon… you’re walking through fog right now. Not everything is as clear as it looks. There’s confusion, fear, maybe even a little illusion. Something’s being hidden, from you or by you. Maybe both.”
Robbie met his gaze.
“It doesn’t mean everything is doomed. It just means you can’t trust what you see at first glance. Not until the light changes.”
Robbie let out a short breath, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah.. that tracks. Im scared I don’t know what I’m doing as a boyfriend. Am I a bad lover, Felix?”
Felix kept his expression soft, almost comforting. He slid the card back into his deck and made the whole thing vanish with a silent flick of his fingers.
“That’s not for me to say. But you’ll find your way through it, you always do.”
But when Robbie looked away— still clearly thinking about Max— Felix’s smile had faded by the edges.
The Moon had been honest.
He just hadn’t told Robbie whose secrets it was talking about.
🃜🃚🃖🃁🂭🂺
Max barely made it out of the ballroom and into the courtyard before his tears won the fight.
Bobby’s words kept replaying in his head the entire time. No-good social-climber. Garbage. Son of the lunatic. Exactly like your father.
But what hurt more was that Robbie didn’t defend him. Did he seriously agree with his brother?
The night air hit Max’s face, and he gripped the stone railing. A choked sob escaped him, and his vision was blurry.
He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, hating how small he felt. The tears kept coming.
Not even his boyfriend believed he was good. Not really. Not after all Max did to be perfect. As soon as he saw his purple roots grow back in, he dyed his hair all black again. Robbie didn’t notice.
Robbie didn’t notice that everything in Max’s life revolved around him now. It was always Robbie this and Robbie that. It would be Max Hood, not Robbie Hatter. And Max was beginning to resent it all.
He especially hated that his mind was still replaying the soft way Robbie had looked at him on the upper floor balcony only minutes earlier.
He hated that he didn’t know which feeling was real. He shivered from the cold air, picking up on the sound of soft footsteps coming up behind him.
Before he could react and plaster another smile to his face, he felt a blazer being draped over his shoulders. His eyes recognized it immediately. There was only one boy the dark blue blazer with sunburst symbols could belong to.
“It’s a bit chilly.” Luis muttered and Max blinked.
The Madrigal’s eyes moved over his face, over the fresh tear tracks, and something cracked open in his expression.
He took the Hatter’s shaking hands in his own.
“Oh, Max.” His voice cracked.
And that was all it took for Max to collapse into his strong arms. Luis froze for half a second before his arms instantly tightened around him.
Max buried his face into the other boy’s shoulder and cried in earnest; messy, quiet sobs that he’d been holding back since Bobby had opened his mouth. Luis didn’t ask questions, he just held on to Max with one hand steady between his shoulder blades, and his other hand cradling the back of the other boy’s head like he could come apart of Luis let go.
“I’ve got you.” He murmured against Max’s hair, which smelt of hair dye and something burnt. “I’ve got you, Hatter.”
“I don’t belong here.” Max sniffled, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. “I’m not a prince.. I’m not a lord, or a duke, I’m not even a hero’s kid. I’m just Max Hatter.. son of a villain. And Robbie’s way out of my league, who was I kidding?”
Max didn’t know why he was spilling out his guts, why he was telling Luis everything.
“Amorcito..” The soft word caused fluttering butterflies in Max’s stomach. “You don’t need to pretend to be something you’re not, Robbie likes you for you. You don’t have to change your hair, the way you speak, or anything else about yourself. You’re perfect, you’re enough.”
Max sobbed harder, clinging onto Luis like he might disappear. Truth was, that’s exactly how it felt when Robbie confessed to him. The Hatter knew his chance with Luis disappeared after that.
“Robbie likes me like this. Everybody does. People are actually smiling and talking to me in the halls. They’ve never done that before, Luis. Maybe.. maybe I’m doing something right being like this.”
“What, a perfect prince?” Luis chuckled, hoping his impeccable sense of humor would lighten the mood. But as soon as he felt more of Max’s tears on his shoulder, he stopped joking around.
“Hey, hey, hey, it’s going to be okay.” He gently shushed the boy in his arms. “What sparked this?”
“Bobby told me off in front of Robbie. He hates me because of my father, but I can’t control that.”
“But Robbie doesn’t care about that, so who cares what his brother thinks?”
“He didn’t defend me, Luis.” Max bit out. “Not when Bobby called me a no-good social climber and certainly not when he said I was going to be just like my father.”
Max felt Luis’ grip stiffen. They stayed quiet for the longest time until Max spoke up again.
“Luis? Did you.. hear me?”
Luis slowly nodded, adding his true thoughts. “Robbie doesn’t deserve you, Max. He’s an idiot if he agrees with his brother.”
Max pulled back to wipe his face from the tears, but instantly felt Luis’ palm against his cheek doing the job for him.
Max giggled playfully, gently resting his hands on Luis’ chest. “I can manage wiping my own tears, Madrigal.”
Luis offered a small smile. “But you don’t have to with me around.”
Max blushed before realizing his predicament. He was dating Robbie, but here he was canoodling with Luis; his boyfriend’s best friend. It reminded the Hatter just how awful he was, dragging Luis into this mess. The Madrigal was soft-hearted, of course he’d be there to comfort one of his friends if they were crying. And Max was taking advantage of him.
Max coughed, pulling them apart. “I.. I’m sorry. We should get back inside now.”
He would attribute whatever redness on his face to the lighting if anyone asked.
Luis blinked. After a brief moment of hesitation, he slowly nodded. “Yeah.. of course.”
Max smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes and Luis noticed.
Their paths drifted as they entered the ballroom again, Max being scooped away into the crowd.
And then he felt a warm hand on his lower back.
“Max, there you are!” Robbie spoke, visibly relieved. “I’m so sorry I didn’t speak up for you earlier. We can talk about it later, right now it’s time to dance the May Day folk.”
Max’s expression softened on his command as Robbie guided him to the center of the ballroom.
It was a good thing Pink had dragged the Smees along with Max (he was there to supervise them, alright?) to the dance studio and taught them traditional dances from every part of Auradon.
He promised Bobby, secretly in his heart, that he would not embarrass Robbie tonight.
He would dance gracefully, he would be perfect. He would make Robbie proud to present him in front of Sherwood.
Max felt Robbie dip him and he closed his eyes.
But he couldn’t hide from those beautifully sad, brown eyes that were staring at him from the crowd.