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1
Red stomped into the room, slamming the door behind her.
It felt like the universe was against her today from the moment she woke up to her annoying roommate's blaring alarm. Usually she slept through it, but today for whatever reason, it woke her up.
That set off the course of her day as she couldn't fall back asleep. Her movements to her first class were sluggish, a sign of her little sleep.
She could get through the day with a couple hours, usually she felt more energetic. But today she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Her body and brain moved slower from exhaustion.
To make it worse, Chloe decided to talk to her in their shared class. She spoke in her usual cheery tone, but it drilled into Red's brain.
When she was tired, she was even more easily irritated than she already was. Chloe wasn't taking the hints when Red glared, so she just kept talking.
At lunch, Red headed back to her dorm to finally get some sleep. She slipped into her dorm and collapsed into the bed. It didn't take long for sleep to overcome her and she drifted off.
The bell ringing woke her. Red swore and checked the time, knowing she was late. Her eyes widened when she realized that was the last bell of the day, meaning she'd have detentions to serve for skipping.
Her day was terrible, and she just needed it to be over. The redhead just wanted to sleep through the rest of it, but her stomach grumbled reminding her she hadn't eaten today.
Reluctantly, she rolled out of bed and headed to the cafeteria. There weren't serving any meals but since they lived in the school, there is always snacks you could buy.
Red made it to the cafeteria, only to frown when she realized the door was locked. There was a sign beside the door explaining that no one was available to watch the food and they'd be back for dinner.
She huffed, her stomach growling tauntingly. Red really, really just wanted this day to be over. She headed back to her dorm and decided to sleep some more, getting comfortable and closing her eyes.
But she couldn't sleep, a pang of hunger keeping her awake. When the feeling finally faded, Chloe entered the room with a loud band as she slammed the door open. Things in her bag clashed together and she was putting her stuff away by throwing her equipment.
Red's face screwed into a deep scowl. She huffed loudly and shot out of bed, quickly putting her shoes on.
Chloe gave her a confused glance, not understanding the other girl's random urgency. "Are you okay, Red?"
Red scoffed, "No I'm having a fucking terrible day. You're not helping so just be quiet, Charming."
Chloe frowned, but she understood Red wasn't really angry at her, just in general. "Well what made it a bad day? I can help if you need it."
The redhead shook her head, "I'm just hungry but the stupid cafeteria was closed. I slept through lunch thinking I could get a snack later, but to my lovely surprise, it was closed."
The blue haired girl pulled out a bag of chips from the drawer beside her bed. She threw it on Red's bed, the bag bouncing then falling off the bed.
"Whoops," Chloe said, rubbing the back on her neck.
Red looked at the bag, then back at Chloe, then back at the bag again. She kicked off her shoes while chewing her lip and walked over to her bed.
"Thanks I guess.." she mumbled, her cheeks flushing.
Chloe beamed and watched with delight as the other girl ate the chips, having been trying to befriend her for a while. Maybe Red would loosen up now that Chloe has helped her?
Red finished the bag then tossed it in the trash. She felt Chloe's eyes on her the whole time, so turned to her to see what the other girl wants.
"Why are you staring at me?" Red questioned, shifting in her bed, trying to get comfortable.
"Does this means we're friends now?" Chloe asked, giving her roommate a hopeful look.
Which quickly drops when she sees Red scowl. The other girl shoved her headphones on her head. "No. We won't ever be friends, Charming." Red said, her tone harsh and final.
There was no room for argument, so Chloe just watched her with a frown. She looked away after a moment and took out a book to read as attempt to distract herself.
But it didn't work.
Her gaze kept sifting over to the red haired beauty on the other side of the room.
— — —
2
Red woke up feeling awful.
Her throat was scratchy, her head hurt and she just felt awful. She wanted nothing more than to collapse in her bed. But sickness didn't matter, even when she was sick her mother never let her miss a day of tutoring.
Why would the perfect school of prisses be any different?
Chloe had told her that she'd had perfect attendance since she was younger, something Auardonians take pride in. There's even a special award for it.
So sick or not, she reluctantly pushed herself out of bed and got ready.
Her roommate was on her morning run. Red had woken up earlier than usual, her head was pounding. She couldn't fall back asleep because of it, so she decided to push herself out of bed.
Her movements were slower, a bit sluggish. The dark circles under eyes made her look half dead, she'd need to cover those.
Red finished getting ready, then got comfortable in her bed. She opened her sketchbook and started to doodle.
Chloe entered the dorm humming as she started to get her stuff ready for the day. She was so in her rhythm that she didn't notice Red was awake.
She went to go lift her shirt but turned around in time and jumped. "Red! You're never awake so early."
There was no question so Red wasn't sure how to respond. She blinked blankly at the blue haired girl. "Yes I woke up earlier today."
Chloe nodded, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Right... I'm just going to go get ready in the bathroom."
She grabbed her clothes then practically slammed the door behind her. It was weird but Red didn't care enough to question the other girl on it.
They didn't speak when Chloe leaves the bathroom but Red can feel her eyes on her. She shoots her a look, "Do you need something, Charming?"
Chloe chewed her lip, looking uncertain, "Well your up early, which is unusual. And you also look a bit pale. Are you feeling alright?"
Red slowly sinks down behind her sketchbook, "I'm fine. I just need a little sun."
"..It’s winter," Chloe says in confusion.
Red huffs, "Why do you care so much? It doesn't matter if I'm sick or not. We have classes."
Chloe's eyes soften, then she sat down on the end of Red's bed. The redhead didn't like that look, so she glared at her. "What?"
"If you're sick, you stay here. You don't go to classes until you're feeling better." Chloe says then she goes to Red's closet.
Red quickly jumps up and walks over to her. "What are you doing?"
The blue haired girl hands her some pajamas with a grin. "Here change into these. I'll bring you soup at lunch. Oh wait, would you like me to bring breakfast as well?"
This was way different from how her mother treated her when she was sick. Chloe caught Red off guard, almost making her tear up.
But crying would be embarrassing and weak, so she held back her tears.
"Are you sure it's okay to not go to classes?" Red questioned, even though she was getting a bit lightheaded.
Chloe put a hand on her shoulder, making Red jump. She instead hovered her hands over her shoulder's, making sure not to touch the other girl.
"Red they actually want you to not attend classes if you're sick. You could get other people sick and they don't want you to have to suffer through class if you're not feeling well." Chloe explained softly, her hands slowly lowering toward Red's shoulders.
When they made contact, the redhead didn't notice because she pulled Chloe in for a hug. Chloe's eyes went wide but she hugged her back with a huge smile.
Red pulled back first, retracting her arms to her chest, letting them hang awkwardly. "I guess I'll rest then..."
Chloe didn't want to push it, she was already over the moon with the hug. "Okay. Is broccoli and cheddar soup okay?"
Red shrugged, "I don't know what that is. I do like cheddar though."
"Alright I'll get you that. I hope you feel better soon, Red. If you get a fever or a headache, take the medicine in the cabinet." Chloe said, pointing to the bathroom cabinet even though Red knew where it was.
Red didn't comment on it though, instead she just nodded and walked over to her bed. She waved at Chloe once more before disappearing under the blankets.
~
At lunch Chloe brings a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup, plus a ham and cheese sandwich and a bag of chips for herself, to the dorm.
Red is still passed out, her cheeks flushed from, at least what Chloe assumed, being under the blanket. She reached down and pressed the back of her hand against the redhead's sweaty forehead.
Chloe grimaced, but she wanted to see if the girl had a fever. Her forehead was hot but it was hard to tell if it was from being buried under the blankets or if she had a fever.
It was better to check her temperature with a thermometer. Chloe gently grabbed Red and shook her to wake her up.
Red leaned into the touch for a moment before jolting away, her eyes now wide open. Chloe opened her mouth to apologize but Red shook her head.
"Is it lunch time?" She asked, knowing Chloe wouldn't skip class.
Chloe nodded and gestured to the food on her desk, "Yes. Would you like to eat?"
Red nodded back, she hadn't eaten breakfast so she was hungry. She reluctantly left then warmth of her blankets to follow Chloe over to their lunch.
She sat down in her chair, her food already set up by Chloe in front of her. She thanked the girl but Chloe waved her off, saying it took only a few seconds.
Then the shorter girl wheeled her chair over to Red's desk and sat down, beginning to eat her sandwich. It wasn't usual for Chloe to eat beside her, so Red couldn't help but stare at the other girl for a moment.
Chloe just smiled at her, making Red flush and turn to her soup. She was flushed because she was sick, not because of Chloe's smile.
The soup was yellow with green things in it. Chloe said it was cheddar and broccoli soup, so the green things must be broccoli.
She dipped her spoon into the soup then blew on it before bringing it to her mouth. She let a satisfied hum as she tried it, enjoying the new food.
"Is it good?" Chloe questioned, looking at her hesitantly.
Red nodded, "Yes it's good, Charming. Uh... thanks for bringing me lunch."
Chloe beamed brightly, a wide smile spreading over her face, "Of course! I'm here whenever you need, Red; just ask."
— — —
3
Today didn't start out bad.
It actually went decently. Red had a sub in her first period so she was able to draw all class instead of doing work. It was also history which was a double bonus since she found Auradon history extremely boring.
They had no flair. Which they also lacked in their lessons. In Wonderland, Red never liked doing the work in her lessons, but they were at least entertaining.
Things were a lot different in Auradon and Red was still trying to get accustomed to it, even after being here for months. Chloe was now helping a bit, Red and her had gotten closer after Red got sick.
She was slowly starting to let the Charming girl in, even if she'd never admit it. Chloe had made her horrible days better, and Red appreciated it even if she didn't show it.
Today went to shit after Red walked into her art class to see the art project she'd been working on for 2 weeks had been destroyed. Paint was splattered against the portrait she'd spent all of yesterday finishing up.
It was meant to be displayed in the art gallery, meaning Red had put her best work into it. She felt tears bubble in her eyes but she's distracted by a snicker from the other side of the room.
In the corner was the Smee twins, covered in paint, snickering. They looked proud of destroying Red's art like she hadn't devoted 2 weeks to it.
She felt her blood boil as she marched over to the two boys. "What the fuck is your problem?"
"We just wanted to play with some paint," Squeaky said, sticking out his lip to act innocent.
Red didn't say anything, instead she lunged. Squeaky was covered in the most paint and he also decided to be a smug bitch about destroying her art, so she went for him first.
Her fist smashed into his nose, making the boy cry out. Blood starts gushing from his nostrils, which causes him glare at her. Squirmy looked at his brother in shock before turning to Red in anger.
Red wasn't paying attention to him, she was waiting for Squeaky to make a move. It caught her quite off guard when his fist slammed into her cheek. She groaned at the feeling, knowing it was definitely going to bruise.
Then she turned to Squirmy and tackled him to the ground. She punched his face a few times, as hard as she could manage, before grabbing his collar and roughly tugging him up. "Don't you ever fucking touch my art again, hear me?"
Squirmy nodded, blood running from his nose matching his brother's. She got off of him and turned to Squeaky who hadn't said anything or made any motion of agreement.
"I said do you hear me?" She questioned, looking at the light haired boy.
Squeaky had a smug look, like he wasn't going to stop even after Red possibly broke his nose. "I can hear you talking, yes."
Squirmy gave him a look, trying to get his brother to stop pushing. He was only going to get his ass beat more, taunting Red wouldn't do anything else.
She lunged for him once again and gave him a few punches. He spit out the blood in his mouth with a smile on his face, "Is that all you got?"
Red's anger had met its limit as he was slammed into the ground and had his face plummeted by her fists. Squeaky gasped in pain, trying to get out from under the Wonderland heir.
But it was to no use. Squirmy quickly got up from his spot on the floor and ran to get help. He spotted a familiar blue haired girl in the hallway and breathed in relief.
"Chloe! Chloe you have to come quick! Red's beating the hell out of Squeaky!" He yelled, running up to Chloe out of breath.
Chloe looked at him in shook, "What?! Where!?"
Squirmy lead her to the art room where Red was still onto of Squeaky, said boy passed out underneath her. Chloe immediately pulled her off and started to scold the redhead, holding her back in a tight grip.
But Red wasn't having it, she thrashed in Chloe's arms attempting to go back at Squeaky. Chloe gestured for Squirmy to get him out of the room so maybe Red would calm down.
Squirmy carried him out and Red finally stops struggling, collapsing into Chloe's arms. She's staring at her still ruined art peace, trying to will her tears not to fall.
It doesn't work, a few leak out of her eyes anyway. Chloe looks at her worriedly, wondering what happened to cause this. "Red what's wrong? Why'd you attack Squeaky?"
Red sighed pitifully, then turned around in Chloe's arms and buried her face into the girl's shoulder. She spoke but her words were muffled by Chloe's shoulder, so she wasn't able to hear her.
"What's that?" Chloe asked softly. Which wasn't to be expected after Red beat up someone, but she knew the redhead had to have a reason. Despite seeming like it at first, Red wasn't a violent person.
Red moved and Chloe could feel tears soaking into her sleeve. She frowned and immediately held her roommate tighter, trying to comfort her.
"They r-ruined my art..." Red whispered, her voice vulnerable in a way Chloe had never heard before. Her heart broke as she looked over at the portrait.
It was her. She could see her blue curls and brown skin that was covered by paint splatters. The whole thing was ruined with no way of fixing it without having to redo the whole thing.
Chloe knew Red had been spending a lot of time on this portrait and her heart ached. But at the same time, it raced. Red had chosen her. Chosen her to do a portrait of for her first piece of art that was being displayed in an actual show.
But now wasn't the time to think about that, the Smee twins had ruined Red's art. "They're awful, Red. I'm really sorry they ruined your art. Do you have time to make another?"
Red sniffled moving her arms down to wrap around Chloe's waist. "No. It's in 2 days. But I'm doing it anyway. I just have to pull an all nighter and make some crap painting."
Chloe frowned, trying to think of another solution. Did she have to make a new painting? Didn't Red have other art she could use? That was exactly what she was going to ask.
"Can't you use one of your other paintings?" Chloe questioned. She'd seen some of her landscapes and other portraits, mainly of Maddox and Red herself. They were all really good, Chloe was amazed by Red's skill.
But she wasn't surprised as before she saw the paintings, she'd seen her graffiti and gotten glimpses of her notebook. Chloe had yet to see something Red had shown her from her sketchbook, but she'd didn't take it to heart as the girl never showed anyone it.
Red closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall, "I guess. But they all suck."
That reaction made Chloe frown; Red had to know at some level that she was an amazing artist. To Chloe, Red's 'worst' piece is the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. All of the redhead's art was beyond amazing and she couldn't imagine any of them sucking.
But she didn't say all of that, she didn't want to scare away Red after she'd already shown her a lot of vulnerability.
"But all your art is seriously amazing Red. I can't picture one that sucks," she said, her face flushing as she realized she should've filtered her thoughts a bit more.
Red finally moved her head off Chloe's shoulders and looked into her eyes. The taller girl's eyes were filled with tears and her face was red and blotchy. Chloe hadn't heard her crying, but she'd felt the wet spot growing on her shoulder.
Despite her tear stained face, she still looked beautiful. Chloe pushed her hair back behind her ear and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
"How about I help you look through your paintings. I can help you find the best one, yeah?" Chloe questioned, a little nervous Red would say no.
Red looked at her for a moment, deciding in her head if she would let Chloe see all of her art. With a small huff, she left Chloe's hold and led her over to one of the extra storage closets.
Inside was all of her paintings. Landscapes, portraits, all different types of paintings. She had left her latest portrait outside of closet since it was drying.
Red was a little embarrassed, a lot of the portraits were Chloe. Even though she disliked the blue haired girl at first, she couldn't help but admire her beauty. It was the kind of beauty that just needed to be painted.
Chloe was amazed, she looked beautiful through Red's eyes. All the portraits of her looked like they were painted with more care than Red's own and Maddox's. Not that those weren't good, but Chloe's were just beyond.
"These are all so beautiful, Red. Any of these would get you to win the art show immediately." Chloe gushed, gawking at the art.
Red's face turned the color of her hair which she tried to distract Chloe from by clearing her throat. The blue haired girl moved forward and placed an hand on Red's arm.
"You're too hard on yourself, mon cœur." She was looking at Red so gently, the taller girl felt as through she was going to melt.
"I'm not sure what that means, but also I think you're just biased princess." Red says, crossing her arms as she looks at her art.
Chloe raised a brow, "How am I biased? I thought you said we weren't friends."
Red paused, her eyes darting to the floor. "Maybe... I want to be friends now."
Chloe's face split into a huge grin, she pulled Red into a hug immediately. Red tensed, her instinct was to pull back. But instead she relaxed, wrapping her arms around Chloe.
— — —
4
Red hasn't had a bad day in a while.
After she became friends with Chloe, her days became a lot better. There were still bad moments, but nothing was bad enough to ruin her whole day.
It was nice. Back in Wonderland everyday was a bad day.
Which is why she's pacing her dorm today, thinking about how it's such a shit day. Summer starts today and the dorms close, meaning she can't stay.
Red told Uma not to send a letter to her mother and that she'd return to Wonderland by herself. But she wasn't going back. Where she was going to go, Red didn't know.
Chloe knew how bad it was, and knew that Red wasn't returning to Wonderland. But the redhead didn't tell her where she was going. Or, well, the fact that she didn't have anywhere to go.
Red was startled when Chloe hugged her from behind. She tensed up, making the blue haired girl let go of her with a flushed face. "Sorry Red."
The redhead shook her head and turned around to wrap Chloe in her arms. Chloe melted and held Red in a way that made her heart race. "You just caught me off guard, Charming. I don't mind your hugs."
Chloe felt her face flush as Red talked in her ear, the taller's girls breath hitting her skin. She shuddered then pulled back from the hug.
"I came to say goodbye. My parents are here, I just have to bring my stuff down." Chloe said, studying Red's face for a reaction.
She plastered on a smile, "Alright. Would you like me to help you bring your stuff down?"
Chloe smiled and nodded, wanting to spend some extra time with Red. She handed to girl one of her lighter pieces of luggage before walking towards the Charming carriage.
They chatted on the way to the car, Chloe beaming as she talked all about what she was doing this summer. When they got to the car, her parents were surprised to see someone trailing behind Chloe, carrying some of her luggage.
"Hello Chloe, who's this?" Cinderella questioned, eyeing the red haired girl as she set down Chloe's luggage. She looked familiar, but Cinderella couldn't place her and she would've thought that she'd remember meeting someone with bright red hair.
"Mom, dad this is Red, she's the heir of Wonderland. Red this is my mom and behind her is my dad." Chloe introduced, her hands gesturing to who she was talking about.
Cinderella's eyebrows lifted as she realized why the redhead looked familiar. She is Bridget's kid. The woman smiles as she thinks of her old, cheerful best friend. "I knew your mother, Red. We use to be good friends. Best friends."
Both Chloe and Red's eyebrows raised in shock. Chloe was surprised her mother never mentioned a best friend from Wonderland, having thought she knew all about her mother's life prior to her birth.
Red was shocked her mother ever had a best friend. Whenever Maddox said the Queen use to be different, Red couldn't find a reason to believe him. Now this woman was saying she was her best friend.
It was hard to believe the Queen of Hearts had one, considering her biggest moto is love is weakness. But she must've been really different as a teenager, since Red could tell Chloe's mom still misses her by the look in her eye.
"You've never told me you were friends with any one from Wonderland," Chloe said with a frown.
Cinderella sighs deeply, like someone was picking at an old wound. "She was one of my closest friends in high school. After Wonderland was closed off, I didn't want to talk about her anymore. It hurt too much."
Chloe could see the tears weeping up in her mother's eyes. Charming steps forward and wraps his wife in his arm, trying to comfort her. He rubs a hand up and down her arm, giving her a soft look.
"You don't have to talk about it anymore, love. If you have any questions Chloe please ask me. Bridget is an old wound that will never heal fully." He said, something almost akin to jealously shining in his eyes.
~
Chloe and Red got the rest of the luggage to the car then said their goodbyes. Red watched the carriage go down the road with a frown on her face.
Now she was alone with nowhere to go. Chloe wasn't here anymore, Red didn't have anyone for the whole summer. She went back up to her room and grabbed her backpack and the duffle bag that she shoved some of her things in.
That was all she could manage to carry, but it wasn't like she had much else anyway. The little things she owned back in Wonderland were left there other than a few outfits. So all her things were mostly bought in Auradon, but not often.
Red walked out of the school and down the road, going until her legs started to get tired. She had to have been walking for hours, as the sun was starting to go down.
She was surrounded by woods, no sign of civilization in sight. Her legs were tired and achy, so she'd have to find shelter tomorrow. For tonight she'd find an okay spot in the woods.
A stick cracks under her foot as Red steps off the path. She glares at the stick before kicking it and walking into the woods. The trees provide unneeded shade, Red doesn't need the extra darkness she needs to find shelter.
After at least an hour of walking through the woods, Red regrets her choice. Being on a path, there was a destination. But the woods was just trees, with no certain ending in any direction.
It was almost pitch black out now, the moon being her only source of light. She was beyond tired, her legs dragging beneath her. She wasn't use to walking for so long, the ache in her legs reminding her in every step.
"Fuck this." Red huffed, finding a rock taking off her bag. She set her duffle bag down and placed her backpack beside it.
She then pulled her jacket that was wrapped around her waist and bunched it up under her head as she lays down. Red shuts her eyes and attempts to sleep, but a hard rock isn't very comfortable.
The wind blows, rustling the leaves and blowing cold air against her skin. She shivers, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. It was definitely going to be a long night, Red wasn't going to sleep much, if at all.
~
Red wakes up with a groan, her neck hurting from the odd position she was lying in. Her back also hurt from the hard rock she slept on. She reluctantly pushed herself up, stretching out her still aching legs.
It was going to have to be another day of walking, with the hope she'd wonder into civilization by today. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before.
But there was definitely no food around here, so she'd just have to be hungry for a while.
The day passes as she walks, the trees protecting her from the hot sun. It was still hot and she wasn't use still dripping sweat, but being in the sun would be unbearable.
All Red wants to do is collapse. Her body aches all over and she's exhausted from little sleep. Spending the night in the forest wasn't the best obviously, she really wished she hadn't strayed from the best.
She continues through the forest until she's able to spot a field in the distance. It's not a town, but it's better than the forest. Red immediately heads toward the field, hoping to maybe find something in it.
When she reaches the end of the forest, she's able to see the castle on the other side of the field. What kingdom she's in, Reds not sure, she's just happy she's finally found people.
She walks through the castle, the guards eyeing her from the walls surrounding it. They're looking at her suspiciously, like she's going to bust through the walls and steal the Crown jewels.
Red glares back, hating the way their blue and gold uniforms reminded her of Chloe. Her face flushes as she thinks of said girl for some reason.
The castle is huge, and it takes her 10 minutes just to get to the front of it. Guards by the gate eye her just like the ones on the wall did.
Did she look evil? Why were they all looking at her like that?
Red feels more and more uncomfortable the longer she feels eyes on her. She's snapped out of her head by an achingly familiar voice, one that makes her heart race and drop all at the same time.
"Red?" Chloe's voice questions, and it's now that Red notices the Charming family's emblem flags hanging all around the castle.
"Hey Chloe..." Red says awkwardly, giving her a lopsided smile.
"What are you doing here?" She questions, gesturing from guards to open the gate. When they do, she barrels towards Red almost knocking her off her feet.
Red hugs her back, basically collapsing into Chloe's arms. "I can't go back to Wonderland. I've just walking, I have nowhere to go," Red admits, her tone almost a whine.
Chloe frowns then pulls back from the hug. She looks Red up and down, reaching up and brushing the dirt off her cheek. Then she gently pries the duffle bag from Red's hand and pulls the taller girl into her side. "You can stay here! We've got plenty of room and my parents won't mind."
Red wants to refuse, but she can't find a reason too. She'd probably be a burden on the royal family, but how much of a burden can you be on a family who has everything.
The blue haired girl can see her hesitation and steps forward with a pout. "Pretty please, Red. It would make me very happy for you to stay."
Red feels her face flush as she drops her gaze to the ground. Chloe's eyes are too filled with a hopeful look. All directions point her to staying with Chloe and she really doesn't want to spend another night in the forest.
"Fine. I'll stay with you." Red agrees, making Chloe's smile come back.
Her smile was so bright, it could combat the sun. If Red had to choose between Chloe and the sun, she'd choose the one that shined brighter. She'd choose the one that looked at her with soft eyes and lit up Red's life in a way no one had done before.
She'd choose the one that had stolen her heart.
— — —
5
For the past two weeks, Red had been staying in the Cinderellasburg castle.
Yet she hasn't had a real conversation with the king or queen. At first it wasn't on purpose, the two were away for royal duties, having left the morning of the day that Red arrived.
But now they were back, and they'd been asking to see her for the past few days. Chloe had dinner with them, choosing to spend her other meals with Red. It wasn't usual for her, she always spent every meal with her family.
The Charmings saw the difference in her daughter. Cinderella could tell Chloe felt more for Red then she let on, it was obvious in the she'd begged for the girl to stay before they'd even said no.
Not that they were going to. Of course they'd take in a girl in need. Also the way that Chloe looked at her, like she led her whole world. Her eyes mirrored the way that Charming looked at Cinderella, that in itself melted her heart.
The blue haired woman just wanted to meet the girl who her daughter fell for, but she wouldn't push it. Cinderella knew Bridget had changed since the incident, but she didn't think it was enough to be where she'd obviously traumatized her kid.
That made a piece of Cinderella's heart snap, and all her hope that her and Bridget could ever be friends again flew out of the window.
She was going to try once more to invite Red to dinner, then she'd leave her alone for a while. Cinderella didn't want to bug the girl, she wanted Red to feel welcome in the Cinderellasburg castle.
Currently, Red and Chloe were sitting in the blue haired girl's room, playing cards. Red had been teaching her different card games, with methods she learned in Wonderland.
But no matter how many rounds they played, Chloe couldn't beat Red in a single game. She lost again, making her pout and Red cheer.
"You suck!" Red exclaimed, a huge cat-like grin on her face.
Chloe's pout deepened, "You are so mean. These games are basically in your blood."
Red rolled her eyes, flipping over to lay on her stomach. She fluttered her eyelashes at the other girl. "Whatever do you mean, princess? I've never played these games before."
Chloe gave her a flat look, throwing her deck of cards at Red. It hits her forehead, scattering the cards across Chloe's bed.
"Now you have to pick those up," Red said, a smug look on her face.
Chloe moves to attack her but her attention is caught by a knock the door. She hops out of bed, looking at Red who shoots her a nervous glance.
At the door is Chloe's mom, standing there with her usual smile. Chloe lets her in then goes back over to the bed and begins cleaning up the cards.
"Ah Red, you are in here. I went to your room but you weren't there so I figured you'd either be here, or I'd have to ask Chloe," Cinderella said, walking towards the bed.
Red shifted uncomfortably, multiple reasons why the queen could possibly be looking for her running through her head and none of them good. She immediately gets off the bed, looking like she was about to bolt.
Chloe wraps a hand around her arm, pulling her back down on the bed. "What for, mom?"
Cinderella could see the discomfort that Red was giving off in waves, so she stepped back. "I came to invite Red once more for dinner. Oh and Chloe, Chad's downstairs. He just got back from college."
The younger blue haired girl beamed, excitement filling her at the thought of seeing her brother. She jumped up from the bed, not thinking about how she was leaving Red, and bolted out of the room.
Red looked even more uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact with the Queen. "I-I'll come!" She squeaked out, the words coming out in a rush.
Cinderella frowned, not wanting Red to come if she was uncomfortable. She should've just left it alone and let Red come when she was comfortable. "You don't have to you if aren't comfortable, sweetie."
At the nickname, Red dig her fingers into her hands. No one but Chloe had ever called her a nickname that wasn't degrading, it was an odd feeling.
"It's fine. I want to come," Red lied, even though Cinderella could tell.
But she still accepted the statement, nodding once with a smile. "Alright then! I'll see you in a few minutes. Chloe will be back up."
With that, Cinderella left the room. Red waited a moment before letting the tears slip from her eyes. There was no real reason to cry, she just felt overwhelmed and alone.
Her day had been good, why did it feel so bad now? All Cinderella did was ask her to dinner, why was she so scared?
Red kept getting more lost in her head, her breathing speeding up until she was hyperventilating. The panic in her chest was overwhelming, she'd never be able to survive that dinner.
Her only choices were to go to dinner or do what she knew best, run away. She chose the second option, the easier one.
Red threw up Chloe's door and bolted towards 'her' room, slamming the door and locking it behind her. There must be a key to unlock her door somewhere, but whenever she locked it the Charming's respected that and left her alone.
If she had a door to lock back home, her mom most definitely would've just unlocked it when she pleased. At least here Red knew once the door was locked, she was going to be left alone.
Someone knocked lightly on the door, "Red?"
Red sniffled, clearing her throat so it hopefully won't sound like she was crying. "Go away. Go eat dinner with your family."
Chloe stood outside for a moment, a small sigh leaving her lips. She knows Red won't open the door, so she doesn't try knocking again. "Alright just... promise you'll let me in after?"
The redhead shifts, pulling her legs tighter against her chest. She doesn't answer, making the girl sigh once more. Chloe finally walked away from the door, heading to dinner
~
Red fell asleep still sitting against the door. Her body slumped over, her head in a way that her neck was definitely going to ache when she awoke.
A knock on the door woke her up, making her jolt from her sleep. "Red, it's Chloe. I brought you some food."
Red doesn't answer once more, groaning at the feeling in her neck. She shifts, stretching and cracking her neck. Chloe knocks again, the pattern a little impatient.
"Red please. At least take the plate. We don't have to talk," Chloe says softly but Red could hear the hidden hurt in her voice.
She sighed, giving in and getting up off the floor. She still doesn't say anything as she swings the door open, Chloe standing outside with her fist raised, ready to knock once more.
The girl brightened a bit when she saw her, handing Red her plate. She looked over her bloodshot face, frowning as it was obvious Red was crying.
Chloe wanted to stay, but she wouldn't say anything, she didn't want to pressure Red. The two stared at each other for a moment, both studying each other.
Red was blocking the way into her room, so it wasn't like Chloe could force her way in even if she wanted to. She looked up at Red and brushed a finger under her eye, wiping the tear that fell.
"I'll leave you be then," Chloe said, attempting to hide the sadness from her tone but it slipped through anyway. She gave Red a just there smile and turned to walk away.
"Stay," Red spoke finally, still clutching her dinner plate.
Chloe turned back around, her smile forming into a genuine one. She gently took the dinner plate back, "I would love to stay."
Red moved out of the way of the door and Chloe brought the plate of food to the desk. Red closed the door then Chloe practically forced her into the chair and made her start eating.
It was nice to have someone who cared. Every time Red looked at Chloe, her heart raced. After speaking with Cinderella, today just felt horrible.
But now, sitting here with Chloe, she felt a bit better.
Red ate her food with them both sitting in silence. It was awkward with Chloe's eyes on her as she ate, so she ate as fast as possible. Chloe only spoke to tell her to slow down, and that she was going to choke.
Finally after the food was all gone, Chloe dragged Red over to the bed. She looked unusually nervous, like how she looked before a big game or test.
"I know you've never done this before but would you like to cuddle. If not and that's totally weird just tell me. I can leave if you'd like," Chloe rushed out, her face slowly turning more and more red as she spoke.
Red's eyebrows lifted, caught off guard by the question. She reached out and grabbed Chloe's arms, trying to reassure the girl. But Chloe only grows more red, her smile looking more nervous than anything.
"I can't promise I'll like it but we can try I guess," Red said, letting go of Chloe's arms and sitting on the bed. "So how do we do this? Just lay down and hug?"
Chloe chuckled, her nerves leaving out of her body, "Kind of! Just lay down. Would you like to hold me or me to hold you or us to hold each other?"
Red chewed her lip, her voice coming out quiet, "You hold me."
They both got into the bed, Red awkwardly lying down. She wasn't sure what to do, so she'd let Chloe take over.
Chloe was ready, she laid down behind Red and shifted so their bodies were pressed against each other, Chloe spooning Red. "Is this okay?"
Red swallowed thickly as Chloe spoke in her ear, making her heart race. In this position she was surrounded in Chloe's warmth, this had to have been the best feeling she'd ever felt.
Her heart was racing and she felt the sudden urge to smash her lips against Chloe's. She quickly ignored that urge, feeling her face flush.
"Yes. It's fine," Red said. The longer they laid there the more Red felt all her negative emotions leave her body, like she was finally comfortable enough to relax.
She leaned back more into Chloe, every part of them touching at the point. Chloe's arm creeped over her side slowly until Red grabbed it and tugged it fully around her.
She didn't move her hand, choosing to hold Chloe's arm. A small yawn left her, "You should probably go back to your room before we fall asleep, princess."
Chloe hummed but didn't move, "5 more minutes?"
Red hummed back in agreement, "Alright. 5 more minutes."
The 5 minutes turned into 8 hours as Red and Chloe fell asleep cuddled up together, relishing in each other's warmth and comfort.
— — —
+1
It took a lot for Chloe to have a bad day.
In fact, it was almost impossible to ruin Chloe's whole day. Sure she wasn't immune to bad moments, but nothing really upset her enough to ruin her whole day.
That was until they got back to school and Red started hanging around a new guy, Luis Madrigal.
Usually Chloe went out of her way to befriend any new kids, making sure they know their way around school and make friends. But Red started talking to Luis first, causing jealousy to bubble up in her chest.
She shouldn't be feeling like this. She couldn't be feeling like this. It was inevitable for Red to fall for a guy and leave her behind, Chloe's known this.
But it still hurts as she watches Red and Luis interact. Red had that easy smile on her face, the one she only had when she was comfortable. It was one that use to be reserved for her, until she met Luis.
Though a little jealousy wasn't enough to ruin her day. She wasn't even sure if they actually liked each other, it was only assumptions.
Until today. Where Chloe saw with her own eyes, just a few minutes ago, how they have those feelings. She was right to assume, it seems. It still hurt but at least she was prepared.
Today is a day she would declare bad.
Chloe just wanted to disappear under her covers. After witnessing the kiss, she immediately turned around and started for her and Red’s dorm. Tears were prickling at the side of her eyes, attempting to fall.
She was able to hold her tears until she made it to her dorm door, quickly entering and slamming it behind her. Almost immediately, she started to sob, tears wracking through her body.
She was prepared for it to hurt but she wasn’t prepared for it to hurt. Her chest has heaving as she cried, her chest hurting so much she couldn’t breathe.
Deep breaths weren’t working, the tears wouldn’t falling and breathing wasn’t getting any easier. In fact Chloe couldn’t breathe at all, it felt like she was trying to chase her breath but it was winning the race.
Her body wouldn’t calm down, couldn’t calm down. The last thing Chloe sees through blurry eyes is her bed, before she passed out in it.
~
Chloe wakes up feeling physically and emotionally drained. She wants nothing more than to be wrapped in Red’s arm, but the girl was probably hanging out with Luis.
As if she’d heard her name inside Chloe’s head, the door unlocks and Red enters the room. She didn’t have a smile on her face like Chloe expected, instead she was frowning.
Her gaze moved to Chloe and her eyes instantly went wide. She rushed over to the other girl and pulled her into her arms, “Princess! What happened?” Red questioned, worry clear in her tone.
Chloe leaned into the touch, sniffling and wiping her face. “It’s nothing important. I don’t want to talk about it. Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”
Red gave her a concerned look, “Please Chloe I can see something is wrong. Is it something I did?”
Chloe immediately shook her head, her heart racing as Red got too close to the truth. She couldn’t know about Chloe’s feelings, it would only ruin their friendship.
“Please tell me. Don’t make me beg, Princess” Red said, the last sentence making Chloe shudder. The redhead lifts a brow, not understanding the action.
“I saw you and Luis earlier. Are you dating now?”Chloe questioned, not wanting to confirm it but also she needed to know.
She shut her eyes, bracing for the inevitable words to come. For Red to confess that her and Luis were dating, and that she didn’t need Chloe anymore.
“Uh no,” Red said, her face scrunching up, “I definitely don’t like Luis like that.”
Chloe’s breath caught and her jaw dropped, “B-but you were kissing.”
“Yeah he kissed me. You must’ve missed me pushing him away and rejecting him, because I most definitely did.” Red said, her eyes darting between Chloe’s.
“Is that what you were upset about? Me and Luis? What? You jealous princess?” Red teased, trying to lighten the mood. Chloe’s cheeks pink in response, and she can’t think of words to say.
It’s silent until it stretches too long and Red’s eyes go wide. “Wait it’s actually about me and Luis? I was just joking.”
Chloe chews her cheek, moving back from Red’s hold. She looks down at the floor, trying to imagine hitting a button on a pocket watch and traveling back in time to 5 minutes ago.
Red leans in close, her mouth hovering about Chloe’s ear, “I did ask if you were jealous, Charming. So are you?”
Chloe shuttered hard, heat rushing through her whole body. The misery and sadness she felt before was long gone, replaced by her overwhelming feelings for the redhead in front of her.
“I-I’m not.” She lied, stuttering the words.
Red’s lips curled into a smirk, “Oh really? Are you sure?”
Their faces were close now, lips only inches away from each other. If Chloe wanted to, she could lean forward just a bit and connect their lips.
“Not really…” she whispered, the words hitting Red’s lips.
“Can I kiss you?” Red whispered back, her eyes fully on Chloe’s lips.
Chloe didn’t say anything, just leaned forward and connected their lips. Red’s hands fell to her waist, pulling her in closer. The blue haired girl gently grabbed the other girl’s face, deepening the kiss.
It wasn’t perfect, their teeth clashed and it was messy but it was oh so life changing. The moment their lips met, Chloe felt complete like she’d never felt before.
Red was the piece she didn’t know was missing. The hole she didn’t know needed to be filled. But once it was, gods was it the best she’d ever felt.
Their lips broke apart and Chloe couldn’t help but look at Red in amazement, her lips in a grin so wide it hurt. “You’re amazing. That kiss was amazing. It was everything.”
The taller girl smiled widely, the grin stretching across her whole face, her Wonderland genes making her able to have an abnormally large smile. “You’re amazing too, princess. I have to say, that kiss was life changing.”
Their lips met again, this kiss more desperate from the first. Like the first, it wasn’t perfect. But neither of them wanted perfect. They just wanted each other.
And with that, Red and Chloe spent the rest of their lives making each other’s bad days better.