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When becoming friends with people or when she was rooming with someone, Chloe was always upfront about it. However when she roomed with the hearts princess she was unsure if she would share it seeing as they had such a rocky start. However overtime they became fast friends, she meant to tell Red eventually she really did, but it’d end up slipping her mind and then she’d be filled with so much anxiety that she couldn’t tell her.
She was also scared of what the other girl would think about her if she knew that, there were plenty of people who could make fun of her for knowing.
Then one day they were both in their dorm, Chloe went on a rant about history, it has been her special interest for years ever since she was a little kid. When she’d talk about it to Red she actually looked interested which was rare, then she started talking about her favourite part so far when she accidentally started flapping her hands out of excitement, she tended to stim mostly when she was really happy or upset.
“Hey Chlo, I might be overstepping, but why do you do that, the flapping I mean” Red asked, not in a snarky way but in a kind, genuine way.
“Oh, that. I’ve been meaning to tell you about it for a while actually but it always slipped my mind, I’m autistic” telling Red was like a weight lifted off her shoulders, it always felt better telling people, she usually felt like she could mask less and it was better for her. “I usually tell people when I meet them straight away, like if I’m rooming with them just because then my behaviours and stuff make more sense, but the way we started wasn’t the best so I didn’t want to tell you because you may have used it against me.” Chloe was overexplaining, she did it a lot because most times people wouldn’t understand what she meant and felt like she always needed to explain herself.
“Ok, well thanks for telling me Chlo,” the rebel responded, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “If you want to tell me things about it like if I can help in anyway tell me but don’t feel pressured” from spending time with the bluenette she knew that she had a strong people pleasing tendency putting others over herself even if it made her uncomfortable, adding the end helped take some of the pressure off.
As time passed they got closer, and neither could ignore their feelings for each other. Eventually they both got together and Chloe opened up more about more details, like her meltdowns and shutdowns, although she never wanted Red to see them in the moment. It wasn’t always a pleasant sight and she didn’t want to upset the other girl with it.
Something important to Chloe was her routine, Red learnt that early on back when they were just friends, most weekdays she always had something to do until the evening and Chloe liked it, it provided her safety and comfort of knowing what to expect in a place where things can be unexpected.
She always woke up early, she went on a run which helped her wake up and returned to the dorm got ready and then would do her homework and study before heading off to class together with Red. She did it every single day.
When Chloe woke up, daylight was glinting through the curtains, this was wrong, so so wrong. She was up before daylight! She always was. When she went to check on her phone it was completely dead. She must’ve forgotten to put it on charge. How could she? Now everything was wrong.
Her breathing was going all wrong and she couldn’t do anything to calm it, she couldn’t get out of the state she was in which would guarantee a meltdown, Red couldn’t see her having a meltdown sooner or later, what if she stopped loving her and never ever wanted to be with her ever again? Chloe was backing off the bed but stumbled and fell, so she decided to back up and hide between her desk and dresser. Small spaces always helped. She unconsciously started digging her nails into her skin and all her breathing could do was increase.
However, when Chloe fell onto the floor, Red woke up. At first Red was going to joke but hearing the gasping breaths woke her up. She walked to the Chloe’s side of the room looking for the blue girl until her gaze fell onto her sitting squashed between her desk and dresser.
“Hey pretty girl” Red said in a voice so soft she surprised herself. Tentatively, she reached out a hand and placed it onto Chloe’s shoulder, she loved physical touch and would always initiate it so Red thought this was good to ground her. She thought wrong, Chloe recoiled as if the touch burned her, because in that moment it’s how it felt and started screaming. Then she proceeded to pull at her hair, it clearly hurt. Red felt like she should’ve known that touch wasn’t going to be good throw into the mix as seen with her own flashbacks and nightmares.
“I’m so sorry baby, I won’t touch you again but I’m right here, just try to breathe with me yeah. In.” Red held her breath, “and out” she kept on repeating this until she saw Chloe breathing in and slowly calming down. Red wasn’t sure what this was, she assumed it was a meltdown from what Chloe had told her about them.
Eventually after Red repeating herself a few times she had finally calmed down, breathing at a normal pace again and she wasn’t crying or screaming anymore. Her throat hurt from it all. Chloe noticed that Red was there, infront of her, not touching, she was so tired, that meltdown took so much energy from her she just dropped forwards into Red.
“I’m sorry” Chloe said in a hoarse quiet voice, so quiet Red almost didn’t hear her.
“Don’t be sorry baby, you can’t control it” she replied as if it was the simplest thing in the world, kissing her forehead.
Then Chloe remembered why her meltdown had started in the first place. “Red,” Chloe started, the familiar panicky feeling coming back, “what time is it? We need to get to class!”
“Shh, calm down Bluey, I think it’s best if you don’t go into class, we can email Uma and ask her to allow us to be free of classes for today,” Red stated.
“But I’m going to fall behind and I can’t” Chloe interrupted.
“If it’ll calm you down and get you to relax we can get the work from lessons and do it in our dorm, I’ve seen you after meltdowns Chlo, your always so tired and they take so much out of you, try to relax” Red said standing up, to which Chloe whined at. “I’m getting my phone to email Uma about why we are not going to class for today and we’ve already missed first period”
Usually that’d send Chloe into a panic but she was too tired to care, all she wanted to do was snuggle up with Red and be away from the world. After Red sorted that she walked over to Chloe who was rummaging in her closet for something. Red sat on her bed admiring the blue haired girl.
“Ah ha!” Chloe explained with delight, pulling out a deep navy blue blanket with little stars adorning it. “It’s my weighted blanket, I took it back with me after the last time I visited Cinderellasburg, before coming to Auradon Prep I always snuggled under it after a meltdown.”
She came over to Red and they both settled under the blanket, hugging eachother, Red tracing little patterns on Chloe’s back.