Chapter Text
After the change in time, Red closed her eyes to many things and swallowed others. The young rebel avoided looking at half of her wardrobe whenever she could. White and pink were still not her colors. But with time, somehow even white found a place in her everyday life. The process of adapting to the new life, life in Auradon, where there was Pink and a favorite ribbon, wasn't always a straight line. There were highs and lows, difficult moments and moments of realization. But in this new life, there was always one constant in Red of Hearts day. A constant with a name, a sweet smile, and a lot of glitter. Chloe, the perfect princess Charming, who was now only perfect in class. Still a straight-A student, still ambitious, but no longer completely goody two-shoes.
Red had noticed that things had changed in the blue-haired girl too. The most obvious thing Red noticed on the very first day was the princess's hands. Hands that had been firm and slightly rough when Red had touched her skin at Merlin Academy were now gentle, soft, without a single callus.
And despite all the changes, the two girls surprisingly quickly fell into the rhythm of school and their classes. Which helped with accepting everything. At least to a certain extent. At least for Red, until that day in their dueling class. Their teacher had decided it was a good idea to hand Max a sword and put him up against one of the princes. It quickly became clear that the Hatter wasn't a big fan of swords. Holy rabbits, Max wasn't even holding it properly. And if anyone asked Red, she would honestly admit that this was a problem waiting to happen.
Maybe because the prince wanted to show off, or because Hazel wouldn't stop giving instructions and Max didn't want to disappoint Hool, but somehow the sword fight got out of hand. Before anyone could intervene, the prince's sword plunged into the Hatter's flesh as if by accident, as if the prince had expected Max to dodge it. The sound Max made was quiet, animalistic. And Red jumped forward before Max had even fallen to the ground, before the sword had been pulled out.
“Stop!” Red shouted. “Don't pull it out.”
But it was already too late. The idiot had pulled it out. Blood stained Max's dark clothes. Red threw herself over Max like a beast, immediately pressing down on the wound.
“AAAAAAH!” Max screamed.
“Don't move.” He surprisingly stopped. Red used magic and silently cursed herself for it.
“Easy. It's okay. Everything is fine.”
She didn't know who she was saying it to. Herself or Max. Red took a breath. Now wasn't the time to think. She carefully shifted her left hand and assessed the situation.
“Holy rabbits.” She whispered before looking around.
She needed something to put pressure on the wound. Something clean.
But most of the students were dirty from their training and a sweaty towel wasn't an option. So she didn't think. She acted. Clean fabric. She wasn't sweaty. Red threw off her leather jacket, pulled off her shirt, and pressed it against the wound. She didn't know how much time had passed, maybe only a second or two, but only now did people begin appearing around her.
“Red!” She heard Chloe, but she didn't get distracted. She had to focus here.
“Miss Hearts...” The coach began.
“I need gauze, alcohol, a bandage, an anti-rust potion, a cooling potion.”
“Miss...”
“It's deep. He's losing a lot of blood. He needs first aid now.” She met the man's eyes. He seemed frozen for a moment, and then she shouted.
“Chloe! First-aid kit! Now! And someone get a doctor, immediately!” Surprisingly, within what felt like a moment, a student appeared beside Red with a first-aid kit.
“Open it.”The boy opened it.
Red's eyes couldn't see everything inside, but there definitely wasn't much. A shiver ran down her spine. And then blue hair appeared in front of her eyes.
“Hazel is getting the doctors. Just keep holding him.” Chloe placed her sweatshirt under Max's head. He was getting paler and paler. That was bad.
“Are there any potions in there? I need an anti-rust potion.”
Chloe's face became worried.
“Red, we don't have things like that in our first-aid kits here. There's alcohol, gauze, bandages, sutures, creams, burn gel.”
“O Hearts.” Red whispered, and the princess shuddered.
Red only said that when she was starting to get scared. And then Luis came running over, their Potions teacher right behind him.
“Anti-rust potion.” He offered it, and the teacher stopped, startled by the sight before her.
Red's eyes looked at the vial, then at the bloody wound, Max barely conscious, and finally Chloe.
“Chloe. You and Louis switch places Now.” Charming moved.
Madrigal stood beside Max's head, while Chloe moved to the other side of Red.
“Belt.” Everyone stopped.
“Give Max something to bite down on.”
Luis took off his belt, and Max looked frightened.
“Red?” he asked fearfully.
“Easy, Hatter. You're going to survive. Just stay with us. Bite down. There's no time.” Max listened.
“Hold him tight. Open it, Chloe.” Luis gently placed his hands on Max's shoulders.
Red pulled her shirt away, tearing Max’s shirt to get it out of the way. Chloe swallowed at the sight.
“Right above the wound, Clo. Then open the alcohol and pour it over the top. You can leave a little for after.”
Charming listened.
“AAAAH!” Max screamed when the potion touched the wound, but Red and Luis held him down.
The princess opened the bottle of alcohol and poured it over the wound.
“OOOO!” The sound coming from the injured boy changed, and Red smiled slightly.
“Yeah, it burns, doesn't it? It's a bitch. Breathe, Max. It'll pass quickly. And enjoy it, because after this, there'll only be pain. Chloe.” The princess held out the bottle.
The boy who had brought the first-aid kit took it and poured it over Red's hands, which she expertly washed with the alcohol.
“Gauze. First medium, then large. Be careful not to touch them.”
Chloe took out the first piece of gauze and carefully opened it.
Red took it and, surprisingly gently, opened the wound and tucked it inside.
“AAAH!”
“Yes, yes, I know. But this will make the stitches easier later. Breathe. One more.” Chloe handed it to her.
Red positioned the second piece, then placed the large gauze, folded in half, over the entire wound.
“Cooling potion?” She held out her hand, and surprisingly, Chloe immediately placed the potion in it.
Red poured the entire thing over the gauze.
“Hhhhmmm.” The sound escaped Max's lips as a thin layer of ice formed over the top.
“Yeah. Nice, isn't it? Now, do we have bandages? Do you guys even have medical tape here?”
“We do. Here.” Chloe opened the roll for Red and handed it to her, along with a pair of scissors.
The rebel made a perfect square around the gauze and then reinforced it. She slowly touched the dressing and nodded.
“It'll hold for a little while. The potion will slow the blood loss. Still with us, Max?”
“Unfortunately.” He said through the belt.
She patted him on the arm.
“You did great. Good job.” He was about to laugh, but she stopped him.
“No. You don't want to laugh. At least not for the next few days.”
Max swallowed and relaxed. Red slowly stood up, looked around, and began collecting and putting things away. As if there wasn't an injured person beside her, as if she wasn't standing in the middle of the courtyard wearing nothing but a bra.
Chloe finally snapped out of her shock when Red took the wrappers from her hands. The princess immediately took off her T-shirt, leaving herself in only a tank top, and walked over to the heir.
“Red?” She held out the shirt.
“What?” The Wonder blinked as Chloe took the trash from her.