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The day started ordinary; The flamingo birds chirping outside, fairly windy in Wonderland and overall—any other day for the youngest of Hearts.
Pink happily greeted Tabitha and the other fellow Wonderlandian animals when she heard a glimpse of a conversation between Red and their mom.
“Isn’t Castlecoming near for you, dear?” Bridget inquired calmly as she sorted through her files diligently with the goal to find the list of seamstresses for her eldest
“I guess so, it’s two weeks from now-” Red shrugged, looking up from her breakfast when Pink appeared behind her and shrieked with excitement—promptly butting into the conversation
“TWO WEEKS?!” which caused Red to jolt out of her freshly woken up state
“-HEARTS, PINK!! SOMETIMES YOU’RE QUIETER THAN A TEACUP-MOUSE!” Her elder sister screamed with the same energy after Pink caught her off-guard, the pink-haired girl simply smiled apologetically and squeaked a small ‘sorry!’ while simultaneously picking off a macaron from her sister’s plate
The Queen of Hearts shook her head as she chuckled at the sight of her daughters. Pink greeted her mom with a sweet ‘good morning, mum!’ and kissed her cheek to then take her seat beside Red.
“Now, now, girls. Back to the topic, Red, darling—I know the greatest seamstresses in Wonderland, I’m sure you’ll look absolutely gorgeous in their dresses.” Bridget assured gently as she brought out the list she was searching for as well as a booklet of designs.
“Ooo.. I saw Mrs. White Rook’s designs and they were really cute!” Pink shared as she and Red looked through the booklets curiously, Red raised one of her eyebrows at one of the designs where there a giant serving spoon was the dress inspiration.
Okay scratch that off..
As they browsed, their Mother suddenly asked;
"Red.. has someone asked you to go with them to Castlecoming?"
"Mm, nope." Red proceeded to give the booklet to Pink entirely to stuff her face with pancakes.
Pink gratefully accepted the booklet and continued browsing through with amazement and interest.
Their mother accepted the response with a contented hum as she continued eating her tart.
"You know, Red. When I was your age, I didn't go with someone romantic, I went with your Aunt Ella." Bridget sighed softly at the memory, "Perhaps you should go with Chloe?"
Red thinned her lips at the mention of her Best Friend, she offered a noncommittal shrug as she listened to her little sister be on awe of the variety of options in dress-shopping.
"Ooo Red! What about this one—wait, no, no no! This one!!"
"Eh.. don't you think it's a little overkill?" Red commented unsurely
"Well.. then what about this one!!"
"Mm.. ehh.."
"This one?"
"That corset looks like it'll burn through me."
"Ugh! Redd...!! You're not even looking for more than a second!"
"Alright alright.. we'll keep searching, Pinkie." Red stifled in her laughter as she drank a cup of water, but as soon as Pink showed her another ridiculous design she accidentally spat out her water to then laugh at the unreasonable choices Pink genuinely gives her.
"REEDDDD!!" Pink whined as she set down the booklet and wiped the splattered water on her pajamas.
Their mother laughed too and quickly summoned some napkins for Pink's use. Red still hadn't stopped laughing because Pink fully expected her to remain civilized after she showed her a dress where a literal Wonderlandian Giraffe was the model and the dress looked like a cupcake swirl—and may had been made by icing.
A perfect morning!
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.
..
Pink was hanging around her and Red's friends which were mainly Red's circle but they're all cool with one another. Felix and Robbie were scamming the Smees in a DIY Carnival games and they keep on falling for it, Hazel was approaching her, Max was—
Wait. Hazel Hook was approaching her?
She gave her a small smile and scooted a little far off to the left to give the older girl space to sit next to her.
"Hearts, do you have any more snacks in your little pouch?" Hazel asked with a hint of surprise at the HK offering her a seat beside her but was quickly washed away with her nonchalance.
"Oh! Yeah! I actually do! I've been keeping a few extra now since we've been friends—" Pink paused in her tracks as she realized she said that before backtracking
"I mean-! I- I really thought that you and the VK's were cool and you know-" The younger girl stammered and tripped over her words until Hazel interrupted her.
"It's cool, Hearts. We're.. friends." Hazel reluctantly said and her words were quiet near the end.
She stared up at the daughter of Captain Hook with stars in her eyes before smiling brightly and mumbling a soft happy 'yeah.'
"You- you Hearts are so cheesy... Jeez.." Hazel grumbled out regretfully as she rubbed her temples, she had a faint flush to her neck and ears which only made Pink smile even wider, she got two handfuls of snacks from her Heart Pouch and held them out for her new friend.
"For both you and the Smees, captain." Pink hummed which made Hazel smirk and mumble 'not bad.' before seemingly deciding for a split second to then dig through her pocket.
She brought out a small rose quartz trinket, the pirate sheepishly offered it to Pink
"Consider it as a token of gratitude, Princess."
"This is so pretty, Hazel!" Pink squealed happily as she accepted the gift, dropping every snack she had in her arms but before she knew it the Smee twins hauled themselves onto the floor to catch the snacks successfully with only a few bruises.
Hazel looked at her for a split moment before noticing the twins grappling at the snacks like they weren't getting fed every two hours, "Sm-? SMEES!!"
Pink giggled at the whole thing when Luis and Chloe joined them with absolutely defeated looks in their faces.
"He's digging my Madrigal spirit—right..?" Luis asked hesitantly. Fixing his hair obsessively, making sure he looked good.
"Don't-" Chloe sighed, "don't even right now, Luis.." The blue-haired girl exasperated tiredly, as she took the seat beside Pink.
"Luis-? Chloe? Why do you both look sadder than the frowning narwalites?" Pink asked softly, frowning with them.
Chloe merely shook her head, looking beaten in her own game while the Madrigal folded without a fight—
"We're planning to ask Red and Max to be our dates for Castlecoming!"
"WHAT!?" The youngest of Hearts perked up and gasped like the air had been stolen from her lungs
"LUIS- COME ON!!" The Captain of the Fencing Team complained and glared at Luis before sighing, switching more to a vulnerable state
"Listen.. Pink.." she attempted to start before the younger girl loudly stated
"OH MY HEARTS—LUIS- YOU..- YOU LIKE MY BIG SISTER!!?!"
"What..?" Both HKs asked, super confused by how Pink processed everything
"What—? Barf..." The daughter of Captain Hook gagged exaggeratedly, even the twins paused and said in unison a dragged out, "Whaaatttt???"
"AND.. CHLOE YOU LIKE MAX-?!?"
Both Captains of their clubs face palmed and shook their heads to then try to retract the idea.
"No- just.. no.."
"Pink.. please.."
"OH MY HEARTS!!!" Pink shrieked out, and in the process of her shock she accidentally elbowed Squirmy, causing a domino effect of the treat in his hand to fly out—Squeaky diving head first to catch the treat but in the end it landed in Hazel's hand with her effortlessly dodging Squeaky
"Sweet." Hazel said already mid-chew on the cakey-wafer given to her, "'But you seriously gotta chill out, Princess"
"Pink it's not what you think at all!!" Chloe insisted helplessly
"Oh my hearts, oh my hearts-!!"
"Maybe we should tell her directly at the same time..?" Luis whispered, squinting his eyes apologetically at his friend.
"Good idea.. we say it on 3 okay?" The Charming stated with Luis nodding along and whilst the array of voices belonging to Pink, The Smees and Hazel they murmured a quiet..
"1..."
"SMEES!! YOU NEED TO UNWRAP THE FOIL BEFORE BITING INTO THE CANDY!"
"2..."
"Let's make it good.."
"Yeah! Yeah!"
"Oh hex.."
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..
"I LIKE RED!"
"I LIKE MAX!"
"MOM AND SIR MADDOX ARE DEFINITELY NOT GONNA APPROVE!!"
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..
Oh.
Oh.
They all looked at Pink—with Chloe and Luis looking like their nerves got even more shaky.
It was a moment of pure silence before Hazel broke it with a dry; "Damn.. got rejected by the parents before even starting. You know if I were you guys I would walk the plank."
The curly-headed boy screamed in his hands, the comment only adding fuel to the fire as he was a huge family guy—hell, he's a MADRIGAL!! He wouldn't know what he would do if his family didn't approve of him and Max, what else the number one Villain in all of Auradon?
"Shut it, Hook.." Chloe murmured, evaluating her life choices that instant.
Aunt Bridget surely won't mind..
Then she got flashbanged with the memory of her Aunt in the OG Timeline. It wasn't too far off that she wouldn't like Chloe as her eldest' partner..
But that was from the OG Timeline!
Then Chloe remembered the whole confrontation with Maddox and how her Aunt still carried some attributes from the old timeline to here.
"Please.. this timeline should have some advantages of me growing up with Red.." Chloe whispered in her hands, returning to her defeated look from the start.
The last thing they heard from the youngest of Hearts was a faint and out-of-bound;
"oh my hearts.." then Pink fell backwards and fainted.
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..
When she and Red came back home, Pink was moving on autopilot.
Left foot forward.. then right..
Left.. right..
Left.. right..
"Oh my darling daughters!"
Pink almost walked straight into her mother if not her older sister grabbing her arm to reel her backwards by her side.
And even then Pink was still in her trance-like state! She absolutely cannot believe that Chloe liked her big sister! I mean.. she could tell with Max and Luis but her sister's best friend..?!
"I've missed you both so much.." Their mother fussed over them
"We missed you too, mom.." Red mumbled out as she was hugged by their mom and Pink said some nonsense when it was her turn to be hugged but Bridget decided to set it aside for now.
Deep down, Pink was queasy with the whole Chloe and Red situation. It wasn't that Chloe was Chloe but because Red is her big sister and by default—nobody is good enough for her!
"Oh Red! I've heard from Ella that you already asked Chloe to go to Castlecoming with you? Oh how much have you two grown.." Bridget frowned bittersweetly as she cupped her daughter's face and pressed a light kiss on her eldest's temple.
Pink frowned still deep in her own thoughts without any idea what was transpiring;
Mom can't know about this..
"Yeah, Chlo and I will go to Castlecoming together. She was really sweet about everything." The fiery-headed girl said with a small smile
Wait, what?
Then what happened at breakfast all came back to Pink.. huh.
"You know, Red. When I was your age, I didn't go with someone romantic, I went with your Aunt Ella. Perhaps you should go with Chloe?"
Chloe, you.. you are one lucky girl.
Still, Pink didn't snitch. She knew her mom will find out.. sooner than eventually.
Meanwhile...
"Yeah right, Madrigal." Max scoffed humorously, waiting for the punchline of Luis's joke.
It had to be a joke. Why would he ask him to Castlecoming?
"I'm completely serious, Max. I want to go with you." Luis insisted, his hands curling into and out of a fist repeatedly as an attempt to ease his nerves.
The VK's smirk faded in place of a genuinely surprised look, he pointed at himself. Unsure of what the tanned-boy saw in him.
Max huffed, "Madrigal, you have no idea what going with the means of someone like me."
"I think you don't know how far I'll go for you." Luis stated firmly, "And I don't back down to anything."
Max looked at him before sighing, fixing his hat as a way to occupy his hands.
"I came from a completely different world from you—My father is the number one Villain of Auradon! Do you hear yourself?"
Luis then responded with a brave; "I do! And I'm willing to overcome those." he briefly paused, his expression softening, "With you, Max? Every shortcoming doesn't feel like a light-hearted challenge for me to overcome—it makes me want to earn being by your side! It makes every feeling I have for you deeper than anything I've ever felt for anybody!"
I want to be your boyfriend.
"So—believe me when I say that I want to stay by you. I want us to work together, as something more than friends who already know what they feel but choose not to address it under fear of ruining our friendship."
Please..
Then a few soft breaths in between the period of immeasurable tension
"I like you, Max. And I don't think I can go back to keeping my feelings to myself, you make me feel happy. So.. please... Would you go to Castlecoming with me?"
Max stared, then softly chuckled. A sound Luis would lift the entire globe in search of.
"Whatever, Madrigal. See you at Castlecoming."
¡Sabía que el tío Mariano podía ayudarme!
(I knew Tío Mariano could help me!)
The HK thought as he internally fistbumped with himself until he noticed that Max was already walking away.
"Cool.. cool.." Luis said when Max was still in earshot, though once he left Luis jumped and celebrated his victory outwardly.
Felix remarked once their crew of VKs passed him, "What's wrong with that dude.."
Followed by a faint "WOOOOOOO!!!" from their prime suspect
"Don't know, don't care. Where the hell is Max?" Hazel huffed strutting past the insane-looking Madrigal
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..
Bridget loves her daughters and is extremely protective over them. Whoever goes against her daughters goes against The Queen of Hearts herself.
But then again that rarely happens, fortunately for them. The girls are getting older and Bridget wants to spend more time with them as merely her daughters.
She was thankful that Red would be going out with her best friend instead of any other guy who may pursue her eldest romantically.
Bridget actually talked to Ella about it through her card telecast, Ella insists she use a cellular device but the Queen simply couldn't understand how to navigate it.
"Oh Ella, you don't know how glad I am that Chloe decided to go with Red to Castlecoming.."
She said with a sigh of relief to the projection of her best friend since highschool, and with that Ella simply smiled.
"I'm surprised how brave Chloe was to take Red to the dance.. I suppose she did get some genes from Charming after all." Ella humored, drawing a confused look from the Queen of Hearts
"What's so brave about accepting?" Bridget asked, genuinely perplexed.
Ella raised one of her eyebrows, "Red was the one that invited her to go?", once the ruler of Wonderland nodded with a smile—the blue-haired woman laughed softly, "Then I'm sure my daughter must be ecstatic, she's a very lucky girl indeed."
"I'm so very glad that Red chose to take my advice to invite Chloe, I'd much rather trust her taking Red than anyone else.."
"Oh? You still cannot fathom the idea of your first little girl growing up, Bri?" Bridget rolled her eyes at that before her expression softened, "Is there ever a moment where you are actually ready, Ella?"
"No, I don't believe so. But still, I find it quite hilarious how strict and protective you are over Red sometimes.." Ella leaned back in her chair with a teasing smile, which only served fuel to the fire.
"I am the farthest thing from strict!"
"So if someone were to take an interest in little Red, you expect me to believe you'll approve of them?"
Hm. As if Bridget would ever let that happen. And if anyone so dares to challenge that idea..
"Well, they're welcome to become apart of my royal flush."
Ella laughed at that, which caused a chain reaction that resulted in the two Queens laughing together through the Telecast.
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..
Bridget noticed something.
Lately.. she's been feeling like Chloe has been acting like she's walking around eggshells when she's near.
It was strange. She doesn't recall any moments of embarrassment with her best friend's daughter so she was really confused by the new apparent fatigue.
"Chloe, dear? Don't you want to stay for dinner?" Bridget offered, taking note of how Chloe looked like she was ready to bolt after dropping off Red from horseback riding together.
The tan blue-haired girl tripped over her own words, over-explaining stuff she apparently had to do "Auntie I would LOVE to but Dad.. he- he needs me to train with him! Because.. because- HE FORGOT HOW TO FENCE!!"
"Oh- okay, dear.." Bridget responded with a slightly judging tone.
Chloe was about to run like her life depended on it but when she turned around her eyes found Red's.
"Come on, boo. It's just dinner. I'm sure your dad could wait until tomorrow." Red persuaded as she unbuckled her helmet and held it just to her waist.
Aaaand thatt.. was when Chloe lost the plot.
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.
..
It's just dinner.
Then she looked up from her plate to find Pink staring straight into her soul beside her mom. (Chloe took Pink's seat because it was beside Red..)
"Ooo dear, remind me when is yours and Chloe's Castlecoming?"
"It's set 5 days from now, mom.."
The youngest of Hearts' glare looked like the epitome of; "I know what you are." The princess charming looked right back down her plate and suddenly for Chloe, it was harder to swallow her food.
A little small talk happened here and there though as soon as Chloe finished her food, she politely excused herself and bid goodbye to her Aunt, whom she bowed so deeply to, Pink... who seemed to be watching her every move and finally Red, who volunteered to walk Chloe to the rabbit hole.
"Oh Red, you don't have to-" Chloe got interrupted by Pink, "Yeah, Red! I can walk Chloe to the rabbit hole instead, you seem pretty tired from horseback riding!"
Red was about to respond when—"you're so very thoughtful, Rosie! Make sure to avoid the grappling grape vines!" Their Mom praised Pink and guided her eldest by the shoulders back inside with a leading conversation about Red's time horseback riding and if she fell or gotten injured.
Chloe and Pink looked at each other, just when Chloe opened her mouth Pink tugged her outside as they made their way to the rabbit hole
"You're lucky you didn't get caught by mom!"
"Pink- I'm sorry but I just.. I can't control the way I feel about your older sister!"
The younger Princess looked at her with a deadpan look before rolling her eyes and exhaling dramatically.
"I'm serious, Pink!" Chloe tried to get her point across, when Pink still refused to respond Chloe gently tugged Pink to a stop
"I fell in love with Red, Pink. In a way you won't understand now, but listen to me when I say that she made me feel like I didn't want to play by the rules anymore." Chloe stated desperately, "I don't just want to be her best friend—I want to be somebody who she looks for in a crowded room, I.. I want her to choose me and only me.."
Right then and there did Pink understand why exactly Chloe acted like how she acted when she and Red got into an argument.
I want her to choose me and only me.
Oh.. that's why.
"Chloe.. I just.. I.. I'm Red's little sister, you know how much she means to our family." Pink murmured, finally saying what she was feeling about everything, "I've known you for a long time.. and I've seen how much you truly care for my older sister. I guess, I was just.. scared. Scared of you possibly changing something."
The younger Princess sighed and absentmindedly kicked a pebble, watching it go farther and farther away from the force of how she kicked it.
"..I don't hate you for liking Red, Chloe. And I want you to know that," The pink-haired girl said softly, "But.. if you're really sure about your decision then, I don't have any say in that-"
Chloe interrupted, "You do, Pink."
The Captain of the Swords and Shields Fencing Team smiled faintly at the young girl before continuing, "I don't just want to court Red without her family's permission, and even if that's a no from you.. I won't stop tryi-"
Pink hugged Chloe fiercely, burying her face in the blue-haired girl's shoulder.
A muffled "Thank you, Chlo."was heard from the youngest daughter of The Queen of Hearts.
"Always, Pink."
Pink smiled up at Chloe, before looking down and gasped when—
"AHHHHHH!!!"
A grappling grape vine wrapped around Chloe's ankle and flung her straight into plush-like pumpkins
"OH MY HEARTS!! ARE YOU OKAY, CHLOE?!!" Pink jogged towards the pile of pumpkins and helped her future sister-in-law up.
"Ohhh.. woah.. I'm okay, don't worry.." Chloe said as she got out and saw that there was pumpkin goop on her shoes and gagged, making Pink giggle
"Hey! What are you giggling for!" Chloe complained affectionately
"That's what you get for courting my sister!" Pink jokingly said with a cheeky smile
"ABOUT to, not yet. Well, unless.." the next thing Chloe saw was a Wonderlandian pumpkin that was thrown by Pink
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..
Bridget had no idea why Maddox refuses to talk to her again about what he saw during his time researching the pocket watch.
In fact, Maddox seemed to be fussing over something else entirely inside the dungeon. (If it could even be called that.) Red insisted he be put in a comfortable chamber with a workshop, making The Queen of Hearts question how exactly her daughter trusts this heinous Mad Hatter.
It's exactly why Bridget still visits him anyways. But aside from that, she would inform him about Max's well-being even if Maddox could already see him through his inventions.
"Why exactly are you so distressed?" The Red Queen asked dryly as she watched the Mad Hatter pace around his cell, murmuring to himself.
"THAT NONSENSE OF A BOY FANCIES MY SON!!" Maddox exclaimed as if it was some irredeemable crime committed
"I don't see the problem. Max is growing up, and from what I know he accepted." Bridget said as Maddox projected the Dodo Bird's view of his son.
The Hatter grumbled as he coded in for Luis's face to be crossed out automatically, Bridget rubbed her temples. She just finished a day of ruling Wonderland, she didn't have time for this.
But when she got up to leave, one grumbled sentence from Maddox caught her attention; "First, Red. Now, Max. Have I truly gotten this old?"
Bridget turned back to Maddox, a befuddled expression appeared on the elegant Queen's face.
"What do you mean, 'First, Red'?" Bridget asked directly
Maddox's distressed expression showed a hint of amusement, "You don't know?"
"No, I don't. Now tell me, Hatter." Bridget contested harshly, she doesn't play around when it's about her daughters.
The purple-haired inventor laughed loudly as he controlled the Dodo Birds to switch onto Red and Chloe.
"Cinderella's daughter seems to see your daughter in a very.. different light, your highness." Maddox mockingly remarked, making Bridget frown and chastised Maddox's implications.
"Chloe is a kind girl." Bridget asserted, making Maddox huff an entertained chuckle, "Not in that kind of light. Think of something more.. rose-hued."
That made Bridget clench her fists, "You're positive about this, Hatter?"
Maddox spun in his chair while maniacally laughing, as he sang; "why would I lie your most rightful Majesty?!?"
It only made Bridget scoff and walk away. Her robe flowed along with her every step she took.
How troublesome.. Charmings.. how come I always encounter a problem of you taking what's mine?
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"Do you have a problem with my request, Rosethorn?"
"I'm not complaining, mom. But why is Pink suddenly coming with me to Castlecoming? She's a year younger than me so the only way she could come along is if someone from my batch invites her." Red sighed, it was as if she was talking to a brick wall
"I just want Pink with you, is that clear? If she needs to be invited then convince one of your friends to take her-" Red attempted, "But mom-"
"And that's final, Red." Bridget dismissively stated as she returned her attention to her paperwork.
Once Red realized that it was no use to try and change her mom's mind, she went straight to thinking about who would take Pink.
One of the Smee Twins? No. They're too rowdy, I don't want Pink getting hurt by their recklessness.
Robbie? He's already going with Felix..
Max and Luis are going together..
Any other HK makes Red uncomfortable because she doesn't know them that well, even less if they were to take her sister to the dance.
Gosh, who else is there?!
A certain pirate popped into her mind.
Sure she's a VK, but she knows what she's doing. And almost partly because Red doesn't have any other options.
H won't let me down. She simply needs a little.. convincing.
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..
"Hazel, I need you to take out Pink for Castlecoming. Yes I know..".Red rambled on about everything, not registering that as soon as she said that first sentence Captain Hook's daughter already said 'sure'
"...Wait, what did you just say earlier?"
Hazel finished her snack before repeating what she said with a shrug, "Sure."
"That easy? You're kidding."
"You wound me, Hearts. Don't you worry about a thing, your baby sister is completely safe with me." The VK declared with her laid-back nature, making Red squint at her but hesitantly said her thanks.
Huh. I guess I owe you now, Hook.
She drifted back to reality after hearing Pink call her name, she smiled at her younger sister as she excitedly told Red about the dresses she saw in a boutique.
Though after a while, the conversation she had with Hazel floated free in her mind. For some reason she felt restless, she just doesn't know why.
The rebel asked her roommate about what the brunette might've meant but Chloe simply said that Hazel must've just been teasing her and Red shouldn't think about it too much.
"I just can't get it out of my mind, boo. H just said it in..- In an unsettling type of way!" Red emphasized as she shook her newly-bought paint cans while Chloe was refreshing her blue-curls.
"You mean to tell me that you're gonna let Hazel Hook get into your head?" Chloe probed teasingly, making Red groan out a 'this can't be happening..'
Red set down her white spray paint, "You're absolutely right, Chlo. I'm probably just overthinking it!"
"Uh-huh."
Red now knew that she should've listened to her own intuition.
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..
Since his father was 'imprisoned' now in Wonderland, Max started living with the Hearts because it was easier for him to visit his dad and approved by the Queen of Hearts who has been surprisingly very accommodating to him since he arrived, it was nice.
Getting his own room wasn't a huge deal because the palace was always changing according to the ruler's wants and needs.
"Woah- are you sure this is my room, Red?" Max asked with a grin at how cool and so ‘him’ his new room was, whistling at the interior.
"Yup, pretty sick, huh? Mom really did a number on your room." Red bristled the furniture, before remembering something, "Hey, Max?"
Max perked up without taking his eyes off the book he picked up, "Hm?"
"Has Hazel been.. I don't know.. off to you lately?" Max tilted his head at the redhead, making Red a little self-conscious about whether she's simply going mad, "No? Just me?"
"Yeah.. Hazel has just been Hazel. Why'd you ask anyways?" The junior inventor asked, "OHOHOHOO THIS IS SO COOL!! YOUR MOM IS A GENIUS!" then jogged in awe towards the corner workshop
"I.." Red stopped herself, seeing how Max was in a fascinated trance right not that he was so absorbed in.
"You know what? Nevermind, your room is pretty cool. Wanna check out the rest of the palace?"
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..
On the night of Castlecoming, Max nitpicked on his outfit and hat. Something was either wrong or lopsided to him in the mirror.
Ugh. He just couldn't seem to get it right.
The first person he thought of at the top of his head was his dad. Max grimaced at his first instinct, looking at himself in the mirror with a frown.
"Get it together, even if he wasn't in there, he wouldn't help you." Max mumbled as he combed his hair, the next thing he heard were footsteps.
Pink's little heels accompanied her voice, "Maaaaaaaxxxxxx!! Mom's asking if you need help!!"
Max wrestled with himself if he should accept the help, ultimately, his dignity won out.
"I- I don't need help, Pink!! Tell your mom that I'm alright!" , "okaaaayyyy!!"
The VK checked the time and cursed under his breath, rushing tidying his attire and appearance up. Spraying on some Cologne then went straight to his collection of hats.
He decisively picked a dark velvet-textured hat and quickly went downstairs where before he stepped foot outside, The Queen of Hearts stopped him and helped him anyways.
"Just your collar, dear." Bridget murmured as she fixed Max's collar, tie and frowned at his wrinkled tailcoat, "Go get fussed over by my cards, we need to have to ironed, hun"
Before Max knew it his deep-aubergine tailcoat was slipped off him gently, and the tiles moved under his feet to maneuver him to where Red and Pink were getting a makeover at.
"Oh, hey Max." Red greeted nonchalantly with floating flamingo feathers applying on her make up
"Hey-" then a chair swopped under his legs to make him sit and got spun around so many times just to be seated right next to Pink who happily said "Hi, Max!"
"Uuugh... Hi, Pink.. I think I'm gonna hurl-"
"MAX, NONONO-!!!!"
"MAX, WE JUST GOT CHANGED!!!"
The grandson of the Mad Hatter laughed at their reactions, sighing back in the chair. Getting tended to as well by the flamingo feathers.
Soon enough, Bridget came back and helped Max put on his coat. The Hearts weren't bad people and Max slowly learned that.
"Thank you." Max mumbled, super polite all of the sudden. He grumbled when Pink giggled at his change of manners.
"It's not a problem at all, dear. And a little birdie told me that your date is waiting for you at the front gates." Bridget said gently, patting the boy's back encouragingly.
Max smiled, sighing as he tipped his head inclined to the red Queen with respect to then go ahead.
"Bye Red, Bye Pink-" The ravenette said in a rush, and Pink was vibrating in her seat while waiting for the feathers to finish her lipstick so she could be able to say goodbye
Red decided to take mercy on her younger sister and bid farewell to Max for the both of them, "We'll see you there, Hatter!!"
And indeed did Max see that the Madrigal was there waiting for him, Luis stopped tapping his shoe nervously on the ground when he saw the VK.
"Max! You look great!" The HK said with a bright grin, Max swore he was blinded for a millisecond by how wide Luis smiled.
"Thanks, Madrigal. You aren't too shabby yourself." Max said, getting a humorous reaction from Luis who combed through his hair confidently and did a ridiculous face.
"Surprisingly." Max added to then shoulder check the curly-headed boy who took the advantage to grab his arm and hook it to his.
"No take backs now, Hatter." Luis stated with a challenging eyebrow quiver
"Foul play, Madrigal." Max murmured, shaking his head.
Though, stupendously.. Max couldn't help but look back at the palace with an expecting stare. Like he was waiting for someone to come out.
Luis noticed it, he didn't comment on it at first, only when he was able to identify what exactly Max was staring at.
He bit his lip as he made up his mind, "Max.. could I ask permission from your dad to take you to Castlecoming?"
This of course incited a confused and shocked expression from Max, "What-? Are you insane? Has my madness rubbed off on you?"
Max clearly thought he was joking, only when Luis didn't laugh and looked at him with a small smile did he understand that he was serious.
"Why.. why would you do that?" Max asked quietly, "Aren't you scared of what he might say to you? To us?"
"A Madrigal never backs down from a challenge, Hatter. I thought I told you this already!" Luis exclaimed with a smirk, running ahead towards the palace.
"LUIS MADRIGAL GET BACK HERE!!!"
Once Max caught up with the brunette, it was already too late. It seemed that his father and Luis had already talked.
And surprisingly? His father wasn't throwing a specimen through the bars. Instead, Maddox did something on the same level as what you would expect him to do.
He of course made Luis vow that he would never hurt his son or his heart, to treasure him like an artifact in the ruins that he'd spend years protecting, to return him home safely without any injuries.
You may think it is very sweet but the downside is that if Luis dares to challenge these terms,.it will quite literally banish him from Wonderland and Wonderlandian Magic will always act up around him.
For example, let's say . Red's cards. They will automatically act upon themselves and hunt Luis down without Red shuffling them to.
Luis sweated at that a bit but nodded, “I vow, Sir Hatter.”
Maddox stared at him before inclining his hat, his attention shifted to his son.
The HK decided to leave the father and son alone for a while, giving them some privacy to talk.
Silence grew at first before Maddox quietly said, “Visit me sometimes, Max.”
Max looked up at him with a look of surprise, the inventor merely shrugged and got closer to the cell.
“I know that I failed you, I know I have no right to ask anything from you, Max. But believe me when I say that I love you, Son.” Maddox stated, even then Max didn't say anything just yet.
“You're growing up now, clocks.. you even have yourself someone to grow old with.” The manic gleam in Maddox's eyes was no more, “You're safe here, Max. I don't doubt it for a second. Here you have clean water and food, you have everything I couldn't give you back in the isle.”
“Dad..”
“So stay with these people. And visit me, son. Especially when you need help with your attire. The Hearts really infected you with glitter-” Maddox was cut off by hearing the sound of Max crying, his eyes widened ever so slightly.
He frowned as he reached through the bars and held his son's face. Flesh and bones, something his inventions nor machines could never be.
“Dad..—I missed you.” Max sobbed out, and somewhere in between the moment. At least in Maddox's perspective, his vision glitched between the versions of his son.
“I missed you too, Max.” Maddox murmured quietly, and that simple moment weighed heavy on their progress of making up for lost time.
“Now, now. Go on and have fun at Castlecoming. Stick close to Red, and stay 10 feet away from that boy.” The inventor calmly redirected Max's focus onto Luis, who was waiting outside.
Max chuckled, looking back at the closed door, he softly let out a heartfelt “Thank you, dad.”
Once Max left, Maddox quietly said his response to the wind.
“Always, and forever, my son.”
.
.
..
The Queen of Hearts was facing a dilemma she couldn't seem to overcome.
Her daughters growing up.
She feels them slipping from her fingers all the time, no matter how much she shields and protects them from the world she knows that it's only a matter of time.
Time was feeling quite fast for Bridget now as she helps her daughters into their dresses. Combing their hair, perfecting their make-up..
How come you two grew so fast?
She sighed and pressed kisses to both her daughter's hairs. Whispering to them praises of how they looked.
Red smiled at her and leaned to her touch, that's when Bridget realised that whatever happens next to her eldest—she trusts her to go through it wisely.
The more the Queen thought about Chloe liking her daughter, the more thankful she became that the person who took a liking to Red is a nice, kind girl.
I guess Ella was successful with her plan of being a Hearts some way!
As for Pink, Bridget assumes that she still has a lot of time with her youngest. And unlike her case with Red, The Queen of Hearts firmly will stand her ground on Pink being off-limits.
She watched as Chloe picked her daughter up in a carriage with the Charming Insignia.
"You look really pretty, Red." Chloe softly said, drawing a different type of smile from Red that Bridget had never seen before.
Red shook her head with a soft laugh, "You're just saying that because I'm your date, bluey."
When the Princess Charming hesitantly looked up at her, Bridget gave her a nod of approval, making the blue-haired girl's adrenaline go up to a thousand.
As they were about to go into the carriage, The Charming held Red's hand to assist her inside, before Chloe got in herself she quickly mouthed a happy, "Thank you, Auntie"
Which made Bridget chuckle at the wide smile endowed on the youngest Charming's face. She turned her attention to her youngest, who she will chauffeur to the dance.
"Are you ready to go, my darling?" Bridget hummed as Pink smiled and nodded.
By the second they entered Auradon Prep, Bridget didn't know what she expected for her youngest to come up to but it definitely wasn't Hook's daughter.
"Hazel!" Pink called out with a sunshine-like smile
Hazel turned her head at the voice, she chuckled, "Hearts, there you are."
The youngest of Hearts gratefully held onto the Pirate's arm that she was offered as they went to the others.
Bridget's first thought was;
No.
Or so..
Absolutely not.
She looked helplessly to her eldest who looked like she made a grave mistake but was actively internally denying it.
Red approached her like she was a tea-cup mouse, awkwardly laughing in panic from her mom's expression.
"Explain." Bridget ordered for her rebel to spit it out
"Haha.. mom! You're clearly misunderstanding something, Hazel and Pink are just friends! Hazel is one of my best friends, she wouldn't take a liking to Pink.." Red insisted
It didn't help that Pink certainly looked smitten with the older girl as well.
"And what if Pink takes a liking to her?" Bridget asked questioningly
"Pink knows she's off-limits, mom! She wouldn't go against our wishes, just trust her." The eldest daughter of Hearts said a little more seriously, making Bridget sigh heavily.
She couldn't even bring herself to look at them. This cannot be.
Bridget recalled her words to her eldest that night,
'And that's final, Red.'
She sighed and shook herself out of her silly thoughts, she supposes this is her karma for dismissing her daughter's concerns.
So instead, she offered a small smile to her eldest daughter, "Go enjoy the night with Chloe and take care of your sister for me."
"I will mom, I promise." Red softly said, accepting her mother's forehead kiss.
Bridget watched Red go back to her circle of friends with her little sister. She smiled faintly at the sight before her eyes wandered back toward the pirate
Hm. Perhaps I will use my plan A towards my daughters' suitors after all.
.
.
..
Extra:
Hazel notices the Queen of Hearts' glaring daggers at her every time she goes near her youngest daughter.
So, she asked Chloe and Luis about it, genuinely confused why one of her best friend's mom doesn't seem to like her.
“Have you guys seen the look the Queen of Hearts has been giving me? What's going on—isn’t she supposed to be all sunshines and rainbows?” The VK asked in a rushed whisper to the two HKs.
Chloe and Luis looked at each other and laughed like they were trying to win a competition on who could break their vocal cords laughing.
Only after the two laughed their hearts out, did they answer Hazel; “We don't know.. but if we were you? We'd walk the plank.”
“Ohh shut up, you two saviors.”