The music is loud in Wonderland, something that hasn't been seen in a long time, at least by Red. The ballroom is filled with people from everywhere. From Auradon royals to Wonderland citizens and even some of its animals.
The crowd is happy, amazed, but also confused. The incredible ballroom had dark red walls along with checkerboard floors that moved at times, rearranging itself as it wanted. Big golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the place.
Columns of marble had vines of roses wrapping around them, which gossiped about every person who passed by. The tables were filled with colorful but also unpredictable food, and the music? Well, the music was as crazy as Wonderland itself, changing rhythm, tone, and even volume whenever it felt like it, forcing guests to keep up.
Red was... impressed, to say the least. She had never seen Wonderland like this, and she was certainly not expecting to see it so vivid when she came back. She stands beside Chloe and their families who were chatting, watching all the guests dance.
This was the first time she had been back in Wonderland ever since she and Chloe had changed the fabric of time. Also the first time she had actually seen her mother rule again and spent longer than just a few hours with her.
It was... interesting. Red didn't know how to explain what she felt. At the same time she felt an overwhelming amount of joy at seeing her home be what she had hoped for it for so long. The happy and crazy place everyone said it was before the queen took over. She also felt like a complete stranger in there.
Wonderland was weird, it was its whole deal. But it felt even crazier right now, and for some reason, Red felt like she didn't fit anymore. Not that she ever did, but she felt like she didn't even know where she was.
To top it all off, attending a ball being the first thing she did after coming back was definitely not her greatest idea. Balls in the past had never been a great experience to her. They had always been about power, about opulence, about showing the people who ruled. Her mother always said that they needed to show their power to get more respect.
Red never liked it. She never understood it. But she went because contrariating her mother in the past was not an option. She also hated it because she was always obliged to wear some big shiny ball gown that was always so uncomfortable.
She believes that's why she was wearing one again today. A long, shiny, deep red sleevless dress. An itchy, tight prison. She hated dresses since she was little, mostly because wearing them had always been an obligation. And today it hadn't even been picked by her mother. It had been picked by her, and that somehow made it worse.
She picks at it again 'is this thing ever going to stop itching?!' she thinks to herself, suddenly hearing someone call her name. She snaps her head up, eyes wide.
"Hm? yes?" she asks, cheeks reddened with embarrassment as the Charmings and her mother looked at her, confused.
"We were asking if you minded grabbing us some drinks, dear." Her mother repeats, sending her a warm but worried smile. Red looks at her for a beat, before chuckling awkwardly.
"Oh! oh, of course! I'll be right back" she announces, but before she could leave, Chloe speaks.
"Wait! I'll come with you" she offers, sending the redhead a smile, who promptly replies it and begins walking again.
The two walk to a table, a comfortable silence between them. Red was very glad she had asked Chloe to come with her today. She knows her mother had already invited the Charmings, but she still felt like she needed to invite Chloe formally.
Red always feel much safer and calmer around the girl, it was just a fact. Chloe was like her anchor, and she had helped her through so much that she couldn't even count it all. She admired the girl beyond thought. Well... she didn't actually think it was just admiration, but that could wait another while.
"Hey, are you still with me?" she's pulled out of her thoughts by the soft voice of her friend right in front of her. Red blinks "You were staring at nowhere" her tone shifts into a more concerned one, and Red curses herself internally. Why couldn't she get it together today? she must seem like a lunatic always zoning out!
"Oh! no, sorry, I was just... trying to remember what my mother liked" she replies, sending her a nervous smile and looking down at the table they were next to. All kinds of drinks sat there, and Red felt lost for a moment. She didn't actually know what her mother liked "Uh... okay, this one is safe"
She picks up a bottle, recognizing its label as a sweet drink Maddox had once showed her. She had loved it, but never tasted it again after. She believes it was illegal at the time.
"Cool, let's pour some and go" Chloe says, smiling softly as she lays out the cups "Do you want some?" she asks, and Red just shakes her head. Chloe then sets 4 glasses down, and Red promptly fills them.
She notices her hands were shaking as she did, and her breath hitches. Why was she so nervous?! Without warning, the music changes again, louder and more up beat this time, startling the redhead momentaneously. It was so loud.
She felt herself grow hotter and hotter as she watched Chloe pick up the glasses. The lights, the sound, the people dancing around them. This. Freaking. Dress. It was all too much, and she needed to get out of there.
"Hey, you know what" she tries to make her voice steady, making the bluenette snap her head up at her "Why don't you go ahead? I'm actually gonna go to the bathroom. I'll be right there" Chloe eyes her for a second, processing her words, before giving her a small smile.
"Sure, go ahead" she says, and the redhead practically bolts away, rushing through the crowd. Chloe stays in place, her gaze locked on her. She had noticed the redhead was strange, and this behaviour right now? she was sure something was wrong.
Red brushes past a bunch of different people, trying to find her way to a door, a window, just- something! She bumps into some of the guests, as the music invades her brain like it was hunting her down. Where the hell was an exit?!
She looks up, finally finding a Red door, which she remembered lead to a small terrace outside. She practically sighs in relief, rushing to it, struggling to run in the tight dress.
Once she opens it and steps outside, she inhales, taking in the cold fresh air that fills in her lungs. She already feels a lot better just because of it. She shuts the door, looking to her right, finding a corner so known to her.
She smiles, walking over to the corner of the terrace, sitting there on the floor with a bit of a struggle because of the dress. Her bare back hits the cold wall, sending a shiver down her spine, and she looks to her right, the glass fencing giving view to the slightly dark but still somehow colorful Wonderland valleys.
She presses her palms on the floor, feeling its rough texture. She could practically feel the memories coming back to her. The times she ran away from the balls her mother held to hide out here. The times where her mother definitely didn't care enough to look for her but cared enough to give her punishment after. She winces at the memory of the punishment.
They had been worth it though. Because she had at least found a way away from all that maddness, away from her mother. And for a moment, it was just her. Those are the only punishments she really didn't have any regrets for.
She hears the door creak open, and the sound of heels clicking on the floor. She knew who it was, but she still looks up, eyes widening at the sight.
"...You okay?" Chloe's voice is soft, low, worried. Red can't help but smile, calling her over with a head wave.
"How'd you find me?" she questions when the bluenette gets close enough, and the girl simply sits down next to her, resting her head against the wall before wincing at the cold feeling.
"Jesus, this is freezing!" she exclaims, making Red chuckle "You think I bought your whole 'I'm going to the bathroom' story?" she raises a brow, sending the redhead a soft smile, who can only chuckle, humorlessly, looking ahead again.
"That obvious, huh?" Chloe's eyes stay on her.
"Only for me" she answers, and Red nods "So... are you?" she asks again, and Red looks back at her, a forced smile on her lips.
"Yeah, totally... just needed to get away from the whimsical chaos in there" she tries to joke, but Chloe's gaze doesn't waver. It reads through her soul.
"Red" That was it. Just her name. And it left her completely unarmed. The redhead sighed, looking ahead again and letting her head fall back on the wall.
"It's just that- this is all so weird!" she starts "I mean, being back here, then my mom not being... you know, my mom, and everything is just- ugh!" she raises her head again, before gesturing down to herself "-and then there's this stupid dress which is not helping at all! I look like an absolute idiot!" she lets out, frustratedly, pulling at it. The bluenette's eyes widen.
"Are you kidding me? You're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on!" She says, her voice incredulous at what she'd just heard, and Red stops. Her mind stops, her heart stops, everything just shuts down.
She turns to look at the bluenette, finding her completely serious. No smirk, no teasing, just... unwavering truth. Red feels her heartbeat stammer. Her cheeks grow hot.
"Whatever, you're just saying that" she tries to dismiss, to use a joke to hide the turmoil of feelings that was raging inside her at the compliment. Chloe frowns.
"What? you really don't think you are?" her voice sounds hurt, and Red doesn't even understand why exactly. She just shruggs, giving her a sheepish smile.
"No... I really don't" she answers, shyly "I mean look at me" she tries to joke again, to lighten up the mood "and then look at you. You are a the literal princess of perfection! You could make anything look good!"
Chloe huffs, crossing her arms, eyebrow raised "And you think that makes what I said less true?"
Red swallows, shifting her gaze away again "I... I don't know"
Chloe sighs. She reaches out, touching the girl's hand that rested on her lap softly as to not startle her, and the redhead's head quickly snaps to her, watching in confusion as the girl took her hand. Her heartbeat picks up again, feeling the girl run her thumb across her knuckles.
"I mean it, Red" her voice is soft, steadier "You’re beautiful. Not just tonight. Not just because of some dress. You always are. And I just—I need you to know that.” she confesses, looking deep into the taller's eyes, and Red swears she forgets how to breathe.
She feels her chest tighten, and her cheeks flush, because holy shit. No one had ever said that to her, let alone meant it. She felt like something was burning inside her at the way her stomach kept churning at the bluenette's gaze alone.
Chloe smiles, squeezing her hand one last time, before dropping both of their hands, still intertwined, on top of the redhead's lap. She looks ahead, admiring the view, and Red feels her breath catch.
She lets her gaze linger on the bluenette... maybe longer than she'd like, but she can't help it. The moment, the conversation, the compliment, Chloe herself. It was just messing with her, but she couldn't stop staring.
She doesn't know what it is. Maybe it's the Wonderland air. Maybe it's the night. Maybe it's just the way the bluenette's skin shone under the moonlight. But she, for some reason, felt like she couldn't hold her feelings in anymore.
She takes a breath, squeezing her hand lightly "... Chloe?" she calls, voice wavering, almost in a whisper, and the girl looks at her. A soft smile still in her lips.
"What?" her expression falls as she takes in the redhead's anxious look, her brow furrowing slightly. Red inhales, deeply. Then exhales. And then-
"I think I'm in love with you" She lets out, voice steadier and gaze unwavering.
Silence. The bluenette's eyes widen ever so slightly and Red panics.
"I mean- I know I am. I just- I wasn't planning on saying it here. It's just that-" she runs a hand through her hair, frazzled. Her other hand gripping the bluenette's tighter as her gaze stopped at everything but the girl beside her "Wonderland is weird. And our parents are literally inside the ballroom and-"
"Red" Chloe cuts her off mid rant, and the redhead immediately looks up, finding her with a wide smile. "You're funny, you know that?" she chuckles, and Red is as confused as she's ever been. She just stares at her, brows furrowed. What did that mean?
Chloe's laughter dies down, and she looks back at the redhead, who silently question her with her gaze. The bluenette rolls her eyes, before grabbing the girl by the neck and pulling her in for a kiss.
Red's eyes widen, before fluttering shut. Her hands flying to the girl's back, pulling her closer, as Chloe's rested on her cheeks, keeping her right there as they enjoyed the moment. The soft hum of the music still playing in the background, making the moment feel even more magical.
When they finally pull apart, they both have wide smiles on their faces. They lock gazes, silently speaking to one another for a second, before Chloe actually decides on saying something.
"I'm in love with you too" she confesses, a big smile on her face, and Red can't contain her own, pulling the girl back in for another kiss.
She couldn't say the day started as the best one, but it had defnitely become it. All because of the bluenette. And if the music seemed softer now? if the stars seemed to shine brighter? If Wonderland actually felt like home for the first time in a long time?
...Well, that was just a bonus.
----
Inside the ballroom, The Hearts and The Charming families still stood, holding a conversation while waiting for their daughters to come back, which was taking an awful lot more time than it should.
"Should we not go check on the girls? it's been almost half an hour since they left" Ella asks, worriedly looking around. Bridget frowns, also looking around.
"I suppose we should. Although, with the way my Red is, they're probably stirring some chaos inside this ballroom somewhere" she jokes, making the three of them chuckle and begin walking to where the girls had set off beforehand.
They quickly make their way to the food tables that were sat at a corner of the ballroom, but no sign of any blue or red hair is seen around.
"Okay, I'm actually starting to get worried. Do you think they could've just left?" Charming asks, his owl dad personality showing through. Ella smiles at him, rubbing her hand across his arm comfortingly.
"I'm sure they didn't, you know how Chloe is" she assures, and Bridget gasps beside the two, seeming to remember something.
"Oh my hearts, I just rememebered something, come on!" she exclaims before walking away. The couple quickly follows, confused "My Red always 'escaped' out here when she was little. My rose never really liked the balls, so I didn't really obliged her to stay. I used to actually come out here with her to play when things got too serious for her" Bridget explains with a wide smile as they approach the glass door to the terrace.
Before she could open it, she stops in her tracks, confusing the couple behind her.
"What's the matter?" Charming asks, and Bridget just steps back, turning around with a big smile.
"I found them" she announces, and the couple smiles widely.
"Are they okay?" Ella asks, worried as always. Bridget crosses her arms, smirking.
"Why don't you see for yourselves?" she prompts, nodding towards the door. The couple trades looks, before heading to the door and peeping outside.
On the far corner of the terrace, in a darker spot, sat the two girls, side by side. The view was hard to make out, but it was clear that Chloe was holding Red in her arms while the two spoke among each other. The couple's eyes widen, turning back to the red queen.
"You don't think...?" Charming prompts. Bridget chuckles.
"Oh, I definitely do" She answers, before practically squealing "We'll be in laws soon!" she exclaims, holding her hands out to Ella, whose eyes were still widened in shock.
"I... I suppose we will" she concurs, before realization finally hits her and she smiles widely "Oh my god, we will!" she hugs the redhead tightly, squealing excitedly with her.
"I guess we'll have to talk with them, then" Charming chimes in, making both queens look back at him
"When they come to us, sure." Bridget replies "But for now, let's let them enjoy being alone, hm? The night is still long" She smiles and Charming seems to think, before smiling as well.
"Yeah, let's do it" He concurs and the trio walks away, chatting excitedly about what had just happened. They were just glad their girls were getting along well. I mean.... really well.