(Evie)
When her eyelids fluttered with the lure of waking, Evie buried her face further into the radiating warmth beneath her in attempt to ignore the sudden tug, her lips curving into a relieved smile when she grew alert enough to realize exactly what she had snuggled herself into – well, more accurately, who she had snuggled herself into. She stayed. The second time her mind urged her to open her eyes she listened, closing her fingers around the material her hand rested on as she slid her head back enough to look at the girl's face, finding that something seemed different about the way she was currently sleeping. She looks so peaceful, Evie thought, her smile only growing when she realized just how truly calm the girl appeared; it was an unusual sight, but definitely not an unwelcome one.
Ever since Mal had first broken down the girl hadn't seemed to go a single night without something haunting her dreams, and it had torn at Evie's heart every time she had been woken in the middle of the night by a scream or a shout. All she had wanted to do was pull the vulnerable girl into her arms and comfort her, but it had taken her a while to decide it wouldn't only make things worse, the girl having been reluctant at first to accept her offer of friendship. That was the biggest difference about them, the thing that had changed the most since their first meeting. Mal would now reach for her at the same time she offered her comfort, the girl never hesitating in her touches or words, and even though she often flushed with nerves and embarrassment – which Evie thought absolutely adorable – she never once panicked, never once worried what might be thought of her in the moment.
Sighing in complete content she brought her hand up to gently brush her fingers through purple hair, moving it from the girl's face so that she could see every feature with perfect clarity. How can someone be this beautiful? The corners of her mouth lifted the slightest bit, shifting her features into a soft smile as she studied every centimeter of Mal's calm expression, praying that it meant the girl's sleep wasn't being invaded by horrifying memories. She dared to slip her fingers further into the thick strands, slowly and gently coaxing the small tangles to release, making it easier to brush through another time. When Mal shifted against her she lowered her hand until her fingertips danced along a strong jawline, silently encouraging the girl to open her eyes. She didn't have to wait long because after only a few seconds her favorite shade of green appeared, hazy with sleep.
"Good morning," Evie whispered, her voice raspy from having not used it since waking.
Evie stilled the stroke of her thumb when Mal's eyes widened, and she was about to remove her hand when another shot up for pale fingers to slide around her wrist. Honestly, she had no idea what was about to happen.
"I didn't have a nightmare."
Mal spoke so quietly that Evie almost thought she had imagined the words, however, when a radiant smile formed to grace the girl's features she couldn't help but return the gesture, and before thinking about what she was doing she was leaning forward to press her lips to the tip of Mal's nose. Pulling away, she noticed the sudden red tinting the girl's cheeks and her smile only spread higher, the visible adoration brightening green eyes giving her a high she didn't think anything else could. That was when she noticed the difference in the girl's eyes, and she wondered if she had missed the true color of them this entire time, or if the color had changed with the recent happiness the girl had found. She had seen the girl's eyes many different shades; she had seen them a bright green that bordered on looking dangerous, she had seen them a light shade of green that made her seem almost bored, and she had seen them a dull green that expressed self-hatred and a life of pain, but she had never once seen them the color they were now. Mal's eyes sparked with life, the sea-green splattered with golden flecks expressing just how content she was with where she was in life, expressing just how much she loved her life; and Evie found herself falling even further into the girl's irresistible gaze, utterly incapable of bringing herself back to any surface.
"I didn't have a nightmare," Mal repeated almost breathlessly, the laugh that escaped her lips filled with disbelief and delight.
"You're stronger than them, M," Evie stated, sliding her wrist from Mal's grip so that she could lace their fingers together instead. "They don't control you."
Mal nodded, tightening her grip on Evie's hand. "I know."
"We should practice somewhere else today."
Evie watched as Mal stopped in her tracks immediately, the clothes she had been holding dropping into the basket hugging the side of the dresser as she lifted her gaze to lock with Evie's. The entire time Mal had been in the shower Evie had been thinking of every way she could possibly suggest getting out of the room to the girl, well aware that it wasn't the best idea to carelessly use magic without a locked door keeping them separated from everyone else. However, there was a particular place Evie wanted to take the girl, and she knew for a fact that it rarely received visitors, especially on a Saturday when everyone would be attending the weekend's tourney game; and it was because of this certainty that she had decided to simply be blunt and express her thoughts.
"And why is that?" Mal questioned with a skeptical look, moving to lower herself onto the edge of her own bed.
"I just think we'd both enjoy the fresh air," Evie shrugged, acting as though she hadn't thought of a million reasons to back up her idea.
"Open the window, you weirdo," Mal suggested, shaking her head in amusement.
Eyebrows slightly furrowed, Evie grabbed the pillow closest to her and threw it at Mal, watching as the girl easily caught it with a laugh, a small snort following her laughter. She never thought she'd find snorting adorable, but she couldn't ignore the way her heart fluttered with the sound, well aware that it meant the girl's laugh was genuine. Stop being so adorable, she thought, throwing another pillow at the girl.
"Hey!" Mal exclaimed, having not expected the second one. "What was that one for?"
"For being cute," Evie answered nonchalantly, enjoying the way Mal's nose scrunched with disbelief at the answer she had received. "And you're still being cute, so if you don't want another pillow thrown at you I'd suggest you stop that right now."
A small smile curved Mal's lips as she held up her hands in surrender. "I'll try."
"It's for the best," Evie replied as she got to her feet and made her way over to her mirror, busying herself with applying her cosmetics as she pushed her idea further. "Anyway, there's this place I know about that I think would be perfect for practicing spells. It's beautiful and secluded, and I promise nobody else will…"
The rest of her sentence was exchanged for a squeal as something soft unexpectedly collided with the side of her head, messing up her hair and causing the tip of her eyeliner to draw a line down part of her cheekbone. She turned in the direction of the snorting laughter, eyes narrowed, ready to hit the girl.
"Why did you do that?" Evie questioned, huffing in annoyance as she turned back to the mirror and reached for the cleaning wipes she kept on the dresser next to it.
"You were being cute," Mal's voice was laced with amusement, and Evie found it difficult to remain irritated.
"You're not amusing," Evie stated, smiling at her reflection when there was no longer any trace of the mishap. She glanced over her shoulder at the girl, finding that sea-green eyes were glowing bright with joy.
Mal simply shrugged in response before reaching down to retrieve her worn combat boots from underneath her bed. She's putting on her shoes, Evie noted with a triumph smile gracing her features; that's a good sign. Turning back to the mirror she focused on finishing her make-up, waiting for the girl to break the silence first.
"So where is this secluded place you speak of?" Mal questioned only a minute later, her voice showing her wariness of the entire idea. "I was pretty convinced Auradon didn't know anything other than being overly bright and prissy."
Evie arched her eyebrow. "Prissy?"
"Do you deny it?" Mal challenged, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Not really," Evie replied honestly after taking a moment to consider the word as a description for Auradon. "Though I think it'd be best used to describe the princesses, not the entire place."
"It's all the same to me," Mal stated.
"Am I the same to you?" Evie asked in curiosity, capping the lip-gloss and putting it away as she faced the other girl again, one hand falling to her hip.
Mal looked up from where she examined her gloves, eyes staring intently into Evie's as she answered. "No."
"And is that a good thing?" Evie prodded, lips already curving into a smile.
"Not at all," Mal teased, opening the door to her cabinet and reaching into it for something. "I actually quite like the prissy, pink princesses."
"I don't think I've ever heard you tell a bigger lie," Evie laughed lightly, heart fluttering in excitement when the girl pulled out the jacket she had made for her.
Mal swirled the inside of her lip around her mouth for a moment. "I don't think you listen to half of what I say then."
"That's not my fault," Evie jokingly whined, deciding to play along with the girl. "You're far too distracting for your own good."
"Oh, am I?" Mal's eyebrows lifted as she breathed out a laugh. "Is it the purple hair?"
Evie pretended to debate the idea. "No, I think it's the abnormal paleness."
When she saw the girl's hand reaching for the other pillow she had thrown at her Evie turned away and covered her head, letting the pillow hit her back instead, the sound of Mal's laugh mixing with her own. She watched as Mal turned to stare at her reflection in the mirror on her side of the room, a smile creeping onto her face when she noted the absence of hatred in bright sea-green eyes; she doesn't hate herself anymore. Nothing made Evie happier in that moment, and – before she had time to think about what she was doing – her legs were carrying her across the room until she was standing directly behind the girl, her own reflection visible behind her due to the difference in their heights. As soon as green eyes flickered down to the thick scar peeking out from underneath her shirt, Evie took another step forward and curled her fingers delicately over the sides of Mal's arms, leaning down so that she could rest her chin against her shoulder, offering the comfort she already knew the girl needed. Not wanting to prod the girl, she waited until Mal was ready to speak.
"Do you… do you think people will stare?" Mal questioned quietly, her eyes glistening with too many emotions all at once, the amount overwhelming.
"Everyone will always stare," Evie whispered softly, well aware that the people in Auradon hadn't even stopped staring suspiciously at the original villain kids. "They will always create petty excuses to judge you, or to suspect you. They will always watch you cautiously. But it's got nothing to do with who you are, what you've done, or what you've been through. It's only because you're not from here, you're not a 'hero', and most of them don't trust those of us who weren't born into it."
"Does it ever change? Do they ever learn to trust us?" Mal asked, gaze finding Evie's through the mirror.
Brokenly, Evie shook her head. "I thought it had changed after Ben's coronation, but I recently realized that it's an endless cycle. They get used to outsiders, but they never trust us. Even if they aren't afraid of us taking over and being evil they don't believe we can make the right decisions, make the good decisions over the evil ones."
"Is that what they do to you?" Mal's eyes were glossed with pain and wanting, but something deeper inside told Evie that she wasn't asking because she wanted the people of Auradon to trust her specifically.
"Some of them have tried to convince me that what I want is wrong because it's not something they understand," Evie confirmed with more information, keeping her gaze locked on Mal's through the mirror, watching for every reaction. "I've been told that I'm lost, I've been told I'm making the worst possible decision of my life, I've been told that the one thing I want the most is too dangerous. I've heard it all."
Green and red-brown never separated for even a second. Evie could see every emotion that swirled in Mal's eyes even if it was only a brief flash, and she swore she could feel everything the girl felt. It was obvious that Mal wanted to ask something else but was too timid to, and Evie squeezed the girl's arms reassuringly, letting her know that it was alright to ask anything.
Mal hesitated, but it seemed as though she couldn't stop the words from coming out. "Is it all about the same thing?"
Evie simply nodded, thinking it better to leave her oblivious to the fact that that one thing was actually a person – that it was her – however, with the flash of realization and pain that dulled Mal's eyes she knew that the girl had a pretty good idea as to what everyone wanted her to stay away from. It made her want to tell the girl that she had become everything to her, that she would never leave no matter what was said about them, it made her want to tear down everyone who had ever dared judge Mal for being different.
"And how do you feel?" Mal asked hesitantly, seeming unsure whether the question was crossing a line, or not.
"I've never felt more alive, M," Evie said passionately, fingers squeezing Mal's arms, her gaze never leaving the recently dulled green. "I feel found, like I've been forgetting to truly experience life until now. My life has never made more sense. Before it was painting my face to my mother's liking, it was trying everything in my power to attract princes. Now it's applying make-up as I like, it's falling for the one person who couldn't care less about how much make-up I'm wearing, or how I'm dressed." As she spoke she watched the green brighten in Mal's eyes, a smile curving her lips. "They say I'm putting myself into danger I can't imagine, but the truth is… the truth is that there's nothing that makes me feel safer. It's the exact opposite of what they're telling me, and I don't care if they never understand or accept how I feel, it will never change a single thing."
"I wish I could feel that about something," Mal sighed, the words barely forming from her exhale. "It sounds amazing."
"It is," Evie stated with a soft smile, bumping her nose against the girl's jaw affectionately. "You'll find it someday."
And I hope it involves me, were the words she didn't say, no matter how much she craved to.
This promise is where Mal tensed up the slightest bit, shaking herself out of the trance she seemed to be in before smiling at Evie through the mirror. It shattered everything inside Evie to know that Mal didn't believe she would ever find that kind of joy.
"I hope you're right," Mal whispered brokenly, looking as though her own actions caused her pain as she stepped from Evie's hold.
I said too much. I went too far. Evie realized, her heart sinking so low that it no longer felt like it was inside of her. Stepping back, an expression that she knew would clue Mal in on how she suddenly felt reshaped her features despite the effort she put into holding it back – she just couldn't stop it from taking over. Still, she continued her attempt to paint her mask back onto her skin as if it were instinct; it was a habit that had formed due to the length of time she had been forced to obscure her emotions because of the way her friends always looked to her for reassurance. Even Carlos and Jay had depended on her for answers and guidance, they still did sometimes. However, the very second she met green eyes she knew that her emotions were as clear to the owner as if she had shouted everything she held bottled inside of her at a volume the entirety of Auradon could hear, and this only made her stretch her abilities to mask her emotions despite the realization that her every attempt was pointless. Mal would know how she felt no matter what; the girl always seemed to see through every layer she laminated her walls with.
The way Mal's eyes flickered as they took in everything about her nailed her to the floor beneath her, and she felt the steadily saddening expression settling into the outer-layer of sea-green should cause her unease, but she only felt comfort in the unwavering stare, comfort from the knowledge that Mal had a distaste for her being upset. Everything in the girl's expression in that moment made Evie want to pull Mal into her body again, made her want to fuse their lips together and forget about every worry and every consequence circling patiently around their heads. Though it was immensely difficult, she ignored the feeling. This isn't about how you feel, or what you want. It's about what's best for Mal. Still, the pain of knowing she couldn't be with Mal was much worse than she would have ever imagined this kind of thing being.
"You never answered me about where this place you want to go is," Mal spoke suddenly, eyes burning with want; want for what, Evie didn't know, but she could assume – she could pretend.
Remembering the way the morning had begun, a smile stretched quickly across Evie's face as she heard the announcement spoken between the lines of Mal's words; I want to know what I'm getting myself into. They were definitely leaving the dorm; Evie had succeeded.
"Oh, there was a reason for that," Evie stated, a mischievous glint now taking refuge in her red-brown eyes as she turned away from the girl to make her way over to her own side of the room. "You'll see when we get there."
"Whoa, slow down there, Princess," Mal sputtered, and Evie could tell the girl was following her because of the sound of heavy footsteps muting her own light, elegant steps.
Her heart flipped relentlessly at the use of the title, the way the girl now spoke it softly with affection opposed to the original way she had spit it at her creating a delightful warmth that quickly settled in her chest, a warmth she had only ever felt once before; the first time Mal had called her a princess with nothing but affection. Well, Evie paused in her thoughts, logic and reality swooping in the way it always did even when she was in the depths of her emotions; really more of a nickname considering I'm not reallya princess here. She debated whether she should leave the entire thing be, and simply enjoy that Mal believed her beautiful and elegant enough to be a real Princess, but guilt already constricted her chest for even thinking about letting the girl remain oblivious to the truth. Maybe if we were still on the Isle, she thought with an internal sigh. She had no idea why she missed the Isle so much, but the longing seemed to grow more each day.
Turning to face Mal, she watched the girl struggle to stop quickly so she didn't crash into her, the sight prompting her lips to quirk upward. She's honestly the cutest person alive.
"You know I'm not actually a princess, right?" Evie questioned, though her voice was quieter than she had intended, her desire to be considered one in Auradon still holding strong.
Mal's gaze flickered to the tiara resting on her head before she responded by simply raising an eyebrow questioningly, a look that clearly said: I don't follow.
Evie averted her gaze, instead focusing on the jewels she had added to the pink folded front of the girl's jacket, the area having been plain on the original jacket; she felt it looked better this way, and she hoped Mal agreed. Still, she probably shouldn't have taken creative license on the item that was obviously the girl's favorite possession; Mal didn't seem to mind, though.
"I'm only a princess on the Isle," Evie explained quietly, still refusing to meet the girl's eyes. "My mother holds no title here, so neither do I."
However, when fingers danced delicately along the underside of her chin she found herself staring into intense sea-green eyes soon after, and her heart began flipping immediately due to the look she saw swirling strongly in those breathtaking eyes. Mal reeled her in with just a single look, and she found herself leaning into the girl's touch when fingertips slid over her smooth skin until they could tangle in blue hair. Nothing about this is normal for friends; that knowledge invaded Evie's veins and filled her bloodstream with electricity she had never felt before. Every feeling coursing through her body in that moment seemed amplified because it was then that the truth of things crashed into Evie with a merciless force. The caress that whispered so many unspoken confessions. The mesmerizing gaze that revealed overwhelming emotions embedding themselves in an abused heart, emotions that mirrored hers almost perfectly, the only difference being the presence of confusion in Mal's.
And the truth she could now see with perfect clarity was that Mal was in love with her, and she almost couldn't believe it, second guessed herself even, but there was no denying the energy she felt connecting them.
Mal brushed her fingers over the tiara, her gaze never leaving Evie's. "You will always be a princess to me, E."
Something shifted inside of Evie at Mal's confession, and it suddenly made keeping herself from crashing into the girl completely the most difficult thing she had ever done. Honestly, she wished more than anything that Mal wasn't this amazing, this perfect – in her opinion. It would make everything a whole world easier. It would make it less painful to continue resisting the desire to kiss Mal with everything inside of her. But that wasn't her reality, and it almost felt as though she were tearing herself apart by taking a step back.
"Thank you," Evie whispered almost inaudibly.
Before she averted her gaze again she found a flash of panic lighting up Mal's eyes, and she wanted to throttle herself for making the girl assume she was uncomfortable with the relationship they had because that was the opposite of the truth – she just wished they could give themselves over to the desires tauntingly circling them. It's Mal's decision. Not mine. I can't give in.
"I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's not that," Evie interrupted, telling her the truth. "I couldn't be happier that you think I'm a princess. It's just..." she trailed off, trying to put together her thoughts. "It's kind of a sore subject for me."
"I'm sorry," Mal breathed out, eyes prying pleasurably into Evie's soul. "May I ask why?"
Evie exhaled deeply, shutting her eyes for a brief moment. "All my life I've wanted to be a princess. It's the one thing that hasn't changed since I chose good over evil, but it'll never happen here because of my family ties."
Once again – as if neither of them had any control over themselves around the other – Mal reached up to thread her fingers through Evie's hair gently, massaging her scalp comfortingly; and Evie couldn't do anything other than bask in the girl's touch.
"Don't let the people here get you down, Princess," Mal spoke quietly, the corners of her mouth curving into a soft, loving smile. "They're just pissed that they're nowhere close to being as fantastic as you."
Though she loved hearing those words come from Mal's lips, her heart fractured the slightest bit. Please, she begged the girl with her eyes;please, just love me. She knew that the girl did, but it sometimes felt like she was desperately in love with someone who would never love her back, and she couldn't take any more of the feeling that she was hopelessly chasing after the one person who had managed to crawl their way into her heart. To add onto it, she despised feeling this way because it made her feel like a horrible person; she knew it wasn't Mal's fault, that she needed to recover before she could let herself love someone, and yet she still couldn't stop feeling broken. So many attempts at love, only to find it in the most unexpected place at the worst possible time. She sighed sadly; she knew she didn't believe that, she knew that – even if she had the chance to – she wouldn't change a single thing about how everything was happening. I need to remember that even if she doesn't love me the way I think she does, I'm still the luckiest person alive to be the one she trusts the most with everything she's spent years fighting to forget. When it really came down to it, Evie knew that she would still feel this way if she were to remain nothing more than a friend to Mal, and even if she never got the chance to teach the girl what love meant she would always be the first one by her side when she needed her.
"You flatter me," Evie stated, batting Mal's hand away a little bashfully.
"That's the plan," Mal smiled brightly, reaching out with both hands now to grip Evie's sides, pulling the taller girl into her and beginning to playfully tickle her.
"Stop!" Evie squealed, trying her best to slip from Mal's grip only to find that nothing worked; Mal was using her strength advantage against her. "I'm serious, Mal! I will literally murder you."
"Now look who's getting violent," Mal mused, her smile fading into a mischievous smirk as she wrapped her arms completely around Evie and pressed her front into the other girl's back. "I kind of like it."
Now that's totallyfriendly. Evie huffed, not entirely sure if she should be annoyed with the girl for behaving this way and making everything that much more difficult, or if she should just be turned on. Surprisingly, she leaned more towards the first one.
"Can we just go now?" Evie questioned, worried that if she allowed this to go on any longer she would either throw the girl onto the bed, or out the window.
Evie's spine tensed when she felt lips brushing over her ear. This fucking girl.
"I don't think I feel safe going anywhere secluded with you," Mal whispered, laughing lightly. "Not after you threatened to murder me."
"Oh, I would do it in public, too," Evie shot back, still trying to free herself from Mal's grip; anything to get away from the temptation. "There's nowhere safe for you."
Suddenly, Mal released her and she stumbled forward, struggling to balance herself before turning to face the girl, eyes narrowed. Her anger only seemed to amuse Mal more, though.
"I hate you," Evie lied, and though her voice sounded utterly serious she knew the girl could see right through her. "You are the worst. First, you turn my shirt orange of all colors, then you tickle me."
"Come on, then," Mal gestured for her to come closer. "Come murder me."
This game is notgoing to end in your favor. Evie swiftly closed the distance between them until she was close enough to Mal that the girl had to tilt her head back in order to hold eye-contact. She knew that her hot breath escaped her parted lips only to coat Mal's upper lip, and she was well aware that the girl had frozen completely.
"No," Evie breathed out threateningly, keeping her expression blank as she took in Mal's. "I will murder you only when you don't expect it."
Mal inhaled sharply, gaze locked on Evie's lips. "I'll look forward to it."
"And one more thing," Evie whispered, one corner of her mouth quirking; she had such a beautiful opportunity in front of her and she couldn't resist.
"What?" Mal questioned distractedly, still not meeting Evie's stare.
"My eyes are higher than that."
With that, Evie turned to grab her purse from the hanger she always kept it on, leaving a blushing Mal to find her way back to reality. Yeah, there is definitely nothingplatonic about us, Evie admitted, her lips curving into an almost timid smile at the thought.