CHESHIRE ! ā Nishimura Riki
SYNOPSIS. Y/N Cheshire lived her life carefree. Being the daughter of the Cheshire Cat made her more inclined to not take anything seriously and to just have a little bit of fun in everything she does. Whether it was pulling pranks, sneaking up on people, or making jabs at her friends- Y/N kept a Cheshireās smile on her face. Because of that, she just couldnāt take Chaehyun Cupid seriously when she claimed that Y/N had a crush on Riki Wonderland.
PLAYLIST. listen to cheshireās soundtrack while reading!
PAIRING. Kitty Cheshire! Y/N Ć Alistair Wonderland! Riki
(not shipping kitty and alistair !)
GENRE. Ever After High AU, High school AU, Fluff, Slight Angst
WARNINGS. bad parental relationship, ooc riki, angst
WORD COUNT. around 18k
NOTES. ITS OUT!!! iāve been working on this fic for months and i finally finished itššš thank u @muhwaa my best friend my soulmate for life and my twin flame for motivating me to finish it <3 this is my first long fic so i hope i did it well !!!
1. Naps and feathers donāt mesh.
The lights around her felt brighter than usual, though Liz Lockes found herself in the starlight once again. It wasnāt that she was complaining- in fact, she rather enjoyed it. She felt a sense of solitude as the rest of the world seemed to fade as nothing else mattered.
Liz didnāt mean to fall asleep in the Enchanted Forest. While being in the forest didnāt freak her out much, as the Daughter of Goldilocks, it still felt like an absurd place to sleep. But she had an episode for her MirrorCast news show featuring some of the pixies that reside in the forest, and all the preparation along with the actual filming had made her rather sleepy. She thought that it wouldnāt be too harmful if she took a little rest by a tree. That rest turned into an hour long nap and although it was an accident, the nap had felt just right. Though, it wasnāt just right when she was awoken by a feather being wiggled above her sensitive nose.
How was that possible? She couldnāt see anyone actually holding the feather- was it some sort of a spell?
Liz felt her nose twitch ever so slightly before she finally sneezed. This caused the feather to fall onto her face, before she threw it onto the ground next to her. Barely awake, Liz didnāt feel it in herself to question what had just happened, so she stood up from the spot where she took her impromptu nap and began to leave the forest.
As she made it near the front, however, she spotted Y/N Cheshire curled up on the branch of a tree playing with a ball of yarn.
What was Y/N doing in the forest so late? Weird.
Liz found herself quite fond of the Cheshire Catās daughter and decided to make some conversation.
āHey Y/N!ā Liz waved. āWhat are you doing here?ā
Y/N, who gazed at Liz with her cat-like eyes and unsettling smirk, let out a giggle. āOh, Iām about to take a small catnap.ā
A nap? At 9 P.M?
Liz thought it was interesting how alike Y/N was with her mother. Although most Ever After High students found themselves copying the mannerisms of their parents, there were the bunch that preferred not to follow their destinies and created personalities and hobbies for themselves. The latter, known as the Rebels, was a category that mostly students destined for evil or misfortune chose to fall into. But really, Rebels were just anyone who refused to follow their storybook ending. As someone who has a relatively simple destiny, it made sense for Y/N to be keen on following hers.
The blonde snapped out of her thoughts and turned back to Y/N. āThatās funny, I was just leaving from taking a nap of my own! Do you sleep in the forest often?ā
āYou could say that,ā Y/N threw her ball of yarn onto the ground. āI enjoy coming here at night. The stars are really pretty, arenāt they Liz?ā
Liz smiled. āThey are! Especially in the forest, they just look so stunning.ā
āYou should come here more often then, Iām sure weāll get along just right.ā
Liz raised an eyebrow at the suspicious tone she had in her voice. Of course, it was known that Y/N enjoyed pulling pranks in her free timeā¦ and even when she was busy. Liz had even covered Y/N in one of her MirrorCast episodes.
That was slightly difficult, considering how evasive the girl was. But being the star reporter of Ever After High, Liz prided herself in her ability to make a story out of anything. Even when the subject was hard to work with.
Before she could ask any questions, she realized what Y/N had meant as she observed the girl take a feather out of her pocket.
The same kind of feather that had woken up Liz from her nap.
Really, there was no stopping her mischievous feats. Y/N acted on her own accord, convinced by no one but her mother. There truly was nothing she took seriously in life. The cat girl lived her life treating everything as if it were nothing, so it was only natural that how people felt about pranks wouldnāt affect her, Liz assumed at least. She brushed it all off and waved Y/N a goodbye.
After all, it wasnāt that serious to begin with.
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2. Cupid knows best.
āHey Y/N, why do you always prank Riki?ā
Y/N felt herself let out a snicker as her friend, Chaehyun Cupid, daughter of Eros, asked her a question. It was a silly one, really.
āWhat do you mean? I prank everyone- itās kind of my thing.ā Y/N pointed to the small cat hat that rested on her head.
Being the daughter of the Cheshire Cat, Y/N felt lots of pride in fulfilling her destiny. As such, she turned pranking people constantly into her niche. Riki Wonderland, son of Alice, was no different.
Chaehyun just rolled her eyes, leaning against Y/Nās locker. āYouāve pranked him 8 times this week already! Thereās tons of people in this school so why are you targeting him specifically?ā
Ningning Swan, daughter of The Swan Queen, pursed her lips. āChae is right, you know? Youāve been pranking Riki too much recently. According to Beomgyu heās getting pretty tired of it.ā
Beomgyu Hood, son of Robin Hood, was Rikiās roommate. So if he claimed that Riki was getting annoyed then it was probably the truth.
But Y/N didnāt care much for what they were saying. Why should it matter if he feels burdened by her pranks or not? They were only in good fun, after all! She only pulled silly, lighthearted pranks. Y/N didnāt see the issue in that.
āHey, why so serious guys?ā Y/N put on her signature Cheshire smile. āIām just here to have a good time. Whether or not I prank Riki most of the time is none of your business. Plus, Beomgyu is an idiot who lives in the woods and plays music for a living. His destiny is to be a thief. I wouldnāt trust anything that guy says.ā
Ningning gave a soft smile. āHeās not that bad. Heāll be a thief who gives to the poor.ā
Chaehyun turned to the swan girl with a knowing look, as the latter brushed it off and continued.
āAs your closest friends, it is our business.ā Ningning stated.
Y/N giggled, her movements laced with insincerity. āYouāre my only friends.ā
āStill makes us your closest! And donāt forget you have your Wonderland friends, Y/N.ā
At that, Y/N shrugged, still adorning her wide and mischievous grin. It was true that Y/N didnāt have many friends. Naturally as someone who seeks chaos and disharmony in all she does, it was fit that people didnāt bother to get to know her. Being a rather secretive person, Y/N didnāt find herself too bothered by it (as she liked to convince herself). However, she was rather close with the other Ever After High students from Wonderland. Soul Hatter, son of the Mad Hatter, Giselle Hearts, daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Rei Blanc, daughter of the White Rabbit. They all grew up together and were each otherās closest friends in childhood. The only other student missing from that list was Riki.
There was never a specific reason as to why the two never got close. Perhaps Riki disliked Y/N. Perhaps his mother had told him to avoid Y/N and her staple chaos. Perhaps Y/N had been subconsciously avoiding him. Whatever it was, Y/N and Riki remained civil with one another but never became friends.
There was, however, one instance that made Y/N feel slightly closer to the boy. One night that they had spent togetherā¦ had he forgotten? She tried not to think much of it and figured he didnāt think about it either.
All the more reason as to why pranking him often wasnāt a big deal. They werenāt friends (as far as she was concerned) and were barely acquainted with one another past the basis of where they lived- so why was Chaehyun suddenly questioning it?
The bell rang, alerting students to get to their next classes.
āY/N, you totally like Riki!ā Chaehyun suddenly squealed. āI can see it in your eyes when you talk about him. You like him. Pranking him more often than others just means youāre deflecting your real feelings by acting like you donāt care about him. Itās very common when people have crushes.ā
The thought made Y/N burst out into laughter. After all, come on. Her? Having romantic feelings for Riki? The same boy who peed his pants the first time they went from Wonderland to Ever After? Not a chance. She could care less for the cute blush on his face afterwards, or the way he laughed it off and acted like it wasnāt a big deal (it was, he had to run into a random house in the woods to clean himself up and thatās where he met Beomgyu). She would never admit that she only knew that because she had turned herself invisible and followed him. Y/N could say for sure that she found none of that appealing. Nothing about him in the slightest.
Even the notion that Y/N would have romantic interest for anyone was absurd.
But as an avid enjoyer of all that is lawless, Y/N just shrugged with a nonchalant expression. She wasnāt one to express herself. āI could tell you, butā¦ā She trailed off in a fake train of thought before continuing. āWhereās the fun in that? Chaos is keeping people guessing, and that makes this kitty purr~ā
Her friends deadpanned at her nonspecific phrasing. It was rather hard to get anything out of the shielded girl who embodied certain traits of a cat. Of course she acted as her own person and didnāt rely on her background or her mother to force her one way, but that was just the thing. She was only raised in that way so perhaps it was all she knew best.
Chaehyun smiled, knowing well that Y/N was in a state of denial. It held up- Y/N wasnāt the open type. Cats are feisty, after all. āSweetie, Iām the daughter of Cupid. I think I know a thing or two about love- and most things in general.ā All she needs is a little push.
Y/N smirked. āMost things, really? Because Yujin Hood is a wolf like her father but so far Iām the only one whoās seemed to notice.ā Yujin Hood, daughter of Little Red Riding Hood. āItās funny because sheās really obvious about it but somehow no one has caught on. I mean, why does everyone think she acts so shady and disappears often? Sheās obviously hiding a secret.ā
The two girls gasped at the news. Really? The thought of Yujin being a wolf felt soā¦ bizarre. But it definitely explained her weird habits. āThatās cheating! You can teleport and turn invisible. You spy on people all the time.ā Ningning said.
āYouāre right, I can! Speaking of whichā¦ Headmaster Grimm is coming this way so Iām going to head to Home Evilnomics before Baba Yaga notices Iām not there. Toodles!ā Y/N waved to her friends and let her mouth spread into her Cheshire smile, before her body vanished into thin air- the last thing Ningning and Chaehyun saw of her was that damn smile as it hovered in thin air and lingered ever so slightly longer than the rest of her body.
āWhy arenāt you two heading to class?ā The familiar voice of the headmaster made the two girls shudder. That man truly had a terrifying aura. āHurry along, donāt want to keep your professors waiting.ā
Deep down they wished they had Y/Nās teleportation ability.
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3. Rikiās mixed feelings.
Riki couldnāt figure out why Y/N seemed to hate him.
It wasnāt as if heād done anything to her, right? In fact when they were children, he considered her as a friend. Sure they didnāt speak to one another much, but every Wonderlandian was considered his friend. After that night they had spent together back in Wonderland, he figured they at least had an understanding of each other.
He had even found her pranks and unserious personality to be endearing!
That was, until she had made him the target of her pranks. Constantly.
Y/N didnāt prank him much when they were younger. It was only when they started attending Ever After High that the pranks would amp up and become more of a frequent thing. They first began small- switching out his shampoo for hair dye, throwing ice cream at his face on a roller coaster, replacing his croquet ball with yarn, etc. All pretty juvenile stuff. He didnāt mind it and honestly found it funny.
But even Riki had to admit that getting pranked more than twice each week was overkill! It got to a point where he would leave classes and try to go under the radar, in hopes that he could avoid Y/N at all costs. Though, it didnāt help that they had a lot of the same friends. So when his best friend, Soul Hatter, would attempt to get her attention, Riki would groan internally as her cat eyes found their way to his form.
However, nothing gets past the Mad Hatterās son so he asked Riki about it one day- while the two were hanging out at the Mad Hatterās tea shop in the Village of Book End.
All sorts of typical Wonderland madness went on in the tea shop, such as teacups being used for the shopās outdoor design, clocks that tell the wrong time, portals, and objects that float on occasion. It all made Riki miss Wonderland more and more each time he went.
A squeal could be heard from inside the shop as the tables began to float. An unassuming Bahiyyih Charming feared for her life as she felt her feet lift off from the ground. Though for Riki and Soul, they were used to it so they proceeded with their conversation. āI just feel like she hates me! Thereās no way you can prank someone that often without feeling negative feelings towards them.ā Riki stated with a downcast look on his face.
Soul took a sip of his favorite Earl Grey tea before responding. āMore like thereās no way she hates you. I donāt think Y/N hates anyone, in fact, sheās a rather peaceful person.ā
At that, Riki raised an eyebrow. āReally? The Cheshire Catās daughter is peaceful?ā
āWell she does love discord, but she cares a lot for her friends, even if she has trouble showing it. I would know- Iām actually friends with her.ā Soul said.
Suddenly, a top hat appeared next to their table.
āDad? Is that you?ā
A boisterous laugh was heard as the Mad Hatter popped out from inside of the hat.
Soul beamed at his dad and the two did their handshake, which they had made back when Soul was a toddler. āWhistle, cradle, up top, down, sideways-ā Riki just smiled at this and waited for them to finish.
ā-and to the moon! To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you two today?ā The Mad Hatter asked, as he poured himself a cup of tea.
āWe were just talking about how Riki thinks Y/N hates him.ā Soul elbowed his best friend in a teasing manner.
The older man tapped his finger on his chin in thought. āY/N? Well that girl could hardly hate anyone! Iād find that very hard to believe.ā Soul gave Riki a knowing āI told you soā look.
āSo then why is she always pranking me?ā
The Mad Hatter gave him a pat on the shoulder. āPerhaps itās her love language.ā
āLove language? Sheās not really close with anyone besides the other Wonderland kids.. and Ningningā¦ and Chaehyun.ā Riki spoke, as he recounted Y/Nās friends. It wasnāt very hard.
Before his question could be answered, a ring from the bell at the counter alerted the Mad Hatter to get back to work. To which he did, but not before giving his son a new box of Earl Grey tea.
āDo you think she likes you?ā Riki snapped his head to Soul because of what he said out of the blue. āMaybe Chaehyun would know something about it.ā
It didnāt take a second thought for Riki to shake his head in disagreement. āNoā¦ no way. Weāve barely spoken, why would she like me?ā
Soul shrugged. āIām just throwing out ideas.ā
āWell, your idea sucks. Thereās no way Y/N could possibly like me.ā
It just made no sense. After all, who would want to prank their crush? Wouldnāt it just make them avoid you more? The idea itself was baffling to Riki.
By the end of their hangout, Riki was sure of one thing. He would officially befriend Y/N.
That would surely get her off of his back.
But secretly he knew that he didnāt mind her pranks as much as he thought he did.
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4. Castleteria encounter and unwanted realizations.
It was lunchtime at Ever After High, and students of all different fairy tale backgrounds found themselves spending their down time together in the Castleteria. After Karina Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, normalized people not wanting to follow their destinies, it became less taboo for Royals and Rebels to interact with one another. Headmaster Grimm was still hesitant on the idea, but that didnāt matter. All of the students agreed with one another that they would work on being less cliquey. Wonyoung White and Yujin Hood were seen laughing about something they were watching on the MirrorNet. But about two years ago, Snow Whiteās daughter and Little Red Riding Hoodās daughter would not have been together at all.
Chaehyun, Ningning, Y/N, and Sullyoon Ella were eating together that day. Y/N wasnāt typically friends with Cinderellaās daughter, but she found her incredibly attractive and alluring to be around. Sullyoon had just finished showing them her new shoe collection when Chaehyun pulled out a book and flipped to a page that was titled-
āTrue Hearts Day?ā Ningning asked, with an eyebrow raised. āWhatās that?ā
Chaehyun giggled in excitement. āItās an old holiday where people spellebrated following their hearts! Isnāt it so cool? Iām going to throw a True Hearts Day dance! As a future Cupid, I need to uphold traditions such as these.ā
āAnd Headmaster Grimm just let you?ā Sullyoon asked. āHeās not the biggest fan of people following their hearts.ā
Chaehyun bit her lip. She wasnāt quite sure how her friends would react to the news but she wanted them to know first. āThatās the thing- he didnāt. I asked him last night and he shut down the idea.ā
The three other girls waited for her to continue, as she took a pause to gain courage. āWhich means Iām going to do it in secret!ā
āAnd just how would you do that?ā Y/N asked, as she flicked food from her spoon in Jay Huntsmanās face. The son of the Huntsman gasped in part annoyance and part shock, before proceeding to speak to the Charmings. Y/N snickered at his disgusted expression. Gotcha.
Chaehyun pulled up a map on her MirrorPhone. It displayed all of the Fairy Tale World, from Never After to the Mirror Realm. She zoomed in on the Enchanted Forest, and pointed at a random spot in the woods. āThereās a place here that I know would work perfectly! I just have to make all the invites, plan what food will be served, set up all the decorations- oh! and I have to make the music mix.ā
āAre you sure you donāt need help?ā Sullyoon made a sheepish expression as she realized Chaehyun had taken up a lot on her plate, perhaps more than she realized. āI run a shoe store so Iām pretty good at managing.ā
It was true, Sullyoon ran a shoe store in the Village of Book End. The Glass Slipper Shoe Store is what she had named the place, and it was a nice store with various kinds of shoes (it was really just heels, but there were many different kinds of heels).
Needing all the help she could get, Chaehyun nodded. āDo you mind handling the decorations? Iāll do everything else.ā
Y/N listened silently as the girls began discussing their plans for the True Hearts Day Dance. She considered helping her friends, as she did care a great deal about them, but she wasnāt exactly good at being helpful. It was much easier for her to mess things up rather than fix them.
However she found herself bored by the topic, so she scanned the room to see who she could pull a prank on next.
Yuna Rose? Oh no, sheās fallen asleep again. What about Jake? Heās the best Charming to prank- never mind, heās talking to Karina. Maybeā¦
Y/N glanced towards Riki, who she could see leaving the Castleteria. A grin widened across her face as she let her body disappear from her spot on the table- the grin once again being the last part of her to disappear.
Riki, who was frantically walking back to Professor Rumplestiltskinās classroom in order to turn his paper in on time, tripped over what seemed to be thin air.
But it wasnāt, and that was clear when Y/N suddenly appeared next to him.
āSeriously? Again?ā Riki asked, though his tone was slightly playful. He didnāt want to cause an argument- despite the fact that he was feeling slightly annoyed.
He wasnāt too fond of being pranked all the time. But Riki couldnāt blame the girl too much, she was just doing what she had always done. That much he understood about her, having grown up together.
āThis is like, the 4th time this week.ā Hopefully she could pick up the hints.
āHey, I had to! The opportunity was just purrfect.ā Y/N made a clawing motion as she said that. āYouāre not butthurt, are you?ā
Riki found himself chuckling at that. She was really funny, that was one of her features that interested him. Not that he was interested in her, but rather sometimes he found his eyes wandering in her direction he found her intriguing. Besides what she portrayed on the outside, what did anyone really know about Y/N Cheshire? Nothing, truly. The more he thought about it the more he wanted to know. āNo, I could never. Youāre really funny, you know that?ā
Y/Nās face faltered for a second, but it was barely noticeable before she held her carefree expression once again.
āDonāt you have a paper to turn in? We wouldnāt want Rumplestiltskin to mark you down.ā
āOh yeah, I should probably goā¦ā
āCatch you later, Wonderland.ā Y/N teased, before disappearing once again.
Riki looked down on the essay in his hands before he snapped out of it and went back to turning it in.
Meanwhile, Y/N found herself back on the branch of her favorite tree in the forest. It was the place she would go to when she needed some time for herself.
And time for herself was needed after what had just happened.
Pranking Riki was something she figured wasnāt a big departure from her normal everyday life. She often crossed his path, so it made sense as to why she would choose him as a target. It wasnāt as though she was seeking him out on purpose, or waiting for him to pass by her locker so she could see his adorable expression. Or hear his voice, which she often heard in her dreams. In fact, it was so unlikely to happen that it didnāt. Y/N could barely even recall what his voice sounded like- thatās how uninterested she was in him. She didnāt even remember his name.
Yes, Y/N could care less about Riki. He was barely a thought that crossed her mind. A small, singular speck of an idea that didnāt hold any substance or weight in her world. She couldnāt waste her time with silly little things like love- after all, how could someone like her be worthy of being loved? All she knew how to do was ruin peopleās days.
How could she even like him? Y/N barely even knew the boy. All she really knew was that his birthday was on December 9th, his roommate is Beomgyu, he loves riddles, and misses Wonderland, a lot.
Though, she couldnāt forget his tendency to be overly curious like his mother Alice. Or that he started a chess club with Rei due to his smart nature! Or even his eyes that seemed to glisten with a deep passion every time Y/N would look into them. His pink, plump lips that seemed too soft to be realā¦
Maybe she knew more than she let on.
But that didnāt mean she liked him! It was only because of her observant nature, and the fact that she can easily turn invisible. That makes it easy to people-watch.
Riki wasnāt even worth watching. So really, he was just obvious about everything. Because how else could Y/N know all those facts about him when she didnāt like him at all?
Y/N pulled out a ball of yarn to crochet and get her mind out of the gutter. Her shaking hands picked up the hook- wait, why were her hands shaking?
It was then when she finally felt the warm blush on her cheeks, which she just realized had been sitting on her face since the Castleteria.
Could she be sick?
No, it was something entirely different. Y/N realized it all now.
Each encounter with Riki left her redder than Yujinās cloak, and her heart racing slightly faster than normal. It was so simple to see, but she had been in denial for so long.
Y/N had a crush on Riki.
Despite the realization, the idea made her feel weirded out. How could she let that happen?! Ever After High wasnāt the place to fall in love. With the majority of the students following their destinies, it wasnāt a shock to discover that Riki would as well. But Y/N could never amount to what he was worth- she was just a side character in his fairy tale. After their storybook ending, he would leave Wonderland and remember all his adventures as a dream. Plus, falling in love was too serious and committing for Y/N. She couldnāt be serious about anything.
But as she spotted her beloved in a faraway distance, she decided to get closer. Inconspicuously, of course.
There he stood as the spring sun shone down on him as if he werenāt real. Riki was only conversing with Beomgyu after turning in his essay, but he seemed to be the most ethereal being Y/N had laid her eyes upon. At one point he had thrown his head back in laughter, which sounded akin to a melody of angels singing in Y/Nās eyes. Everything about him was purrfect.
In a way, maybe falling in love didnāt sound so bad.
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5. Staring. Again.
Scratch that, it was a horrible thing to happen. How could she act around Riki the same if she had found out it was because she liked him all along?!
For Y/N, it was just easier to brush her feelings aside and continue doing what was simplest. Despite her love for chaos, she never meant to be truly evil or cause any problems. Itās all done in good fun and everyone knew that. Something as problematic as love was an issue that she never expected she would encounter while attending Ever After High.
But she couldnāt help how she felt and therefore had to come to terms with it all.
āYouāre staringā¦ Again~ā
Y/N turned around to see Chaehyun giggling at her with a teasing smirk. Although she didnāt specify what exactly Y/N was staring at, the cat girl knew what she was talking about- even if she didnāt realize she was staring until that point. But Y/N would never admit that Chaehyun was right. āStaring? At what?ā
The future cupid girl pointed at the object of Y/Nās attention for the past few minutes- as much as she would deny it she knew it was true. āYour future boyfriend!ā
āBoyfriend?ā Y/N stifled a laugh. āNo way, I was just thinking about how to prank him next.ā
Chaehyun sighed. She knew Y/N was stubborn but she wasnāt aware of just how stubborn the girl could be. Anyone with eyes could tell that Y/N looked at Riki with nothing but love in her eyes- so why did she deny it?
Chaehyun had no doubt it had anything to do with her feelings on her destiny.
Her eyes flitted over to something behind Y/N for a split second before she looked back at her.
āOh! That reminds me, I have to go set up some things for True Hearts Day. Iāll see you in class, yeah?ā Y/N lazily waved at her friend and watched her walk off. Just as Chaehyun had left, Y/N felt a hesitant tap on her shoulder.
Not liking the idea of someone being behind her, she quickly evaporated and appeared once again right behind the person who had tapped her. It was Riki.
āRiki Wonderland?ā Y/N had teleported so fast that Riki had heard her voice behind her before even seeing her disappear. āWhat, cat got your tongue?ā
The boy rolled his eyes at her corny joke. āVery funny. I just wanted to give you these.ā Y/N looked down at his hands and saw a freshly baked batch of cookies. Had heā¦ made them for her himself? For some reason, the idea of Riki spending some of his own time in the kitchen baking cookies especially for her made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. āMy mom sent me some from back home and I wanted to give them to the Wonderland kidsā¦ā
Oh, yeah that made sense. For a moment, it almost felt as though Riki cared about her. Y/N wasnāt sure why she let herself get her hopes up so easily- what was happening? The sight of Riki made her feel soā¦ so giddy. Perhaps realizing her feelings wasnāt such a smart move after all. She found herself acting out of character and thinking all kinds of thoughts.
āHello? Y/N?ā Riki waved a hand to her face, which snapped her out of her thoughts. She could only hope that her attraction wasnāt obvious from her facials.
Y/N slowly grabbed a cookie from the plate. It was soft and warm- it felt like home. āCookies, for me?ā Her gaze moved its way upwards until it found itself on Rikiās face. āAre they poisoned or something?ā
āIs it so hard to believe someone wants to do something nice for you?ā Riki said jokingly as he sighed. Grabbing a cookie from the container, he took Y/Nās hand in his own and opened it up to place another cookie in her hand. āJust take it, Y/N. After all, weāre friends arenāt we?ā
Just for a second, Y/N could feel her carefree facade fade into his presence. Friends? Had he really considered them friends all along? But just as quickly as it went, her guise had come back. āAre we, Wonderland? I donāt know if you knew this, but we never even talked to each other before this year.ā
āWell, you never really seemed to be fond of me. For whatever reason that is, I like to think of it as water under the bridge.ā Riki smiled. āAfter all, Iāve considered us friends ever since we were young. Even though we didnāt talk back then, I still feel that we gained an understanding of one another after that night we spent together. Donāt you remember?ā
Soā¦ he does remember?
Just as Y/N was about to ask the reason as to why they never spoke often after that night, the night that had felt special to her, she stopped herself. She didnāt want to come off as overly curious, even if that was what she truly was.
And besides, she preferred not to hear him say that she was the problem all along.
Satisfied with their newfound status of friendship, Y/N gave him a smile. A genuine smile. Her first real one in such a while. āYou flatter me, Wonderland. Hopefully my nature doesnāt make you change your mind.ā
The boy nodded and gave her a smirk. āIāve grown accustomed to how you are so whatever it is you think would drive me away is something Iāve mentally prepared for.ā
Wanting to mess with him for a bit, Y/N stepped slightly closer to Riki. āOh, really? You think too much of yourself and too little of me.ā
Riki bent down while maintaining eye contact with the girl. His height was truly impressive. āI donāt think youāre as threatening or scary as you think you are.ā
As besotted with the boy Y/N was, she didnāt take it lightly when people underestimated her. It was something her mother did often and something that she was tired of feeling used to.
Y/N knew very well how capable she was of more than what she let on. She just hadnāt utilized it yet.
So the cat girl found herself formulating a plan in her head to prove it all wrong.
After all, Y/N Cheshire was a rebel. Stubbornness and pride were her best virtues.
She quickly teleported behind Riki and whispered a ābooā to startle him- and startled he was.
āAnd I donāt think you know as much about me as you think you do.ā
āYouāre staring, Riki.ā
The son of Alice left his train of thoughts as his best friend snuck up behind him. It was a week after he had officially befriended Y/N and the boy found her on his mind quite often. His curiosity of her shone brighter after she had challenged him. Of course he knew it was all in good fun, and they had been talking more casually ever since that day. During classes, during passing periods, and occasionally he would sit with her during lunch. They discussed many topics, just about anything that crossed their minds at the time. The two found it easy to fall into step with one another.
Y/N even found herself calming her catty personality when she was with Riki. It was surprising, because she hadnāt even done that with Ningning or Chaehyun. Why did she act in such a way with a boy?
As much as she wanted to deny it, Y/N knew Riki was the last person she wanted to think badly of her. Because of that, she had slowly stopped doing the small, petty pranks on him. She figured that the more she did them, the more annoyed he would get with her. Y/N decided that the prank she was planning for him would be the last one she would do. Ever.
It begged the question, why had they postponed this friendship for so long? They definitely had a connection with one another and found it very simple to get along. Conversation came easily. It made no sense as to why it had taken 17 years to get to the point where they stood currently.
Riki knew it was something on both ends. He could tell that not just one party was to blame. Because he did make efforts to speak to her on occasion, but at the same time she did as well. It was just that when a conversation was started, the other would have trouble continuing it. Perhaps it was some sort of subconscious fear.
Whatever it was, that was all in the past. It was the current day and Y/N Cheshire and Riki Wonderland had become friends.
āRiki?ā
The boy brought himself out of his thoughts once more as his best friend waved a hand in front of his face. āYou zoned out again. Why do you keep staring at Y/N?ā
That was the question Riki kept asking himself. āItās not on purpose. At least, I donāt think. Maybe she just happens to be there.ā
āYou sound unsure.ā Soul said in a thoughtful manner. The cogs in his head began to turn. āMaybeā¦ Oh my gosh- do you like Y/N?ā
The thought was baffling. āLike? Of course not! I just find herā¦ interesting.ā
āRight, thatās why youāre friends with her now. Because you find her interesting.ā Soul teased. That was one thing that Riki disliked about his best friend, that he was so determined in his ideals that he had to see them through each time. āHow did you even come to like her? Sheās not exactly your type.ā
āWell thatās just it Iām not sure how-ā Riki began, but then stopped once he realized what he was unconsciously admitting.
Soul smirked. āGo on.ā
Riki let out a sigh and finally let his guard down. āI donāt really know how it started. My interest in her, that is. Iām not too sure if I would classify it as a crush or anything of that sort but I guess one day my eyes just started to drift in her direction?ā
He sort of lied. Riki knew that it was because of that night when they were 11, ever since he noticed something different about her. When he listened to her talk, he could tell that she had some sort of sadness about her that she could never quite talk about.
It made him curious.
A wistful breath came out of Souls mouth. āHow romantic. I love unlikely romances, theyāre very interesting. I suppose it was about time you found someone you were interested in.ā He patted a hand on his friends back in congratulations. āAre you going to do something about it?ā
āNo, definitely not. At least- not until I figure out if what Iām feeling is really romantic or just a friendly interest.ā
Just as Soul was about to respond, someone tapped on Rikiās shoulder. āHey!ā They both turned around to be faced with Chaehyun.
āOkay so keep it hush, especially to Headmaster Grimm, but Iām setting up a dance to spellebrate True Hearts Day. Everyoneās invited!ā Chaehyun handed them both envelopes. The envelopes were lathered in pink and had their names on it. āTrue Hearts Day was a holiday where people spellebrated following their true hearts desire, and Headmaster Grimm has banned us from even knowing about it.ā
āThat tracks. Ever since Karina did what she did last year, heās been trying to silence us now more than ever.ā Riki stated.
āExactly. Which is why this dance is a secret from him and will be held in a location he doesnāt know about.ā Chaehyun smiled. āWill you be there?ā
āOf course!ā Soul nudged Riki. āWeāll both go.ā
A cheer emitted from Chaehyunās throat before she went to pass out more invitations.
For Riki, he knew what he had to do before the dance. He would have to discover how he felt about Y/N.
Because if he had a crush, then he would ask her to go with him.
On the other side of the lockers, Y/N stared at the concoction in her hands. It was nothing less than ugly. But it was beautiful work, and ideas bloomed through her mind as she thought about what to do with it.
āAnd youāre doing thisā¦ to prove a point?ā Ningning asked, as she recounted what Y/N had told her moments prior. āIsnāt that a bitā¦ far?ā
āItās just a little prank! Iāve done far worse to him before.ā Y/N rolled her eyes. āBesides, do I need a reason to prank someone? Iām the d-ā
ā-daughter of the Cheshire Cat, I know. But do you need to be so proud of it?ā
Y/N raised an eyebrow. āWhat do you mean?ā
Ningning sighed. āAll Iām saying isā¦ you could at least know when to draw the line.ā
Y/N gave it a bit of a thought. Draw the line? It wasnāt that simple for her. Y/N was just doing what she had always done. No one had ever told her when to stop, and no one had ever told her how to behave otherwise. How could she ever know otherwise? And at the end of the day, it was all just for a good laugh!
Of course, she knew Ningning had a point. She wasnāt an idiot- she could tell that people werenāt too fond of her. Though they never stated it outright, Y/N knew that her fun had stained peopleās impressions of her.
But it was all she was good for.
And besides, wouldnāt Riki laugh at a prank such as this? He always did get a chuckle out of her mischief. The idea of making him laugh with that infectious laugh of his burned through Y/Nās mind.
āIāll draw the line when I want to draw the line.ā
With that, Y/N disappeared- leaving Ningning to stare at the spot where she once stood and sigh.
This is going to take a lot of workā¦ Iām going to need to-
āHey Ning!ā
Ningning looked behind her to see Chaehyun approaching with an armful of envelopes. āHave you seen Y/N? I need to give her one of the invitations as well but I havenāt seen her around all day.ā
āYou just missed her, but I can hold onto the envelope and give it to her when weāre together.ā Ningning smiled at her friend who she had just noticed had a troubled expression on her face.
āCool! While weāre together, I need to talk to you about something.ā
āMe too. Can we talk somewhere private?ā
āYou read my mind.ā
ąØ:ą§āāā Ā· Ā· āāāąØ:ą§
6. He was a star, and she was anything but.
Y/N wished her mother didnāt call as often as she did.
The two were having one of their weekly calls through the MirrorPhone, and Y/N wasnāt sure if she could take one more second of her motherās incessant nagging. Usually she could handle it, but for some reason she seemed to be more overbearing than usual.
And most of the time, she only called to see what pranks she was pulling and not to actually talk to her.
āYouāre only pulling baby pranks, darling.ā The Cheshire Cat spoke while filing her nails. āYou should be able to do better. After all, this is all youāre good for anyways.ā
This is all youāre good for.
It didnāt help her self worth when her own mother pressured her in that way.
Y/N sighed and bit her tongue. She couldnāt speak up to her mother, not when she was one of the only people she could trust. āBut I canāt really do much when Iām at school, mother.ā
The woman paused her nail filing to give her daughter a slight glare. āThen that means youāre not good enough.ā
Y/N felt her words get choked up in her throat. āIām trying my best!ā Attempting to hold back tears, Y/N disliked how her mother spoke to her oftentimes. She figured she could handle it since it was her mother, but at some point it just became too much.
āTry harder sweetie.ā The Cheshire Cat gave her a sickly sweet smile. āBe honest, is a boy distracting you?ā
Yes.
āOf course not, mother.ā Y/N stated.
Though, one thing she had forgotten about was her tendency to lick her lips a bit more than usual when she lied. And one thing her mother did right was notice the small things about her.
The Cheshire Cat gasped. āThere is a boy!ā She pondered on this idea for a second, examining her daughter through the MirrorPhone. She had made it a point to Y/N that boys would only get in the way and that romance shouldnāt be on her mind throughout high school, and she would stand by that point no matter what. But perhaps what her daughter needed was a push in the wrong direction. āTell me, who is he? And how did it happen?ā
Y/N knew she couldnāt lie anymore to her mother, so she decided to come clean. Despite their strained relationship, wouldnāt it feel nice to be able to discuss her feelings with someone?
Her mother was harsh and cruel, but she wasnāt a monster. Surely she would be able to help.
The only problem was that she didnāt know where to begin. After all, she didnāt even know where her feelings began. Was it that day by the front of the school where she realized she liked him? Or was there a time before then that she had caught feelings without even knowing? As someone who didnāt receive much love growing up and had never liked anyone else, it was hard to tell.
She thought back to all the times she had interacted with Riki. Perhaps there was a common denominator between each moment, one that could pinpoint a beginning.
It was then that she realized that there was a certain moment that stood in the back of her mind whenever Riki was around (or when she thought about him).
It was after a fight Y/N had with her mother when she was 11. At one point, she became too stressed with all the expectations the Cheshire Cat had on her, and certain feelings began to bubble up within her. It came to a stop when her and her mother had blown up on each other and things got too tense for Y/N to stay at home. Without her dad present, it was tough having to live with someone who both expected so much of you but also didnāt believe you were worth anything.
Due to her conflicting feelings, she ended up running out of the house in an attempt to find somewhere to calm down. Though in Wonderland, there werenāt many options. No matter where you went there was bound to be chaos.
So Y/N ran. She found herself running and running until she could find somewhere to sit peacefully and stay unbothered. It was just too much for her 11 year old brain to stay in such a place that fostered a toxic mindset.
And eventually, she found a spot. It was nearby the portal between Wonderland and Ever After, so perhaps part of that world was seeping into Wonderland. Whatever it was, she had found a hilltop so hidden from the rest of Wonderland that there was practically no noise. It was so high above the world that one wrong step and Y/N would be falling to her death. From where Y/N was curled up within the trees, she could see the stars.
Y/N loved stargazing. It was something that she couldnāt do often but loved doing while she could. With all the pressures from her mom and herself, something she could count on to be a constant was looking at the stars. The way the shimmer of the stars starkly contrasted the gloom of the night sky- she felt that she could easily get lost in its beauty. Not only were they beautiful, but there was something about the way the stars twinkled that made her want to shine just as brightly. Each star perfectly had its own place amongst the skyā¦ could she be like that too? Was there somewhere she could have her own place in? In another world, Y/N was a star. She wanted to be able to contribute to a bigger picture, and not just be a side character in anotherās story. Perhaps when she died, she could be reincarnated as a star. Was that even possible?
Until then she would stay down on the ground, waiting to take her place amongst the stars.
Y/N was so entranced by her own thoughts that she didnāt notice a figure slowly come into her view.
āIs there any more room up here?ā The voice said.
Out of instinct, Y/N gasped and quickly disappeared. It was a defense mechanism that had become a habit when she learned to control her powers.
But as her vision started to focus once more and she reappeared, Y/N realized who it was.
Riki Wonderland.
Confused, she raised an eyebrow. āWhat are you doing here?ā
āI could ask you the same thing. This is my spot.ā He said in such confidence. āI found it years ago and Iāve been coming here to stargaze ever since.ā
Riki stargazed? Y/N couldnāt see that as something befitting of his character.
āI just wanted to get out of the house, I guess.ā Y/N shrugged. āSo, you stargaze?ā
āItās just something I realized I enjoyed after the first time I did it.ā Riki stated, a small smile placed upon his face that Y/N had never seen before.
Not wanting to be a nuisance, Y/N sat up. āWell if youāre here now, I might as well just leave. Have fun with your stars, Wonderland.ā
Before Y/N could disappear, Riki grabbed her arm. āWait,ā the girl looked into his eyes as she decided to hear out what he had to say. āyou should stay. Itās not like I own this place anyways.ā
It wasnāt that she disliked Riki, and in all honesty she found him rather cute. But wouldnāt it be awkward if it was just the two of them? Y/N didnāt have an easy time socializing with people either way, but with Riki it would be even harder. It was awkward knowing that they were so close to being friends but it had never happened. But with the pleading look in his eyes, how could she say no?
There was something about him that made her soft.
Y/N sighed and slowly agreed. If Riki wanted her there, perhaps she should stay. So the two laid on opposite sides of the branch together, and silently looked up at a world they could only dream of being a part of.
After some time, Riki opened his mouth. āI know I already asked this earlier, but why did you come here? You know, to stargaze.ā As if he wasnāt satisfied with her answer.
He was right in thinking that her answer wasnāt what she truly wanted to say, but it just felt awkward to give an exact reason. Her relationship with her mom was something she could barely tell her only 3 friends about, let alone someone she barely considered an acquaintance.
But Y/N knew Riki was a reliable guy; she had heard it often from Soul, Rei, and Giselle. And maybe for once she would let herself put faith into another person.
āIāll only tell you if you tell me why you like stargazing.ā
Riki blew out a breath in thought. āHmā¦ I donāt know if I can give an exact reason for that. I was just bored one day and ended up coming across this place. Thatās what made me stargaze, but something about it just felt so comforting to me that I wanted to do it more often.ā He answered, a soft smile gracing his lips. āBut thatās not exactly a good reason.ā
āI think it suits you.ā Y/N whispered out. āIām sure you have your own stresses with being the son of Alice in Wonderland. It would make sense that having a hobby like this to come back to is something you enjoy.ā
He pondered on it for a moment. Maybe she was right. He then chuckled at this side of her he had never seen before. āYouāre a lot more poetic than you let on. Anyways I answered your question, can you answer mine?ā
Y/N considered answering it, she truly did, but as much as she wanted to open up there was the side of her that wanted to keep everything inside. Her mother had always told her that vocalizing your feelings does nothing good and only makes people pity you.
One thing Y/N despised was being pitied. It only reminded her of how her mother referred to her as a āpitiful girlā and how she would amount to nothing.
So she slowly shook her head. āNo, I donāt think I can.ā
Riki felt himself beginning to sit up to look at the girl. There was something off about her. The way she spoke to him and the way that she carried herselfā¦ she wasnāt acting as she always had. Normal Y/N would be more playful and even mischievous. But now, there was a certain sadness in her entire being that seemed to be throwing her off her rhythm. And it only made Riki more and more curious about her.
āOkay, I get it. You donāt have to tell me.ā Riki smiled, before continuing. āI just hope it doesnāt take away your chaotic spirit. You know, I kind of like that about you.ā
A sigh left Y/Nās lips at his words. āYou donāt mean that, Wonderland.ā
āI mean every word, Cheshire.ā
Y/N could only roll her eyes before slowly evaporating into the night, using her invisibility and teleportation to finally go back home.
Left lingering in the air was her Cheshireās smile, which disappeared last and left Riki staring at the wisps of where she had sat only moments prior.
Maybe it made sense that Riki enjoyed stargazing. In a way, there was something about him that was made of the stars. No matter what he did, he always seemed to shine brighter than all the others. There was something about Riki that felt that he belonged up in the sky, giving life to the night and adding a certain glimmer to the auras.
Riki had his own place amongst the sky, and she wished she could be like that too. But after speaking to him, maybe there was nowhere she could have her own place in. Y/N could only wait for the day that she could contribute to a bigger picture, and take a larger part in his story. After all, she had always wanted her own place within the stars.
But for now, all she could do was hope she would become more than just the Cheshire Catās daughter.
Y/N carefully recounted her memories from that night, and how it had stuck with her and unknowingly fostered her feelings for Riki. As she told the story, she didnāt seem to notice the Cheshire Cat don a mischievous smile.
If her daughter wasnāt going to improve on her own, then she would have to make her improve.
ąØ:ą§āāā Ā· Ā· āāāąØ:ą§
7. āYouā¦r opinion?ā
Liz had a habit of expecting the worst out of most situations. Perhaps it came from the fact that her destiny involved bearsā¦ big scary bearsā¦ but it was understandable. Bears werenāt known for being the most gentle creatures, after all.
So when she noticed a suspicious vial of liquid in Y/Nās bag during their Advanced Ballet class, Lizās mind raced with negative thoughts. What was she up to? Did it have anything to do with pranking? Or maybe it was for a class assignment?
Liz truly didnāt mean to think the worst of Y/N, but she couldnāt exactly help it. Being kind wasnāt exactly in her forte and Liz was too much of a paranoid person to ignore seeing that vial.
But she also didnāt want to profile the girl for doing something that she wasnāt going to do in the first place. Liz knew that doing so wasnāt just right. So she looked around the room to see if anyone had seen her internal battle. Deciding that it had gone unnoticed, Goldilocksā daughter let out a shaky breath and continued to practice her jetĆ©s.
āAre you still going to-ā Ningning said, but paused when she realized she was being a bit too loud- especially considering the subject of the conversation was in that very room. Why was he there anyways? He didnāt even take Advanced Balletā¦ āAre you still going to prank Riki?ā She continued in a hushed whisper.
Y/N giggled at Ningningās apparent stress. Although she disliked making her friends upset, it was still sort of funny that she had that effect on them. āWell, I donāt see why I shouldnāt.ā
Ningning frowned. āWell first of all, itās rude.ā
āHey, if youāre not funny just say that!ā
āBe seriousā¦ā Y/N made a hand movement indicating that she was shutting her mouth. Ningning then continued with her list. āIt causes unnecessary problems. And besides, Riki isnāt going to like y-ā
āWhat about Riki?ā
Y/N and Ningningās heads swiftly turned to face the voice- it was Beomgyu and Riki. Y/N could see Ningning get a little shy for reasons she decided to ignore. Beomgyu? Really? You can do better Ningā¦
āDonāt think youāre all that, Wonderland.ā Y/N grinned. āWe were talking about Ricky Jester.ā
Beomgyu groaned. āUgh, I hate that guy. Heās so annoying, I mean, we donāt care th-ā His rant was cut short when Riki pressed a hand against Beomgyuās mouth. āThanks man, I forgot heās in this class.ā
Ningning chuckled. āDonāt be such a hater, Beomgyu.ā
Ningning and Beomgyu proceeded to start their own conversation, with Beomgyu whispering to her all the things he found wrong with Ricky. Y/N felt happy for her friend in that moment, and let a small smile show on her face. It wasnāt intentional, and in fact she hadnāt even noticed it was there. But someone else noticed.
Riki couldnāt deny that he felt a certain emotion bubble in his stomach when he saw the genuine happiness on Y/Nās face. Y/N, the same girl who was often cold and didnāt show any of her softer emotions. Something about that made her happiness reflect onto him.
It was odd. He enjoyed seeing her in such a state, but he figured he felt more than he should have in that circumstance. Why did he feel like that?
No, Riki wasnāt dumb and he wasnāt the type to lie about his feelings. He could tell exactly what it was.
But was he pleased with the outcome? Riki wasnāt sure. Though he told himself that he would come to terms with whatever decision he made about his feelings on Y/N, it was easier said than done. After all, he knew that being romantically involved with the girl would come with work. A lot of work. He was also worried that everything was too rushed, and that he wasnāt thinking straight. Maybe his thought process was clouded with what he thought he wanted to happen.
Once again, the H/C female was left to her own thoughts- which obviously drifted to the boy next to her. She couldn't help it. He made her rather stable heart go all crazy when he was around.
Thoughts of confessing were brought up, but then immediately shut down because of how ridiculous it sounded. The idea of Riki having mutual feelings towards her seemed so out of the ballpark. After all, it was her. She was someone who had trouble facing her own feelings, and put up a front to hide all her troubles and insecurities. Riki always seemed put together. How could a guy such as himself possibly think about dating her?
At the same time of Y/N having doubts in her head, Riki had finally come to a conclusion. He pondered on it for a while, and he knew it was too obvious to ignore.
Riki liked Y/N.
It made him wonder, how long had he felt that way? He couldnāt help but think of the possibility of his crush starting even back then, on the day that he and Y/N shared under the stars.
He wondered if being hyper aware of Y/N and all that she does was because he liked her, or because he was a naturally curious person. He also wondered if him noticing the way her hair fell behind her ears was also because he liked her.
āHey Riki, I have a question.ā Y/N started, her cat-like eyes closing to a slant. āWhy are you in our class today? I didnāt think someone like you would take Advanced Ballet. Donāt you dance hip hop?ā
Snapping out of his thoughts, Riki considered the question. Why was he there? The simple answer was because Beomgyu, who actually did take the class, invited him to join since Riki had a free period.
But he thought back to the moment that Beomgyu asked, and what he said that got him to go.
āYou know a lot of people in that class, actually.ā Beomgyu said before listing off the people he could recall. āLiz, Ricky, Yuna, Wonyoung, Jake, Ningning, Y/N-ā
Of course, Riki remembered. All the other names seemed to fade as he heard that last one.
āIt was because of you-ā Riki blurted out, without even thinking. He had to save himself before Y/N could catch onto his mistake. ā-your opinion. I.. wanted to get your opinion on my outfit today since youāre very straightforward.ā
What?! Why did I say that?
Slightly disappointed at his answer, Y/N looked at the boy up and down. Her opinion? He looked cute. As always.
āItās hideous.ā
A smirk made its way to Y/Nās face even though she didnāt agree with what she said. Though she usually acted calmer around Riki, teasing him every now and then didnāt do any harm.
āHideous?! Hey, itās really not that bad.ā Riki chuckled. āItās literally just an oversized jacket and baggy jeans!ā
Y/N raised an eyebrow. āUm, donāt forget that you asked for my opinion, Wonderland.ā
āAnd your opinion is wrong.ā Riki said. āAlso why do you call me Wonderland all the time?ā
Beomgyu looked over at Y/N and Riki. He noticed the way they conversed, and how Y/Nās expression seemed softer than normal despite her mischievous jabs. He also picked up on Rikiās facials, and how his eyes seemed to sparkle in a certain way that Beomgyu had never seen before. It was interesting to see how his aura changed in the slightest when he was with Y/N.
Without realizing, Beomgyu was staring at Y/N while thinking about how glad he was that Riki found someone he liked.
He glanced over at Ningning to see if she had seen it as well, but stopped his trailing eyes when he noticed Riki giving him a weird face. Did he do something wrong?
Under the impression that Beomgyu was staring at Y/N because he was interested, Riki felt a wave of jealousy wash over his system. He never considered himself the possessive type, however, he had just realized his feelings for Y/N. It made sense that his brain was scattered and his emotions left him rather vulnerable.
For once in his life, Riki felt himself getting jealous of one of his friends. It wasnāt an instance that occurred often, as Riki knew he was a rather fortunate guy and that he had a lot to be grateful for, but he couldnāt help it this time.
Falling for Y/N Cheshire, Riki knew, came with a lot of work. He knew she had a lot of mental troubles she would need to work through, and Riki himself needed to navigate through these unfamiliar emotions.
It was work, but Riki was willing to put in the work for Y/N.
Amongst all the newfound realizations and bubbling emotions, one girl snuck away from her spot next to the group. She had been eavesdropping on their conversation for longer than intended, but what really stuck with her was what Ningning and Y/N discussed in the beginning.
Y/Nā¦ pranking Riki again?
Maybe it wasnāt anything to worry about. After all, she did prank Riki rather often. It was well known amongst the student body.
But she couldnāt shake the unsettling feeling that came over her body when she thought about what Y/N could possibly do, and the guilt that she would feel if she didnāt at least try to stop it.
Though she held a certain degree of respect for Y/N, one thing the girl stood heavily for was justice. As soon as she was far away from the group she pulled out her phone and went into Rikiās contact.
āHey Riki, itās me. Liz.ā
ąØ:ą§āāā Ā· Ā· āāāąØ:ą§
8. You make everyone miserable.
During the day time, it was common for Ever After High students to meet up at Hocus Latte. It was a common hang out spot between friends, though oftentimes if a girl asked a guy or vice versa people would assume it was for a date.
That was why Riki felt conflicted when he read Lizās text.
āI need to talk to you. Meet me at Hocus Latte at 3 p.m for a quick chatā He reread to confirm the meeting time.
On one hand it made sense, because Yuna Rose worked there and the two were rather close. But did she not think about the message she might have accidentally sent? Riki tried not to think about it too deeply because he doubted Liz had a crush on him.
As he sat inside Hocus Latte waiting for Liz to arrive, his phone vibrated indicating he had received another text.
āActually I might be running late because there were some technical troubles for my MirrorCast show, but I sent over one of my friends to keep you company. Sorry about that!ā
A wave of nervousness washed over his body as he read over her text. Who did she send? Riki didnāt usually find it hard to get along with others, but not knowing who he was going to have to hang out with gave him an unsettling feeling. His mind racked through the roster of Lizās friends, and who she was most likely to send.
Itās definitely not Yuna because sheās working right now, maybe Jake? But he works for her MirrorCast show and if they were having technical troubles then she probably would have him help. What about Wonyoung- actually no, he could only hope it wasnāt her. The daughter of Snow White was someone he found rather intimidating, despite how nice she genuinely was.
As Riki pondered over the possibilities, he noticed a familiar form come into his view.
āYou look stupid sitting here alone.ā
Riki looked up and noticed Y/Nās signature Cheshire grin, something he hadnāt seen since they had become friends but he surely missed. He enjoyed the calm(ish) side of her that she had been presenting to him as of late, but he couldnāt help but miss the side of her that interested him in the first place. Though whatever side Y/N wanted to show him was one he was willing to accept.
He felt his heart pick up its pace as Y/N sat in the empty chair. His entire mind had been consumed by her, thinking about her almost every waking hour ever since he realized his crush on her. But despite that, he hadnāt actually expected to see her. They were good friends but the silly, fluttery feelings he felt for her still made being around her both exciting and difficult.
āDid Liz send you here?ā Riki asked with a raised eyebrow. āI didnāt know you guys were friends.ā
Y/N giggled. āOh yeah, her and I are like this!ā She crossed her fingers to indicate that they were close. āShe loves me so much she made a MirrorCast episode about me!ā
Riki remembered watching that episode, perhaps more so than he shouldāve. Looking back on it, the signs that he had feelings for her were obvious. He just didnāt notice.
What happened is in the past. Now that I know I like her, Iām going to pursue her.
āIt makes sense, I mean, you are a likable person.ā Riki said, before taking a sip of her drink. Before Y/N could vocalize her confusion, he spoke once more. āDo you want a drink? I can order you one.ā
āOh, Iām good.ā Not dropping her smirk, Y/N winked at Riki. āI already ordered one anyways.ā
As Riki was about to ask what she meant, she had already turned herself intangible and disappeared. Moments passed with Riki just looking around and waiting for Y/N to come back, and eventually she did.
With a drink.
āHow did you get that?ā
āI ordered it, duh.ā Y/N wore an expression that read āobviouslyā.
If anyone bothered to look in the back of the cafe, they would see Yuna in the kitchen covered in water and the drink she just finished making gone from her hands.
For unrelated reasons, of course.
Riki could tell that she hadnāt just ordered the drink, but he wasnāt about to point that out. He knew that Y/N could be annoying at times, but he knew she would never cross the line. He trusted her not to do that because he knew deep down, despite everything, she was a good person.
āDid you finish your Chemythstry paper?ā Riki asked, changing the subject. āI heard from Jay that Rumplestiltskin is grading it harder than our past papers because he wants us to fail. That way if we ask for extra credit, he can punish us and make us spin straw into gold for him. Isnāt that sick in the head?ā
Y/N stifled a laugh as she thought about their professor. āReally? Thatās kind of funny, actually.ā
Rolling his eyes in a teasing manner, Riki smiled. āRight, I forgot thatās pretty on brand for you. Just wait until he asks you to do it, maybe it wonāt be funny then.ā
āPlease, Rumplestiltskin loves me.ā Y/N said, emphasizing the āloveā. āAnd even if he tried to fail me I would just turn it into a passing grade without him seeing.ā
āI remember when you fell asleep in his class and he just let you sleep. If that were any one of us, he wouldāve yelled in our faces.ā Riki reminisced.
Y/N stuck her tongue out at him. āIt must suck not being the favorite.ā
āIāll have you know Pied Piper loves me.ā
āThatās not a flexā¦ Everytime he plays the trumpet, rats fall from the sky. And for some reason he keeps doing it??ā
āAt least my professor is taller than 4 feet.ā
āAt least mine doesnāt like classic rock.ā
āIsnāt your mom friends with Pied Piper?ā
āSo? That doesnāt mean I have to like himā¦ā
The two went back and forth for a while, though it was all in good fun. It felt nice to be able to banter and tease each other and know that neither of them meant any harm by it.
Riki enjoyed speaking to Y/N, because he thought she was fun. Y/N enjoyed speaking to Riki, because she felt that she could be herself around him.
Though, all good things must come to an end. Y/N felt one of her senses pick up suddenly, and she realized her time with Riki was one of those good things.
She had to leave before Liz noticed she was there.
āItās been fun, Wonderland, but I have to dip.ā Y/N said. āDuty calls, you know?ā
Before he could utter out a ābyeā, Y/N had already disappeared and was out of his sight.
Moments after, Liz finally arrived.
āHi Riki! Sorry for running late, there was this whole thing with the routers and Jake kept accidentally breaking things and-ā
Riki waved it off before she could continue to ramble. āItās alright! Thank you for sending someone to keep me company, it was fun.ā
Liz smiled knowing that she did something helpful. āIām glad, Chae was excited even though I asked her last minute. Weird, right? I didnāt realize you guys were friends.ā
As Liz continued on about how Chaehyun was willing to drop what she was doing to accompany Riki, he paused. Did she say Chaehyun?
Didnāt she send Y/N?
āWait, Chaehyun?ā Riki asked, hoping he hadnāt heard the name incorrectly.
Confused, Liz stopped what she was saying to clarify. āYes? She was the one I asked. Did she not tell you that?ā
The pieces finally clicked in Rikiās head, and he felt a bit dumb for not noticing it sooner. Suspicious behavior was all a part of Y/Nās character but she hadnāt been acting in such a way as of late. For her to come and suddenly revert back to that was something that Riki shouldāve thought about. That paired with her leaving so suddenlyā¦
But one thing didnāt make sense, why did Y/N come instead of Chaehyun in the first place?
Before Liz could comment on Rikiās prolonged silence, he awkwardly laughed. āSorry, yeah. Chaehyun mentioned it, I just thought you said Chaewon and I wanted to clarify.ā
Whatever the reason was for Y/N to lie, he figured outing her to Liz wouldnāt be helpful.
āSo, what did you want to talk about?ā
āOh right!ā Liz jumped up, almost having forgotten why she wanted to meet with Riki in the first place. āI overheard something during Advanced Ballet, and I just wanted to tell you about it because I think you deserve to know.ā
Advanced Ballet? Oh right, Liz was in Y/N and Beomgyuās class. He recalled seeing her for a brief moment that day when he crashed their lesson.
The way she was putting everything made Riki slightly nervous, but he could only hope it wasnāt anything too bad. āOkay, what is it?ā
āI saw a weird vial of liquid in Y/Nās bag, and I overheard her talking to Ningning about wanting to prank you. I know she pranks you often, but I just didnāt feel right seeing all that and not doing anything about it.ā
Riki let out a laugh at what she said. āThank you for being concerned, but she always does this and Iām okay with that. I know she would never cross the line.ā
āThatās good! I just wanted to let you know so you could prepare if anything.ā Liz smiled, glad he had taken it so well. She knew that Riki and Y/N were decent friends so she didnāt feel particularly worried about the fact that he was alright with her. āI also know Beomgyu was mentioning to Ningning that you were sick of getting pranked, so I wanted to make sure it wasnāt anything-ā She paused what she was saying when a memory popped into her head. āWait, I just remembered something. Did you know Beomgyu has a crush on Y/N?ā
Riki felt his heart stop when Liz said those words.
Beomgyu had a crush on Y/N? His Y/N? How could he!
Of course Riki never vocalized his crush on her, but he had hoped that Beomgyu would be able to notice.
āO-Oh, does he really?ā Riki nervously laughed, trying not to let his disappointment show. It would be embarrassing if Liz found out Riki felt the same. āHe never told me thatā¦ā
āHe never said it explicitly, but when he and Ningning were talking I saw him look over at Y/N a lot. He was probably asking Ningning for help on how to ask her out, since sheās one of Y/Nās best friends.ā Liz chuckled. āIsnāt it so cute! I think they fit each other well. Donāt you? Maybe heāll ask her to the True Hearts Day dance!ā
No, they donāt fit each other at all. Beomgyu was annoying and stupid, and Y/N was funny and smart. She was far too beautiful on the inside to be with someone who often stole food from the Castleteria.
Riki didnāt care that Y/N also stole food. To him, it was only alright when she did it. Everything in his eyes was alright when it was done by Y/N.
But regardless, Riki didnāt want Y/N to be stunted by being with Beomgyu. He loved his friend, but he knew that he had a lot of room to mature before he gave his heart to another.
At the end of the day, Riki knew one thing and that was that he was the only one fit for Y/N.
Because he liked her. No, maybe even loved.
Though, he couldnāt admit that. Not now. āYeah, they would look great.ā He said through gritted teeth.
After wrapping up their conversation Liz and Riki decided to walk back to Ever After High together. It was getting late, and Riki was worried about Liz getting back safely.
And as much as he tried to be present in whatever Liz was saying about how to make the best porridge, he just couldnāt pay attention. All he could think about was Beomgyu and Y/N being together. The thought made him sick to his stomach. The idea of them holding handsā¦ whispering sweet nothings into each othersā earsā¦ kissing- It was all too much. He couldnāt stand thinking about it, yet he was addicted to the thought. He kept thinking up different scenarios that would occur if the two ever started dating.
While distracted, Riki felt a gust of wind blow behind him. He tried not to think too much about it but it felt a little unsettling.
He brushed it off, and tried to pay attention to what Liz was rambling about.
ā-and then you have to drizzle it with honey! But the honey you get has to be just right, it canāt be too sweet but it also canāt be too flavorless. So thatās something you have to think about.ā Liz stopped for a moment when she noticed that Riki wasnāt exactly paying attention. āHey, are you okay?ā
Riki was about to respond, however he was interrupted when he heard a familiar giggle fill the air. Suddenly, he felt a hole open up underneath him until he eventually fell through, falling for about 10 feet before he landed on hard rock.
āRiki, are you okay?!ā Liz shouted from above. She looked around where she found a rope on the ground next to a tree, so she picked it up and threw it down to Riki to help him up. āWhat the hell happened??ā
Still shaken up, Riki brushed the dirt off his clothes as he climbed up the rope. āIā¦ I have no idea. One moment I was standing and all of a sudden I was on the ground.ā
Once he got back onto the surface, the adrenaline eventually went away and he could finally feel the pain shoot up his ankle.
A giggle was heard from a distance, the same giggle that Riki had heard moments prior to falling. It was a little too familiar for his liking, and he hoped that it wasnāt who he thought it was.
āWhat happened to you, Wonderland?ā
Riki and Liz looked to the side and Riki felt his heart drop for the second time that day.
There Y/N stood, looking cute and innocent as ever, as if she wasnāt causing a storm to brew within Rikiās heart.
Was she the one who made him fall?
āWhy are you asking when youāre the one who did this?ā Riki muttered, hurt shown on his face.
The previously lighthearted expression on Y/Nās face slowly shifted into a confused one. What was he talking about? āWell, Iām flattered you think Iām capable of something like this but I donāt even know what happened to you.ā
āDonāt lie, donāt you think itās weird that I fell into a hole and a few seconds later you show up?ā Riki said. āI thought you were better than this, I mean, I couldāve seriously injured myself!ā
It was then that Y/N realized Riki wasnāt in the best mood, and that worried her. She didnāt enjoy him being angry at her, not one bit. āRiki, it wasnāt me. Truly.ā
āSo youāre saying Liz was lying about how youāve been planning on pranking me?ā
Riki didnāt mean to bring Liz into it, but he couldnāt help it.
āI canāt believe youā¦ I thought weāve been getting closer. Then you go and do this?ā
āIām being honest, it wasnāt me!ā Y/N voice raised to a yell. She felt hurt that he was blindly accusing her, though she couldnāt blame him. After all this time, she knew people only expected the worst of her. And with how sheās treated Riki in the past, it was only right that his mind would think of her to do such a thing.
But she thought he would know she would never intentionally hurt him. Thatās why she only pulled small pranks. āI care about you a lot, Riki. Even though I considered pranking you in the past, I stopped myself from doing it because I want to better myself for you.ā
Riki felt his heart swell at what she said, but he still couldnāt get the information he learned about Y/N and Beomgyu out of his head.
āAre you ever going to take anything seriously? I mean, arenāt you tired of acting like this?ā
āActing like whatā¦?ā
All the jealousy he felt and the anger he felt towards himselfā¦ seeing her made all the negative feelings that Riki had been feeling bubble up, and before he knew it his mouth was moving faster than his brain.
āArenāt you tired of making people feel miserable all the time!?ā He yelled, with shut eyes.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt regret all around. He didnāt mean to say anything really mean, he was just upset and he had accidentally taken it out on her.
āUm, donāt you think that was a little too far?ā Liz whispered, surprised that Riki of all people said that. āI think you should apologize, I mean, she really might not have done it.ā
Wasnāt Liz the one suspicious of Y/N in the first place?
Before he could take back his words he looked back up at his crush, only to see hurt and shock written on her face. And Riki knew he messed up.
āI make people feel miserableā¦? Alright, I get it.ā
The smile Y/N put on was different from all the smiles she had given him in the past. It was filled with mixed emotions- sadness, hurt, and disgust. But at who? Disgusted at him? Or maybe even herself?
That was the last he had seen of Y/N in a few days.
Riki looked up at the sky and for some reason, the stars seemed to be dimmer than usual.
ąØ:ą§āāā Ā· Ā· āāāąØ:ą§
9. Locker chats.
It was two days before the big True Heartās Day dance that Chaehyun had been planning, and Riki couldnāt feel more stressed.
āYou said that to her??ā
Soul couldnāt hold back his shock as Riki recounted his previous argument with Y/N.
It had been some time since then, and Riki knew the girl was evading him. But why? He knew he had hurt her, but didnāt he deserve an apology too? After all, she did cause him to hurt his ankle.
āShe couldāve killed me, Soul.ā Riki frowned. āI donāt think Iām in the wrong for being concerned about my safety.ā
Soul face palmed at his friendsā obliviousness. āHas it ever occurred to you that she might not have done it? Ever since you guys became close, you know Y/N has been trying to change her nature. She wouldnāt do anything to hurt you, and especially not something that drastic.ā
Riki let out a sigh as he remembered something he had been trying to push to the back of his head. āBut thatās the thing, what if she doesnāt care about me as much as I thought she did?ā
āBro what-ā
āLiz told me that Beomgyu likes her.ā It hurt Rikiās heart to think about that fact. āWhat if she likes him back?ā
Soul was about to voice his disagreement when his eyes trailed past Rikiās shoulder. Before he could tell him not to look, Riki was already turning his head to see what caught Soulās attention.
But the sight was one he had been dreading to see. Beomgyu and Y/N were walking to class together, and they seemed happy to be together.
Since when were they friends? Was it because Riki hadnāt been by her side? And why hadnāt Beomgyu said anything about their new friendship?
Rikiās mind raced with the possibilities of how Y/N and Beomgyu had become friends. But no matter how they had gotten to that point, it didnāt matter.
Beomgyu was talking to Y/N. His Y/N. How could she stand there, and laugh, and look so beautiful?
How could she look so well when he was struggling so much internally?
Riki would never know just how much sleep Y/N was losing over everything, or how she had already planned out her apology.
āMaybe theyāre just friends?ā Soul suggested, not wanting his best friend to be upset. But even he couldnāt deny the seeming chemistry between the two.
āDonāt worry about Beomgyu, heās not a threat.ā Ningningās voice was heard as she approached the two Wonderlandians. āNow Riki tell me, what did you say to Y/N? She hasnāt been herself these days and I know you have something to do with it.ā
Riki was hesitant to tell Y/Nās best friend about what had happened, but maybe Ningning could clear some things up for him. So he described what occurred between the two of them that night in great detail, making sure Ningning was able to get the full picture.
Once he finished, he could tell the swan girl was about to slap him for what he said to her friend.
āAre you being serious right now?ā Ningning scoffed. āI canāt believe I ever thought you were smart because youāre actually kind of dumbā¦ā
Riki frowned. āOkay rude.ā
Soul had to stop himself from laughing. āShe kind of gagged you thereā¦ā
Ningning sighed. āRikiā¦ Y/N was telling the truth, she didnāt do it. Her mom did.ā
ā...What?ā
āYou stupid hoe, I canāt believe you didnāt try to hear her out.ā Disappointment could be heard all over Ningningās tone, but Riki wasnāt paying attention to that.
All he could think about how he seriously messed up.
āHer mom thought you were a threat to Y/Nās success so she tried to get you out of the picture. But when Y/N found out about it, she yelled at her mom. Can you believe that?ā Ningning said incredulously. āSheās terrified of her mother, but she yelled at her for you.ā
He realized that he shouldnāt have gotten so defensive and just trusted his friend, after all, she had been showing that she did want to change. He should have trusted her and not let his emotions take over.
But after hearing about Y/N and Beomgyu possibly being together was just too much for him to think about, and he projected all that anger onto Y/N. The things he said and the way he acted were all uncalled for.
āIs she going to class right now?ā Riki abruptly said, the only thought on his mind was that he needed to apologize.
āSheās kind of busy these days because sheās helping Chaehyun prepare for the dance, so I donāt think itās a good time to approach her.ā Ningning said. āMaybe try talking to her on the day of the dance?ā
He didnāt want to wait for two more days but if Ningning thought that was best, he would trust her. Riki would wait for as long as he needed if it meant he could have Y/N back in his life.
Because more than anything, he missed her and her silly pranks.
ąØ:ą§āāā Ā· Ā· āāāąØ:ą§
10. Iāve always loved you.
āYou look pretty, Y/N.ā
Y/N snapped out of her staring contest with the mirror as Ningning entered her peripherals. The daughter of the Swan Queen, who usually wore her ballet style clothing, suddenly adorned a lilac dress that was shorter in the front and longer in the back with silver details sprinkled throughout. It resembled a forest design, which was befitting of her character since she was a swan after all.
Y/N, on the other hand, wore a darker purple dress that was of a similar length and had black lace around the top. Her voluminous hair was styled into pigtails and part of it was made to resemble cat ears. Her accessories complimented the outfit perfectly, and she felt good about herself for once in her life.
A sigh left Y/Nās lips. āThanks Ning. You look beautiful too.ā
Ningning frowned. āYouāre still upset, arenāt you?ā
And she was right.
True Heartās Day. It was a night many people looked forward to, and a memory they all knew would solidify within each othersā long term memories. The aspect of getting dressed up and attending a formal event was a luxury that the attendees basked in for even days after the original event. The luminescent lights, the high energy music, the romantic atmosphereā it was all too exhilarating. Although the event wasnāt intended to be a romantic one, many students had made it out to be one. Being the daughter of Cupid, Chaehyun didnāt know if she was satisfied with that outcome or not.
But for Y/N, she hadnāt even wanted to go anymore. After her fight with Riki, being in such a romantic atmosphere only made her more upset than ever. It reminded her that no matter how much she tried to change or how often she attempted to prove that she was more than what the general public made her out to be, she would never be seen as who she really was.
And that made her feel like more of an outsider than ever.
āItās nothing. Iām excited.ā Y/N smiled at Ningning, in hopes that she would stop worrying. āIs it almost time? We should go before itās too late.ā
Ningning groaned, as she remembered where they were going. āRemind me why weāre doing this again? Dances arenāt exactly my type of scene.ā
Y/N chuckled. āBecause we have to be there to support Chae. Sheās counting on us, you know?ā She paused, and a sad expression made its way onto her face. āAnd I donāt want to disappoint anyone anymore.ā
Ningning looked at Y/N with an expression on her face, feeling sad for her friend.
She could only hope True Hearts Day would go over well.
After walking around the forest for 15 minutes, Y/N could tell that Ningning didnāt know where she was going. Why would Chae organize the dance to be so far away from the school? She knew they were keeping everything on the down low, but still.
āYou have no idea where weāre going, do you?ā Y/N giggled as her best friend struggled to figure out where they were going. āWhy donāt we just call Chae-ā
āNo!ā Ningning shouted. āI mean, we canāt disturb her. Iām sure we can figure it out on our own.ā
Y/N doubted Ningningās words but didnāt vocalize that.
They wandered around for a few more minutes, when Ningning spotted someone in the distance.
Bingo.
āBeomgyu! Are you guys heading to the True Hearts Day dance?ā
Y/N hoped that the other person with Beomgyu wasnāt who she was hoping it would be. But unfortunately, she rarely got what she wanted.
As she looked where Ningning was, Y/N could see Riki in all his entirety. It had been a while since she had fully looked at him, and she felt her heart stop. He was just as beautiful as heād always been. Y/N couldnāt deny that despite being the one to cut off contact, she had missed him more than ever.
Maybe there was a part of Riki that missed her too?
No, that couldnāt be the case. He said it himself, she only made people miserable.
Deep down Y/N had been pondering on that possibility for years. But hearing someone verbalize it out loud and say it to her, especially someone she liked so much, was extremely hurtful.
But she knew she needed to hear it. Because now more than ever sheās felt sorry for her actions.
Though, did Riki have to be so rude about it?
āYeah, weāre on our way right now.ā Beomgyu answered Ningningās question while Riki and Y/N had an intense staring contest. āWhat are you two doing here? Isnāt it in the other direction?ā
Ningning facepalmed at her stupidity. They had been going the wrong way. āOh yeah! I definitely knew that. I was justā¦ making sure you guys would get there safe.ā
Chuckling at her denial, Beomgyu smiled. āRight, because that makes so much sense.ā
Y/N could see Ningning getting shy. āWell since weāre all here, should we just head over together?ā Ningning suggested looking at Y/N to get her approval more than anything.
Although she had been avoiding Riki, Y/N really didnāt want any more bad blood between the two of them. Even if he would never like her back, she missed her friend and would do anything to fix everything. āIām alright with that. But letās go faster, because weāll already be late enough as is.ā
The four began walking together, the atmosphere silent but not awkward. They were lucky that they were decent enough friends with each other that being together wouldnāt be an issue.
However with Y/N and Riki too cowardly to apologize to one another, there was a slight tension in the air that was too thick for Ningning and Beomgyu to handle. The two made subtle eye contact, and nodded.
āHey Y/N,ā Beomgyu started, as he approached the distracted girl. āYou look pretty.ā
Y/N appreciated Beomgyu and his kindness, but she had wished those words were said by a certain someone instead. But she didnāt want to let her disappointment show, so Y/N did what she did best. Hide everything under her teasing personality. āYou donāt look too bad yourself, Hood. I mean for once, you donāt look like you just finished rolling in dirt.ā
āOh please, says the girl who sleeps in trees.ā
Riki frowned when he heard Y/N and Beomgyu bantering. Did she normally joke around with him like that? How often did they talk to each other? How long had they been friends?
He couldnāt help but feel himself getting jealous that Y/N teased other guys that werenāt him. Though, he shouldāve expected it. After all, she teased everyone. Riki was never an exception. Although, he often wondered if her calling Riki by his last name was something she reserved for him or used on others.
But a thought crossed Rikiās mind. Perhaps he wanted to be the only guy that she teased.
āYouāre sooooo jealous right now, arenāt you?ā Ningning snuck up behind Riki and whispered in his ear. āShe might need a little more than a push in the right direction.ā
āNingning wh-ā
Ningning put a finger to Rikiās mouth as he was a little too loud for her liking. āY/N. Be honest, do you like her?ā
āI do.ā
Before, he would hesitate before saying that he liked her. But at this point, he was too far down the ladder of love to even want to deny it anymore.
Riki Wonderland was in love with Y/N.
āI love her, Ningning. I always have.ā
Ningning smiled. āTell her that. She needs to hear it now more than ever.ā
Riki looked past Ningning to where Beomgyu and Y/N were talking. They were a little in front of him, but far enough to where him and Ningningās conversation would be inaudible. He admired the way she seemed to skip out of excitement, the way the sun made her look ethereal, and the way she made all her movements seem graceful. He glanced at the way her hand dangled on her side, lonely as ever.
He wanted to be the one to hold it.
After some time, the quartet arrived at the venue. Chaehyun had done amazing with the preparations; Y/N and Ningning couldnāt help but feel proud of their friend for what she did. It had taken a long time of planning, but the dance was finally fully fleshed out. It was truly an amazing feat she took up and she executed it beautifully.
There were pink and red hearts scattered around the room, as well as pink and red falling from the ceiling. The punch and snack table was well decorated with various kinds of snacks and spanned from one side of the room to the other. In the middle, there was a dance floor where Yoon Piper was stationed as the DJ. The room was already packed with most of the students in Ever After High, all high off the adrenaline of doing something so risky.
Beomgyu led Riki to meet up with some of their mutual friends who they spotted in the distance. Jungwon Croakington, Jake Charming, and Sunghoon Winter waved them over when they made eye contact. The group was situated near the punch bowl.
Y/N and Ningning went to find Chaehyun, who was sat alone at a table.
āHey gorgeous,ā Ningning complimented Chaehyun. āWhat are you doing over here alone?ā
āAfter all the preparation Iām kind of tired. Isnāt that funny? I spent so much time making it perfect that I canāt even enjoy how it turned out.ā Chaehyun bitterly laughed. āI was with Sullyoon earlier after she helped me set up, but I didnāt want to dampen her mood so I left.ā
āBut you look too good tonight not to enjoy it!ā Y/N put her hand on Chaehyunās. āWhy donāt we go dance so you can loosen up a bit?ā
Chaehyun shook her head. āMaybe later, I donāt think Iām in the mood right Besides, I think someone wants to talk to you right now.ā
Before Y/N could ask what she was talking about, Chaehyun nodded her head over to where Liz was standing with a sheepish expression.
āHey, Y/N.ā
Y/N knew part of why Riki had lashed out at her was because Liz said something to him, she wasnāt dumb. But in all honesty, she didnāt hold it against the girl. After all, Liz had never acted maliciously towards her. She definitely had an explanation for what she did.
āI just wanted to say sorry for what happened with Riki.ā Liz sighed with an apologetic expression. āI was under the impression that you were going to do something that was going to hurt him, and I was just doing what I thought was right. But I shouldāve talked to you about it first and not just made assumptions.ā
Y/N put on the most genuine smile she could muster to convince Liz she wasnāt upset with her. āItās okay, you were just trying to be helpful. Itās my fault for acting this way in the first place. If I didnāt, then people wouldnāt have a reason to suspect me of doing bad things.ā
Liz frowned when she said this. Did Y/N really see herself in that way? āBut youāre more than just that! Throughout our time at Ever After High, Iāve always admired you.ā Y/Nās eyes widened when she said that. āI mean, youāre already ready to sign the Storybook of Legends. Even with all the people who donāt like you, somehow youāve always seemed to have everything together. And I think thatās really strong of you.ā
Hearing that from Liz, knowing that there was someone out there who believed there was more to her than what she displayed, it was relieving.
Because it meant that there was the possibility for her to redefine her legacy.
āThanks Liz, that means a lot to me.ā Y/N gave the blonde a hug. āAndā¦ Iām sorry for waking you up from your nap that one time.ā
Liz chuckled at the memory she had long forgotten. āIt was getting late anyways. Maybe I should thank you instead.ā
Once the two had finished their discussion, Liz left to go greet Yuna who had just arrived. That left Y/Nā¦ alone? She hadnāt even noticed that Ningning and Chaehyun left during her conversation with Liz. But where did they go?
Y/Nās cat eyes trailed to the side of the room and surely enough, she saw her best friends talking to Beomgyu and some of his friends.
Though, Riki was nowhere to be found.
Despite how scared she was to talk to him still, her conversation with Liz had given her a boost of courage and confidence in herself that she wouldnāt have had otherwise. There was something in her that told her she needed to go find Riki and clear the air, because she was tired of the pettiness.
She wanted Riki back.
Y/N needed to find him, but he was nowhere to be found inside of the venue. She looked all around and asked all the people who could possibly know where he was, but nothing was of any help. Thatās when it clicked in her brain and she realized that she knew where Riki was all along, and she just hadnāt thought about it.
Before the night could end, Y/N went outside so she could find Riki.
Just as she had hoped, she had spotted him sitting on the branch of a tree, looking up at the stars. Y/N could notice his bed of fluffy hair from anywhere.
She tried to ignore the incessant racing of her heart while she thought about what she was going to say to him for the first time in a week.
āIs there any more room up here?ā
Riki looked down when he heard her voice, the voice he had been waiting to hear all night. Memories from the night they spent stargazing when they were 11 filled his mind, as he shook his head. āI was just coming down.ā
Riki climbed down the tree as fast as he could but not too fast to where it would ruin his outfit. He still wanted to look good for Y/N even if they were going through a tough time.
āAre you enjoying the dance so far?ā Riki asked once he was on the ground and him and Y/N were facing one another.
There was a slight awkwardness in the air, but it was washed out by the fact that they were just happy to be speaking once again.
Y/N nodded. āChae did a really good job with everything, even if I havenāt been able to enjoy it all yet.ā
āWhat do you mean?ā Riki could tell where she was going, but he wanted to let her speak before he made assumptions.
Swallowing her pride, Y/N looked into Rikiās eyes. Those eyesā¦ she had missed them. There was an unreadable expression on Rikiās face that Y/N could only hope meant he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
She didnāt know that he wanted her more.
āIām sorry Riki, for everything.ā Y/N finally let out. āIām sorry for pranking you so often, and Iām sorry for crossing lines that shouldāve never been crossed. I just found you the most fun to prank, but I never wanted to do it so often to the point that it would make you uncomfortable. But Iām trying to get better at noticing those things.ā Riki smiled at the fact that she was finally being vulnerable with him. He had waited years for this to happen. āI donāt want to keep secrets from you anymore. That day when we stargazed together, I ran away because I had a fight with my mom. She told me that I wasnāt good for anything, and that I shouldāve never been born because I could never continue her legacy anyways. It got really tense between us so I ran away.ā
As happy as he was that she was being open with him, he did feel upset with the reasoning. Not because he didnāt like it, but because he was upset it had happened and he couldnāt do anything to take away her pain. To think that she was carrying something so heavy for so longā¦ All Riki wanted to do in that moment was take her pain away.
Riki gave her a sad smile and slowly raised his arms so they would be around his shoulders.
āMay I?ā
Y/N gave consent and Riki leaned into a hug. It was the first time they had truly been intimate, and it gave both teens a slight fluttery feeling in their stomachs. Faces red and heartbeats synced, the rush of young love was one too overwhelming to bear.
They unknowingly felt themselves succumb deeper and deeper into the feeling of loving one another, both itching to feel more of that lovestruck feeling they always felt when they were together.
āI have one more secret I havenāt told you yet.ā Y/N whispered. She was too nervous to use her full voice, as she was afraid that it would come out shaky.
āWhat is it, Y/N?ā
Y/N lifted her head from off of Rikiās shoulder and came face to face with him. Their faces were extremely close but neither wanted to change that. They stared into each otherās eyes for a short moment, though that moment felt longer than it really was.
āRiki, I love you. I always have.ā Y/N confessed. āEver since we first met back in Wonderland, Iāve always found myself drawn to you. And even though I never told you, you helped me a lot that day when I fought with my mom. I only became more infatuated with you from then on, and thatās why I pranked you so much.ā
At her confession, Riki felt a wave of relief wash over his entire being. The fact that she felt the same way for so long made him even more giddy on the inside than he already was.
The feeling of having one reciprocate your feelings is something that canāt be replicated elsewhere.
āI love you so much and I donāt know how to handle it. What should I do?ā Y/N finally felt comfortable voicing out all her thoughts that they were running out of her mouth like a water stream. She could only thank Riki for that. āHow do I fix these feelings?ā
Riki mustered up whatever courage was left within him to brush his hand against her lips ever so slightly. āKiss me.ā
After a moment of hesitation, the two leaned into each other until their lips met in a kiss. Both could feel a shock of electricity rush through as their lips melded together like they were always meant to. It only felt right and at that moment, they both realized something.
Perhaps it was all written in the stars.
Though both were inexperienced, so the kiss had ended just as quickly as it started.
āI love you too, Y/N.ā Riki realized that he never explicitly stated his feelings to the girl, and he intended on doing so as passionately as he could. āIāve loved you ever since the first time I saw you pull a prank on someone when we were 8. Iāve always been so interested in you, because you were always an enigma to me. But as we eventually got closer, I felt myself falling deeper in love with you as I learned something about you every day.ā Riki was glad to get everything off his chest. āI love you so much that when you got closer to Beomgyu, I lashed out and took it out on you. Because I want to be the only guy you give your attention to.ā
āI want to be the only guy you tease.ā
Y/N was glad that they were shrouded in the darkness, because her face was burning up more than ever at his words.
She rarely got shy in front of people. But with Riki, the possibilities were endless.
āBut Iām sorry for everything I said that day, I was just upset. You donāt make people miserable.ā Riki apologized.
āWell I would hope not.ā Y/N said with her signature grin, in order to lighten up the mood.
Even though nothing she said was particularly funny, the two found themselves bursting out into laughter. They were running on the emotional high they had gotten from the confessions. But now, knowing that their feelings for each other were felt by the other person, there was nothing left to hide.
Y/N was ready to show every side of her, good, bad, and ugly. Because for once in her life, she noticed that she was more than just the Cheshire Catās daughter.
Right then, in that moment, Y/N was capable of being loved for who she really was.
As the night came to a close, they could hear Yoon announce that a slow dance song would be played next from inside the venue.
Riki didnāt have to say any words for Y/N to know what he was going to ask her.
Once the music played, Y/N laid her head on Rikiās shoulders as he led her into a slow dance, their first slow dance as a couple.
Y/N sighed happily into Riki. āYou know, you remind me of the stars.ā
āWhy, because my shirt is blue?ā He retorted, referencing the blue top he had worn to the dance.
āNo, stupid. I didnāt know why before but I think I figured it out.ā Y/N giggled. āThe stars are make up the night sky, and they have a place built for them. Theyāre beautiful. And to me, youāre all of that.ā
Riki smiled with nothing but love in his eyes, and kissed Y/Nās forehead. āIf Iām the stars, then youāre a constellation. Just like how the constellations connect the stars and make them whole, you do the same for me. You make me feel whole.ā
No matter what, Y/N would always look up at the stars and think about Riki. They represented every part of him in his entirety, and she couldnāt get enough of it. Funnily enough, the stars seemed to be shining brighter than usual that night.
The two continued to slow dance into the night, both blinded by the wonders of young love. Being encapsulated by the giddy feelings and speaking sweet nothings to each other was the perfect way to end their story.
Ningning felt her heart swell with pride as she admired the newfound couple. After all the heartbreak Y/N had gone through in her life, it was refreshing to see her genuinely happy for once. She couldnāt help but wonder if she could experience the same soon enough. But that was a problem for another day. This was Y/Nās story, and she was glad to have contributed to her happy ending. She looked between Beomgyu and Chaehyun and nodded.
Chaehyun was relieved to know that Riki and Y/N ended up together. When she looked outside to see for herself if it was true, she let out a long sigh. It was about time.
The future Cupid winked at both of her friends, signaling that their plan had worked.
Perhaps she was better at matchmaking than she thought she was.
authors note. chaehyun beomgyu and ningning best plotters!!!
cheshire taglist. @thesassy-mia @oldjws @enhacatalog @hoonpalettes @star-ism @lprww @asteria-wood
permanent taglist. @muhwaa @hoori @yizhoutv @ja4hyvn @carayat @one16core @enhacolor @haerinz @soobin-chois @en-boyz @ohmy-fandoms @yjwonz @yunki4evr @strwberrydinosaur @duolingofanaccount @iichaeyj @eundiarys @ineedaherosavemeenow @chaerybae @bubblytaetae @w3bqrl @xiaoderrrr @jaeyunnsworld @rikizm @teddywonss @gweoriz @dimplewonie @jennaissantes @kivrio @kaykay11sworld @itsactuallylina (if u requested to be on my permanent taglist and u didnāt get tagged itās bc i cant see ur acc, but pls dm me if u want to be in it !)
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