other side of wonderland ♡ marvel

♥ prologue ♥

The May flowers sprouting from the garden box outside of Alice Zemo's window were squashed by the sole of her combat boot, just as they were every spring thanks to her constant climbing in and out of the bedroom. Though her mother pretended not to notice and her father had resigned himself to rolling his eyes at his teenage daughter, the garden box was a living relic of Alice's so-called rebellion from her parents.

On that particular date, she was just returning from a day spent with her friends. They met at the local market and competed to see who could successfully shoplift the largest item. As always, thanks to her never-ending determination, Alice had won, escaping with a large watermelon which she had smuggled out underneath her shirt, disguising it as a pregnant stomach. When receiving questioning looks from the security guards, she had simply shamed them for their stares at a pregnant teen. "Sex is not just for adults!" she told them.

That afternoon, she was returning to her home just in time for dinner, believing she regularly convinced her parents that she had never left the house. And just as always, they would go along with the charade.

They sat at the dinner table that evening in near silence aside from Carl sneaking a scrap of food from Alice's plate and her subsequent scolding hit to her brother's hand or shoulder. Her grandfather and mother, however, were preoccupied with the sounds of fighting from within the city. The Avengers were in town, Alice had heard. Fighting some big metal beast. She hadn't cared to learn much more, easily bored by the subject.

Baron Helmut Zemo let his eyes roam his wife's worried features. "Do not worry, Heike. They are fighting in the city," he reminded. "We are miles from harm."

"Yes, darling," she agreed. "I only wish you could stay. So I could know that you would come home safely."

"You are all here. That is safety enough."

Alice looked back down at her plate, pushing around her food. She would not be in the supposed safety of her home. When she got back to her room, the plan was to climb back out the window and walk the few blocks to her boyfriend's house. He had teased of a very important surprise in store for her that evening.

Helmut Zemo caught his daughter's eye and it was as if he could read the flash of defiance in them. But, he looked back down at his food, swearing that he'd speak to her before he left.

Sure enough, as dinner concluded and Zemo prepared for departure by the door, his daughter passed him, headed back to her room. Her father held out his hand in front of her, halting her progression. "Alice, you know of the fighting in the city, yes?"

"Of course," she said. "I can hear it now."

"Then you must know what I'm about to say."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Zemo chuckled softly. "Fine. Just know that I would prefer if my daughter were safely in her room tonight."

"I always am, Issi," she lied through her teeth, never showing a hint of deception.

He smiled knowingly. "Of course." Zemo took her cheek in his hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Until tomorrow, my darling."

Alice watched her father go, then looked back to her mother in the foyer. She saw the worry across her face. The emotion doubled when her eyes rested on her daughter. But Alice's resolve never wavered.

She returned to her room, changing clothes to something she would never be caught in at a family dinner. Then, she laced up her combat boots and slid open her bedroom window.

A voice rose from the door. "Ali? You're leaving again?"

Alice sighed and turned back to her brother. "Swear you'll keep your big mouth shut."

Carl sighed. "As if I've ever told before," he said with a roll of his eyes. For someone so young, she wondered how he held so much sass. The answer was, he mimicked his older sibling. "Emme and Issi say it's not safe tonight."

"They didn't know when I snuck out before," Alice said in oblivious arrogance, "so how should they now? It's as Issi said, no one will even come near here. I'll be gone and back without them knowing a thing."

"Promise, Ali?"

Alice looked down at her brother's big, worried, puppy-dog eyes. Though her resolve was slowly crumbling from the little boy's concern, she masked her emotions with a roll of her eyes. "Duh. I'll see you at breakfast."

"Fine. You owe me half of your bacon."

Alice smiled mischievously and winked. "No promises."

♥ author's note ♥

short little prologue to get y'all started and introduce you to the absolute babe, alice zemo <333