From stone to flaming red.

XIII

when they arrived in Auradon the time was 5:20am. "okay. Red. Go with Chloe to treat her wounds. You will be once again excused from the lessons but if you want to go, nobody will tell you not to. Remember you both caught a flu and you got hit with something on the head. Nobody can find what you got yourselves into." Mal told the girls. "And also. If you need anything and by that I mean anything. Red you know where to find me. Please don't be shy. And you should bring Chloe over sometime really." Mal added as she smiled. She was the sweetest queen with a big heart. "I will see you around." Uma said as she helped Mal with the swords. "And you. Do what you got to do already." Uma got close to Red and whispered. Red smiled. "Goodnight girls." They both said. "Goodnight. And..thank you." Red and Chloe said. The two women left. "okay let's go." Red said as she offered Chloe her hand. She grabbed it and smiled and the redhead lead her to their dorm.

—

"Ouch!" Chloe said as Red was putting alcohol to the wound that she had on her head. She was sitting on her vanity chair with one leg on one side and one on the other. Red was standing above her.  "Sorry I'm almost done." Red said as she looked at her in the eyes. "I hope so." Chloe says. "Ow!" She shouts as Red pushes the cotton ball with the alcohol on her wound and smiles. "You're evil." Chloe says. "I know." Red says as she throws the cotton ball on the table and places a bandage on her forehead. It was Red with little pink hearts. She giggled when she saw the hint of her colour on Chloe. "shut up." Chloe said smiling. Red sat in front of her as she sanitised her hands. She looked in Chloe eyes. They were sitting there, enjoying the silence and each other's company. They didn't say a word, they didn't have to. They knew that words were unnecessary in a moment like this. Red held Chloe's hands as she admired her. "so.." Chloe said breaking the silence. "should I ask what is going on with Grace." Chloe said. "I swear to you. Nothing is going on." Red told Chloe. "Really? And what was all this in the library?" Chloe said. "This was..." Red said and paused. "I can't tell you." Chloe scoffed. "I will tell you at some point but I promise nothing is going between us. She's straight." Red told Chloe as she held her hands. "I will act like I believe you." Chloe said clearly upset. "Ugh! Okay I'll prove it to you." Red said. Chloe tilted her head. "come tomorrow at the enchanted lake. Noon. And if I'm not there. Then you might as well get principal Uma to move me to another dorm." Red said. Chloe was looking at her with sparkles shining in her brown eyes. "Please Chlo you have to trust me." Red said. "Fine. You only get one shot." Chloe says. "it's all I need." She responds to Chloe brushing a hair strand out of her face. Chloe smiled and held her hand before she pulled it away from her face.

"Um Red.." Chloe said. "Yes bluey?" Red suddenly said catching Chloe off guard. "Bluey..I like it." Chloe said as they giggled. "can you sleep with me tonight?" Chloe asked softly. "Of course.." Red told her. "oh. Okay then. I'm..i'm going to take a shower..then." Chloe said nervously as they giggled. "Okay." Red said giggling. Chloe got in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She was blushing. She went to take her clothes off when she suddenly stopped. She paused. Her muscles froze. Her face turned serious. She had flashbacks off Ace hurting her. She stood there. In front of her mirror unable to move. Tears started drowning her eyes and she just zoned out. Red got concerned because she hadn't heard the water run at all. She knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Chlo..are you okay?" No answer. "Chloe?" Red said again still getting no answer. "Chlo..?" Red said softly as she opened the door slowly, finding Chloe in front the mirror staring at herself. "Chloe..? Are you okay?" Red said as she approached her. "Chloe." She said as she touched her shoulder and she suddenly zoned out and flinched. "um. Did you say something?" Chloe said. "Chloe..are you okay?" Red said as she got worried about her. "Um yeah..I don't think I will take a shower after all. Maybe I'll just stay like this." Chloe said. "Chlo what are you saying. Your clothes are dirty. And you haven't showered in two days. Are you sure you're okay?" Red asked her again. Tears formed in Chloe's eyes as she looked at Red. "I can't.." Chloe said. "I can't do it. My hands are frozen." Chloe said as her voice trembled. "Baby..." Red said as she caressed her shoulder. She went to the door of the bathroom and closed it. "What are you doing?" Chloe said as she wiped her tears. "Helping you take a shower." Red said softly as she approached Chloe. "You don't.." "Chloe..can I touch you?" She asked softly. Chloe stared at her for a second then she nodded.

Red placed her hands gently on Chloe's hip to see her reaction first. She made sure she was okay first. She started taking off Chloe's shirt slowly. She took out one hand and let it go gently when she removed the first sleeve and then did the same to her other hand. She passed it through her head and left it on the sink. She looked at her in the eyes and they both smiled. She started unbuckling her pants and removed them with her underwear gently. She took off her bra and placed all of her clothes folded up on the sink. She took her hand and lead her to the bathtub instead of the shower. "it's okay you don't.." Chloe said when she got interrupted. "I just want to make you feel safe and better. You've been through enough." Red told her. Chloe got in the tub and sat down bringing her legs up to her chest and curling up in the corner. Red opened the water and made sure the temperature was warm enough for Chloe. Once the tub filled up she went to wet Chloe's hair. She flinched a little and stopped right away. "you know what..I'll try something else." Red said as she immediately noticed her flinch. She grabbed Chloe's sponge and dipped in the water and slowly started wetting her hair and caressing her each time. They didn't talk. There wasn't anything sexual going on. Just Red taking care of Chloe. She shampooed her hair quick so she wouldn't be uncomfortable and rinsed her. Chloe was just sitting there with her eyes closed enjoying every touch of Red. The only thing on her mind was her. She focused only on her so she could delete Ace from her mind. Red took the conditioner and placed on Chloe hair. She took a hairbrush and started brushing her hair. "thank you.." Chloe said softly out of the blue tilting her head upwards to look at Red that was behind her sitting at the edge of the tub. "I would do anything for you." Red said. She looked at her in the eyes and leaned down and kissed her forehead. Chloe tilted her head back down and let Red brush her hair. She took the sponge and rinsed her hair gently. She kissed her head multiple times and caressed her to calm her down. Chloe was holding Red's hand at some points and leaned on to it with closed eyes to enjoy every moment.

when she was done she helped Chloe out of the bathtub. She grabbed a towel and opened it in front of her. Chloe went in her arms and red wrapped her with the towel hugging her at the same time from the behind. Chloe turned around and facing her. She looked deep into her eyes. "Red..I l-" Chloe almost said as Red stopped her. "Not now." Red said as she smiled. "oh okay." Chloe smiled. "can I kiss you casually again at least?" Chloe asked innocently. Red didn't answer to her. She just crashed her lips onto hers softly and let Chloe melt in her arms. "Do you need help to put your pjs on?" Red asked Chloe when they pulled away from their kiss. "No I'm okay take a shower." Chloe said. Red kissed her again on the lips letting her go change and got in the shower. After a while she got out and saw Chloe over her perfumes. She saw her spraying one of her Carolina Herreras on her wrist and smelling it. "You know if you like them you can borrow them sometime" Red said as she was drying her hair with a a towel. Chloe looked at her and scoffed. "I like them but on you." Chloe said.

"I like those pijamas. They're cute." Red says as she notices the silk baby blue set with little navy blue bows on the straps. "I know you do." Chloe said approaching her. "I like yours too." Red was wearing an also silk set but it was dark red and the lace was light red. Chloe pulled her from the waist and look in her eyes. Red kissed her forehead and Chloe rested her head on her chest. "go to bed bluey." Red said as she caressed her back. The time was 6:45am they were both exhausted. Chloe lifted her head up and kissed Red on the lips softly. She let go of her and went on Red's bed and smiled. "okay." Red chuckled as she saw Chloe in her sheets. She hang the towel on the inside of the bathroom door and went straight to bed with Chloe. They laid down facing eachother. Red pulled her close. Their foreheads were touching and they could feel eachothers warm breath. "Baby..." Chloe said. "Yes bluey." Red responded. "Can you promise me something." Chloe asked as Red nodded. "Can you promise me that nothing like this will ever happen again. And even if it does. Will you will be there to save me?" Chloe asked softly. "There's no way I'm letting anyone touch you again. I promise I will always protect you even if we ever drift apart." Red tells her as she brushed Chloe's hair off her face and kissed her forehead once again. "I really want to say it right now but I'm waiting because you said so." Chloe said and smiled. "I know. You just wait." Red said as her eyes were closing. "Good night baby." Red said as she closed her eyes. "Goodnight babe." Chloe said and gave her a kiss to the cheek and turned around. Red pulled her closer forming the big spoon. She was rubbing her belly until Chloe would eventually fall asleep. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to do so but she was so exhausted that it took over. Red eventually closed her eyes and they both fell asleep.

————————

WAS THIS CASUAL? We all say in unison. I know this chapter is a bit smaller but I wanted to give you a cute moment before big things happen. Also the bath scene was inspired by purple hearts!! 💜