The Queen and Her King

Different

VK POV

Evie pulled them strings to Mal's corset-like device, causing her to suck in a breath,

"Evie I literally cannot breathe"

She said through her constricted lungs, Evie sighed with a smile,

"You can breathe after cotillion"

Mal sighed not so happily, she continued to glance at her old Isle jacket,

"As if, I have like twenty events right after and I don't even know what they are"

Evie came to the front of her to do a check of the dress,

"Can't you just ask Brielle or Ben? I mean they definitely should know, especially Brielle. I catch her correcting even Ben all the time about dates, times, events, etc etc"

Mal shook her head attempting to take some full breathes through the dresses tight corset,

"I don't wanna bother them, especially Brielle. I don't think she likes me much anyway"

Evie shot her a look,

"What? Brielle likes all of us, just because she doesn't make small talk when you see her doesn't mean she doesn't like you. She's just very... Miss Business"

"I wish I could be more Miss Business, gods she just makes all this proper stuff look so easy. Has she ever even been stressed out in her life?"

Evie giggled and raised her brows ever so slightly,

"I'm sure she has, we also aren't in her innermost circle and you know Kings and Queens should have poker faces when it comes to internal struggles. I'm sure if you asked her about how she handles it she'll help you out"

Mal chuckled,

"Have you seen Brielle? She's not the easiest to approach"

Evie scoffed with a smile,

"M, Bri is literally one of the nicest people I know, just ask her and I'm sure she'll give you some advice. Hell you could always ask Ben too"

"But I don't wanna ask Ben"

Evie loves Mal a whole damn lot, but even now she was having quite the time trying to reason with the blonde while staying calm,

"Why wouldn't you wanna ask Ben? If you think Brielle is tough to talk to then why don't you just ask your own boyfriend? You know what? I bet Harry's asked Brielle plenty of times how to handle things"

Mal laughed some,

"Yeah well I don't wanna let Ben down, and Harry and Brielle are... different"

Mal's attempt at being light-hearted immediately failed, feeling her mood sink. Mal couldn't help but see how Brielle dealt with Harry. Even earlier that day Mal noticed how Brielle pulled Harry to the side and calmed him down from his panicking due to the paparazzi, while Mal wasn't as freaked out by camera flashes or loud noises like Harry, she envied how sweet it seemed. She also heard how Brielle had thought ahead to clear her schedule for today so they could go on a date, Ben hasn't done that much but Brielle not only still makes sure to see Harry plenty every day, but clears at least a day a week for a date. Ben said they were going to have a whole day to themselves a lot recently, but it hasn't come to. In fact, he seemed to tease her with that idea today until he realized he had a council meeting. Mal's overheard plenty of Brielle and Harry's conversations too, Brielle always asks how Harry's doing and how he's holding up while Ben barely has, it's like he's forgotten she's a VK and not born and raised in Auradon. He always seems so busy he doesn't even think to ask,