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10 years old.
Max's birthday was the first day in a long time that he was actually excited for. He was turning ten! He was finally growing up.
"Look!" Max shows Hazel the little cake in his hand with excitement. "It's my tenth birthday!"
Hazel stares at the cake in Max's hands. It's surprisingly new, and clean, without bugs or dirt in it. "Where did you get this from?" It must have been really expensive, since there isn't any fresh food on the isle.
"I," Max won't look at her. "I saved up for it."
The cake is steaming hot, but it's not wrapped up. "Max…" Hazel says, voice low. "Tell me the truth."
Max sighs, and when he replies, his voice is soft. "Fine. I stole it."
A smile breaks out across Hazel's face. "That's what I thought. Good job."
Max looks up stunned. "You're not mad???"
Hazel frowns. "Why would I be mad?"
Max stares at the cupcake. "I thought you would be mad at me for stealing. That's what my father said."
Hazel stares at him, and tries to ignore the anger boiling up in her. Max's father, the very man that ignored him, the very man that barely provided for him. He was insane, if he hadn't adjusted to the isles by now. Her father was terrible, but he didn't get mad at her for finding what little joy this world had.
Hazel shakes her head. "Huh. So you're old now?"
Max frowns. "I'm ten, not a hundred years old!"
Hazel shrugs. It was all the same to her. She was only nine, but she already had a crew.
Max stares at the cake. "How do I cut this?"
Hazel stops. Her hook.
But it's the only thing she has of her father.
She looks up, at Max's face, and sighs. She won't let anyone other than Max touch it. And besides this is a special occasion.
She draws out her hook.
Max smiles at her, and takes the hook, carefully slicing the small cake into two halves.
Hazel frowns. "What are you doing?"
Max passes one half to Hazel. "Here."
Hazel stares at the chocolate frosting. "Are you sure?" She might be evil, but she's not heartless. This is Max's birthday cake, the first one since he came here. And sugar is rare on the isle.
"Of course." Max nods.
16 years old.
Max wasn't a very hopeful person by definition. It was hard to be hopeful when your father was obsessed with a watch, and your only friends were halfway across Auradon.
"Dad," Max says anyway, searching his father's eyes for any sign that he's remembered.
His father's eyes are looking at the Oraculum, no time for his only son. "What?"
Max's hands tighten on his hat. It was a gift from Felix, shoved into his hands before he had to leave the isles. Sometimes he wishes he was back there, just for the chance to talk to Hazel, and Felix.
"It's my," Max falters.
"Speak up!" His father snaps.
Max stares at him, but he sees nothing but insanity in his father's eyes. "Never mind."
He doesn't like to make a big deal over his birthday. He's always scared that everyone's going to forget. But he had hoped for this, anyway, just one day in a lifetime of neglect.
He leaves the room, and his father doesn't even look at him as he does.
He gets a call later.
"Hey!!" Hazel's voice comes through, and Max can't help but smile. "I can't believe you're already so old."
Max laughs. "At least I can drive now."
"You think I care about the law?" Hazel's voice is relief, and goodness. She remembered his birthday. She remembered him.
"Well," Max starts to walk through the forest, and looking around at all the mushrooms, and the flowers. It could be worse, certainly. At least Wonderland was colorful. "You probably should. You're skating on thin ice."
"Please." Max can hear Hazel rolling her eyes. "They're just waiting for me to slip up."
"It's fine." Max bites into a blue mushroom. It tastes like cotton candy. "What are they going to do, huh? Send us back to the isle?"
Hazel's laugh is the best gift he receives that day.
Max stares at the calendar. He hadn't realized his birthday was today, so caught up in everything else.
Huh.
17 years old.
"Hey!" Hazel says, smiling at him. "Happy birthday!"
Max shushes her, and she frowns instantly. "What?"
He gestures to Red and Luis sitting on the table next to them. "Don't let them hear. I don't want them to feel, uh, like they owe me something." They'll make a big deal out of it, if they hear. And he doesn't want to bother them anymore than he already has.
Hazel just raises an eyebrow with a smile on her face.
18 years old.
Max's hands tremble as he holds his degree. He's done. He passed.
More than passed. He's a honor student.
He had been part of an internship during the summer, but now it's finished. Where to go now?
He's eighteen now, a legal adult. He's free. He's no longer attached to his father.
Huh.
"You're finally grown up, huh?" Luis asks him with a smile when he goes to the cafeteria.
Red's leaning on the table, looking at him, a royal smile on her face. "You finally caught up with us, didn't you?"
Max can't stop the way his heart is beating, and he hates it. "I guess."
Luis smiles, and slides a chocolate pancake across the table, soaked in syrup. "They didn't have cake. Hopefully this is good enough."
Max smiles. "It's great. Thanks."
Red watches him eat with careful eyes.
Afterward she presses a red gift box into his hands. "For you."
He opens it carefully. It's a watch. He stills.
"It's not the watch," Red says quickly, watching his face drop. "But I found it the other day. It's from your grandfather. I figured you would want it."
Max looks at it, carefully. It's broken, showing the days of the month instead of the hours of the day.
"It's broken, there's butter inside of it, but," Red's voice is nervous.
Max looks up, and smiles. "I love it. Thank you."
Time slips away, with the tick of the watch. He's been traveling around the kingdoms, trying to fix what his father broke. It doesn't work, not the way he wanted it too.
19 years old.
"Nineteen." He blinks. Huh, he's getting old. Max crosses the day off his calendar.
"Hey, are you ready for the wedding?" Hazel asks, doing her makeup in the mirror.
Max tugs at his suit. "Yeah." His mind flashes to Red and Luis, the couple getting married. "It's pretty early, isn't it?"
"I mean," Hazel sighs, leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, it is. But they're in love, I guess, or something like that."
Max sighs. "If it was love, then why aren't you and Chloe married yet?"
Hazel shrugs. "I think it's more so Luis can have influence in the kingdom, since he can't go much as only the consort. Beside, great love has happened in less time."
Max sighs, and tries to swallow the jealousy inside of him. "You're right."
Red's hair flicking in the wind as she's in the garden. Luis's brown eyes as he hikes through Wonderland.
"They're a pretty couple aren't they?" Max asks, trying to take his mind off them.
Hazel stares at him, like she knows something he doesn't. "Yeah, they are."
Max blinks, frowning. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Hazel shakes her head. "Never mind."
The wedding is beautiful. Of course it is. Nothing is too much for them.
Max claps when they kiss for the first time, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.
Luis had asked him to be his best man. Max doesn't know why, but Luis's eyes were almost desperate.
He had turned away, and shook his head.
He thinks it would have killed him to be Luis' best man knowing that he wanted to…
Never mind.
The wedding is beautiful though, bright colors, red and yellow all over.
He hates it.
Max grabs a glass, and drowns his sorrows in alcohol.
He disappears into himself after that, even if he himself can't tell why.
20 years old.
A knock on his door. Max sighs, and turns away from his invention. What now?
He's at his father's house now. It's a big thing, perfect for inventing, but its not the greatest for living it. It's big, and any noise you makes echoes against the empty walls.
He opens the door, and Hazel instantly pushes past him.
"What? Hazel,"
She holds up a hand. "Shush."
He shuts up.
She slams a box down on the counter, and starts to inspect the house. "So, this is where you live?"
Max blinks. "I cleaned it up! Also you just barged in here, uninvited! Of course they're not going to be perfect!" He painted the walls a softer shade of purple, embellishments of yellow and red along the walls.
Hazel sighs. "You were invited to live at the palace, and you still chose to live here."
Max blinks. "Leave me alone!"
Hazel sighs, and opens the box. "No. Want cake?"
Max glances to the box, and his face instantly lights up. Chocolate. "Yes."
Hazel grins. "Happy birthday."
They split a slice of cold chocolate cake right there in his kitchen.
Max closes his eyes as he bites into the last piece of the cake. "Mmm. That's good." He opens his eyes. "Where did you get it from? It's really good."
Hazel smiles, moving to the kitchen to cut herself another slice. "Pink."
Max pauses. "Oh." His voice drops. His eyes dart to the pocket watch on the table. "How is she? I haven't talked to her, in a while."
"I know." Hazel returns, with a big slice on her plate. "Why?"
Max blinks, and his face drops. "You know why."
Hazel sighs. "I do." She admits. "I'm sorry."
Max looks away, trying to hide how his eyes are wet. "Yeah."
"So," Hazel says, standing up, trying to change the subject. "Show me around."
Max smiles. He points to the oraculum. "I got that to work again."
Hazel frowns. "Oh." She looks worried. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Max's shoulders drop. "I'm not him."
"I know, I know!" Hazel says suddenly. "It's just…"
Max sighs. "I know. I don't use it for much, just…" His voice trails off.
Hazel raises an eyebrow. "Just?"
Max turns to it, whispering something to it. It flares to life.
Red on her throne grinning, surrounded by roses. Luis reading a storybook to kids.
Hazel stares at it, and Max feels his words stick to his throat.
"Oh." Hazel blinks. "So you just use it to spy on them?"
Max shoves her gently, and she laughs.
"Not like that! I don't even use it often, just…" Max shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. It's nice though, you know?"
Hazel nods. "Yeah," Her voice is soft. "It is."
21 years old.
Max tugs at his suit. He hates the way it feels like his skin, itchy. He doesn't even know why Red invited him here.
But she asked, and he truly is his father's son, because he's as much a servant to her as his father was to the queen.
Before everything went to hell, at least.
"Max!" Red runs up to him, a crown perched on top of his head. She hugs him, tight, her arms around his neck. He melts into her warmth without meaning to.
He wants to stay here forever. He thinks he'll finally be content for the first time in his life.
But all good things must leave, and she draws back from the hug first. "Come on!" Red's excitement is palpable. "Let's go!"
Max smiles, and lets himself be dragged.
"I missed you." Red says suddenly. "You haven't visited us."
Guilt claws at Max. He pushes it away. They deserve better.
"Sorry, Princess." Max says, smiling easily, but it's fake and hollow.
Red shakes her head. "It's alright. You're here now, aren't you?"
Red's hand is warm against his. "Yeah. I am."
"Hey." Luis's face is a familiar sight, relieving. His eyes flick up and down over Max's form. "You look good. It's nice to see you again."
Max can't help but smile. "You too, Madrigal."
He hates how easily they can make him smile. He talks with them for hours, so long he almost forgets why he avoids them. Almost.
His phone rings. Max glances over, and draws out his phone with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, it's Hazel. If I don't pick up, she won't stop calling me."
"But we were talking?" Luis asks, tilting his head like a lost puppy.
"I know, I know, let me just take this call." Max says.
"Max." Hazel's deadpan voice comes through. "You took forever to answer!"
"It was only a second." Max says, but Hazel doesn't listen, continuing to talk.
"Anyway, where are you?"
Max sighs. "Red's palace."
A pause. "Before I say anything, am I on speaker?"
Max shakes his head. "No, you're not."
A sigh. "So," Hazel's voice is beguiling. "I see. Let me guess, you're here to,"
"Don't." Max's voice comes out loud, and Red shoots him a look. "Sorry," He apologizes. "I didn't mean to be so loud."
Hazel rolls her eyes. "Oh come on! Tell me everything. I don't get much gossip at the castle."
"There's nothing to tell you about." Max says, amused. "Just a visit between friends."
"Ooh!" Hazel says. "Friends, is that right?" Her voice is mischievous, like she's trying to stir the pot.
That won't work on him.
"Yes, it is."
Hazel sighs. "You're no fun."
Max smiles. "Why are you even calling me?"
"Oh! That, yeah. Happy birthday."
Max blinks, hard. "It's my birthday today?"
A pause. "Is it not?"
Max frowns, pulling the phone away from his ear, trying to check the date. It is.
"Huh." Max says to Hazel. "I hadn't realized that."
Hazel sighs. "Wow. My best friend's an idiot."
"Hey!"
Hazel shakes her head. "Anyway, I have to go now. I have to get ready for a dinner party. You should probably get ready too, since you're Red's guest."
Max sighs. Oh. Right, that was what he was here for. Something about the isle, and the barrier. It would look good to have VKs there as well.
Red looks at him weird when he hangs up. Max pauses. "What? Did I do something wrong?"
"It's your birthday?" Red asks.
Max nods carefully. "Yeah. I nearly forgot." He laughs, but the others are staring at him like he's concerning. "What?"
"We forgot?" Luis looks worried.
"I mean, I myself forgot, so…" They won't stop staring at him. Why won't they stop? "What's wrong?"
Red frowns. "You forgot your own birthday?"
"I mean, I don't really care, so." His eyes dart away from them.
Red blinks. "We're talking about this later. Go get ready."
Max sighs. "Fine."
Max dresses himself up in a long purple robe. Certainly eccentric, but he likes the way he looks.
He calls Hazel, face timing her.
"Hey." Hazel's face comes in, her makeup clearly being done by a makeup artist. "How are you?"
"Good. Just," Max stands up, showing his outfit to Hazel. "How do I look?"
Hazel shrugs. "You look fine." She pauses. "Why do you care? You're not the type to typically worry about your appearance."
Max flushes. "It doesn't matter. See you tonight."
The dinner goes well. Max sits in between Luis and Red, trying to ignore the way Hazel smirks at him.
He also tries to ignore the way Red squeezes his hand when she sees him getting ever so slightly agitated, and the way Luis pressed against Max, like it was so easy. Maybe for him it was.
(If Hazel saw him leaning in to Luis, or squeezing Red's hand back, he would deny it.)
Red clinks her spoon against her glass, standing up.
The attention instantly falls to her, already a queen even without the title.
"I would like to thank everyone here for making their way here."
The crowd nods, smiles on people's faces.
Red gestures her glass to Luis, who's dressed in blue to Red's scarlet. They match like the sky to the sea.
"I would like to thank my husband," Max's heart twinges when she says that. "For sticking with me for this long."
Luis smiles, and his whole face lights up. "You too, Red."
"To my best friend." Red shoots Chloe a smile. "The best queen I have ever seen. Sorry Mom." A smattering of laughter breaks out across the crowd.
"To Hazel, who showed me the meaning of honesty." Hazel nods.
Red tilts her glass to Pink. "To Pink, my baby sister, who's the sweetest person I've ever met."
Red's eyes meet Max, and something hot runs through him, like lightening. Her eyes are soft and she nods.
"And to our Hatter, truly our little genius, for the rest of my life."
Red sips a cup of tea, sitting at Max's table. It sends a ache down his chest when he sees how well she fits in his house.
"You should move in with us." She says suddenly, putting down her cup. "To the palace."
Max frowns. You don't want me there. Who would want someone who was in love with her and her husband living at their house?
Max sighs. "Why would you even want me there?"
Red shakes her head, and looks to the distance, to the future. "It gets so quiet sometimes, in the palace. It would be so nice to have you there."
"So you can keep track of me?" He turns his back, bringing out a slice of cake, sliding it to Red.
The house goes silent. When Max looks back up, Red is staring at him. "You're not him."
"Doesn't feel like that sometimes." Max says, voice far too gruff.
Red sighs. "No, Max. It's not so I can watch you. It's because I choose who I keep in my life, and I want you in my palace. Is it so wrong to want a friend?"
He should say no.
He doesn't.
22 years old.
So.” Red sits down next to Max. “Guess what Hazel just told me?”
Max’s brain malfunctions with how close Red is to him. He racks his brain for anything embarrassing he had done recently. He had already forgotten it, but Hazel obviously hadn’t.
“It’s a lie. Whatever she says. It’s a lie.”
Red raises an eyebrow. “You don’t even want to know what she said, first?”
Max shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter, it’s a lie.”
Red scoffs, a gentle laugh, sweet to the ear like a flowing river. “No, not that,” If Max knew he wasn’t insane, he would say there was amusement in her voice. “She said your birthday was coming up soon.”
Max blinks. "Oh. She's right, actually."
Red just grins.
Max sighs, hauling what's left of the oraculum into the palace, using a wagon.
"I brought the oraculum, I figured it could be,"
The words die in his mouth.
The throne room is completely purple. There are red, blue, and purple roses strewn all over the throne.
"What the?" He lets go of the wagon, completely shell shocked.
He runs his fingers against the wall. It's the exact shade that he wears.
Luis laughs, and Max snaps to attention. "You should see your face right now." He says, grinning so hard.
Max knows he looks like an gaping idiot, but he can't bring himself to care. "I, it's not even my birthday yet."
"Well duh." Red says, rolling her eyes. "It wouldn't be a surprise then."
Red. She's like oxygen for a drowning man. She's an angel dressed in red.
He hugs Red suddenly, fiercely. "Thank you," He whispers against her neck.
Red places her hands around his waist, and she's fire against his skin. "Of course, Hatter."
Luis smiles. "What, do I not get a hug?"
Max turns to him, and Luis' like the sun in the light. He wants to kiss him.
He just hugs Luis instead, so hard like he's never going to let go. And he doesn't really want to.
"I," He draws back. He can't stop staring at the walls. "You did this for me?"
"Of course." Red's voice is clear. "Do you like it?"
Max turns to them, red and blue against purple.
"I love it."
"Is that chocolate?"
Luis laughs. "See? We remembered that you loved chocolate?"
Max pats the seats beside him. "Come on. Let's share."
Hazel is a kid and she's staring at Max, a chocolate cupcake in her hand.
"Are you sure?"
Max nods. "Of course."
After all, cake is always sweeter when you share it with your loved ones.
"We should do this again." Luis says, long after, when Max's half between being asleep and being awake.
"We will." Red brushes Max's hair off his face. He really is beautiful. "You hear me?" She taps his hat lightly. "Every single birthday from now on. You're not alone anymore. You have us."
Luis grins. "For better or for worse. You're stuck with us now."