Chapter Text
Cerise Hood adjusted the hood of her red cape as she slipped silently through the Enchanted Forest near Ever After High. She had always felt at home in the quiet embrace of the woods, away from the prying eyes and endless gossip of her classmates. The half-wolf, half-human daughter of Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf lived a life of careful secrecy, concealing her wolfish heritage to protect her family.
Tonight, however, her solitude was interrupted.
"Hey, Cerise!"
Cerise froze, her sharp senses immediately identifying the cheerful voice behind her. She turned to see Daring Charming, the golden-haired prince with the perfect smile, making his way through the trees. Even in the dim light, he looked like he belonged on the cover of a fairytale book.
"Daring?" she asked, her voice low and cautious. "What are you doing out here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Daring replied with a grin. "But, let’s be real—this is clearly your element. Me? I got lost."
Cerise crossed her arms. "Lost? In the woods? You’re supposed to be a prince."
Daring chuckled, brushing a speck of dirt off his pristine white shirt. "Even princes need directions sometimes. Besides, I heard this forest has a charmingly mysterious vibe, so I thought I'd check it out. Didn’t expect to run into you out here."
Cerise narrowed her eyes but didn’t reply. She wasn’t sure if Daring was teasing or genuinely oblivious.
He took a step closer, his confident demeanor softening. "I’ll be honest—I didn’t just wander out here randomly. I saw you leave the school grounds and… well, I was curious."
"Curious?" Cerise asked, her voice sharp.
Daring raised his hands defensively. "Not in a bad way! It’s just—you’re kind of, you know, interesting. Mysterious. And... not a fan of crowds, which is the opposite of me. I thought maybe I could figure out why."
Cerise sighed, her wolf instincts telling her to flee, but something about Daring’s earnest expression made her pause. "Look, Daring. I’m not exactly someone who likes attention, okay? The less you know about me, the better."
Daring’s face softened further. For all his reputation as a self-absorbed prince, he had moments of surprising insight. "Fair enough. But... what if I just wanted to hang out? No questions, no prying. Just two classmates in the woods."
Cerise blinked, caught off guard. Most people at Ever After High avoided her, intimidated by her aloof nature—or by the rumors. Daring Charming, of all people, wanted to spend time with her?
"Why would you want to hang out with me?" she asked suspiciously.
"Because you’re real," he said simply. "You’re not trying to impress anyone. You’re just you. And I think that’s pretty cool."
For the first time, Cerise felt her guard drop. She gave him a small, reluctant smile. "You’re not as shallow as people think, are you?"
Daring laughed. "Don’t let that get out. I have a reputation to uphold."
Cerise rolled her eyes but gestured for him to follow. "Come on, then. If you’re going to hang out with me, you’d better keep up."
The two walked deeper into the forest, Cerise’s quick, quiet steps contrasting with Daring’s louder, more deliberate movements. She showed him hidden paths and pointed out plants and animals that most people would overlook. He listened intently, his usual bravado replaced by genuine curiosity.
By the time they returned to the edge of the woods, the moon was high in the sky. Cerise turned to Daring, her hood still pulled low. "Thanks for not asking too many questions."
Daring grinned, his blue eyes twinkling. "Thanks for not ditching me. See? We make a good team."
Cerise shook her head but couldn’t hide her small smile. Maybe, just maybe, the charming prince wasn’t so bad after all.