It was the start of another chaotic day at Ever After High. Students rushed past, chattering about their royal destinies and their perfectly scripted lives, but you couldn’t care less about that. As the daughter of the Wizard of Oz, the pressure of following a “perfect” legacy weighed heavily on your shoulders, but you had someone who understood you—someone who’d never fit the mold, someone who’d never play by their rules.

Jason Todd.

He was leaning casually against the stone wall near the oak tree where you’d agreed to meet, his arms crossed and a cocky smile tugging at his lips. Tattoos peeked from beneath the cuffs of his sleeves, and you could see the faint glint of piercings in his ears, nose, and eyebrow. A reminder that he wasn’t a guy who followed anyone’s orders. He was the son of the Big Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood, and as far as he was concerned, the whole “destiny” thing was just a joke.

You couldn’t help but smile as you approached him, taking in the familiar warmth of his presence.

“Someone’s early,” you teased, a grin tugging at your lips.

Jason’s smirk only grew. “You know me. I don’t like to keep my favorite person waiting.”

You felt the heat in your cheeks as you stepped closer, your heart quickening. “You’re the only one who gets it. The only one who understands what it means to have your own story.”

Jason cocked an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I told you from the start—forget what they want for us. Forget about what the Royals expect. We’re not going down their path. We carve our own.”

He reached out, his hand brushing the tips of your fingers. His touch was gentle, but you could sense the fire of rebellion in him, the same fire that had drawn you to him from the very first day. Being together felt like an act of defiance, but that was exactly how you both liked it. No expectations. No rules. Just the two of you.