Harmony-A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic

[givemeyourhonor]

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland
Pairing/Characters: Trey Clover
Rating: PG
Warnings: Fluff, misunderstandings
Notes: Xposted to squidgeworld and Ao3 at Silvermagess. 
Summary: Trey ends up helping Deuce make some Valentine's Day treats.

It was a late night and Trey couldn't sleep. He'd tried, of course, tossing and turning, before he realized how fruitless it was. Sighing, he decided to give up the fight and carefully pulled himself out of bed, and quietly left his room. If he couldn't sleep then he might as well try out the special project he'd been planning. His father and mother had sent him pictures of their latest idea for the bakery: a Red Velvet Whoopie Pie, featuring layers of cream cheese and strawberries.

The pictures had looked pretty enough and he'd been excited to try it out, even though Whoopie pies tended to be simple to make. But that made it perfect for a sleepless night and besides, Valentine's Day was tomorrow. He'd always enjoyed the sort sweets his parents baked then. And it would be a nice treat for everyone in the dorm, even if half of them just groaned about being single or not getting to see their girl in town.

As he made his way to the kitchen, Trey paused when he saw that the lights were on and then smiled. Someone sneaking a late-night snack, was it? Well giving another student a little scare as the Vice Dorm Leader was always amusing and he decided to quiet his steps before carefully poking his head in. And while he wasn't surprised at who he saw, he was still a bit confounded.

There with a mess of baking ingredients, bowls, and dishes sitting out was Deuce Spade, smudged in flour, scrolling through his phone, brow knit in consternation. "Can I cook it at a higher temperature and get it done faster…" He muttered to himself, obviously stuck in his own world.

"You can, but you're going to have to watch it closely," Trey said as he stepped in, causing Deuce to cry out and fumble with his phone, dropping it right into a bowl.

"Clover-senpai! What are you, I mean it's not what it looks like!" He desperately pulled his phone out of the bowl, which must have had flour in it, because the phone was coated in white dust. Trey had to fight back, but instead schooled his expression into something a bit more serious and scolding.

"Really? All I see is someone making a mess of my kitchen after midnight." He could see Deuce's mortification growing, his face becoming bright red. "What would Riddle say? You're breaking several rules."

"P-please don't tell! I'm not doing anything wrong!" Deuce's eyes were closed as he said it, fists clenched and Trey almost felt a little guilty about picking on him. Almost.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll let you off," Trey could see Deuce visibly relax as he said it and then continued, "but only if you let me try some of what you're making, " He smiled as he said it, though he couldn't even imagine why Deuce was turning even redder.

"S-senpai, I can't give them to you," Deuce said as he looked away. "At least not right now." Well, that was unexpected. "I'll do anything else though, so don't tell Rosehearts!"

Well Trey really couldn't keep picking on him, not when Deuce was so serious. "I was only joking Deuce…" Trey sighed and then walked around to the other side of the table. "Here, as a way of an apology, let me see what you're making," he said as he held out his hand for Deuce's phone. After a hesitant moment, Deuce obliged him and Trey brushed some of the stray flour off before scrolling down the screen. They were heart-shaped chocolate cookies, an unexpected choice for Deuce.

So even this guy had someone on Valentine's Day.

"Are you making these for someone?" Trey asked casually as he scanned through the recipe, causing Deuce to flinch.

After a long moment, Deuce sighed and nodded, still looking away. "Uh-huh. I was kind of distracted today and forgot. And then it got late and then I remembered I haven't baked cookies since I was little," he trailed off as he said it, fidgeting.

And the MasterChef course wouldn't have focused much on how to bake cookies and the like, Trey thought to himself. "They're not that hard to make," he smiled. "Tell me everything you've done so far." Deuce went over every step he'd made, Trey nodding as he went along. "Well, you've managed to follow the recipe so you should be okay."

Deuce sighed in relief. "I think I got a little scrambled because I kept looking at the clock and then I didn't remember where anything was."

"Well it is after midnight, so it's understandable. I was going to do some baking of my own," and then seeing Deuce's face begin to fall, Trey quickly added, "but I think I'd rather help with this instead." Seeing Deuce about to protest, Trey dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "No, really it is. I was just looking for something to do since I was restless." And his curiosity was piqued. His parents' recipe could wait another time.

Deuce nodded after a long moment, sighing. "Then if you please, about what you said early…" They worked on the recipe, with Trey giving Deuce advice here and there, though really, he didn't need it. He wasn't that bad a hand in the kitchen, his skills just needed a little polish. The cooking course had helped him a lot with his fundamentals. Though there was a question still on the back of Trey's mind. And as they watched the cookies bake in the oven, he finally had to ask.

"So is there someone in particular you're making these for?" Deuce who was leaning on the kitchen counter across from him, choked.

There was a long silence before Deuce finally spoke, "Ah, I mean, sort of," he said as he looked away. "But I've never done anything like this before, and it's kind of girly, but-"

"-it's not girly," Trey said abruptly, causing Deuce to flinch. "Baking isn't girly or manly. You don't think I'm girly, do you?" Deuce quickly shook his head no and Trey smiled. "You're doing it because you like them, right? And want to share your feelings?" It was more altruistic than Trey's reasons for baking honestly. He'd loved baking, but he didn't put his love into it, not like this guy. Who did everything with a sincere effort that made Trey occasionally question his own life.

Deuce nodded, still looking away. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. But they don't know that I like them."

Trey raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? I didn't think you were the type to hide your feelings that easily."

"Well they…" Deuce frowned and then swallowed, "I think, maybe they know, but are just pretending not to. They're hard to read sometimes." He gave Trey an odd look then, one that could almost be called pointed. "So I want something that might be a little ice breaker, you know? And if they don't like it…"

"You can just tell them you made too much," Trey finished and then rubbed the back of his neck. "That's not a bad idea for you, Deuce." Still a little pressuring though, but that was Deuce in a nutshell. Strong-willed to the point of absurd intensity sometimes. "Though I must say, I wonder what kind of person they are to make you go to these lengths."

There was a long silence before Deuce spoke, his eyes closed as he thought through his words. "He-I mean they," he paused before gaining confidence, "they're really good at taking care of others, that's the first thing. And they're smart and good at magic and baking and also…" he frowned then, once again getting a little red. "Very attractive."

Trey not only noticed that barely covered up 'he' in there, but also something that sent a little shudder down his spine. "Good at baking you say?" He saw the incredibly sheepish nod and decided to ask: "Is that why you wanted to bake them something?"

"I… yeah," he frowned and then, as if emboldened, "I know it's not as good as anything they would make, but I thought it would be a way to show that I'm thinking of them." He saw something a bit seeking in his eyes then. "Do you think that someone like that would appreciate that kind of gift?"

Trey's mind was racing a bit and suddenly his palms were a little sweaty feeling, but he managed to compose himself, as he often did in such situations. "I think they would. At least I know I would." What are you saying, Trey Clover? What the hell are you doing?

He thought Deuce was about to fall over but before he could form a response, the oven dinged and Trey quickly moved away from the counter to pull them out. "Now, we need to let these cool a few minutes before we transfer them to a wire rack…"

Deuce swallowed whatever he was going to say and the subject drifted back to the safe topic of baking and the activities of cleaning the kitchen and boxing up Deuce's creation. And then it was time to pack it up.

"It's after one, so you should head straight to bed," Trey said as he flicked off the light in the kitchen. "And on the off chance that Riddle is up and catches you, just let him know that I wanted you to help me with something, alright?" Deuce nodded silently, holding his container of cookies close to his chest. "And Deuce, I hope it goes well tomorrow, whoever it is you're giving them to." It felt odd to be saying that now, especially if he'd come to the correct conclusion.

Deuce nodded and then met Trey's eyes, with that serious look that was as alarming as it was charming. "I will! Just you wait and see!" And with that, he turned around and hurried down the hall, obviously too resolved to even say good night. Inhaling deeply, Trey let his shoulders slump as he sighed.

"I should have just stayed in bed."

---

The next day, Trey woke up feeling restless. He'd slept, but only because he was tired. As he went about his day, he found himself thinking about everything from last night.

You're jumping to conclusions, Trey Clover, he thought to himself. Would Deuce of all people be able to talk to you like that if your suspicions were true?

Well no, of course he could. He's seen Deuce attempt quite a few bald-faced lies before, usually when he'd made a mistake. He always did end up shifty and fumbling his words then too. So it was entirely possible…

And what was that line about his "crush" knowing? Granted, Trey knew that Deuce was very fond of him. He'd seen it in his eyes, whenever Trey taught him something new or indulged him and Ace in some way. Though whereas Ace would sometimes grouse about it, annoyed, Deuce still remained glowing. Trey had always just assumed it was because Deuce had no brother or father figure in his life to grasp on to. It had been flattering in a way, if a bit overwhelming. But now…

It was hard to know what to think. Putting aside other questions, it wasn't like Trey knew how to answer him. And he knew that Deuce would want some kind of answer. He was too serious and straightforward for anything vague. The problem was Trey wasn't sure how he felt about it.

He'd been given gifts before, back in middle school from girls, and even received a couple of confessions. He'd always rejected them though, being too busy helping out at the family bakery and watching his siblings. And in NRC, he'd also occasionally received gifts from girls who lived around campus and even another boy once. He'd used the excuse that he was the Vice Dorm Leader and had no time because he had to manage Riddle. Of course, those were all excuses.

He was afraid of having his life become more complicated. It's the way he'd always been. Sure he'd pull a prank here or there, or get revenge on others when necessary, but outside of that, he wanted his personal relationships to go smoothly. Harmony was better after all. It's why he'd let Riddle go on for so long as he had. Of course that had been a mistake, one that he'd only realized the extent of after a group of four troublemakers came to their school. And at least half of that group, the Adeuce combo as Cater liked to call them, still shook up his life on a regular basis.

But while Ace might have been the more blatant troublemaker, Deuce was no more difficult. He bulldozed into things, often with no care in the world. He always put his all into everything, including school events that everyone else found tedious, as if they were all precious experiences and not horrible bores. It could be tiring, but also, well, it was cute.

He flinched the moment the word entered his head during his morning classes, but it was true. Deuce was cute. And not just in the way most of his underclassmen were. There was a spark to him, one that was so different from what Trey had within him. And the way his face lit up when he succeeded at something or was complimented it was…

Oh dear, Trey thought to himself. Talking himself into accepting those possible feelings had not been his intention at all. He should have been thinking about how to politely reject Deuce, in a way that would cause no harm and would keep the harmony in his life. But now…

"I'm such a damn fool," Trey whispered to himself, causing his deskmate to momentarily turn to him, but fortunately not pry. Which was for the best, because Trey was sure he didn't have a satisfactory answer for him either.

---

As the day wore on, Trey's mind began to stupidly overwork itself. Mainly because Deuce hadn't shown up during any of the moments when it would have been convenient to hand out a Valentine's Day gift. He hadn't called Trey out during lunch or any of their other breaks. He didn't ask for time during club activities either.

And then Deuce wasn't there during Heartslabyul's dinner, which was even more unusual, because he never missed a meal if he could help it. Was he perhaps wrong and Deuce was out meeting whoever his Valentine was? Either someone in another dorm or even from town. It could even be a teacher for all he knew. But not someone here, because Deuce was unaccounted for.

It was hard not to be a little… annoyed? Put out? Whatever it was, Riddle shot him a few questioning glances as did Cater, but once dinner was done and cleaned up, Trey made sure to hurry out of there as fast as he could, mentioning something about the apple tree in the Rose Maze. The last thing Trey needed was Cater inevitably joking that he was sad about Valentine's Day.

And no, of course he wasn't sad over a childish holiday, Trey thought as he plucked apples off the tree. Just annoyed. Annoyed at Deuce and even more annoyed at himself for being annoyed. He was the one who had written a wild story up in his head. Why should he be happy or worried over some cookies from Deuce Spade of all people? It wasn't like he'd decided to give him a favorable answer.

"I'll just tease him later and ask where the ones he promised me are," Trey sighed to himself. Or even force Deuce to cook him some if they were all gone. It wasn't like he didn't need a helper in the kitchen. That could be the treat for the next Unbirthday even! That wouldn't be strange, right? Or appear too vindictive?

That's what he thought as he continued to pick apples from the central apple tree, diligently putting them into the basket. The tree was a special one, a tree that had apples all year round, though the type changed every season. Right now, the apples in question were soft, but sweet. Perfect for making Apple Butter with. And in any case, if they didn't get picked regularly, the seasonal changeover wouldn't have as big of a yield.

It was easy enough to get lost in the act and let his feelings fall away, whatever they had been. Deuce probably wouldn't even notice a thing and Trey would laugh at himself in private the next day. And things would be as they should be. At least that's what he was thinking when he suddenly heard a loud rustling sound. "What on earth?" Trey muttered to himself only to see Deuce step inside the section of maze Trey was in.

"Senpai! I found you at last! Why is this stupid maze so hard to navigate?" Deuce was huffing and puffing and Trey could see that a few twigs were sticking to him and his hair was ruffled. There was also a small, red box clutched in his hand. Trey let the apple he was holding fall into the bucket not sure what to think, but then laughed.

"Deuce, we've told you so many times how to make your way through," Trey said. "And you do know you could have called me on your phone, right?" And Deuce should have also brought a light with him, since the sun was starting to set and soon it would be dark and if he hadn't managed to find Trey, well, it would have been a disaster.

The look of embarrassment on Deuce's face was plain, but then he shook his head as if resolving himself. "It's more meaningful this way!" And then he stepped forward and sighed after a moment. "Though, none of this has gone as planned…" He frowned to himself and then held the box out. "Here! It's for you!" The box was wrapped in shiny red paper, with a black knot on it that was probably intended to be a bow but had failed somewhere along the line. "I meant to give it to you sooner, but then I got held after potions class. And then when I finally had a chance, I realized I had to gift wrap them and went to Sam's and there was a long line, and all that was left was DIY projects, so I thought I'd try it myself, but I wasn't very good at it."

"It's not that bad looking," Trey said as he took the box that was held out to him and opened, it, seeing a card lying inside on top of some rather messily arranged cookies. "May I read this right now?" Deuce clenched his fists for a moment, but then slowly nodded.

"I… yeah, I can take it!" nodding, Trey read through the note, which was short, but to the point.

 

Clover-senpai,

It took me forever to write this, but I just wanted to let you know. I really like you a lot.

And I don't think you'll go out with me, but if you did, that would be great!

But, if not, that's fine. But, I'm tired of being a coward, so I had to get this off my chest. Though maybe you already know. It's hard to tell with you. It's a bit frustrating.

Also, this probably isn't a surprise anymore, after last night. Which was pretty embarrassing. And I was even a little annoyed with you. But, now that I think about it, I realize I don't have anything else to be embarrassed about. Especially when I probably looked like a dumbass in the kitchen.

But I hope you like them anyways. And if you don't want our relationship to change, I can accept that. You can just consider them a gift from a friend. Because I respect you no matter what.

But, regardless of what you think, I want you to have this either way.

Sincerely,

Deuce Spade

 

Well that was unambiguous, Trey thought to himself. And he felt like a bit of a heel now for a lot of things. Last night in the kitchen and having read this letter in front of him.

"W-well, what do you think? I mean, if you don't think anything, that's fine," Deuce was fidgeting a little as he looked at Trey warily. "Though if you do…"

Trey slipped the letter back inside before putting the box under his arm. "Thank you, Deuce. For the cookies and the letter. And I'll also let you know," he sighed and then smiled, "I really didn't know you felt that way, alright?"

He saw Deuce's shoulders slump a little, then he nodded. "Well, that's good. That means you weren't bullying me last night." But he'd probably also been hoping for some obvious interest and well…

"Deuce, I'll also be honest, I had thought it over after last night, and well, I'll admit, I didn't quite like the idea that you might be giving them to someone else." He saw Deuce blink and decided to continue. "I'm not saying I'm in love or anything like that," which was true, he wasn't, not yet. "But…" He rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment before adjusting his glasses. "…knowing that, would you still be willing to go out with me?"

He saw a million different emotions cross over Deuce's face before he nodded. "Yes! Of course!" And then, after a moment he asked, "Are you sure though? I don't want you to pity me or anything like that."

"I'm not that selfless, Deuce," Trey chuckled a little. No, he wasn't. He was a pretty terrible person. And he'd spent the whole day feeling annoyed and jealous that he'd been 'led' on. "I like you enough that I want to try it out, whatever it is." And then he shook his head and sighed. "I must sound horrible to you right now.”

"No," Deuce shook his head. "I know Clover-senpai isn't always a very decisive man." Harsh, Trey thought to himself. "But that's fine. I know it's out of the blue, but, "he flashed a smile, "I promise to be someone you can fall for! For real!"

I think you already are, Trey thought to himself, if the warmth he was feeling was any indication. "We'll take it one step at a time," he smiled as stepped closer to Deuce and then realized that he probably shouldn't pat his head. He glanced over towards the basket of apples he'd picked. "We should head back. Would you pick that up for me?" Deuce blinked and then rushed over to grab it.

"It is pretty late out, isn't it?" Deuce laughed as he scratched his cheek. "Sorry about that." It was completely dark now, save for the many magical lights that were set in this section of the maze, as well as that from now emitting from Trey's magic pen, a handy trick he'd learned early on.

Laughing Trey nodded at Deuce's apology because wasn't it this guy's fault? That he'd been so broody feeling over not getting some cookies that he'd gone to Rose Maze on his own to be alone. But for once he didn't feel like biting back and instead tucked the box under his arm and made sure his magic pen was emitting enough light for the both of them. And then he held out his other hand. "Well then…" He saw Deuce blinking at his outstretched hand a few times and Trey had to sigh because good ole Deuce. This was going to be a bit tricky. "Deuce, take my hand."

He blinked and then reddened. "Oh sorry," he grasped Trey's hand in his and they started to walk. They were silent for a bit as they took the different turns and bends, ones that Trey was well practiced in. "I suppose… we'll be doing a lot of this, huh? I'm not… too experienced," Deuce's voice was soft.

"I'm not either," Trey said and he could feel Deuce's surprise more than see it. "But I think this is a good start, don't you?"

"Of course!" Deuce said happily and then asked, "What if someone sees us?" Trey could hear the tinge of anxiety in his voice at that. "Wouldn't it be a bit annoying for you?" Of course, it would be annoying, Trey thought. Putting all the scrutiny they might be under aside, Riddle would likely be annoyed that there was something that might distract him from his duties. He's also sure both of them were going to receive a lot of ribbing.

But, all Trey said was, "It doesn't matter. That's all part of dating anyways. If we can't take what other people think, then we can't be together in the long term." And then, as if realizing how that sounded, "Not that I'm promising anything in the long term." Alright, that might have been unnecessary when he actually didn't know what Deuce's wishes were.

"You're right," Deuce responded. "I wasn't really thinking that much about the future either. This is actually more than I ever hoped for," he said as he gave Trey's hand a small squeeze. "But no, I don't want to actually hide it. I don't think I'd be good at it. I just don't want to cause any trouble for the guy I like."

"You won't, I promise," Trey said. That was a lie of course. He knew Deuce well enough by now to know that he was going to cause all sorts of trouble for him. But, he'd agreed to accept all of that, for however long this lasted. And what was a little more trouble in his life, between classes and helping to manage a temperamental dorm? Maybe it was time to do something nice for himself. And not worry about the problems it might bring.

When they finally left the maze and entered the dorm, Trey finally let go of Deuce's hand and then smiled. "Well, let's head to the kitchen." Seeing Deuce blink, Trey laughed. "We need to wash these up before we go to bed. Or are you opposed to late nights in the kitchen? Because if you're going to date me, there's going to be a lot of that." And there wasn't anyone around the entrance to ask, everyone having either retired early or gone to the common room, so who was there?

Deuce suddenly chuckled at that. "I almost think you didn't want a boyfriend so much as a chef's assistant…" But then he took his free hand and rapped his chest. "But yeah, you can rely on me!"

"Of course I can," Trey smiled as he took Deuce's hand again and they headed towards the kitchen. It wasn't the first time and it certainly wasn't going to be last time.

Notes: There's so little for these two on the NA side of things, even though they're really cute.

Also the desert Trey was planning on making in the beginning is inspired by this: https://wdwnt.com/2022/02/review-new-red-velvet-whoopie-pie-is-a-sweet-valentine-treat-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/