A N H E D O N I A

‘ OFF WITH YOUR HEAD, OFF WITH YOUR HEAD! ’ —— They said. But don’t they r e a l i z e? YOU’VE ALREADY L̢̧̟̹̘̜ͅO͔̼̰͍̻̭ͅͅS̡̗̣̻̙T̢̖̤̝̠͖͕ IT.

[hadley-hatter]

The Rebellion

When tensions between The Wonderlanders and The Queen became too much for everyone, many looked for a leader. A symbol of the rebellion for the Wonderlanders. Someone who knew how to fight and would do it for the good of the people. When Hadley had returned to Wonderland in hopes of finding tea with his sister, he hadn’t expected many to ask him to be this symbol. A leader. They needed him to be the headpiece of their cause. So that they could overthrow the bloody queen and make Wonderland wonderful again. At first, Hadley refused and would have no part in it. He needed to protect his family first. But it was then that he thought of his mother. What she would want. Even the darkness inside him couldn’t make him any less than a hero in his own right. So he would be one. For the first time in his life, he would be good.

With a heavy heart, he returned his badge to Violet, giving up his position as co-head guard and trading it for a handshake. Maybe he would return someday, perhaps not. He was just glad he had the option of returning to his old position. With his son, Valentine, and his now wife, Aeria, Hadley took one last look at the room that would always be his and stepped in the vortex to Wonderland. He would go to war for Wonderland and with the faith he still had left, he would make his mother and sisters proud.

Hadley Hatter is now Retired.

[aeriazeus]

Aeria leaned her face into his hand, enjoying the warmth of his skin. “I love you too.” She replied gently, smiling at him. She could never get enough of hearing how he loved her. It always filled her with butterflies and happiness. When he admitted that she was always right, she couldn’t help laughing a little. “That’s good to hear. I like being right.” She teased. Now she was determined to pick a date and finally get married to him. It felt like it was such a long time coming. “Good. My new goal in life is to marry you.” She giggled. “That we are.” She nodded. “I’ll hold you to that promise. We’re in this together, alright? It’s never just going to be you or me.”

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley smiled with those three words, quickly pressing his lips to her own. It was almost instinct for him to do. Like kissing her was what was natural and good to him. He felt the same way that he always did when he kissed her. The shivers down his spine, the nerves in his stomach. He still felt it all. “The only time you’re wrong is when I’m right. Which is a good 90 percent of the time,” He quipped, smirking at her. “Is it cliche to have the same goal?” He asked. “When should we have our wedding?” For the most part, he didn’t really have a preference. “We are in this together or not at all.”

[xfractured]

Pandora could tell that he would be a harder one to crack, but she wanted to at least try. She was being as vulnerable as she could be and she couldn’t go back now. “Because I see how she treats other people. And I’ve seen how she treats me when I have stepped out of line.” Her voice wavered slightly at the memories. “I’m not trying to fool anyone. I don’t want to be under my mother’s thumb any longer. I’m not the same person as she is.”

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley lowered his eyes at her, trying to figure out if she was really telling him the truth or if it was just another act. He never trusted the Hearts. He barely ever trusted anyone. Especially when his family was concerned. “I still don’t trust you,” He said a little too bluntly, sighing once he realized. “You have to understand that it’s not easy to trust someone that could have beheaded you if she so wished for it. It takes time and evidence.”

[adiahatter-blog]

“Yes and no. I just want tea. I wouldn’t go on my own….Well you’ll be the one in control so you don’t need to leave him with Dad.”

[hadley-hatter]

“I wouldn’t make you go alone. Especially with the bloody hearts running around... Alright. But if he touches Valentine, I want you to watch him just like I will be. Good?”

[adiahatter-blog]

“Any chance you would be willing to come take a day trip back to Wonderland with me? I need more tea. We could like Dad meet Valentine maybe? or not if that’s weird?”

@hadley-hatter

[hadley-hatter]

“You seriously want to go back to Wonderland willingly? I mean, if it’s for tea, I’m in... He’s our Dad so it’s not weird. I just don’t want him to do something stupid with my son.”

[xfractured]

Pandora noticed his hand where the gun was and she was suddenly a little scared. “I wanted to tell you that I’m not here to hurt anyone. Actually… I’m here to get away from my mother as well. I want to help you. And I want you to help me. I can’t do this by myself.” She said, never thinking she would ever be in this situation.

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley didn’t move an inch from where he was. He couldn’t care less how scared she was. Maybe that was why it was extremely hard for him to believe she was actually trying to get away from her mother. “Why would you be trying to get away from your mother when she’s done nothing but treated you like a little princess? You might be able to fool the others, but I’m very hard to convince.” He never thought he would ever be able to act this way to Pandora.

[aeriazeus]

Aeria smiled up at him, pressing the back of his hand against her cheek. “I’m glad. I want to be here too.” This was the only place she wanted to be. She had the man she loved and the little boy she couldn’t live without. She had already accepted that nothing in their life was going to be easy, but she was willing to weather the storms and enjoy the sunshine. “Of course I’m right.” She teased gently. “But it will happen for us. It’s going to.” She was sure of it. Once they set a real date and started focusing on it, she would make sure of it. “I know you do. He’s so lucky to have you as his daddy. And I’m lucky that you’re in love with me. I’m the happiest when we’re together.” They were a team. They had to be together.

[hadley-hatter]

His smile grew with hers, soon turning his wrist so he was holding her cheek. “I love you,” He murmured carefully. Like it was a secret. It felt like it had been too long since he told her that but in actually he did not too long ago. He just liked to tell her so. Throughout everything they had been through he felt like he would always love her. “You’re always right.” He shook his head defiantly but he knew that was the truth. “I believe you.” Now that they just had to find a date and stick to it, he felt like he had time to go through the rollercoaster of emotions. “We’re a team. You, me and now James. I promise I’ll start thinking like that.”

[hadley-hatter]

Dear Daddy,

I’m having Mommy write this letter for me because I can’t read or write yet. I wanted to tell you how much I love and look up to you. I love when you hold me and kiss me and take care of me. You make me laugh and smile all of the time. Thank you for being the best Daddy in the world.

Love, Valentine

-

Hadley, My Love,

Happy Father’s Day. You are an incredible father and I’m so happy that we made James together. The two of you are the light of my life. I can’t wait to have the rest of my life with you and maybe have more babies in the future. Enjoy this day.

Your love and teammate, Aeria

(But only one date obvi Jame’s birthday.)

[heartfulloffandoms-deactivated2]

[xfractured]

“I do.” Pandora replied, her hands still up, just in case he didn’t believe her. She wanted him to see that she meant. “I didn’t do anything to her. We just talked. Can I just talk to you without you jumping to conclusions? Or should I wait?” She wanted him to be open to listening to her rather than just assuming things.

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley breathed out, still standing where he was but placing his hand on the grip of his revolver. Just in case. “If you don’t want to behead me, what do you want, Pandora?” He didn’t believe her. He was brought up not to.

[xfractured]

@hadley-hatter

Pandora smiled and shook her head. “Stand down, darling. I come here in peace.” She said, holding her hands up. “I thought you and I should talk, since I already had a few conversations with Adia. Besides, I wanted to see this sweet little boy of yours.”

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley lowered his eyes to her, hardly standing down. That was an impossibility. “Sure you do,” He scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re not seeing my son. What did you do to Adia?”

[aeriazeus]

Aeria brought his hand up and kissed his fingers and knuckles, leaving a million light little kisses all over his skin there. “I’m glad you’re here with us. This is where you are supposed to be.” Even though she hadn’t expected herself to be in this position either, she couldn’t be happier. “I think neither of us ever expected to get married or anything like that, so maybe that’s part of why it hasn’t happened yet. But I want to do it right too. You deserve that. And as for James, he adores you as well. I don’t think you could ever do wrong in his eyes. He loves you so much.” And that seemed so clear to him. James had connected with his daddy and she couldn’t be happier about it.

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley let a faint smile cross over his lips as she kissed his scarred knuckles, finding it to be a perfect picture of who they were. She would always love the person behind the mess. “This is where I want to be.” It was hard sometimes but that was his life. Nothing was ever easy. “I think you’re right,” He agreed. Never before had the thought of marriage even popped into his mind. It was all so ancillary and toxic. Up until Aeria came along that was. “I love him more. He’s everything to me. So are you.” He couldn’t ask for a better partner in life or a better son. They both stuck with him through his depression and his madness.

[hadley-hatter]

"Do I spy a little Hatter boy? And a little Hatter daddy?"

“Are you purposely trying to get yourself killed? Right here, right now?”

[aeriazeus]

Aeria watched him, wishing she could hear what was going on in his head at the moment. Sometimes she worried about his thoughts, and right now was one of those moments. “I do still want to be your wife.” She said, promising him that. She would never stop wanting to be his wife, his girlfriend, his partner, his anything. She was his absolutely. When he asked her if marrying him was what she wanted, she smiled. “I’ve never wanted to marry anyone before I met you. This wouldn’t even be a conversation with anyone else. I want to marry you because I am so desperately in love with you. I adore you and I would marry you if James had happened or not.”

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley could feel her eyes on him but he chose not to say anything. Just because he was fearful of the world and the voice in his head was always loud, he didn’t want to bring her into that. He never did. Though, everything turned to silence the moment she told him she still wanted to be his wife. Like everyone including the voice was shocked. He smiled and lightly squeezed her hand. “I thought I would be dead in some ditch somewhere by now. I wouldn’t have a family or have gotten on better terms with my sisters... I want to be better for all of you. For you and our son especially. But I want to do it right this time.”

[hadley-hatter]

What if in five years Adia goes mad and kills herself? How would you react?

“ I don’t want to think about that. Don’t make me think about that... I would do anything to keep that from happening. Anything. ”

[hadley-hatter]

What if in five years Aeria decides to leave you. How would you react?

“ I spiral... For a long time. But she would be doing something for herself and I could never hate her for that. After all the shit I’ve done to her, I would respect the decision leave me. ”

[aeriazeus]

Aeria needed the comfort that came from holding his hand. She hated to admit it, but she was terrified. She was afraid he would reject her and leave her and say he wasn’t in love with her anymore. “I just don’t want you to hate being married to me.” She said softly. “But if this is what you really want, then I agree that we should do it the right way. I want to do this with you. I want us to be happy more than anything. Just promise me that this is what you want. I need you to do that.”

[hadley-hatter]

Hadley squeezed her hand, leaning back against the headrest of the couch and staring at the ceiling for just a moment. He wanted to forget the fear he had for the future. The ideas in the back of his head telling him that he would never be good enough. There was never any bad thought about her there. Only bad thoughts about himself. “That’s not going to happen,” He murmured, turning his head to look at her. “I would be lucky that you still wanted to be my wife.” She deserved all the happiness in the world. He just hoped he could provide that happiness. “We have too much history for me to just give up... I’m asking you to marry me not because we have James or there is some kind of obligation. I want to. Me. I promise. Is this what you want too?”