Chapter Text

He was stuck in shoulder tassels again.

The massive party Star decided to throw for Mewmans and monsters alike kinda required it of him. Which was fine, Marco supposed. He didn’t have much else besides his hoodie anyway, and he had a role to fill.

Well, did he? Following what happened back on the beach, he wasn’t sure there really was anything in need of filling anyway.

His growing frustrations with her on top of that didn’t help much either.

She was his best friend. And he was hers, or so he thought. Lately, they seemed so off-kilter that the declaration just didn’t seem as true as it had before. Like something unspoken was dividing them, and the thought scared him. Why was he there, in this suit as her advisor when it felt like she was pushing him away?

He spotted her in a dazzling red gown by a group of monsters that looked nearly as uncomfortable as he felt. The ball was meant to be an archway to better the relationship between everyone, but frankly it seemed like a forced gathering no one was really sure how to act in.

Marco could relate to them all in that regard.

It was her own party, and they hadn’t said one word to each other yet.

Marco was in his own group, surrounded by the self-proclaimed rebel monsters that were talking his ear off, but he wasn’t invested in the conversation much. Once Star looked about ready abandon her own group, he’d go and say hi. Talk to her. Anything, really.

She offered a wave to the group of guests, smiling as she walked away with the highest regard. She really was trying to be a better princess, and watching her from afar was so odd to see considering the persona she would always have around him. She stepped back, and Marco deduced that this was his shot.

Just say hello, talk about the weather –

But Tom, carrying a plate of snacks, had whisked her away from the group before he had a chance to even take a step forward.

Marco heaved a sigh, deciding to bid farewell to his new acquaintances and get a drink. Something to cool his mind down, perhaps.

“—I think it’s going fine.” Marco paused as he was pouring punch into his cup, overhearing Tom’s deep voice from a table away. Star and Tom stood close to one another, and Marco felt his chest squeeze. The image of them together was still causing him to breathe uneasily, to gulp down the hollow feeling that rose into his throat. He was tempted to turn around and walk away, uncomfortable watching them, until he heard Star speak.

“I’m just worried that this party is gonna be a failure,” Star said, sounding stressed. Marco frowned. He would have offered her an arm of comfort at that point, a few choice words to get her hopes back up. She was trying, and that’s all that really mattered. “It’s like no one’s even trying to interact. How are we supposed to solve the divide if no one even tries?”

“It’ll be okay, Star. The party isn’t over,” Tom reached his arm over her shoulders and pulled her in close. “You’re being the best princess for everyone, and you’re doing great. I know you’ll do great. And if anything, I can force everyone to start mingling a bit more.”

Star giggled, and she gazed happily up at the demon. “Thanks Tom. But you believing in me is all I need.”

Something inside him snapped.

If he wasn’t sure before about their deteriorating friendship, he was now.

He slammed the cup down on the punch table table, spilling some of its contents on the embroidered cloth. It felt as though his anger carried him at that point, stepping quickly towards the couple that laughed over something Tom had just said. His chest constricted and his head filled with doubt, because this was a terrible, terrible idea, but he needed to talk to her. He was done hiding it.

He wanted his best friend back.

Marco slid next to Tom and Star, startling both of them. He put on a false smile, stretching so wide that it actually hurt.

“Hey Tom,” He could see the confusion in his face, and then the discomfort at his entrance, but Marco was far past caring. “Would you mind if I steal Star away for a little bit?”

“Uh, sure―”

“Great, thanks,” He interrupted, grabbing Star by the shimmering sleeve of her crimson gown. “Come with me,” Marco mumbled, leading her away from her dumbfounded boyfriend.

“Wha― what’s wrong?” Star said, trying to keep her voice low.

But even if their voices were hushed, plenty of Mewmans and monsters looked at the Princess and squire with confusion. Star paid them no mind as she passed them, giving a curt smile or nod to whoever she passed, until the grand wooden doors creaked open, letting them pass.

Marco briskly made his way down the pearly white stairs, standing in the garden and looking up at Star.

“What’s your problem?” he asked, his arms folded over his chest.

“What,” Star said flatly.

“You know exactly what, Star,” Marco groaned. “It’s like ever since I came back, you act like I don’t exist. For a little while, we were okay but it’s like― it’s like you just cast me off to the side. I’m there when you want me to be. I didn’t uproot my whole life just so you could see me when it’s convenient for you.”

“That’s not what’s happening.”

A bitter chuckle escaped him. Was she seriously trying to deny the obvious? “Yeah, actually. Yeah it is.”

“Why are you even mad?” Star demanded, on the defense. She climbed down the rest of the steps and met him on the stone walkway, surrounded by hundreds of lavender roses. She was genuinely confused, but more so irritated with his accusation. It felt as though nothing was good enough anymore; that everything she had built up and was trying to do was wrong to him. “Aren’t you getting what you wanted? To be a knight or whatever?”

He used to not know what he wanted. But now that he did, now that it’s sunk in and latched itself onto his heart, having his superficial need for some sort of validation thrown back at him was like a slap to the face. He looked down, avoiding her stare.

Whatever she had been offering since he came back: a pretense that everything between them was fine, the strained relationship he hadn’t understood begun to sever with unspoken tension, a title to hold a breaking bond… he didn’t want any of it.

His chest tightened, and Star looked at him impatiently. The way she looked at him, a way she never had before, forced the words out before he could stop them.

“I’m declining your proposal to be your Squire,” Marco said after meeting her eyes again, the crack at the end of his declaration the only hint of grief in a voice void of emotion.

She visibly regressed. “You’re what?”

“I’m declining your proposal,” he decided. “You can revoke it, Star.”

Silence wafted over them, the only sound was the autumn wind that blew the roses back and forth and the fountain that stood in the middle of the garden.

Words not spoken in his declaration had Star’s mind reeling. She had offered him the opportunity to stand by her at all times, to be her trusted confidant. Her very best friend. And yeah, sure, the looming tension that surrounded them was unbearable, and she missed him. But she needed to do this. The proposal was supposed to keep it all in place anyway.

He wasn’t just declining the title.

He was declining everything.

“So,” Star dragged the word out, eyes narrowing. “You’re just…you’re just turning down the Squire title.”

He nodded. “I’m turning down the Squire title.”

“This is unbelievable,” Her glare hardened, and she released a sardonic laugh. “I seriously cannot believe you,” she shook her head in astonishment. Something she could control, to subside the rest of her body trembling in unrecognizable anger. “You show up out of nowhere expecting to be a knight, and I get you what you want because you’re my apparent best friend, and now you’re just gonna throw it away?”

“It was never about being a knight,” He swallowed visibly. He swallowed down what was left unsaid, what he was scared to say. What had been obvious to some but was now a harsh revelation to him. A painful realization that he’s had to put up with for weeks. “I didn’t come back here to be a knight, Star.”

Star scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I never asked you to come back to Mewni at all,” she retorted.

“But you missed me, right?” Marco shot back. “You needed a longer goodbye.”

Hearing her own words caused Star to falter, and then frown. She shook her head, refusing to look her best friend in the eye. “Yeah, but that was then,” she said. “And you didn’t get it, Marco. You never have. And I don’t think you’re ever going to.”

“Oh, what do I not get, Star?” Marco asked. “Please, tell me. Because you weren’t the only one who’s had a hard summer.”

“Excuse me?” Star said, her voice dripping with attitude. “You had a hard summer?”

Marco didn’t realize the weight of his words until they were thrown back to him. “I―”

“I died, Marco,” Star snapped. “I literally died. I defeated a monster that hated my family for years . I didn’t know if my family was safe half the time, I didn’t know if Mewni was gonna be okay, I thought I was gonna lose magic forever, and did I mention that I died and came back to life?!”

She shoved him once she was close enough, and Marco bit his tongue, quite literally.

His best friend was broken. She was missing a piece of herself. Her light. Her starry eyes. Her bright smile. It wasn’t exactly gone, but it was very, very hard to find. Which was scary. Star gave out smiles and hope like it was renewable, like she could always have it and it would never run out, ever.

Little did Marco know that was so untrue.

Star was losing her light.

“Okay, so losing Jackie was hard on you,” she grumbled. “I’m sorry. And you were part of the whole defeating Toffee thing too. But I seriously can’t believe you.”

“I’m sorry,” Marco mumbled.

Star shook her head, rubbing at one of her eyes. It wasn’t tears.

It was just the roses.

The pollen was always stronger at night.

That was it.

“I… I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Star mumbled. “And pushing you. That was mean.”

“It’s okay,” Marco sighed. “You kinda have a right to get an attitude with me. I, you know, you’re right. My summer wasn’t that bad. I’ve been making things about me ever since I got here.”

Star didn’t say anything and somehow, that said everything.

“I… I know that what you need is a friend,” Marco said, his voice going low as he found himself so close to Star. Close enough that it felt like there was an odd amount of too much and just enough room. He stared the hearts in her eyes, he felt her breath catch― he couldn’t help but reach out, his thumb tracing a dusty pink heart.

“Yeah,” Star mumbled, almost absentmindedly.

Her gaze was on Marco again. And for a moment, he felt like her world. Like it was just them. No Castle, no party, no Mewni, no Earth.

Just Star and Marco.

It was what she always wanted, wasn’t it?

“I just want you to be happy, Star.” Marco spoke up. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Star took a moment to process the statement, swallowing hard and catching her breath as the words absorbed into her mind. “You just want to make me happy,” she echoed, her voice hollow and lost and so unlike herself.

She took a step back, and it caused Marco’s face to fall.

He nodded quickly. “Of course!” he said. “You’re― you’re my best friend! Why wouldn’t I want―”

“If you wanted me to be happy, you would have stayed on Earth!” Star exclaimed. “I had everything under control until you showed up! A-and if you had stayed on Earth, I would have,” She faltered, choking on her words, taking a moment to bite her lip and slightly turn away from him. “I would have been happy. You should have never come back to Mewni. We would have been okay if you were there, a-and not here.”

“What.” The word left Marco’s lips swiftly, and he felt himself taken aback, literally.

He took one slow step back, like standing by Star’s side, in her light, wasn’t something he needed anymore. His hands shook, forming into fists at his side.

How could she say that?

She was his best friend.

“Star,” Her name was said with two syllables, broken and shaky. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I was doing just fine without you,” Star declared. With every word she spoke, her tone of voice got stronger and bolder. “I’m supposed to be focusing on becoming Queen, Marco. I don’t have time for this anymore.”

This.

What was this?

“You just have time for everyone except me, huh? Tom and Pony Head and Eclipsa?” Marco didn’t realize what he had said until the words escaped. And he didn’t understand the impact until Star looked at him, tears now brimming her baby blue eyes.

“I should have never,” She was catching her breath again, mouth moving but no words coming out. She was drowning in words, there was too much to say but not enough time to say it all― “I should have never let you stay.”

Marco no longer felt lost and confused. All he felt was rage.

How could she do this to him? After all he had done for her? What was it all for? Their friendship, their hardships, it was being thrown away just like that.

“Fine,” he muttered.

“Fine!” Star blurted out, letting her emotions get the best of her. Then she stopped to look at him sincerely, steely, like she was already Queen. “I’ll send you home in the morning. Manfred can help you with your bags.”

And just like that, she turned on her heel and headed up the pearly white stairs that led back into the Castle.

“Fine,” Marco repeated one last time, his voice much softer than before.

But that simple, soft statement was the match that lit the flame. He let out a scream of frustration, turning around and shoving his foot into a bush full of lavender roses, stomping on it. Growls, incoherent mumbles of nothing but pure emotion, escaped him and he kept stepping on the rosebush, ruining it and making it so trampled until there was nothing but thorns scraping his dress shoe.

He groaned when a bramble caught onto his pants, and yanked, causing some of the baby blue fabric to hang limply off the branch.

“Now whatever did that poor rosebush do to you?” a voice spoke up.

“Nothing,” Marco snapped. “I’m just―” He turned around, gasping when he noticed who stood beside him. “You’re, uh, you’re Star’s grandma. Sorta.”

Where had she come from?

“Something like that,” Eclipsa said, outstretching her hand for a shake. “I don’t believe we’ve properly met. Eclipsa.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” Marco mumbled, eyeing the former queen’s hand but not shaking it. “I’m Marco.”

Eclipsa nodded, with a tiny smile playing at her lips. “Yes, I know. The Earth boy,” she mused. “Star talks about you. Quite often, in fact,” Her attention returned to the rosebush and she let out a sigh. “Such a shame. Although, I must ask, what caused you to ruin it?”

Marco hesitated, then shrugged. “It’s complicated,” he said. “I’d rather not say.”

And just as he was about to turn on his heel and leave the gardens, he felt a gentle grip on his right arm.

Eclipsa held him in place, and she let out a soft sigh. “You can trust me, you know,” she said, her voice just above a gentle purr.

But her words contradicted her actions… and a soft violet glow suddenly encircled Marco’s wrist, causing Eclipsa to gasp. Then, her smile morphed into something far more spine-chilling.

“Well, look at what we have here,” she mused. “You have my magic in your veins.”

“I― what?” Marco mumbled, furrowing his brow.

Eclipsa didn’t answer him, but she kept talking. It almost seemed like she was having a conversation with herself, mumbling about how she had a chance. And just as Marco was about to yank his arm away, the former queen’s grip grew stronger, almost unshakeable.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Eclipsa whispered, her eyes going dark.

~ ~ ~

“Star,”

Star ignored the voice calling her, and she zapped the punch bowl with her wand. Ugh, not enough sugar. That was what happened when they trusted Omnitraxus to make it. She stared blankly at the buffet table, still ignoring the nagging voice that kept repeating her name over, and over―

―until her long braid was yanked on. Quite harshly too.

“Girl! What is your damage?!”

“Ugh, Pony, what was that for?” Star mumbled, adjusting her flower hair tie.

Her fingers lingered on the hair tie for a moment, and she was tempted to yank it out― she had chosen a marigold. Marco’s favorite flower. She was too messed up on him.

“How else was I supposed to get your attention?” Pony Head huffed. “You been zoning out ever since you came back.”

Star rolled her eyes, pouring herself a cup of punch and staring into it like it was a wishing well.

“So?” she mumbled. “It’s not like I’m ruining anyone’s mood, everyone else here is already depressed.”

“Uh, about that,” Pony Head mumbled. “People are, like, leaving. I think. I dunno,” She levitated over a cookie from the table, munching on it while she spoke. “See, people are showing up and they’re not leaving but I don’t see ‘em anywhere. The guards don’t even know. It’s getting weird,”

Staring up at her best friend, puzzled, Star knit her brow. “What do you mean?” she said, her voice low.

“What did I just say, B-fly?” Pony said, tiny crumbs of cookie and frosting flying out as she spoke. “People are coming to this lame-o shindig, no offense, and they’re not leaving but, like, you don’t see ‘em anywhere. Don’tcha find that weird?”

“Weird,” Star mumbled, her gaze drifting over to the dancefloor.

Pony Head was right. At least a dozen guests were missing.

And it was both Mewmans and monsters gone.

“Where are my parents?” Star asked.

“I saw your mom going out to the rose garden and your dad is in a staring contest with Rhombulus’s arms,” Pony said, levitating over another cookie. “And as for Marco, I thought he was with you―”

Star felt her breath hitch.

Marco.

How she felt about him, and then― and in the past― it was all one big mess that was lodged in her throat like a sickness. She wasn’t sure how to feel, what to do, what was going on. Shaking hands caused Star to drop her cup of punch, and Pony Head’s demeanor went strangely serious.

“B-fly? Did something happen?” the floating equine asked.

“No,” Star mumbled, dodging the conversation. “Try to find the missing guests. I need to figure out what’s going on.”

Star’s head told her to put aside the personal problems and just be a good Princess. But her heart told her that this wasn’t just a royal matter. It focused both on her head and heart. All of her, who she was, she needed to channel in order to figure this out.

Rounding the corner in a daze, she nearly collided with a figure in a finely pressed black suit and tie. A pair of overly warm hands grabbed her shoulders to hold her steadily in place, three red eyes gazing down at her in concern.

“Star? You alright?”

“Y—” But the word wouldn’t come out. She couldn’t lie anymore, not to her friends, not to herself, and not to Tom, who supported her physically and emotionally. Who she never dreamed she could ever open up to, but here they were.

The dam broke, and in seconds her face was washed in mascara-soiled tears, barely able to breathe as Tom closed his arms around her.

“I don’t know! I-I don’t know!”

“Hey—hey, it’s okay,” Tom whispered, watching Pony Head instantly make herself scarce over the top of Star’s head. “Is it Marco?”

Who was he kidding, of course it was Marco. He wasn’t an idiot. Who else would make her react this way?

“We had a fight and―and I was so mad I left him alone in the garden, but something’s going on and—Tom, I’m terrible at being a real princess!” Star raised her head, thick tear tracks washed over her rose hearts. “I’m sorry, I just— when Marco’s here, I can’t— it’s like he—!”

She couldn’t get the words out, but she didn’t need to. Tom got it. Heck, he got it long ago at the Blood Moon Ball. Marco was extremely special to her...more special than he would ever be. And with the attitude Marco had been giving him for the better part of the past couple of weeks, it was starting to look like Star was pretty special to him as well.

And to Tom, it wasn’t about winning Star back anymore. What had that gotten him? Animosity and the cold shoulder from a princess he respected for ages. She had been right. What she really needed was a friend.

“Listen, we’ll find him,” he soothed, pulling back to brush her hair away from her gleaming face. “I’ll help, I promise. We’ll make this right.”

“Okay…” Star breathed out. “Okay... thank you, Tom.” She gave him that sweet crooked smile. “Seriously.”

“I’ll meet you in the garden,” Tom nodded, giving her hand one last squeeze before dashing off in the opposite direction down the corridor.

And as Star stumbled off to the side, trying to process everything that was happening, she nearly tripped over something that had been shoved under the banquet table. A loud clank alarmed her, and she felt her breath escape her.

Dragon chains.

An enchanted cuff.

Without its prisoner.