Warning: This story is rated T for suggestive themes, abuse, and violence.
Harry wakes up, stretches out his arms and lazily rolls over. He was so warm, what's another five minutes? Times of true comfort were so rare on the Isle, especially for Harry. Memories began to flash in Harry's volatile mind, moans, screams, and whispered devotions.
Harry bolts upright from the bed, as one recurring thought, plays on his mind. Uma. He was still in her bed, his naked body partially wrapped in her sheet. He could remember the taste of her lips, the feel of her body under his. Instinctively, he touches his lips and wishes she was beside him again, so they could once again relish the feel of each other. His last memory was of them falling asleep together on her bed, her lying on his chest, him with his arms wrapped around her. He had never been happier. But where was she now?
He gets up, and after doing a quick check of the cabin's bathroom, he dons his clothes and briskly walks to the deck. There she was. She was bossing the crew around, typical for an early Friday morning. He watches her for a moment, happily. She was absolutely gorgeous, like a flowing sea of pure ethereal beauty. He loved watching her take charge; it still gave him a thrill even after years of being her right-hand man, and then her first mate. "Uma!" He called to her happily as he approached. She turns to face him, but as he closes in to give her a kiss on the cheek, she ducks away from him. His brow furrowed in confusion, but then he realized that maybe it was not a good idea to flaunt their new status in front of the crew and the Isle. If she wanted to keep it on the down low for a while, he was okay with that.
"What are you doing?" She demanded her face scrunching up in irritation.
"I'm ki-" He looks around and all eyes were on them, "Nothing, just happy to see you, Captain, should I start my rounds?"
"Of course you should, Harry," Uma says with confusion in her voice.
"Alright, I'll see you later then?" He hopefully asks. She turns her back on him as he walks away, downtrodden.
"Get back to work!" She snaps at the others, and they immediately did what they were told.
Harry did his duties as first mate as usual, but everything else seemed to have changed. There was no longer any playful banter, no silent wordless communication by way of wayward looks, and there was definitely no touching. Every time he came up beside her, letting his shoulder brush hers like he had a million times before, she jolted as if shocked, and sent him away. Did he repulse her now? Did everything they built just wash away in the rain of desire? Why did she do it? Was she just using him to keep her bed warm for a night?
He and the crew were sitting at Ursula's Fish and Chips while Uma had her shift. They were there to keep her company as she works, as usual. Harry watches her with a strong yearning in his distant, crazed eyes as she forcibly did her rounds. Unable to hide her disdain as she delivered trays to hungry customers, cleaned spilled drinks of many others, and still seemed to completely effortlessly ignore and avoid him. Was this what they were now? Did she hate him? Oh god, what if it was because he had been horrible, and she was too polite to tell him? He had never had any complaints before. And by the way, Uma had screamed his name in their throes of explosive and savory passion he didn't think she had any either.
His eyes tracked her as she made her way to serve the youngest son of the Queen of Hearts. What was his name again? Almost as if on queue, Uma playfully said the boy's name. Ah yes, Quentin? What a stupid and hideous name.
"It's always nice to see your beautiful face, Uma." The annoying, blatant flirt coos. Harry's hatred for Quentin seemed to rapidly rise; every minute growing stronger.
Harry pulls out the dagger that Uma had given him for his birthday, many years ago. It was a sign of their friendship, but over the years it has evolved and became a sign of his undying fervor for his Captain, Uma. Did I scare her away? He wonders.
Maybe it was just him. He knew he had a way with the ladies, but it's not like they ever stuck around. In fact, now that he thought about it the numbers of women fawning over him had dwindled dramatically after his twentieth birthday. It didn't help that there always seemed to be a large swirl of rumors following him around. He knew what people said about him. Crazy. But Uma had never seemed to think that before.
He rested the tip of the dagger on his left thumb, spinning it with his right hand so it twirls around and around. He watches as Uma throws her head back and laughs at something the boy said. The dagger drew blood. Harry angrily glares at them both, wishing he could turn the boy to ash with his gaze. If looks could kill, then Harry's Hook would be through the boy's heart by now. Uma laid a hand on Quentin's shoulder and Harry couldn't take it anymore. He drives the dagger into the top of the table almost to the hilt. He imagines it still wasn't as deep as the one Uma had driven into his heart. He didn't watch for Uma's reaction or anyone else's as he stormed from the shop and into the cold winter air.
Harry hadn't made an appearance in days and Uma was consumed with worry. She knew Harry tended to toe the line of sanity, and she was afraid that after all this time of holding him back, she might have just been the one to push him over. She shouldn't have ignored him but the thought of them actually speaking about what they did that night filled her with such an all-consuming dread. Harry and her had uncovered something inside of themselves that neither was ready to face. Uma nervously clenches her fist, trying not to imagine the pleasures given under the duskiness of that cold evening. A mistake. That's all it was, a mistake that should never be thought about again. She takes a deep breath and suddenly calls for Gil.
Gil hurriedly ran to Uma a goofy smile on his face. "Hey, Uma! How's it going?"
"Where's Harry, Gil?" Uma questions getting straight to the point.
"Uh, I don't know. I thought maybe you did?" Gil responds, confused.
"Why would I know?"
"You and Harry usually only part when he's doing errands. Although, there has been a strange tension between you two lately."
"Enough with your silly little musings and theories. Bring me, Harry, now!"
"Why?"
"He's slacking off, do you think I'd allow that in my crew?"
"Uh," Gil thought back to all the times the crew had actively slacked off in front of Uma. But, then again Harry had never slacked off. He did his duties faithfully mostly because he enjoyed the intimidation he was charged with. "No, Captain."
"Exactly. Go get Harry, tell him he's going to be punished for his laziness."
"Alright, will do, Uma!" Gil says and Uma shoos him away.
Gil first went to check all of Harry's hangout spots, and no one had seen the boy for days. Gil even checks Harry's routes he patrolled for Uma, and nothing came of it. All hope almost lost Gil decides to go to the one place he knew Harry would never go.
Harry's house was quiet. Suspiciously so… Gil didn't bother knocking, walking right into the Hook house effortlessly. Captain Hook never locked his door. Why would he? Nobody would be stupid enough to break into his house. Gil swallows hard as he thought about the consequences of being caught in Hook's house uninvited. But Hook shouldn't be home... and he had his orders.
Walking straight back to Harry's room, Gil pushes the door open quietly. He felt tension flood out of his body when he found Harry on his bed, on his back with one knee up, staring at the ceiling.
"I don't want to be bothered," Harry speaks first breaking Gil from the uneasy tension that surrounded him.
"The captain is looking for you," Gil tells him.
"Then she can find me herself." Harry spits out bitterly.
Gil was taken aback by the venom in Harry's voice. He never spoke about Uma that way. "Uh," Gil pauses, "she says you've been slacking off."
"Is that what she calls it?" He scoffs. "Aye, I guess I am." He didn't move.
Gil shuffles his feet apprehensively. "Well, she-"
"I said she can find me herself," Harry interjects angrily, looking at Gil for the first time since he stepped into the room.
Any protests died on Gil's lips as he looks into Harry's eyes. He looked… As if he were in pain. The usually unhinged light that danced in Harry's eyes was gone. All light was gone and Harry looked like a zombie without hope.
Quietly, Harry asks him, "Please don't tell her where I am, Gil."
Gil's eyes widened in shock before he nods once, sharply, and backing out of the room and silently closes the door behind him. Harry never disobeyed a direct order from his captain. They had disagreements, but if Uma made up her mind on something, Harry never defied her. Gil was clearly over his head.
Uma was anxiously waiting on deck, pacing back and forth when she caught sight of Gil trying to sneak back on the ship. He certainly made a better pirate than a thief.
"So?" She asks him expectantly and tugs a stray braid behind her ear.
Gil jumps, spinning around to face her. "I, uh, I couldn't find him, Captain. I'm sorry."
"You couldn't? That's too bad." Uma tells him, trying to beat down the rising anger.
Gil shakes his head. "Nope. I looked everywhere. And now I'm really hungry, so I think I'll just head… down… to…" Gil trails off, backing up as Uma stomped towards him, fury taking over her features.
"You don't make a very good liar, Gil." She tells him, cornering him against the door to her quarters.
He cowers as she looms over him.
"Where. Is. He?" She demanded and fear flashes in Gil's eyes. Should he defy his Captains orders or should he spill everything?Captain, definitely captain, he decides as the anger in Uma's eyes grew by the second.
"He-he asked me not to tell you!" Gil shakily informs her.
"Gil, I am your captain." She sighs, deciding to go with a softer approach. This was Gil, after all. "You don't have to keep his secret. He's at his father's house, isn't he?" She asks him.
Gil nods, staring at the deck between their boots.
Uma smiles tightly, "Good job, Gil. Tell Desiree she's in charge, I'll be back. With Harry." The thought of Harry in that place with his family made her sick to her stomach. She immediately spun on her heel and stomped down the gangplank.
Harry's house was just as she remembers. Even the cold distorted air that used to frighten her as a little girl still remained. Uma thinks of the pain Captain Hook had caused Harry in this house. She felt terrible. Harry never went home, no matter what the situation. He always ran to her or the ship, but Uma guessed with how she punched a hole in the sinking ship that was their current relationship. Home didn't exactly lie with her anymore, least not for Harry.
She reluctantly goes to open the door and finds it surprisingly locked. It was a clear message from Harry, leave me alone.I don't want to.
Uma hesitantly knocks and the door swings open to reveal an annoyed Harriet. "Why are you here?"
"Can I see Harry?" Uma asks ignoring Harriet's question.
"No, he's finally gained some sense." Harriet answers curtly, "Maybe if he finally stops trailing after you like a lost puppy then he will finally grow up and stop disgracing the Hook name."
"Harry isn't an embarrassment," Uma protests, "He's my first mate and I want to see him."
"A Hook that's a first mate? And you claim he isn't an embarrassment! Ha! Hooks are captains, not first mates love." Harriet mocks bitingly.
Uma says nothing as Harriet drones on, "We lead not follow."
"I've met your father, Harriet, and he's not exactly what I call leader material." Uma retorts in a sharp tone tilting her head to see if Harry might be lingering in the background. He wasn't.
"Leave my father's name out of your mouth! What is it that Mal and practically everyone else calls you?" Harriet asks tauntingly, "Oh I remember, Shrimpy."
"Don't call me that," Uma replies through gritted teeth.
Harriet snorts at Uma's reaction. Did the daughter of Ursula dare think the daughter of Hook would find her intimidating?"Don't dare insult my father, Shrimpy." Harriet spat leaning closer to Uma with rage blazing in her eyes.
"Say it again, and I'll show you why I'm Captain of my ship."
"Is that a challenge? May I remind you unlike my brother, I actually am Captain of my own ship."
"What are you guys doing?" Harry interrupts appearing behind Harriet. Both Harriet and Uma looked at Harry, one with annoyance, the other with regret.
"You're Captain here dares to challenge me the daughter of Captain Hook." Harriet fumes every word laced with a strong fervor of disgust.
"My mother's a sea goddess, so, yeah, try me Hook!"
"Enough, both of you! Harriet, please just leave." Harry moves from behind Harriet leaving her room to go.
Harriet scoffs but walks away, leaving Uma to think they were finally alone. She hides in the kitchen, however, fully intending to listen to Harry and Uma's conversation.
Harry looks at Uma and then wishes he hadn't. The pain he felt seemed stronger now as it thrashed inside of him. He starts to close the door but Uma places her leg inside and manages to push her way in. They're close. Too close. Harry backs away giving Uma a chance to fully come in.
She closes the door behind her and Harry looks at her with tired eyes."I don't want to speak to you."
"That's a first, usually I can't get you to shut up," She jokes but Harry's face remains tight with defiance.
"You won't have to worry about that anymore," Harry says, "I won't be bothering you again."
Harry felt so used by Uma. Here was a person he gave everything to without a second thought. And yet here he ended up with the same ending all his life situations had, with him used and left behind, again.
"What do you mean? All of this because of some silly moment of weakness. You and I both know there's no way we-" Uma hesitates bringing her voice to a whisper, "love each other. We don't even know what that is."
Was she serious? Did she not know she was practically his sexuality? Sure, he had been with other people, but he clearly always longed for her. He worshipped her, practically declaring Uma as his religion. How could she think he didn't feel anything towards her?
Harry gives no answer, strings of thought seemed never-ending in his head. A thoughtful look appears on his face as he finally speaks, "I guess you got what you wanted from me then."
"Wanted from you?" Uma laughs bitterly, "You kissed me first."
"Do you even know why I kissed you?"
"Let me guess, one of your many flings weren't available?"
Harry was so angry he didn't detect the jealousy in Uma's voice. "What happened between us wasn't a fling. Uma, I'm in love with you!"
Harriet who had been listening to their argument this whole time silently gasps in shock. She couldn't believe her brother had just openly admitted to feeling such a taboo emotion on the Isle. She always had her suspicions that Harry's flirtations with Uma weren't just an act he hid behind obsession.
Uma breaks the tension, her eyes heavy with anxiety. Harry had just pushed her into a corner and started a conversation neither was ready to walk into, "You don't love me, Harry, you're just desperately obsessed with me and a very few steps away from being ax-crazy!" Uma replies briskly without thought and her eyes widened as she realizes what she had said. Harry's face changes like a chameleon changes colors.
"Crazy? You think I'm crazy?!" Harry repeats hysterically, "I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. You're like fire to me Uma, I know you burn but I can't help but want to touch you."
No words came to Uma, the only thought in her mind is screaming for her to run away. Pretend this never happened and somehow change things back to normal.
"How can you not see it?" Harry wonders, his voice breaking in defeat
"Harry," Uma begins but Harry quickly interrupts. He had to get his words out, he couldn't let them fester inside himself any longer.
"You are my sea and I just want to drown in you, but you always push me back to shore." He looks away, "You won this time, I'm done Uma."
"Done?" Uma repeats confused. Is that what Harry meant earlier when he said he wouldn't be bothering her anymore?"
"I quit as your first mate!"
Uma's jaw slackens, and she opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. Her eyes rapidly blink as she is convinced for a mere second that she could never utter a word again. Her heart beats loud as her mind seems blank. Then her mind becomes consumed with anxiety. He can't leave me. He can't leave me. I can't be alone. I can't be without him.
Those words don't come out, however. Instead, she yells her voice commanding his attention."You can't quit! Nobody leaves the crew!
Harry shakes his head and allows himself one last glance at Uma."Who do you even think you are, Uma? Davey Jones?"
"Har-"
"Goodbye, Uma." Harry interrupts walking away done with the whole conversation.
Uma calls after him not at all ready to let go. She goes to follow him but is suddenly blocked by his sister Harriet.Where did she even come from?
"Leave." Harriet orders and Uma bites her lip trying to resist the urge to push Harriet out of the way.I really don't want to deal with this right now.
"I'm going to talk to Harry, whether he likes it or not!"
"Haven't you hurt him enough?"
"Why do you care?"
"Why do you not?"
Uma looks down her face guilt-stricken and nods her head solemnly. She makes her way to the door and leaves in silence. Harriet stared at the stairs her brother had just gone up on with a conflicted and unsure look.
She knew if she confessed her desire for Anthony Tremaine and if he'd disregarded her affection with such conviction, she'd want to sail her ship into a rock. Letting it sink in the death of her feelings. She envied her brother because his feelings for Uma were startling obvious, and he usually held nothing back. But to be able to actually confess? It filled Harriet with such jealous anger.
Harry knew the rules, the way of the Isle. Love was a weakness, a terror that ripped victory from so many that ended up here. And Harry had actually said the words so easily? Weak.
He was truly a stain on the hook family line. Sure, Harriet loved Anthony Tremaine but, she would never tell him, ever. She wouldn't dare go against everything that was taught to her.
Harriet looks away from the stairs and clinches her fist. She'd make sure that Harry would face consequences for daring to break the most sacred rule of the Isle of the lost.
Confliction surprisingly stirred up in her. She had never cared for her brother or her sister for that matter but listening to Uma rip his heart to shreds was almost too painful to bear.
Anger sparked up again silencing the inner conflict inside her head. Why would Harry ever put Uma above their family pride? The Hooks would be the laughingstock of the Isle because of his indiscretion. He has to pay!
She may have heard its end but that still didn't mean he shouldn't suffer more for it. Hooks never feel. They conquer and pillage.
Yes, her dad would know how to handle this best.
As soon as the words are uttered to her father Harriet feels an immense amount of regret. Her father dashes up the stairs moving faster than she's ever seen. She hears a loud plop and assumes her father had thrown Harry from his bed.
"What do you have to say for yourself, swine?!" Her father loudly questioned.
"I'm not going to deny, what's true. I love her, father."
Idiot! Harriet could imagine her father's face burning with disdain as she heard the sound of a harsh smack. It follows with the sound of a punch and she closes her eyes fearful. She moves away from stairs hiding next to the couch. Everything's fine. She repeated in her head trying to block out the noises she heard upstairs.
Seconds later she hears footsteps that had to be Harry's gradually careen down the stairs, and she could hear the sound of her father's loud footsteps trailing behind. Harry reaches the last step and that's when Captain Hook manages to pin him against the wall. Harry loudly protests desperately trying to get out of their father's grasps. Their father silences Harry's cries by roughly gripping his neck. I could try to help. I could stop this.
She couldn't. She knew she couldn't. Her father was so much stronger than her. If Harry couldn't even take him on how could she? You shouldn't care. He broke the biggest Isle rule. He deserves this. With quicken breaths, Harriet starts to rock back and forth checking out of reality. Leaving Harry to deal with their father alone.
"Say it again, I dare you." Hook challenged with a menacing glare releasing his hold on Harry's neck.
The inside of Harry's mouth was filling with blood, and he was sure he had many other injuries but his eyes were glazed with a newfound fearlessness that scared Captain Hook a little. Harriet's breathing slowed and she comes back to reality. He's going to deny it and everything will be fine.
"I love Uma, daughter of Ursula." Harry struggles to get the words out as he tries to regain his breath. "I'll love her till I die, Father. If I don't I want to spend forever with her. I love her the way you loved mother." Harry continues spitting the blood in his mouth in his father's face. Harry had never outright disrespected their father, he was always too afraid to.The sniveling coward had actually grown a spine but oh, how it was the wrong time too.
Her face betrayed her mind as it displayed a proud smile. He had actually stood up to their father. Captain Hook, however, was furious, his eyes turned into a furnace of complete and utter hatred. He grabbed Harry by the collar with his hook and lead the poor boy to the door. Harry's eyes flashed with frightful terror, as he was guided outside. His father pulled his hook from his collar and grazed his skin leaving a flesh wound.
"You have no home. Never come back here!" Hook begins to beat the boy again and Harry doesn't bother to block the blows. He falls to the ground and feels the heel of his father's boot on his ribs. A crowd begins to gather round and Hook decides to stop, despising the attention. Wordlessly, the pirate backs away spitting on his son. Harry just writhes on the ground in pain.
Harriet had jolted up and stood by the opened door. Captain Hook pushed Harriet inside as he walks into the house. He orders her to close the door and she obeys taking one last look at her brother's flailing form. This was her fault. She prays to every sea god that her brother would live as she hears the door click. Closing out Harry forever.
Harry is left with the snickering whispers of the crowd, and he reluctantly allows himself to groan in pain. Where could he go, now?
He was without a home, not that he even considered that place his home. After his mother had died it felt more like a prison and his father the abusive warden. The ship. No, he couldn't go there, not now. Uma would be there and...he didn't want to feel the pain of her rejection, not again.
He had no one. Tears wrack his body as he tries to remember a song his mother used to sing to him. He mumbles words incoherently through his tears as he searches his mind for the answer. Nothing, his mind was empty. Harry curls up defeated as he sobs harder.
Uma had thought Harry would be here by now. Tell her that his quitting was nothing but a mere joke. But he wasn't and his usual table was empty. Fine, I don't need him anyway.
She rubs the rag in her hand against the wooden counter harder, but the frustration inside her doesn't still. You are Uma daughter of Ursula, you don't need anyone! Not even your best friend, who has always been there for you. No matter what...Gods, she missed him. Why couldn't everything go back to normal?
Because they had both crossed a line that night. She looks up at the ceiling as she tries not to remember the aching emptiness that night had left her with. And I managed to destroy it all, plus I called him crazy. The one person she had promised herself she would never hurt. She bangs her hands against the counter causing silence to enter the Fish and Chip shop. "What?" She questions the patrons annoyed.
No one says a word, and they just continue to eat in silence this time. The sound of thunder fills the shop and some of the customers look at Uma suspiciously. She rolls her eyes knowing they knew full well she had no powers with that barrier surrounding them.
It was very shocking though. Usually, the sounds outside the barrier were never heard inside.Must be a really bad storm. Tapping her fingers on the wooden counter she closes her eyes for a moment pretending she could actually summon the thunder. She waits for the noise to applaud her ears once more but it never comes.
Hours went by and a new slew of customers came in loudly gossiping with one another.
"I gotta confess that was a little brutal." One of the gossipers said Uma recognized him as one of Cruella De Vil's henchmen. The group that he came in with broke apart and sat in various areas of the shop. Two stayed beside him. One Uma recognized as another one of Cruella's lackeys. The other she just couldn't place.
The second Cruella De Vil henchman shrugged their shoulders and took a seat. The others followed. Uma lingers in the area by them interested in their conversation. Placing her hand in the pocket of the dingy apron her mother forced her to wear she lets her fingers hover over her pen and pad. Ready to grab at a moments notice. The first henchman strained his neck to look at the menu located in the front of the shop as the second finally responds.
"Brutal? That Hook boy is insane! I say he deserves it." The second henchman replies. Harry! Uma approaches their table with clenched fists.
"That's life on the Isle." The third gossiper says agreeing with the second. He then glances around and notices Uma is right beside them. The rest of the table follows his eyes and look upon Uma in fear.
"Where is he? Tell me now!" She loudly demands an answer. Her eyes glimmer with such thriving fury. Harry was hurt, and she had to give him some type of aid. And with the temperature in the barrier being extremely low lately. He could...Her heart drops at the idea of Harry dy-no she couldn't even think the word.
"Some say, they saw him crawling to the docks." The first Cruella De Vil henchman offered.
Why would he go anywhere near water when he knew the temperatures were so cold? It would be even colder there. Unless he was searching for the ship? Uma ripped her apron off and ran out of the shop with Harry's name hanging from her lips.
She had found him shivering under the wooden dock and her heart broke as her eyes traced every bruise she could see. "Harry, come back to the ship. Please, come home." Uma's pleas aren't heard by Harry at all his eyes are dazed and distant.
Uma sighed and ran to the ship to get help from Gil who then easily lifted Harry up and placed him in Uma's room. His clothes were soaked with blood and Uma knew she had to take them off. Gil had offered, but she sent him away and her feet seemed cemented to the floor till she finally realized time was of the essence.
She started with his shirt lifting it up above his head and winces as she see's the dark purple blotchy bruises covered his body. On his back were familiar scars from scratches caused by his father's hook that seemed to take forever to heal. She remembers tracing them, more than a week ago as Harry gingerly left tender kisses everywhere.
Love is for Auradon. Villains don't love. Uma throws his shirt down and goes to fetch some water to clean his wounds. The crew whispers all around, and she hides discreetly not ready to enter the deck.
"I heard Harry got this beating because he broke the first rule of the Isle. Never fall in love."
A laugh is heard throughout the room, Uma recognizes it as her friend Desiree. "There's no question who Harry is in love with."
"And who is that?" Uma hostility asks revealing herself from her hiding spot.
"Captain, we were just-"
"Gossiping like a bunch of aged witches. How about you all get to work or face my wrath? You choose."
Everyone practically ran to do something instantly. No one wanted to face the wrath of Uma. Uma chuckles delighted with herself for inputting trembling fear in her crew. So delighted she didn't notice someone who clearly wasn't apart of her crew approaching her.
"Is he here?"
Uma stops laughing startled to see Harriet in front of her. She doesn't answer instead glaring at her. "Is the idiot here?"
"Don't ever call him that."
"He's my brother."
"And that gives you a right to insult him?" Uma challenges.
"I didn't come here to argue with you. I just want to see him."
"No."
"Look, I know I'm not supposed to care but Harry's-he's my brother. I don't want him to die." Harriet admits her face vulnerable with emotion. Emotion she usually kept hidden deep inside.
"Do you think I'm stupid Harriet? I bet your father sent you here to finish the job. You are not going anywhere near him."
"Uma, I know you love him and I know he loves you too."
"I-"
"Save it. I know the feeling that you and Harry share. I have someone I love as well. I guess we hooks are alike. Father kicked me out as well. I'm just as weak as Harry." Harriet cuts Uma off not in the mood to hear Uma's denial.
"Harry isn't weak. Lo-love is his strength." Uma defends, ignoring her crew's gasps at her openly using the word love.
"Seems like your singing another tune. I guess I should tell of my role in all of this. I was the one that told my father." Harriet confesses.
"You did what?!" Uma screams, Harriet winces regretting exposing her part in all this.
Uma pulls her cutlass from the sheath that hung on her waist. She aims her sword in Harriet's direction playfully motioning for Harriet to come close. Harriet unsheathes her own cutlass in response.
"Uma," Harriet says firmly gripping her sword, "I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I didn't think my father would hurt him because I knew. I really didn't know it would be that bad. He just-I know I'm not supposed to care. I was raised to not care. He's still my little brother."
"Your father left him to die. And you want to come here and tell me you care!" Uma takes a step forward and Harriet tries to move back but jumps forward when she realizes Uma's crew had surrounded her.
There was no place to run and Harriet had no will to fight. She throws her cutlass down to the ground. "I thought the idiot would run back to you or deny it. I didn't think he would try to stand up to father. Either way, Uma I was wrong."
Uma glances at the fallen sword and examines Harriet's distressed face. Uma nods to her crew her face showing no emotion. Jonas and Gil pick up Harriet and walk her to Uma.
They let her go and before she even has a chance to escape she feels the sharpness of a blade against her throat.
"I deserve to feel your blade for my betrayal of my brother."
Harriet closes her eyes hoping Uma makes it quick. Uma pulls her cutlass away leaving Harriet to catch her breath in relief. "If I did that then I would have to turn the blade on myself because I betrayed him as well."
"Can I please see him?" Harriet begs.
"Come back tomorrow. Harry's resting now."
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then."
Uma's crew disperses from behind Harriet going back to whatever they were doing before. Harriet leaves and Uma goes back to her task.
Harry felt a warmth he had only felt once before. He painfully jolts up taking in the familiar surroundings. How did I get here? I-I can't be here. Uma...
He remembers the last time he had awoken here. Tucked in a sheet and stupidly dreaming there was a possibility she actually returned his affections. Just like last time, he was alone but unlike last, he knew better. He had to get out of here.
Painfully he got out of the bed and grabbed for his boots. Uma walks in at that moment, unnoticed by Harry. She puts the bucket she was carrying down watching as Harry struggles to pull up his boots. He pauses taking a short break and Uma decides to make her presence known.
"Harry, what are you doing? You should be resting."
"Why am I here?" Harry demanded.
"You almost died. You're welcome by the way." Uma sarcastically answers.
"You've already made it clear how you feel about me."
Harry couldn't help but think it would've been so much easier if she left him out there. Now, they were stuck confronting an issue that would never have a resolution either of them wanted.
"I don't think I have," Uma admits shocked by her own honesty.
Harry looks at her feeling confused and terrified. There was no way this was real. It had to be a delusion. Rejection's all he's ever known. He could never be anyone's choice. She had to be messing with him. Offering up everything that he ever wanted after telling him so many times it would never be possible.
"This isn't some kind of…joke, right? Or a sick twisted game?"
"I'm not your father, Harry. I don't play mind games."
"I've been in your tentacles before Uma and trust me I can't tell the difference."
Uma looks down feeling guilty. She couldn't dispute that. The words they last exchanged laid heavy on her shoulders. "At least, I don't try to. I never meant to lead you on. But I do love you, Harry. This week has made me realize that. I guess I didn't truly know what I had until it was gone. Until you were gone. I never want to feel the way I felt this week again. Come back to us, Harry. This is where you belong."
"So you just want me back on as your first mate?" He scoffs upset. I knew nothing would change. No one would ever choose me.
Uma blinked going through the words she just said in her mind. She had told him she loved him. Something she couldn't even admit in the inner thoughts of her mind. Why was he making this more difficult? Didn't he realize how hard this was for her?
She was saying words she was always taught to hate. Even being open and honest with him. She let out a frustrated sigh and elevates her voice. "I love you, okay! Stop fighting me, right now. I thought this was what you wanted?!"
"What exactly do you want, Uma? Tell me clearly, no subtle implications."
"I want you. I want you as my first mate, but mostly I just want you. Here, by my side. As my partner in crime... my boyfriend, if we are to use Auradon terms. I never want to be without you again, Harry. I love you." She was nearly in tears, though whether from the sight of his stricken face, the stress of the last week, or the frustration of him not believing her, Uma couldn't say.
Harry was ready to wrap her in his arms, but he hesitated, "You said I was crazy, do you really think that?"
Uma's heart broke in that moment. What was she supposed to say? She didn't want to lie to him, and she knew he wasn't completely sane.
Who in this world could claim they would be, after going through everything Harry had? But telling him yes would only drive him further away.
"I think..." She hesitated. "I think you need a chance to love, and be loved. I think you need time to heal. But no, Harry, I don't think you're crazy." And that was the truth. He was hurting, reeling. He had been since the death of his mother, since he realized he would never measure up to his sisters, since his father decided he looked too much like Peter Pan and first took the hook to Harry's back
"Say it again," Harry pleads, "I just want to hear you say you love me again," Harry musters all his strength and limps towards Uma his hands outward preparing to take her into his arms.
How could she deny him such a simple request, after everything? "I love you. I love you, I love you." She swore to herself she would say it as often as he needed it and then some, for the rest of forever. She didn't give a damn what everyone else thought. If they had something to say, well. She had a cutlass and Harry had his hook.
She stepped towards him, wanting to meet him halfway. He had been putting in his all since she had known him, and it was time for her to start putting in the effort as well. Even in simple things like this.
Harry reached Uma and quickly wrapped her into his arms,"I've dreamt of this moment so many times," He stops suddenly, and holds her tighter ignoring the blistering pain in his ribs."It's real, it's really real!" Harry pulls away slightly and smiles down at Uma, his eyes sparkling with adoration.
"It's real," She told him, near tears at the expression on his face. In all the times she had seen him look at her with pride or adoration, she had never seen such pure happiness in his eyes. She stood on her toes, and placing a hand on his cheek to bring him further down to her level, she placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
Harry smirks, "I think I'll need a little more, for proof," He says sheepishly.
Uma laughs. That's more like the Harry she knows and loves. Loves. It still feels foreign to even think it. Nevertheless, she whispers with an answering smirk, "I suppose if you need the proof." And leans in again.
A.N. This is a collaboration with Trash Reads! We started this many months ago and this has evolved so much. We didn't expect it to get this long but here we are. Anyway, we hope you enjoy it!