This took quite a while, so my apologies anon. I'm sorry if it's not angsty enough ;;

Prompt: Harry seeing Evie back on the Isle but is heartbroken after learning about Malvie.

Harry Hook was never caught off guard. Rather, he was always the one who took people by surprise. Instilled into him from birth was the lesson of unpredictability and constant vigilance, his wild and off-kilter personality only stemming from what was drummed into him as a wee lad. It was how he gained his notorious ruthlessness, his infallible ambushes making it easier for him to hook enemies as he pleased.

But this, this was one of only of the very few times where he really did not see it coming.

Despite his inconvenienced spot behind the wall, and the ever present darkness of the Isle dampening his immaculate vision, he had still seen the flicker of color from a mile away. With that familiar shade of midnight blue dressing her from head to toe, and the ever royal and authoritarian poise she held herself with, it wasn't hard to guess who it had been from first glance. After all, she always had a way of standing out.

So the Princess was back.

Who knows how long for, but she was back. It had been months since he had last seen her, last thought of her, but the feelings came rushing back as soon as he had taken sight of her. It reminded him exactly of what he had been missing since she left and there was no doubt that Harry wasn't going to let her go, not this time.

After having successfully kidnapped the king, throwing a trusty fish net over him and forcefully dragging him away, leaving the rest of the crew to deal with him, Harry lingered behind the walls of the former headquarters of his enemies. He knew Mal was back, had seen her at the Tremaine's shop, and was only here to send a message from Uma when he had seen them. They were talking between themselves, Carlos alarmed at the sudden disappearance of their little king.

If he hadn't been so preoccupied with her presence, perhaps he would've grinned a little, taking joy in the panic on their faces. Nothing delighted him more than seeing his enemies in pain, except she had always been the only exception. She was the only exception.

When she spoke, he took this as his cue to move, letting Gil deal with the other two while he snuck around, grabbing her by the arm. He pulled her behind the walls quickly, hand reaching over to cover her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Harry leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Did I scare ye Princess?"

He felt her stiffen in his arms, her closed eyes slowly fluttering open as he loosened his hold on her, figuring that she wouldn't run. He watched as she shifted in his arms, turning around to face him.

He was met with a glare. "Harry," she spat venomously, scowl marring her perfect little face.

He could only grin widely at her, placing a hand on his chest. "Naww, ye really wound me Princess. Is that the hello I get after so long?"

Her face darned. "As a matter of fact, you didn't even deserve that. Now let me go so I can find Ben."

Harry shook his head, eyeing her in amusement. "Ye won't find him, not when we nicked him."

Evie's eyes widened in horror. "You what?"

He nodded almost proudly. "If ye want to see him again, have Mal come to the chip shop tonight. Alone," he stressed, noting her eyes flicker with fear and something else but ignored it and continued. "Uma wants, a little visit," he finished, reaching a hand out to run his hook through her hair.

She shot out a hand, grabbing hold of his arm to stop him before roughly pushing him back. "Where did you take him?"

He ignored her, wagging a finger in her face. "Ah ah ah, tonight Princess. Alone."

Evie shook her head vehemently, hands clenching at her sides. "I'm not letting her go alone."

"Scared she'll get stabbed by a few pirates? I'm sure Mal can handle herself," he purred, taking delight in seeing her angry. If there was one think he enjoyed more than hooking people, it was ticking his little Princess off. She had a temper that all too amused him.

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't care. I'm coming with her."

The pirate only raised a brow. Never had he seen her so overprotective before. Perhaps over her book of designs if someone so much as dared touch it, but never to this extent. She looked as though she'd gladly give you a thousand poisoned apples so you could drop dead at her feet. "And where's all this sudden protectiveness coming from Princess? It doesn't look too good on ye."

Evie's nostrils flared. "She's my best friend, of course I'll be protective!"

"Ye sure it's not a little something more?" he teased offhandedly. It was only meant to be a joke but her silence had said otherwise.

"That's none of your business." She had said it so coldly that he was only briefly reminded of her ancestry.

But it had its effect as he paused, eyeing her strangely. "I was only jokin' but, are ye serious Princess?"

Evie crossed her arms, raising her chin as she looked him square in the eye. "So what if I am? She treats me better than you ever did!"

Harry's eyes flicked with something close to hurt before it was gone as soon as it came. Instead he glowered heatedly at her, enraged at the accusation. "Ye don't know what yer talking about Princess. Are ye forgetting that she was the one who cursed you in yer tower for ten years? And not to mention, she was the one who locked you in Cruella's closet?"

She bristled but kept her eyes locked on him. "That was years ago, and we got over it. Besides, it was Maleficent who cursed me and mother, not Mal."

"But Mal was the reason ye got cursed in the first place! And now yer dating her? Did she put ye under another spell again? Poison ye?"

Evie's eyes widened in offence, a dirty scowl forming on her face. "Mal did nothing of the sort! This was all me. She didn't do anything."

Harry could only laugh bitterly, the sound hollow in her ears. "Ye might think so now Princess, but ye'll know I'm right. In time."

"Like evil I am! You—"

He shot out a hand to grab her arm, pulling her unceremoniously to him until she landed on him squarely on the chest. Evie opened her mouth in protest, ready to scream at him once more when he leaned down, pulling her into a kiss that was all but gentle. It was rough and wild, Harry pouring into the kiss all the months of pent up frustration and anger, longing and a little something else, as Evie stood there, almost unresponsive before finally giving in to the heated passion. It was only when he felt her respond that he abruptly pulled himself away, taking a step back as he looked at her with his darkened eyes.

"Tell me ye didn't miss tha' Princess."

Evie said nothing as she stared at him.

Harry's lips curved into a grin despite himself. "Tell Mal that she better try harder if she wants to keep ye." He ran his hook through her hair once more, Evie saying nothing as she let him. He eyed her almost wistfully before pulling away with a shake of his head. "Ye still want me Princess, and I still want ye too. If ye've had enough of her, ye'll know where to find me. Until then."

He spun on his heel, jacket swishing behind him as he forced himself to keep his eyes forward, unwilling to look back lest he did something else he would regret. Mal might have her now, but she would come back to him. Eventually.