Hey guys, Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a new chapter for you all. :)
Sorry for being gone for so long. Things were a bit rough for a while between school and trying to figure out a new work schedule, as well as coming out to my parents which…didn't go well. The worst has passed and things have mostly settled back down but yeah, it was really rough for a while and so I haven't been writing but I'm back now and let's just leave it at that.
To the reviews, shall we? Also, **Important Warnings** in my Author's Note so please don't skip it!
tigerladygamer: Haha, I'm sorry about that! But hey, this one's at a normal time for once so uh, enjoy?
Descendants5HLM: Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm really glad you're enjoying my story so much and it means a lot to hear that you think I'm doing a good job portraying everything and everyone. I love writing Chad, to be honest, though I worried how people would react to him because a lot of the fandom writes him off (haha, pun intended) as an asshole and nothing more. But I'm really glad you like my characterization of Chad and everyone else.
And yes, totally telepathic, lol. ;) The mystery man won't remain so for much longer, ahem. I've left a final hint as to his identity for you, though he will still remain a mysterious presence.
I hope you will continue to follow along and enjoy! I look forward to hearing what you think. :)
StoryWriting1414: Aw, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much! And I'd been wanting to write another deep Chad/Carlos moment for a while, so I was excited about that moment in the chapter too. As for what triggered him, I implied it a bit in the chapter but we get further clarification in this chapter as well. Basically it was Mal's threat to put him in time out, which reminded him of Cruella's threats to do the same.
I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!
Guest 1: I might hear it a lot but I never get tired of it! It always makes me really excited each time, so believe me when I tell you that I'm really glad you love my story! :)
bluewolf2208: ¡Me alegra que hayas disfrutado tanto el capítulo! Y que te gustó la interacción de Mal con Chad. Pensé que era una parte importante del desarrollo del personaje en ambas partes, así que me alegro de que les haya gustado, y espero que continúen leyendo y disfrutando. :)
Kry Chi: Oh ho, you clever little Kry, you! ;) I'm sitting over here grinning like the Cheshire Cat reading your review because one, you're just so clever figuring things out, but two, I do still have a trick or two up my sleeve. (Not for too much longer as you'll see, but let me maintain my illusion of All-Powerful-Author for just a moment, will you?)
I hope you enjoy! :)
manticore-gurl071134: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you will continue to!
EvietoyourMal: I'm glad your teeth are healing, and that you enjoyed the chapter so much. I loved the Lonnie/Jay interaction, too. And believe me, you're not saying anything different than what I've been thinking, lol. Beast needs to get it together. He will, eventually, but it'll be a fun process of being a jerk and the consequences before things settle.
I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy.
Nyehhhh: Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you loved the chapter and the developments with Chad! Hopefully you'll continue to read and enjoy!
Jewelz1642: It was really intense, but I'm glad you enjoyed it regardless. I had fun writing Jay and Lonnie together. We should be seeing some Ben/Mal soon, though, so hopefully you can hold out till then. :) Chad and Carlos was also a fun bit to write. They're getting there, but any little bit of mutual trust with a VK and an AK is pretty huge on both sides. (was that foreshadowing? I think so…)
As for the triggers, I am doing my best to keep the warnings available and to just handle everything as respectfully as I can, so I'm glad to hear that you think I'm doing a good job in that respect as well. I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy. :)
Tiredandlazy: Haha, yeah it was a bit of a doozy wasn't it? I am unapologetically one of those people for whom angst is life, so uh, it will certainly come through a bit in the writing. ;) And there's no shame in getting emotional over fictional characters! It's further proof that the writer is doing their job, lol, and writing characters worth feeling for.
As for the Beast and the meeting, yes, that nasally voice was Kropp, lol. Payback will be coming oh so soon (next chapter, actually but ssh) so don't you worry about that! Mal can certainly read them all so well, but it wasn't always that *hint hint* it has something to do with the fact that she actually has feelings! ;)
And Chaddy Chad does to and now everyone knows it! As for the letters well, there's another one at the end here that just might answer your questions. Or open up a well of other ones. But yeah, my mystery man isn't anyone quite so 'classic.' And that's all the hints I'll give or else I'll spoil my own surprise!
I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy and as always I look forward to hearing your ramblings. :)
Guest 2: Thank you for the idea! I have an outline for Mal's emotional breakdown but I definitely appreciate the suggestion, and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy. :)
Time Turner: Never be afraid to review, I love hearing from everyone! Thank you for the review, I'm glad you're enjoying my story so much and I hope you will continue to do so. :)
Ash: Aw, thank you for the kind words! I'm sorry for making you cry, though, but I'm glad you enjoy my story and hopefully you'll continue to read and enjoy!
OhHamilton: Thank you so much for the kind words! It means a lot that you enjoy my writing so much, as well as the story. :) I hope that you will keep reading and enjoying, and don't you worry, I will never stop writing!
Random Reader: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying this so much and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!
Author's Notes!
Ok guys, this chapter is a little bit longer for you, and we get some pretty big (and heavy) revelations.
The ***WARNINGS!*** Are as follows: Warnings for language, brief (accidental) violence where a character lashes out at another after waking from a nightmare, as well as brief implications of a panic/anxiety attack; brief mentions of death and murder; mentions of past child abuse and neglect as well as mentions and brief descriptions of sexual abuse/assault. Nothing graphic, but it is mentioned and heavily implied! Implied homophobia, internalized homophobia/brief homophobic slurs, as well as the implied abuse of a student by a teacher.
Man, when I spell it all out it sounds so much worse. But I wanted to let you know so you were all aware. Don't worry, there's actually some fluff in this one!
Note 2:
This one is short but also important. The prompt from last chapter was sent in to me by the wonderful Shots and Giggles, and they requested that I showcase more of the VKs' skills, specifically featuring Jay and/or Lonnie and a spar in Auradon's gym. I couldn't say it in the beginning of the last chapter for fear of spoilers, but I wanted to make sure I gave the full credit. :)
On to the chapter! I hope you guys enjoy and I can't wait to hear what you think!
- Raven
Ben
The Fairy Godmother's office isn't that far away, but in the space of the few minutes' walk Ben had mentally slogged through so much information it felt like he'd crossed the entire school yard. Audrey is silent beside him, and he can feel the tension in her body with only a brief brushing of his arm against hers. And Chad…Chad is another matter entirely. The other boy is quiet in an almost tortured way, his expression twisted in a painful grimace, his hands in shaking fists at his sides. Ben notices that despite the fact that his hands are no longer bandaged, they're still rather bruised, and he wonders with some dread just what or who the boy had been hitting.
"Chad?" Ben questions softly, his voice too loud in the empty hallway.
Chad stiffens, the grimace tightening on his face, but he says nothing, and Audrey threads her fingers through Ben's and squeezes.
"Does anyone want to attempt to fill me in?" The Fairy Godmother says, her voice clipped as they near her office. "Just how did the situation become so uncontrolled?"
"I don't know," Chad mutters, his voice heavy but mocking all the same. "Maybe it was something to do with the lack of adult supervision."
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Charming?"
Chad winces and bites his lip hard, effectively falling silent, and the Fairy Godmother pauses to unlock the door before letting them all file in past her. Ben sits in one of the two chairs placed just in front of the Fairy Godmother's desk, while Audrey promptly sits in the one adjacent to him. Chad hesitates a moment, then presses himself into the nearest corner of the wall and crosses his arms, his expression clearing and settling into something painfully emotionless.
The Fairy Godmother pauses just a moment to take them all in, and Ben wonders just what it is she sees that makes her grimace as sharply as she does before she finally sits at her desk. She folds her hands together and places them neatly on the wooden surface, though Ben notes the slight tremor and realizes that she's just as thrown by everything as they are.
"Now then," she says, and her voice does nothing to betray whatever emotion Ben thinks her trembling hands imply. "Who wants to go first?"
Ben flicks his eyes over to Chad to find him staring right back, the look on his face telling him that the other boy had absolutely no intention of speaking first, if at all.
"I don't really know what happened," Ben finally says, after realizing that Chad really wasn't going to answer. "We got there after…um…after Carlos had started screaming."
He winces his way through the words, his mind bringing back the haunting sound of the younger boy's cries, the kind that no human voice should have been able to produce. Not easily. Not with that much…terror. Audrey hisses a sharp gasp beside him, but Ben's eyes flicker to Chad, who had tensed visibly but remained unyielding.
"I-screaming?" The Fairy Godmother chokes, echoing Ben's own horrified disbelief.
"Apparently," Ben continues slowly, still eyeing Chad and half hoping the other boy would see fit to jump in. "Carlos had a panic attack. I don't know what caused it, but Chad actually uh, saved the day."
He attempts a weak smile, but Chad's eyes are steely and pained, and Ben knows he shouldn't have tried for humor with something as serious as this.
"Chad?" Audrey repeats, and Ben doesn't know if it's admiration or incredulity in her voice; and isn't quite sure which he prefers
"Would you care to elaborate, Chad?" The Fairy Godmother questions, and Chad's lip curls ever so slightly.
"Not particularly, no," he drawls off handedly, his eyes locked on the wall opposite him, his tense posture emphasizing his adamancy.
"Chad," Ben snaps without quite meaning to, and the other boy's eyes flicker just enough that Ben can see the swirling pit of emotions inside.
"There's nothing to 'elaborate,'" Chad snaps right back, but his body is defensive, his expression guarded. "If anything this just proves how unstable the villain kids really are, and that Auradon isn't the kind of place that they need."
"Nice try," Ben retorts, on his feet without knowing how he got there. "But now that everyone's seen you care, you're going to have to be serious about this."
"Oh, I was," Chad replies, heat rising in his tone if not his face. "Auradon isn't even able to handle my mom- not that there's anything that they need to 'handle.' What makes you think that we can take on four kids who clearly have some serious issues?"
Ben blinks, unsure whether to be angry or relieved or resentful. He regrets, at least, pushing Chad into caring so much about the VKs. Because it was clear that the boy did care, in some capacity, and yet now- stupid, really, just how insecure was he?- now Ben couldn't help but feel bitter about it all. About how quickly his plan was no longer just his, with everyone else getting caught up in caring so much.
"You bring up a good point," the Fairy Godmother concedes on Ben's behalf, and he sinks back into his chair, feeling more than a bit deflated. "Which is why I've contacted some people who are much more equipped to, as you've said, 'handle' the situation."
"I don't understand," Ben begins, but Chad's expression twists sharply, his eyes so hard Ben thinks a fire could be sparked from the flint.
"She means a shrink," he all but spits, his body twitching in what Ben suspects might have been a flinch, but the gesture is restrained too quickly to tell.
"It's really not that archaic," the Fairy Godmother interjects coolly, her brows furrowing slightly at Chad's reaction. "And I'll assure you that it's nothing like what I know you're thinking, Chad."
Her voice gentles over that last sentence, like slowing down for a speed bump. But she clearly hadn't slowed enough because Chad still seems rattled, his entire body stiff and jarring as he crosses his arms and lapses back into silence.
"My father had some good points to raise as well," Audrey speaks up for the first time, her eyes wary as she looks between all the occupants in the room before settling on Ben. "He said one important thing we had to do was establish a safe space for the VKs; somewhere that was just theirs that no one else could get to. It would give them a sense of security and maybe help build some trust."
The Fairy Godmother nods, and even Chad relaxes minutely. Ben feels a brief, warm flicker of relief, before Chad opens his mouth again.
"That is a good idea," he says, and Ben finds himself tensing for the 'but.' "At least, until they're sent back to whatever kind of abusive environment that would effectively shatter that security and that is, apparently, so traumatizing as to cause something like panic attacks to become a regular part of a person's life."
"Chad!" Ben snaps, because there really isn't anything else he can say to that.
"What?" the other boy is just as vicious, more, even, as he whirls on Ben. "You wanted me to care, didn't you? Well this is me fucking caring!"
"Chad," the Fairy Godmother repeats sternly, though there's a heaviness in her voice, a sadness in her eyes.
"Damn it," Chad hisses, turning sharply away and drawing his hand back as though to punch the wall before thinking better of it. He brings his hand up and tugs sharply at his hair instead, wincing before shaking his head. "Fuck damnit."
And before Ben can think of anything to say, something to do, Chad stalks to the door; yanking it open and slamming it shut so forcefully that the cartoon version of Simba trembles on the posterized version of his tree branch. There's a tense, harsh beat of silence, and then Audrey stands, her hands twisting the hem of her skirt.
"I've got him," she sighs more than speaks, and Ben just blinks as she, too, leaves.
Even though she's more gentle in her exit, it's her absence that hits Ben the hardest. He's not surprised, and yet, he is. He sinks back into his chair in stunned disbelief, his mind swirling and derailing any functioning thought processes.
"Well…Shit," he mutters, the only thing his non-functioning brain could come up with at the moment.
"Language, Benjamin," the Fairy Godmother scolds, but when he looks at her face he thinks that she wouldn't have minded letting out a choice word or two of her own.
"What are we…what am I even supposed to do now?" he protests weakly.
"Patience is a virtue, Ben," the Fairy Godmother says in response, and Ben sinks even further into his chair.
It was, but he had a deadline to uphold. Patiently waiting for his best friend to stop being an asshole wasn't going to help the situation. The one that he had been responsible for in the first place. Ben didn't think this often- in fact, he thinks it might be the first time he'd truly meant it- but now more than ever he couldn't help but wonder if things really wouldn't have been easier if he'd never made his decree in the first place.
Evie
As perceptive of others as Evie is, she still finds herself paling in comparison to Mal's scrutiny. It never ceased to amaze (and terrify) her how the other girl could take one look at a person and know instantly just what weaknesses to exploit- just a little slit here and the blood would come pouring out. She flinches back from the dark turn her mind had taken in its comparison, trying to focus back on Carlos; on Jay; on Mal.
The infirmary room is painfully quiet in the aftermath of Carlos' latest episode, only occasionally punctuated by a breath; a shuffle of clothing; a sniff from Jay, who still hadn't moved from his position beside the smaller boy, his knee just brushing Carlos' hip. Evie had taken up position on Carlos' other side, her fingers wrapped around his, her thumb tracing circular patterns on his palm, while Mal had placed herself in front of all of them, her body tense as she eyed the door. The worst of it was over, thanks to Chad Charming, of all people, and Evie hadn't had much of a chance to twist that thought over before Jay was commenting on it.
"So, Mal," the older boy says, his voice quiet for Carlos' sake but no less harsh. "Just what was going through your head an hour ago that you let that Auradon prick near Carlos? Near any of us, really?"
Mal says nothing, but Evie sees the stiffness in her body increase slightly. Jay's expression twists sourly, but he remains by Carlos' side, although his own body mirrors Mal's unyielding posture.
"I'm really just having trouble understanding it, honestly," he continues, his tone holding the bitter edge of sarcasm. "Cuz see, the last thing you do is invite the person who tried to murder you inside for another try."
"And yet somehow you're still here," Mal quips icily, turning her head to glare at Jay. Evie sees her eyes soften minutely as they drift to Carlos, who'd managed to fall asleep between the two of them. You're both still here, her gaze seems to say, her voice lower.
"Probably only because of the convenience of having witnesses," Jay retorts, but he'd lowered his voice some as well.
"I don't think that's it," Evie speaks up carefully, shifting her weight discreetly to stretch her legs. Her arm shifts with her movement as she winces as the fabric of her sleeve brushes the cuts concealed underneath. Mal catches her reaction, and her eyes flicker as they stare at her; but she says nothing, to Evie's relief and rekindled shame. She looks away quickly to find Jay staring at her as well, though his expression is more skeptical than anything judgmental.
"What do you mean, you don't think that's it?" he snaps, his brow furrowing in frustration. "You saw what he and his sidekicks did to me and Carlos, right? I bet this is his way of weaseling in; searching for more weaknesses."
"Mal wouldn't have let him in if that were the case," Evie counters, pointing out the obvious. "Or are you saying you don't trust her leadership? Is that it?"
"Guys," Mal says, cutting across Jay's enraged intake of breath. "Shut up. You're gonna wake the whole school with your arguing."
Or at least Carlos, her pointed glare finishes, and Jay pouts, but falls silent as directed. Evie bites at her lips, thinking back over Chad's reaction and just how…fluent…the other boy had been in handling the situation.
"He said…he said he was just 'par for the course,'" Evie recalls, glancing at Carlos as he shifts his weight further against Jay in his sleep. "Like he'd done it before."
"He has," Mal says, her voice not quite as wondering as Evie's, but cautious all the same. "That's why I let him…I could tell he'd done something like this before."
"Not for Carlos, though," Jay is quick to interject, his eyes slightly fearful at the thought. "There's no way that asshole could have…."
"He used his name," Evie says, her gasp of realization turning her words into a hiss. "Chad called him 'Carlos,' specifically. Not de Vil, like he usually does."
"He usually calls him Freak," Jay corrects with a sneer. "If he talks to him at all. Which is why he shouldn't have been allowed to do anything in the first place!"
"E," Mal mutters, and Evie looks up to see Mal's gaze is as far off and pensive as her voice. "Do you remember what Lady Tremaine was like back on the Isle?"
"Just because she runs the only salon doesn't mean I was that desperate to subject myself to that woman's company," Evie shudders. "I'd only go if I was sure one her daughters was working instead…even Antoine, slimy bastard that he is- seemed to be afraid of her sometimes."
Mal hums once, though whether it's a thoughtful hum or one of acknowledgment, Evie can't quite tell.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Jay asks, carefully shifting his body so Carlos' head was against his arm instead of his shoulder.
"What are you thinking, M?" Evie adds, though she thinks she has an idea.
"I'm thinking," Mal drawls, her lips somewhere between a smirk and a frown. "That there just may be one person in Auradon who understands some of the shit we've been through."
"You kidding?" Jay scoffs, rolling his eyes as he makes the connection. "Cinderella? One of the most loved of the fairytale princesses? That's…that…actually kind of makes sense?"
He trails off with a confused frown, his brow furrowed as he tries to work it out.
"You think that's how Chad knew what to do about Carlos?" Evie surmises, not quite sure how to feel about the idea. "Why he kept mentioning a 'her' instead of something random?"
"It could work in our favor," Jay says softly, almost to himself. "If Ben really is insistent on setting us up in front of the Council…maybe we can get them on our side with her."
"Wait, what?" Mal blinks, and Evie winces as she realizes they hadn't gotten a chance to discuss that yet.
"Oh," Jay says, coming to the same realization. "Yeah, uh…Ben thinks he has a way to fight the King's decree. Apparently everyone has to take a vote or something, 'to make it fair' or whatever, cuz, Auradon," he scoffs briefly, rolling his eyes, then rushes to finish as he catches Mal's eye. "So if we can convince them that we're better off here…we don't have to go back."
Mal stares blankly a moment, then scowls sharply, her eyes sparking green. "Convince them that we….no we a better plan than that. One that involves a certain magic wand? Remember that? Our whole point of coming here?"
Jay winces at her sharp tone, but he glares his own defiance right back at her. "It might have been your point," he argues. "But maybe we actually kind of like it here and don't want to see everyone dead. Have you thought about that?"
Mal is stopped from her brutal slaughtering of Jay by Carlos, who jerks awake silently, his eyes wide and frantic. Jay startles in surprise, and Carlos blinks as he realizes who he's lying on. Then he reddens and shoves himself upright instantly, scooting back a few feet so he's closer to Evie.
"Ssorry," he mutters, running a hand nervously through his hair. "I di-didn't mean to-to-to-to…."
"Chill, dude. You're fine," Jay dismisses easily, if only slightly impatiently. He's still glaring a bit at Mal, though, and Evie watches Carlos follow his gaze.
"W-what's hap-pening?" he asks, caution and sleep thickening his voice.
"We were hoping you could tell us," Mal replies, just as carefully, inching forward slightly. "Do you…do you remember?"
Carlos frowns, his eyes unsure as he takes in where he's siting. Evie watches him make the connection, and he blushes before going pale again.
"Did I…I had a…?" He chews at his lip as he trails off, embarrassed, and Evie squeezes his hand reassuringly.
"A fit," Jay confirms, blunt as ever, and Carlos cringes back into the wall.
"I don't…I don't reme-me-member," he whispers, his eyes flickering with terror.
"It's over now, though," Evie quickly moves to assure, shooting Jay a dirty look over Carlos' shoulder. "You don't have to worry about it, ok? No one freaked out or got mad about it so it's good."
"Wh-what do you mean, 'no-no one?'"
"What do you remember, Carlos?" Mal cuts in before Carlos can get himself worked up over Evie's slip. "Do you know why it happened this time?"
"Wwe we-were on the bed," Carlos murmurs, sliding his hand out of Evie's to grip his knees. "And I think…I was mad at Jay…" He darts an anxious look to the boy in question, who glances away sheepishly.
"I was a jerk before," he manages tentatively. "In the dining hall and with everything…sorry."
Carlos shakes his head, but Evie isn't sure if it's because he's rejecting the apology or if he's still confused.
"I don't kn-now," he mumbles. "I don't know why….?"
"I made a joke," Mal says, her words quick and tight. Evie can tell she's still guilty by the way her voice tremors slightly, though she holds Carlos' gaze firmly. "About putting you in time out if you couldn't get along with Jay."
Carlos blinks, his face twitching with an emotion that Evie couldn't identify before tucking himself a bit tighter into the corner.
"Oh," he manages, his voice just slightly hoarse. "Ye-yeah, that wwould do it."
"Carlos?" Evie presses carefully, but he shakes his head and the horror fades from his eyes.
"You-you guys talked mme out of it though, rrright?" he continues, peering up at them. "It wasn't bad?"
"No, actually," Mal says, and her voice is tighter, her expression strained. "We didn't."
"Wh-what?" Carlos yelps weakly, his eyes wide.
"You just kept screaming," Jay mumbles, wincing as he meets Carlos' eyes. "No one could do anything."
"You key-keep saying that," Carlos says shakily, his fingers tightening around his knees. "Li-li-like there was more than just…."
"Ben and some of the other Auradon kids heard and came running, wondering what was wrong and how to help," Evie takes over the explanation when Mal grits her jaw. "And that was when…Chad stepped in."
Carlos jerks in surprise, his brow lifting his entire expression into shock. Shock, but not fear, Evie notes with no little surprise of her own. Not hatred or anything horrified like they had all definitely been.
"He…he did what?" Carlos repeats slowly.
"Actually helped, believe it or not," Jay manages with a brief, sarcastic chuckle that doesn't extend further than his throat.
Carlos blinks, like he doesn't quite believe it. Or maybe, doesn't want to believe it? Then his face screws up slowly in a bluff for confusion that Evie knows is fake, but doesn't know what the fakeness is trying to cover up.
"Am…am I ssupposed to th-thank him for that?" he asks, his voice pitched a little higher to go with his confused expression. "I do-don't think that's how it wworks."
"Yeah," Jay snorts in agreement, rolling his eyes. "It's definitely not how it works."
"Do you want to thank him?" Evie asks, eyeing him just as closely as Mal, though the other girl remains silent in her scrutiny as always.
"Nnot partic….no," Carlos finishes, when he realizes the word won't come.
"Then I'd say just ignore him and hope he doesn't think you owe him anything," Jay says with a shrug, before shoving himself up to his feet. "That's what I'd do, anyway."
Carlos remains on the floor a moment longer, his expression falling into something almost brooding before he blinks and it clears.
"Yeah, ok," he mutters idly, carefully pushing himself to his feet as well.
"Los," Mal says, before Carlos can complete his attempted retreat. "You never did explain…what exactly caused it."
Evie freezes, glancing quickly to Carlos and mentally chiding Mal for her complete lack of tact. Clearly it wasn't something he wanted to focus on, given how effortlessly he'd managed to drive the conversation away from it.
"It's nnnothing," Carlos tries to deflect, but his fingers twitch sharply at his waist before clenching shakily. "Ju-just…mom had more than one c-c-c-closet and it was ssmall and I w-was small and le-le-let's leave it at that, ok?"
"Carlos," Mal begins, but then she catches herself, and shakes her head. "Ok. We can worry about everything tomorrow."
It's then that Evie looks at clock above the door and realizes just how long they'd been sitting there. It's nearly 11 o'clock, and while that normally wouldn't have bothered her too much back on the Isle, they still have a Goodness class with Fairy Godmother in the morning, and the last thing Evie wants it to show up unrested. Lack of sleep led to rushed mornings, and she might not have enough time to properly do her hair and she'd never attract any Prince's attention with less than perfect hair.
"Right," she says quickly, standing and nudging Carlos into an upright position as well. "Just because we're villains doesn't mean we can't keep a schedule," she chirps, if only to alleviate the tension Carlos' revelation had brought.
"Um, I think the whole lack of schedules is the point," Jay drawls, raising a brow at her.
"Not if we're trying to put our best selves forward," she counters smoothly, prodding Carlos into a forward motion. He seemed to sink back into his tiredness more readily, shuffling his feet and not quite focusing on anything in particular.
"Ugh," Jay groans, rolling his neck and eliciting a disturbing loud series of pops and cracks. "Why do have to be right? It's no fun."
"Just try and follow Auradon's lead, ok?" Mal says as she follows them to the door. "I don't think I have enough magic in reserve to bail you out of another fight."
"I wasn't fighting!" Jay protests, but Evie shoves him out of the door before he can get going.
"I'll keep them in line," she promises Mal, who nods at her, her green eyes dark and solemn.
"Don't get too caught up in Auradon shit, ok?" Mal says, and her voice is surprisingly soft, a sincerity in her words that doesn't match the severity of her eyes.
"We'll be fine," Evie quickly deflects, glancing over her shoulder to see that Jay and Carlos have almost made it to the end of the hall.
"E," Mal insists, and Evie sighs, turning reluctantly to meet her gaze.
"Yeah," she whispers, fighting not to let her emotions betray her again. "Ok."
"Evil dreams," Mal says, a smirk playing at her lips as her eyes sparkle with a rare sort of mischief.
Evie finds herself chuckling in spite of everything, her own smile tugging at her cheeks. "You too, M," she replies, before turning and following after the remaining three quarters of their group.
With any luck, they wouldn't get caught sneaking into the dorms after curfew. And just maybe get to try some of the sweeter things they'd seen at breakfast earlier that week. They weren't exactly evil thoughts, but it was something to look forward to, and it was enough for her.
Jay
Jay knows that things with Carlos still aren't entirely ok the moment they reach their dorm room. The smaller boy had all but teleported into the fireplace and hadn't come out since. Jay had changed into a much more loose fitting set of pants and a sleeveless shirt in preparation for bed, and idly experimented with the television set. It got so many more channels than the cheap little box TV his dad owned, and Jay had been thrilled when he'd landed on some action movie with high tech cars and street races and explosions. He was almost positive that none of it was real, but he couldn't quite be sure.
"Hey, 'Los," he calls, glancing towards the silent opening in the wall. "Is it actually possible for a car to shoot liquid nitrogen like a blowtorch or…?"
Silence from the fireplace, and then a brief shuffle of movement before Carlos' voice echoes out a flustered: "Wh-wh-wh-what?"
Jay hadn't actually thought that would work, but sure enough, Carlos was carefully crawling out of the fireplace, soot trailing from his hair and clothes. Jay shuffles over some on the bed, and the other boy takes the offered seat, curling up cautiously against him and squinting at the screen.
"W-wait," Carlos says, blinking a bit. "Is that car ac-ac-actuallly driving up the sside of a building?"
"Right?!" Jay hoots, thrilled to have gotten Carlos out of his shell, and at having a partner to watch the crazy stunts with. "And check it, just a couple scenes ago, this one dude, was like, running along a bus that was falling off a cliff; and he jumped at the last second and survived!"
"Nno way!" Carlos retorts, his face scrunching skeptically as he shakes his head.
"It was too cool to lie about, dude," Jay swears, as solemnly as he can while trying to keep an eye on the racing cars.
"But none of thi-this is possible in re-re-real life," Carlos tries to protest in serious tone, but Jay can tell he's too into it to care, either.
They watch about an hour of the movie before Jay feels the bed sag a little, along with increased pressure against his side, and he blinks down at Carlos, who'd tucked himself into a ball with his head propped against Jay's hip. Normally, he wouldn't mind the closeness, but his body is still buzzing from the spar with Lonnie and everything else that had ensued; and so he purposefully shoves himself back, causing Carlos to fall against the bed with a muffled whine.
"Hey, you've got your own bed," Jay says, shoving Carlos towards it. "Don't hog mine."
Carlos grumbles something under his breath, but crosses to the bed anyway, digging under his pillow and retrieving a more worn out pair of short and a pale blue long sleeved shirt. Jay stands and crosses the room to turn off the TV, then on a whim, reaches over the dresser and grabs the small plastic box he'd shoved behind it. He'd stored the lighter he'd swiped earlier in their arrival inside it, as well as a few stray cigarettes he'd collected both from the Isle and from here. He flicks his thumb a few times to spark the flame and is all set to light up when his eyes land on the letters carved into the side of the glossy red device.
"Son of a bitch," he hisses, nearly dropping it in the process. "Of-fucking-course!"
"Jjay?" Carlos asks cautiously, and Jay turns to see the younger boy sitting on the floor beside his bed, knees drawn to his chest and back against the mattress.
And Jay can't do this…he doesn't know how to do any of this. Good, don't be good, but behave yourself and lie and cheat and steal and beg and hands and….he grits his jaw tight and hisses in a sharp breath before letting it out again.
"It's nothing," he mutters quickly, holding up the lighter and his barely smoldering cigarette. "Was trying to relax and smoke for a bit but I guess that's just one more thing Auradon's ruining for me."
"Huh?" Carlos hums, his brow furrowing as he unfolds himself just a bit.
"Aziz," Jay grimaces in disgust, glancing down again at the name on the lighter. "Offered me some cigarettes a few days ago and we smoked behind the school. I had already found his lighter and figured I'd take the rest of the cigarettes to make it even." He shakes his head, scoffing harshly. "A fag from a fag, who'd have thought?"
Carlos frowns, his eyes dark and unreadable, and Jay starts to debate the best way to do damage control when Carlos suddenly sits upright and holds out a hand.
"G-g-give," he says jerkily, his eyes still dark despite his childlike demand.
"What?" Jay says, blinking at the strange expression on the boy's face. "The cigarettes?"
Carlos huffs through his nose and glares, and Jay holds up his other hand. "The lighter, you mean?"
Carlos nods once, then shakes his open hand pointedly. "G-give," he says again, a little more insistently, and after a moment, Jay shrugs and tosses it over.
Carlos, surprisingly, manages to catch it, and his hard look melts into satisfaction, and then relief.
"What are you thinking?" Jay asks, as he grinds the cigarettes between his palms before tossing them in the small trash can under the table.
"I n-needed a tiny gear," Carlos says, staring at the lighter a moment longer before tugging his kit from under the bed and storing the lighter carefully inside.
"Ok," Jay drawls, wondering if he would get any more explanation. He doesn't, and Carlos returns to his previous position and he finds himself wishing he had more to do. More space, more freedom; a secret hideaway on top of the tower that's much better suited for…whatever this is.
"Chchchad was there," Carlos says suddenly, and Jay pauses mid-step to glance over the edge of the bed at him. The other boy doesn't look up at him, but he doesn't retreat either, which is some sort of a plus. At least he'd dragged himself away enough from….
"Yeah," Jay says cautiously, not sure how to play it and still not sure how he feels about the asshole. Well, considering he'd just thought of him as an asshole, still not great. "Any idea why?"
"I think...," Carlos begins, before blinking suddenly, his eyes flicking up to meet Jay's. "Nothing, I do-don't know. S'laten'yway…be-bed?"
He slurs the last of his words, though whether it's intentional or just genuinely due to tiredness, Jay can't be sure. Only that it's definitely one in the morning and they definitely are still in Auradon and so for the time being, can't afford not to play by the rules.
"Yeah…bed," Jay concedes, climbing over the heavier sheets he'd shoved to the foot of the bed and shifting into a comfortable position. He clicks off the lamp and effectively bathes the room in darkness and it's only then that he realizes Carlos still isn't in his bed.
"Los," Jay sighs to the darkness. "You still don't like the bed?"
Carlos says nothing, but Jay hears him shuffle below him. "I l-like the floor better," he mumbles, but Jay hears the smooth sliding of fabric and a weight sliding off his own bed, and imagines that Carlos must have stolen one of his thicker sheets. He'll let it go, for now. And hopefully it will help the other boy sleep easier.
"We-we-we sshouldn't leave Evie alone."
Or not.
Carlos
He can't go to sleep. The room is quiet, he knows this. Safe. Secure. (He'd checked the lock on the door and the ones on their window. Plus they were too high up for anyone from Auradon to climb to.) All of his belongings are exactly where he'd put them, including Aziz's lighter. (He'd checked that, too, while Jay had been in the bathroom. It had still been slightly warm, and Carlos imagined Aziz flicking it open with familiarity; traced his fingers over the ever so slightly there difference in the smoothness of the glossy surface that indicated just how well-used it was.) They'd even checked on Evie, after Carlos had insisted. Which, admittedly had been a good call as the other girl had still seemed shaken from everything earlier, and had needed their company more than she would ever be willing to admit.
Everything was fine. But he couldn't go to sleep. Didn't dare close his eyes longer than it took to blink, and he only blinked when he heard Jay exhale in one…slow…steady…breath. Carlos could feel his arm starting to get numb from the way he lay on it, but he didn't dare turn over. Jay had insisted on taking the bed closest to the door, so Carlos had the further bed tucked closer to the wall. Which meant that if he rolled over he wouldn't be able to see Jay, and he needed to be able to see Jay…needed to stay awake.
Jay was asleep. Mal was most likely not asleep, but they'd made sure that Evie had been and that her room was secure before leaving her for the night. But Jay was asleep and that would have been fine except...Jay was asleep on his back. Carlos had seen Jay sleep in all kinds of weird positions back on the Isle; from completely upright on his feet to even halfway upside down in the rafters once. But Jay never intentionally slept on his back, for the very reason that Carlos lay awake for now.
A small tremor had started to work its way up Jay's arm. He was still asleep, and his breathing was steady, but Carlos sits upright instantly, pressing his back against the side of his bed, eyes wide and alert. He waits, hardly daring to breathe for fear of speeding up the inevitable. Jay's breath catches as a moan in his throat a moment later, and his whole body trembles as though under some kind of pressure that was impossible to lift.
Carlos shoots to his feet, his heart pounding frantically in his ears as he inches towards the side of the other boy's bed.
"Jay," he croaks out, not too loud, but enough to be heard. "Jay. Wake up."
Jay doesn't wake up, but Carlos doesn't need him to. Just needs to make sure Jay can hear his voice, just wait long enough to be able to work him onto his side. After that, Jay would take care of the rest. At least, that's what Carlos tried to tell himself as he fought his own shaking, clenching his fists and working his mouth again.
"Jay," he says again, grateful that for once he was able to keep his voice under control. "It's Ca-carlos. You're in Auradon. Wake u-up."
Jay groans, his jaw clenching so tightly that Carlos can see the muscles straining in his neck. He glances towards the window and realizes that it's approaching sunrise, the sky only just starting to transition from that deeper blue of early morning. Carlos takes another shaky step closer, but he keeps his hands by his sides. If he touches Jay now, it would be disastrous. He'd only ever seen Jay truly panic once, and he wasn't about to go through something like that again. Carlos was enough, he didn't need Jay breaking too.
"Wake up, Jay," he says again, biting back a wince as the other boy starts to thrash harder under the invisible weight.
Jay whimpers, and the sound pulls at Carlos' own fears, but he forces himself to focus on his friend instead. Jay was more important than him right now. Well, most of the time, actually, but right now, Carlos couldn't be a screw up. The whimper builds, low in Jay's chest, and Carlos tenses, readying for the next part and ignoring the lump in his own throat; the prickle at the back of his eyes at seeing Jay in so much pain. He had to be ready for...
Jay's back arches against the bed suddenly, his mouth opening in a broken sob and Carlos acts, ignoring the voice shouting in the back of his head (what are you doing you're going to get yourself killed you're just making it worse how are you so stupid) and places his hands flat against Jay's back and side and pushes. Jay stiffens instantly at the contact and lets out a strangled scream that shoots down Carlos' spine like a bolt of electricity, but he doesn't stop shoving until Jay is on his side. And then he has to act fast because of the punch that Jay blindly throws his way.
Carlos knows he hasn't dodged in time when it connects with the side of his chin, and he feels his jaw click painfully shut as he stumbles away, dazed. (Stupid) the voice chides with a sneer. (Told you shouldn't have bothered good for nothing deserved that deserved that deserve worse so unhelpful) He presses his hand firmly against the throbbing in his jaw and will the pain away as he blinks up at Jay, who was panting hard on his side, his eyes open and staring without seeing.
"Jay," Carlos says carefully, and he watches the awareness trickle back into the other boy's expression, a slow shudder working its way through his body.
"Auradon," Jay mutters, flopping against his pillow and rubbing his face hard. "I'm in Auradon."
"Jay?"
Jay jerks like he'd been struck and instantly lowers his hands, his eyes frantic as he searches for Carlos. Carlos quickly lowers his hand from his face and slowly lifts himself up from the floor to sit on the side of his own bed.
"Carlos," Jay breathes, relieved, his eyes closing briefly before opening again and scanning his face. "I didn't…?"
Carlos shakes his head quickly, and it makes his head hurt and his jaw throb again, but he ignores it. "N-no," he blurts immediately, trying for a smile. "No, it's ok. I'm ok, you didn't hhhurt me."
The lie sticks even more than usual in his throat, but it relieves Jay, and that's all that matters. The older boy slumps weakly back into his bed, and Carlos cautiously follows suit, blinking a moment in surprise as he tugs the blanket over his legs. It's…warm. Not at all what he'd expected. It's all still too soft, overwhelming his senses after being so used to nothing but rough, scratchy and hard, but it's not quite as bad as the first night. The pillows help a bit, too; they cushion his head, but he doesn't sink into them like he does with the mattress. They provide the firmness that he needs, and he focuses on that to try and re-center himself.
"Stupid," Jay mutters beside him, and Carlos looks over at the tremor that's still audible in the other boy's voice. "Fucking…perverted…faggots."
"Jay?" Carlos questions softly, biting his lip at the insults. "You-you-you ok?"
"Just peachy, 'Los," Jay's voice drawls back at him, more breath than actual words.
"You wanna talk abou-about it?"
"No," Jay snaps, suddenly much more coherent.
"You ssure?" Carlos asks, nestling just a bit further against his pillow.
"Yeah," Jay says, voice tight. "I'm sure."
"Jay…"
"I'm sure, Carlos."
"O-Ok."
Jay sighs heavily, and Carlos watches his silhouette stretch carefully and cover his face with an arm.
"What time is it, anyway?" Jay grumbles, and Carlos squints at the clock on the bedside table.
"Fi-fi-five o clock," he whispers back, and Jay sighs again.
"Shit," Jay hisses. "We only have two hours till we have to get up."
Carlos shrugs and curls up further under his blanket. He didn't care about that. He just wanted to make sure Jay was ok. And maybe figure out how to smuggle his blanket back onto the Isle.
"We could wa-wa-watch another of those car mmmovies?" Carlos tries again. "WhWhat's it called? Quick and angry or sssomething like-"
"Jafar sold me."
Carlos freezes, all his thoughts flying out of his head at those three words. There are so many emotions in Jay's voice, despite how hard it is, and Carlos has to take a moment to try and sort through them, and sort through his own so he didn't screw this up.
"What?"
"Back on the Isle," Jay clarifies unnecessarily. "I was eleven. He owed some…I say some," he scoffs bitterly, and Carlos bites his lip again to keep quiet. "It was more than 'some.' Enough that he was basically a dead man if he didn't pay it."
Silence for a moment, as Jay takes a shaky breath, and Carlos wants to tug the blanket completely over his head to try and muffle the sound; to shut out that shakiness; shut out the idea of a Jay that wasn't 100% confident and certain. He wants to, but instead he pulls the blanket down, letting a little of the cold in to jolt him further awake. If Jay was baring this part of himself when he didn't have to; when it was clearly painful and uncomfortable, then who was Carlos to be comfortable?
"Instead of paying it, he had the bright idea to send me to get rid of the problem."
"Bu-bu-bu-but you were ele-leven," Carlos protests meekly, a chill settling into him that had nothing to do with the lack of blanket.
Jay spits a curse in Arabic with such venom that Carlos thinks he doesn't really want to know the translation. "I'd already successfully killed two people by the point," Jay laughs, but there's no humor there. "Including that shopkeeper at nine, not to mention all the poisons."
Carlos nods to himself, suddenly understanding how everyone in Auradon thought them dangerous.
"Ssso you killed him?" Carlos guesses, half hoping that he was right, that this story wasn't going where he knew that it was.
"It turns out this guy was pretty well known in certain circles of the Isle," Jay continues, his voice darkening further. "'The Persian.' That's all he was ever called; no one ever knew his real name, or where he was actually from. It just stuck. Honestly, what Jafar thought I could have done against him, I don't fucking know. Only that it wasn't worth the slit throat I got for trying."
"Th-the scar," Carlos murmurs, horrified at the realization. "The one ac-cross your chchchchest."
"He didn't want me dead," Jay says, his voice closer to a whisper now, like he was choking on the words. "Because he thought…he thought I…was…pretty."
"Jay," Carlos says quickly, sitting up sharply in his bed and trying to catch the other boy's eye.
Jay's arm was still draped over his face, his lips twitching in what could have been taken for amusement if it weren't for the absolute disgust that Carlos could hear in his voice.
"Jafar realized he wasn't going to be able to weasel his way out of paying," Jay continues, ignoring Carlos' attempt to stop him. "So he made a deal instead. I woke up a few days later to Jafar sobbing over me, apologizing like a fucking coward. I didn't understand why until I saw the Persian standing in the doorway."
"Jay," Carlos says again, helpless against the painful torrent of words; horrified at what Jay had gone through.
"I was with him for two weeks," Jay says, his voice thick and choked with the emotion he'd been trying to subdue. "I was…his…in every sense of the word…for two. Weeks."
Carlos finds himself blinking rapidly as Jay sniffs suddenly, and it occurs to him that maybe he hadn't had the worst villain parent.
"This was uh, back when it was just me and Mal," Jay continues, a bit more composed, though his voice is still too thick for Carlos to truly believe it. "I still don't know how, or when or…but she found out."
Carlos tenses, bracing for Jay's next words. Whatever it is, he knows Mal and there's no way she would have reacted well to….
"A few weeks later, word spread around the Isle that the Persian was dead," Jay finally continues, and the room is light enough now that Carlos can see the grim smile on his face; just make out the vindictive look in his eye as he lowers his arm. "Poisoned; one of the real nasty ones, too. He'd basically burned alive from the inside out."
"I…I hhhad no-no idea that happened, Jay," Carlos says slowly, shaking his head and trying to figure out if it would be safe to offer some kind of comfort. "I'm…sorry."
Jay snorts, and Carlos glances over again in time to see Jay shrug briefly. "Yeah, well. It's mostly over, anyway, so. It's fine."
"M-mostly?" Carlos repeats, brow furrowing as he sits up enough to really catch Jay's eyes.
"Auradon still has that going against them," Jay replies, his tone darkening once more, his jaw tight as he glares at nothing in particular. "Letting all those perverts run loose and calling it 'love.'"
Carlos flinches in spite of himself at the venom in Jay's words, picking anxiously at the sheets as he comes to a sudden (and far too painful) conclusion.
"I-i-is that whu-why you hated me? Ba-back then?" he forces himself to ask. "Back when we-ee…when I…."
"Back when you thought you liked guys?" Jay finishes. "When you thought you liked me?" And even though Carlos doesn't hear that hatred now, he still flinches again, ducking his head in embarrassment.
It wasn't a thought, Carlos thinks, not quite sure if it's bitterness or pain or fear that he's feeling. It might have been a stupid crush then but I knew. I…I still know.
"Relax, 'Los," Jay says, far too easily for all that he had just said. All that he would continue to say. "I didn't hate you then, and I don't hate you now. We were kids. You were just confused. Plus I mean, let's honest. No one can resist this face."
Jay grins dazzlingly, and Carlos chucks his pillow as hard as he can at the other boy's face. Jay laughs, throwing the pillow back and it's a good sound to hear, after all that had just come before. But it hurts all the same, and Carlos thinks that maybe there are some things that even Auradon just can't fix.
Carlos doesn't know how he survives the morning, to be honest. Breakfast had been quick, tense, and quiet, tucked away in the infirmary with Mal. Apparently, Mal had reported in grim, worried tones, someone was arriving in Auradon later that wanted to see them. The Fairy Godmother had called them in for 'support,' but the idea wasn't one that any of them wanted to entertain for long.
Goodness Lessons had been dull, though he thinks maybe that might be because he'd fallen asleep partway through, and woken up propped up against Jay with Fairy Godmother still droning on about 'chivalry.' He'd been quick to scoot away, spluttering a hasty apology in Jay's direction, but Jay had also been too tired to really care, which Carlos thinks is the only reason he'd escaped unscathed. Well, aside from his sore jaw. It hadn't bruised, thankfully, but it still ached, and Carlos had to refrain from rubbing at it during the day.
All in all, the day had been going…normally, for once. Until Biology, of course. Kropp hadn't lashed out, though he did spend most of the class glaring smugly in Carlos and Jay's general direction. Carlos had heard from Ben about a staff meeting that had taken place, where Kropp had vehemently argued against them- which wasn't a surprise, really- but it certainly did him no favors regarding his dislike of the man. Or his resolve to just try and get through this with his head down. Except….
"And just where do you think you're going, Mr. de Vil?"
Carlos pauses in the entrance, glancing desperately for Jay, who had disappeared in the chaos of the hallway rush. Kropp's voice is even more smug than his glare, and Carlos turns slowly around to face the man, intentionally keeping his bag between them. If things went south, he could use it as a shield. Or a weapon, if really necessary.
"Cla-class is over," Carlos answers carefully, thinking over each word as hard as he can to avoid slipping up. "I'm going to ssst-ssst-u- Fairy Ggodmother," he forces out, reddening slightly as the word sticks. "Free period with Fairy Godmother."
It was the closest he could get to 'study hall,' though he bitterly thinks that it's such a stupid thing to trip over, compared to other words.
"I think not," Kropp sneers at him, and Carlos falters minutely, his bag inching down his arm. "You have a detention to serve with me, Mr. de Vil. Or did you think that the rules somehow didn't apply to you anymore just because you were being returned to the Isle?"
'Returned,' Carlos thinks, flinching slightly at the man's scathing tone. Like they'd been a faulty product; like Auradon had gotten its use from them and they weren't serving their purpose anymore. And then the rest of the words connect in his brain, and he pales, frozen in the doorway.
"Y-you…I…I don't...," Carlos swallows quickly, fidgeting as Kropp glares even harder at his stuttering. "Dete-dete-detention?" He finishes weakly, and the corner of Kropp's lips twitch upwards. It's not a nice gesture.
"Yes, Mr. de Vil," he repeats, sounding far too happy for the situation. "Detention. Half an hour, in place of your 'free period,' to make up for all the trouble you cause me in class."
"It was o-one class," Carlos mutters without thinking, feeling his own features twist with anger.
"I beg your pardon?"
He blinks, glancing up to see that Kropp's hands had clenched into fists, and Carlos stiffens instinctively, tucking into himself in an attempt to look small.
"I-i-it was one class," he repeats quietly, forcing his tone to remain blank. "I ans-answered your qqqquestion."
"You disrespected me in front of the class," Kropp bites out harshly. "I don't know what passes for discipline over on the Isle, but here in Auradon there are consequences for our actions. So. Detention. Half an hour, starting now. Perhaps we can be productive and work on your little…problem with authority."
Carlos is shaking with suppressed anger and fear by the end of Kropp's speech, his bag clattering to the floor at his feet the only thing that jolts him out of his frozen state. He knows exactly what Kropp is trying to do- is going to do- and it only serves to terrify him. It takes too long for him to cross the room and sit in the seat closest to the front of the room. Kropp seems surprised to see him sitting there, but it's basic self-preservation. At least this way, no one has to chase him into a corner, and it's closest to the door. If he really needed to, he could shove his desk into the teacher and flee. It worked enough times on the Isle.
And it was only half an hour, Carlos tries to tell himself, as Kropp starts to write on the board. And it was Auradon. There's no way this could actually resemble anything on the Isle. Except, looking at Kropp, and the severe and yet self-righteous look on his face, Carlos finds himself second guessing that fact.
Jane
Of all the ways that she'd encountered Carlos de Vil, being pinned beneath him with a row of lockers at her back and his scowling face in front of her was definitely one of her least favorite. She couldn't even entirely blame him for her current situation, as it had been entirely her own fault.
It had started, as most of Jane's days went, with breakfast, during which the VKs had been strangely absent. Well, not exactly strange, really, given the recent circumstance. But what had been strange was just how disappointed it seemed to make everyone; Lonnie and Chad in particular had seemed especially bothered by the lack of VKs, though Ben had simply slumped into his seat and refused to talk. After idly pushing his eggs around his plate, he's declared himself not hungry and abruptly left, Audrey and Chad following not too far behind.
Jane hadn't seen either of the three if them for the rest of that morning, although their schedules didn't often mix what with their age difference and Ben being the future king. But still, it had all served to further agitate Jane, who had been (foolishly, she knew) hoping for some kind of peaceful resolution. A part of her knows though that the time for wishing things better was definitely over, and any progress or happy endings were going to have to be worked for.
And so when Carlos doesn't show up for the afternoon study hall, it's all the catalyst Jane needs. She'd been sent (self volunteered, really) to find out where he was, and where he'd been.
'Gently, though, dear,' her mother had cautioned nervously. 'Don't make it seem like you're confronting him. You only wanted to make sure he was ok.'
Carlos is not ok, Jane thinks, trying to hide her more than mild terror at the glare he's giving her. Inhuman is the only thing she can think at the wide eyes; the sharp jaw; the curled lips and snarling teeth. He doesn't seem to fully process his actions though, as he's restraining her, but not as forcefully as Jane thinks (and regrets thinking) he must he capable of. The tension in his body is wrong, like he wants nothing more than to run and hide, but something else is telling him to attack instead.
"Hi, Carlos," Jane says carefully, not sure whether a smile would make this better or worse. "This is an interesting way to say hello. I feel like I just saw you yesterday."
It's almost what that tension feels like, too; like he'd seen her for the first time in a long time and rushed to greet her. Jane knows that it's wrong though, knows that in some capacity she is in danger right now, trapped with an unpredictable and violent VK. But she also knows that this is Carlos, and of all the things he /would/ do, attacking her is certainly the last of those. Unless that's just the wishful thinking talking.
"Um, I get that something is wrong, at least, I think there must be, right?" Jane continues nervously, suddenly aware of the pressure with which he held her arm. If he truly felt that she was a threat, he could very easily break it like that. "But there's better ways to express that, Carlos. You could just tell me."
Carlos doesn't react visibly to her words, but the sound of her voice registers somewhere as his body relaxes minutely, his hands releasing their grip. Jane tries for that smile, and a moment later, Carlos blinks, and the danger is banished only to be replaced with something else entirely. His eyes widen and his breath catches in his throat as he backs quickly away from her, glancing in terror from his hands and back to her. Jane recognizes the fear for what it is, and moves quickly to reassure him.
"No, no, it's ok!" She says, holding out her own hand to him slowly. "I'm fine, Carlos. We're both fine."
He shakes his head, his face flying through too many expressions for Jane to interpret. Only that he's far too works up to be calm, and she needs him to be calm if there's going to be any chance at answers.
"Breathe, Carlos," she says slowly, her voice calm if not her racing heart. "Just take a breath for me, ok?"
He nods once and swallows, drawing a shaky breath, his shoulders rising and falling in an exaggerated gesture. It's like he was physically forcing himself to relax, but it serves its purpose as the Carlos that looks back at her now is much more subdued; more like the cautious, wary Carlos she'd met back in the workshop. Jane takes a moment to draw another steadying breath of her own, quickly scanning the hallway. They were in a secluded hallway just off the 'academic' side of the school, somewhere between the 'math/science' and the 'arts/crafts' wings, as they were nick named by the students. Exactly where she'd found him wandering in a sort of daze, one hand on the wall as he shifted anxiously back and forth. Jane had assumed he'd gotten lost and had bounced forward ready to tease him, but when she'd tapped his shoulder...
"So what happened, Carlos?" Jane asks, turning back to him. "You know the knights can tell you where to go, so how'd you get stuck here?"
Carlos bites his lip, his brow furrowing in what Jane thinks might be worry, but which she realizes after a moment is actually fear. He slowly sucks in a breath to answer, but then closes his mouth tight, ducking his head and shrugging once. The motion is stiff and equally tight, like he's in pain, and Jane ducks her own head to try and meet his eyes, scanning for clues to his behavior.
"You missed study hall," she says, being sure not to sound accusing as she eyes him. "Mom was worried about you. Well, I was too. Am." She amends quickly, blushing slightly.
Carlos winces, and seems to shrink a little further, but no words come out when he works his lips. Jane cocks her head at him, trying not to feel offended but only succeeding so much.
"What, is this a 'no talking' day for you?" She means it more as a light hearted sort of thing, but then it occurs to her that yes, she really had just insulted him.
"I'm sorry!" She gasps, mortified at herself. "I didn't mean it like that I swear! I know it's hard for-"
But then she stops, because Carlos had stiffened significantly, his jaw locked so tight it was like he was fighting to physically keep the words in. The fear and pain flicker through his eyes again before he can hide it, and Jane feels a horrifying sensation of dizziness as she makes a sudden connection.
"Carlos," she says slowly. "Did...did someone...were you hurt for talking? Back on the Isle?"
'Not a word,' his posture seems to scream, as he backs himself as far as the walls will allow, shaking his head and clenching jaw every time his mouth tried to open. 'Not a single word.' And of course it makes horrifying sense, how unwilling or even unable he seemed to be to speak when he's first arrived. If he was hurt or punished for stuttering or even talking at all then...but then Jane catches the way his eyes flicker towards the opposite hallway; the way he'd tensed as though expecting something. Or...someone?
It's not a possibility Jane wants to entertain, because this is Auradon and nothing like that could possibly happen here. No one would dare. But Jane finds herself working up the courage and asking because has to she has to know.
"Carlos," she says slowly, dread filling her stomach. "Did somebody here hurt you for talking?"
Instantly Carlos stops, his expression clearing completely into something blank and unreadable. But Jane feels tears sting the backs of her eyes because he thought he was revealing nothing but he might as well have said yes out loud. She wants to feel angry, and a part of her definitely does but all she can register right now is pain.
"Right," she manages, clearing her throat and forcing her tone to remain calm. Collected, like her mom. "So, not a talking kind of day. Got it."
Carlos falters, like he hadn't expected her to remain calm, and Jane nearly starts crying all over again. Instead she smiles, hating herself for it. But it makes Carlos relax again, and take a small step towards her. Her smile turns a bit more genuine at the edges, though her thoughts are still racing. Someone had hurt Carlos for talking because of his stutter. Someone here in Auradon had done the same thing and it couldn't have been a student because of the timing; everyone would have been in some kind of class and the only person with that kind of power and authority to even try something like that is a teacher which means that a teacher had hurt Carlos and teachers were supposed to protect and encourage their students not hurt them because this wasn't the Isle!
Jane swallows hard and wrenches herself with difficult back into the moment. Carlos is staring at her cautiously, his brow furrowed again but this time in worry.
"I'm ok," she manages jerkily. "Like I said, we were worried about you."
He winces slightly, pressing his lips together and bringing his left hand up towards his chest. Before he can complete, or even really start the sign, Carlos jerks like he'd been stung, and quickly drops his hand back to his side, grimacing sharply. And that's when the anger hits Jane so hard she very nearly shrieks a filthy word. She thinks it instead, and subdues her reaction but the anger boils inside because not only did they rob Carlos of his speech, but they apparently hadn't let him sign either.
"You don't have to be sorry, Carlos," she says. "I'm guessing that's what you were aiming for."
Carlos blinks, seeming surprised, and Jane lets herself laugh.
"I do know a little bit of sign," she says, then she gets an idea and quickly goes with it, talking a bit faster, letting her hands flow through the signs as she goes. "Just a little bit, simple things like yes, please, no, more, food, oh! And colors!"
Jane draws breath just long enough grin at the mystified expression on his face before continuing. "I love signing the colors, they're so funny! What's your favorite color, Carlos?"
Carlos smiles, catching onto her enthusiasm and signs; bringing his index finger to his mouth and making a gesture like he was stroking his lips.
"Red?" Jane translates, chuckling a little. "Of course. It makes sense given your shirt."
Carlos frowns, glancing idly at his long sleeved, red shirt. Then he realizes what he'd done -what Jane had done- and snaps his head up in a glare.
"You can sign, you know," Jane tries. "I don't know everything, but enough that I could understand you."
Carlos continues to glare at her, though he pauses to glance briefly over his shoulder, and Jane is set to resign herself to the painful silence when suddenly she remembers just where in the school they are. It's a long shot, but Carlos didn't have to talk to communicate, and if Jane had read correctly, there was one way he could still communicate without talking, and without stuttering.
"Wait," she cries, grabbing Carlos' hand a tugging him forward. "I have an idea!"
He freezes, jerking back, and Jane skids to a stop, wincing at the sudden jolt. She turns back to find him wide eyed and anxious? Fearful? It's nothing positive in his expression and Jane feels another pang of anger at whoever had dared to hurt him.
"You trust me, right, Carlos?"
It's a loaded question, and a loaded moment of silence as they stare at each other. And then, slowly, so Jane barely realizes it's happening, Carlos grabs her hand and squeezes.
"Ok then," Jane whispers, meeting his solemn gaze with her own. "Follow me."
"This, Carlos," Jane announces as she shoves open the giant doors. "This is the room where it happens."
He frowns at her, furrowing his brows. 'What happens?' His eyes seem to say, and Jane grins, leaning in conspiratorially.
"Magic," she whispers, before pulling away and giggles self consciously. "It's the Auradon Theatre Department," she explains. "We're still working on a special name but believe me, it's a special place."
Carlos stares out at the auditorium and the stage with wonder, and Jane is all set to burst into song with excitement. But someone else starts humming first, and she pales as she recognizes the jaunty piano tune that echoes from the direction of the stage.
"...oh um, how about I show you backstage?" Jane squeaks, desperate to get Carlos away before-
"Cruella de Vil, Cruella de Vil! If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will..." A young baritone voice rumbles, blissfully unaware of their presence. "To see her is to take a sudden chi-ill! Look out for Cruella de Vil!"
The piano slide through a few notes before repeating the tune for the main verse, but the boy falters, fumbling for the words. "The uh...da da da dum...the ice in her stare..."
"Really, Richard?" The piano stops, and Jane recognizes the drawling voice of Amy. "How do you still not the words?"
"Oh I'm sorry, Amelia," Richard snaps, flinging his arms up. "Perhaps you'd like to come and sing it instead, and I'll play the piano."
"Carlos, we should go," Jane mutters, fumbling for his hand while backing toward the door.
"I kn-know that ssssong," Carlos whispers back, and as thrilled as Jane is to hear him speak, to share the theatre with him, she doesn't want to be witness to whatever act of violence that is sure to come.
"Don't be a prat," Amy hisses, standing from the piano stool. "We both know you hate the piano."
"Then don't try and tell me how to sing," Richard snipes.
"Fine!" Amy huffs, flopping back down onto the stool and starting the riff again. "It's starts 'the curl'..."
"The curl of her lip, the ice in her stare, all innocent children had better beware! She's like a spider waiting for the ki-ill. Cruella...Cruella de Vil!"
"Carlos?" Jane doesn't know whether to feel proud, amused or shocked. It's something of all three, as Carlos blushes, but continues singing, stepping forward as Amy quickly leaps back into the song on the piano.
"At first you think Cruella is a devil, but after time has worn away the shock, you come to realize you've seen her kind of eyes, watching you from underneath a rock!" Carlos performs his way through the lines as he sings, miming looking over his shoulder before appearing shocked, and Jane chuckles softly at him.
"I didn't think you'd be so ok with hearing that," she says, when he glances over at her questioningly.
"Ssshe-she-she always hated that ssong," he mumbles sheepishly, offering Jane a shy smile. "So I l-earned it."
"Um, excuse us?" Richard calls, shielding his eyes to glare at them through the stage lights. "This is a private rehearsal so..."
"Shut up, Richard," Amy scolds, lightly, standing from the bench again. "Hey Jane! You didn't tell us you were bringing a new theatre club member!"
"I was just showing him around," Jane hastily explains, at Carlos' anxious expression. "I didn't realize you guys were in here, sorry."
"You kidding?" Amy all but squeals. "Jane, tell me you're kidding! Richard, you heard his voice, right?"
"Yes, Amy, I did hear de Vil's voice," Richard dutifully replies, but if Jane didn't know any better she'd say he almost sounded impressed.
"We're keeping him, right?" Amy continues gleefully, bouncing slightly beside the piano. "Richard?"
"He only sang one song, though," the other boy mutters, running a hand through his auburn hair. "And I mean, he was pretty good for a vill-"
"Richard," Amy growls lowly, and the other boy sighs.
"Yeah, ok," he concedes, and Amy squeals so loudly that Jane and Carlos both wince from the center of the auditorium.
"Wait," Jane says, glancing to Carlos to see that he's barely following any of this, and she's no better off honestly. "Are you really-"
"Ugh, I can't believe I'm saying this to you," Richard sighs, but when he looks at Carlos it's with begrudging respect. "Welcome to the Auradon Theatre Club, Carlos de Vil."
"Oh my gosh this is going to be awesome!" Amy crows, grinning wildly.
Carlos mirrors her gesture shyly, but Jane can feel the genuine happiness that radiates off of him, and she nudges him lightly. He blinks down at her, caught off guard, but smiles again when she laughs.
"If I had known that all it would take is singing your mom's song to get you to open up, I'd have dragged you to the theatre a lot sooner," she teases.
"If you try to turn my dog into a coat, though, we're going to have problems," Richard adds, but even he can't help smiling just a little, and Jane doubles over laughing as Carlos pouts in disappointment, and Richard splutters indignantly for all of five seconds before Carlos smiles mischievously and Richard scoffs, shaking his head.
Yeah, Jane thinks, as the twins starts explaining the process of the Auradon theatre club to an enthusiastic (and vocal) Carlos. A lot sooner.
[Unaddressed letter to Mr. Oscar, Isle of the Lost]
Carlos.
It's been a while since my last letter, hasn't it? I'm still getting used to the time. You're probably wondering why these envelopes are addressed to Mr. Oscar, and why I didn't leave a name of my own. Well it's because I couldn't be sure that those stuffy Auradon bureaucrats…ahem…that the people in charge wouldn't read them first.
If whoever is reading this now happens to be one of those stuffy Auradon bureaucrats, or someone who is not Carlos, fuck you for invading the right to privacy.
But if you are Carlos, just ignore that word. You don't need to know what it means yet.
As for Oscar, well…I chose it for you, actually. I know, your mother will probably say something different. If she mentions me at all…does she?
No, don't answer that. I've been enough of a selfish bastard for one lifetime. Sorry-selfish person. This is supposed to be about you now. So. Your name. Carlos Oscar de Vil. Picked it up from one of my favorite Authors, and finally became one myself, if you'll believe it. But telling stories stops being fun when you end up labelled a villain for it. It's all subjective crap anyway. I'm not there anymore anyway, and hopefully someday, you won't be either.
Until then.
P. S.
"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." - Oscar Wilde