They shouldn't have gotten that close to the edge of Uma's territory. Harry knew what the odds were that they would run into Mal and his gang, and he knew neither of them would follow their path if they came face to face. Now it was too late. They were in the market and there were so many people watching. Mal had been the first to attack.

"This market is disgusting, it smells so much like shrimp, oh! It must be because the Shrimpy is here, "she had laughed.

Harry saw Uma clench her jaw, stop her steps and breathe so as not to pounce on Mal. It wasn't that she was afraid of her, it was just that Maleficent's daughter was gaining territory in that part of the Island and there were many of her followers being viewers. It was not convenient to get into a fight there. Uma took a step to follow her path and Mal yanked her off her jacket before Harry could do anything. The next thing he knew, Uma had punched her and was trying to mend her clothes. Jay ran to stand next to Mal while Evie and Carlos checked her to see if she was okay. Harry gave a crazed laugh. Of course, Uma didn't need him to defend her, although he would gladly do it, she had fists of steel and a spirit of fire. Harry threatened Jay with his hook.

"Harry", Uma's voice brought him back to reality, "let's go, don't waste your time with the attempted thief."

He did as Uma commanded, not before allowing his eyes to turn a little red as he held the menacing gaze at Jay, who growled.

"Easy, Shrimpy, it's not like someone on the island is going to want to look at you naked now ... or ever, I think. It must be a disgusting sight, "Mal hissed. Harry stopped in his tracks, staring at Uma. For those who did not know her well, the look of pain that crossed her eyes when she heard Mal's words would have gone unnoticed. The purple-haired girl turned to Harry.

"And you… you don't have to be with her all the time, you know. You could stop by my mother's castle from time to time, "he winked. "Let's go Jay."

They were gone before Harry or Gil could give them a good beating. People in the market returned to their activities.

"Are you okay?" Gil asked Uma, uncomfortable.

The girl threw her braids over her shoulder, a gesture so typical of her, stretched her spine and looked up haughtily.

"Let's get out of here, we'll get my mother's rum in another market," she ordered them. So the two boys followed her. Uma fumed, strode furiously, and didn't even bother to be stealthy. They stole the first bottles of rum they found and returned to the store. She locked herself in the kitchen and didn't allow anyone, not even Harry, to follow her.

Uma was furious. How dare that bat flirt with Harry in front of her? Harry was her first mate, Harry was hers. The memory of it made her shudder with anger and she realized that she was breaking the fried clams with her grip. She shook her hand and wiped it on an old rag. Then she let out a sound of frustration. She knew Mal was right, of course. On the Island there was no love, there were no dates, but seduction was also a way of acquiring power. Uma was small, thin, and smelled like shrimp. No boy looked at her the way they looked at Mal, whose curves had appeared the year before and who delighted in wrapping boys around her fingers to annoy other girls.

She finished putting away the restaurant ingredients, washed her hands, and left the apron in place, exhausted from the day. She would finally she would rest. She turned off the lights and left the kitchen, only to find Harry dozing in a corner of the makeshift tavern stage. The sight of her best friend made Uma smile. She walked over to him and poked him with her finger to wake him up. Harry looked around in confusion before Uma left the restaurant. He quickly followed her. Uma's room was above Ursula's place, but she was too upset to go there. She headed toward Lost Revenge, Harry following on her heels. He didn't say anything, just walked alongside her, until Uma exploded and kicked an empty can that got in her way.

"That stupid fairy," she growled angrily. "Someday I'm going to beat her Harry, you'll see."

He pulled her into his body with a hug. He knew how to calm Uma, and sometimes the rhythm of his breathing was good for her to calm down.

"I know," he said calmly and confidently. Uma gave him a look that couldn't be described as grateful, but Harry knew it meant that she appreciated that he was there for her.

"She always seems to win me over at everything. Every time we plan to gain territory, she does it first. She even had the nerve to… "Her voice trailed off, only to compose herself a moment later. "Forget it. I know it's not worth it, it's just… I… she has curves, Harry, curves! "

Harry chuckled softly, fiddling with his hook between her braids.

"And what does that matter?"

"It matters!" She let it off, "I just… I look so childish next to her. Even Ginny Gothel has some hips and I know Gonzo and Jonas were talking about Evie the other day. Desiree has spent the last week bragging about making out with Anthony Tremaine. But I… no one will fear a kid, Harry."

Uma had that look that Harry hated to see on her, the same expression she'd had on her face when Mal dumped that bucket of shrimp on her, the same one that appeared every time someone called her a shrimp. She was embarrassed. Harry took her by both arms, enjoying the knowledge that he was the only one who could touch her like this without her kicking him.

"Uma," he called her, so she looked directly at him. "Stop. Don't go around because I know what you think. You are about to believe what Mal said about your appearance without realizing how absolutely jealous she is of you because your beauty is closer to that of a goddess than that of a mermaid ".

Uma's face lit up with a blush as she looked away, not sure what to say about it. Harry thought that maybe he had gone too far, but he couldn't allow Mal's words to hurt Uma more, especially knowing they were lies. Harry had lost count of the times he'd had to threaten or hit a guy for talking about how hot she was. Uma was not aware that the way she was, the way she pulled her braids back, the way she walked, her gestures and body language were excessively seductive. Harry had had to constantly remind himself that he was her first mate and that he didn't want to challenge her trust by trying something she didn't want.

"Harry, I…" She was silent, still speechless, too stunned to say anything.

"Do you trust me?" Harry asked, to which Uma nodded.

He told himself that if he overthrew things he would never do what he was about to do, so he stopped thinking and slid his hands down Uma's back, touching her thinness, her shoulder blades. He put one hand on her waist and the placed the other on the nape of her neck, drawing her to a kiss. Uma's lips trembled on his for a moment before she relaxed and closed her hands over Harry's coat, pulling him closer to her. Harry heard her sigh, but he was not aware of anything other than Uma's soft, innocent lips between his. Suddenly it was as if he were oxygen and she was fire, demanding more from him, always more. Harry forced himself away from her when he heard her moan.

He had always known that Uma was more of a goddess than anything else she could be. Harry couldn't imagine his life without her, he couldn't imagine not following her orders and worshiping her forever. He had never thought that Uma could possibly feel the same as him, but here she was, looking at him longingly.

Then, without saying a word, they ran the little distance that remained to reach the Lost Revange. There were still some guys from the crew on deck, including Gil, but they had no time to ask anything at all because he and Uma ran past the deck like a blur, eager to get to the captain's cabin. They didn't have time to close the door. Uma pulled him onto her makeshift bed and laid him down before putting her legs on the sides of Harry's hips, straddling him as she sought his lips urgently, giddy. Harry slid his hand across Uma's collarbone, tucked her fingers under the collar of her blouse, and stopped when he felt her tense.

"Harry…" she hesitated, so Harry made to withdraw his hand, but Uma held it instead. "Leave your hand as it is. I want this. I just need to know ... what does this mean to you? "

Harry was handsome. More than handsome. Practically all the girls on the island wanted him, Uma knew that he could have whoever he wanted. Even Mal, who would be happy to take something else from Uma.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you'll still be my first mate and best friend, you know that right?" She told him, only to nudge him when he started laughing. "What are you laughing at?"

Harry stroked her braids.

"Uma, how could I not want you? Stop thinking about what Mal said, okay? It's you and me. I would follow you to the bottom of the sea, even if there was no return, captain".

Somehow Uma knew it was true. Trust didn't exist on the Island, there was no way someone would voluntarily give someone else power over themselves, but she and Harry had always been loyal to each other, always together. Uma knew that if there was an exception to the Island's rules about trust and… love, that was the two of them. So she let Harry kiss her and she kissed him, she let Harry take her clothes off her and she took his clothes off, and then she rode him like she was in the waves, letting out sighs and hugging him.

"It can't be true, who's saying that stupidity?" Mal asked Evie, as they walked into Lady Tremaine's Curl 'Up and Dye.

"Everyone," Evie replied, apparently unaware of how upset her friend was, "Yzla says she found Jonas and Desiree near the docks and they told her that Harry and Uma were in her cabin and that no one dared to approach because they were making so much noise. Ginny Gothel and Anthony Tremaine went to check if it was true and found them tangled up. Ginny says Harry just yelled at them to get out and close the door."

It couldn't be. Mal wasn't in love with Harry or anything like that, but she couldn't believe that Uma had something that she didn't. And now everyone would think that she was more cool than Mal, which was definitely not right. And although she would never admit it, she was jealous. Jealous because she knew Harry would do anything for Uma, always following her like a lap dog. Mal wouldn't dare to think about love, but she wondered what it would feel like to have someone worship him as much as Hook's son had for the Shrimpy.

She would have to come up with something to get everyone on the Island to stop talking about that sea witch.