Chapter 5 – The Conclusion

-:-:-:-:-:-

With Gil finally onboard, and Jay allowed the opportunity to properly touch Gil the way he'd likely been wanting to since this trip had started, things seemed to fall in place more easily. Now that they'd marked that they were all down to share casual comfort with each other, Jay was happy to dote on each of them, especially with his cast removed so he could walk around unhindered. When their ship was at sea, Chad would frequently walk in on the Agraben trading easy kisses with Gil, or even holding Audrey in his lap with a dark flush while the two of them watched some kind of mindless tv show. Gil would seek Chad out as much as he sought out any of the others, but he seemed to have a kind of unspoken rule where he deferred to Audrey above all others, something that made the princess preen inside.

Chad understood it was a nice feeling. Jay made an effort to do the same with him, even though they were all being affectionate together, Chad was his priority, but he wouldn't hesitate to show that he cared for and respected Audrey and Gil as well. It made the time they got to spend on the ship all the more sacred because that was when they got to experience the best parts of their life, when the people Chad most cared for (aside from Doug) were all in one place, somewhere he knew was safe and secure, and he was allowed to take care of them.

"They really are sweethearts," Audrey mused one day when they were watching the others sleep.

"The best sweethearts," Chad replied, and it wasn't even feigned in case one of them was coherent enough to hear them, it was actually true.

Objectively true, of course. Anyone would agree.

A truth that was proven as their trip progressed and Gil and Jay cut out some of their adventuring endeavors to help them with charity stuff. People were often wary of Audrey, but it was difficult to be tentative or scared around her with Gil being an enthusiastic teddy bear in her viscinity, when Jay was so obviously laidback. People could ignore Chad because he was just a henchman as far as they were concerned, uptight and dumb and all about appearances, but Jay and Gil were heroes, which immediately shifted the mood of most of their efforts from an uphill battle to delightfully efficient.

"People are still giving you trouble?" Jay asked Audrey, seeming boggled by this.

The princess shrugged once, looking off to the side and allowing a sliver of her guilt to shine through. "It hasn't been that long, Jay."

And the media never really let them forget things, especially when a royal fucked up. Honestly, the fact that Chad was not getting socially crucified had more to do with information Carlos had let slip about Audrey's possessed form being cruel to him as well as opposed to any kind of universal exemption. He hadn't gotten a pass, but pity because his life was hard enough as it was, like they had any damn idea.

Still, he made it work. He always did.

Jay got a familiar look on his face, one of stubborn determination Chad knew wouldn't fade until whatever goal he'd set had been satisfied. "It isn't right," he muttered angrily before silently retreating, and while Chad wasn't entirely sure where he went, Gil just 'happened' to meander into Audrey's proximity a few moments later, despite the fact that he was supposed to be working on his remote schoolwork.

He was sweet, their Jay.

After that, the Agraben made a determined effort to include Chad and Audrey in his social media feed. He'd already done that plenty with Gil, as was expected by being super adventuring bros. But now instead of just helping with their charity efforts, he would document it. While Chad had been handling his and Audrey's PR personally, making sporadic updates because the entirety of the upper class already assumed they were doing this for show and knew anything from him was likely staged – Jay's pictures and posts were entirely organic and candid. He'd catch shots of Audrey and Chad working together with local contractors or jogging side by side for charity runs or digging irrigation trenches, and he would intersperse those with shots of him and Gil helping, with Jay taking them to celebratory lunches.

Not everything was documented, but Jay made sure to put out the good stuff and coordinated with Gil to coach him through doing the same, until Audrey's image slowly but surely went from spoiled nutjob to princess that made an honest mistake and also princess who was possessed by powerful artifact not locked up for some damn reason which was something that made everyone happy.

Well, everyone but Jay's actual partners.

"What are you even doing?" Chad happened to overhear when Jay was video chatting with his head boo back in Auradon, and for once he had not actively orchestrated this, but stumbled upon it by chance. "You guys are supposed to be exploring."

"We are," Jay urged. "But Gil and I like giving back too. It's nice to be as productive as you guys are."

"Uh huh," Mal said, seeming to doubt this. "And you're sure they didn't trick you to make things easier on themselves?"

"They're not those kind of people, Mal," Jay said, his tone edged with a certain hardness. "Audrey really is trying to make up for what she did, same as you."

Chad could practically see Mal seethe. "Don't compare me to her."

"Why? It's true," Jay pressed, pushing where he normally wouldn't with the head of his crew, because he felt he was right. "Why can you want to turn over a new leaf and not her?"

"Because Audrey wasn't raised by villains, Jay," Mal huffed, the statement so wildly inaccurate Chad had to swallow down a snicker. "She had everything she ever wanted-"

"You went nuts having the entirety of Auradon focus on you for like, six months," Jay cut in, another thing he didn't normally do. "That's been her entire life. Her parents died when she was little, she's always been in the public spotlight, and Ben dumped her in like, the shittiest way possible and took actual years to apologize for it. It makes sense, but she's not as bad as you think she is, okay? I think you'd get along with her."

"What has gotten into you?" Mal asked, her voice tight. "She tried to take over Auradon."

"Once upon a time, Mal, so did you," Jay said, and the voice chat ended shortly after, Jay letting out a small noise of frustration when things didn't quite pan out as he expected.

Still, it was a start.

-:-:-:-:-:-

If Jay took Mal's annoyance as a warning, he didn't show it. They started having private dates on the yacht – takeout they had delivered – and sometimes it would just be him and Chad while Gil and Audrey were elsewhere and sometimes it would be all four of them. Gil seemed perpetually amazed that they continued to be interested in him, but Audrey was honest with him about her expectations, about what she liked about him, and Gil and Jay did the same.

They'd all sort of moved into the captain's suite, at least when it came to retiring for the night. They'd left it empty until this point mostly on Gil's request, who'd wanted things to be equal between the lot of them, but still, it was the only place aboard the ship that easily allowed for all four of them to pursue certain pastimes in one place.

The farther they got into the trip, the better the sex got. The more devoted it was, at least. Every advancement they made slowly, until Jay was coaching Chad through stretching him out, through fucking him which was a level of trust Chad never thought he would have earned from Jay. He was as awed by it as he was overwhelmed, holding on through sheer force of will and the hope that one day he might get to do this with Doug, that Doug might get to watch him with Jay and oh, wouldn't that be something?

Beside them, Audrey looked positively radiant guiding Gil into her heat, something that went strictly against most of her training. They'd talked about it a lot beforehand. Talked about what she felt comfortable to manage, if she would be comfortable or even able to ignore her conditioning, but Audrey had been determined. She used what skills in magic she'd managed to kindle and kept her entire focus on Gil – and maybe this wasn't how she'd expected to lose her virginity, but Chad could tell that she was undeniably pleased by the choice.

"Here," Audrey murmured when they were done, leaning over to trade an easy kiss with Chad. "Switch."

"Okay," Chad chirped, the two of them sharing high fives before they traded partners, and sure, they mostly just made out and cuddled, but the utter indulgence of it all was still kind of nice. He sort of got why people chased after this business so much.

Just – he could see the appeal.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The closer they got to the end of their trip, the more Jay started talking about the future.

"You're going to Auradon University, right?" Jay asked Chad nonchalantly while the two of them were preparing breakfast – something hearty because it had been Gil's turn to pick and he had a hankering for eggs with a side of eggs that were maybe topped with more eggs. It was adorable.

"That's the plan," Chad said, thinking of the penthouse and the villa and the private beach house he had spent so long stealthily setting up as bases of operation. As much as he had hope for their current plan succeeding, his training and paranoid inclinations wouldn't allow him to stop preparing for the future under the assumption that it wouldn't work. "It has all the best political programs."

Technically, the best political programs for a royal heir would likely be in their own kingdom, but as Chad tried to cut down on the amount of time he spent in Sardinia and any prolonged periods in Ulstead and Auroria were pretty much a no-go for Audrey, Auradon University was their best bet. Plus, it gave them the excuse of networking with future councilmembers and being in the political/fashion/financial capital of the world.

He saw Jay shift his weight in his peripherals. "They offered me a full ride," Jay said casually, prodding at the hash browns cooking on the stove.

Once he'd realized that Audrey actually did eat carbs, he found it delightful every time she did so, which encouraged her to do it more often, even if it sort of fucked up her diet. Relationships were about compromise, even unknown compromises.

"Didn't everyone and their mom offer you a full ride?" Chad asked, trying to make things lighter. "They'd be dumb not to."

It earned him a small huff from Jay, accompanied by a fond look. "Thanks, and yeah, but… well, I was going to go to Sherwood Forest."

"They do have a kickass Tourney program," Chad said. "I think we can make it work, though. The train ride to Sherwood isn't that bad, and I could schedule my classes to Monday through Thursday, which could give me three days with you, if you're not busy. Or I could always ask Fairy Godmother for a teleportation key. She might even make it." Chad finished this with a wag of his brows, thinking he'd been coy enough to warrant an amused chuckle and being met with a look of open shock instead.

"You… you're cool with long distance?" Jay asked, like he didn't dare hope for it.

Dumb Chad might be dumb, but he wasn't that dumb, and Chad decided his persona definitely would be able to pick up the hints of doubt in Jay's tone, like he hadn't expected as much.

"Of course, Jay," Chad said, turning off the stove so he could give Jay his full attention. "I like what we have. I like being with you. I like working to make Auradon a better place and I- I'm glad that you gave me a chance- gave us a chance, and I'm sorry for all the stupid shit I did in the past-"

"Hey, no," Jay interrupted, reaching forward to pull Chad close to him. "We were all dumb in high school. None of that stuff counts – I've decided."

"Oh good," Chad said, relaxing into his hold. "Then um- why wouldn't I want to have a long-distance relationship with you? You're the first person other than Audrey to see me for me, and you're funny and thoughtful and sweet."

"Arguably all qualities you possess," Jay murmured, ducking his head bashfully. He stared at Chad for a moment, as though evaluating him, then cleared his throat. "I um- don't think it will be necessary though," he admitted, Chad tensing appropriately as he made a show of misreading the comment, at least until Jay continued, "I think I'm gonna go to Auradon University instead. This year has made me realize that as much as I love Tourney, I don't love it more than my family or um- my partner, and they're pretty much tied for the second-best program anyway…"

"Jay," Chad said, making sure to show that he was overwhelmed, that he understood how immense this was. "Don't- don't do anything you'll regret."

"That's the thing," Jay said, smiling wide. "I'm pretty sure I can't. Not with this."

And then he leaned forward to kiss him, something easy and sweet, and maybe it felt a little like something out of a fairytale, but if that was the case… well, Chad was a prince, albeit a cynical one. He could be allowed these indulgences from time-to-time.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The end of their trip was marked by a formal dinner at Auradon Castle, something likely intended more for Jay and Gil's sake than Chad and Audrey's. Still, it was kind enough of Ben to give an obvious show of support to Audrey as she marked the end of her punishment, the good deeds she'd done throughout Auradon speaking for themselves by way of the different local charities and governments they'd coordinated with.

It was nice seeing Gil reunite with Uma and Harry, the blond lifting them up in a tight hug that left Harry sputtering and Uma wearing an indulgent smile. The blond pirate was sure to introduce Chad and Audrey to the pirates properly, who of everyone present, were likely the most receptive to allowing Chad and Audrey into their lives simply on the basis of not knowing them that well.

The Core Four, of course, were ecstatic to see Jay and less pleased that this required the presence of Chad and Audrey, who'd slowly become a larger presence in the Agraben's life. Ben, Jane, and Doug (Doug, who Chad hadn't seen in forever, who had to resort to mild Facebook stalking when he'd been used to seeing the musician every day to some extent, either as a roommate or a random happenstance or from texting for school stuff) were more accepting, or at least better at hiding their unease, which allowed them to have a perfectly polite dinner.

Chad and Audrey, of course, were sat together, apart from Jay and Gil (Jay, who gave an apologetic wince that Chad soothed away with a grin). There was a slight air of tension over the table while they ate, for all that they passed easy stories in an effort to catch up, Ben, Chad, and Evie taking on the bulk of the talking so the others could quietly stew in their own annoyance. They would likely prefer to be cuddling their two wayward explorers over anything else, Chad was certain.

It was almost a relief when they got to after dinner drinks, the lot of them moving onto the portion of the evening where Ben politely herded Chad and Audrey out the door and his life. At least, that was what would have happened if Jay hadn't cleared his throat.

"Hey um- you should let them look at the art gallery," he spoke up, making more than one person pause, making Ben wear an actual expression of befuddlement, which he had been trained not to do. "You've added to it since we've been gone, right?"

"Right," Ben said, smoothly recovering. "It is getting a bit late, though-"

"Which is why we should show them there sooner rather than later," Jay said. "I can um- give you a quick update before walking them out."

As he said this, he sent Chad a quick look, nothing too explicit, but obviously a quiet bid for the blond to trust him. As though they hadn't gotten this far by Chad and Audrey being willing to 'yes, and' the hell out of this situation.

He also gave a certain look to Ben though, indicating that there was a reason for this weird request, and that was how Chad and Audrey found themselves led to the familiar and ornate trio of grand rooms that acted as Auradon Castle's art gallery.

That time, Jay did leave them with a wink, something Chad didn't reciprocate because Carlos was looking over the Agraben's shoulder, and just like that, they were alone again. Waiting.

"Well," Audrey said quietly as they started to pretend to look at the art they'd seen dozens of times before. "I suppose this is it."

"Yep," Chad said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "It's been an honor, Rose."

"Don't be stupid," she huffed, and just like that, their composure was restored, even if they were not entirely immune to the nerves that suddenly ravaged them, everything hanging in the balance of a conversation they weren't even present for.

At this point, all they could do was hope, which was directly averse to both their character, and yet, they submitted instead of attempting to spy, both of them not wanting to risk getting caught.

For this, they'd have to trust in Jay and Gil, and after all this time, Chad was strangely comfortable with that.

He supposed it had to happen at some point.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"So," Jay began carefully, sharing a nervous smile with Gil as they motioned for Chad and Audrey to settle in the lounge. They'd come back without the others, a slight tension in their shoulders, something easily dismissed unless you were looking for it. "We um… haven't been entirely honest with you guys."

"Not on purpose," Gil rushed to add. "I mean- sort of on purpose, but like, I didn't know-"

"Gil, sweetheart," Audrey interrupted gently. "It's okay. Just start from the beginning."

"Okay." Gil smiled, a brilliant, cheerful thing. "Um… Jay?"

"I've got it," Jay said as the two explorers settled down across from Chad and Audrey. "So this… what we have?"

"Polyamory?" Chad offered, getting a surprised look from Jay. "I tried to do some research."

"Right." Jay shock melted into fondness. "So um- this isn't the only polygamous thing I've been a part of. That Gil's been a part of."

Chad and Audrey made a show of sharing a look together, before Chad eventually broke the silence. "You mean…"

"I… with the others," Jay said. "And their um- partners."

"And I had Uma and Harry," Gil offered. "I didn't know- I mean, I always had them, I just didn't know I had them until they told me."

"Right." Jay nodded. "So we- I mean, it wasn't really a break, exactly…"

Chad's throat felt tight. "Are you… are you still dating them?"

"That's the thing," Jay said, his hands fidgeting together in a nervous tell. "Normally – for us, at least-" He motioned to himself. "We um- incorporate our new partners into the bigger- thing. That was what I wanted to tell you about."

"Okay," Chad said, because this was it, this was the moment they'd been fighting for.

"Except," Jay continued. "Um- Mal said no."

Chad felt his stomach drop, even though that was a totally foreseeable response.

"Uma did too," Gil added, looking conflicted.

At that point, Jay looked rueful. "She said- Mal said it was one or the other. Them or you guys."

"Ah," Chad said, feeling somewhat disconnected. "So you're breaking up with us."

"The opposite, actually," Jay said.

And before Chad could wonder what that meant, exactly, Gil continued with, "We chose you guys!"

Which was just wrong.

Because Mal and the others- Uma and Harry – they were everything to Jay and Gil. They had been together through thick and thin, for most of their lives, and the few that hadn't were Ben, Doug, and Jane, the best people Chad knew, and Jay and Gil were willing to throw that away for two asshole royals who were only about a fraction as good as any of the people that had retired to Ben's suite.

Chad shared a look with Audrey, his mind racing. Strategically, the best option would be to accept their proposal and move on, to hope that one day Mal's love of Jay and Uma's love for Gil would make them reconsider and have them invite Chad and Audrey into their fold regardless of their current mindset, but-

But there was always the chance that wouldn't happen, and Gil and Jay would be left with permanently cut ties to the people they loved most in the entire world. Good people. Strong, unbroken people.

Chad saw the moment Audrey came to the same conclusion as him, and then they turned as one, schooling their faces into twin looks of pleasant shock.

"You um- shouldn't have done that," Chad offered, wearing a sheepish look.

"Yeah," Audrey agreed. "We had some fun, but we can't offer much more than that."

"What?" Jay's smile melted away into genuine shock. "What are you talking about?"

"We're royalty, Jay," Chad said, motioning to their outfits. "What did you think was going to happen? I can't make you Lord Consort of Sardinia."

Because the people would literally kill Jay.

"And, no offense Gil, but I can't make you king of my kingdoms," Audrey said with a wide-eyed look. "But we had a really great time-"

"Don't." Jay shifted to his feet with a snarl. "Don't- don't underplay what we had together. We care about each other-"

"We do," Chad agreed. "As friends who kiss sometimes, but like, that's no reason to cut other people out of your lives."

"Yeah, Gilly," Audrey gushed, reaching out to squeeze Gil's hand and managing not to flinch when he pulled away with a wrecked expression. "Uma and Harry are your crew. And we're just-"

"I can't." Jay shook his head with a scowl, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I can't fucking believe this. I can't believe I ever thought either of you could be- fuck." He grabbed Gil's shoulder and yanked him to his feet, the blond beginning to silently cry. "Fucking shit."

"A-Audrey," Gil whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't- I don't understand."

"They don't love us, Gil," Jay snapped, and then he was dragging the blond from the room, until it was just Chad and Audrey once more, alone with their failures.

It took a few moments before Chad was able to talk, the tension in his chest building to an excruciating thing. "We should go," he murmured, turning to face his best friend. "We need to get out of here before-"

He cut himself off when he realized Audrey was crying, the princess looking truly miserable as she shook in her perfect position against the couch, her posture straight, her legs neatly crossed at the ankles.

"Audrey." Chad's chest hurt, his throat hurt, he could feel a familiar heat building behind his eyes. "We have to go before the others come for us." The princess' only response was to let out a small sob, something that sounded like it was almost ripped from her throat, a painful thing that made Chad ache for her all over again. "Audrey-"

"It was the r-right thing," she said, squeezing her eyes closed, her hands trembling against her knees. "It just fucking hurts."

"Come on." Chad grabbed her, dragging her to the small bathroom that was attached to the lounge and locked them inside so he could try to dry away her tears, only Audrey wouldn't stop crying. "A-Audrey."

"Fucking fuck," she hissed, batting his handkerchief away and latching onto his chest, clinging to him in a desperate sort of hug.

Chad found himself falling into it, vision blurring because apparently he was crying too, apparently he was also broken up by this but who the fuck cared, it was just Jay. It wasn't like Chad had forced himself to crush Doug's hopes and dreams or something.

"It… it was the right thing to do," Chad forced himself to say, his voice tight, everything so very tight that it hurt. "They would have regretted it, if we hadn't."

"What kind of dumb fuck picks us over them?" Audrey hissed, torn between her fury and her sorrow. "We're assholes. We have always been assholes, and they think we're fucking worth- that we could even be half as good as any of them?"

Chad let out a rough sob, because it was true. Even beyond his persona, Chad was mean and calculating. Chad was callous and cruel and nothing close to special. He's stayed alive through sheer stubbornness alone, but that was all he had going for him. He wasn't charming, like Jay seemed to think he was. He wasn't fierce like Mal or kind like Evie or clever like Carlos. He wasn't Ben or Jane, he wasn't Doug. He was Chad Charming – he was mean and manipulative and paranoid. He had literally nothing to offer anyone besides Audrey, and for her, he could only present his understanding. Because she was just as calculating and paranoid through necessity, she was just as cynical, and she had just as many unfair expectations placed upon her with zero loving family support to back it up so why would they be chosen?

"It's a fucking no brainer," Chad gasped. "They shouldn't have even hesitated. They should have cut things off then and there. Why- why didn't they-"

"Fucking, fucking fuck." Audrey was shaking. "I wanna- if I- if I give up my crown do you think-"

"You can't do that," Chad said the same way he said it every other time Audrey had mentioned this, even if she had a good reason this time.

Audrey sobbed. "Fuck it all. I fucking hate it all."

She hated herself, which was something Chad could relate to on a fundamental level, because he also hated himself. It was a damn gift.

"We gotta-" Chad gasped. "Audrey, we gotta-"

Further conversation was interrupted by the door being torn off its hinges, making both of them flinch back against the counter with wide eyes, Chad shoving himself in front of Audrey out of habit.

It left him face-to-face with a furious looking Ben, Mal standing just over his shoulder with glowing green eyes, and behind them were Evie and Harry, wearing looks of cool fury and open hatred in that order.

Chad, of course, focused on the biggest issue first which was Ben in full beast mode, not something Chad had witnessed up close so much as through his spy equipment, but this was Ben completely surrendered to his anger, his normal cool disposition vanished under the bestial urges left in his family's bloodline. His teeth were bared in a full snarl, lips pulled back and eyes wide as a low growl rumbled from his throat. He had both hands planted on either side of the doorway, as though he was gaining leverage to throw himself inside.

Chad's mind raced to think of how to de-escalate the situation. He had knockout pellets, but he didn't know if he could activate those and maintain his dumb guy cover. He didn't even know if he could take all four of them, if he'd be allowed out of the castle afterwards, if Evie or Mal decided to spell them-

And then Ben seemed to calm down, looking between Chad and Audrey's pathetic appearances with slow, heaving breaths, until eventually he was just himself again, a sad but knowing look in his eye.

He let go of the door slowly and stepped into the bathroom, Chad and Audrey shrinking back as far as they could until the King of Auradon was right in front of them.

"You turned them down so they wouldn't leave," Ben deduced, and then he reached upwards, using each of his hands to cup Chad and Audrey's cheeks. "That's what you did, didn't you?"

Chad tensed, painfully aware of the others' stares, knowing they wouldn't believe such sacrificial behavior from either of them. Ben only thought that because he was hopelessly nice and stupid, and even if it was true, they probably wouldn't care.

"Holy fuck," Mal breathed, running a hand through her purple curls. "You've got to be shitting me."

Chad could feel Audrey flinch against his back, heard a sharp intake of air as she tried to keep from sobbing again.

"We'll leave," Chad promised, wishing Ben would stop touching him. "We just need some time and then we'll go-"

"Yeah," Mal dismissed with a flip of her hair. "You're not going anywhere."

She moved swiftly, reaching around Ben until she could snatch Chad's hand and bodily drag him out of the room. Evie and Harry's faces were unreadable as Ben followed after with Audrey, who had a hand pressed firmly to her mouth in an effort to stifle the sounds of her sorrow.

"Come on," Mal ordered, and just like that, Chad and Audrey were a part of their procession, going through the twists and turns of Auradon Castle until they could enter the secret passageways that led directly to Ben's suite.

Chad couldn't tell where they were going until she pulled him into a different lounge, only this one had the others, the ones who were busy consoling a heartbroken Gil and Jay.

It was Gil that got up first upon seeing Audrey. Gil whose sorrow made Audrey squeeze her eyes shut, made her sob quietly into her hand.

"They lied," Mal said before Uma could start snarling at them. "They lied so you wouldn't leave us."

That was all the information Gil needed before he was across the room, pulling Audrey into his arms. They clung to each other, the small princess crying into his chest, whispering frantic apologies while he did his best to wrap himself around her like a suit of armor.

Chad watched the exchange quietly, conscious of the fact that Jay was still across the room, nestled between Carlos and Jane, Doug hovering off to the side with a neutral expression.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Mal hissed, and then she was dragging Chad forward again, shoving him more or less into Jay's lap.

"Sorry," Chad said, more for the violation of personal space than anything else. "Sorry, I-"

"Fucking asshole," Jay said, wrapping his arms around Chad and dragging him close. "I try to give up my best friends for you-"

"Which was stupid," Chad hissed, punching his bicep. "What the fuck, Jay?"

"They're the ones that made the ultimatum," Jay sniffed. "You and Audrey didn't."

"That doesn't mean- you don't give them up for that," Chad pressed, still sort of crying helplessly. "You would have regretted it forever, you dumb fucking idiot."

"You can't have known that-"

"Yes, I can – I'm an asshole," Chad hissed. "Most of the people in this room know that-"

Jay shut him up with a kiss, which was tragically effective because Chad liked kissing Jay entirely too much.

"Fuck," Chad whined when Jay finally pulled away. "You dumb shit- I'm mean and petty and you want to give up literally any of them, for me? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Don't say that," Jay growled, tilting their foreheads together. "Don't say that about the guy I love."

"One of the guys you love," Chad hissed. "You have substantially better options-"

"Holy shit," Mal interrupted, plopping down beside Jay so she could cuddle close to Chad's back. "Chad Charming has low self-esteem."

"I'm a realist," Chad snapped, feeling embarrassed.

"Whatever," Mal said, dismissing him with a lazy ease. "Alright, I changed my mind. We can invite Chad."

"I don't want your pity," Chad forced himself to say, feeling flushed and overwhelmed and painfully vulnerable, like he could shake apart at any second.

"Good, 'cuz you wouldn't get it," Mal drawled. "…but you put Jay first. You didn't have to – it would have been better for you if you hadn't, but you did anyway." She let out a low sigh. "That means you're good."

"I told you that," Jay hissed, nuzzling Chad close.

"Well, excuse me for needing a demonstration, apparently," Mal said. "Uma?"

"Yeah, yeah," the captain said, watching Gil and Audrey's reunion with a fond sort of weariness. "She's in. I support this or whatever."

"Great," Mal said, and then she turned to look Chad in the eyes. "Look – you want Jay, you're going to have to play nice with all of us, okay? That's how we roll. Can you do that?"

Seeing as that had been the damn goal the entire time, yes, Chad very much could do that, but he forced himself to give a shaky nod instead. "Okay," he murmured, rubbing at his cheeks. "Yeah, I can do that."

"Princess?" Uma prompted.

Audrey's only response was a thumbs up.

"O…kay," Carlos said, lingering awkwardly to the side. "So that went a lot differently than I expected."

"Whatever," Mal said. "More boyfriends for me."

And then she kissed Chad so.

That was a thing.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Endnotes:

And that's it, everyone! Part one of the adventures of Chad and Audrey is complete! I'm behind on my editing again, so the first chapter of the sequel won't be posted until Wednesday/Thursday. So keep your eye out for the very cleverly named, 'The Staying Game'.

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback! I am deeply grateful for all the support this story has gotten – especially since it has been one that has alluded completion for me for such a long time. Your support and enthusiasm is always a big contributor to helping me see things through, and I very much appreciate it :)

Story notes:

More on the big relationship will be explored in the sequel to this story, but the bottom line is while Chad and Audrey are now technically 'with' the others, they still have to work their way into their good graces. That's what the sequel covers, and it is pure nonsense. I love it a lot ^_^

Until next time :)