Chapter 6 – Hitting Close to Home

-:-:-:-:-:-

"Now that we have Carlos occupied, we need to move in on the Jane-front," Audrey said, pacing a line behind Chad's desk. "Or, more accurately, you need to move in on the Jane-front, as I have already established a foothold there and it is pretty great."

"Girls have an easier time emotionally connecting to other girls," Chad grumbled.

"Yeah, I don't want to hear it from the guy who's been fucking Ben on the regular," Audrey dismissed. "Point is, you're not going to be able to be physically affectionate with Jane anytime soon because of Carlos, but you do need to get past your safety blanket of organizing shit together, because that is not bonding."

"But it's easy," Chad groaned. "We work together, she can see I'm not a total idiot. It's productive and gives us a reason to spend time together."

Audrey detoured from her path to smack Chad's shoulder. "That. Is not. How you woo people," she urged. "Go be thoughtful and charming. She is your fairy god-person. I know you've been super against hanging out with her because you don't want her to get murdered but like- hang out with her in the castle. Take her to the Enchanted Lake. She continuously invited you to her birthday party year after year despite you being a major asshat, she has to like you at least a little bit."

"Or feel obligated to me," Chad pointed out with a mutter.

Audrey held up her hand in a silent threat.

"Fine," Chad said, knowing he was being stupid for no reason. "I will go bond with Jane, and we will be friends, and hopefully things won't get weird because of Carlos."

"They're only weird if you make them weird," Audrey offered sagely, and then she gave him one last shoulder pat for the road.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad started off small, mostly because he was a coward.

Though he knew Audrey would be unhappy with it, he decided to work off of one of his planning sessions with Jane, where they finalized the latest charity function Chad would host on Ben's behalf.

This one dragged well into the afternoon, which was why it was not weird when Chad looked at his watch with a grimace. "Fuck, I'm hungry," he grumbled. "Have you eaten yet? We should grab lunch."

Chad already knew the answer to the question – he had Jane's schedule memorized for planning purposes, and knew very well she hadn't planned to eat until after their meeting.

Of course, that lunch was to be with Carlos who'd had to cancel on her due to his extra coursework, so she was fortunately alone for the moment.

"Um…" Jane stared down at her stomach, as though searching for confirmation. "Yes. I mean, no, but yes let's get food."

"I think Mrs. Potts is making those little cucumber sandwiches," Chad offered, knowing they were Jane's favorites, and also knowing that Mrs. Potts had made them because Chad had put in the request (posing as Queen Belle) that morning.

"Oh." Jane blinked, her face lighting up with delight. "I love those."

"You're so healthy," Chad chuckled as good naturedly as possible. "Which is an admirable quality."

He was perhaps laying it on a bit thick, but Jane ducked her head with a flush, so he guessed it was okay. "Thanks. Mom says it's because of our mythical roots."

"Enjoying the fruits directly provided by the earth," Chad mused. "Yeah, I can see that."

Jane blinked at him as though she hadn't expected him to get it, then smiled when she saw the arm he offered her, graciously accepting it. "Yeah, it's something like that," she said, and just like that, they were off to lunch.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Of course, Chad kept things perfectly friendly. He asked about Jane's classwork, he asked after her mother. He asked about benign things, like what she thought of the latest movie trailers, or if she wanted to join the college cheerleading team.

"I dunno," she said, her cheeks lit in a pale flush. "I'm so much busier now helping Ben, and it seems so indulgent to commit time to something that I'll never do again."

"You deserve to have indulgent things," Chad offered. "We can't be all work and no play. Besides, Jay's on the Tourney team. And Gil's probably going to get recruited too, once he gets his GED. You could cheer both of them on."

"But…" She frowned, clearly reluctant to put up an argument, though seeming to do so out of civic obligation. "It will take time away from planning these events and helping with the magic legislature."

"Jane," Chad broke in calmly. "You're still a teenager. What you're doing is super important, yes, but you also deserve a chance to be a young adult, to enjoy the prime of your life. I mean-" He took a lazy bite out of his sandwich. "Talk to your mom about it – see what she says. You deserve to have superfluous, you-things that are just for fun. And after college, you'll have the rest of your life to be super responsible."

"The others…" she began carefully. "What if- do you think they'll um- think it's a waste of time?"

"They like you a heck of a lot, so I doubt it," Chad offered solemnly. "Just ask Evie or Mal. They're both helping with the legislature, but Evie has her fashion line and Mal has her art. Uma's helping and she has her crew to force her out into the ocean every once and awhile. My point is-" He put his sandwich down to give the appearance of allotting her his full attention, even though she'd had it the entire time. "It doesn't have to be cheerleading, but you should have a thing that's just for you. Carlos has video games, Ben has books, Doug has that hip hop dance group he thinks we don't know about-" At that, Jane giggled, because Doug really was awful at keeping secrets. "Just find your thing, and don't feel bad for enjoying it. Because you are a very good Jane – easily the best I know – and good Janes deserve good things."

"Thanks, Chad," she murmured, flushed and pleased all in one. "And um- I think you're a pretty good Chad, yourself."

"That is an honor I don't take lightly," Chad promised, and then she giggled, so he figured things were okay.

Probably.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Later that night, Mal tracked Chad down to his room and pinned him to the couch, pulling him into a heated make out session that he was pretty sure qualified as ravishment. While he was boggled by the attention, he rode it out as best he could, keening when she shoved a hand into his underwear for no other reason than she could.

"Heard you were a sweetheart today," she murmured when it was all done, the half-Fae smirking as she licked the remnants of their misdeeds off her fingers. "Of course, I had to go to Mrs. Potts to find out who gave Jane her advice, since she didn't want to say anything to set off Carlos."

"I just- she's my fairy god-person," Chad said, making Mal's smile broaden.

"You are too cute," Mal declared, petting a hand on Chad's stomach. "If you let me magically get your engines revving again, I could ride the shit out of you."

"Um." That was not a thing Chad had done before. "If um- have you-?"

"Tested it on Ben plenty of times," Mal hummed. "So?"

"Yeah," Chad said, because it wasn't like he was going to turn down a gift when Mal was in a good mood. "Go for- fuck."

"Yes," Mal cackled, her hands pulsing a steady purple energy, eyes flaring green. "That is the goal."

-:-:-:-:-:-

"Sex magic," Audrey mused later. "Who knew. I mean, I'm not surprised Mal figured it out-"

"My dick," Chad groaned, rubbing a hand across his face because grabbing his crotch was impolite in mixed company. "It's so confused."

"You'll get over it," Audrey assured him. "Once it remembers its normal limitations again, you'll be fine."

"I feel like Icarus," Chad said, somewhat forlorn. "I flew too close to the sun."

"I never understood that," Audrey huffed. "The higher he was, the colder he would have gotten-"

"Let's just say ancient Apheliotians were more prone to poetics than science," Chad said, and Audrey nodded, unable to fully disagree.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad wasn't sure if it was luck or not that had Doug, Evie, and Jay safely in Hanover on a cultural visit for Spring Break when Audrey's next invitation came in. They were always the same – pink envelopes with disarming, fluttery script marked with postage from Ulstead, and they always meant the same thing.

"Oh," Audrey said, doing a good job of feigning boredom as they pretended to eat breakfast with Ben and Jane. "Looks like my grandmothers want me to visit them."

"When?" Chad asked, pretending to be sleepy to cover up the sudden tension pounding in his throat.

Audrey made a show of looking over the invite. "…tomorrow."

"Huh," Ben said, blinking up from his selection of documents while Jane tried to nudge a piece of toast into his hand. "Seems kind of last-minute."

It had to be, because otherwise Audrey would have time to plan, have time to prepare, and this way she'd have to waste time rearranging her schedule and then traveling to Ulstead the old-fashioned way, which would take up most of her time.

"You know how my grandmothers are," Audrey drawled, a private joke between Chad and Audrey since Ben didn't know her family at all. "They get lonely. Will you guys be okay without me for the next week?"

"It will be a struggle," Chad hummed, reaching over to squeeze her hand because he knew the last trip, the year before Ben's proposal, almost broke Audrey entirely. "But we will manage until you return."

"Are you going to Ulstead or Auroria?" Jane asked.

"Ulstead," Audrey said, her tone bored.

"Could you bring back some honey?" Jane asked, refilling Ben's coffee cup with decaf before he could notice. "It's okay if you can't-"

"I'll pick some up," Audrey said, sharing a look with Chad that indicated he would be getting the fabled honey of Ulstead while she was indisposed, and Chad nodded to show his understanding.

"Thanks," Jane said distractedly. "Will we be able to text you while you're gone, or will this be like your spa trips?"

"No electronics," Audrey confirmed. "As per my grandmothers' rules."

"It's kind of nice that they want you to unplug," Ben said, offering a genuine smile. "Maybe we should do that sometime."

"You would die from anxiety," Chad drawled, earning a flush from Ben and a giggle from Jane. "It's a nice thought, though."

"It is," Audrey agreed, and then she rose with immense dignity and grace, willingly walking towards her punishment the way she had many times before.

And just like every other time, Chad could do nothing for her.

-:-:-:-:-:-

It was always hard, waiting for Audrey to come back from one of her 'spa' trips. There was nothing to be done for it, nothing that could be aided by his useless worrying, so Chad did his best to appeal to the others. He doted on Ben and attempted to bond with Harry, whom Gil loved so much. He helped Jane organize events on Ben's behalf and slipped Uma snacks and was waylaid by Mal, who seemed to like to use him as an errand boy.

Were he more poetic, he would say the week had dragged on, but unfortunately Chad was a realist, and as a realist he knew the time flew by quite quickly, the same way it always did. With the others occupying his time, with security measures and political machinations to outwit, with his fashion empire to run, with councilmen to blackmail or bribe and information to collect – Chad was just busy. He was always busy, as little as Ben seemed to get that, and between all that he still had college courses to pretend to give a shit about, as though he needed a degree for the job that had been dictated for him since birth.

He didn't, but like everything else it was for the sake of appearances, and it was already bad enough that Chad had insisted on taking his classes online like some kind of entitled slacker.

He was painfully aware of the time when he was with a handful of the others for an afternoon lunch break. Gil was laughing with Jay and Mal, Uma watching on with pride while Jane giggled quietly into her hand. It was a nice group, and it had done a sufficient job distracting Chad from his growing anxiety, but the moment he felt his watch buzz a warning of Audrey's imminent arrival he was making his excuses, slipping away and out to the secret passageways, cutting down to the Auradon Castle private garages.

He got there just as Audrey was released from her vehicle, the princess' appearance perfectly put together but her eyes dead, disposition defeated. Chad didn't wait for the Auroria car to leave before he was herding her into the secret passageways up to their suite, keeping an arm wrapped around her waist but letting her walk on her own two feet, as slow as that set their pace. Audrey had already been dragged around enough that week, Chad didn't need to add to her lack of control now, when she was supposed to be safe.

"Hey, Audrey," he said when he guided her into her room, setting the lights to half power to adjust her eyes to normal brightness again. "I've got a whole breakdown of everything that's happened while you were gone. Sent in your schoolwork on your behalf and kept an eye on Auroria and Ulstead's social scene." It wasn't something Audrey technically needed to do, since she was a beloved heir by all except her grandmothers, but Chad found it helped ease her compulsions somewhat, so he did it. "Would you like to sit down?"

There was a beat where they just stood there, but Chad made no effort to rush her, knowing Audrey needed the opportunity to make this choice on her own. So much had been stolen from her that week, had been conditioned out of her, and it would take a bit for her to come back to herself, just like it always did.

Eventually, she nodded, and Chad herded her over to the bed, settling her down carefully.

"I'm going to get your robe," Chad said, easing her shoes off one at a time. He wouldn't dare take any more of her clothes off until later, even if it made these wrinkle. He couldn't do that until she was ready, but they'd found through trial and error that losing shoes didn't seem to make much of a difference. "You can wear it if you want or use it as a blanket or hold it, but I'd like to get it for you so you have it. Is that okay?"

He couldn't take her out of the preppy perfect clothes her grandmothers had chosen for her, but Chad could cover her up, could get her the custom robe he'd made her in Auradon blue and yellow, mixed with Sardinian blue and gold. It was sort of an ugly picture, but it wasn't pink, which Audrey more than had her fill of that week, so Chad was desperate to get it close to her.

He settled it in her lap, relief flooding his chest when she fumbled to put it on, and he moved to help her, until she was completely encapsulated in her purposefully ugly robe.

"Have you… have you hydrated?" Chad asked, knowing she was slowly coming back to him, pulling back from the full retreat she had committed to in order to survive her grandmothers' brainwashing sessions.

She shook her head in a stuttered movement, fingers curling into the soft material of her robe, and Chad sighed.

"I'm going to put in an IV, okay?" he said, knowing she likely hadn't eaten much either, not more than she needed to get by. "I'm- I'm sorry that I can't give you a choice in that, but you need nutrients."

It was a familiar song and dance, unfortunately, one Audrey said nothing through. She was silent as he withdrew the IV bag from its hiding place, hooking it onto a section of Audrey's elaborate headboard that was easily mistaken as a miscellaneous design element. She said nothing as he disinfected her skin, slid the needle in and taped it in place. They'd probably have to go through a few IV bags before she was completely out of danger.

Chad grabbed the soft ice chest he had prepped earlier and placed it to the side of the bed, climbing up beside Audrey. She wasted no time fumbling for him, and he relented, repositioning her until she was settled in the V of his legs, her torso curled against his chest as she took in the comfort of genuine affection. Later – after he'd gotten her into the bath, he'd bundle her in the quilt her mother had made back when she was in hiding, dress her in his clothes and provide as many points of obvious love as he possibly could, because Audrey needed to be grounded right now.

There wasn't much to do at this point besides wait, so that was what he did, keeping Audrey company while she soaked up his attention, the IV steadily doing its job.

Chad gave it about an hour before he fumbled for the soft ice chest, pulling out a small bowl and provisions that made Audrey flinch.

"I know," Chad said softly, mashing up small pieces of banana mixed with protein powder, a nutrient mix that would give the most caloric bang for their buck. "I know you don't think you should eat right now, but I promise it's good." He cradled Audrey carefully in his arms, scooping some of the mushed banana onto his spoon. "They're Ben's bananas, even. I stole them straight from the secret stash he keeps in his office. He'd want you to have them."

Ben would, if he'd known Audrey had gone a full week without eating because her grandmothers were obsessed with a princess maintaining a perfect weight, because if they had to lose their children they were going to make damn sure that the granddaughter they had instead of them was perfect.

"Just a little bit?" Chad tried when Audrey squeezed her eyes shut, moisture gathering at the corners. "Just a little bit and then you can take a bubble bath. And I've recorded all these videos of Gil while you were gone – we could watch them when you're bathing. Maybe you could see him later?"

Audrey shook her head – stubborn, silent tears pouring down her cheeks as she stared at the food.

"It'll be okay," Chad said. "It's okay. You can eat. I'm not going to tell anyone. No one needs to know but you- you need to eat, Audrey. The videos were wrong. Perfect princesses are people and people deserve to eat. Just…" He held the spoon up, frustration manifesting in his chest like a physical thing. "Please?"

Audrey let out a quiet sob, burying her face against Chad's chest, making his heart plummet. It must have been really bad this time if she was this broken up, this nonverbal.

"It's okay," Chad lied, setting the bowl and spoon aside so he could comfort her better. "It will be okay Audrey, I promise. If they ask for anymore spa treatments this year, I'll go in your place. It'll be fine. No matter what happens, you'll always have me, okay? You'll always…"

He trailed off when he heard the door creak open – an intentional tell they'd left in place to indicate intruders. His fingers itched for the stun gun strapped to his lower back, but it was only Uma staring through the dark with slightly furrowed brows.

Chad knew, distantly, that he should hide this.

But he also knew that if there was any way to fix Audrey's situation, this was a good start, and he was tired of watching his best friend suffer.

"What happened?" Uma asked, seeming to know without being prompted to keep her voice soft. "Audrey party too hard?"

"Not quite," Chad said, running a hand down the princess's back when she shuddered, shrinking at the sound of Uma's voice. "She didn't really go to the spa."

"…Chad," Audrey croaked, her voice hoarse from screaming, her fingers clutching onto Chad's forearms as tightly as they could in warning.

"She didn't?" Uma said, intrigued now.

Chad shook his head. "That's just code for princess training."

"Chad," Audrey said again, her voice louder, more bitter. "S-Stop."

"It'll be okay," he urged, pulling her close again. "It's going to be okay, Audrey."

"What kind of stuff do they do in princess training?" Uma asked, eying the IV and Audrey's thin frame and the abandoned bowl of mashed bananas and not liking the conclusion she was coming to.

"You're probably better off not knowing," Chad said, petting the back of Audrey's head. "Audrey, please, you need to eat something."

Audrey shook her head stubbornly, keeping her eyes squeezed shut as fresh tears poured down her face. "I'm t-too selfish," she whispered, because somewhere down the line her grandmothers had equated healthy eating habits to being selfish.

"No, you're not," Uma said, refusing to hear it. She climbed onto the bed, settling in close as she grabbed the abandoned bowl, mashing the spoon through it before scooping up another mouthful. "You're Gil's sweetie, and Gil doesn't like selfish people – it comes from being raised by them."

Audrey let out a tiny sob. "G-Gil."

"It's okay," Chad urged. "They're not going to get him, alright? They can't be mad at you dating him forever."

Eventually, they would be dead.

They would have been a long time ago if Audrey had given Chad the all clear, but unfortunately even her logic catered to sentimentality in matters of family.

"Gil loves you, princess," Uma said, getting Audrey's attention with a shocked look. "And he wouldn't want you starving yourself. So could you eat, please?"

Uma rarely extended the use of manners in matters that did not pertain to her crew or creating new legislature for the children of the Isle, so to hear her ask politely was a momentous thing, one that even Audrey, in her half-catatonic state, did not miss.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Audrey nodded, opening her mouth with an embarrassed flush.

It helped that Uma was matter of fact about feeding her. There was no judgement in the captain's eyes. No derision or mockery. She helped Audrey with careful movements, saying nothing when Audrey struggled to take the food, waiting for Chad to clear her mouth or whisper soft praise as Audrey came back to herself.

Later, he knew Audrey would be furious with him for allowing Uma to see this, but…

But the others were wary of Audrey, even still. They needed to see her at her lowest. Someone needed to understand that there was more to her than their preconceived supposition.

They got halfway through the bowl before Audrey begged off with an apologetic whimper, which was honestly farther than Chad had been expecting.

"You did great, Audrey," Uma said, petting a hand through the princess's curls. "I'm proud of you."

Audrey's only response was a weak sob.

Uma took care of the dishes while Chad carried Audrey to the bathroom, running a bath and going through the long ordeal that was removing Audrey's clothing without entirely freaking her out. It was always a process, but one he tried to make easier with scented candles and gentle music, with mindless chatter while he got the bath to the perfect temperature. Not scalding, no chemicals. Nothing to help with her beauty regime – just comfort, to wash away the feel of foreign hands on her body.

Chad was sure Uma had finished before he was easing Audrey into the tub, but she didn't return until the princess was safely under the bubbles, her hair tucked up into a blue turban and head cradled by the waterproof cushions Chad had fixed in place beforehand.

"Here," Chad said, pulling up the first Gil video on his phone. "I got him to make a video log while you were gone."

"Hey, Audrey!" Gil cheered from the screen. "Chad's going to take me to get ice cream so he wanted to record it so you could be here too! I'm gonna get strawberry just for you!" After a beat, he added, "And chocolate!" Brightly enough that Audrey, even in her exhausted state, laughed.

They stayed like that until the water lost its warmth, Chad showing her the videos he had stockpiled over the week while Uma kept guard at the door, Audrey's laughter slowly getting stronger and more alive.

"Hey, Audrey," Jay lazily drawled from Chad's phone. "Hope spa town's treating you well. But in case it isn't, here's a backflip."

"Oh!" Gil cheered from further offscreen. "I can do that!"

Cue Jay's panic. "Wait, Gil – what did we talk about-?"

"Watch this!" Gil cheered, and they got to enjoy the sight of Jay's minor panic attack as Gil, through his own magic, successfully did a backflip.

"Come on," Chad said later, when he was easing her out of the tub. "You wanna sleep in your room or mine?"

"Yours," Audrey said, sounding better when Uma literally dragged the water off of her body and into the tub.

"I'm making you tea," Uma said, not waiting for any arguments. "To help with your throat. You okay having that before you pass out?"

"Um… yes," Audrey said, off guard by the offer (Uma generally just gave orders instead).

"Cool." Uma nodded. "See you in blondie's room."

With that she left, and Chad wasted no time dressing Audrey in a spare set of his pajamas. He grabbed the ugly robe and then carried Audrey to his room, the princess slumping in his arms with a grateful sigh. He was sure to ease her into the robe and a pair of obnoxious fluffy socks he had stolen from Jay before he tucked her under her mother's blanket.

"I think I might give you another IV bag," he said. "Are you okay with that?"

"It's probably for the best," she murmured, reclining against the mountain of pillows he had set up behind her. "Uma…"

"I'll deal with her," Chad said. "I'm not entirely sorry about that, but I will take care of it."

"I know," Audrey said, not a shred of doubt in her mind, and Chad knew the matter was settled.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Later, they would leave Audrey with Gil cuddled close to her legs, the second mate tuckered out from a few rounds of practice Tourney with Carlos.

Uma took Chad to her suite, riffling through the back of her kitchen cabinet until she withdrew a bottle of moonshine that definitely wasn't legal before pouring each of them a small glass. Chad wasn't normally one to indulge in alcohol as it dulled his reflex times, but this was a peace offering, and not one he was going to pass up on.

They sat in companionable silence before Uma deigned to break it, the captain taking a healthy swig of her drink. "So what, exactly, happens in 'princess training'? And don't tell me I don't want to know."

"You don't," Chad said, taking a sip of his drink. It burned, but so did a lot of poison, so he didn't react to the heat. "Because there's nothing you can do about it."

"Bullshit," Uma hissed. "Now I don't like to pull favors, but seeing as we're both chums with Benny boy-"

"Ben has to be a neutral party," Chad interrupted. "That's his job as king of Auradon. He's not supposed to interfere with the affairs of particular kingdoms unless they pose a threat to the whole, and this doesn't."

She seemed surprised that Chad understood that much, that he could articulate that much, but even a bad prince had a basic understanding of how Auradon worked.

"The concern would have to be brought up by a different kingdom, or by an upper nobility of Ulstead and Auroria itself. And that's not going to happen, because those are two of the most powerful kingdoms in all of Auradon." Chad took another sip of his drink. "Audrey's grandmothers have already destroyed the few people that tried to bring attention to Audrey's 'spa treatments'."

"So it's her grandmothers?" Uma said, quirking a brow. "I'd ask what kind of sick fuck does whateverleads to that to their own blood, but I grew up on the Isle – I know what kind of psycho does that."

"They're unbalanced by the loss of their children," Chad said. "But only towards Audrey. They're fine in every other capacity."

"And her grandfathers?"

Chad tensed. "…they don't know about it."

The one time he'd tried to bring it up to them, Audrey had gone missing for a year.

He hadn't tried again.

Uma seemed to understand what he wasn't saying. "So we get them for something else."

Chad paused, considered.

"No one's perfect," Uma continued. "They have to be doing something screwy if they've been getting away with this for so long."

"You won't be able to find anything," Chad cautioned. "They cover their tracks."

"Chadwick," Uma drawled. "I'm a damn sea witch. I've got a few avenues available to me that you don't. Leave this to me."

"Uma." Chad leaned forward, gripped with a sudden concern. "If they catch wind of this, even the slightest threat- they'll take it out on Audrey. And she can't take another one of these trips this year."

Or ever, but it was better when they were spaced out.

Uma didn't say anything for a moment. And then, she hummed. "Has Audrey ever been to an actual spa?"

Chad laughed. It was a bitter thing. "Ironically, I don't think she has."

It made something harden in Uma's expression, her resolve strengthening. "You leave this to me, baby boy," she said, sipping her drink. "Audrey's crew now. And no one messes with Uma's crew."

For all their sakes, Chad hoped she was right.

-:-:-:-:-:-

As expected, Jay and the others were not happy to learn of Audrey's spa visit when they returned from Hanover. Audrey was back on her feet by the time they returned, even if she wasn't talking as much – a perfect princess being seen and not heard, because clearly it was her strong-willed opinions that were holding her out of Ben's favor.

"You should have called us," Jay said while Evie made a point of dragging Audrey and Jane into her room for mani/pedis. "We could have-"

"Jay," Chad interrupted, because if he didn't he might start punching people. "It's done. Uma and Gil helped with the aftermath, but it's done now. Let's… let's not dwell on it."

Jay still seemed deeply unhappy by this. "Promise you'll tell me if make any trips to Sardinia."

"Jay," Chad sighed.

"Promise," he pressed, eyes serious. "I can't- knowing that we're sending you into that-"

"You don't even know what's happening," Chad pointed out.

"I know enough," Jay pressed, dragging Chad forward until he was cuddled against his chest. "I know you're probably busy but could we just- I dunno, watch Tourney and cuddle?"

"I would really like that," Chad admitted, mentally giving his schedule the middle finger because what was the point of fighting for good things if you did not enjoy those good things?

There wasn't one, Chad was sure, even if his life had been an exercise in demonstrating otherwise.

Still, he'd make due, just like he always had.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Endnotes:

Thank you guys so much for the feedback! Our adventures of the dynamic duo of badasses has almost come to an end, but I'm am endlessly grateful for how supportive and invested you guys have been for it. Next update will have Chapters 7-9 being posted all at once (two chapters and a collection of deleted scenes), and then it will be on to the next big adventure :)

The next few stories won't necessarily feature badass good guy Audrey, but she will be a featured protagonist, at least for the next few drafts.

Story notes:

So my best guess based on a fan map is that Apheliotia is the kingdom Hercules and Megara rule – hence the whole Icarus thing coming from there.

After some research, I have determined that Auroria (Princess Aurora's kingdom) is based on Greece due to her father's name origin while Ulstead, which was introduced in the new Maleficent movie, was based on old Norse cultures, though I mostly determined that due to Queen Ingrith's name origin. This is the rabbit hole I went down to determine that Jane would request honey from Ulstead, lol.

Until next time :)