Hey Descendants!

We hope you're having a great week, but let's go ahead and look forward to the weekend!

Who's ready for an Evie and Doug chapter? I know a couple of you are Devie fans!

We have a couple of great extras, like an Evie music video, thanks to our Patrons who are helping us find more time to write and create things related to our story. If you're looking for more to read we're posting a week ahead on Pat reon. We're also offering exclusive merch from our Dark and Twisted brand, as well as art related to We Wear the Mask. Check us out on Pa treon!

And let us know what you think about the chapter! We always look forward to reading your reviews.

Lots of Love!

-Dark-

How had she left her sewing supplies in such a state?

Her first time back in her and Mal's room, and she wasn't even able to properly enjoy the atmosphere.

She takes a deep breath as she slowly turns on the spot.

She loved how the sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains to paint the room with soft, warm light. It was undoubtedly the first thing she noticed the first time she'd walked in here.

The way the four-poster beds with their frilly pink and white layer looked in that magical soft light.

Beautiful. Breathtakingly different and beautiful.

Not that she'd ever tell Mal the beds had taken her breath away that first day.

So beautiful.

So clean.

The whole room came together like a fairy tale.

They'd managed to put their claim on that fairytale, slowly changing the colors of the rooms to better suit them.

But it didn't change the beauty of it.

And she thought she'd never get to see it again.

"Don't worry, if you tell me how I can help, I'm sure we'll get your space back to Evie standards. You had a lot you were doing right up until the ceremony."

She looks down at the comforting hand on her shoulder and smiles.

Her very own charming dwarf, always offering his help and guidance.

"Thank you," She spins delicately to face him, her smile trembling on her lips as she stares up into his eyes.

Her breath catches in her throat.

It had hurt.

Hurt and scared her.

Just the thought of never seeing Doug again.

More than the room, more than the make-up.

The thought of never seeing the boy that looked at her as if she were both his sun and moon had been far more painful.

The boy who treated her like a princess.

Who stood up for her and her pack despite years of being bullied by the same people?

Who saw her. Really saw her.

And cared about her.

Truly cared about her, flaws and all.

So what if he wasn't a prince?

She blinks.

So what if he wasn't a prince!

She reaches out and takes his hand, "Really. Thank you."

Doug grins widely, "Yeah. Of course," he lightly squeezes her hand, "whatever you need."

He was just so sweet.

She feels her cheeks heat before she looks around the room. "I need to clean before Carlos comes in here."

"Then let me worry about cleaning so you can get all your supplies back to the way you like them."

She shakes her head, "You really don't have to do that."

"But I want to," Doug smiles before he squeezes her hand again, "I know how hard you work. Cleaning is seriously the least I can do." He holds up his free hand, "And scouts honor, I wouldn't dare toss out a usable scrap of fabric."

She giggles, "I know you wouldn't."

Because he knew better. Because he sat through her long explanation of her craft.

Who did that?

Who was willing to?

Mal snorted and walked away.

Jay straight out said no.

Carlos asked a thousand questions.

Deez had been interested at first but had fallen asleep halfway through.

And T? T always miraculously either heard someone yelling or suddenly remembered he had obligations elsewhere.

The only other person to ever take such an interest in her sewing was Dizzy, and even her little sister interrupted with questions.

But Doug had been nearly enraptured with every word and had waited patiently to ask for clarifications and to express any thoughts on the matter. Even going as far as writing down the steps on properly caring for each type of fabric she worked with.

"If you're sure." She gives a dainty shrug, "Thank you."

He nods as he beams brightly. "Of course."

She smiles as she steps back before turning to the mess she left her station in during the havoc wreaked the morning of the ceremony.

Havoc.

God, if that didn't describe the last week, nothing did.

They work in comfortable silence, and even though she found herself jumping from task to task in her panic to clean, somehow Doug never seemed to get in her way.

How he managed that she couldn't fathom.

She smiles, but she definitely appreciated it.

She knew she could be a little-

She sighs.

She purses her lips as she collects her delicate dress patterns.

She could be very mean when she was interrupted. It was one of the things she hated about herself, the way she could snap.

Like a needle moving to fast on a machine.

And the last thing she wanted to do while Doug was being so sweet was snap at him as if he were only in her way.

Rude.

Unnecessarily rude.

When they finally finish, she finds Doug watching her.

Something in his eyes gives her pause.

That look.

She'd seen him wear it before.

Like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

The one that made her feel like she was the only person in the room.

This time, it was different. More… Wistful.

Her heart clenches in her chest as she daintily clears her throat.

Doug shakes his head, "Was there something else?" He asks as he narrows his eyes and looks over the room, scouring it for something left out of place.

She tilts her head to the side as she slowly spins in place, "No, no it's not, this is great."

All her sewing supplies were packed away where they belonged.

The scraps were in her scrap bin.

At some point, Doug had even made the beds.

All the room needed now was a little dusting and some attention with a vacuum.

"Great?" He tilts his head to the side with a small frown, "What can I do to help make it perfect?"

She tilts her head at the tone.

Concern.

Worry.

God, he was just so considerate.

He was genuinely concerned that her room wasn't perfect.

She smiles softly.

How had she gotten so lucky?

"I mean, I can steam your fabrics. Or iron them, or whatever else you need." He offers quickly.

Eagerly.

Maybe even… Desperately?

That felt right.

Right, but made her heart clench in her chest.

What would make him feel desperate?

Desperate to make things perfect?

She sighs.

On the Isle, she reveled in making everyone desperate to please her. Enjoyed the look on each face as they bent over backward for a chance to make her smile.

"What's wrong?" He asks as he takes a hesitant step forward. "That's the second time you've sighed…"

But here?

With Doug?

She hated hearing it. Hearing it and knowing that she'd done that to him.

She didn't want Doug to feel desperate to make her happy.

She-

She just-

"I, I just want to-" She blinks as she stutters.

Stutters.

She never stuttered.

But she also had no idea what she wanted.

"Want?" He stands up straighter. "I can go get whatever it is for you."

Without thought, she closes the distance between them to grab his arm, "Please don't."

He looks down at her hand before he meets her eyes looking so much like Dude did to Carlos when he thought he'd done something wrong.

"I just-" She blinks as she looks around the room before slowly turning back to face him as a tightness seizes her chest, "I just-"

"Oh- It's okay. I can leave if you want. It won't hurt my feelings."

Her hand tightens around his wrist as she shakes her head, "Please don't leave."

Now she was the one that sounded desperate.

Confused and desperate.

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm the strange rhythm her heart was pulsing to while fighting the tears forming in her eyes.

What was wrong with her?

He looks down at her with confusion before he lifts his shaking hand to caress her cheek. "What's wrong? What'd I do? I promise I can fix it. Whatever it is. I'm really resourceful."

"You didn't do anything wrong." She admits with a small, sad smile.

"But-" He frowns as he looks her over with a small, thoughtful frown. "You look so-" He bites his lip. "What can I do?"

"I don't know." She shakes her head, "I don't know what's wrong, I just-"

Pain? Confusion? Relief?

What was this? This feeling, or this weird mix of them.

He blinks before he hesitantly steps forward, and suddenly she's enveloped in a hug. "That's okay, Princess, I know things are- difficult right now. Sorry for pushing. I just- I want things to be perfect for you."

Her breath catches as she wraps her arms around Doug and buries her face against his shoulder. "But they are. They just are. I- I never thought we'd be able to come back-"

She hears Doug swallow hard, could hear the pain- no, not hear- she could feel it, as his hand cups the back of her head as he holds her closer. Protectively.

Her grip around him tightens as heat soaks his shirt where her face was hiding.

She feels his forehead against the top of her head. "I didn't think you four were going to come back." He admits, voice thick with fear. "I thought… I thought I was never going to see you again." He finishes softly before he scoops her up.

She opens her mouth, but the only sobs come out.

"Evie…" He breathes her name softly before the bed creaks as he settles on it. His arms tightening around her as he curls her into him. His hand running over her hair carefully.

She'd been afraid of the same thing. Afraid she'd never see him again.

Never get to tell him she liked him, even if he wasn't a Prince.

And now that she could tell him, she couldn't stop crying long enough.

"I'm sorry." He whispers, regret coloring his tone.

She shakes her head.

He didn't have anything to be sorry for.

He was still here. Still talking to her.

He didn't seem afraid of her.

The daughter of a villain who learned she could craft her own spells.

The daughter of the very villain who had tormented his father. His uncles. His aunt.

He could have hated her the way Audrey and Chad hated them, but here he was, holding her through her ugly sobbing tears.

Apologizing.

Apologizing because she couldn't get this, whatever this was, under control long enough to explain.

Not that she even knew what to explain or how.

She was so happy to be home.

Home.

This room was home.

This school.

Auradon.

It was the home she always wanted, and she was allowed to stay.

Here.

With her pack.

With Doug.

"Evie…" He breathes out as he gently starts rocking her. "Whatever this is, it's okay. You're okay. You're… I will do everything I can to make sure you stay safe."

A surprised sob rips from her throat as she hugs herself tighter to him.

Her Dwarven knight, pledging himself to her, promising to keep her safe.

Her sweet and kind Doug.

The Dwarf that treated her like a real princess.

The first person to really see her despite the shallow mask she wore.

"I… I don't think I've ever been so scared as I was when you…" He swallows hard. "Watching you cast those spells…" He whispers, his voice growing tighter with every word. "Watching as you passed out. I've never felt so, so, helpless. Useless. It, it… killed me. Not being by your side. Not being able to do anything for you. For your pack."

Scared. But not of her.

Her heart thuds painfully.

She hadn't thought about the way he felt, beyond being relieved their friends hadn't turned on them.

"Watching you sacrifice so much. Watching you drain yourself. Watching you so selflessly give your all to protect us… I've never been so, so, terrified. And then watching you four running… Knowing how injured you, all of you were, and knowing you weren't-" He cuts himself off before she suddenly feels warmth permeating her hair.

"I'm sorry." She hiccups as she tilts her head enough to look up into his eyes.

None of them had spoken about what happened after Baymax showed up.

In the hospital there hadn't been time to talk. Or privacy.

Hiro answered every question they had, every single one, and then some.

It had been hard to believe that their friends hadn't given up on them. Didn't hate them for coming to Auradon with a plan to steal the wand.

But now, laying beside Doug on her bed?

How could she, they-

How could they have been so stupid?

He takes a deep breath as he looks down at her with sad, tearful eyes. "You're-" He shakes his head slowly, "You don't have anything to apologize for." He tentatively runs his knuckles over her cheek tenderly. "I get it." He drops his eyes from hers again, "As much as I can at least." He lets out a sorrowful sigh.

"Auradon hasn't really been that hospitable to you." He breathes."People don't treat you like the princess you are. Don't treat your pack with the respect you deserve. That you, all of you have been worried you'd be sent back at every turn. You and the others deserve so much more than the reception you've been given."

She takes a deep breath and holds it for several seconds before she lets it out slowly.

She wasn't sure what to say.

Wasn't sure if she could say anything, even if she did know what to say.

"Thank you." She finally manages to breathe out.

His lips purse to the side as his eyes sweep over her face, "For what?"

"Understanding."

"I'm trying." He nudges her head gently with his chin.

She smiles up at him before she wipes her face with the back of her hand.

She felt understood, or as understood as she could feel when she wasn't sure what she was feeling.

The most important part of it was that he was trying.

Still trying.

It was more than she ever thought to ask for.

He hugs her tightly for a long moment before he pulls away. "Stay?" He asks as he shifts her to the bed before he stands.

Asks. Not orders.

She frowns as she sits up straighter, nodding as she lets her legs hang over the edge of the bed.

It was hard to say no when he asked her for something so innocently.

Hard to deny his smile.

Watching as he walks over to his bag. A small smile pulls at her lips.

Doug and his bags.

She couldn't recall a time she'd seen him without one.

There was something endearing about it.

Maybe because it reminded her so much of T, or maybe because he was always so prepared, she wasn't really sure.

But not a moment later he was back with a bottle of water, and-

Her eyes water all over again as he kneels in front of her and pulls out one of the removal wipes and gently starts cleaning her makeup from her face.

In any other circumstance, she would have freaked out.

Might have knocked his hand away or run.

But, she didn't want to.

Not even knowing he was about to see her without makeup.

"I know how much you hate it when it runs…" He whispers as he looks up at her with a sad smile, and something she couldn't quite place in his eyes.

He blinks as his breath hitches. "Hi ho." He swallows before his cheeks turn pink. "Beautiful." He whispers. "As always."

She smiles.

Smiles instead of turning away.

Smiles instead of denying it.

Because for the first time, she found herself actually wanting to believe it.

Her pack and the others had always told her she didn't need make-up, even back on the Isle.

She could never agree with them. All she could see when she looked in the mirror were flaws that had to be covered.

Imperfections that would keep people from fawning over her every whim.

She felt braver when she had make-up on.

Brave enough to face the Isle day after day.

And then Auradon.

And yet-

"There's the smile I was looking for." He grins.

And yet here, with Doug, she… She almost felt like she didn't need it.

Almost like she didn't feel like she had to hide under the carefully worked layers.

Didn't need the mask make-up offered her.

She stares into his eyes as he watches her.

Watches her like she was the only thing that mattered.

Almost like he was captivated by her, despite her puffy eyes and her product-free face.

Like she was his everything.

And she wanted that. To be his everything.

But for real. Not because she was wicked.

Not because she could trick him.

She wanted to earn that look, earn it every day.

She's not sure who it surprises more, him or herself when she shifts to pat the bed beside her.

He blinks up at her in confusion before the offer registers.

His face reddens as deeply as it brightens before he places the wipes, a few bags, and the bottle on the table to join her.

"Stay with me, just a little longer?" She asks softly as she leans her head against his shoulder, "I don't want to be alone."

"Of course," He smiles as he hesitantly wraps an arm around her before he carefully, protectively, curls around her. "Whatever you need."

She'd been afraid of never seeing him again.

Afraid to lose what she was only just starting to understand.

Him.

Him and the way he made her feel.

She takes his hand and threads their fingers together. "Thank you."

It was all she could manage without crying again.

"Evie," His voice quiet, apprehensive. "I- I know I… Shouldn't," He ducks his head. "You don't have to, but, can I come with you if you ever feel like you have to leave again?"

Come with her?

"I know I can't ask you to stay. Not when you're in that state, but if... Can I come with you, please? I don't think I could take it again… Not knowing if-" He shifts in discomfort. "Just please, can you wait for me?"

"Doug-" She blinks.

What would make them feel like that again?

And if they felt like they couldn't stay, where would they go?

If they couldn't stay in Auradon-

They hadn't known what they were going to do. She woke up to darkness and no plan.

They tried to talk about what the next steps were going to be, but they never got anywhere.

They couldn't go back to the Isle.

They didn't think they were welcomed at the school, or anywhere in Auradon.

Could she subject Doug to that level of uncertainty?

"I mean, I hope you never feel that way again, but, please? Just let me come? To remind you all that you belong here. Because I don't think my heart can take that again… Not knowing you were okay. Not knowing where you are. Not knowing if you were..." His voice hitches as she feels warmth on her shoulder.

"If, if we. If I ever feel like we can't stay, if we have to leave, I'll let you know." It was the best she could do. It wasn't like she had any control over what happened at the ceremony or how the pack had tossed all their phones before she woke up.

Her heart skips a beat as her eyes narrow, "But, I will not let you go to the Isle. I will never be okay with that."

"Neither will I." He pulls back to look at her. "My family owns so much land, and my dad is super cool, like too cool most of the time. He'd never say anything if the five of us crashed… I never want you going back there… Any of you."

She blinks, "Wait, are you, are you saying you'd give us asylum if something, anything happens like that-" She takes a deep breath.

They really had been narrow-minded.

Untrusting.

Maleficent showing up unexpectedly apparently made them revert to their old methods.

Survival above all.

"I want you to be safe." He whispers, "All of you to be safe. And, trust me, I get it. At least I think I do… Being worried that you don't always fit in."

She chuckles wetly as she hugs him.

His arms wrap around her tightly as he presses her close to him, "Please tell me that's a yes then?" His tone desperately hopeful.

"It's a yes." She smiles as she looks up at him.

A yes, and a realization that they truly had people they could trust.

Hopefully, they'd never find themselves in a similar situation, would never feel like they had to run away to avoid being sent back to the Isle.

"Thank you," He squeezes her tighter, "just, thank you." His relief so palpable she could feel it.

But, if they did, it wouldn't be like the last time.

She wouldn't have to worry that Doug would hate her.

She'd be able to trust him.

They all would, because as soon as they were all together again she was making it known.

Not that he was the only one they could trust.

If she'd been this blind about Doug, how blind had they been about the others?

Lonnie.

Ben.

Roy.

Nani.

David.

Hiro.

Lilo.

The rest of the parents that wanted to adopt them?

It felt strange to be able to list so many on this side of the barrier.

People they could trust.

Trust.

She sighs as she relaxes into Doug, feeling the tension drain for the first time in-

Weeks?

It certainly felt like weeks. Months, really.

But she could forget about all of it now.

Just for a moment.

Forget, and just enjoy feeling safe and happy with Doug.

This chapter man.

It was hard to read in the best of ways.

Evie was trying so hard to grasp whatever emotion she was feeling, Doug struggling not to pull her to him.

How patient and desperate Doug was for her to stay.

How much of a struggle for Evie, fucking Evie, to string together words.

How just utterly loyal and steadfast he is when it comes to his princess.

Evie has already declared two of her knights, but I think she's about to realize it's not just princes who can make princesses royals now that Snow's adopted her.

Eventually.

Right now she's just-

Just-

Content to be safe and sound in her dwarfs arms.

Honestly I don't remember who wrote who in this chapter but-

Did we do these characters justice?

I mean clearly Doug wasn't the only desperate one here.

Did we capture the way the two balance each other?

Was it a relief to see Evie trust Doug enough to let her wipe away her tears?

Did you guys catch she didn't think about her makeup or image once while she sobbed?

Fave Part:

Because he knew better. Because he sat through her long explanation of her craft.

Who did that?

Who was willing to?

Mal snorted and walked away.

Jay straight out said no.

Carlos asked a thousand questions.

Deez had been interested at first, but had fallen asleep half way through.

And T? T always miraculously either heard someone yelling, or suddenly remembered he had obligations elsewhere.

The only other person to ever take such an interest in her sewing was Dizzy, and even her little sister interrupted with questions.

But Doug had been nearly enraptured with every word, and had waited patiently to ask for clarifications and to express any thoughts on the matter. Even going as far as writing down the steps on properly caring for each type of fabric she worked with.

What was yours?

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted