A/N: Updates are slow, I know, so if you're still reading this: thank you so much! I promise you this story won't be abandoned. Hope you enjoy this new chapter, let me know what you think!
When they burst through the door and out into the fresh air, Mal reached over to take Harry's hand and linked their fingers together as she pulled him in the direction of her dorm, the rest of their friends trailing behind. Harry grumbled as they went, his hook gleaming dangerously in the sunlight. The purple haired dragon chuckled in amusement at the pirate's annoyance, and the way her friends seemed to agree with his angry cursing.
"Why can't we just off the wee bitch?"
"Because we'll all be sent to the Isle, or an Auradon prison that actually has bars keeping us locked inside instead of an ocean."
"At this point the Isle seems better than this wretched place." He grumbled back, tossing a glare at the cafeteria doors over his shoulder as he begrudgingly allowed Mal to tug him away.
"We have food here, Harry." Evie explained gently, linking his free arm with her own so she walked in a line with her two best friends. "We don't have to fight and steal what we need. We're safe with a roof over our heads."
"But at the cost of our emotional and social freedom." He snapped back, pulling his arm from hers and glaring down at her. The Rogues have had time to adjust to the stuffiness of Auradon society, but Harry was used to complete and total freedom, to being able to be and do whatever he felt like.
"You're both right," Mal cut in, seeing the bluette taking in an annoyed breath and wanting to prevent an argument from breaking out. "We're safe here, and while safe doesn't necessarily mean happy, it is progress," she stopped walking to turn and face the only people in the whole world who truly loved her. Harry Hook, the man she loved and the only one she could truly drop all her barriers with; Evie, the sister she'd never had and her closest friend; Jay, her oldest brother and her protector; Carlos, her younger brother and the one who always made her laugh. Plus, her friends from Auradon: a group of innocent goodie two shoes she never would've thought she could be friends with, and yet, they stood beside her and her family resolutely through the scorn that followed the VKs. Plus, now she had Gil and Dizzy as part of her crew- her family had grown, it was bigger than she ever thought it would be. "We're not killing Audrey." Mal stated firmly, her eyes locked on her pirate, daring him to disagree. Harry simply quirked his brow in response as his blue eyes sparkled with mischief and he sent her a rugged smirk, a challenge on the tip of his tongue.
"Maybe we should continue this conversation somewhere else," Doug cut in, nervously glancing around at the Auradon kids who were filing into the cafeteria for breakfast and shooting them curious looks. Harry followed his line of sight before nodding.
"The lad is right," he glanced worriedly down at Mal for a moment, his mind whirring with thoughts and images of what she'd been like just yesterday when he arrived. She might be dressing and acting like herself now, but she was still way too thin and it would be all too easy for her to fall into old patterns. "But we also need breakfast. Doug, go grab our trays, the rest o' us will return ta the girls' dorm room. If we try to go back into the cafeteria I'll slit the foul bitch's throat with my hook." The VKs laughed at Harry's threat, understanding the sentiment perfectly as they came from a land where violence solved problems rather than words, but the Auradon kids stared at him in horror.
"You can't kill someone simply for being rude!" Jane cried, eyes wide and her face pale, the innocent girl clearly horrified. Harry raised his eyebrows and smiled unnaturally wide as he bent down to her eye level, Mal watching him with an amused smile as she knew he'd never actually hurt Jane.
"And why not?" He cooed, eyes flared threateningly as he swayed on his feet. Everyone stood there, simply watching the interaction- the VKs with amusement and their Auradon kids with worry, for a moment before Mal pulled her lover back.
"Alright, pirate." She chuckled, taking a quick glance around to make sure the coast was clear before pulling him low over her own body by the lapels of his leather coat. He smirked, nuzzling her nose with his, and pressed a teasing kiss to her lips. Their friends groaned before Jay reached forward to shove them both by the shoulders so they stumbled apart, causing snickers to erupt around them and the two lovers to shoot glares his way.
In the time that it had taken for this interaction to take place, Doug and Lonnie had managed to slip off to retrieve their trays and return from the cafeteria. "I thought you guys were going to return to Mal and Evie's dorm?" Doug inquired with a raised brow and knowing glint in his eye, passing out the breakfast trays to their various owners before moving back to Evie's side.
"We got caught up in Mal and Harry's grossness." Carlos answered with an exaggerated shudder, his face twisted in a disgusted grimace.
"Fuck off, Carlos." Mal snapped, rolling her eyes before sending him playful glare, her lips quirking up in a vaguely threatening friends all laughed at that and began walking towards the dorms once more, Carlos pouting as they went. They mostly ignored- as best they possibly could- the odd looks from other students as they rowdily crossed the school grounds, choosing instead to focus on each other and the playful wrestling Jay and Carlos had broken into while still continuing to walk. Harry, however, reveled in the scared eyes that followed him, a mixture of horror and curiosity mingling in their depths. He'd been both feared and revered on the Isle, and he wouldn't hesitate to use Auradon's fear of him to protect his crew just as he did there.
The odd amalgamation of friends didn't miss the way Harry kept close to Mal, muscles tensed and eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. His actions were a direct contradiction to his attitude, which was nonchalant and almost jovial. The four original VKs had behaved the same way when they first showed up. They had acted unbothered, confident, but it hadn't gone unnoticed that they were always alert, always prepared for an attack. Their paranoia had lessened the longer they were in Auradon, but Harry and Gil were fresh off the Isle and thus, constantly on guard. Now, that wasn't to say that the Rogues were now weak, or soft. All four of them could still hold their own against any person in the damn kingdom, they just were no longer so hypervigilant and they'd long ago decided that was a good thing. Mostly.
Mal and Evie's dorm was crowded that morning, practically overflowing between the Rogues, their Auradon friends, and the two pirates- plus Dizzy who'd been sitting outside their door waiting for them. Mal clambered into Harry's lap shamelessly as they all settled on various pieces of furniture and spots on the floor, sending a smirk in Jane's direction when she blushed at the sight. The pirate grinned wickedly and pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot just beneath her jaw, before whispering a demand that she eat in her ear and shoving her tray into her hands. She furrowed her brow and turned to protest, not feeling hungry after the parfait she'd eaten in the cafeteria, but he gave her a look that left no room for argument. She grumbled at being ordered about, but conceded that she was almost worryingly underweight and so, begrudgingly, began to eat a waffle as her pirate quickly followed her lead. Harry sent her a pleased smirk as she ate, picking up the only waffle left and taking a huge bite out of it, no butter, no syrup.
Mal laughed at the sight and shook her head. "You're supposed to put syrup on that, Hook."
"Aye, perhaps, but it's good as is. Anything beats the shite served at The Fish and Chip Shoppe." The VKs all laughed at that, nodding in agreement as nostalgia filled them all. The food served anywhere on the Isle was shit, but parts of them still missed home. Mal peered around the room, happiness bubbling up in her chest at the sight of all the people who were dear to her finally being in one place. She watched them fondly as she ate, observing the sharp contrast in her friends' behavior. It was funny how you could tell the differences in everyone's upbringing by how they ate. Jay ate fast, but efficiently, cleaning his plate in what had to be a record time. Carlos ate quickly as well, but far messier than Jay, with syrup dripping down his chin. Gil was an absolute disaster, food all over his face and hands and silverware discarded somewhere on the floor. Evie was prim and mannerful, cutting small dainty bites of her food before delicately pulling them off the fork. She ate like the princess she was, but somehow still quickly, finishing long before Jane or Lonnie. Mal herself ate quickly just like every other VK, her fork shovelling bites of waffle in her mouth as her eyes took in her friends. She was quick and clean, but aggressive. Harry ate like a pirate, all hand and hook and massive bites, smirking at everyone around him as he chewed, eyes darting to the door regularly as if waiting for an enemy to bust it down.
The Auradon kids ate like they were raised- properly. Silverware held delicately in hand and even spacing between bites. They had no need to rush, they'd never starved, never had food snatched from their plates by angry parents or by the hungry, desperate kids dashing by. The VKs knew what that felt like. They had starved and scrapped for food. They'd desperately stolen from struggling shop owners just to keep themselves and each other alive. They'd even been starved by their parents as punishment, Mal in particular. Maleficent had often said withholding food was her favourite punishment. She'd tell her daughter that not only was she teaching her a lesson, but she was helping her keep her trim figure. The fairy would then smile cruelly, tap her sharply on the cheek, and sweep from the room.
Those hungry and dark nights would often result in Harry climbing through her bedroom window, takeaway from the Fish and Chip Shoppe in hand and a concerned look in his eye. They'd stay up late, munching on cold chips and quietly laughing into the dark. Her pirate would frown as he watched her scarfe down as much as she could, both of them knowing it might be a while before she got to eat anything else. When the chips ran out they'd move onto the bed, Harry spending the rest of the night worshipping her body, pressing gentle kisses to her protruding ribs and hip bones.
It would shock anyone other than Mal- and maybe Evie- just how gentle the son of Captain Hook could be. He always knew just what Mal needed. Most nights they fucked hard and fast, ending in hickeys and bruises and total exhaustion. But some nights, particularly nights when one of their parents had gotten especially rough or cruel, were soft and loving. Filled with gentle and tender kisses, touches so soft they almost weren't there. Many thought Harry Hook was heartless, incapable of gentleness or love- they were wrong. The Isle forged you hard, you didn't have a choice, but Mal and Harry… they didn't have to be hard, they could be vulnerable without feeling weak. They loved each other.
Harry watched the teens sitting around them with analytical eyes as his girl sat in his lap, eating. Mal seemed to trust the Boreadon kids, but Harry wasn't so sure. When it really came down to it, when things got rough, would they side with his girl? Would they pick the daughter of Maleficent and her villain friends over King Ben? Right then things were going pretty smoothly. Ben was unaware that he'd lost Mal, Auradon was mostly accepting of the VKs presence, Mal was pretty much back to her old self and in his arms, he and Gil were off the Isle and no longer had to fight to survive, and he was getting along with Mal's crew. But, at any moment, Ben could find out that the pirate and Mal were together and then it would all be over. This tenuous peace that had settled over the castle would be ruined, and they'd probably be sent back to the Isle. Even if they were very good at keeping their secret, even if Ben never discovered them on his own, Mal would have to tell him eventually. She couldn't keep going like this, pretending to love someone she didn't, pretending to be someone she wasn't. She'd have to break it off with him someday, it's not like she would marry him and become his queen. And when that day came, when that peace snapped, these Boreadon kids would more than likely side with their own kind over his girl. So, he wouldn't trust them. Not until they'd proven themselves. His first priority was the safety of his crew, which now consisted of the Rogues, and he wouldn't take that lightly.
"We should probably actually show you guys around today," Carlos said around massive bites of his breakfast, Evie wrinkling her nose at the sight of his half chewed food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Carlos." She scolded with narrowed eyes, shaking her head in as she did so. The son of Cruella de Vil simply smirked before opening his mouth wide and leaning towards Evie with his tongue stuck out, disgusting clumps of mushy food exposed to the air. The bluette shrieked and pushed him away, causing Carlos to flop dramatically on his side and evoking laughs from everyone around the room. Mal set her plate aside and wrinkled her nose in amusement at her friends, snickering when Carlos pushed himself upright and once again began terrorizing Evie with half chewed food. Harry casually slung his arm around Mal's waist, earning him a rare gentle smile from the fairy as she leaned into him draping her purple hair across his shoulder. His response was a cheeky grin and a wink that caused her to roll her eyes fondly before turning back to their friends.
The rest of breakfast was a lighthearted affair, despite Audrey's attempts to get under the VKs' skins. When everyone had finished eating- well, more like devouring in Gil's case- they unanimously agreed that it was time to give the new Isle kids a proper tour of the school. They made quite the crowd as they strolled across the grounds, a mismatched group of Auradon formality and silk alongside vibrant splashes of Isle color and leather. Various Auradon kids stopped and stared as they walked by, some judgmentally and some curiously, but the rambunctious group didn't pay them any mind as they passed by.
The Rogues hadn't been this happy in months, and Mal hadn't been so full of energy since she'd decided not to go through with her mother's plan. They were all content, and things finally felt right as she strode amongst her friends, her family, snickering as she watched Harry and Jay dart through the hallways, playing an outrageous and extreme game of tag. Evie leaned her head against Mal's shoulder as they followed behind the boys, wanting to attempt to have a somewhat private conversation amongst the was just ahead shouting tips to Jay while Gil shouted to Harry, the Auradon kids watching with wide eyes from behind the two whispering girls.
"You seem happier." The bluette whispered to her best friend, the fairy setting her head atop her's.
"I am happier. It's stupid, because I know this can't last, I know at some point I'll have to deal with the fallout, but right now- I'm happy."
"We'll be by your side, Mal. Always. You won't be dealing with the fallout alone, and no matter what happens it'll have been worth it to see you happy again." The serious moment they were sharing is interrupted by Jay and Harry, who'd changed course and were now speeding their way, the latter fleeing from the former. Mal snickered mischievously and stuck her foot out, the snickers turning into full blown laughter when Harry didn't see it and ended up sprawled across the floor.
He laid there for a moment, pressing his forehead to the cool tile of the floor before slowly raising his head to glare fiercely at his girl. "Traitor." He growled, much to her amusement.
"Jay's my brother, Hook." She shrugged a single shoulder nonchalantly and smirked down at him, stepping away from Evie before crossing her arms and shooting Jay a wink. In the split second that her attention had shifted from the pirate on the floor to the thief standing a few feet behind him, Harry lunged. He pushed onto his feet and flew forward in an amazing display of agility, tackling Mal at the knees.
"Harry!" Evie shrieked in protest, quickly moving back a few steps as her purple haired best friend wrestled with her pirate.
"Don't worry, E." Jay chuckled, long legs stepping over the grappling couple as he moved to stand at her shoulder. "Hook doesn't stand a chance." Mal had just managed to flip Harry onto his back and was straddling him as she attempted to pin his hands above his head when the door of a classroom at the far end of the hall swung open.
"Mal, Harry," Evie hissed in alarm, "get up." The two are quick to jerk apart, memories of Harry having to tumble off of Mal and roll under her bed to hide from Maleficent coming to the forefronts of both their minds as they did. Evie reached out and tugged Mal to her side as Harry nimbly darted to the back of the group to stand alongside Carlos and Gil. Doug, Lonnie, and Jane all watched with at least mild surprise at the ease and efficiency with which they'd just managed to rearrange themselves so they looked perfectly innocent. An ease and efficiency that could only come with practice.
"I hope your classroom is to your liking," Fairy Godmother's voice echoed down the hall as she stepped out the open door, a woman hot on her heels that none of the Rogues or Auradon kids recognized.
"It's perfect, thank you. I'm incredibly eager to begin educating the future leaders of our kingdom."