Chapter 2 – Auradon Prep

-:-:-

Their peaceful existence was brought to a halt the first week of freshmen year, and Doug was lucky enough to be there to witness the exact moment Chad went from being a wallflower to blossoming into the hot commodity Doug knew he was.

Chad had been worried about the transition from Junior High to High School. Four grade levels meant four years of royals to be intimidated by and they would be starting on the bottom rung all over again.

"Though probably for the last time," Chad said, fidgeting nervously with the cuff of his jacket. "I don't think I'm smart enough for college."

"You are smart enough for college," Doug reminded him the same way he did every time they had this conversation. "You're going and we're going to be roommates, it will be the best."

It was enough to have Chad smiling again, a pleasant sight amidst the bouts of anxiety that had been plaguing him when they moved into their new dorm suite. On the bright side, Chad actually had stuff to move now, and unlike the first year of junior high, both sides of the room looked sufficiently inhabited. It was a sight that warmed Doug down to his bones, similar to the vision of Chad talking amicably with Doug's family, his amad helping the blond repack his belongings a picture that couldn't feel anything but right.

Chad had been nervous about Auradon Prep, and as such, turned to wearing the items that brought him the most comfort. Fortunately for Doug, that included the light blue, dwarven-style tunic with gold embroidery – high collared and long-sleeved, belted in at the waist and stopping just above his knee. Outside of Hanover it wasn't a popular style – considered old fashioned by many, but Chad adored the clothing the same way he would any gift. Which was fortunate, because Doug loved plying Chad with presents. It was an unfortunate hobby of his.

He knew it wasn't proper, but it was Chad, who was just so easy to give presents to.

The blond wore his tunic – the color doing devastating things to his eyes – with a pair of sturdy breaches that clung to his legs, colored in a sable brown. The outfit was finished with light blue dwarven-made boots that ran up his calf, making Chad look like something straight out of the fairytales of their predecessors. It didn't help that his curls were properly grown out now, trailing against his shoulders where they were pulled back in the braids clipped with the beads Doug had made him. In fact, Chad wore a lot of the jewelry Doug had made him, an ear cuff here, a ring and bracelet there. Clip-on earrings and a necklace he wore over his tunic with pride.

The end result was something eye-catching and distinctly devastating, definitely unique compared to the usual fashions of Auradon, and Doug would warn Chad about his likelihood of standing out if his outfit didn't seem to make him so happy.

"I'll just play with my rings if I feel them staring," Chad informed him unprompted, twisting the golden worry ring Doug had made for the express use of working off Chad's excess energy. "I'm already an outcast, I may as well be a snazzily dressed one."

"You're not an outcast," Doug insisted, earning a brilliant smile from Chad before they reluctantly parted ways for their first set of classes.

As planned, Doug traveled to meet Chad at his locker come lunchtime, and paused when he realized the blond was talking to another prince. Specifically, the prince of all princes – Prince Benjamin, the future king of Auradon.

On the bright side, it didn't seem like their conversation had been going on for long and, in custom Chad fashion, the blond didn't seem to understand the reasoning behind the conversation, even if Doug did. The look in Prince Ben's eye said enough, even if his flirtations were subtle at best.

"I feel like I've seen you around," Prince Ben was saying – using that kind, gentle tone he adopted for all his press conferences, indicating he knew Chad needed special care. "Have we met before?"

Chad, who had finished trading out his books from his locker, shut it in a deft motion, giving Ben yet another strange look. "No," he said simply, and where most would take this opportunity to elaborate, or at the very least, Ben would have, Chad managed to catch sight of Doug lingering across the hall and brightened, immediately forgetting about Ben. "Doug!" the blond chirped, bouncing over to his side. "I found a rabbit burrow between classes. Could we eat by it today? I think maybe the mama rabbit will let me pet her if I get her some carrots."

"Of course," Doug said, earning a bright smile from the blond. "How were your classes?"

"Good!" Chad cheered, and just like that, it was business as usual.

-:-:-

"Here, bunny, bunny," Chad sang, as though the rabbit hopping towards them was at any risk of veering away at the last second. "I got some carrots for you. Nice and fresh from the dining hall."

Chad's animal magnetism was likely one of the things that connected the blond to his late mother. Because of this, he and Doug spent every lunch break outdoors, come rain or shine (Doug had learned to carry a large umbrella, and if they had to cuddle close to stay underneath it, that was no one's business but their own, now wasn't it?). It was always in a different location, dependent on what animals Chad felt like visiting that day. Sometimes they ended up in the school stables so they could talk to the horses, other times they were down by the pond to feed the ducks (not breadcrumbs, obviously, Chad wouldn't stand for such a thing). Sometimes Chad was determined to visit the grotto most populated by squirrels and sometimes they fed birds and Doug would get to watch a few of the bolder ones perch atop Chad's head and shoulders, which never failed to delight the blond.

That day, they were dealing in bunnies, though Pip – Chad's seemingly constant squirrel companion – was already happily curled up on the blond's shoulder and Skrills – a bluebird with distinctive tail feathering – twittered happily nearby.

"Aw, thank you, bunny," Chad said when the rabbit finally hopped into his lap, just as eager to be there without the proffered carrots. They were not a detriment, of course. Chad considered the opportunity to pet wildlife a gift in itself, and tried to offer presents in kind when appropriate. "Such a cute bean you are."

Doug didn't hesitate to take some pictures of the heart-warming sight for his family – that was the excuse, at least, because it wasn't like he could own up to having a horrifically large collection of Chad photos. That would be sad, even for him.

Chad caught on to what he was doing halfway through and smiled obligingly, radiating happiness as he finished feeding the rabbit the first of his carrots.

"I think her name is Barute," Chad declared as he scratched the rabbit's ears. "Yes, that seems right. Nice to meet you, Barute – I'm Chad, son of Christopher."

Doug didn't know if Chad could actually talk to animals or if it was more of a feeling. As it was, the names he gave the animals he met were always responded to, and none of them seemed easily invented by the blond. Pip had seemed somewhat reasonable, but Skrills wasn't a Chad name by a longshot, meaning the blond had to get it from somewhere.

Chad didn't know how to explain it anytime Doug had asked him about it, so Doug gave up trying, attributing it to the simple wonder that was Chad.

"Hi, Barute," Doug said, because it always made Chad happy when he joined in on these conversations. "I'm Douglass, son of Nori – at your service."

"Ah, I knew I forgot something," Chad sighed. "I am also at your service, Barute."

"No worries, Chad," Doug soothed. "You've already demonstrated as much. Remember, actions speak just as loudly as words."

At that, Chad perked up. "Aw, you're right! Thanks, Doug."

And with that, lunch was saved.

At least until the untimely arrival of one Prince Ben, who hovered near their eating place sprawled out on the cozy lawn outside the science building.

"Um, hey guys," Ben spoke up, as though it was perfectly understandable for another teen to find this distinctly out-of-the-way location. "Could I join you?"

Chad blinked up at the other prince, genuinely surprised by his appearance, too distracted by the animals to notice his approach, unlike Doug. "Um." Like any other time he felt lost, Chad turned his attention onto Doug.

"Do you want him to join us?" Doug asked in Hobbitish. Chad had taken to learning the language during his visits to Erebor – the blond prince taking all of his school breaks with Doug, even the summers – so at this point, he was fluent in the language of Doug's amad.

"I'm more confused as to why he's here," Chad admitted quietly, his shoulders hunched.

Fair point.

Doug turned back to Ben, whose brows were furrowed in surprise. "Why?"

Now it was Ben's turn to look uneasy, but he rallied perfectly, as though that minor hesitation had never been there. "I realized I haven't met you guys yet," he explained. "And as a future leader of Auradon, I try to make an effort to get to know all of my peers."

"You're the future leader of Auradon?" Chad echoed. "Oh, you're that Ben guy."

Chad didn't like watching Ben's press conferences. They made him feel self-conscious and small.

"I got invited to his birthday party when I was little," Chad had explained when Doug asked him about it once. "I got shoved into a pond. It wasn't a good day."

It was likely one of the many roots of Chad's natural shyness, though Ben didn't seem to register this in the slightest. Didn't seem put off by the fact that Chad hadn't immediately recognized who he was.

"Yes, that's me," Ben replied, bringing them back to the present. "So um- could I sit with you guys?"

"Um." Chad chewed on his bottom lip in thought, and Doug did not miss the way Ben's eyes tracked that action. "Okay, I guess. I mean, if it's okay with Doug."

Doug had already hogged the wonder that was Chad for the entirety of junior high. While he had never gone out of his way to run people away from Chad (as much as his dwarven tendency to hoard rallied against that restraint), the blond had never seemed to acquire any friendships on his own. As such, Doug couldn't really sabotage that now, even if he sort of wanted to.

"Sure," Doug said, getting a pleased look from Ben, the prince of Auradon not seeming to think twice as he settled down on the grass in an expensive and high quality (at least, high human quality) suit.

"Neat," Ben chirped, setting his tray on the grass in a mimicry of Doug and Chad's own lunches. "So, I'm Ben…"

Chad missed the prompt for what it was, his attention recaptured by Barute, who seemed to have politely requested another carrot.

Doug cleared his throat. "Douglass, son of Nori, at your service."

"Oh!" Chad startled, a pale flush spilling across the bridge of his nose. "That's right. Um- Chad, son of Christopher, at your service."

"Nice to meet you guys," Ben said, and to his credit, he seemed to mean it. "That's a nice coat, Chad."

If Ben was fishing for an engaging topic, he stumbled upon one quite fortunately, because Chad lit up at the compliment, grin spreading wide.

"Thank you!" Chad cheered, Barute held carefully in his lap. "Doug's amad made it for me. Look, he even embroidered flowers!"

Second to Chad's love of animals was his love of plants, followed by his love of sewing and cooking – making him a proper hobbit indeed. Doug's amad often approved of this and spent a lot of time complimenting and encouraging Chad for his wonderful hobbies.

"They're very lovely," Ben said honestly, gaze drifting across the swirled patterns made in gold thread up the length of Chad's arm. "Though I'm unfamiliar with the term 'amad'."

"It means 'mother figure' in Khuzdul," Chad explained, confident now that he was on one of his favorite subjects. "Doug's amad is Master Bilbo Baggins – the Dragonriddler." He perked up, his expression shifting into something more serious. "He really riddled a dragon, you know, that's not just a figurative thing."

"That's… impressive," Ben said, likely struggling to wrap his head around that rather than hesitating from disbelief, which was no surprise – the tales crafted inside Hanover rarely made it beyond the kingdom's borders.

Thankfully, Chad did not need much to spur him onwards. "It really is!" Chad chirped. "Master Baggins is a hobbit, so he knows all about etiquette and gardening and he has the best recipes and when he talks about diplomacy stuff, I don't feel like I'll be the worst at it-"

He cut himself off with a flush when he realized he was babbling, ducking his head in embarrassment as he fed another carrot to Barute.

"You're going to be an excellent leader, Chad," Doug reminded him gently. "And my amad is honored that you think so highly of him."

"I um- didn't realize you had two dads," Prince Ben said, struggling for a clue on to how to proceed but still giving Chad a fond smile, which earned him points in Doug's book.

"He doesn't," Chad said, blinking. "He has an adad and an amad."

"It's different in dwarf culture," Doug explained. "Same sex couples are more common. As such, we have the two distinct titles to alleviate confusion, not that their duties differ in any way."

"Doug's amad's does, though," Chad added. "Because he doesn't like forging or fighting or hunting. Though if he did, it wouldn't make him less Doug's amad."

"Ah," Prince Ben said. "Thank you for explaining it, I had no idea."

"Dwarves are a private race," Chad informed him sagely. "So that's understandable."

"So," Ben continued, watching Chad carefully scratch behind Barute's ears. "What extracurriculars do you guys participate in? I don't think I've seen you around campus."

"Doug's in the band!" Chad chirped. "He doesn't take a sewing or calligraphy classes because he says they're way behind what he does back home, but he's also on the Robotics Team and in the Hanover Cultural Club and Academic Decathlon just 'cuz Uncle Dwalin thought he couldn't be." Chad puffed up in pride. "He should have known better though, Doug can do anything."

"Thanks, Chad," Doug said, feeling his cheeks heat with the familiar surge of happiness. He knew a lot of Chad's attention and admiration came from the simple fact that Doug was the first person to treat him with kindness, to give him the attention he was due, but still, Doug's heart yearned for more, hoped that one day he would get it.

"That's outstanding," Ben said, his warm gaze turning on Doug, and to his credit, he seemed to mean it. "I think I remember seeing you in the stands at our Tourney games. You play trumpet, right?"

"I do," Doug said, not surprised that Ben recognized him, as he was the only long-haired trumpet player in the entire school.

"You should listen to him play," Chad hummed somewhat dreamily, his eyes closing in a fond recollection. "He's very talented."

Sometimes Doug hated how easy it was for Chad to say such things, because for dwarves, receiving compliments on their craft was a very big deal.

"Thank you, Chad," Doug repeated, and this time, he managed some composure, even if his cheeks were flushed dark. "As are you."

At that, Chad sputtered. "You don't have to say that," he muttered, tugging on his dwarf kin braid nervously. "I'm okay being average."

"There's nothing average about you," Doug reminded him kindly, forcefully. "You're great at sewing and cooking and gardening – which are all very respectable pursuits."

"Aw, Doug," Chad whined before turning his attention back to Barute, his gaze nervously shifting over to Ben. "So um- you do Tourney?"

Ben blinked, seemingly out of a stupor where he watched Chad's blush darken. "Um- yeah," he murmured. "I do that and Model Auradon. I'm also part of Jane's book club, but with all my extra studies it's hard to participate sometimes."

"Right," Chad said, seeming to suddenly remember that Ben would be coronated next year. "Um- I was almost on the Tourney team!" he offered, desperate to change the subject. "But Doug's parents help me switch to the equestrian team, and now I get to pet all the horses every day." He grinned, his excitement helping him relax. "Sometimes coach even lets me brush them."

"Do you like animals?" Ben asked, an obvious transition if Doug ever heard one, considering the fact that Chad was surrounded by them now.

"Oh, yeah!" Chad chirped. "Back home, the mice and birds used to be my only friends, but now I have Doug and his family and all my animal friends here, so…" he trailed off with a happy grin. "I'm a very lucky person."

Most people would not consider themselves lucky for having only one (half) human friend their age, but Chad understood the worth of such treasures, and felt no need to consider his lack with any kind of shame. For him, it was an abundance.

"Yeah," Ben said, his gaze fixed to Chad's face. "You certainly are."

"Aw, Ben," Chad whined, and that was- Doug couldn't growl even if he wanted to, because those protests had always been his.

But no, he had to share. He couldn't hog Chad from the rest of the world. They deserved to know him too.

So he didn't say anything, trading easy conversation with the two princes while he reminded Chad that he needed to eat as well, until their usual forty minutes of solitude had passed with a respectable intruder.

At least Skrills had pecked at Ben's ears a little. And Pip had made off with part of his roll.

So overall, it was not a terrible lunch.

-:-:-

Doug hoped, somewhat misguidedly, that the one lunch would be the end of things. After all, Doug and Chad rarely visited the same place twice in one week. Their dining location was not easy to estimate. It would take real work on Ben's part to find them.

And yet find them he did, the very next day.

And the day after that.

"Don't you have other friends?" Chad asked on the third day before he immediately flushed dark. "I mean- you seem super popular, is all, I just wouldn't want to deprive your other friends of you. I didn't mean to make it sound like, you know, you were a loner or something, since that's obviously not the case."

"Chill, Chad," Ben murmured, looking over the blond's outfit for the day – a pink tunic gifted by Doug's amad that came with warm, yellow breaches and his customary blue boots, making him look particularly spring-like. "I got what you meant. I promise, my presence won't be missed."

It turned out this was a lie, because on the fourth day they received even more company, which Doug didn't realize right away because he was busy negotiating Chad away from the horses he would definitely see that afternoon, and no, they wouldn't mind if Chad took a break himself because he'd already given each of them a pet and a treat – even Shadowrunner, the meanest of the bunch, who of course was kind and compliant under Chad's hands.

"The stables, Ben?" a new voice called, and Doug turned to see an Agraben teen walking up with a girl that was either from the Imperial City or Wei-Ling. "Really? This is what you've been ducking out on us for?"

"I told you you'd be missed," Chad gushed, seemingly on reflex before he more or less hid behind Doug, pretending to fuss with Shadowrunner. "I mean- I didn't say anything."

"It wouldn't have been a problem if you did," Ben reminded him calmly, gently, and if the other two didn't understand why Ben had been avoiding their lunch table before, they certainly got the deal then, based on the particular look in the prince's eye.

It was always the same when he looked at Chad, as little as Chad seemed to acknowledge it.

Ben sighed. "Aziz, Lonnie – this is Doug and Chad. Guys – these are Aziz and Lonnie."

"Prince of Agrabah," Aziz offered with a flutter of his fingers, seeming to have no issue plopping his tray down on the packed ground of the stable and settling in next to Ben. "Lonnie's the daughter of General Fa Mulan and General Li Shang, and she will bring honor to us all if she has to do it kicking and screaming."

"Damn right, I will," Lonnie chirped, seeming entirely at ease with their unconventional lunch location as she got situated as well.

It was enough to allow Doug to tentatively herd Chad back towards his own tray on Ben's other side, the blond fidgeting with his rings before he settled in to start his food. Chad used to pick at his meals, not seeming accustomed to such large portions (if 'normal' was considered large), but Doug's amad was a hobbit and they were serious about their mealtimes, which was an importance that seemed to be impressed upon Chad over time.

So even though he was nervous, he was still going to eat. At least Pip was there, curled up on the prince's shoulder same as always, happy to let out a pleasant chitter when Chad needed a distraction.

"So your animal magnetism thing, that's actually real?" Aziz asked, a genuine curiosity rather than a taunt. "Did your mom really get mice to help her sew a dress?"

"Um." Chad tensed the same way he always did when someone mentioned his mom. "I don't know, my dad won't talk to me about it."

Chad's dad didn't talk to him about a lot of things because he was a piece of shit.

Just- Doug's unsolicited opinion.

"But I do have a lot of animal friends!" Chad continued, perking up. "This is Pip," he said, gesturing to his shoulder. "And Skrills and Bobbin are outside playing tag, but they'll probably come looking for snacks later."

Chad already had a dedicated spot on his tray for breadcrumbs that he and Doug had stolen from the salad bar in preparation for this, as Skrills and Bobbin were some of Chad's more constant companions.

Pip, of course, got nuts, and was happy to chomp on them as he brushed his fluffy tail against Chad's ear in a grounding shift of affection.

"That is adorable," Lonnie declared, seeming to mean it. "Is that why you guys always eat outside?"

"Yeah?" Chad replied, shifting uneasily. "Doug said he didn't mind."

"And I don't," Doug reiterated, giving Chad a gentle smile. "I like hanging out with your animal friends too."

At that, Pip offered him a pleased chitter, waving his fluffy tail at Doug.

"You're welcome," he offered with a wink, and he could have sworn the small squirrel rolled his eyes.

"Pip pretends not to like Doug," Chad offered, scratching the squirrel's ears. "But he totally does."

"Super adorable," Aziz declared, sharing a bright look with Lonnie, some kind of unspoken communication passing between them.

"Um." Chad shifted again. "Is that a good thing?"

"It's a great thing, as far as I'm concerned," Lonnie declared, making Chad's shoulders slump with relief. "It just makes me wonder why we didn't run into you guys during Junior High."

"Oh, that's because of me," Chad offered easily. "I used to be super shy – but Doug and his family helped, and now I'm um- less shy, I guess."

"You're doing great, Chad," Ben said, the prince realizing by day two that Chad responded positively to gentle reassurances.

"Thanks, Ben," Chad said, ducking his head. "You are also doing great."

"Thank you." Curse Ben's utter sincerity, curse it to the end of time.

"So," Doug cut in, not trying to shatter their moment but also not wanting them to transition into dreamy eye contact which Ben seemed to regularly strive for while Chad was as oblivious as could be. "What brings you guys out here?"

"Curiosity," Aziz chirped easily. "Also, without Ben at our table there's no one to corral Audrey, so we thought a tactical retreat was necessary."

Ben made a face. "She's not that bad, guys. Audrey just… she knows what she wants in life."

"She's been brainwashed by her grandmothers," Lonnie countered, leveraging an unimpressed fork at the Auradon prince. "Until she gets over that, we can't really help her."

"Aw, that's so sad," Chad said, stroking the top of Pip's head as a sort of grounding measure. "Is she cursed or something?"

"I think it's more like a figurative brainwashing," Doug offered, giving Chad's wrist a gentle squeeze. "But that is still sad."

"Oh," Chad said, his shoulders slumping. "My grandpa doesn't talk to me enough to do that kind of stuff."

Fuck subtlety, Doug went for broke and held Chad's hand, which never failed to make the blond smile. "That's his loss," Doug murmured, offering him a gentle smile. "And my family's gain. They love you."

Chad perked up, blinking in a manner that indicated he was trying to hold back tears. "Yeah," he murmured, ducking his head. "Yeah, they do. And I deserve that."

"Very much," Doug repeated, a familiar adage.

"I also love them," Chad rushed to add, patting at his cheeks. "That goes without saying."

"They know," Doug soothed. "They would never think otherwise."

"Good." Chad's shoulders relaxed some more before he turned back to the others who were watching their exchange with curious expressions. "So um- are you on the Tourney team as well, Aziz?"

"That he is," Lonnie chirped, reaching over to ruffle the prince's hair. "And I'm on the archery team. I would be on the fencing team too if it wasn't stupid and sexist."

"Oh, that's bad," Chad said, his expression going appropriately sorrowful. "We should fix that."

The Imperial City teen blinked, then turned her attention to Ben, who had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You know…" Ben said, fingers tapping absently against his tray. "We really should."

-:-:-

Endnotes:

Doug is so definitely not jealous at all guys. I mean really. For sure.

I realized belatedly that the last line made it seem like they were about to embark on a school revolution when really the story's just going to proceed with more reluctant bonding on Doug's part. He is a grumpy bean this time around, I love him.

Story notes:

Pip is an homage to Pip the chipmunk from the movie Enchanted, because that guy's the best.

'at least, high human quality' – Doug always willing to throw shade at non-dwarven goods. They live for hundreds of years, they've had time to master their crafts, team ;)

I mean, technically Bilbo didn't riddle a dragon so much as flatter him and then run away, but in this universe, he riddled him. And won. Because Bilbo Baggins is a badass.

Model Auradon is basically Model UN, because I am very clever at renaming things ;)

Wei-Ling is from the animated tv show 'Sophia the First'.

Until next time :)