Hey Descendants!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
-Dark-
"Is it cool if I just drop my shit and grab a board?"
He glances at Nani, relieved to see she was wearing a similar expression.
Jay hadn't been in the water since…
He stiffens as Nani looks away.
"You sure, brah," He rubs the back of his neck.
He and Nani talked about it for the last couple of weeks.
What to do if Jay developed, reasonably so, reservations or a fear of the ocean.
About as much as intricate as surfing was to his and Nani's life, they'd agreed that it would be for the best to stop until Jay could work himself up to going back out.
Not once had they discussed what they would do if Jay wanted to dive right back into it.
"Uh," he looks up at the setting sun.
He looks to Nani for help, grateful when she sighs.
"Are you sure?" She asks, concern coloring her tone.
Ah.
It made sense to put the board in the water; he just hadn't been sure if it was the right wave.
Jay's brow furrows as he grins, "Yeah? I mean, I'm losing daylight, and I wanted to get a few waves in before dinner." He frowns as he looks between them, "Is something wrong? Sorry, I can unpack first if that's it." He shimmies his shoulder to drop his bag into his hand as he turns for his room.
"No, no. Ain't nothin' like that brah, we're just-"
These fucking kids-
This kid.
-were going to be the death of them.
"Ah. Is it because I drowned?" Jay asks as he looks back over his shoulder.
"I don't like how casual that tone is," Nani glares indignantly as she juts her hip to the side. "You lolo."
Jay's eyes widen as his bag drops to the ground, "I- I uh- I'm sorry?"
He coughs to cover the snort, wincing when Nani's glare turns to him.
"Are you serious?"
He holds up his hands, "delivery! It was just the delivery!"
She huffs before her eyes land back on Jay, "We still don't know where they are…"
Jay purses his lips to the side as he nods, "I get it. But like-" He rubs the back of his neck, "I locked my pack in a room for over a week because of it. So it-" He shrugs, "I dunno, I guess I just don't want to let shit hold me back or keep me from doing something I like doing."
"I get-" Nani begins in her 'I don't think this is the right choice' tone.
He glances between the two, "How bout this," He focuses on Jay, "We" He points between them, "Can surf."
He pointedly ignores Nani's glare, at least for now, "But, we're strapping better daggers and, like," He glances at the sun, "the flashlights Hiro and Jumba made. That fair?"
Jay instantly nods, "I'll even wear a life vest if it helps."
"It does." Nani nods curtly.
Jay points his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the beach locker, "I saw a bright pink one. Would that get a smile?"
"I guess I'm feeling more okay with this." Nani's lip twitches.
"Deal-" Jay blinks before he shakes his head and holds his hand out.
She sighs as she goes to take his before she pauses, "What's with the face-?" She tilts her head to the side. "I trust you, we don't actually have to make a deal."
"It's cool." Jay shrugs before he shakes her hand, "It's not like making a deal with you is bad or anything." He explains awkwardly, "At least we're not signing shit."
He walks over and claps a hand on his back.
He got it. Lilo had given him several complexes. So he wasn't surprised T had as well.
"It's okay," She smiles as she scoops up his bag and slings it over her shoulder.
"I can-"
"Hug me to put me at ease? I'd love that, thank you." Nani grins as she holds up her arms expectantly.
Jay smiles before he wraps his arms around her, "I'll even show off the stupid pink jacket."
"I love you too," She hugs him tighter.
He chuckles at Jay's grunt before Nani finally releases him.
"Get out of here, you lolos." She shoos.
"Don't have to tell me twice," He grins before he races for the shed.
Jay chuckles as he pulls his shirt off and tosses it over a chair before kicking his shoes off, "Me either." He taunts as he feigns to get around him.
"Funny," He snorts as the kid parkours, using his shoulder as a springboard to jump to the lead.
"I know I am." Jay grins before he rushes out the door.
He chuckles, but pauses at Nani clearing her throat. "Sup, u'i*?"
She snorts, "Forgetting something?" She lifts her brow. "Like the reason we're letting our son-"
Fuck.
"Right!" He rushes to go get the knives and flashlights. "Aloha iā 'oe*."
"Uh-huh," She rolls her eyes, "I'mma start on dinner."
"Thank you," He comes back and kisses her cheek.
She waves him off, "Yeah, yeah. It's on your ass if-" She bites her lip as she looks away. "It's your ass, got it."
He sighs, "I won't let him outta my sight,"
She narrows her eyes and walks over to pull out a kitchen drawer before she comes back with a whistle hanging from a necklace. "You know the drill."
"I love you," He kisses her again, before he takes the necklace and tosses it over his neck.
"Call when dinner's-"
"Lolo," She shoos him out of the house, "go and make better decisions."
He chuckles at the dismissal as he takes the steps two at a time.
Yeah, there was definitely going to be a conversation later.
But that was a later him problem.
Right now he-
His eyes sweep the beach quickly before they search the surf.
Seriously? How?
The beach shed door was hanging open with his and Jay's boards already pulled out.
The pink life jacket was even hanging over the handrail of the porch.
But Jay was nowhere in sight.
He glances back at the house with a cringe.
Shit.
"Jay!" He whispers loudly as he begins to edge around the house, hoping he'd gone back to the car for something. "Jay!"
"Sup?"
He turns and blinks when he sees Jay crawling out from under the porch. His head tilts, "Howzit?"
"You said I had to have a knife." Jay says as he stands and holds out a small blade, "So I got one of the ones we hid here."
"Ah." He nods before the words register. "Wait-" He closes his mouth.
These kids.
When the fuck had they done that?
He shakes his head.
Didn't matter. After all that had happened, he could appreciate the foresight.
"Resourceful."
Jay nods, "I just need to tie it on."
"Here," He hands over one of his knives, "Nothing wrong with carrying two."
Or twenty, honestly.
Nani hadn't been the only one to have a panic attack when he'd been ripped off his board.
He snorts as he runs a hand through his hair.
Jay might not think twice about diving back into surfing, but apparently, he'd developed a fear of it.
He sighs.
Cobra problems.
"Wicked." Jay bends to strap the holster around his ankle.
"And this," He holds out the light hanging on to a chain.
Jay tilts his head as he stares at it before he shrugs and slips it around his neck.
He nods before he walks over and flips it on, "It gets brighter underwater."
Like stupid bright.
Gantu apparently felt like shit about nearly drowning Nani before he'd joined the Ohana. This was his way of trying to make it right.
"So don't stare into it, got it." Jay teases as he claps his back, "You okay?"
He shakes his head, "just thinking," He shrugs, "now go show Nani your new accessory and let's go hit the waves."
"Yep." He sighs before he walks over and slides his arms into the life jacket.
He snorts at the resignation, "Hey brah, you were the one that offered."
"She looked upset. I hate it when girls cry. Especially when it's my fault."
He smiles as he ruffles Jay's hair. "You ain't the only one, brah."
"When did she start interrupting like Mal by the way?"
"Probably about two months after their sessions," He grins, "It's hard not to pick up quirks, ey brah?"
"Mom's got an edge on T then." Jay shakes his head before he slips the knife into the jacket, "That's how Mal and T argue." He rolls his eyes, "It's annoying, but it sometimes keeps T from doing stupid shit."
"A win's a win." He shrugs, "And if you got any more tidbits for T's handler guide, don't hesitate to share them."
"Cobra gives me rules to follow, I give him T's survival guide." He shrugs before he climbs over the banister and knocks on the kitchen window.
"Nice."
Smart.
Kid sounded like a handful.
Not that Cobra couldn't handle it, but having a dossier on a case never hurt.
Jay full out models the life jacket for Nani before he chuckles and jumps back down in front of him, "Ready to surf?"
"Waitin' on you," He teases.
"Didn't you get lost on the way out here?" Jay snorts as he attaches the board line around his ankle.
He snorts, "Says the one who burrowed under the house."
"It seemed like the safest place." Jay grins as he looks up at him before he stands.
"You're not at school, Jay," He reminds him, "By all means load up-" He rubs the back of his head, "or whatever it's called." He pauses, "But like, no guns at the dinner table."
He wipes his hand down his face.
How many times had his Ohana pulled guns on each other over board games.
Stitch.
Gantu.
Jumba.
Hiro.
He groans, Lilo.
He didn't like being grouped in with Pleakly behind the flipped table but-
It was what it was.
"I don't have any guns. I'm more comfortable with swords and daggers." Jay shrugs, "And, I wouldn't do that here, even if I do get comfortable with them."
"Thank Kai," He breathes out. "We've got enough competitive lolo's in our family."
Jay takes a deep breath, "That's-" He shakes his head, "Yep, never doing that to you."
He pulls Jay to his side, "I love you."
He smiles when Jay wraps his arms around him, "Enough to maybe take the first few waves with me?"
"Was that ever not an option?"
"I-" Jay purses his lips, "I just, like, never said I wasn't afraid. I just don't want to let it win."
"Ey," He squeezes Jay to his side, feeling better. "I get it," Seriously.
Got it so so so very much.
"No worries, brah, I wasn't plannin' on lettin' you outta my sight." He ruffles his hair again.
Jay grins as he takes off running for the surf, "Let's go then!"
"Iki brat," He chases after him, laughter echoing in his wake.
He chuckles as he pulls himself back onto his board and checks the straps of his life jacket.
A few days of surfing was all he needed to cure the fear of wiping out.
Maybe a few more days to soothe Nani so she'd be okay with him leaving the pink monstrosity in the shed.
Still, this week was enough to keep him distracted.
Hanging out with Nani and David.
Surfing practice.
Wiping out.
Getting to shore to talk it out with David and Nani.
And then back on the board to do it all over again.
Rule ten, progress, not perfection.
Rule thirteen, mess up but find a way to get back up.
Lots of Cobra's rules were coming into play this week.
All so he could keep himself from going insane with the wait.
Soon.
So fucking soon.
Any day now really.
Hiro, Carlos, and Evie were in the whatever galaxy, nerding out and fasionestiaing it up, he had no doubt.
They just had to wait for whatever Hiro was buying to show up.
Apparently, shipping delays weren't an Earth-only problem.
He dips his hands in the saltwater, letting himself focus on the light pull of the tide.
It was still all good.
Hopefully, the barge would be back in a few days with ten more kids they'd be able to help publicly.
And Hiro and Carlos would get back with the part they needed to beat the barrier so they could rescue everyone else.
He stares off into the distance at the dingy barrier-covered Isle.
"Hang on, guys. I know you can." He whispers as he presses a hand to his chest, "we'll get you outta there soon. One way or another."
It was a promise.
An oath.
An oath he was sure of, because he trusted his new family completely.
All of them, even if some of them were stranger than others.
"Me and my kickass Ohana are coming for you."
They had Deez. Deez wouldn't let them give up.
That girl never stayed down very long.
Fucking T would drive himself into the ground to keep everyone safe.
And after all the time he, T, and Harry spent together-
He trusted Harry wouldn't let T get that bad.
Uma obviously knew how to keep a pack together.
And how to pick them, if he was being completely honest.
Her pack might not seem like much on the surface, but he knew Harry was more than just a pretty drunk, and Gil might act like he was nothing more than dumb muscle to throw people off, but that kid was skilled.
Harry was a second worth his salt, and every bit as good as he was.
He would always find a way to keep fighting.
He always had.
It was the only reason they'd become friends.
They both wanted to fight to keep Deez safe.
And Gil poured himself into everything he did.
Swords.
Reading.
Keeping people safe.
He didn't have to know him personally to know that. It was in the way the kid had cultivated his mask. He was one of the most laid-back people he'd ever met.
And just as protective.
No one defended their family like Gil did.
Sure he didn't look much like a true pirate, or really even act like one, but damn if that kid didn't covet his treasure.
And both were loyal as fuck to her for as long as he could remember.
He grins as he dips his head into the water and flips his hair back from his eyes.
They were fine.
They had to be.
Fish and rat jerky wasn't a lot, but it would be enough.
He grins as David and Nani paddle out to him. "I didn't even forget to breathe that time." He explains proudly.
David grins as Nani nudges his shoulder.
"Soon." She promises, her soft tone so at odds with the steel resolve weaved into it.
"I know. We got this." He nods.
"We do," David agrees as he lazily flips on his board, resting his head in the cradle of his hands to stare up at the clouds. "It's the waiting that's the hard part."
He smiles before he wobbles as he tries to do the same. But lazing on a surfboard was harder than it looked.
"Show off," Nani chuckles as she splashes David before she turns to him. "I can't count the number of times he rolled off his board trying to perfect that."
"Brah," He shakes his head before he thumps his knuckles against David's stomach, "I've got core for days, if you can do this you can run parkour with me."
"Flipping on a board," David chuckles, "is different than leaping and doing other terrifying shit off buildings. I know I'm not invincible. No thank you."
He snorts before he kicks David's board, sending him tumbling off the other side with a splash.
He breaks the water with a laugh before he pulls himself up to sit on it, "Don't be jealous."
"I'm allowed to be jealous, maybe not act on it," He admits with a guilty look at Nani, "but I'm allowed to be it."
"The student is becoming the teacher, I see," Nani chuckles as she flips David's board on him.
"Nice." He reaches out as they high-five.
He loved this family.
"Seemed fitting." She grins. "Of course he'd put so much effort into something-"
"I see how it is," David sticks out his tongue as he pulls his board away from them to hang off it sluggishly.
"-just so he can be lazy."
"Hey," David's tone loses the edge before he even finishes the word, "Actually, no. I know what I am, and you love it."
He chuckles as Nani grins.
"Yeah, well you love getting teased too." Nani points out as she flicks water at him.
"Eh, attention from you is still attention, meanie-head."
"He's got ya there," he snorts as he turns back to Nani, "Attention is attention."
"And yet he only seeks the worst kind." She splashes David again.
"Ey," He shrugs, "It gets the best reactions." He grins languidly.
"I feel like I should not take notes on that." He chuckles.
Though he had to admit it looked fun.
Would it be that much fun if he pulled some of the same things with Lonnie?
Both of them break out into laughter.
"So, one more wave and then lunch?" He suggests as he dips his hands back into the water.
"When'd you turn into the responsible one," Nani pouts playfully.
"Pfft, hungry."
"Ah, and there's our son." Nani chuckles, "sounds good to me."
"We still doing Barbeque?" David asks with a grin.
"Unless Jay wants something else," Nani shrugs.
He shakes his head, "Dad made cooking that sound fun."
"Cause it is."
Nani snorts, "And is the only way he knows how to cook." She glares at David. "Fun, huh?"
David releases his board and slowly slips under the water in a silent retreat.
"He just knows he can't be as good as you, mom."
Her grin widens, "I'll take it."
"But can he still teach me?" He playfully begs.
"I don't know…" Her eyes brighten with mirth, "Are you gonna stop at grilling too?"
"Not if you're offering lessons," he smiles before his brow furrows, "Girl's like when guys can cook, right?"
"Absolutely," She chuckles.
"Then no, I would love to start helping you more."
Her chuckles turn to laughter. "Lessons start tomorrow then. Maybe the rest of the men- And Lilo- Everyone in our Ohana except Cobra and me, can learn something from you."
"I doubt I'll be able to change the Ohana that much," He snorts.
She splashes him, "Don't have to rub it in my face."
He frowns before he slips from his board, but the jacket keeps him from being able to fully copy David.
Instead he ends up bobbing awkwardly in the water, fighting to stay off his back.
He groans before he looks back up at Nani's snort, and sees David holding a finger to his lips as he slowly creeps closer to Nani's board.
"Think I'm good to take this off yet?" He pouts up at her.
If David wanted to risk that wraith, who was he to stop him?
Nani's lips purse thoughtfully before her eyes narrow. "Try it and die, my Sweet."
His eyes widen.
Damn. Nani had eyes in the back of her head.
Noted.
"H-how?" David demands.
"Call it women's intuition." She shrugs.
"Mom?" He calls her attention back to his struggle, "the jacket?"
"Oh," She turns to him, "Sorry, right." She clears her throat. "I guess it'll be okay as long as we're both with you… Though, it has been helping you balance better."
He frowns as he tilts his head to the side, "Really?"
"Oh, for sure, brah." David nods. "It's like, hardcore mode to surf in those things."
"Huh, I thought I just really sucked."
She shakes her head, "You'll appreciate wearing it more later."
"Does that mean after lunch I can not wear it?"
"If you must," She sighs. "Sure."
"Yesssssssss." He scrambles to climb back onto the board.
"So that promised swell?" David asks hopefully, already straddling his board.
"I'll catch up." He waves them off before he continues to struggle
"Kay," Nani nods before she turns her gaze to David, "Think you can keep up?"
David lifts a brow, "You're on."
He loved when they got competitive like that.
They usually pulled some of the coolest-looking stunts on their boards trying to one-up each other.
He smiles, knowing what was coming next.
"Jay's the judge." She calls over her shoulder.
"Yes! Impress me!" He shouts as he clings to the side of his board.
As if it was that hard to do.
Their laughter follows them.
"I'll just cling here for a second." He chuckles as he watches them set up.
Nani snorts, "Thank you for assuaging me for so long."
"It was a good call." David stage whispers.
"I do my best." He holds a thumb up over his head.
He seriously couldn't wait to get this thing the fuck off.
It had been nice in the beginning, knowing that he wouldn't be under long when he wiped out.
But now it was just in the fucking way.
He trusted that he knew what he was doing again.
Trusted that he had the skills he needed to free himself if something weird happened.
Just like he trusted that David and Nani-
Trusted his mom and dad also had him if anything went wrong.
He looks over his shoulder at the barrier as a shiver tingles down his spine.
Something felt... off?
He turns back to watch David and Nani, to see if they'd noticed anything.
They were both paddling to crest a wave.
He takes a deep breath.
Maybe it was just being left alone-
A piercing scream suddenly shatters the air around him before it just as quickly gets cut off.
In the distance he catches David and Nani wiping out, which would have worried him, but he was pretty sure they heard it too.
The scream was familiar, no matter how short-lived it had been.
With wide eyes, he turns back to the Isle.
There was no way he'd heard that.
No.
No way.
It couldn't be.
There was no way he'd-
Not all the fucking way out here.
So then, what the fuck had that been?
His heart was pounding.
Blood racing.
There had been a shape.
A shadow.
Something.
Like before.
Was this a trick?
A trap?
Was Evil Queen back?
But, that scream…
Fuck.
His fingers grip the board tightly.
Fuck.
What was he supposed to do?
LoLz. Jay in a pink life vest.
So, what'd ya'll think?
Dying to know what the fuck happened?
Curious to know the fuck that was?
Fuck knows Jay is.
What's your guess?
LoLz. Waiting is the worst, isn't it?
Much love and appreciation
-Twisted