Chapter 7 – Adjustments
-:-:-
They decided, as a collective, to take things slow.
Doug and Jane weren't going anywhere without Audrey and Chad, and they didn't want the two royals to feel like obligations when they should be appropriately loved and supported, so if this was happening, they would have to take their time so the others would come to care for them as well. It was just the nature of the beast. Doug and Jane had been sure to have that conversation while Gil was in the shower, because they all knew if the pirate could work things out with his crewmates, he'd go with them, but Doug and Jane-
They had new loves now, and they weren't letting them go.
It was a tense session when Audrey had set them down, outlining the list she wanted to make for the others to work on. Each of them chimed in, even Gil, who wanted Harry to drink less.
"He didn't use to do it that much," Gil explained, tugging at his loose curls. "It just got worse off the Isle. I think it's because he's stressed too."
So Audrey added things like 'therapy' to the list and rules for how a polyamorous relationship should work, which included regular check ins and organized schedules so they could be sure no one was slipping through the cracks.
"At the very least, we can do this until we're all friends," Audrey said. "But if we commit to a relationship, Doug…"
"I know," the half-dwarf sighed. He knew he'd have to come clean about his predicament, and while so far the responses had only been positive, supportive-
It was just hard, when there was so many good looking, normal guys around. Jay and Ben and Carlos and Harry and Gil – they were gorgeous, and Doug was just… Doug.
Insufficient. A runt.
"Hey," Gil interrupted in a loud voice, like he could read Doug's mind. "What's rule number three?"
"Doug is always cute," Jane murmured, wrapping herself around Doug like a protective blanket so she could cuddle him senseless.
"We could add 'handsome' to the board, too," Chad offered, his cheeks dusted in a light flush. "I always think you're handsome, Doug."
"He thinks you're handsome right now," Audrey cackled, cupping a hand between Chad's legs that he bashfully rutted into, a lovely moan spilling from his mouth.
"Oh fuck," Gil breathed, a smile spreading across his face. "It's sexy time, the greatest time of all. Well, that and snuggle time."
"Let's agree they're both great and start taking off clothes," Jane advised, and it was good, this was good, and they could still have it. That was what mattered.
No matter what the future brought them, they'd still have each other.
-:-:-
Doug wouldn't pretend he wasn't scared going forward. He loved Evie. He cared for Carlos and Jay, but he was scared of the others, scared of getting pulled back into the old chaos of his life. He was scared of falling back into old habits, and Jane was too, and he knew this because they had several candid discussions about this before they got even close to approaching what Audrey had dubbed 'the relationship mess'.
True to her word, she made sure the proposed changes were put into effect before she let Doug, Jane, and Gil anywhere near the others.
"You should have seen it," Chad told them, his gaze dreamy and half lit in equal parts mischief and awe. "She spent like, half an hour dressing down Duke Adam. I think Ben's mom clapped. And then at the end of it, he just said 'It's good to have you back, Audrey,' and then immediately jumped in to help cut Ben's workload down because apparently he'd been afraid of undermining Ben's authority but there is no authority undermining by leading subcommittees and all that jazz. Duchess Belle's stepping in to help with the refugee programs so Uma's not drowning, so overall, it was a very good meeting."
Audrey also worked with Ben to reach out to specific royals on the Auradon Council to take over some of the projects he'd been managing himself – delegating so he could focus on the big picture – and it turned out just about all of them were eager to do their part.
"Internships," Audrey murmured sagely, lazily aiming a pen at Ben the same way one might hold a knife. "You need grunt work done? You create internships, Benjamin. Give the kiddos a chance to get their feet wet, get free labor at the cost of some reference letters, and give your damn staff a chance to breathe."
"Alright!" Ben said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Okay, you're right. I just feel bad making college kids fetch coffee and stuff."
"They gotta take their lumps, Ben," Audrey pressed. "Grunt work builds character. Do you want the future political elite of Auradon to not have character?"
"The answer is 'no'," Gil offered as he delivered them a fresh plate of cookies, and Audrey rewarded his consideration with a soft kiss to the cheek.
"She also groped my butt," Gil added when he informed them of the conversation. "It was awesome."
"I don't know," Chad hummed. "I think I need to see for myself."
It turned out, they might have all needed to see for themselves. It never hurt to be thorough.
"Isle kids!" Chad declared when they were reviewing resumes for Evie's business – Evie skyping in for that one, since Doug was such a wonderful coward. "There were other people that loved sewing on the Isle, right? Employing them could give them a chance at stability and totally fall in line with your company's image."
"I do like the thought of that," Evie said, sounding frazzled and exhausted, and between the might of Chad and Audrey, Evie got an entire team to fill in the duties that Doug himself had once managed, as well as help her with sewing and production.
"It's great that you want to create legislature," Audrey said. "But you're not doing it now. Push that shit off to the subcommittees and wait until you assholes finish college."
Mal frowned. "But-"
"College," Audrey repeated, making Mal throw her hands up in the air.
"I don't need therapy," Harry snarled, shoulders tense and jaw tight as he attempted to glare Audrey down.
Doug didn't have the heart to tell him it was a losing battle. After her stint as the Queen of Mean, Audrey was basically stone. Mountains were more moveable than she was.
"The fuck you don't," Audrey hissed, which was how Harry and Carlos both got dragged into therapy. "I'm working on Ben," Audrey said later, her eyes narrowed, scheming, determined.
"Have I told you I love you?" Doug said, entirely in awe. "Because I love you."
"Queen of nice," Gil murmured, pointing to the rule's list, and maybe things devolved into the three of them making out on the couch, but if they did, that was no one's business but their own.
-:-:-
There was no small feeling of trepidation when Audrey marched them into the royal suite Ben had allotted for their own use. It wasn't far from the others, but Audrey didn't care about location so much as she did the practical set up of the space. It needed to have its own kitchen – stocked with the groceries Gil and Chad requested. The cleaning team would only come by once a week, much like it did at the penthouse apartment.
"If your assistants want in, they have to knock and wait like everyone else," Audrey explained as she and Jane worked together to install the new dry erase boards that would host the list of rules.
There were three of them that stretched up to the ceiling, arranged side-by-side with a rainbow assortment of markers fixed up by them for use. There was one for each of them in their colors, personalized with names and symbols, because Audrey did nothing by halves.
"Half the reason they got so freaked out was because they didn't have their own safe spaces to retreat to," Audrey continued, watching as Jane flew up to the top of the first board and started transferring over the old rules. "Places they knew they could go without having to worry about someone barging in to interrupt them – that mostly applies to castle workers, not each other, so if we're doing this, everyone's getting their own space." She started writing out a 'Personal Space' list on the far-right board. Underneath she added 'Audrey – Office'. "Come on," she said, gesturing to those that had braved to watch the settlement process. "Get in here. If you're not sure where your space is, we're going to figure that out today."
"Because it helps to have these things in writing," Jane hummed as she continued to add things in her neat print, switching out colored markers based on who had invented what rule.
"Don't you think this is a bit unnecessary?" Mal asked through gritted teeth, and Doug could tell that she was trying, she honestly was, but she wasn't used to the driving force that was Audrey being a part of her life, and yielding to her expertise probably grated on her on principle alone.
Instead of answering her, Audrey cast a look towards Doug, who was helping Chad rearrange the kitchen to something that worked better for him and Gil. "Doug, when you lived in the castle, where was your private space?"
"Um." Doug froze, flushing under their combined attention. "My room, I guess?"
"The room you shared with Evie?" Audrey pressed, not being cruel, just- she needed information, but-
"She wasn't there much," Doug admitted.
"But if she had been, that would have been both of your spaces, not your own," Audrey continued. "My point is that Doug didn't have a spot that was his own, something he thought was his, which made it hard to put down roots. How is he supposed to feel at home if he feels like he's living in someone else's space?"
"Because we're here," Mal snapped, her cheeks flushing with anger.
"Yes, and so are over two hundred workers," Audrey said, taking Mal's irritation in stride. "So are Ben's parents and a motley assortment of visitors and guards and government officials. This place might be your home, but it's also the epicenter of Auradon. It's chaos – like most castles, so it's important to designate an area that is yours." She paused her work to give Mal the full brunt of her focus. "You and Ben already give so much of yourselves to Auradon, Mal, you have to have something for yourself or you'll go crazy."
"Um," Gil spoke up in the awkward pause that followed. "Can the gym still be my space?"
"We'll outfit you a private one in your old suite," Audrey said, motioning for him to write the new information down. "You guys are also free to add rules, if you want."
"I like the rules," Gil explained to Uma, who'd been watching in silence. "If I ever get confused or start to doubt something, I just go back to the rules and bam, it's there in writing, so I don't have to feel confused anymore."
"If they help, we'll do them," Uma said, giving Mal a measuring look that had the half Fae offering a reluctant nod. With that, Uma swaggered forward, plucking her marker off the wall and writing 'Uma – Beach' under the private spaces list.
More and more people flocked in until everyone was together, watching Doug and the others set up their new space for temporary lodging. Audrey had been clear that they weren't moving in, that they'd stay over a few times a week until they found their new balance, but they weren't going all in before they settled first. It was that kind of behavior that had scared Jane and Doug off to begin with, building and adding without properly settling.
Doug knew Evie was in the same room as him, couldn't miss her presence if he tried, but he didn't approach her and she didn't talk to him, not yet, all of them watching the slow recreation of the list.
"We're going to need to add specifications," Audrey mused as Jane added the 'Chad can only deep-clean the bathroom once a day' rule. She snatched up a spiral notebook that was set next to the dry erase boards, flipping it open so she could start scrawling addendums down. "I'm proposing Chad keep his cleaning tendencies to our suite alone."
"I second this," Doug said without looking up, Chad letting out a wounded noise beside them.
"Guys," Chad sighed. "It's not like I'd go out and find a mess to clean."
"Chadwick," Audrey began, leveling an unimpressed look at him. "I know for a fact that if we do not set that clarification, I will find you stress cleaning the damn attics in like, two weeks. We have additional real estate now, and I will not lose you in it because I love you and don't want you working yourself to the bone."
"I love you too, Audrey," Chad murmured, his cheeks flushing dark with embarrassment as he ducked his head, and Doug detoured from what he was doing to pull the blond into a hug.
"Is that a thing he does?" Jay asked, seeming more curious that doubtful. "Stress clean?"
"We all have our coping mechanisms," Audrey offered sagely. "Chad's tutors had a thing for recreating fairytales – stressed the importance of clean spaces to him to get his happy ending, which is fucking bullshit, but if it makes him feel more in control then we're not going to stop it, except to say that he can only do it once per day."
"Though ideally, it won't happen that often," Doug murmured, letting Chad curl up against his chest. "Love you."
"Love you too, Doug-o," Chad whispered back, hugging him hard.
There was a pause, an uneasy sort of tension in the air, before Jay cleared his throat. "Can we add 'Carlos can't spend more than five hours in his workshop at a time'?"
"Ooh, same with Evie and her sewing room," Mal added.
"All those in favor?" Audrey asked, and it wasn't a surprised when most everyone raised their hands, Evie and Carlos looking offended.
"That only passes if we add the same thing for Mal and her art studio," Evie pressed. "And Ben and his office."
"That's not the same," Ben began. "I work in my office-"
"It is exactly the fucking same," Audrey said. "It's the future, Ben. You can take your work anywhere, including places that give you sun and human interaction. The rule's getting added."
Carlos raised his hand. "Can we um- add that Doug and Gil and Jane have to talk to us if they're feeling sad?"
"That," Audrey began. "Is an excellent rule, though I think we should modify it to apply to everyone. Chad?"
"I'm getting the notebook," Chad said, giving Doug one last hug before he relieved Audrey of the addendums book to start writing down notes.
"Clearly, we need to establish a sort of system for when we start feeling blue," Audrey said. "If you don't feel comfortable approaching the group – and obviously, some of us don't yet – then it's important to seek out at least one person. Can we all agree that's reasonable? And from there, the one person can communicate the issue to the rest of the group, or call in whatever backup they feel is needed."
"That's… good," Uma declared, nodding. "Gil told us about what troubles he was having, but we didn't realize how bad it was until he left. If we could have a heads up before it got that bad…"
"That's the point of all this," Audrey said as Chad started writing down the specifics, Jane and Audrey working together to add the new rules. "It's to help bring definition to things so we feel more grounded and in control. Granted, relationships are hard, but they're only as hard as we make them."
"And this works for you and Chad?" Carlos asked, looking over the dry erase boards. "Works for all of you, I mean?"
He seemed to aim the question at Doug, who took his attention with a flush. "Yeah," he admitted. "I know it seems silly, but it's kind of nice to know that there's rules in place for certain things. I'll admit that I have a tendency to hold back, but if there's a rule against it- I don't know, it just sort of helps."
"And if it works, why question it?" Chad said as he worked on the addendums. "Life's crazy enough as it is."
"Okay," Mal said, her shoulders seeming to relax. "I guess I'm seeing the benefits of this thing. Though I do have some questions."
"Fire away," Audrey said, giving Chad a kiss on the cheek as he finished up his work.
"Why is 'Doug is always cute' a rule?" Mal asked. "Not that I disagree with it, by any means."
"I um- have body image issues," Doug admitted, ducking his head. "That was part of the problems I was having. I'm not…" He swallowed, but it was time, and at least if he did this now, it wouldn't be as awful. "I'm not actually asexual," he said, not really looking at any of them. "I just- wasn't comfortable in my body, and I had a hard time talking about that, so…" He managed the courage to actually look at Evie. "I'm sorry."
"Fuck, Doug," she said, her eyes wet with moisture. "You don't have to apologize to me. My mother gave me all kinds of complexes about what my body should look like. I'm just- I'm upset I didn't see it, is all. I should have."
"That's what happens when you place people on pedestals," Audrey said, thankfully taking the room's focus. "And I'm not just saying that to you guys, that's for us as well. You looked up to Jane and Doug because you viewed them as smart, clever Auradon people, and they looked up to you because you're determined survivors they felt they couldn't compare to. And real talk, you can't do that kind of shit in a relationship. You're all fallible humans, you're all equally capable of messing shit up or having problems. That's part of the reason we have the rules."
"Okay," Evie sniffed, leaning into Jay's side when he wrapped an arm around her. "That's… okay."
It was a bit uneasy while they rounded out the rest of the rules. Harry, who had been mostly silent, kept a restless vigil at the back of the room, pacing back and forth like he was trying to ground himself but couldn't seem to manage it.
"New rule," Jane hummed as she settled back down on the ground. She then wrote 'The following encourage/are willing to have their hair braided by Doug:' before following with her name.
"Aw, fuck yes," Chad said, grabbing up his marker and adding it to the list.
"Me too!" Gil cheered, and then his and Audrey's names had been signed as well.
Carlos just sort of stared at it, then grabbed up his marker. "I mean, it's not really long enough, but you can mess with my hair all you want."
"T-Thanks," Doug said, his face feeling unbearably hot.
"Why are you getting all flushy?" Mal asked, and then when that made Doug more embarrassed, she turned her attention to Audrey. "Why is he getting more flushed?"
"Hair's a big deal in dwarven culture," Chad replied. "Braiding each other's hair is usually reserved for lovers or family."
So when they wrote their names on that list, it was sort of a declaration of their trust in Doug, in their affection towards him – more unquestionable proof.
"Oh," Evie said, blinking. "That's… when you did my hair."
"Sorry," Doug said, ducking his head. "I know I should have explained it. That's- that's why I didn't ask all that often."
"Doug," Evie said, wounded. "I'd be happy for you to braid my hair anytime."
"Pedestals," Audrey reminded him, giving his bicep a light smack. "Don't put her up on one. Trust that she loves you and that you're worthy of her, because it's a disservice to both of you when you don't."
"Yes, Audrey," Doug said, feeling embarrassed but glad. "Thank you."
"Yes," Evie added, grin bright as she crossed the room, happily adding her name to the list. "Thank you."
All of them ended up adding their names – even Ben and Harry, whose hair was too short for Doug to even consider braiding. It filled him with an unquestionable sort of happiness, one that was difficult to quantify, and he maybe spent a little too much time staring at that list of multi colored names in varying handwritings.
"Want to take a picture?" Chad asked softly as they began to make noises about potentially having dinner together. "We can set it as your phone background."
"I'd really like that," Doug admitted, so that was what they did, Carlos stepping in to give Doug a hug when he saw the dwarf kin tear up. "I'm sorry," he murmured when he returned the hold. "I know I should have trusted you more, I should have talked more-"
"It's hard to let go of coping mechanisms," Carlos said, nuzzling his shoulder. "We know that more than anyone. It was our bad for not realizing you had them."
"It was no ones' bad," Chad said. "It's just life, which is sometimes messy and chaotic and random."
Carlos blinked. "Are you actually smart?"
"He's very smart," Doug said, wrapping an arm around Chad's waist before he could tense. "But that's not what people expect from him, so he hides it. Please don't treat him dumb, though."
"I won't," Carlos pledged, and Doug actually believed him. "Not anymore."
"Aw, Carlos," Chad said, slipping into his public appearance voice, but Carlos just rolled his eyes and dragged the blond into a fierce hug.
"Thanks for taking care of them," he murmured, so intent and genuine it made Doug flush.
"It was our honor," Chad replied, just as candid. "Truly."
-:-:-
Harry Hook was a problem.
Doug understood that he was trying. Understood that Harry was probably hurting because Gil had felt so overwhelmed that he'd left instead of talking to them. Maybe he felt insufficient. Maybe he felt like he was failing his crew. The ultimate fact of the matter was that he took Chad and Audrey's presences as a sort of personal injury, though he tried to be civil.
It was just that he couldn't manage to do so for long, and almost always devolved into making snide remarks at Chad's expense.
Fortunately, that day's commentary had a limited audience – just Chad, Audrey, and Doug, who had been showing Chad the beginnings of his Charming Quintet – one of the pieces he was designing for the Erebor royal wedding, sharing earbuds as they listened to a sample, Chad beaming with absolute happiness.
Doug didn't remember what Harry had said. He wasn't even sure why the pirate was there, though he seemed determined to be with Chad and Audrey when none of the others were around, like he thought someone should be keeping an eye on them at all times.
"No," Audrey said, tone firm, and that was what had pulled Doug's focus in the first place, Audrey marching across the room until she could cup Harry's face between her hands, the pirate so bewildered by her choice of action that he didn't fight it. "We are not doing that. If you have a problem, Harry, talk. That's what we do."
"Don't order me about," Harry snapped, cheeks flushing in anger. "What? Ye think I'm too much of a stupid barbarian to figure shit out?"
"No," Audrey countered. "But I'm beginning to think that you think that."
Harry froze, staring at her with wide, unblinking eyes, something new – fear, Doug realized – beginning to creep into his features.
"Harry," Audrey began again, her voice low, soothing. "I know you don't trust me yet, but you are one of Gil's people. For that alone, we want to help you. We want to hear what's bothering you, because even if we can't help, we want to get you to someone who can. It's okay to be sad. It's okay to hurt and be low, but you can't bottle it up like this, otherwise you end up spouting off shit that you don't mean."
Harry opened his mouth. Closed it. Clamped his lips together until he let out a huff that was more of a wet sputter, a certain heat building in his eyes.
And then he was actually crying, body tense and eyes squeezed shut as humiliated tears spilled down his cheeks.
"It's okay," Audrey soothed, motioning for Doug to move further down the couch as she guided Harry over to them – Doug obliging because he trusted Audrey, so he packed up his things, put them on the far side of the coffee table while the petite princess more or less shoved Harry into Chad's lap.
"Don't," Harry hissed, eyes going wide and cheeks flushing darker. "He doesn't want to-"
"Let me decide that," Chad said as he wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, settling him closer until Harry was settled against his chest. "Better?"
Harry didn't seem capable of answering, too embarrassed by his tears.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Chad continued, cupping Harry's cheek and thumbing some of his tears away. "You don't have to be strong for us, okay? We'll take care of you. We want to take care of you."
Harry shuddered in his arms, his fingers curling into the material of Chad's shirt, clutching him close. "I… I just-"
"Take your time," Audrey murmured, settling between Chad and Doug, so Harry could see her. "There's no rush."
"This is fucking stupid," Harry hissed, scrubbing a hand against his cheeks. "I don't need to be babied."
"But you want to be," Chad hummed. "Because you've had to be strong for a long time. Strong for things that should have never been asked of you. You've been fighting your whole life, and then you got to Auradon and that was just… gone."
"Do you feel adrift?" Audrey asked, snagging one of Harry's hands in her own, giving it a light squeeze. "Uma's busy with legislature and the others have their own lives – what do you have?"
The question had Harry swallowing a rough sound, had him burying his face in Chad's chest and shuddering through another round of tears.
In retrospect, Doug could see it. Harry was always bouncing from person-to-person, always following in Uma's shadow, and when he wasn't with her, he was with Gil. Doug didn't know what he did during the day, how he spent his time, but apparently it had been far emptier than he'd known.
"It's okay, Harry," Chad soothed, running a hand through his hair. "You don't have to be embarrassed."
"Of course I do," Harry snarled, his eyes pinched shut. "It's fucking embarrassing. I can keep up with the school shit but those consultants or whatever said I was a lost cause. S-Said I should leave the public speaking to the others and just focus on my appearance." He shuddered again. "I used to be something, and now I'm reduced to useless fucking arm candy, and I can't- I couldn't even help Gil."
"You are no one's arm candy," Audrey murmured, her voice firm. "And you're not useless. Fuck whatever those consultants said. Give me names, because we're never using them again. You don't have to conform to their version of the king's boyfriend in order to speak in public, Harry. You're not too angry or rough or whatever they said, and you didn't fail Gil. There were a lot of reasons why he left, but you weren't one of them."
"I was the one that made him stay gone," Harry croaked. "Just- everything seemed to be falling apart, and how the fuck do I compare to a cute prince and princess? How do I compare to Doug or Jane? They're kinder, nicer than me, and I'm fucking- I can't even make Uma proud."
"You could never disappoint Uma," Chad murmured, running a hand down Harry's back. "She loves you because you're loyal and passionate and brave. I think you feel like there isn't a place for you here, because on the Isle you had to be a fighter, and here there's no one to fight. You feel like you have to be aggressive but I… Harry, I don't think that's what you want. Is it what you want, or is it just what you think is expected of you?"
Harry looked up at him with big, wet eyes. "I… I have to live up to my reputation," he murmured, blinking frantically, trying to stem the flow of his tears. "That's what they wanted when we joined up. They want Harry Hook."
"I'm pretty sure they'll be happy with just Harry," Chad said, nuzzling his hair. "Gil seems to love that guy a lot. So does Uma."
Harry winced. "Uma wouldn't want a ninny."
"Being vulnerable doesn't make you a ninny," Audrey cut in. "Wanting comfort, cuddling like this, wanting to be taken care of – there's nothing wrong with those things. Uma wouldn't fault you for that and neither would the rest of us."
Harry still seemed on the fence, everything seeming too good to be true as he tentatively curled an arm around Chad, allowing himself to press closer. "What if I um- don't want to dress in red anymore?"
"Then you won't," Audrey replied simply. "It's your body, Harry. What you put on it is your damn business."
"But…" He swallowed. "What if I don't look intimidating?"
"Then it will be easier for you to incapacitate anyone who attacks you," Chad murmured. "Because they'll be like 'This super cute dude can't do shit' and underestimate you, and then you'll knock their dumb faces unconscious. Changing how you dress won't make you less competent."
"You don't have to fit into anyone's expectation of you," Audrey added. "It's your life. I know you had to do that on the Isle to get by, but you don't anymore. So if you want to abandon red and dress in pastels or whatever, then do it. Not one of us will stop you."
At the mention of pastels, Harry's face seemed to flood with a renewed heat, something that more than one of them found interesting.
"I think that should be a new rule," Doug said, getting their attention. "Harry is a total badass no matter what he's wearing."
"I second this rule," Audrey hummed, the smile she gave him absolutely delighted.
"Thirded!" Chad cheered. "Harry, would you like to do the honors, or do you wanna cuddle?"
"Could we um- cuddle?" Harry asked, his head settling against Chad's shoulder.
"Sure," Chad chirped. "And maybe we could shop on my phone. Find some new clothes for you to wear."
Harry shivered. "We don't have to-"
"Pretty sure we do," Audrey interrupted, leaning over to kiss the top of his head before repeating the process on Chad. "We'll update the rules, you guys cuddle." And then she turned her attention on Harry. "I'm also adding a rule about how you're free to cuddle the following people – do not be surprised when everyone adds their name to that new list."
"Princess," Harry groaned, but Audrey silenced him with a look.
"Rules help," she said simply, and then she grabbed Doug's hand, tugging him gently towards the kitchen. "Are you okay with that?" she asked, tilting her head towards the room they had just vacated as they added the new rules, Doug signing his name next to Audrey's in his green marker.
"Okay with Chad cuddling Harry?" Doug asked, knowing by this point it was better to be clear with his confusion than let it linger.
"Okay with them bonding," Audrey clarified. "And what may come from that."
Doug paused, because he hadn't thought of that. He knew Chad and Gil did stuff together sometimes, but Doug didn't mind because usually he or one of the others was either watching or participating. He didn't feel left out and he didn't feel like less because Chad and Gil went through great lengths to assure he wasn't.
If Harry and Chad started to get physical though…
It would be a good thing, right? If Chad was integrating into the relationship-
"Don't do that," Audrey tutted, jolting Doug from his train of thought.
"What?" Doug asked, blinking in helpless confusion.
"Justify your unhappiness," Audrey said. "Don't put aside how you feel because you think it will be for someone else's benefit."
Doug pressed his lips together, because he'd never been called out on it before. "Sorry."
"You're just as important as the rest of us," Audrey reminded him, implying the apology was unnecessary. "Your feelings are just as important, now tell me how you really feel."
"Harry's really good looking," Doug said, deciding to start with the easiest of his emotions to discern.
"As are you," Audrey reminded him with a patient look that made him flush.
"Like, traditionally good looking," he clarified. "He could um- actually fuck Chad."
"As can Gil," Audrey said. "As can you. We're each going to be able to fill different needs with each other that not necessarily everyone can replicate. That doesn't make any of us less important. Chad's not going to suddenly start loving Harry more than you because they have different sex options available." She lowered her voice. "And besides, I'm pretty sure Harry's more interested in getting fucked than doing the fucking."
At that, Doug felt his face heat in a furious blush. "Audrey."
"Two words," she said, not backing down an inch. "Toxic masculinity. Baby boy needs to learn to be true to himself, and we can help with that, but it will take time. And there is, you know, a good chance he will also be looking to you for comfort."
"Me?" Doug echoed. "But I'm-"
"A strong, awesome-looking dwarf guy?" Audrey offered. "Why yes, you are. Doug, you're so determined to think that you're just like, a nerd or something, when everyone else sees you as a competent and talented scholar. That shit is attractive, okay? You don't need muscles to strut, you've got brain power, baby."
It was so off the wall that Doug couldn't help but laugh, couldn't help but be amazed that Audrey was giving him a pep talk, that she meant every word of it too.
"We are so lucky to have you," he said, because he was pretty sure they didn't mention it enough. "Thank you for taking such good care of us. I love you a lot, and I'm really grateful you and Chad picked me up."
"Me fucking too," Audrey said, her cheeks darkening in a lovely flush. "What we had was good for us, but this… this is better. And yeah, it's work, and kind of crazy, but I like it a lot. And I love you a lot."
"Aw, geez," Doug said, startling a laugh from Audrey. "Could I carry her highness to her room for pampering?"
"You may carry your girlfriend to our room for sexy times," Audrey countered.
"Oh." Doug shivered. "Yeah, I like that more."
-:-:-
Endnotes:
Audrey, continuing to be the mvp of this story. A true queen ^_^
Thanks to everyone for the feedback last chapter! From here on out, things will steadily be improving with an application of – gasp – communication. My word. Never thought I'd see the day ;)
Story notes:
"Take your lumps" is definitely from a Rooster Teeth Animated Adventure.
Until next time