Hey Descendats,
So I found myself lucky on Saturday when I posted. Twisted and I had already written our notes and questions for it, so all I had to do was hit post. But this week has not been a good week for us. I lost my Grandmother Wednesday. And then Friday happened.
Please keep Twisted in your thoughts. She was in a very nasty car accident late Thursday night. Her car was rolled and totaled. She's in the hospital, sleeping a lot. She's in good spirits, but in a lot of pain. She's moving around, because hell knows Twisted is as independent as they come. But in her words she feels like a dog in a cone of shame. She's stuck in a neck brace until she has her fractured vertebrae fused.
We're not sure how long her recovery is going to take, but I promise I'll get this story posted to conclusion. I'm just not sure how long it will be before we do manage to get 'Cracks in the Mask' up.
Dobby! Thank you for your review. I read it to her yesterday and she couldnt stop smiling. So thank you for helping her feel better. And yes, this is leading up to the Howler like last time, though even that has changed a bit.
But back to the chapter. We hope you enjoy it. Dont forget to leave a review, it will defiantly brighten Twisted's day.
Love,
Dark
The same day…
Harry yawns as he makes his way up the gangplank. The restaurant had been busier than usual now that the renovations were finally finished. Running food upstairs all day had been a bitch, to say the least. His only consolation was that now he and Gil could help Uma out when she needed help. The addition was guaranteed protection, no way Ursula was climbing up all those stairs.
"Oy. Harry." James waves as he jumps down from the helm.
Harry turns in his direction. "Heya." He walks over to him. "Sup with you mate?"
"Got ah delivery for ya." James explains, "It was left in the crow's nest for ya by a certain shadow that jumped ship when I called out." He ducks out of view and down the stairs.
T had brought him a gift? His lips break into a smile, momentarily banishing the exhaustion eating at him. So did that mean T wasn't as sore about his and Uma's conversation?
After a few before James walks back out of the shadows of the stairs with a large carrier bag. "Here ya go, man." He offers Harry the bag.
"He be ah leavin' me ah bag?" Harry blinks in confusion.
James rolls his eyes, "You guys really need a fucking break." He shakes his head before he thrusts the bag at Harry, "That make more sense?"
"Aye." Harry chuckles at his own stupidity. The bag had a heft to it.
James grins at him. "Try to get some sleep man." He nods before he walks away. "I'll be in the crow's nest if you need me." He throws up a hand behind his back.
Harry salutes the other boy before he leans heavily against the Captain's door. What had T brought him? He stops and hugs the bag to his chest. This was the first gift T had ever given him. He'd never wanted to admit it, but he'd been jealous over T giving Jay that dagger. And as happy as he was that T always brought Gil gifts to keep him distracted, it hurt. Even that stupid whip Uma practiced with at the ass crack of dawn. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, but at times he couldn't help it. He'd been wondering if T didn't actually like him, but merely tolerated him.
But now he had a gift of his own. He smiles as he flips the top open, only to stare dumbly at a collection of bottles with something written across the tops. He was going to need a light, hopefully Gil and Uma were still awake.
He slowly slips into the cabin, grinning when he realizes the two were indeed waiting up for him.
Gil was bent over a sketchbook as Uma sat next to him, looking over several pieces of paper. Both look up excitedly at his entrance.
Uma stands up, "Harry," She greets with a grin, "I'm sure you'll appreciate this, unlike some people." She turns to glare at Gil with pursed lips.
"Not my thing," Gil shrugs before he grins, "But it'll be nice seeing Deez."
"We're gonna be ah seein' Deez again?" Harry grins.
Uma chuckles before turning back to Harry, "You'll never guess who dropped by with some great news."
"T be havin' great news?" Harry lifts a brow.
"T?" Uma blinks, "No, unfortunately, the news isn't that great." Uma pouts. "Why? Ya see him on the way back here?" She asks hopefully.
Gil pulls himself from his art to look up. "Is he-" He pauses when his eyes drop to the bag in Harry's hands. He sighs and turns back to his work. "At least we know he ain't dead."
"Aye, James be ah seeing him, but T be ah duckin' when he called out to him." Harry furrows his brow, "But who be ah stoppin' by and what news be meanin' we be ah seein' Deez?"
"Freddie." Uma grins as she walks over to the desk and plucks up one of the pages.
"Freddie never comes out this far," Harry frowns as he puts the bag on the table and starts pulling bottles and cloth bundles from it, "What she be ah sayin'?"
"Apparently she's throwing a howler." Uma grins.
"Oh, hells yeah." Harry grins before he playfully tugs on a lock of Gil's hair. He winks when Gil looks up and smiles, only to chuckle when he immediately goes back to his sketch. "It be about time someone be throwin' one."
"Now, that's the reaction I was looking for." She smiles brightly. "Was hoping you'd help me pick out my outfit. Not that I have that many to choose from, and we only have a few days, but you have way better fashion sense than me."
"An' it be ah looking like T be ah givin' me stuff for make-overs too." Harry chuckles when he finally opens the cloth-wrapped bundle to reveal surprisingly well-made scissors and a nice set of combs and brushes, "I be guessin' the bottles be good for hair or somethin'." He frowns as he inspects one.
Uma makes a face, "Hope it doesn't smell like that vile concoction."
Harry chuckles before he pops a cork out of one marked conditioner and takes a cautious whiff, "It be ah smellin' like… somethin' pretty." His eyes narrow at the faint hints of something familiar, "I think the blue princess be smellin' ah bit like this." His stomach tightens when he realizes who else he knew that had this scent. Of course T would give him something from that damn church. Others already had something from there. Jay's dagger. Uma's whip. Now him with an Auradon grooming kit or something.
"It's rose then." Gil volunteers. "I guess it's some type of plant in Auradon."
"Seriously?" Uma scoffs before she walks over, holding out her hand for the bottle curiously.
"Aye." Harry nods as he carefully passes it over. Would it kill T to leave a note?
Uma takes a sniff of the bottle hesitantly before a slow smile spreads on her lips. "It is pretty." She admits before handing it back to Harry. "Huh." She looks over the rest of the bottles, before picking up another one.
"Ya be ah wantin' ah sniff sweet boy?" Harry asks as he watches Uma with a faint smile.
Gil looks up, curiously. "Yeah." He takes the bottle and sniffs it curiously. A smile tugs at his lips. "It's very girly." He hands it back to Harry before he puts up his sketchbook, probably feeling rude.
"I just wish I be ah knowin' how ta be ah usin' all this fancy Auradon stuff." A small part of him wanted to chuck it all out the window and let it sink to the ocean floor, and he probably would have if Uma didn't look so damned happy with all the scents.
Uma lets out a moan at the latest bottle. "This one smells even better than the last." She grins as she offers the bottle to Harry.
Harry sniffs once before he holds it out for Gil. That one was stronger.
Gil takes the bottle from Harry also taking an experimental whiff. "This one smells even girlier." He chuckles as he passes it back to Uma.
"Well, it be ah seemin' I can be makin' us all smell girly." Harry chuckles dryly before he slips into a seat.
Uma puts down the bottle before she looks into the bag curiously, wondering if there was anything else in it. "Oh. He left a note I think." She pulls a couple of sheets from the bag.
Harry's eyes widen as he holds his hand out expectantly, "Be ah passin' that here."
Uma chuckles before she gives the short stack of papers to Harry.
Harry narrows his eyes as he reads the pages, stopping when he finds one addressed to him.
Sup Hook,
Sorry, it took me so long to find something for you,
I did try finding you a dagger for a while, but none that I found
suited you. And then I also realized between your hook and sword,
it's not like you could have used it in a fight anyway.
You and Uma are seriously the worst at figuring this shit out for…
Hopefully, you can get some use out of it.
I'd apologize for not coming around, but I've
got a lot of shit happening right now and I'm busy as fuck,
And don't feel like talking anyway.
Thanks again for the hair cut. It wasn't nearly as awful as
I thought it would be.
Sorry again finding something for you took so long, it wasn't personal.
That's just shit I don't pay attention too.
-T
A small smile tugs at his lips. T didn't tolerate him, he just didn't know he was into making people pretty. He would have whooped for joy if it wasn't the middle of the night, and if it wouldn't have brought questions he wasn't sure how to answer. But this letter made his night. Made his damn week. T did think of him. He reads the letter over again with his smile still in place.
He was glad T was finally able to admit he just didn't feel like talking. Admitting that was always easier than trying to come up with a lie. Now if only Hyades would learn that lesson. Not that she was a liar, so much as a deflector.
He flips through the pages again in confusion before he catches the numbers next to the descriptions. With a smile of understanding, he reaches out and grabs Uma's favorite bottle. "Three." He snorts as he looks back over the list, "Ya be ah lovin' the delicate smells o' lavender Uma."
"I could roll in that shit," Uma admits.
"Apparently... It be good for calmin' nerves and be ah sleep aid." He chuckles, "Aye, ya should be ah rollin' in this." He smiles as he opens the bottle again.
Uma cuffs Harry on the head gently. "Funny. Can't help something smellin' nice."
"Well then, if ya ain'nah wantin' ah massage then why ya ain'nah sayin' so."
Uma whines. "Wait, no I want a massage."
"Nah," Harry winks at Gil before he shakes his head sternly at Uma, "ya be ah smackin' yer number one for saying it might be ah good for ya."
"I'm sorry," Uma whines again. "Please? I wanna be rubbed down with that stuff."
"Oh, I be supposin' I can be obligin' ya then." Harry puts the bottle back on the table before he stands and pulls his jacket and shirt off, "Ya ah coming sweet boy? Cap'in be ah wantin' attention." He looks at the instructions one more time before he collects an empty bottle and drops a measure of the oil into it.
"How can I say no to that." Gil grins as he stands up, laughing when he sees Uma already had pulled off her jacket and corset.
Harry chuckles as he fills the bottle the rest of the way with water before he stoppers it and gives it a shake. If T was gonna trust him to make use of something that probably caused him pain, then he was going to use it to make the people he cared about happy. It was the least he could do for his absent friend.
Short but sweet,
I think we could all agree that this story needed some lightening up, and we were both surprised how naturally these last two chapters came together. (Admittedly because T isn't on screen) but we hope that you're enjoying it!
This chapter was just so fucking fluffy to write. Poor Harry. The kid has all the social skills in the world and he still struggles to figure out what he means to T. And that's mostly cause T has no idea how to handle and interpret Harry.
But at least he was finally able to get Harry a gift at last! It only took him like four years to figure it out. Talk about Dense.
And what about Harry's thoughts on where the belongings came from, we both discussed it at length but in the end, we agreed Harry had the emotional depth to understand where T's gift-giving was coming from. After all T only wants to give his friends the best, and unfortunately for a man of God, Frollo likes to covet things so a lot of it comes from the church. Do you think we did a good job of showing that?
So, are you guys as excited about the Howler as most of them? Or you more like a Mal, Gil, Deez or Carlos?
Let us know in the comments below!
-Much love and appreciation,
Dark and Twisted.
