Warning: I may have a little crush on Harry Hook (and so does Hayden).
Chapter 5 – Harry Hook and His Seductive Ways
"Benjamin Florian!" Hayden calls as he exits the lift, his hair fired bright red in anger at the Prince, knowing his middle name from his dad's talk of the royal family. Not the worse in the world. It could be Mal's or hell forbid, his works as both a pun and as an embarrassing middle name to live with. At his side, Cerbie growls, joining in with her master's anger and rage. "Come out now! You're late for your own funeral!"
"He's gone." Evie reports, upset by this.
"Already running? Good. Makes me hurting him all the more fun for hurting my sister!" Hayden screams, uncaring at everyone staring at him as they pass.
"Not like that Hayden. He's been taken." Carlos corrects.
"What?" Hayden's hair blows out. "Who? Who dared take him before I could get my hands on him?"
They all share a look before Evie answers. "Come on. We'll tell Mal at the same time we tell you." Though relucent in having to wait, he follows them back to Mal who is surprised to see him there again after storming out just moments ago. They then tell the siblings about Ben being kidnapped by Uma's pirate gang.
"If you guys never brought him here, this never would have happened. What were you thinking?" Mal explodes the second they've finished talking.
"He was going to come with or without us. We just wanted to protect him." Evie defends.
"Yeah and we blew it guys." Carlos admits.
"Okay. Okay. So, what are we going to do?" Jay asks, calming them down.
"We are not doing anything." Mal denies, continuing before Hayden can butt in. "This is between Uma and me and she's a punk and guess what? Now I have to go get him."
"Woah. Mal, you're still going to have to go through Harry Hook and his wharf rats." Carlos points out. "You're going to need us."
"Uma said to come alone." Mal says.
"Screw that. Cerbie, come." Hayden declares, moving to the exit, clearly about to go see a certain pirate gang and take action. The pup of hell follows him obediently.
"Hayden, don't." Mal's voice stops him in his tracks. "This is my fight so stay out of it. Ben might get hurt if you get involved. Please. Just do it for me." Mal pleads, almost desperately.
Hayden sighs in defeat. "Now I know how dad felt when I asked him not to go full Godly rage on Charming."
"She's right. Uma said to come alone." Jay agrees, going to place a hand on Hayden's shoulder but jumps back in alarm when Cerbie growls darkly at him, her eyes turning blood red. "Woah. What kind of dog is that anyway?" They all watch the pup in alarm.
"Well, you know Cerberus?" Hayden begins.
"That gigantic dog the size of a castle that guards the underworld?" Carlos says nervously. Sure, he loves dogs but one that big whose job is to guard hell itself is a bit too much.
"He's actually bigger than a castle." Hayden casually corrects. "Anyway, he apparently has a girlfriend and dad gave me their puppy as a gift."
"That-That dog is…" Carlos stutters, nervous of the pup now he knows where it came from.
"Cerberus' child, yes." Hayden confirms with an amused smile. "She looks normal on the surface but has three heads just like her daddy in the underworld."
"Whatever, look, guys, even if Mal has to go alone, I know one thing." Carlos begins, sitting on the sofa. "I'm not going anywhere."
"We'll be here when you get back." Jay calmly says to Mal who looks irritated at this but it's better than them trying to spy on the meeting. With that annoyed expression positioned on her face, she leaves.
"What's happened to your anger issues?" Hayden asks, tilting his head at him in confusion.
"You missed a lot in six months, man." Jay says with no real venom in his tone. "Doing sports helps me a lot with channelling my anger in a healthy way."
"Channelling my anger in a healthy way. You sound like one of those health talk magazines that give advice as a poorly paid therapist." Hayden scowls at the thought of said magazines.
"Have a lot of experience with those, do you, Hayden?" Carlos teases.
"Sometimes, I guess. They don't really help but that's not the point." He shakes his head, looking down at Cerbie as he pets her and fails to notice the concern in his friends' faces. They share a look of realisation before Hayden turns back to them. He doesn't mention how he was reading them when he was at Auradon too, helping him cope with all the bullying, direct or otherwise. He heard what they said about him and what they didn't say out loud. Despite having a tough exterior made of stone, things still hurt. Being alone for so long in the underworld didn't help either. If anything, it just allowed past events to creep up on him all the more.
"Um…Hayden?" Evie calls. "Are you alright? Your hair's looking extra blue today."
Her words cause him to pull out his mirror and sighs when he sees his hair that same saddened blue and he just nods. "It's fine. Don't worry about it." He lies, ignoring Cerbie standing on her hand legs, front paws on his leg to try and reach him to comfort him. Silently, he moves away from the pup and heads to a window, sitting on the windowsill, one leg hanging off the edge. He barely notices when Cerbie jumps on his lap and doesn't realise when he runs his hands through her fair, distracted as he looks outside, worried for Mal.
"Hayden?" Jay calls when he sees the boy's hair suddenly burn red and he sits up straighter, glaring at something he sees on the street below. Hayden doesn't listen to their calls as he runs out, running out the lift and around the building. He doesn't stop as he runs towards them and throws himself at them, knocking them to the floor. He quickly grabs both of the pirate's wrists and pins them above his head on the ground, Cerbie growling darkly at the boy beneath him, warning him not to try anything.
"Well, well, well, what can I do for you, your royal darkness?" The boy smirks at him, unbothered at being held like this.
"Where is he?" Hayden interrogates.
"Who? My memory's a bit foggy. Maybe a little something would help jog it." He hints, still smirking.
"Or I could stab you with your own hook, pirate." Hayden threatens, using one hand to hold the boy's wrists as he pulls the hook he carries of to hold it against his chest. A warning.
"Ooo, tempting, dear, but not biting." The boy, Harry Hook, smiles knowingly at him. "Because you don't hurt people. You said so yourself at Benny-boy's coronation. Everyone on the isle saw it."
"Maybe I was lying." Hayden growls, anger flaring through him.
"I very much doubt it, but you're angry enough, that's clear by your hair, ain't it?" Hayden's distracted as he realises this and lets out a grunt of surprise when Harry flips them. He's the one on top now, pinning Hayden's wrists above his head with one hand as he takes his hook back with the other, chuckling softly. "Now then, should we try this again?"
Cerbie growls darkly at Harry and it's Hayden chance to smirk smugly at him. "You really want to do this?"
"It's a wee pup. What harm can it do?" Harry chuckles but his laughter trails off when the wee pup's eyes start glowing red.
"Cerberus' pup," Hayden corrects. "You know, the hound that guards the underworld."
"And how much off a bluff is that? If it's as loyal as you think it would have done something now other than turn on the light bulbs in its eyes." Harry says, Hayden's hair turning orange and Harry chuckles at this. "You change colours now? That to do with what you're feeling or something?" He doesn't give Hayden a chance to deny it. "Now then, you want to know where the young kingling is and I know where he is. Ooo, that's gonna cost you, that is. That kind of information," He slowly trails the hook down the side of Hayden's neck as he speaks, smirking smugly at him. "Is a bit out your price range. Even with what little of your powers you can use behind the barrier."
With a sigh, Hayden admits defeat. "Then we're clearly done here. She might not have full use of her powers, but she still has a mouth. Unless you want to be walking funny, I suggest you get your pretty butt off me."
"Pretty?" Harry smirks, leaning closer to whisper in his ears. "No wonder you were so desperate to pin me down like that. Probably not getting much when surrounded by dead people in the underworld, are you?" With that, he gets up and smiles down at Hayden as the boy gets up, his hair going bright pink. He doesn't tease him on this, deciding to wait and see how long it takes for him to notice. "Don't take me for a fool, princey. I know you gonna follow me soon as I head back to the ship." He comments and then shrugs. "Come on then. I'll lead so you can keep staring at my pretty butt on the way." He chuckles and walks away, noticing how Hayden's hair flames even brighter pink at this. The boy's clearly pent up from his time in the underworld so winding him up like that makes it all the more fun. Hayden follows him and tries to ignore the way the pirate purposely lets his hips sway as he walks.
"Damn pirates looking hot on purpose." Hayden growls out under his breath, Cerbie trotting next to him, looking up with her tongue out, panting softly and looking quite cute. He can practically feel her teasing remarks and rolls his eyes at the pup. He pauses for a second when the pirate ship comes into view and stops when Harry stills. He frowns at the pirate backs out the way from the boarding ramp and pulls off his hat as he bows to him.
"After you, your wee-devilness." He offers and Hayden rolls his eyes but walks up the ramp to board the ship. This has all the makings of a trap which causes him to look around warily at everyone on board. They glance at him but don't stop their work as they move about the deck. "First time?" Harry's voice whispering in his ear makes him jump and the pirate chuckles.
"For what?" He asks, tilting his head at the pirate in confusion.
"On a ship?" Harry smirks with amusement, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yeah." Hayden admits, looking around again but then narrows his eyes at not seeing a certain someone. "Where's Ben?"
"You're rather desperate for the kingling for someone who hasn't been around other people in about six months." Harry comments.
"Jealous much?" Hayden teases but is surprised when the pirate smirks right back.
"A bit. Though, only a wee bit. I am far better looking than blondie after all." He smiles, stepping a bit closer to him. "And not just in the face either." He winks and Hayden blushes as the pirate puts certain thoughts in his head, his hair flickering pink against the natural blue stands.
"Harry, stop flirting with the prisoner!" A girl calls, clearly the captain. Uma, if Hayden's not mistaken from the stories he's heard growing up on the isle of Captain Uma and her crew.
"Prisoner?" Hayden raises an amused eyebrow.
Harry shrugs. "Well, you didn't put up much of a fight now, did ya?" He draws his sword and Cerbie growls darkly at him.
"Take him to the brig!" Uma orders. "Make sure the mutt goes too!"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Harry calls back, pointing the sword at Hayden and then knows something that'll make him cooperate with his commands. "Oh, I just remembered, kingling's in the brig waiting for you. Maybe you two could talk about how us pirates look hot on purpose to him in there." He smirks as Hayden's hair flushes pink for a second but then flickers red before blowing out.
He turns his back to the pirate who pushes the sword against his back, silently ordering him to move forwards. Cerbie growls at the pirate but instantly stops at Hayden's command. "Cerbie, come." She walks slightly ahead of him, watching where her master's going and the pirate warily as he's taken to the brig below deck where, as promised, Ben is locked up inside. The boy has both wrists chained to the back wall and Harry opens the cell opposite him for Hayden. Hayden raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. "And why should I go in there so willingly?" He challenges and Harry smirks before sheathing the sword. He puts his hook on one of the belt loops at his waist and steps into Hayden's personal space.
Hayden feels his breath catch as the pirate kisses him, not noticing his feet stepping backwards into the cell. He lets out a moan by accident. Not his fault. Harry's a really good kisser. He might not have much experience, but he definitely knows it. He feels a hand cup him at the back of the head, holding him close as the other lands on his waist, fingers trailing down slowly. He abruptly slaps the hand reaching into his pocket and Harry smirks in amusement, holding up his hands in surrender as they break apart. Quicker than Hayden can react, Harry backs out the cell and closes the door, locking Hayden inside. Cerbie growls darkly at him, too big to fit through the bars that she then starts biting at, trying to break through them.
"First time?" Harry teases, leaning against the bars separating him and Hayden smiles flirtatiously, putting one hand on Harry's left arm, running it down to his waist in a seductive manner. He runs the other up his right arm and doesn't stop there as he slides up the side of the pirate's neck as he leans closer.
"Hey!" Harry exclaims when his hat is knocked off by the boy who smirks cheekily back at him, moving away from the bars.
"You pirates are nothing but thieves." Hayden tuts, shaking his head in amusement as Harry picks up his hat, smirking back at the boy. He puts it back on with a flirtatious smirk in place, holding his hands out to the sides.
"Really? What did I steal from you, princey?" He turns and heads back to the steps that lead to the deck above.
"My first kiss." Hayden answers, watching at the pirate who stops after hearing that.
He looks back at him with a smug smirk. "You didn't seem to mind." He winks at him as his hair matches his cheeks as he flushes pink. "And neither does your hair, devil boy. Not surprising as I am a very good kisser." He walks away with his smirk still in place and rolls his eyes at Uma stood at the top of the stairs. She raises an eyebrow at him, smirking knowingly at him. "Prisoner is secure. May need to check on him later on, you know, for safety." He smirks at her.
"Uh-huh." Uma says, knowing all too well his intentions with their new prisoner if he had his way.
"He's feisty that one." Harry smiles before walking away. Uma shakes her head in amusement as she closes the opening to the brig before walking away. She already knows Harry isn't finished with that one yet and knowing how…inexperienced he is makes it all the more fun for the boy. After all, finding someone like that makes it all the more exciting for a boy like Harry, like finding a sunken ship full of lost treasure. How can a boy resist?