Hey Descendants,

We had a lot of fun hanging out with you during the COVID Quarantine Facebook hangout, we're thinking of calling it Isle chat, what do you think?

well, you've all waited long enough, we hope you enjoy Together at Last.

-Dark-

Harry grins as he views the giant, stone-lined pool before it falters. How long had this taken them to build? Had their sweet boy and baby girl really been away that long?

His eyes narrow. The last few weeks had been a complete blur.

Fuck. Weeks! It had been weeks since Deez and Gil spent the night at home.

He tilts his head to the side, cracking his neck to relieve some of the tension at the realization. Oh, how he missed the two of them. And if that's how he felt, he couldn't imagine what state the Captain was in.

He was so thrilled when Uma told him to let them know they could finally come home. For more reasons than he could count.

He walks around the pool, his grin widening. He was already drooling about all the things they could get up to in the paradise Deez was currently carving out for them here. How amazing it was going to be to swim together. How much fun it was going to be to rough house with Gil, and now hopefully Deez, Uma, and T.

And of course all the trouble he was going to get into when it came to them playing.

He shakes his head. He was so getting ahead of himself on this one. He turns away from the enticing pool to head for the cave entrance.

The familiar tang of Gil's hammer and heat from Deez melting the metal brought back so many wonderful memories he takes a moment to lose himself in it all. The practices he shared with Jay and T. The conversations he'd shared with the pup. The amazement that never seemed to cease as Deez used her gifts to melt down the metals. The way the six of them would sometimes lounge on the beach and just talk, or sit in companionable silence when Gil or Deez needed a break.

"Harry?"

He grins as a smile breaks out on Deez's face before she drops what she was holding and rushes him, her warmth enveloping him as she jumps into his open arms.

"Aye loves, ya can be ah praisin' me cause here I be." He chuckles as he holds the small girl to his chest

Gil's eyes widen before he drops the hammer with a boyish grin as he walks over and gathers both in a bear hug to pick them up. "We've missed you." He grins before he initiates a tender kiss.

"Well now," Harry chuckles after thoroughly enjoying the attention, "if I be ah knowin' this be the greetin' waitin' here for me I be ah gettin' here sooner." He winks at Gil before looking down at the blue eyes staring up at him, "Ya be ah havin' one o' those for me too?"

"Don't be silly." Deez chuckles before she presses her lips to the corner of his.

Gil gives them one more squeeze before he lowers them both carefully back to the ground. "Does this mean what I think it does?" He looks to Harry hopefully.

Harry smiles, "Aye lad. T be ah wakin' up and be doin' better."

Gil pumps his fist triumphantly. "Yes!" He pulls him back in for another hug and squeezes tightly.

"Aye Sweet Boy, I be ah likin' this game." Harry chuckles as he wraps one arm around Gil's neck before he presses his lips to the other boy's cheek.

Deez giggles before she wiggles out of Harry's hold, "So, he's alright?"

Harry nods, "Aye, he still be ah healin'. Can'nah be ah walkin' around quite yet," He purses his lips to the side before he grins, "But I be ah havin' more news."

Deez blinks up at him expectantly.

"Don't keep us waitin' man," Gil squeezes him as he places another kiss to Harry's temple. "What've we missed?"

"T be ah moody when he first be ah wakin', but after talkin' ah bit, ta both me an' Uma-" He grins widely as he trails off.

"Harry!" Deez stomps her foot impatiently.

Gil chuckles as he wraps his other arm around Harry, picking him up to swing him back and forth in a playful reprimand. "I'mma tell Uma."

"I just be ah missin' ya both and be wantin' attention." Harry playfully pouts.

Gil laughs, the rumble vibrating his chest as he nuzzles his cheek against Harry's "You'd get more attention with answers."

"No kidding." Deez pouts, "Come on Harry, spit it out and I'll give you whatever attention you want."

Harry's eyes light up, "Ya be ah hearin' that Sweet Boy? Whatever attention I be ah wantin'."

Gil's eyes brighten as he smiles down at Harry, "I miss family time something fierce. It was hard to resist showing her, but I knew you and Uma'd kill me." He grins.

Ah. Harry bites back another chuckle. He'd thought for sure- but if anyone could resist temptation during stress it would be Gil, "I see."

"See what?" Deez furrows her brow, "What about family time am I not getting?" She shakes her head and holds up a finger at Harry, "Wait, news about T first." She demands.

Gil's eyes light up as he swings Harry in a circle, "He finally figured it out, didn't he?"

Harry pulls his knees to his chest before he pumps a fist into the air victoriously, "Aye he did! He be ah joinin' us too. Uma be sayin' he and Deez be ah gettin' their proper induction soon as T can be ah walkin' again."

Gil's rich, joyous laughter rings around the cave as he swings him in another circle. "I thought it was gonna take him longer than Deez to finally get it."

"Thank father it didn't." Deez frowns before she looks away, "You guys don't deserve to keep getting hurt like that."

Gil lowers him to his feet before he walks over and sweeps Deez up bridal style, kissing away her frown. "He didn't have to worry about choosing between us like you did when we were chasing you down." He points out.

Harry smiles, "Aye. And let's just be ah focusin' on our family finally gettin' complete." He teasingly runs his fingers over her exposed stomach, grinning at her giggles as she twists to get away from him.

"What are we waiting for?" Gil shifts Deez to his hip easily, grabbing up her hoodie before he tosses a lazy arm around his shoulders. "Let's go home."

"Aye mate, that be ah soundin' good ta me." Harry wraps an arm around Gil, "Though I can'nah wait ta be ah usin' that pool ya be ah makin'. It be lookin' right beautiful."

"Told ya Harry was going to drool over it." Gil chuckles as he bounces Deez on his hip. "Uma will too."

"Oh aye," Harry admits unashamedly, "that I did be ah doin'."

Deez grins, "Wait until I heat it up." She sighs as she looks over Gil's shoulder at it, "It looks strangely magical when it steams."

"Feels magical too." Gil beams.

Harry moans at the thought. "We might ah be havin' ta be comin' back here ta night with the Cap'n. We could be ah usin' a dip in some magic with the way this month be ah treatin' us."

"Or we could not." Deez shrugs a little too casually.

Gil and he wear identical pouts as they look at her with guppy eyes.

"Or, I could heat it up for you guys to enjoy?" She offers hesitantly.

"That be our Princess." Harry nods excitedly.

Gil chuckles, "We did already do our exercises for the day. Wouldn't be fair to go back on my promise."

He tilts his head to the side.

"We're working on getting her used to the water. We spend a little bit more time in it each day."

Harry rolls his bottom lip over his teeth as he nods. Uma was going to be so happy to hear how much her Baby Girl was working on her fear. And though he wasn't going to be the one to point it out, he had a feeling that if they did make it back out tonight, Deez would end up getting in the pool with them.

If only so she wouldn't feel left out.

T glares down at the book in his lap. He wasn't sure how long he'd been working on Yensid's assignments, but he was starting to go cross-eyed from reading. None of this shit interested him in the slightest. English was a boring as fuck subject, and science was only interesting when you could actually experiment.

It was better than staring at the ceiling, obviously, but all he wanted to do was move.

Jump.

Climb.

Run.

Not away from the rats or anything. Just in general. He was doing his best not to complain about it. To not just blatantly ruin the work and care the others had put into healing him.

It just sucked.

He wasn't sure he'd ever been laid out for so long before. He just wanted to move. Anywhere. To do something more than just stare at a stupid book about nothing that actually interested him. He'd been excited at first at the prospect of the whole school work shit, but now?

Now all he wanted to do was move.

He looks down towards his feet and curls his toes, his eye twitching slightly as the fresh skin pulled.

So much of him wanted to argue he was ready to walk again. To actually get up and be useful. The other part of him, the larger part of him didn't want to make the others worry. Didn't want them to have to patch him up again. Didn't want them to have to take care of him even longer. Knew that even though they weren't saying it, they didn't trust him to take care of himself.

And he couldn't even blame them.

Even he was questioning his own competency.

He hangs his head. There were no words to describe the disgust he had with himself. The loathing. The guilt. The shame. The sense of being so utterly worthless he couldn't even protect the one he held most dear to him. The one he'd spent his life dedicated too. His literal reason for existence.

Faustina. He swallows hard.

He'd done everything the girl had ever asked of him. From collecting and testing herbs she wanted to experiment with, to providing and protecting- He snorts derisively. Where the fuck did he come off thinking he was capable of protecting anyone? His demeanor darkens.

Seriously? Who the fuck was he to think he could protect anyone? What type of fucking joke was that? He couldn't even protect himself. Who the fuck was he to think that he had the right to protect anyone the fuck else?

He wasn't even sure what the fuck he was.

He hadn't mentioned the fact he was surprised he still existed.

After all, what was the point of a protector that couldn't protect the person who created them? And she had to have created him. He still wasn't sure how she willed him to existence. Or what the fuck he actually was. Or how she'd come up with him. How he fucking existed. He just knew that his one purpose in life was to keep her safe. Even if it was from herself.

And he'd nearly gotten her fucking killed.

Worse he'd gotten her tortured to the point of nearly dying.

Had failed time and time again in that room from protecting her from that fucking piece of shit she called father. Fuck only knew the extent she had to live through because he'd been too weak to come out. Come to the surface or whatever the fuck it was when she needed him the most.

And it was fucking killing him.

Even now. His heart was heavy with the ache of his failure.

He plucks up the collar of the shirt Uma had put them in to look down at the cross and CF branded below his collar bone with contempt. He remembered the first time the letter t had been carved into his chest. Remembered the pain, the humiliation, but he also remembered the pride he'd had for not screaming through the torment of it.

He drops the shirt in disdain.

Where the fuck had that part of him gone in that room?

Where the fuck had his fight gone?

Where the fuck had the will to protect gone?

The ability to fight back?

His lips form into a scowl as his eyes drill holes into the wall in front of him.

He hadn't brought it up in days.

He was sick of being told that it was okay. That no one could take out their OV.

Bullshit. Her father was nearly doubled over with his age, and just as frail. He was just a fucking idiot.

They tried but they couldn't understand the depth of his complete and utter failure. How the fuck could they when he didn't understand the complexity of it himself. He didn't want their comfort, and he certainly didn't deserve it. Wasn't sure why he wanted to scream or lash out at them when they tried telling him otherwise. He was fucking disgusting. Ungrateful. An all-around weak piece of shit.

He still wasn't sure why the fuck they wanted him to join them. Why the fuck Harry got exasperated over it. Why Uma cried.

Especially now. They claimed it was love or some bullshit like that, but who the fuck in their right minds would do something that fucking stupid. Couldn't they see how absolutely fucking useless he was?

So instead he chalked it up to some form of misplaced guilt or pity. The thought made his skin crawl.

Still, if that's what they wanted, who the fuck was he to say no when he was so far in their debt he'd never be able to crawl his way out of it.

He didn't even want to touch on the fact that he wished he had died in that room. Fuck only knows what that can of worms would lead to.

So, here he was. Still stuck in a fucking hammock and unable to move.

Unable to run.

Unable to do anything short of letting others take care of his worthless ass as he grew more and more disgusted with himself by the day. Doing his best to act like himself, and not unload any more of his bullshit on the people that had saved his life.

So, okay, maybe he did want to run away from them. Runaway from himself. Runaway from her. Away from his failures. Away from the truth. But the last thing he wanted, was to waste their fucking time and energy looking for his stupid ass, for whatever misplaced reasons they may have for looking for him. Like he was worth either.

Deez gasps and jumps when the dingy bumps up against the ship. Her grip on Gil's hand tightens as the smaller craft rocks.

"I got ya." Gil softly assures her as he pulls her closer.

"Well be ah lookin' at you." Harry chuckles, "Ya be ah doin' so much better."

"I'm trying." She huffs, looking out over the water with a glare.

"You didn't scream this time." Gil presses a kiss to her head. "You're definitely getting there."

Deez takes a deep breath before she looks up at him with a smile, "I'm trying something new."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Gil asks, already helping Harry to connect the dinghy to the wrench.

"Well, I realized that you love the water-" Deez shakes her head, "I mean, I know you all love the water, I just." She sighs before she starts again, "The other day you said everyone has fears, and I got sad when you said you don't like small spaces. And it just kind of clicked that you guys might feel like that with me and water. So, I'm trying to see it the way you do, instead..." She trails off with a blush.

Gil smiles as he finishes tying off the small craft. "That's really brave of you Deez."

"Aye, it is." Harry grins encouragingly before he starts climbing up the rope ladder, "Wanna be playin' pass the princess?" He asks with a wink as he reaches a hand out.

"Sounds like fun." Gil chuckles as he carefully stands up now that the boat wouldn't flip on them. His arms wrap around her tenderly as he passes her to Harry.

"I can climb." Deez points out as Harry pulls her to his chest, doing her best to sound confident. Coming up with new ways to look at things wasn't entirely brave if she didn't put it to the test more often.

"One step at a time Baby Girl." Gil winks up at her. "But letting you climb now seems like a disaster waiting to happen."

"I am not a disaster waiting to happen." She pouts as she looks down before a wave rocks the dingy and sloshes against the side of the ship. She gasps, squeezes her eyes shut, and wraps her arms around the rope ladder. Breathe! She scolds herself, stop freaking out and breathe!

"Didn't say you were." Gil frowns as he climbs to be level with her and Harry, "Just sayin'…" He shrugs. "If you want to climb, it's not like we couldn't save you. You'll just ya know, hate the water more than you do now. And don't like us being cold."

"Be listenin' ta the Sweet Boy now." Harry rests a hand on her head and looks down at Gil, "Ya be makin' progress baby girl, don'nah be ruinin' it by rushin'."

Deez takes a few more deep breaths before she nods and loosens her grip on the ropes, "Aye." She winces at how thin her voice was, but stays still as Harry climbs a few more rungs.

Gil lets out a breath of relief as he scoops her up and climbs a few rungs before he passes her to Harry. "Come on Deez, I wanna see Uma and T." He gives her a warm smile.

Right. She smiles and nods. She was excited to see T too. Excited, nervous, scared… She fights to keep the smile, "Me too." She falls silent as the two work together to help her up the ladder before Gil pulls her up onto the deck.

"Ready?" Harry wraps an arm around her and guides them to the door.

Gil smiles as he nods his head in excitement, "Yeah."

Was she? Was T? She takes a deep breath before letting it out slowly. She could only imagine how much T hated this. He hated being the center of attention even more than she did. She holds her breath as Harry opens the door.

Gil takes the lead at the invitation, clearly doing his best to not run. "Hey T!" He greets warmly.

To her surprise, T beams at them. That was either encouraging or suspicious, but she wasn't sure which.

"Sup Fuckers" T shoots them a shit-eating grin. "It's been a minute. This means you finally finished Uma's sword?"

"Yeah! We did, 'cept it needs ta be tested before I can present it to her." Gil grins as he inches closer to T's hammock in his excitement, "Wait until you see it! Me 'n Deez got a lot of details in the Kraken tentacles that wrap around the guard."

Deez smiles as she walks up to stand beside Gil, taking a moment to quietly look T over. He looked better, but was still pale and definitely thinner than he was before. Harry must have gotten him one of the hoodies he'd stashed below. She could tell he wasn't wearing nearly as many layers as he usually did, but he looked more like his old self.

"Nice." T smirks, "That's fucking epic."

"He finished our swords too." Deez offers as she points to the hilt hanging from Gil's hip.

"And it could handle you two clashing them together?"

"Yep!" Gil chirps happily as he walks over, pulling the sword from its sheath. "Check it out."

T's eyes widen slightly as he takes the blade. "Solid." He smiles as he looks over the blade with admiration. "C would be fucking thrilled his formula worked." He twists it back and forth, his eyes scanning it from the tip to the hilt. "I'm surprised you guys had enough metal to finish."

"Just enough. Like you knew exactly how many practice blades we needed to burn through to make the good ones." Deez grins as she reaches for T's hand. She blinks at the action and quickly pulls back.

"Well at least I'm good for something," T snorts, "This thing is a fucking beast Gil. Way more badass than your dad's, you've come a long fucking way since Mal's blade. And that thing was fucking sweet. Glad you guys are still working on this." He offers the blade back to Gil. "You sticking around now that the swords are done?"

Deez tilts her head to the side. T hadn't been this optimistic in a long time, except the night of the howler. But it had struck her as odd then too.

"Better than Dad's?" Gil asks as he looks down at his blade skeptically. "You really think so?"

"For sure." T grins at him, "That thing was a twig compared to that monstrosity. You can do some real fucking damage with that man. Though I don't know, you swinging around that hammer of yours would be a bit more terrifying."

Ah. Anything but me talk. That's what T was doing. She smiles. It was a tactic she used a lot too.

Gil chuckles, beaming at T as he slides his blade back into the sheath. "The hammer huh?"

"Well I mean it wouldn't look nearly as badass, but yeah. With the muscle you put on? You and that hammer would be intimidating as fuck.'

"He tosses that thing around like it doesn't even weigh anything now." Deez chuckles as she leans against Gil and wraps her arms around one of his.

"Cause he's turned into a fucking beast." T snorts. "Have your brother's seen you? Bet they'd fucking run seeing you right now."

Gil can't help the smile that curls his lips, "No, I haven't, we've been pretty busy at the cove between smithing, swimming lessons, and school work."

T turns to Deez, "How's that goin' for you, Princess? Can ya float yet? Or you still sinking like a rock?"

"I cling to Gil, thank you very much." Deez glares.

T smiles as he nods his head. "Well, at least you're willingly getting into the water. That's gotta be like step one or something." He smirks, "That's a great start at least. I was surprised to hear you made a pool in the first place..." His eyes narrow slightly as he opens his mouth only to close it. "Must've taken a lot to get you there. Proud of you." He reaches out and ruffles her hair. "Gonna have to try it once Hook and Uma get off my ass."

Deez sighs as her eyes soften. She couldn't even be mad at his teasing. "I made it so I can warm the water, so I bet it would be good for you if you want to use that as an excuse." She grins, "But after everything that happened with Mal's gang being taken, I realized I had to get over this."

"Is that so?" T eyes her with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion before he looks away. "Heated water is pretty fucking boss."

"It really is!" Gil chuckles whole-heartedly. "It feels so nice, especially with how freezing it's been. The minute I step out of the cave I swear my sweat freezes. It's been an awesome way to spend breaks."

Deez sighs, but smiles, "I can't wait to show you and Uma." She turns back to pull Harry into the conversation but frowns when she realizes it's just the three of them in the room. Harry must have wanted to give them some time to catch up.

"I don't blame you. It was a clever as fuck idea. I know it had to have sucked building your own personal hell. You've really come a long way."

"I was fine until the stupid sea wall broke." She huffs as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"She almost drowned." Gil frowns as he reaches out to pull Deez close to his chest.

T blinks. "That checks out." He snorts. "Builds a pool to learn to swim, and drowns in it before she can show anyone. I couldn't think of anything more Deez."

Deez sticks her tongue out at him, but there was nothing she could do to hide the snort, "Oh shut up."

"Don't be mad at me for your luck." T sticks out his tongue back at her. "Not my fault it's almost always shit."

Gil chuckles warmly as he looks between the two. "We're waiting for you to get better so you and Harry can test Uma's blade. We were going to have James step in, but it didn't seem right to do it without you. You're the one who started this whole thing."

"So we need you to be the one to test the final sword." Deez explains. She watches several quick emotions flicker across T's features, almost too quickly for her to register. Some looked like embarrassment, others looked closer to pure happiness. One looked strange on T's face, like he appreciated the sentiment, and found it a little silly, but sweet nonetheless.

"That's dumb." T dead pans. "You two are the ones that put in the real work, and I know how hyped you are to give it to her. Just have James do it."

"Dumb." Gil parrots as he drops a hand on T's head and ruffles his hair affectionately despite the flinch.

"You know where the past flaws have been, and it feels like bad luck to change things now." She sighs before she looks away, "No need to invite more of that."

"Tch." T snorts, "No fucking kidding." He grumbles before he shakes his head and smiles again. "It shouldn't be that much longer now anyway." He waves his hand dismissively. "She waited this long, what's another few days?"

"Exactly, knew you'd see it our way." Deez grins as she looks back to him.

"The dream." T rolls his eyes.

Wasn't that the truth. Deez half chuckles.

"But, um speaking of Book Club, me and Deez were curious if you knew how to identify the metals or you know, could make sense outta C's formulas since we wanted to start working on daggers, cannonballs, and Yensid's staff next."

"And here I thought you'd been avoiding the ship cause I was laid out." T laughs, "But, yeah I know what the formulas are for daggers, and how to tell which metal is which. Cannonballs and a staff though? That's going to take all three of us fucking around with the metals."

Deez shifts slightly, uncomfortable with T's assessment of why they'd been off ship, "Well, I kind of have an idea for something we could do with the cannonballs, but I wanted to run it past both of you before trying it."

"Like adding spikes or filling hollow balls with bits of glass that will fly out on impact and shit so people know not to fuck with you guys?"

"Huh…" Deez tilts her head. Not exactly what she was thinking, but, "actually, that could still work with what I had in mind."

"What did you have in mind?" T asks curiously. "Making two small balls and connecting them with like chains and shit? Wait no, filling them with black powder so they explode on impact? I can definitely go lift more from the Yu camp once I get up… Oooh, bet between the old man and me we can come up with some nasty shit to put in them with the herbs I collected. Some of them get real fucking awful if inhaled too deeply. I bet I could make a concentrate to fill the balls with..."

"Wha-" Deez blinks as she stares at T, "Well now my idea sounds dumb. Those are great and scary."

"I've looked most of them up and have had a lot of time to think about it." T deadpans, "But seriously though, what's your idea. I'm not even sure any of mine will work."

"Fair, but I'm not sure mine will either. It's just hard to get a lot of metal, so since I was planning to expand the cave to include more space-"

"Ooh were you thinking stone or that dense ass glass you make?"

Deez grins, "Both actually. The stone I can drop in the pool so it hardens, and the glass," She shrugs, "Well, I'll just have to keep rolling it until it cools, so less of those, but after your ideas to fill them, maybe I'll try to blow the dense glass again."

"That would be cool as fuck. We could have poison-filled bombs."

"The dream." Deez grins, "Gotta keep our family safe now that we're not the misfits anymore."

T's face falters for the briefest second before he beams at her, "Exactly. I have a fuck ton of herbs in the hold, I can start working on it once ya know-" T shrugs.

"Do you have to stay in the hammock?" Gil asks with a furrowed brow, "Cause me and James could make ya a table."

"Man, you don't have to do that. I should be up sooner than later, and it sounds like you're busy as fuck at the cove. Besides, I need to go get the shit I need to do it anyway."

"But, you always made sure I had plenty to work on when I had nothing but time." Gil frowns.

"Besides, I need to grab some supplies from the hold for the cove," Deez quickly points out. If Gil wanted to do something for T, she was going to support him all the way, "and that could take some time because I have no idea where anything is."

T opens his mouth before he shuts it. "Me neither." He sighs as he hangs his head. "I just know the herbs boxes have 'do not touch' written all over them."

"Not that I have to worry about that." Deez chuckles.

"True." T bounces back with a grin.

"But good to know I don't have to check those boxes." Deez nods before she turns to Gil, "Why don't you go tell James you want to build a table for a hammock? I'll look for wood for you."

Gil's eyes brighten before he nods his head, "Yeah," He beams, "I can go do that." He turns and rushes out of the room in his excitement.

Deez smiles at his exit before she turns back to T, "Thank you."

"What the fuck for?"

"Coming back."

T's eyes darken as he lets out a harsh snort as he looks away.

"I'm not trying to make you talk or anything, I'm just, I missed you. Things were-" She drops her eyes, "shit was scary. I still think the only reason I'm here right now is because I tried to do what I thought you'd do. And I'm grateful. That's all." She blinks, hating the way her eyes were watering, but she knew that wiping them would only draw T's attention to it.

"Then thank the family,." T rolls his eyes. "Or Hook. I had nothing to do with it."

"I have no idea what happened to you T, and it seems like you hope I never will. I'll respect that T. But, I'm sure you could have not come back if you really didn't want to. Or found a way to die. We talked about that kind of way out of shit before. So, just take my thanks, please."

"Sure Princess, whatever you want." He sighs.

Deez chuckles softly before she looks to the door and back, "And for old times sake, I'm not sure if they've told you, but my father was looking for you. Whatever you did to get his attention has not stopped being entertaining apparently."

"Huh," T frowns, "So I've heard..."

"He's acting weird lately, so just, be careful. I know there's no stopping him…" She trails off. She wasn't even sure what she was trying to say anymore. Something was off with T, and the thought that she'd never get him back and things would never be the same hurt more than she wanted to admit. But she promised him, she promised they'd figure shit out so long as he made it back.

Here he was, worse for wear, but here. So it was her turn.

T studies her for a moment, "Gil doesn't know more than surface shit, does he."

Deez nods, "Not yet. He got really focused on getting the swords done."

"Sounds like Gil."

"Doesn't it." Deez smiles but slowly starts to fidget with the sleeves of the overly large hoodie.

T watches her for a moment, "What's wrong?"

"I've just missed you-" She takes a deep breath and tries to let that be all she says, but then like the stupid sea wall the words break down her will, "And I know you're not in the mood to be hugged, so I'm not, and I promised we'd figure out the changes when you came back, and you don't need this like at all, but everything changed so quickly so it's just fucking nice to see you and bouncing ideas off each other like we used to during book club felt great and I've missed you."

T's eyes narrow as he looks her over before he sighs and leans over to pull her into a hug. "Don't be fucking stupid. Shit changes all the time on this isle, you think you'd be used to it by now. You got what you've always wanted. Auradon came, they saw, they claimed. Cheer the fuck up a bit, yeah?"

Deez wraps her arms around T's neck as she nods, unable to speak for fear of fully breaking down.

T rolls his eyes before he picks her up with a groan, and places her on his chest. "You're so fucking ridiculous sometimes, you know that?" He scoffs, "What a pain in the ass."

"I know." She chuckles wetly, "And yet you love me anyway."

T snorts, "Don't rub it in my face."

Heya!

What did you guys think of the reunion between Harry and (Dark your call here, Geez or Hil?)?

His reaction to the pool Deez has so painstakingly created?

That hug though right? Gil initiating a kiss? Deez

His thoughts on Deez's newfound dedication to work on her fears.

Harry's such a troll, I'd kill one of my friends if they tried to stretch out something that interesting. (Twisted= zero chill, zero patience, and a horrible Iwannaknow complex) That's it, no question just my personal thoughts on the matter.

So that scene with T kinda snowballed out of control. I started introspection and Dark was so into it I just kept going instead of us starting the next scene here. Mmm tasty insight into our lives, lol.

T is fucking hating himself so much right now. This scene hurt to write on so many levels. Did it elicit any feelings? I was shocked to see this is where the chapter went when I first wrote it... T is in a pretty dark place right now 's a lot of weight on a teenager's shoulders. Then add existential crisis to the list...So, it kinda is what it is.

Do you think T will end up running?

And that third scene- And yeah, we know the title to this one was a bit misleading but it won't be long til they're really together at last.

Didn't Deez and Gil handle it well?

And wasn't T a bit too enthusiastic?

What about that bit at the end between D and T? Cute right? It's weird and frustrating how T and Deez are ever barely in the scenes together despite all they do together.

Those last two lines though. They make me smile every time I read this chapter.

Much love and appreciation!

-Twisted

Covid Corner

For those of you who have been taking us up on our chats, thank you! It would be boring as fuck to just sit there awkwardly occasionally talking to each other if you weren't (because we said we were going to do it, we'd be doing it even if you didn't show up)

That being said, we're still very worried. Fandom it's been like a week and we're really worried about you. Book worm, we're worried about you too. By no means are we expecting reviews but can you if possible at least shoot us something even in a pm to let us know you're okay?

To the rest of you, please stay safe and stay in doors. I know it's hard but it's so important right now.