woulde'dHeyo!
We're back with another update!
You ready for a few Revelations & some Devastations?
;)
We'll let you get to it then. Enjoy!
Lots of Love,
-Dark-
Uma tilts her head in surprise when Faustina's slow and clumsy strokes quickly shift to well-practiced ones.
In under an hour.
She looks to Harry, who shrugs and grins at her.
"I ain'nah gonna be'ah complainin'." He chuckles.
"I'm not either but-" She watches as Faustina does a flip under the water before she breaks the surface with a giggle. Taking a deep breath before she dives back under to do a backward handstand. "I wasn't expecting her to take to it so quickly." She admits sheepishly. "Or so-" She narrows her eyes,
"Able ta be ah havin' fun with it?" Harry finishes for her.
"Yeah," She grins. It was actually pretty nice. In her past experiences with teaching her family how to swim the first time was usually the worst. Though, she was pretty sure it was worse for her when she was teaching T. She really thought he was going to drown. And worse, he seemed okay with it. Her teeth set on edge at the memory.
"How ya be ah likin' the water?" Harry calls out when Faustina surfaces again.
Faustina giggles, "It's amazing." She wades for a moment as she pushes her hair, and by proxy her hoodie, out of her face. "I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. Thank you both." She smiles brightly.
"You did all the work." Uma smiles back, "Play around, make sure you're good and get used to the feeling."
Faustina giggles again, "Okay, Captain." She dives back under the water like she's been waiting for permission.
"Neptune's mercy do I be ah lovin' her hair," Harry whispers before he shakes his head.
"Okay Lover Boy." Uma snorts before pats his shoulder. She looks down, easily finding the red among the black. She was surprised by how clear the pool had gotten. "It's because it's red, isn't it?"
"Aye, it be such ah pretty color on them."
She chuckles as she pulls herself onto the seat. "Much better than black, that's for sure." She agrees. Still confused and concerned why Frollo had changed their appearance so drastically.
"Aye…" Harry rubs the back of his neck, "I wonder what Jay and them be ah findin' out Auradon side." He frowns.
Uma bites her lip, "Doesn't really matter anymore, does it? He's gone, she's free, and under our care. That's what's really important." She chuckles as Faustina twists in circles after kicking off the side of the pool.
"I be ah hopin' so." Harry smiles before it turns into a thoughtful frown, "But, were it bein' that easy with me an' Gil?"
Uma glances at him with a frown, "I didn't mean it like that, Pretty Boy." She shakes her head. "Just mean we might never know why he changed her appearance so much when he had her locked away, and that's gotta be okay."
Harry slowly nods in agreement. "Aye, right ya be, Cap'n."
She reaches up and ruffles his hair. "When we first found out about her, I never expected her to be so… Girly? I guess," She chuckles, "How pissed do you think she was when T chopped off their hair? They used to have so much."
"Oh, livid." Harry quickly answers, "That be the only appropriate response to that butchery."
Uma snorts, "I was talkin' about her not you."
"I were also ah talkin' 'bout her and the fact she be girly." Harry chuckles, "She were painfully thankful when she be ah thankin' me later for takin' care o' her hair." He crosses his arms over his chest as he leans closer, "So, I be ah thinkin' livid be ah good word."
"Ah." Uma chuckles. "Wonder if T'll let them grow it out again…Or if he'll just hack it like last time."
Harry bends back, taping his head against the stone wall surrounding the pool shelf they were sitting on as he groans, "Do not be ah spoutin' bad ideas for the sea gods ta be turnin' ta mischief, we be too fuckin' close ta the waves Uma!"
"It's just hair," She teases as she reaches up to ruffle his, "It'll grow back eventually- I mean that is, if he lets it."
"I hope ya be ah havin' yer sword on ya, cause them be fightin' words, Cap'in." Harry narrows his eyes.
Uma laughs at the look of horror on his face. "I love you so much, Pretty Boy. You're so easy to tease."
"It be one o' me many, many charms." He smiles as he slings an arm around her shoulder and pulls her to his side.
Uma smiles as she rests her head against his shoulder. "Aye, that it be." She nods, as she continues to watch Faustina play under the water. Her head tilts to the side after a moment. "She can hold her breath for a while."
"I be ah watchin' that too." Harry admits with a grimace, "But they both be thinkin' we don'nah be ah trustin' them ta be ah takin' care o' themselves, so I be tellin' meself ta be ah givin' it another second since ten seconds 'go."
Uma snorts, letting out a breath of relief when Faustina breaks the surface again with yet another giggle before she gulps air.
"Ya be ah mite good at ah holdin' yer breath underwater." Harry manages to get out around his hard swallow.
She turns to them with bright eyes. "It used to be a game I played." She wades in the water. "To see how long I could hold my breath before I passed out."
"Uh-huh…" Harry tilts his head to the side, "How ya be ah measurin' that?"
"By how much the candles melted." She smiles brightly. Before she turns and dives back under the water.
Uma sighs. She'd played a game like that for years after her mother drowned Deez in front of her. Had made her boys both practice holding their breath daily until they could last longer than she had under the water.
Now that Deez was part of the family, it was time to start making her practice holding her breath nightly too.
"Dark lookin' storms be ah rollin' in yer eyes." Harry lightly tugs on one of her braids.
Uma shakes her head before she blinks up at him. "Just thinkin' it might be time to get the Baby Girl to start holdin' her breath too…" She frowns as she looks back at Faustina. "I think it's the only reason T survived the dunk my mother gave him."
"Ah." Harry nods, "She do be takin' ta swimmin', an all on her own." He reminds her softly, "I bet she be willin' ta work on it with ya."
Uma nods, "I know… I just-I don't think I wanna explain to her why, least she be gettin' a night terror over it."
Harry frowns as he leans their heads together, "We can just be ah tellin' her we all be good at ah holdin' our breaths, be ah turnin' it into a challenge o' sorts."
She smiles as she turns and kisses him, "That's my First Mate. Always comin' up with great solutions."
"It be in me job description." He chuckles as he puffs his chest up.
"And you fill it out so good." She nuzzles against him.
"Speakin' o' the Baby Girl though…" He looks over his shoulder before he turns back to her.
"I know." She sighs as she bites her lip. "I think she was just frustrated. She always gets so flustered when she can't explain how she connects dots, maybe algebra makes her feel that way too. Have you seen it? It looks overwhelming as fuck. It's got letters Harry. Fucking letters."
"I don'nah be ah lookin' forward ta somethin' that be ah flusterin' that girl when it be ah comin' ta smarts." Harry sighs.
She reaches up and traces his jaw with her fingers. "You seemed to get on fine today. You finished two sections."
"Ya know that whole three sections whaleshit were bein' mean." Harry gently chides.
Uma looks away sheepishly, "I didn't think Yensid was going to show up so soon. Besides I thought the challenge would be motivating… Not ya know, debilitating." She shakes her head. "Learned that lesson. Between freaking out you and Gil, breakin' the Baby Girl, and scarin' our Problem Child enough to do her work till we docked- I think I got it."
Harry frowns, "Maybe we be ah doin' best with small goals. School be ah bein' ah new concept for some o' us."
"I know, I just- We need to catch up on so much."
"But you guys are doing so great at it. You both picked it up so quickly." Faustina grins. "You'll be caught up in no time."
Harry smiles, "How can we be ah worryin' with that bein' ah vote o' confidence?" He hugs Uma to his side.
Uma smiles, "I hope so." Because she was staring Algebra in the face in two sections, and she felt woefully unprepared for it.
"It's okay, I know enough for both of you." Faustina pushes her hair out of her face again.
"Glad to hear ya volunteering to tutor us girl." Uma grins as she leans forward on her knees, "Posioden knows we're gonna need yer help."
Faustina giggles, "It's fun once you find practical uses for it."
Uma blinks. She doubted that. She doubted that a lot. "How did you learn to do it so well anyways?"
"Carlos mostly," She frowns, "Deez was a lot better with math when he was there to talk about the theory with her. I'm more about practical applications. Deez just gets in her head too much. I get it, I'm like that too. It sucks not being able to articulate something. And she's doubly in trouble because she can't explain a lot of what she does. It has to be frustrating for her, don't you think?"
Uma frowns as she nods in agreement. "She's always been like that."
"It's hard to be anything less than perfect when you have a God watching you constantly." Faustina bites her lip. "Before-" Her frown deepens before she shakes her head. "I just get it. It's not fun having to be perfect all the time."
Perfect? Uma blinks as Faustina dives back under the water. Was that something else that had upset her?
"Huh…" Harry's eyes back on Faustina who was currently doing a row of backward flips at the bottom of the pool. "That be ah interestin' way ta be droppin' somethin' like that."
"Yeah…" Uma rubs the back of her neck as she sighs, "I was really pushing her to try and not worry about if she was getting the correct answers. But, maybe Faustina's right. Hades-" She growls in the back of her throat, "We don't even know what all he's done to her, just that he's messed with her head a lot. It's not like she scars, or like everything leaves those."
Harry sighs as he pulls Uma on to his lap, "Aye. It be ah frustratin' thing." He agrees, "But it be takin' a while for me an' our Sweet Boy ta be openin' up. Jus' be ah givin' it some time and we'll be ah figurin' it out for them too. It be ah hard ta be openin' up ol' wounds, but when they do, we'll be there ta be mendin' them together."
Uma frowns, "That's actually something that's bothered me a lot lately, Harry." She sighs.
"Aye?" Harry asks as he pulls his eyes off Faustina to look down at her.
"I got you and Gil out of the constant onslaught of-" She glares, "-problems, when we were all so young. What if the longer- I mean it literally took Mal's gang going to Auradon and us freaking out over them missing-" She frowns, "I stayed workin' for my damn mother, putting you and our Sweet Boy and the rest of the crew in danger so often, until I- I had no choice but to leave the shop to find them. She said if I left not to come back, and I made my choice."
Harry's silent for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh as he rubs her arm comfortingly. His eyes dropping back to Faustina. "Aye…" He takes a deep breath. "It do seem ta be ah mite bit harder, ta be gettin' them ta be understandin'. With Deez's Da bein' so all over the place, and T and Faustina's bein'-" He growls, "That. It be ah a bit harder ta be fixin'. But we can be ah figurin' it out. If ya can be ah doin' it as a wee one with the two o' us. The three o' us be able ta figure it out." He squeezes her arm, "An' as fer ya leavin' yer mum's, well were'nah it bein' perfect timin' ta be ah helpin' them overcome their problems?"
"No fuckin' kidding." Uma smiles as she leans against his shoulder, "Thanks, Love."
"What else are First Mate's for." He kisses the top of her head.
"So… How is breakin' outta the chains goin' for you two? I feel like it's been forever since we've been able to talk about it. I've been worried 'bout you."
His chest puffs, "Uma, I be ah gettin' outta four cuffs. It be ah takin' near two hours. But I be ah doin' it."
Her eyes widen in surprise as her eyes dart to his, "Really?" She asks voice chalk full of pride. "That's amazin' Harry."
"Aye. T-" He nods, "T be ah usin' the advice we be ah gettin' from Jay's David."
Uma's eyes narrow. Wasn't that advice to touch? She drops her eyes to Faustina curiously. "So, T's not just torturing you?" She asks in surprise.
Harry grins, "He do be ah pullin' me hair an' bitin' me lip."
Her head whips back to him.
"Aye, it be ah new an' I be ah lovin' it.." He sighs happily.
"Huh." Uma blinks. "That helped…?" She remembered exactly where Harry's fear of being bound came from. The fact that touching was actually helping him get through it was shocking, to say the least.
"Aye, I were ah thinkin' o' tellin' Deez she need ta be ah tryin' it with Gil." Harry shrugs, "An, I could be ah tryin' it with you if ya be ah likin'." He grins.
Her smile is wicked, "Gil was tellin' me that T tried that new tactic with him too."
"T be ah kissin' and bitin' with Gil?" Harry's eyes widen in surprise.
"Not that far." She chuckles. "He just played with our Sweet Boy's hair and be pettin' him is all. It surprised him, but he said it helped."
"Ah. Deez were askin' me how she can be ah helpin' Gil better ah few days back, I be sure ta be ah lettin' her in the know."
"Seems this magical David was on to something." She chuckles lightly.
"David, the lord o' feels ta us peasants." Harry chuckles, "Though I can'nah be ah helpin' but notice ya ain'nah sayin' naught 'bout yerself gettin' attention while ya be ah workin' yer fears out."
"I jumped off a cliff." She huffs. "Push comes to shove I'm clearly fine."
"So if I were ta be-" He stands up teasingly.
"Try it an' die Hook." Uma grabs his arm and pulls him back to her side. "Jack ass."
"Ow." Harry laughs as he lands hard, "I just be ah checkin'."
"You know," Faustina's voice interrupts them.
Uma takes a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever this nugget of wisdom would be.
"Deez faces three of her fears every day." She blinks up at them as she wades in the water, "Between the sea, the wood, and having no choice but to talk before she's ready- Since you know, words can hurt worse than any form of torture and don't heal nearly as well... She's living in her own hell- But she finds it worth it because it means being with you guys. Being part of the family. It's hard not to see the depths of how much she loves and respects you guys for it. And," She turns to her, "Ironically, looks up to you despite your fear of heights."
Part of their magic. She smiles at the beautiful way her Baby Girl saw them. Her eyes narrow as she presses a hand to her chest. Nope, she had not been ready for that truth swell.
She sighs as she drops her chin to her chest.
"T might be a bit mean- Okay a lot mean-" Faustina amends, "But he's good at…" She looks up at the barrier, "Doing what needs to be done to help in the long run."
Harry shrugs, "I don'nah be ah knowin' if I be ah callin' it mean, but he do be good at pushin' ya 'til ya either be ah gettin' it done or ya be ah sayin' ya be needin' ah break."
"If you know to ask for one, yeah." Faustina agrees before she turns to go dive under the water.
Harry's eyes twitches, "Wait!" His hand snakes out and grabs her hoodie.
Faustina tilts her head all the way back to stare up at him, "Yes, sir?"
"Uh," He smiles down at her, "Who don'nah be ah knowin' they can be ah askin' for breaks."
"Deez, at least I don't think she knows she can."
Yeah. That's who she thought too.
"I mean, she never does anyway. So she's either super hardcore, or she doesn't know."
Harry sighs as he releases the wet fabric, "Got it."
"What is T helping Deez with?"
"A couple of things. Holding her breath for sure-"
Harry frowns as he nods, "Well now, dependin' on how that be ah happenin' that be ah good news, Aye, Uma?"
"Aye…" Uma takes a deep breath.
"He got her to scald him under the water once so far, too."
Uma nods, "I know that was something they both were excited to work on." She smiles brightly to hide her fear.
"And he's getting her more comfortable with the rest of you being in the water with her-"
"That be good." Harry nods as he turns to Uma.
"Mostly by comparison."
"You were saying." Uma raises an eyebrow at Harry.
"I uh, well, no, that ain'nah soundin' so good when ya be ah puttin' it all together, no." He sighs.
Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it- "Is he shoving her head under the water?"
Faustina blinks. "Yes, Captain."
Uma groans as she lets the back of her head hit the stone wall behind her. She'd known, part of her had known. She'd just not wanted to see it.
"Are you okay?" Faustina turns and swims closer, eyes wide with concern. "That thud sounded painful, are you alright Captain?"
"Aye, it was." Uma nods, "But it's fine. Is the water still warm enough?"
"Yes?" Faustina tilts her head to the side. "At least I think so," She turns to Harry curiously.
"I can be ah callin' her over when the steam be ah stoppin'." Harry sighs as he pulls her back to his shoulder. "No need ta be ah brainin' yerself, Cap'n."
Uma sighs as she leans her forehead against his side. "I know that." But she wasn't looking forward to sharing that little pearl with their Sweet Boy. As much as she hated the thought, she could understand what the two were thinking. She'd never be able to do it. Hold Deez under the water like that. She couldn't picture her boy's doing it either. She bites her lip.
"Is there anything else you wanted to know?" Faustina asks as she looks up at them.
"Nah, not 'til the next bout o' wisdom." Uma half snorts before she closes her eyes.
Faustina tilts her head to the side before she shakes it. She turns to look up at Harry with a pout.
Harry blinks down at her before he pulls his hand back, "Oops, sorry." He chuckles hollowly.
"Thank you, sir." She beams at him before she dives back under the water.
He sighs before he turns back to Uma, "What ya be ah thinkin'?"
"Didn't we talk about her calling you that?" Anything to not think about that latest truth bomb.
"I- Uma-" Harry stumbles over himself to explain, "I be ah askin' her ta not, be ah warnin' her it be ah puttin' full wind in me sails, but she kept ah doin' it, and she be ah lookin' like she gonna be ah cryin' when I asked her ta stop, but when I be ah seein' her again she be ah doin' it, I can'nah be ah doin' it Uma-" He shakes his head, "I can'nah be ah makin' that redhead cry."
"Huh." Uma bites her lip as her eyes follow Faustina curiously. "She really almost cries because you don't want her calling you 'sir'?" She couldn't help it. Everything about her was almost the complete opposite of T. Even their facial expressions- Albeit this was the first time she'd heard or seen the other girl this happy. Or heard her this chatty. Was she always this full of wisdom and just too shy to volunteer it?
"She kept ah sayin' sorry, like she be ah doin' somethin' wrong." Harry holds his hands up, "I swear, I do be likin' it, but I did be ah tryin' ta ask her not ta be ah doin' it."
"Don't you think it's weird you're the only one she calls 'sir'?"
"Aye. Ah wee bit. 'Specially when she be ah thinkin' she be in trouble." He sighs, "If ya be ah wantin' ta talk to her about it, ya know I be ah supportin' it-" He grimaces before he holds a finger up, "but from ah distance."
Uma snorts, "So brave of ya, Pretty Boy."
"Aye, in many things and many places, but Uma, please, I don'nah be ah wantin' ta see that beauty cry." He pouts.
She sighs. Her eyes back on Faustina. Was that something even worth pushing? Sea Gods knew she wasn't going to like the answer. She takes a deep breath. Later. She'd talk to her about it later. "You swear she almost cried over it?"
"Uma, I be ah swearin', I be ready for ah lot o' things, but I were'nah bein' ready for that."
She chews her lip before she slowly exhales. Great. She was just as bad as Harry. She hangs her head.
"It might be like ya be ah sayin' ah 'fore, we might not ever be ah knowin' why she be ah doing it." Harry points out with a sigh.
"Aye." She frowns. Maybe one day she'd get the courage to ask again. She looks up at another giggle, the sound so carefree she couldn't help her smile. "On a more positive note," She smiles, "this is probably the happiest I've seen her." It was nice. She loved the water, and to see someone else enjoying swimming so much made her heart burst with joy.
He nods as he watches with her. "We be ah needin' more days like this."
"Yeah, we really do…" She tilts her head, "How do you think it works? Them switching the way they do?"
Harry shrugs, "I be ah havin' no fuckin' idea." He puffs his cheeks out as he exhales, "But, Faustina be sayin' she be sendin' T away when he were ah bein' rude, so I be ah thinkin' they have some control o'er it. But other than that time, I only be ah seein' Faustina when she be ah wakin' with me."
Huh. She tilts her head. "I was thinking he just let her have free range on the ship because it's safer than the isle, or something."
"That ain'nah bein' true though." Harry narrows his eyes, "T be ah trustin' us, an James, but he ain'nah bein' all that silent on his views o' the rest o' the crew."
"True." She bites her lip. T loathed the adults she kept under her sails. Especially Tim. She kicks her legs lazily. It had been a pipe dream anyway. "But I hate when she stays locked up in their room. It doesn't seem right."
"I be ah sayin' as much to her earlier. That she better only be ah stayin' in her room because that be what she be ah wantin', cause it ain'nah bein' what the rest o' us be ah wantin'."
"Oh?" She looks over at him, "What'd she say?"
Harry sighs, "A load o' whaleshit 'bout not wantin' ta be ah burden an' feelin' lucky ta just be allowed ta be near us, and the fact we tried to hide her from Gil, and that we have more important things to deal with." He growls as his shoulders tense. "I be settin' her straight hopefully, or at least be ah tellin' her it ain'nah bein' true. That it were wrong for us to hide her, but it wasn't for the reasons she thought."
Her eyes narrow, if that's how the girl was feeling then she doubted one conversation was going to change her perspective. "We should probably share that with our Baby Girl and Sweet Boy..." She rolls her lip between her teeth.
"Aye, the more who be ah knowin', the better we can be ah showin' her the truth."
She nods, as she looks up at the barrier. "It took you guys a long time to see it. It took Deez a long time to see it too."
Harry snorts, "Nah, the Baby Girl be ah seein' it, she just did'nah be ah believin' she could be ah part o' it."
She glances at him, "I guess that's true. She never questioned our love for her. How much we cared about her."
"She just were worried 'bout hurtin' us, or takin' away yer ship, maybe even what her Da could be ah doin' to us." He sighs.
"Or a mix of all three." She sighs, "Added to the fact she was always worried about interrupting our dynamic."
"Aye, it were ah botherin' her with the Rottens too. Jay were ah tellin' me that."
She leans into him further, "I'm glad you two were able to work together to watch out for her. It always put me more at ease. I know it must've been hard for you. Especially for Jay- Fuck knows the Newt would've killed him if she ever found out."
A small smile tugs at the corner of Harry's lip as he stares out over the pool, "Ya know, I think she be ah knowin'. Don'nah be ah knowin' for how long, but I were'nah thinkin' 'bout it when they be ah poppin' up on the screen. I were just so fuckin' happy ta be ah seein' him."
She snorts as she playfully hits his chest. "Well, that's probably for the best. Her whole gang seemed to be surprisingly sweet for working under her."
"We all be ah proud o' our masks." Harry shrugs.
"That's really true." Sad. Frustrating. But true. She sighs, "And they really didn't mention anything bout bringin' anyone else over? Like, didn't even hint about it?" She rolls her lip between her teeth again. There were so many of them, her crew included that had no business in this place. She was happy that some of them had managed to leave- Especially Carlos. After spending that day keeping him from hurting himself, she wasn't even sure how the boy survived so long.
Harry frowns as he tilts his head to the side, "At first it were ah bein' like Jay just be ah wantin' ta make sure T and Deez be okay, and that we be ah in the know 'bout T's situation. And then, I just-" He sighs, "Honestly Uma, they were both ah lookin' so guilty over everythin', I- I just be wantin' them ta be free ta move on. I should ah been askin', but I just be ah tryin' ta put their minds at ease."
"Well at least they got Deez' letters." She sighs. "And we know that The Prince is getting them."
After the way Harry described his reaction to seeing pictures of Deez, after seeing the library, surely he'd want to bring her over at least. Her stomach twists. She didn't want to lose their Baby Girl. Like at all, but if it meant her being free of this place… She'd drug her if she'd have to. If Deez had managed to get the Rottens off the isle- She couldn't imagine how loud she'd be able to advocate in Auradon. Especially if the four of them were left behind.
It would fucking kill her- Tear her apart but- If it meant freedom for her?
There were so many more than just her family here that needed out. She knew that. She wasn't even sure how Freddie was still alive. Girl was as dumb as she was sensitive, and was constantly talking about how she could see things. Not to mention couldn't fight worth a shit.
It wasn't like Deez would be alone. She'd have her friends with her. She knew, as much as she hated to admit it, that the other gang would take care of her until they could join them.
She blinks when she feels Faustina slide up next to her to share the ledge seat Deez has so carefully carved out.
"You're not tired of swimming already are you?" Uma asks with a smile.
"No." Faustina shakes her head as she stares out at the shore, "I just…" She bites her lip, "You looked… I just wanted to sit with you two, if that's okay?"
"Course it is." Uma nods before she wraps her arm over Faustina's' shoulder, "And if I looked sad, I was just wonderin' if any more of us are going to get pulled to Auradon." She sighs, "And realizing that as afraid as I was that Deez had been taken, she's also the one who wouldn't have stopped working until we were able to join her, all of us."
"Oh." Faustina leans against her. "I- I think it'd be more weird if the prince didn't pull more of us off the isle. He was so thrilled to meet Harry and T, and to see the pictures of the rest of you." She chews her lip, "But he might only be able to bring over four at a time, and didn't want to upset the two of them- Or the rest of you by pointing it out. It has to be a hard decision, right? To be forced to know who to leave behind?" She wonders out loud.
"And," Faustina continues, "I'm sure the other's were depressed and worried about leaving the two behind when they were summoned. Well, Mal was probably more angry but that's just how she gets away with caring…" She frowns. "Deez, as much as he wants to meet her, is probably going to be one of the last pulled though, if he's thinking clearly. No one else sends him updates and articles. And no one else would. Besides, the Rotten's know that you guys are more than capable of surviving and toughing out the isle more than most- So, if they are going to bring more over I'd put my herbs on Dizzy and the others in her age group, since they're not as great at defending themselves."
Uma closes her eyes against the burning in the back of her throat. Only four at a time? It made sense, only four had been taken the first time. Deez hadn't even been invited to go, and T had been thrown in the dungeon. But what would make it so only four VKs at a time could go? And how often? It had been almost three months since the Rottens were taken. If there was even a plan to get more VKs to Auradon, how long would it take doing it by groups of four?
Oh look, a math problem. A slight giggle bubbles over her lips.
Both Harry and Faustina look at her in concern.
"How many VKs do you think there are, at least VKs worth saving?"
"I think the last time T counted there was a little over four hundred kids, including the urchins. The number worth saving? " Faustina frowns, "Probably three hundred-"
"So, with the possibility being that they can only bring four over at a time, for whatever fucking reason, it would take like eighty to a hundred more groups to get us all over there. And it's been three months already and they didn't even mention it. That's going to take for fucking ever."
"Well, it would take seventy-five groups, and assuming it's one group every three months that's…" She narrows her eyes, "Two hundred twenty-five months, which means nearly nineteen years. And that's not including other kids being born between now and then. And since you guys and so many others are sexually active- You'd probably want your kids to go first so, there's a good chance-"
"We might never see the other side of the barrier." Uma pulls her arms back to hide her face against her palms, "I mean, and that's if there's even a plan, and if it's every three months, and if anyone out there actually cares about the rest of us."
They all fall silent.
"Is that really so bad?" Faustina frowns, "Give it another ten years, and it will be our generation in charge."
"One-" Uma groans, "Will we ever actually be in charge of anything?"
"I think so." Faustina offers softly, "I mean, T already got the goblins to follow him instead of Maleficent. And Harry's already taken care of one, think about how scared you were of him as a child. As powerful as Maleficent is, T has her tripling her security. And he's only one of us." She kicks her feet slowly as she looks out at the shore again, deep in thought. "They tried to keep us down with fear, violence, and…" She shakes her head, "but as we've gotten older, so have they." She sits up and turns to her with thoughtful eyes. "I think that even if we never set foot outside the barrier it wouldn't be so bad once you take charge of it, Captain."
Uma stares at her, mouth slightly open. What? It sounded like the other girl had put a lot of thought into her scenario.
"Aye." Harry grins as he sits up straighter and turns towards her, "All hail Queen Uma, ah mighty gem among pirates." He wraps his arm around her shoulders, "I be ah supportin' ya take'n' over."
"Funny." Uma rolls her eyes. They were being so ridiculous right now it was nearly ludicrous.
"I-I think you'd be surprised by the number of urchins that would too… Out of all the gangs left, yours is the only one that doesn't demean, beat, humiliate, or steal their food. The other gangs do those things for fun." She bites her lip, "Add that to the fact you have Deez and T following you..." She begins to fidget. "And considering the fact they've always been kind and looked out for them, stepped in to defend them..." She trails off as she looks down her cheeks as red as her hair. "I just- I don't think it's as implausible as you might believe it is..."
"I mean, Uma. It be ah plan ta be ah thinkin' over if nothin' else." Harry points out after staring at her.
"I-I've put a lot of thought into it…" Faustina continues to fidget. "And I mean," She bites her lip, "it's not l-like Atilla isn't already planning something similar."
Atilla was planning something similar? How could she possibly know that?
Harry's eye twitches before he slips down from the seat to tread water in front of Faustina, raising an eyebrow at her, "Ya wanna be ah stopin' that?"
Faustina blinks before she suddenly sits on her hands. "Sorry, sir."
Uma looks between the two in confusion. What was he asking her to stop? She frowns as she looks between the two.
Harry shakes his head before he holds his hand out, palm up, "Let me see."
Faustina shrinks inward as she reluctantly places her hand in his, not looking up from the water.
Uma's eyes widen at the red seeping out from under the girl's bandaged hand, "What is that?" She asks as a bad feeling settles over her.
"I'm sorry," Faustina whispers meekly, barely loud enough for her to hear. She curls into herself, hiding her face in her knees.
"Faustina be ah havin' ah bad habit like T we be ah needin' ta be ah watchin' for." Harry explains before he lets her hand dip back into the water. "She be ah roughin' herself raw, like T be ah diggin' his fingers inta the popped stitch that ain'nah be fully healin' on his arm. But, they don'nah be knowin' they be ah doin' it."
Uma closes her eyes as she lets out a sigh. That wasn't good. She blinks her eyes open, "I'm sure the hold has gloves, when we get home we'll find her a pair." She frowns as she looks at Faustina who had managed to tuck herself into a small ball. She could feel her shaking. She frowns. She'd managed to go from care-free, to concerned, heavy, and terrified in under an hour.
"Aye, I be ah thinkin' that too." Harry nods before he pulls himself up to sit beside her and pulls Faustina into his lap.
She cringes as Faustina winces at the touch. She'd thought it was weird that the other girl hadn't flinched from touch since she'd been on the ship. A sharp pang makes her chest ache, as she resists the urge to take the girl from Harry and hug her to her; the size difference be damned. It wasn't like she hadn't curled small enough for her to do it. She reaches out, bracing herself for the flinch as she starts rubbing the other girl's back. Like they didn't have enough scars. Is that what she was always doing when her hands were in her pockets?
"Ya ain'nah bein' in trouble, Love." Harry explains before he presses his lips to the top of her head, "This just be ah new thing for ya and T, and we be ah needin' ta help ya realize when ya be ah doin' it so you can be ah stoppin'. It ain'nah nothin' we ain'nah been seein' ah 'fore, or be ah doin' to ourselves at one time or 'nother."
Uma nods as she continues to rub Faustina's back, "You're not in trouble. T's not in trouble… For this." She hated herself for having to make that distinction, but she wasn't going to lie. The girl had obviously been lied to her entire fucking life. No. She refused to be a part of that.
"I'm sorry." Faustina breathes out shakily.
"You don't need to be apologizing to us." Uma frowns before she moves closer, lightly putting a crooked finger under Faustina's chin to tilt her head back so she looks at her, "You're not hurting us, you're hurting yourself. Yes, we care about you. But this isn't something we can fix for you. All we can do is tell you that you're doing it, and be here for you. But this is something you have to want to change." Her eyes drop to her wrist, where a light scar was just barely peeking out from under her bangles. They jump to the light scars covering the back of Harry's hand where Tick-Tok's teeth grazed him before they'd been able to wrestle him away from the crocodile. All marks they did to themselves, and things they had to choose to stop doing. "But, we'd love to help, and your family is here if you can't find a reason to stop."
Tears gather in the other girl's eyes as she continues to look at her lap as she hugs her knees closer to her. "I-" She bites her lip, as she starts fidgeting again, wincing when Harry and her both reach out and stop her. Her lower lip trembles. "Sorry." She quickly stumbles over herself. "Sorry." She blinks, her tears start to stream down her face before she hides her face in her knees again. Her shaking intensified.
Harry presses his lips to the top of her head.
"We're not upset." Uma soothes as she works with Harry to shift until they could both cuddle against her, "Not at all Faustina, we're just here for you." She nuzzles her cheek to the other girl's as Harry gently runs his fingers through the fine red wine strands of her hair.
"I-I'm sorry." Faustina breathes out shakily. "I'm sorry-I'm sorry-I'm sorry." Her entire body was as tense as an anchored chain.
"Sshh," Uma coaxes, "Just breathe, Beautiful Girl, just breathe." She smiles, encouraged when the girl at least tries to do as instructed, albeit choppily and in between apologies.
"Aye," Harry holds her tighter to his chest, "It be ah bein' alright," He nudges Faustina's head gently with his chin. "We jus' be ah carin' 'bout ya."
"So, so, so very much," Uma adds softly. "I promise." She squeezes her arm tenderly. "It's okay, we're not mad."
"An' we ain'nah goin' nowhere." Harry grins over Faustina's head at her.
"Not at all." Uma agrees, smiling back as she continues rubbing her back. "So take yer time honey, we'll be right here."
The two of them tenderly stroke her back and offer gentle promises and soothing words, until Faustina's cries taper off. The tension she'd been feeling in the other girl slowly melts away as her breathing evens out and her constant apologies finally end.
"Beautiful Girl?" Uma prompts gently.
Harry chuckles lightly, "I think we be ah soothin' her ta sleep." He whispers.
She can't help her heavy sigh as she settles back next to Harry, her hand still rubbing the girl's back. "Wasn't the best way for that to go." She frowns, "But I have a feeling she might've needed that. She hasn't really cried since they woke up- At least not that I'm aware of." She leans against the two of them, relieved the other girl trusted them enough to fall asleep. They had that going for them. Still, she was worried it was the last they were going to see of the shy girl for a while. She looks at Faustina's hoodie clad back in concern as her stomach twists painfully.
And she thought it had been bad when T ran away from them. She frowns. Faustina was pretty much hidden in plain sight. Always had been. It hurt that she'd never noticed there was something so different with T before it was too late. How the hell had he kept her hidden for so long? He'd never even mentioned a sister. Never let anything slip. How had he managed to keep so much from them?
It was a hard oyster to swallow. Even after over two months of knowing the truth.
Their back was pretty much patchwork, the scars layered thickly over each other. How many times had he come to the shop injured? How many times had he kicked her out of the shop to take over her shift while in that state? How many times had he searched for things to store on her ship while in that much pain?
Sea Gods! How long had he lived with it? Why hadn't he ever told any of them? Would he still keep such grievous wounds hidden from them if, Neptune forbid, he sustained them? The thought had the back of her throat burning. Made her eyes sting. What had made him think such things were acceptable? Did he not realize they cared about him, as much as he did them?
She wanted to know as much as she was afraid of that truth.
So, this chapter went light to heavy pretty quickly…
What did you guys think?
Are you guys surprised about how quickly Faustina took to the water? How about those hypotheticals?
Uma was pretty deep in thought in this one, what did you guys think about all of her introspection? Especially the bit at the end about T?
What do you think about the breathing exercises all of them partake in?
Were you surprised by Uma and Harry's reactions to finding out what T's been doing with D? Do you agree with Uma that the rest of the family wouldn't be able to do it?
When do you think Ben and the Core will be able to bring the others over? Was the math overwhelming?
Do you think Faustina was onto something about her thoughts on why D is having such a difficult time with Algebra?
Let us know!
Much love and appreciation!
-Twisted