Hey Descendants,
Time totally got away from me today as I had to brave the Covid-19 infested Florida to track down stuff to make gift Baskets for my sister's baby shower on Sunday.
But I got it done! And I got this posted. Yay me?
We hope you enjoy this update! Don't forget to let us know you were here :)
Lots of Love!
-Dark-
Deez smiles as she finishes up her story about Mimi running away from T. The partially blurred photo wasn't the best, but at least her face was clear. She chuckles, T was probably happy to not have boy parts after that encounter. Mimi was vicious when cornered.
Mal would be so proud.
She bites her lip as she looks to the next picture.
Cecelia.
Oh, this one was easy. She was clever and sweet, and so talented at-
"Treasure!" Harry grins wickedly as he plucks her up from the ground, the sudden motion jarring her from her thoughts as her notebook and pen go flying. Thankfully she'd already glued all the pictures in place, or they would have scattered faster than the fortune teller's tarot cards on a windy day, "Yensid be ah sayin' we be done! Pool, Baby Girl! Pool!" He chants as he runs with her pressed to his chest.
"My notebook!" She pouts as she pulls herself up to wrap her arms around Harry's neck and look back over his shoulder.
She lets out a sigh of relief when Yensid bends to collect it and holds his thumb up.
Gil grins, "Yes!" He pumps his fist before he starts undressing. "Pool time!"
Uma chuckles as she shakes her head, "At least wait for her to heat it, Sweet boy!" she chides hypocritically as she pulls off her shirt.
"Okay, okay." Deez giggles as Harry places her down next to the heating stone. They were so happy it was hard not to be affected. She ignites her hands before she places them to the stone. She furrows her brow as she looks around for Faustina. But from here she couldn't see the other side of the cave where she's been holding up against the crook of the beach and the cliff.
Harry whoops before he starts tugging off his clothes. "Skewl be ah hellova lotta work for jus' bein' paper and a book."
"Yeah," Gil chuckles, "But it's fun though. I like learnin' new stuff."
"Aye." Uma agrees, laughing as her boys cross their arms over their chests and hop from foot to foot. "I be tellin' ya to be waiting to take off your clothes." She shakes her head.
"You guys are so impatient sometimes." She grins up at them. She couldn't deny them this kind of family time, and though she'd wanted to pull Gil with her when she left to think, she couldn't stand the thought of him losing the smile lighting his face up.
Uma winks at Harry before she runs and dives into the deep end. "Enjoy freezin' boys." She chuckles as she breaks the water and starts wading.
"Ya be thinkin' yer funny right now Cap'n." Harry glares.
"She did tell us to wait." Gil toes at the sand until it grows too cold for him to continue.
"Come here." Deez rolls her eyes as she warms herself up. "I can't let you guys freeze even if it would be your fault."
"Treasure! Ya be ah lifesaver!" Harry wraps his arms around her hugging her tightly to his chest.
Gil joins on the opposite side. His hands out like she was a campfire.
"I can handle a hug." She chuckles up at him.
"Uh-uh." Gil shakes his head, "I won't be able to help pickin' you up. I can wait."
Yensid smiles as he settles about twenty feet from the pool, content to flip through her notebook and the workbooks they'd all spent the last few hours on.
"Fair." She chuckles before she pulls her hands away from the stone, "Harry? Need to move please." If she was just going to end up joining them anyway, might as well heat the pool her new way.
"But I be'in comfortable." He nuzzles against her hair.
"Okay." She shrugs before she carefully shimmies out of the overly large sweat pants and ducks out from under the hoodie in Harry's grip.
"Hey! Ya be a tricky lil' Treasure today." Harry pouts as Uma and Gil laugh at him.
"Yep." She turns back to the pool, takes a deep breath, and jumps in before she can think too hard about it.
Uma quickly grabs her by the waist before she pulls her to her chest out of reflex. "Baby Girl ya be nearly givin' me a heart attack."
"Nice catch." She grins before she heats her entire body and places a hand to the stone wall, "I just thought this would be faster."
Harry and Gil both look at each other with a gleam in their eyes before they race for the pool, attempting to bump each other out of the way or trip each other to get in first.
Deez presses her face into Uma's neck to avoid the splashes, focusing on taking deep breaths and the flames between her hand and the wall.
"You're doin' great Baby Girl," Uma whispers as she holds her tighter. "You're hard work is really payin' off."
Her lip trembles before she nuzzles closer to Uma, "Thank you." She whispers. She'd thought for sure Uma was still upset with her for earlier, so it felt extra nice to receive praise from her.
"Of course." Uma kisses the top of her head.
"Ya be ah bein' right lil' Treasure, this way do be ah gettin' faster results." Harry commends her as he swims up and wraps his arms around her and Uma.
"Yeah," Gil grins at her as he follows after Harry and hugs the three of them from behind. "Thanks, Deez." He squeezes the three of them to his chest.
"How am I supposed to say no to that level of excitement?" She chuckles, "Please, tell me, cause I seriously have no idea how." She teases.
"That's definitely a T question." Uma chuckles and looks around. She takes a deep breath and sighs. "Or Faustina." She pouts before she shakes her head, "But we're all glad you can't be denying us, Baby Girl."
"And we never be ah tellin' ya anyway," Harry adds playfully.
Gil chuckles as he nuzzles against Harry's neck. "Can't be givin' away all our secrets just yet."
She smiles as steam starts to rise from the water.
"Aye. Gotta be leavin' something for the imagination." Uma teases.
"Oh, like I can't get creative enough to figure out a way?" She chuckles.
"Ya be the one ah sayin' it." Harry chuckles.
"Aye." Deez sadly shakes her head, "I've got other things to work on, figuring out how to say no to you guys is really low on my priorities." She chuckles when she realizes how true that statement was.
"As it should be," Harry sticks out his tongue.
"It shouldn't be on her list at all." Uma snorts. "Don't ya be lovin' us at all Baby Girl? How can ya be resistin' the Sweet Boy's guppy eyes?" She teases as she pulls her closer and wiggles her against her happily.
She can't help her giggle as she drops her hand from the wall and fully wraps her arms around Uma, "Didn't I just say I can't? I'm incapable. Unable. Powerless. Com-plete-ly helpless." She mockingly pouts.
Uma giggles, "Good point." She starts running her fingers up and down her sides.
Her eyes widen, "Uma no!" She twists in her arms, trying to reach for the side of the pool.
"What she be ah-" Harry's eyes take on a wicked gleam before he joins Uma in her assault.
Deez chuckles and screams in a strange mixture of fear and delight as she kicks her legs under the water fruitlessly. She might be able to float and swim, but she was no match for anyone of them, let alone both when they already had her held tight.
Gil chuckles, "Two against one ain't fair." He starts too, "But you're a goddess."
"Demi! Demi!" She shouts as she twists in their grips, "No fair! No fair!"
"Totally be bein' fair," Harry grins giddily, "Ya be bein' helpless remember?"
"Aye, that be what I be hearin. What about you, Sweet Boy?"
"Yeah," He chuckles, "I heard it too."
She shakes her head as she fights against their hold, half screaming as she twists and pulls against them. Part of her was terrified she was going to end up dipping under the water. The other part was afraid of what she'd do to get away if that happened.
"Don'nah be ah soundin' like it." Harry teases. "All I be ah hearin' be laughter."
"Aye." Uma giggles, "That be what I'm hearing too."
"Found it!" She pants wildly as she reaches out to cling to Gil's arm, "Found it found it found it!"
Gil pulls her to him protectively the minute she wraps her hand around his. "Knew it was in ya Baby Girl."
"To say no to yer damn guppy eyes?" She takes a deep breath before she wraps her arms around his neck.
Gil chuckles as he nods his head.
"Aye," Uma agrees, still giggling. "Ya be learnin' quick there, Treasure."
"Yeah. I learned to remember this the next time you meanies want the pool warmed up." She glares.
"Aww, ya know ya be ah lovin' it." Harry grins at her. "Ya be lookin' all glum an' gloomy earlier. Now ya be smilin' through yer glares."
"You got sand in yer eyes?" She breathes in huffs as her arms tighten around Gil. She did not want to admit she'd been scared. That felt stupid. They wouldn't let her go under and she knew it.
"C'mon Baby Girl, Harry's right. Ya needed some cheerin' up after earlier." Uma coos as she treads water nearby.
Deez lets her head drop to Gil's shoulder as she takes a couple of deep breaths, "Yeah. You're right." She admits shakily. It was easier than getting into another argument. Maybe she just looked more comfortable in the water than she felt. She shouldn't have been so bold to jump in.
"Of course I am, " Uma grins, "That's why I'm the Captain."
"So she can be ah bein' right even when she be ah wrong." Harry snorts before he sinks into the water so only his eyes were above it and starts inching towards the distracted Uma.
Gil shakes his head as he watches Harry, "You're the Captain because you're an amazing leader and an even better mother-hen."
Uma perks up at that, "I am, aren't I?" She beams.
Harry winks at her and Gil before he tackles Uma from behind and begins to tickle her, followed by the sound of giddy laughter and the wet slaps as she scolds Harry to let her go.
Deez shakes her head, "Nope!" She drops her death hold around Gil's neck and pushes against his chest to swim as far away from that as she could.
Gil chuckles as he follows her, "Don't leave me to deal with that. Harry's gonna be used for whip practice tomorrow."
"You joined them," Deez groans, "Go play tickle in the water."
"Nope, rather be safe over here with you, thanks." He pulls her to his chest and locks his arm around her before he settles in one of the seats. "I'll behave, promise. I just couldn't stop myself before, your laughter's just infectious."
She watches him carefully as she breathes, "I shouldn't have jumped in." She sighs before she lets her head fall against his chest. "You were so happy to get to play with them, and now you're stuck over here with the one pirate who's afraid of the water."
"I'm exactly where I want to be though." He grins down at her after kissing her forehead. "And I doubt you're the only pirate in history afraid of water. Don't be so down on yourself Deez. You've made so much progress in the last couple of months. I'm really proud of you."
She smiles against his skin, "Trying." She sighs. It made her feel better to hear he was proud of her. "Thank you."
"Course, Treasure." He runs his hands carefully through her hair, collecting it to lay over her shoulder before he presses his lips to her forehead again.
She takes a slow, deep breath in before she grabs his hand and presses it to her chest to let him feel her still pounding heart. "Thank you for pulling me out when I grabbed you." She takes another deep breath, "I was scared I was going to hurt someone." She admits as she looks up at him.
His brow furrows as he watches his hand. "You really were scared." He sighs before he pulls her closer to his chest, "Baby Girl, I'm so sorry. We were just playing, and it was so nice to be hearin' you laugh and giggle after this morning. We weren't thinking." He takes her hand in his before he brings her hand to his lips and kisses the center of her palm. "Sorry for being so thoughtless."
"I'm not mad. It was fun," she bites her lip, "and I tried so hard to remind myself that you guys wouldn't let me go under-"
"Of course we wouldn't Deez," He kisses her forehead, "But I get bein' afraid of it. We all have our own things we're working through right now." He puts her on his lap and places a gentle kiss to her lips. "It was mean not to think about how you'd feel though."
"No, I-" She closes her eyes, wishing he'd kiss her again so she could stop thinking. So she's surprised when he does as he holds her closer.
"It's okay Deez," He whispers against her lips. "Just breathe. And focus on me okay, before you try talking." He kisses her tenderly again. "Trust me. I promise it'll help."
She smiles against his lips, melting at his request for her to trust him. "I do." She whispers as she gently wraps her arms around his neck.
"Then tell me what's going on in that pretty lil' head of yours. You've been distracted all day, and something clearly upset you earlier. I've been worried about you." He nuzzles against her cheek gently before he places another kiss on her lips.
She presses forward when he tries to pull back, wanting a couple more moments to collect her thoughts as she clings to him tightly. She smiles at his laughter rumbling in his chest as he complies and continues to kiss her.
Her thoughts scatter like ash in the wind as he cups the back of her head and holds her closer, his lips soft as they brush over her's with a tenderness that made her feel like the treasure he named her.
She takes a deep breath when he realizes her heart was pounding for a different reason.
But he'd been right, focusing on him and only him helped clear the thoughts crowding her head.
The problem now was that she just wanted to keep kissing him.
Wanted to feel his hands in her hair and taste the salt that clung to his lips. She breathes deeply, loving his metallic, ash, and sea scent that clung to him any time they were at the cove.
He drops one hand to her waist, grinning at her as if seeking permission before he deepens their kiss. "This helpin?" He asks.
She blinks as she looks up at him, tilting her head back slightly which only gave him more room to pull her closer.
He said something.
She was pretty sure he asked her a question.
Why couldn't she remember?
What was it about his closeness that helped turn her mind off? What was it about his warm lips that made her forget the rest of the world?
She giggles when he pecks her lips.
"What are thoughts?" She asks in defeat.
Another rumbling chuckle leaves his lips, "I'll take that as a yes, then." He kisses her slowly again.
She loved the way she fit perfectly against his chest as she runs her fingers through his curls that were stubbornly refusing to straighten out even though they were wet.
She smiles against his soft lips, relaxing into his hold on her as she lets her legs settle around his waist.
This was one of her favorite places to be, even in the water.
Here she was held to his firm chest with strong arms protecting her.
It was better than all the small tight places she sought when she needed a moment of privacy.
Here, in Gil's arms, she had privacy. She had warmth.
He was like those moments when enough clouds parted and the sun was more visible beyond the barrier.
He was the strange and beautiful light that shimmered in beams as it filtered to the ground.
He was safe even, no, especially when she felt confused.
He was definitely petitioning for family time tonight.
Kissing Uma and Harry had become comforting over the years. Brought him a sense of peace and clarity.
But with Deez? It brought a whole new fire to his belly.
He'd been worried about her since she'd shut down on them this morning. Crying over her inability to explain how she knew why something was the right answer. He wasn't sure why, but his gut was telling him it was something more than that. Something deeper. And he wanted to know so he could help. It hurt to see her so distraught.
It felt nice to do something to help her calm down a little. He hadn't thought to do something like this for her before T managed to slow his panic with a touch. He'd have to thank him later.
He takes a deep breath as she moves her knees on either side of his thighs and deepens the kiss of her own accord. He was as happy as he was surprised, even if he did have to think about some rather unpleasant things to keep the situation from getting too awkward or uncomfortable for her right now.
But his mind kept seizing on two things.
Two thin pieces of clothing separating them.
Sea Gods! Was this how Harry felt all the time?
Cause damn.
Deez sighs and slowly blinks her bright blue eyes open to watch him, looking slightly dazed. "I uh- This morning or pool first?" She questions.
Gorgeous. She looked so damn pretty right now, with her slightly swollen lips and the way she was looking up at him in awe.
A boyish grin tugs at his lips, his chest filling with pride as she presses her fingers to her lips.
As if she couldn't believe how great kissing could really be.
Not that he blamed her. Kissing her always made everything else in his world disappear too.
"Morning, if you're okay with it."
She slowly nods before she drops her hand, letting it rest in the cradle where her stomach met his. "I got frustrated because trying to break down my thought process makes my head hurt, and with math-" Her nose scrunches in disgust, "I kept second-guessing everything I was doing and making mistakes, and I kept getting the wrong answer every time I tried to do it the way it wanted me to do it."
"Ah." He nods, as he runs his hand through her hair before he pushes it back behind her ear, grazing her cheek tenderly with his knuckle as he did so. That he understood well.
He'd spent more than half of his life feeling incompetent. An idiot. It was disheartening and frustrating to not be able to pick something up, especially if you were giving it your best. It was weird coming from her though. His Deez was one of the smartest people he knew, and he knew a lot of smart people.
"And I, I was trying to, I just wanted to know we were going to the cove because- Well I was excited, but then Uma said we had to get three sections done and I just-" she shakes her head, "I gave up. I can do it when I'm not thinking about all the steps, but when I try to understand why I know it, when I try to understand my brain, it all starts to fall apart. And that's how I feel about a lot of things. Like knowing things I shouldn't know. As long as I just trust that I know it, I know it. But when I try to figure out how, I start-" She holds her hand up between them, like she was trying to fit something together before she lets them fall back into the slight space between them, "It all falls apart and I just have thousands of thoughts scatter and crowd me."
He frowns, "I'm sorry. Second-guessing yourself is never fun. I've done it my whole life." He places a chaste kiss to her lips. "So for you to have so many things come naturally to you, only to run into something else you're not sure how to explain must be really upsetting." He runs his hand over her back comfortingly. "But no one's perfect, remember what T used to say? Progress not perfection? It applies to more than just your abilities, you know?" He grins, "But you know, if you ever have to shut off your thoughts, I think we figured out a way to do it."
Her eyes close on the word perfect, but she shakes her head, smiling when she opens them again, "You're going to get so tired of me randomly kissing you. My head gets full a lot." She admits with a sigh.
"Never." He quickly assures her, knowing in his gut he'd never been so sure of anything. "Please feel free to use me as your eraser anytime you need to clear your head." Okay, so a lot more family time. Harry was going to be thrilled. "I promise I'll never complain about random kisses from you."
She chuckles, "Eraser sounds weird, but still, accurate."
"Describes me pretty well doesn't it?" He rubs his nose against hers.
"You're not weird."
"I'm a little weird. We all are. There's nothing wrong with being a bit weird."
"Fine," She grins up at him, "you're a weird eraser."
He chuckles before he leans down to kiss her again. "Your weird eraser. I'd love nothing more than to be your clarity."
"Mmhmm." She presses against him again, and he thoroughly enjoys her clinging to him to deepen the kiss, tilting her head before she pulls him closer.
He swallows the moan before it crosses his lips, shifting to cup the back of her head. For as awful as this day had started, it was certainly turning into one he'd never forget.
She blinks up at him again when she pulls away, "I didn't mean to argue with Uma."
"I know." He assures her. "You were both hurt and frustrated. We told you a while ago that we'd occasionally hurt each other, it's hard not to when you're as close as we are. But it's not the end of the world."
She tilts her head thoughtfully before she nods, "I still don't know why Harry got mad at me."
He frowns. "I don't know either,'' he admits. "Maybe he was frustrated with a math problem, too."
Deez frowns, but also nods as if she were accepting the answer, "But I- I know it was a-" she shivers before she continues in a rush, "a stupid frustrated tantrum. I know. But when Uma called it that- I just. I started crying. And I couldn't stop. No matter how much I tried."
"It can hurt to be called out." He runs his fingers through her hair before he pulls her head closer to kiss her forehead.
"I don't know if that was it. It did hurt, but it made me think about all the times I used to run back to my tunnels, and Mal, and the well, and I, I try so hard not to run, to just stand and not move and deal with things, and I wanted to say that, but I couldn't."
Gil frowns as he continues to run his hand over her hair, "But you didn't run." He points out. "I understand how frustrating it can be not to get something Deez, to feel incompetent. But that's why we have family. To help us when we can't help ourselves. Next time you start getting that frustrated just try asking for some time so you can figure out what's bothering you."
"But that's what I used to do and you guys said I hurt you, so I was trying not to do that."
"I need space to figure out things out sometimes. It only hurts when you don't explain why you're going, or when you literally run from us. Communicating is important. You should get that," He scolds her gently, "you're a writer."
"I write better than I talk."
"Then write through it, silly." He chuckles, "We get that. We don't expect you to do everything the exact way we do. You're going to have to figure out what works for you."
She furrows her brow as she looks away, "There's something else that bothered me, but I don't know why."
"Do you know what?"
"Part of the reason I was so- that- was when Uma told me I didn't have to get the right answer, I just had to try, I froze."
"You're not one of Carlos' machines Treasure, you're not going to be perfect at everything. I get it's frustrating to not understand something, but that shouldn't stop you from trying it all together."
"Wait, no, it's not that- I wasn't- I mean it felt, something, I can't just try, I do. I have to."
"No, you think that you can't try. Because you're not used to getting things wrong. Or having to explain it. You get frustrated when people expect you to know where your dots come from too. But math is different. There's formulas. There's steps. That's why Uma wants you to try."
"I know how to do it," she sighs as she fidgets before she stares back into his eyes, "and I do it in my head."
"But you don't show the steps Deez." He shakes his head. "And steps are important. What if we told you what to do because we knew it was the best thing for you and we expected you to just do it? Without taking time or having the patience to guide you through it. Steps are work, and sometimes they can be hard, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do them."
She bites her lip and looks away, "Okay." She sighs.
"Doesn't sound okay. It sounds like you're just done talking about it right now, which is okay. Just please don't lie to me."
"I meant okay, I get that I have to do work that makes me slow down and question how my thoughts work and get things wrong and mess up and I have to keep doing it until I don't get them wrong anymore and-"
"Deez," He frowns, fighting the urge to kiss her thoughts away again.
But she was sounding so panicked, and kind of scared, "I get things wrong all the time. I'm slow with almost everything. If you actually take the time to learn how to do it the right way, it won't be so difficult to do in the future." He takes a deep breath trying to ignore the pang in his chest. "It kind of hurts that you think messing up is synonymous with being a failure. What do you think of me?"
Her breath hitches in her throat as she pulls back, "I didn't say that." Her eyes dart around his face frantically.
"Not in so many words you didn't," He sighs, "but that's what it sounded like to me."
"But that's not," Her breaths shorten, "I didn't mean it like that," She frowns, closing her eyes as she shakes her head, "That's not what I think."
He lets out a heavy sigh, "I think I'm a bit sensitive about this topic. Things come so naturally for you Deez, but I always have to work so hard to understand anything."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She blinks up at him again, but this time her eyes were glassy, "But this- this is why- They get hurt. I hurt people when I mess up."
"I hurt people too Deez, we all hurt people, each other. We all mess up. Best thing you can do is learn from it, but know you'll never be perfect."
"I have to be- I have to do things right. I don't want them to get-" Her eyes widen as she shakes against him.
Gil lifts a brow. "Them?" He holds her tighter.
"I'm sorry." She shakes her head, "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't think," She shakes her head again, "didn't explain it right."
"It's okay Deez, I know that things don't come easy to me, it's not news." Gil shakes his head, "Who's them?"
She stares at his chest blankly, "They don't come easy to me either. Why do you think I used to shut myself away for so long when I messed up? Why T started hide and seek?"
Gil frowns."Who's them Deez? Who are you worried about hurting?" That's what sounded important right now. Deez couldn't stand the thought of anyone she cared about getting hurt. He could talk to her about what she did when she locked herself away later.
"When I couldn't do things-" She grabs his wrist, "I just, I- I try to be perfect for them so they don't get hurt when he gets angry. If I can be perfect- if I can do what he wants-"
His brows narrow, "Pain and Panic?" He asks. That was the only 'them' that made sense. He runs his hand through her hair.
It made sense, but hurt to know it was yet another thing her father held over her.
"You're father was going to hurt them either way Deez." He sighs. "But I'm sorry. I know how hard it can be to overcome something so ingrained into you. It took the fo-five of you years to get me to see I wasn't an idiot. And, I mean, I still struggle with those thoughts." He admits with a frown. "It's going to take us years to get you to understand you can't expect to be perfect and that no one's going to get hurt when you're not."
"I think that's what happened, why I couldn't stop crying. Why everything hurt."
"I agree." He nods as he strokes her head again. "It makes a lot of sense."
"I'm sorry." She hugs him, "I'm sorry I made you hurt."
He shrugs as he pulls her closer with one arm. "It happens, Deez."
"But I love the way you look at everything, I love seeing things the way you do." She burrows her face against his chest, dangerously close to the waterline, "The way you make things better. Make things brighter. I used to count the hours until I got to see you again, got to talk to you."
A slow smile tugs at his lips. "I did too, count the hours I mean." He brushes another wayward strand of silky hair behind her ear. "We all did. It was awful when you couldn't come see us anymore."
She nods against him as his fingers slip through her hair.
"And ya know, I'm not perfect either. Everyone has things they're sensitive about." He admits with a grimace, "I really appreciate you enjoying my advice though. Not many do. I'm glad I help make things better, usually."
"You are to me." She whispers so softly he almost missed it.
Gil smiles as he kisses her forehead. "Please don't put that kind of pressure on me."
"I don't mean for it to be," She sighs, "I just, you are." She opens her mouth before she lets out a huff and drops her eyes, "You're my eraser."
He runs his hand through her hair again. "Forever and always. But erasers get dirty, bitten, and broken too."
"Not weird ones."
He chuckles as he hugs her to him.
"Sorry, I don't know how to say it. You're just, you've always been my safety, and my feel better."
He looks down at her, "You've always been my Treasure that I wanted to protect, and one of the few people that didn't make me feel less then."
She rubs her hand over her face before she looks up at him again, "I'm glad I never messed up that bad. Cause you're not less." She huffs, "You just-" She scrunches her face in frustration.
He tilts his head before he smiles, "Love you too, Deez."
She purses her lips, "That too." She straightens up before she wraps her hands around his neck and pulls him closer, pressing her lips to his roughly in her whirlwind of thoughts and frustrations.
His eyes widen. He had not expected that. He grins before he wraps both arms around her waist and meets her with equal passion.
Her eyes were brighter when she finally pulls away again. She cups his cheeks in her hands before she takes a deep breath, "Messing up does not make you a failure, and you have never been a failure in my eyes or mind."
Was she reprimanding him for thinking she could have?
Or was she hurt that's the way he'd taken it?
He couldn't tell. Maybe somewhere in the middle? Or something else completely.
He hadn't realized how deeply that wound had scarred. "Same for you, you know. We should both take our own advice. Neither of us are perfect. Messing up might hurt, but it isn't anything we can't work through. And as much as we might feel it at times, neither of us are failures." He says more for himself than her. It made him feel bad he couldn't provide her with what she needed right now. He was usually a much better listener.
"Which is what I meant- When I-" She frowns, "I wasn't trying to put pressure on you-" She sighs as she closes her eyes, "but you are my perfect. Just you being you." She takes a deep breath before she blinks up at him. "Like a fit. Like- Like-" She drops her gaze to his lips, "Like finally finding the right words to articulate how I feel." She groans in frustration.
"Oh." He grins at her. "I feel like that with you too. Like you're a piece of me that I've always been missing."
She pulls her hands away from his face and he sees them shake as she forms them into fists, "That!" She shouts, "You're my that." Her eyes widen, "You're my complete!" She smiles excitedly, "Thank you. Sea gods! That was killing me."
The laugh that pours from his lips as joy bubbles through him makes his chest rumble.
She felt the same way?
She felt like he completed her?
For how long?
Since when?
It didn't matter. She felt the same! He pulls her to him, kissing her deeply.
When she meets his passion with her own he feels his heart about to burst in his chest.
Complete.
He pulls her closer as she melts against him. Their hurt and confusion dissipating in an instant at their clumsy admissions. Gone, or simply forgotten for the moment, as the rest of the world seemed to dwindle to just the two of them.
"Well be ah lookin' at that-" Harry giggles, "Deez an' Gil sittin' in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G."
Until it wasn't.
Uma rolls her eyes before she swats him in the back of his head, "Way to ruin their moment."
"Oi!" Harry whines as he rubs the back of his head.
"Then don't be an ass." Uma chuckles before she swims over to them, "It was 'bout time you two figured all that out."
Deez smiles as she leans her head against his chest, "I don't know why that was so hard to figure out."
He chuckles as he leans down and kisses her head. "Because sometimes even writers need to talk things out."
Deez and Gil sitting in ah fucking tree, meanwhile he'd lost the one he wanted to be in a tree with.
What the fuck?
Yensid frowns as he walks up, "She's not where I last spoke to her."
"We checked the cliff path, " Deez frowns, "But it doesn't look like anyone's climbed it in a while."
"And I don't think she'd go swimming in the ocean in this weather." Gil rubs the back of his neck.
Harry frowns as he turns on the spot, slowly scanning as far as he could make out with the little bit of light shining down from the thin moon grinning mockingly through the barrier.
"Deez, you can see in the dark better than the rest of us." Yensid turns to her, "Maybe it'd be better if the two of you checked to make sure she's not sleeping somewhere on this side of the cove."
"Okay." Deez holds her hand out.
Gil takes her hand, before he turns to Harry, "Call us when Uma finishes looking through the shoals so Deez can dry her?"
"Aye." He nods his head before clapping Gil on the back appreciatively.
"Has anyone checked the dingy yet?" Yensid asks, already walking towards it.
Harry shakes his head before he backs up to stand in the freezing shallows, his eyes still scanning the cove. What the fuck were they missing?
He tilts his head to the side when he notices the barest hint of a shadow flicker in the cave before it's gone again.
His eyes narrow. The one, big fucking place they hadn't even bothered checking.
He jogs out of the shallows and up to the entrance. They'd all been so sure they hadn't seen her go into the cave. But really, who was watching the cave while Deez and Gil had been practicing for family time?
Family time he was pretty damn anxious to get to, now that Gil had made his intentions for the rest of the night known. For once, it wouldn't be him biting at the bit to get attention.
He nearly stumbles over her, sitting with her back to the wall with a small lantern at her feet as she continues to work in the damn workbook. "Really? Ya be ah scarin' the wind outta us ah 'cause ya be ah doing more school?"
"Mhmm." She murmurs, not looking up.
"Don'nah be Mhmmm-in' me none." He glares.
"Mhmm." She repeats as she continues to scratch away in the workbook.
"What I just be ah sayin'?"
"Mhmm."
"No, I be ah sayin' not ta be ah sayin' that."
"Mhmm."
"Faustina." He pops his fists on his hips, "I ain'nah feelin' amused."
"Mhmm." Not putting down the pencil.
He narrows his eyes. Oh, really. She wasn't listening? "Yensid be ah tellin' us we be ah passin', no more schoolin' for us."
"Mhmm."
"Oh aye, we be ah graduatin'."
"Mhmm."
"And now we be ah goin' ta Auradon."
"Mhmm."
"Where we be ah takin' it over!" His voice rises with mock enthusiasm.
"Mhmm." She turns the page, before she starts up again.
"And we be ah pillagin' and plunderin' like the pirates we be."
"Mhmm."
Annnnd... Bored now. But he had a fantastic idea for Deez to write about to add to his collection. He sighs before he walks over and grabs the lantern at her feet. "Ain'nah botherin' ya?"
"Mhmm."
He frowns, "Oh, fine then." He opens the panel and blows the candle out.
"T!" She snaps. He hears the distinct rustle of her clothes as she jumps to her feet. "You asshole. I-"
"H- Woah!." He ducks and takes a step back as he sees her shadowy outline move closer. He feels a shifting in the air as something rushes past his head. Had she just thrown a punch at him?
She squeaks, as he hears a thud as her back hits the wall. "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. So-"
"Love!" He chuckles as he inches closer to her, "That was ah bein' hot as hell!" He grins before he remembers the fact she'd been hiding away in here while they'd all fretted over where she'd gone. As much as he just wanted to revel in this new side of her, he needed to let the others know he'd found her and she was okay.
"Sorry." She breathes again.
"Why ya be ah apologizin' for somethin' bein' silly as that?"
"I-It was rude."
"Cute be the word I would be ah usin'." He chuckles again, "I be ah likin' this feisty side o' ya."
"Oh." He hears her shuffle, "Did, um, did you need something, sir?"
"Oh aye, I be ah needin' somethin' alright." He chuckles as he bends to set the lantern on the ground before he sweeps her off her feet, holding her to his chest like Gil so often carried Deez. "I be ah needin' ta be takin' me Fortune back to the pirate ship."
"Oh, we're leaving already?"
"Aye. If by already ya be ah meanin' it be well after nightfall." He shakes his head as he starts walking.
"Huh." She leans into the crook of his shoulder. "You sound upset… Did I do something wrong?"
"It don'nah be soundin' like ya be ah doin' it ah purpose" He sighs as he walks out of the cave, lifting her higher so he could better hold her to his chest, "But, ya be ah scarin' the barnacles outta us."
She blinks up at him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking..."
"It be lookin' like ya be workin' on school work this whole time." He chuckles.
She nods as she hugs her workbook to her chest tighter.
"We be in the best place on the whole isle, and ya be ah gettin' yer head buried in school." He chuckles before he rubs a cheek to her hair. It had taken him a moment to realize it, but she'd taken the hood down at some point. Probably so she could better see her workbook, but he'd take it. Too bad the thin moon grinning down at them wasn't giving off enough light so revel in the color of her hair.
He could feel the burn of her blush even as she nuzzles back. "It didn't go so well earlier… So I thought it would be better if I did something helpful."
"What did'nah be ah goin' well?" Harry furrows his brow as his steps slow.
"Well, I mean-"
"Oh good, you found her." Yensid sighs in relief as he walks around the dinghy.
He eyes her before he looks up at the old man with a grin, "Aye, I be ah findin' her in the cave workin' on school shite."
"How-" Yensid shakes his head, "I'm glad." His gaze drops to Faustina. "You gave us all quite the scare." He chuckles.
"Barnacles everywhere," Harry adds with a snort.
"Sorry." She turns and buries her head into his shoulder.
He sits on the edge of the dinghy, resting her in his lap before he hugs her tight, "It be ah workin' out for me." He grins against her cheek, "I be ah haulin' ya back like ah real pirate."
Yensid chuckles, "Quite right." He turns, "Fortune found." He calls out.
Oops. He should have done that already.
"Good," Gil calls back in relief.
"Fantastic." Uma glowers as she joins them, wringing out her braids. "Now we can go home."
Harry chuckles at Uma's barely contained exasperation and relief.
He could understand the relief. This could have turned out so much worse, and he was just grateful it hadn't. He'd figure the rest out later. Once they were home and safe.
Hey,
So what did you guys think?
Did you guys enjoy the chapter?
What did you think about the way the Sea3 cheered up Deez? Tickle fights usually do a great job at making her smile, and Uma started it this time. Then Harry finished it by turning it on Uma. LoLz. Do they make you smile too?
Didn't take much for Deez to learn to say no did it? :)
Poor Deez is really struggling with water still. It's hard to get over such an innate fear, especially when said fear has literally killed you once already. Luckily Gil's there to help pull her out of it. Thank the Sea Gods for Sweet Boy taking care of the Baby Girl.
What did you think about the conversation between Gil and Deez? It was the first time in a while they've had such a deep conversation. Do you understand where Deez was coming from now? I know Gil was a bit sensitive and touchy about the subject. Do you guys understand why? Or do you think he overreacted?
Boom by the way, they still might be dense but they're not dumb. Deez and Gil were finally able to verbalize what everyone in their family had known forever. They're each others' missing piece. That they complete and complement each other. Don't get your hopes up to high. They're still teenagers...
Oh shit! Random thought.
Wanna play a game!?
Can you guess the Sea Family from youngest to oldest?
Anyway, what did you think about Deez's analogy for Gil being her weird Eraser?
And what did you think about Gil wanting Family Time because of this stolen time with Deez?
And way for Harry to ruin such a sweet moment, amiright, anyone else want to pull an Uma?
Also...
Mhmm.
Lots of Love and Appreciation
-Twisted