It's Only True in the Stories

by RvnsDsks

When the Villain Kids arrive at Auradon Prep, Ben and his friends noticed there was something definitely wrong. When they go to Fairy Godmother with their fears, she decides to help them figure out the truth- but no one is quite prepared for just what truths their search uncovers. - Full Summary Inside! Story adopted from Lightning-Lex372. Rated M for later content.

18. But I'm really just asking to leave pt 2

Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter full of feels for you! ;)

Sorry if this is coming out late for you guys, I've been sick this past week and was just mopey and miserable, not even in the mood to write.

But I'm here now, and I was really happy to see just how much you guys enjoyed my little thing with Chad from the last chapter, and all those new reviewers had me happy-dancing. :)

Jumping straight into those reviews now (I don't even have to tell you what to do at this point, do I?):

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manticore-gurl071134: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it so much, and don't worry, we'll be finding out in this chapter how things go with the lunch. I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy. :)

Shots and Giggles: Haha, yes! MCR for life! (But also how did you know about the chapter title? Did you sneak a peek at my notes, lol) And I'm not sure what went wrong with your reviews, honestly. This is the first I've heard from you in a while. But I'm glad it worked out now at least.

And I'm really happy that you're enjoying everything I'm coming up with, especially with my characterization of Aziz and the other Aks. There'll be plenty more character development where that came from. I love Disney movies as much as the next person, but I'm always so frustrated by their lack of character development when it comes to their original movies on Disney Channel. Like they think they have to keep everyone static and clichéd in ways for the sake of the story or whatever, but I feel like it'd be so much more effective if they actually developed the characters and story.

But I am excited for the second movie, too. We'll just have to wait and see what ends up happening. I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy my story! :)

Sand-wolf579: Welcome to the story, and thank you for the review! I'm really glad you like what I'm doing with Chad. I agree, I love the stories that develop him as a really complex character. Makes me feel far more for him than I ever did in the movie. I hope you will continue to read and enjoy this story.

Gracfully: I'm glad you liked it! Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter too.

Starflight34: Yeah, well, I wasn't fine with just hating him, lol. He's a jerk, but now he's a jerk with feelings! Haha, I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy. ;)

GenderqueerWriter: Hey, good to hear from you! I'm glad you liked my little thing with Chad. And yeah, from the first time I saw the movie it was my official headcanon. Like, I thought first, how did they dye their hair on an Island with no money or resources? As someone with dyed hair I can say, it's expensive, lol. And they're literally cut off from all society and I doubt they had salons on the Isle. So then I was thinking about the magic, or lack thereof, and thought about how in most cases, magic needs some kind of outlet, even when contained, and that's how I came up with my little theory/headcanon. ;)

And yes, I am very excited to see your spinoff too! In the mean time I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!

HeirOftheHowlingWolves: It's definitely something that could happen, and I'm glad you like it. :) I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy my story!

XxLaurenCheshirexX: I'm glad you liked the chapter, and my little Mal, lol. Don't worry, we'll get plenty of flashbacks for everyone so just you wait. And yes, there will be more of the adults POV on how they're observing the VKs and their transition. I'm also glad you liked what I did with Chad, and there's a bit more of that in this chapter too, so hopefully you'll like that just as much. :)

Rucas1321: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you like this so much and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!

Kevin4baconhugs: Don't worry, he's still an ass. Just an ass with feelings, lol. I'm glad I was able to make you feel for him though, and we will be seeing plenty more of both the AKs and the VKs' plans, with an extra dose of feels just to balance things out. I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

Tiredandlazy: Lol, gosh darned auto correct! ;) And no shame in jumping up and down, I was kind of dancing myself as I read your review, lol. You definitely have a special spot on my list, and I love your so-called 'messy' reviews.

And I'm glad you liked my Baby Mal/Mama Maleficent thing, haha. I wanted to show how much Mal trusted (woops, note that past tense) her mother, and how much Maleficent, in all her evil glory, actually did/does care about Mal. (Giving you hope before brutally crushing it to dust, muwahaha!)

And I'm thrilled that you like Aziz so much, and that you liked what I did with Chad. He is still human, despite whatever Disney might say/do, and so I made an effort to show that. And yes, that similarity between Cinderella and Carlos was intentional, and will be very important for what I have planned later. Hopefully you'll continue to follow along and enjoy this thing I have somehow managed thus far not to screw up. ;)

MakeItShineDiamondKat31111: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked what I came up with. And to clear your confusion, yes, Cinderella is the heroine, but the Evil Stepmother and one of the Step-sisters are on the Isle; Drizella. I took the liberty of keeping Anastasia in Auradon, because of the second movie redeeming her, so only half of Cinderella's 'family' are on the Isle, but it's still a big deal for Chad and the Charmings, which is what I was trying to convey there.

And I'm glad you like my writing style! :) I'm writing this in third person, but present tense so I can really get into everyone's head. And then flashbacks are past tense, to emphasize that past-ness, lol.

And yes, Nikki and Aziz are my OTP, lol. Even though they're both technically my OCs. That concert was insane, can't believe people these days.

But I'm glad you like my story and that I can provide some relief, and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy! :)

Wazup: Hi, welcome to the story and thanks for leaving a review! I'm so glad you love this story so much, and you've pretty much hit the nail on the head for my thought processes while writing this, lol. Always thought about the moral repercussions of the Isle and just how could a bunch of so called heroes create and endorse such a thing? So that's what I've been playing around with with this and I'm glad you picked up on it.

And yes, I do have more plans for Evie later on, but thank you for pointing that out to me. You're actually not the first to mention that, and it is something that I'm working on.

I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

Katy Rivera: Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I'm looking forward to these next few chapters too, lol, and I'm glad you like Aziz. He'll be making a regular appearance so you'll get to see plenty more of him. I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy! :)

Alex: Thank you for the review, I'm glad you like what I did with Chad. We have a bit more of that in the beginning of this chapter to brace yourself for that. And don't worry, the AKs will notice the abuse in the others; like you said, it is different, and so the signs are there, but not so noticeable for the AKs who have no experience with it whatsoever, and are only looking for the 'obvious' like bruises, etc.

I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!

Kitty Kat Vixen: Your compliments are greatly appreciated and I didn't think it was chaotic or weirdly worded (say that five time fast, lol!) I'm glad you love my story and my writing so much, and that you enjoyed what I did with Chad. I agree, I didn't like him in the movies. Not so much just because of his being an asshole, but he was so shallow and one dimensional it was painful. And I know that's just how Disney does, they're not one for character development, but I not just wanted, but needed to do something different with Chad, and I'm glad I managed to pull it off. :)

And you're like the fifth person to bring up my portrayal of Evie to me, haha. Rest assured I will get there, I promise! And I'm not sure why it's always Carlos, I've noticed that trend too. But I hope you'll bear with me and continue to read along and enjoy!

ashnicole896: Thank you for the pm review! I'm so glad you love this story so much and it means a lot to hear how much you're enjoying it. Yes, definitely Disney. Not that I have anything against them, but they never go in depth and I knew from the first five minutes of the movie that I couldn't wait to start a fanfiction for it and go where no Disney has gone before, lol. ;) I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

tigerladygamer: *sighs, retrieves defibrillator again* Clear! *zaps tigerlady back to life with a new chapter*

Carmine De Vil: Poor Chad indeed! I'm glad I was able to make you feel something, though, and I hope you'll continue to read along and enjoy!

B O: Yes he is! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I hope you'll continue to follow and enjoy. :)

E B ShipsALot: Hi, welcome to the story and thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad you like what I'm doing and that I was able to affect you and your feelings for Chad. I'm also happy you like the flashbacks, as I wasn't sure at first if they were really as effective as I was hoping, but don't worry, there will definitely be more flashbacks as this thing progresses. :) I hope you'll continue to read along and I look forward to hearing what you think!

ElliGordon: Welcome to the story and thank you for the guess. You are correct, it was the forty thieves, but unfortunately my prompt suggestions are chosen. But I appreciate your review and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy my story!

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Author's Note 1:

Ok guys I'mma be straight with you (even if I'm not, lol.) Sorry, but real talk time. **(Trigger warning for author's personal emotional experiences and candid talk about depression/self-harm.)**

So, many of you have been mentioning, wondering, politely inquiring etc. about my lack of Evie in this story. I have been hiding, and denying and dodging due to my own, very real struggles with low self-esteem/depression/anxiety and self-harming. It is still a struggle, and that's the hard, painful thing about self-harm is that, like any addiction, once it's been used as a coping mechanism, it is all that really exists. It may seem like I'm 'ok' or 'recovered' from the outside, but just because it's past doesn't mean it's 'over.'

The struggle is still very much real and then of course there's Evie's struggles to be perfect for everybody, and her mother's constant reprimands and conditioning also hits a little close to home. That line in one of the past chapters, Evie's mother's jibe on 'how can you expect to get a guy when you: look like that, dress like that, talk like that, etc.' comes from my own mom's expectations. (Not to mention that I always add 'or a girl' in my head, cuz, you know mom, I like girls too. But of course, never to say it to her face because as I may have mentioned, I'm a coward.)

But, all that aside, I've been hiding that and trying to avoid that despite that I knew what I was getting into when I took on this story. This is not to say that I want anyone's pity or concern, but I understand how it's unfair to deny that part of myself. And it's not fair to you guys either, after all you've invested in me, I need to invest in you too. That being said, I will be incorporating more of Evie and her struggles into the story, it just may take some time for me to be able to process and shift through my own crap.

I appreciate all the support and love for this story that you guys have already shown, and I will get it right for you. :)

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Author's Note 2:

Whew, let's pretend that first note never happened ok? Ok.

I'm very excited (and slightly nervous) for you guys to read this chapter. You thought the last one was emotional? Well hold on to your tissues and your cats/pet/cuddle buddy of choice!

(Seriously, heed the trigger warnings and the disclaimer, this one is a doozy)

We get the lunch party, a flashback, some more sign language, some new faces, and some angsty heart to hearts.

***Trigger warnings for mentions of child abuse/neglect, implied assault, violence, language...you get the gist.

Also, warnings for child endangerment/abuse, as well as slightly descriptive and morbid mentions of death. Trigger warnings again for implied molestation and assault.***

Be warned, I ended up listening to 'Requiem for a dream' on a loop while writing the flashback portion, so it kind of got a bit...dark. I mean, it needed to be dark, but sorry about that in advance.

Also a heads up for some LGBT mentions, as well as brief and implied homophobia/slurs.

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**Disclaimer**

The views/thoughts expressed in this chapter do not reflect the thoughts of the author! Such behavior is not only ignorant, but rude and hurtful, and any such comments or reviews will be deleted!**

If anyone has any problems with my portrayal or any questions/concerns, PM me. I will be more than happy to explain my reasoning and thought processes. (At the risk of spoilers.) But again, I will not accept or tolerate any flaming or otherwise abusive/negative comments, so PM me, otherwise such comments will be deleted.

**End Disclaimer**

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I hope you'll all enjoy and I can't wait to hear what you think!

- Raven

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Audrey

Audrey goes to find Chad the moment the meeting is over. She has an idea of where he might be, but he was unpredictable when he got like this…and violent, if pushed too far. She half expects to find a trail of tears when she steps out into the hallway, but it's strangely quiet- at least, in that regard. She finds herself tracking down Doug instead, finding the other boy just on the edge of the gardens, reading a book while also overseeing the decorating out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey Doug," she greets, sitting down on the picnic bench across from him. He blinks up at her, his hands marking his page on their own before he closes the book slowly.

"Hey, Audrey," he says back, and Audrey can't help but sigh at his tone; heavy and cautious, just like he was in the library.

"I still can't believe we just had that conversation," she says, and Doug nods, his body slumping forward slightly over the table.

"I didn't want to see it for myself at first," he admits. "I even told Ben that it wasn't a big deal that the Isle got our garbage and leftovers."

"You did?" This is a surprise. She never would have thought that Doug wouldn't be able to see the wrong in a thing, or even admit to it.

"Yeah," he replies with a soft snort and a shake of his head. "Look at hypocritical me now. Sympathizing with the enemy."

"They're not our enemy," Audrey is quick to defend, and Doug's lips twitch wryly.

"I know that," he says. "Now. But even so, it still feels weird."

"Not as weird as Chad must be feeling," she puts in, and Doug grimaces, his eyes flickering behind his glasses.

"Chad's….," Doug trails off, the weight of the other boy's connection to the situation hanging heavily in the air and overshadowing the festivities beyond them.

"Yeah," Audrey says, and leaves it at that. There's nothing else to say, nothing that wouldn't have already been said or debated over.

"He'll come around, though," Doug says, but he doesn't sound certain enough to Audrey. "He just needs some time, and distance, maybe."

"I don't think giving him distance will end well," Audrey counters carefully. "Not with the VKs so close. Things could go right back to how they were in the beginning…and I don't think a lack of weapons would stop anyone."

Doug gives a short, scoffing laugh of agreement, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Still," Audrey continues softly. "We need to do something to intervene. I don't want this to give Chad any more reason to think badly of the VKs…or of Auradon in general."

"Yeah I learned the hard way that Chad doesn't take kindly to 'interventions,'" Doug mutters, averting his eyes with a bitter quirk of his lips. "But you're more than welcome to try. I saw him heading towards the Tourney field."

Audrey frowns at that, surprised by the information. She knew Chad had a temper, but she'd never known him to be violent towards his friends. Although, there still was a lot she didn't know about the other boy or his family, so she supposed it was only fair. And the Tourney field was definitely a fitting place for him to be, considering how wound up he'd been.

"Thanks Doug," she smiles at him, and Doug nods non-committedly, his eyes scanning the gardens again.

"Anytime," he says, before suddenly straightening, lifting his chin as he calls out in the direction of one of the nearby pavilions.

"Hey Aziz, Nikhil!" he shouts, squinting slightly as he frowns. "Are you guys helping to decorate or is this just a date or something?"

Audrey follows Doug's glaring gaze to see the two boys in question, Aziz standing on the upper rung of a ladder with Nikhil a couple rungs below him. Both of them are holding one end of a banner, but it's far from being hung up, the two boys leaning close in a gesture suspiciously reminiscent of a kiss.

At Doug's shout they break apart, Aziz looking vaguely flustered, but pleased, and Nikhil sporting a cocky grin.

"It's called multitasking, Dwarf Boy!" Nikhil shouts back with a wave. "You should try it sometime!"

"Nikki," Audrey hears Aziz murmur, but his disapproval is cut short with a laugh as the other boy mutters something only they can hear.

Doug grumbles something unintelligible under his breath as Audrey stifles her own amusement for his sake.

"I don't know who thought those two being a couple was a good idea," he mutters.

"Pretty sure that was Mason," Audrey puts in, allowing herself to smile. "He's always bragging about his 'instincts.'"

"Right, so we need to stop him next time he decides to match-make again."

Audrey chuckles, looking back over to the pavilion to see that Nikki and Aziz have actually moved on to hanging the blue and yellow banner instead of flirting.

"I don't know, Doug," she says slyly. "I think they're kinda cute together. Plus, come on, the son of Aladdin and the son of Naveen? They both sort of have that…inherent charisma."

"Charisma," Doug grumbles, but he'd slowly drifted back to his book, and Audrey decides she'd better leave him to stew. She still had to find Chad and hopefully get him into a decent mood before the party in a few hours.

They couldn't afford for anything else to go wrong.

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Audrey finds Chad right where Doug had said; running an aggressive set of drills through and around the Tourney field. He'd set the canons to auto-fire, and the narrow, weighted disks whizzed chaotically across the field. Audrey watched for a moment as Chad dodged around a ring, twisting away from an incoming projectile as he did so. But Audrey could tell he wasn't fully into it; his turns sloppy and frantic as he touched down at one of the orange cones and sprinted back towards the center of the field. He wasn't even in full gear, only wearing his helmet and jersey.

He didn't even seem to see her, though she was sure she was visible enough from her place in the cheerleader's ring. But she didn't call out just yet, not wanting to throw off what little focus he had. She regretted it a moment later as Chad hastily barreled out of the way of another missile, but didn't see the second one still coming. She winces as he catches a glancing blow to his side, and Chad stumbles desperately to the left, dodging around another cone before he collapses to his knees.

She can hear him cursing even before he takes off his helmet, his face flushed and his hair plastered to his forehead as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small remote. He slams the button vigorously and the canons shut off, but not before launching another half-hearted missile across the field. It barely makes it to the ten yard mark, but Audrey is too focused on Chad to worry about it.

It hurts to see him like this; so out of control and, yes- vulnerable. It's so strikingly different from his usual snarky, controlled self that it doesn't even feel real. But his heaving shoulders are definitely real, and Audrey bites her lip worriedly as she debates on how to approach him. Then she remembers just where she's standing, and she straightens to her full height, plastering a smile onto her face and striking a pose.

"Chad, Chad he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!"

Her cheer startles him, if the sudden fumble of his hands is any indication, but he lifts himself to his feet and turns towards her anyway.

"Audrey?" he half pants, half groans. "What the hell?"

"I thought you could use a little lift," she calls back, ignoring the scowl her words bring.

"I don't need…" he mutters, but he stops, shaking his head before pushing himself into another drill.

"Let's go Char-ming, let's go!" Audrey cheers, and Chad huffs to a stop just outside the cheerleading ring.

"Seriously, Audrey, quit it," he snaps weakly. "I'm not in the mood."

"Exactly why I'm here," she counters, refusing to drop her pose. "The star player of the Auradon Knights deserves at least one cheerleader while he practices."

Chad scoffs, but his lips twitch slightly, and Audrey grins wider.

"I'm not even the star player," Chad tries to argue. "Ben is."

"He's the honorary star, true," Audrey agrees with a sly look. "But when it comes to the game, everyone knows you have him beat. But don't tell him I said that."

Chad looks like he wants to laugh, but he shakes his head instead, his expression sinking further.

"Come on Chad," Audrey coaxes. "Just one smile would be nice."

"Like I said, not in the mood." His head drops, his chin brushing his chest so Audrey can barely hear him. "I really just…want to be alone right now."

"Mm, that doesn't sound like a good idea to me," Audrey hums lightly, ignoring Chad's frustrated grunt. Do you…want to talk?"

"Doesn't sound like a good idea to me," he sing songs back, his face twisting mockingly.

"Chad," Audrey says, stopping him from jogging away again. "Please."

"What do you want me to say, Audrey?" He snaps then, stalking back over to her, stopping just short of invading the dividing line between them. "What can I possibly say that will make any of this shit ok?"

"It's not ok," she agrees, stifling down her own reaction and forcing herself to remain calm. "It's not ok, and you have every right to be upset about it."

"Fucking understatement of my life," he grumbles back, and Audrey presses her lips tightly.

"But you don't have the right to push everyone else away," she counters firmly. "We're you're friends, Chad. We are here for you."

"Yeah, just like Auradon is 'here for me'," he retorts, pacing a frantic line before turning and walking back. "You know what sucks the most? The fact that they can sit there on their asses and say 'well maybe villains do deserve a chance' in one breath, and screw over my mom in the next."

"Chad…"

"They have more compassion for a bunch of villains than they ever did for her!" Chad turns and throws his helmet across the field, the hardened plastic bouncing once before rolling to stop at the edge of the bleachers.

"None of us think that way," Audrey says, when he's finished yelling, and she finally gets a smile, but it's too twisted and bitter to count.

"Yeah, ok," Chad says, turning to retrieve his helmet, but Audrey reaches out and grabs his arm, turning him back.

"Believe me when I tell you that none of us think that way about you, or your mother. We're your friends, Chad. It's what we're here for."

He's silent a moment, his eyes more grey than blue in the afternoon lighting. He draws a breath that shakes too much, and when he speaks he talks to row of bleachers behind her.

"I talked to her. Just now."

"You did? Really?" Audrey can't help her surprised tone this time, but he doesn't comment on it right away. "How uh, how is she?"

"Are you asking because you really care, or because you're obligated to act concerned as part of your 'patronizing Auradon citizen' thing?"

"Have I ever been fake with you?" she retorts, and his eyes flicker, but he says nothing. "So, how is she?"

"She's…ok, actually," he says, and he lets out a little sound that might be a laugh. "Wasn't happy about that letter Fairy Godmother sent about the fight, though. Got an earful for that. Probably deserved it."

"Probably," Audrey says, and Chad shoots her a look, but he's smiling just a little, and she considers it almost a success.

"She was excited, though, about Ben's decree. Real excited. But that's not a surprise since she was one of advocates for it. Dad…not so much."

He makes a face, but shakes it aside before Audrey can comment on it.

"But I did ask her…I asked her if she ever thought about…the other half of our family. On the Isle. And if it was actually possible for a villain to be redeemed."

Audrey tenses slightly, but he's still not quite looking at her, so he misses the movement. "What did she say?"

"She said that she thought about them all the time; hoping that they were ok and that they were safe. She said that it's only because of her belief in redemption that she was able to get as far as she did…and that I should write to Aunt Anastasia for the story from her end."

"Well, that's good advice," Audrey offers, but Chad is frowning again, his brow furrowed in worry.

"I don't know. I think…I think it might be, but I can't…." He trails off, his hands lifting to run through his tangled hair, his fingers tugging anxiously at the sweaty locks.

"You can't reconcile her forgiveness with the terrible things her family did," Audrey guesses, and Chad tugs so hard at his hair that he winces.

"Her family," she repeats bitterly. "Our family…my family! That's what really gets me. She was against the Isle from the beginning, but she's so happy about Ben's decree because she thinks that if this group succeeds, Auradon will bring another group over. She's excited, because she can use her influence- Dad's influence really, because who would listen to her?- to convince them to bring my cousin over."

Audrey blinks, trying to process the slew of words that had come from his mouth. "Your cousin?" She manages, and Chad's lips quirk again into a half-smile.

"Yeah. Apparently, I have a cousin over there. Antoine. Aunt Drizella's."

"I didn't know that," Audrey murmurs, and Chad snorts, rolling his eyes.

"That's the point," he says. "You're not supposed to know. No one is, until the next group is chosen. But it turns out that even Aunt Drizella isn't so horrible, and actually wrote to Mom when he was born. To brag, mostly; about how 'perfect' he was."

"How old is he, then?" Audrey wonders out loud. "And who's his…?"

"Don't," Chad cuts across her quickly, his face suddenly not so flushed. "It…you don't…just, no."

"Did Drizella write…?"

"Implications, mostly," Chad grimaces. "And 'grown up' conversations that I wasn't supposed to hear. But apparently the Isle really isn't all that pleasant when you're a young and vaguely beautiful aristocratic woman. Even if it is all former."

Audrey doesn't even want to think about what that means, but of course, finds herself thinking anyway, and the images and ideas her brain throws at her are enough to make her sick. She forces her thoughts aside, and tries to return to a lighter thread.

"Why Antoine?" she asks, and Chad blinks. "I mean, you'd think Drizella would have given him a name more…after hers."

"She did," Chad says. "She named him Darian. And he's two years younger than me; so he'd be 16 by now. Apparently his name meant 'gift' or something. Lady Tremaine renamed him Antoine, as a sort of bitter, mocking thing of Anastasia."

"Well that's…."

"Fucked up?" Chad offers wryly.

"I'd have used a different word," Audrey mumbles, but he wasn't exactly wrong, so she doesn't argue further.

"Yeah, well, word choice aside, she still wants him here in Auradon. But that also requires acknowledging the whole thing in the first place; admitting that Auradon was wrong in placing them there and also…forgiving them for everything."

Oh, there it was. That's what he was so upset about. And Audrey understood it completely. How can you forgive someone who destroyed your life so horribly? Even her own parents would never even think about doing such a thing for Maleficent, and considering everything Chad and his family had already gone through, there really was no wonder he was lashing out.

"Are you going to?" Audrey asks carefully, stepping just a little closer.

"I don't know," he says, and his voice is thick and raw with rarely shown emotion. "But Mom thinks I should try. It's what she wants, anyway. For the sake of family."

"And what do you want?"

Chad looks at her then, his jaw set despite the unshed tears in his eyes. "I want to forget it ever happened. I want to ignore her; deny her and pretend she doesn't exist again for the sake of 'fitting in' and 'making friends.'"

He draws a sharp hiss of a breath, blinking hard before continuing, his voice hard despite the way it shook. "And I want to find de Vil, and finish what I started in that hallway with Jay."

"Now who's faking?" Audrey replies softly, and that's all it really takes for Chad to crumple, sobbing into the grass at her feet.

She falls with him, placing one hand on his shoulder while the other rubs gentle circles across his back. There's nothing she can say to this; no words of comfort or helpful platitudes will erase the years of pain and repressed emotion. So Audrey says nothing, and just lets him scream and cry and curse, and she thinks that maybe sometimes that is the better option. Talking was overrated, anyway.

When he finally goes quiet, Audrey leans closer, wrapping her arms around him in a brief, but reassuring hug. He pulls away first, and she lets him, standing and straightening out her skirt and letting him compose himself.

"You ok?" she finally asks, and he looks at her fully this time, smiling broadly.

"Oh, always," he says, and Audrey feels a slight pull of sadness at his smile. "Now come on, if I'm going to be sulking and avoiding the party I'd better at least not be a sweaty wreck."

Audrey lets him go, and sighs to herself a moment before following. She crosses the field to the bleachers and stoops to grab his helmet, rubbing her palm across the grass stain on the side. Always ok, she thinks. And it's true…painfully true. Has to be true, because he really couldn't afford to be anything less.

His smile was what had done it for her. Because despite all her attempts to make him do just that, his smile has been a 'Chad smile'; just a plaster on face to keep in place just long enough to keep everyone else happy, and never mind just how much you weren't happy inside.

And of course, she would know. She'd taught him that smile, after all.

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Mal

The food stash Jay had brought had been the best thing about being at Auradon, hands down. Even with the regular meals - the fucking scheduled meals!- it was more than comforting to have that familiarity back, especially once the boys started fighting over it. Evie had sorted the whole thing, and once the unwrapped food had been devoured, Mal had taken the time to open her own little package that she'd swiped.

Carlos was trying to teach Jay, unsuccessfully, how the puzzle cube worked, while Evie continued outlining her sewing. The package was small and round, silvery with red stripes on the front. Mal frowns at the sealed ends before simply biting through one side and tearing with her teeth. Ever effective, the package opens with a soft ripping sound, and Mal quickly catches the little thing that falls out.

It's small and round, a bright red color that definitely couldn't be real food. Mal makes a face at its stickiness, but when she licks her palm experimentally, she's surprised by the flavor; tart and sweet, like some kind of fruit. She examines the food, and thinks that it must be some kind of candy, and notices that it's wound up almost like a coil of rope.

Unwinding it, the candy ball turns into a little strip, and Mal rips off a small piece and shoves it into her mouth before she can start second guessing. Hesitating with even a crumb of food back home meant you didn't get the food at all. The strip is a little sour, but ultimately, Mal decides she likes it, and tears another piece off for herself before letting out a soft, breathy whistle.

"Hey C," she calls, when she has his attention. "Try this."

She tosses the roll over and smirks when Jay catches it instead, ignorant of Carlos' protests as he examines it closely.

"What is it?" Jay murmurs, finding the end of the candy strip and pulling it apart.

"Some kind of candy," she answers with a shrug. "It's not chocolate, but it's sweet enough."

Carlos grins, and leaps at Jay with more fervor, wiggling his way through the other boy's grip and snatching the treat, shoving the whole roll into his mouth before Jay can even get a breath to yell.

Evie rolls her eyes with a disgusted sigh, but Mal finds herself actually enjoying the sight. To see the two boy's so relaxed, even with Jay still injured. The fact that they were in a room of their own, secure, safe- and that it's no longer a match for survival so much as it's simple…play. It's foreign.

So foreign that it's dangerous, and Mal scowls, her brow furrowing even further as she realizes she'd been genuinely smiling.

"Ok guys, listen up," she snaps, and the boys look up from their tangle of limbs while Evie quickly drops her sewing, straightening on the bed beside her.

"Just because we've made it a week doesn't mean we get to relax, or lose focus. We could have been killed in any number of ways getting like this at home, so why is here any different?"

"Because it is…?" Jay drawls slowly, dropping Carlos to the floor, the smaller boy landing with a thump and a yelp.

"It's not," Mal insists. "We still need to be careful here, now more than ever. They already know too much about us, and with the attack on Jay and Carlos, they also know that we can be vulnerable. Weak."

Jay frowns, and Evie opens her mouth to say something but Mal cuts her off.

"We need to stick together, and stick to the plan. Find the wand, and take over Auradon. Ok?"

"Right," Jay murmurs, gripping his crutch tightly. "So then, no party?"

Mal feels the burn before her anger catches up to her, and she glances down to see a faint snapping of sparks stinging her palms.

"Jay, seriously?"

"I mean, hey, I was just asking," he says, lifting his hands defensively and then grimacing as his support falls away.

"M, it's ok," Evie says, and Mal bristles as the sparks flash a little brighter. "I get that things haven't been the best so far, but we have made it. We're still together, and we're safe for once in our lives. Shouldn't we enjoy it?"

"Just relax and enjoy it? Where have I heard that before?" Mal retorts, and she can feel the tight pinch in her throat that means her voice is shaking, but she forces the feeling aside.

Evie flinches, and Carlos goes pale, but it's Jay who answers her, his voice level and the exact opposite of Mal's own.

"Pretty sure we've all heard it before, Mal," he says quietly. "But we're still here. Still alive and still together, and nothing's going to change that."

"Nothing except for some friendly Auradon kids who throw parties and invite you to their tables in an attempt to get you to lower your guard so they can divide and conquer."

"Mal, come on. It's not like that at all," Evie says, but the other girl still looks shaken, and while Mal regrets her harsh words from earlier, she can't give in to that now.

"I mean, Carlos ate breakfast with them, right? And that went fine," Jay says, slowly, and with a pitch of a question in his voice as he turns to the smaller boy.

Carlos nods, his left hand coming up in a fist shape to 'knock' at the air in front of him. He then brings a flat palm to his lips and brings it down to rest against his right hand, outstretched in another flat palm.

[Yes. It was good.]

"See?" Jay says, but Carlos isn't finished signing yet, and Mal bites her lip in an attempt to remain patient.

He fingerspells A-U-R-A-D-O-N, before bringing his right hand up into a flat palm level with his torso; sliding his left hand parallel across it in a flat palm shape. He hesitates a moment, then finishes by pointing at himself; before bring his left hand up in a flat 'five' palm shape against his chest; he pulls his hand out and brings together his middle and thumb fingers; before bringing his hand up to point emphatically at the area in front of him.

[Auradon is nice. I like it here.]

"That's great, I'm glad you think it's so nice," Mal replies shortly, before realizing that she really did like being in Auradon, too. "Shit."

Carlos blinks, looking unsure, his hands fidgeting with the dog tail at his belt.

"M?" Evie asks softly, and Mal shakes her head.

"It is nice. And I hate it, and I still don't know how we're going to get the wand or last another day, let alone another week. But fuck, it is nice."

"Mal, this isn't like at home where relaxing means dying," Jay says, and Mal hates that knowing look in his eyes, hates the tightness she can feel settling around her throat. "Sure, ok, we had a rough start, but when has anything been easy for us?"

"I feel like I'm being given a pep talk by Fairy Godmother," Mal mutters, but their words are somehow more than reassuring.

She'd never had anyone to rely on, not even her mother was one for things like 'comfort' or 'caring.' Mal had learned at a young age the dangers of such sentiments. But to be in Auradon, to be in a place that actively encouraged such things…it was getting harder and harder for Mal to ignore it.

"I just…I worked too hard for something like you guys and…I'm not going to let Auradon take it from me."

It's too much emotion for her, and yet it feels strangely right. It's solidified when she feels a soft, warm pressure from her left, which is rapidly joined by another warm presence to her right, and a thick, fuzzy softness wiggling its way through the tangle to press against her back.

"As if we'd ever let anything get between us," Evie murmurs from her left, her arms squeezing tightly around Mal's torso.

"Especially not a bunch of prissy princes and perfect princes," Jay scoffs lightly from her right.

Carlos' curls nuzzle softly against the back of her neck as he wraps his arms further around her, and Mal feels a sharp prickle of tears, and blinks hard as she lets out a sound that;s half laugh, half sob.

"Well, fuck, guys," she hisses through the lump in her throat. "What am I supposed to say to that?"

"Absolutely nothing," Evie whispers.

And Mal doesn't actually cry, of course she doesn't. And she'd murder anyone who dared to suggest that she'd come pretty close.

---

Beast

"Belle, which looks better: the blue or the yellow?"

Belle laughs softly, glancing over her shoulder at him as she fastens a gold chain around her neck. "I think either one will be fine, dear," she says, but Adam frowns anyway, glaring at the ties in his hand.

"How am I supposed to dress for an…event…like this?" he asks, grimacing as he thinks on it. 'Event' was a generous word, in his mind. The whole thing was generous.

"You dress how you always dress," Belle retorts with a smirk. "Honestly, Adam. You've been King for how long?"

"Longer than I would have thought possible if not for you," he replies instantly, sighing as he slips the yellow tie around his neck, tossing the blue one back into the drawer.

"Well, that may be true," Belle answers with another laugh. "But I think you can dress yourself for one garden luncheon."

"You make it sound so simple," he grumbles, turning to straighten his tie in the mirror. "Like we're not going to have a garden luncheon with a group of young villains."

Her reflection frowns at him, and he looks away from her sheepishly.

"Adam," she begins slowly. "We discussed this, didn't we?"

"We have," he sighs warily. "But discussion or not, it doesn't change the facts, Belle. The facts! That we are going to have lunch with…"

"With our son and his friends, and the children that we have hospitably welcomed into our kingdom," she finishes firmly, glaring at him through the mirror.

"Our son," he repeats just as firmly. "Who doesn't seem to fully understand just what he's allowed into the kingdom."

"I think he understands far more than you give him credit for," Belle scolds mildly. "And complaining about it won't make it go away. Besides, we've been invited, it would be rude to say no."

"I'm used to being rude," he tries, but she rolls her eyes at his attempt, turning away to retrieve a pair of shoes from her closet.

He takes a moment to admire her, still not entirely sure how he'd managed to hang onto her for so long. It really was a fairy tale ending, and yet it still didn't feel real to him. At least, not until the villains had finally made their reentry.

"What is this lunch party even for?" he asks, as he shrugs into royal blue Auradon jacket and Belle comes up with a simple, yet elegant pair of sandals.

"I believe he said it was to celebrate the children's first full week in Auradon," she replies, and he shakes his head because only their son would think of such a thing.

"He has a good heart," he concedes with a soft smile. "I'm certain he gets it from you."

"Don't sell yourself short," Belle replies as she slips her arm into his. "I wouldn't have stayed for anywhere near as long as I did if I hadn't seen something good in you."

"Well I suppose that's comforting," he says, and she smiles at him just as fondly as she had during their first dinner.

"Now, shall we?" she asks, gesturing to the door and all that waited beyond.

"We might as well," he teases lightly. "Or we'll have gotten all dressed up for nothing."

And never mind the fact that he still thought it was all going to back fire horribly. He would do his best to at least try and be supportive. If only for his family's sake.

---

Mal

"I already hate everything."

"It looks amazing," Evie squeals beside her, and Mal grimaces, resisting the urge to gag as she takes in the gardens.

Everything is covered in ribbons and bows, balloons tied to each table and perfectly color coordinated with the Auradon school colors. There's even banners everywhere that say 'Congratulations!' in alternating blue and yellow letters. Not to mention the people; everyone dressed up in bright colors and horrifying shades of pink and gold and….

"Nope, I'm going back to the room," Mal snaps, shaking her head and turning to do just that when Jay grabs her by the shoulder and turns her around.

"Come on, Mal," he mutters. "This was your idea."

"It was not my idea," she retorts quickly. "It was his." She glares at Carlos, who's frozen in something halfway between shock and awe, his eyes wide as he tries to stare at everything at once.

"But you agreed to it," Evie puts in unhelpfully from her left. "So yeah, it's your idea."

"My idea involved finding and stealing a certain magical artifact," she tries to argue, but Jay rolls his eyes and swings himself forward to join Carlos at the front.

"It'll be fun," Evie insists with a grin. "Come on Mal, when was the last time you really had fun?"

Mal frowns, and thinks for a moment before answering. "That time when I was ten and hexed one of the shopkeepers who tried to punish me for stealing from him. He couldn't walk for like, a week."

"Ok…that doesn't count," Evie drawls slowly, but Mal can see her trying not to laugh.

"I don't think this counts as fun either, though," Mal argues, glancing back towards the party. No one has noticed them hovering around the edges yet, but she's certain it's only a matter of time before they're spotted.

"It will be," Evie insists quietly, sensing her reluctance. "We're all together and safe for the first time in our lives. Plus," she adds with a very Evie-like smirk. "There's cute boys and cute clothes and food everywhere, and it's all for us so we might as well help ourselves."

"Only you, E," Mal mutters, shaking her head, but the tense coil in her gut has lessened some, and she slips up to stand closer to the boys, who shuffle around to make room for her.

"We got this, right?" she asks them, and Jay nods with a sly glint in his eye.

"Oh yeah," he says, and Mal glances to see Carlos has a similar look on his face.

"Auradon w-won't know what hit thththem."

Alright then, Mal reasons to herself with a nod. How can she argue with that confidence?

"Let's do it then," she says, and strides forward, lifting her head high as they fall in around her.

She heads for the center pavilion first, deciding it best to tackle things head on, but a shout from their left brings them to a halt.

"Hey, you guys made it!"

She deflates, all her earlier spark and drive driven from her with a disgusted snarl.

"Aziz," she growls the boy's name, and he laughs in the face of her hostility, winking at Evie before launching himself at the other half of their group like an over-excited two year old.

"Jay! Carlos!" He swings himself around the taller of the two before swooping down and ruffling the smaller's hair. "You guys have to check out the field! We set up an obstacle course and some other stuff out there I know you're going to love!"

Mal clears her throat sharply, and Aziz looks up, blinking at her innocently. "We literally only came for the food," Mal says coldly, and Aziz blinks again before laughing.

"Right, well that would be the giant tent over to the left there," he says, pointing it out to them. "Help yourself, but don't touch the cake. We're saving that for later."

"Cake?" Jay questions with a lift of his brow, but a new voice breaks in; young and male, with a slight accent almost like a song in his voice.

"There you are Aziz," the voice says. "I wondered where you ran off to."

"I told you where I was going, Nikki," Aziz replies, straightening and smiling broadly at the newcomer.

"No," the voice, now Nikki, drawls. "You shouted something along the lines of 'holy crap, be right back,' before sprinting across the field like a child."

Mal snorts softly, deciding that she rather liked this guy and his attitude. Her amusement is noticed by Aziz, unfortunately, who gasps and darts around to stand next to the other boy.

"Introductions!" he announces, before drawing a slow breath, adopting a far more formal manner. "Guys this is Nikhil, son of Naveen and Tiana. Nikki this is everyone."

"Hi," Mal says quickly, if only to get it out of the way, but she can't deny the slight shiver that goes through her when the boy looks at her and smiles.

"Hello," he replies cheerily, inclining his head politely before turning and greeting Evie and Jay as well. His eyes fall on Carlos, and his head jerks back with a soft, but not unpleasant laugh.

"And I know who you are," he says, and Mal glances at Carlos, surprised. Her surprise turns to concern when she notices that Carlos is fidgeting, his hands rapidly twisting his dog tail into a ropy mess. She frowns, and lifts a hand to sign, but Nikhil's next words give her pause.

"Aziz talks about you all the time. And I would be jealous except," he shrugs, and Carlos fidgets a little harder, and that's definitely something a little more than just nervousness on his face.

"Jealous?" Mal cuts in, being sure to lace her voice with every bit of danger she can muster.

Nikhil doesn't catch it, but Aziz definitely does, and he straightens sharply, stepping forward and placing a hand on the other boy's arm. Nikhil stops talking, and Aziz's lips twitch in a brief but wary smile.

"Sorry, he can be a bit much once you get him going," he says. "Then again, I am too, but uh…what else can you expect?"

He tries for a laugh, but Carlos is still clearly nervous about something, and Mal was not about to back down until she knew what.

"What did he mean by that, though? About being jealous?" She presses, and hears Carlos whisper her name anxiously behind her.

Aziz looks slightly caught off guard, as does Nikhil, but then both boys straighten, and Aziz draws a slow breath that is far more solemn and serious than Mal would have thought him capable of.

"Guys," he says slowly, and Mal tenses at the serious note in his voice. "Nikki is my boyfriend."

---

Jane

The last thing Jane wanted was to be at the VKs party. Not because she didn't like them, or anything. But parties meant having to wear a nice dress, and make up, and hair…and Jane had none of that. Parties of any kind never ended well for her, and usually involved laughter, stains and tears, sometimes in that order.

But this party at least, she could try and pretend to enjoy, if only because there was a chance that the VKs might actually show up and she could talk with Carlos again. She didn't know what it was about him, but she found she could actually talk to him, without fear or retaliation, and the fact that she could see he enjoyed being with her just as much…well, it was the sparkle on the glass slipper in Jane's mind.

Though it would be nice if they actually showed up. Jane slides up next to Ben, lifting her head to glance at the other boy to see him scanning the grounds anxiously.

"Nothing?" She asks, and Ben starts, turning to her in surprise.

"Oh, Jane," he sighs with a brief laugh. "Sorry, no. No sign of them yet. I was really hoping they'd be here…I mean, they accepted my invitation."

"They did accept?"

Jane is relieved to hear that. It meant that they were opening up to the idea of Auradon, at least.

"Yeah, but apparently Dad needed some convincing," Ben murmurs quietly, staring down into his cup. "I just wish he could see it my way sometimes."

"Wait," Jane frowns, confused. "You mean your parents?"

"Yeah," Ben says, lifting his head to frown back at her. "Why, what did you…?"

"I thought you were talking about the VKs!" Jane gasps, flushing with embarrassment. "Oh, I feel so stupid now!"

"You're not stupid, Jane," Ben assures quickly with a laugh. "I guess I didn't really make it clear. But there's no sign of Mal or the others, either, so…."

"I hope they come," Jane murmurs, staring forlornly out over the field. "I already feel bad that Chad's not here."

"You really think that'd be a good idea, though?" Doug chimes in, sliding up to Jane's left and handing her a cup of punch.

"No, I don't," she is quick to continue, accepting the drink with a shy smile. "But I feel bad that he's ruined things so much for himself that he won't be able to enjoy this."

"Well I for one, am definitely enjoying this," Aziz adds, grinning widely over the fields. "That obstacle course couldn't be better if it were designed by my dad himself."

"Oh and what," Nikhil pouts, plucking idly at his guitar strings. "My contribution means nothing?"

"We're talking practical stuff now, dear," Aziz says, adopting a solemn and mock condescending tone. "I'll call you if we need alternatives."

Jane giggles despite herself, and Audrey takes Doug's spot beside her as the other boy moves back to the table of food.

"I think we did a great job, guys," the head cheerleader sighs happily, leaning into Ben's shoulder. "Even if the VKs don't show, we should at least enjoy the hard work we put in."

"Any excuse for a party," Ben sighs, shaking his head, but his smile betrays him.

A horn honk cuts through the relaxed atmosphere, and at the same moment, Aziz lets out a sound that's half gasp, half yell.

"Holyshitholyshitholyshit, guys!"

"Aziz," Ben says, startled, and Jane glares at him, adding her own voice of disapproval.

"Sorry guys," he says, sounding breathless and not looking apologetic at all. "But holy shit I'll be right back!"

And he takes off across the field without another word, grinning ear to ear. Ben lifts a brow, and Jane exchanges a shrug with Lonnie, who'd just jogged up from the obstacle course. Nikhil slips his guitar back over his shoulder and onto his back, frowning as he points in the direction the other boy had gone.

"Should I…?"

"Probably," Doug offers.

An enthusiastic whoop echoes across the field, and Doug frowns.

"But maybe wait a bit."

Nikhil chuckles, shaking his head before walking slowly out of the tent, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath that Jane can't catch.

"Ok," Ben says with a quick huff of breath, smoothing his hair and adjusting the cuffs on his blazer. "So who wants to be my support group for welcoming my parents to the party?"

"Actually," Lonnie says, pointing back in the direction she'd come. "I don't think I've thoroughly crushed all the guys on the course yet."

"And you wonder why they won't let you on the Tourney team," Audrey teases, and Lonnie frowns, pointing sternly.

"Don't even."

Jane stifles a laugh and glances back in the direction Aziz and Nikil had gone. "Actually, I think I'm going to join them and see what's going on. Judging by the way Aziz looked like it was Christmas, I think the VKs might be here."

"If they are, don't bring them this way until I make sure my parents are going to behave," Ben pleads, and Jane nods, unable to stop her laugh from escaping.

"I'll do my best," she promises, before jogging off after the two boys.

She couldn't believe they had actually made it. Excitement, along with a healthy dose of nerves, filled Jane as she ran. It would be the first time she'd meet with Carlos in a setting like this, and without any needles or awkward tension or complex machinery. Just the two of them, talking and maybe interacting as…friends? More than friends?

She blushes at the thought, but she wouldn't deny that the youngest of the VKs had a certain appeal about him. But Jane wasn't about to ruin what small friendship they might have kindled over something like that. Still, she could dream…

She's so caught up in her thoughts and excitement to see Carlos that she almost misses the raised voices, and she stops short, blinking as she tries to understand what she was seeing. She hears before she sees; a pavilion tent in between her and her objective, but there's no mistaking an argument. She hears Aziz, voice strained with emotion, and the VKs; Mal and Jay's voices being the loudest, and she doesn't understand any of what is being said: too much confusion and chaos and emotion.

And then Aziz and Nikhil come rushing through the pavilion; or rather, Aziz stumbles, his face pinched tightly with emotion, Nikhil not far behind. Aziz doesn't stop for a moment, almost barreling into Jane, and Nikhil offers her a wince of sympathy before calling out to the other boy.

"Hey, calm down. You almost killed Jane."

He tries for teasing, but there's a strain in his voice, too, and Aziz growls before kicking a nearby chair.

"Calm down!" he hisses, and Jane realizes it's anger that his face is tight with, that anger only barely under control. "Sure, Nikki, I'll be fucking calm."

Jane flinches at the vulgarity, but neither boy is entirely aware of her presence, and Jane is relieved at least, that the tent muffles some of the volume. She's certain that everyone can hear anyway, but her attention is drawn back to the two boys in the tent when Aziz lets out another curse, and Jane bites her lips anxiously.

"It's not like…," Nikhil starts, but then he catches himself, and Aziz bares his teeth in a vicious grimace.

"Not like we haven't heard it before?" he finishes, and Jane is startled by the ferocity in his tone.

"Well," Nikhil says simply, ever the voice of calm, but there's a sadness in his eyes that doesn't match his demeanor. "I'm only saying…"

"Did you fucking hear what I heard?" Aziz snaps, pacing a frantic line, ignorant of everything else. "And you have the nerve…."

"What…what happened?" Jane whispers, hardly daring to speak louder for fear of shattering the already fragile atmosphere.

Nikhil winces, and Aziz stiffens, his head jerking sharply as he shakes it back and forth.

"Nothing I shouldn't have seen coming," Aziz answers after a moment. "I should have seen it, that's the thing! I should have fucking seen it and yet ironically enough, I never would have thought…."

"Introductions didn't go very well with the VKs," Nikhil supplies in an undertone, and Aziz snorts bitterly.

"Didn't go well…."

"I don't get it," Jane starts to say, but Aziz is answering even before the words have left her mouth.

"So I go to introduce Nikki, as my boyfriend," he's quick to emphasize, and Jane nods her head slowly to show she's following, despite the sudden pang of anxiety that grips her. "And…they just…."

He splutters weakly, blinking hard as he wrings his hands desperately.

"They didn't take to it very well," Nikhil murmurs.

Aziz lets out another choked snort, before cocking his hip and twisting his face into a mocking feminine impression.

"'But you're so good looking!'" he gasps, in an overly exaggerated and high pitched tone before dropping back into his own voice. "Like, seriously? What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?"

"Thank you?" Nikhil drawls with a half-hearted shrug.

"It's not a fucking compliment, Nikki!"

"I know hon, I was trying."

"Fuck that," Aziz growls. "Fuck them."

"You don't mean that," Nikhil murmurs softly, taking a step towards his fuming boyfriend while Jane fidgets uncomfortably.

"Yes I do," Aziz retorts quickly, before deflating as he catches Nikhil's eye. "No I don't."

"I don't understand," Jane says nervously, her fingers tugging at the bow on her dress. "They insulted you guys?"

Aziz falls silent, surprisingly enough, and Nikhil sucks in a sharp breath before sighing his response.

"Apparently, and this is a direct quote from Mal, here: 'Not even the Isle allows that sort of fucked up shit.'"

Jane winces again, not just at the language, but the words themselves. "Ow," she mutters, biting her lip. "That's…"

"Not to mention Jay's sarcastic, 'Suddenly it all makes sense,' comment," Nikhil continues, shaking his head.

"And I'm not even going to repeat what else Evie said," Aziz grumbles with a shiver, his face twisting in what Jane can't tell is disgust or anger. Maybe both.

"Carlos was the worst, though," Nikhil sighs in an undertone.

Jane tenses, drawing in her breath in nervous anticipation. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Carlos might have done that could make any of this 'worse.' She didn't want to, either; didn't want to hear or see, didn't want the reminder of the fact that he was a villain.

"What did he say?" she asks, the question slipping unbidden past her lips.

Aziz shakes his head, a sad, bitter laugh pulling at his expression. "Nothing," he says. "And that's why it was the worst. He just…kept looking at me like…like I was some kind of monster."

"I'm sorry," Jane says, because it's the only thing she can manage without throwing up or crying.

"Yeah well, what else could I have expected, right?" Aziz tries to shrug, to smile even though Jane can tell how much pain he's in.

"Aziz," Nikhil tries, but Aziz pulls away again, shaking his head.

"No, it's whatever. I mean, never trust a villain."

And then he's gone, shoving through the tent flaps and stalking away across the field. Jane doesn't trust her voice enough…doesn't trust the words she might say to make any of this ok.

"Well fuck," Nikhil deadpans.

And Jane supposes that's close enough.

---

Jay

Death had a way of stalking Jay, even as young as nine. Jafar had little to no sense of value of a person's life, and it was only fitting, given his snake life nature, that Jay had learned at least six ways to poison a person by the time he was four. By the time he turned six, he'd seen his first murder. And by the time he'd turned nine, he'd slit his first throat.

Now, at eleven, Jay had fatally poisoned eight people, and killed two. Despite this, he had still complained to his dad after the meeting with Maleficent. The 'family trade' was just that: family, and despite his father's obviously fleeting affections, it was something of a betrayal to teach someone else how to kill. Especially if that someone else was a weak little girl.

He'd earned himself a beating and a week without food for that one.

"That 'weak little girl'," Jafar had snarled between Jay's screams and the lash of the whip. "Is the key to getting off this miserable rock! Keeping in Maleficent's good graces and teaching the bitch to kill is the most important thing you'll ever do with your miserable excuse of a life."

Jay hadn't complained after that…not that he'd even been physically able to after a chance blow had cut across his face; slicing into his cheek and lips and leaving him painfully mute for weeks. He'd been glad for the starvation punishment then, certain that anything more than breathing would cause his entire face to split open.

Jay shivered to himself, shaking his head and shoving the thoughts away as he glared through the dark of the alley at the man he was following. According to his dad, not only did this man run a rather profitable side business, he also happened to hold a significant portion of debt over Jafar. Most of it had been cleared away through various business deals, but apparently the man wasn't entirely satisfied and was still demanding payment.

Which wouldn't have been a problem expect for the fact that his dad was refusing to pay. And then the threats had started piling up; shadowy figures breaking into the shop and writing graphic (and entertainingly profane) warnings on the walls in Arabic. And blood.

The stress of it all was wearing on Jafar, and in turn, wearing on Jay's back. He grimaced as he rolled his shoulder, the healing cuts pulling sharply at the movement. If this guy didn't meet with an unfortunate accident soon, it would be Jay's blood that stained the shop's walls next.

The man darted from the alley suddenly, and Jay leapt to the balls of his feet, fingering the vial sewn into the sleeve of his shirt nervously. It was only as a last resort, and the knife in his right hand would do well enough, but if things went bad, Jay preferred the thought of a quick death to the fate of slitting his own wrists.

But it wouldn't come to that anyway because Jay was a master at this point. He was only eleven and had already killed more than most of the pathetic rats on the Island. Not to mention the poison. They hadn't died, those eight he'd slipped vials to, but the torture they'd experienced had been achievement enough. He could easily take down one creep in an alleyway.

He grinned to himself, inching forward after the man as silently as shadow itself, blending easily against the mud stained brick and decreasing the distance between them with every step. The trick was to wait for them to move first; match their footsteps and don't let them know you were stalking them until the very end. Then let their fear get the better of them. Don't run, just walk, and strike once they'd exposed their soft throats and undersides.

The lessons his dad had drilled into him- the very ones he was teaching Maleficent's daughter- echoed through Jay's mind as he drew closer to his target. The man had stopped, his head high and eyes watchful and wide as he scanned the street beyond him. Jay bit his tongue hard to keep his laugh from spilling out. The bastard was as good as dead.

And then suddenly, unexplainably, Jay was in pain, his lungs threatening to turn inside out as his breath was stolen forcibly from his body.

A laugh shattered the dark, high and delirious with sadistic glee. The sound would have made Jay shiver, if his body wasn't already seizing with agony.

"Did Jafar really think he could kill me so easily?"

The man was little more than a dark blur in Jay's vision, but he grit his teeth and swung forward with his knife anyway, pain exploding behind his eyes at his attempt. The man scoffed, and a harsh, grating noise sounded before something thick and wet hit Jay's face.

"Ghaba'" the man spat. "Stupidity! Foolishness."

His voice softened slightly, and Jay almost choked on his next breath as his body scrambled to adjust to the renewal of air. The man's grip on him shifted, adjusted so his fingers fluttered along Jay's ribs.

"Foolish boy," he repeated, his voice low and thick with something Jay couldn't define but knew meant danger and death. "Shall we go pay a visit to your father?"

A visit to his dad was the last thing Jay wanted. Not like this…not with the man's head still firmly attached to his body. And while Jay was far from cowardly, he couldn't deny that the thought of facing his father now was enough to make him sick with fear.

It was like the man could sense it, too; Jay had suddenly been dethroned by Death. True Death, embodied in the form of the man before him.

"Don't worry fool boy," he crooned softly, his voice thickening with that dangerous thing, his hands slipping further along Jay's body.

"Pretty boy," he whispered, his smile wider than any Cat's. "I'm sure we can come to some kind of…arrangement."

Bile rose in Jay's throat, the fear seizing him so strongly he nearly doubled over. Somewhere among the deals with Death and bargains and the blood, he'd forgotten the most important part. And now it was coming back to screw him over. Both literally and figuratively.

---

To say that his father was displeased at the sight of Jay dangling before him with a sword at his throat would be an understatement. Somewhere along his forceful march back to the shop, the creep had pulled a sword, and took great pleasure at poking it into Jay's back and sides when he thought the boy was slowing down. Now it was against his throat, the edge of the blade applying just enough pressure that if Jay so much as swallowed wrong it would cut him.

"Dad," Jay whispered, his voice too high and too strained. Too weak. "Please. Don't."

His father's eyes were dark with fury, his face carved from stone as he glared at Jay. He didn't need the hissed curse in Arabic to know he would receive no mercy from the man. And he didn't expect it, he really didn't. Didn't even want it; he'd take any punishment, any beating. He'd go without food for a month, even, and he'd take whatever new poisons his dad came up with and suffer gladly. Anything but….

"Please," Jay tried again, his voice barely a whimper as the man's fingers moved from gripping his shoulder to teasing the curls at the back of his neck.

"Please," Jay tried again, his voice barely a whimper as the man's fingers moved from gripping his shoulder to teasing the curls at the back of his neck.

"The way I see it, Jafar," the man said, his voice back to that sadistic glee. "You have two options…."

"Oh please," Jafar drawled, stopping just short of rolling his eyes. "Let's not start with that baseless drivel. Just kill the boy and be done with it."

It was like the sword had already slit him open and he was just flopping uselessly, choking on his own blood. Jay could barely get his mouth to work, and even then, he only managed a quiet sob, the sound tapering off abruptly as the sword pressed against his throat, opening a tiny cut.

"It would be such a shame," the man continued, unfazed by Jafar's apathy. "Such a young boy, and pretty. Would be a waste to end such a useful life."

Jay didn't know whether to vomit or sob, and his body attempted to do both at once, resulting in another painful cut from the sword, and a sneered curse from his father.

"You'd be doing me a favor," Jafar all but spat. "Nadhil. Bastard -costs more than he's worth even with the stealing."

"Dad," Jay choked out, and the small cut on his neck burned as the tears inevitably made their way down his face.

"But surely considering your debt, arrangements must still be made, yes?" The man hedged further, his fingers tapping patterns down Jay's spine. "And no bastard means no income, which means no payment, and I can not have that. You understand, of course."

"Of course," Jafar grit out, his own finger curling into a tight fist. "And I'm certain you have something in mind so out with it, then."

Jay could practically feel the man's smile as he hovered over his shaking form, the blade lifting minutely as he spoke.

"It would be my pleasure to null the debt, in exchange for your boy's khadamat…services, if you will."

Jafar's lip curled into a mocking impression of a laugh, though his eyes remained as dark as ever, full of unbridled disgust.

"You expect me to…what…whore my son out to you?" Jafar let out a sound that was somewhere between a bark and a laugh. "His blood would be of more use to me than anything you would leave behind afterwards."

And Jay didn't know whether to feel relieved by his father's adamancy, or further stricken, as the blade against his throat suddenly switched positions, and the man's free hand stopped wandering to once more grip his shoulder firmly.

"Is that your final decision, then?" The disappointment in the man's voice was hardly able to be heard over Jay's frantic heart, unfinished pleas and desperate tears all he's able to muster as he stared up at the man whose blood he was half of.

"As I said, he'd be better to me dead."

There's something undefined and heavy suddenly, in the darkness of his father's eyes. But before Jay could fully grasp for it, the man grunted, and the sword cut ruthlessly across his throat.

---

Carlos

In all the time Carlos had known him, Jay was never one to be overwhelmed by his feelings, and the older boy definitely had strong feelings. But despite that, he always put forward an image of control, and Carlos had never known him to snap unpredictably like Mal or even Evie had been known to at times.

So to see Jay now, pacing and frantic and on the verge of what Carlos inherently knows is panic, is more than just a little unsettling. The older boy is all but breaking down, his breath coming in harsh gasps and swears, as one hand clenches at his side and the other alternates between tugging at his long hair and rubbing anxiously at his chest.

"Jay?" Carlos whispers softly, fighting against his own rising anxiety. "Just…br-br-breathe, ok?"

"Ok?" Jay hisses, his eyes dark and wild as he shoots Carlos a glare. "No, it's not fucking ok, Carlos!"

Carlos winces at the ferocity, but he knows it's not really directed at him. He doesn't even know what to do, he'd always been on the receiving end of such things, never giving comfort like this.

"I…wh-at can I do?" Carlos tries, glancing around the empty tent and wishing the girls were here. But it was just him and Jay; Mal and Evie having gone to confront things directly before being pulled aside by Ben. Carlos almost wants to be there, too, even if it did mean facing the King again. Anything was better than this.

"There's nothing you can do," Jay snaps, drawing another too-short breath and grimacing. "Unless you know any tricks to make sure those two never come near us again."

A shiver goes through the older boy's body, and Carlos' fingers rapidly clip and unclip his dog tail from his belt.

"To think I was this close," Jay mutters. "This close to…"

Carlos wants to say that it will be ok, that things were different now and that surely they were safe; that Auradon would never have allowed anything like that here…but the words stick in his throat. He doesn't know the whole story, but he'd heard enough to know that Jay especially, out of all of them, had more than valid reason for concern. And yet he still couldn't think of Aziz that way. Couldn't, and wouldn't…didn't want to think of what it could mean if it were true.

Jay freezes, suddenly, and Carlos straightens worriedly as the other boy's face twists with panic. He's all set to rush up to the other boy and offer whatever attempt he could, but then it passes, and Jay slumps weakly against a nearby table.

"Shit," he hisses, his eyes and jaw both clenched tightly shut. "Fucking shit."

"Jay?" Carlos chokes softly, but the other boy straightens just as suddenly as he's collapsed, smiling so broadly it was scary-far more terrifying than his verge of panic from earlier.

"I think I'm going to run that obstacle course a few times," Jay chirps out with a sly twitch of his lips. "Show those Auradon royals how it's done. You in?"

Carlos purses his lips, his brow furrowing sharply as he stares at the other boy. He decides that he doesn't like an out of control of his emotions Jay, but he wasn't about to watch him try and shove everything away through aggression. He'd done that once before and he still had nightmares about it.

He shakes his head, deciding to sign instead of trusting his voice to get things right. He signs; bringing his left hand up and tapping his middle and index fingers against his thumb, like a mouth closing; then pointing to himself before making a 'Y' shape; gesturing his hand forward slightly with his palm facing the ground.

[No. I'm staying.]

Jay's expression falters for all of two seconds before he shrugs it off with a laugh. "Suit yourself. Um…but be careful, ok?"

It's Carlos' turn to laugh, snorting softly, but nodding his head quickly. "Sssure thing," he murmurs.

Jay hesitates, looking like he wants to say or do something else, but then he stops, turning and walking abruptly out of the tent.

"You be c-careful too," Carlos whispers after him, frowning as he moves to stand in the opening of the tent, watching Jay stalk determinedly across the grounds.

Carlos doesn't have time to wallow in fear for more than a moment before a voice speaks up to his right, quiet and thoughtful.

"You know, it only just occurred to me that I haven't seen you wear anything but shorts. That's not just me, right?"

Carlos jumps, turning sharply, but it's only Jane, and he relaxes, letting the girl's words sink in a moment before laughing softly.

"N-n-no," he says slowly. "It's no-not just you."

"But seriously?" Jane asks, turning to him with a curious smile. "Have you ever worn pants?"

Carlos shakes his head, making a face. "Nnever. Even when I was little…and Cr-Cruella did try once, pu-put me in pants."

"Oh?" Jane murmurs, lifting a brow. "How'd that go?"

Carlos chuckles sheepishly, dropping his eyes to the grass. "I pulled them o-o-ff and refused to wwear anything in protest."

Jane giggles softly, but she tries to stifle it when Carlos shoots her a playful glare.

"I guess it's a good thing we decided not to enforce the uniforms rule on you, then," she says through a laugh, and Carlos snorts, rolling his eyes.

"Y-yeah, well, it's good I grew out of that wh-en I did, or else all the perverts w-w-w-would've had a ffield day," he chimes back, his lips twitching slyly.

Jane doesn't say anything for a moment, her face carefully blank as she glances out over the field. Carlos feels his own expression mimicking hers; instinctively raising his guard and bracing for her reaction.

"Perverts like Nikki and Aziz, you mean," she says, and her voice matches her face; low and tense.

Carlos flinches despite himself, his head snapping up to scan the grounds. But there's not threat, no other people around who weren't already absorbed in the party, and he looks up at Jane, his eyes narrowing defensively.

"What do you kn-n-now about it?"

He sounds too accusing, and a part of him cringes back, expecting pain for his behavior, but Jane still isn't looking at him, her voice still strangely blank.

"I know that you guys said and did some pretty hurtful things," she says slowly. "And I know they're both really upset about it."

"Th-they're upset?!" Carlos chokes out, incredulously.

"Yeah, they are," Jane says, finally looking up at him, startled surprise on her face and in her voice. "Did you think they wouldn't be? After all, you guys were friends. At least, Aziz thought you were."

Carlos grimaces sharply, shaking his head. He doesn't know what to feel; anger, disappointment, sorrow, fear. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't been enjoying Aziz's company; that having and forming that connection outside of the group had been exciting and everything Carlos had been secretly hoping for from coming to Auradon. But he can't help but feel betrayed, almost.

"I didn't think…they ssaid he had…b-b-but I didn't think…."

"That it was true?" Jane broaches carefully, and Carlos blinks hard, squirming uncomfortably.

"I don't know how things worked on the Isle," Jane continues after a moment. "But…."

"Y-you're right," Carlos interrupts jerkily, his voice hardening again. "You do-do-do-don't know."

"Ok, well then tell me," Jane counters, boldly meeting his eyes. "Because what you guys did is called discrimination. It's not good, and it's hurtful and wrong."

"Wh-what we did?" Carlos manages, taking a step backwards so he can shuffle an anxious pace. "What about wwhat they do? Jay was almost killed by one of them on the Isle wh-when he was eleven. N-nevermind that-that-that that's not the worst that happened."

He hears Jane take a breath to say something, and he's very much aware of the fact that he was slipping up worse now that he was worked up, but he doesn't care.

"And m-m-m-my knife didn't always ssstop them," he continues, blinking hard and trying to remember how breathing worked. "A-a-a-and…and…"

"Carlos," Jane interjects, and he stops abruptly, realizing just how close he'd been to another breakdown. "Take a breath," Jane continues, and though her voice is still firm, it had lost some of its edge from earlier.

He obeys, and only then notices that he's shaking. He fidgets with his dog tail, adjusting each link bit by bit, focusing on the black and white fur and the feel of the cool metal in his hands instead of the tight feeling in his chest.

"Ok," Jane says quietly. "Now can you look at me? Please?"

He doesn't want to; not because he doesn't trust her. Strangely enough, out of everything that had happened and everyone they'd encountered, Jane was the one person he felt he could trust. But he doesn't trust himself; doesn't trust what emotion he might let slip if he holds her gaze for too long.

"Please," she says again, and Carlos bites the inside of his cheek before resolutely wiping his face, lifting his head slowly to meet her eyes.

She sighs quietly, and Carlos has to fight not to look away, to keep his feelings hidden and maintain the contact.

"I've never lied to you, right?" Jane asks. "I mean, I know we've only known each other a week and even then we've never really talk-talked, but…I haven't said or done anything that's not true or that got you hurt, right?"

"R-right," Carlos drawls slowly, and it occurs to him again that he doesn't even have to think about it; just feels and knows that it's true- that it's right.

Jane smiles just a little, further encouraging his thoughts. "Ok, so when I say…that there's nothing wrong about Nikki or Aziz…."

Carlos shakes his head, biting his lip nervously. He knows what she's trying to say, but there's no way he was going to believe it. She frowns, and he hates the disappointed look she gives him. But there's no way around this…he wasn't going to budge for this.

"Things are different here," she tries, and Carlos shrugs a shoulder, looking away.

"No-not that different," he mutters quickly.

"You guys didn't have a problem with Aziz before," Jane argues. "If you had never known that he liked other guys, would you still be friends with him?"

"W-we-we weren't even friends," Carlos tries to counter, but she glares at him pointedly, and he looks away again. "Maybe."

"But does knowing now change how you think of him?" Jane continues, and Carlos frowns, furrowing his eyebrows at the ground. "By that I mean, ignoring what you think you know from the Isle…thinking about Aziz…does what you know change anything about who he is to you?"

And Carlos tries to think, to match up the different things in his head that would prove that he was in the right about this. But he can't reconcile the facts in his head because they didn't match. And he doesn't like the feeling inside now…that nagging sense of negativity.

"Think of it this way, too," Jane says, seeming to read his thoughts. "If…um, say just as an example, ok? But if I liked girls, would that change the way you think of me? Would that make me bad?"

Carlos starts, looking up at her sharply. "Wh-what?"

"Just as an example," Jane replies quickly, shaking her head. "But also, you could even say that…what you guys did to Nikki and Aziz is no different from anyone else saying that just because you're the child of a villain, you're inherently evil or something like that."

Carlos wants to argue back, and even opens his mouth to do so, but the words stick in his throat so all he can really manage is a weak splutter. He tries to sign, but even then his hands blur through them too much, too fast, and Jane frowns at him, her brow furrowing in something that Carlos thinks might be pity, but feels more like concern.

"Hurt?" She repeats his sign, and he can hear that weird concern in her voice. "Who…do you mean…Aziz and Nikki?"

He bites his lip and squirms uncomfortably, trying to find the right words and failing. He can only shrug a shoulder and nod, and he winces at the look Jane gives him; all stern and sad and disappointed. He doesn't know why he cares so much about what she thinks of him, but he does. He cares how she sees him, and he hates it, but…

"I know you think that…but it's not true," she says, and her voice is soft but no less effective. "I...I thought there was more to you than just 'the son of Cruella de Vil,' that maybe you were beginning to see it too."

Carlos doesn't know what to say to that, even if his voice wouldn't have betrayed him. He tries to reach out to her anyway, to defend himself, or apologize or…something to make her understand. Jane pauses her retreat, glancing up at him and offering him one last sorrowful smile.

"We're not the bad guys, here, Carlos. Just…try to remember that, ok?"

And then she was gone, leaving Carlos with nothing more than a wave and a strange, empty feeling. The one person in all of Auradon who had actually seen him; looked past his stutter and his reputation and his…villainy- and actually seen Carlos was gone. The banner on the tent wall flapped sharply at him, the blue and yellow rippling and twisting the cheerful message. 'Congratulations!' the words mocked. In one week he had managed to successfully screw up every opportunity that had been given to him.

And he had absolutely no idea how he was going to get any of it back.