Hey guys, long time no see. It's almost like it's been a whole year…I'm sorry. I'll stop now.

Haha, but it has been a while hasn't it? I know and I have no excuses other than I am a master procrastinator and I suck as a human being. But here, have this extra long, extra angsty chapter to make up for it!

Before that though, reviews and Author's Notes! **Please do not skip the Author's Notes! This chapter has some heavy shit that I want you to be properly warned about!**

Reviews!

StoryWriting1414: I'm really glad you got so excited about the chapter, and that you enjoyed it so much, haha. In answer to your questions, yes there will be a makeup happening at some point in the future, but it is going to take some time on both sides. As for the second question, let's just say…something like that. *devious smile* I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!

Descendants5HLM: Thank you, I appreciate your concern, but don't worry, I'm fine, just terrible at timing and way too good at procrastinating, lol.

I'm really glad you're liking my dynamic with Ben, Chad and Audrey, since that was another thing I'd been trying to figure out how to play, and how to play sensitively, since love triangles are always tricky things. And I hate the trope with a fiery burning passion, so I had to be sure I was ruining it perfectly, lol.

And wow did you just nail Evie perfectly. (and myself, honestly like shit, had to do some serious self-evaluating for a second there, ahem) But yes, her story is one that will be coming out (ha, swear I didn't even mean that pun) slowly, but I definitely plan on revealing everything in time. I plan on making it almost like the characters themselves; both Carlos and Mal are very reactive people, so anything involving them is kind of bang, in your face; Jay is honestly the most guarded and hard to take seriously at times and yet when it gets serious it gets serious; and then Evie does her best to put on the front but if you look it's very see-through and cracked. So yes, everything will be revealed in time, but it is going to be in time, haha.

And yes, what is it with all the VKs running into their heroic counterparts? It's almost as if they're…up…to…something…. Lol, but yeah, I found out that Carlos actually likes his mom's song, and when he found out that she hated it, he would always it a point to hum it around the house when she was nearby to irritate her. Cheeky little brat.

As for your questions, they will all be answered I promise, but let me keep my mysteries going for a little longer, okay? ;)

Thank you, and I hope you had a Happy Holidays/New Year as well, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.

Nyehhhhhh: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying this story and I hope you'll keep reading and enjoying!

Tiredandlazy: Hey! Sorry to make you worry with all my lack of updating. Everything is fine (ish) but I'm ok, just procrastinating heavily with everything…work, school (oh yeah, school for sure) and this…. But I'm back and I promise I'll do my best to stick to a regular schedule. (And maybe graduate college…yeah.)

But anyway, yes, Auradon is finally getting some of their shit together, just in time for the VKs to lose their shit, lol. As for Carlos, a lot of it internalized homophobia/adopting the homophobia of the culture, so his journey is definitely not going to be an easy one. None of the VK's journeys, really, but anyway….

As for Kropp, well, we get a nice (by nice I mean horrible) flashback about what went down during Carlos' detention, but regarding the revenge plot...would you hate me if I said you'll have to foam for another chapter? I had intended to put it in this chapter, but as I was writing, one of the VKs decided to have a breakdown instead, so I had to go and run with that. And make them suffer more- I mean comfort them….

In regards to Mystery Daddy well, go and read that last letter again. I kind of totally let it slip. (unless you're not familiar with the character in which case, let me know if you don't get it and I'll PM you)

Anyway, I hope you'll continue to read and review and I look forward to hearing what you think!

EvietoyourMal: Aw, I'm really glad I helped to make your Thanksgiving with an update, lol. It's definitely going to be an interesting experience as I have no idea how true therapy works outside of the clichés, lol, and I've had a really fun time researching proper therapy techniques and the different kinds so I don't screw it up. ;) Anyway, I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

BlueMoon007: I laughed out loud when I read your comment! Who needs family time on Thanksgiving, haha! I hope I didn't make yours to upset if you were reading this instead, lol. But I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, and yes, we actually do get a flashback of the detention, and I had to laugh because I'd written the scene, and then read your review and I was like, how'd they get a hold of my story? Predicted it before I even wrote it, geez.

But I'm glad you're enjoying my story and I hope you will continue to do so!

Slytherin: I'm a Ravenclaw myself, but I was very close to Slytherin. I just call myself a Slytherclaw, and depending on who's asking I'll either say Slytherin or Ravenclaw in response, lol.

Welcome to the story and thank you for your review! There will be more Bal, I swear, it's just very slow burn because I feel like Disney always rushes their 'true love' relationships so I'm trying to make it a little more realistic. ;)

But in the mean time, I hope you will continue to read along and enjoy!

slyside: A short review is better than no review, lol. Thanks for taking the time to let me know what you thought! Hope you continue to enjoy.

Jewelz1642: Yes, musical theatre (and theatre in general) rocks and I just knew that I wanted at least one of the VKs to be a part of it. I plan on giving them all a special activity just for them, so yeah, Carlos got theatre and we will see what the others get up to.

I'm glad you're enjoying and I hope will continue to follow along and enjoy.

Gracfully: I'm glad you liked it! :)

Time Turner: I'm glad you thought that was funny, haha. It was one of my favorite parts too. Thanks for the review and I hope you'll continue to enjoy.

Elizabeth Annette: Welcome to the story and thank you for the review! More is here, haha, and you'll find out soon enough what happens. ;) I hope you'll continue to enjoy!

ticktocktack10: Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I'm really glad you enjoy my story so much and that you think I'm doing such a good job. Hopefully you will continue to follow along and enjoy! :)

Ok guys, Note time!

Author's Note 1: I know, I've been gone for a really long time. I honestly don't even know what I was doing in that length of time…trying to write but stressing and procrastinating as a result of that stressing which just made me stress more and…you get the idea. I suck, and I'm sorry, and I can't guarantee I won't do it again, but I'll work really hard to make things work for you guys, I swear.

This chapter is a bit of a mess, and by that I mean, emotionally. Though you tell me if you think it's a mess in other ways as I kinda do. I'd meant to include a few other things, but that got derailed when one of the characters decided to have a breakdown instead. Because of that, the ***WARNINGS*** for this chapter are as follows: Child abuse/neglect, the physical abuse of a student by a teacher, language, violence and threats of violence, threats of death/mildly gruesome descriptions of poisons, homophobia/homophobic slurs and abuse, mental health issues such as anger issues, anxiety/panic attacks/depression/therapy/therapists, as well as dealing with traumatic issues such as rape, child molestation and assault.

It is a lot, but I did my best to handle these things with the respect and sensitivity they deserve.

***This chapter may be triggering!***

I can not stress this enough. Please heed the warnings and feel free to skip over or even just bypass this chapter if you feel you may be sensitive to the triggers. There are at least 3 panic/anxiety attacks and flashbacks, the latter of which may be particularly upsetting as the character in question loses their sense of self for a moment and may be triggering/disturbing. I know it was hard enough to write, so please, please, please, heed my warnings and read carefully and with respect!

Author's Note 2: Shorter, but just as important.

Let's get a couple things straight: I am not, for one; and homophobic people suck, for the other. (Believe me, I know.)

This story will deal rather heavily with same-sex relationships/couples, as well as the people (because let's be honest, they're more than just characters) who identify as LGBT and all the various things that that might/does entail. If you are not ok with the idea of same-sex relationships, or the idea of a certain character/any character(s) being attracted to the same sex, then please, feel free to find another story to read. I would much rather lose a follower than to have you stay and complain or spew hate/intolerance. I'm sorry if I'm coming across as a bitch, but I just wanted to make it clear where I stood. If you don't like it, again, kindly feel free to stand somewhere else.

I love and appreciate all of the support that I've received for this story as well as the support I've received personally. It all means a lot to me and I wouldn't begin to be half of who I am without it, so thank you.

I hope you will all enjoy this chapter and I look forward to hearing what you think!

- Raven

Also, if anyone is interested, the songs that inspired this chapter are: 'Control' by Halsey, as well as 'Spanish Sahara' by Foals, and 'No Care' and 'Numbers' by Daughter.

Kropp

There had been many students that had come through his classroom throughout the years, but none quiet so troublesome as Carlos de Vil. His years of teaching couldn't have prepared him for anything remotely villainous; all the young princes and princesses had cared about was managing enough of a grade to pass the class and nothing more. They had their whole lives…their whole kingdoms, even, laid out for them, so why should they care about a stupid Biology class?

It had been easier to make them care back in the days when teachers were allowed to discipline their students. That's what they all needed, Kropp had reasoned with a grumble. They were all too privileged, too needy. A firm hand and structured discipline was all it took to straighten them out. Especially Chad Charming. The boy had certainly been one of Kropp's tougher cases; unfocused and undisciplined and entirely too unsupervised. But once Kropp cracked down the young prince had sung an entirely different tune.

Those days, much to the teacher's chagrin, had been put to an end with the various shiftings of power that came with combining kingdoms and lifestyles. Capital punishment had been labelled as a form of abuse, and 'inappropriate in a place of compassion and learning.' It was their job to 'nurture' the students, or so it was told and believed by all of the faculty at Auradon Prep, and Kropp had had no choice but to tolerate the disorder of his students. He'd resigned himself to simpler strategies; speaking lowly in classes so when he raised his voice the effect was more jarring; cracking his ruler against the desk instead of student's hands and wrists.

Anything more severe than a corrective tap was discouraged in the school, except in cases where 'absolutely necessary.' Such as with 'a violent and/or disruptive student, for whom which all other methods of correction have been proven ineffective, and would otherwise cause harm or discomfort for other students/teacher.'

In short, for a student like Carlos de Vil.

The young villain had proven himself unruly and incredibly disruptive in class, and any and all of Kropp's attempts to regain control and respect had certainly been proven insufficient. And so it was that Kropp had argued for proper punishment to be meted out in the form of a detention, and now faced the boy in question feeling nothing short of grim satisfaction.

"Let's see how well you can follow instructions, Mr. de vil," Kropp sneered, reveling in the fact that the boy seemed almost nervous as he eyed the words the teacher had written on the whiteboard.

"Ssir?" de Vil said, and though Kropp was pleased at the respectful address, the added mocking syllable ruined the effect.

"You have a functioning brain, do you not, Mr. de Vil?" Kropp said, his scowl deepening as he glared at the boy.

De Vil glared right back, however, his eyes stony with disrespect and resentment. He said nothing, though his hands moved rapidly in a series of gestures that Kropp was fairly certain were nothing flattering.

"With words, de Vil," Kropp snapped sharply, taking a few steps forward and gripping his ruler tightly in his fist. "You are not deaf or otherwise hard of hearing, and as you are fully capable of speech I expect you to speak when you are spoken to. Is that understood?"

It seemed to be, if the squaring of the young villain's shoulders were any indication. His dark eyes flashed and a smirk flickered at the corner of his lips as he responded.

"I said that m-m-my brain cccertainly seems to fu-function better than yyyours," de Vil said, a bold sort of challenge in the set of his jaw.

It was all that Kropp needed to act. His ruler was made of the non-shattering variety of plastic, which made it incredibly useful for when Kropp would become frustrated and bend it between his fingers. (It had taken many a broken ruler for a student to present it to him as a gift before they had graduated.) Now it served an entirely different purpose as in one swift motion his ruler whistled through the air to crack once, twice against the boy's cheek. Not hard enough to cause any significant damage, but his point had definitely been made if the startled wide eyes that stared back at him were any indication.

"Do I have your attention now, Mr. de Vil?" Kropp hissed lowly, and de Vil nodded slowly, his eyes flickering uncertainly. "You might have gotten away with behavior like this on the Isle, but this is Auradon, and this is my classroom and I will not tolerate it anymore."

De Vil was entirely still, his eyes on the board over Kropp's shoulder, his face paling as if he'd suddenly realized what was happening.

"You have, as you yourself have said," Kropp continued vindictively. "A fully functioning brain, and so any 'slips of the tongue' are entirely voluntary and under your control."

"Th-th-th-that's not hhow it wwworks!" de Vil bit out hotly, his chair groaning as he stood rapidly, face flushed.

Thwack! went the ruler, and this time Kropp could almost make out the imprint of the plastic as the blood rushed back out of the boy's face.

"Sit. Down," he growled, baring his teeth viciously. De Vil sat jerkily, his eyes darting to the classroom door, to the whiteboard, to the ruler in Kropp's hand. Never directly at him, the teacher noted with some frustration, but they had plenty of time to address that as well. "This is how it's going to 'work,' Mr. de Vil," Kropp said through gritted teeth. "You will repeat those words on the board, speaking clearly, without any slips."

"And if I d-d-d-on't?"

Somehow the boy managed to maintain his sarcastic tone, though Kropp was quick to correct it.

"Do we understand each other, Mr. de Vil?"

The boy blinked hard, his jaw clenching and unclenching, his expression unreadable. It took a moment, but then he brought his hands up and started to move them around again in gestures. Kropp hissed a sharp breath before lashing out again, his ruler cracking firmly across de Vil's knuckles and abruptly halting his movements.

"With your words, Mr. de Vil," Kropp ground out.

Instead of answering, the boy turned his head, his eyes scanning over the whiteboard, pain and fear twisting his expression into something almost vicious. After a moment, de Vil stilled, his expression clearing, though his continued to reflect his turmoil.

"'I w-w-will not disresp-ect Mr. Kropp in ccccclass,'" the boy recited, his voice shaking but otherwise devoid of inflection.

A quick of smack of unbreakable plastic against skin; a noise of pain that catches and dies in a closed throat.

"Again."

"I w-will not dis-dis-dis-"

Crack!

"Again."

"I will nnnnot-"

Thwa-crack!

"Again."

Mal

It's Monday afternoon and Mal was more than fed up with the white walls of the infirmary. She understands how Jay had started making death threats only a few days into his stay. As it was, she'd outlasted him by nearly a day. She pauses at that thought, going back in her mind. Had it really been almost four days since the party? Four days…which meant that they'd been in Auradon for eight days…and they only had until Wednesday to enjoy it before they were sent back to the hell they had come from. (Or, at least, until the rest of the Auradon Council arrived, which was essentially, the same result.)

The thought of it alone has her so far on edge that when the Fairy Godmother enters the room later that afternoon, it takes all of Mal's self-control to refrain from throwing a chair at her.

"If you're not going to tell me that I'm free to go, then I strongly suggest walking back out the door," Mal growls, her teeth just as tightly clenched as her fingers around the bars of her bed.

The Fairy Godmother starts at her tone (or maybe it was her flashing eyes), but bravely remains in the room.

"Unfortunately, Mal," the woman says, somehow managing to look sympathetic instead of condescending, "You won't be leaving the infirmary just yet."

"Of course not," Mal mutters, her lips twisting bitterly as she sinks back into the bed. "Can't have the villain who attacked the King out and about among the good people of Auradon. Best to keep me where you can see me, right?"

The Fairy Godmother has the decency to wince, and Mal is grateful that at least the woman is trying. It was more than could be said for her mother. The only thing that Mal could count on when she returned to the Isle was a slow and brutal death.

"I can assure you Mal that we aren't keeping you here with the intent to harm you," the Fairy Godmother says, managing a smile that Mal could swear is almost devious. "And believe me when I tell you that I am more than capable and that if I'd truly been planning on harming you, you would know."

Mal lets out a surprised chuckle and grudgingly smiles back. "That's actually comforting," she admits, lifting a brow. "And impressive, if I'm being honest."

"Well," the Fairy Godmother says, waving it off dismissively. "There's no true cause for concern as those days are behind me. My wand is safely tucked away in the Auradon Museum of History, where it serves as a symbol for educational purposes."

Oh. Mal all but leaps out of the bed at that bit of news. Educational, indeed.

"Anyway dear, one of those visitors I told you about has just arrived and wanted to meet you." The Fairy Godmother's next words throw Mal so far of balance that she actually flinches, eyes wide as they register.

"Excuse me?" she manages after a moment, suddenly unsure how to play this.

"I'll be just outside," the woman says, as if that's supposed to be comforting. "And remember, no one wants to hurt you. We all have your best interests in mind."

"Yeah I've heard that before," Mal retorts, almost without thinking. "Usually right before the pain started."

Something in the Fairy Godmother's expression pinches, and that's all the indication Mal needs to realize that she'd spoken loud enough to be heard. Before she can try to correct or even play it off, someone knocks on the door, and Mal swallows as fear twists her stomach so hard she half imagines that it's her mother coming to punish her for her failures.

She doesn't realize that she's shaking until the door opens, and she sucks a sharp breath as a man enters the room. He's tall, and thin, but that doesn't do much as Mal reasons that he's still a man and could very easily snap her in half if he so chose. Her magic is acting up again, she realizes dimly as she sits as far upright as she can, her body torn between wanting to run and wanting to retreat. She can feel the sickening tugging sensation in her gut; notes the hazy tinge of green that slithers weakly across the backs of her hands.

"Hello, Mal," the man says, and she flinches at his voice instinctively, eyes shooting to the bland hospital bedsheets. He sounds friendly enough- that light and easy 'Auradon' kind of friendly that's basically its own kind of accent- but she knows better than to trust it. To trust him.

"Hi," she says quietly, when the silence goes on long enough for her to realize she'd been meant to respond.

"It's nice to meet you," he continues smoothly, stepping further into the room. She thinks he might be smiling, and when she glances out of the corner of her eye it's confirmed. He's wearing glasses, and his hair is an interesting orange color, but that's as far as Mal let's herself examine because she'd just made eye contact and shit if there hadn't been pain before there would be now.

She's cowering, a part of her registers- the part that is her mother hisses curses at her for daring to be so weak, especially before a man, but the part of her that has some sense of preservation also thinks that maybe she isn't cowering enough….

"Mal?"

Relief surges so strongly that Mal doesn't care how desperate she looks as her head snaps up and in the Fairy Godmother's direction. She was safe. The Fairy Godmother meant safe (though damned if Mal knew where that idea had come from- the woman wouldn't have lasted two seconds on the Isle with all her cheer).

"It's nice to meet you, too," Mal murmurs shakily, her eyes on the Fairy Godmother, though her head tilts in deference in the man's direction. If she stared intently enough, maybe she could convince the woman to stay.

"My name is Jeremiah," the man is saying, and it's only the fear of missing something important that makes Mal pay attention. "Though most people just call me 'Jiminy,' after my Uncle."

"Cricket?" Mal blurts without thinking, then freezes, cringing back against the bed. She was going to get herself killed, Hades damn her!

The man laughs softly, and she flinches. She's doing a lot of that, she knows, but she also knows that this is the most danger she's been in since coming to Auradon and she can't be left alone with him she can't!

"Yeah. But thankfully, the insect part of the genes skipped a generation. Well," he pauses, and Mal guesses it's for some sort of self-evaluation as he continues with: "for the most part. The height seems to have factored in to make up for it."

There's another pause, and Mal's mind races as she tries to figure out what's expected of her. Was she supposed to say something? Would it be speaking out of turn? Had he made a joke and she was supposed to laugh but didn't? When would he cut the stalling and just get to the pain already?

"You seem nervous, Mal," 'Jiminy' says, and Mal stiffens, panic cutting off her breath.

'You seem nervous, little girl.'

"What was your first clue?" she snaps, then winces, biting her tongue so hard she tastes copper. It would be all she'd taste by the time he was done with her, she was sure, and her body screams with the agony of remembered pain; ghostly laughter ringing with each haunted mark.

"I can assure you that there's nothing to be afraid of."

'What's the matter? You scared?'

"I have no intention of hurting you."

'Just close your eyes, I promise I'll go gentle. Hell, I might even let you enjoy it if you're good.'

"Bella donna," Mal chokes out, her sudden loss of breath making the words barely more than a whisper. "Otherwise known as nightshade. It's berries are poisonous if ingested, though it's been used in some cases to dilate eyes in an attempt to appear attractive."

"…Interesting," someone murmurs, and Mal flinches but forces herself to continue, to focus on the facts, to remember how to breathe.

"Cyanide," she continues lowly, inhaling a little easier as she recites. "It can be extracted from the seeds and leaves of several plants, including but not limited to: apples, plums, peaches and apricots, and can be harvested easily by grinding the seeds with mortar and pestle."

"I don't…Mal? I don't understand-"

"Hemlock will paralyze the body," Mal cuts across the whisper in a much stronger tone, her eyes locking onto foreign pale blue ones. "The mind isn't affected though, meaning the victim is entirely aware until the respiratory system gets paralyzed too."

Breathing is easier, which is morbidly ironic, and the fact that she can tell that it's morbidly ironic reassures her far more than the sound of the Fairy Godmother's voice.

"Nicotine, arsenic, hemlock, cyanide, nightshade," Mal recites slowly, her head clearing with each poison.

"…grounding technique," the strange voice murmurs, and Mal blinks, realizing that she'd been glaring at Jiminy the entire time. "It's a rather disturbing subject, but effective, I would say."

Pain and terror threaten to well up again, but he's not shouting at her. Not moving or threatening…he'd actually…sat down? and was now staring at her as if she'd suggested they take a stroll through the school's gardens.

"And also, I think…a threat, eh?" he continues, his eyes strangely calm. "Letting me know that you're still dangerous?"

"Happy coincidence," Mal offers carefully, angling her gaze so she was avoiding directly staring. She was lucky he hadn't taken her stare as disrespectful, but she wasn't about to make that mistake again.

The Fairy Godmother makes a strangled sound (strychnine causes the muscles of the neck to clench, resulting in slow and painful asphyxiation), and Mal glances over to see the woman looks slightly nauseous.

"Well," she says shakily. "I'll let you two have some time to get acquainted. I'll…still be just outside if you need me, Mal."

And Mal thinks it's only that knowledge that keeps her from screaming as the woman quickly vanishes out the door. As it was, it's all she can do to contain her reaction as Jiminy shifts his weight in the chair. Instinct and panic override her attempts to remain neutral and she ends up flinching anyway. Thankfully, it's more a brief twitch than anything so obvious, and yet if the calculating look on his face is anything to go by, he'd noticed it anyway and she had to be smarter than this she couldn't be this weak and if she were home…oh, if she were home….

"So, Mal," Jiminy speaks up, cutting across thoughts of her mother's harsh reminders of just how life worked on the Isle. "All your talk of poisons earlier had me intrigued…probably a bit too morbidly really, but." He shrugs, and Mal grits her teeth in anticipation of his raised hand. It doesn't come, but she doesn't relax, even when he continues speaking.

"I was just wondering," he says, his tone still too calculating to be 'curious,' "If you really were to poison me, which one would you use?"

"Cyanide," Mal answers without thinking, which, really she really needed to start doing that! "You'd be dead in about a minute."

"An instant death," he repeats, but it's a low hum that colors his words. He's not angry. Yet. "I suppose that's smart…getting rid of the threat as soon as possible."

She swallows hard, her fingers gripping the edge of the sheet covering her. He was definitely not as relaxed as he tried to appear, given the scrutinizing way he was looking at her. This would be where the pain came in, she was sure of it.

"And you do consider me a threat," he continues, still in that slow, even tone. "Even though I've repeatedly stated that my intentions were not to harm you, and I have yet to move out of my chair, or react in any way resembling violence."

He was…offended, maybe, and that was just as dangerous as angry. Mal cringes slightly, wondering if this was meant to be a cue for an apology from her and already anticipating what would happen when she refused to give it.

"All men are capable of violence," Mal retorts, flickering her eyes up just enough so he knew she was addressing him.

"That's true," he nods slowly, drawing one of his legs up to cross over the other. "Everyone has the potential for violence. And yet somehow, I don't think that's what you meant, is it, Mal?"

It's meant to be casual, she knows, but she also knows when she's being manipulated, and she chances a direct glare at the man to show such.

"What is this?" she snaps, her eyes flickering warily to the closed door and then back again. "You talk like the Isle, and yet you're from Auradon so what exactly do you want from me?"

"I…talk like the Isle?" She seems to have caught him off guard, if his sudden blink was any indication, and Mal latches onto her brief advantage while she can.

"Circles," she clarifies testily, shifting her gaze so she's even more direct in her glare. "You're twisting your words so I hear what I want to hear, and you hear what you want to, without ever truly saying what you really are. So," she finishes, allowing her eyes to spark with green for just a moment. "What. Do. You. Want."

She holds her breath but maintains her glare as Jiminy shifts his weight so both feet rest on the floor once more. Briefly, she realizes that holding her breath like this would only prevent her from calling for help, but that would imply that she needed it and she didn't, she wasn't weak and if (if, she scoffs. She had) she'd spoken too far out of turn, she deserved and expected the consequences.

What she doesn't expect is for him to smile, a low chuckle slipping past his lips as he adjusts his glasses.

"This, really," he says, inclining his head to her. "Honesty, blunt and…brutal as it is. And, I take it, it was brutal, wasn't it, Mal?"

Something in his gaze shifts then, a strange and terrifying sort of understanding that has Mal shuddering despite herself.

"You have no idea, do you?" she hisses lowly, her knuckles white but tinged with green as they clench and twist in the sheets.

"No," he replies, equally low. "I don't have knowledge, not in the way you do. But I have an idea."

Mal snorts in response, though she quickly reigns in her open derision when Jiminy fixes her with a look.

"The incident in the garden that I've heard so much about," he begins, and it's Mal's turn to blink, caught off guard. "It wasn't quite as straightforward as attempted murder, as I'm meant to believe it. Given just how fiercely determined you seem to be, it's more likely that it started as a simple clash of ideals."

"You still don't get it," Mal counters, desperate to prove him wrong, to force him away, to get his voice out of her head! "If I hadn't said…if I hadn't done what I did…."

But he's still staring at her with that look and she growls as her magic flares defensively inside her.

"You perceived that you were in danger," Jiminy picks up what she'd left unsaid. "Because, as you've put it, 'all men are capable of violence.' Rather specific, that. Though I suppose, understandable, given the environment that it surely must have come from."

"I love how everyone here keeps doing that," Mal says, her lips twisting bitterly as her eyes flicker briefly to meet his. "Using the past tense whenever they talk about us and the Isle; like suddenly being in Auradon means that it didn't happen, or that it just goes away completely or that it isn't still happening. Like, how right now, somewhere on the Isle, a little girl isn't speaking out of turn to a man, and isn't finding out the permanent way just what happens when she does something that stupid."

Jiminy's brows are up by his hair and she's said too much she knows she has and fuck if this wasn't exactly what she'd just been saying and she deserves every bit of pain she was going to get for this.

"By 'the permanent way,' I assume you mean death," is all that he says, however, and Mal lets out a breathy noise that might be a laugh- no, will be a laugh dammnit, because she couldn't afford it to be anything else.

"If she's lucky," Mal replies darkly. "Which, no one ever is on the Isle, so, no. No it probably won't be death, just…something worse."

"Is that why you attacked the King?" Jiminy asks, his voice suddenly soft, and no longer quite so calculating. "Because you were expecting…something worse?"

"Well," Mal says, raising her eyes just as high as the painful lift of her lips. "We're being sent back to the Isle so, you tell me."

Jiminy hums softly, shifting his weight slightly and Mal prides herself on managing not to flinch, this time. His eyes flare with a tight emotion that she can't identify as he tilts his head ever so slightly.

"You do raise good points, don't you Mal?" he murmurs, and Mal grits her jaw warily as she tilts her own head away from him, cutting her gaze so he's no longer in focus.

"Just trying to follow the Auradon way," she replies, as glibly as she can with his eyes directly on her. "You know, honesty and…goodness."

He laughs briefly, though it sounds more like an amused sort of scoff, and shifts his weight forward as he rises from his chair.

"Thank you," he says, and though his tone is light, it's sincere, as are his eyes. "For sharing with me. I look forward to meeting the rest of your group."

And as much as Mal notes his use of 'your group,' she also notes the 'look forward to meeting' part as well, and she jerks upright sharply, leveling him with a vicious glare.

"No!"

It's out of her mouth before she can stop it, but she can't back down now that she's issued the challenge; especially not when he turns back to face her.

"No?" he repeats, and Mal flinches hard in spite of herself. She hadn't been exaggerating her description of the consequences of speaking out of turn on the Isle, and not even the knowledge of the fact that this was Auradon, and that the Fairy Godmother was right outside the door did anything to calm that terror.

"No," she repeats shakily, clenching and unclenching her jaw and steeling herself for the pain to come before continuing. "You're not going to 'meet' them. You're not going near them until I've figured out your game."

"Until you're sure I'm not a threat, you mean," Jiminy replies easily, and Mal growls softly under her breath in response. "I'm honestly both flattered and surprised that you still hold me in that regard, as anyone who knows me could tell you-"

"I don't know you," Mal cuts across him quickly, letting her eyes flash in place of her bravado. "And until I do, you're not going near my crew."

"Until our next meeting then, Mal," Jiminy replies, inclining his head one more time to her with a smile before turning and opening the door; leaving Mal with a concerned looking Fairy Godmother, and a sinking sensation of not quite knowing what she'd gotten herself into.

Jay

It takes Jay far too long to realize that Carlos isn't with him. Namely, it takes the whole of his 'Foundations of Auradon Algebra' class- which, really, they could have at least tried to make it harder. Hilariously enough, math was one thing that Jay didn't have any trouble with. He'd had plenty of experience with numbers handling his father's finances and keeping stock of everything in the shop, so the longer string of numbers he'd faced in his text book and really just been like basic Isle life for him.

It's after class that he notes the lack of white haired villain beside him, and he pauses in the hallway and glares at the throng of students. He knows he doesn't really need to worry; Carlos had a study hall anyway, and usually met up with him at some point after their two classes ended. The Fairy Godmother had probably just kept him a little later for some reason. Carlos would be at his locker and Jay could catch up with him there before they met up with Evie.

Carlos isn't at his locker, however, and Jay feels the familiar pang of worry as his instincts start screaming danger at him. It's not quite fear…he'd known Carlos to escape from all kinds of situations back on the Isle and it wasn't to the point of that yet. But Jay was definitely…concerned, and he raps his fist a little too hard against the closest knight, the metal creaking eerily beneath his fist.

"Where can I find Carlos de Vil?" Jay demands lowly of the knight, who creaks its visor open in such a way Jay would have thought it was glaring at him.

"Carlos de Vil is currently in the Auradon Library, along with Jane and a few others. He is safe."

The kinght's voice seemed to shift with those last three words, a softer sort of creaking sound that Jay blinks at, startled.

"Are you…mocking me, or something?" he mutters at the knight, who creaks almost questioningly before answering.

"I don't understand."

"I mean," Jay grumbles, glancing quickly around to ensure no one was close enough to overhear this absurd conversation. "Did you just say that to try and make me feel better or…cuz I'm not worried!"

The knight's visor lifts further, and damn if Jay wasn't going to have to talk with Ben about how creepy and expressive the hunk of metal was.

"Not at all," the knight replies, its voice ringing slightly. "I merely stated that the young de Vil is currently safe, and in good company."

"Yeah, well, I guess that's…wait," Jay snaps, faltering as he takes in what the knight had said. "What do you mean 'currently safe'? Was he not safe before?"

"He is safe now," the knight repeats, almost sternly, if metal could truly be so emotive. "There is no longer cause for concern."

"Which basically means that there was a cause for concern because he wasn't safe because…what was Carlos' last location?"

The knight's visor lifts with a low groan, but Jay doesn't care how annoyed or disturbed the damn thing was because he'd suddenly realized that Carlos couldn't have been with the Fairy Godmother because that woman was as safe as safe could get (although he wasn't sure how he'd gotten that idea). Which meant that if Carlos hadn't been safe then he had to have been-

"Carlos de Vil's last location was with Jane in the Auradon Theatre Department."

"O…k…," Jay drawls carefully, because he didn't know what the heck that was but he knew that that couldn't have been the issue. "And before that?"

"Before that," the knight seems to pause, as though thinking? Or maybe a reluctance to say? "Carlos de Vil was spending an unspecified free period in Classroom 277 with Mr. Kropp."

"Fuck."

"Mr. Jafarson…"

"Fuck."

"Mr. Jafarson-"

"Stop calling me that," Jay snaps, tugged from his furious (and definitely worried) thoughts. "It's so awkward. And annoying. It's just Jay. Or Jayden, but…." (But no, he thinks. Only Lonnie can…) "Just. Jay."

"Noted," the knight remarks. "Jay, I strongly urge you to head to the Auradon library. Carlos de Vil is safe and in good company on the second floor."

"Right," Jay mutters, closing his eyes briefly and vowing to talk with Ben about the strangely self-aware knights. "Yeah, I'll be doing that."

He waits a moment, just to see if the knight would have any comments to add, but silence is all he gets in response. Satisfied, and yet suddenly, definitely, fearful, Jay sprints for the hallway, reading the signs as he goes to find the nearest elevator. The silver doors are just as off-putting as when he first encountered them, but this time at least, he has Lonnie's voice in his head to remind him (and tease in turns) how the buttons work. He ignores the sickening lurching in his stomach at the motion and all but breaks down the doors when they don't open fast enough when it stops.

Jay is out of the elevator before the chime reaches his ears, stumbling out into the library and ignoring the librarian that hisses 'Shhh!' at him. The woman is monstrously ugly anyway, and Jay doesn't have time to bother with old hags like her right now even if he totally would have knocked over a shelf or something just to piss her off because he has to find Carlos, damnit and he's just rounding a corner now and-

There.

Jay practically slumps against the nearest bookshelf with relief as he takes in the sight of Carlos, sitting in a weird pillow like chair between Jane and Lonnie. There's others, too, he realizes as he straightens and approaches, trying to slow his feet and his breathing so he appears nonchalant. Ben, and his princess, Andy? Audra? Audrey, that was it- and the dwarf kid, Doug, and another boy with tanned skin and loose curls tucked into a corner on a couch. The boy is vaguely familiar, and Jay feels uneasy for some reason when he sees him, but he brushes it off because that's not what he's here for.

"There you are, Carlos," he calls, and the whole group looks up at him as he hovers. "The knight said that…that I'd find you here," he amends quickly, not wanting to bring this up in front of everyone.

Carlos' eyes flicker, but his expression is light, and sort of pleased, almost, as he meets Jay's gaze. His lips twitch, but don't open, and Jay feels anger and a helpless sinking in his gut at the silence.

"Hey," Lonnie greets, her eyes dark with mischief as she smirks at him. "Fancy seeing you in such an esteemed place of learning. I wouldn't have guessed you went for much outside of the physical area."

Jay snorts and rolls his eyes at her in response, but his chest pulls uncomfortably under his shirt, and he has to clench his fist to keep from scratching at the scar.

"Looks like I'm just full of surprises," he quips right back, and she chuckles lowly before sliding over.

"Join the circle," she says with a wave of her hand.

Jay glances around again, and notes that the boy on the couch averts his eyes, before lifting a questioning brow at Carlos.

"Ok if I sit?" he asks quietly, though he knows it's no use with everyone being so close. Carlos shrugs a shoulder but nods easily enough, and Jay sinks down onto his knees between Carlos and Lonnie, the rest of the group shuffling around to make it even.

"So," Jay drawls, eyes instantly snapping to the strange kid on the sofa, who was resolutely refusing to make eye contact. "What's all this about? Some kind of secret meeting?"

"We were just trying to come up with ideas for, uh…for the Council," Ben says carefully, smiling. It's so small Jay has to squint to really see it, though, and it falls off of the other boy's face in an instant.

"And I was just leaving," the strange boy says, standing abruptly, eyes still downcast.

His posture is entirely too weak; the kind of body language from someone trying too hard not to be noticed. It's the kind of posturing that usually comes from the prey, and instinct has Jay bristling and straightening as well, anticipating blood and violence and submission.

"Why's that, huh?" he snaps out, his voice somewhere between a bark and a growl. "Too many villains in one place all of a sudden?"

The boy's expression shifts and it's weak and open and vulnerable and Jay is tensing to go in for the kill when his eyes flicker up and….

"Oh," Jay says, blinking once but no more because now he has to maintain that eye contact because "Well, fuck me. Course, you'd probably like that, wouldn't you queer?"

There's a ripple through the Auradon kids at his words, but he ignores them all, ignores the hiss of his name from somewhere as the other boy- his name started with an N, that was all Jay bothered to remember- actually lifted his head to meet Jay's gaze head on, something harsh twisting his lips.

"Not really," he murmurs, his voice low and subtly accented. "I do have some standards, after all."

Jay bares his teeth and he's on his feet in the next breath, fists clenched and blood roaring in his ears.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snarls, and though the other boy flinches slightly, he stands his ground, and Jay would respect that if he weren't a fucking faggot and if the scar on his chest wasn't itching and if his own screams of forced pleasure weren't overriding all of instincts to fight hurt kill.

"Nothing at all," the fucker replies, still with that twist of his lips. "Just that homophobic assholes aren't really my type…aside from that, I'm already taken."

Jay is leaping across the room and grabbing the boy's collar before his anger even catches up, and it feels so good to watch his eyes widen, watch that oh-so-cocky twist of his lips falter and die. To feel the frantic heartbeat against his fingertips and hear the low grunt of pain pain pain as his fist connects with solid flesh.

Someone is screaming, he realizes dimly, between the blows. Yelling his name, yelling for help, yelling to stop stop stop this isn't the Isle this isn't them this isn't like whatever came before. But giving pain is what Jay is good at. It's what got him where he is right now; alive, at least. It's what keeps his own pain away and, if he's being brutally honest- which the breathtaking sound of groaning and muffled whimpers tells him he is- he enjoys it. He enjoys it because it's not him this time, not him in pain, no he's in charge now and he's not the one begging he's not he's not he won't ever beg again he'll make them all beg he'll-

Something gets between his fist and stops it short and suddenly he's in pain and his hand is…ow. Ow! Jay winces at the twinge in his wrist, blinking at the fingers that grab it, at the other hand that twists it back and away and shit that hurts! It's wrong, Jay realizes slowly. It's wrong that it hurts because he's the one who's supposed to be…supposed to be….

White. White in his vision, in front of him. Red and white and a familiar sort of weight pressing against him. The sharp scent of metal and oil and something distinctly raw and human. Cold, dark eyes that are wide but unblinking, a low, soft growl buzzing in his ears.

"Carlos?" Jay mutters, and then he realizes that his fist is still raised, and in Carlos' grip, the other boy's hand above his head to accommodate the difference in height. Realizes that Carlos is the one growling, and that he's growling at Jay, his lips pressed tightly together as he grits his jaw.

The smaller boy says nothing, but he brings his hand up and signs, closing his pointer and index fingers over his thumb like a small mouth, giving a quick, firm shake of his head. [No.]

Jay frowns, tugging his fist out of the other boy's grip. "What do you mean, 'no'?" Jay snarls back, attempting to force his way forward again. He can hear the stifled groaning behind Carlos, knows he hasn't finished hasn't done enough because he shouldn't be able to hear anything if he does it right. Carlos growls a bit harder and moves with him, bringing his hands up and shoving Jay hard. He's just enough off balance to make the shove effective, and he staggers backwards a couple feet.

Carlos signs again, bringing his right hand up in a flat palm and aggressively bringing his left hand in a sideways flat palm down onto it in a chopping motion. [Stop!]

Jay scoffs in disbelief, his face twisting harshly in a sneer. "Really, Carlos?" He spits, his hands clenching in place of his jaw. "You're really doing this right now? Over that?" He jerks his head vaguely in the direction of the groaning boy behind him, who was slowly getting to his feet and Jay definitely hadn't done it right.

Carlos extends his hands in flat shapes with his palms towards the ground and 'pats' the air in front of him slightly. [Calm down.]

"I'll be calm when that pervert is dead," Jay snaps back, and Carlos' eyes flash darkly as he signs again, brushing his thumb along the underside of his chin with a shake of his head before gesturing to the area in front of him. [Not here.]

"Jay, you need to listen to him," someone says behind him, and Jay starts slightly at the intrusion. "I don't know what the problem is but-"

"You're right, Ben," Jay cuts across the other boy sharply, keeping his glare directed at Carlos. "You don't know, so I suggest you back off before I..."

"Stop."

Jay blinks, frowning hard as he tries to figure out if this is a command he wants to ignore. His body decides for him, shifting backwards slowly and he feels heavy and he reasons that the adrenaline had faded, but it shouldn't be hard to just shove Carlos aside and...do…do what? He doesn't really want to do anything right now and it's weird because a second ago he was in danger…he was going to….

"How many times am I going to have to deal with these situations with you?" the new voice says sternly. Then there's a pause, and it's not quite as harsh sounding. "Can you hear me, Jay?"

Yeah, he thinks, nodding his head idly, confused as to his sudden lack of anger. I can hear you.

"I'm going to need you to nod your head," and Jay recognizes the Fairy Godmother now, wondering why it took him so long.

More silence, but movement rustles and there's a groan that sparks something thick and hot in Jay's gut before:

"He says that's as close to a nod as you're going to get," a young girl's voice says, and then he sort of ignores the conversation because it's too much effort to really process each individual sentence.

"…need an explanation…."

"-is none….out of nowhere…."

"….the violent type, but never would have thought…."

"Did he really say he was going to kill Nikki?"

He blinks at that, cold jarring down his spine and snapping awareness into him with sharp and painful clarity. He's still on his feet, but everything is shifted…it all felt wrong somehow and instinct had Jay anticipating an attack until he recognizes Carlos beside him and instantly snaps into defense; gripping the smaller boy's shoulders and shifting him into position behind Jay. Carlos yelps in protest but Jay ignores him and stiffens, bringing his fists up and adjusting his body to physically cover as much of other boy as he can.

"Whatever it is you want," Jay growls lowly, grimacing at the danger tingling in every part of his body. "You're going to have to get it the hard way."

"J-j-j-j-j…," he hears behind him, Carlos voice a strangled whisper as he struggles to get out the word. It only serves to heighten Jay's anxiety because of all things, his name had been the easiest thing for the boy to say and he was going to kill whoever had made it so hard.

"Jay," he hears in front of him, and he snaps his head around so fast it hurts. "You're not in danger. No one is going to hurt you or Carlos. I promise."

"Bull," he snaps, clenching his teeth. Although he couldn't help but pause minutely, caught off guard by the words. No one on the Isle made promises like that; when someone wanted to hurt you, they hurt you and that was that. They didn't bother with trying to reassure otherwise.

"J-j-j-," Carlos is trying behind him, his fingers prodding at the small of Jay's back.

"I'm sorry," from in front of him again. "I shouldn't have tried to use magic to subdue you like that. I acted irrationally and I truly regret it. But you are not in danger. I promise."

He blinks at that, really confused now. Magic wasn't the Isle…the Isle wasn't magic so where….

"J-j-j-jay," Carlos chokes out behind him, his fingers poking a gentle but insistent rhythm on his back. "Ssafe. Ssswear. Ssafe."

Safe, Jay repeats to himself, turning the word over and over until it makes sense. It makes sense very suddenly and the room comes into focus like a slap.

"Auradon," he mutters, blinking at the Fairy Godmother as she materializes before his eyes. "Sorry, I…what did I….?"

His chest pulls uncomfortably and he has to bite his lip to keep from rubbing at the scar. The taste of blood and please and sour is thick in the back of his throat, and danger buzzes furiously in his ears as hands sting hot trails down the back of his neck and….

"Ssafe," Carlos whispers, moving out from behind him so Jay can actually see the truth in his face. "Sssafe."

He's talking, but he cringes with each word and Jay grimaces sharply at the reminder that they all weren't as safe as they hoped.

"I think this is something that would be better discussed elsewhere," the Fairy Godmother says, her eyes darting to some point outside his field of vision.

"I wasn't going to bring it up," a voice rasps from that same point. "But yeah, somewhere else would be nice like, I don't know…the infirmary? Just a suggestion."

"Really?" someone else, Jay thinks maybe Ben? says. "You're really making jokes after that Nik-"

"It's either that or break down," the other voice grunts back, and Jay feels a white hot spike of anger and unease as he turns sharply on his heel-

And is immediately faced with Carlos, who shoves his way in between Jay and the threat, face hard and eyes even harder.

"Nnno," he growls softly. "Not the-the-the-the ssame. Ssafe."

"Safe?" Jay repeats fiercely, trying to lunge forward but keep himself restrained at the same time because Carlos was there and if he moved wrong he'd get hurt and everything hurt and it's too much he doesn't want to please please please….

"I don't know what rainbow colored world you live in 'Los, but you know-"

"Wh-what that's like," Carlos mumbles, angling his head away but not dropping eye contact. "Not-not-not he..he…re."

"There isn't a difference," Jay snarls, glaring at the creep over Carlos' shoulder and also trying to figure out just why Carlos was in the way in the first place; trying to shake the sensation of fingers bruising patterns into his hip.

"Ben," the Fairy Godmother says, and Jay jumps slightly at the sound of her voice. Somehow, he hadn't accounted for her in his taking stock of threats and forgot that she was there. "Take the others with you and get Nikhil to the infirmary. The staff there will know what to do."

There's a small shift of movement that Jay senses is meant to mean protest, but it's not acted upon, and so he isn't really sure.

"Jay…Carlos," the Fairy Godmother continues, and there's something in her voice that Jay doesn't like. "Would you kindly meet me in my office?"

Carlos

Jay is not ok.

Carlos has to fight to wrap his head around that idea and yet it's painful how obvious a fact it is. Jay is shaking as they make their way to the Fairy Godmother's office, his jaw so tight Carlos can see the way the muscles clench in his neck. Sweat dots the other boy's brow and there's a sick sort of tension in the way he holds his body; like he's pain, or…the opposite. He can't tell which but it's definitely pain in Jay's eyes; dark and thick and yet so open that it's like looking down the side of a cliff at the rocks you're about to be shattered on.

"Fuck," Jay hisses, his voice barely a breath and the word forming on his lips alone, his jaw clenching even tighter as if he doesn't dare open his mouth too much. "Fuck…fuck…fuck…."

There's a rhythm to it, Carlos realizes as they continue down the halls. A tightening and loosing of tension with each raspy breath, an increase of pain before the lull of…that something else, before: "Fuck…" and it starts again.

He knows what it is because he's seen it before…lived it before, but it's so strange to see it happening in front of him. To see it on someone else. To see it on Jay.

"J-j-jay," Carlos works out, keeping an eye on the Fairy Godmother's back for caution as he turns to face the older boy. "J-j-j-j-ay…."

He grimaces hard, biting his lip and cursing his inability to speak. Why, out of all the things, was he not able to say Jay's name? He'd been so happy when they'd first met, to finally have something so easy to say…so easy to connect to…so easy to…. Except things like love didn't exist on the Isle so he had never been able to fully articulate just what it was he felt for the other boy. And then of course, the inevitable had happened and out of all of them Carlos never would have thought it would happen to Jay and it wasn't fair!

"F-k," Jay mutters, and the word catches in his throat and sticks there suddenly, and Carlos slows to a stop as Jay does.

"Okkkay," Carlos tries to whisper, but the words aren't working and he needs them to work damnit! He can say a stupid sentence he isn't weak, he doesn't have a problem. "J-j-jay? It's okay. Ssafe. Ssafe."

It's all he can manage but he goes with it, as Jay shoves his back against the nearest wall and stays there, unmoving. The Fairy Godmother only just seems to notice that something is wrong, but Carlos doesn't resent her for it.

Jay panics silently.

It's something Carlos never would have guessed; never would have wanted to find out and especially not…not like this. But whereas Carlos' fits were typically much more audible; and where Evie would internalize and eventually explode; and Mal just exploded instantly…Jay was silent. It didn't make it hurt any less, though.

"Jay? What-?"

Carlos turns sharply on his heel, shaking his head and holding up a hand to stop her. "Sshh!" he whispers hoarsely, wincing at the look of stern surprise he gets in response. He inches his way over to Jay and places his back against the wall, mirroring the older boy's position. It's so strange, Carlos thinks numbly. Jay's breathing is quick, but not horribly labored like he's expecting; it's almost as if he'd just run really fast and then stopped to catch his breath. But that moment of calm just wasn't coming, if the tightness in Jay's expression and the shuddering of his body was any indication. It's not right, any of it, and Carlos has to fight his own panic even harder here because he can't screw this up, he has to be strong for once in his life he has to just talk just say anything just do something! But how is he supposed to help when he can't…he can't even say his name?

Jay is still quiet, and it's not ok and Carlos can't even say anything to make it better because he's such a screw up and why…how could he have ever thought that someone like Jay would even look at him once, forget twice? Why couldn't he just be normal? Was it not bad enough that he couldn't talk right couldn't think right couldn't behave right? Why could his feelings not be right? Why couldn't he do even this? Why was he still thinking like this weren't things supposed to be different now why couldn't he just make it be different and why was he worrying about this when he should be helping Jay?!

"Safe."

The word comes from nowhere and everywhere at once, and Carlos blinks as his mind struggles to go back together.

"You are safe. They can't reach you here. No one here will hurt you. You are safe."

"Ssafe," Carlos repeats the word slowly, and relaxes when nothing happens. "Safe."

Jay shudders hard next to him and on an impulse, Carlos reaches out and grabs his hand. Jay goes entirely still and Carlos curses his stupidity because of course he doesn't want to be touched right now and he's just made it worse and

"You are safe."

And he remembers how to breathe again and where they are. This is Auradon. It is not like the Isle. The people here are not like the people on the Isle. The people here…are allowed to be happy. Whatever that might mean.

"Ssafe," Carlos repeats, a little bit louder, angling his head so he's facing Jay. "Safe."

"Yes," the Fairy Godmother echoes, though she's lowered her voice so Carlos wonders if Jay even hears it. "You are safe. No one is going to hurt you for this."

Jay's fingers twitch in his hand and Carlos holds on a little tighter, shifting his body so he's fully facing Jay, blocking out the hallways beyond with his own slight frame.

"Mme," he whispers to Jay, watching his face carefully for any sign of recognition. "Me. Safe."

Jay's eyes flicker, and he blinks, but they're still dark…still too much pain for Carlos' liking.

"J…Jay," Carlos forces out, and Jay blinks again, his breathing slowing down minutely. "Jay. Safe. Ju-ju-just me. Carl-os. Safe."

It's the most he's spoken in hours and he feels a warm rush of relief that he can even manage that, as well as a deeper pang of pain and dread that even that hadn't come out entirely right.

"'Los?"

Carlos jumps at the sound of Jay's voice; hoarse and thick, like he'd been screaming. But it's Jay's voice and he's not quiet and that's all that Carlos lets himself focus on as he carefully pulls his hand away.

"Ye-yes," he mumbles, moving slowly but not moving away just yet.

Jay's brow furrows in confusion, his eyes darting around the hallway and Carlos recognizes his gesture for what it is. Checking for threats.

"Nu-n-no threat-threat-threat's," Carlos promises shakily, trying to shift his body to catch Jay's gaze. "Aur-adon. It's ssafe."

"Ok," Jay drawls slowly, shoving himself away from the wall suddenly and without warning. Carlos trips in his haste to back away, to control his thoughts, to not be…wrong. "Were we going somewhere?"

And Carlos can't say anything at all, but this time, it's not because of his tripping tongue. He isn't entirely sure what just happened; where the sudden shift had come from. A second ago Jay had been in the middle of some kind of panic attack? Or memory? But now…it's like…nothing had happened?

"My office," the Fairy Godmother answers, and it takes Carlos a second to realize she's answering Jay. "To discuss what occurred in the library a moment ago."

Jay sighs, but it comes out as more of a groan, and though he rolls his eyes, his voice still shakes and he won't meet Carlos' eyes all the way.

"There's nothing to discuss," Jay's mouth says.

But his eyes are still that too dark of the edge of a cliff, and his voice is still too hoarse and his hands still shake and he's still. not. ok.

Jay

If it's one thing Jay hates the most about the confrontation with the Fairy Godmother, it's that Carlos won't stop staring at him. The other is the weird, half pity-half dismaying look on the Fairy Godmother's face, but Carlos is what's really getting to him.

"I don't think you understand the severity of your actions, Jay."

Jay blinks, pulling his eyes away from Carlos to glare at the Fairy Godmother. She's standing in front of her desk, hands folded in front of her and a stern look on her face that Jay would take seriously if it weren't for that look in her eyes.

"I understand what I did plenty," Jay snaps, his hands twitching anxiously at his sides. They want to curl into fists; to tug at his hair; to scratch the scar on his chest; to break whatever they can get hold of. "It's you guys who seem to be having trouble."

"And just what is it that I'm missing, Jay?" the woman retorts right back, her lips pursing and the dismay growing in her eyes. "Because the reports I've received have made one thing clear enough, and I'll have you know that while Auradon isn't perfect by any means, we do pride ourselves on how far we've come."

"From what?" Jay challenges, his eyes flickering over to Carlos, who's sitting in one of the Fairy Godmother's chairs, his fingers fiddling with something under his sleeve.

"From the attitudes and ideals which you and the other four have been horrifically displaying," she finishes, and Jay bares his teeth in a silent snarl. "It is unacceptable behavior and something which we do not tolerate here."

"But you'll tolerate all the shit that they do?" Jay bites out, giving in to one of his urges and running his fingers roughly through his hair.

His hand stutters at the back of his neck and he flinches hard in spite of himself, crossing his arms tightly over his chest instead. His whole body feels weak and uncertain, hands running sickening patterns over his flesh and sending stabbing sensations through his chest. Carlos stiffens in his chair and Jay clenches his jaw, forcing himself to ignore the other boy. He can't ignore Carlos' hands though, which worry their way across his arms under his sleeves and Jay registers briefly the realization that he's tracing the scars embedded in his skin before:

"And just what, exactly, is it that you're so intolerant of?" the Fairy Godmother insists fiercely, pulling him back into the coolness of her office while simultaneously shoving him back into the warm sensation of hands. "Help me understand this, because I just don't."

"No, you really fucking don't," Jay grumbles, shivering and clenching his arms even tighter. In the chair, Carlos' fingers trace over a certain set of letters and in front of him, the Fairy Godmother scowls and worries and pities, and all over him, hands, hands, hands, and Jay wants to scream but his throat hurts and he's already done that and if he opens his mouth now they'll make him….

"It doesn't matter," he practically vomits out the words, fighting the instinct to double over, to cower, to appear weak and small and pathetic. "We won't be in Auradon for much longer anyway so you don't even have to worry about what I'll do because…."

Because…oh Hades, they were going back there…back to them to their parents and if Jafar had been disappointed in him before…and he'd be sent back because if Jay couldn't even do something as simple as steal then that's all he'd be good for anyway and he can't he can't he can't go back to that!

"It does matter," the Fairy Godmother retorts, and Carlos is leaning out of the chair, looking like he wants to say something but unable to reach the words. "Because believe it or not, there are people here who care about you, and who care whether you succeed here. But in order to do that, I need you to be willing to work with me; and I need to understand what happened in the library."

She says 'library,' but her eyes say something different and fuck, Jay wasn't going to do any of this. He sneers, and scoffs tightly between his teeth, but he's still shaking and Carlos won't stop looking at him.

"Carlos?"

Jay blinks, and glances sideways as the other boy starts in his chair. He meets Jay's eyes for an uneasy second before turning back to the Fairy Godmother, and Jay fights the hot flare of anger that wells up at being so easily disregarded.

"Jay-jay-jay came…," Carlos starts, and then abruptly stops, his eyes flickering as he works his lips and nothing comes out. Jay clenches his fists as Carlos struggles, swearing that Kropp would pay for whatever it was he did to Carlos to cause him to slip back into muteness. As it is, Carlos sits and continues to fail at words, while Jay stands and fails at fighting off the hands that continue to press into his skin.

"He came to the library," the Fairy Godmother prompts, and both of them flinch as her voice forces awareness back into them, though Carlos recovers faster and nods, while Jay can barely keep his feet under him.

"Yyyyes," Carlos says, practically mumbling, but at least he managed the word. "Look-looking? Fffor me?" he says that part to Jay, who sets his jaw tightly and stiffens. His action receives an equally tight look of disappointment? maybe? from Carlos, and Jay regrets it, but he can't open his mouth to explain because the hands are everywhere and if he opens his mouth now….

"So, Jay came to the library to find you," the Fairy Godmother puts together, and Jay is able to appreciate, at least, her easy lack of judgment for Carlos' lack of speech.

Carlos nods, then presses his lips together and glances doubtfully at Jay before taking a slow breath.

"Nnnnoth-nothin-nothing was wrrr…bad," he forces out, wincing as he trips and has to amend his speech. "Nothing was bad." He repeats it harder, and to Jay, but Jay is barely hanging on and it's all too much and he thinks he should sit, he wants to sit but if he moves they'll notice him more and their hands are already everywhere have already been everywhere and he can't open his mouth he doesn't dare and he's screaming without air, screaming low in his throat as hands and mouths touch his skin and 'fuck' and 'yes' and 'good' and

"Everything was going well," the Fairy Godmother interprets, and Jay swallows his gasp because for a second Auradon had disappeared entirely. "Nothing bad had happened, you mean?"

And Carlos is nodding, the little shit, his eyes still flickering in Jay's direction. "Unt-ti-til…Jay…he-"

"Bullshit!" Jay roars without meaning to, his throat burning and his voice too loud and shit he'd just moved, hadn't he? "That's fucking bullshit, Carlos and you know it!"

Stop shouting, his brain screams at him. Stop moving stop talking stop don't open your mouth you know what they'll do to you what they've done what they're doing stopstopstopstop!

Jay wavers on his feet but manages to maintain his anger. Anger was good, it kept him safe, kept him grounded. He was angry at Carlos at the Fairy Godmother at Auradon. The anger kept him in his body; kept telling him 'safe' even when his brain screamed 'death.'

"Jay…," the Fairy Godmother begins, but he ignores here, has to ignore her because it's Carlos that he's focusing on right now and if he lets his mind wander to transition to her, even for a second, the hands will come back.

"Try and pin it on me and act like I'm the one who did something wrong?" he spits, taking a step forward and ignoring the body crumpling sensation of pain that it jabs through his mind. "That's not fair!"

"Nei-neither is dict- ssaying that I-I-I-that people aren't all-allo-allowed to ffeel the wway they do be-be-because you were-"

"Finish that sentence," Jay growls, and he's on his feet and he's angry but his stomach is in his throat and his chest is throbbing. "I fucking dare you."

And Carlos' eyes flicker but he's entirely sincere and Jay knows it. "Bec-beca-use of what hahahappened to you," he amends in a low voice, his eyes dropping before lifting back up to Jay's face. "That..that…that's not fffair."

"Nothing is fair," Jay wants to retort, but his voice is shaking too much he is shaking and he's moving way too much but it's not fair and he knows it's not. Even on the Isle it hadn't all been like…but he can't…he won't…because if he does then it means that it was his fault and he can't he can't he can't….

"It's not fair," someone cries, the deep kind of crying when it's all just too much. "It's not fair…I didn't…I didn't want…. It's not fair."

It takes him far too long to realize that he's the one crying.