Chapter 6 – The Others
-:-:-
After the confession that Jay might not hate Harry as much as he wanted to (and he wanted to a lot, but things always came back to Mal and what she wanted, and fuck, was he weak for her), the first mate seemed to get somewhat bashful, not growling or spitting curses nearly as much as he did before.
"This is just Harry," Chad informed Jay sagely, holding the first mate's hand as they walked down to the solarium Chad requested they materialize breakfast in. "Outside all the growling he's really just sweet and shy and stuff."
"I am not," Harry snapped, sending Chad a weak glare before his heel seemed to catch on nothing, sending him forward with a squawk. Jay managed to intercept him before he hit the ground, settling the first mate back on his feet, Harry wearing an embarrassed flush all the while. "Thank ye," he muttered, managing to make it two more feet before he promptly stumbled again.
Jay ended up carrying the first mate to breakfast because his shoes kept catching on shit, Harry flushing all the while and Jay having to come to terms with the way the first mate's smooth leg skin felt against his damn arms and the growing bulge between Harry's legs.
Jay tried not to frown at it, he really did, but then- "I don't think I did that."
"What?" Chad asked innocently while Harry flushed darker.
"I don't think that was me," Jay repeated.
Aziz laughed at him from his other side. "Oh, that was you all right," he chuckled. "Just not your magic."
Jay spent a few moments being entirely confused, and then- "This is just- your body's just used to being worked up now."
Aziz sighed. "Or, you know, he could like you."
For once, Harry deigned to be quiet, like the one time Jay would have actually wanted him to talk.
Jay shot Aziz an unimpressed look. "We're not going to go from being bitter rivals-"
"You're not bitter rivals," Aziz interrupted. "And now Harry knows you don't hate him, which means you've been pleasuring him solely for the sake of making him feel good. Which means he doesn't have to hold onto past grudges and can appreciate you for who you really are."
"As the guy that dresses him up in embarrassing outfits?" Jay prompted, bringing them to a halt. When no one else had anything to add, Jay sighed, setting Harry to his feet and swallowing when the first mate kept his arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Would you say something?"
"You're Mal's," Harry said with a shrug. "And I care for her."
"He loves her a lot," Chad clarified. "And you love her a lot, so you guys have a lot in common."
"This doesn't have to be hard," Harry muttered. "It's not like I'm blind to your redeeming qualities."
Jay didn't know what kind of backwards land dimension they had tripped into but he was still coming to terms with the Harry Hook that kept cuddling against him, and if this wasn't a trap, Jay didn't know what it was.
He did get one feeling, though. He needed to talk to Mal. Needed to send her boys back to her so Jay wouldn't keep bothering them and implanting dumb ideas into their brains.
"And before you say you have no redeeming qualities," Aziz muttered. "Remember that you fucking do. Now, we're going to have breakfast and then you're going to call Evie, because this shit has gone on for long enough."
"Right," Harry said, giving Aziz an appreciative look.
"Well, um-" Jay fidgeted restlessly. "Chad should probably take care of you first."
"Done and done," Chad chirped as he guided Harry over towards the breakfast table that materialized with a flick of Jay's hand. He nudged Harry into a seat and gladly crawled between his legs, pulling his panties down so he could start mouthing at that pretty length with eager sounds.
"If I ask you for a blowjob, would you freak out about it?" Aziz asked, making Jay twitch.
"You know I would," he muttered.
"Fine," Aziz huffed. "Can I at least sit in your lap while Plant sucks me off?"
"Whatever," Jay said, which was probably a mistake because then he got Aziz's face buried in the crook of his neck while Plant teased him well and good.
When they were finished a magic-powered automaton that Jay guessed was a butler bustled in and let out small tsking sounds before relieving Aziz and Harry of their panties before they 'got the furniture wet'. When Jay whisked new sets onto them, the butler stole those too, leaving Aziz and Harry's blushes to intensify before the butler zeroed in on Chad.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you," Chad said with a flush.
"You're most certainly not," the automaton chirped before flipping the blond's skirt up and revealing his erection straining against the material of his panties. "This tension must be addressed."
Chad blinked, and Jay blinked, because he'd been really good about this so far but- yep, the butler was jerking Chad off now, the blond letting out happy moans that went straight to Jay's groin.
Thank you magic-enchanted drying underwear. Thank you magic-enchanted concealing pants.
"And now these are a mess too," the butler chirped as he dragged off Chad's soiled panties, the blond half passed out on the table as he caught his breath. "I don't know what we'll do with you."
And that was their new normal, Aziz moaning as the butler passed out breakfast because a vibrator had materialized from nowhere and pressed against the groin of his in a relentless tease and the other two mostly out of it.
That was one way to start the day.
-:-:-
Jay didn't want to make this phone call but it was that or deal with his subconscious continuously attempting to shove Harry and Aziz together, the two of them currently tangled up in fucking phone chords for what Jay guessed was a communication hub while Chad – who had been previously fluttering near them in an attempt to help – sat nearby in the lap of yet another automaton that wasted no time easing his dick out of his panties, spending a lot of time complimenting Chad on how pretty it was while the blond flushed and whined in its hold.
Ugh, just- ugh. There were no words.
Jay teleported himself outside just so he wouldn't be distracted by the view and spent a few moments pacing restlessly before he bit the bullet and called Evie's cell.
She picked up on the second ring.
"Hey, Eves," he greeted, so she'd know he wasn't a telemarketer or something. "So, um-"
"Jay," Evie said, somewhat breathless but mostly neutral, always one to hold her cards to her chest. "Where the hell are you?"
"Secret mission." Jay dug his toe into the garden alcove that was materializing around him. He threw in some statues of the others for his own amusement, keeping Harry in his dumb, short dress. "Can't say, but I wanted to talk to you."
"We don't do secret missions without each other," Evie snapped. "We're a crew. Just because we had a fight doesn't mean we're not a crew, and I can't tell you how fucking mad at myself I am at this exact moment because I know you, I know how much you hate yourself; I know how much you love us and instead of reading my ultimatum as the stupid, unfair thing it was you saw it as a damn opportunity to protect us from you which is something we never had, and never will need."
"Evie…" Jay said, feeling slightly shaken, hating how much better he felt just hearing the princess' voice again.
"You are a mother fucking hero, Jay. You are not any of the things Jafar said you are. None of us are any of the things our parents said we are. Do you think I'm vain and shallow? That I should go back to playing stupid and being a perfect housewife?"
"No," Jay cut in. "You're brilliant-"
"So are you," Evie interrupted. "In your own, brilliant way. You are outstanding and you are vital and maybe Mal fucked up demonstrating that much and we fucked up because we didn't realize how much you were hurting, but no matter what you do you will always be one of us, and we will always love you."
"What if I destroyed the world?" Jay asked, his voice strangled and eyes feeling dumb and hot.
"You wouldn't," Evie said with a simple certainty that left Jay breathless. "Because we wouldn't let you."
"You can't mind over matter some things, Evie," Jay said with a wet laugh.
"We can this," Evie insisted. "We can for you. Always, for you."
'I love you,' Jay wanted to say, but then she would giggle and say she loved him back and it wouldn't be a lie but it also wouldn't be the same. It would be an avenue Jay had long closed off that he knew he shouldn't travel but the want would be there regardless.
"Now," Evie continued, the princess on a thorough roll. "Tell me where the hell you are because we are coming to help you on your quest."
"It's not that type of quest," Jay said. "It's really- it's not what you think."
"Oh?" Evie hummed. "So this has nothing to do with the intense magic readings Jane and I are picking up from the Enchanted Forest up near Ahtohallan?"
There was a moment where Jay could only laugh, because of course his princess had tracked him down.
"You gonna teleport us there or is Genie going to pick us up?" Evie asked, and of course she knew what had happened with the others. It was Evie, she knew everything.
"Genie can get you," Jay said. "But no Mal. Not yet. I don't know how long this will take."
"You are worth it," Evie reminded him. "But Mal can wait for now if that's what you need to be comfortable." It was practically sacrilege to say such a thing, but Evie – Mal's favorite – hadn't even hesitated. "Get ready for me, Doug, Carlos, and Jane to invade your quest."
Jay made a wounded sound. "You don't need to-"
"They want to come," Evie insisted. "Now contact Genie and do not turn off this phone, so help me, Jay."
"Yes, your highness," Jay said, feeling better despite himself, and maybe this was a terrible idea but it was this or maybe just keep accidentally sexually pleasuring people he shouldn't be sexually pleasuring so… yeah, why not?
He'd probably made worse choices.
-:-:-
"What was that?" Genie asked when Aziz, Chad, and Harry were off setting up the guest suites for the others with the help of Magic Butler despite the fact that Jay was definitely going to create them a new space very far away from the castle so he wouldn't accidentally molest them or something. "Your friends demanded to be here to act as friendly emotional supports? Why, color me shocked."
"You're obnoxious and I don't know why people like you," Jay informed the genie with a mutter, something that made Elsa giggle politely into her hand.
"Elsa, do you hear this guy?" Genie asked, playing up an overdramatic wound. "He thinks I'm obnoxious. Me. Obnoxious. Say it ain't so."
"It ain't so," Elsa offered him consolingly.
"I hope you know that you're an enabler," Jay told the former queen, which only got him another polite set of giggles.
-:-:-
It was a good thing Genie was tasked with picking up the others because Jay was having a bit of an issue with the automaton he had summoned into existence.
"Inadequate clothing selected," it informed him when he'd changed the others' outfits back into something respectable so Evie wouldn't be entirely disappointed in the failure that was Jay. "Wardrobe updates required."
"Um," Chad said with a blush when Magic Butler started stripping him out of the winter prince outfit Jay had made for him.
"Will you stop that," Jay snapped, waving Magic Butler out of existence for all of a second until a new one appeared across the room, returning to Chad's side to finish its work. "Why is my brain so stupid?"
"I mean," Chad said, flushing dark when his pants and underwear were both shoved down his legs in one fluid motion. "I liked my pretty dresses, though. I really don't mind wearing them."
"Jay," Aziz sighed. "The more you fight this, the worse it's probably going to get."
"Just give us tasteful pastels or whatever," Harry said, his entire focus on the new set of ruffled panties being guided up Chad's legs. "If we have to dress girly-"
"But you shouldn't have to," Jay snapped, waving new Magic Butler out of existence too.
That, at least, seemed to take, and then Chad's damn panties transformed into like- a one piece ruffly dress that was both very cute and also super stupid looking.
"Aw, check me out!" Chad chirped. "Harry, am I cute?"
"The cutest," Harry confirmed with a pleased nod.
"You guys are not helpful," Jay decided. "You know what? Maybe you should stay up here while I meet with the others."
"Shouldn't they know what they're getting into?" Chad asked. "This will probably happen to them too."
"The hell it will," Jay snapped. "I already created them separate guest houses-"
"But the suites," Chad protested.
"The houses have enchantments that should prevent my accidental subconscious shit," Jay continued. "As long as we keep them in there and outside the castle proper, things should be fine."
"I would like to point out that not fully explaining your issues was what got you into this mess," Aziz said, wearing an amused grin when his winter outfit changed into something Elsa might wear except pink, which was probably the closest Jay could get him to respectable for now.
"I should be fine," Jay pressed. "Probably."
Harry, of all people, sighed. "We'll be here when it goes to shit," he said, which was frankly the most unwarranted thing Jay had ever heard.
-:-:-
In the end, Jay wound up outside when the Genie portaled the others in from their private pickup in Auradon, Fairy Godmother working her figurative magic (ha, Jay killed himself sometimes) and creating new excuses for them too, which would likely only increase Mal's ire. He had his attention on creating a large rainbow mural on the ground of what was yet another fantastical garden, this one combining notable romantic moments from the stories of both Aziz and Chad's parents. That seemed like a good enough apology for creating secret guest houses while the guys were off doing invented busy work.
He'd hoped the undertaking would be suitably distracting so he wouldn't freak out the moment the others arrived, but he should have probably known better, he really should have.
"Jay?" Evie's voice picked up from nearby – Evie, who he hadn't seen in person in months now, and immediately Jay was turning, panic building in his stomach when he saw Evie and Carlos standing side by side, Jane and Doug lingering slightly behind them and they all looked safe and whole and a little bit tired and-
What was Jay thinking, inviting them here where he could kill them? It was only a magic fluke that he hadn't done it with the others, yet. It was luck, and he was pushing it because he was greedy, which was why Jay wasn't surprised when he summoned a wall between them in the next moment, keeping the other four safely away from him as he walled himself off with stone, spiky monstrosities.
It spiraled a bit – not enough to make a vortex, but he knew he wasn't entirely in control. Stone rose above his head and curled around him in a small dome, and that was- yes, that was good, he just needed to stay away from them, bury himself underground where he couldn't hurt anyone or make them sad. He could feel the dome sinking, the walls thickening until it got smaller and smaller, but Jay didn't care. When the ceiling got too low, he sat down, and it wasn't until he had a space just big enough for him to sit that the magic finally stopped, Jay's breath coming in harsh pants.
Okay, so that hadn't been great. Evie was going to call him now but that would be okay because she'd still be a safe distance away from him. He could just keep making and remaking the inside of this dome, or better yet, make an entire underground city. Why not? He had to run out of energy at some point.
He tried to make plans instead of addressing the small nagging fear that lingered in the back of his mind that maybe he'd never run out of energy. Maybe his father's dumb runes were unbreakable. Maybe he'd just keep building and building and it would never be enough, until he was banished back to the Isle under a barrier all of his own for the rest of Auradon's protection.
He'd tried to suggest that much to Fairy Godmother once when she'd called to check in. She'd told him to stop being dramatic, that such things were never an option, but Jay couldn't help but feel like they probably were. Maybe they were even the best option.
He swallowed roughly, and wished it was a bit easier to breathe.
Oh, hey, maybe he'd suffocate himself in his little dome. That would solve one problem.
Jay was sort of hysterically musing that over before he felt a small shake in the earth above him – nothing major, really, except it was followed by another shake that sent dust raining from the ceiling, because it was… cracking?
That was all Jay could process when a hole seemed to break through the stone right in front of him, and in crawled a determined-looking Doug.
"It's okay," Doug soothed before Jay could start panicking again, and then he was crawling into Jay's lap like that was a thing they ever did. "It's okay, you don't have to be scared of yourself."
"Yes, I fucking do, now get back out there," Jay said, trying very hard not to touch Doug because he was Evie's and Jay was just Jay. "I'm dangerous-"
"Not to us," Doug insisted, and Jay hated how his magic lit up his gaze, making it so he could see Doug's features perfectly, making him realize how pointedly he'd missed the musician over the past few months.
"How did you even get down here?" Jay gasped, trying to buy himself some time to get composed.
"Dwarven runes," Doug explained with a shrug. "We like going underground."
Oh they- right, Jay had forgotten, but Doug's entire hometown was basically built out of a mountain. This was nothing for him.
"Genie gave us the basic rundown of what's happening," Doug continued, making Jay tense. "Jay-"
"Please go," Jay said, his voice tight. "I don't want to hurt you. You're Evie's-"
"I'm also yours," Doug said, cupping Jay's face between his hands because he was required to say sweet shit like that as the hopelessly kind individual he was. "We are all yours and you would see that if you'd just come out of here."
"I'm not good enough," Jay said, his voice so very small. "I've never been good enough. It was fine on the Isle when I actually had something to offer, but I'm useless-"
Doug interrupted Jay with a kiss, something that made Jay's mind entirely short circuit, because what?
"Evie gave me permission to do that," Doug gasped when he pulled back. "And I returned that permission because we love you very much, and if Mal's going to be polyamorous then we're done leaving people behind."
"What?" Jay asked, feeling mostly helpless.
"Jay," Doug sighed. "Lonnie dumped you because you love your crew too much to ever fully devote yourself to someone that wasn't a part of them. As it so happens, they return your feelings."
"Not Mal," Jay said on reflex, feeling so confused because of all the ways he'd envisioned this meeting going, having a heart-to-heart with Doug hadn't been one of them.
"Yes, Mal," Doug huffed. "She was stupid and took the easy way out with Uma, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you – now please, come out."
"Doug," Jay tried to protest, but then the dwarf was kissing him again, moving in firm, determined shifts that left Jay breathless because this was Doug taking charge in a way he never had before.
"I'm so glad you figured things out," Doug gasped when he pulled back, shifting low to biteat Jay's neck, being commanding and dominant and very, very hot. "I was afraid you'd freak out when I kissed you, but I couldn't listen to talk about yourself like that."
"Aziz h-helped me figure out the um- bi thing," Jay said. "It was a whole deal."
"I'd like to hear about it later," Doug hummed, making a dedicated effort to pull open Jay's shirt.
"Doug," Jay whined. "Are we- is this- what's happening?"
"Sorry," Doug breathed, stopping to catch his breath, Jay terribly aware of the interest straining between his legs, Jay echoing the same feeling because how could he not with dominant Doug in his lap? "Just um- being underground like this- it feels good to have you hear. Like we're connected with the earth."
Jay paused for a moment. "Does that make you hot?"
"Very," Doug informed him with absolutely no embarrassment. "I would ravish you if you were amendable."
"I- Evie-"
"Will ravish you when we get above ground," Doug hummed. "If you are amendable."
"Fuck," Jay breathed, feeling himself pulse hard in his pants.
Doug grinned at that, reaching low to cup between his legs and give him a pointed squeeze. "Now I can't say for sure, but you feel awfully amendable to me."
"Fuck me, please," Jay said, not knowing this was a thing he wanted, but Doug gladly delivered, nudging Jay back until the dome extended into a small cavern with glowing rocks, the ground below them transforming into a nest of moss and mushrooms that formed a natural kind of bed while Doug slowly and methodically stripped his clothes off.
"So you wish it, so it shall be done," Doug hummed before he claimed Jay's lips in a deep, reassuring kiss.
-:-:-
It took about half an hour before Doug and Jay were done exploring each other, Jay surrendering himself to Doug's attentions while the musician took his time breaking Jay apart. He was sure to dote on him with compliments until Jay was a blushing mess, parting his legs wide and seeming awed in a way Jay's father had never been, like Jay was special, like he was Evie.
"I'm um- dirty," he tried to say when Doug was pulling his shirt off, something he'd forgotten to mention in his desperation to be treasured.
Doug gave him a hard look, pressing their foreheads together in a manner that was almost more intimate than the actual kissing. "There is nothing that could make you dirty," he offered simply.
"But-"
"Nothing," he repeated, and then he proceeded to kiss away any and all further protests.
Jay stretched himself with magic, apparently, and that should be terrifying, but Doug took his time fingering Jay anyway, whispering against his hip all the research he had done to make sure he did this right, how Evie had let him practice on her so when the time came to do this with Jay and Carlos he knew it would be good.
Jay almost lost it from that knowledge alone, the idea of Evie doing this – of doing anal when her mother had so strongly warned her against it – and Doug gave his length a comforting stroke as though sensing how much that affected him.
It was strange, doing something like this willingly, with someone he cared so very much about. He worried about Evie, but Doug kissed those fears away. He worried about hurting Doug, about ruining his first time with a guy, but Doug said this was perfect, it was exactly where he wanted to be. Jay was exactly the person he wanted to be with.
It left Jay crying somewhat hopelessly – happy, awed tears, but Doug was sure to wipe those away, soothing Jay until they'd each found their completion, connected in a manner that Jay had never imagined possible. Not because Doug was male, but because he was crew, he was Evie's, and Jay wanted to serve his crew almost more than anything else.
"Lovely," Doug murmured when they were done, stretched out beside Jay and looking the Agraben over with a fond grin. "You're beautiful."
"I'm not," Jay insisted with a flush. "Not like you."
"Don't say that about my mate," Doug growled, and then he was kissing Jay again, something that left the Agraben swallowing a happy whimper. "Yeah," Doug hummed when he pulled back. "You're ours. Here." He dug through his pile of abandoned clothes and came up with what could only be a jewelry box. "I was going to wait to give them to you guys at the same time, but I think you need this now."
He opened the box to reveal a series of rings, and he didn't hesitate to grab one of the bands – gold with intricate designs embellished with small, red rubies – and slip it onto Jay's left hand with a pleased grin.
"Doug," Jay croaked, truly wounded. "Don't- I'm a mess. I'm mean and cruel and stupid and horny-"
"You are not any of those things," Doug interrupted, kissing his hand. "You're sweet and loyal and strong and scared – you're hurt and lonely and one day, I am going to marry you."
"Doug." Jay was crying now, ugly tears, but Doug simply held him close, letting Jay curl against his chest and cry like a pathetic wretch. "M-My dad made me a weapon to destroy the world."
"Joke's on him," Doug hummed, running a hand down Jay's back. "Because you were only ever going to save it."
Jay didn't know what to do with that, could barely handle any of this, and wondered if this was just some magic-fueled hallucination. Wondered if he'd accidentally cloned Doug the way he'd made those automatons and had invented this entire thing like a pathetic loser. He was so afraid of it getting taken away, but every time he tried to imagine banishing Doug, the dwarf stayed, because Jay hadn't created him.
This was real. It might be real.
And Jay might not be alone anymore.
-:-:-
They redressed slowly, Jay taking his time to stall, he was stalling, and maybe that came with the added benefit of watching Doug get dressed, but mostly it came with anxiety.
As though sensing this, Doug would periodically lean over to press a kiss against his lips, or reach down to squeeze his left hand, the one with the ring, or give Jay a look that was truly unfair.
"Come on," Doug said, pulling Jay to his feet in an effortless movement (because he had that half-dwarf strength, something that made him so much more formidable than the average human). "Let's go."
He was almost like Jay's own personal prince charming – a dashing knight swooping in to save the day – or at least, to save Jay from banishing himself underground forever, and Jay lost a moment wondering what Doug would look like in those fancy Erebor dress robes he talked so much about before he realized he was accidentally shifting the clothes Doug was wearing into just that.
"I'm sorry," Jay gushed, his cheeks flooding with heat when Doug's sensible coat and sturdy pants were replaced with a high-necked tunic done in navy – the color of Evie and Erebor. It was embroidered with silver thread and belted at the waist, paired with tight leggings and high boots all accented in silver, until Doug looked every bit the dashing prince Jay imagined him to be.
"I'm not," Doug said, offering Jay a kind smile before he reached out to grab Jay's hand. "I'm as honored to wear your clothes as I am Evie's."
"It's not the same," Jay said. "It's stupid-"
"You're not stupid," Doug urged. "And I'm honored that you wanted to dress me up."
A cape of energy unfurled around his shoulders before materializing into rich material lined in silk, embroidered around the edges, making Doug look terribly regal.
"You um- you look very striking," Jay managed with a blush.
"Thank you," Doug said, and he didn't even get all shy the way he normally did when Jay complimented him. "You should do something for yourself too."
"Me?" Over the months Jay had been out here he hadn't actually made all that much for himself beyond the bare necessities. There didn't seem to be much of a point, but mostly, he didn't think he deserved it. He didn't want to be his dad, constantly searching for satisfaction in material wealth when Jay knew it would never bring him happiness. In light of that, making himself a fancy wardrobe or car or whatever the fuck people might actually want seemed kind of dumb.
"Yes, you," Doug said. "Come on, make yourself some robes."
"Um…" Jay swallowed, staring down at himself as he tried to remember the modest robes worn by some of the commoners in Agrabah. Aziz had taken him there for a visit once over the school breaks. Jay had spent the entire time afraid of getting charged for his father's crimes, or worse, being viewed as an animal moments away from tarnishing the wonderful sanctity of Agrabah, but the prince's entire family and the castle staff had been nothing but welcoming.
It was a very confusing and anxiety-inducing ordeal, but it had given Jay a better taste for his culture, and as such, he was able to come up with a brown and crimson simple robe and light pants. He gave himself boots to deal with the elements and belted the thing, calling it a day.
"I think you can do better than that," Doug hummed, fingering the soft cotton. "Maybe some embroidery."
Jay flushed. "I don't deserve it."
"Sure you do," Doug countered easily. "Our mates are up there, and you deserve to be pretty for them." He drew his hand up, tracing it across the hallow of Jay's throat, above the open neck of the tunic. "You should give yourself some gold necklaces."
"Um." Jay felt uneasy, but he tried it regardless, blushing at the pleased grin it earned from Doug. Slowly but surely the musician offered suggestions to Jay's outfit and the Agraben tried to make them even if he felt a little dumb, until he wasn't quite as flashy as Doug, but he was definitely a step up from the humble outfit he had given himself.
"And now, imagine a tunnel up," Doug said, holding his hand again. "I want to be able to return here with you."
"Oh," Jay said, glad that he'd made the cavern a more substantial thing now, and with that kind of reassurance it seemed easier to walk back to the surface, even if he was still a bit scared.
Evie was the one that met them at the entrance of the slope when it gave way to daylight, the princess not hesitating to push her way in before she cupped Jay's face between his hands and kissed him soundly.
"Thank you, Doug," Evie murmured, sounding breathless when she pulled back even if the entirety of her focus was on Jay. "Your efforts are deeply appreciated."
"And willingly shared," Doug said, a pretty flush dusting the tops of his cheeks.
"Your handiwork?" Evie asked, looking over their clothes.
"Sorry," Jay said, ducking his head on reflex. "I can probably fix them-"
"Do me now," Evie said, derailing his entire thought process. "Give me a dress, Jay."
And. Well.
He'd never been able to deny Evie anything.
So he gave her a gown befitting the queen that she was, something long sleeved and close cut that flared out at the waist, made of rich materials with lots of embroidery. He pulled her pretty locks into an updo and wove pearls and gold through them, coating her in the rubies and sapphires he'd always wanted to give her back on the Isle and never could.
He waited nervously when it was all done, but she only smiled at her outfit, giving him a wide grin. "It's perfect, Jay. You're perfect."
"Don't-" He flushed. "Don't say that, please. You're actually the perfect one."
"Then you should listen to me," she hummed before hooking her hand through his, Doug looping a lazy arm around Jay's waist before all three of them walked back out into the garden.
It seemed that in the time that they had been underground, Aziz, Chad, and Harry had made it out to talk to the others. Aziz was still wearing his pink Elsa outfit and boots, much to Jay's embarrassment, but Chad and Harry had managed to change into the least offensive outfits they had – oversized pastel hoodies with matching pajama pants. Chad's ensemble was done up in light blue with cartoon bunnies on his pajama pants to match his bunny slippers, and of course his hood was up, showing off a pair of bunny ears because he was always destined to be the cutest person in the history of the world.
Harry was in pink, with cartoon donuts all over his pajama pants and the words 'Cutie Patootie' on the front of his hoody in large, scrolling letters, which somehow ended up being more humiliating for Jay than it'd ever be for him.
Jay lost a moment trying to think of an explanation, of anything, when Jane spoke up.
"Can I have one of those hoodies?" she asked, pointing to Harry's.
Jay paused, and then with a numb sweep of his hand, materialized a hoody in front of her, which she deftly plucked out of the air with a grin.
Carlos cleared his throat. "Can I have one like Chad's?"
"You hate being cute," Jay pointed out, because this was something Carlos had bemoaned for as long as he had known him.
"I did when I thought it made you not take me seriously," Carlos said. "Now that I realize this is not the case, I am down for cuteness."
These were probably not words he should have said, because no sooner had his sentence completed than Jay's magic washed over him, morphing his sensible, Evie-approved outfit into a dress-version of Chad's hoody, complete with thigh high cartoon socks and buckle-covered ankle boots.
"Shit," Jay said, dragging an embarrassed hand over his face. "I'm so fucking sorry-"
"I'm not," Jane chirped, and when Jay risked a look at her, she seemed to be flushing happily. "You look very cute, Carlos."
"Yes I do," Carlos said, preening through his stubborn blush.
"Here's the deal," Evie spoke up before Jay could start trying to apologize again. "We're going to talk. We're going to explain all the reasons we like each other – Jay's going to catch us up on what he's been going through, and then we're going to plan. Does that work for everyone?"
"Perfectly," Jane chirped, hugging her new hoody close. "Hey, could I have a ball gown too?"
"Make it pink," Carlos offered.
So Jay just… did that, and it was worth it, for the happy blush Jane wore afterwards, she and Carlos wearing matching grins.
Aziz cleared his throat. "We'll just give you guys some space, then."
"Have fun!" Chad offered and- yeah, Jay hoped they'd get something like it.
Hoped it was that and not tears.
-:-:-
Endnotes:
It will only get better from here but convince Jay's anxiety of that.
The Elsa-Genie friendship was certainly not one I was expecting to enjoy as much in this story, but it somehow strangely works. I love it.
Until next time :)