Chapter 8 – Amrâlimê
-:-:-
By the time they got out of the shower, the others must have learned of Doug's request to Sultana Jasmine because all three were waiting in their guest room, Aziz looking tense enough to burst, drawing to an abrupt halt from what was obviously an unsettled pacing up and down the bedroom. There was a tense standoff that had Doug holding a hand out in front of Chad, keeping the prince behind him as he allowed himself to take the brunt of Aziz's displeasure. Unsurprisingly, Aziz was upset by this as well.
"So that's it, then?" Aziz asked, his shoulders tight, hands curled into fists against his sides. "I make one mistake and you guys are going?"
"We need to go home," Doug said, feeling uneasy under Aziz's attention, feeling it shift across his skin like a physical thing.
"Does Chad even want to go?" Aziz spat. "Did he even get a say, or did you just decide for him like you always do?"
"Aziz, that's enough," Lonnie said, moving to stand parallel to them, acting as a neutral party between the two teens. "It's been a long day-"
"If we don't talk about it now, when will we talk about it?" Aziz snapped. "They're going to be gone first thing tomorrow, and we wouldn't even know if my mom hadn't told me!"
The words rang through the air, ugly but true, and Doug wasted a few moments steadying himself, wondering why his heart twisted so painfully in his chest.
"I would have told you," Doug murmured. "I just wanted-"
"Chad," Aziz snarled. "That's the only thing you want, that's all you've ever wanted, and fuck everything else, am I right?"
"Aziz," Chad said, his tone pained. "You're not being fair."
"I'm not being fair?" There was moisture building in the Agraben's eyes, and Doug didn't know if it was guilt or the chaos of the day that left him so bereft. "Doug's turning tail and leaving without even asking if you want to do it! I mean, do you want to leave, Chad? Is that something you want to do?"
Chad hesitated, and the second felt like an eternity, considering how heavily Doug felt that silence. He knew it was a low blow to put Chad on the spot like that, that he had social anxiety, that he was only just coming into his own. Doug knew he shouldn't read into it, the blond likely panicking at how to handle the situation in a way that appeased both Doug and Aziz, but as the seconds drew on, that damning silence spoke for itself.
Because Chad didn't want to leave. Of course he didn't. All the best people were here. He was having a royal summer, the kind of which he'd never gotten to experience before, even though it had always been his due. His right.
And Doug was holding him back from that. Doug was holding him back.
It was enough to bring tears to his eyes, his head hung low as a flood of shame burned through his throat. He hadn't felt this torn apart since his mother was alive, and he couldn't help but notice the similarities, because even though he'd tried so hard to be good he'd come up short, he'd done something wrong, and now he was all alone again.
"Doug." And there was Ben – stupid, perfect Ben pushing into Doug's space, grabbing Doug's wrist when the musician tried to run away, holding him close even as Doug struggled in his grasp. "Doug, amrâlimê-"
"Don't call me that," Doug croaked, his eyes blurred with tears as he fought to get out of Ben's hold. Ben, who was the only one possibly strong enough to trap him there. Ben, who'd dug up that term from some secondhand book and thought it meant friend because Doug had never corrected him, because Doug was a greedy piece of shit. "You don't know what it means. I didn't tell you what it means-"
"I know what it means," Ben said, and the words made Doug freeze in place, his gaze going wide because Ben sounded serious. He wasn't mocking, even though that would have made more sense than this. "I know what it means."
"What does…" And Doug couldn't see Chad, but he could hear the tears in his voice, knew that Lonnie was cuddled next to him. "What does that mean?"
"My love," Ben said, his gaze never leaving Doug's. "It means my love."
"Don't," Doug hissed, just barely managing to swallow a sob. "I know you love Chad."
"I do," Ben said, and for a moment Doug couldn't breathe, because even though he knew that Ben had just said it, now he and Chad were going to ride off into the sunset together because that was what happened to dashing, charming princes. "I also love you." He drew Doug closer, releasing one of his wrists so Ben could wrap an arm around Doug's waist. "Just like I love Aziz and Lonnie. Just like you love all of us."
"No," Doug urged, shaking his head frantically as hot tears poured down his cheeks. "No. No. I have one. I'm lucky to have one and you can't have more-"
"Says who, Doug?" Ben asked, beseeching. "Who decided that?"
"That's just how it works," Doug croaked. "Dwarves only have one and they know them at first sight-"
"You're not a full dwarf, Doug," Ben interrupted, his tone gentle but unyielding.
Between one moment and the next, Doug's legs seemed to collapse underneath him, the weight of his building grief seeming to compound until he couldn't breathe, until he was collapsed against Ben's chest, letting out ugly sobs that pained his chest.
"Doug," Ben murmured, carding his hand thoughtlessly through Doug's loose hair. "Amrâlimê, please."
"No," Doug gasped. "No, no. I can't- I can't be a bad dwarf, I'm already a bad human and I can't- I won't have anything, Ben. I won't-" He sobbed again, the force of it leaving him breathless. "No, no, no."
"Who said you were a bad human?" Ben asked, cupping Doug's jaw and forcing the dwarf kin to look at him. "Doug, who said that?"
"I have to be," Doug gasped, the words coming out between desperate pulls of air. "I have to be, or why did my mom- why did she treat me so bad? Why- why didn't anyone h-help me?" he croaked somewhat desperately. "Why did she have to die for me to get an a-actual family?"
"Doug," Ben murmured, and then he was hugging Doug close, and there was movement, things Doug could barely hear over his own pitiful cries until he realized Chad was there, the blond crying tears of his own as he desperately joined their group hug, Lonnie and Aziz joining them despite Doug's attempted protests. "Doug, that wasn't your fault, none of that was your fault."
"But-"
"That was no more your fault than Chad's fucking grandpa's behavior is his," Lonnie spoke up, just as fiery as ever. "You can't justify abuse. It happened because your mom was a mean, twisted person who didn't have the right priorities in place. That doesn't mean you're a bad human."
"And loving more than one person wouldn't make you a bad dwarf," Aziz added, his tone fierce.
"But they have warnings for dwarves who want too much," Doug whispered. "They get gold madness and nothing's ever enough for them-"
"Doug," Ben interrupted. "You're not a full dwarf. You are entirely unique, which means your needs, your desires – they're unique too, and there's nothing wrong with that. Dwarves may only have one, but humans can love many. You need to respect that part of you instead of trying to shut it out."
"Chad should be enough, though," Doug murmured. "He's more than enough. He's wonderful."
"He is," Ben said. "No one can dismiss your dedication to him, but that doesn't make us less wonderful, nor does our wonder lessen Chad's. We can all be equally amazing and worthy of your appreciation, that doesn't make any of us less worthy."
"And before you say something like 'Chad deserves more'," Lonnie snapped. "Try asking what Chad wants instead of just deciding for him."
"I would like you guys to stop fighting with each other," Chad said, his voice low. "I want… I want Doug to be my boyfriend," he said, and Doug couldn't help but feel complete and despairing all at once, because Chad really did deserve better. "I never thought I could have more than that. Just having Doug alone was- it was more than I could have ever hoped for."
"You could have us too, though," Aziz murmured. "At least, you could have me. I love both you guys."
"Fucking try to exclude me," Lonnie snapped. "I dare you."
"And I love all of you very much," Ben said. "And I hated the thought of ever picking one of you, but then I was reading up on ancient Apheliotians-"
"Polyamory," Doug whispered, the word still feeling obscene in his mouth.
They'd discussed it, back at Auradon Castle. Some feature of ancient cultures Ben had scrounged up during their reading sessions. The very prospect had felt too dangerous for Doug to consider.
"And that felt right," Ben said. "So if we're all agreed, if we all like each other-"
"We fucking do, you nerd," Aziz said, laughing helplessly.
"Then why make things harder?" Ben said. "Why fight it anymore?"
"Because this isn't ancient Apheliotia," Doug said. "That sort of thing isn't done, especially among royals."
"Then we'll be the ones to bring it back in style," Lonnie declared. "But I'm tired of this. I'm tired of watching you feel guilty for caring about us. I'm tired of society telling me who or how many people I'm allowed to love. Fuck that, I want all of you to be my boyfriends."
"Aw, Lonnie," Chad said, seeming overwhelmed with this good fortune, turning his wonderous expression onto Doug, checking in with him out of habit, and Doug-
He wanted. He wanted so very much that he couldn't even articulate it, and daring to try seemed to be an entirely impossible task.
"I'd need to talk to my parents first," Doug whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. It seemed too easy to just have them. He still didn't understand why Ben liked him. Or Aziz. Doug had never gone out of his way to be overtly kind to them.
"If that makes you feel better," Aziz said, nuzzling Doug's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I'm mostly confused," Doug admitted.
"Stupid," Lonnie said, poking the side of his head. "You are likeable, no matter how much you don't think that. You're witty and funny and supportive and thoughtful."
"And I didn't follow you guys just so I could have lunch with Chad," Ben burst suddenly. "I wanted to have lunch with both of you. I knew that the moment I saw you two together, I knew it without knowing how to say as much."
Doug just gave him a bewildered look, and Ben, seeming unable to help himself, leaned forward, capturing Doug's tear-stained, snotty lips in a clumsy kiss.
It should have been terrifying, or at the very least humiliating.
Instead, Doug felt part of himself melt, felt something ease within his chest like a sudden connector sparking, something inside him singing about how very right this was. It was the same way Doug felt when he was kissing Chad.
He had a feeling that would be the same way he'd feel if he kissed Aziz and Lonnie.
Maybe that was what it was like to know your One. Maybe Doug's human and dwarvish sides had melded into his form of balance.
He knew, he knew now he couldn't shirk away from Ben, knew he didn't want to.
"Asshole," Lonnie said, batting Ben away from Doug with a few light thwaps of her hand. "He has to talk to his parents first."
"I don't think I need to do that anymore," Doug gasped. "That was- I wanted- well…" He swallowed. "It's done now. I can't- I don't think I could go on not doing that ever again."
Ben blinked at him, gaze stunned, before his lips pulled wide in a victorious smile. "Did I successfully woo you?"
"I guess," Doug laughed, somewhat helpless, before turning his attention to Aziz and Lonnie. "So um-"
And then Aziz was kissing him, hot and needy until Doug was whining against his lips, flares of heat erupting through his chest and settling hard between his legs.
"Aziz!" Lonnie chided, and just when Doug thought she was going to tell him off for not asking, she went on with – "What happened to ladies first?"
"The lady didn't get yelled at by the dude she loved," Aziz said, his eyes sparkling bright at Doug's dreamy expression. "You think I'm passing up a chance to stop Doug from running? Because I sure as shit am not doing that."
"Greedy," Lonnie muttered, and then she was cupping Doug's cheeks, exchanging a kiss with him that was so sweet it hurt, it sang through Doug until his bones and he knew this was the thing dwarven scholars wrote poems for, this was the thing that was right.
"Hey, me too," Chad pouted, turning Doug's head towards him. "I know we've already kissed a bunch-"
"You have?" Aziz sputtered, even though he must have seen it at least once. "Details. I need details."
"You'll get your details after I get my kisses," Chad declared, and then he was leaning in, slotting against Doug like it was the easiest thing in the world.
For once, Doug was pretty sure it actually was.
-:-:-
They spent a bit more time trading easy reassurances before Lonnie pulled Doug into the bathroom so he could wash his face, Ben doing the same for Aziz and Chad who had also cried, until they looked somewhat respectable again. Doug didn't say anything before he pushed back into the halls, though the others followed him, Chad holding his hand before he returned to Sultana Jasmine's office. That time, she was accompanied by her husband, the Genie, and the head of the castle guard.
"I wanted to apologize for my earlier behavior, Sultana Jasmine," Doug offered with a bow. "I was out of line."
"Mister Norison, your 'out of line' is relatively mild in comparison to my own family's dramatics, so think nothing of it," the sultana assured him. "Did you clear things up?"
"We did," Doug said, unsure how to word his next request.
The sultana took it out of his hands by pushing forward. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I did not call your parents after all."
"Thank you, mama," Aziz said, the words coming in a relieved exhale.
"Don't entirely thank me," she said, waving off her son's gratitude with a flick of her hands. "I was still obligated to contact Chad's father in regards to the incident this afternoon."
"Oh," Chad said, his hand tensing in Doug's hold. "Did you reach him?"
Chad hadn't spoken to his father since the royal Sardinian guards had dropped him off at Auradon Junior Prep. The greatest interaction he had with his biological family came via a monthly stipend deposited directly into his spending account.
"I had help," Sultana Jasmine said, cocking her head towards Genie. "He was very concerned."
"He was?" Chad asked, seeming confused by this.
"Yes." The sultana's brows furrowed together, not seeming all that pleased by his surprise. "He's on his way to check on you. Apparently he didn't know about your trip."
"Yeah, he signed off on Fairy Godmother to act as my guardian when I came to Auradon," Chad said. "She's the one that gave me permission. I try calling him sometimes, but I can never really reach him."
No one in the room seemed all that happy with that information.
"Perhaps you should call her," Lord Consort Aladdin offered gently. "And Doug's parents. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you."
"Good idea!" Chad chirped, and they took the excuse for what it was, retreating back to Aziz's suite, thoroughly exhausted.
Fairy Godmother, of course, wasn't happy about the turn of events, though she was glad Chad had recovered and that they thought to call her. Doug's amad fussed over both of them in equal measure, offering a stream of comfort that had Chad going entirely lax, the blond flushing under his concern.
"We can be there tomorrow morning," Doug's amad insisted. "Aziz's parents have assured us we're welcome any time, and I could not think of a more appropriate opportunity to visit than now."
"It's okay," Chad assured, smiling with an open sort of happiness. "Besides, it might be better if you didn't. My dad's supposed to be coming tomorrow."
He said this as though he didn't suspect that his father would actually come, which was something Doug was still deciding to believe or not.
On the screen, Doug's amad tensed. "Oh he is, is he?"
"Bilbo," Doug's adad warned, but the hobbit was already puffing up with an unhappy look.
"We shall see you tomorrow," the hobbit pledged, and just like that, the deed was done.
"Wow," Lonnie said when they were all cuddling in bed later, she and Aziz trading off from kissing Doug in the instance he doubted their affection for him again. "Almost makes me want to invite my own parents."
"And mine," Ben hummed. "They've been wanting to yell at Chad's dad for a while."
"If they should yell at anyone, it's Chad's grandfather," Doug grumbled. "He's the real asshole."
"I'm sure there's plenty of yelling to go around," Aziz murmured. "And your amad will see that it gets done."
On the other side of the bed, Doug could see Chad shiver, prompting Ben to more fully wrap himself around the blond's back, like he was afraid he would disappear otherwise.
The next day promised to be an eventful one indeed. They could only hope it went well.
-:-:-
It seemed that they were always destined to have life-changing interactions before breakfast, because they were roused before the sun was even properly in the sky the next morning, the lot of them traipsing out of Aziz's bed, dressed in an assortment of bathrobes and sweaters as they squinted their way to coherence. Doug was in the process of working Chad's braids into his curls when the door to their sitting room was pushed open to reveal a frazzled looking King Christopher, bags under his eyes and clothes slightly rumpled. Sultana Jasmine was with him, clad in her own dressing gown, her gaze locked on the king.
Chad's father didn't seem to have eyes for anyone but his son, and he wasted no time cutting to him, looking him over with wide eyes, as though he'd never seen Chad before.
"Kit," he said, his tone swamped with relief. "You're alright?"
"Yeah," Chad said, shifting uneasily. His fingers tugged on the braids Doug had just woven into his hair out of habit. "The doctor said there would be no long-lasting effects."
"That's good, that's good," the king said. "I- sorry, for barging in like this. Just- I needed to see for myself, was all."
The words made Chad blink, visibly startled. "You don't have to apologize for that, dad. I mean, it's always nice to see you."
For whatever reason, the king seemed surprised by this information, a look of happy relief spilling over his features, pulling his lips into a wide smile that had his eyes shining with emotion. "Oh," he said. "Oh, good. I know you prefer to have your own space, but I'm always um- happy to see you, Kit. Anytime you- you'd want, I'd- I'm here for you, is all."
Chad wasn't the only one to go still, though his gaze did go the widest. "Who told you that?" Chad asked. "I didn't- I try talking to you all the time, but none of the secretaries will push me through."
The king froze. "What?"
"I don't want my own space," Chad continued. "Who said that?"
"Your grandfather," King Christopher said. "He said you told your tutors-"
"Honestly, Christopher," a new voice said, and it was then that they were all greeted with the fabled Duke of Sardinia himself, Chad's grandfather looking nothing less than perfectly polished and cool. "Your concern is understandable, but there's no need to run when Sultana Jasmine has already informed us of Chadwick's good health."
"I, for one, admire his initiative," Doug's amad said, the hobbit following on the duke's heels with Lord Consort Aladdin, Doug's adad, and King Thorin – just the head of all the dwarves of Erebor deigning to join some of his subjects on a daytrip to cater to their half-breed kid. "A little running does the soul good now and then."
The duke gave Doug's amad a measured look before deciding to ignore that statement, turning his focus back to Chad's father. "There, you see? He is fine, just as her majesty informed us."
"Why did you lie to me?" King Christopher asked, turning on his father with a scowl. "I have apparently been giving my son unnecessary space for years."
"It wasn't unnecessary," the duke countered. "That was what he wanted."
"No, it wasn't," Chad spoke up, tugging at his sleeves. "I um- would have almost preferred anything else."
"Watch the 'ums'," his grandfather said, making Chad hunch in on himself, like it was some kind of long-term argument for them. "And it most certainly was. You were asked if you'd like to undergo less scrutiny in your studies-"
"From my tutors," Chad pressed. "Not my dad. I wanted my dad, he's my dad."
"Don't be childish, Chadwick," the duke tutted. "It's not becoming."
"Do you listen to the nonstop stream of nonsense pouring out of your mouth, or do you just prattle on for the hell of it?" Doug's amad asked heatedly, making the duke jolt. "You willingly enabled the neglect of your grandson for what seems to be no other reason than spite."
"Everything I do is for the good of Sardinia," the duke growled, narrowing his eyes at Doug's amad. "I would not expect an individual such as yourself to understand such things."
"Master Baggins is a treasured member of the reigning council of Erebor," King Thorin spoke up, his voice measured and firm – regal. "I assure you he understands the intricacies of governing a kingdom far better than you could ever hope to emulate."
The duke puffed up in displeasure. "Now see here-"
"He's right, dad," King Christopher spoke up, cutting off the duke's diatribe before it could even really begin. "I've spent years following your advice, giving my son space so he could come into his own, thinking my presence exacerbated his mother's loss when you knew that wasn't the case. Why would you do that to me? To him?"
"Because he is unfit for the throne of Sardinia!" the duke snapped, his shoulders tensing with displeasure. "Just as his mother was. She, at least, had the decency to die, but I will not suffer another Barbarac on the throne, even if it means the end of my line."
"That's not your call to make," King Christopher snapped. "You have committed treason against the crown of Sardinia."
"You have nothing but supposition and conjecture," the duke huffed. "If anything, this fit proves your instability."
"Do you think we haven't been collecting evidence against you?" Doug's adad spoke up suddenly, ruthlessly capturing the attention of every adult present. "Granted, we thought King Christopher was the root of the issue, but everything we've gathered can just as easily be used against you. Combine that with your little confession…" He held up his phone to show off the voice recording app he had activated. "And you're good as done."
"Take him to the holding cells," Sultana Jasmine ordered, motioning for the guards that had been lingering near the doors to handcuff the duke, who took it with little grace.
"Unhand me!" the duke snarled. "I will be raising objections to King Adam! I will have justice!"
"I don't think that man understands the meaning of that word," Doug's amad said, the group of them watching the duke be dragged away until he was finally out of their sight.
"Chad?" Doug asked, keeping his voice quiet as he wrapped an arm around Chad's waist. "Are you okay?"
"I mean…" Chad shrugged his shoulders, a distinct moisture in his eyes as he let his gaze drift to the ground. "I always sort of knew that he hated me."
"I didn't," King Christopher said, and then he had a hand on Chad's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. "I promise, I had no idea. I never would have listened to the man otherwise. Just… after your mother died, everything was so hard and I was desperate for guidance. I didn't want to do wrong by you which, ironically, led me to do the greatest wrong."
"Cut yourself some slack, Christopher," Sultana Jasmine said, drifting over to place a hand on the king's shoulder. "He was a bitter old man who took advantage of you when you were emotionally vulnerable. In truth, we should have stepped in to be a better friend to you, but Auradon was so new back then, and we did not wish to overstep. That was our folly."
"Just…" The king swallowed, his eyes shining with moisture. "I'm so sorry, Kit. Could we start over? I want to be in your life, please."
"Aw, dad," Chad said, and he didn't hesitate to collapse in his father's arms, the two Sardinian royals clinging to each other as they were finally allowed to cry out their years of sorrow with the only other person who understood their woes.
"Let's give them some space," Sultana Jasmine advised before herding them out into the hall.
And Doug… he was glad for this, truly, because Chad deserved this closure, deserved things that were good, but he couldn't help but fear the change. Even if he had others, Chad had still been his first.
-:-:-
Eventually, they were herded into a dining room for an informal breakfast, the lot of them drinking tea and juice until Chad and his father were able to join them, both with freshly-washed faces and slightly reddened eyes.
"Tell me everything," Chad's father requested. "Everything since you left Sardinia. It was harder for me to keep tabs on you then."
"Okay," Chad said, still seeming half suspicious, like it was too good to be true.
They started with junior high – Chad meeting Doug's family and the trips back to Erebor, the things he learned from Bilbo, the trips to Dale. He talked about how Ben joined them for lunch and how Lonnie and Aziz followed.
"And I thought it was super cool that they wanted to be our friends, but they also wanted to date us, which made it even cooler," Chad was explaining, now sufficiently on a roll, despite being a bit shy with the attention of additional royalty bearing down on him. "Um- wait, I'm not sure if I was supposed to tell you that."
King Christopher blinked in a somewhat befuddled manner. "What does that mean, exactly?"
"Um." Chad flushed bright red.
"It means we're all dating each other," Ben said, his tone firm. "We decided that yesterday."
There was a pause.
"Oh good," Doug's amad declared suddenly. "Seems like I won that bet after all."
"Brag about it," Doug's adad muttered before reaching into his wallet and pressing a sizeable sum of money into the hobbit's hands.
Doug could do nothing but stare. "You're not mad?"
His parents gave him an odd look. "They're perfectly likeable individuals, Douglass," his amad said. "If you're all committed to each other, there's certainly no reason for my anger."
"I mean." Doug flushed. "Dwarves only have one, though."
His parents shared a look with each other, before his father cleared his throat. "They only have one dwarf, Doug," he explained. "Probably should have clarified that. It works differently for outer-species relationships – which generally doesn't come up in our culture, but-"
"You're just as much human as you are dwarf," his amad cut back in. "So full-dwarven rules don't apply."
At once, Doug felt dazed, even if he and the others had come to the same conclusion the night before. It was just different to hear it from his parents, to see his king nodding in agreement.
"Bedsides," Doug's father spoke up. "You think his royal grumpiness came on a whim? You're just as much his as you are ours, Doug, because he seems to have decided that your amad and I belong with him."
"You do," King Thorin rumbled, wearing a slight frown of displeasure that Doug's father would throw such words around so carelessly. "You all do, and while you have no need for my approval for this coupling, Douglass, know that you have it, because they are yours and I trust your judgement."
It was a lot to take in, enough to leave Doug flushing dark, because in addition to multiple partners he was now actually allowed to be fond of, he may or may not have gotten another parent too.
"Thank you, your majesty," Doug said, overwhelmed at his good fortune.
"None of that, now," Doug's amad tutted. "He's always been Uncle Thorin to you."
"And more than that," Doug's adad spoke up. "If you're going to be properly courting them, that means you need to make gifts for all of them, not just Chad."
Doug flushed. "I know, I might have um- some designs…"
"Then we'll work on them when you come to Erebor," his father said, his eyes shining with approval.
Lonnie perked up. "Does that mean we get ear cuffs too?"
"You'd better be getting more than just ear cuffs," his adad grumbled. "The Ri family name requires a bit more than that."
"So… no one's upset?" Aziz asked, looking tentatively over at his parents.
His mother offered an indulgent smile. "Do you think Genie kept your room requests a secret? This is hardly a surprise, Aziz."
"Subtlety is not our strongest suit," Lord Aladdin offered with a wry chuckle.
"I'm happy if you're happy, Kit," Chad's father spoke up. "And I'm sure the rest of your parents feel the same way."
"Lonnie's do, at the very least," Sultana Jasmine hummed. "Her mother mentioned a weeklong trip to a hunting lodge?"
"Where we did nature things!" Aziz insisted with a flush. "You saw all the pictures. The videos."
"Wait, was that a private retreat?" Doug's amad asked. "Were there no chaperones?"
"Should there have been chaperones?" Chad asked, genuinely confused. "We're all super responsible people."
"In all regards, we should hope," Doug's adad drawled, earning a smack on his arm from Doug's amad.
"I think this is one of those instances where it might be best to look the other way," Sultana Jasmine declared. "After, of course, we have the talk."
Suffice it to say, the morning's trials were not over.
-:-:-
"Welp," Aziz said when they collapsed on his bed later, mildly scarred and ready for naps. "At least my dick didn't get cut off."
"I suppose a little trauma is worth that trade," Lonnie hummed, curling against the prince's back before clever fingers snuck up under his shirt, petting his stomach.
"Lonnie," Aziz groaned. "We just had to listen to all of our parents go over safe sex in great detail." Ben and Lonnie's parents had been brought in via Skype. Uncle Thorin had sketched out diagrams, it was both awful and somewhat endearing. "I don't want to think about sex ever again."
"Yes, you do," she hummed, shifting her hand so that it slid into the confines of his underwear, making him shudder. "You were getting wet just thinking about all those warnings King Adam gave us about Ben's beast."
"I'm only human," Aziz moaned. "A weak, weak human."
"A sexy, lovely human," Doug countered, urging Chad towards the Agraben and hoping Lonnie would get the message and start rutting them together.
She did, of course. Lonnie was always great at picking up social cues.
"Yes," Ben rumbled, wrapping an arm around Doug's waist as he watched Lonnie jerk Chad and Aziz off with dedicated ease. "At least now we don't have to restrict ourselves to the bathroom."
"Doug and I um- never did that," Chad gasped, his hands clutching onto Aziz's biceps.
"Rulebreakers," Lonnie hissed, though her smile was wide. "Ben, Doug needs to be suitably punished."
"As my heart wishes," Ben growled and then Doug was getting pressed onto his back, Ben rucking up his shirt so he could kiss down his stomach, looking up at Doug with a heated gaze before mouthing pointedly at the bulge between his legs.
"Yes," Lonnie sighed. "This is good. Go us."
"Go us, indeed," Aziz croaked, prompting Lonnie to jerk him harder, determined to coax the Agraben into total incoherency.
-:-:-
The rest of their stay in Agrabah was sort of strange. Their private time was definitely cut into in favor of spending time with their parents – both Ben and Lonnie's making a surprise visit under the appearances of enjoying the Festival of Colors. It took a few days for them to go back out into the streets, but when they did, they were sure to have a buddy system, Chad spending the first half of the day with his hand in Doug's, wearing Doug's courting bead in his hair and smiling so wide it made Doug's heart hurt. The nights were spent with big, rowdy dinners that drew into evenings under the stars, their families breaking into smaller groups to get to know each other, King Christopher intent to soak up every moment he could with his son, determined not to miss any more time with him.
It was that which left Chad crying tears of happiness more than once, but one of his partners was always by his side when he needed them, because Chad would never be alone again. None of them would be.
"I didn't think you'd be okay with this," Ben admitted to his father one of the times Doug happened to be with him, the prince's hand curled into his own as they watched Chad show off the vest he'd made Abu with Doug's amad.
"We've had time to become accustomed to the idea," King Adam offered with a grin. "You've been talking about these four nonstop for months, Ben. Some might say you were fixated."
A dark flush claimed Ben's cheeks. "Maybe I was," he allowed. "But I just followed the pull, like you told me to. You were right, it didn't lead me astray."
"It never does," the king hummed somewhat mysteriously, earning a fond look from his wife.
"Is it weird?" Aziz asked when they gathered around the firepit, Lonnie sprawled across Ben and Chad's laps while Doug curled Aziz into his side. "It all seems too good to be true. Like we have so much and then we got each other, all of us, and no one was left out and all our parents are totally supportive. It just seems weird."
"It's rare," Doug countered. "Definitely unlikely, and maybe that makes it weird."
Makes them wary.
"Who cares if it's weird?" Lonnie spoke up. "The point is that we have it. We have this – and maybe it will take a while for the rest of Auradon to accept that, but until then, we've still got each other."
"I like that," Chad said, his voice small but overwhelmed with happiness. "I like that a lot."
"Me too," Ben hummed, reaching over to card a hand through Chad's hair, something he could now do without making Doug want to stab him.
"Love you," Aziz mumbled, burying his face in the crook of Doug's neck. "I love you guys a lot."
"Love you too, Aziz," Doug said, his heart swelling with happiness.
"I guess that answers my question, then," Chad murmured happily as he leaned against Ben's side.
"What question?" Doug asked, because Chad hadn't voiced such a thing since they'd gathered for that evening – Doug made a point to keep track of such things.
"Just- the shoe question," Chad explained with a light blush. "If I lost my shoe, and it was the only way you could find me – I wanted to know if you'd search the entire kingdom for me. You know, like my dad did."
Doug paused, because Chad had tried voicing that question to him months ago, long before Doug had thought he'd had any real shot at the blond prince.
"Chad," Doug began with as much composure as he could manage. "Forget the shoe, you never would have made it down the staircase because I knew in the first moment I met you that I needed you by my side for now and always."
"Oh," Chad said, a lovely blush spilling across the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I think I like that ending better."
"Me too," Doug said. "I love you, Chad."
Because he wasn't a greedy, broken dwarf. He wasn't a wreck of a human.
He was Doug, biological son of Ori – also known as Dopey in Auradon, adopted son of Nori – known as Sleepy – and Bilbo Baggins (known as the Dragon Riddler) and soon to be King Thorin Oakenshield, king of Erebor. He was a musician, a writer, a weaver and perhaps most importantly, a lover. A dwarf who was able to hoard the very greatest of treasures without shame or repent.
Doug was a half-dwarf fortunate enough to hoard people, and so long as they would allow it, he would treasure these four to the very best of his ability.
Such was the craft Chad had inspired all those years ago. Such was the craft Ben had morphed for the better once Doug allowed him the opportunity to do so.
It was, Doug realized, an entirely human thing. A perfect culmination of the two halves of himself – something he could embrace without question.
He didn't have to fight anymore. He didn't have to wish.
It'd already come true.
They'd made it so – crafted by their own hands, human and dwarven alike.
-:-:-
Endnotes:
EDIT - Belated thanks for the reviews! For whatever reason, I didn't receive my usual notifications, so I didn't realize there were any. Thanks so much for the support, it is greatly appreciated!
Next up for me Descendants-wise is another one of my long multi-chapters! Next update will have the first chapter of 'No Matter How Your Heart is Grieving' (yeah, I know, two heart-themed names in a row, but it wasn't intentional), a soft Chad-centric fic that features our favorite blond prince doing the very best that he can after he manages to accidentally re-write the course of history with a magic spell. You know, just your average prince-stuff ;D
Story notes:
Amrâlimê – my love
Initially, this story was going to be much longer and focus substantially more on the trauma that resulted from the abuse and neglect Doug suffered at the hands of his mother. Those aspirations dwindled as my motivation for the story petered out, but the reason why Doug latched so hard onto being a proper dwarf was a result of that deeply toxic relationship he had with his mother. I'm not sure if I portrayed that very well in the story, but I thought an additional explanation couldn't hurt.
The Kit nickname is from the live action 2016 Cinderella movie.
Look, we all know the drill. Evil grandpa is evil. We don't need to draw things out, so I went ahead and had him monologue his confession because honestly, that's not what we're here for anyway ;D
Barbarac is from the live action Cinderella movie 'Ever After', which I highly recommend seeing if you haven't.
Until next time :)
-:-:-
"Don't wish, don't start, wishing only wounds the heart. I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl. There's a girl I know, he loves her so. I'm not that girl.' – 'I'm Not that Girl' from Wicked.