﹅ ۰ ۰ ۰ 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 ┊ ❪ 𝑨𝙲𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝑺𝙿𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚂! ❫
▍𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗛 ｡ ｡ ｡ ｡ kids from all different backgrounds,
whether that being raised by a villain, raised by a hero,
raised by a mom, raised by a dad, or raised by b...
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𝐁𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐊𝐒' 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐓, his steps heavy, his expression weighed down with defeat. His shoulders slumped as he came to a halt at the bottom, and with a weary exhale, he muttered, "She's not coming back." The pain in his voice was palpable, resonating in the tense silence.
Elizabeth's brow furrowed at his words, her chest tightening with unease. "What do you mean?" she whispered, her voice barely audible as she took a tentative step toward him. Her eyes searched his, hoping for an explanation that would ease the growing worry clawing at her.
Evie moved quickly, breaking the silence with purpose. She rushed to the rusted metal pipe that stretched up to the hideout, their makeshift line of communication. Pressing her lips close to the opening, she called out urgently, "Mal, it's me, Evie. Please, just let me talk to you for a minute."
For a moment, nothing but stillness answered her. Then, Mal's voice erupted, sharp and unyielding: "Go away!" The anger in her tone was like a slap, leaving a stunned silence in its wake.
Elizabeth flinched at the outburst, exchanging uneasy glances with Carlos and Jay. Jay instinctively stepped closer to her, his hand brushing her arm in a subtle yet protective gesture. "We should give her some space," he murmured, though his furrowed brow betrayed his own growing concern.
"Where's Ben?" Carlos's voice cut through the moment, a note of alarm lacing his words. The group turned, scanning their surroundings, only now noticing the prince's absence.
Panic set in as they all looked around, realizing their friend had vanished. Evie spotted a figure emerging from the shadows at the end of the alley. Her initial relief quickly turned to confusion as the figure approached.
"Ben...?" Evie called out cautiously, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make out the figure in the dim light. But as the figure came closer, the familiar cocky swagger and the glint of a silver hook became unmistakable. "Don't scare us like that," Evie sighed.
A thick Scottish accent, smooth and mocking, responded instead. "Don't scare you? That's my specialty." Harry Hook stepped into the dim light, his blue eyes glinting with mischief and malice. He twirled his hook casually, an amused smirk tugging at his lips as he took in their shocked expressions.
Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as Harry's piercing blue eyes locked on hers. A familiar, unwelcome flutter stirred in her chest, and the flicker of something unspoken passed between them. His smirk deepened, his gaze lingering on her before he sent her a deliberate, teasing wink.
Her stomach churned, heat rising to her cheeks as she quickly averted her gaze. She felt Jay shift beside her, his posture stiffening as he caught the subtle exchange. His jaw tightened, and though he remained silent, the tension between them was palpable. Jay's protectiveness was unmistakable, and Elizabeth could feel the weight of his unspoken questions bearing down on her.
"What did you do with Ben?" Jay demanded, stepping forward, his voice low and dangerous. Every muscle in his body was taut, ready for a fight.
Harry chuckled, clearly enjoying the challenge. He held up a finger, shushing them playfully. "Oh, we nicked him. Mmm-hmm," he said with an exaggerated nod. He turned and pointed down the alley, where shadows seemed to grow darker. "And if you want to see him again, have Mal come to the Chip Shoppe tonight. Alone." He punctuated the last word with a slow, deliberate point at each of them, his grin never faltering.
The group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of his words sinking in. Evie clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her composure.
Harry continued with a dramatic sigh, as if relishing the moment. "Uma wants a little visit." His eyes flicked to Jay, a smirk playing on his lips. "Aw, Jay. Seems like you've lost your touch."
Jay bristled, anger flashing in his eyes. He lunged forward, but Evie quickly grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Not now," she whispered urgently, her eyes pleading.
Harry's gaze swept over the group, landing on Carlos, who tried to hold his ground. With a sudden movement, Harry barked out a laugh, causing Carlos to flinch. His amusement only deepened as he turned his attention back to Elizabeth, stepping closer with an unsettling confidence.
Harry's eyes then landed on Elizabeth, a sly smile creeping onto his face as he looked her up and down. He took a step closer, leaning in slightly. "Nice to see you too, Lass," he said softly, his voice dripping with a mix of sarcasm and something more intimate. He gave her a lingering look, making sure she caught the double meaning before turning away.
Jay's fists clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowing as he watched the exchange. The jealousy simmering beneath his calm exterior was almost tangible, though he kept it masked.
Elizabeth quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing. She could feel Jay's eyes on her, questioning and unsettled, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Only Carlos seemed to notice the truth behind the exchange. He'd discovered Elizabeth's past with Harry by accident, and while he'd kept her secret, the weight of it now felt heavier than ever.
As Harry walked off, his hook swinging at his side, he began to whistle a jaunty tune, leaving the group in tense silence. Evie frowned, her mind racing. The nickname, the familiarity ━ Harry's behavior was unsettling, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his words than they all knew.
Elizabeth stood frozen, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. The past she'd kept hidden, the secret relationship with Harry that no one knew about ━ it all felt like it was crashing down around her. She tried to compose herself, but the look Harry had given her lingered, a silent reminder of their shared history and the complications it now posed.
Elizabeth knew the truth would only complicate things further.
