Disney Descendants - One Shots

"You Came Back..." - Jaylos/Hevie

One shot for @writers-imagines on Tumblr! Hope you enjoy it love!
- lana
•••

"I just don't understand..."

No one bothered even exchanging looks this time; after all, it'd been the tenth time Ben had muttered this in the past few minutes.

Evie sighed, gingerly patting Ben on the shoulder before stuffing her feet in a pair of Mal's many combat boots. The heels were a bit worn, but if they'd be on the rugged terrain of the Isle for the next day or so, she'd sacrifice style for comfort in a heartbeat. She could nearly feel Ben's pain and hear his guilt-ridden thoughts as he fumbled around with various supplies, clumsily filling a leathered marigold backpack to the top.

"It's not your fault," she assured, mentally scolding herself for offering such a generic piece of comfort. She knew that no matter what she said, the blame would evidentally fall on Ben, by Ben himself. Before news broke of Mal's disappearance, Auradon's golden couple had gotten into quite the argument over the lifestyle changes Mal had to endure over the last few months. It seemed within weeks that she'd transformed to Ben's every whim, whereas Ben had remained, well, Ben.

Evie, Jay, and Carlos were all silently torn; could they abandon their old ways completely? Evie still felt uneasy if a passing boy didn't give her a second glance, regardless of her new boyfriend, Doug. The mischevous glint remained in Jay's eyes when he came across something shiny or of value. Carlos still felt his heart race, a lingering anxiety when Dude pounced up onto his lap. The words of their parents still rang in their ears, but at what cost? Surely, they couldn't abandon the lives they'd created for themselves in Auradon. Evie was well renowned as smart and beautiful, Jay was the token jock and a complete team player, and Carlos was everyone's favorite person, with a heart of gold and clever instinct. They took everything with a grain of salt, of course, but things may not have been so sweet for Mal.

Without ever leaving a note, Mal had vanished into thin air, but, collectively, the foursome knew where she'd run off to. The Isle was unexplainably her safe place, even if this was her first time returning since they'd transferred. She claimed to hate her former home, but her canvases of murky waters and rugged, sky-high castles jaded by fog suggested otherwise. The Isle was all she knew. To find her amidst the rubble of Maleficent's Castle would be no surprise.

Jay cracked his knuckles and stood before the group, as Ben was in no shape to be the "team leader" at the moment. "Do you have the limo keys, Ben?" he asked, an air of sympathy surrounding his voice. He knew, in fact they all knew that Ben rarely ever lied to his parents.

Ben nodded. "I told them I had business to attend to in Camelot. That gives us three days, max," he explained, as if he knew what they were all collectively thinking.

Jay nodded, focusing his attention back on Carlos. Under the older boy's stare, Carlos didn't feel small anymore. He felt safe; assured. Despite the situation at hand, he felt his lips tug into a grin as his eyes met Jay's smoldering, dark pair. Jay smiled a little and dashed his eyes away; he needed to focus.

"We have a lot of ground to cover once we get behind the barrier. We'll need to split up and check all of Mal's favorite places. That means her mother's castle, Ursula's Fish and Chips, and the market. Got it?"

Carlos frowned. "I don't wanna go to her castle."

Ben started wide eyed at Jay. "And I'm not going anywhere alone." Navigating his way through foreign land where absolutely everyone hated him alone was his worst fear. He shuddered at the thought of being pursued by a band of villains, all demanding justice that he couldn't possibly give.

Jay shook his head. "No one's gonna be alone." He nodded toward the entire group. "We're in this together. As always."

They all exchanged looks now. What was the fear, really? For everyone, except Ben, they were just going home.