Disney Descendants - One Shots

One Word Prompt: Acceptance {Gil}

one word prompt: {acceptance x gil} for @/dontbenormal111 on tumblr

‼️ a lil angsty gil for yall , mild gil x evie because why not ? ❤️
- lana
•••

"I can't even look at you right now."

Gil could barely look up to react to his father's words. His head hung low as tears prickled at the backs of his eyes, threatening a fresh stream as Gaston resumed his lecture. Between them, a once-sealed envelope with the crest of Auradon lay in tatters on the ground; the subject of his father's rage.

"But, dad..."

"But nothing!" Gaston's nostrils flared as he slumped into a leather seat adorned with deer antlers. The fireplace crackled before him, illuminating his pensive features as he grinded his teeth. "I've had to go through hell and back to raise you boys. On my own, at that! Isn't that humiliating enough? A-and then for you to go and accept this... this PITY. From the king of our sworn enemies." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "How could you?"

Gil felt his heart sink deeper in his chest. His entire life, living on the Isle was never an issue to him. After all, it was all he knew. But looking into Mal's eyes the day she returned, seeking vengence for Ben, he knew that if the most awful girl on the Isle could change her ways, he could too. He could have the clean slate he'd always wanted, away from the chaos that ensued when the crew was together. Sure, he loved Uma, and Harry too, but he needed change. He needed his freedom, and a life where his survival didn't lie on the shoulders of his friends.

Gil found his voice, which escaped from his lips in a pained whisper. "B-but even Uma's going, Dad... everyone's leaving..."

Gaston remained frigid. "But not you."

Gil's heart pounded with a dull throb in his chest, a constant reminder of the struggle he'd put up the entire day to convince his father. He'd hidden the invitation for a week, to be exact, and had only built up the courage to mention it now. While there were few people that intimidated Gil on the Isle, his father was an exception. Old age had hardly put a damper on Gaston's strength and brute.

Gil gritted his teeth. "Dad, I have to go. I need a better life. There's nothing for me here."

Gaston remained unswayed, facing the fire as it burned steadily before him. He tapped an impatient finger on the arm of the chair as he began to become strung out with the headstrong teen.

"If you go..." he began slowly. "You are no son of mine."

Everything around Gil stopped. His heart ceased to pound, and everything seemed to stop moving. The bitter words echoed in his ears, and he could feel his legs weakening under pressure. His breath hitched as he opened his mouth, at a lost for words as a fresh, hot, new stream of tears ran down his cheeks. He wiped sloppily at his eyes and nearly reached out toward his father with a shaky hand, but to no avail. What use was it? He would only remain frigid, possibly worse if Gil prodded.

All that would be left if he stayed would be a life of "no's" thrown in his face, and "what if's" as he hung around Uma's abandoned dock with the rest of the sell outs. Gil knew he was smart; or at least he thought he was, and staying would ultimately be the stupidest decision he'd ever made. He had to bite his tongue and stand his ground, now or never.

He dropped his shoulders, finding his voice for the last time that evening.

"I guess I'm not, then."

•••

"You're so smart."

Gil's head snapped up, lost in another daze as he hung over an open-ended calculus worksheet in front of him. His eyes met Evie's hazel ones, which were shining with pride. "Huh?"

She tapped the worksheet with the end of a sparkly, blue pen. "Number three. I could never figure that out; I spent ten minutes on it and just gave up!" She looked up and flashed him a brilliant smile. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're way smarter than I would have given you credit for."

Gil's face heated up, and he bowed his head, smiling to himself. "Uh, yeah... numbers come naturally to me, I guess..."

Evie gently placed a hand on his. "I'm proud of you. You make the transition look easy."

Gil looked up and grinned. "I do?"

She laughed lightly and nodded. "You were born good. It's in your blood."

He chuckled hollowly. "Yeah? Tell that to my dad." His voice grew bitter for a moment. "He won't even speak to me."

"Hey," Evie whispered. "Don't worry about him." She nodded to the front of the room, where Mal, Jay, Carlos, Lonnie, Doug, Ben, Jane, Harry, and Uma were huddled, laughing and talking amongst themselves. A few raised their heads, smiling and gesturing the pair toward their group. Evie nudged Gil and grinned. "See? You have another family now. And we love you for who you are. Not who we want you to be."

Gil felt his heart race, his mind filling with endless possibilities for the life he'd found himself in. Sure, his dad refused to speak to him, and his life did a complete 180 in the past few weeks.

But none of that mattered when he finally belonged to a family that accepted him.

xx lana