Coming upon the Castle in its near abandoned feeling state filled everyone, even Uma, with dread. From the entrance, claw marks graced the walls with fury. "Uh, guys? What's this?" Uma said gesturing at a painting clawed in half. Everyone kind of looked at each other worried.
"Carlos!" Dude called from down the hall.
"Coming, buddy." They had found Dude back before leaving for the castle and were now using his better senses to find Ben. They walked into a room full of suits of armor, shields, and swords. It was eerily quiet except for Mal and Uma, ready to go at each other's throats again.
"I bet you lost some sleep thinking about me on the loose? I saw you flying around the barrier multiple times." Uma said smugly and try to get under her skin. Carlos just tuned them out. He was honestly starting to get sick of that cliché villain routine.
"No. Dragons don't really lose sleep. I wonder what fried octopus tastes like." Mal mocked her openly. Mal and Uma were always like this as long as most of them could remember other than Jay. Jay was the closest to Mal the longest and he knows she and Uma could have been one evil duo on the Isle but Mal's evil pride got in the way. Evie, good-intentioned as ever, tried to get them to stop before Uma cut her off.
"We're celebrating our differences." She imitated Evie from earlier. All their personal bickering distracted them from the pink smoke taking over the suit of knight's armor in front of them.
"I believe we're being challenged." Harry attempted to get their attention, but they were still caught up in their own back and forth.
"Let's split up and look for Audrey." Uma sighed annoyed.
"That makes absolutely no sense. Unless you give me my ember, she's going to spell you." Mal retorted equally as annoyed, still oblivious to the now moving suit of armor.
"Girls! We have a situation here." Harry chastised them both with his own irritation, gesturing at the armor.
"Do you like a prince, Carlos? How about a knight in shining armor? Or knights?" Aubrey's voice reverberated from the suit of armor as it readied itself with its sword. The group split slightly backing up. Jay and Gil served up swords for their sides of the group and they took on the armor. Starting off at two separate teams before working together to help one another. Ultimately the idea came to Mal to not reverse the spell but counter it. Instead of removing the life brought to the suits she would change their purpose.
"Suit of armor strong and true, make this metal bust a move." She whipped up a spell on the fly. Mal stepped up on the central armor display platform and started swaying her hips, making the armor mimic her. She stepped off and Uma hopped up after her popping and rocking her hips with sass. Finally, Carlos took the spot and opened his chest upward stomping with his foot. Ultimately, they had control of the armor. Each VK climbed on an armor display, making all the knights dance differently, the magic in the suits sparked and drained, leaving the suits slumped in the middle of the room.
They began to celebrate with one another but then stopped and went back to their two sides. Once again Evie tried some ice breakers but Mal wasn't really in the mood for it.
"I love this energy, but we are very short on time. Audrey clearly knows that we're here and we need to get out of here," Mal held her hand reassuringly, always caring for Evie first and foremost.
"All right, where does this cheerleader bunk down? Even if she's not there, we might find some sort of clue." Uma didn't particularly like the sentimentality of the Auradon corrupted VKs. They had gotten far too soft.
"Actually, she's still in the dorms," Evie added seeming to think about it.
"You're right. Because of summer school." Mal added.
"What? Summer school? Summer school! No wonder she wants revenge." Summer school? How could anyone not turn evil having to deal with summer school, Harry was beyond disgusted by this. He hated school enough as it was. Before it was his favorite because of Carlos and him sharing Weird science and a few other classes but the moment he left, they were just reminders of what he had lost. Harry had not realized he was staring at Carlos until he snapped in front of Harry's face. They shared a conversation with their eyes, Carlos threatening him while Harry actually looked semi apologetic and a tiny bit embarrassed. Jay was watching them and pulled them aside for a moment before being interrupted by Mal.
"Okay. I need you guys, Carlos especially, to go find Ben. We will meet back at Evie's in two hours, okay?" Mal said locking eyes with Carlos, both protective but also Carlos seemed thankful.
"Sounds like we're going with my plan. I'm just saying." Uma's smugness ruined any moment they were currently having.
"It was kind of the obvious plan." Mal sighed heavily as the groups split up.
Carlos, Jay, Harry, and Gil headed into the forest following Dude until they came across a berry bush. Gil and Jay were in their own little world, it was cute Carlos though, deciding to let them mingle. Gil was harmless, a little rugged charm but mostly too brainless for Carlos' taste. Jay, however, was all for that brutish type. He had a huge crush of Chad Charming but ultimately it never manifested beyond idle pining.
"Don't you miss me Pup?" Harry said leaning against one of the trees far enough Gil and Jay wouldn't overhear.
"No Harry, I don't. I got over that whole bad boy thing the moment I came to Auradon. Ben is my True Love and I don't need you messing with that." Carlos didn't even remotely want to entertain those thoughts. Harry was hot but he was just like all the other Villains on the Isle, not VKs. The VKs had far more goodness in them than Harry to Carlos.
"Alright, I get it, Carlos. I just missed you." Harry actually sniffled a little and Carlos stared at him. Was he going to cry? Harry Hook? What? Carlos watched as Harry tried to stop as his hurt rolled down his cheeks, smearing the black eyeliner around his eyes. Maybe Harry was a VK and not just a Villain.
"Look, Harry, I don't hate you and maybe we can be friends but I just... don't feel like that for you anymore. You broke my heart and I got over it." Carlos said trying to be somewhat comforting.
"Broke your heart? You are the one who left."
"You are the one who was all over Zevon," the son of Yzma was always Carlos' competition when it came to Harry. This seemed to quiet Harry and Carlos for a long second.
"I'm sorry Pup. This King better treat you right... or so help me I'll hook him right in the d-"Harry threatened but Carlos cut him off.
"You touch him and all of Auradon and one very, very pissed off pup will hook you." The two were quiet for a second before laughing with one another. "I forgive you, Harry, if you hadn't made it so easy to leave, I wouldn't have found my True Love." They both smiled seeming to make up. Harry pulled Carlos into a friendly hug then Harry bowed to Carlos.
"My future king." He joked and Carlos nudged him. The moment ended with the roar of a beast coming right at the hook-handed pirate.
A/N: So there are technically some side romances that end up happening. Evie and Doug are guaranteed because of One Kiss (despite really wanting Malvie) but I'm honestly indecisive between making Jay/Chad or Jay/Gil. Leave a comment and tell me which you would rather see. I really need the help on this one. <3
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Stained Glass Breaks and So Do Hearts
FanficA Benlos Fanfic. When Carlos learns he has feelings for Ben, he learns that too much space hurts, that not everything is what it seems and that True Love exists. (Quotes from the movies. this Fanfiction follows the movies as close as it can.)