XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Splitting Up

Harry burst into a wave of laughter so hysterical that it infected XJ, who thought that her own giggles had long gone away, only for them to be revived. Soon, the two had collapsed onto the ground along with the other Auradonians, the only difference being that the two were wide awake, even though XJ felt light-headed at how hard she was laughing.

"What...the hell..." Harry choked out between uncontrollable cackles. "Was that?"

XJ shook her head, unable to form words. She smacked the top of the log where her nails had made deep indents to restrain the laughter that now poured out of her.

By the end of their fit, both were left breathless, their torsos hurting more than any training XJ had ever put herself through, and far more than the time someone had dropped a cannonball on Harry's stomach while he had been napping on deck.

"Jesus Christ," XJ rubbed her sides. "How about we postpone our backpacking until all of this is said and done?"

Harry nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I agree. This'll be brilliant. I don't understand why the other VKs looked so alarmed – she looked like an un-plucked turkey that had been left in the sun too long."

"Hello?" Someone asked from behind them, their voice sounding muffled.

XJ and Harry turned in unison to see Jane, holding a hand over her mouth and nose, but her eyelids were beginning to droop, and her body swayed where she stood. Before they closed completely, XJ's eyes glowed a faint gold.

Jane was pried from the fingertips of sleep and brought back to consciousness. Her eyes opened as she felt like she had been electrocuted.

"You can put your hand down now." XJ said dismissively, getting to her feet.

"How did you do that?" Jane asked, astonished.

XJ replied, sounding bored as she helped Harry up, who was still giggling every now and then. "The spell hadn't completely taken effect yet. It wasn't hard."

"What are you guys doing here?" Jane's eyes narrowed. "Hold on, do you have anything to do with Audrey and the scepter?"

"Obviously not," Harry snorted. "In case you didn't hear the two of us positively howling at how ridiculous she looked. We're here to keep an eye on her while Mal and the others get back from the Isle."

"The Isle? Why the Isle?" Then a realization struck Jane. "Is that why Carlos wasn't here?"

"The Isle because it's where the Hades ember is and it's the only thing that can overpower Maleficent's scepter. Also, yes," XJ answered. "He wanted us to tell you that's he's sorry he couldn't make it, but he needed to save Auradon."

Jane's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh my god, I knew he wouldn't forget!" She cheered, clapping her hands.

"Yeah, while that's all well and good," XJ cut her little celebration short, reminding Jane of the situation at hand. "We've still got Audrey's sleeping spell to worry about."

"Can we stop it from reaching the school?"

XJ thought for a moment. "At the rate the spell's spreading, I think we can," She grudgingly admitted. "But I don't think we should."

Jane's eyebrows flew into her hair. "What? Why not?" She demanded.

"If more Auradonians become aware that Audrey's the one doing this, they're not going to be able to do anything other than panic, screw everything up and just get themselves spelled." XJ said bluntly.

For some reason, Jane seemed to take offense to that. "Hey!"

"It's better not to disagree with XJ, Jane," Harry said, smirking. "My girlfriend's a genius and she's never been wrong about anything for as long as I've known her."