Descendants 4

22

Dessert goes smoothly and they stay a while longer laughing and telling stories, most of which are exaggerated given that Lea knows none of the stories everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to make themselves look super daring and heroic. The others laugh loudly and then tell the true versions but it's all done in a joking manner.

Around one in the morning they all decide it's late enough and decide to go to sleep. Ben offers them rooms at the palace but they all shake their heads preferring their own beds. Evie goes into a small rant about her nightly routine which she can't possibly do there since all of her stuff is in her house. Mal and Ben don't push any further and let her leave. Daniel and Victoria are staying in the castle anyway so they just have to go up a couple of flights of stairs before falling into bed.

Harry offers to walk Lea back home and Ben suggests they take the driver so they don't have to walk, Lea accept and they make their way down the hall towards the entrance where Ben assures them the driver will be waiting.

"Hey man wait up!" Jay calls after Harry and Lea, they both turn "Lea do you mind if I talk to Harry for a sec, I won't be long" Lea looks between the two of them and nods with a stif smile

"Hey babe ready to go?" Lonnie asks jogging over to them she notices the strange tension between them and keeps smiling

"Just a sec I have to tell Harry something" Jay explains, Lonnie nods and turns to Lea who still looks a bit out of place between the two men

"Come on I'll walk with you to the car" Lonnie says quickly and looping her arm through Lea's "I've been meaning to ask you where you got the amazing necklace" Lonnie and Lea leave, Harry stares after them and turns to Jay wondering what this is all about.

"What is it?" He asks and Jay makes sure they're out of hearing range before turning to Harry

"You have to be more careful Harry" Jay says a bit grim and Harry frowns

"Careful about what?" He asks slightly defensive

"You and Lea" Jay says "you can't just be like that around her"

"It's them" Harry states and Jay rolls his eyes

"Not Lea" Jay explains "Victoria"

"What about Victoria?" Harry asks confused once more, Jay isn't making much sense

"You can't be so... affectionate towards Lea when Victoria is around" Jay says and Harry starts to get annoyed

"You have no right to tell me how to act around someone I like" Harry says in a threatening tone "no right to tell me what to do either, I don't answer to you Jay"

"You don't get it do you?" Jay narrows his eyes and takes a small steps back, he takes a breath, he's not explaining things correctly so he takes a few seconds and tries again, Harry tenses even more as the seconds pass by.

"Victoria hurt herself tonight because of you" Jay says at last and all the tension in Harry's body disappears

"What?" He asks frowning, that's doesn't make sense, he stares at Jay waiting for him to continue

"Victoria won't tell you this and I doubt she'll admit it to anyone other than Daniel, but it's hard for her to see you with Lea" Jay continues hoping this time he's explaining things correctly "so next time you bring Lea somewhere where Victoria is gonna be, just keep the PDA to a very minimum for her sake"

"But," Harry starts sighs and grabs the bridge of his nose for a second "why does it bother Victoria? It's not like she likes me or anything like that I'm pretty sure she still hates me actually. She can't be jealous of Lea right?"

"She probably does still hate you" Jay agrees "but she's trying to change, you noticed it just as I during the trip. That doesn't mean she's over it, over everything that happened between you two"

"I know" Harry says "I haven't forgiven myself for everything yet, I can't expect her to. But what does Lea have to do with this?"

"Every memory Victoria has of you is linked to pain and abuse" Jay says trying to be blunt yet gentle with what he's saying "so imagine how she feels when she sees you being so careful and gentle and kind to Lea. Victoria sees your raised hand and probably has to make herself not flinch and she knows that same reaction doesn't even occur to Lea because all they know is Harry 2.0. Victoria knows both versions of you Harry and she's still trying to separate them"

Harry stares at Jay in stunned silence. He had never considered the effect that he and Lea would have on Victoria. Didn't realize she would be bothered by it. Harry knows he's hurt Victoria, and not just physically but hadn't thought... that was the problem, he simply hadn't thought. Everyone had wanted to meet Lea and he had asked them to come tonight worried about what the others might think about Lea or say about him but had never considered how Lea might affect them.

"Like I said Victoria won't say this to you ever and you don't know her well enough to notice when she's struggling to control herself but I do" Jay says calmly "I noticed. So I just wanted to tell you that" he shuffles a bit on his feet unsure of what to say next

"Thank you" Harry says softly meeting his eyes and saying it with all honesty "I don't want to hurt Victoria or anyone like I used to. I didn't notice. Thank you Jay" Jay shrugs as if it were no big deal despite it being the complete opposite

"They're waiting for us" Jay jerks his head down the hall, Harry nods and they start to walk, Harry a bit absentmindedly.

"Everything okay?" Lea asks as they approach them Harry shoved his feelings down for a later time and smiles at them.

"Everything's okay" he assure Lea who smiles and they get into the waiting car

"All good?" Lonnie asks tossing Jay the helmet and starting the motorcycle

"Went really well" Jay smiles getting on behind Lonnie and wrapping his arms around her stomach

"I'm glad to hear that" Lonnie smiles and starts off towards their house.