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“This is stupid.”
Carlos rolled his eyes again. He was currently sitting on the soft carpet in his room inside of Evie’s castle. It was pitch dark inside of the room, the only light coming from the very faint moonlight that shone through the sheer linen curtains that hung from the rod above his window. His eyes had started to adjust to the darkness, but not enough to see more than simple shapes and outlines. Across from him he was able to make out the outline of a young man. The man was tall, or at least he could assume based on his sitting height. His hair was pushed in different directions. He could outline the sharp jawline that led down to a long neck, followed by broad shoulders and muscular arms. And even though he couldn’t make out a lot of details, he knew there was currently a frown of some sorts resting on the man’s face.
“You promised you would be open minded.” Carlos said gently, even though he was very frustrated already.
“And ye promised this wasn’t going to be stupid.” Harry Hook rebutted.
Once again the younger boy rolled his eyes, this time huffing in frustration as well. “We haven’t even started yet!”
“We’re sitting on the floor in the dark! It seems pretty stupid already.”
It was something Carlos had read about in a book recently. He had really taken to his studies at Auradon University in the last few months. His favorite course so far being ‘Fairy Tale Endings and the Psyche’ which was an in-depth look of a lot of the fairy tale love stories that Auradon was built on. It also went in depth on the psychological element behind it all and how it can relate to everyday people and relationships. Carlos was not really an expert on love and truth be told he didn’t think his friends were either. Sure Mal had somehow managed to marry a King, and Evie and Doug were a perfect match, but it all seemed very dumb luck based.
See Carlos had come to Auradon and the only person he initially fell in love with was Dude, his dog. (And that was more of a ‘Man’s-Best-Friend-My-Mother-Said-All-Dogs-Were-Savages’ kind of deal.) After that he tried to find love in Jane—but he eventually gave up trying to force it and accepted they were just good friends. He thought for a second he might try to get back out there and try to date some other Auradon girl, but nothing sat right with him.
And then Harry Hook came strutting into his life—back into his life at least.
Carlos and the pirate had always been on the opposite sides of things. Uma and Mal being at each other’s throats constantly meant that they two were obviously enemies. And not only did their captains being rivals make things hard, but Jay absolutely despised Harry. There was some kind of macho man stand off that was always going on between the two.
But post-barrier, Harry has been around a lot more and Carlos couldn’t help but notice things about him. Like the fact that he would flirt with just about anything with a pulse to get what he wanted. Or that even though he acted like a muscle head pirate, he was very smart and knew a lot.
Ben had insisted that any Isle kids that wished to attend school would be accepted and placed into a school fitting of their desires. Uma jumped at the chance to join the Naval Academy; She still planned on getting her own ship one way or another. Gil took off with Jay to explore and has yet to return yet. Which left Harry to his own devices.
Unfortunately, Harry needed some kind of supervision, and because everyone knew Carlos could get along with practically anyone, that supervisor was him.
Somehow Carlos did manage to see some good in the other boy and they maintained a pretty strong friendship. But something that Professor Megara (Hercules’ wife) had taught in this class was that while all fairy tales with happy endings ended with love, there were sometimes feelings of distain in the beginning.
She’d said, “Sometimes you don’t know that the feelings you hold for someone are feeling of love or adoration. Look at our former King and Queen. Belle and Adam did not have an easy start, but they were able to not let negativity block their underlying feelings. It is common to dislike the things you notice in other people that differ from yourself. But subconsciously you may find that you are jealous they have these traits and you are longing for them yourself.”
Initially, Carlos thought it was all bullshit. But then he noticed that he really hated the way Harry flirted with people. And that anytime Harry would just strut into a room all eyes went to him and even though people still feared him, he captured attention. And he really hated that Harry was so damn confident all the time.
All these hates led him to thing—maybe he was in love with Harry Hook.
So he’d come up with this plan to get to know the other man more, and hopeful find out if Harry had any feelings for him. But the plan was currently flopping before it’d even started cause the pirate couldn’t stop complaining about it.
“I just need to do something for my Fairy Tale Ending class and I need your help.” Carlos explained for what felt like the tenth time.
The pirate across from him scoffed. “And that’s s’posed to make this any less stupid?”
“You know what just forget it. Shouldn’t have asked you anyways.” Carlos made to stand up, feeling defeated and annoyed, but his ankle was suddenly trapped by the pirate’s hook.
“Oh no ye don’t pup, ye got me in this dark room alone, yer doing yer stupid homework.”
Carlos huffed but sat down with his arms folded. “Honestly Harry I don’t even want to do it anymore.”
He knew he was being a little petty, and he was definitely milking it, but he knew that Harry was a sucker when it came to Carlos’ pouting. So he put on the show that would surely get him the results he wanted.
“Pup,” Harry said softly, removing the hook from the floor and scooting closer to the smaller boy. He gently grabbed Carlos’ chin, turning his head to meet his eyes. “C’mon, I’ll play along.”
Even though there was hardly any light flowing into the room, Carlos could almost sense the sincerity that was held in the pirates rich blue eyes. It was almost oceanic the colors that Harry held in his eyes, and while they were always beautiful, when he was being soft and more vulnerable (which didn’t happen often) it made them even more captivating.
“Fine.” Carlos said blandly He was honestly happy because his ploy worked, but he needed to make it seem like Harry had done all the work.
He settled back comfortably in his crossed leg position on the floor, Harry had spread out with his legs open on either side of Carlos, placing the smaller boy directly in front of him. They had been close before but here, sitting on the floor in the dark somehow made it feel more intimate and a closeness they’d never experienced before.
“Okay, so I’m going to need you to close your eyes and completely clear your mind.” Carlos instructed.
Harry scoffed but nodded. Carlos watched his eyes flicker shut and he could slightly make out the smug expression on his face. Carlos placed his hands on the pirates thighs, and the fact that Harry didn’t flinch or move eased his mind on their relationship (unconfirmed) already. He slowly massaged circles into the man’s muscles.
“Let go of all thoughts and worries in your mind. I want you to think of a desert.” Carlos said in a soft voice. “Have you pictured your desert?”
“Aye,” Harry said quickly.
“Good,” Carlos continued to massage his thighs as he spoke. “I want you to mentally take a picture of every element of the desert. Anything unique or special, keep it all in mind. And now I want you to envision a cube.”
He waited a few seconds for the pirate to do as instructed. “Do you have your cube?” Harry nodded. “Good now I want you to place that cube within your desert.”
Carlos took the time to stare at Harry while he waited for the young pirate to do as he was told. The smug expression was softened and now all Carlos could make out was the sharp features of the man he was currently falling for. Gentle and relaxed.
“I want you to now think of a ladder, and I want you to place it in your desert as well. Now picture a horse somewhere in your desert. And now somewhere in your desert, I want you to picture a flower, and I want you to place it.
“Have you placed your flower?”
“Aye,” Harry’s voice was soft but still filled the room.
“Finally, I want you to picture a storm. Place your storm.”
“Good ahead and open your eyes.” Carlos said.
Slowly, Harry’s eyes opened and locked on Carlos’. The two maintained eye contact for a moment, neither speaking until Carlos smiled softly at the man.
“Wanna share what the hell ye had me doin’ pup?” Harry said.
Carlos rolled his eyes but sat up a little straighter. “You’re going to share what you saw now, and then I can explain what it all means. Okay?”
“Geez,” Harry scoffed but nodded. “Fine. Eh, me desert was big.”
“How big?” Carlos interrupted.
“Eh, it was almost as big as the isle I s’ppose. Lots of mountains of sand and such.”
Carlos nodded. “Okay and so I asked you to picture a cube, want to tell me about that?”
“It was a big wooden box. Kinda like a crate. It was covered in seaweed—almost like a treasure chest!” He said with mild enthusiasm.
Carlos smiled but nodded. “How big would you say the cube was in the desert? Like house size? Castle size?”
“Pretty big—bout the size of a castle.”
“And what about the ladder?”
“It was a rope ladder, kinda like the kind ye use on a boat. It was comin’ off the cube. Gotta climb it to get inside I guess.” Harry explained. “C’mon pup what is all this rubbish?”
Carlos swatted the pirates’ leg. “Harry! You said you’d try.”
“Ugh fine! What’s next?”
“Tell me about your horse please.” Carlos said.
“Well,” Harry said. “It was a pretty horse. White with some small black spots. Like a dalmation horse!” He chuckled. “Bet yer ma would love that eh?”
Again Carlos rolled his eyes, and slightly shuddered at the thought of what his mother would do if she saw such a creature. “Was this horse doing anything special?”
“Eh…” Harry thought. “It was like waiting. Next to the box just like protectin’ it? Or watchin’ it. Like it was meant to be next to it.”
Carlos smiled but didn’t say anything. He shook his head and asked about the next thing—the flower.
“Didn’t see just one. It was like twenty or more. All white flowers, like them ones ye always look at when we walk around the garden. They were in a circle around the box and horse and ladder and such.” Harry described in pretty clear detail.
“Finally, tell me about the storm.”
Harry got quiet for a moment. Carlos thought he might not had heard him ask for the detail until the other man finally cleared his throat. “Well, eh.” Harry started.
“It was dark. Ye remember that year when we didn’t get much food on the isle? And everyone was fightin’ and stealin’ more than ever? And then that wicked storm came through and everythin’ was dark for days. It was like that—but worse. Stormy and rainin’ and just cold.”
Carlos reached for one of Harry’s hands and placed his own on top of it gentle. “Was it all over the desert?” He spoke softly.
Harry shook his head. “No, it started over everything and then it just drifted back into the distance. Right before ye said to open me eyes it was almost gone. Now ye goin’ to tell me what this is all ‘bout?”
Carlos exhaled and placed his hands in his lap as he began to explain the exercise.
“So the desert just represents your current environment, nothing too special there. But the cube, the cube represents yourself.” Harry scoffed but Carlos ignored it and just continued. “You see yourself as a big person, clearly. But I think you see yourself almost as a hidden treasure. Being covered in seaweed and maybe a little banged up, but something very larger than life and special.
“The ladder is a representation of your friends. It goes without saying that you don’t make friends easy, so it being a rope ladder—the hardest kind to climb—is fitting. But the fact that it leads directly into the cube shows that you see yourself as the kind of person that, if you can endure the climb, gets to know the real you.”
Carlos took a deep breath before explaining the next part. “The horse represents your lover. You saw a horse with spots and was close to you. Do you think it might represent someone in particular?”
Harry didn’t respond out loud, but he did nod slightly.
“Well I think it just means whoever this person is, you like that they are near you. You find it comforting and almost more of a need than a want.”
Neither said anything but the way Harry’s legs suddenly closed around Carlos’ body, locking him in between his legs, drawing them closer, said enough.
“The flowers represent offsprings. So I guess you’re expecting to be a father of 20?”
“Not in all Seven Seas would that happen!” Harry exclaimed. “Can’t stand lil runts!”
Carlos laughed. “You might not see it now but, I do think you’d be a great father one day, subconsciously I think you think so too.”
“Doubt it!”
“Okay we’ll move on.” Carlos said with a smirk. “Now your storm, that’s the one thing that I think made the most sense. Your storm represents current struggles or concerns. And right now, in this very transitional period of your life, it makes sense that the storm seems so extreme, but like you said it was starting to disappear. Things are getting better. Right?”
Harry nodded. “Aye.”
“Good.” Carlos said.
Harry scooted closer until their faces were only a few inches apart. “So why’d ye have me do this lil mind test eh pup?”
“Well,” Carlos started. “I needed to do this kind of test for my class. Had to do it with someone who is in a relationship and one with someone that isn’t.”
“That’s the only reason?” Asked the pirate.
Carlos gulped and looked down at where his hands were folded in the middle of his legs. “That and—because you’d never tell me if you like me or not.” He answered softly.
The room was silent and Carlos was starting to wish he could just get up and walk out. But Harry used his hand to push his chin upwards so they were looking into each others eyes.
“You wanted to know if I liked ye?”
Carlos didn’t say anything but he nodded. God this was a stupid idea! He thought to himself. The silence in the room was deafening for the young boy.
“Didn’t know I needed to state the obvious De Vil.”
The rate of his head snapping up was so quick! He made eye contact with the pirate and the other man was smirking at him with that charming look he’d always have whenever he was flirting with someone.
“You like me?” Carlos asked, and he really hated that he sounded like a twelve year old school girl.
“Aye,” Harry shrugged. “I wouldn’t walk around the stupid gardens, and play with yer dog, and share a bed with ye if I didn’t.”
“Oh.” Carlos said with a smile.
Suddenly, Harry leaned forward and placed his lips against the other boy’s. It was quick kiss, but in the few seconds they’re lips were locked, Carlos felt him entire body melt. Harry pulled away too quick for his liking but he was happy it’d happened at all.
Harry kept his face close to the other boy’s and whispered. “Ye betta finish yer homework then, eh?”
Carlos smiled, “Shut up.” He said and then wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck, bringing him in for another kiss.