A Party Life For Me - for numberonefirstmate

[blueberryprincess]

The only reason Evie was even going to this party this late at night was Evie...really had nothing to say there. Not a thing. She had no real reason for going. Just that she wanted to go. She missed parties on the Isle. They were wild. Loud. Went all night. Sometimes there were piles of sleeping people everywhere when the sun came up and Evie thought that was the best.

Still, going with Harry Hook? Probably not her best choice. Probably the dumbest thing she could do. She really did want all of them to get along, now that the Isle was free of it's barrier and people could come and go as they pleased. But it was almost one AM. And she had a boatload of nothing to do the next day, so going to a party with Harry Hook was what she was going to do.

And it wasn't a date. It was two people trying to be friends.

She could practically hear Lonnie questioning her and see her raising an eyebrow in disbelief as Evie yanked off her pajamas and pulled on one of her older outfits.

She didn't have time to make her own for this party, she'd been too busy with everyone else's. And she didn't exactly have plans to go, either, so there was desire to actually plan anything.

Whatever. It didn't matter. She's going to be late to meet Harry at the bridge and if she's still pulling some of her blue and black hair back into a fairly complicated fishtail braid as she walks up to the bridge, so be it.

"Hannah didn't invite either of us, which means she actually wants us there." It was Isle Tradition. If you wanted people at your party, you didn't invite them. If you didn't want them, you made a huge deal of inviting them. Evie hadn't been invited. She just heard about it.

"I hadn't planned on going, but after the movie Jay and Carlos made me watch, I don't think I'll be sleeping for a while. You ready?"

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[numberonefirstmate]

Harry's got plenty of friends--and more-than-friends--but he's always happy to have more of the latter. He's waiting for Evie on the bridge as she asked, meeting him a bit further than halfway along as a sort of peace offering. He is sitting on the edge, tossing bits of moldy bread into the water for the fish below, legs swinging carelessly, so maybe he's just trying to flirt with danger tonight.

He hops up on the bridge proper when he sees her, and gives her a sweeping (slightly mocking) bow.

"I make it a point to show up where I'm not wanted," he says with a wicked grin. "And don't you look lovely?" His gaze travels from toe to tip and back again, taking in her outfit and the way she's wearing it. It doesn't really look as though he's gotten dressed up for this party, unless one counts having shined his hook up.

"Shall we?" he holds his arm out for her to take. Like a proper escort.

[blueberryprincess]

“I’ve noticed.” It’s a tease in return. If she’s going to set an example and show people it is possible to get along, she’s not about to start being rude. Evie stops walking a few feet away, smiling some as Harry bows. She’s aware he’s teasing her with it, but she bows in return to show she’s amused by it. Glancing at her outfit for a moment and thinking of at least eight ways she could make it better, she simply thanks him for what he said.

Pointing at the bread in his hand, her facial expression shifts to concern. “That’s the last of the gross food on the Isle, right? Or at least close to last?” What she wants to ask is if anything like it showed up recently. Not everyone in Auradon was happy the barrier was down. She would be disappointed but not surprised if anyone sent rotten food as a ‘joke’.

There’s no hesitation as she takes Harry’s arm, tilting her head in the direction of the Isle.

[numberonefirstmate]

"So you've noticed me?" He bats his lashes at her. "I mean, y'could hardly be blamed." He's very noticeable.

Harry tosses the rest of the bread into the water with a shrug. "Oh I'm sure we'll still be finding leftovers for years to come. That one was all right though," he says casually, leading Evie along the Bridge like a grand entrance. "Just a bit of mold, it wasn't even green."

Besides, he heard somewhere that green food is supposed to be good for you, so it's fine.

[blueberryprincess]

She walked right into that one, didn’t she? She’s not going to dignify that with more than a brief and small smirk, a faint huff of a laugh escaping her nose before she’s looking at the bread again.

“I hear someone stockpiled canned goods somewhere, but none of us have ever been able to find it.” It’s possible it was just a rumor. Things were pretty desperate on the Isle, so Evie wouldn’t be surprised if someone said it just to see others scramble. Evie was one of the people who looked.

“Just a bit of mold. That’s kind of surprising. It must have been recent.”

She wasn’t going to admit this any time soon, but finding herself on Harry Hooks arm was kind of nice.

[numberonefirstmate]

She absolutely did, which is why Harry took such blatant advantage of it.

"We're still looking for it," he admits. There's no way to tell when those uptight Auradonians might change their mind and close the barrier again after all. Mal and Ben might talk a decent game, but if they really wanted to shut them out Harry was certain the kings and queens who had such trouble with the VK's parents would find a way to do it.

They do look a lovely pair, Evie's color motif of blues and Harry's of blacks and reds. Not to mention, y'know, they're two beautiful people. And....Evie was fun, or he remembered her being fun before she was whisked away to become an Auradon girl. Even with access to the mainland, Harry's not sure he'll ever think of himself as anything other than someone from the Isle.

[blueberryprincess]

Oh, if only Harry was aware how much Evie wasn’t the same girl. For one thing, she stopped pretending to be a vapid, boy crazy, airhead of a girl whose priorities were Princes and Looking Fabulous To Please Guys.


She was here for her friends now. Her priority was taking care of others and making her loved ones feel important and making sure they were happy with who they were.

That’s not to say she wasn’t still fun. She did kick one of his crew mates asses in a sword fight, was smart as hell in chemistry and was good in a fight in general. And she still loved to dance.

They did make a gorgeous pair, though.


Once they were across the bridge, Evie pulls a slip of paper out of her red, fingerless gloves and reads the directions on it, showing it to Harry so they were on the same page.

“Can you think of any shortcuts?” She’d like to get her party on, if thats okay with him. And there might be the faintest bit of mischief in the way she’s smirking. She has something planned.

[numberonefirstmate]

He's noticed that, too. He wouldn't be nearly so bold as to try to claim he saw the smart, talented girl underneath all along, but. Well. Harry can tell when someone else is putting on an act. They never really ran in the same circles back when she lived on the Isle, but he's certainly glad he's not getting the airhead now.

He leans in to look at the page, tilting his head so his chin brushes her shoulder. He grins then, sharp and toothy.

"Not afraid of heights, are yeh?" he purrs, batting his lashes at her.

[blueberryprincess]

“Not even a little bit,” Evie replies, turning to grin at Harry and yeah, he’s super close. But Evie seems unphased. Tucking the directions back into her glove, she takes a look at her surroundings for a moment. It’s weird how subtly different things were on the Isle. Even this late at night, things look better. Colors less muted. Things were so much cleaner. And it was quiet.

This place was noisy, even at night. Now? Not so much.

“Last one there is a rotten apple,” Evie says, before taking off, running quickly in heels that most people probably couldn’t run in. Harry already had his shortcuts planned out, she’s certain of it. And Evie has hers. There were alleys to duck down, empty businesses to run through and at some point, the scrap of blue ribbon Evie was using as a hair tie for her braid was going to vanish, leaving her hair wilder than she’d prefer when she finally arrives at the entrance to Hades old place.

[numberonefirstmate]

Things certainly had begun to change since the barrier came down.

....Harry didn't like it :c

He grins when Evie takes off, letting her get a head start before he starts climbing up with the intention to use the roofs. He doesn't lose her--not sure he could, with that blue streaming behind her as she runs. He's tempted to stay just behind her just to watch as her hair looses and bounces, but his desire to win overrides that.

It's hard to tell which one gets there first, as Harry jumps down to join Evie on the ground. "I win," he claims, own hair a little less coiffed than when he'd started out.

[blueberryprincess]

If Evie hadn't gone to Auradon, and the barrier still came down, she wouldn't be too sure of the changes, either. But Evie'd learn to roll with it. She'd learn to adapt and see what happens next. She's aware he's on the roofs, keeping her own eye on him as well, if only because she missed running through the Isle like this. It was just as fun as she remembered.

Skirting around a small stack of boxes just as Harry jumps down, she only just manages to miss crashing into him by inches. This she finds funny and she laughs some as she stops herself short, pushing her hair out of her eyes and searching her wrists and pockets for some kind of hair tie, smile fading some when there isn't one.

Maybe Dizzy had them? Settling for trying to finger brush her hair in order, she sort of rolls her eyes some at Harry's proclamation, eyes flicking to his wild hair and finding it kinda suited him.

Not that she'd say that.

"By a second, Harry. Not even." She only just barely sounds winded from the run, the only sign that she'd run at all her wild hair, and slightly reddened cheeks.

Her eyes flick up to his hair again and she tilts her head a bit, reaching up and trying to get it to look as it did before they ran across town. Which she manages, but after studying it? Not quite him. So she reaches up again and tousels it, making it just as it was after his run.

"Not that it matters, but I like your hair like this."

[numberonefirstmate]

"A second counts!" He grins and bows, overly elaborate before straightening. He'd skidded a bit to avoid crashing into her when he landed, but her jump had been worth it. Harry had expected her to squeak or yell at him, but he hadn't been expecting the laugh. It makes him laugh too, head back and laughter coming free and surprised.

He's not expecting her to reach and ruffle his hair but he lets it happen out of further surprise, eyebrows lifted.

"Aye, and yours looks better for a bit of tangle as well," he teases back, reaching to smooth her hair a bit and tuck a strand behind an ear.

"Shall we grace the party with our presence?"

[blueberryprincess]

“That sounds like a great idea,” Evie says, trying to not look too surprised by Harry messing with her hair. She had, after all, messed with his first. She’d once again made it so easy for him to be himself, whether it be with a stupid quip about noticing him (spoilers: it wasn’t stupid) or him fixing her hair.

One day maybe she’ll figure out how to not do that. Or probably not. Most likely not.

She turns and pulls open the gate to Hades place, stepping inside and noticing the rows and rows of colorful string lights. That didn’t seem like something Mals father would be into, so Evies sure they’re in the right place.


Except there’s an issue she can’t quite place her finger on just yet, so she turns to look at Harry, briefly confused before it hits her.

“It’s really quiet. Celia told us this place echoes like crazy. Shouldn’t we be hearing something by now? Music? People?”


This was just a little weird.

[numberonefirstmate]

"They must be simply besides themselves, wondering where we are." Harry sounds utterly careless about the silence of the tunnel that stretches before them, though there's a slight pinching at his eyes that might speak to worry.

Not that he's scared, a son of Hook doesn't get scared. Pirates don't get scared.

Harry might be approaching the edges of what could be considered concern, though.

"Maybe it's a surprise party," he says lightly, stepping just slightly in front of her with a hand on his sword. "For little old us."

[blueberryprincess]

If anyone asked Evie, she’d tell people Harry Hook was a very brave pirate, indeed. And keep out that she thinks he’s just a bit ridiculous. She watches him step in front of her and sighs as quietly as she can, reaching a hand out to put it over the one ready to draw his sword and fight. Her other hand reaches for his arm, hand circling is bicep to get his attention.

“Harry, I appreciate what you’re doing, but I don’t think it’s that kind of surprise party.” Her tone is even, the smile on her face soft.

And then whatever moment there could have been is flat out ruined by the sound of thunder outside and the sound of a very large dog barking further down the tunnel. Even with knowing that the Cerberus is just a lie their parents told them to keep them in line, Evie still jumps some before looking both embarrassed and angry at her own self for being stupid.

“It’s a record. Mal said it’s a record Hades played to keep people out.”

[numberonefirstmate]

Ugh no he's not Brave that implies all sorts of heroics. He's not a hero he just--he's more capable with an edged weapon.

He looks down at her in surprise when she touches his hand, his arm. "Then it's been a while since yeh've been to a party on the Isle, princess," he covers with a grin, wide and toothy.

The barking startles him enough to make him jump, hand gripping his sword and actually moving fully in front of Evie. On instinct, how dare you imply otherwise. "Yeah--" He sounds annoyed with himself too. His hand releases the grip of his sword and he shakes his hand out, pulling away from her touch. "Still loud, though."

[blueberryprincess]

“I’ve been to exactly two birthday parties on the Isle. One for someone I can’t even remember, but I was also four at the time so it wasn’t exactly recent. And then my own birthday. The one that Maleficent pitched a massive fit over because we didn’t invite Mal.”

And then Maleficent threatened and her mother with death if they so much as left their castle, resulting in Evie being castle schooled until a bit into her teen years.

“There was another at our old school, Dragon Hall,” but that was about it. And then she began running with Mal and Carlos and Jay, became the mother friend to all of them.

Him stepping in front of her is starting to border on exasperating, but Evie keeps that in check, letting him step away as her hands go to her waist. No. Nope. She’s not going to let him see how frustrating that’s getting so, dropping her hands off of her sides, she walks past him and further into the tunnel.

“It echoes,” she reminds him as she continues on, stopping when the barking goes and listening more.

Now she hears music. Now she hears voices. There’s laughter, talking. Shouting.

Maybe this is the right place after all? There’s another, fainter rumble of thunder outside. Evie ignores it in favor of continuing on. The storm will pass by soon enough, right?

[numberonefirstmate]

"Well 'twas rude of your mother," Harry says idly. "Knowing Maleficent, really." EQ should have known better. Not that Harry would say that to the woman's face, she kind of scares the pee out of him, but Evie's probably safe.

"Still loud," he mutters, letting her go ahead of him since that seems to be so important to her.

He relaxes fractionally when he hears the sounds of party ahead, and shoots a cocky grin at her as he strides ahead.
"See, Princess? Nothing to worry about."

[blueberryprincess]

It wasn't so much that it was important to her. It was more he didn't need to protect her. She could take care of herself, the very picture definition of a self-rescuing princess. And it was confusing to have him look out for her like that. So she'd hit a limit.

She follows along behind him, listening to the sounds of a party echoing down the tunnel at them. It sounds subdued, but maybe it's just a lot farther down the tunnel than they realize.

With Harry ahead of her, he'll get there first. When Evie rounds a corner, expecting just more tunnel, she's stunned to find that they'd discovered the...


party?


This was no isle party. People were standing around and chatting, most of them looking uncomfortable. A lot of them she knew from the Isle, but there were also several Auradon kids there, who looked more excited about the party than the Isle kids.

No one was dancing, probably because the music wasn't that great. The piles of food on the table had been gone through, which didn't surprise Evie a bit.

But this party as a whole? Evie finally decides that it's a very awkward mix of Auradon and Isle party.

A few of her clients spot her and give her a wave and Evie waves back, smiling to be polite.

"I have to go talk to a few people, make sure what I made them is holding up." She knows it is. Her dresses and outfits are always perfect, not prone to falling apart or anything. She just wants to leave Harry to enjoy the party he wanted so much by himself for a bit.

He can enjoy something like this, right?