And so for the third installment of my series, hopefully you'll enjoy this one! It's gonna get a lil bit rocky for Bal. Replies to reviews on my last fic: Gio2208: Thank you! That's what I was going for. Stoffe: I know who did it and why I have a rough idea for how the discovery would go but I'm still trying to figure out where it'd fit in and how to make it work best but it will happen eventually I promise. Marianyelilisbeth: I'm glad you enjoyed it and let the sequel begin!
Villiangirl: Thank you for the review, I liked writing that scene, I wanted to show that there was a bond cause I loved Hades and Mal's interactions in the film, and there will be more dad!Hades in this fic.
Mal was not happy.
Considering the fact that she was currently waist deep in water that was a pretty normal feeling in any case, but she was even less happy than she might otherwise be waist deep in water because of a certain boyfriend who she was studiously ignoring.
She had agreed when he'd carefully suggested she learn to swim-apparently he had secretly been learning with Jay and Carlos so that he could teach her because of her complete and utter terror of drowning.
Sure she didn't like it and she didn't overly want to but she knew he'd find it comforting so she'd said yes like any loving girlfriend would. She loved Ben, of course she was going to agree to learn to swim if he felt safer knowing she could-and he didn't even know what had happened almost five months ago when she'd been temporarily a captive of Uma and her crew.
All of this she might have been able to handle and put up with, she'd been in a good mood lately with her seventeenth birthday coming up in a few days time-she'd planned it well of course. They'd be traveling to the Isle on the day to announce the newest selection of VK's to come to Auradon-the Council had made it impossible to bring them over until the new school year had started but she'd managed to wrangle it so that they could come a couple of weeks before school started, they'd be hosted at Auradon Prep early so that they could get used to the layout of the school and they'd be given a couple of weeks to adjust to the differences between the Isle and Auradon.
There would be a party four days after they arrived, both to celebrate her birthday and to welcome the VK's to Auradon. Of course they'd be the guests of honor-as well as the original VK's and of course Dizzy and Hadie, who were her wards and had settled into life in Auradon really well.
She was honestly insanely proud of both of the kids, Dizzy spent half her time helping Evie with her growing business and Hadie spent a lot of time messing around with Jay, Carlos and Ben. They were all a big, slightly crazy family these days and it was nice-when there wasn't something to
disrupt the balance that was.
And sadly enough the balance had been very very disrupted at the moment. She'd hoped they could have a nice peaceful lesson so that she could relax while she tried to face her fears, she should have known that her dad-who had been very disapproving over the issue that was causing all of this over the phone, would tell Ben to try and talk to her out of it.
So she was very much ignoring him. Even as he stood close behind her and wrapped his arms around her, "You can still change your mind you haven't announced the names."
"I could." Mal agreed, completely calm, "Not going to but you're right, I could do that." she didn't turn her head to look at her boyfriend, squirming out of his grip instead and moving away from him.
"Mal please be reasonable-"
"I am being reasonable, you voiced your concerns, I considered them and I decided that the concerns weren't a big enough reason to change my mind."
"C'mon Mal." Ben's voice was wheedling, "Celia and Freddie Facilier, fine-I get it Celia helped you get the Ember and you want to give her sister a chance too, that's fair enough, and the Smee twins too I totally get it I agree with those picks, and the fact that you picked Claudine because she's part of Hadie and Dizzy's Anti-Heroes club, that's all fine Mal I'm on board with that.. but-"
"I have heard your arguments before Ben." Mal shot him an annoyed look, "And I have refuted them with arguments of my own-"
"You let Uma's words get to you." Ben shook his head, "This is just your way of proving a point because she said you picked and chose unfairly-"
"No it's not!" Mal glared, "I mean yeah she did say that I wouldn't choose any of Gaston's kids because of my parents but that's not why I've included Gil on my list."
"Then why, because I don't get it! He helped kidnap you Mal-"
"Because no one evil would have shown me any kindness and he did-"
"Oh yeah." Ben's voice was tight "Yet you still won't talk about what actually happened. You say Gil was kind but you won't say anything else-"
"I don't like talking about it." Mal's voice was slightly sharp, "It's in the past now and I'm not changing my mind I am giving Gil the chance to come to Auradon. It's not like I've invited Uma or Harry-"
"Nope, just their muscle-"
"He deserves a chance!" Mal moved away from Ben when he reached out to grab her arm, pushing herself through the water back towards the Pavilion.
"Anyone else Mal!" Ben threw his hands up in frustration, "Literally anyone other than him and I'd be fine with it but he's one of her crew. No way will Uma not cook up some scheme-"
"Yes because she'll have time." Mal drawled sarcastically, "The announcement will be made on the day and they'll have like five hours to decide before they come to meet the limo. Your mom had a few days knowing what was going to happen even if they only told you guys on the day."
"You can't trust-"
"Ben he'll be alone! He won't have any of his real close friends with him to help and he'll be surrounded by people who aren't going to help him! You and the other's will be in school with him, I won't even be at school 'cause I graduated early. He won't be a threat. Honestly you're almost as bad as my dad!"
"He doesn't like it either-"
"I am aware I have heard his numerous rants." honestly at this stage Mal was actually glad that her parents were on their cruise and they wouldn't be around when the new wave of Isle kids came because while her mom was nervous but willing to give Gaston's son a chance her dad was very very opposed to it.
Honestly it was frustrating as hell and she was probably lucky that he didn't know about the fact that she'd been held captive by Uma's crew during her trip to the Isle, if he found out about that... that Gil had been one of the two to actually grab her, well it wouldn't be pretty she knew that much.
"He has a good point Mal." Ben's voice was pleading, "It's bad enough that you're insisting on going to the Isle in person with us to collect the new VK's but putting Gil on the list? How do you think Uma and Harry will react they're both desperate for the chance of revenge after what happened last time you were there."
"Ben I am not some helpless little kid." Mal glared at him, "I love you, I really do but you are not going to dictate what I do or don't do. There will be guards with us, Uma and Harry won't get anywhere near me."
For one thing she knew Hades would be there keeping a close eye on her. Making sure she was okay... but Ben didn't know that did he. She bit her lip at that thought, glancing towards the pavilion where her necklace was on top of her clothes and her towel.
It wasn't so much that she was actively trying to keep it a secret, just that every time she might be comfortable with talking about her discovery about her heritage something came up.
He followed her gaze and frowned, "That's another thing, I still don't trust Hades you never told me what the deal you made with him was-what if he
comes after you for coming back to the Isle-" that was ironic, it really was.
"Ben he's not a threat believe me-"
"Every time he gets brought up you act weird!" Ben shook his head, "I don't like any of this you're just brushing off all of my concerns.
"We are so not discussing the Hades situation when we're arguing!" Mal shook her head, "Nope, nope not happening-"
"Hadie knows what your deal was." Ben's voice was annoyed, "I know he does because he always gives you a weird look whenever someone mentions it, I don't like it, especially with the fact that he seems to have taken over the Isle-"
"He hasn't done anything wrong!" Mal shook her head, "Ben he's been keeping the adult Villains in line and making sure that the younger kids get the food and other supplies we've been sending over. He's keeping the Isle semi-peaceful-"
"He's Hades! The only Villain worse than him was Maleficent!"
"Maybe he's turning over a new leaf." Mal couldn't help that warm feeling she felt whenever the reports mentioned that Hades was actually trying to keep the Isle from descending into chaos. She knew why he was doing it, it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart but for her, and for Hadie-who had come with her to visit their father on occasion.
"Come on Mal." Ben shook his head, "How likely is that really he's a villain..."
"Ben we're not doing this now." Mal shook her head, resisting the urge to look up and scream very loudly. She honestly did love Hades, he wasn't a perfect parent but he was certainly making a good attempt.
"Why not! You keep hiding things from me Mal, ever since you went to the Isle... you didn't even tell me you were going-"
"You were camping I couldn't call you even if I wanted to!" Mal shook her head, "It's not-It's not that I'm keeping secrets the situation with Hades is complicated." she shook her head, "It's not something we can just have a five minute chat about and every time I try and sit down with you and talk something happens!"
"Well no one's interrupting us now-"
"This was supposed to be a private happy little swimming lesson date not an interrogation." Mal snapped, "I have a right to decide when I want to talk about certain things!" the fact that her dad was Hades was big, she was adjusting well all things considered but it didn't make it easy to process or discus, especially knowing how most of Auradon would react.
"You won't discuss anything-like the fact that you're letting Gil of all people come to Auradon! You're not willing to discuss that are you?"
"I considered what you said and I made the choice!" Mal hauled herself up out of the water, grabbing at her towel, "He wasn't bad enough that I'd say he doesn't deserve a second chance-"
"That's because you're too forgiving." Ben shot back and Mal glared.
"Really, really. That coming from literally the one person who should never ever say that I'm too forgiving. In case you've forgotten Gil isn't the one who love spelled a cookie!" as soon as the words slipped out Mal regretted them, they were true of course, and the fact that they demonstrated her point perfectly was the reason they'd slipped out.
But she knew it was too far. She'd forgiven Ben for it a long time ago, and the stricken look on his face made Mal feel sick.
"Really?" his voice was quiet. "Really?"
"Ben I..." Mal swallowed hard, "I didn't-I didn't mean it like that you know I didn't please wait just-"
"No, no you meant it like that." Ben was moving to the Pavilion too, hauling himself up and grabbing his towel, "I think I'll walk back."