#that one wasn’t on ao3 though and I’m not combing through ffn.net

[inksandpensblog]

are you a “self-insert/oc fixes everything” fan or a “characters watch/read their own story” fan

[evieshook]

fonder hearts

pairing: harry/evie, some platonic!ben/harry, and platonic!evie/uma/mal rating: pg-13 words: ~3200 a/n: i enjoyed writing the first bit of this haha, but hope you all enjoy.  prompt: Evie and Harry fic where Evie is mad at harry and isolated herself from him read on: [ao3] [ffn.net]

He couldn’t say he was exactly surprised, rather the situation had really been a long time coming. With the way Harry was, it was only a matter of time he did something that would warrant the use of the silent treatment from the normally composed princess. While it was no secret that the two had clashing personalities, the beginnings of their relationship essentially characterized by their endless bickering, it was always in good fun. Whenever the two fought, it would always be resolved within the hour, mainly because of their inability to keep their hands off each other.

But if Evie had gone this long without talking to him, the pirate must have done something extremely dire to evoke such a reaction. Whatever it was, it had Ben truly worried because this wasn’t affecting just the both of them, no it was affecting everyone in their friendship circle too. Harry seemed to have retreated with Uma and Gil, and the VKs had resorted to their previous hostility, with the AKs more or less caught between the two.

Ben knew that he needed to do something before it became unsalvageable, yet he didn’t expect the opportunity to come around when the pirate had gone to him for help. If anything, he would have expected he talk to Uma or Gil about it, and perhaps to an extent Carlos because aside from Evie, Carlos was the only one of the four who could initially tolerate him, with Mal and Jay taking longer to come around.

And yet he had come to him. While they weren’t exactly enemies like before, they weren’t exactly close either. To Ben’s distaste, they had never really had the chance to develop a friendship like he had originally been hoping for, with the only times they were able to interact due to their respective girlfriends. It wasn’t that he had been avoiding him, but rather that there was never really a chance to become friends, especially because his workload had gotten twice as heavy as before. Nowadays, only Mal was able to seem him daily but then again they were only a few short visits.

But much to his fortune, his work had been cleared and now he had been enjoying his free time until the pirate had sauntered in without a care.

"Have you ever heard of the saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder?”

He watched as Harry raised a brow, unable to follow. He sighed, thinking of ways to make his argument more understandable. He couldn’t screw this up, not when his friends’ relationship was counting on it.

"And yer point is?”

"That this separation is good for you. You two haven't really separated much from the moment you got here, which isn't bad but I think this distance will make you guys stronger in the long run,” Ben explained as clearly as he could, observing the pirate’s reaction.

To his disappointment, he offered a scowl in annoyance. "What kind of bullshit are ye spewing out now? I only came to ye because ye'd have the most experience with this, and I thought ye could help me."

"But I am helping you."

"If that's how ye help people, then I fear for the future of Auradon,” Harry snapped, Ben wincing at his tone. This was going to be harder than he thought, he sighed.

"Look, do you want my help or not?” he asked in exasperation, the pirate bristling in irritation.

"That depends if yer help involves this 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' bullshit.”

Ben shook his head. ”Listen Harry, you said it yourself. You came to me because I've got experience, and I do. If Evie's anything like Mal, which I'm sure she is, then you have to play your cards carefully. So when I say that this distance will make your relationship stronger, it will. In the meantime, give her her space and she'll come around.”

He seemed to gauge the words carefully before nodding in understanding.

"Or wait until I'm in danger and she comes rescuing me like what happened with ye,” Harry added mischievously, Ben rolling his eyes. At least the male finally understood.

"I'm being serious Harry. Give her space.”

Harry sighed, placing his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. Thanks beasty boy.”

He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading on his face at the words of gratitude. Harry Hook didn’t normally thank anyone, so this was an honor in itself. “Your welcome.”

He nodded, turning to leave before halting in his tracks. Ben raised a brow as the boy turned back, eyeing him curiously. “Out of sheer curiosity, what happened when Mal gave ye the silent treatment?”

Memories suddenly flashed through his mind, Ben frowning in distaste. It was all in the past now, but those times had been one of the worst during his relationship, and no man should ever have to go through the same thing. “It wasn’t pretty.”

This appeared to pique his interest as he turned to face the king fully, eyes urging him to go on. Ben ran a hand through his hair. “The worst silent treatment she gave me lasted for two weeks.”

Harry whistled in awe, almost impressed. “Two weeks? Whatever did ye do to anger her so much?”

“I said things I shouldn’t have said and let’s just leave it at that. Anyway, when Mal gave me the silent treatment I bugged her quite a bit about it. I would always try to clear my schedules just to see her, make new schedules so she’d have to see me, and so forth. But she managed to thwart me every time, and I realize the reason she got so good at being unable to talk to me during that time was because she charmed herself not to. She would only speak to everyone who wasn’t me, and she never allowed herself to pass messages to me so I never knew what was going through her mind.”

“Ye seemed to have had it a lot worse than I do,” Harry remarked, “But who says mine won’t be worse? Princess can do spells even though she chooses not to, so maybe Mal charmed her too.”

Ben shook his head. “I would no. Mal tells me everything.”

“So, how’d ye get through it then?”

“It was only after Evie advised me to give her some space that things began looking up. I realized that after being the one to keep approaching her, in the end it had to be the other way around. She’ll come to you when she wants to, so don’t force her into it otherwise it just goes longer. And when she does come, I advise you to grovel.”

Harry looked appalled at the idea. “Grovel? Pirates don't grovel.”

He shrugged. “Neither do kings, but if you want your queen back, you have to. Just apologize for everything, and don’t fight her on it because it’ll only make matters worse. Once she accepts the apology however, that’s when you can even out the playing field because soon she realizes that we’re both in the wrong and eventually just let everything out.”

“Are ye sure that works?”

Ben nodded firmly in affirmation, giving the male a pat on the back to wish good luck. “Space and grovel. That’s the key.”

//

“He’s as stubborn as a mule that one. He’ll never apologize you know,” Mal noted as Evie combed her hair. The two were gathered in Evie’s room, along with Uma, who despite previous hostility, had eventually reached out to the two. They were all more or less filled in with the previous events, and Uma surprisingly had taken Evie’s side, noting that he had really messed up this time.

“Yeah. Unless he’s absolutely certain that he's in the wrong, he won’t do anything. He has too much pride for that,” Uma added, the queen nodding in agreement.

Evie sighed as she faced the both of them, shaking her head. “I know he won’t, but I’m still hoping he’ll try. I mean, we were both in the wrong but—“

“But nothing,” Mal interrupted, “Even though you may have had your part in all this, Harry’s the one who screwed up. Big time. He needs to apologize if he ever wants to gain your trust again.”

Uma nodded in agreement. “I have to agree with her on this one. Harry’s told me everything, but so have you, and even if he doesn’t see it yet, I know that he’s more in the wrong than you are. Until he’s got that figured out, just leave him be. You’ve avoided him for a week already, who says that you can’t go on for a little longer?”

“Yeah. I mean, I avoided Ben for two weeks and if he hadn’t gotten the message after the first week, I was prepared to go even longer.”

The pirate raised a brow in curiosity. “What did beasty boy ever do that was so bad you had to avoid him for two weeks?”

Mal frowned. “That’s a long story and—“

“She’ll tell you it another day, I promise,” Evie cut off, standing up as she placed her comb on her vanity table. “But right now, tell me something. What do I do if he doesn’t apologize? Should I go up to him to do it myself?”

Both girls opened their mouths in protests but after a look from Evie, held their tongues. “I can’t lose him. I don’t want to lose him, not when I have the chance to make things right. It was all a misunderstanding, and I refuse to let our relationship crumble because I was too stubborn not to put my pride away and reach out to him.”

Uma and Mal shared a look before Uma took the initiative to take a step closer, looking Evie straight in the eye. She put a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder, squeezing gently to offer some reassurance. “You won’t lose him, I promise. If Harry doesn’t apologize, I’ll make him do it myself.”

The princess smiled gratefully at her, placing a hand over hers in gratitude. Never did she think she’d share this sort of friendship with Uma, but she was glad she had. After Mal and Uma had finally put aside their differences, Evie had begun to learn that the girl wasn’t as bad as she thought, especially when she wasn’t angry. After being Mal’s friend so long, she too was blinded by the hatred she had felt for the pirate but it was thanks to Auradon and the true goodness in her heart that she was able to think otherwise. While Uma wasn’t her best friend, they were very close and Evie was forever grateful she had managed to find a good friend, confidant and advisor in her, especially when it came to her own stubborn pirate.

“One more day Evie, keep your silence for one more day and then you can take action. But give him the chance to do it all on his own first,” Mal advised, coming to take her hands in hers.

The girl nodded, squeezing her hands gently. One more day, she thought, don’t screw this up Harry.

//

Perhaps before he had left the king’s good company, he should’ve asked on the specifics of how long he should give the princess her ‘space’. How long did he expect him to wait? Another day? Another week?

He didn’t think he could go on another week without her talking to him. One week had been seven days too many, but it had been his pride that had kept him from marching up to her and conceding his wrongs. Perhaps he had screwed up big time, but he was absolutely certain that she wasn’t in the clear either. They both had their parts to play in all this, and until she realized all this, he refused to take the initiative and apologize first.

But that was a week before he realized that she wasn’t going to such a thing sooner or later. And thus seven days had passed with her silence, the both of them unable to repair what could have been fixed so much earlier had they decided that enough was enough. It had made him desperate enough to seek out the king, who he would begrudgingly admit wasn’t wrong with that stupid motto of his.

What was it again? Ah yes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

His heart had definitely grown fonder that was for sure, and it was true that since his coming to the Isle, they had hardly separated unless it was necessary. Evie made his life on Auradon more tolerable, being surrounded by all this goodness that had him reeling in disgust. But he had to admit that his disgust had grown weaker until he almost no longer minded, almost. But that didn’t mean he would become like one of those prissy princes the princess would always fantasise about. He was still a pirate at heart, and once the time of graduation came, he would be out of there and sailing the seas for all his cared, with his princess at his toes.

But he was uncertain of that ever happening now, not when she was still set on blatantly ignoring him. He really should have asked how long this ‘giving space’ would last because he didn’t think he would last a day. But that meant he would have to grovel at her feet, and did he really want to grovel?

He was pulled back from his thoughts when he caught sight of a mop of blue hair at the corner of his eyes. Harry’s eyes immediately followed the blue hair as it got swept away in the crowds before it finally disappeared.

No, he wasn’t grovel. He was too prideful for that.

However that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to put away his pride and finally admit that yes, perhaps he had gone overboard and that his misdeeds were far worse than hers. To see that blue hair without getting close enough to touch it was torture in itself, and he had missed her with all his heart. Truly.

Without hesitation, the pirate spurred forward to follow where he had last seen her. He navigated himself skilfully through the crowds, fixing a glare on his face as they decidedly parted for him to let him through. Harry smirked inwardly; he still had that effect on people.

He reached the end of the corridor, head whipping around to search for the familiar figure of his princess but only to come empty. Harry cursed inwardly, running a hand through his hair in aggravation before that sliver of blue came into sight again.

His legs moved before he could think otherwise, the male walking briskly to reach her before he lost sight of her again. It was her, he thought joyously as he came closer. He hadn’t seen her up close in days, and he almost worried that his memory of her didn’t do her justice.

And it truly didn’t. She was as beautiful as he remembered; royal blue hair, painted ruby lips and warm hazel eyes. Before she could move any further, Harry reached out to grab her arm, spinning her to face him.

He heard a sharp intake of breath when she finally looked up to face him, eyes widening in surprise. “Harry,” he heard her breath and he felt a surge of confidence soar within him. He was glad to know that her feelings for him hadn’t changed after all, despite him being a complete and utter douchebag.

“Princess,” he greeted softly, nodding his head in acknowledgment. He still kept his hand wrapped around her arm, and she didn’t move to remove it, instead staring at him as thoughts swirled in her mind. What was she thinking?

“What are you doing here?” she finally asked after moments of silence, Harry clearing his throat.

“I’m putting away my pride for this,” he began with a wry smirk, “But I should’ve done this days ago.”

She raised a brow in confusion. “Wha—“

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, “I’m sorry Princess for everything. It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have said those things, and I’m sorry.”

Evie shook her head, the pirate wincing as he came to another conclusion. But his fears proved useless when she raised a hand to cup his cheek tenderly, again shaking her head.

“I’m sorry too. It wasn’t just you who was at fault. I also said some nasty words.”

“I said worse,” he protested as she continued to shake her head.

“I’m certain I said worse.”

Harry’s eyes twinkled in mischief as he suddenly chuckled. “What is this? A competition for who said the nastiest words?”

Evie joined in his laughing, giggling at the thought. “We are villains after all. Our words have always been wicked.”

He grinned, removing his hand around her arm and instead to rest it atop hers on his cheek. “But forgive me Princess.”

“Of course,” she replied, “Only if you forgive me however.”

He raised a brow. “I would be stupid enough not to.”

Evie’s lips lifted before she caught the both of them off guard when she abruptly pulled his neck down to meet her, promptly smashing her lips on his. He was almost taken aback by her boldness but quickly returned her kiss with as much vigor as she had, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer. Evie held his head gently in place as she poured her emotions of longing and love into that one kiss, after having been separated from him for so long.

They only broke apart when a shout of, “Oi! Get a room!” cried out in the distance, Harry pulling away in irritation as he whipped his head around to look for the source of the voice.

“Fuck off and mind yer own business!” He shouted in retaliation, turning back to look at Evie who was now biting her lip as she looked down in embarrassment. Harry eyed her amusedly, adoring the little blush on her cheeks.

“I forgot we were in public,” she admitted, Harry shrugging nonchalantly.

“I really don’t care. Let them stare if they want, I’ll still kiss ye.”

Her cheeks flamed as she lifted her head to glare at him. “But not in public! We should probably take his advice and move this to a room.”

Harry’s eyebrows lifted at the implications, his smirk turning roguish. “My room then. Gil’s out with Chad so I have it all to myself. We can continue this there.”

The blush on Evie’s face refused to go away when she finally realized the extent of her wording before she slapped him on the chest lightly. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

A chuckle left his lips as he pulled her to his side, lightly kissing the top of her head. “I’m only doin’ what ye asked me to Princess. Besides, it’s been far too long and my bed has been cold without ye.”

Evie slapped him again before leaning into his chest, carefully admitting, “Mine has too.”

Harry grinned a crooked grin. Absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder.