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gayashelljatp · 2 months ago

Text

Prince Charming x James Hook | Trophy Boy ChapteR

Tags :Sorta Enemies to Lovers Fake/Pretend Relationship Not Canon Compliant, Inspired by Cinderella (1997), I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Prince Charming is a Bi-King, Prince Charming Is Filipino, Because the actor is and I also am one so yeah, Prince Charming gets a lot of bitches but no love, Merlin Academy (Disney), James Hook is gay, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, I don't know how to tag in this fandom, No Beta Like Not Going To Castlecoming

Summary:

Charming had himself caught up in a pretty little lie, telling his parents he had a date for his birthday ball. Desperate to stop their meddling in his love life, he came up with a plan: show up with someone who’d make the court gasp—a notorious pirate at school, James Hook. It was supposed to be a quick fix: fake a romance, cause a stir, and be free from the royal matchmakers forever. But the more time Charming spent with Hook—as a person, the sharp banter—the more complicated things got. This wasn’t just about pretending anymore. He was starting to get hooked. Or The sorta enemies to fake dating to lovers between Hook and Charming no one asked for.

Content Rating: Teen and Up.

Wordcount: 5,931

Notes (Same On AO3):

Hi, I'm Ace. But I'm here posting and writing more gay shit for the Descendants fandom.

I'm one for a crack ship and these two don't even interact in the movie so you may be wondering what made me do this. Three things actually:

I'm in the Descendants editing community and I saw this edit by @jewishvarian. Hook's actor Josh pretty much showing his support to this ship has made we want to do this.

The second inspiration is Once Upon A Time ship Captain Charming my sister had a Once Upon A Time phase so I know quite a bit about them. The third thing the catalyst for this is the fanfic Stage Call by Montythecrow. (The first chapter is really good can't wait for more. Also R.I.P. DBD I never got to make a DBD fic before it got cancelled *sighs in JATP*)

Let's do some housekeeping and explain the lore because this fic grabs from fifty million things.

- The Brandy Cinderella movie or Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) as it's also known are major inspirations. I pulled the characterization of Charming from this film and the new Descendants film and I pulled the whole of Charming's parents and his butler Lionel from this movie. (Pls watch this movie. It's really fun, campy and entertaining.)

- I also took from various Prince Charming media from Cinderella movies from Disney to non-Disney. Charming (2018)'s Trophy Boy by Avril Lavigne, Ashely Tisdale and G.E.M. is where the title of this fic comes from. It's a bad movie but this song is legendary and pop perfection. A K-pop star, a Disney star, and a rock star all in one song is crazy.

- This fic has multiple POV's for Charming focused parts 👑 emojis are used on the other hook if it's James it's this emoji 🪝.

- Finally, this isn't a GayashellJATP fic without a playlist of songs I have on that help immerse you in the universe. Spotify playlist here!!!

Now that we are done with some housekeeping. Enjoy the fic & Remember to give feedback!!! It is always appreciated.

Notes (Tumblr):

I'm trying to do better on posting on here and being on time. With being a cross platform author. I still don't know how Tumblr works pls help me. Once again I suggest you read on AO3 my formatting is way better on that.

Chapter 1: Before The Ball

👑

Charming was so screwed.

He'd been excused from class by royal summons, which only meant one of two things: either bad news or... well, worse news. Lionel, the family’s loyal servant and his assigned guardian at the academy, was jittery, practically fidgeting as he escorted the skateboarding teen to the castle.

Lionel’s nervousness only heightened Charming's suspicion—did he tattle on him sneaking out of the academy for a late-night date? Again? Or worse—had he forgotten some royal obligation that would now come back to bite him?

Despite the comfortable life he'd been born into, Charming had a talent for getting into situations that made it... uncomfortable. Usually of his own making.

The moment they arrived at the vast, gilded throne room, the knot in his stomach twisted tighter. His mother stood. Not good. Queen Constantina only stood when something serious—truly serious—was about to be discussed. Lionel cleared his throat and began the ceremonial introduction.

“Your Royal Highness, Prince Charming—”

The Queen interrupted with a sharp glance. “Prince Christopher Rupert Windermere Vladimir—”

“Mom,” Charming sighed, cutting Lionel off. “He doesn’t have to say it every time.” The poor man practically bowed in relief when Charming gestured for him to be seated. The full name was ridiculously wordy, one of the many reasons why "Prince Charming" stuck much more easily.

“Son, you didn’t need to dismiss him,” King Maximilian spoke up from beside the queen, kissing his wife’s hand. Charming had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

His parents were constantly doing that—displaying affection as if they were still teenagers in love. Any love hater would have gagged, but Charming simply tried to suppress a smirk. Even he couldn't deny they were a good match, for better or worse.

“Mom. Dad. What is it this time?” Charming asked, his voice strained but trying not to sound too impatient.

“Watch your tone, Junior,” his father said, though not harshly.

Charming forced a deep breath. “Fine. What’s the big news?” he said, layering on enthusiasm that was just short of sarcasm.

The Queen exchanged a meaningful glance with her husband before turning to her son, her posture regal and dramatic all at once. "Your eighteenth birthday in two days."

“I thought—” his father began, but a sharp elbow from his wife stopped him. “We thought it would be appropriate to throw a birthday ball.”

Charming's heart sank. "A ball?" His voice came out strained. "Father, is that really necessary?"

Queen Constantina's eyes glistened with an air of theatrics as she responded, “You haven’t shown any of your potential picks for marriage. You are two years overdue for at least a partner!” Her voice hitched as though it were a tragedy in itself.

Charming had tried, of course. He'd gone on more first dates than he cared to count, but none had led to anything serious. His royal reputation for being “charming” only went so far, especially when he wasn’t charmed by anyone.

“I’m working on it,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “But Mom, I don’t think a ball for my birthday is necessary.”

“Necessary?” His mother’s voice shot up an octave, her hand flying dramatically to her chest as if she were about to swoon. “Is it necessary that I should die knowing my only son will be a lonely king?!”

Charming’s eyes widened. “Mom, please. You’re not going to—"

“I might!” she countered, her voice trembling as if the mere thought of his supposed future loneliness was too much to bear. “The idea of you being all alone without a wife or family—oh! How tragic it would be!”

Charming rubbed the back of his neck, suppressing a groan. He loved his mom, truly, but sometimes her dramatics were... a lot. “Okay, fine. I get it. But… I have someone. Already. A partner.”

The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them through. His heart nearly stopped as both his parents' faces lit up.

“You do?!” his father exclaimed, clapping his hands together in glee.

The Queen looked like she was about to burst into tears of joy. “Oh, my darling boy! You’ve found someone! You’ve—”

Charming quickly nodded, feeling his stomach churn with regret. “Yep. Found someone. Really great.”

His father beamed. “That’s fantastic news, son! We were beginning to wonder if you'd ever—"

“But the ball,” Queen Constantina interjected with a flourish of her hand. “The ball must still happen! After all, it’s been paid for, and all the preparations have already been made.”

Charming’s shoulders slumped. “Of course it has…”

His mother took his hands, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, darling, I can’t wait to meet this special someone of yours. Bring her to the ball!”

"Yeah. Absolutely," Charming forced a grin, though inside, his mind raced. He was so, so screwed. Not only was the ball happening no matter what, but now he had to show up with a date—someone bad enough to stop his parents from meddling in his love life ever again.

Where on Earth was he going to find that?

👑

Charming zoomed through the academy gates on his skateboard, the wind whipping through his hair as his thoughts churned. Why had he lied? It gnawed at him, the weight of a falsehood pressing on his conscience. Lies weren’t really his thing. Now, he’d have to turn that lie into reality, or it would eat him alive.

As he skated through the courtyard, his gaze caught Fay, a fairy in training and his hexalogy class partner, sitting cross-legged on the grass, her nose buried in a spellbook. She was mumbling under her breath, waving her wand with exaggerated movements as sparks of magic fizzled in the air.

“Hey, Fay,” he called, slowing down as he rolled over.

Fay glanced up, her wide eyes narrowing with playful frustration. “Charming, where were you?” she asked, tapping her wand against her open book. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to hex yourself and then unhex yourself without your partner? I nearly turned myself into a frog!”

“Royal duties,” Charming shrugged, offering an apologetic smile.

Fay’s expression softened immediately. She knew all too well the burden his title carried. “What did the queen say this time?” she asked, her tone light but sympathetic.

Charming rubbed the back of his neck. “We’re throwing another ball.”

Fay’s face lit up. “A ball? Isn’t that fantastic—” she paused, noticing the scowl creeping over Charming's face, “—ally… impossible to enjoy?” She attempted to course-correct, her enthusiasm dimming as she realized how much the idea clearly weighed on him. Fay wasn’t the best at being negative, but she tried.

“But I’ll make it up to you. I’ll be there for the next class.”

“You better be,” Fay huffed, but her tone was forgiving.

“The whole kingdom’s invited. Maybe I’ll catch you at the ball?”

“Nah, I doubt it. I’ll be here practicing my spells,” she said with a shy smile, already inching back toward her book. Fay wasn’t one for social events—she always seemed to vanish from them, though Charming never asked why.

“Well, I’ll see you later,” Charming said, giving her a quick wave.

“Later, skater!” Fay called, attempting to sound cool, which earned a chuckle from Charming. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself as he rolled away.

But as Charming skated off, Fay accidentally mispronounced her next spell. Instead of reciting "double the bubbles," she muttered "double the wobbles" under her breath. Without realizing it, she had casted a spell on Charming’s skateboard, causing it to take on a life of its own.

Charming, an experienced skater, didn’t notice anything at first. But as he glided past the group of notorious students hanging out by the courtyard's edge, the board beneath his feet began to wobble violently, as though possessed.

His body lurched forward, trying to steady himself, but the board had other ideas. It veered, zigzagging uncontrollably, and before Charming could react, it shot straight toward a cluster of students.

In a blur of motion, Charming collided with none other than Captain James Hook—his pirate classmate, and perhaps the academy’s most infamous heartthrob after Charming himself. With a loud thud, both boys went crashing to the ground, Hook's shiny golden hook clattering against the stone courtyard as they tumbled in a tangle of limbs.

Charming groaned, disentangling himself. “I’m so sorry!” he blurted, scrambling to his feet. His skateboard had spun off and smacked into a nearby tree, finally bringing the spell to a halt.

Hook stood up slowly, glaring down at Charming with narrowed eyes. His gaze was sharp and menacing, but there was a flicker of something else—jealousy? Amusement? It was hard to tell.

“You really are a royal asshole, aren’t you?” Hook growled, dusting off his crimson blazer. His voice dripped with venom, but there was something undeniably captivating about the way he spoke. “Gunning for me, were you?”

“No! No, I swear. I didn’t mean to—I lost control of the board.”

Hook didn’t seem convinced. He stepped closer, his imposing presence casting a shadow over Charming. “You were heading straight toward me, mate,” Hook said, his tone dangerously low. His golden hook gleamed as he pointed it directly at Charming’s perfect face. “That doesn’t seem like much of an accident.”

Charming’s heart pounded as his eyes flicked from Hook’s face to the hook hovering too close for comfort. He held up his hands in surrender, his voice calm and soothing. “Whoa, easy,” he said, gently grabbing Hook’s wrist and pushing the hook away from his face. For a brief second, his fingers brushed against Hook’s skin.

For just a moment, Charming couldn’t help but notice Hook. The sharp features, the dark, windswept hair, the way his crimson blazer framed his broad shoulders. And those eyes—intense, narrowed in suspicion, but undeniably alluring.

Charming blinked, snapping out of it. He was in trouble, not admiring the guy who was about to gut him like a fish.

Hook, however, seemed to notice Charming’s lingering gaze. His eyes flashed with something almost wild, and a wicked smirk curled on his lips. “What’s the matter, Prince? Distracted?”

“Uh, no. Not at all. Just… don’t want to get impaled, that’s all.”

Hook raised an eyebrow, amused but not backing down. “Right.” He clicked his tongue, his hook gleaming in the sunlight as he let it fall to his side. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today. Or else…” He let the threat hang in the air, his eyes still burning into Charming’s.

“Right, yeah. Lucky,” Charming muttered, his pulse still racing. He wasn’t sure if it was from the near-death experience or the fact that Hook was standing way too close. He hadn’t expected Hook to be so—well, so much. Why was he noticing that now?

Hook’s smirk lingered as he stepped back, finally giving Charming some space. “Try not to skate into any more of your classmates, mate. Especially not me or my crew got it?.” He turned, flipping his collar with an air of superiority, though there was a glint in his eye as he strode away.

Charming watched him leave, shaking his head. Hook was dangerous—and not just because of the hook. There was something else there. Something he really needed to avoid.

But as he glanced back at his skateboard lying against the tree, the thought struck him: maybe, just maybe, Hook was exactly the kind of problem he needed.

If he could bring Hook to the ball, that would surely get his parents off his back. Right?

How would he ever get Hook to agree to that? He was really, really screwed.

🪝

Hook was seething. What a clueless little prince, he thought, his jaw clenched as he stormed through the academy's halls. Charming had to be the most oblivious royal he'd ever met. For someone so poised and charming, the prince had no idea how to navigate the real world.

Not that Hook expected much more from royals—they were all so privileged, so sheltered, so painfully clueless. That’s what made them easy marks. Their money, their fine clothes, their trinkets—it was all just there for the taking, practically begging to be lifted.

But this? This was different. Hook’s pride was bruised more than anything. Charming had made him collide with the earth, of all things, and Hook wasn’t going to forgive the little prince for sullying his pristine, mint-condition vintage blazer. He cast a quick glance at the fabric—no visible damage, but that didn’t matter. The fact that it had touched the ground at all was an unforgivable offense.

And worse, Hook knew his crew would never let him live this down if they found out. His reputation couldn’t take a hit like that, not when he had spent so much time cultivating it. He had to get his revenge. Teach the prince a lesson.

So, during storybook history class, Hook slipped out unnoticed. He snuck across the academy grounds to the royal dormitory— Full of one bed and customized rooms, unlike less privileged students. They weren’t allowed to deface their rooms and they had a roommate system. But Hook wasn’t complaining his roommate was pretty great.

But he wasn’t here to brood. No, he was here to act.

Charming’s dorm was up ahead, and Hook was relieved to see no sign of that bothersome butler Lionel. Of course, the little prince needs a servant to wait on him hand and foot, Hook thought, rolling his eyes. He always found it odd—off-putting, even—that Charming couldn’t go anywhere without a personal attendant. How soft and pampered could you get?

Hook approached Charming’s door, a sly grin spreading across his face. With a quick glance down the hallway, he slipped his golden hook into the lock, working it with practiced ease. Today, he was wearing his favorite hook—the golden one that added a touch of class to his ensemble. He’d have to be careful not to scratch it. The lock gave way with a soft click, and Hook pushed the door open, slipping inside.

The room smelled of expensive cologne, and everything was arranged perfectly. Typical royal. Hook sneered. He moved to the wardrobe, his eyes scanning the rows of pristine clothes.

Charming had quite the collection—mostly royal-styled barongs and beige outfits, which made Hook wrinkle his nose. Beige? Ugh, he thought with disdain. Not his color at all. Where was the flair, the vibrancy? Not a single dark or deep color in sight. Charming had such a boring taste in clothes for someone so well-dressed.

Still, a theft was a theft. Hook rifled through the clothes, trying to find something worth taking. Surely the prince won’t miss a few pieces, he thought, tossing aside a particularly dull-looking beige tunic.

What Hook didn’t realize was how much time he’d spent browsing

But time had gotten away from him, and Hook hadn’t realized how long he’d been sifting through the prince’s belongings until he heard the unmistakable sound of the door opening behind him.

“Looking for something?” came a voice that was far too calm for Hook’s liking.

Hook froze, hand halfway through a drawer of silk cravats. Slowly, he turned around, his heart sinking as he locked eyes with Prince Charming standing in the doorway with a smirk, arms crossed over his chest. He hadn’t expected to get caught—he never got caught.

Hook blinked, trying to regain his composure. “Ah skater boy,” he began, straightening up and smoothing his jacket. “This… is not what it looks like.”

Charming raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Really? Because it looks like you’re in my room rifling through my wardrobe.”

Hook swallowed, his mind racing for an excuse. He’d been in tight spots before, but this? This was a mess. “I was, uh… inspecting your clothing choices. Offering a little… constructive criticism, you might say,” Hook replied, flashing a crooked grin, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He wasn’t used to feeling this off-kilter. “No offense, mate, but 50 shades of tan and beige? Really?”

Charming’s expression remained neutral, though there was a glint of something unreadable in his eyes. “And you thought breaking into my room was the best way to offer fashion advice?”

Before Hook could answer, Lionel appeared in the doorway, eyes wide as they flickered between the pirate and the prince. “Am I interrupting, sir? I didn’t expect a guest,” Lionel said, his voice a touch too polite, suspicion creeping in.

Charming, without losing his cool, glanced slightly over his shoulder at Lionel but didn’t shift his focus from Hook. “It’s fine, Lionel. Could you give us a moment?” His tone was dismissive but not unkind, the sort of royal command that left no room for argument.

"Of course, Your Highness," Lionel replied, a touch too formal as he bowed and quickly excused himself, but not without one last curious glance, probably wondering if he had just witnessed the beginnings of some lovers' quarrel. The door closed softly behind him.

The moment Lionel left, Hook let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He eyed Charming warily, wondering how much trouble he was in. He hated the feeling of being cornered, especially by a royal.

“So…” Hook began, his voice dripping with false confidence. “No need to make this a big deal, yeah? You’re not going to go crying to Merlin, are you?”

Charming’s lips curled into a small smile. “I’m not planning on it, no.”

Sweet relief washed over Hook, but it was short-lived as Charming took a step closer, his tone turning just a shade more serious. “But I can’t just let this slide either, can I?”

Hook swallowed, his bravado faltering for a moment. “I only did this after our little incident,” he blurted out, trying to regain control of the conversation. He gestured vaguely between them, referencing their earlier collision.

Charming tilted his head slightly, as if considering Hook’s words. “And you thought breaking into my room and raiding my wardrobe was the right way to even the score?”

Hook’s mind scrambled for a sweet escape. “Look you don’t need to turn me in,” he said, practically begging now.

Charming considered this for a moment, his gaze flicking over Hook’s disheveled form and the mess of clothes scattered around his room. Then, almost as if a thought occurred to him, his smile returned—this time, sharper. “Actually, I think I might have an idea. Meet me by the castleteria at dinner time.”

“A dinner? You’re not going to tell anyone about this?”

“No, not yet,” Charming replied, his voice smooth but tinged with mischief. “But if you don’t show up, then maybe we’ll reconsider the whole punishment thing.”

Hook’s stomach twisted. He hated feeling like he was at someone’s mercy, especially Charming’s. But something in the prince’s eyes told him this wasn’t just about revenge—it was about leverage. Hook didn’t know what Charming had in mind, but whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

Still, he nodded, trying to regain his bravado. “Alright, Prince. Dinner date it is.”

Charming smirked, stepping aside to let Hook pass.

Hook left the room, heart still pounding, cursing himself under his breath. He’d been caught, and now, somehow, he was in too deep.

🪝

“Hook, what bullshit did you get into?” Uliana’s voice cut through the room like a whip, her tone sharp with irritation as she lounged on Morgie’s bed, her tentacles subtly shifting.

The five of them were crammed into Hook and Morgie’s shared dorm room, a small space that felt even smaller with Uliana’s dramatic presence filling the air. Hook, on the other hand, was sprawled lazily across his bed, legs crossed like he had not a care in the world, but deep down, his stomach churned with unease.

Hook glanced at Uliana, who was tapping her nails against her belt buckle.. “Relax, Uliana. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Is it a date?” Morgie piped up, his eyes wide with genuine curiosity as he fiddled with a piece of parchment,

Hook scoffed. “Really, wizard-oo? That’s your question?” The brunnete pirate shot back, but he didn’t quite meet Morgie’s gaze, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. “It’s not a date, you idiot.”

“You didn’t deny it, Hook, so that means you’re going on a date with that royal eyesore,” Maleficent added with a sly smirk, reclining against the wall. She twirled a strand of dark hair between her fingers.

Hook sat up, trying to regain his composure, his golden hook glinting as he gestured wildly. “He’s got a little rebel streak in him, sure, but a date? With me?” Hook forced a laugh, but it came out a little too harsh. “He’s too soft for that.”

Hades, who had been lounging in the corner, arms folded and his fiery blue hair flickering lazily, chimed in with a smirk of his own. “I dunno, mate. You see those blue streaks he’s rocking these days? Kid’s got a little fire in him. You pick them well, James.”

What did the prince have in mind for him? Why had Charming asked him to meet at dinner? He was good at handling himself, but this was different. Royals had a way of twisting things to their advantage, and he wasn’t sure he’d come out on top this time.

Uliana’s tentacles flexed, her eyes narrowing. “This better not blow back on us, Hook. You get tangled up with that prince, and we’re all screwed. I’ve got enough on my plate without cleaning up your messes.”

Morgie, ever the optimist, gave Hook a hopeful smile. “Maybe it won’t be so bad? You two could, you know... find common ground?” He shrugged, completely oblivious to the heavy glares that Uliana shot his way.

Hook grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Trust me, I don’t belive in common ground I’m a pirate after all. The seas are what matter,” he muttered, but even as he said it, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Charming wasn’t as simple as he’d like to believe. Whatever the prince had planned, Hook had no choice but to play along—for now.

👑

Lionel watched as Charming’s fencing movements faltered, his usual grace replaced by distracted, half-hearted parries. The clanging of their swords echoed through the gymnasium, but the prince’s mind was clearly somewhere else.

“Sir—I mean, Christopher, what’s the worry face for?” Lionel asked, lowering his sword slightly, his tone a mix of concern with playful scolding. “Your mother would say frowning is terrible for the face.”

Charming winced and laughed, “Ouch. Thanks for that reminder, Lionel.”

Lionel tilted his head, eyeing the prince with the same scrutiny one might give a misbehaving child. “Having love problems, are we?”

Charming hesitated mid-lunge. “Sorta… kinda... undetermined.” He shrugged, trying to mask the uncertainty in his voice with nonchalance.

“I’ll try to make sense of that, sir,”

Charming straightened up, tossing his sword onto the nearby rack. “I do have a problem,”

“And what may that be, Your Highness?”

“I lied to my parents,” Charming confessed, running a hand through his streaked hair. “I told them I had someone to bring them for the ball, but... I have no one.”

Lionel gasped theatrically, hand flying to his chest in mock horror. “Oh dear! The end of the world!”

Charming grinned, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t panic. I’ve got it under control. I think…”

“Is that why there was a handsome pirate rummaging through your wardrobe this morning?” he asked with a pointed look. “Is he part of your grand plan?”

Charming blinked, caught off guard. “He’s not that handsome,” he blurted out, the words leaving his mouth before he could stop them. Lionel’s amused smirk only deepened. Charming’s cheeks flushed. “I mean—he’s alright,” he backpedaled quickly, though Lionel’s knowing look said it all.

Lionel chuckled softly, tapping the flat of his sword against the ground. “What would your parents think of him, then? A pirate at the royal ball?”

“They did say every suitor in the kingdom that doesn’t exclude male or pirates. But they’d be terrified,”

“And here I thought you were planning to bring a princess,” Lionel mused, shaking his head with fond exasperation.

“Well, ‘pirate’ does start with a P,” Charming quipped, unable to suppress his grin. “Might be close enough. Don’t ask for permission ask for forgiveness.”

“The ball’s happening no matter what, Christopher. Your parents are set on it,” Lionel reminded him, though there was no judgment in his voice. He was used to the prince’s antics by now.

Charming nodded, tossing his fencing jacket aside. “Yeah, well, might as well make it a little more exciting.”

“If I’m going down, I’m going down singing.” The prince sang.

Lionel chuckled, stepping forward to ruffle the prince’s hair. “You’re always causing trouble. But… you're going to be fine, you always are.”

Charming laughed, a bit of the tension easing from his shoulders. “Thanks, Lionel.”

"Just... try not to start a royal scandal this time,"

"Can't make any promises," Charming shot back with a grin.

👑

The night had settled over Merlin Academy, and the castleteria was buzzing. On the lower level, students from various backgrounds sat together, some attempting to eat in peace while others whispered and laughed in tight-knit groups.

The second level, however, was a different story entirely—a separate, glass-enclosed space designed for royal students, a consequence of the infamous "Ariel incident" from freshman year. Uliana, the sea witch, had stirred up a food fight with the sophomore Little Mermaid herself, (A girl her older sister bullied aswell)

which ended with food flying and a lot of egos bruised. Now, extra security stood guard, and Charming hated it.

It drained his social battery to be so isolated. He used to enjoy mingling, making polite conversation with his peers, but now he found himself perched in this sterile room, looking down at the rest of the academy through the glass window like he was in some kind of fishbowl.

It didn’t help that Lionel, who usually provided some form of company, was off handling royal duties whenever it was mealtime. So Charming sat alone, poking at his food, waiting.

Well, not exactly alone. He was expecting someone. Or rather, a pirate . The word "victim" had crossed his mind, but that sounded too cruel, and blackmailee was just unpleasant. So, pirate it was.

Charming’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a scuffle outside the door. Voices—loud, irritated voices—drifted in, and he didn’t need to guess who it was.

“Let go of me! Easy on the coat!” came the familiar accent, sharp and indignant.

The guards were clearly manhandling Hook. Charming sighed, standing up from his seat and making his way to the door. He opened it just in time to see one of the guards tugging on Hook’s crimson coat, and Hook, true to form, looking royally pissed off.

“Stop it!” Charming barked, a little more forcefully than usual. “Let him go. He's with me.”

The two guards immediately released Hook, straightening up as they realized their mistake. One of them, the taller one with a stern face, glanced at Charming apologetically. “Apologies, Your Highness. We didn’t know he was—”

“Yeah, clearly,” Hook cut in, brushing off his coat like he’d just been dragged through the mud. “A real fine welcome, I must say.”

The other guard, younger and more nervous, muttered, “We thought he might’ve been here to, uh… cause trouble, Your Highness.”

Charming sighed, rubbing his temples. “He’s not here to cause trouble. I invited him.” He shot a look at Hook. “Sorry about the mix-up.”

Hook crossed his arms, glaring at the guards. “Way to go, Prince. You invite me, then forget to tell your people I’m coming. Real nice lad, aren’t you?”

Charming gave him a sheepish look, stepping forward and placing a hand on Hook’s shoulder—more of a placating gesture than anything. “I said I was sorry.”

Hook immediately shrugged off his hand, the familiar click of his hook against Charming's wrist. “Easy on the coat. You and your lot have already helped it deteriorate faster than it should.”

“Shall we?” he said, gesturing toward the table.

Hook huffed in response but said nothing, striding past the prince and into the dining area. His eyes scanned the lavish room, taking in the gleaming chandeliers, the velvet-lined chairs, and the royal setup. For a moment, Charming saw a flicker of appreciation cross his face—just for a second—before Hook’s usual facade of nonchalance slipped back into place.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” Hook said, though the casual tone didn’t quite match the look in his eyes. “Bit excessive for a meal, don’t you think?”

Charming smirked, crossing his arms as he followed Hook inside. He could see through the pirate’s act. “If it hadn’t been for that food fight with Ariel and your friend during freshman year, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Yeah, well, she was pretty awesome for that.”

Charming rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Right. Let’s just sit and eat before you start a revolution in here too.”

They settled into their seats, a tense silence hanging between them. Charming could feel the weight of Hook’s gaze, sharp and calculating. This wasn’t some casual dinner. Both of them knew it, even if neither wanted to admit it.

The dinner had been silent for too long. Hook, never one to let tension sit without poking at it, decided to break it “So, what are your intentions, Your Highness? You’re a popular bloke around here. Getting lonely?”

Charming’s fork paused mid-air before he set it down, carefully. “I have friends.” His mind flickered to Aladdin and Jasmine, who often joined him for meals, bringing stories of their magic carpets adventures.

Then there were Ella and Bridget, after the two got together they always found time to drop by with baked treats—often enchanted with strange, unpredictable side effects, like turning his hair fully blue or making him float for a few minutes.

Zelly, ever the life of the party, would bring her chameleon Pascal, and they’d all end up doing karaoke. After all, the royal dining area inexplicably had a karaoke machine tucked in the corner.

“So it’s not loneliness or complete boredom, why have me here?” Hook pressed.

Charming hesitated, trying to maintain a mysterious air. He knew Hook was too clever to show his cards too early. “I have something to ask,” was all he said, keeping his tone casual.

Hook leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips as he lounged in the velvet chair, clearly amused by the prince’s attempt at suspense. “What’s this all about, then? A royal invitation for little old me? You're not planning on throwing me in the dungeons after dessert, are you?”

Charming chuckled, though there was a hint of nervousness behind it. “No dungeons. Just… an arrangement.” He felt Hook’s guard go up instantly, the pirate’s smirk hardening into something more defensive.

“Arrangement?” Hook’s brow arched in mock curiosity, though there was no mistaking the sharpness in his tone. “What sort of arrangement would a prince want from moi ?”

“I need you to be my date,” Charming said, the words slipping out before he could fully gather his nerve. He paused, seeing Hook’s expression shift, and hurried to clarify, “Not in the traditional sense.”

Hook’s face didn’t change much. He leaned in slightly, his gaze sharp, like he was toying with a fish on a hook. “You went to so much trouble to impress me,” Hook said with snobbish amusement, “I’m flattered, but you’re not my type.”

Charming felt his face flush but pushed on. “My parents are throwing me this stupid ball, and I hate it. It’s all about me, and I just—” He suddenly found himself unraveling, words tumbling out in a rush. “I blurted out that I had a date, thinking it would stop them from pressuring me, but now it’s just worse, and I don’t know how to—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your horses, Prince,” Hook interrupted with a bemused smirk, holding up his hand. “That’s a lot of whining for me.”

Charming blinked, startled by Hook’s bluntness. Somehow, those few words snapped him out of his spiraling rant. He let out an embarrassed laugh, the tension easing from his shoulders. For a second, he found himself thinking Hook looked oddly…kinda hot.

The pirate, for all his snark, had an air of control about him that made Charming’s stomach twist in a way he didn’t quite understand.

But Hook was getting up, clearly looking like he was about to leave. He couldn’t let him just walk out, not after coming this far. Desperation flickered in his chest, and he scrambled for a last-ditch effort.

“Wait!” Charming stood quickly, his hand brushing against Hook’s arm as he reached out. “I haven’t told you the benefits yet.”

Hook paused, turning halfway with a knowing gleam in his eyes. “Alright. I’m listening.”

Charming exhaled, thinking quickly. “You’ll get lots of opportunities being seen with me. The ball is in two days. You won’t have to pretend for long. You’ll get to live lavishly, and you don’t have to worry about me telling anyone about your… thieving incident.”

Hook’s eyes flickered, but instead of biting, he turned fully away, stepping toward the door. Charming felt his heart sink. He'd blown it. This was going to be harder than he thought—time for Plan B, whatever that was.

Then, Hook stopped, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk that made Charming’s pulse quicken. “I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“I said I’ll do it,” Hook repeated, turning fully now, his expression unreadable. “I’ll be your boyfriend. For rent, of course.”

Charming bristled slightly. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”

“Well, that’s the reality, babe,” Hook teased, the last word slipping off his tongue like a taunt. The prince stiffened at the word. He didn’t like the way it sounded coming from Hook’s mouth. Or maybe he liked it too much, and that was the problem.

“Fine, we’ll talk tomorrow, lay down the ground rules. We can discuss everything over breakfast.”

“Blah, blah, so boring. You don’t need so many pleasantries to fake-date me, you know. We’re not writing a treaty.”

Charming stepped closer, his face inching into Hook’s space. “I’ll pick you up in the morning. We’ll discuss the plan then.”

Hook gave him a mocking grin, eyes flicking down between them before meeting Charming’s gaze again. “You just love a good scheme and a meal, don’t you? That’s pathetic—and kinda cute, actually.”

Something inside Charming snapped at that last line. “Who are you calling pathetic?” he growled, stepping even closer until they were face to face.

Hook’s eyes danced with amusement, but there was something else beneath the surface, something unreadable. For a brief moment, they stood there in awkward silence, close enough to feel each other’s breaths, their hands grazing.

The bell rang suddenly, cutting through the moment and pulling them back to reality. Charming took a step back, clearing his throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked, his princely demeanor slipping back into place, though his voice was quieter than before.

Hook smirked, already slipping toward the door. “You know where to find me, Your Highness .”

Charming was still screwed how was he going to pull this sham? But he did make some progress he just hoped the pirate didn’t cause too much trouble.

👑

Notes:

Hope you enjoy the fic & Remember to give feedback!!! It is always appreciated. The fate of this fic is in y'alls hands its up to all of you whether this continues. (And if you reading this on tumblr. Thank you so much for giving this a read.) Request go here on my tumblr.

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thepermanentrainpress · 4 months ago

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youtube

The Permanent Rain Press Interview with Morgan Dudley. (Watch in HD)

Morgan Dudley discusses her role as Ella in Descendants: The Rise of Red, including shaping her teenaged Cinderella, apprehension towards royalty, relationships with Bridget and Charming, and the positive response from fans.

She also chats about her move to New York to pursue the arts, upcoming original music, and overcoming bullying while having healthy outlets of expression.

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geekpopnews · 4 months ago

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Descendentes: A Ascensão de Copas conquista audiência recorde de estreia na Disney+

O novo filme da franquia Descendentes atinge números impressionantes e se torna a maior estreia do Disney+ em 2024. #DescendentesAAscensaodeCopas #Descendentes #DisneyPlus

O novo filme da franquia Descendentes, A Ascensão de Copas, alcançou mais de 6,7 milhões de visualizações em apenas três dias na Disney+. Segundo a própria Disney, o longa se tornou a maior estreia de uma produção original na plataforma de streaming. O sucesso imediato de A Ascensão de Copas Desde a estreia em 12 de julho, a audiência tem recebido bem o filme, que continua as histórias dos…

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shadow-tumbler · 1 month ago

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Moonstruck love

Summary:

Everest and Layla have been best friends their entire lives and they did everything together but there's one thing about them.......their werewolves and when their families are found by hunters they are forced to run for their lives and have lived in this decent sized cabin that thanks to Everest's magic was amazing. now starting their new lives at merlin academy after years of just having eachother their right away seen as villains but they are used to that, what they were not expecting was to find that one thing all werewolves crave, their mates.

Cast list:

Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget

Morgan Duey as Ella

Dara Reneé as Uliana

Anthony pyatt as Hades

Mars as Maleficent

Tristan padil as teen charming

Kylie Cantrall as red

Malia Baker as chloe

Joshua Colley as James Hook

Madison Reyes as Layla

Peder Lindell as Morgie Le Fay

Hailey Seinfeld as Everest

#original character #morgie le fay #james hook #fanfic #rise of red #decendants #decendants rise of red

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deadlinecom · 2 years ago

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that-random-outsider · 2 days ago

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The cast of Ror if they were in SIX

Morgan- Catherin Parr Malia- Jane Seymore Ruby- Anne Boleyn Kylie- Katherine Howard Dara- Catalina de Aragon hear me out Joshua ( or Mars I lowkey feel like they'd eat with this)- Anna Von Cleves Peder and Tristan Would be the main ones screaming House of Holbein

#descendants rise of red #six #six the musical #rise of red #morgan dudley #malia baker #ruby rose turner #kylie cantrall #dara renee #mars #peder lindell #tristan padil #joshua colley

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crowpickingss · 3 months ago

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could you do like a jealous charming fic maybe someone close to charming tries to get with the reader

Jealous

charming x gn! royalty reader

summary: charmings rival tries to ask you out on a date so you go to him for suggestions and he does something that makes you reconsider the date

warnings: none

a/n: tysm for the request! love me a good jealousy fic maybe I should do one for hook

—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—

You and Charming had always been close, you had been friends since childhood as your dads were great friends. You were content being just friends but he wanted something more.

He yearned to one day hold you in his arms and take you on small dates around the kingdom but for now he was your friend and you were pretty happy with that.

Somehow wind of his crush made its way to Charming’s rival Prince Phillip. When Phillip found out he was in hysterics. He had made it his mission to get with you to piss Charming off.

The next day he made is way to where you were sitting and sat down next to you “Hey y/n” You looked over to him “Oh hey Phillip” He snaked his arm up your back and over your shoulder “I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me” You smiled “Yeah sure, I would love too”

Charming watched the whole conversation and froze. Why was Phillip so interested in you now and why was he asking you on a date. He clenched his fist angry with himself for not acting upon his crush sooner.

That night you burst into his room asking a million questions about first dates “Woah, woah calm down it’s a first date not a meeting with the king” He patted your back as you took a couple deep breathes “But I’ve never been on a date” Another wave of jealousy hit Charming, Phillip was taking away your first date ever.

Henry was so overcome with jealousy and anger because of Phillip having the audacity to ask you out and try and steal you from him. In the best of the moment he grabbed your top and pulled you into a kiss. You were surprised but couldn’t break off something about his lips made you never want to leave.

He broke off after releasing what he had done “y/n I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me” You hugged Charming tight “It’s alright, honestly Phillip isn’t my type I only said yes because I didn’t want to embarrass him” Charming laughed at that statement “So, how about I take you on your first date” Your cheeks turned a soft pink “I would love that, now I know where you get your name from you really are…charming”

—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—

#crowpickingss #fypシ #fyp #fanfic #fics #viral #fypage #gn reader #my fic #rise of red #young charming #prince charming #descendants 4 #descendants #tumblr fyp #my fics #fiction #tristan padil

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leoisbabygirl · 4 months ago

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I'm not normal y'all 😭

#prince charming #tristan padil #descendants 4 #the rise of red #ror #kasi speaks

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gayashelljatp · 1 month ago

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Prince Charming x James Hook | Trophy Boy Chapter 3.

Content Rating: Teen and Up.

Wordcount: 5946

Summary:

Charming had himself caught up in a pretty little lie, telling his parents he had a date for his birthday ball. Desperate to stop their meddling in his love life, he came up with a plan: show up with someone who’d make the court gasp—a notorious pirate at school, James Hook. It was supposed to be a quick fix: fake a romance, cause a stir, and be free from the royal matchmakers forever. But the more time Charming spent with Hook—as a person, the sharp banter—the more complicated things got. This wasn’t just about pretending anymore. He was starting to get hooked. Or The enemies to fake dating to lovers between Hook and Charming no one asked for.

Notes (Same On AO3):

The other chapters of this fic is up on my tumblr please go support!!! My Tumblr.

Well hello there, the third part is finally!!! This part got too long again and I had to edit it down to around 5000 words and I'm deciding the next part of this will be up in the weekend. Thank you so much for the support you truly don't understand how much that means to me.

This chapter the boys are finally developing their feelings. Y'all get to see Charming and Ella's convo while Hook and Bridget are talking. Once again Hook is too gay for Charming. Charming is to head over crown for Hook.

A few housekeeping reminders:

- This fic has multiple POVs for Charming focused parts 👑 emojis are used on the other hook if it's James it's this emoji 🪝.

- The whole town square scene is inspired by the Cinderella (1997) Film. The outfit Charming is forced to wear by Hook is a look Prince Charming of that film wore in the scene he was pretending to be a commoner to Brandy's Cinderella. Here is said outfit!!!

- It wouldn't be a GayashellJATP fic without a playlist of songs I have on that help immerse you in the universe.

Notes (Tumblr):

Thank you for reading this over here. For the first time I'm uploading a Chapter thesame day as on AO3. I love my Tumblr readers.

Chapter 3: An Afternoon Before The Ball

👑

Truth be told. Charming and Ella had no projects of any sort to discuss.

It was just a convenient excuse—Charming had noticed Ella’s discomfort, and he could use a break himself from the whole pirate charade he had been playing all morning.

He could tell she was trying to keep things cool for Bridget's sake, but the slight tightness around her eyes, the way she crossed her arms just a little too tightly, said enough. And if there was anyone who understood the need for a distraction from awkward royal obligations, it was Ella.

“Charlie, why’d you lie to my girlfriend like that? You know damn well we don’t have any projects together and you know she’s gullible.” Ella’s voice cut through blunt and unreadable, though an edge of protectiveness was present.

Charming, caught off guard, blinked. “Why do you keep calling me Charlie? I literally have the longest name in this kingdom, and none of those names were nickname-worthy enough for you?” He feigned mock offense, waving his hand dramatically.

Why did he blurt things out without thinking? His mouth seemed to have a knack for getting him into trouble lately. And his attempt to change the topic didn’t seem to be working. Judging by Ella’s raised eyebrow.

“I think Charlie is better than calling you Charming . That’s not even a name—it’s just an adjective.”

Charming was going to open his mouth and steer this conversation in another direction but Ella cut him off.

“Stop changing the topic,” Ella said flatly, bringing him back to the original issue.

Charming scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. “Well…”

“Well, what?”

“You, uh, sorta looked really uncomfortable back there, and I thought maybe you needed saving,” Charming admitted, his voice trailing off.

Ella rolled her eyes, her lips curling into the barest hint of a smirk. “I don’t need to save from that conversation. Thank you very much.” She tilted her head slightly. “But thanks to your savior complex, here we are.”

Charming chuckled, rolling his eyes. “You’re welcome, my damsel in distress.”

Ella shot him a look, unimpressed but not entirely unamused. “As much as I’m not ready to leave the kingdom or, you know, break the news to my stepmother that I’m vanishing into Wonderland for Bridget’s quote-unquote ‘day trip through a rabbit hole,’ it’s happening.”

“Not excited to meet her people?”

Ella crossed her arms tighter, a sarcastic smile tugging at her lips. “First of all, can we not call them her people ? I am one of your people. Just because I’m dating a princess doesn’t mean I’m suddenly not a regular citizen.” She paused, then added, “But that’s beside the point.”

Charming grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Would you prefer to call them your loyal subjects then?” His voice took on an exaggerated posh accent—almost unconsciously mimicking a certain pirates’ distinctive British drawl.

“I hate you,” Ella shot back, but her tone lacked any real venom.

“No, you don’t,”

Ella sighed, her expression softening. “It’s just... I’m not used to this whole royal schtick, you know?”

“Hey! This royal schtick is literally our life. You fell for a princess who bakes, so that’s kinda on you.”

Ella rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward, betraying the tiniest of smiles. “Yeah, well, I didn’t sign up for Wonderland field trips.”

She paused, noticing the way Charming’s gaze had drifted across the room. He was staring over at a certain pirate in red, who was currently locked in conversation with a princess in pink—well, mostly listening as Bridget did what she did best: talk. Hook, for once, seemed to be playing along, his usual sharp edges softened in the presence of the bubbly princess.

“What’s your deal with the pirate?”

Charming blinked, snapping back to attention. “What?” He had zoned out completely, his mind wandering as he watched Hook.

“He looks like bad news,”

Charming sighed, leaning forward on the table. “He is bad news,” he muttered, more to himself than to Ella.

“So, you like hanging out with pirates now?”

Charming chuckled under his breath. “I guess,” he admitted. “But he is exhausting.”

A sly smile spread across Ella’s face, a knowing glint in her eyes. “I didn’t know you liked the bad ones, Charming.”

He opened his mouth to retort, but the words caught in his throat. He hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Ella’s grin widened. “I think you like him,” she teased, her tone sing-song.

“Well, duh, I’m bringing him to the ball,” Charming said, his tone light, but there was something else there—something that even he wasn’t sure how to explain.

Ella’s eyes narrowed, her smirk fading into a more serious expression. “Don’t play with me Charming. You two are obviously not together. Am I right or am I wrong?”

Charming hesitated, his heart doing that weird, uncomfortable thing of beating too fast, especially lately whenever Hook was a topic. “Well, yes, but—”

“No buts. It’s obvious to me,” Ella interrupted. “I was racking my brain. How did my prince friend finally settle, and settle for one of my old tormentors, at that?” Her voice was sharp, but there was a care there too—almost like she was looking out for him, even as she teased.

Charming sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know how to settle down,” he muttered, a little defensively. “I just... haven’t found the one yet.”

Ella softened slightly, but her expression remained firm. “All I’m saying is, be careful. His crew were the ones making fun of me and Bridget a semester ago. He may look dreamy to you, but you gotta remember who you’re dealing with.”

Charming glanced back over at Hook, who was now laughing at something Bridget had said. He couldn’t deny that there was something about the pirate that drew him in, something that made him want to know more, even if Hook’s past and present self were less than stellar.

“Yeah,” Charming said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know.”

Ella studied his face for a moment, her expression softening. “Just... don’t get hurt, okay?”

Charming smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I won’t,” he said, though he wasn’t entirely sure if he believed it.

The prince knew that the pirate had too much of an upper hand on him. He should probably do something about it eventually. Get on an even playing field.

The bell finally rang, signaling the end of yet another awkward meal. As Hook and Bridget approached, the two were laughing— actually laughing —and it was... weird. Charming raised a brow. Hook, of all people, getting along with Bridget? It felt unexpected, almost unnatural, it’s like Hook caught the wonderland or something.

“We gotta go, but it was so nice meeting you, Hook, outside of Uliana and your crew. Tell her I said hi,” Bridget chirped, her bubbly energy unshakable.

“I will,” Hook replied smoothly, lying through his teeth. Even if Charming had only briefly met Uliana, he knew the sea witch wasn’t exactly the nicest sea creature in the ocean. The thought of her hearing anything cheerful from Bridget was laughable.

“Just give one of the card guards the cloche,” Bridget said, smiling. “And enjoy the cupcakes!”

Hook nodded, flashing his signature grin. “I will, lass.”

Charming chuckled. “I’ll see you after your trip, Princess Ella .”

Ella, already halfway out the door, scoffed. “ Princess Ella doesn’t sound right.” The pair disappeared down the hallway, and Charming caught a glimpse of Ella asking Bridget if she was really okay with Hook. Bridget, to his surprise, seemed to genuinely enjoy his company.

That left Charming and Hook, once again, in the now-empty room, back to awkwardly tolerating each other’s presence.

"You seemed to enjoy Bridget’s company more than mine,” Charming remarked, his tone more keen than he intended.

“Oh, I’m sorry, your royal highness . Should I have valued your company more?” Hook shot back, sarcasm dripping from his words, reminding Charming exactly who he was dealing with.

Charming sighed, rubbing his temple. He wanted this to end already, but a small part of him secretly enjoyed this. It kept things interesting, even if Hook’s smugness was starting to get old.

“Let’s just eat the damn cupcakes,” Hook said suddenly, flipping open the metallic pink cloche to reveal two cupcakes with blue icing.

Charming eyed them warily. “Are you sure about that? These things have… effects. To say the least.”

Hook grinned, that playful glint in his eye back in full force. “Oh, come on, where’s your edge, Charming?” he teased.

“And trust me, I’m well aware of their effects . Remember when Uliana got turned into a flamingo after eating too many of Bridget’s Flamingo Feather cupcakes?” He laughed, clearly relishing the memory. “Highlight of my life.”

Charming still stared at the cupcake, his stomach doing flips. “So… what do these do? Did you ask her?”

“Who knows?” Hook shrugged, already lifting one and inspecting it like it was a simple trinket.

"We’ll save those for later," The Prince muttered, still feeling cautious.

Hook raised an eyebrow. “Where’s your adventure, Princey?”

Charming ignored the comment, shifting the conversation. “We should get going. The tailor is expecting us soon.” He straightened his jacket, hoping to change the subject and focus on anything other than whatever Bridget's cupcakes could potentially do. He wasn’t ready for whatever wonder came with them.

“The royal tailor, right”

“I’m surprised you still remember. I thought you were too bored out of your mind to even notice things.”

“I always notice things.” Surprisingly, Hook just responded in a normal manner, his expression more civil than usual. No snarky retort, no sarcastic quip. Just… agreement.

Charming felt a flicker of opportunity in Hook’s vulnerability. If Hook wanted to play games, he could too. He took a calculated breath and decided to up the ante. “Can I ask you for a favor?” He asked testing out the waters.

Hook raised an eyebrow, giving him a half-amused look. “This whole fake dating thing is already a favor, but sure.” His voice wasn’t nearly as irritated as it usually was, which only fueled Charming’s newfound confidence.

Charming took a step closer, his smirk widening just enough to be noticed. “Let’s go to your dorm.”

Hook blinked, taken aback. “Why exactly?” He is cocked slightly to the left, his skepticism showing. “You don’t seem to like it there. I could tell by your judgy eyes.”

“I don’t have judgy eyes,” Charming retorted with mock offense. Hook shot him a look that screamed ‘Yeah, right’ but before he could comment, Charming continued. “Let’s just say I need something from you.”

Hook crossed his arms, the pirate’s suspicious gaze locking onto Charming’s. “What do you want, Princey?”

Charming shrugged nonchalantly, stepping around Hook as if the question didn’t bother him. “Do you trust me or not?” he asked, casting a glance over his shoulder with an innocent smile—knowing full well Hook hated not having control of the situation.

Hook’s eyes narrowed, suspicion growing, but he didn’t object. “Fine,” Hook said, voice clipped. “Let’s go, Your Royal Highness,”

Charming gave a small nod, satisfied. “Lead the way, Captain.” The word captain slipped smoothly out of his mouth for the first time. But he saw how Hook tensed up.

He could feel Hook’s growing frustration, he kinda felt bad but in some twisted way enjoyed it. Just this once, Charming was going to tease Hook a little.

Uno reverse.

🪝

The walk to Hook’s dorm was filled with an almost painful silence. Hook, for the first time in his life, was genuinely trying to read someone and failing miserably. He was always the one with the upper hook (hand), always the one to toy with others—yet here he was, feeling entirely clueless.

The silence was unnerving, to say the least. It’s almost like Princey has something planned. He’s just going to have to fuck around and find out on his own.

Once they arrived at Hook’s door, instead of using his keys like a normal person, Hook lazily used his hook to pick the lock. It was just easier. Plus, the rusty silver hook he wore today still got the job done.

The pirate had a sixth sense when it came to bitches judging him. And those senses were tingling: He could feel Charming’s judging eyes on him, though Hook turned around, shooting him a glare.

“What?” Hook asked, turning to catch Charming mid-smirk. “Don’t judge me. This is more convenient.”

“I’m not judging. I finally got the answer to how you got into my room yesterday,” Charming said, the smile growing, a little too smug for Hook’s liking.

The smugness in his tone irritated Hook more than usual. Yeah, he was starting to see what was happening here. Something about Charming had changed, and it was driving him fucking nuts.

“Alright, you got what you wanted. Now, care to explain why you’re so eager to get into my room? What’s your royal agenda here?” Hook raised an eyebrow, trying to regain some of the upper hand.

“I usually borrow Lionel’s clothes when I need to… blend in,” Charming said, trailing off with a slight grin that Hook recognized too well. The pirate's heart sank, realizing what the prince was implying.

Oh, no. Absolutely not.

Hook’s expression immediately soured. “Absolutely not! There is no way in hell you’re borrowing my clothes.” Those were his babies—every piece was carefully curated, either thrifted or swiped from the best shops in the land.

Not even Morgie, his best friend, got to touch them. There was no way he was letting some royal prance around in them.

Charming, however, was not dissuaded. “I don’t like drawing attention to myself. If I wear my usual clothes, I’ll have guards on my ass within seconds. Your clothes are my best chance at blending in.”

Hook wanted to call him out— when has Prince Pretty ever not drawn attention to himself? —but he refrained, another moment of silence stretching between them. And then, like always, Hook couldn’t help himself.

“As if a disguise could hide that pretty face of yours,” Hook shot back, the words spilling out of him too quickly for him to realize what he was saying.

Charming froze for a second, and Hook mentally kicked himself. Had he really just said that? He waited for Charming to turn into a stuttering mess, but the prince stayed calm, unnervingly so.

Hook, refusing to let his slip-up show, smirked. “What? You think I don’t recognize a handsome face when I see one?” He was trying to play it off, but something about this interaction felt different.

Charming didn’t miss a beat. “So… is that a yes?”

Hook groaned internally, forcing his usual bravado back into his voice. “Fine. But I’ll pirate you up into something decent. Be careful with them, or else…” He gestured with his hook, though they both knew the threat held no weight anymore.

The pirate turned to rummage through his precious pile of clothes. As he did, he felt the prince’s eyes on him, and it made his skin crawl. Why was Charming staring so hard? He knew he was hot, but this was bordering on uncomfortable.

Trying to shake off the feeling, He grabbed a short-sleeved, button-up shirt that, admittedly, would look damn good on Charming. Compromising with Charming’s love of the color beige, the shirt was brown with a slight reddish tone.

It would look so good if Charming unbuttoned a few of the top buttons. The thought made Hook pause, eyes narrowing as his mind briefly drifted to the idea of Charming wearing the shirt. It would show off his chest—wait, why was he thinking about that?

Focus, Hook.

He tossed a pair of matching trousers onto the bed, simple but fitted enough to make an impression. Maybe a little tight on Charming’s build. They’d show off the prince’s—STOP. Hook mentally slapped himself. Why was he having these thoughts?

He turned, handing the clothes to Charming. “Here. These should fit you.”

“Thanks,” Charming said, the politeness in his tone almost too sugary sweet. Then, with a deliberately innocent expression, the prince added, “Your bathroom looks a bit cramped. Mind if I get changed here? You can turn around, of course.”

Hook felt his face heat up. Oh, he’s doing this on purpose. “Yes, super fine,” Hook muttered, turning his back to the prince. “And I’m sorry the bathroom is not up to your royal standards.”

“I’m just a big guy, Hook,” Charming said lightly, his tone betraying a hint of playfulness. “Can’t possibly fit in there.”

Hook rolled his eyes but stayed focused on the pile of clothes in front of him, pretending to organize them as if that would help distract him from what was happening behind him. But he wasn’t fooling anyone—not even himself. He was going to peek. He couldn’t help it. Hook was a pirate, after all.

Slowly, he turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse, and what he saw—well, let’s just say it was better than any treasure (booty) he’d ever stolen.

Charming, mid-change, revealing toned abs, broad shoulders, and thighs that were way too distracting. Hook’s breath hitched, and his heart raced. Is he a Greek statue? No, maybe a mermen. All Hook knew that Charming was a wet dream come to life.

Meanwhile, Charming took his sweet precious fucking time putting on the clothes like he knew exactly what he was doing

He quickly snapped his eyes back to the pile of clothes, his mind spinning. Stay focused, stay level-headed. Just clothes, just the prince—wait, not “just the prince,” that’s the problem. Hook cursed under his breath.

Charming casually brushed his hands down the front of the blouse, a smug smile tugging at his lips. “Well? Ready to go?” he asked, his voice all too smooth.

Hook swallowed hard, forcing a cocky smirk even though his insides were screaming. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here before you make yourself too comfortable.”

But in that moment, Hook realized something dangerous—Charming was starting to get to him, and worse, the prince knew it.

👑

Charming never should have been here in the Town Square, it was practically a royal crime for him to walk around unsupervised, but that’s exactly why he liked doing it. He couldn’t help it.

The thrill of sneaking out, throwing on some normal clothes (or whatever Hook had decided was "normal" today), and pretending he was just a regular guy? It was invigorating. Plus, it amused him to see how easily people missed who he really was with just a change of clothes.

Today, he was walking around with Hook, dressed in Hook’s clothes made him feel a bit too exposed. The reddish-brown shirt with a few unbuttoned buttons on the top felt like it was practically inviting people to stare.

And the boots he borrowed last minute—oh, these boots. How the hell does Hook run around in these all day? Charming grumbled internally, trying to adjust his footing in the heavy leather monstrosities.

He stole a glance at Hook, who was casually strolling down the cobblestone road, looking completely at ease. His dark hair fell across his face with every step, and his jewelry clinked gently against his skin as he moved.

Hook looked like he belonged here, carefree and ‘laxed, not a worry in the world. Charming, on the other hand, felt like he was still trying to fit into a role. Dressing up as a pirate trying to act like he belongs… ridiculous.

Maybe if he loosened up a bit, it’d help. He was in disguise, after all. Charming tried mimicking Hook’s relaxed gait, but he still felt stiff, overly aware of everything even down to the boots digging into his heels.

"You go downtown a lot?"

Hook shrugged, still eyeing the shops around them. “I just wander around for a few hours. Grab a fresh loaf of bread, maybe eavesdrop on the town gossip. Usually, it’s all about you royals.”

Charming couldn’t help but smirk at that. “There’s a great spot for food around here if you’re into that sort of thing,” he added, glancing sideways at Hook.

"You're the only prince I’ve ever heard mention eating outside the palace," Hook replied, sounding genuinely amused.

“I’m the only Prince you know, right?” “Mhm, only you,”

"I promise I don’t fit into the prince stereotypes," Hook snorted. “We’ll see about that.”

The bell clanged loudly as Charming and Hook walked into the tailor shop. The smell of fresh fabric and wood polish hit him immediately, bringing back memories of his mother dragging him here for fittings.

The shop was smaller than he remembered, and a new face was behind the desk—a woman with a tight-lipped expression and a sharp gaze.

She barely glanced at Charming, but her eyes lingered on Hook a little too long, her face twisting with something he can only describe as disdain.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her tone flat and disinterested.

Charming didn’t like the way she was looking at Hook. He didn’t like it at all.

“We’re here to see the tailor,” Charming said, trying to keep his voice light. “I’ve got a, uh, who needs some adjustments for the ball.”

The woman arched an eyebrow, her eyes still glued to Hook. “I see. And we don’t usually get… customers like you here. The royal tailor doesn’t deal with just anyone.”

Charming’s jaw tightened, but Hook remained unfazed, casually leaning against the counter, his hook tapping rhythmically on the wood. “Well, lucky for you, darling, I’m not just any regular pirate,” Hook said, flashing her his signature smirk.

The woman let out a low, unimpressed chuckle. “Is that right? And who might you be?”

Charming felt a pang of frustration. He could already see where this was going, and it was grating on him. For someone who was easily bothered when it came to Charming, Hook was remarkably calm, but that only made Charming angrier on his behalf.

“I’m James Hook,” Hook said, his voice smooth. “And this is—”

“ Your partner,” Charming interrupted, suddenly feeling a sharp need to protect him. He didn’t even know why, but there it was. “And miss that there is no way to speak to a paying customer.”

The woman blinked, clearly not expecting the shift in Charming’s tone. “Who is this partner?” she repeated, a little incredulously. “Well what do you troublemakers want?” She gestured vaguely in Hook’s direction, as if his very presence was some kind of mistake.

Charming could feel his blood pressure rising. How could anyone just— He took a breath. Normally, he’d brush off something like this, but this? No. This was different.

“Yeah, him ,” Charming replied, stepping closer to Hook. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk to him like that. In fact…” He glanced over at Hook, who gave him a curious look in return. “You know what? Let’s make this easier.”

Charming reached up, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, almost distractedly. “Did no one teach you basic customer service?”

The woman blinked again. “What?”

“I said…” Charming pulled his shirt collar just enough to reveal the unmistakable royal crest on his necklace. “You were too busy judging to notice I’m your Prince,” he said, voice loud and clear, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And this—” he gestured dramatically to Hook “—is my partner, James Hook.”

The woman’s face went from confusion to panic in the span of about three seconds.

“Your Highness, I didn’t—oh my—I am so sorry! I didn’t recognize” she sputtered, tripping over her words as she tried to backtrack.

Her face flushed a deep shade of red. It was almost as a deep color as Hook’s blazer. “I had no idea—please, forgive me, Your Highness, I didn’t mean—”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Charming muttered, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn’t used to pushing the royal angle, but sometimes… sometimes it felt like the only way to get people to stop being complete assholes.

Hook, meanwhile, looked like he was enjoying the show. His lips twitched into a barely concealed smirk, but there was something softer in his eyes when he glanced at Charming.

“Guess you’re saving me now, eh, Prince?” Hook teased, but his voice held a note of appreciation that didn’t go unnoticed.

Charming shot him a quick grin. “Can’t help myself,” he said. “I’ve got a thing for rescuing people.”

“Yeah, well, next time, maybe don’t use my government name in front of assholes.”

Charming let out a low chuckle. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”

Before either of them could say anything else, the door to the back of the shop swung open, and an older, dignified woman stepped out. Her eyes immediately landed on Charming, and then Hook, and she quickly dropped everything for him.

“Your Highness!” the woman exclaimed, quickly bowing. “I’m terribly sorry for any inconvenience! Please, forgive my tardiness. I hope my assistant filled you in on everything.”

Charming waved her off, still standing close to Hook. “It’s fine we have a few things about your service to talk about,” he said, though his tone suggested otherwise. “Just tell her next time to focus on her job. And apologize to my friend here.”

The assistant, still flustered, mumbled another hurried apology, this time directly to Hook. “I-I’m sorry, Sir Prince’s partner, I really didn’t mean—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hook said smoothly, lying through his teeth. His eyes flicked to Charming with a nod that said ‘please move on’.

The royal tailor, eager to fix the situation, stepped forward. “Please, allow me to personally assist you both. I’ll make sure everything is handled perfectly as usual and we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Charming gave her a short nod, finally letting the tension in his shoulders ease. He glanced at Hook, who looked more relaxed now, though there was still a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze.

For a moment, Charming just stood there, trying to process what had just happened. He’d always thought life outside the palace walls was easier, freer, somehow. He only just realized why Hook was always on attack mode.

“Well,” Charming said, exhaling deeply and sitting down. “That was fun.”

Hook chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. “Next time, you should pull out the crown, yeah?”

👑

The fitting went about as smoothly as Charming expected—tight suits, high collars, and a lot of standing still while the royal tailor tugged and measured. The suit his mother had chosen for him was immaculate, of course.

White fabric with gold detailing, a light blue undershirt peeking out from under the stiffest collar in existence. Queen Constantina had outdone herself as she always did.

Charming caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and sighed. It looked good, but god , was it uncomfortable. He couldn’t help but tug at the collar, trying to loosen it just a bit. If only he was able to just wear his regular barong to the ball.

“Lookin’ good,” Hook’s voice broke in, a teasing lilt to his words. “See? You don’t need to wear beige all the time. You’re capable of wearing other colors, Princey.”

Charming narrowed his eyes at him. “Very funny,” he shot back. “No need to judge my fashion sense since you’re the one who broke into my closet in the first place.”

Hook shrugged, completely unbothered by the mention of the whole breaking entering of yesterday's past. “What can I say? I reckon you look better in this than in my clothes anyway. That’s a very difficult bar to surpass.”

Charming felt a small flush creep up his neck. “You never told me I looked good in your clothes,” he said, aiming for casualness but hearing his own voice wobble slightly. Was he messing with Hook? Maybe. Was his heart pounding? Definitely.

Hook, suddenly looking a little flustered, cleared his throat. “Can I see my options for the ball?” he asked, turning to the tailor and steering the conversation away from whatever tension had crept between them.

Charming was grateful for the distraction, though as the fitting went on, he caught Hook sneaking glances in the mirror. His eyeliner-wearing, smirking pirate pretend date was definitely checking him out, and though Charming pretended not to notice, a part of him was thrilled by his attention.

The problem was, nothing seemed to work for Hook. The suits were either too stiff, too fancy, or just plain wrong . Hook looked uncomfortable in all of them, like dressing up wasn’t something he did by choice.

They walked out of the tailor shop with nothing for Hook, the cobblestones slick under their feet as they strolled down the road.

“Shame you didn’t like anything I tried on,” Hook said, sounding a bit too casual and friendly for Charming’s liking. “I had a whole fashion show just for you. You’re a lucky man, Charming.”

Charming laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, but none of them were you . It didn’t feel right.”

“Not my usual gig, this whole ball thing,” Hook admitted, glancing around at the streets now dimly lit by the overcast sky. He ran a hand through his hair, and Charming caught himself watching the way his locks fell messily over his face.

“Yeah, well, I don’t like it either,” Charming said, even though he was a prince and balls were pretty much in his job description. “I mean, I’m not the biggest fan of the whole ‘stuffy outfits and finding love part, although dancing is fun.”

Hook’s grin widened, but before they could delve deeper into their not-so-great love for formalities, Charming noticed a group of royal guards walking their way. His stomach flipped—word must’ve gotten out that the Prince was at the tailor.

They walked right past him, not even giving him a second glance, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they figured it out.

“Two words—let’s run,” Charming whispered, grabbing Hook’s arm and taking off down the street before Hook could protest.

“Wait—what—Princey!” Hook yelled, but he followed, the two of them darting through the streets, weaving between market stalls and ducking under awnings as the sky started to drizzle.

Charming could feel his pulse racing, not just from running but from the thrill of it all. When was the last time he did something like this? Something completely against palace rules? Hook was laughing beside him, the sound of it oddly infectious.

They ended up in a strange little alley, seeking refuge in front of a small library tucked between two shops. The entrance had a tiny overhang, but it was barely enough to keep the rain off.

Hook was breathing heavily, grinning like a madman as he leaned against the wall, while Charming stood beside him, still catching his breath.

“Well, that was interesting,” Hook said, his voice laced with sarcasm as the rain started coming down harder.

“Except for the part where we're, I'm about to get soaked in this outfit,” Charming said, glancing at him still in the rain. “At least you’re dryer than me.” He said moving the damp and floppy hair away from his face.

Hook huffed and then, without warning, grabbed Charming by the collar and pulled him under the tiny roof with him.

“Are you out of your mind?” Hook scolded, his voice soft but stern. “You’ll catch your death before the ball. And my clothes don’t deserve a wash day with you in them.” He said it like a joke, but his hands lingered on Charming’s collar a moment longer than necessary.

He wasn’t aware that Hook was capable of giving a damn about anyone else but himself.

I’m fine,” The Asian teen insisted, though he couldn’t ignore the warmth of Hook’s hand still gripping his shirt. “You tried knocking?” he asked, nodding toward the closed library door.

Hook rolled his eyes. “Yes, Princey, I’ve tried knocking countless times. It’s locked. You’d think a library would be open in the middle of a downpour.”

Charming stared at the frosted glass, his heart still racing from the run—or maybe from something else entirely. Standing this close to Hook, with the rain pounding around them and the narrow roof barely covering them, felt strangely intimate. The tension between them hung in the air, palpable and heavy, but neither of them made a move to break it.

“You know,” Charming muttered, glancing sideways at Hook, “This isn’t the kind of getting comfortable with each other I had planned.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t plan on hiding in an alley with you, either. But here we are,”

“Wanna talk the rain out,” “Since we are basically stranded till this stops you can air your list of grievances and inquiries with me,” Charming falling back into the formal speaking thing he did when he was nervous and he was nervous all the time with Hook.

“Well, where do I even start?”

👑

Hope you enjoy the fic & Remember to give feedback!!! It is always appreciated. Had to leave y'all on a cliffhanger hope y'all are excited for the next part. The boys are about to get all up close vunerable.(And if you reading this on Tumblr. Thank you so much for giving this a read.)

Request go here on my tumblr.

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gayashelljatp · 1 month ago

Text

Prince Charming x James Hook | Trophy Boy Chapter 2.

Content Rating: Teen and Up.

Wordcount: 7028

Notes (Same On AO3):

The first chapter of this fic is up on my tumblr please go support!!! My Tumblr.

Well hello there, the second part was made!!! This second part was so long that I decided to split it into two chapters. Charming and Hook development happens here. Did they start being friends? enemies? lovers? (Ricky Bowen reference.)

More side characters (Bridget x Ella mentioned and Morgie and Maleficent being Hook's bestie is cannon here.) This chapter is more Hook focused. This chapter was actually edited and helped written by my friend shoutout to her for helping me finish this shit. (So apologies if some part sound completely written by someone else.)

A few housekeeping reminders:

- This fic has multiple POVs for Charming focused parts 👑 emojis are used on the other hook if it's James it's this emoji 🪝.

- It wouldn't be a GayashellJATP fic without a playlist of songs I have on that help immerse you in the universe. Spotify playlist here!!!

Notes (Tumblr):

This is such a late post. This Chapter has been up on AO3. I'm sorry to my tumblr peeps. Still tryna get the hang of this. But thank you so much for the support on my fics here ily y'all.

Chapter 2: The Day-te Before The Ball

👑

It was always an early morning for Christopher Rupert Windermere Vladimir Carl Alexander François Reginald Lancelot Herman Gregory James, more commonly known as Christopher—or, to the public, Prince Charming.

His day started at the crack of dawn, forcing himself into a princely run to maintain the perfect physique for his and the people's eyes. Afterward, it was straight to bench presses, with Lionel by his side rattling off the day’s duties. By the time the list was done, Charming was already halfway through a hundred push-ups.

After that, a ten-minute shower— it was his favorite part of his mornings and the only time he got some privacy in this rigid routine. He’d belt out a song or two while shampoo was in his hair.

Even while dressing, he juggled paperwork, signing what felt like endless documents. Apparently, being a prince came with a mountain of administrative work no storybook ever talked about.

But today, there was a break in his routine. Instead of reading the morning letters and catching up on the news around his kingdom, he grabbed his skateboard and sped through the halls, headed toward the other dormitory.

He’d asked the doorman for James Hook’s room number, though the name “James” didn’t even exist in their archive. It was simply “Captain Hook.” That, along with a few other things, he’d have to ask about later.

As he neared Hook’s dorm, a flash of green zipped past him. Morgyn Le Fay, the light-haired son of Morgana, ran out of the room, looking frantic—likely late for something. The door swung wide open in his wake. Charming approached and was about to knock, but with the door ajar, he decided to step inside.

Before he could fully take in the room, he was greeted by the sight of Hook—standing in nothing but a towel, hair damp, water still glistening on his skin. Charming froze, eyes wide, before he quickly turned his gaze to the side, his cheeks slightly flushed.

“Princey, you’re too early,” Hook drawled lazily, clearly enjoying the prince’s discomfort.

“Early? Royalty are always on time,” Charming replied, still doing his best not to stare. “Don’t you eat at the castleteria?”

“I do, but I like going last minute,” Hook said, smoothing back his damp hair with a cocky smirk. “Looking gorgeous might seem effortless, but it takes work.”

“Can you look gorgeous with more clothes on?” Charming asked, his voice a bit too sharp as he chanced a glance. Big mistake. Hook was barefaced—no signature eyeliner—and his skin looked frustratingly flawless.

Charming’s eyes trailed lower, catching a glimpse of the pirate’s toned abs before he snapped his gaze away. He wasn’t going to ogle. But… he did see them.

“Come on, I’m not that hideous to look at,” Hook teased, catching the prince’s not-so-subtle avoidance. “Why’d you have to look away?”

“I’m just being polite,”

“I thought you were fun,”

“I can have fun looking at my own body.” The Prince meant to sound nonchalant, but it came off as much more vain than intended and more charged. It was blowing the Prince’s cover immediately.

“Oh? You like staring at yourself naked, do you, Princey?” Hook shot back, grinning. He leaned against the doorframe, dripping confidence, and maybe a bit of water.

Charming cleared his throat. “Moving on, please.”

“Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll be ready.”

“Can I come in, at least?” Charming asked, gesturing toward the room. He was trying to keep things casual, though the pirate was clearly getting under his skin.

“I was trying to save you from the mess but if you insist,”

Charming stepped inside. The room was interesting, to say the least. Hook’s side looked like a treasure chest had exploded—clothes, jewelry, and trinkets were scattered everywhere.

Morgie’s side, in contrast, was more organized, though still odd—his bed had animal-print sheets, and a collection of wilted plants lined the windowsill.

“Not what you expected, huh?” Hook asked, now rummaging through a pile of clothes. “Don’t worry, Princey, I’ll tidy up just for you.”

“No need to tidy your stole-” Charming had to remind himself not to be too blunt with him so he stopped midway “Just... hurry up.”

Hook threw on a billowy white blouse, tucking it into his trousers with a smirk. “Patience, Your Highness. Time may be fast but growing diamonds takes forever.” He sauntered over to the full length mirror, lazily adjusting his collar, taking far longer than necessary.

“I just like being punctual now,” Charming said, eyes flicking to his watch. He wasn’t always the best at being on time, but he had been trying to improve lately. The kingdom loved to gossip, and being known as a latecomer wasn’t exactly the reputation he wanted to maintain.

Hook rolled his eyes, still fiddling with his reflection. “Oh, lighten up. You royal types always act like you have a stick up your—”

“Careful,” Charming interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “I’m doing you a favor. You could at least be a little more grateful.”

“Grateful?” Hook spun around, his tone dripping with mockery. “For the honor of breakfast with His Highness? I’m thrilled.” He gave a theatrical bow.

Charming clenched his jaw, trying to hold onto his composure, but it was almost impossible when Hook was being so... insufferable.

“Let’s just go. We can talk and plan over food,” he said, walking toward the door. He paused, casting a sideways glance at the pirate. “If you’re even capable of sticking to a plan.”

👑

The two arrived at the castleteria, and the energy of the room shifted the moment they entered. Charming noticed the subtle glances, and a few whispers trailing behind them as they passed through the crowded space.

Hook, on the other hand, seemed to bask in the attention. When they walked by Hook’s usual crew of villain kids, the reactions varied from raised eyebrows to snickers—Morgie, ever supportive, even let out a playful whistle. Not quite catcalling, but more like encouragement.

The sight of Charming and Hook together was strange to most. They looked so mismatched—Charming was laid back but still had to be regal and composed, while Hook was one to strut.

They got in line, grabbed their meals, and made their way to Charming’s all-too-familiar private room, away from prying eyes. As soon as they sat down, Hook wasted no time.

“So, what’s your plan for this whole sham?” Hook asked, leaning back in his chair. He hadn’t even picked up his fork yet, clearly more interested in getting down to business—or, more likely, getting under Charming’s skin.

“Calling this a sham is unnecessary,” “Please, this is easy. Don’t act like don’t do bad things, I’ve seen the papers,”

Charming just shoved the pancakes into his mouth trying to stop himself from saying anything. “Do you have anything you're not comfortable doing?” He asked, trying to keep things professional—diplomatic, even.

Hook leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as if considering it. “Hm,” he mused. “No, everything’s on the table for me. You can even love me with the lights off if you want.”

Charming nearly choked on his pancakes, quickly covering it up with a cough. He shot Hook a withering look. “In your dreams,” he muttered, trying to keep his cool. But inside, his mind was racing—Hook was too much, and Charming wasn’t entirely sure how to handle him.

Hook, of course, wasn’t phased. “Relax, lad, I’m just messing with you,” he said with a wink. “You’re not this stiff. I’ve heard you're a great date. This is not an arranged marriage.”

Charming, taking another bite, he was gonna ask how Hook knew such information but decided to push forward. “Well, I was thinking we could just act… I don’t know, platonic? Like we’re together were not together, but we don’t have to put on a show or anything. We say we’re a couple, people believe it, and we’re done.”

Hook leaned back in his chair, his signature smirk creeping onto his face. “You’re taking all the fun out of it, Charming. What’s the point of a sham romance if you don’t play it up? Where’s the excitement?” He drummed his fingers on the table. “You and me, strolling around, being all chaste and polite? Sounds boring as hell.”

Charming frowned, hating how Hook always managed to poke at him just right. He liked to have fun—he did—but when it came to Hook, it felt like he had to be on guard and guarded literally. He didn’t know why he kept up the royal façade.

“I’m not boring,” Charming said, defensively running his hands through his hair. “I just think we don’t need to overdo it. This is for show, not for real.”

Hook’s eyes glinted, catching onto something in Charming’s words. “You say that, but you’re so buttoned-up around me, it’s like you’re afraid to let loose.”

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Charming shot back, a little too quickly.

“Prove it.” Hook’s voice was smooth, challenging. He leaned forward, elbows on the table, eyes locked on Charming’s. “We’ll make it fun, Prince Charming. You act like you want this to be all business, but deep down, you’re itching for something a little more interesting. Admit it.”

Charming felt his pulse quicken and opened his mouth to deny it, but Hook was right. Part of him did want the thrill, the unpredictability, the spark that came with being around Hook. But admitting that, even to himself, felt too unreal. Instead, he shifted in his seat, trying to regain control of the conversation.

“You have no idea what I want,” Charming said, his voice quieter but edged with tension.

Hook just smiled, that infuriatingly smug smile. “Maybe I don’t,” he said softly. “But I’m starting to get a pretty good idea.”

Hook leaned back, clearly enjoying the tension, the little game they were playing. “This is gonna be more fun than I thought,” he said, his voice a low drawl.

The bell rang, fizzling out the tension in the room, but for Charming, the planning was far from over. Hook stood up, stretching lazily as he prepared to leave.

“Well, see you after class, Princey,” Hook said casually, already heading toward the door.

Charming, not entirely sure why, blurted out, “Wait.”

Hook paused, turning back with a curious smirk. “What? Miss me already?”

Charming panicked the words came out of him without a single thought. “Actually… I was thinking. Maybe we should get excused from class today. It’d give us more time to, you know, get comfortable around each other. Make it easier to pull this off if we actually liked each other’s company.”

Such a smart move Charming. Asking to skip class with him to spend time together. Totally not going to backfire on you.

“Oh? And how exactly do you plan to excuse me from class?”

Charming squared his shoulders, trying to appear more confident than he felt. “You’re the prince’s boyfriend, well pretend boyfriend,” he said, the words slipping out smoother than expected, causing Hook’s lips to quirk into a grin of his own.

“The teachers wouldn’t mind if you skipped. Royal duties call, after all.” Charming added.

Hook’s grin widened, his amusement shifting into something almost… impressed. “You royals always have a way out of things, don’t you? I gotta say, I’m impressed. Using your little privileges for something a bit selfish—kinda hot, Princey.”

Charming didn’t expect the compliment, and for a second, he wasn’t sure how to respond. Instead, he stammered, “It’s not selfish, I just need this to work. We need to make this believable.”

“Mm-hmm, whatever helps you sleep at night.” Hook shrugged, leaning back against the door frame. “I have a stitching & enchantment test in first period and I have a thing in second period, but I can ditch the rest.”

“Of course, school is important,”

“Less of a hassle for me,” Hook said, trying to make it sound effortless, but Charming knew the list of top scholars of the school. James Hook was on it. How did he know this information? it was not because Charming had asked Lionel for any details about the pirate. Absolutely not

“Right. Well, I’ll handle getting us both excused. I’ll see you when I see you.”

Hook’s eyes gleamed as he pushed off the door frame and stepped closer, his presence filling the space between them. “Don’t worry, Princey. I’ll hold up my end of the deal.”

Charming held his ground, even as the tension between them crackled in the air. “We’ll see.”

Hook chuckled, the sound low and lazy, before giving him a mock salute. “You know where to find me.” Then, with one last look that lingered a little too long.

🪝

Sewing & Enchantment should’ve been an easy test for Hook to ace. After all, he’d been sewing up sails and tailoring his own clothes since he was a baby pirate. But today, his mind was adrift, lost at sea, and he couldn’t find the lighthouse—or, more accurately, the answers.

There was a nagging thought, an irritating little itch in his brain, like the screeching of a seagull that wouldn’t shut up. It was Charming’stupid face. With his stupid smile with perfect white teeth that had lingered far too long in Hook’s mind. He hated it. Hated how it distracted him, how his brain kept flashing to the image of Charming’s chin-length, perfectly windswept hair.

What was it about that royal pain in the ass had suddenly become so…painful?

He was finally starting to understand what the others saw in the prince. But of course, no one was as beautiful as himself. Still, he forced his focus back to the test. Come on, Hook, stop thinking about the prince and think about the damn answer.

Maleficent, who sat next to him, had already finished her test, leaning back with her arms crossed. She had a thing for sharp objects—thorns, spindles,and needles. She found them interesting, but her main interests were world domination and, of course a bit of mischief.

The brunette teen rushed through the last of his test, hoping he got everything right. Overthinking wasn’t his style—he preferred being thoughtless and vain. But lately, a certain prince had been taking up way too much brain space.

Maleficent smirked, her voice low so as not to draw attention as she tilted her chair back. “Saw you with your man earlier.”

Hook didn’t miss a beat. “He’s not an object for me to own. He’s not valuable enough to be called mine. More like I’m… borrowing him.”

“Care to tell me what this whole ordeal is?” Maleficent asked, checking her nails with a bored flick. “Yesterday you were bitching and moaning about the prince, and now you’re cozying up to him in the castleteria ? And don’t lie to me, Hook. I saw you smiling .”

Hook leaned back in his chair, flashing her a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I just loved the attention, that’s all.”

Maleficent gave him a knowing look, tapping her long nails against the desk. “Come on, Hook. Since when do you keep secrets from me?”

“I’m very good at keeping secrets,” Hook drawled, but the hint of defensiveness in his voice didn’t go unnoticed.

“Not from me, you’re not.” Maleficent smirked. “Of course, I could always hit you with a truth gummy.

“I’d lose all my friends if you did that.”

“This pirate’s a liar.”

“A damn good one at that.”

Their teacher, Ma’am Odie or more she’d to be called Mama Odie, glanced up from the front of the room, her eyes falling on the two troublemakers. “Maleficent, James,” she said sweetly, her southern charm making her reprimand sound more like a warm invitation. “Y’all can take this conversation outside, please. I don’t wanna disrupt the rest of the class.”

Hook nodded, gathering his things. Ma’am Odie was too sweet to argue with, and Hook wasn’t one to make a fuss unless absolutely necessary. Maleficent, however, shot him a curious look as they stepped outside.

“Now spill,” she said the second they were out of earshot. “You and Charming, huh? You’re really into him, aren’t you?”

Hook rolled his eyes. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, I will start,” Maleficent drawled, crossing her arms. “You’re all smiles and excuses, but you’re slipping, James. Just admit you’ve got a little soft spot for your royalty.”

“Just because you got fucked over by your ex who left you for royalty doesn’t mean they're all bad… And I don’t like him,” Hook was cracking badly at Maleficent's accusatory woes.

“Bringing up that traitor Stefan means you really want to defend him that badly,” The dark fairy said, giving Hook the look of if you ever bring him up again you’ll be in a 100 year curse.

“Look, it’s just all just some stupid game,” Hook said, trying to dodge the accusation. “He’s just using me. That’s all. I don't like his company.”

“Uh-huh.” Maleficent’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “And what about that slip earlier? Borrowing him? You’ve got it bad, Hook. Just admit it.”

Hook let out a groan, running a hand through his messy hair. “Fine, maybe I enjoy riling him up. Maybe he’s fun to mess with. But like him? Please, that's preposterous!”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Maleficent replied, clearly enjoying herself. “I’m just saying, if this is all a game for fun, you seem to be enjoying it a little too much.”

Hook shot her a look, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. “What about you and Hades? You two have been circling each other for centuries .” Hook is really throwing every single rock at Maleficent and he keeps missing.

Maleficent rolled her eyes but smiled, the hint of affection breaking through her usual cold demeanor. “Hades and I have an understanding. It’s not the same.”

“Right, because no one could ever get under your skin, could they?”

“Exactly. But nice try, Hook. You’re the one getting all flustered over a prince.”

Hook grumbled, but before he could respond, Maleficent leaned in, her eyes gleaming. “Get your act together Captain.”

🪝

Hook sat cross-legged on his bed, leaning back against the headboard, absentmindedly polishing his hook. The sound of the metal scraping softly should've been calming, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Across the room, Morgie was sprawled out on his bed, face buried in his pillow. He looked like a starfish, completely taking up as much space as possible. His muffled voice floated up, tinged with exhaustion. "Magicology is killing me."

“Has Madam Mim been awful to you again?”

Morgie rolled onto his back with a groan. “Yeah. She cares more about my mom’s reputation than teaching me anything useful.”

“That’s ridiculous. She shouldn’t be all bitchy with you, especially since your mom’s way more famous witch than she’ll ever be.”

Morgie sighed, tracing patterns into the sheets. “Well, my mother is public enemy number one in the magical community.”

“Yeah, fair. I’m still surprised they let you in this school with a reputation like that,” Hook teased, but his smile softened when Morgie only groaned again.

“Why are you here sulking?”

“ Sulking ?” Hook raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. “I don’t sulk. Pirates don’t sulk.”

Morgie rolled his eyes and shifted to his side, squinting at Hook. “You only polish your hook when you’re trying to avoid something,” he muttered. Then, lowering his voice dramatically, he added, “Are you trying to avoid the prince?” He mouthed the word prince as if it was a forbidden curse like saying his name out loud would summon him.

The brunette haired teen hated how much Morgie knew him.

Hook scowled, flipping the hook in his hand with more force than necessary. “Why is everyone on my ass today about that prince? I’m just going to a ball with him. No big deal.”

“I’d love to go to a ball,” The sandy haired boy said wistfully, “But villain kids are always on the banned list. Even if the invitation says it’s extended to everyone in the kingdom, we both know that doesn’t include me. Le Fays are public enemy number one in the neighbor kingdom Camelot.” His voice dropped in frustration at the last part.

Hook glanced up from his hook, watching Morgie with an amused grin. “You could always just go in disguise,”

“Then what’s the point? What if I meet someone there and fall in love?” Morgie sighed dramatically. “You can’t fall in love with a disguise on. They’ll feel deceived.”

“Are there really no other things to do at a ball than fall in love ?”

“Dancing and food do seem amazing,” Morgie admitted, a little smile tugging at his lips.

A comfortable silence stretched between them. James returned to polishing his hook, trying to focus on the shine of the metal rather than the image of a certain prince’s smile that kept creeping back into his mind.

Morgie turned his head slightly, peering at Hook with half-lidded eyes. “You know, something’s bothering you,” he said, his tone casual but piercing.

“What?”

“You can’t fool me. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Hook’s response was immediate, too quick. His fingers fumbled a little on his hook.

Morgie’s lips quirked up in a knowing smile. “Should I have not mentioned your date? Should I not bring—”

Hook’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not a date and he’s the last thing on my mind right now,”

Morgie sat up, crossing his legs to mirror Hook’s position. “You can’t lie to me, James Hook. I can feel it. You've been weird since last night.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Uh-huh, and that’s why you’re sitting here, polishing your hook like you’re trying to keep your brain from thinking about him .” Morgie grinned, nudging him with his foot. “Come on, you’re practically gushing over him.”

“ Gushing ? Please,” Hook scoffed, though he felt his ears burning. “I’m just... caught up in this dumb plan. It’s all strategy, Morgie. You wouldn’t get it.”

“Oh, I get it,” Morgie teased, leaning in with wide, curious eyes. “He’s got that whole royal, windswept thing going on, huh? You like it. Admit it.”

“Why are we even talking about this? In the first place.”

“Because you're a hopeless pirate, and I’m your best friend.” Morgie poked him again with his foot, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “So, what is it? The hair? The smile? Or is it the fact that he’s actually not affected by your charms?”

“I mean... his hair is stupidly perfect, right? And don’t get me started on that ‘I’m better than you’ attitude. It’s annoying.”

“Annoying?” Morgie snorted. “Or are you just mad because you can’t quite get under his skin like you thought?”

“Shut up,” Hook muttered, but he couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

Morgie flopped back onto his bed dramatically. “God, I love it when you fall for people. Does this mean you're going to be a prince if you marry him?”

Before Hook could correct him, Morgie suddenly bolted upright, his eyes wide on the clock in the side of the room. “Oh, no. I’m late!”

“Late for what?”

“Muse-ic class! I completely forgot I promised Uli I’d help her,” Morgie scrambled off the bed, nearly tripping over his own feet in his rush.

Hook rolled his eyes, still lazily polishing his hook. “Just tell her you were with me. I’m your ‘get out of jail free’ card, remember?”

“Thanks!” Morgie shot back, grabbing his bag and making a dash for the door. “And also, go get your prince!”

Hook scoffed, shouting after him, “He’s not my prince, Morgie!” But even as the words left his mouth, he felt that familiar frustration creep back in.

Ever since Charming had walked—no, sauntered —into his life, Hook hadn’t been able to think about anything else. No matter how hard he tried to push aside the royals' annoyingly confident demeanor had lodged themselves firmly in his brain like an anchor.

With a groan, Hook pushed himself off the bed. He needed air, a break from all this thinking . A walk to the castleteria sounded like the perfect distraction. Maybe he’d grab a drink or... anything to stop these thoughts.

But as he turned the corner into the hallway, his mind still swirling, someone suddenly barreled into him. Hard.

“What the—” Hook stumbled back, glaring at the person who had dared to knock into him. “Watch where you’re—”

His words froze in his throat as he realized who it was. Of course. The universe really had it out for him today.

“Charming.” Hook straightened up, trying to act like he wasn’t rattled by the collision or the fact that his lie had just come crashing into him—literally.

The prince raised an eyebrow, a half-amused, half-annoyed look on his face. “Funny seeing you here, Hook. Didn’t you say you had something to do?”

Hook plastered on his best grin, the one that usually got him out of trouble. “Ah, yes, well, you see... things change. Pirate business. Very important.”

“Pirate business?” Charming crossed his arms, clearly not buying it. “And that involves wandering the hallways during class? Where’s your crew?”

Hook’s smirk wavered just a little. “You know, sometimes pirate business looks a lot like... taking a walk.” He shrugged, trying to seem casual, but Charming’s piercing gaze was making it harder than usual.

“Mhm.” Charming didn’t look convinced in the slightest. “And here I thought I could trust you.But I’m starting to think you’re avoiding me.”

He wanted to make fun of Charming trusting him. But he had to have the upper hook.

“ Avoiding you ?” Hook’s laugh was a little too loud, a little too forced. “Please. Why would I avoid you? You’re... delightful company.” His tone dripped with sarcasm, but the flicker of heat in Charming’s eyes told him the prince wasn’t going to let this slide.

“Right,” Charming said, stepping just a little closer, the space between them shrinking. “Because running into you in the hallway was purely coincidence, wasn’t it?”

Hook shifted uncomfortably, his brain scrambling for an out. “I told you, I’ve got pirate things to–”

“You mean, you’re free ? No classes, no pirate business, just... wandering the halls?”

Hook opened his mouth to argue, but Charming was right. He had nothing. And now, he was caught up in his own rope of excuses.

“Fine,” Hook muttered, crossing his arms in a defensive stance. “Maybe I was... considering taking the rest of the day off. What of it?”

Charming’s smile widened, satisfaction clear in his expression. “Good. Because if you’re free, we’re going to actually sit down and start planning.”

Hook’s stomach twisted at the thought. Planning meant sitting with Charming, hashing out the details, and spending more time in close proximity. And that was exactly what he’d been avoiding. If he just ignored it long enough, maybe the whole ridiculous idea would vanish, and he wouldn’t have to deal with whatever was happening between them.

“I’m not avoiding anything,” Hook lied again, his voice too defensive to be convincing. “I just figured this whole fake dating plan didn’t need... overthinking.”

Charming narrowed his eyes, stepping even closer now, his tone lowering as if they were sharing a secret. “Sounds like someone’s scared.”

“ Scared ? Of you? Please.”

Charming’s lips twitched into a smirk, the same one that made Hook’s pulse quicken for reasons he hated to admit. “Then why are you running away?”

Hook opened his mouth, then closed it, searching for a comeback that wouldn’t sound weak. He hated this. Hated that Charming could see right through him. But running away from the truth was exactly what he’d been trying to do.

After a tense beat, Hook exhaled sharply, dropping the act. “Fine. You win, Princey. Let’s plan.”

👑

Charming knew from the start that Hook was going to be a problem.

Getting the pirate to sit still and actually focus on anything was nearly impossible, but this little "accidental" run-in had finally given him the upper hand—or, more fittingly, the upper hook.

The pirate was slippery, always finding some way to avoid responsibility or slink away from their plans. He had finally managed to pin Hook down, so to speak, by dragging him to the gymnasium for a "meeting" that involved more sparring than talking.

Hook was lounging on a bench, lazily twirling his hook, watching as Charming fenced with Lionel. The prince dodged and parried with ease, but there was an obvious frustration building in Hook’s eyes.

“Charming, I’m getting bored watching you win every single match,” Hook called out, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I thought we were supposed to be planning something, not watching you show off.”

Charming grinned, narrowly avoiding one of Lionel’s strikes. “I’m sorry this isn’t entertaining enough for you,” he quipped, deflecting the next attack. “Lionel, do I have any other duties planned for today? Something a bit more exciting for our guest ?”

Lionel, panting slightly but still focused, shook his head. “No, sir. I’ve told you all the tasks for today. I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.”

Charming took a quick glance over at Hook, who was still lounging, his sharp eyes half-lidded with boredom. The pirate twirled his hook absentmindedly, clearly not paying attention to the sparring.

That single glance distracted Charming enough for Lionel to get the upper hand, and before he knew it, Lionel had landed a clean hit.

His first loss of the day. Lionel stood victorious, while Hook let out an unexpected cheer.

“Wait, I cheered for the wrong team,” Hook muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. He seemed genuinely amused for the first time that day.

Charming shot Hook a withering look, wiping sweat from his brow. “Lionel, you’re excused,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll deal with him myself.”

Lionel glanced between the two of them, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “As you wish, sir,” he said, bowing slightly. “Try not to get into too much trouble,” he added with a wink before heading out of the gymnasium.

As soon as Lionel left, Hook stood up, stretching lazily before walking over to the weapons stand. He casually picked up a sword, giving it a few experimental swings. “What do you think you're doing?” Charming asked, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.

Hook smirked, twirling the sword in his hand. “You’ve got a thing for multitasking, don’t you? I thought I’d play to your strengths.” He gave Charming a wicked grin. “Let’s spar, Princey.

Charming raised an eyebrow, his competitive spirit kicking in. “You’re on,” he said, readying his stance.

They began circling each other, swords raised, both of them tense and ready. Hook moved first, quick and agile, his strikes more precise than Charming expected. “I think you forget,” Hook said with a mischievous grin, “I have this class too.”

Charming dodged another attack, their blades clashing with a sharp clang . “We have a meeting with the tailor later,” he reminded, trying to regain the upper hand as Hook’s blade narrowly missed his shoulder.

“Ooh, clothes. I love it,” Hook replied with a sarcastic lilt, his sword almost piercing through Charming’s sleeve. “But what color are you going to force me to wear?”

Charming parried, their swords clanging loudly. “You don’t have to wear it if you don’t like it,” he said, his voice strained from the effort of matching Hook’s strikes.

“I’m a considerate prince.” Their blades locked for a moment, and Charming looked Hook dead in the eyes. “But we really need to work on our chemistry—you look like you want to kill me with those eyes.”

“Well, I’m sorry I keep giving you the death glare.”

“I could work on smiling more,” Charming quipped, his breath quickening as they continued sparring.

“Please don’t. You smile enough,” Hook shot back, though the way his eyes flickered away suggested there was something more behind his words. Charming noticed it, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it as their swords met again with a loud clang.

Charming saw an opening and decided to exploit it. He flashed Hook one of his signature, brilliant grins—the one that made heads turn at every royal event. It was blindingly confident, and he saw Hook’s steps falter for just a second, enough for Charming to push forward and take the upper hand.

“Checkmate,” Charming taunted, smirking as he pressed the attack.

Hook stumbled onto the floor, his eyes narrowing. “Lad, I think that’s for chess,” he muttered as the match came to an end, Charming’s sword pointed directly at Hook’s chest.

“Well, I bested you,” Charming said with a wink.

Hook groaned dramatically, rolling his eyes. “You seriously need to work on your endings. Are you gonna take that sword out of my face or what?”

Charming tilted his head, leaning just slightly closer. “I think I like being on top of things.” He said looking down at the other in such a compromising position.

Hook’s brow shot up, his lips curling into a wicked smirk. “No need to get sexual, Princey. I didn’t know you were into doing things in public.” His voice dropped to a low, teasing drawl.

Charming choked on his own sweat, eyes widening as he stumbled back slightly. His face flushed, and for the first time in the match, he felt genuinely flustered. Hook just grinned, clearly enjoying the effect his words had on the prince.

Charming cleared his throat, quickly composing himself. “

“Help me up?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Charming muttered, offering Hook a hand, though he purposely avoided looking at the pirate’s face, still reeling from the innuendo.

Hook took the offered hand and pulled himself up, but the contact lingered a moment too long. Their gazes met, and for a brief second, the teasing banter faded into something more charged, something neither of them was quite ready to acknowledge.

As soon as Hook was back on his feet, he leaned in close, his voice low and teasing. “You know, you should really work on your defenses, Charming. You’re too easy to beat.”

Charming rolled his eyes, trying to shake off the strange fluttering in his chest. “You’re just... annoyingly good at this,” he muttered, though there was a hint of admiration buried under the frustration.

Hook grinned, sheathing his sword with a flourish. “I try my best.”

Lionel, who had been watching the entire exchange from the doorway, couldn’t help but shake his head with a fond smile.

As he watched the two of them bicker and spar, Lionel muttered under his breath, “Young love... even if they’re too blind to see it.”

🪝

Lunch rolled around, and Hook found himself enduring yet another round of "ball planning." Charming was running through an endless list of hypothetical disasters that could happen on the big day, his voice steady and serious.

Hook, on the other hand, couldn’t have cared less about what might go wrong, especially when the conversation shifted to dancing.

"I don't dance," Hook said, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair.

Charming blinked, as if he hadn’t heard correctly. "What do you mean? Everyone knows how to dance."

"Well, I don’t." Hook said firmly.

Charming’s lips curled into a smile. "Then I’ll just have to teach you," he said, clearly amused at the idea.

Hook was ready with a sarcastic retort, something about never needing to dance on a pirate ship, when the doors swung open, and in walked Bridget and Ella, hand in hand.

Bridget, the Princess of Wonderland, immediately caught Hook’s attention. She was Uliana’s worst nightmare—the living embodiment of everything pink and bubbly that his sea witch friend despised. Bridget, with her unshakable spirit, was a hard target to torment, much to Uliana’s eternal frustration. Hook had always found it hilarious.

Ella, on the other hand, was quieter, more reserved, Hook mused, watching the two approach. He knew little about her other than that she was Bridget’s partner (Uliana called her Bridget’s lap dog.) and apparently had a tolerance for the constant excitement that followed Bridget wherever she went.

"Hey there," Bridget chirped, her voice light and sweet. "We wanted to bring you a little treat. Tomorrow, we won’t be able to attend the ball, so we’re bringing this as an apology." She waved a metallic pink cloche (That’s what those serving things are called.) in her hand before passing it to Ella.

"It’s okay, B," Charming said with a warm smile. "I know you’re not a fan of parties."

Bridget shook her head, pink curls bouncing with the motion. "No, it’s not that! I’d love to come, but I’m heading back home to Wonderland for a little trip. I’m bringing Ella with me to meet the Wonderlandians." She beamed as if this was the most exciting thing in the world.

"Yay," Ella said flatly, her voice devoid of enthusiasm. Hook couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. He liked this girl’s deadpan delivery—it almost made him regret teasing her in the past.

"She’s totally excited," Hook quipped from the corner, a smirk playing on his lips.

Ella turned her gaze toward him, a knowing look in her eyes that told him she was far from thrilled. Hook nodded at her, as if in silent agreement—meeting new people could be a drag.

Charming, meanwhile, was already moving on. "So, B," he said, "what do you have for us today? And what side effects should I be warned about?"

"Blame the cookbook, not the cook!" Bridget giggled, twirling a strand of her pink hair around her finger. "Well, actually, I’m more of a baker than a cook, but you get the idea."

Charming chuckled, but then turned to Bridget with a more serious expression. "B, I need to talk to Ella about that project we have together, but I’m sure Hook here would love a little company while I’m busy. Why don’t you chat with our resident pirate for a bit?"

Ella on the other hand looked like she was ready to vent to Charming. It was clear to Hook those two were really good friends and Bridget was the ray of sunshine that was in between these two.

Bridget’s face lit up as she practically skipped over to where Hook was seated. "Of course! I’d love to." She plopped down next to Hook, her infectious energy filling the space between them.

"So," Bridget began, her bright eyes fixed on Hook, "how’s the whole ‘dating the prince’ thing going? You two make such a cute couple!"

Hook almost choked on his water, his mind racing for a response. He hadn't exactly agreed to this charade for the compliments, but Bridget was looking at him with such genuine excitement that he had to try.

"Oh, you know," Hook said, waving his hook hand nonchalantly. "It’s... a lot of work. Keeping up with someone as perfect as Charming."

Bridget gasped. "I knew it!" She leaned in closer, her pink curls brushing against his arm. "You’re totally in love with him, aren’t you?"

Hook blinked, caught off guard. He’d been prepared to bluff his way through this conversation, but something about Bridget’s sweet, innocent nature made it harder to lie outright.

It reminded him a bit of Morgie’s bright energy—the same warm, unwavering kindness. His usual defenses felt weaker around people like her.

"I mean," Hook began, trying to sound convincing, "how could I not be, right? Charming’s... charming." He grimaced inwardly at his own terrible pun.

Bridget giggled, clearly delighted. "I knew it! Love is just the best, isn’t it? It makes everything brighter and more magical."

Hook shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t one to talk about love, let alone pretend to be in it. But Bridget’s wide-eyed enthusiasm was almost... endearing. Maybe in another universe they were friends.

"Sure," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Love’s great."

Bridget sighed dreamily. "I’m so happy for you two. You know, I think it’s important to fight for love. It’s like Wonderland—you have to be brave enough to embrace the chaos."

Hook tilted his head, watching her with a curious expression. Despite the intense energy she exuded, there was wisdom to Bridget’s words. "You really believe that, don’t you?" he asked, a note of respect slipping into his voice.

"Of course!" she said, beaming. "I’ve always been a ‘love conquers all’ kind of girl. When you find someone special, you have to hold on tight and never let go."

Hook glanced over at Charming, who was deep in conversation with Ella now. He felt a strange pull in his chest, something he couldn’t quite name. Bridget’s words lingered, gnawing at him in a way that felt both uncomfortable and... intriguing.

"Yeah," Hook murmured, almost to himself. "Maybe you're right." He caught himself and flashed Bridget a grin, trying to shake off the strange feeling creeping up on him. "But don’t tell him I said that."

Bridget giggled again, clearly thrilled. "Your secret’s safe with me, Hook."

The pirate was trying not to think of the prince across the room.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, Charming looked over at them, catching Hook’s eye for a split second before quickly turning back to his conversation with Ella. Hook’s heart gave an unexpected lurch, and he cursed himself silently.

"Well," Bridget said with a wink, "it sounds like things are going to get interesting for you two at the ball."

Hook just smirked, not trusting himself to say anything else. This whole fake-dating situation was starting to mess with his head—and the worst part was, he wasn’t entirely sure he hated it.

Notes:

Hope you enjoy the fic & Remember to give feedback!!! It is always appreciated. That was a doozy to edit down, I'm so excited to show more of this to y'all and I hope your ready. (And if you reading this on tumblr. Thank you so much for giving this a read.)

Request go here on my tumblr.

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