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Uma had been behind the wheel for hours. The car constantly thumped up and down on the crumbled rural roads, Harry had been snoring in the passenger seat for the good part of an hour, and Gils music was playing through his headphones just a little too loudly for Umas headache. She, of course, had to be the one to drive the entire trip because neither of her two passengers had bothered to get a license or learn in almost any capacity how to work an actual car in the five years since the barrier release. Harry could drive for roughly five consecutive minutes without crashing, and Gil couldn't be trusted to work the car radio, much less the brakes.
They were headed way up north to the mountains for Bens annual holiday ski trip (rich people?). Uma had been invited for the past four years. It was fun, and she had nothing else to do for Christmas, which was a surprisingly big holiday in Auradon, so she was grateful for the inclusion. Even if it was a pain to get there. She was forced to stop for food twice already, once just because Harry saw a diner sign for something called “dutch babies” which turned out to just be really strange pancakes. This event delayed their trip almost an hour.
The roads worsened the closer they got, snow starting to appear along the way. They only skid on ice once. And it was just a little bit.
Gil cheered as they entered the small chalet town and hollered (earsplittingly loud) as they approached the long familiar driveway. Based on the amount of cars already in the drive, they were some of the last ones there.
Uma nearly threw herself of out the car once she parked, grabbing her bags as quickly as possible and letting Gil take the responsibility of waking up Harry. Fresh air had never been more refreshing ever.
She lugged her stuff over her shoulders and walked up to the huge cabin. It was somehow massive yet cozy. The rooms were small, but there were many of them. The lights were warm and the whole place was decorated. She wondered if it looked like that all year round. Uma had let herself in and didnt need to wander too far into the house to find the party.
Evie was the first to spot her. “UMA! Thank god you're here!” she ran over and gave Uma a one armed hug, holding her drink out in the other. “You took forever, I almost thought you guys weren't coming.”
“Yeah you can blame Harry for that”
“Are those two still out there getting their bags?”
“They'll be here any se-” Uma's voice was drowned out by a loud whooping holler. Harry entered the room yelling “THE PARTYS HERE” and everyone started yelling cheering with him, Gil trailing behind him giddily. Glasses clinked, people greeted, Uma got a drink made for her with two cherries in it.
She was proud to admit that she knew more than half of the people present. Impressive considering that, since the barrier release, she didnt find herself getting friendly with too many auradonians. Isle residents spread all throughout the country, and suddenly her close-knit community of eighteen years was disbanded. And since she didn’t live in an isle ghetto these days, Isle kids, people who she shared crucial life experience with, could be hard to come across. Lucky for Uma, Ben had a total isle fetish (kidding). She spotted a familiar purple-haired head dressed up in a christmas sweater mixing a drink at the bar. It had six cherries in it.
“Mal, hey” Uma moved near. Mal turned her head rapidly.
“Oh hey, youre finally here”
“Yeah it only took forever,” Uma cursed Harry in her head one more time. Mal was still rifling through the maraschino cherry jar. Seven cherries. “You know I honestly didn't think you were gonna be here this year.”
“What? You think a silly thing like a breakup is gonna keep me away from the Mrs Potts recipe dinner rolls? Ive been here since noon.” Eight cherries . Uma couldnt look away.
“Yeah? And hows this whole thing going for you,” Uma asked with a mocking smile.
“Im thinking about jumping off the balcony.”
“Cheers,” they clinked glasses. “You know I dont think Ive seen you since this thing last year.”
“Blame divorce.” Legally, Ben and Mals split didnt take too long. It was made out to be pretty amicable, even in most tabloits (although Mal did get quite the media bashing). Nearly all assets were left to Ben. Mal fought for nothing but one of the cars they shared, and Ben gave it to her with no reluctance. But the ordeal left Mal quite busy nonetheless.
“Where are you even living now?”
“Jays been letting me crash, he has an extra bedroom. I just have to sleep with all his sports paraphernalia. Kiss each of his trophies goodnight.” Uma laughed. Mal mentally pumped her fist and kept talking, “Its crazy honestly. Theres laundry everywhere, its like we’re fifteen again.”
“Good to know he hasn't changed.” Uma knew that Mal and Jay used to live together for a while on the isle too. His slob tendencies were common knowledge.
As a tall blonde guy started to approach the bar, Mal hastily ducked into an adjacent hallway. Uma laughed as she followed her behind the wall.
“What the fuck did you do that for?”
“I didnt want that guy to see me,” Mals hands covered her embarrassed face.
“Who is he?”
“Bens cousin.”
“So you're just gonna keep avoiding him?”
“Yes.” Mal peeked out between her fingers, “how long are we here again?”
“Like five days.”
“Fuck.”
Uma left Mal to her devices (she was stuck behind that wall for a while) and wandered around. The two had been getting along well the past few years. Seeing each other at an event about biannually, making impressively enticing small talk, politely forgetting about anything that ever happened between them or could’ve happened. Part of Uma hoped that Mal and Bens separation wouldnt change that, in the ways that she knew that it could. Another part of her… it was complex.
She made the rounds for the rest of the night, spending an abnormally long time talking to Jane about a daytime tv show they both tuned into. Since her and Carlos’ breakup, Jane had been in a serious relationship with one of the members of Bens cabinet. She wouldnt stop gushing about how ‘politically smart’ he was. After Uma thought of it, she realized she hadn't seen Carlos at all yet. She asked Jay about it.
“Oh hes not coming this year.”
“Huh. Weird.”
“Yeah,” Jay decided to pick that moment to down the rest of his drink.
Carlos wasn’t the only regular who didn’t show, Audrey and Chad were spending the holidays with the three good fairies. Uma was somewhat grateful. Though Audrey was mostly reserved these days, her presence still brought an antagonist air. Uma liked her fine enough.
The night ended quickly, the party not making it past 12:30 am. People headed up to the rooms they claimed every year, Uma was one of the few that always got her own and was proud of it. She saw Mal loading her stuff into the one Carlos usually took across the hall.
“Thank god hes not here, I was afraid we would have to bunk together,” Uma leaned on the doorway.
Mal turned to her, “Yeah you wish.”
“G’Night.” Uma closed the door before Mal could say the same.
Mal laid face down on her bed for ten minutes immediately after. She kinda wished they were bunking together.
❅
Uma woke up almost abnormally early the next morning, the sun had just begun to even dare to rise. Still, she wanted coffee. She shuffled on some slippers and quietly made her way down the stairs just to find a small group was already in their snow gear, scrambling around the kitchen.
“Hey Uma! Good morning!” Ben came up behind her, as chipper as ever. His hair was tousled from his hat and goggles, implying he had already been out in the snow. Uma was baffled at how early he must've woken up. She wished him a good morning too.
Along with the group of mostly male childhood friends of Ben’s, was Evie, who was sat on the porch with a mug and a blanket.
“Morning,” Uma slid open the glass door to join her.
“Oh, morning. You're up early. I hope they didn't wake you, I told them all to quiet.” Evie held her cup right close to her face, the steam fogging up her cat-eyed glasses (Uma had no idea she needed glasses).
“Don't worry about it.”
“Dougs been up since five. They do this every year on the first day. Ah speak of the devil..” Doug tapped on the glass before sliding it open. Evie wasnt kidding, he had his full gear on and his face was as red as a beet.
“Hey Uma. Eevs we’re going out again okay?”
“Have fun,” she sipped away.
“You going out on the slopes today too?’ Uma inquired, leaning against the railing. She was starting to shiver.
“Please, im not going out there this whole trip”
“Cmon Eevs, not even once? I promise its fun,” Doug sat down right beside her.
“Youre not getting me in snow pants.”
“You dont have to wear snow pants-”
Uma left them to it. Her and Evie weren't really friends in any sense. They had vastly different experiences on the isle, and didn't know eachother then. Even now, the only thing they had in common was Mal. And that was an impossible (if not also despicable) basis of friendship for Uma. But they knew some of the same people, and they got along, even if Uma wondered how Doug managed to put a ring on her (the two had been engaged for like three years now). They seemed happy. Evie was really fun drunk, too.
The rest of the house started waking up two hours later. A bunch of them went out to town for breakfast, then spent the day just hanging around and picking at Christmas cookies. Uma watched Lonnie and Jay start a 2000-piece puzzle (they would never finish it), and heckled when they didn't get a match.
She had seen Mal fervently talking to her phone a few feet away and after Uma was bored with chatting, she walked over, sitting on the arm of the sofa Mal was on. Mal smiled at her in acknowledgment but went back to talking. She peeked over to see Carlos on FaceTime.
“-That cabin was getting far too incestuous,” He sounded tired over the phone.
“My god you're so dramatic,” Mal rolled her eyes.
“It wouldve been weird.”
“So what! Two people who youve slept with are here, sure, but also all your friends are and its just for a few days so I dont really see the problem.” Jay and Carlos had an abrupt, vehement, but fleeting stunt over the past year. Neither of them were very happy about how it ended, so everyone avoided the topic as much as possible (Mal being the exception to this unspoken rule).
“Okay tell me this Mal. How many of your exes are in that house with you?”
Mals face heated up reaaaal quick. “Well I wouldnt really say exes -” She said quieter than before, leaning away from Uma slightly, “But look at me! I'm here, persisting.” Mals eyes glued to Uma as she got up and walked away, clearly no longer interested in the conversation.
“Robert and Anita invited me over for the holidays and im leaving tomorrow, I wasnt coming either way- You knew this.”
“Okay fine yeah sure, but you owe me. You were my rock at this every year.”
“Sure. I got to go, okay?”
“Do you really?” She was positive he didnt actually have to go.
“Laterrrrrrrr” He hung up. She texted him right after.
‘ Uma was literally right next to me when you said that you evil cunt ’
‘ LITERALLY PROVING MY POINT ’ She saw what he was saying unfortunately. This might be her last year doing this.
If it was anyone else she wouldnt have felt any type of way about it. Half of the population had gotten with Harry (she had simply fallen victim), and Ben and her were still close and surprisingly very normal (they were practically still best friends). Uma was weird . Well Mal was weird about Uma. She had been for a while now. She was afraid everyone knew there was no reason for her to be obsessing about the ‘safety of auradon’ by constantly looking out to the sea with binoculars those years ago, or constantly bringing Uma up in conversation with ‘concerns’ about the barrier, or losing sleep thinking about their arm wrestling match months after it happened.
After Uma had stopped living on the lamb and helped Mal bring Auradon to peace when Audrey had her episode, the barrier was lifted and Uma moved to a neighborhood in Auradon City Mal had never even heard of.
But then it was Mal's bachelorette party. And she came. And they kissed. Like too much. She wasn’t totally sure what happened or how it went down (forced herself to block most of it out) but Mal still felt sickeningly bad about it to this day. Especially because it was much less of a drunk kiss and more of an admittance to something. And assumed that both of them knew it. She got married anyway. Mal loved Ben. She told him about it, but she didn’t think he really understood, he wasn’t really upset. Mal felt like he should’ve been. Her guilty conscience had a field day.
Mal still ended up seeing Uma at least once a year, usually more, and she got the great honor of feeling incredibly weird about it every time they hung out.
But Uma never mentioned it, so neither did she.
❅
Uma hit the slopes the next day. She rented an all-mountain snowboard and gear from a shack and spent the rest of the day gliding. She made fun of Gil for hours about renting skis and not a board, but he got his revenge the second Uma fucked up a grab mid-air and faceplanted. Jay got it on video (she really thought she was gonna nail it). He showed it to everyone. Mal quite literally peed from laughter. Uma wanted to DIE.
“This is just vengeance for you going to breakfast without me yesterday,” Mal wiped her eyes after her laughing fit.
“You were asleep ??” Jay replied in Umas stead and she mentally thanked him for it because they started fighting a second later.
“Have you ever heard of waking someone up? I know you have because I live with you .”
The ensuing snowball fight resulted in both of them ending up with unspeakable amounts of snow down their shirts.
When twilight hit, Uma ran through the dark, snowy yard to the hot tub that was in the back, ripping her coat off once she got a foot away. She threw herself in with a small, but perfectly aimed, splash that got Harry right in the face.
“ UMA -” He had to complain extra loud to be heard over her and Evie's laughter.
“Oh Its so warmmmmmmmm,” Uma sunk deep into the bubbling water. She felt like she was being made into soup. Her body had been frozen solid all day (and sore.. from faceplanting).
“This is always my favorite part,” Evie sunk in a little more too, holding her drink out with one arm. “I need to buy a hot tub.”
“Ye shoud really buy a hot tub,” Harry fervently agreed immediately after.
“I suddenly feel a great urge to always be at your house..” Uma joked. She had only been to Evie’s house once before. Well at least the one she was living in at the moment. It was much less of a house and more a miniature castle. Still entirely massive, even for being miniature. Evie continued talking about whatever it was she was saying before Umas initial interruption.
“Anyways im still working on my new line. Using an unfortunate amount of leather though.”
“An how’s tha workin oot for ye?”
“Its really fucking hard.” Evie sipped her glass, and the three of them began to rotate typical conversation topics: work, health, relationships, etc. Uma found her infinitely easier to talk to while Harry was there, he was truly the conversation buffer of all conversation buffers aka cant shut up.
Harry complained about his high-end bartending job (he got massive amounts in tips regardless his problems), Evie about her lack of wedding planning (her and Doug would probably stay engaged another year at their rate), and Uma compulsively mentioned her really annoying upstairs neighbor (plays guitar).
The back door was heard opening and the three of them whipped their heads to see a barely illuminated Mal marching over in snowboots and no jacket.
“Hey guys, Bens opening the Clase Azul and wondered if you guys wanted a try,” Mal approached the tub, leaning right on it.
“What’s thon,” Harry said. His accent was still perplexingly strong despite constantly being around people who spoke without one. It was a mystery for the ages.
“Expensive tequila,” she answered, “Please come in, I’m stuck with Jay and Gil reminiscing about their year abroad,” Mal said, mainly looking at Evie.
“..Fine,” Evie remissed before sinking in a little more, “just give me a second.”
“Thank you thank you thank youuu”
Mal stood there in the snow (somehow not freezing her ass off) and spent a few seconds very obviously looking at Uma with squinted eyes.
“What ?” Uma snapped a little.
“So does your necklace just glow when it gets wet,” Uma looked down to see her charm radiate a warm glow over the harsh hot tub lighting, “or are you gonna like transform into a sea monster and crush us to death right now.”
“You flatter me.” The answer was it glows when it gets wet.
“Well i try-” Mal was drowned out by Harrys abrupt getting out of the water.
“Ma god let’s juist gae,” Harry rolled his eyes. Him and Evie were already out of the water by the time either Mal or Uma got the memo.
“That was weird,” Uma took her time getting out of the hot water and out into the cold snowy forest air. Harry and Evie were already near the house.
“He’s so dramatic,” Mal almost laughed out.
“Not any more than you.”
“See I feel like you’re just saying that to bug me,” Mal waited for her while Uma got her coat and towel and boots.
“It’s fucking freezing out here,” Uma scrambled to get all her stuff out of the snow. Having just been soaking in the boiling water made the cold all the more unbearable. Meanwhile Mal just stood out there in a t-shirt, perfectly comfortable.. the freak.
“Can you hurry up”
“Just go in without me.”
“And leave you out in the wilderness alone?”
“I lived at sea for almost a year I am far more capable in the wild than you .” Mal stayed out there anyway.
They went in for their drinks, Mal holding the door open for a frozen solid Uma. She preferred summer.
The night started innocently enough: mostly everyone toasted with a glass of fancy liquor and hung around making conversation. But maybe at one point too many bottles were opened. Uma got drunker than she was hoping she would on that trip. Talking to people she rarely saw had never been more fun. Harry played a song on the piano really badly (singing included) and she got it on video.
Most of the night was kind of a blur for Uma. She was pretty sure she played a round of charades, maybe smoked some of a bowl, and the rest of her chips were gone when she woke up the next morning so she assumed that was her too.
She remembered a moment where her and Evie were talking (Evie was an ever flowing fountain of really really good gossip) and she had said: “Uma, are you seeing anyone right now?” Uma said no.
And just a couple minutes later she saw Mal and Evie quietly arguing about something in another room. If she had thought about it anymore her head wouldve exploded. She didn’t wanna jump to conclusions. (it was about her, right?) Uma figured Mal had probably told Evie about her bachelorette party, she didnt see why she wouldn't have. Evie was the one who had invited her in the first place. Uma didnt even consider her and Mal friends, especially not at the time. She came anyway. By the end of the night she couldn't tell if Mal was actually into her, unhappy in her marriage, or just an affectionate drunk. Uma didn't end up going to the wedding.
Their eyes had met from across the room. Uma guessed she was staring. She hadn't realized.
Her and Mal hadn’t had any problems in years. Uma was over all the betrayal and anger she had felt in her youth (at least as much as physically possible. There will probably always be a scar), and neither of them ever mentioned Mals bachelorette party. It was like it never happened. Uma pretended that that didn't piss her off. In any case, It would've been way too pathetic to be kindling a flame for someone who was married and in love for like four years. So she was over it. (…At least as much as physically possible. Old flames die hard. Or at least were easily rekindled)
So the few times a year she hung around Mal and got a funny feeling or weird compulsion to touch her hand or something, it was urgently ignored and forgotten about, and thats how she went about her life. She figured it was just one of those things.
❅
The days went by fast and it was already the last night they would all spend in the cabin before everyone packed their bags and headed home the next evening. They always had a big dinner on the eve of their departures, everyone picking something to make and then cramming themselves in the disproportionately small kitchen, desperate to get their dish done. It was borderline competitive. Uma made french silk pie every year, because she was smart, and the recipe allowed for you to make it a day before served. She would enjoy the kitchen debacle from the sidelines.
“Ouch! Dude you totally burned me!?”
“If Audrey and Chad aren’t here, who’s gonna make the turkey?”
“THATS WAY TOO MUCH CUMIN-”
It was Umas favorite part of the trip. She was always the kid chanting ‘ fight fight fight ’ in the schoolyard.
After the day of food-network-level-urgent cooking, dinner was finally served and they all sat along a makeshift table, last supper style. There was a combination of fine china and dollar store cutlery; candelabras down the center, and paper napkins with santa on them. Ben may have been king but he had yet to inherit the actual fancy dishware. Uma sat at the far end of the stupidly long table, right next to Lonnie and her unbearably attractive husband Jason. They were hardly ten minutes into dinner and Uma was making small talk with the couple (Neither of them worked jobs. They were very wealthy people apparently. Did a lot of hot yoga together, whatever that was) when she received a text from Mal for the first time in two and a half years.
‘ Can i come sit by you ’ Uma looked up from the message on her phone to see Mal staring at her expectantly with bug eyes from all the way at the other end of the table. She was sitting by Ben and some of his cabinet members, very obviously the black sheep of the group.
‘ ? sure ’
She watched as Mal got her message, and made an excuse to the people sitting by her, pointing over to Uma, probably lying out of her ass.
A second later she was sat down in the empty space next to Uma, having pulled up a chair and set her plate down.
“Im sorry but I was going crazy over there and there was a chair right here,” Mal explained herself. It was a creaky foldout chair that had been stuffed away in the corner of the room. A chair nonetheless.
“What were they on about?” Uma asked.
“Oh it’s nothing.. just. A lot of stuff that is stupid to me now. Politics stuff.” Uma wondered if it was really politics stuff or if Mal was just saying that because it was something to say.
“So, what did you make?” Uma politely inquired.
“The lasagna.”
“Hey Lonnie can you pass that dish over there?” She pointed to the red casserole dish that had the lasagna.
“Are you really gonna make me watch you eat my food?” Mal frowned.
“Yeah,” Uma smiled a little as Lonnie handed it over.
“That feels like really cruel.”
“Well I was born to be bad.”
“Oh so it is genetic? My mom would be so pleased.” Out of all the isle kids that Uma still talked to, Mal was probably the one that talked about their parents the most. Uma didn't know what that said about her but it was definitely something.
Mal ended up making conversation with Lonnie too, having just sat right between her and Uma. Uma overheard, and it was like Mal had started speaking a different language, she knew exactly what to say. She knew what hot yoga was.
When their separate conversations with the people on either sides of them made their natural endings, the two sat next to eachother in a sort of painful silence. The room was too loud, Mal couldnt think, conversations were heard all around them, they sat there picking at their plates. Mal didnt know why she couldnt work up the urge to speak, this never happened to her.
“It was good by the way,” Uma finally broke their streak.
“Hm?”
“Your lasagna”
“Oh. Thanks,” Mals eyes widened a degree, “I like your pie”
“You haven't even had it yet,” Uma held back a smile.
“Yeah well i like it every year so i'm just gonna preemptively say it”
“Mm thanks.”
They returned to their silence, pushing food around on their plates.
“Do you wanna get out of here?” Mal asked, literally out of nowhere. She was gonna go crazy if she didnt leave immediately.
Uma blinked hard, “..Where would we even go? We’re in the middle of nowhere,” she finally replied after just a little too long.
“I don’t know, like a gas station or something?”
“What are we 13? Hanging out at a gas station..,” Uma was fully ready to decline the nonobligatory one-on-one Mal time, until she looked at her face. Sigh. “Fine- you drive.” Agreeing was a compulsion and nothing more.
“Yay!” Mal cheered right up.
The dinner was ending, people were getting up more and more, so the two of them very subtly got up from their seats and walked out the door. They ran through the snow to Mals car and quickly got in, blasting the heat immediately. Mal drove down the Main Street of the town they were in, mindlessly driving further and further out. The radio played holiday music.
The first gas station they saw was called ‘Vik’s Oil’. They pulled into the cold, blue, flickering lights of the place’s canopy. They didn't need any gas. There was practically no snow where they were, away from the mountain, just the wet and melted ghost of it.
The little store had a bell on the door that rung when they came in. Mal raided the candy section; Uma, the drink aisle.
“Hmmm what flavor should i get?” Uma asked from the other side of the store.
“You cant really fail with something thats blue colored,” Mal hummed back. The store was small enough to have a whole conversation between aisles. Mal whipped her head when she heard a burst of laughter out of Uma.
“ Mal oh my god ,” Uma breathed out between laughs.
“What??” She practically ran to her section, just to see Uma holding up a magazine with a huge picture of Mal right in the centerfold. She didnt look too bad, but she had definitely looked better. She was in her pajamas (an outfit she frequented post-divorce. She very stupidly assumed she would be out of the public eye once her and Ben were separated, but alas..), and her hair was kind of a mess, with her roots all grown out and blonde. The magazine must've been several months old and she wasnt embarrassed of anything that happened then, but she snatched it from Umas hands anyway. She had quickly learned to be embarrassed. The media had twisted her image quite a bit, she didnt need her reading the text beneath the photo.
“Dont think im not buying that,” Uma smiled.
“You are absolutely not.”
“But I am.”
“Its months old.”
“I dont care, it has a picture of you in it.”
Mals heart had severe palpitations. She gave it back to Uma right away.
Uma bought their stuff while Mal fiddled with the convenience store nick nacks that hung at the checkout station.
“You owe me a dollar,” Uma said while she rolled up the magazine and stuffed it in her coat pocket.
“Thank youuuu,” Mal opened her candy immediately. They headed outside and sat down on the curb, snacking on their respective items. It wasnt as cold out as it was by the mountain, but it was still winter.
“So why aren’t we back at the warm house?” Uma was nearly shivering.
“Do you want my coat?”
“Im fine,” Uma had no idea why she said that, she definitely wanted to be wearing another coat (probably just not Mals coat) “What I mean why did you wanna leave in the first place. It’s mostly your friends there.”
“Ufhh I don’t know.. I just don’t wanna talk to anyone right now,” Mal fiddled with her candy wrapper, mouth still full.
“I'm almost offended.”
“You don’t count,” Mal teased, “it’s just I don’t really fit in with most of them anymore.”
“Really? You don’t come off that way,” Uma thought about her conversations at dinner. She was definitely better at fitting in with them than Uma was.
“Yeah I guess, but it’s like after the divorce.. I find myself having nothing in common with them anymore. We’re still friends, but being with Ben was my conversational crutch. Knowing about upcoming policies and royal family gossip was the only thing that kept me relevant. And now most of them are married or in big relationships and we all had that in common too but now.. now I’m just a freak again. Every social event is just like when I first came here and high school. I’m 23! …Maybe I should let my hair grow out. Keep the blonde for a while.” Uma had opened her mouth several times, but said nothing. Mal didn’t seem to notice, “I don’t know. And now I kinda want a cigarette. Dammit.” Mal didn’t smoke. Especially not since transferring to Auradon High where the act was virtually impossible, but on that night, sitting on the damp ground with gas station lights flickering in her eyes, she could go for a taste.
“I’ve got a light if you wanna smoke that,” Uma pointed to an old butt that was laying on the wet cement a foot away from them. Mal broke out into laughter in her hands. “I’m serious there’s twenty bucks in it for you if you smoke that,” Uma spoke through stifled laughs, proud of Mal’s reaction.
“Twenty dollars? You’re kidding me,” Mal was still laughing.
“I have the money right now,” Uma pulled out her old leather wallet (that was hanging together by two seams) and whipped out a crumbled bill, “right here.”
“..Alright” Mal sighed out and bent over in her crouched position, reaching a foot in front of her.
“Shut the fuck up.”
“I’m doing it.” She elicited laughs from Uma.
“There’s no way..”
Mal held it in her fingers. It was disgusting. Slightly damp, practically just the filter left, visible dirt rolled on the side. “God.. Look at that thing.” They spent a second just looking at it. Uma laughed the whole time as Mal put it to her lips.
“Would you hurry up and light this before I puke”
Uma pulled a lighter and leaned in close, clicking it with one hand and blocking the wind with the other. Their legs were folded between each other, repositioned to get a better light. The stub was so short that her hand grazed Mal’s face a couple times. Uma held her breath, careful not to get too close, to not breathe on her face. Careful not to touch her, not to look at her face, not to look at her mouth.. It took way too long to spark, they were frozen like that for minutes probably.
When it finally lit, Mal took the smallest hit fathomable.
“Oh god,“ Mal wheezed out. Smoke filled up Uma’s nose just for a short second.
“That was the grossest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
“You’re so dramatic,” Mal wiped her mouth violently, “you don’t remember the food served at your own moms restaurant? That was gross.” The expired seafood and roadkill type things that lived in the menu had always inspired vomitus feelings in Mal’s experience. She remembered she was almost glad to have been banned from there some nights.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Uma felt her face heat a little. It was definitely that bad. Mal moved to grab Uma’s gas station Gatorade. “-Oh no way, your dirty mouth is not coming within ten feet of this bottle”
“Whaaat I need to wash my mouth out Uma”
“Maybe you should’ve thought about that when we were at checkout and all you got was a chocolate.”
“How could I have possibly known you were gonna dare me to put a dirty cigarette butt in my mouth?”
“Speaking of, here,” Uma smiled and slapped the dollar bill into Mal’s hand, “you earned it.”
“Well thank you very much.”
They quickly fell into a soft silence, nothing like the one between them at dinner. There was nothing to do but stare at the sky and be amazed at how many stars could possibly exist. It was nothing like the cloudy isle, or the bright city. It was so dark out, stars popped out like snowflakes on a black coat. The air was crisp and clean, and trees framed the roads. The wind settled for a minute, and Mal finally cleared her throat.
“Hey do you uh- wanna go get a drink? Or food or something I guess?” She said without looking at Uma. Mal couldn't decide if asking her to get a drink had any weird implications but they had just eaten. She really didnt wanna go back just yet. “It’s on me. I am twenty dollars richer after all.”
“..Sure. Yeah let’s go,” Uma mightve agreed to anything Mal had said. The two got up from their seats on the cold concrete outside of the gas station store and walked back over to Mal's divorce winnings (her car).
“They're probably not gonna miss us too much right?” Mal said, spinning her keys on her finger.
“Its been an hour, they won’t even notice.”
They drove down the same road they'd been on before, the same holiday songs playing over and over again (Uma complaining everytime one specific one that she hated was on), stopping after finally spotting a roadside pub fifteen minutes later.
The place was mostly empty, the only two other people in there were tucked in a booth together in a far corner. They took seats at the bar. The inside was dark and warm, a refreshing change of environment for Uma (someone who hadn’t brought their good coat).
They sat around and spinned on their seats for a while before they ordered, taking in the scene. It definitely was a bar, and it was everything one would expect.
The bartender brought out one drink first (they both got kiddie cocktails), saying the other would be out in a second. Mal leaned to claim it but Uma swapped her hand away with an appalling swiftness.
“Aht aht eldest goes first,” Uma waved her finger in Mals face.
“What? Your birthday was like a week ago that’s no fair.” It was two weeks ago. They both knew this.
“Yeah but I’m still way older than you.”
“Six months is not way older,” Mal protested. Her birthday was in July. So truthfully it was more like seven months,“Happy birthday by the way.” It made sense that Mal would never text or call her for her birthday, they didn't have that kind of relationship. She felt bad about not doing it anyway. She kinda wished they did.
“Thanks,” Uma hummed into her drink.
“How’s 24 treating you?”
“You know, It’s been good so far.”
“Hey,” Mal got her attention, “Are you happy?”
“Yeah. I think I am.”
“Good,” she smiled. Uma had a feeling the answer was probably not the same for Mal. She had insisted on a celebratory shot for Umas birthday all the same. Uma held the shot glass in her hand for like five minutes before working up the urge to actually take it.
“That was my last one,” Uma said while her face was still twisted from the taste.
“Whaat? Awe no you couldve warned me”
“I cant get drunk two nights in a row ill die,” Uma was still feeling the effects of yesterday.
“So just one more then?”
“Yeah order it.”
Mal flagged the bartender down right away. After round two, Mal made a big announcement: she was going to the bathroom. When she jumped down from the barstool, she was the height of Umas chest.
“Oh my god I’m so much taller than you on this thing,” Uma laughed out, swiveling her seat.
“We’re literally the same height,” Mal hissed. They actually were literally the same height, like probably only a few centimeters apart.
“I can’t really hear you from down there.”
“Okay I’m leaving”
“Go piss girl,” Uma called out to her as she walked away to find a bathroom.
She was glad she had a moment alone to reflect. Uma had felt as though she had blinked and suddenly she was two shots deep in a roadside bar with Mal instead of back at the chalet packing her bags for leave tomorrow.
She was relaxed fine enough, and the two had a good time together, but sometimes Mal would say something or do something small, or even look a certain way, and Uma's chest would twist into a knot. It was embarrassing for her to think about. She stared down her glass, meditating on every moment in her life that could've possibly led her up to this.
Mal hopped back onto her barstool out of nowhere and startled the shit out of Uma. She tried not to flinch. “So what's up with you?” Mal asked and got back to swiveling.
“Nothing.”
“Really? Nothing? Nothing at all?”
“Living life, breathing air.”
“Hows work?” Mal attempted conversation anyway.
“It sucks.” Uma was a back of house manager at a fairly popular restaurant in midtown Auradon City. She literally screamed all day. It could very well have been her life's passion.
“My god give me sommeething here”
“Nothing has happened recently,” Uma shrugged
“Well sue me for wanting to know about your life”
“Okay well if you insist I could probably talk about my upstairs neighbors guitar lessons for a few hours,” it was the current bane of Umas existence, “Oh actually you know we just fired a guy like two weeks ago.”
“What was wrong with him”
“Came to work drunk and puked in the kitchen ,” Uma laughed a little.
“Oh my god ,” Mal covered her mouth in shock.
“No cause it was actually one of the most stressful days of my whole life-” Uma quickly turned the conversation into a work rant, talking about all the people they've had to fire this year, detailing every little thing about her coworkers and their habits that annoy her.
Uma had been working in restaurants her whole life, and she didnt stop when she didnt have to work for her mom anymore. It was the only thing she thought that she really knew so intimately. She referenced a lifetime of experience when she talked about it, bringing up times from her moms place, from the first auradonion place she had worked at, from that place way on the western coast she worked at for a year. That being said, she had plenty to talk about.
The conversation eventually drifted away into something else entirely, they bounced from topic to topic for at least an hour.
“Okay whats your favorite part about christmas so far” is what Mal finally landed on after a beat of silence between them. Uma had been in Auradon for five years, making this her fourth holiday season. Mal might’ve only been living there for one and a half years longer but she still considered herself the expert out of the two.
“I like the tree thing,” Uma said after a moment of thinking.
“Hmm what about the presents?”
“Last year I got seashells from three people I’ve had enough with the gifts,” Uma had them all lined up on her windowsill at home, “what about you?”
“I like the food, but the presents are really the highlight. I feel bad, I feel like I should get you something.”
“A gift?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Why not?” Mal borderline pouted.
“Cause then I have to get you one and Christmas is in like four days and I wouldn’t be able to find anything. And don’t say you don't have to get me anything because I would.”
“Fine I guess I’ll just get you a seashell,” Mal grumbled out.
“I don’t know why I get so many seashells, just because my necklace is in the shape of one doesn’t mean I collect them or even like them very much,” It was a phenomenon she didnt understand.
“I think its cute,” Mal thought of Uma whenever she saw a seashell too.
“Yeah well it's definitely affordable”
“Just another plus,” Mal shrugged.
“Speaking of, do you even have a job right now?” Umas eyebrow raised.
“Okay funs over, you ruined it you ruined the fun.”
“How were you gonna get me a present, miss couchsurfer?”
“I dont know- steal.”
That got Uma laughing, “You are so shit at stealing.”
“I am not???” Mal gaped.
“Yeah you are, you always had Jay get everything for you, I remember.”
“Okay its time to get off my back, this is crazy”
“Im sorry youre just a really easy target,” Uma laughed.
“You should work for The Auradon Times, I think you would thrive there” Mal hummed. The Auradon Times was one of the biggest news/magazine/newspaper complexes in the country, and was also one of the biggest publishers of stories criticizing Mal.
“.. That..uh.. sucks by the way. All those papers about you,” Uma kind of mumbled out. She didn’t really know how to say it. She remembered seeing them in grocery stores and diners when they were coming out. She would frequently pick them up and give them a good long stare.
“Meh. It's fine,” Mal shrugged. Uma must have looked unconvinced because she reassured, “it really is. It doesnt actually bother me too much. People can think what they want. And I’m used to being widely disliked, I think I even prefer it. Having to put on an act for the media was so annoying.”
“Well then if it makes you feel any better, I believed every single horrible thing a tabloid ever said about you,” Uma smiled into her cup. Mal laughed particularly loud and Uma smiled a little harder, “I'm kidding, you know, I don't think i ever read anything beyond headlines.”
“Oh don't worry, usually the headlines were the best part. I think one of my favourites was when they like claimed I made Ben cry and there was this big photo of him with his head in his hands on the cover, oh my god it was so funny.”
They spent the next forever looking up the best headlines, both leaned into eachother, crouching over Mals phone. One of them called her ‘man-eater mal’ which led into a whole separate debate about whether or not that was a good nickname or not.
After their first bit of silence in a while Uma mentioned, “Not sure ive ever spent this much time with you in a row.”
“Oh now that cant be true.” They had known each other for years, it seemed unfathomable.
“I dont know man its been like a few hours”
“What about-...”
“What?”
“Never mind.” Mal was too scared to bring up her bachelorette party. Uma knew what she was referring too anyway.
Umas phone started buzzing as if on cue, a call from Harry (Mal saw the contact name from over her shoulder).
“Yeah?” Uma picked up right away, “Uhh we’re like thirty minutes out, at some bar - No I’m pretty much good to go - Yeah give us like.. forty minutes. Maybe an hour - Oh suck it up ya big baby - yeah yeah tell him I say hi. Okay I got to go - okay bye”
“Oh so you’re one of those people that say they have to go even when they really don’t, got it,” Mal made a mental note of this trait.
“Harry wants us back. We should probably head out soon”
A disturbing panic struck through Mal. Uma had already gotten up and was ruffling through her pockets, seemingly ready to leave, ready to go and probably not see Mal again for another year. Once or twice a year should probably be enough for her. It was enough for Uma.
Mal knew in her head that Uma could not be more indifferent to her, she regarded this as fact. This would make all the very stupid pining Mal had been doing especially pointless. It was nightmarish to know that Uma was walking around, probably aware of Mals massive infatuation with her, just thinking nothing of her. She liked it better when Uma hated her.
Uma finished the rest of her drink, which was mostly melted ice and a bit of cherry juice and asked for the keys.
“Why do you need my keys,” Mal said hesitantly.
“Im better to drive than you.”
“That’s quite presumptuous.”
“You’re a lightweight. Gimme the keys.”
Mal dug into her coat pocket and fished out a key chain with a tag that read ‘royal pain’ (in cursive and with a little crown on top of the p)
“For the record, I am good to drive,” Mal dropped the chain in Umas hand.
“Just pay the tab”
“Yeah yeah,” She paid for the bulk of it using the 20 Uma had given her earlier that evening.. It felt much more like Uma was paying.
When the tab had been settled and Uma headed for the door, Mal decided to finally choke something out, “ Wait -”
“What?”
“I um.. I….. uh..”
“You okay Mal?” Uma made a face like a confused coy smile.
“Im fine-” she felt like she was going to die, “I just.. Uh. I’m not ready to go yet”
“Girl Its late”
“Yeah I know,” Mal pinched her brows together
“Come on,” Uma motioned her head towards the door.
Mal grabbed her jacket and followed Uma out the door, the cold immediately burning their skin. Mal watched as Uma headed over to the car. She felt like she needed to do something or she was really going to regret it.
“Uma wait a second.” Mals breath was visible in the chill air.
Uma turned around, “yeah?”
“We’re probably not gonna see each other for a while after this..”
“Probably.. yeah,” Uma had that confused face on again.
“So I just wanted to say…”
“..What?” She crossed her arms, either for warmth or out of expectation.
“……uh, happy birthday,” Mal internally screamed at herself. That was the only thing she could come up with.
“You already wished me a happy birthday,” Uma griped.
“No I mean for like.. next year.”
“That’s it?”
“No,” Mal clicked her tongue.
“Spit it out already then goddamn” Uma was freezing.
“Okay so. i..” Mal couldnt even begin think of what to say, “…. I wish.. I wish we ..” Mal started to step towards her. Uma felt her pulse quicken as she started to understand what Mal was getting at. She figured it out fast enough. Snow began falling, just lightly, seconds later. The flakes stung her face.
“You dont have to say anything,” Uma took a step closer. Uma wanted to hear Mal say it anyway. She wanted to hear her say it really badly.
“I feel like I do;” Mal said with squinted eyes.
“If you dont want to you dont have to say anything,” She said even though all she could think was ‘ just admit it ’.
“Would you rather i didnt?”
“Honestly I would give a kidney to hear you say whatever it is you're about to say,” Uma teased.
“Don’t mock me okay, I’m just trying to tell you.. like goddammit I don’t even know how to say it but don’t tell me I’m stupid before I even get it out there,” Mal rushed her words out.
“I’m not gonna call you stupid, stupid,” Uma wore the hint of a smile, “if we’re just gonna be standing out here while you think, can I at least have your coat”
Mal didn’t hesitate taking it off. She held it in front of Uma, sticking her arm out. Uma walked fully up to her, ending up ignoring the held out purple jacket altogether. They could see each other's breath in the cold air, right up in their faces.
Uma didn’t even know why she did it. Maybe she just wanted to. But she leaned in too close and asked-
“Can i-?” She ended up admitting it first.
“Yeah” Mal breathed out, bewildered. She had to register this information fast but there was no time, the space between them closed immediately.
They kissed. A few times. For a long time. They had just clicked, it was instantaneous. Like snapping a seat belt together. Their arms tangled together. Mal had dropped her jacket pretty quickly, she favored clutching the ends of Umas.
“How do you feel about my dirty mouth now?” Mal had to pull away to joke, almost panting as she said it.
“Why would you say that” Uma said as serious as she could get out (so not very). They were still in eachothers arms. Mals responding laugh was spastic and through chattered teeth, Uma kept insisting, “What possessed you to say that im serious.”
“So.. can we do that again-” Mal bit her smile. Uma leaned in again despite the urge to facetiously protest. She couldn't prevent it. Not like she would’ve.
They stood out in the snow like that for what felt like years before deciding to actually get in the car.
They only stopped because Uma pulled away, “You must be freezing.” Mal had been standing there in a t-shirt, she had started shivering in her arms. So she suggested they go back.
The ride home was silent. The same holiday music played on the radio. Uma didn’t say anything when her least favorite song came on. She only looked away from the road three times, and she could feel Mal looking back at her everytime after. She just hoped her face wasn't as red as Mals was.
Mal didn’t really have a clue of what to say. She was still recovering from her shock. She hid her grin in the palm of her hand.
By the time they had parked and gotten out of the car, Harry was already out the door and yelling at them (they had been out longer than Uma promised), leaving them alone no longer. Any opportunity to talk or acknowledge anything that had happened in the last half hour dissipated. Mal had felt it slip through her fingers. Like a snowball that had melted away before she got the chance to throw it.
Harry had kept Uma by his side for at least fifteen minutes, ranting into her ear about whatever happened while they were gone. Admittedly Uma wasnt really listening. Eventually she broke free and looked around the group of people that were still awake, all gathered in one of the living rooms. When she asked, Ben had told her that Mal had gone to bed. Her stomach sank, twisted right back into a nervous knot.
Mal laid in her bed that night, thinking that she had gotten a cold.
❅
Everybody bustled early in the morning, eager to get ready and get back home.
The entirety of the upstairs had been moving, everyone shuffling past each other in the thin wallpapered hallway, bags in hand.
Mal had gone to bed earlier than her last night and Uma didn't catch sight of her until later into the morning either. She felt herself getting mad at Mal. Or mad at herself.
It seemed like to Uma that whatever had happened the previous night was just an off chance repeat of a few years ago. Uma was the one who had initiated it anyway. She didn’t even actually know what Mal was going to say to her that night. So she figured that Mal probably wouldn’t want to pursue anything or even talk about it (they still haven’t even mentioned the first time to each other). Uma had made up her mind about it.
So it surprised her when Mal hung around her door late in the morning, when almost everyone was already downstairs and eating.
“Hey”
Uma looked up from her duffle bag and felt her heart stop, “Hey.”
“So..-” Mal slowly walked into the room.
“So.”
“Uh okay. So about last night..-“
“Look Mal.. dont worry. It's okay, we can just forget about it.” Uma didn’t really know why she felt the need to cover for Mal. She would’ve really rathered to not have a repeat of the past four years. She didnt know why she insisted on it.
“..What?”
Uma was really just covering for herself. She just didnt want to hear Mal try and let her down easy, “You dont have to say anything. Im okay.”
“Well im not! ” Mal exasperated. She stood there looking nearly offended.
“Oh.” Umas eyebrows pushed together. She was still on her knees, holding a shirt she was about to pack. She could feel herself getting more and more nervous as the gears in her head turned. She wasnt ready for this turn in conversation.
“Damn you just pissed me off”
“Sorry I guess I just didnt realize,” Uma stood up from the floor and blinked hard.
“You think I don't like you?”
“You like me?” Uma coughed out, nearly choked on the words.
“Okay go to hell”
“I just figured you didn't care!?”
“ Why .” Mal was fervent.
“Because after the first time, you never said anything.” Uma matched her.
“Neither did you??”
“It was your party, it was your relationship, if anyone was supposed to bring it up, it was you .”
“I couldn’t! ” Mal made a pleading face, “I made a mistake that night, I had a husband . It hurt to even think about- I couldn't acknowledge it.”
“Well it hurt me too .”
Mal didn’t respond for a while. “I’m sorry,” she finally breathed out, “after a while it just felt like it was too late to bring it up.”
“Yeah I know,” Uma muttered. She had felt the same way.
“So what do you want to do.. Do you want me to fuck off?” Mal only waited for a few seconds before assuming the answer, “We can just forget about it. Sorry.”
“Oh don't be dense Mal,” Uma sounded almost angry at even the idea. She was the one who initiated it after all.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re gonna make me say it,” Uma sighed out.
“Just once? So i know for sure?” It was a reasonable enough request.
“I like you,” it was way easier to admit than Uma wouldve liked it to be. It felt good to say it even, to get it off her chest. It felt like her heartbeat finally settled. Mal smiled like an idiot. Uma felt herself starting to do the same, “So.. what now?”
Mal waited for a while before asking, “Do you wanna get dinner?”
“It’s eleven in the morning”
“I mean tonight like when we get home.”
“Hmmm we should probably share a car going back,” Uma hummed out.
“You're right. Jay can drive my car and take Harry and Gil back too, its not out of his way.”
“You realize that would most likely be torture for him?”
“I think i'm willing to take that chance,” Mal earned a laugh from Uma. “I feel like we should leave without saying goodbye to everyone then,” Mal cringed as she imagined the face Evie would make if she told her she was leaving with Uma.
“Agreed, we should get out of here right away,” Uma thought of a similar reaction from Harry, “Should I meet you downstairs in ten?” Uma still had to finish packing. She couldn't believe this was a real conversation she was having.
“Yes i'll go give Jay my keys,” Mal was halfway out the door before she turned around, “oh wait one more thing.” She walked back up to her and before Uma even thought of it they were already mid-kiss.
“What? Are you just making sure?” Uma said once they had pulled away.
“I was born sure”
“Always the drama with you,” Uma said, rolling her eyes.
Mal ran down the stairs, almost bouncing off the walls with excitement. She felt like she was still dreaming. She then stole a liter of ginger ale from the kitchen fridge, slung her bag around her back, and found Jay and told him that he needed to take Gil and Harry back with him in her car.
“Why?” Jay raised his eyebrow all confused like while Mal gave him her keys. It took him a while to figure it out, “Oohhhhh hahaaaa wow good for you,” he laughed out.
“Shut up,” Mal forced herself to not blush (mind over matter) “Just dont say anything to anyone until we leave okay? Or we'll never get out of here alive”
“I just can't believe you actually did it,” Jay looked impressed. Mal was pretty sure she never told him anything, but he wasn’t that stupid.
“Tsk tsk ye of little faith”
“Have fuuun,” Jay taunted.
“Shut up and goodbye”
Mal very meticulously avoided everyone on her way outside and it took forever, everyone was downstairs and no one else planned to leave for at least another hour, so it was just her sneaking around with her bag and her jacket.
Uma was already leaned up against her car by the time Mal got out there.
The snowfall was fast and heavy. Fresh powder covered everything, including Umas hair and eyelashes.
“You ready to go?”
Mal took in the scene. It was idyllic. “Yeah let’s hit it.”
Mal got a stream of angry texts from Evie less than 20 minutes later. She laughed thinking about her reaction. The local holiday radio station crackled as they got farther and farther away and they didn’t skid on ice once.
They even stopped for dutch babies on the way back.