Work Text:
And it is Our War Zone
After the fight with the pirates followed by their parents’ attack, Carlos isn’t surprised when Harry jumps him. Metal clatters against cobblestone as the hook falls and strong hands grip Carlos by the jaw so a familiar tongue can slide between his teeth. When he tries to pull back, Harry tangles his fingers in Carlos’ hair to hold him still with a low growl.
Growling back, Carlos relents and tips his head into the kiss. His back is slammed against a crumbling brick wall and Harry’s grip on his hair pins him into place. It hurts, but most things do with Harry. The familiarity is calming.
Harry pulls back for breath as he moves his free hand to untuck Carlos’ tank. His breath is hot against Carlos’ neck as he mouths downward. “They take your bark when they defanged ye, De Vil?”
“Carlos!” Ben’s terrified shout startles them both just as Harry’s hand snakes under Carlos’ shirt to rest against bare skin.
Harry doesn’t release his grip on Carlos’ curls but he does pull back enough they can both scan the area. When no threats appear, they both turn back to Ben with confusion. Well, Carlos is confused. Harry’s posture changes from amused and ready to fuck into agression. “Don’t tell me the beast’s whelp holds your leash now.”
“No one holds my leash.” Carlos flicks open his butterfly knife and nudges the flat of the blade against Harry’s knuckles in one smooth motion.
The encouragement hidden in a threat gets him to back off. Harry holds one hand up in submission while he swipes the thumb of his other hand against his bottom lip to clear away the spit.
Even though Carlos doesn’t really see the point in sex, the move does kind of make him want to pin Harry against the wall so he can suck on the pirate’s face some more.
First though, he has to deal with Ben. “I told you to stay put.”
“He’s—“ Ben’s voice pitches high. “He’s trying to touch you.”
“I ain’t trying , your kingliness.” Harry’s smirking—Carlos doesn’t need to turn around to see it. A well toned arm drops around Carlos’ shoulders as Harry gropes the front of Carlos’ pants.
Immediately, Carlos sees the issue and doesn’t want to deal with it. This is Mal’s boyfriend, she should be the one who has to explain. He shuts his eyes and tips his head back to rest it against Harry’s shoulder while he searches for the inner peace he’s supposed to have found now that he’s ‘good’.
It earns him a wild laugh from Harry. “So they did take your balls, pup.”
“I’m gonna take yours if you don’t shut up.” Carlos says, tapping his weapon against one of Harry’s toned pecs. The blade of his knife has been put away for now but all it would take is a twist of his wrist for the pirate to be down a tit.
Harry barks mockingly but falls silent afterward, more interested in lipping at the back of Carlos’ neck. His warm tongue makes it hard for Carlos to suppress his shiver of pleasure long enough to soothe Ben’s fears. If he didn’t think Mal would kill him, Carlos would be tempted to leave the AK behind while they duck into a different alley.
“Look. Ben.” Carlos chews on the inside of his cheek and tips his head so Harry can start on a hickey at the base of his neck. Auradon’s run by prudes and he has no clue what Ben’s foundation for something like this is. “Have you ever heard of sex work?”
The blood drains from Ben’s face so the answer being yes is probably a safe bet. They’re probably seconds away from the idiot trying to attack. He’s so earnest when he says, “You don’t need to do that anymore. We’ll figure something out.”
“Fuckin’ hell.” Harry laughs against Carlos’ skin and it’s a real laugh, not the manic thing that usually escapes him. “Are they all like this?”
“Some are worse.”
“I don’t know how you survived.” Harry finally pulls his attention away from ravishing Carlos to study Ben. “I thought Uma was gonna have me gut him afore you lot got the chance to make a deal.”
“Carlos.” Ben reaches out. He’s too good, it bleeds off of him, and he’s going to get them killed. “There’s a better way to get the information you need.”
“Ben.” Carlos says.
He is so done with this conversation. He was supposed to get pinned against a building and kissed within an inch of his life before returning to the others to consolidate info. If Harry doesn’t gut him just for the principle of the matter after the explanation that’s about to happen, it will be a miracle. Making out is almost certainly not in the cards anymore. “What I was trying to say is that Harry and I are co-workers, not that he’s soliciting me.”
“I don’t understand.” Ben says, admitting his ignorance far too easily.
Carlos stifles a scream. “We both used to work Tremaine’s brothel. Well, I was a dancer and I think Harry still sells his time.”
“Not so much lately.” Harry rests his head on the top of Carlos’. He’s not relaxed but he’s as close to it as Carlos has ever seen him. “The Villains all took a hit when you went turncoat, your folks in particular. Not much to be gained working on your back anymore. Uma bought out my contract.”
“Right. Well, that’s how we met anyway. I gave him a dance and he showed me who to avoid and how.” Carlos just prays Ben isn’t going to make him spell it out. They’re too exposed for that. “After that… now we fuck and he slips me an extra fur or some info. It’s a mutual exchange.”
Mal said she explained dating didn’t happen on the isle. Ben’s not completely stupid. Surely he can connect the dots.
“So… it’s a pretense.” Ben frowns so deep that Carlos thinks the crease between his brows will become permanent. The prince looks between the two. “I thought your gangs hate each other.”
“We do.” Carlos says at the same time Harry digs his hook, retrieved from where he dropped it, into Carlos’ ribs.
Harry rumbles, deep and flirty. “I hate his guts. One of these days I’m gonna chop the pup up into fish bait. See if I can’t catch enough to feed the isle with the chum he’ll make.”
“I don’t—“
Harry straightens to cut Ben off before he can be so stupid twice . He releases Carlos so he can press the curve of his weapon into Ben’s neck. When he speaks, it’s quiet enough that only the three of them can hear.
It’s also very sexy.
“Mal and Uma flip between trying to kill each other and making up every other week. Carlos belongs to Mal and I’m Uma’s but our gangs are allowed to knock boots when the urge hits.”
Ben, to his credit, doesn’t flinch. It probably doesn’t say good things that Ben already trusts the pirates. “Carlos hates sex.”
Harry pulls back with a peculiar expression that he turns on Carlos. “Do ye, pup?”
Fuck Ben.
Carlos isn’t going to give the pirate a chance to gut the prince because he’s going to do it himself. He strides over to the pair with purpose and knocks the hook out of the way so he can tug Harry’s mouth down to his.
The pirate relaxes under his touch as Carlos erases the doubts that he refuses to let take root. Harry isn’t anything like the clients who used to take up their time. Sure they had to play at reluctance between them for the sake of appearances, but he wouldn’t have let Harry touch him if he didn’t want it. He sucks at Harry’s bottom lip as he finally pulls back with obvious reluctance. “I don’t hate sex, I just think it’s boring.”
That pulls a smile from Harry. His eyeliner is smudged in the corners and the left side streaks down onto his cheek. The gloss that was on his lips is already gone. He looks like a rake in the best way. “Told ye thinking so much would ruin ya. Can’t even enjoy sex.”
“At least I can’t be brought down by a pretty face.” Carlos makes sure to brush his groin against Harry’s hip as he pulls back.
One of Harry’s eyebrows, the one notched by a scar, quirks up. “I’d rather a pretty mind. What’re ye here for De Vill?”
Great. Down to business.
“Our parents.” Carlos really wants to punch Ben in his perfect teeth. He didn’t get his make out session and he still has to talk about his mom. “You said they took a hit. Who do they still have?”
“Hard to say. They were never officially dethroned, but everyone knows it’s a matter of time. Formalities, ye ken.” Harry says before handing over a scrap of paper. It’s a list of current major players written in Gil’s careful scrawl over the echoes of an erased Auradon journal. Harry had known what they wanted before the meeting. “Come back and see me soon, pup.”
“You’re helping us.” Ben breathes in, sharp with shock, just now getting it.
In response Harry gives an overly dramatic orgasmic groan coupled with a hip thrust. Before he finishes with that, he’s already tugged off one half of his vest. “Fuck me. He’s so stupid, me clothes are fallin’ off on their own. Let me have a taste of ‘im, pup.”
“He’s Mal’s, not mine.” Carlos answers dryly. “You’ll have to work out that arrangement with her on your own.”
“Just as well I have Gil waitin’ at the ship then.” Harry steals another kiss from Carlos. This one is as tender as isle kids can get. “Tell Jay I’m topping if I have to hunt him down.”
Carlos doesn’t bother to respond beyond flipping Harry off. He tucks the paper and his knife into the hidden pockets of his shirt. Harry is gone before either of them are presentable again.
“Sorry.” Ben says, looking actually apologetic.
They’re going to die .
Carlos suppresses his growl and shoves at Ben’s shoulder to get him moving. If this was Auradon, he would try to reassure the stupid alpha that it was alright. This isn’t Auradon though and they’re lucky Harry has a soft spot for dumbasses because of Gil. “Next time I say shut up and stay, you do it. Don’t apologize, do better.”
“Got it.” Ben nods. The spots damned idiot is too earnest.
Carlos doesn’t want to be the one to break him. “Whatever. Let’s get going before Mal hunts us down or worse.”
“Worse?”
Carlos grimaces and hunches his shoulders. “Yeah, we get found by my mom.”