Work Text:
In the bustling halls of Auradon Prep, senior year was a whirlwind of final exams, tourney practices, and the looming shadow of futures yet to be decided. The sun-drenched campus, with its manicured lawns and towering spires, felt like a pressure cooker for the students—especially for those from the Isle like Jay. He'd come a long way from his thieving days under Jafar's thumb, trading sticky fingers for a tourney stick and a reputation as Auradon's resident heartbreaker. Girls swooned over his long dark hair, piercing eyes, and that cocky grin that promised fun without strings. And right now, those strings were notably absent in his "arrangement" with Lonnie.
Lonnie—Li Lonnie, daughter of Mulan and Shang—was everything Jay wasn't used to. Fierce on the R.O.A.R. team, graceful in her movements, with a laugh that cut through the noise like a well-sharpened sword. They'd started hooking up a few months back, after a late-night tourney victory party where one too many celebratory punches led to stolen kisses in the shadows of the locker rooms. It was casual, or so Jay told himself. Sneaky make-out sessions in empty classrooms, heated glances across the cafeteria, and the occasional midnight rendezvous in the dorms. No labels, no drama. Just the thrill of it.
But lately, something was gnawing at him. It started small, like a splinter under his skin. He'd catch Lonnie laughing with Ben—King Ben, the golden boy of Auradon, her childhood friend—in ways that felt too intimate. Not romantic, Jay knew that much; Ben was head over heels for Mal. But it was the ease between them, the shared secrets that Lonnie seemed to reserve for Ben first.
Take last week, for instance. Jay had overheard Lonnie venting to Ben in the courtyard about a grueling R.O.A.R. practice. "I pulled something in my shoulder," she'd said, rolling it gingerly. Ben had immediately offered to get her an appointment with the royal physician, and she'd hugged him in thanks. When Jay asked her about it later that night, tangled in his sheets after a particularly steamy hookup, she'd brushed it off. "Oh, it's nothing. Just sore." It wasn't until two days later, when he pressed her again, that she admitted the full story—how she'd overdone it trying a new sword technique her mom had taught her.
Jay shook it off at first. But then it happened again. And again.
One crisp autumn afternoon, Jay lounged against the tourney field bleachers, wiping sweat from his brow after a brutal practice. His muscles ached in that satisfying way, and he was already plotting how to sneak Lonnie away for some "recovery time." Sherwood Forest University had scouts coming soon, and Jay was a shoo-in for a full tourney scholarship. It was his ticket out—close enough to Auradon to visit, but far enough to feel like his own path.
He spotted Lonnie across the field, her ponytail swinging as she chatted with Ben near the goalposts. Ben was in his kingly mode, all earnest smiles and perfect posture, but Lonnie was animated, gesturing wildly. Jay strained to hear, but the wind carried only snippets: "...acceptance letter... so excited, but..."
Ben's face lit up, and he pulled her into a quick, brotherly hug. "That's amazing, Lonnie! You deserve it."
Jay's stomach twisted. Acceptance letter? To what? He waited until Ben wandered off toward Mal, who was practicing spells nearby, before sauntering over.
"Hey, gorgeous," Jay drawled, sliding an arm around her waist. "What was that about?"
Lonnie turned, her cheeks flushed from whatever excitement she'd shared. "Oh, nothing big. Just catching up with Ben."
Jay raised an eyebrow, his fingers tracing lazy circles on her hip. "Looked pretty big from where I was standing. Spill."
She laughed, swatting his hand away playfully. "Later, thief. I've got class."
And just like that, she was gone, leaving Jay with a knot in his chest he couldn't quite untangle.
That night, in the dimly lit common room of the boys' dorm, Jay paced like a caged panther. Carlos was buried in his laptop, Dude snoring at his feet, but Jay needed someone who got it. He slipped out and headed to the girls' side, knocking softly on Mal and Evie's door.
Mal answered, her purple hair tousled, wearing an oversized Isle jacket. "Jay? It's late. What's up?"
He glanced around, then stepped inside. Evie was out, probably at some fashion club meeting. Perfect. "Can we talk? About... stuff."
Mal smirked, crossing her arms. "Stuff? Since when do you do 'talk'?"
Jay flopped onto her bed, running a hand through his hair. "It's about Lonnie. And Ben."
Mal's eyes narrowed, but not in jealousy—more curiosity. "What about them?"
"She's always telling him things first. Like, personal stuff. Injuries, secrets, whatever. She tells me later, or not at all. Doesn't that bug you? Ben's your guy."
Mal leaned against her desk, chuckling softly. "Nope. Not even a little."
Jay sat up. "Why not? They're childhood friends, sure, but... it's weird, right?"
She shook her head, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Jay, Ben and Lonnie go way back. They've got history from before we even showed up. But trust me, it's platonic. And honestly? There are things you and I talk about that I don't share with Ben. Like Isle stuff, or when I'm freaking out about queen duties. You get the raw me sometimes."
Jay blinked. He hadn't thought of it that way. Their late-night chats about the old days, the pranks, the survival instincts—they were theirs. "Yeah, but..."
"But nothing." Mal grinned wider, teasing now. "Oh my gods, Jay. Are you jealous? The guy who swears off serious relationships? The one who says 'commitment is for chumps'?"
He scowled, but his cheeks heated. "I'm not jealous. Just... curious."
"Uh-huh. Sure. You're totally not falling for her." Mal poked his arm. "Admit it, tourney star. Lonnie's got you hooked."
Jay grumbled something incoherent and left, but her words echoed in his head all night. Falling? Him? Jay didn't fall. He flirted, he hooked up, he moved on. That's how it had always been—with Audrey, with random Isle girls back in the day, with anyone who caught his eye. No attachments, no vulnerabilities. But with Lonnie... gods, it was different. The way her eyes lit up when she fenced, the curve of her smile after they kissed, the softness of her skin under his hands. He found himself wanting more than just the physical. He wanted her stories, her dreams, her everything.
The next few days blurred into a haze of classes and practices. Jay threw himself into tourney, slamming opponents with a ferocity that earned him high-fives from Coach and wary looks from the team. But every time he saw Lonnie with Ben—sharing a laugh in the hall, whispering during lunch— that splinter dug deeper.
One evening, after a grueling double practice, Jay cornered Lonnie in the empty R.O.A.R. gym. She'd been sparring alone, her sword gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Sweat glistened on her skin, her tank top clinging in all the right places. Jay's pulse quickened just watching her.
"Lonnie," he called, locking the door behind him.
She lowered her sword, breathing hard. "Jay? What are you doing here?"
He crossed the mat in three strides, pulling her into him. "Missed you."
Their lips met in a hungry kiss, all heat and urgency. Lonnie dropped her sword with a clatter, her hands fisting in his shirt. Jay backed her against the padded wall, his mouth trailing down her neck, nipping at the spot that always made her gasp. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as she arched into him.
"Gods, Jay," she murmured, her voice breathy. "You're insatiable."
He smirked against her skin, hands sliding under her tank to trace the lines of her abs. "Only for you."
They sank to the mat, clothes half-discarded in a frenzy. Jay's touches were deliberate, teasing—fingers grazing her thighs, lips brushing her collarbone until she was writhing beneath him. It was steamy, intense, the kind of hookup that left them both breathless and satisfied. But as they lay there afterward, tangled in each other's arms, Jay couldn't shake the unease.
"Lonnie," he said softly, tracing patterns on her bare shoulder. "We need to talk."
She propped herself on an elbow, her dark hair cascading over one side. "Talk? That's new for you."
He sat up, pulling on his shirt. "Yeah, well... I've been noticing something. You and Ben—you tell him stuff. Important stuff. Before me, or not at all."
Lonnie's brow furrowed. "Ben? We're just friends, Jay. You know that."
"I know. It's not about that. It's... I want to know those things too. About you. Your day, your worries, your wins. I feel like I'm always playing catch-up."
She stared at him, then burst out laughing. "Oh my gods, are you being mushy? Jay, the ultimate player, wants deep talks?"
He flushed, but held her gaze. "Maybe. Look, I've never done this—the serious thing. Hookups, sure. But with you... it's different. I care, Lonnie. More than I thought I could."
Her laughter faded, replaced by a soft smile. She sat up, pulling her tank back on. "That's... sweet. Unexpected, but sweet."
"So?" he pressed. "Tell me something. Something you haven't told me yet."
Lonnie hesitated, biting her lip. Then she sighed, leaning against him. "Okay. Remember that acceptance letter thing you overheard with Ben?"
Jay nodded, his heart pounding.
"I got into my dream school. Imperial Academy of Strategy and Leadership. It's in the Northern Wei territories—far, like, across the kingdom far."
Jay's stomach dropped. "That's... wow. Congrats." But his mind raced. Sherwood Forest University was in the opposite direction, nestled in the enchanted woods near Nottingham. Worlds apart.
She glanced at him, vulnerable. "I told Ben first because... he's like a brother. He knew how much it meant, from all our kid talks about following our parents' legacies. But I was scared to tell you. We're just... hooking up, right? Didn't want to make it weird."
Jay pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "It's not just that for me anymore. I want more. With you."
Lonnie's eyes softened. "Me too. But the distance..."
"We'll figure it out," he said firmly. "Senior year's not over yet."
From that night on, things shifted. Lonnie opened up more, sharing bits of her world Jay had only glimpsed. Over stolen lunches, she'd tell him about her mom's latest training tips, or how she worried about living up to Mulan's legend. In return, Jay shared his own vulnerabilities—the fear of failing at Sherwood, the ghosts of his Isle past that still haunted him.
Their hookups evolved too, laced with a new tenderness. One rainy afternoon, they skipped class, holing up in Jay's dorm. The storm raged outside as Jay peeled off her wet clothes, his touches slow and reverent. "You're beautiful," he whispered, kissing along her spine. Lonnie shivered, pulling him down with her, their bodies moving in sync, steamier than before but underpinned by emotion.
"You make me feel seen," she admitted later, curled against his chest.
Jay smiled, holding her tight. "Good. Because I see you, Lonnie. All of you."
As weeks turned to months, the distance loomed larger. Lonnie's acceptance to Imperial Academy was official, and Jay's scholarship to Sherwood came through with fanfare. They talked about it endlessly—visits, long-distance spells from Fairy Godmother, making it work.
One night, under the stars on the tourney field, Jay pulled her into his lap. "I never thought I'd say this, but... I love you, Lonnie."
She blinked back tears, kissing him deeply. "I love you too, thief."
It wasn't perfect. Ben still got some stories first—old habits died hard—but Jay didn't mind as much. He had her heart, and that was enough.
Senior year raced toward graduation, a blur of proms, finals, and farewells. Jay and Lonnie savored every moment, their bond forged in secrets shared and passions ignited. Whatever the future held, they faced it together—two warriors, ready for battle.