Work Text:
Jane was making her way through the halls of Auradon prep. Her nails were tapping against the Ipad in her hands at wicked speeds as she balanced about a dozen files tucked underneath her arm. She had been assigned to approve the design of the prom royalty crowns, on top of being president of the spirit committee, head of the welcome committee, treasury of the student government, and the TA for AP remedial goodness classes. Currently she was on her way to drop off a petition to ban homework over the weekend to the administration office.
Once she rounded a corner, her phone started to ring. After managing to free up a hand, she answered the phone and held it up to her ear. It was her mother. Of course it was. She always managed to call at the worst time possible. Jane couldn’t even get out a ‘hello’ by the time her mother started to yell at her over the phone.
She couldn’t quite make out what she was saying but the main part of the call was her mother loudly complaining about how Cruella was impossible to work with. In honor of the barrier coming down, Cruella and the Fairy Godmother agreed to work on dress designs for the royalty of Auradon seeing as both knew a thing or two about makeovers.
“Jane, you need to tell this woman that leather just won’t do!” Her mother barked. Jane could hear a very offended Cruella in the background disagreeing with her vehemently. “I-im sorry. I can’t really fix that right now. But I'll return your call, just give me five minutes.”
A struggle could be heard over the phone before a loud cackle. “Jane, darling. Don’t worry about it here. I’ll get it all figured out. Your mum is just being difficult.” Jane released a breath she didn’t know she was holding upon hearing Cruella’s mildly comforting words. “Thank you, that helps.” The De’vils always knew what to say to put her at ease.
Before she could overhear any more of the argument, Cruella blew a kiss through the screen before hanging up. “Alrighty, Jane, Darling. Your mother is back up and fighting again so i’ll talk to you later. Love you lots. Kisses to you and Carlos.”
Jane smiled briefly at the sign off before picking up the pace to the administration office. Once she arrived outside the office door she lightly knocked a few times before Fauna opened the door and ushered her in.
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By the time Jane left what should have been a simple drop off, the sun had started setting and she was seconds away from bursting out into tears. Flora, Fauna and Merriweather had yelled at her why the petition for banning weekend homework was utterly stupid. Jane didn’t even necessarily agree with the damn thing but she still got grief for it. It wasn’t her fault people brought it up, she was just dropping it off. Don’t go shooting the messenger.
All she wanted to do right now was put all her files into her locker and go back to her dorm. She made her way down the halls as fast as she could before finally arriving at her locker. She tucked all the paper back under her arm and struggled with the padlock. After putting in the wrong code for the third time, all of her papers fell to the floor. Slamming the little metal lock back against the locker with a huff, Jane dropped her head into her hands and sunk to the floor.
She was so beyond tired and pushed to her limit. She must have been sitting in the pile of disorganized papers for the better part of ten minutes before she heard steps coming toward her and then stopping beside her.
“Why would someone as brilliant as you allow yourself to sit on such a nasty floor? It’s heinously below you. To be on the floor that is.” A familiar voice sounded from above her, followed by a fit of braying giggles. Carlos. His laugh would give him away any time of day.
Jane was about to look up at him and tell him to just leave her alone. She wasn’t in the mood for his nonsense. Just as she opened her mouth, she felt him grip both her shoulders and pulled her up off the floor. “Carlos!” she gasped, exasperation coloring her voice. Despite herself, Jane fought to bite back a slight smile at the act. Carlos De’vil has always been annoyingly charming.
“Don’t tell me a bunch of paper work is making my girl cry.” The freckled boy released her, took a step back, spun around and flung both his arms out to his side, looking up at the sky. “Why, universe!? Why would you let this happen?!” It was dramatic and preformative and just what Jane needed to hear.
Dropping to his knees, he shook his fist up at the sky. “Will she never be free from this never ending torment?!”
Jane giggled at her boyfriend’s dramatic display before walking up beside him and joining in on the madness. “Eeugghhuhhhh!” the girl groaned. “Why does everything happen to meeee?” She then dropped down beside Carlos and shook him by his shoulders. Had she not had a smile on her face, one might have thought she was being serious for a minute. “My life is soooo hard-uh!”
The two looked at each other for just a second before breaking out into laughter. Carlos had his obscene snicker and Jane with her cute tittering that sounded like bells chiming in the breeze. “Feel better?” The boy asked after both sobering up a little. “Much.” she nodded.
They both just smiled and continued to look at each other fondly after that. Jane momentarily thought that Carlos was going to kiss her. Much to her dismay, he sprung up from his spot on the ground and began to collect her forgotten papers. Silly of her to ever think she could predict what a De’vil was going to do next.
“What are you doing?” The question didn’t come from a place of accusation but rather genuine curiosity. Instead of giving her a definite answer, he just looked back and winked at her. Once all the papers were in his hands, Carlos gestured for her to follow him as he made his way out of the building.
After about five minutes of walking, Jane realized that he had led them to his car. The infamous De’vil roadster. A gift from his mother when he turned seventeen last year. Considering her license was removed (and Cruella had nowhere to drive to) it felt less like a gift and more like a way for her to declutter. At least in Jane’s opinion. Carlos swore it was more heartfelt than that.
“Get in.” Carlos said from the driver's seat. Less of a demand, more of an offer.
Giving the car another once over, the girl pursed her lips in a tight line. “You know my mom doesn’t want me to get in this thing. She doesn’t want me to be seen in it.” That much was true, but she was also using it as an excuse to not ride in a car that looked like its seen better days.
Carlos rolled his eyes at the reminder. He remembers the day when the Fairy Godmother had chewed him out for doing donuts in the school’s parking lot and had given him the ‘don’t drive my daughter around in this thing’ rule. “Screw the rules. Besides, your dad thinks my car is wicked cool.” The day he was doing donuts was the day he also had to bear witness to Merlin getting an earful from FG because he was riding in shotgun.
After a moment of internal debate, Jane decided to just go for it. “Okay.” she said in a rushed tone but hopped in beside him nonetheless. “Alright.” Carlos cheered before gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Let’s ride.”
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Once Carlos had hit the brakes and put the car in park, signifying they were at their intended destination, Jane tumbled out of the car and thanked a higher power that she was on steady ground. “You drive like a maniac!” she yelped once she saw him round the car and he grabbed her hand.
“I prefer lunatic.”
“And I prefer not to fly through the front window going mock five down the highway.”
Carlos laughed at that. Jane was glad she could make him laugh. “Where are we anyway?” She looked around and noticed for the first time that they were at some blocked off part of Pixie State Park that overlooked all of Auradon city.
“Just a spot I found a few months ago. Don’t worry we’re trespassing so no one else comes here.” He explained as he leaned on the slightly broken fence that put a barrier between people and a 200 foot ditch. Jane joined him. “Comforting.”
They spent about ten minutes just looking at the view before Carlos seemed to remember what he came here to do in the first place. Jane watched as he ran to the car and came back with her papers in hand. Before she was even able to question what he was doing, he pulled a lighter out of his back pocket and started setting the documents on fire.
Instead of yelling at him, or asking him to stop, Jane just rested her head on his shoulder and watched as the flames ate away at the work.
Once every last paper was up in flames, she turned to her boyfriend with a smile. “What am I supposed to tell people if they ask where those papers went?”
Carlos thought for a minute before grinning. “Tell them a dog ate your homework.”