PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

TWO ~ PUTRID PIRATES

"That's wonderful. Who?"

The hesitation on Gil's face had the smile sliding from Eva's.

"Uma's pirates."

"Oh."

It was no secret that the Core Five and the Pirates were rivals. After Mal had refused to allow Uma into the crew, called her Shrimpy, and basically made her an outcast, the daughter of Ursula had formed her own crew and vowed vengeance on the Five. Since then, her pirates had taunted the Five, stole things from under their noses and attempted to be the most frightful crew on the Isle of the Lost. Being friendly to Gil now would cause Eva all kinds of trouble with Mal.

"We'll still be friends though, right?" Gil asked, shoulders drooping.

"Of course we will!" Eva reassured. "We just might need to be more discreet about it. I don't want to get you into trouble with Uma."

"Yeah, sure. Uma's warned us to stay away from you anyway."

"Me?"

"Yeah. Because you're all pretty and stuff. She thinks you'll convince the men to leave the crew." Gil stated before realising his mistake.

He could no longer be casual with Eva, he would have to watch what he said otherwise he could find himself back on the streets, defenceless. Whilst Eva had tried multiple times to get Gil accepted into the Core Five, the others had always disagreed.

"Hmm." Eva mulled over before bidding the son of Gaston goodbye when she spotted a member of his new crew.

Disappearing into the shadows, Eva decided to put her skills to good use and flirt some information out of the residents of the Isle. Now that Gil was a member of Uma's pirates, she was going to keep a very close eye on them. If they didn't take good care of her friend, she would ensure they went down with their ship.

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"You shouldn't be here?" A voice called out, startling the sleuthing girl.

Twisting around, fists raised, she rolled her bright blue eyes when she saw Harry Hook leaning against the damp brick wall.

Hidden in the shadows of a dilapidated building, Eva had been scouting out Ursula's Fish and Chip Shoppe. The building's entrance was guarded by rotting, wooden saloon doors. The sign's paint was fading but seemed to the cleanest, nicest thing about it. Pirates sauntered in and out, dumping their swords into a rusting barrel at the door. The stench of fish was so strong that Eva had lifted her top up over her face, flashing her midriff but valuing the clean smell over her insecurity.

"I think you'll find that I'm free to go where I please."

"Sure. When you're not in pirate territory all alone." Harry took a step closer, enjoying the way she stood her ground.

Nostrils flaring in slight rage and a tiny hint of fear, Eva refused to be intimidated him. Even if she did only come up to his shoulder, and he had a metal hook, and he was slightly insane.

The sound of the sea calmed her slightly but she refused to glance at the only glimpse of freedom that the Isle offered. Eva didn't want to turn away from Harry, or let him know that she enjoyed the sea (as it was considered a pirate thing).

"You don't scare me." Eva stared down at her nails, pretending as if they were more interesting than the conversation.

"Then why did ye breath just hitch?" Harry asked as he took a step closer to her.

The sea salt smell of him wrapped around her and she tried not to make it obvious as she inhaled it greedily. Whilst most people might be disgusted by it, she loved the smell. To Eva, it was the smell of freedom. Cast offs from Auradon usually wound up on the Isle and Eva had collected as many pictures of the sea that she could find, pinning them up on her wall to remind herself that there was something better out there. However, she had no desire to become a pirate and ride the waves in a ship. In face, the very idea of it made her stomach queasy.

"Because I can't stand the sight of you and I'm trying not to throw up in my mouth."

It was a lie. Harry Hook was the most handsome boy on the Isle but she wasn't about to give him an unrequired ego boost.

Eventually, he had gotten so close to her that she had stumbled back, underestimating how close she was to the wall. Bumping into it, Harry realised that she had tried to escape him.

Caging her in with his arms, he leaned down and bumped her nose with his own.

"We both know ye can't resist me gorgeous face." Harry chuckled, glancing down at her lips.

Growing impatient, Eva reached up and pulled his face down to hers, red lips hovering above his. Shocked by her newfound confidence, Harry stuttered slightly, unsure what to do. Eva smirked, leaning forward.

Before their lips met, she turned her face to the side causing her lips to graze his cheek.

"You couldn't handle me, Hook." She whispered in his ear. "Not that you would ever get me."

Pushing him away in his shock, she walked away from the pirate and the water.

Reaching the end of the side street, she turned around to see him staring after her with a dazed look on his face. Winking at him, she decided not to tell him about the lipstick mark staining his cheek. She would leave that for Uma to interrogate him about. Gaping at the girl until her the last strand of her hair had disappeared around the corner, Harry Hook decided he wasn't going to let her get away. She was a perfect match for him.

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Greeting Maleficent, Jafar, and Cruella, Eva made sure to leave her mother for last. Begrudgingly kissing her mother on the cheek, Eva scurried away from her as quickly as possible. But it was too late. The Evil Queen had already caught the peculiar scent mixed with her daughter's usual one.

"I've been seeing more and more of those putrid pirates roaming around lately. What a ridiculous crew. Filled with the dregs of the Isle." The Evil Queen commented, watching her daughter for her reaction.

Eva's face remained stoic but took a step closer to Jay, engaging in conversation with him. Jay was always able to calm her down and reassure her during meetings with her mother. He was her hidden strength and knew exactly when she needed to be rescued. He was her knight in dirty leather.

"No woman should be caught dead with a pirate. Only a prince will do for my two girls." The Evil Queen brushed past her daughter, turning to sneer at her. "I'd take a bath if I was you. It would seem as if the stench of sea has found its way to you."

The glare in the Queen's eyes had Eva's turning colder, emotion draining from them. Anytime she was around her mother, Eva became more and more emotionally detached.