Bad Romance (Mal x Harry)

Are we clear?

The whole dorm froze. 

All eyes were on Harry as he loitered in the doorway. No one knew what to say. Mal felt the air leave her lungs staring into the brooding pirate's dark eyes. Evie's arm subconsciously tightened around Mal's shoulders as Mal's breathing became noticeably more laboured. 

"Fuck sake. If you ain't plannin' on proposing quit starin' at me," Harry grumbled, "Now, who's gonna answer my man Gil's question?" Harry said, slumping into the desk chair and kicking his legs up on the table, repeating his movements from earlier. Still, no one dared speak. "No one? What? Cat got your tongue?"

"Hey man-" Gil started sensing the tension that the question brought into the atmosphere.

"Nah Gil," Harry cut him off, holding his hand up to signal for him to be quiet, "Let them answer the fucking question," Harry's eyes snapped to catch Mal's in a searing gaze, " Mal?"

Her breathe caught in her throat once again. A slow smirk formed on his lips as Mal began to fumble at the sudden unexpected acknowledgement, as if he was taking pleasure in the anxiety he caused her.

"Um-" Mal stuttered, a crimson blush flaring across her face. Her breath became short and her head started to spin, tears brimming in her eyes, "I- I think I need to lie down." Mal sputtered out, urgency rising in her voice. "Evie. Please. I- I need to-"

"Shh, It's okay. We can go. Right now?" Evie said feeling Mal's forehead, "Shit, she's burning up again. Come on Mal. Let's go," Evie whispered as she helped Mal get back to their dorm.

"Nice one, Hook," Jay spat, " Good going." 

"What? Me? I'm really the bad guy here?" Harry spat, "I was just teasing the girl. She was the one who started to freak out."

Before Jay could spit back a retort, Carlos hit him in the chest and shook his head, automatically silencing him.

"See you guys tomorrow. Be outside your dorms early cause I'm not missing breakfast," Jay said, following Carlos out the pirates' dorm.

Harry and Gil met each other's gazes once the door had shut behind the last  of the guests for the evening. 

"That was some weird shit," Harry said.
Gil rolled his eyes at Harry before pulling back his duvet and getting into bed.

"What was that about?" Harry asked, getting into his own bed.

"You are such a dick." Gil stated simply.

"You already knew that."

Gil let out an exasperated sigh, "We want to make friends here, not enemies. Apologies to Mal tomorrow."

"Fuck no. Is that a joke?" Gil just rolled onto his side in reply. Harry let a strangled noise before relenting, "Fine. But for you. Not for her." 

The next morning the four boys made their way to their table in the cafeteria. They simultaneouly slammed their trays onto the table startling Evie out her reverie.

"Ugh, I am surrounded by testerone. Can't you just place the trays down?" Evie whined, "Oh Carlos, just the boy I was looking for," Evie gasped looking up from her note book.

"Boy?" Carlos retorted, "I'm a man."

"Oh, pipe down. I need to take your measurements. Sit down and shut up." She said hitting his arm before proceding to pull out her tape measure key ring.

"Evie. It's too early for this shit." Carlos whined trying to eat before being yanked back by the hair.

"Where is everyone else?" Gil piped in, looking at the very vacant roundtable.

"Lonnie and Jane are doing some things for Professor Macguffin, Doug was called home last night and Mal's on bed rest all day. Perks of passing out I guess," Evie said, still throwing different parts of Carlos' anatomy around and making notes on her latest designs.

They ate in a lethargic silence, too tired to be bothered with conversation and soon they were all headed to their first lessons. Harry and Carlos had a different timetable to the others so headed off in an opposite direction.

"See you two boys later," Evie called over her shoulder before skipping off.

"Off we go then, midget man," Harry said, smirking at Carlos.

"Call me that again and see if this midget man helps you get anywhere today," Carlos snarled looking at the smug pirate, raising his eyebrow.

"Okay, okay. You're wish is my comand bore-adon boy," Harry said bowing.

"You think you're so funny don't you?" 

Harry belowed out a laugh, "I do amuse myself, yes."
The two boys continued the light teasing banter as they made their way to the science labs. 

When they got to the right classroom the teacher was running late so everyone was lined up outside. Carlos and Harry seeming to be the last of the students to arrive. 

"All I'm saying is, she's single now. Fair game." A loud and obnoxious voice sounded from in front of the duo. Carlos rolled his eyes at the prick infront of them, causing Harry to chuckle lightly.

Carlos gestured for Harry to bend down and Harry obliged, "That's Chad Charming. Resident asshole," Carlos murmured to Harry. Harry nodded in understanding. There were guys like that on the isle Harry was used to hearing them talk bad about any woman that would give them even a shed of attention.

"I mean have you seen that body. Tits and ass," Harry and Carlos continued to silently judge boy charming, not really engaging until something caught their attention.

"I cannot believe Ben never hit that. Maybe he did, I know I would've," Chad laughed and fist bumped the other pea-brained-walking-hormone next to him. Ben? Were they talking about--? 

Harry locked eyes with Carlos in silent question. Mal? Carlos nodded. Soon they were wearing matching scowls. I'm going to kill him Harry thought.
As if Carlos could read his mind he grabbed Harry's wrist and shook his head, You'll only make it worse. 
Harry's yanked his arm away and balled his fist, grinding his teeth together. He better watch his fucking mouth or-

"But did you hear the way she spoke to him in the cafeteria the other day?" Chad scoffed, "I'd put that one in training or something but I have heard the ones from the isle are freaky in the sheets if you know what I'm saying. I might have to-" 

Before Chad could finish his sentence he was slammed into a locker and on the ground. Not even the echo of the locker concealed the sound of his nose cracking.
Shit, Carlos thought. The pirate lifted his boot and placed it on Chad's chest. Slowly, Harry knelt down so he was in Chad's eyeline.

"Boy charming, is it? Learn some fucking manners," Harry spat, adjusting his foot so it rested right on Chad's ribcage, "And watch who you're fucking bad mouthing. We clear?"

"Do you know who I-" Chad started, before Harry put more pressure on his foot causing Chad to gasp for air.

"I said are we fucking clear?" Harry growled.

"Yes, yes. We're clear," Chad cried.
Satisfied, Harry lifted his boot off of Chad's chest.

"Good," Harry began to get up off of the floor when the teacher finally rounded the corner. There was a lot of shrieking and the teacher all but burst the whole classes eardrums as she ordered Carlos to take Chad to the nurse.

"To the principles office, you animal."

"But he-"

"There is no excuse for violence in this school, Mr-?"

"Hook, Miss. Harry Hook."