Carlos De Vil x Reader

Chapter LXIX - If You Don't Mind...

It was your lunch period the day before the scheduled party when you ran to catch up with Carlos who was walking Dude around the field. You found it sweet when Carlos always found time for the school mascot, even if he was caught up in homework, auditions, or prophecies. That was something you liked about him: his dedication to his friends despite the circumstances.

"Hi, (y/n)," The son of Cruella De Vil greeted you with a warm smile. He bent down and ruffled his dog behind the ears, "Dude, say hi to her too." The small puppy sniffed at your legs and gave you a small bark.

You bent down to pet him, "Hi little guy." His eyes seemed to sparkle in delight at the attention you gave him. "How've you been?" The school mascot nipped at your fingers.

"Dude likes you, you should hang out with him more," Carlos remarked. He offered you a hand and you took it, standing up. "Wanna walk him together?"

"Sure," you agreed. The two of you led Dude off the field and onto a path adjoining the forest. You paused for a moment and admired the sounds of running water, distant chattering, and singing birds. For the entirety of the quarter, the forest had seemed to be a daunting place filled with mystery and danger. But now it felt serene, magical almost.

As you glanced around, a memory sparked and you blurted out, "Doesn't this remind you of the day that we first met?"

Carlos peered at you curiously; some of his freckles seemed to dance as sunlight reflected off of them. "You're right," he furrowed his eyebrows in thought, "We met when I was going to give Dude a walk but saw you with him instead."

"I didn't know what to say to you so I was eating my (f/f) the whole time," you giggled, remembering the awkwardness of the first meeting.

Carlos stared at you incredulously, "Are you serious? I'm not a scary person."

"Well of course I know that now," you rolled your eyes, "I never said you were scary person, though. I was just sort of nervous because I never actually got to interact with what everyone called the VKs before." You couldn't believe how narrow minded you used to be. You only thought in terms of good and evil. You thought that not all Auradonians were good and not all Isle of the Lost people were evil, but you were wrong. In reality, good and evil were only concepts that were created to define and shape justice. In the end, people were just people, each trying to be recognized and loved in the world. It was only the certain path that a person decided to take that would define them as "good" or "evil". So maybe the real question wasn't "who is good and who is evil" but "is it possible to save people from taking the wrong path".

"Do you still think people from the Isle are scary?" Carlos asked you, a serious look in his eyes.

You thought for a moment, wanting to give him a honest and developed answer. "I think...they have a very different lifestyle than me. It may make me uncomfortable at times, but I don't think they're all bad people."

Carlos stopped walking and you stood beside him. "Even the villains who were put there for destroying kingdoms, attempting to usurp empires, and kill innocents?"

You thought of Professor Camilia who had torn friendships apart, stolen magical items, and summoned a dragon that could've killed innocents at Auradon Prep. Villains like Maleficent or Ursula were probably ten times as dangerous and ruthless than her. "I don't think I can forgive them for doing those things," you admitted, "But...after a while, do you think they could learn?"

Carlos nervously picked at his pockets with his hands that were dangling on his sides. He had a faraway, wistful look: the one that he always had when he thought of his mother. You thought of what he had gone through. You remembered how he told you that she beat him both physically and mentally: forcing him to clean and fluff her furs and making him sleep in a poor excuse for a closet. She practically told him that he wasn't worth anything. And if your own mother didn't love you, who would?

You frowned and took his left hand in your right, letting him know that you were there. Cruella De Vil was wrong about Carlos. He was an amazing and beautiful person, and he deserved the world. You couldn't believe the extent of his kindness, you couldn't understand why he would want to give his mother a second chance. But despite that, you wanted to support him. You would stand with him, even if he wanted to give Cruella another chance.

"Do you think...there's a chance for my mother?" He asked softly. You nodded and squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"I'm sure of it. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Carlos smiled at you, his eyes sending the thank you message that his heart couldn't speak. He gestured at the ground and the two of you sat down. His next question caught you by surprise.

"What's your family like?"

"Mine?" You thought of your mother and father who tried their best to raise you and teach you what they called "life hacks". You remembered how proud they were of your scholarship to Auradon Prep and smiled. "Well, they aren't famous, strong, or rich, and they don't have a special story like most of the people here. They're just regular people, but they're amazingly hard workers and they can carry their own weight."

"So you're just like them," Carlos teased.

You puffed indignantly, "What's that supposed to mean."

"You don't have to follow in anyone's footsteps. You don't have to be a king like Ben, or follow in the steps of evil like Mal, though she diverged from it. You don't have a legacy to protect or a reputation to haunt you. It's like a fresh palate where you get what you decide to put in. You can make your own magic."

You stared at him, speechless. You had never thought of it that way before. You had always been jealous of everyone else's legacies and reputations. You had felt as if everyone was important but you, and that you had to do something to prove yourself. But the way that Carlos put it...it wasn't like that at all.

"What?" He looked amused at your silence. He was probably proud that he left you flabbergasted.

"What am I supposed to say to that," you replied sheepishly, trying to stop the shy smile from spreading across your face. Unfortunately, you were unsuccessful.

Carlos grinned at you, "Sometimes you don't have to say anything. Feelings are weird, you know. They can transcend words." He gently wrapped his fingers around yours and your heart tingled with warmth. This was a boy that you had run into because of a school mascot. This was a boy that you had met because of a misgiving with a friend. He was smart, quirky, and kind. Even if he was a bit of a coward at some times, he stood up for you and protected you at his roughest moments. He believed in you, even when he couldn't believe in himself. He deserved the world, and you wanted to give it to him. You wanted to share it with him. Fairy Godmother bless you, because you loved this dorky, funny boy. You loved Carlos De Vil.

The two of you sat there in blissful silence, observing the peace of the fields while Dude ran around the two of you and chased butterflies. You remembered how you used to panic, wondering if you and Carlos were officially dating or not because neither of you had announced the other to be boyfriend or girlfriend. But now, none of that mattered. You didn't need a status to be with him. He was Carlos and you were you. You both didn't need to brag about dating anyone, and you certainly didn't need to show each other off. The thought of just simply being able to hang out with him and go through life together put a smile on your face.

Carlos seemed to be thinking the same thing because the two of you locked eyes at the same time. "It's not a question, is it," you said.

"Feelings transcend words," Carlos winked.

And with those words, you knew that you would be going to the Project FAIL party with Carlos. You knew that the two of you would have a great time at Auradon Prep together. You knew that there would be countless of times to walk Dude, and plenty of opportunities to work on group projects. You knew that one day he would meet your parents and another day you would help him face his mother. But most importantly, you knew that you loved him and he loved you.

And nothing could ever change that.

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