I'll be careful, so don't be afraid
You're safe here, no, these arms won't let you break
I'll put up a sign in the clouds
So they all know that we ain't ever coming down
Three months after their first date, Ben and Carlos are very happy. Both guys are looking forward to spending more time together. The end of the college fall semester is coming soon, so Carlos will have some time off. The couple tries to make time for dating, but they are both very busy. They have dinner together a few nights a week, then they spend their evenings working individually. Ben reads royal reports and Carlos works on his robot project. He is very close to being finished. He wants to get a good grade from his professor.
A week before his robot is due; Carlos is working in the robotics workshop. Maurice, Ben's grandfather, is helping the white-haired teenager. Maurice is the unofficial mentor for the mechanical engineering majors. He helps all the students, but he does favor Carlos the most. As the two men are putting the finishing touches on the robot, a small explosion occurs. Carlos is thrown against the wall, hitting his back and left arm. Maurice is relatively unhurt, just overcome by smoke inhalation. Students from the next classroom help Maurice and Carlos out of the workshop.
Ryder is one of the students to help Carlos out the fire. He has moved on from his crush on the white-haired boy after seeing how happy he is with the king. Ryder and Carlos have become very good friends. He is worried about Carlos because he seems to be in a daze, keeps slipping in and out of consciousness. He starts mumbling about his phone.
"Do you want your phone?" Ryder asks.
"Call Ben. Need him," Carlos mumbles. "Jay, Evie, Mal. Call them."
Taking Carlos' phone out of his pocket, Ryder promises, "I'll call them. Just let the paramedics take care of you now."
The ambulance has arrived; the paramedics are putting Carlos and Maurice onto stretchers, so they can take them to the hospital. As the ambulance drives away, Ryder uses Carlos' phone to call everybody.
Dialing Ben's number first, Ryder waits for the king to answer. Ben answers after two rings, "Hey baby, how's the robot going? All finished?"
"Ben, this is Ryder. There was an accident. Carlos is fine, but he's on his way to the hospital," he says calmly; he doesn't want the king to panic.
"What? Ok. I'm going there now. Are you sure he's ok?" Ben is very worried. He doesn't want his boyfriend to be hurt.
"He seemed a little out of it, but he told me to call you. Your grandfather was with Carlos. He's ok, but the paramedics took him to the hospital too for observation."
Ben's in shock. He quickly tells Ryder goodbye and hangs up the phone. Both his boyfriend and grandfather are hurt and going to the hospital. He has to call his parents to let them know and get to the hospital as fast as he can. Fortunately, he doesn't have any major meetings planned for today. It wouldn't have mattered though because there isn't anything Ben wouldn't have cancelled to be there for Carlos.
Arriving at the limo, Ben tells Chip to take him to the hospital. He tells his chauffer there was an accident; Carlos and Maurice were hurt. Chip looks concerned. He quickly drives the young king to the hospital, hoping both men are alright. Ben calls his parents and they agree to meet him there as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Ryder has called Jay to tell him the news. The tall thief calls Evie and Mal, then the three of them go to the hospital. They make it to the hospital first because they were the closest. After talking to a secretary, the three friends find Carlos' room. A nurse has just finished wrapping the white-haired boy's broken left arm in a red cast. He smiles as his friends run into the room and crowd around his bed. Evie looks like she's going to burst into tears. Mal looks worried, and Jay looks angry. He hates it when Carlos is hurt.
"I'm ok, guys. You don't have to worry," Carlos tries to reassure them.
"What happened?" Jay asks. "Ryder said there was an accident in the workshop."
The teenager grimaced. "There was a minor explosion. I got thrown against the wall. Is Maurice ok?"
Evie grabs his hand. "I don't know, but we can check. First, I want to make sure you're ok. Besides, the broken arm, does anything else hurt?"
Carlos tries to stall. "Really, I'm fine. Can you go see about Maurice?"
Mal sees right through him. "Tell us what else is wrong. You're hiding something."
The white-haired boy sighs; he knows his friends will drag it out of him. "I have three bruised ribs and a few bumps and bruises on my back. I'm ok though. It could have been worse."
Jay explodes. "You are not ok! Look at you; you're all banged up and in pain."
"Jay, calm down. I will heal. The doctors are taking care of me. Relax."
Jay just glares at his best friend and paces around the room. He doesn't like not knowing what to do. He can't fix this problem for Carlos; he feels useless.
Suddenly, the door flies open and Ben comes running in. His green eyes are huge and wild, filled with panic and worry. His gaze lands on Carlos, sitting on the hospital bed. His racing heart starts to calm down when he sees his boyfriend awake and smiling at him.
"Ben! You're here," Carlos exclaims happily.
'Of course, I'm here," the king says as he moves to Carlos' side. Evie gracefully moves out of the way, so the two boys can be together. Ben grabs his hand and looks carefully over the white-haired boy's body, trying to see if he has any other injuries. His eyes lock on the red cast, and they quickly fill with tears. The relief that Carlos is ok starts to overwhelm him.
Carlos sees the tears forming and motions for his friends to leave. He doesn't want Ben to be embarrassed to be seen crying. Evie gets the hint and says, "We'll go check on Maurice for you and let you know how he's doing."
"Thanks, guys," Carlos says. As soon as they leave, he looks at Ben, whose eyes are still locked on his cast.
"It's just a small break. I should only need to wear the cast for six weeks. Good thing it wasn't my right arm or I wouldn't be able to do anything. I would have gone crazy," Carlos says, smiling. He's trying to get a response from Ben. The king is starting to worry him; he's never this quiet.
Ben finally looks up, and the tears quickly fall down his face. Carlos' heart breaks for him. He hugs his boyfriend tightly. "It's ok, baby. Just let it out. I'm here."
The king hides his wet face in his boyfriend's neck. He is embarrassed but he's glad he is in Carlos' arms. He doesn't have to pretend to be strong. He can just be himself with Carlos. He can cry and know he is safe with his boyfriend. He hugs the white-haired boy tighter, accidently pressing on his bruised ribs.
Carlos whimpers a little but doesn't pull away. Ben needs him, so a little pain is worth it. However, the brunette boy hears the small whimper. "Are you ok? Are you in pain?"
Carlos smiles. "I'm ok. How are you feeling?"
Ben shakes his head. "No, you're not." Then he realizes why Carlos is deflecting his question. "Did I hurt you?"
"Just a little. My ribs are a little bruised. It may take a few days before I can handle one of your giant bear hugs again," the white-haired boy says with a smirk.
Ben is dismayed. "I'm so sorry. What else hurts? I don't want to hurt you again."
Carlos sighs. "I have a broken arm, three bruised ribs, and my back is covered in bruises. That's it."
Ben looks at his boyfriend. Only Carlos would try to downplay his serious injuries. He never wants anyone to worry over him. He still needs to know how his boyfriend got hurt. "So, what happened?"
"I don't know what went wrong. Maurice and I were working on my robot. Then, there was a small explosion. I was knocked off my feet and hit the wall. I hope Maurice is ok. I don't want him to be hurt because of me."
"It wasn't your fault. I'm sure Grandfather is fine. My parents are with him now," the king says firmly. He doesn't want Carlos to blame himself.
Carlos then has a horrible thought. "Oh no, my robot. What if it's destroyed? What am I going to do? The project is due next week. I don't have time to start over. Plus, I only have one hand to work with. This is a disaster," he says rapidly, words rushing out of his mouth in a panic.
Ben tries to calm him down. "I'm sure your professor will understand and give you an extension. Hopefully, your robot will be undamaged. You said it was a small explosion."
The white-haired boy looks at his boyfriend with hope shining in those deep brown eyes. "You really think so?"
The king nods. "I do. Besides, even if it is badly damaged, you can figure out something to fix it. You're a genius," Ben praises him. He loves Carlos' intelligence.
"Ok." Carlos nods to himself. Whatever the problem is, he can fix it. Ben's right. He'll find a way.
"So, do you have to spend the night or can you leave?"
"No way. I feel fine. Go find my doctor, so I can leave," Carlos commands the young king.
Ben laughs. "As you wish." He walks towards the door but quickly turns around and returns to the bed. He pulls Carlos into a deep, hard kiss. He pours all of his feelings into the kiss, his relief, passion, and love. As he pulls away, he whispers against his boyfriend's lips, "I'm really glad you're ok. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I love you."
He rushes out the door, without looking back. It was the first time either of them has said, "I love you." He's nervous about Carlos' reaction.
Back in the hospital room, Carlos looks dazed. He touches his lips with a shaking hand. "Wow." He's completely blown away by Ben's confession. He had no idea that Ben loved him. Then, he gets angry. He didn't get to say it back to his boyfriend. Ben rushed out before Carlos could say anything. The white-haired boy vows to tell his king that he loves him too as soon as he comes back.
However, Ben returns with his parents and Maurice. "The doctor is on his way to see you, but look who I found in the hallway. Also, I told Jay and the girls they could go home."
"Maurice, are you ok? I'm so sorry you were hurt." Carlos looks at his mentor. He doesn't look like he was hurt, but Carlos wants to make sure.
"My dear boy, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How are you feeling?"
"Yes, how are you?" Belle asks as she comes to his side. "Look at your poor arm!" She fusses over him, putting a pillow under his cast and fixing his blankets.
Carlos is very flustered. He's never been shown any motherly affection and concern. He stammers, "I…I'm ok."
Adam notices the teenager's discomfort. He puts his arm around his wife's shoulders and guides her back a step from the bed, giving Carlos some space. "We're glad you are alright, Carlos."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Adam shakes his head. "I thought I told you to call me Adam. You're dating my son; there is no need for formality."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Carlos still can't call Ben's parents by their first names, no matter how many times they told him to. He still feels nervous in their presence. He's reminded that he is a villain's son, and they are royalty.
Ben has moved over to Carlos' right side. He squeezes his uninjured hand and smiles at him. He knows about his boyfriend's insecurities and is trying to help him get over them. He wants Carlos to see how special he is and that he is worthy of his parents' respect and affection.
Belle and Adam look at each other. They have been trying to help Carlos too. They genuinely like the white-haired teenager and are happy that he and Ben are dating. They have never seen their son as happy as he is now, and they know they have Carlos to thank for that.
The doctor walks into the room and is startled to see King Adam, Queen Belle, and King Ben. He bows to them. Adam waves him off. "How is Carlos, Dr.?"
The doctor looks at his patient and sees him holding hands with the young king. He now understands why the royals are in the room. He says, "All the tests came back negative. Carlos can go home."
He then turns to Carlos. "Do not get your cast wet. Cover it with plastic wrap when you shower. Take your pain meds regularly. They'll help with the pain from your arm and ribs. Try to sleep on your stomach until your back heals."
Carlos nods. "Thank you, Dr. I'll do everything you said." He just wants to leave and go back to his room.
"As long as you follow my instructions, you should heal nicely. I'll see you in two weeks for a follow-up appointment," the doctor says and then leaves.
Carlos grins. "Alright. Let's go!" He goes to get out of the bed but realizes he is wearing a hospital gown over his pants. They had to remove his shirt and jacket to look at his injuries. He blushes and his fingers pluck at the gown. "Does anybody see my shirt?"
Ben sees the red t-shirt and white and black leather jacket on the chair. He goes over to retrieve them. He looks at Carlos' cast. He blushes too. "Um, do you need any help getting dressed?"
Belle smiles as she notices the boys' embarrassment. She thinks they are adorable. "I'll help Carlos. You boys can wait outside," she says in a motherly tone, which her father, husband, and son know not to argue with.
The brunette young man looks at his boyfriend to see if this plan is ok with him. Carlos still looks embarrassed but nods at Ben.
The three men leave the room. Belle looks at the shy young man. He looks so young, sitting on the hospital bed. "Ok, sweetie, let's get you dressed so you can leave. I'm sure you want to rest in your own bed."
Carlos says, "Yeah. Thanks for helping me."
Belle laughs. "I'm used to it. I had to help Ben get dressed when he broke his arm. I'm an old pro at this," she says as she gently pulls the hospital gown down his arms, being careful of his broken arm.
Carlos lifts his head up in curiosity. "Ben broke his arm? When?"
The queen knew that information would peak his interest and distract him from his embarrassment about being undressed in front of her. She slides the t-shirt sleeve over his cast. "He was ten years old. He was climbing a bookshelf to get a book from the very top shelf. He lost his balance and fell on his arm. He insisted on a blue and yellow cast. He proudly showed it to everyone who came to visit."
Carlos laughs, picturing a young Ben with a blue and yellow cast. The queen finishes pulling the t-shirt over his right arm and head. Then, she pulls him to his feet. Carlos looks down at himself in shock. He didn't even realize he was dressed. The queen was very gentle and didn't hurt any of his injuries. He looks up, impressed.
She smiles smugly. "I had a lot of practice."
Carlos laughs. He really likes the queen. She never acts like a snooty royal. He grabs his jacket and holds out his right arm. "Shall we leave, my lady?"
The queen curtsies and laughs. "Yes, we shall." She takes his arm and they walk out the door. Ben, Adam, and Maurice are waiting for them. They smile as they see them enter the hallway laughing. Ben is happy his mother and boyfriend get along so well. Carlos could use some maternal care in his life.
The group walks out into the parking lot. Belle, Adam, and Maurice head back to the castle in their limo. Belle makes Carlos promise to call them if he needs anything. Chip opens the back door and looks at Carlos in concern. "I hope you are feeling well, Mr. de Vil. We were all worried about you."
"Thank you, Chip. I'm feeling ok right now. Everybody's been taking good care of me."
Ben helps Carlos into the limo. He just wants some time alone with his boyfriend. On the drive back to the dorms, Carlos snuggles into Ben's side and lays his head on his shoulder. He's starting to get tired. The king holds him close, careful not to grip too hard. He doesn't want to hurt him again.
"Are you sure you want to go back to the dorms? You can stay with me at the castle," Ben says. He wants to keep Carlos close to him.
"Thanks, but my dorm is fine. Jay, Evie, and Mal will have gotten everything ready by now."
The brunette boy is confused. "What did they have to get ready?"
Carlos smiles. "You'll see. The four of us take care of each other. We know what we need when one of us is hurt or sick."
Ben nods. He does understand that the four teenagers are very close. They are family. He's just disappointed that he won't be the one taking care of his boyfriend.
Carlos glances up and sees Ben's disappointed face. "You know, you're always welcome, right? You're one of us now. Besides, I want you with me."
Ben looks down and sees Carlos' puppy dog eyes. He definitely learned that look from Dude. He laughs. "Good. I don't want to let you out of my sight. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into?"
"Hey!" The white-haired boy smacks his arm. He snuggles back into Ben's side. After a few minutes of silence, Carlos decides now is the right time for his own confession. He knows he won't get another moment alone with Ben for a while. His friends will hover over him as soon as they get back to the dorms.
He sits up straight and looks into Ben's bright green eyes. "I just want you to know that I love you. You left so fast after you said it that I didn't have time to say it back. But I do love you, Ben."
The king is shocked. He was nervous it was too soon to confess his love. He hadn't planned on telling Carlos he loved him. It just slipped out in the hospital room. Now, he's so happy that Carlos loves him too.
Ben looks into Carlos' dark brown eyes, full of love, and says, "I love you, too. I love you so much."
Carlos thinks he will never get tired of hearing Ben say that to him. Both boys just look at each other and smile brightly. Slowly, Ben leans in and presses a soft kiss on his boyfriend's lips. They kiss each other slowly and gently until Chip knocks on the back door. They have arrived at the dorms.
Ben and Carlos walk hand in hand up to the white-haired boy's room. As soon as they open the door, Jay, Evie, and Mal jump up. Dude comes running over, whining around his master's feet. He knew something was wrong. He could feel the tension in the room while the three teenagers were getting everything ready for Carlos. He could feel their worry. Carlos looks down at his dog, who is looking up at him. "It's ok, buddy. I'm here now. I'm ok."
Jay pulls his best friend over to his bed, piled high with pillows and blankets. Evie sets all of his favorite snacks on his bedside table. Mal brings over a selection of DVDs. After Carlos makes his selection, the purple-haired girl puts the movie into the player.
Ben is standing by the door, looking confused by the flurry of activity around him. Now he understands what Carlos meant about getting the room ready. He looks over at the bed. Carlos is sitting against his headboard, cast resting on a pillow. Dude is sitting curled up in his lap. Evie sits on his left side, grabbing a marker out of her purse. She wants to sign his cast. Mal sits in front of Evie, leaning against the blue-haired girl's legs.
"It's my turn next to sign the cast. I can draw something too if you want, C."
"I want paw prints please. Anything else you want to draw is good too," Carlos says, smiling at his artistic friend.
Jay sits in front of Carlos. "Leave me some room, Mal. I need to sign his cast, too."
The white-haired boy squirms around a little, trying to get comfortable. He looks over at his boyfriend standing by the door. "Ben, get over here," he says as he pats the space on his right side.
Ben looks at the other three teenagers, wanting to make sure that they want him here too. He knows how private they are and would understand if they want Carlos to themselves for a while, to take care of him themselves. However, they look at the king as if he is crazy. They consider Ben part of the group. Mal rolls her eyes. "Sit down, so we can watch the movie."
Quickly walking over to the bed, he sits down beside his boyfriend. Carlos snuggles into his side, like he did in the limo. Ben puts his arm around him, careful not to jostle Evie. Mal turns the movie on, and the five teenagers settle down to watch the movie. It's one of Carlos' favorites. All of them are laughing and reciting the lines along with the actors.
Halfway through the movie, Carlos falls asleep, his head nestled on Ben's shoulder and softly snoring. The other teenagers all turn to look at him, finally letting their worry show. They were hiding their feelings, so Carlos wouldn't feel guilty about worrying them.
Evie brushes his white hair back off his forehead. She whispers, "Sleep well, little brother," as she moves off the bed.
Next, Mal stands up and leans over. She presses a soft kiss to the white-haired boy's cheek. Seeing Ben and Jay stare at her in shock, she glares at them. She doesn't like to show it, but she does have a softer side. Carlos wormed his way into her heart, years ago on the island. She admired his tenacity. Although he would get knocked down by his mother or bullies, he always picked himself back up.
The girls quietly say goodnight and go back to their room. Jay stands up and stretches his back. His body is in knots from contorting it fit on the bed with his friends. One bed is not meant to hold five teenagers and one dog. He goes to take a shower before going to bed, hoping the hot water will loosen his muscles.
Waking up, Dude gets off his master's lap and moves down to the foot of the bed. He turns around in a circle three times and settles down. He quickly goes back to sleep, knowing Carlos is alright for the night.
The young king looks at his sleeping boyfriend. He knows he should get up and return to the castle. It's getting late. Stalling for more time, Ben removes Carlos' shoes and gently moves him down the bed, so his head is lying on the pillow. Rolling him onto his stomach to avoid putting pressure on his bruises, Ben also places his casted arm back on the pillow and pulls the blanket up around him. After tucking him in, Ben lays down beside him. He just wants to spend a few more minutes with his boyfriend. He was so scared when he got that call from Ryder. Closing his eyes for few minutes, the king savors this quiet moment, listening to his boyfriend's soft snores.
Ten minutes later, Jay comes back into the bedroom. He sees the two boys sleeping on the bed. He quietly calls Ben's name, but the king is sound asleep. He decides to let Ben sleep. Taking a picture with his phone, he sends it to the girls. The couple looks adorable, and Jay knows the girls will love seeing them together. They're total romantics, even Mal, who tries to hide it.
Realizing that Ben's chauffer is waiting to take the king back to the castle, Jay calls Chip. Ben had given the four teenagers Chip's number in case they needed an emergency ride.
"Hey, bro, it's Jay. I just wanted to let you know that Ben fell asleep here. He won't need a ride home tonight," he whispers into the phone, not wanting to wake up the sleeping boys.
"Of course, Jay. Thank you for informing me," Chip answers. It's not proper for the king to sleep over in his boyfriend's room, but it's not his place to say anything. Besides, he knows the king will sleep better with Carlos instead of sleeping alone at the castle, worrying about his boyfriend.
Jay covers Ben with the spare blanket from the closet then goes to bed himself. It's been a long day. He's just glad that Carlos is ok.
A few hours later, Carlos wakes up. His arm and ribs are hurting. He needs to take his pain medicine. He also has to use the bathroom. He doesn't want to get out of bed; he feels so warm and comfortable. Opening his eyes, he is startled to see Ben's face so close to his. He realizes why he is so warm. Ben is cuddled up so close to him, both hands clinging to his unbroken arm.
The white-haired boy tries to slide away from his boyfriend, but Ben's grip is too tight. He doesn't want to wake up his boyfriend, but he needs to take his medicine. He's in a lot of pain. Since he can't use his hands, Carlos gently kicks Ben's leg. "Ben, wake up."
Ben grumbles a little but stays asleep. Carlos thinks he looks very cute sleeping, but he really needs to get up. "Ben, you need to let me go," he whispers a little louder, pulling on the arm in Ben's hands.
In response, Ben tightens his grip. He mumbles, "Never letting you go."
"That's very sweet but I need my pain meds. Let go for a minute."
The king is almost awake. He needs a moment to figure out where he is. He doesn't remember falling asleep in Carlos' bed. He sits up and rubs his eyes. "Carlos?"
Finally free, the white-haired boy sits up too. "Yeah?"
"What's going on?" the brunette asks as he tries to figure out what is happening.
"Sorry for waking you, but I need to take my pain meds," Carlos says as he stands up.
"No, it's ok. Is your arm hurting?" Ben asks as he remembers Carlos' accident. "Get back in bed; I'll get them for you."
"Not really an option," Carlos says with a blush staining his cheeks. "I, um, need to use the bathroom."
The king blushes too. "Of course. Um, do you need any help?"
"No! I mean I can manage on my own. Thanks."
Ben nods. "I'll get you a drink, so you can take your medicine."
After Carlos comes back from the bathroom, he takes his medicine and climbs back into bed. Ben goes to the bathroom too. When he comes back into the bedroom, he stands awkwardly next to Carlos' bed. He wants to go back to sleep next his boyfriend, but he doesn't know if Carlos wants him to.
Carlos looks at his shy boyfriend. He smiles and gestures for him to get back into bed. Ben smiles too. This time he climbs under the covers, next to Carlos. He makes an offer to go back to his castle. He doesn't want to pressure Carlos. "I can go back to the castle if you want."
"No, I want you here with me. Besides, it's really late. You don't want to wake up Chip to come get you."
"Chip! He must still be here. I need to call him to tell him he can go home. I can't believe I fell asleep without calling him," Ben says, agitated. He feels horrible about making Chip wait for him.
Before he can sit up, Jay says from his bed across the room, "Don't worry about it, dude. I already called him. He went home hours ago. Now will you two shut up and let me sleep."
He rolls over and faces the wall. Carlos and Ben look at each other. They didn't know their friend was awake. The king says, "Thanks, Jay."
"Yeah, sorry, Jay. We'll let you sleep now," Carlos says.
The couple gets situated on the bed. The white-haired boy lies on his side, putting his cast up on a pillow. Ben slides up behind him, gently puts his arm around him. He doesn't want to put any pressure on his bruised ribs. He whispers, "Is this ok? Am I hurting you?"
"No, you're perfect," Carlos is already falling asleep. He loves feeling Ben's arm around him. He feels safe, warm, and loved. "Night, Ben. Love you," he whispers.
"Night, 'los, I love you too," the king whispers back. He falls asleep with the sappiest smile on his face.