Reading – Ben x Harry

Lady_Luly

Words: 1,405

It had been six months since Ben and Harry had graduated from Auradon Prep. A little over one year since the two had finally stopped dancing around their feelings and decided to become an official couple. Six months since Harry had moved into the castle with Ben, sharing his room and his bed, adjusting to being treated like royalty because, hello, he was Ben's life partner and wasn't going anywhere.

It had been a year and a half since Ben and Harry first met, and while they had both grown and matured over the years, Harry still had many triggers of his past, things he didn't discuss with anyone. Ben, through trial and error and persistence, had learned the best coping mechanisms for the former pirate, learned how to take care of him better than he could have ever cared for himself. But Ben wasn't around all the time. He was busy – running a kingdom took insane amounts of time and energy. Harry understood that, but he came from a different background. He was used to taking what he wanted when he wanted it, and not being granted Ben's devoted attention by simply demanding it was upsetting.

Harry knew that Ben loved him, possibly more than he loved Ben. But insecurity was an ugly, unbeatable monster that liked to rear its head every now and then, poking and prodding at his brain when he was alone. He felt like Ben had no time for him, and there were days when that was true. Deep down, he knew it wasn't intentional, that the king was simply busy. But his insecurities wouldn't let him think so. He wondered if Ben was tired of him, if he regretted taking a pirate as his boyfriend, if he was distancing himself on purpose.

That was when the nightmares came back.

When he'd first come to Auradon, he'd had horrible nightmares, nearly every time he tried to close his eyes. It would leave him screaming and sobbing in his bed, his throat raw from overuse, knuckles turning white from how tightly his hands fisted in his sheets. His roommate, Gil, slept like the dead, so he never awoke to check on his traumatized comrade. But Ben could hear the screams, and after a few nights in a row of being awoken, he crept out of his room and sneaked his way to Harry's, letting himself inside.

He would sit on the edge of the bed, his hips near the pirate's, and study his contorted features, his open mouth and arched back. Then he would reach out, placing a gentle hand on Harry's chest. Harry had shaken him off at first, but Ben was persistent. He kept going with gentle touches and soft whispers that everything was going to be okay. He moved from patting the pirate's chest to stroking his cheek, carding his fingers through sweat-soaked hair. The gentleness of his caresses calmed Harry's raging subconscious, and at first, he'd remain asleep, calm for the rest of the night.

After a week or so of this treatment, however, Harry began waking after his night terrors faded. He would wake to find himself in his dark dorm room, lying on his bed with too-soft sheets, the prince's hand on his face or in his hair, his chestnut brows knitted together in an expression of concern.

At first, Harry had panicked. He'd kicked Ben away, demanding to know what the hell the prince thought he was doing. When Ben remained on the floor, hands raised in surrender, softly explaining that he'd heard the pirate screaming and had only come to check on him, Harry calmed down. He allowed Ben to sit on the edge of his bed, offering protection until his exhaustion kicked in and he fell back to sleep.

Another week passed before Harry decided he didn't like waking up alone. Another nightmare, another scream, another reason for Ben to sneak out and creep into the pirate's room. Only this time, when Harry awoke and found himself gazing into dimly-lit hazel eyes, he reached out and wrapped his slender fingers around the prince's wrist. Ben had glanced down in surprise, gulping audibly as he questioned, "Are you sure?"

Harry had responded by sliding to the far side of his bed, snug against the wall, leaving plenty of room for the brunet to crawl in beside him. And crawl he did. Ben slid under the covers, lying stiffly on his back beside Harry, wanting desperately to hold him but uncertain of how much contact he could get away with before he lost a hand.

He didn't have to question it for long, as Harry settled in beside him and fell fast asleep, his head on Ben's shoulder and one leg hooked around his, keeping him locked in place.

After Harry and Ben moved into the same room, Ben quickly discovered a trick to keep Harry's nightmares at bay. It didn't stop them entirely, but he spent fewer nights waking in terror than he used to.

Every night, once they were in their pajamas (a t-shirt and boxers for Ben, a pair of sweatpants for Harry), Ben would pick out a different book from his library. He kept his amusement to himself that Harry enjoyed being read to like a small child, that it made him feel safe and lulled him to sleep. Ironically, the most effective books were the fairytales – stories of Ursula and Ariel, Gaston and Belle, Maleficent and Aurora. He especially loved correcting the details, offering the villain's point of view, and his favorite was when Ben would chime in with corrections to how his parents really met as opposed to what was written. As long as they didn't touch the subject of Captain Hook and Peter Pan, Harry was perfectly content to let Ben read to him.

Ben was exhausted when he returned to the room he shared with Harry. He'd endured half a dozen meetings throughout the day, each one beginning just as its predecessor ended. He'd had hardly a moment to himself to collect his thoughts, and he was missing his pirate desperately.

He found Harry sitting on their bed, dressed in his choice of pajamas and cradling a mug of steamed milk and a splash of vanilla – another trick Ben had introduced him to in order to calm his nerves and stave off the nightmares.

"You're finally back," the former villain commented softly, gazing up at the king.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," was Ben's reply, distracted as he struggled to unbutton his coat.

Rolling his eyes, Harry rose from his seat and stood before his boyfriend, nimble fingers quickly working at the stubborn buttons. Harry had grown adept to stripping the prince early into their courtship.

The brunet offered him a tired smile as the last button was opened, freeing him from confines of the stiff fabric. "Thanks, love." Once the coat was neatly placed on its hanger inside the closet, he peeled off his dress shirt and tossed it into the laundry hamper. He fished a clean t-shirt from his dresser and slipped it on before unzipping his slacks and letting them fall to his feet. They joined his dress shirt in the dirty laundry before Ben crawled into bed beside Harry, who had reclaimed his earlier seat with his mug in his hands.

"What'll it be tonight?" the king questioned softly, pulling the covers over their laps and gesturing to the pile of fairytales on the bedside table.

Harry reached out to the stack, rummaging through them before uttering a decisive grunt and relaxing against the pillows. He offered his choice to Ben, sipping his milk while the brunet opened the book.

101 Dalmatians.

You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but Harry had a weak spot for dogs. Once the residents of Auradon had accepted him as one of their own, his favorite pastime was assisting Carlos in caring for Dude, bathing and brushing the mutt as often as he was allowed.

Ben cleared his throat and began to read, while Harry snuggled into his side and followed the words on the page as they flowed from his boyfriend's mouth. He hummed softly in contentment, finishing his beverage and setting the mug aside so that his arms were wrapped securely around the brunet.

He fell into a blissful sleep that night, free of night terrors and full of warmth.