Human

(Friday Afternoon, August 16th)

"I don't want to go to the dentist," Ben complains.

Charming parks the car. "I need to prove that I can take care of you."

"Didn't taking me to the hospital do that?" he murmurs.

"You'll enjoy the chewing sticks more if your teeth are taken care of," he assumes.

Ben frowns. "Can't I just have the iced tea with the gelatin cubes?"

"Chewing sticks last longer."

"Chewing sticks are for carnivores." Ben folds his arms. "Why can't I have gum?"

"Gum's too easy to chew," Charming recalls, before he unbuckles himself. "If we get your teeth fixed, then I can rule out pain as a reason why you won't eat. If we do that, then all I have to worry about is figuring out your likes and dislikes."

He opens the door. "I've been eating just fine."

Charming rounds the car and guides him inside. "Then you have no reason not to get your teeth fixed."

When Ben is returned to the lobby, the dentist frowns. "King Charming. Might I have a moment with you?"

"Of course," Charming accepts, and Ben stares as they walk away.

Once they reach the room, Dr. Herz turns around. "I went over some of this with King Ben, but I'd like you to know too."

He frowns. "Is something wrong?"

"He has small roots," the dentist informs, "which means he needs to keep his gums strong. I told him chewing on the carnivore sticks would be good for that."

"Okay."

"I corrected the bite for his fillings, so he should be able to use them more."

Charming examines him. "I still have the impression that something's wrong."

"I just have a hard time understanding," he contemplates. "Most carnivores would jump at the chance to bare their teeth and prove that they're at the top of the food chain, but King Ben didn't really seem to understand the concept."

"He only recently found out," Charming defends. "His parents raised him to be human, and a part of him still wishes he were."

"How far did they go?" he questions.

"Pardon?"

"It's just… It's a very primal instinct for a carnivore to display their power to their prey. It should make them happy or, at least, confident." He pauses. "Unless the abuse was that bad."

"You think his parents abused his survival instincts out of him?" he asks.

The dentist unsurely says, "Unless you have a better conclusion." Charming stays silent. "The only carnivores I've seen who lack that predatory mentality are those who weren't born one, those who got infected with the acuti virus and lack sharp enough teeth to eat their prey. When someone is born a carnivore, they know what they want, what they need, and how to get it. They know they're more powerful than humans, so they would feel superior on some level. King Ben on the other hand didn't even have the instinct to bare his teeth when I told him to say 'rar'."

"Rar?" Charming asks.

"A little childish, I know," the dentist acknowledges, "but, like I said, it's instinctual for a carnivore to want to show their teeth. It's supposed to help with their self-esteem."

"Ben doesn't want to be a carnivore," Charming comments.

"Well, that's going to be a problem." He meets his eyes. "A large percentage of people who get infected with the virus don't survive, just because they can't comprehend how their body's changed or they can't accept it as it is. They die from suicide or starvation, but they only starve because they still have their human teeth. Someone born with the virus will have sharper teeth, and when they attack someone, they will be the one who survives."

"Ben's not good at attacking anyone," Charming dismisses.

"For your sake, I hope you're right."

"What did he tell you?" Ben questions

"That you need to use the chewing sticks if you want to keep your teeth."

Ben murmurs, "At least, I know how to get rid of them now."

"What did your parents do to you?"

"What?" Ben whispers.

"You don't know what 'rar' means." He informs, "The dentist is concerned about how domesticated you are."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Ben questions. "That I'm not like Mal. That I don't consider humans inferior. That I don't need an ulterior motive to coexist with them."

"Apparently, that's normal," Charming answers, and he sighs. "As much as I appreciate how mature you are, I can't help but think there's a reason for it."

"The reason?" Ben says, "I had to raise myself." He glances over. "Not that you weren't there. You were definitely better than my parents."

"But I didn't know what was going on," Charming finishes. "I understand."

"I don't think you do." Ben continues, "I don't act like a carnivore, because I'm not one."

"Then hopefully you can find a cure one day." He frowns. "But your body still has needs, and I expect you to do your best to keep it healthy."

"So, chew the sticks," Ben concludes.

"And get to know your donor better." Charming notices his discontent. "Your body doesn't care that you want to be human. It will take what it needs. If you want to be perceived as human, you need to act like it."

"You just called me domesticated," Ben points out.

"Yes," he accepts, "but you still attack people. It's not your fault, but it is something you can control. Keep your body happy, and it won't betray you." Ben doesn't speak. "How about a nice juicy steak before bed?"

"I'm really not good at the whole eating thing," Ben whispers. "Not now that I know why I like the things I do."

"A lot of people eat steak."

"Not everyone has a beast for a father." Ben looks out the window. "I was thinking, I could pretend to be a vegetarian this year."

"Why would you want to do that?" Charming inquires.

"To keep people from asking so many stupid questions," Ben murmurs. "If they find out what I am, no one's going to treat me the same."

"Maybe the best thing to do," Charming considers, "is to have an interview and get it out of the way. Tell people you're still their king and that you want nothing more than to be treated as they would any human ruler."

"That's not going to work," Ben disagrees. "No one listens to the interviews, especially when I'm speaking French."

"Your father's court date is this upcoming week," Charming reminds him. "As your guardian, I want you to take as much time as you need; however, as your adviser, I highly recommend that you get ahead of this. It's in your best interest to paint a picture of yourself before someone else does it for you."

"Those are two very different suggestions."

"You told me to keep my duties as your guardian and your adviser separate," Charming counters. "That's what I'm doing."

"Thank you."

"You keep looking at me," Blake notices.

Ben tears his eyes away. "Sorry." He taps on the laptop before sighing. "I'm just… in a mood, I guess."

"To eat me or to kiss me?"

Ben folds his arms and faces him. "Both?" He eyes over him. "Your hair's making me a little crazy."

"Your girlfriend had curly hair," Blake recalls.

Ben can't help but smile. "She did."

"What happened with you two?"

His smile slips. "I don't really know." He wets his lips. "After she told the police on my parents, I was really scared. I stopped talking. We stopped talking."

"Does she think you're mad at her?"

"Probably. I mean, I was." He meets his eyes. "It hurts too much to think about."

Blake frowns. "Okay."

Ben eyes over him. "Take your shirt off." The manservant complies, and he stands. "Where's your knife?"

Blake hands it to him, Ben sits on top of him, and he shakes. "Your Highness?"

"Give me a minute," he commands. "I need to be careful." Ben covers the artery with his thumb, and Blake keeps still as Ben makes a cut higher up the neck.

Ben drops the knife, and a tear drops onto Blake's neck. "King Ben?" He latches onto the cut, feels the curly hair, and his breathing steadies.

"Do you think Chad's going to be willing to come forward?" Ella asks.

Charming readjusts his pillows. "I told you to give him a couple days."

"You seem stressed." He doesn't speak. "Would a foot rub help?"

"I'm not in the mood." He takes a deep breath. "Ben wants to find a cure."

"To be human again," Ella assumes. "Isn't that expected?"

"If his cousin was telling the truth," Charming informs, "then his grandmother was a lion. Even if a cure is found for the werewolf virus his grandfather had, there's no telling if it would make him human."

"What did he say?"

Charming stares at the ceiling. "I didn't tell him."

"Don't you think he should know?"

"Call me selfish," Charming says, "but I don't want to risk losing him. I'd rather just try to normalize the whole thing."

"Do you think that will work?"

"I mean, it is normal… for a carnivore."

"But he doesn't want to be a carnivore." Ella sits up. "Instead of normalizing the fact that he's a carnivore, why don't you just treat him like a human."

"But he's not human," Charming reminds her. "He drinks blood. He growls."

"Which you can ignore." She takes his hand. "I'm not saying to ignore what he is, but he was raised in human culture. He should feel like a part of it."

"So, only mention it if it's necessary?" Charming questions.

"I know how dangerous it is to live in a fantasy," Ella acknowledges, "but it's how I survived the darkest part of my life. Maybe it could help Ben until a solution is found."

"Even us meeting was a miracle." Charming reminds her, "Fairy Godmother put her wand away. Magic's been retired. Ben's dream of being human will never become true."

"What's going on?" Blake tiredly says.

The guard catches him, and Ben apologizes, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have… not when I was so upset." He closes his eyes, and he requests, "Derek. Can you make sure he gets home?"

"My primary objective is to watch you," the black-haired guard replies. "I have to ask the king if I can leave my post."

He moves his hand to knock on the door, and Ben panics, "Don't. They're talking about me. They can't know I heard."

"Then go back to your room," he instructs. Ben eyes between him and the door before retreating back into the room down the hall. Derek knocks, keeping Blake steady until the door opens. "Your Highness, I'd like permission to take Ben's donor home. I don't believe he should be driving right now."

"Alright," Charming accepts. "I can watch him for an hour."

"You should know," he warns, "King Ben overheard you."

"You mean, just now?"

"Yes," he confirms.

Charming shuts his eyes for a moment. "Alright. Take Blake home. It looks like I need to have a talk with Ben anyway."

Ben hears the knock and wraps the sheets tighter around him. "Ben?" The door opens, and Charming moves towards him. "Hey. I'd like to talk to you about something."

"Is this the part where you tell me not to drain my donors dry?" Ben murmurs.

"I know you overheard my conversation with Ella."

"It's kind of hard for you to ignore what I am when I keep doing stuff like this," Ben says, and Charming stays silent. "I don't want to live like this."

"Things will get better," he quietly reassures.

"Don't lie to me," Ben seethes. "I know what you said, that there's no hope."

"Why do you want to be human anyway?" Charming presumes, "Is it your father, because he got where he is by hiding what he is. You can make different choices."

"I want to be human," Ben whispers, "because I am." The tears flow from his eyes. "I hate that I like the stuff I eat. I hate that I can't stay up for a full day. I hate that I keep biting my cheeks, that my hair grows so fast, and that my stomach never shuts up. It makes every decision for me. It's like… I really am a monster."

"It would be easier if you accepted it."

"Accept it?" Ben turns over and sits up. "I'd like to see the day that you would be willing to accept the fact that eating the people you love is the only thing you can think about."

"We're human," Charming slowly says. "You wouldn't try eating another carnivore." His head lowers. "Ben. Have you thought about drinking from other carnivores?"

"Mal," he sniffles.

"A dragon?" Charming gapes. "Ben… How's that even supposed to work?"

"It doesn't," he answers. "She's really good at defending herself."

"I can't believe you'd eat another carnivore."

"I'm not a carnivore." Ben reminds him, "I'm a beast. Something's wrong with me."

Charming takes a moment. "Do you think you could stand the idea of being a carnivore, if you weren't a beast?"

"I don't know." Ben shakes his head. "I'd rather be human, but you said it isn't possible."

"The virus isn't what makes you a beast. It's the lion DNA."

"So, I find a geneticist," Ben concludes.

"Ben." He frowns. "You have enough health issues."

"Exactly." He meets his eyes. "I want to die as the person I was supposed to be."

"And that's human?" he questions again.

"I think," Ben examines, "if I had none of my father's genes, that's who I would be."

"If you didn't have any of your father's genes," Charming comments, "you'd be a girl."

Ben lifts a shoulder. "I think I'd be okay with that."

"Of course." Charming glances down. "We still need to pick something for you to wear to court. Any thoughts?"

"No tie?" Ben requests.

"I'm afraid that will be expected."

Ben lays back down. "Then you pick. I'm not going to like it anyway."

"Okay. Well… Do you want anything to eat?"

Ben ignores the pain in his stomach. "I can take care of myself."

Posted: 04/02/2021

- Isaiah Flamez I don't know if that's a rhetorical question or not, but what's happening so far? Well, this story splits off from Isle Problems 2, when Mal decides to tell the truth to the police rather than deny Ben's abuse. The police convince Belle to let Ben stay with King Charming, after they find out about their codependence. Ben just got out of the hospital (where he had been treated for internal bleeding from his father punching him) and now they're awaiting trial to see whether his father will be sent to prison for the abuse of Ben and his mother... There's plenty more filler and subplots, but that's the gist... I suppose it's also useful to mention that Chad's being treated for his morphine addiction with anti-withdrawal pills, while he's recalling the trauma of being molested by a well-respected teacher. Oh, and he's dating Carlos, because he needed to continue on with his life, despite what he's been through... I think that's everything? Maybe?... Probably not.