Clutz
(Saturday Afternoon, July 27th)
"Good Afternoon, Auradon." Ben eyes over the cameras at the front of the crowd, before he removes his sunglasses. "I'd like to thank everyone who could make it here today. As you may know, Unification Week marks when the kingdoms of this country officially signed themselves under one authority." He stares into the crowd, "My parents saw the war that plagued this land, but with my mother's diplomacy and my father's resolute, they were able to encourage peace. My parents told the kingdoms that they are either part of the problem or part of the solution, that they would help them negotiate peace or use their own war tactics against them." Ben blinks, as a sudden heat washes over him, and the sunglasses slip from his fingers. "Thanks to the royal families' willingness to accept change, we have the country we have today." The white light widens radius, and his frown deepens. "The, uh…" He takes a moment, "The Unification Proclamation states that any kingdom's act against another is considered an act of terror. The leader of the kingdom is obligated to keep peace with the other kingdoms, and if they engage in war tactics against another kingdom, they forfeit right to their kingdom's throne." Ben becomes unsteady, and he grips the microphone stand; however, it tilts, and as it falls, he falls.
Ben's eyes close, before he feels his back and legs drop against a set of arms. A shadow is cast over him, and he's met with Chad's sky-blue eyes. "Ben?" He moves, his feet touch the ground, and he finds the edge of the stage. He feels his way back onto the platform, before he walks over to the black pole and sets the microphone upright. He awkwardly smiles, "Sorry about that. As I was saying, this week we shall celebrate everything good that we've built, and I hope you enjoy the festivities that remind us of what hope a unified future may bring."
When he stops speaking, a woman shouts, "King Ben. When do you expect to see results on your homeless apartment project?"
He finds the black-haired reporter in the front, "We're still working on it, but my goal is to start building next summer."
"How long will the construction take?"
"Construction?" he questions.
"How long 'til it's built?" she rewords.
"That's still to be seen," he answers.
"What's your relationship with Prince Chad?" another voice inquires.
Ben falters, "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" He sees a microphone move towards Chad, and Ben shouts over the questions, "He's under sixteen. You have to make an interview." The voices quiet, and Ben asks, "Any more questions?"
"Why did you fall off the stage?" a man sounds. "Are you not feeling well?"
Ben can't locate the voice through the thick, white light, so he stares out at the crowd, "I'm just tired. I lost my footing, but I can tell you I feel well."
"King Ben. Is there something wrong with your eyes?"
It's a different voice, but where's it coming from? He slowly shakes his head, "Uh, no. There's nothing wrong with my eyes."
"Then why aren't you looking at us?" the voice counters.
Ben excuses, "It's a way of speaking to crowds." before he picks up the sunglasses from the wooden stage, puts them on, and looks over the crowd. "Thank you, and I wish you all a good rest of your day."
When Ben marches offstage, the reporters surround him; however, Charming keeps them away, as Chad, William, and Brendan guide him away. "Are you sure you're okay?" Chad concerns. "I mean, you fell off stage."
"He's fine," Brendan answers for him. "He's always been a clutz. Remember back in middle school when he tripped over his own feet?"
"What?" Ben disbelieves.
"In gym class," he smiles. "Remember? We were playing kickball."
Ben recalls how he just stood there, watching as the light slowly grew brighter. The bright white light had suddenly turned to black, and he'd fallen to the ground. His eyes had opened, and everyone was staring at him. He rose to his feet and panicked, yelling that he was fine, that he was okay. Is this what everyone thought happened, that he'd just tripped over his own foot? Is that why they never sent him to the nurse? Ben glares at him, "I didn't trip. I fainted."
Brendan stifles a laugh, "Really?"
"Hey," William inserts. "This isn't funny."
"No. I know," he snickers, before he takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
"Is that what happened on stage?" Chad comments. "You fainted?" Ben fails to answer, and he places a hand to his forehead.
Ben swats it away, "Chad. There's people here."
"You don't feel sick." He shakes his head, "Damn rexi probably just isn't eating."
Ben darts his eyes from the guys to Chad, "I'm not anorexic."
"Then you won't mind if I get you a sandwich," Chad offers.
"I'm not eating a salad sandwich," Ben revolts.
"There's cheese and turkey ones too."
"And what's a piece of cheese between two thin slices of meat supposed to solve?" he irritably responds.
"You're just trying to get out of eating," Chad accuses.
"No, I'm not," Ben nearly yells. "I'm just tired of eating shit that doesn't help."
After a minute of quiet, William informs, "He's a carnivore. If you really want to help him, all you have to do is open a vein."
"Ben might like meat," Chad accepts, "but that doesn't make him a carnivore."
"You said he likes the way you smell," he points out. "How would he know what your scent smelled like, if he wasn't?"
When Chad looks at him, Ben defends, "So, I have a good nose. That doesn't have to mean anything."
"I know you're a carnivore," William enforces, "because I'm one too, and I know the signs." Ben's expression slips, and he lists, "You have heightened senses, you're nocturnal, you're strong and fast, and you've admitted to liking blood on camera."
"I went fifteen years without blood," Ben grits his teeth. "How does that make me a frickin' carnivore?"
"It doesn't," Chad whispers. "It makes your parents neglectfully abusive."
Ben's eyes widen at him, "You don't actually believe this?"
"This whole time," he hurtfully replies, "you were just trying to eat me?"
"It wasn't like that," Ben denies. "I li—" Chad solemnly stares at him, and Ben wets his lips, "I liked having you close to me."
"But you don't love me," he insecurely says. "You liked having me close, because you liked the way I smelled. And you wanted me." Ben eyes down, and Chad continues, "See? You can't even deny it. I bet if you drank me dry, it still wouldn't matter to you."
"Of course, it would matter," Ben growls, before he shakily breathes. "I can't live without you, Chad."
"But you think I can?" Chad asserts. "You don't want to wait to die of fever, so you're starving yourself to death instead."
"Chad," he tries to reason.
"No," he persists. "I have you all figured out. You're controlling ass needs to be in control, so you can't just let Death be in control. You can't stand not knowing if you'll die in seven weeks, seven months, or seven years. No. You will die when you want to, exactly at the time you say you will." Chad gulps, "And it's just cowardly, Ben. If you want to die so badly, then why is it taking you so long. Huh? Why can't you just do it your damn self?"
Ben's frown deepens, "I already tried doing it my damn self." and with that Chad settles, eyes over him, and shakes his head before leaving.
"He didn't mean that," Brendan comments.
"No. He's right." Ben faces them, "I've been waiting to die, and it's not fair to ask him to watch me do that." He shakes his head, "No. If he can't be around me, I understand."
"Seriously, though," William inputs, "don't die."
Ben nods, "Okay." before he faces him. "So, where do you get your blood from?"
"My father was helping me when he needed to," he frowns, "but I'm looking for a more permanent solution now."
His eyes widen, "You had a nerve to out me to my—to Chad—when you don't even have your own donor?"
"I thought he could help you better, if—"
"Get out of here," he interrupts.
"Ben."
"No," he perseveres. "Chad was mine, and you ruined it."
"You two were already separated," Brendan reminds him.
"Chad always comes back to me," Ben eyes from him to William. "But if I didn't give him a reason not to before, he certainly has one now."
William whispers, "I'm sorry."
"Well, you should be. What if I outed you? How would you like it?"
He agrees, "I wouldn't."
"Until further notice," Ben tears up, "I don't want to see or speak to you. Am I clear?"
William bows, "Yes, Your Highness." before he walks away. Ben watches him make his way to his parents, likely looking for a ride home.
"There you are."
Ben hears Audrey's voice and turns to her, "Hey." and he watches as she eyes over him. "What is it?"
"You don't look terminally ill," she evenly expresses.
"Chad told you," he assumes.
"I'm just going to go," Brendan excuses himself.
Audrey shakes her head, "We dated for a year, Ben. You couldn't tell me?"
He lifts a shoulder, "I couldn't talk about it. I wasn't even allowed to."
"But me?" she questions again. "We made plans, Ben. The college we would attend, whether we would live in my kingdom or yours, and how long we should wait until marriage."
"I know," Ben frowns. "I shouldn't have been dating."
"That's not what I'm saying." Audrey explains, "I'm saying that you should have told me. Okay? I had the right to decide for myself whether living my life with you for five or ten years would be worth the loss I would feel if you passed."
"When I pass," Ben corrects, and her frown deepens. "All I have to do is get the flu, Audrs, and I've just barely beat that enough times the way it is."
"How long would you guess you have?"
He takes a moment, "I'm surprised I've lived this long."
She shakes her head, "You're terrible, you know that?" as she starts to cry. "I had this whole plan to just yell at you for summing up what you did to Chad as companionship and how much of a mess you've left him, but now…"
When she sobs, Ben hugs her, "It's okay."
- I don't know if this is the first time I've used Ben's nickname for Audrey, but believe me, it's a lot easier to say in your head than it is aloud. Try pronouncing Aud-Res as one syllable, and that's sort of how I think it sounds.