Mal
Twenty Two.
It was supposed to be just another Council meeting. It should have been easy. Straightforward.
Non-dramatic.
It was just another night she told herself she wouldn't end up in Ben's bed.
And just another night where it happened anyway.
By now, leaving Ben should be easy. She'd been doing it for nearly four years now.
It wasn't. It was getting harder every time. Mal didn't know how much longer she could do this.
'I love you.'
The words Ben had whispered into her skin after Evie's engagement party still played on a loop in her mind. Luring her in. Like a siren song.
He'd been drunk - god, why did he need to be drunk - and she couldn't trust those words.
But the loop still played. Taunting her, even months later.
It was 5am. She knew she would need to leave soon.
Ben wasn't quite on his father's timeline, starting the day before sunrise, but after years of being a working royal he rarely slept beyond 6am. Even on his days off.
In the early days of their relationship, Mal always snuck out once Ben was asleep. As a being who didn't need much sleep to function, it felt...wrong to lie there much longer. Intrusive. Intimate.
Real.
But then, Ben started trying to stay up with her. So she'd started spelling him. It was just a harmless insomnia remedy, nothing sinister. Because spelling him was easier than having the conversation about leaving. Or staying.
Or...anything really.
But recently...she'd been more and more reluctant to leave. She wasn't always spelling him and running straight off. Some nights, she lay there, head on his chest, waiting for his breathing to even out and the soft snores to start. Letting him hold her close.
Letting herself feel...
'I love you.'
Ben hadn't said it again since Evie's engagement party.
He'd been drunk and it was adorable. He was like a golden retriever puppy who'd gotten into the pantry and knew he was getting away with something. Mal had been sober - alcohol didn't affect her unless she let it - so she knew exactly what she was doing when she let him drag her up to dance. When she let him kiss her in full view of their parents. She hadn't expected him to say the words. Not then. Or ever.
Then when they'd been alone, he kept saying it, whispering the words like a prayer. Mal had even gotten brave enough to whisper it back, just as she spelled him to sleep.
But the next morning, he'd pointedly ignored her at breakfast.
Mal pretended it didn't bother her.
Dodged her friends worried glances and probing questions.
Let her mother steal all his spoons before a State Dinner.
Made sure there wasn't the opportunity for a repeat at the wedding.
'I love you.'
Two weeks after the wedding, there was an article in White As Snow linking Ben to an Auradonian socialite who had been in attendance. Mal knew nothing had happened, because she'd been hyper aware of Ben's every move that day. Despite going back to her suite alone, she knew his eyes never left her.
But the suggestion…
She didn't like it.
So despite the fact they were trying to be just friends again, she started getting in his way. If a girl made a move on him at an event, Mal was there to loop her arm through his and throw a catty look at whoever tried to touch her toys. If someone tried to set him up on a date, she was there with tickets to the latest must see show. As friends. And if Doug kept throwing her exasperated looks, well then she was clearly on the right track.
'I love you.'
Mal knew it wasn't wishful thinking anymore. At least not for her.
But it wasn't enough.
Ben had stayed fully committed to the just friends thing. And now White As Snow's latest cover story linked him to Claire Charming.
They'd cropped her out of every fucking photo.
Because to Auradon, if it wasn't going to be Audrey, Claire was the next best match.
She was just Mal from the Isle. Still.
The bracelet her father had given her on her first trip to the Underworld hummed against her wrist, as if it was chastising her for the thought.
Ben stirred in his sleep suddenly, as if something had prodded him. He frowned for a moment then settled, pulling her closer. Mal leaned into his embrace, just for a moment.
Letting herself have right now, without thinking of what happens next.
Ben's breathing changed, signalling that he was really about to wake up now. He knew she was there on some level, the way his fingers tightened on her hips and a contented smile took up residence on his face told her as much. He turned to nuzzle into her hair, and Mal bit her lip. Searching for her willpower.
With one final sigh and her bracelet humming it's annoyance, she pressed a kiss to Ben's cheek and turned to mist.
Before she could change her mind.
…
Mal
Present Day.
"Stop smirking, your face will stick like that and the Arrows will cut your advertising bonus because you only have one expression."
Jay said nothing in the face of Mal's ire. He simply rolled his eyes and continued to smirk as he took a long sip of his drink. Lonnie stood curled into his side, letting him stake his claim for tonight, completely oblivious to the fact that their coordinated outfits did not allow for drawing any other conclusion. Mal had already told Evie they were a few years out from making things official, that Lonnie and Jay were just independent and stubborn and far, far too much like each other to go at any pace other than their own…but that didn't stop Evie's meddling.
Just like Evie steadfastly ignored Mal's declarations that she could never be Ben's Happy Ending and used her third cousin as dragon bait.
She should probably thank Evie for that. And send Adele a nice seahorse or three.
Later.
When she wasn't being watched by the whole world.
"Carlos," Mal sighed heavily, turning her attention to Carlos and Jane. They weren't much better than Lonnie and Jay, but she could always count on them to-
"Oh no, you're alone on this one." Carlos shook his head, reaching for a mini hot dog from a passing platter of canapés. At the last minute, he changed his mind, grabbing the platter from the waiter and waving off his protests, "It's cool, just leave this one here. I have it on good authority Mrs Potts made plenty."
The waiter paused with a frown then looked to Mal for…something?
Mal nodded instinctively, keen to get back to her conversation about how sneaking out of the ball with Ben was not a big deal, but then she paused. The usual staff would have laughed and offered to bring a second platter, far too used to feeding Carlos and Jay by now to argue.
Looking closer at the retreating figure, Mal realised she didn't recognise this one. Or any of the other catering staff gliding around the room.
Her frown deepened as she vaguely remembered Belle mentioning outside catering so their usual staff could celebrate Ben's birthday and…nope that still didn't make sense. Because that waiter had just looked at her like…
"Ben made sure the staff they brought in knew you were part of the family." Evie stated smugly, noticing Mal's confusion. Sharing a knowing look with Doug she added, "Right, honey?"
Mal didn't look for Doug's response, instead she telegraphed Evie a look that told her she'd have been flipped off…if there weren't roughly six million cameras on them. Evie merely laughed - cackled, really - and winked.
Mal opened her mouth to say something she could probably be banished for when Jay perked up suddenly, putting her instantly on edge.
"Oh, here we go."
She'd never been part of a Story before. Not knowingly, at least.
The lack of awareness was disconcerting, like someone had turned off her ears or her sense of smell. She could still feel the chaos, but her internal radar for navigating it safely was out of commission.
How did the mortals deal with this?
Mal felt firm hands grasp her shoulders - Cogsworth, definitely Cogsworth, given the height, silent approach, cologne and sheer balls to grab a demigod from behind - and turn her towards the centre of the ballroom.
"Wait. What. I don't-"
Mal knew better than to resist with so many witnesses, but she had no idea why she was being herded towards Ben. And a cake. And a throng of photographers.
No clue. At all.
She caught Audrey's eye, silently begging for help, but Audrey winked at her too. Clearly, all her friends had lost their sense of self preservation. And Cogsworth had lost his mind.
This was Ben's party. She was just-
Cogsworth's grip tightened on her shoulders as if he anticipated her train of thought. Mal glanced back over her shoulder to glare at Evie and Doug as realisation dawned - Doug shrugged and Evie's evil grin made her look like their mothers.
She wasn't just Mal from the Isle anymore.
Or even Malia of the Underworld.
She was the girl Prince Ben had ever so gracefully spun out of the side door of his twenty-fifth birthday ball.
She was the girl who'd staked her claim on the most eligible bachelor in Auradon, and he'd legitimised that claim in front of the entire world.
She wasn't just the girl he snuck around the shadows with.
Even though they'd probably never stop sneaking off.
She was….
God, she was his girlfriend.
You definitely owe Evie something shiny. And possibly naming rights to your firstborn.
Mal met Ben's eyes from where he stood beside the cake, looking at her with nothing but pure, unadulterated love, and her heart skipped a beat.
Ben looked like someone who suddenly had everything he ever wanted.
And Mal couldn't help but let her own happiness show too.
They were really doing this.
For real.
Together.
A camera flashed, but Mal barely let it register. Instead, she took a subtle breath and shot Ben a wolffish grin.
She could do this.
Of course she could.
Because she had her friends behind her, and Ben beside her, and that was all she ever needed.
Ava was a nice name. She could definitely sign cards 'Love, Ben, Mal and Ava.'
…
Ben
Present Day.
"What are you doing?" Mal whispered as Cogsworth gleefully pushed her into the frame beside Ben and his massive twenty fifth birthday cake. It towered over them, all blues and yellows and decorated with chocolate strawberries. That was his own last minute addition that Mrs Potts was happy to accommodate.
There was no bite behind her words. He'd been a little worried there might be - once she'd had time to cool off and reflect on the enormity of what they'd just done - but she seemed almost serene.
She smiled for the cameras, her body language open as she wrapped an arm around his waist and curled into his side. Her eyes were maybe a little too wide for his liking, as if she was still a little shell shocked, but she wasn't turning to mist under his fingers again.
Slinging an arm around her shoulders, he leaned in to press a kiss to her hair. Just because he could. "Something I should have done years ago."
Mal simply hummed in response, tilting her head so that it was resting on his shoulder.
The invited paparazzi loved it.
For a brief moment, Ben thought they were going to slip. That their announcement of their relationship was about to turn them back into rabid pack animals scenting blood. But the onslaught never came.
And Ben realised just how far Auradon had come since the Isle.
In the early days, before Olympus and kinda-of-dating and my-name-is-Malia, Ben noticed the way that the media screamed questions and instructions and demanded access to their lives overwhelmed Mal. It was only now, with life experience and perspective, that he realised adults sneaking into school grounds to harass minors was not normal. Or okay. Or reasonable.
Back then, he hadn't fully understood her reaction. He hadn't liked how it made her feel, but he'd never known any other relationship with the media.
But it made Mal uncomfortable. And he was a Prince with a crush. And he'd brought them over from the Isle and subjected them to this world. So he'd done something about it.
They had a system now.
No breaking and entering. No harassing minors. Endangering anyone's life in pursuit of a photo got your license revoked. In hindsight, those should have always been a given.
But they weren't. And now they were.
They had extra safeguards, like a member of staff between the media and guests for all offices events.
So whereas before the paparazzi would have eaten them alive for this announcement, they were excited without storming them.
Tonight Lumiere was on the hook, and Ben was once again grateful for his family's foresight. Mal trusted Lumiere, so she was too busy doing as he told her to let the situation spook her too much.
Before long, they were twisting and turning and smiling and stealing knowing glances that would no doubt be caught in someone's frame. Their audience shouted and cooed and cameras flashed to the point he should be seeing stars…
…but all he saw was Mal.
And the look in her eyes almost made him look forward to the morning news.
Adam and Belle eventually joined them for more photos. Then Hades and Maleficent. Ben hadn't known that was on the agenda, but when The Mistress Of All Evil looped her arm through his and made a snarky comment to a photographer about getting her evil side, he knew he should just go with it.
And then, finally, the posed photos were over and the cake was cut. Ben hadn't even got the knife out of the sponge before Mal was leaning over him to swipe a chocolate covered strawberry.
"Want to get out of here?" Ben whispered to Mal, wrapping his arms around her as their mothers stepped forward to deal with the cake cutting and their fathers made a beeline for the bar.
Mal paused, strawberry halfway towards her mouth, and raised an eyebrow incredulously. Taking advantage of her distraction, Ben shot forward and took a bite of the strawberry.
Just the top.
It was his birthday.
She was his.
He couldn't not ruffle her feathers. Or scales.
Mal's jaw dropped and she huffed, shooting him a look that said this was the most insulting thing to happen to her ever. Somewhere to their right, Ben could hear Harry suggesting the next pool should be on Ben's untimely death.
"Just for that, I'm dusting off the Forever In A Day curse."