With the tour in full swing the media had been all over Ben and Mal. The dorms and his castle didn't even seem safe anymore. Obviously the press weren't allowed inside but they basically were outside the doors 24/7. Even when the royal couple was inside the buildings there were articles released speculating what they were doing based on time spent inside, time of day, and who else was there. Ben and Mal both agreed them spending time in her dorm was a no go due to this.
While at the castle Belle and Adam kept them incredibly busy. Adam and Ben spent hours upon hours in the study working on his paperwork and emails and phone calls and whatever else he needed to attend to at home as part of his responsibilities as king. Belle sweeps Mal away to meet with Jane practically the moment she steps through the doors. They also log their fair share of hours talking schedules and starting to plan cotillion until Mali's head is swimming so fast sometimes she feels sick.
If all that wasn't enough their final year at Auradon had started up. Their plates were filled to the max and they were completely overwhelmed. No one more so than Ben. He had no idea how to balance his king duties with schoolwork. Meanwhile all he wanted to do was spend time with Mal. At the very least now they were on the same page about missing each other and the reason very clearly being how chaotic their schedules had become.
Due to all this, for the first time since Ben had started his tour of the kingdom, Mal was actually looking forward to a visit. This was also the first time she legitimately felt prepared. Her speed reading and memory spells had worked perfectly. Evie has sewn her a beautiful dress to honor the customs of Agrabah.
She practically ran when the limo came to pick her up for their trip to visit Aladdin and Jasmine. Evie had to run after her because she forget her dress. Ben pulled her to him when she got in the limo. "Happy to see you in such a good mood Mal." He kissed the top of her head and she just grinned.
Aladdin and Jasmine were by far the nicest royals Mal had met. They had prepared a lunch for just Ben and Mal. Of course the cameras were all over them but on the massive plus side there was a whole chocolate fountain with strawberries. Ben leaned in close feeding her one. "Pretend it's just you and me," he whispered. She reciprocated fake giggling and looking around, "that's kind of impossible." The cameras were right up in their faces. But the whole situation was so comical that they actually couldn't stop laughing.
Mal was in such a playful mood all she wanted to do was pounce on Ben. But of course that wasn't possible with all these camera shoved in their faces. She couldn't even risk whispering to him. But she found all she wanted to do was tease him. Push him to the edge. Mal knew Ben was feeling the same she was about missing their physical relationship, but she still found herself wanting to inflict the desperate feeling onto him.
Mal blinked her eyes slower, ate her strawberries slower and more messily. Then played innocent. Not overtly enough that the cameras could catch it, but enough that Ben could tell. At first he thought there was no way she was doing this on purpose, in front of all the cameras. But the way she giggled and dabbed the loose juices that fell on her chin told him otherwise.
Ben strained trying not to get worked up on camera. The fear of the whole kingdom catching on kept him at bay. When he was back to his room at night he found himself slightly agitated with Mal. Why would she put him on the spot like that? After further reflection he came to the conclusion that she wouldn't. She just missed him and missed being free. She was being playful. Ben knew he needed to loosen up as well. But it was just so difficult. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and completely alone.
Mal's actions felt like they effected her more than him. When she was back in her room that night after dinner she thought on the day. She had done passable with Aladdin and Jasmine at dinner. Her only mess up had been the food. She wasn't prepared for how spicy it was and ended up spitting some in her napkin. All in all it wasn't a total disaster like all the others had been.
But Mal had utterly worked herself up with her charade at the chocolate fountain. All she could think about was Ben's lips. When she fed him the strawberries. The way he watched her whole display in awe and a touch of lust. Suddenly she was imagining his lips trailing everywhere. It had been way too long since they had been alone. Mal desperately wished Ben would sneak in like he had on their visit with Queen Ariel. But she knew after all that had happened, with the media also staying in Queen Jasmine's palace, there was no way he was risking sneaking through her door.
Mal closed her eyes willing herself to actually feel Ben's hot mouth all over her body. She let her fingers lightly trail the course she wished he was here to take. And she let her mind wander to things she was too afraid to ask of him or push him to in real life. Too scared to let him see all of her. But all that she desperately wanted.
Mal's left fingers pinched her nipple as her right hand trailed down to touch herself over her sleep shorts. Behind her eyelids all she could see were flashes of Ben. His hair tussled over his neck as he leaned in close to lick her lips. His hands grazing her stomach on their way up to hold her breasts. The heat of his breath as he pants close to her. The way his chest looks when she's unbuttoning his shirt.
Mal pulled her shorts off and threw them off the side of the bed. Her legs spread wider to give herself better access and she went back to rubbing her center. Mal imagined Ben trailing kisses down her body to where finger was rubbing her clit, letting his tongue join her. She pictured what his perfect soft hair would feel like between her thighs. What the wet feeling of his mouth would feel like kissing her so intimately. Mal willed herself to believe it was his fingers joining with his tongue to push into her and devour her. Her hips started to lift off the bed slightly as she let the fantasy of Ben consume her until she pushed up hard and came. A quiet strangled, "Ben," passing her lips. She allowed sleep to overtake her snuggled up in this big luxurious bed. She felt like she was floating on a cloud. Mal's sleeping mind wandering to all the places she wanted to go with Ben that she couldn't during the daylight.