Chapter Text
“I don’t want a big wedding,” Mal said for the umpteenth time.
“The people of Auradon need a big wedding,” Ben argued. “Since we opened the barrier, more people have turned to evil. We need something to unite the kingdom.”
Tears rolled down Mal’s cheeks. Ben brought his thumb up to swipe them away, but Mal took a step back. “No. Stop trying to manipulate me.”
“I’m not.” Ben sighed. Mal was so paranoid. Not that he blamed her. Her mother had used and abused her for years. He was still working hard to show her he was trustworthy.
“Ben, be honest with me. Is our relationship a political move?”
He stared at her in disbelief. “How can you say that?”
“How can I not? Everything we’ve ever done since we got together has furthered your dream of saving the kids from the Isle. Why can’t we have one moment to ourselves?”
“Mal, I’m the king. I’m sorry, but my love life has to be visible.”
She held up a finger. “I’m not finished. Our romantic engagement was one big show that had everyone, minus a few royals, supporting us. And now this wedding will be another big show. I don’t think you really love me, Ben.”
“Of course I love you.”
“Oh, yeah?” She withdrew her spellbook from her bag.
Ben’s eyes widened. “Mal, what are you doing?”
“Proving a point.” She smiled wickedly, flipping to a page. “Beware, forswear, replace the old with uncool hair.” Her hair turned frizzy and black as night, washing out her pale features. She looked like some woodland nymph who’d never seen the light of day.
Ben backed up a step subconsciously.
“What’s the matter, Ben? Rethinking your feelings for me?”
“No, it’s not that.” He squared his shoulders. “You’ll always be beautiful to me, Mal.”
“Prove it.” She grasped his hands and brought her face inches from his. “Kiss me.”
That he could do. He kissed her tenderly, pulling her in close. This would surely prove to her that he loved her no matter what she looked like.
Mal pulled away and dug in her bag for a silver mirror. She held it up to look at herself. “Beware, forswear, replace the old with brand new hair,” she whispered. Her shiny purple locks returned.
“Great, so can we go to the wedding planning now? Lumiere’s waiting on us.”
Mal shook her head, lips drawn together in a pout. “Don’t you get it, Ben? That spell was a curse, and your kiss didn’t break it.” She pulled the ring off her finger and handed it to him. “Tell Lumiere the wedding’s off.”
…
Ben couldn’t believe it. How would he get the villains to fall into line now? He’d turned the baddest of the bad into the purest good. She was their shiny example of success. Without her…
All he could think about was how disappointed the people would be. Shouldn’t he be feeling a gut-wrenching sadness from losing Mal? Wasn’t that how poets described heartbreak?
Unless…
Mal was right. He wasn’t in love with her. All this time he’d told himself it was love. Her kiss had broken his curse after all, but maybe True Love’s Kiss didn’t require both to be in love. Her love was strong enough, but his never was.
It wasn’t as if he’d been trying to use her. He wasn’t that kind of person. He’d just been caught up in the fantasy of it all. The idea that his kindness and goodness could change a person for the better, bring out the good hidden deep within--and he still firmly believed everyone had that. It could have just as easily been Evie, if she’d been the one to give him the love potion…
He was a king who hadn’t yet found his true love. A rarity in Auradon. The romantic story he’d been writing with Mal was nothing more than a fairy tale.
…
Only six months later Ben received an invitation to Mal’s wedding. It hadn’t taken her long to find love again. Ben wished it were that easy for him. He was still alone. He hadn’t been alone like this since he was fifteen.
The wedding was a grand event, filled with all the things Mal said she would hate at a wedding. Ben didn’t understand why she’d changed her tune. Was she doing all of this because her fiancé wanted it? Or was she doing it just to annoy Ben?
Whatever the case, Ben wasn’t the only one at the wedding who looked unhappy. While everyone was dancing, Carlos sat at a table alone, petting Dude while he watched Jay and Mal dance.
Ben sat next to him. “Hey, man.”
Startled, Carlos looked up. “Oh, Ben, hi. Sorry, didn’t see you there.”
Ben chuckled. “It’s okay. You were distracted.” He nodded towards Mal and Jay. The newlyweds looked so happy, grinning ear-to-ear, dressed in Evie’s finest creations to date.
Carlos’s face turned scarlet. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“It’s okay, Carlos. Mal is beautiful. I can see how the whole kingdom has fallen in love with her. You don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”
Carlos bit his lip. “Actually, I…”
“Come on, let’s dance,” Ben said, suddenly energized. It made no sense for them both to be miserable. If cameras caught him looking sad, there would be a slew of magazine articles about Broken-hearted Ben at his ex’s wedding. He didn’t want people to think he was jealous. He really wasn’t. Like at all.
He should have been, shouldn’t he? Even if Mal wasn’t his true love, he should have felt something. Never mind that. He held out his hand to Carlos.
Carlos took it, still holding the dog.
Ben laughed. “Sorry, but Dude’s going to have to sit this one out.”
“Oh, right,” Carlos said, setting Dude down on the table. Dude immediately started eating the leftovers from Carlos’s plate.
Ben led Carlos onto the dance floor. As they took their positions, the fast song cut off and a slow, romantic waltz started up.
“Darn. Guess we should just wait,” Carlos mumbled.
Ben lifted Carlos’s hand, still clasped between his fingers, and put a hand behind Carlos’s shoulder blade. “Take my waist. I’ll teach you how to waltz.”
“Oh, yeah, sure, okay.” Carlos fumbled with his words and put his hand hesitantly on the king’s waist.
Ben guided him through the steps, grateful for the distraction. He would have preferred a fast dance, but teaching Carlos actually took a lot of concentration. It was perfect for taking his mind off things. “Reminds me of when I trained you in Tourney.”
Carlos beamed. “Yeah, without you I never would have made the team. It was a lot of fun. I miss those days.”
“Me too. I wish I could go to university, but this king business is a full time job.” Ben stepped on Carlos’s foot. “Oh, sorry, are you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry. That was my fault. What was the count again?”
Ben went over it again. He was so focused on the dance that he didn’t notice the camera flash.
After their dance, Ben suggested a walk through the gardens. He was desperate to get away from the crowds of happy people. This wedding was just making him feel more and more miserable and alone.
Carlos kicked pebbles as they walked down the garden path. He had his head down, eyes focused on his shoelaces, but Ben could tell his mind was elsewhere.
“There are other girls,” Ben said to comfort him.
Carlos shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets. He was wearing a white suit over a black shirt with a red tie, his signature colors. On his lapel was a pin with his logo, the crossbones.
Ben adjusted his gold tie. “Is this a self-confidence thing?” he asked. “Because you must know that you’re a catch.”
Carlos looked up, startled. “Me? No, I’m definitely not. The only person who’s ever wanted me is Jane, and even she left me for someone taller, stronger, and more handsome than me.”
“But not smarter,” Ben said, smiling. “And the handsome part is debatable. Gil’s all right if you’re into all that brawn. You’ve got your own charm.”
“Are you into brawn?” Carlos asked.
Ben laughed. “Definitely not.”
“But you like strong women,” Carlos pointed out.
“Didn’t Mal tell you?” Ben asked, surprised. “About why we broke up.”
Carlos shook his head. “She wouldn’t tell me a word about it, though I’m pretty sure she told Jay.”
“Ah.” Ben wondered if he should just keep his mouth shut. It wasn’t like he owed Carlos an explanation, and Carlos wasn’t asking him for it either. But for some reason, Ben felt that talking about it might help him. He’d kept the real reason he and Mal broke up a secret from everyone. “You know how True Love’s Kiss is supposed to break any curse?”
Carlos nodded.
“Well, Mal cursed herself, and then asked me to kiss her, and, um, it didn’t work. So I think that maybe I never really loved her. That maybe I just liked this romantic story that was so similar to my parents.”
“That’s not true,” Carlos said. “She’s the one who didn’t want to marry you. You can’t blame yourself.”
“You don’t know what I’m going through.”
“I know that you loved her. I know that you would’ve given up anything for her. Even your kingdom. She tricked you into thinking you never cared because she knew you would keep chasing after her if she broke up with you normally.”
“That’s not what happened. I know that I never felt the same way for her. I thought I did. I tried so hard, but I didn’t. I cared for her as a friend, a best friend even, but all the kisses were based around a fairy tale.”
“Were you in love with Audrey?”
“No,” Ben said immediately. He knew that without a doubt.
“Then how do you know what you had with Mal wasn’t love?”
“Because, if that was love, I don’t know what’s so special about it. And I don’t miss it now that it’s gone.”
“You don’t?” Carlos asked in surprise.
“I miss having someone. But not Mal specifically. I don’t really know what I want.” It felt so good to say the words aloud. He’d been trapped with his own terrifying thoughts for months.
“Maybe you don’t want anyone. Maybe you just feel pressured because your parents and the whole kingdom expect you to get married. You’ve been taught since you were little that every prince gets a happily ever after. Talk about high expectations. Reality is a lot more complicated than that. In reality, love usually hurts.” Carlos slumped down onto a bench near the fountain.
Ben sat next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll get over her.”
Carlos’s hands tightened into fists. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Ben’s eyes widened as an icy chill swept through him. “Please don’t do anything stupid. You have so much to live for.”
Carlos looked at Ben, his eyebrows raised. “What are you talking--Oh, you thought I meant. Oh. No, Ben. I’m not going to kill myself. I just mean, I can’t keep lying to you.”
Ben tensed. “What are you lying about?” he asked cautiously.
Carlos fiddled with a strand of his white hair. “I’m not in love with Mal. I’m in love with Jay.”
Ben couldn’t find words. He sat there gaping like a fish, trying to wrap his head around what Carlos had said. “But you’re not Jay’s type,” he said at last.
“Don’t I know,” Carlos said, sounding bitter. “He likes his girls tough and his guys even tougher. I couldn’t even be around him while he was dating Gil.”
Ben felt bad for Carlos. It must have been hard watching Jay with so many people over the years. “I knew Jay wasn’t straight, but I didn’t know about you. Why haven’t you told anyone? Everyone’s okay with Jay. And then there’s Gil and Harry and Lonnie.”
“They’re all bi,” Carlos said. “They still have the option to end up with someone of the opposite gender. But me…”
“You’re gay?” Ben guessed.
Carlos nodded. “I guess I just feel kind of trapped. Sure, if I came out, there are guys who might want to date me, but who would actually want to stay with me?”
“Have you ever dated a guy?” Ben asked.
“Yeah.”
“Who? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“It’s okay. It was Harry.”
“Harry as in your henchman, or Harry as in--”
“Harry Hook. Flirts with everything that walks. Yes, that one.” Carlos sighed, folding his hands under his chin. “He was really sweet to me, but he hated that we had to keep our relationship a secret. Said he wanted to show me off to the world. It was all pretty romantic to be honest, but I couldn’t trust that he’d stay with me. And I was right. Inevitably, he went back to Uma. I always knew he would.”
“But he kept your secret,” Ben said. “He definitely cared about you. Maybe if you had trusted him, he’d still be with you.”
“Yeah, maybe. But there’s no use dwelling on the past. He moved on. And my crush on Jay returned. Only for Mal to snag him this time, and she actually got him to settle down. I never thought he’d be the first of us to get married. Always thought it would be Evie.”
“Not Mal?” Ben said, puzzled.
Carlos smirked. “I know that even if Mal had married you, she would have delayed the wedding as long as possible.”
“But she didn’t do that with Jay.”
Carlos was silent for a moment. “She’s always been a little different around Jay. She was friends with him for a long time before she met me and Evie. I feel like she’s always had a soft spot for him.”
“Well, I think you should tell Jay.”
Carlos snorted. “He already knows. She married him, didn’t she?”
Ben shook his head. “Not about that. I mean about you. Your crush. He’s not going to tell anyone else, and it’ll give you some closure.”
“Maybe,” Carlos said.
“You’re ready to talk about it. You told me.”
“Yeah, but you’re my best friend,” Carlos said. “It’s way easier to talk to you.”
Ben’s heart felt warm. It was nice to hear that Carlos thought of him that way. He’d thought of Carlos as his closest friend for years now. And it felt good that Carlos had trusted him with his secret. It was unexpected, sure, but he didn’t think of Carlos any differently.
Carlos stretched his arms, yawning. He announced that he was going to go find Dude and head home. It had been a long night. Ben was tired too, but he had to socialize a little longer. Kingly duties and all.
He headed back to the party.
Snow White was fast to approach him. He noticed she had a small microphone clipped to her dress. “King Ben, a moment.” She held a camera in his face.
It took a moment for his eyes to focus on the picture. It was of Ben dancing with Carlos.
“Is this the real reason behind your breakup with Mal?” Snow White asked.
“What?” Ben asked, confused.
“What made you decide to go public with your relationship with Carlos?”
Ben backed up several steps. “Relationship? No, we’re just friends. I was teaching him how to waltz.”
Snow White persisted. “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you and Carlos? He’s the first villain you befriended. Please, King Ben, the people need to know the truth.”
Ben had to be careful with what he said. He didn’t want to imply that Carlos had any feelings for him. It was important that Carlos’s secret remain secret. “I would never lie to my people,” Ben assured her. “Carlos and I are just friends. He doesn’t like me in that way.”
Snow White nodded, smiling. She looked a little too gleeful, which worried Ben. “Thank you for your honesty, Your Majesty.” Then she was off, looking for another story to follow.
…
The guards nodded to Ben as he trudged up the steps into his castle. He was tired and just wanted to crawl into bed. As he passed his father’s study, he heard his parents arguing.
Ben poked his head inside. “What’s going on?”
Belle rubbed her forehead. “Reporters are ridiculous, that’s what.”
His heart started racing. Snow White was going to run the story about him and Carlos after all. Ben thought he was doing him a favor, distracting him from Mal, but if this story got out, it would affect Carlos’s life. He wouldn’t be able to keep his secret. Ben was such an idiot.
“There’s a wolf loose in Auradon,” Beast explained. “The reporters are calling it ‘the white wolf.’ They’re trying to start a panic.”
Ben fought hard not to smile, relieved the article wasn’t about him.
“We’re trying to convince them to keep it quiet so we can send our own Huntsman to kill it. If the people find out, it’ll be much harder to track it down.”
“Do we really need to kill it?” Ben asked, alarmed. “What if it’s someone like you? Someone cursed.”
“I never ate anyone,” Beast growled.
Ben’s heart sunk. “It’s eating people? Who?”
Beast wouldn’t look him in the eyes.
“Dad, who did it eat?” Ben insisted.
“Your friend Carlos.”
Ben swayed on his feet and fainted.
…
Carlos woke in the middle of the forest, naked. He looked around for his clothes, but they were nowhere to be found. He had two thick cuts on his body, one on his arm, one on his leg. He didn’t remember getting them.
What happened after the wedding? He was at the party, he danced with Ben, and then he came out to Ben and admitted his crush on Jay. Then he got tired and left.
What happened to Dude? He looked around in a panic. No sign of him either.
A wave of hunger shot through Carlos. He felt like he hadn’t eaten all week, even though he’d gorged himself on food at the party.
Where was he? He looked around for any signs of familiar landmarks. Nothing. Though he had the sense he’d been in these woods before. He looked for the sun. He could use it to orient himself since the sun always rose to the east. He spotted it through the trees and smiled at his own cleverness. East it was.
Carlos walked through the forest, his feet aching. Rocks and twigs bit into his skin. He winced as he made his way over a large tree trunk. His feet slid out from under him, and he landed with a thud on his bottom.
“Dalmatians!” he cursed, rubbing his raw skin. This was going to be a long day.