Truth Or Fiction

Chapter Forty Nine

Rapunzel grabbed a scroll and unfurled it, eager to see what was in store for them this time.

Mal made her way over to Ben's office, hoping beyond hope that he hadn't gotten changed back into his suits.

"Ah Mal, ye of little faith," Akiho smirked. "If I know my future self as well as I think I do, along with Emir's future self, we've hidden them so Ben'll never find them."

"...you know this is why I worry about you at times," Ben told him.

"I'm just following Emir's life motto. Being normal is vastly overrated," Akiho grinned.

Inwardly cursing her newfound attraction to Ben, Mal couldn't help but smile slightly as she saw that Ben was in fact in his office.

"...where else would he be?" Emma asked.

Of course, she wasn't sure where else she'd expect him to be what with the Tourney season over but that was neither here nor there.

"Hey!" Ben exclaimed. "I could be in the library!"

"That is actually a valid point," Chip chuckled. "We've got Mr. Bookworm here."

"Hey, I forgot you had something in common with Hadie," Malinda said, looking over at Benji and giving him a playful nudge. "What am I going to do with all these bookworms?"

"Love us?" Benji said with a smile.

"Always," Malinda said, resting her forehead on his.

"Hey Mal," Ben said as he looked up at her with a small smile.

"Hey," Mal said as she walked in and closed the door. Don't stare, dear gods don't stare, she thought.

"You need to not care...uh you need to not stare, you need a whole lotta help...you need to not be your self. You wanna be cool, let me show you how," Audie sang under her breath. That song was going to be stuck in her head for the rest of the day!

It didn't help that Ben's pectoral muscles were much more defined in that short sleeved shirt than they ever were in the suits.

Meg chuckled as she leaned against Hercules. "So they give you a name along with all of those rippling pectorals?"

"Come on Mom!" Hyllus shook his head. "Teasing dad like that at home is one thing but in public?"

"I think it's nice!" Herkie said.

"You okay?" Ben asked gently.

"What are you working on?" Mal asked, leaning against the desk to see.

Ben smiled. "I'm trying to figure out the best way to sneak onto the Isle," he joked before shaking his head.

"That's not funny," Beast muttered under his breath. Yes he knew the Isle would need to be checked out in person but he didn't like the idea of Ben sneaking onto said Isle. What if he got hurt?

"Nah, it's just more coronation paperwork. The fun never stops."

"You and I have a different definition of fun," Emir said, shaking his head.

"You know, the best way to sneak onto the Isle would be for Jay and I to take you," Mal said matter of fact as she looked at the paperwork, not noticing Ben stop and stare at her.

"Mal....what did I say about bringing the son of persona non grata onto the Isle?" Uma asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Really?"