Bal: a King and his queen

The big game

*Ben's return to tourney was inevitable, Mal knew that, but she had still hoped that it could be postponed at least a little, every day he'd come to practice that week and every day she's come with him and watched then every time someone tackled him Mal would have to avert her eyes, the first few days shed tried to use magic to stop them be able to tackle him, no one else seemed to notice but Ben however knew her work and knew she was doing it, magic was supposed to be restricted but no one questioned whether or not she was allowed to use it, that wasn't Ben's concern, he tried his best not to get annoyed with her because she was only doing it to protect him which he knew even though she still had difficulty admitting verbally how she felt on things such as that, she couldn't explain it to herself let alone anyone else why she felt such an overwhelming desire to protect him she just knew she did, but once she agreed to not to use her magic but she couldn't keep her eyes on the games they played without having a miniature heart attack every ten seconds and having been left with the distinct feeling that her heart was in her mouth, she genuinely felt sick watching her play because she got so worried about him so when Friday dawned, the day of the first match of the season and having attended every practice that prior week Ben had made the decision to play, although in truth he had made that decision from the start, Mal however was less than impressed by his choice as she made very clear to him*

Mal: this is a terrible idea
Ben: maybe but I have to do this
Mal: no you really don't
Ben: yes I do
Mal: why?!
Ben: because I just need to be out there playing again
Mal: you don't NEED that, you NEED to make sure you're safe
Ben: Mal tourney is to me what magic is to you
Mal: that is not true, magic is literally a part of me, I am half fairy however dark that fairy is, tourney is just a hobby
Ben: Don't lose your temper
Mal: IM NOT!
Ben: sweetheart I just don't want to have to explain to the council why there were torrential storms again because you were unable to keep your temper in check, again
Mal: screw this
*she turns to leave but he grabs her arm and pulls her back to him so their faces are almost touching*
Ben: don't just walk away from me, talk to me
Mal: no because you're clearly in a place where it isn't worth me talking
Ben: or is it because you're afraid, afraid to admit that you're scared for me or at least just how scared you are, or maybe it's because you have no idea what you'd say
Mal: don't tempt fate
Ben: no I think I will tempt it because if I push you just far enough then...
Mal: ALRIGHT! I GET IT! YOU DON'T NEED TO BRAG THAT YOU CAN GET UNDER MY SKIN IN A WAY NO ONE ELSE CAN! I CARE OKAY?!?! A LOT! BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THAT BECAUSE IVE NEVER CARED THIS MUCH BEFORE! IVE NEVER EVEN CARED AT ALL BEFORE!
Ben: there we go
Mal: UGH WHY DO YOU HAVE TO PUSH ME TO THE BITTER END TO FIND THIS OUT, YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT SO WHY BAIT ME INTO SCREAMING AT YOU?!
Ben: because you need to release it, you try and pretend that your a totally different person so that people won't think that you and I shouldn't be together but you still have that fiery temper and that attitude you just shield them until they just explode in your face
Mal: JUST STOP! YOU ACT LIKE YOU HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING BUT YOU DON'T
Ben: I know Mal, I just want to play the game that I love to play and I want the girl that I love to watch me play it
Mal: I CAN'T, I CAN'T WATCH YOU GO OUT THERE AND RISK HURTING YOURSELF I JUST CAN'T DO IT AND I DON'T WANT TO
Ben: I promise you nothing will happen to me, what happened last month can't happen again, it's not possible, and my scar can take a hit if need be, it's strong enough to not just open and a couple of tackles
*she takes a really deep breath and he can hear the tremor in her breathing as she does but finally she looks up at him and nods*
Mal: alright fine, but if you don't win then I'm allowed to tell you it wasn't worth the risk
Ben: Mal do you know why I always keep going on that field even after I feel like I can't even move just so that we can win
Mal: because you love the game
Ben: well yeah there's that but that's not what I mean, I haven't lost a game since the game where I asked you to go to the coronation with me at the end, one of the biggest reasons I keep working so hard to win ever match and why I play with everything I've got to give to a match is you, I want you to be as proud of me as I am of you and that that's a really tall order because I'm more proud of you than I can put into words
Mal: really?
Ben: well yeah, I mean don't get me wrong, u love the game and I live my team so I want to win it for the team and for me but it's really important to me that when I come of the pitch at the end of a game that I can see the pride in your face to be my girlfriend after the game I just played
Mal: I'm always proud of you, you could never score another point and make yourself look like a real idiot and is still be immensely proud of you as long as you'd tried your best
Ben: really?
Mal: of course, I'm always proud of you because you take everything in your stride and just keep going and you're so kind and good hearted and an amazing person and King, and also because I love you
Ben: I love you too, so much, you mean everything to me
Mal: me?
Ben: yeah, you, always
Mal: I've never meant that much to someone before
Ben: well you do now
Mal: come on then, you've gotta be in that field any minute now
Ben: okay, I'll see you after the game, do I get a good luck kiss?
Mal: sure
*they jus and he runs off to the field where they then play a great match, Ben is absolutely fine although Mal still has to look away a few times when he takes some pretty big hits but he get up and keeps on going and she cheers him on like crazy, they end up destroying their opponents and at the end of the game he comes running off the pitch to her who they've already sent down to greet him, he picks her up, spins her round and kisses her once he's out her down and they smile at each other before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter for no reason at all, the reporters who have all come to report on Ben's return to tourney take a bunch of pictures but they just ignore them, she leans in to kiss him*
Ben: the cameras
Mal: I don't care
*she finds herself whispering as they share a passionate kiss as two sixteen year olds who are madly in love and for the first time in a long time the cameras don't bother Mal, she just shakes them off and enjoys herself, when the eventually pull away, they press their foreheads against each other's as they regain their normal breathing when he then swoops her up and spins her around again
Mal: congratulations, you won
Ben: I won a long time ago when I got you
*they smile at each other and then turn away from their private moments to celebrate with the rest of the team*