Not So Happily Ever After

Nightmare Comfort

After tourney Ben was pretty exhausted. He dressed from his shower; thoughts still fixed on Carlos. He headed back to the dorm room that he shared with Gil and laid down. He was woken up for Dinner but as soon as Ben finished eating, he headed back to his dorm to sleep some more. Ben was having dreams about Carlos too. Dreams of fighting off more jocks to protect him and late-night ice cream in the kitchen before pressing him up against the fridge again intimidating him. He looked so right, red-faced and squeaky between the cage of Ben's body and the cooling unit. Ben felt himself lean in closer when his phone vibrated loudly on his bedside table.

Sitting up grumpily at first Ben wiped his eyes and grabbed his phone. It was from Carlos. "Hey, sorry to bother you, didn't know if you would be up again. I had a pretty bad nightmare and don't really want to be alone right now. Jay is here but he is the heaviest sleeper I know." Ben was already up out of bed, not bothering to redress into proper clothing, he was only in his blue boxers with golden crowns all over it and his beast gang t-shirt, what he usually slept in. He carefully crept out of the bedroom as to not wake Gil and headed down the hall to Carlos's dorm knocking softly.

If Ben wasn't feeling protective before, the sight of Carlos hastily wiping away tears from puffy brown eyes certainly did the trick. Carlos was wearing his white and black puppy paw print pajamas again, looking freshly woken up still, his hair a mess. Ben wasn't sure what to do so he just remembered how he and Audrey would deal with his nightmares. "You didn't have to come over," Carlos said softly trying not to stare at the fact that Ben was only in his boxers. Carlos might be feeling awful but his crush for Ben hadn't gone anywhere. He smiled down at Carlos and shook his head.

"You didn't want to be alone so I'm here. Now come on." Ben replied warmly, being gentle instead of his usual icy self. Audrey had suggested being his friend, so he was going to try that. His inner beast seemed pleased with him being warm and soft with Carlos so far. He ushered Carlos back to his bed and climbed in with him sitting next to him against the headboard. "Do you want to talk about the nightmare you had?" He asked softly, looking over at him with no expectations. Carlos nodded a bit shrugging.

"There isn't much to say. When I was little my father attacked me, I spent a while in the hospital. He scares me and I still have scars..." Carlos lifted his shirt revealing some obvious claw mark scars along his chest and side. They were heavily faded but still different from his normal skin. His normal skin was a shade of cream with freckles spotting up his entire body it seemed. The scars were the only skin that didn't have freckles. Ben reached out and ran a warm hand over the scar on his side, making Carlos grow bright red in the face. The moonlight from the window illuminated them both in the dark beautifully and Ben sighed removing his hand. His inner beast was still feeling protective and seeing these old scars made him frown. He didn't like anyone hurting Carlos, he was too small and fragile for that he felt.

"My father used to beat me on the isle. Sometimes it was just a normal beating, sometimes he used claws." Ben turned away from Carlos pulling his shirt up revealing his scars that ruined the perfect skin of his back. They were nasty scars, a few look like they didn't heal the best. Carlos reached out gently feeling over the skin as he started to cry again. Ben heard him sniffle and quickly turned around. Carlos rubbed his eyes trying to get rid of the tears.

"That's awful. I know your parents were Villains, but I thought even Villains would love their children." Carlos sobbed softly. Ben wrapped his arms around Carlos pulling him into his lap, letting him cry into his shoulder while he rubbed his back. Carlos's words had stung because he knew very well that his father did not love him. He had no grasp of what felt like, but it surely was nothing his father ever gave him. His father groomed and abused him to be something that befits Adam's, his father's, noble heritage. He saw taking care of Ben as a duty, not something he should do out of caring and love. If Ben hadn't already come to terms with such a painful thing it would probably have broken his heart.

"Our fathers can be scary, but you have nothing to fear here Carlos. So long as I'm around. I'll keep you safe. You're my territory and I protect what is mine" Ben said trying to comfort him and Carlos looked up at Ben surprised at first. His watery red eyes captivating Ben completely. He didn't even register how close together they were.

"Thank you, Ben," Carlos commented before hugging Ben. At first, Ben resisted the hug, the foreign affection was something he didn't quite know how to experience. Carlos kept hugging him until he melted into it, giving in and hugging Carlos back. Ben scooched down on the bed and pulled Carlos to lay with him, since he was already on Ben's lap Carlos pretty much laid half on top of him, resting his head on Ben's chest. "Is this okay?" Carlos asked nervously and Ben nodded. Poor guy's heart was pounding so hard Ben could hear it. He feared he was only intimidating Carlos more.

"I'll stay here until you fall back to sleep. Ben says pulling the blankets over them. Carlos nods and starts to attempt to sleep. Without meaning to, nestled up with Carlos who was incredibly warm and honestly comfortable, Ben had fallen asleep himself about the same time Carlos had started to snore softly. Carlos only dreamed sweet dreams of the beast prince who held him while Ben couldn't stop the dream that came to him. It was a replay of the events that had happened that night but different. Carlos had been attacked and Ben had come to the rescue in time. Ben held Carlos protectively and rocked him as his fear brought him to tears. He was scared of something happening to Carlos. Fear was a feeling he was familiar with, but he couldn't explain why he felt so protective and drawn to Carlos. None of it made any sense to him still. His dream continued and the two ended up sitting on his bed again, just like they had except this time Carlos had straddled his lap instead, their bodies pressed hard against one another. Before anything else could happen, Carlos's alarm clock had gone off and morning came.

Carlos was the first to open his eyes, surprised to find himself still nestled up against Ben. He didn't dare move, pretending to sleep more to enjoy this closeness while Ben shut the alarm off. Jay was already up and smirked at the two but said nothing. Jay didn't seem like a man of many words to Ben and he appreciated that right now. He gently ran his fingers through Carlos's hair before shaking him gently. "Carlos, it's time to get up," Ben said and Carlos yawned sitting up reluctantly. Ben got up once Carlos was off him. Now in the full light of day seeing Ben in his boxers made Carlos flush the deepest red. Ben assumed he was intimidating Carlos again somehow to explain his red face. "I'll catch you later Carlos." Ben flashed him a brief handsome smile before heading back to his dorm to getting dressed for the day. Carlos sat and closed his eyes savoring the image now burned into his memory of Ben dressed in so little. He hugged the blanket that now smelled like him and Carlos felt his crush deepen. If he thought he liked Ben before, now he thought he was falling in love. Jay came back from the bathroom smirking at Carlos teasingly.

"I'm guessing I'm supposed to pretend that Ben didn't just spend the night in here with you?" Jay chuckled eyeing the lovestruck Carlos. The blush that covered Carlos's face was unparallel he nodded at Jay embarrassed, only making the tourney captain laughing. "Looks like you have got it bad." Jay teased more making Carlos throw his pillow at him.

"Shut up Jay." Carlos squeaked and got up grabbing clothes to take a quick shower. Jay stopped him first getting serious.

"Look I don't know what is going on between you two but if he hurts you, I will send him back to the Isle myself. Okay?" Jay tried to reassure Carlos, but he sighed shaking his head.

"I don't think it's like that Jay. I don't think he likes me like that. I certainly don't want him sent back to the Isle. He doesn't belong there. He may be big and scary most of the time, but he isn't Evil deep down. I know it." Carlos smiles adorably smitten as he heads to get his shower.