Beast sighed softly as he tidied up his room. While it was certainly not something he was used to, he knew better than to be a slob when Hades was so kindly giving him and Ben shelter.
It could have been so easy for the Lord of the Underworld to refuse them a safe haven, to make it so that Beast would have had to make his own way on the Isle.
"Honestly Beastie, you worry too much," Hades said as he walked past the room. "Your sunspot will be fine. He's with Mal after all, and Mal knows the Isle like the back of her hand considering she was born here and has lived here all her life."
Beast nodded. "Right, right...I just...you know how trusting Ben is and I—."
"I get it," Hades said. "But believe me. Mal might not be all that fond of the sunspot right now but she wouldn't let him get hurt. Neither would Harry or Uma for that matter."
A clattering sound in the background prevented Beast from saying what he wanted to as Hades held up a finger to silence him.
"Dad!"
"Okay, had to check to make sure that wasn't Maleficent's minions coming back," Hades said. "Shall we go and see what mischief our lot have gotten into?"
Beast nodded, not even questioning the almost friendly tone to Hades' voice as the two men made their way to where they'd heard Mal's voice. Of course the calm feeling faded as Beast saw the fabric wrapped on Ben's arm.
"What happened?" Beast asked as he rushed over to Ben; gently taking his son's arm as he looked over the wound.
Hades looked over his shoulder. "Pain! Panic! Bring the first aid kit Steph brought from Boreadon!"
"Right away Lord Hades!"
Ben bit his lip, the graze starting to hurt now that the excitement had ended and he was back in the Underworld. But it wouldn't do to show pain—not when Mal's friends already thought he was soft.
The fact that Mal's friends weren't there was besides the point. Ben was sure that they'd somehow find out.
"Gaston happened," Mal said, speaking up.
Hades shook his head. "Why am I not surprised? What did that kid do? Actually which one was it? The fact that I have to ask only proving that Gaston shouldn't be trusted to name kids but that's beside the point."
"Dad? I meant the oldest Gaston," Mal said, cutting off her father's rant.
"...The one we're all supposed to be convinced is an adult?"
"The very same."
Beast grit his teeth, willing his hands not to tighten into fists. Gaston had hurt his son, had hurt Belle's son!
"Come on Ben, let's get that taken care of," Beast said, thankful the anger he felt toward Gaston didn't seem to come out in his voice. His son had already had a trying day, he didn't need to think his father was mad at him on top of that!
Hades sighed but he was thankful for Pain and Panic coming back with the first aid kit. Meant he didn't have to try to be comforting.
"We got the bandages and the wipes and the anti scarring stuff Lady Persephone brought over!" Pain said.
"Oh...we'll take the bandages and the wipes but um...not the other stuff," Beast said.
Hades raised an eyebrow. "And why not? Not suitable for royal skin?"
"Ben's allergic to that," Beast said as he scooped his son up and stood up. "I know you don't think highly of me Hades, and I understand, but I would never put my son in more pain than he already is in."
Walking off, Beast missed the slightly impressed look that Hades gave him as both Le Bête men made their way to Beast's room. He'd meant it too—Beast would always remember the day they discovered that Ben was allergic to Neosporin.
He'd been playing with Chad out in the yard and their ball had gotten caught in the rose bush. Ben had tried to get it but had gotten scraped by the thorns. They hadn't even thought of the possibility that Ben was allergic but Belle had practically broken the sound barrier getting a wipe once Ben said it felt like it was burning him.
They still kept some in the castle because of Chip's insanity, plus they didn't know if Abby was allergic as well but they always tried to find alternatives when it came to tending to an injury for Ben as rare as they were.
"There, there Ben, let it out," Beast said gently, softly rubbing Ben's back. "It's okay, papa's here. Papa's going to take care of that aie-aie for you."
Ben couldn't help the small giggle that escaped his lips. No matter how much his papa tried, he always sounded silly saying mama's special word for ouchies.
Beast smiled as he heard his son's giggle. Works every time, he thought. Now then, let's get this taken care of.
Gently taking one of the alcohol wipes from the first aid kit Pain and Panic, Beast opened it and proceeded to clean the wound. "You want to tell papa what happened?"
Ben nodded softly, sniffing as he tried to keep the tears at bay. "I was...I was with Mal...we had gotten lunch at Uma's maman's restaurant when we...we ran into a scary man. He...he pointed his gun at me..."
"Hey, hey it's okay," Beast said as he tried to keep his anger at Gaston threatening his son at bay. "You know you can always cry here. I know this has to hurt but you're being so brave right now."
"I...it hurts papa," Ben whimpered. "But...if it hadn't been for Gaston's son...he pulled the scary man's arm away, I think he saved me..."
Huh...so your son has the humanity you lack then Gaston. Must get it from whoever his mother is, Beast thought.
"Papa?"
"Hmm?"
"Why was Gaston so scary?" Ben asked.
Beast sighed and opened his mouth. Even if he wasn't entirely happy about telling Ben without Belle with him, he didn't want to keep secrets from his son
"Dad! I'm not the one who needs fussing over! I'm fine! If you want to fuss, go to Ben! He's the one who got grazed!"
"Seems you've got a staunch defender," Beast said with a small smile as they heard Mal's voice.
Ben nodded. But...I thought I made her mad. She seemed to almost pretend I wasn't there when we were outside, Ben thought.
"Malinda, you tackled Ben out of the path of a bullet, I'm going to fuss over you young lady...though that's a good point about pain relief. Pain! Panic! Stop being your usual imbecilic selves and get the sunspot some pain meds!"
"That's not very nice of Lord Hades," Ben said softly, ignoring the use of Mal's new full name. It had been something she, Lord Hades, and Lady Persephone had discussed as being an option with the adoption if Mal didn't want to continue having 'Maleficent' as a full name. And unsurprisingly she did not. "Pain and Panic aren't imbecilic."
Beast chuckled softly. "Well we might disagree on that, Ben. Especially when Lord Hades has worked with Pain and Panic longer and has been kind enough to give us a place to stay."
"Yes papa," Ben said, curling into Beast's chest. His arm hurt but he was trying so hard to be like Mal, to be a big boy and not soft. "Does...does it have to be pain medicine? It tastes yucky."
"I know, I know," Beast said, gently rubbing Ben's back. "Your maman gave me some pain medicine once when we were younger, surprisingly time hasn't changed the taste. But you'll feel better once you have some."
"Yes papa."
"And we've learnt a very important lesson haven't we? We stay away from Gaston and only talk to people here if Mal talks to them, okay?"
"But...I didn't go to Gaston papa...or at least the adult one. He came to me. And he said he knew maman," Ben said softly. "Papa? What...what does 'abomination' mean?"
Beast sighed. "It...it means something that people think shouldn't exist," he said softly.
"That doesn't sound like a nice thing to say," Ben said. "Why...why would he say I'm one?"
Because he's a word unsuitable to say around children, Beast thought. Gaston, you're lucky Belle's not here or she'd tear you a new one in front of your son...speaking of which I should talk to Hades about giving Gaston's lad some protections. He saved Ben after all.
"Papa?" Ben prompted softly.
"Right, right," Beast said and then sighed. "He said that because...because he's very unhappy that your maman and I had you. He liked your maman very much and still wishes that he could have had you with her."
"Oh...well then why didn't he try to be with maman before she met you?" Ben asked. "And if he truly liked maman, shouldn't he be happy for her that she found you and fell in love?"
"Well he did try but your maman didn't like him back so she said no to his proposal," Beast told him. "And if he was a nice person he would but some people aren't very nice."
Ben bit his lip. "Can...can a not nice person raise a nice person?"
"It's rare but it can happen," Beast said.
"Papa? If...if I were to...to make allies with Gil...would you be mad? He's nice after all!"
Beast sighed. "No I wouldn't be mad, but there'd have to be conditions understand? No being with him outside of Lord Hades' territory or the restaurant, and Mal stays with you when you're in the neutral zones."
"Yes papa!" Ben nodded, a smile growing on his face before he paused. "Papa? If maman said no to the man's proposals...I mean Gaston's proposals...why didn't he respect it? You and maman always say that if someone says no, then you have to respect it and they don't need to give a reason because non is a complete sentence."
"Exactly, you remember that. Your maman's a very smart woman."
Ben nodded. "Yes papa...is Mal okay? I...Gaston didn't hurt her did he?"
"Malinda, where do you think you're going?" They heard in the background.
"To check on Ben! I'm fine anyway, Gaston didn't even touch me! Harry's going to be mad that Gil saved us but that doesn't matter."
Ben couldn't help but smile slightly as he heard that. She's still my friend!
"You okay there Ben?" Mal asked as she walked in.
"I'm okay," Ben told her, trying to keep the brave face even though his arm still hurt.
"Good," Mal said. She didn't buy his brave act for one minute, he was from Boreadon after all, but she decided not to call him on it but instead crawled up on the bed where Ben was sitting.
"Thanks for pulling me out of the way," Ben said softly.
"Don't mention it...you would have done the same for me. We're allies after all and allies mean we watch each other's backs," Mal told him.
"Of course I would have done the same for you! We're friends...I mean allies, like you said. That's the third rule of the Isle: watch out for and do not abuse your minions and/or allies."
Mal nodded. "Well at least you're a good listener and you remember the rules. Hope you're prepared for about a three hour rant about Gil the next time we see Harry and Uma though."
"Why?"
"Harry doesn't like Gil. Or Gaston."
"Smart kid, at least regarding Gaston," Beast muttered as Pain and Panic brought in the pain relief.
Ben tilted his head. "I mean I knew that but Gil helped us. Why would Harry rant about him?"
"Because Harry giving Gil praise is like Audrey not being horrible. Not going to happen," Mal said firmly.
"...Audrey's not horrible," Ben said softly.
"Agree to disagree Benny," Mal said. "But that doesn't matter, how's your arm doing?"
Ben shrugged softly. It was one thing to tell his papa but he didn't want to seem weak in front of Mal.
"Ben, I'm not going to judge," Mal said rolling her eyes.
"But...I thought you don't talk about that stuff on the Isle?" Ben said softly. "The other VKs already don't like me..."
"Yeah well this place is the exception to Isle rules, according to dad and Steph," Mal shrugged.
Hades walked in, as if he had sensed he was being talked about. "The sunspot okay?"
"Shaken and a bit sore, but overall yes," Beast sighed. "But now, I think it's time for some pain relief. Pain and Panic have brought some in."
"And I have some tea to wash it down with," Persephone said as she walked in with two mugs. One for Ben and one for Mal, even if she didn't have to take pain relief Persephone figured it would be a good idea to bring in two mugs.
"Thanks Steph," Mal said.
"Yes...thank you Lady Steph," Ben said softly.
Persephone smiled at both of them as she handed Mal her mug. "No thanks needed but I think it's time for someone to take their pain relief."
Ben scrunched up his nose but nodded. There was no arguing with a Goddess after all. "Yes ma'am."
"I think you might be the most polite boy on the Isle, Ben," Persephone said as Pain handed Ben the measured cup of pain relief.
"Hey! Harry's polite!" Mal said, defending her closest male friend. "Well...unless you're Gil...or CJ....or Freddy, but let's be honest, Freddy really doesn't deserve politeness unless it's a polite walk off the docks!"
Ben tilted his head slightly; Freddy, Freddy...why did that name sound familiar to him?
Mal noticed the head tilt. Ben was her ally and it would be up to her to educate him on who people were and who was an ally and who was an enemy. She had her sketchpad and art supplies Steph got her from Boreadon right?
Time to put her art skills to the test! And what better way to do so than to help out an ally at the same time?