"Sire, I don't mean to overstep my bounds but have you thought about using a different system for your paperwork? I mean, you are a father now and you should probably look into limiting your paperwork."
"Dean, I don't do that much—."
The look on Dean's face put an end to any protests Ben was about to give and the twenty something king just sighed and shook his head. "Why don't you walk me through it?"
It was Dean's turn to shake his head as he pulled out a binder seemingly from nowhere and set it on Ben's desk, pushing away some of the papers that had been scattered over Ben's desk in order to make room. "You know sire, we had a perfectly good system of my summarizing the paperwork for you and you just signing what needed to be signed. Why did we let that go to the wayside?"
"I believe it was brought up to me that some might worry that I wouldn't know what I'm signing with just a summary," Ben said.
"Sire, you know it was a very in-depth summary. I would never have you sign something you weren't informed about."
"Oh I know," Ben nodded just as his phone rang. "Forgive me Dean, I should take this."
"Of course sire," Dean nodded.
Ben gave him a small smile before picking up the phone. "Hello?"
"Ben?"
"Mal? Is everything okay?"
"Oh things will be just fine when you kindly come help me explain to your father that our children do not need a flying carpet before they can even walk!"
Ben's eyes got wide as he heard that and he nodded. "I'll be right there!"
"Thank you!"
Quickly hanging up the phone, Ben sprang to his feet. "Dean, I'm so sorry but our paperwork discussion will have to wait another day."
"Sire, your children come first," Dean nodded. "Go on, before they actually manage to take flight in the castle."
Ben nodded and quickly made his way to his castle, not even questioning how Dean knew the things that he did though Ben had to only assume it came from being a father himself, and to where his wife was staring daggers at his father. Thankfully his children were safe on the ground thought that might have been because Nyx and Estelle were gently holding both of them by the collars of their shirts.
Remind me to give them both a big old bone for that, Ben thought.
"What in the world is going on here?" Ben asked before pausing as he noticed that it wasn't just his father standing in front of his wife. "Mal...why is your father here too?"
"Because he's just as guilty as your father is," Mal said, glaring at both of the men. "We told you! There's no need to spoil our children and if there is, we will do it on their birthday! And they certainly don't need flying carpets or chariots!"
"...The twins got a chariot?"
"Focus Benny!"
Hades shook his head. "Mal, please, I don't see the harm in getting to spoil my grandchildren. I didn't get to spoil you as much as I liked, thanks in part to your father-in-law—."
"And I told you dad that if you couldn't refrain from mentioning that around the twins, then we'd have to have separate visits," Mal said, putting her hands on her hips. "I'd like you not to poison the twins' perception of their other grandfather thank you!"
"Mal, my beautifully brilliant daughter, you are aware that your children are still babies?"
"Dad, they're almost one," Mal said, shaking her head. "Meaning with each day they become more and more aware of their surroundings and will become aware of you and your feelings toward Adam. I'm not saying they're not valid, I know they're valid dad. With all the souls you had to judge...but my children deserve to be around loving grandparents and not awkward, tension filled gatherings."
Hades sighed but nodded. "You are so much like your mother."
"And I will take that as a compliment," Mal said with a smile before turning to Beast. "As for you."
"Ooh, run Beastie," Hades said as Mal's tone had grown low and hard.
"Now Mal, I'm allowed to buy presents for my grandchildren aren't I?" Beast said, not heeding Hades' advice.
"Yes, you can buy presents for the kids but after you check with us," Mal said, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Would you want your father-in-law buying something dangerous and giving it to Ben? I seem to remember a story about you kiboshing Belle's father building Ben's cradle because he wanted to include an axe throwing attachment!"
"Huh...I like this man and I've never met him," Hades said.
"Dad, just nod," Ben said as he looked at Beast. "I'm not even going to ask where you got the carpet though I suspect Aladdin assisted you?"
"Actually it was your friend Emir," Beast said. "He said, and I quote, that you were denying him his chance to spoil his honorary niece and nephew and therefore it was his duty to make sure they had a flying carpet."
"Did you tell him he's insane?"
"He said you'd say that Ben and he'd like me to tell you that he appreciates the compliment but would also like to let you know that being normal is vastly overrated. He'd also like to know why your go-to descriptor of him is 'insane' considering what Gaston tried to do to your grandfather."
"Huh...I find myself wondering that as well Sunspot," Hades said.
Ben shook his head. "I've been calling him insane about once a day since we were twelve and now he questions it?"
"Ben, I'm sorry to say that I don't have a good look into the inner workings of Emir's mind despite the fact that I consider him a second son."
"...I'm honestly surprised Chip didn't burst in here outraged when you said that."
"Well it's because he's secure enough to know I also consider him a second son."
"Actually, it's because he's away at an art showing for Lucas and I think Adam needs to work on his math skills," Mal spoke up and shook her head as both Ben and Beast looked at her; surprise evident on both of their faces. "What? Chip is my brother-in-law! I'm going to converse with him...and Lucas wanted to know what brand of sketch books I liked in case they were on sale at the showing."
"Nice of him," Hades said.
"I got Carlos to help him out with a tech issue Lucas was having with his art tablet," Mal said. "Though I'm pretty sure Lucas would have gotten me the sketchbooks regardless but he and Chip know by now that VKs don't like 'owing' anyone anything. This way, at least, he's just returning the favor."
"And you haven't tried to let him know family doesn't have to do that?"
"I get free sketchbooks out of the deal; I might be Queen and a Godling but I am only human dad!"
"Mali, by calling yourself a Godling, you are in fact not human," Hades said with a small snort of amusement.
"Yeah, yeah," Mal said, waiving her hand as if she was waving off an annoying fly. "Anyway, we're not talking about me. We're talking about you two and how you need to stop spoiling the kids! Especially since you both have young kids to spoil!"
"What makes you think they haven't spoiled them?" Ben asked with a small chuckle. "Mom's already made Geene her own private library across from the twins'. Actually, she made one for Rea too since those two are practically inseparable."
"I knew she was my favorite in-law!" Hades said with a grin.
"Hey!"
"Four words Beastie: Isle. Of. The. Lost."
Mal sighed. "Dad, do we need to get your memory checked? What did I just say?"
"Not to bring up the Isle of the Lost when Beastie's also over because the twins don't deserve to have tension when their grandfathers come to visit?"
"And what did you just do?"
"Bring up the Isle?"
"Exactly," Mal sighed. "Look, I get you guys aren't going to like each other. I can't force you to like each other. However, I love Ben and I love my children. Therefore, you two are always going to be in each others' lives until the day comes where the Fates cut Adam's life thread...which for Ben's sake I hope is a long, long, long time away."
"Thank you Mal," Beast said with a small smile. "I for one hope for the same thing. I hope to get the chance to see as much of my grandchildren growing up as I can."
"Well you know what would help with that? Not giving babies flying carpets!"
Ben shook his head. "You know speaking of the twins, I'm going to go and hold one of them so they're not continuing to dangle from our Cerberi's mouths like dog toys."
"...I didn't even realize Estelle and Nyx had the twins," Mal said as Ben went to go hold Stephanie.
"You were understandably distracted dear."
"Still..." Mal said with a small sigh as she took Maurice from Nyx. What did that say about me? That I didn't even notice that the dogs had the twins? That I was so focused on lecturing two grown men I didn't keep an eye on my kids?
A small hand gently touched Mal's cheek and she had to smile as she looked down at her son.
"Is maman being silly?" Mal asked softly and Maurice giggled in response.
"Eh, I'd say you're being protective," Hades said and Mal looked over at him. "I mean have you met your mother? Woman invented the mint plant because I liked another woman. Not to mention your grandmother invented a season. You come by it naturally is all l'm saying."
"Thanks dad," Mal said with a small chuckle before shaking her head. "I love that you guys love the twins, but I need to be able to trust that you're not going to spoil them too much. Please...I don't want this to be a Leah and Aurora situation with the twins being Audrey."
"Mal, if I ever become like Leah, you have my full permission to take Gaston off the Isle so that he can finish the job his dagger started," Beast said.
"Yeah, you can kill Beast if he becomes like Leah. I won't even mind the extra workload."
"Dad!"
Hades shook his head. "Look at me Mali, I didn't even like running the Isle after you turned Maleficent into a lizard. Am I really going to become some power hungry old crone?"
Ben sighed. "I think Mal means that she doesn't want it to be a situation where a grandparent's influence matters more to our kids than their parents'," he said softly. "We love you guys but we need you to respect our parenting decisions. You make us the bad guys in our children's eyes, you'll be on the Christmas card list and only on the Christmas card list. Meaning no visits and no visits during Saturnalia either."
"...You drive a hard bargain Sunspot but alright," Hades nodded.
"The last thing we want to do is make things harder for you Ben," Beast said. "I can't speak for Hades but I'll tone down the gifts."
"Thank you," Ben said with a small smile. "Because at some point we might want to have a sibling for Effy and Reese—."
"TMI! Nope, I'm not listening to my daughter's husband talk about that!" Hades shook his head before pausing. "Who are Effy and Reese?"
"Stephanie and Maurice," Ben said. "Dean's daughter came up with the nicknames."
"I have to admit they're cute," Mal nodded. "Besides, I did say we'd need to find a way to give them nicknames with how long their names are."
"I think that was me, Mal," Ben said.
"Was it?"
"Pretty sure."
"Oh...really, cause that sounds like something I said."
Ben shook his head as Stephanie giggled. "Is your maman being silly Effy? I think your granddad and your grand-pére are going to drive her insane."
"That implies they haven't done so already," Mal chuckled. "Are you going to be okay putting the twins down for their nap? I need a fly to clear my head."
"...Can the twins watch your dragon flight? You know they have to get used to your form at some point."
Mal shook her head. "Ben, do the twins want to watch my flight or do you want to watch it?"
"Um..."
"We can put the sunspots down for their nap," Hades offered.
Mal raised an eyebrow. "This isn't another ploy to give the twins gifts we didn't want is it?"
"No, no Mal," Hades said. "I'm serious. You and your sunspot deserve to have your alone time, especially with how hectic your jobs are. For the past few months it seems like you've been jumping around, going to weddings and blessings and births. When's the last time you had the chance to be alone?"
"Lord Hades is right," Beast nodded. "...Plus I just texted Mrs. Potts to come and make sure we 'behave'."
"Dad, you're a grown man. You really need Mrs. Potts to make sure you behave?" Ben asked.
"Son, Mrs. Potts is the only one on the castle staff who can warm a cup of milk up to perfection. Do you remember that time I blamed Chip for destroying the rose bushes when that was you, Emir, and Akiho? She didn't make me a glass of warm milk for a month! I barely got any sleep!"
"...You destroyed rose bushes?" Mal asked, looking at her husband.
Ben gave her a sheepish smile and if his hands hadn't been holding his daughter, Mal knew he likely would have rubbed the back of his neck. "It was...it was training for Tourney," he said. "We hadn't even made the team yet, we were maybe twelve or thirteen, and we thought we'd do some extra training to ensure a spot."
"Why wasn't Chad with you?"
"Who do you think told dad Chip was the one who destroyed the rose bushes? Chad was so worried we'd get grounded until mom's library ran out of books that he blamed the first person he could think of," Ben said, shaking his head. "Thankfully Chip was a good sport about it...and the four of us pooled our pocket money to buy him his first video camera as an apology so that helped."
"I always wondered how he got that," Beast shook his head. "But anyway, enough strolling down memory lane. Mal, if you'd please give me my grandson. Lord Hades and I can put the twins down for their nap while you two get a flight in."
"If you're sure dad," Ben said as Mal handed Maurice to him.
"I've never been more sure of anything Ben," Beast told him.
Ben smiled as he heard that and handed Stephanie to Hades before going over and slipping his hand into Mal's.
"Come on," he said softly and gave her a small smile. A smile Mal willingly returned. The two of them made their way down the hall and turned the corner before looking at each other.
"You're texting your mother?"
"Yep. You're reaching out to yours on the mental link?"
"Oh yeah."
"Good."
Hey, they trusted their fathers...but they also knew the only entities to ensure they played nice were their mothers. No one argued with the Goddess who invented the mint plant and the woman who tamed a stubborn Beast.