Half and Half

Chapter Twenty Three

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."