Once We are Descendants

Chapter 63: Her Brother's Keeper

"So, you want to tell me what happened between you and Mal?" Crystal asks, sitting comfortably in the chair, acting almost like Ben's therapist.

The king of Auradon hesitates, leaning forward in his own chair. He looks down at his feet and bites his lip, not entirely thrilled with the idea of sharing what went wrong in his relationship with practically a total stranger, despite their alleged relationship. So much had happened recently that it takes a few minutes for the memories to come rushing back. The look of hurt and pain on his true love's face, her pleading with everyone to believe her that she hadn't done anything wrong, him picking up their betrothal ring after she'd thrown it back to him in anger. He fumbles in his pocket and discovers that the ring is still in his pocket. He examines the filigree designs and the engraved face of his father carefully, still stalling, not wanting to open up to Crystal because of how ashamed and hurt he was over everything.

He felt like such an idiot for letting Mal down, in a sense betraying her by suspending her from Auradon Prep. It certainly wasn't his choice, he was pressured into it by how own parents and the headmistress of the school. Sometimes he wished that he wasn't the king, that he could just be a normal teenager and he wouldn't be put through things like this. He could actually follow his heart without the sake of the kingdom and his subjects getting in the way. If things weren't so complicated, maybe he and Mal would have made up by now and could work together to get everyone home again.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Crystal says. "I just thought it would be a good idea..."

"How... how did you even know that Mal and I were together?" he asks.

"I'm an observant person. I could actually sense the tension between you two. Plus, when you guys came through the portal, she hardly left your side at all. When Killian offered to cut the ropes from your wrists he asked if you were special to her and she said that you were. When I ask if you were her boyfriend, she kind of hesitated."

Ben grimaces and looks down at the floor again; while it was clear that Mal still cared for him, she'd obviously meant it when she yelled that she never wanted to him again. This breakup was much more serious than their last one, to the point that the son of Belle and Adam wonders if it was permanent this time.

"Stings huh?" she asks sympathetically. "Well, let me just tell you right now, love sucks."

Ben looks up at her with his hazel-green eyes, unsure of how to respond.

"It does, it sucks more than anything and that's because it's extremely complicated."

He nods and puts the ring back in his pocket.

"Would it help if I shared some of my not-so storybook romances? Let you know that your breakup probably wasn't the worst one in the world."

The king shrugs and Crystal go on to tell her alternate brother all about her past romances. From the guy who took her to court, even though she was merely defending herself against the would-be psychopath, to the guy who collected sculptures of 70's male underwear models. From the weirdo with 8 ferrets to another ex-boyfriend with an obsession that there would be a Daredevil 2 to the guy who made macaroni and bead necklaces as a hobby and gave her one for Valentine's Day. She also mentions the "suitor" who tried to mug her and ask her out, planning to use the money he'd stolen for the date. With each passing story, Ben does his best to not laugh, trying to be polite and listen to her, but it becomes harder and harder as the stories become more bizarre. He cannot believe the kind of relationships Crystal has had, each one sounding like something out of a book or weird movie.

"It's okay to laugh," she says when she hears him snort loudly and try to hide over how she lets the ferrets loose on her ex. "I've learned to laugh about it a long time ago. It's much better than getting upset about them."