(F)ake (Ben/Mel)
April 19, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Notes:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/43616604/chapters/109671228
Ben knows that Mel is far from perfect, she has told him about it more than once.
The prince knows that all her smiles on camera are fake and as soon as the girl is out of sight of the ubiquitous photographers and reporters, she will certainly stop behaving like a diligent princess.
He sees the girl happily broadcasting something to the persistent paparazzi - probably another invented legend (no, Ben and Mel are doing well in their relationship, just when nothing new happens for a long time or there is nothing to tell about — and everyone needs to know how things are with the heir of Auradon with the daughter of the villain, — the prince and his chosen one embellish reality a little), — but as soon as they move away from her, Maleficent's daughter sits on a bench and covers her face with her hands.
She is tired of all this attention.
But now another photographer approaches her with a request to pose for him at the statue of King Adam. The blonde does not refuse, no, on the contrary, she goes and does as she was told.
Ben knows her like no one else knows—lost, strong, broken, damn happy, weak.
He watches as she smiles broadly at the photographer, who has already taken, probably, the fifth photo. The prince knows that this forced smile is completely fake, as well as some of what Mel does on camera.
And only Ben knows her real.
