"I know," and he holds Ben tighter, "I know, he shouldn't get to do that to you, I'm so sorry —" 

"I want to get someone else to do it-- but then I'll never get to be king at all-- is that selfish, I probably should abdicate if I think I'm not ready to do a good job, lives are at stake--"

"I don't think that's selfish — and I meant it when I said I think you can do a good job —" 

"I think I'd be able to do a good job in ten years and being king is not the sort of thing where you want to get on-the-job training."

"I think whether or not to abdicate in favor of — I don't actually know who the next in line is — is the sort of thing you want to think about for at least a few days before you decide." 

"I'm not sure anyone really knows who the next in line for the throne is, my dad was an only child raised by servants."

"— that's not great!" 

"I mean I assume we would figure something out! Whoever it is would not be sixteen!"

"Maybe in Auradon but in China when the emperor — usually this happens when they die not when they abdicate but when there is no king and no clear next in line you get civil war." He holds Ben tighter. "I'm sorry, I know this is the last thing you need to be thinking about, I just —" 

"I guess. I'm just going to have to do my best. And if I mess up people are going to die."

He's not letting go any time soon. "I'm so sorry." 

He starts to cry on Chen's shoulder.

He puts a hand firmly on the back of Ben's head and doesn't say anything more. 

Once he stops crying, certain parts of Ben remember that having Chen hold him while he cries has been something he's been thinking about at night for several weeks.

Ben's penis. Ben's penis is the part of him that remembers this.

He is definitely not going to comment on that.

Ben has had a really long and tiring and awful day and he does not actually have the willpower to... stop.

Being held by Chen is even more wonderful than he thought it would be. Chen is so solid. He feels safe, like he can fall apart on Chen and Chen will catch him.

He should let go and apologize. If he were a better person he would. 

But this is what Ben needs from him and Chen couldn't not give it to him if he tried. 

"You're so warm."

"So are you." 

"This is nice."

He wishes Chen would touch his hair.

"It is." His hand shifts on the back of Ben's head. 

He makes a soft little noise into Chen's shoulder.

He can just — keep doing that, then. 

Later he is going to think about how he's sick and perverted and taking advantage of Chen when Chen thinks he's just comforting him, how he's using a serious crisis for Auradon in order to fulfill his twisted desires.

Right now he is happy and warm and so so relaxed.

Later he's going to hate how much he enjoys having Ben in his arms, how he can enjoy something that hurt Ben this much. 

Right now he pets Ben's hair and holds him close and lets himself feel warm.