"With You"
Ben awoke brutally in the middle of the night as someone knocked loudly on the front door. "Open the fucking door already!" someone shouted.
In his boxers he quickly ran to the front door, with his heart pounding in his chest. It was 3 am and that is never a good hour to hear someone at your door. Looking through the peep hole, he saw Brian, clearly pissed and pissed off, standing there, trying his best to constrain a half unconscious Michael, who swayed heavily on his feet.
"Hurry the fuck up, Ben!" Brian cursed loudly on the other side of the door.
Ben quickly unlocked and opened it and immediately Michael fell in his arms. "Jesus CHRIST! What happened? What did he take?!"
Brian breathed heavily and tried to regain his composure. "The question is not 'what did he take' but it is 'what did they give him' … and the answer to that is oxycodone."
"Some asshole drugged him?" Ben asked, as he moved Michael from the door to the couch, where he dropped down on the cushions, giggling and gurgling.
"Yeah. It's okay though. The asshole went to medical school." Brian replied.
Ben looked up at him and moved his head slightly sideways, like a puppy giving his human friend a questioning look.
Grinning, Brian used his best sarcastic voice and merely replied: "The asshole fell down the stairs at Woody's and busted his head open." He pointed at 4 neat stitches on Michael's head, perfectly disguised by his hair. "Wasn't really a big deal but I think they gave him extra painkillers because he kept on whining a lot." Brian laughed heartily, supporting himself on the wall opposite the couch.
Ben rolled his eyes. "You stole something from the hospital didn't you?"
"What?" Brian said, still laughing. "I would never do such a thing."
"Come on," Ben said, taking Brian's elbow and directing him to Emmett's room. "Emm's not in, sleep in there."
"It's fine, I'll just …"
A firm hand on Brian's chest showed him that Ben, usually calm and collected, was not in a mood of discussing things. Realising that there wasn't a point to fighting Ben and that he'd have full access to Emmett's room – and the possibility of snooping – he gave up and shrugged. "I guess I'll wash up for bed then." Right before entering the bathroom, he paused next to doorframe. Looking back at Ben – and Michael on the couch – and quietly spoke. "I made sure he got help and that he got home safe." Quickly he shut the bathroom door behind him.
"I know" Ben whispered. Looking back at Michael, he couldn't help but smile at his dopey smile. "You okay, baby?" he softly said and he brushed his fingers through his hair.
"I am now," Michael said, slightly slurring his words. "I'm so fucking high Ben."
"I noticed." Ben said, no longer angry or panicked. Now that the situation was clear, it all didn't seem so scary anymore.
"Brian … is he …" Michael started, but couldn't find the words to finish the sentence.
"He's fine. He's staying over. I'm not letting him go home alone. Don't worry about him." Ben said softly.
"You're so good, Ben. D'you know that?" Michael suddenly said. "Like Ghandi great. So nice … so … Zen."
"Hmmm" Ben replied. "So because of you Brian calls me Zen Ben."
"wha?" Michael countered. He was staring at the bottle of water on the table in front of the glass and he waved his hands towards it, as if trying to catch it.
Ben suppressed a laugh and took the bottle, unscrewed the cap and placed it in his hands. "Here have a sip."
"I mean it though … Ben, you're like so good. I don't even know why you're with me."
Ben brought the bottle to his lips and made him sip. "Michael, stop. You know I love you."
"I knooooooooooow … but I can't figure out why. You're too good for me." Michael whined. "Can I have a cuddle? I don't feel so good. I don't like taking ocymododone" Michael said, his slurred words nearly incomprehensible as he suppressed a yawn. "Makes my head woozy. I can't think right. And the world is all spinny."
"Of course you can." Ben said as he put one big arm around his boyfriend. Michael snuggled nicely in his arms, his head safely tucked away in the nook of Ben's neck.
Ben caressed Michael's back in rhythmic circles, something he knew would calm him down. "I know you may not always believe it about yourself, but you too are a pretty amazing person. You have such a big heart, you're sweet and kind, funny … I think you're pretty great." Ben could feel Michael smile against his skin.
"Grrrrrrreaat?" he said. "Like Tony the Tiger?"
Ben laughed. "Yeah, like Tony the tiger from the cornflakes commercial."
"Now it's not so bad anymore." Michael said, his eyes closing slowly. Another yawn and he snuggled closer. "Everything seems a lot better now."
"Yeah?" Ben whispered.
"Yeah." Michael replied, his voice sleepy. "Everything seems better. With you."
Ben smiled against his hair, perfectly content to stay like this for a while.
Half an hour later, Brian exited the bathroom and found Ben and Michael sleeping on the couch. He mournfully watched them for a minute, unconsciously wishing for a certain blond twink, before taking a blanket and covering them up. He slipped into Emmett's bedroom and got into bed. Sleep didn't catch him for hours later but somehow being in Michael's flat with two of the people he loved – even if he would never admit it publicly - right in the next room, he felt more lonely than he'd ever felt before.