Gold Rush

AN: So, this random idea just recently came to me, and I know I'm supposed to be working on my other stories, but this kept bothering me! It's probably gonna be really short... So, I hope it turns out alright...by the way, Ed Sheeran really is awesome, and you should look up some of his songs. He's cute and funny and smart and writes awesome lyrics! xox

Enjoy!

The first thing Benny was aware of when woke was was the soft golden light shining in through the cream curtains. It cast a lovely glow across the room, and he sighed contently as he relaxed back into the sheets. He couldn't remember what had woken him-a nightmare? An odd noise? Whatever is was, it was gone now, and he was left feeling warm and happy, more so when his gaze shifted to the sleeping form next to him.

The early morning sunlight was flattering on Ethan's skin, and even more radiant against his soft brunet locks. Benny leaned in a little closer, and smiled as he listened to the soft, adorable sounds his boyfriend was making in such a deep slumber. He was lying on his stomach, with his arms folded under his head, facing away from Benny. The spellmaster settled in closer to the boy next to him, and ran his finger tips lightly over the lean muscles of Ethan's back, tracing the gentle dips and drawing invisible patterns. The seer sighed under his touch and made an appreciative quiet humming sound in his sleep.

'I have work today.' Benny thought, as quietly as he would've whispered them to his sleeping boyfriend. Just like he'd had work yesterday, and the day before that, and before that...just like he would tomorrow. In addition to his regular job, there was always people in need of a substitute drummer or guitarist, bassist, pianist, or violinist. There were always people who would pay to have a fellow musician review their music or compose with them, especially in a city as big as this one.

'Sorry, E.' Benny thought, suddenly feeling horribly guilty, not for the first time. 'I can never find time to just be with you anymore.' This was true, he worked weekdays, and sometimes nights, and for the past couple of weeks he'd been working weekends as well. He barely had time between jobs to eat, relax, and squeeze in a few hours of cuddling or talking with E before he fell asleep. 'That's not right.' Benny thought sadly.

"That's not right." Benny whispered out loud and sighed. "That's not how it should be."

As if seconding his testament -or objecting- the digital alarm clock blared loudly behind his back. Benny moved quickly turn it off as not to wake Ethan, but the seer heard it anyway, and shifted to look over at Benny sleepily.

"Hey." Benny whispered, smiling at E's bed-head and sleepy eyes.

"Hey Ben." Ethan smiled back sleepily. "Work again?"

"Maybe." Benny answered, and reached over to push the seer's shaggy hair back from his face, and ended up stroking E's face from temple to jawline. When Ethan's eyes closed under his touch and sighed, Benny just sort of melted. He loved everything about Ethan, every quality, every habit-however annoying, and every little action he made. Everything. "Go back to sleep, E. It's early."

"All the more reason for you to stay in today." Ethan's sweet smile melted him a little more. "Today's good for me."

"I don't know E." Benny gave a small, rueful smile that was more like a grimace. "I've-"

'I've got so much to do today.' He was going to say, but at the same time he really did want to stay in. "I'll be back in five, kay E?" He asked instead, giving his love a kiss on the forehead before sitting up and getting off the bed.

"Yeah." Ethan gave him a smile that was genuine enough, but the look in his eyes gave away his disappointment. Benny felt even guiltier as he pulled on a clean shirt and traded his pajama bottoms for a comfortable pair of shorts. It was either winter or summer in the city they lived in, and although these nights were often cool, he wouldn't be needing a pair of jeans in the daytime. Especially not if he was going out.

But was he? He didn't feel like it anymore. Still, he traded his pajama pants for the shorts, and slipped something small and dark from the back of the dresser into his front pocket.

'I need to book E in for a massage or something more often.' Benny frowned as he began flipping through a stack of half-finished piano and bass pieces that he never got around to finishing. The table was absolutely cluttered with music and science junk alike. It seemed both he and Ethan were both a little to busy lately to bother with spring cleaning.

'But he's free today.' Benny thought wistfully just as the ringtone he knew to well started ringing from the counter. His music teacher mentor and all his side-job employers had the same dull ringtone. It meant only one thing anyway- that he would have to spend another day out in the roar of the city.

"Hello?"

"Hi, does a Mr. Benjamin Weird live there?" Benny rolled his eyes.

"Benny Weir?" Benny asked, just a little annoyance slipping into his voice as he flicked through paper after paper. The mispronunciation had been said one to many times for it to be considered amusing anymore. Stupid typos and telephones...

"Oh, sorry." Came the not-very-sorry male voice. "Benny. This is Jason Steele, I went to your show last week? You said you might be able to help me with some guitar solos I'm trying to work out. You free today?"

"Uh..." Benny struggled for a few seconds before answering. "Sorry dude, I can't today. Something came up and I...I really just can't go out today."

"Oh." Came the surprised and potentially embarrassed reply. "Oh...well, maybe some other time?"

"Definitely." Benny tried to reassure the kid. "I have your number, so I'll call you again when I'm free."

"Cool, then. Hope everything's okay. Later."

Benny sighed as relief and a strong wave of happiness washed over him. Then he sat down at the table and began sorting out his music sheets from Ethan's science research. After everything was neatly stacked and sorted in paperclips (and known full well that Ethan had meant to pack this away into his schoolbag but hadn't had the time or will) he placed everything neatly in the correct places and set to work on cleaning up the place.

A few pictures of he and E in their high school years had fallen to the linoleum, and Benny found himself smiling as he looked over them. He carefully secured them back on the fridge with magnetic poetry, and moved on to pick up stray wrappers and such off the counters before loading the dishwasher.

Then he began banging around pots and pans-then realized what he was doing and went to close the bedroom door before he resumed his noisy preparations. He was going to make breakfast for E today, and if everything went well, he would take him out for lunch and maybe make dinner for him too.

His skills in the kitchen had improved considerably from his days of "Noodles" in Whitechapel, but he wouldn't exactly call his cooking great. Maybe not even decent-he still had the tendency to cook noodles to mush and bacon to charcoal but he was going to really try this time. 'Thank god-no, actually thank Grandma for all these instructional cook books...' Benny thought, skimming over a page one last time before pouring a small amount of herbs into a mixture of eggs

As he started frying and bacon on a small skillet, he thought about how his life had changed so drastically with just three realizations, two small, and one rather huge.

From the age of six the two boys had been best friends. They'd done everything together, playing together, and comforting each other when the other was sad, and nothing changed much when they grew up. They walked to school together, loved the same movies, had the same ambitions, the same love for fantasy and science, and all together they seemed perfectly in sync. Then came the three realizations he'd thought about earlier...

'Well, first off...' Benny thought as he walked barefoot around the living area. 'I guess I realized I had a thing for music. It started off as a hobby when Ethan left with his family for a month to America...my aunt introduced me to a guitar. I ended up dabbling with song writing...and now I play five instruments, so I guess that's kind of an accomplishment.' Benny sighed.'If not for my music...a lot of things would be different.'

The second realization was a little bigger than the first, at least in Benny's mind. 'The day I realized I was bisexual.' Benny thought, and found himself smiling as he swept up the stray dust and dirt around their apartment complex and remembered that day.

"Come on, E!" A teenage Benny complained from his computer chair as he watched his best friend get ready via videochat. "I need you this weekend at this English rehearsal-thing! I haven't perfected all of my lines, and it helps when I hear you say yours!"

"Benny, seriously?" An Ethan less filled out than he would be in a few years made a face at him from his own chair. "Dude, this might be my only chance to get Sarah alone in a long time!"

"She needs help with her Bio homework, E." Benny rolled his eyes. He'd always thought Sarah was hot, but really? An immortal vampire, loosing credits over a beginners Biology class? That was almost as bad as Rory! Except, Rory could actually pass his science classes, with praise.

"So you expect me to blow her off because you need help with homework?" Ethan gave him a disbelieving look. "What's up with you lately, Benny? You just seem really..." He struggled for words for a bit before clearly deciding against it. "Well, never mind, that's not the point-"

"What, E?" Benny raised his eyebrows. "Being what?"

"Nothing."

"Being what?" Benny crossed his arms and stared down his uncomfortable friend on the other end of the screen.

"You've been really...clingy lately." Ethan said hesitating slightly, and Benny found himself blushing. "There, I said it. It's true, you've been all over me the past few weeks." Ethan tried for a smile, seeing his best friend's discomfort, and shrugged.

"So...lay off?" Benny asked almost shyly, with his cheeks still burning and he prayed E wouldn't be able to see the red tint over the camera.

"No!" Ethan made a helpless gesture with his hands. "No, that's not what I meant. I don't mean that I don't love you being around, it's just.."

"A little too much?" Benny asked, and tried to ignore the tug on his heart. "Sorry, E. I know I've been suffocating, but I've just been feeling really weird lately..." The spellmaster gave a small smile and looked away as Ethan fixed him with a concerned gaze.

"Hey." Benny didn't look up at the sound of his friends voice, just continued staring at the wall next to the screen. "Everything okay, Ben?"

"Yeah." Benny answered quietly, even though he didn't know if everything actually WAS okay. Lately he'd been feeling things...he didn't think he should. Things he'd ne'er thought of, at least not about a guy...and the trouble was. The guy who'd been screwing with his heart was staring at him right now with such concerned, caring eyes it made his stomach flutter. He kept his eyes down.

"Well...I'm coming over." Ethan said, and without any further prodding or even a word from his best friend, the seer began to rid himself of his pajamas and dress into something more decent.

But Benny wouldn't have minded. Ethan didn't notice when the spellmaster had lifted his eyes to catch a few shy, heart-racing glances at him through the screen. For a long while after that, Ethan wouldn't notice the gentle longing gazes he was given behind his back, or the love-struck looks Benny sometimes just couldn't suppress. Benny now smiled fondly upon that memory, one of the most confusing times of his life. Well, everything worked out alright in the end. Ethan did end up going over to Sarah's that weekend, but only to apologize and tell her that something else had come up and he really needed to spend time with Benny.

The third one was probably the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. The realization that he was in love with his best friend.

It became easy to accept that he might be bisexual after he realized he loved Ethan as more than a brother or friend. He never knew how truly amazing love could feel, and it was easy to love Ethan. Falling in love with him was the easiest thing he'd ever done, or ever would've had to do. And the best part? Benny might've fallen first, but by the end of senior year, Ethan wouldn't have even looked at anyone else, because he'd loved Benny all his life as his best friend. The only difference was that he would one day intend to marry the boy that held his hand.

"Benny?" Ethan asked groggily and yawned as his boyfriend pulled him close an hour or so later. The seers head rested against the other man's arm and he blinked sleepily. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Benny answered honestly. He ran his hand through Ethan's hair and spoke quietly. "Absolutely nothing."

"Not that I'm not overjoyed you're here." Ethan smiled half-heartedly. "But I thought you had work today."

"I did." Benny smiled back and hugged his boyfriend as Ethan drew himself closer to the spellmaster's lean frame. "Not anymore. Cancelled."

"They cancelled?" Ethan asked, surprise in his voice. "That's a first. Usually people are all over you to come check them out." Benny laughed at the shorter man's still-groggy voice and kisses his forehead.

"I cancelled."

"What?" Ethan looked up at him with surprised eyes. "You sick?"

'Sick of work keeping me away from you.' Benny thought. Instead he answered, "Something like that. I need to talk to you about something."

"Are you okay?" Ethan was instantly more alert and tried to get up but Benny held him gently.

"Yeah, of course I am." He smiled reassuringly "But...it's just that I'm tired of being out all the time...and I guess I'm just now realizing how much time I'm spending on all of my music stuff and how little time I get to spend with you."

"Aw, Benny." Ethan gave him a sweet smile. "I...well, I won't pretend I wouldn't like for us to spend more time together, but you love what you do. I don't want you to give that up." Now it was Benny's turn to smile.

"E, that's not really true..."

"Huh?" Ethan looked confused for an adorable second and Benny suddenly found himself laughing.

"Ethan, the only reason I got into music was because of you." Benny confessed and Ethan sat up in bed, just looking at the other boy.

"What do you mean?" He finally asked. "I'm kinda lost here..I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"You're not dreaming." Benny answered, sitting up as well. "And it's true. The only reason I started playing guitar is because you left for a month and I was...lonely." He admitted sheepishly.

"Really?" Ethan was grinning, then. "That's a little..."

"Yeah, I know." Benny rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "And I've never told you this before, but you're the inspiration for like half of everything I've ever written...what?"

"Nothing." Ethan tried to contain his grin. "It's just...I'd always hoped I was inspiration for at least one, but half?"

"You're not...weirded out?" Benny asked almost uncomfortably, but then there were soft lips on his, and a light weight as Ethan leaned over to take his face gently in his hands.

"I'm not weirded out." Ethan murmured against his lips still, and Benny couldn't help himself as he pulled the other male closer, until E was straddling his lap and he could place his arms around him.

"I'm happy." Ethan continued with a grin when they broke away. "I'm flattered, even at the chance of being the reason for some of your more moody songs." He giggled and then they were kissing again, and Benny was pulling E impossibly closer, and closer still, and it was so easy to get lost in each other.

"That's not all." Benny sighed, reluctant to end such a make-out session, but needing Ethan to KNOW all the same, how much he loved him. "E...I'm so sorry." His face was suddenly guilty. "For leaving you all the time, for-"

"Don't worry about it." Ethan skilled that sweet smile again and Benny's heart broke a little more. The chaste kiss placed on his lips was even sweeter. "I was never mad at you. You always tried to make time, and I know how much you don't like to let people down. You always try to make me feel special."

"You are." Benny assured. "E, you're the most unique, intelligent, talented, sexy, gorgeous person I've ever met." Ethan's cheeks had burned hotter and hotter in the most beautiful way Benny had ever seen anyone blush with each word of his confession.

"Benny, I-"

"And I love you." Benny interrupted, placing his hands on either side of Ethan's neck and peppering kisses on his face. "I am so in love with you...sometimes I still don't know what to do with myself when I'm around you."

"I love you too, Ben." Ethan finally managed, clinging to the spellmaster under him, locking his arms around his neck. "I'm in love with you...you make me feel more than I ever thought anyone could feel without bursting."

"That's not all, either, E." Benny smiled an elated grin. Ethan's expression was much the same, and the two boys looked most like lovesick fools, and maybe that's what they were.

"There's more?" Ethan asked, and Benny stroked his face as he went on.

"Yeah...E, when I first took the job of doing street-hunts to make extra money, I really didn't think it would take up all my time. An adviser of mine told me it was good to get in as much independent experience as I could and..." Benny struggled for a second before going on. "At first, I didn't know what to do with all the extra cash.."

"Wait...isn't that how we live here?" Ethan asked with a furrowed brow. "Instead of in some dirt cheap hole-in-the-wall?"

"Well...yeah." Benny smiled uneasily. 'Oh, E doesn't know how much I've made so far..' "But E, I don't think I want this anymore."

"What?" Ethan asked in an odd voice, and when Benny looked up to see his boyfriend's shocked and hurt expression, he knew the seer had misunderstood.

"Oh no, E!" Benny smiled and gave his hurt love's forehead a kiss, reassuring him. "Not you, babe, I mean music. I don't think I want to major anymore."

"What?" Ethan asked, with the same shock as a few seconds ago. "That's always been-well, hasn't that been your dream for a really long time?"

"You're my dream, E." Benny smiled. "You're my muse. You're my past, present, and future. And if I can't live my life with you on a regular basis, then I don't have any reason to keep playing or keep writing."

"I don't want you to just give it all up." Ethan said quietly, looking down at the cool blue sheets. "You can't just drop it all."

"Then I won't." Benny assured. "Just until we have some stability. And I'll still play for you." Benny smiled. "I'll still write and sing and play for you."

"Well.." Ethan sighed, clearly trying to decide on something. "If you're sure..."

"I'll get my classes set straight soon." Benny stated, and gave Ethan a light kiss on the nose.

"This is pretty big, Ben." Ethan said after a while. "I don't want you doing something you might regret later."

"I won't." Benny swore. "I promise."

"Hmm...alright." Ethan replied, smiling. "But you'll have to convince me." And then Benny was grinning wickedly as he turned and maneuvered him and E over until he could kiss his boyfriend sweetly, and make him swoon with the promise and love he poured into every movement. Because the boy under him was warm and beautiful, and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world if he could just spend everyday in his arms.

"Convinced?" Benny asked, and broke away so he could kiss down the other boy's neck leaving gentle lovebites, and enjoying the feel of his soft skin under his lips.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"What's that?" Ethan asked breathlessly, not having the chance to reply, as both males reacted instantaneously to the alarming noise. But because Benny was pinning him down, Ethan couldn't do much but lie there. "Benny! What is that?"

"Damn it!" Benny cursed. He shot off the bed, quicker than Ethan had seen him move in a long time, and was out the door before Ethan could even sit up. However, when the seer raced into the kitchen with the fire extinguisher (noticing the oddly clean apartment on the way), the alarms had already died down, and Benny was scraping the remnants of something blue off of a skillet. The spellmaster looked up sheepishly to Ethan's 'what the hell?' look.

"Sorry E." Benny apologized, hanging his head. "There goes your pancakes. I forgot, I made you breakfast."

"Oh." Ethan raised his eyebrows, surprised, and then began laughing at Benny's dejected look. "That's...really sweet, Benny. Thanks, but that's okay it...kinda burnt. I don't really like pancakes anyway." To this, Benny face-palmed and Ethan grinned. "We can always go out or something."

"There's more." Benny said, looking up suddenly, and grabbing and already-made plate of various food from the microwave. "Sorry, E...really. I need to pay attention more."

"That you do, but it's okay." Ethan laughed, stepping forward and grabbing the plate from him, and then giving him a kiss on the cheek. "It's perfect."

And It was perfect in Ethan's eyes. It was the best morning in a long time for both of them, and Ethan ended up feeding Benny as well as they talked over breakfast, feeling better than they had in weeks. It didn't matter that the kitchen smelled like burned blueberry batter, or that Benny had places to be other than where he was. Ethan was every bit as amazing as the person Benny had always imagined spending his life with, and he knew right then -but really, he'd always known- that wherever the boy across from him was, was where he wanted to be. He wanted to be with him and be there for him for as long as he could...because, he guessed, that was the nature of love.

Later, as the spellmaster watched Ethan walk around their apartment, radiant in the sunlight, looking absolutely gorgeous, he thought he might've found a way to make sure of it. He and Ethan had always known they'd be married someday, and Benny's fingers were running over a small velvet box in his pocket, kept there for safekeeping.

That day might come a lot sooner than the seer might've thought.

X

AN: Well, there it is. It was kinda sketchy, and I had to take down the lyrics! That bummed me out, a LOT. But otherwise I would've been off the air for a while, so...yeah...now is not the time to get in trouble. Sorry about that. xP Critics, these days lol. Hope you liked it, anyway! I AM thinking of a continuation.

Go check out Ed Sheeran's music!

Tell me what you think in a review!