Hey, another story? Oh no! What about the last... few...? Well I started this one some time during the summer and made the decision to force myself to put on my big-girl pants and finish it! So yes! This fanfiction is technically finished, however, it still needs to be edited so I'm going to edit it as I post each chapter. :) Anything worth note I will state at the end. Love ya!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEN 10! OR ALL THE REFERENCES I MAKE.
I use themes from these works so slight spoilers: Ben 10(OG), Ben 10: Alien Force, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Ben 10 Comics(Yes they exist! And are cute, check 'em out.) Shakesphere! Lots and lots of it!
The civil, yet straightforward message of 'You, me, behind the main building after school. Or Else.' Was inscribed on a crumpled up piece of notebook paper, that seemingly was torn harshly from its binding. Obviously, describing this message as civil yet straightforward was a complete and total lie as this wasn't a pleasant invitation from a friend. No. This was a note from Kevin Levin. Which in case you lived in Bellwood, there was absolutely no way you hadn't at some point come to hear this man's name, or more probable, read it in the town's quotidian newspaper..
Rumor has it he played part in the Bellwood bridge catastrophe of '08, a devastating scheme that left not only the bridge in ruin, but many other's lives in it as well. However, all theories have yet to be confirmed by any officials; The only thing made certain to the public was that Kevin was to be held back a year to serve time in Juvie. Furthermore, given his suspicious and upsetting history no one at school dared to cast him a look that might rub him the wrong way, all students—and even faculty—in fear of what would be done to them granted they crossed that line.
And it wasn't as though Kevin predominantly went out of his way to prove the assumptions otherwise to anyone. Whereas he didn't open his mouth often, whenever he did it was generally to brusquely answer a question in class, or make a passive aggressive threat at someone—For example, the ingenuously worded 'or else' in the letter a certain, unsuspecting boy received by the name of Benjamin Tennyson(But he preferred to be called Ben.).
"Kevin?" Ben spoke quietly as he made his way to the destination detailed in the note. His shadow cast past himself as the sun began to set behind him, providing a marigold hue to the sky. Ben wasn't the sort to pick a fight, in fact he believed himself to be far past his days of picking fights with bullies, and had assumed others had shared his view; He put in the effort to enlist a more outgoing, and welcoming persona, nothing that would warrant a fight—Especially since he at one point swore off violence to better aid his ambition to shape his persona. If hypothetically said law offender were to engage him in hand-to-hand combat, Ben wasn't too quick to compromise the vow he had taken.
Kevin was a tall, hefty body-builder with monstrous tattoos engraved across his body(One's he would often show off, likely to piss off the teachers with dress coding). His onyx eyes never seemed to be without black circles below them, or scratches across his high cheek bones. Ben was on the shorter side of the spectrum, even having a difficult time gaining an inch on his cousin who was only 5'5". Whereas he possessed certain masculine attributes such as a lean body, toned from all his athletic endeavors; He was still smaller, with a baby-face(as his friends so delicately put it), and had the tendency to land himself in uncomfortable positions. This being one of them.
"Tennyson, you came. Good." Kevin's words were either a passive caution, or a optimistic observation—Either of which Ben could not infer with cert. In addition, the elder student loomed above him behind a building Ben was certain surely no one would hear his cries for help—Such a realization weighted heavily on Ben's mind. It wasn't as though the boy had no ability to protect himself, still with him having sworn off violence the probable likelihood of him having to take a numerable, cumbersome blows was a little higher than he would have been comfortable with.
"Yes, yes I did. Care to tell me to what I owe the pleasure?" Ben attempted to put it lightly, depriving his voice of the impatience he covertly felt. The sooner he made amends with the young man for whatever offence he had unintentionally committed, the better.
Kevin was hushed as he peered out into school yard where other students preferred to intersect nearing the school day's end(If Ben wasn't speaking to Kevin as he was, he would have been there as well himself). "I'm about to ask you a very serious question. One you'll have to take with as much severity as you measly brain can muster."
Ben fought to keep his feverous pride at bay, only with the reminder that he swore off violence did he draw the strength to hold back a witty remark. "Okay, sure… what is it?"
Met by a second dose of silence that dragged on for so long Ben was prepared to request permission to leave; But then, just as he opened his mouth to act out said task, the nine-teen-year-old spoke at long last. "Is your cousin Gwen seeing anyone?" These meek six words took a great deal of time for Ben's quote: measly brain, to comprehend.
"… I'm sorry but did you just ask if Gwen, my cousin, is single?" Ben questioned a little too loudly, earning a cautioning glare from his elder whom, apparently did not want such a statement known to his academic peers.
"And?" Kevin beckoned crudely, his onyx eyes narrowed with his thick black brows pointed upward, virtually challenging Ben. Nonetheless, Ben was far too dumbfounded to even begin to consider the implications of the raven haired man's inquiry. It was only his fits of laughter that succeeded to escape his mouth.
"My cousin? Who'd ever want to date her? YOU?" Ben's laughter continued(Seemingly endlessly), merely seeming to agitate said interested bachelor. "You can't be serious! The only times I've ever seen that girl(If you can even call her that) interested in someone was with Albert Einstein, and Charles Darwin!"
Kevin didn't give the impression of finding Ben's humor quite as comical as he did, "Are you trying to say she's only interested in smart-asses?" Kevin demanded.
"Nah, she was like ten or whatever then. I'm sure her tastes have matured. She's probably into like one of those hallmark movie sensitive guys all the girls lose their heads over." Ben stated a like more seriously after wiping a tear from his emerald green eyes.
"… Alright… Ask her then." This came across more as a command than the inquiring of a favor to Ben. In truth this was far from the first time someone had gone to the boy in hopes of using him as a middle man, whether it was his baseball or soccer teammates, even all the way back to freshmen year Ben had become all too used to the attention he warranted from having an attractive cousin. However, with every attempt at swaying her heart in the helpless boy's direction, she without hesitation would shoot them down; The excuses would vary, but were all always along the lines of either, 'I have my education to consider, not the complexities of a relationship!' or, 'I want to get into a college, not into any boys pants!'—The last one was a humorous summary Ben had concocted(If Gwen ever found out he summarized her words like that, he'd be in the market for a new head…).
But if she shot down Kevin Levin… Ben didn't want to think of the consequences that decision would pose to her physical wellbeing. "… And what if she refuses?" Ben asked nearly soundlessly, parts of animosity leaking into his words.
Kevin appeared to pick up on the fumes as he puffed out his chest after straightening his own posture, "… Then I will accept her decision." His words were quick, as though he didn't want to say them… that or didn't want to believe them. Moreover, it hardly achieved to diminish the boy's worrying to any extent at all.
Whereas his record was far from clean, Ben could see actual sincerity on the older man's face—Despite how much he attempted to hide it. The possibility Kevin was truly, and sincerely in love with his cousin was certainly baffling… but not impossible… "Why do you like her so much anyway?" Ben tried.
Kevin took a deep breath, once again gazing off toward the field. And when following mentioned gaze, it landed on the women in question. Completely unaware of the one watching her, she waited patiently for her companion(Ben) to walk home with her as they did routinely to study. His breath hitched, "I'm not a good guy, Tennyson… I know that… but when I'm with her, she doesn't make me feel so bad about that anymore…" Kevin's voice was delicate, and considerate as though he had truthfully given each syllable careful thought. Enough thought to sway the young Tennyson boy.
In the end… if she's happy, then it didn't matter who was with… "Fine. I'll ask her for you. But you've got to promise me something." Kevin gave Ben a patience look, awaiting his conditions, furthermore Ben concluded. "If she turns you down… you can't pressure her into dating you… You've GOT to accept her decision, like it or not."
To Ben's astonishment Kevin didn't vacillate in the slightest, "I swear."
What's more Ben was at a loss for words(And that was saying something), never had it occurred to him he would be put into the position of matchmaker for the town's most infamous delinquent… And yet here he was. After exchanging contacts as to stay updated on the progress(Ben was convinced Kevin wanted to make sure he didn't forget to ask Gwen), Ben took his leave—Having been given plenty to stew on while he made his way over to Gwen, all the while unaware of how relieved he had left Kevin feeling.
"There are four types of tissues, Epithelial, Nervous, Muscular, and… Ben… are you even listening?" Gwen's shrill voice pierced through Ben's focus(Or lack thereof), snapping him back into reality. He blinked unwisely at her before grinning rather sheepishly in her direction.
"I'm sorry, what did you say again? I wasn't listening." The teen's scarcely thought out reply earned a glare as well as a light punch on the shoulder from his cousin of the fairer sex. "Owww!" Ben mock whined, clutching his shoulder as though it ached; Gwen was beyond the point of familiar with such behavior, however, and didn't even grace him with a concerned look.
"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, do you want to fail on tomorrow's Science Exam?" The girl demanded, purposefully obscuring Ben's view of the Tv(One he insisted on for the sake of background noise). Once again her perfectly shaped brows were knit together above her thinly lined emerald eyes— ones of the same hue of his own. While on most occasions Gwen refused to leave the house unless every single ginger strand of her hair was perfectly styled into place, her hair presently cascaded down her shoulders carelessly and around her rosy face, the only thing withholding them from falling into her eyes was the lone blue clip holding strands back in place. Along with the scarce traces of lip gloss and mascara applied to her face—It boggled Ben's mind that she even applied the products when she clearly didn't require them to be attractive. It seemed rather bothersome—she seemed pitch perfect, but having known Gwen for as long as he did, Ben knew this was less than perfect for her.
"Not particularly, Gwendolyn May Tennyson." Hearing her full name spoken made her cringe, something Ben accounted for prior to saying, but then again it he deemed it only fair as she held his name above him as a way to sound more mature(something he found debatable). "Trust me, I got AP in the bag! There's nothing Mr. Kelly can throw at me that I won't be able to hit the nail on!" Ben's quite obvious empty gloats didn't land well on his all too knowing companion.
"The same way you hit the nail on Mr. Casey's math test—I mean I don't remember when 76% qualified as hitting the nail, but you know what, I'll take your word on it." Gwen mused back in the same way one's parents would in their typical demeaning manor; If Gwen was not practically sitting onto him, coupled with the stack of text books on his lap, Ben would have stood up to regain his sense of self status(His pride truly was a sensitive part of him). Instead he had to make due with arguing at eye level as the weight of books as well as hi opponent continued to quite literally weight him down.
"I passed didn't I? What more do you want?" Ben snapped, his irritation finally registering in Gwen's mind. A wave of sympathy passed over her as her stance altered in reaction to his, taking on one more tender and welcoming. She lightly placed an arm on his shoulder, smiling understandingly at him,
"Hey, what's going on? You're touchier than usual.." She inquired gently of him, closing the Anatomy textbook to signal a pause in their studies. "What's on your mind?"
Ben glanced at her within his peripheral vision, not turning to look at her. "What about you? A less than perfect Gwen is hardly usual." Ben replied effortlessly, his response urging Gwen to take the offense. Nevertheless Gwen had a pride to rival his own, notwithstanding her inclination to more outwardly take the humble side of the spectrum.
She stifled laughter, "Perfect? I'll take that as a compliment, I guess, as backhanded as it is." She once again struggled to brush back her disobedient hair, "Let's just say I had less than ideal attention directed at me today; It proved to be grading on my patience."
Ben rose a brow, outwardly curious, while inwardly panicking—He had planned to lay the question he knew Kevin would pester him into asking her until his ears bleed, but if she already dealt with less than ideal attention that day, landing a big, stinky pile of Kevin on her would hardly make the offer appealing. "How so?" Despite himself his voice was higher than most other times, he had panic to blame for that.
Gwen huffed out a sigh that perfectly expressed how frustrated the whole ordeal made her, without even mouthing a single word. "You know that one kid in our class, Peterson? As it turns out he's got some sort of sorcery fetish and wouldn't stop spamming my school email with requests for magical related favors! Sure I do tarot cards every now and then, but not sexual favors! What do I look like, a slut? I deserve respect!" She growled, displaying the more ferocious side she hid from all her academic peers; Truly only family members had the joy of seeing the valedictorian's true spunky nature.
However any amusement Ben had for seeing Gwen's feathers ruffled drained away from him like water through his fingers, "Report him to the faculty." Ben urged, suppressing the wave of overprotectiveness surmounting him. But his freckle-faced cousin only shrugged, "Not only is that sexual harassment, he's also breeching the school's rule against secular use of school emails." He could only hope a logical point would win her over, she was one to complain and moan of her problems, but never confront anyone of them… she preferred to never acknowledge them if at all possible at all times.
"Ugh, but then it'd get all messy. I'll just block him…" She said nonchalantly while brushing more strands of defiant hair behind her ears. "Maybe I should just tell people I'm gay or ace, maybe then they'd leave me alone."
"Don't do that, it'll eventually get out you're a hopeless hetero romantic at heart." To spite her Ben ruffled her hair to undo all her previous exertions in taming her fiery hair. Even a harsh puff from her mouth didn't possessive the strength to push the tresses from her visual scope; Regardless of her disarray, she remained indescribably beautiful.
"… I'll think about it." Her jade eyes remained on him, "Your turn. What's up, doofus?" Under most circumstances being addressed by such a term was belittling, but for the two of them such phrases were of an aged rivalry, neither minded the name calling as they mutually agreed without words it was an inside joke between cousins—A term for endearment if it were. The distaste Ben displayed was quite clearly not for that reason, so the worry she saw confused Gwen to no end. "Uh… Hello? Earth to Ben?"
All Ben's fears regarding Kevin being brought up to Gwen had only been solidified by their prior conversation. Coupled with the fact Kevin might actually start an skirmish with Ben was a worrisome prospect for him to consider. "Say Gwen…" Both of her brows raised at the pitch of his panicked voice. "You've met Kevin Levin haven't you?"
"Sure I have, just last week I think, I was assigned to writing a paper with him in humanities." Gwen recalled, a suspicious glint gleaming in the back of her eyes—Ben knew she suspected him, but he hoped she didn't know what of. Yet.
"Did you get along well with him?" He tried to say it as quickly as he could without it coming across as rushed. He wanted to say all he could without his panicked voice catching up with his words.
"I guess? How well can you get along when discussing Paradise Lost? We wrote a paper, every now and then he'd pipe in to suggest we touch up on something, but it was mostly just writing on a docx in silence." Gwen explained simply, giving Ben the mental image of Gwen working peacefully, oblivious to Kevin staring at her; How else could he have instantly fallen in love with her? The whole situation unnerved Ben; Despite in the back of his mind he knew he held no right to shield her from the men of the world(Suddenly he believed his mom when she said all men were wolves).
"Oh? How nice? Wouldyouwanttohangoutwiththatguyoutsideofschoolmaybe?" All hopes of maintaining the facade of innocence, was lost by Ben's inability to do the one thing he sought out to do… And he knew it, because Gwen had resorted to shooting him that look. The 'I-know-what-you're-doing-Benjamin-Kirby-Tennyson-how-dare-you-think-I'm-so-oblivous-so-you-better-say-it-straight-before-I-rip-your-head-from-your-shoulders-because-you-tried-to-once-again-play-me-off-to-one-of-your-friends.'. Sure it was complicated, but as mentioned previously, this was not the first time he was asked to play matchmaker for Gwen. "… Kevin has a thing for you." Ben finally gave in.
"I beg your pardon?" Gwen gapped, clearly just as shocked as he was when Kevin initially brought the subject up with him. Ben whipped his hands up in surrender to her,
"Don't kill me! He ASKED me to ASK you, okay? He even swore he wouldn't force you to date him." Ben as he argued these points still had yet to wrap his mind around what he was doing.
"Ben, you know I'm not interested in dating anyone right now." Just as Ben foresaw her saying, the woman's words were spoken and he could finally release the breath he didn't realize he was holding—And refused to notice he was. "What's even the point in asking me when you already know this?" She questioned, her face contorted into one of confusion.
The chestnut-haired boy covered his face with his hands, "I dunno…" He mumbled into his palms, "He said when he saw you, he fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." Ben tried to express coherently, while also berating himself for falling back onto his crutch of an old habit when speaking to her, "I guess he got me to believe he could make you happy, at least…" His hands dropped low enough to catch a glimpse of the burgundy colored book laid on her bed's side table; The word 'Shake Sphere's Sonnets' written in silver gleaming beneath the sunset's rays. "Happier than he ever could…"
Gwen didn't need an explanation to know what Ben spoke of, not when a glance alone spoke louder than a thousand words ever could dream to; He never could bring 'him' up without the vaguest crimson lining his eyes. Nor ever bring himself to utter the correct name, let alone pronoun. If she hadn't cried every last tear she was willing to shed, she surely would've broke down under the sheer mention—But she wasn't 10 anymore, she was 17(Quite nearly technically an adult!). "… I don't think anyone could have…" Gwen mused after leaning away and towards the bed-side table in order to pick up the beloved novel. The yellow pages passing through her fingers as she admired the lovely sonnets of a man whom truly understood love. "Shakespeare isn't exactly easy to recite…" She stifled a laugh.
Ben joined into her laughter after a given moment of denial, "I thought Darwin and Einstein were your thing?"
Gwen blushed in embarrassment, she had truly hoped Ben had long since forgotten she ever mentioned it to him—and even regretted it. "I mean, they were! But I didn't know about the things I disagree with them now back then!" Embarrassed induced panic caused Gwen to wave her hands frantically as she spoke.
"Yeah! I so disagreed with Einstein's theory of Relativity and Darwin's Evolutionary claims too!" Ben sneered, despite full well knowing better. "I've always thought science was subjective as well!"
Gwen punched him in the arm, once again playfully, "I'd tell you to stop being a smartass if it weren't for the fact you're hardly ever the 'smart' part." The two could only grin with laughter refusing to subside. However, as soon as they had their blissful fun of non-stop mirth, they fell into silence; Without words to say. Ben wanted to, probably to confirm whether or not Gwen intended to date the school's criminal, but in essence it seemed all too bothersome—A part of Ben wished he had just ignored Kevin's supposed invitation. Ben was a simple boy, he finally convinced himself to be content with the most simple of things, and to be content with the way his life was. Sure, he wouldn't mind winning a few more baseball or soccer games, and the prospect of a girlfriend was ridiculously tempting, but he had come to terms with what came of his life to that point. It was a Jenga tower that the slightest pull could crumble. He didn't especially want Kevin to poke his nose into it and have him cater to his desires, most certainly not if it required him to serve up his cousin to him on a silver platter… but then again, her love-life was none of her business, so it wasn't up to the boy to dictate what should and shouldn't stay the same simply for the sake of keeping things so-so.
Just laying on a soft bed, in complete uninterrupted silence, without the slightest thing to bother him was all he needed. He took a deep breath, the subtle fragrance of sweet strawberries wafting through his nostrils. "So… Yah or Nah?" He was willing to acknowledge he put that question dumbly, but the subject alone was awkward enough for Ben to argue it was justifiable.
Gwen sighed beside him, her slender fingers clawing into her baby blue bedsheets. "I don't know… Mum won't stop pestering me about my love-life. As though being single was some kind of bad omen for a girl my age…" She rolled over to look at Ben, the two of them comfortably rested on her bed with the reminders of the next day's test long forgotten as they merely exchanged thoughts by way of subtle gazes. "But sometimes I can't help but think she's right… and maybe I'm being too picky."
"I don't think it's picky to not want to date someone unless you like them, if you did that you'd be way more likely to break up with the guy." Ben stated, formerly reasoning, "And what's the point in that, right?"
"Good point," Gwen complimented, raising her hand for a high five. "… I can give friendship a try though." Their high five sent a clap to echo through the quiet room. Ben's inquiring look probed her to continue, "I have a lot of friendship, Ben, but I don't have any best friends." She mumbled these words shyly, seemingly embarrassed.
What about me? Ben didn't say, despite wishing to, instead he mumbled a, "… Guess not." He gave her a smile, "Maybe Kevin can be a good friend for you." He found himself far more comfortable with that action taking place.
Gwen sat up, her fierce emerald eyes on the mirror across the room. Standing, she strolled over to it before beginning to tame her hair with a stay hairbrush. "Who knows, but it might be time I stopped spending all my time on extracurricular activities without anyone to even possibly call a friend who remotely lives near me; Except my dopey cousin." The dopey line earned a laugh from Ben, "Like, rebellious junk!" She proclaimed after she turned to reveal her hair pulled back in a ponytail; Gwen never put up her hair.
"Ohhh, yeah totally, you should start painting your nails black too, and don't even think about holding back on the eyeliner, girlfriend." Ben playfully, giving a overly flamboyant tone to his voice. It was made worth it when Gwen laughed,
"Yasssss, let's only shop at Hot-Topic in our skin tight jeans with the factory made tares!" Gwen said as she flicked the CD-Player on(Ben still couldn't talk her into using online music and Bluetooth, she was a stubborn old person in a teenager's body), Shag Carpeting's most intense of melodies resounding through her mustard yellow painted walls.
"It's not a phase mom!" Ben bemoaned mockingly,
"You just don't understand me! No one does!" Gwen added cheekily,
"Said every emo kid in union." Ben mused with a snicker.
"Oh, but Benjamin, that's what makes them so adorable." She bemused, tugging at Ben's cheeks till they turned a musing shade of scarlet. "And so incredibly mockable."
"If half the people saw the you I did, no one would ever harass you." Ben's statement, he knew Gwen wouldn't struggle to distinguish the meaning between; She signified as much with her devilish grin.
"One would be a fool not to fear and love this witch." Gwen stated quite a matter-of factly, standing tall, with an air of confidence mixed with her wonderful, lavender perfume.
"I don't know if you were attempting to give off the Sabrina the teenage witch vibe, or not. But you kinda just quoted Galadriel(Lord of The Rings)." Ben corrected smartly, and rather pompously. Despite him confident in his statement, Gwen continued to sneer at him, her fingers tracing the binding of her burgundy novel.
"All shall love me and despair. Is what you meant." A single eyebrow of hers raised, "Maybe next time, Doofus." Gifted with another fit of giggles from the ginger, Ben took a long sigh—seeming to release a breath he hadn't realized was hitched in his throat. The question Kevin posed for Ben to ask had yet to pose any significant consequences, Ben truly didn't mind seeing Gwen getting fierce and wild every now and then… But he wondered how Kevin would react and whether he'd stay true to his word, but most of all if things would become violent; Quite frankly Kevin had still yet to prove himself to Ben. The internal conflict of wanting the best for Gwen, and not wanting to force his own anxieties into the situation…
Ben began to ponder if he was really prideful, or just selfish…
So there you have it, my first chapter. Yes it is technically a love square(Kevin x Gwen x Ben x Julie), but I swear if you read between the lines you'll see I quite clearly state the end goal I have in mind. Keep an open mind, I swear the amount of foreshadowing I say I put in there, I did. READ THE TITLE! IT PRACTICALLY SAYS IT. Sorry, I just wanted to make sure I made that much clear. :) I love you all and look forward to reading your reviews, I'm also posting this on AO3, and Wattpad so yeah, whever you've reading this from, heyyyyyy! Random Note: Ace = Asexual(It's slang so I wasn't sure if that much was apparent)