Ben 10: Kerplunk'd
"Knock it off you dweeb! I've had just about enough of you today." Gwen Tennyson spat at her cousin, Ben, who had just nailed her with another surprise water balloon attack. She turned around and looked up to see where exactly this ambush had come from; one of the upstairs windows? I swear he can be a right pain in the––
Her jaw dropped when she saw Ben laughing jubilantly. "How the hell did you get up on the roof? You were just in the house with me."
Ben wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked down at Gwen from the top of her house. "I've saved the world countless times from aliens, traveled through time and space––all at the age of ten––and you ask me how I could possibly get on top of a two-story roof?" He skillfully crawled down towards the gutters, lowered himself over the edge, and using his upper body strength, held his place as he angled his legs into the open window; the same one Gwen thought he'd used to catch her with the water balloon. He ran out of the front door and up to her and smiled triumphantly.
He couldn't help but laugh again, this time at the smeared and running makeup on his cousin. She tossed her open hand toward his face, which Ben playfully evaded.
"Ha ha ha. You can't even hit me." This time he dodged a light kick. "And when you do, it doesn't even hurt."
"That's because if I actually did try, you'd wind up unconscious. A much as that notion appeals to me, especially with the few hours of quiet that would bring, I'd not want to explain that to Grandpa the day before we go away with him for the summer." Gwen yelled back, smiling in full confidence of her words. "And you know what? I don't have to go alien to kick the butt of an obnoxious, little monster."
"Monster!?" Ben repeated, angered––and for some reason a little bit hurt––by her comment. "The same monster who's saved the world, not to mention you, countless times." He began to yell now. "All that before we even made it to junior high!"
"That's my point, Ben. When we were ten. That was three years ago." Gwen shouted back at her cousin. "And you haven't matured in the least!"
"Whoa, take it easy! It was just a water balloon!"
Gwen sighed dramatically. "It's always a water balloon, a squirt gun, or mud flinging, Ben. Why don't you just give it a rest and grow up!" She brush the damp strands of hair from her face and marched away.
Ben crossed his arms and fumed for a moment. Where did she get off calling him a monster after all he'd done for the Earth––and her. He turned and walked back into her house..
"Dammit." That little voice in Ben's head forced him to turn around and chase after Gwen. She was a good distance ahead of him, for now. He decided to hang back and let her have her space.
***
A short time later, after a hike through a nearby forest (which was really hard to be stealthy in with all the leaves and twigs lying about), Gwen entered a small clearing with a shallow creek running through the center, a fallen tree made for a natural bridge that spanned about twenty-five feet. Ben stayed hidden in the thick foliage and continued to watch as Gwen carefully made her way to the middle of the fallen timber and slumped down. She let out a sigh that did not escape his ears––and it hurt him. Why? He didn't know, just as her words earlier had cut in deep.
He'd already come this far, might as well apologize.
Ben quietly stepped from the thickets and silently crept across the open grass. Gwen didn't move a muscle; her body wasn't tense or rigid, she was probably meditating. When he'd gotten to the edge of the tree, where it had uprooted, he stood his ground. He needed to talk to her, and at the same time he didn't want to disturb her.
"What do you want?" Gwen said monotonously , not turning to face him.
Ben jumped. "How did you know I was here?" His voice squeaked.
"Ugh… I could hear you following since I walked away, you doofus. You're not exactly the quiet type."
"Look, I just wanted to give you some space." Ben sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I also wanted to say that I'm sorry." Even though he was genuine with his words, there was still a bad taste left behind in his mouth.
Gwen raised her head, but did not turn his way. "I've heard that before, Benjamin…"
"I'm serious, Gwen." Ben now made his way across the fallen tree. "And you know, more than anyone, that's not something I am too often…" He trailed off when he reached his cousin and knelt down beside her. His heart kept pounding, deafening in his ears She still said nothing to him. She could have easily hit him with a comeback in the place he stopped speaking. Dammit! Why is this killing me? Why do I care so much if she's angry at me?
He started to speak up when Gwen finally turned to face him. Her emerald green eyes were shimmering in the light, she looked as if she were about to cry. Ben's heart stopped and lodged itself in his throat. Oh, God. He kicked himself inwardly for even thinking of such a stupid thing to do. Why did he do all those dumb things to her, and why did he always say the mean things to her if it made him feel so terrible now?
Ben put his hands on her arms and moved in to hug her, surprising himself yet again. "I really am sorry, Gwen." He said rather delicately as his head rested over her shoulder, looking down. When he pulled away from her and sat upright, she kept her arms locked around his waist.
There was a small twinkle in her eye when she smiled lightly at him. "Ben…"
She moved her face closer to his, as he was drawn slowly to hers. He felt his cheeks redden and his heart pound even harder in his chest. What was coming over him? He couldn't do this… it was wrong. Wasn't it? But he wanted to do this. Gwen was inches from his face now. Her lips almost upon his. She closed her eyes, and he closed his.
Gwen locked her legs around the tree trunk, gripped Ben tightly and forced herself backwards, throwing him over the side of the tree and into the cold, shallow creek. "PSYCHE!" Yelled Gwen, midway through her toss.
Ben sat up quickly in the cloudy creek water and gasped for breath. His eyes were wide and he wore a dumbfounded expression on his face.
"Hook, line, and sinker." Was all Gwen said before smiling down at him.
"Well, I'll say one thing." Ben started after a moment of silence. "In spite of what you always say, we're definitely related."