Thanks MyLadyDay for beta'ing
Warnings: period-typical homophobia, explicit sexual content
Dinner wasn't as pleasant as it could have been, in Shanks' opinion, but in all fairness, it definitely could have gone worse. They had guests today, the widow Shanks might marry, her two daughters, and her father. Of course, since Benn and Makino were living with him, they were present as well.
The widow's name was Bell-mère. She wasn't as timid as Shanks had expected, and he was pleasantly surprised. Her father, Genzo, constantly tried to gloss over her sharp remarks, which Shanks found annoying, but social customs dictated he couldn't say anything about it. Bell-mère's eldest daughter Nojiko was silent as she ate dinner and only looked at her plate, but her younger sister Nami glared daggers at Shanks. In his turn, Benn cast deadly looks at Bell-mère, as she was about to take his place in Shanks' bed, if everything went according to plan. Genzo's plan, that is, as Shanks hadn't made up his mind yet. Finally, Makino tried to keep the conversation pleasant and light, which only partly worked.
Before the dessert arrived, Benn excused himself curtly, claiming he had a headache, though both Shanks and Makino knew that was probably not true. Benn feared for Shanks' and his relationship, he had told Shanks as much a few days ago when they were lying in bed together. Benn hadn't been entirely wrong, as soon as Shanks heard about Bell-mère's children, he had felt more inclined to help her out. He still hadn't decided to marry her, though, even if Benn already thought to know the answer. Whichever way he turned it, Shanks loved Benn and he wanted to lose him as little as the other way around. The only difference was that Benn's wife knew about and accepted their relationship. With Bell-mère, Shanks couldn't be sure.
After dinner, Makino offered to entertain the children, even if Nami protested loudly, so that Bell-mère and Shanks could have some time alone. He offered her his one arm and led her to the garden.
"You have lovely children," he attempted to start a conversation.
"I have to apologise for Nami," Bell-mère said. "She doesn't like the idea of having a new father. My previous husband…" She trailed off and became silent.
Shanks already had a feeling how that sentence ended and didn't press the matter. "You don't seem the type that needs to remarry," he said.
"My father disagrees. In some way, he's right. I'm not above working since my husband died, but it is getting harder and harder to provide for my girls. Why someone as wealthy as you would agree to a marriage like this is beyond me, though." She looked at him.
"Technically, I haven't agreed to anything yet, except having dinner with you, Mrs Tangerine," Shanks pointed out. He didn't mean to sound so blunt, but he needed to make that clear.
A slight smirk appeared on her lips. "But you're considering it. I must say, I'm a little surprised after seeing Mr Beckman's reaction to me."
Shanks froze, and since she was holding his arm, she had to stop as well. Shanks had to wonder how obvious Benn had been. She wouldn't suspect anything, would she? No, if she did, she wouldn't even consider marrying him, he was sure of it. What woman, aside from a goddess like Makino, would want to marry a man that enjoyed sleeping with other men?
"He doesn't want to see me hurt," he finally said, which was partly true. Rationally, Benn knew Shanks remarrying would be the best option for everyone, everyone except Benn.
"Are you sure that's all there is?" Bell-mère pressed as they continued their walk through the garden.
"What else should there be?" he answered evasively.
"Perhaps nothing," she said, looking into the distance. "I just hoped that there was."
"Why?" he asked confusedly.
"Because if there was something you could confirm or deny, then maybe I could confirm or deny something as well," she said cryptically.
Suddenly, Shanks had a feeling he knew what she was aiming at, but he couldn't be sure. "Why can't you start?"
"Because you're a man and you already have more privileges," Bell-mère said firmly and looked at him challengingly.
Shanks looked in the distance, pursing his lips as he weighed his options. "Then I guess I can confirm what you think might be going on?" he finally said, scratching behind his ear.
She smirked. "In that case, I can't deny what you might think after I said I needed you to confirm or deny what I thought might be going on."
She probably meant to confuse him, but he narrowed his eyes and said, "You're a sapphist*."
"And you're a homosexual," she replied deadpanned.
"Not entirely true, but close enough," Shanks said. "So our marriage would mutually benefit us."
"If Mr Beckman doesn't kill me first," she replied with a smirk.
At first, he pretended not to hear the knock on his bedroom door. Benn was currently lying in bed with a book, yet he had barely read a sentence. He hadn't slept in his own room since he had started his relationship with Shanks, opting for sleeping in Shanks' larger one.
He had tried to be polite to their guests – no, Shanks' guests, after all, what was Benn himself but a guest, he thought bitterly – but it had been too much. He had always known that his relationship with Shanks had to end sometime, as society didn't allow them to be together, but knowing that and seeing his competition were two different things entirely. Shanks was attracted to women, and Bell-mère was an attractive woman, even someone like Benn could see that. Not to mention the fact that she had two daughters, though they weren't half as helpless as Genzo had wanted Benn to believe when he came at the door a few days before. Especially the youngest, Nami, had seemed like a fiery one.
That didn't change the fact that they all needed to eat, however, and Shanks was a wealthy man. He could easily provide for them.
The knock on the door could mean two things. Either Makino had come to his room – she had her own wing as they didn't sleep together anyway – to try to cheer him up or make him talk about his feelings, or it was Shanks. Whatever he would want Benn didn't know, because even if they had been friends and lovers for a long time, Shanks was very unpredictable. However, nothing he said would make Benn feel better, unless if it was that Bell-mère had found a more suitable husband and would leave Shanks alone. Benn doubted that would be the case.
The doorknob turned, so Benn was sure Shanks was the one standing in the hallway, as Makino would have knocked again or left him alone when he didn't reply. Shanks wasn't as considerate.
"There you are," Shanks said cheerfully as he flopped down next to Benn on the bed.
Benn weighed his options. He could ignore Shanks and continue to read his book, but Shanks wasn't one to let himself be ignored. So he opted for placing his book on his nightstand and sighing before he turned to Shanks. "What do you want?" he asked curtly.
"It's all been arranged," Shanks said with a grin. "We only have to set a date." He leaned back, his hand behind his head.
Benn only stared at him. Shanks was many things, but he had never taken him to be a cruel man. Obviously, he was wrong. Benn rolled off the bed and rose to his feet. "That's what you're here to brag about?" he asked angrily. "To rub it in?!"
Shanks looked genuinely confused for a moment, before realisation dawned on him. "Benn, she's a sapphist."
Benn froze, and any words he had wanted to say died on his tongue. "She's… what?" he finally managed to bring out.
Shanks grinned up at him and tapped on the bed next to him. Automatically, Benn sat down, his mind still trying to wrap around the information just given to him. Shanks placed his hand on his cheek and turned his face towards him.
"We have talked about it," Shanks continued. "You were a little too obvious with your glaring, so she figured it out about us. But it turned out to be a good thing. If we get married, she can do whatever – or whoever – she wants, and I can still have you."
Benn just stared at him. "You should really have started with that," he finally said.
Shanks grinned sheepishly. "I know, I'm sorry. I was just excited." He lay back on the bed, his arm and legs spread invitingly. "Why don't we celebrate, eh?" He waggled his eyebrows.
Benn didn't need to be told that twice, the meaning of Shanks' words slowly dawning on him. Bell-mère was a sapphist, which meant she would only marry Shanks to keep up appearances for society. Behind closed doors, Shanks would continue his relationship with Benn, and Bell-mère could find a woman to her liking.
Benn's hands made quick work from Shanks' clothes as he started kissing him. Shanks was just as eager as he was to get out of them, only parting to get rid of the darn things. Article of clothing after another were thrown carelessly on the floor.
As Shanks was making work of Benn's trousers, he suddenly stopped mid-movement. "Benn?" he asked.
Benn was currently still busy sucking on Shanks' neck, so he merely hummed in reply.
"We don't really use your room."
Benn stopped kissing his neck for a moment and pulled back. "You want to move now?" he asked confusedly.
Shanks gave him a deadpanned look. "I'm saying we don't have all the equipment we need."
Benn blinked at him, as suddenly realisation hit him. "Oh." Shanks was right, they always used Shanks' bigger room for their nightly dalliances, so there was no need to have a bottle of oil ready in Benn's room. A bottle they desperately needed now.
There was a discrete, almost inaudible knock on the door. Exchanging a look with Shanks, who was very naked already, Benn rose from the bed and opened the door while Shanks covered himself up. There was no one in the doorway, but upon closer inspection, there was a small vial standing on the ground. With a smirk, Benn picked it up and showed it to Shanks.
Shanks grinned back. "Your wife is an angel, you know that?"
"You're going to buy her more jewellery, aren't you?" Benn asked as he continued where he left off.
"She deserves it. Wouldn't kill you to do that every once in a while." Shanks replied. He often came home with jewellery and other things he thought Makino might like to ease his guilty conscience for stealing Benn. Not that he had really, as Benn was a homosexual, which Makino knew from the start, but still.
"What would your new wife think if she finds out that you're buying my wife pretty things?" Benn asked with a smirk before sinking his teeth in Shanks' shoulder.
Shanks let out a gasp and shuddered, but still managed to reply with a smirk, "Definitely not that I'm trying to woo her. Which reminds me, Makino isn't a sapphist as well, is she? It would be interesting if they started something."
"Cheaper for your wallet, you mean," Benn replied with a snort and threw his trousers carelessly on the ground. "Since it would ease your conscience if she had someone as well. But not as far as I know, no."
Shanks hummed and let himself be ravaged by Benn. Their talk ceased as their movements became more desperate. Benn covered his fingers in a generous amount of oil, uncaring that some of it spilled on the sheets – Shanks' housekeeper knew better than to ask about suspicious stains – before he brought them between Shanks' legs. Shanks bit Benn's lip harshly when the digits entered him, but soon enough, his body relaxed around him. Benn kept kissing him as he started to move, feeling Shanks' warm breath against his skin in shallow pants. He moved to the stump that once had been Shanks' arm and kissed the scarred skin. He knew Shanks was lucky to be alive, even if his first wife and many of his workers had not been when Shanks' factory had exploded.
Shanks clawed at his back with his hand, desperate for more attention to his nether regions. Benn got the hint and pulled out his fingers to cover his erection in oil, before pushing himself inside Shanks' body. Shanks only needed a few seconds to adjust before his hips jerked in need. Benn met his thrusts with his own, his face buried in the crook of Shanks' neck as he savoured every sensation he had thought he would never have again. The feel of Shanks' body beneath and around him, his scent, the encouraging sounds he made. Even if Shanks had promised they could stay together, Benn resolved never to take him for granted.
Benn reached between them as he noticed that Shanks was close to his limit and started stroking him in time with his thrusts.
Shanks' back arched when he came, pulling Benn over the edge with him.
Benn rolled off Shanks and pulled him close, his breathing slowly calming down. They stayed silent for a moment, when Shanks started to talk.
"I'm a little disappointed in you that you didn't trust me to fight for you," he said a little accusingly as he sat up.
Benn kept silent. Shanks was right. He had immediately jumped to conclusions that Shanks would follow the rules as dictated by society, when Shanks had never given him any reason to doubt him. They had been together in secret for a long time, yet Benn had automatically assumed he would be replaced the first chance Shanks got. "You're right," he finally said. "I'm sorry."
Shanks nodded, looking pleased, and leaned down to kiss him. "Don't let it happen again. Remember, I'm marrying a sapphist just for you," he added teasingly. He then made himself comfortable next to Benn.
Benn wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. Things had changed drastically today, yet nothing had changed between them, and Benn couldn't be happier. He would never doubt Shanks again.
"We should probably go to sleep," Shanks said, yawning as he snuggled closer, before adding with a sleepy grin, "After all, I have a wedding to plan soon."
* Sapphist: older term for lesbian, derived from the poet Sappho.