III - Affections
Ben sat at the same area, the table. Just reading another book, but something was bothering him. His bandages and the situation earlier. He ignored the second one, he ignored the 'promise' he gave. He went back to the room, seeing Gwen with her book. They looked at each other's eye for a moment, but Ben went to one of his bags, grabbing a bandage. "What's that?" Gwen barely noticed what he took because Ben hid it behind him quickly. Well, busted. I guess there's no reason to lie at her. Ben hesitated but showed her afterwards. Gwen looked with disappointment for a second, she sighed aswell but she gave him a soft smile signing that everything is and will be okay. "Here, let me help you with it." She stood up showing her hand out. Ben smiled at her as he gave her the bandage. This is the humiliating part. Ben blushed as he removed his black shirt. He was shaking, he didn't want to show her his wounds.
But he had to. No matter how much he didn't. "I'll take them off for you, so atleast you won't be scared anymore." Gwen told him with a soft smile. Ben smiled back, but this just made him more afraid. He closed his eyes while it was getting removed, he heard a gasp. There we go, I'm in deep trouble. Ben felt like Gwen was covering her mouth with one hand as the other dropped the used bandage. Ben's back was badly beaten with something hard and sharp, while his front was covered with a carved word, 'WEAK'. He half-turned at her, seeing her left eye was shedding a tear."Now you really have to tell me what happened." Gwen told him."It's nothing, okay? Just some stupid alien action I did a few weeks ago." Ben lied, he looked at somewhere else. "I know you're lying, I've always been helping you with alien, there's now way it'll be from tha-"
Gwen wasn't able to finish her sentence. Ben cut her off."Maybe it was because you've been hanging out too much with your boyfriend that you weren't able to know what I've been doing for the past few months." He said angrily but he didn't shout. He was too depressed to do anything wrong. He was too sad to get mad at her. Gwen's eyes widened, but she knows he was indeed, certainly correct. Ben noticed how shocked she was so he apologized."I'm sorry 'kay? It's true it wasn't about the aliens battles, it's true I've been handling something rough, but it's still confidential." Ben told her softly. Gwen nodded."What's confidential?" Gwen asked. "My wounds." He replied.
Ben received a warm and tight hug from his cousin. "You're not weak okay? Remember that." She said as she kept her face burried on his shoulder. ". . .I know." He stuttered. I don't even know if that's true. "Come on, let's get you fixed." She said as she grabbed the bandage that was on the floor lying with other used ones. Ben nodded and sat on his bed. Gwen went behind him as she opened her legs, Ben in between them. They both blushed, but they didn't have a choice. Gwen grabbed the alcohol and some cottons balls that was formerly beside Ben's bedside table. She dropped one droplet of alcohol on Ben's dry wound. Ben closed his eyes but didn't move. "Th-hat. . . s-s-s-stings." He stammered as he gently grabbed Gwen's legs. "Of course it does, silly. I'm disinfecting the wounds." She blushed once again as Ben wrapped her legs onto his warm, hard waist. Gwen just figured it was the best thing she can do for him since he is suffering from this so she wrapped her legs tightly until he stopped shaking.
I wonder when he'll tell me what or who did this. She kept thinking some many things until she heard a small groan. She realized what it was so she quickly finished disinfecting his wounds on his back. "Sorry about that." Gwen laughed at herself in embarrassment. "That's fine." He replied. "Now for the front part." He said nervously. She, on the other hand, was nervous aswell. She stood up and went infront of him. But one thing complicates the situation much more. How does she position herself? She can't do it on his sides, that'll give them a stiff neck. She can't obviously do it behind. She can't just bend herself down infront of him she'll get tired with that humiliating position. If they both stood up it'll be hard for Ben to get comfortable. They both can't win. She sighed. What am I going to do? He'll get in much more pain since I haven't covered his wounds quick enough. Ben looked at her confusedly."Is everything okay, Gwen?" He really didn't have a clue why she was like this. "I don't how to perfectly position myself in a comfortable way for the both of us." She said quietly, but it was loud enough for Ben to hear.
"I know a way, but it's pointless." He told her. "What is it then? It's not pointless, it's for you anyways." She said. Ben felt blood rushing to his face, causing a crimson shade to enlighten. He closed his eyes as he patted his lap. Gwen saw this and she blushed aswell. "I told you i-it was p-pointless." He stuttered. "It's fine Ben, it's for you." She tried to cheer him up. No it's not fine, this is embarrassing. She slowly sat on his lap as she was still trembling. "We can stop you know, you're kinda quivering." Ben gently told her. "I insist." She said bravely, wrapping her legs around his waist once again as she dropped mini droplets again. Ben trembled, he tried not to hold behind her back since it was pretty much inappropriate, but he failed miserably. As Gwen was lightly pushed into him, he removed his arms around her. "S-Sorry, it just stings. . . a-alot." He apologized. "It's a-alright." She stuttered.
After Some Moments (Around Midnight)
Gwen finally did her goal, she yawned. "Thanks Gwen, you can sleep now." Ben said as he wore his black shirt back, covering his well built but wounded corded muscles. Gwen mentally groaned in sadness but distracted her. "Aren't you going to sleep?" She asked. For some reason the warmth of their bodies hugging each other earlier made her think differently on Ben. She never felt so comfortable so. . . home like with Kevin. She wanted Ben to stay. Him and Him only. "I can't sleep. Not anymore, It's what you call insomnia, you barely get sleep." He said. "Well, I'm not going to sleep aswell." She didn't know why on earth she said that, Ben didn't aswell. "You. Need. Some. Sleep." Ben said. "I won't." She said as she stood infront of the air conditioner, blowing her nightgown. Ben can see through it but looked back at her face. He sighed. "Suit yourself." He replied as he turned back at her to open the door. "Where are you going?" She asked. "I'm going back to the table to read some books, hoping some grumpy, stubborn lady goes back to her bed to sleep." He said. "I'm coming with you." Gwen said. He didn't argue back since he had no choice anyways.
"Oh wow, you made this table your mini sanctuary, huh?" She commented after she saw the table with a cup of coffee that was barely drank, a lamp, a thin blanket with some comforter and probably some books that are read earlier. "Perhaps I did." Ben said as he sat next to the window that was closed and covered by window blinds. He started reading a Fantasy book called Tombquest by Michael Northrop. He looked at Gwen who was still surprised by all this change that happened to him. "Well don't just stand there." He said as he patted the space next to him. Gwen nodded and sat next to him. Ben quickly covered both of them with a thin blanket and a comforter afterwards. Both of them blushed but not as much as Ben. He didn't know why on earth he did that. But if Gwen ever asked he'll just say that he did it because she'll get cold.
After a while, Ben was halfway through the book as he saw Gwen's head falling on the other side of her perspective, he quickly dropped the book and thankfully caught Gwen. "Wake up, sleepyhead." Ben giggled. He picked up his book losing what page he was at but that didn't matter, he covered themselves with the blankets as they both blushed once again. But this time Ben wrapped his left arm around her waist. Gwen wanted to see what he was reading so she leaned on his strong shoulder. "Comfy, sleepy princess?" Ben chuckled as he looked at Gwen's emerald eyes. She nodded as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Ben didn't move so he won't wake her up, both of them were comfortable. Ben happily went back to his book, leaving the night with a warm smile.
