Author's Note: And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for...Monday's update! Yay, and the crowd goes wild. I am close to finishing this story and I already have the tagline for the sequel, I can't wait to start writing it.

Anyhow, thank you to the reviewers, there were certainly a lot of you this last chapter! InfinitySquadron, I'm glad you are digging their friendship, and you're right, they really do have that effect on one another, but I think its mostly that Jimmy is just a disagreeable guy and Ben is forced to respond in kind. Honestly, Ben really does a lot for Jimmy's sake, more than Jimmy may ever realize, CrazyXCrossovers. I'm glad you approve of the nickname, ScarlettLynn, the full explanation behind comes up later if you are at all interested. My dear Avid, I'm choosing to take your double-review as an indication of how much you truly love this story, so no shame closet. Jimmy is a lot of things: ninja, ghost, serious bad-ass...or maybe I mean a stubborn ass...hm...or possibly both. This will sound weird, but I am kind of psyched I've got you scaring little old ladies because of this story. Prepare yourself, you'll be scaring a lot more little old ladies in chapters to come. Have I mentioned that I love how you are able to parallel so many of the interactions between Jimmy and Ben to your own life, that really makes me so happy! Though, it makes me a little sad to hear you didn't ask that guy out...oh well. Hm...although I cannot guarantee that you will love everything in this story mainly because I don't know if you will, I am not psychic, in regards to whether this story is going to boil down to 'the boys must defend their gay relationship against the homophobic world', I can honestly tell you that you won't be disappointed. There are going to be times in this story when I'm sure you are going to want to doubt me, and all I can say is: trust in me and read to the end. Anyhoo, can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter. 2nd Mass Redneck, you seriously crack me up, I am glad to see a review from you and even gladder to know my details are sort of accurate and I thank you immensely for the tips. Its good to know that Dorchester is a scary place, will definitely affect how I utilize it in my story, and though I would like to get the area lingo right, I don't know if I will use "wicked" in their dialect, mainly because it's not used in the show and I don't want to get too off-character from that, but also because I would have to sort through 200 pages of writing to figure out how to work it into the story and I am just too damn lazy for that. LOL, I do love your summation of the Mass population. Thank you again for your help, I'll use what I can, and I'm glad to hear the story is still up to your standards! WhisperMaw, I agree, I like both the pairing and the friendship as well, and Ben really is pretty intuitive to Jimmy's emotions in this story, and I'm startled and flattered that you re-read my story, and I hope that this chapter gets several reads from you as well.

Whew, that was long. I hope that was everyone...oh well, read the chapter!


XI.

"You have done this before, right?" Ben asked for what might have been the hundredth time since he and Jimmy had slipped past the night watch and across the camp common grounds.

Jimmy tilted his head side-to-side, thinking on the question. The boys ducked beneath one of the convoy station wagons as a cluster of civilians, teenage girls that felt their sewing skills would prove more useful than any skill they could develop with a gun, strode by giggling and chatting noisily.

"Jimmy," Ben hissed, and the so-named young man couldn't help smirking at the extreme annoyance in that strangled tone, "You said you'd done this before."

"Well...yeah, a few times. But...uh...not at this camp," Jimmy sheepishly admitted. Ben shot him a bewildered look. He shrugged, "And uh...usually with someone else who knew what they were doing."

They sprinted towards the main cabin, where the one kitchen on the grounds was located and a lot of the 2nd Mass food supplies were currently being stored, and Jimmy produced the key from his pocket, grinning impishly. He hadn't exactly been clear on how he'd obtained the key, but he was exact when he said that it needed to be returned in precisely fifteen minutes.

Inside the main cabin, Jimmy led the way to the kitchen and to the large walk-in freezer. He opened the door and commanded Ben to, "Wait here," then disappeared inside. He was gone less than a minute, returning with two large bottles.

Before exiting the main cabin, Jimmy handed one of the bottles to Ben, then tucked the other into the side of his vest. Ben glanced curiously at Jimmy, then tucked his own bottle under an arm, which didn't hide the bottle nearly as well. Jimmy rolled his eyes but made no comment.

Crossing camp to the cabin Ben shared with his two brothers was a lot easier. Jimmy left Ben there with the bottles to return the key and returned several minutes later looking fully rejuvenated. He clapped his hands together and declared, "Okay, let's drink."

They spread a blanket out behind the cabin and sat side-by-side on it with their backs against the faux wood log wall. Jimmy popped open the bottles with the knife he kept strapped to his hip, handing one off to Ben and tentatively sipping at the other. Ben eyed the opening wearily and even peered inside in an unintentionally comical manner. He took a taste then made a bitter expression.

"So this is normal?" Ben questioned, slightly skeptical, and fighting down his gag reflex.

"Yeah," Jimmy confirmed, then bravely took a gulp of his bottle's contents. It was a thicker brew than he was used to, and felt heavy in his belly.

"How?" Ben demanded.

Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"We're thirteen year old boys," he pointed out, and when Ben still didn't seem to be comprehending, he added, "We're supposed to steal booze from our parents' liqueur cabinet, sneak out at night, and get stupidly drunk with friends. It's our right as teenagers, and there's no reason an alien invasion ought to take that away from us. So what if mom and dad are actually the 2nd Mass, we're not exactly sneaking out because no one can actually tell us we have to be inside, and it really wouldn't be wise to get stupidly drunk because the Skitters could attack any moment and we'd be dead, but that's why I said semi-normal."

Ben looked at the bottle, then back to Jimmy, still clearly not convinced. Jimmy shook his head and guided the bottle to Ben's mouth.

"Just drink," he commanded.

Ben took another sip and gagged, then watched as Jimmy tilted his head back, eyes closed, and let the liquid slide easily down his throat. He finished with a belch and smiled boyishly, wiping dribbles from his chin. Ben sighed, threw caution to the wind, tossed his own head back and chugged a good quarter of the bottle.

"Now you're getting it," Jimmy laughed, slapping Ben's shoulder good-naturedly.

"Yeah. This stuff isn't so bad," Ben replied, laughing as well.

"Good," Jimmy said, relaxing back and taking another drink of his beer. Out the corner of his eye, he watched Ben chug another quarter of his own beer, the bottle now more than half empty.

Jimmy swallowed his beer down hard and warned, "You should slow down. You're already halfway through a forty, and if you've never drunk before..."

"Wha...?" Ben looked at Jimmy through glossy eyes and an oddly quirked brow.

"You'll get drunk really fast," Jimmy finished with a groan, frowning.

Ben burst into giggles, resting his bottle between his thighs and leaning his shoulder heavily against Jimmy's. He innocently quipped, "Is that bad?"

Jimmy fiddled with the label of his own bottle, delicately peeling it off in micrometers, then smoothing it back down.

"I guess not," he muttered. Not like he really wanted to have coherent conversations or enjoy Ben's company in a relaxed atmosphere outside the throes of war or anything.

"Is this what you used to do? Before?" Ben asked. His words were starting to slur, never a good sign. He took a smaller drink of his beer, then just held the bottle opening against his bottom lip, eyes boring into Jimmy.

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked, still intent on the wrapping of his own beer.

"I mean, steal booze and get drunk with friends?" Ben pressed.

"You promised you wouldn't ask about that."

"No," Ben's voice was starting to regress to a childish whine, "I promised I wouldn't ask about Dorfendorsh – er – Dochesher – oh – shit, what was it called? That place where you were at."

"Yes," Jimmy whispered exasperated, then in a meek murmur, "Yes. This is what I used to do."

"That's what I thought," Ben said, snickering a little as though it were a private joke.

The admission kind of stung Jimmy. He couldn't help wondering if he was really so transparent. He took a heavy draught of his beer, let it slide quickly down his throat in long, shivering waves. Ben would be plastered in a few more sips, Jimmy figured he ought to catch up.

"I guess this means we're friends now," Ben noted, though it sounded more a question than a statement. He peered at Jimmy, clearly afraid the other boy would slap away the proverbial hand extended towards him.

"We've been friends, Ben," Jimmy assured him. He wasn't exactly sure how long it had been true. Maybe since the night he'd told Ben about his parents. Or maybe it was when they blew up the mech. Or maybe it went as far back as that first patrol.

A broad, satisfied smile spread across Ben's face and refused to leave. He lay his head back to stare at the stars, only tearing his eyes away every now and then to take a small gulp of his drink. He finished his beer a lot sooner than Jimmy and his buzz was stronger and a lot cleaner. They talked, but not about anything relevant. They laughed, but not at anything funny. They argued, but not out of anger.

It was the happiest Jimmy had felt since the sky had fell.

Eventually, Jimmy declared he needed to return to his cabin. He made the attempt to stand, but stumbled over his own feet and fell again to the ground, deciding instead to lay back and turn over to stare at the sky. He was on the floor, he didn't know why, and for some reason he couldn't stop laughing at that mystery.

Ben laughed uproariously at the display and then his joyful face filled Jimmy's vision. He leaned curiously over the sprawling Jimmy, bracing himself with his hand, though he was quickly sinking to his forearm, on the other side of Jimmy's body.

"You okay?" Ben gasped, between laughter.

"Yeah," Jimmy confirmed. He put a hand over his eyes and smiled distantly. "I'm fantastic."

The world was spinning out of control. But it was at the center of that spinning, the center that everything cycled round, that Jimmy could clearly see that thing, that one thing, that important thing that he cared more about, that mattered more, than his own life. His heart felt tight and small. His lungs compressed. Every hair on his body stood on end, every cell of his skin tingled. The weight of Ben across him was nice, it kept him grounded, otherwise he would probably fly off into the night sky with this electric feeling jolting through him.

I like you, Jimmy.

A hand covered Jimmy's own across his eyes, holding him blinded for a moment, and Jimmy froze at the ghostly touch to his lips. It was skin, but not. Tender, curved, slightly damp, and a bit chapped, rough: a mouth. Soothing and familiar, yet, strange and disorienting all at once. It was barely there at first, then it settled in, its curves finding a way to nestle perfectly against his own and then gently, almost so it seemed of his own accord and perhaps it partly was, separating his lips a fraction of a millimeter and allowing a taste of the slick warmth within. An oddly delicious mix of sweetness like an apple, and bitter like the beer he had finished drinking tens of minutes ago.

And then all at once, it was gone, taking with it all of Jimmy's breath and strength, so that he could only languish on the ground gasping for air.

"M'sorry," Ben mumbled, the hot blast of his breath exacerbating the already overwhelming tenderness in Jimmy's lips, "My fault."

Ben pulled away, and with him went all his warmth and security and Jimmy was left feeling cold and vulnerable as he slipped into a dream-tortured sleep.


Author's Note: Okay. So there is was. Their first kiss. I'm bracing myself, waiting on bated breath, to hear what you all think of it.

I kind of debated on what would be the catalyst that would allow for them both to be unguarded enough for one or the other to make the first move (I say that like I wasn't sure who would be making the first move...it had to be Ben, if we waited on Jimmy, they'd be fifty before anything happened...) and ultimately I just copped out and used alcohol - the great annihilator of inhibition...mainly because in using alcohol, I was able to write the next chapter as it is and then that led to the chapter after, which is a funny chapter in my humble opinion, but then the chapter after that is far less funny and the chapter after is just plain depressing...and I am giving way too much away.

To be honest, I like their second kiss better, and, of course, my favorite of their kisses is in chapter 32...but my opinion is worthless, it's yours that I want. So go, REVIEW, REVIEW...don't know why I'm doing that in caps.

Lastly, the next two chapters are kind of short, so there will be another double update Wednesday. One in the morning, one at night, just like last time. And the villagers rejoice.