Wow after disappearing for almost a year I suddenly return. I already had this chapter like half written and just forgot about it, and then was too lazy to continue. But since I'm a dropout now, I'll have plenty of time to update! ... Hopefully. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!
It was late that night when Max finally broke the silence that had fallen over the group since he had picked up Gwen several hours ago. The man had been stewing the whole drive, thinking of ways he could possibly change Kevin's mind and prevent the raven from hurting both himself, and his grandson, but nothing was coming to mind. Eventually he came to the conclusion that a road trip was a terrible idea, and sighed heavily, deciding he should cancel the trip.
"Hey, kids?" he asked, earning the attention of all three teenagers "I was thinking, how about camping instead?" he suggested hopefully "I forgot I have a few things I need to do back at Plumbers HQ, so maybe a camping trip would be easier?"
He hated lying to them, but what other choice did he have? There was three murmurs of agreement, and he sighed softly and pulled the RV off the main road and onto a path, glad they had answered so quickly. The path lead them through the woods, twisting and turning until they came to a clearing where they could no longer hear, nor see the main road they had been on. The group was silent as he turned off the RV and announced he was heading to bed, and they would get a fresh start in the morning.
Gwen claimed her bunk, the very same one from her childhood, and for the first time in years Kevin intentionally didn't sleep with Ben, instead grabbing a blanket and all but falling into the passenger seat of the vehicle. He woke several times through the night to Ben's sobbing, or Gwen hurling mana at the back of his head, her annoyance with him obvious, but he forced himself to remain where he was and show no reaction to either.
Eventually, Gwen abandoned her bunk to climb in next to her cousin. Kevin was the first to wake the next morning, and when he passed the cousins he didn't say a word, walking straight out the door. Gwen was curled up on the bunk with her cousin, the brunette asleep in her arms, evidence of his tears obvious on his face. Gwen was dozing as well, arms wrapped securely around him, offering silent reassurance to him that both knew he desperately needed.
When he stepped outside he was quick to put a few steps between himself and the RV, gaze curiously examining his surroundings, vaguely wondering where Max had even taken them. He quickly decided it didn't matter, and perhaps his most urgent matter of business should be to find a lake or river, anything he could use as a makeshift bath. He stiffened when he heard the door to the RV open behind him, and bit his lip.
He knew it would be Max coming over, and he also knew that the older man would try to talk him out of pushing Ben away. He didn't want to listen to that- deep down he knew Max was right, but he didn't know what else to do. However, seeing no subtle escape, leaving his choices either to bolt like a fool and run as fast as he could as far away as he could, or listen to Max, he decided to stay put. For now.
Silence rang through the clearing as Max approached, stopping at Kevin's side, his hands on his hips as he looked out toward the vast expanse of trees surrounding them.
"It's beautiful." Max commented, and Kevin snorted derisively. "What, it's not?"
"Max, cut to the chase." Kevin sighed, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Max was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his options, and his voice was tense when he finally spoke.
"This isn't right, Kevin." he stated, voice leaving no room for argument, and Kevin knew he was right.
"It is right." he argued stubbornly, shaking his head. "It'll cause him less pain when I-"
"Kevin!" Max interrupted warningly, and the raven silenced himself. "He's still going to love you! Even if you push him away now, he's still going to love you when you die! It'll be worse! How is he supposed to react to that!?" he threw his hands up in the air, frustration obvious, and Kevin stepped away from him slightly. "Then you'll just be the man that would rather die alone than die with him!" he paused to take a deep breath, and his voice was strained when he continued. "Now, I don't appreciate you messing with my grandsons feelings, so you better decide what you're doing, and figure it out soon."
He turned to walk away, and Kevin's gaze followed him, watching the mans back as he stepped away. He paused, and Kevin tensed, wary as Max let out a deep sigh and turned slightly to face him.
"You're a smart kid, Kevin. You've got a good thing going on here. Don't mess it up with a stupid decision."
With his point made, he turned and continued on his path away from the raven, passing by the Rust Bucket and heading straight into the woods. Kevin watched him until he was completely swallowed by the trees, and then his gaze fell upon the ground. The door to the RV creaked open once more, and he looked up, heart squeezing as Ben carefully slipped out of the vehicle, gaze instantly locking on Kevin.
Their gazes locked for a brief second before Ben's flicked away, gaze sweeping across their surroundings, completely ignoring Kevin's existence, before he turned and rushed into the woods after Max. Kevin didn't want to admit it, but the obvious rejection stung. As he had with Max, he watched Ben's form until he disappeared in the trees, remaining silent as Gwen approached.
"You really have no idea, do you?" She asked, and he idly wondered what she meant. Perhaps Max had told her what he was planning. He only grunted in response, and she shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Men are idiots."
"Yup." he muttered in agreement, gaze still locked on the last area he'd been able to make out Ben's green jacket.
"If you think you can mess with my cousins emotions, you have another thing coming!" she warned, and it was Kevin's turn to roll his eyes.
"Gw-"
"I know you heard him crying last night." she hissed, voice lowering an octave, and Kevin felt a shiver of fear slip down his spine. "I know you know he's worried about you! You're not an idiot, Kevin! So stop acting like one!"
"I'm not acting like anything." he snorted, folding his arms over his chest, and she growled in the back of her throat.
"So you didn't hear him screaming for you in his sleep because of his nightmares?" she demanded, and he remained silent. "That's what I thought."
Silence fell between them as she fumed and he mulled over her words, determined to find some kind of way out of her lecture, determined to make her see that he was right, and this was the best way.
"Listen-"
"He's convinced himself that you don't love him anymore." she interrupted once more, voice cold and void of emotion.
"Maybe I don't." he responded flatly.
She turned to face him, and for the first time since she arrived he tore his gaze away from where Ben had disappeared, and locked gazes with her. She searched his gaze for answers, some hint that he would back down, some sign that she was getting through to him, and sighed when she found nothing. When she spoke again, her voice was icy cold, and it chilled Kevin to the bone.
"Keep this up," she paused, briefly, taking a deep breath as her eyes flashed magenta, giving away how angry she was. "Keep this up," she tried again, "And I will peel you like a grape."
Without another word she turned and took off in the direction her cousin and grandfather had gone, leaving Kevin alone with his thoughts. The raven sighed, lifting a hand to card it through his hair. He didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted what was best for Ben, and wouldn't that be to be as far away from Kevin as possible? He thought back on all the times in the last month Ben had cried because of him. He didn't ever want to make the brunette cry again.
He knew leaving would make Ben cry, but staying would make him cry more, right? So by that logic, shouldn't he leave and get it over with, so Ben can get better and move on, and not have to worry about Kevin?
But how would he get Ben to hate him? It wouldn't be easy, that much he knew. He wouldn't be able to say something hurtful and have the brunette give up. Or would he? Ben was already emotionally drained because of this ordeal, maybe a tiny push is all he needed? A tiny push like telling him that their love was a lie.
It was cold, and heartless, but it would do the trick.
He was broken out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps, and turned his head, gaze landing upon Ben as the brunette slowly approached, hands in his pockets, posture defeated, expression miserable.
Kevin hated it.
"I know what you're doing." Ben whispered, voice tinged with regret, and Kevin felt as though he was being stabbed in the chest. "I know you heard me last night."
"So?"
Ben was quiet for a moment, and for a second Kevin entertained the idea that the brunette would back down, and this would be over before it started.
"Why?" he asked, and Kevin wasn't sure how to respond.
Why? Because I love you. Because I want you to stop hurting and this is the only way I know how, and I'm so sorry, but I just want you to be happy.
He shook his head.
"Because I'm a jerk." he responded, frowning when it came out as more of a question.
Ben reached out slightly, but he hesitated before he touched Kevin's arm, looking away and withdrawing his hand to stuff it back in his pocket.
"No you're not." he eventually protested, and Kevin looked away.
"Yes I am. I'm a big stupid jerk, Benji." he sneered, clenching his hands into fists so they would stop shaking. "Yeah, I heard you crying, and you know why I didn't come? Because I don't care!"
Ben recoiled as if he had been slapped, and Kevin felt his heart shatter, neither aware of the other two Tennysons watching the exchange. Their gazes locked, and Kevin forced his gaze to remain cold even as Ben's expression crumbled.
"You don't care?" he asked, voice weak, and Kevin wanted to apologize and sweep the smaller boy into his arms.
"I. Don't. Care." he repeated, pausing between each word to let them sink in, and Ben furrowed his brows.
"So.." he fell silent for a moment, and Kevin prayed for the brunette to just turn and walk away, anything so he himself could leave and allow himself to break down. "So you mean to tell me that all of this was a lie?" his gaze lifted and met Kevin's, and the raven felt sick. "Everything?"
"Everything."
Finally shoved beyond his limits he turned to storm away, hesitating when Ben cried out after him.
"Don't you dare do this!"
"Do what?" Kevin muttered in response, pushing himself to walk faster. "I'm not doing anything."
"Liar!" he cried out, rushing after Kevin and grabbing his shoulder to turn him around. "You're pushing me away! Don't fucking start this with me!" he shoved the raven angrily, and Kevin narrowed his eyes.
Fine. Ben needed another push, he'd give it to him.
"I'm not starting anthing!" he snapped back, hands lifting to shove the brunette away from him.
Time seemed to slow down as Ben stumbled and fell backwards, and Kevin blindly rushed forward in an attempt to grab the brunettes arm, but it was too late.
Ben hit the ground with a painful sounding noise, and Kevin felt as if the world had been pulled out from under his feet, bile rising in his throat that he had to swallow down. Oh god. What had he done.
He stumbled a step away from the brunette, eyes wide in horror. No, no this isn't what he wanted. He didn't want to physically hurt Ben, he just wanted the brunette to break up with him and leave. His heart squeezed in his chest and his head swam, the world spinning in front of him, and he shook his head in an attempt to clear it.
When his vision cleared, his gaze fell upon Ben, the brunettes eyes wide in shock, hurt clearly visibly in his gaze, and Kevin once more had to swallow the urge to puke.
"Ben-" he tried, breaking off when Max and Gwen rushed out of the trees and toward them, and by the time his gaze was back upon Ben the brunette was standing up, gaze locked on his hand.
Kevin followed his gaze, and instantly felt sick. Oh god, what had he done.
"Fine." the resignation in the brunettes voice caused everyone in the clearing to freeze. "Fine." he repeated, lifting his gaze to meet Kevin's, and guilt threatened to choke the raven as tears slipped down Ben's cheeks.
"Ben-"
"Take back your stupid fucking ring!" he snapped, and Kevin flinched when said ring smacked him square in the chest before falling to the ground, his gaze locked on Ben as he turned and rushed away, disappearing back into the forest.
Gwen made to go after him, and Max stopped her, shaking his head and turning his gaze back upon Kevin. Gwen's gaze followed.
The ruffian's gaze was focused on the small ring at his feet in the first, and he knelt to retrieve it, picking it up as if it was a fragile piece of glass that would shatter if he held it too tightly. When he stood once more, the ring settled in the center of his palm, he turned to face Max and Gwen.
Neither said a word, and he glanced back down at the ring, clenching his fist around it before taking off after the brunette. His vision flickered as he rushed through the forest, limbs aching in protest, ears ringing, but he forced himself to perservere, and eventually he found Ben seated on a damp log beside a small pond.
"Ben-" he tried, reaching out for the brunette, vision blurring and flicking into nothingness briefly, sight returning just as quickly.
"Don't touch me." Ben ordered, leaping out of Kevin's reach, turning to glare at him, and Kevin faltered for a mere moment. "You said yourself that you don't care, so go away!"
"Ben I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" he tried, and the brunette snorted, throwing his hands up in the air.
"You think I don't know that, Kevin!?" he cried out, voice strained. "That doesn't change the fact that words hurt!"
"I know!" his voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before he spoke once more. "I know that. I'm sorry. I-" he faltered for a second. "I don't know what I'm doing Ben. I just want you to be happy."
"And I'm happy with you, you idiot." he shook his head, slowly approaching the raven, and he gently took Kevin's hands in his own, gently coaxing him to open his fist and release the ring. Ben slipped it back on his finger and sighed softly. "If I wasn't, would I have agreed to marry you?"
Kevin smiled weakly and shook his head.
"No," he murmured. "I supposed not."
"You suppose." he snorted and rolled his eyes playfully. "You really are an idiot."
"Yup." he agreed easily. "Ben I-" he faltered when his vision flickered once more, and he groaned, lifting a hand to his head. "Maybe I should sit down."
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, instantly alert as he tried to guide Kevin to the log he had been resting on a few minutes ago.
"I don't know." he rasped. "Ben, I-" he choked, and when he tried to continue speaking no words would come out.
Panic flared in his mind, and he could distantly hear the echo of Ben's worried voice asking if he was okay. His vision flickered once more before quitting completely, and he distantly felt Ben helping him sit on the log. And then, nothing.
As soon as Kevin touched the log he collapsed, slipping off of it and into the sand, and Ben almost puked.
"Grandpa!" he shrieked, hands flying to the ravens shoulders in an attempt to lift him out of the sand. "Gwen!" her name was the next thing he thought to scream, Kevin's body limp in his arms, no sign of life anywhere in his body. "Help!"
