Author's Note: Here's the last of the triple update, savor it while you can!
It was raining last night and my internet kept knocking out, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to post this today. But apparently the Gods smiled on this story and gave me my internet connection back so...yay.
Reviewers, you guys are super awesome as always!
Okie, read.
XXV.
Jimmy and Ben sat together behind the cabin for a long while, a stretch of time that ebbed from dusk to mid-morning, and began to creep towards noon. The 2nd Mass was bustling, lively now. Breakfast had probably already been devoured, kitchen workers scraping the bottom of the pot for the last bits of oatmeal, and was now cleaned away. Jimmy hadn't really been hungry, but he wondered about Ben. He was vaguely aware that the other boy was waiting on him, and though restlessness was evident in those soft brown eyes, Ben's patience seemed never ending.
For a good portion of their time sitting there, Jimmy was fascinated with their hands. He held Ben's loosely in his own and then he unfurled it, tracing its contours delicately with the tips of his fingers. Ben squirmed a bit at the touch but said nothing. Then Jimmy laid their palms flat against one another. When he let Ben's hand go, it was a sudden decision. One moment, they were connected by this single attachment, a flow of energy careening through them, the next, nothing. Then Jimmy curled his arm round his knees and lay his head down, closing his eyes. He sat there like that for a few sullen heartbeats, lost in his own musings.
Eventually, Jimmy pulled himself to his feet, briefly wobbling, and announced, "Let's go."
Of course, his throat was dry and lax from sitting so long without use, so his words sounded garbled and haggard, but Ben got the gist, rising to his feet as well.
Side-by-side they strode from the cabin back towards camp. A lot more people were awake now, busily attending to whatever chores were needed of them that day. Some were just standing around, chatting, there wasn't actually a lot to do when the 2nd Mass wasn't on the move or Skitters weren't attacking. For the most part, the people ignored Jimmy and Ben, maybe calling a greeting as they passed, but otherwise paying them no attention as they strolled by. But there was one cluster of teens, fighters mostly, sitting around a picnic table, that perked when they spotted the two approaching. Franklin was at the center of the group.
"Great," Ben muttered under his breath.
The thought occurred to Jimmy, his and Ben's embrace earlier that morning hadn't exactly been expertly hidden. Others around camp saw them, it was definite, and whether word had spread about their intimate moment, or if Franklin had witnessed it himself, Jimmy couldn't be certain, and he didn't really have the strength to care. Right then, right there, he needed Ben more than he could ever admit. He wasn't even sure he would be standing if not for the other boy's presence, and for that fact alone, Franklin and his ideas about the un-harnessed children could go straight to Hell.
"Hey, Jimmy, when'd you become a Skitter lover?" Franklin called.
Ben tensed visibly but Jimmy never broke his stride. Franklin lifted from the table, walked a few paces towards the boys moving past. Some of Franklin's friends smirked at the egging, muttering encouragement, but at least others had the sense of awareness to look uncomfortable provoking the youngster, especially after his ordeal the night before.
"Seriously, you switching sides on us here, Jimmy? Turning traitor," Franklin persisted.
"Lay off, man, he had a rough night," Ben grumbled, turning slightly to shoot a warning glare back at the older teen.
Jimmy grimaced, a little louder, Ben, thank you.
"I wasn't talking to you, razorback," Franklin snapped.
Jimmy came to an abrupt halt.
Up until that point, things had seemed so complicated. Here was this person, he bore the mark of the enemy, but Jimmy craved his presence, desired it more than he desired air to breathe. Here was this other person; he'd stood beside Jimmy in battle, they were comrades in arms, and they were meant to despise the enemy together. It was all gray matter. But by the sharp edge of that single word, the gray was suddenly, easily, sluiced into black and white.
Without another thought, Jimmy spun round and stalked up towards Franklin until he stood toe-to-toe with the older boy, looking at him with slowly simmering eyes, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"Don't call him that," Jimmy commanded evenly, quietly, a note of threat playing through his words.
Franklin's brow rose, the other gathered teens exchanged looks; a few stood and took a couple steps towards the two boys standing off. Ben watched them all warily, taking a few steps of his own towards Jimmy.
"Suddenly you've got a problem with 'razorback'," Franklin noted humorously, "Fine. What would you like me to call him then? Rim-rod? Spike? Maybe, scum-sucking half-alien traitor...? Or maybe just, the Skitters' bitch."
Jimmy took a deep breath, his hands balling into fists.
"Let it go, Jimmy, I don't even care," Ben murmured, still watching the other teens closing in, eyes darting every so often to Jimmy and Franklin.
For Jimmy, there was no letting it go now, the can was open and worms were being squashed all over the floor.
"The guy saved your sorry ass and you can't even find the decency to show him just the tiniest little respect," Jimmy spat out.
"I don't owe it anything," Franklin returned, heatedly, "It probably told its Skitter buddies where we were in the first place."
"Jimmy…don't…" Ben pleaded.
Heat blistered through Jimmy's head. He took another threatening step forward, trembling with his rage. His fists tightened to the point where his nails bit into tender flesh and fibrous bandages, and provoked the slice in his hand, sending mini-shockwaves of pain up his arm. His eyes bore into Franklin's returned glare.
"Now I get it," Jimmy seethed through a clenched jaw, "What you hate so much about him. What it is that really bothers you. It's that, with him around, using whatever the Skitters did to him to actually be helpful, it just makes it more obvious what a useless piece of shit you are."
Franklin's eyes widened at that, his mouth parting in a minute display of shock. His face went white with his own barely contained rage. Then Jimmy brought it home with a cruel smirk.
"Or maybe you're just jealous. Maybe you wish the Skitters had taken you too, so that you could feel special also. But they didn't want you, did they?"
Franklin slammed his hands hard into Jimmy's shoulders. Jimmy stumbled a few feet away, hissing in pain as he grabbed his stab wound. Ben leapt to claim Jimmy's former place, eyes lit with a sudden wild fury.
"Hey, don't shove him," Ben barked.
"Back off, razorback," Franklin hissed, "You think there's a single person in this camp that hasn't thought about putting a bullet right through your head? The captain? Your 'loyal' brother? Jimmy's thought about it, haven't you, Jimmy? Give 'em a reason. Go ahead, give 'em all a reason."
The final words had barely fallen off Franklin's tongue when Jimmy pushed past Ben and swung at the older boy, throwing all of his body into that one, solid punch. His knuckles crushed through lip and teeth and Franklin fell to the side, clutching his face, blood seeping through his pale fingers.
Ben gaped, breathing out a stunned, "Shit…"
Jimmy smirked, turning to make a coy comment to Ben, but he didn't have the chance as a fist slammed into his own face, and then everything became chaos. A slightly recovered Franklin and two of his friends moved in on Jimmy, and Ben jumped to Jimmy's aid, surprising the three other boys, clearly and foolishly not expecting him to join in.
Ten minutes later, Jimmy and Ben sat side-by-side in the medical van.
Jimmy held a cold compress to his jaw, one side of his shirt was drenched in blood, more slinking from his shoulder down his belly and arm. Ben tentatively touched a gash under his own left eye where someone's ring had caught and torn the flesh open, some of his knuckles were split and coated in blood.
Across the van from them was Franklin, clutching his profusely bleeding nose, and his two friends; one out cold in a bed, the second standing nearby, holding his head in his hand.
Standing between the two factions was Anthony and two other fighters, Brendan and Lane. They had broken up the fight and were now keeping guard to ensure another one didn't erupt.
Dr. Glass entered then and everyone stirred, glancing at her glumly. She looked around the van, taking in the semi-comical scene before her, and her roving gaze stopped on Jimmy.
"You know, when I asked you to come see me in the morning, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind," she steadily informed him.
Jimmy shrugged, readjusting the cold compress.
Anthony stepped forward to speak with the doctor. He kept his voice low but the two adults were standing close enough that Ben and Jimmy could hear their hushed exchange.
"I don't think anyone is too damaged, we broke up their fight pretty quick," Anthony explained, "That one's nose is broken, he won't shut up about it," he gestured towards Franklin, "The one on the bed might have a headache when he wakes up but otherwise, he looks fine. And that one over there has a few cuts and bruises, but nothing big. Do me a solid, though, doc and pour a lot of whichever antiseptic stings the most into those scratches of his. He's the one that sucker punched Jimmy there."
Dr. Glass smiled softly, putting a hand on his shoulder, and replied, "I'll see what I can do."
"Now, despite whatever that one over there says," Again, Anthony gestured to Franklin, "From where I was standing, that lot started the fight; Jimmy and Ben were just defending themselves and, unless you have any further need of me, I got to run over to Captain Weaver and let him know that. I've got a hunch their friends have already been over there whispering in the captain's ears."
"Go ahead. I can handle things from here," Dr. Glass assured Anthony, and as he and the other two fighters left the van she called after them a hasty, "Thank you."
Dr. Glass turned her attention to Jimmy and Ben, placing her hands on her hips and looking between the two boys with an expression that was a strange mixture of amusement and disappointment.
"Look at the two of you," she chided.
"You should look at the other guys," Ben joked and Jimmy smirked.
"Uh…hey, doc," Franklin called agitatedly, "I think I'm a little more priority here than those assholes. My fucking nose is broken."
"I'll be right there," Dr. Glass shouted return then in a conspiratorial whisper asked, "Which one of you is responsible for that?"
Ben and Jimmy both pointed at one another.
Dr. Glass shook her head at their antics, suppressing a laugh, as she left them to tend to her other patients. Ben watched her depart a moment, then stood, dragged his chair around and plopped in it, straddling the back so he was facing Jimmy. His brown eyes shimmered maniacal and proud.
"We are unstoppable," he told Jimmy in a low, firm voice, "We took down that mech and Skitters. We took down those assholes."
"I don't think that makes us unstoppable," Jimmy muttered.
"I'm just saying, we make an awesome team," Ben pressed, "I bet, you and me, we could take down that alien mother ship that we all know is out there somewhere, just give us the chance."
Jimmy rolled his eyes, smiling despite himself. Sometimes Ben's cockiness was infectiously adorable. Jimmy faltered, his heart drumming an evil solo against his ribcage. Well, what he meant was…because 'adorable' wasn't…oh, hell, why was he trying to convince himself that he didn't think Ben was adorable.
Ben leaned forward, tugging at the edge of Jimmy's t-shirt collar, and Jimmy flinched back, startled.
"Ben…" he began protest, blood flushing his cheeks.
"Looks like that jerk ripped your stitches," Ben commented, examining the area with a focused gaze.
Jimmy calmed a bit. Of course that's what Ben was doing, what else would he be doing in a place like this?
In a small voice, Ben mumbled, "Thank you, Jimmy."
"For what?" Jimmy wondered silently.
Ben let go of the shirt collar, folding his arms over the back of the chair and resting his chin atop them. He grinned brightly up at Jimmy, an expression that caused Jimmy's heart to skip a few beats.
"Nothing. Just…thank you."
A/N: Right, so there it is. Jimmy has made his decision. I know a lot of you wanted this earlier, but he wasn't ready for it earlier. One of the reasons last chapter is my favorite is because I think it's the one where Jimmy realizes he's in love with Ben, that it isn't just this 'thing' between them, that it means something. This chapter is somewhat in response to that realization. Also, I didn't want Jimmy to be forced into choosing a side, because it wouldn't work for his character. It had to be this decision he made without even knowing he made it.
Right, that said, there are parts of this chapter that I like, but overall, it was kind of a disappointment to me. I don't know, let me know what you guys think.
CrazyXCrossovers, LOL, you know, I try not to think about Jimmy pregnant with alien babies, because for some reason, I feel they would eat their way out, and I don't want to think about Jimmy being devoured from the inside. That's just me, tho. InfinitySquadron, yeah, some of the later chapters do start to get long, I hope you don't mind. Thank you for reading! Greg, I had an inkling you might be psyched by the sudden update...just call it a hunch. Connor Jessup says that? Aww...he's a dork, that's cute. Yes...I really wanted Ben and Jimmy to have this relationship based on them standing equal to each other, that it's not about Ben wanting to take care of Jimmy, but him wanting Jimmy to take care of him too, which is important to Jimmy's character...hopefully you'll see that when I start revealing more of his past. Facepalmer123, I thought you might, also, last chapter was for you, too, good luck in school! U-know-u-luv-me-99, I like that plan, a new adjective everyday. I will see what I can do about reading and reviewing your writing, but about harsh reviews, just remember, there's a difference between someone trying to give you helpful criticism, and being mean. Helpful criticism is meant to help you improve and is meant to help encourage you to continue writing. Anon, thank you so much for sticking with this story so long and for dropping in to say 'hi'. I understand some of the reasons why people don't review, because sometimes I'm one of those people. I'm grateful for the reminder that there are silent supporters of this story...so READERS THAT DON'T REVIEW: this one is for you! :) WhisperMaw, my dear, happy dances are not meant to be works of choreographic art, so I'm sure yours was awesome. Your review was the perfect last review before update. I'm glad you made it in to give me your opinions, they were astounding as ever. Good insight into the chapter, like I said before, I was most nervous about you reading Jimmy's back story, so I'm glad to hear you're liking it so far. Thank you for reading, and thank you Greg for giving WhisperMaw the head's up. You guys rock.
Alright, I'll see everyone Friday!