Platonic Romance

(Saturday Night, June 6th)

When Ben and Chad enter the dining room, their laughs are stifled, as they suddenly frown at their parents sitting at the long table. "Pumpkin," Chad's mom invites, "Come here." His parents stand to move to the other side, and he sits down across from them.

"Honey," Ben's mother widens her eyes at him. "You too."

Ben steps towards the table, eyeing between them, before he sits down next to Chad, they exchange frowns, and King Charming comments, "We need to talk about that kiss."

"What about it?" Chad counters.

"Chad," Queen Ella sighs, "didn't we just talk about this with you a few months ago?"

"Uh, yeah." His eyebrows raise, as he glances at the table, "You told me breaking the law isn't something to joke about."

"You joked about enacting in homosexual activity with Ben," he reminds him, "and now you actually did it?"

Chad rolls his eyes, "It was part of the performance." as he tenses up.

"It's still illegal," his dad points out.

"I don't care," Ben interrupts, and when their parents face him, he glances at Chad and wets his lips. "I just mean, it's not like he's a stranger." He eyes between them, "We're friends, and guys do stupid stuff sometimes." He recalls, "You should see half of the things that happen in the locker room."

"Okay." Ben's mother uneasily responds, "Putting that aside, it is still illegal and could put you in some very real legal trouble."

"We were able to get everyone to agree to let us deal with this matter," Ben's father intrudes, "and they did agree to delete anything of you in that, uh, compromising position."

"Compromising position," Ben repeats. "You make it sound like they recorded us having sex or something."

"The law sees it like that," Chad whispers, and Ben frowns at him. He places a hand to his head, "It's illegal. We get it. Can we go watch our movie, now?"

"Speaking of which," Ben's father brings up, "we need to discuss your room situation."

"Father," Ben loudly replies. "Don't."

"You can't keep sleeping with him," he proclaims. "You did it during the school year, you did it at that hotel, and I know you're still doing it now. But I am telling you now," he taps his forefinger onto the table, "that stops now."

"It's just a bed," Ben disbelieves.

"Honey," his mother calmly responds, and his wide eyes meet her. "It would make things a lot easier if you just cooperated with us."

"Why?" Ben exclaims. "This is ridiculous."

"If all that kiss was, was part of the performance," his father sternly remarks, "then obeying us shouldn't be a problem."

Ben leans back in the chair, crossing his arms, "We're best friends. That's not a crime."

"But the kiss was," Queen Ella reminds him.

"Speaking of the kiss," Charming reexamines, eyeing between them, "whose idea was that?" Ben's posture softens, but neither of them speak. "Well?"

Chad frowns, "It was mine."

His dad concerns, "It was yours?"

"Yeah," he mumbles. "The entire song was my idea."

"And who gave you that idea?" his mom proposes.

His eyebrows furrow, "What are you talking about?"

"You don't expect us to believe you came up with that kiss alone," she asserts.

His jaw drops, "But I did."

"Chad," his dad cautiously replies, "I know how peer pressure can be a hard—"

"God," he places his hands to his face.

"You don't need to cover up someone else's crime," he continues.

"Conspiracy," Belle corrects.

"Conspiracy," Charming nods. "So, who was it?"

"One of those villain's kids?" Chad's mom inquires.

Chad shakes his head, whispering, "Why did I think this was a good idea?"

Ben hears the verge of tears in Chad's tone and turns to their parents, "It was my idea."

"Pardon?" his mother's eyebrows raise.

"It was your idea?" his father slowly points at him.

Ben wets his lips, "Yes." before he eyes over them. "I, uh, thought it would make Mal jealous. So…"

"So, you told Chad to kiss you in front of her?" King Charming questions.

"Yes," Ben nods.

"Well," Ella turns to her husband, "that would make sense."

"Hold on," Adam's voice raises. "Something isn't right here."

"You're right," Charming agrees, before he faces Ben. "You're king. You can't be breaking the law for your girlfriend."

"Understood," he evenly replies.

"Good," Chad's dad nods, before he checks his watch. "We should leave."

"What?" Chad gasps. "No!"

Belle raises her hand and slowly moves it down, instructing him to calm, before she turns to his parents, "It is getting late. Why don't you stay the night?"

"Yes," Chad leans forward.

His parents look at him before facing Ben's, as Charming questions, "Which room?"

Belle smiles, "I'll show you." before she stands and faces Chad. "You too."

"Are you okay?" Ben asks.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" Chad infuriates, hands clutching the edge of the bed. "It was my idea, and they acted like it was the worst thing anyone could come up with."

"Yeah," he softly agrees.

Chad faces him and lets out a breath, "You know, you didn't need to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Take the blame," Chad frowns.

Ben lifts a shoulder and awkwardly smiles, "The most my parents would do is just tell me to be careful." before he glances down. "I don't think they would care if I did that kind of thing so long as I wasn't caught."

"Really?" he unsurely replies.

Ben takes a moment, "They assumed that we… when we were at the hotel."

"They did?"

"Don't worry," he reassures. "I told them we didn't." He pauses, "My point is they cared more about how careless our meetup was, rather than what they thought we were doing."

"So, you didn't get in trouble?" Chad surprises.

"I get in trouble all the time," Ben's brows furrow. "I don't need to fuck a guy to do it." He mumbles, "I don't need to do anything, really." before he looks at Chad and eyes down to his neck. If he's going to get in trouble anyway, why not do something for it?

"Ben?" He meets his blue-grey eyes, and Chad asks, "You okay?"

Ben wets his lips, "I was just thinking." before he runs a thumb over his neck.

Chad takes his hand, "Ben." before letting out a breath. "We said we wouldn't."

"Who cares what they think?"

"I'm trying to be good with God," Chad stresses. "You need to respect that."

"I do," Ben emphasizes.

"No, you don't," Chad counters. "If you did, you wouldn't keep asking."

"Chad," Ben sighs, putting a hand to his head. "I'm sorry."

He huffs, "Yeah. Right."

"I have your pills," Ben informs.

Chad's mouth gapes, "You took them?"

"Don't worry. I'll give them back," Ben rationalizes, before he pushes Chad down onto the bed. "After I get to have you."

"What?" Chad tries to get up, but he's pinned. "No. I said no, Ben."

"You will say yes, if you want your script back," Ben counters.

Chad grits his teeth as he finds the strength to push him off, "No."

Ben lets out a breath, "Come on, Chad."

"No," he shouts, as he gets up from the bed. "You're just like him. You know that?"

"Chad," Ben tries to reason.

"No." Chad cries out, "I said no." and when the hand touches his shoulder, he gasps, his eyes wide open.

"Hey," his dad frowns. "Are you okay?"

Chad sits up and runs a hand over his head, feeling the sweat in his hair, "What time?"

"Early," his dad simply says. "I think you were having a nightmare."

Chad shakes his head, still catching his breath as his heart races, "I, uh." He furrows his eyebrows and pulls away from him, "Get off of me!"

He removes his hand from his shoulder, "Chad. What happened?"

"I need to talk to Ben," he mumbles.

"That can wait," he whispers. "You should sleep."

"Ben sleeps in the morning." He checks the time on his phone, "If I wait, we'll be gone before I can."

He watches him stand from the bed, "Chad." and he looks back at him. "Did… did something happen?"

"Like what?" he makes a face.

His dad hesitates, "Well, I mean, how you were so willing to go along with the kiss… If someone did something to you, that would stay in your mind." Chad eyes down. "You know, you can tell me anything."

Chad gives him a look, "Because, no straight person has ever been sexually abused." before he shakes his head. "I have to go talk to Ben."

When Ben opens the office door, he and Chad stare at each other, before Ben frowns, "I want to apologize."

"Don't bother." Chad moves past him, and Ben shuts the door. "It's not like you stole my script and used it as ransom for sex."

Ben faces him and slowly says, "Okay." He shakes his head and moves towards his desk, "I was just going over the low-income apartments project. Would you like to join me?" He doesn't speak, and when Ben notices his uneasy expression, he tilts his head, "Chad?"

Chad walks over to him, places his hands onto his shoulders, "Ben." as he meets his eyes. "I love you."

Ben chuckles, "Good one, Chad." and when he moves to eye over the documents, Chad looks up in annoyance and rolls his eyes. "Now, seriously. The building costs—"

"No," Chad yells.

He pauses, "No, what?"

Chad sadly laughs, "I can't take this anymore. Are you really just such an idiot or…" He falters, "Or do I bring it up so much that it just makes you uncomfortable?"

"Chad," Ben frowns, "what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about," his voice raises, before it crackles into a whisper, "how I can tell you I love you so many times, straight to your face, and it just doesn't register with you."

"You're a charismatic guy," Ben unsurely responds. "Don't you say that to everyone?"

"No, Ben," Chad exasperates. "I don't tell other people that I love them or that their hair is a mess or that their girlfriends are jerks. That's just you."

"Chad," Ben awkwardly smiles, "what are you saying?"

He looks off and shakes his head, "Nothing." before he widens his eyes at him. "Doesn't matter how I say it. You can't just get it… because I'm messed up and you're not."

When he turns around, Ben walks forward, "Hey. Can't you just try to talk to me?"

Chad twists around, "No, I can't just try." before he cuts the air with his hands. "I'm done with this. Okay. I'm just… done. That's it."

After he exits the office, he hears Ben shout, "Chad." but Ben does not run out after him. A part of him wishes he would. It would show he cares, but that's the problem here: he doesn't care about him, at least not like that. He's just there to satisfy his sick fetish, which Ben persisted on multiple times just since their boundaries had been made. There are no boundaries. There are no lines. There is just Ben and whatever Ben wants him to do.

When Chad enters the bedroom, his father asks, "How did it go?" His expression drops. "Are you crying?"

Chad sniffles as he wipes the tears away with his sleeve, "No."

He looks over him, "What's wrong?" and Chad eyes up towards the ceiling, trying to prevent more tears. "Hey," he whispers.

"I want to go home," Chad manages.

"You mean, now?" his father questions. Chad nods, and he nods in return, "Alright. I'll go get your mother." There's the footsteps, the door, and then he's gone. Chad grabs his bag from the floor, places it on the bed, and rummages through it. He feels the plastic, pulls the pill bottle out, and shakes his head at the emptiness. How is he supposed to get rid of the pain now? This. He sits down on the bed's edge. This is the worst pain he's ever felt. The burning in his throat, the heaviness in his chest, and the pit in his stomach, how much he wishes it could just be his ankle again. He could stop that pain just by sitting down. Sitting does not help him now. The tears slip from his eyes, he takes a deep breath, hiding the bottle back in his bag, and shivers. The door opens and his father frowns, "Are you ready?" Chad nods and stands from the bed, before he maneuvers the backpack from the bed to his shoulder.

When he steps out of the room, his mother steps forward, "Pumpkin."

His father places a hand to her arm, and with a shared look, she keeps her hands off of Chad and he comments, "We can talk later." Chad follows them down the stairs. If keeping quiet makes them leave faster, he won't say a word. He won't say that he won't talk later, he won't say that they need to mind their own business, and he definitely won't tell them that there's nothing to talk about. If people don't have something to talk about, they literally can't talk about it. Saying anything at all would just be stupid. "Hold on." His parents halt at the front door. "I'm going to see if Ben's in the office."

"What?" Chad exasperates. "Why?"

"We're their guests," his father explains. "It's only polite to let them know we're going."

When his father passes him, Chad clings to his arm, "No." and he turns back to him. "If you tell him we're going, he's going to try to talk me out of it."

"I won't let that happen," he raises a hand in reassurance, and after a moment, he walks through the foyer to the office door. He knocks, and after Ben calls out for him to come in, he opens the door. "Hey." Ben faces him, and he informs, "We're leaving."

"Really?" Ben's brows furrow.

"Yes. Uh, Chad's upset." He thinks, "Did you two have an argument or something?"

"I mean, we had an argument," Ben unsurely responds, "but I don't really know what it was about." There's a moment of silence, before Ben stands from the desk. "I should go talk to him."

"No," Charming asserts, and Ben halts. "He doesn't want to talk right now."

"But I have to do something," he counters.

"He wants to go home," Charming says louder, and after a long look, he sighs and glances at the floor. "I can see what he's upset about and get back to you."

Ben takes a moment, "Yeah." before he tries to smile. "Have a good night."

"So, that platonic romance," Audrey questions, "How did it go?"

Chad makes a pained expression, "He doesn't love me."

"Is that really a surprise?" she inquires. "I mean, he has a girlfriend."

"And what were you to me?" he asserts, and she fails to comment. "Just because he's with someone, that doesn't mean he couldn't have cared." He shakes his head, "Just a little."

"Maybe this is for the best," Audrey stirs the soup. "It's not like you want a sexless relationship, anyway. Wouldn't you rather be with someone you can actually build a life with?"

"I still can't believe he used me like that," Chad vents. "It was all fine when he wanted me to do things Mal refused to do, but the minute I want just a little bit more, he can't even understand anything I say."

Audrey turns, "Were you speaking French?"

"Of course, I was speaking French," Chad angers.

"Alright," Audrey's eyes widen. "I just thought I'd ask."

"He came to me," Chad persists. "I gave him everything he asked for, and what do I get from him? Nothing. He just doesn't care, and… he doesn't care how I feel."

She takes a minute, "I don't want to encourage anything, but you two are friends. Can't you just work this out, draw a line or something so you don't get so hurt."

"Oh, we had boundaries," Chad informs. "But Ben just doesn't care. He keeps crossing it, asking me again and again to do these things I don't want to do anymore."

Audrey hesitates, "What do you mean?"

"He keeps using me," Chad insists. "For this stupid blood fetish of his."

"That's not a fetish," Audrey doubts.

"You weren't there," Chad counters. "His girlfriend wouldn't do it, so he asked me. And now that I finally said no, he won't let up. It's 'Hey. Can we do this sexual thing' all the time, and he doesn't even care about me. I'm not his friend," Chad spats. "I'm nothing to him."

"Chad?" He turns around and frowns at the sight of his dad. "What's going on in here?"

"I, uh," Chad falters.

His dad walks towards them, "You can tell me anything."

Audrey comments, "You should." and Chad looks at her. "This isn't going to stop, unless you say something."

Chad slightly nods, before he faces his father and hesitates, "It's about Ben."