It had been a long time since Rook woke up feeling calm. He had a clear purpose today — something that he wanted to do, not something that Ben wanted. Maybe that was selfish, but Rook wasn't expecting Ben to do anything except be there with him. This was entirely for his own peace of mind as it came to his family.
Rook wasn't entirely stupid. He loved his family and his planet more than (almost) anything, but they had their flaws. Revonnah was a backwards planet. Even if Ben loved him back, Rook was not deluded enough to believe that their relationship would ever be welcomed on Revonnah in his lifetime, so he had a pretty good idea of what his parents would say when Rook made his announcement.
But he wanted to hear it. He wanted to look them in the eyes and accept their rejection without rose-colored glasses or childish hopefulness.
He was going to spend the evening on his home planet, and when Rook woke up in his room the next morning, he would be comforted by the knowledge that his parents wanted nothing to do with him anymore. That was just what was going to happen. His siblings were another story. Shar and Young One would most likely be accepting, but Shim and Shi had been much less interested in the universe away from Revonnah, even as small children. Their minds were not open to the infinite possibilities that entranced Rook at a young age, and that was fine. Rook hoped that his sisters would be happily married one day with many children on their husbands' family farms. Even if they hated him for something that he hadn't chosen.
He considered buying new clothes again as he was getting up, but Rook ultimately decided against it. It would be symbolic to go to his parents in his Plumber's uniform. He wasn't picking Earth over Revonnah. He was trying to pick a path that made him happy. That meant seeing the galaxy, fighting for justice, and being with Ben.
With that decided, Rook showered and got dressed in his standard Proto-Armor, putting the Proto-Tool over his shoulder. He stepped out of his room and hesitated, glancing between his two choices in the hall. The right path led to the central hub of the base, and to the left was the cafeteria. Rook found his thoughts drawn to the realization he'd had yesterday.
It was true that no one else was as important to him as Ben was, yes, but that didn't mean that no one was important. That didn't mean that he didn't love his family or his friends or his co-workers — people that he'd never given the chance to become friends with. Rook hesitated, glancing to the side.
He had mixed feelings about attempting to befriend his co-workers. For one, he didn't know where to start. On a surface level, Rook didn't particularly want to try, but underneath that, he knew that he ought to. It wasn't healthy to revolve his entire life around one person. He needed to expand his social group and his hobbies. At the moment, all Rook really did was spend time with Ben and work. Those things mostly overlapped, too. There wasn't much point in trying anything too intensive when it wouldn't be remembered in the morning, but for himself, Rook knew that he ought to try.
Tomorrow. For today, he had a plan already in place. Rook shook his head to clear his thoughts and went to the right down the hall. And on second thought, Rook would go to the store. Not for clothing, just for something else that he thought he was going to need.
With that plan in mind, twenty minutes later, Rook got his time off from Magister Tennyson and sat in the Proto-TRUK parked outside of the store he'd been frequenting lately. He knew that flowers and their meanings were mostly pointless and really all over the place, sometimes to the point of being contradicting depending on what source you used, but Rook wanted to give this his best shot so he was putting in the necessary research before he went inside and made his purchase.
When he decided that he was satisfied with his selection, Rook went inside. Rather than going to the premade bouquet stand, he went to the counter for custom bouquets. Unfortunately, it didn't open until seven. Rook frowned. He was going to be a little late to meeting Ben, then, but that was fine. They had the entire rest of the day and eternity to spend with each other.
Rather than spend his time just standing around and waiting, Rook browsed the store for inspiration. Inspiration for a hobby, specifically; a new skill that he could learn. If he couldn't change anything else in this time loop, he might as well change himself, right? Most of it was baking-oriented, as one would expect in a supermarket. Rook flicked through a recipe book or two, but nothing stood out to him except a recipe for "gourmet" waffles (whatever that meant) and another for, of all things, apple pie. Looking at it made Rook frown. He needed to get over his problem with apples.
Baking was a dead end, and impractical for a trip to an alien planet that would mostly be spent in the Proto-TRUK, so Rook kept looking. He found some books on needle-point, stitching, scrapbooking… and, interestingly, a pack of origami paper that came with a step-by-step guide covering some basic shapes for beginners. He wasn't particularly interested, but it seemed like it would pass the time, so Rook purchased it.
He left the store at seven-o'-six, two bouquets in hand. One was for his parents, and the other was for Ben.
With both bouquets safely loaded into his TRUK, Rook left for the Tennyson household. He got there only about five minutes later than usual, to Ben waiting on the front step for him with his head in his hands. The sound of the TRUK approaching caused him to perk up and Ben sprinted over to meet the passenger door before Rook had even fully stopped.
"Rook!" He blurted out. "You're late. Is everything okay, dude? Something happen?"
Sometimes Rook felt hot and flushed just watching Ben be himself. He could understand why Ben's love life was so complicated and full. There was a lot about him to admire.
He squeezed the steering wheel to ground himself and shook his head. "No, everything is fine. My apologies, Ben. I was making a purchase." He gestured to the bouquets.
Ben slid into the passenger seat and buckled himself in. "Flowers, huh? What for?" He paused. "No one's dead, right?"
Not today. Rook gave him a thin smile. "Of course not. We are merely visiting my home planet. I asked for the day off and Magister Tennyson was kind enough to grant it."
"We're going to Revonnah?" Ben blinked, giving him a funny look. "Uh. Firstly, why? Secondly, are you sure that you want me there? If this is a personal visit, maybe I should stay." He fiddled with his seatbelt self-consciously. "It's not like it went very well last time."
Internally, Rook cringed. He'd absorbed book after book on Earth culture when he got the assignment to be Ben Tennyson's partner out of fear of the exact same thing: cultural misunderstandings. Looking back on the first time he introduced Ben to his planet was embarrassing in more than one way.
"I want to apologize for that," Rook said. "I was so eager to show you my planet and my family that I invited you into our culture without explaining anything to you beforehand."
For a second, Ben looked surprised. Then he chuckled. "Rook, I appreciate that you're trying to make me look good, but you can't apologize for the fact that I made myself look like an asshole. I could have researched your planet's customs and I didn't. That's on me. It's not your job to hold my hands."
Oh, but Rook wanted to. He wished that Ben would accept help or at least not insist on taking full responsibility part of the time. "If I invited you, then it is my responsibility to ensure that you are educated, or else I risk embarrassing us both. Which I did," Rook pointed out. "I could have suggested you books on the subject or given you more warning ahead of time or simply not invited you to something that you were ill-equipped to properly enjoy. At least half of the blame is my fault, Ben."
He was starting to get worked up, but calmed down when Ben held his hands up in surrender, laughing under his breath. "Damn, alright, Rook. Fine." Ben smiled crookedly. "We'll just call it even this time, okay? At least until I embarrass myself again today."
Rook turned to the wheel with newfound determination and turned the ignition. "No," he said. "You will not have to do anything this time, Ben. All we are going to do is find Rayona and then have dinner with my parents. I have something that I need to tell them and I would like for you to be there when I do."
"Uh…" Ben gave him a puzzled look, then shrugged. "Sure, alright. What is it that you're going to tell them?" He asked.
Looking at him, all Rook could think about was cupping Ben's face and kissing him hard. He closed his eyes, counted to five, and when he opened them again, he said, "Nothing too terribly important. It is just… necessary. I would be comforted if you were there with me."
Ben leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms behind his head, making a show out of getting comfortable. "Sure thing, dude. If you want me there, then of course. Revonnah, here we come!" He pumped his fist in the air, being overdramatic on purpose.
With his heart beating so loudly that Rook feared Ben could hear it, he had to physically bite his tongue to keep from blurting out something that he would regret. Like, "I love you." Instead, he put the TRUK into drive and guided them off of the ground and into Earth's atmosphere.
Flying into deep space was actually much less involved than flying within the solar system. Once they were out of Earth's atmosphere and past the moon's orbit, Rook loaded in the galactic coordinates for Revonnah and activated the FTL drive. It would still take them a few hours to arrive, but that was fine.
With nothing to do other than wait, Rook sat back in his seat and pulled out the origami pack he'd purchased earlier.
Ben had been playing a game on his phone, but when he saw what Rook was doing, he lowered it to raise an eyebrow. "Origami?" He frowned. "Rook, are you sure that everything is okay, man? You've been acting weird today and this Revonnah trip really came out of nowhere."
Picking up the short instructional booklet — Ten Easy Origami Projects for Beginners — Rook selected a sheet of yellow paper. "I am fine. I understand that I have been acting in a way that you might think is out of character, but I assure you, Ben, if something were wrong, I would tell you." He smiled at Ben comfortingly as he started on the first folding technique: a paper crane. "That being said," Rook continued, "I am sorry in advance if things with my parents become intense. There will probably be yelling," he warned.
"Yeah. I figured." Ben watched him fold the paper crane and didn't comment further. When Rook was about halfway finished with his sloppy folding, Ben turned back to his phone. "You know, there's this old myth that states if you fold a thousand paper cranes, you get to make a wish."
Rook paused. "Is that so?" He wondered if they needed to be good paper cranes. He could probably do a thousand decent-ish ones, although maybe not in a day. Not without his fingers cramping. "What would you wish for, Ben?"
"Me?" Ben seemed surprised that he'd asked. "Oh, I don't know. I'm not a wishful kind of guy." He tapped the side of his phone thoughtfully. "I had ultimate power, once," Ben said, eyes going faraway. "When I defeated Dagon. I wanted to wish all evil out of the galaxy." He startled, jolted back to reality by something unpleasant about the memory. Rook couldn't blame him. "But if I had a "thousand-paper-cranes" wish?" Ben chuckled. "Maybe a sandwich. I'm kind of hungry. There was this place near my house that shut down a while back, but they made these amazing turkey and provolone sandwiches with tomato and pesto and this, like, freshly-made bread." He groaned longingly.
Smiling, Rook resumed folding. "That seems like a wonderful wish to me, Ben," he said. And he meant it, too.
Ben hummed. "What about you? What would you wish for?"
For the time loop to end. For his parents to accept him. For his feelings for Ben to disappear. Or— Not for Ben to love him back, because that would remove consent from the relationship, but maybe just to know if it was a possibility. Some sort of sign to tell Rook if pursuing Ben was hopeless or if patience would eventually pay off.
He finished the paper crane and studied it. It was far from perfect, but it was at least recognizable as a paper crane. Rook offered it to Ben. "I suppose that I would wish for better folding skills."
"What? But that takes the fun out of learning to fold," Ben said with a laugh. He took the crane anyway. "I think you're pretty good at it already. All I can make is paper airplanes."
"I think that paper airplanes are perfectly fine," Rook replied, and he handed Ben a piece of green paper.
Setting the crane aside, Ben smoothed the paper over the dashboard and started to fold. "Says the guy who can make a crane," he teased. The conversation fell into silence as they both worked.
Over the course of the next half an hour, Rook tried out different origami folds while Ben worked on filling the TRUK with paper airplanes. Some of them were better than others, but part way through, Ben started trying to see how many different designs he could do. The end result of all of their folding was paper filling the TRUK's cabin, all over the floor and seats.
As he finished another airplane, apparently taking a break, Ben leaned back in his seat and scrutinized Rook. "So, what inspired this?" He asked, gesturing to the pile of origami in front of Rook.
"Nothing in particular." Rook decided to take a break as well. He didn't want his fingers to cramp. "The desire to try something new, maybe. I saw the paper pack at the store and thought that I should give it a try."
"When you bought the flowers?" Ben pointed at them. Rook nodded, and Ben hummed. "I was wondering what those are for. You didn't really give me a straight answer earlier."
Rook smiled. "No, I did not, and I have a reason why. It is a surprise. If you can be patient, I will explain everything in front of my parents," he promised.
That only made Ben frown. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret tagging along?" He sighed, sinking down into his seat.
Rather than reply, Rook kept smiling, but inside, he had the same concern. This evening was going to be uncomfortable for all involved and the chances of Ben enjoying himself were slim. But a part of Rook needed Ben to be there. He didn't think that he would be able to do this alone. As much as he had prepared himself, mentally, Rook wasn't a robot. He was anxious and a little scared, and he was going to end tonight feeling like someone had scraped out his insides. Still, he was ready for it. This was necessary.
By the time they reached Revonnah, Rook had run out of paper. He didn't feel like he'd improved much at origami, but he did feel like he could try something more complex than boats and fans and boxes and paper tulips. Too bad he didn't have any instructions on hand.
Whereas Earth at least had a Plumber base that authorized and directed ships arriving or leaving the planet, Revonnah had nothing. Rook's radio stayed silent as he took the controls back over and directed the TRUK into a slow descent over his hometown. Looking at it filled him with melancholy. As many problems and flaws as it had, Rook loved this place. He missed it — not as much as he used to, but enough that Rook didn't think he'd ever really get over it.
"Do your parents know we're coming?" Ben asked as he peered through the window. At the sound of his ship's engines, Revonnahganders had come out of their houses to see what the noise was.
Ah, right. Rook knew that he was forgetting something. "No," he replied. "But I am sure they will be happy to see us. And, Ben?" He couldn't help a faint little smile. "This time, do not bow to my father."
Ben laughed awkwardly. "Well, that one, I managed to figure out on my own."
Landing the TRUK on the outskirts of town went smoothly. Once he'd transitioned back to wheels, Rook drove slowly through the village, waving at people who recognized him. Now that they knew who it was, most interest had been lost. There were still some people who greeted Rook, mostly females about his age (who Rook ignored), but it was just past noon which meant that most people were going back to the fields after their lunch breaks and didn't have time for him.
As he pulled up alongside his family home and parked, Rook couldn't help but smile at the sight of Young One waiting for him outside, practically jumping up and down in excitement. Even if this went poorly with his parents, Rook could count on his little brother to always be there.
He hadn't even gotten out of the TRUK when Young One was running to greet him. Rook had his feet firmly planted just in time for his youngest sibling to jump at him, arms locked around Rook's midsection. "Blonko!" Young One cheered, squeezing him. Rook bent down to hoist him up a little higher. He was struck by the thought that Young One was both bigger and taller than he remembered and immediately sobered at the reminder that he would not be growing any more. No one in the universe would be. "What a surprise! Mother and Father did not tell me that you were going to be visiting. There is no special occasion, is there?" He asked.
Rook's smile was forced. He hated that he was never going to get to see Young One grow up, but a part of him couldn't help but think (bitterly) that, time loop or not, every day on Revonnah was the same, anyway. "No, no special occasion," he said. "I am just visiting to talk about something with—"
Young One gasped, cutting him off. "Ben 10!" He leapt out of Rook's arms to tackle Ben instead, just as he was coming around the side of the TRUK. Ben grunted with effort, stumbling, but caught Young One, holding him like a swaddled infant. "Oh, I am so glad that you came as well! This is a truly wonderful surprise!" He grabbed Ben's wrist, tapping on the Omnitrix to no effect. "Do you have any new aliens yet? Can you show me? Oh, can I pick one? I want to see you transform!"
Ben recovered quickly, taking all the questions leveled at him in a stride. "In order: no, no, maybe later, and as long as your parents don't mind." He set Young One down on his feet and grinned, ruffling his hair. "Wow, you've gotten tall! You look more and more like Rook every time I see you."
The praise made Young One absolutely glow and Rook's chest was tight with fondness. He'd never been one for domestic life or thought much about having children, but Ben was so good with kids. He made everything that Rook thought he'd hate seem so happy.
Clearing his throat, Rook cut Young One off before he could continue hounding Ben. "Young One, do you know if Rayona is out in the fields today? I wish to discuss something with her before I see Mother and Father."
"Rayona?" Young One tilted his head, confused, then his expression lit up. "Oh! You want to speak with her? In private?" He seemed delighted by the notion, and Rook had a good idea why. Thankfully, Ben didn't seem to have caught on. "Yes! I saw her as she was heading home for lunch. You can catch her before she leaves if you hurry."
"Thank you, Young One." Rook couldn't help but grimace. He understood that Young One probably thought that he was planning to propose. This was a spontaneous visit, and the first thing he did was ask to be directed to his girlfriend. Which meant that his parents were going to hear Young One's theory and their inevitable talk was going to be twice as difficult as a result. But it wasn't as if his brother intended that, so Rook couldn't be mad at him.
Seeing as how Young One was clinging to Ben's hand and looking at him with pleading eyes, Ben shrugged and said, "I'll escort Young One back to your parents and you can meet up with us in the field. Maybe I'll give harvesting amber ogia another try while I'm at it." His smile was awkward, but then, this entire visit was doomed to be a little awkward for Ben.
"I will try to make it quick," Rook promised, and Ben gave him a grateful smile. Then he was being pulled along by Young One, who was already talking so fast that he kept forgetting to breathe. Ben nodded along and added in when he could, giving Young One his full attention, and Rook watched them until they'd disappeared around the side of his house and into the fields.
At least Rook didn't have to worry about losing them. His family's plot was only so big and Ben was very noticeable.
He knew the way to Rayona's house so well that he could find it with his eyes closed. When they were children, Rayona had been Rook's only friend. She had been the only one who didn't think that he was strange for wanting to leave the planet one day. And when she'd started showing romantic interest when they were older, officially courting her had been easy. Even now, Rook looked back on those times fondly. He loved Rayona, really — it was just that, now, he loved someone else more. He'd never had a frame of reference for love back when Rook's whole world was only as big as the village. He had never imagined how endless it could feel and how much it could hurt.
Like Young One promised, Rayona was still home. As Rook approached, he saw the curtains over her bedroom window shift. Clearly, she'd been hoping that he would stop by. Rook felt a little bad about what he was about to do, but he didn't want to lead her on or condemn Rayona to a loveless relationship. She deserved better than that.
He knocked on the front door and Rayona answered almost immediately. Despite the fact that she'd been in the fields since dawn, her hair was brushed and she was free of any amber ogia stains. She must have cleaned up when Rook's ship appeared in the sky, correctly anticipating who it was.
"Blonko. I was not expecting a visit from you any time soon," she said, subtly trying to brush some of the dirt off of her tunic. "Is there something important?"
"Yes. May I come inside?" Rook asked. "I do not intend for this to take very long, but I think this conversation will be more comfortable in private."
Rayona frowned. She was not as wishful as Young One, and she knew that Rook wasn't, either. It was most likely that she already knew what he came to say. "Of course," she said anyway, stepping back and letting Rook in. "My parents are not here, so we will stay in the living room. Make yourself comfortable."
He had been in Rayona's home many times before. It was not all that different from his, albeit smaller in some ways. His father had a more important role in the village than Rayona's, although her father had much more impressive carving abilities. Rook selected the chair nearest the door with the impressive detailing of many native insects. He almost wished that he wasn't wearing his gloves so that he could trace the ridges and swirls like he used to as a child.
"I do not wish to mince words," Rook said once Rayona was seated across from him. "You have been dear to my heart for many years and I do not wish for that to change. But it has become increasingly obvious to me that a romantic relationship with you is not what I want, and I wanted to cut things off with you properly and in person." He forced himself to maintain eye contact, as difficult as it was. "I do not want to hurt you, merely to be honest. I believe that it will be better in the long run. I am sure that you will one day find a man who will love you as much as you love him, but that man is not me, and even if it was, I could not give you what you want."
Her displeasure was obvious, there in the way that Rayona's face twisted and her lips thinned, but she maintained her composure well. Taking a deep breath, she gripped tight to her leggings and said, "You mean because of your desire to see the galaxy."
Rook smiled as best he could manage. "Partly. I am not anywhere close to satisfied with what I have seen of this universe and I suspect that I never will be. If I do reach the point that I am ready to settle down, though, it will undoubtedly be far after you have grown tired of waiting for me."
Though Rayona smiled, the expression didn't quite reach her eyes. It was bittersweet at best. "I always had my suspicions. You are an insatiable soul, Blonko, and although I have no issue with it, a part of me always knew that Revonnah would never be enough for you." She set a hand over her chest. "And neither would I, for that matter," she whispered.
"I am sorry," Rook offered, and he was being genuine.
In a traditional story, Rayona would be the perfect woman for him. They would join their family's land when they married, as the eldest children, and they would go on to have many children. It was quite possible that Rook could have even ended up as his village's Chief Elder.
But that wasn't the life that he wanted.
Rayona hesitated, maybe sensing that her next question was impolite. "You do not have to answer, but is there someone else, Blonko? I cannot believe that you would make the journey all the way out here unless you thought it was urgent."
"Yes, there is," Rook answered easily. He had no shame about the truth and saying it out loud was good practice. "I am in love with Ben."
There was a flicker of surprise on Rayona's face, then her expression scrunched up. Not like she was disgusted, just like she was trying to wrap her mind around it and not doing a very good job. It reminded Rook a lot of how she used to look at him when he spoke of exploring the universe. It almost made him laugh.
"I appreciate your honesty, Blonko," Rayona said at last, "and I hope that your efforts with Ben are successful."
"There are no efforts." Rook shook his head. "I am only here to speak to you and to inform my parents. Ben does not know about my feelings and, if he did, he would not return them. I am at peace with that." He paused. "I have a fairly good idea of how my parents will take it, but I need to see their reactions myself. It is an important step for me to come to terms with it." Much like Ben's rejection, knowing the inevitable and witnessing it were two different things. Maybe removing an impaled object would worsen the bleeding and the pain, but the healing process could not properly begin until it was gone.
"I cannot say that I understand," Rayona replied, "but I do not need to. I only hope that you can find your own happiness by doing what you need to do."
She stood up and Rook did the same. When she hugged him, it was filled with all of the affection that Rook had always known from her. And a part of him was almost brought to tears from that alone. Even if his family could never accept it, to have Rayona's unconditional support meant everything to him.
"I will call you," Rook promised as he pulled back.
Rayona flicked his ear teasingly. "And visit more often," she said. "I have missed you, be it romantically or platonically. You are my best friend, Blonko. I do not want that to change."
"Of course," Rook agreed with a nod. He hugged Rayona again, just because he had missed the sensation, and took his leave. He needed to get back to his family and Rayona needed to return to fieldwork.
The conversation with Rayona had gone better than he'd hoped, and Rook was feeling lighter as he made his way back to his parents' house and down into the fields. Scattered in the immediate area, his family was harvesting amber ogia. Young One was sitting next to the harvested pile, showing Ben how to pick off the insects and leaves without causing the fragile fruit to burst. Since Ben wasn't soaked and sticky, it was probably going well, although his fingers were still stained orange.
When he noticed Rook, Ben waved before turning back to what Young One was telling him. Rook didn't wave back, but he smiled, watching them work for a few seconds longer. His dream came back to him, of himself and Ben living a quiet, domestic life on Revonnah. That sort of thing would never make either of them happy, but Rook had to admit, some aspects of it were appealing. His family had tended to these fields for too many generations to count. A part of Rook wanted to see his own children learn it, too. A bigger part of him hoped that his hypothetical future children never set foot on this planet.
Shaking himself free of his thoughts, Rook turned to where his dad was tending to the bare branches and hurried over to him. Amber ogia plants were very finicky and required near-constant care in between harvests. His father had special fertilizer that he had to apply through the cracks in the rocks. It was guaranteed to make him smell terrible for the next three days.
"Hello, Father," Rook greeted as he approached. Without needing to be asked, he began helping Da with fertilizing. At least he was wearing gloves.
Da glanced at him, unsurprised, before refocusing on his task. "Good afternoon, Blonko. Young One informed us of your untimely arrival. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Rook shook his head. "Nothing special. There is merely something important that I would like to discuss with the family over dinner."
"Very well, then," Da agreed. He was probably thinking about the fact that Rook had gone to see Rayona already if the little smile on his face was any indication. Then his smile faded as he glanced over to where Young One and Ben were seated. "I see that you brought your friend with you again."
Nothing he'd said had been rude, but Da's tone had Rook bristling. He bit his lip to keep from saying something that he would regret and settled on, "Yes. Ben is important to me and I want him here."
There was a hum of acknowledgement from Da. "You keep strange company, Blonko. Being off-world has poisoned your mind," he said matter-of-factly.
By default, Rook said nothing. He was used to hearing this sort of thing. Even on their own planet, Da always had little comments and criticisms about the way that things were done in other villages. Rook had gotten used to it over the years, at going quiet and letting Da say what he wanted to say so that it would be over with quicker, but now he wondered why he was going along with it. It wasn't like what he said would matter in the morning.
And even if it had, Rook was getting sick of letting people talk poorly about Ben.
He stepped back from the crops, flicking his hands clean of fertilizer. "Father, if you cannot treat my friends with respect, I will leave," he said, voice clipped. "I understand that Ben is not well-versed in your specific interpretation of Revonnah culture, but neither have you made any attempt to connect with his. At least Ben is helping with the crops. I do not see you traveling to Earth to learn anything about him, so I would appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself. Your dislike of Ben has no justification besides your own prejudices and I have grown tired of entertaining them."
There were several long seconds where Da could only stare at him. It was to be expected — Rook had never spoken to his father so bluntly or so disagreeably. Da's fur ruffled as his face creased in indignation. "Blonko, I do not know where this attitude is coming from, but—"
"I do not make idle threats," Rook said, cutting him off. "I am not asking you to give Ben an honest chance, mostly because I think that you are incapable of doing so. I am simply asking for you to keep your distasteful comments to yourself for the twelve hours or so that we will be here." He narrowed his eyes. "Either way, we will not be here in the morning. If you want me to return at any point after, however, it would help if you could pretend to not hate my friend."
Some of Da's anger was satiated, but only because it had been replaced with disbelief. It took him several long moments to find his words, then Da said, "You would truly choose an off-worlder over your family?"
"No." Rook shook his head. "Family ties are inconsequential to this argument. Ben has been nothing but kind and respectful to you, even if he is not always skilled at showing it. I choose to surround myself with welcoming people over those who would judge on appearance."
Da snorted. "There is a lot more wrong with him than simply his appearance."
"Father," Rook said warningly.
Finally, his father nodded, conceding defeat. "Very well, Blonko. I had not realized that it irritated you so. I will be more thoughtful in what I say." There was still annoyance in his words, and that wasn't the same as legitimately thinking better of Ben, but it was a start and Rook would take it.
"Thank you," he said, and returned to fertilizing the crops.
Their work passed in silence for the next few hours. Dinner was late in the evening and lunch was late in the afternoon, so there were about seven or so hours of work ahead of them. Rook could tell that Ben didn't enjoy it, but he kept his comments to himself and tried to learn the simpler tasks from Young One. Since they were both the most excitable, it kept them busy with each other.
Rook didn't mind the work as much as he thought he would. He was used to it, yes, but it also allowed him to speak more to his family — specifically, his mother and sisters. Bralla had never been talkative, but she filled Rook in on the changes in the village recently. After the conversation with his father, it helped to call him down. Even when she was talking about the weather, Rook found his mother's voice to be soothing. Shar took up most of his time, asking questions about his time off-world and about the Plumbers, while Shim and Shi teamed up to talk Rook's ear off about all of the latest drama at school and the things they'd learned in their classes. It wasn't much of an education, as it tended to not talk about anything off-world, but it was nice to have his sisters treating him like a jungle gym and yammering on about who kissed who or how boring their history teacher was. Rook almost felt like he'd never even left.
Almost. He found the splash of green that was constantly in his peripheral to be the most comforting thing of all.
The day was long, but once Rook found a rhythm, it passed quickly. Once the sun had begun to noticeably dim and Bralla and Shar went home to prepare dinner, the rest of them made sure that the equipment was properly cleaned and began to pack in for the night. They also had to lock down the shed where amber ogia was housed to be sure that no muroids got in. The silos were only used during big harvests, but amber ogia bloomed sporadically throughout the year — enough to eat without worrying for starvation, anyway.
As they were packing amber ogia away into special storage containers designed to seal them tightly, Ben drifted over to work with Rook. His arms showed little claw marks from where Rook's siblings had similarly used Ben as a climbing toy. Rook felt a little bad, having forgotten that Ben had thin skin and no armor or fur to cover it, but Ben didn't seem to be in any pain and none of the scratches were bleeding.
"So, I was wondering," Ben commented, "how come Shi has a name and Young One doesn't? They're both the same age."
A quick glance confirmed that Da had overheard and was giving Ben a dirty look. When he noticed Rook looking, though, he quickly turned back to his work without comment. Rook frowned. He didn't see the harm in asking questions.
"They are twins, actually," Rook said. "But you are right. The Naming Ceremony is held only after a young, male Revonnahgander loses his bi'nthak. Young One is not named because he has not lost his yet. Shi is named because females are not given this rite of passage. Mother named her — I believe after one of her sisters that passed away at a young age."
"Oh." Ben frowned. He had stopped working. "So the guys get to name themselves and the girls don't? That doesn't seem fair."
Rook paused. He very purposefully did not look at his father. "No," he agreed, resuming his work. "It is not." But that was the way things were. It was the way things had always been. There was very little that Rook could do to change that rule — the village Elders would never hear it.
Copying him, Ben picked up another fruit and continued to pack. "Why did you pick the name "Blonko," anyway? Is it significant?" It wasn't a subtle attempt to change the subject, but Rook felt some of the tension in the room relax and was grateful for it.
"It was the name of my father's father," Rook explained. He closed the container that they were working on, since it was full. "I am the eldest son. I was expected to take the name, so I did. I am not very attached to it." Still, it was his name. Rook liked to hear Ben saying it. It made him feel significant, somehow.
When the last of it was finally done, the six of them headed up the hill for dinner at home. Ben carried Young One on his shoulders, who spent most of the time arguing with Shi about who's tail would fall off sooner.
As they walked, Shim got Rook's attention by tugging on his arm. "Blonko?" She asked. She was the most soft-spoken of Rook's siblings. Being the middle child had left her reserved and quiet. It was hard to get attention with two over-achievers as older siblings and two twin babies who were constantly fussing.
Sensing that Shim wanted to ask something more private, Rook slowed his pace, just to let the others drift ahead of them a bit. Now that Da was attempting to mediate the silly argument, they ought to go unnoticed. "Yes, Shim?" He prompted her to continue with a reassuring squeeze to her hand.
Her gaze drifted toward Ben, lingering on his back, and she hesitated. Shim's expression creased. "You have been staring at him a lot," she said finally.
Rook wasn't quite sure what to say, so he nodded. "Yes," he agreed neutrally. Even now, his stare kept wandering back to Ben. The sound of his laughter rang out in the dusk and Rook softened despite himself.
Not satisfied, Shim pressed. "You stare at him the way that you used to stare at Rayona," she insisted, borderline accusatory.
His walk slowed. Still holding onto his sister's hand, Rook stared at her for a long moment, searching her expression. All he could think to say was, "Yes."
Her expression crinkled up the same way that Rayona's had. "Why? He is loud and obnoxious and he is not even very good at harvesting. His fingers are sticky because he has no claws." Shim held her free hand up close to her face. "What is the appeal in someone with no claws?" She wondered aloud.
"I have never minded his lack of claws," Rook said with a fond smile. "Weaknesses can also be strengths. For example, shorter nails are more sanitary. There is less dirt build-up and you do not have to spend as long scrubbing them when you wash your hands."
Shim didn't look convinced. "I suppose."
If she had been small enough that Rook could still reasonably carry her, he would have picked her up. "It is important to remember that everyone likes different things. If you prefer those with sharp claws, Shim, then I am certain that you will find someone with that particular trait to settle down with one day. But you have never been anyone other than yourself, and so it is wrong of you to judge everyone's choices through the lense of your own eyes," he explained, ruffling her hair.
Battling his hands away, Shim giggled. "When did you become so wise, Blonko?" She asked.
Again, Rook looked towards Ben. Young One was now walking next to him, having apparently been banished from back rides for antagonizing his sister. "While I was away," Rook replied, and he left it at that.
Once they arrived back at the house, Rook separated from the group momentarily to stop by the TRUK. He grabbed both bouquets from where he'd left them and carried them back inside. While Shi and Young One set the table, Rook found two vases to leave them in and left them on the counter. He would need them shortly.
His mother, still in the kitchen, glanced over at what Rook was doing. "Are those part of whatever it is you need to say?" Bralla asked.
"Yes. I will save it until after we have eaten," Rook replied. He imagined that Da would send his siblings to their rooms shortly after his "news" and Rook didn't want them to go to bed hungry.
Food was placed on the table — most of it was derived from amber ogia, but there was a surprising amount of meat. The village's muroid hunting parties must have found a nest recently.
They all took their seats (girls on one end and boys on the other, with Da and Bralla on either end) and Da cleared his throat. "Before we eat," he said, "we will give thanks."
Ben, who had been reaching for a serving spoon, yanked his hand back at the last second. He turned to Rook and silently mouthed, "Thanks?"
Since his family already had their hands crossed and their heads slightly bowed, Rook showed Ben how to do the gesture correctly and they both bowed their heads, being quiet. His father was reciting a hymn, his tone somewhere between reading a poem and singing. It was in their native tongue, so Rook wasn't sure if the Omnitrix would be able to translate it for Ben. Universal translators were never good with melodies.
Regardless, it only took a minute. As soon as the quiet was over, Young One dug in ravenously, breaking some of the tension. Rook pinched Ben subtly beneath the table. "The soup will have the blandest taste and the most familiar texture," he muttered, hoping to get overlooked over his family's chatter.
The smile that Rook got was filled with relief. "Thanks, dude," Ben said just as quietly, prodding Rook's armor as his way of returning the pinch. He took some of the salad and meat, but mostly seemed content to fill up his soup bowl and alternate between sipping on that and water. Remembering the way that Ben had vomited in the hospital, Rook figured that maybe it was for the best if he ate lightly.
Dinner was mostly uneventful, as Rook anticipated. He picked half-heartedly at his food, clearing his plate without tasting most of it. His mother's cooking was just as uninspired as Rook remembered it. Although maybe he was just desensitized to it after nineteen years of the same thing.
Toward the end of the meal, conversation tapered off and Rook felt the subtle tension and curiosity in the air. His family had no doubt gossiped and was curious. He waited for the room to be entirely silent, then stood up. Feeling his family's eyes on him, Rook went into the kitchen and grabbed the two flower vases.
Bringing them to the dining room with him, Rook cleared his throat. No one was talking, so the gesture was entirely unnecessary. "These are for you, Mother and Father," Rook said, placing the bouquet of purple hyacinths and daffodils in front of Da. "And these…" He gestured to the bouquet of yellow rose and alstroemeria and white chrysanthemums, "are for Ben."
No one commented, but Rook could feel the air growing thicker as he set the vase in front of him. Yellow really did compliment his eyes, Rook thought. Ben touched one of the roses with a frown — if he hadn't already caught on, then he definitely had his suspicions. Rook hated to confirm them.
"Blonko," Bralla said eventually, "what is all of this about?"
"I have been expanding my interests lately. Humans have a fascinating flower language," Rook explained, his tone casual. "I purchased both of these bouquets with a specific intention. Those," he said, pointing at the flowers Da had, "are meant to symbolize forgiveness."
If possible, the confusion in the room only increased. "I do not understand. What are you apologizing for?" Da asked.
Before he'd finished poising the question, Rook was already shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I am not apologizing to you. I am forgiving you preemptively."
The confusion on his father's face was gone. Da's eyes narrowed in warning. "Forgiving us for what?"
Rook smiled. "I ended my courtship with Rayona."
"What?" Out of everyone, Shi seemed the most distraught, having always been a bit of a romantic. "But you were supposed to—! You said he would propose!" She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Young One.
"I said that he might!" Young One protested, growing defensive. "I do not see how this could be my fault."
"Quit your bickering," Shar interrupted firmly. Both Shi and Young One were silenced by the force of her glare. With a sigh, she turned back to Rook. "Brother, forgive me, but what does that have to do with anything? Is this truly the extent of your vague news?"
"Of course it is not." Rook snorted. He caught Ben's eye. The break in tension had made Ben smile, but once their gazes met, that smile fell away again. Hardly anything had been said and Ben was already trying to sink down into his seat and disappear. Rook made a mental note to apologize later, then looked directly at his father and said, "I cut things off with Rayona because I am in love with Ben, and a part of me always has been."
Dead silence. Rook thought that his father's jaw was going to fall off if he let it hang open anymore. His mother was doing a rather impressive impression of a dying fish. Shar glanced between their parents worriedly, but Young One was the one to break the silence.
"Yes!" He pumped his fists in the air and jumped up, grabbing the arm of Ben's chair and shaking it excitedly. "That means that those flowers must be a courting gift. You can marry into the family! We will be brothers! I will be related to the Ben 10!"
Far from looking excited, Ben was starting to look rather pale as he got to his feet. He took a step back, almost tripping over his chair in the process. "No, slow down. Marriage? I'm not— And we aren't—" He instinctively looked to Rook for help, only to remember what was happening and slam his eyes shut instead. "We aren't dating!"
Abruptly, Da jerked to his feet as well, slamming one hand onto the table. The clatter of dishes silenced everyone, but the look on his face could have done the same.
"Children, go to your rooms," he demanded, voice leaving no room for argument. "I need to speak to your brother in private." No one moved. The younger children looked uncertain while Shar merely looked stubborn. "Do I need to repeat myself?" Da snapped, and Shi and Shim bolted from the kitchen table.
Young One hesitated, taking a step back to stand near Ben's leg. "But, Father—" He tried.
"Would you listen to me for once in your life and go to your room?" Da cut him off, on the verge of shouting. "How difficult is it to simply listen to what I tell you to do? Your room, now!" Looking like he'd just been struck, Young One scampered off to his room as told.
Not that it mattered. Rook knew that his siblings were crouching in the hallway to listen in, and even if they weren't, Da's shouts were audible from anywhere in the house.
"Da." Bralla had gotten to her feet now, leveling her husband with a stern look. "I understand your frustration, but that is no reason to take it out on Young One. You need to calm down."
That might have actually worked, had Da not chosen that moment to glance over at Shar, still sitting there. "I believe I was clear in my instructions," he said, his calmness less than surface-level.
Shar crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "I am of age, Father. You cannot lump me in with the children and I want to be here for this conversation."
"Why do my children insist on trying my patience?" Da muttered to himself.
"You are overreacting," Shar insisted, her eyes narrowed. "What Blonko has come here to say is obviously something that is very important to him. You are going to push him away, reacting like that."
Before Da could shout at her, Rook held up a hand. "Please, Shar. I appreciate that you are defending me, but this is something that I need to discuss with Father on my own," he said gently. Although she seemed unhappy about it, Shar thinned her lips and nodded.
"What is there to discuss?" Da ground out at him. "You have ruined your chances with one of the most eligible women in the village not only for another man but for an off-worlder of all things, and to make it worse, you have announced it in front of your siblings! You could not, at the very least, do us the courtesy of keeping your shame private?"
Despite his own mixed feelings, Ben straightened up. "You shouldn't talk to your son like that," he said, showing absolutely none of the intimidation that he normally had around Rook's father.
It was almost as if Ben had become a different person just by adjusting his posture and narrowing his eyes. As Da glared at him, Ben glared right back, and Rook was abruptly reminded that Ben had gone toe-to-toe with the worst that the universe had to offer. When it came right down to it, he would not let himself or his friends be pushed around by an old farmer.
"Silence, ape," Da said, practically hissing the word. A growl, no doubt too low for Ben to hear, had started in his throat. "You are the one who caused all of this. He never wanted to leave Revonnah until he heard your name. You ruined him!"
"What the hell does that matter?" Ben asked, throwing his hands up in frustration. His outburst was enough for Da to stop growling. "If Rook is gay, then he's always been gay and he was always going to be! Doesn't matter if he figured it out yesterday or a year ago or twenty years from now. It doesn't matter if it was because of me or someone else. What matters is that he's your son. Why are you getting so mad at him for being honest with you? And for the record," he added, looking a little embarrassed, "Rook's feelings aside…" He glanced at Rook, then quickly turned away again. "... We're not dating."
As touched as Rook was, that didn't last long. "Once again, you have no understanding of the way that our culture works," Bralla said dismissively. "These feelings are not to be discussed further, Blonko. If you return with a gift, perhaps Rayona will take you back and we can pretend that this did not happen."
He'd known coming into this exactly what his parents would say, but Rook couldn't stop himself from feeling hurt. "She will not, and I do not want her to," he said stiffly.
"Your gallivanting around off-world has gone on long enough," Da cut in. He seemed to have calmed down some now that he had a "plan" in mind. "It has filled your head with nonsense. I was hoping that you were here to propose to Rayona and finally settle down, but instead, it seems that we will have to keep you here at home and find a wife for you ourselves. Perhaps a woman in another village will have you."
"That is your take away from this?" Shar demanded, getting to her feet. "You are going to ignore what makes Blonko happy and enforce your own desires anyway? How can you be so selfish?"
"Selfish?" Da echoed, incredulous. He opened his mouth, then closed it and gave Shar a measured look. "Is there something that you would like to tell us, Shar?"
The way that she drew back, Rook could tell that Shar had gone red beneath her fur. "What? No, it is nothing like—"
"Are you attracted to women?" Bralla interrupted her, looking furious.
"No! And even if I was, it shouldn't matter!" Shar shouted. She cleared her throat and, before their parents could correct her, added, "Pardon my language. This is not about attraction. But…" Shar glanced at Rook. "... I want to leave the planet as well. I want to join the Plumbers and see the galaxy as Blonko does. I feel like I have been looking for something my whole life and I know I will not find it here," she said somberly.
Staring into his daughter's eyes, seeing how hopeful and earnest Shar was, clearly wanting her parents to support something that was deeply personal to her, Da didn't hesitate. "Absolutely not. Go to your room."
For a split-second, Shar looked crushed. Then she bared her teeth, looking so thunderous that Rook had a hard time connecting this force of nature to his little sister. "You have no right to deny me. I do not care if I have your permission or not," she declared, and then she turned and went to the front door.
"Shar!" Da went after her, and automatically, so did Rook. "You will go to your room this instant! I am not discussing this, Rook Shar. I will not have this attitude from my eldest daughter as well!" He reached for her as Shar opened the door, and as Da went to grab her arm, Rook stepped between them.
Half-extended claws clicked against his armor as Da grabbed Rook's wrist instead. Ignoring his father, Rook gave Shar a smile over his shoulder. "Go," he said softly. There were tears in her eyes, barely held back, but Shar's smile was grateful and the front door shut softly behind her. Rook wasn't worried. She had plenty of friends who would allow her to spend the night if she needed it and the only threat was muroids, which Shar could handle herself against.
Hurrying to the window, Bralla flung the shutters open and shouted into the night. "Rook Shar! You come back here this instant!" There was no reply, and she quickly gave up, turning her stern glare to Rook. "You see what you have done? She was never this stubborn before you went away!"
"No," Rook disagreed. "She was. She just never let herself show it around you and Father." The sister that Rook knew was very different from the daughter his parents thought they had. Nothing had changed, except now she was tired of hiding. And so was Rook.
Da tightened his grip on Rook's wrist, something that he didn't feel through the Proto-Armor. "You speak with such arrogance," he snarled. "Blonko. This is intolerable. I want you to go to your room and remove those posters of him you have hanging up before this spreads to Young One as well. In the morning, you will go find Shar, and all of this will have never happened."
Well, at least Da was right about one thing. Rook wasn't sure if he was grateful that this day would be resetting in the morning or not. He didn't flinch. "No," was all Rook said.
The strike came so fast that Rook didn't have time to avoid it — even so, he saw it all as if in slow motion. Da raised his hand, his claws fully extended, and he swiped at Rook's face.
He was expecting pain, but it never came. There was a dull noise, a smack muffled by fur, as Ben's hand wrapped around Da's wrist. The expression on his face was blank and could not be more disappointed or more enraged.
"Come on, Rook," Ben said, letting go of Da as if touching something rather unpleasant. He had his bouquet in one hand and shoved the other into his pocket to hide his clenching fist. "Let's get out of here. I don't think there's any point in staying."
Rook, more shaken than he'd like to admit, nodded. "Let's," he agreed, opening the door and following Ben out of the house. Unlike with Shar, his parents didn't shout after him. Rook wasn't sure if that bothered him or not.
Outside, they both stood there in the silent night for a moment. Then Ben muttered something that Rook didn't catch and punched the side of the house.
"Ben, do not do that," Rook said, catching him by the shoulder before Ben could do it again. "You do not need to vandalize my parents' home on my behalf."
"It's not about vandalism, dude." Ben rolled his wrist and unclenched his fist with visible effort, letting out a shaky sigh. "Sorry, I'm just— I can't believe your parents would treat you kike that. Or that your dad would try to hit you."
After a pause, Rook released the grip that he had on Ben's shoulder. "He has hit me before," Rook replied quietly. "It is a common form of discipline on Revonnah. But it has been a long time since he needed to resort to that with me."
If possible, Ben only grew more heated. "You never need to hit a child. If that's what you think is the only option, then that says more about what a shitty parent you are than anything about the kid." He snorted, kicking a rock that went skipping across the dirt. "Whatever. Let's just— I don't know. Do you want to go?" He asked.
"I appreciate your indignation, Ben, really. But this is not as big of a deal as you are making it out to be." Rook looked up at the night sky — the same stars that he could see from Earth, and yet arranged entirely differently. "I knew when I decided to come here what my parents would say. This is not a tragedy." He blinked rapidly, vision blurring, and his voice cracked when he said, "I accepted this outcome already."
It was true that Rook had accepted this — that didn't mean that he liked it. That didn't mean that having his parents look at him as if seeing a stranger didn't hurt.
"Oh, Rook…" Ben's expression creased with sympathy.
He looked around, then grabbed Rook by the wrist, tugging him over to the TRUK. Rook was a little confused when Ben started climbing on top of it, crushing his bouquet in the process, but he nonetheless followed. On the roof of the TRUK, Ben laid down flat on his back. He had plenty of room for it.
Seeing Rook staring at him, Ben patted the spot next to him. "Stargaze with me. It used to make me feel better when I was little. Well, when we were in an area with a good view, anyway. Bellwood has too much light pollution," he explained. He set the bouquet on his chest and fiddled with the petals absently as he stared directly up.
Rook craned his neck to see, but it made him dizzy to do so while standing, so he conceded and laid down next to Ben. He was careful to leave several inches between them.
"When I was younger," Rook said after several seconds of silence, "I used to listen to tales of your achievements through tesser bursts while staring at the stars from my window. I could only get a good signal on a cloudless night. I used to keep my hands clasped in prayer throughout the entire show, hoping that the weather would remain clear for just an hour."
Ben chuckled. "That's kind of cute," he said. He plucked off a rose petal and shredded it, scattering the pieces off the side of the TRUK before doing it again. "You know, you never explained what the meaning of my bouquet is," Ben pointed out.
"Oh." Rook glanced over at him. No, he hadn't, had he? With everything else going on, it must have slipped his mind. "Yellow roses, alstroemeria, and white chrysanthemums are supposed to mean friendship. I thought that it would be the most appropriate. Although, perhaps I should have given you the forgiveness bouquet." Rook chuckled faintly. "I am sorry for getting you involved in this."
"Nah, don't apologize." Ben elbowed him in the side. "I like yellow. And for the record, what you said to your parents back there was really impressive. My parents were always really supportive growing up, and it sucks every time I'm reminded that not everyone gets to have that." He looked like he wasn't sure whether to smile or frown. "Mom and Dad told me at a young age that if I came out as gay or trans or something like that, that I would always be accepted by them." He paused. "Not that I am gay, just so you know. I mean, I've never thought about it, but— I have a girlfriend," Ben finally settled on lamely.
Smiling, Rook elbowed him back. "You do not need to explain yourself. I understand that you do not return my feelings and I have accepted that."
There was a pause. "Just because you accepted it doesn't mean that it doesn't suck, though," Ben said.
"Yeah," Rook agreed quietly, afraid that any louder would give away the chip in his words. He scrubbed his eyes just to be sure they were dry.
"You know," Ben suddenly said loudly, "even though we didn't fold a thousand paper cranes, I think that if we did, this is what I would have wished for."
Rook looked over at him. "Really?"
"Of course, dude. You're my best friend," Ben told him with a dazzling smile. "I feel like we don't get to just hang out like this. We're always on a mission or stumbling into one. It's fun to just… exist with you."
More than anything else today, hearing that was what made Rook's throat tight, tears gathering behind his eyes. "If I could make a wish on a thousand paper cranes, I would wish to stay here like this, with you. Forever."
Ben made a funny little noise. "Forever?" He repeated. "I don't think I'm ready to handle forever."
Neither was Rook. But he was getting used to it. And of all the days that the universe could have picked to relive for eternity, Rook was sort of glad that it was this one.
"Want one?" Ben offered him a rose. "Picking at flowers gives you something to do with your hands. I hope you don't mind. I don't know how much you spent on this bouquet."
"It does not matter." Rook took the rose and plucked one golden petal, rolling it between his fingers before flicking it over the side of the TRUK. "I love you, Ben."
The noise that he made was somewhere between a huff and a laugh. "I know, Rook. I love you, too," Ben replied.
They picked every flower down to the bulb without another word. Rook thought of the human rhyming game "he loves me, he loves me not," and refused to count the petals. He didn't so much as brush Ben's hand, but he had never felt closer.