A/N: So, since I also post this fic on AO3, which is easier to edit, I went back and edited chapter seven to have Rook shoot himself with the Proto-Tool instead of getting hit by a car. When he references shooting himself in this chapter, that's what he's talking about. I definitely suggest reading this fic on AO3 (it's under the same title) for the best experience.

Anyway, enjoy the last chapter!

Rook squints against the light shining in his eyes. He grumbles a slurred complaint, grappling for the covers and pulling them up higher to hide his face. He turns over on his side, nuzzling into his pillow to try and go back to sleep. There is a weight under the sheets next to him and Rook places his arm over it, pulling closer what he assumes is a pillow. Ben mumbles at the jostling, quickly settling down again with his face buried in Rook's neck.

Wait.

In an instant, all traces of tiredness vanish from Rook's mind. His eyes snap open and he shoots up into a sitting position, flinging both the blankets and Ben in the process. He soaks in his surroundings, but no, he isn't hallucinating. He's too aware to be dreaming, either.

He's still in Ben's room, laying in the pile of blankets they'd made on the floor the night before. Miraculously, Rook has made it through the night without ending back up at the Plumber base.

Just to be certain, Rook lurches forward and scrambles for his Plumber badge. He nearly drops it in his haste, fingers shaking as he opens his calendar to check the date.

Friday.

At his side, Ben is sporting bedhead and rumpled pajamas, annoyed from the rude awakening. "Rook?" He asks, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What's up? Is something wrong?"

His voice is thick from sleep, unperverted by his phone's speaker, and it makes Rook's heart soar. Ben has always been beautiful, but seeing him still disoriented from sleep on a Friday morning, Rook has never witnessed a sight so lovely. He feels so full of love that he could drown in it.

"No," Rook says with a grin so wide that his face hurts. "Not a thing is wrong, Ben." He jumps to his feet, unable to contain his excitement. "It's finally Friday! I'm so happy, I could scream!"

The amused look on Ben's face quickly becomes one of surprise as Rook leans down, grabbing Ben by the waist and lifting him right off of the ground. Rook spins him around, his whooping laughter dissolving into tears of relief. Stress melts out of him, leaving Rook feeling heavy and weak and off-kilter; like a puppet with its strings cut. He sets Ben down on his feet before his arms can give out, unable to do anything other than clutch his partner close in a tearful hug. Rook bites his lip to keep himself from sobbing.

Ben is now wide-awake, but he doesn't say anything. He hangs limp in Rook's arms for several seconds, then awkwardly reaches up and returns the hug. "Is there something special about Friday that I'm forgetting?" Ben asks, trying for a light-hearted tone to hide his concern.

With his face buried in Ben's hair, Rook is hard-pressed to care about how weird his behavior seems. He nuzzles his cheek against the top of Ben's head, letting out a content little sigh. He blinks away the tears in his eyes as best he can. "No," he says again, and the word has never felt so wonderful on his lips. "Nothing is special today, Ben." Rook pulls back suddenly, holding Ben by the shoulders to drink him in. "Except that it is a day closer to Christmas, as well as yours and Gwendolyn's birthday, and we have not planned a thing! We have the day off. We should figure out how you both want to celebrate and decorate accordingly for the holidays."

Rook's mind races ahead with all of the new possibilities. They can actually schedule something now and it will come to pass. A fresh wave of tears comes to his eyes and Rook turns his head away before Ben can notice. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to calm his racing heart, unwilling to leave the comfort of Ben's arms just yet. Ben smells like shampoo and clean linen and sweat. It's probably the best thing that Rook has ever smelt. He has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from openly crying.

There is a touch of awkwardness in the air now as it becomes clear that Rook has no intention to break the hug on his own. Ben reaches up and pats Rook between the shoulder blades in a "there, there" motion that is so familiar that the thin grasp Rook has on his self-control nearly snaps. It takes everything Rook has not to whimper.

It reminds Rook of that day more than two weeks ago, as he held Ben's body in his arms and a female Plumber that he'd never bothered to learn the name of did her best to comfort him. "The death of a partner is difficult," she'd said.

And now Rook is holding Ben in his arms again, this time without armor between them. This time without blood on his hands. This time, Ben is breathing. He is steady while Rook is shaking and he is quiet so as not to make Rook feel self-conscious, and he's so brilliant and wonderful and quick-witted and gorgeous, and Rook—

Tears fall from his eyes as Rook's smile grows wider. He whines, unable to keep himself quiet any longer. Ben says nothing, he just makes soft shushing sounds as Rook's hug becomes tighter.

"I love you," Rook whispers, his voice hoarse. "I love you so much, Ben."

He receives no reply, but he doesn't really want one. Rook would have been happy to spend hours just like that, wrapped in Ben's arms without a single word being said. So much has changed since the time loop began, and it is mind-boggling to Rook that, technically, only a day has passed. He feels like a different person. How ironic that Rook needed everything to come to a stand-still in order to be able to move forward. Now that it's over, and he's finally free, though, Rook isn't sure what to do with himself.

The short-term is easy, of course: he wants to give Ben the best birthday he's ever had. But what about after that? Rook isn't sure what his relationship with his family is going to be like now that he knows how they will feel about his affection for Ben. He wants to re-make his friends at the Plumber base, but Rook isn't really sure what comes after that. His friendships with Rayona and Ben had been practical, because they worked together. How is he supposed to be friends with people he doesn't have much in common with when their schedules barely overlap? He hardly talks to Gwendolyn and Kevin as it is — and maybe Rook should be doing that more often, too. Maybe he should find more hobbies. Origami had been fun to learn. What else is out there for Rook to learn and enjoy? Does he even want to be a Plumber anymore?

For all of his questions, Rook has very few answers.

"Are you sure that there's nothing you want to talk about?" Ben asks, rousing Rook from his thoughts.

As he speaks, Ben tilts his head up to look Rook in the eyes without breaking the hug, and the difference in their height makes Rook's heart swell with affection. He has seen what Ben will look like as an adult, and he is still attractive, of course, but Rook is going to miss being more than a foot taller than Ben. (He's too happy that Ben is actually going to have that future growth to care all that much.)

The thought of Ben's future, though, makes Rook realize something.

It isn't an "oh, shit," moment like it had been when he'd realized that he's in love. It's more like the soft click of a puzzle piece falling into place. Rook blinks, surprised by his own stupidity.

For all of his questions, the answers don't really matter. Rook's future, whatever it is, will be found at Ben's side. Obviously. He has the future free to do whatever he wants to do with friends and family. He can find hobbies and explore different career paths, if Rook finds something that catches his interest. Ben isn't technically a Plumber and he's still the greatest hero in the galaxy — Rook doesn't need credentials to be at Ben's side in battle, or in every other aspect of their lives.

"Nothing," Rook confirms, reaching up to wipe away his tears. "I apologize for my overly emotional reaction, Ben. I confess that there is something weighing on my mind, but I do not want to talk about it at the moment. I was honest before — there is nothing wrong." His smile is so wide that it hurts. "I suppose that means that you will just have to get used to me being happy around you."

Ben blushes, and Rook's thoughts dissolve into a never-ending stream of, "I love you, I love you, I love you." He wants to pick Ben up and spin him again. He wants to kiss until they both forget their names. He wants to fall back into the blanket pile and cuddle until sunset.

It's appropriate that Rook had bought Ben sunflowers on the day that he realized he'd fallen in love — Ben is the sun, and Rook is helplessly, happily, head-over-heels caught in his orbit.

"Well, we don't have to talk if you don't want to," Ben agrees begrudgingly. He has stopped patting Rook's back, now just letting his hands hang awkwardly over Rook's shoulders. "Do you… I don't know, want to take a shower or get breakfast or something?"

Rook wants to keep hugging Ben, but he nods anyway. "I can make us waffles," he suggests. From Ben's perspective, it will be the first time that Rook has done so, and Rook is perhaps a little too eager to see the look on Ben's face when he pulls it off perfectly.

"Really? I didn't know that you knew how to do that." Ben hums thoughtfully. "I really like waffles with chocolate chips."

"I know," Rook thinks, but doesn't say. Instead, when he opens his mouth, what comes out is, "I want to kiss you."

Ben makes a funny little noise, like he isn't sure how he's supposed to reply to that. He twitches in Rook's arms, as if to pull away, but just as quickly settles again. In some ways, it's a shame — like this, Rook can't see Ben's face to tell what he's thinking.

Finally, Ben lets out a soft chuckle, his breath tickling the fur by Rook's ear. "No offense, Rook, but after what you said yesterday, I kind of already knew that."

Caught off guard, Rook laughs. "I apologize for repeating myself, then," he says with a smile. "I simply think it is important for you to know that I am always thinking about kissing you."

"Those are some bold words from someone who doesn't know how to kiss," Ben teases.

He's so happy to hear Ben talking about their kiss casually — like it doesn't have to mean anything, like it could mean everything — that Rook doesn't register Ben's meaning at first. When it does sink in, though, he pulls back from the hug with a frown on his face.

"What do you mean?" Rook asks, confused. "Kissing is the same between our cultures. I have seen it in movies. Pressing your lips together is kissing, and that is what we did."

"No, Rook—" Ben snickers at his expense, collecting himself before he explains. "When we kissed yesterday, you were holding your breath."

Rook blinks. He can tell already that he's going to regret asking this, but… "Is that the incorrect technique?"

To his credit, Ben does try not to laugh. He really tries, but after two seconds of staring at Rook's befuddled expression, Ben gives up. He bends over, breaking the hug in the process, laughing so hard that he's left clutching at his sides. "R-Rook!" He gasps between peels of laughter. "I get that you and Rayona are long-distance, but holy shit. Am I your first kiss?"

A strange mixture of embarrassment and defensiveness rises in Rook's chest, and he isn't sure if he wants to answer snarkily or honestly. After a few seconds, his frustration ebbs away — Rook never has been good at being angry, and especially not with Ben.

"You are," he says, because it's the truth. Ben immediately stops laughing, looking up at him with wide eyes. Rook continues, "On Revonnah, it is not uncommon for a courting couple to kiss or hold hands or engage in casual physical intimacy before being betrothed, but it is still taboo, so Rayona and I never did it. My father is very well-respected in our community and it would have reflected badly on his parenting. Besides, I never felt the urge to kiss, and Rayona is not a physically affectionate person, so there was no conflict of interest." Rook feels his self-consciousness grow. "Was I doing it wrong?"

Ben's eyes soften with affection. "I wouldn't say that you were doing it wrong, but in the future, you might want to try breathing through your nose. That way you don't have to come up for air. You can kiss a lot longer if you do it like that," he says.

A part of Rook feels like he ought to be taking notes, but he settles for a nod. He nearly asks Ben for a demonstration, but Rook doesn't want to be pushy. If they ever have a second kiss, it will be because Ben asks for one, and Rook will not settle for anything less.

"Thank you for the advice, Ben," is what Rook settles on. As if they could have been discussing work rather than kissing techniques. "I will get dressed while you shower, then I will make waffles for breakfast."

"Wow, Rook, you're spoiling me," Ben teases as he walks over to his dresser to pick out one of his many uniform outfits.

The shirt that Ben picks is still mostly black and green, but it isn't the same as the one he'd worn on Thursday, and Rook feels himself smile. It's nice to see things changing, even in tiny, mundane ways. It's been a long time since Rook got to see Ben wear anything other than that stupid jacket he had been wearing when he died.

Only when Ben leaves the room does Rook let himself exhale and whisper to the empty air, "I love you." He gets the feeling that Ben doesn't want to be reminded every two minutes whenever the thought reenters Rook's head.

Besides, there are better ways for Rook to show his love without doing it in a way that could be construed as being pushy — such as making waffles.

In the overnight bag that Rook had packed, he has one of the outfits that he'd bought with Ben the day before. Again, the reminder that it isn't Thursday anymore brings tears to Rook's eyes. Alone now, he lets them fall. He could've sank to the ground and bawled, but Rook doesn't want to waste a single second of this Friday. He brushes away his tears and picks out a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. When he'd picked out this particular outfit, Ben had said that Rook would look "like a nerd," which of course meant that Rook had to buy it. What's the point in wearing something besides his Proto-Armor if Ben isn't exasperated by his fashion choices?

Of course, the human clothes don't sit quite right on Rook's proportions, but the important part is that he is dressed. He glances over at the alarm clock on Ben's nightstand, right next to where the bundle of forget-me-nots had been placed. It's almost ten o'clock, which means that Ben's parents are already at work. Rook will have the kitchen to himself, but they'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to decorate for Christmas.

He walks over to the nightstand, picking up the forget-me-nots. Rook's smile falls, the reality of his situation sinking in once again. He's trying his best not to think about it, but staring at the flowers that he'd purchased on Ben's own suggestion, it's difficult not to.

It was hard to imagine that the Ben he'd met and worked with and befriended and fallen in love with is dead. Permanently this time.

The sound of the shower running is comforting somewhat, though. This Ben is functionally identical to the old one, but it still isn't the same. Rook hadn't really had a choice in the matter — not after Ben had made his choice on how to use Alien X — but he still feels guilty. He should have fought harder to change Ben's mind. He should have stayed in that time loop until they reached the end of eternity together, even if Ben never remembered it.

Could have, should have, would have… What's the point in stressing himself out over hypotheticals and possibilities unexplored? Rook takes a deep breath and tries to ease his mind. What Ben had done, creating a new universe just for Rook and then killing himself, is not unlike when Rook shot himself in the head. They really are two of a kind, aren't they? Always destroying themselves for each other.

It occurs to Rook that perhaps that sort of behavior is unhealthy. Maybe his perception is skewed after what he's been through, but Rook can't help finding it romantic.

If there's one truth in the universe, it's that Ben loves him, too.

"Thank you," Rook whispers into the petals, because it's the only thing that seems appropriate: the only two words in the English language that have even the faintest hope of capturing the depths of his gratitude and affection.

When he feels like he can breathe again, Rook sets the flowers down and exits Ben's room. He knows his way around the Tennyson's kitchen pretty well by now, and getting the ingredients and tools that he needs to make waffles is a mostly mindless task. He has been considering taking some cooking classes. Rook doesn't necessarily enjoy it, but he does think that it's calming and methodical, and he wants to familiarize himself with Earth cuisine.

The domesticity of it all strikes him, and Rook's face flushes a deep red. He's never thought about it before, but there's so much intimacy in the mundane. He can't help but entertain a little fantasy of being married to Ben. Waking up every morning in each other's arms, elbowing for space at the bathroom counter while getting ready for the day, cooking breakfast together… And if they had kids, getting them up and ready, too. If they worked different jobs, then kissing each other goodbye on the way out the door. Organizing who was picking up the kids from school and finding a babysitter so that they could have a date night to themselves. Rook already knows that he'd struggle with learning how to pay human taxes, and math has never been Ben's favorite subject… They'd be up late rubbing sleep from their eyes and still sipping on coffee to get all of the paperwork in order on time. He can imagine them making a mess while painting the rooms, and Ben hounding him to buy the absolute gaudiest furniture, and picking out towel sets, and—

Somehow, Rook's fantasy of being married is more embarrassing than thinking about the fact that Ben is currently in the shower. He shakes his head to clear it and starts mixing the waffle batter again, realizing that he's been standing still in the kitchen for a good five minutes now. Still, there's a goofy smile on Rook's face. Ridiculous or not, those ideas are certainly appealing. He wonders if Ben would feel the same way. He wonders if they'll ever get the opportunity to sit down and discuss wedding plans and apartment ideals and children together.

Ben had died to give Rook the gift of a future. He isn't going to waste it.

By the time that Ben gets out of the shower and dries off and gets dressed, Rook has some waffles ready and waiting on a plate. He hasn't burned any of them this time, so the kitchen is filled with a warm, sweet smell.

"Wow, you weren't kidding," Ben says when he steps into the kitchen. Rook can't help but wish that Ben would walk up behind him and wrap his arms around Rook's waist, but Ben approaches the counter instead to take a bite out of the finished waffles. "You really do know how to make waffles. These are super good!"

"Thank you. It took some practice to get right, but I am glad that you enjoy them." Rook almost wants to say, "I learned from the best," but Ben won't understand. He'll have to find a new recipe for them to learn together.

Once all of the waffles are cooked, they move to the kitchen table to sit and eat. It's silent between them, but Rook isn't bothered. He eats mechanically, his thoughts preoccupied elsewhere. There's something that Rook has wanted to tell Ben for a while now, and he finally has the opportunity for his words to stick. He just isn't quite sure how he wants to phrase it.

Rook is distracted for a moment by the motion of Ben licking his lips. Then he's further enraptured by the way that the sunlight coming through the windows highlights the red undertones of Ben's hair, and the way that the hue of his eyes change with the slightest tilt of his head. Rook almost wants to take a picture, but a photograph will never be enough to capture everything that Rook loves about Ben Tennyson. He's the kind of person that one must experience to appreciate, and he looks his best when he's alive and breathing and moving. Stillness doesn't suit him.

He must have been staring for too long, because Ben notices. He quirks an eyebrow. "Something wrong, dude? Do I have something on my face?" Ben asks with his mouth full.

"No." Rook shakes his head and sets his fork down. "I was just thinking. Ben… I would like to apologize."

Ben stares. He stares and stares and stares, then he stares a little more. He seems to be having more trouble with this than with the idea that Rook has a crush on him. With visible effort, Ben swallows his food, then takes a sip from the glass of milk in front of him to wash it down. "Sorry, can you say that again?" He says finally. "It sounded like you said you wanted to apologize, but what do you have to be sorry for, Rook?"

"A lot of things." It's tempting to look down at his lap while he speaks, but Rook forces himself to hold eye-contact instead. "Ben, the truth is… Until very recently, I did not like the person that I was, and it goes without saying, but a mindset such as that means that I did not treat you very kindly."

He hasn't even finished when Ben is already shaking his head. "What are you even talking about?" Ben gestures wildly with the hand that's still clutching his fork. "Rook, you're my partner and, more importantly, you're my best friend. I don't know where you got the idea that you haven't been nice to me, but trust me: that's a load of shit."

Rook swallows a sigh. He should have known that this would become an argument — Ben never makes anything easy. "Ben, please," he says, holding his hands up placatingly. "Before you argue with me, may I at least say my piece? Even if you disagree, there are still some things that I would like to get off of my chest and I would feel much better if you listened."

"...I guess so." Ben looks far from convinced, but begrudgingly sits back in his seat and gestures for Rook to continue.

"Thank you." Rook smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He isn't surprised that Ben doesn't hold any of Rook's past behavior against him, but that doesn't suddenly make it all okay, either. "Firstly, I want to apologize for my attitude in the first few weeks of our partnership," Rook begins. He steamrolls right over Ben's attempt to protest and keeps going. "I was so convinced of my own abilities that I was unfair to you. Looking back on the incident where I made you beg for my help before joining a fight…" Rook cringes, remembering the battle at Dr. Animo's giant ant farm with great shame. His willful neglegance could have gotten Ben seriously hurt. "My behavior was inexcusable. What I said in Undertown as well, when we were trying to trick Khyber, was uncalled for and I never apologized for it. I am sorry for what I said, Ben, and I was wrong. I am sorry for pressuring you into telling me about Feedback, when it was clearly something that you were not comfortable sharing with me. I am sorry for not recognizing sooner that Albedo had switched places with you. I wanted to believe that you were taking my advice by using the Omnitrix less, as if somehow that translates into "bettering" yourself. For so long, I have been stuck in the mind set that my way is the only correct way, and I have punished you unjustly for not meeting my standards when you have always been ten times the hero that I am. No pun intended." He smiles to himself at the joke, but it doesn't last long. "I am sorry for—"

"Dude!" Ben clamps his hands over his ears with a scowl. "Just stop already! I get it! Quit apologizing to me!"

"But I—" Rook tries to protest.

"Stop talking!" He kicks Rook underneath the table for emphasis. "Rook, I don't need an apology for any of that stuff," Ben tells him, exasperated. "Sure, you were an asshole when we met, but guess what? So was I! Whoop-de-do. That stuff literally doesn't matter at all to me. You know that Kevin tried to kill me when we first met, right? And Gwen terrorized me for the first ten years of my life. And Helen and Manny dumped me into the Null Void. And—"

"Yes, I see what you are getting at," Rook interrupts impatiently, "but your alarming disregard of people's problematic behavior has nothing to do with this. I am apologizing to you because I want to, not because I think that you need to hear it."

Ben puffs his cheeks up in annoyance. "Fine," he agrees with a sigh that uses his whole body. "Then I'm going to apologize to you, too." Immediately, Rook goes to argue, but is silenced by the look on Ben's face. "I let you speak your mind, now let me do the same."

As much as Rook doesn't like it (and he doesn't even know what Ben has to apologize for), he isn't going to turn this into an argument. He nods once. Fair is fair, after all.

"Okay. Since you're dredging up the beginning of our partnership, I want to apologize for being a jerk the day we met," Ben tells him. "Don't say that I wasn't, because I definitely was. I'm self-aware enough to know when I'm being an ass, and in your case, I was doing it on purpose. And I'm sorry for that," he apologizes, looking legitimately remorseful. "If I had a problem with you being my partner, I should have taken it up with Grandpa Max, not gotten a bitchy attitude towards you when you were only doing your job. I also want to apologize for not taking you seriously. I know you apologized for trying to change me or whatever, but some of your advice was good, and I probably could have benefited from listening to it."

A part of Rook wants to disagree just for the sake of being stubborn, but he does appreciate Ben's transparency. He sighs and relaxes. "Thank you, Ben. I appreciate that."

"Good." Ben nods and returns to his breakfast. "It should go without saying, but I forgive you for all that shit you were apologizing for. So can we move on to a normal subject, please?"

Rook isn't done, but he can see that he's making Ben uncomfortable, which isn't the goal of this conversation at all. "Of course. We can pick this up at a later date," he suggests, to which Ben groans. Rook can't help the fond smile on his face.

Yeah. He can get used to this.

They finish eating in a comfortable silence, then they clean the dishes together so that Ben's parents won't have to when they get home from work. That sense of domesticity returns, even stronger than before, and Rook finds himself staring at Ben like an idiot, his hands damp and his fur covered in soap suds and his heart so full of love that he thinks it might burst. This is what Rook wants every morning to be like between them. Waking up together and getting ready and making breakfast and doing the dishes while splashing each other with bubbles. It doesn't feel like a fantasy anymore. It feels like something real, something that Rook can actually have. He blinks away tears and sets the dishes in the drying rack before Ben notices how emotional Rook is and asks about it.

"What do you want to do today?" Ben asks, leaning casually against the counter. "We've got plenty of time off to do whatever." There are still a few soap suds in his hair from where Rook had blown a handful in his direction. Rook longs to set his hand against the dip of Ben's hip and pull him close, memorizing the curve of his jaw with his lips.

"Anything with you," comes Rook's immediate (and truthful) reply. He reaches over, feeling bold, and takes hold of Ben's hand. "We can always start driving and see what happens."

It could be anything. Ben could notice a new bowling alley that was opening up, or perhaps someone would try to get his attention and ask for help, or there would be an invasion of Earth after lunch. Rook has no idea. The novelty of not knowing what to expect for once is thrilling.

"Sure." Ben's face is pink, but he doesn't take his hand out of Rook's. Their fingers are still entwined as Ben leads Rook out of the kitchen, stopping near the counter to nod his head at his mom's fruit bowl. "Do you want to take an apple or something for the road?"

"Yes." Rook says without hesitation. He uses his free hand to pick up the apple and takes a bite out of it. It's the best thing he's ever tasted, and he grins. "Have I ever told you that apples are my favorite food?" He asks, giving Ben's hand a squeeze.

Ben raises an eyebrow, amused. "Really? That's not the impression that I got yesterday," he jokes, and they leave his house still holding hands.

Unfortunately, they do have to let go of each other to get into the Proto-TRUK. Rook buckles himself in and makes short work of the apple, tearing into it until only the core is left. Despite having just eaten breakfast and a snack, Rook is starving. He feels like he could inhale an entire buffet. His leg bounces restlessly. Rook wants to go for a ten-mile run, he's so happy and full of energy. It's like he's just woken up from a long, deep sleep. Or like he's gone his whole life only able to see in black-and-white and today Rook woke up to a world saturated in color — and the brightest spot is the green of Ben's eyes.

"Do you know what would be a good birthday present?" Rook sets the core in his cupholder to toss out later and turns the TRUK on, pulling away from the curb. "A thousand paper cranes."

"I didn't know you were interested in origami, Rook," Ben muses. "You know, there's this old myth that states if you fold a thousand paper cranes, you get to make a wish. I wonder if you have to be the one to fold the cranes, though, or if you can give the wish to someone else."

Rook shrugs. "I doubt that there are actual rules governing such a thing. It is a myth for a reason. I like to think that one can give the wish to whomever they want."

In Rook's mind, it's the perfect birthday gift for Ben — a symbol of the depth of Rook's feelings, and the promise of opportunity. They are both going to have a future, whether it's together or it's separate, and all Rook wants is for Ben to have a good one. He wants forget-me-nots and apples and paper cranes and too many Fridays to count.

Ben might have made the universe for Rook, but Ben is Rook's universe.

The cabin of the TRUK is quiet, and comfortably so, but Rook can't stand keeping his thoughts to himself. "Ben," he voices, unable to hold in his affection any longer. Rook doesn't want a single minute to pass where Ben doubts his feelings. "I wanted to remind you that I love you."

For a second, Ben looks at him oddly, but then he smiles. It's that smile; the one that Ben gave him every morning when Rook picked him up, the one that Ben gave him right before he remade the universe for him, and the one that will forever be burned into Rook's mind. It looks so sweet. It looks like home. It looks like love. Rook wishes so badly that Ben's eyes were an ocean just so that he could drown in them. He'll never need air again if Ben keeps looking at him like that.

"I know," Ben says, and there's a glimmer in his eyes like galaxies.

He doesn't say "I love you" back, but Rook doesn't need to hear it to know that it's true. What says "I love you" more than sacrificing yourself to give another the chance at a future? Rook stays quiet, the corners of his lips turned up fondly. For the first time in a long time, Rook is well and truly happy. He will have to work on wooing Ben, but Rook isn't in a rush.

There is always tomorrow.

A/N: I left the extent of how much Ben remembers open for interpretation. Does he remember all of it, just the last loop, or none of it? Who knows. (Well, I mean, I know, but it's more fun to leave the readers with something to think about.)

The last time that I finished a fic that lasted a year, I did a Q&A thing for the afterword. Seeing as how this fic has lasted a lot longer than a year, I thought I'd do something similar. So, if you have questions/comments/criticisms, you can leave them in the comments or in the form of an ask over on my Tumblr account (karkalicious769), and I'll post an afterword there in a few days, then link it here when I'm done.

I want to give special thanks to slowburnhana, hapalopus, kikiyo41, and blueaphelion on Tumblr for their support/interest in my fic over the years, which has been a consistent motivator for me to finally reach the end. Dani, especially, is probably the only reason why I finished this. I couldn't let all of her fantastic art be for nothing!

There's three other possible endings for this fic which I might end up writing, just for people who want that angst. They are all far more depressing than this one. If I do end up writing those, they'll be exclusive to my AO3 account.

Thank you so much to everyone who has been following this fic since 2019 and been patiently waiting while my interest waxed and waned! I couldn't be prouder of myself for finishing this and I hope that the ending is satisfying after everything our boys have been through.