Disclaimer: This story will have a focus on a relationship between Ben and Gwen, wether or not it will develop into a full relationship is still up in the air.
If you do not care for even hints of the relationship this story is not for you.
It is a cool evening, with the moon beginning to shine through. The tranquility of the dusk is broken by the noise that fills the air. Shouts and bangs reverberate . A violent crash sounds as a young woman with fiery red hair faces off against a blue monkey in the waning light. The ground is marked as the monkey avoids the pink glowing blasts that she throws.
The monkey dips and twirls in between the volley that flies at him, springing away from the explosions into the trees. Each feat of acrobatics from him frustrates her further. Voice ringing in the clearing "Get down here Ben!" She scans the tree tops, circling around to find him. Looking for the slightest hint of where to send the next blast.
"No way" Skittering from tree to tree the nasal sound comes from all directions. "Monkeys belong in trees."
Growling at his taunt she shouts back at him. "Fine!" Her eyes glow a vibrant pink, sparking hands raise. "Excutite in ventos! ( Winds, shake the trees!)" A strong wind comes on with her words, every sweep of her hand directs it to shake the trees. Her eyes roam over them as her left hand charges up a pink mana bolt, lighting up her arm in little glowing slashes.
Her eyes snap to a high pitched noise that comes from her left. The monkey screams as he comes flying out of the trees. "Whooah"
The mana bolt flies right at him, lighting up his four eyes as it comes closer. A string of webbing shoots from his tail to a nearby tree. Narrowly pulling himself out of the way of the blast. The monkey swings around the trunk.
Grabbing and breaking off one of the branches it jumps from the wildly shaking tree. Right into the path of another bolt. Throwing the branch, the bolt explodes early. Appearing out of the pink blast he surprises her. Giving the monkey a chance to shoot his webbing right at the girl.
Another bolt clears the webbing coming at her. Rolling out of the way of the flying monkey. She springs up with a kick aimed right at its head.
Ben ducks under it with an indignant "Hey!" moving to sweep her legs out from under her.
She jumps back onto a floating pink platform, charging mana to both her hands. Lighting the both of them with an eerie pink light.
A shot of webbing hits her, throwing her off the platform. The monkey follows closely, landing on top of her, pinning her to the ground. She trashes to get out from under it.
"Gwen! Calm down" He grunts with the effort it takes to hold her down. "It's just a spar." Pushing her flat on the ground, using his four arms to hold down her hands and shoulders. She struggles for a moment longer, straining every which way before finally giving in.
"Alright already, get off me." She looks to the side scrunching up her nose "Your breath smells horrible."
He steps back from her. A flash of green has a young man with brown hair and glimmering green eyes standing in the place of spider monkey. Offering his hand to her with a sheepish smile. "yeah, I might have forgotten to brush this morning."
"Ugh, Ben!" She takes his hand to stand and brushes the dirt from her. Walking over to the fallen log where their bags are lying. Taking their water bottles she hands him his, taking a drink of her own. The two rest for a bit. Sitting in silence.
Letting his eyes go over their training spot Ben gives a low whistle "Wow, you're taking spars very serious." Gwen averts her eyes, not wanting to see the blast marks or the shaken trees.
"Yeah, I guess it was a bit much.'' Taking another drink she looks up into the sky.
Ben leans back to see the emerging stars as well, casually speaking. "Well, only natural to need an outlet if you're under a lot of stress."
She looks at him, brows scrunching together. "What do you mean?"
Ben keeps his eyes fixed on the stars, still keeping his words as casual as possible "School, extra-curricular, college,... You just have a lot on your plate."
She turns towards him, arms crossed. Eyebrow up. Ben's eyes had drifted to look at her from the corner of his eye. Snapping back to the stars when she turns to him. Fixed on one point in the distance.
"Ben." A single word. Enough to make him fidget in his place.
"Language studies, social obligations, crime-fighting..."
"Ben!'' He flinches as his name snaps from her lips.
Wondering how she does it he turns towards her with his most innocent expression. "Yes?" She keeps still, merely looking at him with pursed lips and the one raised eyebrow. Patiently waiting while his fidgeting worsens.
Throwing his arms up towards the sky he exclaims. "Alright, alright, stop it with the evil eye" Muttering beneath his breath. "How do you even do that?!"
She smirks while his arms are still raised to the sky. Quickly hiding it, although the smirk almost breaks through during his muttering.
Her frown back in place as he turns towards her. "Your parents called me, they haven't seen much of you lately." His tone serious as he speaks. "I haven't seen much of you lately either." She looks to the side of him, tilting her chin down.
"But Kevin was the most concerned." She looks surprised at this, mumbling his name even as Ben continues." He thought you two were okay again after the breakup." Her hands grasp her elbows, protecting herself while her frown deepens.
"I'm fine" Her voice is quiet as she looks everywhere but at him "you don't need to worry, it's just busy."
"Really" the skepticism on his face wars with his voice. "Then what are those marks on your arms?"
She stands, twisting away from him, hiding her reaction. The words selected and carefully neutral "What marks? My arms are bare in this top, not a thing to see."
Ben's eyes are trained on her back "The ones that light up when you use your powers." His voice is clipped, harsh enough to make her stop. "The ones that look like they were done on purpose!"
Her back stiffens at the accusation "I don't know what you're talking about." Her tone leaves no doubt that she'll fight him every step of the way.
Ben sighs deeply, standing up and walking so he stands in front of her. She still avoids his gaze but the inflection of his voice makes her look up at him. He still looks serious but there is a soft almost fragile edge.
"Gwen, I 'm worried about you. I've never seen you that aggressive without cause." She shouldn't have looked into his eyes, her resolve crumbles as she meets them. "Please Gwen." The tone of his words breaks it.
"I got suspended from Karate." Her words are small as she shrinks in on herself.
The relief at hearing her speak is plainly visible on his face. He grabs her by the shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. Neither one of them wants to let go as they draw comfort from it. When they finally do he takes her by the hand and leads her back to the log. Giving a reassuring squeeze when they sit.
"it's just so much lately" Her words come haltingly, not sure where to begin. "I could handle it at first but it kept getting more." The words rush out "Things couldn't get done in time and I was always stressed. I didn't mean to go that hard during practice. I almost broke his leg..." She is horrified at her own admission, staring off with sightless eyes.
Ben shakes her from her silent reverie by squeezing her hand. "When did you start cutting?"
Her eyes become misty as she shakes her head slowly. "I didn't mean to. The first time happened by accident, only a little nick. I didn't even notice it until later." Her shoulders slump as she confesses "I was doing an assignment and it just wouldn't work. I noticed the wound and spent minutes staring at it, remembering the sting. I don't know what I was thinking when I grabbed my scissors." Her eyes close. He squeezes her hand while her voice fills with an emotion Ben can't identify. It scares him to hear her speak in so strange a tone. "It felt as if I was slowly drowning, I tried clawing my way to the surface but everything kept closing in on me. Suffocating me." She falls silent at the last words.
"I don't know how long I sat there but that tight knot had finally unwound." Ben looks pained at the relief he hears "I healed the wound and kept working. It helped but only for a while until I needed to do it again." She pinches her eyes shut and squeezes back.
Helplessness in her voice as she admits "It happened again and again."
Ben's voice is hesitant "Didn't you try to stop?"
She sounds close to tears as she gives a rueful chuckle "Of course I tried Ben!" Holding her head in her hands she groans" I tried everything I could find but nothing worked. I still needed IT." Stressing the last word.
"I still need it." He's never heard her sound so defeated. As if it was nothing more then an inevitability that she would keep doing it.
"No." Gwen turns when he speaks, surprised at the resonance in his voice. "There is always something we can do."
She shakes her head again, not daring to hope "I've already tried all the traditional methods. they didn't work."
"An unorthodox one then, more the one way to skin a cat." He's smiling at her but it holds a nervous edge. Deliberating before he speaks again. "I knew what the slashes were because I know someone who has similar marks." This time it's Ben who looks away from her as he speaks "She has a special method for dealing with her stress and anxiety."
Gwen takes her time to look at him. Noting that she's not the reason for his fidgeting now. "Must be some method if it makes you this uncomfortable."
He gives a nervous chuckle before sighing deeply. Visibly squaring himself "It's the reason why julie broke up with me." Gwen looks shocked while he explains "I've been going to a rope club, learning shibari in my free time." She sounds the unfamiliar word out. "Bondage…"
Her mouth drops open in surprise "That's what you're suggesting?!" Voice high in a shriek.
He hurries to explain" Not... Not the sexual kind! You can do it in different ways." Emphasising his last words with a wave of his hands "With clothes!"
She folds her arm and looks at him with her brow raised "Explain!"
"One of the... instructors is a lot like you and she explained that the feeling of constriction helps her deal with it all in a healthier way." His words rush out in a tumble.
Gwen still looks skeptical even as he explains the mechanics of it all further. Carefully listening before she speaks "Okay"
"And it doesn't have to... Wait what?" He looks dumbfounded as he finally processes what she said. "Okay?"
"Yes, okay." Her admission doesn't change his surprised look.
"Ben I know you're not suggesting this to get in my pants. You wouldn't be telling me this at all if you didn't think it could help." She looks into his eyes, giving a small smile at what she knows to be there.
Rolling her eyes as she moves her hand to close his mouth with a click. "When can we do this?"
Ben shakes himself, his voice still hesitant. "Tomorrow around 11? Kevins garage." He considers his words going over them "Bring your gym clothes?" still in disbelief at what's happening.
Gwen nods, shifting on her feet. "Okay." They stand in silence until a loud ringing erupts from the log making the both of them jump at the noise. Gwen hurries over to her bag, pulling her still ringing cellphone from it. "Crap, I'm late!"
Grabbing her bag she quickly checks if she has everything before moving off in a hurry.
"Tomorrow. Bye Ben."
His eyes had followed her around the clearing, he calls out as she leaves "Gwen." making her turn to him. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."
She shakes her head at his words moving off between the trees. "You can't always be there Ben."
He looks up at the stars, whispering to himself as he clenches his fists
"I should be."
Authors note:
As should be clear from the first chapter Ben will be attempting to help Gwen deal with her stress with an unconventional method. Namely bondage and shibari, the main focus in this story will also be about the implementation of these subjects. Again this will have the possibility of a Ben and Gwen romance as they deal with everything. If you don't like hints of this then this really isn't the story for you.
Thank you for reading and enjoy.