"That was stupid." Klaus whispers into the air, watching as ashes blow through the wind. The fluttering grey particles catch and stick to his uniform, his hair, his eyelashes…
"But I'm fine, I swear!" Ben walks up quickly behind Klaus, smiling weakly. He holds out his hand to clasp the teenager's shoulder, but has second thoughts when he sees the tense way that Klaus's back is quaking. Hurt ripples through Number 4, but not the kind of pain that you can patch up with one of Mom's bandages. "Klaus, I really am fine…"
Klaus walks forward a few paces until he's at the edge of the rooftop, watching the jewelry store crackling in the embers below. He sees scattered necklaces and window displays, a fake engagement ring the size of a dinner plate lying in the heated ruins.
He looks out into the distance, catching a glimpse of the fire trucks rocketing towards them from 35th street. He sighs, turning to face Ben and a dozen slightly-toasty-but-otherwise-alright unconscious people lying a few feet towards Ben's left.
"Klaus-listen, I know what you said, but they needed my help-" Ben starts one of his marathon-long ramblings. Usually, he could easily be shut up with a quick kiss (that might turn into something more). But Klaus didn't feel much like kissing at the moment.
"-And I knew I could carry them all!" Ben pulls at a stray tentacle from under his uniform. "So why wouldn't I help?!" Suddenly, Ben's apologetic face turns stormy.
"You're just being selfish! These people need us!" Ben gestures at the unconscious humans to his left, then back towards the fire.
Klaus turns away again. "But…you could've died."
His voice breaks. Everything's going to hell.
"You could've died Ben!" He rounds on his companion, jabbing his finger into Ben's shaking chest. "What would I do without you?" he whispers sadly into the few inches of space separating their faces.
"Klaus…" Ben's voice becomes softer. He grabs Klaus' hands in his, holds them to his heart. "I know I may do reckless things sometimes…"
Klaus looks to the toasty citizens, ensuring that they aren't consciously bearing witness to this intense conversation. He glances back to Ben, whose features have gone soft with affection. Klaus tries to collect himself with a shaky breath, attempting to regain the sass and sarcasm that usually pervade his presence. But he's there with Ben, so there's really no point in holding up the façade any longer.
"Klaus, I promise, no matter what I do or where I go," Ben presses a kiss to their joined hands, "no matter what seemingly-reckless mucks I get myself into-" another kiss "I will never, ever leave you." He punctuates his promise with a shy, final kiss on Klaus' lips; letting the words sink into his lover's pale, cool skin.
The kiss takes hold, and just as Ben starts to pull away to look into Klaus's pale, twinkly eyes, Klaus' hand reaches for the back of Ben's neck. Suddenly Number 4 is pulling Ben's face closer to his, he's moving Ben's body flush against his own. The shared fire in their hearts burns more brightly than the dark flames engulfing the burgled jewelry store below them.
Klaus pulls away for a moment to take a panting breath before moving down to kiss the bit of Ben's neck that's exposed above his uniform. Ben sighs softly, smiling as he feels Klaus pull down the scratchy cotton of his cape to gain better access to the crook of his neck.
"K-Klaus…" He sighs as Klaus hits the sweet spot that is the curve of Ben's shoulder. Klaus spreads his thin fingers like a fan across Ben's back, massaging tiny circles into muscles that are sore from supporting the weight of 5 jewelers, 2 floor managers, 3 customers and 2 burglars.
"You like that, baby?" Klaus says beneath his breath, trailing his index finger along Ben's spine as his lips work back up towards Ben's chin. Ben murmurs something incoherent as Klaus trails kisses up behind his ear before sending a hot breath across Number 6's skin.
"Y-yes…but…the missionary…the mission." Ben's eyes roll back in his head a bit as his partner's fingers begin to press at the hard muscle knot on the small of his back.
The fire truck sirens get louder.
"Mm…you're right…" Klaus presses a sound kiss on Ben's lips before pulling the larger teen's cape back into place. "My room, later?"
Ben smiles weakly, holding up his hand, palm facing out, to Klaus. Klaus smiles back, lifting his "Hello" hand to meet Ben's. Their fingers interlace, and for a moment, everything is all right.