Protect Me by Nehan Shinzui

A/N: Ok. I actually may be able to update twice in one day this time! Hurray! The computer is shut down and I've been given time to force myself not to procrastinate. I've also thought long and hard about how I'm going to write this and some of you may be disappointed with the way it turns out but I want to stress that I at least hinted at this with Ben's amnesia--and you'll understand what I mean by this in later chapters. I've also decided what I'm going to do with Cash and the baby and I can say that Cash's end will occur somewhere around chapter 11 or 12. I guess. So, um, thanks for giving me all of that glorious feedback it really perked me up when I was feeling down and I'm very happy with all of the hits and views I've gotten! I AM A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD VIRGIN WHO LOOOOOOOOOOOVES YAOI AND I'M FUCKING PROUD OF IT, DAMMIT! (But, uh, don't tell my parents. It'd be too awkward. Especially since I like hardcore and sadistic).

Nehan Shinzui

Chapter Nine: Flowers

It became apparent to Ben that motherly affection had its limit. There was a faint ringing in his ears from the bawling out his parents had given him for missing school, "doing God knows what!" Ben had smirked and said he knew exactly what he'd been doing and stated that it was something they so obviously needed more of. This little remark shocked and upset his mother so much that she was almost at the brink of tears and had him grounded until hell froze over. So now he sat, fuming. No phone, no video games, no TV, no going out, no nothing! The boy gasped. No going out or phone meant---no Kevin! The thought made him punch the wall in a rage. It wasn't fair! He had to see him before the night was over or....

Ben suddenly yawned, stretching. He was still exhausted and sore from that morning. Any escape plans he'd formulate would have to wait until he took a nap and recuperated. Besides, there was nothing else to do.

Kevin sat in his bedroom eating take-out Chinese food, flipping through the channels. It was all a mask to hold in the turmoil he felt, from what him and Ben had done. He licked his lips remembering how the boy had felt. There was still that pang of guilt though. It didn't feel right--having sex with the mother of his child's cousin? Her male cousin? They had been moments of drunken lust sleeping with her--how had things spiraled out of control to the point that he was going to be a father? He couldn't even look at Gwen now. Besides that, having sex with Ben hadn't felt right. Well, it had felt great but not the way he wanted to, it was just-- wrong. Something was wrong with Ben, something other than the amnesia. His whole personality had changed and his eyes... Kevin shook his head, switching the television off. He hoped Tennyson wasn't in too much trouble for missing school. He swore to himself that the next day, (since he'd been so flustered after the sex he'd brushed Ben off immediately at the time he was supposed to be home after school) he would take full responsibility for Ben not making it to class. Kevin felt an upsurge of hatred flow through him suddenly. And he'd take care of Cash soon too.

Kevin had fallen asleep when there was a knock on the window. He shifted slightly, then with a snort at the second, harder knock, jolted awake. He stood up blearily trying to make himself alert in case it was some sort of attack. But he had a feeling that wasn't it. After all, what kind of crazy alien killer knocked? He reached the window and slid it open. His mouth fell agape when Ben hopped over the window ledge. The hero was all smiles.

"What the hell are you doing here Tennyson?" Kevin interjected loudly. Ben leaned against his shoulder, crooning.

"Mom and Dad had to leave to go to some event." he replied. The younger brushed past the mutant and plopped on the bed, grabbing the remote and switching the television on. "So what're we doing tonight?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Tennyson?" Kevin said, furrowing his brow. "Shouldn't you be at home being....I don't know--grounded?"

"I probably should." Ben said, eyeballs glued to the t.v. screen. He gave a girlish giggle. "You didn't think we were just going to fuck and be done, did you, Kev- Kev?" The remote stopped on a music video video or something that featured martial arts action. Ben turned the volume up. Kevin stomped over to him furiously, and snatched the remote out of his hands.

"What the hell makes you think I only wanted to fuck you?" he asked softly. Kevin brushed some hair out his friends eyes, an awkwardly gentle gesture that shocked even himself. "Why are you acting like this?" He kissed Ben lightly on the cheek.

"Wow, three consecutive 'what the hell?' questions in a row, Levin." Ben answered cheekily. "Guess you're vocab expanded. Fine, I'll answer your last three questions in order. One: I think I answered that one with the question ' you didn't think we were going to fuck and just be done?' Perhaps that was improper." Ben returned the kiss and pulled Kevin down over him, so that the mutant straddled him. Kevin put his head near the boy's ear.

"So answer it properly."

"Duh. I was getting to that."

Kevin rubbed his nose into the crook of Ben's neck.

"What I meant was that since I'm grounded until the end of time--"

"I didn't want you to get grounded, man!"

Rolling his eyes, Ben dug his fingers into the older man's back.

"--since I'm grounded until the end of time," the hero continued impatiently, "I figured that we should go out and do something special before the restrictions get too tight. Question Two: Well, after we had sex you let me sleep for like, an hour,but then acted weirded out the rest of the day and practically did the hundred-meter dash trying to get me in the door. And Question Three: I don't know what you're talking about."

Kevin breathed slowly into Ben's ear. "You used to be different before...."

"Before what?" Ben spat suddenly angry. "Before what? Before you made me rearrange your damn house?" Ben shoved the man off of him with surprising strength. "You're keeping something from me! You and Gwen have been acting like somebody died or something and I'm some five-year old who you think is too young!"

Kevin stared at him.

"And just who the hell is Cash, anyway?"

Kevin kissed him on the mouth, silencing him. He was over him again and as he brushed the younger's hair out of his eyes, he whispered, "No one. He's nothing to worry about right now." Ben stared at the ceiling and sighed and allowed Kevin to dryhump him. As he began to get aroused the hero kissed him back but a little reluctantly because he was still annoyed with the fact that Kevin wasn't telling him anything. The taller began to fondle and rut against him roughly and Ben let him until they came his release feeling odd and exhausted.

"What's wrong Ben?" Kevin asked when he was done, sliding his underwear off and heading towards his bathroom. He left the door open as he ran the sink water. "Ya look, like, weirded out or something."

Ben scoffed. It felt like Kevin should already know. He slid out of his pants and underwear and tossed them into the bathroom. The hero slumped sluggishly into the bed and covered his eyes with his arm, a sudden pounding in his ears. He felt strong arms pull him up, carrying him bridal style into the bathroom. Kevin sat him on the sink, the cold surface shocking him as the mutant turned on the shower. Ben looked tiredly on as Kevin took off his shirt, then slid Ben out of his.

"You're so cute when you're pouting!" Kevin said cheerfully as he led him into the shower stall. He seemed in a great mood all of a sudden as he poured shampoo onto Ben's hair and began to run his hands through it and lather the soft brown locks as he bent over and kissed him again. Ben only began to feel more and more miserable.

"How could you, Levin?" he muttered looking at the water flow into the drain. Kevin's grin slid down a couple of degrees and he paused, his hands pulling at Ben's hair.

"What?" he almost whispered. Ben looked at him with dazed and wounded eyes.

"How could you let him do that to me?" Ben shouted. He hit the other in the arm as his voice began to fiercer and his eyes burned holes into Kevin's.

"How could you let him fuck me like that, Kevin? I thought you loved me!"

Kevin began to apologize frantically as he pulled Ben out of the stall and forced a towel on him.

"You let Cash fu--" Ben paused mid-shout and began to shiver. Looking around, he asked, rather abruptly, "Why'd you yank me out of the shower like that? What the hell?"

"You--" Kevin paused. He must've just had an attack again. That's all. He forgot again. "You--you ahh--you just started shivering like crazy! And I um...let's get you dressed for bed. You look awful tired. I'll drive you home before your parents get back alright?" Ben looked at him in confusion.

Driving back to the Tennyson home in the dead of night, thoughts raced back and forth in Kevin's mind on what to do with the boy leaning against him, asleep. He didn't like keeping things from him, but he was sure that if Ben were to recall what had happened to him it would tear him apart. And he would give anything to keep that wide-eyed beautiful smile from falling.

The next morning found Ben up especially early and refreshed, as though he hadn't walked four miles on a midnight excursion to his gay lover's house then been dry humped on his bed. Running into the kitchen, he grabbed a piece of bread from the cabinet and swooped down to kiss mother on the cheek as she was making coffee. She almost choked on her morning drink as she goggled her son's sudden switch in attitude. Before she could ask, Ben dashed out of the house feeling energized and oddly happy. It was a beautiful morning. He fell onto the grass of his lawn and sighed, breathing in the scent of cleancut grass. He lay contently like that for a long while until he heard footsteps on the walkway. Ben sat up and stared at a slightly overweight woman in a blue uniform holding a bouquet of multicolored tulips. The hero cocked his head at her.

"Who're those for?" he asked her. The mail lady scratched herself then pulled a card out of the bouquet and scrunched her eyes at it.

"A Benjamin Tennyson." she answered gruffly.

"That's me!" Ben said. The postwoman gave the flowers to him, then scurried down the street. Ben held the flowers close to his chest and went to sit on his porch. Suddenly, he called out to the woman, "When did you get these?"

She turned around and shouted back, "Just this morning! The guy paid extra to get 'em out immediatly!" Then she hurried along again. The herro sat back and smiled again, giddy. The flower wrapping had another card sticking out of it and he pulled it out and read it.

"There aren't many words that could describe the way I love you.

You are my everything. You ar my air, my water, my heartbeart. You are my entire planet, my universe. I would do anything to have you by my side with me for all of time. No one will ever come between us. I will protect you with my life. I miss you so much and I wiil see you again soon as I can. I AND I ALONE WILL LOVE YOU LIKE THIS MY BEAUTIFUL BEN."

It was corny and not exactly poetry but Ben found it sweet. Kevin must've saw how upset he was and not known how to help him in person. Ben blushed slightly. What a nice way to express that especially since they wouldn't see each other in a while! He went to put them in some water.

Gwen felt tears slide down her face as she drove on the freeway. Losing control, she began to sob as she sped into the carpool lane. They had disowned her! Disowned! They claimed she had ruined everything for them! All the control she'd had all these weeks was gone now as it all came flooding out of her. The fact that Kevin dumped her after she told him about the pregnancy. Crack. Pressure at home and at school. Crack. Ben's rape. Crack. Kevin's disinterest in telling Ben she was pregnant. Then him wanting to pretend like everything was great between them for Ben's sake. The fact that her child's father would rather fuck her male cousin. Crack, crack, crack! She had to pull over as her tears made it more and more difficult to see. Gwen began to hyperventilate as she clutched at the bulge in her stomach. She panted for a long time.

After a few minutes a strange calm spread throughout her body and she stared at her reflection in the mirror above her headboard. Her face was pale and set.

She had reached a decision.

A/N: So there you have it! I'm actually pretty proud of this chapter! Now, the flowers aren't from who you may think--or maybe they are! Hmmmm....

I just saw an episode of Fma: Brotherhood! Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! HA! The next chapter will be more about Gwen's decision which you may guess at will. The feedback I've been getting has been just amazing and really great because now I've got something to boost my ego! HEhehe! I'll try to have the next chap out the same time as this one to make up for the time gap because my computer broke down and shit so I'm just writing on my Internetless laptop. I hope you love it my beautiful fans! I know my love letter sucked but whatev,I tried. I'm not so good at the lovey, dovey shit anyway and besides that if things get too fluffly to the point where they're ridiculously out of character I get really pissed! I have written a Spiderman fanfiction recently so I'd be happy if you guys read it but I do plan on revising it when I finally get ahold of a computer but it's called "Control". Please read and review all of my stories! It'd make me so happy! I love Sade! She rocks!

Nehan Shinzui