Arthur's note:

"regular speech"
"phone speech"

Ben sat in the sole padded chair in the room, elbows on his knees and fingers twined together as he watched Argit slumber.

He had called Rook, who had already called Max when Ben had bolted, to explain the whole ordeal when he had checked the small alien in and had discussed it all with both he and his grandfather when they had come in. Both had had their misgivings when it came to the rodent but they had agreed that in this case Argit was clearly the victim and needed looking after until the case was solved.

Now, early in the morning of the following day, that Ben sat in the room and had a moment to process everything after a nights sleep in his own bed he was beginning to feel the weight of his duties settle on his shoulders. The previous night it had taken a while before the doctors would divulge any information, upholding the doctor patient privilege and all, until Ben was marked as the guardian for the conman and what he had been told didn't sit well with him.

Several lacerations, both from sharp objects and violent strikes, a large amount of bruising, two broken ribs, the tattered ear, burns from both open fire and cigarettes, and the broken leg were the primary list of injuries. There were a handful of other things though that made his stomach turn.

The first was something he had not noticed until much later is that Argit had been wearing a collar. The doctors had removed the thick metal band and when it had been looked into they said it had been used to shock it's wearer. The device was sent off to be properly examined. The second fact that made the hero ill was that the doctors had had to flush a good bit of drugs from the rodent's systems. Most of it was depressants and things similar to rohypnol. The third fact was something that disturbed Ben the most.

There were signs of sexual assault.

Ben wasn't exactly naive about these things, he knew they happened and that they were always traumatic, but he was no expert on them by far. With this information in hand the boy seriously contemplated handing off the case to someone who could properly handle it but he had promised Argit that he would protect him and just handing him off to someone else was probably wasn't complying with that to well. Not to mention that the rodent might trust any other legal figure even less than himself and it could just make everything worse.

He was sure that Argit wouldn't want the fact of the assault to be broadcast either. Ben would have to tell his grandfather, just because he was sure the older Tennyson could give him some proper advice on how to handle it all, and possibly Rook considering their partner status. Not to mention if he ever needed help he didn't want Rook doing something to set off the conman and not knowing why.

What had he really gotten himself into? Ben ran a hand through his hair and gave a sigh. He had gone from hero of Earth to some character on those Law and Order shows his mother watched. Though was this really any different from other hero duties? Protecting the innocent and helpless, even if Argit wasn't so innocent, and bringing wrong doers to justice. It was just that in this case everything was a bit more delicate. A bit more difficult.

His musing was brought to a stand still as the alien in the room groaned. The medications were wearing off and the smaller male was coming back around into the land of the waking. Pushing himself up to stand Ben moved to the edge of the hospital bed, watching as the rodent shifted and muttered as he woke. The moment his eyes cracked and took in the sights though Ben thought the other would fall right off the bed.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Hey! It's okay! It's just me." He caught Argit by the shoulders, keeping a hold on him just long enough to ensure that the other wouldn't toss out of the bed before letting him go, not wanting to push anything.

With a minute given for the bandaged male to regain his breath and composure Argit settled back into the sheets.

"You're still here hu..?"

Giving a simple lift of his shoulders Ben lightly grasped the side railing of the bed as he replied.

"Yeah. I did promise after all."

A soft and rough laugh, the noise harsh from smoke inhalation and Argit's waking state, left the rodent's throat as he gave Ben a look that cynical older siblings gave to their younger brethren who still believed in such things as Santa and the Easter Bunny when they were approaching the age that such things were becoming silly.

"Promise...? Since when has that meant shit for anything?" He gave a little fit of coughing which had the young adult in a state of worry over him only to be waved off. "Promises are cheap."

That had been... expected. Even at rock bottom Argit was not going to trust anyone and it was going to be a hollow effort to try and make him try and understand that not everyone was like him and didn't have it out to stab everyone else before they were stabbed themselves. So with a sigh Ben simply shook his head.

"Well it means something to me so im following through with it." The hero leveled his gaze with Argit's, weathering the rodent's skepticism, before continuing. "I'm going to talk to Grandpa in a bit and see about arrangements for you."

"And dump me with a bunch of social workers I bet. Don't know why you're bothering with anything though cause I'm sure the Plumbers have a nice, cozy, barred, 'arrangement' already set up for me..." Argit snipped in reply.

The rodent scowled at him and bristled, quills rattling slightly, before he ended the show of bravado with a wince. Before Ben could open his mouth to question any further Argit continued to speak.

"Whatever... I don't really give a fuck so just do whatever stupid 'hero' thing you're gonna do and leave me the hell alone."

Turning his snout away from the human Argit effectively ended that conversation with the clear motions that he was done talking. Ben could only feel his shoulders sag as he sighed and turned to step out of the room, pulling his phone from his pocket as he went. Not even truly starting his job and already it was wearing him down.

Standing alone in the quiet hallway Ben dialed his grandfather and struck up a conversation regarding his new 'charge'. He was thankful to have his grandfather so close at hand seeing as Max just seemed to be the most worldly, calm, collected, and wise person that Ben knew. As the phone stopped it's ringing to the sound of Max's voice Ben felt his spirits lift just a bit as he explained everything he had been told and various theories as to what had happened that had swirled in his head. If anyone would know what to do it would be Grandpa Max.

For a few long minutes Max was silent on his end before at last he broke the heavy void of noise.

"Well Ben I can submit the case to the Plumbers and let them work out the various legal issues of such things. Considering that Argit is very much the victim here I assume his past warrants would be waved for the time and he would be put into protection... but."

There was that awful word that usually foretold woe of unimaginable amounts. It caused Ben to wince and his shoulders to tense.

"But?"

"But... If you really are going to stay with Argit and consider his best interests than I think you should actually speak with him about all this."

"But Grandpa he-"

Max cut the teen off with a slight noise, a cross between a huff and light sigh, and spoke once more.

"Ben I don't exactly approve of you deciding to protect Argit, after all he has done and is sure to do, but it's admirable all the same... and I know you'd try and follow through with your word as much as you could so I want to help you to make sure you do it with the least amount of trouble. I know you think it's best for Argit to get the help of the Plumbers and that normally would be right but you have to consider Argit's standpoint. He's a wanted felon and he already doesn't trust people, top that with recent trauma that's sure to have effected him in some way... I don't think pushing him to go the legal route is the best way."

The boy felt his brow lower and his lips turn down.

"Are you saying I should just let all this go and let the sick fuck who did this get away with it?" He couldn't help the heated nature of his words as he replied, instantly settling down when Max uttered a short reprimand for the language he used.

When he spoke again Max's calm tone had returned.

"No. I'm telling you to talk with Argit. Weather he shows it or not he's probably in a delicate state right now and with his way of thinking the legal system isn't exactly a friend to him. For now just stay with him and try to talk to him, don't push anything though. I'll be down there in a little bit to help with things."

With a softer acknowledgement and thanks to his grandfather Ben ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. Even if this wasn't happening the way he expected it to at least things where still getting done and his Grandpa was helping. So not all bad.

Ben waited inside Argit's room, attempting to talk to him as Max had instructed, while he waited. Everything came up short or with no reply so after a while Ben simply sat in silence until Max arrived, saying that he had taken care of the paperwork issues and that after a final examine Argit would be able to leave. It was during the time that Argit was being given his final run of tests that Ben turned to question his grandfather.

"After he gets out though where is he gonna stay? I mean it's not like he actually has a home I think."

Max nodded and gave Ben's shoulder a little pat.
"I have it covered. Don't you worry."

Ben felt a bit of the tension ease from his back as he let a smile slip in response. His grandpa knew what he was doing, that fact was certain.