#5

*Dubcon/heading more towards noncon. A small mention of past child abuse. See A/N below for specific details*

Will spent the evening and most of the next morning nursing a hangover. Certain the afternoon before was some kind of mix-up. Ben must have been much drunker than Will realized to ever kiss him or say such ridiculous things. Ben wasn't gay or ever indicated he liked men. Then again, neither had Xander and he enjoyed doing dirty, dirty things to Will.

But, Will decided he must have misinterpreted the situation. Must have missed something vital because there was no way in hell Ben Weston came onto him. No way had Ben Weston known who Will slept with and wanted to be one of those men.

The implications of that, the idea that Ben killed him but also wanted to sleep with him were too much for Will to take.

Will knew he wasn't the smartest guy in the world. Knew he made terrible choices in his past. Knew he would make terrible choices in his future too. But even he wasn't dumb enough to fool around with the man that tried to kill him, twice.

In another lifetime, yes. Ben was so many kinds of attractive, physically. But mentally the man was hideous. A little mental instability Will could deal with. Hell, he himself wasn't all there. But nothing would ever make Will want a serial killer. Especially when he could hook-up with Xander or Brian whenever he felt like it.

It was moments like this Will missed Paul the most. Missed his level-headed, protective boyfriend. Paul would know how to make this better. Would know what to say and do to correct the Ben situation. If there even was a Ben situation. He could have been as drunk as Will.

Maybe.

God, Will didn't know.

What would Paul do at a time like this?

The answer was so simple Will felt stupid for not thinking of it right away.

He'd call John.

"Wait," John frowned, sitting up straighter. "Ben Weston did what?"

"I-well-," Will shifted on Malena's couch, not able to get comfortable. "You know, my therapist thought it would be good if I didn't run away from him if I saw him. Only, I got too nervous. I didn't want to chicken out, 'cause my therapist is mean when I do disappointing things and-,"

"Focus, Will."

"Right, sorry. So, I had a lot to drink and I didn't think anything would happen. I mean, we were in a public place. There were loads of people around. Then he kept ordering me drinks and I was so nervous and they tasted so good. And we somehow ended up at my place and he said I was beautiful and he would never ever hurt me and he kissed me, a lot. I mean, he could have been as drunk as I was and this is all a misunderstanding."

"I don't believe that. You wouldn't be this freaked out if it was a misunderstanding. I trust your instincts on this one kid. Now, did he say anything else?" John urged, mouth set in a straight line.

"It's all a little fuzzy but he said he was gonna earn me and that Paul, Sonny, Xander, and Brian never deserved me."

"Xander? Brian?" John asked, eyes narrowing.

"I am single and can sleep with whoever I want," Will hastily insisted.

"That's not what I'm saying," John shook his head. "Will, I keep tabs on everyone I care about. You know that. But I didn't know you ever spent time with Xander. I don't even know anyone named Brian."

"I see Xander every now and again," Will shifted again. Nothing said awkward like explaining your hookups to your ex's father. "And I met up with Brian a few weeks ago. No one knows about them."

"So, how does Ben?"

Will stopped short.

"Think, Will," John urged. "Have you felt anything suspicious? Like someone was looking over your shoulder? Have you seen anyone follow you around?"

"I-well-no. I mean, sometimes Sonny follows me but that's not anything new. Although," Will stopped for a moment, thinking back. "I do remember seeing someone around, a man. I didn't get a good look at him but it could have been Ben."

"Was this guy around a lot?"

"Yeah, yeah," Will nodded. "Yeah, he was at the club I went to with Xander. And the bar I went to with Brian and the hospital too. I'm pretty sure he was standing in my hallway one night when I threw Sonny out."

"Okay, good," John said.

"Good?" Will huffed. "Ben freaking Weston is stalking me and you think it's good?"

"Will, calm down. You know that's not what I meant. Now, I don't want you to worry about this, alright. I'll take care of everything."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Will asked. "He was talking about sleeping with me!"

"Trust me," John promised, hands on Will's shoulders. "I know exactly what to do. What I should have done in the first place to prevent this.

"Now, why don't you call up Lucas and see if you can stay with him for a few days? Just until this blows over. I've got an important call to make myself."

Will kept himself occupied at his father's place. He didn't want to worry Lucas unnecessarily so he lied. Said he complained enough and his studio was getting a makeover and could he please, please stay with him.

It was fun, almost felt like old times. The more Will and Lucas talked, the more Will remembered. Little things mostly. The sensation he felt when Lucas would tuck him in at night as a child. How happy he felt playing high school baseball and seeing Lucas in the stands.

It hurt, but until this Ben situation resolved, Will kept his distance from Ari. He cherished each and every memory they made and every memory he regained. But he couldn't risk hurting her now, not ever.

So, Will kept up a stream of excuses to everyone about why he couldn't leave his dad's place. Hoping against hope John would figure something out soon.

Will trusted John, he did. But he couldn't put his entire life on hold for much longer. He didn't even know how to clear something like this up. What was John gonna do? Tell Ben to stay away? Try to out him? Threaten the mentally unstable serial killer?

Will was annoyed and getting cabin fever. He was also hungry.

Knock Knock Knock

"Yes," Will said to himself, scrambling to the door.

Uber Eats, best invention ever.

"Come to me, sweet, beautiful French fries," Will mumbled, taking his food from the delivery guy.

"Damn," the guy said with a teasing smile. "Thought you were talking to me for a minute there."

The man left with a wink and a cheesy smile.

Why Will had no confidence before, he couldn't figure out.

As Will stuffed his face, John called.

"What's up?" Will asked around a mouthful of food.

"Checking on you, kid," John replied.

Will coughed when a fry went down the wrong way.

"You okay?" John asked once Will calmed down.

"Forgot how to eat," Will answered, rubbing his throat.

"Chew your food, young man," John said, half serious and half joking.

"But the fries at the pub are so good," Will whined.

"Did you go to the pub?" John asked, no longer joking around.

"No, I had it delivered."

"Kid, don't go answering the door for anyone. You hear me? It's too dangerous right now, especially at night."

"You don't know that. It's not like we even know for sure Ben's done anything to me."

"Just do me a favor, until I do find anything out, no answering the door."

"Fine, whatever. When do you think I can get out of here anyway?"

"Will, it's been less than a day."

"I can't stay here forever, though. And you haven't even told me what you're investigating."

"I've got it handled. Don't worry and stay put. Alright?"

"Yeah, right," Will rolled his eyes. "What else have I got to do?"

On his second night stuck in Lucas' apartment, Will grew melancholy.

It felt like ages since Paul left when, in reality, it was only a few short months. Months spent with Will remembering his past while he tried to find his place in the present. Months spent bemoaning Paul's existence and wishing he'd come back. Months spent experimenting and fooling around with men he never imagined. Hiding out from potential stalkers who already once did Will bodily harm.

All of which brought him to this point. Sitting on his father's couch at nine o'clock at night with a tub of rocky road in his lap and Tokyo Fab videos playing on the smart TV.

In other words, Will was pathetic.

"You know," Lucas sighed, turning the TV off and ignoring Will's grumble. "There are other guys out there. If you don't want to date Sonny now that Paul's gone, you could find someone else."

Lucas didn't help.

"I have, Dad," Will said around a mouthful of chocolatey goodness. "Sort of why I'm in this mess."

"What?" Lucas quirked his head.

"What? What?" Will almost forgot he hadn't told Lucas the real reason he needed to stay over. "I'm just saying, let me wallow. I can miss Paul if I want."

"I will never understand this Paul thing," Lucas plopped next to Will on the couch. "Especially now that your past is coming back to you. I know you remember things the two of you experienced before. How can you still want him?"

"Sure, we might have met under bad circumstances," Will relented. "But things change. When I still had amnesia, Paul was the only one I felt a connection to. And now I understand why. There was something between me and Paul even way back when we first met. He felt it. I felt it. Things got messed up but that's fine. What we created when we got together, it's special. And I don't want to let it go yet, even if Paul did."

"Alright," Lucas said. "I just don't like seeing you like this."

Knock Knock Knock

"Now, who could that be?" Lucas questioned, pushing himself up.

Will, distracted by his ice cream, took longer to remember then he should have.

John said not to open the door to anyone, especially at night.

"Wait, don't!" Will yelled as Lucas opened the door.

Lucas, head turned back towards Will with a frown, never saw the hit coming.

Ben, face eerily calm, punched Lucas in the temple. When he dropped to the floor, Ben simply stepped over him, nudged his feet inside, and closed the door.

"There you are," Ben's face spread into a wide grin when he caught sight of Will.

Will froze, spoon halfway to his mouth and steadily dripping back into the carton.

"Oh, God. Dad?"

"Don't worry," Ben said as he flicked the deadbolt on the door. "He's still breathing."

Will dropped the spoon and the carton when Ben stepped closer toward him.

"You've been hard to find," Ben mused, hands shoved in the back of his jeans. "I had to look everywhere."

"Wh-wha-what are you doing here?" Will stuttered.

"I told you before, Will," Ben said, laid-back and practical. "I have to protect you now. Make sure no one else hurts you. Besides, we still need to go on our second date."

Will stood up nice and slow, ice cream tumbling to a mess on the ground. He regretted wandering around the apartment shirtless when Ben's eyes wandered along his bare skin.

"When did we go on a first date?" Will stalled, trying to think of how to handle this.

"The other day, silly. So," Ben rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. "What are you doing here anyway? Why aren't you at home?"

"M-memories," Will said the first thing that popped into his head. "Too many memories there."

"Yeah," Ben nodded. "It must suck having so many memories with Paul and knowing he's not coming back."

"He could," Will said without even thinking.

Ben's brows furrowed, jaw tense.

"He won't. I kept him busy."

"What?" Will's heart stuttered.

Ben shrugged, giving Will his best grin.

"Someone had to send him on a wild goose chase."

"You? But he took a job. Someone needed him to go undercover and-,"

"Yeah, he'll be gone for a long time. I sent him off to look for someone that doesn't exist."

"But," Will couldn't wrap his head around it. "Why?"

"I needed him out of the way."

Will didn't know what to think, what to do.

He did always find it suspicious, just as times got tough, an opportunity for Paul to escape appeared. And Ben planned it all. Planned to get Paul out of the way. But why?

Will didn't know when Ben got closer but soon enough he was only a few inches away.

"Paul was gonna hurt you. I couldn't let that happen."

Ben cupped Will's face, a soft expression on his face.

"You aren't even gay," Will said as he withheld a shudder.

"No, not exclusively. I always felt an attraction to guys. My father would beat those thoughts away, though. Besides, I've had a lot of time to think, especially after what Sami made me do. And I realized I've regretted a lot of things but hurting you the most. I promised myself I would make it up to you. Make sure no one ever hurt you the way I did ever again. And there's only one way to do that."

Will was too scared to even ask. Ben answered anyway.

"I have to be the one to make you happy myself. No matter what it takes."

Will threw his hands up, bracing himself against Ben's chest when two strong arms yanked him into a firm embrace.

"Now, there's nothing standing in our way," Ben said, resting the side of his face on the top of Will's head. "I can protect you, always. The reason I always thought you were so different than the others I hurt is that I'm so attracted to you."

"Oh, god," Will couldn't stand it anymore.

He shoved and shoved but Ben wouldn't budge. He didn't even act like he felt Will moving against him at all.

Instinct taking over, Will kicked his bare foot into Ben's crotch with all his might.

With Ben hissing in pain, Will grabbed his phone off the couch and stumbled toward his prone father.

"Dad?" Will nudged his shoulder while he dialed 911.

Before he could push the green dial button, Ben knocked into his side. The phone skittered across the floor, landing a good three feet away.

"Why did you do that?" Ben screamed. He shoved Will into the floor, fingers digging into Will's bare shoulders.

Will kicked and spit, clawing at Ben's forearms, screaming as loud as he could for help.

Ben's face contorted in pure rage. Will didn't have any time to brace for Ben's fist slamming into his face, knocking his head clear to the side.

Winded, it took a few seconds for the pain to erupt in Will's face.

"Oh, oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry."

Ben babbled, touching Will's cheek, yanking him into a tight hug.

"No, no, I'll never hurt you. I'll never hurt you."

Will, face throbbing, knew he wasn't going to win in a fist fight. He had to think of something to get out of this situation. He'd find a way out of this.

He let Ben rearrange him onto the edge of the coffee table. Let him run his hands over his rapidly bruising face. Tried to hold in his rage and disgust and utter terror.

"I'm sorry," Ben pleaded over and over. Even brushing his lips over the reddened skin. "I'm so sorry. You know I'll never hurt you. I got upset. That's all. You can't do things like that anymore, Will. You can't fight this, me. You have to do what I say. I know what's best for you. I know what's best. I know what's best."

Ben repeated the words over and over as Will's lips trembled and eyes watered. He tried to think of something to say, something he could do that would get him out of this.

He couldn't do it.

There was only one thing on his mind. And because he was an idiot, he said it.

"I want Paul."

Ben tensed, hand curling along the base of Will's skull.

Will whimpered.

"Don't ever say that again," Ben ordered through clenched teeth. "You don't need anyone but me."

Will nodded when Ben squeezed his hand and barked, "Right?"

"I'm sorry," Will whispered, hating how weak and pathetic he sounded. But there wasn't anything else he could do. He had to keep Ben placated for the time being.

"No, no, hey, shh, shh, It's okay," Ben promised, smoothing the back of his hand over Will's unblemished cheek. "No, don't cry. I'm sorry. I won't yell. You just make me so crazy. Ha, crazy? Get it?"

Will didn't even realize he started crying. Now, he couldn't stop.

His emotions were all over the place.

"Don't cry. Don't cry," Ben pleaded. "Hey, hey, let's get out of here, huh? Go on our date. I've got a surprise for you. We can go far away and no one will find us. Not your dad, not Marlena, not your bitch of a mother, and especially not Paul. We won't have to worry ever again."

Will cried even harder.

Ben pulled Will off the coffee table, herding him toward the door. He didn't even pause when Will stumbled over Lucas' body.

Ben stopped in front of the door to pull Will against him in a tight hug.

"Soon we won't have to worry about anything. It'll just be you and me and I'll give you anything you ever want. Whenever you want. Anything. I promise."

Will swallowed down a sob when Ben kissed him.

Ben angling his face to deepen the kiss was what saved Will in the end. That little moment of distraction while Will blindly searched for the deadbolt behind him.

Will groaned, as loud and as over the top as possible to cover the sound of the lock turning. He let Ben press him up against the door. Let Ben run his hands over Will's smooth, naked skin. Did whatever was necessary to keep Ben unawares.

The moment Ben surfaced for air, Will burst into action. Ripping the door open, skittering down the hallway, screaming as loud as he could. Hoping for someone, anyone to open a door and investigate.

Just before Will reached the end of the hallway, Ben tackled him from behind.

Before Ben could do anything, Will erupted in a fit of rage. One moment he was a weepy mess and the next, Will attacked with a savagery he didn't know he possessed.

He didn't get his memories back, didn't get this far, work this hard so Ben could take it all away again.

In a matter of moments, Will got the upper hand. He didn't think about it, didn't second guess himself. He reacted. Throwing punches and elbows, slamming Ben into the hallway wall. Somehow knocking Ben into the ground, holding one of Ben's arms around his back.

As Ben screamed out in pain and Will yelled nonsensical threats, the elevator door opened with a loud ding.

Neither noticed.

Someone heaved Will away from Ben with firm but gentle hands. Will struggled for a few moments before moving away until his back hit the wall behind him. It took a few moments to process what he was seeing.

"Paul?" Will whispered in disbelief.

After months of wishing, there he was. Paul Narita's perfect, perfect fists slamming into a struggling Ben Weston's stupid, stupid head.

Will watched as someone helped Paul slap some handcuffs on Ben, holding him down.

"Will," John said, the other person with Paul.

Will was so out of it he didn't even realize John was there.

"Come on," John urged. "The police were right behind us."

"My dad," Will said, pointing toward the open door.

"An ambulance too," John promised. "We weren't taking any chances."

The police burst through the stairwell door. Several officers pointed weapons at the still struggling Ben and Paul.

It took several minutes to get everything situated. Dragging a bucking, screaming Ben away. Loading Lucas onto a gurney, rushing him down the elevator. For Paul to report to one officer while Will talked to another.

It felt like forever before Will and Paul were alone, face-to-face, at last. Mere steps from where Lucas once lay inside his own apartment.

Will fiddled with the scratchy gray blanket someone draped over his bare shoulders. Now that Paul was right in front of him, he didn't know what to do.

Will didn't react, didn't even blink until Paul let out one choked whisper.

"Will."

Keening like a wounded animal, Will threw himself at Paul. The blanket slipped to the ground as Will finally, finally was back in Paul's arms.

Where he belonged.

The two clung to each other for so long, minutes, hours, it didn't matter.

"God, Will," Paul said, voice muffled through Will's hair.

He held firm to Will's biceps and pushed him just the slightest bit away. Far enough for his eyes to roam Will's body. To see the myriad of scratches, bumps, and bruises on his skin.

Will's eyes watered when Paul brushed his fingertips over Will's bruised cheek.

"I should have been here sooner," Paul stated, shaking his head and pulling Will close again. "I should have been here."

Paul didn't say anything when the tears fell from Will's eyes.

Will appreciated it. He couldn't bear it if he heard Paul say any of the same promises Ben did.

Once Will's hitching breaths tapered off and he wiped at his wet face, did they speak again.

"I knew something wasn't right when that maniac visited you. I knew it. But god, how could this have happened?"

Will's glare wasn't quite as ferocious as he would have liked, with the sniffing and the puffy eyes. The emotions were still there.

"This happened because you're a stupid idiot!"

"What?" Paul stared at Will incredulously. "How is this my fault?"

"You left me here! After you promised I wouldn't lose you. You left me. You watched me take an incredibly dangerous substance and peaced off on an impossible quest from a nutjub. None of this would have happened if you were here."

Paul watched Will work himself into a full-blown Sami Brady-proportioned tantrum.

"I didn't want you to leave. I never wanted you to leave. I told you a hundred times I needed you with me. Not Sonny, not anyone else, you. And you left anyway. How in the hell would anything I felt in the past compare to how I feel for you, you big, dumb idiot?

"You didn't even ask my opinion. You wouldn't even talk to me about it. You decided. You decided to abandon me here just like Sonny did before. Because I remember that! And now I get to remember you doing it too.

"Oh, god. You both left me here for Ben Weston to…god."

Will took a few seconds, face contorting. His whole body shivered before he shook his head, glaring at Paul again.

"You don't get to do that. You don't get to make decisions for me. You don't get to decide what's best. And especially when what you think is best is stupid!

"I don't remember everything but I know no one's ever treated me the way you did. No one ever listened the way you did. No one ever trusted the way you did. But, in the end, you were just like everyone else."

Will crossed his arms as he finally looked away from Paul. The truth of it hitting him.

All the reasons Will shied away from Sonny, all the old feelings, the insecurity, the mistrust, the resentment, Will and Paul had them now too.

"I wanted to be a complete person and you left me. Me, the real, whole me, wasn't what you wanted," Will whispered, brushing away a few errant tears. "I love you and you left me.

"You were supposed to be different."

Will trailed off, head downturned, shaking his head back and forth.

He spent all these months thinking Paul loved him. Thinking Paul selflessly and stupidly stepped aside so as not to impede Will's happiness. Will never once considered a different possibility.

That Paul wouldn't want Will if he had his memories back.

"I am different," Paul said, almost startling Will.

Paul stepped closer to Will, hands hovering over Will's trembling shoulders.

"Will," Paul stopped and started a few times, licking his lips. "I am different. I-I had to leave. Okay? I couldn't stand seeing you with Sonny. I couldn't. I couldn't take it. Watching you with someone else, especially him, it would kill me."

"I never wanted Sonny," Will insisted. "I told you over and over and you didn't believe me."

"How could I? You don't know what it was like before. You don't, memories or not. Watching you and Sonny when you were married. How could I compete with that?"

"Oh, yeah," Will rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it was all rainbows and sunshine. Did you ever even see a happy moment between us? Because from what I remember you and Sonny spent the whole time I was around making heart eyes at each other. But you don't see me throwing accusations around. Because I trust you. Because I know you can't take back your past. Because I know you and I were each other's futures. Or, at least, I did."

"I would never be able to live with myself if I was holding you back," Paul said, face flushed. "It would hover over my head for the rest of my life. At least, if I wasn't here to see it, I knew you and Sonny could have a chance."

"I never wanted a chance with Sonny," Will threw his arms up.

"He wanted one with you!" Paul yelled, finally losing his patented cool. "He wanted you, Will. I already took his husband once. I couldn't steal you again when you finally knew what he meant to you."

"I'm not a possession. I'm not a thing you and Sonny can lob back and forth. You didn't steal me. I wasn't his to give or take or steal."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Yes, it is. You and your ridiculous good-guy persona. Your need to make everyone around you happy at your own expense. It is really inconvenient when you forget I'm a person too."

"I - that isn't even - of course, I know you're a person."

"No, I don't think you do. Because you and Sonny and your rivalry or unresolved emotions, or what, was more important than me. Neither of you cared what I thought or what I wanted. He didn't care I don't want him and neither did you. Both of you decided Sonny was what's best and never even once considered how I would feel about the situation. Well, I'm telling you. It fucking sucks!"

"Will, I-,"

"No! I am not listening to you say how everyone else's feelings were more important than yours or mine, for that matter. Tell me what you want. Okay, tell me. If it's me or if you don't want the complete Will Horton package. If you only wanted me when I had amnesia and you leaving was an excuse to get away. Okay, tell me. No, no more putting other people first. Alright, you, your opinion, without thinking about anyone else. What do you want?"

It didn't take Paul more than a second to answer.

"You," Paul let out a sad chuckle. "I want you, Will."

"But-why did-?"

"I was," Paul's lips quirked up in a sad imitation of a smile, "How did you put it? A stupid idiot. I got it in my head that there was no way you would ever pick me if you had a choice. As soon as we learned about the serum all I could think about is how you and I used to be. You know, before. How cruel we were to each other. I didn't want that. I couldn't stomach that. You wanted Sonny so much back then and it would kill me if I had to see it again."

"I also cheated on Sonny then," Will pointed out. "With you. And I haven't been married to Sonny in months."

"No," Paul's smile slid into something a little more real. "No, I guess you haven't."

"I know Sonny and I have a past. But you have one with Sonny too. You almost married him. When I came back to Salem you still wanted to. And I don't hold that against you. I don't-I don't blame you for being with someone before me."

"I don't blame you," Paul tried to explain. "I just-I'm so terrified I'm gonna get left behind again. And you leaving me especially would kill me. But, you're right. We're different."

"I know," Will agreed. "My point is I don't remember everything yet. Maybe I never will. But I feel like those little parts of me that were blank before, have something filling them in. And what I do remember about Sonny were nice and sweet, in the beginning. But the last year or so before I died, or didn't die, was awful. And I think it's because of you."

"Hey," Paul frowned.

"No, no, not like that. It's not your fault. Well, maybe a little bit. But, that's not what I'm trying, and failing, to say. What I mean is, I don't remember everything about you and me, our history. But I remember a lot. I remember hotel rooms and the two of us sharing stories. And I remember being with you when you came out to your family. Oh god, what's your mom and grandpa gonna think of me now?"

Will trailed off, mouth open in horror.

"Will?"

"Right," Will shook his head. "Focus. Look, what I'm saying is when I saw you for the first time, again, you were the only one I felt something for. And I felt that same thing before. At the Salem Inn, when we met, originally. There was something. Married to Sonny or not, even with the mess that happened afterward. There was something between you and me. There always was."

Will held out his hand, palm up.

Paul slid their fingers together, a near perfect fit.

"Paul," Will took a deep breath and let it out in a puff of hair. "I don't want to be with Sonny. I don't want to be with anyone else. I want to be with you."

"I want that too," Paul whispered, a grin threatening to take over his face.

"No more stupid decisions?" Will questioned.

"I promise," Paul said. "I'll only make stupid decisions with you from now on."

Will let out a bark of laughter and fell into Paul's open arms.

"I can't believe I almost let this slip away," Paul said, holding Will safe and close in his arms again.

Will, eyes closed, head in that perfect crook between Paul's neck and shoulder, sighed.

"I'll start doing a better job making sure you know how much I love you," Will replied. "Because I do, Paul."

"I love you too," Paul said. "And I won't leave you again. I promise."

Will tangled his fingers in Paul's hair and winced. His knuckles were scraped and bloody. The pain in his face erupted now that his adrenaline tapered off.

"As much as I wanna stay in your arms forever, I think I need to go to the hospital."

A/N

Trigger warning: Will fights Ben off when he tries to hold him which results in Will getting punched in the face. Afterward, with Will crying, Ben kisses him. Will plays along to distract Ben in order to get away. Also, Ben mentions his father abusing him for finding men attractive and indicates he's obsessed and stalking Will to protect him from imagined harm.