Ben jerked awake, cutting his scream off, his eye's flickering around panicedly. he was on the floor, tangled up in his blankets. he'd been having these nightmares since Kevin accidently ran him over in the last alien battle. it hadn't been Kevins fault. Ben had been fighting the aliens, trying to do it alone, but Kevin and Gwen had heard about the fight and came to help. Kevin had come speeding down the road just in time for the Omnitrix to time out, and Kevin took him out with his car. after six months in the hospital with three broken ribs, a cracked skull, a broken nose, a broken leg, several broken fingers, cuts, and bruises everywhere, Ben got to go home. since he'd gone home he nightmares got worse. Kevin burst into the bedroom, metal fist pulled back ready to attack whatever as in the room. he looked over seeing Ben on the floor, in his boxers.
"Ben? what happened are you okay?" Kevin ask. he'd been sleeping on Bens couch, Gwen had taken the guest room, to help Ben while his bones were still healing.
"ye-yeah... s-sorry... I-I got startled when I fell off the bed." Ben said. Kevin nods hesitantly, dropping the metal cover.
"okay... need any help there?" Kevin ask, seeing Ben whince and hold his ribs, leaning back against his nightstand.
"i-if you don't mind it'd be nice." Ben replied. Kevin nodded and walked over, scooping him up carefully.
"I'm surprized Gwen didn't hear that thump." Kevin muttered.
"or she did and heard you coming up to check it out." Ben replied. Kevin nodded laying him on the bed gently.
"thats possible." Kevin shrugged.
"thanks Kevin. sorry I woke you up." Ben muttered.
"I wasn't sleeping anyway." Kevin shrugged. Ben looked over.
"not asleep? you okay Kevin?" Ben ask. Kevin nodded and headed back downstairs, not much for talking about his feelings. Ben watched him go and layd back on his bed. he looked over when he heard more footsteps and Kevin came back up with his blanket and pillow, to sleep on the floor. "Kevin?" Ben ask.
"this is the third time this week you've fallen out of bed. I'm not going to keep running up and down the stairs to help you up." Kevin replied. Ben watched him.
"you can... you can sleep up here if you want. the floors not very comfortable." Ben said. Kevin shook his head.
"it's fine. I slept on the ground for years. a few months won't hurt me." Kevin said. "besides, sometimes I absorb materials in my sleep and I could hurt you worse." Kevin added. Ben nodded slightly, watching him lay on the floor. "speaking of, sorry I ran you over. best brakes in the universe, and they couldn't stop quick enough." Kevin muttered. Ben shrugged slightly, wincing as it pulled at the road rash on his shoulder.
"nah, wasn't your fault. I literally appeared out of no where and he when you realized you'd hit something you didn't back up to see what it was." Ben muttered. Kevin nodded slightly.
"Gwen wanted to, but I'm not stupid. I thought I hit a kid, I didn't want to back up over them." Kevin muttered. "she thought you were dead. she was about to kill me when you made a noise. then we just carried you to the hospital." Kevin said. he gave a chuckle. "for the first time in my life, I was actually afraid you know?" Kevin ask.
"afraid? of what? my blood rusting your car?" Ben ask. Kevin shook his head.
"to pick you up and put you in my car. I'd just ran you over, I was afraid moving you was going to kill you." Kevin replied.
"really?" Ben ask curiously. this was the first time he and Kevin had talked like this since they were kids. "makes two of us." Ben muttered when Kevin nodded.
"oh yeah?" Kevin ask looking over.
"I don't really understand why I remember, they said cracking my skull should've stopped me from remembering, but it didn't. when I saw the headlights and heard the brakes, I knew I was dead. then you and Gwen came into view, I was afraid you two were just going to leave me there while you went and continued the fight." Ben muttered.
"what all do you remember Ben?" Kevin ask curiously.
"I remember standing up after that thing threw me into the road. I was fighting with the Omnitrix, then I saw the headlights. I remember I tried to move, but the pain in my legs told me I'd been hit. I remember the underneath of your car and feeling my skull hit the pavement. I can still feel my back being dragged under the car for a few minutes... or maybe it was a few seconds... felt like hours. then I saw black with flickering lights. I guess... I guess it was the night sky... now that I think about it. then I saw you and Gwen and poof I woke up in the hospital a week later." Ben explained. Kevin didn't respond.
"thats what's keeping you up isn't it?" Kevin ask.
"huh?" Ben ask.
"remembering getting hit." Kevin replied. Ben sighed and nodded slightly.
"yeah." Ben muttered. "close my eye's and all I see is the underside of the car." Ben said.
"I never ment to hit you." Kevin said.
"I know." Ben replied. "it wasn't your fault. I should've called you guys for help sooner." Ben muttered. Kevin shook his head.
"wouldn't have mattered Gwen and I were across town. you could've been hurt even worse." Kevin replied.
"Kev?" Ben ask.
"hmm?" Kevin ask.
"I'm hungry." Ben mutters softly. Kevin smiled.
"I'll go get you something to eat then okay?" Kevin ask. Ben loooked over, Kevin was practically dead on his feet.
"when was the last time you slept Kev?" Ben ask.
"a few days ago." Kevin muttered. "I can't sleep. what if you need something?" Kevin teases. Ben wiggled some, scooting over so he was against the wall.
"come lay up here." Ben said.
"I already told you-" Kevin started.
"I don't care. you look like you haven't slept in months. now get up here or I'll call Gwen and tell her your being an ass hole again." Ben threatened. it was a dry threat. both knew Gwen would tell them to grow up and then would walk away. Kevin grunted getting up off the floor and walking over to Bens bed. Ben watched him stare at the bed a moment, then turn away. "what are you doing?" Ben ask.
"I'm going to get some pillows to put between us so I don't hurt you." Kevin replied. opened Ben's storage closet in the bathroom and pulled out a body pillow. Ben watched him as he set up the pillow, then laid down.
"been a long time since the last time we did this." Ben smiled slightly.
"what?" Kevin ask.
"shared a bed like a sleep over." Ben replied. "you were like 8 and I was maybe 7. I made you come over and stay the night so we could play video games and we passed out on my bed." Ben added.
"I remember that." Kevin chuckled softly. it was quiet for a moment.
"you... you said you couldn't sleep right?" Ben ask. Kevin nodded. "nightmares?" Ben ask.
"what would I have nightmares about?" Kevin huffed.
"you said you were afraid I was dead." Ben replied. Kevin sighed and nodded.
"you know, I've killed before. as a kid, living on my own. I killed to survive... never had a second thought about it... but when I thought I killed you... it scared me. it really did Ben. I don't talk about my feelings like you do, but you are my best friend. the only person that has ever stuck around this long. I was so used to being alone before, now I've gotten used to your company and it was a little scary to think that I'd be alone again if I'd killed you." Kevin sighed.
"really? why?" Ben ask curiously. Kevin gave a slight shrug.
"because I'd still be on the street if I'd never even met you. you convinced me to straighten myself out, because you cared about my safety. if you were dead..." Kevin shrugged trailing a moment. "I'd probably give up. whats the point if no one cares?" Kevin ask.
"given up? you mean, staying on the good side?" Ben ask.
"on life." Kevin clarified. "as odd as it is, I like the feeling of you caring. I'm used to it. I wouldn't like no one caring again." Kevin muttered.
"if we lay together maybe our nightmares will go away?" Ben ask.
"are you asking me to cuddle with you?" Kevin muttered.
"maybe." Ben said softly. Kevin rolled his eye's and wiggled closer to him.
"if I hurt you it's your fault." Kevin mutters. Ben laughed softly and shrugged.
"thanks Kev." Ben muttered, cuddled up to his side.
