AN: Thank you to the reviewers! You guys are awesome.

And thank you to Greg for the beta-ing and guilt-trips.

Read!

XXXIII.

At lunch, Ben had told Jimmy they'd head out around ten for their hunt and to meet him in the parking lot near the First Night, but when Jimmy wandered back there, Ben was nowhere in sight. He paced the area several times, checked his watch, and sighed. Ben was late. Jimmy scowled. Or not coming. He readjusted his rifle, slung over his shoulder, and leaned against the back of the giant black bus. A crunch of footfalls nearby startled him to attention.

"What the hell took you…?" Jimmy started in anger, but faltered when he saw who exactly was hovering at the edge of the bus.

Roman smirked, considering Jimmy as he absently traced a thumb under his bottom lip.

"I thought I saw you come back here," Roman said, "What are you doing, brat?"

"Nothing," Jimmy immediately answered.

"If you're waiting for your razorback, it's going to be awhile," Roman commented, crossing the lot to one of the cars several yards away and sliding up onto its hood, calling, "I saw him head out of camp earlier; probably going to meet his Skitter friends."

"He left," Jimmy gaped, trying desperately to ignore the pain of that revelation swarming through his chest.

"Yeah, he wasn't supposed to wait for you, was he?" Roman teased.

Jimmy made a face, turned his head away, and folded his arms across his chest. He didn't want to give Roman anything but he couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Well, I'm sure he didn't do that on purpose," Roman drawled sarcastically, "Maybe he just forgot or got restless and decided to leave early. Or maybe he just changed his mind."

"You lying?" Jimmy prodded, turning to narrow his eyes back on the other boy, "He still in camp somewhere, held up by his brother or someone else, and you're just trying to fuck with my head?"

"Would I lie to you? That's his MO, not mine," Roman replied cheekily, leaning back on the hood and grinning lopsided at Jimmy, "This really bothers you. That he just took off without you. So when he comes back, what do you plan on doing about it? Are you…not going to let him kiss you for at least one whole day?"

"Fuck you," Jimmy muttered.

"Or are you not even going to ask him about it?" Roman persisted.

Jimmy shook his head, moving to trudge back into camp, trembling with his own rage and feelings of betrayal. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do when he saw Ben. He wasn't sure if he should do anything. He'd agreed to let Ben hunt alone, it was helping with the growing Skitter abilities, and it had been Ben's idea that Jimmy come that night, he was allowed to change his mind, Jimmy supposed, but it would've been fucking nice if he'd said something about it.

Unless he couldn't.

A coldness grew in Jimmy suddenly, as he thought back to his conversation with Ben in the tent that morning, and Ben's admission of not being able to recall the night before. What if it had happened again? What if he hadn't left Jimmy behind because he'd changed his mind, what if he'd left Jimmy behind because he'd lost control of his mind?

"Hey, whoa, hey, brat, wait, wait," Roman called in a low voice, and Jimmy staggered to a stop, glancing curiously back at the older boy, "What are you going to do, huh? Go back to camp and sulk? Come over here, come sit with me. I want to talk to you…about the mission."

"Which mission?" Jimmy challenged.

"The one Weaver might send us on, if you get us four trained well enough," Roman explained.

Jimmy scowled, reluctantly walking over towards the car Roman lounged on, but he didn't sit, choosing instead to stand aside with his arms folded over his chest, his expression practiced into blank apathy.

"What about it?" he asked.

"You think it's really going to happen?" Roman wondered, sitting with his knee pulled up, leaning his arm across it.

"I don't know," Jimmy answered earnestly, shrugging.

"Right; why would you know?" Roman mumbled, glancing at Jimmy, his features light but unreadable, "But if it does, your razorback going is a sure thing?"

"I guess," Jimmy said, "They wouldn't send you four alone on your first serious mission like that, and the plan for training all of you is to be his backup anyhow. He would be point. You'd have to take orders from him," he snorted softly, "So it probably won't happen."

"Maybe not," Roman said quietly, his eyes gazing out into the darkness.

"That it?" Jimmy wondered, eager to get back into camp and away from the older boy.

"No, just one more…something I been wanting to ask you for a while now," Roman murmured, turning his eyes up to lock with Jimmy's curious blue, "I was wondering about before…you know, before-before…who used to hit you?"

Jimmy stumbled back a step, mouth parting slightly, eyes widening. He choked on his breath.

"What? I don't…I don't know what you're…"

"For me it was my grandma, mostly when I was younger," Roman cut in, smiling coyly, eyes swinging back out into the darkness, "She had a stick about the width of her thumb that she'd take to our bare backs, me and my siblings. More my step-dad when I got older…well, mom's boyfriend, they weren't married, but they'd been together long enough, you know."

"I didn't…" Jimmy stammered, staring in shock at the older boy. He hadn't expected a revelation like that from the overbearing, arrogant leader of the other unharnessed teens. When Jimmy found his voice again, he dropped his eyes and quietly admitted, "Sometimes my dad would…but it wasn't like that…I'd say things, I'd try and piss him off and…"

"Oh yeah, yeah right," Roman murmured, smiling grimly, "Me? For my grandma, I was clumsy. Always dropping things or making messes. Just like my mom, she always used to say. My step-dad, though…" he smirked, shook his head as though trying to shake away the memory, "He beat my mom. He did it for years, and then my older brother got old enough and stood up to him. So he beat my older brother, and he did that until my older brother got big enough to hit back and to leave. So then he started beating me. At first it'd be the big things, came home with a bad grade, or was playing too loud, but then it got to be every little thing, didn't clean the dishes fast enough, forgot to put away my coat…until I started to realize it wasn't anything I did, it was just because I was there…I existed."

"Oh," Jimmy whispered, watching Roman curiously. He wasn't entirely sure why the older boy was telling him all of this, though he felt a strange understanding of the other boy coming over him, and a strange feeling of connection, something unfamiliar but tender, almost pleasant warming through him, "How did you know that…?"

"It's in your eyes…way you hold yourself sometimes, when we were arguing before…I guess it's the – uh – the anticipation," Roman explained, he straightened and folded his legs, fidgeted a moment as though suddenly nervous after confessing so much, "You know, the thing that always got me was my mom. My old man used to beat her too, and like I said, her mom…my grandma," Roman continued, his eyes darkening with an old sorrow as he spoke, "They talk about it being a cycle, you know, and I used to think…that's crap, that's not going to happen to me. I'm going to stop it, no one's going to do that to me and I'm not going to do that to anyone. Several months before the invasion, I started this relationship…someone a little older than me, treated me good, told me all these things about how special I was and everything, wanted to teach me everything in bed too, you know…I thought I was in love."

Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, remained silent, uncertain of where Roman was going with this new twist in the story.

"First time he hit me," Roman whispered and Jimmy's eyes darted up in surprise, the older boy smiling wryly at him in return, "We were fighting, I was late or something stupid, and he just…just hit me, closed fist and all. But it was quick, you know, I almost thought it didn't happen and he said he was sorry and took me out and bought me this big dinner and I forgot about it. Until he hit me again and then again and again…and the thing was, it happened so slow and so sudden, all his 'I'm sorry, baby, it won't happen again' pushing it to the back of my mind until one day, I wake up, and I'm at home looking at my black eye in the mirror, and I told my mom the night before I'd gotten in a fight at school to explain it away, same way she told the ladies at work her black eye came from running into a door…and I just realized right then and there that I'd done it. I'd finished the cycle."

Jimmy tensed, put his hands in his pockets and narrowed his eyes on the older boy into a dangerous glare.

"I'd like to see him try and hit me now though," Roman mumbled, glancing up at Jimmy and explaining, "I couldn't do anything back then. I was smaller than him, weaker, and I was in love, he treated me better than I thought I deserved, so I'd never leave him. Most of the time he could be…so amazing…but then he'd get his temper and I couldn't stop him or fight back. It would almost be like you if Ben…"

"Stop," Jimmy cut in sharply, "Ben doesn't…he would never hurt me."

"I didn't say that he did," Roman smirked at Jimmy, shrugging innocently, "I was just making an analogy…so that you could, maybe, relate."

"Yeah, right," Jimmy whispered, lowering his eyes, "I should go."

He turned and started away, when Roman called suddenly in a strange tone, "Brat."

Jimmy faltered, looked back curiously, his expression light and an almost triumphant smile flashed across Roman's features, as he leaned back on the car to look up at the stars. Jimmy shook his head, confused, heart thundering in his chest and heat flooding his cheeks, for a moment, breathless. He turned, hesitantly began away again.

"Jimmy," Ben's voice called out, and Jimmy paused once more, spinning back around to catch sight of Ben making his way through the dark from around the First Night, rifle slung casually over his shoulder. Ben glared warily at Roman on the car in passing, though the older boy only gave him a short reproving glance, and then Ben stopped in front of Jimmy, asking, "You still coming out tonight?"

"Yeah," Jimmy gaped, looking around and wondering where exactly Ben had come from, "What took you so long? I thought you said ten."

"Oh yeah, right," Ben mumbled sheepishly, "I got caught up with something…um…with Hal. But I'm here now, let's go."

"Oh…okay," Jimmy murmured uncertainly, darting a look at a smug Roman on the car.

Together the boys walked side-by-side out into the night. Ben led the way. He knew better where they could find enemy troops and his hearing allowed him to anticipate where patrol units were wandering around. They traveled in silence and they'd been walking nearly fifteen minutes, when Ben turned them down into a cul-de-sac, the street lined with large Colonial style houses.

Jimmy darted an uncertain look to Ben, enemy troops couldn't possibly have gotten this close to camp, but he readied his rifle, as Ben crept up towards the gate of one of the house's backyards, creaking it open and ushering Jimmy through. Much of the foliage in the backyard was overgrown, it felt almost as though pushing through an untamed jungle, and when Jimmy was fully inside, he faltered, lowering his gun. Ben sidled up next to him wearing a grin.

It was a nice set up. There was a pool, it was green from months without maintenance and had a fuzzy layer over its top. It had a waterfall, which combined with the overgrowth around it, looked like a little cove in paradise. The patio was formed from polished rose colored stones, and there was a weatherworn table in its middle, topped with the lantern from Ben's tent, a couple granola packs and a can of peaches taken from the 2nd Mass food stores, some bottles of water, as well as the bottle of Russian Standard.

"What is this?" Jimmy demanded, peering at Ben with his head cocked to one side.

"Our…uh…first date?" Ben answered meekly, carefully explaining, "It's a surprise. So…you know…um, surprise!"

"You are such a dork," Jimmy groaned, burying his face in his hand, though he wore a broad grin regardless, "Is this why you were late?"

"Yeah," Ben smirked, lightly smacking Jimmy's shoulder, a gesture to follow, then led the way towards the table, "It took me longer to get the vodka by myself than I thought it would and then Hal was harassing me before I left – that wasn't a lie, case you were wondering, so I was already running late when I got here," he motioned to the rest of the backyard and smiled anxiously at Jimmy, "So what do you think?"

"It's cool," Jimmy noted, awkwardly setting his gun against the table and pointing at the pool, "I like the waterfall."

"Oh yeah, I was hoping you would," Ben exclaimed, "I'm surprised it's still running, you'd think the mechanics would get clogged up or something from all the algae. There's a little cave behind it with a bar area."

"Really?" Jimmy said interestedly, taking a few tentative steps towards it.

"Yeah," Ben confirmed, then smiled surreptitiously, and suggested, "What do you say, babe, want to make love in the moonlight behind a veil of water?"

Jimmy blushed conspicuously, even in the low evening light, and growled, "You know, I do have my gun this time."

"Ah…so maybe later then?" Ben teased, tugging a utility knife from his belt and using its can opener on the peaches.

Jimmy went to join Ben, sitting on top of the table and watching him wrestle with the can. He managed to rip it open and held it out to Jimmy, who carefully reached in and pulled out one of the slimy fruit bits, slipping it in his mouth and sucking the saccharine juices off his fingers. He caught Ben staring at him, and flushed at what was pretty evidently written in that other boy's features.

"What?" Jimmy demanded.

"Nothing," Ben replied, attempting to blink away the heat in his eyes. He took a seat next to Jimmy, looking in the can at the peaches a minute and glanced up imploringly at the other boy.

Jimmy darted his eyes from the can to Ben's questioning expression complete with a shy, playful smirk on his lip. Jimmy rolled his eyes and Ben grinned, straightening somewhat and removing his fingerless gloves. He fished out one of the peaches, biting it in half, and using the can to catch any drippings, held it up to Jimmy's mouth. Hesitantly, Jimmy parted his lips and slipped his mouth over the peach and down along Ben's fingers, sucking slightly and using his tongue to lap away the juices, then he clumsily pulled back and turned his bright red face away, unable to meet Ben's eyes. He wiped the sticky saliva from his lips and swallowed down the peach bits mingled with the taste of Ben.

Ben set the can down and reached around Jimmy for the bottle of Vodka, fiddling with it a moment, studying its label. Jimmy watched Ben's hands, and then peeked up into his face. He was watching Jimmy out of the corner of his eyes.

"I can't believe you grabbed the Russian Standard," Jimmy grumbled, shaking his head, "You are going to be three sheets to the wind after one sip. I swear to God, I am not carrying your sorry ass home."

"Really? Because it would be very romantic," Ben teased.

"Nope, not happening."

"I could be like your blushing bride," Ben continued jokingly, "As you carry me across the threshold of my tent."

Jimmy laughed, taking the bottle from Ben, "Shut up."

"I brought water," Ben pointed out; somewhat seriously as Jimmy twisted the top off the bottle, "It should help keep me sober longer. Right? That's how it works?"

Jimmy took a short drink from the bottle, made a face and punched the air from his lungs, shuddered. He held the bottle out to Ben. Ben had been anxiously watching him and tentatively took the bottle. He lifted its lip to his mouth and took a swift drink, instantly pulling away, sputtering and coughing. Jimmy burst out laughing at the display, absently placing a hand on Ben's back and rubbing small circles to help soothe him. Ben struggled to regain his composure, darting slightly embarrassed looks at Jimmy through red-rimmed eyes. He put the bottle back on the table, coughing lightly in his hand, and leaned back to look up at the sky. He studied the stars for several minutes, glanced his watch once, furrowing his brow, and Jimmy took another drink of the vodka, before putting it on the table and reaching for a water and the granola packs.

"It's later in the year than I thought," Ben noted, and Jimmy peeked curiously at him, "It's about…November, I guess…must be near the end."

"How do you know that?" Jimmy wondered, pausing in picking through the granola pieces.

"Some of the constellations out…" Ben mumbled, "Pisces and Sculptor are visible…and there…," he pointed and Jimmy attempted to follow the indicated direction, but it all looked like a mass of blinking white lights in a sea of milky black, "Over there is Phoenix."

Jimmy frowned at the granola in his hand, pushing the bits around, his expression slightly grim. Ben glanced over at him, curious about his abrupt silence.

"Something wrong?"

"No…I just…I'm older than I thought," Jimmy mumbled response, furrowing his brow and picking a raisin up, popping it in his mouth, "My birthday passed, I didn't even realize."

"Really? When was your birthday?" Ben asked, sitting up, interest piqued at that revelation. Maybe it wasn't too late, they could still celebrate. Jimmy knocked the granola from his hand and reached for the vodka again.

"It's stupid, I guess. I knew how much time had passed but I didn't even think about the months and…maybe I didn't want it to have been that long, didn't want to be older…didn't want time to of passed…I mean, why should it pass for me when it's not for others?" Jimmy grumbled, sniffling and saying, "It was August…the sixth. Funny, my birthday came and went and I didn't realize," he smirked darkly up at Ben and earnestly remarked, "And would you believe it was the best birthday I have ever had?"

Ben frowned at that, but said nothing. Jimmy was far more upset than seemed necessary for a forgotten birthday and Ben sensed there was something Jimmy wasn't saying.

"So…that makes you what? How old now…?"

"Fourteen," Jimmy answered easily, taking another rough shot of the vodka, then leaning back to peer up at the stars. Ben smirked at him, and he caught the look, taken aback, "What?"

"Nothing," Ben grinned, turning his attention back to the stars and noting happily, "I'm just older than you."

"And still immature enough to actually care," Jimmy muttered, rolling his eyes, then glaring at him, "Why…when's your birthday?"

"I'll be fifteen in the first week of December," Ben proudly proclaimed, then frowned and complained, "I missed the cutoff for school, and so I was always older than everyone else in my class…it was kind of embarrassing."

"Oh…" Jimmy mumbled, peeling at the label on the vodka bottle, whispering, "Your birthday's the week after Cass's then."

Ben's face fell, his eyes slipped shut and his mouth formed a silent, "Oh."

Of course Jimmy was depressed to learn it was November, nearing the birthdate of the little sister he'd been forced to kill. Ben moved closer to the other boy, sliding an arm around Jimmy's waist and resting his chin on Jimmy's shoulder.

"Want me to show you some constellations?" Ben offered.

"Sure," Jimmy replied.

"Here," Ben patted the table, slipping off it onto the bench, "Lay down, so you aren't straining your neck."

"You sure this isn't just some ploy to get me on my back," Jimmy jeered, half-jokingly.

"I've been reading that book," Ben replied in jest, "If I had ulterior motives, there a lot better positions I would trick you into."

"You asshole," Jimmy sighed, moving their 'dinner' and vodka aside, Ben taking the lamp and setting it beside him on the bench, as Jimmy laid back to get a better view of the sky.

Ben positioned himself, with an arm across Jimmy, their cheeks flush. He took Jimmy's hand in his own, using it to point out the stars.

"That cluster there is Pegasus…and you follow that to…there is Andromeda…and right over there is Phoenix…and, this one is important, you should remember it, that there is the North Star, follow it and it will take you north," Ben explained, smirking as Jimmy rolled his eyes, then tightening his grip on Jimmy's hand, "And that is…um…that's Cassiopeia, the tortured queen."

Ben let Jimmy go, straightening and resting his head atop the arm he had strewn across Jimmy's chest, studying Jimmy's pale, sullen features and wide blue eyes.

"That's cool," Jimmy mused, still studying the sky, "That you can look at those and see them…and…know the time of year…"

"Yeah well…my parents," Ben murmured, smiling distantly, then glancing shyly at Jimmy, "Hey…uh…you know, I have something for you. It could be like a…like a birthday present."

"What…? A present? This isn't like more ointment, is it?" Jimmy groaned, starting to sit up.

"No, just stay there. Lay back down," Ben commanded, "And close your eyes."

Jimmy eyed him suspiciously, "I swear to God, Ben, if this is supposed to be some kind of pervy setup…"

"It's not," Ben promised, "Close your eyes."

"Why? What is it?" Jimmy wondered, suddenly suspicious.

"Nothing. Just a kiss," Ben answered casually, "Close your eyes."

"What? A kiss? Ben," Jimmy groaned, "Why are you being weird?"

"Why are you being difficult? Just close your eyes," Ben insisted.

Jimmy sighed, relaxing back down and, fluttering his lids a moment in annoyance then relented, closing them and sliding his arms up to cross firmly over his chest. Ben stood slightly off the bench to pull the present from his pocket, a tiny thing wrapped in silver foil. He'd worried it would melt but it appeared to have survived the length of time he'd had it hidden there. Carefully, he held the kiss between his finger and thumb, and carefully, slowly, gently set it atop Jimmy's softened lips, and then he leaned his chin in his palm and watched intently for Jimmy's reaction.

Jimmy flinched his brow together momentarily, then sat up suddenly, startled, catching the kiss as it tumbled from his mouth and opening his eyes to see what it was he held in his palm.

"What the hell?" Jimmy sputtered and then perked a brow at Ben laughing beside him, "A kiss," he repeated dumbly, realization dawning on him, then he forced a scowl at the other boy, chastising between chuckles, "You are such a dork. Where did you get this, anyway?"

"In the convenience store," Ben answered easily, grinning proudly at the other boy, "Before I found you back in pharmaceuticals. There was an unopened bag left in the candy aisle. I put it in the truck to take back to all the kids, but I remembered you mentioning something about liking chocolate, so I snagged you one first."

Jimmy stared at the chocolate kiss in his hand, as though puzzled by the kind gesture.

"Thanks," he murmured, sounding dazed.

"Aren't you going to eat it?" Ben pressed and Jimmy quirked a brow at him.

"I have to eat it now?" he replied.

"Well…I…" Ben stammered, shrugging, as he sought something coherent to say.

Jimmy rolled his eyes and began unwrapping the chocolate. He paused a moment, glanced at Ben, still watching him closely, "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't grab one for yourself," Jimmy wondered. Ben shrugged, shook his head 'no'. Jimmy frowned, glaring at the kiss in his hand, "Well, now I feel weird eating it in front of you."

"It's fine. I'm not really a big fan of chocolate," Ben replied casually. Jimmy gawked at him.

"You don't like chocolate?" he demanded, teasing, "Wow, you really aren't human."

Ben flinched, the phrase wasn't meant to be malicious, he knew, but he couldn't help his surprised jolt at the words. He tilted his head back to look at the skies again. He could feel Jimmy's eyes on him, studying him, and in a very strange way it was a comfort.

"Close your eyes," Jimmy barked command.

"What?" Ben responded, looking curiously to the other boy.

"It's my turn. Just do it," Jimmy said harshly.

Ben sighed, and humored Jimmy, closing his eyes and waiting anxiously for whatever that other boy had planned. He could hear Jimmy shuffling around, the rustle of his clothes and the creak of the table as he lifted himself off of it, then the soft pad of his footsteps, and more rustling of clothes as he straddled the bench beside Ben, carefully maneuvering Ben, one hand rest on Ben's far hip, the other at his jaw and neck, gently directing his head to the side. Ben's heart kicked into over gear at the closeness of Jimmy, hands groping in such intimate places, the other boy's warmth spilling over him.

Then Jimmy tentatively placed his mouth against Ben's, and Ben could sense the shyness there, the uncertainty, in that soft, delicate touch, it was puzzling in a way, felt vaguely like a first kiss and not like one of the countless, kisses of practiced ease that they'd given one another throughout the past months. Almost instantly, Jimmy parted their lips, and the taste of chocolate spilled in, the kiss that had been held precariously between Jimmy's teeth now melting in the hot mix of saliva between both boys' mouths.

Jimmy balanced himself against Ben, sinking down to rest most of his weight on the other boy, and Ben moved forward, sweeping his arm around Jimmy's waist and dragging Jimmy as close to his own body as he could manage, delving as deep into that chocolaty sweet taste as he could. Jimmy's hand moved to the back of Ben's neck and Ben loved the way those fingers delicately traced between the rods jutting out of his skin, as though to say he knew they were there and could not care less.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for air and wiping away the lingering milk chocolaty taste from their lips, Ben laughing at the absurdity of the whole affair, Jimmy questioned teasingly, "So…how do you feel about chocolate now?"

"Kind of…like…I should have grabbed more," Ben answered sheepishly, grinning.

Jimmy smirked and started to move away, but Ben grabbed him back, forcing him to sit down on the bench with him. He gestured for Jimmy to turn out from the table, doing the same, and wrapped an arm round Jimmy's shoulders, pulling him close, and tilting his head back to look up the stars.

"My favorite constellation isn't out…but I'll show it to you next April. If you want," Ben whispered.

"What's your favorite constellation?" Jimmy wondered, absently settling himself against Ben.

"Hercules."

"Cass loved that movie, the Disney one," Jimmy murmured, his cheeks were lightly colored and he sounded breathless. Ben pressed a kiss to Jimmy's cheek. He couldn't imagine how hard it was for the other boy to think about his deceased sister, knowing her birthday was near. Ben gave it a few seconds before continuing.

"It's a good movie, but the real legend of Hercules is not so pretty," Ben confessed, gingerly taking Jimmy's hand in his own, twining their fingers, and absently reaching for the vodka to take another drink, the taste was starting to grow on him, either that or he was becoming too drunk to notice its burn. The alcohol was starting to heat his cheeks, and he could sense his words slurring slightly, "He was only half-god because his father, Zeus, had an affair with a mortal woman. Hercules spent most of his life trying to prove himself to the Gods, and Hera, jealous as usual, was always giving him a hard time. She drove him mad once, caused him to murder his own children, and he had to perform ten labors to make up for it."

Jimmy wriggled free somewhat of the other boy and turned to look at Ben, his eyes searching Ben's features. Ben smirked numbly, took another drink from the bottle, it was going down easier. He hadn't realized in mentioning the constellation the parallels that could easily be drawn to his own life, hell, he hadn't realized when he was a child falling in love with the myth of Hercules that one day he would be able to parallel it to his life.

Jimmy relieved Ben of the vodka, taking a drink of it himself before setting it aside. He leaned forward thoughtfully, placing an insistent kiss to Ben's mouth and after a quick flutter of heartbeats, Ben responded in kind. Their mouths merged together perfectly, parting in time, Ben's tongue diving in for an eager taste of the other boy. They maneuvered themselves round on the bench to better access one another, Ben tugged down Jimmy's collar, attaching his mouth to the pale flesh of Jimmy's exposed collar bone, and Jimmy slid his hands up beneath Ben's shirt, wincing as his hands rippled over the bandages there.

"How are you feeling…?" he gasped question, tracing his fingers delicately along the injuries.

Ben smirked against Jimmy's skin, silly question – he didn't even feel the injuries when they were fresh. He nibbled Jimmy's pale, salty-sweet tasting flesh a bit, and then dragged his tongue up along Jimmy's jawline, pushing shaggy brown locks away to find an ear to suckle on. Jimmy whimpered in the back of his throat, slumping against Ben, his fingers edging along the rods in Ben's back up to his shoulders, curling there to drag him close. Ben's fingers were working at undoing Jimmy's trouser buttons, but it was a struggle and they were fumbling to figure out how to get the little round thing through the hole, constantly catching the button up in the fabric. Jimmy pushed Ben back somewhat, resting their foreheads together and searching Ben's eyes, glazed and filled with dazed lust.

"You're drunk," Jimmy noted, with a light laugh, kissing Ben adoringly, "You're such a lightweight."

"You're drunk too," Ben accused, though his words slurred almost incoherently together.

"Only buzzed," Jimmy returned. His head felt as though it was resting on a cloud, and he couldn't stop grinning. He gently moved Ben's fingers, undoing the buttons himself, as he murmured, "I knew you couldn't handle the vodka…" he paused, and darted a nervous glance to Ben, the other boy's eyes transfixed on Jimmy's fingers as they seemed to miraculously slip the buttons out of those little holes in the fabric, "About the thing…in the book…"

"Wasn't going to do it," Ben cried, sounding immediately and somewhat suspiciously on the defense, as he rolled his eyes up to meet Jimmy's. There was a playful smirk in the corner of his lip, and he lolled his head forward suddenly, muffling a giggle with his hand. Jimmy sighed, knocking the hand away to catch Ben's mouth in a deep kiss.

"We could…" Jimmy sheepishly decided, "Try it…right now. If you wanted…"

"Really?" Ben lit up, sliding his hand along and partially below the edge of Jimmy's trouser band, significantly loosened by the undone buttons. Jimmy closed his eyes, catching his breath and squirming at the contact, Ben's light touch tickling the already sensitive skin below his belt.

"Sure," Jimmy sighed contentedly, as Ben buried his face against Jimmy's collar again, working the skin raw with his teeth and tongue, while his hand slipped down to caress Jimmy's developing erection.

Jimmy struggled for breath, digging his fingers into Ben's shoulders, holding the other boy as though the only thing solid in the world. Ben moved to lean Jimmy back down on the bench momentarily, they wouldn't remain like that long, the narrow board made a far too awkward and precarious bed, he used it only to unzip Jimmy, guiding Jimmy back up with his mouth and insistent hands.

"Ben…" Jimmy murmured, his voice so soft that Ben barely heard him, the rest of his words clacking against his teeth, caught on his breath. He desperately tried to sort out the emotions rushing through him, the things fighting in him to be said and their deeper meanings. Those kinds of proclamations, once out there, made solid and tangible, formed hard and fragile in the heart by slipping past tongue and teeth, and couldn't be taken back without shattering one or both of them altogether.

"Hm…?"

"…nothing," Jimmy mumbled, hands working Ben's t-shirt carefully up over the spikes jutting out his back, one hand rippling carelessly down along their cool metallic edge, as the other pulled the fabric up over Ben's shoulders. Ben's hand hesitated a moment, then slipped under Jimmy, palm flattening against his butt cheek, giving it a slight squeeze. Jimmy made a small, surprised noise in his throat, pulling back to grin at Ben and tease in a low, husky voice, "How long you been wanting to do that?"

"Can't tell you…you'll shoot me," Ben returned, only half-joking, words melding together, face burning hot from the alcohol and his positioning with the other boy, "Are you…you ready for this?"

"Yeah…yes," Jimmy croaked, his voice breaking somewhat. He'd read the passage in the book, he knew what to expect, but he wasn't entirely sure he'd enjoy it. It all sounded too weird. Ben smiled, repositioning so that he was slightly behind Jimmy, starting to push away Jimmy's trousers towards his knees and...

The boys both froze at the rapid sound of gunfire and explosions nearby, paralyzed, all senses suddenly on high alert and wide eyes staring out in the night. They heard the all-too-familiar, dreadful mechanical trumpet blast and their stomachs fell, instantly robbing them entirely of their heated desires, and swamping them with the biting cold night air.

"Mech," Jimmy growled recognition, scrambling to readjust his clothes and do up his trousers again. Ben was already striding towards the rifles.

.

.

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AN: I kind of didn't like how Roman's part turned out...I had it planned out and perfectly pictured in my head, but...there was supposed to be more of a build up to that convo, and I kind of had to rush it more because it fit there and it wouldn't have a place later, and I sort of wanted to get a bit of a reveal on Roman's character, show more of what's motivating him...somehow I thought chapter 33 might be a good place to give some insight on where Roman is coming from.

Also...Ben and Jimmy's first date scene, what did ya'll think? Cute? Too cutesy? Why the fuck did those Mechs have to come along?

Let me know what's on your minds!

Reviewers: SassySavanna190, I wish I had the energy in the morning to properly respond to your awesome high energy reviews! Glad to hear your fearful for the boys, as you can see in this chapter, if it's not them getting in the way of themselves, then its the war getting in the way. Anthony is an awesome character, I would almost continue watching Falling Skies just for him, but given my luck on favorite characters in that show, he's probably next to go...knock on wood. Well, people are less caught up in the killing a man thing and more caught up in Jimmy killed a man, how is that effecting him. It's not easy taking a life, even in the apocolype. What he think everyone in camp is worried about (his capabilities) isn't actually what everyone in camp is worried about (him). Bwahahaha, I know that last scene is going to have everyone's mind running to the worst (and most obvious scenario) about what the four unharnessed teens are working on, but I'm warning you: don't! Make no assumptions, just read. :) But it would be awesome if Ben and Roman teamed up to protect Jimmy...gathering around a common goal. Cookie97, lol, no she's not. But sweet girls never make history anyway. She's conniving, manipulative, and a tough love expert. JDMlvr1, I'm glad to hear you liked those two bonding moments between the characters. I kind of liked writing the one with Anthony, he didn't get much love last story. Dai might be getting some moments too, if anyone is wondering. Caswiee, hello! That is...a lot of reading in two days. I hope you took breaks to sleep and eat and junk. Bwahahahahahahahahaha, I am evil. It wasn't a lie, that flashback was legit, or as legit as a flashback in a fanfic can get. You know, I'm not sure yet if I want the boys to remember each other from the convinient store, it's more meant to be an underlying theme for the readers, so that every time the boys go into "How do we know if this is really meant to be...?", everyone can shout at their screens "YES! Damn yous..." Yeah, I don't know, we'll see. I never know where the writing is necessarily going to take me. Few chapters ago, Jimmy shot a man, that was not planned to happen at this point in the story, so...yeah...

Cookie! Yay!

See you guys next week!