Author's Notes: Hi, I can't link my full author's notes but if you want 'em, just go to archiveofourown. The TLDR: Fic is set in an alternate universe, where Ben and Kevin are career criminals. Instead of getting the Omnitrix like in canon, Ben can manipulate mana like Gwen and has a color scheme more similar to his mom's than his dad's: purple and blonde instead of green and brunette. This is also an Eon x Paradox zone.
Red and green glinted off the polished floors. A massive tree adorned with lights and silver ornaments occupied the center of the lobby, scattering festive colors around the golden room. The doors and archways were lined with fresh greenery, holly spotted with red berries and redder ribbons. The corners of Ben's eyes were blurry from sleepiness and the incredible shine that filled up the first floor. Years of being a trespasser hadn't erased his feeling of intrusiveness; rather than experiencing guilt over the thought, he was filled with self-satisfaction over the idea of invading the territory of higher classes.
Impatient, his eyes continued roaming the brilliant foyer as he waited for the hotel clerk to finish ringing him up for the price of two rooms he had booked at the very last-minute. Despite not having made reservations weeks in advance, and even though it was during the holidays, two suites were surprisingly vacant.
As the clerk worked, he was recounting some historical facts about Christmas. His accent indicated that he was foreign. British. His manner of speech didn't make his stories any more interesting, just the opposite. It felt like listening to a dusty lecture.
"...it was a temporary armistice between the Allied soldiers and the Germans that took place during the first World War. The soldiers ceased fighting and came together in the spirit of peace and goodwill toward one another. The truce began on the Western Front on Christmas Eve. Men from both sides of the battlefield exchanged gifts, sang carols, and even played football together in no man's land."
"Uh-huh. That's nice." Ben hummed noncommittally, feigning attentiveness while he paid for the rooms after the bill was calculated in full. He thought that would be the end of the exchange, but as the clerk handed Ben his receipt, he said:
"The truce lasted a few days, but eventually all good things come to an end. Military authorities on both sides ordered the soldiers to resume fighting."
Ben crinkled the receipt in his hand, shoving it into his dark purple jacket pocket. He dismissed the inconsequential small talk from the old man, not wanting to look too closely and recognize something too familiar. His body was aged by time — hair graying at the sides, face creased with gentle laugh lines — but his blue eyes radiated the same timeless energy that Ben's grandfather had possessed.
Most of all, he looked at him too kindly.
"Pretty sad," He said insincerely, stepping back from the desk. "Thanks for the history lesson. It was, uh, interesting. Have a good night."
His eyes lazily searched the gleaming lobby for Kevin amid the wealthier patrons, who were all swaddled up in thick fur coats and cashmere Valentino scarves. The other guests were well groomed and unblemished, flaws hidden with powders and makeup. In contrast, his friend, who only had a thin black shirt and ripped jeans to protect from the December air, was striking from just how roguish he was. Kevin was stretched out on a gilded armchair, taking up as much space as he could like a deep fracture in expensive porcelain.
Ben handed him the card key to his room.
"Well?" Kevin demanded, snatching the card out of his hands
"It's a nice hotel."
"You're welcome," Kevin scoffed, lurching to his feet. "And you wanted to stay in some piece of shit Motel 6. Not anymore. Never again."
Ben scowled. "I just thought it would be a good idea to lay low for a while."
"What for, Tennyson? Scared?" He grinned, strolling over to the elevators. "You've always been such a pussy."
"It's called having impulse control, but fine. Keep acting like a total dumbass. It's been going so well for you so far."
They stopped in their tracks when Kevin spotted the bar from across the room.
"No, Kev. You have to stay sober for at least tonight. We don't know who could be onto us after–"
"Same as it ever was." Kevin cut him off. "You play it nice and safe and get to bed early. I'm getting a few drinks."
He disappeared into the crowd of bargoers under the dim lights.
Ben rolled his eyes.
Alone, he entered the elevator and pushed the button to the fourth floor, scowling at the digital neon floor counter decorated cutely with mistletoe. He had rented rooms 410 and 411 so that he and Kevin would be near each other at the first sign of trouble. He'd thought his plan clever at the checkout counter; now, his friend's words about his tendency to be overly cautious rang through his head again.
Kevin didn't know the meaning of the word self-restraint, and if Ben had not learned it, they would have both been sitting pretty in a cell by now.
The elevator bells chimed, releasing him to the fourth floor. He found his suite and brought his suitcases inside the white room, inhaling the aroma of the fresh peppermint-scented linens. The first bag, filled with his clothing and other personal belongings, he dropped carelessly to one side. He had to be more thoughtful about where he would store the second case — ready to burst with unmarked dollar bills — during the rest of their stay. In the end, the young man pushed the plush sofa away from the wall and conjured a glowing spike of pure energy within his palm.
Carving out a small opening into the floorboards, Ben hid his bag inside, anticipating it would remain nice and safe there for the rest of his night. Placing the carpet over the makeshift compartment, he pushed the sofa back into place and shrugged off his winter clothes. The thick, heavy fabric was now sweltering. He swapped his purple jacket for a ridiculous Santa-themed robe that was hanging in the bathroom.
Looking absolutely stupid in the fluffy garment, he laughed and examined himself in the mirror. The robe stopped at his knees and was weightless, fluttering when he turned to pad around the spacious suite.
In the kitchen, he found complimentary refreshments for guests and served himself hot chocolate, throwing in a few marshmallows to make it even sweeter. With his mug held to his lips, he slurped his drink obnoxiously, stopping at the window overlooking the balcony. Silently, he watched the snowfall, thinking how nice it was to view the ice from indoors rather than out. Around the same time last year, he and Kevin hadn't been able to find shelter at all. There had been a terrible blizzard, and they were forced to hole up in an abandoned New York subway station with all the city street rats.
Their new accommodations were a step up. When Ben drained his chocolate, he fell into the queen-sized bed. Maybe Kevin was right. They needed to celebrate their successes and drastic lifestyle progression from the previous year. The bed's luxurious foam sunk to cradle his body. Ben shut his eyes instead of the lights, comfortable and worn out enough to give into sleep without needing darkness. Curling up on his side, he pulled his robe more tightly around himself.
He wasn't certain how much sleep he had managed to get, but he was shaken back to consciousness by two rough hands.
"Get your ass up!"
Ben's eyes sleepily fluttered open without the same urgency as the voice waking him. His vision blearily came into focus on Kevin's panicked face. Despite his friend's orders, his mind was slow to pick up on what was happening. He was low on energy from their bank heist, drowsy from exhaustion.
"Didn't you hear me? I said wake up !" Kevin commanded louder, shoving him to the floor.
Ben yelped and got to his knees, scrubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What's your damage?"
First, he thought Kevin might have been confused — that he had mistakenly had too much alcohol and had wandered into the wrong room. But his dark eyes were distressed, not dazed by intoxication.
"It's the Plumbers. They're swarming the place."
The two words immediately startled Ben to his feet.
"Where'd you stash the cash?" Kevin dug through the bags and suitcases. Ben didn't get the chance to answer.
The door was thumped on harshly.
"Ben Tennyson and Kevin Levin, this is the intergalactic law enforcement task force known as the Plumbers. You are charged with endangering the welfare of Earth inhabitants!"
Ben shoved at the couch, revealing the hiding spot for their suitcase. Pulling the case of money out, he pushed it into Kevin's arms. The man grabbed it and kicked open the balcony doors, letting in the frigid air.
When neither of the criminals responded, too preoccupied as they scrambled to gather their belongings, the door was forcibly slammed open. Under the frame stood two men in navy blue armor, causing Ben's lips to twitch with amusement. He understood it wasn't the time to joke around, and it shouldn't have been as funny as it was, but every time the Plumbers showed up, they never failed to remind him of a circus freak show. The sight of a large, fuchsia ape and a blue cat in official uniforms was just ridiculous, settling Ben's nerves as he mentally gave them offensive nicknames.
"Come peacefully and surrender." The more catlike agent instructed, training a blaster on him and Kevin.
"Alright." Ben raised his hands slowly, causing the agents to tense up.
But by now, after so many battles, they could not be fooled anymore. Immediately, the Plumbers were on the defensive when Ben hurled a wall of energy straight at them. The feline charged up an orange shield of his own, ramming straight into Ben's magenta force field. Only the Plumber's shield wavered, flickering precariously under the collision.
Ben grinned widely, shoving his mana wall forward. It shattered through his opponent's amber barrier, pushing both agents out into the hallway. Once their defense had shattered all around them, the agents wasted no time hastily firing with their ray guns.
Cockily, Ben deflected each shot fired at him and Kevin. The wayward blasts ricocheted off the shields raised by Ben's hands, obliterating the fine arches of the hotel and marble flooring. The countertops exploded into crumbs, the fragments clouding the air with dust.
He knew he shouldn't have been showing off, but it was too fun, and he was only goaded on by Kevin: "Hurry and finish them off! This is still the best they can send? What a fucking disappointment."
"You are the only disappointment," The catlike agent stated, glaring pointedly at Ben. "It is almost impossible to believe such a disgrace is a descendant of someone as honorable as Magister Tennyson."
"Why don't you address your complaints directly to him, then? He not answering your calls?" Ben laughed to hide his annoyance.
That was the part that bothered him the most, the way Max's cute little fanclub acted as if they knew more about his grandfather than he did, but Ben tried not to simmer over that too much.
He tried not to think about his family much at all.
Meeting him in the middle of the hall, the agent slashed a blade at Ben, who put up another barrier between them. The Plumber shattered it with the sharp weapon that had materialized in his hands, driving it forward toward Ben's chest.
To avoid being stabbed, Ben conjured ascending platforms behind himself, hopping up playfully onto each square like heavenly stairs until he was hovering above the agent's range of attacks. It was a game to him, a very fun one, but harmless all the same.
The agent swiped his weapon upward. Before he could shatter through Ben's raised platform, he steered out of the way, firing a retaliatory blast at the Plumber. Their movements had a push-and-pull element, complementing each other like they were old familiars, though they had never met. Each time he swerved out of the Plumber's reach, the agent would spin a new swifter jab, almost knowing what Ben was going to do next — as if he had taken the time to study Ben's movements. It was flattering how much the agent knew and, despite Kevin's lamentations, it was an improvement from the usual boy scouts that were sent after them.
Too absorbed in their battle, the agent failed to notice that Ben was walking them both backward, toward the open window and balcony. He only realized what was going on when it was already too late, and Kevin had stepped onto Ben's floating square.
Ben launched their platform toward the skies, chuckling mockingly at the two agents down below.
"Too slow!" He jeered down at them, giving a smug wave.
Kevin growled. "Focus. Plumbers aren't as easy as Earth cops."
"Look who's being all nice and safe now."
"Shut it, shithead. This is serious. They actually have the means of tracking us. We have to get as far as we can."
Ben yawned, steering their tile forward at a sparrow's pace. They were slicing through the clouds, wind whipping through their clothing and hair. It was exhilarating at first; Ben loved nothing more than flying. Gravity was an earthly law that bound lesser mortal creatures to the ground but couldn't hold him.
He was like a god.
But the divine did not have limitations, and Ben's body was being pushed beyond its capabilities without his knowledge. For one, the thin material of his sleepwear offered him no protection, and he soon found himself tremoring from the freezing air. That wasn't to mention, he had already over exerted himself during the robbery, which had taken intense precision and concentration.
The platform he and Kevin flew on began to dim, growing weaker without its creator's awareness. Ben did not know how his eyelids had gradually begun drooping until it was a labor to keep them open. He did see how his floating tile flickered threateningly beneath himself."
Tennyson, watch it!"
Too late.
Their platform disappeared, sending them hurdling back toward the ground. Ben's eyes snapped open again, a scream tearing its way from his throat. He tried to conjure another platform but could not find the familiar burn within him.
Kevin gritted his teeth. His arm fought against the torrent of air that blasted them as they plummeted, reaching up to absorb material of the stainless steel dog tag he wore around his neck. Once his body was protectively coated in metal, he snatched Ben close to his chest, maneuvering their bodies so that Kevin's armored back hit the ground first.
Though the armor lessened the impact, Kevin winced from the shock and pain. They had created a small crater in the middle of a frosted field. He shoved Tennyson off of him and wheezed, rolling onto his stomach into the ice.
Shivering, Ben stood up knee-deep in the snow, wading in the slurry of frozen water. Just a little ways away from where they had fallen, their suitcase landed with a crunching smack to the ice. He stumbled his way over, gathering the money back into the case. A good portion of the money, along with his clothing, was now all wet. He was shaking when he walked over to Kevin, fingers struggling to maintain their hold on the slippery handle of the wet bag.
They trudged forward without clear direction, only knowing that they had to put more distance between themselves and the town he and Kevin had victimized. There was no light to help them get a sense of where they were. The clouds were so thick, Ben could not see the moon under the cloud cover. To keep him warm, a rush of blood filled the vessels of his face, burning his cheeks and ego. The howling winds bit into his reddened flesh, reminding him of his clear humanity.
Kevin was less affected by the cold, his metal skin shielding him from the icy temperature.
"We can't keep going like this. You're going to die out here." Kevin grunted.
"I-I'm fine. Worry about y-yourself. "
"You're not gonna make it."
"I-I said worry about yourself. W-We don't have options right now."
With what remained of his little bursts of energy, Ben kept himself struggling forward by creating pitiful sparks of mana bursts. Hot radiation burned between his palms for a few minutes before going out like a dying flame. Every now and then, he kept sparking it like a lighter. The heat generated by the action, along with the memory of the golden hotel they'd nearly stayed in, was enough to keep him moving.
By the time they encountered a rest stop, the storm had begun to subside. It was morning; dark bruises were beginning to form around Ben's eyes from a lack of proper sleep. In the foggy distance, the roadside inn glowed at the two thieves with mercy, soothing, ready to welcome them back into warmth. Ben's bloodshot eyes and disheveled clothing made the attendant wary, but his money was accepted there regardless, no questions asked.
The finer details of Kevin's face were harder to make out under the cover of his metal plating, Ben could tell he was at his breaking point, too. He was just better at hiding the fatigue, no cracks in his hardened expression.
"Bed's all yours, Kev," He offered empathetically once they had reached their room. As long as Ben could shut his eyes for a little while, it didn't matter if he slept on the forest floor, a king sized bed, or a squeaky cheap mattress. Preferences had quickly been wiped from his mind by the snow storm. Their room was serviceable — a downgrade from the previous hotel but serviceable.
As promised, he let Kevin have the bed and found a spot on the dusty carpet, pillowing his head on his arms. Their little room had no heating, so Ben was forced to curl inward, rubbing his palms together so the sensation in his fingers would return.
"I'll wake ya if the roaches start carrying you off." Kevin joked from the dirty mattress he was sprawled out on. The bed wasn't much better than the floor and was equally as awkward.
"Don't bother. You'd be doing me a bigger favor if you just let them." Ben snorted, his body aching in agreement with his sentiment. His eyes drifted shut, a peaceful semi-silence falling over the room. A dripping faucet from the connecting bathroom, their own breathing, and the chattering of Ben's teeth disturbed the hush that fell over the two criminals. Occasionally, the winds thudded against the windows, whipping at the roof.
Neither of them complained. Neither of them could move a muscle, except for Ben's quiet shivering at the foot of the bed. He rolled over onto his back, staring up at the grimy ceiling and all the cracks in the stucco.
Kevin sighed loudly, irritation prevalent in the action. "Get up here, Tennyson. Neither of us are going to catch shut-eye if your teeth keep chattering like a rat."
"Colorful description. Hey, you should invest your half of the money into publishing children's books. That's around your reading level isn't it?"
Kevin snickered. "Not a bad idea. I'll call my first one Benny Potter and the Dork Stone. "
"That doesn't even make sense."
"Sure does. You're, like, magic, aren't ya? Makes you almost like a wizard, doesn't it?"
Ben made a face. "Don't call me that."
"Alright, how about Lucky Boy and the Dork Stone."
At the mention of the name he ran around calling himself when he was a child, Ben flushed hotly. He'd lifted the idea of having an alter ego from his dumb comic books, but it was now a mortifying memory, remembering how he used to prance around in a cat mask, testing out cheesy catch-phrases.
"I'll draw the funny scar on your face if you want." Kevin offered.
"Shut up."
"You started it." He always needed to have the last word.
It took Ben a few moments to get up. As horrible as the floor was, it provided him with comfort to lie down. The small act of hauling himself up from the ground became a chore. Once he was on his feet, he blearily approached the bed. It felt like he was already asleep and only dreaming that he was walking, his mind hazy as he crawled under the sheets with Kevin, who was curled on his side with his eyes already closed, not even looking at him. In the dim light of dawn spilling in from the curtains, he could see the man had his guard lowered, armor gone from his skin.
As annoyed as Ben was, there was something familiar and good about being pressed back-to-back with him. It was just like when they were fighting. Sleeping and fighting. Both were easier done when they were together. They fit against each other imperfectly, Kevin's broad shoulders lined up asymmetrically with his own thinner ones. The warmth produced by their proximity relaxed their rigid muscles. Despite their differences, they remained two halves of a whole.
Kevin's breathing began to even out as he began falling asleep, and Ben's body stopped shaking from the cold. It was easy to be lulled by Kevin's steady breaths and the soft glow of daylight that couldn't make it through the snowy clouds and drapes.
A threatening hammering vibrated through the door, causing the windows to shake.
No.
Ben tried to trick himself into believing it was only the wind again, but the frame shook with a force that could not have possibly been produced by the breeze.
No, he thought about the rough trek they had taken through the unforgiving storm, but they were in a new city.
No.
The Plumbers couldn't have possibly caught up to them so quickly.
No.
But they had gotten away!
"No," He groaned aloud, scrubbing his face from the frustration. "No, I can't do this again."
"Tough shit. Get it together, or at least don't get in my way." Kevin reached toward the nightstand, gripping the brass lamp, absorbing it into his body. The metal crawled up the length of his arm, coating his body in a layer of shiny plating.
The door was smashed open, splintering into pieces. A large figure stood at the entrance; he was no law enforcement agent Ben had ever seen, not even the Plumbers. The Plumbers' uniform was denim blue. Sometimes white. The being in the doorway was guarded by deep purple armor and a dark cloak, face hidden by an opaque helmet. Only two sinister, violet eyes glimmered through his visor.
"I am only here for Ben Tennyson," The stranger announced and marched into the dingy motel, seeming as though he were all violet fire and inhuman energy. Ben held his breath, waiting for the carpets to scorch beneath his boots. They never did, proving he was a solid man and not made of pure flame.
Kevin lunged at him, swinging a few punches at the man's helmet. The armored man blocked his attacks easily, raising two arm-guards in defense. When Kevin swung his finishing blows, the stranger caught his wrists and forced him to be still.
"Brass. It resembles gold, making it a popular choice for decorations. It tarnishes fairly easily, but it can last a century under the right conditions." A deep raspy voice noted, unimpressed by the material. In his gauntleted fingers, the yellow metal encasing Kevin's hands began to lighten, pinkening before crumbling all around his arms.
Ben had known Kevin for nearly ten years. It was hard to imagine how much time had passed between them, but when he really thought about it, Ben realized that they had grown up together. He had seen the other boy when he was annoyed, gleeful, embarrassed, and even when he was tearful — although, neither of them lingered over the last emotion.
Ben didn't think he'd ever seen him scared.
Kevin's eyes had widened with a lack of understanding, lips pressed into a hard line from the force he was using to keep his mouth snapped shut instead of hanging open. Glowering, he yanked his arms free of the stranger's grip, falling onto his back.
Kicking himself backward, Kevin scrambled away from the foot of their enemy.
"Continue making yourself a nuisance and your miserable existence will be wiped from this Earth." The stranger warned Kevin, readying a crackling blast of energy in one palm. Curiously enough, it resembled a charge of mana, but it wasn't as smooth as Ben's creations — it was jagged and ugly. "Step aside and your life will be spared. Consider yourself fortunate that I do not care either way."
Kevin did not need to be told twice. Like a weasel, he ran past the masked intruder, leaving through the hole where the door once stood. Ben was alone and powerless. He reached for that burn, the spark of his abilities, but it still wasn't there. He was completely on his own in the face of this— this—
Plumber?
Thing.
Whatever it was. It was after him and him alone.
Alone.
Registering the severity of the situation, the terror, he threw himself into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. But the barrier offered the defense a petal gave against a bullet. As he reached for the window, a hole was shot through the drywall, catching the shower curtains and debris alight. Flames erupted in the room, rapidly spreading through the building.
Ben crawled out of the window as the glass shattered, cutting into his palms. He fell face-first into the blackened melting snow, stumbling his way toward the parking lot, where Kevin was hotwiring a car. Ben shoved his way into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut.
"Hurry up and get this thing started!" Ben slammed a fist against the dashboard.
Kevin didn't say anything in response, brows pulled together in furious concentration. They both sucked in a sharp breath when the motor roared to life. Kevin didn't pause for celebration, speeding down the empty road, leaving the burning motel behind them. Ben's eyes stayed trained on the rear window, watching for the masked man, his sleepless eyes blown wide. His entire body was turned around, nails sinking into the headrest of the cotton car seat.
But the blurring scenery that passed them by was dizzying in his weary condition.
Sinking down properly into his seat, he folded his arms over his chest, head thumping softly against the window.
"Some Christmas…" He slurred his speech, wishfully thinking aloud to let fantasy keep him from despairing, as well as to keep himself awake. "Would be nice if we could have one boring year where we aren't hiding or running. Never really had one. A pretty tree. A dozen glittering presents under it. Fireplace and pajamas... "
Already, despite his initial protests about staying at a five-star hotel, Ben longed for the comfort they'd been forced to flee. It was the closest he and Kevin had ever been to a real holiday.
"Your family never did anything for the holidays?" Kevin asked, making him uncomfortable.
"I guess. My mom and dad had us celebrate the winter solstice, but I just wanted a boring, normal Christmas like everyone else." Ben reminisced, chuckling fondly at the memory of his embarrassing parents.
"How do you celebrate that?"
"We basically went camping. We had a huge dinner, burned a Yule Log, and stayed up until morning to wait for daylight. It wasn't bad, just different from everyone else I knew. My parents were kind of new-age hippies. Always insisting I call them by their first names, too, to make me feel like an equal or whatever."
"Sounds really nice."
"It was weird."
"Sounds like they loved you," Kevin said.
"Of course. They were my mom and dad. They sort of had to."
"No they didn't." Kevin disagreed darkly.
His unspoken words carved out something hollow in Ben's chest, reminding him of why he avoided these types of conversations. The emptiness — guilt gnawed at his insides. Ungrateful, his mind whispered. He knew a little bit about Kevin's homelife. Enough to know there were no celebrations of any kind in the Levin household. No holidays. No consideration toward making Kevin feel equal let alone loved.
Both men had gone back to sulking. The most excruciating part of their trip was having to pass each rest-stop and restaurant, knowing they couldn't stop because whoever was following them would catch up. Ben watched each tiny diner and inn fade into the distance, the tempting glow of their holiday lights extending far beyond the vanishing buildings they were attached to.
"We lost the money." Kevin reluctantly took inventory, his words dragging out listlessly. His sunken eyes expressed how little energy he had left, too.
"We can recover the loss," Ben said unbothered. It wasn't like they'd had the time to grow too accustomed to wealth. They were not yet strangers when it came to toughing it out. It just meant they had to go back to sleeping under the stars or eating at gas station mini-marts until they could catch their next big break. "We made it out with what was most important anyway. That guy was going to kill us."
"Plumbers wouldn't execute us over our type of crimes."
"How do you know?"
"I just do." A pause. Kevin was contemplative. "Your Grandpa Max is a Plumber, isn't he?"
"Was," Ben corrected, struggling to remember the exact details from brief comments made by random Plumber agents. Whatever they had gleaned about Max wasn't much, but if he was an agent at one point, he couldn't have possibly been anymore. "The guy has to be in his seventies by now."
"Think he would let you get killed?"
"I don't know."
Kevin snorted in disbelief, remembering the kindly old man from all those summers ago.
"I don't," Ben snapped, wondering what Kevin's interest in his family was about. "I'm not his only grandchild, and he's had more than enough time to forget about me."
The last time he had seen Grandpa Max, they'd been fighting. Perhaps spending a hot summer in a cramped recreational vehicle had come to a boiling point. At the center of their disagreement was their incompatible beliefs regarding Ben's powers.
When he was ten, his abilities had been nothing more than stupid party tricks. He'd used them to sneak into an event to play a video game demo from his favorite series earlier than it was intended to be released. Harmless. A far cry from being a megalomaniac, but Max reacted so strongly to his frivolous use of magic. His grandfather never pestered his cousin with lectures on responsibility and crap. Gwen — who had more power than he possessed at that age but was never on the receiving end of talks about how wrong it was to use superhuman capabilities for personal gain — could never be a bad seed.
"Besides, it's not even up to him. Pretty sure the law applies to everyone equally, even intergalactic laws. No favors for grandchildren."
"That's the way it's supposed to be," Kevin agreed dubiously, "but they're sure coming after you with everything they've got…"
"The guy they sent threatened to kill us."
"You mean he threatened to kill me." He corrected Ben.
He pretended to be unsure of what Kevin was suggesting, but his ignorance wasn't genuine, and they both knew it; Ben tried to will away the tempting idea that threatened to creep up on him. Worse than the idea was the accompanying flutter of hope bubbling in his chest.
"I think your grandpa would forgive you," Kevin said over the hum of the car's motor.
"What is there to forgive?" Ben wrinkled his nose, having never done anything to Max personally. He had simply grown to understand the actual truth underlying the world, not grandfather's childish notions of heroes and monsters, good and evil, or right and wrong. It was the same truth that tied him and Kevin together all these years: their mutual understanding of the universe's natural hierarchy.
Nobody had enough power to tell them what to do. Not Max, not the police, and no law could bind them. Kevin's rejection of authority made him the perfect catalyst for helping Ben to understand that his grandfather was far from perfect. He couldn't wrap his mind around Kevin's sudden change of heart, speaking to Ben like he had to work his way back into Max's good graces.
"You took off on him without really saying anything. Your folks probably miss you is all I'm saying." Kevin shrugged.
"Seriously? Are you guilt tripping me right now?" Ben scoffed at him. "Spare me, and don't act like you haven't stood idly by, benefiting from my company all these years. I don't need a lecture about the importance of family from a guy without one."
Kevin flinched, causing him to regret his words for a split second, but he should not have broached such a sore subject to begin with. Kevin had been the one to prod at the sensitive topic of family when it was none of his business. Ben tightened his resolve with a stubborn scowl that took too much effort to maintain.
His features relaxed, unable to remain angry for long as he fought against sleeplessness, struggling to keep his eyes open.
Every time he caught his lids dropping, he would jolt upright, heart speeding up as if shocked. He was too afraid to lose consciousness, not knowing what he would open his eyes to see next. The edges of his sight began darkening, spots filling his vision; he realized he was falling asleep, whether he wanted to or not. His fingers shook where they dug into the seat.
He shut his eyes, unable to stop himself from giving into sleep.
When he opened them again, his fears were confirmed.
Twitching awake, he found himself unable to move his limbs. His head whipped around, searching for answers as to where he was. The car was pulled over onto the shoulder of an abandoned highway, beneath a snow blanketed tree. He was still in the passenger seat, head propped up by the window, but Kevin was leaving the driver's side of the vehicle.
"Kevin? Where are you going?" He struggled against cold restraints, some sort of metal, that had been bent around his wrists. "What are you doing?!"
"You heard helmet head. Plumbers are after you." Kevin reluctantly said, hand on the half-open door.
"So, that's it? You're going to leave me here as bait now that I'm too inconvenient?" Ben spat with barely suppressed fury. "What a way to say thanks. You wouldn't have gotten anywhere on your own, Kevin. It's always been me. My help. My magic. You barely have a fraction of the power that I do. You would have been nothing without me."
"I already am nothing." Kevin said, unoffended. "Just street trash. You know it. The Plumbers know it. They'll lock me up and throw away the key. You stand a better chance in their custody than I do, especially with your grandpa being one of them. You've never been anything like me, Tennyson. I never had anyone waiting at home for me."
Ben's eyes glowed hotly, emitting pink light around the edges. Ironically, despite boasting about his superior strength, he couldn't muster the power to break the restraints Kevin had placed around his arms. "You… You're…"
But when he tried to think of the most hurtful words he knew, but couldn't find them. His thoughts, along with the spark of his abilities, were scattering in all directions, fuzzy and hard to grasp. He struggled harder, feeling hot shame and embarrassment at his own weaknesses.
"You had me. " Ben spat out. But even if Kevin released him now, they would probably never go back to the way things were after this betrayal. "I've been there for you every step of the way!"
"Is that so, Mister 'You would have been nothing without me ?'" Kevin quoted him.
"You ungrateful bastard. You're going to regret this, Kevin. You need me." Ben said, squirming in his seat, lunging unsuccessfully at the driver's side.
"It's been fun Ben, but I gotta look out for me. Someone has to."
He shut the door with a metallic click that sealed their separation.
