I wrote this because I wanted to expand on part 3 of What Could Have Been.
Regular Disclaimers:
I am not a real/good writer.
I am just a stressed out adult with a big girl job that likes to type out mediocre fan fiction on her phone for fun.
I own nothing.
There's probably still some typos.
Hope you still enjoy!
Part 1
Gwendolyn kind of hated how everything came easily to Ben. Even college. He didn't study - unless she forced him to - and somehow managed Bs and Cs and the occasional A minus. It just wasn't fair.
"I can't believe you got an A on the physics test. You don't even have the textbook!"
She was close to ripping the paper in half. As expected, she scored higher. But not by much.
He sat on her bed giving his full attention to balancing a pencil on his nose.
"It was multiple choice, dweeb."
The pencil fell.
"Not my fault I got lucky."
She glared at him from her desk.
"Sometimes I hate you."
"So, what you're saying is…"
He shot her a cocky grin.
"Most of the time you love me."
She really wanted to punch him.
She tackled him instead.
The look on his face was worth it.
—
They hung out alone in each other's rooms back home countless times. This was different. This was new. There were no more parents downstairs, across the hall, or on their way home from work. No more 9 o'clock curfews. Now they're at 2 am. Though with their line of business, curfews felt like a joke then and now.
Even their time sharing a room in the Rustbucket didn't compare. Probably because they spent most of it at each other's throats with Max a couple feet away, silently regretting the whole trip.
They were alone-alone now.
They didn't even have roommates.
Their RAs didn't help either.
"Listen Gwen- sorry Gwendolyn. I don't really care if your little boyfriend spends the night. Just don't be obvious about it. Kay? Kay."
The upperclassman walked away, not really needing a response. Gwendolyn's delayed sputter of "He's not my boyfriend!" fell on deaf ears.
…
"Can you believe she said that?"
She huffed, sitting cross-legged on Ben's bed.
He hummed in response from his bean bag chair. His eyes never left the TV. The new sumo slammer game was no joke.
"Ben, are you even listening to me?"
"I heard you, Gwen."
" Gwendolyn." she corrected
"Yeah…I'm never calling you that."
"It's literally my name."
"Don't care."
His fingers mashed the controller buttons hard as he executed a particularly complex combo. He won. He pumped his fist before looking at the dejected redhead behind him.
"It's no big deal. My RA said the same thing."
"He what?!"
Ben shrugged nonchalantly as he pressed a button. The character customization menu popped up on screen.
"He said you can sleep over as long as we're careful."
She just stared at him mouth slightly agape. He knew better not to mention how the older student winked, then handed him one of the many brightly colored condoms the biology department gave out for free.
"What's the problem? I thought you'd like being able to hang out all night." He made a disgusted face, then added,
"When you're not busy studying." He dramatically shuddered and gagged. His display was cut short by a pillow smacking him in the face. She sighed and broke her good posture by slumping against the wall.
"I do like it but…"
She rubbed her arm. She didn't know why she was so nervous all the sudden. Probably because the whole situation was so, so, so bizarre.
"Don't you think it's weird?"
He looked at her confused.
"What's weird?"
"The fact that people keep thinking we're… together."
He shrugged again.
"I don't make caring what other people think about me a habit."
He was smirking but she could tell he was serious.
"You should try it sometime."
She scoffed and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms defiantly. He was right in a way. But she was never going to tell him that.
She sat up and riffled through her backpack for her chemistry textbook. She might as well review for tomorrow's lecture while she's here.
"Eww! You're doing it in my room now, too? Gross…"
This time he laughed when the pillow made contact.
—
She was an expert at tracking his energy. Not that she needed to be. They shared locations. But if she wasn't and if they didn't, she still had a pretty good chance of finding him.
There was a Mr. Smoothie on the 3rd floor of the student union.
"Hey Gwen-"
She narrowed her eyes at him as she approached his table.
"…dolyn. Ugh. Are you happy now?"
"Very."
Smiling smugly, she sat down across from him.
He went back to slurping like he hadn't eaten in days.
"Are you busy tonight?"
"If you count speed running Sumo Slammers 6 then yes. Very busy."
She gave him a look. He took another sip before fishing for details.
"Why?"
"There's a new spell I want to try, and I could use some help. Just bring your game with you."
He eyed her suspiciously.
"Do you need me to be a human sacrifice or something? Because I do not consent to that."
She stared at him exasperated.
Ever since the mandatory sexual assault seminar, he'd been throwing around the word "consent" like a toddler that just learned to say no.
"I don't consent to washing my sheets"
"I don't consent to changing my socks."
"I don't consent to doing homework."
Why were they best friends again?
"I won't sacrifice you… yet. I just need an extra set of hands."
And company. She didn't need to say that part out loud. He knew.
He nodded, standing up and shaking his empty cup.
"Just let me get another refill first."
She gave him her best judgmental look.
"How many of those have you had today?"
He shrugged.
"Five or six."
—
"Yeah, no. I'm definitely not doing that."
Gwendolyn pouted.
"Please, Ben. It's just a little prick."
He looked at her disgusted.
"Then do it yourself!"
"The spell won't work on self-inflicted injuries."
"And what if the spell doesn't work at all?"
"That's why you just need to give me a teeny, tiny scratch."
She gestured with her thumb and pointer finger pressed tightly together.
"I am not going to hurt you, Gwen."
She didn't even have the heart to correct him this time. Why did he have to be so caring now? Ten-year-old Ben would have jumped at the chance to maim her.
She sighed and closed her spell book.
"Fine. I just thought a healing spell could really help us out."
She was still pouting dejectedly. He hated it. She looked up at him as he groaned loudly, running a hand down his face.
"Just…practice it on me instead."
"What?"
"Cut me, then heal me."
"No!"
She looked utterly offended.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to hurt you!"
Oh.
He gave her a smug look.
They decided to wait until danger organically found them.
It didn't take long.
—
It was hard making friends on campus. Dating was even harder. Not because there was any shortage of other students to talk to. Moonlighting as a superhero just took its toll. And even when it didn't, there was only one other person who truly understood what they were going through.
It became of ritual of sorts. Every time she had a bad date - which was all the dates - she ended up in his room. Whether the guy was nice or an dick didn't matter. She never felt like herself. Something was always.. off.
This time it was some frat boy from her calculus class. He seemed nice enough. At first. Now his hand was slowly moving up her thigh even though she removed it. Twice.
"Come on, Gwenny."
" Gwendolyn."
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."
He leaned over the center console of his truck to kiss her neck. His lips felt cold and slimy. It sent shivers down her spine. Not the good kind.
She shoved him away. Hard, but magicless. For her that was an accomplishment.
"Ow! What the fuck!"
"I just remembered I have a book report due tonight. Bye!"
She threw the door open and leaped out of the almost obnoxiously lifted pickup truck. Not bothering to close the door, she sprinted back to the movie theater. She hoped he wouldn't follow her. Then she would have to kick his ass. And unlike Ben, she was trying to live a normal life outside of their hero escapades. Beating up a fellow classmate? Very counterintuitive.
It only took Ben seven minutes to get there. She felt bad bothering him. He had been on a rare date of his own. He came in to walk her out just in case that asshole was still around. He wasn't. Lucky him.
"I'm coming to your class on Tuesday. He won't even know what hit him."
She looked up at him. God, he was serious.
"Please don't. I can take care of myself."
He side-eyed her.
"Yeah, you could. But you don't have to."
He rubbed the back of his neck then added,
"Plus, you're still hung up on what everyone thinks."
She looked at him indignantly.
"That's not true! I just want to lay low."
He scoffed.
"Since when has lying low ever been our style?"
She really hated when he had a point.
He opened the car door for her. Like a gentleman. Shocking. It must be an after effect of his date. That reminded her-
"Where's your date?"
"I dropped her off on the way."
Now she really felt bad.
"But it's only eight."
He shrugged before closing her door and making his way over to the driver's side.
"You can just drop me off and-"
"It's okay, Gwendolyn."
He effectively cut her off and caught her off guard. His hand was over the one she had in her lap. When their eyes met, he had a small, reassuring smile on his face. He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go to crank the transmission and getting them the fuck out of that parking lot.
—
They broke curfew almost every time they visited each other's dorms. It wasn't like crime stopped before 2 am. They never stayed over. Gwendolyn had her portal spell, and Ben had countless ways of sneaking in and out of a residential hall unnoticed.
"Can you come over?"
He didn't ask her why. He could hear it in her voice. He always did. The path they were on was a lonely one. Sometimes it felt like they only had each other.
…
"So, you're leaving? Just like that."
"Yep."
He didn't even spare the half-naked woman a glance as he pulled his pants back on.
"I thought you said you didn't have a girlfriend."
"I don't."
He sounded aggravated.
"Then who called you just now?"
"A friend."
The redhead crossed her arms under her bare chest.
"Yeah… sure."
His shirt was back on, and he was making a beeline to the door. When he reached it, she called out to him once more.
"I hope everything works out between you and your little friend, Benji."
He blew out a breath as he closed it behind him.
…
Thirty minutes later he was at her door, game console under his arm. He smirked at her.
"You look like you could use some pizza, and a good ass kicking in sumo slammers."
She rolled her eyes, but stepped aside, letting him in.
"Please. I totally beat your ass just last week and-"
She poked him in the chest,
"That was my first time ever playing your silly little game."
He sputtered indignantly.
"I already told you my X button was stuck!"
She snorted.
"Yeah, whatever you say, doofus."
…
Five games and two large pizzas later they lounged on her bed watching a movie. What movie? Ben didn't know. For a couple of reasons. It was unrealistically romantic, that was for sure. He was more concerned with Gwendolyn. Specifically, her head resting on his shoulder. When the movie started there was at least a solid foot of space between them. He wondered what happened to it.
"I can't believe you forced me to put this love fest on instead of Kangaroo Commando vs Superman just to fall asleep twenty minutes in."
His voice was only a whisper. He wanted to be mad. He wasn't. She squirmed against him slightly, turning into him. She was closer now with an arm lazily draped over his middle. He could feel her…chest against his arm. He'd been trying his hardest to not acknowledge her lack of a bra all night. Yep. He wasn't going to remember one thing from this sappy movie. He was glad she was asleep. His body was not cooperating right now. The last thing he needed was her seeing it. He laid incredibly still for the entire movie, eyes glued to the screen. When it ended, he turned the TV off and made a move to get up. Her arm tightened around his.
"No. Stay. Please?"
He blew out a breath he didn't know he was holding and laid back down against her pillows.
" Just for tonight."
She made a small sound of approval while snuggling up to him. Her head and hand made their way to his chest this time. A leg was between his. She was cuddling him.
He stared up at the ceiling, lost. Sleep wasn't finding him. Not tonight. Possibly never again.
…
She felt so safe with him. She could always be her. It was nothing like all those first dates that never led to a second one. She chalked it up to them being friends. No. Best friends. She just hoped that one day she'd find someone that made her feel the way he did.
When she woke up, he was gone.
He never stayed over again.
Part 1: END