Dancing Queen

No worries! I've cried on a lot of people's couches over the years. It's way overdue for me to return the favor anyway.

Did you need anything else before you leave?

No. No, I'm okay. If Lem finishes getting ready and finds me missing, she might freak out on me, so I better get back. But thank you again, for everything.

Okay! Anytime.

[Ben paused for a moment, then smiled at Cam.] And thanks for stopping by.

Sounds good. And I'll make sure they make enough for two.

[Cam nodded slowly.] Alright. I-- I really do appreciate it. Sorry I cried on your couch. [he offered, standing himself back up again.]

No worries! I've cried on a lot of people's couches over the years. It's way overdue for me to return the favor anyway.

Did you need anything else before you leave?

Yay! I'll find someone who can start tomorrow morning.

I should probably let Lemon know, if they're gonna be coming to her house.

Sounds good. And I'll make sure they make enough for two.

Of course they can do meal prep! I'm paying them.

3 meals a day. Two at home, one meal prepped to bring to work. Easy peasy.

[Cam let out a soft chuckle. Normally a sentence like that would frustrate the hell out of him, but Ben did seem so sincere about it all.] I, um... okay. Thank you.

Yay! I'll find someone who can start tomorrow morning.

I don't think he'd get weird about making sure you stay fed. But if he did for some reason, just make sure to say I'm the one footing the bill for it.

Fair. Okay. I'll just find one that comes and goes then.

It just pushes the other meals back a lot if you're still gonna do three meals a day. That's all.

[Cam nodded. So long as nothing got him angry with Lemon again, but he should be able to avoid that.]

I mean, two a day is more than fine. It would be an improvement to what I was doing before the passing out, so. I guess if they wanted to do like... meal preps I could bring to work, that'd be nice too? I'm really only home enough to eat twice there though.

Of course they can do meal prep! I'm paying them.

3 meals a day. Two at home, one meal prepped to bring to work. Easy peasy.

Well, yeah. That's true.

[Ben furrowed his brow.] Why would he get weird about it? It's not like the personal chef is moving in. ...Unless if you want one of those?

11's kinda late for breakfast, but okay. I'll tell them 11.

Who knows? He got weird about cuddling. I don't know what's going on in that brain.

Uh... no, I think that's a little much. Besides the fact that my place has one bedroom.

I'm thirty, I work in a nightclub, and I just got out of the hospital. I'm tired. Also it's never too late for breakfast.

I don't think he'd get weird about making sure you stay fed. But if he did for some reason, just make sure to say I'm the one footing the bill for it.

Fair. Okay. I'll just find one that comes and goes then.

It just pushes the other meals back a lot if you're still gonna do three meals a day. That's all.

I don't know if you should put that all on yourself, Cam. That sounds... not fair to you, [Ben reasoned out loud.]

No biggie. What's her address then? And when do you guys get up at her house?

[Cam shrugged.] Maybe. It can still be another reason to hate him though, right?

[He gave Ben that address as well.] Russia's not gotta get weird about this if he does ever come home, is he? I usually get up about 11. Lemon's a toss up.

Well, yeah. That's true.

[Ben furrowed his brow.] Why would he get weird about it? It's not like the personal chef is moving in. ...Unless if you want one of those?

11's kinda late for breakfast, but okay. I'll tell them 11.

The best thing in your life? [Ben asked.] Yeah, they... they definitely can. But then you meet people like Bee for me and Lemon for you and... the fact that some people suck doesn't suck quite as much.

You're welcome! I can hire people starting tomorrow morning. What time do you normally get up?

I just-- if I hadn't been caught up in that... not even a real relationship, I could've been more aware. Been there for Lem, maybe stopped her from going down the path she did. She made it through cause she's strong as fuck, but... I still hate myself for it. [Cam managed a smile at that though.] But yes, they do make all the shit worth it.

Well, I'm still sort of staying with Lemon right now. Cause of the... [He pointed at his head.]

I don't know if you should put that all on yourself, Cam. That sounds... not fair to you, [Ben reasoned out loud.]

No biggie. What's her address then? And when do you guys get up at her house?

...Oh. I did that once. Never again. I honestly think the only thing I did worse than that was let my dance professor manipulate me into fucking him... [Ben hummed, baxck to his usual casual word vomit.]

Then no catch. What's your address?--And I know I could just go to Austin's office and check the database thingy, but I'm lazy.

Yeah... Almost cost me the best thing in my life. [Cam mused, staring at his hands for a moment before he looked back up at Ben.] ...people really suck.

[He let out a tired chuckle and gave Ben his address.] I appreciate this. Really.

The best thing in your life? [Ben asked.] Yeah, they... they definitely can. But then you meet people like Bee for me and Lemon for you and... the fact that some people suck doesn't suck quite as much.

You're welcome! I can hire people starting tomorrow morning. What time do you normally get up?

A... secret wife?

I mean, do you consider 'just make sure you can still be there for all the Yellow queens' a catch?

Okay, well... I guess technically from his perspective, I was the secret. But I didn't know that or about the wife when I met him.

[Cam smiled softly.] No, I... call that 'my life'.

...Oh. I did that once. Never again. I honestly think the only thing I did worse than that was let my dance professor manipulate me into fucking him... [Ben hummed, baxck to his usual casual word vomit.]

Then no catch. What's your address?--And I know I could just go to Austin's office and check the database thingy, but I'm lazy.

A research assistant. He had to research a bunch of stuff of his doctorate. Hiring someone to find what he needed faster helped a lot.

Okay! I can make some calls for a really good MUA. Well, if Lemon ends up making you dinner one night, you can just have bring whatever she made here and we'll give it to the security staff. They're basically vacuums.

[Ben tilted his head in confusion.] Secret wife? Ew. No? Why?

Ah, that makes sense.

The last person who offered me anything like this... did in fact have a secret wife. I didn't think you actually did, I just... there's no catch?

A... secret wife?

I mean, do you consider 'just make sure you can still be there for all the Yellow queens' a catch?

You sound like Bee did when he was trying to help me with The Flame and do his doctorate stuff and also keep me from getting bored all at the same time. It started to get really hard for him, and we couldn't take the doctorate stress away, but we could help with other little things so he had more room for the doctorate stress without getting super overwhelmed. So we got him a PA and an RA for a while. And it helped keep his stress down and stuff, [Ben explained.]

You don't need an RA, obviously, but there's still stuff we could hire people for that would help take a lot off your plate! So what if we got you a MUA for here so you don't have to do your makeup anymore and a personal chef so you don't have to cook at home anymore?

I don't even know what an RA is. [Cam admitted with a shrug.] But I was never built for the college life.

A MUA might be nice actually. They might be able to teach me how to cover this scar properly too once it's healed better. Lemon... likes making me dinner sometimes, and I don't want to totally take that away from her. It's one thing she's really proud of. But I don't want her to overwork herself either, so...

...you don't have a secret wife, do you?

A research assistant. He had to research a bunch of stuff of his doctorate. Hiring someone to find what he needed faster helped a lot.

Okay! I can make some calls for a really good MUA. Well, if Lemon ends up making you dinner one night, you can just have bring whatever she made here and we'll give it to the security staff. They're basically vacuums.

[Ben tilted his head in confusion.] Secret wife? Ew. No? Why?

[Ben smiled at that.] I... guess you're right. Thanks.

Well... what if we hired you a MUA? [He suggested out of seemingly nowhere.] Oh! And a personal chef, maybe?

...what?

You sound like Bee did when he was trying to help me with The Flame and do his doctorate stuff and also keep me from getting bored all at the same time. It started to get really hard for him, and we couldn't take the doctorate stress away, but we could help with other little things so he had more room for the doctorate stress without getting super overwhelmed. So we got him a PA and an RA for a while. And it helped keep his stress down and stuff, [Ben explained.]

You don't need an RA, obviously, but there's still stuff we could hire people for that would help take a lot off your plate! So what if we got you a MUA for here so you don't have to do your makeup anymore and a personal chef so you don't have to cook at home anymore?

That was more Bee than me, but... thanks. That makes me feel good.

Is there anything I can do to help you right now though? [Ben asked as he leaned over just enough to grab a tissue from a nearby tissue box and hand it to Cam.]

I don't know. You guys sound like you're a pretty good team.

[Cam accepted the tissue and dabbed at his face.] Thanks. I-- I don't think so, though. There's not an easy fix to this situation. Believe me, I've been trying to think of one for awhile. Right now I'm just trying to make sure I'm healthy enough to be there for her and all the girls.

[Ben smiled at that.] I... guess you're right. Thanks.

Well... what if we hired you a MUA? [He suggested out of seemingly nowhere.] Oh! And a personal chef, maybe?

I... don't know either, [Ben hated to admit.]

It's okay. Part of a boss' job is making sure everyone is safe. I know I haven't done... great at that so far, but this feels like one of those times where I could actually help at least a little.

You brought us people who've been pretty great at it. That was a good first step. [Cam sniffled.]

That was more Bee than me, but... thanks. That makes me feel good.

Is there anything I can do to help you right now though? [Ben asked as he leaned over just enough to grab a tissue from a nearby tissue box and hand it to Cam.]

[Ben nodded knowingly.] That... definitely sounds like at least jealous behavior. Maybe cheating, too, as much as I hope Accent would never do something like that.

...Do... Do you want me to talk to him...?

People can surprise you. [Cam said sadly.] For the good or the bad. And I'm trying not to let my feelings cloud things, which is harder than it sounds, of course. But he seemed... nervous through the whole encounter. It's possible it could be over Lemon and I's closeness, but... I don't know.

[He shrugged.] I really didn't mean to drag you into all this. I swear I came in here just to thank you and try to extend an olive branch. Not cry on your couch.

I... don't know either, [Ben hated to admit.]

It's okay. Part of a boss' job is making sure everyone is safe. I know I haven't done... great at that so far, but this feels like one of those times where I could actually help at least a little.