hadley tried his hardest not to react whenever benny replied. he wasn’t sure what to expect, but he had really hoping it would have been a simple yes, or maybe even an enthusiastic maybe. but then again, he didn’t feel as though he deserved that. benny had every right to be afraid. his face betrayed him, though, and he couldn’t stop it from contorting into a twist of hurt and sadness. he blinked back tears that threatened to fall, and he tensed in benny’s grip. god, he was a fucking wreck.
but then benny spoke again, and suddenly it didn’t hurt so much. that pain, that longing was still there, but as much as it wasn’t a yes, it wasn’t a no, either. hadley nodded his head as he worried at his lip. gods, benny had every right to be afraid of that. “i know. i know, and you’re right to think that, but. you won’t, i promise.” but hadley was afraid, too. he tilted his head forward until it was resting in the crook of benny’s neck. “i really wanna try this again, ben. i just — i’m scared, too. i’m scared you’ll leave again.” it took everything in him not to say leave me again but that felt possessive and wrong. more than anything else, he just wanted benny back in his life. whatever way possible. trying to ease the tension, he placed a gentle kiss along his collarbone. after a second, though, he couldn’t contain himself and began sucking lightly on that same spot. “miss you so much, ben.”
benny listened, arms wrapping around hadley and balling into small fists against his t-shirt. he knew he should’ve bit his tongue but he couldn’t stop himself before it slipped out, “ you didn’t ask me to stay before. “ the words feel harsh in the air, not in his tone but rather in the sense of he had just let a secret out and now it was sitting in the air between them showing that benny still wasn’t entirely over what had happened. “ when i left in the winter. i wanted you to ask me to stay and you never did. i just, i want you to want me here too. “ his voice is wavering now and he stares at the ceiling so he doesn’t have to look at hadley, so he doesn’t see the tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
however, the kiss brings him back down and he can’t deny the way it covers him in goosebumps, lifting slightly at the sudden motion against his collarbone. “ i missed you too, had. it’s not fair how much i still miss you. “ his hands rub up and along hadley’s back to play with his hair, fingers combing through it with a small smile. “ how can i miss you when you’re right here? i don’t get it. “