As Long as I Can Travel This World With You: Chapter 7 Preview
Ben hadn’t been lying about the quality of the first episode. It definitely invoked strong and positive reactions from the crowd and while Style WANTED to join in to show support, watching his pseudo little brother - his sweet, innocent, kind, thoughtful, and introverted Babe - shove Ben onto a bed, tie him up, and ride him in a complete, no fade-to-black sex scene that showed more skin than GMMTV has ever shown had him sinking down in his seat and watching the scene between his fingers.
“I don't know if I can look Babe in the eye after what I just watched,” Style whispers as soon as they leave the theater, “I…Fadel, he's a baby!”
Fadel just shrugs, not particularly bothered by what he just watched. Must be nice.
“Poor Kant,” Style says, looking over at his best friend, “He's traumatized.”
“He definitely has a one thousand yard stare going on,” Fadel says, looking over as well. Meanwhile, Kant is just sitting in the lobby, stunned beyond belief as Bison rubs his back soothingly. Does Bison look like he is trying his best not to burst into giggles? Yes. But what counts is that he's not. He and Style might have problems if he did. Considering Style is traumatized by what he just witnessed, Kant has to be beside himself.
“He's a little overwhelmed,” Bison says gently as they walk over to where they are sitting, “To be fair, Babe did warn us. We shouldn’t be upset, Kant. He let us know. He's also twenty-four years old-”
“Ben corrupted him,” Kant grits out, still stuck in his gaze of trauma.
“Ben is almost two years younger. I'm sure that isn't the case,” Bison says, but then seems to rethink it, “But I suppose it could have happened that way. I’m younger than you and got you into ropes, wax play, and spanking-”
“Bison,” Fadel cuts in, letting out a scoff.
“You did,” Kant says, then sits up straight, “Do you know how that was for me, seeing Babe do the things to Ben that you do to me? It's like my brother became you on screen-”
“Alright,” Style says quickly, then looks around, “Kant, remember that their fans are weird about them, which - in extension - makes them weird about you. There have been at least six thirst trap edits of you made by your brother’s fans. I'm sure they bring in tattoo business, but do you think it's going to help my For You page if they overhear things about your kinky sex life with your fiancé? It won't! I will have to unfollow every tag associated with Babe and Ben or throw my account away altogether because I keep being forced to lust over my tatted up bestie!”
Bison sits up at that, “Now you know how I feel when you make me talk about boys, only to force me to gush about my own brother with you!”
“This conversation is weird,” Fadel says.
“I bet you made some of those Kant thirst traps, didn't you?” Style accuses. It suddenly makes so much sense that Bison made them! Style doesn't know why he never thought of the possibility before!
But before Bison can fess up, Pa and Nya leave the behind the scenes display and join them. Pa looks slightly disturbed. Style should probably comfort him, but having a therapeutic debrief session with his father about Babe’s explicit sex scene doesn't seem like an enjoyable time for anyone right now. But Nya? She looks enthralled.
“That was AMAZING!” Nya says, looking at all of them excitedly, “Shit, I didn't know Babe had it in him, going all confident and Dom like that! Did you guys? Kant, did you know your brother was so sexy-”
“Uh, Nya, give him some time,” Style says, gently pulling Nya away from Kant, “He's in a dissociative state. Completely traumatized.”
Nya grins at the news, “That just shows how good Babe and Ben both are. I didn't know how disturbing, dark, and hot a sex scene could be.”
Style blinks at that, “Please tell me you didn’t spend that four minute scene fanning yourself in front of my father.”
“You would know if you weren't hiding your face and sinking down in your chair the whole time,” Nya says flippantly before her eyes go bright, “Style! We have to strike while the iron is hot. At the after party, okay? Let's get on this. They were SO good, and not just in the sex scenes! The angst was PALPABLE, with Ben being a subby, demanding, sarcastic, and needy drug addict and Babe being a real friend to him only to introduce him to his kinky ways as a way to keep him from falling apart, they could totally be a multi-layered and edgy branded couple when it comes to content, but a sweet and wholesome pair in their interviews. The dichotomy of them on-screen versus off is their biggest draw.”
“That wasn't him. That wasn't my brother,” Kant mutters, looking like he's seconds away from rocking in place. Nya grins and squats in front of him.
“It was,” Nya says. Honestly, anything Kant does to her is on her at this point.
“So Pa,” Style says, turning around, “How did you like the first episode?”
Pa breathes out, “It was…well-made. The acting was very good. The storyline was surprisingly compelling.”
Style smiles at that, “So you’ll watch the rest on your own?”
“Nope.”
“There you are,” Aom says, coming over to them looking slightly shell shocked before looking down at Kant, “Kant, honey, are you alright?”
Kant just looks up at her helplessly before remembering he's gone too long without glaring at Christ, so he sneaks one in. But Christ doesn't seem focused on it. If anything, he looks just as uncomfortable as Kant does.
“Khun Aom, Captain Christ,” Style says with a nod, “How did you like the show?”
“It was…very compelling,” Aom says tightly before looking down at Kant again, “I'm glad they got a high quality script, but I feel like some of that was unnecessary. I know they both agreed and it was filmed professionally, but…I suppose I am just glad Ben had Babe as a scene partner. He's such a good boy, Kant. We love him dearly. He’s a good influence on Ben, and Ben just adores him.”
Style bites back a laugh when it is clear that Kant does not have similar warm feelings towards Ben. But to be fair to Ben, Style is pretty sure 88% of Kant’s lukewarm feelings towards the kid solely stem from who his father is. Kant has been known to show Ben some care, like when Ben had his seizure. Style only knows because of Bison, but he did say Kant comforted Ben after it. It was close to the five minute mark and Bison ordered Babe to call emergency services since Babe knew the most about Ben’s medical history, and he told him to call Captain Christ and Aom as well. Ben stopped seizing during that time but was disoriented and panicked. While Babe stayed on the phone to give medical details as he stroked Ben’s hair and Bison checked Ben’s vitals, Kant was the one who held Ben’s hand and spoke to him calmly and gently. Since Christ and Aom were overseas, they couldn't fly in until over a day later. Babe stayed in the hospital so Ben wouldn't be alone, but so did Kant. While he may have done that for Babe’s benefit, he was supposedly very nice and caring towards Ben during that time.
So Style really doesn't think Kant dislikes Ben himself. He's wary of Ben's sass and ability to be calculating, but he would probably appreciate it a lot more if Ben had a different father. The fact that Babe and Ben are totally endgame kills Kant a little bit inside. Ben and his family are also now being included more and more at different gatherings, which does not help things at all. They all like Aom. Shit, except for Kant’s reservations, they all like Ben. It's just Captain Christ.
But it looks like Captain Christ and Kant have something in common other than their charges being in an explicit sex scene together. Christ looks slightly paler than usual as his wife encourages him to sit next to Kant.
“Relax, honey,” Aom says with a smile, “Our boys are grown up, I suppose! It's just hard to be faced with that so…bluntly.”
Captain Christ says nothing. Neither does Kant. But Kant doesn't flinch at his sudden close proximity, so Style supposes that's a win.
“How long do you think their camaraderie will last?” Style whispers to Fadel.
“It's funny that you view bare minimum tolerance as camaraderie,” Fadel says to him. And that's a very fair point.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapter 3 Summary:
Ben and Babe have an extremely eventful night that ends with dubious spellwork and vivid dreams. Style walks in on a confusing sight, only to relay the news to Kant.
Notes:
CW: memories of a past trauma that isn't specified, wet dreams, and cuddling and a comforting (platonic) companionship from two canon characters who are romantically involved with other people.
