“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Cream yelled loudly as she could be seen holding a sparkler in her hand whilst Gemerl stood near her with one as well. Cheese and Chocola were in the background with Vanilla who was making sure that everyone stand safe.
for the first time since the fall of civilization, benjamin is having the time of his LIFE. a few of the kids and young adults his age had put together some sort of small PARTY in the basement of the main building and it was just ENOUGH to make them all FORGET the outside world. his eyes find beth easily and it’s not long before they’re laughing and smiling and dancing. it’s the silliest thing because ben can’t DANCE but she doesn’t seem to care and his own embarrassment left ages ago.
the night ends eventually when richard and co come to break the party up. the music had been a SMIDGE too loud and people couldn’t SLEEP. so ben walks beth back to her room because that’s what happens in the MOVIES, right? and he tells her about how incredible the night had been before his lips press to the warm softness of her cheek. it’s quick and it leaves his own cheeks bright red before he vanishes with a quick GOODNIGHT and a wave.
II.
they’re on a run together because negan has UPPED his requirements for more supplies and they need to spread out their resources to every corner of virginia at this point. ben doesn’t mind one BIT because they’ve always gotten along better than he’s gotten along with ANYONE. still, her presence makes him slightly NERVOUS. he can never figure out WHY but he knows it has something to do with how quickly his heart beats whenever she’s near. his father had never had a chance to explain GIRLS to him.
he’s so lost in his mind that he doesn’t HEAR the damn wasted at first. she’s quick to respond but it takes him a second and suddenly she’s on her back and struggling beneath it. he tugs it off of her with the strength that his adrenaline gives him before managing to take it out with a quick knife to the head. he’s always been HORRIBLE at killing them but the thought of her getting hurt or DYING had thrust him into action.
he tugs her up quickly but gently and checks her over as best as he can. she’s unharmed. THANKFULLY. but his heart is racing quicker than before and he feels sick to his STOMACH. she could have DIED because he was DISTRACTED.
ben leans in to press a soft kiss to her forehead, nose nuzzling the soft skin for a moment before he pulls back to find her eyes. ‘ i’m SORRY. ’ slips free of his lips before he gently leads her along through the woods and back HOME.
III.
ben has always been clumsy. before the apocalypse, he had ended up with far more bruises than he should have had. teachers had questioned him on multiple occasions because it wasn’t NORMAL to be as bruised or marked up as the boy was. the apocalypse had seemingly made it WORSE and now he was stuck with a slight brace around his ankle. woods were dangerous places. not because of the DEAD, no, but because of the ROOTS that stuck out from the soil. he had tripped on his way back to the kingdom. getting back with a messed up ankle had been DIFFICULT but he had managed somehow.
beth had come to visit him; all holed up in his room with his foot elevated on some pillows and a pout on his lips. he hated being useless. hated being stuck. but beth made it EASIER. his features were quick to brighten the second she appeared around his door. they spent HOURS talking and laughing and watching whatever horrible movies ben had collected.
he isn’t entirely sure HOW she ends up curled up against his side by the end of the day but he’s never been one to COMPLAIN. his lips gently pressed to her hair as she snoozes against him; arm pulling her small body a bit closer.
‘ GOOD NIGHT. ’
IV.
richard slips him a beer and ben wants to QUESTION him but he knows he should just ENJOY feeling like an adult for once. feeling like one of the BOYS. so he sips at the bitter drink for over an hour before slipping out of the room to get some fresh AIR. it’s a cooler night than usual and he knows he needs to be careful because if ezekiel were to find him after a full beer, he wouldn’t be too HAPPY. or MORGAN. he would need to train the next morning and he KNEW his head would ache. it had been a mistake in the end. even if it had felt so NICE at first to be so INCLUDED. like his father would have been.
he finds her near the garden. a place they had often spent time together because she had commented on how BEAUTIFUL the flowers were. ben brought her as many as he could every single day. she looks SAD and ben plops down beside her and gently takes her hand. his LIPS press to her knuckles as a way of saying i’m here before he settles into a comfortable silence beside her.
he doesn’t feel awkward around her. doesn’t feel like he has to FILL that silence. instead, he remains holding her hand and allows his thumb to stroke over the skin.
V.
he’s lost his nervousness now. perhaps it’s the HOPE that the alexandrian’s brought with them. perhaps it’s the brightness of her features beneath the moonlight. he’s not entirely SURE at this point but she looks beautiful draped in the light and he can’t help but shuffle closer. he’s never been the first to make a move. he’s never sought anything out for himself. but his hand finds her cheek with ease and his lips are quick to follow.
it’s a soft peck at first though it deepens slowly as he figures out just HOW to kiss the girl. he WISHES he could have practiced somehow to give her something better than THIS sloppy mess. he pulls back and presses his forehead to her own; eyes closed still for a moment. it feels better than anything he’s ever imagined and he can’t help but SMILE. part of him knows he should be embarrassed but he can’t bring himself to be. not when she was everything he’s ever WANTED.
