Benson x (Female) Reader One Shot (AU)
Hi, don't come after me. I fucking love Benson. This was written a while ago and is intended to be a one shot series but I may or may not turn it into an actual series....
A/N (9/24/25) -> Hi, so I did end up turning this into a series. Go check it out if you like this!
A what-if AU where Reader works at the same fast-food joint. They're used to Benson's odd quietness behind the counter, but one night when it's just the two of them, they see a softer side he never shows.
Closing Shift - Part 1
The fryers hissed behind the counter, the sharp smell of grease and fryer oil clinging stubbornly to her hair and clothes. She sighed as she wiped down the sticky surface, her hands already sore from a double shift. Most people her age were of doing... well, anything but flipping burgers and scrubbing ketchup off tables and booths. But tuition wasn't going to pay itself, and the community college in the next town over didn't exactly care about how many late nights she pulled.
At least she had her parents' place to go home to, even if it meant still living in the same bedroom she grew up in. The faded posters on her walls felt like a reminder she hadn't gone far enough yet. Burgers Burgers Burgers wasn't glamorous, but it was steady. Steady was good.
She glanced over her shoulder. Benson was restocking napkins at the condiment bar, shoulders hunched, his uniform cap tugged down low. He wasn't much of a talker - never had been, not since he started working there six months ago. Most people kept their distance. His quietness, his sharp edges, made him hard to approach. Customers sometimes gave him funny looks, but she'd always seen something different in him. Something fragile.
The store had gone silent after the dinner rush, leaving only the hum of the overhead lights and the faint squeak of Benson's shoes as he moved. She broke the quiet first.
"You think anyone's actually gonna come in this late?" she asked, leaning against the counter.
Benson's head tilted just a little, like he had to consider whether it was safe to answer. "Doubt it," he said finally, voice low and even.
She smiled. "Good. Means I can take a break."
His eyes flicked to hers for the briefest second before darting away. He didn't say anything, but the corner of his mouth twitched - almost a smile.
She grabbed a paper hat from the counter, folding it into a sloppy crown and setting it on her head. "Behold, the Burger Queen," she announced dramatically, hands on her hips.
Benson blinked at her, then shook his head, like he couldn't believe she was doing this in front of him. But his shoulders loosened a little, the tension melting.
"You're ridiculous," he muttered.
"Ridiculously hardworking," she countered. "And ridiculously underpaid."
That earned her a real smile - small, lopsided, but real. Her chest tightened at the sight. Benson didn't smile often. She wanted to keep it there.
She slid into one of the stools at the counter, resting her chin in her hands. "So, Mister Mysterious, what do you even do when you're not here? You've got to have some kind of hobby. Everyone does."
Benson shrugged, still focused on stacking napkins. "Not really."
"C'mon," she pushed gently. "You don't, like... draw? Read? Listen to music?"
He hesitated. Then, softly: "Music."
Her grin widened. "Aha. What kind?"
There was another pause, like he was weighing if he could trust her with the answer. "Old stuff. Folk. Some classic rock."
"Nice," she said warmly. "See? I knew you weren't just some robot who lives off frozen patties."
He gave a short laugh under his breath, surprising even himself. It was quiet, but the sound lit up the dim restaurant more than the buzzing neon lights ever could.
By the time closing rolled around, they were wiping down the same counter, their shoulders brushing every so often. Each touch was a tiny spark she pretended not to notice, though her pulse gave her away.
When the last chair was flipped onto the last table, she stretched her arms high, groaning dramatically. "Freedom."
Benson turned, watching her with that unreadable expression. But then, almost shyly, he asked, "Want a ride home?"
Her heart skipped. He'd never offered before. She nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah. I'd like that."
The two of them walked out into the cool night air, the empty parking lot bathed in the glow of flickering streetlights.
The hum of Benson's old car filled the silence, steady and low. The dashboard light flickered a tired green, illuminating his profile as he kept his eyes on the dark stretch of road ahead. Out here, past the glow of the town, it was just endless cornfields rolling by on either side, the stalks bending slightly in the night breeze.
She tucked her hands into her lap, the faint smell of fryer oil clinging to her clothes mixing with the cleaner scent of his car. There was a quiet between them, but not uncomfortable - more like the kind that holds something unpsoken.
Benson cleared his throat, glancing sideways at her before looking back at the road. "You said... you're at the college in the next town, right?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Community college. Just general classes for now. Trying to save money before I figure out a real direction."
His hands tightened on the wheel, not in tension but in focus. "That's smart." A pause. Then softer: "What do you like?"
The question hung there, not casual small talk, but something heavier. Something that meant he wanted to know her.
She smiled faintly, staring out at the blur of corn. "I like reading. Writing sometimes. History classes aren't bad. And... I don't know. I like the idea of maybe teaching one day."
Benson gave a short nod, as if he was filling every word away. "Makes sense," he murmured. "You're... good with people."
She laughed quietly, turning her head toward him. "Good with people? Me? Says the one who barely talks to anyone."
His lips curved, just barely. "Doesn't mean I don't notice."
Her chest tightened, warmth spreading beneath her skin. She looked back out the window, biting her lip.
After a moment, she asked, "What about you? You ever thought about... I don't know, doing something else? other than Burgers Burgers Burgers?"
He huffed a breath that wasn't quite a laugh. "Sometimes. But... I'm not sure where I'd fit."
The honesty in his tone made her heart ache. She wanted to say he fit here, with her, in this small car on this dark road, but the words stayed lodged in her throat.
They drove a while longer in silence, the kind that felt fuller rather than empty. Occasionally, he'd ask her little things: her favorite book, what kind of music she played in her car, if she liked living, so far outside town. Each question was simple, but there was intent behind it - Benson wanted to know her, piece by piece.
When the car finally turned onto the gravel drive that led up to her parents' farmhouse, the headlights washed over the white siding and the porch swing that creaked gently in the night breeze. Benson slowed to a stop, shifting the car into park.
She unbuckled her seatbelt, hesitating with her hand on the door handle. "Thanks for the ride."
His fingers tapped the steering wheel once before stilling. "Anytime." He glanced at her then, really looked at her, the green glow of the dashboard lights painting shadows under his eyes. "I mean that."
For a moment, neither of them moved. The air felt thick, charged, as if something was about to spill over. But then she smiled softly, breaking the tension.
"Guess I'll see you next shift," she said, her voice light but her eyes lingering.
Benson nodded slowly, lips twitching like he wanted to say more but couldn't yet. "Yeah. Next shift."
She slipped out of the car, gravel crunching under her shoes as she walked toward the house. Just before she stepped onto the porch, she glanced back. His car was still there, headlights cutting through the corn. And even from this distance, she could feel his gaze on her, steady and unshakable.
She didn't know what would come next. But something was unfolding - slow, quiet, inevitable. And it felt like the start of a story neither of them knew how to tell yet.
(A/N: Part 2 is now up!)
I love love love The Passenger. If you haven't watched the movie, it's literally so good. By the way, this is an AU where Benson isn't going to snap (cough cough or not yet cough cough). Definitely watch the movie. Kyle Gallner is a fucking legend and he plays the role so beautifully.
Thank you so much for reading!💜 If you enjoyed this piece, there's plenty more where that came from, and I'll be adding to my collection as time goes on. I'm always open to suggestions and requests – so if there's something you'd like to see, don't be shy about sharing it with me! I'll do my best to deliver (within reason, of course – nothing too intense or overly triggering).
Your support means the world. ✨
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