Status: permanent hiatus - sorry
Benji
010; that's okay.
“So, tell me about Ohio.”
The Lion King had finished, and Benji and I lay on the couch together. We’d shifted so that we were both outstretched and he was laying next to me and across my chest. My eyelids had closed but I was still awake, vividly aware of Benji’s close proximity and the way that his hair felt as I toyed with the ends of it.
“It was… great,” he murmured with a soft sigh. “I lived in a small town, and everyone knew each other, and they were all so friendly. And there weren’t many people at my school, but it was just like one big family. I try to keep in touch with everyone through email and stuff, but it’s… not the same.”
I hmmed, smoothing Benji’s hair down, trying to offer some amount of comfort. “That sucks. Would you ever consider going back sometime soon?” For a reason that I tried to ignore, this question made me feel uneasy, but I had to ask it.
“Yeah, definitely,” Benji spoke up quickly, and my stomach sank. “But… it’d only be for a visit, I guess. I dunno. It all kind of, depends on… some stuff.”
“Oh,” I murmured, my hand coming to a rest on his shoulder. I didn’t know what to say. It was obvious that he didn’t want to talk about it and I was unsure how to make the conversation progress, so I just let it drop, hoping an awkward silence didn’t fall upon us.
“Don’t stop,” Benji muttered, under his breath but I was close enough that I heard it.
I thought he meant to not stop talking, but I had no idea what to say, so I questioned him with a simple, “Hmm?”
“Never mind,” he said, sounding disappointed.
A small frown made its way onto my face as I tried to think of what he had wanted me to not stop, and why he sounded so disappointed. When I finally realised what it must have been, I chuckled softly. I reached up, my fingers weaving gently through his hair again.
A content sigh fell from his lips and I grinned to myself, knowing that I’d put it there.
I don’t know how long we lay there, the TV playing quietly in the background, but eventually I found myself getting sleepier and sleepier, my hand slowing its movement through Benji’s hair.
“Mm, gonna fall asleep,” I murmured.
I felt Benji tense up, and he lifted his head from my chest. “D-did you want me to go?” He questioned, sounding smaller than he was.
“No, no no no.” I muttered, shifting so he was no longer half on top of me, but next to me. I wound my arm around his waist, pulling him into my side, and tucked his head under my chin. “No, you’re comfortable.”
He laughed, wiggling about to get comfortable, twisting his fingers into my shirt. “Okay then. I’m probably going to fall asleep, too.”
“That’s okay,” I replied, and kissed the top of his head.
And it was. If I had my way, if I could be as selfish as I wanted and decide what happens, Benji and I would lie there forever, cuddled up in our own little world. Just me and him, warm and cozy and tender and forever.
The Lion King had finished, and Benji and I lay on the couch together. We’d shifted so that we were both outstretched and he was laying next to me and across my chest. My eyelids had closed but I was still awake, vividly aware of Benji’s close proximity and the way that his hair felt as I toyed with the ends of it.
“It was… great,” he murmured with a soft sigh. “I lived in a small town, and everyone knew each other, and they were all so friendly. And there weren’t many people at my school, but it was just like one big family. I try to keep in touch with everyone through email and stuff, but it’s… not the same.”
I hmmed, smoothing Benji’s hair down, trying to offer some amount of comfort. “That sucks. Would you ever consider going back sometime soon?” For a reason that I tried to ignore, this question made me feel uneasy, but I had to ask it.
“Yeah, definitely,” Benji spoke up quickly, and my stomach sank. “But… it’d only be for a visit, I guess. I dunno. It all kind of, depends on… some stuff.”
“Oh,” I murmured, my hand coming to a rest on his shoulder. I didn’t know what to say. It was obvious that he didn’t want to talk about it and I was unsure how to make the conversation progress, so I just let it drop, hoping an awkward silence didn’t fall upon us.
“Don’t stop,” Benji muttered, under his breath but I was close enough that I heard it.
I thought he meant to not stop talking, but I had no idea what to say, so I questioned him with a simple, “Hmm?”
“Never mind,” he said, sounding disappointed.
A small frown made its way onto my face as I tried to think of what he had wanted me to not stop, and why he sounded so disappointed. When I finally realised what it must have been, I chuckled softly. I reached up, my fingers weaving gently through his hair again.
A content sigh fell from his lips and I grinned to myself, knowing that I’d put it there.
I don’t know how long we lay there, the TV playing quietly in the background, but eventually I found myself getting sleepier and sleepier, my hand slowing its movement through Benji’s hair.
“Mm, gonna fall asleep,” I murmured.
I felt Benji tense up, and he lifted his head from my chest. “D-did you want me to go?” He questioned, sounding smaller than he was.
“No, no no no.” I muttered, shifting so he was no longer half on top of me, but next to me. I wound my arm around his waist, pulling him into my side, and tucked his head under my chin. “No, you’re comfortable.”
He laughed, wiggling about to get comfortable, twisting his fingers into my shirt. “Okay then. I’m probably going to fall asleep, too.”
“That’s okay,” I replied, and kissed the top of his head.
And it was. If I had my way, if I could be as selfish as I wanted and decide what happens, Benji and I would lie there forever, cuddled up in our own little world. Just me and him, warm and cozy and tender and forever.