If This Is Love, I'll Love You Forever

*Ben's P.O.V.*

I woke up the next morning feeling drained and I really didn't even want to get out of bed. I looked over at my clock and saw that it was only 8:30. I figured no one else was awake, so I got out of bed and went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I changed my clothes and quietly went downstairs. I peered into the living room and saw James laying on the love seat by himself and Cameron and Sam laying cuddled together on the sofa. I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I pulled the milk out and grabbed some cereal and a spoon and a bowl. Just as I was putting the milk away, Danny walked into the room.
"Hey Benny." Danny smiled.
I didn't want to be cruel and I guess he didn't want to talk about last night so I just said "Hey." and ducked my head down as I grabbed my cereal and left the room.
I know it was rude, but I couldn't take being near him. I sat alone at the dining table and ate my food quietly. When I had finished. I rinsed my bowl out and put it in the sink. Danny was still in the kitchen, waiting for his coffee to finish brewing.
"Are you mad at me?" Danny asked, breaking the silence that was becoming unbearably awkward.
"No. Should I be?" I answered.
"You didn't seem too thrilled when I found out."
"I'm sorry." I looked down.

*Danny's P.O.V.*

"I'm sorry." Ben spoke as he looked at the floor.
My heart swelled at the words as I walked towards Ben. "C'mere." I spoke and held my arms out to him. He didn't argue or even say anything at all. Just walked up and held on to me. He looked lifeless and so tired out. I just stood there and hugged him. I didn't know what to say. So I didn't say anything. I just continued to hug him and let him push out all the tears he'd been holding in.
He looked up after about 5 minutes and wiped his eyes. "Sorry."
"Stop apologizing." I laughed. "C'mon. Smile." I spoke and looked at him. He avoided eye contact with me. "Hey. Please look at me."
He rubbed his eyes again and looked up. "What?"
"There are those beautiful blue eyes." I said in a mock-like tone.
"Shut up." Ben blushed and looked away.
"You're beautiful, Ben." I said and smiled at him.
"Do you have a death wish?" He laughed along and punched my arm.
I ran out of the room. "You'll have to catch me first." I laughed as I ran up the stairs.
He ran after me and I turned the corner and into the game room upstairs.
He hadn't come into the room and I stayed hidden behind one of the game machines.
"That's not fair Danny. I have no clue which door you went in." He sounded angry, but still laughed.
I moved toward the door and opened it.
"I'm in here. Probably one of the only rooms you haven't seen." I smiled and gestured for him to come in.
He walked in and looked around the room in awe.
"Bloody hell." He smiled and stopped walking. "Can we?" He asked, pointing to the pacman machine.
"Be my guest." I watched as he walked towards it and started to play.
He played a couple rounds then turned to me.
"When my dad was drunk. I'd leave the house and go to the arcade so I didn't have to hear him shout." He said and looked at the rest of the room. I wasn't sure why he felt he should share this with me, but it felt nice. To be trusted. To have someone to talk to.
"My dad installed this himself." I spoke. "This was kind of like his man cave. He used to show me how to play all of them when I was little, but my mum definitely loved that one." I smiled in admiration and pointed to Ms. Pacman.
He smiled and looked down. "My mum used to take me to the arcade. That's the only game I could get her to play." He had a look of fondness. "After what happened. I stopped going. Until my dad began drinking." He paused. Like talking about them hurt him physically. Not just emotionally. "I just couldn't be around him anymore."
"I can't say I know how you feel, but I'm here for you."
"Thanks."
We played some more video games and realized it was around 1:00 pm now.
"Let's go see if the guys wanna go get lunch." I began walking toward the door.
"Wait." Ben spoke just as I was leaving.
"Huh?"
"You're not mad at me. Are you?"
"One thing you need to learn about me, Benny. I never hold grudges. Especially if the person is cute."
"Oh really. You think I'm cute?" He smiled and walked toward me. He came up close to my ear and whispered. "Its okay. I think you're cute too."
He leaned in closer and kissed my cheek. It felt like a foreign thing, but if felt so right. I didn't say anything. Just smiled. Ben pulled away, looking embarrassed.
"Sorry I um i-" I cut him off and leaned in.

*Ben's P.O.V.*

I pulled away from him. I can't believe I just did that. "Sorry I um i-" I was looking for words when I felt Danny's breath as he leaned forward and kissed me. I could feel myself blush, but I let him do it anyway.
"Finally." James cheered as he walked into the room.
We pulled away from one another and Danny smiled. He slowly turned around and chased James out of the room. I followed them downstairs and into the living room.
Sam and Cameron were just sitting on the sofa, watching everything happen. While Danny and James were kind of wrestling, but more like Danny sitting on James as he shouted.
"Hey Ben." Sam smiled as I sat next to him.
"Hey guys." I smiled back and continued watching James and Danny go at it.
"Can we go eat? I'm starving." Cameron spoke up.
"Fuck yes. Let's go." Sam agreed as he stood up and pulled Cameron along with him.
I went over and pulled Danny off of James.
"Come on guys."
I helped pull James up as well. "I think you broke my ribs." James lifted up his shirt and felt his ribs. "You're a monster!" I just laughed and walked toward the door.
"Guys. Can we go now?" Cameron asked impatiently.
We sat the same way we did last time. Cameron, Sam, and James all in the back and me and Danny in the front. What Danny did next though. I wasn't really expecting. He reached over and grabbed my hand. He looked at me and just smiled.
"Aw." The three guys in the back of the car all said at the same time.
I just ignored them and continued smiling.
"So where are we going?" Danny asked.
"You're the one driving. Shouldn't you know?" I asked.
"Let's go to red lobster." James suggested.
"Alright well obviously no one can top that. So red lobster it is." Danny said and continued on the drive.

*30 minutes later, Danny's P.O.V.*

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated. We got our orders and were waiting for our food.
I noticed Ban was staring out the window, looking quite terrified.
"You okay?" I asked in a sort of whisper.
"Yeah um I uh." He stopped and looked back at me. "No." He looked back out the window.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Trying to see what he was looking at.
"See that car?"
"The blue truck?"
"Yeah." He said with a pained tone.
"Its uh. Its my dads." He looked down as the waitress came back with our orders.
"Did you see him?" I asked.
He scanned his eyes through the room and paused.
"He's in the tux. With the two guys and girl."
I put my arm around his waist and pulled him closer.
"Its okay."
"Here you go." The waitress smiled politely and handed us our food.
"Thanks." I smiled as she set our food down.
"No problem." She responded. Still smiling.
After she walked away, James leaned forward.
"She was so hitting on you."
"No. She was just doing her job."
"No. She was definitely hitting on you." Ben added in.
"Fine. When she comes back. I'll just kiss Ben and show her what's up."
"Oh god." Ben said as he looked down. "Um can we go to the car for a minute."
"Yeah sure. Come on." I spoke and pulled him along with me. "What's wrong?" I asked as he started picking up the pace.
"He was walking towards the table."
He looked terrified. Once we left the building. We ran to the car. I opened it and we sat in the back.
"I'm scared Danny."
"Its okay. I won't let him do anything to hurt you."
"You promise?" He pleaded.
"I promise." I pulled him closer and kissed the temple of his head.
"Lock the doors." He whispered as his dad walked out of the building.
"I made a promise Ben. I'm going to keep that promise." As I said this. I locked the doors and Ben relaxed slightly. His dad walked over to the truck and got in. "You wanna go back in?"
"Yeah." He said, still quiet.
I opened the door back up and helped Ben out. "Alright. Let's go." I declared as I grabbed his hands.
"So what is this now?" He asked as he came to a stop.
"What is what?" I asked.
"This." He gestured between us.
"Hmm. Uh wait." I smiled as I knelt down on one knee and looked at him. I grabbed his hands and continued smiling. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
"Get off your knee, idiot." He laughed ad pulled me up.
I pulled him close to me and kissed him.
"Let's go back inside." I smiled as we walked back inside, still holding hands.