It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This.

Danny smiled slightly as the warmth of the house hit him. Without a word, he kicked his shoes off and walked in the direction of the heat.

Ben sighed as he watched him.

“I'll get through to you eventually,” Ben said to himself, before heading to the bathroom for some towels.

After a few minutes, Danny was wondering where Ben was. He was expecting to be pestered and annoyed by him as soon as they got in. He looked around getting a little worried. But why? He didn't care about him, did he? In fact, he wanted to be as far away as him as possible. All this was his fault after all. So if something had happened to him, it would be good, right? If that was the case, why was he still worried? Danny's thoughts were interrupted when something was thrown over his head. He panicked, falling off the couch, unable to see.

When Danny was finally able to pull the object off his head, he came face to face with Ben. He was stood over him, now shirtless. Danny blinked, letting his eyes trail down Ben's body, he had never realised how built he was before. In fact, he was quite... beautiful. He shook his head, and picked up the object, which he now realised was a towel.

“What are ya doing?” Danny asked Ben, slightly scared.

Ben raised his eyebrow.

“Trying to get ya to dry off, but ya went all crazy,” Ben replied, holding his hand out to help Danny up.

“I just wasn't expecting it, that's all,” Danny replied, still slightly flustered, he ignored the outstretched hand in front of him as he pulled himself back onto the couch.

“Well ya were in your own little world,” he paused. “Ya know I don't like being ignored”.

“Have ya ever thought there might be a reason for people to ignore ya?” smirked Danny, although part of him immediately felt bad for saying it when he saw Ben's smile falter slightly. “Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. My head's just...”

“All over the place?” Ben asked. “Too many thoughts and not enough ways to sort them? I know the feeling,” he sighed, his previous happy demeanour suddenly vanishing. “Everything is so messed up right now”.

“How did your family take it when you told them what was going on?” Danny questioned. He ran the towel over his hair, trying to get some water out of it.

Ben didn't answer, he'd found himself transfixed with a raindrop that was slowly dripping down the side of Danny's neck, well he had been until he realised Danny was looking up at him.

“Ya should get undressed,” Ben said, blinking out of his transfixed state.

“What?” Danny gulped in shock.

“You're soaked through, ya don't want to get ill. I’m not gonna look after ya if ya do”.

“Just for once I thought ya were being kind,” Danny chuckled, peeling his shirt off slowly. He couldn't help the smile that passed his lips when he saw Ben watching him. “See something ya like Benny-Boy?”

Ben blushed and looked down.

“I... uh, no. Sorry,” he flustered, before getting up to leave.

Danny watched, biting the corner of his lip slightly.

“Wait,” Danny said quickly, stopping Ben in his tracks.

Danny got up and nervously walked over to him.

“Ya were watching me,” Danny said quietly, shuffling his feet on the floor.

Ben blushed more, trying to think of what to say.

“Well... just cause I... I...,” Ben began, but stopped when Danny gently placed his hand on Ben's cheek.

“It's okay,” Danny whispered softly, gently brushing his thumb over Ben's cheekbone.

Ben leaned into his touch.

“I... don't mind. I actually, kinda like it,” Danny smiled, blushing softly.

Ben looked at him, surprised.

“But... I thought ya didn't like me?” Ben asked, confused but happy at the same time.

“I don't,” Danny said blankly.

Ben frowned, becoming more confused.

Danny chuckled slightly at his expression.

“It's... complicated?” Danny offered, but Ben didn't answer. “Okay... I'm attracted to ya. Although, I try to ignore it 'cause I don't like ya,” he explained, hoping Ben would understand.

“So, you're attracted to me, but ya don't want to be, because ya don't like me as a person?” Ben asked, making sure he understood the situation.

Danny nodded, frowning slightly, realising that sounded a bit harsh. Ben looked at him for a moment.

“Makes us sound a lot like Lestat and Louis from that Interview With A Vampire book Sam would always be reading,” Ben said, not sure how to feel.

“Only unlike them, we really do have the rest of eternity to change things,” Danny smiled. “If they're ever gonna change”.

“I kinda hope they do,” Ben whispered before could stop himself. “I mean, we can't spend forever being attracted to each other while hating each other, right?” he continued, a small glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Danny just shrugged, not daring to open his mouth to speak, although he found himself thinking the same thing. He knew he didn't want to, not hate, more dislike Ben, for the rest of their lives... However long that will be.

Ben found himself getting more despondent with every passing second that Danny kept his silence. Maybe he really was going to hate him for the rest of their lives, and Ben wasn't quite sure he could handle that. With a shake of his head, he turned and walked away.