When The Stars Align | A Ben Pincus x Reader Fanfiction

13. Brave

"You've changed..."

[Ben POV]

•·•

Y/N is dangling by the edge holding my hand.

I let out another panicked scream. "Y/N! Y/N, help!'

"I'm not letting you go by yourself, Ben! Not ever!"

She lets go of the edge of the monorail and we both fall.

The pteranodons screech and grab us. We don't let go of our hands and eventually, the dinosaurs give up.

We drop to our death.

•·•

I wake up to Bumpy licking my head and push her away with a groan.

When I sit up, I see Bumpy more clearly. "Oh! Bumpy! Bumpy, Bumpy, Bumpy!"

Bumpy bounds up to me and I hug her "Where's everyone else?" I ask.

A few feet from me, I see Y/N splayed on the floor. With a gasp, I crawl over to her. Somehow, her glasses managed to survive the fall, and it lays slanted on her face.

I also notice that she's still out. Unconscious.

I know she's in pain, yet I can't help but stare at her. She looks like she's just calmly sleeping, dreaming about who knows what.

And, even though I don't want to acknowledge this certain category of thoughts, I can't help admire her. How pretty she looks. How her soft features curve into a tough, weathered frame

I can't help this either; I lean over and brush some of the crisp leaves on her hair, away. Then I arrange the halo of hair neatly, tucking it in the sides of her head.

My finger accidentally grazes against her lower lip, and I flinch, withdrawing my hand back to myself abruptly.

After a moment of thought, I sigh and curl up beside her, our arms pressing against each other's.

Y/N's warmth gives me comfort, and makes my heart feel like it's calming. The huge tidal wave of fear that has been burrowing in my chest these past few days behind to wash away. A tsunami becoming a wave, becoming splash, becoming just a few eddies.

There's one more thing I can't help; falling asleep with Y/N's weary breaths beside me.

•·•

The world is still blindingly bright as it comes into focus, the sun widening its eyes at me.

I shut my eyes again, sighing at the heat seeping into my skin. But another heat feels like it's missing.

The heat I'd felt lying down beside Y/N.

That makes my eyes fly open, and I sit up and turn around.

She's not there.

My heart rate speeds up like a motorcycle passing a 16-wheeler, but it slows again as I realize that Y/N is just resting by a tree a few yards to my side.

Clenching my thumb around my knuckles, I lift myself up with two fists. Then I groggily walk over to her.

"Hey..." I softly say, surprising myself at the rasp in my voice. "You, um, you feeling okay?"