When The Stars Align | A Ben Pincus x Reader Fanfiction

41. The Final Test (Pt. 1)

Low-key

[3rd POV]

The heated rays of sunlight filter through the windows of the compound, landing on the frosted pastries lined up on a long table.

Sammy sighs contentedly. "The sun is shining, no dinosaurs are chasing us, and most importantly, breakfast is served."

"Feels weird to have nothing to worry about for once" Caleb adds with his mouth full of bacon.

"Yeah, definitely. I, myself, am very relaxed." Darius says haltingly.

Brooklyn chuckles nervously. "Oh same. I'm like, chiiiiiiilll."

Yasmina gives them a weirded-out look.

"You're not though, right?" Darius nudges the vlogger. "I wanna trust Mr. Kon, I- I really do, but..."

"He gives off total liar vibes?" Brooklyn finishes.

"Yeah." Darius sighs. "But we can't turn Kenji's and Y/N's world upside down just because of a vibe."

"No, but what if it turns out we're right?" Brooklyn's face falls.

"Why so doom and gloom in here, bro and girlf?" Kenji struts in with a beam on his face.

"Kenji!" Brooklyn smiles weakly.

"Morning..." Darius greets with a fake smile plastered on his face.

Kenji stuffs a doughnut into his mouth. "That's the spirit. Man, am I pumped for today! Dad actually wants my help." he proudly walks to a table with a plate full of food.

Brooklyn and Darius exchange glances.

"I'm so happy you're happy, Kenji." says the pink-haired girl. "So... has he mentioned anything about when we get to call home or anything like that?"

"Well, you heard him. He just needs a few days to arrange everything safely.
Plus, he's super focused on the presentation right now." Kenji sips his tea with serenity.

"Right! So, since you brought it up, now that dino fights are off the table, what exactly is he presenting?" Darius carefully asks.

"I'm sure he's doing something super cool using Mae's communication. We really got through to him." Kenji smiles.
"In fact, he even asked me to prep for the investor cocktail party. He said, and I quote, 'I'd rather you do it than those stupid robots.' " he chuckles happily.

"Wow Kenj. Nice. How about I help?" Brooklyn says suggestively.

"Oh, sorry B. Dad's gotta get to know you before he'll trust you with an important assignment like this. Besides, Y/N is staying behind too. Dad says the work might be too hard for girls."

Y/N grumbles under her breath from the other table. "Feminism. I hate it."

Ben just shrugs from beside her, eating a bagel with the berries they'd picked together this morning.

It was an awkward walk. But a nostalgic one, too.

"It has taken me a long time to get Dad to trust me." Kenji says sadly.

His tone makes Brooklyn lay a hand on his sympathetically.

"But after I'm done maybe we could hang out. Just the two of us." Kenji says, completely forgetting that Darius is sitting there uncomfortably as a third wheel.

[Poor Darius]

But Darius just takes the opportunity to tease them. "Ooh, like a date? Huh?"

Caleb chuckles at Darius' wiggling eyebrows.