poison ivy - the boys

thirty

          They were now traveling to the Legend in New York. Ben wanted to get his suit from the old man and then they were going after Payback. Ben was dead set on getting his revenge and she didn't necessarily blame him.

They had been driving all day and now they were at a hotel. They were at the restaurant it had and she was eating dessert.

Ben was sipping on a beer as he took small bites of the chocolate lava cake. Although, he furrowed his eyebrows as he watched her stuff bites into her mouth like it was her last meal.

He chuckled, "I've never seen someone so pretty eat so messily."

She pouted and her cheeks were puffed out from the food. She kicked him under the table and he whined, "Ow."

She chewed slowly and swallowed before saying, "Don't judge me."

He leaned across the table and his thumb wiped away chocolate crumbs on the corner of her lips. He smirked, "I'm judging."

She was going to say something but her thoughts halted as he brought his thumb to his mouth and sucked off the chocolate mess. She was focused on his very close delectable lips.

                 She bit her own as she thought about kissing him. They'd both taste like chocolate and...

                  Oh god no.

                 She leaned back in her seat and Ben frowned. She gave him a playful glare, "Nice try, Ben."

                  "You were the one thinking about it," he pointed out which made her cheeks turn red before he gained a slight smirk. "I think someone is starting to like me."

                    "Yes, I do..." she admitted as she crossed her arms and he started to form a smile before she teased. "...as a friend."

                  He deflated and shook his head, "That's fucking cold, angel."

                     She chuckled and leaned over, kissing his cheek softly, "Be patient."

                 ______

              The next day, she let Ben drive. Mostly, she'd stare out her window but then her eyes would travel to his profile.

               He was stunningly handsome and she watched how the wind tousled his dark hair. She'd imagine the two of them, together, and maybe they were the type of couple that took short drives just because. They'd stop at some overlook and lay on the hood as the sun set.

            It was a beautiful future. Peaceful. Something she wanted but knew she'd never have. And that was all because of John and Vought and the whole cruel world. She'd never hated it all more.

                  When they stopped for gas the second time. She leaned against the car just to stand for a minute and stretch her legs.

             When Ben finished putting gas in the car, he sidled up next to her with a smirk, "I know you've been staring at me, angel."

             "I-I haven't been staring at you," she denied as her cheeks turned slightly red. "I was staring out the window."

                 He hummed and he leaned down, kissing her cheek. She was always kissing his cheek and it drove him crazy. He planned to do the same.

             It stunned her to feel his gentle lips on her skin and it felt like a fire she wanted to burn in. Then he pulled away, making her want more.

               "Well, keep staring, angel," he still wore a smirk as he went around to get in the car. "It makes me all hot and bothered."

              Her jaw dropped, "Ben!"

______

That night they were at a hotel that was in a small town. She brought them to the rooftop where the stars shined brilliantly without all the pollution.

Ben was sitting on the ledge, drinking alcohol. She got an idea as she fiddled with her phone and then a song filled the night air.

She set her phone down on the ledge and smiled cutely at Ben, "Dance with me?"

"What? No," he shook his head. "That's fucking lame."

She put her hands on her hips, "Coward."

He stared up at her for a long moment before he set the beer bottle down in defeat, "Goddamn it."

"You always get what you want, don't you?" he asked as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands on her lower back.

She looped her arms around his neck as she smirked, "Always."

And they swayed to the slow song she played. She stared up into his dark green eyes as they were pressed against each other and she teased, "You almost turned down being up close and personal with me."

"Alright, alright," his breath fanned across her cheeks. "I had an...error in judgment."

She hummed in amusement before she rested her head against his chest and listened to the sound of his heart beating. It was soothing. After awhile, she lifted her head up to look at him as she admitted nervously, "I did stare at you today."

"I knew you thought I was sexy," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes and she admitted she even liked this side of him that was too overbearingly flirty with her. She looked up at him adoringly before she continued.

"Ben," she said carefully as tears filled her eyes. "You made me dream again of the life I used to want and...I adore you for it."

She dreamed like she used to with Seb. How she wanted a peaceful life. How she wanted to be free and Ben made her believe that she could.

He smiled brightly, "You adore me?"

"I adore you," she said with a sad smile. And she wanted to kiss him in this moment but knew she couldn't.

He saw the tears forming and he frowned, "Isn't this a good thing?"

"It is," she said before she hugged him tightly. "But I poison good things."

She truly believed that. She got Seb killed because she loved him. Her love got people murdered and she wouldn't allow it to happen to Ben.

             She could never allow herself to be happy with Ben even for a moment; John would hurt Ben, somehow, someway just because someone other than him made her happy.

                Plus, John was the most powerful supe there was. The powers that she and Ben possessed might not even work and if it didn't...it was over for her. If that was case, she wouldn't allow John to know she harbored feelings for Ben; her feelings got people hurt.

Ben knew her ex fucked her up but he didn't think it was this bad. This Homelander really fucking made her afraid and had a chokehold on her mind. He wanted to fucking kill him.

"Jane, you don't fucking poison anything," he argued as he placed his arms around her more like a tight cocoon that she felt safe in. "He does."

"I know," she said as tears dropped from her face. "But he's tied to me. He's my poison."