poison ivy - the boys

thirty-two

         When Jane woke up, she blinked her eyes open tiredly. She could recognize the setting of a hotel and she lifted her head up slowly.

Ben was sitting in a chair next to the bed. He had been sitting there for hours and she noticed he was fiddling with something.

When he heard her shuffle, he was quickly by her side, helping her sit up as he smiled, "Jane..."

As soon as she lifted her head up, though, her nose started bleeding tremendously. She held a hand to it as he cursed, "Shit."

He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom where he set her on the counter. Then he bundled a bunch of toilet paper into a ball and held it to her nose.

"I'm sorry," he said as his eyes teared up. "I'm so sorry."

She smiled tiredly, "It's okay, Ben."

"No, it's not fucking okay...because you're not," he argued. "Using your powers could fucking kill you and because of my fuckup, you used them. I could've fucking killed you..."

"You could've died and that would've been on me," his voice choked up and some tears left his eyes. "I mean, you're fucking hurt because of me."

God, he couldn't believe he was so emotional. But for hours he was worried. He'd paced the floor; he threw things. He'd started to believe she wouldn't wake up. That he had killed her.

"Ben..." she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, using her thumb to wipe away his tears as her nose stopped bleeding. "I'm just tired, okay?"

"Don't do that. Don't fucking lie to me," he argued as he pulled the tissue away before he said softly. "I want to take care of you, angel. Always. I can't be the fucking thing hurting you."

"Ben, no. You didn't hurt me. You never can. You make me better," she confessed with a nervous smile before hugging him tightly. "I'm better with you."

"You make me happy, Ben," and as he wrapped his arms around her, she really realized how happy she was to be in his arms and that she wanted to be.

And the thought of John couldn't stop her anymore.

                 ______

               They were now sitting in the car at night outside where Crimson Countess lived. He handed her something he'd been fiddling with but she couldn't see in the dark.

           "I saw you usually wear a flower crown and this isn't perfect but, uh, fuck it..." he scratched his head. "I made this for you."

              She smiled so widely as she took it from him. It was a poor excuse of a flower crown (because it was too small) that he'd made from roses. It seemed like it would go better as a bracelet.

              But he'd made it for her.

              She slipped it on her wrist and with her powers, the stems grew shorter and tightened, now fitting snugly around her wrist. She looked at him adoringly before she leaned over, kissing his cheek, "Thank you."

               He swallowed and he did a little half salute, "You're, uh, always welcome."

                 Ben looked out the window before he took a swig of the alcohol he brought with him. She asked carefully, "Are you sure you want to do this?"