LOVERBOY [bennett x razor]

chapter 22: promise

art credits: @kyaoni on twitter!

"bennett!"

"huh—"

"i've barely started, and you're already interrupting. i'm sorry, but i'm going to have to ask you to stay after class. now please, pay attention!" jean held her sharp gaze on bennett, effectively making him squirm.

he looked down, unable to maintain eye contact. "y-yes, ma'am..."

instead of paying attention to her lesson, though, bennett thought about what he had just seen. a large, purple bruise on razor's left hip, reaching to his back.

what the fuck is that? it looks really bad. it must hurt like hell, he thought, glancing back to the spot. razor already covered himself though, hunched over with his elbows on the desk, hands in fists, and head down.

what happened to him? he's been off all morning, saying he was sick when he doesn't even look or sound sick. there's no way he is. wait, bennett's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he doodled on his notebook. ms. jean's words entered one ear and went out the other. if he's not sick then... why the mask? and the turtleneck? none of this makes sense. what does he gain from hiding his face?

he continued to doodle mindlessly, drawing what seemed to resemble a paw print. bennett leaned down onto one hand, twirling the situation in his mind over and over again, much like the pencil he held.

hold on. it's not just his face, but his whole body is covered up. what could be so bad that he— as bennett came to the cruel realization, his grip on his pencil tightened, making a hole through the paper and snapping his pencil lead. he gulped once again.

the clock on the wall ticked as all the color in bennett's face drained, suddenly feeling his throat dry.

what happened over the weekend, razor?

his mind was so occupied that he hadn't realized class had ended until he heard the scrape of a chair next to him. it was razor, hurrying out of his seat to leave. bennett shot up after him, not even worrying about his stuff.

"wait, razor!" he called his name and tried to catch up, but razor was already out the door, almost sprinting away. he groaned.

"and where do you think you're going, mister?" with her eyes still on her work, jean stopped bennett dead in his tracks. "i asked you to stay after class, didn't i?"

"oh, yeah, sorry..." he went to grab his forgotten backpack, putting away his belongings and slinging it over his back.

"come here, bennett." she put down her pen and beckoned him over to her desk, pulling up a chair across from it so he could sit. "i want to talk to you."

he did as she told, sitting on the chair. "about what? if this is about the homework, then i promise you, i'll—!"

jean put a hand up to stop him. "no, no, it's nothing like that. although, you should catch up on that."

"oh. then, what is it, miss?" he really couldn't think of any reason why she'd need to talk to him, plus he was getting impatient. at this rate, he would never get to talk to razor.

"it's about you." jean tried at a sweet voice, but it was more gentle and calming. "are you alright, bennett? lately, i've noticed you've been distracted in my class. i know you're a good kid, and it's unlike you to rouse up trouble, which is why i want to know if something is going on."

he fell silent. bennett never would have thought his teacher would be this concerned for him. he was touched. "no, i'm alright. i mean, besides my unluckiness, my life is pretty well. and i don't mean to cause interruptions, ms. jean, it's just i get really in over my head sometimes."

"yes, it's because of that friend you recently made, right?" she smiled. "razor was always gloomy and quiet, but nowadays he seems more bright. still just as quiet, though."

"yeah! whenever we're together, i do most of the talking. but he's been warming up to me recently, so i must be doing something good!" beaming at the new conversation subject, bennett went on about razor. "i'm really glad i'm friends with him now, he—"

he dropped his words mid sentence, remembering that he was in a rush, and the reason why he was in a rush the first place. "ms. jean, there's something i should tell you."

he had to tell someone. a responsible, caring adult.

"yes?"

"i think— i think razor is, uh— he..."

images of the dark purple bruise on razor's hips replayed in his mind like a cruel film. bennett was almost 100 percent sure he knew what had happened, as much as he wished it wasn't true.

but what if i'm wrong, and this is all just a big misunderstanding?

and if he was right, and told ms. jean...

what if it happens again?

"a-actually, never mind. i have to make sure of something first. is that all you need, ma'am?"

his teacher eyed him carefully before dismissing him. "yes, that's all. you may head to your next class. but bennett?"

"yeah?"

"if anything is wrong, or if something is going on, don't hesitate to tell me."

"of course, ms. jean!"

bennett was getting awfully good at lying, and he didn't like it.

after that conversation, he walked out of her room, scanning the area to find razor. this was one of the periods that he didn't have with him, so he didn't know what class he had next. he really wished he had asked.

bennett sighed and decided to just head over to his next class, all hope of catching up to razor gone. for the next few classes, he spent the time mulling over everything, from razor's bruise to his conversation with ms. jean, growing more and more worried with each second that passed.

once the lunch bell rang, bennett was more than ready to hop out of his chair and search for his friend. he hoped that maybe he might find razor at their usual lunch spot, but, of course, no such luck for bennett.

he probably knows i know, which must be why he's hiding from me... still undeterred from finding razor, bennett pushed on looking everywhere he could, until he finally came across a small alcove behind the school, hidden away from plain sight by bushes and trees. he wouldn't have even thought to look there, but as he passed the spot, bennett caught a flash of silver in his peripherals.

he turned his body back and approached the area carefully, as if not to spook razor.

and there he was, curled up in a ball, crying quietly into his arms. he must have heard bennett come near, because he whipped his head up and backed up, looking frightened.

bennett tried to be as gentle as he could. "hey... it's just me. it's alright." he crouched onto his knees to be at eye level with razor, who had now turned away.

"razor?" he asked softly. he was slowly inching closer to him, until he reached forward, ready to embrace him. he remembered how razor had recoiled last time he had touched him, though, so he stopped himself from reaching out, no matter how desperately he wanted to.

razor noticed this, and instead of reacting as he had in the morning, he intertwined his fingers with bennett's and pulled himself into his chest. immediately, bennett returned the hug, holding him tight, afraid that if he let go, he would never get to hug him again.

and so he told him this, softly holding razor's face in his hand. "razor, i don't care what happens, i will never let you go. you hear me? never." razor pushed his head back into his shoulder, gripping the back of bennett's hoodie tightly.

"promise?"

"promise."

im not too satisfied with this chapter, i feel like it doesn't flow very well but oh well. if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve, please lmk! your criticisms are very appreciated.

anyways, for all my fellow latinos out there, happy latin heritage month!! i'm actually mexican, if you didnt know. i love you all so much!!

-b