⍟ Broken Strings {A Chaos Theory x Male Reader Story - Ben}

𝟺. 𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜

"Hey! How about a little warning? You got live cargo back here!" Sammy complains.

"Sorry, guys! Pothole!" Ben calls back.

"They're fine." Y/N shrugs.

"I'm not fine," Sammy complains, climbing into her seat, "Yaz still isn't picking up her phone!"

"We tried like 10 times each." Darius adds with a sigh, getting into his seat as well.

"How many times do I gotta tell you, guys? Cell phones are traceable!" Ben huffs.

"I do not care, Benjamin." Sammy crosses her arms.

Out of nowhere, sirens start approaching the van.

"Is that highway patrol?" Ben asks, looking through the rearview.

"No, DPW." Darius confirms as Ben pulls over with the rest of the cars on the road.

The four of them watch as the two jeeps followed by large semi-trucks carrying tons of dinosaurs roll by.

The cars in front of them take pictures and videos of the passing dinos.

"We should... get going." Darius mumbles once the vehicles have all passed.

"You alright?" Y/N glances back at him, only receiving a nod in return.

It's silent for a moment before Ben redirects the van back onto the road and starts off, stopping again within moments. Two dinos prance across the street and into the grassy field on the other side.

"Looks like they missed a couple." Darius smiles.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

"We're close, right?" Ben asks, sneaking a glance over at the map that now lays in Y/N's lap.

"Uh, yeah, it should be right up here." Y/N points to the next right turn.

Ben turns the corner and slowly stops the van, the four of them stare out the windows in shock. There's a broken-down trailer surrounded by clothes lines and trees.

"Wait, this is Kenji's place?" Sammy asks, raising a brow, "Rich boy, penthouse, my bowling alley has a bowling alley, Kenji?"

"I knew his dad lost all their money when he went to prison," Ben sighs as they climb out of the van.

"When we sent him to prison." Sammy corrects.

"Yeah, but I didn't expect this!" Ben huffs.

"Darius, you didn't know about this?" Y/N looks over at him.

"We're not exactly on speaking terms..." Darius shakes his head.

"Oh," Sammy blinks slowly, "Well, it may look a little rugged, but I bet it's a darling on the inside."

"Come on!" She moves for the door.

The men join her, and Ben knocks lightly.

"You sure this is the right address?" He looks to Y/N.

"I didn't write it!" Y/N rolls his eyes and knocks a second time.

"Maybe try knocking one more time." A familiar voice suggests from behind.

Instinctively, Sammy whirls around and kicks the figure in the stomach, causing them to curl up in pain.

"Good to see you... too." Kenji reveals his face, looking up at them with a smile.

"Oh my gosh, Kenji!?" Sammy gasps, "Don't sneak up on us like that!"

"Yeah, not sneaking, just coming home from teaching rock climbing." Kenji explains, gathering his things from the ground.

"Hey, Kenj." Ben smiles, offering him a hand up.