None the Worse ✓

39) 'Don't Sit Down' And Other Advice That Seems Kind Of Stupid Until You...

39) 'Don't Sit Down' And Other Advice That Seems Kind Of Stupid Until You Remember You Just Leveled Up In Ways That Are Actual Level Ups In A Kind Of Game Too Unholy To Reference

Benjamin's behind hurt like hell because he'd just had underage sex with his boyfriend. He was a criminal. Because of the underage part, that is. The other part was legal. They were partners-in-crime now, he and Thijmen, but when he told this to the Dutch boy he realized the guy was either asleep or pretending not to hear. The latter, given the former tended to come along with a groan.

He didn't think the criminal jokes were funny anyway.

Benjamin was not doing very well with his elaborate plan to become a better boyfriend. He'd made a list of things to do, but it was a lot harder than it seemed (no pun intended). Writing it down was all well and good, but the problem lay with the remembering part. Especially with his mouth spewing nonsense without a moment of hesitation. It was like trying to hold back a river.

But he would not give up. He'd build a dam. The strongest dam known to humankind.

He felt sticky. Thijmen was still sound asleep, which he supposed was to be expected given the jet lag and all. Besides, he wasn't the one who'd gotten stabbed from behind with stuff. He didn't hurt anywhere.

They had done... things a few times, but never this. They'd never really acted weird afterwards. Maybe this changed things. Or not. He felt like waking Thijmen up to ask him but he didn't. The world outside was silent, too, which meant his parents were still out partying. Whenever they felt wild enough, they even played Monopoly with the neighbors.

Even after cleaning up and crawling back into the warmth of his bed, he couldn't fall asleep. "Thijmen," he said.

Second try: "Thijmen," he said and shook him.

Third try:

"No," replied Thijmen.

"Oh. Okay."

"Can't you just... go to sleep for a moment or something?"

"Why?"

Thijmen turned around so that Benjamin faced his back and put a pillow over his head.

Message received.

It did seem like your average Benjamin-Thijmen interaction, pillow usage included. He could just be looking too much into it. They'd get out of bed and act as usual, and that was it. No passage ritual. No Ted Talk.

Benjamin shifted a little closer and pressed himself against Thijmen's back. He didn't object. He wrapped his arm around him. This was okay, too. He put his face in the crook of Thijmen's neck and breathed in. Still, Thijmen said nothing.

It reminded him of when he was sniffing the Stolen Pillow, months ago. He smelled the same, if not a bit more salty. He smelled nice.

Whether it be from boredom or from the way his body was quietly nagging at him to take a rest already, Benjamin eventually fell asleep, too. He dreamed of fairies and angels and space and sex. With Thijmen.

For the first time in his life, he had a valentine. It was snowing, too, which would've made it cliché had he not slipped and whacked the shit out of his face the moment he walked out of the house. Thijmen laughed and Benjamin II said, "Don't stain the furniture," and Benjamin's mother pretended to be busy looking for something so she wouldn't have to treat his wounds. Benjamin caught Isaac the driver laughing, too.

Valentine's Day was nice if you had a date, but that was about it. It sucked the way every other day sucked. And now he had a purple eye.

Or, well, the day before Valentine's. Same thing. The hype was there. The last few months had been snow snow exams Thijmen let's go to the theater room no Benjamin don't be nasty wait until your parents are gone counselor January February halfway through March.