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Before
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[ TRIGGER WARNING: ACTIVE SHOOTER/SHOOTING]
"God damnit Klaus give me my jacket" Ben chased Klaus around his room, his arm high in the air with Ben's copyrighted leather jacket clutched in his hand.
Klaus giggled as Ben swooped at him over and over. "GIVE IT TO ME" He yelled, throwing his arm out and trying to grab onto Klaus. Unsuccessful again.
...
I walked down the long hall of the academy. My boots clacking against the wood floor with every step, some of the floor boards creaking as I hit them. I stopped before Klaus's room, the door was open. Running footsteps and bickering came from the room making me roll my eyes.
I stepped in front of the door and I found Ben chasing around and clawing at a snickering Klaus who was running around with his jacket high in the air. A laugh escaped me as the scene played out. I crossed my arms and leaned on the doorframe. They both froze and looked over to the doorway.
Ben's eyes stuck to me, before they darted back to Klaus. He gave Klaus a look and shoved his shoulders, making him stumble forward. "Ow!''
Klaus whined, falling over and onto the chair in the corner. Ben walked over to him and aggressively snatched the jacket from his hands.
"Hi" I stated, a smile fell on my face. "Hi" Ben reciprocated flatly and out of breath. "Ready?" I asked, pushing myself off the doorframe. He nodded, breathing heavily and walking past Klaus who was still whimpering in the corner.
"Yeah" Ben nodded, making his way past me now and walking into the hallway. "Cool" I smiled, turning around and picking up my pace to catch up with him. I bumped into his shoulder as I caught up and looked over at him.
"So, I thought we could go to this bookstore I really wanted to go to" I looked over at him as we walked down the stairs and into the open space on the ground floor. Ben nodded, steering me to the front doors and opening them, letting me walk through. "Why thank you" I joked, hurrying through the doors.
Ben trailed after me as we got to the gate, the umbrella symbol front and center. Suddenly the door opened again, and a man cleared his throat. I jumped, turning around. God fucking damnit..
"Where do you think your going number six?" Reginald asked, standing at the top of the porch stairs. Ben's eyes fell to the floor. "Oh uh.. I'm taking him to a bookstore, I heard there were books for Latin there.. I thought I'd get one for him since I stole his" I smiled weakly.
His face didn't change as he coldly examined my face. Ben shifted his weight to his other leg and brought his eyes to the side. The silence was fucking ear splitting and I couldn't help but break the eye contact. Then suddenly,, CRASH. Reginald straightened his back and snapped his head back to the door.
From inside I could hear Klaus giggling. I love that little shit, always fucking stuff up so we can sneak out. Reginald bolted inside and I quickly looked over to Ben. "Right, time to go" I whispered and his head perked up. "What?" ..I smiled at his idiocy and grabbed his wrist, turning around "You still haven't caught on yet?" I raised an eyebrow before yanking him along with me as I bolted down the street.
"OH MY GOD'' He yelled as he almost tripped over his own feet trying to keep up. We ran, weaving around people. My legs numb but also carrying me faster than I ever have before. The food stands and shops whizzing past us.
After about three blocks away we finally slowed down, my lungs felt like they were about to burst and Ben went to sit down on the floor. "Oh wait dirty" He reminded, quickly getting back up. I leaned my hands on my knees, breathing heavily. A few laughs between breaths were shared. "Holy shit" I huffed. Ben just laughed and nodded.
"Yep" He finally wheezed out, leaning back onto the wall of the building behind us. And todays cold, like really fucking cold so every time I breathed in, it was sharp cold air. "Ok maybe food before bookstore" I nodded, letting out a cough. Ben nodded and pushed himself off the wall.
"So where do we want to go for food?" I huffed, straightening up my back and glancing over to him. "Griddy's always a good choice" Ben nodded and I let out a heavy breathed sigh, my mouth left open to continue to catch my breath. "I know, but I mean we have to go back eventually" He added, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
"I'll leave the emotional vulnerability of the day to Luther" I tilted my head to the side to lean it on my shrugging shoulder. "Right, Dennys it is" Ben leaned his head forward and basically trailed after it, stumbling forward. I followed after him, our shoulders bumping into each other now and then...
It had been a few years since Five went missing, each night when I'd sneak into Klaus's room to gossip I'd see Viktor in the bright kitchen making food for him. When I asked him about it he said that when Five comes back he didn't want him to feel scared because then he'd leave again.
That crushed me, it's like he wanted my heart to hurt more. I knew how close they were, so close that some nights I would stay with him and keep him company as he sat out in the living room.
"How about next weekend I'll sneak you out again and we'll go to Griddys" I spoke suddenly, making Ben's head turned to face mine. "[Y/N] there's no way I'm gonna be able to leave the house after the stunt we pulled." He let out a small laugh turning back to face the sidewalk in front of us.
"Yeah, that's why I said sneak you out.. Idiot" I smiled over at him and he rolled his eyes, nudging my side with his elbow sending me tripping into the wall next to me. "Wow, that's.. really sad" Ben raised his eyebrows, peering over at me walking back over to him.
"You caught me off guard" I rebuttaled, holding my arm where he hit me. "Ohh, ok ok" He nodded sarcastically, making me grab his shoulder with both hands and shove him back way harder than he did me. Ben stumbled over off the sidewalk and into the street.
"Oh my god" He huffed, gaining his balance again and walking back onto the sidewalk. "Yeah, that's what I thought" I beamed over at him and he narrowed his eyes at me, his mouth agape slightly "That did absolutely nothing." He stated making me drop my shoulders and sigh "Right ok"...
⚜️ ⚜️ ⚜️
The walk consisted of chatting, arguing about small petty things, me saying that I'll be his best friend if he takes my side, him talking about his current book, stuff like that. Us having to shover together to allow others to walk past us on the sidewalk and then finally, me tripping over the curb of the Denny's sidewalk and eating shit directly in front of it and three other people leaving.
"Get up, I swear to god I will leave" Ben threatened as I laid down on the floor in defeat. "Help me then" I brought up a hand and he slapped it away making me gasp. "Wow" I shook my head. "Yeah" He nodded, putting his hands on his hips and hovering over me. "Fine" I huffed, getting up. "You're so mean" I shook my head and started fake limping to the door, flailing my arms around.
"Ooh, this is the worst day forever" I whined and Ben rolled his eyes walking past me, making me stand up straight and lose the act. "I'll remember this" I shook my head and caught up with him, walking in before him. "Good" Ben trailed after me and closed the door behind him. We found our normal booth next to the back window.
I slid in and watched him slide in next to me as I picked up the laminated menu in front of me. I hit the top of the head with it, making him snatch it from my hands and putting it next to him on the booth. "Now you're confiscating my stuff? This is blasphemy" I puled. "This Dennys menu isn't your stuff" Ben laughed slightly and I shrugged. "It could be"
"Thief" He stated, jerking his head at me. "Bully" I mocked back, shoving my face in his back. "Repartee" He sang quietly. "I don't even know what that means" I remarked proudly. "Of course" He sighed as a waitress walked up to our table, asking for our order. "Just what we normally get" I nodded, smiling up at her. "Alright guys" She jotted down before turning around to leave.
"Thank you Liz" I called out. I knew most of the waitresses and waiters here because of how much I came here. "God my legs hurt" I sighed, spinning towards Ben in my seat. "The running?" He asked. "And the falling" I added, nodding slightly and turning back around and falling back onto his lap. His back straightened at the sudden touch, his arms throwing up slightly.
I normally did this while he read although I knew he found it annoying. My 'giant head got in the way'. I also fiddled with the corner of his book during his reading. I reached up my hand and fiddled with the string of his hoodie.
"I can't even imagine how crazy Reggie is gonna get when we come back" I snickered and a slight dread fell on Ben's face. "I can '' He spoke. I brought my hand from the string to his face and slapped it softly.
"Calm down, why spend this time stupidly because you know how stupid It's going to be later. Take this time to actually have fun" I explained, going back to his hoodie string. "That, I guess makes sense." He sighed, releasing a bit of the stress. "So, how are you liking the most recent chapter huh?" I asked and he looked down at me.
"Eh, I feel like they could have written Jennifer better in this one, I feel like her characters' going to shit" He ranted, letting out another sigh. "Really? Well you're the Jennifer expert" I taunted and he scoffed defensively. "What, no. She's my favorite but I'm not an expert."
"Right, you're only in love with her" I leered on and he flicked my forehead. "Ow" I whined and he smiled at my response. "If I were in love with her, why would I have said she reminds me of you?" Ben's rejoinder hit me like a bus.
"Ouch, tell me how you really feel" I complained. "Yeah maybe I will" He responded, making my face light up. "See, all those people calling you unfunny and stupid were wrong." I mocked.
"Wow, and to think I was nice to you on purpose" Ben shook his head making me scoff. "What's that supposed to mean?" ... "You know" He smiled. "Right.." I trailed off before the scream of a siren alarm pierced my ears making me swing up from my place on his lap and peer over the booths back to look out the window.
I frantically scanned the surroundings before my eyes landed on the hospital a few blocks down, people pouring out of the doors with the escort of some doctors.
Ben joined my watch of the hospital doing nothing until the sound of a gunshot rang faintly around us, making me instinctually duck back behind the back of the booth. I watched as Ben jumped as well but instead of copying me, he slid himself over the table and ran towards the door. I called after him, with his no response I quickly ran towards him.
"WOAH BEN COME BACK WE AT LEAST NEED A PLAN BEFORE WE RUN INTO AN UNKNOWN PROBLEM!" I yelled, tripping over my feet as I slid out the door and into the street, hot on his trail.
My eyes stuck on the hospital's entrance and although my vision was incredibly blurred from running I saw what I made out to be Luther, Diego and Alison. "DIEGO" I screamed out in a non successful attempt.
I kept running, my yelling being drowned out by the horrible sirens. My legs numb from the adrenaline and running. By the time I caught up to Ben and the others I was at the hospital entrance. I breathed heavily, the air cutting my lungs like a blue hot knife every time I inhaled. The air I took in tasted like blood. "[Y/N], Ben. Why are you guys here?" Luther asked, grabbing me and Ben's wrists.
"We were just hanging out at the uhh.." I tried to explain with the little breath I had. "Luther just shut up, we don't need to know. There's a man in there with a gun and that's all you need to know, come on" Diego explained, running inside. Allison followed and then Luther who dragged us along. As I entered the building, I heard the doors slam behind us and lock. I saw numerous doctors running, bringing visitors and patients into rooms.
"Ok, me and Allison are taking the third floor, Diego take the second, [Y/N] and Ben you take the fourth" Luther ordered as each group took off to different elevators. Me and Ben sprinted off to a door labeled 'Floors 1-4 Stairs'. He swung the door open and took off up the flight of stairs. "Ben what's our plan of attack here?" I called out. Silence. "Ben?" I repeated, still no response.
I started to worry, I knew he wasn't ok and I didn't have time to talk to him about it. We ran past one door, then the next. I looked down the spiral stairwell, the floor getting farther and farther away with each step.
When I looked back up Ben was way closer then before and I ran right into him. "Sorry" I huffed as he looked back at me "I know you're a badass but would stay behind me for the time being?" He asked, his strained voice echoed through the stairwell.
I nodded, eyes wide. He opened the door slowly and walked out into the empty floor, I followed close behind. I treaded carefully with Ben while searching the whole floor. "Woah, ok this floor is completely deserted" I whispered over his shoulder. "Right" He spoke quietly.
I went to walk past him to a room but he stuck his arm out, keeping me behind him. "Can I at least be next to you? I feel equally in danger where I am" I hushed and he dropped his arm letting me come up next to him.
"I'll check this room, you take the other." I told, walking over to a patient's room, across was another, the one I advised Ben to search. He grabbed my wrist before I left and I turned to face him. "Im trusting you on this one, be safe." He warned, letting go of my wrist and walking over to the room I told him to go to.
I took a deep breath and walked over to the room, pushing on the cracked open door. I brought my hands out in front of me, ready for combat. Holy shit I was shaking like a mother fucker, for some reason this 'mission' felt heavier, worse than the others.
The room was eerily silent and abandoned, all I could hear were my footsteps and Bens from the other room. All the equipment and bedding looked as if everyone just picked up and left,, well they were.
I quickly pulled back the curtain separator to the next bed which was sloppily pushed up against the wall. My breath became shakier, and my eyes darted from the counters, to the beds, to the window on the wall behind the bed. I drew my foot out to the side and kicked a rolling table over to me, picking up a syringe needle and flipping it in my hand for a better hold on it.
I held it up in the air and loomed over the bed, kicking it out of the way and inhaling sharply, bracing for danger. Nothing.. A staggered exhale left me and I leaned my head back and shut my eyes in relief.
I heard another set of footsteps drawing closer and I dropped my head back down and opened my eyes. "This room's cl-" I started to turn around before I felt an excruciating pain in my head and I threw myself forward onto the bed, drawing in a sharp inhale through my teeth.
I quickly turned around, a man in his 40s-50s loomed over me, the base of his gun raised high in the air as if he had hit me over the head with it. My eyes darted over to the syringe on the floor then back to him, I dove forward in an attempt to grab it. His arm swooped forward, a hard grab landed on my wrist and my balance fell out making me fall to the floor with a hard thud.
I let out a whine from the impact and threw my hand towards his to get free of him, his nails dug into my skin. I got tugged forward before getting thrown back into the wall, taking down the cart In the process and getting pierced by one of the needles on the top.
I let out a yelp and grasped my arm, the blood that coated my hand loosened my grip. I looked back up at the man who reloaded and cocked his gun. My heart raced faster, and my breath wavered. I quickly threw my body down and heard the piercing noise of the gun shot.
I quickly looked back up, checking if I was hit. Figuring out I wasn't made tears well up in my eyes. I took another breath, to muster up enough strength to pick myself off the ground. Before I could, another silhouette joined the room knocking the man to the floor, his gun sliding across the floor. My eyes darted from the gun up to the person. Ben...
"Oh my god, hi" I beamed up at him, so happy to see him. "I trusted you" He huffed, His face painted nothing but worry. "Yeah, me too" I said breathlessly, launching myself towards the gun. When I grabbed a hold of it, a wave of relief flooded me and I turned to the man who was sloppily getting up from his place on the bed under the window.
I got up, one hand gripping my arm and the other on the gun. Ben rushed past me, a tentacle reached to the man, wrapping around him and lifting him up into the air. I stumbled back at the sudden charge and held up the gun, my hand trembled making the gun elude a slight clacking noise.
"I uh, I don't think I can shoot him" I trembled and Ben looked back at me. "I wasn't expecting you to [Y/N]" He affirmed before looking back at him and throwing him into the wall, his tentacle still gripped tightly onto his waist.
"[Y/N] would you mind leaving?" He let out, a hint of embarrassment coated his tone. "Hell no what if something happens to you?" I retorted, yelling a bit more than I should have. "Please" He implored, looking back at me with a pleading expression on his face. I just nodded, stumbling back and out of the room. I saw the door slam shut, a sudden coat of dark red drenched the widow of the door making it unable to see through.
I stumbled back into the other room, searching for supplies. I sloppily searched through the cabinets before finding a half opened roll of gauze, bringing it out and tearing it open Sith my teeth. I looked over at my shaking arm, the needle sticking out of my arm. "Ok [Y/N], just pull it out" I repeated to myself getting a firm grasp on the handle of the needle. I counted to three and then yanked it out, the sharp pain replaying into my arm as I inhaled sharply through my teeth and tensed up my shoulders.
A rush of pulsation came throughout my arm with the new stream of blood falling from my wound and I quickly brought the end of the gauze to my teeth, wrapping it around my arm. I tugged the end with my teeth to tighten it, making myself wince. I took a wobbly breath and brought myself to the door, walking over to the other room. I looked down at the door knob and bringing my shaky hand over it.
"Ok, I'm uhh coming in now." I yelled, before shakily opening the door. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for what I was about to see. When I opened my eyes, I found the room painted in blood, in the mess of it all I couldn't even find the man. Only Ben sat in the middle of the room, trembling and hunched over himself. My heart dropped and I ran over to him, falling down to the ground. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Ben what happened?" I agonized, wrapping an arm around him to prop him up. My other fell to his stomach which was pooling out blood.
"I um, I killed him" He nodded up at me, tear streaks the only thing on his face not covered in deep red. "Im gonna get you help." I nodded down at him, tears threatened my eyes before pouring down my face. A labored laugh escaped him, he knew that couldn't happen. "LUTHER!" I screamed out, cradling him in my arms. "DIEGO!" My head turned to the door.
"Hey, hey shh" Ben lifted a hand to my face, softly planting it on my cheek and my head turned back to him. "No, I have to get you out of here" I lamented, my throat stung with each word that escaped me. "I don't think I'm getting out of here [Y/N]" He puled, hollowness taking ahold of his voice. I drew my bottom lip under my top teeth, my jaw trembling. "You're not supposed to die like this" I reprimanded, my voice cracking. "My only wish was for you to hug me while I went" His voice faltered as he brought his head back into my chest.
I couldn't even see his face through my tears, my eyebrows so furrowed I gave myself a headache. "ALLISON" I cried out to the door before pulling him closer to me. "Ben, hey keep looking at me ok?" I assured, tilting his head toward me. His mouth was slightly agape from the pain and his eyebrows upturned, he brought a hand over mine on his stomach. His staggered flinching was the only movement he could make. "Hey, [Y/N]?" Ben beckoned through gritted teeth.
I nodded quickly at his call. "I.. I think I'm gonna go now" He whimpered, his lips sealed tightly shut between speech as a way to push through the suffering. A new stream of tears fell from my face. "No, no, no, no Ben you can't leave me here" I shook my head, tightening my grip on him. "Thank you... For making me a little less scared." He gasped.
His tensed body fell limp in my arms, his body ran cold and his tears stopped. The world went silent, all I could do was let out an agonizing scream. My sobs became verbal, I no longer cared what was happening around me, who watched, who judged, who listened. My blubbered sobs filled my ears as I brought him closer to my chest. There was no beat back..
...