Ben didn't know the time, but his bones told him it was way too early. He stayed up too long, talking to Tim. It was more than a little embarrassing asking a guy to stay on the phone with him until he fell asleep, but he couldn't bring Nino back. He could ask Nino to stay in the same breath he was asking him to go. Ben grabbed his phone for the time but ended up smacked in the face with a text.
Tim: Don't forget you said you owe me a date. I normally wouldn't hold you to it, but I really want to see you.
Ben smacked his forehead with his phone screen over and over. This was good. This was what he wanted. So why did it feel so bad? Why did it feel like he was doing something wrong? Ben looked over the text again, wondering to himself just who was he hurting? Him, Tim, or Nino? The answer wasn't difficult. He definitely wasn't hurting Nino. Nino was always clear about what he wanted. Even if it hurt Ben to hear it.
Ben dragged himself out of bed, had breakfast, and avoided eye contact, using his laptop as an excuse to avoid the consequences of his actions.
Ben emailed his editor, requesting to turn the romantic thriller into a tragedy, and Marissa did not find it funny. Not that Ben was kidding. He didn't mind the idea of killing his romantic hero, the vampire with commitment issues and winning smiles.
His main character could probably do better.
After this, Ben was switching to the werewolf genre.
Phone buzzing, it surprised Ben to see it was a FaceTime request. It wasn't from Lincoln, but his husband, Freddy. Ben answered, quickly using his hand to cover the camera.
This made Freddy laugh. "It can't be that bad."
Ben had already texted Lincoln about his black eye. After making Lincoln his surrogate parent, Ben felt obligated to update Lincoln on stuff like his health and if he's eating well. "It's not," Ben said. "But I don't want you to be shocked."
"I promise to have zero reaction."
Ben trusted him and moved his hand. The light adjusted to reveal his black eye and Freddy sucked in his lips. Freddy had gone through many transformations since college. He had his awkward phase and bad haircuts and glasses that didn't fit his face, and years of wearing clothes that didn't quite fit. Now Freddy had it together with his black curls styled and twisted at the front like he was a rebel without a cause. Freddy Sharma had a glow up the moment he fell in love with Lincoln.
"It's looking better," Freddy said.
Ben frowned. "This is the first time you're seeing it."
"And after a day, I can only imagine that it looked much worse."
"Thanks." Ben sighed and walked back into the house. "What's up?"
"It is my monthly reminder that you need to get out of the house, so I'm inviting you out."
"Excuse you, I leave my house. Are you introvert shaming me?"
"With love, Benjamin. With love."
"I go on dates, too, you know."
"How are things with Tim?"
Ben looked over his laptop screen at Evie and Anthony sitting across from him. He was helping her create a tier list of the movie's she had seen so far in order to figure out her favorite. Anthony eyed him with that horrible Ventura smile. Ben leaned away from him and whispered, "Did Lincoln pay you to ask me that?"
Anthony chuckled. "Ben, I think you're so fun."
"Who is that?"
Ben rolled his eyes. "Nino's brother."
"Nino has a brother, and he's also staying at your house?"
"He has three brothers!" Anthony called out.
Ben flipped Anthony off and stalked into the living room, where Nino was unfortunately, reading a book on the couch. His armchair was piled with laundry and the corner chair was stacked with books Ben had pulled for inspiration, research, and distraction. The only available spot was beside Nino. Ben sat down as possible from him.
Nino shifted and Ben guessed, if Ben wouldn't go to him, Nino would do the work. Nino laid his head on Ben's thigh, making himself comfortable and Ben watched his face in real time flush a bright red. It was going to be impossible to focus on the conversation completely.
"Where's this going, Freddy?" Ben asked.
"It's Ethan's birthday week," Freddy said. "And he wants to go out."
"Birthday week? Is he still doing that?"
"He said it's his 30th birthday, and he wants it to be special."
"Didn't he turn 30 last year?" Ben sighed as Nino adjusted on his thigh, resting his hand on Ben's knee, torturing him with that pressure and that ticklishness. Ben wanted to scream. His entire body was on pins and needles.
"We're going out Friday night. Ethan has an in for this 1970s disco pop up club. The crowd is probably going to suck, but the drinks and music sound great."
"Maybe." Ben looked down at Nino. "I don't know. I mean, I'm watching Evie, remember—"
Appearing behind him at the speed of light, Anthony snatched Ben's phone up and smiled at the camera. "Hello, I'm Nino's younger brother Anthony."
"Wow, are you a model, too?" Freddy asked.
"Anthony!" Ben yelped and lunged for his phone, and Anthony simply took a quick step back.
"No, I work for the family business."
"Which is..."
"Real Estate."
Nino guffawed with laughter, climbing up. "It's too late," Nino said. He draped his arm around Ben's shoulder, dropping all his weight against him. He must be doing this on purpose. Talking so closely against his skin just drives Ben a little nuts. "Anthony does what he wants."
And Anthony did. "I'm actually staying over for a little longer and I'd be happy to watch Evie for a night. I'll send Ben and Nino to you. Just text Ben the details."
"Oh, Nino wants to come?" Freddy wondered aloud.
"Of course!"
"Don't put words into Nino's mouth!" Ben scolded Anthony, chucking a pillow at his side.
"Well." Nino shrugged. "I don't want you to go alone. Not after everything."
Ben twisted around, boxed in by the couch and Nino's body. He stared at him, long and hard. It made sense he was protective. Nino's words were still in Ben's head. "Don't go where I can't see you."
He wasn't obligated to come as a friend or part of the group. However, they were making out like they were a package deal and Ben liked that too much.
"That settles it!" Anthony exclaimed. "They'll see you in a few days!"
***
Ben Robinson was not built to handle three things: furniture instructions longer than two pages, books with unhappy endings, and a large family. As a kid, Ben's dad would drop him off somewhere and come back for Ben when he was ready. Sometimes, wandering around the library or a random mall, Ben wondered if that was the day his dad wouldn't pick him up.
Walking up to his side, Evie slipped her hand into Ben's and squeezed. He glanced down at her just as she looked up at him. They shared a little smile. "Are you going to help me pick an outfit?" He asked her.
Evie nodded emphatically.
It was like being taken in by a strong tide, but Ben wasn't fighting it. He enjoyed being sucked into Nino's world, talking to Anthony like he was a new friend. With Evie holding his hand, Ben enjoyed glancing over at her and seeing her reactions. Anthony was listing off the shopping list, all his plans to get Nino and Ben dressed up for a 70s fantasy. Nino glanced around at Ben and smiled. All these smiles were hurting Ben's cheeks.
This could be a fun family outing if it weren't for all the blood, fighting, and secrecy. It spoiled Ben. His heart was going to turn so rotten he'd expect this treatment all the time. Nino reached over and yanked the front of his baseball hat down over his eyes, and Ben shot his arm out to smack Nino out of the way. Nino laughed and put five more years back into Ben's life.
Agreeing to any of Nino's demands, Ben wore a pair of sunglasses, a baseball hat, and clothes that didn't quite fit him correctly. Evie was actually excited to dress up as a different person, with a short black wig and more tomboy-ish clothes. Exasperated, Nino admitted defeat by saying, "You two insist on leaving the apartment and I know I can't control you, so we just have to make it work."
"Thank you," Ben had said.
That wasn't enough for Nino. Nino wanted more. Walking right up to Ben, Nino pointed a warning finger between Ben's eyes. "And you don't leave my sight."
"I won't."
"You either." Nino pointed at Evie by his side.
She agreed, and an uneasy feeling pinched Ben's nerve. They'd been spotted by Jane and John before. Nothing was stopping them from catching him or Evie again. Being with Anthony and Nino did make Ben feel just a smidge better.
Shaking Evie's arm, he leaned down and asked quietly so it was just between them, "Are you okay? You're so quiet." Not that she was ever talkative, but Ben was sure she hadn't spoken once today.
Squeezing Ben's hand, Evie smiled.
"Okay," Ben said, but he didn't believe her.
The Ventura, Robinson, and Caputo unit ended up in one of those thrift stores that curates the clothes first, so they can jack up the price for a used t-shirt. All in the name of vintage. Anthony pushed through the front doors and just basked in it, breathing it all in.
"I was made for this," Anthony announced, strolling inside, and running his hands through a rack. "I was born in the 70s."
"1971," Nino told Ben with a knowing look and nudged Ben's shoulder. "Our parents wanted another girl. Which means..." He leaned over the clothing rack, wiggling a finger at his brother. "You didn't experience the 70s."
"But it's in my soul. Our mother was listening to Diana Ross in the operating room."
Nino rolled his eyes and put his hands on Ben's shoulders, squeezing them slightly as he bent closer to tell him, "Anthony was a teenager in the 80s. He had chunky highlights." He squeezed Ben's shoulders again, teasingly shaking him, and Ben tried to look normal about it.
Since Ben's run-in with Jane and John, Nino has been inexplicably more handsy than usual. The PDA was off the charts, and Ben didn't know how to function. It never led to anything more. Nino would just brush his hair back. He'd squeeze his arm. Touch his back to help guide him. If Nino continued this trend, Ben would have to cover himself with honey so it'd be harder for Nino to keep letting him go.
Ben laughed. "I don't think you've ever sounded more like an old man."
"Oh, yeah?" Nino brightened, delighted by the challenge.
"Yeah," Ben challenged back.
Nino's hands slid down until he grabbed Ben's sides and he had to call out. Slamming his hands over his mouth, he stared in wide-eyed amusement at Nino's bright, shining, and beautiful grin. "Well, what does that say about you? You and this old man."
Ben elbowed him lightly, fighting with Nino's grip, but Nino was full on hugging him from behind, pulling him off the floor as Ben got out.
"Okay, enough playing around," Anthony said. He held out a full load of clothes and dropped it into Ben's arms as Nino plopped him back on the floor. "Try this on. I wanna see every outfit. Your opinion doesn't matter as much as mine."
"And now, for Nino..."
"For Nino, what?" Nino raised a brow.
"You're going to this club too," Anthony insisted. "And I doubt you have any clothes from your disco days with you and I don't imagine you going home to get them, so here--" He unloaded more clothes in Nino's hands.
And then, Anthony pushed them towards the dressing room.
"Um, we have a one person per dressing room policy," a girl on the floor said.
"Oh, but you'll make an exception this one time," Anthony said, offhandedly waving his hand as his eyes flashed red.
The woman nodded in a familiar dull expression. "But I'll make an exception this one time. Let me know if you need anything."
"We will, thank you." Anthony pushed them through the curtain. "Evie, you can stay with me and help look for more options."
Evie finally released Ben's hand, and the blood started circulating again. Ben assumed she had a hard time detaching from him after everything that happened. She had a grip on him like it was her personal goal to keep him away from harm. Ben knew it. This summer really was spoiling him.
Anthony shut the curtain and Ben backed into Nino's arm. "Oh, sorry," he mumbled.
"It's alright," Nino said, a smile hanging from his lips. "I'm durable."
Ben smiled to himself. He occupied one side of the cramped dressing room, examining the shirts and not knowing where to begin. Ben could feel the air shift and he glanced in the mirror at Nino, taking off his shirt, watching his muscles move. Ben could never just look at him. He really was perfect. Taking a breath, Ben turned his head before he got caught.
Shrugging off his shirt. He just slipped on the first silk button up from the front. Ben could just hear Nino shuffling with his clothes and Ben couldn't bring himself to talk. Ben peaked behind his shoulder between buttons and Nino's head turned. He had been looking at him. The idea made the back of Ben's neck burn. Any attempt at words burned to a crisp on his tongue.
Nino's voice made Ben jump. "I think Anthony got me the wrong size."
Ben turned, eyes running down his chest to the extra fabric hanging by his waist. "Maybe you just..." Ben let out a breath. He found himself whispering, his skin prickling from the closeness. "Maybe it just needs to be tucked."
He was already there, tucking in the shirt, when Ben realized how close he was to Nino. Nino only needed to lean a bit closer for their foreheads to touch. A little more and they could kiss. Ben wished he didn't spend so much time thinking about kissing Nino Ventura. It was killing his brain cells.
"Better?" Nino whispered.
"Could be better," Ben said.
Smiling in the most devilish way, Nino tilted his head. His eyes were only on Ben's lips. "How can I make this better?"
"You're a smart—" Ben winced and corrected himself "—ish guy. I'm sure you can figure it out."
Nino bit his tongue between his smile, the sparks flying off him and hitting the ones jumping off Ben. They collided to make fireworks. Ben put his hand on Nino's stomach, making a small wall between them before there were any wilder explosions. He already told Nino off. He couldn't back down so easily. Just because of a little flirting. Just because he smiled like that. Looked like that. Stood on two feet.
"Hey, Ben, if you could for just a second forget about being pissed at me..." Nino started to say, but Ben caught him off.
"You can't kiss me." He could hardly get the words out when he stopped breathing. Nino's head finally landed, his nose brushing Ben's.
Just the tip of Nino's fingers briefly touched Ben's hand before a woman screamed and what felt like a bolt of lightning threw them apart. Breathing hard, Ben gawked in wide eye shock at Nino, who snapped his head to the curtain as his brother called out:
"Evie!"
"Shit." Nino cursed and disappeared through the curtain.
Letting out a shuddering breath, Ben echoed Nino's curse and lunged for their fallen shirts, chasing Nino out of the dressing room. Anthony was yanking Evie off the arm of the sales associate. Ben could see the clear shape of Evie's bite as blood dribbled down and onto the floor.
"Not again!" Nino huffed, dropping his hands on his hips. "Evie? What the hell?"
With a grunt, holding Evie back, Anthony flashed his teeth at the associate and said, "We're so sorry about our dog. She's usually better trained. We've paid for our things, and we'll be leaving."
The woman struggled with her mind, fighting to say something, but nothing came out. Her eyes stayed that dull red color for longer than Ben had ever seen. He gripped Nino's arm. "Let's go." Everyone got the hint and shuffled outside with Anthony dragging Evie, and Nino's hand slipped into Ben's with a grip like they'd need a key to unlock.
"Evie? What the hell was that?" Nino practically spat on the sidewalk.
Anthony had gathered Evie underneath his arm, lugging her down the street like a sack of potatoes. Evie writhed and kicked, groaning until her face was red. "Cool it, Evelyn."
Ben struggled to keep up with their pace while leaning over for another look at Evie.. His first thought might've been wrong. He squeezed Nino's hand. "Nino, doesn't her face look a little swollen?"
Nino cursed, grabbed Anthony's jacket, and pulled the group away from traffic. Anthony dropped Evie, snatching her hand before she made a run for it. With her eyes elsewhere, she bobbed up and down. Ben realized she was embarrassed.
"What's up with you?" Anthony asked.
"I just..." Evie whispered, but her lips twisted into a side pout as her brow narrowed. Ben was right, though. Her cheeks were just red, but they were puffier than normal. Throwing up her hand, she covered her mouth. "I just wanted to bite her."
"There's more," Ben said.
Nino grimaced. "You said you weren't hungry."
"I'm not. It's not that..." Evie groaned, fidgeting again. Behind her hand, she finally admitted. "It's my fangs. They don't feel right."
Ben checked the vampires' reaction while Nino's phone rang in his pocket. Nino ignored it, dropping as low as Anthony to face his niece. Eventually, the buzzing stopped. He softly knocked on the back of her hand. "Hey, open up."
Sighing, Evie lowered her hand and opened her mouth. All Ben noticed were her inflamed gums and maybe... Ben cocked his head. Were her fangs always that long?
Nino dropped his head into his hands and his phone was going off again. Anthony chuckled, seemingly impressed. "Wow. Your fangs are growing in."
Evie immediately covered her mouth with both hands. "I don't like it. It feels weird. I wanna just bite everything."
"I'm going to kill Bianca," Nino mumbled.
"Come on." Anthony nudged him. "Bianca couldn't have known."
"I think, um... maybe I should eat, but like..." Evie's eyes followed the passing people. "But like not from the bags."
"We're going home," Nino announced. He grabbed Evie's hand and started the trek, walking way too fast. Ben hurried to catch up. Anthony laughed.
"Come on! There's an easy solution!" Anthony slid his arm around Ben's shoulders, hooking him and pulling him too close. Ben could feel Anthony's breath on his neck. It made his baby hairs raise. "Just let Uncle Ben here give her a couple of drops of blood and she'll be sorted out—"
Dropping Evie's hand, Nino swung around and ripped Anthony off Ben, slamming him into the nearest wall. He shoved Anthony up, scraping him against the brick. Anthony just smiled. He finally pressed Nino's button one too many times.
"Guys, cool it," Ben begged, grabbing Nino's arms.
Nino snapped, "You're not funny, Anthony."
"I'm not joking."
Nino's cell phone buzzed, and Nino shook his head hard once with a curse. Anthony didn't waver. "Don't you think you should answer it?"
Scowling, Nino lowered his brother, but didn't let him go as he went for his phone. His brow narrowed at the screen. He eyed Anthony. "It's Dante."