Let me live | Hardzello♡

Chapter 39🎶

Ben turns around, seeing a guy with his arms full of tattoos. "Is that who I think it is?"
Joe nods. Out of nervousness, he starts biting his fingernails. "That's my biological father. He's coming this way. He's gonna see me, and- and he'll hurt us." The boy rambles, not taking his eyes off the man.
"You need to run home." Ben says.
Joe immediately shakes his head. "N-no, I can't. He'll see me and he's way faster than me." Tears start welling up in his eyes.
Ben takes Joe's hands in his own. "Joe, you have to. You're gonna run home and I'll distract him to buy you some time." He presses his lips against Joe's before the boy can argue with that. "Go home, okay? Trust me on this."
Joe takes a deep breath before nodding. "Okay." He whispers. "I... I love you." He whispers before getting up.
Ben smiles. "I love you too. I'll be right home, I promise."
Joe bites his lip, shooting one last glance at his father before running away, towards home.

That's the moment Ben sees the look in the eyes of Joe's biological father darken.
The moment the man sees Joe running away, he speeds up his pace, getting ready to run after him.
But Ben isn't going to let that happen. "Excuse me, sir? I'm sorry for bothering you, but could you maybe tell me how to get to the New York hospital?" He asks the man. He takes a moment to look at him from head to toe. It sends shivers down Ben's spine, but he makes sure not to show it.
"I don't have time for this, use google maps like a normal person." The man snarls before pushing Ben out of his way.
But Ben isn't going to let him pass by that easily. "But the battery of my phone died, and this is an emergency." He takes a step forward so he's blocking the way again. "You see, my sister has just gotten surgery so obviously I want to visit her, but this is my first time in New York, and I'm afraid I'm a bit lost." He lies. Anything to stall. He is about to start talking again when he is cut off.
"Listen kid, you either get out of my way, or face the consequences." Joe's biological father grunts.
For a moment, Ben weighs his options. Would Joe be home by now? Maybe he needs to stall just a little while longer. "I'm just asking you a simple and reasonable question. Just point into a direction so I can go to my sister. You're being very rude and I'm not leaving until you've answered my question." Ben says, crossing his arms. Although he's keeping up his poker face, deep inside he's scared like hell.
"Feeling great right now, huh? Thinking you're oh so tough?" The man snarls before giving Ben a hard push. "Let's see how great you'll feel about yourself when I beat the shit out of you, you stupid Brit."
Ben manages to dodge a kick aiming for his shins, but can't get out of a punch to the face. That's when he decides it's been long enough. He turns around, and runs away with all the energy he has in his body. With all his heart he hopes the man won't chase him.
"Yeah, you better run." He hears behind him.
Ben quickly looks back, feeling a huge relief run through his body when the man just walks away. When he feels something drop onto his hand, he looks down.
Great, now his nose is bleeding. He just focuses on getting home, running as fast as he can.

+++

When Ben enters the living room of Joe's house, he sees his boyfriend curled up on the couch in Ginnie's arms. He feels his heart ache when he hears the sobs coming from the boy. "Hey." The blond says softly.
Joe immediately jumps up from the couch. "Ben!" He hugs Ben tightly, feeling calmer already now Ben is safe at home.
"I'm okay. Are you?" Ben asks when he notices how Joe is rubbing his chest.
The boy nods. "Y-yeah, I'm- I'm just not used to running anymore." He sniffles, blinking away his tears.
Ginnie frowns. "I don't think you two are even supposed to be running yet. Maybe I should call the hospital, to make sure you will be okay." She says, trying not to sound too worried.
Ben shakes his head. "There's no need for that. I can just text Lucy to ask." He says. He is about to whip his phone out, when Ginnie stops him.
"Darling, you're bleeding. Come with me, let's patch you up a bit first." She says with a small frown. She takes Ben's hand, leading him into the kitchen.
Joe follows the two, wiping away his tears.
"Okay, sit down here." Ginnie says when she notices that Ben is now slightly starting to shake, just like her son. She takes a cloth and runs it under the tap to wet it. "I hope it doesn't sting too much." She gently starts wiping away the blood that's coming from Ben's nose.
Ben bites the inside of his cheek at the slight burn. "Just when I thought I did well for once at the whole 'meeting the parents thing'." He mumbles, trying to lighten the mood a little.
Joe bites his lip. "Don't joke about this Ben. You got hurt. This could've been so much worse." He gives the boy a worried look, fighting the scenarios that his PTSD is coming up with right now.
Once Ginnie is done cleaning up the blood, Ben gets up. He walks over to Joe, putting his arms around the boy's waist. "Joe, if I don't keep things light, you'll blame yourself for this and panic. And I don't want that." He presses a small kiss on Joe's head. "I knew there was a risk, okay? And I chose to take that risk. It was worth it."
Joe lets his head rest on Ben's chest, briefly closing his eyes. "Are you sure?" He whispers.
Ben nods. "Definitely." He promises. He takes Joe's hand, and gently squeezes it three times.
"Love you too." Joe mutters. "Can we watch a movie together?" He asks after a while of hugging.
Ben smiles and nods. "Of course." He says. "I'll be right with you, okay?"
Joe nods and walks into the living room to pick out a movie.

Ginnie looks at Ben with a small smile. "Thank you for... all of this." She says, not sure how else to thank Ben for saving Joe from her ex-husband. "I'm so sorry this happened." She whispers with a look filled with guilt.
Ben shakes his head. "What I just said to Joe counts for you as well. Don't feel guilty, please. I knew what I was doing." He says to her.
She sighs and nods. "Okay then." She steps forwards, hugging Ben with a smile.
The blond lets go of the hug, slightly startled, when he feels a soft kick against his stomach.
Ginnie lets out a giggle. "I think the baby agrees with you."
Ben can't help but laugh. "You know, I almost forgot that you're pregnant." He smiles.
"Yeah well, I've been kinda hiding it with oversized clothes, so that makes sense. Although it's getting harder and harder to conceal this bump." Ginnie chuckles, wrapping her arms around her growing bump.
Ben gives her a questioning look, not sure why she would hide the pregnancy.
"People tend to react a bit weird when I tell them I'm pregnant. Somehow the fact that I was abused during my first pregnancy makes people think I'm not able to have a normal pregnancy now. The same happened when I was pregnant with John. It seemed easier to hide it." Ginnie explains when she sees Ben questioning gaze.
The boy frowns. "People are the worst."
Ginnie shoots him a wink. "They are." She nods.
"Benny! Hurry up!" It sounds from the living room.
Ginnie laughs. "I think someone needs you."
Ben smiles before walking into the living room, followed by Ginnie.
"Lucy says we'll both be fine if we just take it easy for the rest of the day." Joe says, reading the text from the young nurse out loud. He pats next to him, as a sign for Ben to sit down.
Ginnie smiles relieved, happy to hear that the running didn't do any damage.
"It's a good thing we decided on a movie then, isn't it?" Ben plops down on the couch next to Joe, opening his arms for the boy.
To which Joe smiles, and he immediately crawls close to his boyfriend. "It is." He whispers.

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We have arrived at chapter '39!