Heartstopper oneshots/ requests

Ben Hope: But I like her brother P2

Sure enough, the next weekend rolled around and Claire was at Ben's bedroom door telling him to get dressed up.

"You know what they're like" She was saying as she walked into his room and used the mirror on his bedroom door to check her outfit. She was wearing her 'going out dress', a navy blue body con that came down to her shins. Her long blonde hair was done up in a wrapped style. She looked stunning.

Ben knew exactly what Julia and Andrew were like. He hadn't seen them since Christmas three years ago, but the memory was still fresh in his mind like it was yesterday. He couldn't believe the house, the food, how prim and proper everything was.

Julia was his mum's school friend that she insisted on staying in touch with even though they had nothing in common anymore. Julia was humouring them by having them round for dinner, Ben was sure of it.

"Wear that nice shirt I got you the other day" She said, smoothing out her already immaculate dress
"Fine" Ben sighed, getting up from his bed to get it out the wardrobe, "But I'm wearing jeans"
His mum sighed, "Fine, I'm just trying to make you look nice for Emily"
"Mum!"

Ben put the shirt on as he was told, but kept his jeans on. As they were walking out of the house, leaving his father behind, Ben unhooked his black bomber jacket from the coat hook.

"You could have at least worn a blazer" He heard his mum say ahead of him, but he ignored it.

They got into the taxi waiting for them and it drove them to the house.

"Lovely neighbourhood this is" The driver commented as they got nearer the house
"Isn't it just" Claire smiled. Ben knew that his mum lavished this; holding onto a non existent friendship just for the image.

Claire smoothed down her dress the moment they were out of the car.

"We've got to make a good impression" She said, hurrying ahead up the drive to ring the doorbell. Ben just eyed the new Mercedes and Porsche on the drive. He wasn't even paying attention until Julia's voice from the door made him snap back into to reality.

"Claire!" She beamed, "So lovely to see you"

Ben watched as her eyes found his, "And Ben! Wow, you've grown up a lot"

Julia was wearing a dress in a similar style to his mother's except it was floral instead of navy blue. Her chestnut brown hair was also done up in a similar way to Claire's except she definitely had more make up on.

It was as if Claire chose her outfit knowing what Julia was wearing. Ben wouldn't be surprised.

"He's 16 now, can you believe it!" Claire equally beamed, it was like watching a stare off between two wolves. Neither of them meant the pleasantries, but it was still entertaining to watch.

"Well, come through, come through oh- could you take your shoes off at the door? It's just we've just had new carpet"
"Oh not at all. Oh it looks lovely!" Claire marvelled. Ben didn't understand it, carpet was carpet. Besides, they didn't even know what it looked like before. Knowing them it would have been changed three times since they last came anyway.

"Oh, I love what you've done with the place" Claire was saying now in the same gasping tone as she had said the previous remark, "It's wonderful, isn't it Ben"
Ben took that as his queue to nod, "Yeah, really nice" Was the only comment he could come up with
"Ah, thank you - yeah it's been a lot of work actually, but we're finally at a point that we think it's habitable"

Julia was being deadly serious but Claire laughed as if she was being sarcastic. They'd been in this house for years and years now, how they could only now be happy with it was baffling. Especially to Claire and Ben who lived in a house with all sorts of issues.

Julia led the two through to the living space which was the size of their entire downstairs. It was furnished with extravagant sofas, a huge TV along one wall and various small tables dotted around with vases of fresh flowers. It was like walking into a show home.

"Shame Ian couldn't make it" Julia commented, running her hand along the top of a cushion on a shays long to flatten it. Not that it did much.

"Yeah, he's just been really tired recently" Claire lied, "He's been doing all sorts of hours at the business - I keep telling him to pack it in, but he won't"
"Men, eh?" Julia laughed, "Can I get you two a drink - wine for mum and?"
The way she said that felt patronising, as if she didn't know the two of them at all.

"I'll have a beer" Ben said which made them both laugh
"Ben!" Claire retorted red, but then her expression softened, "Okay, just one then"
Ben smiled and Julia disappeared further into the room to the open plan kitchen.

"It's lovely isn't it" Claire hissed
Ben just raised his eyebrows and pulled his lips into a tight smile to agree.

"Here we are - now this wine has a story behind it" Julia piped up, walking into the living room with a large glass for Claire and a Stella bottle for Ben which he wasn't too keen on but he'll take what he can get.

They settled into sofas too far away from each other to hear this wine story. Which Ben tried hard not to roll his eyes at.

"So yes, that's the story of the Sauvignon" Julie grinned, "Lovely, isn't it?"
"Yes, very smooth" Claire commented, crossing a leg and leaning back into the sofa.

Ben stayed perched on the edge, cupping his bottle of beer with both hands between his legs.

"So have you been anyway, god, it's been so long!" Julie said, seemingly exasperated at the very idea that she had been away from a distant friend she disliked for so long.
"I know, sorry about that - partly my fault really. It's just been a bit hectic for us"

For once Julia stayed quiet, waiting for Claire to continue so she did and told Julia all about the death of his grandad - Ian's dad.

"It was a toll on all of us really, he was such a lovely man" Claire was saying, Ben had mainly been in his own world. For him, his grandad passing away didn't affect him much. It wasn't like he saw him much or knew him well. So his mum saying what she said was a lie. Well, he thought it was anyway.

Ben continued to sip his beer and half heartedly listen to the conversation until Emily and her brother came into the room. He looked over and was immediately star struck. The hair, the outfit, the smile.

"Ah, here they are!" Julia beamed, getting up and making her way over to the two siblings, "Emily and Finn"

Ben couldn't stop staring.