Spy School Goes North (fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Reading Together

Thank you so much everyone who is still here, enjoy this chapter and I do have more in the works. Additionally I wanted to know your thoughts on if I should try and incorporate Svetlana into this book. I have some ideas but I want to hear your thoughts.   

1530 hours/3:30 pm

Erica's POV:

"How's your reading going?" | glanced over at Ben while writing notes in the margins of my book.

He glanced back, with a pained look, "It's...going."

I chuckled, "What's it about?"

He sighed, "Cyrus thought it would be a good idea to teach me Russian. Unfortunately every time I try and show him that I've learned stuff from the book, he says I did it wrong and gives a new book. This is the 5th one I've had to read on basic Russian vocab. It's very boring."

"You do realize Grandpa's actually a terrible Russian speaker? He likely just doesn't want to admit it." I trailed off, my chest feeling heavy. It feels wrong to criticize him when he could be in trouble. I closed my book, put the pen in to mark my page, and tossed it onto the table.

Ben observed me for a moment before putting his own book on the table and opened his arms. I crawled over to him on the couch, and tucked myself into him, sighing heavily, hiding my face.

"How are you feeling?" He murmured, arms around me.

"I'm worried about him. I know he can handle himself and all, but still...". I sniffed quietly, willing myself, begging myself, not to cry. I knew I was being ridiculous, but that knowledge didn't help. I couldn't stop worrying. "I just don't want anything horrible to happen to him." I whispered, clutching his shirt in my hand.

"It's alright to be concerned," he rubbed my back soothingly, "no matter how competent Cyrus is, he's still your grandfather."

I couldn't hide a soft smile, Ben is so sweet and caring and... don't ramble Erica.

"Thank you, I know he's probably fine and really at some dumb conference but he's getting older and its just so unlike him and I can't help but think...", my voice was quiet as I spoke hesitantly and trailed off again.

"I know Ecca, I know." My smile widened at the nickname. He had started calling me Ecca at some point over the last month, only when we were alone though, which was most of the time because Mike and Zoe were irritating and family is family. Hearing the name always made me feel warm inside.

I tucked face into him and allowed myself to hide from the world for a little while longer before pulling away, "We have to go downstairs soon, don't we."

Ben looked at me with barely hidden regret, "I guess."

"I don't want to, but we can't stay up here by ourselves for too much longer." Ben raised an eyebrow, and appeared unsure, "you know, Zoe's probably going to ask inquiring questions and Mikes going to make some inappropriate jokes, and it's going to be super awkward for no reason." And they would both be looking to me for solutions I didn't have, to a problem I wasn't clear on. But I didn't say that part. 

Ben nodded, closing his book with a soft thud, "Okay, let's go." He held out his hand and I took it, letting him pull me to my feet. The warmth from his hand was comforting, and I took a deep breath before we started the trek downstairs.