They exited the bedroom carrying atleast five blankets shoved into pillow cases and a lot of hair and skin products also stashed in pillow cases. They met the others in the main living room area where Sammy was pointing out different "cute shiny things" to Yas while Darius looked out over the balcony and Brooklynn was lead on one of the sofas. It wasn't as cosy as his bedroom but having his friends there made it feel more like a home than any of his houses or holiday homes had ever felt like, heck the tree house was probably the best place he'd lived in since his mum died. Annnd that got sad again sooo moving on!
"Hey Kenji! Duude this place is so cool! Why are there no pictures of you though?" Darius asked.
"My father says they would make the place look less expensive." Kenji answered blankly at first then his face turning slightly hurt.
"Oh, OH man I'm sorry Kenji I didn't think about the truth serum thing, sorry man." Darius apologised once he realised his mistake but Kenji was already becoming closed off as the others started to join the conversation after hearing Darius's raised voice.
"Everything alright?" Brooklynn asked, walking over to stand beside the two boys.
"Yeah sorry I accidentally asked Kenji a question and well yeah sorry again Kenj." Darius said as the others began to form a whole group again.
"It's fine, really." Kenji replied, it convinced no one but they didn't want to be rude by prying, "let's just get going because Bumpy has been waiting outside for a long time.".
.......
When they arrived back at the camp they unpacked their supplies and sat around the table,upstairs, planning and chatting. Kenji sat on a log infront of the fire, outside and away from the others, alone with his thoughts. Ben came to sit next to him like they had when they first got here and Darius had told scary stories in the evening, Ben clinging to Kenji's arm, the older boy leaning back into Ben so no one but them noticed.
"You okay?"
"Not really but are any of us?"
"Yeah good point, I'm sorry we all thought you were a complete douchebag when we first got here, well I guess I always had a feeling you were okay but yeah."
"Oh, thanks, I'm sorry I was such a douchebag for so long and to be honest I still think I am though."
"Hmm nah you've opened up a lot more, probably because of the truth serum but you've also been helpful and you are a part of the family."
"Really?"
"Of course.... can I ask you a question?"
"Okay"
"Who is your favourite out of us seven?"
"You."
"Oh, w-well I-"
"It doesn't mean anything I just if I had to pick I guess it's you."
"Oh okay umm"
"Not that you're not awesome because you are I-"
"Yeah it's okay I get it."
They sat in awkward silence for another minute until Ben spoke again. "If it means anything then you're probably my favourite too, including Bumpy of course so you'll have to share first place.".
Kenji smiled and chuckled as Bumpy came Bounding over to give them a hug. Bumpy is a dinosaur so her hugs are mainly nuzzling her head into your sides and occasionally lifting you onto her head but she couldn't do that as they were sat down so nuzzling it was.
"Hey! Guys come on up if you want your dinner or we'll eat it for ya!" Yas's voice shouted from the tree house. They both made their way towards the ladder, eager for some food.
"Do you think it'll wear off?"
Ben looked over to where Kenji was standing behind him, a worried look on his face. "I'm sure you'll be fine and I promise we'll try avoiding asking you any questions you don't want to answer." Ben said reassuringly, smilingthen turning to climb up the ladder. Kenji following closely behind.
.......
"Isn't it kinda crazy actually that before we were living normal lives and now we're here on an island of dinosaurs and Kenji literally drank truth serum like how many TV shows have you watched that have had that?!" Brooklynn exclaimed once the conversations had mostly died down.
"Yeah"
"Kinda"
"I mean I was trying not to think about it"
"I don't think I've even seen something with truth serum in it"
"Oh Brook remember that rhetorical questions work on truth serum!" Sammy reminded her, she always tried to be as careful and caring as she could towards her family.
"I know Sammy" Brooklynn said, trying to be kind but kinda bothered at being reminded when she was being careful already.
"Okay I know, it's not like I thought you were gonna go 'who have you got a crush on?' or anythi-" Sammy stopped before she could finish her sentence as she was interupted by a single word leaving Kenji's mouth. "Ben."
"W-wait what?"
"Who?"
"Sammy!"
"Oh"
"Uh-"
Kenji hastily ran out of the room and headed straight to their beds. Some would have thought he was angry, some would think they had heard wrong, but Ben watched as Kenji hurriedly ran off, his cheeks and ears a bright pinkish colour.
Darius, Brooklynn, Sammy and Yas had a talk with Ben to make sure he didn't hurt Kenji's feelings and they planned not to mention what had happened or apologise and definitely except him. However all Ben could hear was the words 'he likes me! He likes me!' Over and over again in his head.
When they went to sleep, Ben noticed that Kenji was purposely facing away from them, it was probably only Ben he was avoiding. It hurt to think Kenji was avoiding him though and he didn't know how to talk to him, he'd never really done this before.
That night neither Kenji nor Ben could sleep, that's how they both ended up bumping into eachother when they got up. Kenji was walking back from the main seating area and Ben was walking to it.
"Hey Kenji I-"
"Don't. It's fine lets just forget about it, okay?" Kenji said, he sounded defeated, his back was turned on Ben as he had already walked past him on his way back to his bed.
"No I- I like you too." Ben confessed, reaching out to grab Kenji's arm but his fingers not quite reaching until Kenji turned around.
"What?" He said dumbly, now face to face with Ben, he could hear his own nervous heart beat.
Ben could feel butterflies in his stomach as he looked up into Kenji's eyes. They automatically had their hands resting on eachothers arms, stood only a foot apart.
"I like you too." Ben repeated. All of a sudden they leaning in, their lips met and it felt like sparks flew, the kiss started off as just a simple press of lips but quickly got more heated as Ben opened his mouth to allow Kenji's tongue to slip inside. They moaned at the sensation, Ben's arms around Kenji's neck and Kenji's hands settling on Ben's waist.
The kiss lasted a couple of minutes, once it ended they each took a large breath of air, grinning and still gazing into eachothers eyes when Yaz and Sammy walked past them. "Hey guys sorry to interupt I really need a piss." Yaz said, with Sammy beside her because obviously no one goes alone in the middle of the night on an island of dinos. The two boys just stared startled for a second until Ben burst out laughing and kenji followed soon after, the both of them holding onto each other and Ben almost slapping the life out of Kenji's arm.
Unfortunately their noise woke up Darius and Brooklynn who were pretty annoyed and Yaz And Sammy had already left aswell so it was hard to explain why they were laughing through the laughing.
