Falling - Benny and Nina - An Adapted In The Heights Roleplay (COMPLETE)

65 - Falling Around

Nina slept for a couple of hours, somewhat comforted by the day's warmth. A few hours later, she woke up and was dazed for a moment. As soon as she realized that she had been asleep, she panicked and said, "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm glad you've slept. I enjoy myself just watching you rest. Seeing you relaxed calmed me down a lot too. You needed the sleep, and I'm glad you got it. We still have plenty of time for everything else I have planned."

"But I slept. In the middle of a date."

"It's fine baby. But shall we pack up and continue our tour or do you want to stay here a bit longer?"

"Let's pack up. I don't want to stall us any longer."

"Okay." They packed up all the stuff into the basket. "What do we do with the balloons?"

"I dunno. Per usual, I'm not proving helpful."

"Let's see if we can un-tie them." Benny and Nina worked together to get the balloons off. Thankfully Usnavi did bows so they weren't too hard. Benny tied them together and handed them to Nina. "Let's go back to the apartment to drop all this off, then make our way to the forth stop."

Nina took ahold of the balloons. "Okay," she said and then grabbed Benny's free hand with hers.

Benny smiled like an idiot the whole way back to the apartment. When they arrived, Benny opened the door and they walked in, still hand in hand. Benny put his basket down as Nina dropped the balloons in the entrance way. Benny put his hands on her hips and pulled her in. "I love you so much baby girl. So, so much." He pulled her closer, rested his lips on hers and they started kissing her. Benny used his foot to kick the door closed in case anyone walked passed.

For a moment, Nina was taken by surprise, about a second away from breaking down again. Instead, she managed to collect herself and kissed him back, but softly. Once she realized that he wanted to go faster, she tried and failed to speed up. She'd used her romantic energy before, when he was crying.

Benny slowed down, after realizing Nina wasn't feeling it right now. His kisses became softer, hopefully pleasing Nina.

Nina slowed down with him. She pulled back a few minutes later. "Sorry." She was confused about how her nap hadn't given her any energy.

"Don't worry koala. Are you ready to go?"

"Mmhm."

"Let's go then baby girl." He took her hand, kissed her knuckles and then opened the door for them to walk out.

Nina walked out first, but then let Benny lead her since she didn't know where they were going.

Benny lead them down to just outside the bodega. He sat down leaning against the wall. Looking at Nina. "I think right here is my second favorite place in the barrio."

"The first being?"

"Under the tree." He held her close, so her head rested on his shoulder and his arm was around her shoulders. "That should have been obvious gorgeous." He said lovingly while stroking her head.

She shrugged. "I dunno, I just didn't really think it would be."

"What did you think would be first? And what is your favorite place?" Benny said resting his head against hers.

"I don't know, I just didn't think it'd be the most important. And mine is your place tied with the tree."

"My apartment? Why? Surely home would be before my little place?"

Nina shrugged. "I dunno, it's just homier than home. My room still looks like a little girl lives in it. Plus, you're there."

"It kinda makes me sad knowing I'm going to leave it all behind. But you got your treatment that you deserve, so it is all worth it."

"But what did I do to deserve it? All I did was get my wrist broken." Her eyes dropped to the heavy cast on her arm.

"Firstly, you paid for mine, and I promised to repay you. And secondly it was a way of thanking you for everything you've done for me. And finally because I love you."

"You wouldn't have lived without that treatment. My wrist would have healed on its own, given the right treatment. Plus, I can't remember anything I've personally done that warrants giving up your apartment."

"I don't care, you're worth it Nina. Even if it cost more, I would have found a way."

"I don't understand how I'm worth it though."

"If I said that to you, you would disagree and say how much I'm worth wouldn't you. It even happened earlier today. To me you are my everything, you are all I want and all I need in life."

She buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry," she said, muffling her words with his shirt. "Whenever something nice gets said to me I either regretfully accept or deflect it and lately it's seemed to be mostly the latter."

Benny shifted himself, so Nina was sat between his legs. He let her rest her head against his chest, curled up in a ball. He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her arm. "I'm sorry that's what happening, I wish I could make it better."

"It's just me. I've been doing it my whole life. Not likely I'm going to stop now."

"Mmhm, I'm sorry I keep asking questions but I have one more. When you are in California, what do you miss the most about home?"

She hesitated. "When I was in California, it was without a doubt just the atmosphere. But now, when I go back," she said, then paused. "You."

"I'll miss you too baby, I'll miss you so much. I'll call you whenever I can. And I'll try not to forget about the time difference, sorry in advance if I wake you up at 4am."

"I get up naturally at that time anyway, Benny. I'll be fine."

"Really?" Benny said surprised. "Why do you get up so early? What time do classes start?"

"Key word, naturally. My internal body clock just wakes me up at that time because it likes to torture me."

"Oh, well I'll always be up for you to call me if you want. It would be like you are home, hearing your voice first thing in the morning when I wake up."

"Mmhm."

"Then maybe again before I go to bed, or is that just greedy?"

"No, I like hearing your voice," Nina said, borderline sleepily.

"Your voice relaxes me. I feel calmer and more at home when you're around."

"Me too."

"Do you want to head off again, or stay here for a little longer. It's up to you, I don't mind either way." Benny kissed the top of her head then ran his fingers through her hair.

"I don't care. You can decide." She knew it would take forever for her to make a decision.

"Okay, let's go, we can always come back here if we have time." He took her hand and helped her up.

"Okay." She stood up and got on the tips of her toes to kiss him on the cheek.

Benny smiled. "Lets go back in time to your high school days." He led her to Bennett Park. He remembered watching her walk past after her lessons.

"But I never even went to Bennett Park. I only walked past it, you know that."

"You definitely joined Usnavi and I a few times, maybe only like once or twice a semester but you definitely did watch Usnavi and I make fools of ourselves. And we were just here the other day."

"Only a few times. It doesn't hold that many special memories for me, but I guess for you I can see how it would."

"Mmhm, I see your point. Where do you have special memories, that we haven't already been to?"

"I don't know, Abuela's? You know that I rarely left my fire escape."

"Let's go toAbuela's then up the stairs to yours." They walked over to Abuela's. Ninafortunately had a key from when she was always around hers. He held her hand foremotional support, he knew this would be hard for her.