Run Away With Me - Ben Fankhauser X Reader

2. Learning

Ben's POV

Ben was incredibly grateful that he had so many close connections, in the New York theater community, on and off Broadway. It certainly made hearing about new shows early easy, but today he was undeniably excited for one reason and one reason only. Y/N L/N. He hadn't seen her since the night Jeremy introduced them to each other, but he also hadn't stopped thinking about her since then either. And when Ben ran into the stage manager of the show she was in, after coming to see it... again,  who he had worked with on a few different shows, getting backstage and visiting her dressing room was surprisingly easy. Once he got to her door, he stopped, taking a couple deep breaths, before knocking a little rhythm softly.  She replied by calling out "Come In" and spun to face the door.

Y/N: B-Ben? I didn't know you were coming to the show tonight. How did you get back here?

Ben: Oh-right. Terry (the stage manager) and I have worked together on a couple shows. I figured since you're still pretty new to the city and busy with the show, it would nice to stop by and say hi.

Y/N: I guess that's fair haha. Eight shows a week kinda ruins the opportunity for a social life. Did you... um.. did you want to hang out for a bit or something?

Ben: Ye-Yeah, that would be cool.

Ben looked around finally taking his surroundings in. It wasn't a very big dressing room, but there was enough room for the makeup table and mirror, obviously, as well as a rack of costumes, and an electric keyboard and bench.

Ben: Do you play? (gesturing to the keyboard)

Y/N did that thing where you move your hand back and forth to mean sorta (A/N I don't know if there's a word for that)

Y/N: I'm trying to teach myself to play, but it's pretty slow going.

Ben: I could teach you. I mean if you wanted of course.

Y/N: That's really sweet of you. Yeah

Ben smiled and slid forward, sitting on one side of the bench, Y/N sat carefully beside him. Ben's cheeks almost instantly turned red when he realized how close she was to him right now. He couldn't help staring at Y/N, her profile making his heart practically swoon. When she turned to look at him, his eyes immediately snapped to the keyboard in front of him.

Y/N's POV

Ben: S-so you know how to read music right? Right, of course you do, you're in a musical, it's your job to read music. Anyway,  the white keys are your natural notes, and the black ones are sharps and flats. And it starts each octave at C...

You were mostly just listening to Ben's voice. You may have lied slightly..You had learned quite a bit on the piano. You knew all the keys and everything, and the chords, you had even taught yourself a song. (I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz, this will be relevant in a later chapter). But something about the sound of Ben's voice just made you feel so warm and comfortable. You wished he would sing too. Your love of Ben's singing voice is probably the main reason Jeremy wanted to introduce the two of you. It's hard for your best friend to NOT notice how many times you've listened to one man singing.

Ben:...does that make sense?

Y/N: Huh? Oh yeah. 

Next, he taught (or thought he taught) you a couple basic scales, and got you to play them back to him. "Good thing I'm an actress" you thought, as you modeled perfect 'newbie' hesitation and minor mistakes.

Ben: That was really good for so early on in the process! You're a fast learner. So... I don't really know all that much about you, so um.. I guess.. tell me about yourself?

Y/N: Oh.. um what do you want to know?

Ben: Well... I'll start with something easy. What's your favourite colour?

Y/N: F/C. What's yours?

Ben: Probably blue.

You bounced questions back and forth to each other until you ran out of things to ask. But Ben had two more to ask and they were definitely the ones you were most nervous about. You prepared to embarrass yourself.

Ben: Favourite Musical?

You looked down and sheepishly mumbled

Y/N:... newsies... I've seen the live recording too many times to mention..

Ben: Haha well that explains why Jeremy was so insistent on me meeting you. Okay, last one. What is your favourite song? Not just in Newsies, all songs.

Y/N: Run Away With Me..... from The Mad Ones

Ben: You're kidding?! That's such a great song. I don't know many people who know it. How did you come across it.?

Y/N: I saw a video a few years ago of someone singing it... so I may have found a way to download it.

You could tell he was starting to get it..

Ben: W-Who was singing it?

Y/N: Um...... you..

You couldn't look up,  but if you did, you'd see that Ben's face seemed to be permanently stuck blushing, and he was getting nervous.

Ben: I'm glad you like it. Well I should probably be heading home now, shows tomorrow y'know.

Y/N: Yeah, I guess that's probably a good idea.. hopefully I'll be able to see your show soon, since you've seen mine twice now.

Ben chuckled, and waved as he left the room.

Y/N: Wait Ben! Um.. let me give you my phone number, just in case you want to say hi without seeing The Last Five Years for a third time in about a month.

His eyes lit up and a wide smile grew across his wonderful lips. You grabbed a scrap of paper and scribbled your number on it, trying not to let him see the butterflies when your fingers brushed his accidentally. He slipped away down the hallway and you slid back into your dressing room, picking up the phone on your table to tell the theater crew that Ben Fankhauser should always be allowed to come to see you.

( A/N: Chapter two is done!!
Just FYI if you haven't seen it, this is the video mentioned. Chapter 3 should hopefully be up tomorrow.)