Fearless~Hardzello

four

rami's pov

since ben pulled joe away from the conversation we were having, i noticed they started acting closer and if i may say, a little weirder. almost affectionate. if i knew better, i would think they were together.. but they know that's wrong. right? it's illegal and i would hate for anything to happen to them. they clearly try to keep their hands off each other but ben finds little ways now and then. they think i don't notice but i have a keen eye for this stuff. after years of watching people flirt on the streets, i know what it looks like. ben twirls joe's curly red hair in his fingers sometimes and whispers things in his ears that make him blush. sometimes they go off into alleys doing god knows what. i hope god doesn't really know. he would rain hell on them. i have to warn them to keep it down. they're probably terrified of anyone finding out but i have to protect them. i have to make sure they won't get in trouble. the last thing i'd need is police all over the place and all over me, also they're my friends and i can't see my friends suffer. no matter how morally wrong it is, love is love no matter what and i see it in them. the way joe looks at ben, it's really there.
"hey guys.. can i talk to you for a sec?" i ask pulling ben and joe to an alley. they look at me curiously, probably not expecting what's to come.
"i won't tell anyone but it's for your own safety. i see you guys.. you love each other. it's fine by me but.. you should really keep it down. i would hate for anything to happen to you" i say. joe starts panicking, his breaths rapid and heavy. ben tried to calm him down.
"joe, joe! take deep breaths. you're fine! we're fine. rami knows and that's it! i'm sorry. i'm sorry" ben says as he pulls joe into a long hug. "i shouldn't have flirted with you so openly.. it was stupid of me, i'm sorry" ben says, guilty tears filling his eyes. ben rocks joe in his arms. i look at them sympathetically. they really are terrified.
"i'm sorry if i scared you. i promise i'll tell no one and i'll do everything in my power to keep you safe. just.. be careful is all i ask" i say. ben nods holding joe close. joe sniffles and wipes tears from his cheeks.
"thank you, rami" joe says. i nod.
"sure. i'll give you guys a moment." i leave the alley and think of how worried about them i am. i would hate for a headline to be 'newsboys homosexual romance sets off chain of riots.' to sell that would be so horrible i almost cry thinking about it. why do things like this have to be illegal? people should love who they want.  it shouldn't matter. i lean against the wall and think. what do i do? what should they do? what will i ever do if anything happens to them? my only friends in the world. i feel a hand on my shoulder. it's gwilym.
"hey, rami. everything okay?" gwilym asks.
"y-yeah i'm just tired" i say, rubbing my eyes. gwilym nods.
"tell me about it. this heat is exhausting" he says with a sympathetic smile. he sits next to me putting his chin in his hands. his newsboy cap casting a shadow over his eyes. i look at him. how would gwilym react to this? i mean we're all friends.. i won't tell him. if he notices it, it's on him. i'd hate to be that person.
"where's joey and ben?" he asks. i shrug. he hums in response. "hey haven't you noticed anything weird about 'em lately? they've been pretty touchy" he says. my heart goes to my throat. i have to choke out words.
"i.. uh.. i don't know. they seem pretty normal to me. maybe just you know.. in a friendly way? i wouldn't ask them about it, just to be respectful. nothings going on i don't think. they know that's wrong" i say, trying not to give anything away. i'm a terrible liar. gwilym eyes me curiously but thankfully doesn't say anything. he shrugs and gets up.
"well alright then. i'll uh see you later i guess" gwilym says. i nod. i sigh in relief as he walks away. that was a close one. i walk back to the alley and see joe and ben still holding each other in silence. they're probably thinking.
"shh joe.. it'll be fine. rami won't say anything. he's a good person" ben says comforting joe. joe's arms are wrapped tightly around ben.
"i don't know, ben. i care about you so much. what if something happens to you and i'm not there with you?" joe asks. ben sighs.
"i don't know. we'll have to stay strong i guess" ben says. joe looks up at him and they kiss briefly. it warms my heart to see them so close. their future lies not only in their hands but in my hands as well. i step back out and go back to my post. after a bit they go back to joey's post and stand a few feet apart from each other. them having to keep a distance clearly makes it difficult and painful for both of them but it's what's necessary. ben sits on a crate staring at joe, his eyes look at him with a pain and admiration i've never seen. he cares about him so much. god, i hope nothing happens to them.