The Boy With the Bruise - benjey

20 - Can You Do That For Me?

"Easy," Benji said as he caught Jorge as he stumbled on the firm concrete, "you just got out of the hospital - I'm not interested in going back any time soon."

Rather than answering, Jorge nodded his head slowly and clung tighter to Benji's supporting shoulder. Together, they walked up the steps to Benji's house and stood at the front door. Jorge hesitated as his fingers rested on the door handle, taking a moment to look up at the older boy.

"What if your mom doesn't like me?" he feebly asked. Benji chuckled, tightening a reassuring arm over Jorge's shoulders.

"She's not home yet," Benji assured. "But she'll like you - don't worry." They stood there for a second before Jorge allowed Benji to unlock and open the door.

When they both were inside, his eyes widened. He didn't know what he was expecting - maybe something smaller and more modern, but Benji's house reminded him of a small cabin that he'd only seen in his dreams - one that he'd spend his cold winters in and sip apple cider cuddled up in blankets with, well... Benji, preferably. 

A cute dog ran up to the pair, which Benji bent down to pick up and hold. "Her name's Cindy." Timidly, Jorge petted the small dog, a small smile slowly growing on his face as she panted happily.

"Cute," he mumbled, not noticing Benji's fond gaze.

"I've, um, put your stuff in my room. We don't really have a guest bedroom, and you can't sleep on the couch, so... if you're ok with it... you can sleep in my room," Benji said awkwardly. Jorge nodded his head, dismissing the boy's awkwardness as he began to shuffle further into the house, Cindy trailing close behind. They got to the kitchen and Benji made them a snack, a peaceful silence falling over them as they both stood by the bar and ate.

"You haven't told me what happened with Kaden," Jorge whispered. The topic had been heavily avoided since Benji got back, but the busted lip and painful-looking bruises prompted Jorge to keep asking.

With a sigh, Benji said, "it's not important. You're out of that relationship - that's what's important."

"He knows I'm with you, doesn't he?"

"What does it matter, Jey?"

"It's dangerous. You don't know him, you don't know what he's-"

"I don't care. I'm willing to risk my safety if it means that you'll be ok."

The pair stood in silence for a moment before Jorge began again. "I want to know what happened. I have the right to know what happened."

Benji's eyes finally lifted off the surrounding walls and fell on Jorge's, the sudden intense eye contact startling him. He felt the sudden urge to kiss him, to comfort him. To assure him that everything was ok and they were together now. Nothing could hurt them. He hadn't kissed Jorge in ages - he'd been too scared to overstep boundaries that may have been set with the incident that had happened.

But shit... he wanted too. 

"Ok," Benji breathed, moving closer to the boy as he lightly grabbed his hands. "Tell me if you need me to stop, ok? It was a couple of days after you were admitted to the hospital - I went to get your stuff. I grabbed a bunch of suitcases and packed them, and I was about to leave when, um, he stopped me. He asked where you were, and then he said that you couldn't leave. I told him he didn't have a say in it - and then, we... fought. I told him not to come looking, and then I... I just... left."

Jorge's strong gaze had left Benji's and fallen to their entwined hands. "I'm sorry."

"Don't say sorry on his behalf, Jorge. You did nothing wrong. Tell me you know that."