White︱BenEarth AU

21

It was like the first time. 

No, it was even better.

When Earth stepped out of the hospital - that seemed like a prison to him - and felt the fresh morning breeze fiddle with his hair, it was euphoric. It made him all giddy inside, even when he felt broken.

Even when he walked out, everything was attached and seemed fine, it wasn't. He didn't feel whole. Something was missing. It wasn't his limbs nor sanity, but his soul.

Something only Ben would be able to fix.

Something he wouldn't experience, because the male in a brown coat wasn't here anymore.

Wouldn't be, ever.

"So uh, brothers?" Joong said while scratching his neck awkwardly. They hadn't spoken to each other at all while walking out of the maze-like building.

"Haha, yeah I guess, so weird..." Earth said with a gulp. "How... did you know I was there?"

"Some guy told me that they were looking for you. He called you by name and that shocked me honestly, I never thought I would hear your name after... anyway, Ben, was his name I think."

Earth blinked, feeling as if something got stuck into his throat. "B-Ben?"

"Yeah, he told me he was denied access here, and honestly, I was told to not speak to him if anything were to happen. I never knew his name, Dome only showed me his picture." Joong explained and walked down the small set of stairs that were located in front of the main doors. "He seemed shocked to hear my name, did you tell him about me?"

Earth nodded. "Yeah, he was the only guy I could tell about, my things." Earth said. 

He had a spark of hope. Ben was looking for him. Did that mean he was here? Where?

"Well when I heard that you were here, I knew you would be down there. That's where my friend, Nine was taken when his condition got worse. He also had hallucinations, but they were much stronger than mine I guess, because he was taken and soon they told me he was dead. I knew they did that to him, but I couldn't tell anyone." Joong wiped his eyes just in case he was shedding tears, he wasn't quite sure if he was. 

"That guy, Ben." Earth started after processing Joong's words. He felt bad for Joong. He had had a friend that was ripped away from him. Somehow, he could relate to that, but Ben wasn't ripped away from him, he left voluntarily. Left him like a piece of garbage to a corner, to be forever forgotten. Earth still missed him, wished that he would come back.

Wished for regret.

"Did he say anything about... waiting somewhere around?" Earth asked hopefully.

"Uhm..." Joong hummed, trying to remember. "Yeah, he said he 'would wait here'. Maybe where he talked with me? That's on the back of this building."

"Can we go take a look?"

So they did. It was hard for them to navigate their way there, the building was big and had a lot of turns between the walls. They also had to skimmer through a forest to get there, but it wasn't as bad for Earth, because he had a goal. He had a mission.

Ben had kept his promise. 

Ben was sitting near the glass wall he and Joong had spoken through. He had waited patiently to meet Earth again, to soothe him and explain why everything happened. Explain why he left like that, explain how he didn't want to and how he now realized it was wrong of him to do.

"Earth." Ben said when noticing the two guys coming nearer to him. He could recognize Earth immediately, even if the guy was much skinnier than before. He had been skinny back then, but now he resembled a walking skeleton. There were bags under his eyes that seemed very heavy to be carried, and the way his legs moved indicated a lot of agony and internal pain. 

"B-Ben..." Earth's fragile voice echoed through the distance still between them. 

Earth gulped, his mouth turning into a subtle smile, a genuine, smile.

And oh boy he ran. 

All the power remaining in his legs, he used to run to Ben. He used all the breath in his lungs to go to the one he had missed so much.

Earth collided with the taller, his cheek smashing against Ben's chest, as sobs started allowing their way out of him again. Tears coated the taller's shirt after no time, as Earth's boney arms pressed between them onto Ben's chest.

"Y-You... a-asshole..." Earth sobbed out, hitting Ben's chest with small balled up fists.

"Great to see you too babe." Ben chuckled and ruffled Earth's hair. "Great to see you too."

. . .

We might be close to an end guys...