Let Me In Your Heart Again | Hardzello♡

Chapter 81

'Sweetie, are you all right?' Joe asks as Ben keeps staring at that one picture on the wall.
The blond boy starts to breathe faster and faster as starts to feel dizzy. He slowly drops to the ground and closes his eyes. He hears Joe calling his name, but it sounds distant. A tear makes its way down his cheek.
He feels that Joe takes his hand and put it on his chest. 'Ben? Do you hear me? Try to follow my breathing okay?'
Ben sobs and nods. He tries to focus through all the tears. 

After a few deep breaths, the tears have stopped flowing.
'Very good, Benny.' Joe wipes Ben's tears with his thumb. He gives the boy a kiss on the head to let him know he's not alone. 'Are you okay again baby?'
Ben nods with a soft sniffle. 'I- I'm sorry joey. I didn't want to-'
Joe doesn't give Ben a chance to finish and pulls him close to his chest. 'Don't apologize for this Benny. Ever.'
Ben smiles a little and gently presses his lips against Joe's.
'Tell me honey, what caused your attack? You haven't had an attack for six months or so. Right?' Joe asks concerned.
Ben nods. 'I- I was looking at the baseball photos of your brother. I saw a bat and it reminded me of- of.'
The boy doesn't finish his sentence, not wanting to say Corey's name.
But Joe knows all too well what he means. 'Ow, baby come here.' The ginger opens his arm for the younger boy.
Ben smiles a little and snuggles close to Joe. 

After a while of silence, he chuckles softly. 'Well, here we are. Sitting on your old bedroom's floor.'
Joe laughs at that.
Then he suddenly gets up from the floor and walks to the nightstand next to his old bed. He takes a small notebook from the drawer and sits back next to Ben.
'I used to write down all kinds of things. My favorite movies, ideas for plays and things like that. I've been wanting to show it to you for a while already, but it never came of it.' The ginger hands the notebook to Ben.
The latter accepts it and curiously starts flipping through the notebook. He pauses at a drawing of a puppy.
'I loved to draw.' Joe chuckles.
'Whoa... and you were good.' Ben says amazed.
Joe smiles modestly. He takes the notebook and turns to a specific page. 'I drew this when I was five years old. Apparently I was already gay back then.' He says with a grin. 
A big smile appears on Ben's face when he sees what's written on top of the page

My dream wedding. It says in the handwriting of five year old Joe. 

Ben looks at the drawing below. Little Joe has drawn all kinds of flowers, a cake, and two figures.
The figure with the brown coloured hair has an arrow pointing at it which says: Me. 
Next to it is a figure with blond hair and green eyes. Above the head of that figure it says: Future husband. 

Ben looks at the drawing with twinkling eyes.
'You were always the husband I imagined. And now I'm engaged to you.' Joe says, now heavily blushing.
Ben smiles and gives Joe a kiss on the cheek. 'Maybe we should go tell your parents about our engagement, huh?' He says with a grin.
The two get up, and Joe nods. 'I'd love to. Let's go downstairs.' He takes his engagement ring from his pocket and puts it on his finger. 

When the two are back in the living room, they get a questioning look from Joe's parents.
'Is everything alright? You were upstairs quite a long time.' Gina asks concerned when she sees that Ben has been crying.
'Yeah, I just showed Ben some of my drawings from the past.' Joe says.
His parents smile reassured.
Ben and Joe sit next to each other on the couch, immediately scooting close to each other.
'So uhm mom, dad? Ben and I have some news for you.' Joe begins.
His father puts his cup of tea on the table and looks at him expectantly. 'Good news I hope?' He asks with a smile.
Both Ben and Joe nod happily. 
Joe chuckles when he sees how curious his parents are. Without saying anything, he lifts his hand so that the engagement ring is visible.
His mother's mouth falls open in surprise.
'Ben proposed to me. We are engaged.' Every time Joe says these words he feels a rush of joy flowing through his body. Part of him still can't believe it. 

Gina jumps from her chair with joy. 'Oh my god! Boys, I am so happy for you!' She walks over to the two of them and hugs them.
'Thanks mom.' Joe says softly during the hug.
When Gina lets go of the two, Joe chuckles when he sees tears in his mother's eyes.
'Now you understand why I'm an easy cryer. It's in the family.' He says to Ben with a grin.
Ben chuckles softly when he sees Gina rolling her eyes. 'Thank you Gina.' He says.
Joseph also gets up from his chair and takes his turn to hug the two. 'Congratulations boys. Ben, will you take good care of my son?' He asks when they let go.
Ben nods and smiles. 'I will Joseph, I promise.' 

'I can't believe our Joe is getting married.' Gina says, with still tears in her eyes.
'Nahw mom, come her.' Joe opens his arms and hugs his mother again.
'You're getting so big.' She sniffles.
With a smile Ben watches how Joe and his mom are having a moment. 

After everyone is back in their seats, Joe tells about the proposal.
Here and there Ben adds some things. 'I was so worried Joe would see the ring in the envelope. Then my plan would fail.' Ben chuckles. 
Joseph grins. 'Yes our Joe can be quite curious.'
Joe smiles and rolls his eyes. 

After an hour, Ben checks his watch and is shocked when he sees that it is already so late.
'Sweetie, we have to go. Gwil, Rami and Lucy will be at our place in half an hour, and we still have to clean up the house.' He says to Joe.
The ginger looks at the clock and nods. 'Yeah you're right.' 
The two get up, as well as Gina and Joseph. They give the two boys a hug for the last time.
'Don't shop for a wedding suit without me okay?' Gina says with a smile.
Joe chuckles. 'I won't mom, don't worry.'
In the meantime, Joseph hugs Ben. 'Come by soon again okay?' He says softly.
Ben nods. 'We will. Thanks for the warm welcome.' He says with a smile.
Joseph grins. 'Glad to see you're not nervous anymore.'
Ben's cheeks immediately turn a light shade of pink. 'Was it really that obvious?' He asks a little embarrassed.
The smirk on the face of Joe's dad grows even bigger. 'Yeah, but don't worry. Everyone is nervous the first time they meet their future in-laws.'

'Benny, are you coming?' Joe asks impatiently.
Ben smiles and nods. 'Yes, let's go. Bye guys, thanks for the lovely tea.' He says to Joe's parents before he and Joe leave the house. 

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I don't have much to say today folks✌🏻

My life if pretty boring right now. I'm just unpacking moving boxes. But in a few days I'll start my new school, so at least there's something.

Sending my love to all of you❤