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[center][u][h1]Jan 2nd[/h1][/u]
[u][h2]Going on an Adventure[/h2][/u][/center]

Ben's uncle Matt had been happy to see that Ben had two more new friends. He was glad that there were people Ben could skate with. Ben had also texted Danni and told him about the chance meeting. 

With school weeks out still even after the New Year had been celebrated Ben wanted to go traveling. Chase had offered and so Ben spent almost two days convincing his uncle it would in fact be fine. Matt had to meet Chase, but he would eventually cave and let the pair of them go. As long as Matt was kept apprised of where they were. He required a minimum of two texts a day and a phone call every other day. Ben's location sharing also had to be on. When they changed locations Matt had to be informed immediately, this did not count as one of the two text messages. If Matt sent a text with a question it had to be responded to ASAP, this also did not count as one of the two text messages. 

Ben also had to be back at least three days before the start of term. Matt wanted to say a whole week, but decided that wouldn't give them enough time. 

When all of this had finally been agreed upon Ben sent Chase a text to let him know. 

[Hider=@chase] “my uncle agreed! I can go camping.”[/hider]

Seven days. Seven whole days that felt like an eternity to Chase as Ben attempted to convince his father about the trip. Chase's parents were easy, Morgan saw into the future and even helped him choose which car to steal. He'd wanted something cool and impressive for Ben, but Morgan insisted on another vehicle entirely that, while it had its own flair for style, wasn't exactly what he had in mind for such a long trip. But the discussion was over when Morgan used her sight and said he'd have more fun with this beat up, blue jeep that had mishmashed black parts atop it. The gas would be astronomical, but with his parents' work it wouldn't be a huge issue. His bag had already been packed, alongside a backpack filled with things he wasn't sure if Ben would or wouldn't like. He was nervous, it felt stupid, but he'd never been alone with a guy like this before, not since…he pushed that aside. 

He'd already met his father, that felt wild but necessary. His phone buzzed, and as he looked at the text, he threw his phone into the bed and fist pumped into the air. [Color=585c74]”Yes!”[/color] He knew, he always knew, he pestered Morgan to tell him the outcome every day and he was so happy when she'd finally said yes. But hearing it from Ben? So much better! [Color=585c74]”Shit. Fuck, where did I throw my phone? I gotta text him back.”[/color] Chase dug through his sheets, tossing and turning them until he heard a thunk behind him. He scrambled over to the phone and began texting back.

[Hider=@Ben]”Sweet. Get packin’ Big Ben for our cross country(ish) vacation.”[/hider]

Ben grinned at the response. He yelled at Matt that he was going to pack, Matt yelled back to take a shower. Ben already had, yesterday, why did he have to take another? He sent a text to Danni letting him know he had finally gotten permission for the trip. [see: The text log of Benjamin Moss & Danni Kingston]

He started packing and throwing stuff into a duffle. Matt eventually came in and handed him a toiletries bag for camping. The soap was nature safe. Ben rolled his eyes and threw it into the bag. 

Once he was finished he texted Chase “ready!”

Chase grabbed his bags, tossing them into the shadows of his room and having them appear in the Jeep that was waiting outside. All that was left was to get Ben. [Color=585c74]”Heading out! Be back in a while!”[/color] Jinx and Morgan responded back with a unanimous ‘We Know’ as Chase slipped into the shadows and appeared within Ben's room under his covers before tossing them halfway off of himself. [Color=585c74]”Someone say they're ready?”[/color] He rolled out of the bed and gave Ben a quick hug before moving to hold his hand for a teleport back home. [Color=585c74]”Shit, wait. Hi Mr.Moss! Ben and I are gonna go now ok?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yes.”[/color] Ben hugged back, he was excited to get going.

[color=004d00]”Knock on the door kid. Just because you have superpowers doesn't mean you don't have to use manners,"[/color] Matt said, poking his head out of his office. Ben rolled his eyes. 

[color=cde0e1]”Sorry, he’s being weird.”[/color] Ben apologized for Matt insisting that Chase come through the front door. 

[Color=585c74]”No he's right. If im gonna take my Big Ben out on a tour of the parks I need to do it all proper like.”[/color] Chase said as he laced his fingers through Ben's and used the shadows to pop them at the front door of Matt's house, knocking. 

Matt answered the door and held out his hand for Chase to shake. [color=004d00]”Thank you. You two be safe. Alright. Keep in touch. If anything goes wrong let me know immediately.”[/color]

 [color=cde0e1]”Yeah, I’ll text you when the bear is chasing us.”[/color] Ben sighed. 

Matt frowned, shook his head and said, [color=004d00]”Have fun. I know you’ll be looking at cool bugs so send me pictures of those.”[/color]
 
[color=cde0e1]”Yeah, I will. I promise. I’ll follow all the rules you set down too. I swear.”[/color] 

[color=004d00]”Good, go ahead and go.”[/color] 

Chase shook Matt's hand as soon as it was offered, glad that they were finally about to be on their way. [Color=585c74]”Thank you Mr. Moss! I'll take good care of him I swear,  and the bear isn't scheduled for at least three days at 11:30 am so I'll snap a Pic of it for Ben to share.”[/color] Instantly shadows began to wrap around the pair before they stopped. [Color=585c74]”Wait, your bags.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Oops,”[/color] Ben said, and ducked under Matt down the hall into his room where he grabbed his bag and then rejoined Chase at the front door. [color=cde0e1]”Alright, ready. Bye Uncle Matt.”[/color] He waved at Matt before holding out that hand for Chase. He wasn’t sure if touch was required for Chase’s shadow movement to work or not, but so far he had touched him to use it. 

Chase took the offered hand before both of them melted into the shadows and appeared within the Jeep, all stocked up and ready to go. [Color=585c74]”You sure like holding my hand huh Big Ben?”[/color] He teased as he looked down at their interlocked hands before slipping his away to hot wire the car. One of the few tricks his new rents had shown him in case of a needed getaway.

[color=cde0e1]”I-i-i thought you needed to touch to do the shadow transport thing,”[/color] Ben stammered. He hadn’t expected a car. He honestly wasn’t 100% sure what he had expected. The jeep was cool. 

[color=cde0e1]”So where to first?”[/color] Ben asked after clearing his throat. 

[Color=585c74]”Chill chill, its no worries really. Hakuna your tata's and all that. I don't mind holding your hand. It's …nice.”[/color] Chase cleared his throat. [Color=585c74]”But no, so long as we have shadows we have travel. No touch needed but it isn't unwanted. I just…needed…to–”[/color] The Jeep sprang to life, turning over as Chase threw his hands up. [Color=585c74]”Voila I'm a genius. There's a map in the glove compartment marking all the locations. I'll need help guiding where to go.”[/color]

Ben opened the glove compartment and pulled out the map. He was a little surprised at a paper map. It felt old school. Usually people just use their phone. He looked at it figuring out where they were going.

[color=cde0e1]”The first stop is Death Valley. That’s not too bad.”[/color] Ben had been looking at maps of National Parks for the last week. Death Valley was considered a nice weekend trip for L.A. He started to give directions. 

Chase looked over at the map, silently counting to himself as he realized how many cities were between him and the first National Park. Were there closer parks? Yes. But did Ben deserve to see as many as he could in a timely manner? Also yes. He placed his left hand onto Ben's lap as he turned and rummaged for his backpack in the back seat, pulling out two National Park Passport's as well as their America the Beautiful passes for the trip. [Color=585c74]”OK, so it'll be about a four hour drive there. I can try and jump us but its a huge distance and with the car I'd shave off at most half an hour to an hour tops. So we may just be driving for a bit, but it did get these passports for us! You collect stamps at each location with dates on them to mark and show when you went. Like a keepsake.”[/color] Instantly the nerves came tumbling back into Chase. [Color=585c74]”Unless it's lame. We can just not do that part.”[/color]

Ben squeezed Chase’s hand, he didn’t mind holding hands. [color=cde0e1]”Wait, how long is this drive?”[/color] Ben asked. He knew the United States was big, but he had never been in the car for more than an hour at one time. If the shadow jumps were only shaving off an hour at best... 

He looked at the stamp passports and flipped through them. [color=cde0e1]”Not gonna lie, this is actually kind of cool.”[/color] 

Chase grinned, beaming from ear to ear as Ben squeezed his hand and then agreed on how cool the stamps could be. [Color=585c74]”Roughly four hours, so not really too bad of a drive. Why?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Four hours? In a car, at one time? How big is this place? I don’t think I have ever been in a car for more than an hour before coming here.”[/color] Ben takes a deep breath. [color=cde0e1]”It’ll be fine. Don’t stress yourself out. Let’s do this the right way. We can make it fun... Right?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Hey, woah, Benny Boi, what's wrong?”[/color] Chase had sat back in his seat appropriately, turning to face Ben as he held one of his hands with both of his. [Color=585c74]”Cali is absolutely massive. It takes almost a full day just to drive from one point to another at times. I can…try and do more jumps, it'll put us an hour out at best.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”I’m from London. I can take a train and be in France in four hours.”[/color] Ben sighed and squeezed Chase’s hand, [color=cde0e1]”Alright how about this. Every hour we stop and just pull over for ten minutes. I don’t care if it takes us more time. I just cannot imagine sitting in a car for an hour without stopping.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”OK. That would put us at roughly forty minutes extra and with my jumps I can shave about forty minutes sooo really it wouldn't take us any extra time to make it there. See? Not an issue Big Ben. I've got you.”[/color] Chase gave Ben's hand another squeeze before placing them onto the steering wheel. [Color=585c74]”Set a timer for our breaks ok? Oh, and feel free to select the jams for the trip.”[/color]

Ben nodded. That was workable. They could do that. He’d be fine. He would not get bored, he would get out and move occasionally. It would in fact be fine. He pulled out his phone and plugged it into the stereo. Once he was connected he pulled up a playlist he had been working on. He didn’t know what sort of music Chase liked. But he had made a music list that was comprised of bands and artists that were from London. Ben liked music a lot and so listened to basically everything. The music was mostly from the dance and house genre. He also set a timer for an hour. 

[color=cde0e1]”Thanks sorry. About that. I just am not used to long drives. Back home we consider anything over like twenty minutes a long drive. And most of the time I took the train or the bus. I’ve never spent a lot of time in the car. I’m glad this is open like this though. It is less claustrophobic.”[/color] 

Chase started the drive as Ben set up the music for them. He knew the general direction of where he wanted to go, there was a tunnel up ahead that would make the jump easier for him. He needed shadows, and a lot of them if they were going to move the car. He looked over towards the stereo and back at Ben, nodding his head along to the music. [Color=585c74]”Ok, ok. I can dig it. And man, twenty minutes? That barely gets you out of a city here.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Island country.”[/color] Ben shrugged. [color=cde0e1]”Glad you like the music. This isn’t the only thing I like, but I feel like if you don’t start with the weird stuff first people will assume you’re normal. If they assume you’re normal they’ll freak out when they realize you aren’t.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Did you, Bug Boi Big Ben, think I was going to assume you were normal? You have posters of bugs and diagrams along your wall, a ton of open terrariums, and your very own kettle. None of that is exactly normal. But it does make you cool, so…”[/color] They were pulling up on the tunnel, Chase sped up a bit, and as they hit the wall of darkness they vanished. The Jeep appeared a full city out, in the outskirts of theirs at another tunnel way. Chase threw his head back against the headrest and exhaled. [Color=585c74]”Much harder with a car. Wow.”[/color]

Ben looked affronted, but only when the kettle was mentioned. [color=cde0e1]”Having a kettle is normal. I like tea. I don’t want to always have to wait in the kitchen.”[/color] He looked Chase over carefully. [color=cde0e1]”You okay? Not too much right?”[/color] He didn’t know how much it took out of Chase to jump like that. He basically just talked to bugs and that didn’t take any work.

[Color=585c74]”Yeah I'm fine. Next jump won't be for a bit I figure so, go big or go home.”[/color] Chase took one hand off the steering wheel, moving it towards Ben's lap but stopping just over the bottle of water in the cup holder. He'd never actually been with a guy, liked a guy, or well…allowed himself to like one. This was new territory and part of him was terrified about it. He grabbed the bottle, unscrewing the cap with one hand as he took a sip and placed it back down. Coward. [Color=585c74]”A kettle sure, but in your room? Is there even tea in your room? Or cups?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Okay good.”[/color] Ben trusted that Chase knew his own powers and limitations, even if he was new at it. There was an internal sense of it, right? He didn’t really notice Chase’s awkwardness or the movement. Especially once he grabbed the water bottle. 

[color=cde0e1]”Tea yes. Cups... No. Matt took them. I had a perfectly serviceable cup.”[/color] Ben was not thinking about relationships or liking Chase (or Danni) any differently than his friends. Chase had put the idea in his head with his first text, but he had no idea how to approach that. He didn’t mind holding hands or hugs. Hugs had been common in his friend group back home. Holding hands, less so, but they had been a chummy group. Not as cuddly as Danni and Dorian were, but close enough that Ben didn’t really consider that an automatic ‘relationship’ establishment. 

[Color=585c74]”What does that even mean? Perfectly serviceable?”[/color] Chase raised an eyebrow at Ben.

[color=cde0e1]”When you have a tea cup for a long time it gets this nice patina. I had one of those. Matt put it through the dishwasher!”[/color] He threw up his hands. 

[Color=585c74]”The nerve! You can't go throwing other people's things where you want to. Just isn't right.”[/color] Chase threw up his free hand alongside Ben. He glanced over back at Ben, it'd been a while since he felt like this with anyone, not just the odd queer emotions bubbling inside of him, but the sense of friendship as well. His last one ended so horribly, his fault if he was ever honest with himself, and the others he'd made were superficial at best. But this? It felt…good. [Color=585c74]”OK govna, how do you take your tea? What kind do you prefer? Aaaand…have you had American sweet tea?”[/color]

Ben laughed when Chase threw up his hand too. It was a sign of comradery and it meant a lot to him. He was still grinning. 

[color=cde0e1]”Okay, there are only like two teas worth while. English Breakfast and Earl Grey.”[/color] He held up two fingers. [color=cde0e1]”Otherwise you’re just being weird and zealous about something that has been perfected already. I mean sure there are like ten million teas, but why when the perfect ones have already been found and you know exactly how much milk and sugar to put into each, which by the way it is two sugars and [i]then[/i] about two table spoons of milk. More than that is wild.”[/color] Ben spoke emphatically. 

[color=cde0e1]”Oh god, what atrocity have the Americans brought to my door step this time?”[/color] Ben asked, slight horror in his voice, but also a joking tone. He was clearly being silly.  

[Color=585c74]”Now we have to get some Sweet Tea. You'll hate it. It's a black tea, steeped, about…one pound of sugar per two liters? And then iced. Absolutely amazing, some people put lemon in it but eh not my…well cup of tea”[/color] Chase laughed at his own joke. [Color=585c74]”But I agree, those two are the best choices for hot tea, never really measured how much sugar or milk it's more of a vibe thing.”[/color]

Ben looked like someone had kicked his puppy as the ‘American sweet tea’ was described to him. 

[color=cde0e1]”That sounds like it’ll kill a honey bee.”[/color] He made a small gagging noise. [color=cde0e1]”I’ll try it, but that means you have to try something I suggest. Like jammie dodgers. My uncle likes those so he ships them in from the UK specifically. Thank god. I think I’d die if I didn’t have some comfort things from home.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”You can't be serious? There's no way you have something called a Jammie Dodger. It sounds fake.”[/color] Chase tried making the mood a tad lighter. He understood that Ben would want or need some home comforts. [Color=585c74]”But that sounds like a deal. You try sweet tea, I'll try your jammie's.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”It’s a biscuit or cookie or whatever.”[/color] Ben laughed. The pair chatted and traveled for a while longer. They talked about food, and music and whatever random thing came up. Finally the alarm blared for the one hour mark. As far as Ben was concerned it had been longer than an hour. He was ready to get out of the car. As soon as Chase pulled over he hopped out of the car and did some stretches. 

[center][u][h2]First Round of Breaks[/h2][/u][/center]

[color=cde0e1]”Do Americans just sit in the car all the time? And drive everywhere?”[/color] He asked as he bounced on the balls of his feet. 

[Color=585c74]”Depends on where you live but…mostly yeah. Our trains are trash in terms of how far along other places are and public transit isn't great. So cars it is. I used to just read or take naps when I was younger, sometimes game on a handheld or just wear headphones to listen to my own music.”[/color] Chase neglected to mention all of those activities were to distract himself from the broken home and parents he was trapped in the car with. He walked over towards Ben, mimicking the stretches he was doing. [Color=585c74]”So does this help?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”L.A. is super car dense. I don’t understand why either. You weren’t even a country when cars started to become popular. It isn’t like you built up around cars... Or I suppose you did. But there were trains right? Like the Oregon train or whatever?”[/color] Ben was not certain about US history. He knew cars had been made in the US and the Ford had something to do with making them accessible but that was after the Civil War, right?

[color=cde0e1]”I have no idea. It has reduced my need to move.”[/color] Ben was still bouncing as he said this. 

Chase leaned against the Jeep as he watched Ben continue. Something about it was just so…adorable. Maybe it was the accent? The curly dark hair, or how he seemed to be so unashamedly himself. Perhaps it was all of the above and the fact that it all reminded him of the Stories of Arthur and his Knights. He rolled his eyes at the thought. [Color=585c74]”I think you mean Oregon Trail, which all I really knew about it was the game. Never cared much for history though.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”I know plenty of history. It just isn’t distorted American history.”[/color] He grinned. Ben was slightly out of breath now from the bouncing. [color=cde0e1]”Instead it is distorted Eurocentric history.”[/color] Ben tilted his head a little bit. [color=cde0e1]”There is a game? How do you make a game about crossing the country?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Poorly. You just make choices and no matter what you do you die in the end by dysentery or something else.”[/color] Chase grinned back. [Color=585c74]”Don't tell me you tire easy Big Ben? Gotta get that stamina up.”[/color] He teased and instantly regretted it.

[color=cde0e1]”Uh...”[/color] Ben was suddenly glad he was probably already red in the face from the bouncing. He didn’t even know how to start to respond to that. He coughed, and stopped bouncing. Ben didn’t know what to say about Chase’s joke. He focused on the Oregon Trail game.

[color=cde0e1]”So is the point of the game to just die then? Like who dies faster?”[/color] 

Chase, if he could gain any color to his face, would've been red. He coughed as well, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared up at the clear blue sky. [Color=585c74]”Its to uh…its to survive. Just like I'm trying to survive having said that oh my god. I just, sometimes I speak and I don't think and I just…I need water.”[/color] He opened up the passenger door and grabbed his bottle as he leaned over the seat.

Ben rubbed his face. He didn’t really know how to respond to this. Ignoring it hadn’t worked. 

[color=cde0e1]”It was weird, it is fine. Everyone says weird shit all the time. Right? Here hand me a water too. I’m thirsty now.”[/color] 

Chase handed Ben a water, closing the door behind him as he leaned back against the car. [Color=585c74]”Thanks, I…truthfully I've never been with a guy, you know? Just…I had a lot of issues and well, some therapy cleared a few up, left a few in, but one of them was coming to terms with me liking guys so…it feels weird and I act stupid because I don't even know how to act. It's dumb, I know.”[/color]

Ben sipped his water. He considered what to say. He didn’t want to be outright dismissive. Chase was being honest about his feelings and he knew he didn’t like it when people belittled his feelings so he didn’t want to do that to Chase. 

[color=cde0e1]”I don’t really know either. I’ve never been with anyone at all. You’re cool. I like hanging out with you. It isn’t always awkward or weird. I don’t know for me. I don’t know if I like you, or anyone that way.”[/color] 

The words almost hurt, but Chase knew he wasn't trying to dismiss his feelings. He knew Ben hadn't been in any relationships before, and that was fine. [Color=585c74]”I like hanging out with you too. You're surprisingly cool Bug Boi.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Good, cause this would be really weird if you didn’t like hanging out with me.”[/color] Ben rolled his eyes. He didn’t even mind the nickname so much. It had kind of grown on him. 

[color=cde0e1]”Alright, I’m ready to be in the car again. I suppose.”[/color] 

Chase opened the passenger door for Ben, bowing slightly as he did. [Color=585c74]”Your chariot awaits you my good sir.”[/color] 

Ben giggled... he actually giggled. [color=cde0e1]”Thank you,”[/color] he said climbing into the jeep again. 

Chase wanted to die. That was so cute what the fuck. He closed the door after Ben got in and practically bit his fist to stop himself from screaming. This kid was a problem, an adorably cute problem. He got into his side of the car and put his seat belt back on. [Color=585c74]”Eh, I've been on road trips where no one liked each other. I think it may very well be an American pastime.”[/color] His tone was almost wistful. Before he took the car out of park and began their trek once more towards the great American outdoors.

[color=cde0e1]”I think I would go insane if I were in a car with someone I didn’t like.”[/color] One of Ben’s feet tapped to the beat of the music once that was playing again. 

[color=cde0e1]”How many road trips have you been on?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Five? I think, I don't really have many fond memories of them. The places were cool, drives were…ok, company not great. But this one's already much better and we haven't even made it to our destination yet.”[/color] His fingers tapped along the steering wheel to the beat of Ben's feet. [Color=585c74]”What about you? Any road trips in Big Ben's life? Always wanted to visit England, mostly the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and a little bit of France.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Travel, yeah. I’ve been around a few places. Even to France. But road trips implies cars and other than country side where there isn’t any train service I haven’t spent a ton of time in a car. Even then we were doing shorter trips. My parents and I rode the train a lot though. And my mates. We would take the tube to school, or around town. I think the fact that I was fairly unsupervised already is why Matt allowed this. It is more common back home.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]” Have you been to Château de Pierrefonds in France?”[/color] Chase raised an eyebrow as he glanced to Ben, trying to keep his eye on the road.

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah, my mom was really into this old t.v. show called Highlander. Some of the scenes from it were filmed there.”[/color] He shrugged. He remembered the visit, but it had been a few years ago so it wasn't a super clear memory. He did remember his mom spending a wild amount of time in one room during the tour. He had gotten bored. His dad had been smiling indulgently. It had been kind of weird. 

Chase almost slammed on the breaks as Ben said he had been. [Color=585c74]”Thay is like, one of my top locations to visit! No way. Awe man you're so lucky, I fell down a rabbit hole one day and stumbled on this old junky show with such bad CGI it was absolutely laughable  but…it was also super cool. It was about Merlin and his journey in the attempt to get King Arthur, who was just a prince at the time, to become the Once and Future King of Camelot. Anyways, they filmed at that castle as The Camelot so –”[/color] He was rambling. Chase cleared his throat briefly before taking another sip. [Color=585c74]”Anyways, thats cool you got to visit.”[/color]

Ben knew the myth of King Arthur. You couldn’t grow up in Britain and not have heard it. He hadn’t seen the show.

[color=cde0e1]”It was cool I guess.”[/color] Talking about the trip made him think about his parents. He didn’t really want to do that. [color=cde0e1]”Tell me more about the show.”[/color] 

A smile crept up at the corner of Chase's mouth. [Color=585c74]”Ok so there's Merlin right? Except he's down right twinky and in almost a teenage type age range. So he ends up…”[/color] He continued to tell the tale of the young Warlock, Merlin, known to the druids as Emrys, and his journey to save Camelot and the choices he'd made. This went on for the whole hour before Chase had finally pulled them into a gas station to grab some snacks for the road and stretch their legs. [Color=585c74]...but really it was a queer allegory and the hidden magic inside was akin to homosexual feelings.”[/color]

The gas station was a Sinclair station. Ben had been listening attentively, as best as he could, to Chase’s story about the show. Texts to Danni aside. He had asked questions and made surprise noises at all the right times. 

[color=cde0e1]”What!? This petrol station has a dinosaur! That’s got to be some weird way of saying ‘hey we use fossil fuels.’ I’ve got to get a picture with it.”[/color] Ben bounced out of the car and ran over to the giant green dinosaur. He snapped a selfie and ran back to meet Chase at the entrance to the station. 

[color=cde0e1]”Are you peckish? I am.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Texting the Old Man?”[/color] Chase assumed given the many rules Mr. Moss had given them. He stretched for a bit as he answered Ben's question. [Color=585c74]”What's that about a peck? Like you want a snog or somethin? Oh! We should take a selfie together with the Dino if you want. Print them out later and add it to the passport.”[/color] 

[color=cde0e1]”My friend, Danni. I'll introduce you two at school,”[/color] Ben shook his head. He hoped Chase wouldn't be annoyed. Sometimes his friends got mad when someone was texting someone else not there. He sort of got it. But also if wanted to talk to Danni too was that a problem? 

[color=cde0e1]”Peckish means hungry.”[/color] This part of the conversation made Ben a little nervous. Did he want to snog? His hands itched. 

[color=cde0e1]”Ooh yeah good idea. I'll send that to Matt too.”[/color] Matt would appreciate it. 

Ooooook. No snogging it was then. That was fine. [Color=585c74]”Oh. Yeah ok cool. Just…texting another guy while you're with me, that's totally fine.”[/color] Chase’s tone implied otherwise, as if he was hurt, but with an underlying layer of sarcasm to it which made it all the harder to read if he was or wasn't. He made his way over towards the giant green dinosaur and tried shifting a few shadows to make the light better for the picture. [Color=585c74]”You coming?”[/color]

Shit. Chase was annoyed. Ben wiped his hands on his pants and joined Chase by the dinosaur. He smiled and took a picture of the two them. He showed it to Chase. 

[color=cde0e1]”Are you actually mad?”[/color] He asks in a quiet nervous voice.

Chase rolled his eyes, pulling Ben in for a gentle hug before kissing the top of his head. [Color=585c74]”No Bug Boi, I'm not mad. You're allowed to have other friends beyond me, even if it is a guy. Is he at least cute?”[/color] He asked as he grabbed the phone to look at the picture of them two. [Color=585c74]”Hey, we look good together. Love it.”[/color] Chase quickly backed out of the picture and into Ben's texts to see what this Danni looked like. He was…cute. That was annoying. Chase handed the phone back to Ben.

Ben sighed, relieved. He didn't need both of his friends mad at him. He hugged Chase back, his face warm.

[color=cde0e1]”I canceled plans with him for this trip. He was supposed to come over and cook. He was so upset. But I didn't want to miss out on this.”[/color]

Chase pulled back enough that he could see Ben's, but he kept an arm wrapped around him. It felt…right. He hated that it felt right. But his heart was beating a mile a minute. [Color=585c74]”Dude. Not cool. But…kinda glad you did. And he's cute so, I get it. The texting, the distractions, I mean I'm not much to look at.”[/color] He joked half heartedly. [Color=585c74]”Gotta make it up to him. Oh, maybe we can all have dinner together some day? I can get to know him and he me, so you don't feel so pulled apart.”[/color]

Ben smiled. [color=cde0e1]”I like looking at you.”[/color] He swallowed and cleared his throat. [color=cde0e1]”Yeah, we should totally do that. After school starts?”[/color]

Ben didn't pull away from the arm. His face felt warm. His stomach was tight and he was still hungry. 

[color=cde0e1]”Snacks?”[/color]

Chase wanted to say ‘I'm looking at one right now.’ But what came out was [color=585c74]”Snacks.”[/color] He let his arm drop off from Ben's waist, his hand naturally falling to lace his fingers with Ben's without thinking. As they walked into the station, he looked ahead, glancing to the side towards Ben from time to time trying to think of how to word this. [Color=585c74]”So, Danni. He looks an awful lot like that Kingston Kitchen dude, the one who does a lot of outrageous food along with some SoCo.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”SoCo? But yeah. He is the one who almost burned me at the Contest. We ran into each other again at the market the other day. He said he did a cooking show and that is what he was shopping for. I think that's who you mean.”[/color] If Ben remembered Danni's last name he didn't seem to connect the dots. He held hands with Chase as they went into the store. 

Ben looked at the isles and didn't know where to start. He did not have a lot of experience with American snacks. 

[color=cde0e1]”What's good?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”SoCo is southern comfort food.”[/color] He snapped his fingers on his free hand as Ben mentioned the almost charbroiled Ben from the Contest. [Color=585c74]”That's why he seemed so familiar. Man, I'd kill to try his food. It always looks so good.”[/color]  He browsed the shop, some of the snacks having vanished from the back shelves as he made a mental list of what he wanted. [Color=585c74]”Well you mentioned biscuits or cookies or whatever earlier. So Oreos are a must, that and Chips Ahoy, Blue package not Red. It matters. Lets see, there's Snickers, 3 Muskateers, Oooo! Penguins, a must. Some Slim Jims…you eat meat right? Gotta get the Monster size with Tabasco. Oh maybe some chips? Or uh…shit, Crispies?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Biscuits,”[/color] Ben pointed to the cookies. [color=cde0e1]”Crisps,”[/color] this time he pointed to the chips. [color=cde0e1]”Chips are your French fries. Yeah I eat meat. Is this meat?”[/color] He holds up the stick of jerky. 

[color=cde0e1]”I said I'd let you choose. I will trust.”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”Yeah but I wouldn’t get Jerky. I mean technically its a great trip and hiking food but man it's tiring to chew. I prefer these.”[/color] Chase grabbed the Tabasco Monster Slim Jim. [Color=585c74]”Basically just a cured meat stick.”[/color] He grabbed a couple of them as well as a two purple bags of  Doritos, the two types of ‘biscuits’, some penguins and a few drinks. It seemed as though he only grabbed two of each, but about four more of each product was teleported into the backseat of the Jeep under the bags. [Color=585c74]”Ready?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah looks... interesting.”[/color] Ben wasn't sure if good was the right word. So he wasn't willing to say it yet. Ben was excited to try the new foods. He just was nervous about them. Ben hadn't eaten a lot of spicy foods. He sometimes got curry but that was never [i]spicy[/i].

Chase paid for what was in his hands, taking the bag and receipt with him as he made his way back into the Jeep, once again opening the door for Ben. [Color=585c74]”Welcome to America, land of sugar and meat and sometimes sugary meat.”[/color] He joked.

Ben laughed and hopped into the jeep. [color=cde0e1]”Thanks. How does that even work? It says it is spicy. How is it also sugary? Where do I even start with these snacks?[/color]

[Color=585c74]”Oh I was referring to BBQ which is Sweet, Spicy, and Savory all in one bite. Nothing like what you have back across the pond.”[/color] Chase grabbed the slim jim and tore off the top, taking a bite of it before offering a bite to Ben..

Ben bit into the offered stick of meat. The spicy hit quickly and he felt the inside of his ears becoming itchy. He hissed air in between his teeth, even though it was spicy and not temperature hot.

[color=cde0e1]”Oh my god. What in the world?”[/color] He fanned his face and took a quick sip of his water. He coughed for a moment. 

Chase smiled. This boy was dangerous. Cute and couldn't even handle the lowest tolerance of spice. He looked positively adorable as tried to fan away the heat from the Slim Jim. A thought crossed his mind. Kiss the pain away. His eyes widened for a second as he surprised himself with the thought, catching his gaze looking down at Ben's lips before taking another bite of the Slim Jim. [Color=585c74]”Doin' ok buddy? Might need to build up that tolerance a bit.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”That was too much.”[/color] Ben's eyes weren't quite watering, but he wiped at them still. [color=cde0e1]”It made the inside of my ears itch. Is that normal?”[/color]

He did not notice the looks. He was distracted with his own suffering. 

[Color=585c74]”Never met anyone that couldn't handle it.”[/color] Chase took another bite before tilting it to offer another to Ben.

Ben looked at the slim jim a little sullenly. Then he took another bite. He had the same reaction again and sipped at his water. 

[color=cde0e1]”People enjoy doing this to themselves?[/color]

Chase couldn't help but giggle at the reaction. He hadn't expected for Ben to take another bite, but the fact that he had meant worlds to him. [Color=585c74]”You get used to it after a while. That's when you can start focusing on the complex flavors that shine through from the spices.”[/color] The thought from before snaked its way back to the forefront of his mind. This time with the added prop of a Slim Jim acting as a stand in for the Pockey Game. [Color=585c74]”Crisps are also spicy by the way. They're sweet too, but it's a mixed bag so you won't know which crisp is which till you eat it. I…didnt know you couldn't do spice, sorry.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”That sounds... dangerous. It's fine. I'll try it. I said I would and I will. I might be drinking a lot of water to wash it down though.”[/color] Ben laughed at his own suffering. 

[Color=585c74]”What can I say? I like a little danger, brings some adventure into life.”[/color]


[center][u][h2]Death Valley[/h2][/u][/center]

After only a couple more hours, and another jump to help speed them along, they had made it out to California's very own Death Valley National Park. Chase pulled them into the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. The place looked dated, but was necessary for both the stamps they wanted to collect, the driving maps they'll need, a Nat Geo Map package, and the pretty dope museum tucked away inside of it. It showcased some of the landscape, how the area worked, as well as some wildlife they may be able to find. Chase pulled out a small moleskin journal he had been writing in the seven days prior to this trip. 

[Color=585c74]”So I read online that there are several species of blister beetles that we may be able to find around this area. There's some stink bugs, some little round dudes who's names are wild, an ironclad beetle, armored stink beetles, sooo many cool dragonflies like a flame skimmer or vivid dancer to name a couple, there's an ornate checkered beetle, and the most obvious the Death Valley June Beetle. There's a ton more too, thought maybe we can try and identify them?”[/color]

Ben enjoyed the time, even if he was a bit antsy about being in the car the whole time. He was glad that Chase had agreed to stopping. He would have been chewing his nails off if he had to sit in the car the whole time. 

Arriving at the park was beautiful. Ben couldn’t help but sit up and look around. The place was gorgeous. He was excited to see what types of bugs there would be. When Chase started telling him about them Ben’s eyes went wide with surprise. 

[color=cde0e1]”I... Thank you. That’s really cool of you to look that up.”[/color] They were absolutely going to meet all the cool bugs here. So many beetles. [color=cde0e1]”Did you know that mammals are only like 14% of the life on the planet? Almost everything else is insects and of those most of the insects are beetles.”[/color]  

Chase paused for a moment as he was wandering the museum within. [Color=585c74]”Wait, really? I feel like I never see beetles though. Then again I'm not usually in locations that [i]would[/i] have beetles just running around. Not unless it's a science center or something.”[/color] He handed the book over to Ben so he could read up on all the various bugs he researched for this particular National Park. [Color=585c74]”Don't sweat it Bug Boi, your interests are my interests. Otherwise this wouldn't be nearly as fun for you. Besides, your cute face when you get excited is all the repayment I need.”[/color] Chase placed a baseball cap atop Ben's head.

[color=cde0e1]”They are there, you just don’t see them. They live in grass and weeds and the walls.”[/color] Ben was excited. He bumped Chase lightly with his shoulder. [color=cde0e1]”Still a cool thing to do. Most of my mates back home weren’t super interested in bugs. They liked them as much as they could bother the girls on the play yard.”[/color] Ben took the cap off to look at it, then put it back on. 

Ben had been a little sad when Danni said he didn’t like museums. So it was a relief that Chase seemed cool about them. Ben liked science. He liked science and nature museums. It was essentially what he wanted to do with his life. He had a couple possible paths in mind for the future. Entomologist, Insect repellent business, or Superhero. He had the least hope in Superhero. Wanted to the Entomologist the most. Would be happy with a little business that helped bugs and people out. 

[Color=585c74]”That's…horrifying. Especially the idea of Ear Worms. I don't like the concept of something wriggling inside of my head like that.”[/color] Chase visibly shuddered. [Color=585c74]”But beetles, they're cool. Like those Rhino Beetles? Dope!”[/color] Chase held Ben's hand and walked them over towards the stamping location, making sure the date was correct before handing a stamp to Ben. [Color=585c74]”Ready for our first stamp?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”I don’t know as much about worms. I don’t think Ear Worms are a real creature.”[/color] That did make him think of Earwigs though. [color=cde0e1]”Good news though is that earwigs don’t actually do that.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah!”[/color] Letting go of Chase’s hand felt... weird. He didn’t really want to. But the stamp! Ben took the stamp and opened his booklet. He found the Death Valley page and stamped it. He handed the stamp back to Chase. 

[Color=585c74]”Right, that's what I meant. Earwigs. Glad to know they don't do that though.”[/color] Chase exhaled with relief. He grabbed the stamp from Ben, pressing it into fresh ink as he flipped the book open with his other hand, and then pressed the stamp against Ben's cheek. [Color=585c74]”Ope. Hand slipped, guess you'll be my souvenir this trip.”[/color] He chuckled before actually stamping his book.

Ben pulled back from the stamp too late. He wiped at his cheek, but was laughing. [color=cde0e1]”Hold on. Picture of this!”[/color] He pulled out his phone and took a quick selfie of his face. Then a photo of both of them next to the stamp station. 

Chase’s face was absolutely bright with joy. If you ignored his extremely pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. As the picture was about to be taken, he pulled Ben even closer to him in the hug. [Color=585c74]”What its a good look on you!”[/color] He said with a giggle as he went to see if Ben would take his hand again or if those pictures needed to be texted out first. [Color=585c74]”Alright, we got our trails, maps, water, snacks, the weather is [i]beautiful[/i] and we have a destination to catch!”[/color]

Ben sent the photo of the pair of them to his uncle, then quickly slid the phone into his pocket. Matt would appreciate that the two of them were in the place he told him they were going. This picture was perfect proof of that. Once his phone was back in his pocket he took Chase’s hand again, almost reflexively. 

[color=cde0e1]”Yes, I absolutely am ready. Also... beetles!”[/color] 

It was a short walk, close to half an hour out from the parking lot of the Visitors Center when they came across their first view. The mountains in the distance reflected off the thin layer of water, the usual heat of Death Valley muted by recent rain. A few birds and numerous insects skimmed across the surface and sipped at the water before chasing each other in lazy circles that followed the rising heat current up and out of sight. They had reached the Badwater Basin, and it was breathtaking. 

[Color=585c74]”Holy shit…”[/color]

Ben looked at everything. He loved the view, and the birds, and especially the bugs. The view was amazing. He nodded with Chase’s exclamation. Then holding out his hand a passing dragon fly shifted its trajectory and landed on his hand. Ben grinned. 

[color=cde0e1]”This is a variegated meadowhawk,”[/color] Ben told Chase. [color=cde0e1]”See the banded coloring on its body.”[/color] Ben lifted the dragon fly so Chase could see it better. 

[color=cde0e1]”Hey little one. I bet you’re happy right now. Everything is so beautiful here. This has got to be the best life.”[/color] 

Chase leaned in closer and stared at the dragonfly before him, then focused past it onto Ben's face. [Color=585c74]”It really is the best life huh?”[/color] He pulled out his phone, taking a close up pic of the bug and then zooming out further to take one of Ben with it on his finger.

Ben smiled for the photo and then let the dragon fly away. 

[color=cde0e1]”Huh, if I wanted I guess I could get into insect photography. I’d always have perfect models.”[/color] He laughed. [color=cde0e1]”You have to send me those pictures okay.”[/color] 

Ben looked over the scene again, for him, it was loud. There was the noise of insects for normal hearing, but he also heard them. They were everywhere here. The recent rains had made this the perfect place for all of them. Some of the insects were out of their homes for the first time in years. Hunting for food, water, and mates. Ben laughed again. 

[color=cde0e1]”This is a wild time to be here.”[/color] 

Chase was busy sending the photo's to Ben's phone, changing the contact to the one he just took. [Color=585c74]”Wild? Why? Its the perfect time to be here, otherwise it gets too hot outside. We're talkin 135°F. Which is…”[/color] Chase quickly began to do the math in his head for the conversion rate on temperature. [Color=585c74]”Roughly 57°C”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”That is way too hot, ew.”[/color] Ben made a face. [color=cde0e1]”Well, uh... most of the noises the bugs are making are basically screams for sex.”[/color] 

Chase’s cheeks felt warm. Part of his mind telling him that Ben might be trying to allude to something, the other part reminding him he just really liked bugs. [Color=585c74]”Can you like…hear them? How does someone scream for sex? Do they just go around yelling ‘Hey! Fuck me!’”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah, basically. I can talk to them. I can hear them. But yeah, they just yell for it.”[/color] Ben shrugged a little. 

[color=cde0e1]”This is in fact a good time to be here though, because of the rain and everything. Everything is way more alive than it would have been at a dryer time.”[/color] Ben held out his hand again, another bug fluttering to it. 

[color=cde0e1]“Huh, a desert long-horned grasshopper.”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”I guess right now its a desert long-horny grasshopper.”[/color] Chase tried to close in on this one as well, but something about the way they moved weirded him out so he pulled back slowly. [Color=585c74]”Looks like its got camouflage. Kinda figured all grasshoppers were either green, brown, or yellow like grass.”[/color]

Ben laughed. [color=cde0e1]“Yeah, it sure is. Especially in a place like this.”[/color] He gestured to the light colored areas of the valley. [color=cde0e1]“Here in this place it would fit in well.”[/color]  

[Color=585c74]”And you fit in well…”[/color] Chase went behind Ben and wrapped his arms around him, placing his head atop of Ben's and making sure not to disturb the bug. [Color=585c74]”Here. What else is around? Something beetle.“[/color] 

Ben hugged Chase back with arm. He let the grasshopper go. And hums a little. After a moment a phodaga alticeps lands on his hand.

[color=cde0e1]”A phodaga alitceps. This is a type of blister beetle. So def don’t touch it. As a defense they excrete a fluid that’ll make your skin blister. It hurts like hell.”[/color] Beetles were cool. This was not one of Ben’s usual go to favorites, but still cool. 

[Color=585c74]”Oh! That's the weird name one I meant earlier. Why can't they just call it the dark blister beetle or something less…Latin.”[/color] He hadn't moved, keeping his arms wrapped around Ben's waist and his head rested on him as he stared at the beetle. [Color=585c74]”Weird to think that's a beetle. I think beetles, I think big, hard shells, like armored bugs. But I guess they aren't all like that. This one's got chemical warfare though, that's cool.”[/color] His voice was almost far off sounding, as he actively found this fascinating for a change.

[color=cde0e1]”There are a lot of beetles. I mean [i]a lot[/i] so it is important to be clear. There is probably a dozen or more dark colored blister beetles.”[/color] Ben shrugs, staying in the embrace. [color=cde0e1]”There are a few that do chemical warfare. Defenses are tough for beetles. Some are spiky. Some have special colors that emulate poisons. Beetles are cool.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”They sure are Bug Boi.”[/color] Chase stared a bit longer at the blister beetle, not so much focusing on it as he was the vibrations of Ben's speech pressed against his chest and chin, the slight movements as Ben spoke about beetles, and the feeling that he could stay like this forever. [Color=585c74]”Wonder what the other bugs will be like, we still have several locations to visit in this one Park. Painted Canyons, a Crater, Dunes, and some mountain-esque hiking trails. Each with its own unique ecosystem.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”I’m actually really excited. This is a cool trip idea. Going on a trip like this means we get to see some neat stuff. And also in general it is fun. I like spending time with you. Thank you for suggesting it.”[/color] Ben wanted to see Brooklyn someday still but he was happy he got to do this trip. 

[Color=585c74]”Thank you for saying yes. And for getting that Old Man to actually agree to this. I for sure thought he'd ask to tag along.”[/color] Chase lowered his head down onto Ben's shoulder for a second, closing his eyes for just a moment as he took in the sounds of the insects all around them. The slight trickle of water as their feet shifted in the wet badlands. [Color=585c74]”I'm really glad you actually like this. Want to see the next Venue?”[/color] 

[color=cde0e1]”Sure. How long are we here for?”[/color] He knew the trip was ten days but he wasn’t sure how long it was between locations. 

Chase let go of Ben, moving to his side to hold his hand as he began to walk back towards the car. The next section was more for driving than walking. [Color=585c74]”Well we have approximately ten days. It takes less than a day to drive all of Cali, but I figure you want to spend as much time as you can with the views, bugs, and me. There are five stops including this one, so at minimum a day per location. Oh! That's the best part I haven't mentioned yet…”[/color] Chase leaned in to whisper in Ben's ear. [Color=585c74]”At night, when the world gets dark and everyone leaves, after the Rangers have done their walks, we can teleport back in and sleep at each location. Really live within nature.”[/color] It sounded like a dream to Chase, and in reality that was all it was, a dream, because he himself could never sleep. He'd be forced to lay awake as Ben slept away the hours, alone.

Ben was a little relieved that California was small enough they could drive it in a day if they did it straight. He smiled at the spending time with Chase part of the whole trip. 

[color=cde0e1]”I’ve never done anything like that before, that sounds super sweet. I’ll keep the bugs away, well except the ones we want to look at.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Got a bedroll, blanket, the whole nine yards. Though…I did only bring one so I hope you don't mind sharing. Thanks, I'd appreciate it if no bugs were nearby as we slept. Especially mosquitoes.”[/color] So far Ben hadn't rejected his idea. That gave Chase hope, made him happy, made him smile. 

Ben was a little glad that Chase wasn’t holding onto him when he said there was only one bedroll. They were going to share? No tent? Oh god... His brain short circuited a bit as he followed after Chase, a couple bugs landing on his shoulder. 

[color=cde0e1]”I’ll keep the mosquitoes away, don’t worry.”[/color] He was proud that his voice was steady as he said it. He cleared his throat anyway. [color=cde0e1]”So um, only one bed?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Is that a problem?”[/color]

Ben considered it. [color=cde0e1]”It’ll be cold I’m sure. It’ll be better this way.”[/color] His face was red hot. 

[Color=585c74]”Oh it gets real cold at night here. Figured sharing body heat was the best way to go underneath a thick blanket, sheet, thing.”[/color] Chase did not notice Ben's change in color.

[color=cde0e1]”I figured that was your thought process. Because otherwise you would have told me to bring camping gear. I would have asked my uncle. We would have gone shopping. It would have been a whole thing,”[/color] Ben said, trying to regain his composure. 

Chase turned around and wrapped his arms around Ben's waist, lifting him up and twirling in place. [Color=585c74]”Oh nooo you'll have to spend the night in my embrace. What ever will you do?”[/color] He teased with a bit of laughter as he continued to walk again after putting Ben down. [Color=585c74]”Dibs on Big spoon by the by.”[/color]

Ben laughed as he was twirled. The couple of bugs that had landed on up fluttered away. Once he was on his own two feet again they flew back, cleaning their little faces. This was becoming less embarrassing, more fun. He liked Chase. He wasn’t sure about snogging. Not yet. He’d probably have to try that before he made a final decision on if he wanted to snog Chase. Let alone any one else. Danni’s face came unbidden to his mind. 

[color=cde0e1]”I guess be the little spoon.”[/color] Ben shrugged, not too much that he’d disturb the little friends on his shoulder. He looked over at one of them. [color=cde0e1]”You gonna stay little buddy?”[/color] He smiled at the bug's response, [color=cde0e1]”Sweet.”[/color] It was a common milkweed. 

Chase held onto Ben, positioning himself so that the sun cast a shadow behind the small boy. Once he felt satisfied he smirked and told him to hold on, but looked directly at the Milkweed bug. They fell down as if the floor opened up beneath them, landing them into the Jeep, each in their respective seat. [Color=585c74]”Next up Artist's Palette Drive.”[/color] He pulled down the visor and a pair of sunglasses fell down into his lap. Putting them on as he cranked on the car. 

It was a short drive, for Chase, a long one for Ben as they finally made it to their destination. The minerals of Artist's Palette glimmered brightly in the sun, the otherwise boring ridge seemingly alive with magic. Sand trickled slowly down the side and into the basin and faint ridges of sand surfers could be seen. Most people drove through the scenery, but Chase knew Ben was reaching his car limit and what's more you couldn't see the bugs within a car. He pulled off to the side of a trail, parking them as he looked over to the passenger seat. [Color=585c74]”So? What'd y'a think?”[/color]

Ben held back a yelp, but only just barely as the floor dropped under him and he was back in the jeep. His heart was pounding. He checked his shoulder and the milkweed bug was still there. Ben watched the scenery as they drove up to Artist’s Palette Drive. The place [i]looked[/i] boring, but it wasn’t, not really. The desert was teeming with life and Ben sighed it all in. He liked living in the city, he wouldn’t change that for the world. But he also loved this. Loved nature. Just as he was about to start clawing at the door to be freed from the confines of the jeep Chase pulled over. 

[color=cde0e1]”This place is fantastic.”[/color] He hopped out of the car, not wanting to be in it a moment longer. Ben took a deep breath of air and tilted his head listening. Not with his ears. But with whatever sense that gave him feedback about the bugs. Even here in a place that appeared desolate they were everywhere. The ground teemed with them, typically just below the surface. The shrubs were home and food alike to them. It was so alive. 

Chase got out of the car and made his way over towards Ben, getting back into what was now both a familiar, comfortable, and natural position for him. His arms around Ben's waist, his head atop of his, as he softly spoke out staring at the scenery and feeling as Ben's quiet spoke volumes. [Color=585c74]”What's it feel like? What're they saying?”[/color] Chase closed his eyes, trying to listen to the life around them. [Color=585c74]”I want to feel what you feel.”[/color]

Ben leaned into Chase, letting him wrap him the hug. Soaking in the warmth of his body. He hadn’t spent many days without some skating or parkour. Today was still a good day. This felt right and good.

Ben considered how to describe it. He let it all wash over him. Thinking of how someone who couldn’t hear the life in the world around them could understand. Finally he started to speak, his voice was quiet, as if he were in a church and didn’t want to disturb the other worshipers in their quiet contemplation. 

[color=cde0e1]”Imagine, you’re in a crowded mall. Each store sells different things. Everyone around you is chattering. Sometimes you can pick up parts of the conversation, other times there is just too much chatter. The smells from the stores are enticing and make your stomach rumble. You’ve been hungry and thirsty for a long time, almost your whole life. And finally here you are at this mall where you can eat and drink and fuck all you’d like. That’s what it is like for them. For me, I am standing in that mall. I don’t need anything that is offered, but all of the stores are so beautifully decorated it doesn’t matter. And the people shopping there are just content. Not happy. There isn’t really a sense of things like happy for insects. But this mall is perfect for all of them. It has exactly what they need. So they are content. I don’t [i]hear[/i] it, not in the sense that my ears process the noise. I could cover my ears and I would still hear them. It’s like how you know there is wind or sun when you’re outside.”[/color] 

As Ben described the scene to him, explaining it in ways that painted not only a picture, but touched his very soul, Chase felt as all his walls dropped. He could see the mall, the people. Hear the sounds of murmured voices as he sat before the Food Court and closed his eyes to listen to the people all around him. Snapshots of lives, conversations, love, and laughter. It was a scene he was familiar with, a scene he desperately missed from his past life. 

He pulled Ben closer to him, tightening his arms around him as he breathed in, and loosening his grip when he exhaled. His head lowered, instinctively, subconsciously, as he gently pressed his lips against Ben's neck and kissed it. [Color=585c74]”Thanks…that…it's beautiful Ben.”[/color] His voice was soft, gentle, faraway. 

Ben froze. He tensed ever so slightly. Nerves getting the better of him. During the day he had gotten used to the almost casual physical affection. He had, through his life, had decent physical affection. From his parents, his family at large, and even from friends. In general, he was used to casual touches, hand holding, hugging, that sort of thing. Other than from his parents no one kissed him. This wasn’t on his lips, not a ‘real’ kiss. But it was a kiss. He felt it through his whole body. His stomach tightened. He didn’t know why. Didn’t understand his body’s natural responses. What he did know was he liked Chase. 

Chase had given him a fantastic day, even with being in the car for most of it, today had been great. And as he realized he had taken what was probably much too long to respond he relaxed and leaned back just a little more. 
[color=cde0e1]”Thank you. This,”[/color] he gestured around them. [color=cde0e1]”Is beautiful.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Yeah…”[/color] Chase leaned further into Ben as well. He hadn't noticed how long it took for Ben to answer him back, he hadn't even processed the fact that he had just kissed Ben's neck. He was just, in the moment. [Color=585c74]”And you get to pick where we sleep tonight from all the enjoying we'll visit. But…please not the badlands. I don't want my roll getting water logged on the first day while it's cold.”[/color]

Ben snorted, [color=cde0e1]”That’s fair. Maybe a rocky outcropping somewhere. There sure is plenty of that. And those areas will be less likely to have ants.”[/color] Ben could easily keep the ants, mosquitoes and all the other little things no one wants crawling into bed with them at bay. It was better to start in a location where there would be less effort in such things. This place was teeming with ants. 

[Color=585c74]”I love less ants. No offense, just not my cup of bugs you know? Now we have two options here. There's…not much in this part of the park, promise they aren't all barren wastelands, the last one on the trip I think you'll love. But, for here and now, we can either hop back in and drive around the sights of Artist's Palette or take that hiking trails and waltz around a bit. I'm fine with either, though if we hike we need to grab our waters and a snack or two.”[/color]

If given the option of being in the car or not, Ben would, 100% of the time pick not. Today was no different.

[color=cde0e1]”Hike,”[/color] he said without hesitation. 





[center][u][h2]Night time in Death Valley[/h2][/u][/center]


Night had finally fallen over Death Valley, the temperature having dropped significantly as the pair waited for the Rangers to clear out. He'd hidden the car in a place shadows would always fall so if they needed a quick escape it'd be ready for them. When the coast was clear he squeezed Ben's hand. [Color=585c74]”Ready?”[/color]

Ben nodded, squeezing back. The day had been wonderful, spicy foods and way too long in a car aside. He was tired. He had followed his uncle's rules. Matt had liked the photos. It gave him a good sense of “proof of life.” Now Ben was ready to lay down, stargaze, chat with his new bug friends, and eventually fall asleep. 

[Color=585c74]”Sweet.”[/color] Chase turned around in the car, shadows engulfing the bedroll, comforter, and a small messenger bag that held a few supplies, snacks, and water. All of it materialized at Zabriskie Point. It was probably the most famous local within Death Valley, though out of all the locations they visited, Chase preferred the Badwater Basin. From their vantage point, they could oversee the Furnace Creek rock formations, a veritable maze of rocks that woven into each other like currents of water, from there it was said the Sunrise was to die for. 

Next came the pair of them, and all the critters Ben had allowed to tag along. Chase had brought a small lantern, but was unsure about lighting it as he didn't want to reveal their location to the Rangers. He began to set up the bedroll, a nice cushiony white roll that had a multipatterned fitted sheet over it that was similar to a wimsy-goth quilted blanket. He placed his buffalo print comforter over it it and a few cushioned pillows on top. Chase had brought two as he typically used two, but he was willing to share one with Ben. The lantern sat beside them, unlit, along with the messenger bag that rested propped up against it. There was no light pollution, nothing to stop the brilliant glow of the stars above them. 

Ben helped set up camp. It would be cold. No doubt about that. It was January. And deserts got cold at night. Even this one. 

He kindly put pressure on the insects to stay away, except those who had joined them. Those he let wander, warning them to not get under foot or end up crushed. He couldn't do anything about spiders, unfortunately. But this spot seemed devoid of them.

Once camp was set up he sat so he could star gaze. Ben didn't know the constellations, not like he knew insects. 

[color=cde0e1]”I'm happy. I'm looking forward to what other stops we will have. But even if today was the only day. It has been so much fun.”[/color] He tapped the spot next to him, and waited for Chase to join him.

Chase's heart fluttered as Ben tapped the spot next to him for him to join. He sat down on the bedroll, wrapping one arm around Ben to help keep them both warm. [Color=585c74]”Im glad you're happy. I was so worried you'd think this would all be so…lame.  So to hear you had fun…thanks for saying yes Bug Boi. It meant a lot to me. “[/color] He pulled on Ben gently to move them both closer to each other, offering his shoulder as a place for Ben to rest his head if he wanted to.

 [Color=585c74]”You see those three stars up there, that forms Orion's belt, you can follow that to help form Orion the Hunter and over there is Canis Major, his dog, along with Sirius. Hard to miss that one.”[/color] Chase had fumbled slightly when he had begun talking about the belt, the name hitting him like an arrow as he was once again reminded of a lost friend. But he pushed on, wishing to share what little he recalled about the stars with a new friend. 

Ben smiled as Chase sat down next to him. He leaned over and placed his head on his shoulder. It felt natural. It felt right. Ben didn’t think about it beyond that. He did feel warm.

[color=cde0e1]“Go on. I don’t know the stars.”[/color] He had been talking all day about this insect or that insect. He had gone full infodump mode about it. 

[Color=585c74]”That one's Ursa Major, and within it is Asterism, though most people call it the Big Dipper. It's a great start to find when trying to get your bearings out in the wild. Sort of like nature's own compass. I…don't remember too many beyond that. Got my knowledge second hand and…well it's gotten rusty over time.”[/color] Chase leaned his head onto Ben's. 

[color=cde0e1]“What do you like? You’ve spent all day catering to my interests. What are yours?”[/color] That felt a little unfair in Ben’s heart. He considered what he knew about Chase. He liked skateboarding, he liked the T.V. show Merlin, he was adopted, and he liked shooting guns. Ben wasn’t much into the gun scene, but they had spent a day doing that with Uncle Matt. It had been a good day, but the space between them had been filled with someone else. Now Ben wanted to know what Chase himself enjoyed.  

Chase was taken aback, his breath hitched in his throat as Ben asked him about his own interests. He wanted to pull away, to let go and pull his legs back up to his chest and tell him nothing. But he couldn't do it. [Color=585c74]”I like…music, and drawing, and and painting and Arthurian legends, skateboarding obviously and I love the silence of night. I…”[/color] His fingers curled in, gripping Ben's shirt within his fist. [Color=585c74]”I don't know…so much has changed with me recently it's hard to want to go back to being normal, to [i]feeling[/i] normal. But I do know one thing at least…I like you.”[/color]

Ben was nodding along. He wasn’t surprised about the Arthurian legends considering his love for the show. His own hand, resting on his leg, tightened in time with Chase’s. Tightened more when Chase told him that he liked him. Chase liked him. Ben couldn’t be surprised about that either. Not really. The days since he had met Chase had shown him that. And Ben liked him too. But was that the same type of like? He didn’t know. A thought came to him. A little guilt budded around that. 

[color=cde0e1]”I like you too. But I don’t know if I like like you. If that makes sense. I’ve never liked anyone that way. Or well I don’t know. I’m new to this.”[/color] Ben sat up and looked at Chase, the light was dim, but he had adjusted to the night sky being the only source of light. 

Then, without much more of a pause, Ben closed his eyes and leaned forward. His lips puckered. He had in fact never kissed anyone before. He did not know what he was doing, and it was awkward. From media he knew to only go half way and let the other person close the distance. He kept his eyes closed to keep from seeing whatever Chase’s reaction was to it. 

Chase wasn't facing Ben, his eyes fixated on the horizon until he felt Ben shift beneath him and remove his head off his shoulder. He was about to tell him not to sweat the details on like or like like, Chase understood that more than anyone. Even he wasn't sure about all this. He'd never been with a guy before, never kissed one or dated. This was all new to him and only came about through several crashouts and a therapist. But when he turned to see what had Ben so quiet, his breathing stopped. Was Ben, did he? His stomach tightened and his mind raced to decide what he wanted. 

Fuck it. Chase slid the arm he had around Ben higher, using his other hand to gently press against Ben's chest as Chase shifted to hold him, and kiss him, as he laid him down on the bedroll. At first it was soft, gentle, wanting but unsure. But then he went in again, deeper and with more hunger behind the kiss as if his body had been starved of it all day.

Oh.

Ben’s brain went quiet.

He sank into the touch, into the kiss. 

The soft kiss had been nice, and his body was tingling. Everywhere that Chase touched felt like it was hotter than it should be. He let himself be laid down. He pulled Chase, he pushed the insects away so they wouldn’t get crushed on accident. 

He lost himself to the kiss and the touch of Chase. 

Ben hadn't stopped him. So Chase kept going, he kissed his cheek where ink still stood, he kissed down his neck making sure to get every inch of space he could, he pulled Ben in close as he straddled him, gripping his shirt in ways it was sure to loosen and leave wrinkles later. The hand that was on Ben's back slid under his shirt and trailed his spine upwards as he went back in to kiss his lips once more.

Ben’s body tightened. Chase’s hand was cool against his hot skin. It felt [i]really[/i] good. He moaned. The sound was quiet, but carried over the empty desert. Ben grinned. He slid his own hand under Chase’s shirt, his fingers tentatively touched, feeling Chase’s semi-defined abs. 

Chase tugged Ben's collar aside, stretching it out as he began to kiss down his neck and onto his collar and shoulders. Short hot breaths pressing against Ben's skin. His breath shuttered at Ben's touch, his stomach firming up, making his jeans hang a little looser as Chase both wished for Ben's hand to move lower and worried about what he was doing at all. He found a spot far enough down where any shirt would cover a mark and sunk into it. A gentle bite as he began to leave a hickey there worried about what Ben's Uncle would think if he saw it. 

Ben gasped and hissed. In pain and pleasure. It wasn’t real pain. He had broken a bone before, this was a gentle thing. It stung. More interesting was how the rest of his body reacted. He had had such reactions before, and had taken care of them. He had not experienced it [i]with[/i] someone. 

Ben was not thinking about his uncle as his hands explored Chase. He was only thinking about the moment. About the feel of Chase pressing against him. He knew that Chase had to be aware of how tight his trousers had gotten. Ben was equal parts embarrassed and uncaring. 

As Ben let his hands wander and explore Chase, one hand found Chase’s hip. His fingertips caressed the open space between clothing and skin. He didn’t want to go lower, he wanted to go lower, he did not go lower. 

Every movement of Ben's fingers made Chase wild. He was already grinding against him and as he felt Ben's hand wander lower. Chase removed himself from Ben's collar, kissing his lips softly once more before turning onto his side and staring back at the starry sky as he tried to even out his breathing. [Color=585c74]”Sorry I – oh man, I [i]really[/i] liked that. I just…if we kept going I don't…oh man.”[/color] He was out of breath, and in the thrall of pleasure. Turning to face Ben and then letting his eyes drift towards the bulge in Ben's pants. [Color=585c74]”Well hello Big Ben.”[/color]

Ben didn’t want it to stop. They [i]should[/i] stop. He let out a small whimper as Chase pulled away. He looked the other way, looked at the sky, looked at where he knew there were small insects. He too was out of breath and listening to Chase’s breathing was... intoxicating. 

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah. I think I liked that too.”[/color] His face was red. He felt hot all over. [color=cde0e1]”We should,”[/color] Ben cleared his throat. [color=cde0e1]”Maybe not continue.”[/color] Fuck. He wanted to continue. 

Chase turned on his side, facing Ben as he placed one hand on Ben's stomach just above his belt line. Lifting Ben's shirt slightly before tracing his finger along Ben's stomach. [Color=585c74]”If we continued I couldn't guarantee your clothes would stay on Big Ben.”[/color] His finger went down and traced along the hem of Ben's pant zipper before lifting up and going back onto his chest. He'd have to wait until Ben was asleep to relieve some of this pent up energy he now had. Great. 

[color=cde0e1]”I don’t think I’m ready for that.”[/color] Ben gasped when Chase touched his trousers. He was thankful that his hand returned to his chest. He was disappointed that Chase’s hand moved. The conflict was hard to decide. 

[color=cde0e1]”I think, though, that that answered the question. I do like you that way.”[/color] Ben liked boys. It was a simple enough thought. He was okay with it. He let that settle around him. 

[Color=585c74]”Well, ok this may be a bit awkward now. I…we do have to shower together in a few days time. But it would be…together…”[/color] Chase leaned in and gave Ben another kiss along his neck. [Color=585c74]”Now which way is it that you like me huh? I uh, didn't quite catch it.”[/color] He grinned under the moonlight before kissing the spot he had bitten.

[color=cde0e1]”T-t-together?”[/color] Ben stuttered. He whimpered with the kisses. [color=cde0e1]”I suppose, if asked, I’d say that I like like you.”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”Don't worry those dark little curls of yours Bug Boi, nothing's going to happen. I'll wash your back, you wash mine. Simple as that. Ok?”[/color] Hearing his whimpers was intoxicating. He pressed another kiss as he moved his body closer to Ben's, trying hard not to start it all over again but failing to control all his impulses. Chase bit his lower lip, staring at Ben as he lay there. [Color=585c74]”How sweet of you, I think I like like you too. You're…actually the first guy I've ever kissed…”[/color]

Ben did relax a little. He was still nervous at the idea of being naked. Of all of this. But he felt better. [color=cde0e1]”Alright.”[/color] He could deal with that. It would be okay.

[color=cde0e1]”Same.”[/color] He smiled, [color=cde0e1]”I’ve never kissed anyone before.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Could've fooled me. You were excellent.”[/color] Chase pulled the comforter over Ben as he slipped out of the bedroll for a moment. He began to take off his shirt, tossing it over the bag before removing his pants and keeping on his boxers. The clothing that had laid over the bag vanished and a new pair, sweatpants and an old band t-shirt, now lay folded on top. He put those on before slipping back into bed with Ben. [Color=585c74]”You bring any PJs?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”I could say the same about you.”[/color] Ben’s face got hot again when Chase started to change. He looked away. 

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah I did. In my bag.”[/color] 

Chase pulled Ben's bag out from the shadows, before tossing the bag over to Ben. [Color=585c74]”Well get them, c'mon.”[/color] He laughed. 

[color=cde0e1]”Thanks,”[/color] Ben took the bag and dug through it until he found his pjs. He considered how to change. Would he be bold like Chase? Or hide under the blanket? If he was under the blanket then he’d be next to Chase. Ben gave up and just stood up and changed as quickly as he could. His pjs, red, green, and black plaid, were a recent Christmas gift.

Unlike Ben, Chase did [i]not[/i] look away. He smiled as he watched Ben's shirt remove as well as his pants. [Color=585c74]”Didn't realize you were so excited to get out of your clothes there [i]Big[/i] Ben.”[/color] His gaze pointedly looking at Ben's boxers. [Color=585c74]”I'd say you could just stay in those for the night but it's a bit too cold for that.”[/color]

Ben shot Chase an embarrassed look. He quickly finished getting dressed, and then climbed under the blankets. [color=cde0e1]”The opinions of that are not being discussed.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Fine fine. I wont push it my little Bed Bug.”[/color] Chase scooted in closer to Ben again, wrapping his arms around him but now slipping his thumb beneath Ben's boxers band. He wasn't doing anything, just moving his thumb back and forth to feel the skin that was hidden away from sight. Kissing Ben's neck. 

At first Ben hadn’t really liked the nicknames that Chase kept calling him. He remembered that first meeting. That girl asking how long they had been dating. How annoyed he had been. He had just wanted to fade away. To disappear. He didn’t want that anymore. He liked the nicknames. He liked Chase. 

Ben couldn’t help it. He was enjoying this. His body enjoyed it. [i]He[/i] enjoyed it. He gasped. He moaned. He shivered a little. The winter cold of the desert was starting to set in. Even under the two blankets and curled up with Chase, it was cold. They’d probably regret this set up in the morning. But like so many other things on this trip that any other way or day he would have hated... he didn’t hate it. He didn’t care. He was having fun. 

Ben pressed against Chase. His own hands starting to explore more. They would learn more about each other soon. He wanted to explore Chase. 

Chase held Ben until he finally fell asleep. Giving him one final kiss before slipping out of the bed and grabbing a few items out of his back. Small sketchbook, his Rite in Rain pencil, and a travel kit of watercolors. He spent the first few hours of the night sketching Ben as he slept, different angles, looks, the way he remembered his smile, the face he made as he tried spiced food, all of it sketched within his pages. After that he sketched out the bugs they met using the pictures he had taken, each one painted by the water colors he had on hand and his favorite one sketched within the passport itself. 

It didn't take long beyond that for the loneliness to set in. Ben lay there asleep, and Chase had nowhere to go. No one to talk to, no board to skate on, nothing more to do to occupy the hours of the night. He hadn't thought that far ahead, hadn't considered that side effect of his curse. He quietly made his way back into the bed, once again wrapping his arm around Ben's waist as he stared off into the Horizon, quiet, waiting, hoping for a new day to dawn so that he could see his smile once more.


[center][u][h1]Jan 3rd[/h1][/u]
[u][h2]Sunrise in the Desert[/h2][/u][/center]

The sun began to rise far off in the horizon. Chase gently shook Ben awake as he watched him sleep. [Color=585c74]”Hey Big Ben, you're gonna miss the sunrise. Time to rise and shine big guy.”[/color]

Ben was not a morning person. He would happily sleep till noon. But right now was adventure time. He made some grumbling noises as he woke up and rubbed at his eyes. [color=cde0e1]”Good morning. You sleep okay?”[/color] Ben asked, sitting up.

Chase pressed a kiss against Ben's lips, hopefully giving him a bit more energy to get up. [Color=585c74]”Slept great thanks to you. You make an incredible cuddle buddy.”[/color]

Ben kissed Chase back, his face warming up. Despite how close they had gotten last night it was still all new to him. 

[color=cde0e1]”Thanks, I’m glad.”[/color] Ben got the rest of the way up and grabbed his bag from where it had been left the night before. He pulled out his jeans and a fresh shirt. Quickly Ben changed from his pjs into jeans and shirt. He shoved the pjs into the bag. 

[color=cde0e1]”What is the plan today?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”First you need to take those clothes back off.”[/color] Chase began removing his own, tossing them to the side but no new ones had come back up yet. He removed a pack of baby wipes and tossed one towards Ben and took one out for himself. [Color=585c74]”Time for a whores bath, then we can change. Ok?”[/color]

Ben reflexively caught the pack of baby wipes. But he was very confused. [color=cde0e1]”Whores bath?”[/color] He had never heard the term before and didn’t understand what was happening. The fact that Chase asked him to strip made his face heat up all over again. Even after last night. 

Chase opened up his pack, taking a wipe and rubbing it along his body as he began to speak. Scrubbing extra long on certain parts, mainly pits, groin, anywhere that sweat would pool and create scent. [Color=585c74]”Yes. Wipe yourself ‘clean’ with those so that we don't create much of a funk until we get to a point where we will shower. I've got some deodorant packed too to use after we finish wiping, or do you need me to help?”[/color] His eyes instantly falling back down to Ben's crotch as he asked.

[color=cde0e1]”I-i-i can do it myself. I just have never heard of that before,”[/color] Ben said. He sighed and then removed his clothes and started to wipe himself down. He turned so that he wasn’t looking at Chase. Giving him privacy but also giving himself some too. He felt so awkward. 

Ben went through the motions of scrubbing himself as quickly as possible. He was not as thorough as he should have, or could have been. As soon as he was finished he quickly pulled his clothing back on.  

Chase pulled out a small tin jar with a lid on it, tilting it so Ben could place his wipes within it. Chase's having already entered. [Color=585c74]”Leave no trace. Rule one of the parks.”[/color] He still hadn't placed his clothes on.

Ben kept his eyes up. He put the wipes into the tin. Chase was not making this easy on him. [color=cde0e1]”Right. Don’t want the wildlife to come across something they shouldn’t. It’d be bad for them.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Exactly. See you get it. What I don't get is why you keep looking away. I [i] know[/i] you like the view. “[/color]

Ben’s face was red hot. He knew he had to be practically glowing. [color=cde0e1]”I [i]do,[/i] but I also...”[/color] Ben trailed off. [color=cde0e1]”Am too nervous.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”I'm just teasing you. I know.”[/color] Chase beckoned his clothing from the car, putting on a fresh pair of jeans and shirt. He grabbed the bedroll, sheets, and everything else and began to pack it up. Tossing them into Ben's shadow to send them back towards the car so that it didn't look like they had slept there. He turned Ben's shoulders to face the sunrise, the view. [Color=585c74]”Enjoy it.”[/color]

Ben let himself be turned to face the sunrise. This was the perfect place for the sunrise. They had picked a great spot. He smiled. As nervous as Ben was he still relaxed into the beauty of it all. He was enjoying it. 

Chase sat down, he had sketched out the scenery the night before. Now he was able to paint it with the colors of the sunrise using his watercolors. Some of the other sketches could be seen on the other page of the open book. 

Ben looked over at the art that Chase had done. [Color=585c74]”Oh wow. You’re good.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Please. It's nothing really.”[/color] Chase tried to hide the page, going to tilt the book up a bit. [Color=585c74]”It helps me when I can't sleep. Gives me something to do, to relax.”[/color] His cheeks felt hot, embarrassment brushing past him from the compliment.

[Color=cde0e1]”No really, you are good,”[/color] Ben insisted. [Color=cde0e1]”It looks like you did a few last night.”[/color] His voice softened. Had Chase not slept well last night? He said he had. 

[Color=585c74]”What can I say? I had a beautiful muse with me last night. So I was able to get a few out.”[/color] Chase smiled at Ben as he placed his brush down, allowing for the paint to dry before he could close his book. 

Ben smiled. [Color=cde0e1]”I assume you mean the insects, they are super cool.”[/color] His grin grew, his voice teasing. 

Chase couldn't help but chuckle, rolling his eyes at Ben as he slowly began to turn and placed himself over Ben's lap, straddling him once more. [Color=585c74]”Yeah, definitely the bugs. They inspired me to want to say how much I want to, well not fuck…but fool around. So, tell them I said thank you for me.”[/color] Chase tilted Ben's chin up towards him and began to kiss him.

Ben’s gut tightened as Chase climbed on top of him. He did want to fool around too. He felt so weird and awkward about it all though. When Chase started to kiss him, he melted a little and kissed back, wrapping his arms around Chase. 

[Color=cde0e1]”They do enjoy screaming about wanting to...”[/color] Ben cleared his throat nervously. [Color=cde0e1]”Fuck. I’ll tell them.”[/color] 

Chase had found his favorite chalice, and he wanted nothing more than to drink deep from it every time he said something remotely dorky. He could already feel himself wanting a bit more as his lips found their way around Ben's neck before pulling away.  [Color=585c74]”Thanks Bug Boi, for letting them know and this beautiful view.”[/color]

Ben was at a loss for words. He couldn’t decide if the neck kisses were ticklish or enjoyable. He couldn’t decide a lot of things. Except that this was the best trip ever. Even if he had to spend hours in the car. 

He could sit here with Chase the whole rest of the trip. He did want to see the rest of the spots Chase had planned. But he also was just happy. He hadn’t been happy since his parents' deaths. He leaned into Chase and took a deep breath. His heart pounded and he suddenly felt the urge to move. Contradictions upon contradictions. 

[Color=585c74]”Ready for some breakfast, big guy? Figure we can hit an American diner, get some grub and then we're on the road again to our next destination. What do you say?”[/color] Chase didn't wait for the answer before burying himself in Ben's neck again with kisses, waiting to hear what he wanted to do.

Ben giggled as the kisses tipped over into fully ticklish. [Color=cde0e1]”Food is good,”[/color] he said between gasping breaths of laughter. 

Chase spoke in-between kisses. [Color=585c74]”Awe – But I – Was enjoying – My snack.”[/color] When he pulled away he hooked a finger into Ben's shirt collar again and moved it to the side to see his work from the night before. [Color=585c74]”Sick.”[/color] He snapped a pic before turning to show Ben. [Color=585c74]”Don't tell your Old Man, he might kill me.”[/color]

Ben laughed. When he saw the picture though he got nervous again. [Color=cde0e1]”He might kill me too. That’s a definitely don’t tell Uncle Matt thing.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Oh Benny Boi, you're absolutely dangerous. C'mon let's go get some grub. You'll love and hate it all at once. No beans and toast though.”[/color]

[center][u][h2]Breakfast at Denny’s[/h2][/u][/center]


After some time back on the road, as Chase searched for the Holy Grail of breakfast diners, he finally saw the tell-tale signs of what he had been looking for. The California sun reflected brilliantly off of the fully chromed building. The word ‘Diner’ spelled out in bright large red letters. A classic 1957 Chevy Corvette sat in front of the diner. It had white walled tires, a baby blue body with white accents, and white convertible roof. [Color=585c74]”Awe man, see that’s the car I was originally going to snag for this trip. Morgan said this one would be better for us, and well… ok she was right it has way more personality and has really worked.”[/color]

Ben gaped a little at the [i]classic[/i] American diner. He had seen things like this in movies. He didn’t think they were still around. 

[Color=cde0e1]”I think I would have gone crazy in that car, even with the roof down.”[/color] 

Chase sighed. [Color=585c74]”Yeah…Morgan's always right. It's…kinda annoying sometimes.”[/color] He got out of the Jeep and helped Ben out his side before taking them indoors to snag a table for two. The interior was just as classic as the exterior. Every booth had plush red leather with white trim, the table edges were chromed just like the building. The floor was a checkered pattern, and a jukebox sat in the corner of the restaurant. They were sat in a booth at the back corner of the restaurant, somewhere private where they wouldn't be disturbed.

[color=cde0e1]”Well she can see the future.”[/color] Ben let Chase help him. It wasn't needed but it was kind. He looked around the restaurant with his mouth slightly open. Appreciating the nostalgia of the place, even as a non-American. 

Menus we handed over, the plastic slightly sticky with age, the options a plethora of strange American delights. Ben was in fact a little overwhelmed. He wanted to try the quintessential American breakfast.

[color=cde0e1]”Okay, so what should I try?”[/color] He asked as he looked over the menu. [color=cde0e1]”I was the most classic American diner meal you could imagine.”[/color]

Chase pointed onto Ben's menu showing him the best possible option. [Color=585c74]”The All American Slam! Eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and toast. The perfect breakfast to start off the day.”[/color]

Ben nodded, that was a lot of food. But he didn’t mind. He ate a lot. His uncle had at one point asked if he had a hollow leg. 

[color=cde0e1]”Sounds good.”[/color] He hoped this place had tea. He was willing to try new stuff, but he wanted [i]tea[/i] for breakfast. 

An older woman appearing to be in her mid 40’s to early 50's came over to their table. There was an old clicky pen with with dinged masking tape wrapped around the spot she'd hold it. Her glasses hung halfway down her nose, a chain running from the legs of her glasses to behind her neck. Her voice was honed with the brillance of a chain smoker as she placed one hand on her hip and looked at the boys sat before her. 

“Good mornin’ sweeties, my names Margaret but you can call me Marge. I'll be your server for the morning while you're here if you need anything holler. Do you need a bit more time with your menus or are you ready to order?”

Chase placed his menu down, wanting to slide it towards the waitress but finding it more difficult than he expected given its sticky surface. [Color=585c74]”We'll do two All American Slams please, one has the eggs Sunny Side up, Fried, and a cup of coffee black is fine. The other has…Benny Boi how do you like your eggs?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Scrambled please. Do you have tea?”[/color] Please, Ben mentally begged, don’t have it be the abomination that is American Sweet tea.

The waitress smiled, a false lash threatened to remove itself from position as she did so. “Of course we do sweetie! We have Lipton Black Tea and a Raspberry Tea. We also do Iced Teas sweet or unsweet whichever is your pleasure.”

[color=cde0e1]”No Earl Grey or English Breakfast?”[/color] Ben asked hopefully. 

The waitress gave a polite laugh, having no idea what the kid was asking her. “Lipton Black it is sweetheart. I'll go place those orders in right away for you two ok?” Without so much as giving them the chance to respond, she was off. Her voice could be heard from behind the kitchen as she yelled out their order to a man named Sal, at least it sounded like it should be their order but clearly coded in a way the boys themselves may not understand. 

Chase raised an eyebrow at Ben, a smile plastered on his face as the corners twitched while he tried to hold back some laughter. [Color=585c74]”Earl Grey or English? Sorry Benny but joints like this won't have anything like that. Starbucks might though…”[/color] Maybe he'd drive past one to treat Ben. 

[color=cde0e1]”The bar was low, yet this place has failed me.”[/color] Ben sighed. [color=cde0e1]”I feel like those are some really basic types of tea. I’m not asking for anything crazy. They don’t even have proper herbal tea.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Lipton is the basic tea here. English or Earl is a bit more fancy pants. I should've packed some tea for you. Dammit, I'm sorry man.”[/color] Chase crossed his arms on the table and laid down atop them pouting. 

[color=cde0e1]”It is fine. If we go to a supermarket I can get some. Uncle Matt did give me some money.”[/color] There was no way Matt would have let Ben be gone so long without some back up money. 

[color=cde0e1]”I suppose I’ll be trying the Lipton tea.”[/color] He shrugged. 

[Color=585c74]”Yeah but I knew what you liked and I still forgot to prepare for it. It's fine, we'll get you some yet. Oh! You take cream with yours right? You may want to ask her for some otherwise you may not get any.”[/color] Chase slid the white ceramic container of sugar packets over towards Ben. [Color=585c74]”That's your sugar options. I just usually make piles with them but I suppose you could use em.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah I do. I’ll ask her when she comes back. Thank you.”[/color] He picked from the collection of sugar, the plain white sugar. He did not care for any of the fake sugars, and did not want to think how raw sugar would taste in his tea.

[color=cde0e1]”What’s your favorite drink?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Here or in general?”[/color] Chase snagged the Sweet n Low packets and began tearing them open and pouring them out onto the napkins placed before him. 

[color=cde0e1]”General.”[/color] Ben watched what Chase was doing with interest. 

Chase watched as the sugar trickled out of the packet with extreme interest, thinking about Ben's question. [Color=585c74]”Malt Milkshake. You?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Tea, everytime. It is [i]the[/i] drink.”[/color] Ben says confidently. [color=cde0e1]”Though a milkshake is good.”[/color] 

Chase couldn't help but laugh. Of course it was tea. Next he'd be telling him his favorite dish was Fish N Chips. [Color=585c74]”You're proper bri'ish aren't ya govna?”[/color]

The waitress came back with a tray holding all the food. Placing various plates in front of Ben, one holding the eggs, hash, bacon, and sausage, another holding a stack of pancakes, and the final holding the toast. She then placed similar plates before Chase and gave them both glasses of water, a pot of coffee for Chase, and a small white ceramic mug with the logo for Denny's holding a teabag and hot water. She tossed straws onto the table as she spoke to them. “Alright sweeties, here we are. Two American Slams, one Sunny another Scrambled with Tea and Coffee. Do we need anything else?”

[color=cde0e1]”Cream, please.”[/color] He felt weird asking for it. At home it would be automatic. But here he was having to request it. Not only request cream but it was Lipton! Once the waitress had left Ben nodded. 

[color=cde0e1]”Born and raised in London.”[/color] 

“You got it sweetie.” The waitress winked at Ben before heading off to grab the cream. 

[Color=585c74]”Think maybe you could make me some proper fish n chips then? Or maybe when my powers get strong enough, I can take us to London and you can give me the tour. Have me try your foods and sweets and those Jimmy dooogies.”[/color]

The waitress came back and dropped off a small bowl of creamer packets. Various flavours ranging from Vanilla to Hazelnut, with a few that had no flavour at all. 
“There you go, you enjoy now.” 

Chase had already grabbed the container full of maple syrup and absolutely doused his pancakes in them until the plate looked more like a soup of syrup with some pancakes alongside it.

Ben gave Chase a flat look as he called them ‘jimmy dooogies.’ He didn’t otherwise respond to that. As he searched for the no flavour packets of cream to add to his Lipton, dear god LIPTON tea, he spoke. 

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah, I’d love to show you around. It’s a great city. Way easier to get around than here.”[/color] Once he had made something resembling a cup of tea, he tucked in to start eating. 

The food was... different. It was fine. He added salt. He could eat this. 

[Color=585c74]”Could show me all the great snogging spots. Here try this.”[/color] Chase cut off a square of his syrup drenched pancakes and offered up the bite to Ben.

Ben snorted, almost choking on his current bite of food. After he coughed and took a sip of his tea, ew that was not tea. He coughed again.

[color=cde0e1]”I don’t know the snogging spots. I’ve never snogged anyone before you.”[/color] He still obediently took the bite of pancakes. It was sweet. But he liked it. Ben nodded.

[color=cde0e1]”That’s good.”[/color] He picked up the syrup and added that to his plate of pancakes. 

[Color=585c74]”Then I suppose we’ll just have to find and make our own spots huh?”[/color] Chase cut off another piece and took a bite, moaning softly at the buttery flavour of it all with the sweet rich syrup mixed in. [Color=585c74]”Quite.”[/color] He said in a fake British accent before taking another bite. 

[color=cde0e1]“I actually like it.”[/color] Ben defended. He looked a little confused. Not at the British accent though. 

[Color=585c74]”I'm glad, honestly was afraid you wouldn't like it since it's just diner food. I think it's better than people give it credit for.”[/color] Chase beamed before snagging a piece of bacon and chewing it. He noticed Ben's face however and his expression softened. [Color=585c74]”Unless you're just saying that to make me feel better. It's ok if you don't like it…”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Not make you feel better. I [i]do[/i] like it. The food [i]is[/i] good, not quite, but actually good.”[/color] Ben was even more confused. 

Chase ran his hand through his hair as he sat back in the booth. [Color=585c74]”How can it be both not quite and actually good? Is it not quite or is it good? I'm confused man.”[/color] At this point he'd abandoned his fork and knife all together, focusing more on the conversation at hand than his own food. 

[color=cde0e1]”Good yes.”[/color] Ben had also paused in his eating. [color=cde0e1]”If it were quite good, that’s like me being sarcastic. That means it is basically not good.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Now that just doesn't make a lick of sense Benny Boi. If something was quite good it means its like better than good but not exactly [i]really[/i] good but still high praise. Unless you used like, a sarcastic tone. Then that changes everything.”[/color] Chase grabbed his black coffee and took a sip.

[color=cde0e1]“Quite is always bad.”[/color] Ben shook his head. [color=cde0e1]“It is like ‘the public transit in America is quite good.’”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”It most certainly is [i]not[/i] quite good. It's, what I believe you'd call, rubbish.”[/color] Chase rolled his eyes before drinking a bit more. Ben was clearly talking nonsense. 

[color=cde0e1]”Yes, it is rubbish.”[/color] Ben nodded emphatically. [color=cde0e1]”That’s the point.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”You're weird.”[/color] Chase decided before taking another bite of his food. Stopping mid chew as he looked back up at Ben and realized what he'd just said. [Color=585c74]”But in a good way. I like it. I like weird.”[/color]

Ben sighed, he wasn’t sure what wasn’t clear. He kind of gave up though and went back to eating too. [color=cde0e1]”I like you too. I like your weird.”[/color] 

Chase moved his leg, brushing it up against the side of Ben's. [Color=585c74]”Yeah? What else you like about me?”[/color] His voice a little raspy as he asked.

Ben blushed as Chase’s leg brushed his own. [color=cde0e1]”I like how thoughtful you are. How funny you are. How compassionate you can be about old weird t.v. shows. Ilikeyourface,”[/color] He said the last part very quickly as if it were all one word. 

Chase's smile grew the more Ben talked, he continued eating but was a bit more bashful about it now. [Color=585c74]”I uh, didn't quite catch that last part. You wanna lick my face?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”That is not what I said.”[/color] Ben’s eyes were wide with embarrassment. [color=cde0e1]”Like. I. Like. Your. Face.”[/color] This time he said each word with careful enunciation.

Chase's smile grew wider. Pure admiration in his eyes as he looked at Ben. Ben hadn't known him before, he wouldn't know the way he used to look, the way the experiments took everything from him. He didn't know a Chase who had color to his skin or without the dark circles under his eyes. Yet somehow he still liked the way he looked. [Color=585c74]”Christ on a pogostick. I - I don't know what to say. Honestly you're too sweet and too good for me.”[/color] Chase managed to stammer out before picking at his food once more. 

[color=cde0e1]”Says the guy who planned a whole sequence of National Parks visits around the fact that I like insects.”[/color] Ben raised an eyebrow as he bit into a piece of bacon. Okay, that wasn’t good. It was very floppy. Ew. 

[Color=585c74]”No I'm nothing more than a monster.”[/color] The words came out mumbled, low, and with a vocal fry. The comment clearly not meant to be heard by anyone but himself as he stared at his plate. [Color=585c74]”You were new to the states, and I don't…I…wanted to show you around. I hadn't expected any of the snogfest. But I'm also not complaining about it either and frankly wouldn't mind more of it. I just…I like you ok? So…I want you to have a good time. That's all.”[/color]

Ben tilted his head. Fear bolted through him. He put the fork down. [color=cde0e1]”Hey, a few things. You have done nothing, as far as I know, that would make you a monster. You’ve been kind and cool the whole time. I initiated the snogging, if you remember. If I hadn’t liked kissing you I would have told you. Might have made the rest of the trip awkward, but I did like it. I like you. I am having a good time. None of that makes you a monster.”[/color] 

Chase gripped his fork tighter, he couldn't meet Ben's eyes, staring at his food was easier. Running was always easier. [Color=585c74]”Sorry. I didn't  mean…”[/color] He could feel the shadows dancing around the edges of his feet as he tried to control his emotions. [Color=585c74]”I didn't always look like this. It…came with the powers. I'm not used to it yet…used to me yet.”[/color]

Ben was quiet for a moment. He was really looking at Chase, his freckles, the paleness of his skin, the ever present dark circles under his eyes.

[color=cde0e1]”What are your powers? How did they change you? You look... normal.”[/color] Ben shrugged. [color=cde0e1]”Maybe not normal, tired, I guess. But you don’t look hideous? What could you have possibly looked like before that makes you think you don’t look fine?’[/color] 

Chase was silent for a moment. Finally deciding to dig out his cellphone and open up an app he hadn't used in a while, his Filterella. He went to his own page and slid the phone to Ben, not even looking at the images himself. All of them showed someone who had more life to them. Warm colored skin, rosey peach lips, not dark circles and his hair was a lighter shade of brown. He looked normal. [Color=585c74]”Like that, and you've seen my powers. The shadows, they're like… a part of me. I can feel them, move them, go through them or shape them.”[/color]

Ben took the phone and spent a moment looking at the images there. Chase was cute before, but that didn’t diminish how cute he was now. He frowned. Ben could kind of understand. If he had gained a scar during terrigenisous or something else he would probably hate it too. He had lost his parents in the same moment he had gotten powers. Gaining powers was all he had ever wanted. But now, he’d take it all back if it meant he had his parents still. 

[color=cde0e1]“Okay. I still like your face. I enjoyed last night.”[/color] He passed the phone back. [color=cde0e1]“Yeah you look less... alive.”[/color] He said the last word with a slight uptilt to it, as if he was unsure if that was what he really meant. 

[color=cde0e1]“None of that makes you a monster. Your power is kind of neat. It's a very active power. Something that can be used for all kinds of things. I can talk with bugs, I have a heightened sense of propreciption.”[/color] Ben butchered the last word. He sighed, [color=cde0e1]“I’m very good at climbing walls whatever. I’m not Spiderman. I’m not going to be saving lives. You could. Imagine someone is about to get hit by a car, you can pull them out of danger. Or someone is trapped in a collapsed building, you can save them. The only thing that would make you a monster is if you didn’t try. If you have the ability to help and don’t that’s what makes monsters, that and people who actively put others in harms way. Actually the latter one is way more of a monster. So as long as you aren’t doing that, you’re fine.”[/color] 

Chase sat there and wondered to himself. How was this kid so absolutely amazing in every conceivable way? There was a pang of guilt within him towards the end however as he wondered if Ben would look at him differently if he knew how many he'd murdered when his powers awakened. If he knew the reason he was orphaned was because he killed his own family. No, he was a monster, but Ben didn't need to see that part of him. He didn't need to ruin his perception of reality.  

Chase slid out from the booth, walking over to Ben's side before he placed one hand down on the table and leaned in to give Ben a kiss. [Color=585c74]”You are amazing, you know that? And I think your powers are very cool. You may not be Spiderman, but you're certainly my hero.”[/color] He sat down next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders as he gave a half hug. 

Ben smiled, he kissed Chase back. He scooted over enough so Chase could sit comfortably next to him. He wrapped his arm around him. 

[color=cde0e1]“My parents tried,”[/color] he said, his voice suddenly heavy with thoughts about them. [color=cde0e1]“Thank you.”[/color] His voice this time was clearer, back to normal. Ben leaned against Chase. He picked up his fork again and took another bite of food. 

[color=cde0e1]”So now that we’ve cleared the air on that. What’s the plan for today?”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Find a dark alley and see where our bodies take us?”[/color] 

Ben’s eyes went wide. Snogging was fine; he wasn't sure if he was ready for ‘where our bodies take us’. He almost choked on his food. Why was he [i]always[/i] eating when Chase said something like that. 

[color=cde0e1]”Uh...”[/color] 

Chase ruffled Ben's hair. [Color=585c74]”Its a joke Bug Boi. I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet, as much as my body seemed to want to last night. Lets stick to snogging and when the mood takes you by all means lead the way. But I figured since we have a bit of a drive we can make it to the next destination and try and find a hotel to crash for a quick shower tomorrow morning. Yes, together.”[/color] Chase moved his plate closer so that he could begin to eat his food again now that the existential dread was slipping away.

Ben was hot in the face again. He knew his cheeks had to be burning red. [color=cde0e1]”Okay, that sounds good.”[/color]