Alternate Universes: Family Issues

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



The teen whimpered at the sound of someone coming in, already expecting a beating fro his step-siblings. Hearing instead the kinder Darrell's voice, Benjamin raised his head to look at him. "D-Darrell?" he sniffed, then suddenly surged forward to wrap his arms around his step-brother's waist and hold on tightly. "Y-you've got to st-stop Armageddon!" he cried, looking up at his brother with wide, panicked eyes. "He's gonna yell at Zeke and Gus and get me in even MORE trouble with them!" Squeezing his eyes shut, he curled into the man's body and trembled in fear. "I do-don't want th-th-them to be-beat me up ag-again..."

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


Not expecting the hug, Darrell was surprised when he was lunged at. After recovering, he put his arms around Ben to comfortingly hug him back. "It's alright. Zeke and Gus will be angry, but they wouldn't dare disobey father." he assured while gingerly stroking the boy's hair. Ben's trembling body was so small in his arms, it was as if the tiniest of squeezes could shatter him to pieces. What a fragile body, he thought.
Moving a hand, Darrell gently put a hand to Ben's cheek and stroked it with his thumb. "If they try something, I'll protect you. I won't let them touch you." he promised with a soft smile.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



"Y-you really th-think so?" he stuttered, looking up with red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Silver hair escaped his ponytail, framing his sweet face in the small sunlight that seemed to illuminate the metal-colored strands. Licking over his lips slightly to wet them, the teen moved to sit up a bit, still close enough for Darrell to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes, leaning into the soothing hand and letting his mouth curve into a barely-there smile. "Th-thank you, Darrell. You're s-so kind."

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


Darrell smiled softly when he saw how much better Ben got. He opened his mouth to say something, but lost his words when he saw the boy's new pose. That tender yet still fragile look on his face, his long silky hair. Darrell had never seen such beauty before, not even on paintings of goddesses. The white-haired man closed his lips and breathed through his nose, trying to steady his now rapid heartbeat. "I... Uh, it's no problem at all." he smiled softly and slowly took his hand off of his cheek. "Come on, why don't we go back inside?" he suggested while getting up to his feet and held his hand out for Ben to take.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



Benjamin took the older man's hand and stood, using his free hand to brush silver hair from his face. "Alright," he said, smiling sweetly up at him and continuing to hold his hand. "Can we stop by the kitchen first, though? I should probably put away the rest of the ziti in case Armageddon gets hungry again later."

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


"I suppose we could. It's on the way back, anyway." Darrell agreed and walked him out of the Greenhouse. He strolled through the beautiful garden with him, relishing the feeling of his hand, although he still felt it strange to enjoy such feelings towards another male, no matter how beautiful he was. They reached the kitchen and Darrell looked over at Ben, letting go of his hand to give him room to do whatever he needed.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



"Yay!" cheered the young man, scampering deeper into the kitchen once he was released. After closing up the last of the ziti in a small box and setting it in the fridge, Benjamin turned back to Darrell and walked over, wrapping both his arms around one of his step-brother's and nuzzling it with his head. "I want to thank you for being so nice to me, Darrell. You really don't need to be, but I really appreciate it. If there's anything I can do you, don't hesitate to ask, okay?" With a nod, he pulled away and reached up to brush his hair away again before gesturing to the door. "Are... Are we going back to the living room?"

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


Darrell smiled softly at Ben and was just about to lead him back when he felt his arm get nuzzled. He felt heat rise in his cheeks at the affection. Why did this embarrass him when it would get annoying when Gus did it to him? For a moment, for only a brief moment, he wanted to hold Ben's cheek and say, 'You can give me your body.' Darrell put his free hand on his forehead and tried to rub away the vulgar thought. What on earth is happening to me? he thought.
Hearing Ben's question, he set his hand down and nodded dumbly. "Er... Yes. Let's-" Before he could finish talking, there was an explosion from the living room.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



"Oh my! What was that?!" gasped Ben, completely releasing his step-brother and starting forward. He reached for the door, touching the knob and swallowing back a lump. "I... I'm going to check it all out." He turned the knob, pushing the door and going out.

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


The door opened faster and easier than normal, but that was because Armageddon was opening it at the same time. He blinked when he saw Ben and helped him stay steady. "Go get some rest." he told him. "Meg'll look after your bruises later." He walked out of the room and outside to who knows where.
Meanwhile, Gus was on his knees, his hands to his face as tears ran down. He sobbed in mourning for a lost and invaluable friend, one who had been with him for so long, through thick and thin. He cried before the smashes bits of his Xbox 360, the innocent victim of his father's rage.
Zeke, on the other hand, was pissed. If it hadn't been for that bratty, snot-nosed freak they'd still be able to have their game! Turning his head at some noises, Zeke hesitated at the sight of Ben. "You!" he snarled and began storming up to him. "You punk! Where the hell do you get off tattling on us, you little-!" Before he could swing a blow at him, Darrell got between them.
"Calm down. We'll get you an Xbox One later, so go take care of Gus for now." he instructed with a serious gaze.
Zeke didn't want to calm down, though. He wanted revenge. He wanted to punch Ben's sweet little face in and break his teeth so he couldn't tattle anymore. But he couldn't do that with Darrell acting as a stupid guardian. Settling for sneering at Ben, Zeke angrily turned around and stormed back to his lamenting brother.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



Everything was happening so fast, from Armageddon practically running into him, to Zeke barreling towards him with an angry fist. He closed his eyes and flinched in preparation for the fist, only to find himself protected by his eldest step-brother. Reaching out a shaky hand, the teen gripped the back of Darrell's shirt and set his forehead on his back. "Y-you should've j-just let him h-hit me," he whispered, still shaking. "N-now he's g-gonna come and h-hit me later." Ben opened his eyes and looked up at the man, biting his lower lip. "C-can you walk me t-to my room? I should pro-probably take a sh-shower before be-bed."

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


"If he does then I'll just have to stay nearby." Darrell said and turned to look down at the male, smiling softly. "Come on. I'll look after you today." he insisted and gently led the boy up the stairs and to his room.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



"Thank you so much, Darrell," said Benjamin quietly once they were in his room, by then having released the man. He stood off to the side, not sure what to do. He needed to bathe, that was certain, but he couldn't take his clothes off in front of Darrell. He'd see the bruises and- OH!
With a smile, he pointed to the computer station. "Pl-please, entertain yourself," he said, backing up to the bathroom door. "I won't take long, I promise." After opening the door, the teen closed it behind himself and let out a breath. He started towards the large tub inset into the ground, more like a ground-level hot-tub than a bath. He slowly stripped, setting the clothes in the hamper as the water filled the tub. Ben then stepped into the tub, standing in the middle and sighing softly as the water warmed him. Standing in the deepest part, the water came up to his bellybutton, something that Benjamin really loved. He ducked under the water, rising out and taking a soapy loufa to his wet, smooth skin that was covered in dark purple bruises. He tried to be gentle, hissing every now and then at the pain. How could he have let things come to this?

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Mayah Playah

Darrell


As Ben rushed off, Darrell sat on his edge of his bed and let out a sigh. This wasn't good. He was getting such conflicting feelings for his step-brother, and now he had to watch over him for perhaps a week because of how murderous Zeke was at the moment! As he waited, Darrell closed his eyes and reflected. He remembered when he first met Ben. Ben was such an energetic and spunky boy, he thought they would never get along. And now? That very spunky boy was a beautiful, fragile flower that he wanted so badly to caress and nurture. This was new to him, these feelings towards another male, but... he welcomed them.

 

[Mayah Playah]

⊗ βenjamin Ғoster ⊗



Ben sighed softly as he started to scrub his hair, the soap running down his face as he worked the shampoo into his hair. Darrell was probably just a ways away, keeping himself occupied on the computer, or possibly even by the bookshelf, knowing how bookish the elder male was. The slender teen pursed his lips as a bit of shampoo got into his eyes, ducking underwater in an attempt to get it out. Once his hair was free of shampoo, he reached for the bottle of conditioner and squirted it onto his palm, rubbing that through his hair as well. He sat on the steps in the water, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "Arwen, I wish you were here," he whispered, closing his eyes and remembering the image of his precious big sister. But she was gone, fighting for a different cause, and she'd left her baby brother to fight on his own against his cruel step-brothers.
He grunted as he sat up a bit, the large bruise on his back throbbing from the work. He didn't even know how to begin to ask Meg to take care of him. It was just better to heal naturally, wasn't it? Much less awkward.

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