I made a short! Let's call it "Lightning Strikes."
I swear this place is not dead. Just sleeping. A lot. Occasionally someone will return to kiss it and wake it up. Like now. Enjoy!
The only time Ben doesn’t sleep like a log is during a thunderstorm. Kevin used to tease him about it, until they started sleeping in the same bed. Then he got to hear the nightmares. Worse, he had to try and calm Ben down after one.
Realizing you’re the source of your boyfriend’s nightmares pretty much sucks the humor out of the situation.
He starts to get it when Ben starts screaming at Kevin, “No, I’m sorry! I didn’t know! Don’t touch me!” But he doesn’t completely understand until he notices that it’s the flashes of lightning triggering those screams, and not the thunder. Bright, crackling lightning, like the kind that used to surge from Kevin’s fingertips.
And Kevin thinks it’s no wonder Ben couldn’t trust him for so long…he’s been haunting the poor kid since they met. His rage, his vengeance, his power.
Ben comes out of it shaking, curls up against the headboard and doesn’t look at Kevin for a moment. Needs to decompress, Kevin figures. He gets an idea, a dumb one, but his smart ideas had never panned out so well. He was better at picking something to do and rolling with it.
He concentrates on the palm of his hand, and very carefully, conjures up a tiny spark. It flits about on his fingertips like a playful sprite. Ben looks up at the light, eyes widening in horror, preparing himself for another nightmare.
Kevin just holds it out to him. “Doesn’t have to hurt, Ben. It can be…good.” I can be good.
Ben stares at him for a moment, then reaches out, hesitant, to touch Kevin’s hand. He jumps a little when the spark jumps to his fingertip, then disappears, tickling all the way up his arm, making his hair stand on end. Ben shudders, a little, but he smiles.
"Like that electro-ball thing in the science museum," he says. "Used to love that thing when I was a kid."
Kevin dares to scoot a little closer, and Ben lets him slide right up to his side. “Yeah, me too.” Well, he liked making the thing go haywire and scaring the shit out of people when he was a kid, but…Ben doesn’t need to know that.
It’s enough that he’s smiling again.
"I don’t think I can fall asleep right now…can we sit up for a while?" The hero leans against Kevin’s side, sighing softly. "We don’t even have to talk…I just…can’t go to sleep yet."
"Sure. Whatever you need."
Neither of them moves until the rain stops outside…but every time there’s a lightning flash, Ben reaches for Kevin’s hand. That’s good enough.
The only time Ben doesn’t sleep like a log is during a thunderstorm. Kevin used to tease him about it, until they started sleeping in the same bed. Then he got to hear the nightmares. Worse, he had to try and calm Ben down after one.
Realizing you’re the source of your boyfriend’s nightmares pretty much sucks the humor out of the situation.
He starts to get it when Ben starts screaming at Kevin, “No, I’m sorry! I didn’t know! Don’t touch me!” But he doesn’t completely understand until he notices that it’s the flashes of lightning triggering those screams, and not the thunder. Bright, crackling lightning, like the kind that used to surge from Kevin’s fingertips.
And Kevin thinks it’s no wonder Ben couldn’t trust him for so long…he’s been haunting the poor kid since they met. His rage, his vengeance, his power.
Ben comes out of it shaking, curls up against the headboard and doesn’t look at Kevin for a moment. Needs to decompress, Kevin figures. He gets an idea, a dumb one, but his smart ideas had never panned out so well. He was better at picking something to do and rolling with it.
He concentrates on the palm of his hand, and very carefully, conjures up a tiny spark. It flits about on his fingertips like a playful sprite. Ben looks up at the light, eyes widening in horror, preparing himself for another nightmare.
Kevin just holds it out to him. “Doesn’t have to hurt, Ben. It can be…good.” I can be good.
Ben stares at him for a moment, then reaches out, hesitant, to touch Kevin’s hand. He jumps a little when the spark jumps to his fingertip, then disappears, tickling all the way up his arm, making his hair stand on end. Ben shudders, a little, but he smiles.
"Like that electro-ball thing in the science museum," he says. "Used to love that thing when I was a kid."
Kevin dares to scoot a little closer, and Ben lets him slide right up to his side. “Yeah, me too.” Well, he liked making the thing go haywire and scaring the shit out of people when he was a kid, but…Ben doesn’t need to know that.
It’s enough that he’s smiling again.
"I don’t think I can fall asleep right now…can we sit up for a while?" The hero leans against Kevin’s side, sighing softly. "We don’t even have to talk…I just…can’t go to sleep yet."
"Sure. Whatever you need."
Neither of them moves until the rain stops outside…but every time there’s a lightning flash, Ben reaches for Kevin’s hand. That’s good enough.