(Untitled)

[theguthries]

Characters: Sam & Wee!Ben
Date & Time: long ago and far away
Setting: Las Vegas, Nevada
Summary: You see, there are birds, and then there are bees...
Rating: PG-13 for content
Status: Closed

If you had asked Sam Guthrie five years ago what he would be doing with his life at this point, he'd reply honestly and admit that he'd likely be working in the coal

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[staticsnap]

The thing that no one told you about the dessert was that it was cold. Not just button-up-your-parka cold but real, honest temperature drops that could turn nasty if one got lost overnight and was forced to stay out in the vast, unbroken plains that existed beyond the edges of the city. Ben had spent a night out there once, camping with Jay and Sam. The entire concept had seemed a bit strange to the born-and-partly-bred city slicker: why on earth would anyone sleep outside? Especially willingly? When it required thermal sleeping bags? That was insane, even if the stars had burned like a thousand torches, spectacular and bright

[staticsnap]

"Yeah," Ben nodded, making a face that finally betrayed how young he actually was. He was in the possession of a hell of a lot of interesting information but none of it actually made any kind of sense because oh, God, what the heck would possess anyone to do... any of those things. At first he'd thought maybe it was for exercise, but running and calisthenics would have solved that problem.

Valerie-Ann hadn't been helpful. She'd smiled and run a hand through his hair, telling him that one day he'd understand.

"One day" was a phrase adults liked to use to cop out.

"It's gross, Sam, and it seems like an awful lot of hard work. I mean, why would you go through all that effort to put your mouth there?" Ben frowned, his nose scrunching up. "It must taste better than anything because otherwise why?"

[theguthries]

"Well, there is more to sex than that." Sam admitted, trying his damndest to think of the right words to say. Nothing so appealing as to encourage the kid to try it himself (especially considering who his closest female companion was), but not so horrid as to turn him into a priest. There had to be a very specific middle, a fence line that Sam wasn't sure of his balance on.

"But when you get to be a certain age, many years from now for you... your body is going to uh. Change, you'll get hair, acne... and your body will want certain things. Things like that. Do you understand?"

Please god, he privately prayed. Get it.

[staticsnap]

Ben blinked. "Sam," he said slowly, confused, "I already have hair."

A lot of it, in fact. No matter how often they cut it or how much Pomade they combed through it, his hair (brown, but such a dark shade that it was almost black) was always a tangled mess that stuck up in odd places and crackled with static when he was worried or angry or scared. Which was never. Ben was eleven and knew not the meaning of fear.

But back to the matter at hand. Namely: Sam's discomfort.

"Do you have to have a license, like driving?" Ben asked, steepling his fingers together in front of him. "Because I want to drive now, but I can't until I'm older. What if I wanted to have sex now?"

[theguthries]

"Hair on your face" Sam corrected, his hand already reaching up to scratch at the scruff that had grown in since the morning before. He was blond, and could get away wit shaving too close, but it was still there.

The query about when Ben wanted sex caused Sam to cough again, though he was better at hiding it this time around. He only knew of one other child Ben's age, and beyond Jay the boy's option fell down to the women that Sam himself was after. He had faith that the women wouldn't allow a child into their beds, but in three years? Four? He didn't want to think about it.

"It... wont work yet. Having sex doesn't work til you're older. And when you do, you have to use a condom, and you're not... tall enough for those quite yet." Yes... height was what mattered here. Height.

[staticsnap]

None of the books had mentioned this. It only served to prove Ben's oft-wielded point that proper education from texts only went so far and ultimately was of very little use in the real world. He'd learned applicable skills living on the streets and what had his tutoring sessions granted? The ability to pick out a noun in a sentence? Knowledge of the major battles of the Civil War? How to do long division? That was boring.

But what Sam was saying made sense. Ben nodded slowly, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. Lots of things had height limitations. He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Sort of like the rides at that carnival in Des Moines?"

[theguthries]

"Exactly, only not. When the time comes... you have to care for the woman a lot, and respect her even more. You know what I mean by that?"

Sam wasn't sure how else to explain it. And indeed, how much more he ought to explain. Wasn't this the father's job? Wasn't this supposed to be discussed over a lazy afternoon, fishing and cooking and father-son time.

Even as Sam reminisced his own 'talk', he realized, almost bitterly, that the father's position was one he had to claim. Who else was there for Ben? For Jay even? Certainly not one of his co-workers, and neither had a paternal sort to look up to besides Sam.

He was too young for this conversation.

[staticsnap]

Respect. That was one thing that Sam was big on. Most of the time, he was a pretty swell guy. He didn't care if Ben and Jay jumped on the beds or got into mud fights or decided to swindle the neighborhood kids in a game of blackjack. Heck, he didn't even care when Ben broke out his city street talk if it was just the two of them.

But bring a lady into the picture? Forget about it.

The one and only time Ben had been clipped 'round the ear in a manner that was serious and not Sam's gentle teasing way, had been in some tiny, useless town in Idaho. They'd been leaving a diner and Ben hadn't even really paid attention to the older woman trying to get to the door, had just pushed past her and then the next thing he knew Sam was giving him that patented Guthrie look that was far too much like Mama Lucinda for comfort. Apparently the right thing to do was to hold the door open for women, especially older ones. Ben thought there was something fishy about that and he'd tried to argue as much ("Why the hell should I have to, Sam? Isn't that

[theguthries]

His leather jacket? His? Though Sam was sure it wasn't one that was worth worrying about losing (those he kept in the back of the closet in his own room) a leather coat was a leather coat, and not something to give to a two-bit girl from the deli down the street. He wasn't so much upset with Ben at that fact, as the simple fact that now he'd have to take her out again, wine and dine and get his clothes back.

Rubbing his face, Sam only nodded for a few minutes, agreeing with whatever Ben had on mind after that. "Thanks. Though Ben... the women I bring home, they need respect like I said but. But let me worry about if they're cold or not. Alright? They're... complicated. Girls are." Finally he looked back up at Ben, trying to catch his eyes.

"All girls are. Look at Jaybird. Which, speaking of... I know you two share everything, but let me talk to her too before you go sharing this conversation, alright?"