![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
umbralillium.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
numb3rsflashficTitle: Conversations with Dad
Pairing/Characters: Alan, Charlie, Ben (OMC); Ben Eppes/Brian Lobo/Trent Lobo (OMCs)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ben faces the consequences of his dad finding out about Trent
Notes/Warnings: I was thinking about the latest challenge and remembered that I hadn't addressed Alan finding out about Trent. So! Here we are. Warning! M/M incest
Previous stories in chronological order here.
Conversations with Dad
Ben may not be much of one for confrontations, but he'll always fight for what he believes in, for the people he loves. Alan knows this, but there's one little word revolving through his head, keeping him up at night, distracting him from his projects: incest. He's so distracted, he jumps when the phone rings and fumbles the phone for a moment before answering. "Hello?"
"Dad?" Ben's voice trembles over the line.
"Ben?" Alan replies, concerned despite the anger and disgust simmering in his blood. "Is Brian alright?"
There's a trembling breath and then a relieved laugh. "He's awake," Ben murmurs, sounding like he almost doesn't believe it. "He's awake," he says again, stronger this time.
"Oh, that's…I'm glad," Alan answers, uncertain if he's relieved or disappointed and hating himself for it.
"You alright, Dad?" Ben asks and Alan can almost imagine the lines on his forehead as he frowns, the same lines Charlie and Don get when they worry about a case.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," Alan assures him. He clears his throat then continues, "Listen, when you have a chance, we need to talk."
There's silence for a moment and this time Alan pictures Ben frowning in confusion rather then concern. "Oh!" Ben says after a moment, a soft exclamation as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "Yeah, I guess we should," he adds. There's another pause before he continues, "Well, Tren's here, so I can have him call me if anything happens."
"It doesn't have to be now, just—"
"No," Ben interrupts then sighs. "I just…I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Yeah," Alan answers softly before hanging up.
"Was that Ben?" Alan jumps, dropping the phone, and turns to see Charlie standing in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Yeah," Alan replies, stooping to pick up the phone. "Brian's awake."
Charlie smiles and slumps against the doorjamb. "I'm glad, Trent was getting really worried about him."
"Of course he was, he's his brother," Alan points out.
"No, about Ben," Charlie corrects.
"You've talked to him?" Alan inquires, frowning himself.
Charlie nods. "He came by my office a month and a half ago to see if I knew how to fix him."
"He would've had better luck with Don or I," Alan says, shifting restlessly.
"That's what I told him," Charlie replies. "I guess he went to Don."
"Did…Trent say anything else to you?" Alan asks.
"I asked him how long Don had known," Charlie confesses softly.
"And?" Alan presses.
"Since June," Charlie answers, still quiet.
"June?!"
"Yeah."
"And he didn't tell us?" Alan fumes, pacing in the archway between the dining room and living room.
"He didn't tell me what happened," Charlie interjects. "But, he seemed almost embarrassed about it."
"As well he should be," Alan growls.
"Dad," Charlie says and Alan stops in surprise at the sharpness of Charlie's tone. "I've been thinking about it since Brian's accident and this last year, Ben's been happier. Even more than he was when he Brian first got together. Brian and Trent being together…. It's not hurting anyone. It obviously doesn't bother Ben. Maybe…maybe we should just let it be."
Alan stares at Charlie for a moment before turning and heading upstairs to his office to try and get some work done before Ben arrives.
*
Alan is brought out of his thoughts at the familiar growl of the Impala coming down the street. Looking down at his desk, he snorts at the fact that he hadn't gotten any work done. Once again, he'd been distracted by thoughts of Ben and his relationship with the Lobo brothers, although this time, he'd also been thinking about what Charlie had said earlier.
He hears the engine turn off and suddenly wishes he'd waited to have this conversation. He needs more time, but he doesn't have it. He's no closer to a decision now than he was when he'd come upstairs. What does he say? Can he condone Ben's relationship with the brothers? Does he really have any say in it?
"Hello?" Ben calls from downstairs.
With a sigh, he pushes himself out of his chair and walks out into the hall. At the top of the stairs, he pauses when he hears Ben and Charlie talking.
"I'm-I'm glad you're happy, Ben," Charlie's saying.
"You don't mind?" Ben asks uncertainly.
"No. They care for you and you're happy, that's what matters to me," Charlie assures him.
Ben says something softly that Alan doesn't catch a moment before he hears the sound of hands slapping backs and starts down the stairs. He reaches the bottom just as Charlie and Ben are releasing each other, smiling. Ben sees him first and his smile falters and falls away. "Dad."
"Ben," Alan says.
"I'll just, um," Charlie murmurs haltingly, gesturing to the back of the house, towards the garage.
"I'll talk to you later, 'kay?" Ben asks, looking to Charlie as Alan goes into the family room.
"Sure," Charlie replies, smiling briefly before turning and leaving.
Ben follows him with his eyes then sighs and turns to Alan. "Dad—"
Alan holds up a hand, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "You know it's illegal?" he asks after a moment. Ben nods silently. "Does anyone outside the family know?"
"Bri and Tren's sister and her husband and Jas and Cody," Ben answers.
Alan sighs and shakes his head. "Do you know how dangerous it is, that many people knowing?"
Ben frowns and his eyes narrow. "We're not hurting anybody, Dad," he defends. "If Tren or Bri were a girl, I wouldn't have gone along with it, but, unless I seriously missed something…"
Alan sighs again and rubs his forehead. "I'm just…trying to get my head around it. I'm surprised Don didn't do anything about it."
"He tried," Ben practically growls and Alan looks at him in surprise. "He caught Tren coming out of the apartment back in June and jumped to conclusions, like he usually does when it comes to me." He sighs and walks over to sit in the chair across from Alan. "He threatened to send Tren to jail if he stuck around, so Tren ran. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. I talked to Don and he backed off."
Alan huffs a soft laugh. "You're as scary as your mother when you're mad."
Ben smiles and glances down bashfully before looking back up at Alan, his hair in his eyes. "It's times like this, I miss her the most," he confesses.
"Me, too." Silence reigns for a moment before Alan asks, "You're really happy?"
"Yeah," Ben affirms, his smile brilliant. "It's like I told Don: they complete me." His smile dims for a moment. "When Brian was…I felt so off-kilter, like everything was just a couple degrees off center, but now…"
Alan smiles fondly, if a little sadly. "It'll take a little getting used to," he says. "But all I've ever wanted was for you boys to be happy."
"Thanks, Dad," Ben replies, gratitude shining in his eyes. He jumps suddenly and Alan frowns as Ben fishes in his pocket then smiles when Ben holds up his cell phone as explanation before answering it. "Yeah, babe? … Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can…yeah, everything's fine…love you, too…later, love." He's smiling faintly as he hangs up and puts his phone back into his pocket. "I gotta go," he says, standing up. "Bri's asking for me."
"Go. Be happy," Alan replies, standing and pulling Ben into a hug.
Ben clings to Alan, breathing in the familiar aftershave. "Thanks," he says again.
Alan pulls back, hands on Ben's shoulders. "You're my son, that's all that matters."
Ben nods, tears standing in his eyes.
"Go on," Alan says, nodding to the door. "Bring them to dinner when Brian's feeling up to it."
Ben's smile is blinding. "Okay," he says, heading for the door.
Alan settles back into his chair as Ben slips out the door. As the setting sun fills the house with golden light, he remembers the affection in Ben's voice and the fond smile. It may not have been what he'd expected for Ben, but he wouldn't change it now that he sees how happy Ben is. "I'm happy for them," he murmurs and imagines he hears a soft, 'me, too' in the golden light caressing his cheek.
End.
Pairing/Characters: Alan, Charlie, Ben (OMC); Ben Eppes/Brian Lobo/Trent Lobo (OMCs)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ben faces the consequences of his dad finding out about Trent
Notes/Warnings: I was thinking about the latest challenge and remembered that I hadn't addressed Alan finding out about Trent. So! Here we are. Warning! M/M incest
Previous stories in chronological order here.
Ben may not be much of one for confrontations, but he'll always fight for what he believes in, for the people he loves. Alan knows this, but there's one little word revolving through his head, keeping him up at night, distracting him from his projects: incest. He's so distracted, he jumps when the phone rings and fumbles the phone for a moment before answering. "Hello?"
"Dad?" Ben's voice trembles over the line.
"Ben?" Alan replies, concerned despite the anger and disgust simmering in his blood. "Is Brian alright?"
There's a trembling breath and then a relieved laugh. "He's awake," Ben murmurs, sounding like he almost doesn't believe it. "He's awake," he says again, stronger this time.
"Oh, that's…I'm glad," Alan answers, uncertain if he's relieved or disappointed and hating himself for it.
"You alright, Dad?" Ben asks and Alan can almost imagine the lines on his forehead as he frowns, the same lines Charlie and Don get when they worry about a case.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," Alan assures him. He clears his throat then continues, "Listen, when you have a chance, we need to talk."
There's silence for a moment and this time Alan pictures Ben frowning in confusion rather then concern. "Oh!" Ben says after a moment, a soft exclamation as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "Yeah, I guess we should," he adds. There's another pause before he continues, "Well, Tren's here, so I can have him call me if anything happens."
"It doesn't have to be now, just—"
"No," Ben interrupts then sighs. "I just…I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Yeah," Alan answers softly before hanging up.
"Was that Ben?" Alan jumps, dropping the phone, and turns to see Charlie standing in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Yeah," Alan replies, stooping to pick up the phone. "Brian's awake."
Charlie smiles and slumps against the doorjamb. "I'm glad, Trent was getting really worried about him."
"Of course he was, he's his brother," Alan points out.
"No, about Ben," Charlie corrects.
"You've talked to him?" Alan inquires, frowning himself.
Charlie nods. "He came by my office a month and a half ago to see if I knew how to fix him."
"He would've had better luck with Don or I," Alan says, shifting restlessly.
"That's what I told him," Charlie replies. "I guess he went to Don."
"Did…Trent say anything else to you?" Alan asks.
"I asked him how long Don had known," Charlie confesses softly.
"And?" Alan presses.
"Since June," Charlie answers, still quiet.
"June?!"
"Yeah."
"And he didn't tell us?" Alan fumes, pacing in the archway between the dining room and living room.
"He didn't tell me what happened," Charlie interjects. "But, he seemed almost embarrassed about it."
"As well he should be," Alan growls.
"Dad," Charlie says and Alan stops in surprise at the sharpness of Charlie's tone. "I've been thinking about it since Brian's accident and this last year, Ben's been happier. Even more than he was when he Brian first got together. Brian and Trent being together…. It's not hurting anyone. It obviously doesn't bother Ben. Maybe…maybe we should just let it be."
Alan stares at Charlie for a moment before turning and heading upstairs to his office to try and get some work done before Ben arrives.
*
Alan is brought out of his thoughts at the familiar growl of the Impala coming down the street. Looking down at his desk, he snorts at the fact that he hadn't gotten any work done. Once again, he'd been distracted by thoughts of Ben and his relationship with the Lobo brothers, although this time, he'd also been thinking about what Charlie had said earlier.
He hears the engine turn off and suddenly wishes he'd waited to have this conversation. He needs more time, but he doesn't have it. He's no closer to a decision now than he was when he'd come upstairs. What does he say? Can he condone Ben's relationship with the brothers? Does he really have any say in it?
"Hello?" Ben calls from downstairs.
With a sigh, he pushes himself out of his chair and walks out into the hall. At the top of the stairs, he pauses when he hears Ben and Charlie talking.
"I'm-I'm glad you're happy, Ben," Charlie's saying.
"You don't mind?" Ben asks uncertainly.
"No. They care for you and you're happy, that's what matters to me," Charlie assures him.
Ben says something softly that Alan doesn't catch a moment before he hears the sound of hands slapping backs and starts down the stairs. He reaches the bottom just as Charlie and Ben are releasing each other, smiling. Ben sees him first and his smile falters and falls away. "Dad."
"Ben," Alan says.
"I'll just, um," Charlie murmurs haltingly, gesturing to the back of the house, towards the garage.
"I'll talk to you later, 'kay?" Ben asks, looking to Charlie as Alan goes into the family room.
"Sure," Charlie replies, smiling briefly before turning and leaving.
Ben follows him with his eyes then sighs and turns to Alan. "Dad—"
Alan holds up a hand, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "You know it's illegal?" he asks after a moment. Ben nods silently. "Does anyone outside the family know?"
"Bri and Tren's sister and her husband and Jas and Cody," Ben answers.
Alan sighs and shakes his head. "Do you know how dangerous it is, that many people knowing?"
Ben frowns and his eyes narrow. "We're not hurting anybody, Dad," he defends. "If Tren or Bri were a girl, I wouldn't have gone along with it, but, unless I seriously missed something…"
Alan sighs again and rubs his forehead. "I'm just…trying to get my head around it. I'm surprised Don didn't do anything about it."
"He tried," Ben practically growls and Alan looks at him in surprise. "He caught Tren coming out of the apartment back in June and jumped to conclusions, like he usually does when it comes to me." He sighs and walks over to sit in the chair across from Alan. "He threatened to send Tren to jail if he stuck around, so Tren ran. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. I talked to Don and he backed off."
Alan huffs a soft laugh. "You're as scary as your mother when you're mad."
Ben smiles and glances down bashfully before looking back up at Alan, his hair in his eyes. "It's times like this, I miss her the most," he confesses.
"Me, too." Silence reigns for a moment before Alan asks, "You're really happy?"
"Yeah," Ben affirms, his smile brilliant. "It's like I told Don: they complete me." His smile dims for a moment. "When Brian was…I felt so off-kilter, like everything was just a couple degrees off center, but now…"
Alan smiles fondly, if a little sadly. "It'll take a little getting used to," he says. "But all I've ever wanted was for you boys to be happy."
"Thanks, Dad," Ben replies, gratitude shining in his eyes. He jumps suddenly and Alan frowns as Ben fishes in his pocket then smiles when Ben holds up his cell phone as explanation before answering it. "Yeah, babe? … Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can…yeah, everything's fine…love you, too…later, love." He's smiling faintly as he hangs up and puts his phone back into his pocket. "I gotta go," he says, standing up. "Bri's asking for me."
"Go. Be happy," Alan replies, standing and pulling Ben into a hug.
Ben clings to Alan, breathing in the familiar aftershave. "Thanks," he says again.
Alan pulls back, hands on Ben's shoulders. "You're my son, that's all that matters."
Ben nods, tears standing in his eyes.
"Go on," Alan says, nodding to the door. "Bring them to dinner when Brian's feeling up to it."
Ben's smile is blinding. "Okay," he says, heading for the door.
Alan settles back into his chair as Ben slips out the door. As the setting sun fills the house with golden light, he remembers the affection in Ben's voice and the fond smile. It may not have been what he'd expected for Ben, but he wouldn't change it now that he sees how happy Ben is. "I'm happy for them," he murmurs and imagines he hears a soft, 'me, too' in the golden light caressing his cheek.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-04-25 11:56 pm (UTC)i love these boys!
no subject
Date: 2008-04-26 12:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-28 05:06 pm (UTC)