The one thing that keeps me sane...

DISCLAIMER : My story, my characters...again...MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!!!!

Okay, how awesome, Linz you emailed me...I love it. It made me smile...which is something that hasn't very much happened today since...wow...breaking up with friends sucks...anyway! Thank you so much for the email and I will not forget about this story! I love Ben and Laraine to much...even though they are fictional people they are real to ME!!!

ONWARDS ------>


The next morning Ben woke up and groaned having the sun hit him in the eyes. The sun was already well into the sky and when Ben looked over at the clock he saw it was two in the afternoon. He sat up for a moment to see if Laraine was anywhere in the room but when he didn’t see him he fell back against the bed determined to fall back asleep. However any thought he had of going back to sleep vanished when he noticed the shower was running.

An evil smirk crossed Ben’s face as he crawled out of the bed and walked over to the door. Silently he opened the door and peaked inside. He could see Laraine’s form through the foggy glass of the shower and he slid inside the room. Carefully, as to not make any noise, he closed the door and turned the lock.

“Hey babe.” Ben muttered as he leaned against the glass door.

“Benjamin!” Laraine snapped. “What do you think you are doing?”

That made Ben laugh. “Just having a bit of innocent fun darling.”

Laraine pulled on the door to keep it closed as Ben tried to open it. “Benjamin my mother is in this house! Get out of here right now!”

“Sweetheart don’t you think it would be a tad more cost efficient to shower at the same time?” Ben pulled the door open and Laraine fell against him from trying to keep the door closed. “I think you’re getting my clothes wet hon.”

A bright blush fell over Laraine’s face and he dare not move because that meant Ben would see all of him. “My mother is in the house Benjamin! Get out!”

“Laraine?” Carol called. “I have to head down to the police station for a while. Will you two be okay by yourselves?”

Laraine just glared at Ben a moment. “Yes mom! We’ll be fine!” he called back. “Benjamin get out.”

“I promise not to try anything at all hon.” Ben told him.

“Benjamin...” Laraine said angrily. “Fine, but if you try anything at all then you are in for it. Understand?”

Ben smiled happily. “I understand completely.”

“You’re letting cold air in.” Laraine told him and closed the door as Ben pulled his shirt over his head. Laraine sighed and leaned against the wall. He was freaked out. A little freaked out at what Ben was going to do. He realized that Ben he told him he wasn’t going to try anything but Laraine knew him. He knew something would happen.

The door opened and Laraine turned his head away from Ben as the guy stepped in the shower. There was a good amount of fog in the shower already so it was impairing their vision a little but other than that it was fine. Ben chuckled and cupped Laraine’s chin in his hand so he could make the boy look at him. “You know it’s really not that uncommon for guys to shower together Lain.”

“I know that.” Laraine muttered. “However we’re dating, Benjamin.”

“True.” Ben nodded and leaned down to give Laraine a kiss. “I told you Lain, nothing funny okay?” Laraine nodded and grabbed the shampoo so he could finish what he had started. Ben grabbed the shampoo from him and Laraine looked at Ben cautiously. “Nothin’ funny Lain. Just let me.”

For a moment Laraine stood there a little unsure but he nodded and Ben poured some of the shampoo into his hand. Laraine turned his back to Ben and Ben smoothed the shampoo between his hands before sliding it into Laraine’s hair. Laraine had to resist the urge to make a small noise. The only person who had ever shampooed his hair was himself since he didn’t count the lady who cut his hair. She just kind of tried to take off his scalp.

Ben moved Laraine under the water, so Laraine was facing him now, and rinsed the soap out of Laraine’s hair. He watched Laraine’s face. The boy’s eyes were closed, mouth open slightly, and he was completely relaxed. Ben just couldn’t resist and leaned in to press his lips firmly against Laraine’s. Laraine gasped and opened his eyes in shock. Soon after, however, his eyes drifted shut and he wrapped his arms around Ben and kissed him back.

“Laraine dear are you home?” came a woman’s voice from downstairs.

“Oh my god!” Laraine hissed and was out of the shower in a flash, immediately wrapping a towel around his waist. “Ben that’s my aunt! My father’s memorial is today!”

Ben just waved it away, completely annoyed with the aunt he had not yet even met. “I’m gonna finish taking a shower.”

Laraine winced as Ben shut the door to the shower. He did not have time to play married couple with Ben though and argue so he quickly grabbed a towel and dried his hair as he walked into his room. “I’m in my room Aunt Helen! I’ll be down in a minute I just have to get ready!” he threw on clothes faster than the speed of light, knowing Ben would probably just climb out the window and be gone, and headed down. “Hello Aunt Helen.”

She ran over, which surprised Laraine since she wasn’t the thinnest woman in the world, and hugged him close. “Oh Lain I heard what happened to you! That man will be punished and if not by our law then by God!” she was a tad bit religious. “How are you feeling?”

Finally he was released from her vice and he just kind of smiled. “I’m fine.” he looked over to see his cousin Anna, who was just a month younger than he, and his uncle Robert standing there. “Hello Uncle Robert. Hey Anna.”

“Hey there.” Anna came over and linked her arm into his. “Aunt Carol told us to watch out cause you had a friend over Lainy.”

Laraine sort of smiled at that one. “He may still be here. I think he might have left though.”

Foot steps came down the stairs and they all looked up to see Ben coming down the stairs, which immediately made Laraine freak out. His mom was one thing but his aunt and uncle would flip out if they knew. Ben smiled at all of them as he came down the stairs and stood beside Laraine.

“Aunt Helen, Uncle Robert, Anna.” Laraine said. “This is Benjamin. Benjamin this is my aunt Helen, my uncle Robert, and my cousin Anna.”

“Nice to meet you all.” Ben told them.

Laraine’s aunt Helen was looking at Ben like she didn’t quite know what to think. After all she had always known Laraine to have those wonderful little Christian friends. Clearly Ben was not one of those. “It’s nice to meet you also Benjamin. Are you staying for the memorial?”

Ben stuck his hands in his pockets. “Well, I wasn’t really invited and I don’t have any really nice clothes to have here so-”

“Oh forget that!” Helen told him. “I’m sure we can find something for you! You know Lainy and should stay with us today!” before any of them could say anything she had grabbed his arm and was dragging him along with her. “Now lets go find you something to wear.”

Besides the fact that Laraine was scared out of his mind he really did want to see what his aunt had in store for Ben. He’d never seen Ben in anything but his black clothing, and one time shorts when they had all gone swimming, so seeing him in something that was dressy was going to probably make his day.

“He’s hot Lainy.” Anna said and drug Laraine into the kitchen. “How old is he?”

“He’s twenty-one.” Laraine answered and pulled out apple juice, he knew his cousin all to well. “Just turned twenty-one two months ago actually.”

Anna smirked and took the glass of juice from him. “Does he have a girlfriend?”

Laraine turned from her to put the juice away. “No, he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

She jumped up and wrapped an arm around Laraine’s shoulders. “Well than. Why don’t we play a little game you and I, Lainy? Think you can get him and I alone?”

“Okay.” Ben pretty much stumbled into the kitchen from Helen sort of pushing him and flipped his hair out of his face as he stood strait again. He smiled and sort of rocked back on his heels a moment. “So? What do you think Lain?”

Laraine was pretty much awe-struck. Ben had on a baby blue button-up shirt, that would have matched his blue eye perfectly had you been able to see it, and black Dickies jeans. He was wearing his regular shoes, the black converse that Laraine assumed were sewn to his feet since he never took them off, and the back of his hair wasn’t spiked for once.

“Wow Benjamin.” Laraine smiled. “You clean up good.”

Anna and Helen left the room to get their things and Ben walked up to Laraine. “I feel very uncomfortable here babe.”

“I knew you would.” Laraine told him. “That’s why I wanted to go to the beach with you instead.”

Ben leaned down and ran his lips along Laraine’s. He brought a hand up and set it on the side of Laraine’s head as they kissed softly. “Laraine where does your mother keep the extra blankets?” Robert called and Laraine pulled away from Ben quickly, earning him a very, VERY bad look from the older guy.

He gave Ben the ‘I’m-so-sorry’ look. “I’ll be right back okay?” Laraine asked him.

“Sure.” Ben nodded and leaned against the counter to wait for Laraine to get back. Saw himself in the sliding glass door and grimaced. Laraine was so paying him back for this.

“Hey there.” Anna came into the room. “You look really nice in those clothes.”

Ben sort of smiled, a little freaked out that she decided to lean on the counter right next to him. “Thank you.”

That made her smile grow. “So, have you known Lain long?”

“For a while.” Ben answered. “Little over a year I believe.”

“Well that’s nice.” Anna scooted a little closer to him. “Laraine has talked to me about you before. Back when you two first met I think, if you two have only know each other a year than it was probably back when you met. He told me you were really cool and that he liked you.”

A soft chuckle came from Ben. “Yeah, well, I kinda like Lain also.”

She stood and stepped in front of Ben. “I wouldn’t think someone like you would hang out with Lain, or the other way around I guess. You two don’t really strike me as having much in common.”

“There are a few things.” Ben sort of straitened as Anna walked strait up to him. “Yes?”

“I like you.” Anna told him. “You looked really good in all that black also. Very nice.” she touched his chest. “This is nice too, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t go with the hair.”

“Okay...” Ben slipped away as her hand started to travel lower. “I think I’m gonna go see if I can find Lain.” he turned and bumped strait into the very person that he had been using as an escape. “Lain.”

Laraine walked past him into the kitchen. “You two are still alive so I guess that means you were getting along.”

Anna slid over and wrapped in arms around Ben’s arm. “You could say that. I think we’ve got more in common than either of you realize.” she giggled. “Don’t tell my mom or dad but I am totally into all those punk bands that my mom hates.”

It almost made Laraine burst out laughing to see the look of disgust Ben got on his face. Ben hated when people thought he was into the punk thing. Ben listened strictly to heavy metal and sometimes the rock bands if Laraine was in the car with him. Other than that Ben did not listen to any other music whatsoever. He did listen to Marilyn Manson a lot, someone Laraine had learned to like over time.

“Lain!” someone ran into the room and was wrapped around Laraine in an instant. He looked pretty much the same as Lain. Not as anorexic looking and his hair was shorter but they looked really close to being twins. “How have you been?”

“Fine Alex. How are you?” Laraine asked. “Enjoying wrestling?”

Ben smirked. They may have looked alike but if this kid played sports he could not be further from Laraine. Laraine was not a sports person at all. He liked to watched their high school football team play but other than that there was no liking of sports in the kid. Which of course made Ben very happy because he hated sports so much!

“Great!” Alex told him. “I love it. I can pretty much take out every guy in my weight class now.” he looked over at Ben. “Hi I’m Alex.”

“Ben.” he told the guy.

Anna sort of pulled on Ben’s arm. “Come on, we can go into the living room and talk Benjamin.”

Laraine bit his lip hearing Anna say Ben’s name. “Ben.” he heard Ben tell her. “Just Ben.”

A long sigh escaped Laraine’s lips and he watched the two walk into the living room. Anna was really going to make a mess of things and he knew that he couldn’t blame Ben. Anna was spoiled and very used to getting what she wanted and if she wanted Ben to go into the living room with her than that was what was going to happen. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

“So,” Alex sat on the counter by Laraine. “He your boyfriend Lainy?”

Alex and Laraine had been very close when they had been younger because they had lived right next to each other. Alex was the only other person in the family, besides his mother now, who knew that Laraine was gay. Alex had actually been the first person besides Laraine himself who had known. It also helped that Alex himself was Bi. He preferred girls but Laraine knew him to kiss a guy or two. This was something that they also kept between themselves in the family.

“Yeah.” Laraine answered. “I told you about him in my letter didn’t I Alex?”

“Yeah yah did.” Alex nodded. “I just didn’t know if that was the same guy or not. I need to make sure of these things Lainy.” he jumped up and walked to the fridge. “He’s pretty good lookin’ Lain.”

That made Laraine smile. “I thought so.” he sighed and sat down at the island. “Today is going to be horrible. The only people here who know are you and my mom now. Ben wont like that.”

Alex stood, now eating a carrot. “Perhaps it wont be that big of a problem. I mean, he may understand. He knows that your family is really...insane.”

“I know.” Laraine told him. “It’s just that Ben likes people to know we’re going out and doesn’t really notice when he does things that indicate it. I’m just worried. Today is not the day for my entire family to find out.”

Ben slipped into the room again and walked over behind Laraine. “Okay, I realize she is your cousin and you love her and everything but please keep her away from me.” Ben muttered and set his hands on Laraine’s shoulders. “It’s creepy and disgusting.”

“One of those been there done that things?” Alex asked.

For a moment Ben kind of stared at Alex before looking at Laraine, who laughed at the questioning look. “Alex knows Ben. He’s the only one besides my mom who does though so don’t get adventurous.”

“Oh.” Ben nodded and looked back at Alex. “Yeah pretty much one of those kind of things. In fact it’s exactly one of those kind of things.” Ben kissed Laraine’s cheek and stepped away just as the door opened to reveal Carol. “Wow that scared me for a moment there.”

Carol set down the groceries and look at Ben and Laraine. “Alex will you leave the room a moment?”

Alex pushed himself from where he had been leaning against the fridge. “By all means.”

Once Alex was gone Carol stared the two down. “I assume Lain has told you about our family?” Ben nodded. “Good, then you two know what not to do while they are here.”

After she left the room Ben leaned down to Laraine. “Are bathroom breaks still allowed?”

“No!” Carol said from the doorway and Ben jumped.

“Woman you scare me.” Ben told her and she smiled before actually leaving. “Seriously though sugah, I’ll need at least one if you expect me to stay here.”

The door opened again and Anna came in. Laraine smiled up at Ben. “If you can get free.” he said and left the room.

Ben glared at his back and then kind of smiled down at Anna as she wrapped herself around his arm again. “Hey...”

“Hi!” Anna beamed.

Two hours passed, around ten more people showed up, and they all sort of just fluttered around the house talking and having a good time. Ben finally managed to get over to where Laraine was, without Anna on his hip, and they sort of just stood there a moment before Laraine stood and walked over to the stairs. He gave Ben a quick glance before heading up the stairs.

Carol frowned seeing that, knowing what was going on. With that Ben stood and disappeared up the stairs also. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked down the hall and then turned to enter Laraine’s room. He smiled seeing Laraine looking out the window, back to him, and he walked in before closing the door. Laraine turned to him and smiled just as Ben locked the door.

“Sugah your family is insane.” Ben said as Laraine walked up to him. “Nice and all, don’t get me wrong, but they are completely insane.”

That brought a smile to Laraine’s face. “They are a little strange.” Laraine fixed the collar of Ben’s shirt. “But they are my family after all. I have some of them in me.”

Ben laughed and wrapped his arms around Laraine’s waist. “Thank god not all of you. Baby, Anna’s nice and everything but I don’t think I have ever met anyone who scares me as much as she does.”

“Not even me?” Laraine pouted and Ben kissed him.

“Lain,” Ben kissed him again. “I fear no man as much as I fear you.”

Their mouths met in a hungry kiss. Ben pulled Laraine hard against him and practically shoved his tongue into the boy’s mouth. Laraine moaned and pressed himself against Ben, wanting more contact then they had, as Ben leaned back against the door. Ben slid a hand down to Laraine’s thigh and pulled his leg up against his hip. Laraine moaned again and slid a hand up into Ben’s hair to grip it.

Ben pulled his mouth from Laraine’s and kissed him a few more times quickly before using his free hand to grab Laraine’s hair and tilt his head back as he kissed down to his neck. Laraine moaned and innocently pushed his hips into Ben’s. Ben softly bit Laraine’s neck and pulled Laraine’s hips closer.

“Wait.” Laraine gasped and Ben pulled his head up to looked down at Laraine. “Benjamin did you just leave a hickey on my neck?”

He looked down at Laraine’s neck and shrugged. “Define the word hickey please.”

Laraine pulled away and ran into the bathroom to look at his neck. “Benjamin!” he hissed. “I can’t go back downstairs now! It’s not like they wont notice! I clearly didn’t have one when I went up here and now I do! I wonder Benjamin!”

“Put on a scarf or something.” Ben suggested.

“Benjamin we are inside!” Laraine was freaking out. He began to go through his dressed. “Where is a turtleneck when you need one?”

Ben smirked. “Wait, a turtleneck is okay but a scarf is a bad idea?”

Laraine pulled a red turtleneck shirt out of his dresser. “Clearly people are going to wonder what I am trying to hide if I suddenly have a scarf on!”

The black haired guy watched Laraine change his shirt. “You’re not gonna make me go back down there are you?”

Laraine gave him a small kiss. “Be down in five minutes.”

~*~*~*~*~
I am sorry that this chapter took so long for me to get out. Buying presents for people royaly sucks though...ugh. I hate buying presents for people...why don't people just say "Hey, give me money and a hug. That will be enough."
Anyway, review pleases! You know you want to!