[Un]faithful

            Sometimes, Eli hated Keiran. Not because he was young and bratty and sometimes took two Tops to calm him down, but because he was a fucking moron. An absolute idiot. One of the stupidest people Eli had ever met and he knew a lot of stupid freaking people.

            Keiran had been complaining that Lee wasn’t paying him enough attention since they’d arrived in the city. He’d been going on and on and on about it and Eli was, quite frankly, getting sick of it. From what he’d seen, Lee waited on him pretty much hand and foot and if he wasn’t getting what he wanted, he was not opposed to making a scene—in public, too!—and drawing the attention back on himself. It was childish and annoying and Eli was pretty sure Lee was embarrassed by it.

After a few hours of rambling on, Lee came to the bottom of the stairs and suggested that they go out to the forest preserve and leave him in peace and Keiran readily agreed. Despite Eli’s best efforts, Keiran continued to complain until Eli finally managed to steer the conversation his way.

 Keir turned his nose up when Eli reined in the conversation and he made a face when Eli started to complain that since their arrival, he and Ben hadn’t had sex.

 He let the older man speak for a while, kicking leaves and stones as they followed the path to the pond, bored and slightly disgusted that Eli was telling him this, and then he had had enough. Too much Eli, not enough Keiran.

“I don’t understand /why/ he won’t just fuck me. I’ve tried /everything/ I know. I even—” Keir waved a hand in front of him, shaking his head, and told him, in all sincerity: “Ben and I had sex together.” Deadpan.

Eli snorted until he saw how serious Keiran looked and he shook his head. “You did not,” he said, laughing, but Keir’s look didn’t change. “Keiran, you asshole, you did not!” Eli shrieked.

“When you and Lee went out last night to get movies,” Keiran started but Eli wasn’t listening. He was shaking his head, backing away from the younger man. “You did not, you fucking asshole! You didn’t! You wouldn’t fucking touch him!” he wailed and when Keiran took a step forward, Eli turned and fled, racing back to the house.

Lee caught him when he came in. Eli pushed past him.

“What’s the matter, kid?” Lee followed him into the living room.

“Eli, what’s the matter?” he asked. Eli turned on him, angry tears tracking his face and shook his head. “Last night, you and I and B-Ben and Keiran and and and Ben won’t fuck me, Lee and Keiran’s an asshole and I-I-I…Ben…Ben,” he hiccupped and fiddled with the ring on his finger.

“Where is he?” he asked, slipping it off his hand. Lee was completely lost. He made a face. “He went out to pick up something for supper,” he told him, moving towards Eli. Eli turned to look at him, the tears welling up and dripping down his face. “Lee,” he whispered, looking absolutely devastated. “Ben…he…Keiran and Ben,” he said very quietly, letting Lee fill in for him the rest.

An eyebrow rose confusedly and Lee stepped towards Eli again. Eli shook his head and pulled away quickly, dropping the ring. It clattered along the tile floor and he looked to the door when he heard a car pull in. Ben!

Ben was leading Keiran up the lane. When they were at the bottom of the steps, Eli launched himself at the young man, knocking him to the ground hard. His head bounced off the sidewalk and Keir shrieked, trying to fight back, but Eli wouldn’t give him the opportunity. He pulled his hair, bit him, landing punches, scratching whatever skin he could reach. He even lifted him by his shirtfront and smacked his head back into the pavement, all the while screaming at him. There weren’t even words, really, just shouts amidst his crying.

Ben tried to pull Eli off of the younger man. Eli shrieked and turned and hit Ben hard, palm flat, in the nose. Ben felt something crack in his nose and could taste blood almost immediately and when Eli saw it, he struggled out of his grasp and ran. Lee was down the steps in a few seconds, pulling a wailing Keiran up off the sidewalk. Ben tried to stop the bleeding, his own tears mixing with the coppery tang of blood in his mouth.

Lee looked up at his cursing and his eyes widened. “Shit. Ben, get in the house,” he said and hauled Keiran to his feet. The back of his head was bleeding slightly and already there were bruises forming on his face. Lee frowned and pushed his lover ahead of him into the house. Ben hesitated, watching Eli’s retreating form a moment longer, and then he turned and allowed Lee to pull him into the house.

“I need to go after him,” he said quietly as Lee sat him down with ice at the kitchen table. Keiran was sitting by him, sobbing loudly and Lee was checking him over for breaks.

“No, you need to go to the hospital, Ben. He broke your nose.” Ben shook his head, about to defend Eli, but he could tell it was broken. He didn’t want to go to the hospital, though. He couldn’t, not with Eli out there somewhere, in hysterics.

He said as much. “I’m taking you to the hospital with Keiran and then I’ll go see if I can find him. Don’t argue, Ben.” Ben closed his mouth and swiped at the sticky line of blood that had dripped to his lip.

“Fine.”

…

            Keiran wouldn’t sit still. He was obviously perfectly fine by the way he was moving around, crawling over empty seats, picking up and tossing back magazines, loudly complaining about the lack of service. Ben tried anything to get the kid to shut up and sit still; he got him a drink and bought him candy from the machine, tried to find him a show to watch on the little TV. Keiran wasn’t in the mood to listen.

            “Ben, I want Lee!” he wailed and Ben finally turned on him and warned in a nasally tone: “Either you shut up right now and sit still, Keiran, or I will take you into that bathroom and spank you. And don’t think I won’t just because I promised Lee I wouldn’t. Right about now, I want absolutely nothing to do with you. Thanks to you, I have a broken nose and Eli’s gone. So just sit there and /shut up/. One more word and so help me God…”

            Keiran gulped and sat back in the seat he was currently crawling across, two away from Ben, and silently cried. Ben got up and tossed his coat at the man and Keiran curled up in the seat and sobbed as Ben left the waiting room to call Lee.

            Lee picked up on the first ring. “Any sign of him?” he asked.

            “No, Ben, I’m sorry. I can’t find him. How’s it going on your end?”

            Ben sighed. “I don’t want to be here. I can’t sit with him, Lee. He’s driving me insane. I just threatened to spank him but in reality I want to beat him senseless. Can you hurry up and get here before I do something stupid?”

            Ben heard Lee’s muffled laughter. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a few. He deserves to be beat up on, Ben, for what he’s done. Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you in a few.”

            Ben tried to collect himself and return but he couldn’t go back into the waiting room. He waited for Lee until he felt a tap on his shoulder and he spun around. Keiran gave him a tentative smile. “Uh, Ben—”

            “Keiran, go sit down. I’m not ready to hear from you,” he said. Keiran shook his head. “They called your name, Ben. I just told the nurse I’d come get you.” 

            Ben nodded, took a deep breath and followed the younger man back into the waiting room where Keir curled back up on the couch and watched Ben leave.

…

Ben had his nose reset and re-stitched—it had only been around six months since the first break! Keiran had his head stitched, three little stitches and the already-formed bruises were Eli’s legacy. Ben tentatively touched his nose, wincing a little. Lee reached over in the car and pulled his hand away. “Ben, don’t touch it,” he said.

Ben sighed. Keiran whined in the backseat and Lee gave him a look through the rearview that made him shut up instantly. “Lee, I need to find him,” Ben said quietly, sadly. Lee had told him the whole story once he’d gotten it out of Keiran. He had to find Eli!

Lee only nodded, already knowing he wasn’t going to be able to stop the man from searching, though he felt it might be useless. Eli was terrified and wouldn’t come out of hiding easily. Lee sent Keiran upstairs to the guest room with an order to find a suitable corner to plant his skinny butt in while Ben snagged the phone. He was dialing Eli’s cell when he spotted the ring on the floor and his eyes welled up and he picked it up, sort of just crumpling to the floor with it in his hands.

That hurt. He didn’t understand how Eli could think that little of him, how he always let his anxieties get in the way. He cradled the ring, getting no response from Eli. He called the man’s parents, his work friends, his out-of-work friends, anyone he could think of before he finally called his parents to enlist his father’s help.

Jack picked up on the second ring. “Dad, its Ben,” he said, half-crying still. Jack grunted on the other end. “Dad, I need your help,” he said.  His father cut him off.

“You had better get your ass over here, Benjamin Alexander, before that kid hurts himself,” he ordered. Ben practically cried with delight.
           

“He’s there, dad? Is he okay? I’m coming over right now,” he said, already getting up. Lee was already grabbing keys.

“You can find out for yourself when you get here.” His father hung up and Ben practically ran for his car. Lee pushed him around to the passenger side and climbed in, starting the car. Ben directed him and nearly fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the driveway. Lee told him that he was going back but that he’d come pick them up when Ben called but Ben hardly heard him, already out of the car and moving towards the door.

Jack met him in the front hallway, shaking his head as Ben tried to pass him. Ben frowned; Jack caught his shoulders as Ben tried to slip past him.

“Stand still, Benjamin! He is perfectly fine upstairs with your mother right now. I want to know what the hell you did to that boy!”

Ben’s frown deepened. How could his father even /think/ that he had been the cause of Eli’s distress? He whined.

“Dad, I didn’t do anything. Our friends are over and Eli and Keiran were talking and Keiran told him that he and I had had sex to get a rise out of Eli and to make him listen to him and Eli /freaked/ out! I didn’t do anything! Dad, I would never cheat on Eli, you know that. /He/ knows that! Dad, you have to let me go see him, please!”

Jack watched his son erupt into tears, and he let Ben wriggle out of his grip and stumble up the stairs. He sighed, following him up more slowly.

Ben was swiping his eyes, shaking slightly as he headed upstairs. He saw his mother and Eli, on his old bed, Eli a crumpled mess, crying loudly into the sheets, his mother beside him, stroking his back.

She looked up when he came in and patted Eli’s butt, shaking her head at Ben. She hadn’t gotten anything out of his lover, clearly. Eli was still in hysterics. She slid off the bed and Eli whimpered. She ushered Ben outside.

“Benjamin Alexander, you better have a good reason for this,” she said. Ben sobbed, trying to move past her but she swatted his hand. “Stop it! Look at me, you,” she said in a growl. Ben did and her face softened a little when she saw his nose, re-stitched and still bloody.

“Ben, he’s out of his mind right now. What /happened/?” she asked. Jack shook his head behind Ben and she frowned but pulled Ben into her arms for a hug as he cried.

“He ran all the way here, Ben,” Jack said behind him. “He said he didn’t know where else to go and so he ran here. By then he was in such hysterics he made himself sick,” he told him. “Your mother had to sit with him in the bathroom, Ben, to calm him down. He threatened to kill himself and then just started blubbering. Neither of us got anything out of him…”

Ben hiccupped, nodding. “Dad, I need to see him. I need to talk to him, please,” he begged. Alice smoothed his hair back and kissed his forehead. “Okay, baby. Go talk to him, but don’t expect much,” she said. Jack hooked her away from Ben and they started down the stairs.

Ben shivered, moving towards his old bedroom. He opened the door and went in, slowly making his way to the bed. Eli felt him sit down and Ben heard his sobs quiet for a moment.

“Hi, Eli,” he said sadly, reaching a hand out to touch his back. Eli tensed and looked at him. “Don’t touch me,” he hissed, wriggling away. Ben’s brow furrowed. “Eli, I’m sorry—” he started but Eli wriggled away, afraid he was about to apologize for cheating on him and he couldn’t handle it. He gagged, throwing up over the side of the bed before he staggered off the bed and stumbled out of the room.

Ben followed him and he caught Eli against himself in the hallway. Eli struggled against him, screaming, hitting him. Ben winced at the blows and shook Eli hard, pulling him back against himself.

“BEN! Don’t touch me, lemme go, I HATE you! LEMME GO! BEN! Don’t touch me, don’t touch me, don’t touch me!” he wailed as Ben brought him down to the ground into his lap and Eli hit him again, collapsing into his embrace with a loud sob.

“Don’t touch me…” he whimpered, huge racking sobs shaking his body. Ben closed his eyes, rubbing his back soothingly. He could feel his nose had broken open again, could feel blood dripping down to his lip but he swiped it away carelessly.

“I hate you, Ben, I hate you,” Eli whispered hoarsely when his sobs had quieted somewhat. Ben nodded faintly.

“I know, baby. I know you hate me,” he replied and Eli sat up a little more and hit him again in the chest. He took a guilty look at the damage he’d done and broke into tears once more and Ben simply hooked him as close as he could, winding Eli’s legs around his waist and hugging him tightly. Eli cried, loudly and hard for a long time before he gagged and started to force himself back from his hysterics.

“B-Ben?” he whimpered. Ben nodded, standing with him in his arms easily. He carried him into his old room, setting him down on the bed. As soon as Ben was sitting, he clambered back into his lap, clinging to him.

“A-are…Ben, I can’t do this. I’ll kill myself, Ben. I love you,” he said very quietly. “Ben, if you don’t w-want me…” he said, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. Ben shook his head, stroking his side.

“Eli, baby—”

Eli cut him off. “Ben, why Keiran? I mean, I could understand Lee, ‘cause he’s /kinda/ sexy, but Keiran? He’s spindly and little and stupid. And he has no ass! And he looks like a wet cat. And he /whines/. I bet he even whines during sex. ‘Look at me, Ben, loooook at me! You’re /not/ looking!’”

Ben frowned, shaking his head. “Eli. Stop talking,” he ordered. Eli’s brow furrowed and he made a little noise of displeasure and then asked again “why?”

Ben swiped tears away from his lover’s cheeks, shaking his head. Eli wriggled with a whimper. “Will you think, for a moment, Eli? Think about it, okay. What reason would I ever have to sleep with anybody else? Let alone /Keiran/?”

Eli made a face and squirmed in Ben’s lap. “Ben,” he murmured, but he started thinking it through. Ben stroked his back as Eli sat back in his lap, still crying and hiccupping a little.

“You wouldn’t,” he said finally, after a few minutes of silence. Ben smiled, nodding a little bit. Eli whimpered and pressed himself flat against Ben’s chest, arms tightening around his neck.

He held Eli as he started into a fresh round of sobs and when Eli gagged, he refused to let him out of his lap, stroking his back. “No, Eli, you’re alright. We’re alright, I’ve gotcha, baby.”

“Ben, Ben, I’m /terrible/. Ben, I-I…you wouldn’t ever, I know that, I know,” he wailed. Ben hugged him tightly, calmly, trying to convey that everything was okay. Eli shivered, retching again and Ben held him close.

“Eli, baby. Sh, it’s okay. We’re okay. You’re okay, Eli; I’ve gotcha and I’m not going anywhere.” Eli nodded, calming slowly. He pulled back to kiss Ben with a whimper. Ben laughed a little at the sight of him, snot and tears on his face and he wiped them away with his sleeve and his hands, kissing him again more thoroughly.

He untangled one arm from Eli’s waist and managed to get the ring out of his pocket. Eli’s brow furrowed when he saw it in Ben’s hand and a few tears slipped from his eyes. “Ben…” he whispered. Ben kissed his jaw, swiping the tears away, and then he took Eli’s hand in his and slipped the ring back on his finger, kissing his palm gently. Eli lowered his head, crying again softly. Ben hooked him back against himself.

“Yes Ben,” he murmured, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he mumbled, a litany of apologies and ‘I love yous’ intermingled with his whining. Ben kept him close, nodding knowingly. Eli clung to him, exhausted and miserable. He pulled back a little at one point and tentatively ran his fingers down Ben’s nose, feeling the break. Ben winced and Eli ran his fingers through his hair instead, kissing him hard.

“You must hate me,” he said sadly. Ben hugged him hard, shaking his head very gently. Eli whined. “I hurt you. I hurt you /again/. Why do you keep me?” Ben smiled a little bit and kissed him again, biting his jaw.

“I love you,” he said simply. Eli frowned, burying into his chest. “I love you, Eli. So much. I wouldn’t ever give you up, for anything. Not even Lee, who might be sorta sexy,” he teased him gently, kissing his hair. “Most certainly not for a wet cat like Keiran,” he assured him. Eli shuddered at the thought, nodding.

Eli sighed. “Did I hurt him, Ben? Real bad?” he asked softly. Ben nodded a little bit, stroking his hair. “He’s pretty beaten up, Eli. I’m not happy about that,” he assured him. “But I wanted to beat him myself, so I guess one of us had to do it.” Eli managed a little laugh, snuggling into him.

“Are you alright, Eli?” he asked. Eli nodded faintly, stroking his fingers down Ben’s chest. “I should go home. And apologize to Keiran,” he said very quietly. “And Lee.” Ben smiled, a little surprised at Eli for suggesting it himself.

He stood, keeping Eli in his arms a while longer before his lover slid down to stand on his own.  He kissed Ben, touching his nose again. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. Ben kissed him with a little shake of his head. “We’ll deal with that later, mister. Can we go home now before my parents start inquiring again?” he asked. Eli nuzzled his shoulder, playing idly with his fingers. “Yeah, Ben.”

…

            Lee came to pick them up and Eli clung to Ben in the back, although he did voice a very profuse apology to Lee for his behaviour and for what he had done to Keiran. Lee forgave him rather readily, assuring Eli that his lover had indeed deserved it but that was not to be the end of his misery. Ben tried to talk him out of it, but Lee had made up his mind to return home that night with Keir.

            Keiran was still in the corner when they got home. Lee had packed their things and had everything ready to go. Keiran, when let out of the corner, indeed looked like a wet cat, tear-streaked and still sobbing. His face was black and blue and he shook as he slipped his shoes on. Ben could only imagine what punishment he was facing when he got home. He smoothed his hand over Eli’s back as he stood in the front entranceway.

Keiran looked up at them with a miserable frown. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, very quietly and very sincerely. Eli took a step towards him but he squeaked and jumped back, afraid he’d hit him again.

Eli frowned. “I’m sorry, Keiran. I…shouldn’t have hit you. I’m really sorry.”

Keiran nodded quickly and moved out the door. Lee hugged Ben hard and then collected Eli into his embrace. Eli hugged him tightly.

            “I’ll deal with him, don’t worry,” he promised. Eli shuddered a bit at the thought but he nodded. Keiran certainly deserved to be punished. So did he, he knew and Ben would punish him. He stepped back into Ben’s arms as Lee took their bags outside and he waved as the car pulled out of the driveway. Ben turned him against himself and kissed him gently.

            “Ben?” he questioned. Ben shook his head, kissing him again. “Tomorrow. You’re exhausted. Come make tea with me and we’ll relax a while, okay?” Eli nodded with a quiet sigh. He followed Ben into the kitchen and settled on one of the stools, watching him. Ben turned and smiled, moving into the space between Eli’s legs, hands on his lover’s knees. Eli kissed his forehead gently.

            “I love you,” he said quietly, fiddling with the ring. Ben caught his hand and kissed his palm. Eli sighed, tugging Ben’s head back up to kiss him hard.

            Ben tangled his fingers in Eli’s hair. “I love you, Eli. You’re mine, little one.” Eli smiled and kissed him again, stroking his thumb over Ben’s palm.

 “And the only wet cat I’ll ever sleep with is Puck, I promise.”