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"Ben go get dressed I don't want to be late," His mom asks as he's eating breakfast.

"I'm going" he stands. Walking to his room Ben sees his phone ringing on his computer table and rushes over picking up the call from a random number, "hello?"

"Hey, is this Ben?"

"Yes?"

"Hi, Ben it's Maeve, Mackie's roommate,"

"Maeve I know who you are but um I don't really have time right now, is Mackie putting you up to this?"

"No and I know it's early but I thought you needed to know. He uh came home pretty late last night not doing good at all,"

"What does that mean?" Ben asks finding what Maeve said to be cryptic,

"I mean he looked like he got jumped, he was bleeding and he limped to his room clenching his stomach." Ben's heart stops, "uh he won't talk to me I've tried knocking he's been locked in his room all night. I can clearly tell he's not ok, I think what he needs right now is you."

Trying to breathe, "Mackie and I aren't really on good terms right now."

"I know trust me that's all he's talked about the last few months, but knowing how he feels right now Ben you're the only person that can fix that. I have to go to class but I'll leave the door unlocked if you decide to change your mind."

"Ok thanks" Ben hangs up,

"Hey" his mom walks in, "clothes on, hurry."

"Actually you can go without me" He wipes his eyes so his mom won't see him tearing up, turning to her Ben lies "Ali's picking me up."

"Sure ok, I'll see you later?"

"All right."

Afraid to see Mackie, Ben gets dressed taking a cab all the way to his house. As he's in the cab Ben opens up his messages remembering getting one from Mackie he just ignored, playing the message he brings his phone up to his ear. "I know you've been ignoring my calls Ben, and I guess that's completely fine I'm annoying as fuck, I know. Um I guess maybe I'll stop calling or I should just text you since I'm not a grandparent. Anyway, I'll figure out how to stop calling... bye." He moves the phone away as soon as the message ends

Standing outside the house with his bag on his back, Ben is unsure of what to expect, but no matter how bitter he's been lately he knows that Mackie needs him so he'll have to forget everything else. Taking his time through the house Ben walks down the hall until he's standing in front of Mackie's door, should he knock or just go in?

Deciding it'll be more effective to just walk in he opens the door, going in Ben sees Mackie in bed still fully clothed with his boots on and everything. Getting close enough Ben sees Mackie's face covered in blood and swollen, he stands there for a second taking the sight in. This was never what Ben wanted for Mackie especially because he knows Mackie could be doing so much better. Ben could already tell who was responsible for this.

Feeling terrible watching the boy he's still in love with, Ben couldn't contain his tears his heart is breaking for Mackie. He tries to stay quiet but it doesn't work because he scares Mackie out of his sleep, "Ben?" Mackie sees him standing there "what the fuck?"

"I'm so pissed at you right now,"

"What? Why?"

"I have to hear from Maeve that you're here like this," he wipes his eyes.

"Sorry?" Mackie has a hard time getting out of bed and Ben just watches as he tries, "what are you even doing here?" He asks managing to sit up

"I really don't know" Ben sighs watching him struggle, "what happened?"

"Don't worry about it or me" Mackie groans as he stands limping across the room, "I don't need you" he gets his phone. Looking for his mom's number Mackie calls, "hey ma... I know um I'm not feeling too hot today mind if I take the day off and I'll make it up next week? ...thanks ma I'll call you later" he hangs up.

"That's not true," Ben says

"What's not?" Mackie takes off his jacket fighting the pain from his arms, chest, and back.

"You not needing me" He walks to Mackie, "let me do it" Ben takes Mackie's shirt pulling it over his head for him exposing bruises all over Mackie causing Ben to gasp. He drops the shirt shocked "Mackie what happened?"

"Just go to school all right?" He can't even look at Ben in the eyes, Mackie is embarrassed to be seen like this. "Here you can even take my car" he takes the keys from his pocket putting them in Ben's hand, "actually there might be blood on the seats so better not" he takes the keys back.

"Um you're gonna need painkillers, do you have any?" Mackie shakes his head "I'll check Maeve's bathroom. Can you try showering? Clean some of this blood off"

"Ben-"

"No Mackie I'm not going anywhere" he shakes his head taking his jacket off, "I'm all you got dummy so go shower I'm not asking twice."

"Okay," Mackie replies low then limps out of the room going to the bathroom.

Getting into action Ben walks to Maeve's room heading for her bathroom, looking through her cabinets Ben finds Aleve deciding they're better than nothing.

Standing outside the shower with the pills and a glass of water Ben waits for Mackie to finish. Mackie turns the water off getting out of the shower, as soon as he opens the door "I found- Jesus!" Ben looks away not expecting him to be completely naked.

"Nothing you haven't seen before," Mackie walks to his room wet and naked looking for his towel. Wrapping it around his waist "what'd you find?"

"Um Aleve, not too strong so I suggest taking four,"

"Thanks" Mackie takes the pills tossing them in his mouth then the water.

Ben takes the glass back, "I'll go wait out there while you get dressed" he walks out shutting the door. Going to the kitchen Ben feels his phone vibrate in his pocket, seeing Ali's name he turns the phone off completely instead of answering.

Looking in the fridge Ben grabs the milk and opens Mackie's side of the cabinet, it's practically empty. That worries Ben, Mackie usually has a lot of food in his cabinet but there's only a box of cereal and a can of soup. He grabs the cereal and a bowl placing it all on the counter, hearing Mackie come down the hallway, Ben turns staring at him with sad eyes "what?" Mackie asks stopping when he reaches the kitchen

"Uh nothing" he tries to act normal, "I also found a first aid kit in Maeve's room, so let me clean that up" he points to the cut on Mackie's head. Wetting a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol, Ben stands in front of Mackie who sits in a stool. Before placing the cotton ball on Mackie's cut Ben warns "this might sting," then he starts.

Hissing Mackie reacts, "might?! That hurts a lot!"

"You have a bunch of bruises on your body Mackie, suck it up," he pulls him back and continues to clean the cut. "So are you gonna tell me what happened or can I guess until I get it right?" He asks as he continues to clean the cut

"Let it go, Ben."

"No, you ran into some East Shore motherfuckers," he says it like Mackie does "and shit hit the fan?" Ben guesses waiting for a reply but doesn't get one, "that's not it... was Harley involved? I bet he was, ok you and Harley got into a fight and he finally won?" He slowly places a band-aid on the cut, "are you going to tell me?"

"Let it go." Grabbing the cereal and milk Ben put out for him, Mackie pours it in a bowl and Ben watches as he tries to eat. Eating food proves difficult with a sore jaw but Mackie doesn't stop.

Ben standing on the other side of the counter puts everything back in the kit and shuts it, "Did this happen before or after you called me?"

"Before,"

"So I could've prevented it by answering? This is my fault, isn't it? God, I'm so fucking selfish! Why can't I stop hurting you? Every time-"

"Stop it wasn't your fault." Turning his back to Mackie to calm down, Ben puts the cereal and the milk away, and while Ben isn't looking, Mackie starts to feel himself go back to last night and being actually scared by something for the first time ever. So scared that his eyes begin to crown with tears, getting up Mackie leaves Ben in the kitchen walking back to his room.

Turning back Ben sees he's gone, going down the hall Ben stops at the door when he sees Mackie sitting at the end of his bed with his head down. He quietly cries and Ben doesn't know if he should go over or give him space.

"I think Harley shot someone" Mackie says while his head still hang, Ben is stunned but doesn't say anything while Mackie continues. "I mean I didn't see anything because I was waiting outside, but I heard a gunshot so I ran inside. I didn't get far because I got attacked but he had a gun pointed at the guy attacking me. We got out of there but" Mackie picks his head up looking at Ben with tears running down his cheeks, "I heard a shot and Harley had the gun."

Walking  to Mackie, Ben sits next to him taking his head and hugging him against his chest as Mackie cries. "Oh my god I'm so sorry," he caresses Mackie's hair

Ben has never seen Mackie vulnerable it's always been the other way around, and Mackie didn't know how he'd react but he needed to tell someone what happened and he trusts Ben more than anyone.

"What are you going to do?" Ben asks as they're sitting next to each other, not saying anything Mackie just shrugs. "Maybe we can go to the hospital have them look at your bruises to make sure you didn't break anything."

"No I'm fine I've been through worse,"

"Okay... have you spoken to your brother? Make sure he didn't hurt someone"

Shaking his head, "haven't heard from him since I dropped him off last night and drove here."

Ben is terrified they might've done something very wrong, but he doesn't want to assume since Mackie didn't give him much information. "Maybe it's not as bad as you think" Ben reaches running his fingers between Mackie's, "I mean maybe- if the gun does belong to Harley maybe he missed, or he just fired a warning shot."

"Yeah maybe..." Mackie stares at Ben's hand in his and he turns to Ben, "thank you for staying but you don't have to be here." Mackie knows this is exactly what scared him away the first time, and he has a feeling things are about to get much worse from here.

"I know" Ben looks at him, "but as it turns out I love you and that includes every fucked up and broken piece so... and yeah I don't have to be here but I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, honestly." Getting up Ben gets on his knees in front of Mackie wrapping his arms around the boy hugging him, Mackie hugs Ben back sighing feeling better that Ben is there.

"I don't think I can handle you leaving me again," he says over the boy's shoulder. "I need you" Mackie admits.

"I'm not going anywhere I swear,"

"Good because I love you too," Mackie responds and Ben loosens the hug. Bringing his face next to Mackie's their foreheads touch, both reluctant to kiss. Still knelt between Mackie's legs as he's sat on the bed, Ben tucks his fingers into the boy's hair as their lips softly touch.

Mackie pulls Ben up and Ben straddles his lap as they continue to kiss.

Getting woken up by his ringing phone Mackie looks down at Ben who's naked sleeping on his chest. Gently taking Ben off he rushes to his phone seeing Harley's name, "hey" he whispers

"Mack brother I need you to listen to me"

"All right,"

"Shit went south last night and it might not be good, remember what I always tell you if people come asking questions?" By people Harley means cops

"Yeah" Mackie replies,

"Deny you had shit to do with anything, I'm laying low for a few until it all cools down, all right? Stay out of trouble until you hear from me."

"Harley what-"

"I love you bro and I'll protect you no matter what, remember that. I'll see you soon"

"Harley!" Harley hangs up

Turning Mackie stares at Ben sleeping in his bed and the first thought to cross his mind is how much of a mistake sleeping with Ben might have been, because it means whatever is to come now includes Ben.

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