A/N: When I first wrote this, all the characters were cheating on each other and I used the word 'fuck' a lot and Pops was like "THIS FAMILY IS RUUUUINED!"... Everyone was OOC, and I was ashamed. So I rewrote it, edited it, and here you go. I had to write this one first. Heads up to someone named... Oh, they didn't leave a name. Well thank you anonymous for the request! It was sooooo sweet. Enjoy, and review! Please!
Pops nervously sat at one side of the circular table while Benson and Mordecai sat across from him. Benson looked as if he had been sucking on a lemon, while Mordecai kept darting his eyes all around the room. Pops hoped they weren't cross with him.
"I'm sorry." Pops meekly said. He hung his head low.
"No! Pops, you did nothing wrong it's just…" Benson trailed off and put his hands behind his head.
Mordecai took over, "This is why we knock, okay?"
Pops nodded. He just wanted to show Benson and Mordecai something he had drawn so he went into Benson's bedroom and… The next thing he knew they both were yelling at him. Pops wasn't sure if he was going to be punished, but they sat him down to talk.
"I… Pops. About why we were yelling-"
"Were you wrestling?" Pops asked. He brightened up a bit. "It looked as if Mordecai was the victor."
"You could say that," Mordecai snickered (then received a swift slap upside the head from Benson) and Benson turned pink.
"No Pops…. You see, you know that me and Mordecai are together right?"
"Correct!"
"Good. What you saw was… What you saw was… Oh God…" Benson couldn't spit it out.
Pops usually relied on Benson to explain things for him. Now Benson couldn't explain it out for himself. Pops was so very confused! Luckily Mordecai thought on his toes and said, "Pops, me and Benson were hugging."
"Hugging?" Benson said, squinting his eyes in disbelief.
"Hugging?" Pops was confused even further. "I must say that was the most bizarre hugging I've ever seen."
"People hug all different sorts of ways." Mordecai further elaborated.
But Pops shook his head, not complying. "And Benson, you were on your back!"
Benson put his face in his hands. "I do not need this on a Sunday…"
"And it appeared as though Mordecai was hurting you!" Pops exclaimed. "Jumping on Benson over and over and over and he was yelling your name-"
"Please…" Benson groaned. "Stop describing it…"
"I'm sorry! I'm just so very baffled." Pops admitted.
Mordecai grinned, but soon stopped when he noticed Benson's glare and continued to dig the hole deeper. "I wasn't hurting Benson Pops. It was a hug. But this wasn't an everyday hug. It's a special hug that people in love do." Benson pulled his face from his hands at the mention of 'love'. Pops looked up at nothing and considered this interpretation. "We were saying 'I love you', but with our bodies."
"Why, then couldn't you simply say it with words? I imagined it would be less… Painful."
Benson was intently watching Mordecai. Mordecai smiled at Pops.
"You could. Words are nice. But sometimes when we use our bodies cause it makes the words feel better.".
Pops nodded his head and after some thought, it all made sense to him now. "Okay… I think I understand now! I apologize for interrupting then."
"How about I call Skips and he can take you to Hats and Spats for some new cufflinks?" Benson finally said with a forced smile. He had to change the subject.
"Oh! Good show! I'll get my wallet!" Pops clapped his hands and ran to Benson's extra room faster than someone can say "Awkward Conversation". Benson's smile became a grimace as he let his head fall on the table. Mordecai laughed softly and rubbed his boyfriend's back.
"Hey, it's not that bad!"
Benson made a pained noise. "He saw you grinding into me like a battering ram! It is that bad!" Benson sat up properly. Mordecai didn't even try to cover his laughter. "I'm glad you can laugh at this!"
Mordecai's laughter strengthened. "It's funny, Ben! Pops won't even remember this; he'll be talking about flowers or ferrets two minutes from now. Just laugh. Laugh!"
"Ha ha." Benson said flatly. Mordecai chuckled as he got up and went over to the fridge. Benson watched as he pulled out a small box of raspberries, ate a handful and shrugged.
"You'd think you would be in a better mood. After we just 'special hugged' and all."
"So.. That means you… Love me." Benson said. He wasn't looking at Mordecai. Mordecai stopped eating the raspberries and stared at him.
"What?"
"'Saying I love you with our bodies?'" Benson said, voice neutral. "So every time we're doing… That, it's a declaration of love."
Benson's voice was not giving Mordecai any hints as to how he should answer. He ultimately decided to be honest.
"Well… Admittedly it's not the most romantic way, but. I love you. Yeah. Yes. I love you, Ben."
Mordecai took a deep breath. Benson just sat there, no reaction whatsoever. He just nodded slowly with big eyes. "Yes. Okay then." Benson quickly got up and cleared his throat. "Thanks."
Mordecai leaned with his back against a kitchen counter and a raised eyebrow. "… You're welcome. "
"I'm going to call Skips now." Benson reported to Mordecai whilst he pointed to the phone near the front door.
"You do that." Mordecai laughed at him.
Benson walked to the phone and when he was halfway there, Benson turned right around and went back into the kitchen. "Back from the phone so so-" Mordecai started, but was caught off by his lips crashing into Benson's and it took him a few seconds to kiss Benson back. It was sudden and gentle and not Benson at all. Benson felt his feet go on tippy toe as he put his hands on Mordecai's shoulders and the blue jay placed his wings on Benson's hips.
Pops came from the extra room to see Mordecai lift Benson up and put him on the kitchen counter; the blue jay made their bodies get closer together as they deepened the kiss.
He assumed they were going to hug in the special way again, so he patiently waited in the other room for them to finish.
"Pops! You come over here and give me some sugar!"
Pops ran into Don's arms and hugged him tightly. Eileen couldn't help but grin at the sight.
"Hello Donald! Hello Ms. Eileen." Pops laughed.
Pops loved the days when Benson sent him over to Don and Eileen's. Those were the days when Mordecai and Benson spoke in angry whispers and eyebrows. It seemed like he was going over there more frequently.
"Hiya Pops! Ready to play some animal Jenga?" Eileen asked the lollipop man.
"Why of course!"
Benson drove off quickly in his station wagon and Don ushered Pops in. Eileen went to the kitchen while Don entertained Pops in the living room. Don's house was always so cold looking to Pops. At least from far away. But no matter how many times he came and went, the inside, which busted with color, always took him off guard. Don called it the perfect representation of him and Eileen.
"I'm the outside; and Eileen's the beautiful insides." Don would say, looking all around his living room. "She makes me colorful on the inside."
"So Pops, I hear you're becoming somewhat of an artist?" Don asked sitting near Pops. They were on the floor with the coffee table, awaiting Eileen's return.
Pops laughed, "Only a little."
"Now don't you be modest. I'd love to have a Pops Maellard masterpiece hanging right here in my home." He lifted his arms and Pops saw the wall behind Don was full of swirling reds and happy yellows and other colors that reflected the sun to make the room smile. Pops never felt so overwhelmed with joy.
"Those are gorgeous." Pops said, a little choked up.
Don shrugged. "I suppose… Just a few gifts from an artist that needed his taxes reevaluated. I bet anything of yours would be ten times better."
Eileen came back at that moment with a modestly sized chocolate cake and set it on the coffee table. She looked over her work and appeared to be dissatisfied.
"What's wrong Leenie?" Don asked Eileen. He instantly became worried.
"Nothing Don, don't worry yourself," Eileen laughed at Don's concern. "I just think it feels weird eating cake without it being someone's birthday."
Pops shook his head and commented, "I agree."
"Well… Somewhere, out there it's someone's birthday. Let's eat this cake for that guy!"
The three of them cheered the littlest cheer and cut up the dessert. Pops smoothed the cake on his tongue and let his taste buds really appreciate the cocoa flavor.
"Not too sweet?" Eileen asked wringing her hands.
Don stopped munching on his portion. He leaned over and pecked Eileen right on the lips. The mole girl blushed up a storm. "There's no such thing as 'too sweet' in this house."
Pops saw they way Eileen turned the most adorable shade of magenta; the way Eileen's blushing made Don look like he had all of the world's money in his pockets and he blurted out of nowhere,
"Are Benson and Mordecai going to break up?"
Don and Eileen reacted as if Pops was coming at them with a big rig and they were the helpless deer.
"Um. Wow! Talk about sudden!" Don exclaimed.
"I'm sorry I'm so blunt but… You two are so in love, and people who are in love are happy and Benson and Mordecai don't even special hug anymore!"
Eileen scrunched her nose up in confusion. Don scratched the fur atop his head.
Don had to ask, "'Special hug?'"
"It's a way to say 'I love you' with your body." Pops admitted.
"Oh!" Eileen exclaimed, reading between the lines. "You mean… That!"
"I fear they'll separate, and neither will have someone to love them."
Don let out a nervous laugh and looked over to Eileen, who had became withdrawn. He was going to ask what was wrong, but then thought about it for a bit. He wanted to hug Eileen so tightly at the moment.
Don decided to kill to birds with one stone.
"Pops, I think you're a little bit confused." Pops tilted his head, which was his way to ask Don to explain it all to him. "Special hugs are wonderful. But that's not the only way to say you love someone without using words."
"Really?"
"Mhmm. I mean, you could send someone a card, or write them a letter, or draw them a picture." Don said.
"Or bake them a cake?" Pops said. He thought it was a splendid suggestion.
Don searched for Eileen's hand and when he found it he held on tightly. Eileen stared at her own hand then at Don's, then her eyes traveled up Don's arm and into his eyes. All at once, the tension in her body washed away. Don said, looking right back into Eileen's eyes, "Baking someone a cake… Is the perfect way to say 'I love you'."
"Actually, neither Benson and Mordecai can bake very well." Pops frowned.
"Haha! Pops, my point is this. Just because two people aren't saying it the popular way doesn't mean they aren't saying it at all. In fact, they could probably be saying it everyday."
Eileen felt herself begin to tear up. She abruptly stood up from the carpet floor. "I'm going to get some chocolate milk."
Don watched as Eileen left and Pops smiled at her. "Take your time!"
Eileen opened the refrigerator door to get the chocolate milk carton out. When she closed the door, Don appeared bent to Eileen's level with a bit of a frown.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked.
Eileen laughed loudly and hugged Don. She whispered in his ear, ever so softly, "No… No, you said the right thing."
Pops could her soft crying coming from the kitchen and worried about Eileen. Don would probably be there for her; to help fix whatever was wrong. Surely.
Sometimes, when Skips absolutely positively could not watch Pops, Benson would have no choice but to drop him off at Margaret's.
Margaret reminded him of a classic beauty in the movies he used to watch… A modern day Mae West. Pops thought Margaret fit that mold very well. Pops always loved to see Margaret. It was Benson who had a problem with Pops staying over.
"I feel uncomfortable with her around him, okay? I'm not trying to sound like an asshole-"
"Wow," Mordecai said with a nasty edge to his voice. "And you're not even trying…"
"She's your ex-girlfriend!" Benson angrily said.
"You know what? I'll continue this when you decide to admit what we're really arguing about."
Pops climbed up to the second floor, knocked on the door marked '69', then waited for someone to open it. Soon Pops heard a few angry footsteps approach and a very exhausting looking Margaret (who was still in her work uniform) seemed shocked to see him.
"Pops! I totally forgot I was watching you today!"
Behind her, Pops saw an odd war of throw pillows and water guns between Rigby, Muscle Man and High-Five Ghost. They were shouting and laughing and cursing… No wonder Margaret looked so tired. "I got you! I got you! Muscle Man I got you, you're out!" Rigby screamed while he hid behind Margaret's mahogany couch.
"That's quite alright." Pops said smiling at Margaret. "Everyone forgets sometimes."
"Still, I'm so sorry! Sit in the kitchen for a sec." The red robin ducked and weaved through the madness going on in her living area and pushed Pops towards her tiny kitchen table. "Wait for just a sec."
"Cheater!" High-Fives said in Rigby's direction. Rigby had a water balloon in his hand and winded back to throw it. Apparently, Muscle Man had thought like Rigby as he had two water balloons and threw them. At the worst possible moment, Margaret put herself between Rigby and the other two, and Rigby was already cringing milliseconds after the water balloon left his hand. Margaret made a squeaking noise as the three water balloons made contact with her chest and back.
The room was silent.
Margaret's work uniform was completely soaked but the skirt section. But High-Fives took care of that by throwing another water balloon. When Margaret raised her shoulders and glared at him, Muscle Man guiltily smiled.
"Just to even it out." he meekly defended his friend's actions.
Margaret said flatly with closed eyes, "Everyone. Out. Please."
Muscle Man and High-Fives saw that Margaret meant business and hauled ass out of the woman's apartment. Rigby tried to leave but Margaret menacingly pointed at him and growled, "You stay."
"Uh… What's up Mags?" Rigby asked with a sheepish smile.
"What the hell Rigby? It's not enough you ransack my house, but you and Muscle Man bombard me with water balloons?" Margaret crossed her arms and huffed.
"I'm sorry! I actually had a whole romantic evening planned but then Muscle Man and High-Fives came over with the water guns and they were like 'Let's do this' and they gave me the Bro Nod, babe!"
"What?" Margaret groaned.
"You know! The Bro Nod! It's how a bro tells another bro it's on." Rigby demonstrated by nodding in slow motion with a significantly douchey look on his face. "I can't ignore a Bro Nod… That's like, not saying the Pledge of Allegiance." Pops was looking on from the table. It was not good. Margaret was angry at Rigby, and from Pops' understanding, people who are in love usually don't stay that way when they get angry.
"I'm going to change. You stay out here and watch Pops." Margaret stomped over to her bedroom without looking at Rigby, but not before mumbling under her breath, "Just so goddamned childish sometimes…"
The bedroom door slammed, and Rigby was sitting across from Pops.
"I'm sorry, Mags!" he had a small grin. "She knows I'm sorry."
"Are you afraid that she won't love you anymore?" Pops said whilst staring at Margaret's bedroom door.
Rigby exploded with laughter. When he could soothe the laughs, he responded, "What are you talking about, man?"
"Margaret was so mad at you! Surely this isn't a good thing."
"Nah… I mean. I don't like when she's mad at me. It sucks actually. But that doesn't mean she doesn't love me anymore!" Rigby continued laughing, then stopped and looked worried. "It doesn't mean that right?"
"Whenever Benson and Mordecai fight-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Me and Mags are nothing like Mordecai and… Benson." Rigby said Benson's name as if it left a bad taste I his mouth. Pops always sensed a disconnect with Rigby. He was best friends with Mordecai and he was still the same… But when the subject of Mordecai with Benson came up he got quiet. Not angry quiet though. More of a sad quiet. Pops just wished he knew why Rigby was so sad. "Mordecai and Benson… They're just. Me and Margaret are different."
"How?"
Pops tilted his head once again. Rigby struggled with his words.
"Um, first off, whenever I do something awesome, which is always, Margaret's right there to tell me how kick ass I am. Y'know? Support me. And when I do something… Less awesome and piss off Margaret she doesn't hold it against me. And when I get super pissed at her, I don't sit around and piss my pants about it. Like… When you love someone, you get mad at them sometimes. Then you talk about it, then you let it go."
"So Margaret still loves you?" Pops asked.
"I hope so! I need a place to crash next Saturday."
Margaret's door opened and she stepped out in a yellow tank top and some sweatpants. She yawned and Rigby called over to her. "Mags? Mags~!" Margaret glared at Rigby all the way to the table and sat down with a plop. "You still love me don't you?"
Margaret rolled her eyes. "Inexplicably."
Rigby stood on his chair and kissed Margaret on the cheek hard. Margaret was obviously holding back a smile. "I think it's sexy when you use big words."
Pops was in utter shock. Margaret was no longer this angry shouting girl. When he would ask her to explain it, Margaret would stare at the floor and smile guiltily.
"It's like I can't help but love him, Pops. He'll do something to piss me off, then he'll turn around and do something so incredibly sweet. It's insane… But I love it. I love him."
"Just no more water gun fights in my apartment. Please?" Margaret sighed.
"Of course!" Margaret kissed Rigby on the cheek, and then he said in a loud whisper, "We'll just wait till you're at work."
Margaret punched Rigby in the arm and the two shared a laugh (Rigby rubbed his arm and his eye sort of twitched). Pops felt so happy they could settle their differences. When Benson swung around and picked him up, Pops slept soundly in the backseat, knowing Rigby and Margaret were at peace.
Waving at the car, Margaret looked down to see Rigby staring up at her, fearfully.
"You still love me, right?"
Margaret bent down and kissed the top of Rigby's head. He swatted her away but smiled all the same.
"Nope. I love the other raccoon guy who comes over to my apartment and eats my food."
She stuck her tongue out at him. Rigby returned the sentiment.
Skips was working on Benson's engine in the garage when Pops strolled in looking like he needed something.
"Hey Pops. What can I do ya for?"
"Hmm?" Pops faced Skips. "Oh nothing Skips. I just came to say hello. Hello!"
Skips nodded and went back to work. When he came up from the engine to wipe sweat from his forehead, Pops was still there.
"How long have you been standin' there?" Skips asked in his usual monotone.
Pops blinked up at Skips and shook his head to think better. "Um. Can I stay here?"
Skips wondered why Benson wasn't around to collect Pops, but thought it was a good idea to have Pops there. Pops obviously was having one of those days.
"Sure. Just sit on my bench press."
Pops sat and then Skips went back to work, this time using a wrench. Pops sat and said nothing at first, letting the sound of Skips' tinkering fill the garage. He swung his feet back and forth. Eventually Pops just had to tell Skips what was on his mind. But before he could say anything, Skips beat him to the punch.
"They're not breakin' up."
Pops sat up straighter. It was like Skips could read his mind.
"How did you-"
"I know everythin', Pops." Skips said, plainly. "But really, why are you so concerned?"
"Because Benson and Mordecai… Benson and Mordecai have to be together." Skips said nothing. Pops took this as Skips' way of telling him to keep talking. "Papa hasn't been around much, what with the park expansion and his trips to Aruba that are always so lengthy… And Benson is always there for me. And since Mordecai joined with Benson it now feels like I have twice the guidance and twice the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you have a mother and father looking out for you."
"That's a rather odd set of parents." Skips said to himself.
"With Rigby and Margaret, Don and Eileen, you and even Muscle Man and High-Five Ghost I feel the warmness multiply." Pops felt so heartbreakingly lost. "But it's falling apart. No one can be in the same room together anymore... Rigby is already breaking apart from us all. If Mordecai and Benson are no more, then my family is broken. Again."
Pops felt a tear run down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. He hated to cry. He always felt like the baby everyone thought he was when he cried. Skips put his wrench down and closed the hood of Benson's car. He skipped over to Pops. The yeti wasn't a "touchy" person. He simply sat next to Pops and awkwardly petted his shoulder.
"You shouldn't feel so responsible for their relationship, Pops. Whether they break up or stay together for thousands and thousands of years… You'll always have your family. Understand?"
"Yes." Pops nodded, wiping away more tears.
"Besides. Benson and Mordecai are pretty compatible guys. I've never seen two people more into each other. Ya got nothin' to worry about."
Pops smiled a little.
"Nothing at all?"
Skips' face twitched a little… Then it twitched a lot… Then the weirdest thing showed up on Skips' face.
A smile.
"Nothin' to worry about." Skips stood up and stretched his mighty arms. "I've seen many partnerships go to crap, but something tells me Mordecai and Benson isn't gonna be one of them."
Pops definitely had something to worry about. Mordecai wasn't talking to Benson.
It was two days of "Pops, tell Benson", and "Pops, let Benson know"…
It was horrible!
But the worst was one Tuesday morning when Mordecai was on the couch, lazing around. Pops was in the kitchen trying to find the cookie jar Benson had hidden from him. Mordecai closed his eyes and rested his head on the arm of the sofa. Love was supposed to fix things. A least that's what he used to believe. But after Mordecai told Benson he loved him, Benson just… Changed.
"Shouldn't you be cleaning out the gutters?"
Mordecai looked up to see Benson holding his clipboard against his chest. He rolled his eyes.
"Need Rigby."
Benson gripped his clipboard tighter. "Well could you do something else instead?" Mordecai didn't answer. Benson swallowed some spit and tried again. "Can you just… Not do this right now?" Mordecai laughed bitterly, but nonetheless kept his beak shut. Benson made an exasperated noise. "What is your problem?"
"What the fuck is your problem?" Mordecai screamed. Benson blinked surprised "Every conversation with you is a complaint, or an accusation, or a another goddamn apology for the accusations and complaints! It's like prison. I can't fucking breathe!"
Pops froze. He immediately went to the kitchen door and put his ear to it.
"I'm…" Benson was taken aback. He had never seen Mordecai so irate. "Sorry…"
"Stop apologizing! Why do you hate me all of a sudden?"
"I don't hate you!" Benson finally said, the clipboard basically merging with his chest at that point.
"You certainly don't love me. I mean, I told you I loved you and you said 'thanks'. I just… I don't even know why I care anymore." Benson said nothing. He looked down at his feet, like they were saying something more important. "Sometimes I wish I didn't love you at all."
Still, Benson had a silent conversation with his feet. Mordecai breathed out harshly; threw his hand so to speak, and went up the stairs. The slam of a door was heard above him.
Pops had no idea what was happening. Was Mordecai breaking up with him? Why was he so livid at Benson all of a sudden? Pops just barely heard Mordecai go up the stairs; was he staying at the house from now on? What did it all mean? He just hoped Mordecai could let go of his new found coldness.
"Talk about it, then let it go…"
Alone, Benson was taking in shaky breaths and trying to figure out what to say/do next. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot up through his shin. Benson let go of his clipboard and it was revealed Rigby standing in front of him, giving Benson the stink eye.
"Seriously! What's your deal?"
"Did you... Did you just kick me?"
Rigby waved off the question. "You're acting like turd!"
"Excuse me?" said Benson, rubbing his lower leg and glaring at the younger raccoon.
Rigby impatiently pointed upstairs. "The dude said he loved you! He loves you!"
"Where'd you come from?" Benson became suspicious. Rigby went through the back door and saw Pops listening to Benson and Mordecai yelling. It was one of the moments Rigby knew he had to step up for his bro. Even if it made him feel a bit… Nauseous.
"Aren't you gonna like... 'Stand By Your Man'?" Rigby said. He really didn't like this conversation.
Benson looked him up and down. "It's none of your business."
"Okay." Rigby cracked his knuckles and tried to focus on what he was about to say. "I know that I'm not the most… Supportive of you two. It just. I'm sorry, there's no way around it, I think it's gross. I think it's sick and weird and every other bad word you can think of. But when Mordecai's not being gross with you, he's hanging out with me and all the time all he can talk about is how awesome you are. And he's always like, 'Oh dude it's like he's the other part of me blah blah blah' It's pathetic. But y'know… He's happier. And as much as it sucks to say, it's cause of you." Rigby paused. Benson felt as if someone sucked all of the air out of the room. "Mordecai's my bro. And it's kinda my business. You need to fix this shit."
"I'm the other part of him? He really said that?" Benson asked. It all sounded so… Perfect.
"Please don't make me say that little speech again… I'm gagging on the gayness." Rigby made juvenile disgusted faces. Benson looked up the stairs, which made Rigby roll his eyes. "This would be the part of the sitcom where I tell you to stop dicking around and go after him."
"No." Benson shook his head. "He needs to cool down for a minute."
"Stop dicking around and go after him!" Rigby pushed Benson up the first step.
Benson hesitated, because he knew that Rigby was right. If he wanted any chance of fixing this he had to talk about it. Pops waited anxiously. Eventually, Benson made the journey upstairs and towards Mordecai and Rigby's room.
He opened the door and saw Mordecai lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The curtains were drawn. Benson opened his mouth to start apologizing, but he knew Mordecai didn't need anymore of those. Instead, while leaning on the doorframe, Benson said the first thing that popped into his head.
"Remember that time Pops made a picture of us?"
Mordecai didn't move. He just continued to stare at the ceiling in angry silence. Benson cleared his throat and decided to keep talking. "It was labeled: 'Together Forever'. It was just adorable. He was so proud when I hung it up. .. Do you remember?" Mordecai scratched his face. He turned to his side. "And then he hung it up in the living room. For the whole house to see. I had a heart attack, I swear to God!" Benson laughed half-heartedly. Benson stopped leaning against the door frame and sat down on Mordecai's bed. "As stressful as that was… I secretly loved it. Do you know why?" He reached out for Mordecai's hand. Mordecai didn't pull away, but he didn't grip back when Benson laced his fingers with Mordecai's. "Because someone, Pops, celebrated us. Us. As a couple. Not just two gay guys who worked at a public park. A real, honest to God couple who held hands and kissed and made love. And that felt fantastic. I like how we were. We didn't stick the 'love' label on it. It makes things all… Weird and confusing." Benson paused noticing Mordecai finally give him his attention. "When you said it out loud… When you say it out loud, it's not some affair between us anymore. It's an actual relationship. It's real. And it scares me, Mordecai."
Mordecai had sat up in an instant and spoke with such a ferocious look in his eyes Benson knew he meant every word. "I want that. I want to stop feeling like a hooker when I go back and forth from your apartment to the house… I just... I want... I want to buy curtains."
"What?" Benson furrowed his eyebrows.
"I want to go down to some store and buy curtains with you and argue about how we got the wrong color. And! And! I want to sit in bed with you and watch 'Murder She Wrote'."
"You hate that show. You told me it was like watching sweater vests being sewn. Remember?"
"Don't analyze the metaphor! I just wanna do couple stuff with you. Cause we're a couple. And stuff. I want it all to be real."
Mordecai had steadily raised his voice during his rant and had to take a deep breath. Benson's hand was still in his. Mordecai squeezed and held on.
"How do we fix this?" Benson asked, observing their hands together. He sounded so small. Mordecai simply squeezed his hand tighter. Mordecai closed his eyes. He really saw no way around it.
"I guess we don't, like, say those three words. Until you're comfortable. "
Benson considered this.
"That's… Okay with me. Is it okay with you?"
"It has to be."
"Really?"
"Hmm-hmm. But make me a promise."
Mordecai grabbed both of Benson's hands and tightly held on to them as he looked into Benson's eyes. Benson couldn't help but remember when Mordecai had done the same thing a year ago, in the guestroom with Wreckless Eric playing. "I promise not to say it until we're both ready, as long as you promise to let me have sex with you in public."
"Mordecai…" Benson groaned.
"Kidding! Kidding!… Just promise me you love me. Even if you can't say it. Even when you can't show it. At least promise me it's in there somewhere."
"Of course. I can promise that. I do."
Benson leaned forward and Mordecai closed the space between them. It was always so new kissing Mordecai, Benson thought. Except then he tasted like Cheetos for some reason. Mordecai pulled away and donned a sly grin in his beak.
"You know, since we can't say 'I love you' in words…" Mordecai began. He put his hands on Benson's hips and Benson's eyes widened.
"Oh, no… No, no, no! Not in here!"
"Why not?" said Mordecai, pushing Benson gently down and lying on top of him.
"Mordecai…" Benson said laughing a bit, but trying to sound stern.
"C'mon… If anyone comes in we'll tell then we're 'special hugging'…" Mordecai laughed into Benson's neck.
"… And that's why I'm not allowed in Seattle anymore. " Mordecai finished.
The entire ride to Benson's apartment wasn't weird and silent, but happy with Mordecai making silly jokes to make Benson roll his eyes but laugh anyway.
"That was a lovely story." Pops said. He was tucked in and cozy.
"Yeah well… If Benson asks, I told you a story about a duckling or something. Goodnight Pops," Mordecai said sweetly. Pops halted him.
"I'm sorry I thought you and Benson were breaking up." Pops said shamefully.
Mordecai's eyebrows went to high heaven. "What?"
"This past week I feared you both were imploding before my very eyes."
"You heard us arguing, didn't you?" Mordecai concluded. He hated when Pops heard them arguing. It resonated with him and rattled skeletons in his closet that were better off unbothered. Pops nodded and Mordecai patted his knee. "I don't know what you think now, but you have to believe me when I say Benson and I aren't breaking up. No one is breaking up at all. Well, Rigby told me that Starla might dump Muscle Man again, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Pops was so relieved. Finally! Verbal confirmation that all really was well.
"Thank goodness everything turned out all right." Pops snuggled underneath his covers. "Now we're a family again." Pops said, eyes shining.
Mordecai was amused by Pops' metaphor. "I guess we are like a family, huh? A weird family I guess… But a family nonetheless… Goodnight Pops." Mordecai went to leave again but Pops snatched his wing at the last second.
"Mordecai?"
"Yes Pops?" Mordecai laughed.
"Will you and Benson be together forever?"
Mordecai laughed nervously and shook his head. He sat back down on the bed and made sure Pops was looking him in the eye.
"When I was little… I asked my mom the same thing. And she said yes. And do you know what Pops?"
"No! What?" Pops asked happily.
Mordecai's smile faltered slightly and it looked as if he was remembering something from long ago.
"She lied."
Mordecai said sharply. He didn't intend to sound so harsh but it was the truth. "And I don't want to be a liar and tell you the same thing. I can't predict the future. So let's just say Benson and me will be together for a long time."
"Okay."
A long time could be just as good as forever, Pops supposed.
"Goodnight, Pops. Be up early for tomorrow~."
"I will~!"
Pops was sure he'd dream up the most wonderful family that night. There'd be Mordecai laughing with Rigby and Benson and Margaret are looking at them both and complaining about their tastes in men with Don and Eileen standing next to them and everyone making gagging noises at hoe sweet they are as a couple, with Muscle Man and High-Fives laughing at them all while Skips just stood taking it all in. They would be inside a pretty yellow house and they surrounded Pops with happy smiles. Everyone would hold the walls and roofs up. Everyone would make sure the foundation didn't crumble.
Mordecai went into Benson's bedroom and saw him watching the History Channel, of all things. He hopped into bed, and when he turned to look, he noticed a sly smile on Benson's face.
"What?" asked Mordecai.
Benson turned the television off and positioned his body towards Mordecai's. "You handled that very well."
"You sound surprised." Mordecai feigned offense.
Benson sunk down into the covers and let Mordecai pull him close. He couldn't remember when it stopped feeling odd, being together with Mordecai like that. He'd like to think it always was natural to him.
"Benson?" Pops asked. "How do you make a good picture?"
Benson laughed, because it was such a daunting question. "God… Well… I don't believe in 'making' good pictures, Pops. You have to wait until the picture presents itself…" They were developing the group portrait they had taken a day ago. He was holding Mordecai's hand as they both sat in the front of the group, with Margaret and Rigby poking each other back and forth like schoolchildren. Don's tie was being straightened by Eileen while Muscle Man and High Five Ghost held signs above Mordecai and Benson that read 'Butt Pirates'. Pops clapped his hands and giggled at the wonderful madness. Skips stood grinning weakly. He was trying out the smiling thing. It looked painful. "Then take the shot. The pieces fall in place… And then…" Benson brought up the portrait. He smiled at the picture of everyone together, a ragtag team of the weirdest people he's ever met… While in the background Benson's car exploded. It had to be the worst picture he had ever taken… It was perfect.
"Did you ever get your car fixed?"
Benson shook his head 'no'. "This… Is going in my office."
Benson tangled himself in the blue jay. He could feel the words form in his brain then flow from his mouth, then they eventually were loud and clear and there… He almost took them back at the last minute.
"I love you."
Honestly, it was like Benson was telling him the sky was blue. But that's not how it felt for Benson, Mordecai understood. Mordecai let out a happy sigh. felt his eyes begin droop.
"How did that feel?"
Benson liked the way he and Mordecai fit together. Mordecai felt his eyes droop. Benson yawned, leaned over to his lamp and switched it off. He put his head on Mordecai's pillow after he gave the gumball machine some room.
"Like I was admitting defeat."
Benson was against Mordecai's chest, and felt him hum, "Then that means we're doing something right."
When he could hear no more words being exchanged, Pops assumed they were either asleep, or that they just decided to say 'I love you' without the words.