A/n: Just a little fic inspired by a little vignette in a book my friend lent to me. Figured all you BRiley fans would appreciate more teenage Ben and Riley since they're just that adorable.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Why did it have to be Romeo and Juliet?" Riley Poole grumbled and flopped back onto the plaid fabric of the ancient couch that resided on the far wall of his best friend's basement. "I can't believe you talked me into taking this stupid theatre class with you, Ben." The techie sat up on his elbows and glared at Ben who sat at the other end of the couch that had obviously seen better days, studying the script of the dreaded play.

"You needed another arts credit," Ben shrugged, defending his reason for Riley's suffering. "Besides, Romeo and Juliet is a classic. How could you not like it?" He asked, waving the book in his hand for emphasis.

"How could you? The whole plot is stupid and pointless. Boy meets Girl. Boy and Girl fall in love. Boy and Girl can't be together so they kill themselves so they can spend eternity with each other. If you ask me the whole thing is just unrealistic." Riley countered. He sat up fully now and flipped through the entire play with one swipe of his thumb.

"Well, Ri," Ben clapped his hand on the computer geek's knee and stood up, moving into the center of the room. "We're not getting graded on how plausible the play is. We're getting graded on memorization and performance. Now c'mon, we're wasting time."

Riley expelled an exasperated sigh and finally rose from the couch. "Fine, let's get this over with." He stood next to Ben and aimlessly flipped through the book. "What page are we on?" He glanced over at his friend's book for the answer.

"61," Ben told him. Riley nodded and turned to the right page. "I'm going to be reading for Romeo, and you're gunna be reading for Mercutio."

"Why do you get to be the cool guy?" Riley whined. Ben sighed.

"Because, I picked the scene out," He said simply. Ben shook his head and focused on the text, reading it once over in his head before reciting it aloud.

"Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; being but heavy, I will bear the light."

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?"

"Riley!" Ben shouted. "That's not even the right part of the play!"

The techie shrugged. "I was improvising. It's what all the great actors do. I'm sure even your precious Shakespeare did it."

Ben didn't look impressed. "Would you knock it off? If we don't get serious, we're gunna fail this assignment. We have to get this scene down." He found his place in the text and reread the last part of his line. "Being but heavy, I will bear the…What's so funny?" Ben shot a quizzical glare Riley's way as the computer geek attempted to smother his giggles.

"You said you were 'butt heavy.'" Riley jeered.

"What are you five? Come on, Ri!"

"Ok! I'm sorry. I was just trying to have a little fun." For the first time since they started, Riley turned his eyes to the script. "Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance." In attempt of acting out the scene, Riley started to sway to the imaginary music. Ben paid no mind to him and started to read his next line.

"Not I believe me. You have dancing shoes with nimble soles. I have—what are you doing?"

"Dancing, like the script said." Riley continued to move to the nonexistent music. "You should be happy that I'm doing something that's part of the play."

"The script doesn't say that Romeo and Mercutio dance." Ben stated very matter-of-factly.

Riley stopped. "Well, it was implied."

"No!" Ben snapped. "No it wasn't. Stop being stupid and focus. Read your line."

"Geez, aren't we a bit bossy today?" Riley said pointedly at Ben. Ignoring the look of daggers he was receiving from his friend, the techie read his next line with as much seriousness as he could muster.

"You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound." Riley waited silently for Ben's response. When he didn't get one, he looked up questioningly to find Ben just staring at him with the oddest gaze on his face. Riley narrowed his eyes.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" He asked. The techie's voice shook Ben out of whatever state of mind he had been in.

"What? Oh, no. You didn't. That was just…" Ben searched his brain for the right words but came up empty handed. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Riley blushed at the complement and shifted uncomfortably under Ben's eyes. "Thanks." The small expression of gratitude was followed by an awkward silence. "Uh, Ben? It's your turn."

"Oh, right." Ben cleared his throat. "Not I believe me. You—"

"We did that part." Riley corrected. "You are too sore…"

"Oh, ok uh…ah here we are." Ben nodded upon finding the point his friend was referring to. He blinked a few times to regain composure before reading the proper line.

"I am too sore enpierced with his shaft…uh yeah. I honestly have no idea what's going on right now." Ben admitted with a nervous chuckle.

"Ben, it's really not that hard," Riley laughed good-naturedly. "All Mercutio is saying is that Romeo just needs to have some fun and live his life. Let his guard down a little and see what happens."

Ben looked askance at the techie. "I thought you didn't like Shakespeare?"

"Just because I don't like it, doesn't mean I don't understand it." Riley countered. "We read the play in my English class last year." He paused for a moment. "You know, some people think that Mercutio might have had a thing for Romeo. That maybe the two of them were more than just friends." As soon as the last word left Riley's mouth, the air around the two friends began to buzz with an odd sensation.

"I think you're reading too much into it," Ben said finally, his words cutting through the tension like a razor.

"Well, if you think about it, it's not as crazy as it initially comes off. I mean Mercutio effectively dies for his best friend. I'd do that for you in a heartbeat." Riley confessed.

Ben looked flattered. "You'd die for me?" Riley nodded.

"Why, you wouldn't die for me?" A smile tugged at his lips as he spoke. Ben couldn't help but laugh.

"I might kill you. Especially if you make us blow this tomorrow."

Riley gave his friend a look of mock-hurt. "Oh, that's nice. I tell you I'd take a bullet for you and you come back with a threat to my life? Shows how much you care about me." Mock-hurt as well as real hurt was laced in the techies tone. He crossed his arms and turned away from Ben, who heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Ok, fine. I'd die for you." He admitted, realizing that Riley wasn't playing anymore. The techie faced him again, his expression brightening.

"Really?"

"Well, we're not talking bullet to the head or sword to the gut, but if you ever needed a kidney or something, I guess I'd undergo invasive surgery for you."

Riley made a face. "That doesn't sound very romantic."

Ben looked taken aback. "Well, if you wanted to do a love scene, you should've asked one of the girls to be your partner."

"I didn't want to do this with anyone else. I wanted to do this with you." Riley's voice sounded almost offended.

Ben shifted his gaze to his shoes. "Oh."

The awkward, weird silence started to creep up again. Unsure of what to do, Riley started to read his next line aloud.

"And to sink it in, you should burden love. Too great an oppression for a—mmph!"

Riley was cut off by the feeling of Ben's lips being crushed into his own. At first, the techie was too shocked to do anything but stand there. But after a few moments, the surprise wore off and he found himself kissing back feverishly. Finally, when oxygen was starting to become a necessity, they broke apart, their breaths coming in heavy gasps.

"Now, that definitely wasn't in the script." The techie grinned at his friend. Ben matched his expression and shrugged.

"What can I say? I was improvising."

A/n: R&R! : )