"What was it you wanted to tell me?"

The boy fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, looking down at the ground, trying to muster enough strength to continue with what he set out to do that night. Wetting his dry lips and taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak.

And nothing came out.

The other began to stare at the boy, his arms crossed, a sign of his patience wavering. "You got somethin' to say, Tennyson? Spit it out already! I've got shit to do." Kevin began to tap his foot at this point.

Ben Tennyson forced back the lump in his throat, the nervousness clinging to his esophagus like molasses. "I-I...w-wanted to tell y-you..." His voice weakened again and his gaze went back to the ground.

"No. Seriously, Ben, what is it that you have to say that has you stuttering like a SpEd kid? Is it about Julie? Or Gwen?"

"No! It's not about either of them. Well, not really directly, I think..."

"What is it about, or are you gonna keep jerkin' my chain forever?" Kevin leaned back against his car, barely sitting on the hood.

"I'm going to tell you."

"Well, I'm waitin'."

The brunette bit his lip, mulling over how he should tell his best friend-slash-former enemy, Kevin Levin, that he liked him. This was a make or break situation for the young hero. He could either gain a lover or lose the most important person in his life. He had had his suspicions about the raven haired mutant's own feelings, but with Kevin, no one could be sure how he felt, but Ben put his faith in how well he could read his friend.

"I...know you may not feel the same way I do about this, but I need to get it out in the open so I can move on. I'm pretty sure you're going to laugh, and that's okay, and I promise I won't be weird, but I just can't keep this secret between us anymore..."

"Don't tell me you scratched my car." Kevin turned quickly to inspect his beloved automobile.

Ben took Kevin by the wrist and turned him back to face him. "Kevin, listen. I-I love you. I have for a really long time, but I needed to tell you, and you can punch me if you want, but not in the face, Gwen might see and she'd be mad, and I don't want her to be pissed at you cause you hit me or anything--"

Ben's babbling was broken by hearty laughter. Kevin doubled over, holding his gut to try and contain himself.

"When I said you were going to laugh, I really didn't expect you to laugh so hard, Kevin."

When Ben turned to walk away, Kevin grabbed him by the hand. "N-no. That's not why I'm laughin', Benji." He stood upright, still smiling. "I was laughin' 'cause you were all nervous about somethin' like that. I seriously thought you were gonna tell me my dog died or some crap."

The brunette stared at his friend in disbelief. "Wait, what? You're not laughing because I just professed my love for you like some stupid school girl, but because I was nervous and wasn't sure how to say something like that to my best friend, who happens to be MALE?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, really, Ben. It was pretty obvious that you had feelings for me. I never said anythin' 'cause you were tryin' to be with Julie. And it's kind of the reason I never really pursued Gwen like she wanted me too. I could kinda tell that you didn't like seein' your cuz being all close to the guy you like."

Ben rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "So, wait a minute. What you're telling me is that you knew all along how I felt and didn't want to tell me because you thought I was trying to deny it by being with Julie and you and Gwen didn't get together because of me as well?"

"Pretty much."

"Well, then, how do you feel about me? Cause I have no fucking clue anymore."

Kevin sighed, sitting back down on the hood, grabbing Ben by the wrists and pulling him closer. "Oh, that's easy Tennyson. Here, let me sum it up for ya." Suddenly, the mutant pulled the other down into a kiss.