For trope_bingo
Apr. 24th, 2020 06:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: Unconventional First Dates
Summary: In which Netflix Party provides an unusual location for a love confession.
Prompt: AU: Mundane
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Based on someone’s true account (I think?) that I can’t find.
Contacting his apartment neighbor, Poe, was the best thing that Ben could have thought to have done, under the circumstances. After the shouting match with his mother over reporter (though “clickbait-Judas” seemed more appropriate) Ransolm Casterfo’s article about Ben’s grandfather’s criminal past, Ben already felt drained. Drained. He should apologize to his mother...and yet he was angry. No wonder he’d been bullied in school. No wonder he’d felt like an outcast.
Calling Poe was the best thing he could have done.
“I saw the article,” Poe said after Ben explained himself. “Ben, I’m so sorry...”
“Not your fault.”
“I canceled my subscription to his shitty newspaper, if it’s any consolation. It’s not your fault that your grandfather did shit things. Damn, Ben...”
Ben nodded.
“You. Me. Netflix Party.” A beat. “Maybe watching a bad movie?”
Ben smiled, if faintly. “I’d like that.”
***
It was when they were actually on Netflix Party that Ben couldn’t help but feel a sort of comfort and ease, just watching a movie with Poe. A recent release. Ben couldn’t say it was very good, but at least he could make snarky comments about it with Poe. There was something about it that, bizarrely enough, brought Ben peace after the fight that he’d had with his mother.
Poe:
How are you feeling?
Ben:
Better. I just can’t believe Mom kept a secret that big from me.
Poe:
She was trying to protect you.
Ben:
I...well, maybe I couldn’t have taken it. But it would explain so much.
Poe:
Don’t say that. You’re ten times the man he is. Maybe a thousand.
Ben:
Really?
Poe:
Really. I...Ben, there’s something I want to tell you.
Ben’s breathing hitched in that moment. Was it good? Bad?
Poe typed back after what seemed too long.
Poe:
I’m in love with you, Ben. I mean...I tried to play it off as a joke. Wasn’t funny.
Ben could feel his head spinning. It was like the world as he’d known it had decided to change before his eyes. After everything — could things have just been avoided if they’d been honest with each other?
Ben:
You could have told me.
Poe:
I know, and I’m sorry, Ben. I was just...I thought I wasn’t good enough for you. After what I did, what I got addicted to...
Ben:
You’re good enough. You always were. I’m in love with you too. BTW, would you count this as a date? /half-kidding
Silence.
After a long while, Poe typed back.
Poe:
No complaints from me!
Summary: In which Netflix Party provides an unusual location for a love confession.
Prompt: AU: Mundane
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Based on someone’s true account (I think?) that I can’t find.
Contacting his apartment neighbor, Poe, was the best thing that Ben could have thought to have done, under the circumstances. After the shouting match with his mother over reporter (though “clickbait-Judas” seemed more appropriate) Ransolm Casterfo’s article about Ben’s grandfather’s criminal past, Ben already felt drained. Drained. He should apologize to his mother...and yet he was angry. No wonder he’d been bullied in school. No wonder he’d felt like an outcast.
Calling Poe was the best thing he could have done.
“I saw the article,” Poe said after Ben explained himself. “Ben, I’m so sorry...”
“Not your fault.”
“I canceled my subscription to his shitty newspaper, if it’s any consolation. It’s not your fault that your grandfather did shit things. Damn, Ben...”
Ben nodded.
“You. Me. Netflix Party.” A beat. “Maybe watching a bad movie?”
Ben smiled, if faintly. “I’d like that.”
***
It was when they were actually on Netflix Party that Ben couldn’t help but feel a sort of comfort and ease, just watching a movie with Poe. A recent release. Ben couldn’t say it was very good, but at least he could make snarky comments about it with Poe. There was something about it that, bizarrely enough, brought Ben peace after the fight that he’d had with his mother.
Poe:
How are you feeling?
Ben:
Better. I just can’t believe Mom kept a secret that big from me.
Poe:
She was trying to protect you.
Ben:
I...well, maybe I couldn’t have taken it. But it would explain so much.
Poe:
Don’t say that. You’re ten times the man he is. Maybe a thousand.
Ben:
Really?
Poe:
Really. I...Ben, there’s something I want to tell you.
Ben’s breathing hitched in that moment. Was it good? Bad?
Poe typed back after what seemed too long.
Poe:
I’m in love with you, Ben. I mean...I tried to play it off as a joke. Wasn’t funny.
Ben could feel his head spinning. It was like the world as he’d known it had decided to change before his eyes. After everything — could things have just been avoided if they’d been honest with each other?
Ben:
You could have told me.
Poe:
I know, and I’m sorry, Ben. I was just...I thought I wasn’t good enough for you. After what I did, what I got addicted to...
Ben:
You’re good enough. You always were. I’m in love with you too. BTW, would you count this as a date? /half-kidding
Silence.
After a long while, Poe typed back.
Poe:
No complaints from me!
