Best Friends (A My Babysitter's A Vampire fanfic)

Rated: K+

Pairing: One-sided Ethan/Benny

Summary: A slashy/friendship moment between Ethan and Benny :D

One-shot. Posted 21 July 2011

"Benny?" Ethan asked quietly. They were currently at Ethan's house for a sleepover. It was close to three in the morning and they were close to falling asleep. Benny was sitting on the floor with his back against Ethan's bed as Ethan laid on his back.

"Yeah?" Benny answered sleepily, laying his head back on the bed. The top of his head touched Ethan's leg, but neither of them bothered moving.

"We're friends, right?"

"No." Benny said with a sarcastic laugh.

"I'm serious."

"Of course we're friends."

"Best friends?"

Benny laughed again. "Yeah, best friends. Why? Something on your mind?"

"...Kinda."

"Ethan," Benny turned and looked at Eathan, "you can tell me anything you know."

Ethan sat up and looked at Benny. "It's... kind of difficult."

Benny reached a hand out and patted his leg. "Ok. But whenever you're ready to talk about it, I'm here."

A nervous smile crept across Ethan's face as he extended his arm and rested his hand on Benny's head, tangling his fingers in his best friend's hair. "I should tell you. But I'm not sure how you'll react."

"Remember when we were little?" Benny asked. "And how we used to cuddle all the time?"

Ethan blushed and nodded. "Yeah."

"We made a pact one time that we would always be best buds no matter what. I know it's just something that kids do but you really are my best friend in the whole world. Whatever it is you need to tell me, it's not going to make me hate you or anything. You can trust me."

"I know." Ethan said sadly. "I just... I'm kinda scared."

"That's ok. You don't have to tell me right now if you don't think you're ready."

Ethan stared at his best friend, trying to decide what to do. He ran his fingers through Benny's hair a few more times, marveling at how easy it was to be intimate with him. Benny's hand was still resting on his leg and he started thinking about how close they were. There was never really any weirdness between them. Aside from the paranormal things, of course. "I'm gay."

Benny simpered and patted Ethan's leg again. "I know."

Ethan's eyes went wide. "You do? How?"

"Dude, I've always known." Benny smiled comfortingly. He got up and sat aside of Ethan on his bed. "It's always been pretty obvious. I mean, you don't really look gay or sound gay or anything, it's not something that would be obvious to other people, but I'm your best friend, remember? I've always been the person you're closest to. I could just always tell."

"So... you're not upset about it?"

"No, of course not." Benny said as he put an arm around the other boy's shoulders. "You think I'd hate you over something like that?"

"Well... no. I guess I was just afraid that you would think it's gross or wrong or something."

"It's not gross. Or wrong. At all. It's who you are. And like I said, we're best buds through and through. We'll always be together. I mean, we have other friends. Sarah. Rory. But you and I have this... deep connection that just can't be broken. We may have girlfriends. Or boyfriends. And we'll probably get married somewhere along the way. But we'll always have each other. Nothing can separate us."

"Thanks, Benny." Ethan laid his head on Benny's shoulder. He was kind of nervous. If Benny had always known that Ethan was gay, did he also know that Ethan liked him as more than just his friend? Should he tell him?

"And nothing is gonna change between us either." Benny said. "You're still the person you've always been, and I'm not uncomfortable around you. I know you're probably worrying about it, but really, I don't want anything to change. So you don't have to be shy around me. I can tell you want to hug me right now, but you think I'll take it the wrong way. But I want you to know that this intimacy that we have is just a part of our friendship. And I don't want that to go away just because you think it'll make me uncomfortable, ok?"

Ethan answered him silently by wrapping his arms around Benny's waist and hugging him as tightly as his thin arms could manage. He didn't have to tell him. It was obvious that Benny knew how he felt. And Ethan was grateful that he was being so supportive instead of simply rejecting him. But Benny also clearly wanted to continue being Ethan's best friend, and that was just fine with him.

"There." Benny smiled to himself. "Isn't that better?" He felt Ethan nod against him and knew that they may grow apart a bit in the future, but their bond was unbreakable.