#i love sprinkling in BEN agnst at any given opportunity

[fricc-darn]

How would BEN react to overhearing reader talking fondly of them?

It was one of those days. A day that went on for too long with too much to do. Thankfully, your long day finally came to an end. As exhausting as it was, the only thing on your mind was to quickly get back home and relax. The stroll back home wasn't glamorous by any means; there was litter on the pavement, and noisy cars were zipping by during rush hour. The city life is what you knew, and frankly, you enjoyed it here.

You learned to appreciate its beauty from being cooped up inside for so long. The sun embracing your skin with its warmth, freshly cut grass, people, and animals. It was the small things that mattered. On your walk, you passed by a corner store. You worked hard, so why not get a little snack as a reward?

The bell chimed as you opened the heavy glass door. Immediately you make a B-line towards the snack section. You snatched a big bag of chips before making your way to the freezer section. A nice, sunny day like this called for some ice cream.

Your eyes repeatedly scanned the frozen food section. The options were many, and you were horribly indecisive. A gentle tap on your shoulder distracted you from your decision-making. Were you in someone's way? You turned around while scooting to the side. It took you a moment to realize that person was your close friend! It felt as though it had been ages since you two last met.

You haven't been able to see friends or family for some time now. At most, it's been sporadic visits. Speaking to people felt disjointed. You felt as if everything you say and do was being surveillanced. Dealing with others became so stressful that you often opted to stay home. That nagging thought in the back of your head knew your questionable health was because of BEN. Alas, what was the point in complaining? You wanted to be with them; it was better to be on their relatively good side anyway.

You cheerfully greeted your friend back with a hug. After so long without contact, it was time to play catch-up. The two of you went on about life and anything interesting that it had to offer. As much as you enjoyed the talk, your friend spoke much more, and it was obvious. That's when the concerned questions came in.

"Hey, you sound really tired. Are you sure you're alright?"

Anything that had a hint of worry, you brushed off. Tired? No, it was a super long day, and all of your responsibilities drained you. It wasn't like you were lying per se; you were just slightly exaggerating. Deflecting was an easy way to cut questions short. It was a tactic you trained yourself to use. Without it, you would've certainly started yapping about BEN. People would think you were delusional. That scenario would definitely end with you up in a psychiatric unit.

Your answers were going smoothly until your friend hit you with the cold water. A question you never thought of.

"So, tell me! Have you gone out with anyone lately?"

You didn't respond. Noticing that your attention gave way, your friend went on about their own endeavors. You weren't sure how to answer. By taking the time to think, your brain begins to spiral. Obviously, the answer was yes, but how would you go about explaining this vaguely? You never spoke about BEN to anyone. What response would it want? Would it like to be talked about? How could you go about this without getting your friend in harm's way? Did that even matter? BEN probably knew of your friend from your contact information anyway. Why did things have to be so difficult?

You threw in the towel. Settling on something that seemed like the best option. You kept it simple and brought up BEN. Not by name and not as your partner. Just as "someone". It was open ended where it could've been interpreted as any relationship. Though you let one thing be known, and it was how much you cared for them. It made you happy that you had the chance to learn more about them. Even in the smallest degree.

The more you went on, your nervousness subdued and the shakiness in your voice faded. The last thing you ever expected was to be praising BEN to anyone.

From how you described, BEN seemed like they were a joy to be around, despite their closed-off nature. They were absolutely fascinating, witty, and cute. You knew the last part was really debatable so, you didn't show any pictures.

The tangent you went on could've been seen as a crush but it didn't matter. Both you and your friend were laughing and having a good time. As you collected your breath, you figured it was time to head out. All that banter took what little energy you had left. You said your goodbyes and sent them off with another hug. You went back to staring at the freezer. Finally picking out an ice cream, you quickly paid and left the building.

Unbeknownst to you, BEN was lurking and heard everything through your phone. They felt...weird to say the least. You spoke so well of them. Were you that deluded from reality to say such sweet things about them of all people? It wasn't in their nature to be nice. Yet, you managed to find so many good things to say about them with relative ease. How noble.

It was funny. When was the last time someone gave them a compliment? They didn't want to linger on those thoughts.

A pathetically weak part of them thought it was slightly uncomfortable to hear. Maybe even a bit upsetting. Those compliments were humanizing, and that made them feel uneasy. BEN would never admit it; that was just an insignificant thought. A weakness that needed to be weeded out. They're better than feeling such things.

It knew what you said was true. Their uppity attitude made sure that superiority was known. Nonetheless, it certainly enjoyed the flattery. Even if you were slightly worn out from their antics, you were still strong-willed. That was impressive. It made playing with you a delight; no wonder they kept you around for so long.

Once you step foot out the door, your phone went off. You contemplated ignoring the call, you had things to carry. You couldn't ignore the feeling in your gut saying otherwise. Taking a look at your phone you groaned. Great, it was an unregistered number calling. You had a hunch as to who it could be and decided to pick it up.

The call was silent.

Faint static crackled on the other end of the line. It was soon replaced with an ear pericing ringing. The sound was beyond agitating. Annoyed, you spoke into the phone.

"Hello?"

"How sweet."

You sighed, rolling your eyes. Your gut was right. It's just BEN. Not like you were complaining; at least it was BEN bothering you and not some other weirdo. The grating ringing came to a stop. Listening carefully to what they had to say, you heard it giggling! Your lips slowly curled up into a smile. Even if you didn't know what they were laughing about. Their distorted laugh was cute in this situation.

"What do you mean 'How sweet.'? What's so funny?"

"Your little talk humored me."

The realization immediately got you flustered. It was a bit embarrassing they heard you gush over them. You didn't know when they were listening. Honestly, you forgot about that possibility entirely. You needed to know if they really heard everything.

"Did you-"

The call abruptly ended in the middle of your sentence. Your brows furrowed together. You huffed at their unsatisfying answer. What a bitch! Still, you couldn't wipe that faint smile off your face. There was nothing to do but brush it off. Thankfully, it seemed to take your compliments well. With a newfound pep in your step, you eagerly resumed your walk home.