67A/N: Here's the Epilogue, which means we're officially at the end. It's been a long journey.
This officially takes place a year and a few months after the last chapter.
The only reason this story is up at all or even got finished is because of two of my friends from high school that still encouraged and supported me to write this all the way until the end. You know who you are. Thank you.
And thank you, all of you, for reading.
Bennett watches the caps fly into the air, hears the cheers of his classmates around him, and dimly realises it's over.
He's graduated.
He turns to look to the row behind him where Luc and Cooper are in the D's (the irony is not lost on him), both of them hollering and grinning at each other over the heads of the people in between them. Behind them, up in the bleachers, are Bridget, Jasmine and his mother. His mother had refused to get along with Jasmine at first, disliking her Chinese heritage, but eventually they settled their differences. Now Jasmine's clicking at her phone camera, yammering instructions away to his mother who has a much more expensive camera that she's frowning out in concentration. Bridget doesn't have a camera, likely trusting the other two to get the pictures for her, and when she catches Bennett's eye she smiles brightly at him.
He turns away, looks out over the crowd of coloured robes to the H's. There, a bright head of golden hair reflecting the spotlights, easy to spot, Bennett finds him easily. He's looking back, like he was just waiting for Bennett to look his way, and he grins so wide it makes Bennett's heart hurt.
He shouts something at Bennett, and it's too loud to hear, but Bennett reads the words, We did it.
Bennett can't help but smile back, the expression overtaking his face despite his resolve to take this seriously. It doesn't mean anything. He'd graduate without the robes and the ceremony. But it still makes him just the slightest bit giddy, caught in the tide of emotion.
They're ushered out of the auditorium, and Bennett's waiting out on the floor with Luc, Cooper and Austin when he gets tackled around the legs.
"Oof!" He grabs onto Austin for balance, who helps him stay up but laughs uproariously all the same.
"Hi, Gem," he says.
"Jenny," Bennett acknowledges.
"That took forever," Jennifer moans.
"Jennifer Penelope Haroldes!" Mrs - Katherine calls out. Her husband Bill is quick at her heels, though he looks more amused than anything. "Don't go running off like that.
"Hi, Mom," Austin says, amused.
"Don't encourage her, she could have hurt Ben without trying," Katherine scolds. "I'm proud of you, though."
"You say that like you wouldn't have kicked my ass if I didn't graduate."
"Language!"
Austin and his mom start to argue, if it counts as arguing when one is admonishing the other and that other keeps making quips. Everyone is watching the verbal volley, when Bennett's attention is dragged away by a squeeze around his legs.
"Don't go," Jennifer whispers, so quiet only he can hear. "Don't run away."
His heart nearly breaks in two. "I'm only going to university. If I didn't have to go to do what I want, I wouldn't."
"So don't go." She's speaking into the backs of his legs.
Bennett glances at everyone to make sure they're still distracted. He starts to pull away from Jennifer, and Austin glances at him but Bennett gestures to him to keep going and leads Jennifer away by the hand to a quiet corner.
He crouches so he can see her better, though this puts her taller than him. At thirteen she's hitting her growth spurt. She'll probably be taller than him when she's done. "IS this really about my going to university?"
Jennifer hugs herself. She's not usually so juvenile, though she does like to make fun of Austin and doesn't hold back there. But now that she's a teen she tries to act more grown up. It makes Bennett ache, and he wants to tell her not to be too eager to grow up so fast, but it wouldn't help. Haroldes are stubborn. He would know.
"I don't want Austin to go," she admits. There it is. Her eyes flick up to him. "Not that I want you to go, either, but..."
"I get it. He's your brother."
She nods. "I always say I don't want him around, but I don't know what I'm going to do when he's gone."
"Call, skype, text, and then hug the hell out of him when he's home. Survive. Thrive." He reaches out and ruffles her hair. She swats his hand away. "You've got it, Jenny."
"Of course," she scoffs. "It's him I'm worried about."
"Makes sense." He nods sagely. She flicks him.
"I am," she insists. "He'll be alone. You both will be."
"He'll be in a city full of people," he argues, but he knows what she means. He isn't looking forward to the long distance either.
"He's an idiot."
Bennett can't help but let out a surprised laugh at that one. "Can't argue with that. But he's looked after you for years. He can call home for help. He'll be in a dorm at first. He'll be okay."
"You promise you'll come home? Or that I can visit?"
He holds out a hand with a pinky extended. "Pinky-promise." Her eyes light up and she hooks her pinky into his before repeating the phrase.
They rejoin the group, and Austin is still winding his mother up, though when he sees Bennett and Jennifer slip in, he suddenly says, "You're right."
His mother stops mid sentence. "What?"
Austin shrugs. "You're right."
Bennett fights not to laugh.
Katherine looks disgruntled, but she waves him off when she sees Bennett's mom approaching and starts accosting her for pictures. His mom still looks startled by the strength of the Haroldes' personalities whenever she interacts with them, but she gamely starts showing Katherine all the pictures she's taken. She's done a lot better than Bennett expected, though she made Austin and Bennett sit in the living room whenever he was over and watched them like a hawk from the kitchen island for three months.
Bennett didn't have the heart to tell her that the Haroldes had offered to let him stay over multiple times and had even given Austin a box of condoms and lube for his birthday which had made Austin turn red when he recounted it. Not that they had done. Ah. That.
It was Bennett's decision. Austin had made it clear he was game if Bennett was, but there was zero pressure. Bennett had joked awkwardly about how he at least had to get over himself before the condoms expired, but Austin had ignored the poor attempt at covering his nerves and looked at him seriously.
"I'll still want to date you even if that's a never, Ben." His eyes had been intent, serious, and Bennett had squirmed feeling like Austin could see inside his chest into his heart.
He's pulled back into the moment by Jasmine pulling him into a hug, and awkwardly returns it (he's still getting used to giving out more physical affection). When he pulls away Bridget is there, arms open in invitation, so it's his choice, and he tugs her into a hug himself. After, she's smiling, looking pleased that he chose to hug her, though he's never turned her down. She's unfailing respectful of his boundaries, which makes it easier to accept.
"Congratulations," Bridget tells him.
"Your turn next year," he says.
"I think I'll pass out on the stage and they'll have to roll me off," she says, but she's grinning in good humour.
"How will the club cope without you?" Jasmine cries, purposefully dramatic, and he dutifully holds his arms out so she drape herself into them, pressing the back of a hand to a forehead. "How will they go on without four of their members next year?"
"We managed without you and Peter when you graduated last year," Bennett reminds her dryly.
Jasmine stands straight with a gasp. "Lies and slander!"
Austin snorts, coming from behind Bennett and laying an arm over his shoulder. It's his signature move. "Bennett is far more valuable to the club than any of us."
"Well, that goes without saying."
Bennett swats at them. Austin's expression doesn't even blink, and Jasmine dances out of the way.
The conversation envelops them all into one large group with the adults and siblings, and Bennett's listening to Luc talk excitedly about the semester he's taking to go explore his mother's home town, when Austin leans down and presses a kiss to his temple, catching his attention. "What was that with Gem?" he whispers into his ear.
Bennett turns his head slightly, keeping his eyes on Luc, trying not to catch too much attention. "She doesn't want us to go to university."
He can feel Austin's frown. "She didn't say anything about that at home."
"Of course not. You're her brother, she's not going to make herself look uncool."
Austin scoffs. "Teenagers."
Bennett rolls his eyes. "You're still a teenager. You're eighteen."
"And you're not even eighteen," Austin says, tightening his arm to bring Bennett closer. "I'm a veritable cradle robber."
"We're three months apart," Bennett comments, dry.
"Cradle robber," Austin insists, making Bennett huff on a laugh.
Bennett's nearly to the car with his mom, his eyes not on her as he's inspecting his graduation cap when his mother starts to speak.
"Austin," she starts, making his eyes snap back up, "can stay over, if he'd like." The words are stilted. It's still uncomfortable for her, but Bennett deeply appreciates every effort she makes, every time she makes herself choke out the word boyfriend or the name Austin.
"I'll ask him," he replies, ignoring the stiff nature to her words and posture. It's their unspoken agreement, that she tries, and he doesn't acknowledge how difficult it is for her sometimes.
He jogs over to the Haroldes van, and Austin looks at him in curiosity. He's already shrugged off his robe and has it draped over his arm, and Bennett's can't help but look at his arms in the rolled up sleeves of his dress shirt with appreciation. Austin carefully places his cap and robe in the van and then turns to Bennett, hands on his waist. "What's up?"
"Mom says you can stay over if you'd like," Bennett relays, arching an eyebrow.
Austin's eyebrows both ascend towards his eyebrows in surprise. "Your mom?"
"I know, I can hardly believe it. Quick, before she changes her mind."
Austin laughs at that. "I need to grab a bag from mine. I've only got this." He gestures down his body to his semi-formal clothes. He's wearing suspenders and no jacket. He should look ridiculous, but Bennett just thinks he looks good. He's so gone.
"I have some of your shirts, just wear one of those," Bennett insists.
Austin gives him a wry look. "Certain you're willing to give it back?"
Bennett crosses his arms. "Temporarily."
Austin snorts. "Mom -"
"I heard," Katherine interrupts, and makes a shooing motion at Austin. "Go, go."
Austin waves at her, drops a kiss on Jennifer's head that makes her exclaim in disgust, and then jogs over to Bennett. He drops an arm around his shoulders and leads him towards Bennett's mother's car. After a year of dating, Bennett's more than used to the gesture.
"Austin," Bennett's mother acknowledges with a nod.
"Ms. Shiragaki," Austin returns graciously. Bennett had advised him that there was no such thing as too formal with his mother, at least initially. Thankfully Austin had listened. It seemed to help his mother to like him better.
They all slide into the car, Bennett in the back with Austin instead of in the passenger seat. His mother just looks in the rearview mirror at them once. Bennett doesn't know what that look means, but he isn't too worried about it. If today was a difficult day for her with their relationship, she wouldn't have offered.
"Close the door," his mother says shortly when they get home. She doesn't take her jacket off or drop the car keys.
Bennett blinks, but doesn't hesitate beyond that, dragging Austin towards the staircase by a grip around his wrist. Austin pauses, flicking his eyes back and forth between Bennett and his mom with an insecure look in his eyes. Bennett raises his eyebrows and tugs more insistently. Austin finally gets with the program and follows him up the stairs and into his room, where Bennett closes the door.
"Your mom -"
"Is giving us permission and trying to be supportive," Bennett interrupts.
"Will skin me alive if I defile her son under her roof," Austin argues.
Bennett rolls his eyes. "She just told me to close the door, Austin. That seems like a pretty big 'go ahead' to me."
"Are you sure, because -"
"Yes," Bennett stresses. "She's my mom. I know her."
Austin shrugs, shoulders relaxing back into a straighter line.
Bennett catches a hand in Austin's dress shirt and reels him in. "Kiss me."
Austin gives that cooked grin Bennett fell for over a year ago, putting his hands over Bennett's hips. "Bossy," he says, but he leans down and kisses Bennett anyway.
Bennett puts one hand in Austin's hair, the other flat on his hip so he can push Austin backwards towards his bed as they kiss. He pulls away when the back of Austin's legs hit the bed, pushing Austin to sit. Austin does, grinning at him.
"Manhandling," he admonishes.
"You're into it," Bennett replies, climbing into Austin's lap.
"I'm into you," Austin mutters, distracted by putting his mouth on Bennett's throat. Bennett's heart still flutters, just a little, even after all this time. "What do you want?"
"You," Bennett says, and he slides the straps of Austin's suspenders off. Pity, those actually looked good on him.
Bennett doesn't need to see to know Austin rolls his eyes. "I know that. What do you want?"
Bennett hesitates, hands on the first button of Austin's shirt, brushing the skin of his throat. Austin stops, pulls away to look him in the eye.
"Don't do something because you feel like you should for this occasion," Austin tells him, sincere. His thumbs are sitting just below the waistband of Bennett's pants, and he swipes his hipbone with one in reassurance. Bennett shivers.
"I wasn't going to," Bennett denies, guilty.
Austin gives him a knowing look. "I'm telling you, Bennett. No pressure. I like anything with you. Do I need to get Allison to give you the 'Virginity is a Social Construct' talk again?"
Bennett grimaces, shaking his head. "Once was enough."
"Then what's up?" Austin presses, concerned. His brows are furrowed, worried, and it pulls at a string in Bennett's heart, giving a small pang.
"I want to do this for you," Bennett admits quietly. "I want to give you all of me. I want to be able to."
Austin's grip tightens. "Bennett, you, as you are, is more than enough. That IS all of you. Sex or no sex, or any kind. I like doing physical things, but it's always, always a gift, not an expectation."
"I know that," Bennett sighs, dropping his forehead to Austin's shoulder. "But I want to give you everything."
"I have all of you," Austin says. "I mean, I don't own you, of course. You're not mine, you're yours. But I already felt that you and I were connected, solid and long lasting, and been completely blown away by your presence for a while. You already gave me everything when you told me you loved me." Bennett pulls away from Austin's shoulder, and Austin cups his face, looking at Bennett earnestly. "That's all I wanted. You, your heart, not your body. You don't have to prove anything to me. Your words, your actions outside of our physical relationship have already more than proven that to me."
Bennett can feel his eyes getting hot with oncoming tears, and he squeezes his eyes shut and falls into a kiss with Austin. He tries to pour all of his feelings into it, his love, his gratefulness for Austin, his attraction and longing and trust. His eyes well with the force of his emotions, and he pulls away again, meaning to hide his face in Austin's shoulder, but Austin catches his cheek. Bennett blinks at him in surprise, feeling the wetness in one eye spill over as a tear.
"You're beautiful," Austin says, awed, reverent. He says it like Bennett is a work of art, like he's a wonder of the world that never ceases to amaze, a marvel of humanity that must have been shaped by the divine.
Bennett lets out a choked off laugh through his tears. "This long distance thing is going to suck."
Austin smiles. "We can do it."
"Oh, I know that," Bennett says, making Austin snort, "I just said it's going to suck."
"I love you," Austin says seriously, making Bennett blink. "I know none of my other relationships could really be considered serious, but I love you an incredible amount. I am in love with you. I know most high school relationships don't last, but I am determined to make us one of them."
Bennett leans in and kisses Austin again, quick but fervent. "Me too." The words don't seem enough, but he's not sure of what to add.
"So, you still want to do... something?" Austin suggests, waggling his eyebrows.
Bennett laughs. "Yes, yes I do. Not, you know. But, uh..."
"Yes?" Austin asks, arching an eyebrow.
Bennett can feel himself flush, even after all this time. "Fingers?"
Austin grins, wicked. "No complaints here."
Bennett snorts, about to make fun of Austin before Austin lifts him by a grip under his thighs and flips them, dropping Bennett onto the bed, who yelps in surprise. Austin laughs at him, and Bennett makes sure to give him the finger before kissing him anyway.
After, they lie naked and sweaty in Bennett's bed, pressed together since the space is slightly too narrow to fit the both of them, nearly grown men they are. Bennett's lying on his back, but Austin's on his side, one leg thrown over Bennett's.
"I'm going to miss you so much," Austin murmurs, playing with Bennett's hair.
"I haven't even left yet," Bennett protests, but he knows what Austin means.
"Still," Austin kisses him on top of his head. "I'm not looking forward to the distance."
Bennett lets his head flop to the side so he can look Austin in the eyes. "It's only a few years."
Austin frowns. "Four years for a degree is a long time, and that's only for mine."
Bennett takes Austin's hand and threads their fingers together. "We can do it." His voice is certain, no lack of resolve.
Austin presses his face to Bennett's shoulder. "You have to tell me all about Boston."
"You'll hear so much you'll get sick of it," Bennett promises, ignoring Austin's murmured impossible. He lies there, thinking, before something occurs to him and he starts to laugh.
"What?" Austin says, raising his head.
"Did I ever tell you my first impression of you?" Bennett asks. Austin shakes his head, confusion in his eyes. "Well, I thought you looked really unkempt, uncaring and arrogant. Like a skater or ..." he gives a dramatic pause, raising an eyebrow at Austin, who looks unamused, "A California surfer."
Austin does smile then. "And now I'm going to school in California."
"And now you're going to school in California," Bennett confirms. "So you can really be one."
Austin rolls his eyes. "That's not funny."
"No, but you still think it's a cute idea anyway."
"I admit nothing."
Bennett smiles at him. "We can do it, you know. We just have to try, put the work in."
"You're worth that," Austin tells him. Bennett knows he's not lying.
"You are too," Bennett says, and he means it just as much.