Work Text:
Benny and Ethan were at their lockers getting books for their next class. All of a sudden Ethan stopped and stared at Benny. Benny stared back and raised an eyebrow in question.
“Dude what?” Benny asked looking in the tiny mirror in his locker to see if there was something on his face.
“Were your eyes always so, I dunno, nice?” Ethan asked awkwardly.
“My... eyes?” Benny asked confused.
“Yeah! They have like some sort of glow to them.” Ethan said smiling crookedly at Benny.
“Glow?!” Benny asked alarmed. He looked in the mirror again but his eyes seemed normal. He looked at his best friend once more, who was looking at him with a weird look on his face.
“Hey guys.” Sarah said making Benny jump. “Sorry Benny... is Ethan alright?” Ethan was still staring at Benny.
“I don’t know but are my eyes glowing?” Benny asked staring the girl down. She just gave him a weirded out look.
“No... wait is that why Ethan’s looking at you like that?” Sarah asked alarmed. She took a closer look at Ethan and recognized the peculiar look he was giving Benny.
“He said my eyes were glowing.” Benny then turned to Ethan. “And why aren’t you saying anything?”
“What do you want me to say?” Ethan said eagerly. Benny looked at Sarah who was giving him an accusing look.
“What? What did I do?” Benny asked.
“Did you give him a love potion or something?” Sarah asked.
“What? No. I learned my lesson the first time thanks.” Benny said.
“Then why is Ethan looking at you like you hung the moon?” Sarah asked pointing at the look Ethan was giving Benny.
“Well I am awesome.” Benny said smugly.
“Yeah you are.” Ethan sighed while leaning against his locker looking at Benny dreamily. Benny looked at Sarah in concern only to get a smack to his arm.
“Ow hey! I didn’t give him anything, especially not a love potion. You never forget gathering seaslug urine.” Benny said staring off into the distance with a stony face.
“Ew! That’s what was in that perfume?!” Sarah yelled disgusted. Benny chuckled.
“Yup and Erica willingly sprayed herself with it. OW!” Benny held his arm that got an even harder smack. That will probably bruise.
“Hey!” Ethan yelled at Sarah as he stood in front of Benny.
Sarah was about to say something when the warning bell for their next class went off. Sarah gave Benny a pointed look and headed off towards her next class. Benny and Ethan walked to their next class with Ethan giving Benny a worried look.
“It’s fine E. Just another bruise to add to my repertoire.” Benny said suavely as he sat in his seat.
“Yeah but she didn’t have to hit you that hard.” Ethan said as he put his hand on Benny’s shoulder. He then ran his thumb up and down a few times before going to his seat two back and one over.
Benny stared at his shoulder then glanced over at Ethan. Ethan gave him a shy little smile. Benny’s attention darted back up to the front when he heard the teacher begin the lesson. He ignored the weird feeling he felt at that smile.
———————————
Rory and Sarah sat across from Ethan and Benny at lunch. Everything seemed relatively normal except for one thing.
“So I think I know what’s going on.” Benny said tilting his head more as Ethan ran his hand through his hair essentially petting Benny.
“So you did do something!” Sarah said. Benny would have frowned but the petting was nice.
“I didn’t say that. But in this case I may have done something... spell related?” Benny finished lamely. He inhaled sharply when Ethan found a particular spot that made shivers go down his spine. He caught the other boy’s hand and removed it from his hair.
“Did you not like it?” Ethan asked sadly.
“It was nice but I need to actually think and you were not helping.” Benny said. It was more than nice if he was being honest. Ethan then leaned in and whispered in his ear. He completely stopped breathing and was glad he wasn’t a natural blusher.
“Dude! Get a room!” Rory said loudly at the same time Sarah said quietly but harshly, “Vampire hearing!”
“Right. Sorry.” Ethan said not sounding sorry at all. Sarah then lightly kicked Benny in the shin making him jump and hit his knees on the lunch table.
“Ow!” Benny said but waved off Ethan’s concern, and hands.
“So what spell did you use? And Ethan. Ethan!” Sarah said having to wave her hand towards Ethan just to get his attention.
“What?” Ethan asked sounding annoyed.
“You know you’re under a spell right?” Sarah asked.
“No I’m not. I’m pretty sure I’d know I’m under a spell.” Ethan said confidently.
“Except for things that should be said in the privacy of the bedroom,” Rory started giving Ethan a glare, “he seems perfectly normal to me.”
“This,” Benny said incredulously while pointing at Ethan cuddled up next to him, “is normal?”
“Well I just figured Ethan wasn’t shy about PDA anymore. But I didn’t figure you’d be shy about it Benny.” Rory said with a shrug.
“Wait. Is it making you uncomfortable?” Ethan asked concerned as he pulled away from Benny. “If it is just tell me and I’ll stop.”
“Really?” Benny asked surprised.
“Well yeah. I never want to make you feel uncomfortable. Except when you suck at Grave Puncher III.” Ethan said with a small smirk.
“Not cool, dude.” Benny said pouting down at his lunch tray.
“Aren’t you nerds just adorkable?” Erica said appearing behind Sarah. “Come on Sarah.”
“Wait, Benny still needs to-“ Sarah started but was cut off by the bell ringing for lunch to be over. Erica pulled her up as she called back, “Fine. After school then.”
“Do you think Erica noticed me?” Rory asked. Benny and Ethan looked at each other than back at Rory.
“No.” They both said.
—————————-
After School
“So you wanna come over?” Ethan asked eagerly.
“Nah I should really do some spell research.” Benny said absentmindedly. Although for the most part Ethan was still Ethan there were definite changes. He could ignore most of it but the way Ethan had looked at him while they changed for PE really made him... he didn’t even know. Uncomfortable? But not exactly. He didn’t not like it...
“You could do that at my house. Or I could go over to your’s.” Ethan suggested. “Is your grandma home?”
“No she had to go get some ingredients that are “best picked by hand.” Her words. She should be back in a few days.” Benny said missing the delighted gleam in Ethan’s eyes.
“Sooo I’ll come over.” Ethan said delighted. Benny finally looked at Ethan and got a weird squirmy feeling in his stomach at the look he was getting.
“Maybe not tonight.” Benny said feeling bad at the sad look he received. He looked down at the hand on his arm.
“Right. PDA. Sorry.” Ethan said dropping his hand. He then looked around and spotted something that made him smirk in delight.
“Nah it was just your hand on my arm and- Whoa! Where are we going?” Benny started and then he was being dragged away from his locker. The next thing he knew they were in the now rarely used film development room. “E?”
—————————
“Erica! Ethan is under a spell!” Sarah explained as she started walking towards the boys’ locker.
“Oh wah. Someone or something is always under a spell. Let them figure it out.” Erica said annoyed. But she continued following her friend. “You promised we’d go check out that new boutique.”
“We will. Let me just talk to them then we’ll go. Okay?” Sarah said. She ignored the muttered ‘just call them on your phone then.’
When they got to the boys’ lockers Benny was walking towards them with a dazed look on his face. He looked a little disheveled and his hair was standing up in awkward places. He stopped in front of them and just stared at them with wide eyes. The girls looked at each other, Sarah in worry and Erica in annoyance.
“Benny! We weren’t- oh hi Sarah! Hi Erica!” Ethan said appearing from behind Benny. He was beaming happily. “Anyway, bye Sarah! Bye Erica!” Ethan grabbed Benny’s arm and started dragging him away.
“Wait! Benny, the spell!” Sarah said starting to go after them only to be stopped by Erica.
“There. You talked to them. They’re gone. Let’s go!” Erica said starting to drag Sarah along.
“But-“
“It’s called a cellphone.” Erica said irritated while rolling her eyes.
—————
“You got Benny.” Benny said drowsily into his phone.
“Benny! Finally! I’ve been trying to get ahold of you or Ethan for the past hour.” Sarah’s voice came through sounding annoyed yet concerned.
“Ah yeah. Been busy. Try to ignore my phone when working on spell stuff. Ethan’s fine. He’s hanging out with me. Don’t worry everything’s fine.” Benny said getting more comfortable on the bed.
“I feel like I should be worried more when you tell me not to worry.” Sarah said.
“Thanks.” Benny said sarcastically.
“‘S that Sarah?” Ethan slurred sleepily next to him.
“Yeah. Tell her I’m awesome and when I say don’t worry she shouldn’t worry.” Benny said handing the phone over to Ethan.
“Benny’s awesome and you should definitely worry when he tells you don’t worry.” Ethan said. He smiled at the affronted look Benny gave him. “And the spell was just something to help me with my confidence. Pretty sure it wore off.”
“Oh. That doesn’t sound bad. Did Benny even do it correctly?” Sarah asked.
“Hey! I can hear you! We’re hanging up now bye Sarah!” Benny said taking his phone away from Ethan and hanging up.
He dropped his phone onto his side table and once more got comfortable on his bed. Ethan threw an arm over his chest and snuggled against him. He turned his head and looked at Ethan who gave him a small smile. Ethan then leaned forward and gave him a chaste kiss.
“So does PDA really bother you?” Ethan asked.
“Not really. It was just very surprising to suddenly have it happen.” Benny said rolling onto his side to better see Ethan.
“So I can do it now?” Ethan asked hopefully.
“Within reason. And I thought you said the spell wore off.” Benny said.
“I think it did. I mean, I think I’m more confident now that you haven’t, I dunno, kicked me to the curb or tried to spell me out of existence.” Ethan shrugged.
“Dude! I’d never do that!” Benny said sounding affronted.
“Yeah, well, you know how I think.” Ethan said.
“Yeah that’s true.” Benny said. “You know when I did the spell I thought you needed confidence with Sarah.”
“Surprise?” Ethan said with a wince and awkward jazz hands. Benny snorted and grabbed one of Ethan’s hands. He just held it and stared at their clasped hands.
“You know we don’t have to do anything.” Ethan started. Benny gave him a confused look. “Like date or anything if you don’t want to. I mean, I know this is kind of out of the blue for you and you haven’t really looked at guys or if you’re into guys at all so it’s probably super weird. Plus I suddenly accosted you in the film lab and that wasn’t cool and oh my god I should probably go.” Ethan tried to tug his hand away but Benny wouldn’t let go. He could feel the blush on his face and just wanted to hide.
“Now, I think the spell has officially worn off.” Benny said not letting Ethan run away. “And yes, I haven’t looked at guys before but that’s probably because I’ve always been looking at you.”
Ethan looked at Benny and his breath caught at the sincerity in the other boy’s eyes. He stopped trying to pull away and just relaxed into the bed smiling at the happy smile he got from the other boy. He adjusted their clasped hands so their fingers were entwined.
“That was sweet. And cheesy.” Ethan said looking down at their hands.
“Yeah well you’re gonna get a lot more of it, my friend.” Benny said confidently. “Or should I say ‘my boy-friend’?” Benny waggled his eyebrows at the awed look Ethan was giving him.
“Really?” Ethan asked hopefully.
“You’re stuck with me. You’ll just have to deal.” Benny said sounding regretful. He grunted when he had an armful of Ethan. He wrapped his arms around the other boy and just held him.
“So what should we do for our first date?” Ethan asked looking up at him.
“I dunno. Not one like your one with Sarah.” Benny said.
“Definitely not.” Ethan said shaking his head. “Go-karts and pizza?”
“That sounds perfect and amazing! I could kiss you!” Benny said. Ethan tilted his head and gave him a look. “Oh right.” So Benny did just that.