Rating: NC-17
Archived: 02/20/06
Notes: Secret Santa Fic. The challenge was "Michael has a secret, one he doesn't want Ben to know about..." I don't own them. Let's not even think I do. :) Written for: Batboy.
Michael had been working on this surprise for months. He had, in fact, even consulted Brian about it. He was met with a resounding "You're pathetic." Brian had offered to help, at one point. But Michael had refused. This was something he wanted to do on his own. He wanted to give his husband this present from himself. He was silently cursing himself, at this point. Michael had significantly depleted the "secret" savings account he had a few weeks ago. Ben pleaded with Michael to let Hunter get his driver's license. Michael gave in, and suddenly there was a need for a family car. Ben had found the perfect one, except he was worried about the price. Michael told the other two men that he had received a large amount of money due to an endorsement that Rage had just picked up, and used over half of the savings to finish buying the car. They bought it, which was nice for the time being ? but it left Michael in quite a quandary now.
He picked up his cell phone, about to hit Brian's number on his speed dial. He sighed to himself and decided against it. An hour later, however, after staring at the computer screen, he relented and called Brian.
"Hey Mikey," the other man said, obviously already high.
"Hey Bri," Michael sighed.
"What's wrong in Stepfordville?"
"Nothing, just...remember that trip to Tibet I want to get for Ben?"
Brian sighed softly on the other end. "Of course I remember, Mikey. The perfect family, the perfect fucking present, how could I forget something that made my stomach turn so much?"
"Hey, stop being an asshole. You've done tons of nice things for Justin."
"That's different. You and the professor are disillusioned and think that your little family is the American drea--" Brian cut himself off. "Forget it. I know it's important to you. Did you finish stashing all the money? Going to finally buy it?"
"No. I put in so much on the new car, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do."
"Michael, I told you I would help." Brian sounded frustrated with his best friend.
"And I told you, I'm going to do this on my own." Michael's voice raised a notch on the other end.
"Fine. Have it your way. How will you do it? Don't you have to purchase it before a certain time?"
Michael sighed softly once again. "Yes, the package deal I found won't be available after the end of the month. And I wanted to give it to Ben for Christmas, anyway."
"Well, how 'bout selling the pain the ass? He used to sell himself. Why can't you cash in on that?"
"Jesus Christ Brian!"
"What? Fuck. It was just a suggestion. Do you have a better idea?"
"No. And I hear Ben coming in from the gym. Call you later?"
"If I'm not busy, I'm expecting company."
"Who are you ? Forget it, I don't want to know."
"Right. Right. Happy little family." Brian sneered into the other line. "Later, Mikey."
Michael hung up, stood up and stretched. He closed the laptop on the kitchen table and headed into the living room, where he was met by that brilliant smile of Ben's. "Hey Brown Eyes." The bigger man moved towards Michael, encircling him in his arms. Michael buried his head in Ben's chest, his arms at his sides, enjoying the warmth and comfort that Ben's arms always provided him.
Ben pulled back some, using a finger to lift Michael's chin. "Hey, what's wrong?" Ben searched Michael's eyes.
Michael looked away quickly, sighing. "Nothing, just a long day. And I missed you." Michael looked up, a genuine smile lingering on his lips for a moment, before Ben leaned down and kissed his lips softly.
Ben pulled back, shrugging his jacket off. "Hunter went to the gym with me, and then to Alex's house. He's staying the night there." Ben looked at Michael with a well recognized look, as he hung the jacket up in the closet. Michael was, uncharacteristically, not in the mood. He needed to figure out what he was going to do, and quickly.
Ben walked over to Michael, wrapping his arms around the smaller man's waist, pulling him against his larger muscular body. Michael gasped slightly, and Ben pressed his hips against Michael's hard. Michael looked up quickly, and was met by what he liked to think of as "primal Ben." There were moments where Ben could be loving, gentle, and sweet while they made love. There were also moments where Ben reacted in a primitive nature. Moments where it was almost as if he couldn't get enough of Michael, couldn't get deep enough, couldn't possess him enough. Michael always enjoyed making love with Ben. However, these were moments that he enjoyed especially. Moments where they both got lost in each other, where there were no words needed, where the simplest urges and needs were being met.
Michael shook his head a bit, trying to push all thoughts of Tibet, money, and the outside world aside, attempting to focus on his husband and the hands that had made their way under Michael's shirt. Michael gasped and Ben's strong arms lifted him up, his mouth never leaving his husbands. Michael wrapped his legs around Ben's waist as Ben carried him to the couch.
An hour later, with Ben sleeping soundly beside him, Michael slipped out of the bed quietly. He stopped at the foot of their bed and watched him sleep for a minute. He smiled to himself. Ben deserved this, and Michael was going to find a way to make it happen.
Michael headed downstairs and opened his laptop. Since he came home from the hospital, after the bombing, he had trouble sleeping. He would lay awake at night and watch Ben sleep. He faked sleep most of the time, because he knew how much Ben worried about him. Initially, when he did sleep he had nightmares. He would wake in the middle of the night, his body dripping in sweat, his hands clinging to Ben's body. The nightmares had subsided some, and he was feeling much better. But the insomnia was killing him. He hated watching the alarm clock change time, and sometimes listening to Ben breathe was reassuring. Sometimes, however, it pissed him off. He wanted to sleep like that again. So, he found solace in the form of Brian and E-bay in the early mornings. He would call Brian right when he was stumbling in from Babylon, or after a trick left for the night.
"What is it this time, Mikey? Did Hunter lose his first tooth? You couldn't wait to tell me?" Brian asked, when Michael called him again.
"No. I can't sleep again. I'm not sure if it's the insomnia or the fear of not figuring out my problem with Ben's present."
"Wake the professor up and tell him to fuck you to sleep. And if that doesn't work, smoke some pot, and then wake him up again. Sooner or later he'll wear you out." Brian's words were getting slurred, Michael could tell he had drank quite a bit since they spoke a few hours ago.
"Brian..." Michael started and then stopped.
"Yeah?" Brian yawned.
Michael's voice dropped to a whisper. "What if this is the last chance I have to take a trip like this?"
Brian groaned audibly into the phone. "Mikey, I have told you a million times, he's doing fine, right? His meds are working. You said so yourself."
Michael's voice returned to normal, it was as if he shook himself from whatever negative place he was journeying to. "Yeah, I know. You're right. I just worry."
"You get that from your mother. It must be a family trait." Brian snorted.
"Fuck you. I'm not like her...am I?" Michael started to laugh softly.
"Besides the fucking wig, you are her."
"I just," Michael paused for a second. "I just want to give this to him."
"Fuck. Let me help you then."
"No. I'll do it. Just, don't say anything to anyone, alright?" Michael saw Ben standing at the end of the stairs out of the corner of his eye. "Shit. Gotta go." He hung up quickly not hearing the protest on the other end.
"Who are you talking to at this time of night?" Ben rubbed his eyes slowly.
"Brian called. He just got home."
"Then why'd you hang up so quickly?" Ben looked at Michael holding his gaze until the smaller man looked away.
Ben sighed softly, not believing him. He knew Michael was hiding something, lately. He was never in bed anymore when Ben would wake up in the middle of the night, he was jumpy, he was always whispering into his phone. Michael looked down. "I just couldn't sleep, I didn't want to bother you."
Ben crossed the span between them quickly, leaning down to kiss his husband, and running his hands along his raven hair. "I feel like I shouldn't believe you, but I'm too tired to argue the point. Are you coming back to bed?" Ben started back towards the stairs, wondering what could make Michael hide something from him. They were always honest with each other, almost to a fault. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, turning his head to look over his shoulder. "Don't stay up too much longer; the bed's lonely without you."
Michael nodded and turned back to his laptop. He logged onto e-Bay, as he had done so many times lately. He was always checking to make sure there wasn't some valuable comic that someone less educated in the ways of Batman or Captain Astro was stupid enough to let go for a cheap price. Tonight, though, he noticed two bidders battling out over a collector's edition Captain Astro figurine. His eyes opened wide when he noticed they were bidding an outrageous amount of money on it. He had the same figurine. He picked up the phone. He was going to call Brian and tell him he figured out his solution. But then he figured he would only catch hell for selling it, and not taking Brian's money.
One week later, after seven full days of tension, Michael's figurine was purchased. He was wrapping the box in bubble wrap when the memories started to come flooding back. The box had smelled just like his old room. The memories of staying up all night the day before the next issue would be available, keeping Brian awake all night discussing comics that Brian had no interest in, running right to the comic store every Tuesday, hoping the new shipments had come in and were already in their displays. He sighed to himself as he addressed the box. Someone in New York had purchased the figurine. He gave serious thought to backing out. The box was being sent to a corporation. He imagined it was some bigwig in a large corporation who would have neither the respect nor the love for Captain Astro the way he did.
He talked himself out of it, and finally put the box in the pile of mail to be sent out. All of his doubts faded the day he finally purchased the tickets to Tibet for him and his husband. He could hardly wait to see his face when he opened it. Ben had been staying at the gym longer, and eating even healthier lately. Michael was concerned that he was going to get sick soon. He tried to live in the now, as he promised Ben he would. But it was hard, every time Ben would sneeze or cough, Michael would feel his heart skip a beat. He knew that this trip would not only be good for both of them but would fulfill something that he knew Ben wanted to do before he could no longer take the trip with his husband.
Christmas morning came not a moment too soon; Michael was up at six, watching Ben sleep. He liked to watch the rise and fall of his husband's chest, listen to his breathing, watch the movement of the muscles in Ben's back when he would stretch first thing in the morning. The breathing reassured Michael that they had another day, and watching the large muscular frame wake was purely selfish. It reminded him of all the reasons his breath still caught in his throat when the other man walked into a room.
Today, though, Michael had no patience to let Ben wake slowly, to take in the sight of the bare chest rise and fall, to watch the slow eye opening, and warm smile that Ben greeted him with every morning. He could only wait until seven, and then he started making as much noise as he could. When Ben didn't stir in the first fifteen minutes, he groaned out loud. "Beeeeeeeeen."
Ben mumbled against the pillow before lifting his head. "What time is it?" He opened one eye slowly.
"It's 7:15, get up." Michael restrained himself from jumping on the bed and shaking him.
"Did Santa come?" Ben chuckled to himself. "I thought I would have to worry about Hunter waking us up early for presents, not you."
Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "Very funny, get up."
Ben threw the covers back, "Alright, alright. I'm up."
Minutes later, after waking a fairly upset Hunter up, they were gathered around the tree. Michael patiently waited for Hunter to open all of his gifts and then handed Ben a few small gifts, a shirt, a new journal, and a book. Then Michael handed him the last box.
Ben looked at him puzzled and opened it slowly. "Hurry up!" Michael whined.
Ben opened the box under the paper and found an envelope. Inside were two tickets to Tibet, their hotel accommodations, and an itinerary for the trip. His eyes got wide, and he looked up with Michael. "Oh Brown Eyes ... how did you? I mean ? it must have cost.."
Michael leaned over, cutting his husband off with a kiss and said "It was the rest of the money from the comic deal," and changed the subject quickly. "I thought it might be nice to see Tibet with you."
Michael felt he had made a great decision, especially later that night, as Ben's strong hands gripped at his hips, his eyes focused on Michael's as the muscles in his arms rippled every time he slid into his husband.
Later, as he lay safely inside Ben's arms, his entire body relaxed he almost told Ben what he did, as Ben asked. "Are you sure we can afford this?" But he merely reached down, rubbing his hand along Ben's stomach slowly.
"Mmmhmm I'm sure."
Ben chuckled softly. "You are simply insatiable lately, baby."
The months before the trip passed quickly. The trip went well, although they both agreed it was entirely too short. Michael had forgotten the Captain Astro figurine until Ben brought it up one day. "Michael, I saw an article somewhere on how that Captain Astro figurine you were telling me about is going to be worth quite a bit in the future. We should go have it appraised." He winked at Michael. "Maybe it will be enough to pay for Hunter's college years."
Michael swallowed hard and looked down at his plate. Ben had made a romantic dinner, for just the two of them. Hunter had stayed at a friend's place, grumbling as he walked out the door about how he was getting kicked out "so the they could make all the noise they wanted."
He pushed the food around on his plate and Ben raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, baby?"
"Nothing," Michael sighed.
"Oh, I almost forgot, I realize that your birthday isn't for another week, but I wanted to give you your present early." Michael looked up at his husband, forcing himself to smile widely.
Ben grabbed a wrapped box from the bookshelf and sat it in front of him, grinning. "Go ahead, open it." Michael started to tear into the paper. As soon as he saw the box, his heart dropped. "Ben, where did you get this?"
"What do you mean?" Ben asked, not able to contain the smile on his face.
"This box .. where did you...?"
"Aren't you going to open the box and see what's inside?" Ben chuckled softly, leaning over to kiss his husband's lips quickly.
Michael looked down at his own handwriting, staring up at him from the box, and then back at Ben.
"I saw it on eBay. I was actually looking for something to get you for Christmas. Once I figured out it was you selling it, I continued to bid on it. It was tough, someone else was fighting me for it. And I used the money I had been secretly saving to buy it." He looked directly into Michael's eyes and whispered, "I was saving it to take my husband on a trip to Tibet."
"You asshole," Michael said softly, blinking away tears as he tore into the box, unwrapping the bubble wrap from the Captain Astro figurine. "You've been hiding this for all these months?"
Ben nodded slowly. "Mmhmm."
Michael looked up at him, with a questioning look. "But I sent it to New York."
Ben winked, "I have a connection."
Michael crossed his arms, obviously not satisfied with his husband's answer.
"Justin. I had you send it to a place Justin could pick it up from."
Michael's face started to flush red. "You mean that he knew the whole time too? That--"
Ben cut him off, reaching a hand up to his cheek and pulling him in for a kiss. Michael, never one to resist the affections of his husband, melted into the kiss and felt a sigh escape his lip. He hated keeping secrets from Ben. It made him feel horrible, every time. He felt a huge sense of relief, no more secrets from Ben. Ben's hand began running along Michael's body, tugging at his shirt, and running his hands under it. Michael pulled back from the kiss and looked up at Ben. "I'm so sorry, I just needed a way to make the trip happen, and Brian offered, but I wanted to do it myself," The words were tumbling out of his mouth at breakneck speed until Ben put a finger to his lips. Michael smiled softly, pressing his lips against Ben's as the larger man's strong arms wrapped around him, lifting him up and carrying him up the stairs.
End of "Michael's Secret" by Sadie (sxysadie21@yahoo.com)