"Fool enough to almost be it

Cool enough to not quite see it

Old enough to always feel this

Always old, I'll always feel this"

~Mayonaise, Smashing Pumpkins

12/23/2020 Wednesday...

Ben came to slowly, his eyes heavy, head pounding from the amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before.

Maybe that should be another sign that he was getting too old for random booze nights. He wasn't able to bounce back to his normal alert self like in his younger years, and he could definitely taste the sour after taste of coffee on his tongue. He really needed to change the way that he dealt with his issues instead of recurring to alcoholic beverages. His liver might thank him later as well.

He had a kink in his neck and his back was stiff. He might have slept the wrong way as well. 

Sitting up, he raised his arms up high, trying to stretch his neck and back. He opened his eyes and stopped. "What the..."

This was not his room. This was not Sherry's room. Where the hell was he? Shit, shit, shit. He jumped out of whoever's bed he was in and stared at his surroundings.

White walls, heavy blood red curtains on the (obviously tall and wide) window on one wall, a thick shelf full of books on one corner, and a neat desk on the other end with a mirror. He glanced at the bed full of thick pillows, the heavy covers he'd been under, and looked down at himself. He was still fully-clothed, which was a relief. 

He scratched his head, trying to figure out where he was. He heard meowing and looked down to find a fat black cat slithering his way through his legs, his way towards the doorway, stopping when he came down the hallway to stop at none other than Elena's living room. Okay, he remembered that he'd come over sometime around two in the morning. She gave him some coffee to try to clear his head... But that didn't explain what he was still doing in her house and in her bed of all places.

Meow! 

And this wasn't her cat, Tobey. Her cat was a fat grey tabby.

He noticed the time on her wall clock read eight in the morning. Where was ... Ah. He noticed a poof of red hair flowing over the side of the long couch under a big puffy blanket.

Should he leave or wake her up and tell her he was leaving? Already, he felt bad that he'd woken up on her bed. Why was he there instead of on the couch like she was? It seemed only logical. He made up his mind and walked over to her, gently patting her near where her foot should be.

"Hey. Elena?"

She shuffled slightly and he heard her mumble something, still not waking up. He patted her again, with slightly more force until she rolled over with a groan, hair around her like a fiery halo. She looked pissed, confused, annoyed all in one.

"What?" Eyebrows furrowed, she blinked slowly when she saw him, realization that he was still there coming over her. "Morning."

"Morning, sleepy head." He nodded towards her, "Sorry. I had to wake you up. I was kind of confused as to where I was this morning."

Elena covered her mouth with one hand as she yawned widely. She turned her arms, stretching back to get the kinks out of her back. "It's alright. What time is it?" She began fumbling around her blanket for her phone.

"A little past eight." He took a seat on the opposite couch and stared at her. "Mind telling me how I ended up on your bed instead of on the couch and vice versa?"

She shrugged. "You looked exhausted and you were too tall for my couch, so I figured the bed was fine. We made it as far as my bedroom door before you started swaying. So I just left you there. I fit in this couch just fine." She didn't mention that he'd started commenting on how beautiful her hair was and that the color made him crazy. She dropped him onto the bed, pulled his shoes off, and dragged a bunch of covers over him.

Sure, she had a second spare bedroom, but it was a mess in there with stuff in boxes she hadn't put away and the bedroom wasn't even set up. The couch was the only other available option. Standing up, she folded the blanket and stretched her arms up, making her back pop. She didn't notice him eyeing her trim stomach as her sweater rode up when she stretched.

He had already looked away, a little frazzled, when she dropped her arms back down. The light coming in through her curtains through the living room windows and the kitchen windows illuminated the house with a warm glow and he had definitely tried not to notice her strong long legs.  Had she been wearing those shorts last night? They seemed longer last night than this morning.

"Will you be heading out? Or would you like some breakfast?" 

"Huh?" He looked up at her as she pointed at the kitchen. 

"Breakfast. Would you like some?" She started walking over to the kitchen area as she put her hair up in a messy bun on the top of her head. "I finally went grocery shopping. I can whip something up if you'd like." She looked back at him in question.

"Well...If it's not too much bother..." He had overstayed his welcome. He didn't even know how he'd ended up here in the first place. All he remembered was starting to drink at home, and feeling lonely and angry at himself for caring too much. "I think I've overstayed my welcome. I apologize."

"Well, it seems to have become something normal," she started with a barely there smirk, "With tea the first time, dinner the other day, coffee last night, and I suppose I should make you some breakfast this time."

With a snort, he added, "Well, you're still missing lunch."

"The pasta was lunner. Lunch and dinner. I think we have that covered," she pointed out. That made him smile. She really was...sassy, easy-going, and actually nice to talk to. She was different from Sherry would was also talkative, but sometimes he didn't quite know what she was talking about.

"Well, I guess if it's not too much bother, I'll take some breakfast."

"Alright. Let me just go fix myself and I'll be right back. You can check the fridge to see if there's anything you'd like to drink," she commented as she headed down the hallway to her room.

Elena washed her face, brushed her teeth and found a clean pair of leggings to wear. She blushed slightly when she realized that she had been wearing such tiny pair of shorts last night. She had never worn such a small amount of clothing around him before, even in a more casual setting at work. The scrubs that she wore tended to be more on the larger, looser side, and the reason for that was that she felt more comfortable and less conspicuous around people.

She stared at herself momentarily in the mirror. Why was she comfortable being around Benjamin then? She didn't deny that he was a physically attractive man, but she felt...safe? She wasn't seeking any sort of relationship with him besides work, and whatever... friendship they had developing now. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt safe around a man.

With a last look at herself in the mirror, she sighed and returned to the kitchen.

She found Ben sitting on one of the stools at the counter drinking some orange juice. He smiled at her when she came out and noticed that she'd changed into a pair of leggings, similar to the ones that she'd been wearing when he found her sitting out in the damp bus stop.

"What would you like for breakfast?" she asked as she opened up her fridge and stood looking to see what she could make.

"Anything's good. I'll eat just about anything."

"Alright. How do about a veggie egg scramble? I have some spinach we can add. Do you like mushrooms?" She looked back at him. "Tomatoes, onions?"

"Yes, to all." He watched her pulling out the vegetables and setting them on the counter. "Would you like me to help you with anything?"

She was about to say no, but figured that since he offered, a second helping hand would make the prepping quicker. "You can peel some potatoes if you like." She handed him a couple potatoes and a peeler. "I'll make us some hash browns, unless you want them country style?"

"Anything is fine, really." He said as he peeled the potatoes, going around into the kitchen to wash them, grabbing a knife afterwards to cut them into small cubes. "I'll cubed them for country."

"Alright." 

They worked in silence, occasionally commenting on some random thing about the shows they had watched last night (that morning) although for the most part, Ben couldn't exactly remember what it was they had talked about.

Finally, with the food ready, he turned to her, "Would it be alright if I borrow your bathroom? I would really like to wash my face."

"Sure, go for it. There are extra toothbrushes in the cabinet if you want one."

"Thanks."

Ben couldn't get over just how easy-going Elena was, so different from the serious front she displayed at work. Sure, she was still reserved a bit, but she had smiled more with him today than she had ever smiled at him at work. He also couldn't get over how great of a cook she was.

"I still cannot believe you thought it was funny to dip that kid's hands in ink then make him run it over his face!" She chuckled as she stared at him over her coffee mug. She was sitting on the chair across from him at the dining table.

"My mom was freaking out, saying I was a bully, but it was Nana who decided to take matters into her own hands. She took a ruler, told me to open my hand, and smacked the ruler onto my palm. Needless to say, it worked, and I behaved in school after that." He grinned, remembering how he had actually started paying attention in class, studying, to the point where he had become a nerd instead of a bully. As he'd gotten older, he'd learned how to hide his shenanigans from his mother and Nana had moved down to Southern California, so as long as he got grades and didn't get into trouble at school, he could do whatever he wanted.

"You bully, you." Elena said with a grin.

Ben stared at her, perhaps a little too interested and watched her face flush, making her look away with an ahem. 

"So, what are you doing on your days off?"

"Probably just catching up on my sleep and do some chores around the house." She looked down at her hands as she cradled her coffee mug. "I think that I'm due some relaxation." She needed some quiet, especially after having to deal with stressing out and crying over random phone calls from...

Ugh.

"How does an impromptu road trip sound?" Ben asked with a smile.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"You mean, we are going somewhere. How would you like to go with me?" He smiled at her when she raised her brown eyes to look at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a chuckle and a tiny bit of concern.

"You need some time away from work. Why not?"

"I...don't know." She cocked her head, resting her cheek on one hand. "I don't know how I feel about heading out to...anywhere with you." She looked back down at her cup. "You're just so odd."

He observed her, and something clicked in his brain. "So, how are you doing? Is anything going on with you?"

She raised her eyes to glance at him again and found him eyeing her curiously and slightly concerned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I know that we were not big talkers at work before, but you've seemed more quieter than usual." He tapped his fingers against his coffee mug. "As a friend, I want you to know that I am here if you need to talk. As a doctor, I'm more than willing to help you out with whatever you need."

"I..." She swallowed hard. Part of her wanted to tell him what was going on, it would probably do her some good to let her concerns out. Then again, no one besides Ruby and her prior nursing instructor knew what had happened to her that night... It had been years and it still seemed like a dream... A horrible dream that she didn't want to think about. Sometimes she felt so off that she wondered whether she had imagined it or if it had really occurred.

"You don't have to say anything," Ben let her know calmly. When she raised her round eyes up to his, he gave her another smile. "But just know, I'm here if you need anything." With that, he clapped his hands together. "So, how about that trip?"

"Uh..." She didn't know how to respond.  She didn't travel a lot and usually spent her free time by herself doing one thing or another. Ruby usually tried to get her out of the house, but after she had started dating Max, it felt like she was more occupied with things related to him and Elena really couldn't blame her. Besides work and home, the only other place she went to was the studio with Ruby when Pierre needed models for a shoot. 

Elena wasn't about to dispense that piece of information to Ben.

"It just feels strange. I don't get out much. I'm not much of a social person, and I know what you're going to say, yes, I am a nurse. It's just different." She waved her hands between them, "And hanging out with guys is not something I usually do. To be honest, I feel a little apprehensive that you're here because Sherry is not available." There she'd said it.

He looked startled. With a slight frown, he shook his head. "I... should leave then?"

"You can stay."

"You know, I don't hang out with you as a second resort. I think I've told you before that I enjoy your company. My relationship with Sherry is a little complicated, and she understands that. I'm not... trying to come on to you or anything." He tried to choose his words correctly as he explained that to her. "I don't have any strange ulterior motive. I just find conversation between us different and refreshing. I usually hung out with Caleb when I wasn't working, but now that he's married, I can't impose myself on his time. I do still try to keep up with him, but I don't want to sound like I'm nagging him all the time, you know?"

"Yeah, I know that feeling quite well," she murmured as she thought of Ruby and Max. Even Mary Anne had become a little estranged lately. "That's exactly how I feel with my friends. Ruby has Max and Mary Anne is busy with..." Jason. "Uh, work. You know, being supervisor and whatnot." She added quickly before she said something she shouldn't. 

She glanced at Ben and found him staring at the sugar bowl.

"I don't mean to bother you, or try to force a friendship between us. I understand it's strange, but I do appreciate your help and everything." Looking up at her, he added. "Just say the word and I'll stop annoying you."

Elena shook her head. With a sigh, she added, "I don't think you're a bother. Honestly, I felt bad for being a little...rough. I don't do well with change," she paused. "I guess...we can go on a short road trip. If the offer still stands."

Ben grinned widely, eyes beaming. "Of course!" He stood up, and pointed back at her. "You can't change your mind now!" 

She laughed nervously. "Okay."

He called an Uber and was waiting for it when he noticed the black cat again go by.

"Is that one yours as well?" He asked as he nodded towards the cat.

Elena chuckled. "No. That's Karin, Tobey's girlfriend. She lives next door. She likes to come in and harass him."

The cat stared at them before meowing loudly and walking out the front door, tail in the air.