Who: Ben and Fitz What: Secrets Come Out When: Thursday May 16 Where: Between places, Ben’s place Rating: Mid - some language, impure thoughts Status: Complete
He’d been avoiding the man who could see through him as much as possible. The orange ‘Oliver’ made his way down the road between the market and the housing when he was confronted with a guard. “Fucking cat.” He heard the guard say as he walked forward. “I’ll teach you to pee on my shoes.” He quickly got ahold of the car by the scruff before he could get away.
The cat yowled. Let me go you big oaf! Loser, asshat. You deserved everything that happened to you for being an ass to my sister! The cat hissed and scratched at the air, unable to reach the guard. Ow, is! That hurts! He thought as the guard threw him. He landed on his feet and slid eight the momentum, hitting a wall and falling to the ground. Where’s a witness when he needs one?
As it happened there had been a witness. Ben had finished his French lessons at The Facility and was on his way home when up ahead he saw a man in uniform - a guard - pick up a ginger cat by the scruff and swear at it. Even before he got this ability he was an animal lover and hated to see people treat them like that. Breaking into a jog he got closer and heard the cat complaining, so it was his little shapeshifter again. He had spent the past few months thinking it over and that was the only explanation he could come up with as to why it was more intelligent and now in the shape of three different felines.
“Hey!” Ben yelled out at the guard, just as the guard threw the cat. If looks could kill that guard would be well and truly dead by now. “Leave it alone.” The guard just scoffed at him and walked on. He bent down near the cat that was on the ground. Are you injured? he asked, running a gentle hand along the feline’s side.
Fitz flinched at Ben’s pet at first. He’d been shot at in a war zone, been inches away from getting hit by bombs, but it was an asshole with a god complex that had him shaking. Or maybe it was the other stuff that made the asshole enough to make him tremble. Okay, yea. Landed on my feet. Which he had, until he hit the wall. He licked at his paw, it was sore, his whole side was sore, but nothing that would last.
But the petting did feel good. As strange as it was, the one thing he really liked about being a cat was being petted… it just felt so relaxing.
But then you hit a wall. He wasn’t exactly gentle with you. Ben added, his hand finished checking over the ‘cat’ for injuries, maybe a bruise or two and a battered ego but nothing bad. Did you actually pee in his shoes? He asked, repeating what he had overheard the guard say.
Not exactly sure what came over him Ben gently picked the cat up off the ground, holding it gently and supportively. Now that he had the little fellow maybe he could get some actual answers to support what he believed so far. Come on mon ami, you hungry?
There was a slight chance he hit his head. Made the snuggles so welcoming. Maybe. Yes. He deserved it. Fitz thought, purring against Ben. This was a mistake, he was putting this nice, cute man at risk. Then again…. he already knew something was up.
Kyrie was gonna kill him- no Daryn… when she got back.
Food sounds good. He tried to ration food, scavenge a lot. Kyrie got food for her each month, and she bought extra stuff but he hated that most of her extra money was spent because he needed to eat too. Hence, the scavenging and always being at least a little hungry.
It wasn’t that much further from where the incident had occurred to Ben’s small one bedroom place, while it wasn’t fancy or as nicely furnished as his previous rentals he was starting to make it feel like home. As he walked he continued to scratch the cat under the chin, listening to the purring.
When they got to Ben’s place he got the keys out and unlocked the door, still holding his new little friend before placing him down on the couch. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll see what I have in the refrigerator.” His shoes and bag were the next things to go as he walked through to the kitchen. Over the past few months he had learned how to make the lousy amount of meat he was rationed go further and used vegetables and pulses to bulk out his meals, maintaining a body like this required proteins and he wasn’t about to let himself get flabby.
Fitz hopped up on the back of the couch and looked around the room. Newer person, his ID had a relatively low rating on it… So they probably weren’t watching him. He walked along the back of the chair, looking around the room. It was very cat like, as if looking at nothing, but he was actually looking for something in particular. A hop down from the couch, the cat hopped to the coffee table and to a bookshelf. It managed to climb it’s way to the top and looked behind the TV. There were a lot of wires and chords, it would be easy to miss the one that didn’t fit quite right.
The cat dropped down to the shelf below the mounted TV and reached out, pulling at the wires. Where was it… Power, network, router, ah ha!. The cat clawed, pulling at one wire with both claws. From the outside it appeared very playful as if the cat were having a good time. In face, he wasn’t wires tasted bad and he risked a minor bought of electrocution. Taking the wire between his teeth he started to gnaw at it. He felt a shock in his tooth and his back leg thumbed a few times against the wood. But after a moment the wire split and he spat it out. Ugh. Gross.
Ben was distracted for a few moments looking around the fridge for something that both he and the ‘cat’ could eat, but to start with he needed a drink and that juice was looking so good. He was drinking straight from the bottle, because why should he bother with a glass when he lived alone. With the bottle still in his hand he went out into the living area to investigate the quietness, a quiet cat was usually up to trouble.
He saw the cat near the TV with some sort of chewed wire in front of it. “You better not have just ruined my DVD player!” He teased. “What have you got there?”
If a roll of the eyes could be thought at someone, he just did. It’s temporary, they’ll fix it at some point. Trick is to ‘accidently’ cover up or break the cameras. Then when they realize those are damaged too, kill the wire, then the cameras, then the wire… just have to give them some time between to get comfortable before breaking things again. And always do cameras and wires at once… they don’t want to attract too much attention to the camera’s when they’re coming to fix things so if they don’t realize the camera’s are broken too… they tend to wait a while before coming back.
Fitz hopped off the shelf and to the floor. Look, it’s not good for you to know me. He said, pacing on the ground before the other man. If I get caught and they find out you knew me... It was bad enough Kyrie was in danger, a random innocent too?
It didn’t surprise Ben that the house was bugged, this place was controlled by the US government and they weren’t exactly known for their hospitality to those different. Thank you, I will remember that, any other ones I should know about other than the TV? I hope they haven’t put one in my bedroom! Not that he had actually had that kind of company since he had left Hawaii in October. It was much easier talking telepathically, just in case.
I’m a dual citizen detained on US soil so close to my own country, how much worse could it be knowing a shapeshifter? Ben did have an idea, but didn’t want to think about it because he was stuck here for God knows how long and he had no one really to talk to or socialize without outside of his lessons. Will you stop pacing and follow me to the kitchen? I’ll warm you up something to eat. Human or feline portion?
Knowing one that’s not supposed to be here. He replied, looking at the TV. As the other man started to head to the kitchen he sighed. To all others, his changing seemed instant, but it took focus and concentration for him to change. Too tired, he couldn’t either way. He often thought about how much of a risk it was to get stuck as a cat. But in that moment, the shift worked. Where the cat once had been, a human now stood. Recently trimmed brown hair, not salon quality but it worked. His face was still a little scruffy. His clothes mostly fit. They had been what they could find. The pants were a little big, shirt a little small, jacket was just right though. He removed his backpack and placed it on the couch. “The master control is in the TV, killing that wire kills all the camera’s. But if you target it every time, in the same way, they will catch on.” He slipped a hand in his pocket and looked at the other man. “And yea… you can bet there are cameras in the bedrooms.” He’d had years to study the security, and learn how to avoid it. He’d installed the same model of everything himself… before. And with residents living in the houses, and the need to keep things on the downlow, they didn’t really have a chance to upgrade. Which was nice for him.
Fitz rubbed the back of his neck as he moved into the kitchen. “And you honestly don’t have to waste your food on me. I have sources.”
Too busy with his head in the fridge Ben didn’t realize anything was amiss, that was until a voice, an actual human voice, started speaking to him. It startled him and he jumped slightly, turning around and seeing a guy standing there. A good looking yet scruffy guy at that. But still he listened to what he was saying, about the master control being inside the TV and that there were cameras in his room, he’d go look for those later. He also noticed the mishmash of clothes, though that shirt did show off a bit… no he must not check out the shapeshifting catman!
Turning back to the fridge he got out two large portions of the ground beef chilli con carne he had cooked the day before, opened the containers and put them into the microwave to heat. “Je m’en fou!” He swore, saying he didn’t give a shit. “I have plenty.” Which was true, he had learned soon after arriving that there were plenty of ways to make the meat he was given go further by using vegetables, pulses and legumes. This particular chilli was half beef and half lentils but definitely didn’t taste it.
Fitz sort of melted against the counter as the smells from the chilli started to hit his nose. “That smells really good.” He said. Normally he was the one who cooked between him and Kyrie. But other times she’d bring things home from her work. Most of his recipes included chow like food. Military. His ‘sister’ had learned to like SOS more than she should have.
“What’s your name?” He asked, realizing that he hadn’t caught his name, human or feline. “I’m Ben, Benjamin Dubay.” It only took a few minutes for the containers to heat up and taking them both out of the microwave he placed both down on the counter between them, one in front of him and one in front of the man, then he opened the draw and got out two forks handing the other over.
He took the fork and looked down at the bowl. “You can call me Fitz.” It was safer to give his nickname. That way if he could deny knowing a Pierce Killian. And if he was somehow overheard… he had a name that couldn’t really be tracked. “Thank you.” He said as he took some food onto his fork. “I hope you can understand not giving my full name… but, it’s nice to meet you Ben.” He took a bite and closed his eyes, very much enjoying the taste. The number of people he’d talked to face to face- human face to human face- in the last six years he could probably count on one hand, maybe two. Still, it was a shockingly low number for such a long time.
Beyond his clothes, a couple things were obvious about Fitz. He was fit, clearly he took care of himself. It was the soldier in him, always battle ready. He also didn’t carry a registration badge that others were required to carry and be visible at all times- when in public. He also had the slightest red mark, a tiny cut on his temple from where he’d hit the wall earlier. It wasn’t bleeding though, so that was good.
Ben smiled, chewing on a fork full of chilli that had just the right amount of heat and spice. “Tout le plaisir est pour moi Fitz.” He said, then realizing he had to translate it. “Sorry. The pleasure is all mine. I often forget what language I’m talking in.” Despite all the years of having to speak English his first language at home had always been French and he’d often slip into it without realizing which usually ended up getting him odd looks. He didn’t care if Fitz was his real name or not, it was better than calling him catman and felt a lot more formal.
He did notice an air about Fitz, although they were strangers and they had previously only communicated telepathically while the man was a cat, and yes he had noticed the small mark on Fitz forehead. “You’re a shapeshifter, oui?”
“My- I have a friend who knows French. I took Spanish in school unfortunately. But it’s understandable.” He took another bite, trying to be casual and not scarf it all down in one go. Kyrie often scolded him for inhaling his food.
“I think the technical term is ‘animorph’.” Fits corrected. “My niche is feline. I tend to keep to the small feral house cats- they attract less attention.” Though he has been known to run through the perimeter of the island as a mountain lion. Those were nice, just let loose runs. “And I take it you… talk to animals?” As if he actually had to ask.
Growing up in Quebec both languages were used although most of his PhD was done in French, as were his notes from years of going from observatory to observatory. “I’m a Quebecois if you hadn’t already guessed, which is why I speak French.” Though sometimes he was mistaken for an actual Frenchman by those who didn’t know the difference, not that he really cared.
He nodded, still eating his food as he listened to Fitz explain his ability and chuckled when asked about his own. “Communication and Manipulation. I don’t like to manipulate them if I can help it but it is a last resort.” There was a small smile, he had used it now and then, usually to get insects to harass someone or birds to shit on those who annoyed him. “I have never met an animorph before, from the moment I heard you I knew that you weren’t a normal cat, too intelligent. And I am not that hot.” That had stuck in his mind too.
Fitz almost choked on his food, hand moving to cover his mouth as he finished his bite and cleared his throat. “Oh, umm, you remembered that.” His cheeks felt a bit warm, was he blushing? Nah, couldn’t be. “I meant, hot like… ‘man, it’s hot out here’.” Yea, no. God, if he’d heard that, did hear any of the other things he’d been thinking that day? Shit, not a first good impression- good first impression. He couldn’t even think straight.
Ben actually laughed, a real deep belly laugh. “It is definitely not everyday that you get called ‘hot’ by a cat who’s watching you do yoga.” And no he hadn’t heard anything else that Fitz had been thinking that day, it just happened to be that moment when his music had failed and his attention was turned towards the feline. “Hot outside? In February?” There was a sly little smirk on his face as he glanced up at his meal companion, seeing the slight color on his cheeks. “If that is what you want to believe Fitz, who am I to stop you?”
He licked his lips slightly and was very aware he was being looked at. “I- um.” Ben was calling him out, was that flirting? God, he barely remembered what it was like. Trying to hook up Key all the time he’d only admired the hot likely gay guys from a distance. “I do remember a bit of sweat on your forehead.” Doubling down. And now he admitted he was watching that close to notice sweat on him.
Ben thought that it was kind of cute, the way Fitz seemed to be getting flustered. “I grew up in Montreal, west coast weather is balmy in comparison to 40 below and several foot of snow on the ground. If you had come across later I might of already taken my shirt off.” The bit about the weather was true, even up in the Cascades it wasn’t as cold as he was used to but as for doing yoga shirtless in February, he was just joking about that to see the response. He looked down at his empty container and over to see how much the other man had left. “Still hungry?”
Fitz had taken to eating to keep himself from talking and digging the hole he was in deeper- especially at the thought of shirtless yoga. God, he really was desperate, lonely for companionship (more than a sister), horny? Maybe? Caught in his thoughts, he looked to his empty bowl that Ben was pointing at, “Huh? Oh, no… that was delicious.” Did he read something in his tone? Or did he want to read something in his tone?
Fitz scratched at his scruff. Stop doing that! Bringing attention to the hair on his face that was too short to appear that he had an actual beard, but too long to look like he’d just forgotten to shave in a couple days. It was clearly at a ‘I just haven’t cared’ state. And, honestly, he hadn’t. Kyrie didn’t mind and who else was going to be looking at his stubbled face?
“Thanks for… umm… before. I should have said earlier.” He said, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket to keep from fiddling- or scratching. “With the guard. Not sure he would have stopped if you hadn’t come over.”
There might have been a hint of a flirt in that question but Ben was concerned about what Fitz had said earlier about wasting food on him. Secret resident on the island or not his grandma would probably come over and hit him herself if he hadn’t offered his guest enough food. “There’s always more if you change your mind.” That was definitely not flirty.
Scruff or not Ben didn’t mind looking at the other man, if he remembered rightly the first time he had met Fitz his face had been in a similar state with the goatee that he had since shaved off. If he didn’t have classes for a day or two he wouldn’t shave either and that was what usually lead to growing a goatee or beard back, until he got sick of it.
“How people treat animals shows their true nature, that guy was a real connard!” Although he didn’t add the English meaning - which was asshole - the tone in which he said it spoke more than the translation would. Anyone who hurt animals deserved their own circle of hell. “Are you sure you’re alright?” Ben asked, pointing to his own head to indicate the area of the small cut on Fitz’s forehead. “No concussion?”
Fitz couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. “I did pee on his shoes… a few times.” Okay, probably not an attractive or flirty comment, but it was the truth. “And he’s a real douche. Likes to harass girls a lot.” Especially Key.
His hand moved to his head, he winced slightly when he touched it. It was sensitive, but he hadn’t even noticed it until it had been pointed out. “Yea. I’m okay.” Looking at his fingers he nodded, no blood. “Words aren’t slurred, visions fine.” He knew most of the concussion protocols from serving. He’d had them before too, very familiar with how they felt. “If anything I’d be more concerned about the shock I got from your TV.” He laughed, joking. He raised a hand to calm any reaction. “Which, I’m fine… just a little jolt. Suffered much worse in the past.” Bad install, his partner missed a breaker when they were turning off the power. Fitz had blacked out for about five minutes. He was fine, but suffered minor electrical burns. Thankfully they hadn’t scared.
“Well no more peeing in his shoes.” Ben pointed a finger at Fitz. “He works there, right? Well from now on every single creature in the area is going to make his life hell.” If there was a plus side to his abilities it was the fact that he could tell animals the bad things humans had done and get them to do his dirty work without getting caught. And this guy sounded like he definitely deserved it.
While he was glad that the bad landing hadn’t caused any lasting damage Ben’s eyes did widen at the mention of getting shocked by the camera cord on the TV. “Next time just tell me where something like that is, don’t go risking injury when you’re small and vulnerable. Just because you have teeth and claws doesn’t make you invincible.”
“But had they witnessed you messing with the wire…” He said, leaving the statement open ended. “But the feral cat that followed you home. Can’t do much about that- silly kitty.” Fitz smirked, removing his hand from his pocket to run through his hair. At least he’d had it cut earlier that week, otherwise he’d be even more shaggy.
He looked up and chewed his lip a moment in debate. “Here…” He gestured. “Let me show you where the camera’s are… and what to look for, they’re tiny, but easy to mess with if you’re creative.” Fitz walked him over to the TV. “The camera’s are separate from the microphones, but they’re all controlled by the same wire. There’s a signal router inside the TV.” He showed Ben where the chord went into the TV. “The television itself does have a microphone, but it’s easy to interfere with by just watching TV. If you’re going to talk about stuff, just turn on the TV.”
He walked Ben over to the wall in the dining room and looked along the wall. “The camera’s are pinhole- micro cameras. Because they’re doing long term surveillance, they can’t risk putting them anywhere you’re going to go normally- like changing the smoke detector. Battery goes out once and Boom they’re found out.” Fitz was really talking like he knew what he was doing. He did. He’d installed these systems before and helped devise the best course of action for them as well. “Here we go.” He ran his finger over a hole in the wall. It looked like a place a nail had been put and removed- an old picture spot. “You have two choices here. First, if you get a picture to hang, reuse the hole. It will damage the camera and it’s a pain in the ass to fix. Alternatively, if you don’t want them in on a repair job, just put a picture up over the camera. It will be annoying but I’ve noticed they repair things more than deal with blockage.
He showed another handful of cameras from the kitchen to the living room, front door and the hallway. Each with a tip on how to cover them. “The bathroom- yes, there’s one in the bathroom, faces the mirror alone. My recommendation is to put up a hook for a robe, or towel. Or if you’re being really fun, go buy a bright light and hook it up on the mirror. One you can really ‘look at your pores’ with. If you put it right here.” He gestured to a spot. “It’s perfectly angled to blind the creepers.” Fitz knew he was probably giving the guy a lot of info, but something told him he was used to retaining large info dumps. Seemed smart like that.
“And lastly… the bedroom…”
Fitz was right about Ben’s ability to retain information, he was soaking this up like a sponge and the location of cameras and how to bypass them was something he would definitely remember. He walked around as each location was given, giving a small nod as Fitz talked. Let’s face it, getting a PhD in anything wasn’t really something those with bad memories would attempt.
He did feel a bit embarrassed by the state of his bathroom - the towel was haphazardly thrown over the rail and the vanity was covered with scattered shaving supplies, then again he had never really expected to ever have guests in his new home. From the bathroom they walked to the bedroom and Ben had completely forgotten to do any tidying up before he left that morning, the sheet and blanket were still down and an open book sat down on the nightstand… next to a tube of lube. As Fitz was leading the way it would be pretty obvious and there would be no time to try and hide it anyway.
Fitz entered the room and took a look at the room. His own was always completely tidy, but that was more due to the fact that no one was supposed to be staying in it, so he had to make sure it looked unused- just in case. “Um, so the camera here is another that can be easily covered by a picture. They’re not trying to get anything unsavory… at least I’d not think as much. But you know how paranoid the government is, and people thinking they’d not stake out the bedrooms would be inclined to talk in them.” Fitz knew how the government worked, private security, government contractors… it had made him an asset- especially in securing faction homes. Some they couldn’t outright hide all the camera’s but there were those tricks to make secrets be easy to keep. “There’s a camera here.” He said, reaching to the wall behind the head of the bed. “And a microphone.” He turned around, realizing Ben had gotten close to look which caused them to be very close. “Umm…” he gestured behind him toward the closet. “In the door frame. Music or umm, if you have one of those metal hangers for the back of the door, just slide it near the jam and the metal will interfere with the… signal.”
Fitz cleared his throat a little, he could smell Ben from the close distance. Each camera shown, Ben had leaned into see it. He smelled nice. “I mean, I wouldn’t really worry about stuff unless you were looking to hide anything…” Like a man cat who wasn’t supposed to be there. “Sometimes doing nothing is the best way to avoid attention. It makes you boring to watch.” It’s a tip he gave to a lot of faction members in meetings.
He didn’t really want to know how Fitz knew so much about the security systems and how to bypass them, but he supposed that living a life in secret would require this kind of knowledge. Following behind he did get a bit close a few times, especially when he was looking at the one behind the head of the bed.
“But none of them are working at this moment, yes? What you did with the TV has rendered them all useless… until they realize and come and fix it.” He just wanted to make sure that he was understanding all the information correctly so he knew what to do in the future, it sounded like everything was wired to be transmitted to a central place instead of recorded on site. Though he had expected that whomever it was that had watched him so far had gotten bored with the guy who spent his time cooking, reading or watching TV, he really had gotten so boring.
He smirked softly. “Exactly right.” Give the boy a gold star, he picked things up real quick. Better than some he worked with, then again those were all telepathic conversations and they didn’t always know it was him and he wasn’t showing them stuff. His life got complicated at times. “Right now you can do whatever you want, and no one will be watching.”
Okay, that sounded worse than he intended.
Ben’s life now was so boring compared to what it was before, even the quietest times in an observatory were more interesting that this. “Like what? Walk around naked? I was doing that already.” There was a smirk as he said that, still standing near Fitz but not as close as before. At least he didn’t have to worry about ‘Big Brother’ knowing about his unexpected visitor, he really was enjoying the company even if it was Fitz talking about security measures and him listening.
“Thank you for telling me all of this, I would have never known otherwise but I’m guessing that is how they want it to be, us living in ignorance.”
Fitz let out a small laugh. No, no… he was totally not picturing Ben naked.
“You’re welcome. I supposed getting chucked across the street by an asshole was worth it… I mean, I’d never a need to show you if… you hadn’t found out my secret.” It was inevitable though, right? That Ben would have found out? He could only avoid the guy so much- the island wasn’t that big. “And I’m glad I had the chance.” He’d only have to reach out an inch or so, half a foot at most to touch the other man. Perhaps it was time to go. He didn’t even know this guy. He was already taking a huge risk. Don’t fuck everything up by thinking with the wrong head.
“I should probably…” He started, “You know… that way you can get back to walking around naked…” Oh, it was bad, so bad. But he said it. That he did.
“If you want some tips on how to be more like an actual cat think very simple thoughts and don’t go cursing things is a good place to start.” Ben smiled warmly at Fitz. “Thank you for showing me, it mustn’t be easy to live in such secrecy.” It must be quite the hard life to live, reaching over Ben rested a hand on the other man’s shoulder, if he was still a cat Ben would be scratching him behind the ear or under the chin. “If you want a change of scenery or a nice meal you are most welcome to come here, I’m not exactly Monsieur Popular.” He was trying not to think about the other idea he had in his head, of giving one of Fitz’s cat forms belly rubs and cuddles.
“Having company around hasn’t stopped me in the past…” Yes he had just said that too.
In that moment, he could almost hear Kyrie being a cheerleader in his head. That hand on his shoulder. Even Fitz couldn’t miss the obvious sign in Ben’s last comment. For a split second he completely forgot what to do, how to do, how to…
Fitz closed the ten inches between them a hand moving right to hold the other man’s face as his lips pressed gently against his. Soft, sweet and just a little spicy from the chilli. Lips parted slightly as he realized what he was doing and quickly he backed up, severing the kiss. His hand shot to his mouth in a shock of realization. “Shit, fuck… I’m sorry.” He said, wincing slightly. What had he done?
The kiss was unexpected but definitely not unwelcomed, his eyes slipped shut as those lips pressed against his for those quick few moments. Actions really did speak louder than words and it was enough to tell Ben that he wasn’t wrong with the bit of flirting earlier.
His hands reached up, one on each of Fitz’s cheeks. “Ta gueule” Ben whispered, telling the other man to shut up as he closed that gap again and pressed their lips together in a much firmer kiss.
“I don’t know wh-” at that means. He didn’t get much out before he was locked in another kiss. His hands moved to the other man’s hips and he found himself returning the kiss, apparently not having forgotten as much as he thought.
To be touched like that, it had been years. Years. Even before he’d been on the island it had been a bit. And all it was, very overwhelming. In a good way. But still a bit like a flood over him. The kiss went on for a while, deepening, a hand moved up to Ben’s hair. Intentional or not, it was clear that this was long overdue for the cat man. He felt desperate for the contact, the passion for a stranger, for anyone else.
Then, air… air was needed. He pulled his lips back, forehead resting against the other man’s as he could hear them both pulling in air. “Wow.” he exclaimed. It was all that could come out. And that was just a kiss.
That kiss had quickly increase in intensity and when those hands moved down to his hips Ben let out a soft groan which was quickly swallowed by the other man. It had only been a few months since he had last kissed someone but even that didn’t feel as good as this.
Lips had parted, tongues tangled and teased until they were both breathless. As their foreheads rested together and lungs took in that precious air, Ben chuckled at the exclamation. He wasn’t the world’s best kisser but obviously good enough for Fitz. “You liked that?” One of his hands had moved from where it had started on that stubble covered cheek to curve around Fitz’s neck. “Because I did.” Another kiss, but only a quick peck this time.
“It’s…” He let out a nervous laugh. “Been a while.” Fitz didn’t feel the need to elaborate, after all, the man had met him as three different cats and a paranoid security expert who made sure he couldn’t be picked up on camera.
Slowly he took a step back. Part of him wanted to just push Ben onto the bed and touch him all over. Part of him wanted to be the one pushed. But he refrained. “I’m not… keeping you from anything, am I?” Fitz asked, after all he had kinda just invaded the man’s house, ate his food and attacked him with his lips.
With no idea how long Fitz had lived on the island under the disguise of several cats Ben was clueless as to how long it had been for the other man, not that he could tell by the way Fitz had kissed him, he would quite happily let lose tangling tongues for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. And part of him was glad that there was no one watching this, despite the fact it was with a man who wasn’t supposed to exist.
The hand still remained on Fitz’s neck as he took a step back to put a bit of distance between them and it was probably a good idea too, as nice as it was he didn’t want it to go too far. “No, you’re not keeping me from anything.” He smiled, thumb brushing against that stubble. “A book and the TV are no substitute for actual human company. Why? Am I keeping you from giving yourself a tongue bath or wandering the streets searching for belly rubs and chin scratches? Because I’m sure I could at least do the later.” As if to accentuate it Ben's thumb moved down, over that groove and rubbed under the chin.
He couldn’t help but chuckle, a wide smile spreading across his lips. His hand moved up to take ahold of Ben’s, gently. “Don’t knock the life. You can get away with murder as a cat. Not that I’d kill anyone, but most people are desperate for animal companionship they’ll give the best scraps and all the pets.” He smirked, and let him in their homes and talk around him about everything. No pets on the island has really allowed his ‘feral cat’ schtick to work like gangbusters.
“And I don’t really get to hold a conversation- or enjoy someone’s company as a human very often.” When about eighty percent of your waking day was spent as a cat… it really made your hungry for human interaction. Poor Kyrie had really been his only source of that.
“I would like to keep kissing you.” Fitz said softly.
Ben let his hand get taken as Fitz talked about what he was able to get away with as a cat and it was true, people liked animal companionship and he was sure that the other man could definitely get away with a lot of things when he was a cat. He was sure that if he hadn’t know Fitz was different and the cat had come around to his house months ago he would’ve let him in and treated him no different to any other housepet.
His eyes softened as he listened to the fact that Fitz rarely got actual human interaction, it must be a lonely life for the other man. “Well… human or feline, I will welcome your company. You will be safe here.” Ben was pretty starved for company too, most people he had met were students and they didn’t really want to know him other than what they saw of him at classes. If Fitz just wanted to sit around and watch TV with someone different than his other human companion that he obviously lived with then Ben wouldn’t mind at all.
“Well… what are you waiting for, mon mignon petit chat?” A smirk on his lips.
Fitz drew the man in, and down to the bed. He had no illicit thoughts on his mind- okay he did, but he had no intention to act on them at that time. Sitting beside him, Fitz met his lips to Ben’s once again. A hand held his face, while the other found itself running over the man’s firm pecs.
He hummed softly, there was something about just touching a human, feeling another’s soft skin beneath his fingers that he’d taken for granted. He’d accepted years ago the way his life had fallen. How the choices he’d made had put him in a box. He tried to make the best of it, by working with the faction, watching out for Key. He’d accepted that he’d never kiss another guy, never feel their body, have sex… but there he was. It was very overwhelmingly emotional, but he was doing a good job of not completely breaking down.
Ben shifted a bit as they sat down on the edge of his bed so they were facing each other before their lips met again, this kiss was softer than the previous one, at least to start with. He didn’t want to admit how good it felt, to be kissed, to be touched by someone else who wanted to take their time and enjoy the feeling instead of just as some kind of foreplay. Not that Ben wouldn’t mind if it went in that direction but he wasn’t going to push anything on Fitz, who had admitted that it had been a while.
One hand came to rest around Fitz’s neck, thumb resting just in front of the ear while his other hand moved down between the coat and shirt to rest against the ribcage, holding the other man there though he had a feeling that Fitz wasn’t going to be pulling away any time soon.
Lips parted as the kiss deepened, but not in a rushed way. It wasn’t a race to get to another place. His hand moved down from Ben’s chest to his side, his fingers could feel his fit form beneath the fabric. His own shirt left little to the imagination. Kyrie had tried her best. He felt fortunate he’d gotten a haircut just a couple days before. Otherwise Ben would have been kissing a man more unkempt than he already was. Or maybe he wouldn’t have been kissing in that case.
A pleased moan escaped into the kiss as he moved a little closer, just seeking out closeness, nothing more. He pulled back again slightly, pulling in some air. “So… what is it you do here?” Fitz asked, giving him a moment to breath as he removed his jacket- it was starting to get warm.
If he hadn’t just finished teaching his own shirt wouldn’t have left much to the imagination either, most of his t-shirts clung to him but he wore button up shirts when teaching at The Facility, he had to put on a more professional appearance there and actually look like he was a teacher and not just another student. And honestly Ben didn’t really care if Fitz looked like some homeless man, it was more the fact that he was kissed first that had spurred Ben on, not what the other man looked like.
That need for breathing really ruined a lot of good kisses, but it was essential so they had to pull apart. Ben’s hands moved so that jacket could be removed. “Now? I teach French to anyone who wants to learn. And I also instruct yoga three times a week.” As they were still close Ben leaned in and pressed another kiss along the jaw. “What about you? Other than getting pats and scraps of food?”
It would be good to get to know the man he was kissing, touching… wouldn’t it? He’d never be able to have a first date, so he was improvising. “Observer of people.” Which was a creative way to put ‘spy’. But it was true. “Also take care of my sister.” Which was the non-complicated way to describe Kyrie. “And she keeps me secret…” Fitz closed his eyes at the feeling of lips on his jaw, and neck. He then took in a breath and pulled back to look into Ben’s eyes. Very serious. “Like you have to.” He told him. “I don’t exist… okay?” A hand moved to hold the other man’s face, making sure he understood.
Dates didn’t have to be outside, if they wanted to get technical eating dinner together earlier could be classed as a ‘date’. And Ben would do it again, if the other man was interested that was. He opened his eyes and looked at Fitz when he was told he had to keep the other man’s existence secret, nodding to let him know he understood. “Oui… outside of these walls, you’re just a cat… or cats.” It was all a bit strange, but life now was far from normal.
“Good.” He said, his voice softening. “Good.”
Fitz couldn’t help the smile that drew on his lips, exposing those slightly enhanced canines. “Cuz, I’ve had fun.” With the man he just met. “I know we just met but… I’ve kinda been… I’ve seen you around.” He couldn’t help it… it was his job. “Not intentionally.” At least not every time. “And I… I’m just glad I finally got to meet you.” He licked his lips slightly, a thought clearly formulating in his mind. That curious look cat’s got when they were plotting something. “Okay so, first, I’ve been on the island about six years.” To give him an idea of how long he’d been living this lie. “Second, I’m not looking for anything… huge right now.” Which was phrased so wrong, but actually probably fitting. “But… I would really like to take off your shirt and touch you.” That sounded so strange.
Fuck, oh shit. “I mean.” Fitz pulled his hands back, maybe he should have just stopped talking and kissed the man again. “I have my sister, but it’s been a while since I’ve just been… close to someone…” Was he even making any sense?
Six years? Over seventy months of living as a cat without this kind of contact? How had the other man not just jumped him already? Ben couldn’t imagine going that long without any kind of intimacy, without any human contact other than this sister that Fitz had mentioned. There was some kind of attraction between them and why not explore it.
“Mon amie… you can do whatever you wish…” His hands moved from where they were resting on Fitz to undo the buttons of his own shirt, shrugging it off to expose his chest and stomach. “I could lie down if you would like that.”
Fitz pulled off his own shirt as well, it was only fair and… he kinda hoped to be touched as much as touch. His eyes looked to the yoga firm torso of the Frenchman before him. If they’d met in another life, he’d take him out dancing and drinking and just fuck him until the sun came up. Or the old Fitz would. Fitz himself was fit as well, always making sure he was ready if shit went down. His time as a cat didn’t directly transfer into his human form, so while as a cat his muscles could be tightly packed- like that of a mountain lion. He often had to sneak into the woods and do a run or improvisational exercises. He tended to go early morning before anyone else woke up.
His hand moved and his fingers slowly ran over Ben’s side. He was not going to cry- he could, he felt so overtaken by such a simple feeling, but he wasn’t going to. Instead he just leaned in and kissed the man again, letting him lay back onto the bed. His fingers blindly traced almost every inch of the other man’s torso. His fingers had a soft touch to them, it was easy to ignore at first, write off as chemistry or the mind playing tricks on you. But as his fingers ran over the other man’s torso, he left a trailed sensation of fur. Invisible to the eye, almost as if it was just the way his skin felt. Like petting an extremely soft blanket- or animal. It was a recent part of his mutation, only a year or so old. All the time as a cat had sort of impacted him.
As that shirt was pulled off Ben’s eyes took in the sight before him, he knew what kind of work it took to build and maintain muscle like that and how the other man managed to do it while spending most of his life as a cat had Ben impressed to say the least. “Oh mon…” ‘Oh my’ He whispered, licking at his lips before Fitz’s hands started running over his side.
He was too focused on the sensation of those fingertips against his skin that he didn’t pick up the difference, at least to start with. One arm raised above Ben’s head, allowing Fitz to feel the muscles in different contexts, he would even roll onto his back if Fitz wanted to explore the rest of him. There would be time for touching the other man later.
It was sensual, not sexual as he ran his hand over Ben’s skin, his back. Leaning down, his eyes fluttered shut as he placed a kiss on his shoulders. His lips, they had that same soft sensation, thought not as pronounced as his fingers, or the rest of his skin. But they were, and when not pressed against equally soft lips… could be a bit more noticable.
His palm rested on the other man’s lower back. “God you are beautiful.” He said, warm breath rushing over the skin between his shoulder blades. His lips pressed a kiss as he found himself laying next to the man. His head rested on the bed, blue eyes looking at the teacher. “Sorry if I purr a little.” He smirked, maybe he had… only a little.
After a few minutes of those gentle caresses Ben could feel the difference, it was as if Fitz had fingertips made from velvet and it brought out more than one content sigh as they roamed, running over the bumps and dips of his muscular back. His head was tilted to the side, eyes occasionally opening to look at the man sitting beside him before slipping shut again.
When the hands stopped and those lips pressed a soft kiss between his shoulders Ben smiled, it had felt so nice and now it was time to return the favor. When Fitz rested down beside him Ben moved to his side, propping his head up with one hand and letting the other begin the slow exploration of the other man’s back. “It just means that you are enjoying it.” That velvet he had felt on those fingers turned out to be all over the skin and he likened it to touching that Rex breed cat that a college friend of his had owned all those years ago. “You are not so bad yourself… how do you maintain these? It is not easy and I’m a full time human” His fingers brushing over the solid muscles.
Fitz closed his eyes, he felt a wash of chill run over him followed by warmth at the touch. His arms crossed before him to rest his head on. “Some of it comes natural… just being a cat, I think. But I work out almost every morning.” He admitted. “I run… a lot. Lots of boot camp type training.” Minimalist. Run a mile, do some pushups, some planks then run back. When he could find heavy rocks or other things he could use for resistance training, he used them. But it was six years of running the perimeter of the island every morning for the most part. It kept him lean and muscular- but not bulky. “Before the sun comes up, less guards while everyone is asleep.”
He hummed happily, and yes, purred a little as he sighed. Slowly he rolled to his back so he could see Ben. “And yes, I’m former military.” He said, anticipating that question. “But that was years ago… years before even the island.”
“There is something about running, just you and the nature. I like running here, that saltiness in the air… it reminds me of the time I spent in Hawaii.” Well the times to be truthful, he had gone to several observatories set up near the active volcanoes on the islands since he had gained his PhD and it was his last posting before things changed, before this life now. Boot camp type training and the early morning runs explained a lot about how Fitz maintained himself. “If you ever wish to learn some yoga I wouldn’t mind giving private lessons, although I guess you are already pretty flexible… being a cat.” Still, the offer was there.
That soft purr made Ben smile and he removed his hand as Fitz rolled over and looked at him. “I was a volcanologist before they took it all away from me.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice as he spoke, still looking at the man beside him.
“That’s really cool.” He said, never having met a volcano scientist before. “Much cooler than working in security- which is what I did before I came here.” Fitz chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to, or even thought of visiting a volcano before. What exactly does a volcanologist do?” He inquired, honestly curious.
All the information that Fitz had given Ben earlier about the cameras and microphones in the house all made sense now, he used to do this for a living. “There are five ones just over there.” Ben pointed in the direction of the mainland, of Washington. “Saint Helens, Adams, Rainier, Baker and Glacier Peak are the active volcanos in Washington and I visited them all at one time or another.”
He reached over and ran a hand down Fitz’s arm as he talked, he loved talking about his previous job. “It is a fancy geologist. I studied their formation and also their composition, everyone thinks that all volcanoes are the same but they are not. The lavas of Hawaiian volcanoes is different to those from the more explosive ones for example. It’s all magma from below the crust but there are subtle differences in their mineral makeup depending on the location and type of volcano it is.” He could keep going on but there was a fine line between satisfying someone’s curiosity and giving a lecture.
Fitz smiled, he had no idea what any of that actually meant- or more, why it was important. But clearly it was, just was beyond him. He watched Ben as he talked, feeling quite comfortable. “So, you’ve traveled quite a bit then, I guess, yea?” Outside of the base he’d been stationed and war zones, he’d not left Washington. He’d always wondered what it would be like. There had been the chance that if he’d moved up in the security firm he’d been with that he could have gotten jobs elsewhere. But life had different plans. “What was it about volcanos that you made a career of them?”
Ben smiled. “Oui, I have. Seen a lot of volcanoes but I did not study them all, quite a few of them were just as a tourist… like Vesuvius, Pompeii was educational though.” Learning about one of the most famous eruptions in history. “But it was the Mount Pinatubo eruption that made me want to learn more about them.” He guessed Fitz was about his age and he remembered seeing the eruptions in 1991 as a child and that had sparked his interest and the rest was his personal history. “Why volcanos? They can be dangerous but they also create, some of the lava that erupts now may have once been the land that was here when the earth was still young, it is all a cycle but it is a very slow one.” Though that didn’t really answer Fitz’s question.
The other man seemed to light up a little when he talked about his former work, the air of sadness was still there, but it was clear he enjoyed it. “I like that.” He said, reaching up to Ben’s face and drawing him close. “Creative danger.” Fitz united their lips once more, a soft hum releasing as the kiss didn’t drag on, but was still quite full. The Fitz of before may have made some joke about making him erupt, but he felt it would ruin the mood.
If he was being honest, the two of them probably wouldn’t have gotten along off the island. He may have hooked up with him once- he was hot, but they wouldn’t have gone beyond a one night stand. And sure, it was a little pre-emptive to think longer term. But just talking and finding out about the other man was more than he would have done.
“And you just got to the island, right? December… January?” Fitz had a record he tried to keep of everyone and when they arrived and what they could do (when he could identify it). It was important information to know, Especially when it came to Faction business and who to try to recruit.
There wasn’t a lot of danger, except for when they were actually collecting lava samples, that was always a bit nerve wracking standing so close to something that could kill him instantly if the ground below gave way. But it was all part of the job and he enjoyed it.
Ben smiled against Fitz lips as they kissed again, looking into the blue eyes before him as their lips stayed pressed together for several more moments. For a man who hadn’t kissed like this for at least six years it definitely didn’t show with the way he was kissing Ben and he was enjoying every moment.
He nodded at the question about his arrival to the island. “November. So… six months.” A hand idly running up and down Fitz’s side. “But I have had my… ability for about four years now. I started hearing voices and went and saw my doctor back in Montreal, he told me to see a specialist who said I had schizophrenia and made me try all these drugs to stop them. But it wasn’t for months later that I realized that the voices were not in my head but they belonged to the birds that lived outside my apartment… then I decided this was a gift, not a curse and embraced it.”
This was the first time he had ever talked to someone about the abilities that he had gotten, it wasn’t like it was a secret to the other man, Fitz had found out about it months ago when they had first met when Ben was out doing yoga.
Fitz frowned slightly. “I’m sorry, that must have been horrible. Not knowing.” He placed a hand over Ben’s thumb running over the top in circles. “At least you were able to figure it out.” He smiled slightly. “And lucky me, someone to talk to as a cat.” Granted there were some telepaths he could talk to as well.
Fitz gently guided Ben back to the bed and snuggled up next to him, resting his head on the front of his shoulder. He couldn’t wait to learn more about Ben. “A little sorry it took me so long to stop running from you.” Honestly, had he not been dazed from hitting the wall, he probably would have.
It had been a tough time for Ben, not knowing if he was suffering some kind of mental illness or was it something more. When he realized the truth it was as if a large weight was lifted off his shoulders and he began to actively listen to what the animals around him were saying, learning how different creatures talked and their thought patterns. “I knew you were different from the start, you weren’t talking like a normal cat and I never came across one that swore… or admired a fellow human.” There was a tiny smile.
Ben let himself get guided back down onto the mattress, the arm lifting as Fitz moved to curl up before coming back down to hold the man there against his side. This was really quite nice, just holding someone and talking. “I understand, it must have been scary for you to find out someone could hear you.” He knew about telepaths and while he wasn’t scared of them he did wonder what embarrassing things that they might have heard from his thoughts as he walked past.
He looked down at the mop of dark hair. “Have you stopped running now?”
“I tend to blend into the crowd for telepaths, so being called out was… unusual.” Well most telepaths. The former Faction member who had recruited him had known he was different. “And I didn’t want to risk being caught.” Fitz looked up to the man.”But I realized you weren’t going to do that.” Or he was playing the long con.
Fitz hoped that wasn’t true.
His eyes closed as he nuzzled against Ben. “I’m too comfortable to go anywhere.” The other man was warm. He found himself purring slightly.
“I wouldn’t do that.” Ben said truthfully, his fingers brushing Fitz’s shoulder “You intrigue me, I didn’t know what you were. It took me awhile to figure it out, I thought that maybe you were some kind of super intelligent cat to start with, some kind of government experiment but then I realized that you were human. I just wanted to find out more about you.”
He wasn’t playing any kind of con, he didn’t have it in him. “Your secret is safe with me, chaton mignon.” Fitz really was a pretty kitty.
That nuzzling felt good and there was a happy sigh at the soft vibration that he could feel against his side, the other man was so content he was purring. “Well don’t fall asleep just yet, I would like to at least get changed before retiring for the night.” Jeans weren’t exactly the most comfortable thing to sleep in, and it wasn’t really late enough to go to sleep.
Fitz smiled. “Not sleeping, just enjoying some comfort before I should go home.” He replied, though he was comfortable enough that a cat nap was entirely possible.
“That I can help you with. Rest now mon amie.” He smiled, feeling content to just lie there and let Fitz take from him all the comfort that he needed. It did feel kind of odd to be lying here with a stranger but all friendships started off as strangers, didn’t they? After a minute or so of quiet and soft rubbing of that velvet skin Ben spoke again “You’ll come back, won’t you?”
“If you want me too.” Yea, he really was looking forward to learning more about the man, maybe doing more.
Later he’d probably second guess getting comfortable so quickly with a stranger. But when you were drawn to someone… and your options were limited… Fitz held his lips on the other man’s chest as he hummed softly. He’d have to leave soon… but for that moment, the boys could just find comfort.