FicWad

Something New

2 days before the wedding

"What do you get the man who has nothing who's marrying the woman who has everything."



Cameron smiled at the little girl behind the register and grabbed the tray she slid across to him. It was laden with two bowls of steaming chilli, a monstrous plate of salad, and several side dishes of onion, cheese, sour cream, and cubed bread. "I think the real question, is what do you get a man who's marrying a /woman/. Because if he were marrying say... Denis or Sean, I know exactly what I'd be getting him."



"I can't get my brother a sex toy. Vanessa would never let me step foot in her house again. Assuming she couldn't simply strangle me with it..."



"Kinky. And more or less my point."



"So what do I get him?"



"Something domestic. Like a blender." Cameron grinned, "Or a vacuum."



Benji leveled a look at Cameron that told him exactly how he felt about that suggestion. "She'd bash me over the head with it. Vanessa might give every appearance of darling housewife, but I think she'd balk at the slightest mention of it." Benji stirred some cheese and sour cream into his chilli, pouting around a rather healthy bite. "And put me in a coma."



"At least she'd get some use out of it, then."



"You're not being much help."



"That's not really my job."



"You came with me to offer your opinion and moral support in this dangerous sport of shopping for wedding gifts."



"Ok true. But I never said my opinion would be helpful. And I can hardly offer you valid moral support." Cameron winked, sly smiling curving his lips, "Seeing as I have so few of my own."



Benji gave an inelegant snort and rolled his eyes over his cup, "That's for damn sure."



"You're no saint yourself, you know."



"Compared to you I'm the goddamn Virgin Mary," Benji muttered.



It was all Cameron could do not to spew chilli and cheese all over the table and tray. As it was, he damn near choked to death at the very thought. When at last he managed to swallow the bite and could breath again, he laughed. Long and loud and much to the irritation and annoyance of Benji, who glared and did his best to make him be quiet.



"Would you shut up," Benji hissed through clenched teeth, practically smashing his hand down atop Cameron's to keep him from banging it on the table. "You're scaring everyone." Which was sort of true. Those sitting in nearby tables were giving them both very wide-eyed looks; some were actually getting up and moving to tables farther away.



Cameron gave one last, short little chuckle, wiped the tears from his eyes, and finally calmed down. Much to Benji's relief. "You kill me, man. You really do."



"Well, you're embarrassing me."



"You should be used to it by now." He winked.



"Being used to it doesn't mean I have to like it."



"Yet you insist on taking me with you everywhere you go."



"Not everywhere."



"Everywhere important." Cameron turned back to finish his chilli, but realized Benji still had a firm grip on his hand. He smirked.



Benji narrowed his eyes distrustfully. "What's that look for? I don't trust that look? What are you up to?"



"Nothing." Cameron grinned. "Just thinking..." He made sure to put a hint of mischief in his voice.



"What...?" Benji looked wary, on his guard.



Cameron sat forward, until they were practically nose to nose. Benji's cheeks colored a dusty shade of pink. "You're awfully cute when you're flustered."



"I'm far from cute." Benji pulled back as far as the bench seat would allow him. "And would you stop trying to make a scene."



"I've already made a scene. I'm just staying in character now." Cameron sat back in his seat, grin still firmly in place. "Besides, you're the one holding my hand."



Benji's eyes widened fractionally in what might have been horror-ok, definitely was-and he snatched his hand away as though burned. Cameron stifled the sigh and did his best to suppress the frown at Benji's actions. He had known that was how Benji would react, of course. It was always how Benji reacted at the slightest suggestion of any such thing.



One would expect that after so long, he would stop feeling the sting of it.



He stood up, startling Benji with the abruptness of his actions. "Sorry. I shouldn't have teased you."



"What?" Benji shook his head, looking confused and flustered and slightly dizzy. "No. I- I- it's just..."



"I know, ok. Friends." He gave a defeated sigh. "Just friends." He gathered up their tray and started to walk away. "Come on. We have to find a wedding gift for Mason."



--/--

At the reception

Benji caught up with Mason at the concessions. He was piling a small plate full of every morsel of food that was available. Benji raised his eyebrows. "Nerves of steel finally failed you? Or is there some secret you and Vanessa have been keeping from us all?"



Mason turned around to face him, looking surprised but happy to see him there. "Benny, you're lucky Vanessa isn't within hearing. She'd giving you a sound smacking for that one."



"When isn't she giving me a sound smacking?"



"When you're not talking."



Benji glowered. "So what's with all the food, Twig."



"You might have noticed, little brother, that over the past few years, I've become significantly less of a twig."



"Yeah, I notice the sea monster's been fattening you up. Be warned; I think she's preparing her next sacrifice."



"Sea monster?" Mason actually stopped picking at the food to look at him, eyes wide-either in fear of who might be within hearing distance, or simply confusion, maybe both.



"Zac swears she's the Loch Ness Monster." Benji shrugged as though the full truth of it really was of no consequence to him.



"Oh, no. You're not backing me into that corner." Mason turned away, shaking his head. "I plead the fifth on that one. You're not getting me in trouble on my wedding day."



Benji chuckled. "It was a good effort, though."



"It was an obvious effort."



"Still good."



"Still obvious."



"Don't you have enough food, yet?!" Benji stared at the ever growing pile, more than triple what the tiny plate could hold.



"I haven't eaten in almost 48 hours; I'm a bit hungry."



"Nervous? Afraid she was going to stand you up?"



"Damn near certain she'd realize I'm not nearly good enough for her."



"If she didn't figure that out five years ago, I don't think she's going to grow smart now."



"There's time yet."



"I doubt it, Mase." Benji clapped him on the shoulder. "Congratulations. You deserve the best, and Vanessa's exactly that." He grabbed a stalk of celery smeared with... something from Mason's plate and started to walk away.



"Where are you off to?"



"To find Cameron. He's- I haven't seen him since the day before yesterday."



Mason dropped his smile momentarily, tilting his head in consideration. "Not going so well?"



"Not going at all. I'm zero for six so far." Benji dropped his head in his hands, releasing all his frustrations in a weary sigh. "I fucked up bad, Mase. I spent so much time running from it, it's all I know how to do anymore. No matter how many chances present themselves." So much time denying that anything was there, and now he was ready, and the opportunities were just so obvious when they presented themselves, and still he managed to screw it up every time.



And every time Cameron became a little more distant, a lot more sad. And Benji felt even more inept.



"Maybe you should stop waiting. Just make it happen." Mason set his plate down-a significant feat, as the pile of food wavered and wobbled and threatened to spill with every motion-and slipped a hand into one of his pockets. "Here." Benji held his hand out as Mason indicated he should, frown transforming into wide-eyed surprise at the ring that dropped in the center of his palm.



"Uh... Mase? Isn't this-?"



"Yep."



"Don't you kinda need it?"



"Nope." Mason held up his left hand, flashing the silver band, ringed with a tiny thread of gold around the center. "I have Vanessa's ring. It's the only one I need. That one was just a prop for the ceremony. Mom wanted something fresh and new for the occasion."



"Ok, that's thrilling." Benji blinked at the ring in his hand and looked back at his brother. "But what am I supposed to do with it?"



Mason winked and picked his plate back up, reached across the table to grab up a handful of carrot sticks. "Start something new."



"What the hell are you-"



"Cameron's over by the stage; he was chatting up Zac's date, but I think he's alone now."



This whole affair had just gone way over Benji's head. Mason was the damned romantic. Why he was holding any hope that Benji could succeed in this, where all other, more obvious attempts had failed, he could not fathom. So instead of taking Mason's hint, he latched on to a topic he knew he could control. "Man, you believe that playboy Zac brought home with him? He could give Sean a run for his money."



Mason rolled his eyes. "Yes, he could. Now stop stalling and go."



Benji felt his spirits crumble. So much for convenient distractions. "You have too much faith in me, I think."



"And you don't have enough. Go." Mason smiled. "And good luck."



"Thanks." Benji squared his shoulders, took a deep breath, and started toward the stage. He had no idea what he was going to say, no idea how he was going to say it. But he did not have much time to think on it either.



Because suddenly, Cameron was standing right there. Watching him with curious honey-brown eyes and asking him what was wrong. What was wrong? Benji shook his head, clearing it of the confused thoughts fluttering through his mind. He could do this.



He could.



"Nothing. Nothing's wrong."



"Are you sure? You look a little dazed." Cameron rested a hand on his shoulder, warm and comforting, and Benji almost forgot what he was about again.



"No. No I just... was talking to Mason. And he-" And he had no idea what to say. Benji took a deep breath and looked up, eyes immediately locking with Cameron's, and then, "I have something for you." Well he guessed that worked.



"Oh yeah?" Cameron smiled that slow smile that said he was honestly surprised. Pleased.



"I... yeah." Now or never; he had little choice any more. Benji pulled Cameron's hand from his shoulder and turned it over so he could drop the ring Mason had given him into Cameron's palm.



Cameron stared at it for several long seconds before he finally turned his gaze to Benji. "I don't understand."



"It's a tradition." Benji swallowed, throat feeling suddenly very dry. "It's a tradition in Vanessa's family. You always gift the person you're, umm... who you're dating-or intend to date-with a ring. It's just... well I don't know how it got started, but I thought we're all family now, so maybe I'd..." he tried to swallow again. "Thought maybe I'd continue it on the Lambert side." He closed his eyes and breathed heavily, shakily. He supposed he could have sounded worse.



"Benji." The was a feather-light stroke of fingers across his cheeks, and Benji opened his eyes, once again staring into Cameron's warm, amber ones. "I'll gladly wear your ring." Then Cameron leaned forward to brush his lips lightly over Benji's. Benji smiled against the kiss.



He was glad to see the light back in Cameron's eyes. Happy he had not completely ruined it before it was too late. And ten times more relaxed now he had taken the plunge and started something new.