#benlor

Fingers snap through the air. You could’ve- He stops, starts again, signs sharper, faster, You can’t just disappear like that. Not after everything.

Aiden shrugs, easy, “Relax. I’m fine.”

Fine? Ben’s signs hit like he’s throwing knives, Are you serious? After everything we’ve gone through. Disappearing for hours is FINE? 

His chest tightens at the memory of sirens and silence, of the weeks when none of them knew if they’d make it out alive. 

You don’t get to just disappear like that anymore!

And Aiden- God help him- just closes his eyes. Like if he can’t see the signs, he can’t feel the weight of them.

Ben freezes mid-motion. His fingers hover in the air, a half-finished warning hanging between them. The kitchen light hums. He wants to grab his cousin, to shake him until every awful night spills out of their tattered hearts and empty chests and they can both breathe again. Wants to pull him close and never let go.

Instead he stands there, jaw locked so hard it aches.

Aiden mutters, barely a whisper, “If I can’t see you, you can’t yell at me.”

It’s ridiculous. It’s heartbreaking. Ben’s throat burns.

He forces his hands to move- slowly yet deliberate. Don’t do that again. Ever.

The signs come heavy, even though Aiden can’t see them.

His cousin peeks one eye open. His grin falters, features softening. Behind it, Ben sees flashes of the mess they’ve survived together: collapsing floors, screaming nights, blood that took hours to scrub from the hall. 

Aiden swallows. 

“Okay,” he mumbles, and it’s so soft it barely exists.

Ben exhales, finally feeling like he can breathe again, shoulders sagging. The anger drains out, trickling like water from a roof. 

A floorboard groans from behind them, and Ben blinks in realization, remembering that he gave Taylor the keys. She appears in the doorway, hair a mess, hoodie half-zipped. 

Taylor leans against the frame, eyes flicking from Ben’s trembling hands to Aiden’s tired smirk. There’s a tiny frown she tries to hide- a knowing one. They’ve all worn that look since the worst nights. 

We almost lost each other once. We’re not doing it again.

Aiden bends to untie his mud-caked shoes, whispering quietly enough so Taylor can’t hear, “You’re not gonna tell the others, right? I don’t want them to worry.”

Ben shakes his head, signs, Not tonight. Then, slower: You’re my cousin. Idiot. Stay alive.

Aiden huffs a small laugh, grimacing, “Yeah, yeah. You too.”

Ben steps back, glancing at Taylor, who stays where she is. You’re not going to tell me what you were doing?

Aiden sighs, closing his eyes once more, “I will, Ben, one day. I just need some time.”

And it’s hard, so hard to not pry or worry more, but Ben trusts him to do the right thing and knows Aiden would tell him if it was serious. 

So he listens.

Okay. 

Aiden smiles. 

Taylor crosses the room, brushing Ben’s arm as she passes. Just a small touch, but it lingers, grounding. She sets a mug of water on the counter and murmurs, “You should sit. Both of you.”

Ben doesn’t sit. He just watches his cousin kick off his shoes, alive and breathing, and lets the house settle around them- old walls, old ghosts, and the unspoken promise that none of them are ever going to face the dark alone again.

under 1k words:

Scraped and Bruised by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ Ben scrapes his arm, so Taylor takes the opportunity to take care of him for once.

my mind, your thoughts, our echoes by tothegods . . . ♡ Taylor tries to deflect, but it comes off the wrong way. Ben doesn't know how to feel about her dismissal. Cue Aiden and an emotional breakdown.

Letters and affirmations by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ Taylor finds a note meant for her, and decides to confront the author.

The Shop Across the Street by skops_jpeg . . . ♡ a benlor coffee shop/college au

Silly by ArthurisArthuring . . . ♡ They sit and talk <3

Why does it hurt so much? by TonicOxy . . . ♡ Ben has one of his usual night terrors about his past and Taylor is the only one able to comfort him.

What's on your mind? by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ Love, that's new, both the name and the feeling.

I Don't Want to Add to Their Plates (You Can Add to Mine) by newwwwusername . . . ♡ Taylor has a cold. Ben takes care of her.

it’s warm with you by arclight22 . . . ♡ Benlor's first kiss after a little violence.

Scarf by Skyl3x . . . ♡ It was cold. Once again, Ben was grateful for the cold.

Paper Stars by PossiblySentientMoss . . . ♡ Ben and Taylor have a moment together. It starts off a little bittersweet, but it gets better.

Walk-in by cherriesand_5lemonade . . . ♡ Ben and Taylor make out at a party and Tyler walks in.

Late nights by r1nnie . . . ♡ Taylor gets some bad thoughts and Ben (tries) to cheer her up.

Find Me in the Future! by skops_jpeg . . . ♡ Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion

haunted by the ghosts of your past (just kidding, it's not that serious) by tothegods . . . ♡ Ben and Taylor get ready for Halloween together. Established Relationship.

Shivering (but not with you) by Sunflower_Sky2 . . . ♡ Some Taylor and Ben fluff

1k-3k words:

Sleepover Woes by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ After waking up from another night in the phantom dimension, the savannah kids seek comfort from one another. One chapter is focused on Benlor.

the calm before the storm (but the storm never comes) by tothegods . . . ♡ The Sbgang have a Halloween party. Taylor's POV.

Romantic Little Lovebirds by roller_coaster_kinda_rush . . . ♡ Apparently, good things can come of Aiden's obnoxiousness.

all in one, one in twelve by tothegods . . . ♡ A series of three one-shots written for Benlor month.

Familiar feeling by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ We know how Taylor reacted the night of Tyler's death. But how did Ben react the night Aiden died?

pastry shops & holiday lights (sometimes the gifts we receive aren't all that tangible) by tothegods . . . ♡ Coffee Shop AU, Alternate University- College & University, & Christmas

Shine on Silver Moon by viva_la_fu . . . ♡ Ben and Taylor go out alone in the phantom dimension, and Ben isn't looking at the treelines. No, Ben is only looking at Taylor. Technically major character death.

waking up to the start of the end of the world (but it's feeling just like every other morning before) by tothegods . . . ♡ that one future benlor fluff fic because hurt/comfort is the best type of fic ever <3. and they cuddle (ish).

Are you here? by veryweeeeeeeeirdd . . . ♡ Senior prom dance and Taylor is waiting on Ben, but he doesn’t show up in time so you’ll see her reaction to this.

promises of fear are all we know, but your promise of hope is what i keep close by tothegods . . . ♡ Benlor angst, from Ben's POV.

wait for the morning by akwriter . . . ♡ If the gang didn’t get separated AU

And here it is, our final night alive And as the earth burns to the ground. by D011ZK11LL . . . ♡ Miraculous Ladybug AU. Ben yells at Tyler for being too overprotective of Taylor.

Do I wanna know? by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ Taylor loves the Arctic Monkeys, and Ben is very aware of this when they all decide to do karaoke.

a leap of faith was all it took by tothegods . . . ♡ Ben asks Taylor for permission to ask Taylor out.

Dance with me? by Local_Pansexual . . . ♡ It's senior prom night, and Taylor wants to dance.

tangled vines on the ivy grow by tothegods . . . ♡ Taylor didn’t mean to find a dead girl in the greenhouse, nor get involved in a murder. Murder Mystery / Boarding School AU.

Something Stupid by viva_la_fu . . . ♡ The SBG kids are at the amusement park and Ben and Taylor don't want to go on the rollercoaster. Therefore, they're on bag holding duty.

the art of your heart by tothegods . . . ♡ Ben leaves his sketchbook on the table, and Taylor isn't ready for what's inside of it.

3k-5k words:

Valentine's Day gifts by Ariizzz . . . ♡ A story on the events leading up to Ben losing his voice and him hating valentines day.

something stupid (like being in love) by tothegods . . . ♡ in which ben is hopelessly in love, logan can’t stop pointing it out, and taylor ends up hearing way more than she bargained for.

Halloween Love Story by CrimsonWolf715 . . . ♡ Aiden and Ashlyn trick Ben and Taylor into a couples costume.

Echoes In The Wind by Catso . . . ♡ One of the group wasn't something anyone of them could've predicted, and now Taylor had to deal with the fallout emotions. She felt broken and so weak. Good that Ben was there to hold her hand through it.

First Date (just me and you) by Kenlynn_shipper . . . ♡ Taylor asks Ben out on a date. That‘s the fic.

5k-10k words:

the saviors and heros by Ghost_cm . . . ♡ Alternate Universe (superheroes & superpowers). The gang gains superpowers. Hernandez siblings angst.

the speck in thy brother’s eye by akwriter . . . ♡ Taylor and Tyler try to take their own love advice. (Also includes Ash x Tyler)

My Heart Feels Tight (it's strangled) by Catso . . . ♡ Taylor knows that she's in for a deep ride. She knows these feelings all too well, and they're the best thing that happened to her, as well as the cruelest.

10k+ words:

letters written in incognito by tothegods . . . ♡ Ben writes an anonymous love letter and accidentally leaves it at his desk. Chaos ensures. Basically a shit ton of sbgang fluff and obviously benlor.

If We Remained United: The Long Road to New York by CarnivalConflict . . . ♡ At the end of S2 the crew doesn’t get separated, so they go on a training arc, break into military bases in the phantom dimension, plot against everyone… and find their own way through a labyrinth of bisexual confusion (very slowly).

miscellaneous:

I wanna be a part of things :( by autistic_Eclipse . . . ♡ Uh. Ben licks Taylor's forehead.

Спостерігати за заходом сонця – це гарна ідея для побачення by Loveableprob . . . ♡ Not in english. Translated summary: Ben and Taylor go on a date, where they have a little picnic on the beach and watch the sunset!

Внутри стен by amelka . . . ♡ Not in english. Translated summary: It's safe inside the illuminated walls, but Taylor still feels uneasy.

Щасливіше, ніж раніше by Loveableprob . . . ♡ Not in english. Translated summary: She didn't know how she ended up here, standing on the doorstep of her house, watching her older brother go on a date with a guy she would hardly have even remembered before.

dividers by @cafekitsune !!