#bentine

"Benvolio." Valentine leaned against the doorframe of the study, staring at the crumpled form in the chair. "It's late, what are you doing up?" He carefully approached, setting his candle next to the one already sitting on Benvolio's desk. He paused when he saw the paper under Benvolio's arm, only the first line visible. "To James and Lydia Montague,". Benvolio's parents. He sets a hand on Benvolio's back, gently, so gently.

"It's..it's the aniversary…." Benvolio sniffled. "I could-I couldn't do it.."

Valentine sighed affectionately. "Do what, dove?" His hand absentmindedly stroked circles into Benvolio's shirt.

Benvolio slowly sat up, not lifting his head. The paper was blank. "I couldn't bring myself to tell them…even their graves…" Oh. That Benvolio was….Valentine crouches to take the other man's face in his hands.

"That you're a man?" Benvolio nodded numbly, finally meeting Valentine's green eyes with dull, blue ones. Valentine felt like he'd been stabbed. He sat fully on the floor, pulling Benvolio into his lap. Benvolio instinctively clung to Valentine's shirt. "Ben, precious, love of my life, they loved you. I love you. Nobody cares what's under your shirt, okay? You're perfect. You'll always be perfect to me, dove. Always."

Benvolio stared at Valentine for a long time. "…I'm not perfect, though…I'm awkward, and I say the wrong things, and I'm—I'm not worth all of the trouble you put yourself through to be with me, Val." Of course Benvolio would think that. He thought his diamond to be glass, his dove a pigeon, his brilliant blue a dull grey.

Valentine could never see those awful things.

"Ben, do you remember the first time I said I loved you? Back there, in the tavern?"

Benvolio nods at the memory, a hand moving up to trace his face as if he could still feel the kiss Valentine had given him. "Yeah. You told me I was…that I was like a painting, too ethereal to be real." Valentine nods in approval, stroking those honey-blond locks of hair.

"Yes, good job, dove, just keep breathing...Do you remember when you told me your secret? That you were trans? At the party?"

"mhm…." Valentine smiles when Benvolio answers. "You were so kind…"

"Exactly. I don't care how imperfect you think you are. You're perfect to me. Are you feeling better? We need to get to bed.." Benvolio nods, curling into Valentine's lap. He looked..small. Smaller than usual. Valentine gently lifted him into his arms, carrying him into the bedroom.