Ben Loves a Challenge Ch. 02

"Extremely homophobic?" Dean supplied.

He exhaled heavily. "Yeah."

Dean waved it away. "I'm used to it, the homophobia at work. That's nothing new. I shouldn't have reacted how I did, I knew how you were gonna react."

"Fuck that, Dean," he snapped, too loud for the little sedan. "That's bullshit. I was an asshole, and there's no excusing it. You shouldn't be 'used' to having to deal with homophobic bullshit."

Dean watched him and he grew more and more uncomfortable as the seconds ticked to minutes. "What made you change your mind, on how you feel about gays? You would never have said that three months ago."

Ben swallowed hard, opening his mouth, but struggling with what to say. Dean didn't say anything, just waited for him to speak. "I guess..." He sighed, then began again. "You did. I didn't know any other gays, and I didn't know you. I guess it's easy to just... I dunno. Dehumanize people, when you don't know them. You're... I dunno..."

"I'm what?" Dean asked. He felt like a bug under glass, the way Dean was studying him.

"You... I can't explain it. I want to know you. I want you to not hate me."

Dean laughed, breaking the tension in the car. "I don't hate you."

"I mean, I want you to 'like' me," he said, flushing.

"That's not a safe thing to say to a gay guy, Ben," Dean chided gently.

"Sorry," he said again.

"Relax. It's fine. I wanted to talk to you, face to face, so I waited for you. In your car, because it was raining, and you left it unlocked. I'm flattered that I expanded your worldview, but you really don't owe me anything. You should just go get some titties in your face with Hugh and Justin tonight, and you'll feel better in the morning."

"Please, Dean. Let me do something nice for you."

"I'm flattered, I really am, but if you keep buzzing around me rumors-"

"Wait a minute! Titties? You were there? At Sam's today?" he asked, turning to watch Dean's reaction, his blood pressure skyrocketing.

Dean chuckled. "Came in about halfway through, from what I gathered. I couldn't help but eavesdrop, you were talking about me, yea?" Dean winked, the gesture causing his cock to twitch excitedly. He shifted, trying to hide it.

"I didn't mean-"

"DeLuca. Ben," Dean cut in. "You were... You were different, today. Thanks, for having my side of it. You did a good job, keeping yourself distanced from me, but also defending me. I don't need you to do it, of course, because I don't care what your bromance-having friends think about me, but it was sweet of you. You can stop now, or they'll get the wrong idea."

"I'm sorry about the letter, for the rumor."

Dean dismissed it with a wave. "Nothing I haven't heard before." The rain had let up into a light sprinkle while they talked, and Dean appraised it quickly before opening the door. He got out, then leaned down into the door to look at him. "Go out with your friends. Get those titties."

"Dean?"

Dean snorted. "Ben?"

"Can I call you again, if they leave me?"

Dean laughed. "You wanna call the gay guy to clean you up and put you to bed? What if this time I sleep in my bed with you?"

"It's your house," he dismissed, the idea of Ben's scent and heat beside him interesting his loins in confusing ways.

"I told you already that I wouldn't come get you again like that."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, sure. Sorry again, Dean..."

Dean chuckled as he shut the door. "You're an idiot, DeLuca," he said, but it sounded almost affectionate. Maybe he was reading something into it. He watched Dean walk away, then waved when Dean looked back just before he turned the corner, pulling his hood up against the drizzle.