Current music:	Exit Music (For A Film) - Vampire Weekend
Entry tags:	fanfiction, lost fic

Title: How One Becomes Henry Gale
Characters: Ben, Juliet
Rating: PG
Word Count: 408
Summary: It's easier to smash his face with a rock.
Note: Set right before Ben makes his first appearance in season 2.
Disclaimer: not mine



“You don’t scare me anymore, Ben,” she said.

“No,” he said, his lips curled up forming something that resembled a smile. “No, I suppose not.”

It could’ve been a lie, the way she stood so confidently in front of him. She wasn’t the same woman she was when she first arrived. She didn’t crouch or look down; she didn’t even pretend to like him anymore. She knew how to lie almost as well as he did, and it might have been his feelings for her that clouded his judgment, but Ben believed her even though his instincts told him not to.

“I need you to this,” he said politely, his voice pleading. “It’s the only way.”

He handed her the rock, purposely grazing her palm. He spent such a long time trying to win her over he overlooked the fact she despised him. A part of him simply wanted her to suffer. He didn’t scare her but he certainly held the power, and showing her even an inkling of affection made her hurt just as much as telling her she couldn’t go home.

He rather enjoyed it. This was the only way he got Juliet to do anything.

“The mouth,” she volunteered.

“The face,” he suggested. “The whole face.”

Juliet sighed. “How hard?”

“You’re the one taking boxing lessons with Richard,” he said, taking a step back. “It doesn’t take much to cut flesh, Juliet. Just do your best. I trust you.”

It was that grin that pumped hatred into her veins. That ever present grin telling her she would never be a step ahead. Hell, she’d never be ten steps behind. She grasped the rock into her palm tighter.

“They won’t fall for this, Ben. They aren’t stupid.”

“They’re desperate for guidance, Juliet,” he said matter-of-factly. “And if they don’t believe me, I’ll make them believe.”

And with that, Juliet swung her arm across with full force. The impact was swift and clean. Smashing across Ben’s cheek, the thump of velocity was gone in a smooth flash and he was soon on his back.

Not less than a second later Rousseau’s trap engulfed him; a giant net disguised in leaves lifted him up to the branches of a large tree.

Juliet let the rock drop. She looked at her hand, a hint of blood on the side of her finger. She wiped it clean across her jeans.

“See you later, Henry,” she said.

.end

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