RATED G
Alliance legally owns these characters, and I make no claim to them by writing this story. This story is written for entertainment purposes only, and no profit will be made.
OVERDOSE
Ray dropped onto the couch with a tired, grateful sigh. He had just come from the Vecchio family Halloween celebration, and he was worn out. The trick-or-treating, dinner, ghost stories, games, snacks, and scary movies had all been fun, but Ray was glad to be away from all the noise and activity and alone with Benny in the apartment the two of them shared.
He heard a quiet groan from the bedroom where Benny was changing out of his costume and into sweatpants and a sweatshirt, and he frowned. “Benny, is everything all right in there?”
There was a slight pause, then Benny answered, his voice muffled by the walls. “Yes, Ray.” Ben left the bedroom, but instead of heading into the living room, and Ray, he went into the kitchen.
Ray stood up and followed him into the kitchen. He stood quietly in the doorway and watched as Ben poured himself a glass of ginger ale and took a small sip. “What’s up, Benny?” He asked, and Ben started and turned to face him.
“I have a stomachache,” Ben said, sounding almost guilty.
“Yeah?” Ray stepped up to him and felt his forehead. “Well, you don’t have a fever.”
Ben shook his head. “No, I’m not ill. I think it’s just something I ate. Or rather, everything that I ate.”
Ray grinned at him. “A typical Vecchio Halloween hazard, I’d say.”
“It’s my own fault. I shouldn’t have been such a glutton. But everything was so tempting, and tasted so good at the time. And I didn’t truly realize just how much I was eating, because it was spread out over the evening. Your mother’s homemade chili and cornbread were so delicious that I had large helpings of both of them, and I can never resist her pumpkin pie.
“And Maria seemed so eager for me to try the Halloween cookies she had baked. And the children were so happy to share their Halloween candy with me, I couldn’t say no and hurt their feelings.
“But I think it was the caramel apple that really did me in.” Ben was looking distinctly ill now, and he took another sip of ginger ale.
Ray grinned at him. “Yeah, I remember that feeling well. No matter how much Ma tried to warn me, it happened to me three or four years when I was a kid.”
“I think I’ve learned my lesson after just one time,” Ben replied, rubbing his stomach.
Ray smiled at him in sympathy and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Lucky for you, I know the perfect cure. Come on.”
Taking Ben’s hand, he led him into the living room and over to the sofa. Ray sat down on the end cushion, then pulled Benny down onto the sofa and into a reclining position with his head in Ray’s lap.
“There you go,” Ray said, running his hand in gentle circles over Benny’s stomach. “You’ll feel better in no time. I learned this cure from the best.”
“Your Mom?”
“Of course. Ma could make anything better.”
The two men were silent for a few minutes. “So, I’m guessing this never happened to you when you were a kid, huh Benny?”
Ben laughed. “No, Ray. For one thing, we never had that much sugar in the house at all. And if we had and I had over-indulged as I did today, my Grandmother would have thoroughly tanned my hide.”
“Would she have done it while you were still sick, or would she have waited until you were feeling better?”
Ben just laughed again, and Ray frowned.
After a few minutes, Ben sighed. “I am feeling a little better, Ray. That’s all the cure entails, then? Just rubbing the stomach?”
“Nah, Ma would also-” Ray quickly clamped his lips shut, but not quickly enough.
“She would what, Ray?”
“Nothing Benny. It’s not important, never mind.”
“Ray,” Benny said, in his most wheedling tone.
Ray sighed. “She would sing, Benny, okay? Ma would sing to me and my stomachache would go away.”
Ben didn’t say anything, he just stared up at Ray.
“No Benny. Forget it.”
“Please, Ray? I think it would really make me feel better.” Benny was trying to look serious, but he couldn’t keep a tiny grin from his face.
“Benny...”
“Don’t you want me to feel better?”
“That wasn’t even subtle, Benny.” The grin on Ben’s face grew even wider. “Besides, my voice wouldn’t make anyone feel better. If anything, it would have just the opposite effect.”
“I don’t think that’s true, Ray.”
Ray sighed again. “All right, but you have been warned.” He leaned down and gave Ben a quick kiss on the lips, then sat up and began rubbing Ben’s stomach again. After a few seconds, Ray began to sing in Italian in a quiet, soothing voice.
Ben smiled up at him. “I don’t know what you were talking about. You have a lovely voice, Ray.”
“Thank you, Benny. But you’re supposed to be resting now.”
“All right,” Ben agreed obediently. He lay with his eyes closed for a little while longer, then looked up at Ray again. “Ray, that song is very pretty, but what is it about?”
“It’s about a little village in Italy.”
“Oh. That’s nice. Is it-”
“Ssssh,” Ray interrupted, running a hand over Benny’s face. “Sleep now.”
Ben nodded and sighed and shifted position, trying to get more comfortable. Ray continued singing and rubbing Ben’s stomach, and Ben remained still and quiet.
When he was done with the song, Ray looked down at Benny and smiled. Ben was sound asleep. Ray sat quietly for a while, continuing to rub Ben’s stomach.
After a few minutes, Ray began gently stroking Benny’s hair, and he looked down at his sleeping lover with a smile. “I’m glad I got to be there for part of your childhood, Benny.”
THE END
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