? Broken Strings {A Chaos Theory x Male Reader Story - Ben}

The wind howls wildly and whips against everyone's sensitive skin as they slowly roll down the street. Everyone except Ben, who's sitting in the actual car with the driver, showing him the way to go.

Everyone else sits in the truck bed, the snow freezing their fingers and toes as they huddle together.

"You sure we landed in Italy and not... Ant--Antartica?" Kenji struggles to get his snide remark out through his chattering teeth.

"At least... it's pretty." Sammy shivers violently.

"Ben better be taking us somewhere warm." Darius shudders.

Kenji turns around and taps on the back window, "Ben. H--How much longer?"

Ben turns around in his seat and shows Kenji the phone screen with the GPS.

"What does that mean?" Kenji whines.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Ben knocks on the back window, startling his friends awake as they pull up to a large house, "This is it."

He gives his thanks to the driver as everyone else climbs out of the crammed space in the back. Ben then moves to go up the stairs, but he slides around on the ice in the street, his feet coming out under him.

Kenji catches him under his arms and lifts him up, "Dude, careful! You've got precious egg cargo!" He pats Bumpy's egg that Ben's been keeping warm nuzzle up in his fanny pack.

"Uhm, ya'll?" Sammy whispers to the others as Kenji and Ben head up the steps, "I'm thinking Bumpy's egg probably should have hatched by now."

"Yeah." Yaz sighs, "I know we'd all be heartbroken if it didn't, but Kenji? I don't know if he can handle--"

"Let's not cross that bridge until we come to it." Darius cuts in.

"I agree." Y/N nods, "The bridge we do have to cross is what we're gonna do about Brooklyn."

"And if I'll ever feel my fingers again." Darius adds, blowing warm air into his cupped hands as the four of them move up the stairs.

"Dai, andiamo, peeps! Hurry it up!" Ben calls from the top of the steps.

They make it to the top and Ben knocks on the door while the others stand back and wait. The door slowly creeks open to reveal a little old lady on the other side, her brow furrowed in something of anger or confusion.

"This is your friend?" Y/N glances up at his boyfriend.

Before Ben can begin to explain the door slams shut.

After only a second of lingering confusion the door opens back up to reveal a young woman. She has long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and her face lights up when she sees who's outside.

"Ben!?" She gasps, leaping forward and hugging him tightly.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"Dude, you didn't even call to tell her we were coming?" Darius frowns.

"Don't get him started on the phone thing." Y/N groans.

"Phones are traceable." Ben tsks.

"We've established they're not if they're off, but whatever." Darius rolls his eyes.

"Actually, even off, they still are, depending on your settings." The new girl corrects, "Or if certain organizations are trying to locate you."

Kenji stifles laughter at Darius' confused expression.