Benny smiled at Ray. It was such a simple gesture, a mere smile. Yet it meant so much to Ray.

They were lying in bed, staring each other, their naked bodies sweaty and sated in a room that smelled of sex and passion. Ray had rented that hotel room especially for their first Valentine together. He had it specially decorated, red roses everywhere, soft lights bringing exquisite angles to his Benny in a myriad of colours.

Ray passed a glass of champagne to Benny, who raised to his elbow to take it. They raised their glasses in a silent salute and Ray sipped, sighing happily.

Suddenly Ray felt a longing he thought long gone.

"I am sorry, Benny."

Benny cocked his head, puzzled. "Sorry for what, Ray?"

"For all the time we lost." He seemed genuinely sorrowful. "I wish I were brave sooner."

Benny put his glass away and came closer to Ray. "Ray, you were far braver than I would probably ever be. I was so afraid to lose your friendship that I would never have said how much I love you. I would go on my whole life wanting you without ever knowing you wanted me back."

"That would have been stupid, Benny".

"Extremely. But you didn't let it happen, Ray. Your courage prevented it."

Ray suddenly blushed and shrugged. "It was no courage, Benny. It was a matter of sanity. Wanting you so much was driving me crazy. I was never a hero like you."

Benny slid even closer to Ray and gently put his palm on the other man's cheek. "You are the bravest man I know", he whispered. "You made *this* happen. I could never imagine something like this in my life."

Ray rubbed his cheek gently in Benny's palm before kissing it. "And now I can't even imagine my life without you, Benny. It's like I had something covering my eyes all my life and now that it's been taken off I can see clearly."

Benny's voice changed, suddenly. "There are times when I feel the same, Ray. There are times when I just don't know..." He stopped suddenly, the knot in his throat too big all of a sudden, eyes growing shiny with unshed tears. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

Ray took Benny's hands between his, then drew them to his chest. "I love you, Benny." He kissed his knuckles. "I'll always love you. You just need to know that. Don't ask yourself if you deserve it or if you are worthy. I've been on that road, and believe me, there are no such answers. Just accept it, and deal with it.

I love you, and I think you love me, too."

"Of course I do love you, Ray." A tear slid through Benny's face. "You showed me things I didn't know. You showed me places within me I never imagined that existed. You gave me you, Ray, but I was yours first. I am all yours, Ray. Forever. I just hope that you keep me."

Ray pressed his body against his lover's. "I'll never let you go, Benny. As long as you want me, I'll keep you."

Benny raised his eyes to meet Ray's green ones. The Italian almost gasped to find so much love and need in the pair of azure pools facing him, and leaned in to make their lips meet. The kiss was gentle at first, filled with tenderness, but it soon grew to more passionate tones, especially when Ray felt the evidence of Benny's desire poking his stomach.

Ray smiled under Benny's lips and pulled back a little to ask, "Something you want to tell me, Benny?"

"It's all for you, Ray," answered Benny in a husky voice, blue-grey eyes darkened with arousal.

"So... I can do whatever I want with it?"

"Always, Ray." Benny rolled them gently, and got Ray on the top of them both. "Do you want to do something?"

"I guess I can think of something I wanna do, yes", he said mischievously.

"Now?" Benny asked hopefully.

"Hmm..." Ray said pensively, an evil smirk at the corner of his lips. "Better take our time, Benny."

Valentine night grew unexpectedly and pleasantly longer.

The End

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