Ben 10 Slash

I own nothing.

Synaptak, the brainy alien, Tini, a tetramand, and Ultimos, their leader, were just about ready to leave Earth.  They had captured Sixsix and Volcanus and had sent them back to Galactic Prison via teleporter discs and had refueled their ship.  Tini and Synaptak had become boyfriend and girlfriend, or 'partners'.  Everyone seemed to be happy and relaxed, but as we know, things are rarely as they seem.
Ben sat in the Rust Bucket, thinking about what happened during the battle and how he let Sixsix hurt Synaptak.  If he could have just one more chance, he would protect the alien with his very life.  There were only two problems; one, the Galactic Enforcers were leaving in one hour, two, Synaptak was guy and so was Ben.
Ben let out a frusterated groan as he was positive no one was in the RV.  He stood up and began to pace while he spoke with himself.
"I could turn into Graymatter and sabotage their ship, but then what?" Ben contemplated .  "I can't just walk up to him and say, 'Hi, Synaptak!  I want you to break up with the woman of your dreams and date me, an idiotic boy, instead!'  Not only would he laugh at me, but then Tini would probably tear my face off.  UGH!  Why can't this ever be easy?!"
He sat down on his cot and began to sob into his pillow.
Little did he know that just outside his door, an unannounced presence had heard the entire rant and had a brilliant idea.

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"It's been great meeting you, Earthlings.  Speaking of which," Tini asked as Synaptak wrapped a tentacle around her shoulder, "Where is the third Earthling?"
"I'm right here," Ben mumbled as he exited the Rust Bucket.
Ultimos suddenly appeared in a flash of blue and reported, "Sorry, team, but it appears someone destroyed the controls of the ship.  I can repair them, but it will take a few days.  In the mean time, why not pair up with one of the Earthlings and take a tour of the city?"
Gwen walked over to Tini and offered to have a girl's day out to which she gladly agreed.
Ben went over to Synaptak and shyly asked, "Do you want to go and see the cool hangouts in the city?  I know where everything is and can show you anyting you want to see,"   
Synaptak glared down at the young boy.  Oh, how oblivious the boy had been to all of his advances.  Tini loved Ultimos, but she didn't know if he liked her.  Synaptak loved Ben, but he showed no signs of feeling the same, so in order to get the other partner jealous, they had pretended to like each-other.  Ultimos was clearly peeved, but he now knew of their plan and had said that the controls were smashed to give him some more time.  Ben just didn't get it, and that was what he loved about the boy.  He had to explain everything to him.  He would explain the universe using only monosyllabic words for the boy, if only he asked.
"As you wish," Synaptak replied. "I would like to see something that you find, as you say, cool."
"Wow, no one ever cares about what I think!" Ben practicaly shouted. (This pissed Synaptak off to the depths of Hell.  How dare they ignore him!) "Would you rather see the latest horror movie, or, but please don't tell anyone that I like this, go to the Art Museum?" Ben begged innocently.
"I think the Art Museum is a fine choice," Synaptak replied.
"Okay, but as I said, PLEASE don't tell that I like art," Ben reiterated.
They headed over towards the museum as the presence from earlier continued to follow them.
When they reached the museum, Synaptak was amazed.  He thought this had to be the greatest art on Earth, but Ben said that this was one of the worst Art Museums he had ever been to.
As they went through gallery after gallery and through different cultures, Ben noticed two boys he really, really, REALLY did not want to see him here: JT and Cash.
Synaptak noticed Ben pull his cap down over his eyes as far as it would go.  He wondered if he had done something to upset the younger male.
"Hey, Tennyson!  What are you doin' here?  And who's the freak?" Cash asked as he and JT walked towards them.
Synaptak heard Ben mutter a swift 'Oh, no' before retorting, "I could ask you the same thing, ladies."
Ben put on his confident grin and just stood there, waiting for them to make the next move.
JT glared at Ben before nodding his head at Cash as they both grab one of Ben's arms.  They run for the door that slamed just a moment too late.
Synaptak rushed after them and reopened the door he closed.  He saw them round a corner with a limp Ben in their arms and followed, now in full worry mode.
"What do we do, JT?" Cash asked as they fled from the angry alien.
"We shut up and run!" JT hissed.
They came to a balcony and JT had an idea.
Synaptak saw the open balcony and rushed out only to find he was too late.
"If you want him, come and get 'im," JT taunted.
"What do you want?" Synaptak asked through clenched teeth.  He couldn't think straight knowing that at any moment, they could drop Ben and he would die never knowing how he felt.  Synaptak silently swore that when this was over and Ben was safe, he would tell him everything.
"We don't think Ben was being very nice to us," JT replied.  "We just wanted to say hi to a friend.  I'm sorry it has to end like this."
They put Ben down on the balcony as JT pulled out a handgun.  Time seemed to freeze as he pointed it at Synaptak.  Ben's eyes opened and he only needed a moment to realize that this was his chance to protect Synaptak.  Ben lept up and pushed Synaptak out of the way as JT pulled the trigger and a bullet went flying into Ben's thigh.
"BEN!!!" Synaptak shouted as time returned to normal.
He suddenly was stunningly angry at the two boys.  He didn't care about the code, he wanted them dead.  He summoned all of his strength just as the presence that had been following them instantly teleported the two to Galactic Prison.  
"What was that for, Ultimos?  I was about to kill them for what they did!" Synaptak shouted, enraged.
"Exactly.  Now go take care of Ben.  He needs help, fast," Ultimos replied.
Synaptak turned to see Ben on the ground, leaning against the wall as tears streaked down his face.  The sight practically melted Synaptak's heart and he fell to his tentacles next to the young boy.
Synaptack reached out one tentacle as he wiped Ben's tears away and held the boy with two others, rocking him gently.  He whispered words of comfort to Ben that made him not mind the bullet so much and almost wish to stay like that forever.
"It's okay, Ben.  You'll be alright.  This I promise you, you'll be alright," Synaptak whispered as he dried Ben's tears.  "Don't worry, I won't let those boys hurt you ever again."
"Synaptak?" Ben meekly asked, gathering up all of his courage.
"Yes, Ben?" He responded.  So far, so good.
"I know that you love Tini, but I want you to know that I think you are really great and smart and, well, if after this, you ever return to Earth, you know how to reach me," Ben said as his stomach began to attempt Olympic-level gymnastics.
Synaptak then said someting so quietly that, had Ben not been in his arms, he would not have heard even a sound.  Synaptak whispered, "I love you, Ben."
Ben felt his heart leap out of his chest and make a complete circuit around the world before returning to him.  Ben whispered slightly louder, "I love you, too, Synaptak."
Ultimos then teleported them to one of the ship's bedrooms where Synaptak got to work on Ben's leg and explained what happened.  Ben was strangely quiet.
"This wound is worse than I thought it would be, Ben," Synaptak broke the silence that had fallen over the room.
The attempt did nothing as the room fell back into uneasy quiet.  
Ben glared at the two aliens, making them both feel very guilty for hiding the truth.
"Ben, you have to realize, I did not think you liked me.  I was sure you hated me! I-" Synaptak's plead was cut off.
"Oh, yeah!  That's sooooo funny!  Not like I gave any OBVIOUS hints or anything!" Ben retorted.  He was royally ticked off.  Synaptak had been lying, cheating, and just trying to make him jealous!
"I was unsure of the outcome!  There were too many possibilities!" Synaptak defended.
"No there weren't!  Either I'd accept you or I wouldn't!  It was easy!" Ben shouted, getting more upset by the moment.
"I WAS SCARED!!" Synaptak screamed.  He stopped tending to Ben's leg and floated there, breathing heavily.  "I had never felt like this before and I-I wanted it to be perfect!  I wanted to appear perfect to you!  But, but every time I saw a girl wink at you, or stare at you, or even glance at you, I'd be reminded of how different we are!  I was scared that you would be angry, disgusted, or even hateful towards me if I told you!"
Synaptak was now crying, silent tears sliding down his bubble-like face.
"Maybe," Ben began, reaching out and holding one of Synaptak's tentacles.  "maybe we aren't so different, maybe we can be together, and maybe I was-no, am afraid of what will come.  Maybe I just want a chance."
Ultimos decided that this was a good time to go and silently wlipped out the door.
The two simply smiled at eachother, the quiet saying what words could not.
"So, let me have another chance?" Synaptak asked shyly.
"Of course," Ben replied, then teased, "'Cuz you're my alien hero"
"And you're my crazy human," Synaptak responded.
Synaptak went back to working on Ben's leg.  It really was a gruesome sight.  The flesh around the hole was multicolored.  It had scratches and practically screamed 'I'm infected!'  The hole itself was a whole other thing.  It was a bloody mess.  The bullet had clearly been poisened.  There was pus everywhere.  Synaptak had no idea of how to clean it without hurting the fragile human.
Ben understood the look on Synaptak's face that said, I have to, but shit!
"Use alchohol.  It's the only way," Ben said, trying to reassure Synaptak.
"I'll make it quick.  I'm so sorry, Ben," Synaptak could feel guilt bubbling up inside him as Ben hissed in a sharp breath while the rubbing alchohol cleaned the inside and outside of the wound.
Synaptak quickly removed the alchohol and examined the wound.  The pus was gone and so he levitated the bullet out of the hole.  Ben gave another hiss of pain.
"Ben, I'm so sorry.  This is all my fault.  I wasn't fast enough.  I didn't think," Synaptak confessed.
"It hurts so much.  Make it stop," Ben cried.  Silver tears streamed down his deep red face.  Synaptak had no idea how to help him.  He had never felt so stupid in his life.  He wrapped his tentacles around Ben and held him close.
"Where is he?  Ben!  Ultimos, where is Ben?" Gwen practically screamed as she and Tini returned to the ship.
Ultimos pointed to the room, figuring he would stay out of this.
Gwen threw open the door and froze at the sight of Ben, injured and crying, in Synaptak's tentacles.  She was sure Synaptak had hurt him, and she was ticked.
"What did you do to my cousin, you freak??!!!" Gwen screamed as she ran at the alien.
Synaptak looked up and used his power to freeze her in mid-run.
"Let go of me, wretch!  Tell me what you did to Ben!!!" Gwen was hysterical.
"Gwen," Ben softly spoke.  Everyone shut up.  "He helped me.  Let me tell you exactly what happened."
After an hour or so, Everyone was completely clear on what had happened.  
"So," Gwen inquired. "you two are dating, now?"
"I guess," Ben answered.
"About that, Ben, I have a question for you.  Would you mind if I stayed on Earth with you?" Synaptak asked hopefully.
"You mean it?!  You'll stay?!" Ben nearly shouted as he wrapped his arms around his new boyfriend.
"Of course, Ben.  I love you," Synaptak replied.
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The Galactic Enforcers left later that day and Ben and his boyfriend stayed behind, looking foreward to the many adventures that awaited them.

The begining.