Ben was always eager to see Ravin, elated even. Though one of their most recent interactions still lingered in his mind. He had treated every moment as if it might be the last, though he tried not to think about that. He just didn't know what the future might bring. But he had meant what he said. Ravin's happiness was more important to him than in holding on to him too tightly.

He headed to the Midnight House, entering with familiarity. The doves he passed greeted him with a grin and wave and Phoenix bounced over to chat happily with him for a second before he moved through the curtain. There he spotted Hollie and Otto and the two kids squealed at the sight of them. He picked up Hollie and spun her in a circle, her hair flowing around her as she giggled before set her down and pressed a kiss to the top of Otto's head before ruffling his hair. He then handed each of them a cookie from his pocket that he'd brought just for them before he made his way to Ravin's room.

For some reason he hesitated there and rested his palm against the door silently, feeling his heart racing, before he knocked and cracked the door open slightly, assuming it was unlocked which he assumed it was since Ravin had been expecting him. "Knock, knock," he said, peeking his head in with a smile.

The knock shook Ravin from his thoughts. Already slightly dulled with drink, it took him a moment to register his visitor. When he did, a broad grin broke across his face - though the brightness of it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Darling…” Ravin stood, going over to Ben as he had a hundred times before and kissing him in greeting. When he pulled away, his hand lingered a little longer on Ben’s cheek, eyes distant. For a moment, Ravin looked like he was about to say something, but then at the last moment, he redirected.

“Drink with me,” Ravin grinned, turning to go pour Ben a glass of whiskey. He didn’t comment on the candles and the slight disarray of the room. Instead, he was rearranging jumbles of words in his head to find something coherent to say.

Ben thought that at some point kissing Ravin would start to feel like a simply everyday occurrence but even now that they had spent so much time together, every kiss made Ben's heart skip a beat and every touch made him melt. To say he loved Ravin was an understatement. His eyes met his lovers, his lips tingling from their kiss, and he say something in his gaze like a word on his lips that was about to be uttered until Ravin let it fade away. Ben wondered what he had been thinking about but didn't push, because Ben never pushed, even if he wanted to.

He smiled at the offer of a drink and nodded. When Ravin turned his back to pour him a drink Ben took the moment to look around the room. He noticed the number of candles that had not always been here and the way the room was a bit more disheveled than normal. He also noticed the half empty bottle and wondered if the bottle had been full earlier tonight.

"And what sort of drinking are we doing tonight, love? Are we celebrating something? Or are we sad or angry drinking? Or simply just for fun?" He asked with a casual smile on his lips as he took off his coat and draped it over the back of a chair.

Ravin chuckled, marveling at just how easy it was to be with Ben. How he naturally fell into a rhythm that was familiar and comfortable. It made his heart twinge to recognize it happening, the fear that it may all change gnawing anxiously at the corners of his mind.

“What if I told you all of the above?” Ravin turned around, two full glasses in hand. He took a sip of his own as he walked over to Ben, gently pushing the liquor into his hands - lettings his fingers linger on Ben’s. Ravin’s eyes softened, looking to find Ben’s once again. “Come…” He led Ben to the couch, the room starting to spin a little as the whiskey started to catch him to him. Plopping down on the couch, he ran a hand through his hair. “I have some good news,” Ravin started, though his tone seemed strained instead of genuinely happy.

Ben accepted the glass, smiling at the feel of Ravin’s fingers against his. He took a sip of the whiskey as his eyes locked with Ravin’s until the man walked away and guided him to the couch. He mentioned good news but he voice didn’t quite match and Ben…wasn’t sure what to think about that. Though their conversation in the face recently came to mind. Still, he couldn’t figure out how the good news with that unconvincing tone came together.

He sat down beside Ravin and kicked off his shoes, crossing his legs in front of him in the couch as he turned to face Ravin and took another sip, thinking he just might need it. “Tell me,” he said with a sparkling smile, happily as if he hadn’t noticed Ravin’s tone.

Ravin took another long sip of whiskey, resting his hand on Ben’s knee without even thinking. It was habit, a beloved comfortable pair of shoes that had molded so perfectly to your soles you forget they’re even there. He turned to Ben, matching the brightness in his smile, though there was still a distant fear in his eyes.

“I’m getting married. To my Enchantress,” The word ‘Enchantress’ was enough to put the light back in Ravin’s eyes. His love for Norah lived in every atom of his body - that much was evident.

That light in Ravin’s eyes when he spoke those words fixed every ache he might have felt. Mostly. He was genuinely happy for Ravin, though he had no idea who the enchantress was. It hadn’t been all that long ago that Ben has been the one telling Ravin about his own marriage. So he certainly shouldn’t feel anything other than delight for the man.

Only for Ben, his marriage had kept the door own for Ravin. For Ravin, it might be closing that door and that’s what he was emotionally preparing himself for. Was this goodbye?

“Ravin, that’s wonderful news! Congratulations!” he said with a smile though his heart was racing. “I’m so happy for you!” And he was, even though he worried. He’d promised that he’d let Ravin go if he needed to. And he’d keep his word. Even if it hurt like hell.

His hand moved to Ravin’s and squeezed his hand as he smiled, though he wasn’t fully able to hide the fear in his own eyes too. He wanted to ask what this meant for them but the words got caught in his throat, terrified of the answer.

Ravin was relieved, so much so that he started to cry. They were happy tears, falling on cheeks pushed up in a beaming smile. He threw himself at Ben into a hug, squeezing him tighter than he ever had before. “Thank you,” Ravin whispered, waiting a long time before letting go and kissing Ben’s forehead.

“I don’t know how everything’s going to work, exactly,” Ravin gushed, brushing tears away from his face as he took Ben’s hand, “Norah will still be going back and forth to Lorendale and, obviously, I can’t go with her. Nobody knows yet - besides you, of course - and I don’t even know if they can know. I just…don’t know. I don’t know anything. But it doesn’t matter. Because -” Ravin looked at Ben with big hopeful eyes, hoping that he’d understand, “She’ll be my wife. And that’s all that matters.”

Ravin hadn’t given using Norah’s name a second thought. In fact, it hadn’t really even occurred to him that Ben and Norah would know each other. It made sense, had he really thought about it, but right now he wasn’t thinking; he was too overwhelmed with feeling.

Ben wrapped his arms tightly around Ravin, unable to keep from smiling at how happy the man was and how relieved he seemed. Had he really thought that Ben would be anything other than supportive? The excited tone of Ravin's voice absolutely melted Ben though when he spoke the name 'Norah' he was more than a little surprised. Of course Ben knew Norah, maybe not super well but they had traveled all around Terra Nova together after the Eldouir attack in Lorendale.

No wonder Ravin was so smitten, Norah was a beautiful and impressive woman and apparently now she was also the 'enchantress' that Ravin had spoken of. It seemed a fitting title for her when he thought about it. He squeezed Ravin's hand and with his free hand he brushed his thumb over Ravin's wet cheeks. "That's definitely a tricky situation, but I'm honored to be the first to know and if there is anything I can do to help or to make things run smoother in any way then I'd be happy to help. Anything you need, Ravin. Anything."

Ravin kissed Ben again, caught up in the love and the joy that was about enough to make his heart burst. But then…Ben’s words sank in. Ravin’s smile faded a little as he ran his fingers through Ben’s hair.

“I-” His words evaporated for a moment as he got lost in Ben’s eyes. It took Ravin a moment to find them again, all the while rhythmically running his hand through Ben’s hair. “Ben, no matter what you will forever and always be a part of my life. But as to the how…Norah is open to the idea of things between us staying as they are. She won’t ask me to give you up, and for that, I love her all the more.” He ran a thumb over Ben’s lips smiling sadly.

“But, for now…I need to be hers. All hers. There are so many unknowns, I just need things to be simple where they can be. At least for now.” A single tear fell down Ravin’s face, “If you want to take a step back from me, I understand. Selfishly, I don’t want you to. You’ve always been my anchor and I don’t want that to change. But I just…can’t be with you in all the ways you want me to be. For now.” Ravin swallowed, another tear falling.

He'd had a feeling, he'd been preparing his heart for this ever since Ravin had told him about his 'Enchantress' in the cave. He'd been waiting for Ravin to tell him that he was done with him, that their time together was over. It was a relief to hear that Norah was at least open to the idea though Ben couldn't help but realize that it was possible she would change her mind when it was actually put into action.

Ben savored every touch and every look as if it would the last, Ravin's fingers in his hair and his thumb brushing across his lips. It was all falling away, like trying to cup water with your bare hands. If he tried to hold on tighter it would rush away more quickly. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest and tears pricked at his eyes, especially when he saw the tear on Ravin's cheek. He never wanted to be the reason he cried.

Even the idea that Ben might want to take a step back had him gripping onto Ravin more tightly. He could never do that. He would never do that, not unless Ravin asked it of him. He loved him too much to just walk away because things weren't easy. Neither of them ever thought their relationship would be easy. There were too many things against them.

His hands moved up the sides of Ravin's neck and brushed his wet cheeks with his thumbs before moving into his hair at the back of his neck, gripping softly though there was a feeling of vivid desperation inside of him. "I understand," he said, his voice thick with emotion as he tried to choke back tears. He failed. A couple of tears fell down his cheeks but he ignored them. He turned one of his hands slightly, his thumbnail digging into the side of his finger, trying not to let Ravin notice. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.

"I'm not going anywhere, Ravin. Not until you tell me that you want me to. I love you-" his voice cracked and another tear fell, "so much. I'll never stand in the way of your happiness. I can understand needing time to focus on Norah." For some reason he felt his heart break a little to say her name out loud. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.

"Especially when it's so new. Take your time. I'll still be here and when you're ready- if your ready-" Another tear fell, his chest felt so heavy and tight. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. "to be with me again, then I'll be here for that too. Always. I promise."

He leaned forward and pressed a whisper of a kiss to Ravin's lips before resting his forehead against his. "And truly, I mean it when I say that I'm happy for you. I can see how much you love her."

Ravin brushed Ben’s tears away, trying to hold back his own. He needed to be strong now; to be the comforter, when that was so often Ben’s job. He loved Ben. If he didn’t, this would be easy. “You’re not in the way,” Ravin whispered, his heart aching beyond all measure, “You’re still a part of it. You’ll always be a part of it.”

He knew Ben too well to miss the rhythm of his fingers. He held Ben’s face in his hands, tapping in the same beat just behind his ear. So that he’d feel it. So that he’d know. “Thank you,” He whispered, swallowing as his own tears threatened to fall. After a moment, he said with soft hesitation, “Stay with me tonight? You don’t have to.” He added the last part quickly, nervously.

Ben's tapping became slower as Ravin, knowing him too well to be able to hide it from hi, tapped against his skin. From the first time Ravin had done that it had always had a nearly supernatural affect on Ben in the way it instantly soothed him. Ben was afraid to lose Ravin if he was being honest. He was trying to prepare his heart that things were changing and there was definitely a chance that they may never be as they once were. Yet, regardless of what it looked like, Ben would get to be part of Ravin's life and he'd take that in whatever form that looked like.

When Ravin asked him to stay he felt at relief spread even further. He wouldn't have to say goodbye in the next couple minutes. They still had time, however fleeting. "Yes," he said quickly, at the same time that Ravin nervously added his last few words. "Of course I want to," he told him. "I will take every millisecond that I can," he said with a gentle smile. "And what do you want to do with our- night together?" he asked softly, emitting the word 'last' that he simply couldn't utter.