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Benji surprises Ethan on his birthday by gathering Will and Luther for a day of rock climbing outside Vancouver. They climb all day, even Benji and Luther, and then collapse at their hotel bar to numb their sore muscles with beer and recoup their expended calories in the form of steaks and lobster tails. They take turns toasting Ethan and ribbing him about the big five-oh. Since he out-climbed them all, the ribbing only makes them all laugh harder. His cheeks are red, a little bit sunburned, a little bit embarrassed by all the attention.Luther's the first one to turn in for the night. He clasps Ethan's shoulder, intoning, "Happy birthday, brother."Ethan nods and says, "Thanks for everything, Luther."Will's the next to leave. "You better get some shut-eye, too, old man," he says. But the delivery is marred by a jaw-cracking yawn. Will shrugs and Ethan laughs, and then they shake hands and Will saunters to the elevator bank.Benji can't think of a reason to delay any longer, but it's Ethan who gets up first. "I'm beat," he says. Benji's pretty sure he's saying it for his benefit. He rises, content to spend the last few minutes of the day with his best friend.They ride up to the twelfth floor in silence. There's no need to talk. It's been a wonderful day. Sun, slightly unnecessary risk, camaraderie. Their rooms are on opposite ends of the corridor, so when the elevator doors slide open, they step out to head in different directions.Benji pauses. "Happy birthday, Ethan.""Goodnight, Benji." Ethan smiles crookedly and Benji thinks—should I?—and then Ethan turns around, headed to his room. Benji watches him retreat for half a second, then walks away, thinking about sunburned cheeks and crooked smiles and how time slips by ever faster, more elusive the harder they try to make it slow down.Halfway to his door, Benji stops. Thirty seconds later, he knocks on the door to 1201. Ethan answers. He doesn't look surprised to see Benji, just lifts an eyebrow in invitation. Benji starts talking, and, in pure Benji style, has trouble stopping. "I forgot to give you your birthday present. It's, um, well, we're not getting any younger and I've talked myself out of it too many times and I'm not letting myself do it again tonight, so here it is. Your present. Me.""You?" Ethan says."If you want me." Benji swallows. The small smile that had bloomed on Ethan's mouth while Benji babbled slides away and is replaced with a line that turns down on the ends. When he speaks, his voice is thick, as if holding back tears. "I didn't think you were ever going to say anything." Benji thinks he hears a sniff, and his own heart feels like it's perilously close to breaking."You knew? That I wanted to?""I had suspicions. But I didn't—I couldn't—" Ethan opens and closes his mouth a few times, but nothing more comes out."I just thought—you should know.""Thank you for telling me." Ethan's voice is almost too quiet to hear."You're welcome?" Is that his cue to go back to his room and never speak of this again? Or—?Ethan moves before defeat settles into Benji's shoulders. His hands are on Benji's waist, his lips on Benji's mouth. Oh, Benji thinks. So that's what dreams coming true feels like: Ethan Hunt's slightly chapped lips on his, the taste of Hefeweizen. Love is the smell of Coppertone sunscreen and climber's chalk. Who knew?*Later, when they're naked and spent and looking for non-disgusting parts of the sheets to wrap themselves up in, Benji says, "Do you like it, then? Your present?"Ethan kisses the first part of Benji his mouth comes into contact with, which is his left shoulder. "I love it. You're not allowed to take it back, okay?""I never will," Benji says solemnly. He twists around and gives the birthday boy a proper kiss.