[ When Vanya tells him, essentially, that it wasn't his fault, Ben gives a tight little shake of his head, solemn-faced. Rejecting her refusal to blame him, the way he thinks he deserves. Ben had always been like this - unwilling to forgive himself for even minor mistakes that his other siblings forgot about or didn't notice in the first place, quick to beat himself up for any slip. It had gotten into his head so long ago that he doesn't even question it, that other people were allowed to make (some) errors, but that he couldn't afford to. The consequences of not being in control at all times were too potentially devastating and bloody to grant himself an ounce of leeway. ]
I could've done better.
[ There is a bench not too far away, that Ben spots and nods to. The two of them move to it, sit together. Ben sets the bow down gently and, movements unpracticed and a little awkward, he reaches over to hug her. Physical affection has never been his strong suit, but he does his best. Because there have been so many times over the last decade and a half when he wanted to hug her. So many times in that last week after their dad died, alone.
Which brings up something else he needs to tell her, to make sure they are on the same page. He needs to make sure she understands. So Ben draws back from the hug, hands lacing tightly together in his lap. ]
I was there. Not all the time, but... a lot of the times when you've seen Klaus, since I died, I was still there. The rest of you just- just couldn't see me.
[ He lets that sink in, because he knows it will probably come as a shock. His invisible presence, when they all thought he was gone. Hearing how they talked about him. Seeing how they behaved to one another. Ben had been a part of these scenes of turmoil from the recent past - returning to their childhood home, the argument over what to do about their mom, the attack from Hazel and Cha-Cha, Vanya showing up with Leonard and scolding their siblings for leaving her out. The chamber in the basement. The concert hall. ]
no subject
I could've done better.
[ There is a bench not too far away, that Ben spots and nods to. The two of them move to it, sit together. Ben sets the bow down gently and, movements unpracticed and a little awkward, he reaches over to hug her. Physical affection has never been his strong suit, but he does his best. Because there have been so many times over the last decade and a half when he wanted to hug her. So many times in that last week after their dad died, alone.
Which brings up something else he needs to tell her, to make sure they are on the same page. He needs to make sure she understands. So Ben draws back from the hug, hands lacing tightly together in his lap. ]
I was there. Not all the time, but... a lot of the times when you've seen Klaus, since I died, I was still there. The rest of you just- just couldn't see me.
[ He lets that sink in, because he knows it will probably come as a shock. His invisible presence, when they all thought he was gone. Hearing how they talked about him. Seeing how they behaved to one another. Ben had been a part of these scenes of turmoil from the recent past - returning to their childhood home, the argument over what to do about their mom, the attack from Hazel and Cha-Cha, Vanya showing up with Leonard and scolding their siblings for leaving her out. The chamber in the basement. The concert hall. ]