[ In the state of mind he's in, Ben doesn't understand at all how Peter can bear to be close to him, much less touch his shoulder and reassure him. It's sort of unprecedented, honestly. Someone who wasn't his family not running in terror when they saw his powers. He doesn't know how to process it. ]
People usually...
[ He trails off, but the implication is pretty clear; in the past, it hasn't been okay, and he doesn't know if it's this place or Peter being different himself. Ben's having a hard time making himself believe it.
So when Peter makes that off-color joke, it startles a laugh out of Ben. There's still the sound at the back of it that's almost a sob, at least, at first. Then he's groaning and rubbing his hands over his face, adding a muffled: ]
God, yuck.
[ And he laughs more, because he can't even blame Peter for making that joke. And it works, too. Punctures right through the bubble of Ben's self-loathing and anxiety and fear. Ben looks over at Peter again, and that haunted look is gone from his face, finally. ]
You really had to take it there, Peter?
[ He sucks in a breath, shaky still but only as a lingering aftereffect. He seems to be past the worst of it, an impression only strengthened when he adds: ]
I mean it's not like I haven't heard every tentacle joke in the book.
no subject
People usually...
[ He trails off, but the implication is pretty clear; in the past, it hasn't been okay, and he doesn't know if it's this place or Peter being different himself. Ben's having a hard time making himself believe it.
So when Peter makes that off-color joke, it startles a laugh out of Ben. There's still the sound at the back of it that's almost a sob, at least, at first. Then he's groaning and rubbing his hands over his face, adding a muffled: ]
God, yuck.
[ And he laughs more, because he can't even blame Peter for making that joke. And it works, too. Punctures right through the bubble of Ben's self-loathing and anxiety and fear. Ben looks over at Peter again, and that haunted look is gone from his face, finally. ]
You really had to take it there, Peter?
[ He sucks in a breath, shaky still but only as a lingering aftereffect. He seems to be past the worst of it, an impression only strengthened when he adds: ]
I mean it's not like I haven't heard every tentacle joke in the book.