Ari’s words - two of them, so few - cut through the air and it was all Ben could do to not flinch at hearing such an unrecognizable tone from him. But they served their purpose and he obeyed as if a silencing charm had been placed upon him. Dionisia’s words served to slice the wound open even further. Of course she wouldn’t have been mad - Ben took her words to heart, and found himself nodding, though couldn’t be brought to make eye contact with her; with either of them. Dionisia had known exactly what Ari’s preferences in partners had leaned towards, so why hadn’t they taken that step and told her?

Because the risk was too great. They’d already almost been torn apart once by the presence of Mr. Holm (multiple times if one counted Ben’s stupidity in realizing his feelings for Ari…which he did count) and Be knew he would have never been willing to gamble what they had on the chance that Dionisia might have understood them. Even if, in retrospect, their odds were more skewed in their favor than they might have realized. But none of this mattered now; it was all moot. They’d opened a chasm and were currently struggling to keep their footing.

Nausea that had been working its way through his stomach had firmly taken root; all he could do was watch their exchange, unable to move. Brows knitted together, Ben pinched the bridge of his nose before the news of Elliott was shared, and he whipped his gaze to Ari. "Elliott?" He'd been content to stay silent, to simply watch the both of them while the chasm opened further and further, threatening to swallow them all whole.The feeling grew even more at the mention of Elliott — the hospital? He felt the blood drain from his face, and it became hard to draw breath. Here he and Ari had been, enjoying their pleasures while Elliott, an innocent party in all of this lay sick at home.

He felt his stomach turn once more.

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