It might have been the throbbing pain in his ankle that had made him hear wrong, but Ben could have sworn the boy had said something funny. His eyebrows knitted together and his mouth popped open in a surprised "o" . The other boy had been so solemn and serious, it was hard to imagine him joking. However, the glint in his eyes and the slight but definitely there smirk proved otherwise.

It was a moment before Ben started laughing; as if his further comments didn't signal he might have had a few screws loose, his laugh definitely could have. He cackled, clutching his side in glee. "You're joking!" he guffawed, rolling on his side and bracing himself against a thicker looking branch of the bush he was next to. "You looked so solemn there mate, I was worried you didn't know how to!" he commented as he pushed himself upright. His words might have been blunt, but the gleeful expression on his face might have quelled any thoughts of rudeness on Ben's part.

The leaves were back in his curls and so for that matter were a few twigs from the sacrificed broom. Ben coughed into his hand to expel the dust and dirt he'd inhaled. His mother would have had a field day if she saw him right now.

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