Same anon as above. I can't stop with this prompt.
Ben is eight the first time he wishes he was normal. It had taken him that long to realize that he wasn’t. He’d never had much to compare himself to. The other boys he played with now- mostly the children of his parents’ friends- could not do the things he did. They couldn’t sense emotions in the air, or push their way into people’s minds like digging their fingers into an overripe fruit. They couldn’t make things move without touching them, and they didn’t like it when he did.
They thought he was strange.
Ben thought they were stupid, and hid things from them when they weren’t looking. When they asked, he would say truthfully, “I didn’t touch it,” and smile at his own joke.
He hasn’t seen his grandfather since he was six. He thinks that, perhaps, his mother drove him away. The thought makes him sad. Ben misses the company. Particularly now.
He sits on the floor of his bedroom, trying to block out the sounds of arguing. He wishes he could do the same for the emotions that went with them, but they were harder to block out. This isn’t the first time he’s tried. Normal feelings he can just about manage, but these sweep over him like a wave, drowning him in feelings that aren't his own.
The anger and betrayal are from his mother, he thinks. The apology, the despair, and underneath it all the flare of irritation that has his name tied to it are from his father. That hurts more than he thought it would. He didn’t mean to do anything wrong.
Stray fragments of sound hit him even with his hands clasped tight over his ears.
“-it was one lousy kiss! I’m sorry, I’m stupid. I was just trying to get a good deal ... you know I would never-“ pain regret irritation
“-not mad that it happened, I’m mad that I had to hear about it from Ben!” righteous fury an edge of pride that it’s not a lie not completely
Ben wishes he could stop feeling everything so much. It’s tearing him apart and it won’t stop. Nothing he does ever makes it stop.
“… waiting for the right time to tell you...” embarrassment a lie never never going to be a right time to tell you I wasn’t going to tell you
“.. but you told our son...” cold-boiling anger
“… I didn’t tell him anything, that kid…” irritation and sickly-yellow fear disgust there’s something wrong with him Leia-
Ben’s hands clench, and he slams his balled fists into his temples again and again until the yelling stops, the feelings stop, and all that’s left is a hollow, ringing pain between his ears.
MINIFILL x2 - Ben was kind of a creepy kid
Ben is eight the first time he wishes he was normal. It had taken him that long to realize that he wasn’t. He’d never had much to compare himself to. The other boys he played with now- mostly the children of his parents’ friends- could not do the things he did. They couldn’t sense emotions in the air, or push their way into people’s minds like digging their fingers into an overripe fruit. They couldn’t make things move without touching them, and they didn’t like it when he did.
They thought he was strange.
Ben thought they were stupid, and hid things from them when they weren’t looking. When they asked, he would say truthfully, “I didn’t touch it,” and smile at his own joke.
He hasn’t seen his grandfather since he was six. He thinks that, perhaps, his mother drove him away. The thought makes him sad. Ben misses the company. Particularly now.
He sits on the floor of his bedroom, trying to block out the sounds of arguing. He wishes he could do the same for the emotions that went with them, but they were harder to block out. This isn’t the first time he’s tried. Normal feelings he can just about manage, but these sweep over him like a wave, drowning him in feelings that aren't his own.
The anger and betrayal are from his mother, he thinks. The apology, the despair, and underneath it all the flare of irritation that has his name tied to it are from his father. That hurts more than he thought it would. He didn’t mean to do anything wrong.
Stray fragments of sound hit him even with his hands clasped tight over his ears.
“-it was one lousy kiss! I’m sorry, I’m stupid. I was just trying to get a good deal ... you know I would never-“ pain regret irritation
“-not mad that it happened, I’m mad that I had to hear about it from Ben!” righteous fury an edge of pride that it’s not a lie not completely
Ben wishes he could stop feeling everything so much. It’s tearing him apart and it won’t stop. Nothing he does ever makes it stop.
“… waiting for the right time to tell you...” embarrassment a lie never never going to be a right time to tell you I wasn’t going to tell you
“.. but you told our son...” cold-boiling anger
“… I didn’t tell him anything, that kid…” irritation and sickly-yellow fear disgust there’s something wrong with him Leia-
Ben’s hands clench, and he slams his balled fists into his temples again and again until the yelling stops, the feelings stop, and all that’s left is a hollow, ringing pain between his ears.