There seemed to be a chasm between them - a mere frozen lake didn’t do this feeling justice; this feeling of being overwhelmed and helpless. It felt as if he could only watch while Ari slowly imploded. And this was after he felt as if he were shuttered away by Ari. But he was trying to understand, because he wanted Ari back. Ben sat there as Ari struggled to find the words of how being an asylum patient felt.

(How - how did they get here? How did this happen? Only just the other day they were boisterous kids back at Hogwarts, worrying about grades (well, maybe Ari was worried about grades), girls, and what they would have for dinner in the Great Hall afterwards. Never in a million years would Ben have imagined he would be sitting across from Ari, his ex-lover - no, his lover, he refused to think of Ari as someone who he “used” to know, there were no ‘exes’ here - inside a hospital for patients going through mental problems - and Ben had been the recovering amnesiac all those years ago! It was never supposed to be Ari. It was always supposed to be Ben.)

But they were treating Ari well. Ben, with all his experience in detecting deception, could see no evidence of mistreatment. Ari looked tired, and worn down, but this place didn’t seem…oppressive, in any case. He nodded quietly, swallowing the urge to let the tears fall. “That’s good. I’m glad you’re being treated well.” He murmured. And he was glad. “I just…I wish you….I wish you had let me help you.” He finally got out, tears stinging his vision.

---