i've worried about you since day one.
dark brows knit together slightly, earthly hues that he adopted from his mother stares back at dean. he's at war with himself: torn between the part of him that ached to hear someone say that to him growing up, and the stubbornness that feels like he doesn't deserve to hear such a thing. people have died because of ben, in his absence or in cases that he was too late to save. his jaw clenches at first, but with a deep sigh, his war torn features soften as he dull his sharp edges. "you don't have to. i can handle myself." he doesn't mean for the words to come out like he has to defend himself to dean -- prove to the other that ben's capable. a silent sliver of himself that still doesn't want to disappoint dean.