[ Normally, Ben is very observant and even hyper-aware of other people's tension, body language, their tone of voice. He'd learned the hard way how to pick up on all those tiny clues that would tell him when a fight was brewing between Luther and Diego or when Allison was in a mean mood or when his father's patience was even shorter than the usual.

But right now he's feeling floaty and warm and high-speed and part of why it's all so wonderful is that he isn't even watching for those things automatically. All his safeguards are on OFF and that means he totally doesn't notice any discomfort coming from Ami. He waves a hand messily in the air and explains: ]

Only children think it's all hugging and sunshine and happiness all the time no matter what. Not getting along doesn't even come into the equation. Picture? Whatever the thing is that stuff comes into.

[ These crackers are good but they would be even better with something on them, Ben thinks. He twists and starts searching the cabinets again, finding a half-empty jar of peanut butter and letting out a little gasp of delight. As he is digging into that, he says something that he has thought pretty much every time he has met someone new in the Anchor, but never said aloud before because, well, inhibitions: ]

It's so cool being here. You didn't even know who I was or how many siblings I had or anything about me. Like I'm just a normal person or something. That's so cool.