It probably should have occurred to him that this is what would happen when Five declared that he could transport them all back so they could fix the timeline but Diego had been so busy reeling from seeing Ben's ghost and from the world ending and from the simple reality that they'd actually be going back in time at all.
Maybe that's why Diego is so slow to register that standing before him is Ben.
Ben, in his full, fleshy glory. Alive. Real.
There's a commotion, noise surrounding them as they all try to process what's just happened and it goes silent as soon as Diego says...
"B-Ben?" If nothing else gave how he felt away, the stutter is it.
Luther had asked for his opinion and Ben had given it: yes, why the hell shouldn't Five try when everyone's going to die anyway if he doesn't? It made him extraordinarily uncomfortable the first few minutes, watching, listening, waiting for the time-jump to happen—
And then it did.
Ben's also reeling now but for an entirely different reason; everything about being alive is suddenly rushing back. He's holding Klaus's shoulder, the pressure of which feels so foreign, he lets go, stumbles backward a step or two. Everyone's chattering all at once, he can't make anything out until, ‘B-Ben?’ and his attention is immediately on Diego.
Oh. The abrupt realization that Diego's able to see him dawns and although it comes out a whisper, “Diego,” he exhales in spite of the sudden rush of warmth throughout his body.
This really is quite a lot. One sibling touches his shoulder, then another, followed by a third before Ben gently extricates himself, both hands raised, although not defensively. “H-Hang on,” he stammers as well, taking a slow, measured inhale. All his senses are going a million miles a minute and he just needs a second to reground.
It's almost like everyone realises what's happening all at once and they all go quiet, watching as Ben and Diego see each other for the first time in over 15 years. Diego still hadn't forgotten the moment he realised that Ben was dead; he'd been with Luther taking out their enemies when he'd felt a pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced. At first, he'd thought he'd been shot.
But then the pain registered in the back of his head, in the place that was solely Ben and the noise he'd made had never been repeated by him ever again. The rest of that day passed in a blur. He remembered being carried out by Luther, Mom helping him wash Ben's blood from his skin. He remembers looking at their father and screaming about how it was his fault that Ben was dead.
He'd woken up however long later, Klaus at his bedside and telling him that he'd missed the funeral and a throbbing in his head that had lasted for months, the new scar taking up residence on his temple.
He hadn't seen him again until tonight, glowing blue and keeping them safe.
And now he was here and Diego felt like that scared, hurt teenage boy who'd just lost his mate all over again.
Ben (fortunately?) doesn't remember much about what happened; it was the usual thing, all of them fighting during a mission they'd been assigned. Diego thought he'd been shot but Ben'd legitimately taken a bullet— straight through the carotid artery. He remembers the blood spurting, everything going blurry then ultimately fading to black as he hit the floor. The following memory was watching all his siblings realize he'd gone down and it's a thing Ben'll never forget.
Another thing he'll always remember, though: how Diego had looked after Klaus had told him he'd missed the funeral. But he needed to know, Ben needed him to know it was alright.
The evocation was something new altogether that'd allowed his siblings to see, he'd been there the whole time, no matter what they thought of whenever it came to Klaus and his tall tales.
He seizes the moment once it presents itself, gingerly squeezes past his other siblings and bridges the distance between himself and Diego. Without much thought, both of his arms loop around Diego's shoulders, fingers lacing together against his nape while he draws him into an embrace.
“It's me,” he reassures, “I'm fine.” Then he can't resist tightening his arms a little more and burying into the other male's neck.
There it is again. That noise. The one he'd made the day Ben had been stolen from him and he collapses into Ben's chest, arms barely finding their way around his back before he falls. The tears come, hot and fast and he sobs against Ben's chest. His knuckles are white where they grip the back of Number Six's uniform.
Diego knows their siblings are watching them, can feel all eyes on them but he doesn't care. Ben doesn't smell like mate, doesn't smell life alpha -they've gone too far back for that- but he smells familiar, comforting and it's like a hole in Diego's chest is filling again.
He barely has time to manage it, yet Ben darts his arms underneath Diego's quick as he can, hooking them around him so he doesn't actually hit the ground. At this age, they aren't too different in height or weight, so it's not difficult, holding him like he is. The warmth of Diego's tears soaking his shirtfront momentarily draws Ben's attention, although the moment he realizes his brother's crying, he immediately tightens the grip he's got on him.
Maybe everyone else is watching, he doesn't honestly give a shit. Ben's right arm, albeit it reluctantly, unwinds and reaches up, fingertips kneading along Diego's scalp for comfort while he lets everything out.
“I am,” he murmurs, shushing softly against Diego's temple. “It's alright, I've got you.”
“I missed you s-s-so much.” He never thought he’d get this chance, the chance to see Ben again. And not just as a quick one off thing. Ben is back. His Ben. They’re together again.
And they can do it right this time. They can keep Ben alive. Diego makes the decision right there, as he sobs into Ben’s sweater, that Reginald will not keep them apart this time and that Ben won’t be in the field for that mission. They can complete it without him and Diego will come home to his alpha, alive and well and right where he left him.
“I missed you, too,” Ben reassures again, still gently rubbing through his brother's hair. Everything does feel sort of like a fever dream; his vision's blurry at the edges, slowly but surely adapting to what's around them. The foyer, their shellshocked siblings, they're all significantly real and intensely distinct— each and every one of them.
It's somewhat overwhelming.
He shakes his head, pushes his fingers back and down, the tips of them resting lightly across Diego's nape. “Don't worry, I'm right here. Everything happening right now? It's real.”
Diego pulls back enough to look at Ben's face, one of his hands loosening it's grip on his sweater so he can cup his jaw. He's exactly like Diego remembers him; albeit slightly younger than he was when he was ripped away from him.
The smell is different too, the tell-tale signs he knows now are pre-alpha.
And he's the most beautiful thing Diego has seen in his entire life.
"I didn't even think that Five... b-bringing us back would mean this. I never thought I'd get to see you again."
His own attention focuses on Diego, a breathy little sigh slipping free while he leans into his hand, gives the palm a faint nuzzle with his nose. Maybe it's overly affectionate out in the open like this, yet Ben doesn't seem to care. They could relocate anytime, even though their siblings could do the same.
That's something he'd noticed earlier, too. Although Ben had been too distracted with the fact they made it back and with him alongside.
Having Diego in his arms has to be the greatest thing he's felt (and the only person he's held since ten plus years ago).
“I wasn't sure what would happen, either? Just knew our choices were taking the time-leap or dying with the rest of the world.”
Their siblings are still watching them and Diego wishes there was a nice way to tell them to piss off. He knows they’re reeling from Ben’s reappearance -except maybe Klaus, who’d never really lost him the way they all day- but this should be their moment, alone, reunited after so long.
Selfish to think about it that way; Ben was their brother too, after all, and yet— He glances around at their other siblings, unable to help the slight smile that lifts his lips despite the actual lack of amusement toward Diego's comment.
“True... but let's not think about the alternative.”
"All I want to think about is you." It's corny and ridiculous but Diego is 15 again and his alpha is standing ahead of him and the world didn't end and they were all together and
Yeah, it is both of those things and in spite of himself, Ben's blushing. He huffs another soft, breathy laugh, leans in, presses his lips against Diego's forehead.
“I love you, too.”
Then, following a quick glance around them, he clears his throat, straightens somewhat and shifts his arms so they're circled around Diego's middle instead. “Come on, let's go to your room.”
Diego would do anything Ben asked of him so it's easy for him to agree to leaving their gawking siblings in the hallway and hide out in his room and get reacquainted.
"Okay. Y-yeah. Let's go." As they leave he reaches out to squeeze Klaus' shoulder and offers a weak smile. "Hey. I'll let you have a visit soon, okay? I just..."
He doesn't have to finish his sentence because Klaus knows and he just nods, smiling in return.
Briefly hesitating so Diego can acknowledge Klaus isn't a problem, Ben waits until the message is conveyed to their other brother then flashes a faint grin of his own and tugs his partner's hand once more.
Navigating them back to Diego's room comes easily. Once they reach the bedroom, he pushes inside, leads Number Two ahead of himself and nudges the door shut behind them, props his back against it.
Diego, in his teenage body and standing in his childhood bedroom, looks at his mate for a long moment before smiling like an idiot at him and closing the distance between them.
It's so easy to press a kiss to his lips but it's also easy to tuck himself into Ben's chest and just hold onto him.
Without missing a beat, Ben pushes off the door to meet him halfway, looping both arms around his shoulders and squeezing him tightly, securely.
Rather than adjust how they're together, he lets Diego bury into his chest, shifts just enough to kiss his forehead, smiling faintly at the remark. Thank God, they don't have to.
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Maybe that's why Diego is so slow to register that standing before him is Ben.
Ben, in his full, fleshy glory. Alive. Real.
There's a commotion, noise surrounding them as they all try to process what's just happened and it goes silent as soon as Diego says...
"B-Ben?" If nothing else gave how he felt away, the stutter is it.
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And then it did.
Ben's also reeling now but for an entirely different reason; everything about being alive is suddenly rushing back. He's holding Klaus's shoulder, the pressure of which feels so foreign, he lets go, stumbles backward a step or two. Everyone's chattering all at once, he can't make anything out until, ‘B-Ben?’ and his attention is immediately on Diego.
Oh. The abrupt realization that Diego's able to see him dawns and although it comes out a whisper, “Diego,” he exhales in spite of the sudden rush of warmth throughout his body.
This really is quite a lot. One sibling touches his shoulder, then another, followed by a third before Ben gently extricates himself, both hands raised, although not defensively. “H-Hang on,” he stammers as well, taking a slow, measured inhale. All his senses are going a million miles a minute and he just needs a second to reground.
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But then the pain registered in the back of his head, in the place that was solely Ben and the noise he'd made had never been repeated by him ever again. The rest of that day passed in a blur. He remembered being carried out by Luther, Mom helping him wash Ben's blood from his skin. He remembers looking at their father and screaming about how it was his fault that Ben was dead.
He'd woken up however long later, Klaus at his bedside and telling him that he'd missed the funeral and a throbbing in his head that had lasted for months, the new scar taking up residence on his temple.
He hadn't seen him again until tonight, glowing blue and keeping them safe.
And now he was here and Diego felt like that scared, hurt teenage boy who'd just lost his mate all over again.
"B-B-Ben? Is that... Are you...?"
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Another thing he'll always remember, though: how Diego had looked after Klaus had told him he'd missed the funeral. But he needed to know, Ben needed him to know it was alright.
The evocation was something new altogether that'd allowed his siblings to see, he'd been there the whole time, no matter what they thought of whenever it came to Klaus and his tall tales.
He seizes the moment once it presents itself, gingerly squeezes past his other siblings and bridges the distance between himself and Diego. Without much thought, both of his arms loop around Diego's shoulders, fingers lacing together against his nape while he draws him into an embrace.
“It's me,” he reassures, “I'm fine.” Then he can't resist tightening his arms a little more and burying into the other male's neck.
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Diego knows their siblings are watching them, can feel all eyes on them but he doesn't care. Ben doesn't smell like mate, doesn't smell life alpha -they've gone too far back for that- but he smells familiar, comforting and it's like a hole in Diego's chest is filling again.
"Y-You're here."
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Maybe everyone else is watching, he doesn't honestly give a shit. Ben's right arm, albeit it reluctantly, unwinds and reaches up, fingertips kneading along Diego's scalp for comfort while he lets everything out.
“I am,” he murmurs, shushing softly against Diego's temple. “It's alright, I've got you.”
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And they can do it right this time. They can keep Ben alive. Diego makes the decision right there, as he sobs into Ben’s sweater, that Reginald will not keep them apart this time and that Ben won’t be in the field for that mission. They can complete it without him and Diego will come home to his alpha, alive and well and right where he left him.
“I feel like I’m dreaming. I’d like I died.”
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It's somewhat overwhelming.
He shakes his head, pushes his fingers back and down, the tips of them resting lightly across Diego's nape. “Don't worry, I'm right here. Everything happening right now? It's real.”
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The smell is different too, the tell-tale signs he knows now are pre-alpha.
And he's the most beautiful thing Diego has seen in his entire life.
"I didn't even think that Five... b-bringing us back would mean this. I never thought I'd get to see you again."
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That's something he'd noticed earlier, too. Although Ben had been too distracted with the fact they made it back and with him alongside.
Having Diego in his arms has to be the greatest thing he's felt (and the only person he's held since ten plus years ago).
“I wasn't sure what would happen, either? Just knew our choices were taking the time-leap or dying with the rest of the world.”
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“I’d get to be with you either way.”
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“True... but let's not think about the alternative.”
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Diego has his mate back.
"I love you."
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“I love you, too.”
Then, following a quick glance around them, he clears his throat, straightens somewhat and shifts his arms so they're circled around Diego's middle instead. “Come on, let's go to your room.”
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"Okay. Y-yeah. Let's go." As they leave he reaches out to squeeze Klaus' shoulder and offers a weak smile. "Hey. I'll let you have a visit soon, okay? I just..."
He doesn't have to finish his sentence because Klaus knows and he just nods, smiling in return.
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Navigating them back to Diego's room comes easily. Once they reach the bedroom, he pushes inside, leads Number Two ahead of himself and nudges the door shut behind them, props his back against it.
“I can't believe it actually worked.”
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It's so easy to press a kiss to his lips but it's also easy to tuck himself into Ben's chest and just hold onto him.
"I never want to let you go."
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Rather than adjust how they're together, he lets Diego bury into his chest, shifts just enough to kiss his forehead, smiling faintly at the remark. Thank God, they don't have to.
“So don't let go, then.”
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He wants to hold onto him forever, keep him safe from the world.
"As soon as we present, we have to bond again. Before dad stops us."