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When Klaus looks into this Ben’s eyes, he feels a flicker of emotion- a mix of grief, happiness, disappointment, and arousal all in one. Staring into this Ben’s eyes, despite them being filled with self-loathing and loneliness, was like staring into his Ben’s eyes. He has to excuse himself before he does something he might regret, because his mind supplies him with an image of Ben’s lips molding easily against his own. The rational part of his brain reminds him that this isn’t his Ben, but his heart doesn’t seem to care. Those dark eyes, the sharp angles of his cheekbones, those perfectly curved lips— they were all the same, no matter which Ben it was. Seeing the vulnerable side of this usually insufferable Ben is overwhelming, and Klaus has to stop himself from inhaling this Ben’s scent as Klaus walks away from the table. But he still wonders if they smelled the same.
—--
Klaus can’t keep his eyes of this Ben as he’s dragged onto the dance floor. Somehow, this Ben is definitely more coordinated on the dance floor than his Ben ever was, despite the copious amounts of alcohol this Ben had imbibed. Klaus smiles fondly as he sees This Ben’s expression so open and joyous, as if it were the first time he had ever truly smiled. (Klaus wouldn’t be surprised if it was.)
This Ben sidles up to Klaus at some point and throws his arm around Klaus’s shoulder while slurring into Klaus’s ear, “You’re the only one in your shitty family who actually talks to me.” Klaus is reminded of the time His Ben complained about Klaus being the only person he could talk to. He chuckles at the thought and this Ben pouts, eyebrows knitted together. Klaus brings his fingers up to smooth the skin between Ben’s eyebrows, and Ben relaxes into Klaus’s side. The warm weight of this Ben against his side feels all too familiar and yet still so foreign, but Klaus revels in the feeling before Ben starts to slip and almost pulls Klaus down to the ground with him.
“Whoa there, Benny,” Klaus lifts this Ben up by the armpits until they’re both on their feet.
“No one’s ever called me that before,” It comes out a little strained, and if Klaus didn't know any better, he might say that this Ben sounded a little fond. Klaus can’t help but smile fondly down at this Ben and curls a hand possessively around Ben’s waist as he stumbled a bit but somehow managed to stay upright. If anyone asked, it was just to help this Ben keep his footing.
Klaus looks around and notices that all of their siblings (and new sibling-in-law?) were nowhere to be found. He drags this Ben out onto the patio with him to find the rest of their now-United family. It takes all of Klaus’s functioning brain cells to come up with a semi-convincing argument of why this Ben should be allowed to join their impromptu little family gathering outside amidst the backdrop of the apocalypse.
He doesn’t ever want to see such a sad look in Ben’s eyes again, regardless of which version. Five’s being an asshole about it, but what’s new? This Ben’s getting a little heavy now, and Klaus worries they’re going to tip over soon if the family doesn’t stop trying to argue and just accept this Ben into the fold. Thankfully, Luther speaks up (the ol’ softie), and Klaus immediately navigates them to the ground beside everyone else before anyone can change his mind.
Klaus is tipsy enough to ignore what little of his rational mind might be left and reaches over to thread their fingers together, and he’s pleasantly surprised when Ben easily obliges and pulls Klaus close enough for Klaus to rest his head against Ben’s shoulder. He had never had the chance to do this with His Ben, so he lets himself snuggle in a little closer. Given the inevitability of the impending apocalypse, Klaus refuses to waste another moment not in Ben’s embrace.
----
When this Ben suggests they play Scrabble, it’s all Klaus can do to stop himself from pulling him into a kiss. That’s something his Ben would have said unironically. Somehow, over the course of the night, they had peeled off enough layers that this Ben was starting to feel a lot like his Ben.