Another time, not being currently swallowed whole by grief he never went through all those years ago when he tethered Ben to stay– because he's pretty sure that's what happened, anyway– he might latch onto that shared experience a little more. Maybe another time, they can revisit the idea.

"I don't want to..." he murmurs, his tone still full of misery. His fingers curl into a tight grip on his hair as he curls a little in on himself, it's an all too familiar position he finds himself in more often than not. Sometimes from a night after blackout levels of inebriation, but more often from trying to escape the ghosts. All except one, anyway.

He's wildly perceptible to all forms of mental influence, and grasping wildly at trying to not fall into a complete panic attack on the forest floor. So that tiny nudge is all it really takes, he clings to the feeling slipping into his mind. Something calmer than he is right now. Something knowing. Something... understanding in a deeper way than he can even really manage to comprehend right now.

"You don't know that... you can't know that..." but at least the words come out a little steadier this time.