Ben loosened his grip on Richie as he felt the other man pull back visibly watching him trying to piece himself back together again though he didn't pull away immediately. If anything he replaced the hug with a hand on Richie's shoulder, grip firm and reassuring.
"After killing Pennywise," he said as he wandered into the apartment. "We'd gotten out of the quarry and back into Derry, but I hadn't left yet. I was packed and ready to go, but then I wound up here."
He did however blush and rub at the back of his neck when he realised that Richie had called him a Greek God. It was just a lot of exercise and good healthy eating habits as well as a drive to prove a shitty coach wrong in so many ways.