As the edge seemed to vaguely leave, Elena moved to the bench, sitting as well. Not too close to Buffy but it did seem that maybe there would be something to happen here after all and well, she was getting tired of standing. But she made sure not to invade Buffy's personal space and instead just waited, listening. Maybe there would be nothing said. Maybe there would be some kind of conversation. Nothing too deep, but still enough to show that no one had to deal with things here alone. Even just a sort of connection.
The comment wasn't expected, and while Elena had heard the more quiet one, she had ignored it. It was obviously not directed at her and so she wasn't going to push it just to get a wall placed up. But the realization that Buffy seemed to have made on her own because she had dropped the defenses? Elena didn't know what Buffy was talking about. The elusive 'it', but she knew the sentiment.
There always was that problem, the fictional aspect. Pieces of life visible for all to see no matter how private. Elena was thankful she didn't have to contend with that. She knew what happened after her point of time, she knew that she would die. She didn't need to see it play out. She didn't need to see the continuous pain and loss before that play out.
"Have you actually dealt with the it and that's why you aren't looking for insight? Or is it the avoiding and not wanting to talk about it because then it makes it real?"
There was no judging, just vague curiosity but more to the point, understanding. Because Elena was queen of the second option. Avoiding to keep it from being real. Surviving to survive. Just as the comment on 'the it' was showing she had no idea, that she wouldn't use Buffy's show against her, because she never had followed it. The unbiased source, someone who understood the strange but had no real personal bias to it.