What about both? They want to tell him, but he forestalls them by asking about the people asking in the basement. (Your dialogue sounds exactly like Hannibal and is now my headcanon for how that conversation went.)
I suspect the letters were getting written within days of Ben leaving, so he could get them before he had to come back. They're definitely a sign of affection!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2014-03-30 11:32 pm (UTC)I suspect the letters were getting written within days of Ben leaving, so he could get them before he had to come back. They're definitely a sign of affection!