Query 4: [Audio / Open Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

OOOOOH HOLY JESUSGOD OKAY.

[Hello, Elegante! Bennett's freaking out a little more than usual! Fun, isn't it?]

I just-- what's wrong with the doors, I just, I, I, I-- deep breaths, okay--

I.

I went to the library. For, for books. Books.

Opened the door.

I was in f-f-fuc--freaking CARNIVAL.

I-- I, what?

DOORS DON'T BREAK.

[Pause.I mean, I

Comments

[Audio]

[havea_heart]

[FFFF, Benny! Deep breaths for him, okay?]

A-Are you okay?

[...Herz. That was a terrible question.]

I--I mean. You--

Y-You're not--you're--you're not...in there, right?

[These are also fail! Obviously he is not, or you would be getting static. And he would be asking for someone to help him out.]

Where--where are you?

[Audio]

[folkloristlore]

[Bennett's breathing is ragged, he's still not calm in any sense of the word, he's stuck thinking about bears and other awful things-- like the carousel music, which is stuck in his head again, the worst of earworms.]

I'm-- I'm, I think this is-- uh, where, where are the doors to Carnival? Deck... Deck 4? That's where... that's where I am.

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[Give him a couple of minutes, and your knight in shining armor will be there to collect you.

...mostly because he thinks if he doesn't, no one else will.

Herz jogs up Ben and starts to kneel.]

Hey...

[He...isn't quite sure what to do for you, man, but he'll give it the old college try anyways.]

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

[Slightly mortified? Yes, yes, Bennett is just that. He's got both hands clamped over his eyes and is trying to think of anything but Carnival-- it's not working, and he startles when Herz kneels next to him.

He knew he was coming here, why is he surprised?

Tanvir's warning floats back to the front of his mind and he can't help but groan inwardly. Wringing his hands, he manages to steady his breathing so he can speak. Sort of.]

H-h-hey.

[Articulate, isn't he?]

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[God, Ben. You look a pathetic mess.

Herz gently wraps a hand around the other man's bicep and starts to usher him to his feet.]

C'mon. Let--l-let's get you away fff-from here.

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

W--wh--okay, fine, ye-yeah.

[It's like picking up a noodle, really-- he's limp and light and remarkably pale.

Well, paler than usual.]

I, I, I'm sorry, I'm-- [always apologizing, that's what. He grips Herz's arm for support before finally standing steady on his own feet.]

Thanks. Thanks, Herz.

[Standing is working! Walking forward-- not so much. He tries to take a step and stumbles a bit, catching himself. His legs are still wobbly.]

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[He puts a hand behind Ben's back to steady him. His grip tightens. He'll be your spine if he has to to get you out of here.

...this is definitely a turn-around from the usual.]

's no problem, Ben.

[He tries to give his friend a smile, but...well. He hates Carnival, too.

Let's go to the buffet, shall we?]

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

[Upon reaching the nearest chair, Bennett collapses into it.

Wait, Herz just called him Ben-- hhhh, but he hates being called that-- but it's HERZ, why would he ever correct Herz?]

I'm sorry, just-- it-- it scared the living DAYLIGHTS out of me, I couldn't-- the smell wasn't as bad as when I was... changed, but... you don't forget that smell. Or-- or anything about that place, really.

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[He shakes his head, oddly enough in agreement.]

No. N-No, you--you really don't.

I'll--I-I'ma be back, okay? Get you ss-s-some water.

[He pats his friend's shoulder as he moves to go.]

Keep--k-keep doing the, y'know. Breathing thhh-Thuh-thing.

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

Yeah. The, the, breathing-- yeah. Got it.

[Let's count breaths, shall we? That way we don't think about aaaanything else. 1. 2. 3. 4. Tanvir's going to kill you. 6. 7. He told you to stay away. 11. 14. Fuck, what number was he on?]

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[Oblivious to the particular mental struggle going on in Bennett, Herz still doesn't take his time. He gets the water, he gets right back.]

Still breathing?

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

I lost count.

[That makes no sense, Ben.]

...y-yes, I'm still breathing.

[He takes the water and gulps it down in an attempt to distract himself another way-- and sputters a bit. Slow down, there, cowpoke.]

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

[OH god, what are you doing, do you want to choke yourself?]

H-hey, maybe.

Maybe, just...little sips?

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

[Actually, that doesn't sound like too bad of a plan right now. The choking and dying. It would be somewhat less humiliating than having a panic attack in front of the guy you like. But in any case, little sips it is.]

I'm-- thank you. I'm sorry. You-- you know about that place. It's-- not expecting to be in there... it's jarring. To say the least.

[Commentlog]

[havea_heart]

It--it'd scare most anyone here shhh-s-shitless, not--not just you.

[He'd be a hell of a mess, too, if it'd happened to him.

He just...wouldn't have told anyone.]

[Commentlog]

[folkloristlore]

[Bennett's never been great at handling things by himself. He can do it? He's just not GOOD at it.

He's worried, though. He's worried, and his brain is a million places at once, which means, really, it's at none of those places. He's latched onto his fear of Tanvir thanks to his fear of Carnival, and is fixating on that now. Juuuust a bit.]

I-- are--

[That sounded intelligent. Let him try again.]

Um. Tanver. ...Tanvir. He's-- he's not going to get mad at you for... being around me or anything, right?