694: It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

[misterbfc]

The Sensory Deprivation Meme

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ILU2. ONE.

[werewolf_hacker]

[Ben reels backward, blood spraying from his face. The demon sword just took him...

right across the eyes. Both of them. He can't...

He wipes the back of his hand across them while the demon screeches with laughter. Warm and sticky.

He can't see.] Guri...

[werewolf_hacker]

He wouldn't leave me in the dark, Guri, would He? Be hard to be His Hound if I can't see... [He's grasping at straws, and he knows that's what he's doing even as he does it.]

Dad, please...

[guriel]

[Guriel just can't even. He shakes his head against Ben's shoulder, shivering.] I dunno, Ben, I just . . . I don't know . . .

[werewolf_hacker]

[Ben's shivering too, and dizzy, and his ears are roaring. Feels like he's falling, but he's got no visual cue. He clings to Guriel, hard enough that he'd be splintering ribs if his brother were human.] I can't... what's Janni gonna...

Oh, God, I can't breathe...

[guriel]

Shh. Shh. I got you. [Guriel clings back, rubbing Ben's back over and over and over.] Raph, can you take us home? Please?

[The Healer is still weeping, but he nods and reaches out and Moves them all.]

[werewolf_hacker]

[And the scent of Pack and home is magnified tenfold. The situation itself isn't any better, but just being here serves to at least drop the stress a tiny fraction.

He still can't stop shivering. A cold, wet, enormous nose shoves into his hair, and Pal wuffles at him questioningly.] Have to make him a seeing-eye dog...

[guriel]

[Guriel reaches up and pulls the afghan off the back of the couch, wrapping it and his wings around both of them.] Shhhh. Easy. Don't have to think too hard about tomorrow right now. Okay? I got you, Ben, I got you.

[werewolf_hacker]

Janni's gonna freak.

Everyone's gonna freak. [He's freaking pretty hard himself, and he leans into that embrace.]

[guriel]

But you're not gonna be alone. We'll help you. All of us. You're not alone, Ben, not ever.

[werewolf_hacker]

[He nods shakily.] I know. [It's the only reason he's not screaming into a pillow right now.]

Oh, Dad, please, take this cup from me, I don't want to be a burden. More. Of a burden...

[guriel]

No. Don't you say that, you aren't a burden, you understand me, not ever, not ever. [Guriel clings to him fiercely.] Not ever.

[werewolf_hacker]

[He shakes his head and whimpers.] Was wrecked when I got back from Afghanistan. And again when the wolf thing happened. And again with all this demon shit. Finally got back on a halfway-even keel.

Now this.

I don't know if I can get back up from this one, Guri.

[guriel]

[Guriel shakes his head and runs a hand through Ben's hair.] I'll pick you up, Ben. I'll always pick you up.

[fierce_hermia]

[And that's when Janni walks in. She stops short, staggering a little. She can instantly tell that this is worse than usual.]

...Ben?

[guriel]

[Guriel makes a noise down in his throat and raises his head, looking pained. He's got tears running down his face.]

Janni . . .

[fierce_hermia]

[She walks over to her boys, all three if you count Raph and she does, and gathers them in her arms.] Oh, what. What happened? [Bracing herself for a blow, because Guri doesn't cry when it's a nothin'.]