hellhouse | audio;

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[around the same time as this.]

How do you- I haven't even-- fuck. [There's the sound of fumbling, his words muttered not actively addressing the network at first until-- ]

Hello? Shit. [There's a shuddering breath in and a panicked sound on the exhale of that same breath.] Has anybody seen Ben? I- I-I lost him! I mean- I didn't lose him, but-- he was here and now he's not and... fuck!

[He has not been having a great time in this house. His two days back home were nothing, and he's been in this place long enough for the worst parts of withdrawal to be hitting and. Well. Ben has been his touchstone through that and now he's gone and Klaus is not okay.]

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( She's heard it, too. Or she's assuming that Klaus has heard the message. Once she's sure he's not in imminent danger, Rikki doesn't bother holding back on teasing Ben a little, but Klaus looks so damn panicked that it wipes the smile off her face before she can really truly enjoy the I Told You So in its fullest.

Instead, she turns her attention to Ben's Brother. Who...will always secretly be Ben's Brother, even though she knows his name is Klaus. )

Oi, it's just this house, yeah? You didn't lose him. He's all right. It's just this stupid house.

[He's heard it, but it doesn't ease his panic at all anyway. at least he isn't completely alone, hey? There's a weird kind of comfort in that, maybe.]

Maybe. I dunno, I dunno, I-- it's... he's- [He groans and presses his palms to his eyes.] I can't do this.

Edited 2019-06-29 01:16 (UTC)

( Rikki is...not good at people. Where she ought to be a little softer and more patient, she tends to be a little more blunt and to the point. This is no exception. )

Yes you can, Klaus, because you have to. Yeah? We all do. You're all right. Ben's all right. It's going to be fine, mate. Okay?

( ...#shetried. )

No. I'm- what if he's not? What if it doesn't give him back? What if he's stuck somewhere and can't get out? [He makes another soft, little distressed noise.] God, I was supposed to be watching, I don't even know where he went. Or how he was taken. Fuck, I can't even be a proper look-out.

He is, though. He's in the house, we will find him. ( Rikki raises her voice. ) Klaus. We're all sitting here. I missed it, too. It's not your fault and sitting there blaming yourself doesn't change anything. He's fine. He's talking. He's breathing. We'll find him. Okay?

If your definition of all right is just not dead, then yeah, I guess he's fucking dandy, but I really don't think he's fine, Rikki! [He can yell too, honey. And his voice breaks a little on that last bit, too.]

( Her eyebrows lift and she looks back at him, unamused. A long pause passes before she speaks again. )

This? Is not helping him. Get off your arse and let's go look. Come on, then. If the only thing that'll make you feel better is seeing for yourself that he's fine, then let's go. Blaming yourself or yelling at me isn't helping him and it certainly isn't helping you, mate.

Edited 2019-06-29 02:48 (UTC)

FINE, then! [He's yelling again, too loudly, and he realizes it just late enough that the words have already escaped his mouth and he blinks, and his shoulders slump and he shrinks down a little, voice drastically quieter next time he speaks.] Let's do that. That... sounds like a good plan, yeah.

( she's quiet, looking at him with a challenge in her expression, but she waits until he settles again and agrees, because of course he's going to agree with her when she's obviously right. )

Right then. Let's go.

( Rikki holds her hand out to him. )

Here, hold my hand so we don't get separated. That's all we need. Come on, then. Let's find your brother.

How does someone go from Here and then Not Here? Could he have just walked off?

No, he- he definitely didn't just walk off. He wouldn't. He wouldn't, because the way this place is means we have to stick together and he's been really good about the whole buddy system idea and- and uh-- also.. he was asleep right next to me, I really should have felt him move or seen him get up and something if he did that and I didn't?! [He. is. panicking!!!]

[He's in a panic. She talks calmly in return, softly.]

Take it easy. We'll all figure it out. There are enough of us here that someone will have to find him. If he wouldn't leave on his own, perhaps the house moved him itself. Just take a few breaths and collect yourself. We'll all keep an eye out for him.

[ He'd know that panicked voice anywhere. The mention of Ben is more than enough to tell him that he's not just hearing things. Diego is still getting used to this atrocity in his arm and it takes him a second to figure it out. ]

Klaus?

[ His first instinct is to ask him where he is, but he's been here long enough to know that won't help. ]

You okay? Are you with the others?

DIEGO?! When did you get here? What the fuck, man?

NO I'm not okay! Ben was here and now he's not and I think he's stuck in a cuckoo bananas crazy room, but I dunno how to get there-- WHERE ARE YOU?

[Klaus, no matter how much you yell at your brother, it probably won't make him materialize in front of you.]

[ One thing he can say about this place, the audio is good. It sounds like Klaus is right beside him, yelling his name. He sighs at the fact that he can't just push him away to give his ears some rest.] Just woke up here a day ago. What the hell is this place?

Yeah, he told me. Padded. Said you knew about it. Let's find him. I'm on the first floor, near the staircase. Where are you?

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