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The height difference and the force with which she pushes him away results in sudden tragedy, which seems to him like it happens in slow-motion: he's laughing, trying to get his footing back, but is tall enough that his center of gravity is able to surpass the railing of the ferry, bringing the rest of him with it.
What results is a wild flailing, a yelp of horror, and a heavy splash.
He emerges again a moment later, scrambling for the base of the railing like a wet cat, his expertly coiffed hair drenched and matted to his head in a black sheet.
What results is a wild flailing, a yelp of horror, and a heavy splash.
He emerges again a moment later, scrambling for the base of the railing like a wet cat, his expertly coiffed hair drenched and matted to his head in a black sheet.
Edited 2020-10-28 06:01 (UTC)
She makes a pointless grab after him and leans over the railing, staring until he resurfaces. And then she just can't help it. The laugh forces its way out of her, puffing her cheeks out and making the first hint of amusement sound more or less like pffthbt.
Then she's downright cackling, clinging to the rail to keep herself upright. The sight of his hair alone, stuck to his face like a weird mask, is enough to make the day of shopping worthwhile.
Then she's downright cackling, clinging to the rail to keep herself upright. The sight of his hair alone, stuck to his face like a weird mask, is enough to make the day of shopping worthwhile.
Without the upper body strength to hoist himself up, Bene requires the help of the ferryman to drag him up by one skinny arm and deposit him, shivering, on the deck, where he grips his arms and gives Athessa a wounded, pitiful look.
"It's not funny," he mumbles, but not loudly enough to be admonishing her directly. He's cold.
"It's not funny," he mumbles, but not loudly enough to be admonishing her directly. He's cold.
He scowls at Athessa, but now that she's down here too and laughing as hard as she is, it's a bit difficult not to smile at least a little.
Self-consciously, he pushes his hair back out of his face and returns to shivering, his previously perfectly warm jacket now nothing but a contributor to the damp cold.
"You're an arsehole," he mutters, the curve of his lip suggesting, okay, maybe it's a little funny.
Self-consciously, he pushes his hair back out of his face and returns to shivering, his previously perfectly warm jacket now nothing but a contributor to the damp cold.
"You're an arsehole," he mutters, the curve of his lip suggesting, okay, maybe it's a little funny.
Looking a little surprised to see him, Benedict saunters over and angles his head to peer better at Colin's face.
"Hullo," he greets carefully.
"Hullo," he greets carefully.
Well this seems serious. Benedict nods, bracing for what he instinctively assumes will either be a scolding or bad news of some kind.
This yields a bewildered expression.
"Uh. No?"
That seems like something he'd remember.
"Uh. No?"
That seems like something he'd remember.
Not incredibly surprising. The event was before even Colin knew her, and he only learned of it on the network when Kostos tried to find out who did it.
"Well. Probably while you were downstairs." A gentle way of saying when you were locked up. "There was no one near her at the time, but she was pushed down the stairs. Not tripped. Someone used magic to push her down the stairs. She saw a bit of their shadow, I think, but that was all. She broke her arm and never knew who did it. She and Kostos tried to figure it out, but never came up with anyone."
Just talking about it, he's starting to get angry again. He can feel his chest tightening, the rush coming back to his ears.
"Well. Probably while you were downstairs." A gentle way of saying when you were locked up. "There was no one near her at the time, but she was pushed down the stairs. Not tripped. Someone used magic to push her down the stairs. She saw a bit of their shadow, I think, but that was all. She broke her arm and never knew who did it. She and Kostos tried to figure it out, but never came up with anyone."
Just talking about it, he's starting to get angry again. He can feel his chest tightening, the rush coming back to his ears.
Folding his own skinny legs up to his chest, Benedict listens with a furrowed brow, looking more and more incredulous as the story develops. There's a twinge of frustration at the notion that he wouldn't-- couldn't have known about it, missed out on almost a full year, and he can't help but wonder what else he missed.
Benedict's expression is almost blank, the barest of dry smirks twitching at the corner of his mouth. Of course. Of course it was fucking Leander.
"You're joking," he says in a deadpan, feeling a familiar swell of outrage, one that he has long since learned to tamp down in favor of not making a fuss.
"He told her?"
"You're joking," he says in a deadpan, feeling a familiar swell of outrage, one that he has long since learned to tamp down in favor of not making a fuss.
"He told her?"
This elicits an eyeroll; Kostos being involved isn't doing the story any favors.
"Petty piece of shit," he mutters, and sighs. "Well, I'm glad Athessa's all right."
It is a bit validating to know that his own experience, which he's downplayed in his mind since Leander theoretically made peace, may yet have been as nasty as he thought.
"Petty piece of shit," he mutters, and sighs. "Well, I'm glad Athessa's all right."
It is a bit validating to know that his own experience, which he's downplayed in his mind since Leander theoretically made peace, may yet have been as nasty as he thought.
When Bene says that, something in Colin snaps. He picks up a pillow and starts beating the floor savagely with it, as if it's a truncheon and the floor is Leander's face. When that proves not-quite-satisfying, he places fingernails in the seam and tries to rip it open. Fortunately, thread isn't in the business of just snapping. Unfortunately, he drops the pillow and claws at the one thing he knows will respond the way he wants it to--his own face.
With a start, Benedict lurches forward to first take the pillow away (poor thing), then gently puts his hands on Colin's wrists to pull his fingers from his face.
"Colin! Colin, stop," he breathes, abruptly Very Concerned, "it's fine. She's fine."
"Colin! Colin, stop," he breathes, abruptly Very Concerned, "it's fine. She's fine."
Benedict will feel resistance as Colin fights him at first, the rushing in his head drowning out much of Benedict's voice. Fists clench as he remembers nails clawing into soil in an empty space where a house used to be.
He hadn't had a spell like this in months until Satinalia. They used to happen often. As he slowly recognizes what's happening, he reaches out to wrap his arms tightly around Benedict, clinging to him like a mooring.
He hadn't had a spell like this in months until Satinalia. They used to happen often. As he slowly recognizes what's happening, he reaches out to wrap his arms tightly around Benedict, clinging to him like a mooring.
Edited 2020-11-15 22:00 (UTC)
This is spooky.
Holding him close, Bene has to take a moment to calm himself down as well, fully unused to either this behavior from Colin or filling the role of Emotional Support.
"It's all right," he says gently, not knowing what else to do.
Holding him close, Bene has to take a moment to calm himself down as well, fully unused to either this behavior from Colin or filling the role of Emotional Support.
"It's all right," he says gently, not knowing what else to do.
It is all right. Athessa's all right. He keeps Bene in a crushing embrace as his breathing and heart rate slowly approach normal.
"It's 9:46," he mutters. This isn't a flashback, but he doesn't think it's strictly about current events, either. It feels dark and cold, it feels like the Circle when you didn't know who was your enemy. This place was just starting to feel safe.
After a while, he is relaxed against Bene, feeling tired and foggy.
"Thank you," he sighs.
"It's 9:46," he mutters. This isn't a flashback, but he doesn't think it's strictly about current events, either. It feels dark and cold, it feels like the Circle when you didn't know who was your enemy. This place was just starting to feel safe.
After a while, he is relaxed against Bene, feeling tired and foggy.
"Thank you," he sighs.
Remaining silent until Colin speaks again, Bene just holds him until the 'thank you'-- then he nods into Colin's hair.
"Of course," he murmurs, and loosens his grip a little so he can look into his face.
"Should I light it...?" He asks, nodding his head toward the hookah, "you might feel better."
"Of course," he murmurs, and loosens his grip a little so he can look into his face.
"Should I light it...?" He asks, nodding his head toward the hookah, "you might feel better."
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