(no subject)

[gristle]

CW: Abandonment issues, not being recognized by the people you love.


[This room was larger than the others had been, it was larger and cleaner. It was definitely brighter that was for sure. It’s brighter and has the familiar golden light of the Sphere, and it almost seems like there’s some sort of festival going on. The atmosphere around her seems like that. Crowd sounds fill the room, people laughing and talking with familiar sounding voices. The hand that had been so tightly gripped around her sword as she’d stepped into this new room went a little slack, and Bev’s eyes went a little wide when she spotted familiar long past faces in the crowd.]

Aaron?
[Bev’s voice is so hopeful and she wants to believe in it so badly. But the man just looks at her and tries to be kind, of course he tries to be kind because he’s Aaron. But his voice is soft.] Sorry do I know you?

[That’s not unusual for people who come and go from the Sphere even if it still sucks every time. So not trusting her voice, Bev just draws back and pulls away from him with a shake of her head.

And then as she moves back into Jason as Bev tries to escape. She stares at him and he just looks at her and she knows he doesn’t know who she is. Bev doesn’t even try to talk around the calcifying lump in her throat. Tommy just goes flying by and he doesn’t stop.

Then she tears off into a run and collides with another familiar face. One who hasn’t left. One who was still there because Beverly has literally just seen him. ]

Richard?

[He just raises a brow at her and crosses his arms crossed his chest as he peers down at her.]

I don’t believe I know you so I don’t think you have any business calling me by my first name.

Nononononononono—

[the single word forms into a rapid fire chant as she turns and runs away from him, shoving through a crowd that she knows every member of but who look at her like they’ve never seen her before rather than giving her their familiar smile or greeting. All of her friends, her family, the people she loves… they don’t know her at all.

Bev runs faster, but she’s at the beginning of the crowd even before she realizes that she should have reached the end. She keeps running. She runs again. Then she runs again until she’s panting and gasping. Leaning forward and resting her hands on her knees as she pants to get her breath back the worst of it hits.

The shadows in the sunlight are as familiar to her as her own. As her eyelashes squeeze shut, she crumples to the ground, because this is going to be worse than anything else and she knows it. Richie’s voice comes through first:]

I don’t think this girl is alright.

[Then Eddie’s:]

Yeah, she sure does look like a sad sack doesn’t she.

[And then, worst of all: Stan’s.]

We should just leave her alone. It’s not any of our business. She’s not any of our business.

[Then without saying a word in response, Beverly just curls up on the hallway floor with the same metal that it’s always been, the same dreary light, the same lack of space. It’s a difference between her mental and physical world that Bev can’t distinguish right now. Drawing herself tightly into the fetal position with her sword and daggers forgotten, Bev can’t seem to beat this fear.]

Comments

Audio - UN: detwatts

[gadaboutdetective]

[What... was that? Llewellyn’s brow furrowed deeply at the memory. It clearly featured people here, so had it happened here? He couldn’t really imagine it, this was Beverly and the people she cared about. Then again... this world had a way of turning things on its head.]

Beverly... Are you alright? I don’t know what that was, but I can say with the utmost certainty that you are quite unforgettable in my opinion.

[Yeah, Llewellyn’s memory is faulty, but he doubted he’d ever forget a whole person. Just... the odd conversation or interaction.]

Re: Audio - UN: detwatts

[gristle]

It was one of the things that happened in the tunnels when we were trying to reset stuff. I hate the fucking Sphere.

[gadaboutdetective]

It did that...?

[Maybe not surprising considering everything else that happened here but...]

I imagine you would, you shouldn’t have had to feel like that... It’s not easy to hear things like that.

[gristle]

No. It was full of like. Nightmares. Personal ones like this and then other ones that were kind of normal. Like drowning and stuff.

[gadaboutdetective]

I had heard it was bad but... [It was different hearing it from someone who experienced it... Especially Beverly.] I’m sorry I wasn’t around to help.

Is there um... anything I can do now?

[gristle]

It's alright. There isn't anything you could have done. All of it just fucking sucked. People had to deal with bullshit like this all over down there. Me, Ben, Epoine... And some people just didn't come back from whatever their personal ones were.

[gadaboutdetective]

[It wasn’t really alright, not at all. He can’t help but feel like he should have been there for his friends.]

Well... I still wish that you hadn’t been put through that, Beverly. I’m glad you were one of the people who came back from it, though.

[gristle]

Me too. I just. Hate all of this.

[gadaboutdetective]

This place has definitely been terrible the last few months and having the reminder dredged up so soon after that to begin with...

[It ‘sucked’ as she put it herself. There wasn’t anything he could do to change it either... Still, wanting to help somehow, he continued,]

You know, if you ever find yourself in need of someone to talk to. My office is always open for you and Thor to visit. Pretzel would probably like the company, and I’ve missed our outings with them.

[gristle]

Me too. And thanks. We should do a play date for them.

[Cause Bev would like to talk to him about it, but she also doesn’t want to say so.]

[gadaboutdetective]

[He had a feeling that was the case, talking was hard enough most of the time without everything else that on top of it. It was always easier if here were an excuse, something else to focus on.]

We should, whenever you like. I’ve even got a few things they could play with. Enis made Pretzel some toys, so he’d stop trying to chew on my shoes.

[gristle]

He’s still trying to eat your shoes?

[There’s a smile in her voice. ]

[gadaboutdetective]

[He can tell, and that feels like a small win.]

He does, I’m not sure why he prefers them to other things, but he’s quite stubborn about it.

[gristle]

Just gotta find him something he likes more. I’ve still got some stock even though Jen who made them is gone now.

[gadaboutdetective]

I was hoping he’d like the toys Enis made, but... nope. Well— he likes them, just not as much as shoes. What of the things does Thor like best then?

[gristle]

Thor likes squeaky things. They’re his favorite. Soft stuffy ones with a squeaker inside.

[gadaboutdetective]

Ah, so things that make noise... I could see that being more engaging than toys that don’t. Pretzel’s attention is often distracted when he hears something.

[...He’s giving this more thought than necessary, but Beverly seems to be taking to the conversation.]

[gristle]

Dogs like squeaky things. Maybe your shoelaces make noises that only he can hear? He’s got really good hearing.

[gadaboutdetective]

Hmmm... It’s possible, he’s very alert like that. I might have to see if I can find some toys that make sounds and see if that holds his attention better. Perhaps when you visit with Thor, we can test the theory out.

[gristle]

Sure!

[Bev actually sounds more happy than she did before—lighter somehow.]

That sounds good. And thor is a good boy who is good at sharing his toys.

[gadaboutdetective]

[And that feels like a victory, that’s what he was going for here. The fact that the younger residents had been put through the last few months at all upset him. So lightening Bev’s mood was good.]

I seem to recall that he’s an excellent gentleman. [He laughed a little,] Pretzel could use a good example. So far he’s only befriended a rabbit.

[gristle]

Yeah? Inesa’s bunny?

[gadaboutdetective]

Yep, I think the uh— long ears and being smallish has given them common ground to bond over?

[Whether it’s a joke or not, there’s a smile in his tone.]

[gristle]

That sounds about right.

[She doesn’t mention Eddie’s bunny or how she can’t find it.]

[gadaboutdetective]

[The absence had been noticed, and he wasn’t sure if it had just disappeared or if had wandered off. He’d been keeping his eye out, though.

He tried to keep that out of his tone as he continued,]

I expect he’ll find something else to bond with Thor over.