A Brain In Chains [Inactive]

Xavier jumped a little, surprised by the hug but slowly smiled and hugged Tanner back. It was nice having a friend that was real and that he could count on, and Xavier could only hope that nothing would go terribly wrong to mess it all up. 'But maybe that won't happen,' he thought, relaxing a little to lean his head on Tanner's shoulder and thinking about how he already gained enough of Tanner's trust for the older boy to hug him.
 
Tanner pulled back, relatively happy with the other boy. But, he didn't know what to say next. They were going to be here for a while too watch Ben, they'd at least have to make conversation...or anything to pass the time really.


"What now?" Tanner asked, resting his face onto his hand out of impending boredom.
 
"I'm glad to hear that." Noah replied with relief. He had never really had a friend his own age before, so he had been afraid that he would do something wrong. While he was still worried about it, Quinn's words helped to lighten that worry considerably.


However, he shook his head at Quinn's second statement. "I might seem okay now, and honestly I'm surprised I've done this well, but that's because I haven't really faced anything yet. I'm sure that whenever I have to face other new people and situations I'll become a nervous wreck again...I-I don't know why, but around you I'm...comfortable, I guess." He glanced away in embarrassment.
 
Quinn is glad that his words reassured him- maybe he'd banish every last bit of the nervousness, at least around him. It makes Quinn turn a bit red when he hears the last part of his sentence: I don't know why, but around you I'm comfortable. Noah really isn't helping Quinn ignore the part of his head that is telling him Noah is cute and sweet and that the shyness is really endearing. If anything, that statement makes it worse for Quinn. "They won't force us to make friends. The worst of it will probably be group therapy-- but they can't force us to talk either, so it'll be fine. I don't mind if you're the only friend I make here. I used to have lots of friends... I don't really care about them anymore though. Didn't really care about anyone until now."


Eighth grade. He stole his first book. He wasn't a klepto- but the books felt more special if they weren't his to begin with. It lifted his spirits a tiny bit, and he needed that- his father had been picking on him again. Went as far to call him I'm uncultured. Quinn hated that word. It was ugly and mean. He started lashing out at his friends, too-- before, he would join in when they started teasing each other. But as soon as they started using that word, he was done. That's where it all began, really. He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his dad. Quinn kept it a secret. He knew it would just cause more problems if he started laying blame on his parents. So he's been silent. And alone. Very alone.
 
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An unbidden blush started to rise to Noah's face. Until now? Surely he didn't mean Noah...but who else could it be?


"I-I suppose you're right." He quickly responded in a vain attempt to get his mind off of where it was going. Was this what having a friend felt like? He couldn't really know from experience since his now deceased mother had been the closest thing he had. Talking with others had always been difficult. He was always overly concerned about if his answered were pleasing to others, and became extremeły stressed if he recieved a negative response.


"I've never been close enough to someone to call them a friend. At least, not for a long time. Since I don't really know much about being a friend, um, tell me when theres something I'm supposed to do...I want to be a good friend to you." Following people's orders was something that usually satisfied others, so Noah figured that that might be the best way to go about it. He really didn't know any other way, truthfully.
 
Quinn's mouth twists, and he looks at Noah for just a moment, wondering if it's just social anxiety. Something must've happened to him to have made it this bad. He can't imagine going through your whole life without one friend- at least Quinn had had friends once. A lot. A girlfriend, too. He broke up with her before the bad times started though. It never really felt right to be with her. He quickly goes over what Noah said, though- at least, not for a long time. Quinn knows he can't just ask Noah when it started getting bad, but there's an unspoken rule that says you can't. "There's nothing you're supposed to do. You just talk to each other, and laugh with each other, and just be yourself. And even if I don't really know what you're talking about, or if I don't think it's very interesting, I'll listen all the same. That's how it used to be, for me. Just be Noah, 'kay?" He offers him another small smile. "You don't have to impress me or anything. I'm fine just being here."
 
Noah internally winced upon realizing how pathetic his own words must have sounded. Still, he had received a fairly understanding response, so he pushed back the rising wave of nervousness. This was Quinn, after all. He had dealt with him so far--although that could change once he saw his disorder act up--which meant that he had no reason to be uneasy at the moment.


"...alright." he replied. Be Noah...be himself. That was something he had never dared to think of before.
 
((The Nightmare))Ben's eyes opened and he was surrounded by a vast, empty blackness. The sound of his own breathing echoed loudly. He sat up, looking around. He didn't recognize this place, he didn't know where he was. He couldn't even recall the last he did. All he new now was waking up in this strange place. He stood up, his hands felt cold, a nervousness swept over him. "H-hello?" His voice quivered and echoed in the darkness. There was no response. Was he alone? He began to walk, figuring it didn't matter in what direction. Something didn't feel right though. And that's when he realized it, he could hear a set of footsteps following his own. He spun around quickly only to see nothing. His heart quickened in pace, his breathing became uneasy. He continued to walk, again hearing it just behind him but he held back the urge to turn, knowing there would be nothing there. Fear struck him in the heart when he could feel someone, or something breath on the back of his neck. He walked faster, but it only became louder, it's rasping breath sounding completely inhuman. He began to run but he couldn't escape it, and that's when it happened. Something gripped his ankle and he fell face first to the floor. Turning to face what had reached out he could see a strange, disgusting thing pulling it's way up from the black floor. A floor, it wasn't even a floor anymore it looked like tar as clung to the figure. The figure shifted and changed form in front of him. Human faces appearing all over it's body with expressions of fear and anguish that only mirrored his own feelings. It crept forward and he could do nothing, he was frozen. It was inches from his face when it screeched. A bone chilling sound that shook him to the core. He scrambled to his feet barely making it up and ran for his life. Copies of this thing popped up left and right reaching out for him. Attempting to drag him away into the black. Suddenly the floor beneath him gave way and he felt like he was sinking. The floor had turned to water, pitch black water he was drowning now. He struggled to reach the surface but no matter how hard he tried the surface never came any closer. Phantom like creatures floated past him screaming in his face. He felt something grab his foot, dragging him down and fast. He screamed, and even though he was in water it was clear as day. His screamed echoed but no help came hands appeared from seemingly no where gripping, grabbing and ripping at him. Their faces mutilated, bleeding and demonic. There was no escape. He was alone, and he was going to die.





((Reality))Ben flailed on the floor, kicked and mummered. His eyes wide with panic and fear. He sat up in a panic, his arms waving about as he screamed in a horror. Tears rolled down his face, "Help me!" He screamed unclearly. "Please, I can't die." He breathing was fast, his heart pounding. He was flying into hysterics. "I DONT WANT TO DIE!!" His scream was loud, his voice choked with fear. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"
 

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