> OH . I THOUGHT EXPLAINING HELPS . . ?

Mmrrrr . . .

[the Hound quiets and focuses on nuzzling at Luke.

Hershel settles ever so slightly, humming and giving a small nod.]

Mm… mhm..

[the Hound starts up a low rumble.]

> 🎩🧳🧩 THINKS YOU AND IT ARE MAKING EACH OTHER SCARED AND SICK .

> IT THINKS IT IS GOING TO GET SO SCARED-SICK THAT IT IS GOING TO HURT-KILL YOU .

[Hershel’s begun rocking again, squeezing at his head and hissing under his breath.]

𝘚𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱…

[the Hound nuzzles at Luke’s hand.]

> NOT PLAYING . SEEING IF YOU’RE OKAY . SICK ? SCARED ?

[Hershel glances towards the boy, heart clenching.]

I’m over here.. n-not going… just, giving you space. Need.. nn…

[and he buries his face in his knees.]

> 🎩🧳🧩 THINKS IT’S HURTING YOU .

> IS IT ?

Hershel scrambles several paces away, curls into a ball, shuts his eyes, and clamps his hands over his ears.

no more reacting. no more getting upset. no more making it worse. no more.]

> PUPPY OKAY ??

[the Hound has no such qualms. It wriggles out of Desirée’s arms to go snuffle at Luke’s face.]

[Hershel flinches, and immediately pulls away from Luke.]

No, no, sorry, no…

[he realizes now, this is all too much for the boy. 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 too much. he needs to stop fueling the feedback loop they’re caught in.

[Hershel’s breath catches. this is a new behavior that he doesn’t know how to handle.]

A-ah…! I’m sorry!

[he pauses just before taking Luke by the shoulders. would contact make this worse? what on earth wouldn’t?

he ends up just crossing his arms and freezing up.]

All done. Over now. I promise.

> OH . . OKAY . .

[the Hound readjusts slightly, idly licking at one of Its paws.]

> NO . NOT FUN . CAN’T WAIT FOR IT TO BE OVER .

[Hershel makes a soft noise of disagreement, but otherwise doesn’t argue.

he sits up, grip on Luke loosening.]

Sorry for scaring you, my boy.

Thank you…

[Hershel rolls onto his other side, facing away, and tightly latches back onto Luke.

it takes a minute, but the Hound eventually comes to. It reforms with a whine.]

MMRRR !?

> WHY ? WHAT’S WRONG ? NO !! WHY ?

[despite Its complaints, Hershel audibly sighs in relief.]

[Hershel tugs on the tether again, this time with a bit more urgency.]

Can you wake up the dog? Think it’s throwing me off. Pulling me down.

Don’t wanna… don’t.. don’t want to go under again. Please.

Oh, apologies…

[Hershel blinks.]

I just, ah, clearly can’t trust my senses, so.. I’m not sure if I can really take you at your word.

[then he grimaces, and shakes his head.]

But don’t worry about it. It’s unfair of me to ask you to prove a negative. Just, um…

[Hershel’s eyes trail down the tether until the they land on Desirée. he stares for a moment, then gives a hesitant nod.]

Alright..

[he sounds… skeptical. his brow furrows, and he seems to be thinking very hard.]

[Hershel squeezes once more before his arms go slack and fall to his sides. his head lolls back, looking up at the sky.]

R-right, yes, of course. Sorry, having trouble.. telling. Um…

Mm… h-how much of.. 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, has been real…?

[he lifts a hand to weakly tug on the tether for emphasis.]

S-s’okay now… getting better… thank you..

[Hershel shifts onto his back, pulling Luke overtop of him. gravity should help with the pressure, if only slightly.]

Wasn’t.. real…

[still, the hallucination persists. a lingering sense of unreality hangs in the air. doubt creeps in.]

…Are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 real?

[the Hound has stilled for the most part. every once in a while, It twitches and softly chirps.

no more dreams, for the time being.]

but the pressure keeps him from falling over the edge.

and oh, Luke’s crying. that’s more important.]

I— me too. It’ll be alright..

[his voice has gone quiet and rumbly. a low purr has started deep in his chest.

he shifts a hand to cradle the back of Luke’s head.]

There there, dear…

A-ah..

[it really shouldn’t surprise Hershel that Luke essentially views him as family at this point.

perhaps it’s the openness that catches him off guard. Hershel’s not nearly as in tune with how he feels about anyone.

he’s primed to spiral over how close he’s let the boy get—

[Hershel coos, and resumes rubbing the side of his head against Luke’s.

the pressure is helping ground, though it takes a few moments to process what the boy is saying.]

Nn-no, no, dear. It’s not your fault. S’just a string of bad luck. Won’t last forever.

This is good. H-helping. Thank you.

D-don’t worry…

[despite the placating words, the arm around Luke’s back pulls tighter.]

Okay! M’okay..!

Not real… n-not real… nn—not… nngh… rrr… h-haaa…!

[Hershel’s not 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 to use the boy as a stress ball, but he needs pressure rather badly right now.

he clings fiercely and starts rocking.]

… Mm.. hm…

[Hershel nods almost frantically, prying his eyes away to stare up at Desirée.]

Ss-sorry. M’just not quite—𝘩𝘢𝘢!—catching up, I suppose…!

[he looks back, poorly conceals a wince, and squeezes Luke’s hand in return.]

Good thought, m-my boy, but I think my head’s being a bit stubborn.

!!

[Hershel’s breath hitches, and he freezes.

Luke is indeed acting like nothing is wrong. that doesn’t make the visual of blood on the boy’s face any less jarring.

his first instinct is to wipe off Luke’s face, but Luke’s got his hand. Hershel’s stuck.

and so he stares, visibly rattled.]

……

[his grip on Luke tightens, hands finally—cautiously—clutching at the boy’s sweater.

surely Luke will react a certain way if he’s getting blood on his clothes, right? right??

could Hershel even perceive if he did?]

Mmm… mm… not.. real…

[while agreeing outwardly, he’s clearly unsure.]

… Oh..

[None of that was real. Luke had said as much, hadn’t he?

Hershel had assumed he’d just been doing damage control. perhaps they were still doing that.

but Hershel couldn’t know for sure. if his reality was altered, he had no way of knowing anything.]

O-okay…

…

I meant the…

[Hershel follows her gaze and blinks.]

… Where did..? Wh? So the body’s not.. no one saw..?

[he shudders, squints, and shakes out his hands again.]

Um… was I here the whole time? Did I k— hurt anything? Where’d the blood come from..?

Um.. mm… is it..? Did you..?

[Hershel peeks at Desirée over Luke’s head. the initial panic has morphed into a resigned dread.]

H-how bad is it? Where’d it go? Did you move it? Or me? C-can’t remember…

[he gathers Luke closer and squeezes gently.]

Did they all see…?

Th-thanks…

[Hershel twists around to watch them go, wide-eyed and trembling.

still, he seems a bit too stuck in his head to really notice what’s going on with the boy. or perhaps he’s just not commenting on it.

he ends up turning back and rubbing his temple against Luke’s.]

M’sorry.. ss-sorry…

[Hershel shifts his gaze towards Desmond, and suppresses a flinch. 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰.]

Uhh.. mm… w-would that be… enough…? Think I’ll need a sink, or…

[he pulls on the tether again. still stuck. trapped. Hershel makes a nervous, mewling sound.]

Y-yes. Yes please. M’done. Need it off. Bring a lot.

[oh, right, Luke’s scared. he must’ve seen, and is lying to keep Hershel from panicking.

he lies down beside the boy and wraps a protective arm over him—deliberately keeping his hands from making much contact. still wet.]

Mm.. m’sorry. S-scary. All done. Think they took the body. S’gone…

[that’s a bit better… the growl dies down into a low chitter.]

W’sn… rr… real…

[if that wasn’t real, why do Hershel’s hands still feel damp? he shakes them again, and again.]

Hhhh…

[he ends up rocking back, pulling at the tether more subtly.]

Let m’go..? Home? Need t’clean off. S’bad. Please?

[Hershel freezes up the moment Luke makes contact. dream or not, he’d like to avoid hurting the boy.]

Nngh…

[but he’s still rather off kilter, and can’t bring himself to really hug back—frequently shaking his hands as though they’re wet.

his skin prickles. a growl starts to build in his throat.]

the dream is still happening and Luke saw everything and Hershel can still feel the blood on his hands—]

Nnn-no, no, no!! Don’t let— don’t look! No!

[he scrambles back until the tether pulls taut again. letting out a distraught cry, he thrashes and repeatedly yanks against it.]