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2 - {audio}

So! Uh. Hi, everyone.

Question for the masses.

[Bennett fidgets a bit with his communicator, fingers audibly shuffling up the side and back down.]

If, if I haven't met you yet, my name's Bennett Marrow. I was a professor and researcher, back home. I-- I had a little bit of a second job, too.

[Evasive, but he's getting to it.]

Um, my question is kinda... multi-part, bear with me here.

So, we've-- we've been here for a little while, some of us longer than others, and, uh. I'm, I'm always looking for ways to understand the world around me. Aaaaand, uh, obviously, there's-- there's a lot to understand here. So, if anybody has any information about the nature of the Black Tide, or-- or, the previous ship that I've heard about, the MS Elegante-- could you please contact me? I would love to interview anyone who would care to step forward so we all have a log of information about our, uh, houseboat. Boat-home. This will not be confidential and I will be happy to share it with anyone who needs it at any time.

Also, on the, uh, confidential side of things. I, uh-- I know there are some other nonhuman and supernaturally-inclined beings-slash-people on this boat. If you need any help-- if you need anything, please let me know, okay? I'm-- I'm never going to tell anyone, but I know how-- h-how terrible it feels to try and find the help you need all alone. I'm, I'm a werewolf myself. I, I ran into a few of you last weekend.

I used to run a network for the supernatural crowd so I could bring help to anyone who needed it. I might not have all the tools I used to, but I know I can build that network here again.

[He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, fiddling with the communicator again.]

This-- this got kinda long. Sorry, everyone. Anyway. Um, I'd normally tell you to meet me at my room if you didn't want to talk over the network, but, uh, it's-- it's flooded entirely right now, so I'm, uh-- you can find me in the back corner of the shopping area. I've made a little, uh, cave.

Hit me up if you need anything. This is, is, B-bennett Marrow, signing off.

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[You are too pretty, Alex. Ben's a little red-faced when he turns on his video feed, but he gives his best smile to make up for... not being as much of a looker.]

Alex, it's-- it's a pleasure to meet you. I can do my best to fill you in with the information I have as far as the boat goes. I'd say it's a first for all of us, but, uh, some-- some of the passengers here have been kidnapped before, and this is... just, more of approximately the same for them.

[He's like... 95% sure you're male, which is embarrassing him even more. He swallows and continues. The more he talks, though, the more he geeks out, and the more he geeks out, the easier it is for him to keep talking.]

That's-- that's actually really interesting though, being, uh, a, a wereleopard. You're-- that's really, really uncommon where I come from, especially in more, uh... northern-hemisphere societies. I mean, technically that shouldn't even be classified as lycanthropy, but the clinical form does act as an umbrella term for all animal forms, but-- I, I, uh, does yours function with free will? Or are you chained to a moon or biological cycle like I am?

[Not much of a looker? Bennett, you are right up Alex's alley. ;) He's very much the kind of guy that likes people more for their personality than how they look, but it's cool 'cause you're totally cute!! And that blush? Yeah, that's going to soften Alex's smile and bring a little twinkle of delight and flirtatiousness to his tone.]

I'd be totally thrilled to hear anything you know; especially since you say it's happened to some people more than once.

[And yessir. 100% male that just believes you should be able to wear whatever you feel good in. For Alex this means hat sometimes (a lot of the time) you'll see him in skirts and dresses or other similarly closely clothes. Plus, they look super good on him. He's also a boy that likes boys (and girls, but mostly boys). [WINK]

The more Bennett talks, the more he seems at ease and Alex settles back on his own seat (somewhere in the shopping area) and grins as the questions begin.]

'Were' is a pretty all encompassing term back home and includes pretty much every species you can imagine... I got my lycanthropy from a guy that attacked me. Wasn't too keen on a guy wearing a dress. [He shrugs. He's heard it all and had it all yelled at him; he just happens to be secure enough with himself not to care.] Mine functions with free will for the most part... I have to change on the full moon, though. Happens whether I want it to or not... [Finally the smile slips, his expression closing off a bit.] I retain human intelligence, but I can't control myself... I have to hunt and I want to hurt things... bleed them. [He looks away from the communicator, brows furrowed as he frowns. He looks back again a moment later.] I'm... I'm not looking forward to my first full moon here... I don't know what'll happen or where I can secure myself. I don't want to hurt anyone.

[Ooooh, no. It's official, Bennett can never meet Alex in person. Without the communicator and the slight delay between them, he would almost certainly be unable to keep up his professionalism act. Which is firmly in place. It's his last hope.

The flirting isn't helping, to the point that Bennett forgot he was supposed to be talking about the boat and wound up focusing on the lycanthropy instead.

But at the mention of loss of control, Ben's whole expression changes: He's tense and alert and immediately biting his lip to keep himself from blurting out his opinion on the matter.]

You-- you won't. Hurt anyone, I mean. I have all of my mental faculties when I transform, I'll-- I'll keep you in line. We can even, I mean, it-- it probably sounds stupid, but I locked myself in my closet or bathroom for, for years because I was worried I'd lose it and maul someone. I mean, the worst thing that happens is you make me bleed, and-- and I can hold my own in a fight if I have to.

In reality, I'll probably just sit on you, though. A lot easier to control people when you're the approximate size of a horse.

[The red creeps back up his collar to his ears when he realizes just how forceful that was.]

I-- this, this is what I... kind of specialize in. This is why I sent out that call, you know-- I-- I know I can help you.

[You just have to let him.]

[No, you see if you felt this way now, Bennett, then the two of you absolutely had to meet face to face. After all, there had to be recreational time for everyone now and again, rjght? Right.

There's no way of knowing how Bennett will take the news of how he reacts to his forced monthly change. Not everyone was effected the same way, even on his version of the earth, and his sort were generally frowned on for giving the rest a bad name.

Bennett surprises him, however, and Alex looks at the communicator in surprise. His brows lift and his eyes widen a touch as this guy he's just met for the first time volunteers to help keep him contained on the full moon. The surprise eases as Bennett flushes, to be replaced by a warm and super sincere smile.]

I... I appreciate that, Bennett... seriously, I do. But if there's somewhere I can be contained on board, I'd much rather go that route than hurt anyone else. [The idea of hurting anyone else fucked with him, but there wasn't anything to hunt on the ship that would satiate his killing get lust on the moon.]

S-sorry to say, short of a closet or something, I-- I haven't established any safe places for containment. I've not had a lot of time to look, though, my-- my transformation was a little over a week and a half ago and it really took it out of me this time around.

Please-- l-let me help. I sincerely doubt you are too much for me to handle.

Besides.

[His brow tightens into something like fear, more intense and a little angrier than his default worry.]

I'm, I'm not sure everyone on this ship is as friendly toward sh-- shifting folk. I had a, uh, a little bit of a tense confrontation earlier. If someone were to s-see you as a threat or, or overly violent, you could get hurt.

[Alex makes a face as a Ben says that he hadn't really found anywhere to contain anything. He exhales and leans back in his chair, worrying at his lower lip. He looks up at the sincerity in Ben's voice, however, ad the other man says he's likely not too much to handle.

His expression is a little bemused when he speaks next.]

Babysitting a feral shifter sounds about as much fun as being said shifter, Ben. You ever babysat an oversized big cat? Like... tiger sized? I'm not average leopard size when I shift on the full moon... And if I slip into my half form things could get even worse. [He wasn't trying to dissuade Ben so much as make sure he knew what he was getting into.] I have three forms, including what you have here.. and while this is the prettiest, it's also the least threatening. I can be an above average sized leopard, a human or in between the two.

[He falls quiet, though, his hackles rising at the last as he sits up a little straighter and leans in.] He would harm a shifter, or me in particular?

[Ben leans out of camera frame for a second to jot some notes. Alex having a half form-- "imperfect" in Bennett's notes, based on his own classifications-- is interesting and slightly worrisome. Imperfection in lycanthropic shifts in Bennett's world only refers to physical forms. Those half-forms are a lot smarter, usually.]

A-alex, I normally sleep through my transformations, g-given the option. The only difference here is I might just sleep on you. My, the, the, uh, w-wolf form is pretty, pretty big. So. I think we'll be-- b-be okay. I've done this before, just-- just not with wereleopards. Normally werewolves.

But as to the, uh-- he seems... he seems like a man who can be reasoned with, but... we have to keep you safe, and-- and keep everyone else safe. This place... the more I learn, the more dangerous it starts to sound.

[Alex sees Ben lean out of frame and the scratching of pen on paper isn't lost to his sharp hearing. It doesn't upset him, as he'd taken more than his fair share of notes when the changes had begun to be and others... let alone when he hung out with Marcus and his pack.

The fact that Ben is still willing to go out of his way for someone he's just met warms Alex's smile, even as the topic doesn't warrant it.]

I appreciate that, Ben... can't say that I know many that'd make an offer like that. [There's a flash of that winning smile again, only it slips when Ben describes the hunter amongst them.]

I'm more concerned about others... I can take a licking and keep on ticking, so I'm not worried about me. I... I don't want to hurt anyone else... [Or infect them. Would it work here, or were people safe? Was he only a great as an animal and not as the contagious lycanthrope.]

I mean, we-- w-we can always barricade your door. Keep you locked in. If you think you're going to hurt me, I'll-- I can sleep outside. even if you do hurt me, it's going to be a lot to take me down.

[His only concern is that Alex could hurt him enough to make the wolf take over. He... doesn't want to even broach that subject.]

Really, the-- the concern I have, is... i-if you were to hurt someone else, they're.... they're going to hurt you back. Possibly badly. We have... w-we have some characters on this boat, you know?

I-if you don't want me around, I'd-- I'd say lock yourself up and hope for the best.

[Ben, you've sorely impressed Alex this day and earned yourself one hell of a friend. He nods silently in response, because as little as he likes the idea of injuring his new friend, he knows that there is little other option in ways he can go at this. He's trapped in a boat, for fuck's sake.

When Ben says he can just stay away, Alex's gaze shoots up and he shakes his head.]

No! No, I do... nobody has ever understood that wasn't a shifter... I'd like your help... [A tremulous smile... it's the first time Alex hasn't looked 110% confident in everything he's saying or doing.] I don't want to go through it alone.

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