Suddenly you lose your way and lose the thread, lose your cool then lose your head

[gobetween]

Gobo sat on the edge of his bed, turning the small trophy over and over in his hands. The fire in the fireplace had long ago dimmed to embers, but he didn't need the light to know what it said. Trophy for Seeing A Poison Cackler Without It Seeing Me. He ran his thumb over the lettering, then heaved a sigh. A sound broke the silence and he looked up, laughing gently as Wembley jerked with another big snore. It was late, he should get some sleep.

Except he... couldn't. Today had been weird enough, with the switcheroo that Wembley and the Wizard had pulled. But then there'd been that business with the Poison Cackler, and sure it'd been handled but now Gobo was sitting here, feeling... something. He couldn't tell what. It was like there was a hole missing in his head, but there was something about Poison Cacklers. There always was, they just kept coming up with him. His paintings during Paint A Song, that one nest he found once, coming across one, admittedly with Wembley and Boober, while hunting after Red, then the trophy and the encounter after. Sure, that Poison Cackler wasn't coming for him, but...

Shaking his head, he put the trophy aside and slipped out of bed. Rubbing his temple, he picked up a lantern and a blanket, wrapping it around him and walking out of the room. There was only one Fraggle who could help him now.

Comments

[funsnofun]

To be the friend the others deserved...

It wasn't enough just to be fun, nor just to be bold. If it were, couldn't Sidebottom handle this on his own? And he clearly couldn't. Boober was feeling panicked, confused, floored, and-- Sympathetic. Towards Sidebottom. He'd really tried. He'd given up everything to protect Gobo. That showed so much caring, and - though he cared too - Boober knew that was something he would never be big enough, strong enough, to do. Not on his own.

Boober put his other hand on Sidebottom's opposite arm, so he was now holding him. He took a deep breath.

"You did the brave thing to start it all. That-That counts, a lot. And you love him..." Boober glanced over his shoulder at his sleeping friend. "...Just like the rest of us do. That counts even more."

He stepped back, sighing out as he let go of Sidebottom's arms. "I- You need to talk to him. He should know the truth. And then... Once he does... You can put me away again, and be you."

...Maybe it started with being a better friend to himself.

[scaredsilly]

"Gobo doesn't remember me." He sighed softly and looked over at Boober. "None of them do. I felt so bad after that dream experience, even if you and I ended it on a good note, that I made sure of that." He shook his head. "It won't matter, coming from me..." Then he paused and looked over again, turning Boober's way. "But it would from you. Boober, you and I are more than just you and I, we're we. I've been saying that since the start, haven't I? What if we did- this -together? We don't have to be after that, but this part could be. "For Gobo?"

[funsnofun]

Boober balked at the idea, at first, stammering with just sounds... How was he supposed to explain this? And poor Gobo was going to be--

Gobo, though... He did deserve to know the truth. If nothing else, he'd be able to stop feeling he'd forgotten something, right...? He'd have something new to deal with, but at least it would be concrete. Identifiable. Gobo was good at dealing with all sorts of things- He just had to know what those things were to do so.

Boober took off his hat, scrunching it up in his fingers, and nodded at Sidebottom. "For Gobo."

1/2

[scaredsilly]

Sidebottom heaved a relieved sigh. Taking Boober's hand, he placed his palm against the back of it and laced their fingers together. He reached out, and it was a single Fraggle's hand that gently shook Gobo's shoulder, releasing the spell that was keeping him asleep.

2/2

[gobetween]

Gobo jerked a bit, then moaned softly and uncurled himself from the blankets. He rubbed his eyes and moved to sit up, looking around him.

"Oh, gosh I'm sorry Boober, I must've fallen asleep on ya..."

[funsnofun]

He couldn't think too much about how it felt, now, to be himself and Sidebottom. How different it wasn't. He didn't have the time... But somewhere in the back of his mind, he did take note. However slightly.

But for now, it was Gobo who had Boober's attention. He shook his head with a shaky, uncertain, "No..."

Okay. He could do this. He had to do this.

"Gobo, I..." He sighed and sat down next to him. "...I think I know what you're trying to remember. And I can help you, but Iiiii- Well. It's a big thing. Are you sure you want to know?"

[gobetween]

"You know?" He sat up some, twisting toward him. "Yes! Yes, I want to know..!" He grabbed his arm, a desperate look on his face. "I don't care what it is, if it can help me then- then I want to know!"

[funsnofun]

He nodded- Wow, but it hurt to see Gobo so upset. So in pain. But he could fix it. They could fix it, together...

Boober scooched closer to Gobo, and - just as Sidebottom had done - put two fingers to each of his temples. He didn't know if it work, but he also did...? It was strange. He could see the chest, with that orange glow within, and it opened. The memories would come back to Gobo, while Boober provided the same story Sidebottom had told him.

[gobetween]

Gobo drew back some with a short, startled inhale. What was happening...? Boober? Magic? He wasn't sure about this-

Then his eyes opened and he stared ahead, seeing, watching all these memories. Feeling everything come to him. Come back to him. Even as young as- as he saw himself! -at the time, he could feel... feel it all be true.

Even before the memories were finished, tears were going down his cheeks, dripping unchecked off his face.

[funsnofun]

A few moves were made to hold Gobo, but they were all aborted, and for once, not because of germs or discomfort... But because Boober was genuinely unsure if Gobo would want to be held. When all was said and done, he settled for bringing his tail around to rest against Gobo's ankle.

"I- I'm sorry iiif... If I shouldn't have- I just thought- We just thought-" He shook his head roughly, and only about that point did he realize he was starting to cry, as well. "Well. I'm sorry."

[gobetween]

"No! No, I," he sniffed, bringing his hand to wipe at his eyes with his sleeves. "I'm glad you did. It's just a lot to take in."

He was quiet for a long time, sitting with his hands laced together, staring off into space. He started to speak several times, though nothing came out. At least, not until one small, uncertain, almost scared question.

"...Think we can find them?"

[funsnofun]

Boober sat there for a moment, wiping his eyes on his scarf and softly hiccuping. But once he was able to quiet down, he looked at Gobo and nodded.

"We're going to try."

[gobetween]

"Good. I want to." A little shudder through him, relief; he'd been truly unsure of what Boober would say. Sighing, he looked up toward the door.

"I don't know what the others are gonna say. I don't even know how to.. begin to tell them. I might... need to go to the- the old kingdom by myself anyway, just in case it isn't safe."

He was quiet, then looked around at Boober and, without another moment's hesitation, wrapped him up in a tight hug. "...Thanks." He couldn't even word why behind that, as much as he knew. It was too complicated, but he knew Boober would know, too.