>>5362221 You don't say anything else after that, taking pause to let those words sink in. Slowly but surely, John's pained rumbles and growls recede into something more human-like in nature, but, erring on the side of caution, you dare not allow yourself to make a single sound.
"...̷̸É͢͝lise..." John pants, breathing like he'd just ran a full-marathon, the smallest tincture of his reptilian nature coating your name. "Thank you..."
"You good?" You ask, hoping that his own secondary half won't make another guest appearance.
"I think so for now." John utters, his neutral tone a stark contrast from what had just happened. "Not the first time this has happened, but it proves my point about me being dangerous." He says ruefully. "That... was honestly really brave of you, Elise."
"You really think I was scared? Not like I was in any danger by being on the phone." You reply. While this isn't your first rodeo battling against a secondary half-- much less someone else's-- you suppose what you did was pretty big from John's point-of-view.
"It was nothing, really." You try to play it off. "I think Matt on too much coffee would give you a pretty good run for your money."
"Heh..." John's laugh is the faintest semblance of one. "Fair point there. Hope you're not letting him drink too much."
"By the way, Elise," Your brother speaks again, his next words nearly causing your soul to leave your body. "How'd you know what to do?"
>"That's like panic-attack-stopping 101-- works for me usually." Lie like a rug.>"I didn't. I was just playing it by ear." That's pretty much the truth.>"How about you tell me why that keeps happening to you instead..." Deflect.>Write-in>(2/2)