No matter how much he tried Eric couldn't control his worry. His whole body fidgeted and a heaviness had plunged his heart well and truly down to his feet! And soon enough he may just start using flowering language and metaphor.
He was not a literature person!
All the same, he held back tears. He held back hyperventilating or screaming and rocking in a fetal position. No need to lose all his dignity.
Besides, logically, if three out of the four groups made it then Persephone was almost certainly safe. Even two out of four were well and good odds.
The thought brought him a minimal comfort despite the battle raging outside. Inside someone had begun a commotion by shoving people. Eric soon realized it was a pheromone addled Beau.
Through his blowhard braggery the fairly obvious was worry. Plain and simple worry without flight or freeze as a viable option anymore. "Come on let the dragon slayer through! One minute and I'll be in Scarlette's arms," he declared and he sounded somewhat slurred.
Not to mention, one track mind. Control! Beau(tm) would focus on the problem at hand being the rampaging dragon lady.
Then again, the bases he had used for his formula were specifically and exclusively mating pheromones consistent with attraction, reciprocity, and dominance behaviors.
Note to self: must include anti-pheromone(ideally scrub) to avoid adverse symptoms.
Slurred speech, impulsivity, absent inhibition.
Diagnosis: Toxic masculinity-(quite and unfortunately seriously).
At the very least he came away with significant data tonight. And to perhaps leave love to nature and NEVER touch pheromones again.
He may also need to add saving a life, as Beau was starting to tick people off and equally grew more agitated, a lot spazzed, and proportionally hostile.
Some boys turned very unprincely shoving the little guy back and forth. Eventually he bumped by Eric. He quickly restrained Beau, adding the manic grin to his notes, and before he could telegraph his intent to claw a person.
A loud knock came and Eric turned to face it, almost costing him hold of Beau when he did.
"What's the noi-"
AHHHHHHHHHHH.
"Oh DEAR God!"
What had cut was the shrillest most terrorized scream anyone had ever heard and would probably hear at least a month ever after in their sleep.
The last noise they heard was the click of the lock. Everyone grew more frightened, including Beau, luckily beginning to come back down.
Eric maintained his hold even if it was both of them who tumbled quite awkwardly knees first to the floor.
He was hugging the little guy who'd probably need an explanation and who certainly didn't ask for this when he woke up for a Ball this morning and got his hair all nice and probably a pedicure.
Natural Duration of Pheromone: 2hrs. 31 min.
Exhaustion and blackout.