Chapter Text
In all seriousness Bambi didn't think much of it when they heard the staff mumbling about how they couldn't find Baby Lasagna.
As for WHY they didn't think much of it, it was because they all just finished rehearsals for the final, and they thought Marko went back to his dressing room to refresh.
Well… it kinda was a red flag that when they were all told JUST as they finished that they'd be having a conference in front of many many people, unlike before when there was just a kind of smallish room filled with journalists, Baby Lasagna had the look of sheer terror on his face.
No, seriously. It looked like he saw Windows95 naked in front of him. COMPLETELY. NAKED.
It looked like he just found out all of his three cats were people this whole time.
It was bad.
Yet Bambi didn't think much of it. Before they could ask if he was okay, Nemo dragged them off to talk about how fun the conference was going to be. And they got into it so quickly all they saw was Marko walking away, away from all of them. Then just as they say ‘out of sight out of mind, they forgot the situation even happened.
However now two hours had passed and they were all prepared backstage, ready to walk out there and have the conference in front of their adoring and sweet and absolutely amazing fans, but they couldn't.
Because Marko was nowhere to be found. And they couldn't start without him.
“What do you think happened to him?? Do you think he's okay??” Bambi turned their head to sweet Nemo and their smile grew to comfort the other. Marko wasn't exactly close to anyone here, not too close anyways, but they knew that Nemo very much liked the man and that they wanted to hang out with him more. Because the pre party wasn't enough. And meet his cats. “Oh I'm sure he's just got a case of cold feet. He did say he's a shy person. They'll find him in no time and we'll go out there and kill it!”
Nemo hummed and nodded their head, choosing to focus on their… ahem, friend, Silvester.
… Friend yeah-
Meanwhile Bambi decided to turn to Jerry and Alyona who seemed to be engaged in a discussion, but Bambi didn't understand them since they were speaking Ukrainian.
However, eventually, the two caught onto the fact Bambi was looking at them curiously, so they decided to switch back to English.
“.... So…” Jerry started, “Maybe we should.. look for him? The more the merrier, right?”
Bambi shrugged, “I think they'll find him soon. I mean no one just disappears.”
Alyona made a face, she disagreed, “It's been an hour, Bambi. How long do you have to look for someone who ISN'T trying to hide???”
That WAS a fair point.
If Marko wasn't actively trying to hide it shouldn't technically be taking so long.
But why would Marko be-?
….
A look of realization crossed their face.
“The conference!”
Jerry and Alyona nodded their heads, confirming their words. “So we need to look as well, we.. should know Marko better than the people working here. So let's find him, bring him here and start this thing.”
Bambi was quick to turn to the other finalists and tell them their plan. They had to find the Croatian man and bring him back safe and sound and, preferably, calm.
And potentially also find out why he thought this was a good idea-
“Dead or alive?”
Bambi blinked, “I know you're kidding, Windows, but obviously alive.”
“... Who said I was kidding?”
“Anyways,” Dons decided to… stop wherever this was heading, “Let's get to it. Scatter, everyone.”
…
“And bring Marko alive, please, Windows.”
“You guys are no fun-”
“Bambi?”
“Yeah, Marina?”
“Can't witches use magic, just wish him back-?”
“I wish, that'd be so cool-”
—
You think they're here for you? Don't make me laugh. Who in there right mind is here for you??
I don't. I don't think-
Please. You're a mistake. An accident. You don't DESERVE to be here.
My song is good.
You're not good.
Marko gulped and pushed himself against the corner ever further.
You should do everyone a favor and leave.
But Croatia will hate me for that. They already did so much by putting me in Dora when I shouldn't have been there.
Exactly. You shouldn't have been there.
…
So leave. Hide yourself like you're doing right now, you coward.
Marko let out a shaky sigh..
The crowd sings with you. Don't you think it's out of pity?
If it was pity-
If it wasn't, you wouldn't be here, Baby Lasagna.
Stop it.
—
They split up to look for the missing man and Joost had decided, oh so bravely, that he should be the one to look through the ‘haunted parts of the place’ (Aha the parts where the staff went and they weren't really allowed to go to).
They weren't actually haunted but they looked creepy and none of them liked being there.
To make it worse he was alone since no one wanted to join him and his bravery.
BUT the upside was that…
….
Maybe MAYBE Marko was, MAYBE, there.
Again. Maybe.
God Joost wished he just went with Raiven, she would've scared all the scary parts away.
….
Raiven was cool, okay?
Leave Joost alone.
He sighed as he walked down the hall, listening to any sound that could be heard from the closed doors that went along the hall. But do far nothing. No sign that the Croatian man was even here in the first place.
Hm
You know who would've fit this more?
Bambi. They like creepy more than any of them despite their overly sweet attitude, so why was he doing this??
Oh right yeah.
Brave man.
Ready to fight ghosts and save the damsel in distress.
… Said damsel could probably rock his shit though.
It was the ✨Balkan way✨ as Teya and Raiven taught them all during their lunch a few days back.
He wouldn't, of course, Marko was just a baby, but it was interesting knowing Balkan people were genuine fighting people.
Just imagine attacking the cute man cause he looks.. well yeah, but then the man just flips you and boom onto the ground.
… Cute man? Did he just think that? Eh whatever, it's not like he was wrong. Marko was indeed very cute. It wasn't just his looks either, but his personality.
Baby Lasagna, and yes you can quote Joost on this, reeks of ‘Looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll’.
He isn't scared of admitting that.
To himself.
…
Anyways-
Joost pauses suddenly, a small sound gripping his attention. He takes a few steps back and stops next to a door. He freezes up, listening for the sound he heard just a second ago. After all, he had to make sure it wasn't in his head, he had been so lost in his thoughts-
Sniff…
Joost perked up.
Yup, that was definitely real.
And that was definitely the sound of someone trying to calm their sadness.
Joost has heard that sound many times.
… Well most people have, really.
He walked over to the door and pressed his ear close to it, trying to listen and see if it was who they were all searching for…
Cause if it wasn't Joost definitely feels very very creepy right now.
“...”
Come oooon.
Say something, Baby!
… Wait no that's-
“Jebemu više ja i ova anksioznost. Ide sve u tri-”
Sounds like croatian yeah-
Joost decided to, in that moment, be an idiot.
What did he do?
Well, like a true knight, he decided to burst in.
“Baby Lasagna!”
Marko gasped in shock and he looked up from his spot on the floor, pressed up against the door of one of the three stalls in the bathroom. He was alone in there, just sitting and curled up on himself, his knees close to his chest.
He looked small.
He looked scared.
Joost didn't like seeing that.
The smile from his face dropped, the one he wanted to use to comfort Marko immediately and to use to take him to the panel. Or a good conference.
But he couldn't do it now, not when the man looked so…
Sad. And panicked.
"Isuse- srce mi- no, sorry-” he apologized in English for speaking in a language Joost didn't understand before continuing, "my heart is beating out of my chest-" Marko said as he pressed his hand against his chest and slowly curled in on himself even more so than before. His breathing was quick and loud in the silence of the bathroom, it echoing against the tiled walls. He was having an anxiety attack, Joost had heard of those but not really enough to know what to do. He knows they pass with time but..
But Joost couldn't just watch that. He couldn't watch the pretty Croatian suffer. So he knelt down next to the other’s curled form, "Hey! Hey, it's okay! Why are you so panicked-"
"I've never done something like this before," Marko looked so very close to tears and it personally made Joost angry that tears would even dare to show up on this beautiful man.
… He needed to stop this, Jesus-
"People are horrifying! You never know what's going on in their minds!”
He could still talk. Good. Joost considers that a win. He hadn't lost Marko completely into it. Or maybe he was too late and Marko was finally calming down before he burst in.
He didn't know.
And it didn't matter.
Because all Joost wanted to do, since forever, was make others feel better. He wanted to make others feel happy and like they weren't alone in this cruel world. And he.. honestly thought Marko needed just that in the moment.
"Positive affirmation."
".. what? What's that- I don't understand"
"Be nice to yourself! You're a strong and capable man!"
"... I have anxiety, do you REALLY think-”
Joost almost rolled his eyes and felt proud when he didn't do so “Just try it? Come on. ‘I’m a strong and capable man’, let me hear you say it.”
Marko gulped as he looked at him..
Joost laid his hands on his shoulders and he could feel the tension under his palma, but that didn't stop him.
“First breathing, take one in and take it out.”
And the other just looked at him. His breathing didn't slow down.
Knowing that's what he needed though, an idea popped into Joosts hand.
So he gently took his hand away ans grabbed onto Marko's, which were pressed against his chest in a tight manner. The Croat didn't fight him on it, if anything he could feel the tension SLIGHTLY disperse in the shoulder he was still holding. He pressed Marko's own hand against his own chest and he sent the Croat a small smile, though the look on his face proved he was confused and surprised by the gesture.
“Like this, look.” Joost inhaled, closing his eyes, before exhaling a few seconds later and opening them, “And now we do it together, come on, please.”
And it took a few tries.
But eventually Marko got to stable breathing. Joost was jumping around on the inside, he considered this a huge accomplishment compared to how Marko was when he just found him.
“Better?”
“Mhm…” Marko replied, eyes closed and his voice quiet, his hand still pressed against Joost's chest and following his pattern.
You hear that? That's the sound of Joost crying-
“Okay. Now come on.”
Marko's eyes snapped open and he stared wide eyed at Joost.
It took him a minute but he caught on what he thought the Dutchman meant, “No, no, we won't go anywhere yet, relax.”
Marko gulped and nodded his head.
He moved his hand back and Joost tried his best to ignore how cold that spot suddenly felt.
“I meant say it.”
“Say what?” Marko wondered, voice hoarse, almost like he had been screaming but Joost didn't think he heard that.
“That you're a strong and capable man.” Joost replied, a bright smile finding its way onto his face.
Marko blinked..
“I'd rather just go-”
And Joost was once again back to forcing himself to not roll his eyes, “Come oooon, it won't kill you!”
“Oh but it will-”
“It will not,” Joost reassured him, “Just once, come on, Croatian man.”
Marko sighed “... I'm.. a strong… and capable man..”
Joost smiled.
Marko stared.
…
“Did it help?”
“... Sure-?”
Joost jumped onto his feet, “Success!”
Marko chuckled from the floor. But Joost was quick to extend his hand and help him up so he wasn't sitting on it. It was probably washed in like… 1985 or something-
“Why were you here anyways?” Joost wondered to which Marko shook his head, “Not.. here.”
“Another time then?”
“Mhm..”
Another time it is, Marko, another time it is.