desperatefans | Introducing Benvolio

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Introducing Benvolio

Waking up in a strange bedroom, in a strange house, was bad enough, but then when Benvolio finally made his way to the front door he was greeted by snow outside. Summer might be coming to an end, but it definitely is not snow weather yet, nor is Benvolio dressed for such, in his black silk doublet, black and blue trimmed trunk hose, and black stockings. He does have shoes on, thankfully, though he can't imagine how he would have fallen asleep wearing shoes. It's not like he's had much opportunity to celebrate to the point of blacking out lately, after all.

Regardless, he takes one look at the snow outside and decides to shut the door and instead turn his attention to the table covered in different pamphlets and papers. He has many questions.

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Aleksander caught the sharp inhale and knew that this must be one of those strange timeline situations, like with himself and Zoya. Very gently, he spoke. "I know him, yes. He is... alive and well by this place's power."

“Ah. That must be someone who shares a name with a good friend of mine, who — passed, near two months ago now,” Benvolio says, clearly misunderstanding what Aleksander is saying.

Aleksander opened his mouth then closed it. It was possible that it was a coincidence of names, that this boy's Mercutio was different from the Mercutio here but he rather doubted that. The Mansion had brought the boy here and it surely had a reason. It had brought Zoya, after all, and she had believed he was dead as well. It was a low bar but he hoped that this boy and Mercutio had had a better relationship.

"That could be so. Stranger things have happened, especially here," he said mildly then gestured towards the direction of where he'd last found the kitchen. "But let us find you something to eat before I attempt to explain more about where you have come."

"That would be much appreciated. Thank you," he says, still downcast as he follows behind Aleksander. "You are very kind."

Aleksander smiled wryly. "I was not myself when I arrived here and I did not handle the change very well. Despite that, people were kind to me and helped me adjust. The very least I can do is help new arrivals in return. My world was harsh and I want this one to be kind."

“Adjusting to peace must always be difficult,” Benvolio says, thinking of the absolute shit-show it has been at home ever since his uncle and Lord Capulet decided they don’t hate each other anymore, or whatever.

"It was," Aleksander answered. "I had been at war for a very long time and coming from that to a place with no army and no need for one was quite disconcerting. It took me a long time to settle in."

"I am glad you were able to settle in. It gives me hope that I may eventually as well."

"It may not be easy," Aleksander said gently. "But it will happen and all of us, one way or another, have gone through this ourselves and will help, however we can."

"I suppose it makes for quick bonding, to all have experienced this same shock."

Aleksander smiled wryly. "For the most part," he said, thinking of Crowley and their mutual antipathy towards one another. For Sunny's sake, he was determined to be as civil as he could but oh, did he find it difficult.

"'For the most part'?" That, coupled with the look on his face feels like there's a story here.

Aleksander just smiled wryly. "There are many different personalities here," he answered, intending to leave it at that. Benvolio would run into Crowley soon enough and then he could draw his own conclusions.

"And here is the kitchen. What are you hungry for?"

Benvolio can't help it, he laughs at that. "I can imagine so," he says in a way that implies he gets the general vibe of what Aleksander is hinting at, anyway.

As for the question of food, he shrugs. "What is available?" he asks, then actually looks around the kitchen. It is unlike any kitchen he has ever seen before, but he figures that falls pretty much in line with how the rest of the day has gone too. "A strange place..."

"Almost anything you can imagine," Aleksander said as he gestured to the cupboards and the cold box. "As you noted, this is a strange place. You only have to concentrate on what you want then open a cupboard and it is there. I find I have to work hard to get the Mansion to cooperate but others say they have no trouble at all. How or why this is possible, I don't know. I have seen many things but never anything quite like this."

He ignores the bit about the mansion cooperating with some people more than others, because honestly he doesn't really know what to say about that, it's weird. Everything is weird, and that is even weirder. "I simply concentrate and something will appear?" he clarifies, walking up to a cabinet.

Everything was weird and Aleksander was frankly impressed by how well Benvolio was handling everything. At his age, he would have been incandescent with rage and letting everyone around him know it. He had thought, then, that everything was in his control and it was just a matter of finding the right leverage.

"Yes," he confirmed. "Let me show you."

He approached one of the cupboards then stared at it, thinking intensely about a plate of blinchiki stuffed with fruit and cheese. He opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see there was a plate piled high with the little pancakes, some stuffed with cheese and others with strawberries.

Benvolio blinks, then laughs. "'Tis my turn next," he says. He's not sure what to request, exactly, so he just thinks about how he wants to eat something sweet, then opens the cabinet to find a pack of KIERKLAAND brand duplex sandwich cookies. "Oh."

Aleksander eyed the pack of cookies curiously. He wasn't sure what he thought of them, exactly, but they weren't the strangest thing he had seen in this kitchen.

"Shall we share our bounty with one another or do you want to try to think of something else?"

"Let us start with this, and see how we feel after," he laughs. He is curious about what the cookies will taste like. After a moment of staring at the unfamiliar packaging, he figures out how to open it and promptly takes a big bite out of one of the half-chocolate half-vanilla cookies. They are... incredibly sweet, but not unpleasantly so.

"Fair enough," Aleksander said. He debated over which blinchiki to start with then caved in to his sweet tooth and chose one stuffed with strawberries. He took a bite and closed his eyes in bliss. It was everything he'd hoped it would be and more - the pancake was light and fluffy and the strawberries were full and juicy. He did not think he could have done any better.

"They are good, I take it?"

"They are bliss," Aleksander said and held the plate out after first taking one of the cheese-stuffed pancakes. "Try one. It will be worth it, I promise."

"Thank you," he says, taking one of the strawberry ones. It's very, very good. Sweet, but not as sweet as the cookies were, and the texture difference between the strawberry and the pancakes is pleasant. "You were right," he says, his mouth still full.

The cheese-stuffed blinchiki tasted just as wonderful and Aleksander could not help but wonder what horrors the Mansion would visit on him in return. It would all be worth it, though - he wasn't sure he could have done a better job if he'd made them himself.

"May I try one of your cookies?"

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keep_the_peace - 2025-06-23 00:32 (UTC) - Expand

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