Introducing Benvolio

[keep_the_peace]

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.

Comments

[keep_the_peace]

"Wilt have to introduce me," he says, braving opening the refrigerator again. It's bright inside, somehow, in addition to being cold, and there are several shelves with lots of various containers and such, theoretically all holding food, since Mercutio claimed this was for storing food. Benvolio reaches in and pulls out a small red metal container (a can, some might call it) with the words KIERKLAAND PEPPER PHD written on it. He turns around and holds it up for Mercutio to see. "What is this?"

[bymyheelies]

"Ah! 'Tis a drink, it is very sweet. It bubbles as well, I know not how." He grabs a can for himself and shows Benvolio how to open it, taking a sip for himself. That done, he sets it to the side and pulls out various meats and cheeses and some bread to assemble a sandwich.

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio copies Mercutio, managing to successfully open the can, then peers down through the opening, then smells it, then finally tastes it. He immediately makes a face. "Aye, 'tis sweet!" But he's taking another sip, so it clearly isn't too bad.

[bymyheelies]

“There are many different kinds. ‘Tis called a soda.” He assembles the sandwich after a few minutes and offers it. “There, try it.” It’s more than likely turkey or salami and cheese.

[keep_the_peace]

He looks skeptically at Mercutio before picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. “This is good,” he says, mouth still full.

[bymyheelies]

“Didst think I would poison thee?” He clears his sandwich-making instruments away to perch on the counter.

[keep_the_peace]

"Not purposefully," he says with a grin. It's easy to fall back into his old banter, almost as if Mercutio weren't dead this whole time, but instead away on a trip of some sort, and now he's back.

[bymyheelies]

"Thou art a rogue, and I should not have fed thee," he replies cheerfully, biting his thumb in Benvolio's general direction.

[keep_the_peace]

"Wouldst have me waste away, I see. Incredibly heartless!"

[bymyheelies]

“Ay,” he says solemnly, taking a sip of his Pepper PhD. “All so I should not have to give thee a tour.” He was going to make another kind of joke; but it is easier to joke about one’s own death when one is not faced with the man whose arms he died in.

[keep_the_peace]

"Alas, all thy plans ruined," he says, rather than make any sort of joke that continues the theme of dying. "Wilt have to suffer my company longer."

[bymyheelies]

"Suffer indeed, for I have spent months pining for thee."

[keep_the_peace]

The remnants of his smile fade. "Aye, it has been the longest two months of my life, without thee or Romeo."

[bymyheelies]

"It hath been a year for me," he says quietly, and hops down from his perch to give Benvolio another brief hug. He doesn't quite deposit himself on his lap, he is too sober for that; but he's definitely considering it.

[keep_the_peace]

“A year?” he asks, not really sure how that works out. Does time move differently if you’re dead? “Thou hast been here a whole year?”

[bymyheelies]

“Ay, I arrived in the middle of last winter. The seasons are odd here; much like everything else.”

[keep_the_peace]

"Odd in that they do not line up properly, or odd in yet some other way?" He sips his Pepper PhD.

[bymyheelies]

"Ay, there is that, but there are extra months, and the seasons are longer. 'Tis a different world entire."

[keep_the_peace]

"I suppose it foolish of me to assume this world would match ours."

[bymyheelies]

"Not foolish, I was as confused as thee when I arrived."

[keep_the_peace]

“So what hast thou been up to this whole year? Aside from learning to cook,” he says, gesturing to the sandwich which was definitely more assembled than cooked, but whatever.

[bymyheelies]

He waves a hand. “Many things. There is a gentleman here that is teaching me alchemy, there are many people to train at fencing with; most anything one can think of. I hath even met a god or two.”

[keep_the_peace]

He just stares, waiting on an explanation for that last bit there.

[bymyheelies]

"Thou hast already seen one, in fact. The gentleman that was with me when you arrived? That is Bacchus."

[keep_the_peace]

It honestly takes him a while to remember that there was even someone with Mercutio at first, considering being face to face with Mercutio pushed pretty much everything else out of mind. But that's right, there was a gentleman there. "Meanest thou actual Bacchus?" It's not really any harder to believe than being in a faerie world, or his friend being back from the dead.