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]

As Benvolio listens to Sagramore talk, a strange feeling settles over him. It's as if some anxiety he never dreamed he would be able to be rid of finally lessens, a lightness that seems to fill every part of him. He doesn't even know if he fully likes this man, but just listening to him talk about the man he loves like this -- so openly, so fully and completely, so caring and loving and full of joy -- Benvolio doesn't have words for how he's feeling.

"And you met him here, he was not someone you knew before?"

[sagramore]

"All my lovers are people I met here, and my husband too." He says it and then pauses, anticipating that Benvolio might need a minute with this one -- indeed, that Benvolio might be going through something similar to the way he felt when Lan Wangji first spoke of his husband when Sagramore was newly arrived.

[keep_the_peace]

"You have -- this Asmodean is not your husband?" It's not like Benvolio has never heard of someone being married and then having a lover, or sometimes multiple lovers on the side, but generally speaking people are a lot more quiet about it!

[sagramore]

"Oh, no, Laertes is my husband," Sagramore says, with palpable dreaminess. "He's the most wonderful man in the world. You'll see when you meet him."

[keep_the_peace]

“Yet you have other lovers?” he asks. There is no judgement in his tone, but a whole lot of confusion.

[sagramore]

"We both do. We have an agreement to act as our hearts choose -- that's something we arranged together, from the beginning. I'd never marry, or want to marry, anyone else, but love-- I was built for love."

[keep_the_peace]

"I suppose if everyone involved is in agreement, then it should not be the business of anyone else what you do," he says, thinking this over.

[sagramore]

"Exactly. No one is deceived, there's no subterfuge."

[keep_the_peace]

"Is such a thing common here?" It would have to be, right? There's not that many people, and if he and his husband (his husband!) both have multiple other partners then that alone is bound to be a large chunk of the population.

[sagramore]

"It's not uncommon. But it's certainly not everyone."

[keep_the_peace]

"Interesting," he says, thinking it over in his mind. "I admit, I have not often given much thought to marriage in the first place, let alone if I would want additional lovers." Mostly because he's not from a world where he could be open about who he was actually attracted to, and marriage would doubtlessly have ended up being with some lady chosen for him by someone else when they finally decided he had been unmarried long enough.

[sagramore]

"I mean, Jesu Christ, why should you?" Sagramore says, looking over, frankly, another baby boy. "You've got time enough to sort that out."

[keep_the_peace]

"Ay, I suppose so." Though it's not unusual for people even younger than him to be married.

[sagramore]

"Time enough," firmly. "Have you found your way about yet? You've a place to stay?"

[keep_the_peace]

He nods. "I awoke in a room with a bed. I have heard I may decorate it however I wish."

[sagramore]

"You may. You may even move out of it entirely and build your own home elsewhere, if you like."

[keep_the_peace]

"I think for now the room will suffice," he says with a laugh. "Building a home does seem a lot of work."

[sagramore]

"It was a fair amount of work," he allows, a touch rueful. "That's where my family and I live, in the house on the hill over the lake. But you'll want to stay here with your Mercutio, I'm sure."

[keep_the_peace]

“Ay, he is my greatest friend in all the world.” He pauses, then corrects, “In either world, I suppose.” Since Romeo is no longer around to share the title.

[sagramore]

"Keep him close, then. A friend so dear as that is a treasure."

[keep_the_peace]

"I have lost him once, I do not wish to repeat it."

[sagramore]

"No, of course not. Listen, if thou shouldst ever need anything -- help, or-- a listening ear, or something-- thou canst find me. I'd be happy."

[keep_the_peace]

He vaguely feels like someone else already told him this about Sagramore, but... he can't imagine when that would have been? Weird. He shrugs it off. "Ay, I thank you for the offer. 'Tis very kind." Right now though he sort of just wants to go back to the room he found and sulk for a while.

[sagramore]

Sagramore is not an idiot, despite his own protests to the contrary. "Well, Szari and I had better be getting along, we have errands. It was a pleasure to meet you."

[keep_the_peace]

"You as well," he replies politely, with a little nod before he turns and heads back off to his room. He has... much to think on.