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]

“Oh yes, clearly!” he says to Sagramore, then bows before Szarka. “Forgive me, your majesty, for not recognizing such sooner.”

[sagramore]

As Benvolio's face comes within reach, Szarka hops up and licks it, which earns her a stern, "Szari"; she backs away guiltily as Sagramore scolds, "Would Lan Wangji be proud of thee if thou greeted Wei Wuxian so?"

[keep_the_peace]

"Truly I do not mind it," he says, grinning. "A kiss from the queen of this place is surely a good thing, is it not?"

[sagramore]

Sagramore flashes him a smile. "You don't mind it, but another might. She knows she's supposed to mind her manners unless someone gets down on the floor with her." On the floor is, of course, the Sunny Loophole.

[keep_the_peace]

"Is that so?" In that case, he lies down on the floor. "Have you other dogs, or just her majesty the queen?"

[sagramore]

Szarka immediately flops down, paws on his chest, and begins licking his face enthusiastically.

"Just the one so far. And my lover Asmodean has another."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio starts petting Szarka as she's licking him. "And what-- what -- oh yes your majesty I know -- what doth her dog look like?" he asks, because he's newly arrived enough to assume that whoever this Asmodean is must be a woman, if Sagramore is openly referring to 'her' as his lover.

[sagramore]

"Oh! His dog is a perfect little cloud-- that's his name, Dhakdi, it means cloud. The smallest full-grown dog I've ever seen in my life. No manners at all."

[keep_the_peace]

His dog. His. Right. "He! Many apologies, I am not yet used to ...how things are here, and that men may ...care for one another in that way." If it looks like he's blushing you're clearly imagining it.

[sagramore]

Sagramore softens. "Yes, things are easier here. There's no need to be anyone but who you are, or love any way but how you love. There's freedom."

[keep_the_peace]

"It seems... near too good to be true."

[sagramore]

A laugh, in spite of himself. "Aye, I know. Well, the trick of it is there's no leaving. The freedom is all in the customs."

[keep_the_peace]

“That bothers me not. I would rather be here than in Verona.”

[sagramore]

"You're not the only one. --Wait, Verona? Are you one of Mercutio's friends? --or I suppose enemies--"

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio perks up. "Mercutio is one of my dearest friends. I am ...much relieved, to have found him alive and well here."

[sagramore]

"Oh, he'll be so pleased to see you, he chafes for want of his friends. He's been low since Tybalt came and went."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio gets up at that (sorry, Szari), his entire demeanor changing at once to something resembling being on alert. “Tybalt was here?” Mercutio did not mention that. “He didn’t hurt Mercutio again, did he?”

[sagramore]

"Only broke his heart a little," Sagramore says, a bit gentler -- he assumes Benvolio is aware of the obvious romance, such as it is, between Mercutio and Tybalt. "They didn't get a chance to sort many things out before Tybalt left."

[keep_the_peace]

"What -- what mean you by that? Sort what out?"

[sagramore]

"You know, the mutual pining, the tension. --Wait, you don't know."

[keep_the_peace]

"With Tybalt?!" Benvolio's entire world is just crumbling around him, nothing to worry about here. "Tybalt who killed Mercutio?"

[sagramore]

"Jesu, I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious, I didn't mean to just--" Sagramore looks moderately flustered at having inadvertently outed his five-hundredth adopted child; the fact that Benvolio's world is tilting on its axis hasn't entered the picture yet.

[keep_the_peace]

Obvious. He thought it obvious. Images of Mercutio, covered in blood, lying limp in Benvolio's arms flash through his mind. Yelling at a panicking Romeo to run away, and that being the last he saw of Romeo as well... Benvolio tries to take a deep breath to steady himself. Mercutio, at least, is here. Alive. That's not nothing.

"I -- I must be on my way, many apologies -- I -- it has been nice to meet you," he manages to sputter out before turning and heading down the hall to the room he supposes is his now.

[sagramore]

"Wait, wait, lad--" Sagramore darts after him, Szarka at their heels. Her new friend is Upset. "Wait, don't go. I was stupid, I was careless."

[keep_the_peace]

Benvolio really does not want to, but he does slow to a stop. He can feel tears starting to form. Ugh. He doesn’t want this stranger to see him crying. “‘Tis not you I am angry with,” he says, still not looking at Sagramore though.