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“Of course I do.”
He doesn't.
“Sadizi explained it all to me.”
He really didn't.
“I'm not sure what biting has to do with it. One would think that would be antithetical to whole process.”
He doesn't.
“Sadizi explained it all to me.”
He really didn't.
“I'm not sure what biting has to do with it. One would think that would be antithetical to whole process.”
"One human inserts an appendage into the cloaca of another."
Duh.
"He mentioned something about fluids but I had already lost interest by then."
There's a brief, thoughtful moment.
"I also know humans carry their young in their belly. It looks... uncomfortable."
Duh.
"He mentioned something about fluids but I had already lost interest by then."
There's a brief, thoughtful moment.
"I also know humans carry their young in their belly. It looks... uncomfortable."
He shouldn’t have drunk from his wine, because Benedict nearly spits out what’s in his mouth when given such an illuminating description.
He steadies himself a moment, swallows, and smiles in a strangled sort of way.
“Which appendage,” he asks.
He steadies himself a moment, swallows, and smiles in a strangled sort of way.
“Which appendage,” he asks.
It's Vlast's turn to narrow his eyes.
"The one I didn't have before coming here."
And which makes wearing pants such a fucking ordeal.
"The one I didn't have before coming here."
And which makes wearing pants such a fucking ordeal.
Benedict’s smile is sweet, teasing, charmed— he may well be aware that a few heads are surreptitiously turned their way, but doesn’t seem to mind.
“You haven’t used it yet,” he guesses, and pops a bit of cheese into his mouth, smirking.
“You haven’t used it yet,” he guesses, and pops a bit of cheese into his mouth, smirking.
Vlast looks deeply bewildered by this.
"Of course I have. At least twice a day."
"Of course I have. At least twice a day."
At first, confusion; then, Benedict catches his meaning and laughs again.
“You should drink more water,” he advises— only twice, sheesh— “but there’s.”
He pauses, collects himself. This isn’t the most appropriate conversation to have in public, and Maker knows he wouldn’t want someone talking about his equipment so casually.
“There are other things,” he explains, gentling his tone, “I can… find you some books. If you like.”
To do or say more at the moment would be… it doesn’t feel right. Vlast is far from a child, but an innocence like his is a delicate thing, too easily upset by haste and carelessness.
“You should drink more water,” he advises— only twice, sheesh— “but there’s.”
He pauses, collects himself. This isn’t the most appropriate conversation to have in public, and Maker knows he wouldn’t want someone talking about his equipment so casually.
“There are other things,” he explains, gentling his tone, “I can… find you some books. If you like.”
To do or say more at the moment would be… it doesn’t feel right. Vlast is far from a child, but an innocence like his is a delicate thing, too easily upset by haste and carelessness.
Vlast doesn't have the presence of mind to be embarrassed about his body, junk or otherwise.
"I doubt it could hurt," Vlast admits. "There are... many gaps in my understanding of people. I know this now."
He still doesn't get what his mother saw in mortals. Maybe he never will. But he's starting to see what questions he should have been asking.
"I doubt it could hurt," Vlast admits. "There are... many gaps in my understanding of people. I know this now."
He still doesn't get what his mother saw in mortals. Maybe he never will. But he's starting to see what questions he should have been asking.
[with audible surprise,]
Uh-- yes. I mean, depending. Why?
Uh-- yes. I mean, depending. Why?
Oh!
[This is the voice of someone who is downright tickled.]
...yes?
[This is the voice of someone who is downright tickled.]
...yes?
My office is fine.
[Maker, should he clean it? should he-- should he put on something nice? COMPANY IS COMING]
[Maker, should he clean it? should he-- should he put on something nice? COMPANY IS COMING]
[ It's just Research, though today Jayce doesn't happen to reek of ash and smoke. ]
Be there in a few.
[ Having anticipated acceptance on the offer, Jayce had utilized the Gallows kitchen. As such, the bowl of mushroom risotto is still warm and aromatic when he delivers it to Benedict's office. ]
Be there in a few.
[ Having anticipated acceptance on the offer, Jayce had utilized the Gallows kitchen. As such, the bowl of mushroom risotto is still warm and aromatic when he delivers it to Benedict's office. ]
[Benedict is at his desk when Jayce enters, and he looks up with an odd little smile, a slight awkwardness about him, like he isn't sure what to say or do in the face of a kindness like this.]
We ought to have you working in the kitchen, [he remarks, standing to accept the bowl.]
We ought to have you working in the kitchen, [he remarks, standing to accept the bowl.]
[ If Jayce notices any slight awkwardness to him, then he doesn't comment on it.
(He doesn't notice.) ]
Yeah? I'm not against a few shifts here and there, [ he says with a chuckle, passing the bowl to Benedict, spoon with it. He shifts his weight backward. ] But maybe you should hold the idea until you've tried it.
[ The risotto, he means. It does taste good, though he'd say it's difficult to botch mushrooms, hard cheese and butter. And though he did unconsciously shift his weight backward to give Benedict some space, Jayce lingers a moment longer in case Benedict intends to try it now, because he is hoping for approval on the dish despite thinking well of it himself. He made it as thanks, after all. ]
(He doesn't notice.) ]
Yeah? I'm not against a few shifts here and there, [ he says with a chuckle, passing the bowl to Benedict, spoon with it. He shifts his weight backward. ] But maybe you should hold the idea until you've tried it.
[ The risotto, he means. It does taste good, though he'd say it's difficult to botch mushrooms, hard cheese and butter. And though he did unconsciously shift his weight backward to give Benedict some space, Jayce lingers a moment longer in case Benedict intends to try it now, because he is hoping for approval on the dish despite thinking well of it himself. He made it as thanks, after all. ]
[Bringing it to his face to inhale, Benedict smiles and sits back down, taking a bite. He wouldn't just let it sit there and get cold,]
I ate my own boot this year, [he remarks,] you've already surpassed expectations.
[He freezes, realizing how that might sound:]
No, sorry, I mean--
I ate my own boot this year, [he remarks,] you've already surpassed expectations.
[He freezes, realizing how that might sound:]
No, sorry, I mean--
[Benedict furrows his brow, surprised by his surprise-- he spent like two months in a dungeon earlier this year while an Envy demon pretended to be him and tried to kill Julius-- and he gives a little nod and a shrug before taking another bite.]
--it's good, [he clarifies.]
--it's good, [he clarifies.]
[ His brows remain high. Jayce recognizes a non-answer when it's given, but he isn't nearly close enough to Benedict to challenge it. Instead, he shifts his weight backward again, relaxing. ]
Well, [ he lifts his hand lazily, offering Benedict a wry smile in departure, ] if someone wants a day off, you let me know. I'm sure I can pen it into my busy schedule.
Well, [ he lifts his hand lazily, offering Benedict a wry smile in departure, ] if someone wants a day off, you let me know. I'm sure I can pen it into my busy schedule.
I'll keep an ear to the ground.
[Benedict's smile is genuine, a bit playful even.]
And thanks.
[Benedict's smile is genuine, a bit playful even.]
And thanks.
"— Hold the door?"
Said behind a stack of things, boxes in her arms and hair, having come loose of its tie, all over the place and in-between. Gela puts her shoulder against the frame and pushes through, putting what's in her arms down on Benedict's office table, on top of whatever is there. Just for a moment.
Finally she looks at him, already gathering her hair back now that her hands are free, spitting some out of her mouth, rescuing the leather wrap to reuse.
"Is now a good time?"
Said behind a stack of things, boxes in her arms and hair, having come loose of its tie, all over the place and in-between. Gela puts her shoulder against the frame and pushes through, putting what's in her arms down on Benedict's office table, on top of whatever is there. Just for a moment.
Finally she looks at him, already gathering her hair back now that her hands are free, spitting some out of her mouth, rescuing the leather wrap to reuse.
"Is now a good time?"
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