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"You're the worst," Bene whines, but nonetheless allows this, doing his very best not to smile.
That abruptly changes the mood. Benedict focuses on her, thoughtful, his hand on Percival stilling.
Then, rather than try to verbally reassure her in this state, he gently pulls his gripped hand free and scootches closer to wrap his arm around her instead. He rests his chin on the top of her head, feeling a bit like an idiot but, at the same time, knowing this is the right thing to do.
Then, rather than try to verbally reassure her in this state, he gently pulls his gripped hand free and scootches closer to wrap his arm around her instead. He rests his chin on the top of her head, feeling a bit like an idiot but, at the same time, knowing this is the right thing to do.
There's a familiar arrangement of limbs here that plays on her subconscious as she curls up against him. Face to his chest (hers), arms draped bonelessly around him (tracing the tattoo on her back), it's not close enough to do anything but tease out sensory memory.
She mumbles something else, but it's lost in his shirt and spoken in broken Elven anyway.
She mumbles something else, but it's lost in his shirt and spoken in broken Elven anyway.
Athessa's bed is certifiably more comfortable than the one Bene sleeps in down in the public dorm, and there's a kitten purring next to his head, and it's warm with Athessa burrowing into him.
He's only been in a position like this a few times, but usually it was before or after something more happened, and it's strangely peaceful that the chances of it being complicated by such a thing are approximately zero.
He lets his eyes close, just for a second. Just until she falls asleep, he tells himself.
He's only been in a position like this a few times, but usually it was before or after something more happened, and it's strangely peaceful that the chances of it being complicated by such a thing are approximately zero.
He lets his eyes close, just for a second. Just until she falls asleep, he tells himself.
She, of course, doesn't remember falling asleep, or being dragged to her room, or Benedict diagnosing the drumming within the walls as her own silly heartbeat.
So she's a bit surprised when she wakes up cuddling with someone, and even more surprised by who it is.
"Wha—?"
So she's a bit surprised when she wakes up cuddling with someone, and even more surprised by who it is.
"Wha—?"
At least they're both fully clothed, or this would've been about a million times more awkward.
Starting awake when Athessa speaks, Benedict blinks at her, then looks around, almost as surprised as she is. Then he sits up, pushing his hair back out of his face, and stretches out one long arm.
"Shit," he grunts.
Starting awake when Athessa speaks, Benedict blinks at her, then looks around, almost as surprised as she is. Then he sits up, pushing his hair back out of his face, and stretches out one long arm.
"Shit," he grunts.
Retreating off the other side, Bene stands up and rolls his head around on his neck to crack it.
"You were high as the void last night," he replies, "I brought you up here because you were talking to the wall."
That's easily enough explained, but: "...then, uh, you dragged me onto the bed with you. And I guess I fell asleep."
"You were high as the void last night," he replies, "I brought you up here because you were talking to the wall."
That's easily enough explained, but: "...then, uh, you dragged me onto the bed with you. And I guess I fell asleep."
"Um..." Bene considers, then ticks things off on his fingers.
"That the building was trying to be alive but we were stepping on it, something about a toxic toad, and then you tried to take a nap on the first landing and threw a fit when I wouldn't let you."
"That the building was trying to be alive but we were stepping on it, something about a toxic toad, and then you tried to take a nap on the first landing and threw a fit when I wouldn't let you."
Phew. That, she can live with.
"Oh, well that's not too bad, then. Eugh, my mouth is so dry." With about as much grace as a ragdoll, Athessa clamors off the bed and to the pitcher of water on the table.
But there aren't any cups, so she has to squint around for those, first.
"Oh, well that's not too bad, then. Eugh, my mouth is so dry." With about as much grace as a ragdoll, Athessa clamors off the bed and to the pitcher of water on the table.
But there aren't any cups, so she has to squint around for those, first.
He could mention how cuddly she got, the little things she said when he was holding her, but perhaps that's best forgotten by both of them. He shakes his head with a smirk.
"Well I have to go to work," he says, a bit awkwardly, "tell Isaac hello for me, when you go kill him."
"Well I have to go to work," he says, a bit awkwardly, "tell Isaac hello for me, when you go kill him."
The acknowledgment is strangely more awkward than the action itself. Benedict shrugs, smiles faintly, and has no idea what else to do.
"It's nothing," he says, dismissing it with a wave of his hand, "don't worry about it."
"It's nothing," he says, dismissing it with a wave of his hand, "don't worry about it."
He makes an immature face at her, amusement in his eyes, and takes his leave. FINE
They're having lunch together and Colin has been distracted the entire time. Usually a good listener (at least in one-on-one conversation), he finds himself zoning out while Benedict is talking at one point until there's a lull and he realizes he's expected to reply to someone. He blinks owlishly.
"Um. Sorry?" he asks with a wince. "Sorry," he adds in apology for the out-zoning.
"Um. Sorry?" he asks with a wince. "Sorry," he adds in apology for the out-zoning.
"...and I don't know... how to navigate that?" Benedict repeats, realizing in the moment that he may have to go back a little farther, depending on how long Colin hasn't been paying attention.
Taking a deep breath and sighing it out through his nose, Bene looks a little frustrated, but not angry. "What's the matter?" He was speaking.
Taking a deep breath and sighing it out through his nose, Bene looks a little frustrated, but not angry. "What's the matter?" He was speaking.
"Sorry," Colin says again with a deeper wince. "Really, I'm so sorry. I am. What did you need to navigate?"
He says this as if Bene's problems are, by default, more serious than his own. And that's usually what dictates their conversations, whether it's Colin persistently focusing on Bene, or Bene persistently focusing on Bene.
He says this as if Bene's problems are, by default, more serious than his own. And that's usually what dictates their conversations, whether it's Colin persistently focusing on Bene, or Bene persistently focusing on Bene.
Edited 2020-08-28 04:19 (UTC)
"Nothing, never mind," Bene says with a shake of his head and a wave of his hand.
"You went off somewhere. Am I that boring?"
"You went off somewhere. Am I that boring?"
"Oh."
This changes Bene's demeanor somewhat, and he tilts his head to look more closely at Colin. "...she is?"
This changes Bene's demeanor somewhat, and he tilts his head to look more closely at Colin. "...she is?"
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