#muse ;; BENNETT ( ♥ RAZOR . LUPICALLED )

[tenebriism]

@lupicalled : BETA EDITOR SWITCH ( X ) ;;

Now came the nigh IMPOSSIBLE task of  trying  to  get  Razor  to  understand  the  WEIGHT  of  what  Bennett  was  attempting  to  convey. Bless the wolf pup's heart, he was a shining ball of POSITIVITY when Bennett needed it most, but in this moment, optimism held less importance against REALISM.

Pulling his knees into his chest, cheek pressed atop them, the normally loud, excitable adventurer falls uncharacteristically QUIET for a few moments, making nary a sound beyond the occasional SNIFFLE, here and there. He can't let Razor see the tears fall . . . not when he's been so GOOD at holding it all in for years.

" I just . . . don't want you t'get HURT. I can't lose you, too, Razor . . . "

[tenebriism]

Whew, he can breathe again, and not a single sneeze more follows ( the Archons, finally, see fit to show him mercy. ) With words out the way and confessions made, Bennett was, admittedly, unsure as to where to take this. Not like he's ever been the recipient of a heartfelt confession before, nor had he expected he ever WOULD be. Leave it to Razor to, once again, take that much needed initiative.

Bennett's eyes snap WIDE open as lips met his own, however brief the exchange may have been, and it's only when Razor steps away and poses the innocent inquiry that Bennett's mind manages to catch back up. Razor kissed him. Razor just . . . kissed him. His FIRST kiss.

So, this is what HEAVEN feels like !

" Only if you want me to be, " he whispers, bashfully rubbing the back of his head, before offering Razor a toothy, rosy cheeked grin. " I like the thought, though . . of bein' yours. Officially, y'know, instead of just . . . wishing it would happen. HUGE difference. Heh. Yeah. " Bennett reaches for Razor's hand. Holds it, gently, before giggling giddily. " I can't wait to tell my dads. Oh, wait . . . C-Can I ? Is that okay ? "

blond sounds like he's been in dragonspine all night, like he's got a cold or something, but it's music to razor's ears. it's confirmation that his hunch had been correct, and their feelings were shared. how long didn't necessarily matter, but wolfkin does feel a little warming knowing bennett has considered their bond more from the start. just like razor. call it instinct, call it fate, he doesn't quite care to label.

razor lets go of bennett's nose once he's finished, a rare smile on his features, tips of pointy canines peeking from under his top lip. then, very quickly, he does what he's seen so many couples do in the streets of mondstadt - he presses their lips together. just once. a quick smeck. then he steps back.

"now bennett is mine?" he doesn't understand kiss mechanics, you can't blame him.

[tenebriism]

gives bennett a lil love bite on his shoulder. just a lil one.

LAUNCHES HIS MUG OF JUICE STRAIGHT INTO THE AIR.

[tenebriism]

bennett gets the super secret, exclusive option: kisses. so many kisses. like, ten kisses. at least.

WOW ! The super secret, EXCLUSIVE option ?! All for HIM !? He really is the LUCKIEST guy in the world.

[tenebriism]

he's going to keep pouting until you kiss him, bennett ):

" C'mon, buddy ! Turn that frown upside down ! " What would it take ? Both their weights in mora ? Or, perhaps he's HUNGRY ? Forgive Bennett, for he's not the most OBSERVANT adventurer, at least not when it comes to things like THIS, where Razor's face had taken on quite the cute expression, with no context as to WHY.

So, Bennett just does what he thinks is NATURAL . . . what he presumes will HELP, not believing it to be the solution to Razor's problems. Simply a means of making the wolf boy feel BETTER until they CAN get to that solution. He leans forward, peppers the other's face in GENEROUS kisses, and then BEAMS at him that wide, toothy grin in wait of the same response. " Tell me what's wrong, I'm here t'help ! "

@lupicalled ;; ♥

[tenebriism]

" Yeah ! Anything you bring back is pretty cool, Raz. " Naturally, he's invested in whatever Razor wants to talk about ( and there's benefit to be had in being so close. Razor is warm, soft . . . Bennett simply MUST be as close as possible. )

@tenebriism replied: Bennett vc: smooches too? 🥺

gives bennett a kiss, as well. of course, anything bennett wants. razor even throws in a nuzzle as well, burying face in the side of bennett's neck, "i found a cool rock. do you want?"

[tenebriism]

Blinks. Blinks twice. " Hey, Raz . . . you wanna go take a walk up to the hill ? No places to sit here, and my legs are KILLING me ! " And, they can look at the fireworks without being super close to all the noise. He's got you, Razor.

he doesn't like fireworks...too loud.

[tenebriism]

" --- hey ! "

His expression crinkles in discomfort, but he has to hand it to Razor for the quick thinking; it DOES stop the sneezing. Not the most romantic of confessions, now that he sounded nasally and stuffy, but at least he needn't go through the struggle of trying to get Razor to understand. Bennett had always considered Razor to be extremely intelligent anyway; seems he was right.

" Yeah . . . " He nods, raising a hand to rub, bashfully, at the back of his head. " Bennett . . . likes Razor, too. A . . . a lot. For a while. Don't ask me HOW long, probably since . . . we started hangin' out, which feels like forever ago, so . . . "

Rambling. He's rambling. Maybe it's best if he just shuts up, for now.

the first sneeze isn't bad. loud, sudden, but not bad. razor lets it pass, waiting for bennett to finish what he wants to say (even though razor considers he already knows, body language is funny like that.)

but then, another sneeze. bennett can't finish what he wants to say. razor, thinking the flowers are the culprit, takes them from bennett's hand and throws them aside, reaching up to pinch bennett's nose closed.

"...bennett like razor too?" he finishes for the other, red eyes soft for once. truthfully, he can smell it on bennett, hear it in his heartbeat, but he wants the other to agree on his own.

[tenebriism]

" A-Always ? " Always was a synonym of forever, when it came to relationships, right ? And, usually that meant marriage, or . . . something. He's getting AHEAD of himself, dial it back a bit. His hand, though trembling, cradles Razor's cheek, thumb smoothing against it. Cute . . . he's so cute. " Yeah, that's roman . . . r-romantically. You got it. Heh. " He tears his gaze away, blushing. " H-Honestly, I . . . like you, t--- "

SNEEZES.

Try again. " Sorry, I was trying to say that I--- "

Sneezes AGAIN.

" No, no, no--- c'mon ! "

romantically. razor mouths the word, making sure he can pronounce it right, before he nods. he pulls bennett's hand up to his face so he can nuzzle the palm with a scarred cheek, "mean...want to be mate, yes? be with bennett, always. hold hands. give presents. love...that is romantically, right?"

[tenebriism]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA. Alright, so much for the plan to help Razor with an endeavor that Bennett assumed had NOTHING to do with him. " You LIKE me ? Like, you . . . okay. H-Hold on, Raz, uh . . . ROMANTICALLY ? Y-You mean romantically ? "

at least wolfkin is patient; he waits until what he says seems to register. then, he nods in agreement. fingers still hold on to bennett's wrist, "yes. bennett. try to show you in many ways before, but just have to tell you."

[tenebriism]

Bennett, without thinking, takes them and grins. " Yeah ! I like you, too, buddy ! "

A second goes by. Another second. Another . . . WAIT.

" ME !? "

sometimes, when bennett misses a point, wolfkin wonders just who exactly was raised by wolves in this scenario. razor just sighs, shakes his head, and reaches out his free hand. he takes bennett by the wrist, urging the flowers he holds in the other into blonde's palm.

"not practice. for bennett. razor like bennett."

[tenebriism]

" Oh--- uh . . . " Is this for PRACTICE? Can't fault for the wolf raised boy for ensuring he got it just right, but he doesn't have to go THAT far. " If this is just for roleplay, you could just grab an apple and pretend, Razor ! You don't have to go to all the trouble of making my favorite food. "

hmm. he has no prepared food on him right now, no fried egg or meat. what else can work? razor glances around, finds a flowering plant by their feet, and plucks off a few of the white, tiny blooms. wolfkin them juts them out to bennett in a fist-full.

"flowers. for you. then i go make bennett favorite food."

[tenebriism]

It's not something he likes to do. Crying may be a very normal, HUMAN emotion, but unless he's shedding tears of absolute, undeniable JOY, he wants nothing to do with them. Yet, these moments happen more than he cares to admit, usually within the comforting embrace of his circle of dads, who would not hesitate to seize the sun from the sky ITSELF if it meant restoring that bright 'n cheery demeanor of his.

--- and, though the young adventurer is GRATEFUL for all the attempts his fathers make to reassure him, there's still that small part of him that KNOWS they're somewhat obligated to, as his overly caring guardians. Despite all the CHAOS he has caused at home, they would never leave his side through familial ties alone.

Razor . . . is different, and still, the wolf raised boy is RESOLUTE in staying. It means more to the crestfallen adventurer than Bennett would ever be able to put into words.

" You know how it feels . . . better than anyone, yeah ? " He'd always thought they were meant to meet. MADE for each other, in some strange, cruel way, " Outside of my dads, you're . . . the only one who has really given me a chance, buddy. Startin' to think you're my good luck charm, " he mutters with a breathy chuckle, playfully nudging the silveret with his elbow, before leaning over and against him.

" Really dunno what I'd do without ya. Wish I was better with words, this sounds so cheesy--- hahaha ! "

razor doesn't have to see tears to know they're there, unfortunately for bennett. his senses - dialed to eleven since he was a toddler blessed by the great north wind - could tell almost instantly the second adventurer's lashes were wet, the extra salty saline smell unmistakable. but, fortunately for bennett, razor wasn't the type to be perturbed by a show of emotion. he may not express much himself outwardly, but he indeed felt things just as deep as his human counterparts. maybe even moreso. bennett is sad about something…more than that, he is scared. razor can smell that, too. in the way his body responds to stress, his sweat and tears and merely his body language.

too. razor hears that tacked on to the end of the statement. it helps him understand a little better, he thinks. bennett is afraid of razor getting hurt. he is afraid of losing someone else, so something like an accident must have happened before. was that why bennett thought he was so unlucky? even razor can grasp the difference in circumstances: rain clouds on your hunting day were one thing, but a mistake leading in death was entirely different. razor knows this personally. he tries not to think how heavy the vision on his back feels in that instant, and instead focuses on comforting his partner.

a tactile creature by nature, wolfkin crawls a little closer to his companion, nudging the crown of his head against bennett's crossed arms. a silent attempt to get him to look up, "i'm sorry bennett lost someone. i lost lupical, too. i…was not strong enough then. but i am now. you can protect razor, and razor can protect you…that way, no lost. just together."