[open] watching paint dry

[altusimperius]

WHO: Benedict and you
WHAT: Working on the dining hall mural, smoking elfroot, making himself useful one small task at a time
WHEN: Kingsway
WHERE: mostly the dining hall, sometimes other places
NOTES: ART

I. Style Taste Class

Already something of a serious person by nature, Benedict has never been more invested in a project than he is in his newly-appointed task of livening up the dining hall-- even his work as a chamberlain was more detached than this, what with him making stylistic decisions but not personally implementing any of them.

He's requested a little scaffold be set up so he can get above the large tower doorframes, and he can be found there at all hours that he isn't in Byerly's office, which is to say, in the mornings and late at night. When he sleeps is unclear, but based on the bags under his eyes, that doesn't come often.

But he seems cheerful enough, for who he is, and is usually open to conversation with diners and passersby as his painstaking design begins to take shape*.

*it's an approximation obviously

II. Recreation Station

When not at work either for Byerly or on his Masterpiece, Bene can be found lounging with his semi-erstwhile hookah in a spare room of the mage tower, having amassed a small number of battered and disused pillows and blankets to make the place homier.
His presence there is usually indicated by the smell of scented smoke, much like his former neighbors would be used to when he still had a room of his own, but fortunately he keeps the window open to let things vent properly.

III. Wildcard

The usual stuff is happening! Make your own prompt or hit me up for one.

Comments

[altusimperius]

"You look like a person and you smell--" Bene corrects, pausing to inhale, "--tolerable."

Then he crawls back over, takes the hookah from Edgard to pull from it himself (seductively?), hands it back, and lowers himself to his stomach to pick up where he left off.

[muckspout]

"I looked like a person bef-" Edgard starts to protest and then finds that he doesn't have much to protest much longer. Beliefs schmeliefs. Once again, Riftwatch does not seem so bad.

Stunning romance indeed.

[altusimperius]

It takes as long as it does, and when Edgard seems like he's verging on release, Bene's mouth withdraws and is replaced with a handkerchief to prevent too much of a mess.

Then, as if nothing had even happened, he raises himself up and moves back to sprawl over the pillows again. Job done.

[muckspout]

Edgard closes his eyes sleepily and as he's drifting off catches a whiff of his freshly washed hair. It makes him shudder. He needs to correct this situation immediately. He pushes himself up and grasps Benedict's hand. And then with sudden uncharacteristic gallantry--

"I must go. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Monsieur Benedict. I hope we meet again." He brushes the hand lightly to his lips and then stumbles away.

[altusimperius]

A grunt is the only response he receives, and Benedict might already be asleep again by the time Edgard takes his leave.

Novels will be written about this moment.