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| Details |
| Author: | inkie |
| Summary: | Ben and Sil pass a quiet evening at Bruuk's together, talking Death Knights and trauma and the upcoming expedition to Netherstorm. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Sil clomps up the stairs with deliberate noise, and drops down into a chair at the table.
Ben glances up from the snarl of yarn before him and grins at Sil. "Hey."
[Sil]: How's the uh… baby blanket going?
Ben holds the snarl up and eyes it skeptically. "Reckon it might be… a scarf now? I dunno."
[Sil]: Babies need scarves, yeah? *Sil tilts his head, looks at it.* Do you think I oughta learn? Now that I've got a nephew?
[Ben]: Might be nice, yeah? Miss Coit could teach you, too. Could do him some socks like I done for Baby Dane. Well, maybe not exactly like, f' you want 'em to be… useful.
[Sil]: Huh, maybe? I could ask her sometime. I don't really know the first thing of it.
[Ben]: It is real– uh. *He checks his automatic, encouraging impulse, because clearly it is not real easy.* It is real interestin'?
[Sil]: And real non-threatening, right? That's why you do it here in Bruuk's, so folks aren't scared of you when you come in. Right?
Ben raises his eyebrows. "Damn, you are on to me,” he says drily, and then tips his head. “You– think folks would be scared of me when they come in? Regular fellow in a bar?" He glances down at the yarn-snarl again and then lays it out on the table to pick at a knot.
[Ben]: I mean mostly I do it to kill time until there is people to talk to.
Sil shrugs. "I don't know. I got a new appreciation of what non-mercenary folks think seems scary, I guess."
Ben nods thoughtfully. "Fair, I guess. I dunno how many of those kind of folks come in taverns in the Military Ward, though. But." A genial shrug. He leans over toward Edris. "Miss Barleybeard? Usual, please."
Sil waves at her as she heads to fetch beers.
[Sil]: Fair point. *Sil leans back in his chair.* Guess I got a bit of news since yesterday. Or not news? You know the news. But Aze knows now, too.
Ben grimaces sympathetically, and puts his elbows on the table. "She okay? You okay? How'd it go?"
[Sil]: I guess as okay as a person'd be? *Sil leans back forward, front two chair legs hitting the ground.* She takes more after your view of death knights than Kit's, I think.
[Ben]: I do not think Kit has got a view of death knights as much as she got a view of Miss Crawford. But I take your meanin'. *Ben hesitates and studies Sil.* You okay? After that… last week?
[Sil]: Yeah, I guess. I just… those things scare me. *Edris comes up with the beers, and Sil snags one with a grateful nod.* I don't think that's like… cowardly to say? I think scared is a normal reaction.
Ben accepts his beer with a nod and brief smile to Edris, and then turns his grave attention back to Sil.
[Ben]: I mean. Reckon it was normal as hell. Maybe you will get past, maybe you won't, but still. You seen how Auralind reacted at that demon dog in Shadowmoon. How Cole is about felguards, or Sir Elo about ogres.
[Ben]: I would not ask Mr. Atley or my Aunt Nir to sit an’ have a beer with a orc.
[Ben]: People who been in the sh*t like that, it will do for 'em in some ways.
Sil nods. "I guess that's all stuff they saw at war, an' it stuck with them."
[Ben]: Well. You been at war now, too. So.
[Sil]: Colson's been workin' with some of 'em though. I don't think I could do that.
[Sil]: Not like, official, I don't think. But one of 'em was somebody he knew.
[Ben]: Well. That's Cole, I guess. He will try a person out. But here I was with you an' Cam and that Brother Vond fellow and I seen how all three of you went when that one come in. So.
[Ben]: I ain't in favor of small talk when I got three good soldiers sweatin' it. Let alone invitin’ one to fight in company with ‘em not even two months later.
[Ben]: I got a responsibility to y'all first. And no, I ain't real big on them things, neither. Personally.
[Sil]: Yeah, I mean, I 'preciate you. I don't know what I woulda done if that one tried to set down with us and have a beer. Can they, even?
[Ben]: Dunno. Will ask next time I see one. *His tone has a sardonic edge. He drinks some of his own beer.*
Sil snorts a laugh. "Or just live not knowin'. I don't mind that."
Ben smiles crookedly. "It do not seem like needful knowin'." His smile fades a little. "The letter Estel wrote me — I mean. It did not sound like they go much in for beer an' pretzels."
[Sil]: Yeah, pain. Like the newsletter said. And Cole was tryin' to warn Aze the same thing, but…
[Sil]: I think maybe she already took to heart? She was pretty adamant 'that thing' was not her sister.
[Ben]: I mean. I ain't inclined to argue the view. I do not think any of the folk who died in Lordaeron before now an' then got up again was real interested in their family ties when they run into livin' kin.
[Ben]: You… hear the stories.
Sil takes a drink of beer and leans forward. "Stories?"
[Ben]: About the dead ones in the plague an' — y'know. How it went for the rest of their families.
[Sil]: I never heard any of 'em talk about meetin' up with… undead ones. Do you know anybody who has?
[Ben]: No. I mean– what I am sayin' is, I do not think any of 'em lasted to tell. Because the undead ones did not give a sh*t about family no more.
[Sil]: Maybe that's for the best. *Sil leans a head on his hand.* Just more pain if the live ones tried, right?
Ben looks down at his beer. His voice is quieter. "Sir Elohad has said a thing about… findin' his little son's leg bone. Toothmarks on it."
[Ben]: Now, mind you, that was the dead in the old plague, an' not… whatever the hell the death knights are now. But whatever the hell they are, I ain't inclined to invite one to dinner.
Sil looks down at the table. "That is… damn that's hard."
[Ben]: I am gonna be a long time forgettin' that charge at Light's Hope.
Sil nods. "Maybe even if there was something left of 'em, there wouldn't be after all the sh*t they did."
Sil takes another sip of his beer. "Anyway, sorry, that is not good bar room talk. I didn't mean to go down that whole… I think she'll be okay."
Ben shrugs wearily and drinks some more. "Hope so. I am sorry for her. You can tell her."
[Sil]: Yeah, I see her, I will. How you been today? Mizz okay?
Sil tries a smile. "Bakin' any cookies?"
Ben smiles reflexively at the mention of Mizzy. The smile widens at the mention of cookie-baking. "Oh yeah, ton of 'em. She will be surprised as hell to learn." He picks up his beer and finishes it off, then signals to Edris for another. "She is doin' good.”
Sil laughs, taking a long drink.
[Ben]: She had a good time at the Atley weddin', a little star-eyed about it. Our anniversary's upcomin'. She wants to also go up to Plaguelands and pitch in some with the Crusade, after the harvest is in.
[Sil]: I hope not for your anniversary. Ought to go out to a island or somethin' for that.
[Sil]: Plaguelands is a hell of a anniversary destination.
[Ben]: Oh, sh*t. A island. Damn, that give me a hell of an idea. Thanks, Sil.
Ben grins. Edris returns with his second beer just in time for him to raise it to Sil before drinking.
Sil raises his, quirking a confused eyebrow. "Okay. I hope it's a good island you got in mind. And you all headin' up to netherstorm in a few days, yeah?
Ben nods, somber again. "S' right, yeah. Not too long. Got some… sh*t to iron out still with the rosters, which is shavin' it a little fine time-wise, but."
[Sil]: What's up with the rosters? Not got people in mind?"
[Ben]: There is people in mind, I guess. Just… Light's Hope hit us kind of hard. We have lost a couple've folks we expected to have. Cam Cooper, you know? Sanders got sat down, too, for– well. You recollect, I guess.
[Sil]: Oh, was it the whole demon-transform thing? That was intense.
[Ben]: It was intense. Yeah. An' pretty… irresponsible, in a way Sanders can be. Just, can't have that kind of impulsive goin' on around the Legion, you know? Got to kind of wonder if it's… rubbin' off on him, bein' out there so long with us.
[Sil]: Yeah, I dunno. He seems like the same Sandy, but… like would I be able to tell, if it was creepin' in?
Ben considers, frowning, drumming fingers on the table's edge. "He is still Sanders, in his personality, you know? But he has got stronger since bein' out there — like bein' able even to pull that demon-change sh*t — an' I saw the first month we was there how bad it could be if a demon grabbed hold of him.”
[Ben]: He killed Rae one time, you know?
[Ben]: I mean it was a accident, and he was broke up as hell about it, but still: a demon got hold of his mind.
[Sil]: Wait, what? Killed her?
Ben nods grimly. "In the Hellfire Citadel. We had just got her over bein' afraid of magic cast around her, an' then in a fight with a demon they had pent up in there, it took over Sanders an' he killed her."
[Sil]: I guess she got resurrected okay, then. 'Cause she's not dead.
[Ben]: Yeah. But it did set her back.
[Sil]: Damn, that is rough. And she still worked with him though?
[Ben]: She had a hell of a time doin' it, but she did. Soldiered on.
[Sil]: Wow, even if it was an accident, that'd be scary. Like, I did die when we were working, but it wasn't one of you who did it.
[Ben]: Yeah. Right? Yeah.
[Sil]: I haven't seen her in ages, though. You know if she's doing alright?
Ben looks down at his beer. He turns the mug in an idle circle on the table. "She is– no. I do not really think."
[Sil]: No? *Sil sighs, taking another drink.* Colson said he sent death knights after her… like, the ones that are on our side, arguably. But he said she was safe after that.
Ben raises his eyebrows. "He sent– he did f*cken what? That would've… sh*t, if she known that–" He laughs harshly and drags a hand wearily down his face.
[Ben]: Sil, I got to tell you I do not know what goes on sometimes in a person's head, I do not care how well-meanin'. Rae would– well, damn. Ain't half a wonder she was…
Ben shakes his head, grimacing.
[Sil]: Yeah, well, she was in in Ironforge… Maybe I ought to write her and… she doesn't read. I hope I run into her soon.
[Ben]: She reads some now. Harvey tought her, I think? She wrote me a note, not too long back.
[Ben]: So you could try it.
Sil looks up, curious. "Alright, I will."
Ben glances up at the sound of the horn.
[Ben]: Reckon I got to move on. Mizmainy an' the babies, you know.
Sil nods at Ben. "I probably better be gettin' on too. Thanks for the beers!" *Sil tips back the rest of his.*
[Ben]: Yeah, you know I am good for a beer anytime. You okay here in the city?
[Sil]: Yeah, I'm good. Stayin' in the townhouse again for a while.
[Sil]: See you soon, Ben!
Ben waves at Sil.