forum Monsters? These are my children -Ben (o/o with lisapickle)

Started November 05, 2019 by @chickenfrogman group

tune

Ben sets his cup down. “Business takes a man many places, Diablo. Though I here I have competition rising around here. Know anything of it?”

Dio regarded Ben for several silent moments before replying. "You're a business man, then? Out to make your way in the world?" he leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "Not content to stay at home, out of the spotlight?" he indicated Ben's attire, how obvious it was that he had wealth. "You don't seem like you need to fight your way through the realm of business."

Ben takes a glance out the window to the carriage. “Mn? If you live in the shadows, they come ten times faster. It’s easier to overrun a businessman who is not well acquainted with his community and the world. Wouldn’t you agree?” He makes eye contact with Dio.

Dio held Ben's gaze, his coffee forgotten and cooling on the table. When he didn't take measures to act carefree or flippant, his face turned grave and lines of worry became visible on his forehead. Finally he blinked away, staring out the window.
"I'm not so much an active businessman myself." he finally said, still looking outside, his words coming slow. "I prefer to observe. Study the endeavors of others before I decide where to invest my resources." His gaze flicked back to Ben, his dark eyes sharp. "I find it to be safer that way, over all. To not put myself out there where I can be torn apart. But." he sat up straighter, his voice taking on a lighter turn, the darkness on his face swept away. "But I may still be of use to you. You learn and hear more when others don't think you're a threat. What do you want to know?"

Taking in the words, deciding them just as fast as Dio could breath them, he takes the last drink of his coffee. “A one man threat is barely a threat at all. Safety measures are still taken, but I’d rather be me than the man with an entire company who sits in fear of me. Yes?” He squints at Dio, then stands, slipping his coat back on. “This place is crowded, I can barely hear myself. I’ll send you a place and time.” He yanks down the sleeves of his coat and turns to look over Dio.

Dio closed his eyes and let out a long slow breath as Ben stood, obviously done with the conversation. He remained seated and looked up at Ben, nodding once. "Sure thing." but his voice didn't match the light words.

Ben runs a hand through his (own) hair, the curls falling back into their place. He gives Dio a stiff nod. He goes to open his mouth, maybe say something, but he focuses on something outside, behind Dio.
The striking red hair catches his eye and he watches a tall man quietly speaks to a few, shorter men in dark coats in the crowded street. The man turns to look around him, showing his green eyes and square jaw.
Ben swallows and avoids eyes contact with the redhead, looking into Diablo's eyes. "I have to go." He firmly states.
One of the men walks into the coffee shop, moving to the opposite wall of Ben and Dio, and scans the place.

Dio surreptitiously glanced over his shoulder and saw the red headed man standing on the sidewalk outside. He let out a string of choice Korean words under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. Before he could say anything else, the door opened again and another man entired. This one had dark hair and wore a double breasted wool coat and made no effort to hide his presence from them. He approached their table, barely glancing at Ben, his gaze on Dio.
"Bless," Dio whispered, rising to his feet as he saw him. The second man stopped in front of Ben in such a way to block most of the rest of the room from seeing him.
"You need to go." he said to Ben, voice low and thin from disuse. "Now."

Ben raises his eyebrows momentarily, almost snapping back. He takes a breath first.
"I know."
He checks his watch, then glaces up at Airrow who still stands in the street. "Cover me?" He whispers.
If he sees me, he'll follow.

Before Dio could respond, the other man nodded. Dio opened his mouth to speak but he cast a glance at him.
Sit down, Dio. I got this.
"Lackey–" Dio began.
Sit. Down.
To Ben he nodded again, jerking his head toward the door to indicate it was time to move.

Ben purses his lips, giving the man a once over glare, then heads out, tilting his head in such a way that his hair covers either side of his face pretty well.
This is fine.
Two of the men outside, side by side, catch sight of them and talk to eachother, point, and then head their way.
I wont go straight home, that's stupid.
He reaches his motorcycle, taking in a deep breath and looks to Lackey, giving him a firm nod.
Thank you.
The men have stopped at the shop door, and seem to stare and wait.
Ben straddles his motorcycle, slipping the helmet on. He pauses, letting a group of teenagers get in the way of the men's view of him before he starts it up and leaves.

Lackey followed him to his motorcycle, staying almost too close for comfort, but kept his focus on the other men instead of Benjamin. As the group passed by and gave them cover, Lackey rippled into complete invisibility so by the time the road cleared, both of them were out of sight.

Dio sat at his table in the coffee shop, chewing his fingernails and trying not to stare at the henchmen after Ben.

Ben speeds off, already out of the downtown area, and drives down a highway towards farmlands instead of home. The icy air bites at what it can, and he can almost feel it through his coat. He speeds down, covering twenty miles before pulling into a beat up gas station to fill his tank and breathe. He removes his helmet, rubbing his forehead and taking in a few breaths of the frozen air. He strides inside, grabbing himself a drink of coffee and texting Violet.

Cage throws himself across the couch. "Aaaaaauh. When will Ben be hoooome. Is he still gonna make supper?"
Violet takes out her phone once it bings. "I don't know, I'll-" She pauses mid-sentence and furrows her brow, reading the message.
Cage peeks over the arm of the couch, raising his eyebrows. "What?"

"Ben's gonna come home and be super angry cuz y'all cleaned the house all wrong!" Silver called from the upstairs hallway where she lay on the floor taking up the entire landing. "I told you he's picky about how the house is cleaned."

"Is he dead?" Miki asked, pausing her scrubbing of the kitchen floor. "I told him to let us know if he died."

Violet ignores the chatter and and puts the phone to her ear, stepping outside. “Benjamin? What happened, Love?”

Cage sighs, sitting up. “Kissa go eavesdrop for me.”
Kissa scowled at him from across the room. “Why don’t you get off your a** and do it yourself.” She snaps over her book.
Cage shoots her a glare. “Just because Ben isn’t home doesn’t mean you can use bad words, Kiss. GABRIEL. KISSA IS SAYING BAD THINGS.”

Miki tsked and shook her head. "Ben's gonna get you in trooouuuuuble, Kissa."

"Ben's gonna get you in trouble for cleaning the house wrong." Silver called down.

Cage rolls his eyes, then stands. “Ben will live. Miki, What should we make as backup if Ben can’t make food?” He scratches the back of his head, walking into the kitchen.
Kissa watches him over her book. “The only thing I’d trust you guys to make is cereal.”

"Hmmmm." Miki said. "I can make, like, those little cup things you buy and heat up. That's my specialty."

Silver rolled her eyes even though no one could see her. "And then Robby will never come back."

Cage giggles. “Yeeeah. It is supper, so we should try to make something… fitting? Maybe soup?”
Kissa squints. “Sure thing. I’ll skin and shred one of you for it.”
A worried expression crosses Cage's face as he turns his head to glance at her. “What is wrong with you?” He whispers.
Violet enters the house again, setting her phone on the counter. “Alright. Ben won’t be back in time to cook, but he should be here around the same time Robby arrives. What are we making?”

"Then Robby definitely wouldn't come back. 'Hey Robby! So nice of you to come over! Oh, where's Cage? Yeah we actually skinned him and made him into soup JUST FOR YOU'." Miki mimed. "That's disgusting, Kissa."

"Soup sounds good." Silver said, rolling over to look down at them through the bars of the railing. "Violet, could you help us make soup?"

Violet furrows her brow, looking between Miki and Kissa.
What on earth??
She snaps her attention to above her to see Silver and gives her a quick smile. “Of course! Soup is easy. I’m not expert like Ben, but I can follow a recipe.” She pulls a cookbook from the cabinet and flips through the pages.
Cage sighs. “Why are you like this?”
Kiss stands, becoming invisible as she stalks outside.

Miki shook her head. "There's no understanding that one."

"I like chicken noodle soup. Cage, what kind of food does Robby like?" Silver asked.

Cage nods in agreement with Miki, then turns, his mouth open to reply to Sil.
“I- well, actually. I guess Chicken Noodle is fine. Vi?”
Violet nods, closing the cookbook. “That’s perfect. I have that one memorized.”

"Yayyy!" Miki crooned. She stood up, surveying her work of cleaning the kitchen floor. "Okay, Cage. The kitchen is done! What's next?"

Silver frowned down at Violet. "Is Ben okay, Vi?"

Cage scratches the back of his head and looks around. “Uuuuuuh… I think that’s it? The bathrooms are good, aren’t they?”

Violet looks back up to Silver, her lips pursed. “I- I hope so, Sil. I don’t know right now though. I’m just wishing I would’ve gone with him.” She looks back to the pans and pots, picking one out and setting on the stove. Her hand goes to her forehead and she rubs it, stress visibly rising.