Dancing Queen

Benji Clarington.18 years old. Fresh Meat. Dance major. Education minor. Catch me freerunning through campus in Assassin's Creed cosplay.

[benjiclarington]

MUSING: Character Color Scheme Moodboard

Benjamin Levi Smythe

[benjiclarington]

[Ben quickly brightened back up.] Oh, he's the best! He's gonna graduate from speech therapy soon! And he starts preschool in September. He's going to Packer in Brooklyn.

[masonmccheers]

[Mason smiled at that. It was nice to see one of his friends doing so well.] That's amazing. Gosh, he's growing so fast. Kids do that, I guess, but it's still crazy to witness. I'm glad you guys are doing well.

[benjiclarington]

He really is, [Ben agreed with a smile.] You do gotta remember that we all missed the first little bit though. So that just makes it feel like it was even faster.

[benjiclarington]

...Oh. [Ben frowned.] I'm really sorry then. Divorces are always really hard...

I bet both of them will eventually find heir perfect person with someone else though. And maybe by that time, your brother will be in a much better place mentally, too.

[masonmccheers]

Mm, I hope so. [Mason hummed, still trying not to let the whole thing consume him.] As frustrated with Jax as I am right now, I still want him to figure himself out and be happy. And Schuy's my best friend, so like... obviously.

Anyway, in happier topics, how's Theo?

[benjiclarington]

[Ben quickly brightened back up.] Oh, he's the best! He's gonna graduate from speech therapy soon! And he starts preschool in September. He's going to Packer in Brooklyn.

[benjiclarington]

They are?! [Ben asked in disbelief.] Is that why he's been even more moody and grumpy that usual? I thought he just didn't like the new round of temps... [He murmured, more to himself than to Mason.] What happened though?

[masonmccheers]

[Mason nodded.] I mean... I don't think he likes them either, but yeah. My brother's... I don't know. He's been just generally awful to all of us lately. And not just in an annoying way, like in a... it was affecting our lives way.

He went to this inpatient mental health facility for awhile and said he was working on things, though Schuy was definitely ready to end things before that. And even when we went to see him, they just got in another fight.

[benjiclarington]

...Oh. [Ben frowned.] I'm really sorry then. Divorces are always really hard...

I bet both of them will eventually find heir perfect person with someone else though. And maybe by that time, your brother will be in a much better place mentally, too.

[benjiclarington]

[Ben blinked.] "Disappear"? ...Huh?

[masonmccheers]

Schuy and Jax are getting divorced and I guess Ari got Jax a hotel for a week, but... other than that, I don't really know where he is or what he's gonna do.

And Vitya... well, he deserves to disappear from my life, but it still sucks. At least I'm making some new friends here though.

[benjiclarington]

They are?! [Ben asked in disbelief.] Is that why he's been even more moody and grumpy that usual? I thought he just didn't like the new round of temps... [He murmured, more to himself than to Mason.] What happened though?

[benjiclarington]

Okay.

...Is there anything else I could help with in the meantime?

[masonmccheers]

[Mason shrugged.] Just trying to get by while brothers and friends disappear from my life. You know... the usual. Not sure what can be done about other people acting awful though.

[benjiclarington]

[Ben blinked.] "Disappear"? ...Huh?

[benjiclarington]

...Do you want me to come with you?

[masonmccheers]

I... I don't know. Maybe. [Mason admitted.] Let me call him tomorrow and see if I can figure out if he knows yet. If he obviously doesn't, I'll set up seeing him and... I'll let you know.

[benjiclarington]

Okay.

...Is there anything else I could help with in the meantime?

[benjiclarington]

...You're really gonna tell him by yourself?

[masonmccheers]

[Mason shrugged again.] I can't not tell him. He deserves to know whether it's still happening or not.

[benjiclarington]

...Do you want me to come with you?

[benjiclarington]

Oh. ...Where was I during the Valentine's Day one? I honestly can't even remember. ...Was I dating Chris by then? It's all such a... blur of boring... [Ben murmured more to himself than to Mason.]

[He frowned.] ...You don't think Accent would try to keep going with this other guy without telling him if he doesn't already know, do you?

[masonmccheers]

[Mason giggled softly before focusing back in on the current situation.]

I mean he was adamant enough about not having to give up either of them to scream at me and Henri last night. So I can't imagine he'd suddenly be into giving up the information willingly.

[benjiclarington]

...You're really gonna tell him by yourself?

[benjiclarington]

I think I was busy fucking Cooper in his car dressed as Pikachu... [Ben thought out loud.]

...Oh. ...He's the other woman.

[masonmccheers]

That was Halloween, but sure.

[Mason shrugged.] I think it all kinda happened around the same time, so... they maybe both are? Whatever the case, it's all Vitya's fault. Neither of them knew anything. Which is why I'm now not sure if Monty still doesn't know anything.

[benjiclarington]

Oh. ...Where was I during the Valentine's Day one? I honestly can't even remember. ...Was I dating Chris by then? It's all such a... blur of boring... [Ben murmured more to himself than to Mason.]

[He frowned.] ...You don't think Accent would try to keep going with this other guy without telling him if he doesn't already know, do you?

[benjiclarington]

Huh?! [Ben asked... louder.]

[masonmccheers]

You didn't hear about that? It was crazy. I was at the chocolate fountain.

Anyway... [Mason shook his head.] You know Nikko. Husband of Sam. Lover of the stars. Lives with your sister-in-law. He has an older brother. Who once dated Schuy, but then cheated on him. Then years later... somehow became friends with me. Still not sure how that happened. Anyway, Monty eventually started dating Vitya. Then they both disappeared. And apparently coincidentally... both ended up here in the city. And recently found each other again...

[benjiclarington]

I think I was busy fucking Cooper in his car dressed as Pikachu... [Ben thought out loud.]

...Oh. ...He's the other woman.

[benjiclarington]

It's more of a condo. It's cute and has a garden!

[Ben tilted his head.] ..."Monty"? Who's that?

[masonmccheers]

That sounds nice.

Um. Monty Prescott. Nikko's brother? Waved a gun around at our Valentine's Carnival back in the day.

[benjiclarington]

Huh?! [Ben asked... louder.]

[benjiclarington]

[Ben nodded.] He originally came over for something else, but eventually we started talking about him and Lemon. It was pretty clear that they were meant to be.

[He shook his head.] Unfortunately? No. All I know is he yelled at a bunch of people and got banned from the club. I don't know what happened after that...

[masonmccheers]

[Mason hummed in thought.] Well, I'm glad I don't have to tell Lemon and that things seem to be working out for her and Cee. And that you... bought them a house for whatever reason.

But now... do I call Monty? Schuy's definitely not gonna help me with that one.

[benjiclarington]

It's more of a condo. It's cute and has a garden!

[Ben tilted his head.] ..."Monty"? Who's that?

[benjiclarington]

Because Cam came to talk to me a while ago, [Ben said simply.]

[masonmccheers]

Oh. Yeah, me too. For different reasons probably, but I'm sure we got the same gist of things.

[Mason worried at his bottom lip for a moment.] You didn't happen to hear... how Lemon found out about Vitya, did you?

[benjiclarington]

[Ben nodded.] He originally came over for something else, but eventually we started talking about him and Lemon. It was pretty clear that they were meant to be.

[He shook his head.] Unfortunately? No. All I know is he yelled at a bunch of people and got banned from the club. I don't know what happened after that...

[benjiclarington]

He's the one that was cheating with a girl basically, like... the whole time we were together, [Ben said simply. At the time, he would've never believed it, but after all these years, it was finally possible to talk about these sorts of things without a sting rising to his chest.]

Austin and Cam found her, yeah. I only talked to Cam long enough to give him the code to the house, not much else, so I can't say about that part. But I believe Annie--tell her 'hi' back, by the way--and I'm glad to hear it. Because they both deserve to be happy and with each other.

[masonmccheers]

[Mason nodded slightly. For all his own family troubles, he was at least grateful that his previous relationships had ended pretty amicably.]

[He glanced back at the door, unsure why he was delivering messages back and forth across a hallway, but that wasn't important right now.] They do. But if all that happened today, why did you buy Cee and Lemon a house... awhile ago?

[benjiclarington]

Because Cam came to talk to me a while ago, [Ben said simply.]

[benjiclarington]

...That Accent pulled an Avii on Lemon and she ran away for a while?

[masonmccheers]

I don't exactly remember which one that was, but I can figure it out from context.

She ran away? ...can't really blame her. But Cee must've found her, right? Cause Annie said-- oh, Annie says hi, by the way --she said they both sounded... happy on the message they left her.

[benjiclarington]

He's the one that was cheating with a girl basically, like... the whole time we were together, [Ben said simply. At the time, he would've never believed it, but after all these years, it was finally possible to talk about these sorts of things without a sting rising to his chest.]

Austin and Cam found her, yeah. I only talked to Cam long enough to give him the code to the house, not much else, so I can't say about that part. But I believe Annie--tell her 'hi' back, by the way--and I'm glad to hear it. Because they both deserve to be happy and with each other.

[benjiclarington]

Yeah. Me and Austin still have to finalize that partnership we were gonna do with the Design School. I bet I could find somewhere there.

[Ben turned to finally look at Mason fully.] ...Huh?

[masonmccheers]

Oh, yeah, that sounded fun. Brandy's excited about it.

[Mason raised an eyebrow.] What do you know?

[benjiclarington]

...That Accent pulled an Avii on Lemon and she ran away for a while?