Chapter Text
Bennett stroked the kindle of the fire with a small stick he found sitting next to him, humming a short tune he’d heard Barbara singing recently.
The small flames illuminated the glowing purple vision strapped securely to Razor’s back, his large jacket thrown over him like a blanket. The small boy laid only a few feet away from him, his curled up in the green grass, breathing softly.
Sometimes it seemed almost impossible that Razor was able to lift that sword of his. His build appeared too small and frail, yet hidden under his layers of thick animal pelts and jackets were toned muscles from spending his life in the woods, running amuck with Mondstadt’s wolven population.
Bennett’s eyes wandered, looking from the sleeping nomad to the tent they’d set up. Razor had refused to sleep in it, saying he “ couldn’t rest without seeing the sky. ” Bennett had laughed slightly then, taking the wolf boy’s words for a joke, till Razor looked at him seriously, the stark red of his eyes highlighted by the ruby fire from their dinner that night.
Shortly after the sliver-haired boy had snuggled up in his jacket, falling quickly asleep and Bennett couldn’t help but wonder if he’d angered him.
The blonde sighed exasperated, he’d spent so long trying to befriend Razor. Frankly, he was the only man in Mondstadt close enough with Razor to the point that he will join him on adventures sometimes. Yet the wolven boy seemed to distance himself from the pyrotechnic, saying he “ musn’t let himself become too human or his Lupical will shun him .”
Bennett had tried to argue with the other, saying that he too was an outcast. No one ever tried to befriend him because of his luck, he’d been adventuring by himself for years now. There’d been many times he was on the brink of death and the only person he had to help save him was himself. The only real friend he had back in Mondstadt was Barbara, but she was far too busy with her church duties and idol business- Razor just wouldn’t listen.
The blonde had almost convenience himself to give up on Razor, looking up to the sky for any hint of guidance on what he should do, when he heard a quiet whimper come from the other.
His gaze silently turned to the other, a hint of worry creasing his brow when Razor twisted in his sleep, letting out a yelp in fear.
A bad dream , Bennett concluded. Razor had told him of them before when he’d asked why his eye bags were so deep. The boy would often be plagued with nightmares of abandonment, and loneliness. (Bennett in return told him of his weird dreams stemming from his bad luck, making the wolf boy smile)
Bennett leaned from his spot in the grass slowly over to Razor, softly shaking the boy’s shoulder.
“Razor…” He mumbled, shaking him harder. “Razor, wake up-”
The silver-haired boy’s garnet eyes snapped open, rapidly searching Bennett’s own. His hand reached out and grabbed the boy’s shirt, gripping tightly, his breathing fast and unsteady, like an uneven wind current on the peak of Storm Terror Point.
“Bennett…” He gasped, his eye’s filled with anxiety.
“I’m here,” He smiled softly, wrapping his arms loosely around the boy to support him. “Bad dream?”
Razor nodded weakly, gulping. “You…” He mumbled. “Death…”
Bennett’s smile faltered. He didn’t know Razor dreamt of him .
“It’s okay, I’m not dead.” He grinned once more, holding him closer. Razor nuzzled his nose into the other boy’s chest, clutching his shirt.
The first time the wolven boy did it, Bennett couldn’t help but think of it as strange, until the other explained it was a way their Lupical showed affection. After that, Bennett greatly accepted Razor’s strange requests for head pats and snuggles.
Razor was quiet for a long time, his muscles slowly loosening in Bennett’s arms. The only sound breaking the silence was the crackling of the fire and the buzzing cicadas deep in the woods surrounding them. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke up.
“Bennett… Never leave-” He choked out.
Bennett smiled, rubbing his hand up and down Razor’s arm.
“I won’t.”
Razor was quiet for a mere second before uttering once more. “Lupical my family… But-” The boy paused, looking at the grass below.
Bennett gave him some time to continue, knowing that with his limited vocabulary it could be hard for Razor to express his emotions.
“Razor still not wolf… Razor feels lonely amongst… Family.
But when Razor is with Bennett… Empty feeling goes away-” He hesitated once more. “Bennett new Lupical-” He glanced up at Bennett his eyes deep with determination. “Bennett family.”
Bennett’s smile seemed to grow three inches, hugging the other tighter.
The blonde could no longer see the nomad boy’s face, as he spoke up, his hands gripping at Bennett’s back. “I love Lupical… But it gets lonely without Bennett…”
----
“Bennett! Bennett, are you listening?” Called Barbara, waving her hand in front of Bennett’s face, her curls bouncing with every step.
The adventurer’s eyes snapped up to meet hers, his usual smile nowhere in sight, as he sighed forlornly.
“I recently went adventuring with Razor…” He trailed off, falling back onto the soft infirmary bed.
Bennett had gone to Barbara once more after one of his earlier adventures left him bruised and scraped beyond recognition. It’d been a couple of days since the blonde’s last encounter with the wolven boy and he had to admit he missed the guy.
“He’d said something that’d really been buggin’ me.” Benny vented to the deaconess as she packed her bandages and medicines back into the cathedral’s cabinets.
“Said he misses me when I’m gone…”
Barbara put a finger to her chin in thought, ever the one to want to make everyone happy. Bennet often wondered how the stress of Idolhood hadn’t gotten to her yet. “Why don’t you spend more time with him?”
Bennet’s groaned, his shoulders slumping. “I already promised that Lumine girl that I’d travel with her. ‘said she’d love to have me on her team and I was overjoyed…” He brought a hand to his head, rubbing his temple to dispel an invisible headache. “I’d asked Razor if he wanted to join us, but he said that’s far too many city folks for him to tag along.”
Barbara hummed in understanding, smoothing invisible wrinkles out of her dress. “I’m afraid I can’t help you here Benny...”
“Just my luck…” Sighed Bennet, pulling himself from the comfortable bed. “Well thanks anyways Barbara, I better get going.” He said, laughing slightly.
“Just try not to come in so often okay,” She smirked rolling her eyes. “I swear, next you’re gonna lose an eye.”
And just like that, she skipped out of the room, humming a tune she’d written all the while. Bennet turned to the church’s grandiose window, lost in thought as he peered out at the Mondstadt citizens.
Outrider Amber had recently gotten back from a Hilicurl camp expedition, successfully destroying three of the annoying monster’s bases. She seemed to be excitedly explaining something to the calvary captain of the Knights of Favonius, Kaeya, as he leaned against the hilt of his sword.
The brunette was excitedly bouncing up and down the streets of the city, her infamous Baron bunny tucked tight in her arms, rabbit ears flopping with each hop.
That’s when it struck Bennet, like a thunderous clap of lighting, sending a shiver down his spine all the way to his toes. He pumped his fist in the air, abruptly rejuvenated as he ran to catch Amber.