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The Weinlesefest was a big hit this year, but it was a busy occasion for everyone involved, Bennett included. He had never worked this hard for any festival before in his life, and while he was still pretty young, he had to admit that he’d done his fair share of work for the guild by now. His dads couldn’t exactly help with the festivities as many of them were a bit too old to continue working for the guild, but Bennett was eager and practically burst into Cyrus’ office to ask for a job.
And so for the whole day he had been running here and there, hanging flyers, directing stall owners to empty lots to set up shop, scaring off some wild boar from the fair grounds near Springvale. By the time he was truly finished he realized he hadn’t had any time to talk to his friends at all.
Fischl was off in the city spending the festival with her parents, and Razor was…well, Razor was dealing with trying to find his family. Normally, if there was no festival, the two of them would have been far into the woods near their usual spot sharing lunch together. As Bennett slumped down onto a bench and wiped his brow, he realized he hadn’t even had time to cook a proper meal for their shared lunch. He still wanted to see Razor though, at least for a little while before he inevitably had to get back to work.
“Hey there, Bennett!” A voice called towards him. He sat up from the bench and saw that it was Huffman, the Knight who he usually saw standing guard near the front gate. “You’ve been a big help this afternoon. I don’t think we have anything else for you to do here.” He said.
Bennett smiled, “That’s great! Glad I could help this time around.” he chuckled. “And look, nothing too bad happened while I was here!” He gave a thumbs up.
Huffman laughed, “Well I would say that tumble you took down the ladder hanging those flyers up was a bit of bad news, but it was the least of our troubles today. Good job.” He patted Bennett on the shoulder. “Feel free to take the day off, I’m sure we can get the rest done alone now.”
Bennett nodded, and ran past the knight. “See ya, Huffman! I’m off to see Razor now.” He waved back at the Knight, who raised a hand in goodbye. Bennett decided he’d look for Razor in his usual stomping grounds in the woods, though he knew the wolf boy had been all over Mondstadt this week looking for clues about his parents and their mysterious wine they had left him.
As Bennett walked through the dense Whispering Woods, he thought about how this whole week he hadn’t had a chance to check up on Razor at all about something so important to him. Bennett knew family really mattered to Razor, and that he cherished those he considered family. I should’ve said something more back then… He thinks back to their one meeting with the Traveler and Klee. He was far too embarrassed when Klee pointed out how he had tripped over a tiny lamp grass, and he had too many things he wanted to say to Razor then when he handed him the flower he found. Too many things that he was certain he didn’t want other people besides Razor hearing, anyways.
Now that he was free for the day though, he decided he would tell Razor when he saw him what he wanted to say back then. I understand what it’s like to wonder about parents, he had wanted to say. I understand being curious about who they were, what they were like, why they aren’t here. I understand you. He shamed himself as he stumbled through the woods for being too cowardly to even say something as simple as “I understand what you’re going through”, but instead he had just explained his situation with his dads in a pretty awkward way.
He was nearing the usual place where he and Razor ate together, and found that thankfully the wolf boy had the same idea as him. There sitting on a worn blanket in a clearing, was Razor who’s back was turned as he seemed to be steadily preparing something to eat.
“Oh you’re here! Thank goodness.” Bennett greeted him, and walked over to the blanket, kneeling on it. “I was worried that maybe we wouldn’t get to eat together today…” He laughed nervously.
“Bennett!” Razor smiled widely at him. “I made something! For you! It’s a new dish.” He set a wrapped and steamy platter down before Bennett. “Not normal hash browns this time. Different kind of flavored jam.”
Bennett unwrapped the platter and found that Razor had prepared a fresh batch of his famous “Puppy Paw hash browns” just for him! Though the normal sauce on the side wasn’t the same kind of jam he was used to it. It was a rich and deep purple color, with a green leaf poking out for decoration. Bennett eyed it with curiosity and hunger.
“Wow this looks tasty! Did you make all of these?” He asked Razor, taking a hash brown in hand.
Razor nodded, “Yes. Worked hard on them all day, finally learned about mother and father too…but I want to share this with you first!” He pushed the platter closer to Bennett with an eager look on his face. He seemed really proud of these hash browns, and who was Bennett to deny him when he was this happy? Razor hadn’t smiled this earnestly all week, and Bennett wouldn’t be lying if he said he was beyond elated such joy was directed at him for once.
Bennett took one of the Hash browns and raised it to his lips to bite, before Razor stopped him with one hand. “No, no. Try with jam? It will taste better!” He told him. Bennett giggled and decided he’d just go along with it. Hash browns with jam were a personal favorite of his, and Razor knew this so he always made these Hash browns for him during their lunches.
When Bennett took his first bite of the hash brown, he was met with a very harsh and bitter taste that also left a hint of sourness on his tongue. It wasn’t bad, in fact the taste was very familiar to him. “Is this…wolfhook jam?” Bennett asked, taking another bite. Razor nodded happily.
“Sister Rosaria gave me the idea!” He said.
“Sister Rosaria…?” Bennett’s head cocked to the side in confusion.
“Razor has a sister now! She is scary and cold, but she is also…nice! And very helpful. She helped Razor make the jam.” he looked at him now with questioning eyes. “How…does it taste?”
Bennett chuckled, “It tastes uh….great! I really like it.” He took another hash brown and dipped it in the jam again enthusiastically. Truth be told, Bennett wasn’t the biggest fan of sour jams. Though he would sooner eat a pyro slime than admit that to Razor right now. “Here you should try some too, and tell me how it tastes!” Bennett pushed the platter away towards Razor.
Razor nodded and looked down at the plate of hash browns, but his eyes slowly slid back to Bennett’s face. Bennett wasn’t focused on Razor right then, still eyeing his hash brown he was readily eating away at.
Razor slowly leaned closer to Bennett’s face, completely catching the young adventurer off guard, before licking his cheek where some jam had fallen astray softly.
“Hm…” Razor hummed to himself. “Tastes like Wolfhook.” he said neutrally, as if pondering it to himself. “Are they…really that good?” He looked at Bennett for an answer, but his friend had gone completely catatonic. Bennett’s face was a bright cherry red, and his head was ducked low into his shoulders as if he was physically trying to hide away from the world just then. “Bennett…?” Razor tilted his head sideways and at an awkward angle to try and meet Bennett’s eye, as his friend was seemingly avoiding looking directly at him.
Before Razor could begin to feel guilty for potentially hurting his friends feelings somehow with his hash browns, Bennett immediately shot his head up to look at Razor, his face still very scarlet. He looked like he wanted to say something then, his mouth and opening and closing but not forming any words. Though Bennett seemed to settle on one thing finally as he stared at his friend with kind eyes. “Thank you.” He said.
Razor blinked in confusion. He didn’t know Bennett liked Wolfhook jam this much!
“Razor will make wolfhook jam in the future!” he said, mentally noting away that he should thank Rosaria when he saw her again for giving him the idea to make Wolfhook jam.
Bennett nodded, “Yeah…I’d really like that.” They ate together again and finished the entire platter of hash browns. Razor had a proud smile on his face the entire time, and Bennett never forgot the taste of Wolfhook ever again after that evening.