Work Text:
Crunch, munch, crunch.
“Hey Benny, try these onion potato chips!” Eilif floats overhead above his friend, obnoxiously snacking on potato chips. He holds the bag down to Benny expectantly.
A large hand reaches up to take it from him, its owner looking perplexed, “Sour cream and onion?”
Eilif shakes his head, “No, just onion. New flavor.”
The hand’s owner was a merman by the name of Benny Greenscale, a massive fella standing at about 201cm (6’7). Known for his intimidating and quite offputting smiley demeanor. It’s said even the Leech Twins avoid him.
Taking out a chip, Benny nibbles its rim. The smell alone was overwhelming, yet he was surprised to find the taste was oddly mild. He looks up at Eilif surprised, the latter snickering, “Good, right?”
“Yes.” Benny gives the fae his chips back and continues walking, his floating companion following along.
Eilif smiles, eating another chip, “How’s group going?”
Benny didn’t look up nor stop moving, responding anyway, “The freshmen this year are a handful, Trein-sensei made us help some of them review this week.”
He grumbles some, “Floyd was causing trouble, and once again I have to wrangle him in.”
Eilif leans his elbow on the merman’s shoulder, cutting in with his own two cents, “Maybe let em be messy! Dude’s real funny!”
Benny glares at his friend upon hearing that, the fae pays it no mind, letting out a loud laugh.
Leaning his head back, Eilif looks ahead at the incoming cafeteria doors, “Any fun freshies…?”
Benny shakes his head, stepping through the entrance to the cafeteria. “No, but there’s a real stickler among them. Think his name is Sebek or something. Real stuck up type.”
The merman could’ve sworn he felt Eilif twitch upon hearing the name, curious Benny halts, “Know him?”
Eilif looks at the ceiling, fidgeting with his near empty chip bag, “Yeah, from home.”
“Was he trouble?” Benny was genuinely curious now.
Eilif thinks a moment, ruffling his hair, “Nah, dedicated, tad preachy. Very naive, not too annoying.”
Letting out a yawn, the fae glances around the room. A few students were staring in their direction, nobody of real significance thankfully.
Benny seemed to also pick up on it, and kept moving, not wanting to attract much attention. Eilif wraps his arms around the merman’s neck, an action his friend didn’t really mind.
Spotting an empty table in the corner, Benny makes a beeline for it. Eilif holds on tight, laughing as the merman runs.
Once at their destination, Benny makes a sudden halt as Eilif hastily flings himself towards an empty chair. The fae floats head first under the table only to quickly resurface, now sitting on the chair.
Benny remains standing, “Hold our table!”
“Yes commander!” The fae salutes, Benny gives him a thumbs up, keeping a blank face. The merman walks off to the lunch line, leaving Eilif on his own.
Eilif sits idly, munching on his potato chips without a care in the world. He patiently waits for the return of his Benny.
“Bonjour Monsieur Fog!” A strange voice, Eilif follows its source without moving his head.
“Hello Hunt-senpai.” Mid crunch, Eilif makes sure to chew with his mouth open while the third year is here. Not that Rook seemed to mind.
With a glittering grin, the Pomefiore Vice housewarden places a letter on the table, sliding it towards the fae. Eilif eyes it curiously, “From apple freshie?”
“Oui, Pomefiore’s poison apple is away with our lovely Housewarden. He is unable to greet Monsieur Fog, I deliver this letter on his behalf.” Rook slides it towards Eilif, the fae catches it easily.
Pausing for a moment, the fae stuffs a chip in his mouth, then licks the remaining grease from his fingers. He observes the letter quizzically, wondering whether to open it now or later.
Having gotten so engrossed in his thoughts, Eilif had nearly completely forgotten the tricky 3rd year still waiting nearby. Eilif lazily looks his direction, “Hunt-senpai you can g-“
Rook was nowhere to be found. One might think he was gone, but a 2nd year like Eilif knew better. Looking upward, he sees a supposedly terrifying shadow looming above.
On instinct Eilif ducks down, covering his head as Rook swiftly swipes his hand over the fae, narrowing missing the hair strands floating between him and his underclassmen.
This was practice that was often done whenever Rook would sneak up or run into Eilif. A matter of testing the waters to see if the fae had gotten soft.
Rook smirks, opening his hand. Seeing no hair strands in his palm, the 3rd year glances back to Eilif. A glaring lizard was staring back.
“Watch it, senpai.”
Rook forms a smile of grand scale upon his face, “Merveilleux, monsieur Fog! Your reflexes never dampen or fail to impress!”
A proud twirl escapes Rook, performed in exalt of the fae’s actions. Eilif dryly looks away, chewing another chip.
Bored, the fae stares at the wall, “Mind leaving now, Benny’s coming back soon.”
Rook seeing the fae’s disinterest, politely bows and speaks his farewells, “Adieu to you Monsieur Fog, until our next reunion!”
He bounds off, crossing paths with Benny on the way. The merman turns his head, following his senpai as the vice disappeared into the crowd. Benny felt on edge.
Turning back to the table, he makes way to Eilif, “The mission was successful! Rations were acquired!”
Eilif instantly perks up, a toothy grin emerging from his mouth, “Aye!”
Benny sets down two trays of food, pushing one towards Eilif. The fae is quick to snatch it up, excitedly chowing down. Benny sits down across from his friend, digging in as well.
After a few bites, the merman glances around the cafeteria, spotting Rook at a distant table with other Pomefiore students. One being a crab merman the manatee knew quite well. He lets out sigh and turns back to Eilif, “So… why was… Rook-senpai here?”
Meeting Benny’s eyes, Eilif swallows his food and holds up Epel’s letter, “Letter from Apple Freshie, he was supposed to join, don’t remember?”
Thinking on it for a moment, the arrangement surfaced, “Ah yeah, held up then?”
Eilif nods, sipping his drink, “Supposed to talk about Harveston.”
Benny raises a brow, “same hometown?”
Eilif shakes his head mouth half full, “Nah, though was born there once upon a time.”
The fae bites into the apple pie slice on his tray, “Apple freshie s’pposed to uh talk ‘bout traditions! ‘pparently there’s legends of hot spring dragons.”
His mer friend nods in understanding, slowly chewing on his own meal.
They continue eating, a rather comfortable silence was forming around them. This continued for a good while until Benny finished. He leans against the table, letting out an escaping yawn, “You got History of Magic after this right?”
Eilif nods, yawning in retaliation to Benny’s, all the while trying not to choke on his food, “Yeah.”
The fae returns the gesture, “Study period?”
Benny softly smiles, a tiny twinkle of exhaustion in his eye, “Yep.”
A sly grin, Eilif pats his friend’s elbow, “Nap time!”
A bell goes off, making the fae hurriedly finish his meal.
Seeing that Eilif was done, Benny quietly laughs and rises, picking up the now empty trays. The merman walks to the trash area, placing the trays atop others already on a return table adjacent of the cans.
Eilif is now floating over, ready to return to his prior position. Benny let’s him, “Remember tomorrow’s your day to get our food.”
Stuffing Epel’s letter into his pocket, Eilif salutes Benny, “Got it.”
Benny stalks off to the exit, “Gonna read that letter in class?”
Eilif thinks on it, deciding what to do, “Might read it later at Diasomnia.”
Benny nods and turns a corner, Eilif starts to move in the opposite direction. The fae salutes his friend, “Peace, Greenscale-san.”
The merman shakes his head in amused exasperation, “Until the night is upon us once again, Whitaker.”
Eilif let’s out a hard laugh from the response and floats away heading for his class, Benny does the same.