Francisco was bored. Terminally bored. And growing vastly more annoyed by the minute by his younger brother's never-ending, high-pitched screams of delight (or was it misery?) as his mother played with him in the nursery. Really, how was that woman not deaf?
There was just one thing left to do: flee the premises. Francisco would have left some time ago, but his father had left strict orders for him to be present for the evening meal to celebrate his wife's birthday -- and, that meant cake. But no cake was worth this! Anyway, it was still fairly early. If he could not find anything better to do, he might be back in time.
The blonde gave himself a once over in the mirror. Satisfied by his appearance -- blonde hair neatly tucked back, clothing unwrinkled and in place -- he made for the door with one thought in mind: dragging a certain friend out of the house in search of something exciting to fill their evening!
Francisco knew better than to wait for Benjamin to emerge from his study on his own. He had tried it once -- or, more accurately, he had thought about trying it once. Unless he wanted to wait several hours for his friend to put down his book -- and Francisco really didn't -- he would have to barge in.
Really, Benjamin should be used to it by now!
"Benny!" Francisco called out as the door opened. "Benny, are you in here? Get your things. We're going into town!"
Lavender eyes stared unblinkingly over the edges of their owner's spectacles as a pink sliver of tongue poked out from cracked lips in concentration. One slip up would mean starting the experiment all over again and reacquiring the already rare and hard to find materials in their large quantities. Benjamin could not afford to make such a mistake and as such was locked up in his study to keep out any distractions that would ruin months worth of work.
His lib wobbled from his teeth worrying it and sure fingers maneuvered the tiny metal nails into place. One still resisted falling into place and the metal cover was already beginning to melt from the candleflame's heat. Resisting the urge to sigh, he furrowed his brows and attempted to push a bit harder when the bang of his study door caused him to jump and the nail to fly into the magnet and the system to catch fire with a large flash of light and lots of hissing.
Benjamin's eyes bugged out as he stared in helpless disbelief, his mouth opening and closing like that of an out of water fish. For several moments nonsensical, squeaks fell from his lips before his gaze hardened and he stiffly stood to face his friend.
"Do you have any idea what you just did?! You decimated months worth of work! You IDIOT!" The nobleman was fit to be tied as his breathing rate picked up and his eyes danced wildly about in calculation of the amount of recovery time it would take to get back to where he was in his work.
Crossing his arms over his chest his face became sullen as he leaned back against his desk moodily. "Don't call me Benny either. What do you want?"
Francisco glanced over the ruins of whatever experiment Benjamin had been working on. It looked like an absolute mess -- a melted, blackened mess. Part of it was still smoking a little, too. "Um..."
Even if it had been whole, he probably would have had no idea. He offered his friend a sheepish grin, because, in spite of what some people seemed to think of him, he really did feel bad when these things happened... And they did happen with alarming frequency around him!
"Since you're not doing anything, we should hit the town!" He began slowly, but he was quickly warming up to his favorite topic. "I'll let you buy me a drink to make up for calling me an idiot, and you can impress me with your latest idea!"
His eyes went to the smoldering experiment again, and he sniffed curiously as a small flame began to grow outwards along some paper on the table.
"I think you started a fire," he said, indicating the rapidly growing problem. He made no move to help put it out; it was just a little thing, really, and he was turning over in his head how to make up the most recent catastrophe to his friend besides.
Benjamin pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "I am doing something! Well I was until you ruined it! Do you know how long that took me? How much money I saved and spent for those ingredients? And now you expect me to buy you a drink?!"
Completely spent of energy, he collapsed back into his chair and buried his face in his hands, long fingers tugging on ginger locks before letting out a long drawn out sigh. "Fine, I'll buy you a drink, but you're buying the next round," he grumbled out, standing again to sweep his coat off the back of his chair and inadvertently fanning the flames that were dancing upon his desk.
He turned to continue walking to the door before freezing and looking back at the table in shock. "My notes!" he screeched, rushing back to smother the flames before staring down and lamenting the singed corners of hours worth of work on formulas.
Defeated, he fell back into his chair once more and swore not to move again. "You couldn't have told me it was on fire?" he whined, completely missing the fact that he had indeed been told such a thing but was too engrossed in his own thoughts to have noticed at the time.
Money. It all came down to money, didn't it? The thought made him cringe. Benjamin's family was in much the same boat as his, and luxury items didn't come cheap. As serious as his friend was about these experiments, that's all they really were in Francisco's mind: a luxury.
"Alright, alright," he said, as though relenting under pressure. "I'll buy the first round. And I'll even share my winnings from the tables tonight. What do you think of that?"
That might help! A bit. Just because he liked to gamble didn't mean he was particularly good at it...but, for Benjamin, he'd at least try to come out ahead tonight!
Giving his friend a sidelong glance, he stepped past him to the ruined experiment, turning his head this way and that as he attempted to guess at its meaning. He also made a show of looking over the notes -- which were a bit singed but not completely ruined!
"I see," he said decidedly and rather gravely as he set the papers back down. In fact, he didn't at all. It all looked like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to him. "So what you were trying to do is use this." He pointed at the machine. "To demonstrate this." He fanned himself with the sheaf of papers. "Using these?" He held up a nail. "Right?" Uh-huh.
Benjamin sat despondently, head in hand as lavender eyes peaked out from between fingers to survey the damage. It was all for naught in his mind. Everything was hopeless, months of scrounging and budgeting all down the gutter because distraction and stupidity.
'Should have locked the door,' he berated himself, running a hand roughly through his copper bangs that fell once more over his hand and eyes. 'I knew I should have locked it. This was a disaster from the start. What useless...'
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head and snatched the notes up from Francisco. "Give me those," he growled, glancing down and shuffling them about as he reviewed them. "No you idiot, like this." The irate nobleman jabbed at the heavily smoking piece of machinery he had constructed.
"The Hase Burner, named after yours truly of course, is configured to trap highly pressurized amounts of heat within its small confines allowing for the perfect conditions to mix the now hot solution of extremely rare and irreplaceable ingredients," a pointed glare punctuated each word as he continued, "with salt from the Hyoite hotsprings which is only slightly less rare to come by. The nail mixes the two together and then afterwards," Benjamin sighed, looking very pitiful as he stared brokenheartedly at his dreams. "Afterwards we will never know."
Francisco took the insult in stride. After all, he had contributed to ruining the experiment -- although, he maintained (silently, anyway) that it was not entirely his fault... If it had been anyone else, he would have found a reason to flee. Benny, however, was a good friend -- and so Francisco was willing to take at least partial credit for the experiment's demise... And he was also willing to do whatever he could to make up for it.
"And what did you think was going to happen?" he pursued, although, for the life of him, he didn't understand half of what his friend was prattling on about. "And why did they have to be..." He paused and made a bit of a face as he tried to recall the exact wording Benny had used. "'Highly pressurized?' What does that even mean?"
"This," the noble said, poking his friend in the side, "is pressure. Highly pressurized is what I want to do to your scrawny neck right now," he continued half in jest and half truthfully. "If it's not highly pressurized then it can cause a massive explosion. Wouldn't want that now would we? Well...maybe we might." Benjamin winked, already beginning to settle some as thoughts of how to recover already began to fly through his head.
It took him several moments of silence to realize Francisco had asked what the expected result had been. The red-haired man shrugged and shook his head, bringing himself back to the real world. "Something to help ease the burdens of everyday life I suppose. I'm not even sure what I was hoping for.
"Well dear friend, I believe we should get going now, don't you? I'm sure you have some lady-friend you're hoping to impress or something of the sort, yes?"
Yes, Francisco had been planning to impress the ladies this evening with his charm and his winnings...which, he understood already, greatly increased his charm. Given the way the evening had started, however, he had already all-but promised to repay Benny for the trouble he...may be a bit responsible for...
Well, he still had his charm!
Applying it liberally now, he grinned and put a guiding arm around Benjamin's shoulder. "I do. We'll have a few drinks, play a few hands, and spend some time with the most lovely ladies town has to offer... And, afterwards, we'll sneak into our kitchen for a little birthday cake. You'll forget all about your pressure and the nail. And the fire. I always show you a good time, don't I, Benny?"
The blonde was hustling his friend towards the waiting carriage, scarcely giving him time to grab anything he might require for a night out. After all, Francisco was half-afraid Benny might change his mind before he reached the door, and it simply was not as fun to visit town alone!
As much as he hated to admit it, Benjamin was quite used to Francisco's ways of hustling him about of places when he was in no mood to be hurried along. He had gotten very good at grabbing things at a moment's notice before being unceremoniously carted passed them. His overcoat and wallet were snatched up in this manner seconds before his best friend had him out the door and down into the main foyer passed his displeased mother.
By that point Benjamin was hurrying his own footsteps to escape explaining himself. He was not oblivious enough to not notice his mother's particular dislike for his youthful partner-in-crime. There had been many a discussion over his choice in companions and her desire that he seek ones with significantly less of an aptitude for trouble.
"Who is it this time, Francisco?" he finally queried as he hopped into the carriage with a knowing smirk. "You're not still mooning after that uh blonde was it? The miller's daughter? Or was it the tanner's niece? I can never keep track of your liaisons."
Francisco was not so blind as to notice his friend's mother glaring at them as they moved towards the door -- but he only offered her a grin and a wave, as was his usual habit to do. After all, he rather liked to irritate his elders...
Outside, he affected a hurt expression. "You, of all people, should know both of those trysts ended over a month ago." Joining his friend, he gave a bang on the top of the carriage. The driver, well-accustomed to these little jaunts, started forward towards town. "I told you, I think, they found out about the other, and..." The young man's shoulders lifted in a shrug, and his arms extended helplessly outwards. "That was that. I thought I told you, anyway."
He mulled it over a moment, then brightened considerably as he thought about his most recent interest. "Surely, you remember me telling you about Brigitte? Red-head? Not at all bright, but pretty. Very pretty..." Here, his splayed hands moved down in an obvious hourglass shape. "Hm? Ring any bells?"
"Me of all people? Now that's cruel. We both know that it's impossible to keep up with you. It is not exactly like you stick around very long with any of them. There is always someone new. I just never see the point in remembering when it will be someone new three or four times over by the next time we have a night on the town."
Benjamin crossed his arms and shook his head. "They're all pretty according to you and she would have to be dim-witted to actually see anything in you."
The criticism was received with a bright laugh. "They always are pretty! And I'm less interested in what they see in me than what I see of them!"
"If I didn't know any better, I would think that sounded disapproving!" Which, of course, it had, and no one, except, perhaps, Francisco, would be surprised if he did. Jutting an elbow out the window -- fashionably, of course -- Francisco leaned on it to look his friend over curiously. "And what about you? Still too busy to be sewing your wild oats?"
Or, was it simply that his mother disapproved? Either way, there seemed to be a problem, in Francisco's mind!
"Brigitte has some friends, I'm sure," he began in a calculating tone.
Benjamin sighed and shook his head disapprovingly. "If they don't see anything in you then why would they bother spending any time with you? You're not that good-looking and you're not rich. And wha-"
The nobleman chocked on his words, his eyes bugging out like a frog to hear Francisco talk in such a manner. He had known the man since they were children but that still did not stop him from being shocked by his openly sexual commentary, at least that is to say, being shocked by the parts he actually understood. Many times things simply went right over Benjamin's head.
"I have no interest in your latest flame and her vapid friends. Go whore on your own time, I thought we were going to have this so-called thing know as 'fun.'"
"It's only whoring if money changes hands," Francisco corrected with a playful waggle of his fingers.
It struck him, then, that technically money had changed hands...but only technically. Leaning forward, he cleared his throat, then, looking mildly uncomfortable.
"Correction. It's only whoring if money changes hands in exchange for sex. If money changes hands without the promise of sex, is it still whoring, hm?"
"Yes," the nobleman deadpanned while looking his companion straight in the eye. "I don't know why I let you drag me into things like this. We both know I'm going to be stuck alone and miserable while you're off frolicking with the daisies or whatever that metaphor is."
Benjamin waved his hand in a sign of dismissal and sighed heavily. "You drive me to drink Francisco, you really do."
Francisco's face fell -- but only briefly. It was difficult to keep the young man down for very long.
"I wish that I did! You're much more entertaining after you've had a few drinks. My Gods, you actually laugh some times!" And, oh, if your mother could see you... He chuckled good-naturedly.
"Ah, but very well. We'll do without the ladies -- unless they come to us first, in which case I cannot guarantee that I will behave myself. Nor should you. Does that sound more reasonable?"
They were here to cheer him up, after all! It would be cruel of Francisco to be so selfish!
Benjamin looked appalled at the idea of being entertaining while intoxicated. "I laugh without alcohol too," he pouted weakly. "You're incorrigible Fran! Tell me will you be encouraging the ladies to come over or is it just the allure of your very presence that draws them to you? I really don't know how you do it my friend. You're always swimming in women."
The nobleman shook his head good-naturedly. It always amazed him how different the two of them were and yet how close they were as friends. They were thick as thieves and not even Benjamin's experimenting or Francisco's flirting had ever gotten between them.
Benjamin's experiments had probably only failed to get between them because of Francisco's ever-present meddling and subsequent apologies. This certainly wasn't the first Francisco's impatience had had a negative impact...and Francisco truly felt terrible about that and was determined to make it up to him!
"If I gave you all of my secrets, you'd have all of the girls, and I'd have none at all!" It was only half-jest; girls, once introduced to Benji, were always wanting to take care of him for reasons Francisco simply could not fathom!
"Ah, here we are, then. Try to have a good time... I'm paying for everything -- I insist -- and, with any luck, we'll leave here a little richer than when we arrived."
(OOC: **hangs head**)
"A likely outcome," he replied sarcastically. "The ladies are far too interested in you to notice me. Suppose it's for the best though. Simply have to open my mouth and they scatter like mice."
He hopped down from the carriage, turning to look at Francisco, his hands in his pockets. "Feeling lucky tonight? I fancy a game or two, think we can scrap together tonight?" Benjamin knew that while each of them had their ups and downs in card games they more times than not did better playing together and splitting their earnings than playing separately.
Francisco paused with one foot on the step to give his friend a bewildered, searching look. "We really need to find you a girlfriend," he announced, then stepped down onto the ground below. "Preferably," he added with his usual self-satisfied smirk, "A girlfriend of whom your mother does not approve."
Remembering his promise, however, the blonde added, "But not tonight." He would leave that insurmountable task to another night!
"I always feel lucky," he added cheerfully. Usually more-so as the night went on. "Have you eaten at all today, or have you been locked inside with your experiments all day?"
Benjamin gave him a skeptical look, grunting in response. He did not plan on having a woman in his life anytime soon, especially not the way his mother went on about marrying. "Any girl you'd pick she wouldn't approve of, you know that. She thinks you're a bad influence."
The nobleman nodded, his smile returning briefly before his brows furrowed in thought. "I...don't remember. What day is it?"
Fran was a bad influence -- that was the point, of course!
His mirth at the thought, however, faded into an expression of concern in response to his scientifically-minded friend's hesitation. It always baffled -- and worried -- him that Benjamin could become so wrapped up in what he was doing that he forgot to eat.
Poor boy!
"Thursday, Benny. It's Thursday." He set a hand on the other noble's shoulder and leaned forward a bit to peer down into Benjamin's face. "You really shouldn't be locking yourself away like that. I'm not always around to feed you, you know."
The nobleman scoffed and shook his head. "I'm not that bad Franny. Besides, heavens know my mother will never let me die from starvation. Even after she's long gone the woman will still haunt me from the grave. 'Benjamin,'" he squeaked in a falsetto voice. 'Don't forget to scrub behind your ears. Did you wash your hands before you ate? Benjamin dear put your books away. Benjamin you're up far too late! Go to sleep!'
He burst out laughing, no longer able to contain himself as his mocking ceased. "Can you imagine? An eternity stuck with my mother as a ghost, oh the horror!"
Almost immediately, Francisco's mouth stretched into a wide, cheerful grin, and he laughed out loud at the impression, which was, of course, uncannily good.
"Gods, I certainly hope not! How would we ever have any fun with her looming over your shoulder all the time?" Naturally, Francisco immediately thought of how it would impact him -- after all, Benny's mother had mastered the withering glare of disapproval. It even made Francisco uncomfortable, which was not an easy thing to do and one of the chief reasons he rarely acknowledged her looming presence.
"But that's enough talk of that," he decided. For the last few steps, he hastened forward to reach the doors first, then spun to face his friend with a smirk. "Let's win some money."
Feeding off Francisco's boisterous energy, Benjamin quickly found himself just as eager as he hurried with long strides to follow his friend inside. It took him a moment to blink the stars from his vision and adjust to the darker, musky setting of the tavern. Men sat all about the place, some drank, some played cards, some smoked, and some flirted with the serving women. It was typical pub behavior yet was not of much interest to the nobleman. He came for his friend for the most part.
"You want to get drinks or table?" he asked, turning to the other man. "You lead tonight."
"We need to have our wits about us tonight," the young man remarked with a longing glance towards a passing ale. Alternatively, the glance could have been directed towards the shapely waitress bearing said ale. With Fran, it was hard to say.
Rather than linger on thoughts of either, he moved gracefully towards the gambling tables with a slight nod of recognition to the owner of this fine establishment.
"Dice or cards?" Francisco reached into his purse to withdraw some coins. He was still determined to make up at least some of the cost of the ruined experiment, even if Benny seemed to have forgotten all about his anger and disappointment.
"Cards as I have no desire to gamble against loaded dice. With cards we at least have a fighting chance as the evening wanes and drunkenness sets in. That alright with you my friend? I know you prefer a drink or two yourself and cards start higher than dice."
As disgruntled as Benjamin had been before he was not about to throw his friend to the wolves all because his own pride had been bent and bruised a little. He knew his friend's financial situation was worse than his own and that was bad to begin with. They certainly did not need to be getting thieves into undue trouble for the possibility of coin and merriment.
"Loaded dice!" A hand over his heart accompanied the dramatic, albeit quiet, exclamation. There was no need to draw too much attention to themselves -- at least, not the negative attention announcing the rest of the room was cheating (without so much as sitting down) would draw. "Tell me, you aren't suggesting these fine, upstanding gentlemen..." Francisco's arm swept towards a table of grungy, muscle-bound gentlemen who, judging by the angles at which their noses sat and the miscellaneous scars about their persons, were likely employed as thugs...or something, perhaps, worse. "Would play with loaded dice."
One of them happened to look up, and Francisco quickly dropped his arm with a sheepish expression.
"As I was saying, cards is fine."
Francisco's statement was met with disapproving silence as Benjamin stared forward pointedly, arms crossed in front of his chest. "I bet they would be," he laughed back softly, before wrapping an arm about his friend's shoulders.
"Why don't you pick the table so we can start pooling our earnings. Dare I say it, I think my luck is changing."
"Of course it is, of course it is," Francisco announced cheerfully as he looked over the tables closely before finally choosing one. "It's what I'm here for, isn't it?"
Except, usually, their luck changed for the worst with Francisco around -- unless he were being very, very careful, as he was now. After all, this was no longer about him having fun -- it was about him making up to Benny the money he had lost in his experiment! (In other words, still about him.) There was usually something about Francisco's carelessness and habit of showing off that welcomed trouble...
But, tonight, he was determined to concentrate. Mostly.
(OOC: And now we need to have them get into trouble -- because as much as Francisco doesn't want it to happen, he's too Franny not to find trouble!)
Benjamin gave his friend a sidelong glance but otherwise made no comment as he dared not tempt fate in his opinion. He could only hope that his changing luck was for the better and not the worse but who could tell when the pair were involved? Anything bound to go wrong did and anything bound to go right...still went wrong. If he actually took the moment to ponder it, the nobleman would have been wondering how the pair were still alive and at the very least whole. They were constantly getting into some scrap of trouble or another.
'Enough of that thought though,' Benjamin chided himself, 'tonight isn't going to be one of those nights!' He declared not realizing how wrong he was. He gave his friend a nudge hoping they could get started already, not noticing as he shoved Francisco a little harder in the direction of a rather large bloke drunkenly weaving his way to another table.