In listening to his great aunt speaking, promising to listen, Benjiro hears an openness that had been absent from his conversation with his parents. Already, they are more receptive. In part, that may be due to the severity of his break from his immediate family and sudden departure, but it seems to be more than that. He can see it as he glances up from the table when Rosemary gets up to gather the tea set after one last shared hand squeeze.
The kit being opened draws attention from Agatha, her curiosity of it returning as Russell starts to make use of the cloth from it, if only to work it in his hands at first. He mentions more incidents that are difficult to explain, and as upsetting as some of those had been, she would rather hear of how Russell and Benjiro have been affected directly. That he has been to a doctor is reassuring. They aren't making assumptions about what is happening to them and conflating an illness. As he begins to rub at his face with remover on the cloth from the kit, Agatha encourages him as she actually stands to join her wife in getting the kettle, "Take your time. We'll have the tea ready in a moment."
Next to Russell, Benjiro is looking at his cousin as he works to remove the cover of makeup with their aunts purposefully busying themselves to give them a little space. His hands unclench, a slight numbness left from how hard he was holding them a moment ago. If Russell is going to be brave, he must as well. Silently, he reaches up to remove the loops of his facemark from behind his ears. Lowering the cover to his lap, he folds the mask and keeps his lips closed. He has removed it in front of their aunts many times before during meals, and so long as he doesn't speak directly looking to them, he can hide his teeth a little longer.
Within a minute or two, tea cups are placed at each seat with sweetness adjusted for the recipient. Benjiro murmurs a word of gratitude, but leaves his cup untouched as Agatha and Rosemary return to their seats.
no subject
The kit being opened draws attention from Agatha, her curiosity of it returning as Russell starts to make use of the cloth from it, if only to work it in his hands at first. He mentions more incidents that are difficult to explain, and as upsetting as some of those had been, she would rather hear of how Russell and Benjiro have been affected directly. That he has been to a doctor is reassuring. They aren't making assumptions about what is happening to them and conflating an illness. As he begins to rub at his face with remover on the cloth from the kit, Agatha encourages him as she actually stands to join her wife in getting the kettle, "Take your time. We'll have the tea ready in a moment."
Next to Russell, Benjiro is looking at his cousin as he works to remove the cover of makeup with their aunts purposefully busying themselves to give them a little space. His hands unclench, a slight numbness left from how hard he was holding them a moment ago. If Russell is going to be brave, he must as well. Silently, he reaches up to remove the loops of his facemark from behind his ears. Lowering the cover to his lap, he folds the mask and keeps his lips closed. He has removed it in front of their aunts many times before during meals, and so long as he doesn't speak directly looking to them, he can hide his teeth a little longer.
Within a minute or two, tea cups are placed at each seat with sweetness adjusted for the recipient. Benjiro murmurs a word of gratitude, but leaves his cup untouched as Agatha and Rosemary return to their seats.