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Benjamins White Oak Urban Sketching 250216
At the urban sketching event outside Town Hall, characters gathered to share in an artistic and social evening, showcasing a rich tapestry of interactions and activities. Benjamin, the organizer, was accompanied by Lilian, Lark, Dahlia, Toby, and others, each bringing their own unique contributions to the gathering. Lilian reassured Benjamin during a moment of anxiety, emphasizing the supportive and friendly atmosphere among the attendees. The night was chilly, with storm clouds gathering above, setting a cozy scene for the event. Lark arrived, delighted by the spread of art supplies, and shared news of her recent date, adding a personal touch to the conversation. The ambiance was light-hearted, with discussions ranging from art projects to personal stories, including Dahlia's planning for an art show and Lilian's origami skills. A curious event occurred when Lilian caught a mouse, Leaf, intrigued by the food, leading to a humorous and ad hoc animal rescue operation.
As the evening progressed, further characters like Edith, Savannah, and Siofra joined, enriching the tapestry of the community event. Conversations flowed from developing art skills to sharing Valentine's Day experiences, underlined by a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect. The gathering not only focused on the act of sketching but also served as a canvas for personal expression and connection among the attendees. Benjamin, showing leadership and creativity, facilitated an environment where art and friendship intertwined seamlessly. The event concluded with participants packing up, reflecting on their experiences and the shared joy of art, even as they navigated the unexpected moments such as the appearance of Leaf. The urban sketching gathering under the waning gibbous moon encapsulated a snapshot of community life, underpinned by creativity, support, and the simple pleasures of being together.
(Benjamin's White Oak: Urban Sketching)
[Sat Feb 15 2025]
On the Front Steps Entering Town Hall and Flanked by its Porch
A trio of long stone steps rise in a slow movement up to reach the door
of the town hall. Stone sculpture rest on either side, with the town crest
and an Eagle, sharp beak curved in sharp peak. The door is heavy, crafted
of wood, with brass door handles. The town charter has been carved into the
stone beside the door, along stylized versions of several signatures. The
other side maintains a bright and sparkling window.
It is night, about 33F(0C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waning gibbous moon.
"I'm not going to sit down while you're having a panic attack." Lilian reassures Benjamin as her arm stays around his waist. Her head tilts in for that kiss though, "Who usually attends your arty things? Novel I guess? I mean.. I can poke a hole through a piece of paper if you need." She smirks slightly, "If that's considered art.."
Lark shows up and waves to the group. "Hello everyone! Ooooh what a spread!" She looks around, delighted.
Lilian waggles her fingers at Lark, "Hey Lark. How's things? Did you go on a cute date last night with Evan? I haven't seen him in agess."
Benjamin looks over to Lark with a relieved smile, "Well we're up to three, plus me is four. I can keep from having a crisis." he muses with a hand lifting up to wave to Lark
Lark snags a canvas and a paintbrush, nodding at Lilian. "Yep! We went out for a nice dinner, and had a cozy night in." She beams at Benjamin. "You know exactly what I love, thank you!! And Evan bought it for me from Studio Splendante. From their Valentine's lineup. Limited time only!"
Dahlia says "That sounds so nice! And yeah that is gorgeous. I'll have to go by there soon and look"
"It is nice." Lilian smiles as she looks over the bright pink that is Lark, "I haven't actually gone to visit there, been getting Euphie to do all my clothes custom like."
Lark waves to Dahlia and starts setting up an easel. "Oh it's very lovely! Euphie's stuff is great too. Lots of talented tailors around here." She starts displaying the paints and asks Dahlia "How's the art show stuff coming?"
Benjamin separates from Lilian and moves over to the kind of right area of the gathering pulling out his black covered sketchy book, "I don't know if anyone has started drawing yet, now that we have a few people I'll probably do my line work." he explains as he waves with his pen at Toby, "Hey Toby."
"Hey Tobes." Lilian smiles as she leans against the banister of the stairs out of the way of everyone doing actual art. Once Benjamin moves away from her though, she does pick up a piece of paper - not to draw on but to start folding.
Toby wanders along with a plush tabby cat backpack, fashionably late as he makes his way along with a smile, then lifting a hand to wave his fingers towards Benjamin. "Heyyy.", he drones softly in greeting, eyes flitting abroad curiously before looking to Lilian, giving her a little smile and a dip of his chin.
Dahlia waves in greeting to Toby, "Hi there! I'm Dahlia." She introduces herself. Looking to Lark she sighs and laughs. "Slowly. I need to set a firm deadline for submissions if I want to stay on track for the start of March."
Lark waves a paintbrush at Toby. She nods at Dahlia. "Deadlines are good. I've been waffling through a couple different ideas of what to paint too. It's hard to choose."
"Oh I haven't told anyone the deadline for the gallery stuff, I just said it's opening the first or second week of march." Benjamin says from his spot off to the side as he begins making some linework on the page mostly the background if anyone peeks. "I'll have my art submitted like monday-ish if that works for you, Dahlia?"
"Perhaps a depiction of the humble pangolin...", Toby murmurs to himself as he makes his way along, giving a furtive gaze to the various folding tables set up before snagging a little helping of lychee strawberry cake not-so-surreptitiously, then looking over to Dahlia with a little smile. "I'm Toby. Nice to meet ya, Dahlia."
Lark listens to the chatter of conversation and starts by painting some broad lines, splashes of oil paint that don't seem to be connected nor accurate. "What's a pangolin?" she asks Toby with a curious smile, looking up briefly from her painting.
Lilian's fingers slowly start to fold the piece of the paper, looking very much like origami as she leans against the banister, just watching everyone else paint while she occasionally sends texts on her phone. "I think it's a kindof animal?"
"They're like little scaly anteaters that have their own armor!", Toby enthuses. "Today is also World Pangolin Day. They're, like, the most trafficked animals in the world because people use their scales for, like, traditional medicine and stuff.", he supposes vaguely. "They're, like, cool little dudes though."
Benjamin holds his sketch book in his right arm, using the forearm to support the page and sketches with his left hand while looking from person to person with those big amber eyes. He mentions, "Also for Godsake please eat or take those cakes home and definitely have the hot choco or coffee. They aren't cheap and Lily was nice enough to give them to me on the house."
Dahlia picks up her charcoal pencils to start working on sketching the front steps and sidewalk leading up to the townhall. "Oh wow. That's pretty interesting, Toby. There really is a day for everything." She hm'd.
"I'm sure Bill will be trilled but I'm not sure how cute Pangolins are.." Lilian mentions, "I could certainly stock a book on them if you guys will be interested." Lilian smiles over at Edith as her fingers pause in their folding of origami to waggle at her. "Hey Edith."
Benjamin glances up as Edith joins the metaphorical scene and makes some brief scritch marks on the page before commenting, "Edith has such good layering in her outfit."
Edith sweeps on in with a nod to Lilian, Benjamin, someone, Lark and Dahlia. "Good even, all. This will be the student meet."
Edith sweeps on in with a nod to Lilian, Benjamin, Toby, Lark and Dahlia. "Good even, all. This will be the student meet."
Toby gives Benjamin a little side-eyed glance, then to the cake, then back to him, then back to the cake which he snags another little helping from shamelessly. "Don't have to ask me twice.", he decides on with a shrug, then going for a helping of hot chocolate as well, his eyes then looking over to the sheets of paper before retrieving one, then picking up a pencil and squinting at his surroundings with mute curiosity.
Lark looks up towards Edith. "Oh wow, I love everything about your outfit! I'm Lark, by the way!"
"This is the urban sketching get together." Benjamin confirms as he leans against the town charter monument and continues to do linework for the gathering image.
Benjamin says "Oh Edith is a professor!"
Benjamin says "I forgot... Sorry, I meant the -Professor- has great layering. Don't knock off my extra credit."
"Yes although I didn't think this was a student only thing. I'm sure there are many professors and others who are artistic." Lilian smiles slightly as she continues to use her fingernails to make sure the folds on her origami are clean.
"Edith." Edith introduces herself, "Forensics and para-forensics tutor at White Oak."
"Quite." Edith nods. "Most will be the graveyard shift, for /obvious/ reasons. The deputies do not deliver the corpses until shortly after midnight, and some are not always in a state to be assessed before a good autopsy." This, in and of itself is apparently a lesson.
"Cool.", Toby states smoothly with a little smile, looking over to Edith. "Oh, um. I'm Toby, in case we've not met before.", he adds on with a lackadaisical lift of his shoulders. "Nice to meet ya, professor." He just looks blankly at Edith for a moment after her revelation of the corpses. "...Yep.", he states as if such a thing were just to be expected.
For anyone glancing at Lark's painting so far, it seems to focus on something yellowish orange.
"I'm Dahlia." Dahlia tacks on realizing she didn't introduce herself after Toby introduces himself. She lifts her brows, curious. "Oh, interesting. How do they get into an assessed state?" She wonders to Edith, having zero context about forensics at all, but curious nonetheless.
Benjamin is takig his time, anyone peeking at his sketch book would see it's primarily shapes and lines with only vestigal details in very light pencil so as to provide reference for future actual detailing work. "I have to say it's a shame Toni is house cleaning she's a nurse and also a professor be interesting to hear you two discuss para-normal wounds and treatmeants."
Toby delicately slips up a sheet of that cream-colored paper, sticking his tongue out slightly as he seems to envision a scene mentally as he squints towards city hall, then reaching gingerly for the watercolors, tapping in faint tinges of color - surprisingly delicate - as he starts to work at creating some sort of soft landscaped backdrop.
"Usually myself or the other attendents." Edith offers, arms crossing as she observes Benjamin, Dahlia, Toby, Lark and Lilian. "General process; Intake, sign off, arrangement, analitics and freezer. Most of the time, they don't stand up again. If they do, someone has done something very wrong."
At the side of the banister, folding her origami, Lilian's fingers suddenly stop as her sapphire eyes spot the mouse. Just like a cat spotting a mouse, Lilian freezes and gently starts settin the origami on the side of the banister.
Leaf(Mouse) scurries along the shadows, skirting the feet of the gathering here yet still drawn to it. The true aim of the mouse is to dart from cover to cover to approach the table where all the cakes are kept all while hopefully avoiding notice from the attendees.
Benjamin clucks his tongue at his own piece and seems to be looking at each of the attendees for a prolonged period with those big amber eyes, doing some finer line work as if getting their positions in the composition more locked in and set.
Toby sets his paintbrush down for a moment as he glances over to Edith, then back to his painting-in-progress... And then he glances back, a beat longer at that latter comment, giving a short amused exhalation from his nose before reaching over to grab another helping of cake, blissfully unaware of Leaf(Mouse).
Setting down her origami, Lilian makes her way over to the table with the cakes, watching the mouse from the corner of her eye as she pretends to serve herself a tiny helping of cake.
Edith glances over as Leaf(Mouse) skitters in. She doesn't make anything of it however, leaving things to play out.
Dahlia is likewise unware of Leaf(Mouse), continuing to work on her sketching in her book with a thoughtful sound. She glances up to Lilah, offering her a friendly smile. "Hi, Lilah. Long time no see."
"Lilah." Lilian smiles warmly, lifting her head as she looks over at the other woman while standing near the cakes. She offers her open arms, momentarily distracted from stalking the mouse.
Benjamin is sketching something when he spots Lilah and waves with a pen in his hand, "Hi Lilah, the food and drinks are for anyone even if you don't sketch. There's paper and art supplies if you want to do something though. Whatever you see pretty much buildings, people, thinks, all casual."
The mission impossible theme must be playing in Leaf(Mouse) head as it dives behind a table leg, peeks around to check for hostiles then bolts to scurry behind an unaware persons leg like Dahlia, it moves slow with her foot steps till she stops moving then it darts off to the next bit of cover. All this is to get to the table of cakes, once finally at the base of it its daunted by getting up there to it's prize.
"Good evening, Lilah." Edith greets Lilah.
Lark pauses her painting and texting to wave at Lilah. "Good evening! Nice to properly meet you, I'm Lark!"
Toby taps gingerly at his little painting, before looking over to Lilah with a slight, somewhat shy smile. "Heya. I'm Toby.", he greets softly with a lift of his hand to wave a few times with his fingers.
"Hi everyone," Lilah greets, looking quite surprised by the number of greetings. She slants a quick smile to Dahlia, saying to her, "Same. It's good to see you, Dahlia." Then she's stepping forward, slipping into Lilian's offered hug and returning it with a squeeze. "Thanks Ben," she adds on, as she draws back from the embrace, to offer a smile his way. "I appreciate that. Sorry I'm late. Really late, huh?" She quickly waves and smiles to Edith too, offering a quiet, "Hi," in response and an, "I -love- those shoes."
"Lilah," Lilah offers in turn to Toby. "Nice to meet you, too, Toby."
"You're not even that late." Lilian tells Lilah giving the other woman a warm squeeze before letting go. Her heeled foot steps forward a second before returning to next to the table. She smiles as she gestures to the cakes towards Lilah. "Did you want a slice? These cakes are from my cafe. So is the hot chocolate and coffee if you want one."
Lilah must've missed Lark's greeting, or taken a bit long to process it in the sudden barage of hellos that the near shut-in is quite unused to. It shows in the bemused, sort of taken aback look on her face, but she smiles an apologetic, "Sorry. Hi. Nice to meet you too, Lark."
"I have had rather a lot of compliments on this even's outfit." Edith nods back to Lilah. "Sophie Wilson's business on Paine. I spent rather too much on the majority of the newest offerings."
Duh-duh, duh-duh... duh-duh, duh-duh...@line
Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh! Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh!@line
Leaf(Mouse) finds itself at the bottom of one of the legs to the cake table, faced with a sheer climb vertically up one of the legs it begins to dig its claws in and crawl up. It nearly slips, making a soft scratching noise as its rear claws are forced to scramble for a foot hold. All this is happening while most don't notice it trying to get to the food and those that do notice have not bothered to intervene.
Lark is snacking on cake, oblivious to everything.
The scratching noise draws Lilian's attention back to the mouse and Lilian gives Lilah another smile before she reaches out with a hand, snagging the tail of the mouse justttt as it's about to climb onto the table. She grabs the take away box too, holding it underneath the mouse as she holds it up by a finger. "What do we have here.." She comments thoughtfully, studying the mouse.
Lilah eyes the cakes that Lilian has offered, taking a few steps closer to the cake table. Something she sees causes her lips to twitch in an amused little smile, but for a few moments she's fairly quiet. There's a pensive look over the offerings, and eventually she reaches for a slice, though she doesn't take a bite yet. Instead, she says over to Edith, "Oh? Which one is that?" before she squeaks and reaches out to give Lilian's arm a little swat - nothing harmful obviously. "Don't hurt it. It's adorable," she demands.
That scratching sound catches Toby's ears, which gets a couple confused blinks as he looks over in the general direction of Leaf(Mouse), though he doesn't seem to catch the critter in his eyesight perfectly, and after a moment he returns his attention to the cakes at-hand, taking another helping from one... And then Lilian snags that mouse. "...Woah.", he softly enthuses. "Little guy must be hungry.", he supposes, evidently wholly unbothered by the little mouse.
Leaf(Mouse) makes a panic'd squeeking noise at its plucked by the tail by Lilian and left dangling and flailing. It can't do anything but freak out and make soft squeeking noises while others decide what should be done.
Lark stops eating cake, mid bite and sets down her fork. "Lily, let it be. Poor thing is probably just hungry."
Lilian eyes the mouse like a cat eyeing a mouse. She turns to flash Lilah a grin at the swat but doesn't let the mouse go. "Why don't you put a little bit of cake in the take away box... And it can eat and I'll let it go somewhere more.. appropriate later." Lilian comments as she moves her body back and forth almost like a cat would be wagging it's tail if she had one.
"Studio Splendent." Edith calls over to Lilah
Siofra climbs over the fence like an animal, bleeding profusely from each ear. She gives 'I'm watching you' fingers to Edith, and throws a bar napkin at her, but doesn't manage to contain the smile.
Dahlia looks up from her sketching toward the squeaking with a lift of her brows. "Oh, wow. Where'd they come from?" She wonders, having been totally unware of the the thing. Then she looks back toward her sketching but gives Siofra a smile in greeting, which falters when she sees the blood. "Uh...what happened to your ears? Are you okay?"
Siofra blinks at Dahlia, shaking her head and motioning a line from her ear to her mouth, shrugging.
"Oh, I thought Euphemia owned that one. I've not been around town enough lately," Lilah responds, but nods and seems to be making a mental note, all while watching Lilian and that mouse for a few more moments. Eventually though, she shrugs and says, "Sure." Into the box goes a chunk of the slice of cake she's already claimed for herself, but left uneaten. "Maybe I'll keep it. It's totally adorable..." she says thoughtfully, as she nudges the box over toward Lilian.
Benjamin looks over towards Siofra when she enters the area and begins adjusting his current linework on the sketch pad.
Edith says "Euphemia owns the Vow."
"Naww I want to play with it later. It is adorable." Lilian tells Lilah with a nod and she takes the box and drops the mouse in before slamming the lid closed, trapping the mouse in with the cake. She keeps her hand on the lid, keeping the box closed as she turns back to the others. "Hey Siofra. Sorry about the other night. You feeling better?"
Lark takes a few more bites of another slice of mango yuzu cake for inspiration. She waves her fork at Siofra and Savannah.
Leaf(Mouse) squeaks in panic as it's dangled by the tail right up until its dropped into the box and the lid shuts on it. There is some rattling in there as it moves around trying to find a crack or hole to escape from its new prison but it soon stops moving about, probably when it finds the cake to chow down on and keep it complacent to its fate.
Siofra head twinges as tinnitus is taken by Lilian's voice, a spark of pain as the swelling in her eardrums pop and give way to the musical tones of parties and speech. "Eeegh! Sorry? Right- sound- sorry, someone's devilish voice went off near me ears. I'm fine- don't worry about eht."
Toby squints at the box that Lilian has trapped Leaf(Mouse) in with cake, then to Lilian, then to the little scritches, then just staring for a moment, before his eyes flit back to the selection of cakes, taking a couple forks of passion colada before continuing his watercolor brushwork.
Benjamin is sketching the gathering off to the side and as Savannah enters the scene metaphorically speaking, he lifts his left hand with pen to wave. "Good evening Deputy. Good to see you out and about. How was Valentines did you go to the comedy show?"
"Alright." Lilian flashes Siofra a bright smile as she offers Lilah another slice of cake while carefully holding the take away box not to bump it or tilt it too much. "Oh hey Savie." Lilian calls out when Benjamin calls out to Savannah, causing Lilian to realize the woman had joined them. "I caught a cute little mouse in here."
Savannah waves towards Benjamin and others, stepping up towards the cake table, "Heya, yeah! It was a fun show, Jules and I went to dinner first, thanks for the tickets!"
Lilah shakes her head at Lilian. The gesture aside, however, her smile doesn't seem to slip away, and she turns to look back over all of those gathered around. Eventually, she drifts over to where Lark and Toby are hard at work, taking a moment to try and peep their genius. "What're you painting, Toby?" she wonders, though she adds for Lark, "Looks almost good enough to actually eat," with a little laugh.
Lark smiles widely at Lilah, waving her fork in the air as she takes another bite of actual mango yuzu cake. "I was inspired!"
"If I want entertainment, I find where Takeshi is." Edith shares. "Then I wait until he makes a fool of himself- Someone aught make a drinking game of it."
"Mm?", Toby lets out a soft hum as he looks up from his soft, muted watercolor brushwork to Lilian, a neutral expression on his face. "It's, well, like, I guess the building here - I guess I just saw it with like, a bit of the mist flowing in, and it... Made an impression on me?", he supposes with a lackadaisical little lift of his shoulders. If one were to glance to his sheet, they'd see a sort of impressionistic glint to the tracing of the evening Havenite sky, a gloam to the mist that's lit by the nearby lamps - an amateur painting, but not one without some experience.
"I prefer to avoid Demon Yakuza boi." Benjamin says with a wrinkle to his nose and then finally finishing up his sketching he brings up his phone and takes a photo of the gathering. Then as if a broken record he calls out, "Remember drinks and cakes just get thrown away so please please please take them home, chug them, throw them on each other. I don't care just don't leave them here at the end of the night. Art supplies are available if you want to do something. If you don't want to keep your art I collect it all at the end."
"Oh, have a heart fer the bai tai! He's such gas to play the games of feelings with." Siofra waves Edith in aristocratic dismissal of topic. "Besides, his obey-chan plays with 'em. Not to do about him."
"Mmm I'm gonna go release this mouse in the forest.. Be back in a bit." Lilian calls out to everyone as she makes off with the box.
Lark moves over to try some of the hot chocolate at Benjamin's words.
Leaf(Mouse) occasionally thumps against the side or lid of the box it's kept in. Trying to test it's prison for weaknesses but for the most part its stuck in that box. A victim of its greedy need to eat.
"See you at home later." Benjamin says waving to Lilian
Lilian waggles her fingers, "See you guys!"
Toby looks over at Benjamin for a moment, then back over to the cakes. "...Why would you throw a perfectly good cake?", he wonders with mock-distress, then taking another couple bites from the hazelnut cake, then tapping his brush at his little painting a bit more, adding soft muted pale colors to the scene - a sort of gloamy haze of light playing through mist.
"I've seen that mouse in no less than four places." Siofra shares with dimpled bemusement.
Dahlia takes a break from her sketching finally to snag one of the cakes
Lilah looks from the departing woman to Benjamin and after a moment asks, "Are you two together now?" of the fellow. Her nosey question is matched by a loft of both red brows, before she looks back to Toby's painting and says, "I can see it. It's good." She's not daring to put anything to paper, herself, so one might question her taste in art, but all the same.
"You've gotta try the mango yuzu!" Lark tells Toby before stopping to think for a moment. "How can you tell it's the same mouse? Don't they all kinda, look alike?"
Lilah says, mildly, "Wild mice do all look rather similar to each other."
Benjamin is folding his sketchbook to tuck under his arm when those big amber eyes slant towards Lilah and his shoulders hitch up in a shrug. "Maddy, Lily, and I are trying something out so yes." he says with all the confidence of someone trying something out! He does offer a sheepish smile though, "Why is that shocking?"
"Mm?", Toby hums, still chewing the bit of cake he'd been enjoying, before nodding over to Lark with a little smile, then reaching over for some of the mango yuzu. "I'll not say no to that.", he acquiesces with some cheer, seeming to quite enjoy the little selection of treats.
"Electric." Siofra responds as she leans into to take gallery of the in-progress paintings, hands tucked into her back.
Lark grins as she converts Toby to team mango yuzu cake. She leans over, an eyebrow raised. "How do you like it? Good right?" she goads.
"Nah, I'm just nosey. Lily deserves to be happy, so good for you all," Lilah answers with a shrug of her own shoulders.
Toby looks over to Lark as he chews at it, then humming contentedly. "Yeah, that's pretty great.", he opines before swallowing, some food still in his mouth.
Lark nods at Toby and takes a slow sip of that rich, hot chocolate.
"Oh yeah?" Savannah asks someone as she smiles over towards him, "That is cool! Glad she is moving on and finding some happiness." She moves towards the stairwell now, sitting herself down with a hot chocolate in her hands, sipping from it, "I don't have any artistic talent, so I'm just going to enjoy by proxy over here, if you don't mind."
"Oh yeah?" Savannah asks Benjamin as she smiles over towards him, "That is cool! Glad she is moving on and finding some happiness." She moves towards the stairwell now, sitting herself down with a hot chocolate in her hands, sipping from it, "I don't have any artistic talent, so I'm just going to enjoy by proxy over here, if you don't mind."
After a few more moments of hovering somewhere in the gathered group, Lilah turns and heads back down the steps, and toward the street.
Benjamin moves over to lean against the railing near Savannah and open up his sketch book to hand down to show her, though some of the other art pieces including a little orgami bit are scattered about in different states of presentable. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling people are constantly in shock I'm not gay or something. Am I just imagining this or was it because Liam straightup said it last week." he muses with a shake of his head.
Benjamin's sketchbook being shown off to Savannah appears to depict: The gathering from an off to the side angle, people captured in the midst of greeting each other or doing art work. Quite a bit of detail being dedicated to their outfits over the actual background scene itself. It's all still rough linework with penciling for future details.
"Benjieeee. Were you going to have any cake?", Toby wonders softly after Benjamin, before snorting and snickering. "You set off my gaydar.", he admits with a helpless lift of his shoulders. "Of course, the sweatpants with the glittery handprints didn't help your case."
"I have zero." Edith assures Savannah. "I came purely to meet the students who will likely not come to share the love of dissection with me for extra credit."
Dahlia chuckles softly, "I think people just automatically assume stereotypse of theatere kids." She muses to Benjamin as she eats her cake and takes a glance people's progress. "I might come!" She tells Edith but then says, "I probably won't be any good at it but it could be neat."
"The theater boi sweats is a real phenoma." Benjamin agrees to Toby with a wry look and admits, "But yeah I guess Maddy and I dating was a shocking surprise or something."
Siofra raises her hand happily for Edith, "Oh, Miss Rose- can I not bother ye' fer such a gas expense of me darlin' time?"
"You are not coordinated well enough to be a homosexual." Edith points out to Benjamin. "You have not once done the limp handgesture."
"Why, I would LOVE to dissect..." Siofra pauses to frame the lack of hobby, "anything."
Lark snorts on her cake, choking a little at overhearing Edith from the cake table. She starts to cough, turning a little pink in the face.
"That is definitely cool," Savannah says to Benjamin as she leans over to look at his current artwork.
"I didn't think it was a -shocking surprise- or anything.", Toby muses after Benjamin with a little shrug, then going to take a couple more bites of cake after his suggestion, then looking at Edith, speaking with his mouth still mostly full of cake in a muffled tone, "That's a stereotype.", letting out an amused snort before chewing and finishing what he'd started on.
Lark nods in agreement with Toby on both counts.
Siofra says "Why, ye' cannot know something's outsides unless ye' know its insides."
Benjamin folds his sketchbook back over and tucks it beneath his arm while listening to Edith and Toby though he does laugh quietly and comment to Savannah, "So you mentioned you'd taught a class or two recently and I was asking if I had to bring snacks for an invite. What have you done instruction on, Savannah?"
Edith agrees with Siofra with a nod.
Toby squints as he notices the hot chocolate's almost gone, and goes for that last cup, then taking a sip contentedly.
"I have ta ask, do not most college lessons bar the unawares?" Siofra asks to the crowd, leaning on the cake-table.
"I've just done a few lessons here and there, privately. I generally just help out around campus in other ways, teaching, I've not really brought a whole group just yet," Savannah says to Benjamin, shaking her head. She does look over to Siofra, nodding her head, "They generally must, anything on White Oak is a bit specific, usually."
Lark waves at Malcolm. "Just in time for the last of the cake!"
"Grand." Siofra replies, conspiring evily with her palms.
Malcolm wanders on up unhurriedly, lifting a hand. "Gang." A nod's sent toward Siofra in agreement with Savannah, reckoning, "Generally oughta, yeah."
Toby takes a big gulp from his hot chocolate, then wrinkling his nose as he evidently drank too much at once, letting out a couple indignant coughs. "H-hey, Malcolm.", he practically sputters out, giving him a little grin.
"Howya, peeler?" Siofra smiles to Malcolm, "did ye' just swing by or are ye' here to stay awhile?"
Nodding, Edith exhibits the slightest smile. It's the twitch of the lips only, though as she nods to Siofra, there's an aspect to that corpse-still gaze that conveys more of the Frankenstein than the Dracula. "Quite so." she agrees. "More should know what goes into a body and back out again."
"Well next week thinking of doing a track day, if you or Malcolm want to come out and make it an educational track day I can set the time more in your court." Benjamin offers conversationally with a little wave to Malcolm from his spot on an railing.
Lark makes a few touch ups on her painting.
"Probably just showin' face," Malcolm reckons back toward Siofra with a wave, eyeballing the remaining cake for a moment but not going for it. Probably because he's already toting a corndog. "I got a few things what gotta get done. Always somethin'."
"Like cake.", Toby muses softly to Edith, sitting back comfortably in a folding chair.
"If you like." Edith agrees.
"Always happy to help if I'm around, but my schedule's ass on toast to begin with, let alone stuff comin' up," Malcolm informs Benjamin pleasantly enough, shoulders bouncing. "Right now, it's night owl or bust for me, but even then, who knows."
Benjamin looks down to Savannah hopefully given Malcolm's ass schedule.
"Ass on toast.", Toby just repeats in a deadpan fashion, letting that sit for a moment before taking a sip from his hot chocolate.
Malcolm snap-points toward Toby, nodding seriously.
"Is that somethin' to with arse and cake?" Siofra blinks.
Siofra says "The euphemism?"
"No, it's..." Malcolm starts, then shrugs. "... actually could be? I'unno. Just a figure of speech."
"Oh, maybe," Savannah says to Benjamin as she looks to him, "My schedule has been all outta sorts lately, don't know if I can really commit to anything. Maybe if I know the day and time."
"Some people call an ass 'cake' too.", Toby muses idly, his bright blue-eyed gaze then flitting over between Benjamin and Savannah with mute curiosity, then looking down to his phone for a brief moment.
"I'll shoot some times over to you and if not no biggier, the last gym day we managed without an instructor." Benjamin says in a reassuring new yorker's accent before pushing off the rail to go explore the other pieces. "Okay so who knows they're definitely not taking theirs home OR submitting it to Dahlia's gallery which has a showing March 8th."
Lark points her paintbrush over at Toby. "True story!" she chimes in before adding a few more beads of sweat to the painted mango yuzu cake.
Looking to her phone, Edith narrows her eyes. Nodding over to Siofra, Savannah, Malcolm, Toby, Lark, Benjamin and Dahlia, she excuses herself, sweeping off with a final, "Do excuse me. We have an anomalous decomposed cadaver and I should like access to it before any of my lessers ruin what evidence I can gather from it." the blond looks all too happy about this, as though it were the most interesting thing of the night.
"How public is the showing, Benjie?" Siofra asks, arm crossed under her bust and finger scratching at the corner of her mouth.
Lark waves to the retreating professor.
Benjamin motions to Dahlia who is standing over... there!
Siofra outstretches her arms and tilts her head, crossing her leg from behind in an expansive bow.
Malcolm also lifts a hand, taking up role as professor-deputy when the vacancy is made, though honestly he's just here to supervise for the moment and show face.
"I'll see if I can make it, even if it is just playing it by ear," Savannah says to Benjamin as she sits on the steps, one leg crossed over her ankles.
"Never really had a knack for any art, myself, other'n maybe a little photography here and there," Malcolm figures to those present. "So I'm not gonna be able to offer any tips or tricks on this. Sorta outside my wheelhouse." But he does linger for the time, thumbing through his phone.
Siofra says "I'll g'wan outta here. I've got business at The Trove. 'Tis always a bright, innocent spectacle the events of the college."
Siofra bows out, then runs south and jumps the fence.
Benjamin watches as someone actually departs a gathering by running and jumping a fence, "I feel like I'm in a scene from Napleon Dynamite."
Over a shoulder, Malcolm calls placidly after the departing gal, "Less of that." The guy's eyes roll back toward Benjamin, amused, and then to Lark, brow knit.
Benjamin says "It was this like... edgy art film from the early 2000s."
"Maybe you are, and you just don't know it yet?", Toby muses to Benjamin with poignantly raised brows, as if that were actually a point. A beat passes... And then Toby snags another bit from that last cake.
"This is the start of another old joke," Malcolm accuses Lark aside.
Lark nods knowingly at Malcolm. "Oh I see, old people joke."
Malcolm eyeballs Lark, then visibly gives up, turning his attention toward other art pieces.
Benjamin sighs a bit at Lark and begins to clean up the art supplies with a rueful shake of his head. "It's not that old it's like... The same time as the Lucha-dore movie with Jack Black!"
"The...what?", Toby murmurs cluelessly after Benjamin, just staring for a moment.
Lark points at Toby, nodding.
"I'm gonna wither away," Malcolm informs one of the paintings, on a sigh.
"I'm going to shoot you," Malcolm informs Lark, normal volume, without looking.
Benjamin closes his eyes and then opens them looking hopelessly at Lark and Toby, "Don't you two ever like... Watch old B movies or something? What do you do when you're drunk or high with friends and it's cold out?!"
Benjamin says "Like Mystery Theater 9000?"
Benjamin says "Redlettermedia? "
"Neil Breen," Malcolm offers Benjamin.
Lark stops to think about that, humming for a moment before she tells Benjamin. "Well my mom was really sick most of my life, so after school and cheer practice, I'd probably be at the hospital or working a second job."
"Now I'm sad both for a lost childhood and because I sound like a dick." Benjamin says with a hang of his head in defeat to Lark's clearly more relevant use of time.
Toby tilts his head over to Benjamin, just contemplating for a moment. "Eh... Not really. When I'm drunk with friends and it's cold out usually it's, like, road trip or something, hopefully with like, milkshakes or something.", he recalls with a snort, crossing his arms, before his eyes flit to Lark with a little smile. "I'll have to watch some of those, too.", he decides.
Siofra returns back with a job, brushing off some foliage.
Benjamin begins tapping something into his phone, "B-Movie Night... Recurring."
Siofra with a jog! Not a job.
"And she returns," Malcolm announces of Siofra, looking up from a painting.
Siofra says "I could not stay for long!"
Siofra gives a sweet smile to Malcolm that is only allowed to go as far as human-lipped smiles are allowed.
Malcolm dusts his hands off, reckoning, "Either way -- I gotta get me a thing-or-two done, myself, if you'll all excuse me. Furniture won't haul itself. Have fun, gang, stay hydrated."
Lark waves to Malcolm. "Don't walk too fast!!"
Malcolm wags a wave over a shoulder, and off he fucks, taking the stairs rather than the fence.
Benjamin begins packing up the unused or partially used supplies into his art messenger bag and then wonders, "So any valentine highlights from anyone? Toby no one asked how your valentine was, did you and Sam do anything?"
Siofra stole someone's oil painting on accident. Oops.
"I spent mine with a raptor." Siofra grimaces.
Siofra says "I did get to sleep in Liam's bathroom though. It's the small things."
For Siofra, truly, the REALLY small things.
Toby snags a helping of that coffee as things get rolled away, looking over to Benjamin with a smile. "We made each other plushies.", he recalls somewhat amusedly as he points a thumb towards his overstuffed tabbycat plush backpack. "And he got me tons of snacks, which was awesome."
"Oh plushies is cute." Benjamin agrees as he finishes packing up some thigns and then eyes the remainder with a hrm. "Like a build-a-bear or smaller?"
Siofra says, distantly, "Haven't see 'em since I got back."
Siofra says "Well, not to worry. Me tendons grew back."
"Well, I made him a snekky-snek with hearts for eyes.", Toby observes with a little grin, shimmying his shoulders a bit. "Probably a few feet long?", he supposes after its size.
"I'm too distracted myself, think I'm heading out," Savannah says as she waves towards the others still nearby, "Goodnight to you all!"
Benjamin looks away from Siofra to Toby, "Ah that's clever he's a big snake guy, what did he make you... Bird?"
Toby gives another thumb towards his tabby-cat plushie. "Toby-cat.", he states to Benjamin with an amused smile.
Benjamin leaves the oil painting of the mano yuzu cake for Lark to reclaim.
"Toby-Cat, Tabby cat. Okay cool." Benjamin agrees with a smile before looking at the remaining things and picks them up and hums. "Well I think that was a little short and sweet, normally I try to run longer but we got everyone squared away."
As the evening progressed, further characters like Edith, Savannah, and Siofra joined, enriching the tapestry of the community event. Conversations flowed from developing art skills to sharing Valentine's Day experiences, underlined by a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect. The gathering not only focused on the act of sketching but also served as a canvas for personal expression and connection among the attendees. Benjamin, showing leadership and creativity, facilitated an environment where art and friendship intertwined seamlessly. The event concluded with participants packing up, reflecting on their experiences and the shared joy of art, even as they navigated the unexpected moments such as the appearance of Leaf. The urban sketching gathering under the waning gibbous moon encapsulated a snapshot of community life, underpinned by creativity, support, and the simple pleasures of being together.
(Benjamin's White Oak: Urban Sketching)
[Sat Feb 15 2025]
On the Front Steps Entering Town Hall and Flanked by its Porch
A trio of long stone steps rise in a slow movement up to reach the door
of the town hall. Stone sculpture rest on either side, with the town crest
and an Eagle, sharp beak curved in sharp peak. The door is heavy, crafted
of wood, with brass door handles. The town charter has been carved into the
stone beside the door, along stylized versions of several signatures. The
other side maintains a bright and sparkling window.
It is night, about 33F(0C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waning gibbous moon.
"I'm not going to sit down while you're having a panic attack." Lilian reassures Benjamin as her arm stays around his waist. Her head tilts in for that kiss though, "Who usually attends your arty things? Novel I guess? I mean.. I can poke a hole through a piece of paper if you need." She smirks slightly, "If that's considered art.."
Lark shows up and waves to the group. "Hello everyone! Ooooh what a spread!" She looks around, delighted.
Lilian waggles her fingers at Lark, "Hey Lark. How's things? Did you go on a cute date last night with Evan? I haven't seen him in agess."
Benjamin looks over to Lark with a relieved smile, "Well we're up to three, plus me is four. I can keep from having a crisis." he muses with a hand lifting up to wave to Lark
Lark snags a canvas and a paintbrush, nodding at Lilian. "Yep! We went out for a nice dinner, and had a cozy night in." She beams at Benjamin. "You know exactly what I love, thank you!! And Evan bought it for me from Studio Splendante. From their Valentine's lineup. Limited time only!"
Dahlia says "That sounds so nice! And yeah that is gorgeous. I'll have to go by there soon and look"
"It is nice." Lilian smiles as she looks over the bright pink that is Lark, "I haven't actually gone to visit there, been getting Euphie to do all my clothes custom like."
Lark waves to Dahlia and starts setting up an easel. "Oh it's very lovely! Euphie's stuff is great too. Lots of talented tailors around here." She starts displaying the paints and asks Dahlia "How's the art show stuff coming?"
Benjamin separates from Lilian and moves over to the kind of right area of the gathering pulling out his black covered sketchy book, "I don't know if anyone has started drawing yet, now that we have a few people I'll probably do my line work." he explains as he waves with his pen at Toby, "Hey Toby."
"Hey Tobes." Lilian smiles as she leans against the banister of the stairs out of the way of everyone doing actual art. Once Benjamin moves away from her though, she does pick up a piece of paper - not to draw on but to start folding.
Toby wanders along with a plush tabby cat backpack, fashionably late as he makes his way along with a smile, then lifting a hand to wave his fingers towards Benjamin. "Heyyy.", he drones softly in greeting, eyes flitting abroad curiously before looking to Lilian, giving her a little smile and a dip of his chin.
Dahlia waves in greeting to Toby, "Hi there! I'm Dahlia." She introduces herself. Looking to Lark she sighs and laughs. "Slowly. I need to set a firm deadline for submissions if I want to stay on track for the start of March."
Lark waves a paintbrush at Toby. She nods at Dahlia. "Deadlines are good. I've been waffling through a couple different ideas of what to paint too. It's hard to choose."
"Oh I haven't told anyone the deadline for the gallery stuff, I just said it's opening the first or second week of march." Benjamin says from his spot off to the side as he begins making some linework on the page mostly the background if anyone peeks. "I'll have my art submitted like monday-ish if that works for you, Dahlia?"
"Perhaps a depiction of the humble pangolin...", Toby murmurs to himself as he makes his way along, giving a furtive gaze to the various folding tables set up before snagging a little helping of lychee strawberry cake not-so-surreptitiously, then looking over to Dahlia with a little smile. "I'm Toby. Nice to meet ya, Dahlia."
Lark listens to the chatter of conversation and starts by painting some broad lines, splashes of oil paint that don't seem to be connected nor accurate. "What's a pangolin?" she asks Toby with a curious smile, looking up briefly from her painting.
Lilian's fingers slowly start to fold the piece of the paper, looking very much like origami as she leans against the banister, just watching everyone else paint while she occasionally sends texts on her phone. "I think it's a kindof animal?"
"They're like little scaly anteaters that have their own armor!", Toby enthuses. "Today is also World Pangolin Day. They're, like, the most trafficked animals in the world because people use their scales for, like, traditional medicine and stuff.", he supposes vaguely. "They're, like, cool little dudes though."
Benjamin holds his sketch book in his right arm, using the forearm to support the page and sketches with his left hand while looking from person to person with those big amber eyes. He mentions, "Also for Godsake please eat or take those cakes home and definitely have the hot choco or coffee. They aren't cheap and Lily was nice enough to give them to me on the house."
Dahlia picks up her charcoal pencils to start working on sketching the front steps and sidewalk leading up to the townhall. "Oh wow. That's pretty interesting, Toby. There really is a day for everything." She hm'd.
"I'm sure Bill will be trilled but I'm not sure how cute Pangolins are.." Lilian mentions, "I could certainly stock a book on them if you guys will be interested." Lilian smiles over at Edith as her fingers pause in their folding of origami to waggle at her. "Hey Edith."
Benjamin glances up as Edith joins the metaphorical scene and makes some brief scritch marks on the page before commenting, "Edith has such good layering in her outfit."
Edith sweeps on in with a nod to Lilian, Benjamin, someone, Lark and Dahlia. "Good even, all. This will be the student meet."
Edith sweeps on in with a nod to Lilian, Benjamin, Toby, Lark and Dahlia. "Good even, all. This will be the student meet."
Toby gives Benjamin a little side-eyed glance, then to the cake, then back to him, then back to the cake which he snags another little helping from shamelessly. "Don't have to ask me twice.", he decides on with a shrug, then going for a helping of hot chocolate as well, his eyes then looking over to the sheets of paper before retrieving one, then picking up a pencil and squinting at his surroundings with mute curiosity.
Lark looks up towards Edith. "Oh wow, I love everything about your outfit! I'm Lark, by the way!"
"This is the urban sketching get together." Benjamin confirms as he leans against the town charter monument and continues to do linework for the gathering image.
Benjamin says "Oh Edith is a professor!"
Benjamin says "I forgot... Sorry, I meant the -Professor- has great layering. Don't knock off my extra credit."
"Yes although I didn't think this was a student only thing. I'm sure there are many professors and others who are artistic." Lilian smiles slightly as she continues to use her fingernails to make sure the folds on her origami are clean.
"Edith." Edith introduces herself, "Forensics and para-forensics tutor at White Oak."
"Quite." Edith nods. "Most will be the graveyard shift, for /obvious/ reasons. The deputies do not deliver the corpses until shortly after midnight, and some are not always in a state to be assessed before a good autopsy." This, in and of itself is apparently a lesson.
"Cool.", Toby states smoothly with a little smile, looking over to Edith. "Oh, um. I'm Toby, in case we've not met before.", he adds on with a lackadaisical lift of his shoulders. "Nice to meet ya, professor." He just looks blankly at Edith for a moment after her revelation of the corpses. "...Yep.", he states as if such a thing were just to be expected.
For anyone glancing at Lark's painting so far, it seems to focus on something yellowish orange.
"I'm Dahlia." Dahlia tacks on realizing she didn't introduce herself after Toby introduces himself. She lifts her brows, curious. "Oh, interesting. How do they get into an assessed state?" She wonders to Edith, having zero context about forensics at all, but curious nonetheless.
Benjamin is takig his time, anyone peeking at his sketch book would see it's primarily shapes and lines with only vestigal details in very light pencil so as to provide reference for future actual detailing work. "I have to say it's a shame Toni is house cleaning she's a nurse and also a professor be interesting to hear you two discuss para-normal wounds and treatmeants."
Toby delicately slips up a sheet of that cream-colored paper, sticking his tongue out slightly as he seems to envision a scene mentally as he squints towards city hall, then reaching gingerly for the watercolors, tapping in faint tinges of color - surprisingly delicate - as he starts to work at creating some sort of soft landscaped backdrop.
"Usually myself or the other attendents." Edith offers, arms crossing as she observes Benjamin, Dahlia, Toby, Lark and Lilian. "General process; Intake, sign off, arrangement, analitics and freezer. Most of the time, they don't stand up again. If they do, someone has done something very wrong."
At the side of the banister, folding her origami, Lilian's fingers suddenly stop as her sapphire eyes spot the mouse. Just like a cat spotting a mouse, Lilian freezes and gently starts settin the origami on the side of the banister.
Leaf(Mouse) scurries along the shadows, skirting the feet of the gathering here yet still drawn to it. The true aim of the mouse is to dart from cover to cover to approach the table where all the cakes are kept all while hopefully avoiding notice from the attendees.
Benjamin clucks his tongue at his own piece and seems to be looking at each of the attendees for a prolonged period with those big amber eyes, doing some finer line work as if getting their positions in the composition more locked in and set.
Toby sets his paintbrush down for a moment as he glances over to Edith, then back to his painting-in-progress... And then he glances back, a beat longer at that latter comment, giving a short amused exhalation from his nose before reaching over to grab another helping of cake, blissfully unaware of Leaf(Mouse).
Setting down her origami, Lilian makes her way over to the table with the cakes, watching the mouse from the corner of her eye as she pretends to serve herself a tiny helping of cake.
Edith glances over as Leaf(Mouse) skitters in. She doesn't make anything of it however, leaving things to play out.
Dahlia is likewise unware of Leaf(Mouse), continuing to work on her sketching in her book with a thoughtful sound. She glances up to Lilah, offering her a friendly smile. "Hi, Lilah. Long time no see."
"Lilah." Lilian smiles warmly, lifting her head as she looks over at the other woman while standing near the cakes. She offers her open arms, momentarily distracted from stalking the mouse.
Benjamin is sketching something when he spots Lilah and waves with a pen in his hand, "Hi Lilah, the food and drinks are for anyone even if you don't sketch. There's paper and art supplies if you want to do something though. Whatever you see pretty much buildings, people, thinks, all casual."
The mission impossible theme must be playing in Leaf(Mouse) head as it dives behind a table leg, peeks around to check for hostiles then bolts to scurry behind an unaware persons leg like Dahlia, it moves slow with her foot steps till she stops moving then it darts off to the next bit of cover. All this is to get to the table of cakes, once finally at the base of it its daunted by getting up there to it's prize.
"Good evening, Lilah." Edith greets Lilah.
Lark pauses her painting and texting to wave at Lilah. "Good evening! Nice to properly meet you, I'm Lark!"
Toby taps gingerly at his little painting, before looking over to Lilah with a slight, somewhat shy smile. "Heya. I'm Toby.", he greets softly with a lift of his hand to wave a few times with his fingers.
"Hi everyone," Lilah greets, looking quite surprised by the number of greetings. She slants a quick smile to Dahlia, saying to her, "Same. It's good to see you, Dahlia." Then she's stepping forward, slipping into Lilian's offered hug and returning it with a squeeze. "Thanks Ben," she adds on, as she draws back from the embrace, to offer a smile his way. "I appreciate that. Sorry I'm late. Really late, huh?" She quickly waves and smiles to Edith too, offering a quiet, "Hi," in response and an, "I -love- those shoes."
"Lilah," Lilah offers in turn to Toby. "Nice to meet you, too, Toby."
"You're not even that late." Lilian tells Lilah giving the other woman a warm squeeze before letting go. Her heeled foot steps forward a second before returning to next to the table. She smiles as she gestures to the cakes towards Lilah. "Did you want a slice? These cakes are from my cafe. So is the hot chocolate and coffee if you want one."
Lilah must've missed Lark's greeting, or taken a bit long to process it in the sudden barage of hellos that the near shut-in is quite unused to. It shows in the bemused, sort of taken aback look on her face, but she smiles an apologetic, "Sorry. Hi. Nice to meet you too, Lark."
"I have had rather a lot of compliments on this even's outfit." Edith nods back to Lilah. "Sophie Wilson's business on Paine. I spent rather too much on the majority of the newest offerings."
Duh-duh, duh-duh... duh-duh, duh-duh...@line
Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh! Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh!@line
Leaf(Mouse) finds itself at the bottom of one of the legs to the cake table, faced with a sheer climb vertically up one of the legs it begins to dig its claws in and crawl up. It nearly slips, making a soft scratching noise as its rear claws are forced to scramble for a foot hold. All this is happening while most don't notice it trying to get to the food and those that do notice have not bothered to intervene.
Lark is snacking on cake, oblivious to everything.
The scratching noise draws Lilian's attention back to the mouse and Lilian gives Lilah another smile before she reaches out with a hand, snagging the tail of the mouse justttt as it's about to climb onto the table. She grabs the take away box too, holding it underneath the mouse as she holds it up by a finger. "What do we have here.." She comments thoughtfully, studying the mouse.
Lilah eyes the cakes that Lilian has offered, taking a few steps closer to the cake table. Something she sees causes her lips to twitch in an amused little smile, but for a few moments she's fairly quiet. There's a pensive look over the offerings, and eventually she reaches for a slice, though she doesn't take a bite yet. Instead, she says over to Edith, "Oh? Which one is that?" before she squeaks and reaches out to give Lilian's arm a little swat - nothing harmful obviously. "Don't hurt it. It's adorable," she demands.
That scratching sound catches Toby's ears, which gets a couple confused blinks as he looks over in the general direction of Leaf(Mouse), though he doesn't seem to catch the critter in his eyesight perfectly, and after a moment he returns his attention to the cakes at-hand, taking another helping from one... And then Lilian snags that mouse. "...Woah.", he softly enthuses. "Little guy must be hungry.", he supposes, evidently wholly unbothered by the little mouse.
Leaf(Mouse) makes a panic'd squeeking noise at its plucked by the tail by Lilian and left dangling and flailing. It can't do anything but freak out and make soft squeeking noises while others decide what should be done.
Lark stops eating cake, mid bite and sets down her fork. "Lily, let it be. Poor thing is probably just hungry."
Lilian eyes the mouse like a cat eyeing a mouse. She turns to flash Lilah a grin at the swat but doesn't let the mouse go. "Why don't you put a little bit of cake in the take away box... And it can eat and I'll let it go somewhere more.. appropriate later." Lilian comments as she moves her body back and forth almost like a cat would be wagging it's tail if she had one.
"Studio Splendent." Edith calls over to Lilah
Siofra climbs over the fence like an animal, bleeding profusely from each ear. She gives 'I'm watching you' fingers to Edith, and throws a bar napkin at her, but doesn't manage to contain the smile.
Dahlia looks up from her sketching toward the squeaking with a lift of her brows. "Oh, wow. Where'd they come from?" She wonders, having been totally unware of the the thing. Then she looks back toward her sketching but gives Siofra a smile in greeting, which falters when she sees the blood. "Uh...what happened to your ears? Are you okay?"
Siofra blinks at Dahlia, shaking her head and motioning a line from her ear to her mouth, shrugging.
"Oh, I thought Euphemia owned that one. I've not been around town enough lately," Lilah responds, but nods and seems to be making a mental note, all while watching Lilian and that mouse for a few more moments. Eventually though, she shrugs and says, "Sure." Into the box goes a chunk of the slice of cake she's already claimed for herself, but left uneaten. "Maybe I'll keep it. It's totally adorable..." she says thoughtfully, as she nudges the box over toward Lilian.
Benjamin looks over towards Siofra when she enters the area and begins adjusting his current linework on the sketch pad.
Edith says "Euphemia owns the Vow."
"Naww I want to play with it later. It is adorable." Lilian tells Lilah with a nod and she takes the box and drops the mouse in before slamming the lid closed, trapping the mouse in with the cake. She keeps her hand on the lid, keeping the box closed as she turns back to the others. "Hey Siofra. Sorry about the other night. You feeling better?"
Lark takes a few more bites of another slice of mango yuzu cake for inspiration. She waves her fork at Siofra and Savannah.
Leaf(Mouse) squeaks in panic as it's dangled by the tail right up until its dropped into the box and the lid shuts on it. There is some rattling in there as it moves around trying to find a crack or hole to escape from its new prison but it soon stops moving about, probably when it finds the cake to chow down on and keep it complacent to its fate.
Siofra head twinges as tinnitus is taken by Lilian's voice, a spark of pain as the swelling in her eardrums pop and give way to the musical tones of parties and speech. "Eeegh! Sorry? Right- sound- sorry, someone's devilish voice went off near me ears. I'm fine- don't worry about eht."
Toby squints at the box that Lilian has trapped Leaf(Mouse) in with cake, then to Lilian, then to the little scritches, then just staring for a moment, before his eyes flit back to the selection of cakes, taking a couple forks of passion colada before continuing his watercolor brushwork.
Benjamin is sketching the gathering off to the side and as Savannah enters the scene metaphorically speaking, he lifts his left hand with pen to wave. "Good evening Deputy. Good to see you out and about. How was Valentines did you go to the comedy show?"
"Alright." Lilian flashes Siofra a bright smile as she offers Lilah another slice of cake while carefully holding the take away box not to bump it or tilt it too much. "Oh hey Savie." Lilian calls out when Benjamin calls out to Savannah, causing Lilian to realize the woman had joined them. "I caught a cute little mouse in here."
Savannah waves towards Benjamin and others, stepping up towards the cake table, "Heya, yeah! It was a fun show, Jules and I went to dinner first, thanks for the tickets!"
Lilah shakes her head at Lilian. The gesture aside, however, her smile doesn't seem to slip away, and she turns to look back over all of those gathered around. Eventually, she drifts over to where Lark and Toby are hard at work, taking a moment to try and peep their genius. "What're you painting, Toby?" she wonders, though she adds for Lark, "Looks almost good enough to actually eat," with a little laugh.
Lark smiles widely at Lilah, waving her fork in the air as she takes another bite of actual mango yuzu cake. "I was inspired!"
"If I want entertainment, I find where Takeshi is." Edith shares. "Then I wait until he makes a fool of himself- Someone aught make a drinking game of it."
"Mm?", Toby lets out a soft hum as he looks up from his soft, muted watercolor brushwork to Lilian, a neutral expression on his face. "It's, well, like, I guess the building here - I guess I just saw it with like, a bit of the mist flowing in, and it... Made an impression on me?", he supposes with a lackadaisical little lift of his shoulders. If one were to glance to his sheet, they'd see a sort of impressionistic glint to the tracing of the evening Havenite sky, a gloam to the mist that's lit by the nearby lamps - an amateur painting, but not one without some experience.
"I prefer to avoid Demon Yakuza boi." Benjamin says with a wrinkle to his nose and then finally finishing up his sketching he brings up his phone and takes a photo of the gathering. Then as if a broken record he calls out, "Remember drinks and cakes just get thrown away so please please please take them home, chug them, throw them on each other. I don't care just don't leave them here at the end of the night. Art supplies are available if you want to do something. If you don't want to keep your art I collect it all at the end."
"Oh, have a heart fer the bai tai! He's such gas to play the games of feelings with." Siofra waves Edith in aristocratic dismissal of topic. "Besides, his obey-chan plays with 'em. Not to do about him."
"Mmm I'm gonna go release this mouse in the forest.. Be back in a bit." Lilian calls out to everyone as she makes off with the box.
Lark moves over to try some of the hot chocolate at Benjamin's words.
Leaf(Mouse) occasionally thumps against the side or lid of the box it's kept in. Trying to test it's prison for weaknesses but for the most part its stuck in that box. A victim of its greedy need to eat.
"See you at home later." Benjamin says waving to Lilian
Lilian waggles her fingers, "See you guys!"
Toby looks over at Benjamin for a moment, then back over to the cakes. "...Why would you throw a perfectly good cake?", he wonders with mock-distress, then taking another couple bites from the hazelnut cake, then tapping his brush at his little painting a bit more, adding soft muted pale colors to the scene - a sort of gloamy haze of light playing through mist.
"I've seen that mouse in no less than four places." Siofra shares with dimpled bemusement.
Dahlia takes a break from her sketching finally to snag one of the cakes
Lilah looks from the departing woman to Benjamin and after a moment asks, "Are you two together now?" of the fellow. Her nosey question is matched by a loft of both red brows, before she looks back to Toby's painting and says, "I can see it. It's good." She's not daring to put anything to paper, herself, so one might question her taste in art, but all the same.
"You've gotta try the mango yuzu!" Lark tells Toby before stopping to think for a moment. "How can you tell it's the same mouse? Don't they all kinda, look alike?"
Lilah says, mildly, "Wild mice do all look rather similar to each other."
Benjamin is folding his sketchbook to tuck under his arm when those big amber eyes slant towards Lilah and his shoulders hitch up in a shrug. "Maddy, Lily, and I are trying something out so yes." he says with all the confidence of someone trying something out! He does offer a sheepish smile though, "Why is that shocking?"
"Mm?", Toby hums, still chewing the bit of cake he'd been enjoying, before nodding over to Lark with a little smile, then reaching over for some of the mango yuzu. "I'll not say no to that.", he acquiesces with some cheer, seeming to quite enjoy the little selection of treats.
"Electric." Siofra responds as she leans into to take gallery of the in-progress paintings, hands tucked into her back.
Lark grins as she converts Toby to team mango yuzu cake. She leans over, an eyebrow raised. "How do you like it? Good right?" she goads.
"Nah, I'm just nosey. Lily deserves to be happy, so good for you all," Lilah answers with a shrug of her own shoulders.
Toby looks over to Lark as he chews at it, then humming contentedly. "Yeah, that's pretty great.", he opines before swallowing, some food still in his mouth.
Lark nods at Toby and takes a slow sip of that rich, hot chocolate.
"Oh yeah?" Savannah asks someone as she smiles over towards him, "That is cool! Glad she is moving on and finding some happiness." She moves towards the stairwell now, sitting herself down with a hot chocolate in her hands, sipping from it, "I don't have any artistic talent, so I'm just going to enjoy by proxy over here, if you don't mind."
"Oh yeah?" Savannah asks Benjamin as she smiles over towards him, "That is cool! Glad she is moving on and finding some happiness." She moves towards the stairwell now, sitting herself down with a hot chocolate in her hands, sipping from it, "I don't have any artistic talent, so I'm just going to enjoy by proxy over here, if you don't mind."
After a few more moments of hovering somewhere in the gathered group, Lilah turns and heads back down the steps, and toward the street.
Benjamin moves over to lean against the railing near Savannah and open up his sketch book to hand down to show her, though some of the other art pieces including a little orgami bit are scattered about in different states of presentable. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling people are constantly in shock I'm not gay or something. Am I just imagining this or was it because Liam straightup said it last week." he muses with a shake of his head.
Benjamin's sketchbook being shown off to Savannah appears to depict: The gathering from an off to the side angle, people captured in the midst of greeting each other or doing art work. Quite a bit of detail being dedicated to their outfits over the actual background scene itself. It's all still rough linework with penciling for future details.
"Benjieeee. Were you going to have any cake?", Toby wonders softly after Benjamin, before snorting and snickering. "You set off my gaydar.", he admits with a helpless lift of his shoulders. "Of course, the sweatpants with the glittery handprints didn't help your case."
"I have zero." Edith assures Savannah. "I came purely to meet the students who will likely not come to share the love of dissection with me for extra credit."
Dahlia chuckles softly, "I think people just automatically assume stereotypse of theatere kids." She muses to Benjamin as she eats her cake and takes a glance people's progress. "I might come!" She tells Edith but then says, "I probably won't be any good at it but it could be neat."
"The theater boi sweats is a real phenoma." Benjamin agrees to Toby with a wry look and admits, "But yeah I guess Maddy and I dating was a shocking surprise or something."
Siofra raises her hand happily for Edith, "Oh, Miss Rose- can I not bother ye' fer such a gas expense of me darlin' time?"
"You are not coordinated well enough to be a homosexual." Edith points out to Benjamin. "You have not once done the limp handgesture."
"Why, I would LOVE to dissect..." Siofra pauses to frame the lack of hobby, "anything."
Lark snorts on her cake, choking a little at overhearing Edith from the cake table. She starts to cough, turning a little pink in the face.
"That is definitely cool," Savannah says to Benjamin as she leans over to look at his current artwork.
"I didn't think it was a -shocking surprise- or anything.", Toby muses after Benjamin with a little shrug, then going to take a couple more bites of cake after his suggestion, then looking at Edith, speaking with his mouth still mostly full of cake in a muffled tone, "That's a stereotype.", letting out an amused snort before chewing and finishing what he'd started on.
Lark nods in agreement with Toby on both counts.
Siofra says "Why, ye' cannot know something's outsides unless ye' know its insides."
Benjamin folds his sketchbook back over and tucks it beneath his arm while listening to Edith and Toby though he does laugh quietly and comment to Savannah, "So you mentioned you'd taught a class or two recently and I was asking if I had to bring snacks for an invite. What have you done instruction on, Savannah?"
Edith agrees with Siofra with a nod.
Toby squints as he notices the hot chocolate's almost gone, and goes for that last cup, then taking a sip contentedly.
"I have ta ask, do not most college lessons bar the unawares?" Siofra asks to the crowd, leaning on the cake-table.
"I've just done a few lessons here and there, privately. I generally just help out around campus in other ways, teaching, I've not really brought a whole group just yet," Savannah says to Benjamin, shaking her head. She does look over to Siofra, nodding her head, "They generally must, anything on White Oak is a bit specific, usually."
Lark waves at Malcolm. "Just in time for the last of the cake!"
"Grand." Siofra replies, conspiring evily with her palms.
Malcolm wanders on up unhurriedly, lifting a hand. "Gang." A nod's sent toward Siofra in agreement with Savannah, reckoning, "Generally oughta, yeah."
Toby takes a big gulp from his hot chocolate, then wrinkling his nose as he evidently drank too much at once, letting out a couple indignant coughs. "H-hey, Malcolm.", he practically sputters out, giving him a little grin.
"Howya, peeler?" Siofra smiles to Malcolm, "did ye' just swing by or are ye' here to stay awhile?"
Nodding, Edith exhibits the slightest smile. It's the twitch of the lips only, though as she nods to Siofra, there's an aspect to that corpse-still gaze that conveys more of the Frankenstein than the Dracula. "Quite so." she agrees. "More should know what goes into a body and back out again."
"Well next week thinking of doing a track day, if you or Malcolm want to come out and make it an educational track day I can set the time more in your court." Benjamin offers conversationally with a little wave to Malcolm from his spot on an railing.
Lark makes a few touch ups on her painting.
"Probably just showin' face," Malcolm reckons back toward Siofra with a wave, eyeballing the remaining cake for a moment but not going for it. Probably because he's already toting a corndog. "I got a few things what gotta get done. Always somethin'."
"Like cake.", Toby muses softly to Edith, sitting back comfortably in a folding chair.
"If you like." Edith agrees.
"Always happy to help if I'm around, but my schedule's ass on toast to begin with, let alone stuff comin' up," Malcolm informs Benjamin pleasantly enough, shoulders bouncing. "Right now, it's night owl or bust for me, but even then, who knows."
Benjamin looks down to Savannah hopefully given Malcolm's ass schedule.
"Ass on toast.", Toby just repeats in a deadpan fashion, letting that sit for a moment before taking a sip from his hot chocolate.
Malcolm snap-points toward Toby, nodding seriously.
"Is that somethin' to with arse and cake?" Siofra blinks.
Siofra says "The euphemism?"
"No, it's..." Malcolm starts, then shrugs. "... actually could be? I'unno. Just a figure of speech."
"Oh, maybe," Savannah says to Benjamin as she looks to him, "My schedule has been all outta sorts lately, don't know if I can really commit to anything. Maybe if I know the day and time."
"Some people call an ass 'cake' too.", Toby muses idly, his bright blue-eyed gaze then flitting over between Benjamin and Savannah with mute curiosity, then looking down to his phone for a brief moment.
"I'll shoot some times over to you and if not no biggier, the last gym day we managed without an instructor." Benjamin says in a reassuring new yorker's accent before pushing off the rail to go explore the other pieces. "Okay so who knows they're definitely not taking theirs home OR submitting it to Dahlia's gallery which has a showing March 8th."
Lark points her paintbrush over at Toby. "True story!" she chimes in before adding a few more beads of sweat to the painted mango yuzu cake.
Looking to her phone, Edith narrows her eyes. Nodding over to Siofra, Savannah, Malcolm, Toby, Lark, Benjamin and Dahlia, she excuses herself, sweeping off with a final, "Do excuse me. We have an anomalous decomposed cadaver and I should like access to it before any of my lessers ruin what evidence I can gather from it." the blond looks all too happy about this, as though it were the most interesting thing of the night.
"How public is the showing, Benjie?" Siofra asks, arm crossed under her bust and finger scratching at the corner of her mouth.
Lark waves to the retreating professor.
Benjamin motions to Dahlia who is standing over... there!
Siofra outstretches her arms and tilts her head, crossing her leg from behind in an expansive bow.
Malcolm also lifts a hand, taking up role as professor-deputy when the vacancy is made, though honestly he's just here to supervise for the moment and show face.
"I'll see if I can make it, even if it is just playing it by ear," Savannah says to Benjamin as she sits on the steps, one leg crossed over her ankles.
"Never really had a knack for any art, myself, other'n maybe a little photography here and there," Malcolm figures to those present. "So I'm not gonna be able to offer any tips or tricks on this. Sorta outside my wheelhouse." But he does linger for the time, thumbing through his phone.
Siofra says "I'll g'wan outta here. I've got business at The Trove. 'Tis always a bright, innocent spectacle the events of the college."
Siofra bows out, then runs south and jumps the fence.
Benjamin watches as someone actually departs a gathering by running and jumping a fence, "I feel like I'm in a scene from Napleon Dynamite."
Over a shoulder, Malcolm calls placidly after the departing gal, "Less of that." The guy's eyes roll back toward Benjamin, amused, and then to Lark, brow knit.
Benjamin says "It was this like... edgy art film from the early 2000s."
"Maybe you are, and you just don't know it yet?", Toby muses to Benjamin with poignantly raised brows, as if that were actually a point. A beat passes... And then Toby snags another bit from that last cake.
"This is the start of another old joke," Malcolm accuses Lark aside.
Lark nods knowingly at Malcolm. "Oh I see, old people joke."
Malcolm eyeballs Lark, then visibly gives up, turning his attention toward other art pieces.
Benjamin sighs a bit at Lark and begins to clean up the art supplies with a rueful shake of his head. "It's not that old it's like... The same time as the Lucha-dore movie with Jack Black!"
"The...what?", Toby murmurs cluelessly after Benjamin, just staring for a moment.
Lark points at Toby, nodding.
"I'm gonna wither away," Malcolm informs one of the paintings, on a sigh.
"I'm going to shoot you," Malcolm informs Lark, normal volume, without looking.
Benjamin closes his eyes and then opens them looking hopelessly at Lark and Toby, "Don't you two ever like... Watch old B movies or something? What do you do when you're drunk or high with friends and it's cold out?!"
Benjamin says "Like Mystery Theater 9000?"
Benjamin says "Redlettermedia? "
"Neil Breen," Malcolm offers Benjamin.
Lark stops to think about that, humming for a moment before she tells Benjamin. "Well my mom was really sick most of my life, so after school and cheer practice, I'd probably be at the hospital or working a second job."
"Now I'm sad both for a lost childhood and because I sound like a dick." Benjamin says with a hang of his head in defeat to Lark's clearly more relevant use of time.
Toby tilts his head over to Benjamin, just contemplating for a moment. "Eh... Not really. When I'm drunk with friends and it's cold out usually it's, like, road trip or something, hopefully with like, milkshakes or something.", he recalls with a snort, crossing his arms, before his eyes flit to Lark with a little smile. "I'll have to watch some of those, too.", he decides.
Siofra returns back with a job, brushing off some foliage.
Benjamin begins tapping something into his phone, "B-Movie Night... Recurring."
Siofra with a jog! Not a job.
"And she returns," Malcolm announces of Siofra, looking up from a painting.
Siofra says "I could not stay for long!"
Siofra gives a sweet smile to Malcolm that is only allowed to go as far as human-lipped smiles are allowed.
Malcolm dusts his hands off, reckoning, "Either way -- I gotta get me a thing-or-two done, myself, if you'll all excuse me. Furniture won't haul itself. Have fun, gang, stay hydrated."
Lark waves to Malcolm. "Don't walk too fast!!"
Malcolm wags a wave over a shoulder, and off he fucks, taking the stairs rather than the fence.
Benjamin begins packing up the unused or partially used supplies into his art messenger bag and then wonders, "So any valentine highlights from anyone? Toby no one asked how your valentine was, did you and Sam do anything?"
Siofra stole someone's oil painting on accident. Oops.
"I spent mine with a raptor." Siofra grimaces.
Siofra says "I did get to sleep in Liam's bathroom though. It's the small things."
For Siofra, truly, the REALLY small things.
Toby snags a helping of that coffee as things get rolled away, looking over to Benjamin with a smile. "We made each other plushies.", he recalls somewhat amusedly as he points a thumb towards his overstuffed tabbycat plush backpack. "And he got me tons of snacks, which was awesome."
"Oh plushies is cute." Benjamin agrees as he finishes packing up some thigns and then eyes the remainder with a hrm. "Like a build-a-bear or smaller?"
Siofra says, distantly, "Haven't see 'em since I got back."
Siofra says "Well, not to worry. Me tendons grew back."
"Well, I made him a snekky-snek with hearts for eyes.", Toby observes with a little grin, shimmying his shoulders a bit. "Probably a few feet long?", he supposes after its size.
"I'm too distracted myself, think I'm heading out," Savannah says as she waves towards the others still nearby, "Goodnight to you all!"
Benjamin looks away from Siofra to Toby, "Ah that's clever he's a big snake guy, what did he make you... Bird?"
Toby gives another thumb towards his tabby-cat plushie. "Toby-cat.", he states to Benjamin with an amused smile.
Benjamin leaves the oil painting of the mano yuzu cake for Lark to reclaim.
"Toby-Cat, Tabby cat. Okay cool." Benjamin agrees with a smile before looking at the remaining things and picks them up and hums. "Well I think that was a little short and sweet, normally I try to run longer but we got everyone squared away."