✧･ﾟ*BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER*･ﾟ✧

"For real, she didn't say anything when she left? Man that sucks, I'm sorry." From what he'd seen online, Penny took most of their fan base with her when she left, which took some pressure off Cliff as her replacement, but surely felt like shit for the two band members left standing. Benny's usage of his full name caught Cliff off guard a bit- only his dads called him that and even then it was reserved for serious situations, so he felt his friend must've had something serious to say too. Instead he was met with total sincerity, which was of course serious in it's own right too, and he smiled, "I'm glad we met through all this too. I never expected to fill Penny's shoes, I've seen the ones she wears and I don't think they'd be very comfortable. This is our own thing." He needed a band as much as the guys needed another member so it was all divine timing that they'd found each other really. "It's your story to tell too, isn't it. That's not clout chasing. Totally up to you though, I've got a couple songs I've been kicking around that we can jam on."

"Nothing. Had to hear it through our fuckin' lawyers, dog." he shook his head solemnly, counting that day as the worst in his whole life. Honestly, Benny didn't know Cliff's full name was actually Clifford, he seemed like the kind of guy cool enough to have a nickname for a name. "Hell yeah, our own thing for sure. New beginnings and so on. Wyld Stallyns for life, brother." Sure, things with Penny had been incredible, but Benny felt more mature now, readier than ever to make grown moves with the band. "Oh... yeah, I guess it is my story too," his brow crinkled, like it had genuinely just occurred to him that he was the main character of his own life, not just a side quest in Penny's. "Okay, yeah, alright, let's do it. We're gonna make magic, man, I know it! What are yours about? Kissing Tori? Looking at her smile? Sniffing her hair while she sleeps?"

He shot a sympathetic glance Benny's way, feeling for the heartbreak his friend was experiencing. "I get it. Tor and I broke up for just a couple months and I wrote so much, like legit all I could do. Now I've got all these break up songs about my girlfriend, and I'm never gonna do anything with 'em, but you gotta get it out." Truthfully Cliff didn't think any of his ideas had been shot down since he joined the band but Benny's enthusiasm got a big grin out of him regardless. "Yeah? Okay, maybe, I'll give it a shot." He turned into the St. Elmo's parking lot and found a spot. "What about your Penny songs, anything good in there or is it just for you?"

It was a double heartbreak on Benny's account; Penny had not only left him, but also the band, and honestly that part might have hurt the most. They'd been doing things, big things, and now he and Teddy were basically having to start over because it turned out no one had ever given a shit about anyone except her anyway. Even she'd only cared about herself in the end. "We're unresolved, man. She just disappeared, except not really because I still have to see her all over my feed. I guess I'm glad she didn't really disappear. That would have sucked." That Cliff had come into their lives felt good though, it felt right, and he figured he should say as such, so he did. "Clifford. I need you to know that while Penny's hole will never be filled, you are your own hole in the band and you fill it perfectly. I'm really glad I gained a brother out of all of this. Our musical synergy is gonna blow everyone's dicks clean off man, I can see it happening already. We're on the cusp of greatness, I know it..." As for whether any of the songs he'd poked around with were worth anything, he shrugged as he got out of the car, "I think there's some good stuff in there but I worry people are gonna think I'm using her for clout. She was my muse though... My dad has songs that are low key about my mom and we don't even know who she is so seems fair, right?"

He got a good laugh out of Benny's Elphaba riff and unlocked the passenger side for him, wincing a little as he rolled over the hood of his car. "What kinda brainwave, anything good? Oh I was with Tori, just at her house. And before that I was riding a wave- well, kinda. You know I used to play the flute in, like, sixth grade- anyway, this hardcore band from Australia's got a dude who rips the flute, and it got me thinking, like, maybe that's worth playing with. But some other Asian guy's already beat me to it too, and I don't really need a gimmick, y'know."

"I mean... I guess I'm still just writing songs about Penny. Thought I'd be over it by now but the words keep coming." Benny sighed, though it was more for dramatic effect than anything. Genuinely, he was heartbroken but on the same note he was realistic and knew he wasn't getting her back. "Fuck, Australia just does shit, huh? That's dope! I wouldn't say it's a gimmick if you do it better, brother." Benny was a career optimist, and he thought Cliff was already cool as fuck so bringing an experimental instrument to the band was only making them cooler by default. Then again, no matter what they did he'd think it was awesome so perhaps he wasn't the best judge.

In the dark it was probably hard to tell who was behind the wheel of his unremarkable, hardly recognizable car and so Cliff leaned out his window a little, "Dude it's me." A grin spread across his face, his music still playing fairly loud through his speakers, and motioned for Benny to hop in. "How long were you standing out there? Wait, shit-" He moved to turn the volume down on a particularly noisy The Velvet Underground track. "You hungry?"

When Benny realised who it was that had pulled up beside him he damn near lit up like the sun. Then again, he would have lit up no matter who had pulled up but that was just Benny. "Dude!" he smacked his hand on his chest, giving his best Elphaba impression, "it's me!" He then proceeded to do a half-assed sort of parkour roll over Cliff's hood before getting into the car. "A while I guess, I dunno, I pulled over because I had a brainwave and then when I went to start my car again... nothin'. Then I thought I might as well ride the wave... Then you came past. Fuck yeah I'm always hungry. Where you coming back from?"

"And yet..." She titled her head just slightly, teasing, though she was relieved he at least had a working and charged phone. "Oh I don't think so, I slammed a door on an old lady just last week - on accident - and I definitely offended someone's boyfriend earlier. So I'd say it all evens out." As easy as it would've been to say good luck and good night, and finally get to bed after a long night at the bar, she couldn't help the kind of person she was. "Where do you live? I can give you a ride but I can't do side quests."

"Oh, well even's better than a deficit," Benny grinned, because he was always grinning. Truly he wouldn't have minded if she'd said no– he got it, it was late and he was a random dude on the side of the road, but the fact that she had decided to offer a ride was most bodacious. "I'm on the Lower North Side, I guess, geographically speaking. You can just drop me on Main. I'll probably pull through Trax on my way. I'm on a quest for inspiration. You sing, right? You get it... Oh, hold on," he realised he was still standing at her window so quickly skirted around the hood to drop into the passenger seat. When he sat down, he held his fist out for a bump, "Benny Peleke, Wyld Stallyns."

As Rhiannon liked to remind her, Scarlet was someone who lit up a room and thus an ideal kidnapping victim, so she didn't make a habit of stopping for strangers on the side of the road, especially not at night. She only knew of one pink buzzcut in town though and from what she'd heard he was harmless, and stoned, usually, and the guilt if she'd just kept driving would've ate her alive. "Hmm what if I just call you a tow truck," she offered. "I'm adventure-d out."

"I mean, I could just call myself a tow truck," he lifted his phone into view with a sheepish smile. To be fair he hadn't actually considered that option, so he appreciated Scarlet for putting the idea into his head. "Oh, okay, no sweat. Everyone has their limits, I hear you. I'll just, uh, try my boy again. He must be asleep. Thanks for stopping anyway though, so many people have gone past and you're the only one who stopped. I reckon your karma metre is pretty tip top right now."

"Oh yeah were you holding space? Did you hit the," he cleared his throat, "ohhwhoaaohh-oh-oh? Like that?" Cliff glanced down at the sundae in front of him and grabbed a spoon, not immediately jumping in to help but if he was to need it.. "You're gonna have the gnarliest stomach ache, dude. Is that hot fudge?"

"I think I'd be more like hitting the Tarzan so I'll leave that to you bro," Benny chuckled, nudging the bowl toward Cliff because if he was anything he was a sharer. "Yeah it's gonna be so crazy but it's cool, all my best work happens when I'm blowing up the bowl. I mean, like, no one's gonna interrupt you on the can, man."