#ghosthamlet

Bringing all of the relatives to meet the new baby is just tradition, honestly, and the birth of romeo is a very big deal. The only child and SON of the rich Montagues...is very important.

So Benvolio’s parents take him to see Romeo, and to pay their own respects. Both Benvolio’s father and mother only take a few moments to look over the baby before going to congratulate the new father and mother.

Benvolio, however, hovers near the baby for a long time longer, staring at the tiny little pudgy thing. He’s captivated by it -- has he ever seen a baby before, really? Not one this tiny, anyway.

Unable to stop himself, he reaches out to poke its tiny cheek. It’s so SQUISHY! He can’t help but to giggle slightly, but then the baby starts to open its eyes. And it sounds like it’s ramping up to cry, which Benvolio KNOWS will get him in trouble.

So he does the only thing that he can think of: he picks up the baby and starts to bounce it in his arms. It’s awkward, everything about it is awkward, and when Benvolio and Romeo’s parents notice, it immediately makes them laugh, even though someone grabs the baby before he falls out of Romeo’s arms.

The nurse doesn’t even try to stop him ( because she knows she can’t get through to him when he’s like this ) as he steps away from them and towards the pack of three, laughing and talking and shoving each other around. When they see Tybalt, however, all of the horseplay stops, and the one that is armed as Tybalt is -- Mercutio -- steps forward with a look that would be called a smirk, should Tybalt know the word.

Mercutio says something scathing, something that Tybalt doesn’t quite remember but that sets alight the gasoline in his veins, and his sword is drawn.

Mercutio draws his as well, more languid and cocky than Tybalt can possibly be required to stand.

Soon enough, steel hits steel, and again, and again, until they get into a sort of rhythm. This lasts for a little while, but then it strikes Tybalt that this isn’t practice -- this is where he is supposed to win. And then the strategy changes.

His thrusts and jabs are more frenzied, but still skilled, angry, but still elegant. Tybalt has clearly been training for a very long time, but so has Mercutio, and Mercutio has luck on his side.

Mercutio captures Tybalt’s blade, dragging the taller boy close. Dark eyes meet dark eyes, and they stare at each other for a moment, breathing heavily. Tybalt doesn’t even blink, and he’s about ready to shift his grip and go back at Mercutio again, when there are arms around his waist and he’s being lifted up and pulled away, his sword in his grasp. ( Juliet’s nurse is stronger than Tybalt gave her credit for, it seems. )

Mercutio is also pulled away, by his uncle, but they stare at each other still, even as Juliet’s nurse requires Tybalt to sheath his sword and to even hold Juliet, so as both to distract him and give his arms something to do other than fight.

As they walk away, Juliet demands most of his attention, but Tybalt does take a moment to look over his shoulder at Mercutio, before he forces himself to turn away.