[FIN]{PRP} {Yael} The Age of Man {Ko & Kaleth}

[MissMisnomer]

The Age of Man

Steam hung like lazy clouds along the tile floor, wafting out of buckets of water that sat scattered around the communal bathroom of the boy’s dormitory. The usual noise filled the room: bare feet slapping on wet stone, sponges plunged into water, some splashing from the more rambunctious types, and the general chatter of adolescent boys in a shared space. The main item on the agenda was to get clean after another hard day's work outside in the sun, but that didn't mean they had to rush. There was time before the next set of classes.

Ko pulled himself out of the large bath in the floor, soaking wet from his first rinse. It helped get rid of most of the dirt and mud―contained in one space where it could all be easily drained―so that the only job left to do was use fresh water to really wash down. He joined Kal on a stone seat, hefty bucket set down in front of him as he started getting to work on getting clean.

“I can't believe you beat your old time by six seconds, that's amazing Kal! I thought for sure Jerreth was going to take it this time, and then whoosh, you just came out of nowhere right at the end!” His curls laid plastered across his forehead, which he promptly started scrubbing a bar of soap through, getting a healthy lather worked up on his scalp. “Did you start eating something new, or train when I'm not around, what's different?”

[1/10]  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Kaleth, who had just finished bathing himself, sat with shaving oil at his side, and razor in hand, in the midst of working down scruff that had built up over the past twenty-four hours. Most areas he left to their natural state, seeing no benefit to hair removal. But his cheeks and chin had begun producing stubble at a relatively young age and now, years later, if he left his face to his own devices, in a week’s time he would have a small bush of a beard in the making—which was not a look he favored, being not even seventeen yet and of the opinion that too much facial hair looked messy, among other things. As such, trimming it down was a daily ritual alongside removing the sweat of the day.

He glanced up, though, when Ko emerged from the water, and grunted at the commentary, outwardly casual, though privately, there was a swell of smug satisfaction. He had been concerned Jerreth might catch up, as much as the boy was pushing himself, and though he worked to make his victories seem as natural as possible without appearing overly invested in the results, on an individual level, he found himself always making comparisons, judging the competition. Needing that top spot.

He had been pushing an extra half mile into his daily run on his own time, Jerreth’s improvements itching in the back of his mind as he’d known another timed session for all of them was coming up. And it had been extremely satisfying to see the work bear fruit. Turning his eyes back to the small mirror in his palm and scrutinizing the left side of his face, he shrugged.

“Nothing special. He is getting better, though. It keeps it interesting for me.”  

[MissMisnomer]

“Really? Nothing? That’s crazy, it feels like you’re leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of us, especially me. I know you’ve branched into doing combat and I’m training for magic endurance, but still...dang,” Ko said, giving his head one last good scrubbing before he took the bucket up to dump half of it over his sudsy hair. Releasing his breath, he slicked his wet hair back, setting the bucket down again so he could get started on the rest of his skin.

As it made a solid touchdown, his thoughts took a sidestep back to what he had said, turning towards his roomate again as a light came on in his eyes. “But hey, you’ve noticed, right???” He patted Kal’s arm excitedly to draw his full attention, grinning. “I’ve totally made progress! Look, see??” He brandished his own arm, flexing with a triumphant smile. “Look, I’ve got biceps now! And there!” He drew a line along the skin, over the contours of developed muscle. “It’s toned! I had to move my chest forward to reach a piece of chalk I dropped behind it, and it was so much easier!”

He clapped his hands together, on a roll now with ecstatic energy practically crackling around him. “And I’ve totally gotten taller! I was wondering why my legs hurt more than usual after workouts, and then, when I had to reach the top of the board in class, I totally could! At least, thaaat much, it has to be!” His fingers pinched to indicate the tiny fraction of growth, small, but momentous for someone who was used to looking up at people.

“AND AND, LOOK!” He stuck his arm under Kal’s nose, vibrating as he pointed at all the follicles. “Hair! There’s hair! I mean, there was hair before, but there’s totally more of it! Right? It’s darker! I’ve been so busy since I got here, I hadn’t really noticed, until it just smacked me in the face this morning!”

[2/10]  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Mm.” Kaleth returned to his process, wetting the razor again before drawing it carefully over the next section of his chin as he listened—and glanced again when Ko touched him. ‘Biceps,’ he said, and Kaleth’s initial reaction was benign amusement, mostly at Ko’s excitement. Then, however, quite unintentionally, his eyes caught on a moving droplet, following its path from Ko’s shoulder, down the side of his chest, to a hip. And Ko was filling out, in various ways. Some more notable than others.

After countless routine occasions to do so, being exposed in the presence of other boys, Ko of course included, was no novel experience. He didn’t spend much time dwelling on the sexual aspects of it, as much for practical reasons in desiring to avoid public spectacle as anything else. Certainly not so much as some of his peers seemed to ‘fear’ from other boys of his persuasion, though of course from time to time he did make observations.

Sometimes without meaning or wanting to.

And Ko had, for some reason, particularly attractive hip bones. Not to mention a nicely formed and growing-

“AND AND, LOOK!”

Ko’s arm was shoved more insistently towards him, breaking Kal’s line of attention and—he tipped his head curiously. “Hm…you know, you’re right. I do see a few hairs.” Reaching for Ko’s chin, he caught between his fingers a single facial hair, and plucked. Drawing it up before his eye to inspect, as though being scrutinized for authenticity, he smirked after a moment. “I think it’s real. Looks like you age after all.”  

[MissMisnomer]

Kaleth hardly seemed impressed with Ko’s lively presentation of his increasing masculinity, which wasn’t really surprising: Kal’s idea of enthusiasm usually entailed a mild showing of interest, perhaps a raised eyebrow or two. Ko had come to recognize the subtle signals for what they were really worth, and appreciated anything the other boy felt inclined to say out loud at all.

Still, he'd have liked to receive perhaps a little more than the usual, since this was such momentous news he was sharing with him. Scoffing indignantly, Ko rubbed at his chin where the hair used to be, mildly miffed. “Of course it's real! And there aren't that many, so don't go pulling them out whenever you fancy it!”

He placed both palms over his face defensively, squinting suspiciously over his fingers at Kal. “You don't understand, this is a really big deal,” he said, muffled by the digits over his mouth. “I was worried I was gonna stay a kid forever! My brothers have all said that it's really odd to have not started growing any hair by the time you're fourteen.”

When it would seem no further attack was coming, he lowered his shield, hands crossed over his chest instead. “You should have seen Friedrikko when he was my age: he had enough hair on him to make a wig for a baby!” He puffed his cheeks, pouting petulantly as he mumbled. “A really nice wig too, not some scraggly thing pulled out of a drain. Something it could brag about with all its baby friends at baby play dates. Babbling at each other sharing baby secrets...”

[3/10]  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Kaleth grunted, the edge of his mouth twitching up as he watched Ko nurse his plucked chin. Then, at …this is a really big deal… his look became an amused smirk. “It is odd,” he agreed. “You’re a live little fairy. Or, I thought you were. Maybe you’re a real boy after all…which I suppose makes you fortunate I like both.”

And, since Ko’s insistence that he wasn’t putting enough weight of importance on the moment seemed like an invitation as much as any, Kaleth gave a splash to his own face, set down his razor, and shifted to turn a more connoisseuring eye on his roommate. He reached, tracing a fingertip like a sketch line along the fine indent of definition on Ko’s bicep, his eyes trailing the same path of skin there, and the wild freckles that dotted it.

When he did speak, his touch had yet to recede, and his words were just a fraction quieter—and deeper. “Your body is definitely shaping up. You can see it in your shoulders, too…” He gestured as he said it, grazing the line of muscle in a stroke that moved toward, but ended just shy of Ko’s throat, where Kal pulled his hand back, raising his gaze instead to Ko’s face. “Trust me,” he said, “I’m noticing.” And there, his lips stretched into the briefest grin as he winked, before sitting back and taking up his mirror again to see if he’d gotten all he intended to. Once satisfied he had, he set it away.

“It’s a good look for you. And since you’re just beginning, I’m sure there’s more growth to look forward to in your future.”  

[MissMisnomer]

Ko was occupied with being offended, more than he should or had any right to be, since Kal really had no obligation to be as excited as he was to finally be growing up. Ko knew himself that he was being childish, which just made his own irritation all the more ridiculous and frustrating.

But if Kaleth had grown up with a small colony of older brothers harping at him for years and poking fun at his baby face, then he might really get where the feelings were coming from.

Thus, when he caught a smirk out of the corner of his eye, and the words that followed carried that familiar undertone of taunting he was so used to by now ― even if it was all in the spirit of standard boyish bonding ― he huffed, the butt of a joke once again. Little fairy. As per usual.

And Kaleth was already occupying himself with something else again. Typical.

He kept his arms crossed over his chest, simmering quietly in his nakedness. He was overreacting. Being silly.

It just...might have been nice for Kal to take him seriously for once…

A touch made him twitch.

Ko blinked, attention turned towards his friend once again as Kal drew a finger along his arm. He seemed to be taking his time inspecting the muscle, focusing his gaze on that alone. And it might have been dumb, but nonetheless: Ko appreciated the gesture.

He opened his mouth to talk, but was silenced when Kal spoke instead. He wasn't even particularly loud, but the way the words came out felt…different than normal. Enough to make Ko hold his tongue, sitting still. His eyes followed the trail Kal's fingers slowly took, focused on every syllable that came with every inch they traveled. And then they pulled away, and Kal winked.

Ko was holding his breath.

Other elements of the room came back into focus as Kal took up his mirror: but when had they stopped being so clear?

Shifting his feet, Ko released the breath he had been containing, reminded that air was something people needed to breath. “Thanks…” he said, thoughts forming slower than normal. “I…am looking forward to it. It'll be nice to look my age for once.”

His brow crinkled, perplexed: something had happened. Something to make his overcrowded mind slow down for once. Something that left his skin tingling where Kal's fingers had been. Like…he felt…

Different.

Was it hotter in here?


[4/10]  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

The first question, of course, was whether Ko would notice anything at all. After this long around him, Kal had finally learned — he was fairly sure — to put no level of obliviousness beyond Ko, under the right circumstances. But to his pleasant surprise, in this instance Ko did seem to have experienced at least some hint that a signal of some sort had been given. Kaleth gave him a moment to himself to process it, and noted in the meantime the quiet, dazed look that overtook him with private satisfaction.

From the beginning, other than immediately thinking that he had an unfairly cute face, Kaleth had never viewed his roommate in a remotely sexual light. The boy was simply too small. Too naive. More than childish, he was childlike in a number of respects despite his age, much befitting his extended youthful appearance. But, having been beside that since their first day and watching it finally shift now, Kal felt especially well positioned to appreciate that Ko was indeed growing up some—even if he still maintained many of his more innocent features.

And, while Kaleth didn’t consider his feelings for Ko to be anything more than a surprisingly solid platonic friendship at this point, he was equally willing to admit that in the broad scope of things that he considered to be attractive, Ko was beginning to fit more boxes. He had no idea whether his roommate was interested in boys, or people for that matter, as he hadn’t shown any signs of romantic inclination thus far at all.

But, so far as Kaleth saw it, that was only all the more reason to just test the waters. Stir, and see what shape the ripples formed in. Surely there was no harm in a little light fun, and already, he felt more pleased by the results than even he anticipated. Once he’d set away his things and given Ko a moment to sit in his inspired silence, he reached again, patting the boy’s cheek lightly to rouse him and brushing the few follicles of uneven growth remaining on Ko’s chin.

“Hey. The universe is ready for you to return to us at any moment,” he said. “Do you wanna do something about this fruit fuzz on your jaw? Or are you ready to head out and put some clothes on those slightly longer legs of yours.”  

[MissMisnomer]

“Hu-what??” Ko gasped, startled out of the weird funk he had somehow fallen into. How long had he been sitting there, not saying anything at all? “Sorry, I just…wow, I zoned right out, didn't I? Maybe I should have drank more after that run, dehydration, maybe?”

He looked over at Kal, wiping some of the water off of his neck that had dripped down from his hair. Kal seemed…normal. Nonchalant. It must have been something in Ko's head, then. Nothing to concern himself with, he'd have to remember to go straight for the water after working out next time. “Should I do something with it? I'm proud of how long it's grown, but…”

Ko had to admit that when he looked at Kal's clean shaven face, even without any facial hair, he looked more grown up that Ko did. A few hairs did not make a beard, and they certainly did not make a man. He ran a hand over his patchy sprouts, reaching across Kal's lap to grasp the mirror sitting beside him. He squinted at the boy looking back at him.

And, after the foggy haze of novelty had worn off, pride put aside, it was clear:

“I look stupid,” he said, frowning, holding the mirror further away. No better, somehow worse. “Has it always been this bad? I look like someone plucked some hairs off a Scrivvle’s tail and randomly stuck them there out of pity.”

He looked up at Kal, humbled by the unglamorous realities of teenage-hood. “Help.”


[5/10]  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Dehydration.

Kal snorted, but otherwise kept his amusement to himself. “You don’t look stupid,” he said. “You look like you’re just starting to grow facial hair.” The scrivvle tail hair analogy didn’t sound far off, but Kaleth opted to leave that unsaid. “It always looks silly at first. You can probably be happy there isn’t too much of it, anyway. It’s a pain if it grows thick and fast if you don’t want a beard, and I don’t think a beard would suit you just yet.”

When asked, though, Kaleth was more than happy to ‘help’ as plead for. As he explained the use of lather to smooth the face, how to angle the razor, and the importance of keeping it sharp to avoid damaging the skin, he found himself musing on his own virgin experiences in these regards. His development had begun on the opposite end of the age spectrum, early for a boy, and at a time when he was already in an emotional state of flux and rebellious discontent. Combined with a lack of the father figure he wanted and no siblings to learn from, it had been a needlessly tumultuous time, in retrospect.

His uncle had offered a number of times to assist and advise, which he had adamantly refused.

Ko, though, was entirely different, and sometimes with him stranded from his flock out here, Kal forgot that. But in truth, with — what was it, seven older brothers, eight? — and a father still present in his life, it was actually some wonder that it was him giving this demonstration at all. One would have guessed the odds were in favor of at least one of Ko’s family to fill these shoes.

Yet, here he sat.

He wondered — however arguably strange the thought given the nature of his not-so-long-ago thoughts on Ko — if this was something of what it was like to have a little brother.