[FIN][Yael] Boys Will Be Boys [Kaleth | Ko]

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Wessel eyed the boy across from him, and honestly, he wasn’t sure what the big spit was about. Sure, they’d had a plan that hadn’t initially included him, and Ko probably hadn’t done himself any favors with his adventurous self-introduction, by no fault of his own. But it clearly could all have been laughed off and worked around. He was just a kid tagging along at Kal’s heels and trying to partake. It wasn’t like he was hurting anyone by being there, except perhaps himself.

Still, at Ko’s inquiry as to whether he ought to leave, it did occur to him to suggest it simply because he wouldn’t have wanted one of his own siblings drinking so young, particularly in the wrong company. And as long as he’d been friends with him himself, Wessel still didn’t trust the full range of Jakov’s ‘friends’ or acquaintances as might be gathered here. He might have felt better about it if Kaleth had demonstrated more ready capacity to actively and successfully chaperone the kid, but so far, though he knew little about the boy, Kal seemed more concerned with his pride than his company.

Typical.

But, it was to be a mixed bunch, he did know some of them himself, and he didn’t suspect anyone would be up to anything worse than a little alcohol consumption and mingling. So, it wasn’t really Wes’ business, it wasn’t his little brother, and who was he to play parent when the boy clearly wanted to at least try it out?

“You’re not ruining my night,” Wes said at length. “And I don’t know him all that well yet, but I don’t think Kal would have let you tag along if he didn’t want you around either. He doesn’t seem to like much of anyone. Besides, you’re already here and you helped do the groundwork, right?” He flashed a small grin. “You might as well hang out for just a bit and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But hey…” His expression grew a touch more serious, real concern moving briefly over his face. “If you get uncomfortable, you can let me know, and I’ll walk you back to your dorm. Okay? I mean it.”

It wasn’t something Jak would likely be pleased by, but the world didn’t all revolve around him, and if it was late enough into the evening he’d probably be too drunk to notice. Wessel considered that it perhaps ought to have been Kaleth’s responsibility—but he couldn’t volunteer him himself and didn’t personally mind, so long as he knew he wasn’t a contributing factor in this kid getting into any more trouble or discomfort than need be.

Meanwhile, Kaleth had already moved on ahead, his focus turning to the stairs as they worked their way up, and only as he arrived at the top and surveyed the gathered crowd — perhaps just over a half dozen kids who looked mostly to be comprised of third and fourth years — did he notice that his ‘charge’ and Jakov’s friend were still not yet present. He glanced back down over the side of the building, hissing down at them.

“Aye, you two coming up or what? Ko…” A renewed embarrassment returned to his cheeks as he realized this was the first he had addressed the boy since entering the forest. “C’mon. It won’t be so bad. At least come up here a second, huh?”  

[MissMisnomer]

With the encouraging words, Ko's ears began to warm as his blush moved across his face, perking up like a thirsty flower receiving some water. The other boy might just be saying this because he felt bad for Ko, and didn't really mean it, but it still made him feel better nonetheless. He didn't particularly like feeling sad and pointless; looking at the glass half empty wasn't really his style. He liked to think most people meant well, and were capable of kindness, even if they were hesitant to show that side of themselves. There was good that could be found in every person, no matter how much you had to dig to find it.

Perhaps Jakov was just having a bad day, or worried about being caught. And maybe Kal just wanted him to make some friends, which was why he wasn't really talking to him tonight. Everyone had their own reasons for why they said what they said, or did what they did. All Ko could do was try his best to understand.

He smiled at Wes, shaking his head. “Thank you, but I won't make you do that. I'm sure they're all nice people, and just looking to have some fun. I'll try to not be any trouble.” He paused, but felt it best to add, “You're a really nice guy!

Maybe he had been wrong about these boys after all.

Hearing Kal speak, he looked up, a sense of renewed excitement warming his chest. “We're coming!” He made an attempt to give him a thumbs up, but when the weight of the crate snuck up on him again, he scrambled to keep both hands on it instead.

The trip up the stairs was a bit awkward, but they got the job done, and when the box was safely on the floor once again, Ko took a moment to feel proud of himself for not dropping it. There were people gathered, and though the urge to introduce himself cropped up, he bit his tongue instead, waiting for someone else to take the lead. He'd already jumped the gun once tonight by reading the situation wrong.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Kaleth couldn’t make out what all was said down below, but when Ko piped up, there was no doubt something had changed. The boy who made it up the stairs, while perhaps not fully returned to his usual bouncing vibrancy, was certainly a brighter one than Jakov had dropped. Kal’s eyes flit to Wessel, but he was already being pulled off by Jak himself, who apparently felt the need to make an announcement of their heroics and arrival with the pirated alcohol. Wessel’s company, however, seemed to suffice for this in Jak’s mind, and that suited Kaleth just fine. He took a step back from the chatter, giving a light tug to the sleeve of Ko’s shirt to pull his attention.

“Hey…” He glanced over the boy and—what was he supposed to say? ‘Sorry for not saying anything back there.’ ‘I got you here, I won’t let him push you around like that again.’ ‘I didn’t mean to let your night get started off on the wrong foot that way…’

He cleared his throat. “You look…better. You okay?”

A round of quiet cheers swelled up, Jakov evidently done with his introductory speech and one of the crates being pried open in the finale — the sort of cheers you got when whooping and hollering may have been desired, but with the ‘party’ being located on campus, no one dared to make a full racket. Kaleth moved, intending to grab a bottle when instead, one appeared held out before his face. He blinked, and glanced up to Wes.

“Thanks for coming.” Wessel’s gaze moved behind him, toward Ko, and his voice dropped to a level that could only be heard by Kaleth over the din of other conversations. “I hope you’re going to watch his alcohol, if he’s drinking…”

Kaleth pursed his lips, and took the bottle. “I got it-”

“Hey…” Wessel’s tone eased, and he lifted a hand, palm up in ‘surrender.’ “He seems like a good kid.”

Some tension in his posture that Kaleth hadn’t even noted until that moment relaxed, and he huffed. “He is. And…thanks, I guess, for…” He squinted. Cheering Ko up? Not being a p***k? He rolled his shoulders. “Whatever. Nevermind. The liquor.”

Wessel blinked, eyeing him. “Uh huh-” Jak, though, pulled for Wes’ attention, and Kaleth took that as sign enough to move away, popping off the top of his bottle and drawing a swig as he moved back over to Ko, and looked down.

“You ever drank anything before?” he asked, holding his out. Perhaps if he managed to convince the smaller boy to share, it would ease the process of keeping an eye on his consumption. Still, it felt relevant to note: “It’s pretty strong, so just a sip…”

He was probably expected to mingle. Even Ko had looked almost eager for a moment to do so, though his nerves were apparently still keeping him on edge enough not to barrel forward. Kaleth, however, fully intended to avoid contact with everyone until it became necessary. He had got what he’d come for: a bottle and an open night sky, with the bonus surprise of company he didn’t mind so much as most. He settled to prop himself against the railing of the roof, and appreciated the warmth that accompanied the first trickle of alcohol down into his system.

More stragglers were still arriving up the steps. He wondered how many would be here.  

[MissMisnomer]

By the time everyone was quietly cheering as their captains handed out the loot, Ko was feeling ten times better than he had earlier, happy to just be included in this to begin with. Even if he wasn't going to do much talking to other people, it would be enough to make the outing worthwhile.

When Kal pulled at his sleeve, Ko looked up to him, eyebrows raised curiously. And he gave him a lopsided grin, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah, I'm fine, thanks! Sorry for being weird earlier, that wasn't like me at all. I should have just been myself, or kept quiet…anything but that.”

He eyed the bottle as it was passed to him, taking it with a flippant shrug. “Yeah, it's no big deal. I've had wine and ale and stuff. Mum and dad like to break it out for special occasions. Like when it's someone's birthday, or when a big deal is closed, or when there's an engagement-”

Tipping the bottle up, he took a big swig, letting the liquid pour vertically into his mouth. But when the brew hit his tongue, it was already too late, he was prepared mid swallow. Which resulted in most of the liquor making it down his pipe, and the rest sprayed from his lips as he choked on the burning fire clawing at his throat.

He held the bottle out as he hacked, leaning over with teary eyes as he gasped. “MERCIFUL MOTHER AND FATHER!”

Shoving it back into Kal's hands, he wiped his mouth, spitting onto the roof. “What the heck is that?! It's awful!”  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Mm. S’alright,” Kaleth said. “Most people just…” He hesitated. Suck? Are s**t faces, including me? Won’t get you? “…don’t matter much anyhow. I think you do you pretty good…” A pause. “But sometimes, the wimblenak-hunting version of you is useful. Around people who don’t know you better.”

Kaleth watched Ko take the bottle. No big deal, he said, followed immediately by wine and ale. It occurred to Kaleth to mention that this was not wine or ale and in fact was significantly more potent and condensed—but it was too late. Ko was tipping the bottle up, bold as could be, and-

Kaleth was waiting for it, curious and ready, and he felt he could see the moment realization hit in Ko’s face, mid-pour.

MERCIFUL MOTHER AND FATHER!

He shouldn’t have laughed. Kaleth knew it, but he couldn’t help the immediate push of reaction, and a moment later, it was bursting out openly into the night air, loud and full, his eyes bright with amusement as Ko’s burned wetly and he coughed. Reaching, Kal patted gently at the boy’s back with one hand, taking the bottle as it was shoved toward him with the other, and admittedly, his grin was in part due to the sheer hilarity of the moment, thereby ‘at’ Ko—but at least it wasn’t cruel. He felt honored, in a way, to have witnessed Ko’s first consumption of raw, distilled liquor.

“Whiskey,” Kal said, and then glanced to the bottle. “I think, anyway. Some hard spirit. It’s not like ale or wine.” As you seem to have noticed. “It’s like…if you take all the s**t in ale or wine that would f—k you up, and get rid of the filler, it’s pure that. Though you make it with different plants, too…wine’s like, fruits, and ale’s…” He frowned. “Something else. This is basically rotten grain juice.”

“Hoi! Don’t have him spittin’ it up all over, would ya? We worked hard to bring it up here.”

Kaleth shot a glower over in the direction of—Jak. Of course. What was he even doing still paying them mind? “He’s tasting it,” Kal snapped back. “I bet you spit up your first whiskey like a little sh—t. He’s handling it like a-”

“Oh, Kaleth! I didn’t know you’d be here…” A female voice drew his gaze, and Kaleth pushed himself to again relax his expression and posture—and try to recall if he remembered this girl. Was she in one of his classes? She looked vaguely familiar at least. Lor—? L—? “Lanara…” She strode passed a blustering Jak, and Kaleth decided it didn’t matter what the other boy was saying regardless. Not that he especially cared about the girl either, but he welcomed the interruption, and she seemed confident enough to give her some credit. “We’re in religious history together? And you’ve been making quite a reputation for yourself. Come on, why don’t you both…” Her eyes flit fleetingly to Ko, “…all come sit for a game. It’s called the Gods’ Finger…”

Kaleth felt positive when she turned that she was intentionally exaggerating the sashay to her arse. He breathed out, and followed as the girl — Lanara — clapped and invited more around.

The rules, as she explained, were relatively simple. In lieu of having an empty bottle yet, they had resorted to placing a full one in the center, though she encouraged that as soon as any group finished with theirs, they ought to make use of that instead. A built up play upon ‘spin and kiss’, it went as so: someone was elected to perform the first spin, after which, they directed a question of truth or a challenge upon whomever it pointed to. From there, the selected player had the option of either selecting one of the two, taking a shot of drink to avoid the burden altogether, or spinning the bottle again purely to be tasked with kissing whomever it pointed at. After completing any of these, they were free to spin again, and perform the lead role of challenger.

Kaleth listened idly as the rules were explained, settling himself next to Ko in a loose circle as the players were rallied together. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the concept, and in all honesty, it was probably the easiest way to get engagement out of him in a gathering of mostly-strangers. He took a second, modest pull at the burning — and distinctly unpleasant, he had to admit — liquor in his bottle before setting it aside and back from both of them.

“Have you ever kissed anyone before?” he asked, spurned by random curiosity and directing the question to Ko at his side.  

[MissMisnomer]

Sticking his tongue out and gulping in sweet, cool air, Ko squinted up blearily at Kaleth, feeling like somehow he had been betrayed. Why would ANYONE want to willingly drink something so horrendous? What was the point? He’d seen his siblings come home drunk a few times, and yeah, they certainly seemed like they were having a good time, stumbling around and laughing. But SURELY there had to be better ways to get there, right?

Croaking hoarsely through his scalded throat, he stood up a bit straighter as he rubbed at his neck. “Is that the only stuff we have to drink tonight? Is there anything else-”

And then Jak was hissing at them again, understandably a bit angry that Ko had sent some of the stock spraying while he had been hacking up a lung. With a wince, Ko kept any further complaints or questions to himself. He didn’t want to be a downer. If Kal was drinking it, and everyone else was, then he should be able to as well. Standing up straighter, he gave Jakov a reassuring thumbs-up, shakily breathing through his teeth as he smiled.

He would be fine. He just had to form a stiff upper lip, and drink it like a man. He could it it. It would be fine.

Ko came when invited and sat down next to Kal, crossing his legs as he looked around at the other teenagers with open curiosity. “Nope, I haven’t!”

And then, realizing what a baby that made him sound like, Ko touched his fingers together, twiddling them as his shoulders rose to his ears. “Well, okay, I actually have! I know how it works...I just haven’t ever like...had a girlfriend or anything.” Puffing his cheeks, he glanced up at Kal, and then down at his fingers again as he mumbled. “Does practicing with your siblings count?”  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

At the initial ‘no’ Kaleth was unphased. Not surprising. It was the answer he’d anticipated, after all. Then, however, as the game began, Ko’s fingers twiddled, his posture shifting, and Kaleth glanced down, distracted from the first round of play by the boy at his side. The addition was confusing—until it wasn’t: Does practicing with your siblings count? And Kal made a bit of a face.

“Practicing with your—? Why would you-” Kaleth wasn’t technically familiar with the prospect of having siblings to begin with. But that didn’t make him any less certain that this seemed to be something you specifically didn’t do. “I don’t think it counts, no,” he said, “not unless you’re planning on dating one of them-”

“Kaleth…”

Kal’s eyes snapped up at a familiar voice from across the circle, his attention locking onto the girl from earlier. When he met her gaze, however, she only smiled and tipped her head, indicating toward her side, where when he glanced he found a very flushed student, also female, fidgeting to the left of her. It appeared to be her turn, he realized as, when Lana gave her a bit of an elbow, the girl spoke up, “A truth or…a challenge?”

Kaleth eyed her, and after a moment settled back. “What’s your name?”

The girl, already clearly anxious, stammered. “I-I…what? It’s- Ahh…Amileiya-”

“Ami?” Kaleth repeated, testing it on his tongue.

She swallowed, and nodded. “But I asked-”

“A challenge,” Kaleth said. He met her gaze, though all but immediately hers darted aside—and he thought for just an instant he saw hers meet with Lanara’s—then, her head dropped, shaking rapidly as her ears warmed. Lanara tisked, and in that moment, Kaleth was certain she was capable of magic. Then, Ami spoke:

“I challenge you to kiss her.” Ami managed to point, and Kaleth glanced. He couldn’t have said he was surprised. He scoffed lightly, but pushed upwards just the same.

“I thought we only had to kiss if we resorted to that option…” he said, standing as he did, “…but if that’s all, I’m sure I can manage.” He stepped over the center bottle, ignoring the bubble up of murmuring — ranging from ‘...lucky…’ to ‘…this is what we get for having girls…kissing challenges immediately…’ and ‘…but that’s the point of girls…’ — and instead turning his attention down to Lanara herself.

She was a pretty girl, Kal decided — shadowy brown skin, ink purple hair that fell loose about her shoulders tonight, while he was fairly certain she had kept it up in all their classes together. Her glowing eyes even had a predatory keenness to them that was almost interesting. But. He dropped to a knee before her and reached, laying a hand lightly at her shoulder as he leaned—and touched lips to her cheek. “You’re very lovely,” he said, speaking low enough that only she would hear, his kiss tracing towards her ear as he did, “…and I’m flattered…” They paused at her earlobe, “…but I much prefer boys…” There, he pulled back, intending to stand.

Instead, her fingers caught in his shirt front, and in a moment, for a moment, there were soft, small lips warm against his, a literal spark that must have been her magic darting between them, and the scent of wildflowers. He bit, and in her startled twitch backward, Kaleth pulled away, more flush than he ought to have been with a pulse quick in his throat. “Not bad,” he nodded. “For a girl.”

She stared, but a moment later, managed to look only mildly miffed as she gave an amused huff. “Fine.” She leaned back. “But remember—now it is your turn.”

Kaleth stepped, crouching by the bottle to give it a spin just before he took his seat. As he settled back beside Ko, it continued to loop, twirling on several more rounds until it came to a final stop, pointing directly to Ko. Kal had only the chance to look, stealing one suspicious squint in Lanara’s direction — and the casual upward arch of her eyebrows told him all he needed to know.

Little witch.

He turned his attention to Ko. “Alright, a truth or a challenge?”  

[MissMisnomer]

Balking as Kaleth made a face at him, Ko's eyes darted to the side, at the others gathered. He whispered in a concerned hiss, “Wait, is that weird? Doesn't everybody do that?” Of course he had no intentions of dating any of his siblings, that would be so entirely wrong and gross! It just made sense to practice a bit before the real deal, that was what they were all thinking anyways, it seemed totally normal. But maybe it wasn't, why else would Kal make that face?

His hand reached to pull at Kal's sleeve, needing an answer right now, but he was distracted by people actually playing the game. Ko withdrew his fingers back into his own bubble, fidgeting as he wallowed in his worry. He had to explain, give him a reason, he wasn't weird! It could all be very easily clarified if he just got the chance to talk to him again.

But no, that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon, Kal was very much occupied kissing a girl. Ko couldn't help but look down at his feet instead, feeling like he was intruding on something that was meant to be incredibly private. He reached behind where Kal used to be seated, picking up the bottle and pulling the cork. Maybe he needed to just lighten up first?

It felt wrong to watch. Kissing should be something two people who cared about each other did, not strangers, a romantic gesture that showed how much they meant to each other―

As he lifted the bottle to take a flustered drink, it was with horrified clarity that he realized everyone was looking at him now. He swallowed as best he could, coughing as he scrambled to put the bottle down and out of the way.

“CHALLENGE!!” he gasped, smacking his hand on the floor as he grimaced, trying to keep his face from looking like it was in too much pain.

Whether or not that was the smartest split second choice was yet to be decided.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

It was only after Kal settled that he noted Ko’s state — most particularly the alcohol being shoved back and the visibly restrained grimacing — and he eyed the boy with suspicion. How much had he been…? Hopefully not too much, was all he could think on the subject, and inquiring wouldn’t really help or change much at this point. So instead, he huffed, putting his focus to the task at hand: a challenge.

Which was—more complicated than Kaleth realized, now that he was dealing with Ko. While with any other boy around the circle he wouldn’t have hesitated to instigate some mild mortification for his own entertainment at the expense of the other and in the ‘spirit of the game’, he didn’t feel Ko really needed that treatment. Or, certainly not to the degree he might have went to with others. He didn’t want the boy actually being mocked, which was a very real possibility if he presented the wrong instigation.

But at the same time, he couldn’t go too easy on him without it being obvious and similarly separating Ko out from the rest. Ko had never kissed anyone, so it seemed unfair to push that on him. He didn’t want to force the boy to strip naked for any reason. He could have asked for a song for the group, which he was certain Ko would follow through on, but that had just as much chance of being laughed at as it did being well-received, and he couldn’t fight everyone at the gathering over that.

He needed something Ko would do, that was generally repulsive enough to still be considered a proper dare, that wouldn’t hurt or mock him. “I challenge you to…lick…” His gaze scanned the crowd, straying towards his left, and landing on Wessel’s boot. He squinted, just for the briefest moment imagining Ko crouched before him and-

That was a bad idea.

Kaleth reached for the bottle, and gestured towards the steps they had come up on. “I challenge you to lick each step we climbed up here. Watch your tongue…” He eyed Ko. “And try not to catch something.”  

[MissMisnomer]

As a round of amused jeering at his unimpressive drinking made its way around the circle of teenagers, Ko tucked his hands between his knees, waiting it out. Apparently, they must all be tougher than him, since no one else appeared to be having the same problem with the liquor. He assumed that must come with experience. Hopefully, he'd get over it soon, so they'd have one less thing to laugh at him about.

He was a little excited, but nervous, as he awaited the challenge Kaleth would lay out for him. He hoped it would be something that might help prove he wasn't a spineless baby. But maybe it might be something really awful, that he might not be able to do. Casting Kal a nervous look, he allowed himself to be cautiously optimistic.

Hopefully Kal wasn't feeling vindictive tonight. It was hard to tell, he hadn't said much since they got here. If Kal was embarrassed to have Ko around, he hoped he would be able to change his opinion.

I challenge you to...lick…

Ko curled his toes in anticipation.

Each step.

Oh…that wasn't so bad!

However, according to the others collected, they didn't share the same opinion. A mix of groaning and laughter was had by all, the general consensus that it was a suitably nasty challenge.

“Eww, I wonder how many different people have walked up here!?” Ami whined, stamping her feet in disgusted glee. “This building is so old!”

Ko stood up, vision a bit…wibbly…for some reason. “This seems kinda gross, but…okay! How…should I lick them? Do I need to do it across the whole step, or…?”

Jak piped up, taking control of the challenge. “Every single one! You've gotta lick all the way from the front, to where it touches the next one. And you've got to use your whole tongue!” He stuck his own out accordingly, pointing up at it. “Not just the tip!”

“I'm not so sure you should be the one acting like you're the expert at licking, eh Jak?” A light haired boy jibed, tone mocking as he elbowed his friend next to him. “I've heard that you go at it like a dainty little kitten too scared to try!” Sticking his own tongue out, he flicked it quickly between his splayed fingers as his friends crowed in a chorus of laughter.

The girls in the circle seemed equal parts shocked and amused, giggling to themselves as they gave each other knowing looks behind blushing cheeks. For his part, Jak looked positively furious, sputtering as he glared at the culprit. “Who the ******** told you that?! They're lying, I don't―there's nothing wrong with―I know how to do it!”

“You sure about that?” Lanara purred, grinning like the queen at the center of her pride of huntresses. “Because that's not the impression at the girls’ dormitories, and we tend to not stay very quiet about any boys who are skilled in that department.”

A new bout of hissing laughter traveled around the girls, giving Lanara good natured slaps of comradery. Whether the boys joining in on the taunting knew anything at all about what was actually being discussed was a matter of great secrecy. Apparently, it was something to be embarrassed about if you were not good at it, which was something no one was willing to divulge, or question. It was an inside joke that many were just not privy to.

And, remaining where he had been standing, Ko blinked in confusion as the teens threw insults across at each other, lost in the middle of trying to understand why Jak was so embarrassed about being bad at licking stairs. It seemed like a weirdly specific problem to have, and one he wouldn't have expected so many people to have opinions on. He glanced at Kal, looking for some kind of clue, but found nothing in his face to cue him in on what the big joke was about.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

As a round of noise came up in the wake of his words, Kaleth was privately relieved and satisfied that this was enough. On the one hand, everyone in the circle sounded suitably convinced it was a revolting and unpleasant task whereas, before him, Ko looked relieved, and in that instant, for better or for worse, Kaleth knew he would at least do it.

He spared a moment to hope the stairs weren’t too filthy.

In the meantime, Kaleth hadn’t thought to move—this was Ko’s challenge, he could manage it, and there would be other things ongoing to watch—until Ko stood, and seemed to visibly sway for an instant like a man stepping upon a boat for the first time, and in that moment, Kaleth pushed upwards quite before he had decided why, other than to touch one hand briefly at Ko’s elbow.

At Ko’s question and Jak’s eager butt-in to elaborate, Kaleth pursed his lips, and might have said something—except that what came without his help was better than he could have asked for. He found a smile edging into place as Jakov sputtered, and nudged gently with his hand at Ko’s back.

“I am going to…watch,” Kaleth decided aloud to clarify to the crowd, “…to be sure he gets every one.” And that he doesn’t fall down the steps and die at fourteen. Carefully, he tucked that thought away.

Then, as they stepped out and pulled away from the immediate crowd towards the far stairs, though it hadn’t been his intent, Kaleth found himself instantly pleased that he had, a certain unspoken tension that he hadn’t even acknowledged easing off of him the more separate they became from all the background voices.

“Well,” he said as they came upon them, “you may either start here, or I’ll walk you to the bottom and you can work your way up.”

He glanced to Ko, trying to gauge the state of him. They had only just begun, essentially, so Kaleth hoped he hadn’t consumed enough alcohol already to endanger himself, but with a body Ko’s size, Kaleth felt caution was necessary.

“You are feeling alright?” he asked. “Not unwell, or overly dizzy…”  

[MissMisnomer]

“Nope! I feel good. A bit confused about what that was all about, but I’m sure it’s just one other thing that I don’t understand. It happens a lot, but I always feel too dumb to ask.” Looking down over the stairs, Ko shook his head, repeating the motion as he marveled in the slow delay his eyes were registering. Like things were a little bit...soupy. Like swimming through porridge, but it was in the air, somehow. And invisible.

Weird, invisible porridge.

“I think I’m gonna go down the stairs first. Then, I’ll only have to come up once! And then, there will be TWICE as much me on the steps as there is now! I wonder if my feet would taste different than a boy’s feet from like...a hundred years ago?” Ko scratched his chin, pondering the question as he started hopping down the stairs. “Because, if you think about it, shoes have PROBABLY changed since back then, right? The leather is made differently now, we’ve gotten better at it! So that means the shoes would probably taste different too, right?”

“Maybe we can find an old pair somewhere in this building, and I can check!” Ko chirped, slapping a fist in his palm. “I bet there has to be at least one pair some boy left behind! I know I’ve left my shoes in loads of places, since I like to take them off all the time. Mom would probably be more angry about it if it weren’t for the fact that they were all hand-me-downs anyways, so it’s not like I’m wasting money on NEW shoes.”

About halfway away from the landing, Ko’s eyes grew wide, eyeballing the old stone railing. “I BET I CAN SLIDE DOWN THIS!” He set his hands and attempted to hoist himself up, scrambling to get atop the chest height wall. “So many people have been here over the years, the sides are all smooth now! It’s like a shiny new table!”  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“Hm.” Kal could certainly see the effects of alcohol — a flushed complexion, adjustments to his finer motor control (if Ko could be said to have as much to begin with) — but for the moment, at least, the boy didn’t seem dangerously impaired. Not enough for Kaleth to be immediately concerned, in any case. Thus, at the initial commentary, he shrugged and opted to focus on that.

“It’s about intercourse,” Kal said. “When you are intimate with someone, you often use your mouth to please them. When Jakov told you how to use your tongue to lick the stairs, he was vulgar in his detail, and some decided to suggest that he was not nearly so enthusiastic when attempting to please his lovers…if he’s ever actually had any.”

As Ko piped up that he would take the stairs down first, Kaleth was eager to re-emphasize that in that case, he would walk him down—ideally with a grip on him in some fashion-

But getting a word in edgewise did not seem to be a realistic goal as it turned out. Rather, instead Kaleth found himself eyeing the boy skeptically as he went on about the difference in taste of one hundred year old shoes—right before he began hopping down the stairs and Kaleth’s pulse picked up.

“Wait—just a moment, you should probably- Take those slowly,” Kaleth hissed the last portion in a futile grumble beneath his breath as he moved after Ko. And then, if he had ever made the leap of hubris to think that it ‘couldn’t get any worse’: I BET I CAN SLIDE DOWN THIS!

Kaleth choked, and reached, snatching at the back of Ko’s shirt as he scrambled and dragging him back securely to the solid ground of the stairs, thank you very much. “I don’t think…” he murmured as gently as he could manage, one hand maintaining a death grip on the back of Ko’s shirt and the other taking up a precautionary, lighter clutch at his wrist, “…that that is the best idea. How about…we walk the rest of the way down together. I will hold your hand, and you won’t let go, hmm? Let’s talk about…”

He sifted his thoughts to come up with something that would entertain Ko’s rambling mind and hopefully discourage him from darting off again.

“…the oddity of your kissing experiences, since you asked about that earlier. Yes it is strange to kiss your brothers and sisters so far as I know…perhaps it’s done, but I don’t think it’s something you talk about.”  

[MissMisnomer]

With a startled yelp, Ko found himself being forcibly yanked backwards away from the stone ledge he was in the process of climbing, choking a bit as the neckline of his shirt cut into his throat. He managed to look mildly offended that he had been interrupted, scrunching his face in a frown up at Kaleth.

“I think it was a GREAT idea, why’d you stop me? I bet I woulda gone so bloody fast, look how steep this thing is!” He pulled on the fingers around his wrist, making a distressed whining noise in the back of his throat. “You don't need to hold my hand, I'm not a baby! The other kids might see and think I'm trying to chicken out or something!”

Stamping his feet in frustration, he tossed his head back with a loud groan. “They already think I'm lame enough as it is! It's not my fault that whiskey tastes like literal poison, I'm just not used to it yet. And yes, I have kissed my brothers and sisters, and maybe that makes me even stranger than normal, but that isn't any new info: I'm basically a total weirdo already!”

He puffed in exasperation, trying to pry Kal's fingers off of him as he vented. “And maybe that's not so bad, despite what others think. Things that are different from the rest usually have the best stories behind them anyhow! No one makes collections out of everyday objects you can find anywhere. It's the weird ones that stand out the most!” His cheeks were warmer now, the alcohol from earlier making its way through his small, unprepared system as he riled himself up. “And I shouldn't have to keep apologizing for that, not when it just might be who I am, maybe I'll never get fixed, maybe I'll always be crazy! Maybe I'll never fit in!”  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

So bloody fast…

Kaleth huffed down at the boy before him, tightening his grip as Ko pulled at his fingers—just enough to be sure it held fast, at least. “That was part of the problem,” he said. “You could have fallen off and hurt yourself. No one is watching to make judgment, and if they were, I’d be happy to clarify that this has nothing to do with your lack of gut.” You’re not ‘chickening out’ you’re just too ‘courageous’ sometimes.

As Ko proceeded to stamp his feet, however, Kal could only blink and watch on, amused that the boy could go from complaining about being seen as an infant to throwing a small whining tantrum complete with groaning and head tossing.

Had that gotten him anywhere in a twelve-child family?

Perhaps Kaleth would never know.

“All of them coughed and spat at one point,” Kal assured, still holding firm but giving the gentlest encouraging tug to get Ko moving down the stairs with him. “They laugh because they like to feel superior now that they have done it already. No one actually likes the taste of what we have.”

His father, Kaleth remembered distinctly, had liked some particular liquor apparently for its flavor. Kaleth forgot the name now, but he felt it was some variety of whiskey, and his clearest memory of it involved Bodrin offering it to him at a relatively young age ‘to sip’ because Kaleth had been so curious and insistent. His own coughing and disgusted sputtering had then been a source of his father’s amusement, but in retrospect, Kaleth suspected that whatever it had been, it was infinitely more refined than whatever cheap crates they had managed to pull away with tonight. Kal had never personally developed a ‘taste’ for anything worth tasting. He just enjoyed the way it warmed his belly and gave him some moments approaching relaxation.

But maybe one day.

“It’s not so bad to be different,” Kaleth agreed in the meantime, slipping back into the conversation as Ko puffed by his side. “Most people have an inflated sense of how much what they think and say matters…I wouldn’t worry about them, if I were you.”

He glanced down, eyeing Ko as he went on. What a peculiar little rant. Perhaps this was how alcohol affected him.

“I do believe you will always be crazy,” Kal admitted. “But as you said, it’s not so bad. No one is making you apologize. I would rather be on the edges than too closely associated with most anyone, myself…”