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 Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:41 pm
Barth digested the information. It explained a bit about why Calder had been so initially opposed to igoring. Both of them were...struggling against their heritage. Perhaps rightfully so.
"Oh no, I'm on my own for that sort of thing. As far as I know. ...Can you make claims? Ever considered challenging this fellow you're engaged to?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:49 pm
Calder twisted the blankets again. "The purpose of a claim is that someone who is stronger and more established can protect you and make sure you survive to the point where you can go to the pumpkin patch. I'm not that age yet, but I'm of age now to be claimed. Mur...the stallion who claimed me, did just that. The only way I can get out of my engagement is if I leave the clan or if I prove that I can protect myself better than the person I am claimed to and thus can survive to the age where I can make my own claim. Of course, I'd also have to face any challengers who might want to claim me during that time. It's survival that the strongest get the pick." It was a very animal philosophy, but it ensured that their clan had the best protecting the weak and that everyone was watched over for and protected and then could continue to make scarlings.
"I can't make a claim until I get out of my own engagement and then whoever I claim, I have to fight anyone who might want who I want. The bad thing is, the stallion who gave me the anklet, is a Lead. He's one of the strongest and respected members. He's much older than I am, and he's fought before. And I'm...." Well, his track history could speak for itself. "...I don't know how to fight."
He glanced back much a moment. "I bet that shows how lucky you are. You can just walk up to Lilith and ask her out at any time. You don't have to fight anyone." Good thing considering that would exhaust the poor demon.
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:55 pm
Ugh. The strongest survive. How tired Barth was of that rhetoric. The school wanted to make them stronger, better fighters and soldiers. Barth did not intend to spend his time post-graduation getting into the adult version of schoolyard scraps.
Then Calder mentioned Lilith. And how much easier that relationship was. And how there was a lack of competition.
"Err," Barth said, "She's err, well she's technically still dating Draven. As far as I know."
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:26 pm
"Oh. Draven?" Calder never heard of the name, but wanted to send the boil a Thank You card. "I didn't know. The last time you talked about her, it seemed like she was giving you a chance. I'm sorry." He turned away as if embarrassed for bringing that up with Barth, but actually was taking a moment to hide a smile. Lilith could have her Draven for as long as she wanted. He wished them the best.
Turning back once he was composed, he looked back in what he hoped was a supportive gaze. "I'm sure you'll find someone nice......or they find you." If kelpies could grow horns......
Yawning, he leaned back into the cushions. "I hope I get stronger though. Then I won't have to wear an anklet. I'll be my own stallion." He smiled at the thought. At having earns the right to choose. "You think I can get strong enough?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:31 pm
Barth's relationship with Lilith was...complex. Their status was...physically friendly when Lilith was happy with him, but not when she wasn't, and on the official front stuck in limbo. And while Barth didn't...really mind the infidelity, comparing himself to Draven depressed him.
"I don't know how it's going," Barth admitted. "Sometimes it seems like it's going well, and other times...I've been on a trial basis since last Christmas."
Someone nice. Barth would not describe Lilith as nice, but then, he didn't always like nice. Nice was just that. Nice. He preferred...interesting. Still, Lilith being in or out of the picture was rather beside the point.
"I think you've been getting stronger," Barth said. "And you have the advantage of the formal training. Knowledge goes a long way." Not that he was advocating school, necessarily, but what was the harm in using what they'd already learned?
"If you were your own stallion, you'd err, you'd pick another kelpie, then? Survival of the clan and so forth?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:58 pm
It was hopeful, but rather sad. It was clear that Barth liked Lilith, and Calder had never been the sort to try and get between that. Even he left Christof believe that what he felt for Riley would work out somehow, but even he knew that it could also end in disaster and that he just had to let that train take it's course. Even if it was over a cliff. That was how was supposed to work, and those who got in the way of love were always the villians in the story. Yet, he couldn't help shaking his own pom-poms at the idea of Barth and Lilith not equally 4 Evar and it was rather startling how quick he was to take that position over just a dream. Still, it made him feel competitive, but looking at it, if Lilith actually wanted Barth as viciously as most ghouls did some boils, he wouldn't stand a chance. He had seen the ghoul at the dance and she had been beautiful, not to mention that she created a dreamy, spacey look on the sloth demon's face when she came around.
He really liked her, and despite how sad it made him, Calder wanted her to bug off and leave Barth alone.
For what?
The question was soured by these thoughts. Even if Calder did get Barth, he wasn't a kelpie. He worked hard to get in the clan, but if he just hooked up with anyone, he'd be out of it again. 'I don't know. None of the other kelpies have caught my eye. None of them ever have. I mean, Cade was sweet, but he was also exotic." Calder knew from looking at him that he wasn't a normal kelpie and that excited him.
"I like some things that aren't...traditional, but I really like my clan. I wanted so badly to be in it, but..." He shrugged his shoulders. "I like scarlings. I want one of my own when I grow up, but....I just think that I would leave it up to love, ya know? My mum thought she was going to be with a clan-mate, and yet she fell for mah dad. Even if he was a keplie, he wasn't one from our group. She said she just felt it was right. I think that I'd be with whoever makes me happiest cause that's what's love about."
He went quiet for a moment. "If I loved someone and had to go to the clan and they said no, I don't know how I'd be happy. I think that, if I proved I was a great kelpie myself, that they would know I'm not some screwup trying to make trouble and that they would listen." Or so he hoped.
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:39 pm
None of the other kelpies have caught my eye was a good sign.
As Calder further explained the situation, the only thing Barth could say was "Ah." He hadn't really considered a married, family future with scarelings and so forth. Calder's love life was complicated, albeit in a different way from his. There was a lot of obligation involved.
What Barth had been thinking about the previous night was very...uncomplicated. Sin, slime, temptation. And he'd thought Calder wanted all that.
Barth, as he'd said earlier, liked it when both parties got what they wanted. With his contracts, he strived to make sure the Payment was equal, and that the Contractees were as happy receiving the service as they were giving it. It made things...easier. He would always prefer persuasion to any other tactic.
Clearly, though, Calder's love life had a lot weighing on it. It made him almost feel like just...telling the truth and apologizing to Calder.
He decided to change the subject.
"I am glad you're feeling better."
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:50 pm
Calder smiled, also happy for a change in subject. Ever since becoming a knob and being told they should all be going out and finding out what they wanted to do with their lives, Calder had found out how unsure he was. His life had no clear path and was left to the tides of fate and he feared the dangerous waters would wind up taking him to places that he didn't want to go. He needed to find direction in hopes of having something more solid, an anchor, in life. He just didn't have that yet. All he had now were the friends that cared for him.
Right now, he was at least grateful for that.
Snuggling back down into the covers, Calder smiled. "Thanks to you. You always make me feel better." He got comfortable again. He felt better, but he wasn't at 100% just yet. For now, he didn't mind it at all. He was in good company and sleeping seemed to make all the heavy subjects go away - even if for a little while.
********* The next few days were easy in conversation. The medicine worked like a charm, and soon the bed became drier and Calder less slimy. In what seemed like no time at all, Calder was back to only being slightly damp, with his hair back to being ghostly white and inky black, and dressed in his own clothes rather than Barth's shirts. To help out, Calder did the laundry, changing the sheets and blankets, and did the pile of wet shirts he had borrowed. It was a good thing slime was easy to wash. Then, as part of his own guilt at feeling like a burden these past few days, because it gave him more time to be with Barth, and because it kept him from thinking about discovered feelings, Calder tidied up and also made lunch. There might have been some humming involved.
It seemed everything was back to normal - or it at least appeared that way on the outside.
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 5:29 pm
Barth half-played a video game and half-watched Calder cook from the couch. Barth's cooking abilities were abominable, and Mandy's...weren't great, but at least they weren't disastrous. Barth was, fortunately, not a picky eater.
He did, however, appreciate good food when he could get it. And Calder's food, he knew from experience, was very good. The week was coming to an end, and the last few days had been peaceful. Barth was feeling confident with his thorns. He, like Calder, was trying to avoid certain subjects. And feelings.
"Smells good," Barth said.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 8:05 am
Despite not cooking, Barth had a nice cooking set. Some skillets, lovely cast-iron, and dinnerware. He wondered if these were for if Barth ever decided to entertain, and while the demon seemed to have people visiting in and out at any hour, entertaining was usually left for those who visited and not the host. It was also nice to have a kitchen of your own, and again, Calder was amazed during the whole process that he didn't have to go out for wood and place it into a stove and wait for it to heat. Good thing considering the undead friends they both had.
Calder had his appetite back, and was making a hot meal to get back what he had lost during that weak or barely eating. Crackers, water, and tea did not make a meal. Today, he made one of his favorites that made him desperately homesick. A grain heated in a warm, thick, creamy yellow sauce, puffing up to a similar manner to rice, with bits of cooked fish and bits of carrot. He had raided the garden he kept next to Ren's for the carrots, wanting a treat and ate one while he waited for the food to cook.
At the comment, he smiled, loading a bowl for both of them and double-double checking to make sure the weird stove was turned off. Done, he sat down next to the boil on the couch and handed him his bowl. "Thanks. Your stove is really amazing. There are so many places to cook and no loading wood. It gets hot in no time." He cuddled into the back of the couch and started to blow on a forkful. He then paused to look back at the demon. "If you don't like it, don't force yourself to eat it. I ..don't know if everyone likes it." He never cooked for anyone other than himself or his family.
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:29 pm
"I don't think I'll have any trouble," Barth said, slowly lifting a piece of fish from the plate. The meat divided onto the fork easily, moist with sauce and patterned with some of the grains. Barth was primarily a meat-eater, and often liked dishes on the...rarer side, but he was not picky, and the fish was as good as it smelled.
"I really appreciated the help this week."
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 5:33 pm
The fork remained in his mouth as he watched the demon lift up a forkful and eat. When the boil didn't choke, cringe, or look as if he was forcing down a mouthful of rancid maggots, Calder beamed, going back to eating and taking pride in a meal well done. "You helped me out. Remember. I probably would be sick in my room, all alone, and taking a lot longer to get better. I also liked the company." It was nice to have someone around when you were sick, and he doubted anyone would have visited him unless he just so happened to be called in by Barth before he was bedridden. "I should do something for Malodore to for coming over and being a bother." He smiled, glad they had a friend who was able to tend to their many ailments and injuries. Still, he did feel as if they were asking a lot out of their friend. it wasn't their nurse after all and deserved to be called upon for things that weren't just medical.
"So....do you feel better about your thorns?" He asked, glancing up from his bowl as he popped a forkful of food into his mouth.
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:12 pm
"Yes, the company was nice," Barth agreed, blushing and swallowing his bite.
Malodore's help had been appreciated, but Barth considered that transaction to be business.
"Much," Barth said, in response to the thorn question. "You gave me some things to think about. I couldn't have done it without you. But I think I err, I might have gotten the swing of it now." Those first few nights Barth had been wracked with fear, but as the days went by without incident, and Calder remained unharmed and even enthusiastic with new ideas, Barth had become more confident. Now, Barth felt, he was at his most comfortable. But he had only asked for Calder's temporary assistance.
"If you're feeling better, I...might like to try a few nights on my own."
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 9:24 pm
"Oh...yeah. You should try it on your own...cause that would be best.." Calder tried to hide his dissapointment as best he could, and resumed eating, looking more into the bowl than at the boil beside him as his heart sank. It wasn't like he could stay here forever. IT wasn't like they were roommates or married or anything like that. It would be weird if he stayed longer than he already had...right? Yeah. Friends didn't do that.
"I should really check on Fester after all. I bet he's already went out to try and nibble on the neighbors. I bet he is wondering what has happened....not to mention all the homework I probably have now." He had missed several days of classes. Back to responsibilities. Back to school and classes. Back to his own dorm - and away from this little private world they had for this week.
All of this really does feel like just a a dream.
He resumed eating. "If...you have any trouble with the thorns - or anything else - You can call me anytime. Like, anytime. 4am or 10 at night or whatever. I'm happy to help."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 1:42 pm
"You'll be the first I call," Barth said. "And err, likewise. If you need me. Well, not at all hours. Mornings, definitely not. Or if it's anything involving...lifting things, or walking great distances, or exercise."
Barth took another bite of the fish.
He was not a very independent sort of person, and he was likewise reluctant to let Calder go, but as Calder had also reasoned, this was not a permanent arrangement. The week had been a...complicated one, and it was coming to a close.
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