Carpathia IV: Episode 231 - Thirsty
Dining Room, Amenaru's House
Dinner was an interesting affair, not because of the food, but for the subtle way that Ramses tried to indicate his interest in Darius. Subtle in a way that an 18-year-old thinks is subtle, which is to say, not subtle at all. First, Ramses elected sit himself next to Darius and, gradually throughout the meal, he adjusted his chair bit by bit, inching himself closer each time. He must have thought he was quite clever with this scheme, but everyone could see what he was doing. Even Darius, usually clueless about such things, seemed to notice, casting the occasional confused glance in Ramses's direction.
Next, Ramses offered Darius some food from his plate. More precisely, from the end of his own fork. This time he offered Darius a piece of the barbecued chicken, well-glazed and slow smoked for the previous 8 hours.
Ramses: Try some!
A perplexing offer to Darius, and as he glanced at the chicken on Ramses's fork and then back to the exact same chicken on his plate. Nevertheless, he leaned in and took the morsel into his mouth.
Darius: Good! Same as what I've got.
Darius looked around the table, but nobody else seemed to be offering food from their forks. If this were some sort of Pendergast family tradition, nobody else appeared to partake. Still, with a better safe than sorry attitude, Darius shredded a piece of chicken to his own fork and offered it to Ramses. He accepted with enthusiasm, distinctly missing his first go to smear the sauce on his cheek. His second attempt made it into his mouth.
Darius raised his finger to his own cheek and poked at an imaginary stain.
Darius: Um... you have something... right there.
Ramses paused, like he didn't know what Darius was talking about. After a few seconds, he smiled and craned his tongue to the corner of his lips and got most of the sauce from his face. From there, he gave Darius a smile and his eyebrows a jaunty wiggle.
Darius had a couple of thoughts as to what was happening, but before he could cogitate any further, James spoke to him.
James: Darius, Amenaru told me what you did for him. You're welcome here any time. Mikado, you too. I know you helped Darius.
Darius shrunk in his chair, twiddling his fork in his hand.
Darius: Just doing my job, Mr. Pendergast.
James: You're good at your job, then. I'll be looking forward to the day you both become captains!
Mikado: Oh! We're just cadets now. I don't know what I'm going to do when my term is up.
James: I hope for updates on whatever you decide to do anyway.
Amenaru's Bedroom
Amenaru stood by his wardrobe rubbing his head with a towel, fresh off of a nice, cool shower. Kit, meanwhile, stood in front of a nearby mirror brushing his luxurious long hair. Amenaru kept casting not-so-subtle glances in Kit's direction, for it was unusual to see Kit's hair unencumbered by the ponytail tie.
Kit: Your brother is really into Darius, isn't he?
Amenaru froze in the middle of rubbing his hair and turned.
Amenaru: You noticed?
Kit: I guess I know what that looks like now, I think. Am I right?
Amenaru: Ramses is thirsty for Darius alright. Darius is rather inexperienced, but I'm pretty sure he knows something is up.
Kit: This whole flirting thing is still a little strange to me.
Amenaru: I never thought about it before I met you, but, you're right. It is a strange little ritual that most species have. I admire the tokki for the simplicity.
Kit: Speaking of that, do you want to do it now or do you need to study?
Amenaru: Written test isn't for another three days, so let's have some fun!
The Next Day
Though not empty, the house was quiet. Besides James, the only inhabitants were Amenaru and Kit, the former studying and the latter helping. The only noises were of James's doing, as he hauled several of his instruments from their storage places and piled them beside the front door. Two guitars, a fiddle, uilleann pipes, and a bouzouki. Outside, a breeze wafted the scent of hearty ribs from the smoker through the window.
It wasn't time for him to leave yet, but it paid to be ready. Just as he put the last case in the pile, the door opened and in came Ramses and Darius. He expected Sylvar and Mikado too, since they left together, but they were nowhere to be seen.
James: Ah, welcome back! I expected Sylvar and Mikado too.
Darius's ears flattened, leaving Ramses to explain.
Ramses: We were together for the first hour or so, but when we passed the blow job bar, Mikado got super excited and wanted to go in. Sylvar went with him.
Darius: I didn't really want to go there. Ramses was very kind to stay with me.
Ramses smiled as he reached up and gave Darius a scratch behind his ears.
Ramses: I didn't want to go there either. I had much more fun spending the day with you!
James: Well, I hope you two had a good time, then!
Darius: We did! After Sylvar and Mikado left, Ramses took me to a fish and chips place for lunch. After that, we went to an arcade and played a lot of games.
Ramses: Don't forget the hobby store! Darius really likes the model trains.
Darius: Oh yes! I haven't been able to do much with mine since we moved to Polaris Deep. Not much space to put up train tracks.
While Darius spoke, Ramses took a glance behind him and then back to his dad.
Ramses: Gig tonight, Dad?
James grimaced before snatching Ramses's hat off his head and smashing it into his face.
James: I told you a week ago, dum dum! I told you and Meri and I messaged Amenaru too! I'll be gone for five days starting tonight. Plenty of food around, so I trust you guys will be able to handle dinner yourselves.
James released the hat, which immediately fell from Ramses's face. Something that he was already used to, since he already had his hands out to catch it.
Ramses: Of course!
Ramses put his hat back on his head, pulling down hard, with each ear succumbing to the pressure, popping out of the hat holes one by one. His ears fluttered about, seemingly happy to have air once again, while he adjusted his hat to a more comfortable position.
James: And make sure that none of the meat or meat utensils come into contact with the tokki stuff.
Ramses: I will guard it! Do you cook, Darius?
Darius shook his head.
Darius: Do instant noodles count? I can follow simple recipes from a package. Besides that, neither Mom nor Dad had much time for cooking. Neither did I. Mostly cafeteria food.
James: Oh, that won't do! Maybe the rest can teach you a thing or two over the next five days.
Ramses: You must be pretty good with a knife if you're going into medicine, right?
Darius: We usually don't cut by hand these days. Phase scalpels most of the time, but we do learn how to use the old tools in case the need arises.
Ramses: So you have practiced. That's something at least.
The door opened again and this time it was Mikado, Sylvar and, unexpectedly, Meri.
Sylvar: Hey, look who we ran into.
Meri: I spotted them in town after my classes.
James: Good that you're all back. Dinner will be early since I'm leaving tonight.
Meri: Oh, the instruments! You got a gig tonight?
James smacked his hand on his forehead.
James: I'll be gone for five days! Don't any of you noodles even listen when I tell you things?
Meri and Ramses looked in every imaginable direction except at their dad.
James: Nevermind. Someone go fetch Amenaru and Kit.
Ramses: I've got it!
Ramses ran to the stairs but did not go up, instead put his hands to either side of his mouth and yelled at full volume.
Ramses: HEY DICKHEAD! DINNER'S READY!
After a cringe from the noise, James rubbed his temple while his shook his head.
James: Next time, go up and knock on his door.
Ramses: What? That was much more efficient!
Ramses was right about that, for shortly after, Amenaru and Kit came plodding down the stairs.
Amenaru: Hard to study with the smell of ribs wafting though my windows.
Kit: I smell seaweed!
Amenaru looked around and noticed the instrument pile by the door.
Amenaru: Oh, do you have a gig tonight, Dad?
James: Oh for fuck's sake! Just for that, you're in charge of carrying all my shit down to the van. Get to it! The rest of you can set the table while I get the ribs off the smoker.
Amenaru's ears flattened, keenly aware that he did something wrong, though he wasn't sure what it was. With a sigh, he trudged over to the instruments and picked up two of them. Kit grabbed the other two.
Kit: Don't worry. I'll help!
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
