Looking for Trouble(continued)

[Kysis]

There were two reasons Rico was not all over Dee, the first being that question (and uncomfortability) of age difference as well as the fact that Dee knew someone in the tavern, someone Rico was sitting specifically to block view of.  That, and it was a public place, with lots of prying eyes.  Rico was in no way shy, but he did have certain codes of decency, living in prude Kreos drilling it in.  Flirting around with a male in public was... unheard of in Kreos.  Being gay was considered evil in Kreos (despite how many people played around with it in private).  He was still stuck in that secrecy mindset.

"Physically..." Rico flipped his hand over to caress Dee\'s back.  The playing of the foot was concealed under the table, and the hands were not to noticeable, Rico keeping that in mind, and keeping aware of their surroundings out of habit.  It was always good to know one\'s surroundings. "You\'re cute.  You really care about how you look."

That second part was partially an observation, partially a complement.  Rico hated it when people really did not care how they looked (minus Kysis, who looked good whether or not he did anything), because it was a distraction to everyone else.  Rico put a good amount of effort into his own appearance, though there were some things he could not help.  His hair was arranged how he had gotten the most complements for it, his skin had a healthy tan (giving an almost golden glow).  He also dressed as nicely as he could.  But, that was just Rico.

What else to say was a loss to him.  Perhaps Dee would make a conversation out of this all.  That would be just fine.  Rico would find a way to sneak in his own questions.

[w0rmy]

Looking over to the other side of the tavern briefly, Dee saw that the other squire was still here and by the looks of it, wasn’t going to leave any  time so. If it weren’t for that boy, there could be other things going on besides footsies. It does not take long for one to realise that Dee does not possess much decency, especially when it comes to acting in public. But why is he away to get wish such things? It was thanks to his father. It was thanks to the name of Dubhdara Pencawr. It was thanks to the wealth. Nothing more.

The hand upon his back was surprising but not unwelcome. It had taken longer than expected but that was okay. Normally, there would have been no patience but he supposed this time could be a bit slower than usual. Most of the time, the boy took everything fast but tonight was different but as said before, that’s okay.

Cute. Cute in what way? There are two meanings behind cute. The first one meant attractive while the second meant… well, innocent. Rico had to mean ‘attractive’ right? Even though the two have only been aquatinted briefly, Dee had made himself obvious. There was no way that he could be ‘innocent’…  

The second statement however, did not leave an imprint so it was looked passed. Dee leant forward, hand excitably grasping the other’s hand,
“Cute? In what way?”
He spoke in a whisper, lips clumsily brushing against Rico’s ear. The alcohol was finally kicking in and now rash behaviour was to be expected. He had not eaten since lunch and so the effects were going to be… probably embarrassing. Tomorrow morning was not going to be pleasant that’s for sure.
“You said you haven’t been here long, correct? Are there any questions you want to ask about Oberon? This petty excuse for an Imperial civilisation?”

[Kysis]

"Cute as in... arketa... Um, pretty."

This Dee seemed to know exactly what he wanted and was not afraid to express it.  Rico wondered if everyone in Oberon was so bold, but did not voice it.  That might be offensive.  He still needed his information... and it looked like there was a window.  Rico gathered his wits, trying to straighten out his words as carefully as they could be before striking.  A wrong word could be disastrous...

"I heard a rumor that this ghost girl was hurt badly and treated badly.  Is she a real threat?  Assassins can be... scary."

Rico whispered his question into Dee\'s ear, lips pressed to the flesh as he did so.  Hopefully the alcohol would help him out in this.  Rico was still quite sober, but it was obvious Dee was not.  Hopefully Dee could not see through the fog enough to get that Rico was prying.  To distract the young man further, Rico gave a little nibble to the earlobe, to assert that he was being playful but still wanted an answer.

[w0rmy]

Ar… keta? What did that mean? It probably didn’t mean anything crude so there was nothing to worry about. Hopefully. Dee arched an eyebrow and replied,
“Ta tu go halainn.”  
Rico would have been quite good looking if it weren’t for that nose. Oh well. The foot continued to play beneath the table and the hand still clasped the others. He didn’t care what the people may think; it was none of their business after all.  

Rico whispered into Dee’s ear, including a little nibble to the earlobe. The whisper alone sent shivers down his spine and he almost didn’t hear the question. Blinking a few times and thinking about the question.

A ghost girl…? Ghost girl, ghost girl, ghost girl… I’m too drunk to think right now. Oh. Perhaps Mabh? She got in trouble with father recently or something. He was telling me about it though I wasn’t listening… I think I should’ve, he wasn’t very happy-

Okay, obviously Dee was thinking too deeply into this and needed to stop.
“Yes, I know the girl. Hah, it was my father that did it. He was te-telling me about it though…” He bit his bottom lip, “I wasn’t really listening. She disobeyed him and father got angry. I think he hit her too. I wouldn’t be surprised, he used to hit mother.”  
The boy shrugged, not that interested in the conversation. It was nothing new; his father has beaten up Mabh in the past so it wasn’t news. And Dee didn’t know why he brought up mother either, he never brought her up…

[Kysis]

The kid really was drunk, and the guilt over trying to squeeze him for information was finally sinking in.  Yes, he got what he wanted.  Mabh might be a little hurt (more so than she was when Rico cared for her before), but alive.  That was a relief.  His kindness had not resulted in her damnation.  Rico sighed, releasing what holds he had on Dee.

The random changes of topic, especially to such a sober one, had Rico backing off.  Rico had never really known either of his parents, Ryos Liari the closest thing to a father he had.  Family was a sore spot for Rico.  It was a button that once pressed, his mood would not be the same for a while.

Rico tried keeping his smile, mulling over the sudden awkwardness. "Sorry to bring that up.  It obviously...  I can escort you wherever \'home\' is if you need.  You\'re more than a little tipsy..."

[w0rmy]

Mother. Mother. That terrible word, oh how Dee loathed it. She had died from the red death, or better known as ‘tuberculosis’. A wave of crimson surged from her mouth… Dee shook his head, trying his best to rid the thoughts. He didn’t want to be thinking about this. He never thought about this so why now?

Home? I don’t want to go home. And anyway, I don’t have a home. I probably won’t have one considering my career.

“Home.” Dee said, giving Rico’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I don’-don’t have one. Un-Unless you con-consider sleeping in the house your knight one.” The youth rested his head on Rico’s shoulders. He wanted contact; he just wanted to touch someone and he didn’t care who.

“More than a little tipsy?” He repeated, looking up. “You-you haven’t even to-touched your wine! You’re wasting it!” Dee picked up the glass, “You can’t waste wine!”

[Kysis]

“I have been drinking it.” Rico quickly plucked the glass away, taking a little sip of good will with a forced smile as he did so.  He swirled the deep red liquid around in the glass, staring down at it.  The wine was very different than what he had back at home, that was for sure… not that he drank wine much back at Kreos.  It was only for the most special of occasions, when Kysis invited him to join the festivities.  Otherwise, he was left out. “Just… savoring the flavor, that’s all.”

The comment of a home threw him off, though.  Rico thought about it.  House of a knight?  That meant Dee was a squire?  If Kysis ever found out about this, he would have Rico’s head.  The thought made Rico a little nervous, his having to remind himself that Kysis was traveling far, far away at the moment, and there was no way he could find out Rico was tainting a future knight.  Rico promised himself mentally to mention this night to absolutely no one, not a part of it.  That would keep him safe.

“House of a knight?  I know someone who would abandon all their riches just to have such an opportunity.” Rico took another sip of his wine.  He wanted to steer the conversation away from the macabre, or any sort of gloom, but his own mind was a bit to fixated on certain things to go completely sunny.  At least it would not be at all morbid for Dee, he hoped.  Rico kept where he was to comfort the young lad, since he seemed to need it so badly.  Oberon was far more open about certain things than Kreos had ever been, and for that Rico was slightly relieved.  He relaxed a little.  Perhaps more conversation would help Dee get out of the sudden slump.  Rico felt somewhat guilty for getting him into it.

[w0rmy]

Dee looked up at Rico and raised an eyebrow. Savouring the flavour? Huh. What is there to savour?  The kid had always thought you had to shove it down your throat… that’s what the other knights did. When Dee was younger, he used to watch them. They would sit together and drink grog like it was water. That had to be the right way, they were knights! Whatever knights did, it had to be right.

Right?

“They are obviously fools then.” The red head muttered darkly. He would give anything to go back to Ireland. Anything. “Are you-you’re parents alive? Oh, forgive me, I forgot. You told me ear-earlier that you’re father is a weapon merchant. Do you have a mother?” Dee moved away from Rico but kept the eye contact. This was strange. He hadn’t talked about ‘mother’ to anyone. Not even Dubhdara, his father.

“I did not know my mother well. At six, I went to become a knight! I was so happy to be away from home, away from my father. I hate him. Anyway, my mother, she is dead now. Do you know how she died?” Dee’s fingers trailed the wooden table. “She died from a disease. You know the one were blood flows from your mouth. I was ten at the time. I was visiting home and I was talking with my father then, then I heard this dreadful scream. I think it was the maid. Father and I ran to where the scream came from and then and then.” Dee rubbed his eyes. Was he actually crying? He never cried! “Saw my mother lying face down in a pool of blood... sure, clerics came but they could find no wound. She wasn’t murdered by a knife. She was murdered by the disease. I fear sometimes for my health. I fear that I’ll get the dreaded disease. Oh! I am sorry Rico, you didn’t ask for this.”

[Kysis]

Rico shook his head, remembering his lie then.  Both his parents were dead, but he had spoken of his father.  He would at least tell the truth about his mother, then. "No, my mother... I never really knew her.  Everyone says she had a beautiful singing voice, though." Rico couldn\'t even remember his mother, minus the stories Ryos and the others at the Liari Keep had told him.  It was very little to go by, but enough.

"My father and I aren\'t close, either, so..." Rico shrugged at that.  He could do little else on the matter, nor did he really want to talk about it.  Not only was his really father dead, but his adoptive father, Ryos was too.  It was a sour and still fresh wound.