shardbond | Party Rock Anthem only it's played on kazoos

[Oscar is a practiced master at Coping (tm) in the face of things he would prefer not to address in any sort of healthy or rational manner. After the events of yesterday, he's somehow getting the feeling that he isn't the only one, which means that in his mind there is only one thing to do: this translates to yet another Walmart booze heist (even larger than the original), a few side trips to amass snacks because RIP his kitchen, and some haphazardly erected decorations in one of the spare rooms to try to at least give off something of a celebratory atmosphere... but let's be real here, this is just Misery x CPR x Reese's Puffs + alcohol.

Sunday morning will find handwritten notes tucked under everyone's doors inviting them to a party that evening, snacks and drinks (that particular word underlined a couple of times, just in case people didn't pick up on the meaning of "party") provided gratis.

There's alcohol, there's soda for the minors, there's plenty of junk food to eat, and there are a whole bunch of other people who are also Going Through It. What better recipe for a party could you ask for?

... don't answer that.]

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[Hmm. He's not so wasted that he doesn't pick up on that...]

Why'd you think that? You're pretty cute, you know. Take it from me: girls love guys with a soft side.

[ Lark, internally: shit

His face is turning redder at Oscar calling him cute, as if he needed to hear that from one of his big bros here. Father give him strength so he doesn't just die on the spot. Alternatively, give him strength so he can go walk off a pier later. ]

...I feel like at least half of the people who've called me cute don't actually mean it in a way I like.

[ A lot of times it feels like shorthand for "amusing", which in of itself could mean a lot of things. ]

Edited 2025-02-27 20:47 (UTC)

Whaddya mean?

[Like, he thinks he gets it just because he's heard enough people call Eric "cute" and has seen his reactions to it, but. There's still more than one potential implication here, and he wants to make sure that he's thinking of the right one before he says anything further.

He may be drunk, but he's not SO drunk that he wants to stick his foot right into his mouth if he can avoid it.]

[ A part of him almost kneejerk thinks Oscar wouldn't get it; the more reasonable part reminds himself that Oscar was a kid too, once. And... well, if where he came from was anything like Wu-Jian, maybe he'd at least sort of understand. ]

Well, sometimes what they really mean is they think I'm amusing. Y'know, on the same sorta way as a cat playing with its food.

[Ah. Yeah, pretty much exactly what he'd thought. It's much the same way a lot of people view Eric when they see how small and young-looking he is...]

Like it's fun to poke at you and watch how you react because you can't really do anythin' back?

Even when I try, yeah.

[ He sounds both exasperated and used to it, somehow. ]

You're still pretty young.. you've got a lot of growin' to do yet.

[He grins.]

Who knows, you might end up bein' even taller than me, and that'll definitely get people to stop calling you cute.

[ That would require him to actually grow up to be old enough, but Lark knows better than to kill the mood like that. ]

Growing to be as tall as you or Bas is a pretty high bar to clear.

...Anyway, are you gonna come back to the room later, or am I gonna have the room to myself tonight?

[THE RECORD SCRATCH SOUND, IT CAN ALMOST BE HEARD.]

... huh?

[Give him a moment, he's drunk and it's still processing.]

Did I stutter?

Why wouldn't I be comin' back?

[ Lark just...gestures in Basilio's general direction, with a look that somehow communicates "Oh, is this what I'm going to have to do? Spell it out to my big bro?" ]

I have eyes too, you know.

[Wait... wait. Lark saw that??

Oh boy. This is a whole new level of awkward.]

... so you're tellin' me you saw what we did.

With both my eyeballs, yes.

[ In contrast, while Lark is retaining some degree of finesse about this, he sounds ready to be blunt. ]

Look, that was just... Vakama didn't know what a kiss was, so we figured we'd show him so he could play Spin the Bottle too.

[The fact that a) Vakama vamoosed and did not actually play Spin the Bottle and b) both of them enjoyed it WAY more than they had been expecting is beside the point.]

[ Lark, metaphorically lining up another shot: ]

Yeah, and you both seemed pretty into it.

[BUSTED.]

An' what gave you that idea?

[He is, sadly, drunk enough that he does not realize he is walking right into this.]

I dunno, the fact you two were kissing for longer than strictly needed for educational purposes?

Hey--

[But he cuts himself off with a beleaguered sigh. Is there really any point to denying it when the answer will be very obvious when he's not in their room tonight?]

All right, all right, yeah, I'm probably not comin' back to the room for a while. That answer your question?

It does.

[ But since he can't help being a little shit in this situation: ]

Am I gonna have to disappoint my sisters now?

... I'm afraid to ask.

[Oscar, having not overheard Lark and Basilio earlier:]

Let's just say at least one of my sisters would ask if either of you are still single.

[... oh. That actually makes the gears grind to a halt in his brain.]

That's... takin' things a little far for right now.

[Right now he's drunk and he just really wants to kiss Basilio again... and do a lot more than that, but. Feelings? What are feelings? We bury those things where no one else can find them.]

[ Lark catches that, and after a moment decides to shift gears a little. ]

Well, I'm still happy for both of you.

... thanks.

[It's weird. This whole thing is weird and complicated but at the same time he doesn't hate it, and that's saying a lot coming from someone whose typical method of dealing with his emotions is trying to drink them away.]

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saltofthesea - 2025-03-01 08:31 (UTC) - Expand