KEMAL

Captain Togrun sent the Storm Wardens out to the infestation before sending him and the others to the back of the Outpost and the small refectory attached to it with an urge to try out their special spice drinks as a job well done. It was an obvious dare — one which everyone but a few fell for. Kemal folded his arms and stood in the middle of the row as the others sat down to savour a drink which knocked out hardier Hanekans. Neven and Yusari sat together at a corner table, and Kemal relented in following to make sure Neven didn't get into any more trouble. Besides... I want to see if he'll tell me anything about what the Hells happened back there... Questions danced on the forefront of his mind. Or... maybe I should ask if he's ever actually drank any alcohol before. I want to say no. Definitely not. I will be surprised if I'm wrong.

Captain Togrun sat near the door, where Wardens filed in and out to share reports, but his presence confirmed the obvious test at play. I bet he wants to see if we can remain level-headed when there's a lot going on... a test for people who aren't drinkers themselves... Kemal eyed Neven when he shuffled in discomfort at the intense activity all around them. I wonder if I can do that magick seeing as I have a piece of it in my soul... hm... Kemal pinched his chin and sorted through the excess noise bouncing in his ears. Neven's gaze lowered to the table in front of him, and he took his chance to ask, "Are you not used to these settings? Do Naveerans get together?"

"We... don't?" Neven's eyes widened into confused, uncertain sapphires. "We don't have refectories this... large and cramped. Most stick to themselves, eat food, leave. No discussions of the sort." Neven sank against the seat, so Kemal turned his attention to Yusari instead.

Her feelings grew painfully obvious as time went on, their previous rivalry which hid the truth of them landing on common ground during their training. It was painful to watch. And I doubt Neven knows how to express emotions, let alone how to court... Yep, no drinks for me tonight. He raised his head when one of the servers put a giant mug in the middle of their table. "Maybe you should have some water instead?" he pointed out when Neven looked over the rim. "The stuff in there can be strong for first-timers."

Neven tipped his head in confusion, his fluffy pale-gold feathers frayed at the ends. "Surely one will not do any harm?" he asked in his thick, melodic accent. Fire glowed within the sapphires when he drew his gaze to it, past Yusari. "I mean, it is fascinating how lively it is," he stated, looking away from said liveliness with pointed intent.

Kemal brought his hand to his brow to send a quick prayer to the Ancients above that Yusari retained her stubborn sense. She set her arms on the table and looked sick to her stomach if anything. Across at the other table, Evani downed a full cup. And he's a lost cause already. Him and Yusari are shaken, so I guess I can't blame them... He swung his attention around when Neven hooked his fingers around the jug, and he slammed his hand on Neven's to stop him short. "Yes, very lively," he drew out when Neven's feathers stood straighter. "This stuff is strong, Nev. I don't think your Naveeran head can handle it."

"That's not a very nice assumption." Neven frowned and squinted. "We have strong drinks back home." He tugged the jug out of his hands, then poured it into a small mug. "I am sure it won't be that bad if I have one or two..."

And how would you know, ya rump? Kemal sighed in defeat when Yusari went blank-faced then swiped the jug from Neven, who drew his hand into his chest when she poured it with furious ferocity drawing over her scowl. "Fine. Fine, don't say I didn't warn you."

Neven took a sip, into a swig. "See?" he asked and shook his mug at him. "Not that bad... good spicy aftertaste too." He drew his tongue over his fangs, and took another drink.

"Of course not," Kemal grumbled. "Why would you listen to the Hanekan whose family makes this stuff on the regular in our famous distillery?" He stopped Neven from pouring another cup. "Can Avaerilians get drunk?"

"What?"

What was I expecting? Kemal set his chin onto his knuckles and the noise intensified in his ears. Evani broke out into a loud cackle. Minutes dragged into horrid hours of the same, with a wry grin plastered on Captain Togrun's face when he observed from the entrance. Evening light spread through the windows of the refectory, and Kemal grabbed Neven's wrist when he went to down another cup. "Maybe you should slow down."

"I am fine," Neven said with narrowed eyes.

Kemal double checked the others, though none paid their table any mind. Surrounded by sloshed idiots... great. A test of responsibility and situational awareness. He tightened his grip on Neven's wrist, who pursed his lips at him. "You know what, Nev? I don't think you are fine. Neither of you are fine after what happened earlier," he chittered at Yusari who stared at the table, her rage long gone to awkward shame. Neven tugged himself out of his grip with a small hiss out of his nose, though his lips folded further. "Don't hiss at me, Nev, I am serious, that stuff will leave you hammered if it hasn't already."

Neven ignored him with a crispy rattle of his feathers.

Noted, too late. Stubborn asshole. Kemal threw his arms up. "Your choice. I hope you don't mind me laughing when you wake up in the morn and feel like shite." He leaned his legs across his side of the bench and waited for the inevitable. Observe until he needed to intervene. Well, at least this isn't a mainland pub. Inlanders get rowdy deep in their cups, and they consider a night without one bar scuffle boring. He sent his attention to Evani, an Inlander himself, who hit his friend on the shoulder to prove strength in drunken stupors.

Hate this. Hate drinking. Hate the taste. Hate the feeling. Kemal stuck out his tongue and settled himself in for the long haul as Neven and Yusari talked in low voices, they came closer to each other as time went on, and Kemal relaxed when they came no closer. Kemal took a loud sip of his water, but neither of them acknowledged his existence. Eh, maybe Neven needs to learn this lesson on his own, and let loose in general. I doubt Naveerans have a word for relaxation... or maybe they do, I should ask. Back against the bench, he waved his hand in a circular motion. "Nev."

He got no response from the least likely people to act like miscreants, as Neven would say. "Nev. Neven!"

Neven turned his face to him. "What?" his words came out sharper, but flowed from one letter to the next.

"Is there a word for let loose where you're from?" Kemal questioned when Neven leaned his arm on the table, with Yusari in his space. He resisted the urge to snort, able to remember when Neven balked at the idea of people hugging, and him and Yusari trying to kill each other instead of other things. How things change. Though, that was a while ago, maybe he got used to it.

Neven's brow scrunched in long thoughts. Kemal prepared himself to repeat his question, until Neven mused, "...Ruul'luu?"

And I'm not going to try and pronounce that, and I have to keep these two distracted. "What does that mean, exactly?" As long as he kept asking questions, he could keep the two in front of him placated. Unlike Evani, who challenged anyone who walked past to a good game of mercy fisticuffs. Evani's a lost cause. It's Neven and Yusari I'm worried about. Two people who I've never seen let loose since I've known them. He studied their off movements around each other.

Everyone around him lost themselves in their revelry. Derelicts take all happiness away... I don't blame them for needing this. "Nev. You didn't answer my question."

"Relax..." Neven drew out.

Are you answering me or telling me to relax? Kemal sat up and tried to ignore their conversation. Neven giggled at something Yusari said, and he slipped his hand into his nose. Yet, I do have to wonder how people find this fun? He sucked in his cheeks when Yusari and Neven inched closer to each other. I bet this is a test just for me. It wasn't much different from the patrol routes, surrounded by people in a secluded space. Yeah, test for some of us. As Storm Wardens we must constantly be vigilant. Some of us haven't had drinks. Half-tempted to throw his mug of water at Evani when he challenged another Trainee, he took the jug away from Neven, who had one too many, to slip it to the empty table behind them. From the lack of reaction, Neven forgot the rest of the world existed. Or maybe this is a test of my patience.

Evani cackled and punched another Trainee in the chest. Drunken fire raged in their gaze as they reached over in a strangling motion. Evani scooted across the bench, his tongue out through his devious grin. Each moment, Neven and Yusari got closer, and Kemal wasn't sure which battle to choose. Kemal scowled when Evani wrestled with another Trainee. Fine, Neven and Yusari can't get into that much trouble... Neven at least is the most docile one here. He tossed himself out of his seat, rushing over to Evani to smack him in the back of the head. With Evani's shoulders in his hands, he pushed him back into his chair before an actual bar scuffle began.

Neven would explode.

"Kemal..." Evani drew out the L as he clung onto his arm with a deep frown. "Loosen up. Who captain and made you died?"

"It is incredible how Neven speaks better Common when he's drunk," Kemal growled. "I know it's oh so tempting to fight the table, but Evani— Evani, look at me—" He tapped both fists into Evani's temples. "We don't pick fights with inanimate objects."

Evani pouted. "It looked at me all funny like..."

"No, it didn't. It doesn't have eyes." Kemal gave him one last bonk to the head for good measure. "Behave. I ain't your mother."

"Of course not! Neven is the mom friend!" Evani peered up at him, then leaned around his side. His deep frown shifted into an entertained, toothy grin. "Oh, I get it... you have to do his job for him because he's too busy." He pointed a finger behind his back.

Do I want to look around? I could just not... Kemal turned around with his point proven. Right. Patience gone. His friends were locked in a tight embrace, snogging. Kemal pushed Evani down to rush back to the two to make sure it went no farther than their current situation. Ancients, I don't know what's worse, Evani's sudden need to fight anything he bumps into or this. Awkwardness filled his chest when their lips molded together. He glanced past the small wall which hid them from the sight of others. Lucky bastards. He waved both hands in their direction, and went rudely ignored. "Hey." He bounced his palms off the table to try and catch the attention of the two new miscreants.

Left unacknowledged.

Gods, I know Neven wouldn't have done something like this if he was in the right state of mind. He balked at hugging. I dread to think how he would react to a kiss. "Neven..." Kemal chewed on his jaw and shrank into his shoulders at the sudden wave of uncertainty. You know what? Not my problem. At least they're not doing anything that requires me intervening— or maybe I should just shut up.

Yusari lowered her hands from Neven's tousled plate-blond waves then rested her fingers on his belt. Kemal squinted when Neven leaned into her touch, feathers fluffed out. Oh, for—! Kemal swiped his cup of wet solace when Neven lowered his hands to her shirt. It was enough to see the spark of hesitation from them, the hint that their sense hadn't completely gone with the drunken wind. It gave him enough time to act.

Kemal drew out the moisture in the air and drew out the magick of the smallest piece in his soul to aim it through a blocky, yet wispy glyph which grew on the edge of the cup. He pointed it at them.

The spray of water blasted them in the face, causing them to startle and break from each other to twist to him.

"I am still here!" he snapped.

Yusari acted first as Neven caught up with the rest of him. She leaped out of her seat with a quick gasp. "I am so sorry," she hissed under her breath and shuffled off the bench.

"Can you walk?" Kemal asked when she leaned on the wall.

"I am fine, Kem," she bit, her temper making a return. "Just." Her hands went into the air, and she pushed off the wall to stumble out of the refectory.

Kemal frowned, then frowned when Neven slid onto the bench and laid across it with a soft huff. "You have no idea what just happened do you?" he asked when he rounded to the other side.

Neven stared up at him, dazed. "Aiya, Kemal." He waved his hand in greeting. "When did you get here?"

"When did I get here?" Kemal corrected, seething at stupidity. "I've been here, you white-haired jackass."

Neven pouted and tugged at a strand of blonde hair sticking out. "I don't have white hair. White hair only appears in..." He breathed out once, and his lips twisted into queasy nervousness. "Royal Avaerlian lines... but..."

Kemal opened his mouth to ask the difference between pale blonde and white, but stopped when tears swept down Neven's cheeks. His hands pushed into them as Neven let out a quieter, confused sob. "What?" Neven whispered and rolled onto his stomach, dragging his fingers through his tears. "Why am I...?"

"You're drunk, don't question it too hard." Kemal stopped himself from prodding Neven. Wait. White. That's right, in his memory that little baby had white tufts of hair. Neven said he was an only child. That means they were getting threatened by the king, but wouldn't that make them related though? Well, that's me assuming, but why would they threaten their own family? I only heard something about the kid... Kemal frowned when Neven lowered his head into his arms. "Nev, you know you're going to feel like shit in the morn."

"Morning..." Neven lifted his head from his arms and wiped at the tear-streaked trails down his cheeks. "Dawn?"

"Yeah, the time where the sun rises over the horizon," Kemal said. "I know you don't see it in Naveera, but it's always there. Anyway, congratulations. Tomorrow you will have your first hangover. Enjoy it while it lasts, because I am not going to let you live it down." He nudged Neven's head. "Can you stand?"

"Spinning..."

"So, no." Kemal grabbed Neven's shoulders and hauled him to his knees. I'll strangle him later, if he doesn't throw up first. He steeled himself to explain to Neven how to properly court with a clear head — and not in a drunken haze.