I write about my dnd campaigns a lot, and I have no place to share them, so I made this!! Currently hyper focused on one campaign (Shattered Crown Company/SCC) and more specifically Kelter.
If/when I write or talk about the other games I play in, I'll be sure to say so <3
Modern au Pneuma loves DBZ. He for sure has one of those shitty like. graphic hoodies with goku and vegeta on it in blue and red flames
Modern au Kelter got him that hoodie. He was suprised to find that Pnuema really liked it
Instead of kissing people on the cheek/forehead like a normal person, Kelter, Wendi, Endrust, and Tyrin bonk their foreheads on the people they love. (I am guilty of doing this teehee)
Kelter does it the most, since he's emotionally stunted and doesn't know how to tell people I love you normally lol
Pneuma has considered stealing Cannoli before. He's gotten really close to doing it (the voices in his head tell him to stop)
I wholly believe Alistair pretends to be other members in the party, there is no way he doesn't do that
Pneuma never had his terrible twos. He's three now in game. It's terrible threes
I was reminded that Kelter knows how to play piano, I like to think that sometimes he writes/ composes his own songs. That or he just plays and hopes he can remember what he came up with
Diomeda knows practiced dances, but she can't freestyle. Two left feet on the girl, her husband struggles when it's just the two of them to get her to loosen up
Revito is allergic to shellfish. He does not know this however, because he hates the smell of the food so he avoids it.
Snowball, despite being too young to actually speak, is really close to saying her first word (and scaring the fuck out of the entire group). Tyrin does not know this, and will be in as much suprise as the rest
Modern au Pneuma loves DBZ. He for sure has one of those shitty like. graphic hoodies with goku and vegeta on it in blue and red flames
Modern au Kelter got him that hoodie. He was suprised to find that Pnuema really liked it
Instead of kissing people on the cheek/forehead like a normal person, Kelter, Wendi, Endrust, and Tyrin bonk their foreheads on the people they love. (I am guilty of doing this teehee)
Kelter does it the most, since he's emotionally stunted and doesn't know how to tell people I love you normally lol
Pneuma has considered stealing Cannoli before. He's gotten really close to doing it (the voices in his head tell him to stop)
I wholly believe Alistair pretends to be other members in the party, there is no way he doesn't do that
Pneuma never had his terrible twos. He's three now in game. It's terrible threes
I was reminded that Kelter knows how to play piano, I like to think that sometimes he writes/ composes his own songs. That or he just plays and hopes he can remember what he came up with
Diomeda knows practiced dances, but she can't freestyle. Two left feet on the girl, her husband struggles when it's just the two of them to get her to loosen up
Revito is allergic to shellfish. He does not know this however, because he hates the smell of the food so he avoids it.
Snowball, despite being too young to actually speak, is really close to saying her first word (and scaring the fuck out of the entire group). Tyrin does not know this, and will be in as much suprise as the rest
Wendigo parents Cornmuffin like your average Puerto Rican mother. Firm believer that when he acts up, she doesn't hit him don't hit your kids guys, she hisses at him in infernal to act right.
Dio has really steady hands. Scratch that, she can just stand really fucking still. Her aunt and cousins sometimes stop her and ask her to pain their nails (she loves when the ask)
Kelter hums/sings to himself when he's working on something. Gets a bit embarrassed when someone catches him, but he covers that up too because being embarrassed is embarrassing. He's a good singer too (queue in the modern/band au lmao)
Alistair, Diomeda and Cornmuffin participate in arts and crafts together. Sitting at the table with kid safe scissors, and construction paper, and all sorts of glued and glitter and googly eyes
Alistair has a small box of things that he really likes. Some priceless artifacts if you will, gifts he's been given since being with the group. Sometimes when he's having a bad memory day, he just sits with the box.
Good God, does the group want a dog so bad, but one the won't say anything scared that it's only a them thing, and two, they wouldn't have time to take care of the dog so no point in bringing it up. They all get excited when they see a puppy/puppy adjacent thing and wanna pet super bad.
This is canon, Endrust is my character. Whenever someone knocks on his door or the office, he throws his reading glasses to hide them. He has a chronic hiding information about myself issue
Diomeda knows he has glasses (in canon). She yells at him whenever he throws his glasses.
Pneuma has a nice smile, when it's genuine. When he forces it, he just bares his teeth and looks awkward. Shame he doesn't smile much :/
Pneuma makes godly rice. He knows the exact smell of when to fluff, and when to take it off heat.
Kelter teaches Pneuma to swim. Pneuma doesn't bother to tell Kelter he can already swim. Kelter has forgotten every time he's ever seen Pneuma swimming.
Need Kelter calling Endrust out for not using the nickname he's been assigned ;)
The room is almost silent in the night, except for the smallest of sniffles and shaking sighs, and the slow breeze that sometimes ruffles the curtains. One wouldn't have been bothered by the sound if they passed the closed door, and it's true. It had been several nights that had passed, and no one had heard the soft crying beyond the wood. Endrust had made sure to keep his break downs quiet, as to not have to explain that he's crying over his sisters again. Laid on his side, with a small photograph of himself and his family clutched in his hand. His fingers trailing over the figures of the main source of his tears.
The picture was old, well kept except for the new creases it had been folded in. Of Endrust with his family before he faked his kidnapping, before he was able to fully transition. His long hair pulled up like his mother's, and his sisters all sporting hairstyles appropriate for their age at the time. His mom wears a scarf over her head, and it flows almost seamlessly through her horns. Her jewled hand rests apon Endrust's shoulder, and she smiles at the camera fondly. His sisters each wear their own smiles, each with a more forced smile, but beautiful all the same. They all stick to a theme in the photo, as per his father's request. Sticking to what looks like formal royal wear, as they all wear some delicate fabrics, and tiaras or headpieces of the sort. His father is smiling brightly, proudly, like he's proud of the gorgeous family he's produced.
Endrust cries, not because he sees himself playing a character, of what he wears, the forced and practice smile he wears. No, he cries because he wishes he could have played that character again. He wishes to have stayed with his family. Keep the childish ignorance he once held about how great Theramore was, the entire world flipped as he found our the true horrors its caused. Had experienced its terror face to face, before fleeing. Unable to face his father head on, terrified of the man he didn't recognize. Tears over running away, instead of being there to protect, to save his sisters. He left again, turning heel and running away at the sight of a challenge. There's a deep set of regret, and disappointment as Endrust realizes he's not as strong as he wanted to be, that he's letting himself- no, his entire family down.
He cries for nights over this. Spiraling as he continues his self deprecation.
It had only been less than a week, since Endrust had gotten back go Vitrea. Kelter had already been dealing with his own realizations about his father and the desert called Perdition. The night Endrust had returned, and the two put in close proximity, they were cuddled ontop of one another as a form of comfort.
Kelter was appreciative of this, though he wasn't sure what Endrust was going through, he had felt somewhat relaxed under the pressure of his boyfriend husband. He had hoped Endrust had felt the same, relaxed and soothed. But after that night, and as the days followed, he had seen a bit less of the tiefling. He was sure it was more of a ghost of his husband, than the actual man himself, and ontop of that he wasn't being asked to sleep in the same room. Kelter had spent the first few nights confused as to what he was missing before it hit him, that he wasn't being pestered about sharing a bed, and that worried him.
Usually, Kelter felt confident enough to just walk into Endrust's room unannounced, no knock or shout before he slipped past the door. There was no issue with this, Kelter was always a welcome distraction, an honored gift, Endrust would say. So without any knocks, Kelter had opened the door a crack, just enough for his body to slip through. "Endrust? Haven't seen you all night, was wondering if you wanted to come down stairs with me to get something to eat-?" He notices the curled up position of Endrust, his hand slipping something underneath the pillow, other hand clenched and trembling. At first, he thinks Endrust is mad at him for not knocking, so an apology sits at the tip of his tounge, but then he hears a shuttering sighing sound. The forced inhale that tries to hide the sniffling. Kelter knows the signs of crying, and though he's not sure what to do, he moves closer to kneel on the bed. "Endrust, what's the matter?" He places a hand on Endrust's shoulder, leaning over him to get a better look.
Endrust looks up at him, and blinks when Kelter moves to wipe away the tears, thumb swiping under his eye. "Nothing, Kelter, I'm just-" he winces when Kelter interrupts, yellow thumb pressing into his cheek. "Like hell. I'd have belived you, if you had used my actual name." Endrust narrows his eyes, and pulls Kelters hand off his face. He looks up at his husband, head tilted, and eyes still watering. "I did use your name, what are you-"
"You didn't call me Duckie." Kelter says sternly. Endrust knows he isn't actually angry or upset, but he does know he's been caught in his lie about being alright. Kelter continues. "You always call me Duckie, unless you're upset or angry at me." Endrust sighs, releasing Kelter's hand, which lands right back on his cheek. He leans into the touch. "I could never be angry at you, you know that- and I'm not not okay, I just... I miss a lot of things. That's all."
Endrust believes thats going to be the end of it, that the topic would be dropped. Maybe he'd get cleaned up, and accept the offer of getting something to eat downstairs. Forget about this and lay in bed until they got tired. But instead, Kelter rolls ontop and off of Endrust, laying on his side. He scooches in close, hands holding Endrust, and eyes peering at him expectantly. He juts his chin, silently telling him to continue his thought. With a roll of his eyes, and a kiss to Kelter's cheek, he continues.
Kelter watches Endrust tuck in his three little sisters into bed (the youngest is around 8-10 the oldest is 18-19) and watches how he pinches their cheeks and kisses their foreheads all sweet like.
He imagines how he would be with a kid younger, the stories he'd probably tell them. Then that smaller thought, the one that old family friends implanted months ago. How would he treat their kids?
Part two to this stupid fuckin,,,,, supposed to be one off
part one
The night at the concert, after the concert, Endrust had waited. There was no real reason to wait, really, but when Kelter had asked he felt like he had to. He was glad he did, because after-show Kelter was just as sweet as quiet on stage Kelter. He had panicked, when he heard Hestia was a mother, asking about her kids. Endrust offered her his car, to sooth his worry, and when Hestia asked, well how are you going to get home, Kelter offered him a ride. āYou live in the dorms? I do too, I could take you. You should at least consider it.ā Endrust does, carefully. Kelter could be lying, but he has no reason to. He tosses Hestia his keys to his car, smiling. He has no reason to say no.Ā
They talk for a while, in the venue as it's being cleaned up. Leftover band shirts packed up, and plastic cups trashed. Equipment being put away. The rest of the bandmates come and go, say their helloās, and good night as they leave. Endrust waves at them, as they pass by, before turning his attention back to Kelter. Answering, or asking questions. Finally going over what they couldn't mid concert. Endrust tells him about law school, and the mock trial (though not in heavy detail and the stress itās put him under). He talks about his fight with the insurance, and the slight confusion at his sudden confession for it being his fault, and his preparation to pay for the damages.and Kelter talks about the band, and the aftermath of the crash. They both giggle and laugh over it, at least Kelter does. The things his dad had to say, the reprimand that heās going too fast on the road. But at least the cute guy tried to pay for another car right?
āYou called me cute to your dad?ā Endrust smiled, tilting his head to the side, resting it on his shoulder. Kelter waved his hand dismissively. āYouāre completely skipping the part where I got in trouble for your mistake. Youāre supposed to feel pity for me.ā Kelter is smiling, face slightly flushed. Endrust chalks it up to the venue still being hot. āThat actually reminds me, how are you paying for all of it? I mean, being a law student is obviously a lot of money, I bet youāre now running low on that. Unless you got some side hustle?ā He waggles his eyebrows, and Endrust scoffs. āThis isnāt Narcos, Iām not some Kingpin. No, my dad is paying for⦠well heās paying for the college, and since I decided to be a criminal defense attorney, I get a hefty allowance from my extended family.ā Endrust rolls his eyes at the wealth. āPerks of being a legacy child, since my dad skipped being a lawyer.ā He winces, once what he says settles in. āSorry, I donāt mean to brag about it, itās really stupid.ā Kelter tilts his head. āWhat, no I get it. My pops said heād pay for my school too, if I went and actually tried. Not the whole legacy thing, but I guess I understand the not needing to pay for college thing.ā There's a sigh of relief.Ā
Kelter takes Endrust to his, no, he calls it his dads car. Itās a really nice car, a black Cadillac, with golden decals. And despite having been in a car like this, Endrust canāt help but feel like he shouldnāt, heās too dirty. He sits anyways, because he doesnāt really have any other option. He comments that he didnāt think Kelter would drive something like this, and he laughs. Says he likes the car, and his dad got it for him, but he likes building his own car. This is just a reliable back up, and if he ever needed to impress anybody he could just pull up in this car. Endrust waves it off, saying a built car is way sexier than some Cadillac. Kelter canāt help but agree to the sentiment. He says heās working on a new car now, but it won't be ready for a while. The way he talks about it, while he stays focused on the road, it has something stirring inside Endrust. He has to tear his eyes away, and remind himself he canāt, and then heās right back in a clear state of mind again.Ā
Sure as Kelter said, they both stay in the same dorm complex. Just shy of a few buildings. Kelter stops, parking in front of his building, giving the grand tour right outside. They stand outside for a while, talking more, before Endrust looks down at his watch and he frowns. Kelter offers to walk him to his dorm, since itās super late, and he doesnāt feel right just leaving Endrust to walk himself. Thereās no objection, it's more of a reason for the conversation to continue. They follow the path, and Endrust points out different spots and recalling stories, and Kelter laughs and nods along. He realizes heās never really spent time on this part of campus, because every other attraction here, Endrust has some sort of story. He also realizes thatās probably why heās never seen him around, because he finds himself busy with something. Like a practice, or a class, or heās just hanging out with somebody way off of campus.Ā
The conversation ends, right when they stop before the dorm building Endrust swears is his stop. āI want to apologize, again. Crashing your car. I shouldnāt have been speeding.ā Kelter shrugs. āItās okay, I guess Iām just curious as to why you were speeding.ā Heās smiling. āI was late to court.ā The look on Kelterās face drops, and Endrust waves his hands. āNo no, Iām not in trouble or anything. Mock trial in a courthouse.ā He clears up, then continues his story. āMe and my boyfriend got into an argument, and he said he wouldnāt take me, so I had to rush to get there.ā Boyfriend? Well, that's a shame, Kelter thinks. āHe was arguing with you? You okay?ā Endrust hums, nodding his head. He knows how bad it sounds, an argument. āItās fine, we worked it all out. He found out I got into a crash too, and completely dropped the argument.ā Kelter relaxes, albeit not much. āWas he at the concert?ā Endrust shakes his head no. āHe had to work on some essay, so he stayed in. But heās not a concert person anyways, canāt get him to a Warlock5 concert, let alone a practice.ā
āWarlock5?āĀ
āThat's my band. Well, not mine, I think Smoke started it, but I had auditioned and got in.ā Endrust smiles. āSince you have my number, and I got yours now, I can just invite you to a concert.ā
Kelter likes the idea of that. But for reasons he shouldnāt. He finds the idea of hanging out with Endrust more, but he has to remind himself that itās just as friends, and soon he gets that through his thick skull. He still takes the opportunities to hang out with him though. Endrust has another trial to get to, and he finds himself with free time? Heāll offer a ride, and since heās already driving there he might as well sit and watch. He thinks lawyer shows are pretty funny, and though watching a mock trial isn't the same as the show, he does find himself interested in the small details.Ā
He follows Endrust to his concert, and he enjoys the performance too. A basement show that's packed full to the brim. Kelter had asked if there was a shirt or something, for the band, but Endrust shakes his head. Not many fans, so thereās no need. Kelter hates that answer, so he does what his band has been doing. Buys a dollar store black crewneck, and bleaches W5 on it. When he shows up, and is standing off to the side of the stage, he lights up when Endrust notices. He points at him, looking to one of the bandmates, who also lights up. After the show, they pull Kelter to the stage to take a picture. They post it, and Kelter smiles, reposting the picture on his band's page.Ā
Drinks were another thing they did. Itās where he met the boyfriend, Castien, who was somewhat opposite to Endrust. Somewhat was an understatement, Kelter would come to realize, as the night continues. They bicker constantly, and despite Endrustās need to try and resolve the issue, Castien huffs and rolls his eyes. Endrust always accepts a peck to the cheek or lips as a sufficient apology, even if he was right. Kelter had offered a round of drinks, on him. A starter before one of his friends got there, and Castien had ordered something for Endrust, which was sweet, but Endrust sighed. When the drink was handed to him, Endrust, instead of drinking it, babysitting it. He took a sip, but smacked his lips like it wasnāt as good. The moment Endrust had a chance to leave the drink, he did. Kelter didnāt mind that the drink was wasted, maybe he wanted to try something new and was too scared to ask, but he apologized for wasting it, and offered to buy Kelter a drink right back to repay.Ā
āHe always tries to get me into white liquors, but theyāre really not my favorite. Wine too, I tell him I donāt like it, and heās always inviting me to wine tasting events.ā Endrust laughs, but Castien makes a sort of face that doesnāt look amused. Kelter waves off the bill. āNo man, itās fine! Should have said something, I would have ordered you⦠what was it, whiskey you liked? Or a beer, since this is casual.ā He gets up, getting ready to buy the drink. He pats the table as he remembers something, and he smiles.Ā āIāll get you a beer, you liked the one I got you last time.ā Endrust smiles, but when Kelter walks away, it drops as Castien is saying something to him.
He knows he should look away, he knows he has a nasty habit of reading people's lips when he shouldnāt, but when Endrust says Iām sorry, I was just making conversation and Castien bites back, he continues to watch as he waits for the beer. It's a nasty spat, from what he can tell, and he nurses the beer for a while until it seems to be resolved. He notices his own friend, Pneuma, and waves him over as heās walking to the table. āThis is Pneuma, he just got here.ā Kelter pats him on the shoulder. āThe bass player, toĀ fuck!, right?ā Endrust smiles, but Kelter can see itās a little wobbly. He decides to ignore it for now. āThat's my role in the band, yes.ā Endrust shoots Kelter a look, who just waves off the mannerisms. āWeird speaking habits, heās actually a goat. Go ahead and order your drink dude, on me,ā he hands Pneuma his card, who nods and goes to order. āYou just trust him with your card like that?ā Castien finally speaks up. Kelter is surprised, but he doesnāt show it, instead, smoothly replying. āEh, I trust him to take it. Not like heās buying a drink drink, heās not much of a liquor guy, but he can get pretty specific. I let him and the tender deal with that.ā Endrust laughs behind the back of his hand, but he stops shortly when he feels a tap on his thigh from Castien. āSeriously though, Iāve known him for a long while, junior high friends kind of thing. Heās like family.ā Kelter smiles, and holds his arm out for Pneuma when he gets back. āHey man, welcome back.ā Pneuma nods, holding his drink up. āThey had the cherries and syrups, unlike the last bar.āĀ
āWhatās the drink, if you donāt mind me asking?ā Endrust looks at the drink, and he can tell it's some sort of soda. The color of it matches a purple, so it must be a sprite, or some other colorless drink. āItās ginger rail, with blackberry syrup and grenadine. I like mine with cherries on top.ā Pneuma looks down at the drink, like heās never been asked that. He stirs it, before taking the thin straw in his lips and sips. āSounds tart, I might have to try that next time I order something.ā Endrust nudges Castien. āYou want one too? I can order us one right now.ā he shakes his head in response. āNo, it sounds childish. It's a bar, you should drink something." Though it sounds like a joke, it also sounds condescending. Endrust narrows his eyes, frowning. āOh come on, not everyone has to drink at a bar. Itās a smart idea, since all of us are drinking, not smart for us to drive back, now is it?ā Castien rolls his eyes, wrapping an arm around Endrust. āGood thing we didnāt, right? You wanted to walk, so we did.ā
āI canāt drive.ā Pneuma interjects, and Kelter snorts into the palm of his hand to stop himself from spewing his drink. Endrust also laughs, taking a drink from the beer. He takes another after he takes his first sip, and he looks a lot happier now.Ā
Castien leaves in an uber, as he doesnāt live in a dorm. He made sure to mention that, if Kelter had ever forgotten (which he hadnāt) saying he lived in the apartments off campus. He stated that he invited Endrust to stay with him too, since he had the space (he had also mentioned it was a three bedroom apartment he was staying in by himself), but Endrust had waved his hands dismissively. āLiving in the dorms is all Iāve ever wanted, Iām not giving that up yet.ā He smiles, but Castien frowns, and gives Kelter a knowing look that he canāt really return.Ā
Kelter canāt really say he liked that first interaction much, but Endrust doesnāt really offer to invite Castien much after that. Which, heās really glad for.Ā
The mock trial was finally coming to an end, all he has to do is prepare his final witness, which is who heās defending. The other lawyer, who was taking cheap shots the entire trial, had called the offender to the stand. They hadnāt warned her, so the judge called for it to be dealt with at the next court meeting. Endrust was glad the judge had finally grown a brain, and pulled his teammate to the side. He had a plan, but it required help from another lawyer, an experienced one. He had ended up asking his uncle for help, to test his argument.Ā
āAre you sure you want me to test you? You know Iām a corporate lawyer, not a prosecutor.ā Endrustās uncle, Uncle Khalil, looked over the defending arguments that Endrust had remembered. āIām not a prosecutor-āĀ
āAnymore.ā Endrust interrupted. āYouāre perfect for this. If I can stun you for a few seconds, Iām sure I can wipe the floor in the actual trial.ā Uncle Khalil smiles. āIs this their argument? Do yours counter these? Let me see.ā Endrust holds his argument to his chest, shaking his head. Khalil smiles. āAtta boy.āĀ
Khalil sits the offender at his desk, and starts asking questions, which Endrust argues and counters well. They go back and forth, and Khalil is pleasantly surprised by what his nephew says and brings up. Even if his quick thinking in court were to work, with the evidence he had from the defending, Endrust had everything on lock down. Even things he wasnāt prepared for, curveballs Khalil had found with what he had, Endrust waved it off and showed even more evidence to the invisible judge. Khalil pauses Endrust after a third set of knocks is heard on his office door, and he finally opens it. āAh, Mr. Vance, my apologies. I had gotten uh, side tracked with my nephew here. Helping him with his own trial coming up.ā He turns to his nephew, giving him a wink. āHe takes after me, going to be an absolute killer in court.ā That makes Endrust smile bashfully. āNo worries, Mr. Hakim. Go ahead and finish, I can just give uh⦠pointers.ā Mr. Vance smiles, humor laced in his smooth voice.Ā
Endrust finishes his argument off, and Uncle Khalil canāt help but clap at his performance. He doesnāt say much, other than a few pointers. For a beginner, someone who is just now taking mock trials seriously, heās doing exceptionally well, which tickles something inside Endrust. He also compliments the offender, taking the role seriously, and for not faltering when she speaks. Not only is that a good sign as a witness, but not being so nervous in a court is a good skill to have as a lawyer. The offender leaves, and Khalil offers that Endrust can stay and watch the meeting, which he happily accepts. The meeting takes a while, and it leads later in the night. Legal jargon that Khalil Hakim explains to Mr. Vance, giving him advice, and what he as his lawyer can do. The meeting takes a while, Mr. Vance takes no shortcuts and asks as many questions he can. Though he says he trusts Mr. Hakim, and his ability to work around the law, it's for his own sense of security. Khalil has no issue explaining, and is super patient. Near the end after all is explained, and Mr. Vance feels secure enough, they start talking about their kids. Mr. Vance has a couple of kids, one is super young and the other is in college. An engineer, he brags. Both of his kids are super smart. Khalil doesnāt have any kids, heās the youngest in his family, so he isnāt expected to have any at this time (though soon, Endrust just knows his grandparents are going to start asking him). He does, however, have Endrust. He wraps an arm around his nephew's shoulder, saying that out of all the nieces and nephews he has, this was the one he trusted the most. Legally competent, but also the nicest kid. Heād do really great as a criminal defense lawyer, heās sure of it. Mr. Vance wishes him well, saying something about knowing a few lawyers like him, and if Mr. Hakim was right, they could all be just as nice as him. Endrust thanks him, bowing his head bashfully.Ā
It was super late, dinner at the dorms had finished, and Khalil wasnāt just going to send his nephew off without eating. He invites him over, and since it's already late, and he must be so sleepy on a full stomach, he offers a spare bedroom. Endrust canāt say no, he loves spending time with his uncle, and seeing his auntie is also something heās been meaning to do for a while. He cuddles up on the couch with their dog, laptop propped up as he starts a draft for his closing, before turning in for the night.Ā
The next morning he has to get to his dorm room early, collect his homework for his next class that heās got to turn in. He pulls his car into the parking lot, further from his dorm (after having to struggle and come to terms with the fact that thereās just none near his building) and he walks up the stairs two at a time. Heās got a class to get to, and sure, he could make it in time, but he wants to grab a tea first before actually going. He doesnāt bother to knock, as if he hasnāt seen his roommate before, and if he had some sort of fling around, itās not like it would bother him. Heād just cover his eyes, and blush as he frantically looks for his work. Heās done this song and dance before, but usually not in the morning, so he feels like it's safe to not shield his eyes. He unlocks the door with his fingerprint, pushing it open.Ā
āGood morning, Ashen.ā Endrust greets, looking to his side of the room. He wishes he didnāt, almost immediately, and looks away. But he takes another glance, and takes a third take of the view. He was about to bite his tongue, turn around and act like he didnāt see it, but just as he opened the door, he heard the moan. He just thought it was something else.
He doesnāt know what else to do. The considerate part of him wants to just turn around, to come back and talk about this when theyāre decent. But the other part, the part where some hot headed fire genasi mother is telling him to let him have it is winning. He starts to shout, despite it being decently early in the morning. Heās so upset, itās not even in a language they could understand, his first language spitting insults their common language wouldnāt let Endrust say coherently. He then points to Castien. āThe amount of⦠Bullshit Iāve put up with you, and you fuck my roomate, in my dorm is actually-ā Castien butts in. āItās not, love please understand it's not-ā Endrust snaps back, harshly. āItās not what? From what I see youāre balls deep in my roommate! Donāt fucking call me, donāt bother me after classes, or when youāre bored.ā Castien pulls out, and Endrust cringes at the schlick sound. He starts to grab his things, ignoring the pleas of.. Well his ex boyfriend now. ā-you've been gone, and we donāt hang out anymore, and I was talking to your roommate, since you weren't here. Lovie please, donāt be mad.ā Endrust snaps out of his search, and he throws what he hopes is an empty composition book near their direction. āI donāt bother to text you to hang out any more, because youāve been shitting on everything I do! You donāt fucking love me. I donāt know what it is you feel, but thatās not it.ā Endrust snaps. āYou embarrassed me in front of my friend, I was upset. But instead of talking to me like an adult, you fucked my roommate! And good lord, if you love these two, you keep them out of this room when I come back after class, because- oooo.ā he closes his eyes, fist shaking in front of his chest, stopping himself from saying anymore.Ā
Heās grabbed all what heās felt like he needed, and he gets up from his side of the room. Castien has pulled himself off of the roommate, which Endrust canāt even bother to remember his name right now. He says something else, a sort of threat in his original language, before he slams the door. Heās shaking, the realization of it settling in, and weighing him down. Heās doing his best, trying not to cry in the hallway of his dorm, and heās doing a pretty good job. All heās doing is shaking, body trembling as he tries to fully reel in what heās seen, what heās done. Then he takes a step forward, and another, and as heās walking, the gears start turning in his head. His own detective work, a metaphorical cork board in his head as he realizes the past few months, Castien has been doing this with his roommate. Heās just been super unlucky with catching it. The smell of sex in the room, the articles of clothing he doesnāt remember laying on his bed, but shrugging it off. Hell, he knows Castien was a dick too, but he was okay with it. Heās starting to think maybe he shouldnāt have been, spare himself the sudden heart ache.Ā
Thereās a twitch to his head, when he remembers he couldnāt park in the nearby lot by his building, and he has to stop himself from breaking down to cry on the pavement. But he shrugs it off, and stiffly walks to the other parking lot. Then thereās the fact heās locked the door before he walked away from his car, and he tried opening it, and he tried three times before he realized itās locked, and he chokes on a sob, but he keeps himself wrapped tightly until heās in the car. It's when heās in the car, he lets his papers, and composition books slide off his legs on the floor, and he drops his head on the wheel, ang quietly chokes on sobs.Ā
He tries to be mindful of his class, so he lifts his head, and puts the key into his ignition. He puts the car in reverse, and he lets his car roll back before he hears familiar shouts, and feels his car tap (and jostle roughly). He turns back, and sees Kelter. His head popped out the window, and a stressed look on his face. Endrust scrambles, throwing his car in park.Ā
Kelter does the same, pulling his car back into its parking space first. āDude, I get the first time was an accident, but what the fuck?ā Heās bent over,Ā looking at the small dent in his back bumper. Endrust tries to keep his choked sobs in, but he wails out an apology, blubbering. āIām so so so sorry, I didnāt mean- Iām just- I tried to reverse, and- Iām just-ā Kelter stops him, not collecting anything from the several sentences Endrust had started, but not finished. He was going to say something, about the lawyer being smart, but inept, but now it feels wrong. Instead, he offers a kindness he wasnāt aware he had. āHey hey, itās cool, getting a new bummer anyways. What's the matter? Why are youā¦ā the hand gesture waves to the sobbing mess Endrust is. Who in turn, takes a few sniffs, looking up and trying to take a deep breath. āCastien, that evil sniveling⦠he cheated on me.ā Endrust finally finishes a sentence. They both sit with the heavy blow between them, before Kelter furrows his brows together, and frowns. He simmers with it for another minute, looking at Endrust in the eyes, before finally speaking. āDid you kick his ass?ā It throws Endrust off a bit, and he snorts, covering his laugh with the back of his hand. āIām serious.āĀ
āNo, I'm not really built for that, but I did cuss him out. Broke up with him, too it justā¦ā Endrust shrugs. āIt hurts, and itās going to continue to hurt, because-ā he gestures to their cars. Kelter turns to look at the dent. āLook, no big deal, like last time, right? Just a fender. But you really need to be careful next time, or youāre going to get your license taken away next time.ā Endrust nods, but it sets in. āNext time?ā he repeats, and the other shrugs. āItās not worth it, calling insurance or anyone. Iām getting a new bumper, and yours only needs-ā Kelter leans over, and nods, ā-yeah, only hot water and maybe a plunger if I canāt push it back into shape from inside.ā Kelter leans against his car, arms crossed over his chest. āFuck, Iām really sorry, Kelter. Iāll⦠Iāll pay for your bumper, or tools⦠or something.ā Kelter raises an eyebrow, and looks like heās contemplating. ā... Alright, but if it happens a third time, I'm gonna start getting mad." He smiles regardless of the comment, though Endrust really doesnāt know if heās joking or not. "Swear it won't, this is just a really shit coincidence. I promise Iām not really this shit of a driver."Ā Kelter nods, waving his hand dismissively. āYeah yeah, sure. Second time youāve crashed into me but youāre not a bad driver. Right. Just get your things, and get in the passenger.ā He copies the look Endrust gives him, mocking his confusion before opening his door to his car. Leg propped up on it, before letting itĀ slide in. āIām not letting you drive like that-ā he gestures to Endrustās crying figure loosely before continuing, ā-so put your car back in the parking space, and get in my car, because Iām driving you to your class.