[PRP] THE ULTIMATE HANGOUT (Shiloh & Kaleb)

[Melancholies]

Grey Dragon
text to: kaleeb
HEY
U WNNA HANG OUT @12??????
srry 4 short notice lol
lmk if u can

Attached to the text was a link to google maps with Shiloh's current address; the Delacroix family residence. He was home alone and bored. Very bored.

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb often forgot his phone existed entirely, so when it vibrated in the bag at his hip, he nearly fell off the sidewalk in alarm. It took him a few minutes to rummage through the junk in his bag, loose sheets of lined paper with handwritten notes, pens, books, a granola bar he kept meaning to eat instead of skipping lunch entirely... And then he finally found the phone sandwiched between Introductory Biology and Cognitive Sciences textbooks.

"I... think... I... can... make... it..." He muttered to himself slowly, in time with his unpracticed phone typed reply. He had no idea what lmk meant, or if he wanted to participate in whatever 'hang out' activities Shiloh had planned, but he couldn't just ignore the request. Even if it was almost noon.

He dutifully followed the google maps directions, and found himself in a part of Ashdown he hadn't yet visited on his own. With a growing anxiety he headed up to the house, and forced himself to knock on the door. What if he had the wrong house? What if Shiloh had really meant to text someone else? What if someone other than Shiloh answered the door, what would he say?

He was already dissolving into a nervous mess within seconds.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh had been lazing around in bed when he heard the knock, his eyes fixated on the ceiling and his music blasting from his iPod. Thankfully he had been listening for the knock (or perhaps another text) or he would have missed it entirely.

Kaleb could probably hear the thunderous, rambunctious sounds as Shiloh barreled down the stairs. "You did come!" It wasn't that he had been doubting Kaleb or anything, but with the short notice and everything else, despite Kaleb saying he'd show up...

Well, whatever. He was here now and that's what mattered. "Dude, come inside it's cold as <********>." He stepped aside, ready to close the door behind him. "You can kick your shoes off if you want, but Jame's parents don't mind much. They're pretty laid back—actually, uh, they're not even here right now..." And there was the truth of it.

"...and Jamie's at work. It's so boring and it's too cold outside to do anything. I think the plants make me feel even colder." He shivered and hugged himself, though whether he was actually cold at that moment or exaggerating was up in the air. "Oh my god though, I can show you all my cool stuff now! I mean, ugh—" He was really bad at this, "—You thirsty or anything? We got snacks too."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

After a couple of the most agonizing seconds of existence, Kaleb's tense shoulders slumped in relief as Shiloh answered the door. He found himself ushered in with more enthusiasm than he had ever been greeted with before. Shiloh was making it easy for him to keep going despite the anxiety, chattering while Kaleb nudged off his shoes tidily at the front door, and not even giving him an opportunity to speak. It also meant Kaleb didn't HAVE to speak right away, and that in itself was a blessing for the shy teen as he gathered his composure.

Finally he shook his head timidly. "No, I'm okay," Kaleb replied, easily turning down the offer for food or drink. He routinely forgot meals, and had never had much of an appetite to begin with.

"But... where should I put my coat?" He glanced around nervously, holding his jacket in his hands. The heavy messenger bag, with it's books and papers, was like a security blanket that never really left his side in unfamiliar places. Even if he didn't have to retreat to the safety of his books, keeping the bag on his person was a welcome reassurance.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"You sure?" He tilted his head, but then didn't press it. Once they got Operation Hangout™ underway, he'd probably sneak off to grab some Doritos and sodas for the both of them anyway. "Oh uh, you can set it... down... um..." He looked around. "Anywhere? Here, there's a coat hanger on the back of the door in my room." His eyes lit up suddenly again, "Oh man, you can see the fish! And Junior." He seemed especially enthusiastic about "Junior".

So much so that he sort of took back off upstairs again, slipping on the steps because he was being an rambunctious idiot.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Kaleb was unsure how to react to Shiloh's incredible enthusiasm, but in a good way. He had never experienced having someone that pleased over his presence, and while it was a giant leap outside his comfort zone, it was also kinda encouraging, and a bit flattering. Shiloh's excited slipping on the stairs was a far cry from the casual and nonchalant attitude he had met with in other Ashdown, and somehow Kaleb felt a little happier to see this side too.

The freckled teen trailed up the stairs with a little more care, although still fast enough to avoid being left behind. "The fish, you mean those crazy ones with the extra faces?" He asked, starting to catch a bit of excitement himself. "And what's Junior? Is it one of the fish?"

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

In the Otherworld, Shiloh tried to do the whole "diplomatic noble" thing. Here in the real world he was just Shiloh, an idiot nineteen year old who was way too enthusiastic about the little things in life. Maybe it stemmed from having a lot of his childhood taken from him and getting the opportunity to live it now; either way he was radiating energy as he spun around the top of the stairs.

"Junior is—" He stopped, chewed his lip for a second as his hand caught the handle to his room, "—Alright well, you gotta keep a secret. Junior is better than the fish." His voice dropped so lowly at the last bit that it was barely a whisper. "She's my favorite."

At that he finally threw the door open. The room his shared with Jamie was clean, sure, but cluttered. Every single object had a very defined place because there was just so much crammed into one space. The bed was crammed into the corner by the window, a tank sat on the floor at the far end of it, a desk was filled with random nick-nacks and post-it notes and college text books. But perhaps the most impressive thing about the room was the floor to ceiling fish tanks that nearly ate up an entire wall on its own. Swimming in the midst of it were all sorts of fantastic fish creatures, some with extra heads, some with extra eyes, some with attributes that were... oddly unspeakable. There was no word in the English language that could define them. a plecostomus with tiny human feet and hands scuttled along the bottom layer of the tank with a remarkable speed.

"Cool, right?!" He threw his arms up to present the tank in all its glory. "Jamie and I were super shocked when we came back and found this. Uh. It wasn't in the previous world I mean." He scratched the back of his head, "Oh, but you can put your jacket on the back of the door here. And you can set your bag down wherever if you want." He started over to the smaller, more unassuming tank at the foot of the bed. "I can't wait for you to meet Junior."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Better than crazy bizarre fish? Kaleb was definitely curious.

When they arrived at the bedroom, his attention was obviously drawn to the giant tanks even without Shiloh's flourish. The fish were even more fascinating to look at than they had been in the slightly blurry picture on Shiloh's cell phone, now that he could see them swimming, and wiggling, and drifting and... scuttling around the tank. He watched them, dumbfounded, even as he hung his coat on the back of the door, and set his bag down neatly next to it.

Kaleb made no comment on the clutter, he might have lived a rather spartan lifestyle himself, with little more than books and clothes to call his own, but if he was bothered by the abundance of things he didn't show it in the slightest.

"That one... has a lot of mouths," he muttered, squinting at one fish in particular as he passed. "I hope it only eats with one of them, otherwise it's digestive system must be a mess..." Then he joined Shiloh next to the smaller tank, obedient and attentive as he waited to meet the Junior who was clearly the most important thing in the room despite the weird fish.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"I..." Shiloh thought about that comment for a second, "If I had to guess, it probably doesn't. They're pretty strange." He looked back over his shoulder at them, "But wicked smart to. I'm pretty sure they can understand us, but Jamie's the only one that can talk to them." Because that was totally normal, being able to understand and have conversations with demon fish.

After all of the fanfare and wait though, Shiloh had lifted the top of the tank up and off. It was finally time; what could be better than the fish? Shiloh's hands closed around something in the dense foliage of the terrarium and...

...he produced a turtle shell. He set it down on the ground, and after a solid five seconds a head appeared, and then one leg, two legs, all the way up to four. Junior, in fact, was nothing more than a mundane painted box turtle. She regarded Kaleb with the same normal turtle stare that she regarded just about anybody.

"Look, she even has shell cozies." Shiloh held up a number of knitted turtle-sized sweaters. The look on his face was absolute pride, joy, exuberance, bliss.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"Oh, sorry," Kaleb said, more directed to the strange fish he had been talking about like it wasn't just swimming there and listening in on the conversation. Clearly he had seen enough during his time in Ashdown, and had no doubts to give on this matter.

Kneeling down, Kaleb was patient as Shiloh pulled out that very important thing, and then watched curiously as the perfectly normal turtle slowly unfolded itself. It really was just a turtle. And now Kaleb had a better measure of his new friend, who not only thought animals were neat, but was completely enamoured with this one little shelled reptile. So much so there were even sweaters involved.

Kaleb smiled a genuine, lopsided smile. Disappointment hadn't even crossed his mind, even if the turtle was just a regular turtle, it was Shiloh's passion that made it worth the introduction. "I didn't know you could get cosies for turtles, does she like to wear them?"

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Oh, don't be sorry." He looked pleased, "Even if they get mad, all you have to do is give them treats and they'll love you again."

The fish definitely had a firm understanding on the word treat, because Shiloh's sentence was followed with about five or so thuds against the glass. The fish—at least the ones with the means and capability to swim normally—had congregated into a messy mass at the section of the tank closest to Shiloh and Kaleb. Shiloh didn't seem to really notice or mind much though.

"And that's exactly what makes Junior stand out." Shiloh announced as he scooped the turtle back up, ever so gently buttoning the little knitted thing around her body. Her limbs hung outwards, head blinking, obviously completely used to this sort of attention and physicality. He set her down again and she began to explore on her own. "I love the fish, but you can't make them sweaters. You just can't. They'll get wet and it'll be a mess."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"I guess they really are still just fish, even though they are a little strange," Kaleb said, wincing as the creatures bumped their snouts and tendrils and other unidentifiable parts against the glass. He turned back to the turtle.

"Does she need sweaters to stay warm outside of her tank? Or is it just... comfy?" he asked. It was quite enjoyable watching the turtle just be a turtle, whether she was handled or set down she seemed just so very chill with the situation. So very zen. Like no matter what happened in the world, she was a turtle and that was okay.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Honestly? They don't do much." He watched as Junior roamed around. She investigated Kaleb with about as much attention as a fly would give a wall, and then started to meander off into the bulk of the room. "I usually use them for when I take her outside, 'cause then she's easier to see. Plus they're really cute. Look at her go." God. Shiloh was so ******** proud of his turtle.

He stood up and dusted off his legs, "Anyway, did you wanna give the fish their treats? They look kinda scary, but they're pretty harmless so long as you stay on their good side." He winked before making his way to the desk. "I can't not just give them one after saying the word. They know." And it was true. Even using code words failed them. The fish always caught on.

He started to set up a little step ladder that had been hidden in the corner of the room. "Don't have to of course, but it's pretty fun." The fish-ball hivemind mass was starting to linger exuberantly near the top of the tank.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

"That makes sense," Kaleb muttered, still watching the turtle amble around. "It would be really awful to lose track of her. But where did you find a little sweater for her? I can't imagine it's the sort of thing a pet store would carry."

He watched Shiloh get up, and then glanced back at Junior's wandering. "It's okay to just let her go without watching?" Kaleb kept glancing back at the turtle while he got up and followed Shiloh to the tank. He didn't want to miss seeing that fish with all the mouths try and eat, but he was no expert on turtle ownership and certainly didn't want Junior to wander off and get lost.

"It's kind of neat that the fish understand words, but still act like fish," he mused out loud, thinking about how strange their brains might be to juggle the complexities of language while still clamouring all fish-like for food. Or maybe they were more like dogs, quickly interpreting patterns of words and behaviour that resulted in good things?

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Oh, she's fine." He looked over his shoulder as Junior traversed her way around the room. "There aren't actually that many places for her to go. Besides, I know all the good hiding spots. She thinks she's clever but she really isn't." He laughed. "And yeah, I had them custom made. My brother is really handy when it comes to that frou-frou knitting s**t." The same "frou frou" knitting s**t that had saved his a** on many a cold days, but whatever.

"They are pretty neat though, yeah." Without warning or further explanation, he handed the bottle of treats right over to Kaleb. The step ladder was already set up. "Have at it! It's really fun, I promise."

The fish ball was thrumming with a nervous anticipation.

Grey Dragon