[snapshot]

[illgotten]

The trouble with feather-borne crackplots, of course, is that feathers get everywhere, blown on the lightest breeze, even when they're not carried awhile in the pockets of unsuspecting children

Comments

[littlebetter]

Gaheris is massively drunk, and at first he stares at Mordred suspiciously, trying to put him into focus; then he laughs, unsteadily. "'S you."

[illgotten]

He looks up warily, and says nothing.

[littlebetter]

"Y're not--happy to see me? Woulda thought you'd--" He trails off, laughing somewhat.

[illgotten]

"I'm lost, sir." Politely and flatly. He's a little too young for the full dose of irony, but it's in his eyes.

[littlebetter]

"No, y're not. This's--right by where we live. You live. We--all of us."

[illgotten]

A pause. "No."

[littlebetter]

"Forgot me, yes? That's--that's right, you're all little. Little. Again. 'M Gaheris. This's--first time 've ever been taller. Heh."

[illgotten]

Mordred frowns up at him, skeptical as only a ten-year-old can be.

[littlebetter]

"Gaheris," helpfully. "I--went and grew up. Yes?"

[illgotten]

He hangs onto his tree, doggedly. "When?"

[littlebetter]

"B'fore you went and got little again. You weren't--just a little bit ago, I mean. You. Shouting and all."

[illgotten]

"I'm not little," he says, straightening, and this time there is a very familiar irascible note.

[littlebetter]

"Smaller than me," wickedly amused. "Y'can't be towering over me. Not to-day. You're--you're small. You're little."

[illgotten]

A long, black stare. Then he lets go of the tree slowly, and picks his way closer, barefoot in the damp dead leaves.

"But I'm sober," he says, conversationally, and gives Gaheris a good solid shove.

[littlebetter]

And Gaheris goes over like a tenpin. He blinks stupidly at finding himself now looking up at Mordred, and says, "Hey." Frowns. "Hey. You--"

[illgotten]

Who skips back in a hurry, with a tight expression that's repressing a grin. "If you were my brother," he says, "you'd have seen that coming."