Lee/Isegrim log
Lee
Isegrim
"Age."
"Uhh...nineteen?"
"Age."
Lee grinned nervously at the barkeeper, his mug cupped in both hands. Two women watched from each shoulder, straight-faced. "N-nineteen?"
Lee was thrown bodily from the bar, landing on his ass with a wince-worthy thud on the cobbled street outside. He yowled loudly, face contorting into an angry pout. For once, his young appearance had gone against him. Why'd the barkeep have to be so uptight anyway? It was only one drink, and he'd paid fair and square. "Hmph!" he huffed to himself, slowly getting to his feet and brushing off his oversized frock coat. Assholes.
Isegrim walked quickly along the cobbled street, huddled inside his rather large coat. Such a chilly night... He was rather eager to visit his usual spot. A cool glass of white wine would help to alleviate the stress that his fellow Guardians had given rise to in him. At least they usually meant well. He blinked comically when a familiar face caught his eye. Speak of the Devil. "...Lee?" he asked quietly, half-hoping the boy wouldn't hear. He had so wanted a quiet evening to himself...
"Yeah?" Lee asked without turning around, still giving the bar doors a murderous, sulky glare. "Who's askin'?" He half turned, still brushing the dirt off his coat, and his hands stilled when he saw Isegrim. "Ise! Hey!" His eyes widened suddenly, and he ran over to the other guardian to grin up at him innocently. "Hey hey Iseeee, you wanna buy me a drink? Those assholes in there-" He jerked one thumb at the bar. "Think I'm too young!"
Stifling a sigh, Isegrim returned the smile wearily. "Well, you are too young, Lee." He told himself this was nothing to feel heartless over. Denying a young boy a drink was the prudent thing to do, nevermind he had constantly goaded his older friends into buying alcohol for him when he had been Lee's age. Three years ago, he reminded himself. "Let's at least find a different bar..." And he used to be so convicted.
"Woohoo!" Lee whooped, giving a small jump of excitement. "You're the best, Ise!" He clapped the taller guardian and the shoulder and grinned at him. Having older friends was the BEST! He put his hands in his pockets and began to walk backwards in the direction of another bar he knew, all the while beaming at Isegrim. "Whatchu doin' out here anyway?" He asked Ise. "Lookin' for a ladyfriend?"
"Hmm? Oh, no, not at the moment," Isegrim replied casually. He couldn't even recall the last time he had been laid and it was beginning to get pushed further and further into the back of his mind. It was quite pleasant, really. "Just trying to separate myself from the chaos. And you?" Chaos, he added to himself.
Lee shrugged, still grinning from ear to ear. "Looking for a good time. A good tipsy time, too, and I'd already be having it if it weren't for that jerk back there!" He glanced over his shoulder, still walking backwards, to check he wasn't about to run into anyone. Coast clear, he turned back to Ise. "You can be my drinking buddy!"
Isegrim replied with a nervous laugh. At least this way he could keep an eye on the boy; he looked rather like a lightweight. "I'll be absolutely devastated if even you can out-drink me, Lee." Which was most definitely the truth.
"Well, if I don't - or hey, even if I do! - I'll be sure not to puke on your shoes again!!" He sure as hell didn't want to pay him back for another pair. Ise had fucking expensive shoes. "Know any good drinking games? Too bad we're not near the cathedral, we could play some great ones..." He put his hands behind his head, still walking backwards. "One shot every time someone hits Sei, one shot for each of Vera's hats, one shot every time Altair insists on giving me candy~" His grin turned mischievous. "One shot every time Ise acts like a woman."
He couldn't decide whether to be flattered or insulted by Lee's comment. Given the way it was said, he chose the latter. "I could always pick up a few bottles of something and we could try. Though I might have a little too much fun with that last rule." With that, Isegrim pantomimed tossing his hair over one shoulder and batted his eyelashes at Lee.
Lee grimaced. "Gross, dude. You're too good at that." But his grimace faded quickly, entranced as he was with a passing girl. When she finally sauntered out of sight, he whistled lowly. "Freya, she was..." He grinned stupidly, too wrapped up in his fantasy to check where he was going and promptly ran into an old woman. He yelped and apologized and she hit him with her handbag before hobbling off again, Lee looking sulkier and sorer for the incident. "Geeeeez, everyone's uptight tonight," he mumbled, falling in step beside Lee, face-forward and hands even deeper in his pockets.
"Hmm," he replied, a finger pressed to his lip as it had been when he too spotted the young lady. Are you incapable of any restraint? Such filthy thoughts, he berated himself. Still... he found thoughts of that nature were becoming harder and harder to stave off, given the company he had been keeping recently. "Do try to keep some of the blood in your brain from now on."
Lee had just enough grace to blush and grin in embarrassment. "Ha! Yeah, well... Totally worth it. I mean, she like..." He made swaying gestures with his hands. "Hypnotic! Like one of those uh... pendulums! Yeah!" He sighed dramatically. "Bet she had some old rich boyfriend or somethin'." He looked up and over at Ise. "No luck for guys like us, huh?"
He arched an eyebrow and shot Lee a catty grin. "Speak for yourself. You'll find that women like that aren't as unattainable as you may think." Isegrim absently dusted a bit of dirt off one of Lee's lapels. "Well, you might if you ever reach a decent height."
"Hey!" He pouted up at the other guardian. "My height's decent! 'Sides, it gets me all sorts o' stuff! And you'd be surprised at how many chicks think a young looking guy like me is hot! Virgin appeal or somethin', I dunno." He shrugged, looking ahead again. "Aaaaanyway, there's a bar, Ise!" He pointed proudly and clapped the taller man on the back. "Go get me a nice big beer!"
Oh. Right. The beer. "You will be paying me back, I trust?" Isegrim paused for a moment, a hand on one hip. With Lee it was always safer to ask for payment upfront. "Why don't you give me your money now. Much more convenient for the both of us that way."
"You don't trust me!" He looked wounded. "You don't trust ME, you best pal Lee!?" But Ise's look was firm, and Lee sighed and began digging in his pockets. "Some friend you are," he mumbled, pulling out a few coins and putting them in Ise's hand.
Accepting the coins with a wink, he turned gracefully on the ball of his foot and strolled into the bar. "You are coming in, aren't you?" Isegrim called over one shoulder. He still hadn't paid him for his shoes and he did not want to extend the offer of a tab to Lee.
"I'll get thrown out again!" Lee yelled back, folding his arms over his chest. "Just bring me a beer, okay?" It wasn't HARD. Though he did miss the prospect of meeting nice, tipsy girls in the bar... Oh well. Beer was beer, and sacrifices had to be made for the lessening of his sobriety!
How embarrassing... Was Lee actually asking him to order two beers and walk them outside to be drank on the curb like some... destitute? That boy was going to have to give a tip with the next order...
"Hurry it up, Ise!" Lee called, his hands cupped to his mouth. It didn't occur to him that the entire reason he hadn't gone in was for secrecy, and he was blowing it by shouting and making a fuss outside. He plopped down onto the curb, leaning his chin on one propped up elbow as he waited for the other man to return. How long did it take?
His mouth curled in a slight frown, Isegrim deliberately slowed his pace when he heard Lee call to him. Ungrateful little... "Here you are," he muttered with a patronizing smile. "Is this how you treat everyone who does a favor for you? I hardly think you'll be getting a second beer from me at this rate."
"You were being slow!" Lee protested, though his pout evaporated when the mug was held out to him. He took it quickly with both hands, taking a greedy slurp and grinning when some of the foam clung to his upper lip. "HaHA! You're the best, Ise~ If you were a girl, I'd kiss ya! As it is-" He grinned and gave the other man a hearty thumbs-up before starting to chug his drink.
"You flatter me," he drawled, a half-pained grin on his face. No wonder he was ill last time; Isegrim had never seen a beer finished that quickly before. "Usually when one wants to get as drunk as possible as quickly as possible, one chooses a stronger drink." After a slight pause he sipped daintily at his beer for effect. Well, perhaps that wasn't the way it was done, but... closer at least.
"Not lookin' to get drunk," Lee said, his voice muffled and hollow from being stuffed in the beer mug. "Just tipsy." He tipped back the mug, downing the last of it and getting a dribble of it down one cheek. He wiped it off with his sleeve and grinned, his eyes already a bit glazed. "You even drink like a woman, Ise," he snickered, leaning back on his hands and watching the other man.
That's the idea... "I am more accustomed to wine. Wine is to be savored." After another sip of his beer, Isegrim made a face. "Beer, it seems, is not." Learning from Lee's example, he tipped the mug back and attempted to gulp down as much of the stuff as he could. He was most definitely getting something stronger next.
"There you go!" Lee whooped, grinning. "Drink it like a man, Ise! Chug chug chug!!" He clapped in time to his chant, beaming (and indeed becoming quite tipsy) and laughing.
Letting out an immense sigh after he finished his drink, he clapped a hand on Lee's back, perhaps a little harder than was necessary. "No telling anyone you've seen me drink like a man."
He jerked forward at the rough pat, though his smile didn't fade. "Ha! They wouldn't believe me anyway." He clumsily got to his feet, staggering a bit before he found his balance and grinned down at Isegrim. "We should like... go back."
"Hmm?" he asked, a small frown on his lips. "So early?" Isegrim supposed Lee wasn't used to this sort of thing. Best not to tire the boy out. "I'll walk you back, then."
"Yeah, me walkin' back alone... The women'd SWARM me, y'know?" He grinned at Isegrim, his eyes a bit glazed. "Wouldn't be safe!" He fiddled with the brim of his hat, waiting for Ise to get up.
Isegrim shot the boy an indulgent smile, climbed to his feet and did his best to keep Lee steady. "You'd be ripped to pieces in five minutes flat."
"Y-Yeah!!" He grinned, seemingly excited at the thought as he started wobbling down the street. "Death by oversexed women! Man, would that be the way to GO..."
His hand curled around the boys shoulder, convinced he was going to fall flat on his face any second now, Isegrim laughed nervously. 'If one is so inclined, yes," he murmured. He only hoped at this point Lee didn't pull him down with him; he had just had this suit cleaned.
"'If one is so inclined'," Lee mimicked, making an exaggeratedly girly expression and pose. He continued to stagger as he walked, not noticing the raised eyebrows and muffled laughter of some of the people they passed in the street. "Hey, Ise, I think you're drunk," he said suddenly, frowning and squinting at the cobbles in front of them. "Y' keep movin' me around all weird."
He bit back on a sigh and nodded. "Why, I do believe you're right, Lee," Isegrim cooed, rubbing the boy's back a little. He was beginning to turn a bit green around the edges. "I think I should sit down for a bit."
"Yeah, you don't wanna..." A wave of nausea passed over the boy's face, and he grimaced. "G-get...sick..." Maybe... it hadn't been Ise. He felt a little sick too. Another wave passed over him. Alright, really sick. Really, really, really... He groaned, "Ise, I think I'm gonna pu-" He stopped quickly, turning away from the other guardian to retch violently on the sidewalk, small frame jerking. A few passersby grimaced.
An expression of horror was frozen on Isegrim's face one Lee uttered the syllable "pu". Thankfully he was sober enough to turn the opposite direction. He continued to rub the boy's back, his panicked look slowly fading away. "It's alright. Let it out." He felt as if he were consoling the boy.
Lee retched twice more, finally straightening shakily and wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Shiiitt..." he mumbled, his face pale. "That... that really sucked... Can we... go home now?" Ugh he wanted a bath.
"Of course," Isegrim assured the boy as cheerfully as he could. "Now, come on up." He kept his hand wrapped about Lee's arm and attempted to help him up. "Are you going to wait until you turn nineteen to drink again?"
Lee shot Isegrim a horrified grimace as he was pulled to his feet. "Why the hell would I do that??" Geez, he thought one little puke session was gonna stop him from drinking? "Anyway, bein' nineteen isn't gonna make me get less drunk or anything."
"Hopefully you will have grown by then and will thus have a better head for alcohol. If not..." Isegrim gave the boy a stern look, "You'll just have to be more responsible from now on."
"Dumb," Lee mumbled, ignoring Ise's stare. How else was he supposed to have any fun? Everyone at the Cathedral was so uptight... He missed Beth. They got drunk together, and they always had a good time...
He sounded so motherly... Isegrim couldn't decide whether he was upset or pleased by the thought. "Well, do what you will. Just remember to always turn away when you vomit."
"Hey, I did, okay!" Lee argued, pouting over at the other guardian as they walked through the streets to the Cathedral. "Your shoes are safe."
"I know. I was quite proud of you, actually." And he had been, too. "Learning to drink like a big boy, aren't we, Little Lee?" Isegrim teased, poking him in the cheek with his free hand.
Lee batted Isegrim's hand away, grimacing and tugging his hat back down on his head when it threatened to slip off. "Hey! There's nothin' little about me!" He paused, considering his own statement. "In spirit and Important Bits, anyway..."
"I'm sure," Isegrim drawled, arching an eyebrow. "We've already had this discussion once, Lee. I'd rather keep some things about you a mystery." He poked him in the cheek once more.
"Stop that!" Lee yelped, batting at Isegrim's hands again. "'Sides, ain't no mystery! All the REAL ladies know where it's at~"
"I should hope so. They generally aren't hard to find..." He gave the boy a roguish grin and poked him one last time. It was always so much fun to annoy the drunk when one wasn't in any danger of getting vomited upon.
"Hey! Don't be a dick, Ise!" Lee growled, arching away from the other guardian's poking fingers. "If you even HAVE one." Yeah. That'd show him.
That... didn't really make sense. "If you're trying to trick me into showing you, Lee, you'll be sorely disappointed. I don't exhibit myself to just anyone."
"Like I'd wanna see!" Lee huffed, straightening his top hat again. He started hopping up the Cathedral steps two at a time, looking very much like a slightly-tipsy ten-year-old, a sloppy grin on his face. He paused at the top step and looked back over his shoulder at Isegrim. "You wanna chill in my room for a bit?"
"Ah-" Isegrim bit his lower lip as he thought it over. Either he could return to his quarters and sit around, bored out of his mind, not to mention annoyed by all the... noise, or he could run the risk of having more of his clothes ruined. A tough decision. "Are you sobering up?"
Lee gave a shrug, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I dunno! But hey, drunker is funner, right!" And besides, he needed a human shield around him while he was in the cathedral until Marcy calmed the fuck down. And Ise would do for that~
With a small sigh, Isegrim decided that Lee's company was better than none, nodded and trailed after the boy. "You're just afraid that Marcine will come looking for you again. Honestly, over birdseed..."
"I know! ONE bag!" Lee whined, hanging his head and kicking at imaginary pebbles at his feet. "She's NUTS! I mean... seriously." He trailed off, staring hazily for a moment at the ground before beginning to walk again. "It's good you're not that crazy, Ise..."
"I thank my lucky stars everyday..." He was beginning to wonder what had happened to his good mood. Well, his decent mood. "You should've just humored her, though. It wasn't worth the trouble you went through to stand up to her."
"Yeah but..." He pushed open the cathedral doors, pausing when they were wide enough for him to cautiously peer inside. "Listen, if she shows up, can I like...hide in your coat or somethin'?"
Moving his hands around in his pocket to get a feel for how big the coat was, Isegrim arched an eyebrow. "I suppose... I don't see hoe she could miss you, though." Imagine it, he thought, 'Is that Lee in your coat or are you just happy to see me?' Not that Marcine would ever say that...
"I'm little, I'd fit!" Lee argued, slipping inside, looking around, and motioning for Isegrim to follow him. "Least it's not a long walk, huh?" He smiled to himself, walking past the carvings and paintings that decorated the high walls around them.
"Thank heaven for small favors," Isegrim sighed once more. He really was being unpleasant tonight...
Lee glanced over his shoulder at Isegrim, eyebrows raised. "Hey, you okay? You seem kinda down. We could go get drunk more, if you want!"
Looking up, he shook his head and shot Lee a small smile. "Not necessary; I'm fine. Things have just been strange lately. You understand."
Lee made a derisive noise. "Yeah, no kidding... Everyone's gone nutso." There he was, the lone sane one in the midst of what had become an ornate psycho ward! Well, him and Ise. And Vera. Sorta. If she didn't have the hats. "You and me are in this one alone, Ise..."
"Hardly." He thought for a moment. "You created a scene over birdseed. Altair seems to be doing alright, as does Eiran. Seth... can be normal. And until the meeting I had no idea anything had happened that concerned Sigyn greatly." Isegrim put a finger to his lips. "On second thought... You're right, everyone's... nutso."
"Yeeeeeup," Lee sighed. "Anyway, Altair's always been a little nuts. The scarves, and the constant candy stuff..." He made a face. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the candy, but man, Al could be creepy about it sometimes. "You're just girly, so I guess you're pretty close to sane." He winked up at Isegrim.
"The candy was... a bit disturbing. At least he didn't seem to have any idea what he was doing," he said with a grin, which turned into a slight pout. "'Girly' is the ideal. Ideal was the word you were looking for, Lee. I am ideal."
"Nah. Girly." Lee grinned, already hopping up the stairs to his room. "Ideal? Ideal is me." He took off his hat and bowed at Isegrim with a great flourish, then sat the hat back atop his head and resumed hopping up the stone steps.
With a blank expression, Isegrim flicked the hat off of Lee's head and started taking the stairs in threes. "You don't say..."
"H-hey!" Lee yelped, reaching out to snatch his hat back and missing. He wobbled on his feet, then started to scramble up the steps after Isegrim. "Give it back!"
He set the hat upon his own head., leaned against one of the marble columns lining the staircase and smirked. "Make me."
He caught up to the other guardian, jumping as high as he could to try to take the hat from Isegrim's head. Unfortunately for Lee, their height difference was more than enough to keep his outstretched fingers from getting anywhere near his precious hat. "Issseeee!!" he growled.
"It fits me rather well," Isegrim sighed loftily, fingering its brim. "Don't you think?"
"No, it makes your head look funny," Lee huffed, ceasing his jumping and scowling up at Isegrim with his arms folded across his chest. "C'mon, give it back!"
"I think I'll keep it until you've paid me for my shoes." It was fun to get the best of Lee for once. "Or perhaps I'll just call for Marcine..."
"NO!" Lee yelped, his eyes widening in horror. "Please Ise, c'mon, I'm begging you!! I need my hat!"
Was he faking it? Or was he genuinely that upset? "And why is that?"
"Makes me cuter," he pouted, rocking back on his heels. And taller. Looking, anyway.
"You're cute enough, Lee," Isegrim cooed as sweetly as he could and patted the boy on the top of his head. Hat-hair...
"Ise!" he growled, swatting the other guardian's hand away. "Hat! Now!!"
Sighing dramatically, Isegrim plucked the hat from his head and set it back on Lee's. "All you had to do was ask nicely..."
"Why nicely? You stole it! That's not nice!" Lee protested, pushing his hat firmly down on his head and scowling at Isegrim. "I think I'll spend the rest of my night alone, thanks!"
"I took it. I had every intention of giving it back... after you paid me for my shoes. Which you haven't forgotten about, have you, Lee?" He had better not have. Isegrim had his eye on a pair already...
"Uh. No?" He winced, then quickly scrambled up the rest of the stairs, pausing briefly at the top to give Isegrim a salute and a weak grin. "N-night Ise!"
Shaking his head, Isegrim waved back. "Goodnight, Lee," he sighed.
Isegrim
"Age."
"Uhh...nineteen?"
"Age."
Lee grinned nervously at the barkeeper, his mug cupped in both hands. Two women watched from each shoulder, straight-faced. "N-nineteen?"
Lee was thrown bodily from the bar, landing on his ass with a wince-worthy thud on the cobbled street outside. He yowled loudly, face contorting into an angry pout. For once, his young appearance had gone against him. Why'd the barkeep have to be so uptight anyway? It was only one drink, and he'd paid fair and square. "Hmph!" he huffed to himself, slowly getting to his feet and brushing off his oversized frock coat. Assholes.
Isegrim walked quickly along the cobbled street, huddled inside his rather large coat. Such a chilly night... He was rather eager to visit his usual spot. A cool glass of white wine would help to alleviate the stress that his fellow Guardians had given rise to in him. At least they usually meant well. He blinked comically when a familiar face caught his eye. Speak of the Devil. "...Lee?" he asked quietly, half-hoping the boy wouldn't hear. He had so wanted a quiet evening to himself...
"Yeah?" Lee asked without turning around, still giving the bar doors a murderous, sulky glare. "Who's askin'?" He half turned, still brushing the dirt off his coat, and his hands stilled when he saw Isegrim. "Ise! Hey!" His eyes widened suddenly, and he ran over to the other guardian to grin up at him innocently. "Hey hey Iseeee, you wanna buy me a drink? Those assholes in there-" He jerked one thumb at the bar. "Think I'm too young!"
Stifling a sigh, Isegrim returned the smile wearily. "Well, you are too young, Lee." He told himself this was nothing to feel heartless over. Denying a young boy a drink was the prudent thing to do, nevermind he had constantly goaded his older friends into buying alcohol for him when he had been Lee's age. Three years ago, he reminded himself. "Let's at least find a different bar..." And he used to be so convicted.
"Woohoo!" Lee whooped, giving a small jump of excitement. "You're the best, Ise!" He clapped the taller guardian and the shoulder and grinned at him. Having older friends was the BEST! He put his hands in his pockets and began to walk backwards in the direction of another bar he knew, all the while beaming at Isegrim. "Whatchu doin' out here anyway?" He asked Ise. "Lookin' for a ladyfriend?"
"Hmm? Oh, no, not at the moment," Isegrim replied casually. He couldn't even recall the last time he had been laid and it was beginning to get pushed further and further into the back of his mind. It was quite pleasant, really. "Just trying to separate myself from the chaos. And you?" Chaos, he added to himself.
Lee shrugged, still grinning from ear to ear. "Looking for a good time. A good tipsy time, too, and I'd already be having it if it weren't for that jerk back there!" He glanced over his shoulder, still walking backwards, to check he wasn't about to run into anyone. Coast clear, he turned back to Ise. "You can be my drinking buddy!"
Isegrim replied with a nervous laugh. At least this way he could keep an eye on the boy; he looked rather like a lightweight. "I'll be absolutely devastated if even you can out-drink me, Lee." Which was most definitely the truth.
"Well, if I don't - or hey, even if I do! - I'll be sure not to puke on your shoes again!!" He sure as hell didn't want to pay him back for another pair. Ise had fucking expensive shoes. "Know any good drinking games? Too bad we're not near the cathedral, we could play some great ones..." He put his hands behind his head, still walking backwards. "One shot every time someone hits Sei, one shot for each of Vera's hats, one shot every time Altair insists on giving me candy~" His grin turned mischievous. "One shot every time Ise acts like a woman."
He couldn't decide whether to be flattered or insulted by Lee's comment. Given the way it was said, he chose the latter. "I could always pick up a few bottles of something and we could try. Though I might have a little too much fun with that last rule." With that, Isegrim pantomimed tossing his hair over one shoulder and batted his eyelashes at Lee.
Lee grimaced. "Gross, dude. You're too good at that." But his grimace faded quickly, entranced as he was with a passing girl. When she finally sauntered out of sight, he whistled lowly. "Freya, she was..." He grinned stupidly, too wrapped up in his fantasy to check where he was going and promptly ran into an old woman. He yelped and apologized and she hit him with her handbag before hobbling off again, Lee looking sulkier and sorer for the incident. "Geeeeez, everyone's uptight tonight," he mumbled, falling in step beside Lee, face-forward and hands even deeper in his pockets.
"Hmm," he replied, a finger pressed to his lip as it had been when he too spotted the young lady. Are you incapable of any restraint? Such filthy thoughts, he berated himself. Still... he found thoughts of that nature were becoming harder and harder to stave off, given the company he had been keeping recently. "Do try to keep some of the blood in your brain from now on."
Lee had just enough grace to blush and grin in embarrassment. "Ha! Yeah, well... Totally worth it. I mean, she like..." He made swaying gestures with his hands. "Hypnotic! Like one of those uh... pendulums! Yeah!" He sighed dramatically. "Bet she had some old rich boyfriend or somethin'." He looked up and over at Ise. "No luck for guys like us, huh?"
He arched an eyebrow and shot Lee a catty grin. "Speak for yourself. You'll find that women like that aren't as unattainable as you may think." Isegrim absently dusted a bit of dirt off one of Lee's lapels. "Well, you might if you ever reach a decent height."
"Hey!" He pouted up at the other guardian. "My height's decent! 'Sides, it gets me all sorts o' stuff! And you'd be surprised at how many chicks think a young looking guy like me is hot! Virgin appeal or somethin', I dunno." He shrugged, looking ahead again. "Aaaaanyway, there's a bar, Ise!" He pointed proudly and clapped the taller man on the back. "Go get me a nice big beer!"
Oh. Right. The beer. "You will be paying me back, I trust?" Isegrim paused for a moment, a hand on one hip. With Lee it was always safer to ask for payment upfront. "Why don't you give me your money now. Much more convenient for the both of us that way."
"You don't trust me!" He looked wounded. "You don't trust ME, you best pal Lee!?" But Ise's look was firm, and Lee sighed and began digging in his pockets. "Some friend you are," he mumbled, pulling out a few coins and putting them in Ise's hand.
Accepting the coins with a wink, he turned gracefully on the ball of his foot and strolled into the bar. "You are coming in, aren't you?" Isegrim called over one shoulder. He still hadn't paid him for his shoes and he did not want to extend the offer of a tab to Lee.
"I'll get thrown out again!" Lee yelled back, folding his arms over his chest. "Just bring me a beer, okay?" It wasn't HARD. Though he did miss the prospect of meeting nice, tipsy girls in the bar... Oh well. Beer was beer, and sacrifices had to be made for the lessening of his sobriety!
How embarrassing... Was Lee actually asking him to order two beers and walk them outside to be drank on the curb like some... destitute? That boy was going to have to give a tip with the next order...
"Hurry it up, Ise!" Lee called, his hands cupped to his mouth. It didn't occur to him that the entire reason he hadn't gone in was for secrecy, and he was blowing it by shouting and making a fuss outside. He plopped down onto the curb, leaning his chin on one propped up elbow as he waited for the other man to return. How long did it take?
His mouth curled in a slight frown, Isegrim deliberately slowed his pace when he heard Lee call to him. Ungrateful little... "Here you are," he muttered with a patronizing smile. "Is this how you treat everyone who does a favor for you? I hardly think you'll be getting a second beer from me at this rate."
"You were being slow!" Lee protested, though his pout evaporated when the mug was held out to him. He took it quickly with both hands, taking a greedy slurp and grinning when some of the foam clung to his upper lip. "HaHA! You're the best, Ise~ If you were a girl, I'd kiss ya! As it is-" He grinned and gave the other man a hearty thumbs-up before starting to chug his drink.
"You flatter me," he drawled, a half-pained grin on his face. No wonder he was ill last time; Isegrim had never seen a beer finished that quickly before. "Usually when one wants to get as drunk as possible as quickly as possible, one chooses a stronger drink." After a slight pause he sipped daintily at his beer for effect. Well, perhaps that wasn't the way it was done, but... closer at least.
"Not lookin' to get drunk," Lee said, his voice muffled and hollow from being stuffed in the beer mug. "Just tipsy." He tipped back the mug, downing the last of it and getting a dribble of it down one cheek. He wiped it off with his sleeve and grinned, his eyes already a bit glazed. "You even drink like a woman, Ise," he snickered, leaning back on his hands and watching the other man.
That's the idea... "I am more accustomed to wine. Wine is to be savored." After another sip of his beer, Isegrim made a face. "Beer, it seems, is not." Learning from Lee's example, he tipped the mug back and attempted to gulp down as much of the stuff as he could. He was most definitely getting something stronger next.
"There you go!" Lee whooped, grinning. "Drink it like a man, Ise! Chug chug chug!!" He clapped in time to his chant, beaming (and indeed becoming quite tipsy) and laughing.
Letting out an immense sigh after he finished his drink, he clapped a hand on Lee's back, perhaps a little harder than was necessary. "No telling anyone you've seen me drink like a man."
He jerked forward at the rough pat, though his smile didn't fade. "Ha! They wouldn't believe me anyway." He clumsily got to his feet, staggering a bit before he found his balance and grinned down at Isegrim. "We should like... go back."
"Hmm?" he asked, a small frown on his lips. "So early?" Isegrim supposed Lee wasn't used to this sort of thing. Best not to tire the boy out. "I'll walk you back, then."
"Yeah, me walkin' back alone... The women'd SWARM me, y'know?" He grinned at Isegrim, his eyes a bit glazed. "Wouldn't be safe!" He fiddled with the brim of his hat, waiting for Ise to get up.
Isegrim shot the boy an indulgent smile, climbed to his feet and did his best to keep Lee steady. "You'd be ripped to pieces in five minutes flat."
"Y-Yeah!!" He grinned, seemingly excited at the thought as he started wobbling down the street. "Death by oversexed women! Man, would that be the way to GO..."
His hand curled around the boys shoulder, convinced he was going to fall flat on his face any second now, Isegrim laughed nervously. 'If one is so inclined, yes," he murmured. He only hoped at this point Lee didn't pull him down with him; he had just had this suit cleaned.
"'If one is so inclined'," Lee mimicked, making an exaggeratedly girly expression and pose. He continued to stagger as he walked, not noticing the raised eyebrows and muffled laughter of some of the people they passed in the street. "Hey, Ise, I think you're drunk," he said suddenly, frowning and squinting at the cobbles in front of them. "Y' keep movin' me around all weird."
He bit back on a sigh and nodded. "Why, I do believe you're right, Lee," Isegrim cooed, rubbing the boy's back a little. He was beginning to turn a bit green around the edges. "I think I should sit down for a bit."
"Yeah, you don't wanna..." A wave of nausea passed over the boy's face, and he grimaced. "G-get...sick..." Maybe... it hadn't been Ise. He felt a little sick too. Another wave passed over him. Alright, really sick. Really, really, really... He groaned, "Ise, I think I'm gonna pu-" He stopped quickly, turning away from the other guardian to retch violently on the sidewalk, small frame jerking. A few passersby grimaced.
An expression of horror was frozen on Isegrim's face one Lee uttered the syllable "pu". Thankfully he was sober enough to turn the opposite direction. He continued to rub the boy's back, his panicked look slowly fading away. "It's alright. Let it out." He felt as if he were consoling the boy.
Lee retched twice more, finally straightening shakily and wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Shiiitt..." he mumbled, his face pale. "That... that really sucked... Can we... go home now?" Ugh he wanted a bath.
"Of course," Isegrim assured the boy as cheerfully as he could. "Now, come on up." He kept his hand wrapped about Lee's arm and attempted to help him up. "Are you going to wait until you turn nineteen to drink again?"
Lee shot Isegrim a horrified grimace as he was pulled to his feet. "Why the hell would I do that??" Geez, he thought one little puke session was gonna stop him from drinking? "Anyway, bein' nineteen isn't gonna make me get less drunk or anything."
"Hopefully you will have grown by then and will thus have a better head for alcohol. If not..." Isegrim gave the boy a stern look, "You'll just have to be more responsible from now on."
"Dumb," Lee mumbled, ignoring Ise's stare. How else was he supposed to have any fun? Everyone at the Cathedral was so uptight... He missed Beth. They got drunk together, and they always had a good time...
He sounded so motherly... Isegrim couldn't decide whether he was upset or pleased by the thought. "Well, do what you will. Just remember to always turn away when you vomit."
"Hey, I did, okay!" Lee argued, pouting over at the other guardian as they walked through the streets to the Cathedral. "Your shoes are safe."
"I know. I was quite proud of you, actually." And he had been, too. "Learning to drink like a big boy, aren't we, Little Lee?" Isegrim teased, poking him in the cheek with his free hand.
Lee batted Isegrim's hand away, grimacing and tugging his hat back down on his head when it threatened to slip off. "Hey! There's nothin' little about me!" He paused, considering his own statement. "In spirit and Important Bits, anyway..."
"I'm sure," Isegrim drawled, arching an eyebrow. "We've already had this discussion once, Lee. I'd rather keep some things about you a mystery." He poked him in the cheek once more.
"Stop that!" Lee yelped, batting at Isegrim's hands again. "'Sides, ain't no mystery! All the REAL ladies know where it's at~"
"I should hope so. They generally aren't hard to find..." He gave the boy a roguish grin and poked him one last time. It was always so much fun to annoy the drunk when one wasn't in any danger of getting vomited upon.
"Hey! Don't be a dick, Ise!" Lee growled, arching away from the other guardian's poking fingers. "If you even HAVE one." Yeah. That'd show him.
That... didn't really make sense. "If you're trying to trick me into showing you, Lee, you'll be sorely disappointed. I don't exhibit myself to just anyone."
"Like I'd wanna see!" Lee huffed, straightening his top hat again. He started hopping up the Cathedral steps two at a time, looking very much like a slightly-tipsy ten-year-old, a sloppy grin on his face. He paused at the top step and looked back over his shoulder at Isegrim. "You wanna chill in my room for a bit?"
"Ah-" Isegrim bit his lower lip as he thought it over. Either he could return to his quarters and sit around, bored out of his mind, not to mention annoyed by all the... noise, or he could run the risk of having more of his clothes ruined. A tough decision. "Are you sobering up?"
Lee gave a shrug, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I dunno! But hey, drunker is funner, right!" And besides, he needed a human shield around him while he was in the cathedral until Marcy calmed the fuck down. And Ise would do for that~
With a small sigh, Isegrim decided that Lee's company was better than none, nodded and trailed after the boy. "You're just afraid that Marcine will come looking for you again. Honestly, over birdseed..."
"I know! ONE bag!" Lee whined, hanging his head and kicking at imaginary pebbles at his feet. "She's NUTS! I mean... seriously." He trailed off, staring hazily for a moment at the ground before beginning to walk again. "It's good you're not that crazy, Ise..."
"I thank my lucky stars everyday..." He was beginning to wonder what had happened to his good mood. Well, his decent mood. "You should've just humored her, though. It wasn't worth the trouble you went through to stand up to her."
"Yeah but..." He pushed open the cathedral doors, pausing when they were wide enough for him to cautiously peer inside. "Listen, if she shows up, can I like...hide in your coat or somethin'?"
Moving his hands around in his pocket to get a feel for how big the coat was, Isegrim arched an eyebrow. "I suppose... I don't see hoe she could miss you, though." Imagine it, he thought, 'Is that Lee in your coat or are you just happy to see me?' Not that Marcine would ever say that...
"I'm little, I'd fit!" Lee argued, slipping inside, looking around, and motioning for Isegrim to follow him. "Least it's not a long walk, huh?" He smiled to himself, walking past the carvings and paintings that decorated the high walls around them.
"Thank heaven for small favors," Isegrim sighed once more. He really was being unpleasant tonight...
Lee glanced over his shoulder at Isegrim, eyebrows raised. "Hey, you okay? You seem kinda down. We could go get drunk more, if you want!"
Looking up, he shook his head and shot Lee a small smile. "Not necessary; I'm fine. Things have just been strange lately. You understand."
Lee made a derisive noise. "Yeah, no kidding... Everyone's gone nutso." There he was, the lone sane one in the midst of what had become an ornate psycho ward! Well, him and Ise. And Vera. Sorta. If she didn't have the hats. "You and me are in this one alone, Ise..."
"Hardly." He thought for a moment. "You created a scene over birdseed. Altair seems to be doing alright, as does Eiran. Seth... can be normal. And until the meeting I had no idea anything had happened that concerned Sigyn greatly." Isegrim put a finger to his lips. "On second thought... You're right, everyone's... nutso."
"Yeeeeeup," Lee sighed. "Anyway, Altair's always been a little nuts. The scarves, and the constant candy stuff..." He made a face. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the candy, but man, Al could be creepy about it sometimes. "You're just girly, so I guess you're pretty close to sane." He winked up at Isegrim.
"The candy was... a bit disturbing. At least he didn't seem to have any idea what he was doing," he said with a grin, which turned into a slight pout. "'Girly' is the ideal. Ideal was the word you were looking for, Lee. I am ideal."
"Nah. Girly." Lee grinned, already hopping up the stairs to his room. "Ideal? Ideal is me." He took off his hat and bowed at Isegrim with a great flourish, then sat the hat back atop his head and resumed hopping up the stone steps.
With a blank expression, Isegrim flicked the hat off of Lee's head and started taking the stairs in threes. "You don't say..."
"H-hey!" Lee yelped, reaching out to snatch his hat back and missing. He wobbled on his feet, then started to scramble up the steps after Isegrim. "Give it back!"
He set the hat upon his own head., leaned against one of the marble columns lining the staircase and smirked. "Make me."
He caught up to the other guardian, jumping as high as he could to try to take the hat from Isegrim's head. Unfortunately for Lee, their height difference was more than enough to keep his outstretched fingers from getting anywhere near his precious hat. "Issseeee!!" he growled.
"It fits me rather well," Isegrim sighed loftily, fingering its brim. "Don't you think?"
"No, it makes your head look funny," Lee huffed, ceasing his jumping and scowling up at Isegrim with his arms folded across his chest. "C'mon, give it back!"
"I think I'll keep it until you've paid me for my shoes." It was fun to get the best of Lee for once. "Or perhaps I'll just call for Marcine..."
"NO!" Lee yelped, his eyes widening in horror. "Please Ise, c'mon, I'm begging you!! I need my hat!"
Was he faking it? Or was he genuinely that upset? "And why is that?"
"Makes me cuter," he pouted, rocking back on his heels. And taller. Looking, anyway.
"You're cute enough, Lee," Isegrim cooed as sweetly as he could and patted the boy on the top of his head. Hat-hair...
"Ise!" he growled, swatting the other guardian's hand away. "Hat! Now!!"
Sighing dramatically, Isegrim plucked the hat from his head and set it back on Lee's. "All you had to do was ask nicely..."
"Why nicely? You stole it! That's not nice!" Lee protested, pushing his hat firmly down on his head and scowling at Isegrim. "I think I'll spend the rest of my night alone, thanks!"
"I took it. I had every intention of giving it back... after you paid me for my shoes. Which you haven't forgotten about, have you, Lee?" He had better not have. Isegrim had his eye on a pair already...
"Uh. No?" He winced, then quickly scrambled up the rest of the stairs, pausing briefly at the top to give Isegrim a salute and a weak grin. "N-night Ise!"
Shaking his head, Isegrim waved back. "Goodnight, Lee," he sighed.