(Untitled)

[patriotqueen]

- It's just a drink. Alcohol clears the mind, sets one up for the day, or for the next one, until evening falls and a nightcap gently eases one to sleep again. Alcohol cleans the mind, like medication, keeps it preserved, keeps it all in working order, up and running. Alcohol numbs the mind, what hurt will be less painful, what worried will be

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[a_sport]

"Guy?" He was going to watch the stars come out, but they'd wait for him. Calvin veered off the path to crouch down near him. The scent of the alcohol was palpable.

"Hey," Calvin said quietly.

[a_sport]

"I don't think my fireman's carry is up to snuff, sad to say," he said wryly as his other hand went out to Guy's shoulder to steady him. "Alright, you're up. Where's closer, the compound or your place?"

[patriotqueen]

"The hut. It's this way," Guy replied. He sounded very self-assured, alomst as though he could have walked all by himself. But in truth, he leaned quite heavily on the younger man.

[a_sport]

"Alright, let's be on our way then," Calvin said easily and kept an arm around Guy's shoulder, hoisting him up as much as needed to be. He'd done this for Tim, once, after Tyra left. Found him getting drunk in the caves and sat there with him for a long while. Sitting there while Tyra was gone. And now Tim was gone too.

"You know," he said, near conversational, as near as he can manage it. "I like that you're still here. I like that I still get to see you, just wandering around or drinking by trees."

[patriotqueen]

Guy snorted. He knew the type of comments and what brought them on. He could see as much even in this drunk state. "Who left?"

[a_sport]

"Lots of people have left," he said, and if there hadn't been a drunk guy leaning on his shoulder, he would have shrugged. "People keep on leaving faster than I can make new friends. But there's people here, still. You're still here, and that's nice. I'm just saying I'm grateful."

Calvin offered him a bit of a smile and tried to shrug again. "It helps to point it out, is all."

[patriotqueen]

Guy smiled at that. "January's the month for it. Gifts are given and people go along with the snow." It wasn't actually true. People left at all times. But January and snow added to the theatricalness of their dissapereance.

[a_sport]

"One does not make up for the other," he observed and then shook his head. "I- I'm going to say, and, you know, you're a grown up and all. But I'm here. For today, at least," he amended wryly, then glanced at Guy. "And if you would ever want to supplement any drinking with talking or sitting around and not talking, I am available for things like that. No-strings-attached friend."

Then, as though to make up for this, he changed the subject. "We're headed this way, yeah?" Calvin asked. He knew roughly where the place was, but not the specifics and things look different in the dark.

[patriotqueen]

"Yes, we are," Guy replied, and then, because it had been a kind thing to say and it had turned his mood to the sort to appriciate kind things said, he added; "and thank you." He even managed half a smile, and patted his shoulder. "We could go down the pub some day."

Reminded that this had been a student of his, he thought of Auden then, and snickered.

[a_sport]

They went along the indicated path slowly with Calvin leading the way and Guy leaning on him.

He smiled fondly at that and nodded. "Yeah, alright, I'd like that. Go what passes for a pub here, anyway." Then Calvin added wryly a moment later. "Maybe give you a chance to lead me back to my place after I've imbibed a bit too much."

[patriotqueen]

Guy laughed at that. "Dangerous proposals, darling." He wanted to add a wink to that, but it became a blink and all meaning was lost.

[a_sport]

Calvin laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure that I would wake up in the morning safe and sound with nothing but a hang-over in term of negative consequences."

He nodded up to the hut. "We're going to set you up with some water and in bed, you think?"

[patriotqueen]

What Guy thought was that his pride was serverely hurt. 'Safe and sound with nothing but a hang-over' must have been the worst insult he had heard in a long time and he found it extremely funny.

But he couldn't laugh as loud as he might have, for he needed some concentration to stand on his feet.

"Yes, yes," he said, more despaired than thankful as he entered the hut. "No one in?" He called, and as no one answered. "Good."

[a_sport]

There was a moment of difficulty as they got through the doorway, which was not quite big enough to let them both in at once. But then they were through and Calvin was looking curiously around the darkened place. "Who do you live with?"

[patriotqueen]

There was light somewhere, there were candles somewhere, but it didn't even cross Guy's mind produce light.

"Anthony," Guy replied, "he's a friend of mine, since Cambridge," then he paused and frowned. "What you'd call a supposed best friend," he added to that with quite some disdain.