Pity the Child

[Cavalier]

The made Ben smirk. "O'Malley's? It's a good joint. I'm glad your kind hasn't totally taken it over." He paused a moment, looking sidelong at him. "We could go. If you wanted. Unless you were wanting to go to that party."

[Goblin]

Sebastian looked at him in surprise, wondering why this guy would want to go out drinking with some obnoxious rich kid he only just formally met. Did he have no friends and no life or something? Not that Sebastian was judging. He kind of wished he had no friends or life sometimes.

Well, he could afford to blow off one party, right? It wasn't like his social status would plummet overnight. Then again...he looked back at Clara. "You think there's any way they'll let her in?" And then realized how bizarre it must look that he wanted his kid sister to tag along.

[Cavalier]

"I can do you one better, if ya want." He angled himself back to look at Clara. "I have a sister. Emma. She's a year younger than you, I think, but she's pretty okay. She never does anything on Friday's 'cept hang out at the house, so if you wanna hang out with her, that might be cool."

[Goblin]

"I...um...th-that'd be...yeah, sure, that sounds fun," Clara said in a rush, flashing Ben a quick smile, blushing, and immediately turning to look out the window again.

"It's a deal, then," Sebastian said cheerfully, wincing as the car bumped over the tracks. Despite the attentions of the best mechanic in town, he had a constant fear that it would just fall apart one of these days. "Can't stay out too late, though." Or come home wasted. That wouldn't end well. But he never really got drunk anyway.

[Cavalier]

He shrugged. "Sure, whatever. Turn right, here." He pointed out directions until they pulled up to a modest track home that could do with a fresh coat of paint, but was otherwise presentable. He got out of the car and headed to the front door, unlocking it. "Emma, you got company."

A girl who looked like Ben if Ben were a fifteen-year-old girl came out of the kitchen, blinking. Ben never brought home friends. "Oh. Hi."

[Goblin]

Clara looked at the ground and mumbled something. Sebastian put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at the girl. "Hi, Emma. I'm Sebastian, this is Clara."

This prompted Clara to look up, smile shyly, and repeat her own "hi" just a little bit louder.

[Cavalier]

Emma smiled brightly. "You have the best hair, Clara! Lemme play with it? I just got a new curling iron and I'm dying to use it!" She took Clara's hand and led her upstairs to her room, chattering the whole time.

Ben smirked. "Emma's harmless, don't worry. If anyone can get your sister to talk, it'll be her."

[Goblin]

"Hope so. It takes a lot," he said, smiling after the two girls. Clara needed friends. At the very least, she needed a place to go other than school and home, wrong side of the tracks or not. "So, we gonna kill some time here or say to hell with it and get drunk at four in the afternoon?"

He was also wondering if he should call home. Sometimes his mother worried incessantly. Sometimes he could be gone all day and she'd barely notice. He fiddled with the phone in his pocket and finally decided against it.

[Cavalier]

"Let's just go now. O'Malley's got food, too. I could probably live off their bangers and mash. Shepherd's Pie's pretty good, too." He tossed his backpack onto the couch and put on his jacket. "Come on, we can walk, it's not far."

[Goblin]

Sebastian followed him out of the house and down the street, with one last lingering look at his car. But he was pretty sure no one would be stupid enough to steal it. It wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

"See?" he said as they passed a bunch of kids smoking on a street corner, who scowled after them. Or more specifically, at him. "Everyone glares!"

[Cavalier]

"They glare 'cause you got what they want. And your type are usually total dicks." He led him inside the pub once they'd arrived, waving at Tim behind the counter and moving to a booth in the corner.

[Goblin]

"It's not like we're a different species or something," he chuckled. "I can't help it if my parents have money." He sat down in the booth and scanned the menu, actually feeling oddly relaxed. When he was with a big group of kids from school, he had to constantly keep track of the conversation, of everyone's moods and whims, to make sure he fit in and kept on everyone's good side. Or maybe he didn't have to, but he always felt like he did.

And at home, of course, he never relaxed for a moment.

[Cavalier]

"And I can't help it that my parents don't." He ordered a pint and his beloved bangers and mash when the ancient waitress approached, then settled back in the booth, looking over at Sebastian. In another world...well, it didn't matter what would happen in another world. They were stuck in this one.

[Goblin]

Sebastian went with the shepherd's pie and didn't realize Ben was looking at him, because he was too busy following the ancient waitress with his eyes. "I wonder how she feels about this job," he mused. "I mean, you think she dreamed bigger than this when she was a kid? Or maybe she hasn't even given up yet, and goes home and works on a novel every night..."

He suddenly came back to earth, glanced at Ben, and shut up. That was the problem with relaxing; you forgot that your secret hobbies were not normal.

[Cavalier]

He chuckled. "Actually, Susanne used to be a Rockette. Danced on Broadway, too. She retired years ago, but got bored sitting at home, so she waitresses. On Tuesday nights, she's in charge of karaoke." He flashed a grin, despite himself.