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So, they’re all aware that Sevro, their very own Goblin, is a little on the strange side. Okay, a lot on the strange side. But really, the swearing, the howling, the angry disposition, the homicidal tendencies – they’re all things Darrow has just come to accept and appreciate about his friend. It takes all kinds, as the saying goes, and really, most of Sevro’s unique qualities are just the sort of thing their group needs to stay focused. Stay sharp.
But then there’s the singing.
Darrow isn’t sure if anyone else has noticed. But Sevro mouths lyrics, hums, sings to himself when he thinks no one can overhear. Darrow’s hearing is better than flawless – so he hears. The best part is, Sevro’s apparent taste in music is nothing like he ever would have imagined. The snippets he picks up are lilting and bouncy, songs about first loves and summers well spent. It’s adorable, and maybe just a little telling – of a side of him that Sevro flat out refuses to let anyone ever see, or know exists.
All is well and good, until the day Tactus overhears.
They’re bathing. Darrow downstream, and Sevro up, and in the quiet of the morning and the biting cold of the river water, Darrow can just barely hear the strains of shivery humming drifting toward him. He fights back a smile, even though Sevro isn’t around to see him and become embarrassed; it’s the thought that counts. It sounds like the small boy’s teeth are chattering due to the icy water.
He’s nearly done in the river – it takes a veritable age to scrub the grime off, but it’s the first instance of running water they’ve encountered in days – when he hears shouting coming from Sevro’s direction. Not bothering to grab his clothes, he picks up his slingBlade and pulls himself onto the river bank, hurtling along the water’s edge towards the noise – towards Sevro.
He bursts through some underbrush and -
- comes face to cheek with Tactus’s bare ass. Darrow yelps and nearly turns away, remembering at the last second that this would seem odd to another Gold. In the water, however, Sevro seems to share his priorities, and is currently attempting to cover up with some leaves. Tactus is on his hands and knees, and he is laughing uncontrollably.
Darrow rubs his eyes, heartbeat slowing. “What the hell is going on?”
“This slagging idiot is sneaking up on people while they bathe, that’s what.” Sevro says. He sounds pissed off. More so than usual.
“I wasn’t sneaking.” Tactus says, still laughing. “You were just having too much of a party to hear me come up.”
“A party?” Darrow asks, confused, and then notices the luminescent blush covering roughly 80% of Sevro’s skin. He regrets asking, because Tactus has to loudly fill him in.
“Goblin was singing in the shower, so to speak.” Tactus’s eyes gleam with mischief. “Voice of an angel, too, I never would have suspected.”
“Shut up, Tactus,” Sevro growls.
“I could absolutely swear I’ve heard that song before,” Tactus overrides him, naturally. “Mind chirping it again, darling?”
“Do us all a favor and stick a tree branch up your ass.” Sevro tells him.
“It was something like…” Tactus warbles a couple bars. Darrow and Sevro both wince. Tactus is not the best at holding a note.
“Wow, that was terrible.” Darrow says bluntly. Tactus shoves him.
“Then get Goblin to sing it!”
Darrow shoves him back. “He’s not a parrot, I can’t just make him sing on command.”
Tactus squints at him. “Are you sure?”
This prompts Sevro to loop the shirt he is currently scrubbing around Tactus’s ankle and tug, hard. Tactus goes down without grace, flinging out a hand and snagging a handful of Darrow’s hair, and the two of them fall, limbs flailing, into the river and directly on top of Sevro.
Which is exactly the moment when Mustang walks through the trees with several of the other girls, in time to see three very naked, very breathless boys spring out of the water, yelping and gasping for air.
“Y-y-you li-little shit—” Tactus splutters, shivering.
“You were about to get in, anyway,” Sevro reminds him.
“Also, you deserved it.” Darrow shrugs.
The sound of someone clearing their throat finally draws their attention. Mustang is peering at them from up on the bank, and behind her, Pebble, Milia, and Thistle all crane their necks, trying to see what is going on.
“Well, this seems fun.” Mustang says. Darrow has to admire her resolve in not bursting out laughing. It must be difficult.
Sevro groans. Tactus grins. Darrow says, “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“And what is it, exactly?” Mustang asks.
“Sevro was singing.” Darrow says instantly, and Sevro looks positively scandalized that Darrow would throw him to the hounds so fast. Darrow decides he’ll make it up to him later.
“Hmm.” Mustang nods. “And, is Sevro a mermaid? Were you boys so positively entranced by his siren’s call that you felt the unavoidable urge to throw yourselves into the water upon him?”
“Yes.” Tactus says sincerely.
“No.” Darrow and Sevro both say exasperatedly.
“So, what were you doing, then?” Milia asks, eyebrows raised. Pebble can’t stop giggling.
Tactus laughs, and the gleam in his eye returns as he glances Sevro’s way. I will destroy you, Sevro mouths, and is ignored for his trouble.
“Can any of you figure out what this song is?” Tactus asks, and launches back into his off key serenade. Milia looks traumatized. Thistle and Pebble are nudging each other in the ribs now, doubled over laughing.
Mustang, on the other hand, actually listens. As Tactus sings, and Darrow and Sevro stand there, fingers turning blue, Mustang listens, and then snaps her fingers.
“Taylor Swift.” She says. Everyone looks at her.
“What,” Darrow asks, rubbing his hands up and down his now freezing arms, “is Taylor Swift?”
“Not what.” Mustang corrects him. “Who. Taylor Swift was a twenty-first century, Old Earth musician.”
“Was she known for being particularly fast?” Darrow wonders.
“Not to my knowledge.” Mustang seems to finally take pity on them, because she leans down and offers him her hand. Gratefully, Darrow takes it and allows himself to be helped onto the river bank. Milia hauls a protesting Tactus out, while Sevro is pulled onto shore by his Howler girls. They throw a pair of wolf skins over his back. He looks crankier than Darrow has ever seen him.
The girls shoo them away as they start to undress (Tactus takes a little extra shoo-ing).
“I have to admit, Sevro,” Mustang says over her shoulder as she slips into the water, “I would have never pegged you for a pop music fan.”
Sevro finally snaps. “TAYLOR SWIFT IS TIMELESS!”