esther kwon (ekwon) wrote in remains_rpg, |
“You know, that might actually be fun,” he said. “I feel like that’s. A rite of passage. That we’ve missed out on, or something.” His voice came haltingly; he was always mindful of saying too much or blurting out the wrong thing when he was trashed. Etty couldn’t help the dumb grin that plastered on her face. “Great!” she almost cheered. “I think Bea was going to help me. Oh my god, can we please play beer pong? Yeah?” the younger of the two seemed to bounce in anticipation. “It’s okay, Danny. I’ll hold your hair back. You can try to keep up.” “You and Bea and beer pong,” he repeated, with the faint feeling of a boulder slipping and rolling out of his reach, gathering speed. “Nah man, have you ever considered how gross it is to drink from those cups?? With the table tennis balls inside them? Those balls have been bouncing around on the floor and been kicked around by people’s shoes and things. They’ve been in all the drinks. It’s freakin’ disgusting.” As soon as he finished, she raised a brow at him as her arms crossed over her chest. “I mean, not that I’ve played or anything,” there was a pause, “but why not just fill them with water, simulate it, and drink out of your own choice of beverage. I mean it’s not really regulated as well, but it’s better than--” she cut herself off. “Since when have you been so picky about what goes in your mouth?” He’d been about to respond, but then slammed to a halt, wincing at the innuendo (and a very good zinger it was). “Etty. And you talk to mom with that mouth!” “Wait, what? What do you mean?” she seemed genuinely confused for the first time, taking another drink of the alcohol. Danny just stared at her, long and level and silent, until the realisation dawned. And it did. “Wow!” she immediately started yelling. “You’re the one with mind in the gutter. Didn’t know you were such a dick guzzler.” She shook her head. “Blaming it on your innocent kid sister when you’re the one who thought of it first. You need Jesus, son.” Danny had fallen back over by this point, this time in helpless laughterfits. Despite all his attempts to keep himself reined in, they were more boisterous like this; something more like the carefree nature the Kwons had harnessed back in Honolulu. Before the move. Before the readjustment, and long before the outbreak. “Christ,” he said, but couldn’t seem to come up with anything more coherent than that. “I’ve been around teenagers for too long.” Etty reached out to pat her brother on the shoulder. “It’s alright, brah. I mean, what’s a couple of more years. Everyone will be adults, then--” she cut herself off realizing quick enough that her trajectory was going into a really dark place. So instead she grinned, waving it off with a final drink of her cup. “I’m out of whatever this shit is. Do you want some more, or are you going to die here?” “I’m gonna die here.” “They’ll write stories of you, Danny boy. The kid who survived the zombie apocalypse, years later died in his own alcoholism. Truly, an inspirational figure.” “Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling…” He hummed a bar of the Irish folk song, then shook it off. His head had cleared, and he felt about ready to start moving again. He wasn’t going to spend the rest of his night flopped on these benches. “Nah, I’m ready to go. Let’s head over. No more candy though, my heart’s about to explode outta my chest from sheer sugar overload. I think.” He managed to lever himself to his feet, carefully balanced on the bleachers. (If he looked down and squinted, he could remember what it was like to have actual gym class here. Brightly-lit, clean, the sound of sneakers squeaking on wood and the coach’s shrill whistle. The coach had gotten eaten on that first day, the librarian’s teeth sinking into the man’s throat. He’d seen it happen.) He shook it off. Again. Then took one wobbly step down to the next row—Esther’s arm was there to steady him, preventing her big brother from taking a headfirst tumble down to the bottom—then another step and another, and they eventually made it back down to the gym floor together. |