Chapter 456 - 457: Trouble Maker.

Chapter 456: Chapter 457: Trouble Maker.

Gurdet’s told him the same thing on many an occasion, but Bongo’s never quite trusted it’s sincerity enough to follow through.

Khojin, however, feels like the kind of person who speaks plainly, and when he invites him to join them for a cup of tea while they eat, Bongo decides to accept.

It’s not exactly standard practice to break bread with prisoners, but the rules seem to have been blurring for quite some time now. Not to mention that Khobi’s already kicked out a chair for him, like he wants him to.

He even offers him some bread when he sits, but looks so much like he was looking forward to eating all of it that Bongo declines, assuring him that he’s already eaten.

​It’s all very civilised, right up until Bongo accidentally makes an offhand comment about how it’s usually so difficult to keep Khobi away from training, because Khobi immediately has his aunt on his case about skipping; pulling his ear like he’s ten years old.

Now, Bongo has seen Khobi take a fist to the face without so much as flinching, yet this has him yelping and looking shamefaced for not telling them that he had somewhere he was supposed to be.

​"Oh, it’s fine, really...Khobi’s been excused –" Bongo tries to both explain and apologise, because even though Drogger isn’t known for making exceptions –even in exceptional circumstances –some things are just too exceptional to be ignored.

​"It absolutely is not fine," Mozry insists crossly, leaving him immediately feeling chastised and the stern look in her face demanding her nephew explain himself, and quick.

She suddenly resembles Drogger so much that it’s quite terrifying. "I won’t have you neglecting your training; even for us," she declares, as Khobi tries to tell her that he doesn’t normally skip --that he’s never skipped (except for that one time), and he just wanted to...spend some time with them.

That of course makes her expression soften, and she pats him on the arm with a firm assurance of, "We’ll be here, don’t you worry."

This doesn’t seem quite enough assurance for Khobi; it’s clear that he’s still reluctant to leave them.

​But just the mention of training makes him brighten, so it’s also clear that he wants to go.

​"Go, if you want. We’ll be just fine for a few hours," Khojin urges, offering him a reassuring smile. ℯℯ𝘭.

"I’m sure your friends are missing you." The mention of his friends has Khobi looking guilty, like he’d been so focused on the people within these four walls that he’d accidentally forgotten that there was anyone else in his world.

To Bongo’s knowledge he’s been back to his own room only to change clothes. Maybe for a bath; although he seems to know how to fill the tubs himself now so Bongo suspects he’s been doing that here, too, loath to leave their sides as he so is.

​He can sympathise with that; not wanting to leave them for too long even here. Bongo can’t even imagine what it must have been like, wanting to see his loved ones’ faces and being left waiting all this time.

No wonder he wants to cherish the time he has with them like it’s the last he’ll ever get. Until he realises that there’ll be another tomorrow.

​"...I’ll watch over them," Bongo promises, to give him a little nudge. There’s still plenty of tea to finish and it’s a very good one. "I’ll keep them safe."

And it must be just the little nudge over the line he needs, because after a shooting a furtive look back at his aunt and uncle, Khobi nods, and jams the last too-big piece of bread in his mouth and pushes out of his chair with purpose.

​" You sure ?" he asks –or at least, that’s what Bongo thinks he asks; difficult to tell for sure through the bread.

​Khojin just waves him towards the door, "Have fun, Khobi."

​" Khojin , you’re supposed to tell him to work hard."

​"I’m sure he’ll do both," Bongo says, and even though it’s the truth both Khojin and Mozry look amused.

And despite how haggard he’d looked only minutes ago –and still looks, actually –there’s a new energy to the way he yanks on his boots and a glint in his eye that tells Bongo that the first person to cross blades with him is in for a rough time.

Probably the second, and third, too.

"Behave yourself, Khobi." It’s off his lips before he even realises what he’s saying.

​Khobi has the gall to look offended by the insinuation that he won’t. " What’s that supposed to mean ?"

​Bongo sighs, and takes the way Khojin laughs to mean that he’s not offended that a stranger’s just gone and scolded his nephew in front of him.

​" Fine , I’m heading out now," Khobi declares, like he’s not secretly glad he’s been given permission to go and scratch an itch that seems to perpetually need scratching, "I’ll be back later."

And while Bongo, nor even Khojin or Mozry had the privilege of ever seeing it for themselves, lingering there in the doorway, not quite having finished his laces and not quite having finished his breakfast, Khobi Frost suddenly looks so young ; little more than a teenager with a grin on his face and his heart, excited for a day out with his friends.

How things change . Bongo’s eyes crease at the corners as Khobi shoots them a small grin back over his shoulder, and in his eagerness, slams the door so hard on his way out that the whole room feels like it shakes.

​(And how they don’t.)

Now, it’s Khobi’s aunt sighing, although this one sounds like it comes from a place of nostalgia, rather than the long-suffering nature of Bongo’s.

​"...He gets that from me," she says, glowing with pride. Bongo is not going to question that.

​"...You know Bongo, I’m glad we got the opportunity to speak like this," Khojin casually informs him, once the door’s finished quaking and he’s pouring himself another cup of tea, and when he looks up across the table, Bongo is struck speechless by the overwhelming gratitude in his face, and in the words that follow, "...Because I wanted to thank you. For watching over Khobi. He told us that you were one of the first people here who believed in him –" One of the first people in a long time .

"...And by the sounds of things it seems like he caused you quite some trouble."