Chapter 463 - 464: A Visit To The Guidians.

Chapter 463: Chapter 464: A Visit To The Guidians.

As anticipated Loac spends most of the walk to Mozry and Khojin’s room trying to see just how many buns he can steal from the basket Khobi’s carrying before he finally loses patience and flying kicks him out a window. He only gets two before Khobi hip checks him into a corner, but it’s not quite enough to deter him from trying for a third or a fourth.

Bongo’s hovering in the hall as he has been every time Khobi’s come this way, and he nods to the pair of them as he monitors their approach. Loac offers a greasy-fingered wave back and tries to use Khobi’s momentary distraction to go for bread number five. Khobi lets him take it, if only so he can get a really good angle to whack him in the gut with his basket. Bongo makes a concerted effort not to laugh.

"You look like you’ve been busy," he remarks conversationally, and Khobi self consciously tugs on his collar before obligingly opening up the basket to offer him one; taking pains to use his body as a shield to block Loac from nabbing any more. Bongo takes one with a small chuckle, and then a second when Khobi insistently shakes the basket at him; urging him to take another. Loac makes an annoyed noise at being left out, even though he’s already had more than his fair share, and looks decidedly put out when Bongo doesn’t just hand over his second one to him. He neatly palms the two of them while he unlocks the door, and makes sure to keep them out of arm’s reach when they head on into the room.

"I’m back," Khobi calls as he crosses the threshold, and even though this isn’t their castle –isn’t even their kingdom –in a small moment like this he can almost imagine that it is.

"Welcome back, Khobi," Khojin replies easily from over on one of the couches where it’s clear he’s spent at least part of the afternoon reading. He looks like he’s made decent headway on the book in his lap. "Did you have a nice day? Mozry’s just finishing up a bath. She shouldn’t be long." It’s an old joke of theirs, because Mozry’s always been the kind of person who could lay in a bath for hours and completely forget where the time went, and he and Khobi both snicker as they exchange a look.

"Yeah, I had a great day, actually," Khobi admits, and means it, "Hope you’re hungry? We uh, kinda brought dinner."

"We? Oh, uh, Trent," Khojin adds somewhat belatedly, when he realises that Khobi has brought company along with him, "What a...surprise."

"... Hey ," Loac greets –just as belatedly –and then coughs, "I mean, uh, sir . Your Majesty?"

"What do you mean Your Majesty ," Khobi snorts incredulously, giving Loac a weird look because since when does this guy go around calling people by their titles ? He doesn’t even call Drogger sir , and even Khobi does that .

"Khojin is just fine," Khojin assures him, and Khobi’s not too sure what exactly to make of the little twinkle that appears in his eye as he adds, "Or uncle , if you’d prefer." Khobi’s been feeling a lot of red already today but just when he thought he was starting to get over it, it starts up again. And if he doesn’t know quite what to think of that, then how is Loac?

"Don’t call him that," Khobi mutters under his breath as he gives him a dig in the ribs with an elbow; embarrassed and not really sure why.

"Wasn’t gonna ," Loac grumbles back, nudging him right back as Khobi makes a beeline over to the couches and presents the heaving basket for his uncle’s approval. Approval which is readily granted the moment he sees just what exactly Khobi has brought for him.

"Oh! I recognise these," Khojin exclaims with a nostalgic sigh, leaning over the basket and breathing deeply. "Ah~ I haven’t had one of these in years. You really made these, Khobi?"

"Uh, yeah, I did," Khobi replies with a small grin and a measure of pride, "And uh, Loac helped."

"Oh he did , did he?" he remarks airily, directing his attention to where Loac has hung back near the door, "That was very thoughtful, Trent. Thank you."

"S’was nothing..." Loac mutters back, hands dug deep into his pockets like he’s not quite sure where else to put them now that Khobi’s no longer standing next to him. It’s not like him to keep his hands to himself when there’s still some of Khobi’s cooking available for the pinching, but Khobi’s not gonna complain; it’s a miracle any of them had even made it all the way back here in the first place.

As if lured out by the delicious smells wafting through the room Mozry comes out of the bathroom only a few short minutes later with wet hair and pink skin and a look of total contentment on her face. She’s also wearing a skirt ; like one of the ones the princess wears down at the training grounds.

"What are you wearing?" Khobi can’t help but ask, wondering if it counts as one of the few times he’s ever seen her in a dress. Maybe it’s a special occasion or something?

She smacks him across the back of the head with a pair of gloves for his cheek.

" Ow ?"

" –Xena stopped by today with some new clothes," Khojin explains, and with a double-take Khobi realises that he too is dressed a little different from the drab travelling clothes he’s been wearing for the last few days. The clothes he’s wearing are brand new, very clean, and look like they actually fit him properly. A new pair of boots, too –his old ones are sitting in the corner, threadbare, cracked, and with their soles torn open in places. "It was very thoughtful of her." He smiles as Mozry skirts the couch to splay out in the chair next to him. "Ah, you look nice, love."

As a kid, Khobi used to get embarrassed when they spoke to each other like that in front of him.

(He’s still embarrassed, but it’s for a different reason, now.)