"Uh.. Hi!" Will didn't much know what to do, as Aldarn stared at her with a disbelief. Hay Lin, was proudly carrying the books, and Will frowned sardonically; with full annoyance visible when Aldarn didn't move. He didn't breathe. And Will was tempted to wave her hand in front of his face, but he blinked and came back to life after long seconds.. And paled. Aldarn paled. "Yooouuu, uhh, know where Caleb is?"

Aldarn had opened his mouth, but no words appeared to be coming, and Will was sure she wasn't the only one to check behind them for some monster, considering the way his expression conveyed almost terror; panic. And Irma stepped forward and poked him forcefully in the chest before Will could do anything to stop her, though he seemed to alert to that; managing to shrink away as her voice echoed, "HEY, BUDDY, DID YOU HEAR HER?"

And Will pulled her back, as Irma seemingly prepared to 'sign' it.. And Irma did not know sign language. "Cut it out Irma, he's not deaf. He's- Drake! Hii!"

Will wished her cheeks hadn't flared up so forcibly, and that she hadn't sounded like she might actually like the snob, but was glad when he turned and choked on the water he'd been drinking.. He looked tired, but Hay Lin was quick to distract; pointing directly at the young man, who's expression appeared to be twisting to mirror Aldarn's. "I thought that was.. Oh, right."

"Drake?" Will figured the egotistical brat would have more to say, if only because he'd begun walking away from them, like a guilty man, who'd stolen a kiss, and Will was quick to slip around Aldarn, hearing the girl's loud footsteps and only glancing for a second, as Cornelia distracted the green-skinned boy from his feeble attempt to stop her. Will wasn't sure whether to be proud or embarrassed, as her strongest guardian bit her lip and twirled her hair.. "Cornelia, you are ridiculous... Drake! Come back here you little rat!"

...

"Drake, I ought to kil-" Drake seethed, as her punch misfired into his arm, but she'd lost her concentration, and Drake knew before he'd even followed her line of sight; by the tell-tale paling features. Aldarn had looked just as confused.. Defeated.. When he'd come looking for Aketon. But when Drake looked, only Caleb was left - exhaustion had quickly given throng to anger, and it was lucky, Drake supposed, that you couldn't see that Caleb had been crying. He looked maybe ill, and the other girl came in laughing seconds later.. Caleb hadn't been in here when he'd left, but it was the closest room with a soft floor, and Caleb was probably lying there to sleep.. No one would have told him to leave, and Drake's chest tightened when Will's shock contorted into a wry grin, and he didn't know whether to stop her when she walked over, nudging him with her foot before crouching over him, "Heh heh, what, are we dead now?"

And Drake found that he'd become stuck; only seeing the blonde pull the others out from the corner of his eye as he stared. And Caleb had pulled himself so that he and Will were barely more than an inch apart, with Will grinning, and Caleb's face void of anything.. But it was a miracle that he was responding to something, as he looked into Will's eyes with dead leaves that hadn't had a chance to brown out.. And Will's eyes swirled with mirth, that Drake knew was going to drown out.. Because Caleb was having a blunt day. "I'm an illegitimate human being, who wasn't even lucky enough to be born."

Drake's eyes widened at that, and he might as well have seized, as Caleb let his body fall back so that his head hit off the floor, and he merely stared upwards at the dark with height ceilings, while Will smiled quizzically - sending a questioning glance to Drake as she cocked one of her eyebrows. She thought it was a game, and by the break in his voice, Caleb might start crying again; staring into the ceilings of Infinity.[0]

"Is it funny, Will? That I wasn't even born?" Drake didn't miss Caleb's hands flash onto his belt, and Drake cursed that he hadn't taken it, because in this state, Drake truly couldn't tell if the dagger was for himself, or Will.. And he found himself choking on air itself; silently; unnoticed, as Will's crouch rocked once to look down on Caleb, and Drake couldn't see her anymore, for the red falling around her face.

"No, but it's cute though.." Drake sucked in a deep breath, as Will laughed and Caleb's finger dropped the belt.. And Drake realized as Caleb's hands ventured, that he was taking the damned thing off and he sat up, as Will let herself fall back to her own backside. And Caleb muttered something about 'too tight', and Drake wondered if it'd be too much to call the girl a miracle worker, because he swore he hadn't seen Caleb smile in hours, as the minuscule smirk brushed his lips. "I brought your books.. Though.. I think Hay Lin has them, because of the.."

"You didn't touch it, did you?" Caleb wiped sleepy eyes, and Drake felt a flood of relief, when his own met Caleb's, and only a brief nod was directed before Caleb's sights returned to Will.. Will didn't look so disinterested in him now.

"No, but I think I might be able to try something, and I think it might just wor.."


[0] Infinity - Infinite City, not Kandrakar :L :L