TCF Oneshots

Inhibition (Albecale) {mature}

Author's Note: an original Cale Henituse oneshot, no White Star.

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Alberu pulled the hood of the cloak down lower, concealing his ears. In just three days, the bracelet that he needed to protect himself from the Sun God's saint will be completed.

He reached a dark hand out and pressed open the door to the tavern. He was no longer in the safe haven of the City of Death but in a human city in the Caro Kingdom. Alberu had been to the Caro Kingdom before, but never in his original form.

The door opened to reveal bright light that leaked out into the quiet night. Raucous laughter and drunken jeers filled the inside of the tavern. With a fast beating heart, Alberu swallowed his nerves and made his way into the building. He never would have done this if his aunt and great grandfather hadn't urged him to take a small vacation and have some fun during his wait. How was going to a bar in his original form supposed to be fun? It could very well be the death of him.

He looked around with wide eyes. This was the first time he had ever been in a bar. The place was just as boisterous as it was packed. With purposeful steps, Alberu made his way to the bar table.

Once a drink was in his hand, he turned to survey the room. There were no seats left open at the bar and the tables out on the floor were occupied. There were a few booths along the wall that only held one or two people.

Alberu made his way to a booth farthest from the door that only had one occupant. From what he could make out from the back-side-view of the person was that they were well dressed and had perfect posture while sitting down.

"Is this seat taken?" Alberu asked in a voice that was slightly lower than his normal speaking voice.

A pale, slender hand gestured for him to take the seat while the noble took a sip of his wine with his other hand.

Alberu slid in the seat with words of gratitude dying on his lips. The man who Alberu assumed was a noble turned out to be a young noble from the Roan Kingdom, Cale Henituse.

Cale Henituse was a name that all nobility of the Roan Kingdom and even some from neighboring kingdoms knew well. Cale was the first born son of Count Henituse and was infamous for being a lout. He was hot gossip in the social circles for his drunken misbehavior and striking good looks.

Alberu took a tentative sip of his drink as he quietly observed the young man across from him. Cale's perfect posture and smooth movements screamed as being second nature and the clothes he was dressed in were flashy and made of the finest material. His bright, apple red hair was neatly styled and framed his slender face perfectly. Alberu had to agree with the young women in their assessment of Cale's looks; he was indeed striking, especially with the eloquence of his movements.

"Like what you see?" The voice was teasing.

Alberu refocused his eyes to find Cale smirking at him. He felt his ears heating up but ignored it. "You seem familiar to me, have we met before?" He only realized too late how that sentence sounded. "Not in that way," he quickly covered for himself, "you remind me of a young Master from another kingdom." That definitely sounded shady. Alberu groaned silently, cursing himself. It was rare for him to flounder his words and to not know how to conduct himself around people.

The easygoing smirk faded and the look on Cale's face took on a serious tone. He clucked his tongue after a while. "A damn shame." Cale then lifted a hand and motioned to the area behind him. "What do you see?"

Alberu was ready to answer him when he realized that Cale Henituse was hinting at something. For the lout to go from easygoing and teasing to stiff seriousness meant that Alberu had seriously missed something about this place upon entering.