Immortal Tales - the boy with magic

Chapter One - fourth part

The boy knew he meant it as a fact, not a compliment but he felt his heartbeat increasing. What was the hot feeling in his cheeks?

People around them had started to take their clothes off, entering officially the second half of orgion. The full moon was high in the sky, the wolves were howling in the forest.

The boy never had any issues with nudity, but he felt the stares of a group of young ladies as he took his tunic off.

-I feel like a piece of meat - he complained. It didn't occur to him that he had been talking to the senior again, and almost bit his lip.

Children should only communicate for necessities. Small talk was frowned upon.

The guy did not seem to be bothered by it and gave him instead a long lingering look which did nothing to make him feel more comfortable.

-Yeah well, they are here for fun right? Go for it if you feel like it. The mist people won't mind. - he said raising his shoulders.

That thought didn't sit right with him. -Wait, the mist people won't punish us if we mingle with the mortals? -

-Nah they don't want us to talk to the mortals. But we still have human bodies, that is only physical ... like fighting, relax dude. -

He did not feel very relaxed.

The immortal children had taken ownership of a little set of pillows laid on the ground. A few mortals approached them and offered them drinks.

Just as the senior had suggested, many of the older children decided to take up offers for much more than a simple drink, but never left their companions sides.

The mortal guy he had pushed away was still staring at him from a distance with a grin on his face. The senior saw that and pushed him onto the pillows wrapping an arm around his neck.

The boy felt like all of his muscles were tensed for fear of pushing him away.

"Stop that. He knows what you feel." he ordered himself. It was this kind of stuff that always got him punished. That was why he had started to decline the senior's offer for help with poisons during the last few months.

-I have been told you will join another mortal relationship class - the senior started. They boy had to breathe slowly a couple of times before answering.

-Yup -

-That's great dude, we might be in the same class. I have ehm ... had a few issues with passing a few of the exams. The mist people thought it was better for me to retake the course. -

"...together with twenty or thirty lashes" he added mentally for him. It was no secret that failing a class brought punishment upon yourself.

The boy's heart did a little jump at the idea of joining a class together again.

-Oh by the way, you should pick a name for yourself. - he surprised him. -It's the first test of the class. A teacher comes up to you pretending to be a mortal and asks what your name is. You do not want to hesitate... I ... I did. -

What they were doing was highly against the rules. Helping a fellow child in preparing potions was one thing, but helping him to cheat for a test? That was a whole other thing.

Despite that, the boy was happy the senior had done it. It made him feel like they shared a little secret.

The senior's hand was lazily moving through his hair, activating all sorts of weird feelings in his brain. He didn't stop him.

-I have no idea what name to pick. - he answered honestly. -Have you chosen yours? -

The boy must have touched a soft spot because the senior stopped strocking his hair for a few seconds.

-Not yet - he muttered. -I am undecided between ... well between picking a girl's name or a boy's one. -

He blurted out the rest of the sentence so fast the boy had barely enough time to process it, but understood his implication.

It wasn't unusual for immortals to be gender fluid. They lived for so long it actually made quite a lot of sense. It was quite peculiar that the senior felt that way now, still in his mortal age. The boy imagined the mist people wouldn't be happy about it if he couldn't fake his way out of it for the mortals' sake.

-Why not picking one that works for both? - he proposed. The senior eyed him with interest. -Like ... Alex or Andre, I don't know ... -

The guy's eyes sparkled at the thought. There was a bit of a crazy light in them.

-Uh yes I love it! - he said. -Alex is so pretty, but I think I will go for Andre. -

-Why not picking your favourite? -

Andre winked. -I want to keep that for any future children I will have of course. -

The boy almost chocked on his wine. An immortal with children? As if that was even possible.

Andre's eyes focused in front of them and the boy saw the mortal approaching them once more. The senior's arm went protectively around his shoulders, despite the boy being larger than him.

-Me and my companions - the mortal pointed at a group of girls at his back. They waved. - We were wondering if you both would like to join us. Dyonisus would smile upon such youth together. -

Andre looked at the girls wearing beautiful white and gold tunics with longing. The boy's guts twisted in jealousy.

No. He wasn't being jealous of course. That would have been too strong of an emotion even for him. He was just concerned that his friend would remain alone with a bunch of mortals, that was all.

-We are good, but thanks for your offer - the boy replied smoothly, for once his deeper voice finally taking over. In a burst of audacity, he grabbed his friend's hand and kissed it.