CALL ME NAIVE ;

{ WOLFGANG NOVOGRATZ, 21, CIS MAN, HE/HIM } Is that CHRISTOPHER ‘KIT’ KALLBERG? A SOPHOMORE originally from WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, they decided to come to Ogden College to study ANIMAL SCIENCE on a ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP. They’re THE NAIVE NEWCOMER on campus, but even they could get blamed for Greer’s disappearance.

-

Sassa gave a short nod before looking away from Kit, her chin tucking into her opposite shoulder. Inside she was fuming, her irritation sparked the way it always was when she felt like she lost the upper hand. He had said he was ready to put Greer behind him, and yet here he was, looking through pictures of her and lying about it. To Sassa. Who had given him every opportunity to say he still chose Greer (if only while putting him in a position to…not). But she didn’t want to show Kit her frustration, instead letting hurt show through her expression, big eyes underneath eyebrows slanting upwards as she turned back to look at him again. “Deleting a bunch of junk. Right,” she said, her voice soft, lips turning downwards in a frown. “Were you…going to delete the pictures of Greer you were looking at then?” 

-

Oh shit. Cold dread settled Kit’s chest when he heard Greer’s name leave Sassa’s mouth. The once-happy curve his mouth was in shifted, falling open slightly at the suggestion. Brown eyes fell to his phone momentarily before pushing up to look back at Sassa. Realistically, he knew he had to get rid of those photos. But did he want to delete them right this very second? The honest answer was no. Though taking in how Sassa was looking, all sad like that, Kit couldn’t help but feel like such a giant dick. It was him who wanted to pursue things with her. Him who time and again insisted he was over Greer. Sure, he was positive he wanted nothing to do with Greer in the foreseeable future, but he wasn’t ready to let go of their memories just yet. He gulped just a little. “Um... yeah,” he answered slowly. “Like in time though. Because... you know, it could be used for... evidence or something. You never know what could be evidence these days.” It was a valid point, wasn’t it? “Look, this... those photos, they’re just... they don’t matter, you know?” He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Sassa or himself. “It’s you and me right now,” he told Sassa, moving to rest his hand on her knee in a manner he hoped was reassuring.

     “ that’s ‘cause i’m not. genius. ” he scoffs, thinking that he really got him good with that one. it was a combination of his lack of sobriety clouding his better sense of his words and the image of kit in front of him bringing up the same complicated feelings he’d always had of him — repressing link to a state that was unlike himself. he hated it, and he hated kit for it. “ you sound sarcastic yet i’m really inclined to believe every word you say. were you a boy scout as a kit ? — kid ! look at that fuckin’ slip. ” he says with a small laugh, never really noticing how much he’d drank tonight up until this point here. but there was no stopping him, once he got started on someone — especially if it was kit.  “ can i ask you something ? ” as if he was going to wait for an answer, “ are you actually always like this or is it just an act ? i’d believe the latter much more. ”     

-

Kit rolled his eyes. Kit, kid — super original. He didn’t even want to justify that whole thing with an answer. (No, he wasn’t a Boy Scout. He thought they were cool though.) What was up with Link tonight? Granted, Kit wondered that every time he came across Link. But he seemed more… concerning than usual. The question he proposed only made Kit’s enthusiasm for the evening sink further. This guy was like… a succubus of good vibes. (Also, did succubus do what Kit thought they did? They drained people, right? It only made sense given their name.) “There’s no ‘act’, Link,” Kit revealed tiredly, tempted to bring his drink up to his mouth and empty its contents. If they were going to exchange more than a few words with each other, Kit wasn’t sure he wanted to be sober for it. “Some people just don’t want other people to go up in flames like a dumpster fire.” Plain and simple. “When’s the last time you had some water, man? Looks like you could use a gulp.” Or twenty.

. 

there were loads of people at the end of kit’s hand, that alethea couldn’t figure out exactly who he was gesturing towards. “eeyore?” it took another beat before she saw him. he looked pretty happy for an eeyore though, kudos to him. “alright, he could use a boost for the night couldn’t he?” she beamed, not hearing much of what kit said next, it lost in the sounds of the people and music surrounding them. “wait really? kit morrison? not as great as kit calvin.” the thought left her mouth before her mind could think it over completely. “she’s a bitch.” their tone went flat for a moment, eyes scanning across the crowd instead. she sucked on her teeth, letting the anger slid through her briefly before the smile was back and she glanced up at kit. “alright don’t leave without me! gonna go try this shots girl thing!” she laughed, pushing through a few people before approaching eeyore with a flirty smile and holding up the bottle, successfully pouring a sloppy shot in his mouth before she was skipping back over to kit. “you having a better night yet?” 

-

Kit Morrison? The name made Kit’s eyes go wide. He wouldn’t be surprised if they bulged out of their sockets with how stunned he felt at Alethea implying he’d marry Greer and take her last name. “Uhh yeah, not... not as great as Kit Calvin, that’s for sure.” She’s a bitch. Kit’s mouth flattened into a thin line. While it was true that unkind words would be better suited for Greer, he wasn’t stoked to hear people speak callously about his ex-girlfriendly. Instead of saying anything, he just let a drunk Alethea mosey along, watching her pull in a dancing Eeyore and pour a shot down his mouth. It felt like barely a second had passed and she was in front of him again. He supposed being in his head like he was, time really flew for Kit. “Uhh, honestly? Sort of but not really? I might actually just call it a night. I thought I could boost my mood once I got out here but uh... I dunno, I don’t think I’m in the party headspace right now. I’m probably just gonna bring down the mood the longer I stick around, and I don’t wanna ruin anyone’s night.”

-

Of course, Sassa was going to go sit next to Kit  when she saw the familiar back of his head in the Commons, sprawled on a love seat. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy the whispers that came from seeing them together, after their date and everything…which is exactly what she did, but whatever. He moved on. From a missing Greer, nonetheless. To Sassa. Yeah, that made her feel a bit smug. She had a whole plan of tip toeing up behind him, hands covering his eyes, a whispered guess who in his ear. But as she approached, she caught sight over his shoulder of what he was looking at. 

And apparently, Kit was a lot less moved on than he had been acting. 

Her expression darkened, Sassa looking at the screen of the phone as he scrolled through photo after photo after photo - jesus. Was this some sort of album dedicated to Greer or what? Just as she went to turn on her heel to leave, figuring she’d sulk and give him the silent treatment until he reached out to her, her shoe squeaked against the floor, Kit’s head whipping around so they made eye contact. Sassa’s jaw twisted to one side, eyes on Kit’s with a stormy expression. “Hey,” she said, a beat later than a normal, unbothered greeting would’ve been, tentatively making her way around the couch to sit next to him. “I’m fine,” she continued, the word loaded in the way it only was when it wasn’t true. “I think the better question is how are you?” Sassa asked, chin jerking towards his phone. 

-

Okay, she was sitting next to him. That was a good sign. Kit scooted down a tad on the couch to make space for Sassa, to show her she was welcome and that he wanted her company. But just as Kit was starting to think he was in the clear, he heard the way that word — “fine” — left her and he just knew he was anything but in the clear. The following words out of her mouth only proved as much. Tension found his shoulders when he watched her chin jut towards his phone. “Oh, this?” He tried to play it cool, holding his phone up and brandishing it carelessly. Even though he felt anything but cool right now. There was an anxiety beginning to bubble in the pit of his stomach that he hasn’t felt in ages. “I was just hit with that storage full notification, you know? So I was going through stuff on my phone. Trying to delete a bunch of junk on it. Screencaps, memes, stuff like that. It’s not important,” he insisted casually. “How’s your day been?” He asked, hoping to move past the topic of his phone and what he may or may not have been looking at on it.

— 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑.

who: @kitkallberg​

where: some party, somewhere 

     after everything that’s happened just in the last few weeks, it feels like there was a weight on link’s shoulder that only seemed to get heavier. other than the fact that greer’s party, texts from g, and what he’d seen in the haunted house have only added to that weight, there was a perpetual burden on his shoulders — the same one they’ve been carrying with them their whole life. the one that kept reminding him he might be one of the most unlovable people alive, that he’s truly alone, and there’s no one to depend on — so why should he let anyone else depend on him ? it was the same weight that he tried to ignore, every time he was sinister towards any given person, people who don’t necessarily deserve it. people like kit kallberg. and sometimes, the way link seemed to want to relieve that burden in his mind was to self-medicate — in any way he could. 

    speaking of, his eye-line seemed to land on his at the backyard of this party — whose house was this again ? the substances swimming around in his body mixed in with the complicated feelings he carried deep in him tonight made him approach. on a better day, this might have been a regular occurrence; link will say things to piss off kit, their conversation would be short. but tonight ? it seemed more like a bad idea than anything. he grins, “ kallberg, you look awfully sober right now. what, you volunteer to be someone’s designated driver like a good little boy ? ”

-

Oh, great, Kit thought. It was Link. The easygoing curve his mouth was in turned downward as the photographer approached. They hadn’t even exchanged words yet and a tired breath was already punching out from between his lips. “Hey, Link,” he greeted not-so-enthusiastically. Crawford wasn’t his most favorite person in the world so the colorless acknowledgement was expected. Kit was in somewhat of a good mood tonight. He was trying to keep said good mood too. So instead of letting himself fall right into Link’s teasing words and devilish taunts, he played into it. He let whatever Link’s drunken mumbling insinuated roll off his shoulders like water on a duck’s back. “I did actually. I’m trying to earn my Sober At The Soiree badge tonight. You see, just one more and I get promoted from Good Little Boy to Superb Regular-Sized Dude, so I’m really trying to lock it in.” Sarcasm dripped generously from each word he spoke. See? Two can play that game. “How’s your night? You’re looking... not sober.”

-

Every house was different, even across the same chapter at different schools. But pledging had never really been terrible here, in Diego’s opinion. You were asked to do things to humiliate yourself as a way to build brotherhood between yourself and the other pledges, and the guys in the house. That was really it. But part of it was making it seem like it would be more difficult, just so psych the guys out a little bit. “It’s pretty hard. I guess we’ll see what you’re made out of,” he said, nudging him with his elbow. “I never expected to become president,” Diego admitted, shaking his head and laughing. “I guess I just mother hen the guys the most. I chose SAE because they were pretty chill. They focused more on helping each other achieving goals rather than going out and partying. A lot of the guys partner up to study together to help with academics, or go to the gym to help out with sports. It’s been a good support system.”

-

Kit hoped he was made out of SAE material. It would really make his year if he found himself flanked with a group of new brothers before the semester was over. The curve his mouth was twisted to grew even wider when Diego admitted he mother hen’d the guys of the frat the most. Of course this guy never expected to become President. He was just that awesome. “Yeah, that’s kind of why I found myself learning towards SAE too. You guys really put the ‘bro’ in brotherhood.” And if there was anything Kit needed right now — like really, really needed — it was a good support system. “Well, I’m excited, man. I really hope I make it.” With a happy sigh, he clapped a hand over Diego’s shoulder. “So, should we get a drink?”

-

Court took in Kit’s sopping hair, a small smirk twitching up the corner of his lips as their hand slid down his sternum, giving him a little pat on the chest before he pulled away from him. Giving Kit some space. Though he kept a grasp on his shoulder. Their kisses had been heated, Kit straddling him having Coco feel some type of way for sure, and if Kit really wasn’t mad, then… His smile only widened, Coco glancing down to his feet, heat in his cheeks. “I wouldn’t’ve minded..y’know. Helping with the private time,” he said, as nonsensical as the statement was, not quite looking towards Kit. As close as they were, they had never really…outright talked about Kit’s sexuality. He had been with Greer after all. But hey, the best way to learn was to try, right? “That’s what friends are for after all,” Coco said, leaning back in to plant a kiss on Kit’s cheek, giving his shoulder another squeeze. He turned his face slightly so he could speak into Kit’s ear, nose skimming against his cheek before his lips just lightly brushed against his earlobe. “Another time, maybe. If you were ever interested.”

. 

“calvin?” alethea called back with a confused face. “kit calvin?” that seemed fitting enough at least. he seemed the type to have the double-consonant kind of name. she turned so she was standing next to him now, looking out around the crowd. “choose my next patron good sir, i am determined to meet this requirement now.” despite never doing enough to meet her parents requirements, this one felt achievable for the moment. “pierce! like a wound! my dad took my moms name, kinda sick right?” she shouted back. it was probably the only cool thing her mother did, purely for social gain. “she’s that gatekeep, girlboss, gaslight type of woman.” she added without a second thought, not wondering if it was too personal or not. “well…..” she drug out the word holding up the bottle with a smile. “there’s more where that shot came from.” 

-

Kit's mouth curved into a smile and he let out a little laugh. “Kit Calvin. Sure. Why not?” Kit Calvin sounded like someone who’d be having more fun tonight than Kit Kallberg. He wouldn’t mind adopting another name for the night. It might just be what does the trick and improves him mood. “Hmmm...” Kit hummed in thought, index finger pressed to his chin as he scanned the room for Alethea’s next patron. “What about him?” Kit suggested after a beat, stretching his hand out to gesture to the person he had in mind. “The guy dressed as Eeyore?” He pointed them out in case a very tipsy Alethea needed some help. “Nobody needs a shot like Eeyore does.” Though this guy looked like he was having a pretty decent time. It was about to get even better once Alethea went over there. “Ah, Pierce! Nice! Like the dude that played James Bond that one time.” And yes, Kit didn’t need to be drunk to mess up Piers Brosnan’s name. “Oh, forreal? That is sick, yeah,” Kit agreed with enthusiasm. “I’d be down to do that if I ever got married one day.” He blinked when Alethea described her mother as a  gatekeep, girlboss, gaslight type of woman. He didn’t know what to say to that so he just said, “Oh wow. She sounds... like quite a woman!”

Kit didn’t make a habit of doing this. He wasn’t proud of it. In fact, he only ever did this on bad days, really. He liked to argue that these ‘visits’ were a step in the right direction. That maybe he’d desensitize himself to images of Greer or the two of them together. Or that maybe one day he’d spot something in the photos that told him she was always going to leave, that none of it really mattered. It wasn’t easy revisiting a time in his life when she was around. It was even harder when he came across a photo where they seemed particularly happy. Kit’s thumb moved across the screen slowly, feeling more and more dreary as he looked at photo after photo. Hearing a soft shuffling behind him, Kit’s head snapped to the left, looking over his shoulder to find Sassa. How long was she standing there? He wondered. Did she see what he was looking at? The thought made him gulp just a little. “Sassa, hey.” Kit lowered his phone, setting it down on his thigh with the screen pressed against the denim of his jeans. “What’s... what’s going on? How are ya?” There was no other word to describe how he felt in the moment other than: caught.

     “ are you saying i was made for you ? that’s really sweet of you, kit, but i’m not interested. i was much more drawn to your other half. ” and still, at this point, he was using his relationship to greer against kit — perhaps in poor taste, but since when was link ever classy about anything they did ? they shrug their shoulders at kit as he leans back against the wall. “ i thought about it. but i don’t think that even i’m that big of an asshole. ” as much as he enjoyed fucking with kit, he somehow couldn’t do anything that would actually harm him — what happened with the police was in no way used to take him down or frame him. he knew for a fact that the cops won’t have anything tangible against him… or at least, that’s what they thought. but it all worked out in the end, didn’t it ? “ but if you lose it again, then i may just go for it so… hold onto it tight because i only give freebies the first time. ” he teases with a small grin. “ so how was last night for you ? must be weird attending a party for your missing girlfriend’s birthday. ”

-

The idea that he and Link were in some way, shape or form made for each other made Kit want to roll his eyes so hard that they got stuck staring at the instead of his skull. This dude was unbelievable. Bringing up how cozy he used to get to Greer, teasing him. He was lucky Kit barely had the energy to be a functioning human in broad daylight right now. A comment like that would normally get his blood boiling. Too tired to give a proper crap this morning unfortunately. “It was awful. Thanks for asking,” Kit said in a tone that suggested he wasn’t in the mood to carry a conversation with Link. Or whatever it was they usually did. It was hardly ever a conversation. Mostly Link making his life hell with these inane little comments and Kit dealing with it until he got fed up and left. Today, given the miserable night he had, his patience was exceptionally thin. “I’m not in the mood today, Link. So kindly just piss off, alright?” Though he doubted that Link knew how to do anything kindly. Now that he had his phone, Kit was done here. With a tired sigh, he turned away from his tormentor and started back to his dorm.

-

Court practically visibly deflated, a dog skulking off with its tail between its legs when Kit told him to go back out to the party, his hand dropping back to his side. “Okay, okay,” he said, the words a bit of a whine as he retreated, leaning against the wall outside the door, one leg jittering as he waited for Kit to reemerge. He told himself he’d be more reserved, wait for Kit to reiterate that he wasn’t mad or anything and that wasn’t why he had rushed away, practically scolding Coco for following him, but that wasn’t really in his nature - and when Kit came back out, he bounded back up to him, arms looped around his waist from behind and chin tucked into his shoulder, dolefully looking up at the side of his face. “You’re not mad at me, are you?” he crooned, big blue eyes blinking up at Kit, Coco needing some sort of reassurance, hating the idea of anyone, but especially one of his closest friends like Kit being upset with him. 

-

Kit left the bathroom with hair wet as a mop and his trunks partially soaked. After Court left, he rushed to the closest sink and ran the tap at full blast, desperately scooping water over his head and face in an effort to cool down. He practically had his head shoved into the sink at one point in his desperation to alleviate the situation between his legs. Thankfully, cold water and a trip down Memory Lane — revisiting some of his most awkward and embarrassing moments — got the job down. He was refreshed and deeply relieved when the bathroom doors swung behind him. But then Court appeared out of nowhere — yet again — hugging him from behind, front pressed to Kit’s back and his chin tucked over his shoulder. “Bro...” He let out a weary sigh. “I’m not mad, Court. It’s totally cool, man. I just needed a moment to myself, you know? Private time.” He turned around and rested a hand over Court’s shoulder. “You’re good, bro. I could never be pissed at you.”

. 

“i’ll hold you to it my dude.” he smiled, though he was serious. kit needed to loosen up a bit, let go of whatever it was he was holding onto. leaky was one to talk. he raised an eyebrow at the other, a bit surprised by his rejection of leaky’s offer to be wingman, set him up for the night. maybe it’s cause he was still with greer? technically? leaky wasn’t quite sure what to do with the problem of your girlfriend disappearing, probably on her on volition. “aight, i respect it. gotta warm up the moves. besides, the best people to dance with are your bros right?” which was true for leaky too. despite being a great wingman he hadn’t really dated since iona…but he shut that door back tightly. “we can just hang out here, i can teach ya few more moves ya? and then we’ll bust them out step-up style at the next party.” 

-

“Exactly, bro. I’m keeping them under wraps until they’re stage-ready,” Kit said, keeping the mood light. “There’s no one better to dance with than the guys.” With the guys, things would be kept easy and fun. There was no pressure. It was all about having a goo time. Truthfully, Kit should be more willing to lean into the attention he got from girls. But he operated on his own timeline. Besides, he kind of had the starts of something going on with Sassa, and he really didn’t want to mess that up. He hooked an arm over Leaky’s shoulders, content to hang with his pal until another wave of panic kicked in and he had to kick his ass into gear to complete the dare G shot him over text. “Yeah, totally. Go all Mister Miyagi on me dance style. I’ll do my best.”

-

“Who doesn’t like Halloween?” Diego asked, shrugging his shoulders. It was easy to get in the spirit of Halloween, since the holiday wasn’t linked back to anything else. No family, or gathering together, or giving, just dressing up and acting like an idiot. What college student wasn’t going to celebrate that? Besides it was the first holiday back from summer break. So, everyone was excited for it. He turned to look at Kit as he continued to speak, raising his eyebrows a little bit. “No, I think that would be great,” he said smiling a little bit, “I know there are already some guys in the house who like you, and you seem like you’d be a great fit. So I think you should go for it.” He knocked his shoulder into Kit’s as they walked, his smile turning into a bit of a grin, “but just because you’re my roommate doesn’t mean I’ll take it easy on you when you pledge.”

-

To hear that Diego was not only with but thought it was a great idea that Kit wanted to pledge SAE was all the assurance the Sophomore needed to do it. A toothy half smile took shape on his mouth, all warm and fuzzy inside that Diego approved. “Cool.” Crescent indents formed on either side of his mouth as he smiled at his roommate. (And potential frat brother too if things all worked out!) “And hey, I wouldn’t expect any different. Really give me the full pledge experience. I’ll prove to you that I’m SAE material,” he said. A chuckle trailed after his words as they walked along. “Hey, what’s the reason you chose SAE? Did you always wanna be its President, or was that just like an opportunity that came up down the line?”

     “ shit, sorry — too close to home ? don’t worry, first and last time it leaves my mouth. i always thought it was pretty fucking gross when she called you that. ” that part at least, was true and genuine. there were many things that greer and kit did that link had to be the unfortunate witness of that made him want to spill his guts out. they purse their lips at him, “ so rude. you know, if you just said please from the start — ” he hands over the phone, to which kit responds by snatching immediately. understandable. “ — this would have gone along a lot easier. you’re welcome, by the way. could you imagine what would happen if this fell into the wrong hands ? ” he lets out a fake small gasp at the thought, followed by a grin. link didn’t really go through the phone at all, nor did he have an interest. but putting that thought alone into his head was pleasure enough. 

-

Instead of giving into his desire to pop Link right in the mouth with his fist, Kit merely shook his head in annoyance. “I swear it was like you were put together just to say things that totally piss me off,” Kit muttered in annoyance. A moment later, he was snatching his phone out of Link’s hand — the motion rude and swift. The insinuation Link put forth that there was something scandalous on Kit’s phone — and honestly, there might have been if he hadn’t remembered to delete a couple of photos he’s recently taken — had his heart bounding for his throat. He gulped, pressing the button on the side of his phone and glancing at the screen. It didn’t say his iPhone was disabled or anything, so there was a high chance Link was just fucking with him about having seen the contents within the device. “Thanks.” Though the word sounded anything but appreciative leaving Kit’s mouth. Sharp and biting. Almost a hiss, really. He shoved his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. “I’m surprised you didn’t sell it for a quick buck.” 

-

What were friends for, if not to be some of the best people to kiss? No pressure, just…indulging in each other. Coco could definitely get used to this, lips parting against Kit’s as he rocked underneath the other male slightly, just about to pull him in closer with Kit practically leapt away from him. His eyes snapped back open, looking at Kit with eyebrows slanting upwards, lips still parted as they had been before the kiss was interrupted. “You don’t have to apo -” the words weren’t even fully out before Kit was rushing away, Coco doing a double take, shaking his head as if it would clear his thoughts, somehow making whatever had just happened make sense. No such luck on that one, unfortunately. He got up, following after the direction Kit had run, long legs leading him in a bit of a jog until he caught up. 

“Hey,” he said softly, reaching out to grasp his shoulder. “What’s the matter?” Coco asked, a hint of a whine in the otherwise gentle words. 

-

Oh man, Court followed him? Kit whined a little, not wanting his bud to see him in such a state. He thought he’d be safe in the bathroom but apparently not. It didn’t help to feel Court’s warm grip over his bare shoulder either. Whatever Monty gave him, it was making him suuuuper sensitive to any touch. A gust of wind could probably have him creaming his pants. This Molly shit was dangerous. He kept his hands firmly cupped over his crotch, not needing Court to see just how much he enjoyed the kisses they shared moments ago. “Bro, it’s nothing. I just need to pee, I told you. Go back out there, it’s cool,” he insisted, desperately wanting to be alone for just five minutes so he could douse himself in cold water.