Truth or Dare

"Goo' joh!" He nodded to both of them, eyes shining in amusement.

Then he attempted to chew the mess in his mouth. It only took a few seconds for him to choke, and he coughed, sending mush spraying on the ground.

He glanced at Engel's lap, where a few soggy marshmallows had landed, and waited a few beats before bursting into laughter.

James was disgusted.

He liked the idea of the truth or dare game, but everyone shoving food into their mouths and talking with their mouths wide open was gross! His mom always told him talking with his mouth full was rude. He figured out very quickly not everyone was raised that way, but nevertheless, he found himslef grimacing in disgust and cringing back.

“Guys, can you please eat those things one at a time?”

Schadel, who had turned back into her grim reaper form and was in the middle of shoving far more marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers than humanly possible - hence the change in appearance - into her now very, very open jaw, paused and looked over at James with wide eyes. She wanted to give an answer, but her mouth was too full too, so she just frantically shook her head in the hopes that he'd understand it was because she couldn't talk right now.

Edward scooted a little closer over to where James, looking over the group with the same look of disgust and horror on his face.

Damascus contained himself and wiped the tears that had formed from laughing so hard out of the corners of his eyes. He let out a few more giggles and turned to James and Edward.

"S- sorry... I'll stop, promise." He lifted a single graham cracker to his mouth and nibbled it before remembering he had something else to say.

"Oo- lef's pleh va gahme!" He shouted around the graham cracker, spraying crumbs. "Enfel! Hof do weh pleh?"

"He already explained!" James said, admittedly a little annoyed, but tried to calm himself down. "We just gotta pick someone to start with." He paused, looking at Damascus, and then Boris. "Uh... would one of you guys wanna go first? Since it's your birthday?"

Boris swallowed hard, and in his haste, almost choked. He coughed.

"I'll go first! I choose dare." he said boldly.

"Oh! I have one!" James said, bouncing as he sat. "Sing your favorite song as loud as you can!"

Damascus was sure to swallow what was in his mouth before he encouraged Boris.

"Yes! Do that! Sing your favorite... ah- what's a song?" His voice tapered off at the end of this, and he looked sheepishly in Engel's direction, thinking that James might get annoyed if he asked him.

His eyes widened and he jumped up. "You don't know what a song is? Don't you have music where you come from? A song is the best thing ever!" he said enthusiastically, the bag of marshmallows and the game forgotten.

"I- I don't think we have music, no..." Damascus' eyes widened demurely in response to Engel's excitement, and he stood as well. "Oh, please tell me- it must be wonderful!"

Schadel and Edward both looked mortified at his revelation.

"But you have to have heard a song at least once before!" Schadel said, looking over at Damascus with wide silver eyes. "You got to have!"

"N- no, I haven't." Damascus cheeks started to flush pink as he glanced between his siblings.

He was still exited to hear a song, yes, but now was also embarrassed that it was such a big deal that he hadn't. He felt like he was missing out on something apparently very common, however joyous.

Damascus hadn't heard a song before? That was terrible! Boris had to fix that, immediately.

"It might sound weird magicked into your languages, but we'll just deal with it." Boris said. And that was how he introduced 'Weißt du, wie viel Sternlein stehen,' a song his mother would often sing.

Boris started out just fine, but as he went on, he got more and more comfortable, and more determined to truly fulfil the conditions of his dare, and with this new bravery, he started to get louder, more excited, and every now and again he'd butcher some lyrics, or mess up the key.
But he just picked back up where he'd left off, and started again from there. In the end, he just snorted at his mistakes, and let things be the way they were.
These were his brothers, and sister. It was alright, if it was them.

Boris kind of looked around at the trees after he'd stopped, a little embarrassed now that it was over. But he was alright. He was still smiling.

Spoiler

"Can you count the stars that brightly
twinkle in the midnight sky?
Can you count the clouds, so lightly
o'er the meadows floating by?
God, the Lord, doth mark their number,
with His eyes that never slumber;
He hath made them every one.

Can you count the wings now flashing
in the sunshine's golden light?
Can you count the fishes splashing
in the cooling waters bright?
God, the Lord, a name hath given,
to all creatures under Heaven;
He hath named them every one.

Do you know how many children
rise each morning blithe and gay?
Can you count their jolly voices,
singing sweetly day by day?
God hears all the happy voices,
in their merry songs rejoices;
and He loves them, every one."

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Db5R5p5ewPM

Engel's face lit up as he started singing it. He knew it, too! It was the one that Gunther had picked up when he went to town one day. He waited for Boris to finish the first verse and then hopped in on the second, remembering what he'd been taught in choir to jump into harmonizing.

"Can you count the wings now flashing
in the sunshine's golden light?
Can you count the fishes splashing
in the cooling waters bright?
God, the Lord, a name hath given,
to all creatures under Heaven;
He hath named them every one."

Boris turned to Engel, smiling brightly.

"Your harmonies were really good! I'm really glad you joined in. It's more fun with you."