This is Halloween!

[we_bring_hell]

The Bar loves her holidays, but she is also capable of respecting religious strictures. That's why she put a lot of thought into finding a Halloween costume for Harrow that works with her face paint and general insistence on the monochromatic.

Harrow, for her part, is baffled by the white-pinstriped black suit and the oversized bow, but the gloves are very cool, and the buckled shoes suit as well. She has no idea what's going on but she can live with this.

The Bar seems even more unusually populated than usual, and there are a lot of gourds around. Hm.

Comments

[we_do_bones]

"Yeah, me neither. I guess I really only know you three."

And Moiraine and Tom, but also, not really?

But thinking about cute single people that she knows makes her think about Dulcinea, and that makes her feel really weird, so she hops away from the thought with a quickness.

Three is still more people than she's ever cared to know before Canaan House, though. She turns to glance over the crowd. "Pretty good pickings tonight, anyhow."

[lightamidchaos]

He does not think it prudent to mention whatever brief connection had existed between Harrow and Ingress. Not only does he not know the extent of it, but there is no need to have anyone drinking vinegar, not now, when it is so clearly unnecessary.

(Due to timeline manipulation, the narrative regrets that he has not yet seen Ingress's costume and so cannot remark on it. Alas.)

"Mn."

Somehow, despite only being a single syllable, it sounds dry.

"This event is certainly popular."

[we_do_bones]

(It is truly tragic they have neither of them seen Ingress in her costume yet, but good in the sense that Gideon's eyes haven't rolled right out of her head.)

"I guess people like dressing up in costumes," she hazards, though she doesn't really understand why. What's the point? To do things you'd otherwise never do? Just fucking do them without all the fuss and stop worrying about it.

...is what Gideon would say if anyone asked her opinion.

Also, this feels like something the Third or Fifth would do, and while Gideon has fond memories of two of the Fifth, the Third can fall straight into the heart of Dominicus for all she cares.

(Maybe except for Corona. Damn.) "Seems like a lot of fuss for a bunch of people who already spend all their time together."

[lightamidchaos]

"I suppose."

Absently, he fiddles with the cuff of his shirt and the soft blue sweater over it, which are so much more tight-fitting than the sleeves of his robes.

"I never particularly liked banquets and festivals."

Too loud, too many people, too much in all too many ways.

"This is strange. But not ... bad."

[we_do_bones]

It isn't actually more people than the whole of the Ninth, but it feels as though it is, with them all crowded in here together, and she nods in understanding.

When you come from a place with more skeletons than living bodies, a room this packed feels claustrophobic. "We could get some air, if you want."

[lightamidchaos]

"I would like that. If you do not mind."

It has not escaped him that she offered to keep him company, rather than sending him away alone, and he finds himself strangely charmed by that.

[we_do_bones]

Strangely charming is Gideon's bread and butter, honestly.

She makes for the door to the outside, pushing her way through the crowd as best she can, until a brainwave strikes. "Here, you go first –"

She maneuvers Lan Wangji in front of her and says: "Spread those wings, man! Let's make some room."

[lightamidchaos]

He gives her a very startled look over his shoulder as she pushes him forward, but quickly realizes what she's suggesting.

He concentrates for a moment, and both white wings sweep up and out, curving softly forward, white feathers bright in the light of the inn.

It draws some stares, certainly; but as he starts to move toward the door, people clear the space in front of them.

[we_do_bones]

It's a time-tested strategy from the ancient Dragon Conventions of ages past, and it works a treat here: Bar partons wishing to keep their eyes move themselves aside and Gideon and Lan Wangji reach the door much more quickly than would otherwise have been possible.

"Nicely done," she grins, and holds the door open for him. "After you."

[lightamidchaos]

He lowers his wings, holding them tightly to his back, and steps outside.

"It was a good idea."

It is much quieter out here, and he takes a deep breath.

[we_do_bones]

It is pretty nice. The air is crisp and cool and there are clouds scudding across the sky. It took Gideon a while to get used to actual sky and weather at Canaan House, but now she can just relax and enjoy them.

"When we got to the First," she says, after a moment's silence, "Harrow made me pretend I had a vow of silence. She told me I wasn't allowed to talk to anyone. It annoyed me at the time, but I did it."

She leans her head back, looks up at the stars. "Here, she told me I could. But half the time I don't know what to say, you know? And when I'm around that many people... Sometimes I wish she'd told me to keep my mouth shut here, too."

[lightamidchaos]

He nods.

"'Do not use frivolous words' is one of the rules of Gusu Lan," he says, after a moment.

"I... speak less than most. It is -- difficult, sometimes."

[we_do_bones]

All of Gideon's words are frivolous, usually, so she would probably have to keep her mouth shut there, too.

"Is Gusu Lan where you're from?" she asks, instead of saying so, proving that she can focus when she wants to. "What's it like?"

Other than...quiet.

[lightamidchaos]

"It is my sect," he explains. "Lan is the family name, and Gusu the location. My home is the Cloud Recesses. It sits high on a mountain in Gusu."

He looks out at the lake, watching the moonlight on the water.

"It is beautiful there," he says, after a moment. "Clear mountain streams and mist in the trees; crisp air and snow in winter, flowers and green in summer."

He pauses, and slants a glance at her to see if he should go on.

[we_do_bones]

"Sounds nice," says Gideon, encouragingly in response to his glance. This is by far the most she's ever gotten out of Lan Wangji and she's not stopping now!

[lightamidchaos]

"It is."

He sounds a little wistful.

[we_do_bones]

She puts her hands in her pockets and looks out over the water. Gideon is not exactly one for introspection (somewhere she knows Harrow is rolling her eyes); she just feels what she feels and tries not to overthink it.

And right now what she feels is that she wants Lan Wangji to feel comfortable with her. She doesn't over-analyze it, just goes along with the instinct. "There's a lot of water on the First," she says. "Canaan House is on an island. I'd never seen anything like it...the Ninth is basically just a pit drilled down into the center of its planet. The First has rain, and probably snow. When we saw it from space, I couldn't believe any one thing could be that brilliant and blue."

But Canaan House is a mouldering ruin and a death trap, and that has taught her that beauty might just be hiding a monster beneath.

"I haven't seen mountains, though. Haven't been to any, I mean – I know there are some here. And I've never seen the difference between summer and winter."

[lightamidchaos]

He is quiet for a while, then --

"I would show you, if I could. Perhaps eventually. If you want. I know that others are not... fond of Gusu Lan, but the Cloud Recesses are truly lovely. And I think I could find a way, if we avoided the other disciples."

He is still looking out over the lake.

"Or it may be that the weather will change here with the seasons. I have not been here long enough to know."

[we_do_bones]

A chance to see another world? "Hell yeah, I want," she says, eagerly, touched by his offer. Lan Wangji is reserved, sure, but he'd joked with her earlier and he opted to come spend time with her outside, so she's going to take this all as a win.

For the foundling of the Ninth, where the only people to pay her any attention was a gruff old soldier and her childhood enemy, any hand outstretched in friendship is one to enthusiastically grasp.

The glance she turns on him, though, is a little rueful. "You sound like you miss it, kinda."

[lightamidchaos]

He nods.

"I have been in seclusion," he tells her. "In Cold Pond Cave, for nearly three years. As punishment."

He doesn't look away from the water as he tells her this, but his expression is calm.

"I have not seen the rest of Cloud Recesses in that time. But my seclusion will end in a few weeks."

[we_do_bones]

"Bro that sucks," says Gideon, no stranger herself to solitary confinement as punishment.

She's never had to do it for three years, though. Three weeks, maybe, and honestly she could always have used a little more time away from Crux and the Gang.

[lightamidchaos]

There is no mistaking it - the soft huff that escapes him is laughter, and there is a small smile on his face when he turns to look at her.

"Yes," he says, simply.

"You sound as if you know."

[we_do_bones]

"Not that long, but yeah."

She bends down to select one of the stones lying near their feet, stands, and slings it side-arm out over the water. It skips twice and sinks. "I don't know how much Harrow told you about what it was like before Canaan House, but I've been a thorn in the side of the Ninth my whole life. Literally since I was born. The Marshal of the Ninth and I...we never saw eye to eye. I spent a lot of time locked up in my cell to think about what I'd done."

She bends to pick up another stone, but doesn't throw it right away. She turns it over between her fingers, marveling at its smoothness.

"Honestly, it was usually Harrow punishing me."

[lightamidchaos]

He nods, and keeps his silence on what Harrow had confided in him.

"I am glad things have changed. For both of you."

[we_do_bones]

"Yeah, samesies."

She tosses the rock now; this one just plops into the water with a faint splash. "I guess in a place like this anything can happen, right?"