foolishmortals | An Early Mardi Gras

[That was certainly...an ordeal, alright. These trials just kept getting worse and worse as time went on. Within the span of twenty-four hours, six more people died. Four of them had been friends. And Lekmet, he--he thought--

Never mind that. Everyone else was probably hurting just as bad as he was. Last week, Kim had told Louis that he shouldn't be alone while he was sad--that sympathy probably extended to everyone else. He had to do something to help. The dead deserved a decent send off.

Well, except maybe Negaduck. But that's different.

After the trial, Louis seems to have disappeared back into his room. After a few hours, though, a messy, handwritten note is shoved under everyone's door.]

(EARLY) MARDI GRAS PARTY
-JAZZ
-DRINKS AND FOOD
-FUN AND FRIENDS
[He neglected to put the location down on the invite, but one can follow the sound of Louis's trumpet into the dining room. The place has been draped with colorful, half-finished banners--gold, purple, and green. Further down the table, a few bottles of alcohol and fruit juice have been neatly lined up next to a stack of paper cups. There's also a pasta bar set up, with individual bowls of spaghetti, pasta sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Hardly Mardi Gras food, but it's the only thing Louis knows how to make. At least there's also a plate of beignets.

Standing at the back of the room is Louis, playing trumpet like his life depends on it. His repertoire for tonight? The songs he's heard while watching humans parade through New Orleans on Mardi Gras. Songs about being carefree, about forgetting your worries, about enjoying life while it lasts.

Louis doesn't seem particularly interested in talking right now. He's not going to let people mope tonight. They deserved a good fucking party after everything, dammit, and they were going to get one.]

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I-I wasn't! Trying to be a hero-! I-I know I wasn't in my right mind, which doesn't really excuse it, a-and. I don't know!! I can't believe a bunch of stupid elephants and the outside whatever just-

[He's still trying to rationalize the big time fuck-up he caused.]

I'm a murderer.

[There we go! Not to mention being extremely shady during those trial checks, huh?]

[Shit. He grabs Lekmet's shoulder, trying to calm (?) him down.]

Woah, woah, woah, maybe that's goin' a biiiit too far. [THINK LOUIS THINK] I mean, Kim...Kim thought she was doin' the right thing, and look what happened. And you thought you were doin' the right thing, and the duck was actually hated by most everyone.

...I don't know where I was going with this, actually. Look, don't you see? I'm not mad about the fact that he's dead, I'm angry that you were ready to die!

[The goat is Calmed...slightly.]

I... Death won't be permanent, despite how gruesome it-- [His possible execution] --could have been.

I'm-- sorry for scaring you like this. I'm so sorry.

[Just gonna try hold Louis' paw. On one hand he's a little relieved the gator doesn't shun him like Lekmet assumed the others would. On the other, he's screaming internally about his mind being absolute whack]

Does it matter if it's permanent or not? You'd--You'd still be dead.

[And that's not something he'd want.

Oh. Oh they're holding hands now okay. This is fine. This is great. He doesn't move away, but he becomes visibly more nervous.]

It's...It's alright. You had to do what you had to do. But--But next time you get a dumb idea like that in your head, I won't be so forgivin', y'hear? You ain't dyin' on my watch.

[His tone is light, trying to convey Its Joke. He can't find the words to say what he means.]

[He's got a weird theory about the dead having something in common, but he'll keep it to himself for now. Also he's gonna give Louis' paw a few awkward pats before letting go. At least they're still alive, which was something.]

Haha...you got it.

[A weak smile. Words are hard.]

Also I uh...may have gone overboard with cooking.

[There's a pang of regret as Lekmet pulls his hand away, but Louis is too damn nervous to do anything about it. Christ. Romance always looked so easy when he was being someone's wingman.]

You...excuse me? You cooked what now?

[Hm. This was new information. Maybe this was how the goat coped.]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[time to SCREAM INTERNALLY]

I cooked a lot of bird. It's fine.

[honestly how has the manor not run out of fresh supplies yet, with how much they're cooking?]

[...........Pats Lekmet's shoulder.]

I...I dunno if people have the stomach to eat it right now, but it's fine. You did good. Offerin' some people an alternative to pasta.

[An idea springs into Louis's head, and he smiles softly at Lekmet.]

Y'know, I oughta learn some stuff 'bout cookin' from you. I always watched my friend do it for me, but...I'm startin' to see some benefit in learnin' myself.

[please please please take the hint lekmet]

[Leaps at the chance like a moth drawn to a flaming gay source]

Pasta's good! Your cooking's perfect so far, I just gotta stop cooking too much extra.

We could pick up a couple more recipes and try them out- move on from brownies and jump into making beignets.

[what's subtlety?]

R-Really? Well, I wouldn't say it's perfect, I mean, I still got a long way to go, and the pasta sauce was just from the jar, and, uh, it was just about puttin' the pasta in the boilin' water and--

[COUGHS HES RAMBLING ISNT HE]

Anyways. Brownies sound good! Chocolate is good for eatin' your feelings away. Should we try sometime later this week?

Food is a bit of an art- you can experiment around with ingredients and quantities; It's still good. We ought to share...a plate...

[slow down there loverboy]

Yep! I think there's an Earth event around this time, what's it called? Something to do with chocolates and stuff.

Hah. Yeah, maybe if we make enough for everyone!

[ the point ---> .

. <---- louis]

Oh, Valentines Day? Yeah, I've seen people do stuff, but really, it don't compare to Mardi Gras festivities. You really oughtta come down to New Orleans to see!

[HE'S TRYING HIS BEST it's okay they got this]

We could combine and make it a week long event! Gotta make the best out of it. And definitely! Wouldn't want to miss it.

[Did...did he tell Louis about the scissors yet, Lekmet can't remember. Either way, not even death is gonna stop him from visiting once they're out of here!]

W-Week long, huh?

[That's certainly some nervous laughter right there!]

Actually, that sounds kinda fun! Maybe we could ask Rem--

[Shit. His expression quickly turns sour.]

Actually, it's fine. Maybe we can find a Cajun cookbook or somethin' in the library. I-I'm sure they have stuff there.

[Oof. There's an audible wince there.]

The library's pretty helpful for recipes! Found a couple of cookbooks here and there. Mostly Earth-dimension-specific, but from what I've made they all taste pretty good!

An Early Mardi Gras

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