all that glitters is gold [AFTERPARTY]

[sixfingeredstan]

[It's been a very long, and very upsetting morning, and honestly, Ford is feeling goddamn drained. All the events of the day have hit him like a ton of bricks. And as much as he wants nothing more than to sleep for about a week...well. There's work to do.

After talking it over with Fiddleford, his first mission is hitting the kitchen and scraping together all the eggs, potatoes, and onions he can find. It takes him a good few hours, but eventually he's got five big casserole dishes full of kugel, steaming hot, fresh out of the oven. He stacks up a big pile of plates, forks, and serving utensils and carries it all into the lounge in trips.

Next is the business of the still. Between the two of them, the two Fords manage to get it into the lounge and set it up on a table where it's easy to access. Ford also pilfers a big glass jug of apple juice for the kids and puts it nearby. All the adults are free to partake of a cup of Fiddleford's sugar shine. They'll be needing it, tonight.

Lastly, are the notes. Ford writes them all out in his neat, block lettering, and slips one under each door—pausing at the doors of the deceased with a sad frown each time.

The lounge is quiet while they wait for everyone to arrive, save for the sounds of banjo music....

Comments

[chainbroke]

[ She shakes her head and squeezes his hand. ]

You don't have to apologize. It's... you didn't mean to get hurt.

[toogoodforhim]

No... I heard someone screaming and I thought... It was Thursday night.

[chainbroke]

[ She swallows hard. ]

I... Th-they're gone. Wander and Sylvia-- and Tarzan, too, b-but, we think he's still alive, just... not here. He hasn't been here for... a while.

[toogoodforhim]

[He didn't know Sylvia that well, or Tarzan either, but Wander...believed in him. Called him a hero.

He squeezes his eyes shut. Some hero.]

Come here, Nene.

[Come here and give him a hug you look like you're about to faint.]

[chainbroke]

[ She nods and climbs onto his bed. She's... so tired. So, so tired.

But she'll never refuse a hug. ]

I'm sorry-- you're still recovering, I shouldn't have put all of that on you so quickly.

[toogoodforhim]

[He wraps her up in a hug when she's close enough, rests his cheek on her head.]

I'm sorry I wasn't there... You're okay. We're okay...

[chainbroke]

It's alright... Resting was much more important.

[ She's practically clinging, by now. ]

As long as you're okay.

[toogoodforhim]

[He'll let her cling as long as she needs. He remembers how she clung to him after the last trial, hopes she had someone to cling to for this one.]

I'll be good as new in no time, don't worry about me.

[He can't be a burden. Or worse, everyone may forget him, or leave him.]

[chainbroke]

[ Ah. The way he talks, it's so familiar, it's like... she hears herself when he talks. So casual, not... not wanting anyone to worry.

Nobody needs to keep a bunch of memories that aren't real, right? You want to remember all of the people who are really important to you.

Anybody would choose that. ]

Lefou...

[ Naminé?

Don't worry. ]

I don't think I can make that kind of promise. [ She smiles a little weakly. ] I'm sorry.

[toogoodforhim]

[He's a little surprised that she actually answers him, but he gives her a smile anyway and ruffles her hair.]

...I know. You care so much.

It just tears me up to think that I could be part of the reason you're not smiling. Can you promise to try and have a smile for me, Nene?

[He gently nudges her slightly-smiling cheek.]

There, like that one.

[chainbroke]

Ah--

[ Well, heck. She can't disappoint him. Naminé wipes at her eyes a little, preemptively doing her best to stem the tears, and she manages a slightly bigger smile. ]

... Like this?

[toogoodforhim]

[He answers her smile with one of his own.]

Just like that.

[And he boops her nose.]

[chainbroke]

[ She lets out a little laugh. baby's first nose boop ]

W-well, as long as you smile, too.

[toogoodforhim]

You've got a deal.

[chainbroke]

[ She holds up a hand, one pinky extended. ]

Promise?

[toogoodforhim]

[It takes him a minute of looking back and forth from that little smile to her finger (she's so small if anything happens to her he's going to... well, break, honestly, I was trying to make a "kill everyone in the room and then himself" joke but she's too pure even for that) to process what she's asking for.

But he extends his own pinky and hooks it around hers, glancing at her to see if he's doing the right thing.]

Promise.

[chainbroke]

[ She looks happy at that, her smile a little wider. She brings their hands, joined at the pinky, up once, then down. ]

It's called a pinky promise... It's just like a real promise, but I've seen kids do it before.