9. Something in the way the blue lights on a black night can make you feel warm

[pompous_today]

Does the castle decorate itself like this every year? It is beautiful. As much as I feel like it shouldn't, being through another change in seasons is making this place feel a little more like a home. Not the home I should be in, but a home nonetheless.

I will have to look around at everything.

Zoe and Wash:

My friends, I would like to have dinner with the both of you some time so all of us can catch up, now that you have had time to settle.

[Open to action threads if you want to have kissy times somewhere in the castle! He will be wandering around the whole thing.]

Comments

[zoes_wash]

Oh, wow, ok, a dinner? That's...hell, an actual meal? Not around a table that was made out of prefab?

I'll wear my best shirt.

[At this point, his only shirt.]

[pompous_today]

Getting real food around here is quite easy, yes.

That is something I never realized I took for granted.

[zoes_wash]

[You can't hear the chuckle]

I've not had a dinner at a proper table that ain't on a ship or on some backwater farm in my entire life.

I'll try to keep my elbows off the table.

[pompous_today]

If that's the case, then I can most definitely excuse a little lack of table manners.

[zoe_alleyne]

Sounds almost like a celebration, given what's happened I got cause for celebratin. They have drinks here?

[pompous_today]

Anything you can think of to wish for.

dictated for now

[peacockherald]

It does go out of its way to decorate, but I get the feeling it likes doing so for any and all occasions it can get away with it realistically.

_{[Not like they can stop it, but hey.]}

dictated

[pompous_today]

Good to know. As long as it stays on the walls and doesn't end up on us, I could get used to that.

Re: dictated

[peacockherald]

Just because it is on the wall does not mean it cannot do anything to you.

_{[Dun dun dun.]}

dictated

[pompous_today]

... do I even want to know?

Re: dictated

[peacockherald]

If you think about what else this castle has done? That statement really isn't that farfetched.

dictated

[pompous_today]

I have not been here for long, but, well... my imagination is doing nicely.

Re: dictated

[peacockherald]

Yes, precisely. Do not let it run to rampant, lest the Castle get ideas.

dictated

[pompous_today]

I would not want that at all.

Re: dictated

[peacockherald]

Believe me, no one does.

What are you doing now? Avoiding the new trinkets the Castle set out?

[pompous_today]

Attempting to. They are very good at blending in, though.

[peacockherald]

No one can ever say this Castle is lazy when it comes to thinks like that, at least. One could spend the entire season trying to find the things it hides.

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

[Get back to her room, don't run into nutcrackers. Get back to her room, don't run into nutcrackers... Easy enough, right?

Until Rapunzel walks into someone.]

Oh! I'm sorry!

action!

[pompous_today]

[Simon's mind had been wandering, much like his feet had been when he unexpectedly walked into another person.]

Oh! Not at all.

[He takes note of the woman's absurdly-long hair, but is careful not to stare.]

I was distracted myself- I've just been looking at the decorations.

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

Oh, all right. And yes! They're pretty, aren't they? You just have to...

[But it's too late. There must be a nutcracker nearby, because she's feeling all light-headed looking at this guy... Not that it seems weird to her in the moment.]

action!

[pompous_today]

[Simon feels rather... odd, too. Not that he can quite place the feeling yet, but he is distracted once more as he leans closer.]

I... feel a bit more at home... yes...

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

That's good...

[It's a careless murmur before she closes the distance between them with a kiss.]

action!

[pompous_today]

[Simon returns the kiss without even thinking of it, before he breaks off and steps back, looking confused.]

... what just happened?

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

[Rapunzel ducks her head, sheepishly.]

That's how the castle celebrates Christmas, I think.

action!

[pompous_today]

[Simon swallows, a blush coloring his cheeks, and sticks a finger in his mouth, a nervous habit.]

My apologies- I don't even know your name, miss- I'm Simon- and... I did not mean for that to happen at all.

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

[She laughs, awkwardly.] It's really not your fault... And it's not the first time it's happened to me so far, either, so... Really, you don't have to apologize.

I'm sorry, too, though, Simon. I'm Rapunzel.

action!

[pompous_today]

Well, I would have preferred meeting in a less embarrassing way, but it's nice to meet you nonetheless.

[He then looks curious.]

It's happened to you before?

action!

[ftssusstgsetfwe]

It's nice to meet you, too.

[Her smile was easier for a moment, but at the mention of past occurrences of kissing, it gets uncomfortable again.]

Yes, a few days ago. It's um... It's very strange.