estdeus_innobis | After the snow has fallen

Wednesday, early evening; after the snow has stopped but the power is still out.

It seems that I missed some excitement last night. When I came through from the apartment to the inn proper in the late morning, I found a note from Adam.

Boss -
There was a bit of a ruckus here last night. Some girl took her clothes off and got offended when Billy Hogan got fresh. A fight broke out - just the usual broken glasses. Will tell you more about it when I'm in next. Don't believe everything any of the regulars tell you - I was the only one who wasn't drunk.
A.

I would, perhaps, have got to hear some of those stories, and I must say I'm terribly curious, but then it started snowing. It has been a long time since I saw snow fall like it did this afternoon; since I lived in New London, I think, for Versailles was warmer. The Whitechapel is quiet enough during the early afternoons anyway, so we locked the front door, Cora and Peter soon settled into a high stakes game of gin rummy, and I went to make sure that Hermia and Alice were alright. Luckily we have plenty of food and firewood, and the apartment is well furnished with candles.

The snow has settled down now, but it is very dark outside and the power is still out. So I come back into the bar and Cora - cheerful for once, having managed to take most of Peter's wages for this week - and I get the fire banked as high as possible and line the windows with candles so that passerby can see that we are open, and I unlock the front door. I imagine that many people's homes will be very cold and very dark this evening, and what better cure for that than company and alcohol?

[OPEN]

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Valmont's got Alice, and I think again that he's a good guy, and not just for a townie. If he's got any idea who's in his bar right now that his kid's cuddling up to and he's managing not to panic and make it worse, he's a really good guy.

And then Gaueko's gone and back again, and oh yeah, I remember that trick, and for a second my fingers reach for smooth hot metal to push against. There was ice everywhere then too.

Alice says his name right as the windows rattle in their frames, and I shoot them a quick look, 'cause that sounded a bit odd. I understand wanting that in principle, I really really do, but I am pretty sure that "I've got one hell of a bone to pick with you, you inbred little fuck!" came out louder than anything else anyone has been saying. "No-one's yelling, hon," I say gently, glancing over to where Iago and Lannie are sitting down with Gaueko. "No-one's hitting each other, no-one's yelling." No-one is hitting each other, and I guess that seems kinda odd given how Gaueko blew up on the midway when Tez went after Anushka--

Okay, actually, that seems maybe more than kinda odd. He was on Tez's throat about three seconds after Tez touched Anushka and saw her, really saw her, and he hasn't even touched this guy (and oh, really, married to his daughter? Fuck me with a chainsaw).

"It's gonna be okay," I say to Alice, sitting down at the table with her and Simon, and wiping my eyes, and yeah they're still leaking but I'm grinning. I'm pretty sure it's true, true enough, all gonna be fine. Lower my voice and sneak another look at the table. "He's got a kid?" I say softly to Simon. "I didn't know gods did-- I don't know." I'm trying to imagine Lugh or Eris babysitting, Tez running around after someone the way I used to need to keep an eye on Sabela and Xay, Verdi even being old enough to have a kid. It's all really weird.

I won't say it doesn't sting a little when Alice pulls away from me and says Gaueko's name. He likes her because he sees the oddity in her, whatever it is that can make lamps flicker and doors shut, and, I think, because her fragility reminds him of Anushka.

We know how well that ended.

There are a few of us at this table now, and although I stay standing I am by Alice's chair, between her and Gaueko - who is any case is now at the door after a little show of power. I have seen neater tricks than that in my time in Excolo.

"You'll be able to build snowmen tomorrow," I say to Alice. "I wonder if the pond at the park has iced up enough to skate on yet."

He's shouting again, for all the girl's asking him to stop. A flare of power from her. Human sort of thing, all anger and upset and energy. Shoot a glance at the pes but it seems like he's just blustering now.

Zann sits down with us. Wipes at her eyes, and I smile at her. Starting to realize the effect I have on her, for all I don't mean to. "He's got a kid?" She says it soft, and he might not notice. "I didn't know gods did-- I don't know."

I shake my head. "His by blood and nothing more. She's her mother's daughter, not his." Frown at his back. "It happens, between gods and mortals. Usually it's trouble."

The big man says there's no yelling anymore and he's right, there isn't, but the colors said different, still flaring up angry and scared as I look around. I don't like it, the words not matching the colors, and there's nothing to do with Valmont setting me at a table and the snow coming down outside to keep us all in.

"You'll be able to build snowmen tomorrow," comes from Valmont, and his words don't match either, with his colors all sorts of worried even though his voice is trying for nice. "I wonder if the pond at the park has iced up enough to skate on yet."

My eyes are on Gaueko, not the window, even if I wanted to look at the snow before. I'm not angry anymore, all that seeping out of me and just leaving worry bubbling up in my throat, wanting to come out my eyes and streak down my cheeks. The wolf lady is mad and she's looking at Gaueko and then he'll get hurt and the angel man will take him to heaven and-

"Why are you here?" I ask the angel man, my face gone serious with the windows still wanting to rattle from the wind and the glasses on the table doing the same. "Nobody's gonna die. Nobody." And that's that.

I think she's listening to Valmont, but she's looking at Gaueko, and she's got that funny tight set to her throat that always pulls down the corners of your mouth, and her eyes are shining, and then she turns to Simon looking serious as... well. As death, was what I was gonna think, but I kinda can't being myself to finish the thought.

"Alice, honey?" I say, reaching out to touch her hand. "No-one's gonna hurt him. Honest. I've seen him pick a fight with the night sky, I sweartogod I have, and he just strolled away at the end of it all. No-one's gonna hurt him." It's quiet and kinda awkward for a second and I try to find something to say, manage a smile. "Don't be upset, okay, hon? Please? It'll be okay?"

Girl's watching them argue, her eyes wide. Looks to me sudden - "Why are you here?" Question makes my breath catch. "Nobody's gonna die. Nobody." Oh. Shake my head again. "Not for me to say, little one." Zann pipes up. "Alice, honey?" Touches the girl's hand, and I think she might be more reassuring. "No-one's gonna hurt him. Honest. I've seen him pick a fight with the night sky, I sweartogod I have, and he just strolled away at the end of it all. No-one's gonna hurt him." She smiles at the girl. "Don't be upset, okay, hon? Please? It'll be okay?"

Lean forward. "I'm just here for a drink, little one. Wasn't planning and carrying anyone home, tonight."

To be honest, I'm not interested in finding out what Simon is, because from the way Alice is looking at him he's not quite an ordinary man, and although Alice has - problems - I know she sees things I do not. I know. But I am quite happy at the moment to continue to believe that Simon is just a butcher. And I do not like the way Alice keeps looking over at Gaueko.

"Alice, my dear," I say quietly, "it must be your bedtime. Come on, I'll take you upstairs."

"Not for me to say, little one," the angel man says, his voice not making me feel any better when it washes over. Not for him, not for him, and I know that, it's not for man to know the time and maybe not angels either. But I still don't like it.

"Alice, honey?" The pieces lady is talking now and her voice is better, her colors too; at least the ones I can see through the tick tock work. "No-one's gonna hurt him. Honest. I've seen him pick a fight with the night sky, I sweartogod I have, and he just strolled away at the end of it all. No-one's gonna hurt him. Don't be upset, okay, hon? Please? It'll be okay?"

"Okay," croaks out from my mouth, easier to say looking at the pieces lady and not... Him.

Though he's talking again, leaning forward even, so I can see the face he wears better through all the light. It's a man face, which is kinda weird 'cause I know it's not right. "I'm just here for a drink, little one. Wasn't planning and carrying anyone home, tonight."

"Promise?" That comes out easier, because a promise is a promise and that's that. No getting out of it. "Everybody's all mad now. Everybody's gonna get hurt now." I shake my head, don't want to think about it, told the pieces lady I wouldn't get upset so I don't want to think about it.

"Alice, my dear. It must be your bedtime. Come on, I'll take you upstairs."

I don't want to go to bed, even now. Sitting here is better, even though my head is starting to hurt. I still don't like the way the wolf lady is looking at Gaueko, not at all, and even if there are promises, something bad could happen. It makes something twist in me, just to think about it.

But I know I shouldn't misbehave. I already came downstairs when I wasn't supposed to and I don't want to get in trouble, with Valmont being so nice about me talking back before. So I nod, small and slow, before getting up from the table. A look over to Gaueko and I think maybe people are leaving, no more fighting or angry words. I give him a little smile and follow Valmont upstairs.

After the snow has fallen

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