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Who: Gilbert Nightray & open!
When: All day on the 7th
Where: Funtom Bakery
Summary: Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and a neutral business is doing their part to make sure that people enjoy the most important part of the holiday: THE PIES. Come get a free pie.
Warnings: Warning for cavities. No really, brush your teeth after eating, kids.

This is Gilbert's third time witnessing this modern holiday in Siren's Port. It's a different sort of tradition than his own world's celebration of welcoming in the harvest with a large feast, but then, there's nothing in this world that mirrors his own when it comes to holiday and tradition. Still, he and Funtom are doing their part to promote charity and goodwill by offering a free pumpkin pie ('One per customer, please!' proclaims a sign on the counter with a childish sketch of a happy black rabbit sitting in a teacup.) to complete your meal tomorrow evening!

Come in and get your free pie, sit down and enjoy tea and pastries, or just come in to bother the baker as he moves from the kitchen to the front counter to help pass them out.

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A break? Well, he's ready to give some lie like 'I just had a break!' or 'Oh, it's far too busy for me to take a break now!' but before he can come up with either of these (or choose one of them as a plausible lie) one of the other people on the floor (one who finds amusement in all of this, clearly) turns to him and tells him to take a break now. He's worked hard all day, after all, and deserves one!

Gil only stares at the young man and gives him his best get me the hell out of here please!! look in return. Abort mission!!

"Um...!"

"Ooh!" Hattie squeals again once Break's co-workers oh-so-helpfully lets Gil spend some quality time with her, "Thank you so much~." is her cheerful reply to them, and of course wastes no time dragging him away from the counter and someplace a little less busy.

There aren't too many options, but the fact of the matter is, she'd prefer to have other people nosing in on her 'very important' business anyway. It makes her feel extremely important and envyable.

"Gilbert, you simply wouldn't believe what a week I have had!" she starts, "When I had returned my useless handmaid had completely forgotten who I was, and then the next thing I know she's left the port! Well, I have the house back now, needless to say." At that point she begins to ramble about a few clothing commissions she had to take care of, which was actually far more than a few since Ella had sold them all when Hattie was gone. She then proceeds to talk about how much money she's lost, which quickly changes to a shoe sale she wanted to go to tomorrow. "What is your favorite color, anyway?"

He should give up, he knows. Give up and just let this woman believe that somehow the two of them are in some bizarre, nonsensical relationship until she finally gets bored with his antics (which she has to, right?!) or realizes that he's been telling the truth all this time and has no way of ever being able to be with her.

Most of what she says goes right over his head, partially because he's never understood how people can worry about things like clothes and shoes, and partially because he's just too anxious to be able to see past his stress and pay close enough attention to all of those words. He does hear her question, however, so he goes with answering that as she drags him to the emptier part of the store.

"Color? Ah...black counts as one, right?"

".. Black?" Hattie asks, clearly surprised by this. It wasn't what she was expecting at all. However soon it's clear that it is a pleasent surprise to the fashionista, "You don't say! Black is a mysterious color associated with the unknown, you know. It's also associated with elegance and, most importantly, power."

Suddenly there's a silk fan in her hand, snapped open to fan herself with. Notably, it's orange in color, "Mine is orange which, by the way, is another powerful color. Needless to say, they're very compatible, isn't that just amazing?"

"Oh, but more to the point, Halloween will be coming up you know. I was thinking we should do something as a couple. Your house is going to hold a party, yes?"

He's about to open his mouth and ask how colors can be compatible (even though he knows it'll probably end in a long explanation that he doesn't understand half of) but mention of a party stops his short. Had Ciel planned on it? More than likely he would; it was one of those things that had been expected of him, but so far he hadn't discussed it with Gilbert at all.

"W-well, I don't really know much about Halloween to begin with! But I'll probably be taking Oz and Ahiru out somewhere..."

"Oz and.. Ahiru?" Hattie recognized both of those names, and as she thought about it a little more, she decides he must be taking them Trick or Treating, "Oh that's so cute!" she cries with a light clap of her hands.

"I do not have much experience in the matter myself, though I am all for dressing up for any reason. So why don't we all go together?" she suggests, "They are getting dressed up, right? We should dress up, too! We'll look like a big, happy family. Wouldn't that just be adorable?"

"F-family?!"

No, he won't cause a scene, he won't cause a scene! Not here in his place of work where people actually sort of maybe respect him a tiny bit...he still has a small shred of dignity here! Very, very small, but it's still there! He drops his voice back down.

"No, that's not a good idea at all...!"

Hattie looks surprised by the outburst, leaning back just a touch. Was it of joy? Confusion? It was difficult to say, but it was up to Hattie to make sure that he become a little less shy.

"Well I suppose you're right, chaperones dressing up too much may be overdoing it a little bit. Very well, we won't have to do that, but I'll still need to make something decent to wear.." the blonde looks thoughtful for a moment, though shortly after appears to let it go, "I suppose I'll need to head to the fabric store, I'm better inspired in places like that."

"So then, let's keep in touch. I'll give your people a call and we can work out the 'where' and the 'when' sometime next week, all right?"

He doesn't answer her, he only keeps his eyes on the ground as she speaks and swallows back more protests to try and calm his voice down before he speaks again. This charade, as painful as it is for him to deal with - is she really okay with it? Has she convinced herself that it's okay to lie to herself, or does she honestly not understand his feelings?

Why don't relationships make any sense?!

He sighs and ventures, calmly, "Why haven't you given up yet...?"

Hattie, of course, waits patiently enough for a begrudging 'Yes'. So what he does end up saying seems to catch her by surprise. Hattie is just the type that believes what she wants to believe, reality be damned.

"Why would I 'give up' exactly?" Hattie queries, her expression falling a bit more neutral, "I don't waste my time on things that I don't think will work. And besides, you need someone like me. You realize that, don't you?"

He's honestly not entirely sure of what he needs. He's been asking himself for all this time, at home and here in this strange modern world, just what it is that he needs. And he's been conflicted all that time between the ghosts of his pasts and the reality of the twisted present, but in this case, he knows one thing for sure.

"I'm sorry, but no matter how hard you work at it, nothing will ever change," he answers, shaking his head. "It isn't fair for you...to waste your time trying to be attached to a person like me."

Hattie crosses her arms, draws in a long breath, then sighs with a small smile, "I expected you to say that, of course.. It's what you always say. I'm probably not even the first person you've said it to, am I?"

She snaps her fan shut, then sets her other hand upon her hip as she tries to poke him on the the chest with it. "All right, if you're so certain, why don't you explain to me why it won't change? Do you transform into a werewolf at night? Are you in love with someone else, perhaps? Or maybe you have no interest in me?"

"No - that's not it at all!"

He holds up a hand and shakes his head again, defensively, but he doesn't attempt to stop her from poking at him. In love with someone else...if he found any part of this whole situation amusing, he'd laugh.

"I'm bound to my duty! There's no way that I could entertain the idea of...ah...dating or - marriage or any of that--!"

'Bound to my duty'. That was new. Did he tell her that before? She couldn't remember.. But the passion in his voice then was.. ......

That was hot.

Hattie snapped her fan open, fanned herself, then gave an awkward laugh as her cheeks reddenned, "M- My goodness. Is that so? Yes, I suppose in those circumstances a relationship like ours would almost seem.. 'Forbidden', wouldn't it?"

Finally she traced a small circle on his chest with a fingertip, "Shall we talk more about that after work? At someplace quiet, perhaps?"

F-forbidden...

Why does this suddenly feel like one of Lady Sharon's strange novels?! He knows how those end, and he's very, very afraid that this is going to end the same way. He steps away from her touch, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"I wouldn't use that word at all!" he yelps, his voice cracking on the last word. "There's nothing to discuss! I'm telling you outright that this can never happen!"

It really does. And it is the best. If no one writes about this on the day they're wed, she may just have to do so herself! That aside, as Gilbert retreats, Hattie stalks forward with an innocent enough smile- if it weren't for a slightly unsettling and aggressive gaze.

"Well of course you wouldn't," she teases, "And I know what you said! .. Doesn't that just make it even more exciting?"

Ah but no.. Now isn't a good time for Hattie to get herself caught up in the moment, not in Gilbert's workplace! She has a reputation as a lady to upkeep after all. And maybe, just maaybe she's moving along a little too quickly. She'll have to retreat and replan her steps.

"You're right.. I'll speak with you later about Halloween plans then instead." Hattie concedes with a single clap of her hands, "Have a good day at work~." Of course, she isn't going to leave without leaving a little gossip bait behind, so at first she seems prepared to walk away, but then sweeps in to kiss the young man on the cheek.

And because Gilbert is forever oblivious to...well, everything having to do with anything involving anyone initiating physical contact that doesn't involve a fist to the face or a palm upside the head, he doesn't do anything more than freeze in place and make a small, surprised yelping sound in the back of his throat as she leans in to kiss him. There's no real reaction because he's too busy trying to wrap his mind around the why aspect of this whole thing.

Why.

Why this...

Oh Gilbert. You are so like a puppy sometimes and the blonde just cannot get enough of that. Of course she wasn't anticipating a return of the gesture, so simply makes a show of it by holding it for just a moment, then draws back to straighten his collar.

"Bye." <3

And with that she goes along her merry way in a bright a mood as ever- The rest of her work day will be candy and rainbows after such a thrilling visit!

Edited 2012-10-27 00:51 (UTC)

And meanwhile, this has become the worse day of Gilbert's life.

Until tomorrow, of course.

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