because I promised raincake

[retraced]

Who: Gilbert Nightray and OPEN
When: The afternoon of the 11th
Where: The park near Winthers lake
Summary: Gilbert laments best when there's bad weather.
Warnings: Warnings for soggy cake

[There's a cake in the rain.

Well, more specifically, there's a cake in a box on a bench near a man in the rain.

A box that doesn't reside inside of a bag, and is therefore damp from the rain. And, from the state of it and the man sitting next to it, it's been sitting in the rain for a while. It's a curious sight indeed. While people stroll by with umbrellas overhead and jackets wrapped tightly around themselves to protect from the late winter storm, Gilbert Nightray is sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, eyes staring directly at the soggy ground through his damp hair, a half-finished cigarette hanging between his index and middle fingers.

People have been encouraging him to relax lately, take a rest, spend some time by himself to be alone and sort through his thoughts, to meditate, do yoga--the list goes on and on. It seems different people all have their different ways to unwind and cope, and so far none of them had worked for him. If he's home, he'll clean and bake and fret. If he's at work, he'll clean and bake and fret.

So he's relaxing outside. He's taking a 'breather'. He's trying not to think about obligations and duty and doing his best face his anxiety and stress head on, so he's sitting outside in the rain with a cake in a soaked box.

You know you're curious.]

Comments

[motioned]

Really? They don't feel cold! [She looks down at her other hand curiously.]

Is it bothering you? I can let go!

[retraced]

No, it's not! I'm just worried that you're not warm enough...

[Holding on tight.]

[motioned]

I'm plenty warm! You don't need to worry about that.

[retraced]

[The stop light turns, so he pauses on this corner. There might be a car hurdling towards a huge puddle in front of them, though...]

Are you sure? If you're too cold you can have my scarf.

[It's actually a cravat, but people here get so mad when you call it that. Or confused, at least.]

[motioned]

I'm sure! You should keep the scarf. You're a lot more wet than me.

[But not for long, at the rate that car is coming.]

[retraced]

It's not really a matter of being wet, it's--

[And that would be the moment that said car speeds through said puddle drenching our two poor innocent bystanders just as the light turns yellow.]

[motioned]

[She quacks. She quacks really loud, but seeing as they just got hit by a huge wall of water, it only takes a fraction of a second for her to change back. Thankfully, her clothes haven't managed to go far in this span of time, so she's still dressed as the car drives off.

More or less.]

[retraced]

[Just when the day couldn't possibly get any worse. Are they even still carrying that cake? Well, if they were, it's as good as gone. Gil lets go of her hand in order to brush the wet hair out of his face, so he luckily misses that little transformation.]

What the hell just happened...?!

[motioned]

[Awkwardly straightening her skirt before he notices! And trying to get the hair out of her face, too, yes.]

I-I don't know! But we should probably try to get home really quick.

[retraced]

[No other choice, then. Still holding onto the umbrella (though what's the point now, really?) he kneels down next to her and leans forward, gesturing for her to climb up onto his back.]

Climb on, I'll carry you.

[motioned]

Huh? Oh, you don't have to, I can walk!

[retraced]

You shouldn't walk around soaked like this. Plus I can get us home faster if I run.

[Which he's good at, okay. Years of running from cats and whatnot.]

[motioned]

Well, um... Okay. [Climbing on!

[retraced]

[Once she's up, he hands the umbrella off to her and stands up, looking down both sides of the street before crossing it. He's not getting tricked by speeding cars a second time!]

[motioned]

[She tries to pull herself up as tall as she can when he hands her the umbrella, making sure both of them are completely covered from the rain. Not that it matters much anymore...]

[retraced]

[And now that he's done grumbling and being bitter about it, once they've crossed over another few streets he turns his head slightly to glance back at her.]

Are you all right?

[motioned]

[Clinging desperately like a winner to make sure she doesn't slip (because that'd be pretty typical for her), but other than that, fine!]

Yeah, I'm fine! I'm more worried about you... [Not that she's heavy at all.]

[retraced]

It's fine. That stupid rabbit has me carry her around often enough that I'm used to it...

[/enter whip lashing noise here]

[motioned]

St - oh, you mean Alice does? How come?

[retraced]

Because she considers me to be her servant...

[Groan.]

[motioned]

Wait, why? That's not very nice!

[retraced]

I can't convince her no matter how many times I tell her!

[motioned]

Maybe stop listening when she says stuff like that?

[retraced]

She's too loud to ignore.

[Plus he's sort of fond of her by now NOT THAT HE'S EVER ADMITTING THAT.]

[motioned]

Well, maybe I could talk to her about it!