The play's the thing

[plaguedrat]

"In brief, to set the needless process by, how I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd. How he refell'd me, and how I replied...Damn...that's..."

Rat sighs and adjusts his posture in the mirror, trying to capture Isabella's conflict, her desperation, her guilt. He hates admitting it, the idea that after only two months he might be settling by looking for work. But a proud soul often means an empty stomach and he's nothing if not practical. There are few jobs that he's suited to perform and equally few he's willing to submit to without being desperate.

So he stands in front of a mirror, wearing a thrifted dress that he's pinned to flatter and diguise his figure. A little makeup, expertly applied, and he's transformed into Eve again.

Comments

[plaguedrat]

"It suits you, if you need a Halloween costume," Rat says, running a thumb over Grey's cheekbone.

[silenttrainbaby]

"Halloween"? "Costume"? Once again, Rat gets Grey's confused face as he cradles the cat to his chest, always soothed by the hum of the purr in the furry body.

[plaguedrat]

Rat nods, trying to remember the particulars. He'd read about All Hallow's Eve in books, but never experienced it in person. "It's what's happening at the end of the month, why there's pumpkins and decorations," he explains. "Ancient people thought that All Hallow's Eve was the on day that the dead could return to the earth, but now most people just celebrate it as something fun and kind of spooky. So lots of costumes and candy."

[silenttrainbaby]

Well, that sounded strange. Though Grey did like the idea of a reason for candy.

The dead returning to earth, though? The corner of his mouth twitched. Wasn't he already dead returned to earth?

[plaguedrat]

"Yeah, maybe it's a little more real in a place like this," Rat agrees, mouth twitching similarly. "I don't know if I'm going to be doing anything."

[silenttrainbaby]

Grey doesn't know enough to advocate for such an activity. He shrugs, setting the cat on the floor and moving to wash the color off his face. (He only knows to do this because Rat did; left to his own devices, he would probably leave it on until it faded away, making quite the sight of himself.)

[plaguedrat]

"Young kids go out in costume, knocking on doors for candy. Trick or treating," Rat continues. "Adults usually go out partying. Or hand out candy."

[silenttrainbaby]

His face feeling tight from the soap, Grey wipes it dry before he looks over at Rat, dark circles of make up still around his eyes. "Partying" is not something he's familiar with either.

[plaguedrat]

Rat warms a tissue under the water before raising it to help clean up Grey's eyes.

"It happens every years."

[silenttrainbaby]

Like the shouting that went on when the train crossed the bridge. Grey is still, watching Rat's face as he listens.

Tradition isn't something that Grey has experience with, or really, much use for.

[plaguedrat]

"We didn't have holidays like that in the West District though," Rat admits. Gently, he dries off the skin around Grey's eyes and runs his fingers absently into his hair. "Or food enough to just give it away."

[silenttrainbaby]

Leaning into the touch, Grey knows they have food enough here. But the rationale for giving it away doesn't make a whole lot of sense to him. Not that he doesn't like sharing.

[plaguedrat]

Rat doesn't see much point in it either. Unless he feels like showing off, he thinks he'll just stay inside with Grey and the cat.

"Do you want to go back to what we were doing?"

The reading or the kissing. Either one.

[silenttrainbaby]

The fingers of Grey's casted hand are hooked into the material of Rat's shirt, pulling him closer. Kissing, please.

[plaguedrat]

Rat smiles, leaning in to kiss him. Auditions can wait. Settling against Grey's familiar shape, time flows away to somewhere else.