betterthanaplan | The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Christmas Eve

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The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Christmas Eve

As a rule, he didn't tend to do much for the winter holidays -- unless you counted "go somewhere it's not winter" -- but some combination of Fandom's festivities and the cold weather had actually put him into something of a Christmas-y mood this year, so the Rouge's deck was -- well. Decked. There were string lights and garlands all over the open deck area, especially around the table holding the big thermos of hot, buttered rum. He'd set up a little fire pit on the metal cargo-bay doors, and the door to the galley and lounge below-decks was propped open with a now-dormant loaf of yesterday's fruitcake, in case people preferred to go in where it was warmer.

As discussed, Duke had only mentioned the party to a few people since planning it with Rey. It was Christmas, though, so if people decided to wander up and say hi, he wouldn't turn them away.

[up early and ready for all the slowplay. A few people in the know expected, but as it says in the narrative, it's open for wandering in if you want, too!]

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"Is that who sings that?"

Poor girl.

“It is. His stuff tends to translate well to the ukulele.” It had that whole Hawaiian vibe.

And now she knew what a ukulele was.

"Well, congratulations, it took a few weeks, but you got me to sing," she said, and really that was a major accomplishment.

“I did! Wonder what I’ll manage to talk you into next.”

Rey frowned. "This doesn't have to be a trend..."

“Too late. I’ve already gotten you to dance and drink occasionally. I can’t stop expanding those horizons now.”

"How much else is there?" Which may have been proof of why she needed stuff like this.

"Oh honey." Duke shook his head. "There's everything else."

"Should I have a bad feeling about this?" Rey teased, fully knowing he hadn't actually steered her wrong yet.

"Maybe," Duke said cheekily. "Trying new things should always be a little scary."

"I wouldn't say any of it has been scary..." Aside from getting over herself.

“Right. Because you always dither and second guess yourself when you’re totally comfortable.”

"I don't either," Rey said. "You underestimate how much I second guess myself."

That... was said jokingly but it was true. She was working on it.

“Because you keep getting bad feelings about things?”

"Actually, the serious answer is yes, basically," she admitted.

“Huh. I’ll keep that in mind next time. See if I can help.”

"Help with my bad feelings?" she asked.

“Yeah. Calm ‘em down or whatever.”

Duke totally thought she meant anxiety and not, like, a force prescience.

"It doesn't actually work that way," Rey told him. "Not that I don't appreciate that."

“Yeah? How does it work?”

"It's... the bad feelings are actually a Force thing. When something's about to happen," she explained. "It's a lot of learning to trust new things."

"So . . . like the rest of life, then," Duke said. "Hang on. The Force tells you not to sing and dance?"

Rude.

"No. The Force and bad feelings are... a whole other thing I'm dealing with." Which was having a big effect on how she looked at herself, but that was a lot to get into. "Me not singing and dancing is because it's new, and because people pay attention."

Duke nodded slowly. "How do you tell regular nerves from a Force feeling?"

"The Force feeling is like my brain itches. I've heard it described like a low level migraine?" Rey had never had a migraine, she didn't know if this was accurate or not. "And it doesn't seem to go away until whatever happens, happens. Regular nerves I can work through."

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