betterthanaplan | 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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Now she was curious. "What's my schtick?"

"Rey," Duke said. "You floated penguins."

"That is part of a much bigger thing I barely get yet," Rey countered. "I'm sure other people here can do telekinesis."

"Ah! But do they use it to float penguins?"

It wasn't like Duke was the only one who could do handstands, after all.

"I was drunk, which was why I probably shouldn't have tried it with something living." Of course, she'd done it successfully, which might not help her case.

"Nah, see, you were drunk so you didn't overthink it. Besides, I think they had fun."

"I actually don't overthink the telekinesis normally," Rey admitted. She'd never had any reason to doubt her ability there.

Duke wasn't so sure that was true, but nodded anyway. "Glad to hear it. Everyone needs at least something they don't overthink."

"There's a lot I don't overthink. I just don't get to do those things much anymore."

...Which actually circled back around to why she kept doubting herself so much.

"Oh yeah?" Duke asked. "What's stopping you?"

"The lack of crashed Star Destroyers and the new ability to go to the store for food," she answered.

Duke snorted. "Alright, fair enough. You know this means I'm just going to have to keep on you until you don't overthink the fun stuff, right?"

"That's okay."

If wasn't as if she minded.

"Well good. I'd hate to think I was accidentally annoying you."

He annoyed people on purpose all the time.

"If you didn't know I was annoyed, then you've never seen me annoyed," she assured him.

Rey was not subtle there.

"Fair enough. Pretty sure I've only seen you . . . trepidatious or amused."

"Trepidacious or amused," she repeated. "That's interesting."

To be fair, he also got to see her the way most people didn't, since he did keep on her about the fun stuff.

"Oh yeah? How do you think people usually see you?"

"That's a much more complicated question back home," Rey admitted, and shrugged. "Probably just quiet?"

She didn't think people thought of her that much to have an opinion, honestly. Which was why home was complicated.

"Well, what about here? I'm not the only person you hang out with, right?"

"You're the one I hang out with the most." Most of the people she'd hung out with when she first got here were gone now. "Aside from maybe Liam, I couldn't tell you what anyone here thinks about me."

"Really? I can't quite decide if that's very flattering, or very sad."

"People here are harder," Rey said with a shrug. "It's a lot of people keeping a lot of walls up. It makes it hard to really get to know most anyone."

So, probably sad.

No wonder he got along here so well. The bar was on the ground.

"Well. That's their loss, I think."

"Thanks," she said with a little, grateful smile. "And I went and made it serious."

Re: On deck

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