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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From:

thatwaslucky

"I did. And now I can say I got my one night to be an idiot."

She had not been bad.

From:

betterthanaplan

"Oh, I don't know. You didn't do anything dumb, really. Just floated some penguins and danced a little. I didn't even get you doing karaoke."

Clearly a failure on his part.

From:

thatwaslucky

"I don't think that would work very well. I don't actually know songs," Rey pointed out. Though it'd sound pretty if she did. "You can keep doing it, though."

From:

betterthanaplan

"That just means I have to teach you songs," Duke said. "You've been off Jakku for how long and you haven't learned any yet?"

From:

thatwaslucky

Rey shrugged. "I haven't listened to that much music."

From:

betterthanaplan

"This -- this is a travesty," Duke said, shaking his head melodramatically. "Earth has failed you. Where the hell did I put my ukelele? You are at least learning a stupid Christmas song tonight."

From:

thatwaslucky

"...What did I just start?" Rey asked, but she was smiling.

From:

betterthanaplan

And they weren’t even drunk yet!

Duke found his ukulele and strummed it to check the tuning. “Let’s see. What’s a good one without too much lore?” He strummed idly for a few moments, then grinned. “Perfect.”

And launched into some Elvis.

From:

thatwaslucky

She really did like hearing him sing.

"Very nice," she told him, with at least more polite applause than when there were many drinks in a bar.

From:

betterthanaplan

Just what every musician wanted. Polite applause.

"Not done yet. I said I was going to teach it to you."

From:

thatwaslucky

You'd met her!

"Wait, now?"

From:

betterthanaplan

"Is there a reason why not now?"

From:

thatwaslucky

"Not enough alcohol?" she teased.

She'd do it.

From:

betterthanaplan

"What, so you can say your memory's too fuzzy if I try to get you to sing again later? Nah." He tilted his head. "Besides. Singing is traditional for Christmas."

From:

thatwaslucky

"I'm worrying a little that you're thinking ahead," she said.

From:

betterthanaplan

"You don't honestly think I'm not going to get you to sing whenever I can, do you?"

From:

thatwaslucky

"Should you be telling me this before I've allowed you to teach me anything?" Rey said wryly. "Besides, you might want to take that back if I end up being horrible."

From:

betterthanaplan

"Not a chance," Duke said. "If you're horrible, we'll just use it against other people."

Weaponized singing. Classy.

From:

thatwaslucky

Rey laughed. "All right, fine. How do we do this?"

From:

betterthanaplan

"I don't know," Duke admitted. "I've never taught anyone a song before." He gave the ukulele another few strums. "We could go line by line? Sort of a call-and-response thing?"

From:

thatwaslucky

"Helpful, since I don't know the words," she reasoned. It'd give her a chance to get the tune, too. "Okay."

She was going to drink a little more of the rum first, though.

From:

betterthanaplan

"It's a pretty simple one," Duke pointed out. He strummed the opening chords. "I'll have a bluuuuue Christmas without yoooou. . . ."

From:

thatwaslucky

Even feeling a little self-conscious, Rey sang it back at him, and she really did have a good voice. Maybe a little quiet because she wasn't used to it.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke gave her a broad, approving smile. She was doomed now, he'd have her singing all the time.

"I'll be so bluuuue just thinking about yooooou. . . ."