[IC: Backdated to Halloween]

[pie_or_death]

[If you go to the Mess Hall on this O'Hallow's Eve

Comments

[cant_touch_this]

[The girl named Chuck, unaware of his plight,
Burst in through the doors with her eyes all alight.]

Ned, you'll never believe what I just saw outsi--

[cant_touch_this]

... boy, leave a place unattended for a little while and apparently it'll just upchuck holiday spirit all around you.

[pie_or_death]

It seems that way.

[cant_touch_this]

Oh Ned, just leave it to me - I'll get everything all bundled up in a jiffy so that the kitchen can once again be declared a Halloween-free zone for all Halloween-aphobes!

[pie_or_death]

Thank you, Chuck. Really.

Though I wouldn't categorize it as a phobia. I'm not technically scared of Halloween it's just incredibly unpleasant when it brings back all of those incredibly unpleasant memories that I associate with it.

[cant_touch_this]

[throwing her jacket on a hook somewhere before grabbing a large garbage bag, rolling her sleeves up, and starting to shove all the offending articles in the bag for future use]

How about we debate the technicalities of which particular group you most identify with when it comes to your discomfort and less-than-enthusiastic feelings towards Halloween after I remove the sources of said discomfort from your viscinity?

[pie_or_death]

Yes. Good. Okay. That's good.

[cant_touch_this]

[sweeping the last of the decorations into the bag and purposefully chucking it out the back door]

Better?

[pie_or_death]

Much. Though you could've asked that the moment you walked in. I'm fairly confident my answer would've been the same.

[cant_touch_this]

Aww, well I will gladly be the superhero who rushes in to rescue you from the clutches of Halloween anytime - all you have to do is yell and I'll come running! I'm pretty sure Digby'd come find me even if I was out of earshot.

[pie_or_death]

He's like Lassie but with less shedding.

[cant_touch_this]

I was actually thinking along the lines of "The Littlest Hobo", but you'd know better than me when it comes to things like that.

So, are we stress-baking until dawn? Because I'm sure there could be plenty of other equally enjoyable activities we could do, none of which have to be directly related to The-Holiday-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

[pie_or_death]

I'm having trouble thinking of any. Anyway, people will enjoy the All Saints Day pies I made. Well, okay, they're not specifically for All Saints Day but there will be a lot of them available.

[cant_touch_this]

If that's how you want to spend the rest of today, then I guess that's how I want to spend it too, because that's what a loving and supportive girlfriend would do and I really want to be that for you.

[pie_or_death]

I really appreciate that. I know it seems like I didn't make any progress at all but I guess just being in a place where I can't go back to my house isn't really helping. But I want you to do what you want to do. I know that you're a loving a supportive girlfriend even if you don't want to take a dip in my sea of sorrow.

[cant_touch_this]

These things take time and I have no intentions of acting out the equivalent of dragging you forcefully into the spotlight to conquer your fear of stage fright - I'm pretty sure it'd only make it worse. We'll just take it one tiny, baby-step at a time and maybe next year will be better, whether we're still stuck here or back at home together.

And well, I'm no stranger to the sea at least so consider me your lifesaver - the floatation device, not the candy - keeping you afloat with optimism in this particular sea of sorrow.