The Perk- Monday morning

[thatwaslucky]

Rey didn't actually make it to the Perk that often, so when this morning she got wired that Poe had sent a status report of what was going on back home, she decided it was a good idea to head there to find a table by the window and read it.

And not being what one might call a regular meant that she hadn't realized they'd transitioned to work her drinks. Sure, the peppermint mocha was good, but it wasn't pumpkin spice.


[Open!]

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[stykera]

Stark was trying out one of his new masks today. Not the fancy one. That was being saved for some sort of special occasion. Just the backup, which managed to look a little fancy just by virtue of not having many years' worth of wear and tear on the metal.

"I didn't know it was time for peppermint yet," he told the barista after ordering.

"Morning, Rey."

[thatwaslucky]

"They just switched over," Rey said, with just a tinge of disappointment. Honestly it was probably good that she'd gotten used to variety enough to be disappointed. "Hi, Stark. New look?"

[stykera]

"I like the peppermint. Except that it means it's going to be cold soon," Stark said, frowning just a little. It was already getting colder.

"I liked the pumpkin too. And yes...a little new. Amaya made it. I thought a backup was a good idea, after last year."

[thatwaslucky]

"Do I know what happened last year?" Rey asked.

[stykera]

"Steve's dog took my mask and then the raccoons found it and it was lost for weeks," Stark said. "Halloween. When we weren't ourselves."

[thatwaslucky]

"Oh," she said, blinking. "That sounds like a lot."

Understatement.

[stykera]

"It was," Stark agreed. "That was after I sang. I didn't have a costume this year. Just to be safe."

[thatwaslucky]

"I don't think the costume thing happened this year, right?" She knew about the monster thing but not why that happened.

[stykera]

"People turned into things, at the dance," Stark said. "But not into their costumes, I think."

He'd been distracted enough by Faye that he hadn't eaten any candy and escaped that particular fate.

"I stayed myself, this time."

Good thing, too, or he'd probably still be hiding somewhere, freaking out about what he'd turned into.

"You've been well? Stayed yourself?"

[thatwaslucky]

"Stayed myself," Rey nodded. "Which is good, I wasn't myself far too much lately. Would you like to sit?"

[stykera]

"I would. Thank you." Stark nodded and pulled out a chair.

"Always better to stay ourselves. I've been myself since that Halloween." He was doomed to be something other than himself again one day. Today was not that day. "Were you not yourself before that? I don't think we've talked in...a while."

[thatwaslucky]

"Probably because I kept turning into things," Rey said wryly. "I was a woo girl, I was a cat for a week right after that... It got to be a lot. I'm trying to make a habit of stating me for a while."

[stykera]

"The woo girl was when I kept waking up as a plant," Stark said. "I suppose that counted, after last Halloween. So I have been not myself, just not for very long. I'm sorry you were a cat. And there was the trip, so I was gone for a week. Faye turned into a bird then. Near the end. Maybe everyone can just stay themselves now. For a long time."

People turning into smaller versions didn't count, right?

[thatwaslucky]

"That's what I'm hoping," Rey said. "I've been telling John we get a month of normalcy for about two or three months now."

Shhh, trade secret.

[stykera]

"A month? That sounds...unlikely but it would be a nice change. I think."

The middle of September had seen Faye fleeing to space and the middle of October had seen her turning into a bird and Stark was wary of what November might bring.

"I hope you can get that. That we all can."

Then they could be nice and rested for whatever December ended up throwing at them!

[thatwaslucky]

"Me too. Though more likely I've jinxed myself."

Or at least whatever was coming next was going to be a doozy.

[stykera]

"The island does seem to listen sometimes." Often, really. "And then react. Or overreact. We all ought to know better than to say anything out loud anymore but that would make things difficult."

Maybe the end of the year would be nice and only bring cute, fluffy animals and delicious foods and absolutely no inconveniences of any kind!

[thatwaslucky]

"I'm not sure avoiding saying them actually stops to," Rey said with a frown. "I think the island does what it feels like doing and sometimes we just guess right ahead of time."

She paused.

"Or guess wrong, I suppose."

[stykera]

"You're probably right. The island is going to do what it wishes, when it wishes and it wishes to do so many things. I just wish that sometimes it didn't wish to do quite so many things to us."

"But," he added, "I still don't want to be anywhere else. Even with all of it. Except maybe somewhere warmer when it starts to get really cold."

[thatwaslucky]

"I'm not ready for the cold," Rey admitted. "Though the last couple of years haven't been too terrible?"

She might prefer to be turned into something than have a bad winter.

[stykera]

"I wasn't really ready for the cold last year." Stark was never really ready for the cold. "Or the attacking decorations. But maybe it won't be so bad this time. I hope so."

Probably no reindeer would try and eat him this year at least. Probably.