Como's Anthology Collection

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

Winter in Darkest Night
Featured Characters: Spice and Targe
CW: None
Recommendation Notes: Be familiar with Crankshaft

 Spice: What you got there?

Targe: Piece of the old world, been in the family for some time.

Spice: Got a really nice melancholy to it..

Targe: Mm. Think some folks would find it out of season but I think it works.

Targe: Winter’s just as much a story of the tired pianist comforting lonely souls as it is the hot food and shorter days.

Spice: Aye. Noticed a few bits broken…

Targe: Mm.. needs some restoration work to get its full range back.

Targe: You wouldn’t mind keeping me company while I tinker? Someone to talk to helps me keep awake.

Spice: Sleepy?

Targe: Always. You know how it is.

Spice: Mm..

Spice: Be honest with you, glad you asked me.

Targe: Things alright?

Spice: So-so. Having a bit of an episode right now.

Spice: Frustrating not being able to take medication when my mood’s all thrown.

Targe: Mm..

Spice: Literally got nothing going on in my head these days and I can still feel it anyway. Don’t understand the whole undead thing sometimes.

Targe: Mm.. I mean technically every other part of you plays a role in how you think.

Spice: Guess so.

Targe: The whole ghost flame thing fills in a lot of gaps anyway. It’s why the whole gourd thing works at all.

Targe: Like magic nerves.

Spice: Aye…

Spice: Think they make a pill for that?

Targe: Worth taking a look. If not? We’ll find something.

Spice: Would be wonderful…

Spice: You know, I appreciate that you’ve always been good about the whole ghost rabbit thing.

Targe: My fault it happened in the first place-

Spice: Shh. Both of us were responsible for that.

Targe:  Mm… I mean… you didn’t have to take the bullet for me there either.

Spice: Didn’t want you to get hurt. Besides, I’m mostly intact.

Targe: I guess…

Spice: And I got to keep my best assets so that’s nice too.

Targe: I mean you had a cute face…

Spice: Mm. But I know that’s not what you were looking at.

Targe: Mm…

Spice: Be honest with yourself.

Targe: Do… appreciate that it’s easier to get to your neck.

Spice: Always were a biter, you and those teeth of yours.

Targe: Can’t be helped, about a 1/4th Shroud.

Spice: Mm..always thought it was cute personally. Little bat fangs.

Targe: I guess..

Spice: Spooky creature with spooky interests.

Spice: Hmm… surprise me.

Targe: Oh?

Spice: Want to hear something nice from you.

Targe: I love yo-

Spice: No, something new. Something that’ll stick with me in a different way.

Targe: Difficult… Mm….

Targe: You know the little W mouth?

Spice: You like that?

Targe: Maybe…

Spice: I’m not settling for *just* Maybe.

Targe: It’s cute, want to kiss it.

Targe: First time you started doing the Jack-O-Lantern thing it really got me…

Targe: Hate to admit it but… Once went to the market. Got a bit flustered because I saw the type of gourd you use on a decorative scarecrow…

Spice: Oh my god?

Targe: You’ve awakened something genuinely awful in me, congrats.

Spice: Nah, I love that.

Targe: Was hoping so, otherwise I’d look like an ass just now.

Spice: You’re more than fine.

Targe: Now I want something out of you though.

Spice: Hmm…

Spice: This one might be too bad.

Targe: Oh?

Spice: So… I used to think about you turning into a vampire?

Targe: I mean that’s not entirely incorrect.

Spice: And cutting out my heart to drink like a juice box.

Targe: That’s um.. Okay.

Spice: And then turning me into your undead partner and moving into a castle together til the world crumbles.

Targe: Oh.

Spice: Guess you did, minus the castle part.

Spice: I’m your beloved ghost rabbit.

Targe: As opposed to the living rabbit?

Spice: I mean yes, that’s more common.

Targe:... I suppose.

Spice: We’d terrorize monster hunters and have our last stand and go out in a blaze of glory when the local village attacks.

Targe: You’ve thought a lot about this. Don’t mind by the way.

Spice: I know you don’t. Anyway after the fire I’d just leave pumpkin seeds everywhere and come back as a whole army and we’d make a giant bed to all snuggle together.

Targe: …I kind of like that idea. Is that possible?

Spice: We’ll find out next harvest.

Targe:.... What did you do?

Spice: God’s work… If we end up with a crisis well, I can call a few friends for favors.

Targe: Think we do that enough…

Spice: Yeah..

Spice: Oh wow that sound’s pretty lovely. You all done?

Targe: Missing some oil to finish the job. Gotta take out some rough edges.

Targe: Long overdue to fix it up.

Spice: What kept you back?

Targe: Don’t know.. Always get nervous when work has a little more weight to it.

Targe: Mess up on a job like this, going to kick myself to the end of time.

Spice: And now that you’ve gotten the bulk done?

Targe: Better.

Targe: Taking a break for now, not much more that can be done at the moment.

Spice: Honestly, feeling going out for late lunch. Been a bit since we’ve done that.

Targe: Mm. Too tired to cook something right now anyway. Let’s start looking around the local spots then. Got a preference?

Spice: Something savory…

Targe: Could settle for a soup personally. Cold weather’s got me craving.

Targe:  Think there’s a spot that’s got some of that meat stew Kurt keeps telling us about. What was it?

Spice: Uhhh, Menudo?

Targe: Aye. Feeling adventurous.

Spice: May as well. If you’re ready to go we can head out now.

Targe: If you can keep up, last time you complained about short legs.

Spice: Last night-

Targe: Save it for later or we’re never going to eat.

Spice: That case just slow down for me, some of us aren’t all that tall.

Targe: Guess I can afford that..

Targe: Come on then, no time to waste.