i don't want to spoil the party

[invoking]

WHO: ellie & gil.
WHERE: gil's apartment and then wherever.
WHEN: backdated to midnight of 1/19.
WARNINGS: talk of dead stuff again maybe??
SUMMARY: gil's life is suffering but with cute ghost ladies.
FORMAT: no


[ midnight is a long way off when gil gets up and does his usual cleaning of the small apartment space. lack of sleep isn't much of a problem for him-- he tends to sleep for short periods at a time and is mostly a light sleeper anyway. since he's anxiously awaiting ellie's appearance, he showers hours before twelve (keeping an eye open to ensure nobody was wandering through the walls), does some light grocery shopping and returns to make himself a small dinner.

a few minutes to midnight, he looks to each and every wall in the living room, feeling more and more apprehensive about their plans. he feels for his lighter and cigarettes, pulling one out of the box to light the end and take a quick drag. maybe she won't come? he wonders as he watches the faint smoke rise in the air. ]

Comments

[ectoplasm]

[ there's no need for ellie to rush here, no ― she took her sweet time to arrive, but now she's already hovering in gil's apartment three minutes or so before the silent stroke of twelve. maybe she could have meandered fine, as a person among the crowds; tonight, however, she zoomed above the crowns of their heads (her feet in their heads, for the taller ones). after all, they can't see her unless she really, really wants them to.

just as she doesn't want gil to see her now, as she patiently watches him take that drag of his cigarette. oh, she doesn't mind him: he's jumpy, a real big scaredy-cat and maybe even a bigger drag, but he's endearing. she's always rooted for the meek.

she moves close, after a minute or two. then synthesizes herself to him in a curl of grey-turned-existential, peering and waving excitedly through the cloud of smoke. ]

Hi!

[invoking]

[ just as he's about to take a quick look at the clock on the wall to make sure she's not late or his clock is off by a few minutes, he catches something spawning seemingly from thin air right before his eyes. the hairs on his neck stand straight up and he's reaching for the holster on his leg―

and then it's taken the shape of a young, blond and bright eyed woman. there's a delay in his reaction― too busy staring at what's happening right here: a ghost. a real ghost has just entered his home.

gil snaps out of it finally, dropping his cigarette in surprise and fighting back the urge to bury his face in his hands. ]

Don't do that!

[ectoplasm]

[ she shouldn't be taken aback by his surprise, but she is ― as if explaining the possible stunts she can pull would prepare anyone for a real jump scare. ellie's shoulders and head move back a little at the exclamation, mouth parting and hands raising in hurried apology. ]

Okay, okay! Gosh, I didn't mean to give you a heart attack―!

[ eyes flick down at the cigarette, precariously burning on the carpet. a finger, pointing. ]

You should probably snuff that out.

[invoking]

[ he doesn't take his eyes off her immediately-- fixated on the fact there really is a nonliving entity in his apartment, just floating there and pointing to his floor for some odd reason and then there's the scent of something burning in his nostrils--

he looks down to see the cigarette. ] Oh-- shit! [ he dig his heel against it and it sizzles out. there's a quiet groan that escapes the back of his throat when he removes his foot to see the tiny scorch mark. ]

Damn...

[ectoplasm]

Oh...

[ flashing gil a look of guiltless sympathy, her vision flicks between his newly downfallen expression and the distractedly ugly mark on the floor.

in vague, probably unhelpful comfort: ]

Well. At least you're just renting. [ but ellie's lips purse, head turns toward the door. she's already visibly bored. ] Shouldn't we go?

[invoking]

[ true... and it's a tiny mark. it's an ugly, tiny mark, but nothing a new rug can't cover. he sighs, picking up the cigarette and tossing it into the nearest trash can before brushing the small amount of ash off his fingers on his pants. ]

... Right. [ and he heads toward the front door where his coats are hung. there are two; one is is clearly from his world-- very 19th century-- and then there's a regular coat from this era. he takes the modern coat, slipping into it quickly and feeling around for his shoes. ]

I... never asked your name, did I?

[ectoplasm]

[ by now, her feet have settled (not-so-firmly, of course, but) on the ground ― following him quickly and diligently as he moves. the old-fashioned coat is a strange sight that certainly catches her eye, and she's craning her neck a little out of sheer curiosity.

it takes her a moment to even realize that he asked anything. ]

Oh! It's Ellie. Sorry, I totally assumed I mentioned it.

[ and it takes yet another moment for her to follow up, blinking all the while. ]

Um. What's yours, again?

[invoking]

[ while he prefers his coat from home, the coat he's donned now will attract less attention at this time in the night. sometimes strange people liked to approach him for less than conspicuous reasons when he's got his full get-up from home. ]

Ellie. [ he wraps a scarf around his neck, eyes flicking back to where she-- stands now? there's a brief moment of surprise. ] It's... Gilbert. I should have checked the communicator, though it slipped me.

[ectoplasm]

Gilbert? [ as if she isn't sure the first time, she plays with the syllables. ] Gilbert.

[ head turning, she gives gil a very brief cursory look-over. then gives a little nod in approval, padding her way towards him and the apartment door almost as quickly as her rapport.

her hand beckons him to follow, not looking back as she rambles. ]

It's alright! I feel real awful for ―

[ as she passes through the door and into the hallway, her voice muffles. ]

― making you go outside when it's so cold out, I didn't even think...

[invoking]

[ with his shoes and gloves on, he follows ellie through the doorway (he does stop for a split second when her form phases right through the solid door because god that's a bit creepy to see in person) and pulls the door in to lock it properly. ]

It's alright. I've gotten used to the weather in the city already. [ summer's thick air? not really, but that's a long way off so he doesn't need to worry.

he pivots on his heel and heads for the elevator, checking to see if she's following. he keeps his voice low, noting most of the lights are off under the doorways of the other apartments. ] Can... anyone else see you?

[ectoplasm]

Oh, well. I'm glad?

[ she's still walking behind him, moving her hands to her speech all the while.

it takes a bit of composure for her to force herself talk at a near-whisper, but she's managing it. barely, really ― her voice inflects just a little too loudly, even when she's restraining herself. at the very least, they're already at the elevator doors in no time. ]

Now they can, I guess. I don't think we want you to look like a crazy person by talking to air.

[ with a little laugh: ]

Can anyone else see you?

[invoking]

[ the button for the main floor lights up and the doors close shortly after. ]

I wasn't worried about that... [ trailing off, embarrassed by how easily she caught him. ]

[ectoplasm]

[ smiling and shaking her head, she briskly (and weightlessly) walks out when the elevator touches ground with a bing!, not looking back. ]

No, it's okay! I know you're already uncomfortable, soo...

[ even at her pace, she pivots at the exit doors; turns expectantly towards gil to open them, and gestures imploringly.

there's a very sudden little flash of uncertainty behind her eyes. ]

Um. You are okay, right?

[invoking]

[ he tightens his scarf as they approach the door, feeling the warmth of the building behind him and the night's chilly air greet his face once he pushes the door open. he squints as a cold wind brushes a light amount of snow past his eyes. ]

I'm not uncomfortable. I'm fine. [ he's now worrying he offended her. ] I'm still growing accustomed to different worlds... and people. [ he looks at her. ]

[ectoplasm]

[ she looks back at him with a reassuring look, now unbothered. all these thoughts move on so quick.

and, for a quiet moment, she follows. for the freezing climate, ellie certainly wasn't mindful enough to throw on something that appeared winter-appropriate. her hair flies in the unbiting wind. then: ]

No, I bet you're okay. New places and people are tough.

[ reaching a hand to pat his shoulder ― her fingers fall through, fall back to her side. ]

You seem like a really swell guy, Gil. Real nice.

[invoking]

[ he seems to hold his breath forever when that happens. it seems it was a nice gesture in thought, but he's still trying to wrap his thoughts around the fact he's spending the night out with a ghost. wouldn't this make some story to tell oz back home? he thinks oz would be intrigued.

in spite of the cold, his cheeks burn from the compliment. ]

I'm... not really. [ no, he's supposed to thank her for saying a nice thing. ] But thank you, anyway.

[ectoplasm]

It's okay. You don't have to be modest.

[ it's strange, she quietly notes as they walk, how congested this place is even at a night like this. it's overwhelming. stuck in the same town for decades and now she's here, and if she could really feel scared, maybe she would or does.

glancing at gil's face, she sees his red cheeks ― it must really feel chilly. it would be nice if she could empathize. ]

You don't feel like you belong here?

[invoking]

[ his expression freezes for maybe longer than he wants it to before he frowns and tries to come up with an answer for the question. he doesn't feel the cold as much as he should, too conscious of everything else instead.

he doesn't look at her in return as he finally answers, rolling one shoulder lazily in a half-shrug. ] It's not a matter of feeling. I know I don't.

[ he's trying to remember the direction of the theater kenzi takes him to. he's marched through the night so often in the city he should know the route like the back of his hand. he turns right, glancing to see if ellie's following. ]

[ectoplasm]

[ she gives a little nod (still quietly plodding along) when he looks back. ]

I guess none of us do.

[ though ellie doesn't focus on him, no; her gaze scans across the streets and skyline.

it's nicer when it's dark, and not because of who she is. it's nice because the darkness covers up the dirt, just a little, and so does the ice. it looks like things are almost totally okay. absently, she wonders just how perturbed the poor man is. she can't decide if she cares or not.

maybe that's bad, but it probably doesn't matter. ]

It's not awful, isn't it? It's like an extended vacation!

[invoking]

[ he's suddenly itching for a cigarette. he'll have to hold himself back though, not wanting to smoke in the presence of a lady, even if she can't smell or breathe it in.

... he thinks, anyway.

if he hadn't ever been caught up in habit's "game" or watched the sentry be overtaken by something that struck fear into gil's heart, he might have been able to say it's not a bad place. ]

That's a strange way of putting it.