Transition's our profession and we don't work nine to five...

[asliceofchaos]

The night of the full moon is unusually warm after the recent winter weather, and those who follow the sound of music floating through the woods, the path lined by fairy lights, will find that it only grows warmer the further they go. By the time they reach the Carnival, there's no snow on the ground at all - only lush, newly-grown grass and

Comments

[The Bar]

[asliceofchaos]

The bar has everything you could possibly want as far as food and drink is concerned, so if there's something you've been craving, get it now, because you don't know when it'll be here again.

Just stay away from the house specials. No matter what the smiling barmaid tells you, you don't want the White Lotus or a shot of Eros or any of the other token drinks. They'll only bring you trouble.

[The Bar]

[lovethissuit]

Peter hates the Carnival. Hates everything about it, hates the principal fae running it, and hates the fact that people still end up coming here after all the crap. But since people are still here, and he feels responsible - never minding there's still monsters out along the path that might go after people - he's there. Unhappy as all get out, but there

[itchafes]

Neal wouldn't have noticed Peter come in if it hadn't been... well, Peter. He's been acutely aware of the other man's presence whenever they've shared breathing space in the past week or so. It's hard not to be when he's not sure what to think about what Peter did, for him and to him. What Peter tried to do to himself.

He clears his throat and takes a deep drink from his glass before abandoning it on the bar and slipping toward the door.

[lovethissuit]

The only indication Peter gives that he notices Caffrey's attempt at a quiet exit is a small slumping of shoulders and the frown lines getting slightly more pronounced as he stares at the bottle.

But he doesn't move to stop Neal at all. Before, he would have been right on his heels to make sure Caffrey stayed safe and away from Kitsune. But since part of the reason Neal doesn't even want to be in the same zip code includes protection from Kitsune and representation for deal-making with same, at least Peter knows nothing too horrible can happen.

...He's not even going to think a certain Murphy's Law inducing phrase. Fate's already got a 'kick me' sign plastered on him, it doesn't need any helping hand.

[thatsortofaman]

That really depends on Peter's definition of 'something horrible', and whether it still includes the presence of a certain Time Lord. The Doctor steps inside just as Neal's heading for the door, with an air that suggests he's just sticking his head into random buildings and tents looking for anything that interests him - and pulls up short when he sees Neal heading toward him.

"Neal!" he says brightly, and then pauses, frowning a little. "Are you... Should you be here now?"

Neal, when the Doctor is asking that kind of question, you have serious problems.

[itchafes]

He tries not to look completely surprised to see the Doctor and does a fairly good job of it. He can't keep himself from stealing a glance at Peter, however, before answering.

"Is there someplace else I should be?"

Never mind he was... just leaving.

[thatsortofaman]

"Well... possibly somewhere that doesn't belong to... anyone who's ever tried to turn you into anything, for one."

He follows Neal's glance to Peter, and arches an eyebrow. Well, that's odd. The Doctor's not sure yet if he should be concerned about it, but it's definitely... odd.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor's not fooled by the flippant question, Neal. He invented that avoidance tactic. Or... well, no, he didn't, but he could have.

[itchafes]

"I'm fine." There's a certain wide-eyed innocence to the way he answers, as though he's surprised the Doctor even had to ask. "Just stretching my legs. Enjoying a change of scenery. And frankly, I think I'm as safe here as I am anywhere, don't you?"

He tries for casual on that last part, but he can't help clearing his throat a little nervously. Can't help remembering the impact of a bladed tail slamming into his side.

[thatsortofaman]

The Doctor pauses for several seconds, and then smiles. There's really no definite difference between this and his usual cheerful grin, but there's something sharper here.

"'Course. Just a change of scenery to Kitsune's personal playground - what could possibly go wrong?"

[itchafes]

Neal recognizes the shift in conversation, and his own smile changes to match. Clear, warm, utterly fake. This is something he can handle - this is something he can do. "Out to see the local color. I like color. There's not enough of it in the fort, have you noticed? Gray gets to be a little confining after a while."

He tilts his head forward, fractionally, indicating the door. "Everything was going fine. I don't see why that has to change."

[thatsortofaman]

The Doctor snorts a little as Neal's expression shifts. "It was going fine the last time, too. Until it wasn't." He tilts his head a little, trying to catch Neal's eyes as the smile slips from his face. "Tempest won't be here this time to rescue you. And neither will I."

As if he could ever rescue Neal from anything. That's been made all too clear, by now.

[itchafes]

For a second he looks hurt, and then its gone, replaced by total neutrality. "Tempest didn't rescue anyone, and I didn't ask you, or Peter, or her to do it, either. If your point has been driven home sufficiently, I'm sure Peter could use company at the bar? He doesn't like drinking alone."

[thatsortofaman]

The Doctor eyes him for a moment longer, and then snorts, shaking his head. "Humans," he mutters disdainfully. "You never learn."

And then he steps past Neal and heads into the bar, directly toward Peter. It's not that he plans to drink anything. Or that he expects a particularly warm welcome from Peter. He'd just like a place to sulk, and Burke looks like he's already doing just that. They can keep each other company while being grumpy and annoyed.

[lovethissuit]

Yeah, guys? Peter has. Pretty much heard all of that, even being a ways down the bar. ...Yeah.

"Fancy seeing you here," he says without looking up, sarcasm there but rather mild - especially considering he's usually not the Doctor's biggest fan. He'd like to think he looks much more concerned about making sure the bottle on the bar is turned in perfect little circles than anything else. Well, the bottle, and the ridiculous itch he still can't satisfy behind his ear. It's like ants crawling under his skin - which for now, he's chalking up to him just being entirely unhappy with everything in his sad little life.

[thatsortofaman]

Shut up, Peter. The Doctor and Neal are the most subtle.

The Doctor snorts a little as he sits down next to Peter, eying the bottle the man's toying with before glancing up to Peter's face. "Apparently I haven't got anything better to do. What're you doing here?"

Instead of, you know, following Neal. Which until now had seemed to the Doctor like it might be Peter's sole purpose in life.

[lovethissuit]

Oh, yeah - you're as unnoticeable as ninjas wearing neon pink stealth-suits.

"Should probably think about getting a hobby then. Fill up that free time." Cue some more epic scratching because goddamn it, this is infuriating and a half. Peter snorts to himself before answering, "Heard the scenery around here was nice enough. I figured I might as well check it out." All the sarcasm right here, Doctor. But quietly enough that Neal probably won't hear it. Probably.

And it's a more laidback purpose now. He's got the comm to tell him where Caffrey is, and a Princess' promise to watch out for his neck. There's definitively less need for effort in his stalking day.