Cold Comfort [Seasonal Event]

It had been a long day out in the cold, longer than he'd anticipated. He'd been overconfident in his nose, and in the abundance of something called 'snow moss' in winter. Deepfrost. Whatever the locals insisted on calling it.

At least he'd been in fox form until the end, warm in his thick winter coat of fur, even if his paws and nose had gotten a nasty chill. He'd sniffed out the moss beneath the snow and then dug it free, carrying it back to the blanket he'd brought and piling it in the center until he had a good amount. With the blanket full he'd turned back into a man and tied the edges together, then slung it over his back to trudge to the settlement.

He was hungry and tired, and the clouds made the evening fall even sooner, but at last he was trudging up to Samuel's door. His friend had endured enough in the Atheneum, and Jigano had given him space to try and recover, only visiting him at his stall in the market to check in on him and make sure he was alright.

But the stories he was hearing of Long Night, the warning on the message board, the tales gathered in books in the Atheneum... did not make it sound like a particularly safe time of year, above and beyond the threat of cold and starvation. So, taking what he'd learned, he'd decided to help his friend maybe feel a little safer. Maybe be a bit less high-strung after their adventures in the sentient book.

Maybe.

He'd let Samuel know that he'd be stopping by today, he just hoped the other man wasn't too upset that it had gotten so late. Hopefully his gift would make up for that. Taking a deep breath and fixing the friendly smile on his face, Jigano raised his hand and tapped courteously on the door to the domicile he'd been directed to.

Sam did not often have guests, much less planned ones. Usually the only people to turn up to his home were people who were given the wrong directions or people who didn't want anything good. Having an actual plan to see someone was a novelty indeed, something that was exciting while also being equally unnerving.

He had tidied his house the evening before, but still found himself moving things an inch this way or a touch that way well into the next day. Jigano was someone he wanted to impress, a potential actual friend. Sam wasn't sure if he would care too much about how neat his shelves were, but anything would help after their disaster of a first day together.

At the rise of the sun he had gotten up and waited for Jigano, not sure when he would appear. The minutes had shuffled on like hours. He had picked up a book and flicked through it to pretend to read it for an hour, then made some lunch.

Eventually, around mid-afternoon, he had decided he must have had the wrong day in mind, or possibly the much more likely chance that Jigano had simply decided he was not worth the trouble. This knowledge almost certain in his mind, he had set to work on a task. Setting and cutting leather for book covers, an easy thing he could do while letting his mind run with troubling thoughts.

He was deep in concentration, beating a pattern into the corner of the leather when the knock at the door startled him. Sam peered at the door suspiciously, unsure of whether it would be Jigano or not at this hour. He approached it slowly and opened it just a crack at first to look out, then wider when he saw who it was, a warm relief spreading through his veins.

"Oh! Jigano! I...I didn't think you were...well, I'm glad you're here now." Sam smiled and stepped back to welcome Jigano inside. "It's cold out there. Come in. I have a fire...and I can make some tea. D-do you like fruit teas? Or I have more herbal mixes...I make them myself. Some of them are better than others."

Samuel was looking better, at least. Less haunted, and actually smiling again as he saw who was on his doorstep. Jigano let his expression relax in relief, even as he caught the nervous flicker of uncertainty in his friend's words. "Thank you, I would love some tea. Gods, fruit tea would be divine right about now!"

He stepped in, stamping the snow from his boots and letting his sack - awkward, but thankfully not heavy, the moss instead springy and light - slide from his shoulder to rest beside the door as they shut the cold out. "But perhaps we can have an herbal later? I'd like to try one of your mixes as well." Shedding his coat to whatever hanger he could find nearby, he turned back to his hot and offered a bow - both respect and apology.

"Forgive me for being so late, Samuel. I had hoped to be here earlier but... well. My plan to come bearing gifts was a bit more ambitious than I realized." He glanced to the sack, his grin returning, more mischievous than before. "Still, I hope it can help you! But let's get that tea on first. My fingers are frozen to the bone!" His nose was, too, and he started sniffling in a most unprofessional manner as he began to thaw.

While they made their greetings he looked around the entrance of Sam's home with open curiosity. It was the first time he'd been inside one of the domiciles - well, one that wasn't a complete broken-down and unlivable ruin - and he was eager to see what it could reveal of his friend's interests in the way of decorations and furniture.

"Fruit. Right." Sam quickly busied himself, going to his small kitchen to gather the supplies to make the tea. Coming back with a strainer and a teapot on an ornate tray, he laid them down on a table and wordlessly passed Jigano a handkerchief for his nose.

"Gifts...? O-Oh. That's not necessary." He was not accustomed to receiving things well, ever, and the thought was as exciting as it was mortifying. Peering at the sack Jigano dropped, he couldn't see any hint of what it was. To stop himself from staring at it an uncomfortable amount, he sat down facing away from it and motioned Jigano to sit at the other chair before the fireplace.

Sam's home was modest. Two chairs surrounded a warm fire in the living room (Sam sat in both of them interchangeably so one would not gather dust) with a simple woven rug and wooden table between them. Above the fireplace was a painting of a family, all frowning and pale, with drawn faces. There was a man and a woman, the man with a beard and gaunt cheeks, the woman blonde and dressed in extravagant furs. Before them, two children sat, virtually identical except for their hairstyles and clothes.

There was a bookshelf that had spilled over at the back, books stacked up around the floor surrounding it. The piles themselves were neat and organised, but clearly well read. The books on the shelf would occasionally give way to little paintings or ornaments. Next to the shelf was a door to the kitchen, and to the right was a staircase twisting upstairs. Everything was some shade of beige or a subtle dark red.

Sam curled his knees up underneath him and leaned forward to make the tea, the sweet scent of something not dissimilar to apples rising up from the pot.

"It needs a moment. To stew." He said, then sat back to wait, watching the steam rise. "...So...how have you been since...since...all of it?"

Jigano took the handkerchief ruefully, nodding his thanks to his considerate friend and turning aside to blow his nose with as much delicacy as was possible.

"Not necessary, no," Jigano agreed cheerfully. "But that's the joy of it." He settled into the indicated chair, sighing with relief as some of the warmth began to soak back into his bones. The day spent in fox form had been almost comfortable, but the trudge back in man form had been more than a bit chilly.

Samuel's home may have been small, but it was cozy. The books in particular had Jigano relaxing with the comfort of the familiar, and his eyes roamed the titles on the spines - as well as covertly examining the knickknacks and ornaments. And then, of course, there was The Painting.

"Hmm? Ah, to steep, yes," the bard agreed absently, picking out the similarities in the children. The richness of the mother's clothes - the grim austerity in the father's face. And the boy... he looked from the painting of the child to his friend with a raised brow, finding the resemblance and remembering how, at their first meeting, Samuel had said his family didn't like to talk to him. About anything.

The fools.

"I've been fine," he reassured his host, speaking gently. "The book was unexpected, but it didn't hurt us, aside from giving a good scare. Those damned and damnable gourds did me worse damage, in fact." He chuckled ruefully, giving his nose another surreptitious wipe. "I got a bruise on my leg that took a week to fade, thanks to them. But I've been learning my way around, meeting some new people... reading a few new books. I quite liked that one you recommended, the romance with the warrior. It had some wonderful poetry in it." He tilted his head at the man across from him, blue eyes narrowing shrewdly with concern. "And how are you? I've wanted to give you time to recover, but... with the way you left, I admit, I've been worried. Is everything alright?"

Sam could see Jigano's eyes on the painting. He couldn't really blame him - it was by far the biggest and most interesting thing in the room, and right between them. It was something he felt grimly obligated to hang up, out of some strange sense of loyalty despite everything his family had done. In the moments when he felt odd about it, he told himself it was simply because it was important to know your history.

Thankfully Jigano quickly took his attention away from the ghosts on the wall and began to speak to him. "I...leave the gourds well alone." He mumbled, finding the whole idea unnerving. Supernatural anything (including himself) was something he didn't like the meddle with.

Pleased to hear that Jigano had enjoyed his book recommendation, he smiled as he leaned forward to grab the teapot and pour the tea through the strainer, putting a cup before Jigano on the table and taking his own to hold between his hands. The smell, quite strong, made him feel calm, and he breathed it in with closed eyes and a happy sigh while he listened.

It seemed Jigano had taken the 'adventure' better than he had, though he supposed that wasn't too surprising. He was, in general, not someone who took things well.

"I am..." He sighed and shifted, holding his tea with one hand and pulling his legs further under himself. "Alright, I suppose. It was not a pleasant experience...b-but perhaps it was...good...?" Sam seemed to be thinking as he was speaking, his tone of voice very unsure. "I've been thinking lately maybe I should...d-do more. Perhaps not so extreme, but it was..something new. And frightening. But I didn't think I could...do any of that. Not that I did that much. But I didn't die or give up....so perhaps it was useful. I don't know."

Laughing awkwardly at himself for getting on such a tangent, he shrugged and looked up at Jigano. "I'm sorry. You probably...don't understand. I-I don't know how you're so brave and confident."

Jigano claimed his own cup with slow grace, pausing to admire the antique porcelain before savoring the scent of the apples rising from it. Or... trying to. He was pretty sure he smelled apples through the congestion of his sinuses.

His own history was edited to be brief but bright, careful not to mention anything that might set Samuel too badly on edge when the evening had barely begun. But there was something he needed to know before he could relax completely, and that was how well the other man was recovering from their unexpected adventure. He watched the bookmaker pull himself up into a ball, taking up as little space as possible and tucking his limbs close as if to protect them, and the bard stifled a sigh of concern. But as the red head continued Jigano found himself smiling, giving an encouraging nod or two as his friend seemed to find a little confidence. "You were useful, and you didn't give up. You stood up to that Vizier a few times, and you were selfless at the end, when you gave me the feather. I'll tell you a secret: I didn't start out like this, either. I was nervous and scared - I still am, quite a lot. But..." he hesitated, then gave a careful shrug so as not to spill his tea as he sipped and savored the hot liquid. "But I pretended I was brave. I pretended I was who I wanted to be until, one day, I woke up and realized... I mostly was. And a lot of that was because I..." This time his hesitation was more abrupt, a shadow falling over his eyes. He sighed, looking to the fire and seeing memories dancing in its flames. "Because... I wasn't alone, back then. I had... people... with me. Who would become my friends. I had to at least pretend to be strong - for them. Though they were all braver than I in those days." His lopsided smile held an ache of old pain, and he drew in a deep breath, exhaling his ghosts with it a moment later. He took another sip of the tea to settle himself, then looked back at Samuel with a more cheerful smile. "So. Perhaps that will help you - as I think it already did, in the book, when you pretended to be the woodsman and you stood taller and spoke more firmly. And when you knew that I, stuck as a horse, had only you to depend on to speak for us both."

Jigano's encouraging sentiments were things Sam had heard before, but to hear them spoken with such conviction from a friend gave them a new meaning. He couldn't help the wide grin on his face, something so unusual to him that his cheeks felt uncomfortable.

"Th-thank you. Thank you. I didn't...I thought you'd hate me after all of that. For a while. I thought I had embarrassed you. Somehow." He took a sip of tea and his smile faded a little, but was still very much there, not just on his face but in the way his shoulders relaxed and he settled deeper into his chair. "..I'm glad that's not the case."

"I actually...when I was a child. I would pretend to be a warrior. Strong, a ba-battlefield. When I was upset. That I had to keep going." This was deeply personal but he felt comfortable enough sharing it with Jigano, the warm fire and cozy atmosphere helping him to open up. "It's not quite the same, but I understand what you mean. Maybe I should wear leather more, right?" He didn't often make jokes, and it was followed by an awkward little chuckle.

As much as he hadn't expected it and didn't know how to ask about it, Sam was curious about the gift Jigano had brought. His eyes slid to it behind the chair, the sack enticing in it's mystery.

"I-is there a reason for the gift?"

"Mostly I was embarrassed by the book putting me into a horse's body," the bard pointed out dryly. "But I'm not easily given to hate, my friend. And certainly not for someone who was trying their best. Especially when you were willing to give up the protection of that feather for me." Exasperation and some frustration? Oh, there had been that, true, but especially once they'd both escaped unharmed those had faded quickly with the understanding that Samuel simply wasn't the adventurous type - and therefor had done very well indeed on his first outing!

The white-haired lorekeeper smiled at Sam's childhood games, giving an encouraging nod. He had been a different boy, with different dreams, once... never to be a warrior, though fate had dealt him a different hand. "More leather would be a start," Jigano teased gently back with a grin. "Or maybe learning the bow? A small one, for shooting at targets. Something to impress the ladies, perhaps?" he winked, but he followed Sam's glance behind him, and at the sight of the bag his teasing fell away to a genuine laugh.

"The Notice Board said it was Deepfrost," he explained cheerfully. "And that there were certain, ah, traditions associated with it. I may have misunderstood the gist of it but... please. go on and open it, and you can let me know if you would find it useful or not."

"L-ladies? Um." Sam awkwardly looked off into the fire, wondering how he'd managed to give off any kind of heterosexual vibe. Not that he thought anything he'd ever be able to do with a bow would impress anyone, anyway.

Eager to get away from the topic, Sam put down his tea and stood to go and investigate his gift. He took a moment with his hands held still on the sack before he opened it, wanting to savour the mere idea of having a present at all.

Suddenly waiting was too much to bear and he pulled it open. There was a split second where he was confused, staring at the moss and wondering if Jigano had gone totally insane, then he realised what it was. Usually he spent most of LongNight holed up in his bedroom with candles and snacks, not making enough noise to justify the moss, but it was a touching thought. Taking a bunch of it in his hand, he stood and turned back to Jigano.

"Oh. Thank you. I will put it around the floor and under the counters." He moved to sit back in his chair, fiddling with the moss in his hand. "Do you...know about the LongNight? What...everything you need to do?" He paused, a thought coming to him. "...D-do you even have a house yet?"

"Or gentlemen," the bard amended with a shrug. It was no skin off his nose who Samuel preferred to while away his time with, nor any business of his how his friend's preferences lay. He sipped his tea as Sam stood, hiding his smile behind the cup. He wasn't certain the other man would like it... but he was optimistic. It was a way to keep the monsters at bay, to keep the little bookmaker safe - and now he wouldn't have to out into the woods to gather it himself.

Jigano did turn to watch Sam's expression as he opened the bag - the surprise, the confusion, and then, at last, the gratitude. The bard let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and stood, setting his teacup down gently as the other man returned to their cozy spot by the fire. "I could help, if you want?" he offered hopefully. "I'm not actually sure how to do it. I've done a bit of research about the Long Night in the Atheneum but..." he gave a wry shrug, running long fingers back through his hair in a gesture of bemusement. "It's hard to tell fact from fiction. What I need to do versus what is only a suggestion, or what is outright superstition. I'd appreciate your expertise and advice, please?" And hopefully that would distract the bookmaker from worrying about the bard's housing situation. At least until he had a better answer for him.

"Oh. You need help with it. Alright." Sam stood again and brought the sack of moss closer, pulling it up to show Jigano. The moss had a light, earthy smell to it that always reminded him of this time of year - both a nostalgic and a remorseful feeling.

"So. You don't want to make a lot of noise. In the LongNight. B-because of the monsters. Outside." He pointed to the window as if there would be a beast looming outside right at that second. Personally, he had never actually seen any of the beasts, but he had heard things scuttling about outside during the LongNight and his imagination did the rest. "What the moss does...it makes things softer. Quieter. Or you can pack it into things to block noise. Like the floor...or anything, really."

As an example, he spread a little on the floor then stepped on it then on the floor without, showing the difference in sound. Then, he took a handful and headed to the door, stuffed it underneath (then removed it because he did want to leave the house between now and the LongNight).

"I don't usually...do all of this." He admitted. "But I remember it from my childhood. I usually just...hide. And read. And stay quiet anyway." This was a little embarrassing, given how indepth peoples preparations could get, but he much preferred his simple approach. "I lock the door and have candles and it...it's always worked so far. But you could do it, so maybe you should learn how? Look."

Gently, Sam knelt down and prised up a floorboard by the door, pushing some moss into the thin space beneath. He motioned for Jigano to come over and put some in himself, opening up some more floorboards for them to fill. While he didn't always do this part of the rituals himself, it was nice to have the extra security. "Make sure its packed up tight. There...there's always a lot to get more."

Sam pushed some moss in himself and began to chat as he worked. "Do you know anything else? Ab-about the Luxere or the Sparkbird or the games? And where is your house? D-Depending on where it is you might be better suited for some things." He had taken Jigano's silence as confirmation of a domicile somewhere, thinking the other man capable enough to have found residence by now.

Jigano listened intently, watching Samuel with sharp blue eyes, both curious at the lesson and delighted to be learning something new. He watched his friend spread it on the floor and nodded at the difference in sound, thought it seemed a terribly messy way to spend a week. The bit under the door made perfect sense, and he chuckled as the other man promptly removed it. "Do you really spend the whole week inside, thought?" It seemed, well, a bit much, in truth. The wandering bard - as much fox as man - would grow restless in just a few days in one building. Especially as small as the domiciles tended to be.

Samuel's admission didn't particularly surprise Jigano, and the bard smiled reassuringly down at his friend, especially at the offer of instruction. "A week of reading in bed is far from the worst thing I can think of," he teased. "Though the monsters add an interesting twist on it! I'd be honored to learn what you have to teach, though."

He knelt down at Sam's side, gathering some moss for himself and watching as the floorboard came up. At the gesture he joined in, packing the moss loosely so the board above would take some springiness from it, rather than strain. At the correction - to pack it in tightly - he adjusted his amount, thinking ruefully that perhaps he hadn't brought enough after all! "It's a wonder the woods aren't picked clean of the stuff each year," he murmured as he worked, watching Sam from the corner of his eye to make sure he was doing it correctly.

"The luxere, I've met once. The sparkbird... I saw a picture in a book, but I admit, I'm fascinated to hear more. And what games?" Those, he hadn't heard of at all! A little fun in this dark season... well. Something to cheer up wouldn't go amiss, after helping the blond man dig up pieces of his friend near the Spire. The further question of his home earned a chuckle as he worked side-by-side with the bookmaker. "I've a little place in the woods, at the moment. Out near the glade. Though it sounds like I might come in and spend the Long Night in the Atheneum, if it's truly so dangerous." 'Little' indeed - it was an old badger holt he'd moved into and enlarged to keep his possessions safe while traveling around, but still too small for a tall human man, no matter how slender. Even Samuel would find it a tight fit!

"Yes. I love it. I like to be alone, inside." Samuel smiled. He was excited for the LongNight, the easy excuse to lock himself up, indulge the worse of his isolating tendencies without judgement. As soon as the words were out of his mouth though, he worried they sounded like an insult. "B-but I like your company, of course."

He nodded his approval as Jigano packed in the moss tighter, putting floorboards back in place over it as they moved along. This task was something he hadn't done for years, and it made him think of his sister, imagine her hands in the place of Jigano's - a bittersweet thought.

"People play board games and card games. I have...a pack of cards, but I've never. Used it." Never had anyone to play with. "Do you know any c-card games? I don't know if they'd be the same...I only know a few." He had read up on some rules a while ago, during a phase where he was riling himself up to go to the local inn on a night to make friends, but never had.

His eyes opened with alarm when Jigano revealed his living situation. "No! I mean. Y-you can't stay in the Atheneum. After what happened to us, we can't know if it's safe. A-and the woods will be overrun by monsters. You need to stay somewhere better." Before he'd even considered them the words came: "Stay here if you have to. J-just not there."