#oh! and the first appearance of miyuki as well. o.o i talk about him sometimes on my twitter but i don't think ive ever mentioned him here

[yafaemi-but-gone-fishing]

| the spookiest night of the year

Summary: tonight is important for two reasons, and Aurora is intent on making sure that it’s enjoyed to the fullest. Everyone else is in for the ride, whether they want to be or not. :) 

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The knock on the door was the first sign that the night was not going to be as peaceful as Oliver was hoping for. 

Actually opening it was the confirmation. And when he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of Aurora jumping out from the hidden side of the balcony, caked in what looked like blood and decked in tattered robes. “By the gods, Rory, what is wrong with you!?” 

She cackled. Not even a laugh, it was a full on cackle. “Come on, it’s All Saints Wake! This is the perfect time to scare your friends out of their wits! Gods, that face you made was priceless, Oli! I’ve never heard you yell that loud before!” Doubled over into herself, odd eyes nearly crossing in her unending laughter. 

“By the Fury, I could hear you all the way from the other side of the house. What seems to the--” Amandine stopped dead in her tracks, halfway in the hall. Oliver ignored the stifled snicker she made when she spotted Aurora. “I see.” 

It took several moments for Aurora to compose herself well enough to even speak. Let alone anything else. She wiped away a tear carefully, making sure not to disturb the fake blood saturating her face. Then, with a passably serious expression, she looked up again. 

“We have two things we’re doing tonight,” she explained with a grin, brushing past Oliver into the house. He followed after her silently, letting out a shaky breath as he closed the door, “Scaring random people that are walking around somewhere dark, and celebrating Miyuki’s nameday.” 

“...Pardon?” 

“Wait, how did you even find out what his nameday was?” 

Aurora waved a dismissive hand, saying, “He mentioned something about it earlier to me, when I asked if he was free tonight. He’ll be here in a half hour, I think he said. I gave him directions. Hope you don’t mind.” 

For some reason, it appeared as though whether or not Amandine did was irrelevant. Given the fact that Miyuki was already on the way to begin with, anyways. There was no way to retroactively take the information back, unless she hit him over the head and gave him amnesia.

She shrugged halfheartedly, “I suppose I can let this pass.”

“Awesome. Ok, so, we need to get you guys some costumes.” When neither Oliver or Amandine replied, Aurora gestured to herself with a pleased grin. “I’ve got mine, and Miyuki already dresses like a voidsent trying to pass as a mortal, anyways. Do you guys have any, like… ruined bedsheets, or something? Oliver’d make a good ghost, so that’s his costume already set up.” 

Of all the things that could have happened tonight… this was probably not even the worst. Not by a long shot. Scaring people and dragging along someone who was barely even their acquaintance, at that point? What was it about All Saints wake that always made Aurora so intent on causing trouble? 

“I was a ghost the last year we spent in Radz-at-Han, though, Rory. That would just be unoriginal, now.” 

He’d known her for too long to bother questioning it, even if it was a bad idea. If you can’t understand them, join them, or whatever it was people always said. 

“Hmmm. Bat, maybe? I don’t think we’ve dressed up as bats in ages.” 

“If we might pause for a moment,” Amandine interrupted them, causing the attention in the room to stop short of actual costume making, “What exactly is going on here? I seem to have lost track of the conversation.” 

The way that Aurora sighed made it seem like she was inconvenienced by this. The slightest hint of Amandine’s violet eyes rolling to the back of her head made Oliver shrug in mute sympathy. “We’re trying to think of Oliver’s costume, so that we can go out and scare people.” 

“Very well. However, if I might ask another question: why?” 

“Why not?” 

That seemed to make Amandine sigh. She crossed her arms, “Why do you think, Aurora? This is not exactly your everyday spontaneous decision.”

Technically, she was right. Though technicality was likely one of the things Aurora paid the least attention to in her decisions. It was a fun idea, something to do, and celebrated two events in one sitting. In summary, an absolutely perfect way to spend the night. 

Whether or not everyone else agreed could be considered later. Besides, they would come around eventually. Likely in the far future, where the night's events would be a hilarious story that ended in chaos. 

At least they were fun nights. “Believe me, Mandi, this is more or less normal for Rory. I thought you knew that already,” Oliver said with a shrug. Then with a small grin, “Plus, the last time we did this, we all went to the Bismarck and got the sandwich platter.” 

“Ooooh, I remember that!” Aurora turned to him, giving him a light shove as she nodded. The grin was splitting through her makeup. “Gods, those pirates were something else, weren’t they?” 

Amandine looked suddenly less impressed, but at least a hint amused. “Halone forgive me for this. I’ll follow along with whatever insane plan you have brewed for tonight, Aurora. But I swear, if we end up gallivanting with pirates, I am leaving. With or without you, Oliver,” she added. The attempt to sound stern failed quite miserably when the teasing smile broke onto her face. 

“Good!” Aurora clapped her hands together, grin only getting wider. Oliver smiled despite himself, watching as Amandine rolled her eyes once more with a smile of her own. “You won’t regret this, I promise. Go and find something suitably spooky to put on, alright? Or just, like… dark. Maybe you could be like a voidsent’s mistress, or something?” 

Half a chuckle escaped her lips, and she turned down the hall, saying, “Mhach itself will bow down to my otherworldly charms.” 

“That’s the spirit!” 

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Miyuki had arrived while Amandine was preparing. 

“You actually came!” Aurora bounced up from the couch the second Miyuki entered the living room, followed closely by Oliver. Looking as unenthusiastic as ever. “Thanks a lot, Yuki. I mean it, this is going to be awesome.” 

“Miyuki,” he corrected with a single righting of his glasses. “It’s Miyuki.”

“Uh huh.” Aurora ignored him, more or less. As she usually did. “Amandine’ll… probably be out in a minute. She’s getting ready. I think. Or she just climbed out of a window to avoid having to go with us.” She shrugged, then glanced towards the doorless entrance that went out into the main hall again. 

Miyuki brushed his dark hair to the side, then nodded once. “I envy her. Really, I do.” 

“Hey, this is your nameday we’re celebrating, here. What’s the fun if it’s not with the old man himself?” 

“Aurora, I’m literally three years younger than you are. I’m not old in the slightest.” 

It took half a moment for her to respond. Aurora squinted her eyes at him, raised an eyebrow, then said, “...You’re only 21? Gods, I thought you were older. You act like it, anyways.” 

Oliver blinked. “Ya… I didn’t think I was older than you. Only by a year, but… that’s cool! Happy nameday anyways, Miyuki.” He didn’t mention the confusion on the fact that Miyuki’s hair was definitely longer the last time they’d spoken. 

“You don’t act your age either. We’re even.” 

Aurora snorted. “Hey, I act my age. When I have to. Otherwise, what’s the point in always being serious other than boring yourself to sleep?” Something caught her eye behind Miyuki, from the way she paused. And the second after when she went to speak, her voice seemed to fade away, leaving them only with a weak, “...Oh. Wow.” 

Amandine had, apparently, returned. Decked in a long, flowing black coat, with silver engravings running down the entirety of it. There was a running slit that went up her leg, stopping midway up her thigh. “I pray this isn’t too formal for your ridiculous antics? I wanted to play the part.” 

“No, that’s… that’s cool. You look really nice.” Aurora swallowed, then finally scooted her eyes from the long slit in the dress. She got up, stretched, and then smiled at the group, “...So, are we ready to go now? We’ve got a long night ahead of us.” 

Oliver nodded once. He’d slipped into something suitably bat-like in the time that Amandine had been preparing, and Miyuki arriving. At least, he hoped it was suitably bat-like. Aurora’d given him a thumbs up about it, if nothing else.

“I’m leaving you to your fates if this gets us into trouble with the authorities,” Miyuki remarked, moving his small braid to the side of his shoulder. He ran a hand over it, then let it drop back. “I’m not getting arrested on my nameday.” 

There was a snicker from Amandine. “Well, I suppose since Miyuki has taken what my witty reply would have been, I’m prepared as well.”

“Good. Then let’s get out there, and make this an All Saints Wake-- and nameday, too-- that we won’t forget!” 

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They’d developed a very good system, for scaring people. 

Aurora would most often be the first one to jump out, being that she looked the most like a zombie that had wandered into a city. Often followed by Miyuki, who would then apologize for his minion’s inability to control herself. Even if his lack of utter enthusiasm often made the joke fall slightly more flat than intended. 

And the fact that Aurora would break into laughter far too easily at the unsettled faces of the victims. 

Then again, that was until one rather interesting scare. 

“...at which point, the cast would be far easier to use lightning aspected aether. Yet that is simply easier said than done, unless you’re in a place highly saturated with it,” Amandine explained, with a simple shrug. She and Oliver were settled comfortably behind a bush, in a rather empty spot in Gridania. Their turn to scare a few people had come and gone once more, of which she was most grateful. 

“I think I understand what you mean. I guess some magic is just sort of impossible to cast without like… a focus? Is that what you call them? Or just… something that has what you need…?”

“There are various ways to call such things. Though, your best bets are--”

She was cut off by thundering footsteps, and Miyuki suddenly bursting through the bush. Slightly out of breath, by the long pause he took before even regarding them. Oliver and Amandine looked up with surprised expressions as he gathered his breath, and said, “Aurora is in trouble.” 

Without another word, Oliver was up and leaping through the bush. It sounded like Amandine was on his heel, yet he hardly bothered to glance back.  

He hardly took the chance to even slow down from a reckless half-sprint until Aurora came into view enough to discern what was happening. From the seem of it, she was… hardly in any danger to begin with. Simply standing there, and with what looked like a slowly forming grin. 

Miyuki walked right past both he and Amandine, then went to stand by Aurora. He looked at her, then to Amandine and Oliver, then-- in the most surprising twist of the night, in Oliver’s own opinion-- smiled. 

...And right then and there, it hit Oliver what had just happened. “...Rory, are you actually serious?” 

Then Amandine’s voice cut in, cold as ice. “Aurora Rivers, if the Twelve do not strike you down someday, I swear I will do it myself.” 

Aurora nearly screamed out in sudden bouts of laughter. Nearly falling over, one hand going to catch herself on Miyuki’s shoulder as he let out a soft snicker. Though, he did brush her hand off. “Seven hells, that couldn’t have been any better!” She let out a gasp, nearly tripped on her own feet, and righted again. It was the front door all over again, suddenly. Oliver crossed his arms. “Hah, give me a second... that was too good!”

“You tricked us!” 

“And you seriously fell for it!” Aurora let out another laugh, this time falling over onto the ground. “...Seriously, you should’ve seen the looks on your faces! That was too good!” There was a moment of silence, and she finally sat herself up, pushing a mess of black hair out of her face. Some of the strands were still stuck into the makeup. “Ok, to be fair, that... “ she took another pause to breathe, “That was Miyuki’s idea.” 

He shrugged at the collective glares from them both, the smile going a hint smug. “You’re all terrible influences. Your glaring has no effect on me.” 

Aurora got herself up, brushed off her tattered clothes, and did a half-hopping skip over to Oliver and Amandine. She caught Oliver in a hug, still stifling down giggles as he only let out a long-suffering sigh. “Aw, c’mon, at least admit it’s sort of funny! You’re gonna make me feel bad.” 

“I’ll admit it when I’m not upset. Does that work?”

With a slightly more soft laugh, Aurora shrugged, “That’s fair. And, well… I think Amandine’s planning my death now, so I’m not going to try and ask. Happy All Saints Wake, though…?” She glanced over at her, offering a raise of her shoulders. 

“They’ll find your body in time for the next All Saints Wake, I assure you.” 

“Oh. Well, that works, at least!” 

Oliver spared her a glance. He offered at least one half of a smile, then said, “Mandi, please don’t kill my sister. You can take a limb, though..” 

“Hey, c’mon! I need my limbs.” For emphasis, she waved around her arms, glancing between the two of them. “This isn’t a game of halfsies here. All or nothing. I’m not a coward.” 

“He’s bartering for your life, and you’re trying to give her a reason to take it anyways.” Miyuki came up behind her, then stood at her side with crossed arms and a raised brow. He pushed up his glasses again, “That makes sense.” 

“You’re just jealous that she wants my life, and not yours.” 

“Oh, absolutely.” 

When Amandine’s forehead went to rest in her palm, Aurora let out another laugh. “Alright. How about, as an apology, we go and get some food? I guess I can pay as an apology. At least Oliver’ll forgive me?” She looked at him for confirmation, and only received a shrug as an answer. “Close enough. Come on, guys. I know a great restaurant in this area. They even serve free cake for your nameday, so we’ll all get a slice because of Miyuki.” 

“It had better be a vanilla cake.” 

“...Nevermind, the cake’s not worth it anymore. Chocolate or go home.” 

“Then you’re not getting cake at all, because I’m going home.” 

Amandine scoffed. “Forgive my forwardness, yet for the part you played in this trick, you are not leaving until I have received the finest slice of cake this restaurant has.” 

“I’m with Mandi. You two owe us cake,” Oliver said with a nod. As Aurora, Amandine, and Miyuki started off, he added, “...And besides, you’re both wrong, anyways. Ice cream cake is way better.”