Chapter Text
They are back at the lodge, only Thacker is missing having decided to stay in Sylvain this time around, and she and Dani are having a pretty bad fight. Normally they’d keep their disagreements to themselves, but this time around they don’t bother stepping nearly far enough away to keep it private. Dani goes off upstairs to go to bed early and Aubrey decides to let off some steam by walking around.
She’s walking through the main lobby, in pursuit of her jacket, when Duck stands abruptly from where he’d been sitting in front of the fire. He looks like he wants to have some sort of conversation, but Aubrey is not in a good place to be good company for him so she waves him off, grabs her jacket, and slams the front door of the lodge.
Aubrey pauses a moment to take in the late autumnal air. It’s crisp and helps clear her head some. She knows that they’ll make up in the morning, but it always sucks when they can’t agree. Or when Dani can’t compromise. Or when she can’t just shut her own damn m—
The lodge door swinging back open nearly startles Aubrey out of her skin.
Her nerves are shot. So, she steps back and both of her hands blaze, immediately on the defense. It takes her a moment to process Duck pausing in the doorway for a moment and then pushing forward, shutting the door as he joins Aubrey out on the porch.
“C’mon Aubrey, let’s put those out and have a talk.”
Aubrey lets out a breath and the fire leaves her hands. “Sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” He goes over to the swinging bench suspended on a couple of the awning’s beams. The beams creak a bit as he sits, but they hold true. He pats the open space beside him. “Now, c’mon. What’s gotten into you two?”
Aubrey shakes her head at the seat and starts pacing the length of the porch. She couldn’t sit still even if she tried. She doesn’t ignore his question, though.
“Just disagreeing on stuff.”
“Like…”
“Like the stupidest shit.” Aubrey groans. “She wants to go see Ned’s statue tomorrow, but I promised Jake we’d go hang out with him tomorrow. And, for some dumb reason, we can’t apparnetly do both!”
Duck hums.
Aubrey continues.
“And then the next day we’re supposed to go visit Barclay and Stern out at their new house, but she thinks that we should stay at the lodge and visit with Mama and you guys. Which, no offense, I’d love to, but Barclay and Stern are apparently leaving for some trip the next day so if we want to see them we have to do it tomorrow. And we didn’t see them last year so I know Barclay’s pretty sad about that.
“And I know we promised Alexandra we’d go to like a pumpkin patch or something while she’s here. She’s a teenager, but she hasn’t had a lot of fun as a kid so I can’t just let her down like that. I think Dani is fine with that plan, but I think I heard Mama was planning the bonfire that night and I don’t know if I’ll have the energy for both. And I really don’t want to—”
“Disappoint Mama,” Duck says, completing her sentence.
“Exactly!” Aubrey exclaims, pointing at Duck, glad that someone finally gets what she’s saying. “Dani doesn’t want to either so we’re probably going to split up who goes where so that we can make sure that we go to both.”
“How long are you two gonna be here in Kepler?”
Aubrey pauses. “A week I think?”
“And then what do the two of you got going on when you get back?”
“Well, Janelle said something about us going to visit some village to see what the capital can do for them. Then probably some studying and meetings with diplomats. You know, the usual.”
Duck nods. “When’s the last time either of you took a vacation?”
“What’s that?” Aubrey laughs at her own joke. There’s way too much to do to take a break.
Duck doesn’t laugh, though.
Her laughter dies quickly enough.
“You know I don’t normally pry into other people’s business, but never taking time off can’t be good for either of you. And I really don’t think that the fighting you two do is unrelated to all of this.”
Aubrey feels tired all of a sudden, so she walks over to sit beside Duck. The rafters creak, but it holds steady. She still can’t keep completely still, though, so she pushes off and starts moving the bench back and forth. Duck picks up his feet and lets her got at it.
“I know you’re right, but it doesn’t feel like we’re going to really get a chance to. There’s so much that we have to do—”
“Who says you have to figure this out on your own? I’m pretty sure we could all work to get you some time off while you’re here in Kepler. Minerva and I could take Alexandra to Al’s Pumpkin Patch. And, if you’re worried about not getting to see everyone, I could make a few calls and get everyone here to see y’all off.”
“But—”
“Nope.” Duck puts his feet on the ground, bringing the swing to a halt. “You and Dani are getting out of town for a whole week. You have tomorrow to get your shit together and see whoever you want to, but if I catch you in Kepler the rest of the week I’m calling Sheriff Owen’s on your ass to chase you out of town.”
He stands up.
“Mama, Minerva, and I’ll set up the details. Now, get upstairs, tell Dani about what’s going on, and I’ll see you in the lobby tomorrow morning.”
“Duck, neither of us have any money—”
He waves a hand. “Don’t worry about it. Now get before I make you.”
Aubrey has half a mind to test him, but she’s pretty sure Duck means business. So, she stands and goes upstairs, no more questions asked.