Work Text:
"Oh! I was thinking, since Halloween's coming up-"
Bailey just sort of... started talking on his own, and Gus couldn't find it in him to interrupt her, no matter how surprised he was.
"We can dress like Cosmic Frontier characters again, if you want, I just think it'd be a little redundant to do the same thing two years in a row? I know you haven't read The Good Witch Azura, but I kinda caved in and read the first volume, and it's not horrible. Imagine Luz and Amity's faces if we-"
Gus can really only keep himself grounded by continuing to stare at Bailey. They're waving their hands as if it helps him visualize things better, and she smiles in his direction and it's all sunshine and free of anguish.
"It's not much of a collaboration if I don't ask for your opinion, though... What do you think?"
Gus's job is to keep up the illusion, it is, so why is he just—
"You're really keen on doing this, huh?"
Ruining it for her.
"Obviously. I want to celebrate Halloween with you!"
Shut up shut up let them have this for the love of Titan shut UP—
"Even... Even after what happened last year?"
Bailey stiffens suddenly, and for a second, Gus is worried he unintentionally caused a switch.
But the way she relaxes, nervous smile on his face, fingers coming to trace at the various fruits illustrated on his pajama pants is so undeniably them. Gus doesn't let himself feel better yet.
"I mean, yeah. I feel a little bit disconnected from the whole thing, I guess. Or very disconnected. Besides, with Flap in the system, I kinda forget entirely."
Gus has to be, by far, Aerial's dumbest friend.
"I... I forgot that Flapjack was in your system, now."
Bailey laughs, "Well, yeah. We barely talk about him and he never fronts, how are you supposed to remember?"
Gus is thankful, because she says the rude and insensitive things for him.
"Don't grieve him for us. There's no need to do that."
There's a flicker of something in their eyes, or someone else, but they're gone within an instant.
"I don't know what the others think about this, but I think the general consensus would probably just be for me to have fun, so... If you're up to it, would you have fun with me?"
Bailey extends their hand in his direction, an invitation to take it. It feels way too much like a proposal. In a way, it is. She also definitely read something like this in a book, but that's not what Gus is giggling to himself about.
If he could process his own weird feelings about Halloween in the process, that would be nice.
He takes his hand.
"Sure."