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The war was put on pause for the holidays.
It was a silent agreement- no fighting, no killing, no nothing. Just… a day, or a week, to pretend they were still the people they had been when all of this started.
They couldn’t remember who, exactly, had had the idea, but for Purim they were all dressing up as each other. They would dress like they were on a different side of the war.
Jimmy and Scott were dressing as the Crastle people. Shining silver armor, soft velvet, sturdy leather, belts and straps and crowns. They dressed like royalty, like living in a castle made them more than kings. For their Mishloach Manot, they were giving out smoked fish, fried potatoes, and jars of sweet wine, in silver baskets made to look like helmets with leather straps.
Cleo and Bdubs were going as the Desert folk. Colorful scarves and ponchos, flowy linen, tassels and beads and sandals. They dressed like deserters, like people who didn’t think they needed anything but the sun and the sand. They were giving out cuts of rabbit meat, Israeli salads, and muffins made to look like cacti, in baskets made to look like cacti with little pink flowers.
Grian and Scar were dressed as Dogwarts. Soft snowy fur, gleaming gold buttons, deep red wool, teeth and bone and dark wood. They dressed like soldiers, like men who would bow and bleed for another. They were giving roasted carrots, carrot cake, and berry tarts, in dark baskets with red banners hanging off them.
Ren and Martyn were going as the Flower Valley people. Dirt covered denim, light cotton, delicate lace, flowers and vines and baskets. They dressed like married men, like love was enough to keep them alive. They were giving out jars of mead, fruit salad, and fresh challah rolls, in light baskets woven with flowers.
Everyone else had switched around between each other. Skizz was in Joel’s bloody fur and broken crown, giving out chunks of mutton and cookies shaped like bones. Bigb was wearing Skizz’s torn sleeves and red cloak, giving ladyfingers and funeral potatoes. Tango was going in Bigb’s warm blue coat, with its little patches and pins, and he was giving chocolate chip cookies and chocolate hamantaschen. Impulse was in Tango’s deep red leather, with its sparkle of redstone dust, and he was giving out little jars of a warm drink that looked like lava and cut-up steak. Etho was in Impulse’s red cloak and gold chains, giving out circular gold crackers and blue cheese cut in circles. Joel was wearing Etho’s soft wool and dark green mask, giving cut-up mutton and jars of cold broth with little lily pads on top.
Megillah was read at Dogwarts, and they did the seudah at the Crastle. It was loud and warm and wonderful, like that night in the cave, all of them hiding from their phantoms. Like there was no war, like none of them had died. Like none of them had killed.
Mishenicnas Adar marbim b’simcha indeed.