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The Longest Day

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Elsie glares out of the crack of the coffin, spitefully staring at the sunlight outside the window, that foul sphere still hanging low in the sky.

"Ugh!" She sulks, two large eyes in the depth of the shadow.

"You going to get up, Creampuff?" The low, rumbly voice greets her through the darkness and, though hidden, her body soften.

Still, she broods. "This day feels like its taking for. Ev. Er."

"I mean, it is the longest day of the year."

"What? Its Midsummer?!" Elsie bursts out of her coffin all at once.

"Alban Hefin." Jimmy chuckles at her sudden enthusiasm.

"We should celebrate!" She cackles in kind, bouncing on her toes.

Instead of agreeing, Jimmy narrows his eyes suspiciously from where he is sitting at the table across the room.

"And what does that mean to you?"

"Parades!"

"With two of us?"

"A small parade!" Elsie huffs. "And feasting! And singing! And gathering flowers to keep under my pillow so that I can dream of my future spouse," Elsie sighs whimsically, sliding down across the couch to lay her head lovingly on Jimmy's shoulder.

"—Oh!" She jerks back up, then fixes him with a devillish grin, "And a nice big fire. From afar, of course. Have to have the fire to ward off evil spirits," she adds, rubbing her hands together gleefully.

"You know, that doesn't sound half bad. Except the feasting part. You get a bit… messy."

"You like me messy."

Elsie wiggles her eyebrows, then adds, "What about you?"

"As one with nature, the summer solstice is when the light burns away the old and invigorates is with the new. A dawn of a new crowning of the Holly King as the wheel of the year starts again—when we seek prosperity for the future and gratitude for the past…" He sighs wistfully, then nods. "A day to have a bonfire, on the beach until sunrise."

Elsie shudders.

"You had me at beach and lost me at sunrise," she warns, gnawing at her bottom lip like it might provide succor.

"How about I get a really big umbrella and let you dance around the fire at witching hour? White robes optional."

"Mmm," Elsie narrows her eyes, puckered lips tucking to the side. "Aa~and I get to make you a crown of flowers to wear."

Jimmy blanches. "A crown?"

"Yep. And you gotta wear it all day,"

she sing-songs, drawing out the word 'all' into a multitude of notes.

"You'll be asleep."

"I'll still know," Elsie warns, flashing him fangs.

"…Fine. Deal," Jimmy relents, pretending he minds though loving the idea of getting a crown from her.