The Bewitching Hour

✧ chapter three: the merry band

Lance frowns at that thought. He wonders: will Hunk's family approve of Shay? A part of him fears that Plaht's insular ways will win, that they'll tell him he should marry a girl from his hometown instead. Takashi has allegedly heard that a thousand times. But Lance knows the Garretts. He knows Pappy, that he's an honest man and just wants his boy to be happy. And he tells himself that Hunk's future engagement will be met with joy and celebration. He shakes his head and tries to focus on the atmosphere of merriment that's captivated the little tavern once again.

"It's a wonder they never kick you out," Lance laughs, peering over at Pidge, "on account of your obvious baby-face." She tends to wear a hooded cloak in the tavern just so she doesn't get comments from other patrons. She scoffs.

"Why would they turn my business away? I'm the one that chose this place!"

"I'd like to think I had something to do with it," Hunk reminds her. He gestures, vaguely, at Shay, who's almost done pouring their drinks. Lance reminisces on the hints that Hunk used to plant that he wanted an excuse to spend more time here.

But before they can argue amongst themselves about credit (Lance is the one who actually travels to Yalexia to deliver grain), there's that bell again. Three familiar faces. Pidge raises a hand to signal them over. Rax doesn't need to be told to call for more drinks, more bread.

"Forget bread," a lanky man calls out to him. "I'm starving. How about some pork?" The man's female companion seconds that. Their ringleader just shrugs.

"Whatever you want," Rax answers. He turns to Shay. "You heard the man."

Shay hurries to set down several mugs of ale before she bows politely and makes a beeline for the kitchen, where she'll surely be hard at work cooking for some time, while Rax grabs for more glassware.

Little Pidge has an older brother. And that older brother heads a guild of his own. They call themselves the Rogues, which Lance thinks is a bit too on-the-nose and not very creative, but maybe that part isn't so important. Matthew Holt— Matt, for short— assembled them in Jitan, a mining town some distance northwest of here, shortly after he fled Plaht in search of adventure, leaving Pidge behind with parents that only became more and more protective in his absence.

Matt is limited to two underlings for now. Rolo is a suspicious sort of man that knows how to charm his way out of trouble with hair like straw and a build not dissimilar, but those wiry arms are deceptive. Nyma's golden locks form sparkling curls that cascade down her shoulders. She can bat her eyelashes at most men and get whatever she wants in return, but Lance knows better than to be fooled by her. She's a no-nonsense sort and far more cunning than she would have you believe.

As soon as he is seated, Matt throws an arm around his sister. She glares, but doesn't make any move to shrug it off. With his other hand, he slaps Hunk's shoulder. His face is split into a wide, toothy grin. He's missing a tooth that he had when Lance last saw him and there's a wound on his lip. He doesn't intend to say anything about that. It's poor etiquette to do so when Matt will likely get to that on his own time.

Shay sets down several plates full of juicy-looking, freshly-cooked pork slathered in a savory sauce and Lance can feel himself salivating at the sight of it. She tells them to wait a moment before she returns with another dish. A wooden bowl full of potatoes whipped into a pile of creamy mash. She sets it in front of Hunk.

"Just for you," she says, voice sweet as she hands him a spoon. "I've been working on my own recipes."

"You—" Hunk kisses her hand. "Are a doll. You're too good to me. Really."

Shay is all smiles as she gets back to work polishing the empty tables with a rag, and Lance is admittedly quite jealous of Hunk's free meal. He stares at it with hungry eyes. As if to placate him, Rolo offers to share his plate of pork.