You don't get what all this is about

[resoundingpledge]

WHO: Tetsuo, friends & (found) family
WHERE: "Seoul House" All U Can Eat Korean BBQ, Nonah
WHEN: July 29, 8:00 PM
WHAT: A very last minute celebration for Tetsuo's birthday
WARNINGS: None anticipated

[ There's nothing overly fancy about the private room at Seoul House. Exposed brick walls, two long tables inset with circular grills at regular intervals, exhaust pipes along the ceiling. The mingled scents of smoke and cooking meat cling to everything.

It looks like someone got here a little early; dollar store streamers drape haphazard across the walls, balloons cluster in the corners, and a cheery bunting banner banner reads:

H A P P Y    B I R T H D A Y    T E T S U 0
Of course, none of that is quite so celebratory as the food. Steamed, fried, simmered and pickled side dishes cover half the available table space, intermingled with dishes of sauces and plates of crispy lettuce leaves. The main feature, though, is the meat: platters of marinated beef, chopped brisket, short ribs, pork and chicken, all just waiting for the grill.

It's a fun and festive dinner, the kind that separates groups of friends into responsible caretakers and desperately hungry supplicants begging to know if this piece or that is ready yet. But there's more to do than cook and eat—those inclined can grab a glass and make a toast, or stop by the seat in the centre of it all for a quiet congratulations or two.

Stay long enough, and there might even be cake! ]

Comments

Tetsuo

[iamtetsuo]

1 . Wait, what?

[When Tetsuo was young, he could rely on getting basically no acknowledgement from 'others' as a whole for his continued existence. He didn't really remember it being any other way by now; maybe it had been, maybe not. All his memories involve things Kaneda did to make the day a little better, but that was it.

It never had anything large attached. No one else was going to care.

That's how he'd viewed this until now.

He's 17 now, almost 18, which he hears in America means he's almost an adult somehow. Nothing by now's been how he'd expected things to go. A year ago today, he'd been crouched on the floor of the room assigned him eating takeout that Kaneda left out of obligation, and feeling like maybe he hadn't been completely abandoned for reasons he couldn't understand. A year ago now he'd been scared and angry at basically everything life had to offer, and there was no hope for finding his way here. Just... all he knew was he was left to do that alone, and the world hurt, and there were no answers.

Now, he's sitting at a table, staring around him like he still doesn't quite believe this isn't some hallucination. If he seems alarmingly quiet, it's because he really is. His ego hasn't flared up to its usual proportions yet. For the moment, reality's hit too hard to ignore.

This is real...?]

2. No Patience, Ever

[Presents are probably things he's supposed to unwrap later, where no one's watching. But, presents are also things that, before this Christmas and January, tended to be very few and far between in his life. They never came wrapped; the most he's gotten at once were either fanport or being pointed to a pile of things in January. Pity gifts?

This is different. These are things that are not only for him, but were actively put here for him while he's here to see it. And not just left as tokens of how awesome he's been, a few things that he's unsure what to classify as, or his annoying Kaneda into giving him a ton of shit like at fanport. This is the first birthday party he's ever had, after seeing a few of them. It's enough that he's aware what he COULD have... and. Well.

Between the requirements that he'd have to care about things like decency and etiquette and his characteristic impatience, if you hand him something, he's finding out what it is then and there. Screw waiting, that's not happening. He wants all the things here, and he wants them right the hell now.]

3. What are table manners

[Tetsuo's main goal here, once he's thoroughly established that yep, he's here, and yep, this is all about him, is to try one of everything he can. This means either waiting impatiently for everything to finish, or casually snagging the first piece of whatever is up next, regardless of whoever had eyes on it or claimed it. He's not even above snagging it with his often abused psychic powers if need be.

What? It's my party. I can do what I want.

[Aren't you glad you came? Aren't you really glad you're enabling this shithead? Be afraid. He is almost an adult.]

4. Wildcard

2

[monge]

[Hooray, birthdays! When Komasan found out his angry potato was having one, of course he had to get a present. It'd be just awful if he didn't, Tetsuo was one of his first friends here.

So when he finds the chance, he'll toddle up to him and hand him a very neatly wrapped tiny box.]

I'm Komasanta today, zura!

[Wrong...reason to give someone a present, but the sentiment is still there. And gosh, he is so proud of that wrapping job.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo only really notices Komasan's approach when he's halfway to him, making his way resolutely on those small legs. He figured that the youkai couldn't do much more to surprise him anymore.

He always thinks this, and he's always wrong.]

Eh? What's this?

[Tetsuo takes the present with his hands, instead of his power, lifting it up quizzically. Before.. .well. That's probably amazing wrapping paper, and he couldn't begin to describe how it was wrapped later. He's too busy starting to rip it open to see what it is.

Komasan's got such a polite friend here, zura.]

[monge]

[It's fine, Komasan wouldn't have given it to him if he didn't want him to open it. If anything, Komasan's delighted by how eager his friend is to see the present he picked out for him. He almost acts like it's his own birthday with the way those eyes start to sparkle with anticipation.

When Tetsuo finishes ripping apart the package, he'll be greeted to...a music box. A beautiful, hand-painted, pastel, porcelain carousel music box, each tiny horse painstakingly detailed right down to their little horsey eyelashes.

You know, the absolutely last thing anyone would ever dream of giving Tetsuo Shima.]

Monge~ It's even prettier than I remember, zura~

[Do you love it?!]

3

[glitterateur]

[Mabel might have been eyeing that piece of beef, but it's not like she's going to tell the birthday boy he can't psychically grab it before she gets it. Especially since she's still pretty dang impressed with every use of his neato mind powers.]

--can you make those two ribs fight in mid-air?!

[It's like a food fight but better.]

[iamtetsuo]

[This, right here, is why Mabels are allowed to this dinner. Tetsuo grins, lifting his chin all important and proud of himself already, before answering. There is nothing remotely heroic about the glee here, but at least... in theory... this has to be harmless, right?]

Hell yeah. Wanna see?

[glitterateur]

Yes.

[The answer should be obvious, really. Mabel grins, sitting up on her chair and pounding her fists on the table. And then the chanting begins. This might be just a little disruptive to the other diners, but it's not their birthday. ]

Meat fight! Meat fight!

1

[rassera]

[As Tetsuo tries to sit down and process all of this, Kaneda's already hit the food, piling up his plate in true Kaneda-fashion. Which for those of you new to the game...is a lot. The plate is more like a mountain as he sets it down, an energy drink (he snuck it in, shut up) set next to it. Tetsuo may be in a frozen state of 'what the fuck', but this was probably one of the best ideas Kaneda never thought of.

Birthday parties just didn't happen back home. Celebrations? They were quick--like the one Kaneda had given him. Some food, some money...boom, done. And the year before that, just takeout. There's no pomp and circumstance to the way things were done by him.

But if anyone deserved the normal birthday treatment, he couldn't pick anyone better than Tetsuo. Seeing the boy's BSOD face, he reaches his hand up to run fingers through his hair, scritching it lightly as he pushes it in one direction, watching it actually stick there until it eventually gets rearranged back by his fingers.

When that doesn't seem to phase him, Kaneda reaches to get some of that sauce he'd picked up, dabbing a finger on it and...running a streak right down Tetsuo's face.


Like the shitty older brother he is.]

Oi, anyone in there?

[iamtetsuo]

[No, not really.

Kaneda messing with his hair has so normalized by now that Tetsuo doesn't even think to react to it. If they were near each other, Kaneda's hand usually ended up on his head; half a year later, he instantly accepts the gesture. His face stays immobile as Kaneda plays with his hair.

His face does not stay immobile when Kaneda drags something cold down his cheek, leaving a wet streak.]

OI!

[His face scrunches up, hand immediately raising to ... grab Kaneda's arm and try to use it as a napkin.]

Knock it off!

[rassera]

[Kaneda can't help but laugh at Tetsuo using his arm as a makeshift napkin, erupting as his arm flails around like a limp noodle in Tetsuo's grasp.]

There you are!


Was worried all this stuff broke you.


Can you believe it? People get stuff like this all the time--I've got to up my game next year!

2 SORT OF

[amadaman]

[Ken didn't actually arrive on time. He heard about this last minute and had to run out because like hell is he going to not do something nice for Tetsuo. Half of him just genuinely wants to be nice. The other half just wants to see if he can get the guy to be taken by surprise. Like a prank. But a nice one.

Anyway when Ken arrives he walks past all the others and marches straight up to Tetsuo with a rather nicely sized box -- plus a smaller softer package -- and dumping them both on his lap. They've got a weight to them.]

Happy birthday.

[He doesn't even move he knows Tetsuo's going to rip right into it as long as he trusts it not to be a bomb.]

2

[deadtective]

You trying to go for a Christmas in July theme here or what?

[this dry remark comes from across the table as Hazel watches Tetsuo turn someone's meticulous wrapping job into a metallic facsimile of a snowstorm. poor sap, she sure hoped they didn't agonize over picking out the perfect pattern or anything.

perhaps he's noticed that she hasn't given him anything, or perhaps in the sensory overload just what is from who has completely slipped from his mind. either way, she seems slightly less sullen at the moment as she rests her face on a hand and gently teases the birthday boy. only slightly, though.]

[iamtetsuo]

A what theme?

[...if he notices, he doesn't seem to care. Or perhaps, he isn't even expecting it. Next year.. then he really will be insufferable about it. Probably.]

[deadtective]

Oh, so you just like snow. Didn't think you were a cold weather kinda guy.

[explain? nah, that's not her style. better to just keep talking and see how far she can play.]

2

[23wishes]

[Aerith, like Ken, arrived a bit late. They'd all had such short notice to get things together, and she had tons of ideas. She'd had to run out to get a present, make him another present, and get some flowers together. It was a lot of work! But she made it in time, mostly!

She comes in, carrying a large wrapped box, a thermos, and a sizable vase stuffed with flowers which are both precariously stacked on the box. So far, nothing's broken. So far.]

Tetsuo!

[Is she even visible behind all this stuff?]

I'm sorry I'm late!

[iamtetsuo]

[A walking pile of things, with some hair behind it, appears. True, Tetsuo doesn't need to see Aerith; he can feel she's there anyway, but it's a little disconcerting anyway. He's getting used to this 'give me things' idea pretty quickly. In fact, alarmingly quickly - he accepts the concept of this new pile of offerings as his due very readily.

There's no mistaking that his eyes light up, though. He loves getting things. It's not something he used to consider as an option if he didn't go out and take it. Or someone took pity on him and got it for him. It was never like.. this.

... but why the flowers? He doesn't want those.]

You brought stuff, so I guess I can overlook it. What's in the box?

[23wishes]

[Once her load's been lightened, she can take a moment to get her things together. The vase of purple larkspur goes on his table as a centerpiece. There, see? Doesn't that look nicer? Teenage boys are so uncultured. Of course he wouldn't appreciate it.]

You want the box first, hmm? Okay.

[She grins and hands over the big wrapped box. What could be this big and this heavy? Only a destroyed sunken warship wreck for his aquarium and shark buddy.

She already knows he'll love it. Boys.]

2

[unbreaker]

[Josuke's pretty sure he's under no obligation to actually get Tetsuo a gift, but the fact that they've grown even moderately more friendly with each other over time means he wouldn't feel right about showing up empty handed.

So, as the enters the dollar-store-decorated private room, not at all seeming to mind the heavy-handed industrial elements, he approaches Tetsuo right away with a large rectangular box wrapped (poorly, though it shows some effort) in a shiny gold and black foil. As well as a lot of tape. Too much tape, in fact, some of which is probably attempting to hold together the paper where it had started to tear during wrapping. Have fun getting into that fucker, Tetsuo.]

Yo, I got you something. [The box is thrust against Tetsuo's chest with a grin.] Hope it fits.

[Wasn't easy picking out a leather jacket for someone so much smaller than him, but the amber phoenix on black seemed too perfect to pass up.]

Sorry about late

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo's grin grows wider as he catches there's a box alongside the pompadour. Ah, yes. Give him things. More things are needed, always. He accepts the box readily, hands moving to grab it to keep it from falling when Josuke thumps it against his chest.

Hope it fits? what does that mean?

He turns his attention to the box itself, grin faltering in confusion when he tries to rip the wrapping off only for it.. not to come off. On closer inspection, the whole thing seems to be halfway constructed out of tape. Long ropes of tape. Small pieces of tape. Intersecting crosshatches of tape across paper that's already fraying apart.

His fingers scrabble at the edges of one of the pieces, but he can't seem to do more than remove a piece of tape. He puts his finger beneath part of it and pulls, but the tape holds firm.

Well then. Hm. He scowls at this box. He can't just shred it with his powers without risking whatever's inside.

And then it hits him. He looks to the table, and in a blatant disregard of manners and safety, calls one of the knives to his hand, closing his fingers around the handle. He's got this.]

dude you're fine don't even worry about it

[unbreaker]

Whoa!

[Tetsuo may have got this, but Josuke's on the verge of ducking for cover when the knife flies into the other boy's hand.]

I don't think anyone here's in need of a close shave, be careful with that thing!

[He spares a look around to make sure no more silverware will be leaping off the table anytime soon, and then turns his attention back to Tetsuo. Truth be told, now that he thinks about it, most of the anxiety he's feeling is stemming from not knowing if what's in the box will be something Tetsuo even likes. They've been friends, or something like it, for a little bit now, but how well do they actually know each other?]

If you don't like it...I can take it back and get you something else. No hard feelings.

3 (laaaaaaaaaaate)

[kanadian]

[ Kaidan had come because... well. He'd been invited. And it was Tetsuo, and the poor guy just really needed a good influence most of the time. And well, he thought that there were starting to be signs that he was growing up, right? Another birthday down the line, another --

The food that Kaidan had been eyeing -- about to take, actually -- flew for Tetsuo, and, well.

Even birthday boys shouldn't get in the way of biotics and food. ]

It might be your birthday, but don't you think that's a little rude? You might not have so many people come next year if you treat your friends like that.

[ Ah. Kaidan Alenko. Always there to lecture. ]

Hazel, official party ruiner

[deadtective]

one;

[Tetsuo's actually enjoying himself for once, which means that someone has to take on the mantle of being the crankiest in the room. on the surface, at least, it seems that Hazel has decided to bear that particular burden.

most of her petulance comes from the fact that this celebration is centered around going out to eat, an activity she can't participate in. instead she gets to sit in the middle of a private buffet and try to remember she doesn't need to breathe in all the delicious scents of cooking food as she watches the other partygoers stuff their ungrateful asshole faces. worse, she can't leave because Tetsuo is her friend. the whole thing was sickening.

it's a shame that her expression is so sour when she's dressed so festively, but that's just the way it is. thankfully Kururu's invitation had tipped her off that this might be the way things end up, so she's brought along something to keep her at least mildly entertained.

that "something" just so happened to be a jar of Carolina Reaper chili paste. she's commandeered a spot in front of one of the grills and has taken up the unenviable job of grilling the disgusting pile of meat provided to them - all of which get a healthy slathering of murder paste. with the buffet providing ready-made sauces, there was no way for anyone to tell what she'd done without taking a bite of the tainted meat. sorry, folks. if Hazel has to suffer so do you.

speaking of meat, the piece she's currently watching over seems to be pretty much done. she pulls it off the grill before turning to the closest bystander, query actually pleasant despite her all-night sulking.]

You want this one?

[and so help her god if you say you wanted a completely different kind of protein she's going to shove it down your throat.]

two;

[these decorations kind of suck. it's an understandable suck, considering the extreme time crunch, but still pretty damn lackluster.

eventually Hazel is going to be kicked off the grill (or run out of chili paste) and when that happens, she can't help but wander aimlessly in search of something to distract herself from the slow third death she's metaphorically dying here. the obvious option of wishing the man of the hour a happy birthday has completely flown past her head.

instead she's decided to improve the meager decorations...and by improve, she actually does mean improve. there are always art supplies of some sort in her bag, and thankfully today's variety of markers work on both cheap streamers and balloons.

right now she's working on a pack of balloons, covering them in beautiful abstract floral designs. she'll do another set in something closer to Tetsuo's tastes, but right now she feels like indulging herself a little. anything she does is nicer than what they started with, after all.]

2

[glitterateur]

[Mabel's run into weirder stuff than Hazel McSnarkangry busting out some previously unknown artistic talent, but it's probably the most unexpected thing she's ever seen. Who knew this cranky soul had the heart of an artist!

--wait, actually, Mabel did. Because now that she thinks about it, Hazel did make a giant cool pumpkin sculpture of a dragon way back last year. Does Hazel.... have interests outside of making fun of people and apparently never sleeping? What the hecking heck.

Mabel is content to watch her improve those decorations for a while, digesting both delicious meat and this new information. But she can't stay silent in the face of art happening for very long.]

It's looking really good! I like that flower at the bottom.

[deadtective]

[Hazel looks over at the sudden interruption, and has to struggle with the intense urge to reach out and pop the balloon that just received that unsolicited compliment. it takes both the memory that the Pines Cold War has been over for some time and that Tetsuo is actually her friend to keep the contrary monster at bay just this once.

she doesn't quite win the battle for her expression, but it's at least a little less petulant than some of the looks she's been throwing people tonight. Mabel even gets her to turn slightly and look her in the eye when she responds.]

Not like the bar's all that fucking high in the first place.

[her gaze drifts to look over the balloons she's finished so far, and a tiny smile twitches at her lips.]

He'll probably hate them.

[and this thought brings Hazel joy in her heart, even on this the day of Tetsuo's own birthday. what a bestie.]

Kururu

[resoundingpledge]

a. Early Shenanigans

[ She knew enough about Tetsuo at this point—he'd told her enough, and piece by piece she'd figured out enough to guess that he probably wasn't used to birthdays being a special thing. But that means there's all the more reason to celebrate this one a lot, right?

It's not like picking up a few decorations is difficult, or showing up a bit early to put them up is hard. It doesn't quite have the same flair that animatronic scrap metal velociraptors in the front yard would, but . . . next year, maybe. If she was still here. There'd be more time next year.

In the meantime, there's rolls of crepe streamers to hang, with whoever else is there early enough for setup. ]

This one here . . . you hold, I'll tape?


b. A Toast

[ As people arrive and settle in, as hellos and happy birthdays are exchanged, as the waitresses bring the first round of drinks around . . . this would be a good time, wouldn't it?

She stands, glass in hand. ]

Everyone?

Before we eat, I wanted to say two things.

The first is—thank you, to everyone, for coming. Especially everyone who came here from different cities. It really is good to have you here.

The second is about why we're here.

I've only known Tetsuo-kun for a few months. I guess . . . it's more half a year now, about as long as I've been here. And I know things have been complicated. I think there must have been some really difficult times.

But we're all . . .

[ She pauses, looking at Tetsuo directly. ]

We're here because you're important to us. Because this is a day we'd like to celebrate with you.

[ She raises her glass. ]

Happy birthday, Tetsuo-kun.


c. Meat on the BBQ

[ Okay. So cooking isn't her strongest talent. It's not that she's bad at it, exactly, just . . . inexperienced.

And it's so easy to get distracted. It's nice, eating as a big group like this, with all the conversations going at once. They're good sounds, happy sounds, and maybe

maybe she shouldn't be thinking about that in the middle of loading the grill because somehow they've ended up with a lot of marinated beef. A lot. A small hill, each piece flipped over exactly nintey-three seconds from when it goes on.

At least, if you're own grill is looking empty, there's plenty to snag here? ]