[OPEN] They say I'm too loud for this town

[rassera]

WHO: Kaneda (rassera), Capsule (his dog), and YOU!
WHERE: Nonah Streets
WHEN: Sept 5th, around sunset
WHAT: Kaneda celebrates his own birthday, find him by accident (or on purpose!)
WARNINGS: A lot of cake.

[September 05, 2016.

Not much would really stand out about today--something about Labour Day, and with Kaneda's employment now SELF-employment, day offs were whenever he felt like it. Today's one of those holidays that America seems to love so much? Sure, why not. But there was another reason too--September 5th was his birthday, and for as much as he didn't talk about it, he liked to at least celebrate on his own.

Birthdays were just a mark on a calendar back home. A day you acknowleged that you survived another year in Neo Tokyo and all you got was a punch to the face or road rash that never really properly healed. That was a good year. Maybe one of your friends would take notice, say 'hey, isn't it your birthday?' to which you'd reply 'Guess so', and that'd be the end of that. If you really liked your friend, you'd buy them something from the convenience store or bribe the bartender to slip you some pills or alcohol to celebrate. Yamagata would call him old by now. Kai would've cursed him for getting taller... That'd be about it.

Here...everyone made such a big deal about them. As if they were truly happy about the day you were born. He'd seen it with Ken's, with Tetsuo's...(a smile creeps across his face at Tetsuo's. That truly had been worth it), but he can't quite make the connection for himself. Tetsuo never even acknowledged his birthday back home. Different time, he guesses.

But this year, with only a handful of people who even knew, and most of them had ported out, he doesn't even bother, deciding to take Riku up on the advice he gave him last year and buying 3 cakes from the local store's bakery. Last year had been two...so this year it was three. Red Velvet, Chocolate, and a new lemon one.

With the bag slung around his arm and a giant golden retriever at his side, he heads down the streets of Nonah at sunset, meandering on and off the sidewalk as he skips from block to block, J-walking whenever convenient and making his way to the government housing. When one section of the sidewalk looks appealing, he collapses his butt onto it, letting is feet splay out into the road while watching for traffic, the cakes now to his side and the box of forks soon opened. Capsule lay at his feet, making no moves to touch any of that cake (although Kaneda will slip him a bit of the lemon one, sans frosting).

It was late, and no one usually came down this road.

Perfect.

Opening up the red velvet first, he starts digging in, holding it in one hand and unceremoniously munching on the cake with the fork in his other. Nonah was always such a noisy city--and to some, it still was. Traffic sounded in the background and the sound of kids playing thanks to the holiday can be heard one block over. A mother calling them in to tell them to wash up...the amber glow of the sun as it sinks below the horizon.

It was quiet.

And Kaneda can't help but smile.]

Comments

[resipiscent]

[This morning, Riku's phone had informed him that he'd told Kaneda he'd buy him a cake for his birthday. He remembered it as soon as he read the words on his screen, and headed out as soon as the bakery in Heropa was open to pick something up. He collects not only that but two cans of some colourful energy drink, one for each of them, and then when he feels it's about time, he sets out to find him in Nonah.

It doesn't take him long -- once he gets to Nonah, he just follows his nose. Equal to Kaneda is the scent of those cakes, sugary and very obvious amongst the rest of the city. He takes Shiro with him, the dog sticking close to his heel. Once he finds him he heads over, tilting his head at him as he sits down.]

Remember I told you I'd bring you one too? You're stocked up now, looks like.

[rassera]

[The moment he sees Riku, his eyes somewhat light up. As if this was a tradition he'd all but forgotten. One he didn't expect to actually be kept. But Riku had remembered, and there's something about that...a feeling of...a slight flush among him.

Happiness?

Yeah, something like that.


His eyes practically light up at the revelation that Riku had another cake, making that a total of four...four cakes on a sidewalk. And...it's enough to make him burst out laughing. Because this...this was truly ridiculous.]

Are you kidding? I'll eat em all!


[Capsule seems excited to see Shiro, wagging his tail and walking over to greet him, although making sure to keep just close enough to Kaneda.]

[resipiscent]

[Well, it's a start, anyway. He settles next to his friend on the curb, handing him a drink and setting the cake down between them. Shiro doesn't get to meet a whole lot of other dogs, but he recognizes Capsule, so he's pretty excited himself, plopping down between the boys' feet, on the pavement rather than the curb. He's stretching over curiously, nosy to check out the other dog.]

I'd hope so. I'd hate to find you couldn't eat four whole cakes.

[He's pretty sure Kaneda will be eating cake for all meals for the next week. But it's worth it, he thinks, given that look on his face.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda watches the two dogs introduce each other, eyes only shifting away when that cake is placed. This is four cakes and he's absolutely thrilled about the idea that he's going to be eating/sharing eating them all.]

It's like you don't even know me anymore....

[But it comes with a smirk and a light jab, fumbling around in his bag for another plastic fork to grab for him.]

Pick any. They'll all be eaten anyway.

[resipiscent]

[Four cakes... it's kind of a mind-boggling amount of cake, honestly. Riku goes for the lemon first, reaching that fork over to snag a little. It's really good, actually, and he contents himself with eating that one, clicking his tongue at Shiro when that black nose gets a little too close.]

Where'd you get these, by the way?

[Where do you find three giant cakes on short notice?]

[rassera]

[Four cakes. That's as many as four ones.]

The store.

[Very descriptive, Kaneda. Good to know you include the important parts.]

You know, the grocery one, where they have that place with all the cakes just ready to go? Bought three of em.

[resipiscent]

["The grocery one" -- Riku grins, then nods. He's chewing a bite and has to shush for a minute while he finishes.]

Gotcha. I guess I should have seen that coming. I got this one this morning, [he adds, inclining his head toward the fourth cake.] So it's not custom or anything, but I don't think you care about that anyway.

[Maybe next year he'll do that, though. That sounds like fun, actually -- writing something dumb on a cake.]

[rassera]

[His hands reaches out, looping around Riku's neck to pull him slightly closer. It shows just how far Kaneda's come, actually. Openly welcoming something like this and...just truly looking happy about life. Sure, there were bumps in the road, and sometimes really big ones...

But now he was starting to take each punch and keep going.


And the best part? Riku had been there for all of it. This birthday was just a reminder of how long they'd actually been friends. Of how long Riku had stuck around.]

Cake's cake!

You remembered, and that's what's important.

[resipiscent]

[Riku's more used to the idea of sudden contact now, having so much practice with it while he's been here, so when Kaneda grabs him he reaches with the hand closer to him, clapping it on Kaneda's opposite shoulder.]

That's true. Here's to another year, right?

BROBRO ATTACK

[amadaman]

[Not doing this was not an option given to Tetsuo. Ken actually has a firm grip on his new mechanical arm as he practically drags him down the street. In one hand, Ken has a bright bouquet of balloons in various colors and patterns -- one of them says Happy Birthday! -- and he has made Tetsuo hold on to a large box of takeout Chinese, too.

They didn't get to do a lot for their brother last year, but Kaneda has done so much for them, and Ken's sure it's time they repaid him for it, together.]

Come on, Tetsuo-san, we're almost there. Just around the corner.

And you have to say it! You have to tell him happy birthday!

[iamtetsuo]

[The new arm is a miracle of engineering; small, delicate fingers with wires visible hooked to each one, metal wrapped in organic shapes as best he could mirror Hazel's arm. And even so, he's not terribly happy about having it pulled out in the open, preferring to keep it hidden anyway. Still, it's the correct choice for Ken to grab hold of and tug; Tetsuo isn't about to risk anything happening to it.

With all the eager happiness of a drenched cat, he follows along where Ken pulls him. It may be his older brother's birthday, but really, that doesn't translate to any further necessary action on HIS part, right? He tried to do one thing, it failed, and there went every ounce of caring about doing something.

Ken thought otherwise. And, as usual, Ken ultimately got his way. So here Tetsuo is now, walking towards his brother with his real hand clutched around a box of takeout - in a rare fit of insanity (read: nostalgia), tried to ensure it was the exact same kind that Kaneda got him in his first weeks here. And his fake one firmly in Ken's insistent deathgrip. At least it might as well be. He can't exactly feel anything beyond a strange, distant pressure and occasional flashes of sharp pain as Ken pulls at it.

Not that he admits it hurts.]

I don't have to say anything. You can say it.

[amadaman]

Oh are you embarrassed now? [Ken knows it's not a matter of embarrassment. Tetsuo doesn't want to do it and doesn't feel like doing it, simple as that. He was a moody, whimsical bastard, after all. But Ken doesn't relent.]

If I give him the balloons and tell him happy birthday, I might as well take all the credit for this.

[With that said, Ken sighs dramatically and takes a wider step forward, releasing Tetsuo's hand do he doesn't yank on it roughly and raising his freed hand to wave to Kaneda.]

Ka-ne-da-saaaaaaaan! Tetsuo-san has a message for you!

[so not sorry]

[iamtetsuo]

What?!

[Tetsuo's irritated yelp is unmistakeable. Ken's earlier approach of trying to shame him may not work, but this one certainly does; if it's said, he'll have to acknowledge it in some fashion. He snaps back at Ken, just loud enough for Kaneda to hear.]

That's not true! Don't talk for me, I didn't say I'd do that!

[Once released, he hangs back once he catches sight of Kaneda. That Dog is too close for his comfort, anyway. Why the hell did he agree to this again?

Oh right. He didn't exactly.

How did he get roped into this again?!]

[rassera]

[One or two calls through the house is enough to get his attention, Kaneda (to no one's surprise) munching on a burger he'd gotten from the McDonald's expy on his way home. Taking a large bite, he keeps the burger in hand as he walks out of the kitchen, moving around the couch and towards the entrance.

He knew Ken's and Tetsuo's voices anywhere.


But them together...that was dangerous, and he can't help but feel the hairs on his neck stand up at the idea that Tetsuo wanted to tell him something. And Ken had thrown him under the bus to do it. If that didn't say "Well, you're going to die now, Kaneda", he wasn't sure what did.

Oh well, might as well die with dignity.


Chewing the rest of that burger in record time, he finally comes into view, and --]

[amadaman]

I said you'd do that. Come on!

[Kaneda comes into view and immediately he'll be assaulted by a colorful array of balloons, bouncing off each other and the walls and Kaneda's head in some frantic fight for his attention. From somewhere behind and beneath them Ken chirps up.]

We got you some stuff!

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo mumbles something irritably that may or may not be 'it's for your birthday. You better appreciate it, bastard' under his breath. That's close enough to happy birthday, right?]

[amadaman]

[Tetsuo may suddenly feel, slamming into that delicate spot of his shin

the blunt force of Ken's thin, bony ankle as the boy kicks back because that totally wasn't good enough step up your game Bakatetsu]

[missleadingquestions]

[ September fifth isn't a great day for Maya Fey, or at least it hasn't been for four-- five, now?-- years. On that day in 2016, the year Maya keeps having to remind herself is this year again, her sister had died.

And every September fifth since then, she's tried everything to avoid thinking about it. A useful tactic? Taking a day off work and taking Kaneda out on a date, even if Kaneda'd not mentioned that today was gonna be special at all.

She comes into Nonah 05 like she owns the place and spins herself around the bannister to the stairs before calling--]

Ka-ne-da!

[rassera]

[Kaneda, who had been in the kitchen, walks out with an energy drink in hand and doritos in the other (Xbox hire him), watching Maya spin on the bannister and wondering just when she'd arrived at Nonah 05. Had he just not noticed? You'd think he'd notice his own girlfriend.

Then again, her shouting his name certainly did the trick.

He leans on the wall opposite the stairs and munches unceremoniously, swallowing first before echoing.]

MA-YOI~

[missleadingquestions]

[So there he is! Light on her feet, she skips over to him and grabs his chips with one hand, attempting to trade it with a quick kiss.]

You don't need these! We're going out.

[rassera]

[He had chips in his hand, and now those chips are gone. Luckily, it's Maya, and that quick kiss on his cheek soon overtakes his mind trying to process why he doesn't have food in his hand any longer.]

Huh?


Oh! We are?


[News to him, not that he's particularly disappointed about it.]

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah. Udon.

[She turns to get past him and put those chips back before straightening out her gauzy sundress-- about the only thing one can comfortably wear as North Carolina's September desperately clings to the last dregs of a hot summer.]

I mean, unless you don't wanna come with me.

[rassera]

[The sweet calling of udon is enough to get his attention, quickly downing that energy drink (ow) and setting it down on the coffee table in the living room. He'll get that later.

But after that, he's quickly heading for the door, opening it for her and gesturing for her to exit first.]

donmai donmai!


Ahhh you're so impatient sometimes, Mayoicchi!!

[missleadingquestions]

Hey, I'm not impatient, I'm hungry!

[She laughs, hurrying past him and turning to face him.]

Can we take your bike?

[rassera]

[He's just shutting the door, shuffling himself down those steps and onto the sidewalk, momentum sending him a few paces in front of her before HE turns around. At first the answer was 'naturally'. 'Of course'. 'How else'. But then he looks at her outfit--the dress that she was wearing specifically.

...


Pausing a moment.]

Yoooooou sure about that?

[His hand gestures to...well, all of her outfit.]

Gets a little breezy, don'tcha think?