[open]

[thisloveisjustice]

WHO: Tatsuo, Derek + FRIENDS
WHERE: Tatsuo's apartment in Tisse
WHEN: Saturday, Sept 23, evening
WHAT: 'Surprise' birthday party for Derek
WARNINGS: n/a

So what do you do when a childhood friend gets added to the app right before his birthday? Throw him a birthday party of course. (Derek's birthday was actually on Friday, but he spent it with his girlfriend because he's a sap, so his actually party has to be the next day.) Tatsuo casually dropped verbal invitations to coworkers on Thursday (his first day back at work after the incident Sunday night) and then sent texts to various non-work friends, informing them of the festivities.

Come Satuday, Tatsuo's apartment is lightly decked out with birthday decorations. A 'Happy Birthday' banner from a party store and clusters of yellow balloons tied to the railing of his balcony. Since the weather has started getting nice, Tatsuo just leaves the sliding door between the living room and balcony open. There's finger food, cake, and chocolate chip ice cream in the kitchen. And the coffee table has a sticky-note with 'GIFTS' written on it next to Tatsuo's bluetooth speaker, which is playing a selection of songs that clearly run more to Derek's tastes than Tatsuo's.

Comments

[thisloveisjustice]

A. PRE-PARTY

[Having to take it easy with his shoulder means Tatsuo can't quite go as all out with decorations as he's like to. Purely because he knows going overboard with the decor would have annoyed Derek. So here he is, blowing up balloon after balloon and wondering just how he's going to hang the banner he got.]


B. PARTY

[The birthday boy has arrived and the party has finally started! Tatsuo is going around saying hello to everyone, pointing people to the food, and refilling drinks as necessary.]

Hey, thanks for coming!


C. CAKE

[Tatsuo didn't get a huge cake, but there's enough for everyone. It's chocolate, with chocolate icing, and chocolate shavings on top. And chocolate chip ice cream to go with it. Because Derek likes chocolate, a lot. The cake also has twenty five candles on top... though the one in the very center is a trick candle. Come have a slice once the birthday boy finally gets that last candle extinguished.]


D. WILDCARD

[Feel free to ask for something other than the above!]

C. CAKE

[blondferret]

[Derek had been enjoying chatting with the various guests. Some people Tatsuo invited were interesting to talk to. He sees the chocolate cake on the counter.]

Hey Tatsuo, when are we doing the cake?

Re: C. CAKE

[thisloveisjustice]

We can do it right now if you'd like.

[Tatsuo hadn't really had a specific time mapped out for when they'd sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake. Just as long as most everyone had arrived and the party was moving along... which it is. So now is as good a time as any.]

Okay guys, time for the cake!

[Tatsuo digs a lighter out of his junk drawer in the kitchen and starts lighting the 25 candles he's stuck into the top of the cake.]

Happy Birthday to you~
Happy Birthday to you~

Re: C. CAKE

[blondferret]

[Derek enjoys the singing, even if Tatsuo is a little off key. It's the thought that counts right? He's looking into cutting the cake. Once the singing stops Derek leans over and blows out the candles. He leans away and smiles. But the smile is stopped by the middle candle coming back to life. He must have not blown hard enough. He quickly blows it out, but it comes back to life again. Derek side glances at Tatsuo.]

Really Tatsuo? A trick candle?

A!

[flowrite]

[Fai arrives early, both because he likes to get to parties in enough time to help set up and also because he wants to talk to Tatsuo... before everyone else arrives. Because Things have happened and he'd like to make sure his stupid, drunk ass didn't ruin a friendship he really treasures. Tatsuo is one of the people he trusts most in the world, and the thought that he might have messed that up is an awful one. He probably should have called sooner.

He shows up while Tatsuo is blowing up balloons, and there's a box under his arm that looks very much like a wine box. Probably because it is.]

Knock knock, anyone home~?

[blessmefather]

BALLOONS

[ Matt has a pretty good mental map of layout of Tatsuo's new apartment, leaving him free to move without his cane. (Which is folded up and sitting on the coffee table if anyone gets drunk and needs a pretend sword.)

He does get surprised by the decorations a few times while entering and exiting the balcony, laughing when a stray balloon from the railing pokes him in the side, making his eyes widen for a split second like he just ran into someone. ]

Sorry. Wha-? I keep falling for that!

OOPS

[ Later when everyone is eating the cake Matt realizes between bites that some stray icing managed to get on the corner of his mouth. He puts his plate and fork down to rub his face with a napkin, and it feels like it's gone. Except it's not- not completely. ]

THE GIFT [CLOSED]

Alright my turn.

[ Matt shoves a gift box tied up with ribbon in Derek's direction. It's the neat handy work of a professional, as usual, and if one squints they can see which store it came from by the brand logo on the decorative sticker the store associate added for decoration. A department store at the local mall this time, there a hint at what it is. ]

As per usual, if you don't like it let's agree that the people at the store pranked me.

WILDCARD

The Gift

[blondferret]

[Derek takes the gift from Matt.]

Thanks man. Ah, wrapped in pristine condition as always!

[Derek opens the gift and realizes it was a clothing box.]

Oh sweet, clothes!

[He opens the box to reveal a sweater.

Hey, this will be useful for the upcoming season. Dang, this is nice man, the design is cool. It's argyle by the way, grey on a dark purple. I think I can pull this color off.

[blessmefather]

Good! That's what it's supposed to be. I hope the purple isn't too intense. They said it was an eggplant sort of color.

[ People and colors could make shopping an adventure! Everyone had their own opinion of what counted as "vivid," or "dark," or "soft." ]

[blondferret]

No, it's not too intense for me. And it's soft so I don't have to worry about it itching the crap out of me. Also, it's in a color I can actually see, considering the app has taken away my two favorite colors. Do you realize a lot men's clothing comes in blue and green? Like my whole closet has practically turned grey!

balloons

[thisloveisjustice]

You know, I'm thinking I should have tied those higher... but then they'd probably just smack you in the head.

[Tatsuo has observed Matt's interactions with the balloons a couple times already and is contemplating whether he needs to remove them to spare his best friend an accidental heart attack.]

[blessmefather]

[ Matt shrugs and grins. ] Hey it could be worse. You could have decorated with streamers. I can't get tangled up in balloons. They also provide some cushioning. My only complaint is the inevitable static but again that would have been worse if you put them higher.

[blondferret]

A. Opening Presents

[Derek sees various gifts on the table. He sits down on the couch and looks at the guests.]

So which one should I open first?

B. Song Requests
[The party had been going on for a few hours and Derek had definitely had a lot of drinks. He was eating another piece of cake and chatting with various people when he heard it. HIS SONG! He didn't know who put song on, nor did he care. All he cared about was belting it out. He placed his cake on the counter and dramatically leapt onto the couch (sorry if anyone is sitting on it). He soon finds his place in the song and starts to sing along.]

Into valleys, into waters
Into jungles, into hell
Let us ride, let us ride home again with a story to tell~.

[OOC: Feel free to request songs from other Broadway Musicals. Check Derek's playlist for ideas.]

B

[blessmefather]

Oh no, here it comes! [ Like Matt could have escaped Derek's song all these years. He's witnessed plenty of similar performances now. ] Every time. Every single time.

Re: B

[thisloveisjustice]

[Tatsuo is standing next to Matt, his flip phone open and recording. Because yes, it was indeed Tatsuo who queued up this song.]

I don't know what it is about this song, but it's like he just can't resist it.

Re: B

[blondferret]

[Derek hears Matt's comment and steps down from the couch and throws his left arm over Matt's shoulders.]

SING WITH ME MATT!

[Derek starts waving his free arm around to the song.]

You can tremble, you can fear it
But keep your fighting spirit alive boys
Let the shiver of it sting you
Fling into battle, spring to your feet boys
Never hold back your step for a moment
Never doubt that your courage will grow
Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go~]

A.

[rygdea]

Open the one that clearly looks like vodka, dork.

[Fynn shouts from halfway across the room. While he honestly dislikes Derek sometimes, he was nice enough to get the man a gift. Two gifts, actually. The first gift is a silver bottle of citrus flavored vodka with a dark blue ribbon around the neck. It's a pretty expensive bottle of the good stuff, about over eighty or so dollars.

The second gift is in a black box that is wrapped up in a pretty blue ribbon. It's a medium sized box that seems big enough to house more than one item. Fynn definitely got Derek something nice but he's not disclosing what it could be.]

Hurry up already, birthday boy! Or else that receding hairline might make a run for it.

Re: A.

[blondferret]

[Derek rolls his eyes at Fynn's comment on his hair.]

Not even your snide comments on my hair will ruin my mood at my birthday part Fynn. But thanks for the vodka. [Derek holds it up in thanks.] We will have to open this later in the party. Now what is this? [Derek picks up the other black box with the blue ribbon and starts to remove the ribbon.] I'm impressed Fynn, you not only get me one gift, but two. I am pleased to have wedged my way into your affections to be worthy of the second.

B

[flowrite]

[Fai doesn't know Derek, but Tatsuo is a good friend and he'd been more than happy to attend a party for one of Tatsuo's friends. He even brought a nice bottle of sake as a gift, along with a big tupperware of homemade cookies to add to the party snacks. And since he doesn't know Derek, he's content to blend in with the scenery and be another body for the party for most of the evening.

Except at some point he gets up to grab a snack, and--yep, that sure is Wicked on the speaker.

(So yep, this sure is a six foot tall, skinny, pretty Frenchman in pink shoes squealing a little at the song that comes on. He's a giant nerd, I'm so sorry.)]

Oooh, someone has excellent taste in music!

Re: B

[blondferret]

[Derek hears Fai's comment. He doesn't know who this tall blond wearing pink shoes it, probably Tatsuo's friend, but nevertheless, he can appreciate a person who likes his taste in music. He turns to Fai and smiles.]

Thanks. I was in theater for a couple of years in high school so I listen to a lot of songs from musicals. Actually, the song I just sang, one of the songs I performed in school. I played the lead in it. Trying to get that British accent was a challenge at first but I eventually got it.

Anyway, you like Wicked?

[cattack]

[Cleo's arrival is, well. Understated. She almost didn't come, out of shame and guilt. Still... She can't just not show up to something Tatsuo invited her to. So she ends up at Tatsuo's apartment, carrying a small, neatly-wrapped box.

That said, during the party, she's going to be trying to wallflower as hard as she can. She's still shy, so if anyone wants her to talk, they're going to have to come to her first.]

[blondferret]

[Derek notices when Cleo comes in while he is opening his presents. He was surprised at first because he wasn't sure if Ann had talked to her about what she had texted with him. Did Cleo still want to hit him? Maybe not since she is here? Derek doesn't pay attention to her for a little bit while he opens other presents, but he eventually goes up to her. What does one do in this situation? Shake hands? Wave? No, he'll just put his hands in his pants pocket instead. He mentally decides to not say he's surprised she's here. No, lets not start off sounding judgmental shall we?]

Uh, hey Cleo. Thanks for coming.

[cattack]

Hello...

[God, she's feeling awkward. Her tail is low, between her legs, as she holds out the box.]

I, ah... Happy birthday.

The After Party [Closed to Matt and Tatsuo]

[blondferret]

[The party has died down and the only people left are Tatsuo, Matt, and Derek. Derek's drunken singing has finally stopped and he is sitting on one of Tatsuo's bar stools and pouring the last contents of his vodka bottle into a plastic cup. He his swaying a lot and this result in him loosing grip of the cup and it falls to the floor, saturating the carpet at Derek's feet. Derek rests his head on the counter and looks down at his spilled alcohol.]

Damn. What is that, like 5 bucks? The stupid floor didn't deserve it.

[Derek is super drunk. Can someone please stop him?]

[blessmefather]

[ Thankfully Matt isn't completely wasted the way he was last time. Just buzzed enough to finally sing with Derek by the end of the night and eat far more chocolate cake than he normally would. His initial reaction when he hears liquid hit the floor is a nervous laugh but when Derek slurs out his complaint it hits him how drunk the younger man is.

Matt walks over, careful to avoid stepping on the general area where he heard the splash, and holds a demanding hand out to Derek. ]

Hey, let me hold that for you. [ That plastic cup he means. ] We've got to mop this mess up.

[blondferret]

[Derek looks at Matt's hand, then up at Matt's face, then back at Matt's hand.]

Hold what? My cup? It's on the floor dude. And how do you expect to mop the carpet? You have a special mop? Matt the moper? [Derek starts laughing.] Matt and his magic mop. There is not floor his mop can't mop.

[Derek sees the bottle of sake on the counter and starts dragging the bottle over to himself.]