open || ain't no party like a birthday party

[complementing]

WHO: Minako, Sakura, Ragna, and you!
WHERE: One of the arcade bars in the city.
WHEN: March 10th
WHAT: BIRTHDAY PARTY!
WARNINGS: None foreseen! Feel free to threadjack for Minako's Hot Potato Categories game.



[Welcome to the Emporium, an arcade bar that Minako and Sakura have decided to host their joint birthday party at! Come on in and have some fun playing games, eating junk food, and just hanging out with the birthday girls (and guy, if he decides to come).

There are, of course, the numerous arcade games that the place is known for, ranging from the old school 2v2 fighters to the shooting gallery kinds. But there are a smattering of other games as well, like DDR, darts, mini hoops, skeeball, and the pool table, too. There's also a wall of crane games in the back, with plenty of random and mostly cute prizes to win.

Make a stop by the purikura booth if you have time. Make some duck lips at the camera and then take the snaps home! (Or give them to the birthday girls for the memories.)

Oh, and be sure to exchange your money for tokens before you play all these games. The token machine seems kind of finicky, though. Maybe a strong (and hopefully discrete?) kick will help jumpstart it.

Walk to the dining area, and there'll be a feast waiting you! The arcade is providing a ton of pizza and wings, as well as alcohol, if you can show your ID. For dessert, there's the cake that Shuji made for the girls, as well as Minako's lemon tea cakes. Those are limited supply, though, so snag one before everyone eats it up.

Next to the dining area, there's a big sign that says "DUNK TANK OUTSIDE". Maybe take a look? Just be reaaaally sure you want to climb in before you do it, though. The towels provided by the arcade are pretty small.

And finally, if you need a break from the chaos, there's a couple of couches on the second floor. Take a load off and watch from above.]

Comments

[imaginex]

[She doesn't stop swinging her leg -- just gently now with the extra weight of May's on top of hers]

Hehe, I wouldn't mind a party with just you and me. [Of course she doesn't. Everyday seems a party when it's just the two of them, and Sakura's grateful for it]

It wouldn't be the same without you either, so... thank you for making it. I know sometimes you're busy with work and other stuff.

[me_matey]

Hey, don't ever worry about any of that. I'd drop it all in a heartbeat for you. -May sort of... aggressively pokes at Sakura's shoulder.-

You're my first mate, right? I've got to do right by you.

[imaginex]

[Ooooh so the "first mate" stuck, did it? Sakura is delighted by this and gently shoulder nudges May]

Of course! I'd always do the same for you, too.

[-- and with a slight tint of amusement in her voice] Though you started drinking without me, I see!

[me_matey]

Heh, sorry... -May reached into her purse, pulling out her flask and giving it a little shake.- I guess I got a little nervous. I've never really... gotten dolled up like this before. It's kind of a test run before I start at the club in earnest. And... well, it's your birthday, right? I wanted to look good for it! So... got some liquid courage.

[imaginex]

But you look so pretty!

[Which Sakura knows damned well doesn't magically sweep nervousness under the rug, but she's determined to keep the encouragement going.] I've never seen you in a dress like that before. The color is very flattering.

[Gurl you slay in red, she's just saying]

[me_matey]

-Inebriated as she was, May's defenses against more sincere reactions to compliments like that from Sakura were worn and thin and just hearing something like that from her made her entire body flutter and her face go (more) red.-

You really think I'm pretty in this? Man... that's the test then. This is a winner... -May giggled. And of course, maybe she was just talking about her job as a hostess, but... It mostly meant whether she could be seen as attractive to Sakura. Which the still 'rational' part of her was SCREAMING that she didn't need to get caught up on something like that! It was never going to happen and she needed to keep all of that to herself! She and Kei *talked* about this, what are you doing, girl?!

But she was buzzed. A bit more than buzzed, and kind of just passing her flask into Sakura's hands.- Tell me I'm pretty some more~ -May hummed as she leaned against Sakura more, practically nuzzling. No, this was absolutely bad news no no SHIT idea. Alarms were going off and she was just ignoring them. But maybe... maybe Sakura wouldn't catch on. Because this was a totally normal thing for best platonic friends to do, right? Right?

Right?-

[imaginex]

[Huh...

Well, they're roommates, they're best friends, and at no point has Sakura ever minded May leaning against her. In that way, it's always been the other girl dictating their physical affection. Sakura still remains shy in offering that to anyone, and there is some relief in having the guess work taken away.

So eventually she smiles, flask in her hands as she very carefully unscrews the lid. Shuji's words choose then to echo in her head -- that May would probably take words of praise better from her than anyone.]

Of course I think you're pretty in it. I think you're pretty all of the time.

[me_matey]

Even when I'm tired and worn out and stressed? -She'd absolutely feel ashamed of herself if she were sober.-

[imaginex]

I mean it.

[She really does.

Though she's... carefully picking through that response, and can't help but linger on it]

Do you often feel like that...?

[me_matey]

-There was a lingering silence between them, as May struggled to put some... deeply entrenched emotions to words, words that didn't betray her. She was drunk, but she had at least enough self-awareness to know she was treading on a very, very weak tight rope.-

I felt like that a lot more before I met you... And sometimes I feel like I'm gonna collapse carrying a load I can't share with you. But when things are like this, just us sitting here... It's okay. I know I can make it.

[imaginex]

[I can't share with you

... It's too late for her to hide that she goes still and quiet, rewinding the words from every angle and feeling some anxiety curl in her stomach. She suspects nothing -- how could she, after all? -- but the words are at least proof that

Shigaraki-san was correct.

That's a bitter pill to swallow for some reason.]

... Are you sure? [Walking a tightrope herself, determined not to push her point but also unable to leave the thread hanging. She glances in May's direction] I want to support you, no matter what... so if there's any way I could help...

[me_matey]

-No. Don't do that to her. Don't make it sound so tempting, because she knows Sakura still has no idea what was really going on. She couldn't. She loved her, but despite all that... May shook her head, slowly at first, as if doubt had crept into her own mind (it had).

The part of May that had worn the dress tonight, that wanted Sakura's attention, that wanted her love, that wanted all of this to be easy... loud as that part of May was, she was still just sober enough to know she couldn't listen to her because it *wasn't* going to turn out like some happy fairy tale. She knew too much of what was going on, both in her life and in Sakura's. Especially Sakura's.

It hurt, it cut so deeply, to say what she had to say. She had no choice.-

There are some things... I gotta face alone. And I know that's... not easy to hear. But when we're together like this, I feel like I ain't gotta worry about any of it, either. So... you can think of this as helping, right?

[imaginex]

Right.

[The answer is immediate, conceding without a fight. She doesn't know how to push and wouldn't want to if she could. It's May's happiness against her own selfish desire to know every detail of her best friend -- of course there's only one choice to pick.]

Sorry, I didn't mean to push. But I trust you'll get through whatever is happening.

[A light shoulder bump, smile edging on her anxious expression]

And I'll still be here, too.

[me_matey]

-That fragile look, the anxiety beneath, just twisted the knife deeper, and May almost felt like she was about to break out in tears again. They even welled up in her eyes, unable to hide the parts of her that desperately wanted to bare her soul. The war was taking a turn and she couldn't keep doing this...-

I know... I gotta keep believing that. It's what makes all of this worth it, you know?

[imaginex]

[Oh no... don't cry, May, Sakura doesn't think she could stand it if you cried.

-- But she promised not to push, and that same promise chains her tongue, bids it still. She bites at her bottom lip]

... Mmhmm. I understand.

[She shifts, another sliver of weight leaned against the other girl]

Sometimes the belief is all that keeps you going.

[me_matey]

Sakura... -She couldn't let this stay like this. She couldn't keep this up. She wasn't that strong. She wanted to not care anymore, to throw herself into abandon and stop believing the part of her that insisted this was all a terrible idea...-

I... -No. Stop. Let it be. Let those words die in your mouth like the coward you are.-

Y-yeah. If I didn't have you... I'd really be lost. Adrift. A sail with no wind... -Poetic, by her standards. And at least they were the most honest thing she could still say.-

[imaginex]

[Yes, poetic, and Sakura smiles at the effort

without once thinking of why she's being given it.]

I'd be lost without you, too. [Said so honestly but with the same naivety May is probably used to. Sakura bumps their shoulders again] So you can always come talk to me about anything... or if you don't want to, I'll keep you company anyway.

[me_matey]

Well so long as I've got that, I can be happy. Thanks, Sakura...

-No, that's not true. But she desperately wants it to be. But there's still a pain in her eyes, and in her altered state, there was nothing she could do to hide it. She didn't even know it was there. An exhaustion with putting up this front that she was satisfied with their relationship. That this was all she could ever want. It was all a lie and it was slowly eating her inside...-

[imaginex]

[May-chan, if you keep looking at her like that--

Sakura's gonna start assuming the problem is her.

Which is not a thought allowed to seed. It's absurd, for one, and not because Sakura thinks herself infallible; she just knows how careful she is with May, always putting her best foot forward. She can think of no area where she recently tripped up.

And so after turning her thoughts around in her head, examining each one for clues, she eventually gives up and takes a sip from the flask before she passes it to May.]

... Even if you can't talk to me, maybe... [A pause] Sometimes I visit Shigaraki-san when I need advice.

[She knows May knows him. It's why his name comes up at all.] Maybe he can help...?

[me_matey]

-Well. That wakes her back up to reality.-

Oh, Kei, well, uh... I mean I definitely talk to him. I talked about this thing bothering me too. It's easier talking to him than the padre, at least. He's smart without the piety.

It's just the following his advice part that's hard. -It was killing her, even, but she knew she had to do this. Eventually the pain would fade, or she'd at least grow numb to it, and they could just go back to being *normal* best friends again.-

[imaginex]

[... Oh. Kei knows and she doesn't.

Well.

That's fine. It's the exact reason Sakura brought him up in the first place, so there's no harm in knowing May had jumped at the chance already. Slowly, she nods in agreement.]

If it's advice he gave you, then I trust that it's good.

[me_matey]

I'm trying real hard to have faith in the long-term goal of it... -Well maybe that was a little too honest, but it's also hard not to notice Sakura's slight change in expression.-

Hey don't... don't think because I'm handling this alone that I don't... that I don't value everything you do for me. Just like sunshine breaking through a storm cloud. -Stop. You're getting dangerously close to that point again.-

[imaginex]

... Sorry.

[Because she knows she's been caught looking petty. She sinks into her seat, disappointed with herself.]

I'm not upset, though! [Not completely, at least] You're just... you're important to me, so I want to see you happy.

[me_matey]

-Shot through the heart. That look is like a siren's song, drawing May closer, wanting to comfort, to surround Sakura in her strength and assure her of everything. Her strength, her love...

Well, she snuggles closer at any rate, poking at Sakura's cheek.-

You do make me happy. Happier than anything ever has. And I'm not trying to make it sound too sappy, but... -Good save.-

You light up my life, yanno? -Aaaaand she lost it again.-

[imaginex]

[... Well. She can't pout with her cheek being attacked like this. It pulls a smile and a giggle out of her]

Hehe... careful, you're gonna disappoint any suitors who fancy you in that pretty dress.

[Just some gentle teasing]