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

[me_matey]

H-hey, don't get the wrong idea here, that was just daydream drunk talk. -May immediately protested because for some fucking reason the only thing worse than Sakura finding out she had feelings for her was assuming she had feelings for *someone else*. But wouldn't that only benefit her in the end?

... It was only just more dishonest.-

Whatever you're thinking, it's definitely not the case. -May sighed, shaking her head, and pulling away finally, releasing herself from that warmth that was intoxicating her tongue just as badly as the drink.-

I mean... I really wish it was that simple, but it ain't. But... I am glad to know you're pulling for me, all the same.

[imaginex]

[... At this point, Sakura isn't certain she believes her friend anymore.

And what a poisoned thought that is, except she doesn't have any other leads to go off of besides the one May herself shot down. Sakura's mouth pulls to the side, half-frustrated and bemused as she looks around the room again. ]

So... it's not that you like anyone here?

[me_matey]

Look, just... -Damnit. She could see that look in Sakura's eyes. She'd let her get too close, and now the pushing was hurting them both. In that moment, she really had to scream at herself and ask, in teary desperation, was this worth it? Would Sakura truly be better off not knowing? Would she? She'd tried so hard to convince herself, lie after lie after lie. The weight was getting to the point where she had to be drunk just to be at a fucking birthday party. She wasn't careful enough to keep this from destroying her... or Sakura as well.-

Can we... Can we go outside for a bit and talk there? -What she did know is she needed air. She was suffocating inside, unable to breath, unable to think. If she was going to repair this situation, she needed a moment to sober up, to clear her head, and... and put Sakura on some kind of path that didn't have her making faces like *that*. That look cut more deeply than anything else, and she couldn't just let it stand...-

[imaginex]

... Okay.

[Said with some measure of guilt because Sakura knows she showed too much of her hand on her expression. Wonderful. Now they're both unhappy at her birthday party.

With a nod, she scoots towards the edge of the couch to stand up, warming some feeling into her legs and straightening out her skirt.]

[me_matey]

-May stumbled a bit herself to get off of the plush of the couch, her head spinning slightly as she did so, but once they were outside, the fresh, cool night air helped clear her senses some. But damn, she could really use some sea air to help even more, but...

Yeah. She needed to breathe. Just breathe for a bit and let everything settle in her mind. Down the street, she could hear the dull thumping of a jam band at another bar. It sounded like a cover of Kings of Leon song...-

Alright, so... It's like this.

-A deep sigh, before turning to Sakura with a worn smile.-

I'm basically in a sucky situation, but it's not gonna drag me down. I can't say anything about it, even to my best friend, or I could mess things up. But if I tough this out, I'm sure I'll be a better person for it.

I gotta ask you, Sakura, as the person closest to me in this moment... to have some faith in my ability to handle this on my own, okay? I don't want you getting dragged down by the last of my bullshit I still gotta get past...

-Not a single word of that was a lie. It was just a careful, calculated, surprisingly sober omission of the complete truth. Kei would probably be proud of her, if he were capable of that.-

[imaginex]

[The cool air does Sakura some good as well. She'd been keyed up inside the building, so wrapped in theories and petty hurts that it hadn't occurred how much she'd been pushing. At least out here she can breathe more fully, clear her mind and better listen to what May is saying.

It's the same as before: denial of information. No progress made, really. The only difference is she's in a better place to deny the sting of it, nodding resolutely at May's request with her hands folded in front of her.]

Okay... I won't press anymore.

[A promise she will etch into her heart if it will please the other girl, and she chances a small smile, glancing at May between her bangs.]

I believe in you, though. Whatever this is, you'll get through it.

[me_matey]

-It was a hollow victory. Just delaying out the inevitable. And May felt that poison course just a bit deeper inside of her, rending at her spirit, forcing her to hold all of this emotion inside of her... But Sakura was right. She'd get through this. They both would. And Sakura would come out cleanest of all... at least May had to keep believing in that.-

I know I will. Cuz I have you. -She stepped in to wrap her arms about Sakura, drawing her in for a surprisingly delicate hug. None of that certain, boisterous strength could be find there. But it wasn't because she was treating Sakura like a glass doll. She knew Sakura could handle her rib-crunchers. Instead, it spoke to just how vulnerable May really was, beneath it all. And how important it was to her to know Sakura was still there.-