I know, I'm not a little kid anymore

[keystaff]

WHO: Sakura Kinomoto, OPEN
WHERE: Fai's house! Since she lives with him now.
WHEN: April 1st, early afternoon
WHAT: Sakura's friends are invited to a party for her birthday.
WARNINGS: None?



[Maybe some arrived earlier, to help get the food ready or set up any decorations. Most of it is ready, though some preparation might be more last minute in that morning once she has opened presents from her family - after dealing with an initial prank from her brother, given the date and all.

She hadn't anticipated anything too huge or fancy. Though that might end up debatable given how Fai tends to spoil her at the best of times. Still, the house should hopefully be big enough. She hopes. Sakura fusses a little with her dress, her hair, before coming to try offer to help with any last minute decorations or anything. Once people do start arriving, everyone is free to mingle and enjoy the food and drinks (non-alcoholic).

Sakura tries to get around to say hi to everyone, sometimes but not always managing to be the one to answer the door. She seems to be enjoying herself, glad of the chance to catch up with everyone in person, even if some might not stay all day. And given the weekend, given the holidays, she isn't so worried on staying up late either. She joins in with mingling, and might be easier to corner and get some one on one time later in the afternoon/evening, once others might have already gone home.

She doesn't have a traditional cake, but a number of cupcakes for everyone instead, with those and the rest of the snacks provided being made by Fai. With Xiaolang's help, and maybe Sakura managing to somewhere in the process of making it all.]

Comments

[keystaff]

I'm sorry. I can't have made this easy.....but you're going?

[Already? She hadn't even said anything yet though? But perhaps he had said his piece already and expected that she needed time to think about this. About them and how she felt towards him, more purposefully, in making up her mind. Not that this makes her feel much if any better on leaving things like this, as she glances to him and bites her lower lip in uncertainty.

Part of her knows he isn't wrong and that he probably does need to get going before it gets too late, and that he probably took a lot, in coming out with this, but all the same she can't help not wanting him to leave, especially now.]

[keystaff]

I'm just glad if everyone has fun and enjoys the food.

[She briefly looks a little sheepish at what he says, though it does quickly soften as she glances around, seeing her friends enjoying themselves. It's all she wants. For everyone to be safe and happy. At least for now.]

[me_matey]

Thanks! -At least she doesn't fuss over being helped, successfully wiping the icing off her cheek... then licking it off of the napkin. Waste not want not.-

[cardcaptured]

[He's already turning to leave, getting ready to head back up the path they took and into the house, when Sakura's words stop him short. For a brief, agonizing second, he thinks that apology is a gentle rejection, but... no, she was just apologizing for not noticing earlier. Swallowing hard, he shakes his head, trying to assure her otherwise. No, it hadn't been easy, but that was mostly on him, too.]

... it's fine. It's... it's something I like about you.

[No use being shy about it, now that she actually knows, although his cheeks still flush over it. Her obliviousness may have been frustrating in turns, but in a way, he preferred it that way. He wasn't sure what'd he do if she noticed how he felt before he was even aware of it.

He chances a look back over towards her and immediately regrets it, her expression breaking at his resolve. It was for the best to leave. The longer he stuck around, the more awkward and uncomfortable this could become, and he didn't want to put her through any more of that on her own birthday. Still... her words, coupled with the quiet, disappointed look in her eyes, told him otherwise.]

... did you want me to stay?

[It's said softly, tentatively, searching her face for an answer. If she had asked, he'd spend the entire night by her side, if that's what she truly wanted. But with things the way they were now, with the uncertainty of her feelings hanging between them, was that really the best idea?]

[agrizzlysin]

[He probably does. Quin doesn't cook if he doesn't have to, and he certainly doesn't bake. There's no way he's going to admit that now though. He meets Xiaolang dead in the eye and scoffs.]

It doesn't count if you can't do it yourself! Even a dog can "help" in the kitchen.

[flowrite]

[Iwai this is not helping Fai stay focused, you realize this right.

I'm so sorry your adoptive parents are like this, Sakura.

Fai laughs and leans over to kiss Iwai on the cheek, then moves to the sink to wash his hands.]

I hope Sakura-chan's enjoying her party so far! I'm glad so many of her friends have been able to stop by.

[redarm]

Tch, don't worry about it. [he sounds a lil happy though] Glad you like it.

[blondferret]

Yup, that would definitely be why. How's the shop doing by the way? I'm probably going to head over there by the end of the month to get some more ammo.

[There's the date with Lillian and the game with James. Then there are the times he just goes to play paintball with random people. A guys gonna need to restock eventually.]

[blondferret]

[Derek is glad to see Sakura happy. Having a birthday when Retrospec is going on in your life isn't easy.]

I think everyone is. The cupcakes by the way are delicious.

for sakura;

[complementing]

[She can't stay for the whole event, since she has another birthday party she has to go to-- who knew there were so many April 1st birthdays among the Retrospec users-- but Minako is here to celebrate! She wanders in and says hello to some people she knows already there, and then weaves her way over to the birthday girl, sneaking up behind her and covering her eyes.]

Guess who~

crawls in ten thousand years late

[complementing]

[You'd have to be blind not to notice Xiaolang's sidelong glances at Sakura. Minako thinks it's cute, even if it's ultimately on Sakura to notice and act on what it means. Still, she's watched Xiaolang's puppy crush long enough that she's rooting for him. When he starts running low on snacks, she brings a plate over and offers it to him.]

Here you go~

[geckoman]

She seems to be having a good time. She's got some good friends from the looks of it. And that kid who is around a lot wants to ask her out.

[Well, confess to her anyway but same thing in the end to Iwai.

Bread on the plate, he brings that over. It sure isn't laid out pretty but it's on there!]

[geckoman]

It's starting to pick up more now that it's warming up again. Pretty much what happens every year honestly. People just like the heat for outdoor activities.

[It's logical so like hell if he's going to complain about that.]

You got some games planned with people?

[keystaff]

I guess so. But -- ehhh? You never had one? Wait, when is your birthday?

[Okay, so she can't go back in time and give him a party as a kid, obviously, but. She could at least talk to Fai about trying to do something special for his next birthday at least? Something Iwai would like, even a smaller gathering or something?]

[keystaff]

Makeup? I don't even actually have any.

[Not unless like, chapstick or tinted moisturizer perhaps, would count. Which it doesn't really. Sakura can't help but to close one eye when she feels that hand at her head to ruffle her hair. Not even minding that in then needing to fix it. There was no rush, given how early she'd woken this time, for once.]

You think if we choose the outfit first? Then getting it on wouldn't mess up my hair or anything.

[keystaff]

A book? How much would that be?

[Though then she's distracted from that, in assuming a whole book of photos would be expensive, when he procures the pouch and wishes her happy birthday. She opens it and holds it up, admiring it.]

Oh, pretty!

[cardcaptured]

[His shoulders seem to relax, visibly, at the sight of the gift being safely tucked away from prying eyes and curious hands, though they hitch again in surprise at Iwai's comment. Clearly he knows what he's doing here, in more ways than one.]

... I'm working on it.

[It's said in an embarrassed mumble, eyes flicking back to the gift one last time, before looking away. Hopefully things go well tonight. He honestly wasn't sure what to expect, given her own admittance that she never thought of anyone that way, but he at least had to get that much out there.

Desperate to change the subject, his eyes travel around the room the older man had taken them to, making note of the various instruments inside, and finally falling upon the keyboard.]

Is Fai really into music? He has an awful lot of stuff in here.

[Because for as much as he knows about Sakura, and all her cute little quirks, he knows very little about the man who adopted her. And maybe it wasn't any of his business, but it did interest him...]

[keystaff]

His insp -- eh? Oh. Thank you?

[Yeah. she was about to question what he meant on the inspiration, but is then evidently distracted with the armful of quilt. Which she opens and admires, thinking it cute and proclaiming it will be a nice addition to her room.]

[cardcaptured]

[And the irony here is that Xiaolang is much better on picking up on things than others too, so to catch him off guard in that sort of way was kind of magic. No doubt NPC Tomoyo is probably lurking around here somewhere filming this whole exchange, like she always does, for future prosperity.

His shoulders ease, ever so slightly, at Prompto's words, and he gives him a curious look.]

Credit...?

[It's an expression asking him to elaborate, as this child's self-confidence is absolutely hideous.]

[cardcaptured]

[The look he shoots the other man is skeptical at best, not entirely sure if he was being truthful or just really dedicated to this particular joke. He's gonna tread lightly with this one-- he didn't want to get caught up in any ridiculous pranks today, especially not at Sakura's party.]

A magic wand.

[His tone is flat in disbelief, but a part of him reconsiders. He said himself in his own memories that he had magic, a lot of it, and Sakura apparently had it too, if her worried concern about letting that one boy see it was any indication. And one could sort of call her staff a wand...]

Do you have it on you right now?

it's cool I AM ALWAYS DOWN FOR MINAKO STUFF

[cardcaptured]

[He was so lost in watching Sakura in the crowd, bouncing and weaving and giggling merrily with her friends, her smile contagious even from here, that Minako's sudden arrival startles him a little. This seemed to be happening a lot today. Was he really getting that distracted?

He glances down at his plate, already looking a bit scant, and back over at the one she's offering, his cheeks flushing considerably. Sheepishly, he quietly accepts it, slipping the used plate under the new one. A boy his age needed to eat, after all...]

Um... t-thank you. You didn't have to go out of your way to do that, though...

[Clearing his throat, hoping that would lessen his blush a bit, he nods over towards the rest of the mingling party.]

Did you go and say hi to her, yet? I think she'd be happy to see you.

[cardcaptured]

[............................ why

like seriously, did Noah just unhinge his jaw to do that why did he need to witness this

WHY DID HE NEED TO HEAR IT, NO LESS]

That's disgusting.

[He knows he should be on better terms with whoever is friends with Sakura (and also friends with his family, if Noah being invited to Li-Na's party was any indication), and try to be a bit more polite about it, but BRUH.]

[cardcaptured]

[The 'dog' remark was enough to get him bristling like one, a low, warning noise escaping from the back of his throat. Quin was, unfortunately, taller than he was at the moment (give him another year or so, though, and that could probably change), but that didn't stop him from stalking over and glaring up at him fiercely, an eyebrow twitching in annoyance. As satisfying as it would be to punch him for that, two very important things keep his hands at his sides: 1) it was Sakura's birthday party, and she'd be upset if he caused a scene, and 2) he was trying to be better than this. Trying. Quin was a friend of hers too, like it or not, and she'd probably want them to be on good terms. Not that the other boy was making it easy, but Xiaolang could have held back from some of that too.

... but honestly, that was still really insulting, and he wasn't about to let it slide that easily.]

What did you just call me?

[blondferret]

Well I'm thinking of doing a paintball date with a young woman. She seems to like more active activities. And then I have a game coming up with a teenager I meet back in February. I don't know if you know James?

[blondferret]

[Derek smirks.]

Yes.

[Derek reaches into his pocket and pulls it out a bit, just enough for Xiaolang to see some of it.]

Though I doubt this is the place or time to reveal my magic now wouldn't you say?