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

[blondferret]

I. Gifts - Closed to Sakura

It's really lucky that Derek has three younger siblings so he's not at a loss for what a girl turning fourteen would want. He went down to an electronic store and found a gift that he felt would suit Sakura just fine.

When he gets to the party he looks around for the birthday girl and finds her near the cake. Walking over he taps her on the shoulder.

"Happy Birthday Sakura!"

Derek holds out a small box to Sakura. Inside she will find this.

II. Cake

Derek reaches for one of the cupcakes.

"Well, these are impressive."

III. General mingling.

Since this is a party for a fourteen year old girl, Derek doesn't expect a lot of adult here. If anyone wants to talk to him, he will sitting in a chair off to the side, enjoying a cupcake and some snacks.

ota

[cardcaptured]

[Xiaolang probably isn't the first person to arrive at the party, but he's certainly one of the earlier ones, resolving to assist Fai with some of the cooking and whatever else he can do to make the celebration go a bit more smoothly. He's not as fancifully dressed as some others might be, but he's certainly not empty-handed, pressing an impressive looking bouquet into the arms of whoever greets him at the door, blushing up a storm and mumbling something about his cousin picking them up for her. The other bag in his hands, simple looking but a decent size, is something he insists on giving Sakura later, setting it to the side as he goes to help with the food.

Once everything's been squared away in the kitchen and/or he's been shooed out to socialize like a normal child, he's just... going to be content lingering at the edges of the party, quietly watching everyone else mingle. Anyone paying even a bit of attention to him may notice his eyes soften a little whenever they land upon the birthday girl weaving in and out of the crowd, and... is that a small smile on his lips?? Could his face even DO that?? He's largely unaware of it, though, and when he's not looking fondly at a certain cherry blossom (or chatting with her whenever she makes her rounds back to him), he's going to be nibbling on whatever food is out and available and looking a bit lost in thought. It's enough so to startle him should anyone come up to him and request his attention, nearly upsetting whatever snacks he had in his hands.

Nearing the end of the party, however, he's going to disappear with Sakura somewhere, only to reemerge a small amount of time later by himself. He's going to be making a brisk clip to the door, his expression oddly guarded compared to earlier in the day, only saying good-night to a brief few in a subdued tone before slipping into the night back home. Weird??]

closed to Sakura

[cardcaptured]

[The day, beautiful and sunny and warm as it was (fitting for a girl such as Sakura) was beginning to dim and darken, the sky slowly fading from shades of orange and pink, to dusky blue and purple. With the party beginning to thin out, and the birthday girl's attention a little less distracted from those around her, it felt like as good a time as any to set out with what he wanted to do.

Swallowing down the frantic beat of his heart that was rising to his throat, trying not to wring the handles of the bag in his hands, Xiaolang reaches out and taps her arm lightly.]

H-Hey, um...

[Courage, Xiaolang. COURAGE!!]

Do you want to take a walk with me? There's... there's something I want to talk to you about.

OTA

[geckoman]

[Iwai's not much of a party person. Never will be. Still, he's fond of Sakura so you can be damn sure he's making an appearance at her party. Of course you may find him slipping off to the garage for a bit to put some last minute touches on her present that he's been working on but really he is at the party for the most party.

Which means he's usually found by the cupcakes. There are a lot of people who have a bad case of Sweet Tooth in this household and he's definitely one of them. Unashamedly so. Besides, he knows who has had their hands on them so he knows they're good.

Otherwise expect him to be a wall flower. He's not a social guy really. But you can still approach him. He is here to celebrate Sakura, after all.]

[flowrite]

[While Iwai is over near the cupcakes, he's also being stalked by a blond who's trying his best to be sneaky. Ordinarily he wouldn't assume he'd actually get away with sneaking up behind his boyfriend, but it's a party and there's a lot of extra noise around them.

So here's a pair of hands coming around from behind Iwai to cover his eyes, and a familiar voice in his ear:]

Guess who~?

Cake!

[flowrite]

Fai hadn't really known how many people or who exactly to expect at the party, given that Xiaolang had issued the invitation via the app (aside from any personal invitations from Sakura herself), so he's a little surprised to see a vaguely familiar adult face. That's... Tatsuo's friend, right? Does he know Sakura?

Still, he's not overly concerned or anything--being Tatsuo's friend is a pretty damn good recommendation. So eventually Fai will mosey over toward the table where the cupcakes are laid out, pausing an appropriately polite distance away, and shoot the guy a friendly smile.

(He's wearing an eyepatch these days, and they only met the once, so he wouldn't expect the man to recognize or even remember him honestly.)

"Ah, thank you! It took a few days to finish all of them but I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. As long as Sakura-chan likes them!"

(And yes, despite the "-chan" after Sakura's name, the guy has a faint French accent.)

[flowrite]

[The finishing touches are finally on the cupcakes and the cupcake stand is already out on the table Fai's set up in the keeping room, but it's still pretty early so there are a lot of last-minute preparations to go. The blond is in the kitchen--frilly pink apron on, of course--mixing up a bowl of pink punch when Xiaolang makes it back to that part of the house.

At the sound of footsteps he looks up and gives the boy a big grin.]

Li-kun! You're looking very handsome today!

[geckoman]

[Guess who is greeting you at the door, Xiaolang? It sure is that intimidating guy that lives here who once chewed you out months ago. Since he's not cooking or baking or whatever he's got some time to kill and so he might as well answer the door.

To see the kid standing there. Holding a bouquet of flowers. He lifts a brow at the mumbled words. His cousin, huh? Okay sure he'll believe that. But he'll also believe this cousin did because he's like the rest of the known universe and knows this kid has it so bad for Sakura. Honestly the only one who doesn't know in the slightest is Sakura herself.]

Uh-huh.

[Iwai's just in jeans and a turtleneck for this. Because this is him cleaning up, okay? It's not like he's wearing the hat or anything.]

Well you're never gonna figure out how to ask her out if you're just standing there. Come on in, kid.

[And he steps to the side.]

[geckoman]

There was one adult here he'd know for sure. That was right, his favorite shop owner was here and he eventually came over to sit with Derek. Because he was not a social person but he at least knew this guy. With Fai around taking care of party stuff that meant he had free time to just interact with someone he already knew he connected with.

"Hey."

Great greeting, right? Top notch.

[geckoman]

[He smirks a bit but stays still so he can play along. Well...sort of.]

Only know one person with a French accent.

[That's not how you play the game but here they are.]

[flowrite]

Ah!

[Despite the fact that there are people around--that they're at their daughter's birthday party, no less--Fai nips at Iwai's ear playfully before pulling his hands back and chuckling. Although his hands don't go far, just resting lightly on Iwai's shoulders instead.]

Cheater! Look how sneaky I was! I was like a ninja!

[geckoman]

[He snorts at that and turns around to wrap his arms around him. A quick kiss and he lifts a brow at him.]

You're one of the least sneaky people I know. The only one worse than you is your best friend.

[flowrite]

[Fai uses the opportunity to wrap his arms around Iwai's neck in a big, over-exaggerated gesture and pouts at him, lifting his eyebrow imperiously.]

I have no idea what you mean! I'm like the wind! Like a ghost! Put me in a black leather catsuit and I'd be un-detectable!

[geckoman]

[Well, he can say Fai would look good in a catsuit buuuuuut...]

Nah. Ya might as well embrace that it ain't what you're good at. You've got other talents anyway.

[flowrite]

[The pout quickly melts back into a smile. He can't linger too long on the innuendo while they're at Sakura's party, after all.

(Mental note: buy a catsuit.)]

Speaking of which, that's partially what I came over here to tell you! I saved you a little plate of cupcakes in the back of the fridge. One for Sakura-chan and one for you~

For Sakura - pre-game dress-up party!

[flowrite]

[After breakfast has been consumed (and knowing this house, probably devoured as if by a plague of locusts) and the kitchen is all cleaned up, Fai finishes his cup of coffee and then wanders through the house toward Sakura's bedroom. He's in his pink silk dressing gown over his pajamas and slippers, with his hair tied up in a high, messy ponytail.

At Sakura's door he pauses and knocks, whether it's open or closed.]

Sakura-chan?

[geckoman]

[Here he's been wondering how many will be leftover with how amazing they look and already Fai's saved one for him. He chuckles and gives him another kiss.]

Knew I loved you.

[flowrite]

[Fai hums happily and gladly accepts more kisses, kind of draping himself over Iwai in the process.]

Well, you know what they say: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! ...among other places~

[He leans forward to kiss the tip of Iwai's nose and grins.

Why is Iwai so distracting, darn it!]

[cardcaptured]

[The surprise compliment is enough to bring a bright crimson flush blooming across his face, causing his shoulders to hunch up a bit as Xiaolang's eyes seek the ground. His hand fidgets with a button on his shirt sleeve, resisting the urge to reach up and fix his hair for the umpteenth time (seriously, he had to stop, it was going to become a bad habit--). Aside from his obnoxiously affectionate sisters, not many people bothered to comment upon his looks, and he wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to respond.]

I-I, ah-- I'm not-- I didn't know the dress code you guys had in mind, so I didn't want to look too out of place...

[He trails off, embarrassed, thinking back to the amount of time it took him to find something appropriate for the party. Would Sakura think the same, too? That he looked good?

... no, he wasn't about to get even more flustered thinking about that right now. Quickly, he grabs an apron hanging nearby (a much more sedate looking blue one) and shrugs it on, hastening to tie up the strings.]

Um, what should I start helping with first?

[cardcaptured]

[... honestly, given that his cousin is also his guardian and has probably seen this emotional train wreck unfold in person... yeah. Yeah, he most definitely knows. The bouquet was mostly Xiaolang's idea, but considering that Leon was also fond of Sakura and possibly paid for part of it, it wasn't entirely a lie to say it was from him as well.

Of course, Iwai wasn't exactly the person he expected to answer the door (though in hindsight, considering how busy Fai was and Sakura probably getting ready, it seemed the most likely), and he flushes for a completely different reason. Oh jeez. Even if it was months ago, and even if Xiaolang had made pointed changes in his attitude towards Fai (and his attitude in general), it still felt like the man could see right through him. It always left him a bit intimidated and a low-key need to be on his best behavior.

And case in point? Was what Iwai just said, and he sputters for a moment or two in the doorway in surprise.]

Wh-- H-How did you know??

[SO MUCH FOR SUBTLETY THERE, XIAOLANG]

[geckoman]

[Technically? Iwai hadn't known at all that's what Xiaolang planned to do. But gut instincts are strong and he knows this kid actually sucks at hiding his feelings. Or his intentions. Of course there goes the kid proving that his instincts are right on point as usual. Good to know he's in his forties and some things haven't changed after all these years.

Again, not like the kid is hard to read.]

Ain't exactly the king of subtle, kid.

[More like a wide open book with a neon sign overhead saying "read me" instead. Because...flowers, Xiaolang. Cute but super obvious.]

Coming in?

[geckoman]

You're getting distracted again, ya know.

[It's a gentle scolding really. Obviously he's not annoyed or anything right now. He likes when Fai gets like this and they both know it.]

[mercurio]

[prompto has found his way next to xiaolang as the party has exponentially progressed. he's been about, taking pictures, mostly of sakura and also of all the other things such as the decorations and the food. still, when he sees the younger boy by himself, he can't help wanting to stand beside him.]

[he leans to the side a little, to talk quietly to the boy.]

We gonna just stare at her all day?

ota

[mercurio]

Would you mind if I took a picture?

[prompto got the invitation from touya, and to be quite honest, any chance is as good as any for him to bring his camera with him. although he doesn't know a lot of the people, he's found comfort in being able to take the role of the paparazzo.]

It's an occasion worth remembering after all!

[me_matey]

Oh, hey, sup dude? I didn't expect you to be here. -She set down her cake, putting on a cute pose for the picture.-