[Open] muffled happy birthday song in the distance

[thesettingsun]

WHO: Shuji and anyone who wants to wish him a happy birthday
WHERE: The Inkwell
WHEN: June 19th, evening
WHAT: Shuji celebrates turning 25 by drinking, as you do.
WARNINGS: None so far!

The only good thing about a summer birthday is pool parties. Shuji has maintained this since he was in elementary school, where the kids with summer birthdays either don't get cupcakes or all get them towards the end of the year on the same day. Since then it's just been a tradition to have a pool party - he likes swimming, it's his birthday, why not?

He had intended to have one again this year, even with grey water, because fuck you Retrospec, but some memory regains had made it so that he wasn't going into the water anytime soon. So, drinking at his favorite bar was his last-minute substitute.

(Not that he doesn't really like the Inkwell, or the drinks, or the other patrons, or the bartenders, or the owner... especially the owner...)

Shuji can be found in the Inkwell in the evening, ready to accept "birthday congratulations, gifts, and complaints about how grey water is super weird" as he mentioned on his Retrospec post. If you buy him a birthday drink, he'll also accept that. He may get super drunk before the night is out.

You can also occasionally see him actually working on writing his novel, alternating jotting something down in a notebook and taking a drink. Bug him about that if you want, he'll talk your ear off.

Comments

[protegge]

There's a saying.

[Oh, look. Seems like Mista's insinuated himself into the barstool next to Shuji's. Where'd he come from? Well, he's here now.]

On a guy's birthday in Napoli, we say tanti auguri. Which means "best wishes," basically, but the other thing it means is "buy me a drink," 'cause that's how we do it there. Birthday boy buys drinks for everyone. Best wishes, get rich so you can buy me a drink again next year.

[He whaps a gift (wrapped in hideous and off-season paper) gently at Shuji's chest.]

You don't have to buy me a drink unless you want, this is just cultural edification. I left a bottle of good wine in your kitchen. [how did you get into his kitchen]

[thesettingsun]

Thanks, Mista.

[The hideous and off-season wrapping paper is probably all that Mista had laying around, so Shuji doesn't comment on that part as he starts unwrapping it.]

I'll get you a drink, but just you. ...Uh, how did you get into my kitchen?

[Belatedly realizing that having access to his kitchen is kind of weird and worrying...?]

[protegge]

The guy let me in the building and then I picked the lock. But just to leave the wine. It'd be pretty rude to bring outside wine into somebody else's bar.

[That's weird . . . But Mista just picks up a scrap of wrapping paper and folds it into a really bad origami hat and plops it on top of the hat he's already wearing.]

[thesettingsun]

[The wrapping paper reveals: a beanie. It's certainly not appropriate for June in Recolle, but it's cute as shit and it's from Mista, and Shuji immediately falls in love with it.]

It's cute! I can't wait to wear this.

[Not enough in love to wear it in the summer, though.]

[protegge]

[Ha! He breaks out into a triumphant grin. Gift success. He is awesome. No one is as great as he is at gifts. Guido Mista, Lord of the Gifts.]

[With the air of someone with a bomb to drop, he leans forward a little, his expression suddenly very serious.]

You're not gonna ask why I got that for you?

[Obviously, even if he is not asked, he is going to tell.]

[thesettingsun]

[He figured 'because it's red and Shuji likes clothes', but if Mista wants to say, then.]

Why did you get that for me?

[protegge]

[Ha again. He leans in and pokes Shuji lightly in the chest for emphasis, once for each word.]

'Cause. You're. Sweet.

[the world heaves a collective groan]

[skald]

[The secret to getting into a bar for a friend's birthday while technically underage (for this country's bizarre, outdated liquor laws, anyway) is to forget that you're underage in the first place and walk in with confidence, or something.

The point is, Tuuri is here.] Happy birthday, Shuji! I'd buy you a drink but I technically can't for another two weeks, so instead I'm going to complain about water with you!

[She also slides a $10 bill along the counter towards him.]

But you should buy yourself another drink!

[thesettingsun]

[It's possible that Shuji should have held his birthday party somewhere more accessible to his younger friends, but it's also possible that he just wants to get smashed and it's more convenient to do that in a bar.]

Thanks, Tuuri!

[He'll accept the cash.]

Grey water, though, who thought that would be a good idea? Gross.

[At least the transparent water is still transparent so he doesn't have to go 'ick' every time he has a glass...]

[skald]

Well that's your problem. [Tuuri says, taking a seat next to him despite, again, not being quite 21 yet. Whatever, if it gets to be a problem she can order a Shirley Temple or something.] They obviously didn't do this because they thought it would be a good idea, they did it because they like to hear us complain!

[And complain she will.]

How's your birthday going so far?

[thesettingsun]

[As long as she's not trying to get alcohol, it's probably fine? She can be the designated driver.]

Not bad! Mista got me this beanie.

[Meaning, the definitely out of season beanie sitting on the bar next to him.]

It'll be a while before I can wear it, since... it's June, but it's actually pretty cute.

[skald]

That's... cute.

[Is it? She stares at it for a little while longer, before she declares, more confidently this time] That's cute! It looks like a cupcake. I want to see you wear it in December. [and not a moment earlier.]

[thesettingsun]

November might be cold enough. October, sometimes.

[What the fuck is weather in Recolle, the thread, the encore.]

[vitis]

[ john: bug shuji while he's in the midst of working on his novel. he'll first approach and nudge towards him a container with this thing in it. honestly, he feels a bit stupid about it — baking isn't his thing, and it took him two (2!!!!) damn tries to get it right. the failed attempt he's saved for later. but of the few things he suspects shuji might like, it's chocolate. there's also a candle to stick into it, kept on the side.

see. it's still embarrassing. ]

Yo. 'Grats on makin' it to a quarter of a century!

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji shuts hits notebook when John approaches so he can give his friend the attention he deserves.]

Thanks! Wasn't easy getting here.

Did you make that yourself?

[It looks distinctly not in grocery store packaging, and it's not like the Inkwell sells cupcakes.]

[vitis]

[ mighty suspicious, isn't it ]

[ john glances at it ]

Yup! Not too difficult. [ ... ] It doesn't taste completely awful though, y'know? Unless you don't like chocolate after all. [ he apparently needs to cover his bases. ]

[thesettingsun]

I love chocolate! And I'm not going to turn down a home-cooked dessert from my friend.

[It looks delicious anyway.

...Shuji sticks the candle on top, because obviously it's there for a reason.]

I don't have a lighter.

[vitis]

Oh!

[ a... lighter, right, he should've prepared for that, he's pretty sure that he did— john hastily pats down his pockets, and it's about another second or two before he draws one out and hands it over. ]

[ he's not really sure if it's gonna happen now, or anything, but hey it's something definitely worth preparing for: ]

You got another cake comin'? [ :D ] Or else, you want me to ask everyone to sing for you?

[thesettingsun]

I don't want everyone to sing for me! I'm an adult!

[He'll light his own darn candle. But no singing :|]

i am so late to this orz

[wordcarvings]

[ Technically, Koutarou is still not entirely used to this thing with exchanging birthday presents. With his closest friends and the few people in his family he's actually on a great basis with (which is...basically just Chuuya, to be honest), sure. But not really with other people. But there is never a reason not to go to The Inkwell, it's a great place and it's easy to find his cousin there.

As for Shuji, though they only recently met, they seem to share memories of people, and then some, and he did promise him a picture of a snowscape. (He may have gotten carried away in experimenting with drawing those without blue on hand and painted more than one picture. He only brought one though somehow he has added several winter pieces in the middle of summer to the pieces he sells.)

He finds him in the middle of writing something down, and because he doesn't want to make him lose track of his thoughts, he waits the few moments it takes for Shuji to write down whatever thing he had to write down. ]

Tsushima-kun, happy birthday.

Not too late at all~

[thesettingsun]

[Koutarou understands him as a fellow artist, and Shuji's grateful not to be interrupted - he gets his thought down before turning to Koutarou with a big smile.]

Thanks! I'm glad you came.

[Even though he hasn't known Koutarou that long, he thinks that they could become good friends, if only through bonding over this Retrospec and hallucinomemory crap.]

[wordcarvings]

[ Of course, a fellow author artist would understand that. ]

Of course I would come. This is for you.

[ He offers him the carefully wrapped up painting. It’s not framed but Koutarou doesn’t have loads of frames in his atelier. He has some but the don’t come with the paintings. He doesn’t need to open it now. Honestly, it’s awkward to have people open their presents in front of him (and even more awkward to open presents in front of the giver). ]

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji accepts the painting, not making to unwrap it just yet.]

Do you want me to open it now, or later?

[He's happy either way, he just doesn't want to make things Awkward.]

[wordcarvings]

That’s up to you, really.

[ Which might hint at “it would be Awkward to do that now”. ]

[thesettingsun]

[He gets it.]

I'll open it when I get back home. Wouldn't want it to get any booze on it somehow.