[open] t-t-t-taking over, teenage rebellion!

[furiousfists]

WHO: Adaine Abernant (furiousfists), Fabian Seacaster (maximumlegend), and YOU!
WHEN: June 3rd
WHERE: Apartment building's rec room
WHAT: Joint birthday party!
NOTES\WARNINGS: Underage drinking

It's only thanks to Aurora's message that Adaine has any idea what day it is. She looks at the text on her earpiece's readout and blinks, comprehension coming to her slowly.

Today is June 3rd, of the year 40██.

June 3rd...

June 3rd??

"Holy shit, it's my birthday!"

Adaine's birthdays haven't been much to shake a stick at, historically speaking. It's only in the past year, after she stopped living with her parents and moved in with Jawbone in Mordred Manor that anyone ever gave a crap or tried to give her anything for it. If it hadn't been for Jawbone, she might've been perfectly happy to let another year pass without fanfare. But now? She wants to at least acknowledge it. She'd be happy with just a slice of cake at the diner, but there's one thing that makes her think that perhaps that won't cut it.

If today is June 3rd, Adaine's birthday, then that means a few days ago it was May 31st. Fabian's birthday. And Fabian Seacaster is not one to let a birthday celebration be anything but maximum legend.

And, so it is that the two birthday Bad Kids set about throwing as raucous of a birthday bash as they can manage with such short lead time. The rec room in the bottom floor of the apartment building is decorated to the nines with balloons and streamers, with snacks, sodas, and even some alcohol to make mixed drinks set out on a table for all to enjoy. Anyone who the pair have spoken with is invited, but if anyone makes any comments about teenagers drinking alcohol, they're labeled a buzzkill and told to vacate the premises. Adaine manages to find a boombox somewhere with a CD, and plays some generic party music for people to dance to, should they feel so inclined.

All in all, it is a night of revelry, the likes of which Etraya has likely never seen before.

Comments

[equivo]

[ Working out which attendee was almost definitely Adaine didn't take much guesswork. The ears are a bit of a tip off.

Krouse approaches her with a brown paper bag in hand and a confident smile in place. He's dressed up slightly for the occasion, which mostly means that he swapped his hoodie for an unbuttoned grey cotton shirt layered over a black long sleeve t-shirt. His face has healed up almost completely, a shinier patch of pinkened skin on his left cheek what's left of his visible labyrinth trophies. ]

Adaine, right? [ He stops within arm's reach. ] I'm Krouse. Blackhat on the network. I'm glad to finally meet you in person.

[furiousfists]

[ The ears really are a dead giveaway. Especially when Adaine has been so public about being an elf. As far as she's seen, she and Fabian are the only people of elvish lineage in Etraya, so it's no wonder Krouse is able to make a beeline for the birthday girl.

She looks up at first, unsure of who's approaching her, but once he introduces himself, her face breaks into an easy smile. ]

Krouse, hi. Glad to meet you too! Thank you for coming!

[equivo]

Thanks for having me.

[ Fabian might have sent the invitations, but he assumes Adaine was consulted on the guest list. He's not going to mention it, though - he's not unfamiliar with being the less outgoing friend, and how it can feel like you're an afterthought on any given occasion. Bad enough regularly. Worse on your birthday. Even worse than that on your birthday in an apartment building rec room with only two of your actual friends in attendance due to your recent extradimensional abduction.

With all of that in play, he decided he'd make an effort to be a more congenial guest than he'd usually be. He extends the paper bag to her, which brings the penciled stars he drew on it into focus.

(Should he have done stars? He hadn't fully thought through the implications. It's probably fine.) ]

Happy birthday. It's not much, but I didn't want to show up empty handed. [ He brightens his smile. ] If you don't like it, don't worry about it. I'll blame the limited retail options.

[ It's a pair of candles in little glass jars, one white and cherry blossom scented, one blue and ocean scented, both labelled in Korean due to coming from the Bangsan Market. Krouse figures it's hard to go wrong with candles as a gesture, if she isn't one of those people with scent sensitivities. ]

[furiousfists]

[ Far from it, Adaine seems to be pleasantly surprised to be presented with a gift, especially from someone she's only ever spoken to once before. She accepts the paper bag with a warm smile, admiring the pencil-drawn stars before looking inside. ]

You really didn't have to... Ooh, candles! [ In true Teenage Girl At Bath & Body Works fashion, she immediately sniffs each one, appreciating their scent. ]

These are lovely, thank you!

[equivo]

[ Who said overthinking never got you anywhere? Krouse rocks back on his heels, a little looser than he'd usually be thanks to Fabian's concoctions, and smiles warmly back. There's a touch of genuine relief at the corners of his eyes. ]

You're welcome.

[ He could lay it on a little thicker - something about everyone deserving something nice on their birthday, of course he had to, so on and so forth - but he doesn't want to go overboard on a success. ]

I thought - hey, what ritual casting couldn't use a little seaside ambience? [ His smile tilts at the joke. ] Or, you know. Candles are just nice.