Happy Birthday, Senku!

[fun_thementalist]

Who: OTA
Where: Dining Carriage
When: Jelly 4
What: Prompts are under the cut. Create your own top levels! Tag around! Get more points!
Warnings: more cake than the recommended serving size

Birthday Prep! (OTA except Senku)


Setting up food!

Plenty of people have offered to bring a number of treats - cookies, savory dishes, snacks ... Gen was placing a half-sheet cake, decorated with planets and with 'Happy Birthday Senku' written in frosting on the table. He looked quite pleased with himself, and would help lend a hand with other food.


Setting up decorations!

There were roughly a hundred origami stars to fold, which Gen would spend most of his time doing, especially if he didn't have any help. But after, he'd be stringing them up all around the dining car, creating an effect like a starry sky from the ceiling.


Setting up party favors!

Then, of course, there were paper flower crowns to fold. Gen had no idea how many people would end up coming, so he wanted a fair number - any extras could sit in the Arms Band or up his sleeves as part of a surprise to spring on people later. You never knew when you needed a paper flower crown!


Setting up the escape room!

This is really what Gen hoped he'd get the most help with. He only had so many math tricks up his sleeve, and he was very certain that Senku knew them all already. At least Nita would be lending a hand! Otherwise, Gen was sure any room he'd make, Senku would solve in minutes.


BIRTHDAY PARTY

Greetings!

Gen would greet the newcomer with a bright smile and an origami flower crown - placed right on their head! He'd direct them to the food, and let them know of the escape room upstairs. Have a lovely time!

Food!

Cake! Cookies! Popcorn! There's some spicy, savory food that's been made by other passengers, too. But hey, at least take a slice of cake. That's what this party's all about!

Escape Room!

Featuring math, puns, and clever little questions fellow Voidtrain passengers could come up with. Of course, anyone can enter and leave as they'd like, but perhaps if they look particularly stuck on a problem, another person could help them out?

Birthday Boy!

Somewhere in this mess, Senku would be available to chat with. Probably. He's not really expecting a party, or gifts, or even a kind thank you - but all would be appreciated.

Comments

[blitzcheer]

This isn't their first rodeo in making paper crafts, but for Tidus, this just isn't working out. Or, no, that isn't exactly true. It's just so slow going that a guy like him can't help but whine a (lot) little, even if he's keeping it up. He needs an outlet, alright.

And especially with Inigo right there, that's a good person to listen to his very serious whining.

"Oh yeah?" But it's not whining he goes for, when Inigo 'offers' his higgledy to Tidus. Looking over and seeing the creature enjoy herself as a baby would if given a toy to play with.

...

...actually.

"Yeah, I'm really learning a few things." Scoff. Sorry Jumblie, please ignore these two doofuses over here.

[flatteries]

"Hey, you're missing the message!" Inigo says. As if there's really some sort of bigger message here. Some life lesson that Tidus needs to learn through watching an adorable sunshine higgledy just toss around some paper.

Even though he's totally bullshitting it on the go. But despite that fact, Inigo smiles like he thought of this really smart thing a long, long time ago. Rather than exactly two seconds ago, back when Tidus replied.

"If you'd really learn from her, you'd know it's not about the end result, it's about the fun of the process!"

He almost sounds like Roland.

It's unintentional, at least.

[blitzcheer]

Wow Inigo, listen to that big protag energy.

"Tell that to my poor stars." And flower crowns. But message heard loud and clear, his hands still working at the last few bits of paper he has left for his share. It may not be what Inigo's aiming for, but the dorky energy is amusing him. Even lifting his spirits, even!

"Well? Are you having fun at this? Maybe you should get involved in party planning some more. Or get together with Rapunzel and the kids, do more crafty things."

Really repaint this whole train with paper and fun.

[flatteries]

Inigo smiles. "I am!"

And that's a genuine exclamation mark, not one he is just putting on for appearances. It's noticable even in the way he smiles when he looks down at the paper in his hands, folding it before putting another star on the pile.

"I like making things, it's fun. I've actually been helping Rapunzel! Trying to figure out good places for her to paint. I'm no good at painting, so it's the best I can do to help in those cases, really." Inigo may be creatively blessed in some areas, but he can't be good at all of it.

"And the kids.. I don't know. Wouldn't they feel a little weird about some random teenager joining them for that sort of thing?"

[blitzcheer]

"Not if you do it with a cute face like Punzel," Tidus lilts, a small laugh following after. "Nah, I think I was telling her, or maybe it was someone else - she should get some of the kids to paint and do projects. She's always so artsy. Did you catch her checking out some of the walls for painting on too?"

When was that, even? Wonder if she still needs the paints for that... Who knows what's taking her fancy now!

[flatteries]

"Yeah, that's when I went around the train with her to help her look. I bet she'd be really good with the kids."

She's so sweet, after all. And - at times - a little innocent herself too, so maybe it wouldn't just be a one way thing. Even though the kids could learn creative things from her, Inigo can't help but think there's a lot Rapunzel could still learn from kids growing up in slightly more normal ways too.

"Though she can be strangely self-conscious at times. Have you noticed?"

Wow, Inigo. Self-conscious? Talk about a pot and kettle.

[blitzcheer]

"She is?" That's an observation that makes Tidus wonder, think, if not too easily. Would he call Rapunzel self-conscious? Considering how little he actually knew about the girl...

His raised gazed settles back onto Inigo. "What do you mean?"

Was there something about her he was forgetting? Though... "She was bummed out after she lost all that hair."

[flatteries]

Inigo nods, remembering that too. Although that was pretty understandable. Rapunzel had so much hair before, it must have been really, really strange for her to go to the total opposite of that..

Though it wasn't entirely what he was thinking of, apparently. Since he leans forward, his elbows on the table as he momentarily halts the folding of the paper in his hands.

"Well, she often doesn't seem sure of things? When I was suggesting places for her to paint, she kept having reservations about all of them. As if people wouldn't be happy to see her incredible art!" And that makes him feel a little bad - the fact that she can't see that herself, even though she's an amazing girl.

[blitzcheer]

Tidus stops what he's doing, resting his hand under his chin in a contemplative pose, expression matching. Humming after a beat, short in its length.

"A guy being good at something and not wanting to show off... yeah, I know someone like that."






inigo


inigo do you get it

[flatteries]

Oh, yes.

He sure does get it.

It's exactly why there's suddenly one of those paper stars hitting Tidus right in the forehead.

"H-Hey, that's different! It's way different!"

How did Inigo's face get red this quickly? It's a mystery. He must have some real good blood circulation..

[blitzcheer]

The star smacks him (not even that), flopping onto the table and Tidus's smile being the result left behind in its assault. A huff of a laugh escapes him, and Tidus leans back, arms folding loosely over the table.

"And why's that," he asks with all the thick humour that he's been keeping in. But no reason to do that now, Inigo knows what's up! "'Cause it's not you?"

Will Inigo admit to it?? Or will he just whine.

[flatteries]

"Because she's great at it!"

And no matter what anyone would say, Inigo will forever be insecure about his dancing. How could he not be, considering he's already insecure when it comes to just about anything else too?

At least he doesn't leave that as the only reason, perhaps already realising what Tidus may say to that one.

"And because no one thinks it's strange for Rapunzel to paint."

He looks back down at the paper on the table, starting to - perhaps a little too intensely - fold a new star again.

(He's just whining, yes.)

[blitzcheer]

Look at Inigo going off into his own little world, trying to avoid this conversation that Tidus - unfortunately for the prince - isn't ready to drop. Can Inigo feel the way that Tidus is staring at him, the smile that has yet to leave? His arms not quite folding on the table, but he's leaning slightly in, looking pleased with himself. Just letting that silence hang for a second, before-

"And who on the train thinks it's strange for you to dance?"

Huuuuuuuhhhhhhh, Iniiiigooooo?

[flatteries]

UGGGGGGGGH.

Just look at that face. Just look at it! Here Inigo is bearing his heart, and yet Tidus is looking at him like that. Smiling like that. Leaning in like he doesn't even pretend to hide he knows exactly what he's doing here!

But you know what? You know what!! Inigo actually has an answer to this. A valid answer.

"Reno, probably."

HAH. Eat that, Tidus!!

Except there's no triumphant attitude about it. Instead it's just an embarrassed mumble as Inigo finishes up the star and immediately starts on another, not even pausing for a second.

[blitzcheer]

Pfft. "Reno's invalid. He just dislikes anything if he cares about that."

Would Reno? Who knows. He thought jerking around Inigo and getting into fights with him was fun for some reason.

"You started caring what a guy like him thinks anyway?"

[flatteries]

Inigo looks up from his star, right at Tidus.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed." That's a full stop, since he just outright pauses. For dramatic effect? Who knows. "But I care a lot about what just about anyone thinks of me."

Why do you think he's so shy and nervous all the time! It's hard when you have no self worth to call your own and instead have to live off other people's impressions of you, okay.

[blitzcheer]

"Would he be able to stop you from running inside a burning building to save a kid if he said you couldn't do it?"

Were they the actual words that decided to leave Tidus's mouth in response to that? Apparently. But you know what? He is absolutely waiting for an answer here.

[flatteries]

"No."

At least he answers that fairly easily. But, as if he already has his own idea about where this line of enquiry on Tidus's end is going, Inigo puts up a hand.

"But that's different. That's easy." Risking his life? That's nothing, compared to risking the terrifying ordeal of being known by dancing in front of people. To have to fear their judgement over something he enjoys. "I don't even have to think about it when it's to save someone else."

[blitzcheer]

"Well, you should apply some of that into your dancing! I want this kid to live, so I'm going to do this - I want to dance, so I'm going to dance!"

It's the same old tune Tidus has always sang when it comes to Inigo's confidence. Though really, when it comes to this-

"But you shouldn't listen to Reno anyway. What I was saying was, that's one guy out of how many on a train? I told Taiki anyway we should hang out together more in the music car," he goes on, just bringing that up because he can. "And he agreed, so now you have to dance more: because we said you should."

There. Brilliant logic.

[flatteries]

Wow. Is Tidus going to use his weakness when it comes to Taiki against him? Is that what's happening here? Because Inigo can't possibly say no when Taiki is involved?

He immediately looks a bit more defeated at that, like Inigo himself is realising what corner he's rapidly running himself into.

"I do dance here now." Regularly, he means. "Just.. not.. in front of other people."

That's the problem! The dancing part is fun. It's exciting. He loves doing it by himself, even when it's a little more anxiety-filled here on the train where anyone could walk in on him.

"I tried dancing in front of Taiki before too, but I got all nervous and dumb about it."

[blitzcheer]

"You're not going to get used to it right away." So Inigo getting flustered around Taiki makes sense... but he pauses, thinking. "So you don't mind doing it on your own? You're not worried about walking in and freaking out?"

He's being gentle, honest. He's just looking out for you, bro! Gotta make sure Inigo's as comfortable as he can be! ...even if some pain comes first.

[flatteries]

"I am worried about that," Inigo honestly admits.

Because it's just the truth. And he worries about everything ever. But this in particular - someone seeing him dance, even just by accidentally walking in on him - is terrifying.

"I usually make Jumblie stand guard, but she's not a very good one." Jumblie seems unbothered by that statement, still just playing with the paper. "She just lets anyone pass right by her."

[blitzcheer]

Should he let that small laugh slip while looking over at Jumblie? He's not even really sure if she's doing a bad job... Jumblie just living their best life.

"Welllll," wellllll, "I told Taiki anyway we're going to do it, so now we have to." So. No stopping that now! They clearly can't just not go through with it. "Did you get him to dance with you too last time? I asked him about Tai and dancing, but he didn't know if people really do it."

[flatteries]

He can't believe Tidus is using the 'I already told Taiki and you can't let down Taiki, can you?' card against him. This is vile. Cruel. The lowest of the low. Of course Inigo can't disappoint Taiki!

Which is why he may be realising his defeat here. And as he does, he's letting out the most dramatic groan ever before just slumping forward onto the table. (Though making sure to not squish any paper stars under his giant dumb baby body.)

He's given up.

"I danced with him before at a party," he just mumbles against the table.

[blitzcheer]

You know what? This is all about the fun of the process, isn't it. Not that Tidus has actually been making any more stars and decided his new forever job is hassling Inigo about his hobbies. Senku won't mind, surely. He's never been good at really finicky paper work anyway.

"Yeahhh?" Hear that tone, Inigo? That tone of ohhhhh, teasing and playful. "Did you like it?"

Give Tidus all the juicy details here, bro! The juicy details of if it was nice.