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

[flatteries]

Thankfully Inigo doesn't seem mad at the other at the slightest. Even though Roland is the one who brought up the terrifying idea of ghost bugs in the first place.

No, he's just sad. And scared. And being overly dramatic about it, but why wouldn't he be when he feels like he can just totally be himself around the other? Knowing that he can get away with sniffling over something as ridiculous as ghost bugs, and that Roland will comfort him, rather than ask him what's wrong with him that he's acting like such a baby?

So at the familiar affection - the hug, the kiss in his hair, the rubbing on his arms - Inigo just feels himself leaning into the hold, against Roland, and sniffing a few times.

Still being overdramatic. But at least the crying stops pretty quickly, considering he's not that genuinely upset.

"Do you promise? You can't let a single one of them near me..!"

Are you locking yourself into this contract, Roland.

[adregem]

Locked and loaded, baby let's do it, Roland knows the law.

"I promise. Cross my heart, hope to die. Not a single one shall harm my Prince Inigo as long as I live." The dramatics is deliberate, but Roland hams it up for Inigo's sake too. There's not even a hint of mocking in it; all in good-nature and fun, though nothing about his declaration says that Roland won't do it if it ever came to that. Ghost bugs or ghost anything, he's ready to hack 'n slash away if it means Inigo will be safe.

That goes for any type of nasty thing, anyway. Such is the promise made and kept throughout their time in the void, and even beyond it.

"If I fail in my task, then take my paper crown off and grant it to a man more worthy of your trust! Heh." He laughs quietly, breathily into Inigo's temple, before pulling back, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Sorry. I'm getting carried away, huh?"

[flatteries]

He shakes his head. Instantly. There's no beat being missed between that last thing Roland says and that slight gesture on Inigo's part, his overdramatic freakout from a moment ago easily discarded as instead a smile plays around his lips.

"Never apologize." Look, Roland doesn't need to give Inigo the whole accountability talk this time, okay. Although he may still be pretty biased in never blaming Roland for anything ever. But in this case - there's definitely nothing to blame him for.

Even as Inigo lets go, turning back towards the paper and starting to fold a new paper star.

"I like that side of you." And though it's such a simple thing to say, something about the way Inigo says it, emotion flowing so naturally in the boy's voice, he sounds so genuine. "It's those little quirks that make us people! You're not just some cutout of a stuffy old man, father."

Which is why he likes it. Roland's dorkiness. The way his eyes start to shine when he indulges in his little hobbies.

[adregem]

Roland smiles, casting a palm out to Jumblie so she can rest on his hand. She does so happily, squealing loudly as she settles down, sat and swaying to invisible wind.

"Do you now? Well, thank you."

It's not obvious with the way he responds, controlled and collected as one might have Roland be at all times, but he feels incredibly relieved when they say things like this to him. He's had to be a Role for a long time, and it's the purpose of his life without question; but there are other sides of him that had to be sacrificed in the process of growing up. He was always the youngest, the smallest, the one with the baby-face who people called an upstart until he could prove himself on the big stage. There was no room for his love for movies, or stories, or hobbies that had nothing to lend to an ailing nation.

Yet here, here he is welcomed just as he is, when his façade breaks for a second and his entirety is seen for who he wishes he could still be. It's a bridge he's long crossed, but from time to time, the validation feels nice. The affection and acceptance is...nice.

"Teach me how to fold something. I wanna learn from you. I like knowing about the things you're good at too, pup." Such fondness overflows, urging him to slide out of his bench in order to sit directly next to Inigo, asking for some space. Is it a tight fit already? Sure. But neither of them mind the proximity, and never have. Jumblie settles nicely on his shoulder instead, popping in and out of existence until she comfortably sits there in content, higgledy silence.

we can probably wrap it up and have it fade out here, i assume! c:

[flatteries]

There's a mumble, something along the lines of "well, I don't know about good.." But it's all that Inigo leaves his usual self-depreciation at. He can realise this isn't really the time for it, no matter how hard it is for him to accept Roland's compliment so easily.

Maybe the best he can do is just to go along with it. Especially since Roland's interest seems so genuine, all pressed up close next to him now Inigo has scooted over so the man can sit down next to him.

"Um, what should I help you learn.. Oh, here, let's keep it a surprise until you see the end result. You just take a paper, and then start folding here.."

It's nice, just sitting here together like this. He could keep explaining this to Roland for hours, even though he knows they'll eventually go back to folding more for Senku's birthday.