voidtreckerexpress | [1 open prompt, party closed]

Entry tags:

[1 open prompt, party closed]

Who: THE LADS LADS LADS (1 prompt open to everyone on the train, rest is closed to lads night gang: Taiki, Inigo, Tidus, Lan Sizhui, Wen Sizhui, Dennis, Lea, Quatre, Senku, Gen, Seto, Yugi
Where: 1st prompt anywhere, the rest in fancy meeting room
When: Llama 18 (June 4-5)
What: Time for a hang out with some lads that's also lowkey a birthday party. For two guys whose birthday it is not. You don't make the rules.
Warnings: nothing, this is a party for soft boys

[ GLAZED CUPCAKE FOR ALL; who are not lads or too old ]

Today is a special day, even though one could say it's technically not. But Tidus, as he does, has decided that today is the birthday of Taiki and Inigo, and this has led to a rather curious sight around the train... of the three boys carrying around vegan glazed cupcakes. With sprinkles.

Well, some of them with sprinkles. The others have names written on them by first time ice-name writers, which is sure to be a beautiful sight for those who receive them.

But before they may be close inspected, there's a call made by the guy in front of the trio: Tidus, using his forever loud mouth to make an announcement through every carriage they enter with people:

"Heeey-ey! Freshly made cupcakes for people who want 'em! Give Inigo and Taiki here a happy birthday and get a cupcake! It's their birthday present to the rest of the train!"

Compared to the blonde loudmouth, the two darker-haired boys look far more embarrassed.

( Note: Those with CR with Inigo and Taiki, expect a cupcake with the iced writing. )

[ LIKE LADS DO ]

"Heyyy, all you you-know-whos for the hang-out today, everything's ready! Not birthday-boys, it's your time to make an appearance!"

Tidus's enthused voice cuts through the ICPs with a sly playfulness, and those that the message is for will know where to go, though perhaps not expecting what they see once they get there. The meeting spot is in Meeting Room C, the comfier of the hire rooms, with sofas, beanbags, a table and cabinets, a TV mounted on the wall and a comfiest not promised in any other part of the train. But all of this? Is currently sitting upon a mountain top, with the view of a tepuis - a flat-topped mountain - in the distance, a lake of clouds between them and it. Mt. Roraima is the mountain, for those from Earths who know their mountains, but don't worry: all of this is coming from one of the holo-projectors procured from the last mission. Alas, maybe the room has some nice air conditioning to complete the effect anyway?

On the tables a plenty of FOOD has been set out, and to start off with, the non-baking variety: miniature chicken pot pies, veggie and bird pasties the size of golfballs, loaves of bread sliced with butter on a dish with a few variety of spreads to choose from. Spring rolls were an option, vegetable steamed buns, as well as the san choy bows, in either mince or mushrooms. Meats skewered with simple herbing, strawberries and cheese too; siu mais with pork and tofu and dipping sauces - though, those were available for all of the dishes.

But let's be real: what kind of party would this be - and for Inigo - if not with sweets? Old-fashioned gyngerbrede, rysschews, dragon's beard candies (of cotton candy around nuts); donated by Dennis, brownies, sugar cookies, and funfettis, with strawberry and vanilla icings. There's a popcorn mix bowl donated by Roland, and juices and wines cover the drinks, with the wines offered by Senku and Gen.

"Thank the Sizhuis, Gen, Senku, and Dennis for helping with the cooking! Couldn't have done all this without them - it was a lot!"

Thanks guys. And through all this MUSIC plays from the speakers, a mix of cultures to go along with the clash being represented here. From more the times of kings and queens, to sounds with a more Eastern influence, and perhaps familiar to some of the company around. But also, those who know music will be very much encouraged to bring their own instruments to give a solo (or more?!) if they will. Tidus will insist, at least before the day - we're looking at you, OG Sizhui and Quatre. And anyone else willing to surprise them.

Because we're all here for some...

[ FUN & GAMES ]

"So some of us know each other, but some of us don't! Let's get to know each other a lil' more, huh? I made flashcards - pick a topic you like, and share it! C'mon! I wanna hear what everyone has to share."

Tidus, ever the voluntary host for the not!birthday boys, also sets out the flashcards - literally just cards where he has handwritten the same topics on the same card, so people get to choose than be forced into a topic they don't like. And these are...

What's your favourite place from home?
What are you proud of?
What are your hobbies?
Is there anything you'd like to do one day?
What's your dream?
Free Shot: Make up your own subject!

There's also another activity. The main table is cleared, finger food sat on top of cabinets, the fridge, wherever they can be placed to make space.

"Alright," Tidus says with a laugh, "time for more sugar, but we've gotta work for it. Come to the table, we've got a pot here and spoons, and a book for ideas. Sorry Seto, I took a few of your cards for this too!"

What is this? The pot holds a quantity of melted sugar, the spoons nearby to ladle it. And the activity is...sugar painting, where everyone is encouraged to make what they like. An animal? Their name? A fancy symbol? There's a book filled with earth animals available, as well as a few cards borrowed from the games carriage. It's ok, we'll put them back at the end of the day.

Have fun, see if you can get it anywhere close to recognisable. Sticks to press into the sugar designs to hold and offset spatulas to help peel them off from the table.

And why not suggest some fun of your own? Bring Your Own Game, bring your own chaos. Truth or dare? Never Have I Ever? Spin the bottle? Lads, we're getting wild here.

[ IT'S NOT A PARTY, IT'S AN INTIMATE GET-TOGETHER ]

The environment has 'changed' from the high altitude to somewhere closer to ground: a flower field, the flowers multiple and far expanding. The strings from the music player are soothing, and Tidus speaks up, far from unusual as he has every other time:

"Okkay now, it's the special moment! I know we've had a lot of sugar as-is, but one last time! To the not-so-very birthday boys...!"

Tidus comes to the table, sets his hands on the surface, and from his arms bands - but to the viewer, from nowhere - appears a vegan carrot traybake, with a few candles set in. He's taken a lighter from the kitchen and starts to light them up, explaining as he does:

"Someone told me that where they're from, you put candles on a birthday cake and the birthday guys make a wish when they blow them out. Sooo...!"

He turns to the pair of the ~~party~~ intimate get-together, grinning.

"You ready?"

There's sure to be plenty of leftovers for this party, but that's fine - people will be encouraged to take some, even to share it with their own friends.

(please, there's so much food. so much)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Maybe it does. [ Gen gave Inigo a crafty smile. ] Though if you were angling for a hug, I think that's a gift I'd willingly give you in light of the occasion.

[ He was certainly not touch-adverse, and he liked Inigo enough. Plus - it's his birthday! ]

[ Of course, he hid what his card actually said from Inigo for now with a little flourish, tucking the card up a sleeve. ]

[ Wow, Gen, so secretive.

Not that Inigo really cares about what's on the card. The other is right on the money - he was really just asking because he wants hugs. So many hugs. It's a default state of being for Inigo, but this time, as the birthday boy, he can actually demand them!

So Gen being so willing to offer up one just makes his face light up with delight. ]

Really? That's just about the only gift I need for my birthday-- erm, "birthday". [ Stupid train months.

Regardless, he's already opening his arms. His body is ready. ]

It’s your birthday, my friend, if you say it is! Time is all relative, after all~

[ He came in to give Inigo a warm hug, with just a slight squeeze. Something he thought someone as cheery and demonstrative as Inigo would ask for. ]

[ Though he did tell him with a playful tone - ] You’re not escaping us giving you other gifts, of course.

[ Yes, this is it! This is exactly what he wanted, and just as Inigo is settling into the hug..

.. there are those omnious words. He freezes up in a way Gen must surely feel, considering the whole hug situation going on here. ]

C-Come on, there's no need for that, right? [ H-Haha.. right?? ]

Why, of course there’s a need for it!

[ He pulled a way a little to look Inigo in the eye, his smile bright, eyes crinkling at the corners with the way he was grinning. ]

This way, when Senku-chan’s birthday rolls around and he insists he doesn’t need any gifts - you can be generous to him in revenge.

It’s a vicious cycle in friendship of being increasingly nice to one another. You can’t break the cycle!

W-Why do you have to make it sound so terrifying, Gen?!

[ Please, this is not what Inigo remembers birthdays to be like! Is it just because he was so young the last time he actually celebrated one? Or is this just some custom from Senku and Gen's world?!

Either way, Inigo sounds So Nervous. ]

Aren't birthdays suupposed to be fun?

Terrifying?

[ Gen’s laugh was light and musical and he went to tap Inigo’s nose very lightly. ]

I’m promising your birthdays and friendship will always grow stronger because you’ll always be reminded of the last one. How is that terrifying?

[ There's definitely a little 'eep' noise when his nose is booped like that. Like Inigo is some sort of toy that makes sound when you press a specific spot. Thankfully it's not a shriek or anything though, so it goes unnoticed by the rest of the party. ]

Well, I.. I don't mind remembering the fun of friendship, but.. I'd rather not remember [ the mortifying ordeal of being known ] s-standing in the spotlight so much.

[ It'd just embarrass him to think back on!! ]

Inigo - a birthday is the one day that everyone gets a tiny, small version of a spotlight, hmm? Not for everyone to look at you - but your friends to lift you up and tell you how much they like you.

[ His smile was crafty ]

Mind you, if you're just so likeable that most of the train wants to be here ... I just can't do anything about that. It's only your fault for being so nice, you know.

[ His wink - and teasing tone - should hopefully be enough to signal to Inigo that he was kidding. Hopefully? ]

[ Oh, he's picking up on the teasing.

But even if that means he's not taking it literally, he still feels a shiver going up his spine all the same. The very thought of everyone wanting to come to a party just for him.. It's impossible. It threatens to straight up slay him on the spot if he thinks about it too hard.

So he doesn't. Or tries not to, anyway, frantically pushing the thought as far out of his mind as he can. ]

I don't think I'm all that nicer than just about anyone else.. [ L-LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. ] And I know for a fact that there are other people on the train who are much more popular than me! Thankfully.

Ah, I hadn't said that! It's not a competition, after all - there are plenty of lovely, very nice people. [ And he'd forgiven Inigo about the weird boundaries thing with Senku and the fact his husband didn't like hugs - but he didn't forget. His grin was bright. ] But that there's other nice people doesn't make you less likeable.

[ He giggled. ] You're making it sound as if we're going to start a popularity contest. I think that would be a terrible idea, for many reasons. You can let your friends compliment you once in a while, you know.

I totally let my friends compliment me.

[ Sure, Inigo. Uh-huh. That's why you're saying all of this in the first place. Because you're totally letting people compliment you without being all fussy about it. ]

B-But! But! [ QUICKLY MOVING ON. ] I think it feels even better to give other people compliments instead! Like.. It was very kind of you to come to this party, Gen!

[ sweats nervously ]

Uh-huh.

[ This was the playful smile that some people would see as trouble. ]

Why, thank you, my dear. Now another compliment for you - it was very generous of you to help make cupcakes for the train, all the people who couldn't come to your party. I wish I'd thought of that one. It was very sweet of you.

[ Tapped his chin. ] Now there is an idea for a contest ...

[ Uh-oh.

Should he ask this? Asking Gen of all people about this is probably asking for trouble, but there's just a bit too much of some curiosity rearing its head within Inigo for him to just leave it totally unaddressed.. ]

.. What kind of contest?

[ Not a compliments one, right? Maybe it's a cupcake one?! That'd be slightly less harmless! ]

[ It's like Inigo knew Gen or something. ]

A compliments contest, of course!

[ Bright, cheery smile, Gen squeezed Inigo's shoulder, and gestured with his hand as if he's encompassing the entire train. ]

Just think of it - people doing nothing but giving one another compliments - if you can't say anything nice about someone, you have to sit out the round. The person who gives the most considerate and thoughtful compliment would surely win the day.

[ HOW COME IT'S THE WORST POSSIBLE ANSWER.

Inigo kind of feels like seeing if he can open a window and hurl himself out into the void. It'd be a more merciful fate. But no, here he is, stuck standing here with that hand on his shoulder, like it's rooting him to the very ground he's standing on. ]

W-Well, I do suppose it would make people on the train very nice to each other for a day...

[ As long as they can just.. direct their compliments at everyone but him?

That sounds fair to him. ]

[ He beamed brightly. ]

See? It’s always good to encourage that, I think. There’s always so much negativity - thinking positively about other people is a good change for that.

We could do a few warm-up compliments, just to get in practice for it. [ Ahem, clears his throat; ] You’ve got a very nice smile, Inigo.

[ His entire brain is screeching to a halt the moment he hears those last words.

He didn't escape after all..! ]

W-Why do you have to warm up with me?! [ Inigo frantically looks at the people here gathered for the party, until an idea comes to mind. ] Wouldn't Senku like hearing nice things from you?!

[ .. then again, maybe not, with Senku being.. Senku.. ]

O-or else you should tell Taiki! He can use it!

I started with you because I'm talking to you, of course. And Senku-chan hears nice things from me all the time, my dear! That would be too easy for me. This is practice, isn't it?

[ You're not getting away from this that easily, Inigo ... ]

So, now, your turn, I can't go off practicing on other people without giving you a chance to practice, right?

[ Inigo sucks in a deep breath.

Then exhales.

So this is his fate.

Thankfully he has a moment to recover, because giving compliments is easy. No big deal. No, it's only the receiving part that's hard. ]

Well, I think you've got a really impressive way of convincing other people!

[ .. if you can call that convincing. More like twisting their arm.. ]

Thank you, Inigo! [ Beams. ] Why, you're very good at giving compliments.

[ ... Yes, that is another compliment for him! Snuck right in there! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[1 open prompt, party closed]

( b. cards!! )

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject