week 2, thursday afternoon; PARTY TIME

[cherrypuncher]

[name a better way to increase morale than having parties. you can't, can you, which is at least part of the reason why Yuna has poured her heart and soul into making one happen. Materials are limited, but Yuna is all about arts and crafts: not only has she decked out the hotel dining room with flower bouquets and chains all along the tables and doorway, but she's made everyone party hats. They're pointy ones made of colorful construction paper and sometimes pom-poms or stickers with string so you can keep them secure on your head and if you don't wear one she'll be really sad because there are more than enough for everybody.

All of Yuna's friends (per her definition of "friend", you know how she is) have received invitations, hand-drawn and decorated with cute stickers, as have people Yuna has any reason at all to figure are Xion's friends (except the sheriff) (fuck him), but like. This is all very much happening in public; it won't be hard to stumble upon.

also there's definitely way too much fucking food because that's what you get for recruiting hannibal to cook and it's probably sitting out alongside like, some bowls of general store chips and shit yuna grabbed thinking they would be at all necessary, not realizing what she had wrought by asking hannibal for help

SO, ALL THAT ESTABLISHED



hap birth xion]

Comments

pre-party setup and shenanigans catchall toplevel

[cherrypuncher]

[FOR ANYONE WHO YUNA HAS MANAGED TO RECRUIT INTO HELPING HER SET UP guess who was up entirely too late writing out invitations last night. guess who is no less perky for it at all]

and for the birthday girl

[cherrypuncher]

[Xion has received an invitation, too, only hers just got shoved under her door early this morning and read "emergency hero club meeting! 12:30 in the dining room." With everything set up and 12:30 approaching, Yuna keeps poking her head out of the half-opened door and turning back to her collection of partygoers, whom she has been insisting put their hats on ever since their arrival.]

—Here she comes! [CLOSING THE DOOR BEHIND HER AND SCAMPERING UNDER A TABLE she has not actually told anyone else at all to hide. instructions weren't given to hide at any point, just to yell "suprise." she isn't turning off the lights. she's just under a table now] Get ready!

[sating]

[ You ask Hannibal to cook and oh will he cook. It's probably pretty over the top for what Yuna was expecting, but Hannibal will definitely be busily and contentedly working on cooking a fine spread for a birthday party. The menu includes&mdash

Prosciutto, Camembert and Fig Salad
Red Rice wrapped in Oak Leaves
Prime Rib Roast with Orange-Glazed Onions
Sweet Beets in Puff Pastry with Creme Fraiche and Ginger
Apple Tarts with Candied Orange Crust
Cheesecake in the Italian Fashion

So, yes. Fairly pretentious. What did you expect...

As Hannibal cooks, he'd be fairly happy for a sous-chef, though! If you want to help him cook, learn what he's doing, or just provide colorful commentary, he's definitely in the kitchen for all of the above. ]

hi bye

[insincerely]

[Birthday parties? Wtf??

... In multiple ways, really. Okay, so Shinnosuke knows what those are, but he hasn't been to one since he was, like, seven. He also has no interest in going to this one, so bye, ignoring that invitation. No one should be surprised.

That said, he's curious to see if they're honestly throwing a birthday party in the midst of murder, because seriously, wtf. What's the?? Point???? But it's why he'll be peeking in to see what's going on, if nothing else.

All right, stupid party confirmed, now it's time to get the hell out of there????]

[ceded]

[ Honestly, Xion hasn't had the least idea about any of this. Even the hero club meeting where she got sent off on a wild goose chase didn't clue her in to what was happening.

No one ever does nice things for her, after all, so she hasn't really got a reason to expect them.

At least, until now.

Around 12:30 she checks the time and realizes she has somewhere to be, so she rushes down to the dining room in an oh no, I'm late! sort of flustered hurry. She slows when she approaches, finding the door to the room closed and blinking. That's kind of weird? Maybe Yuna just wanted the door closed for the meeting. Not thinking that much of it, she pulls open the door, also opening her mouth to speak--

--and just kind of. Stops in place, blinking. ]

Guys...?

[cherrypuncher]

Surprise!

[And Yuna BUSTS OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE TABLE surprisingly carefully, though, because she is not about to compromise this feast, throwing her arms up over her head. She's wearing her party hat, of course.]

Happy birthday, Xion!

1/help me

[ceded]

Wah!

[ceded]

[ just. stares. sort of blankly. for a long moment, as she tries to process this.

... happy ... birthday ... ? ]

[ceded]

[ okay I don't have an icon of this but just picture her face in the top left corner of this page because that is her face right now as she starts to realize what is going on ]

dONE

[ceded]

[ anyway here come the waterworks even if she's really really trying super hard not to cry ]

Yuna... you did all this ... for me?

[ceded]

[ SO ANYWAY after the initial surprise and absolutely bursting into startled and grateful tears Xion is here, talking to everyone who came and trying not to cry some more and smiling the absolute biggest anyone will have seen from her. She seems ... truly happy, at least for this moment.

You will probably either get your hand held or just a straight up hug if she spots you so get ready.

Also she is definitely wearing a party hat. She may try to give you one if you do not already have one. Please wear a hat. ]

Thank you for coming!

1/2

[cherrypuncher]

[oh god

oh god xion's just staring at her

oh no WHAT HAS SHE DONE]

You—did have a birthday and they weren't just fixing a typo, right...

[YUNA CONSIDERED THIS AS A POSSIBILITY AND STILL WENT WHOLE HOG ON JUST HAVING A WHOLE BIRTHDAY PARTY WITHOUT ASKING, UM]

[cherrypuncher]

[—OH NO NOW SHE'S CRYING

but Yuna smiles, warm and bright.]

It wasn't just me. I know it's kind of late, and it's not the best place to have a party, but we all wanted you to have the happiest belated birthday you could here!

[stentorian]

[He just...walks into the dining room and stares at this entire...travesty. Is this the sheriff's idea of a gag or a depraved celebration of what they were doing here?

Manfred isn't leaving, he had been feeling peckish. But uh. Wow.

Maybe he'll just help himself to the food and leave. Please ambush him, by all means.]

[ceded]

[ SHE'S CRYING SO MUCH

Like, silently, with little huffs and puffs escaping her as she tries to control her tears, but she is definitely crying. She's also smiling, shakily, from ear to ear. ]

Y-Yeah. It was my birthday ... a few days ago.

[ She doesn't say that the date landed on Friday. It's a little too gruesome to bring up.

Instead she lowers her hands from where she's been using them to scrub her tears away and smiles so brightly it makes her face hurt a little. ]

Thank you, Yuna...!

[ dissolves into tears again #bye ]

[sating]

[ Hannibal is not wearing a hat when Xion approaches, but that's probably because he's been cooking all day ok... He has to be practical. But if she offers him one, he'll definitely take it, though he doesn't put it on immediately. He won't be rude and refuse, but he also has aesthetic to keep up with. ]

Of course, Xion. Yuna had an excellent idea, so I was glad I could contribute.

[ He leans a bit closer, as if confiding a secret with her, though the gesture is largely wry. ]

Happy birthday, even if it's a bit belated.

[cherrypuncher]

[AAA SHE KEEPS!! CRYING!!!! but they're happy tears, so there's no need for Yuna's usual dramatic fussing; instead she walks over to Xion, smiling wide, and pulls her into a hug.]

Happy birthday, Xion. [She gently pats her back; please calm down enough to function, friend...] I made you a party hat!

[ceded]

[ Xion immediately hugs her back, sniffling into her shoulder and trying! to! calm down!

She laughs, the sound of it a bit choked up and wet, at the mention of a party hat. Sniffling still, she'll pull away to rub at one of her eyes and grin. ]

Really? You mean, just like yours?

[ceded]

[ OF COURSE HE'S GETTING A HAT WHAT DO YOU TAKE HER FOR

She doesn't seem to mind that he hasn't put it on, though. As long as he's got one, that's enough for her.

Once he leans down, Xion's expression shifts from just pure happiness back into i'm-going-to-cry happiness, and without much warning, she steps forward enough to allow her to wrap her arms around him, pretty tight. ]

Thank you, Dr. Lector! Thank you so much...!

[ She won't linger; when she steps back, she seems a little embarrassed of herself, if not regretful that she did it. ]

I can't wait to try what you made. It all looks amazing!

[cherrypuncher]

Only kind of like mine!

[She pulls out of the hug and runs over to the counter she's lined up all the extra party hats on, and comes back with one: it's blue and pink striped with a pom-pom up top and a ribbon so she can tie it under her chin. Unlike all the rest, Xion's has a chain of flowers along the bottom, though.]

Chrysanthemums are symbols of staying in good spirits, and of strong, lasting friendship. The birthday girl needed a special birthday party hat!

[sating]

[ There's a moment where Hannibal doesn't quite respond to the hug, as if he's surprised by it, but the moment passes quickly. He breathes out a small sound that might be a laugh, but as she gives her thanks, Hannibal hugs her back. It's not tight like her own, since his own grip is much gentler, but it's still secure enough to convey an easy acceptance.

He pulls away easily, since he doesn't linger either, but he just smiles warmly. He seems quite happy for her, though as she speaks of the food, he glances towards where it's all sitting. ]

And I hope you enjoy it. I may have gone a little overboard, but I couldn't resist the temptation to cook for a special occasion.

[dubiousalignment]

Of course! Everyone deserves to celebrate their birthday with friends.

[Birthday parties? Those are a thing? Tarvek didn't really know, he had never been in one]

I hope you have fun during the next year...especially once you're out of this town.

[robitussin]

It's nothing.

[She came to her birthday despite not caring at all, clearly, please let her live.

As it is, she just stares at the party hat for a long few seconds before slowly shaking her head.]

Uh, I'm good.

[cherrypuncher]

[guess what, it's neither of those things, it's just THIS BRAT who is definitely all about the ambushing, cheerfully waving when she sees him]

Mister von Karma, hi! You can come have some lunch if you want!

[robitussin]

[Nope. Someone is absolutely grabbing for his sleeve when it looks like he's about to leave, giving him the most serious stare.]

Hey. A word, really quick?