Happy birthday

[falenandawn]

Who: House 11 members, friends of Kaori, other people!
What: a slightly belated surprise birthday party
When: June 11th
Where: House 11
Summary: For the first time in long, long while, Kaori is going to be celebrating her birthday- at least if Frey can help it.
Rating: P for party.

[It had taken some doing, but things were finally in place for the party, although it was two days later then planned due to recent happenings. Frey had taken the initiative to send Kaori and Lym to visit Masaomi, using the excuse of asking them to check up on him after his injury and perhaps invite him to lunch to get things ready in their absence. When they returned, that was when the party would begin.

With the help of the people in house 11, everything had turned out fairly well- food was set out on a long table against a wall in the foyer, and decorations had been put up. Frey had taken the liberity to make two cakes- mostly because he knew his housemates, and he knew one wouldn't really last, but also because he had wanted to try something different with the second one.]

Comments

[seiriald]

I'm... [She fumbles around for right words, threading her fingers together in front of her as she tried to find them. Nervous, overwhelmed, happy, sadness, they all applied, as did many others. And none of them can even begin to cover the scope of it.

So she's not going to even try, instead opting for another smile that displayed just the right hint of the nervousness she felt.] I'm unused to it, honestly.

[imatreenow]

...It's strange, that humans would bother with this. [His dubiousness is clear - he understands perfectly well how unfamiliar and unbelievable this all is. He frowns. He hadn't wanted to talk about them at all. Outside the walls of the house, he wanted to pretend everyone else would melt away.]

[seiriald]

... We do something similar among my mother's people. Or we... used to. [During a time before she had been adopted, perhaps before she had even been born. Most people alive were only familiar with life tainted by the current crises surrounding them.]

They did it because they were happy the person was born and with them. That's what I was told, and it's kind of what I remember from when I was really little.

[imatreenow]

[Used to - because things change, and it doesn't take long to figure out that most of the world never wanted you to be born in the first place.]

...Yeah.

A long time ago, Martel and I did the same for each other. It was never as grand as any of this, but it meant a lot to me to know that she was happy to have me by her side.

[seiriald]

It does mean a lot, doesn't it? [The smile is a little stronger now, even if she was by no means close to all of these people there was still something powerful about knowing that they cared enough to try to do this for her. And with the way Mithos said it...]

When is your birthday, Mithos?

[imatreenow]

[Her question is unexpected, even though it would only be natural to ask. There's a pause in which he doesn't even attempt to find the right answer.] I...don't remember.

[seiriald]

... Will you try to, for me? [It seemed like an innocent enough request in her opinion, but if he really didn't want her to know then... that would be okay. Disappointing, but okay.]

Because I'm happy you were born, Mithos. I'm happy you're in my life, because no one can replace what you mean to me ever.

1/2

[imatreenow]

[There was a time when he would have been surprised to hear those words. Now, they just feel natural; he knows, and he will never forget. Nor will he ever take them for granted. She could tell him every day and it would be just as precious every single time.] Shouldn't I be saying that to you? It's your birthday, after all.

[imatreenow]

...I really don't remember when mine is. It's been so long since I've celebrated it...it just stopped mattering after Martel died. [He wishes he could remember, if it would make Kaori happy to know.]

[seiriald]

... But it matters to me now, too. Even if you can't remember the exact day... Can't I have a day just like that, for you? [She's reaching for his hand while she makes the request, suddenly craving some reassurance that Mithos was really here for her, that he was genuinely real and had come all this way for her.

There weren't words to explain just how happy that made her feel. For her.]

[imatreenow]

[He lets her take his hand, entwining his fingers in hers.] If...you think it's important. [He hasn't given it a second thought in thousands of years, but he tries to remember.]

I think it was in the summer.

[seiriald]

Summer... so are you saying any day is okay? [Maybe she could try to make something for him, though it would probably have to be on her own. Something was telling her that Freyjadour wouldn't take too kindly to being asked to make a special present for Mithos.]

[imatreenow]

Any day you like. [He's happy that she cares enough to want to do that for him. It's been a long time since anyone has set aside a day just to let him know that he matters to them. But...]

Today is supposed to be about you, though, isn't it? [The briefest pause as he wonders how to go about this.] I...have something. For you, Kaori.

[seiriald]

Then it's a date! [A day for just the two of them, celebrating what they had that couldn't be stolen away by anyone else no matter what happened. Just thinking about it made the warm feeling in her chest grow and her smile grow stronger, but now it was Mithos' turn to say what he wanted to.]

... You really do?

[imatreenow]

[...Date. A date. Something about that phrase and its slightly blurry connotations stirs something inside him. Before he can think about it too much, he returns to here and now.]

Martel used to play a special song for me on my birthday, so... [He reaches into a pocket to draw out the ancient set of panpipes.] I thought I would do the same for you.

[seiriald]

... A song? [The warm feeling she had had blooms until she feels it envelop her entirely, her eyes wide in not only surprise but... in another emotion she couldn't quite find words for. It felt familiar, but at the same time not.

She'd heard about people being serenaded for their birthday, but something about this time seemed different. Mithos wouldn't do this for just anyone...] I... I'd be honored to hear it, Mithos.

[imatreenow]

Here, let's sit down. [He'll carefully seat himself on the ground at the edge of the garden, leaving the flattish rock for her, if she'd like.]

I said I would play for you one day, remember?

[seiriald]

You did... [But that didn't take away from the magic of knowing that he was about to. Moving to sit next to him, she's almost quivering with excitement, and somewhere she knew was nervousness.

After all, people back home didn't often play music for someone specifically like this, unless it was because...]

[imatreenow]

[He raises the pipes to his lips and lets his eyes slide shut so memory can take over. The notes come out sweet and clean in a slow but cheerful melody. Even to those who have never heard the tune, something in it holds the conviction of being very old.]

[seiriald]

[Old, but beautiful nevertheless... and all the more special because of it. She hadn't expected to be familiar with it, which was a cause for her listening more intently than she may have otherwise done. This was her gift to her, after all.

There are no words, no noises coming from her. All she does is listen to this wonderful gift, feeling the familiar sensation of burning behind her eyes. Except this time, there was no sense of shame behind it, only happiness in its most raw form.]

[imatreenow]

[Halfway through, he opens his eyes again and tilts his head toward her, wanting to see if she likes it...

It's good that he's played this song enough times that its notes are imprinted in the muscles of his fingers. Because when he sees her listening so closely, his mind wanders away and it takes a moment to catch up with the rest of him. He can't bring quite bring himself to close his eyes again.]

[seiriald]

[By the time Mithos comes to a finish, Kaori will have begun to shake and tears would have escaped from what little control she naturally held over them. Not that it was a bad thing, it was simply a matter of being so emotionally overwhelmed, of somehow coming to realize that she was wanted somewhere.

It's why she can't stop smiling.] Thank you... Thank you...!

[imatreenow]

[He lowers the pipes to his lap and lets the final note float out over the flowers. He's worried when he sees her tears, but her smile eases him again. He feels light inside, like a strong enough breeze could take hold of him and lift him into the air effortlessly. This is what he had wanted when he agreed to come today - to see her smile like that because of him.]

Did you like it?

[seiriald]

Yes! [And at the moment she doesn't care for politeness, who is watching or if it was even appropriate. Because nothing would express how much she had loved it more than the way she suddenly throws her arms around him, clinging too him perhaps a little too tightly as she tries to communicate just how happy she was. His gift of music just now had been different from any other times someone has done it before, simply because he didn't even have to play for her to calm her down or to attempt to remedy her well-being.

He had been the first to do so because he had wanted to.]

[imatreenow]

[He's stunned for a few seconds of cheeks-tinged-pink surprise before he wraps his arms around her. He doesn't mind how tightly she's holding him. It tells him everything he needs to know.] I'm glad. I'm really glad.

It's an old Elven song celebrating the planting of the Kharlan Tree and honoring all life. [In which Mithos says ironic things.] That's why I wanted you to hear it.