expiationlogs | [04] birthday blues

Entry tags:

[04] birthday blues

Who: Mizuki Date & you [open]
Where: A tavern in Aldrip, 7/6
What: She has literally had no reason to tell anyone about her birthday. But...
Warnings: None.

[ It's a day like any other on Expiation for Mizuki. It's absolutely eerie that she has been free of Saito for weeks, and all the distractions in the world at the farm have not helped her get used to it. She has been jittery, paranoid, and can occasionally be seen snapping her head to look behind her without warning, or flinching when she sees a shadow moving the wrong way.

Even now, in this tavern after sundown, Mizuki sits at an open table alone, looking about. A drink sits on the table within her reach, but she doesn't look too impressed with it. It figures they wouldn't know what "birthday cake-flavored vodka" is. Not that it matters, anyway, because a man at the bar a short distance away seems to have caught Mizuki's attention somehow. He seems too deeply engaged with another patron to notice.

She is stealing subtle glances at him, almost scrutinizing, yet turns just in time to meet a local waitress approaching her table. Just a single cupcake is placed in front of her, which she... hadn't ordered.

She is just barely able to process the morbid design with an internal what the fuck? when the candle comes out and she is reminded: her birthday was definitely among the data listed in her parchment, wasn't it? ]

... Uh, you're not gonna sing, are you? [ Please, no. ]

(( OOC: just a small prompt i wanted to do for the girlie's birthday. feel free to wild card me if you want something else! I can be reached via PM, the game discord, or

yammdere for plotting. ))

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[Coincidence or not, as soon as the cupcake is placed in front of Mizuki, her communication charm will give a notification for an incoming message.]

[And right below the odd text is a hologram picture of the same cupcake now sitting in front of her, as though the sender is indirectly claiming to be the one who ordered it. The message itself isn't attached to a username, neither is it signed. But its contents are harmless (or are they?)... so all is well, right?]

Edited 2023-07-07 04:02 (UTC)

[There's a figure that sits right beside her silently, having taken station at a nearby chair at her open table. In his hand, a box that he had been keeping for her for a special occasion, which seems to be today. Astralin smiling at the younger girl, shaking his head with a laugh.]

Certainly not. While I was blessed with a decent singing voice, I would never embarrass you in front of the crowd.

[He smiles again, and reaches for the box that he had to his side.]

I have been saving this for a special occasion.

[ Just as Astralin sits, her charm buzzes, but she only glances at it before turning her attention to the tall, familiar man who has sat next to her. The waitress didn't even answer. She figures she doesn't need to, and she bows, leaving with a brief 'Happy birthday.' Without opening the text of the charm, she regards the box for the moment before reaching for it warily. ]

Oh... Is it some kind of vintage alcohol?

[ Asked with innocence. Once the box is in hand, Mizuki looks for any sort of label. ]

No. You do not seem like the type of person that would indulge in alcohol. It... Is a more sentimental gift, I suppose.

[He continues, wondering if his little gift might bring her some sort of happiness. He's done this for some people before, and he thinks that it may cheer her up on her birthday.]

You have described AIBA to me several times... I must admit, she sounds rather cute, so I decided to create an ice sculpture from the details you have given me. When she is out of your eye socket and on the table.

[ Aiba?

......

It feels like it's been a while since she last talked about her. She's never had any reason to. She feels an undeniable tug at her heartstrings, only for them to snap as she remembers how Saito cruelly crushed her inactive form right in front of her. She keeps the other Aiba that was in his possession tucked away, but she knows that even if she ever wakes, it won't be the Aiba she knows.

It's about time Mizuki replaces such memories with more pleasant ones.

She opens the box slowly, treating it like something fragile, even if his ice never melts, never breaks— ]

[ And... there she is.

It should be impossible for him to capture Aiba's essence so perfectly, and in truth, he probably couldn't have, yet Mizuki sees it. She sees her, despite any imperfections, in little hamster form. With her little eyeball, her little ears, and her budgy little body accented by jagged lines that could be mistaken for her skeleton.

Mizuki laughs. Damn, she misses that little shrimp so much. ]

It's— She's perfect.

[ Even in size. Mizuki holds the sculpture up to her eye, as if looking through Aiba's body. ]

Thanks, Linny— A-Astralin. [ Oh, boy. ]

[He tried his best to do what he could, and he waits patiently for her to respond to seeing the little AIBA hamster again. His finger tapping against his chin as he finds himself staring at it for a bit longer as well, to make sure that there weren't any cracks in his magic when he made it. His eyes staring at the figure for just a bit longer, before he blinks in surprise at the little nickname that he's been given.]

Ah... Do not worry about it. You are most welcome, Mizuki.

[He couldn't get it to the exact replica, but he figures that it's a taste of home. That, and she wouldn't have to worry about it breaking or anything like that. The glow of apparent magic floating around the little intricate piece.]

You need not worry about it breaking in any way. My magic essentially makes the ice sculpture unbreakable.

...Right.

[ Damn. Well, she won't be making that mistake again anytime soon. For some reason it just seemed right. An awkward silence follows as she bobs Aiba's hamster form side i side like you would a toy, her hands eager for something to do. She eyes the cupcake, and wonders if she would really have to worry about someone trying to break it.

Why is she hesitant to look at that message...? ]

You... You, um, wanna sit with me for a while? [ Finally, she sets the ice Aiba on the table, as if she is a part of the "party," too, if you could all it that. ]

[Honestly, he wears the face of someone who didn't mind the nickname in general. It was pretty amusing to him, and there is a little smile that appears on his lips despite the awkward silence. Wanting nothing more than to laugh at the whole situation, but he doesn't do that, and instead, simply sits back with no real intention on going anywhere.]

Of course. I would not miss your birthday.

Would you like anything to eat?

[Cause that cupcake looks a bit... Off. To say the least. But he isn't going to say anything. In case that was someone's creation for her. ... Yeah.]

It is on me.

[ Mizuki watches him sit, a gesture that brings him a little closer to her level, though she still finds herself looking up to be able to meet his eye. It is such a simple question from him, yet she finds her mind blanking, as if food was the last thing she was thinking about.

But she won't be rude. ]

Don't feel like you have to or anything... but I think I'd be happy to try something that you like to eat. Like maybe your favorite food or something... [ That's a good way to get to know someone, right? ]

What--

[He's mostly just here to say hi to Mizuki, because she's pretty cool and everything. Of course, last time they met, he acted a little lame by throwing up in front of her, but it's fine. No need to bring that up!]

Wait. Is it your birthday?

[A smile starts to spread across the mutant's face. Oh man.]

[ A few things happen at once. The waitress smiles with a glance at Scott, answering with a bow: "No, ma'am. I think I shall leave the singing to your friend. But happy birthday anyway."

Mizuki replies with a sarcastic "Thanks," as the woman leaves, and she can hear the light buzzing from her charm. But hey! What the hell. Scott's smiling. She'll smile too. ]

Yeah... Nineteen years old, and I'm spending it on some freaky planet.

[ Automatically, she'll pull out her charm without even thinking, like one would a phone. She spares the cupcake a glance, realizing just how morbid it is as she pokes at the button to read the message and— ]

Too bad it's not Halloween.

[ jumps slightly when the holographic message appears.

........ ]

[Scott considers singing, but he imagines that it will be embarrassing for the both of them. Maybe he'll do it anyway though, in a bit.]

That does pretty much suck. [He acknowledges in a slightly sympathetic tone. Geez, with the rate he's going, he'll probably have to celebrate his eventual 17th birthday here. Not a fan of that. At least back home, he can take himself to watch a movie and grab something at the mall after.]

Your cupcake's pretty cool though.

[The whole cupcake looks red to him, but he can see where it's going with the design. Scott likes it, definitely edgy and shit. He wasn't aware that Mizuki had that sense of humor though, but cool.

Of course, he also startles slightly when the message suddenly pops from her charm. Okay, it's a happy birthday message and a picture of the same cupcake... oh, so she didn't order this herself. Got it.]

Uhh, so that's from a friend of yours?

[ There's a moment where Mizuki doesn't say anything and kind of looks like she's seen a ghost. Because she's seen the psycho's other hologram and by now, she kind of knows his style, but there is simply no way. Right?

In her mind, another image briefly flashes of someone else she thought to be dead. Someone else who she had seen on Expiation.

Or did she? ]

...No. Just a nobody.

[ There's something dark in her expression as she glances at the waitress with suspicion now. But she kind of catches it and shakes her head. She gestures to the seat beside her with a nod and attempted smile. ]

What're you waiting for? Have a seat already.

[Scott stands there, somewhat awkwardly as Mizuki sort of... stares off?? Is she okay? He finds himself frowning and he's about ready to wave a hand in front of her face, when she eventually responds. Oh good, her mind hasn't suddenly been taken over or something.]

That sure didn't seem like 'nobody.'

[He turns his head slightly, almost trying to look in the direction of where she's looking, but he doesn't see anyone weird? He turns back to look at her, seemingly just confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, but the mutant takes a seat anyway.]

So. Did you want me to sing you happy birthday?

[Anything to lighten the mood!!]

[ For a moment, the idea doesn't sound so bad, despite what she said to the waitress. The duality of not wanting to be Perceived but also wanting attention on some level. Truth be told though, the people she most wants to hear 'happy birthday' from aren't really here, anyway. ]

Maybe if I were nine years old again.

[ She grins, almost a little nostalgically. Bloom Park, cotton candy, and colorful balloons...

Damn those balloons. Her expression darkens for a split second before it's brushed off as Mizuki continues: ]

...I dunno. How's your singing voice?

Totally won at my school's talent show.

[He absolutely did not and never even tried to participate in one of those things. God, he can't even imagine putting himself out there in front of others to perform some stupid skit or whatever. But this is a little different and Mizuki seems... distracted? Tense? Scott finds himself worried, honestly, but instead of asking directly about how she's doing, he's going for this.]

And me, without my headphones.

[ She speaks teasingly. But curiosity kind of gets the better of her and she makes a sweeping motion with arm, like "Well, go on." Maybe she'll regret this, maybe it's Maybelline. ]

text + [not here (anymore!)]

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