(Untitled)

[the_mikester]

Who: A freaking lot of people: the_mikester, honorthecode, i_speak_softly, gaijin_ninja, ninjacane, semper_cogitans, doubleppk, queenly_valiant, no_use_running, crytearsofjoy, vivi_aislinn, and sea_king_bait.
What: Mike's birthday party!
When: Backdated to April 5
Where: House 55
Summary: Mike is having a rockin' party over at his house, despite it being several days past his actual birthday.
Rating: Let's keep it PG, shall we? Unless you couples over there decide to get frisky. Or, you know,

Comments

Who even knows, probably early, close to 5 p.m.

[semper_cogitans]

Robert is probably one of the first people to arrive to the party, because he's so insanely punctual. He's dressed a little more formally than usual under his lab coat - a dressier shirt and more tailored-looking pants - but other than that he's still his usual awkward self. In his arms he carries a sizeable, precisely-bound package, wrapped in what seems like recycled wrapping paper - again, precisely, almost like a machine (or a ridiculous perfectionist with OCD) did it. The contents are difficult to discern, since the package is relatively bland-rectangle in shape.

He's so ridiculously nervous right now. Why is a party so damn terrifying? He'd been having to psyche himself up to even start walking out the door of his apartment...

But at least he's here now?

Robert knocks on the door almost shyly and kind of cringes until somebody decides to let him in.

[the_mikester]

Mike will let him in, and he'll even smile for him.

"Hey, looks like you're the first one here! Donnie's around here somewhere- hey, is that for me? It looks HUGE!"

Even Robert should be able to tell that Mike is excited.

[semper_cogitans]

The smile sets Robert... slightly more at ease. Just slightly. He's still awkward and uncomfortable and he's hoping intensely and sincerely that he doesn't somehow ruin Mike's birthday by existing.

He offers a weak smile and a nod. "Y-Yes, it is. I... hope it ends up being to your satisfaction."

And yes, he can. Somewhat. It'd be endearing if Mike and he were on better terms, and it's enough to make him clumsily half-smile. "So... where shall I place this?"

[i_speak_softly]

Don materializes from nowhere, takes the present out of Robert's hands, and pushes Mike into the kitchen. "Don't you have baking to finish? I'll cover the door."

[the_mikester]

"There will be no making out during my party, you two," Mike says as he backs away toward the kitchen.

[semper_cogitans]

Robert actually freezes with embarrassment when Mike says that. "I, er, c-certainly wasn't planning to do so..."

Still, he looks shyly over at Don, now that he's here to look at, and smiles a bit at the fact he's being helpful. "Ah, thank you, Don... I appreciate the assistance. Though I could have done that myself if you would have preferred..."

[i_speak_softly]

Don rolls his eyes, not that Robert will be able to tell, with the mask and all. "Not a problem. Is it breakable?"

[semper_cogitans]

"Not without undue stress placed upon it. By which I mean it would be unlikely to break it unless one were to be willingly attempting to damage it."

Robert's smile brightens. Don's presence is already making him feel a little better. Maybe I won't completely ruin this for Mike after all.

[i_speak_softly]

Unbreakable. Good. Don tosses the box across the room to land on a ridiculously-overdecorated side table.

"What did he say to you over the journals?"

[semper_cogitans]

"A multitude of things... I can go into specifics, if you would like.

But the two most significant things were... a... th-thought experiment, of sorts -" - and here Robert's voice kind of hitches. It was a painful thought experiment, and he's been thinking about it rather... intensely, for awhile.

" - and two phrases that he taught me to use for your sake." The latter makes Robert regain some of his composure. Little does he know...

[i_speak_softly]

Don narrows his eyes suspiciously, though Robert probably won't notice that either. "What did he teach you?"

[semper_cogitans]

Robert holds up two fingers as he recites what he remembers - which, with him, is usually everything. "Two distinct phrases - the former he stipulated to be spoken without company in the proximity. The latter seems to be more general-purpose.

Since we are currently more or less alone, I will quote the former as he dictated it to me." Robert takes a breath, and repeats, in a clearly-accented voice but still a relatively close attempt at Mike's enunciation, "Anata no shippo wa totemo ookii da. ... Well, specifically he initially suggested desu, but felt da was better for whatever reason..."

Being completely unaware of what that is, he then continues with the second phrase. "The second he explained the meaning to me already - "I love you". Aishiteru."

After a moment, Robert muses out loud, "It seems strange that he did not seem fit to explain the former..."

[i_speak_softly]

As Robert speaks, Donatello's expression shifts to even-more-suspicious, then to dreading-what's-about-to-happen, and then onwards through disbelief, open rage, and dark-fury-that-leads-to-silent-murders-in-the-night. There is then a slight correction back to grim-determination-to-mete-out-well-deserved-suffering, before Don replies, "Strange my foot. Michelangelo!"

[semper_cogitans]

Even with Robert's complete inability to read social cues, he can tell that Don's more than annoyed with that.

"... Er... if it not too much to ask, may I enquire as to the meaning of the former phrase...?" Hopefully before Don murders Mike, anyway.

And he is obscenely curious. He always wants to know.

[the_mikester]

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" Mike stops halfway out of the kitchen, catches sight of Don's expression, and adds, "Youcan'tkillmeit'smybirthday!"

[i_speak_softly]

"I can kill you any time I want, I'm your -" Older brother? Well, not really anymore. He settles for a violent gesture conveying the idea that he can kill you because you deserve it.