children waiting for the day they feel good

[triednottodie]

In theory, birthdays were good things. They meant cake and presents and - if you weren't a complete loner - a party. But, underneath all of that sugarcoated tradition, there was the fact that you were suddenly a year older. And, if you were really lucky, you were a year wiser. Of course, that would've meant subscribing to the theory that age

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[neptune_sleuth]

Dinosaurs on the other side of the fence were one thing. Veronica still had trouble getting used to the presence of Old Lace. Maybe it was the sandwich board. "Waiting for the ferry?" she called, sauntering up with her hands in her pockets. "I think it might be running a little behind schedule."

[triednottodie]

Gert - and Old Lace - looked up and over at Veronica, a wry smile on her face as she shook her head. "Even if there was a ferry, it's not like it could go anywhere," she said. "What's up?"

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica shrugged. "Well, you could get a few miles out before a storm started up," she said wryly. That much she knew from experience. God, that seemed like forever ago. "The usual's up: approximately nothing. You?"

[triednottodie]

"Birthday," replied Gert, shrugging. She looked back out at the water and Old Lace nudged her in the ribs, probably looking for food that Gert definitely didn't have on her. "I decided to leave the Compound before the jukebox broke out into 'For She's A Jolly Good Fellow.'"

[neptune_sleuth]

"You mean you're not a jolly good fellow?" Veronica deadpanned. Cautiously, she moved to sit near Gert without getting in Old Lace's way. Sandwich board aside, the whole dinosaur thing still set off a flashing neon sign of a different kind. It said something along the lines of HOLY CRAP, IT'S A DINOSAUR! "Could've fooled me. Happy birthday."

[triednottodie]

"Cynicism's hard to practice when everyone around you looks like they're about to burst into the refrain from 'Tomorrow'," said Gert. She pushed Old Lace's nose away from where she was sniffing her stomach, the dinosaur 'mrring' her disappointment. Rolling her eyes, Gert reached over and started to pet her.

"Thanks," she said.

[neptune_sleuth]

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're only a daaaaaaay aaaa-waaaaay," Veronica responded easily, resisting the urge to fling her arms out to her sides as well. A handful of dino nose wouldn't go over all that well with Old Lace, she was guessing. "Don't tell me you're about to become an optimist, here at the ripe old age of seventeen."

[triednottodie]

"That wasn't an invitation to start singing," said Gert, mildly horrified as she stared at Veronica like she had sprouted five heads. "And a world of no. I'd say 'only dead fish swim with the stream' but that doesn't actually work for me." It went without saying that that sort of thing was only for 'motivational' posters anyway.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica just smiled, a little smug, though the fact that it was Gert's birthday probably meant the least she could've given her by way of a present was to refrain from belting out showtunes. These things always occurred to her too late. "Good, I'd be worried the island had pulled one of its personality switches."

[triednottodie]

"That's a new one," said Gert, frowning slightly as she mentally sifted through various conversations in an attempt to remember someone mentioning it. She came up empty. "Are we talking about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?"

[neptune_sleuth]

"Oh yeah," Veronica said, "that was... god, when -- about a year and a half ago." She frowned, thinking on that. God, she'd been on this island too damn long, it seemed like some days. "And we're talking full on one eighty personality-wise. Badasses were making daisy chains, Voldemort attended a tea party, the meek and mild were getting down and dirty."

[triednottodie]

Gert almost wished she'd been drinking something. She figured 'Voldemort attended a tea party' warranted a spit-take.

"And you started singing 'Tomorrow' without a healthy dose of irony?"

[neptune_sleuth]

"Among other things, I'm sure," Veronica said wryly. "My memory of the weekend's a little fuzzy and that's how I like it." She did remember, however, the daisy chains, the songs, the tea party, the cookies she'd baked and Carter Duryea calling her 'doll.'

[triednottodie]

"I don't blame you," said Gert before blowing upwards at her newly cut bangs. They were too short to pin back, now.

"What do you think the chances are for a repeat?" she continued. "I'd like to start making plans to lock myself up if starring in a way off-Broadway musical is in the cards."

[neptune_sleuth]

"In this place?" Veronica shrugged. "Anything goes, Patti LuPone. I mean, we've had repeat performances, but not of that one. If you figure out how to come by forewarning, let me know. I could stand not to try it again."

[triednottodie]

"And I could stand to never hear you sing 'Tomorrow' again," she replied wryly. "If I get the heads up, you'll be on the shortlist of people to forewarn."