Treasured Memories

[cakeblocked]

Who: Everyone who wants to come to Xion's birthday party!
What: ... Xion's birthday party!
When: November 20th, late afternoon
Where: Seventh Heaven
Summary: Our dear poppet is now 17 (3) years old! LET'S CELEBRATE
Rating: Poppet-G

Comments

GIFT TABLE

[cakeblocked]

[Aww yeah just dump all your gifts here]

[cakeblocked]

[There's a small box from Luke near the front, just so that it can be seen, with gold wrapping paper and a red ribbon. Though he's gotten slightly better at this gift wrapping thing, it's... still a bit of a messy job. It probably tells of the fact that it's from him.

Inside, Xion will find colorful hair pins that he found one day. He thought she'd like them, considering her wardrobe and how she likes colors...

But below that is a note. Inside, it reads:

"Happy Birthday! I thought these would look nice on you, and that you might like playing with them. This is just the first gift, though: Meet me later after everyone else is gone for the second one, okay?

- Luke"]

[breaks_destiny]

[Xion's gift was a hard choice. Not knowing the girl that much made it specially difficult, but Keiichi still wanted to do something for her. The party will find him leaving a big rectangular package that bulges at the center. Inside Xion will find a hand mirror and a portrait to hang on a wall, in which she's depicted smiling beautifully with the people that composed once her family during that experiment. Only the most immediate members, mind you, because if uncles and the like were included things he would be left without space. The portrait is drawn on wood with paint though a closer inspection shows that the outlines of the people have been carved in rather than drawn. The frame it's on it's also obviously handmade on wood, it's not as fancy was what one could find in the store but it's not a simple frame either, having a few details carved in.

Someone has spent quite a good deal of time on this. Hopefully she will like it.]

[antlioncyclone]

[Luke failed to mention that birthday gifts are supposed to be wrapped. Mewtwo's gift sits unadorned on the table - a rather large shell with a folded piece of paper stuck inside.

The note reads:

"Many creatures tell their stories to the ocean. It then whispers these stories into shells like this. If you put it to your ear, you can hear the voice of the ocean whispering of all the things it has heard since the beginning of time.

That is a legend I heard once, on an island."]

[poppetry]

[ Well, really -- it was hard not to suspect. It's the end of November, Roxas took her out all day and she didn't hear from any of her other friends....

It was hard to be that surprised when she walked in the door. But her face still lit up like a Christmas tree. A little surprised? Yes, still. Because it's always going to be .... strange, gratifying, to be what she is and so loved.

But there is definitely some knowing to her smile and her laugh, and she is buzzing with gratitude and joy as she greets her friends.

If you don't come say hi she will probably come find you. She will be mingling the whole night, smiling until her face hurts. It's impossible to harsh a poppet's squee on her birthday. ]

[cakeblocked]

[Rather reminiscent of the first time Luke was here to celebrate her birthday, he finds his way through the crowd, a big smile on his own face thanks to her reaction. Okay, so maybe she wasn't all that surprised, and maybe he didn't really expect her to be. But this whole thing was worth it to see that joy on her face.

Once he makes it to her, he taps her shoulder, then takes another step to give her a firm hug.]

Happy Birthday, Xion!

[poppetry]

[ Boyfriend's gonna get the biggest hug ever. ]

Thanks, Luke.

[ She pulls back after a moment, just ... glowingly happy. ]

Hehe. I really shouldn't have been surprised to see all of this... I sort of knew what was coming, but I still.... [ Trails off, her expression cooling a little, but deeply touched ]

[cakeblocked]

[He keeps his hands on her elbows, and... there's something in the way his smile cools down as well. Xion might know it by now: it's understanding. To think that these people could care so much for... something like them.]

It's still a surprise, huh?

[consultmybooks]

[Giles is sticking to the wall. He's...still not very good at these, but catch him staying away. A show of support, especially after the events of the last experiment, was called for.

The birthday girl is getting a hug and some happy birthday wishes. After that, he'll probably try and surreptitiously leave. Or at least move out to the porch. The gift is a bit last minute, seeing as how he only found himself properly aged in the early hours of the day.

Even so, he hopes it passes muster.]

[poppetry]

[ The hug, all things considered, was deeply appreciated.

But she still remembers last year. And how he wasn't quite comfortable.

So when he leaves the party, she notices, as she was waiting for it. She'll excuse herself briefly, and follow him outside, her hands clasped behind her back. ]

... you don't have to stay if you don't want, Giles. I know you don't really like the crowd.

[consultmybooks]

[Giles pauses at the sound of Xion's voice. Then, laughing softly, he leans against the front wall of the house to regard Xion fondly.]

I'm getting better at them, though. Or at least, um, I thought I was.

[poppetry]

Hehe. Maybe it just takes time. It's okay! I really don't mind. I'm still glad you came. [ A pause, and a little more seriously. ] It means a lot to me.

[cakeblocked]

[After he talks to Xion and sends her on her way to mingle with her friends, Luke lets out a long sigh and heads over to the food. It's a sigh of mostly relief as well as exhaustion; after planning everything and worrying if she'll like it or if it'll all come together smoothly, he's a bit drained, even though he knows he should save it for after everything's over. And after he gives that second gift... Gah. Then he can relax. Maybe.

He heads over to the cake table after watching Xion for a moment. Both of the chefs really outdid themselves here, as Luke gets a piece of each cake with a smile of approval. He'll mingle later, once his stomach is full of sweet food. Or if he's forced to be social early.]

[poppetry]

[ Okay

so

here's the thing.

After mingling, Xion has managed to gather that this whole party was organized by LUKE. It was all her house buddies last year, plus Sanji's help. And while there is still chef assistance this year (with bonus assist from Regal, yay!), it was Luke who....

Well.

Once she learns this, she's gonna head back over to him.

Grinning.

Not really caring who is looking or watching or seeing or the fact that this is 100% in front of ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE when she places a gentle hand on his face and leans up to press a kiss to his cheek.

Hey, he earned it. ]

(ooc; yeah anyone else is free to respond to this, you will get a response from Xion or Luke depending on who you speak to/confront/casually murder.)

[cakeblocked]

[That hand on his cheek made his attention shift from the cake to Xion herself, expression curious, and...

...

aldskfjasdf

ALK;SDFHS;AOHF;UOH

DID SHE JUST KISS HIS CHEEK IN FRONT OF

AAAAH;LSDKFJ

He raises a hand up to her hair as an automatic reaction, letting out a soft noise and lowering his head as if that'll make whoever's attention was caught by the kiss shift away from them.]

H-Hey... what was that for?

[poppetry]

... to say thanks. For doing all of this. [ Her smile is so fond. ] I can't believe you pulled this all together by yourself.

[magiconcehad]

[This was a horrible idea. The worst idea ever. She shouldn't be here, it'll probably be horrible for both of them. It was Xion's birthday, why was she doing this?

But she's still here. Luke's words are a little hazy, given that it was nearly a month ago, and most of that month was spent at the Malnosso. But... it was the mask, the mask not Xion, and she felt so bad being scared of her for something that hadn't been her fault. Even though the fear was still sort of there, though less intense after a month removed and with new things to fear in its place. When she'd checked through the journal to see what had happened while she was gone, and seen Luke's second notice the day before she got back... Well, she didn't know when else she might see her... ...

... this is still a horrible idea.

She's got a card that's more of a note in her hand that she'll probably drop by the gift table, then play wallflower for a while (against her wont at a party like this) before heading out, unless someone stops her.]

[cakeblocked]

[Luke is the one who stops her, actually. Not by blocking her way or anything, but by a call of her name, and with a hand on her shoulder. When she looks at him, he gives her shoulder a little squeeze before he pulls his hand away, and there's a smile on his face that seems both happy and supportive.]

Thanks, Lindsay.

[magiconcehad]

[Lindsay glances away at the gratitude, not sure what to say. Still not sure how to feel. Everything was still just this mixed up mess of emotions. All the same, she is happy and a little relieved to see him, though it doesn't show much given her current mood.

She wraps her arms around herself, nodding at the floor.]

S-sure.

[cakeblocked]

It must've been pretty hard to come here. [He lets his hand return to his side, though that smile stays in place.] So I'm glad you could. I think it shows that you're pretty brave.