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[broken_brushes]

It made perfect sense, of course, that something wacky would happen today. Apparently I still had it in me to be totally naive, because I'd actually believed that a few cherubs with a bad attitude was all the island was going to endow us with for the holiday. Good one, island, you really pulled the wool over my eyes, har har

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[weary_head]

Dean, too, was relieved not have woken up in love with some random today. Talk about pathetic, right? Not to mention embarrassing. Acting like some lovesick douchebag on top of worrying about how best to propose to Angua was the very last thing Dean needed.

He chuckled to himself, adding a last fry to the heart he was building out of french fries, at the center of which were the words DEAN + ROGER + ANGUA FOREVER in cheery, starchy capitals. "Don't need a love spell to know how I feel," he muttered. He helped himself to a fry, gasping in heartfelt dismay when he realized he'd just eaten the last R in Roger. "Can't have that," he said, replacing it immediately. "No sir, no half-assed hearts for my beloved."

[he's whammied, but being pretty subtle about it (for Dean)!]

[broken_brushes]

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, because he'd been a little off all day, but I'd been too busy trying to get everything set up to have time to closely examine the reasons why until now. I guess I'd just thought he was still depressed over being older, or maybe freaked about proposing, but he was eating, so that was a good sign.

"You do realize those are for eating and not art, right?" I asked, and stole one of the fries from the N in Dean.

[weary_head]

"Great," said Dean, "now I'm DEAV." Roger probably couldn't love a Deav, it sounded like a groupie's name or something, and Roger was just. So far above groupies. He found another fry and repaired his name with great concentration, turning a sunny smile on Shari when he was done.

"Don't I get any birthday privileges?" he asked her. "It's my party and I can make fry art if I want to?"

[broken_brushes]

Finally taking the time to read what he'd written, I laughed. "Does Angua know she's in a threesome now?" I asked with a snort, and reached past him to pluck a cookie from the plate beside his artwork. I thought it was a joke.

[broken_brushes]

I can't lie: I was a little put out. Back home, having my birthday the day after Valentine's Day had never been that big of a deal. Sure, there was a point when I was in my preteens when I'd gotten really sick of so much hearts and flowers, but mostly it was cool. It just meant I got more Valentines than anyone, which was actually kind of awesome when I was a kid. This year, there had been a booth set up to send them for free, and I'd only gotten one.

I was trying really hard to be gracious about it. It wasn't as if I was dating anyone, or I should even expect something like that regardless, right? Being alive and having so many good friends still around was valentine enough. But I couldn't help being disappointed and maybe a little annoyed, especially since I'd sent several, and, well. It was my birthday! I was allowed.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, or something. Except I wasn't crying, I was just sort of being moody and maybe a little sad as I skulked around the refreshment table eating my second piece of cake

[headofaccounts]

Quite frankly, the cherubs had almost immediately put Pete off. (The fact that they looked quite capable of taking at least five copies of him in a fight probably had something to do with it.) Besides, although the delivery service provided anonymity, he wasn't sure he wanted that.

As such, when he found Shari, it was with a card in hand. Admittedly, it wasn't as nice as anything he might have found at a Hallmark on Madison Avenue, but it was the best that he could do under the circumstances. It was a relatively simple thing, almost all text as, well, he hadn't been in the art department for a reason. On the front: To: Shari, - HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, and inside: I don't think I ever properly thanked you for getting me settled. I'm glad we met; you're a scream. Be mine, belated Valentine. - Love, Pete. P.S. Happy Birthday, too."Hey," he began, putting on a smile as he offered her the card, "And happy birthday. Sorry this is a little late; the delivery men kind of scared me off. I'd have gotten chocolates if I'd have known where to

[broken_brushes]

Okay, so here's the deal: I'd gone to that stupid booth about a dozen times the day before. I'd literally walked up to it most of those times and then walked back inside without sending a thing. I'd debated sending a valentine to Pete, I'd agonized over it like I was fourteen and in the throes of a high school crush. Every time I walked out there, I'd talked myself out of it. Bad idea, Shari, bad idea.

Now I felt like a total jerk.

"Oh, wow," I said, blinking down at the card. Being at a loss for words was definitely a novelty, but I couldn't exactly help it, what with, well…pretty much everything he'd written. "This is really sweet," I finally settled on, because it was both innocuous and totally true. "Thank you." I smiled and reached to pull him into a brief hug, fastidiously ignoring the instinctive way I held my breath.

[headofaccounts]

"It's no problem," Pete replied, visibly relieved at her reaction. To say he'd been a little nervous as to whether or not she'd appreciate the gesture went as a given. His fingertips lingered on her arm even as he stepped out of the hug, expression probably a little happier than he'd intended it.

"How's the party going so far?" he asked, clearing his throat. "It looks like you've got everything set up pretty well."

[speakscanadian]

It was weird, like fate, that Ray should fall in love (love, he could admit it now) the day after Valentine's Day. Everything just seemed bigger and better and brighter today, people bugged him less, and there was a permanent warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach. And it was all because of Asher, there was no denying that.

It was ridiculous how much he was missing him right now and Ray had to keep reminding himself that he'd been undercover with the mob, away from his friends and family for over a year, so he could spend an hour away from Asher. Still, he checked his watch and glanced around at the people just in case. He definitely wasn't planning on spending too long at the party. He'd already wasted three months on the island with Asher right there but unaware, so even the prospect of another three minutes seemed almost too painful.

[gildylocks]

At some point, Gilderoy had seen the announcement for BIRTHDAY parties! He'd also seen a calendar somewhere and was dismayed only for a moment at the time change. Firstly, he looked great for someone who had just aged eighteen years overnight. Secondly, it was his birthday! Well nearly his birthday. He'd missed it, but there was still time to celebrate it and not consider the celebration late. Thirdly, he did have fans here. Wherever here was. And they were throwing him a birthday party!

Actually figuring out where this party was taking place was another mystery and one that left him unchanged from the muddy robes in which he'd first arrived earlier that day. Arriving, at last, to his destination, Gilderoy burst through the doors, arms wide and the very best smile on his face. "Ahhh, my fans! You are too kind. Too kind."

[anger_sideways]

Hawkeye choked on his pastry. Taking a hasty sip of his drink to wash it down, he approached the man who'd just arrived and said,

"The All-Camelot Mud-Wrestling Tournament is next door. This is Shari Cooper's birthday party." He turned and grabbed something from the buffet. "Not that I know who Shari Cooper is, but she's giving away food and drink so I'm not complaining. Would you like some flan?"

[gildylocks]

Gilderoy was so flustered by the rate at which information, and all the wrong information, was being directed at him that he stood still for a moment. He blinked deliberately and slowly a few times.

"Yes, I'll take some flan," was the response he settled upon. Asking who Shari was would be pointless since the other man had already said he didn't know. The Mud-Wrestling part was not worth a response. And that left flan, which in Gilderoy's experience, could be a tasty dessert or terribly bland.

[anger_sideways]

"Excellent!" Hawkeye said. "Flan cures all ills. Apart from meningitis." He pushed the offered plate forwards, hoping the man would take the hint and take it off his hands.

"Are you okay? You look kind of flustered," Hawkeye said, frowning. "Were you expecting something else?"

[notwithmyhand]

Alain hadn't begun the day with any intention of attending the party at the Winchester, but after more than one strange occurrence that day, he decided to seek out friends, telling himself that he was only checking on their well-being and not being nosey. If nothing else, he knew Angua would be there. He would just say hello to her and be on his way. But a drink or two later, he was actually enjoying himself. He lifted his glass to toast the person next to him. "To another merry evening despite what this place decides to throw at us."

[loaded_wolf]

Angua looked over in surprise from where she was trying to come up with the prettiest hairstyle. Her hair just wasn't silky enough. It had to be perfect for Roger and Dean.

"Oh, Alain, I can't toast when my hair's such a mess," she said. "What about this dress? Does my dress at least look nice?"

[notwithmyhand]

Alain's eyebrows arched in surprise. "You look wonderful, Angua," he said honestly. He might not know anything about womens fashions, especially the modern ones, but he always thought Angua looked nice. It was just her.

[loaded_wolf]

Angua worried her lower lip. "It's just...trying to keep one man happy is hard enough, but two? I don't want to disappoint Roger. Oh gosh, he's just so...so lovely," she sighed, smiling dreamily.