When I'm sixty-four;

[daturameloxia]

WHO: Wylan and you!
WHAT: It's Wylan's birthday!
WHEN: September 10th, all day!
WHERE: Birdtile House and out and about!
WARNINGS: The usual Wylan warnings (child abuse, mentions of violence, etc)

[Multiple entries below!]

Comments

Morning A - Korone and/or Wash

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan’s therapist looks at all of the trio sitting on the couch. Wylan is wiped out from the session and as he makes to get up, his therapist pauses.]

Oh, it looks like it’s your birthday today, Wylan. Happy birthday!

[She smiles at Wylan, but he doesn’t share in her mirth.]

Is everything okay, Wylan?

[Wylan shakes his head and gets up from the couch, more than ready to leave the room as soon as possible.]

I don’t… not my birthday.

[Before the therapist can say anything else, Wylan is out the door, his sweater pulled tight around him.]

Re: Morning A - Korone and/or Wash

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Excuse him?]

Thanks doctor.

[Wash is getting up and going out the door after Wylan.] Wylan.

Re: Morning A - Korone and/or Wash

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan continues walking, not turning around as Wash calls for him. He blows right past the checkout desk and hurries out into the lobby. ]

Morning B - OTA

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan doesn't return to the birdtile house immediately. No, he decides a walk around Blossomcrown is a much better idea. He's pretty sure he's being tracked anyway, so it's not as if he can't be found if he runs into trouble. He spots a florist shop and ducks in. Perhaps the house would like some fresh flowers on a day like today, after everything that happened with the heart game.

He selects a few blossoms before he accidentally bumps into someone and drops all his flowers on the ground.]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.

[happydreamed]

Oh, no, please don't worry.

[At least it's someone Wylan already knows, kind of! Kantera hurries to help pick the flowers up off the ground for him.]

[daturameloxia]

Kantera. [Wylan says before dropping down to help pick up the flowers as well.] Apologies for running in to you.

Re: Morning B - OTA

[noodleboi]

[MK blinks when he feels the bump. He turns with his own flowers in hand and smiles.]

Yo. Hey Wylan. Oops. Let me help. [He dips down to help pick up the flowers.]

You getting flowers for a special occasion or just because you like them?

Re: Morning B - OTA

[daturameloxia]

MK! [Wylan perks up with a soft smile, even as he bends over to try and collect his flowers.] I thought the house might like them after everything that happened.

[Speaking of which,] Are you feeling alright?

Afternoon A - OTA

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan returns to the Birdtile house with an armful of flowers. He sets them on the counter as he peeks around for a vase. It isn't a long search and soon Wylan is filling the vase with some water. Once he settles the vase on the counter, he places the bouquet in it. For a moment, he stares at it for a long moment, taking in the sight.

Perhaps he'll use his tablet out here in the main house, rather than retreat to his room and isolate.]

Re: Afternoon A - OTA

[bluediligence]

[ Korone's finally well enough to traipse her way downstairs, albeit with a blanket tied around her shoulders like a cape and a cloth mask covering her mouth and nose. Just in case.

She comes across Wylan just as he's stepping back from the bouquet. ]

Ooh, they're pretty!

Re: Afternoon A - OTA

[daturameloxia]

[Best of all, there are no roses in the bouquet, thanks to a heads up from Kantera. Wylan turns to face her with a soft smile.]

I thought the house might need something bright and happy after everything that’s happened recently.

Afternoon B - OTA

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan would rather not think about the fact that it’s his birthday. He’s never celebrated and doesn’t intend to start, especially after the heart game and everything that happened with MK, Macaque, and Wukong. There’s no celebrating to be done, in his book. What about him is worth any kind of celebration.

So, Wylan tries to keep busy. He moseys about the kitchen, offering to cook for others. Or he might be wandering around the main level, offering to run errands or help on projects. Anything to distract him from today.]

Evening - OTA

[daturameloxia]

[Nineteen. He’s nineteen now. Wylan sits out in the gardens, watching the colorful water pass by. Nineteen and he still can’t read. He remembers the letters his father used to send him, mocking his inability to read a simple sentence, a name, or an address. Would his father send a celebratory message, hand-written so as to mock him further?

Or would he simply ignore it as he has since it emerged that Wylan couldn't read. You are no heir. No one so feeble-minded can rule my empire.

Wylan dips one hand into the water to break up the flashbacks, allowing it to pass through his fingers.]

Re: Evening - OTA

[schrodingerscockroach]

There was a debate how to handle this. Wash knows if he told the rest of Birdtile, there would be a huge party thrown together like with Donnie. However, Donnie was dealing with a sadness outside of his own brain, and was easy to bully into accepting things without having a spiraling crisis.

Wylan, in short, was prone to spirals and being overwhelmed.

No, he needed a slower approach. An easier broach to the subject. Maybe a party. Start small though, and make sure he's ready to take it.

So he gets something smaller together and will find Wylan later. "Hey."

Re: Evening - OTA

[daturameloxia]

Wylan turns around at the greeting, confused to see Wash again. He lifts his hand from the water and wipes it on his sweater.

"Hi," he replies, remaining seated near the river. "Is this about earlier?"

Wylan means shutting the door in Wash's face.

September 21st

[schrodingerscockroach]

Once Wash had permission to tell Choco and Donnie about Wylan's birthday, the birdtile expected reaction came to be.

The yard in front of Wylan and Wash's own private quarters has been transformed with rock platforms to help protect the flora from any rambunctious experiments and some piping for fires/chemical spills/emergency showers. There are multiple fans to help keep any gases from lingering. Full OSHA safety standards, just in case.

The less boring part is the various tables and vats set up for chemistry experiments. Some stuff is like fun activities you see in kid museums and some is just full on mysthbusters. You have stuff like how to make your own marshmallows and rock candy or even hot ice cream and how to shape hardboilded eggs. There's certainly more, with a special shout out for spicy rock candy. There's also more complex things like making food into foam or infuse gelatin for more varied tastes, with a lot of offers for spicy.

There are simpler experiments like how to make a small battery, or how to make sublimation bubbles. There making stuff like crystals or making things change colors without dyes or more minor explosions akin to mixing vinegar and baking soda except bigger, or getting liquids to do weird things.

Then there's just the experiments to make big, explosive reactions, usually with colorful things or lights in the mix.

Listen, there are a fuckton of fire suppression systems for a reason.

All the tablets have both written and video instructions attached so people can see what they need to do. Chemicals are labelled with their names and musical notes.

And the real fun of making your own fireworks to be done later tonight! (With ear protection on offer.)

There is, of course, snacks on offer, far away from the chemicals so people can eat safely. Mostly things of the savory and spicy variety, there's enough sweets for the experiments.

There is also a table for presents for the birthday boy.

Re: September 21st

[daturameloxia]

A - Physics! Chemistry!

[For a moment, it's all Wylan can do to stare at the numerous chemistry experiments and fun. It's a touch overwhelming at first, but then he allows himself to focus on one experiment at a time. He starts at the battery station, following the tablet's video instructions as he connects wires here and there. The electrical diagram also helps to guide him without needing to look at words.

Or he can be found making some spicy rock candy. He's never had rock candy and the promise of it being spicy rather than sweet is extremely enticing. He'll be dipping the rock candy stick again and again to gather the crystals.

Come join him as he works!]


B - Food, Wallflower

[Wylan is blown away (not literally) by the amount of party the Birdtile House can throw. More than once, Wylan needs a break, a chance to sit back and watch everyone else. Lucky for Wylan, there's a table full of food and an ample amount of wall in Wylan and Wash's house and Wylan takes advantage of both. He has one of Kantera's muffins, some spicy black bean soup, and veggies as he stands in one of the corners of the dining area.

Come bother him?]

C - Fireworks!

[The keystone to the night are the fireworks. Wylan has a casual armful of homemade fireworks, eager to set them off. If he has the chemicals right, they should look spectacular. He sets his load on one of the false stones and uses a lighter to set one alight. As it flies off into the sky, it leaves a trail of blue sparks and explodes in a rain of fizzling lights that curve back toward the earth to imitate a spring of water.

He reaches down for his next firework, smile bright.]

D - Wildcard

[Meet Wylan somewhere else!]

B

[noodleboi]

[MK joins Wylan on one of his wallflower moments. He slips up beside him and smiles at him.]

Happy Birthday, Wylan. You having fun?

C

[happydreamed]

What a beautiful sight.

[Kantera has a few himself, but mostly he's watching what others have put together.]

Are you enjoying your birthday party?

Re: September 21st

[castaside]

"Hi, Wylan. Happy birthday." Macaque approaches Wylan while he's poking at one of the experiments. He has ear buds in all of his six ears on account of the explosions.

He left a box on the gift table too, of course. Inside are several variations of magic mixture inside beakers with instructions about their properties. Things for a chemist to tinker with. (All perfectly safe.)

"I'm not familiar with most of the experiments here. Do you have a favorite? I'm still catching up on all the science I missed."

Re: September 21st

[schrodingerscockroach]

[THERE IS ALSO A CANDLE MAKING STATION, with soaking wicks in different chemicals for different colors.]

Got anything new? Donnie and I tried to get as much variation as possible.

Re: September 21st

[noodleboi]

MK arrived at the part with some Aussie Heat spicy noodles and a gift wrapped in a box. He set the gift on the table with all the other presents. Sure, Wylan said he didn't need to bring anything but MK wasn't about to not get his new friend something for his birthday. He put the food on the table with all the other delicious treats. Then he started to mingle. This was one heck of a party. Lots of people had some, which he realized might have made the birthday nervous.

"Alright. So where to first. Ooooo. Are those boom booms?" MK rubbed his hands together as he head off toward the experiments table.

Re: September 21st

[castaside]

Macaque has ear buds in all of his six ears (which some others might not have seen before, he usually appears to have just two) as he walks around the party, wincing now and then when when the explosions happen. But he peers at all the different experiments, even as a magical being he still likes learning about science, especially since one of his mates is a big old nerd.

He made two strawberry shortcakes for the occasion: a sweet one, and a spicy one.

He particularly appreciates the fireworks, as it's a sentimental thing. He cranks up the noise cancelling on his eaarbuds and spreads out a dark shadow blanket that glitters like the starry sky which he sits on. Plenty of room for someone else to join him.

Presents!

[schrodingerscockroach]

[I totally didn't forget this top-level, easy place to find presents!!!]

Lucifer's Gift

[dadbeatdad]

[The gift is wrapped in bright red paper with a golden bow on top. Unwrapping it and opening the box inside reveals...a rubber duck! Though this isn't any duck.

It is not simple duck though. It has on a dapper top hat and a monocle. When Wylan picks it up, it will feel soft enough to squeeze. If he does squeeze it, it doesn't squeak like a normal duck would. Nope. Instead a cute little voice comes out.]

You're talented and kind!

[That's right. It is a compliment duck! Every squeeze and it will give Wylan a compliment. Positive reinforcement on command.]