[ota] happy (belated) birthday

[at_heart]

WHO: Yuri, Flynn, and YOU!
WHAT: Flynn's birthday and maybe an engagement party, depends on how badly Yuri freaks out sjldkfjs
WHEN: Early/mid June
WHERE: A park near Flynn's apartment
WARNINGS: Nothing unless you actually ask why this party got delayed,

[ So, about a week into June, you might get a quick text message. ]

Sorry about the short notice but
Any chance you could make it to a birthday party sometime this week?
Should've been the 22nd but well
Kind of lost track of time

[ When you actually show up to the park near Flynn's one-bedroom apartment, you'll know where the party is right away: chains of wildflowers string trees together around the clearing, and there's a big buffet table covered with lots of (clearly labeled for different dietary needs) food. The recipes definitely lean Japanese, and most of it's handmade, but there's also a selection of storebought snacks still in their wrappers for some reason. ]


((ooc: Do you have CR with Yuri or Flynn? Are you a friend of someone with CR? Can you rationalize why your character might've been in the neighborhood to hear the sounds of a party going down? ;) Then come on in.

Gifts are optional. Lower Quarter birthdays have always been more about the people than the things!))

Comments

[at_heart]

You were my hero. You were — who I wanted to be when I grew up.

[bravestknight]

I'm just me. I'm just a kid that grew up with you from the lower quarter.

It's okay to think good things about me, but remember I have my faults too. The only person who gets to see those things is you.

[He chuckles.]

I wanted to be more like you. Not just everyone can be true to themselves and push towards the things they believe in so wholeheartedly.

1/2

[at_heart]

Oh, good, I'm glad I've got your permission to think good things about you.

[ Also maybe a little flustered again by 'the only person who gets to see those things is you'. Just... touched, even though he kind of hates himself for liking it as much as he does. ]

[at_heart]

[ But also: ]

Like me? Give me a break.

[ His smile fading. ]

I was only myself because I couldn't be anyone else. [ Genuinely does not see this as a strength and maybe never will? ] All I ever did was get you into trouble.

[bravestknight]

Actually. We both got ourselves into trouble.

[He reached out gently tugging a strand of hair.]

I chose to be there and go through those things with you. Have you ever been able to make me do something I didn't want to?

[at_heart]

[ His eyes shut. The honest answer is that mostly he's tried to keep Flynn from doing things, but. ]

You're really trying to tell me I wasn't ever a bad influence?

[bravestknight]

We were both bad. We gave the entire lower quarter a thorough run through, and it sounds like you think only you were to blame?

Wow.

[He chuckles and shakes his head as he looks down at the space between them.]

[at_heart]

We were both idiot kids. You grew up into someone respectable.

[ You're probably making progress??? ]

[bravestknight]

And you led a group of people to save our world.

[He looks up and then over to Yuri.]

I think we both did okay.

[at_heart]

[ ...You're so gorgeous, he can't keep looking at you. ]

I got lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

[bravestknight]

You didn't have to go with Lady Estellise, and you could have gone back to the lower quarter after everything was resolved, but you didn't.

Right?

[He turns and cups Yuri's cheek.]

You are a good person.

[at_heart]

[ Almost flinching back from that, the touch or the assertion or both. (It's both.) ]

I'm not, Flynn. I'm really, really not.

[bravestknight]

[Draws away his hand as he turns and murmurs.]

I think you are. I love you, flaws and all.

[Taking a breath, he places his hands on his knees and rocks up to stand.]

I think those rings can stay with you. Since I already know, it's time for you to figure it out.

[He turns to offer his hand.]

We can't leave everyone at the party waiting, so let's get back.

[at_heart]

[ Doesn't. Actually say anything for a moment. At least he pockets the rings? But just as Flynn might be prepared to walk away and leave him still crouched on the grass, Yuri murmurs, ]

What flaws, Flynn? What do you think's wrong with me.

[bravestknight]

I think your someone who values yourself less than others and you are definitely stubborn. You choose the path that is the hardest when sometimes there isn't a need.

[He turns and looks at Yuri and moves back kneeling in the grass with him. He isn't going anywhere to be honest and refuses to move now that he was asked.]

But that's okay, because I can do those things so you can move unrestricted.

I'll always have your back, even if we butt heads on the best way to move forward.

[at_heart]

[ —Flynn not leaving him alone with his thoughts might just. Be the biggest relief. Tension he hadn't even realized he was holding in his shoulders drains out of them. ]

Stubborn. Don't value myself highly enough. Make things harder on myself than they have to be.

Is that it?

[bravestknight]

[He sees the tension drain out of Yuri and sits back down, this time in front of him.]

Pretty much. Also, you tend to go off by yourself and try to do things alone.

[He doesn't want to make Yuri feel bad, but if this will help in some way, then he's going to be honest and tell him what he sees.]

[at_heart]

[ Just, the blandest, thinnest smile. ]

Is that everything?

[bravestknight]

[Yeah, he's sticking to the truth. He's not going to sugar coat this for Yuri, because if he did the other would get upset with him.]

Yes. That's it.

1/?

[at_heart]

[ Oh, honey. ]

My turn, then.

2/?

[at_heart]

I'm quick to judge people and I don't forgive easily. I'm cynical and pessimistic. I don't lie outright all that often, but I sure do lie by omission all the time. Like when you first came here and I tried to pretend I hadn't spent six months in a hell dimension — just to name one example.

3/?

[at_heart]

I'm also just — the worst friend anyone could ever have. Got hit by this status ailment that made me say everything I was thinking out loud, and I tried to spend the next three days hiding in my room because every time I opened my mouth something even shittier and more hurtful came out.

I think other people are stupid all the time. Stupid and clumsy and irritating. I've made "friends" with so many people who wouldn't want to be anywhere near me if they could hear what I really think of them. The judgments I'm making even as I tell them I don't have room to judge.

4/?

[at_heart]

Oh, and let's not forget the violent impulses. In Tokyo-F, with no memories, I thought I was maybe a decent enough person for a little while — but then we had our first murder game.

There was this one kid. You'd have liked him. Rich, sheltered, naive. A noble, sorta pompous, but decent. The kind of kid where you could just tell by looking at him that he'd never so much as thrown a punch in his life.

He was playing for a different team. By the time I ran into him, he was soaked through and miserable, clutching some sort of makeshift weapon, terrified, and cautiously relieved to see me. Because we were "friends".

And you know what I thought, looking at that kid? A kid who could've been Estelle's twin?

[ Yuri draws a thin breath. ]

I thought, "Wow. How easy would it be to stab him in the back and just keep going?"

5/?

[at_heart]

And it wasn't a one-off, or anything like that. No. Every time I ran into someone who clearly couldn't defend themselves — someone injured or exhausted or both — that little voice piped up in the back of my head.

For whatever reason, Flynn, people like me. They liked me there, too. I could've killed... so many people.

6/?

[at_heart]

[ Smallest beat. ]

So, you see, when I started buying memories back? I already knew there was something wrong with me. Something wrong with my head. The murders really didn't come as much of a surprise.