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st_abby) wrote in
strangetrip2017-05-28 12:14 am
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[EP] The Worst Birthday
Of course, everybody had birthdays - even if they didn't know what day it was on the calendar, that didn't stop someone having them. Vax'ildan hadn't honestly thought much about it, until Joanna had got talking when to plant what one afternoon amongst the herbs in her garden. Seasons, months, weeks, days... They were different in this world from what Vax knew. Nevertheless, when he stopped to do a bit of his own math, he thought it must be very near his own birthday in Exandria.
Their birthday. His, by only a couple of minutes, and then Vex'ahlia's.
It seemed a stupid thing to get hung up about. But once it (she) had wormed its way into his brain, his heart, he couldn't get it (her) out, and it became a crushing reminder that Vex could be lost to him forever. He didn't have much in the way of distractions, and the more he tried to forget about it, the worse it had got until he sank into a drowning sulk. He avoided everyone and everything including his mirror-matched room, effectively vanishing for a few days on end, until gravely admitting that the only way out might very well be through.
Which is how he ended up sitting in the one corner of a booth in the cafe, armor exchanged for a simple sleeveless tunic and loose pants from Songrun, staring at the empty seat across from him with arms folded on the table in a bit of a hunch.
"Get us a drink," he told the passers-by mirthlessly, without so much as turning to look at them or stopping to count how many he'd had already. Did it matter? "It's our birthday."
Their birthday. His, by only a couple of minutes, and then Vex'ahlia's.
It seemed a stupid thing to get hung up about. But once it (she) had wormed its way into his brain, his heart, he couldn't get it (her) out, and it became a crushing reminder that Vex could be lost to him forever. He didn't have much in the way of distractions, and the more he tried to forget about it, the worse it had got until he sank into a drowning sulk. He avoided everyone and everything including his mirror-matched room, effectively vanishing for a few days on end, until gravely admitting that the only way out might very well be through.
Which is how he ended up sitting in the one corner of a booth in the cafe, armor exchanged for a simple sleeveless tunic and loose pants from Songrun, staring at the empty seat across from him with arms folded on the table in a bit of a hunch.
"Get us a drink," he told the passers-by mirthlessly, without so much as turning to look at them or stopping to count how many he'd had already. Did it matter? "It's our birthday."
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He'd inhaled a deep breath - but then stopped himself, letting it go to look at Steph. "Is this the kind of wish you're supposed to tell? Or does it not come true if you don't keep it secret?" Not that he believed in it either way. But he might as well play along with the rules of the thing. Birthday tradition and all.
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A funny thing happened, though, when Vax went back to blow out his candle. He almost thought maybe he did believe it could work. He was drunk and there was something on fire and cake and a pretty girl, so it was probably all that added in together that did it. But if a silly little charm had anything at all to do with fate or the future or the shape of this place... Some things, you wanted them too much to let any slight chance you had at getting them pass you by untested.
He blew, the flame went out, a slip of smoke curled up. "Ta-dah," he suggested.
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Steph picked up a butter knife from the table and neatly cut the cupcake in two. "What else should we do with your birthday? What do you and Vex do?"
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Mind you, that would also be Vex the pie-eating-contest hurler, and Vex the foul-mouthed, and Vex the breast-flasher. Just a touch more class than him.
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"I'll tell you a story about how I ended up doing the rooftop thing while you're eating."
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She rolled her eyes. Being the Cluemaster's daughter was embarrassing on a lot of levels but the fact that he was a Riddler knockoff was one of the worst. "Anyway, so he'd just gotten home after the last visit to Blackgate and he swore up and down that he was really done this time."
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Was he understanding that right? Because this would be a fine time not to be pickled, thanks.
"...But he wasn't?"
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She sucked a bit of frosting off her finger. "They blew me off. 'The tip line isn't for pranks, kid.' So, yeah, that wasn't going to work. And I thought about reaching out to Batman, get him to stop but Dad was small time. Not really in the Bat's league. Which basically left...me."
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"So you put on your mask and armor, and... What did you do then?"
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"Anyway, I figured out where they were planning their heists and did my best to leave clues to lead the police to stop them. Didn't work, but it did get Robin and Bats attention. They helped me stop them and got Dad another tour at Blackgate."
She decided to leave out the bit about the sulfuric acid and having to be talked out of killing her dad. This was a fun story. "And that was the illustrious beginning of the Spoiler."
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The really dangerous stuff came later.
"And Spoiler was totally a good name. Batman liked it."
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She polished off the rest of her cupcake. "Want to see it?"
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"I know you're, all... Tough, and strong, and limber as hell from the sound of it, aside from being beautiful," Vax suggested. "But how much of me d'you think you can carry, is the question. Because I am... So drunk right now," he informed her emphatically.
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She slid out from the bench and offered him her hands. "Want to give it a try?"
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With a bit of adjustment, she got her shoulder under his arm and braced him against her side. "Okay, one foot at a time."
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"I'm sorry it's really far away. But you're so kind to me. Always have been. I'm going to try extra hard not to get sick on you," he babbled as they made their way.
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There were bottles of water in the lobby, probably Caroline's doing, so Steph snagged two with her free hand.
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"...I still miss her like breathing, is the worst part." He didn't say who he meant, as she'd been on his mind so intently throughout the day that it seemed obvious to him. "I still don't know... What to do. About her. Without her."
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