[EP] A little fuss - OTA

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Some time ago, Corbie had found a calendar and counted back from the spring equinox. And then ahead from the winter solstice. And settled on a date. And then she’d done it again the next day. And again the next, until she was finally satisfied that she’d correctly translated between calendar systems and definitely had the correct date. Caroline had caught her at it and pried it out of her that Corbie had been trying to figure out when her birthday was and, wheels turning behind her eyes, Caroline had left it there. And Corbie had forgotten all about it.

Which was how she could be surprised now as she was shunted into the cafe that Caroline had bullied cake out of Pike and had possibly bullied other people around the inn to come eat it.

Okay, that wasn’t fair. It was a kind gesture, since Corbie hadn’t told anybody. Hadn’t intended on telling anybody. Growing up, her birthday was only so big a deal. She and Gran hadn’t had very much money for presents or treats, though Gran had tried when Corbie was small; they were both always more concerned with having enough to get by. Birthdays were for rich kids. Or at least bourgeois kids. And then there was just the part where… well, what was the point? They were here. It made doing anything special for anybody kind of hard. If anybody cared enough.

… Okay, she was being entirely unfair, because here were two people who had cared enough and had tried for her and it was incredibly sweet.

Unexpected tears in her eyes, Corbie laughed and flitted to the café door, calling out to anybody in earshot. “Come help me eat cake!”

Comments

[st_illfleshandblood]

Jackson had been on his way to the bar, but he stopped at the call, and looked over at Corbie with a smirk. "Since when do you need help eatin' cake?" People in general, or her in particular, since when did anybody need help eating cake?

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie of course grinned at him, unashamedly cheeky. "Since right now. Because Pike gave me a whole cake. And I can't eat it by myself."

[st_illfleshandblood]

"Is it one of her cannabis cakes?" Jackson asked, since of course he'd heard about those, and indulged once or twice. "'Cause I wouldn't recommend that, no. Not in one go, anyway."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

The cannabis cake had quickly developed a reputation, but Corbie herself had never indulged in it. Being high sounded terrifying, quite honestly, for a girl who didn't even like being drunk all that much. Still, she giggled. "No, it ain't. Least I don't think it is, anyway. Why, that a deal-breaker?"

[st_rummer]

It was the laugh that caught his attention and had Coby turning toward the cafe, before Corbie poked her head out the door. "Did somebody say cake? You know I'm in."

Yeah, Caroline had mentioned something, but there had been no bullying involved. Still, better to hear it from Corbie herself. "What's the occasion? Or were your eyes just too big for your stomach?"

[st_rikingblueeyes]

For all that she should have expected that question, Corbie ducked her head shyly even as she couldn't quite wipe the grin from her face. "It's my birthday," she said, considerably softer. "I think it's my birthday, anyway. Calendar's all different."

[st_rummer]

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Coby gave the birthday girl a kiss. "Happy birthday, Tink." Then he winked. "I promise no spanking unless you ask for them."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

"The fuck kind of weird tradition is that?" Corbie started laughing, bright and bold again. "You're making that up!"

[st_illfighting]

Dean was never one to turn down cake, or any food really, but especially cake. So when the cute blond asked for help he stepped right up with a wide smile. "Anything I can do to help."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

It took Corbie a moment for her brain to catch up because she was used to Alec and she'd seen the other guy around here with the same face, but she'd never y'know, talked to Sam's brother before.

Weird that there was more resemblance between complete strangers than between the two of them. But after that extra beat, she smiled. "Awww, you the chivalrous type, too?"

[st_illfighting]

"Of course. I'd never pass up the chance to help a pretty girl out." Dean smiled. A pretty girl with food was an added bonus. "What's the occasion? Not that there has to be one to eat cake." For Dean it was any day that ended in Y.

[st_rikingblueeyes]

"Turned nineteen today," she said, standing up a little straighter. Corbie was starting to get used to the idea that maybe she didn't have to fold herself up and keep out of the way. At least for this one day. "I'm Corbie, by the way. Dean, right?"

[st_x5_494]

Alec hear the familiar voice and it had also mentioned cake and so he made his way towards the cafe and smiled when he saw Corbie. "I'm always available to help eat cake."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie crooked a finger as she stepped back into the cafe. "Well, you and your twin got something in common then. C'mon in."

[st_x5_494]

"Twin?" For a moment he thought about Ben and worried Ben might actually be here. That would not be good for people who liked to live and have teeth. But then his brain caught up with him. "Dean came by, huh?" He did a bit of a pose. "Who's better looking?"

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Oh, that was an easy answer. Grinning as she picked up the knife and cut a slice of cake, Corbie said easily, "Him, because that ain't the answer you want."

[st_ealthless]

Pike was proud of herself for waiting until after the cake had been presented before finding Corbie to wish her a happy birthday. Caroline had made herself very clear about waiting and she was frankly too scared of her to go against her. So when she heard Corbie call, she promptly collected the neatly wrapped parcel with its pink bow and hurried into the room.

"Happy Birthday, Corbie!"

[st_rikingblueeyes]

"Pike!" Corbie grinned wide and knelt down so she could give the tiny woman a kiss on the cheek. "The cake's wonderful, thank you."

[st_ealthless]

"You're welcome! It was the least I could do after all of the wonderful things you've made me," she laughed. The young woman's joy was thanks enough. Pulling the package out from behind her back, she held it out to Corbie.

"This is also for you." As soon as she had found out it was her birthday, Pike had made her way to Percy and asked him to make her a new set of different sized sewing needles in a fancy case.

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie took her time opening the package. It had been such a long time since she'd had a present, she wanted to savor the experience.

She grinned when she opened the case. She had been making do with what she could find in the hotel, but that was still nothing on a proper sewing kit. "Oh, this just made everything so much easier."

[st_andingtall]

"Is this a Marie Antoinette thing?"

Not that Marie Antoinette had ever really said the thing about the cake. It had been bread and brioche, probably, and she probably wasn't the one who said it. And Corbie probably wouldn't know what he was talking about anyway.

So he smiled and hoped she didn't decide he was too much of an idiot to repeat the cake offer. He wasn't much for sweets, but if Corbie was sharing, it was probably a special occasion.

[st_rikingblueeyes]

A question that was clearly supposed to be a joke, but Corbie most definitely didn't get it and her face scrunched up like a kid's when she asked, "Who the fuck is Marie Antoinette?"

[st_andingtall]

Sam smiled sheepishly at Corbie. "Last queen of France. She's usually remembered for saying 'let them eat cake' about the peasants when they ran out of bread. But she probably didn't say it," he explained. "Stupid nerd joke. Sorry."

[st_oriedqueen]

When Caroline told her it was Corbie's birthday, Regina wanted to do something for her. She thought back to the Corbie she'd known in Gotham. It was harder to remember her as someone different from this Corbie with every passing day, but she did occasionally consult the memory to help her teach this younger version of herself.

Today she consulted her for an appropriate gift. It had never been something she was good at. Gifts. Birthdays. She'd always asked Henry what he wanted and given him that and a few other things. But she wanted to do this right. What came to mind was the wizard rings Corbie had cherished, a gift from Felix. And the ring that Spencer had given her.

Obviously, Regina would not be giving her a ring. Even if she could recreate the ones Felix had given her, it wouldn't be appropriate. But she did remember the stone--lapis, and that amethyst had been in her other ring and was February's birthstone. She went to the boutique for inspiration, but it was all too terribly showy.

Eventually, she settled on a lapis and amethyst version of a pendant she'd seen in Boston, minus the extra diamond, and set in silver instead of gold.

Instead of using magic for the rest of it, she used a box from the boutique (but changed the godawful pink to Regina's own preferred black and an interior silk of royal blue), and put a purple (concession to Corbie's personal taste) around it. Then when Corbie wasn't paying attention, she teleported in behind her, set the box by the cake with a small card that said, "From R with love," and teleported back out to her office. Corbie would know where to find her if she wanted to, and if not, she could enjoy the gift in her own time.

She hoped.

[st_rikingblueeyes]

It took Corbie some time to notice that she had a present, and then more time to really understand that someone had given her a present at all. She approached it slowly, picked it up carefully, almost reluctant to open it at all.

She procrastinated by reading the card. Then she took a deep breath and opened the box. And immediately teared up.

"Oh..." Corbie had never owned a piece of jewelry before. She could, living here. There was a bunch of jewelry in the boutique that no one was wearing, none of it was right. She wouldn't have recognized herself wearing any of that stuff. It was too loud, too flashy, too big.

This necklace was delicate. Something you could almost overlook at a glance, but at a closer look was lovely and sweet. It didn't overwhelm, and...

Well. It was right.

Fingers trembling, Corbie carefully undid the clasp and fastened it around her own neck. Then she flitted off to find a mirror so she could see.

She wanted to go right now and find Regina and give her a hug, but if Regina wanted that kind of reaction out of her, she'd have stayed. So she'd have to think about that.

But for right now, she had her very own necklace. What in the world would Gran have said about that?