[EP] NOT the Worst Birthday Ever

[st_ubby]

It was hard to believe Vex had been at Madonna Inn almost a year. It felt both far longer and not nearly that long.

It also wasn't anything to celebrate. Unlike today, which demanded to be celebrated. Not with anything big or flashy. No surprise parties, thank you! But drinks certainly. Not like last year, though, when Vex hadn't been here at all, and Vax had attempted to drown himself and her absence in booze. It was their birthday and they were both here to raise a glass together.

So drinks. And cake, because birthdays had always meant cake, even when Vax had had to swipe it for them, or cut a purse to buy it. So when she slid into a booth in the bar, wearing a shirt Percy insisted she needed, she set a plate with two cupcakes, one almost black with chocolate and espresso, the other snowy white but flavored with mint, on the table between them and kissed her brother on the cheek, pleased to see he was wearing the shirt to match. They were twins, after all.

"Get us a drink," she said with a bright grin and a twinkle in her eye for the person passing by. "It's our birthday."



(tag either twinnie's TL, or get them both by request)

Comments

Vex - OTA

[st_ubby]

"Or get yourself a drink and tell me what you're up to today, other than helping us celebrate our name day," she added, patting the seat beside her. It wasn't that she believed everyone should celebrate their birthday with them, but really, they were together, and they'd survived another year. A whole year without any dragons or krakens (well, close enough to a year) or demons bent on revenge. It was almost impossible to believe.

Re: Vex - OTA

[st_raighttovampire]

"Just the usual!" Caroline chirped and leaned on the table. She rummaged into her bag and produced two birthday hats, designed to look like cakes complete with stuffed candles on top. She deposited one on each twins head - one pink and one blue - then grinned. She snapped a picture with her phone.

"Karaoke night next week! Don't miss it."

In the next moment, she was gone. Staying would have meant arguing over whether or not they really had to wear the hats.

Re: Vex - OTA

[st_affofthemoon]

The 23 week pregnant Tiefling in a summer dress walked up to Vex with a big smile on her face. "Happy Birthday my dear." She leaned on for a hug. She also had two presents for Vex, but that could come later.

Vex & Zahra

[st_ubby]

"Thank you, darling," Vex chimed, hugging her friend warmly. When she sat back, she patted the seat beside her. "Come. Sit. We'll get some of the sparkly water to toast our birthday with." Since Zahra wasn't supposed to have ale or wine or champagne or any alcohol while pregnant.

Re: Vex & Zahra

[st_affofthemoon]

Zahra sat. "That sounds lovely." She smiled and presented Vex with a bag. It was a long bag, the size that could perhaps house an arrow or two. Instead she'd find two silver arrows with intricate markings on them. An enchantment of some sort. There was also a small box. In the box was a bracelet. It was handcrafted and made of gold. On the bracelet was a pedant that had an arrow. Another that had a dagger and a third that had a gun. There was space for more.

"Happy birthday and belated wedding gift."

Re: Vex - OTA

[st_ealthless]

"How about both?" Pike held up the alchemy jug with a big smile, then spoke into the top, "Ale."

Without waiting for an answer, she started pouring one for Vex and another for herself, "Happy Birthday!"

Vex & Pike

[st_ubby]

"Thank you, Pike dear." Vex smiled at her favorite gnome cleric, eyes going fond as she watched her call ale from the alchemy jug. "Much more drinkable than mayonnaise too."

Re: Vex & Pike

[st_ealthless]

"Someday we're going to find a use for a gallon of mayonnaise," Pike laughed, "But for now I'll stick with ale or wine. Unless you want some birthday acid and poison?"

Vex & Snow

[st_arkcrowblack]

Caught off guard as she'd been, Snow White stared now at Vex a bit like a startled deer. She had vague memories of Vax's state a year ago, but as she'd barely known him at the time, she'd put the incident and the reason for it out of her mind.

Add to that of course that like many things about being a friend she just didn't know, and she found herself saying stupidly, "Happy birthday."

A pause. "What the hell is that hat?"

Another pause, and then guiltily, "I didn't get you anything."

Re: Vex & Snow

[st_ubby]

"Caroline's idea of festive," Vex explained, reaching up to touch the stuffed cake-shaped hat she wore. She had decided, for now, to play along, as ridiculous as she probably looked, after she had swapped hats with her brother. Blue was so much more her color, after all. And you could get away with all kinds of ridiculous looks as long as you wore them with a mix of confidence and indifference.

"You got me your company. That is gift enough." Yes, Vex's greedy little heart loved getting gifts, but she wasn't used to getting many. Friendship was far more important, and Snow was a dear.

Re: Vex & Snow

[st_arkcrowblack]

Snow pulled a face, though whether at the idea of 'Caroline' or 'festive' was unclear as she was not particularly fond of either.

Nor did she really believe that her company was much of a gift to anybody, but she ducked her head and looked shyly pleased. "If you say so."

Lillith & Vex

[st_rangepalette]

Lillith had given much thought to what to give Vex for a birthday gift. She knew she did not need to give Vex a gift, but that Vex did very much like presents. Since Zahra was giving her magic arrows, and she had much greater skill with war magic than Lillith, she did not go that route.

Instead, she had painted Vex a sign for herself and Percy to put on their door. It had been much struggle to decide whether to put on their titles or only last name. In the end, she decided "The De Rolos" looked well, and left more room for her to adorn it with "and Trinket," against a Whitestone backdrop and bits and bobs of things important to each.

When she approached Vex, she held it behind her back in one of the bags from the boutique. She smiled and sent a Mage Hand after a drink for herself. "I do much as I always do. Study magic, learn, draw. But I have taken a break to give you a gift," which she did not produce immediately.

Re: Lillith & Vex

[st_ubby]

"A gift?" Vex's eyes brightened – curiosity, joy, greed, a mix of all three maybe. She stretched, leaning to one side, trying to get a glimpse of what Lillith had hidden behind her back. "What kind of gift? Not that you needed to do anything, darling. Having you here with us on our birthday is wonderful enough."

Re: Lillith & Vex

[st_rangepalette]

Vex could stretch and lean and look all she liked. Lillith was, after all, an illusion mage, and it was not only paper that protected it from view. "I know I did not need to give you a gift, but I wished to, because you enjoy them. As for what it is, you will have to see for yourself," she said, and then handed the bag to Vex.

Naturally, she would keep it cloaked by a sensory illusion so that she could not guess before she had opened it. She did not think Vex would be able to guess anyway, since other than the sign for Pike, she had not made others yet.

Vax - OTA

[st_abby]

There was drinking, to be sure - but it was a very different thing to drink with friends in joy instead of to try and drown sorrow. A world away from drinking for feeling sorry for himself, adrift and alone, devastated. This year, it was in the proper way, as in celebration, and as a reminder they'd been put back together. It was truly their name day once more, precious for having Vex'ahlia in it again, and Percy's cheeky gift of the shirts was admittedly just the thing for their day spent together.

Birthdays meant cake, because their mother had always managed them one when they lived with her, and because it had been Vax's sworn duty once they'd left home to make sure Vex continued to receive cake on their special day. So it was very thoughtful really of his sneaky sister to beat him to the punch this year of all years, and so much the sweeter for it. (He hadn't forgot Steph had served him cake last year, either, even for all that drink.)

"Hope you've brought us something to wash these down with," Vax suggested to the latest well-wisher as he came up from a rich bite of cupcake, licking chocolate icing from his lips and draining his ale. "Or something to toast with, at least!"

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_illsinging]

"I brought you a song, instead." Scanlan started playing his lute and sang:

Vaxi it's your birthday,
Vex's birthday too.
You gave us a gift of two hot twins,
and we're proud of you today.

Vaxi, it's your birthday.
Happy Birthday, Vaxi.
Vaxi, It's your birthday.
Happy Birthday Vaxi.

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_abby]

Vax broke a wide smile as Scanlan plucked out the catchy little tune. Scanlan's songs were always a gift, even when they weren't for him especially. And when they were... How could he resist those charms?

"Well I don't see how anyone's going to top that gift," he grinned into the words. "I feel inspired to have a second round, even. Sit and have a drink?'

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_illsinging]

"If you insist. You are the birthday boy, after all." He grinned and climbed into a chair next to his friend. "One year older, huh? How does it feel?"

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_ealthless]

"Of course I did!" Pike held up the alchemy jug with a bright smile, then started refilling his cup, "We'll say this round is courtesy of Grog."

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_abby]

"Oh, Big Man," Vax gave something of a wistful smile of his own as he held his glass out for Pike to fill. "Never was a magic item more suited to its owner." It was far better for him than, say, Craven Edge.

Re: Vax - OTA

[st_ealthless]

"Don't let Simon hear you say that," Pike laughed, but she certainly agreed with the sentiment. Grog and this jug were basically soulmates and the fact that it hadn't tried to steal his soul helped, as well.

She held her glass up in a little salute, "Happy Birthday, Stringbean."

Kash & Vax

[st_ingofthehundred]

"Do I look like a barmaid to you?" Kash groused, but he turned back the direction he'd come and obligingly retrieved two beers.

When he returned, he handed Vax the open bottle and said, "Just so you know, I draw the line at carrying drinks this year. If you need to throw someone in the pool to cheer yourself up again, not it."

If he looked back on last year (fuck, how had it been a year already?), Kash couldn't honestly say whether he'd 'volunteered' to be thrown in the pool because Vax needed cheering up or because he half-hoped somehow it would go wrong and Kash would drown. It occurred to him that he was really glad he hadn't drowned, and not coincidentally, that he was pretty close to happy.

He turned a wide smile on Vax. "Oh screw all that. Happy birthday, mate."

Re: Kash & Vax

[st_abby]

"D'you really want me to answer that, about your qualities as a barmaid?" Vax grinned, accepting the bottle and the smile as well. "Happy Birthday to Us Indeed," he agreed and amended with a clink of their bottles.

Vax hadn't felt in a hurry to remind Kashaw about last year. They both knew how much their respective messes they'd been then, and how much improved they were now. That was enough, wasn't it? But they hadn't been secret or subtle, so he didn't begrudge Kash bringing it up either. "And the closest I mean to get to throwing someone in the pool this year might be seeing if Stephanie is game for some midnight skinny-dipping."

Vax & Snow

[st_arkcrowblack]

Manners were not Snow's strong point. Well, the interpersonal part anyway. She could move beautifully when she want to, be a perfectly behaved dinner guest who knew exactly what to do with every unnecessary utensil, but the part that was dealing with people... well, she had never gotten much practice at it.

There were some things that were clear even to a girl like her, though. Like that wishing one twin a happy birthday but not the other was probably really rude.

"Happy birthday," she said shyly, and only half in the direction of her feet.

Re: Vax & Snow

[st_abby]

By this time, Hurricane Caroline had swept through and deposited the plush cake-shaped hats on their heads, then wooshed off again before the twins had a chance to do any better than staring. They'd got a chuckle out of them though, stupid as they were, and they traded blue and pink after - blue was Vex's color, and Vax had got well used to pink by now after living so long at the Inn.

When Snow came politely over after she'd talked to Vex, Vax smiled softly, not having taken it for granted that she would. He wouldn't have blamed her if she'd not, as they hardly knew one another and she wasn't much the type, but it was a pleasant surprise that she had. "Thank you, Snow," he told her genuinely. Then he reached up to re-position the ridiculous hat that had slid a bit askew on his head as his smile widened into a playful grin, not that she was really looking. "How did you even know it was my birthday?"