HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

[vrdr_mods]

[Visitors to the Velvet Room are in for an unusual sight.

Gorb balloons. Streamers. Banners that not only read, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GORO AKECHI! but also...

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FRIENDSHIP!

This particular banner has cutesy illustrations of a normal Akechi and Falcon. Yes, really.

There are multiple, multi-layered cakes. One is an angel food cake, decorated to resemble Robin Hood. Then there's another cake, fashioned after Loki, with lovingly decorated dazzle camouflage frosting. Inside is a heavenly red velvet.

Lastly, there's a purely chocolate delight, patterned after Hereward.

There are even little Gorb cupcakes, designed to look like the myriad Akechis resident in the Velvet Room. Fresh brewed coffee and Jazz Jin mocktails await those who seek a beverage, and there's even some curry. How thoughtful!

So... care to mingle?]

Comments

[wipingallout]

It's a pain she knows... Minato would be 17.

It's an older feeling, for her, but she remembers that pain sharply. She remembers how it hurt every year and it will probably hurt when October rolls around this year, too.

So he needs something. Just for a little while, some time with someone current, that's what would help her, even if only for an hour or so - the mind needs every moment of relief it can get.

She chatted with him, in the meantime - giving him a chance for his brain to cling onto something besides his grief. To the Velvet Room, through the Iwatodai door, onto the monorail, then the walk to the mall... after chattering at him about games she's played, friends she's dragged along, something about guys always being shocked that she's SO good at fighting games and her high score in the boxing machine-- they're finally there.

"There we go!! Have you been here yet?"

[lostgemini]

Kou let's her blab, only replying with a hum here and there out of politeness, but not quite taking in anything she says. She's putting in all this effort to distract him... and for what? He doesn't even appreciate it. He's just putting up with it because fighting it is too exhausting.

His stomach twists at the sight of the Velvet Room. A whole fucking birthday party for Goro Akechi. He pretends he didn't see anything the moment they go through the Iwatodai door.

Yet, it is the only part of the walk there that sticks to him like a piece of gum. Lovely. Another reminder of what he lost.

When she says they're there, he finally looks up properly-- he couldn't tell you what route they took if you asked.

"... No, I haven't," he replies honestly. "I don't know what to expect."

[wipingallout]

"Ooh, I get to be your first tour!! Excellent. This is such a little mall compared to some of the places in Shibuya, but this was my hub for a little over a year, I love this spot," she gushed a bit, tugging him gently by the wrist into the arcade. It wasn't a large one, but it also wasn't packed tight, thankfully - there was a decent variety on offer.

"Hmmmmm... got the energy for the dance pad game? I think getting your blood pumping might be a fun way to start!"

[lostgemini]

A dance pad?

Something inside him curdles. That doesn't sound appealing at all right now... he doesn't have any energy, let alone to do something more physical.

"... Whatever," he says anyway, because he doesn't have the energy to protest, either.

[wipingallout]

"It'll be good to get your energy up!! Do you want me to go easy on you?" she asked, tugging his sleeve towards the dance pad and hopping onto the player two pad. "I'll even let you pick the song!"

Get that brain working on a few things besides the pain, and all.

[lostgemini]

Something about that rankles, actually. Enough that he narrows his eyes, finally really looking at her for the first time since they met up.

"I don't need your pity," he says, plainly, stepping onto the player one pad, "and I don't need to be handled with kid gloves."

Going easy on him... that won't make the pain go away. That'll just make things worse. Still, the burst of annoyed energy comes and goes just as quickly leaving him deflated as he turns to the screen. The machine beeps and blares loudly with every move he makes, a horrid sensory overload that's giving him a headache, but fine. Fine.

He picks the first song that looks even somewhat familiar, not really caring what it is. The machine happily shouts encouragement, before the first notes of Deep Breath Deep Breath start playing.

[wipingallout]

"Oooh, I love this track. Get your stompers ready," Hamuko already was tapping along to the beat before the first arrows started scrolling - and then started stomping properly, matching the prompts on time easily.

Don't slouch, Kou, you specifically asked for her best!!