15th Screw - backdated to August 7th

[all_wound_up]

[Action]

[Today is Nano's birthday, but she hasn't told anyone.  She's not really the type to call that much attention to herself over something like this, and it seems sort of insignificant to her compared to all of the problems in Hinoto-Ri.  But two years is a long time - at least, to her it is - and the past year especially has been full of so many chances to learn new things and meet new people, so she feels that she at least owes a little bit of celebration to herself.

And that's why she's at the bakery today, picking out a cupcake to enjoy while she wishes herself well for the next year.  Once she's got the tasty treat in hand, she takes it outside to one of the small tables set up near the street for customers to enjoy their snacks, pulling two small candles out and lighting them with a small fire spell that she learned from Namine.  After she hums a short little birthday song, she closes her eyes to send up a silent wish, smiles, and blows the candles out.]

Comments

[frequent_flyer]

[It doesn't occur to him until afterwards that he might be delving, once again, into personal information territory. He can't help himself! Robots are cool...]

U-um..! I should probably leave you alone so you can eat your cupcake, huh!? [Note to self, learn how to talk to little girls without being weird ASAP.]

[all_wound_up]

It's all right! I've just never had someone ask me that question before, so I didn't know how to answer right away.

[frequent_flyer]

[At least she doesn't seem upset... he visibly relaxes a little.]

Are you sure it's alright..? [Because he has so many questions.]

[poppetstrings]

Well... It's not too important, I guess. Or else I would have been told about birthdays back home.

[otakuro]

Aha... I think the demons do a pretty good job of that already. I don't generally go around Hinoto-Ri thinking 'gosh I wish something would happen'.

[all_wound_up]

You just haven't had your first one yet! Maybe your friends were planning a surprise party.

[poppetstrings]

I don't know... That seems kinda weird, especially for them.

[all_wound_up]

Well, I'll be sure you buy you a birthday present when it comes around, at least. To thank you for being my friend.

[all_wound_up]

Yes, it's fine, really.

[Fine if he stays, that is. She has no idea what he's actually going to do is keep asking her questions about being a robot.]

[all_wound_up]

Busy in a good way?

[otakuro]

I'm not sure I like homework enough to consider it 'good', either...

We can settle at 'neutral'.

[all_wound_up]

At least you'll be studying something you enjoy.

[poppetstrings]

You don't need to do that. I mean, you've already made ice cream for me. I don't really need anything else.

[get_bent]

[And guess who is passing just by when he notices it.]

Wait...is it your birthday?

[all_wound_up]

I'll make you more ice cream, then!

[all_wound_up]

Tatsumi-san...!

[The surprise in her voice pretty much says 'yes.']

[poppetstrings]

You don't have too, you know. I mean, I'd definitely like it, but you don't have to do anything for me.

[all_wound_up]

I know I don't have to. But I want to. I'm just really happy to have made friends with you, Xion-san.

[otakuro]

...Hey, that's true.

[Atsuro brightens up.]

We don't get much choice over what we want to study back home... Might as well use this time and take a few of the courses I know I wouldn't have time for normally.

[all_wound_up]

Right! We have a lot of freedom here, so I'm sure you'll be able to find something you're really excited to learn. I think school is a lot of fun, so it shouldn't be hard.

[frequent_flyer]

[Did she just give him a free pass to be a fanboy? Hot damn! He looks like she just told him Christmas was coming early.]

So do you have rocket feet!?

[otakuro]

I wonder if they do video game design around here...

[And then Atsuro never leaves school again.]

Thanks for the advice, Nano! I'm gonna have to see if it's not too late to enroll still - the semester is starting in a few days, right?

[all_wound_up]

W-w-what would make you think that...!

[The look on her face says 'yes' - or more accurately 'how did you guess that?']

[all_wound_up]

It starts in September, so you have a little time, but it probably can't hurt to start looking into things now.

[poppetstrings]

Me too. I mean, it's not the same as having all of my friends here, but... Well, it's still nice to have someone I can talk too. It gets sort of... Well, I guess I can't really feel loneliness, but it gets boring without someone there.