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

[all_wound_up]

I like talking to you too, and working together at the inn. And you're always welcome to come and visit at the house whenever you like!

[frequent_flyer]

Oh, well when I was a kid I used to watch this show called Astro Lad...

[HINATA STOP.]

So maybe it's like that...

[all_wound_up]

[Nano stares down at her cupcake, fidgeting awkwardly in place as she covers one foot with the other.]

[frequent_flyer]

[NANO ISN'T A TV SHOW YOU MORON.]

[Realizing he's... making an asshole of himself, he forces an awkward laugh, trying to come up with something that doesn't involve deep invasive questions about Nano's robotics.]

D-do you like video games!?

[otakuro]

I think they have to actually accept me as a student first. ...Although I do work there already.

[Atsuro stands from his seat.]

I'll catch you later then, Nano.

[all_wound_up]

Oh, um... I've never played those before.

[Though she is grateful for the topic change.]

[all_wound_up]

Good luck, Atsuro-san.

[otakuro]

Oh - and happy birthday!

[Atsuro turns back with a wave a few steps away and a serene smile.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano is about to flail awkwardly, but instead she stops short of that and just blushes instead, smiling and offering a small sheepish wave in return.]

[otakuro]

[...Atsuro hadn't known for sure it was her birthday, of course, but he will take the sheepish wave for an admission of guilt. He laughs slightly before dashing off.

Sometime over the next few days, Nano will receive an anonymous present at the Shinonome Labs with a generic looking card.]

[all_wound_up]

[And of course she reads the card and opens the gift, wondering what it is and who it's from.]

[otakuro]

Happy birthday, Nano! Since it seemed like you wanted to celebrate it alone, I thought I'd wait a few days before doing anything.

-Your friend.

[There is also a small squiggly drawing near the signature which might not be recognizable at all, but resembles a certain monster. Inside the box is some assorted cute stationery, and the first few volumes of a light novel (not the Junes saga thankfully). There is also a rollcake with a smiley face drawn on the wrapper and blue popsicle plushie meant to evoke the image of sea salt ice cream because whoever sent this present is a dork.]

[poppetstrings]

I don't... have a house, but you're welcome to visit me whenever you want to, too.

[Though lately most of her time has been spent helping around the inn because she's been pretty bored lately.]

[all_wound_up]

We should do something fun together sometime! I don't have to work at the inn every day with Tatsumi-san there, so maybe we could go somewhere.

[all_wound_up]

[Nano will sleep with that popsicle plushie every night.]

[frequent_flyer]

N-never!?

[BLASPHEMY. It wasn't like he'd never met anyone who didn't play games, it just always seemed... unnatural to him. Who wouldn't like video games!? Obviously, he should indoctrinate her.]

I work at the arcade... why don't you come sometime?

[get_bent]

Aww shit! I didn't know! Uh...s-see you at the Inn or something!

[And he runs off again! Indeed, you may find him at the inn at your hour of convince. Well you'll see him at his workstation, busy sewing away things, but if she goes to look at her area at the inn, she will notice a few knitted toys left for her. One even sort of looks like her if she was a rabbit! Complete with plush accessories.

They are...quite elaborate.]

[all_wound_up]

All right, if you don't mind... I probably won't be very good at the games.

[all_wound_up]

[Nano is polite enough not to bother Kanji while he's working, but after she finds the toys over by the area of the front desk where she keeps her things, she can't help but want to thank him. So she takes bunny!Nano along with her, setting it on her head to flop over adorably as she looks for Kanji.]

Tatsumi-san!

[get_bent]

[GREAT she looks absolutely adorable and reminds him of Nanako so he just turns his head when he talks.]

Y-yeah what is it?

[frequent_flyer]

That's fine, you can learn from a professional!

[Meaning him, of course.]

[all_wound_up]

[Smiling back at him, she reaches up to take the plush down, holding it in front of her and making it wave at him.]

Thank you!

[She uses a cutesy little high pitched voice.]

[all_wound_up]

People pay you to play video games? Is that a hard job to get? I have a friend who would be very good at it!

[frequent_flyer]

[He gets paid to wipe the cheeto dust off the games, not play them, but she doesn't need to know that.]

Yeah! I got the job because one of my- [Friends? Is he friends with Hizumi?] -f...riends works there.

[Come to think of it... the arcade had been pretty dead lately. Maybe Nano coming and bringing a friend along would be good for business!] Why don't you bring them with you? I can ask if there are any jobs open!

[all_wound_up]

[It doesn't take much to impress Nano.]

Okay! I'm sure she'd really enjoy that.