[009] ♥ [action] [the quad!]

[derped.livejournal.com]

[Being seventeen really, really didn't feel all that much different from sixteen (especially when he hadn't really felt like he was sixteen in the first place). As birthdays went, it'd been better than others; at least here school had already started, and some people had ... wished him a happy birthday (a thing that didn't happen so much when you weren't in school). He was a little unhappy about Home Ec. not meeting today (for reasons that were probably obvious to everyone not him), but other than that, things were going well!

He figures he'll probably go get himself something sweet to celebrate later - maybe some ice cream or something. But for now, classes were over, the weekend was coming up, the gift Mom had said she was sending had arrived (and was safely stored in his room), and she'd added something else, too!

... unfortunately, one of the things Rion had not picked up on prior to coming to school was Triple Triad. Sure, his mom had sent him cards, but ... er, he had no idea what exactly to do with them. So if you don't mind he'll just be looking at these cards like they're written in Coptic or something.]

(ooc: we will pretend I did NOT post that into my journal at first. ¬_¬ AND THAT I KNOW HOW LOCATIONS WORK, GOD i am not good at writing posts on 20 hours of no sleep)

Comments

[carmineblight.livejournal.com]

[Axel will be passing by, eating a hotdog, apparently from the cafeteria. And wait, wasn't that the mousy guy he was rooming with?]

Gambling?

[derped.livejournal.com]

[...yes. Yes it was. Rion looks up at his roommate and just sort of shrugs, then puts the cards down to write.]

They're Triple Triad cards. I don't really know how to play, though, so...

[carmineblight.livejournal.com]

Triple Triad? And playing alone?

[Sounds vaguely familiar. But give Axel old-fashioned cards any day. Luxord taught him the best ways to cheat.]

[derped.livejournal.com]

I'm not playing alone. I'm just looking at them.

[... really, though, he frowns at the thought. Is he even going to have anyone to play with? That'd be a little depressing, having cards and yet not being able to play with anyone.]

[carmineblight.livejournal.com]

[Axel'll just gank a card from that stack.]

No shit, doesn't look like you can do solitaire on these.

[derped.livejournal.com]

[... hey. He just got those. Rion responds with a sort of sulky glare and makes to grab it back. He is not okay with you taking things without his permission, okay, Axel. >:( ]

I know.

[carmineblight.livejournal.com]

[And Axel raises it above his head, because he's a troll and he's bored and enjoys taunting his height over mute little things.]

Didn't come with an instruction manual?

[macgyvered.livejournal.com]

[ here, have an einiona (who undoubtedly was one of those birthday-wishers already, and in fact is passing through the quad after doing a rather more public birthday-wishing (http://community.livejournal.com/witchesreign/80839.html) than rion probably could ever conceive of someone perpetrating on his behalf), doin' that thing she does where she rests an arm on his shoulder and peers down at what's in his hands like she's not invading his personal space at all (and, weirdly, she really doesn't think of it that way with rion, it's just "oh hey it's a rion /leans on", and that is how it goes).

[ it's ... a card game. huh. ]

What you got there, birthday boy?

[derped.livejournal.com]

[...really, he'd been thinking about putting them away. Rion is noticeably less enthusiastic than before. He puts them down for the moment to reply to her, not really casting a second glance at them.

(He also doesn't appear to notice/mind Einiona's invasion of his personal space; this is, er, normal.]

Triple Triad cards. My mom sent them, but I don't know how to play, so...

[macgyvered.livejournal.com]

[ well, it is normal. for, you know, einiona. ]

Yeah well, don't you go looking at me for help, I'm as lost as you - hm.

[ she frowns and leans down and in just a bit, not really nudging him with the motion but almost. she also doesn't ask "hey, you okay?" on his birthday - god, what do you think she is, rude or something? it's his birthday, he doesn't need fussing. ]

Maybe we can learn together, something like? I'm sure they've got manuals in the library. It could be a thing. You could invite Minako ...

[derped.livejournal.com]

[He nods a little bit in reply, though it doesn't look like he's entirely paying attention. He'll put the cards away for now, so he can reply properly and without ... being distracted.]

It'd be fun to learn. I know a lot of kids play it, at least.

[...he's not going to respond to the last bit because it's pretty easy to see he's picked up on that as being teased, and he really is not in the mood for that anymore.]

[macgyvered.livejournal.com]

[ einiona draws her lips back in a bashful, wincing grimace. hello, overstepping her bounds, i love you too. not that she's gonna take that back, but it always sucks when what's meant to help is made to hurt. there's really only one possible solution to this. she braces her index finger and thumb against her forehead and taps a foot. ]

Right. Who've I got to dropkick in the metaphorical testicles for making you miserable on your birthday, then? I know it couldn't be your mum, I do.

[derped.livejournal.com]

[... Rion doesn't say anything, but just sort of shakes his head, because he's not going to answer tuat. That would be a Poor Decision because:

a) That's his roommate who was teasing him and making fun of him.
b) His roommate is bigger than he is.
c) Einiona would definitely actually dropkick him.

Instead he just sort of stays quiet and looks down. Change the subject, Einiona. ... or keep pressuring him. Both are good options.]

[fierybluebird]

Having fun?

[derped.livejournal.com]

[Noncommittal shrug, for now. Rion would not call what he's been doing 'having fun'. He was earlier! ... not so much now.]

[fierybluebird]

Little birdie mentioned it was your birthday. These presents?

[Because Marco is in the card club.]

[derped.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I don't really know how to play.

[To be honest, he doesn't seem so enthused by them as he was earlier. They're kinda neat and all, but... having people try to *take* them kinda puts a damper on how neat they are.]

[fierybluebird]

Want to learn?

[derped.livejournal.com]

I guess it'd be nice if I knew how, huh?

[He smiles a little bit, though it's about half-forced and about half-honest. It'd be nice to get to learn how to play, right? ... and meet more people, and things like that. He's trying not to dwell, really.]

[heartlinks.livejournal.com]

[ Target spotted!

Hiding the surprise behind her back, Minako sneaks up quietly behind and calls out only when she is a few feet away. ]

Rion!

[derped.livejournal.com]

[Rion jumps and then looks around - despite him having been looking somewhat :/, he does smile when he notices Minako. He waves a little shyly towards her, not really ... noticing that she's hiding something behind her back.]

[heartlinks.livejournal.com]

[ She's going to walk forward, pretending all is normal and she's not really hiding something behind her back. At all. ]

Is something wrong?

[derped.livejournal.com]

[... he doesn't really want to answer this, and doesn't really know how to answer it without writing a lot anyway, so the most Minako gets is a sort of half-hearted shrug. He doesn't really want to explain it here, anyway, or really whine to her (that would make him look like a baby, which is not a thing he'd like to do even if he would like to be able to confide in her).

Dilemma.

He has noticed by this point that she's got something behind her back, but he doesn't really ... think anything of it, or ask about it. The fact that it might be something for him is not something that crosses his mind.]

[heartlinks.livejournal.com]

[ She nods, accepting simply that this isn't something he wants to talk about. Minako brings out the small wrapped box of cookies from behind her and offers it to him. ]

Happy birthday, Rion!

[derped.livejournal.com]

[... wait, what?!

Rion looks down at the box, and his eyes go wide. Wait, wait. Hold on for a moment, Minako, his brain is currently processing that she -- despite having known him for what, less than a month - and not only remembered his birthday (a thing he's not used to people doing, hence why he's been happy that people DID remember and ... say things) but... got him something, despite him not expecting anything at all.

This is kind of a big deal to him, and even the most clueless person would see that he is incredibly happy about this. Just give him a bit, Minako, while he unwraps it, because -- well, unless this is some sort of joke and there's something actually far more sinister than cookies, he might be even more excited.]