Two years in a row now, someone I loved died on my birthday

[controlledvariable]

Who: Steph and friends!
What: A birthday party
Where: A restaurant in... let's go with Howl Barrow? It's not really important.
When: Sukkadi night
Notes: HI. If we haven't pre-discussed this and you're unsure whether your character would be invited, hit me up and I will tell you. On the off-chance your character would like to bring a friend/SO, we can work something out. But yes, come here, tag around and feel free to talk to everyone. Have fun or Steph will make sad faces. P.S. She's wearing this because I wanted an excuse to use it.
Warnings: None for now

Birthdays are weird. They've never been a big deal for Steph. Her parents never cared, she rarely had friends close enough to make a big deal out of it, and she didn't even tell Tim for a long time (she's pretty sure he actually found out by snooping). Last year it was a quiet affair, just dinner with her mom and a few small gifts. Things had been too awkward with Tim to do anything together, and Cass was - busy with something that Steph can't remember now. Baedal makes it even weirder, for starters she'd forgotten it was her birthday for a good two weeks and then she hadn't been sure exactly how to go about recognizing it, considering the fact it wasn't the actual date of her birthday here. On the other hand, she feels like she has more friends here than she has back home, so she takes Angela's suggestion about a party to heart.

After much deliberation, Steph decides to rent out part of a restaurant for her partying needs. Babs had offered her house, but Steph feels like the population of Baedal, her included, has imposed on Babs enough already. So a restaurant it is - one that Angela helped her choose, pay for and organize, which Steph is extremely grateful for. As a result of Angela's help, said restaurant ends up being a little eclectic, hole-in-the-wall place with a restaurant/bar downstairs and the private room upstairs, serving platters of food that Steph isn't entirely sure she recognizes. There's odd pieces of art on the walls, the chairs, small sofas and tables don't actually seem to match each other, but the whole thing seems to fit a general theme and Steph likes it, so that's good enough for her. She'd entrusted music to the venue, not really having the resources at the moment to put music onto one of those fancy crystals; it's been good so far though, a little on the instrumental side, but Steph doesn't mind that. There's a small bar up here, too, with Steph choosing the package that gets them free beer and house wines - if anyone wants anything stronger or fancier than that, it's up to them to pay (Steph isn't made of money, alright).

She's kind of nervous about it, this is the first party she's ever thrown for herself and she just wants everyone to have a nice time. When she'd invited everyone - either by private CiD message or in person - she'd told them that presents weren't necessary, that it was just a small get together to help her celebrate the technical passing of a year. She really just wants everyone to have a good time.

Comments

[rhinemaid]

Steph had suggested to Ilde that she could invite a friend; after giving some thought to her pool of acquaintances (most of whom would either be disinclined, 'inappropriate' or just sort of like inviting somebody's dad), she's opted to come alone, carrying her hat in one hand and resisting the ongoing impulse to fidget awkwardly with her bracelet. The only people she'd be inclined to have asked to this are people already attending, so there is at least the fact she's going to more someone besides just Steph--

It's fine, she's just feeling slightly out of her comfort zone, and it's probably for the best nobody thinks too hard about what Ilde's comfort zone actually is.

At the bar upstairs she requests a glass of water with lemon, then seeks Steph out.

[23rd]

Laura is exactly on time -- exactly -- even given how out of her element she is here; she doesn't like to be late. She's dressed the usual way (inappropriate) and arrives trailed by the three-eyed black cat that's taken a shine to her lately.

Despite having been informed presents are "not necessary," she brought one anyway, because at the institute they told her the Rules about birthdays and birthday parties and presents were included in that. Life is easier for Laura when there are rules that she can follow. It's nothing fancy because she is hardly the authority in gift-buying, but the shop girl who had been keeping an eye on her for the three hours she'd wandered the store confused and indecisive had finally intervened and helped her pick something, so hopefully Steph won't hate it.

It's wrapped in black with a purple ribbon, clumsily like she did it herself for the first time ever.

The first thing she does is thrust it at Steph awkwardly and wordlessly. Accept this token of friendship or else.

[joiedeviolet]

As somebody who didn't even need an invite, verbal or otherwise, Kate shows up a few minutes after the party begins after stopping home to shower and dress and also pick up a little something in a square white box that she places on the table closest to the door.

It's nothing spectacular or spendy; this is Kate we're talking about here. But inside is a cake in Steph's favorite flavor, butterscotch and banana, sickly sweet and guaranteed rot her teeth tonight. Her real gift for Steph is tucked into her purse and it'll stay there until the time is right.

[boomvox]

Being late is only fashionable if there's photographers or a crowd you're too good for, and so Jae arrives perfectly on time, aquamarine-hued hair carefully saturated and styled. For him he is dressed conservatively, but still sharply, because while it's a gathering between friends (!), it's still a party. It's been a while since Jae's been to a party in Baedal that didn't involved shoving a red plastic cup filled with fuel-grade space booze into his hand the second he walked in the door, so this is nice - especially considering the past weeks have been filled with work, studying, researching, and more work.

That a lot of his responsible adult behavior has been in the company of the man arriving with him is a complete coincidence, as is their arrival itself. The bar tender recognizes him (cough) so Jae throws up an amiable peace sign as they enter, other arm occupied with a rectangle shape wrapped in brown paper.

[leviohhhhsa]

Presents aren't necessary?

Tough. Because Steph officially deserves one. What Hermione has brought for her is secreted away in her bag until she can hand it over properly, but she's quite pleased with herself for it.

Steph likely had to convince her not to turn up early and help with arrangements; she arrives perfectly on time, having taken the opportunity to dress up, rather doubting herself in heels but nonetheless pleased with her outfit. She's even managed to tame her hair into big, loose curls (as opposed to its natural frizzy, brush-breaking state). After she finds herself a drink and accidentally ends up engaged in a conversation with someone she vaguely knows through work- she's surprisingly good at this, thanks to quite a few diplomatic dos and press engagements- she catches sight of Steph and extricates herself, waving across the room as she hurries closer as best she can. Steph, of course, gets a hug, Hermione leaving her glass of wine floating in the air.

"Happy birthday! Wow, you look fantastic." --tone of surprise there, which isn't really justified, but she's used to seeing Steph either dressed for work or (more recently) dressed to stomp all over bad guys.

[bodilesswarrior]

It's silly, really, to be at all nervous. This is Steph, and they've done far more perilous things together.

Still, she was never really one for parties, and she can count the ones she's been to in the last few years on one hand. So she can't help but feel a bit awkward, though the only tell is her hand occasionally smoothing over the skirt of her dress.

But her smile, as her gaze travels across the room, is warmly sincere. She's sitting at one of the tables, between two of the little sofas. They're kind of cute, really.

[catiana]

Tatiana arrives a bit late from her impromptu volunteer shift at Glory Shada. She wanders into the room a bit ruefully, looking around for Steph.

Her hand keeps fiddling in her coat pocket, where the small gift wrapped in cheap paper is tucked. She knows Steph said presents weren't necessary, but - well, she didn't say they couldn't.