Half time goes by, suddenly you're wise

[iamnotgod]

Date: October 6th, 2018
Characters: Walter Weekes; anyone who wants to bug the birthday boy!

---

A year before, and he might not have paid attention to the date on the calendar, with how he tried to keep himself busy.

Oh, he never forgot it; he'd just never asked for anything spectacular as a gift. Close friends either found out the date through casual conversation or ferreted the information out somehow on their own, but his family had never thrown lavish parties and he'd never wanted one.

(Haley had gotten one, once, once she'd chosen her degree back in London. Everyone involved had agreed afterwards to Never Speak of it Again.)

But he found the day special for a separate reason - or perhaps the same one, if people considered "discovering who you were" to be a form of rebirth.

What with what he now knew as a Numbered, though - that this day, six years ago, had been the activation of his first Echo/flashback/remnant of another's memory - it was all the more surreal.

[This is a post for Network communications, threadings for birthday shenanigans at the flat, and one (1) bike run in the evening!]

Comments

[channingchanningchanning]

Chad has taken to sneaking out of the house and wandering. He's trying to find the girl.

The girl that kissed him. She feels important. Ever since she kissed him he remembers this weird experience...

...Too bad he barely remembers her scent, and just as barely remembers what she looks like. How do you find someone you could perhaps identify if you met them, but not much more?

Which is what leads him back to the place where he stayed for a bit while the bomb things happened.

And as the door is open and there are voices to be heard inside (one that he recognises, one that he doesn't - a visitor, probably) he sneaks inside. It's not likely that she's in there, but really, any place is as good as the other at this point...

Figured something out! \o/

[iamnotgod]

Unfortunately for Chad, it's not Sadie that's in the house.

More unfortunately for Chad, he's been seen, and that conversation gets broken off in a hurry.

"What- oh, why did you come back here? What's wrong?" Walter asks, harried expression on his face as he kneels to better block the dog's way inside.

The guest - one of the others who'd been roped in to fundraise for the museum - looks bemused.

[channingchanningchanning]

Well, that's inconvenient. How is he supposed to check in the flat this way and see if she's there?

He gives a bark of annoyance and then tries to dart past Walter.

[iamnotgod]

The other man - darker skinned, with shorter-cut hair and glasses - steps back out of the way and fails to smother a giggle.

Walter, however, is unmoved, only just managing to keep his balance while reaching for Chad.

"I'm serious, what is it?"

He's not expecting an answer from the dog, exactly, but he does not want to have to clean up after him right now!

[channingchanningchanning]

There is barking.

Technically, Chad is asking for 'that blond woman', but really it's all just barking to the human ear.

[iamnotgod]

Walter gives a long-suffering sigh.

"I can't speak dog," he says; his companion just laughs more openly.

"I can come back later..." they suggest; Walter's face makes it plain that he'd very much prefer that option.

"I'll text you," Walter says, slowly moving to stand back up again.

Probably not slowly enough, though.

[channingchanningchanning]

Not slowly enough, but not fast enough, either. Chad might not be big and strong, but he is small and fast, and he's wiggled around them and shot into the flat before anyone can make a grab for him.

Just doing a quick check, nothing to worry about!

[iamnotgod]

Walter's attention shifts from his friend entirely, and the door shuts as he turns on a dime to follow the pooch.

"Oh no you don't!"

Clearly this is time for Yakety Sax to start playing...

[channingchanningchanning]

Lots of Yakety Sax will be going on before Walter manages to get a hold of Chad, because CHAD NEED TO SEE ALL THE ROOMS!

Check if the blond girl is in there.

And then try to get back ou- Oh. Whoops. That door is closed.

Why is that door closed.

That's not good.

[warped_replica]

Although neither of them had been keeping it a secret per say, Sadie and Benjiro had been making plans together to meet up for lunch then head over to the flat to drop in unannounced and wish Walter a happy birthday. Better to surprise him given how little Walter had said of the matter last year until Benjiro had found out the date far too late. Sadie had selected her gift thoughtfully, and it paired well with his choice in a balance of play and work. His time on external exclusion had given him the opportunity he needed to pursue a concept to solve a complaint Walter expressed to him since the aurora set everything with the numbers into the next gear. He would have made it regardless, but the special occasion makes for a nice excuse.

Walking along the sidewalk as they approach the building, Benjiro keeps his gift in a shopping bag, careful to avoid bumping it into anything as they come up the steps. He opens the door and follows Sadie inside, lowering his voice to avoid being heard as they head for the door of Walter and Russell, “Do you want to give him your gift first or should I?” It makes no difference to him, knowing their mutual friend will make use of each one.

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie removes her shoes and pops them on the shoe rack before turning in the doorway to face Ben. Now that they were safely in Walter and Russell's flat she gently unhooks his face mask, removes her sunglasses and gives him a quick, gentle kiss.

"You go first, you've know Walter for longer and you finished his gift first." She glances over her shoulder with a smile, taking his hand once he's also removed his shoes. "In we go."

[warped_replica]

Entering inside with Sadie thanks to the key Walter gave them, he follows Sadie in and shuts the door behind them as she removes her shoes. Turning back around to find himself face to face with Sadie, Benjiro smiles shyly as she removes the mask for him and her sunglasses. He leans in to share the light kiss, a bubble of delight rising in his chest at the reminder of the new stage in their relationship.

Shuffling his own shoes off one at a time and straight onto the rack next to Sadie’s pair, he clasps her hand and moves into the small space a short distance before stopping again, calling with a grin of anticipation to draw attention to their presence, “Walter! Are you home?” He holds the shopping bag in his other hand behind his legs.

Because we must never pass up an opportunity to tease the young couple!

[iamnotgod]

Walter is, indeed, home - and the first of the two flatmates to be awake, today. He's dressed, but sockless, and his hair is unbrushed. That, at least, is deliberate laziness.

"Did I hear you two being adorable aga- wait, what's this?"

There's a look of affected confusion on his face; yes, he knows it's his birthday, but he didn't ask anyone to come by.

True, it would be remiss of you not to do so

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie blushes at Walter's teasing, because there is absolutely no denying the fact that the quiet rumble of her purring is now filling the entryway to his and Russell's flat. So, being mature, she sticks her tongue out at Walter before grinning at her older friend.

"Happy birthday Walter!" She steps forward, letting go of Ben's hand for a moment so that she can give Walter a big hug. "How's your day been so far?"

[warped_replica]

That laziness is well deserved, especially for this occasion.

At the tease, Benjiro glances to Sadie as he fights back a grin at the assertion that is so plainly obvious. It still manifests an excess of heat at his cheeks for a few seconds, but that is alleviated when Sadie sticks her tongue out at Walter and makes him snicker. Sadie is always cute, so he can be cute by association.

Releasing Sadie’s hand as she moves in to greet Walter with a hug, Benjiro will follow steps closer before pausing to set the shopping bag to the floor. He bends down to retrieve a fairly sizeable box, wrapped in simple paper with colorful balloons yet the edges are folded neat and crisp. Standing with the gift held across both arms, he waits to hear Walter answer about his day.

Echo time in next tag round?

[iamnotgod]

Walter focuses on that hug from Sadie, first - though he does also notice that not-quite-stealthily-hidden bag.

"Not overwhelming, for once," he answers, matching that stuck-out tongue with a cheerful grin.

Don't be afraid of being cute, Ben! It doesn't have to define you!

"And thanks, both of you. How have you been?"

Fine with me :)

[dragoonrouge]

Sadie pulls back from the hug, "I'm glad it's been a relaxing day for you so far, exactly what a good birthday needs, veg-out time to do nothing at all."

As for Walter's question about them Sadie's purring just gets louder and she laughs, "I think that answers the question for me." Sadie then moves to the side to make room for Ben and his gift.

taking a couple cues from the buddies thread

[spaghettimonster]

Russell hadn't intended to stay up til the birds began singing, much less to sleep in until well into the day.

Sometimes unexpected things happen. Sometimes those unexpected things are rediscovering an actor, realizing how wonderful they are, and spending the entire evening browsing their filmography. That's just part of life.

He did at least remember to leave a congratulatory card and a wrapped gift out on the counter, before shuffling off to his slumber.

But all the lunchtime chatter is enough for him to start stirring, and eventually Russell shuffles out - hair mussed and pajamas on - in search of food and caffeine.

o7 Also not doing hovertext this time. |D

[iamnotgod]

Walter can one hundred percent, absolutely recognize that.

He can also not believe what his flatmate will do to himself, some nights. All-nighters are not desirable events, dammit!

... Alright, so he may have brought the popcorn, but it still doesn't mean the binge was a good idea!

While Russell's gift is far from the most exciting thing of the day (that honor may just go to suddenly knowing all the Japanese words), Walter keeps himself prepped enough to put one of the unused tea packets on once he hears Russell start knocking about.

Still, he can't entirely help himself, and thus engages one joke at his friend's expense:

"束を見逃しています!"

happily plurk chatter gave me the gist, russell can just be confused

[spaghettimonster]

It's a good thing the dog's gone, because some of that popcorn got everywhere and he sure didn't do any vacuuming at 5 in the morning.

Russell slowly blinks a couple of times, then stares at Walter for another moment.

"...Yes?" he finally offers, unsure what he's responding to or if that's a sensible answer, but half-asleep enough not to want to admit it.

Maybe tea will fix this.

Just like the rest of us, at 95% of life!

[iamnotgod]

Neither of them would have been in the mood for it, no.

"Glad that you admit it," Walter says, then gestures back towards the kettle.

"Go on, reboot your system."

... Not that he's entirely sure why he said that.

#relatable

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, this conversation is already confusing enough, he might as well just say Russell is bluescreening. It works well enough, other computer terms can fit in while they're at it.

Russell goes by rote through a routine of pouring himself a cup and adding whatever he adds, grabbing something to eat with it, and settling in a chair. It takes the time for him to have a sip or two before his brain catches up enough to ask a follow-up question.

"...What did I just admit to?"

[iamnotgod]

At this point, Walter can't help it; he just starts laughing.

After a half-minute or so, he stops himself, taking some deep breaths.

"Just to missing a lot, actually. Have you ever heard Japanese before?"

It's a genuine question, though the grin still on his face probably isn't helping any.

[spaghettimonster]

Half-awake or not, he can tell when he's being laughed at and he makes an annoyed face about it all. The explanation helps a little, and he rolls his eyes instead of getting too defensive.

"Oh, is that all. I've seen an anime or two before, yes."

Probably more than that, through various circumstances, but there's no abrupt comprehension of the language rushing over him.

[iamnotgod]

"Right, right. But, I don't think either of us has been to Japan or taken a course on it, right?"

Because Ben is, after a fashion, one of Russell's relatives; if the man's been out of the country, Walter really should know by this point!