ic contact;

[coexistent]

"I'm not around, so... leave a message, I guess."

Comments

[coexistent]

Well... birthdays are supposed to be important, aren't they? I've never had one, but everyone makes it sound like that.

[immobileyes]

You have one, it's just... you haven't celebrated one yet, and we can always do something about that.

[coexistent]

It's okay... It's... Not really important right now.

[his own "birthday," but considering he was never really born.. eh.]

It's your birthday, that's what's important. So...

Happy birthday, Mary. [even if she can't remember it.]

[immobileyes]

[ From the look on her face, she's dying to disagree-- but he said "right now" and not "ever", which means they're going to address this topic again, if she has anything to say about it.

... But even if she can't remember her own, there's something about Roxas saying that-- it makes her cheeks flush a bit, and she can't help but smile. ]

Thanks, Roxas.

[coexistent]

[oh. she's smiling.

and when she smiles like that, he feels that thumping in his chest that he's sure now is his heart pounding—naturally, that causes his own cheeks to flush a bit too.]

We can try to make it good if you're feeling better... [puking and being without her recollection of her birthday is not how this was supposed to go.]

[immobileyes]

[ ... These dorks. Mary's still more than surprised that they're doing something for this at all, but she nods quietly. ]

Yeah... I'm already feeling a lot better. [ and the water's definitely helped with the grossness. ]

[coexistent]

That's good. I don't know what that was all about... [the weird memory thing, or the fact she got sick, or that her birthday has mysteriously vanished from her memory...]

But I'm glad you're okay.

[immobileyes]

Sorry for worrying you. [ And her smile takes on a tinge of apology. This isn't the first time it's happened to her by now, but apparently what she's forgotten before has just been small stuff. ]

[coexistent]

It's okay... it's not like you did it on purpose. As long as you're feeling better...

[that's what really matters here to him.]

[immobileyes]

Yeah, I am... I promise.

[ THROWING UP HAD UNFORTUNATELY HELPED. ]

[coexistent]

So... Do you think you'll be up for a picnic in the gardens at lunchtime, then?

[immobileyes]

[ See Mary. See Mary light up immediately.

A picnic?? In the gardens?? With Roxas??? ]

Yes!!

[coexistent]

Okay... good. That's good. Then we can still do it anyway.

[even though the start to this day has been questionably strange. but she's smiling so excitedly that he can't help but smile a bit wider himself.]

[immobileyes]

[ She can't help but be excited. She'd been too sick for the last picnic that had been planned for her birthday, and not only is she getting one this year, she's also getting to spend it by the flowers and it's with her favorite person in the whole colony. ]

I'm glad I didn't ruin it... that sounds like so much fun!

[coexistent]

It wouldn't have been ruined. We could have gone on another day but... I'm glad we can do it on your birthday.

[there's also the matter of her proper gift, which he hasn't mentioned yet. oops.]

[immobileyes]

Yeah... even if I can't remember it, I think there's just something... special, about dong it today. [ On her birthday. Mary's kind of sentimental that way, whoops.

And she's not even thinking about gifts, double whoops. ]

[coexistent]

Yeah... I thought so too. Even though I've never had a birthday before, they're supposed to be special.

[he understands that much. he's been doing his research, okay.]

[immobileyes]

...

It's okay, we'll have a birthday for you too.

[ LOOK, SHE'S REALLY GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. ]

[coexistent]

We can worry about that later...

[he's still not refusing it, he just doesn't want this turned around on him right now.]

Let's just focus on your birthday today.

[immobileyes]

Okay... um, then should we get cleaned up first?

[ If they're going out... ]

[coexistent]

Yeah... I guess going out like this probably wouldn't work too well.

[sleeping on the couch followed by a morning vomit? yeah. yeah.]

[immobileyes]

[ Don't... remind her. She's just sighing, a little heavily, and shifting to her feet. ]

I'll be right back...

[coexistent]

[to that, he nods.]

Yeah, me too. [he needs to... you know, also change and not look like he just rolled off the couch too. plus the matter of the fact that her gift is hidden away in his room. it's fine, this is all fine.]

[immobileyes]

[ They're doing great. Mary is at least managing to look less like Death Warmed Over by the time she reemerges, fully dressed and hair coaxed into behaving. She has a picnic to attend. ]

[coexistent]

[roxas looks much the same as ever, dressed pretty casually for the occasion. it's not something they really have to dress up for (and he wouldn't know how to deal with that anyway.)

but more importantly is the box that he's holding, which is so nicely gift-wrapped that it's probably pretty obvious he didn't actually do it himself.]