Backdated to Wednesday! Open Party RP.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

October 25th.

The date flickered into Ryuuji's head, letters of bright blue against a black expanse of nothingness, then circled themselves insistantly in red, demanding his attention.

October 25th.

His eyes suddenly widening, Ryuuji uncurled, standing up without any problems and dusting himself off. To Terry and Oz, he announced (without any seeming surprise at their presence), "It's Seto's birthday today. We need to throw him a party."

Pause. "And then I ought to probably check on Kaiba Corp. Seto's going to kill me if he comes back to find out his company went under because nobody was running it. And make sure his board of directors don't find out he's popcorn because then they'll just try to start another hostile takeover."

Tone absolutely normal, plucking at the hoodie he was wearing as if not quite aware of it specifically but subconciously not happy with the unfashionableness of his attire, "Oz, can you command the House Elves to get a cake ready? They'll probably listen to you since you're a Prefect. Terry, you can help me decorate the Popcorn Room with streamers and stuff, right?"

Ryuuji hadn't been in there since seeing Mokuba's and Seto's names on the plaque.

Comments

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Streamers."

Ryuuji was... himself. Or close enough - mysterious pronouncements, talks about hostile take overs. Just talking period.

"Isn't he a little too old for pin the tail on the donkey?" Which was what he identified streamers with. Along with really retro school dances.

Terry lay half curled on the ground, near where Ryuuji had just been nesting - for lack of a better term. He was quietly guard he'd thought to pitch a blanket and pillows tent as high as they both were tall.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Well, yeah, but I figure that if Nemo or some other kid stops by, they can play that." Ryuuji responded, then blinked, "Wait, I hadn't even thought of party games yet!"

He grinned, impish and affectionate, then reached down to tousle Terry's hair, "Clearly, you are a genius. I'll add party games to the list, along with cake, streamers, confetti and um, whatever else normal birthday parties have."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

He rubbed his face, half scowling at the fingers in his hair. "Please tell me all presents are on him. I deserve a present if you expect me to put my hands in colored circles and have paper dots thrown at me."

He lay back down more, arms behind his head. "I might get a papercut. Bleed to death in the icing." It was easier to mock a little, snark a little than to shake Ryuuji the way he wanted to. It didn't stop him from touching his collar for a moment and exhaling softly that things were looking better.

"Also. You haven't complimented my fort. I built a very good fort. There are people who pay me to build them a fort like this."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Colored circles? A second of confusion, then it clicked into place. "Twister!" Ryuuji cheered happily, and shot Terry a mischevious look, "Just be glad it's not strip Twister I'm suggesting, okay? That might be a bit sacreligious."

He tilted his head at Terry curiously, "And since when do you get presents on other people's birthdays? You'll get a present 'cause I love you, but it won't be connected to his party, especially since you look like you're not even going to help with the prep."

The scolding was more of a light teasing than anything else, Ryuuji then looking over the fort with a laugh before adopting an expression of mock-awe and agreeing solemnly, "It is an awesome fort indeed. I am thoroughly impressed. Should you ever retire from the vigilante business, the government can probably hire you to build forts for them, and then the enemies of America will weep at the fleece-and-fluffness of it all."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Damn straight they'll weep. Cause America will have forts and happiness and they'll have nothing but hard stone and brick." Terry watched Ryuuji a moment. His head was tilted as he considered his options.

"I'll get a present cause you love me? What kind of present? Because then I might just do streamers and paper and dangly parts and other annoying little brother's party things."

He stretched. "If it's good enough. I might even wear a paper hat and play spin the bottle with you."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." Ryuuji teased, sticking his tongue out naughtily for a second.

Noting the Freudian slip, Ryuuji smirked, arching an eyebrow at Terry, "Dangly parts? Really, Terry, that doesn't sound like the kind of thing that you'd have at a little brother's party."

Plus, doing that allowed him to dodge the question of what sort of present it was; Ryuuji wanted to make sure it'd be a surprise.

Watching Terry stretch appreciatively, Ryuuji mimicked it, pushing to stand on the tips of his toes and pulling both arms above his head. He laced his fingers together and pressed upwards, oversized hoodie still coming to midthigh on the loose jeans he was in. Dropping back down again, he made a contented sound then stretched his arms out behind his back, suddenly realizing exactly how bad for his body the last two weeks of being curled in a foetal position had been. "Spin the Bottle? I'm flattered, but I don't think that a private game for the two of us would make me a good host, and I am definitely not willing to let anyone else play."

A quick, cocky grin, "Truth or Dare instead? It's just as teenage a pastime, after all. Though you're not a teenager any longer." Ryuuji laughed at that, rolling his shoulders and flipping to rest his weight on his hands, form a little shaky at first but stabilizing quickly. Upside down, he continued, "Not that it makes a difference. We both know which of us is the more mature one."

And just to prove (or disprove) his point, he stuck out his tongue.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

But Ryuuji's words just made Terry give a quick glance at Oz. Because really, if maturiy meant sanity then Oz had them both beat. He rolled forward, stretching out to touch his toes. It was a fiar stretch, doable but not liquidly limber; he was no acrobat.

Face down to his knees, his voice was the only sign of his smirk. "What if someone dares you to share?"

Ryuuji was moving his body, grounding himself, being aware. These were all good signs. Which meant that he had only a little while to push back the question he wanted to ask and some of the things he knew wouldn't be a good idea to say. You left. I thought we weren't doing that? You scared me. I'm glad you're better now. Can we even talk about what happened? Is this something else on the short list? What happens now? Am I moving in?

Then as an aside to get his thoughts to stop spinning. "Chocolate cupcakes?"

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Then they get dared to test out the efficiacy of the no-kill rule by walking into a meat grinder." Ryuuji promptly replied, not even pausing to think. He was still a little closer to his instincts than usual, the filter between his mind and his mouth only half-operational as his body came online and his mind fought to keep up, heart an ache that was ruthlessly being severed and stored away for later.

He laughed to take the viciousness out of the words and made himself somersault backwards, attemping a full twisting layout at the end. It failed and he had to catch himself on his hands, drop down to kneeling and make a face. Damn. Out of practice. I'm being a little too ambitious.

Going back to the easier stretches, he added, "Chocolate cupcakes, though, I'm willing to share."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"You've been imitating a turtle for a while. Even the great Ryuuji of Black Crown." Because Terry knew better than to use Sindin's family name. "Needs more than five minutes to recover from that. Although...if it weren't for this party." He gave a sly grin. Flirting with Ryuuji was always so easy.

"I could think of any number of more pleasurable excerises that'd have you back to form in only a couple of hours."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Which is why I'm going through the same warm-up exercises that I do whenever I come out of stasis." Ryuuji retorted, pulling one arm behind his head and trying to tug it as far downwards as possible. "Though it's not quite the same, since at least I'd have been lying down for that instead of all curled up."

He dropped it, then paused for a moment to shoot Terry an amused look, "More pleasant, sure. Back to form? Doubt it. A happy boneless puddle on the floor sounds more like what'd happen if I let you have your wicked way with me."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Boneless puddles are fluid and full of stealth." He sat up again and pushed himself to stand, running a quick hand through his hair to smooth it.

"But since we're not going in that direction. What sort of decorations again? Silver foiled with little Japanese characters? Little kid streamers. Possible teddy bears hung from the ceilings?"

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Boneless puddles lack motivation to do anything except maybe ooze happily." Ryuuji pronounced, trying to walk on his hands.

Five steps.

Six.

Seven.

Annnnd tumble because the alternative would have been to fall. Better a controlled tumble than a fall any day.

Sitting on the floor, the undersides of his feet pressed together, Ryuuji pushed down on his knees to try to make them touch the ground. "I think colorful streamers and helium balloons would be best. Teddy bears don't sound like Seto's style and shiny things are more my speed than his."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Teddy dra-" He cut himself off. "Corporate sharks?" He slid his hands into his pockets, waiting to make sure he had every instruction. Or at least that was what he was telling himself. Underneath that was hesitation to leave Ryuuji at all.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"I say we skip the stuffed animals completely. They're really not my style in the least, and I doubt that they're Seto's either." Ryuuji laughed, thinking about Seto's reaction to a birthday party with lots of stuffed animals involved. "Balloons and streamers ought to be enough, even though they're not really his style either. But you need them for a party."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I'll make them all blue and white and have a color theme." It was a sentence that needed a grin, but Terry didn't give one.

Instead he stepped closer and watched Ryuuji another second, before reaching out to brush hair off his face; the most he'd let himself touch right now until he knew how things stood.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"How clever of you. Blue and white are definitely a good combination for Seto." Ryuuji grinned, even though Terry didn't, and let Terry step in and touch him. He didn't protest the touch but instead, nuzzled into it, kissing Terry's wrist lightly and casually without any seeming hang-ups or frightening neediness.

Just the kind of easily affectionate kiss that was standard for the two of them, a quick tender expression of love.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

It was enough to make Terry lean forward until their foreheads were almost touching. "Missed you." He said it softly. The feeling in it transcended volume.

After a moment he stepped back. "Be back soon. The House Elves are sure to know where things like that are stored."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"I didn't go anywhere." Ryuuji replied softly, letting one hand ghost over Terry's arm in a reassuring, very-much-there touch. It was tempting to kiss him, but it didn't look like Terry was quite open for that yet and besides, if they started, they might not stop. And Ryuuji did intend on throwing Seto a party.

"Okay. Good luck." Ryuuji let Terry step back, feeling the familar weight of his wand in one pocket. He could use that to conjure up some tables and games while Terry was gone.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

Fifteen minutes after Terry left, the popcorn room was suddenly festooned with high floating balloons in blue and white.

The ceiling was strung with garlands of blue flowers and shining chrome wiring that gleamed like silver.

There were rosettles in white and blue and blue and white, handing from thin strings from the ceiling. The floor was coated in blue confetti like snow and more difted down from the ceiling lazily.

And here and there darting among the ceiling's decorations were little origami cranes.

Five minutes after that Terry made his way back to Ryuuji, pausing when he saw him and asking for approval with a quirked brow. In his hands were a jumble of metallic blue letters.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Ryuuji instantly flung both arms around Terry and hugged him as soon as Terry reappeared. "The decorations are awesome, treasure. Thanks for taking care of it."

He pressed a quick kiss to Terry's cheek, honestly grateful, and stepped back. He'd been busy too, having set up lots of little tables, covered with lace-trimmed cloths, and white wood stools around them, set between the popcorn cases. Glasses rested on them, filled to the brim with drinks of all colors, and little plates of fingerfood snacks.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"I still think everyone should have to turn back the clock for this. But don't make me nine until I've put this up."

He shook the 'Happy Birthday' letters. "I need my arms long." He could have used his wand. But this way he could sneak peaks and see how Ryuuji was doing.

Was a party really the best solution to everything? or would it only work with Seto? If someone else Ryuuji cared about ended up in the popcorn room... what then? A party to celebrate who they were? Or another round in the tent?

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Don't tempt to go find Mokie's age-changing chocolates and age myself down for this. I get the feeling that being seven for Seto's nineteenth birthday party wouldn't be exactly the most logical move on my part." Ryuuji flipped his ponytail and took a step back to admire the letters. "Pretty!"

This party was going to be great, even if only the three of them were there. It wasn't about having lots of attendees, after all. It was about having some form of closure, a neat snap finish that would cauterize the emotional wound and let him function without hurting until they came back.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Oh I don't know. I think there's some sort of poetic justice to it. You'd make a cute seven year old. You'd probably be a holy terror. But cute."

He slumped into a chair and stretched out his legs. "You'd get more fun out of the games."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Tch, you just want to stop being twenty. Old man Terry, with hair that's going to turn grey and pretty skin that'll get all wrinkled." He pronounced the last word in a tone of mock-dread, flopping down on Terry's lap without any hesitation and tracing over Terry's cheeks as if to line out where the wrinkles would go.

Lips quirked into an amused smile, he leaned back against Terry and looked around the room, "And you know, my world isn't exactly like yours. Adults and teens can have fun with games and win lots of money for it. Games aren't kiddie stuff there, it's life-and-death." Literally.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"I have a pretty good idea of what I'll look like when I'm old. And I won't end up too badly." He paused. "You're not going to age unnaturally slow, are you? Because then I'll be off young'uns. And that won't be fair to them." Cause he knew that if Bruce could still kick ass into his 80's, he could too.

One arm wrapped around Ryuuji's waist and Terry half smiled at the way his lap had just been commandeered. "And pin the tail on the donkey has never been life or death. Stick the pin back into the old time grenade... now that'll put some life in you."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Dude, grey hair and wrinkles don't suit anyone." Ryuuji teased, comfortably cuddling into Terry, squirming just a little to get comfortable. The question about aging unnaturally slowly made him pause for a second, because really, that was pretty much hard to predict where he was concerned. Just look at his father, after all!

So instead of answering directly, he brushed a kiss over Terry's lips, "How about we worry about that when we come to it, huh? Worst comes to worse, you get called a pedophile and deal with having a sex drive that's drastically lower than mine."

Pause, and Ryuuji tilted his head to a side questioningly, "Wait, fending off young'uns? What?"

The mention of the grenade made him laugh and shake his head, "Yeah, well, your world just doesn't take games seriously enough. How do you know there might not be dynamite rigged behind the wall so that it'll collapse on you regardless of whether you get it right or wrong?"

[ringoate-mybaby.livejournal.com]

This sudden change was even enough to startle Oz, which was expressed by a minute glance at Terry before looking back at Ryuuji again.

"That and being a creature that stalks the night, yeah. And sometimes I give them cookies for tips. They bake them, but they pretend to be grateful." He stood up, legs creaking from under-use.

"I'll be right back, then." He paused, ready to stop the moment Ryuuji seemed unsure. If this was a moment of recovery or just the eye of the storm, it was a good idea not to set his friend off right now.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah, the House Elves are really terrified of the sweetest guy in school." Ryuuji laughed, totally failing to believe that. It was Oz. Who'd be scared of him?

And yes, Ryuuji could say that despite having Oz in the form of a slavering, ravenous werewolf attempt to attack him. Because that had been a one-off thing, Ryuuji had been able to keep Oz in check and besides, Oz had made an adorable tiki doll, even if he had been a little noisy!

[ringoate-mybaby.livejournal.com]

"They are if they know what's good for them." Oz stuck his hand in his pockets and, just a smidge slower than usual, turned around to walk to the kitchens, the new task in his head. This was good. This was something else he could do for his friend, and it was just as good as staying.

But still, Oz did glance back one last time before turning the corner. He then picked up the pace, and would be back quicker than what perhaps would be expected.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Ryuuji waved to Oz as Oz turned around the corner, completely at ease and secure in himself. Party planning time now!

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

((Continued from here (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/962239.html?view=47588287&style=mine#t47588287).))
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"The people who take games seriously like that in my world end up singing Loony Toons, Ryuu." Terry paused when he realized Ryuuji might not get the reference. "In Arkham." Because he was pretty sure he'd mentioned the psychiatric facility before.

"No, I'd honestly rather have to fend off the newest generation of your faithful admirers and fan club. Life shouldn't be a game." The last was said grimly.

In his mind, Terry could see red spray paint like blood on a wall and the words 'Ha Ha Ha'. He could see his father lying there prone. And he could see Bruce in the cave in almost the same position. All with the Joker's voice talking about how he didn't know how to play the game. No, life shouldn't be a game at all. Though he'd respect that things were different in Ryuuji's world and he'd already accepted that Ryuuji was different. But, it didn't mean he had to like all the differences.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Ryuuji actually did know what Loony Tunes were, but it was nice to know his boyfriend was starting to catch onto to how hit-or-miss Ryuuji's knowledge of pop culture was. Ignoring that for the moment, he pointed out, "Why would you be fending them off? They'd be after me. Therefore, my business to deal with."

Though considering what Ryuuji's idea of dealing with admirers was, maybe it wasn't too surprising that Terry might prefer to handle them.

The games thing made Ryuuji shrug, momentarily serious as well, "If life wasn't a game, what would be the point of living through except to know who wins in the end?"

Because life was a game. Everything was a game.

That's what made life fun.

Absently, he added, "The dynamite example was actually more of a train-someone-to-be-paranoid thing. Games, it would be something like that as a penalty for losing because if you're really playing for keeps, then it doesn't make sense to punish someone just for playing. The penalties should only kick in when they fail."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

He didn't know what to say but it was in his eyes that he disagreed. So Terry looked away, sighed and rubbed Ryuuji's back.

"Cupcakes?" Because they needed to change the subject. Right now wasn't the time to get into any sort of stumbling disagreement (on his part) that Ryuuji's childhood may have messed up a bit of his thrill factor along with his general outlook on life.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Cupcakes." Ryuuji confirmed, because at least those they could agree on. A casual summoning of the shadows, and they curled around a plate of them, bringing them over to hover at about eye level in front of Ryuuji. Curling up from the ground much like a pillar, the plate rested on them so that Ryuuji could pick one out (they were decorated with white vanilla icing with the blue KC logo picked out also in icing) and unwrap it from its frilled paper skirt.

That done, he twisted around a little to hold it to Terry's mouth, apparently intent on hand-feeding him. "It's chocolate!"

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"I don't see chocolate icing." He arched a brow. "These aren't enchanted cupcakes, right?" And then, with a half squint of concentration and a half murmured spell, he released the little cantrip that Ryuuji'd shown him for testing his food products.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

And they'd be perfectly normal cupcakes -- or at least, nearly perfectly normal. There'd be just a little Cheering elixer mixed in with them, just enough to boost a person's mood a little.

"They're happy-making cupcakes." Ryuuji said brightly, and licked at the icing happily before trying to poke it into Terry's mouth again, "So it doesn't matter they're not chocolate!"

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

He couldn't help the momentary wicked look and slight snicker, shifting slightly while keeping Ryuuji balanced easily with one hand - knowing he really wasn't doing the work.

"You want me happy?"

But he still took a bite, licking - actually lapping - at the icing first and then sinking his teeth, leaving a few crumbs on his lips.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Always!" Because that was the truth. Ryuuji always did want to have Terry happy, always wanted to be the one making Terry happy. And there were crumbs on Terry's lips, so he leaned in just a little to lick them off, then settled down again, leaning against Terry's shoulder like an extra-large stuffed toy, all warm and cuddly.

He poked at Terry's lips with the cupcake again, a little icing smearing over his thumb and tipping it with white vanilla. "Eat more? They're really good."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"How about... I eat more if you'll come take a shower and clean up and put on something that I'll want to pull right off - reapply your make-up." His hand went up, thumb hovering just under the line that ran from Ryuuji's eye to his cheek.

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Ryuuji tilted his head back a little, just from pure instinct. He hated anyone touching that scar, and even though Terry wasn't touching it yet, his thumb was too close to it. The waterproof line hadn't disappeared yet, Ryuuji's body knowing to draw it on auto-pilot, just as he'd known what to do when pushed into a shower, so the scar was still thankfully concealed.

A little sombre, just because he couldn't help but be like that whenever that scar came near being touched, thanks to all the memories associated with it, Ryuuji agreed quietly, "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want."

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

He caught the change in tone and closed his eyes. "Hey." It was said softly. "I just thought Seto would appreciate you looking you best - and suitably unatainable." It was a very old argument, but Terry didn't know what else to offer. Ryuuji close to catatonic and locked inside his mind was still too close for Terry to be able to handle a shift in mood easily.

He rubbed Ryuuji's back, reaching his hand up to nestle in the dark hair flowing down. "You could dress me."

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

Ryuuji laughed quietly at that, glancing around at the indistinguishable popcorn cases. "Mmm. Then maybe I'd better put the fishnets on for him, not that popcorn can see."

"You look gorgeous, love. You always do." Ryuuji told Terry, nuzzling against the hand in his ponytail. It felt a little too loose, inexpertly done -- clearly, Ryuuji hadn't been aware enough to do his own hair, even though washing himself and hiding the scar had been instinctive for him.

[tomorrow-knight.livejournal.com]

"Gorgeous? Must be the genes. I don't think you're supposed to look gorgeous after living in a blanket tent for a week."

Wrapping his arms around Ryuuji and ignoring the cupcake. "You really are better now?" And then softer. "Is there anything I can do?"

[dice-addict.livejournal.com]

"Stop blaming it on the genes. You're gorgeous 'cause you're you." Ryuuji flipped his ponytail and then stuck out his tongue for a second impishly, "And what, are you saying that I'm not gorgeous just because I've been living in a blanket tent too?"

Taking a bite out of the cupcake since Terry didn't seem to want it, Ryuuji smiled up at him, eyes soft and thankful, "I really am better, yeah, and there's nothing you need to do. I'm fine, and if I worried you, I'm sorry."