video, @hiccup

[thisisamazing]

[When the video clicks on, Hiccup comes into focus, leaning back from where he was propping up his phone on the table. He's softly casual in a loose t-shirt bearing the logo of one of the Riverview University science clubs, probably biology or engineering, but it's difficult to make it out. He's sitting at the table in the communal kitchen of Floor One, with one of those small, round layer cakes so ubiquitous in grocery stores in front of him. A birthday cake for one, with swirls of white frosting and colorful sprinkles, and 'Happy Birthday' written in red icing across the top.]

So, the nice lady at the grocery store seemed amazed I'd never had a birthday cake. I had to tell her we don't have this kind of thing on Berk. [He laughs a little, quietly, and a black blur from the side indicates Toothless slipping into the frame, seating himself on the floor next to Hiccup and planting his head on the edge of the table to peer at the camera. The dragon purrs out an inquisitive noise as Hiccup cuts himself a thin slice of cake and tries it.

He's immediately making a face, setting it back down on the plastic tray.] Oh, wow, that's- sugary? That's so sweet. [His palate is accustomed to sparing amounts of honey as sweetener, not modern processed white sugar. Toothless leans in a little more and sniffs at the sliver of cake, then wrinkles his nose.] Yeah, I probably won't finish this. It'll be in the icebox if anyone on my floor wants it, though!

What kinds of birthday traditions do you have in your worlds? Anything fun? Something better than cake, hopefully.

Comments

[hasitsthorns]

[ It's a sound she loves to hear, actually, so he's totally fine. She's grinning right back at him as he laughs. It's always so nice. ]

I mean, kind of! There's a couple versions that are similar but that one was one a friend sang to me a long time ago that he said his parents taught him.

But, yes! You are totally correct. It's meant to embarrass the heck of them.

(( ooc: heyo! i'm on hiatus until probably mid-april due to life stuff so i will still be painfully slow if you'd rather drop/handwave this and start something new when I get back lmk!!! ))

[thisisamazing]

Well, I would have to say objective achieved, then! [It's still odd to be the center of attention. You'd think he'd be used to it by now, from back home, but having a song draw attention to him is a strange feeling. Not unpleasant, just odd.]

Are you a musician? That was pretty good.

[hasitsthorns]

Alright! Doing my job as an entertainer pretty well then, I'd say.

[ That's... technically her job, anyway. ]

I am not. Not yet, at least! Aspiring musician though. I'd love to someday make a career out of it.

[thisisamazing]

Is that what you do here? What does being an entertainer entail? [He's curious. He's never lived somewhere you could make a living off entertaining before - on Berk, it was always all hands on deck to stockpile enough food for the coldest months. No hands to spare to the profession of entertaining. Everyone would just sing rowdy songs together in the Great Hall during celebrations and particularly tasty meals.]

I bet you could in a place like this.

[hasitsthorns]

Yeah, it is! For me, I'm a musical entertainer. So I, like, set up stage and play the right kind of music for an event.

It's been kind of slow going. But you have to kind of make a name for yourself in this profession, which I haven't just yet. Soon though, totally.

[thisisamazing]

We don't have anything like that where I come from. Vikings are mostly satisfied with rowdy drinking songs. [Which always sounds like a ruckus, more than anything.]

Well, I wish you luck with it! It must be hard in a city this big.

[hasitsthorns]

I love me a good rowdy drinking song, too! Sea shanties, hearty jigs- They're all awesome. Music in general is, really.

[ It's obviously something she has a lot of passion for. ]

Thanks, dude! Here's hoping I break into something big soon.