[ 4 ] video; un: @altin ( early morning 11/1 )

[bringbackgold]

[ Otabek wants to post the video relatively early. There’s a calm when the video comes on. Otabek’s hair is is still fuzzy from having just woken up, having not been styled yet. There’s a sense of ease about him, too. While he’s normally pretty calm, it’s just different from what one normally sees from him. Also, it appears his laptop is set up in a different spot than normal. It’s on a kitchen table, and behind him is a counter, on it - a container with remnants of cake.

He’s wearing a tank top, but it’s not hiding the markings on his neck and shoulders. He finally speaks, but not without a small meow in the background from the little black cat who seems fond of making appearances. ]

Thank you for coming to the party last night. I was glad to see everyone. Also, as of yesterday --

[ A pause. ]

I’m nineteen. I don’t really celebrate birthdays. It was a good birthday, though. I’m curious...

[ Leans forward, is quiet. ]

What birthday traditions do you have?

[ He sits back. Clearly, his tone is about to change. Otabek never leaves it at one thing. ]

Also... As you may or may not know, I am in charge of entertainment at a few clubs here. So - this is also a job posting. Singers, DJs, musicians, and otherwise musical acts are all welcome to apply, either for one night or something more long term. It is a paid job, of course. You can either reply here, come visit me at the club, or send me a message privately.

[ He’s said a lot more than he typically does in any given moment. Then, something seems to grab his attention, and he turns back towards the bedroom, then back to the camera. He turns it off. ]

Comments

text @d.va

[bunnyhopped]

[ she honestly can't respond to this via video or audio because she's laughing too hard ]

looks like someone got special birthday treatment last night huh

text;

[bringbackgold]

[ He didn't even really think about it. It's not like he wakes up like that...ever, so he shifts to text. ]

I had a good birthday. Yuri made cake.

[ Yeah. Cake. ]

[bunnyhopped]

[ oh my god ]

was it good?

[video | un: edward.elric]

[alchemyfreak]

Back home we always had cake, sometimes a party.

[Not that he had too many of those, but he remembers it well enough.]

A friend of mine threw me a party in Attollo, but where I was before that we didn't really do much at all.

audio ;

[bringbackgold]

[ He listens. ]

Was there a reason for not before that?

[ His reasons are pretty straightforward, personally. And he doesn't take his own birthday very seriously...but some people do. ]

[voice]

[alchemyfreak]

[He switches over since Otabek did.]

It wasn't really much of a thing there, I guess I never really thought about it before. We were dealing with a lot and had little resources. Gods, trying to survive- small luxuries were also pretty expensive, getting things together for a traditional birthday party might have cost too much even if they were available.

[Thanks for making him think about this a lifetime later, Otabek.]

text - RE-L124C41+

[realimperfect]

So you're only a year younger than me.

... Looks like you either got mauled by a group of cats or you had a good birthday. I could drop some concealer by, if you want.

Iggy always made me my favorite cake for my birthday, in Romdeau.

I miss it. There's nothing quite like Iggy's cakes.

text; @altin because yuri is stealing Otabek's computer (with KJ's permission)

[bespredel]

It was a tiger, actually. Extremely vicious.

[ And very, very smug. ]

text;

[bringbackgold]

That wasn't me. And thanks, I don't mind wearing a scarf.

What is your favourite cake, Re-L?

video | @cphantom

[sweetlies]

[Ciel is leaning back in a chair, chewing on a small piece of chocolate. After a moment, he sets it down onto a small saucer and straightens.

He won't comment on the marks, so Otabek is spared that from the younger teen.]

My family always made a bit of a spectacle for my birthday. Since it was in December, the presents were always under the tree, everyone on the estate knew what day it was so there were a lot of birthday wishes, even the servants had presents ready.

I remember sneaking into the kitchen to try to steal a peek at what kind of cake was being made... It never worked. I suppose that's tradition enough?

[Almost as an after thought:] I don't really celebrate them either now. My fiancee usually insists on marking the occasion though.

video;

[bringbackgold]

[ He's grateful. It wasn't something he thought about...but, he was more interested in the answer he'd get. ]

Near Christmas, then?

[ An other holiday that's not really something he does. He realizes that there's a lot of people here that seem to celebrate quite a variety. It's interesting to him, and feels almost like he's traveling without traveling. ]

It sounds like a tradition.

[ He's curious about the fiancee thing, since this kid seems so young. ]

[ video | un: redpaladin ]

[tempredmental]

[Keith left off any comment about those marks. He had an interesting after party, too, not that long ago.]

This was the first time in a while that I did anything for my birthday. It wasn't even really my idea.

But, when I was little, we have cake... and I got some presents. [He shrugged.]

It just never really seemed all that important once... [...he was alone...] ...once I got older.

audio;

[bringbackgold]

[ He empathizes, at least with how Keith explained it. ]

Same, really. I didn't plan on it.

[ But it happened because of a certain person, and it ended up being pretty good. He always traveled too much to be with his family, so it was never really something he did. ]

Sometimes - friends - would do something here and there back at home.

[ But what are friends for. ]

Cakes and gifts seem like the status quo.

voice; un: Sly Blue

[bottombitch]

Happy Birthday!

Ah! I went to your club recently. I really enjoyed your music - it's incredible that you're already this good even though you're so young!

[ Aoba, you're only 23... stop acting like that's a big deal... ]

audio;

[bringbackgold]

Thank you.

[ Heh. ]

Thank you for that, too. I guess I am young, but...I never go halfway with anything.

action

[bespredel]

[ It isn't usual that Otabek wakes before Yuri; Yuri has a tendency towards being a light sleeper, lately. Struggling some nights to get any at all. He goes to bed at the same time as his boyfriend, but usually wakes early. Sometimes in the middle of the night- it's hard to quiet his mind. Last night was different, though. The first time Yuri has slept easily and deeply in months. When he pads into the kitchen, sleep rumpled and soft looking, rubbing one eye Yuri pauses, catching the tail end of the other's video, and smiling softly. Waiting just out of frame, not wanting to disturb the other. Inzhu is in his arms, purring away while Potya winds around his feet, meowing up at him for food. Wearing one of Otabek's shirts, it hangs off his slight frame, collar gaping and exposing his own neck- almost as marked as Otabek's, though far more vibrant against his pale skin. When Otabek glances towards him he smiles, fingers wiggling in a slight wave, still silent, until the camera shuts off. Then he walks forward, right into Otabek's space- tipping forward and bringing their lips together. ]

G'morning. [ He hums, still a little slurred, a little sleepy, smiling softly and shifting to set Inzhu down on the counter. He knows he shouldn't, cats aren't meant to be on the counter tops after all- but try telling them that. ] You sleep okay?

[bringbackgold]

[ Otabek turns off the video, but leaves his laptop there for now. He leans towards Yuri, returning the kiss. He feels...relaxed and happy. Just different and so good. He appreciates the way he feels. And he appreciates seeing Yuri in one of his shirts. He feels like he's never really celebrated a birthday before now. And he was glad that he got to celebrate with Yuri. There's no one he'd rather be with. After he returns the kiss, he shifts to stand, so he can effectively tug Yuri into an embrace.

It is unusual for him to wake up first. Otabek sleeps heavily through the night, and prefers sleeping in if possible. Since he was taking most of the day off today, he thought he'd surely sleep in late. ]

I slept great.

[ He shifts a little, relaxing his hold on Yuri. ]

Did you?

{Video; UN: potentia.regere}

[earlofphantoms]

I wish you well on this most auspicious of days! {Hi, have a Victorian stranger wishing you well, Otabek! At least he seems cheerful? And bright?} I do play piano and violin if truth be told, but I am not a professional.

audio;

[bringbackgold]

Thank you. [ So many nice strangers, he notes. ] Do you? [ It piques his curiosity at least. He's remixed some more classical music. ] Do you play more classical songs?

video » un: 2cool

[glitterpants]

_{[ A JOB OPPORTUNITY!!! Not like he's really excited about working, but it doesn't really count as working when it's something you're really passionate about, right? Maybe this will get him fame— adoration— the validation he's been craving for years. Maybe.. Karamatsu Girls will exist after they see him perform here. Something like that.
Don't mess up, Karamatsu! ]}

Ah, I see. You are looking for talented musicians, non? Those that can captivate the soul? Leave them breathless on the dance floor? Have them begging for more?
_{[ why does his poetry sound so bad.. ]}

video;

[bringbackgold]

[ Otabek takes a second to respond, before he decides to answer. But the way the guy responds, makes him wonder if he's serious. But, Otabek decides to treat him seriously. Because he is legitimately talking about work... ]

I am. I like to listen to examples, of course. An audition, in a way.

[ A short pause. ]

I can set a place/time with you.

Text; un bat.enthusiast

[super_sane]

I used to celebrate my birthday not unlike how you seem to have. At least when I was your age.

Are you always so calm?

text

[bringbackgold]

I seem to - ah. I see.

Yes, I typically am, or at least I Try to be.

[ And very serious. But it would take a lot to get a rise out of him. ]

Video @the.boneless

[ragnarsson]

Vikings don't really celebrate from year to year, just significant milestones when you reach them. I've always just take a moment on the day to be thankful I've survived another year.

[He's not intentionally trying to sound funny or melodramatic. It had been up in the air Ivar's entire childhood if he was going to be strong enough to make it another year. Now that he was a teen, he knew the chances of falling in battle were fairly high.]

video;

[bringbackgold]

That makes sense...logically.

[ It seems more worthwhile to celebrate accomplishments and milestones versus a yearly thing. ]

Mostly, at least.

[ The survived another year thing brings him a little bit of pause. ]